Hong Kong: HK taxation regime recognised

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government today welcomed the removal of Hong Kong from the European Union's (EU) watchlist on tax co-operation in recognition of the citys efforts in ensuring that its foreign-sourced income exemption (FSIE) regime is in full compliance with the EUs relevant requirements.

Secretary for Financial Services & the Treasury Christopher Hui said: We are pleased to note that the EU has recognised our efforts in this regard and removed Hong Kong from the watchlist. Hong Kong will continue to comply with international tax standards while maintaining tax competitiveness.

In response to the EUs inclusion of Hong Kong in its watchlist in 2021, the Hong Kong SAR Government introduced in January 2023 a new FSIE regime, under which multinational enterprise entities receiving foreign-sourced dividend, interest, income derived from the use of intellectual properties and disposal gain in relation to shares or equity interests in Hong Kong must satisfy the economic substance requirement to enjoy tax exemption.

In December 2022, the EU also explicitly set out disposal gains as a general class of income covered by an FSIE regime, and subjected the taxpayers concerned to the economic substance requirement.

Jurisdictions with ongoing FSIE reforms, including Hong Kong which was pending completion of the necessary legislative amendments, were kept in the watchlist.

In this connection, the Hong Kong SAR Government enacted the Inland Revenue (Amendment) (Taxation on Foreign-sourced Disposal Gains) Ordinance 2023 last December to refine the FSIE regime by expanding the scope of assets in relation to foreign-sourced disposal gains to cover assets other than shares or equity interests.

The refined FSIE regime came into effect on January 1, 2024.

Mr Hui added that the Hong Kong SAR Government will continue to implement new policy initiatives to create impetus for sustainable market development.

He also expressed confidence that Hong Kong will maintain its favourable business environment and strengthen its status as an international business and trade centre.

This story has been published on: 2024-02-20. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Munich conference closes with calls to jointly address global security challenges

Xinhua) 08:04, February 20, 2024

MUNICH, Germany, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- The 60th edition of the Munich Security Conference (MSC) wrapped up its three-day gathering here on Sunday, with participants calling for enhanced international cooperation to address the world's pressing challenges.

Decision-makers and world elites engaged in productive discussions on enhancing the global system, ensuring that all stakeholders benefit more equitably. They agreed that promoting positive-sum cooperation is crucial as no country can remain immune to global challenges and risks, such as climate change, regional conflicts, and artificial intelligence.

Munich Security Conference (MSC) Chairman Christoph Heusgen (C) attends the release of the 2024 Munich Security Report in Berlin, Germany, Feb. 12, 2024. (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei)

LOSE-LOSE ANXIETY

The MSC was born as a venue for dialogue among allied countries in the West in 1963 and thus has been dubbed a "transatlantic family meeting." Although the circle of participants has grown over the years, the "Davos of Defense" still adopts a Western-centric mentality.

This year's motto for the MSC, "lose-lose," which was put forward in the 2024 Munich Security Report, sums up the prevailing and conspicuous mindset of the West -- facing a volatile global situation and changing geopolitical environment, governments seek to "de-risk" and prioritize "relative gains."

The mentality of prioritizing relative payoffs may spur "lose-lose dynamics" of inter-governmental interactions while jeopardizing cooperation and undermining the international order, thus creating a vicious cycle, the report noted.

Experts noted that the "pessimism" of these Western countries reflects their anxiety in a turbulent world. Ongoing regional conflicts, including the Ukraine crisis and the Israel-Hamas conflict and their spill-over economic effects, have increased their insecurity. At the same time, the development of new entrants in the international order and the multi-layered challenges of Western society have made it hard for the West to sustain its prioritized position.

Cui Hongjian, a professor at Academy of Regional and Global Governance at Beijing Foreign Studies University and the deputy director of Chinese Association for European Studies, emphasized the need for a mindset recalibration, particularly regarding the West's perception of the global order if it adopts the "lose-lose" model.

Noting the anxiety of developed countries in the West, the Munich Security Report also pointed to the dissatisfaction of developing countries in the Global South for not receiving their due benefits.

On the conference's opening day, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in his opening speech that the global community is "more fragmented and divided than at any time during the past 75 years."

"Global governance in its present form is entrenching divisions and fueling discontent," Guterres said.

Journalists work at the press center of the 60th Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Munich, Germany, Feb. 16, 2024. (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei)

CHINA'S VIEW

China's views drew wide attention at the conference.

The West believes that allowing developing countries to reap more means they will get less, said Sun Chenghao, a fellow at the Center for International Security and Strategy, Tsinghua University.

According to Sun, the West focuses on distribution instead of growing the pie, creating a "lose-lose" situation.

Sun said Chinese proposals, such as the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative, and the Belt and Road Initiative, consider all parties' needs, strengthening the existing international order.

Former Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Fu Ying stated at the MSC that China is against forming exclusive multilateral security mechanisms in Asia. This is not only because these mechanisms are directed toward China but also because they are incompatible with the concept of common security and threaten regional stability.

China respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries and attaches importance to their legitimate security concerns. Fu stressed that it insists on peacefully resolving disputes and conflicts through dialogue and consultation.

"This is also recognized by most countries in Asia," she noted.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks during the opening of the 60th Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Munich, Germany, Feb. 16, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Fan)

SOLIDARITY TO BENEFIT ALL

"If we do something really stupid, we could have been lose-lose," Graham Allison, a professor at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government, told Xinhua.

He said that all parties should cooperate to establish a framework to make an unsolvable problem manageable.

MSC Chairman Christoph Heusgen made similar remarks in his opening address for the conference.

"Many of these (global security) challenges are man-made, which means they can be changed by men and women," he said on Friday, calling for a "silver lining" amid the "doom and gloom" of the global situation.

Munich Security Conference (MSC) Chairman Christoph Heusgen speaks during the opening of the 60th MSC in Munich, Germany, Feb. 16, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Fan)

The Global South, which has become an increasingly important part of the security discussions in Munich in recent years, also called for enhanced cooperation and collaboration.

Something is "fundamentally wrong" with the system that does not provide an occasion for the Global South to talk, said Mia Mottley, prime minister of Barbados, during the conference.

"It can't be the voice of one or two in speeches or conferences such as this, and what the global system misses is an effective mechanism for decision-making," she stressed.

She called for enhanced international collaboration in climate change governance while urging wealthier nations to act more assertively.

Noting that multipolarity has created significant opportunities for balance and justice, Guterres on Friday stressed that a global order that works for everyone must address the gaps and provide solutions.

"We must work based on justice, with renewed urgency and solidarity," he said. "A safer world -- and a bigger pie -- for all."

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
A villager uses a blanket donated by China in a quake-affected area in Herat province, Afghanistan, Feb. 11, 2024. (Photo by Mashal/Xinhua)

HERAT, Afghanistan, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Surviving the devastating earthquake last October, Ghulam Reza, a resident of Gazara locality in west Afghanistan's Herat province, thanked China for sending assistance to the quake-affected families ahead of the chilly winter.

"I am thankful to China for sending assistance to our area that has covered about 50 to 60 families," Reza told Xinhua recently.

Around 800 families live in Gazara, according to Reza, and 90 percent of the villagers are living in poverty.

A 6.3 magnitude tremor and several aftershocks struck Herat province last October, causing thousands of casualties and rendering thousands of others homeless.

Many families have no floor covering to sit on and no dress to wear, Reza said.

"You may know that in Afghanistan each family is made up of eight or nine members with one bread earner, who is either an old man or a widow who works and hardly can buy food and clothes to support his or her family in the chilly winter," Reza said.

"There could be a catastrophe in the absence of humanitarian assistance."

Mohammad, another quake-affected victim, expressed gratitude to China and anyone providing aid to the quake-affected families in Herat.

"God bless China and any other country that assists us, and assists the poor people. We are thankful over (their) assistance," Mohammad, 77, told Xinhua.

"I have received two blankets that keep us warm against cold spells in the winter and we are happy," the bread earner of a seven-member family said.

Mohammad Musa Ashari, Herat's provincial director for the natural disaster management authority, said China is a good neighbor of Afghanistan.

"China is a good and friendly neighbor that sent aid to the quake-affected families on time in the hours of need. The assistance which includes tents reached on time and was distributed to the needy people," Ashari told Xinhua.

The first batch of earthquake relief supplies donated by the Chinese government arrived at Afghanistan's Herat International Airport on Oct. 15, 2023 and the second batch arrived on Nov. 16. 

Children play near a quilt donated by China in a quake-affected area in Herat province, Afghanistan, Feb. 11, 2024. (Photo by Mashal/Xinhua)

Children sit on a quilt donated by China in a quake-affected area in Herat province, Afghanistan, Feb. 11, 2024. (Photo by Mashal/Xinhua)
Atlanta bans right turns on red at some intersections, officials say move will foster 'sense of community'

Atlanta lawmakers have approved a new city ordinance banning right turns at red stoplights in certain neighborhoods.

The Atlanta City Council met Monday and passed the new traffic ordinance in a vote of 10-3, FOX 5 Atlanta reported.

"We did it! Thank you to my colleagues for adopting my legislation prohibiting turns at red lights in central Atlanta!" Councilman Jason Dozier said. "Pedestrian safety and quality of life go hand in hand, and I'm deeply proud of our work to make our streets safer for our most vulnerable people."

The ordinance will ban right turns at red lights in Downtown Atlanta, Midtown Atlanta and the Castleberry Hill community. It will take effect at the beginning of 2026 to allow time for the city's Department of Transportation to put up signage at the affected intersections.

ATLANTA OFFICIALS CONSIDERING BANNING RIGHT TURNS ON RED

The Atlanta City Council has approved an ordinance that would ban right turns at red lights at certain city intersections.

Supporters on the city council said the neighborhoods where right on red is now banned are home to cultural attractions, businesses and homes that bring in heavy pedestrian traffic.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

Officials argue the measure will make these neighborhoods safer for pedestrians and foster "a sense of community, encourage social interaction, and support local businesses, therefore contributing to the overall quality of life."

Dozier, who co-sponsored the legislation, previously told Fox News Digital that he proposed the ordinance because Atlanta has seen a significant rise in pedestrian injuries and fatalities due to car collisions.

"We've seen a 50% increase in pedestrian deaths since 2020, and 38 pedestrians died on Atlanta's streets last year as a consequence," Dozier said in an emailed statement. "When cars are allowed to turn at red lights, they typically creep into crosswalks, with drivers looking only for oncoming cars rather than pedestrians or cyclists. Even worse, vehicle sizes have ballooned over the last 20 years, so even if a driver were looking for a pedestrian, bigger blind spots and narrower sight lines make it difficult to see them. Crosswalks represent some of the very little space that our cities afford pedestrians, and this legislation attempts to protect that space."

TSA DIRECTOR ARRESTED BY US CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION

The downtown skyline of Atlanta. Officials said a passed ban on right turns at red lights would make intersections safer for pedestrians.

Propel ATL, an organization that wants to "reclaim Atlanta's streets" for pedestrians and bicyclists, said many residents support the change.

"Turning right on red poses significant risks to the most vulnerable...people in wheelchairs, seniors, and people on bikes and scooters," Propel ATL Executive Director Rebecca Serna said at a January meeting, FOX 5 Atlanta reported.

Opponents of the ban have raised concerns over the more than $100,000 needed to install signs at the impacted red lights and said the project will divert Department of Transportation resources from other more important projects.

However, supporters say that if the red light ban is successful, it can be expanded to other parts of the city, per FOX 5 Atlanta.

GEORGIA REPUBLICANS TARGET ATLANTA SQUATTERS WITH HARD-HITTING BILL: NO MORE FREE RIDES

Several U.S. cities have proposed or enacted bans on right turns on red, including New York, Washington, D.C. and Chicago.

A dramatic rise in accidents killing or injuring pedestrians and bicyclists has pushed several U.S. cities to consider bans on turning right on red.

The Washington, D.C. City Council in 2023 approved a right on red ban that will take effect in 2025.

New Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnsons transition plan called for "restricting right turns on red," but his administration hasnt provided specifics.

The college town of Ann Arbor, Michigan, now prohibits right turns at red lights in the downtown area.

San Francisco leaders recently voted to urge their transportation agency to ban right on red across the city, and other major cities such as Los Angeles, Seattle and Denver have looked into bans as well.

New York City has a longstanding prohibition on right turns at red lights, with large signs notifying drivers that they may not do the commonplace maneuver while in Manhattan.

There is no recent research on how many people nationwide are hurt or killed by right-turning drivers.

Advocates for the bans and critics have pointed to a 1994 report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to Congress that analyzed four years of crash data from Indiana, Maryland and Missouri and three years of data from Illinois. The report counted 558 injury crashes and four fatalities caused by right turns on red.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.





Original article source: Atlanta bans right turns on red at some intersections, officials say move will foster 'sense of community'
An Atlanta man was arrested in Winder, Georgia suspected of stealing five trucks from Akins Ford early this month.

On Thursday, Winder police arrested 28-year-old Xavier Cordel Evans of Atlanta, Georgia.

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Officials from Akins contacted Winder police on Feb. 12, after discovering that five heavy-duty Ford trucks had been stolen.

The last vehicle was taken at about 7 a.m. that morning.

The total value of the stolen vehicles is estimated at $400,000.

Winder Police Chief Fullington said that the thefts involved late-model heavy-duty trucks which required specialized technical knowledge and equipment to bypass the vehicles security systems and reprogram electronic ignition systems.

These are not your ordinary car thieves. This is an organized group or theft ring with specialized technical knowledge and equipment that target expensive late-model vehicles that are in high demand for the whole vehicles or their parts, according to Police Chief Fullington.

Winder Police identified Evans as a suspect and reached out to Atlanta Police who helped find him during a traffic stop.

I am proud of the work by Winder police personnel in this investigation. This case is an example of diligent police work and of utilizing various intelligence tools to follow the evidence in an investigation. It also shows the significance of having good working relationships and communications with other law enforcement agencies that can help play a part in furthering an investigation, said Fullington.

TRENDING STORIES:

During a search, Winder Police and Atlanta Police found several other items linking Evans to the truck thefts at Akins.

Police said Evans has been arrested and charged with five felony counts of Theft by Taking a Motor Vehicle.

Evans was taken back to Winder to the Barrow County Detention Center.

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IN OTHER NEWS:
A woman has been arrested after she was accused of filming her nieces and nephews hanging out of a moving vehicle as she drove, according to Michigan police and news reports.

The woman, identified in news reports as a 23-year-old from Detroit, was arrested Monday, Feb. 19, following the Feb. 10 incident, court records show.

Authorities say the aunt allowed the victims  a 5-year-old, 9-year-old and two 10-year-olds  to hang their bodies outside the car windows as it appeared to be going in motion, according to MLive.com.

The aunt recorded the children with her phone, WWJ reported, citing the Wayne County Prosecutors Office.

Looking at it, I was fearful for the kids safety, number one, but its outrageous, Detroit Police Chief James White told WJBK. As you saw with one of the kids, it looked like the child was about to lose her balance in one of the turns. That just couldve been disastrous.

The aunt said in an interview with WJBK she is remorseful for the incident and has apologized to the childrens parents. She said she was driving 2 mph as she recorded the kids.

Court records show the aunt was charged with reckless driving and four counts of second-degree child abuse.

She was jailed on a $50,000 bond and was scheduled to be arraigned the morning of Tuesday, Feb. 20, according to the court records.

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AUSTIN (KXAN)  An Austin nonprofit is warning about the impacts that widely available bird repellents can have on wildlife  including Austins bat population.

The Austin Bat Refuge rescued four bats that appeared to be covered in a sticky substance intended as a bird repellent outside a local business. Videos from the nonprofit show a bat unable to move with leaves stuck to its body.

ABRs Executive Director Dianne Odegard said they were alerted to bats on the sidewalk that were encased in a sticky substance, which was different from regular glue traps that bats and other animals often get stuck in.

RELATED: Meet the couple taking care of the bats at Austins famous bat bridge

But this was sticky in a way that actually prevented them from opening their wings, Odegard said.

Refuge manager Lee Mackenzie said the bats plummeted to the ground. The nonprofit stepped in to save four bats, including one bat that was passed over for dead but had a little breath left.

Mackenzie said they dont know how many bats may have been encased in the sticky substance, so others may have crawled away.

Their process to clean the bats includes corn oil and Dawn soap. Then, the bats are dried and try test flights until they are ready to be released. One of the four bats has already been released at the Congress Avenue Bridge and the other rescued bats will test fly Monday night.

Odegard and Mackenzie have not seen this type of adhesive on bats before and want to warn people of the effects of adhesive bird repellents. Mackenzie said some alternatives wouldnt hurt bats or birds.

It can really be devastating if it was applied to the wrong location. It could cause mass mortality, huge numbers of deaths, Mackenzie said.

Gel coating repellent, like what the nonprofit helped the bats get out of, is intended to irritate birds feet, according to the U.S. General Services Administration.

Some limitations of the deterrent include difficult removal, damage to buildings, short-term effectiveness and pollutant absorption that leads to the repellent becoming hard and ineffective, the GSA said.

Odegard and Mackenzie said people who see a stuck bat can contact their nonprofit at 512-695-4116 and get instructions on how to help the bats. People should never touch bats or wildlife with bare hands. Leather gloves or oven mitts are recommended.

Bats are like any other wild animal, in terms of feeling threatened and possibly biting, Odegard said.

People looking to help the bat nonprofit can donate online.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
AUSTIN (KXAN)  Creating a small business can be costly; from paying for marketing to bookkeeping.

It has some small business owners turning to Artificial Intelligence (AI).

According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, about 25% of small businesses said they are using or testing AI so they can outpace competitors.

AI lessons in Austin

Distance Learning Media partnered with the City of Austin and Texas Veterans Commission to teach small business owners different ways to grow their business and compete with larger companies by using AI.

Co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer of Distance Learning Media, Julie Niehoff, holds classes where she teaches the advantages of using AI.

Anything that is automated, and is making shortcuts for you, thats AI. When we hear about AI, it sounds scary, Niehoff said. In terms of daily life and AI tools, its not something to be afraid of.

Instead of struggling to market or create designs, Niehoff said AI makes it pretty easy.

RELATED COVERAGE: Austin City Council to look at citys use of artificial intelligence

When you go into Chat GBT, you can say, Write me a social media post or, Write me an outline for a class. You can take it beyond that and say, Who are my likely best customers? What are their likely objections, Niehoff said. It will provide that information for you, or at least a starting point for you to start considering things that maybe you hadnt thought of.

In these classes, Niehoff emphasizes that AI is not used to just get the job done.

That doesnt mean you just take that as, Thats my audience. There you go. Its not like that. But you can take it and it might trigger something in your brain of, Oh, I didnt even think of that, and take you down another road for another opportunity for revenue, Niehoff said.

Ultimately, Niehoff said AI still needs that human touch.

Their experience cannot be replaced by that machine, Niehoff said. You still need to put that human layer of intelligence, human intelligence across the top.

Opened my eyes

Shani Montique-Ahmad has worked with Distance Learning Media to grow her south Austin business, Franklin Music Academy.

She and her husband teach customized music lessons.

[The toolkit] really kind of opened my eyes as to how we can streamline and work faster. I think for a lot of small businesses, one of our biggest problems is keeping up with larger companies, said Montique-Ahmad.

Montique-Ahmad is using AI to help expand their business.

You can have AI do project management, tasking, marketing, content creation, Montique-Ahmad. It can help you build apps for your businesses.

Its helped her cut down on some of their expenses as well.

QuickBooks has an automation where they basically learn your transactions, Montique-Ahmad said. I do have a bookkeeper that oversees that, but were obviously paying her bookkeeper less because AI is in the forefront of everything there.

Montique-Ahmad said its a tool she and her family plan on using to continue growing their business for years to come.

I want to see exponential growth, not just little baby steps that weve been doing, she said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
PHNOM PENH, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said on Tuesday that any armed forces or officials involved in drug cases will be fired and blacklisted from future jobs in the government.

"Any civil servants, police officers and soldiers involved in drug use or drug cases will be dismissed from their jobs without any exception," he said at the closing ceremony of an annual meeting of the National Authority for Combating Drugs (NACD) here.

"There is no more tolerance for those involved in illicit drugs," he added.

Hun Manet said besides disciplinary sanction, the offenders could also face criminal charges under the kingdom's law.

Meanwhile, the prime minister said that unlike some countries, Cambodia will not allow any investment in growing marijuana.

"I'd like to send a message to foreign investors that if you want to invest in planting marijuana in Cambodia, don't waste your time on riding a plane to Cambodia, it's useless because I will not approve this kind of investment," he said.

The Southeast Asian country has ramped up efforts in combating illicit drugs among armed forces in recent months, resulting in the dismissal and prosecution of dozens of police officers, soldiers and officials.

According to the NACD, Cambodia arrested 19,940 drug-related suspects in 2023, seizing a total of 2.97 tons of illicit drugs. Most of the confiscated drugs were heroin, ecstasy, ketamine, nimetazepam, cocaine, crystal methamphetamine, methamphetamine pills, and cathinone.

The kingdom has no death sentence for illicit drug traffickers. Under its law, those found guilty of trafficking more than 80 grams of illicit drugs could be imprisoned for life. 
A cold case involving a baby found dead in a Sky Harbor International Airport restroom in 2005 has led to an arrest in Washington, Arizona police reported.

Annie Anderson, 51, faces a charge of homicide in her babys death, Lt. James Hester of the Phoenix Police Department said during a Tuesday, Feb. 20, news briefing shown on Facebook.

The newborn girl, dubbed Baby Skylar, was found dead Oct. 10, 2005, in an airport restroom, Hester said. The baby was found with newspapers and a white towel inside a plastic bag with hotel markings.

Evidence suggested the baby died elsewhere and was abandoned in the restroom, Hester said.

The medical examiners office determined the baby was born alive but died of suffocation.

Detectives passionately worked the case, Hester said, but none of their leads, including DNA tests, resulted in an arrest.

In 2020, a violent crimes task force involving other agencies and the FBI took up the cold case.

Using genetic genealogy, the task force matched the babys DNA to a family member, who provided a DNA sample that led investigators to Anderson, Hester said.

Anderson identified herself as the babys mother and gave police a statement about her death, Hester said, but police declined to share further details. She was arrested in Washington and faces extradition to Arizona.

She visited Phoenix in 2005 for a real estate boot camp, Hester said. Police do not believe the babys father had any involvement in her death.

Cold case homicides are challenging, Hester said, praising the work of detectives over the years, including those who retired and passed it on to the next generation of investigators.

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BAFTA host David Tennant and wife Georgia go viral for adorable PDA on the red carpet

David Tennant and his wife Georgia Tennant may have been married for 13 years but that didn't stop them from showing a little PDA at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards on Sunday.

It seems that David Tennant, as the host of the annual gala, arrived earlier to the red carpet to do interviews before his longtime love, Georgia Tennant got there.

Photos from the event show the "Dr. Who" star reacting to his wife's glamourous appearance gleefully in front of the cameras. The two also posed for photos together as a couple, where they looked lovingly into each other's eyes.

EE BAFTA Film Awards 2024 - Roaming Arrivals (Iona Wolff / BAFTA / Getty Images)

Fans couldn't get enough of the couple's reactions to seeing each other on the carpet.

"I really love how David and Georgia Tennant have been together for over a decade, have 5 children, and yet they still look at each other as if they just fell in love yesterday," @darkwillowz tweeted. "True Love is real you guys and its right there."

EE BAFTA Film Awards 2024 - Arrivals (Joe Maher / BAFTA / Getty Images )

Another person suggested that David Tennant's expression should be relationship goals.

"If your partner doesnt look at you the same way that David Tennant looks at his wife, GET A NEW ONE," @fabledfool wrote in a now-viral post.

At the end of the night, Georgia Tennant shared a sweet black-and-white snap from the evening.

"That's a wrap," she captioned the post of her and David Tennant.

Read on for everything to know about the couple and their five children.

The Tennants met on the set of "Dr. Who"

The long-running BBC show "Dr. Who" has played quite a role in the relationship of the Tennants. The two met on the set of the show when David Tennant was playing the titular role and Georgia was cast as his genetically engineered daughter, Jenny.

At the time, the two said in a 2020 interview with That Gaby Roslin Podcast, the then-Georgia Moffett was the one to pursue her now-husband.

"You couldn't quite believe that (I was interested in you)," she laughed to David Tennant. "That's why I was messaging you 400 times a day, like, you thought maybe I just was, I don't know, just lonely and wanting to chat."

"Bit of a stalker," David Tennant quipped. "It's a fine line between stalker and life partner, really."

"I very much fell into stalker (category)," Georgia Tennant laughed. "I mean, thank goodness I did though!"

Not only did the two meet on the set of "Dr. Who" but Georgia is the daughter of the former fifth doctor, Peter Davison, who played the role from 1981 to 1984.

For the uninitiated, Doctor Who has been played by 15 actors over the years. The transition from one actor to another is written into the plot of the series by fatally killing the current doctor (an extraterrestrial being called a Time Lord) and then the doctor's cells regenerate and they are reincarnated into the subsequent actor.

David Tennant played the doctor from 2005 to 2010.

Georgia Tennant definitely hasn't forgotten their "Dr. Who" beginnings, writing in a November 2023 post about the impact the show has had on her life.

"Doctor Who has always been there, embedded deep in the fabric of my existence and it seems it always will be. During childhood, it entertained me with weekends spent in convention halls with my dad," she wrote in a post celebrating the show's 60th anniversary. "As I grew up it gave me a career and then ... a family and now my children will tell a similar (but even less likely) story."

"Its a joy to be part of the Who family in every sense of that. Thank you for it all. Happy Birthday old boy x."

David Tennant worried about the age gap

In the same podcast interview, David Tennant revealed that he initially hadn't been sure about dating Georgia.

"I thought we were a bit of an unlikely life partnership," he revealed. "Well, there's a bit of an age gap."

David Tennant is 52 and Georgia Tennant is 39.

"Well, it doesn't feel like there is (an age gap) now but when you look at it objectively..." he told host Roslin.

"Yeah, now we both feel 900," Georgia Tennant quipped.

The Tennants tied the knot in 2011

Georgia and David Tennant tied the knot in 2011.

In a post on Dec. 30, 2021, Georgia Tennant shared a photo of their wedding.

"The happiest day followed by the happiest life. Thanks DT," she captioned the post.

In the photo, the couple seems to be hugging Georgia's firstborn, Tyler, whom she had in 2002 at the age of 17.

When she married David Tennant, the "Dr. Who" star adopted Tyler.

They share 5 children

In the years since, the Tennants have welcomed four additional children to their clan and Tyler has since gone on to dabble in acting himself.

Tyler starred in 2019s "Tolkien" and 2022's "House Of The Dragon" and even revealed the name of one of his four younger siblings in an interview with ITVs "Lorraine" in 2020.

Hi mum, I love you mummy. Hi dad, Wilfred, Olive, Doris, Birdie I love you all. Sorry, Ive always wanted to do that, he said on the show.

The Tennants have kept their four younger children largely out of the spotlight, though their eldest daughter, Olive, has recently stepped out on her own.

The two welcomed Olive in 2011 and she has started to also follow in her parents acting footsteps. She has been credited as an actor in 2021's "Belfast" and 2017's "You, Me and Him."

In a July 2022 post, Georgia Tennant celebrated her daughter's acting successes, sharing a series of photos of the teen in a white dress after she was nominated for best newcomer at the National Film Awards (UK).

Their second child, Wilfred, 10, also recently made their acting debut in a BBC soap, "Casualty," the Daily Mail reported.

The two famous parents are careful not to show their youngest childrens faces on social media but they are also parents to Doris, 7, and Birdie, 4.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com
Barnsley has one of the lowest employment levels in Yorkshire at 71.9%, with only Rotherham and Bradford lower

A 2m scheme is set to be launched in Barnsley to help get unemployed people back into work.

Almost 40,000 people are out of work in the area, according to a report prepared for the borough council.

An application for funding has been made to the government's Shared Prosperity Fund, which will replace previous European grants.

If successful, residents would receive support for training, as well as connections to workplaces in the town.

The funding would be used to provide information, advice and guidance to "raise aspirations and awareness of local labour market opportunities", the report said.

'Reduce the barriers to employment'

In the borough, 42% of working-age adults are economically inactive due to long-term sickness or disability, compared with 26% nationally, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund aims to "help reduce the barriers some people face to employment and support them to move towards employment and education", the government said.

Currently, there are 1,800 to 2,000 average weekly job vacancies, but residents who want to work face barriers such as the "complexity and centralisation of the current support system", the report said.

Barnsley has one of the lowest employment levels in Yorkshire at 71.9%, with only Rotherham and Bradford lower at 68.8% and 68.1% respectively, according to government data.

The council's cabinet is set to approve the funding at its next meeting on 21 February.

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Bas Javid is not one for an easy life. Thirty years in one difficult public service career would be plenty for most people. Not him. After three decades in the police, during which he rose through the ranks to become one of the most senior officers in the force, he has somehow contrived to find an even more difficult job, joining the Home Office to become Director General of Immigration Enforcement.

At 51, a time in life when many would be content to slow down, Javid has taken on a role with more scrutiny and pressure than he had before. With a budget of 779 million and more than 6,200 staff, his department is responsible for tackling illegal immigration, by targeting the gangs who facilitate it, and rounding up illegal immigrants.

I felt it was time to move into something different, using the same sorts of skills and experience, he says.

I have absolutely no regrets. I am focused on transforming Immigration Enforcement and we have made good progress already, but there is clearly more to do. The Home Secretary and Prime Minister have been very clear about this, the Governments new legislation is aimed at closing loopholes, meaning people who are here illegally, especially those convicted of crimes, will no longer be allowed to stay in the UK.

Bas  short for Basit  Javid is sitting in his office in the Home Office, on Marsham Street in central London. Fit and trim, in a smart blue suit, he will probably not mind it being said that he cuts a more dashing figure than his older brother Sir Sajid Javid, the Tory MP who served as Chancellor and Health Secretary. He has been in the job two months, during which time illegal immigration has never been far from the front pages. As well as influencing the fates of thousands of desperate men, women and children, his departments success could help decide the next general election.

The Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, has promised to stop the boats, meaning the small boats bringing migrants across the English channel, but the results have been mixed. Last year, 29,437 crossed this way. More than 1,000 migrants have made it across so far this year, including 358 in eight boats on January 17. On January 14, five migrants died in French waters while attempting to make the crossing.

This isnt just about individual immigration offenders, were targeting the organised crime groups of people smugglers, to disrupt their activity and dismantle their criminal networks, Javid says. Ive been amazed by the lengths these people smugglers will go to, to turn a profit  hiding migrants in sofas, car dashboards, makeshift coffin-like compartments in vans. We see people who have been smuggled here, people who believed they would have a better life, but are living in squalid conditions.

At government level, members of the Tory party have been at each others throats over the Rwanda Bill, under which illegal immigrants could be deported to Rwanda. Two deputy chairs, Lee Anderson and Brendan Clarke-Smith, have resigned over the bill. This week UN chief Volker Turk says the proposals undercut basic human rights.

[Immigration] is a very topical issue, isnt it? Javid says. Both on a political and social level, its quite divisive. You can talk to 10 different people about immigration  legal, illegal  and theyll have different views. Its a tough subject. Ultimately, immigration enforcement is about identifying people who have no legal right to be in the UK, tracking them, working on the case and ultimately removing them. There are lots of moving parts, but thats what it is, in a nutshell.

Migrants in an inflatable boat await rescue from a Royal National Lifeboat Institution vessel in the English Channel - BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images

The new position presents a whole new set of bureaucratic challenges, as well as the difficulties present by the subject matter itself. On a personal level Ive just been trying to understand the system, which is different from what Im used to, says Javid. Whether you are talking about laws, policies, procedures, the structure of it, its not something you can do in isolation. You have to work in collaboration with a whole range of people, not just across the Home Office but the wider government. Its a team effort. But its a very rewarding position to be in, because its about public service. You have to do it with a degree of compassion for the people youre dealing with.

Many argue that the Rwanda plan represents a grotesque failure of compassion. In November, the Supreme Court unanimously found that the scheme was unlawful, because there were substantial grounds to believe that asylum seekers sent to Rwanda would risk ill-treatment. This week an amendment reached the House of Lords as part of an attempt by the Government to overturn that decision. Lord Clarke, the former Chancellor of the Exchequer, criticised the bill, arguing it set a dangerous precedent. If we pass this bill, we are asserting as a matter of law that Rwanda is a safe country for this purpose, that it is always going to be a safe country for this purpose until the law is changed. It was a step too far for the Government to override the courts like this, he said, adding that the country risked becoming an elected dictatorship. The bill is still under scrutiny by peers.

As far as Javid is concerned, the Rwanda plan would be useful for his staff. Subject to the outcome of the bill, which is very much in the political world and not my day to day business, [the Rwanda bill] offers a very clear tool to me and the people I work with to be able to do our jobs.

Ultimately from an operational perspective Im engaged in tackling the organised immigration crime that sits around people smuggling. Crossing the channel on a small boat is a very dangerous thing to do. People get exploited into doing it. They get charged high sums of money. Its a vile trade. Working with the National Crime Agency and other law enforcement agencies, not least our counterparts in France, I think its absolutely the right thing to do to toughen legislation to cause a disincentive for people to do it. Anything in our toolbox that is a legitimate way of having a deterrent to the gangs that promote this criminality is the right thing to do.

The Rwanda plan would be 'a clear tool to me and the people I work with to be able to do our jobs,' says Bas Javid - Victoria Jones/PA

Does he approve of the Rwanda policy? I dont think its for me to get into whether Rwanda as a country is right, he says. My priority is operationally to deliver against that. I think the policy of using a third country to send people to is absolutely the right one.

One change from Javids work as a police officer is that most of the illegal immigrants are suspected of no crime, other than being in the UK illegally. One of the five who drowned on January 14 was Obada Abd Rabbo, a 14-year-old Syrian boy, who didnt know how to swim.

There are clearly people within the illegal immigration sphere who are criminals, he says. Then at the other extreme are people who are victims of crime, subject to modern-day slavery, poor working practices or exploitation of one kind or another. Then there are people who came through a legal route, but for one reason or another have either abused the conditions under which they were here, or overstayed, or become illegal because theyve offended. Its not cut and dry. Its important to do it with compassion. But we follow the law, and the law of our country is if you have no legal right to be in the UK, you have no right to be here. I dont make the laws. Im here to make sure we enforce them.

Javid is the son of immigrants himself. His father, Abdul Ghani-Javid, moved to the UK from Pakistan in 1961, when he was 17, with 1 in his pocket, to look for work. He settled in Rochdale and initially worked in the cotton mills before becoming a bus driver. His wife, Zubaid, was from a similar background. They instilled a rigorous work ethic in their five competitive sons: Sajid and Bas, as well as Tariq, Atif and Khalid. Tariq was in retail but died in 2018; Atif is a property developer in Bristol, Khalid works in financial services. How does being from an immigrant family affect how Javid approaches his new role?

Sajid and Bas Javid as children: 'The areas we lived in as kids werent very affluent' - @SajidJavid

I gave that some thought before I started, he says. I dont know if any previous director of immigration enforcement has been from a minority ethnic background or had parents who came to the UK from another country. But when I talk about compassion, that means the ability to understand peoples concerns or plight or circumstances. I think anyone can have this mindset, but coming from a migration background myself maybe its more automatic. I think my coming from an immigrant background and family of immigrants, with personal experiences of racism and bias, enables me to come from a place of compassion in this job.

Protecting the borders of a country and dealing in a robust way with people who exploit those laws is really important. And theres a huge distinction between someone who is legally or illegally in the UK. I think my friends and family are proud of the fact that I perform a public service, as am I.

Its a privilege to do a job like this, especially at a time when its something thats on peoples minds, or a topic of interest. At any time, doing something where ultimately you are dealing with peoples lives every day, is a privilege. I hope that I go home most days feeling positive about the work we are doing here.

Javid was not an academic child. Tearaway is probably a better description, he says. I went to 11 schools in 11 years. I moved between Rochdale, Bristol and Pakistan, so there was a lot of disruption. The areas we lived in as kids werent very affluent. They were quite socially deprived, with low levels of public services and Im not ashamed to say the schools were challenged. I wasnt minded to pay too much attention to my education, much to my dads dismay, as hed worked his socks off to get us to a better place in life. But we had the love of a good family, five boys and my mum and dad.

A month before his 17th birthday, he left school and enlisted in the Royal Navy. It was a turning point. I ended up in an organisation that taught me discipline, camaraderie, the value of hard work. You grow very quickly as a person. That became my education. He served on HMS Brilliant, which was stationed in the Persian Gulf after the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait which led to the first Gulf War. As a British-Asian, and a Muslim, he was an atypical figure. For the six years I served, I never came across another British-Asian sailor. That was the 1980s and early 1990s. It was the same for policing when I joined. I went through various organisations in transition.

HMS Brilliant was the Royal Navy vessel on which Bas Javid served - John Walters/ANL/Shutterstock

He says the racism he encountered was mostly rooted in ignorance, easily diffused with explanation. One stark thing Ive found is people dont make the connection between people from the Commonwealth, and those British ties. My father was born in 1941 before Pakistan was a country, when it was India under British rule. Arguably he was born on British soil.

He joined the police in 1993, on the suggestion of his divisional officer in the Navy. He started in the Avon & Somerset and West Midlands police, rising through the ranks before he moved to the Metropolitan Police. Along the way he was repeatedly hospitalised, including one incident when he was knocked out trying to break up a fight. My jaw still clicks, he says, rubbing the affected area. During the pandemic, he was the second highest-ranking officer in the department that decided not to investigate the Government over Partygate, although he recused himself from the decision due to his family ties. He was in charge of professional standards in the force after the murder of Sarah Everard. The killing led to a mass reckoning with the Met from which it is still reeling.

Last March, Lady Caseys damning report into the Metropolitan Police, commissioned in the wake of the murder, found the force to be guilty of institutional racism, sexism and homophobia. Casey warned that public consent is broken and found that discrimination was baked into the system. This was not the 1990s, it was last year. Did Javid recognise the description?

Im opposed to the label of institutional on policing, simply because there are lots of different definitions of what it means, he says. I dont think its right to label an organisation institutionally anything. We worked every day to fight the challenges of racism, but in any organisation, not least in policing, you will have people who will have racist tendencies, views and biases. And its right they are identified and rooted out.

Thanks to Everard and other scandals, not to mention the drip-drip of frustration over inaction over low-level crime, the Mets reputation was as low when Javid left the force as at any point during his time as a policeman.

Thats a real shame for the large majority who get up in the morning and go to work under difficult circumstances to do good work, he says. Theres a significant minority of people who scupper that and dont have the right intentions or values. Those are the people who need to be rooted out.

Bas Javid encountered racism in the Met but rejects the term 'institutional' - BBC NEWS/PA

Does something about policing attract that minority? It is a job that carries with it an overwhelming sense of responsibility and powers, like no other, he says. The difference now [from when he started] is that theres a significantly higher level of appetite to uncover wrongdoing rather than hide it.

Its unfortunate that it took a tragic incident like the death of Sarah Everard for police to have a wake-up call. Its right that now the work being done is hopefully, in a sad way, some good coming off a horrendous tragedy.

Javid is single, but has two adult children from a previous relationship. He is a keen motorcyclist with two bikes, I love it, he says. But as you get older it gets harder, so you have to pace it a bit more. He has been in London for five years and says he loves it. He remains close to his remaining family. Sajid lives not far away in west London and the two speak most days. Bas says that while politics occasionally comes up, most of their fraternal conversation revolves around food  they both like cooking  and what to watch on Netflix, rather than the great affairs of state. His father died in 2012, but his mother is still alive and he sees her regularly.

In July 2018, Bas was driving from Bristol to Birmingham when he got the impossibly difficult call from the partner of his older brother, Tariq, saying that Tariq had taken his own life.

It was a very difficult time, he says.  It was a complete shock. I turned my car around and went to Horsham, where Tariq lived. I knew in the car that he had died. We went through a lot of pain. Im now the age he was when he died, which is difficult to deal with. He was my big brother, you know? It made us all realise not just how fragile life is, but how sometimes youve got to be aware of whats going on around you. People on the outside who look the most confident arent necessarily so.

Competitive: Sajid and Bas remain close - though they can still wind each other up - @BasJavid

Sajid has done work with suicide prevention in the years since, working with the charity Papyrus and urging men to speak up about their feelings. Bas has done similar work, focussing on army veterans and police officers. There are some challenging trauma and mental health issues in [those fields] that lead to higher rate of suicide. It opened my eyes to issues such as that.

What else can I say? It was a tragic loss and I wish he was still here. Hes in my mind all the time.

Unlike his brother Sajid, Bas says he has never harboured dreams of elected office. I thought about it, but that was as far as I got, he says. Ill leave [politics] to my brother. Its not my thing. I just want to do the best I can in this job, and deliver against what I was recruited to do.

Although they might still be close, and both have important jobs, that does not mean the Javid brothers cannot still find ways to wind each other up, albeit on a grander platform than when they were boys.

Dont make your headline about my brother, Javid says, in parting. Everyone does that. It gets boring after a while.

Of all the difficult jobs in the world, perhaps none is as tough as having a successful brother.

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In the back room of a South Kensington pawnbrokers shop, gemologist Rachel Fox hops between antique ring boxes like a magpie.

350 each for these two, I reckon, she says, squinting through her eyeglass. This one isnt quite so nice. 150 to 200, probably. Pretty though.

Fox, 35, is the deputy branch manager at Suttons & Robertsons, a 250-year-old jeweller and pawnbroker to the wealthy. While your average high-street pawn shop might have a window full of old guitar amps and charm bracelets, Suttons & Robertsons will loan a minimum of 500 and has made loans in the million-pound range.

Last month, Suttons advanced 47,000 against a Banksy after its owner was hit with an unexpected tax bill. In the past few weeks, customers have pawned a classic E-Type Jaguar collection, a Ferrari and a Lamborghini. The company has seen a 30 per cent increase in first-time pawnbroking customers over the past year, and a similar-sized increase in the value of its loan book.

Where other pawnbrokers might sell old iPhones and bracelets, Sutton & Richardson have been known to sell original E-Type Jaguars - Luca Piccini Basile/iStock Editorial

Having read this in advance, I admit I was expecting the shop front on Old Brompton Road to look a little swankier than it does. My expectations may also be coloured by a love of Victorian novels by Dickens, Eliot and Dostoyevsky that paint pawnbrokers as Aladdins caves and  according to one 19th-century journal  the ruin of a thousand middle-class homes.

Instead, Im surprised to see a low-key selection of watches and jewellery on plain, modern shelves, decorated with strings of cardboard hearts to mark Valentines Day. At one of two desks in the small showroom, a frowning couple in their fifties discuss school fees. At the other, I later observe a customer enquire about the price of an elegant diamond Cartier bracelet that must have been advertised online, because it certainly wasnt in the window. A male sales assistant tries it on for him, the pristine jewels scattering sharp beams of light from his hairy arm.

Suttons stolid MD, Jim Tannahill, 59, allows me to slip the bracelet onto my own wrist. The weight of its elegantly engineered hinges trickle seductively over my ulna. That ones worth about 8,000, he tells me as I rapidly unhook the clasp and slide the sparkly treasure back onto his velvet tray.

Jim Tannahill, Managing Director of Suttons & Robertsons, surveys some recent stock - Clara Molden/The Telegraph

Tannahills small office is protected by a discreet security door, but is otherwise unremarkable. The plain walls are sparsely accessorised with a couple of framed copperplate contracts and sepia photographs of the shop in the early 20th century  two men in fedoras warily eyeing the lens as they stride out of shot. His desk is bare, but for a computer, phone and a weighing scale. An assistant serves instant coffee in delicate cups and saucers. Taped to his monitor is a list of weight/purity/buy/loan figures. A British 5 coin, for example, should weigh 39.94 grams. Its current loan value is 1,375 and its sale price is 1,464.47.

A Cartier bracelet and a Rolex wristwatch are weighed by Jim Tannahill as part of the authentification process - Clara Molden/The Telegraph

Given all the fictional sob stories of pawnbroking Id soaked up, I was expecting to see a box of tissues too, but as Tannahill explains, his shop isnt a place of desperation.

Its not all sad stories! he laughs. Around 92 or 93 per cent of our customers redeem their items. They bring us things that would be more expensive to replace than to retrieve and they have a sentimental attachment.

Were a short-term liquidity solution for people facing things like an unexpected tax bill, holiday payment or in need of a small-business or property-bridging loan. Our standard contract is six months.

Do most people come back within that time frame? Often people think theyll be back in three to four months and actually it takes them six to seven months, which we can negotiate. But yes, the majority come back within the term of the original contract.

The rise in customers pawning items is in part, and inevitably, down to the cost of living crisis as traditional routes of raising money, such as bank loans, have become more difficult, says Tannahill. The reasons why clients borrow from us are usually very different to why clients might borrow from your average pawnbroker. For example, our average loan value is 6,000 vs the average pawnbroking loan value of 400. Small businesses certainly appear to be struggling to raise short-term loans via more traditional routes, as Tannahill has seen a 40 per cent increase in enquiries from small business owners seeking loans against their personal luxury asset collections.

Robertsons, which launched in 1797, merged with TM Suttons, which launched even earlier in 1770. The two illustrious firms merged in 2006 - Clara Molden/The Telegraph

Tannahill has been in the business since 1983. Back then, he tells me, we used to have lords and ladies lugging in trunks of silverware. The Victorians had a silver instrument for everything, from your grape scissors to your bespoke medical or dental instruments, he shrugs. Once, in the 1990s, somebody brought in a musical box made for Lord Byron. It was all gold and green enamel  there was a little bird covered in real feathers that popped up and sang. A beautiful thing. But nobody serves tea on silver salvers any more, do they?

For better or worse, it has all gone into the melting pot. Its been replaced by cars, handbags and flat art. He tells me customers now are 50/50 male and female and mostly aged between 30 and 60.

The recent rise in customers pawning items is partly down to the cost of living crisis, with traditional short-term solutions, like bank loans, becoming more difficult to attain - Bethany Clarke/Getty

Are counterfeit items a problem? Oh, we get a conveyor belt of fakes, chortles Tannahill, rocking back in his chair. Not a day goes by when we dont get a fake watch in here. Some people dont realise they have a fake and others clearly do.

You ask a simple question like: where did you get it from? They dont have an answer. He has a lot of sympathy for clients who have unwittingly been sold a fake watch. Theyre often made using the same materials, they come with the right boxes and packaging  all the way down to the carrier bag. People can print up pretty good paperwork. It can be very challenging. The man on the street really wouldnt know.

Jim Tannahill examines a Rolex to check its authenticity. 'Not a day goes by when we don't get a fake watch in here' - Clara Molden/The Telegraph

I look down at the genuine Rolexes on Tannahills desk. One is an early-1970s edition, worth 10,000. The other, a more recent model, is valued at between 15,000 and 20,000.

How does Tannahill break the news to people whove been given a fake? We have to be diplomatic, he says. If somebody brings in an engagement ring, which theyve been led to believe contains genuine stones or whatever, then it can be awkward telling them what you think. But at the end of the day I tell people my valuation is only an opinion.

The hardest conversations are when theres a big gap between what a customer believes something is worth and what I believe it is worth, he continues. Im having to look at a purely financial value which has nothing to do with how beautiful, interesting or emotionally precious an object might be.

A pawnshop contract from 1936. 'When I started here, we used to have lords and ladies lugging in trunks of silverware,' says Jim Tannahill - Clara Molden/The Telegraph

He also stresses that customers can forget that what they paid for an item will inevitably be more than its worth. They forget about the VAT element which takes 20 per cent off the value of everything. Then they forget about the shops mark up. A Bond Street jeweller, for example, can mark items up three, four or five times. Im forced to go back to the value of what the item cost to make, not the best price a retailer might want for it.

Tannahill also has to deal directly with fraudsters. He tells me that when smash-and-grab jewellery theft was more common he had to be wary. Also hell see younger people come in with items he suspects theyve rifled from the drawers of older family members. We have to do our due diligence, he explains.

Jim Tannahill outside the Kensington store where he's worked since 1983 - Clara Molden/The Telegraph

In reality this requires a bit of prying into how a potential client came by an item. Youre always asking: does this make sense? If somebodys brought in a brand new piece of jewellery with the ticket still swinging from the box, then you suspect somethings amiss, unless theres a credit card statement or a receipt. Now that everybody has a phone we can usually validate things pretty quickly.

From the buyers end of the market, Fox tells me that customers can save a huge amount of money buying from pawn shops.

Buying second hand can save you thousands, she says. A plain Cartier love bangle sells for 7,000 new and 5,000 second hand. Youre saving yourself two grand! She gets emotional remembering a couple who came in where the man bought his girlfriend a Birkin bag. I think we sold it to them for about 8,500. Ive never seen anything like her reaction. She was hysterical, ecstatic. We had to sit her down and get her a glass of water.

'As well as saving money, buying secondhand can be more environmentally friendly,' says Rachel Fox from Suttons & Robertsons - Clara Molden/The Telegraph

She notes that while traditional customers have used pawnbrokers to save money, increasingly she sees clients thinking environmentally.

They dont want to be responsible for newly mined diamonds. They know gold is the most recycled substance on the planet. And they can find more original, unusual items with us. Theres never anything more exciting to me than a customer bringing in a grandmothers jewellery box. You never know what youre going to find!

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Ihar Lednik, a member of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party (BSDP), reportedly died in prison, BSDP announced on Telegram on Feb. 20.

Repressions against opposition figures and dissenters escalated in Belarus following the 2020 presidential election, in which Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko certified his hold on power through electoral fraud and a violent crackdown.

According to the Viasna human rights group, Lednik is the fifth political prisoner to die behind bars in the last two years.

Lednik was sentenced to three years in prison in 2022 for allegedly "slandering" Lukashenko. His health subsequently declined in prison. According to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's Belarusian service, the cause of death was cardiac arrest.

His former colleagues said Lednik was an outspoken opponent of the so-called union state between Belarus and Russia and Lukashenko's authoritarian regime.

Lednik also served as the co-chairman of the Belarusian Committee of Solidarity with Ukraine.

Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya commented on Lednik's death, saying, "It is an incredible injustice and tragedy that the regime is killing Belarusians in prison who wanted to change the life of their country for the better."

Read also: Belarusian opposition working to create alternative passport, safeguard exiles from Lukashenko regime

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EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  With prom season only a few months away, one local group is making sure El Paso teens are feeling and looking their best for the special night.

Local organization Belle of the Ball has been accepting new and gently used gowns to donate to people who cannot afford a prom dress.

Amelie Perches, president of the group, said: Our mission is to collect gently used or new prom dresses so girls all over El Paso who may not be able to afford a brand-new one for their prom night can come on the day of the event to pick out whatever dress that they like free of charge.

Perches said the idea to collect and donate dresses came to the team of Loretto High School sophomores after one of their friends could not afford a homecoming dress.

We want to tell girls if they cant afford a dress not to be embarrassed. Were doing this to help everyone out. Any girls that cant afford a dress are welcome to come and if anyone would like to donate, we would really appreciate it, Perches said.

The group is hoping to reach their goal of receiving 300 donated dresses before the event thats scheduled for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 24 at Ella Blu Boutique.

Before then, the community is encouraged to donate gowns by dropping them off at Ella Blu Boutique or Bridal Novias. Both boutiques will be rewarding every donation with a $25 gift card to use at the respective stores.

Natalia Espino, operations coordinator, said: Girls dream of their prom night. Its a thing people think of since theyre little. I think its really important for girls to have a prom dress and feel special.

To stay updated on the event or inquire about donating, you can reach out to the Belle of the Ball team via Instagram.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
Beyonce stunned the world by releasing Texas Hold Em and 16 Carriages during the Super Bowl and announcing she would drop a full-length album on March 29.

An actor who starred in a sitcom featuring a car with a confederate flag has compared Beyonce to a dog following her surprise release of two country songs.

According to Newsweek, Dukes of Hazzard actor John Schneider recently appeared on the OAN network, where he attacked the entertainment industry for not allowing conservatives to gatekeep country music.

Theyve got to make their mark, like a dog at a dog walk park, Schneider said of the lefties, you know every dog has to mark every tree, so thats whats going on here.

Actor John Schneider arrives at the movie premiere of The Dukes of Hazzard at the Graumans Chinese Theatre on July 28, 2005, in Hollywood. Schneider, who was in the TV version of Dukes, has likened Beyonce to a dog after her release of country music. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Beyonce stunned the world by releasing Texas Hold Em and 16 Carriages during Super Bowl LVIII, sharing news that she would drop a full-length album on March 29.

Schneider, who also had a key role in Tyler Perrys The Haves and the Have Nots, was not the only one displeased by her move. Several country radio stations declined to play her songs.

Business Insider reported that a member of the Beyhive shared via X on Feb. 13  two days after its release  that he received a rejection email after requesting Oklahomas country music station to play Texas Hold Em.

The X user included a screenshot of the email, which quoted KYKCs station manager, Roger Harris, saying, We do not play Beyonce on KYKC as we are a country music station.

Several fans condemned the perceived snub on social media and others contacted the station demanding they correct the error, prompting KYKC to later announce that it would play Texas Hold Em.

A spokesperson from South Central Oklahoma Radio Enterprises (SCORE), the stations parent company, reportedly said Harris was unaware of Beyonces pivot to country music.

Harris  who said he would have responded similarly if someone requested a Rolling Stones song  noted that the station initially didnt even have Beyonces song file to add to the stations playlist.

Director Ken Burns explored the history of country music and Black peoples contribution to it for his 2019 documentary, Country Music, examining African and African-American music and instruments contributions to developing the genre, Newsweek reported.

African-American style was embedded in country music from the very beginning of its commercial history, historian Bill C. Malone says in the documentary. You cant conceive of this music existing without this African-American infusion. But then, as the music developed professionally, too often, African-Americans were forgotten.

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BUDAPEST, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's Fidesz party has said that its parliamentary group will ratify Sweden's NATO accession on Feb. 26.

Mate Kocsis, leader of the Fidesz parliamentary group, shared his letter to Speaker of the Parliament Laszlo Kover on his Facebook page on Tuesday. In the letter, Kocsis said his group "wishes to support" Sweden's accession to NATO.

Kocsis asked the speaker to include the final vote on Sweden's NATO accession in the agenda of the first spring session of the National Assembly on Feb. 26.

Given that the Hungarian ruling party controls over two-thirds of the seats in the National Assembly, their endorsement of Sweden's NATO membership virtually guarantees that the Parliament will vote in favor of Sweden's bid to join NATO.

Hungary has delayed ratifying Sweden's NATO accession for over a year, making it the last NATO member yet to do so.

The delay has been attributed to internal debates within the Fidesz parliamentary group over Swedish criticism of Hungary's rule of law. However, this dispute is set to be resolved during forthcoming discussions between Orban and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.

Kristersson will visit Budapest on Friday to discuss with the Hungarian side defense and security cooperation, as well as Hungary's upcoming EU presidency preparations, Orban's press chief Bertalan Havasi said on Tuesday. 
Eric Hovde and his wife, Sharon, bought a Washington D.C. home, top, paying a little more than $2.3 million for the place on the city's northwest side in 2018. In 2011, Eric Hovde and his wife, Sharon, paid $1.75 million for a house. lower left, on Lake Mendota in the village of Shorewood Hills. Eric Hovde and his wife paid nearly $7 million in 2018 to buy a hillside estate in Laguna Beach, California.

Madison multimillionaire Eric Hovde had a few things he had to get done before jumping in the race against Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin.

Get his business affairs in order.

2. Hire a campaign team.

3. Dump his house in Washington, D.C.

Real estate records show that Hovde, 59, and his wife, Sharon, transferred ownership of a $2.3 million home on the northwest side of the nation's capital to a trust headed by Hovde's brother and longtime business partner Steven Hovde in August.

A spokesman for Eric Hovde, a Republican, said the beneficiaries of the trust are his two daughters. Hovde and his wife had purchased the house six years earlier.

The move to transfer the property came three months after the Journal Sentinel reported that Hovde and his wife had paid nearly $7 million in 2018 to buy a luxurious hillside estate in Laguna Beach, California  more than three times what Hovde paid for his Madison house on Lake Mendota. Hovde, a banker and real estate mogul, leads financial institutions in Wisconsin and California.

He is expected to announce Tuesday that he is getting in the race to challenge Baldwin this fall. He ran unsuccessfully in the 2012 for the GOP nomination for the U.S. Senate, being edged out by former Gov. Tommy Thompson.

Ben Voelkel, a spokesman for Hovde's campaign, said the decision to transfer ownership of the D.C. home had nothing to do with the upcoming race.

Instead, Voelkel said, the family realized a couple of years ago that an attorney mistakenly put ownership of the D.C. house in trusts held by Hovde and his wife's names and not in his brother's. For 20 years, Steven Hovde has headed the two main trusts set up for the two daughters. The family fixed the mistake and filed the paperwork six months ago.

"In summary, Eric doesn't own the home," Voelkel said. "He doesn't live in the home."

Democrats, however, were dubious about this explanation.

Arik Wolk, a spokesman for the Wisconsin Democratic Party, said Hovde always seems to be buying and selling properties around the time he is deciding whether to run for U.S. Senate from Wisconsin.

"As a California bank owner who's spent his career living and working out of state, Eric Hovde has a long record of putting the ultra-wealthy, like himself, ahead of middle-class Wisconsinites," Wolk said.

Hovde moved to Madison area in 2011, shortly before first Senate bid

Throughout his 2012 campaign, Hovde was dogged by charges that he was a carpetbagger, accused by his opponents of having moved to Wisconsin only so he could win a Senate seat. He dismissed the charge.

Between 1987 and 2011, he and his wife resided in Washington, D.C. But in October 2011, the couple paid $1.75 million for a house on Lake Mendota in the village of Shorewood Hills. They continue to live and pay taxes on that residence.

At the time of the purchase, Hovde  a University of Wisconsin graduate  said a possible political run "was a factor" but only one of many in his decision to return to Wisconsin.

In December 2012, just months after losing the Wisconsin primary, Hovde purchased a 10,000-square-foot, Mediterranean-style house in the Kent neighborhood of Washington, D.C. The house had 10 bathrooms, seven bedrooms, four fireplaces and a detached art studio.

Hovde weighed whether to make a second bid for Baldwin's seat but decided against it in April 2018.

Three months later, the government of Nepal bought Hovde's D.C. house for $6.8 million, making it one of the largest Washington, D.C., real estate transactions in 2018, according to the Washington Post.

Hovde and his wife bought a new D.C. residence in 2018 for family purposes

A month later, Hovde and his wife bought a new D.C. home, paying a little more than $2.3 million for the place on the city's northwest side. It currently is valued at $2.8 million by Redfin.

Voelkel said Hovde and his wife initially purchased the property because her elderly parents lived in the area, and she needed to provide care and attention to them. One of their daughters also lived nearby and was starting a family.

"The property was a place largely for Sharon to stay when she visited and helped care for her parents (her father has subsequently passed) and to visit their daughter," Voelkel wrote in an email.

The daughter and her husband lived in the D.C. residence for a while in 2021, Voelkel said, after they sold their house in Bethesda, Maryland, and before moving into their new house in Chevy Chase, Maryland, later that year. It was around this time that the decision was made to put ownership of the D.C. home in a trust.

In May 2022, Eric and Sharon Hovde each set up a separate qualified personal residence trust that owned half the house. These trusts allow the owners to hold onto a piece of property for a certain length of time before turning it over to beneficiaries with reduced gift and estate taxes.

Not long after setting up the trusts, Voelkel said, the family realized the attorney had made a mistake. The trustee should have been Steven Hovde. It took some time to sort out the paperwork. Throughout this period, Voelkel said, Eric Hovde paid the property taxes on the home but was later reimbursed by the trust.

"Steven was supposed to be the trustee of the trust all along, as is the case with two main trusts associated with the Hovde daughters," Voelkel said. Eric Hovde now has no ownership in the house.

Hovde said his real estate holdings are not an issue

In an email exchange, Hovde said his past real estate holdings in the nation's capital are not an issue in the race. Hovde didn't mention it, but it should be noted that Baldwin bought a $1.3 million rooftop condo in D.C. in 2021 with the financial help of her partner Maria Brisbane.

"Other than visiting my family, I spend very limited time in D.C. since I moved or transferred my businesses there in 2012 and 2013 to Madison," Hovde said. "I live and pay my taxes in Wisconsin which you know."

Records show that Hovde informed D.C. election officials to take him off the voter rolls in Aug. 14, 2019, because he no longer lived in the city. He has cast his ballot in Wisconsin for years but has a spotty voting record.

He then suggested that I was bringing up all this because I lost a bet with him on election night in August 2012. As I recall, I stopped by his non-victory party, and the two of us chatted. I asked how soon before his Madison-area home went on the market. He said he would bet me lunch that he wasn't leaving.

I liked my odds, so I agreed.

Nearly a dozen years later, Hovde still owns his place in Shorewood Hills.

"Maybe you are trying to get out of the bet you lost to me," Hovde wrote recently.

Clearly, it's time to pay up. Let's hope the banker isn't charging interest.

Contact Daniel Bice at (414) 313-6684 or dbice@jrn.com. Follow him on X at @DanielBice or on Facebook at fb.me/daniel.bice.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Eric Hovde transferred $2.3 million D.C. house to his brother
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has been imprisoned in London for nearly five years, pending extradition to the United States so he can be prosecuted for violating the Espionage Act by publishing classified information. Since that amount of time behind bars is about the same as the four-to-six-year prison term that Justice Department lawyers have said Assange would be likely to serve if convicted, you might think the Biden administration would be ready to reconsider this case, especially since it poses an alarming threat to freedom of the press. Instead, the U.S. government's lawyers are back in London for yet another hearing, which Assange's attorneys describe as a last-ditch attempt to block his extradition.

Recognizing the First Amendment implications, the Obama administration declined to prosecute Assange for obtaining and disclosing confidential State Department cables and military files leaked by former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning in 2010. After all, leading news organizations in the United States and around the world had published stories based on the same documents, and those acts of journalism likewise could be construed as felonies once this precedent was established. So could the routine practices of reporters who cover national security, which commonly involves divulging information that the government prefers to keep secret.

Despite those concerns, the Trump administration decided that Assange should be locked up for doing things that The New York Times et al. do on a regular basis. All but one of the 17 counts in Assange's latest federal indictment relate to obtaining or disclosing "national defense information," which is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Theoretically, Assange could face 160 years in prison for those counts alone, although the government's lawyers say it probably would be more like the amount of time he already has served in the United Kingdom. Manning herselfwho, unlike Assange, violated the terms of her government employmentreceived a 35-year sentence but was released after seven years thanks to Barack Obama's commutation.

"Some say that Assange is a journalist and that he should be immune from prosecution for these actions," John Demers, then the head of the Justice Department's National Security Division, told reporters after the Assange indictment was announced in May 2019. "The department takes seriously the role of journalists in our democracy and we thank you for it. It is not and has never been the department's policy to target them for reporting." There is no need to worry, Demers suggested, because Assange is "no journalist."

This line of argument misconstrues the "freedomof the press" guaranteed by the First Amendment, which applies to mass communication generally, not just the speech of people whom the government deigns to recognize as journalists. Demers' assurance is similar to the reasoning that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit recently applied in counterintuitively concluding that treating journalism as a crime is not "obviously unconstitutional."

That case involved Priscilla Villarreal, a Laredo, Texas, gadfly and citizen journalist who was arrested in 2017 for violating Section 39.06(c) of the Texas Penal Code. Under that previously obscure law, a person who "solicits or receives" information that "has not been made public" from a government official "with intent to obtain a benefit" commits a third-degree felony, punishable by two to 10 years in prison.

Texas defines "benefit" as "anything reasonably regarded as economic gain or advantage." According to the arrest affidavits, the "benefit" that Villarreal sought was a boost in Facebook traffic. Section 39.06(c) defines "information that has not been made public" as "any information to which the public does not generally have access" that is also "prohibited from disclosure" under the Texas Public Information Act. The arrest affidavits did not address the latter requirement at all.

Like the Espionage Act, Section 39.06(c) purportedly criminalizes common reporting practicesin this case, obtaining information about a public suicide and a fatal car accident from a "backchannel source" at the local police department. Writing for the 5th Circuit majority in Villarreal v. Laredo, Judge Edith Jones did not try to hide her disdain for Villarreal, an independent, uncredentialed journalist who files her unfiltered reports on Facebook instead of publishing vetted and edited stories in a "mainstream, legitimate" news outlet.

"Villarreal and others portray her as a martyr for the sake of journalism," Jones wrote. "That is inappropriate. She could have followed Texas law, or challenged that law in court, before reporting nonpublic information from the backchannel source. By skirting Texas law, Villarreal revealed information that could have severely emotionally harmed the families of decedents and interfered with ongoing investigations. Mainstream, legitimate media outlets routinely withhold the identity of accident victims or those who committed suicide until public officials or family members release that information publicly. Villarreal sought to capitalize on others' tragedies to propel her reputation and career."

Although Jones implies that Villarreal's arrest was prompted by concern for "the families of decedents," Villarreal plausibly argued that it was actually punishment for her outspoken criticism of local law enforcement agencies. In any case, there is no First Amendment exception for reporting that might offend or disturb people. And Jones' characterization of Villarreal's work as "capitaliz[ing] on others' tragedies to propel her reputation and career" is an apt, if cynical, description of what many journalists do, even when they work for "mainstream, legitimate media outlets." Jones apparently is unfamiliar with the bread and butter of local news organizations and has never heard the expression, "If it bleeds, it leads."

The seven dissenting judges saw the situation differently. "If the First Amendment means anything," Judge James C. Ho wrote in a dissent joined by five of his colleagues, "surely it means that citizens have the right to question or criticize public officials without fear of imprisonment." Judge James E. Graves Jr. likewise complained that "the majority opinion will permit government officials to retaliate against speech while hiding behind cherry-picked state statutes."

Judge Stephen A. Higginson noted that Thomas Paine, who wrote "the pro-independence pamphlet that historian Gordon Wood describes as 'the most incendiary and popular pamphlet of the entire revolutionary era,'" was, like Villarreal, a "citizen-journalist." Upholding "the text of the Constitution, as well as the values and history that it reflects," he said, "the Supreme Court guarantees the First Amendment right of engaged citizen-journalists, like Paine, to interrogate the government." Jones, by contrast, presumably would view Paine as disreputable, since he did not work for a "mainstream, legitimate media outlet."

Assange's critics, including some professional journalists, have proposed a similar distinction, arguing that he does not deserve the First Amendment's protection because he is not a "real" journalist. But whatever you might think of Assange's opinions, his tactics, or the care he exercised in publishing classified material, that distinction is not grounded in the Constitution and will not hold in practice.

The editors and publishers of The New York Times, The Guardian, Le Monde, Der Spiegel, and El Pais recognized as much in 2022, when they urged the Justice Department to drop the case against Assange. In ignoring that advice, the Biden administration seems bent on establishing a dangerous precedent that replaces the First Amendment's guarantee with the whims of prosecutors.

The post The Biden Administration Is Bent on Setting an Alarming Precedent by Prosecuting Julian Assange appeared first on Reason.com.
WASHINGTON  President Joe Biden said Tuesday that his administration will announce major sanctions Friday to hold Russia accountable for the death last week of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

Biden confirmed the forthcoming package to reporters before leaving for a campaign trip to the West Coast. What I came to tell you was wed be announcing sanctions on Russia. Well have a major package announced on Friday, he said.

National security adviser Jake Sullivan said at a briefing with reporters Tuesday that "it will be a substantial package covering a range of different elements of the Russian defense industrial base, and sources of revenue for the Russian economy that power Russias war machine, that power Russias aggression and that power Russias repression."

National Security Council spokesman John Kirby, who first revealed the new sanctions earlier Tuesday, said that the announcement is also in response to Russia's continued aggression in Ukraine, which began nearly two years ago. He stressed that one of the most powerful actions the U.S. can take to stand up to Russian President Vladimir Putin is for Congress to pass an emergency spending bill that would provide aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.

Navalny died at the age of 47 in a Russian penal colony above the Arctic Circle, the countrys prison service said Friday. Navalny, who was serving a combined prison sentence of more than 30 years on charges of extremism and fraud that he denied, was moved to that prison late last year.

Image: President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin, arrive to meet in Geneva, Switzerland, on June 16, 2021. (Saul Loeb / Pool via AP file)

On February 16, 2024, in penal colony No. 3, convict A.A. Navalny felt unwell after a walk, almost immediately losing consciousness, the prison service for the Yamalo-Nenets region said in a statement on its website.

Russian authorities haven't provided any additional details about the circumstances surrounding his death. The day before, Navalny looked healthy in video of a court proceeding from the prison.

Navalnys family is still pushing for the release of his body, which his widow, Yulia Navalnaya, has accused Russia of hiding to cover up what she says was murder.

On Friday, Biden explicitly blamed Putin for Navalny's death and didn't rule out the possibility of the U.S. increasing sanctions on Russia.

"Make no mistake, Putin is responsible for Navalnys death. Putin is responsible," he said at the White House. "What has happened to Navalny is yet more proof of Putins brutality. No one should be fooled  not in Russia, not at home, not anywhere in the world. Putin does not only target his [the] citizens of other countries, as weve seen whats going on in Ukraine right now, he also inflicts terrible crimes on his own people."

Asked if Navalny's death was an assassination, Biden said, "We dont know exactly what happened, but there is no doubt that the death of Navalny was a consequence of something that Putin and his thugs did."

Biden said he hopes that Navalny's death spurs Congress to pass the emergency aid package that would provide much-needed assistance to Ukraine as it battles Russian forces.

"The failure to support Ukraine at this critical moment will never be forgotten," Biden said. "Its going to go down in the pages of history. It really is. Its consequential."

The president has been calling on Congress for months to pass additional aid to Ukraine along with funding for Israel and Taiwan. Originally, Republicans insisted that it must be combined with legislation to address the situation at the U.S. southern border, but they ultimately killed a bipartisan deal that resulted from those negotiations. Last week, the Senate passed a $95 billion foreign aid measure and House GOP leaders have repeatedly signaled that they have no plans of bringing it to the floor for a vote.

Congress is currently on recess with lawmakers back home in their districts.

Sullivan said Tuesday that Ukraine needs ammunition. The U.S. is "increasingly getting reports of Ukrainian troops rationing ammunition on the front lines as Russian forces continue to attack both on the ground and from the air, trying to wear down the Ukrainian defenses that weve worked so extensively to build up over the past two years," he said.

A U.S. official said Tuesday that Biden will join a virtual meeting of G7 leaders on Saturday, the second anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The Italian government announced that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to join the call.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  Federal assistance is coming to flood-impacted San Diegans as President Joe Biden on Presidents Day approved a disaster declaration for California residents impacted by the severe storms and flooding in late January.

Biden on Monday declared that a major disaster exists in the state of California and ordered federal assistance for residents affected by the severe storms and flooding from Jan. 21 to Jan. 23.

USDA tours flood damage in San Diego; federal help could be on the way

Those storms left three people dead and more than 800 homes damaged in San Diego County, according to Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Federal funding is now available for those affected, including here in San Diego County, which includes grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs for residents and business owners.

San Diego prepares for more rain, possible flooding; where you can get sandbags

San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria issued a statement following the announcement:

For weeks since the severe storm on Jan. 22, I have been advocating with state and federal officials  including Vice President Kamala Harris, Gov. Gavin Newsom, FEMA Region 9 leadership, and our state and Congressional delegations  to secure a FEMA major disaster declaration that qualifies our residents for individual assistance. This announcement today is what we were advocating for and means more help is on the way.

The City has been on the ground in the impacted neighborhoods assessing damage and providing all the resources we can to get these communities on the path to recovery. Now, with this designation, we can focus on the long-term rebuilding efforts from this natural disaster. We will work with officials from FEMA, CalOES, and the County to ensure information about available resources and how to apply for them is provided swiftly and that Disaster Recovery Centers are placed directly in the impacted communities.

I want to thank the Biden-Harris Administration, the Governor, San Diegos state and Congressional delegations, and the County of San Diego for their support of our city during this time. Lets continue to move forward together to rebuild our communities.

N. Allison Pfaendler of the Federal Emergency Management Agency will be overseeing Federal recovery operations in the affected areas, according to the announcement.

The California Office of Emergency Services and FEMA will be setting up a Joint Field Office for the region and Disaster Recovery Centers in the most impacted communities.

San Diego approves plan to waive fees for flood-related property repairs

President Biden continues to stand with California whenever disaster strikes. This declaration brings in more resources to help the people of San Diego rebuild and recover from the late January storms, said Governor Newsom.

The City of San Diego said it will be working with the County of San Diego Office of Emergency Services, CalOES, and FEMA in an effort to help impacted San Diegans get federal assistance.

Drone video captures aftermath of flooding in Southcrest

Residents and business owners can apply for assistance at DisasterAssistance.gov, by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362), or by using the FEMA App.

Rafer Weigel contributed to this report

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
President Joe Biden traveled to New York earlier this month for fundraisers. His campaign raised $42 million in January.

President Joe Biden traveled to New York earlier this month for fundraisers. His campaign raised $42 million in January.

President Joe Bidens political operation continues to build a substantial fundraising advantage over his likely GOP opponent, former President Donald Trump, raising $42 million in January.

The campaign said they and the Democratic National Committee have a combined $130 million on hand. Biden has established joint fundraising committees with the DNC and state parties, allowing him to collect checks worth up to $929,600 from a single donor.

Trump, who has yet to officially lock up the GOP nomination, is still limited to the standard federal donation limit of $3,300 per person. Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley remains in the Republican primary race despite massive deficits in public polling.

Trump has yet to announce his January fundraising. He and the RNC had a combined $41 million on hand at the end of December 2023. Monthly fundraising reports for presidential campaigns and the major party committees are due to the Federal Election Commission on Tuesday.

While Team Biden-Harris continues to build on its fundraising machine, Republicans are divided  either spending money fighting Donald Trump, or spending money in support of Donald Trumps extreme and losing agenda, Biden campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez said. Either way, judging from their weak fundraising, theyre already paying the political price.

Bidens campaign said they are combining those big checks with an increasingly strong grassroots fundraising operation. The campaign added more than 1 million additional e-mails to its fundraising list, which it says helped it set a grassroots fundraising record for the third month in a row.

We are particularly proud that January shattered our grassroots fundraising record for a third straight month, said TJ Ducklo, a campaign spokesman. This haul will go directly to reaching the voters who will decide this election. Thats reason number 355 million that we are confident President Biden and Vice President Harris will win this November.

Despite his overall fundraising advantage, Biden had fewer small dollar donors than Trump at the end of 2023. A New York Times analysis of FEC data found 668,000 donors had given less than $200 to Trump, compared to 564,000 donors who gave less than $200 to Biden.
ATACMS (army tactical missile systems) would be among a variety of missiles in the package to Ukraine - HANDOUT/AFP

The Biden administration is working towards supplying Ukraine with powerful new long-range ballistic missiles, two high-ranking US officials have said.

After months of requests from Ukrainian officials, the administration is reportedly willing to send a variant of the missiles  known as ATACMS (army tactical missile systems)  if the foreign aid package passed by the Senate last week becomes law.

The defence officials told NBC that the US has a limited supply of ATACMS and is not likely to send its own to Ukraine without money to replenish its stockpiles.

According to the officials, the US has not ruled out asking Nato allies to provide the missiles for Ukraine with the expectation that the US would refill the stockpile at a later date.

Last year, the US began to supply Ukraine with older, medium-range ATACMS. The new variations of ATACMS that the White House wants to send to Ukraine will have a maximum range of nearly 200 miles (300km) and carry cluster bombs that would allow forces to strike farther inside Crimea.

Ukraine has called on the US and Nato countries for aid as the country's supply dwindles - STRINGER/REUTERS

The $95 billion (75 billion) aid package, currently being delayed in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, earmarks $65 billion for Ukraine with the rest going to Israel and Taiwan.

Donald Trump, the former president, and other Senate Republicans attempted to kill the foreign aid measure up until the vote. In a blow to Mr Trump, 22 Republicans defied him and voted alongside the Democrats in passing the measure.

For months, Republicans have been reluctant to support the Biden administrations Ukraine funding and have said that theyll only agree to it if the administration agrees to a package of Republican immigration and border security measures.

While its not clear whether or when the house will vote on the package, Joe Biden has continued to call the package critical to Ukraine and assured Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, he was confident it would eventually be approved.

If Congress does approve the funding for Ukraine, the long-range ATACMS could be included in one of the first packages of aid paid for with that money.

Dmytro Kuleba, the Ukrainian foreign minister who met with Antony Blinken, the US secretary of state, said in Munich on Saturday the pair discussed Ukraines urgent need for longer-range weapons.

There is only one way to destroy Russian capabilities in Ukraine. Its to hit deep into the occupied territories, bypassing Russian radio electronic warfare and interceptors.

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FAMILY TIES  Biden faces fresh scrutiny over $200K payment from brother after damaging new report. Continue reading 

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TULSI GABBARD  Trump is forcing NATO to be confronted with serious questions. See video 













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Original article source: Biden influence studied after big payday, Kevin O'Leary's warning after Trump verdict and more top headlines
President Joe Biden personally directed his senior campaign aides in recent days to focus more aggressively on former President Donald Trumps inflammatory comments, according to two sources familiar with the presidents edict.

The thrust of Bidens direction, delivered to his senior-most staff, was to significantly ramp up the campaigns efforts to highlight the crazy sh*t that Trump says in public, according to those sources.

The previously unreported instruction from the president appears to demonstrate that Biden himself believes it is critical to paint his presumptive Republican opponent as unhinged and unfit for office. For weeks, his campaign has said they are fully prepared for Trump to emerge as the GOP nominee.

The presidents reelection team has long been focused on hammering home what they say are black-and-white contrasts between Biden and Trump when it comes to their temperaments and world views. Biden campaign advisers say that warning voters about what another four years under a Trump presidency would look like is central to their general election strategy  on everything from foreign policy to reproductive rights to the protection of democratic institutions.

That strategy is in no small part driven by widespread concern among Biden aides that too many voters appear to have forgotten about what they see as some of the more outrageous and unacceptable moments of the Trump presidency. As one senior campaign adviser put it recently, they have been surprised by how many voters appear to put on rose-colored glasses when looking back on the Trump years  a reality that the campaign says they must alter by constantly reminding voters of what Trump stands for.

The president knows the stakes this November could not be higher for the American people, Ammar Moussa, the Biden campaigns director of rapid response, said in a statement to CNN. Donald Trump is the polar opposite of everything President Biden stands for and has accomplished since he took office, and the campaigns top priority over the next nine months will be laying out that stark choice for voters.

The president delivered his order to his top aides in recent weeks, but did so before this months release of special counsel Robert Hurs report on Bidens handling of classified documents, according to one of the sources. Hur did not bring charges against Biden, but kicked off a political firestorm by describing Biden as an elderly man with memory problems in his lengthy report.

If Biden is set on his team more intensively highlighting Trumps most provocative statements, the campaign has had ample opportunity to do just that in recent weeks.

Trump said this month that he would encourage Russia to invade countries that do not meet their NATO obligations, alarming US and foreign officials alike.

The campaign was quick to release a statement from Biden.

Donald Trumps admission that he intends to give Putin a greenlight for more war and violence, to continue his brutal assault against a free Ukraine, and to expand his aggression to the people of Poland and the Baltic States are appalling and dangerous, the president said. Freedom and democracy itself are on the ballot in November.

That marked only the second time, according to a campaign official, that a Biden campaign statement was attributed directly to the president. The first time was in December, when Biden drew attention to the eight-year anniversary of Trumps so called Muslim ban, which the president said was cruel and betrayed Americas long history of welcoming people of all faiths and no faith at all.

Two days later, Biden himself excoriated Trump for those comments in remarks from the White House.

No other president in our history has bowed down to a Russian dictator, Biden said in a speech that marked some of his harshest criticism of Trump on foreign policy to date. Let me say this as clearly as I can: I never will. For Gods sake, its dumb. Its shameful. Its dangerous. Its un-American.

The next day, the campaign went after Trump again after the former president repeated his threat to NATO members. The email, sent with the subject line, In Case Yall Thought Trump Was Joking About NATO: He Is Not, said nobody should be fooled into thinking that Trump is simply kidding.

And when Trump appeared to mock his GOP rival Nikki Haleys husband, a National Guardsman, for his deployment abroad (What happened to her husband? Where is he? Hes gone, Trump taunted at a campaign rally), Biden quickly slammed those comments on X.

The answer is that Major Haley is abroad, serving his country right now. We know he thinks our troops are suckers, but this guy wouldnt know service to his country if it slapped him in the face, Bidens post said.

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President Biden leads former President Trump by 12 points in New York, according to a new poll, a safe lead but nearly half the margin Biden won the state by in 2020.

About 48 percent of New York voters said they support Biden in the Siena College poll released Tuesday, while 36 percent said they back Trump. The remaining 16 percent are undecided.

Bidens lead shrinks to 10 points when polling a four-way race with independent candidates Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Cornel West.

The survey shows a tighter margin for the Democratic president compared with his 23-point win over Trump in the blue state in 2020 and Hillary Clintons identical win margin in 2016.

While Biden holds a 12-point lead over Trump in a head-to-head matchup, and leads by 10 points in a four-way race, its worth remembering just how blue New York is, Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg said in a statement.

Democrats have a 27-point enrollment advantage over Republicans, Biden beat Trump by 23 points in 2020, and no Republican presidential candidate has carried the state since Ronald Reagan in 1984, 40 years ago, Greenberg noted.

The poll found low enthusiasm for both major party candidates, with a slim plurality of New Yorkers overall  including a large majority of independents  wanting someone other than Biden or Trump.

Sixty-one percent of Republicans back Trump, while 29 percent want someone else, according to the poll. Meanwhile, 46 percent of Democrats want Biden, compared with 38 percent who want another choice, the poll found.

The results also underline the importance of New York for the 2024 House race, where Democrats are targeting a handful of GOP seats in districts that Biden won in 2020.

Democrats already flipped the district formerly held by Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) in Long Island, after former Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.) won a special election last week.

The Siena poll surveyed 806 registered New York voters Feb. 12-14 with a margin of error of 4.2 percentage points.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
JERUSALEM  The Biden administration is reportedly taking its goal of a temporary cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war to the U.N. Security Council as early as Tuesday.

The administration is said to have proposed a draft U.N. Security Council resolution which in part would call for a temporary cease-fire and call on Israel not to go into Rafah in the Gaza Strip.

According to Reuters, the U.S. text states in part that it "determines that under current circumstances a major ground offensive into Rafah would result in further harm to civilians and their further displacement including potentially into neighboring countries."

Richard Goldberg, a former NSC official during the Trump administration, told Fox News Digital, "The United States should be vetoing pro-Hamas resolutions, not proposing them. By putting forward a resolution calling for a ceasefire and opposing Israeli military action in Rafah, the White House is effectively pushing for Hamas to survive to massacre another day. This is a complete betrayal of U.S. interests and values."

UN, HUMAN RIGHTS, MEDIA GROUPS RELY ON HAMAS DEATH TOLL IN 'SYSTEMATIC DECEPTION': EXPERT

A senior administration official speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity said, "We don't believe a rush to a vote is necessary or constructive and intend on allowing time for negotiations."

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

The Jewish state has hitherto opposed President Bidens attempts to torpedo its slated seizure of Rafah where one of the last bastions of Hamas terrorists and hostages, including Americans, are believed to be located.

On Friday, President Biden made clear his feelings about Israel going into Rafah, telling reporters, "I'm hoping that the Israelis will not make a massive land invasion."

Biden added during the same press conference that he had engaged with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the situation and that he had made the case in calling for a temporary cease-fire so that hostage negotiations can continue.

"The world must know and Hamas leaders must know if our hostages are not home by Ramadan, the fighting will continue and expand to Rafah," said Benny Gantz, an Israeli security cabinet member and leader of the opposition party. Ramadan starts on March 11.

On Sunday, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said the decision was one Israel would take on its own: "Hamas is left with marginal [forces] in the central camps and with the Rafah Brigade, and what stands between them and a complete collapse as a military system is a decision by the IDF."

Commentators have noted that the hostage release talks in Cairo are stagnate and Israeli forces have managed to free two hostages via limited incursions into Rafah last week.

Gallant fired back at the international voices opposed to an invasion into Rafah: "There is no one here to come to their aid, no Iranians, no international aid."

He continued, "There were 24 regional battalions in Gaza  we have dismantled 18 of them," Gallant said during a media briefing last week. "Now, Rafah is the next Hamas center of gravity."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, center, confers with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant during their meeting with President Biden in Tel Aviv on Oct. 18, 2023.

A U.S. State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital, "We have also been clear that a full-scale Israel military operation in Rafah should not proceed until there is a credible and executable plan for ensuring the safety of and support for the more than 1 million people sheltering there."

According to the State Department spokesperson, "The best way to achieve an enduring end to the crisis in Gaza that provides lasting peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians alike, is our strong commitment to the creation of a Palestinian state. As such, the United States continues to support the two-state solution and to oppose policies that endanger its viability or contradict our mutual interests and values."

BIDEN ADMIN CONTINUES PUSH FOR 2-STATE SOLUTION AS CRITICS WARN: 'EFFORTS REPEATEDLY FAIL'

A picture taken from Rafah shows smoke billowing over Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip during Israeli bombardment on Jan. 22, 2024.

Yigal Carmon, who was a colonel in Israels military intelligence service, told Fox News Digital, "The Rafah crossing was the major area through which the worst smuggling operation went on for years when it was in the hands of the Egyptian government. If this is not stopped, there will be no end to the war and no end to war, particularly heavy missiles on Tel Aviv and its surroundings. The seizure of Rafah will limit the war significantly."

Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken shake hands prior to a meeting at the Muqata, the presidential compound in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

He added, "If the U.S. administration has a miraculous way to convince Egypt to fulfill its commitment, then there would be no need for an operation. Unfortunately, the United States does not pressure Egypt even though it has all the capabilities to do that. But what remains is to pressure Israel, but this will not work because what is at stake is missiles on Tel Aviv, and Netanyahu cannot afford to end the war with [a] continued flow of missiles on Tel Aviv."

IDF VIDEO REVEALS TUNNEL USED TO HIDE HAMAS MEMBERS, HOSTAGES IN TERRORIST GROUP'S STRONGHOLD

Carmon, the founder and president of the Middle East Media Research Institute, on Aug. 31 predicted an Iran-backed Hamas terrorist attack on Israel, which became reality on Oct. 7.

When asked why Biden is imposing pressure on Israel, Goldberg, a senior advisor at The Foundation for Defense of Democracies said, "There are lines being pushed that its all about Dearborn, or that its all about securing Saudi-Israel peace, but the polling out of Michigan and the strategic priorities in Riyadh dont back up these arguments. It looks more like left-wing ideologues using the pretext of political necessity and the potential of a Saudi-Israel normalization deal to jam through all the bad ideas that never made it into policy for years."

Fox News Digital reported that Biden is putting Israel in a vice in order to win over the large American-Muslim vote in Dearborn, Michigan, which is a critical swing state in his 2024 reelection campaign.

On Sunday, Netanyahu told the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, "The release of hostages can be achieved through strong military action and tough negotiations, very tough negotiations. That tough position has to involve the exertion of pressure. And the exertion of pressure is not merely on Hamas itself but on those who can exert pressure on Hamas, beginning with Qatar."

Netanyahu added, "Qatar can press Hamas as no one else can. They host Hamas leaders. Hamas is dependent on them financially. I urge you to press Qatar to press Hamas because we want our hostages released. I hope that we can achieve a deal soon, to release more of our hostages. But deal or no deal, we have to finish the job to get total victory."

A separate draft resolution sponsored by Algeria on behalf of the Arab group calling for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza is expected to be voted on Tuesday. The U.S. has signaled it would veto it.

The U.S. Mission to the U.N. didn't immediately respond to Fox News Digital for comment.

Reuters contributed to this report.





Original article source: Biden to go to UN Security Council to force temporary cease-fire on Israel, halt Rafah offensive
JAKARTA, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Indonesian President Joko Widodo said Tuesday that the government has issued a regulation on publishers' rights which aims to set business relations between digital platforms and mass media in terms of content publications.

The regulation, initiated three years ago, will require online platforms to coordinate first with news outlets if the platforms want to publish the outlets' contents. The platforms may also need to pay royalties for that.

"This regulation is part of the government's efforts to support conventional mass media companies. We have to understand that press companies are under severe pressure amid technological developments. We want digital platforms not to undermine press companies. We want a clear cooperation scheme that benefits both parties," Widodo said in his speech at the National Press Day Commemoration in Ancol, North Jakarta.

He said that the regulation, that he signed on Monday, would only be subjected to digital platforms and mass media, not for content creators.

The regulation was a response to press companies' complaints over a decline in mass media advertising revenue since the massive development of digital platforms. The press proposed to the government to regulate business cooperation with online platforms, Widodo said.

"The transition period of the regulation implementation will be challenging, particularly related to response from digital platforms and service users," he said. 
The impact of AI must be front of mind for enforcers of merger control policy, the European Union's antitrust chief and digital EVP, Margrethe Vestager, said yesterday, warning that "wide-reaching" digital markets can lead to unexpected economic effects. Speaking during a seminar discussing how to prevent tech giants like Microsoft, Google and Meta from monopolizing AI, she gave a verbal shot across the bows of Big Tech to expect more -- and deeper -- scrutiny of their operations.

"We have to look carefully at vertical integration and at ecosystems. We have to take account of the impact of AI in how we assess mergers. We even have to think about how AI might lead to new kinds of algorithmic collusion," she said.

Her remarks suggest the bloc will be a lot more active in its assessments of tech M&A going forward -- and, indeed, cosy AI partnerships.

Last month the EU said it would look into whether Microsofts investment in generative AI giant OpenAI is reviewable under the blocs merger regulations.

Vestager's address was also notable for clearly expressing that competition challenges are inherent to how cutting edge AI is developed, with the Commission EVP flagging "barriers to entry everywhere".

"Large Language Models [LLMs] depend on huge amounts of data, they depend on cloud space, and they depend on chips. There are barriers to entry everywhere. Add to this the fact that the tech giants have the resources to acquire the best and brightest talent," she said. "We're not going to see disruption driven by a handful of college drop-outs who somehow manage to outperform Microsoft's partner Open AI or Google's DeepMind. The disruption from AI will come from within the nest of existing tech ecosystems."

The blistering rise of generative AI over the past year+ has shone a spotlight on how developments are dominated by a handful of firms with either close ties to familiar Big Tech platforms or who are tech giants themselves. Examples include ChatGPT maker OpenAI's close partnership with hyperscaler Microsoft; Google and Amazon ploughing investment into OpenAI rival Anthropic; and Facebook's parent Meta mining its social media data mountain to develop its own series of foundational models (aka LLaMA).

How European AI startups can hope to compete without equivalent access to key AI infrastructure was a running thread in the seminar discussions.

Challenges and uncertainties

"We've seen LLaMa 2 being open sourced. Will LLaMa 3 also be open sourced?" wondered Tobias Haar, general counsel of the German foundational model AI startup Aleph Alpha, speaking during a panel discussion that followed Vestager's address. "Will there be companies that rely on open source Large Language Models that suddenly, at least not in the next iterative stage, are no longer available as an open source?"

Haar emphasized that uncertainty over access to key AI inputs is why the startup took the decision to invest in building and training its own foundational models in its own data center -- "in order to keep and maintain this independence". At the same time, he flagged the challenge inherent for a European startup in trying to compete with US hyperscalers and the dedicated compute resource they can roll out for training AIs with their chosen partners.

Aleph Alpha's own data center runs 512 A100 Nvidia GPUs -- the "largest commercial AI cluster" in Europe, per Haar. But he emphasized this pales in comparison to Big Tech's infrastructure for training -- pointing to Microsoft's announcement that it would be installing circa 10,000 GPUs in the U.K. last year alone, as part of a 25 billion investment over three years (which will actually fund more than 20,000 GPUs by 2026).

"In order to put it into perspective -- and perspective is also what is relevant in the competition, legal assessment of what is going on in the market field -- we run 512 A100 GPUs by Nvidia," he said. "This is a lot because it makes us somewhat independent but it's still nothing compared to the sheer computing power there is for other organisations to train and to fine tune their LLMs on. And I know that OpenAI has been training the LLMs -- but I understand that Microsoft is fine tuning them also to their needs. So this is already [not a level playing field]."

In her address, Vestager did not offer any concrete plan for how the bloc might move to level the playing field for homegrown generative AI startups -- nor even entirely commit to the need for the bloc to intervene. (But tackling digital market concentration, which was built up, partially, under her watch, remains a tricky subject for the EU -- which has increasingly been accused of regulating everything but changing nothing when it comes to Big Tech's market power.)

Nonetheless, her address suggests the EU is preparing to get a lot tougher and more comprehensive in scrutinizing tech deals, as a consequence of recent developments in AI.

Only a handful of years ago Vestager cleared Google's controversial acquisition of fitness wearable maker Fitbit, accepting commitments from the tech giant it wouldn't use Fitbit's data for ads for a period of ten-years -- but leaving the tech giant free to mine users' data for other purposes, including AI. (To wit: Last year Google added a generative AI chatbot to the Fitbit app.)

But the days of Big Tech getting to cherry-pick acquisition targets, and grab juicy-looking AI training data, may be winding down in Europe.

Vestager also implied the bloc will seek to make full use of existing competition tools, including the Digital Markets Act (DMA) -- an ex ante competition reform which comes into application on six tech giants (including Microsoft, Google and Meta) early next month -- as part of its playbook to shape how the AI market develops, suggesting the EU's competition policy must work hand-in-glove with digital regulations to keep pace with risks and harms.

There have been doubts over how -- or even whether -- the DMA applies to generative AI, given no cloud services have so far been designated under the regulation as so-called "core platform services". So there are worries the bloc has, once again, missed the boat when it comes to putting meaningful market controls on the next wave of disruptive tech.

In her address, Vestager rejected the idea it's already too late for the EU to prevent Big Tech sewing up AI markets -- tentatively suggesting "we can make an impact" -- but she also warned the "window of opportunity" for enforcers and lawmakers to shape outcomes that are "truly beneficial to our economy, to our citizens and to our democracies", as she put it, will only be briefly open.

Still, her speech raised a lot more questions over how enforcers and policymakers should respond to the layered challenges thrown up by AI -- including democratic integrity, intellectual property and the ethical application of such systems, to name a few -- than she had actual solutions. She also sounded a bit hesitant when it came to how to weigh competition considerations with the broader sweep of societal harms AI use may entail. So her message -- and resolve -- seemed a bit conflicted.

"There are still big questions around how intellectual property rights are respected. About how ethical AI is deployed. About areas where AI should never be deployed. In each of these decisions, there is a competition policy dimension that needs to be considered. Conversely, how AI regulation is enforced will affect the openness and accessibility of the markets it impacts," she said, implying there may be trade offs between regulating AI risks and creating a vibrant AI ecosystem.

"There are questions around input neutrality and the influence such systems could have on our democracies. A Large Language Model is only as good as the inputs it receives, and for this there must always be a discretionary element. Do we really want our opinion-making to be reliant on AI systems that are under the control not of the European people -- but of tech oligarchs and their shareholders?" she also wondered, suggesting the bloc may need to think about drafting even more laws to regulate AI risks.

Clearly, coming with more laws now is not a recipe for instant action on AI -- yet her speech literally called for "acting swiftly" (and "thinking ahead" and "cooperating") to maximise the benefits of AI while minimizing the risk.

Overall, despite the promise of more intelligent merger scrutiny, the tone she struck veered toward 'managing expectations'. And her call to action appealed to a broader collective of international enforcers, regulators and policymakers to join forces to fix this one -- rather than the EU sticking its head above the parapet.

While Vestager avoided instant answers for derailing Big Tech's well-funded dash to monopolize AI, other panellists offered a few.

Solutions

The fieriest ideas came from Barry Lynn of the Washington-based Open Markets Institute, a non-profit whose stated mission starts with stopping monopolies. "Let's break off cloud," he suggested. "Let's turn cloud into a utility. It's pretty easy to do. This is actually one of the easiest solutions we can embrace right now -- and it would take away a huge amount of their leverage."

He also called for a blanket non-discrimination regime (i.e. "common carrier" type rules for platforms to prohibit price discrimination and information manipulation); and for a requisitioning of aggregated "public data" tech giants have amassed by tracking web users. "Why does Google own the data? That's our data," he argued. "It's public data... It doesn't belong to Google -- doesn't belong to any of these folks. It's our data. Let's exert ownership over it."

Microsoft's director of competition, Carel Maske, who had -- awkwardly enough -- been seated right next to Lynn on the panel, all but broke into a sweat when the moderator offered him the chance to respond to that. "I think there's a lot to discuss," he hedged, before doing his best to brush aside Lynn's case for immediate structural separation of hyperscalers.

"I'm not sure you are addressing, really, the needs of the investments that are needed in cloud and infrastructure," he got out, dangling a skeletal argument against being broken up (i.e. that structural separation of Big Tech from core AI infrastructure would undermine the investment needed to drive innovation forward), before hurrying to route the chat back to more comfortable topics (like "how to make competition tools work" or "what the appropriate regulatory framework is"), which Microsoft evidently feels won't prevent Big Tech business as usual.

Talking of whether existing competition tools are able to do the job of bringing tech giants' scramble for AI to heel, another panellist, Andreas Mundt -- president of the German competition authority, the Federal Cartel Office (FCO) -- had a negative perspective to recount, drawn from recent experience.

Existing merger processes have already failed, domestically, to tackle Microsoft's cosy relationship with OpenAI, he pointed out. The FCO took an early look at whether the partnership should be subject to merger control -- before deciding, last November, the arrangement did not "currently" meet the bar.

During the panel, Mundt said he would have liked a very different outcome. He argued tech giants have -- very evidently -- changed tack from the earlier "killer acquisition" strategy they deployed to slay emergent competition -- to a softer partnership model that allows these close engagements to fly under enforcers' radar.

"All we see are very soft cooperations," he noted. "This is why we looked at this Microsoft OpenAI issue -- and what did we find? Well, we were not very happy about it but from a formal point of view, we could not say this was a merger.

"What we found -- and this should not be underestimated -- in 2019 when Microsoft invested more than 1 billion into OpenAI we saw the creation of a substantial competitive influence of Microsoft into OpenAI. And that was long before Sam Altman was fired and rehired again. So there is this influence, as we see it, and this is why merger control is so important.

"But we could not prohibit that as a merger, by the way, because by that time, OpenAI had no impact in Germany -- they weren't active on German markets -- this is why it was not a merger from our perspective. But what remains, it is very, very important, there is this substantial, competitive influence -- and we must look at that."

Asked what he would have liked to be able to do about Microsoft OpenAI, the FCO's Mundt said he wanted to look at the core question: "Was it a merger? And was it a merger that maybe needs to go to phase two -- that we should assess and maybe block?"

Striking a more positive note, the FCO president professed himself "very happy" the European Commission took the subsequent decision -- last month -- to open its own proceeding to check whether Microsoft and OpenAI's partnership falls under the bloc's merger rules. He also highlighted the U.K. competition authority's move here, in December, when it said it would look at whether the tie-up amounts to a "relevant merger" situation.

Those proceedings are ongoing.

"I can promise you, we will look at all these cooperations very carefully -- and if we see, if it only gets close to a merger, we will try to get it in [to merger rules]," Mundt added, factoring fellow enforcers' actions into his calculation of what success looks like here.

A whole army of competition and digital rule enforcers working together -- even in parallel -- to attack the knotty problems thrown up by Big Tech + AI was also named by Vestager as a critical piece for cracking this puzzle. (And on this front, she encouraged responses to an open consultation on generative AI and virtual worlds the competition unit is running open until March 11.)

"For me, the very first lesson from our experience so far is that our impact will always be greatest when we work together, communicate clearly, and act early on," she emphasized, adding: "I will continue to engage with my counterparts in the United States and elsewhere, to align our approach as much as possible."
Its the biggest case since O.J., Las Vegas judge delays Tupac Shakur murder trial as new attorney steps in

LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  A Clark County judge rescheduled the trial Tuesday for the man charged in the murder of Tupac Shakur for November.

Davis new attorney, Carl Arnold, asked for the delay as he was new to the case and had not had a chance to review evidence before the scheduled June date. Davis hired Arnold in January.

Metro police arrested Davis, 60, near his Henderson home in September following a grand jury indictment on the murder charge. He has remained at the Clark County Detention Center since.

Duane Keffe D Davis, who is accused of orchestrating the 1996 slaying of hip-hop music icon Tupac Shakur, appears in court for a hearing at the Regional Justice Center in Las Vegas, Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024. (Rachel Aston/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP, Pool)

In court in January, the two public defenders then-representing Davis said their client was not a danger to the community or a flight risk. Judge Carli Kierny then set Davis bail at $750,000. If Davis comes up with the money to post bail, Kierny ordered he must attend a source hearing first.

Arnold said Davis was prepared to post bond within the month.

Over the past several years, Davis wrote a book and did several interviews where he said he was in the car with the person who shot Shakur and record executive Suge Knight near the Las Vegas Strip in September 1996. Shakur died six days later from his injuries.

Arnold said prosecutors could not prove Davis statements were true.

Speaking outside of the courtroom after Tuesdays hearing, Arnold said the trial would be one of the biggest in Las Vegas history.

What made you want to take on this case? 8 News Now Investigator David Charns asked Arnold.

Its the biggest case since O.J., Arnold said. Why wouldnt you want to take this case on?

Kierny scheduled the trial for Nov. 4. A status check was scheduled for April 23.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken gets off the plane on arrival at Brasilia Air Base, Brazil, on February 20, 2024 (EVARISTO SA)

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken landed in Brazil on Tuesday for his first trip to the South American nation, arriving amid a diplomatic spat after President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva enraged Washington ally Israel by comparing its Gaza campaign to the Holocaust.

Blinken will start his visit in Brasilia, and also go to Rio de Janeiro for a Group of 20 summit, followed by a stop in Argentina, where he will confer with the new President Javier Milei.

For the top US diplomat, the belated first trip to the Latin American powers had been seen as an opportunity to build ties with two key leaders, in a break from his exhaustive trips to the Middle East.

But the turmoil engulfing that region has unexpectedly followed him.

Over the weekend, the 78-year-old veteran leftist Lula, on a trip to Ethiopia for an African Union summit, said that what was happening in the Gaza Strip "isn't a war, it's a genocide."

"What's happening in the Gaza Strip with the Palestinian people hasn't happened at any other moment in history. Actually, it has happened: when Hitler decided to kill the Jews," Lula said.

He received backing Tuesday from the presidents of Colombia and Bolivia, two fellow South American countries to have criticized Israel.

The comparison outraged Israel, which declared Lula persona non grata and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Brazilian president had "crossed a red line."

State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said of Lula's remarks, "Obviously we disagree with those comments."

"We have been quite clear that we do not believe that genocide has occurred in Gaza," Miller told reporters Tuesday.

In tit-for-tat escalation, Brazil and Israel have each summoned the other's ambassador, with Brazil recalling its envoy for consultations. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz called Lula's comparisons "delusional," and was himself called a liar by his Brazilian counterpart.

The war started October 7, when Hamas launched an unprecedented attack that left about 1,160 people dead in southern Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official Israeli figures.

Hamas militants also took about 250 hostages -- 130 of whom remain in Gaza, including 30 presumed dead, according to Israel.

Israel's retaliatory campaign has killed more than 29,092 people, mostly women and children, according to the latest count by the Hamas-run territory's health ministry.

President Joe Biden has been Israel's key backer, with the United States on Tuesday again vetoing a ceasefire call at the Security Council, even as Biden voices concern over the toll on civilians and presses Israel to let in more aid.

- Outspoken Brazilian leaders -

The potentially awkward encounter with Lula comes after hopes of a new start in US-Brazil relations.

Blinken's first trip as secretary of state to Brazil comes more than three years into his tenure, an unusually long wait to visit the Western Hemisphere's second most populous nation.

But the Biden administration had limited interest in dealing with Lula's predecessor, the far-right Jair Bolsonaro, an ally of former president Donald Trump who similarly scoffed at climate action and is under investigation for an alleged attempt to overturn a democratic election.

Lula, who previously served as president from 2003 to 2010, traveled to Washington and met with Biden after returning to power early last year.

The two veteran politicians found common cause on prioritizing climate change, labor rights and democratic values.

But Lula has already shown his divergence with the United States on the international stage with his stance on Ukraine.

He has charged that both Ukraine and its Western backers bear partial responsibility for the war, not just Russia, which invaded almost exactly two years ago.

The G20 meeting of foreign ministers in Rio de Janeiro will also mark a rare occasion since the war in which Blinken will be in the same room as Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

At the last G20 foreign ministers' meeting in New Delhi in March 2023, Blinken held his only one-on-one in-person meeting, albeit briefly, with Lavrov since the war.

No meeting has been announced in Rio, and Washington is moving to take more punitive steps toward Russia after the death in prison of Alexei Navalny, the top opponent of President Vladimir Putin.

Blinken will head after Rio to Argentina to see Milei, who took office in December on a libertarian, anti-establishment platform.

In a sharp contrast with Lula, Milei is one of the most vocal international supporters of Israel.

Milei has promised to move Argentina's embassy to Jerusalem, a step taken only by the United States and four small countries.

lb-sct/md/dw
Bob Marley, as a member of The Wailers, played venues in the UK in 1973

People in Hertfordshire who saw Bob Marley on tour in the early 1970s have been recalling his visit as a film about the late reggae superstar arrives on the big screen.

Marley, who was not yet the international music icon celebrated today, played Hitchin Town Hall on 19 May 1973.

Over the previous three weeks Marley, as a member of The Wailers, had been playing for audiences at reggae clubs and universities all over the country.

Nearly 51 years later, the North Herts African and Caribbean Community hosted a special screening of Bob Marley: One Love at Broadway Cinema & Theatre in Letchworth.

Many of those attending had defied their parents to see Marley, who died in 1981, visit their home town.

Sneaking out of the bedroom window

Wilbert snuck out of his window to see "a big star from Jamaica"

Wilbert Myrie moved from Jamaica to Hitchin with his family when he was a child and grew up listening to his dad's collection of reggae and ska music.

"Back then Bob Marley was just coming to his own, he got really big in the late 70s," he said.

His older siblings had tickets to see Marley during his Hitchin visit but the then 13-year-old was told he was not allowed to go.

"My parents said, 'You're not going,' and I said, 'I am.'"

The Wailers toured the UK in 1973 to promote their fifth album Catch a Fire

That night he snuck out of his bedroom window and walked a mile to the venue to watch his first-ever gig.

His memories of that day are strong: "The music was to die for, the power of the music as well.

"In them days you had them big old speakers... I stood in front of them and you could feel yourself getting pushed forward."

Wilbert, now in his 60s, was excited, it was the first time he had seen anybody play live let alone a "big star from Jamaica".

Because of his small size he managed to squeeze to the very front of the gig.

"He [Bob Marley] was very accessible, you could get very close to him, even talk to him if you wanted to."

Shaking Bob Marley's hand

Dorrell Haynes was told not to attend the gig but ended up shaking Bob Marley's hand

Dorrell Haynes, 72, laughs when she thinks of attending that 1973 gig: "Would you believe I went up and shook his hand?"

The then 22-year-old had defied her parents' instructions to not attend the event but her brother, Karl Simpson, was one of the gig's promoters and helped sneak her into the town hall.

"I was excited because I was there when I shouldn't be, I thought if my mum and dad found out I would be in trouble," she said.

"The thing that stood out about him was he was a mixed-race young man who took that on wholeheartedly."

Dorrell said that at the time the event was "just another gig" as Marley was still not a big star.

"It was a really good show but I did not consider it to be anything special."

A perk of being related to the promoter meant she was able to get close to Marley after the show.

She said: "You were overcome at that sort of age, so I shook his hand and ran away.

"He's quite a tiny bloke and I remember feeling the callouses on his fingers."

Opening for Bob Marley

Two brothers, Winston, 71, and Kenneth Campbell, 68, opened for The Wailers on that night over 50 years ago.

At the time they ran a well-known sound system in the town and were invited to help promote and perform at the event.

When Winston, then aged 20, arrived at the venue he could only remember how he had attended Sunday school there as a child.

Bob Marley performing on the BBC's Old Grey Whistle Test in 1973

The brothers remember it being a popular event as the band had appeared on the BBC's Old Grey Whistle Test a couple of weeks prior.

They recall there were about 250 people in the audience.

Kenneth said: "Bob Marley was seen in the black community as a more commercial artist... I had no idea he would get that big."

He added that Marley had not quite landed on his "iconic identity at the time".

"When he appeared at Hitchin he didn't have dreadlocks, he had a sort of afro."

Neither brother were big Marley fans at the time, but looking back Winston said he is proud to have been involved in the event.

He said: "My only claim to fame is being on the same bill as Bob Marley."

Follow East of England news on Facebook, Instagram and X. Got a story? Email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp 0800 169 1830
The body of an 11-year-old Texas girl who went missing last week on her way to school was found Tuesday in a nearby river, the Polk County District Attorney confirmed Tuesday afternoon.

Don Steven McDougal, 42, had been named as a person of interest in Audrii Cunninghams mysterious disappearance on Feb. 15. He lived in a trailer behind her fathers home in Livingston, a small town about an hour from Houston.

At a press conference, Polk County DA Shelly Sitton said his office plans to charge McDougal with capital murder.

Cunningham was reported missing by school officials, who said the girl never showed up last Thursday, according to Polk County Sheriff Byron Lyons.

McDougal, who has a swastika tattooed on his left shoulder, was supposed to bring Cunningham to the bus stop that day, Lyons said at a news conference. He was the last person to have seen Cunningham before she dropped out of sight, according to Lyons.

McDougals criminal history is an extensive one, with an arrest record dating back more than two decades. It includes convictions for, among other things, theft, driving while intoxicated, unauthorized use of a vehicle, drug possession, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and enticement of a child. His most recent conviction, on a 2020 harassment charge, led to a weeklong stay in the Harris County Jail.

The victim in that case, Ted Booher, on Tuesday remembered McDougal as a problem employee with a bad attitude and a hot temper. Booher had not previously been aware of Cunninghams disappearance, he said.

He come at me, threatened to kill me and everything over 50 fucking dollars, Booher, who runs a private trash-hauling company in LaPorte, told The Daily Beast. Can you believe that shit? Hes a bad apple. He aint worth a damn.

Booher, 67, said McDougal accused the carting services bookkeeper of shorting his pay in the Aug. 8, 2020 incident, after which McDougal got mad as hell.

And then he come at me, Booher continued, saying he picked up a crowbar to defend himself because him and his buddies [were] about to attack me.

And I got the police on the line and theyre hearing every bit of what this bastards doing, Booher said.

Boohers account of the crime is corroborated by court records, which list 911 audio in filings.

https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=108347114044418&set=a.108347174044412

Booher said he was able to hold McDougal off from physically attacking him, but had nonetheless wanted to press assault charges against him. McDougal pleaded guilty on Sept. 20, 2020 to a misdemeanor charge of verbal harassment, according to court records reviewed by The Daily Beast. He was sentenced to a week in jail, with four days credit for time served.

McDougals attorney in the case, Hunter Hoaglund, did not respond to a request for comment.

Another victim of McDougals, who worked alongside him at an auto repair shop in Crosby, said he narrowly avoided being stabbed by McDougal in 2010.

He got drunk one night, Elic Bryan III told Fox 26 Houston. We threw him out of the house, and he came back with a knife, slashed tires, tried to stab me with the knife. I had to run him off with a gun and the cops finally came out with dogs and got him.

Bryan said he wishes he would have shot him, to be honest with you.

Thats my one regret, he told the news channel. Didn't want to do it then because it would make you feel bad. But looking back, maybe I should have. With all the allegations against him, he's not a nice guy, apparently. Something is wrong with him in the head.

On Monday, Lyons told NewsNation that Cunninghams parents, who are estranged, knew McDougal had a background but did not know that there was some sort of sexual background involving children.

McDougal was not required to register as a sex offender after the child enticement conviction in 2007, according to authorities. He was arrested Friday on an unrelated charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and remains detained in the Polk County Jail on $500,000 surety bond.

Cassie Matthews, Cunninghams mother, did not respond to a request for comment.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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LAKELAND, Fla. - Hospital patient dumping continues to be a crisis in Polk County, and newly obtained body-camera video shows another recent incident.

A Lakeland police officer responded to US 98 and George Jenkins Boulevard for a panhandling incident at around 1:30 p.m. on January 20. He stopped and talked with a man who asked him if he had done something wrong, to which the officer responds, "Yeah. Panhandling's illegal."

The man responds that he didn't know that.

RELATED: Hospital patient dumping: Solutions to help alleviate homeless shelter, according to experts

He explained to the officer that he came from St. Augustine, and he has only been in the city for about a week. He has also been homeless for a year.

"Who brought you here?" the officer asked.

"The people from Advent Health Deland brought me to the Lakeland hospital," the man told the officer.

The man said Lakeland Regional Health then discharged him and took him to a homeless shelter in the area.

READ: Florida Senators pass bills seeking to expand health care availability

"So the hospital just threw you out the front door and didn't offer you a ride back to Advent Deland?" the officer asked.

"No," the man responded.

"That's pretty crappy of them, man," the officer said.

Talbot House Ministries, a homeless services provider in Lakeland, previously told FOX 13 that hospitals dumping patients on their doorstep has become a growing crisis, because they don't have the medical capabilities to take care of them.

"They say they've called us but, we've never received a call. They tell them there's going to be a bed waiting for them. They show up on our door," said Deborah Cozzetti, the director of programs for Talbot House Ministries.

MORE: Florida faces critical shortage of doctors and nurses, lawmakers looking for solutions

A vast majority of the time, the patients themselves don't know where they're going. In a statement, the senior vice president of administration at Lakeland Regional Health wrote:

"...Lakeland Regional Health is required to have a safe discharge plan for patients. We may discharge a patient to a shelter or other living facility if thats where the patient is/has been residing. On a daily basis, we routinely coordinate and communicate directly with local agencies prior to discharging patients from our facility to ensure appropriate placement for our patients..."

At the end of the police interaction, the officer gave the homeless man a verbal warning and let him go on his way. It's unknown if he was able to make it back home to St. Augustine.

A spokesperson for the police department said they don't have any firm numbers as of right now to show how many incidents they respond to on a daily or weekly basis. But, they're working with the Polk County Homeless Coalition to get a better grasp on the issue.

SIGN UP: Click here to sign up for the FOX 13 daily newsletter
Raleigh-Durham International Airport is getting a deal on six electric buses, thanks to a transit agency in Florida that ordered more than it could pay for.

Miami-Dade County planned to buy 75 electric buses from California-based Proterra, but took delivery on only 69 of them. RDU already has four Proterra electric buses and expected to receive four more last fall.

But the company went bankrupt in August, idling its assembly lines. RDU wasnt certain when or if it would get the buses it had ordered or be able to buy more from the company.

The company that took over Proterras business, Phoenix Motorcars, has resumed production, but RDU doesnt expect to receive the four buses it ordered until early 2025.

Then Phoenix came to RDU with an offer: Well sell you the undelivered Miami-Dade buses at a big discount. RDU could have all six for a bit more than $3.9 million or $651,500 per bus, roughly half the cost of comparable buses, said Brian Mclean, the airports manager of fleet maintenance.

They are beautiful buses, said Mclean, who went to see them at the factory in Greenville, South Carolina. The buses have all the bells and whistles.

On top of that, the buses are available now. RDU will have to make some modifications, including replacing some seats with luggage racks and re-wrapping the exterior with RDUs colors and logo, at a cost of about $30,000 per bus, Mclean said. He expects the buses to be in service at RDU in three to six months.

The Airport Authority board voted to buy the buses Thursday.

This solves a problem for us, said Ellis Hankins, who heads the board. And I think its an opportunity we cant afford to miss.

RDU has 16 buses that shuttle travelers and employees between remote lots and the airport terminals and wants to grow that number to 28. The expansion is needed largely to serve people who use the airports largest remote parking lot, which the airport is tripling in size early next year.

RDU has put out a request for proposals from electric bus companies for eight to 12 more buses. The bids are due Feb. 20. Mclean said it would likely take two years for those buses to be delivered to the airport.
Lionsgate has released the first look at Borderlands, its upcoming movie adaptation of the popular video game series.

The star-studded adaptation will be led by two-time Oscar-winner Cate Blanchett as Lillith, an infamous outlaw who returns to her home planet and forms an unlikely alliance with a team of heroes. Together, they face a dangerous journey battling alien monsters and dangerous bandits as they search for a missing girl who holds the key to unimaginable power.

Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, Bobby Lee and Ariana Greenblatt also star.

In first-look images shared with People, Blanchett can be seen in costume as Lilith, sporting a short orange and red hairdo while wearing combat-ready attire.

A second image sees Lilith and her motley crew of heroes peering down a manhole.

Meanwhile, IGN exclusively unveiled a teaser ahead of the formal trailer  expected to drop tomorrow (Wednesday, 21 February).

After quick introductions to Blanchett, Hart, Curtis, Greenblatt and Florian Munteanus characters, Blanchetts Lilith declares in disgust: God, I hate this planet.

First teaser for the live-action BORDERLANDS movie.



Trailer releases tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/lteKQGZPTG  DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) February 20, 2024

Following the first look at the highly anticipated movie from director and actor Eli Roth (Inglourious Basterds), several fans reacted in excitement, specifically to Blanchetts transformation.

They actually nailed it, one commented on X, with a second writing: Finally! So hyped to see the rest of the cast.

I don't know what Borderlands is, but if Cate Blanchett's in it I'm probably going to watch, a third tweeted.

Another added: Looks like it will be epic! Love the casting.

The first-look teaser comes years after it was announced in May 2020 that Blanchett had signed on to the project. The rest of the cast joined a year later, with filming beginning in Hungary in April 2021 and wrapping that June.

At the time, Curtis had shared a secret behind-the-scene image of Blanchett on Instagram, writing: Welcome to BORDERLANDS and a secret BTS shot I took of Lilith, our legendary heroine, psycho blasting, vault hunting, vixen with a bad attitude and two Oscars to add to the badassery in her tool belt, the once and future Queen of EVERYTHING, #cateblanchett.

Maybe next week, if youre nice and let them know you want MORE and they don't fire me for posting this, Ill post other pictures of Roland, the Everything Everywhere All At Once star joked.

Borderlands is scheduled to release in cinemas on 9 August.
The European Union's top diplomat, Josep Borrell, said at a Feb. 19 conference that he urged member states to procure ammunition for Ukraine outside the bloc if this source of supply is "better, cheaper, and quicker."

Artillery shells are among the most crucial military supplies for Kyiv, as they are used daily in high numbers on the Ukrainian battlefields. The EU conceded that it would be able to deliver only half of the promised 1 million shells by the March deadline.

Following a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels, Borrell said that the European defense industry claims to be capable of increasing the production of ammunition.

The ministers discussed how to increase the EU's provision of shells to Ukraine through bilateral and European frameworks, according to Borrell. He previously said that the EU aims to deliver more than 1 million shells to Ukraine by the end of 2024.

"There is also financing to buy ammunition outside of Europe It is not just limited to the supply that can be provided from the European defense industry," Borrell told reporters at the Feb. 19 press conference.

Read also: Biden: US Congress to blame for fall of Avdiivka

Seeing the EU failing on its promise to Kyiv, Czechia has begun pushing a plan to jointly finance the purchase of 800,000 artillery shells outside the bloc, Czech President Petr Pavel said on Feb. 17. Prague previously suggested that Europe could turn to arms companies in South Korea, Turkey, or South Africa, according to Politico.

Plans to buy ammunition from outside the bloc continue to face opposition from France, Greece, and Cyprus. While Paris hopes to give a boost to its domestic defense industry, Greece and Cyprus do not wish to buy arms from Turkish producers, given their tense relations with Ankara.

EU foreign ministers also discussed a potential transfer of revenues generated from frozen Russian assets to Ukraine's recovery efforts.

"There is not yet a full agreement to fully implement this decision. We already know where they (assets) are, we have been identifying and blocking them. But it is one thing to identify and block them and another to seize them and transfer them to the EU budget," Borrell said.

He announced further discussions on this issue at the next ministerial meetings and at a meeting of G20 foreign ministers in Rio de Janeiro on Feb. 21-22.

Read also: Zelensky in Munich: If Ukraine left alone, Russia will destroy us

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
COLOMBO, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- A total of 73 school children from Passara National School in Sri Lanka's Uva province were admitted to hospital on Tuesday following a wasp attack, police said.

Piyaratna Ekanayake, officer in charge of Passara police station, told media that the children were in the school playground when the attack took place.

Ekanayake said the students were admitted to Passara hospital and 18 were still undergoing treatment by 4 p.m. local time.

He said that wasp attacks were common in the area and police will contact wildlife officials to remove wasps from the area where school children frequent.

In January, seven estate workers in Hatton police division fell victim to a wasp attack. 
Brevard County students and their families will see few changes in their 2024-25 routine in the upcoming school year, though they should be prepared to send their kids back to class after Memorial Day.

During their most recent meeting, Brevard's school board approved the 2024-2025 school calendar, which is similar to this year's calendar. The biggest difference comes at the end of the year, with students required to come back to class after Memorial Day to finish their exams.

The number of days per semester in the 2024-2025 year is the same as that of the current year, with students scheduled for 89 days in school during the first semester and 91 days the second semester.

Teachers are scheduled to be in school 96 days the first semester and 94 days the second semester. They get six paid holidays.

Dates to remember

This upcoming year, students will return to school Monday, Aug. 12.

During the 2023-2024 school year, the first day of school for most students fell on a Thursday, Aug. 10, and not everyone started on the same day. Kindergartners returned to school the following Tuesday, Aug. 15, and VPK started Thursday, Aug. 17.

The final day of classes for the 2024-2025 school year falls on Wednesday, May 28. This means that students will return to class after Memorial Day, which falls on May 26.

This year, the final day of classes is on May 24, a Friday. Memorial Day is the following week.

Kindergarten teacher Amanda Green greets Scarlett Kinzel, one of her students at Brevard Public School, as classes resumed last August.

VPK program expanding: Brevard Public Schools looks to expand voluntary prekindergarten program

Florida Tech read-in: Afrofuturism: Hear how Black history influences popular culture at Florida Tech's read-in

What holidays do students have off?

Kids and teachers go on winter break Dec. 23 and will return Monday, Jan. 6. They'll have other holidays throughout the year, though these could change, depending on if the Space Coast sees a hurricane this year and classes need to be canceled.

Monday, Sept. 2  Labor Day

Monday, Oct. 14  Student holiday (teacher work day)

Friday, Nov. 11  Veterans Day

Monday, Nov. 25 through Friday, Nov. 29  Thanksgiving break

Monday, Jan. 20  Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Monday, Feb. 17  Presidents' Day (teacher professional development day)

Friday, March 14  Student holiday (teacher work day)

Monday, March 17 through Friday, March 21  Spring break

Friday, April 18  Teacher/student holiday

Monday, May 26  Memorial Day

When are exams?

First-semester exams will take place Wednesday, Dec. 18, through Friday, Dec. 20, while second-semester exams will take place Friday, May 23, through Wednesday, May 28.

During the 2023-2024 school year, first-semester exams were held Wednesday, Dec. 20, through Friday, Dec. 22. Second-semester exams will be held Wednesday, May 22, through Friday, May 24.

What about year-round school?

Year-round school is not something BPS currently offers, but it's something Board Chair Megan Wright suggested as a possibility in December. She said she had gone through year-round school when she was in elementary school and felt it might help prevent teacher burnout and the "summer slide," where students struggle to get back into the groove of classwork after time off.

Though she was hopeful about offering year-round school as soon as next year, the 2024-2025 calendar only spans the traditional school year. When Florida Today reached out about where things stood regarding year-round school, Wright did not respond.

Last year, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a law establishing a pilot program that spans four years. The program will implement year-round school at certain locations in some districts during the 2024-2025 school year and will study the pros and cons of this kind of schooling. It is only for elementary schools.

Finch Walker is the education reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Walker at 321-290-4744 or fwalker@floridatoday.com. X: @_finchwalker

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Here's what to know about the 2024-2025 calendar for Brevard students
Brian Walshe, the Cohasset man accused of killing his wife, dismembering her body with a hacksaw and then discarding her remains at trash transfer stations across the region, was sentenced to prison Tuesday in his federal art fraud case.

Walshe, 48, previously pleaded guilty in 2021 to selling two counterfeit Andy Warhol paintings in an international art fraud scheme.

A judge in federal court in Boston sentenced Walshe to 37 months behind bars. Prosecutors from the U.S. Attorneys Office had asked for a three-year prison sentence.

Brian Walshe sentenced to 37 months on each count, concurrent with each other and w/any state sentence for federal art fraud case. Also $475k retribution with $95k credit for $$ he already paid. No fine b/c he cant pay it. @boston25 #BrianWalshe #Truecrime  Bob Ward Boston 25 (@Bward3) February 20, 2024

In a separate case, investigators say Walshe killed his wife, Ana Walshe, last year. The 39-year-old mother-of-three, a real estate professional who worked in Washington D.C., went missing on New Years Day 2023, authorities said. Her body has never been found.

25 Investigates: Brian Walshes damaging digital footprint, according to prosecutors

These crimes were dangerous, bold, and harmful, both to the victims and the public as a whole, prosecutors said in recent court filings. A sentence of imprisonment is necessary to punish the defendant for his crimes and to deter others from engaging in art fraud, an especially difficult crime to detect, investigate and prosecute.

Brian Walshe, left, is facing murder and other charges following the disappearance of his wife, Ana Walshe, left, on Jan. 1, 2023.

Walshe was charged with wire fraud, interstate transportation for scheme to defraud, and money laundering, in connection with a scheme to sell counterfeit Andy Warhol paintings.

Before she went missing: Ana Walshe, a Serbian immigrant who sought the American Dream

In nearly 175 pages of filings in the art fraud case, prosecutors said Walshe orchestrated a scheme that encompassed repeated falsehoods.

It remains even more fitting now that it has become clear that the defendant engaged in obstruction of justice after pleading guilty, prosecutors said in court filings. Accordingly, the government requests that the Court sentence the defendant principally to 37 months in prison, at the low end of the Guidelines with the obstruction enhancement.

The defendant orchestrated a scheme of many years, encompassing repeated falsehoods and financial complexity, prosecutors said. The defendant did not commit these crimes by mistake or one-time error: he obtained paintings from a person who thought he was the defendants friend; he manipulated the services of artists; he lied to potential buyers, obtaining their money by fraud; and he laundered the money afterwards. In his wake, he left a disappointed friend (Victim 2); a frustrated and harmed collector (Victim 1); and another buyer whose relationship with his own father was destroyed (Victim 3).

In a sentencing memorandum, the government wrote: These crimes were dangerous, bold, and harmful, both to the victims and the public as a whole. A sentence of imprisonment is necessary to punish the defendant for his crimes and to deter others from engaging in art fraud

Brian Walshe was also ordered to pay $475,000 in restitution to his three victims and has already paid $95,000 towards that.

Walshes mother, Diana Walshe, appeared at the federal courthouse in Boston.

She left without speaking to reporters.

Walshe is due back in court in his murder case at a later date.

Brian Walshe sentenced to 37 months on each count, concurrent with each other and w/any state sentence for federal art fraud case. Also $475k retribution with $95k credit for $$ he already paid. No fine b/c he cant pay it. @boston25 #BrianWalshe #Truecrime  Bob Ward Boston 25 (@Bward3) February 20, 2024

Brian Walshe sentenced to 37 months on each count, concurrent with each other and w/any state sentence for federal art fraud case. Also $475k retribution with $95k credit for $$ he already paid. No fine b/c he cant pay it. @boston25 #BrianWalshe #Truecrime  Bob Ward Boston 25 (@Bward3) February 20, 2024

Judge: max sentence for crimes Brian Walshe has pled guilty to is 63 months, national avg is 28 months @boston25#BrianWalshe  Bob Ward Boston 25 (@Bward3) February 20, 2024

Judge has ruled it is appropriate to add two levels for obstruction of justice for Brian Walshe @boston25 #BrianWalshe  Bob Ward Boston 25 (@Bward3) February 20, 2024

US wants 2 level enhancement to Walshes sentence. Says there is money missing from Brian Walshes late fathers estate and not reported to probation as required. Defense Hes not gaming the system. @boston25 #TrueCrime  Bob Ward Boston 25 (@Bward3) February 20, 2024

Fed judge made clear, and Fed prosecutor agreed Brian Walshes murder case will not impact this sentence for art fraud. @boston25 #BrianWalshe #truecrime  Bob Ward Boston 25 (@Bward3) February 20, 2024

Im in Fed court Boston where Brian Walshe will be sentenced in an art fraud case. Brian is accused of killing and dismembering his wife, Ana, last year.

He just entered courtroom wearing a suit with no tie. @boston25 #BrianWalshe #truecrime  Bob Ward Boston 25 (@Bward3) February 20, 2024

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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Hosting a major event is kind of like having family over for the holidays. It's great to have everyone here, but it's also nice to get the city back to ourselves.

Before I get to new mail, I want to look back to a question from last week. I wrote about the dearth of Black drivers in the Indianapolis 500 and received some great feedback on things worth mentioning.

A few readers noted Myles Rowe, a 23-year-old driver ascending toward the IndyCar Series thanks in part to Penske Entertainment's Race for Equality & Change.

There's also a nonprofit called NXG Youth Motorsports Inc., which is preparing children of color for careers in racing. Thanks to everyone who reached out with additional context.

If you have feedback, or want to submit a question for future mailbags, you can use the Google form at the bottom of the online article page or email the address below.

Kenda Resler Friend: It is both tragic and embarrassing that Indiana is one of only six states in the nation to not have a rent escrow law in place to help protect renters when the landlord does not make necessary repairs. Why does our state take this stance and is there ever hope for catching up with the rest of the country in providing protection from bad landlords?

All questions about why Indiana sucks for renters point to the Indiana Apartment Association.

The Indiana Apartment Association is an interest group representing landlords and property managers. Because landlords and property managers prefer to do whatever they want without scrutiny or regulation, their trade organization opposes all policies that might give tenants a shred of leverage in cases where they are being victimized by bad landlords.

The IAA has amassed immense power at the Statehouse and wields it like a cartoon villain tying renters to the train tracks  except, unlike the cartoons, tenants' rights always get run over.

This year, the IAA is single-handedly advancing legislation to kill a special district, previously granted by the Indiana General Assembly, which would make improvements to downtown by taxing property owners. Last year, the IAA led the charge to kill a bill that would have required landlords to repair heat, water or electricity within 24 hours of tenants losing them.

Multiple holes in drywall are seen Thursday, July 20, 2023, inside the kitchen of Vinebrook Homes renter Ayanna White (pictured). White's home, which sits on the east side of Indianapolis, has had numerous issues including an over-the-sink cabinet falling off the wall and onto the head of White. The screws used to hold the cabinet in place completely pulled from the wall. The cabinet still sits unmounted atop White's washer and dryer.

In 2020, the IAA pushed through surprise legislation  Indianapolis officials learned about it an hour before a hearing  that banned Indianapolis from requiring landlords to notify tenants of their rights or regulating landlords' screening processes, security deposits, applications, disclosures, fees and "any other aspect of the landlord-tenant relationship." The legislation also banned cities from putting the burden of proof on landlords during disputes in which tenants claim they have been evicted for retaliatory reasons such as advocating for, you know, having water or heat.

Indiana is a state where landlords can subject tenants to uninhabitable conditions  and I have seen this first hand  while forcing them to keep paying rent or risk being evicted and losing housing altogether. Indiana is like that because the IAA and its members want it that way.

Yet, as the IAA explained in 2020, it "supports enacting protections for tenants on a state level that keeps Hoosiers in their homes and provides relief directly to tenants who have been wronged."

Laughable.

The IAA has donated seven figures worth of money to Republican lawmakers over the past decade and has about as good a record any lobbyist could hope for at the Statehouse. It's not just Democrats who find the organization malicious. Consider Ryan Vaugh, a Republican and former chief of staff to Mayor Greg Ballard, who said this in 2020:

"I must say that in all my time in public service, whether it was leading the (City-County Council), serving as the Mayors Chief of Staff, of just general community advocacy, I have never encountered a more disingenuous organization than the (Indiana Apartment Association) and thats saying something."

My IndyStar colleagues and I have done several investigations over the years showing how landlords destroy the lives of powerless renters. After Indianapolis attempted to help renters with some mild reforms, the IAA came along, twirling its mustache, and shocked everyone with legislation that seemingly appeared out of nowhere and breezed through the legislature. The status quo prevails.

Naturally, the IAA is now fighting the downtown economic enhancement district by arguing the state and city passed it without giving the public a chance to understand it or weigh in. The bad faith runs deep with this group.

Isn't Attorney General Todd Rokita's webpage, with unsubstantiated complaints about school materials, functionally worthless and just trolling schools for political points?

Yes.

I considered writing a whole column about Rokita's Eyes on Education website, but I found it too ridiculous to summon the righteous indignation I'd need for an earnest critique.

Start with the name. Creating a platform where you invite students, parents, neighbors and anyone else on the planet to report subversive teachings in schools and calling it "Eyes on Education" is just about the most overtly Orwellian government initiative I've ever heard of.

Seriously. If you Google "'1984' book cover," you will literally see a bunch of eyeballs staring back at you. It's so on the nose that I imagine whoever came up with it must have been cackling. Whoever you are, just know: I see you and part of me is laughing with you.

Eyes on Education is obviously bad and even a little chilling. You can add it to Rokita's record as a malignant force in Indiana. But it's not healthy to get worked up over everything. Some things are just too stupid.

My family recently visited Newfields. The museum's new look was excellent. What happened to the leadership? Did the big-money donors pull the plug on diversity? What is the deal?

IndyStar's Domenica Bongiovanni wrote a detailed account of what's publicly known about why CEO Colette Pierce Burnette left Newfields in November. Unfortunately, it still isn't much.

Newfields says it's still committed to diversity, but won't explain why the organization's first Black CEO left after a short tenure. There are a couple possible explanations for why no one is saying more.

One is that litigation is forthcoming  perhaps from Burnette  and we could learn more that way.

Another possibility is Newfields just doesn't care what you think. The museum has enough business momentum with its "core white audience," as Newfields infamously put it, that the recriminations over Burnett's departure and the nonresponse are playing out in a parallel universe from memberships, admissions, donations and special events.

At least, that's how Newfields is acting.

That's all for this week. If you want to submit questions for a future mailbag, you can use the Google form below or email james.briggs@indystar.com.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: James Briggs: Todd Rokita's Eyes on Education; Indiana tenant rights
PHNOM PENH, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- A fuel train crashed into a truck carrying paddy rice in northwestern Cambodia's Pursat province, leaving five people hospitalized, the National Police said on Tuesday.

The accident occurred on Monday afternoon at a railway crossing in Bakan district when the train rammed into a speeding truck that was attempting to cross the train line.

"Four people sustained serious injuries and one was slightly hurt in the crash," Bakan district police chief Colonel Neang Vuth said.

He added that the injured, who were on board the truck, were rushed to the Pursat Provincial Referral Hospital soon after the incident.

"The train driver sounded the horn for a prolonged period before the collision," he said, adding that the driver was unable to apply the brakes in time, causing the train to hit the truck. 
Tributes have flooded in for former Strictly Come Dancing professional Robin Windsor following his death at the age of 44.

Fans who watched and met the dancer have been getting in touch with the BBC to share their memories of him.

A great performer and teacher

Jennifer Podesta recalled joining dance classes that he took at a holiday resort in St Lucia about five years ago.

"We had several chances to partner with him and given special attention," she said.

"We especially remember his helping us with his thoroughly enjoyable choreography to the Charleston, and his laughing at my husband's incorrect timing and kicking me in the shins! We all shared a great giggle. He was always down to earth and approachable.

"What sad news his life has ended far too soon. It's the world's loss of a great performer, teacher, choreographer and a 'real person'."

Patience, generosity and fun

Another fan, Sarah, also received tuition from the star in St Lucia.

"He was capable of dancing at a Strictly standard, but he gave each hopeless student the patience, generosity and fun of the dance - it was utterly joyful," she said.

"He was also a complete professional throughout, treating every dance we did in that island beach hut like it was a final performance. There was never any judgement of our abilities - just learning, progress and fun.

"This was an example of a proper teacher, a lovely person, and quite frankly someone gorgeous to behold too. I feel for his family that have lost their star."

Chrissy Webb and Robin Windsor

Chrissy Webb (above) took part in a masterclass that Windsor led on a Strictly Come Dancing-themed cruise in 2016.

"The floor was packed with fellow passengers keen to learn. He was so enthusiastic, patient and encouraging to all abilities, beginners and experienced alike.

"I was lucky enough to have a short dance with him, one which I treasure. He was a shining star and will be sorely missed."

We felt he was our friend

Jill Marshall danced along in her kitchen during classes that Windsor held online during Covid. "He kept us all happy and fit during a very difficult time," she remembered.

"Sometimes the class would stop whilst Robin let Luka his dog out of the kitchen door. We felt he was our friend."

Mia Longman and Robin Windsor

Mia Longman (above) appeared alongside Windsor in panto in Lowestoft, Suffolk, at Christmas. "Our cast and crew can honestly say he absolutely made the pantomime," she wrote.

Windsor played the genie in Aladdin. "He brought so much light, magic and fun to the run - a real life genie, you could say.

"He was such a selfless, generous and loving person who will be deeply missed by all. Thank you for leaving a bit of sparkle with me and with many others. Rest in peace Robin and keep dancing."

Fake tan was running

Ann Bevan was watching Windsor on stage alongside Kristina Rihanoff, Kara Tointon and Artem Chigvintsev in their show Dance To The Music in 2012 in Bristol when she was called up on stage for some audience participation.

"Robin was so hot, all the fake tan was running down his face and was staining his white shirt, but he didn't seem to care," she said.

"I had to copy the moves he did and finally, after being voted through by the audience noise-o-meter, I had to make up an impromptu dance to music I had not heard previously, encouraged on by Robin, and I won the next noise-o-meter vote."

She added: "Fond memories at this sad time. So sorry to hear of his passing at such an early age. He was a talented dancer with a friendly and infectious disposition. A sad loss to the world of dance."

Brilliant dancer and lovely man

Robin Windsor and Mini Biswas

Mini Biswas (above), from London, met him at a tech event in November. "He had this warm positive energy about him, and watching him perform live at the event showcased how brilliant he is, making dancing fun for all in the room! Gone too soon, rest in peace Robin."

Meanwhile, Clare Moat saw him perform alongside fellow Strictly dancers in Here Come The Boys at the London Palladium in 2021.

"It was the first show we saw after Covid," she said. "We had a wonderful time. He was a brilliant dancer and a lovely man. My heart and prayers go out to his family and friends. RIP Robin, we'll miss you."

Fans and friends have also been paying tribute on social media.

He was so, so lovely. Robin was my flatmate when he was on Strictly and was one of the loveliest people you could ever meet. What you saw was what you got with Robin. I never heard him say an unkind word about anybody. #RobinWindsor pic.twitter.com/96ZbNo5H0s  solvealongamurdershewrote (@solvealonga) February 20, 2024

When I asked Robin Windsor if he was able to donate something to a HIV charity cabaret event I was producing, he could not have been more kind and willing to help (he donated dancing lessons!!!). He was also a regular at @thervt and ALWAYS so charming. RIP.  Jason Reid (@JasonReidUK) February 20, 2024

It is bittersweet that this came up in my FB memories today of when I met @robinwindsor and co on their stage show, 6yrs ago.

Im so glad that I got to see him do what he loved to do the most & that was dancing. Im glad that I got to meet him too, he was kind, humble and pic.twitter.com/BshphvROil  Katie Wearing (@DinkyKt) February 20, 2024

This properly got me this morning. @Robinwindsor was an utter joy of a human and a kind hearted gentleman. Spent many a fun night in his company and anytime we bumped into each other at various events etc he was always so warm and wonderful. RIP you talented man. pic.twitter.com/6fsqLSx6W0  Damien Tracey (@DAMIENTRACEYPRO) February 20, 2024
The playground at Beer has lost its swings, in part because of EU rules retained after Brexit - Dale Cherry

For generations, the children of Beer, in Devon, have enjoyed playing on the swings at a park built to celebrate Queen Victorias Diamond Jubilee.

Now the coastal park is being replaced with a pirate-themed play area, complete with slide and ship-themed climbing frame, as part of a 400,000 taxpayer-funded revamp of five parks in the region.

But there will be one notable omission. The new park will have no swings, partly because of EU standards retained in the UK after Brexit.

Despite the UK leaving the EU at the end of 2020, more than 4,000 tracts of EU legislation were copied and pasted into the British lawbooks  preventing officials from having to write thousands of new laws to replace those made over 47 years of union membership.

Among the Brussels regulations was rule EN1176, which defines safety requirements for childrens playground equipment. It sets out how much space there has to be between swings and how high they have to be off the ground, and limits the number of swings per bay to two.

Local councillors mulling the park revamp realised that they would not have the space for both swings and the new pirate attraction if they wanted to abide by standards that could help protect them from injury claims.

Under the rules, introduced in 1999, any repair or refurbishment of the park would mean the swings would have to be demolished because there is not enough room.

John Heath, an independent councillor for East Devon district council, told The Telegraph: Families have complained to me, saying we want the swings  around 15 to 20 mothers and some fathers too. Theyre frustrated, Im frustrated, were all frustrated by this.

I certainly sympathise with them, and would be vociferously calling for the swings to come back myself if rules allowed it  but Im not a legislator, and Im not going to compromise on childrens safety. It has split the community, as other parishioners are in favour of the new pirate-themed play area.

There were swings in that park for more than 40 years  my wifes children used to play on them, and they brought a lot of joy and happiness to children. But the swings were past their sell-by date and couldnt be replaced with new swings as the health and safety rules are different now compared to 40 years ago.

Mr Heath added that the park was on top of South West Water sewage pipes, meaning there are manhole covers that need to be accessible in any redevelopment.

The remodelling of the playground was announced by Geoff Jung, the Liberal Democrat councillor responsible for parks, who cited the EU rules as one of the factors behind the move.

He said: At Beer, there is a pirate-themed area with a slide and a ship climbing frame  although it wasnt possible to include a swing [due to the space required by the European standards], weve selected the designs that provide the most play value and that reduce environmental impact through recycled materials.

We are confident local children and visitors alike will love the new facilities.

A council brochure advertising the new attraction at Beer - East Devon Council

But the loss of the swings has sparked a backlash from his colleagues on the council, who want Britain to break free of EU laws. The council is under no overall political control, with independents having the most seats, closely followed by the Lib Dems and the Conservatives.

Cllr Colin Brown, the Conservative group leader on East Devon District Council, said residents would be angry if European laws were adopted for everything.

The problem is the Lib Dems have got a large say in most of the authorities now, and were fortunate in East Devon as we do at least have some Conservative councillors, but the majority of councillors in the rest of Devon are Lib Dems, he said.

The last thing the Lib Dems want to do is leave Europe, isnt it? Theyre being very political at the moment because youve got an election coming up.

Britain helped create the European rules on playground safety more than 20 years ago and, since they were incorporated post-Brexit, they have become the default British standard of safety.

Among the rules threatening playgrounds are that traditional to-and-fro swings must have a seat ground clearance of 350mm in the rest position or 400mm for a tyre seat.

The rules state that seats will have an average surface compression of more than 90 newton metres, a measure of force exerted by a child on the swing. The minimum width between swing seats required in the EU rules is 300mm, and the distance between the seat and frame must be 200mm.

They are not mandatory, but the courts regard them as evidence of good practice and many school and public park tenders now require such compliance  in part to minimise the risk of personal injury claims.

They sit alongside British laws such as the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Children Act 1989, which require playgrounds to meet safety standards.

The example of Beer has sparked fears that other playgrounds could lose their swings - Dale Cherry

But the example of Beer has sparked fears that parks across the country risk losing their playground equipment if they are found not to comply with EN 1176.

David Jones, a senior Conservative MP, told The Telegraph: This is just, in its own way, another example of why we need to be rid of retained EU law. As a consequence of the Retained EU Law Act, a large body of European law still prevails as assimilated British law.

We should have our own UK standards  there is of course a UK regulatory regime, and we need to make sure that they replace the former EU regulations.

Weve got over 6,000 EU laws and regulations that weve absorbed as a consequence of our departure. Were slowly working through those, but we need to accelerate it.

Jacob Rees-Mogg, a former Cabinet minister, told GB News: It is weird that the Government hasnt ditched these pettifogging regulations. If it had implemented the Retained EU Law Bill properly, this folderol would have been swept away.

Kemi Badenoch, the Business Secretary, has promised that around 600 pieces of EU law are being reviewed by the UK to make the country more business-friendly. But Brexiteers have called for ministers to go further and start a bonfire of EU regulations.

Last year, Mrs Badenoch said this would not be possible because of intransigence from civil servants, blaming Whitehall departments that had focused on which laws should be preserved when she entered her post.

Dr Amanda Gummer, the chairman of the Association of Play Industries (API) and a psychologist, said it was a shame for children that the swings in Beer were being removed, while stressing that having safe, well-designed inclusive playgrounds was vital for childrens mental health.

East Devon District Council said the swings were not being removed solely because of EU law

Councils that conformed to the EU rules were able to protect themselves from legal action, said Dr Gummer, adding: Obviously, if kids get injured and they havent followed those standards, the council and possibly the installers would be liable for the claim. We would be risking our kids safety if we compromised the standards.

She said most councils would say that they expect those standards to be adhered to.

David Yearly, ofthe Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, said there was a large amount of health and safety legislation in place to ensure users do not come into contact with other users, or with parts of the structure.

The major playground manufacturers in Britain are among the APIs 60 members, including most used by councils, meaning they align with the EU rules.

East Devon District Council said the swings were not being removed solely because of EU law, with a spokesman saying: There are various reasons why the plans for this particular park, with its limited space, do not include swings.

The spokesman said the council worked with three specialist companies, experienced in building play parks who proposed three designs without swings, partly because of the EU standards.

Even if sufficient space were available, the play area would consist of only a single set of swings, offering poor play value compared to the themed and tailored ship currently being delivered, he added.

Childrens safety is of paramount importance. As a council providing facilities for children, it is imperative that we adhere to these standards to minimise the risk of incidents.

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They came to help.

Police and paramedics. The first responders of Burnsville. The people who answer the call in the middle of the night about a man with a gun, barricaded in a house full of children.

Officers Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge. Firefighter Adam Finseth. They came to help, and it cost them everything.

After an hourslong standoff early Sunday, gunfire erupted from the house in Burnsville, killing Elmstrand and Ruge, who were both 27. Finseth, a 40-year-old Fire Department paramedic, was killed while trying to help the downed officers. A third officer was shot and injured.

They are the second, third and fourth Minnesotans killed by domestic violence this year. The first was Sandra Wilson Goertz, 81, of Lake Benton, victim of an apparent murder-suicide on Jan. 4.

We lose so many of our neighbors to domestic violence. Their names and stories blur and fade, replaced by the next horror story and the next.

On Feb. 1, Violence Free Minnesota reminded us of the 39 lives lost to intimate partner violence last year. It was the highest death toll the group had ever recorded in a single year.

They reminded us of the bright life and big smile of Kyla O'Neal, who was nine months pregnant when she was gunned down in the parking lot at work in January 2023 by her ex-fiance. Her baby son, Messiah O'Neal, was delivered by cesarean but died nine days later.

Remember Madeline Kingsbury, 26, of Winona, strangled to death in front of her children. It took 10 weeks to discover where her killer hid her body. Remember Don-Shay Hardy, 38, of St. Paul, who was styling her child's hair in the bathroom when her husband burst in with a gun.

Betty Jo Bowman, 32, of Rochester, whose husband, a doctor, stands accused of her murder by poison. Manijeh Starren, 33, killed and dismembered in her St. Paul apartment. Her boyfriend, the chief suspect, has also been linked to another woman's disappearance. Savannah Ryan Williams, 38, was gunned down on a Minneapolis sidewalk.

They remembered the helpers. The ones who stepped between an abuser and victim and paid the price.

Antonio Moore,37, stabbed to death last May while protecting his sister from an abusive ex.

Pope County Sheriff's Deputy Joshua Owen, 44, shot and killed last April while responding to a domestic disturbance call in Cyrus. Two other officers were shot and injured.

In the past decade, domestic violence has taken the lives of at least 250 Minnesotans  including four members of law enforcement who were responding to calls for help, said Joe Shannon, communications program manager for Violence Free Minnesota. The group remembers them, along with all the others who tried to intervene, as well as bystanders like Marquisha "Kiki" Wiley, who was killed when a domestic violence dispute erupted into a mass shooting in a St. Paul bar in 2021.

"We believe that it's critical to include bystanders, because without that domestic violence present, these people would still be alive," Shannon said.

It's a reminder of the toll domestic violence takes on the whole community. Sunday's tragedy shattered three families forever. It caused incalculable trauma to the woman and seven young children who were trapped in the house during the standoff and to the officer still recovering from his wounds. It broke Burnsville's heart.

"I think about the children. The neighbors, locked down in their homes," Shannon said. "Domestic violence is not just an issue between people in the relationship. It extends so far past that."

If you're in danger from an intimate partner, or trying to help someone else, you can call Minnesota's Day One Hotline, toll-free at 866-223-1111 or text 612-399-9995.
The body of a man found on the banks of the Delaware River in Bensalem 20 years ago was a missing Burlington County New Jersey man.

Bensalem police announced on Monday that genetic profiling confirmed the unidentified man was Edward Nece, a Riverside resident whose family last saw him in the fall of 2003.

The case also marked a first success for Cold Case Initiative, which funded the advanced forensic investigation effort that identified Nece.

The Bucks County nonprofit founded in 2021 raises money to offset the cost of advanced technology for U.S. law enforcement agencies.

The remains of an unidentified man found in the Delaware River in Bensalem in 2003 were finally identified as Edward Nece of Burlington County New Jersey in October, 2023

Bucks DA identify missing NJ man Authorities identity man whose skull was found in Morrisville 36 years ago

Advanced profiling methods are a game-changing investigative tool for violent and unsolved crimes. But they are also time-consuming and expensive, costing $10,000 or more, said Christopher McMullin, a retired Bensalem police detective who founded the Cold Case Initiative.

The group is currently working with law enforcement agencies in Ohio and Arizona on cases, said McMullin, an experienced cold case investigator.

McMullin knew the 2003 John Doe was one of several open unidentified body cases in Bensalem, so he reached out to his old department to see if they'd like to reopen it.

I wanted it solved, and I felt it was solvable, McMullin said.

Christopher McMullin, left, and Tom McAndrew pose for a portrait at Doylestown Cemetery near the grave of an unknown man whose remains were found in the Neshaminy Creek in Bensalem in 2003 on Friday, Dec. 9, 2022.

It was on Oct. 19, 2003 when two fishermen discovered the body of a man in a drainage area on the Yellow Freight property in the 2600 block of State Road near the Pennsylvania Yacht Club.

He was described as between 30 and 40 years old, a little under 6 feet tall and about 230 pounds. He was wearing a short gray T-shirt in a size 2X. No identification was found on him. An autopsy determined the cause of death was drowning.

At the time, no missing persons report description matched the man. Partial fingerprints were obtained but didn't match any fingerprints in the national database. DNA samples for comparison were taken.

The man was buried at the Doylestown Cemetery where his grave has a small marker that reads: John Doe, Found in 2003.

A new cold case nonprofit is hoping DNA can provide a name to this unidentified man found in the Delaware River in 2003.

More unidentified cases Can you help identify these remains and bodies found in Bucks and Montgomery counties?

Before he was buried, the coroners office took hair and fingernail clippings, which two decades later were turned over to a private lab where a DNA profile was developed.

But the fingernail clippings didnt provide enough genetic material, so the lab had to test the hair, which is more expensive and takes longer for results, McMullin said.

Once completed, the profile was turned over to Jennifer Moore, founder and CEO of Innovative Forensic Investigations, a private forensic lab in Virginia.

Moore began to build a family tree for John Doe by analyzing and comparing the profile with millions of other DNA profiles uploaded to private, public and law enforcement databases.

On the day marking the 20th anniversary of the day John Doe was found, Bensalem police contacted the parents of Edward Nece, who said their son had been missing for 20 years.

Direct comparison DNA testing with Nece's father confirmed his missing son was the 2003 John Doe.

With the identification of Nece, there are now six unidentified remains found in Bucks County since 1986 including three in Bensalem, according to NamUs. Montgomery County has three active unidentified body cases.

More on the identification of Tommy Alt Sister of missing NJ man identified after 37 years has one mystery left to solve

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: New Jersey man identified as John Doe found in Bensalem 20 years ago
Doctors hold placards that read 'Opposition to the increase in medical schools' as they gather to protest against the government's plan to raise the annual enrolment quota at medical schools by 2000 in Seoul on February 15, 2024. Anthony Wallace/AFP/Getty Images

South Korean trainee doctors are striking over a plan to increase med school student quotas.

They say the country's doctor shortage is due to low wages and poor working conditions in some specialties and areas.

The walkout is stoking fears of huge disruptions to the country's strained healthcare system.

Over 1,600 trainee doctors in South Korea walked off their jobs on Tuesday over a government plan to increase med school enrolment quotas, according to media reports.

Separately, over 6,400 trainee doctors  including those on strike  across 100 hospitals have tendered their resignation as of Monday, according to South Korea's Yonhap news agency. They comprise nearly half of all 13,000 trainee doctors in South Korea.

The crisis has stoked fears of huge disruptions to the country's already strained healthcare system.

There are 2.6 doctors to 1,000 people in South Korea  well below the average of 3.7 to 1,000 people for countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

The South Korean government plans to raise the medical school quota from 3,000 to 5,000 a year to ease the manpower crunch, particularly in rural areas and some specialties like emergency medicine, per Yonhap.

The public supports the move, according to a Gallup poll conducted in February.

However, doctors say the issue isn't a labor shortage but a manpower crunch in some specialties and locations due to low wages and poor working conditions.

Trainee doctors in South Korea regularly work shifts that stretch over 24 hours, according to a survey from a major medical trade union. Many also worked over 80 hours a week.

Doctors also say an increase in medical school enrolment could compromise the quality of education and services, per Yonhap.

Meanwhile, critics said the doctors are protecting their interests as increased professional competition could impact their salaries and social status.

Authorities are calling on doctors to return to work.

"We are deeply disappointed in the situation where trainee doctors are refusing to work," said Park Min-soo, South Korea's second vice health minister on Tuesday, per Yonhap. "We earnestly ask the doctors to withdraw their decision to resign en masse and walk off their jobs."

It's not the first time doctors in South Korea have walked off the jobs against a planned expansion of enrolment in the country's medical school quota.

In 2020, young physicians participated in a strike to protest the move, per the Associated Press. The South Korean government bowed to the pressure and shelved the plan.

Read the original article on Business Insider
BURNSVILLE, Minn. (FOX 9) - The Burnsville police officer injured in a shooting Sunday morning, that killed three other first responders, has been released from the hospital.

Sgt. Adam Medlicott was struck by gunfire as officers responded to a 911 call about a domestic disturbance on 33rd Avenue South around 2 a.m. Sunday. Two other police officers, Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge, were killed by gunfire along with firefighter-paramedic Adam Finseth.

Sgt. Medlicott was rushed to Hennepin County Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries. In an update on Monday, the city said he was released from the hospital and will continue recovery at home.

Sgt. Medlicott has been with the department since August 2014. He was named Burnsville Officer of the Year in 2020 and promoted to sergeant in September 2022.
Multiple streets in Boston are shut down Tuesday morning amid an investigation into a crash involving an MBTA bus that left a pedestrian with life-threatening injuries, officials said.

The pedestrian was struck in the area of Harrison Avenue and Traveler Street, according to the Boston Police Department.

The victim, whose name hasnt been released, was rushed to a local hospital with injuries that police described as life-threatening.

Video from the scene showed a crack in the bus windshield and multiple police officers gathering evidence.

Herald and Traveler streets, along with Harrison Avenue, are closed due to the large emergency presence.

Traffic will be impacted for the morning, please seek an alternative route, Boston police said in a post on X.

There were no additional details immediately available.

Boston 25 News has reached out to the MBTA for comment.

Traffic Advisory: Police are on scene at a pedestrian struck by a motor vehicle with life threatening injuries in the area of Harrison Avenue and Traveler Street. Traffic will be impacted for the morning, please seek an alternative route.  Boston Police Dept. (@bostonpolice) February 20, 2024

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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CACHE COUNTY, Utah (ABC4)  A former poll worker for the Cache County Clerks Office has been charged with a felony after allegedly altering an election-related document to the Lieutenant Governors Office during the 2023 General Election.

According to charging documents, Dustin James Hansen, 31, of Nibley was responsible for providing the Lieutenant Governors Office with a document that proved testing of ballot tabulation machines. Hansen allegedly edited the document to show a different completion date of the tests than when they were actually done.

He has now been charged with willful neglect of duty and corrupt conduct by a poll worker, a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in state prison.

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A deeply troubling audit

Hansens charges come after the office of Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson completed a review of Cache Countys municipal general election held in November 2023. In a letter written to Cache County Clerk David Benson, Henderson said a review of the elections resulted in findings that were deeply troubling.

My team not only found an unprecedented lack of controls, widespread violations of Utah election law and administrative rule but also a pointed disregard for policy and practices established by my office, wrote Henderson.

Hendersons office found the County Clerks office failed to complete the accuracy and logic tests of the ballot tabulating machines before running ballots for counting. Her office was then provided the falsified report allegedly edited by Hansen.

Natalie Cline announces plans to run for reelection despite controversy

In addition, Hendersons office also found the Cache County Clerks office had repeatedly violated a chain of custody of practices for ballots, saying they were not properly retrieved, handled, batched, documented and stored.

Overall, Hendersons office found 31 errors in their report, though the errors in practice had not affected the primary or general election. Henderson still shared her grave concerns saying failure to fix the issues created opportunities for fraud and election manipulation.

Bensons response

In a letter to Cache County constituents on Friday, Feb. 16, Benson said he requested the audit in December after elections staff with Hendersons office alerted him to some concerns with the falsified documents. He said he agreed with her offices assessment that the findings were serious and needed to be vigorously pursued.

Throughout December, Benson worked with his own staff, the Cache County Director of Personnel Management and the Cache County Attorneys Office to perform an investigation.

In order to ensure the integrity, thoroughness, and rapidity of that effort, I placed two of my elections staff members on administrative leave and voluntarily recused myself from the Clerk/Auditor office until such time as the Cache County Attorneys Office was confident we could return without any hint of interfering with or unduly hastening their investigation, said Benson.

How much do Utah lawmakers make for their work on Capitol Hill?

Benson returned to his position as Cache County Clerk on Jan. 8, after he was assured the investigation was coming to an end. One of the two election workers was also brought back from administrative leave.

Benson confirmed that the other worker placed on administrative leave  identified as Hansen  had resigned from employment while still on leave on Tuesday, Feb. 13.

In the spirit of transparency, I am committed to sharing any additional, unrestricted facts regarding this investigation as they may become available to me, wrote Benson. I am equally committed to maintaining the confidentially of any personal, private, or otherwise withheld information protected by law.

Whats next

The Lieutenant Governors office provided the Cache County Clerks office with several key recommendations to correct the election concerns they found in their report. Such recommendations include office employees reviewing Utah election law and administrative rules as well as ways to fix specific issues found in the report.

Benson confirmed on Tuesday, Feb. 13 that 27 of 31 recommendations had already been addressed and there are plans in place to have the remaining four addressed by Feb. 29. Benson also invited the Lt. Gov.s Office to review the Cache County Clerks office elections to be held in March, June and November of this year to ensure compliance.

The First District Court of Cache County has issued a summons for Hansen to appear in court for his felony charge though a court date has yet to be set for his initial appearance.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
Faculty and supporters participate in a strike at CSU Channel Islands on Jan. 22. The systemwide strike was cut short after just a day when the California Faculty Association and CSU leadership agreed to a tentative contract agreement. Union members ratified the agreement during a vote from Feb. 12-18.

After eight months and multiple faculty walk-outs, the latest, contentious round of contract negotiations between the California State University system and its faculty union is nearing a close.

The California Faculty Association announced Monday that its members ratified the union's tentative agreement with the CSU system by a 76% yes vote, overcoming vocal dissent from faculty who said the proposal fell short of union demands. The union did not say how many of its 29,000 members voted.

Lisa Kawamura, a lecturer, union chapter president at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and union board member, said Monday that she was proud of the deal.

"Did we get everything we wanted? No," she said. "But we got a lot. We've made huge gains in some areas we've never seen movement before."

The tentative agreement would give a 5% salary increase, retroactive to July, to more than 56,000 faculty across the 23-campus system along. They will receive another 5% raise this summer if the state does not reduce CSU funding. Faculty would also get an increase parental leave from six to 10 weeks and a higher salary floor for the lowest-paid members.

CSU trustees still need to ratify the agreement, which would run through July 2025. The board is next scheduled to meet from March 24-27. In an email to members on Monday, union leaders said they asked CSU management to call a special board meeting to approve the terms more quickly.

CSU Chancellor Mildred Garcia did not immediately indicate whether she would work to have the trustee vote moved up. In a statement Monday afternoon, the chancellor's office said it was "pleased" with the vote and looks forward to trustees ratifying the agreement in March.

Union leaders said in their email to faculty that the union still has "battles ahead" against the CSU system's "austerity" policies, "administrative bloat," anti-Black racism, unaffordable tuition and the "corporatization of higher education."

"We can only win the CSU we deserve through our efforts together," the email says.

Faculty dissent

Though the agreement was backed by an overwhelming majority, the 76% approval rate highlighted dissension from some faculty who believed that the deal wasn't enough. The union's February 2022 agreement, by contrast, was ratified by 95% of voters.

In the build-up to the vote, a contingent of self-described "rank and file" union members launched an online campaign to reject the tentative agreement. The group argued that the contract locked faculty into insufficient raises  the union had first demanded a single year, 12% raise  and not done enough to address demands, including workload caps, increased mental health supports and gender-inclusive bathrooms.

Some faculty also launched an online petition to change the selection process for the union's bargaining team from presidential appointments to union elections. As of Monday afternoon, the petition had garnered just under 1,100 of its 10,000-signature goal.

The union did not address the campaign or the petition directly, but in its email to faculty acknowledged what it called "some healthy and some not-so-healthy disagreements" about the tentative agreement.

"Some members clearly wanted more progress with this specific contract," the email says. "Most members realize that we will move forward together and that our work for a better CSU continues."

Kawamura said she doesn't think protests against the agreement should be dismissed, but that she was glad the union hadn't passed up what she considered a good deal.

"I am appreciative of the critiques people have. I hope we can move forward together as a union to continue gaining wins for our faculty," she said. "That's the No. 1 thing."

Greg Wood, a physics professor and president of the 370-member union chapter at CSU Channel Islands, said Monday that the agreement's approval showed the union is still united "on the whole."

"There are some folks that think we could do better," he said. "This vote shows there's a majority of our membership that are OK with (the deal). It's not necessarily the loudest voices."

John Caravello, a philosophy lecturer and vice president of the CSUCI union chapter, voted against the agreement. On Monday, he said he viewed the split opinions as "healthy" for the union and for labor organizing overall.

"We needn't always agree on strategy and contracts," he said. "We might disagree heavily on some things, but we agree on one thing: We need the union."

Isaiah Murtaugh covers education for the Ventura County Star in partnership with Report for America. Reach him at isaiah.murtaugh@vcstar.com or 805-437-0236 and follow him on Twitter @isaiahmurtaugh and @vcsschools. You can support this work with a tax-deductible donation to Report for America.

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Cal State faculty back contract despite union dissent
California State University faculty voted to approve a new contract with administrators that offers salary raises and increased paid parental leave.

The California Faculty Association, which represents 29,000 CSU faculty members, announced on Monday that 76% of its voting members approved the new contract, which includes raises that total more than 10% within the next six months.

The union reached a tentative agreement with CSU administrators late last month, less then 24 hours after faculty members walked off the job in what was planned to be a weeklong, systemwide strike.

The faculty union reached the deal after eight months of bargaining negotiations with CSU administrators and numerous job actions, including two sets of strikes.

The CFA said the new contract also raises the salary floor for the lowest-paid faculty members, acknowledges the need to improve student-to-counselor ratios, addresses workload relief and long-standing racial, social, and gender inequities.

We thank members for their solidarity, debate, and courage to press CSU management for better faculty working and student learning conditions, especially everyone who worked tirelessly organizing the successful strikes and joining the picket lines, CFA President Charles Toombs said in a news release. We look forward to working together to continue our advocacy for an equitable CSU.

Sacramento State psychology professor of Sharon Furtak, center, chants the union united will never be divided during a one-day rolling strike on at the school Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023. The California Faculty Association on Monday Feb. 19, 2024, announced its members voted to approve a new contract with the CSU.

The new contract will take effect once CSU trustees approve the agreement at their next scheduled meeting from March 24 through 27. CFA officials said they urged CSU administrators to call a special Board of Trustees meeting to approve the new contract sooner.

CSU administrators on Monday said they were pleased with the results of the faculty union ratification vote. They also said they look forward to the CSU Board of Trustees ratification of the new faculty contract in March, according to a written statement from the CSU Office of the Chancellor.

This agreement provides for a 10 percent general salary increase to all faculty by July, with a raise in salary minimums for the lowest-paid faculty that will result in increasessome as high as 21 percentfor many of them, according to the CSU statement.

It also addresses issues that the CFA identified as extremely important to its members, such as increased paid family leave from 6 to 10 weeks and a process for making gender-inclusive restrooms and lactation spaces more easily accessible.

Last months faculty strike came as a new semester began at CSU campuses for many of the systems 450,000 students. Although faculty were previously adamant about receiving 12% raises, they settled for smaller raises in exchange for other commitments from CSU.

Those commitments included raising the parental leave allowance from six to 10 weeks, guaranteeing union representation for faculty when interacting with campus police, improving access to lactation spaces and gender-inclusive restrooms and providing support for lecturer engagement in service work.

We will continue advocating against managements self-defeating austerity policies, affordability and access for students, and combatting anti-Black racism to create campuses that serve all of us, said Sharon Elise, CFA associate vice president and a CSU, San Marcos professor said in the news release.

Elise said some faculty members had strong concerns about the process and questions about the result.

We will only be successful if were working together to continue building a CSU that empowers students and provides work environments that support faculty and staff, Elise said in the news release.

Sacramento State sociology lecturer Danielle Duckett joins hundreds on the picket line of a one-day rolling strike at CSUS on Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023. The California Faculty Association on Monday Feb. 19, 2024, announced its members voted to approve a new contract with the CSU.

The more than 10% in raises in the contract includes a 5% salary boost for all faculty retroactive to July 1 of last year. All faculty also will earn an additional 5% salary increase this summer on July 1, although that raise is contingent upon the CSU not losing money due to cuts in the California budget. The tentative agreement will also, on July 1 of this year, raise the pay floor by $3,000 and $6,000 for faculty in the two lowest-paid tiers of the salary range.

The Bees Maya Miller contributed to this story.
VIENTIANE, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Lao and Thai security forces will step up cooperation in border security, with the aim of reducing criminal activities along the two countries' shared border.

A meeting of cooperation sub-committee on maintaining peace and order along Lao-Thai border was held in northern Laos' Luang Prabang province on Feb. 13-16, Lao Army Television reported on Tuesday.

The attendees reviewed results of cooperation in border peace-keeping operations and general cooperative relations between Laos and Thailand.

Lao and Thai security forces are pleased that relations and cooperation between the two countries have progressed based on equality and mutual benefit, enabling the two sides to resolve various problems and improve stability in border areas, the report said.

The two sides agreed to further strengthen their neighborly cooperation, share more information, and take necessary measures in line with laws of each country.

They also agreed to strengthen law enforcement in border areas to prevent illegal immigration and combat human trafficking, drug trafficking and smuggling.

The two sides also agreed to work with local authorities to educate people living in border areas about the law concerning crossing of the border and illicit activities, according to the report. 
A new California bill would require landlords to accept pets.

The bill, formally known as AB 2216, was introduced by Assemblymember Matt Haney (D- San Francisco) and is considered to be the first legislation of its kind in the nation.

The bill is intended to bar property owners from asking about pets on applications, prohibit additional monthly fees for pet owners, also known as pet rent, and limit pet deposits, KQED reported.

Haneys communications director, Nate Allbee, confirmed this news to KTLA.

California bill would change the way minors consume social media

The bill would also address a problem Haney sees in the rental world: an overabundance of tenants with pets and a shortage of landlords willing to accept pets.

Haney said his staff analyzed Zillow apartment listings and found that many rental units wont allow tenants to have dogs and cats of all sizes. Specifically, only 26% of apartment listings in Los Angeles, 20% in San Francisco and 18% in Sacramento would accept such pets, according to KQED.

However, other surveys found that two in three households own pets nationwide and 72% of renters say that finding pet-friendly housing is difficult.

A two-tiered system that punishes people for having pets, or treats them differently, or has a greater burden on them just for that fact should not be allowed in the law, Haney told KQED.

According to Allbee, The Humane Society of the United States is a sponsor of the bill since they say apartments unwilling to accept tenants with pets are one of the main reasons pets are abandoned at shelters.

While some support the bill, others like the Berkeley Property Owners Association, are against it.

Krista Gulbransen, executive director of the Berkeley Property Owners Association, told KQED that risk is the driving factor behind her opposition.

New California bill could require cars to have speed limiter technology

Pets have the potential to damage property, and limiting owners discretion to take on that added risk while stripping them of the pet deposit safeguard puts them in a terrible position.

Exceptions to the proposed bill will be made for landlords who have a reasonable rationale for excluding pets from their properties such as health reasons.

The proposed legislation is expected to be fleshed out more in the coming weeks and months.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
The latest in a series of wet winter storms gained strength in California early Monday, with forecasters warning of possible flooding, hail, strong winds and even brief tornadoes as the system moves south over the next few days.

Gusts topped 30 mph (48 kph) in Oakland and San Jose as a mild cold front late Saturday gave way to a more powerful storm on Sunday, said meteorologist Brayden Murdock with the National Weather Service office in San Francisco.

The winds are here and getting stronger, and the rains will follow quickly, he said Sunday afternoon.

Drivers slosh through accumulated rain water on Mooney Boulevard near Visalia Mall on Monday, February 19, 2024.

Californias central coast is at risk of significant flooding, with up to 5 inches (12 cm) of rain predicted for many areas, according to the weather service. Isolated rain totals of 10 inches (25 cm) are possible in the Santa Lucia and Santa Ynez mountain ranges as the storm heads toward greater Los Angeles.

Thunderstorms in valleys around the state capital on Monday could bring brief tornadoes, large amounts of small hail, heavy rain, lightning, and gusty winds, the weather service in Sacramento warned on X.

Residents in the region, including Sacramento, Chico, Yuba City, Stockton and Modesto, are advised to pay close attention to the weather, the office said later in a separate statement.

A pedestrian returns to her car through accumulated rain water Monday, February 19, 2024 in the Denny's parking lot on Mooney Boulevard.

Firefighters on Monday rescued two people from the top of their vehicle, which had stalled in flood waters in Sloughhouse, a community about 20 miles (32 kilometers) southeast of Sacramento, the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District said.

Hours earlier, a man was rescued along a creek in El Dorado Hills, northeast of Sacramento. The man, who had been camping in the area, was trapped in a tree as floodwaters rose, El Dorado Hills Deputy Fire Chief Dave Brady told KCRA-TV.

Drivers slosh through accumulated rain water on Mooney Boulevard near Visalia Mall on Monday, February 19, 2024.

The latest storm is expected to move through quicker than the devastating atmospheric river that parked itself over Southern California earlier this month, turning roads into rivers, causing hundreds of landslides and killing at least nine people.

Its not the ideal setup for an atmospheric river, but it does have some of the characteristics, including a band of subtropical moisture bringing up the rear of the storm, Murdock said. Otherwise its just a cold front.

But its a cold front strong enough to cause problems including flash flooding and power outages, forecasters said. Flood watches and warnings were issued in coastal and mountain areas up and down the state.

Drivers slosh through accumulated rain water on Mooney Boulevard near Visalia Mall on Monday, February 19, 2024.

Rainfall will be widespread even in the mountains, but several feet of snow is possible at elevations above about 6,800 feet (2,070 meters) across the Sierra Nevada, the weather service said. Motorists are urged to avoid mountain routes.

Consider completing Sierra travel during the day Sunday, or rescheduling to later next week, said the weather service office in Reno, Nevada. The office issued a backcountry avalanche watch for the greater Lake Tahoe area and the eastern Sierra in Inyo and Mono counties.

The California Governors Office of Emergency Services activated its operations center Saturday and positioned personnel and equipment in areas most at risk.

This article originally appeared on The Record: California braces for flooding as another wet winter storm hits
The tug-of-war between California Gov. Gavin Newsom and the nonpartisan Legislative Analysts Office over the states projected budget deficit took a new turn Tuesday, when the LAO announced a revised shortfall of $73 billion  $15 billion more than previously forecast, and significantly more than the $38 billion gap that Newsom has estimated.

The LAO reported that recent revenue collection data reflect even further weakness for the states financial outcome.

All else equal, this means the budget problem is likely to be higher when the governor gives his revised projection of the states finances in May, the LAO said in a Tuesday update.

The LAO said that the actual budget shortfall will depend on a variety of factors, such as mandatory Proposition 98 spending on schools and community colleges.

Roughly, a $24 billion erosion in revenues corresponds to a $15 billion increase in the budget problem. This would expand the $58 billion estimated deficit to $73 billion under our updated revenue forecast, the LAO report read.

That means lawmakers are going to have to find new budget solutions to ensure a balanced budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year. The LAO said solutions could include increasing revenue, reducing either  or both  one-time and ongoing spending, and exploring the possibility of cost shifts or dipping into reserves.

The LAO listed several areas of one-time and temporary spending where cuts can be made, totaling nearly $16 billion. Categories of cuts include business and labor, criminal justice, education, health and human services, housing and homelessness, resources and environment and transportation.

H.D. Palmer, a spokesman for Newsoms Department of Finance, emphasized the state is still forecast to see more than $51 billion in income and corporate tax receipts.

No one can say today with certainty how those numbers may change the budget estimate of a $38 billion shortfall, Palmer said in a statement. A responsible step would be for the Legislature to act now on the early action budget measures needed for $8 billion in solutions to help close this gap.

Newsom during his January budget presentation suggested this move, which would mean opening up last years budget to make changes to the existing funding plan.

Department of Finance director Joe Stephenshaw said in January one early action item would involve increasing the managed care organization tax by $1.5 billion to help fund a Medi-Cal expansion for undocumented immigrants. Health insurers pay the MCO tax, and the federal government must approve any increases.

Senate Republicans on Tuesday afternoon released a statement expressing concern about how Newsom and the Democratic-controlled Legislature are handling the budget.

Democratic legislators and the governors continued fiscal irresponsibility is troubling, as evidenced by their unchecked spending and the alarming growth of the states budget problem, said Sen. Roger Niello, R-Fair Oaks, in a statement.

Niello vice-chairs the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee. He called for a course correction and a renewed commitment to a responsible budget.

Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones, R-Santee, blasted Newsom for trying to fool the public that the deficit is $38 billion.

How are we supposed to balance the budget when our governor cant even admit the true size of the deficit his administration racked up? Jones said in a statement.

Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, D-Hollister, said during a Tuesday press conference the budget gap is his biggest concern.

The Assembly Democratic Caucus has been meeting to develop strategies to deal with the spending shortfall, and Rivas emphasized budget negotiations are still in their early stages. Cynthia Moreno, Rivass press secretary, later said conversations about early legislative budget action are already underway.

The governors budget has been more optimistic than the LAO, Rivas said. And I sure hope that the governor is right. We would all like to be wrong when it comes to the deficit. And thats why I firmly believe that its always better to plan for the worst.
For Yurok tribal member Billee Willson, the loss of her mother shaped her life. Her mother, Willson said, adored children. She had six of her own and taught at a Hoopa Valley elementary school. She loved jewelry making and doing beadwork and was exploring basket weaving. She was loved and cared for in her community.

In 1972, when Willson was 15 years old, her mother was shot and killed by her ex-husband.

The death of her mother left Willson and her siblings without an identity. She described moments in life as large, like giving birth to her children, and small, like wondering how to clean stains off a specific fabric. In those moments, she felt the pain of not being able to call her mom.

We lost connection to our life-giver. It was shocking to all of us, Willson said at California Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples (MMIP) Summit on Monday, Feb. 12 in Sacramento.



Willson was one of many Native community members who spoke in front of hundreds of tribal leaders, lawmakers, advocates, and tribal community members at the Summit, sponsored by the Yurok Tribe and Wilton Rancheria.

A crisis

The MMIP crisis is prevalent across the United States, with Indigenous peoples being murdered at a rate 10 times the national average. Homicide is the leading cause of death for Native women ages 10-24 and the fifth-leading cause of death for Native women 25-34, according to the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Advocates say jurisdictional confusion, systemic limitations, and apathy leave many cases unsolved. Devastated families in Native communities are often left to look for their loved ones alone.

California has the fifth-highest number of MMIP cases, the vast majority of which involve young women and girls.Today, at least 20 MMIP cases are recorded yearly in Northern California, but due to limitations in reporting, the actual number is suspected to be significantly higher.

Last weeks Summit brought stakeholders together to explore long-term solutions to the crisis.

Raquel Williams, vice chairwoman of the Wilton Rancheria, and Joe James, chairman of the Yurok Tribe, opened the Summit with a traditional prayer and song from their respective tribes.

Williams comments laid the foundation for the days panels, which would examine the intersection of public health, criminal justice infrastructure, and social welfare issues driven by colonialism that have coalesced into the MMIP crisis.



We must focus on the factors that are contributing to the MMIP crisis, from health care to housing and education; we must recognize and appreciate that this crisis doesnt have a single cause or an easy solution, Williams said. We must not only focus on how we can protect our most vulnerable people; we must work to learn about why this is happening. We strive to identify the underlying causes that result in these shocking numbers, so we must prioritize our resources and funding to support immediate efforts and long-term education and planning.

James followed Williams, offering his opening remarks and singing a traditional Yurok song about balance.





What you are going to hear is going to be heavy, James said. Use it, take it home, create that change whether it through policy, ordinance or resolution, whether its through department funding. This isnt just to tribes, but everybody in this room. We have a right to be safe.

The days first panel, Sharing the stories of MMIP, Survivors Families and Advocates, was moderated by Big Sur Rancheria Chairman Issac Bojorquez. Panelists included Willson, Ronnie Hostler (Round Valley Indian Tribe), Keeley Linton (Mesa Grande Band of Mission Indians), Danielle Vigil-Matson (Hoopa), and Matthew Franklin (Ione Miwok Indians).

Several panelists shared stories of personal loss. Willson spoke of losing her mother and Hostler talked about his granddaughter, who has been missing since 2018. Franklin shared the story of his uncle, who was murdered in 2001.

We were in a pretty bad place for a long time, Willson said. But somehow we all made it to adulthood.



Linton, the executive director of the nonprofit Strong Hearted Native Womens Coalition Inc., said policy changes, specialized policing and investigators, tribal data collection and investments in tribal social services are critical to moving the needle. She also advised vigilant vetting of services that claim to offer assistance to families of MMIP as the issue moves into mainstream consciousness.

Ive seen it more and more with missing and murdered becoming more (visible) in social media, Linton said. There are all of these pop-up Indigenous groups that say they are going to help and are charging families thousands of dollars.

Vigil-Matson, who has been working on the missing and murdered Indigenous peoples crisis since 2019, noted the intersection of the MMIP crisis and the opioid crisis. Tribal members are going missing after being discharged from rehab, with nowhere to return to, she said.

One thing I would like to see change is that we create a system so when people are going through these types of circumstances that there are wrap-around services available for them and their families so that when they put them there, they put them in a safe place and make sure they dont go missing, Vigil-Matson said.

Justice and policy issues

The days second panel was titled Changing Systems to Address MMIP: Where We Have Been and Where We Are Going? The panel featured Tribal law enforcement and officials.

Moderator Rosemary Deck, J.D., the chief prosecutor for the Yurok Tribe, kicked off the conversation by asking the panelists to discuss their successes and challenges working across agencies on bringing justice to MMIP cases.

Julie Olivera, an investigator for the Yurok Tribe, noted the successful collaborations between the tribe and the sheriffs departments of the nearby Humboldt and Del Mar Counties. She also spoke about the difficulty of investigating decades-old cold cases from a time when Native Americans were largely ignored by law enforcement.

California is one of six states that fall under Public Law 280, which cedes jurisdiction over tribal lands from the federal government to the states. The law, passed by Congress in 1953, has left cavernous gaps in law enforcement and did not include any set aside for states to adopt the new jurisdiction. This has left tribal communities in PL-280 states with scant funding and resources for law enforcement and public safety.

Abby Abinati, chief judge of the Yurok Tribal Court, urged tribes to participate in an upcoming study on how Public Law 280, which aims to evaluate tribal criminal justice outcomes in states under the law versus states where jurisdiction of tribal lands lies with the federal government.

Its really important that we line up and give them information and recommendations about what has happened to our (criminal justice) infrastructure, or rather what has not happened to our infrastructure because we have had no funding, Abinati said. we (the state and tribes) could be a team, but we have been given no funding to do anything with this jurisdiction.

When they send investigators to talk about it, I want you all to be ready to talk about what we dont have and why we only have one [MMIP] investigator in the whole state  that alone is not okay.

The Summits third and final panel, Beyond Law Enforcement: Tribal Health, Housing & Supporting Indian Families & to Address MMIP, brought a public health lens to the crisis.

Virginia Hendrick (Yurok), the executive director of the Consortium for Indian Health, likened the crisis to a disease.

When you look at the spread of disease, you want to look at the risk factors, Hendrick said. The risk factors associated with this [MMIP] are having an encounter with the foster care system, living or being born into poverty, cut off from the traditional food system, lack of traditional law enforcement and lack of western law enforcement, and a grossly underfunded healthcare system.

Hendrick went on to emphasize that the root causes of the crisis need to be addressed through investments in behavioral health for victims, survivors, and whole families, cultural programming, health services, dental services, economic development, Tribal sovereignty and a fully funded Indian healthcare system.



The Summit concluded in a round table discussion with Tribal leaders from the states federally recognized Tribes and lawmakers. Tribal leaders brought their own experiences with the crisis in front of state lawmakers and shared the burden they bear to keep their community safe within a system designed to exclude them.

Yurok Tribe Vice Chairman Frankie Meyers spoke emphatically about the urgent need for funding and resources toward the crisis.

Every single Tribal member has value, is important. When we see our brothers, our sisters, our mothers go missing, when we dont see it investigated, when we dont see it on the news or read about their cases in the newspaper, the feeling we have is that we have no value, Meyer said.

I want to thank you all for showing up, he added, addressing the lawmakers. You dont have to be here. You could have ignored us  Im glad you are here. Im glad you are joining this discussion to say no more.

About the Author: "Elyse Wild is senior editor for Native News Online and Tribal Business News. "

Contact: ewild@indiancountrymedia.com
The State of California and the Kingdom of Sweden renewed a longstanding climate partnership on Tuesday, reemphasizing and broadening their collaborative commitment to a sustainable future.

California is not a small, isolated state, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) said at a ceremony in the morning. Its the size of 21 state populations combined. So we have to have a global outlook.

In the presence of Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden, Newsom and Johan Forssell, Swedens minister for international development cooperation and foreign trade, signed a letter of cooperation aimed at combatting climate change.

The letter extends an initial 2017 agreement between California and Sweden, which laid the foundations for collaborative efforts on reducing transportation emissions and expanding renewable energy infrastructure.

So much has changed since 2017, Newsom said. So little was understood, as it relates to the issue of climate and policy in 2017, compared to where we are today.

The governor recalled the early days of his administration, when he visited the Northern California areas near Paradise, Calif., that had disappeared in wildfire flames in the fall of 2018.

At the same time, we were going through historic drought, Newsom said. We have to be mindful of our responsibility, our role and relationship in terms of addressing these issues.

Creating partnerships with global governments  of which California has many  promotes the sharing of best practices, while recognizing the states inadequacies, the governor added.

Forssell, the Swedish minister, emphasized the mutual benefits that come from engaging with California, noting that about 140 Swedish companies operate in the state today and create more than 44,000 jobs.

California is also one of the biggest importers of Swedish goods while exporting about $700 million worth of products to the Scandinavian country each year, Forssell added.

These numbers are impressive, but Gov. Newsom and I, we agree that we could and also should do more to improve these figures even more, Forssell said. We are front runners in the green transition, but also world leaders in innovation and the digital transformation.

Asked how the new commitment would differ from the 2017 version, Newsom explained that the initial agreement established a framework of basic engagement, generally focusing on air quality and the clean energy transition.

The new partnership, he said, goes beyond those discussions and serves to promote the development of solar and wind infrastructure, as well as other areas of innovation and investment.

Forging long-term global partnerships is critical to California, particularly as the individuals at the helm of the state come and go, according to Newsom.

We want to maintain that continuity of leadership at a sub-national level, the governor added.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Growing up in Sacramento and the Bay Area, we enjoyed the age of childhood innocence, not worried about our futures. We had the freedom to ride our bikes anywhere to school, parks or neighborhood shops to buy candy. It was a rare event to witness homeless individuals, let alone encampments in our parks or on our sidewalks. It was rarer to witness the human misery of drug addiction or the brazenness of thieves stealing from our local businesses. Never did we encounter merchandise or medicine locked up at stores.

As young prosecutors, we lived through the tough on crime era where our justice system punished people for their misdeeds but often ignored the need for rehabilitation. Over time, we learned that incarceration without rehabilitation is a recipe for failed outcomes. We learned that while consequences matter, so does compassion to help those in need. Lifting people out of addiction helps both the individual and the entire community.

In 2014, with a promise to help those in need, Californians passed Proposition 47 which reduced virtually all theft and drug crimes to misdemeanors.

Sadly, while well intended, it has become increasingly clear that it is not working. In the words of San Jose Mayor Matt Mahon, So often, we pass legislation for the right reasons but end up with the wrong results. Todays adversse outcomes are impacting the quality of life of all Californians, including our children.

Since 2014, we have seen an explosion in homelessness, with California leading the country in the number of unhoused. While the crisis is perhaps most glaring in urban cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, and Sacramento, its everywhere. One cannot take a family drive along highways without seeing the human misery, overwhelmingly accompanied by addiction and mental health issues. And along that drive comes the witnessing of garbage, illegal fires, tents, and stolen goods.

We must acknowledge that the growing drug addiction crisis is connected to the surge in homelessness. Perhaps most significant, since the passage of Proposition 47, participation in drug courts has been decimated as judges can no longer compel people into mandatory treatment. The human toll is clear: Overdose death rates, particularly from fentanyl, are killing our family members. Last year, more than 800 people died from drug overdoses in San Francisco. Fentanyl dealers have been emboldened to peddle their poison to our communities without fear of consequences.

Since Proposition 47, theft has exploded. Whether driven by addiction or pure greed, it is everywhere. One need only see viral videos or spend time in a local store to witness the brazenness of thieves. In 2023, Los Angeles had an 81% spike in reported shoplifting.

In the words of Mayor Mahan, While second chances may be worth giving, we shouldnt be giving third, fourth and fifth chances without real consequences.

Proposition 47s failure to hold repeat thieves to higher accountability has contributed to store closures across the state. Too often, these store closures, particularly those providing essential services, disproportionately impact communities of color.

To address this crisis, we need greater interventions to get people the help they need. We need stronger penalties for fentanyl dealers. And we must hold repeat thieves accountable and deter future conduct.

The Homelessness, Drug Addiction, and Theft Reduction Act will do just that. This measure is gathering signatures for the ballot in November. If passed by voters, it will create a path to mandatory treatment for repeated hard drug offenders. It will increase penalties for fentanyl dealers, making them subject to the same consequences that already exist for other hard drugs, and it will increase penalties for repeated theft.

This ballot measure has united leaders of all political stripes; it has brought Democrats, Republicans, and Independents together.

Last week, San Joses Mahan along with San Francisco Mayor London Breed joined a growing chorus of prominent elected officials from across the political spectrum calling for Prop. 47 reform.

There are few issues in politics today that drive consensus. But this critical ballot measure is doing just that. It is time to stand up and reform Prop. 47. Californians deserve it. Our children and future generations of this great state deserve it.
Call for National Guard to help with high school violence stirs controversy in Massachusetts

Four school committee members in Brockton are requesting for the Massachusetts National Guard to assist in monitoring high school students following an increase in violence on campus.

In a letter sent Thursday to Mayor Robert Sullivan, the committee members write, Recent events at Brockton High School have prompted us to seek immediate assistance to prevent a potential tragedy.

The authors cite a disturbing increase in incidents related to violence, security concerns and substance abuse:

Recognizing the gravity of the situation, we are formally requesting that you reach out to Governor Healey and request the deployment of the National Guard to assist in restoring order, ensuring the safety of all individuals on the school premises, and implementing measures to address the root causes of the issues we are facing.

We understand the gravity of this request and the importance of collaboration between local and state authorities. The National Guards expertise in crisis management and community support can offer a vital temporary intervention, allowing for a comprehensive, long-term solution to be developed in consultation with all relevant stakeholders.

A representative for Gov. Maura Healeys office responded to questions about the proposal Sunday night to NBC Boston, stating: Our administration is committed to ensuring that schools are safe and supportive environments for students, educators and staff. We are aware of concerns raised about Brockton High School and are in touch with local officials.

Addressing the violence has been an ongoing discussion in the city for months.

Cellphone video shared with NBC Boston Friday shows students fighting on a stairwell in Brockton High School, the latest example of what staff members have said is an increasingly toxic environment.

Over the last few weeks, there have been several school committee meetings, with teachers saying there is a safety risk for staff and students.

One parent said Friday that school administrators that need to make immediate changes.

Not everyone agreed Sunday night with the idea of National Guard assistance.

That isnt the role of the National Guard, and uniformed soldiers in a school present a terrible image, said Councilor at Large Winthrop Farwell, Jr.

We dont consistently enforce class cuts, students are roaming hallways, vaping and smoking takes place. Use of cell phones is rampant and students run to film fights which occur in a building, said Farwell. This is unacceptable. We must support our teachers when they file reports of misconduct.

We have assaults on staff and students with minimal consequences. School absenteeism and violations of the current code of conduct need to be uniformly and consistently addressed with mandatory parental conferences, Farwell went on to say. Parents need to be involved in solving current issues.

Farwell said that the four committee members are suggesting the Guard should be called in at a time when the school committee needs to listen to teaching staff, support them and take proper action based on staff reports and recommendations.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Spanish King Felipe VI meets with visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, in Madrid, Spain, Feb. 19, 2024. (Photo by Gustavo Valiente/Xinhua)

MADRID, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- China is ready to work with Spain to promote dialogue and cooperation among all countries, transcend differences and jointly build a community with a shared future for mankind to better meet global challenges, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here on Monday.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during his meeting with Spanish King Felipe VI.

Felipe VI asked Wang to convey his sincere greetings to Chinese President Xi Jinping, saying that 50 years ago, his father and China's then leaders jointly established diplomatic relations between the two countries. Over the past 50 years, Spain and China have enjoyed rapid development, smooth progress in practical cooperation and closer personnel exchanges, he said.

Good relations with China are of great significance to Spain, Europe and the world, the Spanish King said, noting Spain is willing to further explore new areas of cooperation with China.

In today's volatile world where conflicts persist, the important visions proposed by President Xi such as the building of a community with a shared future for mankind and the Belt and Road Initiative, have brought peace, development and hope to the world, Felipe VI said.

It is expected and believed that China will further exert its important and positive influence as a major country to cool down tensions and bring stability to the turbulent world, he said.

Wang conveyed President Xi's cordial greetings to King Felipe VI, saying that last year, the two heads of state exchanged congratulatory messages on the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Spain and made strategic guidance for bilateral relations.

Amid the complex and profound changes in the international landscape, what remains unchanged is the profound friendship between China and Spain and the tradition of mutual respect and trust, equal treatment and win-win cooperation, he said.

Wang said China appreciates the Spanish royal family's friendly policy, supports Spain's efforts to safeguard national unity and ethnic solidarity, and he is confident that both sides will continue to understand and support each other on issues concerning each other's core interests.

China is ready to work together with Spain to carry forward the friendship, synergize development strategies, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, and continue to promote the sound and stable development of bilateral relations, he added.

Under the leadership of President Xi, China is comprehensively advancing Chinese modernization with high-quality development, Wang said.

The advancement of the 1.4 billion-plus Chinese people towards modernization is a great step forward for human civilization, and will also bring important opportunities to the world, Wang said, noting history has proved and will continue to prove that China's development strengthens the world's forces for peace and stability.

Wang said both China and Spain have a long history, a diverse culture and an inclusive society, sharing the same or similar views on major issues. China is ready to work with Spain to promote dialogue and cooperation among all countries, transcend differences and jointly build a community with a shared future for mankind to better meet global challenges, he added.

During the visit, Wang also met with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares separately. 

Spanish King Felipe VI meets with visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, in Madrid, Spain, Feb. 19, 2024. (Photo by Gustavo Valiente/Xinhua)
David Cameron's government knew the Post Office had ditched a secret investigation that might have helped wrongly accused postmasters prove their innocence, the BBC can reveal.

The 2016 investigation trawled 17 years of records to find out how often, and why, cash accounts on the Horizon IT system had been tampered with remotely.

Ministers were told an investigation was happening.

But after postmasters began legal action, it was suddenly stopped.

The secret investigation adds to evidence that the Post Office knew Horizon's creator, Fujitsu, could remotely fiddle with sub-postmaster's cash accounts - even as it argued in court, two years later, that it was impossible.

The revelations have prompted an accusation that the Post Office may have broken the law - and the government did nothing to prevent it. Paul Marshall, a barrister who represented some sub-postmasters, said: "On the face of it, it discloses a conspiracy by the Post Office to pervert the course of justice."

Senopathy Narenthiran, known as Naren, one of the convicted sub-postmasters who joined the legal action, wiped away a tear as he learned about the information that might have helped his case.

"By knowing all this, why do we waste all our time in the prison and separate from our family? I don't know," he told the BBC. "I'm 69 years old - too old to go through all these things."

Sub-postmaster Senopathy Narenthiran, who was sentenced to three years in prison, wiped away a tear as the BBC outlined the new evidence

The secret investigation was uncovered through a BBC analysis of confidential government documents, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, from a time in 2015 and 2016 when the Post Office was under growing pressure to get to the bottom of sub-postmasters' claims of injustice.

Hundreds of sub-postmasters had been prosecuted and jailed for cash shortfalls which were in fact caused by the Horizon IT system. They had long suspected that remote tinkering may have contributed to the problem.

The documents show how the secret 2016 investigation - looking into Fujitsu's use of remote access from 1999 onwards - had come out of a review by former top Treasury lawyer Jonathan Swift QC. The Swift review had been ordered by the government, with approval from then-business secretary Sajid Javid.

It would conclude that it had found "real issues" for the Post Office.

Mr Swift had found a briefing for the Post Office board from an earlier review in 2014, carried out by auditors from Deloitte and codenamed Project Zebra, detailing how Fujitsu could change branch accounts.

Having seen that evidence, the Swift review said the Post Office must carry out a further investigation into how often and why this capability was used.

Deloitte returned in February 2016 to begin the trawl of all Horizon transactions since its launch 17 years earlier.

Ministers, including Mr Javid, were told this new work was under way to "address suggestions that branch accounts might have been remotely altered without complainants' knowledge".

But in June 2016, when sub-postmasters launched their legal action, the government was told through Post Office minister Baroness Neville-Rolfe that the investigation had been scrapped on "very strong advice" from the senior barrister representing them.

Graphic showing images of key government figures and the dates they held office: Prime Minister David Cameron (2010-16), Business Secretary Sajid Javid (2015-16), Post Office minister Baroness Neville-Rolfe (2014-16)

There is no evidence in the documents that then-prime minister David Cameron knew about the investigation or that it had been ditched.

It meant that over two years, the Post Office had spent millions of pounds on three separate reviews into remote access - Project Zebra, the Swift review and the 2016 Deloitte investigation - while publicly claiming it was impossible.

But all three were buried by the Post Office. Neither the Swift review nor Project Zebra were disclosed to sub-postmasters, depriving them of vital information that could have helped them in court; and the Deloitte investigation was halted before it could deliver its findings.

Short presentational grey line

Project Zebra, the first of the three reviews, was described as a "desktop review". The Post Office board had hoped it would give "comfort about the Horizon system" to them and others outside the business who had concerns about it.

The consultants examined Horizon documents and talked to employees at Fujitsu and the Post Office to check how the system was functioning and whether it was achieving its objectives.

Unredacted documents obtained by the BBC show that in April 2014, members of a sub-committee of the Post Office board discussed Deloitte's Project Zebra work.

The sub-committee included chief executive Paula Vennells, general counsel Chris Aujard and Richard Callard, a senior civil servant at the government body which owned the Post Office.

Graphic showing Post Office management and the dates they were in post: Chris Aujade, general counsel (2013-15) and Paula Vennells, chief executive (2012-19)

The next month, Deloitte submitted its full report and in June it wrote a briefing for the Post Office board, which outlined two separate ways Fujitsu could alter branch accounts. Extracts from the board briefing are quoted verbatim by the Swift review but the briefing itself has not been released.

It said the auditors had learned that authorised Fujitsu staff with the right database access privileges could use fake digital signatures or keys to delete, create or amend data on customer purchases that had been electronically signed by sub-postmasters. Fujitsu staff could then "re-sign it with a fake key".

Deloitte said Fujitsu staff had also been able to correct errors using an emergency process known as a "balancing transaction", which can "create transactions directly in branch ledgers".

It noted the process "does not require positive acceptance or approval by the sub-postmaster".

Yet the findings of Project Zebra were never disclosed to investigating accountants Second Sight who, since 2012, had been publicly tasked by the Post Office with looking in to sub-postmasters' claims.

The Post Office continued to claim for a further five years that it was impossible for remote tinkering by Fujitsu to alter cash balances in Post Office branch accounts.

In 2015, it lied to BBC executives as it sought to prevent the broadcast of the first Panorama expose of the scandal, briefing them that there was "simply no evidence" that remote tinkering by Fujitsu could have caused branch losses.

The documents that have now been analysed by the BBC reveal that following the Panorama broadcast, Post Office minister Baroness Neville-Rolfe wrote to the incoming chairman, Tim Parker, asking him to give the concerns about possible miscarriages of justice his "earliest attention" and take any necessary action. Business Secretary Sajid Javid approved the letter.

Graphic showing members of the Post Office board and the dates they served: Tim Parker, chairman (2015-22), Richard Callard, representing the government on the board (2014-18)

Mr Parker said he would undertake a review of the Horizon system and "various claims that sub-postmasters had been wrongly prosecuted as a result of faults in the system", according to a briefing sent to Mr Javid on 20 November 2015, which was heavily redacted in the released documents.

Mr Parker appointed Jonathan Swift QC and barrister Christopher Knight. They were so concerned about the implications of the Project Zebra documents, they said it was "incumbent" on the Post Office to find out how often these two means of altering branch accounts had been used, "in the light of the consistent impression given that they don't exist at all".

The Swift review, dated 8 February 2016, noted that the Post Office "had always known" about the balancing transaction capability.

It also said the Post Office may be obliged by law to show the documents to postmasters who were seeking to overturn their convictions.

In response to a recommendation in the Swift review, Deloitte was asked within days to return to the Post Office to carry out a full independent review of Horizon, following up on its work on Project Zebra.

The mammoth and expensive task was to trawl back through all the transactions since Horizon began operating - work which was anticipated to take three months.

Graphic showing extract from the Swift review with highlighted passage saying: "the wider ability of Fujitsu to 'fake' digital signatures are contrary to the public assurances provided by Fujitsu and POL" - referring to Post Office Limited

In a letter of 4 March 2016, Post Office chair Tim Parker wrote to Baroness Neville-Rolfe about the Swift review's findings and recommendations. That included informing her about Deloitte's follow-up work.

He said it would "address suggestions that branch accounts might have been remotely altered without complainants' knowledge" and review "security controls governing access to the digitally sealed electronic audit store of branch accounts".

He added that he had "commissioned independent persons to undertake the necessary work", and in a later briefing informed the minister that this was Deloitte.

The letter did not explicitly mention Project Zebra or Deloitte's earlier findings about how branch accounts could be remotely altered.

In April, the Post Office notified the government that the sub-postmasters had begun their group legal action against it. Baroness Neville-Rolfe and Mr Javid were sent a briefing, updating them on the investigation's progress and discussing how the legal action would affect it.

The briefing, sent before a meeting with Mr Parker, was heavily redacted when it was released under a Freedom of Information Act request. But it said Mr Parker was on track to complete the follow-up work by the end of May and would update Baroness Neville-Rolfe on its progress.

However, the documents seen by the BBC reveal that in June, Deloitte's three-month investigation was suddenly stopped just before it could be completed.

On 21 June 2016, Tim Parker told Baroness Neville-Rolfe he had taken the decision on the advice of an unnamed senior barrister for the Post Office.

He told her the detailed work being carried out by Deloitte was "complex, costly and time consuming" but that good progress had been made. "I had hoped that by now I would be in a position to draw my investigation to a close," Mr Parker wrote.

"However, given the High Court proceedings to which I refer above, Post Office Limited has received very strong advice from Leading Counsel that the work being undertaken under the aegis of my review should come to an immediate end I have therefore instructed that the work being undertaken pursuant to my review should now be stopped."

Graphic of letter from Tim Parker to Baroness Neville-Rolfe with highlighted text reading: "I have therefore instructed that the work being undertaken pursuant to my review should now be stopped."

In response to the BBC's questions, Mr Parker said he had "sought and acted upon the legal advice he was given", but said it would not be appropriate to comment further while the public inquiry into the Horizon scandal was ongoing.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe told the BBC she had said publicly that she had instructed the Post Office chairman to commission an independent review, but declined to comment further while the inquiry was ongoing. Mr Javid also declined to comment because of the public inquiry.

In his High Court judgment at the end of the sub-postmasters' legal action in 2019, judge Sir Peter Fraser found the Post Office's defence claim - that Fujitsu could not insert transactions in branch accounts - was "simply untrue". He said the Post Office had "expressly denied" that remote access was possible "and that denial is now shown to be wrong".

The barrister who represented a number of wrongly prosecuted sub-postmasters, Mr Marshall, told the BBC it looked as though the Post Office had conspired to pervert the course of justice.

"The important feature of all of this is that in 2014, it appears that the Post Office board was alive to the true position - that remote access by Fujitsu was possible," he said.

"And yet the Post Office board was responsible for maintaining and advancing the Post Office's defence to the sub-postmasters' claim in 2019 - that it was impossible. That was false - and, it would appear, known to be so."

Sub-postmasters' victory in the High Court in 2019 paved the way for many to overturn their convictions on appeal

Paula Vennells, the former chief executive of the Post Office, did not respond to the BBC's requests for comment. Chris Aujard, then Post Office general counsel, and Richard Callard, the civil servant who represented the government on the board, declined to comment while the public inquiry was ongoing.

UK Government Investments (UKGI), the government body which owns the Post Office, addressed what the board knew about these successive reviews and investigations in an opening statement in 2022 to the ongoing public inquiry into the Horizon scandal.

It said there was no indication in the minutes of the Post Office board meeting in June 2014 that the board had received the Project Zebra briefing. UKGI said Mr Callard "does not recall ever receiving such a briefing".

The statement said the board had not asked for a copy of Deloitte's full report at the time of Project Zebra. UKGI said the board had been given an executive summary by the Post Office general counsel Chris Aujard, which was "focused on Deloitte's approach to the review but importantly did not set out its findings".

It said the board had also never received the 2016 Swift report, nor been briefed in detail on its findings. The statement said Tim Parker did not send Swift's full report to the Post Office Board and that his letter of 4 March 2016 to Baroness Neville-Rolfe did not make clear how serious the Swift review's findings were.

The revelations uncovered by the BBC also raise serious questions for the public inquiry by Sir Wyn Williams, as to whether it is adequately scrutinising what the government knew about the Post Office's internal investigations.

In UKGI's 2022 statement to the inquiry, there was no reference to Tim Parker's letter to Baroness Neville-Rolfe of 21 June 2016, notifying her he was calling off Deloitte's investigation.

In 2018, two years after completing his review, Sir Jonathan Swift, formerly First Treasury Counsel - the top civil lawyer at Her Majesty's Treasury - was appointed to be a High Court judge. He received a knighthood in the same year.

However, in the list of upcoming witnesses at the Williams inquiry, his name is absent.

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Timeline: What ministers knew and when

June 2014: Deloitte submits a briefing for the Post Office board on Project Zebra, outlining how Fujitsu can alter branch accounts or change records of transactions remotely.

10 September 2015: Business Secretary Sajid Javid approves a letter from Post Office minister Baroness Neville-Rolfe to Post Office chair Tim Parker, urging him to take "any necessary action" about Horizon, after a Panorama whistleblower reveals how Fujitsu can remotely alter postmaster's accounts.

20 November 2015: Mr Javid is briefed that Mr Parker is undertaking a review into the Post Office IT system to look into claims that sub-postmasters have been wrongly prosecuted as a result of faults in the system.

8 February 2016: The resulting report by Jonathan Swift QC and barrister Christopher Knight recommends a full independent investigation into how often and why Fujitsu altered accounts and records "throughout the lifetime" of Horizon.

4 March 2016: Mr Parker tells Baroness Neville-Rolfe and Mr Javid he has commissioned "independent persons" to address "suggestions that branch accounts might have been remotely altered without complainants' knowledge".

21 June 2016: In a letter, Mr Parker tells Baroness Neville-Rolfe that in the light of the sub-postmasters' group legal action, on "very strong advice from leading counsel", the investigation by Deloitte has been immediately stopped. It never completes its work.

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Campbell County Republican committee members ousted its treasurer last year amid a schism within its ranks. Members could elect more new leadership Feb. 26.

UPDATE: Monday, Feb. 26 at 10:15 a.m.

The Campbell County Republican committee may usher in new leadership Monday night after its chairperson Anna Zinkhon resigned last week.

An agenda sent to members last week said the committee will discuss the election of a new chair and an election to fill officer vacancies, among other agenda items. It's also possible precinct captains will vote on the positions during the meeting.

The meeting is at 6 p.m. tonight at the Newport branch of the Campbell County Public Library at 901 East 6th Street in Newport.

Previous reporting:

The last time the Campbell County Republican committee convened was in July. During the three-hour meeting, chairperson Anna Zinkhon could barely get a few sentences out before being interrupted by a crowd of people unhappy with her leadership.

Zinkhon announced her resignation Monday, citing, among other things, "abusive language, mean-spirited actions and a complete lack of decorum" at the meetings.

Zinkhon, who owns the Misty Ridge Farm near the Ohio River in Melbourne, had been the county chair since 2021.

Her announcement brings to a close a year-long controversy among Republicans in Northern Kentucky's Campbell County who, amid their infighting, were unable to raise money or rally large public support for gubernatorial candidate Daniel Cameron last year.

Campbell County voters consistently supported Donald Trump in the past two elections. But they supported Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear with 54% of the vote in November.

Here's a recap of what's been going on with Campbell County Republicans and why it matters.

Why are they fighting?

It depends on whom you ask but suffice to say there have been two main groups butting heads in the committee  those who supported Zinkhon and those who didn't. Each accused the other of just wanting to gain power.

It all came to a head when a key meeting was canceled due to a booking issue last year. Members were supposed to discuss details about their annual winter mixer and fundraiser at that meeting.

Then, Youth Chair Jessica Neal broke rank and called another meeting to discuss the winter mixer fundraiser despite not first getting approval from Zinkhon. There were also accusations Neal seized control of the group's website, which she denied, claiming at least one other person also had access to the site.

Eventually, the fundraiser was canceled. Then, the schism got wider.

Secretary Martie Bessler ran a brief Campbell County Republican committee meeting March 2 because no other officer was present except for Youth Chair Jessica Neal.

Throughout the spring, some precinct captains voted to oust Zinkhon from office for, among other accusations, failing to call regular meetings, not maintaining order at the meetings (though, some of the accusers were the ones being disorderly), and not following Robert's Rules of Order during meetings despite some members trying to help Zinkhon learn the rules.

The state party determined the vote was not valid. Zinkhon asked the ringleaders of the schism who voted to remove her to resign, but they didn't.

No meetings took place after the July meeting, which one attendee called a "clown show."

'I'm ready to move on with my life'

Zinkhon was part of a group of people who changed the local organization's structure from being overseen by an executive board, where only officers could vote, to a county committee, meaning about 90 precinct captains could also vote on issues.

So, she was the first to undertake the task of leading dozens of people who could all vote and speak at meetings.

Campbell County Republican Committee members voted on whether to allow video recordings at a meeting in July. That was the last time the organization met. No other meetings have happened since then.

In her resignation letter, Zinkhon said: "This task proved more difficult due to the attitude of a small group of members who tried consistently to use the committee as a weapon to attack any issue that didnt conform to their 'beliefs.' This group never considered the good of the whole body. Their actions resulted in animosity and prevented the committee from achieving positive progress."

Zinkhon said she can't see a path forward to solve the local committee's problems.

"I'm ready to move on with my life," she told The Enquirer in a brief phone call.

Vice chair Dave Fischer will head the party until a new chair is elected.

Why does this matter?

Local political committees help lead their party's interests in each county in Kentucky. They're responsible for fundraising for candidates and communicating with the statewide political party, among other tasks. In Campbell County, there's also an Election Integrity Committee that keeps track of Election Day complaints.

So when a committee is dysfunctional, it can cut off support for people running for office.

For instance, Cameron, Kentucky's former attorney general, lost his gubernatorial run in the county, getting about 46% of the vote. He lost by about 2,600 votes.

It's not possible to know whether support from the local party would have changed the outcome of the election.

But in July, when Zinkhon tried to recruit volunteers to run an information booth on behalf of all Republican candidates in the area, only six of almost 70 people in attendance signed up to work the five-day event.

What's next?

Tammy Nolan, election integrity committee chair, has been a vocal opponent of Zinkhon. But she said the effort to remove Zinkhon from her position was not retaliatory or personal.

"It's just time for us to get back on track and really get the party moving in the right direction," she said, adding that a Campbell County Republican committee meeting will likely happen in the next few weeks.

The local Republicans are supposed to meet at least once every quarter.

Nolan said Zinkhon had until mid-March to call a meeting. After that, the Republican Party of Kentucky's 4th District, an arm of the statewide party, would allow a special meeting to take place without her.

"In my opinion ... it was very selfish of Anna to hold the party hostage this long," Nolan said.

But despite that, Nolan and others "wish her the best."

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Campbell County Republican chair Anna Zinkhon resigns
Whats happening

For all the debate over how voters will feel about President Bidens decision-making on issues like the economy, immigration or the war in Gaza, its been clear for a long time that the biggest challenge facing his reelection campaign is the one thing he cant control: his age.

Polls have consistently shown that a strong majority of voters worry that the 81-year-old, already the oldest person to serve as president, may not have the mental or physical stamina to lead the country for another four years.

The issue was thrust into the spotlight earlier this month when Special Counsel Robert Hur released a report outlining his investigation into Bidens mishandling of classified documents. Hur found that, unlike Bidens predecessor Donald Trump, the president should not face charges for failing to properly store sensitive information. But that conclusion was overshadowed by a few sentences within the report in which Hur described Biden as a well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory and claimed that the president struggled to remember important facts, including when his son Beau died.

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Biden came to his own defense in a press conference later that day, rebuking Hur for including those judgments in the report and insisting my memory is fine. But a mental slip toward the end of that event, in which he mistakenly referred to Mexico while discussing Egypts role in managing the conflict in Gaza, gave even more fodder for headlines about his cognitive ability.

In the days following Hurs report, many of Bidens closest allies have come forward to argue that he is more than capable of handling the rigorous and complex work of the presidency. A number of neurologists have also weighed in, saying that small lapses like mistaking someones name are not necessarily a sign of a deeper mental decline. There has also been a flood of debate over how much media attention Bidens slipups have gotten relative to the frequent errors that Trump, who is just four years younger than Biden, makes when he speaks publicly.

Why there's debate

Whether its fair or not, the reality is that Bidens age is a major political problem for him as he seeks another four years in office. But many political analysts say there are things he can do to ease voters' concerns between now and the election.

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One of the most common pieces of advice for the president is to meet the challenge head-on by doing more public events and interviews to show that, despite the occasional flub, he still has the wherewithal to perform the job. Proponents of this strategy add that he will have to be open with voters about their concerns, rather than refusing to talk about his age or growing defensive when its brought up.

But some others say that approach would only serve to keep the issue of age in the spotlight and raise the risk that he will make more errors in the public eye. They argue that the best way for Biden to show that he is capable of being president is by highlighting everything hes accomplished since taking office and laying out a bold vision of what hed do if reelected.

Some of Bidens strongest critics, on both the left and the right, make the case that theres really nothing he can do to change the narrative around his age because he insisted on running for a second term even though it was obvious it would be a massive liability for him.

What's next

Hur is expected to testify about his investigation next month during a public hearing planned by the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee. That hearing, according to news reports, could be part of an extended effort by GOP members of Congress to keep the issue of Bidens mental fitness in the news as much as possible in the leadup to the election.

Perspectives

Changing voters minds has to start with acknowledging their concerns

Biden ascended to the presidency in large part because of his ability to connect with voters by leveling with them.  Its time to apply those valuable lessons to the age issue.  Max Burns, The Hill

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Biden can show hes up for the job by continuing to do it effectively

There is not much President Biden or any of us can say that will solve the problem.  This is one of those times when it makes sense to heed the old adage of 'Show, dont tell.' The President can ease concerns about his age by being seen doing his job with sufficient energy and vigor.  Dan Pfeiffer, Message Box on Substack

If Biden cant publicly prove he has the vigor to lead the country, he shouldnt be the nominee

The only real answer to the charge that he is in decline is for him to publicly demonstrate that he is not. If the prospect of Biden making this case fills you with alarm  then its time to ponder a different course of action. Should Biden step aside?  David French, New York Times

Nothing will convince voters to ignore what they see with their own eyes

There is an element of Scooby-Dooism to the Democrats erroneous conviction that, if they just insist vehemently enough that Joe Biden is not, in fact, clearly too old to be president of these United States, they will be able to persuade the public that it is true. We would have got away with it, Bidens apologists seem to be muttering aloud, if it hadnt been for that pesky Robert Hur!  Charles C.W. Cooke, National Review

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The more attention Trump gets, the better Biden will look in comparison

Biden has one not-so-secret weaponDonald Trump. Unlike Bidens occasional slips, Trumps off-the-cuff lunacy demonstrates either extreme recklessness or advancing dementia or both.  Lets see: momentarily mixing up Mexico and Egypt. Or deliberately and willfully abandoning Europe to Putin. Which one is cognitively impaired?  Robert Kuttner, American Prospect

The GOP is doing Biden a huge favor by overselling his decline

Age talk is a double-edged sword: In emphasizing Bidens age, Republicans also inherently lower expectations for Biden.  His opponents insist hes a drooling dementia patient who cant string a sentence together, then he waltzes over that low bar.  Nicholas Grossman, Bulwark

Democrats only option is to keep Biden out of the spotlight as much as possible

The leader of the free world is a fragile ornament, wrapped in cotton wool, protected by aides from falls and gaffes, sheltered by staff (and in Mr. Bidens case by much of the media) from accountability, gently cocooned from the risk of doing or saying anything he cant control.  Gerard Baker, Wall Street Journal

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Hiding to avoid making mistakes only makes them more costly

If hes out there enough, eventually reporters will tire of asking him if hes fit for the job. His constant presence and engagement will be its own answer. He will surely make mistakes, but the stakes will be much lower. Every event wont have such high stakes, as happened with his recent press conference, if hes constantly flooding the zone.  Nia-Malika Henderson, Bloomberg
The Canadian government will send over 800 SkyRanger R70 multi-mission drones to Ukraine, Canada's Defense Minister Bill Blair announced on Feb. 19.

"As the second anniversary of Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine approaches, these drones will address some of Ukraines most urgent defensive needs," the ministry said in a press release.

The SkyRangers come equipped with autonomous navigation systems and can carry payloads, including munitions, of up to 3.5 kilograms. They are designed for surveillance and reconaissance missions, and can also be used to transport supplies.

The drones are valued at over $70 million. Funding for the weapons comes from a military aid package for Ukraine worth 500 million Canadian dollars ($368 million) that Canada announced in June 2023.

"Todays announcement ensures that Ukraine has the drones it needs to detect and identify targets which are critical to Ukraines ongoing fight. Canada will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes, Blair said.

The drone delivery follows Canada's announcement on Feb. 14 at the 19th Ramstein-format meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) that it would donate $44 million to support Ukraine's future fleet of F-16 fighter jets.

Canada has donated approximately $7.2 billion dollars to Ukraine since February 2022, including $1.8 billion in military aid.

Read also: Deadly drone arms race intensifies as Ukraine, Russia embrace the future of war

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Several cases of measles have been reported at a Florida elementary school.

The highly contagious disease was reported less than a month after the Centers for Disease Control urged health-care providers across the United States to use vigilance with patients after 23 cases of the preventable virus were reported between Dec. 1 and Jan. 23.

While the total number of cases remains low, reports of new infections continue to be reported across the U.S., with Florida cases now being added.

As of Feb. 15, just before the first case was reported in Florida, 20 measles cases were reported in Arizona, California, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York City, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. CDC data on current measles cases is updated monthly.

Here's what you should know about measles, where it's been reported and what you should look for.

How many cases of measles have been reported in Florida?

Face of boy after three days with measles rash.

The Health Department in Broward County is investigating at least four cases of measles. All were reported at an elementary school in Weston.

Broward County Schools confirmed the first case Feb. 16 in a third-grader who had no history of traveling, the Sun Sentinel reported.

On Feb. 17, officials at the Florida Department of Health announced it was investigating more cases but did not say whether the cases involved students, teachers or school staff.

Were measles reported in people who have been vaccinated?

Those who have received the full series of the Measles, Mumps, Rubella  MMR  immunization are 98% protected and are highly unlikely to contract measles, the Department of Health said.

Florida saw 15 cases of measles in 2018

According to the Florida Department of Health, in recent history, there were 15 cases of measles in 2018, the highest figure between 2013 and 2020.

CDC: US is at a 'canary in the coal mine' moment with measles

The U.S. is at a canary in the coal mine moment with rising cases among children of the highly infectious, vaccine-preventable disease, said Michael Osterholm, director of the University of Minnesotas Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy.

Federal data has shown a large drop in vaccinations and record levels of vaccine exemptions among kindergartners.

We're going to start seeing more and more of these outbreaks, Osterholm told USA TODAY. We're going to see more kids seriously ill, hospitalized and even die. And what's so tragic about this, these are all preventable.

Florida children required to be vaccinated but there are exemptions

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Students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade who are coming into a Florida school for the first time must present an immunization record (DH 680) and a current Florida School Entry Physical Examination, Form (DH 3040).

The immunization record must show the student has met the minimum state requirements for that grade, which includes the MMR vaccine.

Medical and religious exemptions from required vaccinations for Florida students do exist.

A permanent medical exemption can be granted if a child cannot be fully immunized due to medical reasons. The child's physician must state, in writing, the reasons for exemption based on valid clinical reasoning or evidence.

A religious exemption from immunization, is issued  Form DH 681  can be issued if immunizations are in conflict with the religious tenets and practices of the child's parent or guardian. This exemption is issued by a county health department and based on established religious beliefs or practices only.

Vaccination rates have dropped in the U.S., according to a CDC report. The U.S. reached its highest level ever for vaccine exemptions in the 2022-23 school year, with about a quarter-million kindergartners at risk of measles.

Florida school vaccination requirements: Are your children's vaccines up to date before school starts? 9 things parents should know

How dangerous is measles?

Measles is a highly contagious disease that can lead to serious complications, according to the CDC.

Common complications are ear infections and diarrhea. Serious complications include pneumonia and encephalitis.

Nearly one to three of every 1,000 children who become infected with measles will die from respiratory and neurologic complications, the CDC said.

Complications during pregnancy. Measles may cause pregnant women who have not had the MMR vaccine to give birth prematurely, or have a low-birth-weight baby.

Groups more likely to suffer from complications include:

Children younger than 5.

Adults older than 20.

Pregnant women.

People with compromised immune systems, such as from leukemia or HIV infection.

There also can be longterm complications from measles.

Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis is a rare, but fatal disease of the central nervous system that results from a measles virus infection acquired earlier in life. It can appear seven to 10 years after a person has recovered from measles.

Signs and symptoms of measles

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Measles symptoms first appear seven to 14 days after contact with the virus, according to the CDC. Symptoms include:

High fever, which may spike to more than 104.

Cough.

Runny rose.

Red, watery eyes.

Tiny white spots known as Koplik spots may appear inside the mouth two to three days after symptoms begin.

The measles rash appears three to five days after the first symptoms. It usually begins as flat red spots that appear on the face at the hairline and spread downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs, and feet.

Small raised bumps may also appear on top of the flat red spots.

The spots may become joined together as they spread from the head to the rest of the body.

When the rash appears, a persons fever may spike to more than 104 degrees.

How does measles spread?

Measles is so contagious that if one person has it, up to 90% of the people close to that person who are not immune will also become infected, the CDC said. It lives in the nose and throat mucus of an infected person. It can spread to other through coughing and sneezing.

If other people breathe the contaminated air or touch an infected surface and then touch their eyes, nose or mouth, they can become infected. The virus can live up to two hours in the air after an infected person leaves the area.

The virus can be spread up to four days before through four days after the rash appears. Infected people can spread measles to others from four days before through four days after the rash appears.

What is the treatment if you're exposed or get measles?

Infected people should be isolated for four days after they develop a rash, according to the CDC.

There is no specific antiviral treatment for measles. Medical care is supportive, with the focus on relieving symptoms and addressing complications such as bacterial infections.

Severe measles cases among children, such as those who are hospitalized, should be treated with vitamin A immediately on diagnosis and repeated the next day, the CDC said.

What is the MMR vaccine and does it protect you from measles?

Measles can be prevented with the MMR vaccine, the CDC said. The vaccine protects against three diseases: measles, mumps, and rubella.

The recommended schedule to receive the vaccine:

Children

First dose: 12-15 months

Second dose: 4-6 years

Teens and adults with no evidence of immunity

Vaccine should be taken as soon as possible

The CDC said two doses of MMR vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing measles; one dose is about 93% effective.

Can the measles vaccine cause autism?

The U.S. is seeing a growing body of parents who dont want to comply with vaccine recommendations, coupled with lagging access to health care to get vaccinated amid the pandemic, Osterholm said.

In 1998, a report by Andrew Wakefield in Lancet suggested the MMR vaccine may be linked to autism. Despite questions about the article  including the small sample size and "speculative nature of the conclusions"  vaccination rates began to drop, according to the National Library of Medicine.

The Lancet completely retracted the article in February 2010, saying several elements in the paper were incorrect. The publication also said it had failed to disclose Wakefield had been funded by lawyers who had been engaged by parents in lawsuits against vaccine-producing companies.

Scientists in the United States and other countries have studied the MMR shot. No studies have found a link between autism and the MMR shot, the CDC said.

The possibility of a link between the vaccine and autism also has been reviewed by the National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine (now named the National Academy of Medicine). The same conclusion was reached.

What about the MMRV vaccine?

Children may also get MMRV vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (chickenpox).

This vaccine is only licensed for use in children who are 12 months through 12 years of age.

Where is Weston, Florida?

This embedded content is not available in your region.

Weston is located west of Fort Lauderdale and about 40 miles southwest of West Palm Beach.

Contributors: Katherine Kokal, Eduardo Cuevas

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Measles in Florida 2024: Symptoms, treatment, rash, vaccine
After reading reporter Scott Wartmans story about Hamilton County Republican Party Chair Russell Mocks advice to Republican candidates to not answer the Enquirers questions about Donald Trump and Jan. 6, I wanted to let the Enquirer know I will be getting my questionnaire back to you in a few days. Even though I am running for Congress in the Republican primary in Ohio's 2nd Congressional District (which is outside of Hamilton County), I am pleased to answer these questions, which every candidate who cares about our democracy should.

Opinion Editor Kevin Aldridge's take: County GOP chair Mock's boycott of Enquirer survey speaks volumes

Should Donald Trump hold office if convicted of a crime?

In my opinion, Trump should not hold office if convicted of the serious felonies with which he is charged. In fact, I agree with former Congresswoman Liz Cheney that Trump is "clearly unfit for future office (and) clearly can never be anywhere near the Oval Office ever again." Trump, in effect, attempted a coup by seeking to overturn a valid election by submitting lists of fake electors, putting pressure on Justice Department officials, state leaders and Vice President Mike Pence to claim fraud where there was none, and inciting a violent attack on our Capitol.

How would I describe the events at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021?

Rioters climb a wall at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2021.

The events at the Capitol on Jan. 6 were an insurrection, pure and simple. Then-President Trump, Rudy Giuliani and others incited the crowd to march to the Capitol and disrupt the lawful counting of electoral votes. The proof of Trumps intention is that he sat around for close to three hours in the White House, watching his followers beat up police officers, break doors and windows, and spread their feces on the walls of the citadel of our democracy, without doing anything to stop it. He did this despite the pleas of his family, his staff and his allies in Congress and on Fox News to stop the violence which was unfolding. I note, by the way, that Hamilton County Republican Chairman Russell Mock apparently disagrees with Trump about Jan. 6 because Trump has said that what occurred at the Capitol was beautiful and those incarcerated for their conduct are "patriots" and "hostages"; whereas Mock is quoted in the Enquirer as saying, "Jan. 6 was a terrible day in our history."

While I respect Chairman Mock, I am disappointed that he is discouraging our Republican candidates from answering critical questions that relate to the fate of our democracy. As noted on my campaign website, protecting our democracy is one of the crucial issues that I stand on.

Phil Heimlich is a former assistant prosecutor in Cincinnati who has served as a Republican on Cincinnati City Council and the Hamilton County Commission. He is a candidate in the March 19 Republican primary for Congress in Ohio's 2nd District. During the 2020 campaign, he helped lead Operation Grant, the Ohio affiliate of Republican Voters Against Trump. In 2022, he ran unsuccessfully in the Republican primary for Congress in Ohios 8th District. Follow him on Twitter:@philheimlich.

Phil Heimlich

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: County Republican chair Mock's boycott of Enquirer survey disappointing
First, she wanted to find the bar.

Stubbs, Warner, Harlan. Just keep doing better than the school down the street. Shortlidge, Bancroft, Pulaski. Think were struggling? Well, she remembers hearing, just wait until you see the school a few blocks over.

She did. Laura Burgos has been exploring nine schools across Delawares largest city for the past six months.

There's a low bar, said the newly appointed executive. Apathy and failure have been normalized for our children, for Black and brown children in Wilmington. And it's what drives my sense of urgency.

Wilmington Learning Collaborative solidified in 2022, aiming to unify a fractured state of public education inside the citys limits and combat issues long plaguing its students. It fuses efforts across three Delaware school districts and their nine inner-city schools, under north stars like mitigating low achievement and lowering absenteeism, while increasing teacher recruitment and retention.

Ahead of this academic year, Burgos was named the collaboratives first executive director. She was welcomed with smiles  and guardrails.

For many people who looked at this, it was more of the same, said the educator of 23 years and new Wilmington resident. OK, here comes another investment. It'll fizzle out. What will truly change?

Executive Director Laura Burgos was selected to lead the Wilmington Learning Collaborative in Delaware in August 2023.

And, well into an extended planning year, that remains the question.

The body just discussed $16.6 million in funding for next year in state budget talks. The collaborative led alongside a 15-person council has hired two more director positions at $125,000 salaries. It has completed site evaluations across each school for upcoming opportunity scorecards. And its first full report, with action recommendations, is expected by next month.

From there, Burgos hopes to help Delaware educators set a new bar for Wilmington.

Checking in on the Wilmington Learning Collaborative

State Rep. Nnamdi Chukwuocha gives remarks during a Memorial Day ceremony Monday, May 30, 2022, at War Memorial Plaza near New Castle.

Any typically stale, procedural tone of the budget hearing broke before his voice did.

Rep. Nnamdi Chukwuocha didnt have a question when he turned on his mic, looking, like the rest of the Joint Finance Committee, across podiums at the new collaborative director. After the hearing discussion had already stretched past its allotted time on Feb. 14, the Democrat and lifelong Wilmingtonian weighed in, too.

The level of collaboration and partnership that you have brought in six months, I've never seen, he said, eyes locked on Burgos. I've never seen anything close. ... Youve built a level of trust with principals, our superintendents, school board members, representatives in the city of Wilmington. They believe in the WLC. And this time last year, they didnt.

Chukwuocha called this a true opportunity, healing from decisions that hurt generations of Wilmington kids. Poor decisions, he said through budding emotion, that this very body made.

But first, the Wilmington Learning Collaborative needed a base.

Christina, Brandywine and Red Clay Consolidated school districts saw reviewers on-location in each of their affiliated schools this school year, alongside focus groups and family surveys looking to capture the early state of the collaborative. Educator leadership teams took shape in each building. Monthly meetings have begun between principals who hadnt all met before, while weekly calls now gather all superintendents.

Education roundup, ICYMI: Delaware schools say state must focus on improving student literacy

A hearing of the Joint Finance Committee, in 2017.

Students going to school in the city often face higher rates of poverty, crime and housing insecurity, supporters of the collaborative have said, while such challenges aren't experienced outside the city to the same degree.

Burgos hopes coming school scorecards will answer questions on student opportunity and needs  alongside sending a clear message on Wilmingtons present landscape.

This is not a matter of 'let's implement a few programs and everything will be fine,'  she said. This requires a systemic overhaul. We have to do everything differently.

Actions could span from full curricula audits; boosted, consistent wraparound services  like afterschool programs or school-based health services  solidifying community councils and more. The goal remains for a more unified approach to delivering the same quality of education across schools.

This planning year also has come with simply trying to build an identity for the new governing body. A website remains in the works, hoping to serve as a consistent home for each of the city schools.

From there, Burgos told lawmakers to expect the work to ramp up.

That's where we need to start, with this mindset shift that our children are capable, Burgos said. The standardized test scores, the data we look at day-to-day is not indicative of our students brilliance and genius  but an indictment of the many systems that have failed our communities for generations.

Flashback to 2022: Can this educational group solve absenteeism and other challenges facing city students?

Where does Wilmington go from here?

Principal Jeffers Brown holds the door as students arrive for their lunch at Stubbs Elementary School on Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2020.

Well, Burgos hopes it's an overhaul.

Wilmington certainly has a long, messy history with education. Previous reports on reform in Delaware already have referred to the citys public education as fragmented and dysfunctional. After 1954s Brown v. Board of Education decision, decades of back-and-forth on desegregation led to the citys division into four school districts, leaving inequities to fester between city and suburban schools.

By 1995, a federal court ruling lifted the federal desegregation order and allowed for a school choice system and charter schools to form. Then, in 2000, the passage of the Neighborhood Schools Act directed districts to assign students to public schools that were closest to their homes, as previously reported. With the charter and choice laws in place, abled parents could instead decide to send their children to the suburbs, which led largely to the creation of racially identifiable high-poverty schools, according to the Redding Consortium.

Basically: Our schools are segregated, Burgos said. Our communities are segregated, which has certainly shaped the dynamics and hindered the strength of the fabric of our schools. And we need to rebuild that.

No accident: Wilmington, Delaware, has long, messy education history

Wilmington Learning Collaborative plans to see the first of its reports in March begin to lay a path forward, with more challenges and investment ahead.

Burgos believes that also will include a need for greater autonomy for the new governing body overall.

She doesnt imagine it will be easy to demand more for the citys students.

She can, however, put it simply: We cannot normalize failure.

Got a story? Kelly Powers covers race, culture and equity for Delaware Online/The News Journal and USA TODAY Network Northeast, with a focus on education. Contact her at kepowers@gannett.com or (231) 622-2191, and follow her on Twitter @kpowers01.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: New WLC leader eyes need for 'systemic overhaul' in Wilmington schools
Developers and new homeowners may soon face increased impact fees as Cape Coral City Council is set to decide on them as current growth is not paying for the costs of future utility projects.

A new single-family home could pay as much as $8,748 for water, irrigation, and sewer in the next few years. The proposed increase could be nearly 30% in some areas.

"We need to look at funding these improvements going forward, otherwise, we are not going to be able to continue the Utilities Expansion Program as we know it today," said Cape Coral Financial Services Director Mark Mason.

According to Spokesperson Melissa Mickey, the Utility Capital Expansion Fee is on this week's agenda for a public hearing for approval from the council.

It's an introduction that sets a follow-up public hearing for March 6. If approved, the new fees will be in effect on July 27, 2024.

The Utilities Extension Project (UEP) provides water, sewer, and irrigation services in phases to replace septic and shallow groundwater wells and connect households to the city's potable water treatment and distribution facilities.

Jeff Dykstra, principal planner with Stantec Consulting, presented the information to the council at the Feb. 14 committee of the whole meeting.

The Utility Capital Expansion Fees, or impact fees, are one-time fees for new developments to help expand utilities like water, sewer, and irrigation.

Developers pay impact fees as part of the development approval process, which could affect the cost of new homes by passing them on to the homeowners.

"The takeaway from our study ultimately is that the current fees are below the city's cost of capacity," Dykstra said.

What is proposed?

Cape Coral resident speaks with engineer about upcoming utility expansion. 3/8/2023

The Florida Impact Fee Act limits the increase in each fee to 50%, and any increase between 25% and 50% has to be phased in equally over four years. A 90-day notice before the effective day for the increased fees must be given. Fees may not be increased more than once every four years.

Stantec recommended the city do the increases in phases over four years.

The current single-service potable water fee, no irrigation service, is $2,254. It would increase to $3,027 over four years, a $476 increase.

Most new customers get dual services with current fees of $1,106 for water and $2,254 for irrigation.

Water would see it increase to $1,658 over the next four years, a $552 increase; while irrigation would increase to $2,636 over the next four years, a $382 increase.

Cape Coral splits fees for sewers into two districts, with District 2 being anywhere southwest of the Utilities Extension project area and District 1 everything else.

District 1 would see a $912 increase, from $2,406 to $3,318, and District 2 would see a $1,064, from $3,390 to $4,454.

Overall, a new single-family home in District 2 would go from an average cost of $6,750 to $8,748 for water, irrigation, and sewer, nearly a 30% increase.

Recent Cape Coral news Cape Coral water crisis: Council considers restrictions as wells run dry in the northeast

Related Detours coming as Cape Coral approves $140.8 million bond for utilities work

Why the need for the increase?

What's partly driving this need for increased fees is that the city has several growth-related projects on the horizon.

"In order for us to actually borrow the funds, I need the rates in place," Mason said. "And borrowing them allows us to actually do the construction."

These include the following:

North Water Reclamation Facility - $250 million

Non-Assessed Transmission North 1 & North 3 Utilities Extension Project - $181 million

Veterans Parkway Transmission - $48 million

North Reverse Osmosis Water Treatment Plant Expansion & Storage Tank - $46 million

Raw Water Wells - $42 million

North Deep Injection Well - $23.5 million

US 41 Conveyance - $20 million

Cape Coral staff said these projects will not be fully completed by 2027, but all will be under construction by then.

Dykstra said the city capital expansion fees have relatively stayed the same since 2008, meaning there's been no major change for 15 years, leaving current customers to make up the difference in monthly water and sewer bills.

"To the extent that these fees are not set at their cost, that puts the burden on the existing ratepayers to subsidize growth," Dykstra said.

They anticipate an estimated $20 million less revenue in impact fees through fiscal year 2033 if things continue this way.

"Every dollar of revenue that you don't get from these capacity fees have to come from somewhere else if these projects continue," Dykstra said.

Council discussion

Councilmember Bill Steinke questioned why these increases haven't happened before.

"What I'd like to make sure of is that we don't find ourselves in this situation again where we wait so long to do something about it and operate at a deficit that we then have to bring a shock to the system to get ourselves brought up to date," Steinke said.

Cape Coral Utilities Director Jeff Pearson said in the past there wasn't the willingness to raise it to the full cost needed.

Pearson also said the impact fee increases will help alleviate costs for existing customers but no rate reduction.

Mason explained to the council, that since they can only increase the fees by 50% over four years, they will most likely need to do this again.

"So when we come back and we do this again four years from now, we'll already be behind, 50% behind, and have to do this again," Mason said.

Gunter agrees with Steinke's assessment and says this issue has been "dumped" on the council's lap, but the council will have to make some hard decisions to move the UEP projects forward.

"Like Councilmember Steinke said, no matter if it's our water rates or impact fees, we have to make sure that every five years we take a look at that and adjust that," Gunter said. "Unfortunately, this will be a rip-the-bandaid-off approach."

Before he can be a yes vote when it's time to vote on the increase, Gunter said he wants to see construction plans for the seven projects.

Luis Zambrano is a Watchdog/Cape Coral reporter for The News-Press and the Naples Daily News. You can reach Luis at Lzambrano@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @Lz2official.

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Cape Coral to implement new impact fee increases for utility projects
LONDON, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange began his final legal challenge in the United Kingdom (UK) on Tuesday against his extradition to the United States on espionage charges.

The UK approved his extradition to the United States in 2022 under then Home Secretary Priti Patel after a judge initially blocked it on Assange's mental health concerns. Assange and his lawyers have appealed since then.

In a two-day hearing that ends on Wednesday, two judges at the UK High Court, namely Victoria Sharp and Justice Johnson, will hear his final appeal against being sent to the United States.

Assange, 52, is wanted in the United States on allegations of disclosing national defense information following WikiLeaks's publication of hundreds of thousands of leaked military documents relating to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars a decade ago, which included an Apache helicopter video footage documenting the U.S. military gunning down Reuters journalists and children in Baghdad's streets in 2007.

Assange has been held at southeast London's high-security Belmarsh Prison since 2019. Lawyers for the United States said earlier that he would be allowed to transfer to Australia, his home country, to serve any prison sentence he may be given.

If the two judges at the UK High Court rule in Assange's favor, a full appeal hearing will be scheduled to consider his challenge and could lead to a new decision about his extradition.

If he loses the case on Wednesday, Assange's legal team has promised to apply for an emergency injunction at the European Court of Human Rights.

According to his legal team, Assange is not attending the hearing as he is unwell. His wife Stella Assange warned last week that his health was "in decline, physically and mentally."

Holding a placard saying "FREE JULIAN ASSANGE" among hundreds of protesters outside the High Court, local resident Aya Sycamore told Xinhua that she believes the case is "politically motivated." "He did nothing wrong, so he doesn't deserve to be in prison. He deserves to be free," she said.

"This is really wrong to keep an innocent man who only meant well for everybody to tell about the atrocities committed by the Americans," said Ela Ciecierska, also a local resident.

Edward George Green, who came from Birmingham on Tuesday morning, told Xinhua that Assange's being extradited to the United States will set "a horrible precedent" that could see people who want to "uncover the truth about war crimes" end up being imprisoned. 
CEDAR CITY, Utah (ABC4)  Cedar City has a brand-new flag after youth leaders were unimpressed with their citys flag design.

It all started in August after the Cedar City Youth Council attended a presentation on the new Utah flag and returned to the city chambers looking for the citys flag.

The former Cedar City flag. (Courtesy of Cedar City)

The youth leaders felt the existing flag  a red background with yellow fringe along the edges, featuring a shield emblazoned with The Festival City  did not adequately represent the community. In addition, there was little to no information available on the flags history.

On Saturday, Cedar City announced that, after a six-month process, its newly designed flag had been approved and placed in the city council chambers and the regional airport on Valentines Day.

The process of picking a new flag design was inspired by the state flags design process and included a committee, contest and open vote, with guidelines in place to keep the citys colors and design elements in mind.

Kenten Popes design  which featured three yellow flags and a white star on a blue and yellow background  easily won the vote.

Ive lived in Cedar City for 10 years now, and Ive loved the community and have loved my experience here in southern Utah, and I thought it was a great way to give back to the community that has given so much to me, Pope said.

Pope explained several elements of the new design, starting with the flags, saying they are representative of the citys motto Festival City USA.

Theres not a weekend in Cedar City that you cant find a festival going on, Pope said. He said the new flag pays tribute to the Flagship Festival and the Utah Shakespeare Festival among others.

The new Cedar City flag designed by Kenten Pope. (Courtesy of Cedar City)

The flags themselves were designed to look like lightning bolts, as a nod to the Southern Utah University Thunderbirds.

This city really built the university and now the university is giving back so much to this city, he said.

Finally, he said the five-point star symbolizes the five bands of the Southern Paiute people, which were the original stewards of the land.

RELATED: Sandy City unfurls first-in-history city flag next to I-15

Sadie Hinck, the youth city council mayor, led the efforts to redesign the flag. She said young people dont usually participate in their local governments, making this a special opportunity.

For me, I feel really passionate about it. I feel like its such a cool thing that I can do something like that as a 17-year-old in my community, Hinck said.

The first Cedar City flag flew for about 25 years, Pope said, but he is hoping this flag has a longer run.

Its just a symbol of the city, and I hope that the citizens and the future citizens of Cedar City look at it as that and appreciate the work that went into it and celebrate everything that is Festival City USA, Pope said.

For more information on the flag redesign, click here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
The top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee has harshly criticised a witness for the Republicans in their impeachment effort of President Joe Biden.

In a scathing nine-page letter obtained by The Independent, Maryland Rep Jamie Raskin went after Tony Bobulinski, a former business associate of Hunter Biden, the presidents son.

Mr Bobulinski subsequently became a staunch Biden family detractor, appearing before the House panel last week where he once again shared claims he also made during the 2020 election that the president had acted to create opportunities for his family to make money abroad.

Mr Bobulinski claimed that the Biden business schemes sold out to foreign actors who were seeking to gain influence and access to Joe Biden and the United States government.

On Tuesday, Mr Raskin wrote in a letter to Mr Bobulinskis lawyer and the Republican chair of the panel, Kentucky Rep James Comer, that Mr Bobulinskis interview was chaotic to the point of burlesque as he repeatedly yelled, shouted, filibustered, and hurled outlandish and baseless accusations and insults against Democratic Members and staff.

The letter was initially obtained by ABC News.

Tony Bobulinski (AP)

Mr Raskin said he was baffled and amused by a letter in which Mr Bobulinskis attorney Stefan Passantino, who worked in the Office of White House Counsel during the Trump administration, said that Mr Raskins previous account of Mr Bobulinskis eight-hour testimony was a grotesque mischaracterization.

I stand proudly by my statement that over the course of his more than eight hours of belabored testimony, Mr. Bobulinski did not offer any evidence of wrongdoing by President Biden, Mr Raskin wrote. He also did not provide any evidence that President Biden was involved in his familys business dealings. Furthermore, unable to point to any evidence to support his wild claims against President Biden, Mr. Bobulinski casually accused a broad group of individuals and organizations of lying.

Mr Raskin, who spent more than a quarter-century as a constitutional law professor, noted that Mr Bobulinski accused several FBI agents of lying, claimed that the Wall Street Journal lied in its reporting in which it dismissed his claims as baseless and that Trump White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson lied about what she saw with her own eyes.

The Maryland representative, 61, also said that Mr Bobulinski went after his former business partners for supposedly lying, and he also accused nine of Republicans own witnesses of lying because they have carefully affirmed that President Biden was not involved in his sons business ventures.

Mr Raskin slammed Mr Bobulinskis testimony as a fog of ... vituperative fulminations.

Despite your clients repeated protestations and proclamations that he was not a political person, the substance of his testimony contradicted this claim and indicate the gentleman was protesting a little too much, Mr Raskin wrote in the lengthy letter.

During what Mr Raskin called pained and grudging admissions, Mr Bobulinski finally admitted after numerous comical evasions that when he attended the presidential debate on October 22, 2020, he was a guest of Mr. Trumps.

Citing a book by journalist Michael Bender, Mr Raskin notes that Trump Administration and campaign officials, and even President Trump himself, were involved in setting up Mr. Bobulinskis press conference, even providing Mr. Bobulinski with a dress shirt for the event during which he initially made he claims regarding Mr Biden and his family.

[Jason] Miller was annoyed to be stuck with the supremely stupid task of figuring out Bobulinskis neck size and sleeve length and then finding a field staffer to hustle to the department store to buy a button-down shirt, Mr Bender wrote.

Mr Raskin added: I realize, of course, that the Wall Street Journal and its journalists were part of the long list of liars Mr. Bobulinski called out last week, but I do hope Mr. Benders vivid account will refresh his memory of how he got dressed that day and who dressed him.

He concluded: I agree that we are upon the death throes of a political narrative that will be shattered upon the imminent public release of Mr. Bobulinskis testimony before the House Committees on Oversight and Judiciary, as you say. That narrative is Mr. Bobulinskis.

The Independent has attempted to reach Mr Passantino for comment.

A House Oversight Committee spokesperson said in a statement: Tony Bobulinski articulated under oath that Joe Biden was the brand the Bidens sold to enrich the family ... We now have evidence revealing Joe Biden met with nearly all of his sons foreign associates who funneled him millions of dollars and evidence revealing he benefited from his sons influence peddling schemes. Democrats continue to ignore this corruption and smear Tony Bobulinski as they play defense attorney for the Bidens.
Hundreds of Ukrainian troops may have been captured by advancing Russian units or disappeared during Ukraines chaotic retreat from the eastern city of Avdiivka, according to senior Western officials and soldiers fighting for Ukraine, a devastating loss that could deal a blow to already weakening morale.

The Russian capture of Avdiivka has emerged as a significant symbolic loss for Ukrainian troops, a sign of the battlefield impact of the failure of the U.S. Congress, so far, to approve more military assistance as dwindling supplies of artillery shells make it even harder to hold the line.

Estimates of how many Ukrainians were captured or missing vary, and a precise count may not be possible until Ukraine solidifies new defensive lines outside the city. But two soldiers with knowledge of Ukraines retreat estimated that 850 to 1,000 soldiers appear to have been captured or are unaccounted for. The Western officials said that range seemed accurate.

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U.S. officials say the loss of Avdiivka is not a significant strategic setback, arguing that Russian gains in eastern Ukraine will not necessarily lead to any collapse of Ukrainian lines and that Moscow is unlikely to be able to follow up with another major offensive.

But the capture of hundreds of soldiers could change that calculus. U.S. officials have said in recent days that morale was already eroding among Ukrainian troops, in the wake of a failed counteroffensive last year and the removal of a top commander. Because of those problems, the officials said, Ukraines military has struggled with recruitment.

Ukrainian military officials have said they want to mobilize up to 500,000 more people, but the request has met political resistance and is stalled in parliament. The capture of hundreds of soldiers, especially those with battlefield experience, would make the need for more troops more acute and complicate the effort to recruit more.

As a result, the fall of Avdiivka may be more important than it initially seemed.

The Ukrainian military command has acknowledged that some soldiers were captured in the retreat from Avdiivka but has tried to downplay the numbers and the significance.

On Saturday, Gen. Oleksandr Tarnavsky, the commander of Ukraines military fighting in the area, said on the Telegram messaging application that the retreat had gone according to plan but at the final stage of the operation, under pressure from the superior forces of the enemy, some Ukrainian servicemen fell into captivity. He did not disclose how many troops were captured.

A senior Ukrainian official insisted that only six soldiers had been taken prisoner in the retreat from the city. Those soldiers, from the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade, were captured after they ran out of ammunition and lost communication with the Ukrainian military, the official said.

But some soldiers and Western officials said a failure to execute an orderly withdrawal, and the chaos that unfolded Friday and Saturday as the defenses collapsed, were directly responsible for what appears to be a significant number of soldiers captured.

They said the Ukrainian withdrawal was ill-planned and began too late. The soldiers and Western officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive intelligence assessments that are at odds with Ukrainian government statements.

Retreating under withering artillery fire, drones and airstrikes is one of the most difficult military maneuvers, challenging commanders to minimize loss of life and allow units to fall back without ceding more land than intended.

Based on interviews with soldiers, Ukraines forces were unprepared for how quickly the Russian advance in Avdiivka gathered speed last week.

Ukraine tried to buy time for its regular infantry forces to pull back, out of the city, using its special operation forces and the elite 3rd Separate Assault Brigade to cover the retreat. But the units could not slow the Russian advance or get every Ukrainian soldier out.

Senior Ukrainian officials say the Russian forces also suffered heavy losses in the battle. Russia took Avdiivka by sheer mass, sending in troops and armored vehicles until Ukrainian defenses folded. Thousands of Russia soldiers were killed and wounded, the officials said.

A chaotic retreat is not inevitable. Withdrawing troops without taking heavy losses is difficult but possible, if it is done in a deliberate, unrushed operation, according to American strategists.

In Avdiivka, Ukraine appeared to have waited too long to start withdrawing, and the frantic retreat quickly turned costly.

For the Ukrainians, the challenge of pulling out of Avdiivka was compounded by the fact Russia had surrounded the city on nearly three sides. A single paved road was the most viable way into and out of the city. That route, which Ukrainian troops nicknamed the road of life, came under direct threat earlier this month, making the withdrawal far more dangerous.

When Ukrainian forces began pulling back, unverified open source videos and photos showed units retreating under artillery fire and bodies scattered along roads and in tree lines. Ukrainian military units have long struggled to communicate with one another because they often have different radio equipment. Soldiers with knowledge of the retreat said the communication problems were a factor in the withdrawal, leading to soldiers being captured, killed and wounded.

The soldiers interviewed by The New York Times suggested that some units pulled back before others were aware of the retreat. That put the units left behind at risk of encirclement by the Russians.

Since the war began nearly two years ago, Russian forces have tried to encircle and capture Ukrainian forces. While well-prepared defenses and overhead drones have prevented many of those maneuvers from succeeding, in Avdiivka, the Russian encirclement appears to have worked. Western officials suggest the maneuver was one reason soldiers were captured during the retreat.

Unverified videos posted to social media also showed Russian forces executing Ukrainian troops in and around Avdiivka. On Sunday, the prosecutors office in Ukraines eastern Donetsk oblast said on Telegram it was launching an investigation into into the shootings of unarmed Ukrainian prisoners of war in Avdiivka and Vesele.

The Kremlin itself does not appear to have been prepared for the speed of the Ukrainian collapse in Avdiivka. Often, Kremlin propaganda pushed through the state-controlled news media leads the themes on Russian social media, said Jonathan Teubner, the CEO of FilterLabs AI, which studies Russian messaging and public opinion. But as the Ukrainian defense in Avdiivka collapsed, the discussions on Russian social media started shifting before the Kremlin settled on new messaging.

Russia wasnt really prepped for this, either, in terms of a prepared propaganda blitz, Teubner said. They have now pounced on it but havent managed to launch a successful coordinated messaging campaign yet.

Prisoners of war are one of the biggest challenges to morale in any war. Ukraine has pressed Russia repeatedly to agree to exchange prisoners.

As of November, the Ukrainian government said that Russia had 3,574 Ukrainian military personnel in captivity.

In January, Ukraine used a Western-provided Patriot missile to take down a Russian cargo plane that officials thought was carrying missiles and munitions. Russian officials said it was transporting Ukrainian prisoners of war. U.S. officials have said it appeared probable that some Ukrainian prisoners were on the plane.

c.2024 The New York Times Company
PATERSON  Federal authorities have dismissed the four criminal charges that were pending against Police Officer Kendry Tineo-Restituyo in a video-recorded excessive force case from December 2020.

United States Attorney Philip Sellinger signed off on the dismissals on Feb. 15, a week after Tineo-Restituyos Paterson Police Department partner, Kevin Patino, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor crimes in his assault of then-19-year-old Osamah Alsaidi.

Sellingers dismissal, filed in federal court said, further prosecution of these charges is not in the interest of the United States at this time.

Federal authorities have not provided any additional explanation for why they dropped the charges against Tineo-Restituyo. The video recording of the incident showed Patino as the officer who initiated the physical contact with Alsaidi. While Patino was hitting Alsaidi, Tineo-Restituyo grabbed the young man and brought him to the ground, according to the indictment and the video.

Story continues below photo gallery.

Now that the criminal charges in the matter have concluded, consistent with internal affairs procedures, the Paterson Police Department will start an internal review of the allegations and Tineo's status, a Police Department spokesman said.

The dismissal was praised by law enforcement advocates but condemned by social justice activists.

The lawyers who represented Tineo-Restituyo, Pat Caserta and Michael Koribanics, issued a statement saying they always believed our client did nothing wrong.

More: Paterson cop Kevin Patino takes misdemeanor plea deal in two assaults

More: What do Paterson cops convictions mean for pending lawsuits?

We worked very hard to support our position, said Caserta and Koribanics. Of course, such a result can only be achieved when prosecutors act with the highest level of professionalism, focus on justice and are willing to be open minded. We very much appreciate the efforts of the Office of the U.S. Attorney and his staff.

Paterson PBA President Angel Jimenez said he had watched the video and didnt think Tineo-Restituyo had done anything excessive.

Im happy to see this resolved the way it was, Jimenez said.

Paterson Black Lives Matter leader Zellie Thomas expressed his displeasure with the dismissal.

Where's the accountability and the assurance to the community that this would not happen again? Thomas asked. Nothing protects the community from police violence, not the courts and certainly not the police.

Thomas said he doesnt expect Tineo-Restituyo to face departmental discipline now that the criminal case has been dropped.

Patino and Tineo-Restituyo have been on paid leave since the initial charges were filed against them in the spring of 2021. City officials have not revealed whether the two officers would retain their jobs in the aftermath of the federal case.

Zellie Thomas, president of Black Lives Matter Paterson, speaks during a press conference hosted by the Palestinian American Community Center (PACC) in solidarity with Palestinians on Monday, Oct. 9, 2023, in Paterson.

The two officers were indicted by a federal grand jury in 2022 on charges of conspiracy to deprive Alsaidi of his civil rights, depriving him of his rights, and two counts of falsifying records.

Alsaidi filed a complaint with Patersons internal affairs division soon after he was beaten by Patino. But he has said IA investigators never contacted him. The incident first became public in February 2021 when the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) of New Jersey released a copy of the video and condemned the Police Departments handling of Alsaidis complaint.

Council on American-Islamic Relations opposed to charges being dropped

CAIR spoke out against the dropping of the criminal charges.

We are disappointed to see that Officer Tineo-Restituyo will have charges against him dropped, despite playing an active role in the assault of Osamah Alsaidi, who was 19 years old at the time and was diagnosed with head trauma and a concussion, said Dina Sayedahmed, CAIRs spokesperson. We continue to call on the Paterson Police Department to terminate the two officers, who breached their duty to protect and serve.

CAIR said the Alsaidi case provided a window into Paterson Police Department, which has a reputation for high-profile misconduct, including a number of criminal offenses. Sayedahmed said police officers should be held to a higher level of scrutiny and accountability.

So long as police officers continue to approach people with impunity, there will be a mistrust between local communities and police forces, CAIR said.

The New Jersey attorney general in April 2021 put the Passaic County Prosecutors Office in charge of Patersons IA division on the same day federal authorities announced the charges against Patino and Tineo-Restituyo. The IA division intervention lasted until September 2022. Six months after that, the Attorney General's Office seized control of all Paterson Police Department operations.

Meanwhile, Alsaidi has a lawsuit pending against the city, its Police Department, Patino and Tineo. A document filed in federal court on Feb. 16 said there have been two settlement conferences in the civil case. Alsaidi is demanding $700,000, while the defendants have offered $150,000, according to the court document.

Patinos sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 23. He faces a maximum of one year in prison. Other Paterson cops convicted in federal courts in the past six years have received prison terms that were substantially lower than the maximum penalties.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Charges dropped against Paterson NJ cop in excessive force case
Some local gas stations and convenience stores that shutdown months ago will open again. Theyre under new ownership and will have a new name. A property group from Chicago called InCommercial bought the buildings and services in 2022. They now own 10 total locations that used to be Sinclair gas stations and Kwik Shop convenience stores.

(Alicia LaFollette  InCommercial Advertising and Public Relations)

When InCommercial Property Group bought up the old Kwik Shops and Sinclair gas stations in Davenport, there was a long list of things to do. Getting liquor licenses, getting our tanks back in compliance, said Tiffany Fraley, the InCommercial chief operating officer. Weve been fixing issues that were wrong with the stores such as the HVACs and coolers.

Two former Kwik Shop convenience stores will be opening Tuesday morning. The rest of the gas stations will open a little later on under a new name. Were really proud to be a part of Davenport, Fraley said. We do appreciate the support that we have been given, because people obviously wanted to see these stores open. No one likes to see an empty building. We know that people relied on these stores, because they walked here, or this is the spot where they came in to get their morning cup of coffee. We are really proud to be offering that again, and getting these employees back to work.

(Alicia LaFollette  InCommercial Advertising and Public Relations)

InCommercial will differentiate convenience-only stores and gas stations, with two separate names.

The two we have, one on Marquette and then this one on Telegraph will be called the Goods Spot, Fraley said. The ones that offer gas will be called the Gas Spot. The Chief Operating Officer of the Chicago-based InCommercial made the trip to the Quad Cities, to make sure employees are ready to reopen.

We care very deeply about who works and staffs our stores, Fraley said. Because theyre the first point of contact with our customers. We want to make sure they know that we are here to support them, and that we appreciated the hard work that theyre putting in. Our first point was to be here for the employees.

The former Sinclair gas stations that are slated to reopen, have been closed since September of 2023.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com.
PORTAGE, Mich. (WOOD)  One chapter is ending as another begins at a small cafe in Portage.

D & Rs Daily Grind Cafe, a breakfast joint owned by David Morris and his wife since 2008, is closing its doors at 8712 Portage Rd. near Forest Drive. Morris said the couple made the decision to retire so they could spend more time with each other.

Weve been married 42 years and weve worked hard, he said. Ive put in a lot of hours over the years in several different positions and we just hit that point where financially, I think we can squeeze by on retirement and we can do a little traveling. Im looking forward to spending some time without worrying about the place.

As they get ready to close, with eyes on traveling to the Caribbean and out West, Andra Lee and her granddaughter, Leila Groh, will be opening up a new concept, the Michiganders Windy City Dawg House.

D & Rs Daily Grind Cafe in Portage. (Feb. 19, 2024)

Both originally from Illinois, they say theyll be bringing a true Chicago experience to Portage, with authentic items like a Chicago Vienna beef dog, Italian beef and a breaded steak sandwich.

Its stuff that youre not going to see on any of the menus out here, Lee said.

The interior of the restaurant will have a Windy City pop culture theme, with nods to movies shot or based in the Chicago area, like Home Alone, The Breakfast Club, My Big Fat Greek Wedding and Divergent.

In an uncertain year, MI small business owners are less optimistic

There will also be a no ketchup rule.

You guys eat your hot dogs a lot different. In Chicago, theres definitely no ketchup allowed on a hot dog, Lee said. Ill have ketchup packets: OK, if you want to put ketchup on your hot dog, you put ketchup on your hot dog. I refuse to.

The rule will be enforced with a blasphemy bell, she said, which theyll ring and yell blasphemy! if anyone has the audacity to order a hot dog with ketchup on it, she said.

A Michiganders Windy City Dawg House menu at D & Rs Daily Grind Cafe in Portage. (Feb. 19, 2024)

Lee and Groh described the restaurant as witty.

Everyone is going to be treated like family the minute they walk in that door, Groh said. Its going to be very loud, outgoing, no filter as much as possible because thats who we are.

Both Lee and Groh have lots of experience in the restaurant industry and Lees late husband owned several restaurants, as did Grohs parents. As Groh was working up, she was often at Lees home, working with her in the kitchen.

Ive always had a passion and a love for food, Lee said. Leilas my granddaughter, so Ive always had her like every other weekend. And I think that what was really different is she has been cooking in the kitchen with me since she was 2 years old. This child could handle a huge knife by the time she was 4 and not chop a finger off.

D & Rs Daily Grind Cafe in Portage. (Feb. 19, 2024)

Both of them are competitive in the kitchen and very particular about food, they say.

Groh, who moved to West Michigan to attend Western Michigan University, later leaving to pursue other work, said shes been looking the next adventure.

I dont want to be 60 and feel like I missed out on things, she said. Im just trying to get as much stuff done, so I dont feel like Im sad in life. Im living life to the fullest.

Founders kitchen is temporarily closing: Heres why

Her grandmother said its always been her dream to open her own place.

As you get older, you have a lot of responsibility, and youre afraid to rock the cart.  It got to the point where its like, Wow, Im old,' she said with a laugh. Ill be 61 in April. And it was like, maybe this isnt the greatest time to do it because of the economy and everything thats going on. But really, if I dont do it now, when am I going to do it? So Im taking a gigantic leap of faith.

They say theyve had a lot of positive reactions from people who have heard about the concept or tried the food, and have met lots of transplants looking for a taste of Chicago.

There are a lot of people from Chicago, people who graduate from Western (who) never went back to Chicago, who all really miss that style of food that they grew up on, Groh said. So I feel like theres been a lot of positive reactions, a lot of excitement for in the community.

Morris said he and his wife are looking forward to seeing where the new concept goes, even as theyre sad about leaving.

Its tougher than I thought itd be, he said. My wife, she may shed some tears here on the last day and I might myself. We look forward to seeing this crowd every day and we do a lot of laughing in here.

D & Rs Daily Grind Cafe in Portage. (Feb. 19, 2024)

The couple knows a lot of their customers on a personal level, he said, and have watched their kids grow up. While the regulars, some of whom come in every day, are frustrated to see the breakfast spot go, he said theyve also been wishing them congratulations.

Inside WOODTV.com: Building West Michigan

I think a lot of them wish wed stayed. Theyre going to miss us, he said. Were hearing a lot of, Congratulations, enjoy your retirement, lot of encouragement  and a lot of disappointment.

He said he hopes the customers will continue to stop by after the transition, adding there will still be good food there.

(Lee is) a good person and shes very eager and she got a lot of ambition and she determined, he said. Thats what it really takes.

He believes theres quite a lot of demand for a spot like Michiganders Windy City Dawg House, and expects it will do well.

I think itll be a neat little transition, he said. The breakfast will be missed, but I think shell do just fine with it, particularly with the crowd around the lakes here.

D & Rs Daily Grind Cafe in Portage. (Feb. 19, 2024)

He and his wife have owned the Daily Grind for the past 15 years, both coming from completely different industries. They fixed up the location, which had been serving breakfast for a while when they bought it, and have watched it continue to grow.

When we bought it, we didnt know anything about it, about the business. We knew nothing about the breakfast business, the restaurant business, he said. I guess the secret was to catch on quick, change when you have to, be willing to change, listen to the crowd, keep it clean, keep the quality good and stay consistent with that and mingle with them.

Over the years the restaurant has seen some hardships, including facing a fine during the pandemic for staying open during restrictions.

Its not an easy business to run, but the customers make it worth it. They really do, he said. My memories will always be with the customers and the and the stories weve told.

Saying goodbye to the customers makes it difficult to leave, as does saying goodbye to their customers.

Ive got a good crew here man.  Theyve anchored this place for me, theyve worked hard, he said. They wont be retained. And thats really hard on us to see this. So Ive got a couple of really good cooks (that are) going to be looking for some employment and that bothers me a little bit. Thats not my style, I dont like doing that. I could have stayed here forever to take care of everyone, but its just, its that time to move on.

This embedded content is not available in your region.

The Daily Grind is set to close after Feb. 25. The Michiganders Windy City Dawg House is expected to open on March 14. It will be open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
A campaign has been launched to protect religious programmes from potential cuts in a new Media Bill going through Parliament.

The Sandford St Martin Trust has published its #BeliefMatters petition  timed to coincide with the passage of the government's Media Bill to the House of Lords  and has encouraged anyone concerned about the threat to religious broadcasting to sign it.

The petition raises the alarm about how proposed changes to existing broadcasting legislation threaten the future of religious broadcasting and will negatively affect religious literacy in the UK.

Anna McNamee, Executive Director of the Sandford St Martin Trust, said: "Recent events around the world show how important religious literacy is. But in its current form, the Media Bill will put this core cultural and civic competency at risk.

"If it's passed in its current form, public service broadcasters will no longer be obliged to provide audiences with a range of programming which includes 'education, sport, science, religion and other beliefs, social issues, matters of international significance or interest'.

"Instead, they will only need to provide 'an appropriate range of genres' without saying what is 'appropriate' or what constitutes 'a range'."

The long-established Trust  that has made highly-prized awards for the best in religious broadcasting since 1978  believes that "broadcasting is a key tool for promoting the better understanding of how religion shapes and is shaped by politics, social movements and culture."

It is calling for any new legislation to "clearly protect the future quantity and quality of religious programming."

According to the broadcast regulator Ofcom there has been a steep decline in religious broadcasting in the UK over the past decade, as highlighted by the Religion Media Centre.

Between 2013 and 2022 the total amount of 'Religion & Ethics' programming broadcast across the BBC, Channel 4, Channel 5 and ITV dropped dramatically from 254 hours to 140 hours per year. By 2022 Channel 4, ITV and Channel 5 were not broadcasting any Religion and Ethics programming at all.

McNamee added: "The Sandford St Martin Trust has long argued that to ignore religion is to leave a gaping hole at the heart of public service broadcasting. We hope anyone who, like us, values religious literacy and believes broadcasters should support this through their programming, will sign and share the #BeliefMatters petition."

The campaign comes as the BBC faces continued criticism for significantly reducing local radio broadcasting, including its weekly Sunday morning faith programmes.



Originally published by Christiann Today
Chicago police arrest four Venezuelan migrants for allegedly strangling, robbing man on train

Four immigrants from Venezuela were arrested Saturday for allegedly robbing and beating a man on a CTA train in Chicago.

Chicago police identified the men as Fernando Loyo-Rodriguez, 22; Wilker Gutierrez Sierra, 21; Carlos Carreno-Carreno, 20; and Yonnier Guasamucare Garcia, 18.

Police said the four men robbed and beat a 49-year-old man on a CTA train in the 2000 block of South Kostner Avenue. The man was reported to have lost consciousness but has since recovered.

L-R: Fernando Loyo-Rodriguez, Wilker Gutierrez Sierra, Carlos Carreno-Carreno, and Yonnier Guasamucare Garcia.

Police arrested the four alleged offenders just before 5:30 p.m. in the 2000 block of S Pulaski Rd, less than 45 minutes after the robbery and beating.

Responding officers located the four men and placed them into custody, charging them each with robbery and aggravated battery/strangulation.

Bond hearings for the four men, who were identified as Venezuelan migrants, were scheduled for Monday.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

MICHIGAN ASKS RESIDENTS TO HELP HOUSE, SETTLE MIGRANTS AMID CRISIS AT BORDER

The four men gave their address as a city-run migrant shelter. Immigration experts told WGN 9 that three of the four defendants face deportation if convicted on felony charges.

The Chicago Police Department would not confirm their legal status or legal address to Fox News.

Since August 2022, the City of Chicago has received 35,000 migrants either bussed or flown up from the Southern Border. Thirteen thousand of them have been moved to shelters at the expense of taxpayers.

The governor and the Cook County Board President have asked state lawmakers for another $250 million to address the crisis after the City of Chicago has spent nearly double that.





Original article source: Chicago police arrest four Venezuelan migrants for allegedly strangling, robbing man on train
Correction: A previous version of this story mischaracterized Chinese state-owned companies participation in foreign air shows. The 2024 Singapore Airshow marks the first time Chinese state-owned companies had a full-scale military aircraft on static display at an air show outside the country.

SINGAPORE  China this week unveiled the export version of the signature attack helicopter by the Peoples Liberation Army at the Singapore Airshow here.

Though China has participated in the biennial event in previous years, this marks the first time Chinese state-owned companies had a full-scale military aircraft on static display at an air show outside the country.

China unveiled the Z-10ME at Airshow China 2021; some analysts have since compared it to Boeings AH-64 Apache.

The PLA has used the helicopter for military exercises near Taiwan and India. More than 200 Z-10s and its numerous variations are in active service with the PLA, according to the Military Balance 2023 report from the International Institute for Strategic Studies think tank.

The attack helicopter was developed by Changhe Aircraft Industries and brought to the airshow by state-owned China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corp. and the Aviation Industry Corporation of China.

At this years Singapore Airshow, the company displayed the export version, known as the Changhe Z-10-ME-02, alongside rocket launchers, GR5 guided rockets and air-to-air missiles CM-502KG and TY-90. Chinese delegates have not granted interviews or scheduled any media briefings about the helicopter.

The helicopter can carry 23mm high-explosive incendiary ammunition and a 280kg drop tank. The aircraft is equipped with a mast-mounted radar, a missile approach warning system, and directional infrared countermeasure systems against heat-seeking (IR) missiles, according to Flight Daily News, the airshows magazine.

Previous iterations of the Changhe Z-10 have carried air-to-surface and larger air-to-air missiles such as the AIM-9 Sidewinder.

Aside from China, the aircraft is being used by the Pakistan military. In 2022, Pakistan Army spokesperson Maj. Gen. Babar Iftikhar announced government plans to procure Z-10ME attack helicopters to replace a previously signed deal for T129 attack helicopters from Turkey.

While the government has not disclosed the number of helicopters ordered and the price, the Pakistan military reportedly received initial batches of the Z-10ME last year.
HONG KONG  Chinas coast guard briefly boarded a Taiwanese tourist boat, a Taiwanese official said Tuesday, escalating a dispute with the Beijing-claimed island over the deaths of two Chinese fishermen.

China said Sunday that it would strengthen law enforcement activities and carry out regular patrols around Kinmen, a small group of Taiwanese-controlled islands off the Chinese coast, after the two fishermen drowned last week while being chased by Taiwans coast guard, which accused them of trespassing.

Six Chinese coast guard officers boarded the Taiwanese sightseeing vessel Monday afternoon, Taiwans coast guard said in a statement. It said the boat, which was carrying 11 crew members and 23 passengers, was veering toward mainland China because of shallow beaches in the nearby waters of Kinmen, which is about 3 miles from the Chinese city of Xiamen.

The officers spent about half an hour on the boat, where they inspected its sailing plan and certificate and the licenses of the captain and crew, Taiwans coast guard said.

The rare boarding hurts the feelings of our people, provokes fear among them and is not in the interest of the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, Kuan Bi-ling, head of Taiwans Ocean Affairs Council, which oversees the islands coast guard, told reporters in Taipei on Tuesday.

She said it was not unusual for tourist vessels from both Taiwan and China to cross into each others waters by accident.

Boats like these are not illegal at all, she added.

Chinas Taiwan Affairs Office did not answer a phone call seeking comment. Last week, it strongly condemned the deaths of the two Chinese fishermen and demanded that Taiwan release two others who were detained.

China Taiwan Tensions (Sam Yeh / AFP - Getty Images)

The Kinmen archipelago, which is home to about 140,000 people, has been governed by Taiwan since 1949, when Chinas Nationalists escaped to the island and set up a rival government after losing a civil war to the Communist forces of Mao Zedong, who founded the Peoples Republic of China. These days, it is a popular tourist spot, though it is heavily guarded by Taiwans military and civilian access is restricted.

China, which has not ruled out the use of force in unifying with democratic Taiwan, has in recent years stepped up military, economic and diplomatic pressure on the island, which rejects Beijings sovereignty claims.

Taiwans Defense Ministry said Tuesday that 24 Chinese military aircraft and eight military ships had been detected around the island in the previous 24 hours, including 11 planes that crossed the Taiwan Straits median line, a longtime unofficial buffer zone that Chinese aircraft now traverse regularly.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
FILE PHOTO: FILE PHOTO: Thai PM Srettha welcomes the arrival of Chinese tourists as the visa exemption scheme kicks off

By Sophie Yu and Orathai Sriring

BEIJING/BANGKOK (Reuters) -Chinese travellers flocked to tourist hot-spots across Asia over the Lunar New Year break, with visitor numbers and spending in destinations including Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia exceeding pre-COVID levels.

Visa-free access for Chinese tourists to the Southeast Asia countries boosted traffic and signalled a robust revival in travel since Beijing lifted strict COVID restrictions in early 2023 that had all but shut China's borders for three years.

The increase provides welcome relief to countries that rely on the Chinese and their spending, although the outlook for a sustained recovery in overseas travel is overshadowed by a sluggish mainland economy and volatile markets that have seen consumers tighten their belts at home.

"Despite the macroeconomic headwinds, we believe Chinese citizens are still willing to spend on travel-related experiences ... we think travel-related spending could continue to outpace this overall domestic consumption," HSBC said in a research note.

Bookings to Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia combined jumped more than 30% from Feb. 10-17 compared with 2019, according to travel website operator Trip.com, with Chinese visitors to Hong Kong, Macau, Japan and South Korea also increasing.

The holiday in 2024 lasted for eight days, one day more than the Lunar New year break in 2019.

Reflecting the boost from visa waivers, hotel bookings for Bangkok tripled over the period from Feb. 10-13 year-on-year, while those for Singapore jumped nine-fold, according to travel platform LY.com.

Spending in Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia combined on the Chinese mobile payment platform Alipay increased 7.5% in the period from Feb. 9-12 from 2019 levels and nearly 7-fold from last year, Alipay said.

However, overall consumer spending only recovered to 82% of levels four years ago, the company said.

Data from the Tourism Authority of Thailand put the number of Chinese tourist arrivals over the holiday at nearly 244,000, beating forecasts, and up more than six-fold from 2023. Spending was about 8.6 billion baht ($239 million) versus 1.3 billion baht in 2023.

MIDDLE EAST SURGE

As Chinese scour for new adventures, the Middle East proved a popular Lunar New Year destination, with travel to Saudi Arabia up more than nine-fold from 2019 levels and bookings to United Arab Emirates climbing 60%, Trip.com said.

The gambling hub of Macau, the only place in China where citizens can legally gamble in casinos, was visited by more than a million Chinese tourists over the holiday, with average hotel occupancy rates reaching 95%, according to official data.

The jump in tourists bodes well for some of the world's largest casino operators in the former Portuguese territory, including Sands China and Wynn Macau.

JP Morgan said in a note it expected daily gross gaming revenues for the peak of the holiday to hit $124 million for the first time in more than four years - higher than the $112 million generated during the October 2023 Golden Week holiday.

Mass gaming rates were forecast to have reached 120% of pre-COVID levels, it said, adding that it expects February gross gaming revenues to rise by at least 80% year-on-year to $2.36 billion, the highest in more than four years.

Across the border in Hong Kong, leader John Lee said on Tuesday more than 1.2 million Chinese tourists visited the city over Lunar New Year, with hotel occupancy rates reaching 90% in the first few days.

South Korea's Justice Ministry said more than 114,000 Chinese visitors entered the country during the holiday, up 4% from 2019, while some travel agents noted tourists were increasingly opting to travel on their own rather than in groups, which meant fewer organised trips to mega-stores.

"With drops in the number of group tourists, we dont get to see Chinese tourists carrying big shopping bags anymore," an official at a travel agency in Seoul told Reuters, requesting not to be named as he is not authorized to speak to media.

That trend was also seen in Thailand.

"Vendors said there were not many buyers. We also see Chinese tourists carrying very little things. In the past, they went shopping and came back with a pile of things," said Paisarn Sukjarean, president of the Thai Hotels Association's Northern Upper Chapter.

In Japan, department store operator Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings said that through to Feb. 14 "duty-free sales were significantly higher than the previous year, partly due to the Chinese New Year".

A shift in holiday tastes was reflected in some data as travellers sought more experience-based trips, with Alipay reporting Chinese tourists globally spent 70% more on food and beverages compared with pre-COVID levels.

Trip.com said overseas car rentals on its platform jumped 53% compared to 2019 and tickets for scenic experiences abroad soared more than 130%.

($1 = 36.0300 baht)

(Additional reporting by Brenda Goh in Shanghai, Heekyong Yang in Seoul, Rocky Swift in Tokyo and Jessie Pang in Hong Kong; Writing by Anne Marie Roantree; Editing by Miral Fahmy and Christina Fincher)
Factories across China gradually resume operations as Spring Festival holiday ends

Xinhua) 08:12, February 20, 2024

An employee works at an assembly workshop of Hooeasy Smart Technology Co., Ltd. in Jinhua City, east China's Zhejiang Province, Feb. 19, 2024. Factories across China have gradually resumed operations as the country's most celebrated holiday Spring Festival ends. (Xinhua/Xu Yu)

Employees check assembled cars at a workshop of automaker FAW Hongqi in Changchun, northeast China's Jilin Province, Feb. 19, 2024. Factories across China have gradually resumed operations as the country's most celebrated holiday Spring Festival ends. (Xinhua/Zhang Nan)

An employee works at a chainsaw assembly workshop of Sunseeker Industrial Co., Ltd. in Jinhua City, east China's Zhejiang Province, Feb. 19, 2024. Factories across China have gradually resumed operations as the country's most celebrated holiday Spring Festival ends. (Xinhua/Xu Yu)

Smart robots operate at a workshop of Ronma Solar in Jinhua City, east China's Zhejiang Province, Feb. 19, 2024. Factories across China have gradually resumed operations as the country's most celebrated holiday Spring Festival ends. (Xinhua/Xu Yu)

An employee works at an intelligent plant of truck manufacturer FAW Jiefang in Changchun, northeast China's Jilin Province, Feb. 19, 2024. Factories across China have gradually resumed operations as the country's most celebrated holiday Spring Festival ends. (Xinhua/Zhang Nan)

Employees work at an intelligent plant of truck manufacturer FAW Jiefang in Changchun, northeast China's Jilin Province, Feb. 19, 2024. Factories across China have gradually resumed operations as the country's most celebrated holiday Spring Festival ends. (Xinhua/Zhang Nan)

Employees work at an intelligent plant of truck manufacturer FAW Jiefang in Changchun, northeast China's Jilin Province, Feb. 19, 2024. Factories across China have gradually resumed operations as the country's most celebrated holiday Spring Festival ends. (Xinhua/Zhang Nan)

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
A wave of political coups and a resurgence of Islamic terror groups in what is known as the Sahel region in Africa led to a marked increase in persecution of Christians. Despite threats, imprisonment, and displacement, however, Christians are holding on to their faith and the gospel is spreading.

A report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom has raised concerns about the deteriorating rights to religious freedom and belief in the Sahel region. The Commission has blamed the rise of violent extremist groups and weak governance structures that have led to the persecution of religious minorities, mostly Christians.

The Sahel region consists of 10 countries spanning from Eritrea and Sudan in East Africa to Senegal and Mauritania in the West. Others include Nigeria, Niger, Chad, The Gambia, Mali and Burkina Faso.

Violent insurgent groups such as the Islamic State Sahel Province (IS Sahel) and Katiba Macina perpetrate serious violations against religious minorities, often in the context of weak state security, notes Michael Ardovino, a Policy Analyst with the Commission.

At least five of the ten countries in the region have experienced leadership disruptions in the form of military coups in recent years. Open Doors, a Christian advocacy organization that tracks and researches Christian persecution, ranks three Sahel countries  Sudan, Eritrea and Nigeria  among the top ten countries where Christians face the highest persecution.

Sudan  refugees coming to faith

In Sudan, the conflict between government forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) ended a fragile transitional government that was to usher in a civilian government. This was after the 2019 coup that ended President Omar al-Bashir 26-year rule. While there were signs of increasing religious freedom during the transitional government, sporadic attacks on Christians continued. Such instances included the arrest of Pastor Abdulla Suleiman of the Sudan Presbyterian Evangelical Church, and the attack of an Evangelical Lutheran pastor during a church service in Gezira state, among others.

The war has claimed over 10,000 lives and led to the displacement of some 7.6 million people. It has also seen the occupation and destruction of churches including a Coptic Monastery in Gezira and the Sudan Presbyterian Evangelical Church in Omdurman State, which was bombed in November.

Yet amidst deteriorating security and humanitarian conditions in Sudan, evangelism and conversions are being witnessed in some of the refugee camps such as the Wedwiel Refugee Camp that borders Sudan and South Sudan. According to reports, about 2,000 internally displaced people have converted from Islam to Christianity due to the outreach initiatives in some of the camps.

Sudans Christian population is a minority and constitutes less than 6 percent of the countrys 45 million population. The refugee camps, however, have provided not just shelter from the conflict but also psycho-social support and an opportunity for Christians to share the gospel with one of the unreached people groups in the region.

Mission Network News reported a missionary working in the refugee camps testifying that refugees from Sudan, who come from tribes that have no believers or only a handful of believers, have seen up to 40 people come to Christ in one weekThis is groundbreaking in evangelism amongst Sudanese Muslims.

Eritrea  meeting in home churches

In neighbouring Eritrea, about 1,000 Christians have been imprisoned without being charged simply due to their faith in Jesus, according to Open Doors. Converts from Islam are particularly targeted by the authorities. Many have lost their jobs and been separated from their families while others have paid the ultimate price with their lives for refusing to renounce Jesus despite threats, abuse, imprisonment, and torture.

The government only recognizes three Christian denominations; Lutheran, Catholic and Orthodox. Protestant and evangelical churches were shut down in 2002 and hundreds of pastors and their congregants detained without trial. According to a July 2023 op-ed by Todd Nettleton of Voice of the Martyrs, two pastors had already spent 7,000 days in prison. Yet the persecution of Christians in Eritrea, a country where the population between the two religions is evenly split, has not dampened the resolve of evangelical and Pentecostal communities who meet in home churches.

Nigeria  hope and resilience in hostile conditions

Persecution of Christians in Africas biggest country by population, Nigeria, has accelerated over the recent past, fuelled by the growth of religious extremist groups especially in the North. In four months to January 2024, 100 Christians have been killed and others kidnapped by terrorists.

The threat to Christians is not just coming from terror groups but also from emerging blasphemy and Sharia laws that have led to the death by mob justice of people accused of blasphemy against Islam and the Prophet Mohammed.

Speaking during the US Foreign Affairs sub-committee hearing on the Future of Freedom in Nigeria on 14 February, Bishop Wilfred Anagbe told the committee members that the attacks on Christians in many parts of Nigeria are systematic, organized and brutal, mainly perpetrated by the militant Fulani terrorists.

Between 2021 and 2023, over 100 priests and sisters were kidnapped; some have never returned despite the high ransom we paid for their release, said Bishop Anagbe.

Despite the worsening conditions in the region, there have been embers of hope and resilience of persecuted Christians and the resolve of pastors to continue preaching the gospel and of new converts confessing Jesus as Lord in extremely hostile conditions.

Nothing comes to us without the will of God. Through persecution  I dont know why, but the church grows, said a pastor in Eritrea.
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) shot back at attacks on border policy and legislation from Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) on Tuesday, calling bullshit on his claims that Democrats dont want to pursue border security measures.

Scott said in a Fox News interview Monday that the left wants an open, insecure border. The conservatives and common sense independents, we want to secure America.

Murphy instead laid blame for the failure of the bipartisan Senate border security bill, which he helped negotiate, squarely at the feet of Republicans, led in opposition by former President Trump.

We reached a bipartisan compromise to give the President enormous new powers to control the border, Murphy wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. Almost every single Republican  including Sen. Scott  voted against it because Trump told them to keep the border a mess because it might help him politically.

The bipartisan border security deal initially had significant support in the Senate, including from Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), but was later killed by the GOP after opposition from Trump and House Republicans.

Trump warned that passing the border security bill could hand President Biden a political victory on the immigration issue, which is set to be one of the most important of the November election.

The Biden administration is reportedly considering executive action to bypass the roadblocks in Congress.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
CHULA VISTA, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI)  The Chula Vista City Council is poised to expand on its ordinance protecting renters by adding additional requirements for landlords to terminate a lease without fault by the tenants.

The changes will be made to bring the citys existing tenant protections into compliance with a new state law, Senate Bill 567, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom last year.

SB 567 sought to build on the landmark Tenant Protection Act passed by California lawmakers in 2019 by closing loopholes in the law that tenant advocates said landlords began using to remove their tenants without fault, such as evictions under the guise of a substantial remodel.

The proposed amendments to Chula Vistas existing tenant protections would prevent the owners of a property from evicting a tenant for this reason or to move themselves or a family member into the unit without providing a detailed written notice about their plans.

It will also increase the penalty for property owners who violate existing protections against this type of eviction without a breach of a renter agreement, called a no-fault eviction, to upwards of three times the amount of money lost by the tenant by getting displaced from the unit.

New affordable housing coming to Rancho Bernardo

The San Diego City Council approved similar revisions earlier this month to align its Tenant Protection Ordinance with SB 567.

Under the new measures, property owners who plan to move in themselves must intend to occupy the unit for a minimum of 12 continuous months as their primary residence and provide proof of this to the occupant being evicted.

The next resident then has to move in within 90 days. If the next occupant fails to move in or leaves after a short period of time, the previous tenant must be offered the unit again at the same rent and lease terms at the time they vacated it.

For a landlord to break an agreement to remodel the property, notice will need to be given to the tenant that includes specific information about what work needs to be completed, its expected duration and a copy of the permit obtained for the renovation.

The Southern California Rental Housing Association lobbied lawmakers against SB 567 and both local ordinances, arguing the measures would have unintended consequences on landlords and the quality of their units as it would make it harder for major work to be done when its needed.

Although, in a Feb. 15 legislative update, the real estate trade organization said the changes would not make the existing ordinance more restrictive or problematic for property owners  other than those required by state law.

The Chula Vista City Council will discuss the changes in its regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday. If the changes are approved, they will go into effect with SB 567 on Apr. 1, 2024.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
The Church of Englands pension fund has more than 30 million invested in water companies despite the sewage crisis, according to a new documentary.

Joe Lycett Vs Sewage, which airs on Channel 4 tonight, shows the comedian writing to the Church to ask if it will divest from the water industry as it has done with Shell and BP.

Water companies have been criticised for paying out dividends to shareholders even as they continue to pollute Englands waterways with sewage spills as a result of ageing infrastructure.

The Church of England said that ethical and responsible investment considerations are at the heart of our investment strategy and applied across all asset classes.

The Church said that it only held 325,000 in water company shares, which could pay out a dividend, and about 30 million in bonds across the sector, which pay out a fixed per cent of their price.

It declined to divest from the water industry, saying that we view that progress and improvements are possible and adding that it was currently seeking to engage with the whole UK water utility sector.

But in a letter to Lycett, it said that the Pensions Board does not rule out disinvesting from companies or refusing to fund future debt if we believe the management are not suitably responsive to our engagement.

The documentary also shows Lycett discover that he is a shareholder in the water company Severn Trent, which was yesterday fined 2 million for reckless pollution of River Trent near Stoke.

The company had pleaded guilty at a previous hearing to two charges of illegally discharging raw sewage after a technical failure at one of its wastewater treatment works.

The company was fined 1,072,000 and 1,000,000 plus costs of 16,476.67 and a victims surcharge of 181.

Approximately 240 million litres of raw sewage were discharged illegally by the company, equivalent to 10 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

Lycett said he would sell his four shares in the company, which were bought by his father when the water companies were privatised.

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  City Council questioned Memphis Police officials about street takeovers Tuesday after an event blocked an underpass near the airport over the weekend.

Videos stills shown at a council meeting appear to show dozens of cars parked on Winchester at Swinnea underneath an airport runway overpass Saturday, with some people standing on top of the vehicles.

I can only imagine if you were coming into Memphis or leaving Memphis via the airport and you saw some activity like this, that you probably wouldnt want to return to Memphis, Tennessee, council member Ford Canale said. This type of behavior scares people so much that it makes them want to consider moving out of this city.

Car shows a concern in Memphis after wild weekend

Memphis Police said street takeovers are a nationwide trend that was fueled by the pandemic.

Reckless driving, drag racing arrests slow down in Memphis

MPD received two calls on the event that night. Officers were dispatched but the disturbance cleared prior to their arrival, they said.

Interim Chief C.J. Davis said MPD had seen a lot of car takeovers in another precinct in the city, so resources were sent there.

MPD is moving to the airport area in the next week or so, and is trying to avert this type of activity, Davis said. Tennessee Highway Patrol is working with them and she says 15 more officers will come to the area permanently.

We know we have to continue to move where these problems are and try to get in front of them before they actually happen, Davis said.

Mom accused of letting child wax nude women arrested, charged with neglect

She also said she was working on an ordinance allowing a 10-day hold on vehicles involved in these incidents to deter them.

Canale said he preferred permanent seizure of the vehicles. We could sell them at auction, we could crush them, whatever.

Unfortunately, weve had too many of these happen in our city over the last several months and I think these guys, for whatever reason, just think this type of lawlessness is OK and theyre going to get away with it, Canale said. This type of behavior has got to be stopped. It cannot continue to be allowed on our streets or, colleagues, were not going to have a city left.

Council member Rhonda Logan asked why MPD couldnt post additional officers in high-traffic areas where car takeovers are likely to occur.

We cannot afford to have the airport and the bridge locked down with this kind of stuff, Logan said.

Davis said when they find out about events ahead of time, MPD will send officers ahead of time to break it up. She said this was the first such event at that location.

She said MPD is not generally allowed to monitor social media because of a judges consent order  but said they could monitor social media for investigations into events like this.

Two arrested in City Gear robbery, charged in previous crimes

Council member Jerri Green wanted to know why no arrests were made.

A lot of these individuals have weapons and when they come, theres so many of them, Davis responded. What were also thinking about is officer safety, when theyre sort of outnumbered.

Some council members suggested the county sheriffs office should take a role in response.

Davis said the department is committed to taking back streets and needed help from city council to end events like this.

Council member Philip Spinosa said Davis would have their support.

This whole body expects to see this end, like, yesterday, Spinosa said. Tell us what you need and well do what we can to support you.

Police said residents can call 901-545-COPS to report car takeovers.

Incidents like these happen in seconds, so we need the publics help getting a description and vehicle tag numbers if they can be obtained safely, MPD said in a statement.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
TOPEKA (KSNT)  The City of Topeka Public Infrastructure Committee approved more than $2 million for various projects around the city on Tuesday.

The Public Infrastructure Committee heard from Public Works and Utilities Director Braxton Copley on the Municipal Court roof, the Topeka Performing Arts Center (TPAC) facade rehabilitation, Law Enforcement Center repairs, work at fire stations across the city, the city street light program and street repairs.

Topeka Boulevard

Regarding Topeka Boulevard, Copley said the department is currently in the design phase for a project on Topeka Boulevard between 21st and 29th Street. The project will go to bid at the end of March. It will involve full-depth reconstruction that will require a full closure due to a water line running under the road.

South of 21st Street to 29th Street will see mill and overlay, full-depth patching and additional curb and gutter repairs. It is planned for the construction season in 2024.

Copley said the department has a consultant in place for a project on Topeka Boulevard between 15th and 21st Streets. He said it could involve full-depth reconstruction depending on the governing bodys decision. Copley said the project will be funded by the Joint Economic Development Organization and could see construction in 2025 and 2026.

How does rent in Topeka compare to 10 years ago?

From 29th Street to 38th Street on the boulevard, mill and overlay work is expected in 2026 and 2027. Copley added that the intersection at 37th Street and 29th Street need full-depth reconstruction. He said one of the intersections would be completed in 2026 and the other in 2027.

The last section of Topeka Boulevard Copley mentioned was construction between 38th to 49th Streets planned for 2028 which would mostly be mill and overlay with full-depth patching as needed.

I can not realistically reconstruct both of those intersections in a single construction season, Copley said.

Municipal Court Roof

According to Copley, the Municipal Court roof repair project hit a snag when it was thought the roof had a single membrane layer. The city discovered it already has two layers. According to the international building code, a roof cannot have more than two membrane layers.

We thought it was a single layer but when we got in there we realized theres already two layers on there so that is going to require the complete removal which is what increased this budget cost, Copley said.

The discovery will require an additional $65,000 worth of repairs bringing the total cost of the project up to $232,116.

Flat tax fails in Kansas House

TPAC face shield

Copley discussed the TPAC face shield project. He said the fist phase of the project was estimated to cost $250,000 and the second phase was estimated at $240,000.

Law Enforcement Center boilers and repairs

At the Law Enforcement Center, Copley said the nearly 30-year-old boilers will need to be replaced as theyre beyond their useful life. The project at the LEC is budgeted at $400,000.

Street Preventative Maintenance Program

The commission approved $1 million to be added to the already $2 million Street Preventative Maintenance Program.

The bottom line is weve made good progress over the last six years to move the PCI which is pavement condition index, Copley said. Back in 2016, we had an overall PCI of 54 as of the last inventory in 2022 we moved that up 13 points to 67.

The additional funds will help cover ultra-thin bonded asphalt surfacing (UBAS) from Sixth Street from MacVicar to Madison and from Madison to Monroe from Sixth Street to 10th Street. The request for additional funding was unanimously approved.

Street Lights

Regarding street lights, Copley highlighted success with solar street light installs in the city. Each solar-powered commercial light pole costs the city $10,000. He requested $100,000 for the street light program. The request was approved unanimously.

Pavement Management Program

Regarding the Pavement Management Program, the commission approved projects exceeding $250,000 to perform mill and overlay with full-depth patching on Meninger Road from Green Hills Road to Rochester, Northwest Elm Row from Spangles to Topeka Boulevard and the long cul-de-sac at Southeast Greenfield Court.

Two more suspects charged in Chiefs parade shooting

Fleet Garage

Copley provided a recommendation to move forward with amending the CIP to provide funding for a light-duty fleet garage. The project is estimated to cost $5.5 million with KDOT approving $2.4 million.

He said $748,000 had been requested from KDOT for compensation on the existing fleet garage bringing the total estimated cost of the project between $2.35 to $3.1 million.

Copley said the department has been talking to finance and made requests to be able to cash fund the project. The request will be brought to the City Council on March 5 for discussion.

Some other actions taken by the commission included:

Planning on moving forward with the remodel of Fire Station #9 for an estimated cost of $868,000.

Approved $294,000 to repair the alley and sewer in the 1800 block of Buchanon between SW Lincoln and SW Buchanon.

Approved $400,000 to repair the alley and sewer in the 1900 block of Buchanan between Lincoln and Buchanan.

For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News.
(FOX40.COM)  The site of North Sacramento School will now be a historic landmark in the city of Sacramento.

North Sacramento School on 670 Dixieanne Avenue will be designated as a landmark on the Sacramento Register of Historic and Cultural Resources following the unanimous approval from the Sacramento City Council on Feb. 13.

Video Above: History of Sacramentos Tower Theatre revealed

Prior to the city councils vote, the 100-year-old building, which is currently vacant, had already been listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the California Register of Historical Resources. The building earned its national designation in March 2021.

Whats next for the Club Pheasant property? Heres West Sacramentos plans

According to the city officials, North Sacramento School is considered significant for its association with the foundation, growth, and development of North Sacramento, which was its own city until it was annexed into Sacramento in 1964.

The designation is a key tool in the Citys economic, environmental and planning strategy, Sacramento preservation director Sean de Courcy said in a statement. As a landmark, the building will be eligible for financial incentives, including both federal and state rehabilitation tax credits, which are in place to promote the ownership, maintenance, and restoration of historic properties.

The North Sacramento School property is currently owned by Twin Rivers Unified School District. According to the city, district officials are currently seeking a buyer interested in repurposing the building and developing the surrounding site.

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The school was part of the North Sacramento School District, which was created to drive population growth in the area and encourage families to purchase property nearby.

Construction of the building began in 1915 and its Spanish-inpsired design came from architect Clarence C. Cuff, who was also known for designing the buildings for the Guild Theater and the Merrium Apartments  the latter which once stood in downtown Sacramento.

Following the initial construction, architects EC Hemmings and Dean and Dean made some significant additions to the building, according to the city.

This project will serve as part of the revitalization of North Sacramento to maintain its historic character, Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg said during the Feb. 13 council meeting. At the same time, to be another potential economic development project in North Sacramento.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  A welfare check in Brush Prairie led to a shooting involving five Clark County deputies early Tuesday morning after officials said a man may have had a gun.

Deputies arrived at 12500 Northeast 152nd Avenue just after midnight when a woman called 911 saying she was concerned for her mothers safety, according to the Clark County Sheriffs Office.

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Investigators say it appeared the womans mother may have been held against her will by a male family member, who eventually produced what appeared to be a firearm.

The man did not survive the shooting. The female victim was taken to the hospital for an evaluation, and officials have yet to give an update on her progress.

The five deputies have been placed on leave, as is standard protocol. The incident is now under investigation by the Vancouver Police Department.

El Nino to La Nina transition expected, impacts likely for the PNW

Home records show the address police were investigating is owned by a husband and a wife, who both appear to run businesses out of the property  including a hypnosis center and a counseling service, according to their business website.

Officials say the name of the man killed by deputies and the body camera footage will be released at a later time.

Stay with KOIN 6 as this story develops.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
As Republicans criticize the Biden administration's handling of illegal immigration, social media posts are claiming authorities in the US state of Colorado recently detained more than 50 Al-Qaeda members. But Denver police say the claims are false, and there is no evidence of the arrests .

"Denver Police At Airport Off The Record 'The media will not tell you this... The Denver Police in Denver has arrested over 50 al Qaeda members in the last 2 months,'" says a February 4, 2024 post on X, formerly Twitter.

The post from Wall Street Apes, an account AFP has previously fact-checked for spreading misinformation, shares a clip of a man claiming a Denver police officer told him about the arrests at the airport.

"We were talking about the crime that's going on, not only in Denver, but our country," he says in the video, which accumulated more than 20,000 likes on X. "We started talking about all the migrants that have been coming over the border and how they're cutting the police budget in all major cities, including Denver."

Screenshot of a post on X taken February 20, 2024

Similar claims have circulated on Facebook and TikTok.

A wave of crossings at the US-Mexico border has made migration a key talking point in the US presidential election, with frontrunner Donald Trump and other Republicans seeking to pin blame on President Joe Biden.

The Denver Police Department directed AFP to a statement published the same day as the X post.

"The claim that Denver Police have arrested more than 50 Al-Queda (sic) members in the last two months is false," the department said on X (archived here).

The claim that Denver Police have arrested more than 50 Al-Queda members in the last two months is false.  Denver Police Dept. (@DenverPolice) February 5, 2024

Denver police said in a follow-up post (archived here) that "two federal cases involving arrests at the airport in 2023 were publicized by the U.S Attorneys Office District of Colorado," linking to press releases from July and December 2023 -- neither of which mentions Al-Qaeda.

In the first case (archived here), an 18-year-old man was charged with attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State group in Iraq. The second (archived here) has to do with a different Colorado man who was arrested at the airport while allegedly traveling to serve as an IS fighter in either Afghanistan or Syria.

AFP did not find any credible media reports of 50 recent Al-Qaeda arrests in Denver.

There is also no mention of such apprehensions on the websites of the US Attorney's Office for the District of Colorado, the Federal Bureau of Investigation or the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

AFP contacted DHS for comment, but a response was not forthcoming.

AFP has debunked other claims about border security here.
Sparks were flying at the Taylor County Sheriff's Debate last Friday. The Officers Association hosted the debate between the three Republican candidates running for Taylor County Sheriff: incumbent Sheriff Ricky Bishop, Anson Police Officer Elias Carrasquillo Jr., and District Attorney Investigator Shay Bailey.

While Bishop and Bailey echoed some similar ideas for the office, Carrasquillo had some new and expensive ideas that could strain the county commissioners' budget.

Taylor County District Attorney Investigator Shay Bailey points to Sheriff Ricky Bishop, giving him the opportunity to respond to criticisms by Anson Police Officer Elias Carrasquillo Jr during Friday nights sheriffs debate.

'Morale is good'

Incumbent Sheriff Ricky Bishop stressed at the debate that budget was his top concern and also priority. He emphasized that if re-elected, he would continue to fight in the county commissioners' court for increased salaries, while also warning, however, that he could not promise any new promotions.

His biggest take home message was that salaries have nearly doubled for the Sheriff's deputies, in addition to that of corrections officers. Bishop also outlined his help in salary raises that amounted to $10,000 in the last two years.

A consistent theme throughout Bishop's statement was that for the first time in years, the jail is fully staffed, saying that "stress levels are starting to come down in the jail" thanks to less overtime work and higher wages.

His overall tone was that "morale is good," and everything is good. He did caution, however, that there has been some "misinformation" about his office. He said, however, that he sees any morale issues as coming from frustration "with the guys across the street from us," referring to the Taylor County Commissioners Court.

Taylor County Sheriff Ricky Bishop answers a question posed by members of his department during a debate between him and two other candidates Friday.

He ended with the statement that he would "not make promises he can't keep." While he did not bring up many new ideas for the office, he stressed that a new candidate would undo the work he has done over the last 12 years, "starting from scratch," and that if re-elected Bishop would continue to fight for his officers in the Taylor County Court of Commissioners.

'Shiny apple that's rotten on the inside'

In direct contrast to much of what incumbent Sheriff Bishop stressed in the debate, Elias Carrasquillo Jr. was a wellspring of new ideas. Throughout the evening, he proposed new programs and new trainings for officers.

Anson Police Officer Elias Carrasquillo Jr. outlines what he would do differently if elected as the Taylor County Sheriff during Friday's debate.

In a stark warning, he said that "there's a lot of changes coming," to include new uniforms for all members of the office, whether deputies or corrections officers.

Carrasquillo also surprisingly promised to give a citizens patrol their own Sheriff's vehicle, saying, "I will allocate a vehicle so they can patrol their neighborhoods." He noted that this could unite and involve the community, but how the county could provide that and what liability it might entail, he did not address.

Trainings seemed to be another high priority on Carrasquillo's list, saying that he would send deputies to Florida for training, but saying that "these programs don't really cost much." He didn't say what these trainings would cost or how he would get the commissioners court to approve the costs, but he did stress their importance.

Carrasquillo also promised that he would create "a lot of units, big units, including a SWAT team" while echoing his earlier statement that "it doesn't really cost much to create one."

Carrasquillo ended with an ominous tone that morale is down in the Taylor County Sheriff's Office, "like a shiny apple that's rotten on the inside." Carrasquillo then ended pointing at the officers in the audience, saying "you don't approach the sheriff," because you are afraid you will get fired.

He then ended with the sentiment that he has sources that back up his earlier claims, and that he is not making it up. He did, however, fail to name any of his anonymous sources.

'I'm not firing anybody'

Shay Bailey seemed content to watch the back-and-forth match between Carrasquillo and Bishop throughout the debate. Instead, he focused on what he could do to better the Sheriff's Office.

Bailey said that he would love to create a sheriff's academy in-house, in order to cut training times from nine months to four months. Without mentioning a shortage of deputies, Bailey stressed the importance of training them in a shorter amount of time while cutting costs.

Taylor County District Attorney Investigator Shay Bailey pauses for an emotional moment during Fridays Taylor County Sheriffs debate. Bailey was recalling the officers he had known who had lost their lives in the line of duty.

He became impassioned when he spoke about his plans for employees of the Sheriff's Office. He warned that while there would be some changes in key positions, he also stressed that "I'm not firing anybody."

When asked about deaths in the line of duty, emotion clouded his voice, causing Bailey to pause momentarily as he considered his answer. It was an emotional moment in the debate, as Bailey noted that he had attended five funerals for fellow officers in Indiana.

He then finished with the statement that he would "surround them (his fellow officers) like family."

Bailey also had an innovative idea for the office, with his promise to create a "community advisory board." Here, he stressed that it would be free and without cost to the commissioners' budget but could "meet every quarter" to help advise the Sheriff's Office.

Bailey also disagreed with current tactics in the Sheriff's office to rotate staff every three years. He instead would place deputies in the fields they are most passionate about, without forcing them to retrain every three years.

Overall, it was a spirited debate that allowed Taylor County Sheriff's Officers an in-depth look at their next potential boss. It also pointed out the discrepancies between the candidates, and what their biggest platforms would be.

Whoever has earned your vote, make sure it counts by going out to vote in either Early Voting, beginning this week, or on Super Tuesday March 5.

This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: A closer look at Friday's Sheriff's debate
Growing up, Carrie Sheffield witnessed firsthand how religion can be used to justify evil.

Her father, a Mormon cult leader, believed he was a prophet destined to become president, and, after being excommunicated from the LDS church, continuously moved his wife and eight children around the country to avoid both religious and state authorities.

Sheffields early life was spent on the move, living in various motorhomes, sheds and tents with her large family, attending 17 public schools and being homeschooled at times.

It was, according to Sheffield, a childhood marked by extreme instability, abuse and spiritual

There was constant abuse by my father, telling us we're not worthy, telling us that we're evil, telling us also that he's a prophet and he's basically bringing salvation to America and saving our country from destruction, she told The Christian Post.

We were on welfare. At one point, we actually had no food and were boiling water with grass from the city park and eating this grass broth. It was all done in the name of God, is what my father said. Eventually, two of my older brothers developed schizophrenia. When I was 17, the older of those two tried to rape me, he groped me, and it was just incredibly scary and psychologically damaging to me. And at that point, I knew I had to make a decision.

After making the difficult decision to walk away from her past, Sheffield embarked on an exploration of personal growth. She threw off all notions of religion  the heart position for me was hostile; I didnt know if there was a God, but if there was, He probably hated me and I felt the same way, she said  and threw herself into work and schooling. She earned a full tuition scholarship to Harvard University for a master's degree in public policy and worked as an analyst for major Wall Street firms.

I was making a ton of money compared to the nothing I had living in a motorhome, she said.

Eventually, Sheffield launched a successful career in political journalism at outlets like Politico and The Hill, where she advocated for conservative values. Yet, despite her success, she was deeply unhappy and unfulfilled, struggling with suicide ideation, episodic depression and health issues that left her hospitalized on several occasions.

And then, in 2016, the entire trajectory of Sheffields life shifted due to two unlikely forces: Donald Trump and science. A dedicated conservative, she found herself reevaluating her beliefs amid the political upheaval surrounding Trump's rise to presidency.

"I just could not process that because, I said, I'm not worshiping this guy. I cannot. I can't worship somebody who says terrible things about women, who donated to his Democratic opponent, who has no track record of conservative policy," Sheffield recalled. I cannot have that be the ultimate purpose in my life. I can't have that be my reason for living.

This political dissonance catalyzed her quest for something more enduring, steering her toward a church  specifically, Redeemer Church in New York City, led by Tim Keller  and ultimately igniting her interest in Christianity.

It was Keller's work, particularly his book Counterfeit Gods, that provided Sheffield with a framework to understand the emptiness of idolizing temporal aspects of life  in her case, money, power and political ideologies.

"The reason why we worship them is because they're good.  But once you move into that posture where it becomes your God and your religion, then it becomes toxic," she said.

The pursuit of a deeper understanding of the world and her place within it led Sheffield to explore the scientific underpinnings of creation, marking the second major influence on her conversion. Studying metaphysics and the improbability of Earth's existence by chance alone, she said, prompted a profound sense of wonder in her, challenging her previously held beliefs anchored in human intellect alone.

I had also worshiped at the altar of the human intellect, going to Harvard where I'm surrounded by agnostics and atheists, people who had never actually really grappled with faith just completely dismissed it outright, she said. And that's where I was. I just dismissed it outright. But when I was just stopped in my tracks  it was almost like an investigative journalism project, and I love the book The Case for Christ, where [author Lee Strobel] does just that.

Sheffield, who documents her transformative story in her book, Motorhome Prophecies: A Journey of Healing and Forgiveness, shared how her conversion to Christianity marked a turning point in her relationship with her father and her outlook on life.

"It started with my Christian walk," Sheffield said, detailing how her faith journey led her to reconsider her stance on forgiveness.

Inspired by the teachings of Billy Graham on honoring one's parents without necessarily obeying them when it contradicts God's will, Sheffield embarked on a process of reconciliation and forgiveness, despite the deep wounds of the past.

I knew that to be angry at him ... that was not something that was bringing him honor," she said.

A significant influence on Sheffield's journey was Anthony Thompson, a pastor who experienced unimaginable loss when his wife was murdered in the 2015 Charleston church shooting.

Thompson's story of forgiveness toward the shooter and his book, Called to Forgive, she said, helped her understand forgiveness on a deeper level.

"He helped me to go through that process," she said, emphasizing the impact of Thompson's forgiveness on her own path to healing.

Still, Sheffield is the first to admit the journey to healing hasnt always been easy; even after getting baptized, she struggled with feelings of unworthiness and PTSD stemming from her childhood trauma.

And though in a place of peace today, she continues the work of changing negative patterns of thought and behavior through a combination of prayer and therapy. She attends a Bible-believing, nondenominational church in the Washington, D.C., area, where she said shes found a supportive community that shares her values and beliefs and continues to work as a policy analyst.

Its like a family here; I have a very full life, she said. I love what I do. I love being able to advocate for policies that I believe in. I love my church. Life's not perfect and it's a journey. But I would say overall, being able to share the love of God and letting people know that even if you've gone through hell, you can come through and be with God and He loves you.

She voiced her concern over the growing secularization in society, particularly among younger generations, noting increasing suicide rates and mental health issues among young people. By sharing her story, Sheffield said, she wants to encourage the next generation that healing is possible  and faith is transformative.

The science is there, that people who go to church and regularly engage in religious practice  there are fewer suicides, fewer alcoholic deaths, fewer drug overdoses for those who are engaged in these spiritual practices, she said. God saves, and my life is a testament to that.



Originally published by The Christian Post
You might not want to put your winter jacket away just yet.

Cold winds and dropping temperatures will make it feel like in the 40s in some South Florida cities this week, according to the National Weather Service.

Heres what to expect in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties:

JC Holder bundles up to walk her Yorkshire terriers, Haven, left, and Pebbles at the Newport Fishing Pier on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024 in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida.

Wednesday

Lows in the lower 50s with winds up to 10 mph are forecast early Wednesday morning.

But the cold temperatures and the breezy conditions are expected to make it feel even colder.

Here are the projected wind chills:

 Miami-Dade: 51 in Miami; 48 in Opa-locka and Sweetwater; 47 in Kendall; 45 in Homestead.

 Broward: 49 in Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood and Deerfield Beach; 48 in Pompano Beach, Coral Springs and Sunrise; 47 in Pembroke Pines; 46 in Weston; 43 in the Miccosukee Reservation.

 Palm Beach: 53 in Palm Beach; 50 in Boca Raton; 49 at Palm Beach International Airport; 48 in Boynton Beach and Riviera Beach; 47 in Delray Beach and Lake Worth; 44 to 48 near Lake Okeechobee.

Later, temperature highs should be in the lower 70s, accompanied by winds up to 15 mph.

Expected minimum wind chill temperatures for South Florida in the morning of Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024.

Thursday

Lows in the lower to mid-50s with winds up to 10 mph are forecast early Thursday morning.

Expect these wind chills:

 Miami-Dade: 56 in Miami; 52 in Sweetwater and Opa-locka; 51 in Kendall; 50 in Homestead.

 Broward: 53 in Pompano Beach; 52 in Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood and Pompano Beach; 51 in Pembroke Pines, Sunrise and Coral Springs; 50 in Weston; 45 in the Miccosukee Reservation.

 Palm Beach: 56 in Palm Beach; 53 in Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Lake Worth, Palm Beach International Airport and Riviera Beach; 52 in Delray Beach; 47 to 50 near Lake Okeechobee.

Later, temperature highs should be in the mid-70s with up to 10 mph winds.

Expected minimum wind chill temperatures for South Florida in the morning of Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024.

Friday

The cold breeze should cease by Friday.

Expect a mostly clear morning with lows in the upper 50s, followed by highs in the upper 70s.

South Florida resident Lorraine Rodriguez taking in the sunrise under the cold weather on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024 in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida.

Going to the beach?

If you like to go swimming in these temperatures, know that a moderate to high risk of rip currents remains in effect in South Florida through Saturday. Swimming is not recommended.

READ MORE: 5 tornadoes touched down in Miami-Dade, Broward and the Keys, weather officials say

Breaking waves could cause hazardous conditions near the Palm Beach County coastline.

If you opt for a boat ride, know that captains of small boats should exercise caution through Saturday as waves of at least 7 feet are expected in some areas.
The suspect arrested in connection to the shooting inside a dorm at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs that left two people dead was a student, the school confirmed to Fox News.

"On Monday morning, February 19, 2024, members of the Colorado Springs Police Department took a suspect into custody in connection to our investigation into the homicides on Friday, February 16, 2024, on the campus of the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (UCCS)," the Colorado Springs Police Department posted on X, formerly Twitter.

On Monday, just before 8 a.m., members of the Colorado Springs Police Departments Motor Vehicle Theft Unit located Nicholas Jordan, who is from Detroit, Michigan, in a vehicle. Police said he was taken into custody without incident.

"Investigative efforts continue to indicate this was an isolated incident between individuals who were known to one another and not a random attack against the school or other students at the university," the post continued.

COLORADO POLICE IDENTIFY 2 KILLED IN COLLEGE DORM SHOOTING

Nicholas Jordan, 25, has been arrested in connection with the killing of two people inside a University of Colorado dorm.

The university told Fox News that Jordan was enrolled at the school at the time of the shooting. He was arrested on suspicion of two counts of first-degree murder.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

Just before 6 a.m. on Friday, university police received a call that shots were fired from the Crestone House, a campus dormitory.

When officers responded to the room, they found a man and woman inside, later identified as 24-year-old Samuel Knopp of Parker, Colorado, and 26-year-old Celie Rain Montgomery of Pueblo, Colorado, who were both dead, each with one gunshot wound to the head.

COLORADO POLICE INVESTIGATING 2 FOUND DEAD IN DORM ROOM AS HOMICIDE: 'DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE A MURDER-SUICIDE'

Police officer cruiser at the scene of a crime in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

The Coroners Office is currently working on the cause and manner of death, as both are being investigated as homicide.

Police said Sunday that the primary focus of the investigation has been on the victims and pursuing justice for them and their families.

Fox News Digital's Chris Eberhart and Greg Wehner contributed to this story.





Original article source: Colorado dorm murders suspect was student at university, school says
Friends, fellow students and neighbours of Colorado Springs dorm victims Samuel Knopp and Celie Rain Montgomery were on Monday processing news of an arrest in connection with their murders  while already reeling from recent tragedies.

Knopp, 24, and Montgomery, 26, were found shot dead on Friday in a dormitory room at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs, where Knopp was a senior studying music in the Visual and Performing Arts department. Another UCCS student, 25-year-old Nicholas Jordan of Detroit, was arrested Monday morning with a warrant for two counts of first-degree murder, police said.

Officials revealed that Mr Jordan was Mr Knopps roommate at the time of the shooting. The shooter is currently being held in El Paso County Jail on a $1m bond. His first court date was set for Tuesday at 1.30pm MST.

More details about the relationship between the trio nor a motive has been disclosed. Ms Montgomery, who was not enrolled at the university, was a mother of two young children from Pueblo.

Here at The University of Colorado, Colorado Springs as community members are participating in a healing walk following Friday's shooting in a dormitory pic.twitter.com/XgUOvE9zoP  Michael Braithwaite (@mjbrait) February 19, 2024

Classes were cancelled Monday at UCCS as the community held a healing walk beginning at a campus dining hall. In a statement following news of the shootings, Chancellor Jennifer Sobanet acknowledged that it had been a difficult week with the loss of Mia Brown, another beloved student, on Monday.

The senior, a nursing student, died 12 February on campus following a medical emergency at the Recreation Center, school officials said.

Then, four days later, Knopp and Montgomery were found fatally shot at Crestone House in the Alpine Village area of student residential housing. The Colorado Springs Police Department quickly said the victims were believed to have known the suspect, emphasizing it was not a random attack against the school or other students at the university.

Mr Knopp, described by the UCCS chancellor as an accomplished guitar player and an extremely talented musician, grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan, according to his social media profiles and bio on a website offering at-home music lessons.

He began his musical journey at age 8 with the viola, playing in his schools orchestra for 6 years, the Lessons In Your Home profile states. When Sam turned 17 and moved to Colorado, he fell in love with the guitar, practicing for countless hours and days and gained much more of an appreciation for music.

Sam Knopp performing (YouTube)

Knopps guitar skills were showcased during his junior recital last year, featured in a YouTube video posted by the universitys music program.

He is currently working on his bachelors degree in music theory at the University of Colorado, Knopps teacher profile continues. When it comes to performing, Sam usually enjoys playing mostly classical guitar and lead electric guitar as well as a good amount of improvisation with many different genres.

Knopp was listed as a teacher in the Denver area; his parents home in Parker is just beyond the Colorado capitals metro region. The family moved west from Michigan with the budding guitarist and his twin sister more than a decade ago.

Neighbours remained in shock on Monday, as news of the students death came just weeks after a horrific murder-suicide just a few doors down from the Knopp residence.

Investigators later revealed that a 38-year-old man was believed to have shot dead a 43-year-old woman before driving from the scene with a child to a second location about five miles away, killing the boy and then turning the gun on himself.

Back at the UCCS campus on Monday, therapy dogs and counselling were also available to members of the university community. Multiple first responder agencies also joined in the healing walk as Colorado Springs  where a shooter killed five and injured more than 20 others in an LGBTQ+ nightclub attack 15 months ago  continues to reel from innocent victims killed by gun violence.
This year will be one of the most challenging for democracy yet. Election deniers tone down their claims as they run again this year. And astronomers believe they have discovered the universe's brightest object.

Heres what to know today.

This year will see more elections than ever. But dont call it a win for democracy.

This year will see the most elections since such records began. (Max Butterworth / NBC News)

In 2024, around half the world will go to the polls  some 4 billion people in 76 nations  the most of any year on record. Some of these elections will be widely considered fair, such as those already held in Taiwan and Finland; and the so-called votes in Russia, North Korea and elsewhere will be an outright sham.

The centerpiece, even for many outside the United States will be the contest between President Joe Biden and his presumed opponent, former President Donald Trump. This is a big stress test for democracy globally, said Kelley E. Currie, who has held senior State Department roles, including under Trump, for whom she was the U.S. ambassador for global womens issues. The autocracies are linked up and working together, she said, adding that 2024 will be an important inflection point for us.

This is Morning Rundown, a weekday newsletter to start your morning. Sign up here to get it in your inbox.

Meanwhile, Russia, China and others will likely continue the election meddling that Western intelligence agencies now routinely expect, despite Beijing and Moscows denials. This years Global Risk Report by the World Economic Forum said misinformation and disinformation were the top risks of the next two years  more so than war or climate change.

Never before will so many people around the world have had the opportunity to vote, but rarely have democracys core tenets been so fundamentally threatened.

Prominent election deniers are running again in 2024, but some have toned down their claims

At least 17 Republican candidates who made false claims about the 2020 election the focus of recent campaigns are running for office again in 2024. But this time around, most of them arent making the debunked claims to voters that the race was stolen from Trump.

That message didnt work, veteran Republican strategist Alex Conant said. Republicans want to win in 2024. They know theyre not going to win in 2020  theres nothing we can do now to change what happened.

Kari Lake is running for the Senate after making her support of Trumps claims that the election was stolen from him a centerpiece of her failed 2022 run for Arizona governor. She still hasnt acknowledged she lost the race. But her 2024 Senate campaign has not focused on election denialism, instead focusing on issues such as border security and the economy, while also pushing for the importance of honest elections.

Many of these GOP candidates are running again in crucial swing states, whose responsibilities in some cases could be tied to certifying results. GOP strategists say the shift could help candidates appeal to more potential voters, but some warn it could obscure their unfounded positions.

Two years after Russian invasion, landmines plague one-third of Ukraine

ukraine russian war conflict landmine land mins detection (Jusan Barreto / AFP via Getty Images file)

Ukraine has become one of the most mine-littered nations on earth since Russias invasion. Eleven of Ukraines 27 regions are strewn with mines, according to Human Rights Watch. All told, about 30% of Ukraines territory is infested with land mines, an area roughly equivalent to the state of Florida. Almost 1,000 civilians in Ukraine have been killed by mines since the war began, according to aid groups. Most of those civilian casualties were caused by anti-vehicle mines planted in areas where Ukrainians were trying to revive their farms.

It is a huge issue for farmers, Anatasia Radina, a member of Ukraines parliament, said in an interview with NBC News. She added, and its also impacting civilians, literally kids going to the park or to the forest, they can actually encounter landmines in many territories of Ukraine.

The $95 billion U.S. aid package to Ukraine under consideration by Congress includes a provision that would fund land mine clearance in the country. Ukraines military has had to mount elaborate and time-consuming efforts to clear mines and carve out assault lanes for its armored units.

Read more:

A holdup of U.S. aid and a shortage of ammunition have contributed to the loss of the eastern city of Avdiivka and eroded morale among units in Ukraine that find themselves outmanned and outgunned.

Suspect who fatally shot 2 officers, 1 first responder was not permitted to own firearm

Side by side of Matthew Ruge, Adam Finseth and Paul Elmstrand. (City of Burnsville via AP)

A man who killed two Minnesota police officers and a first responder was prohibited from owning a firearm and made an unsuccessful bid to overturn his lifelong gun ban four years ago, court records show. He had several guns and large amounts of ammunition when he opened fire on law enforcement officers while barricaded inside a home with seven children in Burnsville, Minnesota. The children are between the ages of 2 and 15. Officers were attempting to negotiate with the suspect when he began shooting.

The suspect, Shannon Gooden, was prohibited by state law from possessing firearms after he was convicted of second-degree assault in 2007. In 2020, his attorney at the time attempted to reverse what he called a harsh ban, arguing that there was good cause to do so because Gooden was not a dangerous criminal or a potential risk to the community.

Ruby Franke to be sentenced in child abuse case

Former family vlogger Ruby Franke, a Utah mother of six, and her business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt, are expected to be sentenced today in a child abuse case. The two pleaded guilty to four counts of second-degree aggravated child abuse in December, several months after being charged with six counts of felony child abuse.

Franke and Hildebrandt were arrested in August 2023 after police found one of Frankes sons emaciated with open wounds and bound with duct tape. He had escaped Hildebrandts home to a neighbors house. One of Frankes daughters was found in a similar malnourished condition in Hildebrandts home. Franke, her husband, Kevin, and their six children rose to prominence on YouTube, where they had amassed 2.3 million subscribers to their now-defunct channel called "8 Passengers." Franke also collaborated on controversial parenting and relationship advice videos with Hildebrandt.

Investigators are looking at the gearbox in deadly U.S. Air Force Osprey crash

The investigation into the deadly crash of a U.S. military Osprey aircraft in November is looking at a possible mishap involving the aircrafts propeller rotor gearbox, U.S. officials familiar with the preliminary findings say.

The accident, in which a U.S. Air Force V-22 Osprey crashed into the ocean off Japan, killing eight airmen, was the fourth fatal crash of the Osprey aircraft in less than two years. As many as 20 U.S. service members have died in the incidents, leading to a rare grounding in December of all Osprey aircraft by all branches of the U.S. military. The cause of the crash off Japan has not yet been established.

Astronomers find what may be the universes brightest object with a black hole devouring a sun a day

This illustration provided by the European Southern Observatory in February 2024, depicts the record-breaking quasar J059-4351, the bright core of a distant galaxy that is powered by a supermassive black hole. The supermassive black hole, seen here pulling in surrounding matter, has a mass 17 billion times that of the Sun and is growing in mass by the equivalent of another Sun per day, making it the fastest-growing black hole ever known. (M. Kornmesser / AP)

Astronomers have discovered what may be the brightest object in the universe, a quasar with a black hole at its heart growing so fast that it swallows the equivalent of a sun a day. The record-breaking quasar shines 500 trillion times brighter than our sun.

While the quasar resembles a mere dot in images, scientists envision a ferocious place. The rotating disk around the quasars black hole  the luminous swirling gas and other matter from gobbled-up stars  is like a cosmic hurricane. This quasar is the most violent place that we know in the universe, the lead author of the report said.

Politics in Brief

Democratic fundraising: Biden and Democratic groups raised $42 million in January as they prepare for a likely rematch with Trump in the 2024 election.

Wisconsin politics: Wisconsin Democratic Gov. Tony Evers signed into law new maps that will shift the balance of power in the Republican-dominated state Legislature.

Donald Trump: The former president compared the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in a prison colony to the legal peril he faces in the United States.

Staff Pick: Black families are securing deeds to keep their land and create real wealth

Paper collage illustration of Black hands passing a suburban home on grass to another pair of Black hands; the hands have maps of places like Montgomery, Ala. (Trevor Davis for NBC News)

Weve heard and reported previously about the plight of Black land ownership, and the ways so many families have lost the land that their ancestors acquired as a means to create generational wealth. When contributor Patrice Gaines reached out, interested in figuring out exactly why this was happening, it felt like a perfect opportunity to talk to those who were taking the right steps to actually realize their ancestors dreams  and hard work. The process is no quick fix, but as these families have shared with us, it is possible.

 Michelle Garcia, NBC BLK editorial director

In Case You Missed It

Select: Online Shopping, Simplified

Do your lips get dry even after applying lip balm? The very thing thats supposed to help, is doing the exact opposite. Select asked experts why this happens and how to ensure the balm you use moisturizes your skin.

Thanks for reading todays Morning Rundown. Todays newsletter was curated for you by Elizabeth Both. If youre a fan, please send a link to your family and friends. They can sign-up here.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) Early Monday morning, more than 1,000 people came together for the 39th Annual Black History Month Observance Breakfast. The theme of the morning: looking back and looking forward.

Attendees listened to keynote speaker, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, the first African American to lead a one of the major house caucuses. Congressman Jeffries highlighted the importance of recalling history to create a resilient future. More from Leader Jeffries can be found, here.

Entire Keynote Speech from Congressman Jeffries

Recipients are selected annually for the Legacy of Leadership Award. Two of 2024s recipients; Phenix City Mayor Eddie Lowe and Columbus Mayor Skip Henderson. WRBL caught up with the two mayors to get their initial reactions.

Its one of those things I think its really undeserved by any one person. I believe Eddie will tell you the same thing, it really identifies the fact that theres so many good people in this region that are all working for the right things, for the right reasons, Mayor Henderson said. Sometimes as mayor, you just get to take a bow for other peoples really hard work.

I was totally surprised and shocked. But as Mayor Henderson said, we realize in this role its not about us. Its all about what we do for the people. And I always say this, and this wont be the last time you hear it, but we both understand that the quickest way to build any community is to build the people up, Mayor Lowe said. And you do that with a pure heart, not looking for anything in return, because thats what true leadership is, you are thinking more about others than you do yourself. And I can speak on his behalf that thats the way we always try to carry ourselves.

In addition, proceeds for the event are distributed to several organizations that support underserved populations and preserve the cultural history of African Americans across the tri-communities. Some of this years recipients include Girls Inc., The Plummer Home, and the Tree of Black Healthcare. Heres what the two mayors said when asked to highlight the importance of building up younger generations.

5P Newscast: Mayor Eddie Low and Ret. Col. Myles Caggins

Its important and more mission critical that we instill in our young people basically how to love and respect people because as Ive stated, we want to bring our region into an inclusive region that would build in strength, Mayor Lowe said. So, its mission critical that we are instilling in our young people, and that they see things like this, and they see Skip Henderson and me with different ethnicity and how we love each other, but how were working for the good of the whole. That is more important now than I think it ever has been.

The younger generation is really, really smart. Theyre a lot smarter than we were. I mean, they get it. They understand that youve got to talk about things in the past in order to make sure that you learn from them and move forward and try to find a better path in the future, Mayor Henderson said. Mayor Lowe has a scholarship program that hes put together that sends hundreds of kids to their higher education through college. Were working on a Summer Youth Employment Program where we have about 100 kids that were trying to indoctrinate into the work force and let them know that there are other ways to get involved and raise a family instead of getting on the streets.

Two additional recipients were selected: Myles and Ann Caggins.

Ret. Col. Myles Caggins served two tours in the Vietnam War and came home to serve his community. He is a member of Kappa Alpha PSI Fraternity Inc and serves with the 100 Black Men of Columbus.

5:30P Newscast: Mayor Skip Henderson and Ann Caggins

Ann Caggins is most notably known for serving as the director for 70,000 volunteers across a 20-state jurisdiction of the American Red Cross. She continues to volunteer her time as chair of the Black History Month Observance committee, leading the organization through the COVID pandemic in sharing their message online while continuing to raise funds. More on all four recipients can be found below.

2024 Legacy of Leadership Award Recipient: Mayor Eddie Lowe (CCGTV)

2024 Legacy of Leadership Award Recipient: Mayor Skip Henderson (CCGTV)

2024 Legacy of Leadership Award Recipient: Myles and Ann Caggins (CCGTV)

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WRBL.
Jan 24, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, United States; Ohio State Senator William P. DeMora of the 25th District speaks during a debate on whether or not to override Governor Mike DeWine's veto of House Bill 68.

Ohio Sen. Andrew Brenner, R-Delaware, serves as the chairman of the Senates Education Committee.

State Sen. Bill DeMora, a Columbus Democrat, did not tell the truth in the guest column he penned for the Dispatch on Feb. 13 on state spending for public schools.

DeMora claims Republican lawmakers are diverting precious funds away from our public schools by expanding school choice for K-12 students.

That is false. We spent a record amount on public education.

Our budget provides a record funding for K-12 public schools of $9.6 billion in fiscal year 2024 and $9.9 billion in fiscal year 2025.

That is an increase of 12.9%  nearly $2 billion  over the previous year.

DeMora claims Ohios education system has been chronically underfunded.

False.

DeMora disingenuously implies Ohio has fallen from fifth to 29th in school performance since Republicans have taken over because we are asking public schools to continuously do more with less.

False.

Sen. Andrew Brenner

Schools arent getting less. They are getting more and more, every year.

DeMora: Should state allocate even more public funds for unregulated private schools? O-H-I-NO.

DeMora dead wrong. 'Ohio does very well' by its public school districts, teachers.

From fiscal year 2014 to fiscal year 2023:

All funds per pupil operating revenue increased from $11,768 to $17,117 (31.2%)

Average operating expenditures per pupil increased from $10,649 to $15,492 (31.3%) (Source  Ohio Legislative Service Commission)

Facts show that DeMora is not telling the truth.

Public schools received more money. In fact, record amounts.

Not only are they getting record funding, they are also sitting on top of vast amounts of cash.

The districts year-end cash balance reports show how much of their state and local revenues were not spent in the prior year.

Columbus City Schools, had a $244 million cash balance at the end of 2023. Columbus is forecasting a $303 million balance for 2024, and a $347 million cash balance in 2025.

Statewide, districts compiled a year-end cash balance of $9.6 billion in at the end of 2023.

DeMora also did not tell the truth when he claims Republicans are also diverting precious funds away from our public schools to expand the school voucher program.

Every school voucher used by students actually saves taxpayers money.

It costs about $15,000 to educate a student in a public school in the state of Ohio  some districts spend far more (districts are spending a statewide average of $15,427.50 per pupil to educate a student.)

Vouchers cost significantly less, up to $6,165 for K-8 students or $8,407 for high school students.

The Educational Choice Scholarship (EdChoice) program allows parents to make the best decisions for their kids education.

The budget we passed last year makes every student in Ohio eligible for an EdChoice scholarship, for the first time in state history.

Any student whose family income is at or below $135,000 (450% of the federal poverty level) is eligible for a full EdChoice scholarship.

Students with family incomes above $135,000 are eligible for a means-tested, proportionally reduced EdChoice scholarship award.

So, why is DeMora so vehement in his criticism of school choice?

Money.

But not for the kids.

Money for the unions that fund campaigns for Democrats.

Almost all of the political contributions made by teachers unions go through two national organizations.

National organizations that demonize  parents.

American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten recently compared school choice and parental rights advocates to segregationists who opposed the integration of schools.

I cant think of anything more actually racist than trapping poor Black kids in the failing schools in these big blue cities dominated by a super-majority of radical progressives who are running the cities and destroying schools, responded South Carolina GOP Senator Tim Scott.

One would think these unions would be focused on education, but there is abundant proof theyre more interested in funding the radical ideology of the far left, while vilifying parents who speak out about it, or dare explore better educational opportunities for their children. And unfortunately, that includes Bill DeMora.

Ohio Sen. Andrew Brenner, R-Delaware, serves as the chairman of the Senates Education Committee.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio GOP isn't cheating public schools. Democrats vehement about unions.
Columbus police homicide detectives are investigating a fatal shooting that occurred on the city's Southeast Side in Fairfield County that left a 21-year-old man dead. Authorities have taken one woman into custody.

A Columbus woman is facing a murder charge in the murder of her son after domestic dispute turned fatal Monday afternoon at an apartment complex on the city's Southeast Side in Fairfield County.

Laquandra Williams, 44, is charged with murder in the shooting death of her son, Jahaad Hughes, 21, who resided in Reynoldsburg's Briarcliff neighborhood, according to a release from the Columbus police Homicide Unit.

Columbus police responded Monday afternoon to a fatal shooting in the 2800 block of Drew Heights Place in the Tussing Place apartments off Tussing Road in a section of the city in Fairfield County.

According to a probable cause affidavit, Columbus police responded about 1:45 p.m. Monday to a report of a shooting in the 2800 block of Drew Heights Place in the Tussing Place apartments complex, located off of Tussing Road in a section of the city in Fairfield County. Witnesses at the scene told investigators that a domestic dispute started between Hughes and Williams inside their home, and that at some point Williams grabbed a knife and attempted to stab Hughes.

Williams was able to wrestle the knife away from Williams during the altercation. At that point, Williams allegedly said "I'm going to show you something", then went out to her car where witnesses said they knew she kept a handgun. Minutes later, Hughes attempted to leave the residence. As he walked out with bags in his hand, Williams got out of her vehicle and shot Hughes at point blank range, according to the affidavit.

Three witnesses saw Williams shoot Hughes. Medics transported Hughes in critical condition to Mount Carmel East hospital where he died from his injuries at 3:03 p.m., detectives said.

Officers immediately took Williams into custody. During an interview at Columbus police headquarters, Williams admitted to shooting her son, the affidavit states.

She is being held in the Fairfield County jail. She will face murder charges in Fairfield County.

The investigation into the shooting is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call the Columbus police Homicide Unit at (614) 645-4730, or Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at (614) 461-TIPS (8477).

@ShahidMeighan

smeighan@dispatch.com

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus woman facing murder charge after domestic dispute turns fatal
A person cannot be forced to fight, Commander of the Terra unit of the Third Assault Brigade Mykola Volokhov, said on national TV on Feb. 20, commenting on the issue of mobilization in Ukraine.

Read also: Ukraines 3rd Assault Brigade units surrounded in Avdiivka, managed to escape

They (the soldiers) can only be motivated. We need to motivate people, he said.

That is why, for example, in our Third Assault Brigade, we do not use the word mobilization; instead, we use the word recruitment. Recruitment entails a series of actions where individuals are informed about the necessity of enlistment. As someone who voluntarily joined the Armed Forces from the first day of the war, it is imperative.

Read also: Ukraine may have deployed 3rd Assault Brigade to save Avdiivka  Forbes

Some people think that the soldiers like to fight, but he does not like it, said Volokhov.

I like riding a motorcycle in the mountains, he added.

Read also: Ukrainian officer on withdrawal from Avdiivka  interview

Volokhov noted that in order to build a normal country, we need to win the war.

On Jan. 8, the Verkhovna Radas Social Policy Committee unanimously decided to recommend that the Defense Committee finalize the bill on mobilization. The Anti-Corruption Committee found risks in the document.

On Jan. 30, the government registered a new version of the bill in the Verkhovna Rada. It proposes, among other things, to introduce notice of conscription through the conscripts electronic office. Other innovations include lowering the conscription age to 25, setting the demobilization period at 36 months, introducing voluntary mobilization for convicts, restrictions on evaders, banning civil service without military training, and more.

The bill was presented in the Verkhovna Rada by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov and former Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi.

On Jan. 31, Deputy Head of the Radas Defense Committee Yegor Chernev said that they still had questions about the bill, but that the second version, according to him, was more workable.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Concerns over the sustainability of Iowa's only regional transit system took center stage at the Des Moines City Council meeting Monday night.

Multiple community members pleaded with the City Council to help keep the bus system afloat after Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority officials said they will likely have to make "drastic" cuts to its bus services should the council not approve at least a partial amount of new funding.

Cody Dolinsek, a philosophy professor at Drake University, urged council members to think about people who rely on the bus system. Dolinsek, who is blind, said that he uses the transit service to get to his job at the university, and added those who can't work due to a lack of transportation options have a harder time participating in society.

More: DART asks Des Moines to 'compromise' with lower franchise fee to avoid service cuts

"Even if people do what we might consider minimal work, it is still work that is valued by someone and there ought to be a transportation system in place that would exclude no one," Dolinsek said.

DART, which is primarily funded through property taxes, faces an estimated $2.7 million deficit in fiscal year 2025 if Des Moines doesn't increase its share of funding, DART officials contend.

A DART bus drives along University Avenue after a second round of snow blankets the area on Friday, Jan. 12, 2024, in Des Moines.

This means the transit system could see a 40% reduction in services over the next five years, with the first round starting in November affecting nearly all local bus routes in Des Moines. For the majority of public transit users, the proposed cuts would likely mean longer wait times; less frequent bus service, with some routes running only at peak travel times; and limited weekend service.

Alternatively, the City Council could vote to increase its franchise fee, a tax on gas and electric bills, up to 2.5% to fund public transit, a step that was authorized last year by state lawmakers. That would offer, at least temporarily, a reprieve from cuts to current bus routes and service levels, according to DART officials.

DART officials previously told the Des Moines Register that it was urging the council to make its decision sometime in the first few months of the year for DART to begin its budget process.

As of Monday, transportation and city officials confirmed conversations are continuing. For its part, DART is preparing more than one budget for the fiscal year 2025, which starts July 1, "to allow for maximum flexibility as the City of Des Moines weighs what level of funding it can contribute over the next few years," DART spokesperson Sarah Welch said in an email to the Register.

Des Moines community member Abby Bankes, who said she was taught by Dolinsek, told council members he's just one of the "million" reasons to keep DART alive.

Bankes said she has talked to multiple DART users and said it's clear the city has done an "absolutely abysmal" job of communicating the impacts of potential service cuts.

Also on Monday, council members approved a rezoning request to allow DART to relocate its operations and maintenance facility from 1100 DART Way to 3500 Vandalia Ave. DART officials say they're now moving forward with the first phase at an estimated cost of $35 million, with 75% from federal funding and 25% from local funding already secured.

Just before the vote, council member Joe Gatto said: "I'm glad we're not seeing a cut with this since that's all we've heard about is cuts with DART. I'm glad we're able to, I guess, at least get their new maintenance facility built without a franchise fee being passed by Des Moines."

During her speaking time, Bankes addressed Gatto's comment, calling it "childish" and "uncalled for."

Virginia Barreda is the Des Moines city government reporter for the Register. She can be reached at vbarreda@dmreg.com. Follow her on Twitter at @vbarreda2.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Des Moines council urged to fund DART, avoid bus route cuts
DaySpring Baptist Church celebrated elders who have impacted the lives of others in the Gainesville community with a program filled with reflection, songs and worship.

Held in recognition of Black History Month, the church at 1945 NE Eighth Ave. on Sunday held a service to honor unsung heroes - Mother Diotha Bell, Mother Julia Brown, Mother Lillie Davis, Mother Jessie McKnight, Deacon Lonnie Henley and John Smith.

Were here to honor our unsung heroes and tell you thank you and that you are being held by his (God's) almighty hand, said Mary Harrison, who presided over the service.

The service was one the best programs the church has hosted this year, said the Rev. Dr. Marie Herring, pastor of the church.

Sometimes you think your good deeds go unnoticed, but we notice, Herring said.

Herring thanked her husband, Lenton Pop Herring, and Minister Reshone Flanders for organizing the service.

Flanders thanked the elders for their sacrifice.

They were consistent, persistent and dedicated to make sure our lives were better than the ones they had, Flanders said. We appreciate our elders who sacrificed a lot in the community and they dont even know what theyve done. They live and dont even know that they are serving.

Mike Powell, founder of MP & Associates, gave a Black History Unsung Hero presentation on the late Clara Jackson McLaughlin, who was born in Brunswick, Georgia, and grew up in Gainesville. McLaughlin died in 2021 at the age of 81.

Black history: Gainesville and Alachua County community to celebrate Black History Month

She attended Howard University and as editor-in-chief of the schools newspaper, the university became the first HBCU to win the All-American Award for a student publication.

McLaughlin in 2002 became owner and publisher of the Florida Star that serves the Black community in Jacksonville and is the oldest Black-owned newspaper in northeast Florida. She created the Georgia Star three years later to serve the Brunswick community.

After Powells presentation, the ceremony to recognize the unsung heroes in the community began.

Each honoree was given a certificate and a bouquet of flowers for their efforts.

Minister Reshone Flanders, right, holds the microphone to Hopewell Baptist Church Deacon Lonnie Henley while he accepts his certificate during the Black History Month service Sunday at DaySpring Baptist Church in northeast Gainesville. (Credit: Photo by Voleer Thomas, Correspondent)

Jerald Means introduced Bell, who is her mother, and talked about the impact she had on her life and others.

The Rev. Dr. Marie Herring, pastor of DaySpring Baptist Church, speaks during the church's Black History Month service held Sunday to honor six unsung heroes in the community. (Credit: Photo by Voleer Thomas, Correspondent)

Bell, 95, is the eldest of six children and a mother of three, as well as being a grandmother and great grandmother.

The New Testament Dancers of DaySpring Baptist Church perform to African drums during the Black History Month service held Sunday at the church in northeast Gainesville. (Credit: Photo by Voleer Thomas, Correspondent)

Means described her mother as witty and an avid reader.

She loves her family and above that, she loves God, Means said. She is a great woman of God and a great person to be around.

Minister Jane Barclay introduced Brown, who is her mother.

Barclay said her mother, who will turn 93 on June 16, and family settled in the Grove Park community in Alachua County after leaving Georgia.

They waded through swamps, Barclay said. Some of her siblings dont like the story being told but its our history and we should know about it.

Barclay said her mother had eight children and was married at the age of 15.

She birthed so many children spiritually and lived a full life, Barclay said. She is a prayer warrior in this area and around the city.

Cathy Norman introduced Davis, who is her grandmother, and described her as funny and caring.

She has nine children and raised a nephew which shows her heart is so special, Norman said. To me, she is the eighth wonder of the world.

Davis, 97, is known for her giving nature and making sure people in the community are fed and taken care of.

Janice Phillips introduced McKnight, her mother, who was born Aug. 19, 1935.

McKnight has served the Church of God by Faith for 70 years in Gainesville and is a mother of four children.

She loved teaching her children the ways of the Lord, Phillips said. She also led the Women of Purpose Ministry in the church and was the chair of the National Pastors' Wives Association. Her greatest passion is her love for people and her special gift is to care for people.

Pop Herring introduced Henley, who is 85 and a deacon at Hopewell Baptist Church in Gainesville.

Henley is active in the community and participates in different programs in churches and provides food sometimes during games at Citizens Field, Pop Herring said.

Henley and his wife, Rosemary Henley, would dress in matching colors wherever they went, Pop Herring said.

You are a living example of what life should be, Pop Herring said. You are a great father to your kids. I love you man and I appreciate you.

Smith, who is also known as "Crevasse" because he worked at Crevasses Florist for more than 60 years, was also honored.

The Rev. Dr. W.G. Mayberry spoke a few words about Smith and remembered being taught by Smith during swimming lessons at Andrew Mickle Sr. pool in southeast Gainesville.

He is a great man of integrity and worked for Crevasses for many years, Mayberry said. Hes an honest man who didnt mind working.

I was the oldest student in his (swimming) class, Mayberry said. I didnt care. I wanted to learn how to swim.

Pop Herring closed out the service with final remarks.

We will not repeat our history, he said. I want to thank the church and the participants. It was Black History Week when I started, but I cant tell you the joy I feel when I celebrate Black History.

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: 6 unsung heroes honored at DaySpring Baptist Church on Sunday
San Antonio police and firefighters recently responded to a scene where a suspected drunken driver drove their pickup through a Goodwill storefront while attempting to park on the Northwest Side. A study shows in Texas, more than four out of every 10 drivers involved in a fatal crash had a blood-alcohol content that exceeded the legal limit of 0.08. Ken Branca/21 ProVideo

Texans like to go big, but its drivers should consider staying home after drinking alcohol, according to a recent study.

The state has the highest number of drivers likely to operate a vehicle while intoxicated, found a study conducted by Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers, a firm out of Louisiana.

They analyzed data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on alcohol impairment levels of drivers who were involved in fatal crashes from 2017 to 2021.

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The top five states, ranked in order, are Texas, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Montana and Washington.

Researchers looked at blood-alcohol content levels above .08, which is considered legally drunk, and also analyzed those drivers who were .15 or higher, almost twice the legal limit, in each state.

They found more than four out of every 10 drivers involved in a fatal crash in Texas had a blood-alcohol content that exceeded the legal limit of .08, researchers found. Nearly 30 percent were above .15, nearly twice the legal limit.

San Antonio has had several high-profile people charged with driving while intoxicated.

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More than four out of every 10 drivers involved in a fatal crash in Texas had a blood-alcohol content that exceeded the legal limit. (Photo by Paul J. RICHARDS / AFP) (Photo credit should read PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP via Getty Images) PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP via Getty Images

Northside ISD Trustee Karla Duran was charged with DWI this year, but the charges were dismissed last week by a special prosecutor after Bexar County District Attorney Joe D. Gonzales recused himself and the office from the case because he and Duran are acquainted politically as elected Democrats.

The study also gauged drivers on the opposite end  those where the lowest percentage of drivers over the legal limit are involved in fatality crashes. They are Utah, Kentucky, Kansas, Mississippi and West Virginia.

One of the lawyers with the firm that promoted the study, Digger Earles, said the data "underscores a critical and ongoing issue on our roads: the devastating impact of alcohol impairment on road safety."

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The owners of a well linked to one of the worst methane leaks ever recorded are to be fined more than 350 million tenge ($774,000; 614,000), authorities have said.

Last week the BBC published new analysis showing thousands of tonnes of the greenhouse gas escaped from a well in southwestern Kazakhstan in 2023.

Buzachi Neft, the Kazakh company that owns the well, denies this.

But authorities say "violations of environmental legislation" took place.

The leak began in June last year, when a blowout was reported at an exploration well in the Mangistau region in southwestern Kazakhstan. It went on until Christmas Day.

While methane is invisible to the naked eye, some satellites are able to track plumes of the gas.

By using five different satellite instruments, scientists detected high concentrations of methane on 115 separate occasions in that six-month period.

They estimated that 127,000 tonnes of methane escaped from this single well.

That is the equivalent to greenhouse gas emissions from more than 717,000 petrol cars over a year.

Map showing clouds of methane coming out of a natural gas well

Methane is a far more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.

In a statement released on Monday, the Department of Ecology in the Mangistau region said it found "excessive amounts of methane in the air" between June and December 2023.

It also said it carried out an "unscheduled inspection" in January.

While pollutants were found in the soil, the department told the BBC no further methane was found in the air.

Recent satellite readings appear to back this up.

"Three subsequent observations on 1, 12 and 14 January 2024 confirm the definitive cessation of the leak," said Luis Guanter from the Polytechnic University of Valencia, who helped verify the leak.

According to "preliminary calculations" by the department, Buzachi Neft faces a fine of more than 350,000 tenge.

The company has also been ordered to come up with a "remediation programme" to deal with the environmental impact.

Buzachi Neft did not respond to our request for comment.

But the company had previously told the BBC it denied any "substantial amount" of methane had leaked from the well.

An official investigation into the causes of the accident - led by Atyrau's Industrial Safety Committee - found that Buzachi Neft failed to appropriately supervise the drilling of the well.

It also blamed Zaman Energo, a subcontractor, for numerous failures in the drilling process. Zaman Energo declined to comment.

At last year's COP28 climate summit, Kazakhstan joined the Global Methane Pledge - a voluntary agreement by more than 150 countries to slash their methane emissions by 30% by 2030.

Additional reporting by BBC Monitoring's Dilmurad Avalbaev.

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AUSTIN (KXAN)  When looking at the future of Austins energy generation, Mayor Kirk Watson says hes looking at three prongs: sustainability and climate, affordability and reliability.

Those prongs are elements Austin Energy is looking at right now as part of its 2030 Resource, Generation and Climate Protection Plan, which is slated to come back to Austin City Council next month.

Austin Mayor takes aim at citys biggest greenhouse gas emitter

But late Friday, Watson announced in a newsletter that he was concerned about the direction Austin Energy was heading with that plan. Namely, that he didnt feel it incorporated a hard enough approach to departing from Austins largest greenhouse gas producer  the Fayette Power Plant.

I think we need to set a clear vision of a goal on when were going to get out of this, Watson said. And we should continue to balance those three things that I talked about, we run our issues and our questions through the prism of how do we get out of Fayette Power Plant no later than January of 2029.

Austin Energy said in a written response to KXAN Friday that it was exploring options in light of the mayors remarks.

The Fayette Power Plant, roughly an hour from downtown Austin, is a coal-fired power plant. It was one of the plants included in a University of Texas research project that looked at the health impacts of that kind of energy generation nationwide.

Ultimately, researchers found roughly half a million deaths tied to coal power in the United States since 1999, though those numbers have gone down dramatically  95%  since 2020 because of the installation of scrubbers or the shutdown of plants nationwide as the nation moves to cleaner energy. Researchers looked specifically at the Medicare population.

Corwin Zigler, an associate professor of statistics and data sciences at UT, put the findings simply: Pollution that originates specifically from a coal power plant, theres some evidence that its particularly bad for people.

On top of the health risks, Watson claims the Fayette Power Plant is Austins single largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions.

It represents three-quarters of Austin Energys emissions and about a quarter of Austins overall emissions, Watson wrote in his newsletter. The plant is also a huge consumer of our limited water supply.

Watson ultimately wants Austin Energy to take another crack at its forward-looking energy generation plan, and shut down its portion of the plant by January 2029. It would mean negotiating with the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA)  which co-owns the plant.

The Fayette Power Project is important to the reliability of the ERCOT market. As a partner in FPP, the city of Austin must meet its contractual obligations related to the plant. We value our years-long partnership and look forward to working with the city of Austin in the future and hearing any proposal the city may bring forward, a spokesperson for the LCRA said.

That spokesperson added that the LCRA plans to continue operating the plant as long as it continues to provide reliable, cost-effective power.

Doug Lewin, an energy expert and author of the Texas Energy and Power Newsletter, said unlike a decade ago, when Austin City Council members first started talking about their desire to eliminate Austins portion of the plant, cleaner options are now starting to become cheaper than coal  a central argument against shutting down the plant years ago.

It really is a remarkable moment were living in right now where solar actually is cheaper than other forms of power. As recently as four, five years ago that was not the case, said Lewin.

When it comes to replacing the power generated by the plant, Lewin pointed to a combination of wind, solar and storage.

But theres also things like long-duration energy storage  theres iron-air batteries, which are using the power of rust, actually, to store energy. Theres geothermal, which is becoming much, much more cost competitive and not to be neglected, he said. Theres the demand side, theres doing things like energy efficiency to lower demand, and actually having demand flexibility.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. - Officials are investigating a wreck that killed a construction worker on Interstate 75 in Clayton County.

The Georgia Department of Transportation says the crash happened at around 10:30 p.m. on the interstate near Mount Zion Boulevard.

According to officials, a black Kia Forte traveling north on the interstate went into a construction zone and hit a worker. The worker died at the scene.

The crash shut down all lanes on the interstate for hours overnight. The lanes are back open on Tuesday morning.

Investigators have not released the identity of the worker at this time.

It is not known if the driver of the Kia will face charges.

The crash remains under investigation.
Decades after a convicted child molester killed two girls in Broward, a jury is deciding if he should live or die  for the third time  following recent changes to the death penalty.

In 1999, Howard Steven Ault was convicted of raping an 11-year-old girl in front of her 7-year-old sister before strangling both girls and shoving their bodies in his attic. The 57-year-old is currently sitting through a resentencing for the 1996 murders of DeAnn Emerald Mumin, 11, and Alicia Sybilla Jones, 7, whom he lured into his Fort Lauderdale duplex with the promise of Halloween candy.

A screenshot of the Nov. 13, 1996 front cover of the Broward edition of the Miami Herald including photos of DeAnn Emerald Mumin, 11, and Alicia Sybilla Jones, 7. In 1999, Howard Steven Ault was convicted of killing the girls.

Facing the possibility of being condemned to death row a third time, Aults fate depends on eight jurors after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a law last April that allows juries to recommend a death sentence with an 8-4 vote instead of a unanimous vote. Florida now has the lowest threshold in the U.S.

DeSantis pushed for the change in law after the Parkland school shooter, who killed 17 in 2018, was spared from the death penalty. In late 2022, only nine of the 12 jurors voted for death.

READ MORE: DeSantis signs death penalty bill. It could have sent Parkland shooter to death row.

The latest changes the death penalty has undergone raises uncertainty about its future in Florida, said Craig Trocino, director of the Innocence Clinic at the University of Miamis School of Law.

Resentenced for a third time?

In 2017, the Florida Supreme Court granted Ault, who was on death row, a new sentencing hearing after it found that Floridas death penalty process was unconstitutional because it didnt require that jurors make a unanimous decision.

The jury in the 2007 resentencing recommended Ault be put to death in a 9-3 and 10-2 vote for the murders of DeAnn and Alicia, respectively.

READ MORE: Convicted child killer sought to fire attorneys before third death penalty sentencing

Jurors in the original sentencing, which took place in 2000, opted to send Ault to the electric chair. But three years later, the Florida Supreme Court ordered a new sentencing over concerns about the jury selection process at Aults trial.

The order for Aults 2017 resentencing was brought on by the U.S. Supreme Court finding Floridas sentencing scheme unconstitutional, Trocino said. And looking back at the cases outcome may shed some light on what could be in store in the future.

U.S. Supreme Court weighs in

In the Hurst v. Florida case, the Supreme Court justices ruled that all jurors must find aggravating factors, or facts related to a crime, before handing down a death sentence. The court also found that Florida judges had too much power compared to juries in death penalty cases.

After the ruling from the nations highest court, Floridas Supreme Court found the law unconstitutional and declared that death sentences must be determined by an unanimous jury instead of in a 10-2 vote.

That raises the very real possibility that the United States Supreme Court can find that scheme unconstitutional, and were back to where we are now with Mr. Ault and many similarly situated people, Trocino said.

The United States Supreme Court (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)

Before Hurst v. Florida, Trocino said, a jury could have agreed on an aggravating circumstance  that the crime was heinous, atrocious and cruel or cold, calculated and premeditated  but it wasnt known how many jurors voted for which factor.

Under current state law, a jury must unanimously find that prosecutors proved at least one aggravating factor beyond a reasonable doubt. They must also determine that aggravators outweigh mitigating factors, which provide context related to the defendant that could be used to help advocate against the death penalty.

Following the Hurst decision, the state had to determine which death row inmates would be eligible for resentencing, Trocino said. They did so by considering another case in which the U.S. Supreme Court weighed on the death penalty: Ring v. Arizona.

The court ordered that anyone on death row who was sentenced before the Ring decision in 2002 wouldnt receive a resentencing. Though convicted in the 90s, Ault qualified under the criteria because of his second death penalty sentencing in 2007.

Una pareja de Florida se declaro culpable de conspirar para importar madera contrachapada en violacion a varias leyes.

Death penalty cases, like Aults, can take decades from verdict to sentence. Resentencings can be costly, time consuming and emotional exhausting for a victims loved ones.

However, for Trocino, theyre also traumatic for the jury.

I dont think thats discussed nearly enough, Trocino said. ...The jury is sitting there listening to all of this, having to assess all of this, and then [they have to] vote on this ultimate sanction or not.
One evening in 2016, John walked out of his career planners office carrying a blue-and-red folder that contained his completed reenlistment package. The junior enlisted Marine had a decision to make: Should he submit the package and stay in the Marine Corps, or leave the service the following year?

When John entered his workplace, his enlisted leaders greeted him by screaming at him for a menial mistake, something like forgetting to take out the trash or sweep properly.

I was like, Do I really want to subject myself to this for another four years? John recalled in a January interview with Marine Corps Times.

Once his leaders had left for the night, he chucked the folder in the trash.

John, now a Navy officer, spoke freely about his time in the military under the condition that Marine Corps Times not use his real name.

Here are some of the ways the Marines are trying to improve retention

Before the past few years, three quarters of enlisted Marines departed after one four-year term, as John did. Back then, the Marine Corps personnel model was to recruit young civilians, turn them into Marines, give them specialized training and churn most of them back out after four years.

But since 2021, the Corps has changed its approach.

It has thrown new bonuses and job options at enlisted Marines. It has tweaked its promotion policies to encourage reenlistments. It has promised long-term improvements to quality of life, albeit not many short-term fixes to the dire condition of the barracks.

The result? More and more Marines are opting to stay for second enlistments.

But the Marine Corps has room to grow in retention, according to Col. Eric Reid, the Corps head of manpower plans, programs and budget. It is not the case that the service has too many reenlistments on its hands.

Were a long way away from having that problem, although I would welcome that problem, Reid told Marine Corps Times in January.

Even as more Marines sign on for second terms, lured in part by the Corps new focus on retention, many other Marines still  for a variety of reasons  decide to throw their reenlistment packages in the trash.

The Marine Corps already has seen a marked increase in the number of Marines who choose to stay. (Lance Cpl. Alfonso Livrieri/Marine Corps)

Some of the initiatives the Corps is pushing as a way to keep boosting retention will be expensive. Some will take a long time. Some may work, and some may not.

And the retention efforts hardly address what many Marine veterans say was a main reason they left: the indifferent, belittling or malicious treatment they received from some of their leaders.

The case for keeping Marines in

The Marine Corps already has seen a marked increase in the number of Marines who choose to stay.

In fiscal year 2020, the Marine Corps got 5,428 first-term enlisted Marines to reenlist, missing its goal by more than 300, according to data provided by Marine spokeswoman Capt. Sarah Eason.

But enlisted retention crept up in the ensuing years, and in fiscal year 2023 the Marine Corps aimed to have 6,225 first-term Marines reenlist. It overshot that goal, executing 7,079 first-term reenlistments.

The number of Marines choosing to reenlist after a second term in the service has modestly increased, according to the data.

Officer retention, however, has dropped, with 11% of officers leaving active duty in fiscal year 2023, compared to 8% in fiscal year 2019. Eason attributed that to the scrapping of some officer jobs, the militarys now-rescinded COVID-19 vaccine mandate and some officers delaying their separations until the economic uncertainties of the pandemic subsided. She said numbers are returning to pre-pandemic norms.

The unintended consequences of aging the Marine Corps

The Marine Corps retention efforts arent about making everyone happy, Reid said.

Its about being ready to answer the nations call and to fight and prevail on battlefields we see going into the 2030s and 2040, Reid said.

In preparing for conflict with a technologically sophisticated adversary, namely the Chinese military, the service has revamped the way it fights.

The Marines who would fire at enemy ships from temporary bases or spy on the enemy with drones or plan deliveries of food and fuel that can escape the enemys notice require plenty of training, Marine leaders have said.

When those Marines leave after four years, the Corps loses their expertise, and it has to spend time and money training their replacements, Reid said. By holding on to those Marines, the idea goes, the service can reduce those costs.

The Marine Corps unveiled the new focus on retention in November 2021, in a document called Talent Management 2030, which emphasized the need to keep experienced Marines who could undertake the complexities of modern war.

The document also made the case for a slightly older force, alluding to research that shows people are more physically and mentally fit in their mid-20s than in their late teens and early 20s.

Some observers say a focus on retention has its downsides.

Retired Col. Warren Parker warned in an October 2022 opinion piece in Marine Corps Times that an older force could be less eager to deploy and more expensive to sustain.

A distinguishing characteristic of the Corps is, unlike the other services, we are a young, first term force eager for adventure and challenge, Parker wrote.

When those Marines leave after four years, the Corps loses their expertise, and it has to spend time and money training their replacements. (Lance Cpl. Matthew Morales/Marine Corps)

The Marine Corps hasnt engaged in a war with another great power in recent years, so it is hard to say for certain whether having a more experienced force will pay off on the battlefield, as the service predicts.

But the emphasis on retention has already helped the Marine Corps weather the recruiting difficulties that have battered the other services.

In fiscal year 2022, the Corps just barely met its recruiting goal  and only because it saw higher-than-expected retention that allowed it to lower its initial goal. It made its recruiting goal the following year, too, even as every other branch besides the Space Force came up short.

Yet Parker speculated in his op-ed that the emphasis on retention could indirectly hamper future recruitment efforts, since returning high numbers of young Marines to the civilian world as veterans helps to maintain an important link to the American people.

Managing talent

To boost retention, the Marine Corps is setting out to build a retention climate, Col. Bob McCarthy, branch head of Manpower Management Enlisted Assignments, told Marine Corps Times in January.

The Corps has tasked commanding generals with a mission to keep a certain number of their Marines, prompting them to prioritize retention, McCarthy said. Career planners have been speaking with Marines earlier in their terms about their reenlistment options.

Another key initiative is the Commandants Retention Program, which targets a few thousand of the top-performing first-term Marines annually, McCarthy said. Those Marines get a streamlined path to reenlistment and greater choice about their next duty station.

Marine Talent Management 2030: Flawed foundation, flawed document

Cpl. Walker Kerns, an F/A-18 ejection seat mechanic with the South Carolinabased Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 312, reenlisted in October 2023 through that program. He had planned to reenlist anyway, but he appreciated that he didnt have to jump through any hoops to do so, he told Marine Corps Times in January.

What that did is it allowed me to focus not only on my job, instead of primarily being focused on reenlisting, but it kind of secured my spot, so to speak, Kerns said.

The Marine Corps also is offering earlier reenlistments and promotions, loosening the policy of kicking out Marines who twice fail to get promoted, and allowing more local assignment changes to decrease the number of disruptive moves. And it is making it easier for Marines to switch jobs, in a process called lateral moves.

There are more opportunities in todays Marine Corps for you to do the things that you want and for you to be good at, McCarthy said.

But retired Col. James Van Riper told Marine Corps Times he takes issue with what he sees as the implication of Talent Management: that Marines need to be managed, rather than led.

While Marine leaders may manage materials, equipment, budgets, etc., they necessarily lead Marines, for Marines are not inanimate objects to be dealt with in the same manner as budgets or the handling of materials and equipment, he wrote via email in January.

Your bonus is that you get a bonus

One kind of reenlistment incentive the Corps is offering Marines is financial.

At a conference in February 2023, Gen. Eric Smith, now the Marine commandant, sparked outrage among Marines by remarking on the idea of paying bonuses to recruits: Your bonus is that you get to call yourself a Marine.

As the comment spread across social media, it often appeared shorn of the context about recruiting, such that many Marines seemed to think their assistant commandant was anti-bonus in all cases. Which, Smith maintained, was far from true.

The Marines who have earned that eagle, globe and anchor, youre not who I was talking to, Smith, then the assistant commandant, told Marine Corps Times the day after that remark. You, I want to give a bonus to.

In fact, the Marine Corps is offering a host of retention bonuses. And it actually does give out recruitment bonuses for certain job fields.

Marine Corps vows to inspect every single barracks wall to wall

In 2024, infantrymen who reenlist can fetch a $27,000 reenlistment kicker, plus tens of thousands more depending on how much time they have served. Reenlisting air traffic controllers get $30,000. Several dozen other in-demand specialties rate reenlistment bonuses, too.

There are bonuses for Marines who stay on in the Reserve after active duty.

There are hefty kickers for Marines who switch into jobs like counterintelligence and drone operating.

There are pay bumps for recruiters and even greater pay bumps for those who agree to stay in that often thankless job for extra time.

Not all of these financial incentives are new. But the Marine Corps has increased its spending on special pay for enlisted Marines from $146 million in fiscal year 2017, or approximately $184 million in todays dollars, to $214 million in fiscal year 2023, according to budget documents.

Yet paying people more money costs money  and to get money, the Marine Corps relies on Congress.

Congress sets standard base pay for troops across the services. For other kinds of pay, the Marine Corps is also to a large extent at the mercy of Congress.

Lawmakers havent yet passed the full budget for the fiscal year, leaving some of the financial incentives the Marine Corps has planned for in limbo, Reid said in January.

Were not able to move quite as quickly as we wanted to this year to fully execute, the colonel said. Were mitigating the risk right now to our retention plan.  I think were going to find a way to adapt.

Better barracks and chow  someday

Low pay, sluggish reenlistment processes and a lack of job choice are far from the only issues that have pushed good Marines to leave the Corps, Marine leaders have acknowledged.

The barracks, often known as the bricks, are 34 years old on average, according to Smith, and often in a sorry state. Mold is a persistent problem in the Corps barracks, as it is in other branches housing.

The service is planning some improvements to barracks management, maintenance and furniture in the short term. On Feb. 7, it announced a wall-to-wall inspection of every single barracks room and squad bay to assess the problems in the facilities.

But better barracks wont come cheap or quickly.

The Marine Corps wants Congress to give it approximately $1.5 billion a year for barracks, up from $300 million a year, according to an internal memo obtained by Marine Corps Times. And it will take a decade to resolve the barracks problems, Smith said in October 2023.

Marine Corps vows to inspect every single barracks wall to wall

In the meantime, the Corps School of InfantryEast in North Carolina had to shut down a shower facility in December 2023 and send in a health inspector because of apparent black mold coating the ceiling. The following month, photos taken by a Marine at the West Coast infantry school revealed dead vermin and general disarray.

Corps leadership has an idea of what better barracks would look like.

Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Carlos Ruiz posted an Instagram video in January showing off the glossy new barracks building for Marines at Naval Weapons Station Yorktown, Virginia.

These barracks of the future, as Ruiz called them, boast a gym, sleek lounge areas, in-room thermostats, walk-in closets and plenty of natural light.

Thats where we want to get to, Ruiz said.

The Marine Corps also sees food as an area it needs to improve if it wants to keep more Marines.

The Marine Corps also sees food as an area it needs to improve if it wants to keep more Marines. The service plans to renovate its chow halls and consider implementing meal cards. (Cpl. Jose Villalobosrocha/Marine Corps)

That could mean meal cards for Marines to use at a variety of on-base locations, Lt. Gen. James Glynn, deputy commandant for manpower and reserve affairs, told reporters in March 2023. The service also plans to invest in renovating its chow halls, Smith said the same month.

In the future world of recruiting challenges, we cannot lose a 12-year intelligence professional or artillery Marine because we could not provide access to pediatric care or a high quality chow hall, the Marine Corps warned that month in an update to its Talent Management 2030 plan.

Miss the clowns, not the circus

After Marine Corps Times published a call for readers to weigh in for this story, more than 200 responses poured in, providing an unscientific overview of why Marines leave the service. Each told a unique story.

Some left because they lacked opportunities in their job fields, a problem the Marine Corps is now trying to counteract by offering more lateral moves, or they couldnt get promoted. Some left because of medical issues, exacerbated by physical training and the Corps suck-it-up mentality.

Some left because they were disillusioned with the withdrawal from Afghanistan, the vaccine mandate or the introduction of women into infantry jobs. Some left because they faced discrimination on the basis of their race, sexuality or gender.

Some left because their spouses threatened them with divorce if they didnt leave, and sometimes those spouses divorced them anyway. Some left because they hated being forced to serve as recruiters. Some left because they wanted to pursue full-time college or higher-paying jobs.

Heres how the Marine Corps plans to oust toxic leaders

But one theme emerged again and again: Lots of Marines left because they hated the way their leaders treated them.

Multiple veterans complained of being treated like a child and of fuck-fuck games, the colorful term describing the useless or nearly useless tasks that leaders sometimes force junior Marines to do. More than a dozen used the word toxic to describe their leadership.

These veterans said they left because of the gunnery sergeant who denied a Marines request to visit a dying grandmother, the second lieutenant who refused to promote a corporal who had romantic success with a certain woman they both liked, the sergeant major who yelled at Marines for there being too much dirt under the bushes by the barracks.

Many of the veterans who wrote to Marine Corps Times said they missed their peers but not their units leaders: miss the clowns, not the circus, as one put it.

Back in 2021, the Marine Corps touted one new initiative as a way to prevent toxic leadership  to clean up the circus. The service said it would solicit reviews from leaders peers and subordinates, not just their supervisors, and incorporate that 360-degree feedback into decisions about which leaders got promoted.

Then the Corps walked back that plan.

In May 2023, it unveiled a pilot program that would collect 360-degree feedback on a select group of leaders. But the feedback would be used only to help leaders construct a development plan that leverages their identified strengths and addresses any blind spots.

It wouldnt factor into decisions about promotion decisions.

When we began conducting our background research on how to execute a 360-degree review we identified incongruities with our objectives when used as an evaluation tool, Marine spokesman Maj. Jordan Cochran said in a statement at the time. These incongruities are not a concern when the tool is used strictly for development purposes.

Ruiz, the top enlisted Marine, acknowledged in a January statement to Marine Corps Times that leadership undoubtedly contributes to Marines plans in and out of service.

But he said quality-of-life issues are at the forefront of what the Corps sees when it assesses separation trends.

In a Marine Corps Times call for comments on why Marines left the Corps, one theme emerged again and again: Lots of Marines left because they hated the way their leaders treated them. (Cpl. Eric Huynh/Marine Corps)

Marines made a promise to this nation that they will fight and win when called upon, Ruiz said. Their service cannot be taken for granted, and its our responsibility as leaders to provide quality care, quality living conditions and transparent leadership.

Ruiz told Marine Corps Times on Jan. 31 that he benefited from good leaders who took the time to push him  an immigrant from Mexico who came from nothing  to try new things, to challenge himself.

If that doesnt happen during your time wearing a uniform, then youre going to seek it somewhere else, Ruiz said.

Marine leaders to get subordinate reviews, but it wont affect promotion

John, who threw his reenlistment package into a trash can nearly eight years ago and recently became a Navy officer, said his time in the Marine Corps wasnt all bad.

But he didnt like the way higher-ranking Marines in his unit treated junior Marines: reluctant to take their ideas seriously, all too quick to punish them for small infractions.

He wants to make sure his sailors dont face the kind of treatment that once discouraged him from reenlisting.

The nonsense wears on peoples minds, John said.

Kerns, the aircraft mechanic who reenlisted in 2023, said his leaders are one reason he is staying in.

Recently, even though his unit really needs him at work, leaders there let him spend three weeks at the Corporals Course, which he must complete in order to get promoted to sergeant. He saw that as them looking out for his career.

The Marine Corps has given him so much, the corporal said: strong values and interpersonal skills, leaders who support him, the chance to serve his country.

For Kerns, at least, the Marine Corps delivered on its promises. Now he wants to give back. 
The nuclear industry has a $9.8 billion impact on Tennessee's economy, and a new study is exploring the potential of the state's coming "nuclear renaissance."

Tennessee would lead states in the Southeast when it comes to return on investment for constructing new nuclear reactors, along with the creation of related jobs and wages, according to trade association E4 Carolinas, which looked at the nuclear "fertile crescent" in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.

The Knoxville region is at the center of the nation's nuclear renaissance. It's home to about 150 nuclear companies, including the Tennessee Valley Authority, the federal utility that operates Tennessee's two nuclear plants, and Kairos Power, a California-based company building an experimental advanced nuclear reactor in Oak Ridge.

The study modeled the hypothetical impact of investing $1 billion in constructing a new nuclear power plant using data from existing power plants.

Though there are no plans to build another traditional nuclear power plant in Tennessee, the hypothetical figures are a snapshot of the economic impact of new nuclear. TVA is developing what could be the nation's first small modular nuclear reactors near Oak Ridge and several private companies are developing their own reactor technology in the state.

Of all five states, Tennessee would see the biggest economic returns on constructing a hypothetical new power plant:

16,154 construction jobs

$1.17 billion in wages

$2.05 billion economic output

The study estimated a new Tennessee nuclear power plant, once operational, could create big economic outputs, both directly at the plant and across all the companies that make operations possible:

1,128 jobs at the plant; 4,200 jobs overall

$203 million annual wages at the plant; $386 million annual wages overall

$1.02 billion annual economic output from the plant; $1.77 billion annual economic output overall

Tennessee colleges create nuclear workforce

Tennessee is readying to meet those workforce demands.

Gov. Bill Lee created a $50 million nuclear fund and the Tennessee Nuclear Energy Advisory Council last year in a bid to make the Volunteer State the national leader in new nuclear energy.

Educating a local workforce is key to achieving the state's goals, said Wes Hines, head of the nuclear engineering department at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and a member of the council.

TVA's Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, located outside of Knoxville, helps power Tennessee. Forty-five percent of the state's electricity is generated by nuclear power plants, according to 2022 data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

"The young kids nowadays want to be engaged in something that brings value to the world, and this is something that certainly can, whether you're going into the medical physics area or whether you're going into the power area to try and clean up carbon emissions," Hines told Knox News.

Pellissippi State Community College in Knoxville began partnering with ORNL last year to offer an associate degree in chemical radiation technology. Roane State Community College and Chattanooga State Community College also offer programs in nuclear technology.

This fall, Tennessee Tech University will begin offering bachelor's degrees in nuclear engineering, creating a new alternative to UT, which has the oldest nuclear engineering department in the nation.

How nuclear fuels Southeast economy

Nuclear reactors  and the vast supply chains that make them possible  already contribute $42.9 billion and 152,598 jobs to the five-state region, the study said.

The five states are home to 25 of the nation's 94 nuclear reactors and 13 of its 55 operating nuclear power plants. Most of these plants became operational in the 1970s and '80s.

On average, the five states get 37% of their electricity from nuclear, far above the national average of 19%.

In addition to carbon-free electricity, one advantage of the nuclear industry is relatively high wages, the study found. The average wage across the nuclear industry in the region is $89,972, which is 65.5% higher than the average job in the region.

The study focuses on the nuclear supply chain, from fuel to plant operations to waste disposal, as well as research on related nuclear topics like medical isotopes for cancer treatment. It found 494 nuclear companies with 1,632 locations in the five-state region.

Here's how Tennessee stacks up with the other Southeast states leading the way on nuclear power.

How Tennessee benefits from nuclear economy

Tennessee comes in second place for the highest percentage of electricity generated by nuclear power plants, according to 2022 data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

South Carolina: 55%

Tennessee: 45%

North Carolina: 33%

Virginia: 31%

Georgia: 27%

Tennessee has two nuclear power plants operated by TVA: Watts Bar outside Knoxville and Sequoyah outside Chattanooga. Together, the plants have a capacity of around 5,000 megawatts, enough to power close to 3 million average homes.

Watts Bar Unit 2 became the first new U.S. commercial nuclear reactor of the 21st century when it came online in 2016.

The E4 Carolinas study did not include TVA's third nuclear plant, Browns Ferry in Alabama, which is older than the Tennessee plants and can generate more electricity than any other TVA plant.

Tennessee has second biggest nuclear impact

In 2021, Tennessee was second only to South Carolina in the five-state region for nuclear industry economic impact, including total employment and labor income.

South Carolina: $11.1 billion

Tennessee: $9.8 billion

Virginia: $7.1 billion

Georgia: $5.3 billion

North Carolina: $4.9 billion

Tennessee leads the pack for wages:

South Carolina: 41,949 jobs with $3.17 billion in wages

Tennessee: 40,286 jobs with $3.2 billion in wages

Virginia: 24,704 jobs with $2.48 billion in wages

Georgia: 16,241 jobs with $1.56 billion in wages

North Carolina: 15,494 jobs $1.54 billion in wages

Daniel Dassow is a growth and development reporter focused on technology and energy. Phone 423-637-0878. Email daniel.dassow@knoxnews.com.

Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: TVA, Kairos invest in nuclear power in Tennessee
Shane James Jr., 34, has been charged with two counts of capital murder of multiple persons, two counts of capital murder by terroristic threat, two counts of attempted capital murder and one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Austin Police Department

A man accused of killing six people, including his parents, in a deadly shooting spree from San Antonio to Austin is scheduled for his first appearance in a Travis County courtroom.

Shane Matthew James Jr., 34, is expected to have his first pretrial hearing at 9:15 a.m. Thursday in the 147th Criminal District Court at the Blackwell-Thurman Criminal Justice Center.

He initially was scheduled to appear Wednesday, but court records listed that appearance as canceled.

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James, 34, is currently held at the Travis County Jail on two counts of capital murder of multiple persons, two counts of capital murder by terroristic threat, two counts of attempted capital murder and one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

He is accused of killing four Austin residents in a deadly rampage on Dec. 5  Emmanuel Pop Ba, 33; Sabrina Rahman, 25; Katherine Short, 56; and Lauren Short, 30.

Hes also been charged in the shooting and wounding of an Austin school police officer outside Northeast Early College High School, an Austin police officer and a cyclist.

Bexar County Sheriffs Office investigators also have accused James of killing his mother, Phyllis James, 55, and his father, Shane James Sr., 56, at their home in northeastern Bexar County sometime between Dec. 4 and 5. Charges related to their deaths are still pending.
HAGERSTOWN, Md. (DC New Now)  With the U.S. House of Representatives so closely divided by party, Marylands 6th Congressional District could play a pivotal role for control of the body in this years elections.

Democratic incumbent David Trone is vacating the seat to run for the U.S. Senate.

The district extends from Montgomery County through Frederick and all of western Maryland.

Kirk Downey sworn in by Gov. Wes Moore A Washington County Circuit Court judge

Hopeful Democratic Party successors gathered Monday to introduce themselves in a forum to Washington County voters.

Laurie-Anne Sayles has devoted her career to public health and, as an at-large member of Montgomery County Council, has been an advocate for affordable housing and agricultural land preservation.

Washington needs to work for us, says Sayles. We have to get guns out of our schools and keep our streets safe and protect our democracy.

Former Deputy Secretary of Commerce April McClain Delaney says transportation and education are the two most important issues which she will concentrate on in the U.S. House.

My message [is] common sense, common ground, McClain Delaney said. Its about solving problems, bringing investment to western Maryland and standing up for womens reproductive rights.

Destiny Drake West, of Germantown, is a former advisor to the U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and bills herself as a moderate who wants to get rid of the toxicity in Washington and protect democracy while being a voice of reason.

Early voting sites, staffing polls are challenges facing Washington County for primary election

The district, she says, must have a representative who can best relate to families, bring diversity and be bold.

Dr. Geoffrey Grammer, of Rockville, a physician and veteran, said this years election is about democracy itself.

We need to keep Donald Trump and extremists from overtaking our country and destroying the generations of sacrifices made by those both in and out of uniform, Grammer said.

Ashwani Jain, of Gaithersburg, is also in the running and worked in the administration of President Barrack Obama.

We have to keep this seat blue and work on progressive issues with tangible, practical solutions that engage Democrats, Republicans and Independents, Jain said.

Joe Vogel serves in the states House of Delegates from Montgomery County.

Education advocate calls for improved classroom metrics in Washington County schools

We need to keep this seat in Democratic hands, he said. [We will] continue working in the community as the next Member of Congress.

George Gluck, from Rockville, is a retired IT professional and teacher who says he is running to fix the country.

I want to make this county a better world for my grandchildren, just as it was when I immigrated here in 1948, Gluck said.

Altimont Mark Wilks is a small business owner who says hes tired of seeing people go at each others throats.

We need a voice for the people and I am that voice, he said.

DC named hardest-working city in America according to WalletHub

Hagerstown Mayor Takesha Martinez is also a candidate and has raised $320,000 for her race in small dollar donations.

Joyce Shull with the Washington County Democratic Party said the event had a great turnout.

They educated us in so many different ways, Shull said. They hit the high points that they stand for.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
Just days after the death in an Arctic penal colony of Russias most prominent opposition leader, Alexei Navalny, Sergei Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, embarked on a Latin American tour with the first stop in Cuba on Monday and scheduled visits to Venezuela and Brazil.

Just like Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is believed to have never mentioned Navalnys name publicly, its difficult to find any mention of the fierce Putin critic in Cubas state media, which did not report his death Friday ahead of Lavrovs visit.

Instead, Cuban official media outlets, controlled by the Communist Party, welcomed the Russian minister as a true friend of Cuba.

For us, it is a pleasure to welcome you back to Cuba, said Cubas hand-picked president, Miguel Diaz-Canel, in remarks reported by Granma, the islands biggest daily newspaper. We do so with the feeling that we are receiving a true friend of Cuba, someone who has shown tremendous sensitivity and understanding toward our problems, and with whom we have always had a fluid exchange relationship.

Lavrov, in turn, repeated that Cuba is our traditional partner and our most important ally in Latin America and the Caribbean and promised to continue expanding trade, investments and economic cooperation.

The top Russian diplomat also railed at the United States and the West for employing blackmail, ultimatums, threats, the use of brute military force and sanctions to preserve their domination, he told reporters in Havana.

A U.S. State Department official told the Herald Lavrovs visit did not bode well for U.S.-Cuba relations.

As we have noted previously, closer collaboration between the Cuban government and Russian military is not in Cubas interest and will negatively impact the U.S.-Cuba bilateral relationship, the official said.

The official noted that Lavrovs trip follows closely the visit by Belarus Minister of Defense Viktor Khrenin to Havana in late January and fresh reports of Cubans fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine.

In September, hacked documents showed Russia was recruiting impoverished Cuban men to join its army, lured by promises of $2,000-a-month salaries and Russian citizenship for their families. The Cuban government said it had dismantled the recruiting ring at the time and promised stiff punishments to those involved.

However, according to Ukrainian officials cited in a recent Wall Street Journal report, the recruiting efforts continued, and hundreds of Cubans are fighting in Ukraine. Some, like Raibel Palacio, the first Cuban mercenary whose death has been confirmed by family members, traveled to Russia in November, two months after the Cuban government said it had arrested 17 people involved in the recruiting network.

We are concerned that Cuba continues to allow its citizens to be exploited in support of Russias war of aggression in violation of international law, including the UN Charter, the State Department official said.

An economic lifeline

As Russias international isolation has increased over its invasion of Ukraine, it has strengthened its diplomatic and military ties with Cuba.

Military and security officials frequently meet both in Moscow and Havana. And Cuba has leaned on the relationship to ask Russia for credit and investments to lift the islands economy from its current crisis. Cuban authorities promised Russian investors exclusive deals last year, like long-term land leases.

The Russian government has donated wheat, cooking oil and medical supplies to the island and given money to repair the islands old train railroad system.

But despite the intense diplomatic activity  this is Lavrovs ninth trip to the island as foreign minister since 2004  Russia, a sanctioned country waging war, has yet to make more significant economic concessions to its Caribbean partner. Privately, Russian officials have joined calls on Cuban authorities to expand economic reforms to improve the islands business climate, the Miami Herald learned.

The Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry said in a statement about Lavrovs visit to Cuba that key achievements in economic cooperation between the two countries over the past year will help Russian economic operators to play a more active role in the implementation of Cubas large-scale plans for socio-economic development until 2030.

Russian tourism to the island has increased lately, with around 10 daily flights to Havana and other cities. Russians can now pay with their Mir bank cards while in Cuba.

In press remarks, Lavrov said his government has granted Cuba, which is struggling with frequent electricity blackouts, two credits to buy fuel and crude oil derivatives. The second has only been formalized. But the supply is continuing, the minister said.

Meet with Maduro In Venezuela

Lavrov continued his tour Tuesday in Venezuela, a strategic partner and Russian ally, where he is expected to meet the countrys strongman, Nicolas Maduro, according to a statement by the Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry. On Wednesday, he will attend a G-20 Summit, the first held in Brazil.

The leaders of the three Latin American nations on the tour have one thing in common: They are unlikely to challenge the Russian minister on Navalnys death, which President Joe Biden and others have said was Vladimir Putins governments responsibility.

The authoritarian rulers of Cuba and Venezuela are holding hundreds of dissidents and opposition members in their countries prisons.

And Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who in the past made controversial remarks suggesting Ukraine to cede Crimea to Russia, has avoided condemning Navalnys death.

Asked about the death of the prominent dissident, Lula da Silva urged against speculation and trivializing accusations.

Why this hurry to accuse someone? he told reporters in a press conference during a trip to Ethiopia on Sunday. So he died in prison. I dont know if he was sick, if he had any problems.

He also did not mention Navalny by name.
Police are investigating a shooting that happened outside a Waffle House in DeKalb County.

Just before 6 a.m. Monday, DeKalb police officers responded to the Waffle House located on the 2900 block of Lawrenceville Highway in reference to a shooting.

An investigation determined that two people got into an argument in the parking lot and one shot the other.

The victim who was shot was taken to the hospital, where officers say he is stable. The suspect took off. Channel 2 Action News has reached out to confirm if the victim and suspect were either employees or customers at the Waffle House.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

We are cooperating fully with the ongoing law enforcement investigation into this incident. Because the investigation remains active, we are referring all questions to the local law enforcement agency handling the matter, Waffle House said in a statement to Channel 2 Action News.

Police are continuing to investigate.

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IN OTHER NEWS:
Customers were forced to evacuate a Seattle business after people were caught smoking drugs inside a bathroom for nearly an hour, police said.

INVESTIGATION:

Seattle police told KIRO 7 that officers were called to a business on Aurora Avenue North Sunday after 2 p.m.

Staff members told police that two people were smoking drugs inside a bathroom for about 40 minutes.

A spokesperson for the Seattle Fire Department said firefighters responded to the parking lot of Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, located at the corner of Aurora Avenue North and North 125th Street, to help police.

Customers were forced to evacuate the business because of the drugs fumes, police said.

Police were able to find one of the suspects as she was boarding a bus at a nearby bus stop. Police stopped her and learned she had a warrant. The woman told police she had been assaulted and was later evaluated by the Seattle Fire Department.

A spokesperson for the fire department said crews treated a 28-year-old woman, who was last listed in stable condition.

KIRO 7 asked police if the incident happened inside Krispy Kreme. A spokesperson did not share details.

Police did not share any details about the second suspect.

KRISPY KREME DOUGHNUTS:

KIRO 7 went inside Krispy Kreme Doughnuts and found two restrooms, located to the right of the front entrance, each with its own keypad.

We spoke with two workers at Krispy Kreme.

A worker told KIRO 7 that the restrooms require a key to unlock the doors, despite having keypads, however, someone stole the key.

KIRO 7 later asked a second worker about the alleged incident inside their bathroom.

I cannot confirm it and I cant deny it, the worker said.

The worker said they were advised not to talk with KIRO 7.

KIRO 7 had reached out to Krispy Kreme Doughnuts to get further details, including if the company is helping any customers who may have been affected by the fumes of the deadly drug, along with its response.

Were still waiting to hear back.

KIRO 7 saw customers shopping inside the business on Monday. We did not see any signs on its building indicating the alleged incident inside its restroom.

NEARBY BUSINESSES FACING SIMILAR ISSUES:

KIRO 7 also spoke with several people who work in the area to understand how drug use is affecting small businesses nearby.

Nicole Kummer, who works in the area, said she has been working along Aurora Avenue North for about eight months.

Its a daily occurrence, she said. We have people who like to hide in the corner where Subway used to be. They do drugs there. They defecate there.

She said the issue has been getting worse over the months.

We had people actively smoking drugs in front of the shop, she said. My daughter was out of school last week, and we had a lady smoke fentanyl in front of our shop doors. So my 7-year-old is now exposed to someone smoking fentanyl.

Kummer shared a photo that she said her surveillance camera had captured of two people smoking fentanyl in front of her business Sunday night.

For the most part, theres a lot of yelling and its a lot of drug use and its really uncomfortable to sit in our shop and be exposed to that, she said. We have a fully automated locking door now. I have to tap a button to let you in just because we had instances of people coming in with ill intentions.

During our interview with Kummer, KIRO 7 witnessed what Kummer had shared with us.

A random man approached us out of nowhere and began yelling at us with statements not related to the story.

Kummer said her customers have been feeling uneasy, which is affecting her business.

Theres probably people who wont return because of their experience, she said. Every client that has grown up in this area, definitely comes in and recognizing this area is not the same.

KIRO 7 also spoke with Mirda Awais, manager of the 76 gas station, along Aurora Avenue North.

Hes worked at the gas station for more than two decades.

Awais said he no longer allows customers to use his businesss restroom due to the increase in drug use and to keep his workers safe.

People buy from us and they come outside and right away they start to smoke drugs, he said. Were losing our business.

He continued, Good customer here, you know, they dont want to come here. This is the reason.

The manager at 125th Street Grill & Bar showed KIRO 7 several pieces of used foil left behind by people who are using drugs, along with needles, in her parking lot.

We also spoke with Hollis Huston, who was cleaning up along Aurora Avenue North, near the managers business Monday.

We see a lot of foil, fentanyl foil is what we call it, and its just everywhere around here, he said. We see it pretty much everywhere. And you see people smoking it at the different bus stops along here. Its pretty prevalent.

Huston said he has been cleaning up along Aurora Avenue North for the past couple of days.

We all live and share the same community, he said. So I mean, its obviously not being cleaned right now, and its pretty much on a downward spiral right now.
SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage)  Representatives of Concho Valley PAWS presented several solutions for tackling the ongoing pet overpopulation crisis as part of their discussion with the San Angelo City Council during the councils Feb. 20 meeting.

The discussion, held as an agenda item calling for a discussion and review on Animal Services partnership with Concho Valley PAWS, began with CVPAWS Executive Director Jenie Wilson detailing the organizations history and partnership with the City of San Angelo.

The past

According to Wilson, CVPAWS began in 1961 and operated under the Humane Society of Tom Green County. She also emphasized that the humane society, and by extension CVPAWS, is concerned with rescue services and is not responsible for processes such as animal control, ticketing and licensing.

We are a separate entity from Animal Control, but we work very closely together, Wilson said. We have chosen to work not as adversaries but as an alliance with our Animal Control because we can focus on a common goal, and that is to save lives.

Since its inception, CVPAWS has been able to carry out its mission to reduce the population of homeless pets in the Concho Valley and end the killing of adoptable pets through the donor-supported implementation of programs and services catered toward accessibility.

The partnership forged between the CVPAWS and Animal Control helped reduce San Angelos 76% euthanasia rate in pre-2016  a number that branded the town as having one of Texas highest kill rates for shelter pets  to 49% by 2017 when PAWS formally became the Citys vendor for animal adoption services.

San Angelo was one of the highest kill shelters in the state of Texas, so it was a pretty bleak situation for our shelter pets, Wilson said.

This number has since gradually declined to 15% by 2022, with 28% of the shelters animal intake being adopted at 24% being transferred out.

The present

Despite CVPAWS and Animal Controls efforts, however, San Angelo is currently facing a growing pet population crisis that has flooded the shelter in recent months. According to Wilson, studies conducted by the University of Flordia suggest that the skyrocketing animal population issue developed due to a 10-year setback in spay and neuter efforts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

We are in a several hundred-thousand deficit of spay and neuter surgeries, which has left the entire country to face a population explosion that, unfortunately, San Angelo is not immune to, Wilson said.

PREVIOUSLY: City Council discusses Animal Services challenges

CVPAWS has taken several measures to help curb the surging pet population, doubling down on its affordable spay and neuter initiatives as well as its multitude of adoption programs.

Despite this, the increased influx of animals has still forced the organization to risk euthanizing parts of its shelter population in the past due to limitations caused by the buildings legal maximum capacity. Shelter pets at risk of euthanasia are put on euthanasia lists and are fought for by CVPAWS staff, who campaign for the animals on social media, put on special events, waive adoption fees and more in a last-ditch effort to save them before they are required to be put down.

The shelter has also recently begun hosting open houses where the public can see CVPAWS and Animal Services partnership at work first-hand while also asking any questions they may have.

The future?

Noting the ongoing issues, Wilson stated that uneducated and irresponsible pet owners are the biggest problem when it comes to overcoming the crisis. But they are also one of the best shots San Angelo may have at addressing it directly, in her eyes.

We have backyard breeders, pet owners who want instant results and pet owners who refuse to get their pets spayed or neutered, Wilson said. But if youre going to identify them as our biggest concern, I think its also fair to identify them as our biggest opportunity.

Wilson suggested that the City should focus on spreading awareness of the crisis and educating citizens about the implications of animal overpopulation with the hope that residents will come to better understand that pets are worth saving, bringing more advocates and volunteers into the fray while also creating a more mindful town in the process.

We want San Angelo to be a better place for pets and the people who love them, Wilson said.

The City Council agreed with Wilsons stance on spreading awareness about the overpopulation crisis and the problems that it causes and expressed a desire for CVPAWS to push its current outreach initiatives even further.

Its a major issue, and its great that were getting our hands and programs around it and improving the statistics as they relate to this, but the job is not done, Mayor Brenda Gunter said. The communication has to get more aggressive and out there for people to better understand whats going on.

CVPAWS isnt against adopting a more hardline approach to address the crisis, though. Wilson also suggested that the City should hire an animal control officer specifically to enforce existing ordinances, from ticket to compliance.

I think that is probably the most beneficial thing you could do in your positions, is to approve that, Wilson said. Its important to recognize that, even though those tickets are being issued, were still not achieving compliance.

The City Council seemed to disagree with the notion, however, with concerns being raised that increased spending and manpower would stretch the City too thin.

The City has many responsibilities, and we put a lot of money toward our responsibilities and toward the citizens, Gunter said. We cant keep throwing more dollars and more people after the problem, the budgets just dont allow it.

Additionally, Wilson asked the City Council to consider revising the Citys existing breeder permit to disallow breeding for breeds that make up 10% or more of the shelters population.

Ill tell you right now, if you go into the shelter, youre primarily going to see German shepherds, shepherd mixes and pit bulls, Wilson said. Thats why we end up with these euthanasia lists. We have more large-breed dogs in our community than we can house.

Finally, Wilson asked the City Council to consider joining CVPAWS efforts to increase accessibility for free or low-cost spay and neuter.

I think that if theres ever an opportunity to throw money at something, spaying and neutering is the direction they need to put it in, Wilson said. We are doing all we can, but if the City wants to come alongside us and beef that up, I think that that would be a huge step in the right direction.

With the lives of hundreds of animals across San Angelo on the line, CVPAWS and Animal Services partnership will have to brave the nationwide storm of pet overpopulation together  for better or for worse.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ConchoValleyHomepage.com.
After spending more than two hours tasting wine at a Napa Valley estate with her top prosecutor on the Georgia election subversion case, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis reached into her purse and pulled out about $400 in cash.

Willis used the money to pay for two bottles of wine  each valued at roughly $150  and the $50 tasting, according to Stan Brody, who said he hosted Willis and a guest he later learned was Nathan Wade, at Acumen Wines in early 2023.

Brody, who was the estate ambassador for Acumen Wines that day, told CNN he was surprised when Willis paid using hundreds of dollars in cash  a memorable transaction, he said, as such cash sales are rare in Napa Valley. The self-described news junkie said his memory was jogged as he watched Willis and Wade testify last week about their romantic relationship and bat down allegations of self-dealing while under oath.

Willis testified last week that her use of cash explains why there is no paper trail documenting reciprocal payments she made during her trips with Wade. Brodys account corroborates at least part of that testimony and lends credibility to Willis argument that her cash expenditures show she did not benefit financially from her relationship with Wade and thus she should not be disqualified from the case. Willis father, John Floyd, testified at length about his longtime recommendation that his daughter keep cash around.

I ran(g) up the thing and I showed her. I was expecting a credit card quite frankly, Brody recalled to CNN in an interview Monday. And she says Ill pay cash. And so that was that. So then I just put the cash in, made change for her and she was very generous to me.

Brody told CNN he has not talked to the DAs office or defense counsel, seeking to disqualify Willis from the Georgia case about the visit to Acumen wines in 2023. Willis office declined to comment.

Defense attorneys for Donald Trump and other co-defendants want a judge to disqualify Willis team from the criminal case  or throw out the charges  over allegations the district attorney benefited financially from her relationship with Wade, whom Willis hired in 2021 to join the prosecution team.

During her testimony, Willis was peppered with questions about her claim that she reimbursed Wade in cash for trips to Aruba, the Bahamas and Belize, as well as for wine tastings, chocolates and caviar in Napa Valley.

Wade also testified that Willis paid cash for excursions on at least one vacation and paid him back for plane flights and other travel. She paid for the excursions so the expenses sort of balanced out, he said.

When I travel I always pay cash, Willis said of the trips with Wade, saying that she paid Wade back for certain transportation and excursions during the travel.

He likes wine, I dont really like wine to be honest with you, Willis said during her testimony, which at times grew tense. I like Grey Goose.

Explaining why there were no receipts for Willis reimbursements and other payments, Wade said he wasnt keeping a ledger of what he paid for versus what Willis paid for.

In a relationship, maam, you dont  particularly men, we dont go asking back for anything. So youre not keeping a ledger of things that you pay for versus the thing that shes paid for, Wade said. Which is why I said that it was a point of contention because she was very emphatic and adamant about this independent, strong woman thing. So she demanded that she pay her own way.

Wade testified before Willis took the stand that Willis repaid him in cash for a trip to Belize but that he didnt have a record of it. Willis said she re-paid Wade $2,500 for that trip.

Brody looked back on his time with Willis and Wade positively.

These are really nice people, he said. I treat people at the winery every time  as if youre sitting in my living room. And they were the kind of people that if I was having a party at my home that I would have invited. Thats what I came away with.

This story has been updated with additional information.

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Current and former Southwest High School students and volunteers pose together with the Dragon 1 airplane at Stinson Municipal Airport on Monday. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Eric Knight, Southwest ISDs former aircraft maintenance teacher, fist bumps student Alana Medina, 17, before the inaugural flight of Southwest High Schools Dragon 1 airplane at Stinson Municipal Airport on Monday. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Southwest High School Junior Riley Milligan takes a photo of the Dragon 1 airplane he helped to build at Stinson Municipal Airport on Monday. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Darren Medlin takes off in the Dragon 1 airplane built by Southwest High School Aviation program students at Stinson Municipal Airport on Monday. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News A student wears a T-shirt commemorating the inaugural flight of Southwest High School Aviation programs Dragon 1 airplane at Stinson Municipal Airport on Monday. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News People react to the inaugural flight of Southwest High Schools Dragon 1 airplane at Stinson Municipal Airport on Monday. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News People watch and film the inaugural flight of Southwest High Schools Dragon 1 airplane at Stinson Municipal Airport on Monday. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Darren Medlin, volunteer with the Southwest High School Aviation Program program, prepares to take off in the Dragon 1 airplane built by Southwest High School students at Stinson Municipal Airport on Monday. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Former Southwest High School Aviation students Zachary Ruiz, left, Angel Marines, center, and Anthony DeLeon, right, look over the Dragon 1, an airplane they helped build while attending Southwest High School, at Stinson Municipal Airport on Monday. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News

As it sped down the runway and glided into the afternoon sky, the aircraft known as Dragon 1 looked like any other plane taking flight from Stinson Municipal Airport.

The only difference is this aircraft was assembled entirely by students.

Dozens of community members crowded the airstrip Monday afternoon as Southwest Independent School Districts student-built plane set out for its maiden voyage. The inaugural ceremony was the culmination of four years of hard work for students in the districts aviation maintenance program.

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Former and current students gathered for the ceremony, erupting in applause as the soaring plane disappeared out of view beneath a strong February sun.

It was a full circle moment for Jose Robles, a 2022 Southwest High School graduate who worked on the plane for all four years and watched it take flight from the airport where he now works.

Its surreal, Robles, 19, said. We saw it from just sheet metal. We got so many cuts on our hands, and just to see it fly here today is an amazing feeling.

Robles received his private pilots certificate in June and is working toward his commercial license.

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Most of the students who have graduated from Southwests budding aviation program have gone on to pursue careers in the industry, from becoming aircraft mechanics or air traffic controllers to working toward commercial pilot licenses. The sky-high demand for aviation jobs, while beneficial for students, has also posed challenges for the program.

In the past year, two Southwest ISD aviation maintenance instructors have been hired away by local aviation firms with higher pay and better benefits. Now lacking a certified aviation mechanics teacher, the pathway has been put on hold until the district hires someone to fill the vacancy, and students have had to pivot to other pathways like drone programming or construction.

But the classroom where a half-built airplane has been temporarily abandoned could soon be brought to life. Interviews for the teaching role are being held this week, according to retired Air Force Col. Darren Medlin, the programs volunteer aviation mentor coordinator.

An active member of the Experimental Aviation Associations local chapter, Medlin has been instrumental in bringing former superintendent Lloyd Verstuyfts vision for the program to reality. The district officially launched the course in 2018, starting small and expanding over time to provide a comprehensive course that prepares students to take the aircraft mechanic certification exam after graduation.

Dragon 1, named after the districts fire-breathing mascot, arrived at the classroom as pieces of metal in a series of kits. Nearly 180 students worked on the plane, an RV-iS light sport aircraft, over four years.

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In 2022, students secured the last rivets and completed the plane with a stylish wrapping, adorning it with Southwest ISDs black and green colors and signature logo. After a year of safety testing, Presidents Day finally marked the vehicles debut to the public.

The plane weighs 775 pounds and is less than 20 feet long, Medlin said. It can reach 144 miles per hour and is one of over 700 flying RV-12 models worldwide.

As a consistent presence in the aviation classroom and an invaluable mentor to the scores of students who have stepped inside it, it was only right that Medlin was the planes first official pilot. After an opening ceremony that recognized district officials and partner agencies, including Union Pacific, American Airlines and the Dee Howard Foundation, Medlin climbed inside the planes two-seat interior and steered it toward the open runway.

Southwest ISD Superintendent Jeanette Ball added to the cheering voices from the crowded terminal as the compact vehicle headed for the clouds.

Flying the first student-built aircraft in South Texas might seem scary, but Medlin didnt have any qualms at all. Instead, he applauded Southwest for welcoming the invaluable learning experience not as an extracurricular activity but as a regular part of its curriculum.

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San Antonio has a great aviation history, he said, and Southwest has proved to have a vision thats worthy of it.

I dont know of another school board or another district that would embrace so many unknowns all at once, said Medlin. Southwest is sort of a magical place for that to happen.

While the planes journey over the Alamo City marked a historic milestone for the district, Medlin said the programs success was best summed up by the faces in the audience  the former and current students who will become the next generation of aviation professionals.

Take 21-year-old Matthew Luna, for example. Luna discovered his career ambitions through field trips to local airports, where he explored air traffic control towers and talked to workers in the field. The Southwest High School graduate is now an air traffic controller with the Federal Aviation Administration.

When he graduated, Dragon 1 had only its tail. On Monday, he posed for photos outside the aircraft with classmates, admiring the plane he hadnt seen since graduating in 2020.

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Despite its successful outcomes, its been somewhat tricky recruiting for the aviation program in a community where many students have never even stepped foot on a plane, said Southwest High School chemistry, drone and aviation teacher Rodolfo Urby.

Of the 13,165 students in Southwest ISD, more than 81 percent are considered economically disadvantaged, according to Texas Education Agency data.

When you offer a class thats like, Hey, do you want to be a pilot or work on a plane? and students dont know anyone who has ever done that, its a very foreign thing, Urby said. Breaking out of that socioeconomic hurdle was kind of difficult, but its slowly growing.

The program has four levels of courses: introduction to aircraft technology, occupational safety and environmental technology, aircraft airframe technology and practicum in transportation systems. Students enrolled can also complete work-based learning experiences and earn industry-based certifications.

Urbys daughter, Alana Medina, has taken advantage of the opportunities. The Southwest High School junior came into the program with no prior experience working with planes and is now OSHA-certified and an aviation scholarship recipient.

One of few females enrolled in the course, Medina, 17, has already completed half of the hours of flight time required to earn her private pilot certification. She plans to become a commercial pilot with a large airline and credits the program for helping her find her passion.

Its rare to see a minority female in this career path, Medina said. Being able to take that challenge and take the risks and try to pursue this career, its very thrilling.

While the program is designed to prepare students for a career in aircraft maintenance, Medina said learning about how planes operate and what can go wrong mechanically will help her handle heavier situations in the sky.

A few years ago, Leo Fernandez, 19, considered studying construction or agriculture. Then he came across aviation and decided to give it a shot  not because he had any true knowledge about the industry, but because, like most kids, he grew up thinking airplanes were cool.

Now, Fernandez is enrolled in Hallmark Universitys 15-month aircraft mechanic program. The 2023 Southwest High School graduate also plans to become a pilot one day so he can fly from place to place to repair other planes.

His motivation is simple: Fernandez believes everyone should push for a job they enjoy doing.
Authorities on Tuesday identified the human remains that were found in the woods behind homes in Saugus over the weekend as those of a man who had been missing since last year.

The skeletal remains located behind David Drive on Sunday were positively identified as those of John Lawler, of Haverhill, by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, according to the Essex District Attorneys Office.

Lawler was reported missing in the summer of 2023.

This case remains open pending a final determination by the OCME as to Lawlers cause of death.

Police responded to the wooded area behind David Drive after an individual walking their dog found the remains. Investigators spent the day gathering evidence from the woods, and the remains were transported to the Medical Examiners office.

Family members told Boston 25 that Lawler had been missing since July 14, 2023.

State, local police searching for Saugus man John Lawler, who has been missing since July

Boston 25 Reporter Bob Ward first reported on the search for Lawler back in September.

The area where police began to search is close to the Salvation Army Rehab Facility where Lawler was living until mid-July. It is also close to Walgreens where security cameras caught these final pictures of Lawler, carrying a fishing rod on July 14th.

He left behind his cell phone. But before he disappeared, Lawler withdrew a large amount of cash from a bank account.

Barbara Hubbard, Lawalers former partner and the mother to three of his four adult children, told Ward last year in a Zoom interview that she lost contact with Lawler decades ago, but she, like others in his life, was desperate for answers.

My big concern is that he was talking about it. People have done things for a lot less than that. People have killed over a pack of cigarettes; you dont know, you just dont know, Hubbard said.

An investigation remains ongoing.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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Joni Wilcox, a Gen Z from Lakeland, Florida, shared a viral video on TikTok claiming that her elderly father secretly impregnated her 23-year-old friend Gina, who she calls a "lazy" and "money-hungry" gold-digger.

Daddys gotta have it  but its birthed a BFF beef.

Its mostly acceptable to have a cutesy crush on a friends hot family member in secret.

But sneakily having sex with a besties boomer father and winding up pregnant within five months of meeting him is where most gal pals would draw the line.

Joni Wilcox (left) says her heart sank to her stomach after finding out about her fathers secret sexual affair with her friend Gina. CBS/Dr Phil

Me and this girl became friends, ranted an enraged Joni Wilcox in a since-deleted TikTok tell-all with more than 800,000 views. Next thing I know, her and my dad start fking behind my back.

Shes 22, hes 55, the brunette lamented in the clip. Then the stupid bitch gets pregnant by my dad.

Wilcox, a barista from Lakeland, Florida, shared the details of the distressing ordeal on Dr. Phil.

It [sounds] creepy, said the Gen Zer of her well-to-do father, David, who is declared to be 49 years old by the show. She went on to deem ex-friend Gina lazy and money-hungry for sleeping with her dad  who lavished the 20-something with luxe gifts and exotic trips during their now two-year courtship.

If he wanted younger girls, he could have other girls that  I dont know, said Wilcox, adding that her heart sank upon learning of David and Ginas trysts from an outsider. I dont understand that.

However, in defense of her May-December romance with David, Gina insisted that their love affair is no one elses concern.

Gina insists that her relationship with Wilcoxs wealthy dad has nothing to do with his money. CBS/Dr Phil

[Wilcox] is making these assumptions that Im using her father for money, said Gina, and it really does piss me off.

His money is not why I want to be with him, she continued. Our relationship is healthy, its fun  Im in the process of moving in with David. Whave a child together  so its obviously something very serious.

The new mom also noted that Wilcoxs viral video rebuke left her engulfed in a firestorm of digital derogation.

Ive received so much hateful messages, said Gina. I had people calling me a money-hungry whore, saying, How could you sleep with your friends dad? and calling my child  that David and I have together  really disgusting names.

She even claimed that cyberbullies have threatened to come find me and whip my a.

But it seems Wilcox might have beaten them to the punch  literally.

Wilcox exposed her former pal for sleeping with her dad in a scathing TikTok post, which garnered more than 800,000 views. CBS/Dr Phil

[Wilcox] went ballistic when she found out about [my relationship with David], claimed Gina. She came [into Davids house] with just her underwear and a crop top and gets irate. She was clearly high as a kite.

Next thing I know  she struck me in the face.

Wilcox refused to directly cop to clocking her former bud.

However, the alleged brute did say of Gina: She disrespected the fk out of me.

David, who admits to an appetite for women half his age, confessed to knowingly making his daughter feel uncomfortable by hitting on her chums  including girls from her childhood softball team.

I agree that there should be a boundary there to not date her friends, said the silver fox. But I also want to continue living my life romantically with someone that Im with.

Davis said hed like to continue dating younger women, and vowed to do his best to stay away from his daughters friends. CBS/Dr Phil

And hes not the first freaky father to go fishing for dates in his kids Rolodex.

Kern Lehman, a dad in his 50s from Phoenix, Arizona, was struck by a bolt of love at first sight upon meeting his would-be bride, Taylor, then 27, through his 30-year-old daughter Amanda back in 2017.

And Paul Dean, a truck driver from Ohio, managed to snag his youngest sons 16-year-old girlfriend, Sydney, away for himself. (The age of consent in the Buckeye state is 16).

Sydney, now in her late 20s, says ditching her high school honey for his daddy was a grand ol decision.

[Paul] is the only person I have had sex with and he is the best, insisted the blond. She also confirmed that Pauls son, who initially protested the unorthodox relationship, is now in full support of their love.

It seems Wilcox, too, has, dropped her weapons once aimed at David and Gina  at least enough to forge a relationship with the couples toddler son.

All the people freaking out because of a TikTok I made with my brother, Wilcox penned in the closed caption of a TikTok featuring her and baby bro Luka.

[They] would really lose it if I told them he was on Dr. Phil with me, too.
DALLAS - A Dallas megachurch is trying to block a builder's plans to put a trucking facility near their campus.

Members of the Friendship-West Baptist Church packed a courtroom Monday where the church's leader is trying to get a temporary injunction on the building project.

The developer wants to build a 200,000-square-foot warehouse near the church's property. Its located on Wheatland Road near I-20.

The church argues it would create congestion in a high-traffic area that includes a high school, homes and apartments.

The developer argues that there is nothing illegal about the project.

"We do not want Wheatland Road to be damaged further with 18-wheelers," said Rev. Dr. Frederick Haynes. "On top of that, we don't want the danger 18-wheelers are going to cause and bring to both the environment as well as to our seniors, our students."

A temporary injunction would put the developer's process on hold as the church continues its legal fight against the builder.

The judge on Monday did not make a ruling and says that will come at a later date.
DAVENPORT, Fla. - A Davenport man was killed while trying to cross US 27 over the weekend, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies said they responded to the crash, which happened at the interchange of US 27 and I-4 near Davenport at around 8:15 p.m. on Saturday.

Traffic homicide detectives said 41-year-old William Sotomayor was identified as the victim after PCSO's identification section examined copies of his fingerprints.

READ: 19-year-old man arrested after troopers find over 4 pounds of marijuana during traffic stop on US-27: FHP

They said a 35-year-old Davenport man was driving a silver 2012 Acura RDX when it hit Sotomayor as he tried to cross US 27.

Courtesy: Polk County Sheriff's Office.

The driver wasn't able to stop immediately after the crash, because it was raining and there was another vehicle behind him, but authorities said he parked at a nearby gas station and spoke with deputies.

The northbound lanes of US 27 were closed off for about two hours after the crash, PCSO said.

Polk County deputies said no charges are anticipated for this crash, but the investigation is ongoing.

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Lord Cameron tries some edible grass with local schoolchildren at Gypsy Cove on the Falkland Islands - Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire

Lord Camerons visit to the Falkland Islands has been denounced as a provocation by an Argentinian governor.

His trip on Monday represented the first time a British foreign secretary has visited the region in more than 30 years.

The move was criticised by the leader of the Argentinian region that claims to include what the country refers to as Las Malvinas.

Gustavo Melella, the governor of the Tierra del Fuego, Antarctic and Southern Atlantic Islands, posted on X, formerly Twitter: The presence of David Cameron on our Malvinas Islands constitutes a new British provocation and seeks to diminish our legitimate sovereignty claims over our territories and maintain colonialism in the 21st century. We will not stand for it.

The region Mr Melella leads nominally includes offshore territories that Argentina does not control but over which it claims sovereignty, from the British-ruled Falklands, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands to a swathe of Antarctica.

Lord Cameron said his visit to the Falklands archipelago, which was the object of a 1982 war between the UK and Argentina, was meant to make clear the territory remained a valued part of the British family.

The Foreign Secretary said Britain would help protect and defend the islands for as long as they want to remain British. In 2013, more than 99 per cent of Falklanders voted to remain part of the United Kingdom.

David Cameron meets islanders on his visit to the Falklands - Simon Dawson/ No 10 Downing Street

Buenos Aires has long claimed the islands on the basis that they should be part of its colonial inheritance from periods of Spanish rule, which ended when Argentina gained independence in 1816.

Lord Cameron, the first Cabinet member to visit the Falklands since 2016 and the first foreign secretary to do so since Douglas Hurd, spoke to Javier Milei, the Argentinian president, about the dispute when the two men met at Davos last month.

After the meeting, Mr Milei said that Lord Cameron would continue talks over the islands with Diana Mondino, Argentinas foreign minister. They reportedly hit it off during the meeting, bonding over their mutual admiration for the Rolling Stones.

The Foreign Office also said the pair had a cordial meeting and that they would agree to disagree, and do so politely on the Falklands.

A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson said: It was a positive meeting, building on the Foreign Secretarys discussion with President Milei at the World Economic Forum in January during which they agreed to embark on a new era of relations between Argentina and the UK.

On the Falklands Islands, the Foreign Secretary reiterated the UKs ongoing support for the Falkland Islanders right of self-determination. However, they noted that this would not prevent cooperation on areas that would be mutually beneficial.

Previously, Mr Milei has said that he wants to seek a feasible solution to the sovereignty of the islands through diplomatic negotiation, comparing the situation to that of Hong Kong, which the UK handed over to China in 1997.

Despite the protests by Mr Melella, Mr Mileis government remained tight-lipped about Lord Camerons visit. However, former officials joined the critique of Mr Camerons trip, with Santiago Cafiero, an ex foreign minister, expressing his most categorical rejection of the presence of a British foreign secretary in the archipelago.

This is a new and inadmissible provocation, something which has not happened for 30 years and which must be rejected by the national government, he said.

Guillermo Carmona, a former secretary of Malvinas affairs, said: The Argentine foreign ministry remains silent in the face of a provocation that requires a diplomatic reaction. If the repudiation and protest do not come from the government, let us demonstrate as a people that we do not consent to colonialism.

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Mayor Abdullah Hammoud (D) of Dearborn, Mich., says Arab Americans are feeling a sense of betrayal due to President Bidens handling of the Israel-Hamas war, outlining that they voted for Biden in 2020 but are now being ignored.

Hammoud, in a New York Times opinion piece Tuesday, said there is a constant fear and mourning and a visceral sense of betrayal in Dearborn, a Detroit suburb where Arab Americans make up the majority of the population.

In the past three federal elections, Arab American voters in Michigan have become a crucial and dependable voting bloc for the Democratic Party, and we were part of the wave that delivered for Joe Biden four years ago, he said. But this fact seems long forgotten by our candidate as he calls for our votes once more while at the same time selling the very bombs that Benjamin Netanyahus military is dropping on our family and friends.

He said that before the war, he believed Biden was one of the most consequential and transformative presidents, but said that landmark legislation Biden has passed cant outweigh the more than 100,000 people killed, wounded or missing in Gaza.

President Biden is proving many of our worst fears about our government true: that regardless of how loud your voice may be, how many calls to government officials you may make, how many peaceful protests you organize and attend, nothing will change, he said. My greatest fear is that Mr. Biden will not be remembered as the president who saved American democracy in 2020 but rather as the president who sacrificed it for Benjamin Netanyahu in 2024.

Hammoud argued that the majority of Americans want a cease-fire in the Middle East and that the president and members of Congress are ignoring polling on that.

This betrayal feels uniquely un-American. When conflict shoved them out of their homes, many of Dearborns parents fled to Michigan in pursuit of the American dream and the promise that their voices would be heard and valued. Today, we instill in our children the American aspiration of standing on the side of justice for all people, everywhere, he said.

The op-ed was published a week before the Michigan Democratic primary. Theres a growing movement among progressive groups and Arab American grassroots organizations in Michigan urging supporters to cast their ballot for uncommitted in order to send a message to Biden.

Some groups in the effort say they will never support Biden  even against his likely GOP rival former President Trump, who famously called for a Muslim ban during the 2016 race  while others involved say the president has time to earn their vote back.

Hammoud met with White House officials when they traveled to Michigan earlier this month and said he told them that there is time to do the right thing. He argued that the only way to ensure the safe return of all hostages and prisoners is through an immediate cease-fire.

But the White House has argued that a cease-fire would only help Hamas and has worked on negotiating a temporary pause in fighting for Hamas to release the hostages it took during the Oct. 7 attacks.

The U.S. vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution Tuesday that called on Israel to implement a cease-fire against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, arguing the vote was wishful and irresponsible because it would put negotiations to release the hostages in peril.

Hammoud earlier this month ordered an increase in security across Dearborn after an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal called the city Americas jihad capital.

Biden called out the anti-Arab hate against Dearborn after that op-ed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  A year after the death of Tyre Nichols, some Memphians want to know if theres been real police reform in the city and if weve seen an end to low-level traffic stops.

A group called Decarcerate Memphis believes it has the answer.

In front of Memphis City Hall, members of Decarcerate Memphis gathered with the hope of bringing attention to and derailing several state bills they say ban police accountability in Memphis and across Tennessee.

We assume it will go before a House committee and we will fight it there and fight it every step of the way, said Alex Hensley, a member of the group.

Decarcerate Memphis released a 16-page report they call The Peoples Report 2024. The group says a year after the police beating of Tyre Nichols and the passage of ordinances to limit stops for low-level violations, there has been a surge in traffic stops.

Our numbers dont match their numbers. Maybe its because of a categorization of what a long citation is, but they dont provide clarity about what that means, said member Adam Nelson.

We have spoken with Senator Brent Taylor and given him the BIPOC report from last year, which indicates a lot of the same patterns of racial discrimination and the ineffectiveness of traffic stops, Hensley said.

WREG spoke with Senator Brent Taylor about his bill to prohibit cities and counties from passing laws that restrict routine traffic stops by police, as Memphis did last year.

RELATED: State lawmaker files bill to prevent local restrictions on pretextual police stops

We need to take the handcuffs off our police so they can put the handcuffs on the criminals where they should be, he said.

The Shelby County Republican says traffic stops for seemingly minor violations have resulted in major arrests of violent criminals and says his bill has nothing to do with race.

We need to get back to some sanity and all of the virtue signaling going on surrounding this ordinance and trying to say its going to hurt people of color and poor people, Taylor said. The community at large is being hurt because we have a crime crisis.

His ideology is that the money thats been spent on pretext policing is a good investment, which is absolutely false, said Decarcerate Memphis member Josh Adams

It is a bill causing debate that, some say, allows law enforcement to do their job.

The most important thing here: It is a tool for law enforcement to be able to use capture people who need to be apprehended, Taylor said.

Others say the bill threatens police accountability.

Were building a statewide coalition to fight this bill because it jeopardizes not only work, weve been doing in Memphis, but the work thats been happening in Nashville, work thats been happening in Knoxville and all across this state, Hensley said.

Senator Taylors bill is expected to be in committee Tuesday in the Tennessee General Assembly.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
Former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley delivered a defiant speech ahead of her home states primary on Saturday and insisted that she will not quit the 2024 race even if she loses her home states primary this Saturday.

Ms Haley, who won two terms as governor of South Carolina, insisted that even if she loses, she does not fear former president Donald Trumps retribution.

Thats why I refuse to quit. South Carolina will vote on Saturday. But on Sunday, Ill still be running for president. Im not going anywhere, she said at a speech in Greenville on Tuesday.

Ms Haley, who served as US ambassador to the United Nations in Mr Trumps administration, criticised his attempt to limit the primary, citing how 49 per cent of voters in Iowa voted for someone other than the former president and 46 per cent of voters in New Hampshire supported someone other than him.

I feel no need to kiss the ring, she said. And I have no fear of Trumps retribution. Im not looking for anything from him. My own political future is of zero concern.

Despite her previous political success in the Palmetto State, Ms Haley trails Mr Trump by a significant margin in South Carolina. During her address Tuesday, she also pushed back on accusations that she was running to be Mr Trumps running mate or to tee up a future presidential run.

If I was running for a bogus reason, I would have dropped out a long time ago, she said. Ms Haley also pointed to a critique that former New Jersey governor Chris Christie, who ended his campaign in January, made; that many Republicans secretly fear Mr Trump.

But Ms Haley also pushed back against accusations that she is a Never Trump conservative, pointing to her service in his administration and her critiques of President Joe Biden.

My purpose has never been to stop Trump at all costs, she said. Like most Americans, I have a handful of serious concerns about the former President. But I have countless serious concerns about the current president.

Ms Haley highlighted the fact that only three states  Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada  have voted so far.

People have a right to have their voices heard, she said. And they deserve a real choice, not a Soviet-style election where theres only one candidate and he gets 99 per cent of the vote. We dont anoint kings in this country. We have elections. And Donald Trump, of all people, should know we dont rig elections!

But Ms Haley has failed to put up a significant fight against Mr Trump, having placed third in Iowa. In Nevadas primary, more voters picked None of these candidates than Ms Haley.

Still, she also dropped an ad ahead of Michigans primary saying Bidens too old and Congress is the most exclusive nursing home in America. She also called for mental competency tests for the presidency.

Ms Haley has also campaigned in California and Texas, both of which have their contests on Super Tuesday on 4 March.

The speech also included some of her sharpest criticisms of Mr Trump, specifically hitting him saying that he would encourage Russia to invade Nato countries and for his multiple legal battles.

Its not normal to insult our military heroes and veterans, she said. Its not normal to spend fifty million dollars in campaign donations on personal court cases. Its not normal to threaten the people who back your opponent. And its not normal to call on Russia to invade Nato countries. Donald Trump has done all that and more in just the last month.

At the same time, she criticised Mr Biden and noted how most voters do not want a 2020 rematch between Mr Trump and Mr Biden.

As a country, weve never seen such dissatisfaction with the leading candidates, she said. Weve never had so many Americans mired in pessimism and division.

Ms Haley closed by citing her husband Michaels military service. Mr Trump has previously mocked Mr Haleys absence as he serves abroad.

Michael is fighting for the country he loves, she said, choking up at points when talking about his service. So are all his brothers-and-sisters-in-arms, wherever theyre stationed in our dangerous world. They have made their stand because America is worth fighting and even dying for. Now I will continue to make my stand because America is worth living for.
DELAND  Over the past several years, downtown DeLand has been experiencing what Daytona's Beach Street corridor has for decades.

A growing number of homeless people have been intimidating and harassing businesses' employees and customers, sleeping in public areas, and urinating or defecating on sidewalks in front of stores.

On Monday night, DeLand city commissioners passed four measures they hope will alleviate those problems and connect homeless people with help that could dramatically improve their lives.

The measures, all passed unanimously after lengthy discussion, will outlaw camping on public property, prohibit people from leaving their belongings on public property for more than 24 hours, and ban laying on public sidewalks, streets, alleys and benches.

The fourth measure will open Daytona Beach's First Step Shelter to the homeless in DeLand.

The Bridge in DeLand can house up to 30 people at a time, but the city needs more shelter space. Now DeLand is on the cusp of being able to send homeless people to First Step Shelter in Daytona Beach.

"This is a step, not a solution," said City Commissioner Kevin Reid.

"It's an important first step," said Mayor Chris Cloudman.

After eight years of other efforts that have failed to put a significant dent in DeLand's homeless problems, city commissioners agreed it was time to take more aggressive action.

City Attorney Darren Elkind said the new rules were drafted carefully, and they should pass legal muster. He did predict, though, that the city might have to make some adjustments to the new parameters over the next year or two as police officers apply the new local laws and suggest approaches that would be more effective.

Tackling the difficult homeless problem

The city has been more proactive about addressing homelessness in DeLand since 2016, when city and community leaders started developing a plan that led to the creation of The Bridge homeless shelter and day services center on South Palmetto Avenue.

The Bridge offers 30 beds, a communal dining area, showers, case management, mental health and drug abuse counseling, job assistance, medical care, haircuts, and laundry. The Bridge also helps people get into housing within 30 to 90 days.

DeLand has also prohibited panhandling at nine intersections, and is exploring a diversion from incarceration program to help people charged with misdemeanors get mental health assistance rather than a jail stay.

"Despite our best efforts, there continues to be homeless individuals that reside in downtown and other areas of DeLand that refuse to go to the Bridge or First Step where they can be helped," Elkind wrote in a recent memo. "The conditions under which they live on the streets is deplorable, and filled with violence fueled by substance use disorders and untreated mental illness."

He went on to write that "we need to stop allowing the camping and storage of belongings in public spaces and focus their attention toward residing in spaces that provide proper shelter and have the resources to help with substance use disorders, mental illness and other issues that prevent them from being housed."

The "safe zone" at First Step Shelter in Daytona Beach provides an option for homeless people who need a legal place to stay for a day or overnight. The fenced, open-air pavilion is only for homeless people who are brought to First Step by law enforcement officers.

The newly adopted ordinance explains that camping can include things as basic as sleeping outside on a piece of cardboard or in a sleeping bag.

Only if a person sleeping on public property refuses to leave and refuses to go to a shelter could they face criminal charges. But the measure can't be enforced if shelter space is not available.

Because homelessness itself can't be criminalized, when DeLand police officers tell people now they can't sleep on public property, they have to offer them the option of a shelter bed if the person doesn't have a different legal place they can move to. Adding First Step Shelter now as an option will help when beds at The Bridge are full.

First Step Shelter has 100 beds, and it also has an outdoor fenced "safe zone" where homeless people can stay overnight. Those in the safe zone can leave whenever they want and don't have to enroll in the formal First Step Shelter program.

Those who sleep inside the shelter on Daytona Beach's west side have to commit to working the program that aims to get them stabilized and in housing. First Step Shelter has housed more than 600 people with its comprehensive assistance program.

Being able to access First Step Shelter will cost DeLand $69,368 annually under the agreement commissioners approved Monday night at City Hall. The First Step Shelter Board, which meets at the beginning of next week, will need to approve the agreement with DeLand before it becomes effective and before DeLand police can start enforcing the new public property camping ban.

'30 days later I'm a success story'

One of the related local laws commissioners approved prohibits leaving personal belongings on public property for extended periods of time. That can include garbage bags stuffed full of clothes, and shopping carts overflowing with someone's personal items.

If police find what appear to be abandoned items, they'll leave a tag on them warning the owner they have 24 hours to move the belongings. If an officer finds the items still not moved after 24 hours, they'll take them to The Neighborhood Center of West Volusia, where the owner can retrieve them.

The safe zone for the homeless at First Step Shelter provides beds, blankets and picnic tables.

Another one of the new ordinances prohibits lying down on public sidewalks, alleys and other rights-of-way at any time on the ground or on a bench. It also includes a prohibition against a person sitting or lying down on public property in a way that blocks the use of it. But there are some exceptions, including people sitting on a sidewalk to watch a parade.

Daytona Beach resident Jim Cameron said he's had to clear away homeless encampments on his property at 840 W. New York Ave. in DeLand a dozen times.

"I want to thank you for being proactive on this issue," Cameron told commissioners.

Daytona homeless shelter celebrating: Helping those most in need: Daytona homeless shelter gala raises hundreds of thousands

Savannah-Jane Griffin, CEO of the Neighborhood Center of West Volusia, said she estimates there are about 400 homeless people in DeLand. The Neighborhood Center, among other things, manages The Bridge shelter.

The Neighborhood Center ensures about 200 people are housed per night at The Bridge and various transitional and permanent supportive housing sites, Griffin said. First Step Shelter can help fill some of the remaining gap, but more affordable housing is needed, she said.

A 63-year-old woman told city commissioners The Bridge turned her life around. She said she had been homeless in DeLand for nine months when she went to The Bridge on Jan. 9.

Now she's in housing.

"I was accepted into their program, and 30 days later I'm a success story," she said. "I'm just very thankful and grateful for what they've done for me."

You can reach Eileen at Eileen.Zaffiro@news-jrnl.com

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: DeLand City Commission passes new homeless rules
Video above: How to watch a total solar eclipse safely

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  Delta Air Lines has created a special flight that will allow passengers to spend as much time as possible in the path of totality for the April 8 solar eclipse.

Delta Flight 1218 will depart from Austin, Texas (AUS), at 12:15 p.m. CT and will arrive in Detroit (DTW) at 4:20 p.m. ET, according to the airline.

The flight was designed to follow as close to the path of totality as possible. The flight will be on an Airbus A220-300, which the airline said has extra-large windows.

Tickets for the flight can be purchased through the Delta website. As of Monday, a one-way ticket costs $579.

This flight is the result of significant collaboration and exemplifies the close teamwork Delta is known for  from selecting an aircraft with larger windows to determining the exact departure time from Austin and the experiences at the gate and in the air, Managing Director of Domestic Network Planning Eric Beck said in a statement. Thanks to teams across the company, the idea of viewing a total eclipse from the air will become a reality for our customers.

Delta noted that the flight path could change due to weather or air traffic control.

Five other Delta flights that day will also have opportunities to view the eclipse from up in the air.

DL 5699  DTW-HPN, 2:59 p.m. ET departure (ERJ-175)

DL 927  LAX-DFW, 8:40 a.m. PT departure (A320)

DL 2869  LAX-SAT, 9:00 a.m. PT departure (A319)

DL 1001, SLC-SAT, 10:08 a.m. MT departure (A220-300)

DL 1683  SLC-AUS, 9:55 a.m. MT departure (A320)

(NASA)

In addition to Delta, Southwest also has three flights directly in the path of totality.

SWA 1252  DAL-PIT, 12:45 p.m. CT departure

SWA 1721  AUS-IND, 12:50 p.m. CT departure

SWA 1910  STL-HOU, 1:20 p.m.. CT departure

The next total eclipse to cross a majority of North America isnt until 2045.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
Ukrainian authorities confirmed on Sunday that they had initiated an inquiry into reported shootings by Russian forces of six unarmed Ukrainian soldiers in Avdiivka, and two in a nearby village, following Russia's assertion of complete control over the city.

The prosecutor's office in the Donetsk region announced on its Telegram channel that an investigation has been initiated into the shootings of unarmed Ukrainian prisoners of war in Avdiivka and Vesele, as per Reuters.

Executions of Ukrainian Prisoners in Avdiivka

Prosecutors have initiated a formal investigation into reports suggesting the execution of six prisoners in the region of Avdiivka. The prosecutors, citing information that emerged on the messaging platform Telegram, disclosed that the individuals in question were severely injured and in need of evacuation. Despite the seriousness of the allegations, the source of this information remains undisclosed.

Ukrainian military spokesperson Dmytro Lykhoviy, quoted by Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne, indicated the challenges in confirming or refuting the reported killings in Avdiivka, as an ongoing investigation is underway. Lykhoviy acknowledged the historical context, noting that Russia has been accused of war crimes previously. The Ukrainian military continues to grapple with verifying the details surrounding the alleged executions.

Meanwhile, the Donetsk prosecutor's office provided more information, referring to a video fragment captured by a drone. Allegedly, the video depicts a Russian soldier firing at two captured Ukrainian soldiers from a short distance in the village of Vesele. The office stated that the occupier, identified as Russian, used automatic weapons to kill the prisoners, showing a clear intention to prevent their survival without specifying the incident's timing.

On Sunday, Ukraine's land forces' official Telegram channel shared drone footage depicting individuals in uniform within a narrow trench. The video captured an armed person, identified as Russian, approaching two uniformed individuals identified as Ukrainian. Subsequently, the armed person discharged his weapon, seemingly shooting both Ukrainians. The footage does not depict any defensive actions by the Ukrainian soldiers, who are in a confined trench, according to US News.

Read Also: Yulia Navalnaya Calls Out Putin Regime Following Husband's Death

Russia Silent Amid Ukrainian Allegations

Russia's defense ministry has not responded to allegations made by Ukrainian prosecutors, which are the latest in a series of accusations related to the mistreatment of prisoners of war. Russia, consistently, has denied such claims.

In a separate development, Ukraine claimed the destruction of the fourth fighter jet in two days. War tracker Oryx reported that more than 80 Russian combat aircraft have been confirmed as either destroyed or damaged since the commencement of the full-scale invasion.

The military situation in Avdiivka remains tense, with Ukrainian troops fortifying defensive positions in the nearby town of Lastochkyne. Ukrainian army chief Oleksandr Syrskyi explained the withdrawal of Kyiv's troops from the city as a strategic move to prevent encirclement, following months of intense Russian attacks.

In the Zaporizhzhia Oblast region, Ukraine's military asserted victory in repelling Russia's offensive. The military reported the destruction of 18 armored vehicles, including three tanks, forcing the Russians to retreat to their previous positions. The situation on the ground reflects the complex and dynamic nature of the ongoing conflict, with both sides claiming victories and facing ongoing challenges in verifying and responding to reported incidents, CNN News Independent.

Related Article: NATO Chief Issues Stark Warning on Global Peace Amid Rising Russian Threats
Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) leads Republican David McCormick by nearly 10 points in a hypothetical general election match-up, according to poll results released Tuesday.

The Emerson College/The Hill poll found Casey, the incumbent who has served in his Senate seat since 2007, with about 49 percent support to McCormicks 39 percent, while 13 percent were undecided. A comfortable lead over McCormick with independents contributes to Caseys overall margin; the incumbent is winning by 21 points among them, 48 percent to 27 percent.

McCormick is a former hedge fund CEO who previously ran for Senate in 2022, narrowly losing the Republican nomination to Mehmet Oz. He is likely to win the GOP nomination for Senate this year and face off against Casey.

Pollsters found both candidates have about even net favorability ratings. Casey was viewed favorably by 50 percent of respondents and unfavorably by 42 percent, while McCormick was viewed favorably by 38 percent and unfavorably by 32 percent.

But Casey has an advantage in name recognition, with 30 percent of respondents saying they have not heard of McCormick while only about 8 percent said the same about Casey.

Caseys highest levels of support come from voters with a postgraduate degree, at 60 percent, and from voters whose highest level of education is an associate or bachelors degree, at 50 percent.

The poll also found former President Trump narrowly leading Biden in the key swing state by 2 points, 45 percent to 43 percent, with 12 percent undecided. The result is an improvement for Biden from the poll taken last month, which found him trailing by 7 points.

Trumps lead expands to 5 points when independents Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Cornel West and Green Party candidate Jill Stein are included. The former president receives 42 percent in this hypothetical, while Biden gets 37 percent, Kennedy 8 percent, West 2 percent and Stein 1 percent.

The poll was conducted Feb. 14-16 among 1,000 registered voters and has a margin of error of 3 percentage points.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  With early voting set to begin Tuesday, Feb. 20 in the Texas Primary, Democratic candidates for El Paso district attorney talked to KTSM about their campaigns, issues and principles.

The three Democrat candidates are:

Alma Trejo

James Montoya

Nancy Casas

Each candidate is vying to win the partys nomination during the March 5 primary and take on Republican incumbent Bill Hicks in November. Hicks is running unopposed in the Republican portion of the primary.

Alma Trejo is a lawyer and retired county court at law judge.

Trejo told KTSM she knows that she can go into office and rebuild the DAs Office along with gaining the publics trust.

Trejo said her platform is to first take care of the Walmart mass shooting case, the attorney shortage in the DAs Office and mental health.

Three administrations have already worked on this case and right now there is an attorney shortage crisis. The office normally runs with 90 attorneys. Theres less than 50 right now. And there is a couple of courts that dont even have an assigned district attorney. And my platform also, it includes to resolve those matters and also to set up a mental health unit, Trejo said.

James Montoya is a public defender and former assistant district attorney. His platform also calls for addressing the attorney shortage in the DAs Office.

Victims are not receiving justice. People accused of crimes are not receiving justice as a public defender. Every week, there are cases dismissed for speedy trial violations because theyre not talking to their victims quickly enough. And Im not talking about low level crimes. Im talking about very serious child sex offenses, repeat DWI, aggravated assaults that are being dismissed on the eve of trial, the morning of trial. And its a disservice to everyone, Montoya said.

Nancy Casas is an assistant county attorney and former assistant district attorney. Her platform calls for focusing on cases that are not receiving adequate attention, communication and transparency needed to improve in the District Attorneys Office.

We need to address the the backlog that we have of cases, the cases that are still with, that have been turned in by the by the Police Department, but have not been processed through. And if we dont process through, then you dont have a flow through. So if we dont address the beginning part of these cases, then they never get to court, Casas said.

KTSM asked each candidate to express what they would do in office if elected;

Trejo: I would start building up my team, getting ready, taking applications, hiring people and start looking at the inventory, which is the cases, start looking at the budget, the many tables, and be ready to literally on day one, which is Jan. 1, 2025, start working.

Montoya: Were going to figure out where the specific gaps are in the DAs Office that need to be plugged immediately and figure out who is best suited for what positions. Were going to do that immediately, from day one.

Casas: Im used to putting in a lot of hours and Im used to that and Im ready for that.

Each candidate has already made plans if they arent elected.

I will become a visiting judge or Ive got several options. Ive always wanted to head a nonprofit. My interests are immigration, farmworkers, my children. I would see where I was needed in this community, Trejo said.

Im happy to continue serving as a deputy public defender. I enjoy the work and I enjoyed continuing to serve our community, Montoya said.

I return to work at the County Attorneys Office and finish my career. Im not exactly sure what would be next, but I would finish off at at least a year with the County Attorneys Office, Casas said.

If none of the Democratic candidates win more than 50% of the votes, they will then head into a run off set for May 28.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
Democratic operatives have joined an effort to recall a progressive Washington, D.C. councilmember over his criminal justice reform policies, raising tens of thousands of dollars since the campaign launched in December.

Capitol Hill resident Jennifer Squires began the effort to oust Councilmember Charles Allen amid an escalating crime surge in the nation's capital. By February, the campaign had already raised over $56,000 and garnered support from Democratic political fundraisers and congressional staffers, including former President Obama superdelegate and Democrat lobbyist Moses Mercado, according to campaign filings.

"Crime has become a real issue in the District with lasting consequences," Squires said in a statement in January. "As a mother whose children used to walk to school daily across Capitol Hill, its really frightening."

"A growing group of us watched as our Councilman, someone I voted for, systematically did the exact opposite things he should be doing to keep us safe," she said.

A recall effort was launched against Washington, D.C. Councilmember Charles Allen over his criminal justice reform policies as crime has run rampant citywide.

In response to the recall effort, Allen pointed to his efforts to recruit more police officers with a $25,000 dollar signing bonus for new hires and helping pass anti-gun laws, such as increasing penalties for dangerous automatic weapons.

"This recall effort is misleading and misinformed," Allen said in a statement to WUSA9. "I've worked to hold criminals accountable with strong laws and bring a whole of government approach to reducing crime long-term."

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

Democrats supporting the recall effort include former House aide and TikTok lobbyist Michael Hacker, fundraiser Tonya Fulkerson and the chief of staff for Rep. Dan Kildee, Mitchell Rivard, Bloomberg reported. Around 100 people attended the first volunteer event on Thursday and at least a dozen hands raised after recall organizers asked who had been carjacked, the campaign wrote on X.

"I did national politics, not local politics," Mercado said during the event, The Washington Post reported. "But I realized  I had a conversation with my wife about what if something happens, God forbid, somebody carjacks her?"

BLUE CITY'S RAMPANT VIOLENCE LED THIS FORMER DC RESIDENT TO FLEE THE CRIME-RIDDEN CAPITAL

Allen supporters have criticized the effort, including former councilmember and longtime D.C. resident Tommy Wells, who filed for an anti-recall committee and fundraising effort in support of Allen on Thursday, Axios reported. Wells argued that Allen has widespread support after three consecutive election victories and criticized the recall effort for also attracting significant Republican support.

Some D.C. residents are fed up with Democratic Councilmember Charles Allen and his handling of criminal justice reform as crime skyrockets across the district.

5 MONTHS. 5 BURGLARIES. ANOTHER RESTAURANT SHUTTERS AS CRIME PUSHES BUSINESSES TO BRINK IN BLUE CITY

"The voters of Ward 6 overwhelmingly reelected, Charles Allen, one year ago," Wells told Fox News in an emailed statement. "The people who launched this recall are upset about actions that Allen took long before his reelection, and now they are diverting his time and energy from doing his job, including fighting crime. They should be working with him and his team instead of devoting time and money to overturning the will of the voters."

"The recall effort is playing into the hands of right wing Republicans, who claim that Democrats are mismanaging US cities, and that DC in particular does not deserve home rule," Wells said. "These are the same Republicans who prevent sensible gun controls that would go far in reducing violent crime in a city awash in guns."

But Squires, a fellow longtime Washington resident, said the neighborhood has worsened under Allen's watch. She defended Republican support for the recall campaign and said they were welcome during a Thursday event, according to The Washington Post.

It's "not about politics," Squires said Thursday, reiterating that the campaign is focused on tackling the city's crime crisis.

The nation's capital is facing an ongoing crime wave, according to city police department data. The city hit a 26-year-high in homicides in 2023.

"This is basically a campaign about ideas and trying to convince this man hes got the wrong ideas," Squires said about Allen's criminal justice reform policies. "I dont care if youre Republican, I dont care who you are  especially if you live in Ward 6. Thats his constituency."

As crime has dipped in some major cities across the country, the nation's capital has faced skyrocketing crime, ending 2023 with 274 murders  the most in over two decades, according to Metropolitan Police Department data. Robberies and thefts spiked 67% and 23%, respectively, while motor vehicle thefts almost doubled.

SURGING CRIME, COSTS FORCED 52 BUSINESSES TO SHUTTER IN THIS BLUE CITY LAST YEAR. ANOTHER IS ABOUT TO CLOSE

The recall campaign condemned Allen, who served as the Judiciary and Public Safety Committee's chair from 2017 to 2022, for shepherding a criminal code reform last year that would have lowered penalties for certain offenses like burglaries and carjackings had Congress and President Biden not blocked the legislation. The councilmember was also criticized for his proposal that slashed millions from the police budget in 2020 and was accused of supporting progressive legislation enabling criminals.

Allen's actions "to open the jail doors for violent offenders while slashing the police department budget is having real consequences," Squires told Fox News in her statement. "We are now seeing the results of his failed leadership and misguided policies."

But Wells said Allen strengthened the community's parks, retail shops and libraries, The Washington Post reported.

"Theyve moved to a fabulous place, and theyre upset and angry, and thats understandable," Wells said about residents fed up over crime. "Their focus is on Charles. But they also have to remember: Why did they move there to begin with? This is a great place that Charles helped create."

The organizer of a recall effort against Washington, D.C. Councilmember Charles Allen said the ongoing crime crisis is a result of Allen's failed leadership and misguided policies.

On Tuesday, the Washington, D.C. Board of Elections issued an official petition for the recall, The Washington Post reported. Recall organizers have 180 days to collect around 6,000 signatures in order to move forward with a recall election.

Allen did not respond to Fox News' request for comment.





Original article source: Dems join heavily funded effort to oust fellow Dem in crime-ridden city
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL)  Three people were arrested Friday after the Washington County, Tennessee Sheriffs Office (WCSO) searched a home in Johnson City.

A news release from the WCSO states deputies executed a search warrant at a home in the 100 block of Pickle Road to apprehend Loretta Green, 59. Green reportedly had an active arrest warrant for criminal conspiracy and manufacture/sell/deliver/possession of methamphetamine.

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When deputies searched the home, they reportedly found Green, as well as Michaela Ingram, 26, and Charles Ray, 53.

During the search, investigators report finding 104 grams of meth in Greens bedroom, numerous baggies, four sets of scales and 25 grams of marijuana. She was charged with criminal conspiracy, maintaining a dwelling for controlled substances and possession of methamphetamine for resale.

Greeneville ATM burglarized making at least 7 in area

According to the WCSO, Ingram was found with two grams of fentanyl in her pocket, leading to her being charged with Schedule II drug violations. Ingram also had active arrest warrants for the same charges as Green.

The sheriffs office reports Ray was also found with two grams of fentanyl in his pocket. He reportedly had felony warrants for his arrest in Sullivan County.

The trio was transported to the Washington County Detention Center. Green was placed on a $30,000 bond but transferred to Sullivan County where she also had warrants. As of Tuesday, both Ingram and Ray were being held in the detention center, with Ingrams bond set at $25,000 and Rays at $10,000.

All three are scheduled to appear in court Tuesday.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather.
HOLLAND TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD)  Deputies say a Grand Rapids man was flown to the hospital after a crash in Holland Township.

It happened just before 10 a.m. Tuesday on westbound I-196 near Adams Street, according to a release from the Ottawa County Sheriffs Office.

Deputies say a 2015 Chevy work van left the roadway and hit a tree, leaving the driver, a 32-year-old Grand Rapids man, pinned inside.

The man was rescued by Holland Township firefighters, then flown to the hospital, according to the sheriffs office. Westbound I-196 was briefly shut down so that Aero Med could land.

This embedded content is not available in your region.

Deputies are investigating.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
A month after Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended his campaign for president, some of the most prominent members of his political team are returning to his administration with taxpayer-funded jobs.

Christina Pushaw, who became well-known for her extremely online persona as the DeSantis campaigns rapid response director, will be serving as a senior analyst for the governor. While the office has yet to comment on what her job duties are, records show she will be earning an annual salary of $155,000.

Bryan Griffin, who served as the presidential campaigns press secretary, is back serving as the governors communications director. He is earning $160,000, records show.

And last month, James Uthmeier, who worked as the campaign manager for DeSantis failed bid for president, returned to his role of chief of staff. His annual salary is roughly $196,000.

Griffin on Tuesday posted a meme from the 1980s The Blues Brothers movie with the words Were putting the band back together, on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The re-hires show how DeSantis is regrouping with nearly three years left in his second term in office and how he is surrounding himself with individuals who have a history of focusing on many of the governors political priorities.

Since suspending his presidential campaign, DeSantis has renewed his focus on the pandemic, school book challenges and immigration  policy issues that have been key parts of his political platform. And on Tuesday, DeSantis is holding an official event in South Carolina  days before the states GOP presidential primary.

Pushaw, for example, rose to prominence in national GOP circles after she was hired as DeSantis press secretary in 2022. It was her first job in American government, according to her resume. And within months, she reinvented the position  which at the time paid her $120,000  by aggressively going after Democrats, the governors critics and reporters.

The governors office did not comment on Pushaws hire. But Pushaw said it would involve working on communications and digital projects.
Lawyers for seven people experiencing homelessness have filed a federal lawsuit against Lacey and Washington state to stop the removal of their encampment.

All seven people have lived at the Desmond Drive encampment, located on state-owned property near the Washington state Department of Ecology headquarters off Martin Way.

The state, in collaboration with Lacey, wants to remove the camp as part of the state Department of Commerces Encampment Resolution Program, previously known as the Rights-of-Way Initiative. The program funds housing for people who have been living along state freeways or on state property.

However, lawyers for the seven plaintiffs have argued the state denied disability accommodations for five of their clients and two other clients have arbitrarily been denied housing. Attorneys Carrie Graf and Scott Crain, who work for Northwest Justice Project, filed the lawsuit in federal court in Tacoma on Feb. 9.

As alleged in our complaint, my clients are being asked to leave Desmond Encampment, their home and community of many years, Graf said in a statement. They simply want to be treated with dignity and respect in this process.

That same day, the state Department of Enterprise Services, accompanied by Lacey police, posted notices requiring all remaining occupants to leave the encampment within 72 hours or face removal, according to court records.

In response, Graf and Crain asked the court to issue a temporary restraining order, preventing Lacey and the state from trespassing the plaintiffs.

On Feb. 12, attorneys on both sides told U.S. District Judge David D. Estudillo that they had reached an agreement, according to court records. Graf said the parties agreed to pause trespass efforts for two weeks so the parties can find housing for all the people still living at the encampment.

This pause on the trespass protects all of the plaintiffs, Graf said. My impression is that there is a path forward, if we all keep coming to the table.

If that doesnt work, Graf said they will return to court on Feb. 26 to argue for a temporary restraining order.

Linda Kent, chief external affairs officer for the state Department of Enterprise Services, told The Olympian the parties agreed to remove the 72-hour notices and continue working on finding housing for the plaintiffs.

Since then, Kent said one person on the by-name list and their partner have completed the intake process to move into Maple Court Enhanced Shelter in Lacey.

The by-name list contains the names of 26 people who DES and Lacey identified at the encampment on March 30, 2021. Only eight who remained by Jan. 10 were offered housing through the Encampment Resolution Program.

Ultimately, we all want the same result  a better situation for all of the people who are at the site, Kent said in a statement. With that in mind, we are thankful for the work and coordination with our partners in this effort since 2019

In a statement, Shannon Kelley-Fong, assistant city manager for Lacey, said Lacey police have not removed or cited anyone from the by-name list. However, she said Lacey police have generally continued to enforce no trespassing laws in the city, including at the DES property.

Kelley-Fong declined to answer questions about the lawsuit, saying the city does not comment on pending legal matters.

What led to this lawsuit?

The state initially intended to set a Jan. 17 deadline for occupants to leave the Desmond Drive encampment but court records show those plans were paused after Graf requested accommodations for four initial clients in a Jan. 16 letter. Graf informed the state she represented three additional clients between Jan. 23 and Feb. 5.

Graf called the encampment removal a sweep thats occurring under the states Encampment Resolution Program. She said the program has not met the needs of her clients.

The program is intended to move people into permanent housing that is a good fit for their individual needs, so that the cycle of homelessness is stopped, Graf said. My clients are just asking this program work the way its intended.

Court records show Thurston County commissioners asked DES on Jan. 17 to not enforce trespass actions for another week. The board reportedly wanted time to find resources through the Regional Housing Council for about a dozen visitors who were occupying the encampment. Those visitors were people who were not included on the by-name list.

Lacey announced last month that eight remaining people on the by-name list were offered housing at Maple Court in anticipation of the site being cleared. This was to be the culmination of a multi-year effort to find solutions, as the city has put it, for those living at the encampment.

At the time, Lacey spokesperson Donna Feliciano told The Olympian four of the eight people had accepted the offer and the city was still working with the remaining four.

On Thursday, Kent said three people on the by-name-list were still at the encampment, down from five who were present last week. Olympia Mutual Aid Partners (OlyMAP), a local non-profit, has identified seven people still at the site who were not on the by-name list, Kent said.

DES is working with Laceys Community Resource Unit and Mobile Outreach Team as well as Commerces Encampment Resolution Program and Olympia Mutual Aid Partners to offer housing for the people still at the encampment, Kent said.

In the past month, Kent said DES has cleaned up abandoned camp-sites, cut tree limbs and cleared brush at the encampment. Kent said such activity has been paused for two weeks.

Who are the plaintiffs?

Graf and Crain represent seven people: Jason Torgerson, Erin Bourgault, Brian Lindgren, Nicholas Barry, David Miller, Edgar Wells and Larry Fife. They all care for each other like a family and often share meals together, Graf said.

They trust one another, Graf said. Leaving Desmond, though it may be for shelter that many housed people consider superior, means leaving their community and home for an unknown future.

Graf said some of her clients just want to be offered shelter, some just want to move into shelter with their partner and others need time to make it through a waitlist for permanent supportive housing.

For all of them, they want and are entitled to have a voice in conversations about what happens to them, Graf said.

Torgerson has lived at the Desmond Drive encampment for five years and in Thurston County for 10 years, according to the complaint. He is reportedly legally blind and relies on his partner, who was not included in the by-name list, for daily living tasks.

Bourgault has lived at the encampment for more than four years and in Thurston County for 20 years, according to the complaint. She reportedly has heart problems, frequent blood clots that limit her mobility and mental health disabilities. She has six cats as emotional support animals.

Bourgault shares the cats with Lindgren, a four-year resident of the encampment and lifelong resident of Thurston County, according to the complaint. He also reportedly has mental health disabilities.

The complaint says Barry, who has lived at the encampment for about five years and in Thurston County for 40 years, lives with a mental health disability that makes Maple Court inappropriate for him. He is reportedly on a waiting list for shelter in Olympia.

Miller moved into Maple Court for a few days after living at the encampment with his partner for about five years, according to the complaint. He reportedly chose to return to the encampment because his partner was not allowed to move in with him, which affected his mental health.

Wells and Fife, both long-time Thurston County residents, lived at the encampment for about five years but were not present on the day DES and Lacey compiled their by-name list, the complaint says. Neither of them has claimed a disability.

How did Lacey and the state respond?

Attorneys for Lacey and the state asked the court to deny the request for a temporary restraining order, saying the plaintiffs are unlikely to satisfy legal requirements for such an order.

In their response to the complaint, three Lacey officials submitted a declaration affirming the city had no intention of arresting or citing the plaintiffs for being at the Desmond encampment. Those officials included Lacey City Manager Rick Walk, Lacey Police Chief Robert Almada and Sgt. Kevin Landwehrle, who oversees the Community Resource Unit.

In his declaration, Almada said the Lacey Police Department does not conduct unannounced sweeps of homeless encampments and aims to use enforcement as a last resort. He asked the court to deny the plaintiffs request.

If the Court were to enter an Order implying that we are going to violate the rights of the unhoused  based on the assumption that we intend to do something we do not  it would irreparably damage the relationships and reputation weve built with the public and various stakeholders, Almada said in his declaration.

The states response to the complaint indicates DES and its partners were willing to allow Miller, Bourgault and Lindgren to move to Maple Court with their partners, even if those partners were not on the by-names list.

Though Graf disagrees with Lacey and the state, she said shes hopeful for a positive outcome.

Of course, we disagree with Lacey and the states arguments, but right now we are trying to work together and I have been heartened by their openness to discussion and hearing my clients perspective and needs, Graf said.
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, left, makes a statement with Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis after their meeting at Maximos Mansion in Athens, Greece, Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024. Metsola is in Athens on Tuesday, as part of her campaign to raise awareness and encourage people to vote in the European Parliament elections in June. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

ATHENS, Greece (AP)  Greeces prime minister insisted Tuesday that the rule of law in the country was stronger than ever, despite mounting criticism from press freedom and human rights groups.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis blamed political opponents for the criticism of his center-right government and argued that the country was at the center of a slander (campaign).

He hosted Roberta Metsola, the European Parliament president, who is touring European Union capitals ahead of elections to the EU's legislative branch in June.

Earlier this month, 17 human rights and press freedom organizations including Human Rights Watch and the Committee to Protect Journalists, wrote to the European Commission to voice concerns about Greece. Their letter cited multiple accounts and allegations that the government has targeted or failed to protect journalists, activists and human rights campaigners from attacks using spyware, coercive law suits, and obstructive regulations.

Similar complaints were made in a resolution approved by the European Parliament on Feb. 7.

Mitsotakis maintained that domestic opponents of his government were tarnishing Greece's reputation in order to attack him.

It seems a little odd that certain forces in our country, which once used the most anti-European, populist slogans, suddenly present themselves as the defenders of justice and democratic values and justice, he said, in an apparent reference to Greece's left-wing opposition.

He cited Greeces recent adoption of same-sex marriage legislation and plans to introduce a postal vote as evidence of the countrys improving record.

Rule of law issues are receiving additional attention in EU member states ahead of the June elections, as established political parties fight off challenges from populist rivals across the bloc.

Metsola said her tour was designed to boost public confidence in EU institutions as well as voter participation  noting that rule-of-law issues formed a foundation of public trust.

We want to discuss these issues honestly, and we need to be careful not to politicize or weaponize important discussions on the rule of law, she said.

Metsola later spoke at the Greek parliament and was due to hold a town hall meeting with young people to discuss the June elections.

___

Theodora Tongas in Athens, Greece contributed.

___

Follow APs coverage of democracy at: https://apnews.com/hub/democracy
FILE - Pope Francis prays at the beginning of the third day of a Vatican's conference on dealing with sex abuse by priests, at the Vatican, Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019. Five years ago this week, Francis convened an unprecedented summit of bishops from around the world to impress on them that clergy abuse was a global problem and they needed to address it, but now, five years later, despite new church laws to hold bishops accountable and promises to do better, the Catholic Church's in-house legal system and pastoral response to victims has proven again to be incapable of dealing with the problem. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino, Pool, file)

VATICAN CITY (AP)  Five years ago this week, Pope Francis convened an unprecedented summit of bishops from around the world to impress on them that clergy sexual abuse was a global problem and that they needed to do something about it.

Over four days, these bishops heard harrowing tales of trauma from victims, learned how to investigate and sanction pedophile priests, and were warned that they too would face punishment if they continued to cover for abusers.

Yet five years later, despite new church laws to hold bishops accountable and promises to do better, the Catholic Churchs in-house legal system and pastoral response to victims has proven incapable of dealing with the problem.

In fact, victims, outside investigators and even in-house canon lawyers increasingly say the churchs response, crafted and amended over two decades of unrelenting scandal around the world, is downright damaging to the very people already harmed -- the victims. They are often retraumatized when they summon the courage to report their abuse through the church's silence, stonewalling and inaction.

Its a horrific experience. And its not something that I would advise anyone to do unless they are prepared to have not just their world, but their sense of being turned upside down, said Brian Devlin, a former Scottish priest whose internal, and then public accusations of sexual misconduct against the late Scottish Cardinal Keith OBrien marked the cardinals downfall.

You become the troublemaker. You become the whistleblower. And I can well understand that people who go through that process end up with bigger problems than they had before they started it.

At the end of his 2019 summit, Francis vowed to confront abusive clergy with the wrath of God. Within months, he passed a new law requiring all abuse to be reported in-house (but not to police) and mapped out procedures to investigate bishops who abuse or protect predator priests.

But five years later, the Vatican has offered no statistics on the number of bishops investigated or sanctioned. Even the popes own child protection advisory commission says structural obstacles are harming victims and preventing basic justice.

Recent publicly reported cases point to tragically harmful deficiencies in the norms intended to punish abusers and hold accountable those whose duty is to address wrongdoing, the commission said after its last assembly. We are long overdue in fixing the flaws in procedures that leave victims wounded and in the dark both during and after cases have been decided.

At the 2019 summit, the norms enacted by the U.S. Catholic Church for sanctioning priests and protecting minors were held up as the gold standard. The U.S. bishops adopted a get tough policy after the U.S. abuse scandal exploded with the 2002 Boston Globe Spotlight series.

But even in the U.S., victims and canon lawyers say the system isnt working, and thats not even taking into consideration the new frontier of abuse cases involving adult victims. Some call it charter fatigue, or a desire to move beyond the scandal that spawned the 2002 Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.

The Rev. Tom Doyle, a U.S. canon lawyer who worked for the Vatican embassy in Washington but now provides legal consulting for victims, says he no longer even advises they pursue church justice and instead work through secular courts.

Why? Because the church will screw them every which way from Sunday, he said.

Nearly every investigation into abuse in Catholic Church that has been published in recent years  church-commissioned reports in France and Germany, government inquests in Australia, a parliamentary one in Spain and law enforcement investigations in the U.S. -- has identified the churchs in-house legal system as a big part of the problem.

While some reforms have been made  Pope Francis lifted the official pontifical secret covering abuse cases in 2019  core issues remain.

The structural conflict of interest. According to church procedures, a bishop or religious superior conducts an investigation into allegations that one of his priests raped a child and then renders judgement. And yet the bishop or superior has a vested interest in his priest, since the priest is considered to be a spiritual son in whom the bishop has invested time, money and love.

It is difficult to think of any other legal system in the world where someone with a personal, paternal relationship with one party in a dispute could be expected to objectively and fairly render judgment in it.

The independent commission that investigated the abuse scandal in the French church said such a structural conflict of interest appears, humanly speaking, untenable.

Even the popes own Synod of Bishops came to a similar conclusion. In its November synthesis document after a monthlong meeting, the worlds bishops identified the conflict between a bishop's role as father and judge in abuse cases as a problem and called for the possibility of assigning the task of judgement to other structures.

The lack of fundamental rights for victims. In canonical abuse investigations, victims are mere third-party witnesses to their cases. They cannot participate in any of the secret proceedings, have no access to case files and no right to even know if a canonical investigation has been started, much less its status.

Only as a result of a Francis reform in 2019 are victims allowed to know the ultimate outcome of their case, but nothing else.

The Spanish ombudsman, tasked by the countrys congress of deputies to investigate abuse in the Spanish Catholic Church, said victims are often retraumatized by such a process, which it said falls far short of national or international standards.

The French experts went even further, arguing that the Holy See is essentially in breach of its obligations as a U.N. observer state and member of the Council of Europe, which requires it to uphold the basic human rights of victims.

-- No published case law. The Vaticans sex abuse office doesnt publish any of its decisions about how clergy sexual abuse cases have been adjudicated, even in redacted form.

That means that a bishop investigating an accusation against one of his priests has no way of knowing how the law has been applied in a similar case. It means canon law students have no case law to study or cite. It means academics, journalists and even victims have no way of knowing what types of behaviour gets sanctioned and whether penalties are being imposed arbitrarily or not.

The legal experts who investigated abuse in the Munich, Germany church said the publication of canonical decisions would help eliminate uncertainties for victims in how church law was being applied; Australias Royal Commission, the highest form of inquest in the country, similarly called for the redacted publication of its decisions and to provide written reasons for their decisions in a timely manner.

In-house, canon lawyers for years have complained that the lack of published cases was deepening doubts about the credibility and effectiveness of the churches response to the church scandal.

All we can conclude is that this lack of systematic publication of the jurisprudence of the highest courts in the church is unworthy of a true legal system, canon lawyer Kurt Martens told a conference in Rome late last year.

Monsignor John Kennedy, who heads the Vatican office that investigates abuse cases, said his staff was working diligently to process cases and had received praise from individual bishops, entire conferences who visit and religious superiors.

We dont talk about what we do in public but the feedback we receive and the comments from our members who recently met for the plenary are very encouraging. The pope also expressed his gratitude for the great work that is done in silence, he said in a message to AP.

___

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the APs collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
Abril Meixueiro, who said she fled an abusive ex-spouse in Mexico and now is the subject of a red notice issued by Interpol, drives to her home in Colorado, Jan. 30, 2024. (Eli Imadali/The New York Times)

VIENNA  For years, strongmen and autocrats had a novel weapon in their hunt for political enemies. They used Interpol, the worlds largest police organization, to reach across borders and grab them  even in democracies.

An award-winning Venezuelan journalist was detained in Peru. An Egyptian asylum-seeker was stopped in Australia. And Russia has tried repeatedly to secure the arrest of William F. Browder, a London-based human rights campaigner.

In response, Interpol has toughened oversight of its arrest alerts, known as red notices, making it harder than ever to misuse them. But as Interpol adapted, so did strongmen. They have turned to the agencys lesser-known systems to pursue dissidents, a New York Times investigation has found.

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Belarus and Turkey, for example, have turned Interpols database of lost and stolen passports into a weapon to harass dissidents or strand them abroad. Abuse of this important anti-terrorism tool got so bad that Interpol temporarily blocked Turkey from using it. Belarus is now subject to special monitoring after Interpol spotted a wave of politically motivated entries, officials said.

And as the world took note of countries like Russia and China abusing red notices, Interpol has seen a rise in other alerts. Blue notices  alerts seeking information on someone  have roughly doubled in number over the past decade, Interpol data shows.

Countries are testing Interpols resilience at a key moment, just as the century-old organization prepares to elect its next leader.

Based in the picturesque French city of Lyon, Interpol serves as a digital bulletin board that helps law enforcement agencies worldwide share information about fugitives and crimes. At its best, it helps track down killers and terrorists.

But if governments cannot trust its databases, Interpols credibility would be critically undermined.

While Interpol now reviews every red notice before it is issued, it does not scrutinize blue notices until they have circulated. Those after-the-fact checks have identified 700 alerts since 2018 that violated Interpols rules, according to figures released for the first time to the Times.

Its concerning in the same way that the abuse of red notices was concerning 10 years ago and led to the reforms that we now have, said Stephen Bailey, a lawyer and an author of the book The Legal Foundations of Interpol.

Bailey said he had worked to block several blue notices and passport database entries from India. All were ultimately found to violate Interpol rules, he said.

A dozen lawyers across the United States and Europe said they had seen an increase in cases involving the politically motivated abuse of such lesser-known Interpol systems.

Samuel Heath, an Interpol spokesperson, rejected the idea that political abuse was rising. Rather, he said that Interpols improvements had made it easier to challenge decisions. Interpol was continuously reviewing and improving our systems, including transparency, he said. The idea that our systems must not be used for political purposes is at the heart of our constitution.

Even some of Interpols toughest critics acknowledge that, under its current secretary-general, Jurgen Stock, the agency has made progress in cracking down on red-notice abuse. They worry, though, about what will happen after Stock steps down in November.

The election of his successor will determine whether or not those reforms are retained and advanced or whether Interpol goes back to the wild, Wild West days, said Ted R. Bromund, an analyst at the Heritage Foundation who focuses on Interpol.

The leading candidates are veteran Interpol officials from Britain and Brazil, and both say they are committed to continuing oversight.

Stephen Kavanagh, the British candidate, has played a key role in toughening the red-notice system in his current role as Stocks No. 2. He pitches himself as a trusted, experienced leader and has a record of tackling corruption in policing.

Brazils candidate, Valdecy Urquiza, emphasizes Brazils neutrality in geopolitical affairs and has promised to improve diversity, serving people in all nations, including Africans, Arabs and Asians.

Neutrality is an Interpol cornerstone, but countries like Russia and China have used that to argue that the West should not dictate what red notices should be approved.

Voting will take place, most likely in June, in a secret ballot by members of Interpols executive committee: Argentina, Belgium, China, Egypt, India, Namibia, Nigeria, Spain, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United States.

Campaigning is a delicate balance. It requires appealing to countries that want to prevent abuse, as well as to those that misuse Interpols systems.

All About the Deal

Britain has put its entire diplomatic network behind Kavanagh. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak personally endorsed him in a glossy campaign brochure. A former head of communications for No. 10 Downing St., the prime ministers office, is helping craft Kavanaghs communications strategy.

British Cabinet members bring briefing documents on Kavanaghs candidacy to meetings with their foreign counterparts, according to two government officials with knowledge of the campaign. They, like some others, spoke on the condition of anonymity because Interpol cases and many details around its election are secret.

Some see the election as a test of British influence after Brexit, which cost the country its membership in Europol, the European Union law enforcement agency.

Going through the withdrawal from the European Union made us pause and think, right, how do we best tackle crime? said Graeme Biggar, who leads the National Crime Agency, often described as the British equivalent of the FBI. And I think we collectively reflected that we had been undervaluing Interpol.

Kavanagh, who is the son of a police officer and went into policing at 18, is seen as an Interpol insider, a veteran with connections in policing around the world.

Interpol has never had a secretary-general from outside the United States or Europe, and Urquiza is finding receptive ears to his promise of being the change candidate. A lawyer by training, he has a background in combating human trafficking and in environmental policing, an area of particular importance in Africa, and international work.

The election process  rounds of secret balloting and quirky rules for deciding ties by drawing lots  is hard for anyone outside the room to track.

Governments are nevertheless eager to be wooed. Some officials were unabashed  speaking on the condition of anonymity, at least  about the horse trading. Governments might offer international funding or promise to vote a certain way on another issue.

We are the beautiful bride in this vote, one senior Nigerian official said.

These things are all about the deal, an Indian diplomat said.

A House That Is in Order

Whoever wins will inherit an organization at a pivotal point.

In terms of legacy, I want to hand over a house that is in order, Stock said in an interview.

He believes it is. Interpol has undoubtedly made major strides in cleaning up its databases after years of expansion with little oversight. The agency previously gave countries the authority to instantaneously circulate red notices worldwide.

After years of denying problems, Interpol now has a team that reviews and approves red notices before they circulate.

But that is not universally popular, including among governments that will decide the election. Some, like Turkey and India, argue that the changes hamper police cooperation and that the West should not interfere with their affairs.

In December, a Russian minister railed against restrictions that Interpol has placed on the country. Russia is among six countries, officials said, under what are known as corrective measures. Those can range from tighter oversight of requests to a ban on posting on Interpol channels.

In 2021, Turkey publicly criticized Interpol for refusing to publish 773 red notices against followers of Fethullah Gulen, an exiled religious leader whose movement Turkey has accused of plotting a coup attempt against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in 2016.

Turkey has canceled the passports of hundreds of thousands of those it suspects to be followers of Gulen. One father said in an interview that he had been separated from his wife and two children for more than a year after his Turkish passport was seized during a trip through Germany in 2022. Turkey had logged it in Interpol databases as lost or stolen. He had not lived in Turkey for 20 years, he said, and helped manage the finances of Gulenist schools overseas.

He asked to remain anonymous but provided documents that corroborated his account. He lives alone in an unfamiliar country, unable to travel without a passport.

The governments of Belarus, Russia and Turkey did not respond to requests for comment. A spokesperson for the Indian government described the accusations of abuse as vague and unsubstantiated and said that India rarely used blue notices, citing 58 last year.

Blue notices, the police requests for information like location, represent a newer challenge, one that Interpol is only now reviewing. Countries can instantly blast blue notices worldwide without Interpol reviewing them in advance. Each carries a note saying it has not been vetted.

Other communications, like direct messages between countries over Interpol systems, often get no checks at all but can lead to an arrest.

A blue notice issued by Russia alerted the U.S. immigration authorities in 2019 about a Russian, Vitaly Bogomazov, living in Florida. Immigration officials arrested him for overstaying his visa. Bogomazov was awaiting an asylum decision, saying he was the founder of a company that published a newspaper that criticized President Vladimir Putin and the war in Ukraine.

The blue notice claimed he was wanted for the assault and homicide of a man who Russian court records showed was alive. Bogomazov challenged his arrest, saying he was a victim of a fabricated, politically motivated investigation, court records show.

He is living free in Florida while awaiting an immigration decision, the threat of deportation to Russia hanging over him.

Interpol officials say that blue notices ultimately receive the same checks as red notices, but not immediately. They have not said how long it takes to check notices that have been circulated.

Using a different type of notice is not an effective method of circumventing our systems, said Heath, the Interpol spokesperson.

The Russian case highlights a challenge facing Interpol. Fugitives on assault or murder charges are exactly the kind of people its databases should flag. But how should Interpol evaluate cases in which there is evidence suggesting a genuine crime  in this instance an unverified video showing an assault  but also potential political motivation?

Though Interpol has focused on red-notice abuse, vulnerabilities remain, even when there is no evidence of political meddling.

In December 2020, Abril Meixueiro fled home to Colorado from Mexico with her young daughter. She had just been granted full custody in a divorce from a man she described as violent and controlling.

One night, she recalled, he beat me for hours. She filed a police report in Mexico and provided photographs of her bruised face and a blood-smeared wall. Police concluded that she was experiencing serious violence, and a judge issued a restraining order against her former husband. (In a phone interview, he said it was a complete lie to say that he had been abusive.)

Once in the United States, Meixueiro learned that he had filed a child abduction charge against her and that Interpol had issued a red notice at the request of police in Mexico.

Heath said that stopping child abduction was an appropriate use of Interpol databases. But he said that the agency was concerned about the circumstances of this case and would investigate. In the meantime, Interpol has redacted Meixueiros data from its systems.

We will also look at whether there are wider lessons for how we respond to child-abduction cases, Heath said.

For now, Meixueiro does not fly to avoid the risk of being flagged by Interpol databases and sent back to Mexico. When she needs to be in her office in Miami, she drives. The journey takes three days. She drives through the night, so that she can work during the day.

Im on the red-notice list next to all of these horrible people, serial killers, drug dealers, she said. Not him, who was prosecuted for domestic violence. But me who ran away from domestic violence? Whos protecting her child? I am on their list?

c.2024 The New York Times Company
(Photo : Gerd Altmann from Pixabay)



Since 2002, Yerkin Tatishev has led the international holding company Kusto Group, and over the years, he has acquired a greater and greater impact on the global business world.

As the Founder and Chairman of Kusto Group, he has steered his company to remarkable heights while leaving a significant mark on various industries worldwide. With a keen eye for emerging trends and a relentless drive for excellence, he has become synonymous with entrepreneurial success and forward-thinking ventures.

Born with an entrepreneurial spirit, Yerkin Tatishev's journey into the business world began with a vision to create impactful ventures that transcend borders and enrich communities.

His early experiences instilled in him a profound understanding of the importance of resilience, adaptability, and visionary leadership in navigating the complexities of the global marketplace.

As the founder of Kusto Group, he has overseen the company's expansion into diverse sectors, including real estate, agriculture, construction, and finance, among others. Under his stewardship, the firm has emerged as a driving force behind numerous landmark projects and initiatives, reshaping industries and driving economic growth across continents.

From Beef to Petrol: Yerkin Tatishev Is Everywhere

Kusto Group, under the leadership of Yerkin Tatishev, has spearheaded numerous transformative projects across various sectors and continents. One such venture is Koktobe City, a sprawling mixed-use development that has redefined urban living in Kazakhstan. With its modern infrastructure and sustainable design, Koktobe City visualizes Kusto Group's commitment to innovation and community development.

Diamond Island, another notable project, showcases the group's expertise in real estate and urban planning, offering luxurious waterfront living spaces in the heart of bustling cities.

In addition to its real estate endeavors, Kusto Group has made significant strides in the agribusiness sector through KazBeef, a leading producer of high-quality beef products. Under Yerkin Tatishev's guidance, KazBeef has implemented state-of-the-art practices to ensure sustainable and ethical farming practices while meeting the growing demand for premium meat products in domestic and international markets.

Furthermore, Kusto Group's involvement in the energy sector through KazPetrol underscores its diversified portfolio and strategic vision. With a focus on innovation and efficiency, KazPetrol has emerged as a key player in Kazakhstan's oil and gas industry, contributing to the country's economic growth and energy security. Through these ventures, Yerkin Tatishev has established Kusto Group as a prominent player in the global business world, driving growth and prosperity in various fields.

Giving Back to Society

Yerkin Tatishev's philanthropic initiatives extend beyond business ventures, showing a deep commitment to social responsibility and community welfare. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he played a crucial role in providing relief efforts to those affected, particularly in Ukraine.

Through various charitable initiatives and donations, he helped support healthcare facilities, frontline workers, and vulnerable communities, offering essential supplies and medical equipment to combat the spread of the virus.

His philanthropic endeavors underscore his belief in giving back to society and making a meaningful impact on people's lives. By leveraging Kusto Group's resources and networks, he has been able to address pressing social issues and contribute to the well-being of communities in need.

Whether through healthcare initiatives, education programs, or environmental conservation projects, the Kusto Group founder continues to prioritize philanthropy as a core value of the firm's corporate ethos.

By blending business success with social responsibility, Yerkin Tatishev exemplifies a holistic approach to leadership that transcends profit-driven motives and fosters positive change on a broader scale.

Through his philanthropic endeavors, he not only uplifts individuals and communities but also inspires others to embrace the spirit of giving and collective responsibility.

The Kusto Group Founder's Belief in Quality Education

His passion for education is evident in his commitment to fostering academic excellence and providing opportunities for learning and growth. Recognizing the transformative power of education, Yerkin Tatishev has initiated various projects aimed at promoting access to quality schooling and enhancing educational outcomes.

One notable endeavor is the founding of the High Tech Academy in Koktobe City, a flagship project under Kusto Group's development portfolio. This institution serves as a beacon of educational innovation, offering a comprehensive curriculum designed to nurture students' intellectual curiosity, critical thinking skills, and creativity.

By establishing such educational institutions, he aims to empower the next generation with the knowledge and skills necessary to thrive in an ever-changing world.

Beyond individual projects, Yerkin Tatishev is a staunch advocate for educational reform and investment in human capital development. He believes that education is the cornerstone of societal progress and economic advancement, and thus, he continues to champion initiatives that expand access to quality education for all, regardless of socioeconomic background or geographic location.
[Source]

Disney Plus on Monday announced four new Korean titles for 2024, bringing the total to seven so far into the year.

What they are: The latest series titles include thriller Blood Free, mystery Unmasked, action-thriller The Tyrant and crime drama Gangnam B-Side. Reality show The Zone: Survival Mission will also return for a third season.

The new Korean originals announced today really builds on the positive momentum and success of our APAC content slate last year, Carol Choi, Disneys executive vice president for original content strategy in APAC, said in a news release. We will continue to scale our creative ambition with a curated collection of APAC originals, centered on quality storytelling and top talent, in collaboration with the regions most exciting storytellers.

The streamer previously announced Lightshop, an adaptation of the web comic of the same title by Kang Full, and period drama Uncle Samsik, which named Parasite actor Song Kang-ho as lead star. More Korean titles are expected to arrive throughout the year.

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About Blood Free: Blood Free stars Ju Jihoon (Kingdom) and Han Hyojoo (Moving). The series follows a former bodyguard haunted by the failures of his past and recruited to protect the CEO of a controversial lab-grown meat company, who also happens to be a survivor of an attack that changed his life.

About Unmasked: Unmasked, which stars Kim Hyesoo (Signal, Under the Queens Umbrella), follows a group of investigative journalists fighting for their careers after broadcasting a controversial story. To save their jobs, they are given the impossible task of solving a 20-year-old cold case involving a famous actor who mysteriously disappeared.

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About The Tyrant: The Tyrant follows a U.S. government agent in his attempt to recover a deadly new virus stolen from the South Korean government. The series is expected in the second half of the year.

About Gangnam B-Side: Gangnam B-Side follows a pariah detective who gets involved with an investigation after his daughters friend goes missing in Seouls Gangnam area. While searching for clues, the detective uncovers something that threatens to topple the citys elite.

About The Zone: Survival Mission Season 3: The third season of The Zone: Survival Mission will see the return of Kwon Yuri and Yoo Jaesuk alongside new hosts former UFC fighter Kim Donghyun and YouTuber Dex. The foursome must reportedly survive an increasingly complex range of challenges.

Trending on NextShark: Yao Mings 13-year-old daughter towers in height in viral photos

About Lightshop: Lightshop is an adaptation of the web comic by Kang Full, creator of last years popular series Moving. Starring Ju Jihoon, Lee Jungeun (Parasite), Park Boyung (Oh My Ghost) and Bae Seongwoo (Veteran), Lightshop follows a group of strangers each struggling with a traumatic event and mysteriously drawn to a light shop located at the end of a dingy alleyway.

About Uncle Samsik: Uncle Samsik, which stars Song Kang-ho (Parasite) and Byun Yo-han (Mr. Sunshine), is set in 1960s Korea and follows an idealistic politician and a mysterious political fixer called Uncle Samsik. Together, the pair form an uneasy partnership to help transform a struggling post-war Korea into a prosperous country.

Trending on NextShark: This mango-shaped ice cream is selling out in Asian markets after going viral on TikTok

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First responders rushing to reports of gunshots inside a dorm room at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs were "unsure" if the scene was stable or if they were running into an active shooter situation.

"Engine 9 responding to 4645 Clyde Way UCCS Alpine Village for gunshot victims," authorities are heard saying in Colorado Springs Fire and EMS dispatch recordings reviewed by Fox News Digital.

"Engine 9 to dispatch. It's going to be in room 108 on the first floor, and PD is enroute.  I'm not sure if the scene is safe yet."

That was shortly before 6:30 a.m. on Friday. Two days later, the victims were identified as Samuel Knopp, a 24-year-old student at the university, and Celie Rain Montgomery, 26, who wasn't a student.

On Monday, Colorado Springs police said Nicholas Jordan was arrested as a suspect in the case.

SUSPECT IN DOUBLE SLAYING LEAVES RECORDINGS: IN MY MOVIES, EVERYBODY ALWAYS DIES

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

Sam Knopp, 24, is pictured in a "Son's Day" tribute post by his mother on Facebook.

Knopp's mother's Facebook post the day of the shooting mirrored the first responders' uncertainty about what was going on at the upperclassmen's dorm.

"There were reports of an active shooter on campus at UCCS where our son, Sam, is a senior," Knopp's mother wrote on Facebook at 10:46 a.m. on Feb. 16.

SLAIN ARTIST PENS FOREBODING POST BEFORE CLASSMATE WITH MURDER MANIFESTO ALLEGEDLY STABS HER 37 TIMES

"At least one person is dead. I haven't heard from Sam. He lives in Alpine Village, where residents were told to shelter in place."

About 30 minutes later, she updated her post, which was filled with well-wishes, and said one person was killed.

"Authorities are now saying there is no threat," she said, but noted the large police presence outside her son's dorm.

Sam Knopp's mother wrote this message before she learned her son was killed in the Feb. 16, 2024, shooting.

Sam Knopp was a 24-year-old senior and musician at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs when he was fatally shot on Feb. 16, 2024.

A little after 2 p.m. she wrote, "Nothing official, but I have heard that a woman was shot and killed in Sam's dorm "

At that point, neither Knopp's mother, nor any of her friends and family asking if Sam was OK, knew the 24-year-old musician was killed. After police announced Knopp was killed, she stopped responding, and her timeline flooded with condolence messages.

DOUBLE HOMICIDE SUSPECT ALLEGEDLY CALLS 911 ON HERSELF: I COULDNT RESIST URGE TO KILL'

She was proud of her son, always posting pictures of Sam on "Son's Day" as well as his twin sister on "Daughter's Day."

"Happy Son's Day, Sam!!! I love you to the moon and back (thought Son's Day was in March but hey, it's all good)," she wrote in a post with his picture.

He was a senior and a "beloved member of the Visual and Performing Arts department," Chancellor Jennifer Sobanet wrote in an email to students. "He was an accomplished guitar player and an extremely talented musician."

His junior recital is on the university's music department's YouTube page, where his talent and humor were on display.

FULL VIDEO (Fast forward to about 22-minute mark to watch Knopp rock out)

The other victim was identified as Celie Rain Montgomery, 26. She wasn't enrolled at the university, according to law enforcement, and they didn't elaborate on her connection with Knopp, if there was one, or why she was in the dorm.

Jacquie Higinbotham, one of Montgomery's extended relatives, said she was a single mother of two young children.

"Please send prayers for my family. Celie Montgomery, one of the victims of this shooting, was my cousins daughter," Higinbotham wrote on Facebook. "She was the single mom of two young children.

NURSE HELPING AMERICANS IN ALLEGED BAHAMAS ATTACK WAS SCARED BY WHAT SHE SAW: COULDVE BEEN MY DAUGHTERS

"My cousin must now deal with mourning the loss of her daughter (as a mom of two daughters I cant even imagine how painful that must be) while also being strong for her grandkids who now have no mom."

"And my 87-year-old uncle  in his worst nightmares he probably never thought hed be saying goodbye to his granddaughter. This is all so horrible. You never think itll happen to your family until it does. Please prayers for my cousin Melody and her husband, my Uncle Larry, and Celies 5 and 7 year old little ones."

Celie Montgomery, 26, was fatally shot at Colorado University at Colorado Springs on Feb. 16, 2024.

Police said they arrested Nicholas Jordan early Monday morning in connection with the double homicide.

He was spotted at 7:52 a.m. on Monday in a car, and the department's tactical team responded in force and arrested the suspected gunman at 8:37 a.m.

He will be charged and processed in the El Paso County Jail, according to police, which soothed the angst among parents and students, including Tara Sparks, who spoke to Fox News Digital.

"There is a sense of relief in knowing the suspect is in custody, but there's a bigger picture that needs to be addressed," said Sparks, whose daughter is a freshman at the university. "Our children need to be able to go to school, to better themselves, without the worry of something bad happening. And unfortunately, that is not the world we live in."

"Let's hope that UCCS takes this situation and takes the initiative to place the safety of the students and staff into its highest regard," Starks said.

Fox News Digital's Mitch Picasso contributed to this report.





Original article source: Dispatch audio from deadly Colorado dorm shooting reveals responders 'not sure' if gunman was still at large
Truckers for Trump are protesting the former United States President Donald Trump's civil fraud conviction by shutting down the flow of supplies to the region.

The development comes after the Republican businessman was ordered to pay a fine of $355 million for inflating the values of his assets to deceive bankers and insurers. The rumors of shutting down supplies to the country's largest city started on Friday.

Truckers for Trump Plan to Boycott NYC

This was when trucker and influencer "Chicago Ray" posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, where he angrily claimed to have spoken to 10 drivers who were also upset about the verdicts against the former president.

Chicago Ray said, "You f*** around and find out. We're tired of you motherf***ing f***ing with Trump." The trucker noted in a separate post on social media that his advice to New York residents is to start stocking up on supplies because he claimed there are millions of Truckers for Trump telling officials to leave Trump alone, as per MSN.

A Manhattan judge on Friday ordered Trump to pay the massive fine due to shady business practices that included inflating and deflating the value of his properties. A jury last month agreed that the former president owes writer E. Jean Carrol $83.3 million for defamation after he continued to speak badly about her after he was found responsible for sexually assaulting her three decades ago.

After the initial message went viral, Chicago Ray took down his post and walked his comments back a few steps on Monday. He said that he was not a figurehead and was not the leader of any movement. He said that he heard chatter and wanted to let people know about what he heard.

The trucker told his roughly 241,000 social media followers that he was not encouraging anyone to do anything and claimed that he removed his original post because his grandson became upset. However, his sentiments were amplified by social and traditional media.

Read Also: Former President Trump Appears in Court on Hush Money Case

Supporting Donald Trump

Chicago Ray's initial video message gained traction and on Sunday morning, the phrase "Boycott NYC" was trending on X, with more than 13,000 posts mentioning the term. It remains unclear whether or not the boycott will actually manifest but Chicago Ray was not the only to voice his opposition to the latest ruling, according to the Independent.

Elena Cardone, the wife of wealthy real estate investor Grant Cardone, created a GoFundMe page that was called "Stand with Trump: Fund the $355M Unjust Judgment." In a post on social media, her husband explained that all of the funds raised would be forwarded to Trump Org for his defense of the "ridiculous judgment."

In response to his loyalists expressing their opposition to the civil fraud ruling, the former president said, "Such an honor to have so many Great Patriots on the side of FREEDOM!" in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social.

On Saturday night, the Republican businessman celebrated the trucker campaign that Chicago Ray started. He also said that President Joe Biden's unfair and dangerous weaponization of law enforcement is a serious threat to Democracy, said Yahoo News.



Related Article: Judge Declares Mistrial in Murder Case of Black Man Involving Former Ohio Sheriff's Deputy
Theres a reason smartwatches havent replaced clinically validated gear when you visit the hospital  accuracy and reliability are paramount when the data informs medical procedures. Even so, researchers are looking for ways in which these devices can be meaningfully used in a clinical setting. One project in the UK has explored if a Garmin Venu 2 and dedicated companion app could be used to free up doctors and nurses, six minutes at a time.

The Six Minute Walk Test (6MWT) is used to diagnose and monitor a number of cardiovascular maladies. This includes conditions like Pulmonary Hypertension that, if left untreated, are eventually fatal. [The test has been] a cornerstone of hospital practice and clinical trials for decades all around the world as [...] a marker of how well the heart and lungs are working, project leader Dr. Joseph Newman told Engadget. While a change in a blood test marker might be clinically relevant, he said its probably more important to someone that they can walk to the shop and back.

The test requires a patient walk on a flat, hard surface for six minutes straight, which stresses the heart enough to measure its capacity. A professional tests the patients heart rate and blood oxygen levels at the start and end. While its simple and reliable, "its not perfect, according to Dr. Newman. This is why weve looked to change it in two important ways," he said, "can we make it shorter [...] and digitize it for remote use?"

After all, six minutes is a lifetime in a clinical setting, and patients dislike having to schlep all the way to their hospital just to walk up and down a corridor. Its why Newman and Lucy Robertson  both researchers at the Royal Papworth Hospital in Cambridge  began looking for ways to revolutionize the test. They wanted to see if the test could be shortened to a single minute, and also if it could be carried out by a patient at home using a Venu 2.

The watch was connected to a secure and dedicated clinical trial platform built by Aparito  a Wrexham-based developer  for testing. This was then sent out to patients who were instructed to wear the watch and walk outdoors to complete their own tests. Theyre asked to walk on flat, even, dry, relatively straight roads rather than in laps or circuits, Dr. Newman said, with patients walking at their own natural pace.

We carried out a product appraisal early on in the research process and were open-minded as to the brand or model, said Dr. Newman. Garmin came out on top for a few reasons; we can access raw data as well as Garmins algorithmically-derived variables, he said. Because the research was being funded by a charity, the British Heart Foundation, the watch had to offer good value for money. It helped that Garmin, with its established health research division, gave the team confidence in the accuracy of the sensors, not to mention the fact that Aparito feels that the Garmin SDK is relatively easy to work with, he added.

But while Garmin is in use right now, theres no reason this setup couldnt eventually work with a number of other brands. As long as the technology works, its accurate, reliable and patients accept it, then were not tied to any brand, he said.

There are several benefits in giving patients the ability to run the tests at home: its more representative of the demands of their actual life, and patients can retake the test at regular intervals, making it easier to track that persons health over time. We can see real value in providing patients with pulmonary hypertension with an app and smartwatch to monitor their progress, Dr. Newman said. Its unlikely to ever fully replace the need for in-person hospital reviews, but it will likely reduce their frequency.

The results of the study right now suggest cutting the test to one minute has no detrimental effect on its outcome or accuracy, and that patients are far more likely to run the test regularly if theyre able to do so at home. Its likely that the upfront costs of wearables [to a hospital] may be offset by the longer term reduction in hospital visits, Dr. Newman said. If that turns out to be right, it means clinicians can better focus their time and efforts where their expertise is more valuable.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  Authorities have arrested a driver more than eight months after a crash that resulted in the death of a teenager in South Nashville.

According to the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD), the crash took place on June 9, 2023, in the eastbound lanes of Interstate 24 at the Haywood Lane ramp.

PREVIOUS | Missouri teen killed in crash on I-24 near Haywood Lane

A preliminary investigation indicated that a Honda Accord was traveling east, when for reasons unknown, the driver lost control of the vehicle and struck a Ford Fusion head on, which caused the Ford to lose control as well.

Authorities reported both vehicles swerved between lanes before coming to a final rest. The driver of the Ford, identified as 17-year-old Sofia Balk of Chesterfield, Missouri was taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center where she died.

Aidan Chenoweth (Courtesy: Metro Nashville Police Department)

On Tuesday, Feb. 20 officials announced that 23-year-old Aidan Chenoweth, the driver of the Honda, was arrested for the crash.

| READ MORE | Latest headlines from Nashville and Davidson County

He was found to be driving up to 90 miles per hour when the deadly crash occurred, police said.

Chenoweth was charged with two counts of reckless endangerment and one count of reckless homicide.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.
LANSING, Mich. (WLNS)  On Sunday, Michigan State Police were able to take several large guns off the street during a traffic stop in Eaton County.

Troopers were assisting a driver who had run out of gas on Broadway Hwy. near Cochran Ave. just south of Charlotte when they found the guns and ammunition in the vehicle.

Driver arrested for multiple weapons found in car. (Photo: Michigan State Police)

The unnamed 23-year-old man did not have a CPL (Concealed pistol application) license, according to police.

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The troopers arrested the man and booked him into the Eaton County Jail on weapons charges.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WLNS 6 News.
The man who police say was speeding and texting when he hit and killed a San Luis Obispo couple just before Thanksgiving 2022 pleaded guilty to two counts of vehicular manslaughter on Tuesday.

Daniel Saligan Patricio, 24, admitted to striking Matthew Chachere, 39, and Jennifer Besser, 36, with his car on Nov. 21, 2022.

Chachere and Besser were found dead the next day under dense brush near the intersection of Sacramento Drive and Basil Lane, several hours after police received a report of a dead dog in the creekbed.

Family members had reported them missing after they failed to arrive in Modesto for a holiday gathering. The two both worked for E.&J. Gallo Winery and had recently moved to San Luis Obispo.

The couple, who had been together for 11 years, were honored in October with a memorial plaque on the bridge where they died.

Matthew Chachere, 39, and Jennifer Besser, 36, were found dead under dense brush near the intersection of Sacramento Drive and Basil Lane in San Luis Obispo on Nov. 22, 2022, following a car crash the evening before. Police believe the driver hit the couple while traveling at excessive speed. A memorial with flowers and photos were placed where the car had hit the bridge, and the driver is cooperating with the investigation, according to police.

The responding officer testified in the preliminary hearing that he found no evidence of the couple being hit at the time of the crash.

Detectives testified that Saligan Patricio had admitted to drinking alcohol earlier that day and was texting and driving. Data pulled from his car showed he hit Chachere and Besser at 61 miles per hour.

The responding officer to the scene also testified Saligan Patricio did not appear to be under the influence and did not smell like alcohol at the scene.

Both the defense and prosecution agreed the statements in the preliminary hearing transcript and most recent charge sheet were factual.

Saligan Patricio faces a maximum sentence of seven years and four months in state prison.

Daniel Angel Saligan Patricio, 24, listens in court on March 1, 2023. He is charged with vehicular manslaughter in the deaths of Matthew Chachere, 39, and Jennifer Besser, 36, on Nov. 21, 2022.

But in order for him to receive the maximum sentence, at least one aggravating factor must be found true.

Aggravating factors are typically included in charge sheets for serious felonies. There are 17 possible factors that can be alleged for serious crimes.

San Luis Obispo County Deputy District Attorney Danielle Baker alleged the following two aggravating factors apply in this case: The crime involved great bodily injury, and the victims of the crime were particularly vulnerable.

2 SLO residents and their dog found dead in creekbed

Saligan Patricios attorney, Ilan Funke-Bilu, argued none of the aggravating factors are true in the case.

Baker argued that while great bodily injury may already be covered in the vehicular manslaughter counts, the agency was not willing to drop the vulnerable victims factor.

A photo of the car that crashed near the intersection of Sacramento Drive and Basil Lane on Nov. 21, 2022 is shown during the preliminary hearing against Daniel Saligan Patricio on Nov. 14, 2023. Saligan Patricio is charged with two counts of vehicular manslaughter for the deaths of Jennifer Besser and Matthew Chachere on Nov. 21, 2022.

San Luis Obispo Superior Court Judge Michael Frye ruled the probation office could recommend any aggravating factors they see fit in Saligan Patricios pre-sentencing report. From there, the parties will decide whether the factors will be admitted, dismissed or put through to a trial.

The pre-sentencing report is scheduled to be received on April 2. Saligan Patricios sentencing is scheduled for April 9.

The guilty plea to both vehicular manslaughter charges count as two strikes under Califronias Three Strikes law, Frye said. This means if Saligan Patricio were to be convicted of another qualifying crime, he could automatically face 25 years to life in state prison.
MILWAUKEE (AP)  A drunken driver who sped through a red light in Wisconsin and smashed into another vehicle, killing five of her passengers, including four children, was sentenced Monday to 25 years in prison.

Anteyona Sandifer, 21, pleaded guilty in January to five homicide charges related to the deaths in Milwaukee last May. Prosecutors dropped six other felony charges against her in a plea deal.

UPDATE: Green Bay firefighter sent to hospital after costly fire on Klaus Street

Sandifer was driving an estimated 80 mph (130 kilometers per hour) when she drove a minivan through a red light and collided with another vehicle and a pole, the Milwaukee County Medical Examiners Office said. Sandifers blood-alcohol content was 0.167, more than twice the legal limit, at the time of the crash, according to Assistant District Attorney Sara Sadowski.

Relatives of the victims  a 1-year-old girl, two 15-year-old girls, a 17-year-old boy, and a 32-year-old man  said Sandifer and her passengers had attended a party before the crash.

While you have taken responsibility in a sense, its not clear to me youve taken full responsibility for the loss of five people, Milwaukee County Judge David Swanson said.

Swanson said Sandifer has significant rehabilitative needs.

Two deaths in Wisconsin believed to be connected as deputies continue investigation

Sandifer will be subject to 15 years of extended supervision after completing the 25-year prison sentence.

Sandifer suffered a collapsed lung and broken ribs in the crash, court records said. A sixth passenger, a 17-year-old girl, suffered life-threatening injuries. The driver of the vehicle that was struck, a 32-year-old woman, suffered serious injuries, police said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton.
Nearly a dozen people have been arrested after officials announced investigators launched a probe last year into drones allegedly dropping loads of drugs into a southern West Virginia federal prison.

Eleven people including one minor are facing criminal charges in connection to the drug dealing scheme law enforcement caught onto last year in the city of Welch, a McDowell County Sheriff's Office spokesperson confirmed to USA TODAY Tuesday.

The prison is in McDowell County about 10 miles south of the state capital, Charleston, just north of the Virginia state line.

Another suspect connected to the case  a Kentucky man who the Associated Press reported fled from law enforcement when they tried to arrest him on a warrant earlier this month  was found dead on Feb. 15.

McDowell County Sheriffs Office James ' Boomer' Muncy could not immediately be reached by USA TODAY Tuesday, but according a press release from his office obtained by the AP and WBOY-TV, his department was contacted in November by officials at the Federal Correctional Institution, McDowell for help with "increased drone use in the area" of the prison.

The following month, the outlets reported, Muncy said his office received tips about drone deliveries being made into the medium security prison.

The quantity and type of drugs reportedly dropped into the prison were not immediately known.

A McDowell County Circuit Court spokesperson told USA TODAY the defendants' charges are being handled in state court.

The Federal Correctional Institution, McDowell in Welch, West Virginia.

USA TODAY has reached out to the West Virginia Department of Corrections.

11 arrested from December through February

The sheriff said the first arrests took place in December and the most recent arrest took place this month.

The suspects face charges including introduction or attempts to introduce contraband into a correctional facility, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, unlawfully operating a drone, terroristic acts and felony conspiracy, WVNS-TV reported.

Two of the 11 suspects arrested also face charges of assault and battery on an officer and fleeing on foot, and a third suspect in the case was charged with being a fugitive from Pennsylvania, according to the outlet.

On Feb. 9, the release continues, deputies attempted to arrest 29-year-old Jose Sanchez Rodriguez of Louisville on a warrant, but "he fled on foot," according to a sheriff's office press release obtained by WBOY-TV.

On Thursday, sheriff's office deputies found him dead, the outlet reported, and his body was sent to the state medical examiner for an autopsy to determine his cause and manner of death.

It was not immediatly known where his body was found.

Suspects identified

According to the release, deputies, with help from the West Virginia State Police, arrested the following suspects in connection to the case:

Jose Enrigue

Arturo Gallegos

Dominguez Santos

Bailey Rene Sexton

Hector Luis

Raymond Saez

Rivera Gamalier

Frank Salgado

Francisco Gonzalez

Miguel Piceno

One juvenile

On Tuesday, online records showed some the suspects incarcerated at the Southwestern Regional Jail in Holden remained behind bars.

Jail records did not show whether those still in custody had retained attorneys.

Contributing: Associated Press

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: West Virginia federal prison home to drone-based drug ring: Reports
Hernandez, whose 2014 to 2022 stint as president was plagued by allegations of corruption, faces life in prison if found guilty (ORLANDO SIERRA)

Former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernandez went on trial in New York on Tuesday on charges of drug trafficking, including the transfer of 500 tons of cocaine through his country to the United States.

The 55-year-old Hernandez was extradited to the United States in 2022, accused of aiding drug smugglers in return for millions of dollars in bribes.

Flanked by his lawyers, Hernandez appeared in Manhattan's Southern District federal court during jury selection Tuesday morning.

Dressed in a suit and tie, he appeared looked nervous, constantly rubbing his hands together until attorney Raymond Colon asked him to calm down.

Judge P. Kevin Castel predicted the trial would last two to three weeks. Outside the courthouse, about two dozen Hondurans rallied, calling for Hernandez to be sentenced to life in jail and chanting "Here is your narco president."

Two of Hernandez's co-defendants, former Honduran police chief Juan Carlos "Tiger" Bonilla and ex-policeman Mauricio Hernandez, pleaded guilty in recent days to drug trafficking.

Their pleas, and any cooperation with the US authorities, will likely pile pressure on Hernandez to cut a deal with prosecutors.

If found guilty of the three charges against him, conspiracy to traffic drugs and two counts of trafficking and possession of weapons, Hernandez could effectively spend the rest of his life behind bars.

As president, Hernandez worked closely with the administration of former US leader Donald Trump, winning Washington's praise for his government's work in drug seizures and the fight against organized crime.

"He arrested people who had no ties to him, but he protected others," former US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent Mikel Vigil told AFP.

Hernandez has insisted he is innocent and the "victim of a vendetta."

If found guilty, he would follow in the footsteps of other former Latin American heads of state convicted in the United States, like Panama's Manuel Noriega in 1992 and Guatemala's Alfonso Portillo in 2014.

Last year, Mexico's former homeland security minister Genaro Garcia Luna, the highest-ranking Mexican official to face a US trial, was found guilty of drug trafficking by a New York court. His sentencing is set for June 24.

Hernandez, whose 2014 to 2022 stint as president was plagued by allegations of corruption, is accused of having facilitated the smuggling of some 500 tons of cocaine -- mainly from Colombia and Venezuela -- to the United States via Honduras since 2004, starting long before his presidency.

US prosecutors say Hernandez turned Honduras into a "narco-state" by involving the military, police and civilians in drug trafficking.

Hernandez used the drug money to enrich himself and finance his political campaign, and commit electoral fraud in the 2013 and 2017 presidential elections, the indictment alleges.

Several drug traffickers have told US prosecutors they paid bribes to Hernandez's inner circle. By the time he left office, DEA agents were ready to move against him.

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In a split vote at nearly 1 a.m. Tuesday, the Durham City Council passed a resolution calling for cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war, becoming the second and largest municipality in North Carolina to do so.

The vote was 5-2, with Mayor Leonardo WIlliams and Mayor Pro Tem Mark-Anthony Middleton dissenting. Williams said he thought the vote should be divided.

I think it should reflect Durham, he said, adding that he believed the resolution will tear the community apart.

The resolution calls for an end to U.S. military aid for the current Israeli government, urges the Biden administration to facilitate a cease-fire and calls for the release of hostages.

Anti-war protesters filled the Durham City Council chambers for the second time in two weeks, with hundreds forced to wait outside.

The protesters have been demanding for months that Durhams elected leaders issue a resolution against the war, which has claimed more than 30,000 lives since Oct. 7, most of them civilians in Gaza, according to Associated Press reports.

We should not be providing unconditional funding to a government actively under investigation for perpetuating genocide in violation of international law, Elizabeth Johnson said during the public comment period,.

At the previous meeting, protesters held red roses in the air and stopped the meeting entirely to sing for 15 minutes This time, they held clementines. Both are symbols for the Palestinian lives lost.

The clementines focus especially on children, chosen after the death of 3-year-old Imad Abu Al-Qarea, reportedly shot by Israeli snipers when his cousin took him out to get clementines.

Swarnali Sengupta raised one as she spoke Monday night, recounting her memory of reading Anne Franks diary as a child.

I always wondered, if someone read her diary as it was happening, would the world have saved her? Sengupta asked. We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.

Many of us are here today because we have the moral courage to call a genocide a genocide as its unfolding, rather than decades later, added Julie Gras-Najjar, who descends from survivors of the Nazis and the Armenian genocide.

Pro-Palestine protesters brought a Durham City Council meeting to a standstill for 15 minutes on Monday, Feb. 5, 2024. They are calling for the council to pass a resolution causing for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.

Discussion on the resolution was pushed to the end of Monday nights agenda, and didnt begin until nearly 10 p.m., three hours after the meeting started. The overflow area had thinned to a few dozen by then.

About 40 people spoke, most supporting a strongly worded resolution.

A smaller group of Israeli-Americans spoke against it. Brad Young said he was troubled by the mind-boggling absence of the word Hamas and Marcy Goldstein said it was divisive and in bad-faith.

70 cities have called for ceasefire

Jewish Voice for Peace reports about 70 cities around the U.S. have passed resolutions calling for cease-fire. In November, Carrboro became the first North Carolina town to do so.

Raleighs mayor said earlier this month that Raleigh leaders will not vote on a similar resolution.

We should have done this earlier, Durham City Council member Nate Baker said Monday, offering a list of 10 reasons he voted for it.

Durhams resolution was authored by a newly appointed council member, Chelsea Cook, who is Jewish. It is her first act as a public official.

I know there are members of the Jewish community who are going to feel pain at the passage of this resolution, Cook said. I know that for everyone thats going to feel hurt by this resolution, theres so many of you who are going to be frustrated by its limitations. And Im frustrated too.

Council member DeDreana Freeman supported the resolution, but said she believed the word genocide should be in it.





Its really problematic to not to say what the thing is  I dont want you to say anything. I dont want any snaps, she interrupted the crowd, which was indicating its approval. This (resolution) is not the best representation of Durham right now, and that is whats most hard to swallow.

She said she felt irritated by the white liberalism in the room.

It hurts, because you werent here last year, Freeman said, referencing the difficult year experienced by her and two other Black women who have since left the council. If you really want people who fight for justice, you have to support them.

Middleton said he voted against it because he thought the language needed refinement, perhaps mentioning the need for a two-state solution.

I think we can get there if we did more work, he said.
An American man admitted to charges of murder and rape involving two other U.S. tourists near Germany's Neuschwanstein Castle during a trial that began on Monday.

The defendant admitted to the charges during the start of his trial as he faced accusations of pushing two fellow American tourists into a ravine close to the popular German tourist attraction. The area was in the southern state of Bavaria and the incident took place in June of last year. One of the female victims died as a result of her injuries from the fall.

American Admits to Murder and Rape of US Tourists

The suspect's lawyer said that his client was "deeply ashamed" of what he did to the victims and wished to offer his apologies to their families. The two female victims, aged 21 and 22, had been hiking on June 14, 2023, during a visit to the European nation following graduation from university.

The suspect approached the victims and persuaded them to follow him down a trail to a lookout point near the Marienbrucke bridge. He then allegedly shoved the younger woman to the ground and proceeded to undress her, as per DW News.

The older woman then tried to intervene and the man is said to have pushed her down a slope in retaliation. German prosecutors suspect that the defendant then strangled the younger woman until she was unconscious before raping her and also throwing her down the same slope.

The 22-year-old suffered serious injuries due to falling down the slope but survived and the younger woman was air-lifted to hospital by mountain rescue. However, the latter later died from the severity of her injuries.

The suspect is now charged with murder, rape resulting in death, attempted murder, grievous bodily harm, and possession of child pornography. These came after files were allegedly found on his phone and computer.

While the 31-year-old suspect's identity has not been released to the public in keeping with German privacy rules, reports have identified him as Troy Bohling of Lincoln Park. Michigan. Defense lawyer Philip Mueller said that his client has "committed an unfathomable crime," according to the New York Daily News.

Read Also: Navalny's Death Takes Center Stage at 2024 Munich Security Conference

Potential Life Imprisonment

During the trial, the suspect confirmed that his lawyer's statement was correct but he did not answer any questions. Under the German legal system, defendants do not formally enter pleas to criminal charges.

The two female victims were identified as Eva Liu and Kelsey Chang who were on a tour of Europe after graduating from the University of Illinois. Chang, the older victim, was from Bloomington, Illinois, and had just earned a computer engineering degree while Liu, the younger victim, was from Naperville, and earned a bachelor's degree in computer science.

The suspect may be imprisoned for life if he is convicted in the trial over the crimes against the two women. Defense lawyers denied that the suspect acted with intent, telling the court that he simply acted spontaneously.

Officials said that the suspect was initially arrested on the same day of the crimes following a massive police manhunt that involved more than 25 vehicles. They added that his face was covered in deep red scratch marks along with his neck. Authorities said that there was clearly a struggle, said BBC.



Related Article: US Lawmakers Consider Sanctioning Chinese Firms for Aiding Russia's War with Ukraine
DURHAM, N.C. (WNCN)  School buses carry some of our most precious cargo and Fridays bus fire in Durham, where 28 students escaped, shows how quickly a fire can move when it breaks out in a bus.

The cause of Fridays bus fire is still under investigation, but CBS 17 has learned the school system is working on a way to honor the bus driver, who made sure all the kids got off the bus safely.

Durham school bus destroyed by massive fire, 28 students saved

The bus fire prompted CBS 17 Consumer Investigator Steve Sbraccia to look into what fire safeguards are there for school buses in North Carolina.

When you look at things rationally, the Durham bus fire is not that uncommon

The US Dept of Transportation says theres an average of one school bus fire a day around the country  and most of them begin in the engine compartment.

Thats because most school buses have turbocharged engines which can produce an intense fire.

After a fatal school bus fire in Iowa, the National Transportation Safety Board recommended all school buses, have a fire suppression system in the engine compartment.

It looks like a red cylinder filled with a chemical that can stop the fire in 2 to 5 seconds.

CBS 17 wanted to know what kind of safety equipment is required for North Carolina school and activity buses.

Documents show school buses in this state are required to have three kinds of safety equipment, a fire blanket, fire-blocking upholstery fabric, and a fire extinguisher.

Theres no mention of fire suppression equipment, so CBS 17 asked the North Carolina Department Of Public Instruction if its acted upon any of the NTSB recommendations that were made in 2019 to include fire suppression devices in the engine compartments of school buses.

The Department Of Public Instruction told CBS 17 that both the USDOT and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have to make a decision on those fire suppression recommendations and, at this point, neither agency has acted on them.

In the meantime, the Durham Fire Departments Fire Marshall is in charge of the investigation to figure out why the bus caught fire.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS17.com.
The Netherlands has already begun supplying Ukraine with drones for its defense against Russia, Dutch Defense Minister Kasja Ollongren said on Feb. 19.

The Netherlands announced on Feb. 14 that it would take part in a coalition led by Latvia to provide Ukraine with advanced military drone technology.

"I can't tell you the exact number, but we are already sending drones to Ukraine," Ollongren told the Baltic news outlet Delfi in an interview.

"Of course, I think this drone coalition is very important, because now we will join forces, which means we will be able to increase the number of drones and also to specify them according to Ukraine's needs."

Latvia is building a coalition of about 20 countries who will work together to strengthen Kyiv's arsenal of drones. There are currently eight members, including the United Kingdom and Sweden.

Drones are a key part of Ukraine's strategy to overcome Russian manpower by bolstering its technological capabilities on the battlefield. President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree on Feb. 6 creating a separate branch of Ukraine's Armed Forces dedicated to drones.

Ollongren said it made sense for the Netherlands to join this coalition, given its participation in other groups aimed at supplying Kyiv with advanced weapons systems.

The Netherlands took the lead along with Denmark in establishing a coalition focused on F-16 fighter jets for Ukraine. As of February 2024, the Netherlands has pledged to send 24 F-16s to Ukraine.

Ollongren said she is confident the first transfers of the jets will take place this year.

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
LOS ANGELES - A 19-year-old South Los Angeles woman has been located and reunited with her family the day after an Ebony Alert was issued, officials said.

The California Highway Patrol issued the Ebony Alert for Sanai Makayla Singh shortly before 10 a.m. Monday on behalf of the Los Angeles Police Department.

Authorities said she suffers from an unspecified condition that requires medication.,

No further information was provided by authorities.

An Ebony Alert was issued for Sanai Singh on Monday, Feb. 19, 2024.

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The Ebony Alert system went into effect in California on Jan. 1, 2024. An Ebony Alert acts like an Amber Alert or Silver Alert but is geared specifically toward finding missing Black youth and young women.

FOX 11's Marla Tellez spoke with California State Senator Steven Bradford, the lawmaker who first introduced this national alert system and spearheaded the program back in 2020. Black women and girls make up approximately 18% of all missing persons cases despite accounting for only about 7% of the population, according to 2022 data from the National Crime Information Center and U.S. Census Bureau.

"Evidence shows that African-American young girls and women are ignored," said Bradford in a previous interview with FOX 11. "The resources are not committed to the same level as their counterparts when they come up missing."

Ebony Alerts follow similar criteria to Amber Alerts, but with slightly broader qualifications. The age range for an Ebony Alert expands past 17 years of age to 25 years of age, but there must still be reason to believe that the missing person is in imminent danger with no other available information that could lead to their recovery.

"When was the last time you drove down the freeway and saw an Amber Alert for a missing African-American young woman or girl? But we've all known about the Gabby Petitos of the world," said Bradford. "We just want the same level of commitment by both media and law enforcement."
Delta Air Lines is offering a unique opportunity for umbraphiles to witness a total solar eclipse from the sky on April 8, 2024.

WATCH THE FORECAST | DOWNLOAD THE APPS

The special flight, Delta 1218, will depart from Austin and land in Detroit, providing passengers with an extended viewing experience within the path of totality.

Operated on an A220-300 aircraft renowned for its extra-large windows, Deltas flight 1218 promises premium eclipse viewing for passengers.

Departing Austin at 12:15 p.m. CT and arriving in Detroit at 4:20 p.m. ET, the flight is meticulously timed to coincide with the eclipses peak, ensuring an unforgettable spectacle for all onboard.

Eric Beck, Managing Director of Domestic Network Planning at Delta, stated Thanks to teams across the company, the idea of viewing a total eclipse from the air will become a reality for our customers.

LISTEN: Mike Buresh All the Weather, All the Time Podcast

While Delta flight 1218 offers a unique experience, travelers on other Delta routes will also have the opportunity to witness the eclipse from the air. Five additional flights on April 8 have been identified for prime eclipse viewing, spanning routes:

DL 5699, DTW-HPN, 2:59 pm EST departure, ERJ-175

DL 924, LAX-DFW, 8:40 am PST departure, A320

DL 2869, LAX-SAT, 9:00 am PST departure, A319

DL 1001, SLC-SAT, 10:08 am MST departure, A220-300

DL 1683, SLC-AUS, 9:55 am MST departure, A320

For those preferring a ground-based vantage point, Delta serves many destinations within the path of totality, including Austin, San Antonio, and Little Rock, Arkansas.

The April 8 eclipse is the last total eclipse well see over North America until 2044, noted Warren Weston, Delta Air Lines Lead Meteorologist.

Booking information for Deltas eclipse-viewing flights can be found on delta.com, although travelers are reminded that flight plans are subject to change based on factors such as weather and air traffic control.

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AUSTIN (KXAN)  The April 8 total solar eclipse passing over Texas is a once-in-a-lifetime experience with the next one passing over a tiny sliver of the United States in 2044. Scientists from Harvard recently visited the University of Texas in order to ensure everyone will get a chance to be part of the event.

Its important that we make sure that these eclipses are accessible to everyone, said Allyson Bieryla, with the Center for Astrophysics at Harvard and the Smithsonian.

In order to do this, Bieryla and her team created the LightSound Project. A small device made of just three parts, it can turn light into sound.

The bright bright sunlight will be kind of like a flute sound, then it goes to like a mid range clarinet. And then it goes to like a low clicking sound, Bieryla said. The device uses a light sensor and an old school MIDI board to generate the sound.

Her team worked with members of the visually impaired community, including astronomer Wanda Diaz Merced, to develop the device.

How much of the sun will be covered in your city during Aprils solar eclipse?

Im not blind or low vision. So its important that we get that input from the community of what they want, Bieryla said.

Construction of the device began in 2017, before the last total eclipse to pass over the United States. At the time, the team built only three of the boxes. They hope to have more than seven hundred built ahead of the April 8 eclipse.

How do you build a light to sound device?

The LightSound team has spent the last few months travelling the country. In January, the team visited the University of Texas where they hoped members of the community could help them build close to a hundred devices.

Being able to assist those who may not have the same type of visual capabilities that we do, along with experiencing a rare event. The overlapping of those two experiences, I think is really special, said Jason Jendrusch, an amateur astronomer who attended the event.

Volunteers at the University of Texas construct LightSound devices. The devices will help visually impaired people experience the eclipse. (Credit: Kevin Baskar/KXAN)

Bieryla said they selected UT for the event due to its proximity to the eclipse. They also visited UT San Antonio and plan to host an event at Harvard.

The devices will be donated to people in need ahead of the eclipse. Funding from the International Astronomical Union, the American Astronomical Society, the National Science Foundation, and the Simons Foundation makes the project possible.

Taxidermy, massages & weddings: Unique Texas eclipse festivals prepare for April 8

Hearing peoples reaction and communities that that felt, not included or thought about after the fact, its just devastating, said Bieryla. To hear that this is having some small impact in that way is just phenomenal.

Bieryla said that the team assembled 150 devices at the UT event and 400 total. Their next event will be held in Boston this March.

After this eclipse, the team plans to expand their efforts overseas ahead of the next European eclipse in 2026.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
With its four-piece bathroom suite, queen-size bed and mini fridge, the untidy prison cell of the notorious leader of the Los Choneros gang, Jose Adolfo Macias, could have been in a hotel instead of one of Ecuadors largest prison complexes.

Picture released by the Ecuadorean Armed Forces showing Adolfo Macias, aka Fito, leader of the Los Choneros criminal gang, while being transferred to The Rock maximum-security complex on August 12, 2023. - Ecuadorean Armed Forces/AFP/Getty Images

This is better than at home [he] lives like a king, a soldier exclaims in the second of several videos showing Macias room and personal grassy courtyard, filled with half a dozen of his pet fighting roosters. The videos, shared with CNN, were taken in La Regional prison and filmed by members of the military last year.

In another video shot inside Macias prison cell, a colorful mural depicting the gang leader better known as Fito, warns silver or lead. The phrase, popularized by Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar, offers the grim choice of taking a bribe or being shot  a possible warning to prison staff.

The clips offer more evidence to the stark reality that Ecuadors prison system has turned into the headquarters for criminal groups that have amassed foot soldiers and influence across the country, experts say. In less than a decade, organized crime has turned the relatively peaceful country into one of the most dangerous places in Latin America.

Prison massacres have become more frequent in recent years, leading to the deaths of hundreds of people, some of whom were found dismembered. In the latest riots, more than 130 prison guards and administrative employees were kidnapped across several prisons. They have since been released.

The criminal groups have all the control [of the prisons]  thats why Fito had all those benefits in prison: TV, internet, food, alcohol, women  everything he wants, Jean Paul Pinto, an Ecuadorian security expert who has previously advised Ecuadors police and intelligence agency, told CNN.

Experts speculate that those freedoms the drug kingpin enjoyed while incarcerated are also why he was able to escape La Regional prison  a jailbreak that captured the attention of the world and kicked off a storm of violence across the country last month.

Prisons out of control

It was around a decade ago when Ecuador started to lose control of its prisons, experts say. A series of oversights by successive Ecuadorian leaders allowed for criminality to expand throughout the prison system, according to Glaeldys Gonzalez, an expert on organized crime at the International Crisis Group. These oversights included mass prison transfers aimed at breaking up criminal groups - a move that backfired and only helped gangs expand their footprint throughout the country, she added.

Mass incarceration policies helped gangs recruit new members behind bars, while the 2017 demobilization of Colombias powerful guerrilla force, FARC, allowed Ecuadorian gangs to fill the void when it came to the trafficking of cocaine from Colombia to Ecuadors ports, analysts say.

With 30,000 gang members estimated across the country, many incarcerated criminals have been able to use influence outside the prison walls to control their jailers. Intimidation has been used [by gang members to make prison staff carry out] illicit activity requested by the criminals, who would threaten harm to family and loved ones if they didnt, said Julio Cesar Ballesteros, who was formerly the deputy general director of SNAI, and vice-minister of social rehabilitation, under former President Lenin Moreno.

Ballesteros told CNN that corruption was bound to happen because prison guards were underpaid, overworked and dealing with terrible conditions, where overcrowding meant there werent enough guards for the number of prisoners.

The chronic overcrowding of Ecuadors prisons has fueled the violence. Inmates have previously told CNN of people having to sleep in corridors without mattresses, and according to data from SNAI, the prisons were between 3,250 and 4,150 people over capacity last year.

Ballesteros added that organized criminal groups controlled absolutely everything in the penitentiaries. The prisons are no longer administered by the state, from within, the criminals took overmany prison officials, even top officials, were subjected, either by blackmail or threats, so they looked the other way and allowed the illicit activity.

In one instance, an investigation last year by Ecuador Attorney General Diana Salazar revealed a high-profile incarcerated drug traffickers plan to pay off prison staff with up to $3,000 in exchange for bringing in pigs for a prisoners day party.

Messages shared by Salazars office show the trafficker boasting, Its like I am the director here, in messages to acquaintances outside the prison.

Its part of a pattern across the region, experts say. The prison system in Latin America has long been the incubator, and training center, and headquarters for some of the most powerful criminal syndicates in the Americas, Jeremy McDermott, co-founder of think tank InSight Crime, told CNN. And, so, its no surprise that this is replicated in Ecuador.

Drug ballads and cockfighting

Macias is one of Ecuadors most notorious gangsters and is the only founding member of Los Choneros believed to still be alive. In 2011 he was sentenced for a string of crimes, including homicides and narcotics trafficking, according to think tank Insight Crime, but sprung out of jail in February 2013 before being recaptured months later.

Little is known about his life prior to crime, but the 44-year-old gained a reputation for being the gangs money laundering expert while incarcerated for over a decade. Los Choneros and their main rival, Los Lobos, are believed to be allied with Mexican drug cartels in a war for dominance over Ecuadors drug trade. Los Lobos saw an opening amid a violent power struggle in Los Choneros when Macias became its leader in 2020, say experts.

The Los Choneros infighting that year, as well as their turf war with Los Lobos, coincided with an explosion of prison violence and Ecuadors rising homicide rate  which made Macias a household name in Ecuador.

More than 300 people died in prisons in 2021, some of whom were beheaded in horrific massacres that saw inmates armed with automatic weapons and even grenades. The bloodshed, and rivalries, continue today, Gonzalez said.

Beyond the prison walls, economic insecurity in the country has either driven many Ecuadorians to crime or forced others to flee the country.

La Regional prison, where Macias was incarcerated before his latest escape, is one of five facilities that make up a large prison complex in Guayaquil  a port city and popular transit route for cocaine leaving the country that has seen some of the bloodiest violence between rival gangs.

In a music video shared online last year, the Los Choneros leader can be seen petting a rooster, apparently inside Guayaquil prison complex. The drug ballad, sung by Mariachi Bravo, also features Macias daughter Michelle. CNN has reached out to SNAI to ask how Mariachi Bravo was able to film the notorious inmate.

Allegations of corruption have swirled around Macias luxurious living situation in prison, especially over why he was able to stay in a medium security prison instead of a maximum security penitentiary.

Announcing US sanctions on Los Choneros and Macias this month, the US Treasury Department said the gang leader enjoyed access to cell phones and internet, which enabled him to continue to direct the activities of Los Choneros and publish external communications.

A military source told CNN that Macias enjoyed cockfighting while in prison, and that his room was enlarged to be as big as two prison cells. The drug kingpin was also able to have a string of women visit him while he was incarcerated, the source said.

It was no secret that Macias was living in relative luxury compared to the average inmate. He celebrated his 42nd birthday with great fanfare, according to CNN affiliate Ecuavisa, which showed footage of a fireworks display at his prison and loud music emanating from the compound. An image of the event showed the kingpin posing in front of what appears to be a birthday cake.

Dont tell Fito

In December, the freshly inaugurated Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa joked during an interview with state media that Macias cell had more power outlets than a room at the Marriott. Asked what his governments plan was to tackle the lawless prisons, Noboa replied: Theres a pretty plan, dont tell Fito, dont tell Fito yet.

The government had planned to transfer Macias to a high security prison. But Macias is believed to have been tipped off in advance, prompting his escape in January. Around the same time, his wife and children traveled to the Argentine city of Cordoba, where they moved into a recently-purchased house, according to officials in Argentina.

Our theory is that there was previous planning to buy the house, get the family out [of Ecuador], and once the family was out, escape from prison, Argentinas Security Minister Patricia Bullrich has said. The family was expelled two weeks after their arrival, according to Argentine officials.

It remains unclear how and when Macias escaped. But the press secretary of Ecuadors president reckons the Los Choneros leader was told about an impending prison transfer.

Yes, there was a leak, most likely there was a leak, Roberto Izurieta told Ecuadorian channel Teleamazonas.

CNN has reached out to the countrys prison agency, SNAI, for comment.

Ecuador exploded in violence following news of Macias jailbreak and President Noboa declared a state of emergency on January 8. Police and prison staff were taken hostage, explosions set off in several cities, a TV studio was raided by gunmen, a prosecutor investigating gangs was murdered, and the alleged leader of the rival Los Lobos gang, Fabricio Colon Pico, escaped prison with dozens of other inmates.

Noboa also declared war on the gangs, which he described as narco-terrorist groups who enjoy the support of foreign cartels. The ongoing crackdown, which has seen the military deployed to help Ecuadors overwhelmed police force, led to more than 5,000 arrests.

But experts question if such militarization will work as a long-term solution to criminal gangs when the root causes of Ecuadors violence  including systemic corruption, weak state institutions and being wedged between some of the biggest cocaine producers in the world  have not changed.

Today, soldiers ring the exterior walls of the Guayaquil prison complex where Macias broke out from. As part of the crackdown, Noboa has vowed to build even more prisons.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
Edmond Public Schools asked the Oklahoma Supreme Court on Tuesday to decide whether the Oklahoma State Board of Education or a local elected school board has the authority to establish policies concerning books in the districts libraries.

District Superintendent Angela Grunewald said the lawsuit was filed after the Oklahoma State Department of Education threatened to have the state board lower Edmond's accreditation at an upcoming meeting on Thursday because two books, The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls and The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, are in the libraries of the districts three high schools.

The district is asking the court to assume original jurisdiction of its lawsuit against the state Board of Education, the state Education Department and state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters, who leads both the state Education Department and the state board. Its also asking the Supreme Court to issue a writ of prohibition that would prevent the state board from proceeding further against the district.

Walters issued a statement about two hours after the Edmond district announced the lawsuit.

This is an ongoing subversion of accountability," Walters said. "Edmond Public Schools not only allows kids to access porn in schools, they are doubling down to keep pornography on the bookshelves. Parents and kids should have the confidence of going to schools to learn. Instead of focusing on education, EPS has chosen to peddle porn and is leading the charge to undermine parents in Oklahoma.

How Ryan Walters, Oklahoma State Department of Education have been working to influence content available in school libraries

In March 2023, Walters announced the creation of an email address  dubbed Parent Watch  where concerned parents could notify the state Education Department about materials in school classrooms and libraries. The department also has a library advisory committee that reviews parental complaints, to which Walters recently appointed Chaya Raichik, the woman behind the Libs of TikTok social media account. The state Education Department has declined to release the identity of any other members of that board.

The Edmond school board voted unanimously Tuesday to file the lawsuit, an action Grunewald said the district did not take lightly. In a letter to Edmond district families, she said the lawsuit was filed in response to correspondence the Edmond school district received last month regarding the two books in the high school libraries. In the letter, she said, the state Education Department ordered the district to remove those books from our libraries, which is not something within their authority to do.

More: Ryan Walters asked for tips on 'inappropriate' materials in schools. He got the 'Bee Movie' script

She said that if the district chose not to remove the books, the state Education Department threatened to downgrade the districts accreditation and would order the district to defend its decision during Thursdays board meeting.

By law, our district must be accredited, so you can see why accreditation is a critical asset worth fighting to protect, Grunewald said.

She noted the district, since 1997, has had a clear policy for the review of books in our school library, a policy we have followed consistently for over 25 years and that district board members firmly believe in local control for school boards in Oklahoma and standing up for the laws passed by the state Legislature that guarantee that control.

Quite emphatically on Tuesday, Grunewald said, We do not have pornography in our classrooms and our libraries at Edmond Public Schools.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Edmond schools ask Oklahoma Supreme Court to rule on library dispute
A pedestrian with an umbrella reading "I Love Paris" looks on next to the Eiffel Tower and a displayed banner reading "employees of the Eiffel Tower on strike" in Paris on Monday. Unions of the operating company of the Eiffel Tower, the CGT and Force Ouvriere say the city, which owns 99 percent of the tower, has underestimated costs and overestimated revenues, whilst also hinting to the threat of a strike during the Olympic Games, held in Paris from July 26 to August 11.

Tourists in Paris were turned away from the city's most famous landmark on Monday and seem unlikely to be able to return on Tuesday.

Strikes closed the Eiffel Tower as a dispute over the management of the Parisian icon caused it to shutter for the second time in two months, according to French newspaper Le Monde.

Unions for the striking workers told the Agence France-Presse wire service that the action could be extended. By 3 a.m. Tuesday in Paris, the official Eiffel Tower website listed that visits to the landmark also would be disrupted on Tuesday.

Union leaders have been critical of site operators SETE, which is owned by the City of Paris, saying that they have overestimated the amount of future visitors and underestimate maintenance costs, according to Le Monde.

"They are giving priority to short-term benefits over long-term conservation of the monument and the well-being of the company we are working for," Stephane Dieu of the CGT union, which represents a large number of the Eiffel Towers employees, told the Associated Press.

Eiffel Tower visitors disappointed

Visitors to the Eiffel Tower were greeted by a sign announcing the closure, and worker made signs announcing the strike.

"Knowing that I cant come to the tower today is very, very disappointing," Morgan McKenny, an American living in Germany and celebrating her birthday in Paris told the Associated Press. "I appreciate the workers wanting to keep the tower going for the next few hundred years."

Multiple visitors left the landmark diappointed.

"Its a real shame, really, because we come just for three days, and were not going to be able to get up, Nelson Navarro, from Norfolk, England, told Rueters.

The 300-meter (984-foot) tower sees about six million visitors a year, according to Reuters.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Eiffel Tower closed: Tourists being turned away amid strike
David H. Estes, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, speaks during a news conference Nov. 22, 2021, to announce indictments in USA v. Patricio et al, Operation Blooming Onion, a human trafficking investigation naming 24 defendants on felony charges including human smuggling and document fraud.

More than two years after the announcement of Operation Blooming Onion, one of the largest U.S. human trafficking cases ever prosecuted by the U.S. Department of Justice (USDOJ), two defendants have pled guilty to charges in the case and eight defendants plan to plead guilty, according to a review of court documents.

Upon notice of the plea agreement, the court is given the option to accept or reject the agreement or defer its decision until receipt of the presentence report. The terms of the plea agreements are sealed from public view, so its not clear which charges most of the defendants have pled guilty to, or the length of their sentences.

In October 2021, a grand jury indicted 24 people for conspiring to engage in forced labor and other related crimes. Federal prosecutors say the defendants required guest farmworkers to pay illegal fees to obtain jobs, withheld their IDs so they could not leave, made them work for little or no pay, housed them in unsanitary conditions and threatened them with deportation and violence. Two workers died in the heat, according to the indictment. Court records say five workers were kidnapped and one of them was raped.

What do we know about Operation Blooming Onion, thus far?

Following the announcement of Operation Blooming Onion, investigative reporting by USA Today, the Augusta Chronicle and the Savannah Morning News revealed that two Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) officials whose jobs involved protecting or advocating for farmworkers had links to Maria Patricio, the central figure in Operation Blooming Onion. That story found that Jorge Gomez, a GDOL state monitor advocate who has since retired, is the brother of Patricio. While not indicted, his home was searched as part of the case.

Subsequent investigations found that a federal agent testified that GDOL officials were bribed by the alleged Patricio trafficking organization related to farmworker housing inspections, and a Georgia state senator routinely hired a family of farm labor contractors linked to Operation Blooming Onion.

Multiple civil lawsuits have also arisen from the trafficking charges. One civil lawsuit filed on April 5, 2023, in federal court by the Vedder Price law firm, consists of former workers claiming that Maria Patricio and two alleged traffickers forced them to work in dangerous conditions with little to no pay, housed them in rundown motels and trailers, and subjected them to physical and mental abuse.

Two defendants have already pled guilty to their charges and have been sentenced to prison.

On March 15, 2023, Daniel Canela Diaz pled guilty and was sentenced in October 2023 to two years' imprisonment. Upon release, Diaz will be deported and will serve five years on supervised release, according to court documents. He is also ordered to pay about $162,000 in restitution to seven victims.

Stanley Neal McGauley pled guilty on May 17, 2023, to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and was sentenced to one year and one day. He will be subject to supervised release for three years following his release from prison.

Operation Blooming Onion Photo Illustration

Which defendants in Operation Blooming Onion plan to plead guilty?

From mid-July through early February, eight defendants have entered a "notice of plea agreement," according to court documents filed by prosecutors in the case. Those defendants include:

JC Longoria Castro

Charles Michael King

Rosalva Garcia Martinez

Esther Ibarra Garcia

Daniel Mendoza

Donna Michelle Roja

In a case filed on Feb. 5 of this year, federal prosecutors charged Antonio Chavez Ramos, who also goes by the name Tony Chavez, with misprision of a felony, alleging that, from March 2019 through September 2019, he benefited financially from slavery and trafficking in Coffee and Bacon counties by employing H-2A visa farmworkers and not paying them. That same date, Ramos entered a guilty plea.

On Feb. 9 of this year, Gumara Canela entered a guilty plea. According to a review of court documents, Canela is also facing a civil lawsuit, which was filed by attorneys for Georgia Legal Services on behalf of four H-2A visa farmworkers. The civil lawsuit, filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia on Oct. 18, 2021, alleges that Canela and her husband, Daniel Canela, forced them to work in dangerous conditions, among other claims of mistreatment.

A plea hearing is scheduled for the morning of Feb. 27 at the Waycross Federal Courthouse.

Where do the other indictments stand?

Prosecutors dismissed one of the original 24 indictments after learning that defendant Rodolfo Martinez Maciel had been murdered by beheading in Mexico in September 2019.

Other defendants, such as Patricio and Brett Donovan Bussey, a former GDOL employee, continue to fight their charges. A motions hearing for those defendants is scheduled at 10 a.m. on March 1, at the Waycross Federal Courthouse.

Drew Favakeh is the public safety and courts reporter for Savannah Morning News. You can reach him at AFavakeh@savannahnow.com.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Defendants in Operation Blooming Onion case plead guilty
Democratic Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers signs new legislative maps into law following support from the Republican legislature.

The support from the GOP comes as Republican lawmakers wish to avoid having the liberal-controlled state Supreme Court draw the lines. Democratic lawmakers hailed the signing as a major political victory in the swing state.

Wisconsin's New Legislative Maps

Wisconsin is the region where the Legislature has been firmly under Republican control for more than a decade even as Democrats won 14 of the last 17 statewide elections. In a statement prior to signing the maps into law, Evers said that the fair maps he promised were for both parties, not just his.

The governor added that his state is not a red state or a blue state but a purple state, noting that the maps should reflect that basic fact. Democratic lawmakers are almost certain to gain seats in the state Assembly and state Senate under the new legislative maps, as per the Associated Press.

The new maps will be in place for the November election as Republicans have been operating since 2011 under maps that they drew that were recognized as among the most gerrymandered in the United States.

For more than a decade, Democrats have unsuccessfully tried to overturn the Republican-drawn legislative maps. However, it wasn't until control of the state Supreme Court flipped last August that the left found a winning formula for their efforts.

Democratic lawmakers filed a lawsuit the day after liberal Justice Janet Protasiewicz joined the court. On the other hand, Republicans argued that Protasiewicz should not hear the lawsuit because she said during her campaign that the GOP-drawn maps were "rigged" and "unfair." However, she did not recuse herself from the case.

Read Also: Sabotaging Biden: Rashida Tlaib Urges Fellow Democrats to Vote 'Uncommitted' in Michigan Primary

Marking a Shift in State Politics

The chairman of the Wisconsin Democratic Party, Ben Wikler, said that the order for the new maps marked a shift in the plate tectonics of the state's politics. He added that this would have national implications because Wisconsin is the tipping-point state for the United States, according to the New York Times.

Wikler also said that he believes that the map changes would help drive up turnout in the state's elections in the fall. This is with districts that were previously non-competitive suddenly becoming competitive.

The chairman noted that it would flood new energy in the state's politics in a way that he thinks would help the pro-democracy candidates. In 2024, this means Democrats, from the presidential campaign to the Senate campaign to House races and anything else.

The Republican speaker of the State Assembly, Robin Vos, issued a statement on Monday where he seemed to frame the new legislative maps as a limited victory for the GOP. He said that Evers "signed the most Republican-leaning maps out of all the Democrat-gerrymandered maps being considered by the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

Vos added that they sent the governor those maps not because they are fair but because the people of Wisconsin deserve certainty in state government. He added that the GOP will prove that it can win on any map because it has better policy ideas, said the Washington Post.



Related Article: US Lawmakers Consider Sanctioning Chinese Firms for Aiding Russia's War with Ukraine
Voters from across the state will begin heading to the polls on Tuesday, as early voting starts in Texas.

Election Day for the 2024 Republican and Democratic primaries is March 5, but voters have the option to vote early in person from Tuesday through March 1.

At the top of the ticket is the race for president, but down the ballot, North Texas has races for Congress, the Texas Legislature and county officials.

In Tarrant County, polls are open:

Feb. 20-23 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Feb. 24 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Feb. 25 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Feb. 26-29 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

March 1 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

A full list of polling locations is available on the Tarrant County elections website.

The Star-Telegram has voter guides with information about whos on the ballot and what to know as you head to the polls.

Today's top stories:

 Couple was billed $1K for tolls on cars they dont own

 Fort Worth ISD could shut some campuses down. They arent alone.

 Fort Worth police seek witnesses to hit-and-run that killed 82-year-old man

Get free alerts when news breaks.
The preferred crown symbol of King Charles III has replaced Queen Elizabeth IIs chosen insignia on the UK government website.

The Kings Tudor Crown symbol can be seen on multiple pages of the gov.uk site, with the websites rebrand expected to be completed by March 1. The change will also be made on other government channels that use the gov.uk site logo, such as apps.

Costs to replace the logo on the UK governments website are covered within the usual operating costs of managing the site.

The late Queens St Edwards Crown will be phased out over time, and will be replaced with the more rounded crown icon that King Charles chose for his royal cypher back in 2022 when he ascended to the throne.

The cypher features the Kings initial C intertwined with the letter R for Rex  Latin for King  with III within the R denoting Charles III, with the crown above the letters.

The cypher features the Kings initial C intertwined with the letter R for Rex and III - Andrew Matthews/PA

The new crown symbol will eventually replace the late Queens insignia on post boxes, police uniforms, official government buildings, official documents and some clothing.

Oliver Dowden, the Deputy Prime Minister, welcomed the symbol change to reflect the Kings reign.

Following the accession of His Majesty The King, we are updating the symbols of state to reflect the new design of the Tudor Crown, Mr Dowden said.

The digital realm is now an integral part of our lives, and as His Majestys Government, we take pride in this change to gov.uk today, honouring the chosen crown of our King.

The move signals a shift in the monarchy, with King Charles moving away from the arches of the late Queens preferred curved icon.

Queen Elizabeth IIs cypher was the first to use St Edwards crown; however, King Charles has chosen to return to his predecessors use of the Tudor Crown.

The Yeomen Warders of His Majestys Royal Palace  or Beefeaters  took up the Kings branding on their uniforms before the Coronation last year, with the royal outfits now emblazoned with CIIIR.

The King started putting his own stamp on the royal tableware used for state banquets in November.

The monarch hosted Yoon Suk Yeol, the South Korean president, at a state dinner at Buckingham Palace at the end of last year, with his CIIIR cypher added to the delicate glasses  six at each setting  and side plates of the 1953 Coronation Set, replacing the late Queens EIIR cypher.

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American businessman Elon Musk has once again made a controversial statement about the war between Ukraine and Russia on X (Twitter) on Feb. 20.

We are working with SpaceX on this, the minister said.

The minister suggested that there might be a way to disrupt the functioning of the Starlink used by the Russians without affecting the operations of the Starlinks utilized by the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Ukraine recently offered SpaceX an algorithm that could stop Russians from using satellites on the front lines. Ukraines Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said that Starlink could be disabled in the Russi-occupied territories, but this would have catastrophic consequences for Ukraine.

Read also: Starlink terminals sold on Russian platforms for use in Ukraine war  Russian media

The use of American terminals by Russians was confirmed by the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry (HUR), whose spokesman Andriy Yusov stated that this is beginning to become systematic.

SpaceX stated that the company does not engage in business with the Russian government or its armed forces. Musk, as its founder, also adamantly denied selling Starlink terminals to Russia.

The Russian military began employing Starlink terminals from SpaceX, at its positions, acquiring them through third-party countries, Ukrainian military outlet Militarnyi, citing an expert, reported on Feb. 10.

Read also: Video shows Ukrainian drones taking out Russian Starlink terminal Musk previously denied they used

Musk repeatedly echoed Russian narratives about the unity of the Ukrainian and Russian peoples, suggesting that they should cooperate.

Musk had already been involved in a scandal after proposing that Ukraine improve relations with Russia and agree to cede occupied territories to prevent World War III. The situation for the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the front is hopeless, so a ceasefire would be the best solution, he said.

Thousands of boys have died for nothing and Ukraines position grows weaker by the day.

A peace deal should have been done a year ago, he said.

Read also: SpaceX denies selling Starlink to Russia amid accusations of smuggling, Ukraine takes action

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
On Saturday, Feb. 24, Amys Gift is offering a free film screening of the documentary Embrace for the general public at Augustana College.

The 90-minute film  starting at 2 p.m. at the Gerber Center, Gavle Room, 3435 9  Ave., Rock Island  is a social impact documentary led by Australian Taryn Brumfitt that inspires us to change the way we feel about ourselves and think about our bodies. The film celebrates body diversity in shape, size, ethnicity, and ability, promotes positive physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health, and combats toxic messaging in media and advertising.

Taryn Brumfitt

The Sydney Morning Herald called Embrace a surprising, thoughtful, energetic and troubling film.

Brumfitt is an internationally recognized speaker, on a mission for meaningful change. Through her award-winning films, bestselling books and international speaking engagements, she has spent the last 10 years empowering people around the world to discover whats possible when you embrace your life and purpose, according to her website.

Nominated for the Documentary Australia Foundation Award for Best Documentary, Embrace has been seen by millions of people across the world and continues to create positive ripples of change.

The Feb. 24 Augie event is a kickoff to Eating Disorders Awareness Week (EDAW), which runs Feb. 26th  March 3rd. This years theme is Healing in Community, and the week is an annual campaign to educate the public about the realities of eating disorders and to provide hope, support, and visibility to individuals and loved ones affected by eating disorders.

The free screening is Saturday, Feb. 24 at 2 p.m. at Augustanas Gerber Center, in the Gavle Room.

In honor of EDAW, Amys Gift will be offering a table of eating disorders resources at the event and well as a Q&A with local providers following the screening.

Amys Gift is named for Amy Helpenstell, a Rock Island High alum and A.D. Huesing executive who died at 32 in 2003, due to complications from anorexia nervosa. She underwent a long and courageous battle with the disease, which began in high school.

In 2007, the Amy Helpenstell Foundation sponsored a community survey on eating disorders in conjunction with the Robert Young Center for Community Mental Health. This one-of-a-kind survey included interviews with 800 residents throughout the Quad-City area and covered residents knowledge of eating disorders, perceptions of eating disorders and suggestions for recommended treatment of eating disorders. View those results.

The survey showed the community was surprisingly accurate in their knowledge of eating disorders as they are clinically defined. However, whereas the perception of eating disorders was as a predominantly mental rather than physical disorder, over half of the respondents identified their preferred treatment site as a family doctors office or hospital, according to the Amys Gift website.

Raising awareness

One of the central initiatives of Amys Gift (formerly known as the QC Eating Disorders Consortium) then became to raise awareness at the primary reference source for treatment: the family practitioner. Several focus groups with local doctors have been held to gauge their comfort with diagnosis, treatment and referral for patients with eating disorders as well as school officials to discover where training and education were most needed.

These focus groups culminated in an effort to provide annual, local continuing education events on eating disorders for practitioners, school officials and the general public as well as a detailed website with local resources and links to national organizations for professionals and patients alike.

Stephanie Burrough, project coordinator for Amys Gift, is community relations specialist at the Robert Young Center, acting as an advocate and organizer for various mental health programs and training events throughout the year. She is also a member of the Trauma Support Team with Challenge to Change and the BE REAL Ambassador Coordinator for BE REAL USA.

An estimated 9% of the U.S. population, or 28.8 million Americans, will have an eating disorder in their lifetime, according to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders.

Embrace Kids, a film by Taryn Brumfitt, premiered in 2022.

Burrough said Monday that Embrace has never been shown in the Quad Cities, and said Brumfitt in 2022 put together another documentary and a program for junior high students called Embrace Kids.

That was another reason I wanted to do this documentary, I wanted to kind of start introducing this idea of body positivity at the community level and then I might do a double feature in the future, as a fundraiser, Burrough said. Shes been working with Allison Mirell-Heaton, a counselor at Augustana whos on the Amys Gift advisory committee.

When we were talking about ways that we could just create an event to speak to the college students, but also the community, this is what we had discussed, Burrough said. So were excited.

The home page for the BE REAL website.

The missions of Amys Gift and BE REAL overlap somewhat, she noted. Amys Gift works to inform the community about eating disorders, awareness about prevention and resources, while BE REAL ties directly into mental health issues and eating disorder issues, aiming mainly to help adolescents.

When children grow up with that unhealthy relationship to their body, it can develop into mental health issues and some of those mental health issues are eating disorders, Burrough said. So one of the primary focuses of BE REAL is to make sure you have access to the resources in your community. And one of the interesting things about eating disorders is theyre so specific that you do need to have people who are trained or specialized in eating disorders.

Amys Gift offers resources but not direct treatment, she noted.

We make sure that they know who the different individual providers are that treat in the area, Burrough said. It also offers a regular eating disorders support group, that meets the first and third Wednesdays each month, 6-7 p.m., at the Trinity Enrichment Center, 4622 Progress Drive, Davenport (Call to take part at 563-742-5800).

The Alliance For Eating Disorders Awareness has a free Helpline (866-662-1235)  staffed by licensed therapists  available Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., for clients and providers.

Personal struggles

Burrough personally struggled with an eating disorder while transitioning from Moline junior high to high school. Perfectionism played a role as did unrealistic body image goals.

Stephanie Burrough, project coordinator for Amys Gift, is a community relations specialist at the Robert Young Center for Community Mental Health.

I thought if I could just look a certain way, in my mind that would mean that I was succeeding, she said. So many people who go through eating disorders and it can look like Im talking about perfectionism, but it also can look like any other eating disorder where food becomes this place where you focus your emotions and it becomes a coping mechanism thats not healthy.

Burrough was lucky to see a doctor who pointed her in the right direction.

The provider kind of knew with the weight that I lost, just started really asking the right questions. And I was very lucky because at the time I had the provider who did, who asked those right questions and I was sent to a therapist who had experience with eating disorders, she said.

It is one of the reasons why I really love the fact that I work at Robert Young. And I get to talk about mental health and I get to make sure that people who need resources can get them and it really does give me a meaningful purpose, she said of her job.

Despite global improvements in the body positivity movement, Burrough said there remains a big societal pressure for girls and women to look fashion-model thin  fueled and fed by mass media and social media.

Mostly because the number of images that young people are encountering on social media, its taking up a lot of space in their brain and its not being vetted in a healthy way, she said. As we know, Congress has recently called people like Mark Zuckerberg to the stand and said, you have algorithms that are basically feeding off of children and that they are feeding into eating disorders, they are feeding into mental illness, Burrough said.

This conversation about body positivity has to be had and it has to be had continuously, not just in this place where Im doing this documentary, not just in one room, where we watch a movie and we recognize what we already know on some level. We need to literally carry it around with us all of the time.

Thats what we need to be more vigilant about teaching our children. And we also need to be more vigilant about teaching moderation and awareness when engaging with social media platforms, she said. Yes, of course, theres some body positivity that has been coming into the global conversation. And I do think that theres more diversity in general than there was probably even 10 years ago.

BE REAL notes that most students spend more time on their phones during a typical weekday than they do in school, Burrough said.

Healthy eating also is not the same for everybody, as each persons body has different needs, and a positive regimen has to be established tailored to those needs, she said.

You want to be listening to your hunger cues and your satiation cues and you want to be taking care of yourself, she said. And you want to be taking care of yourself with what you have available.

Amys Gift is a QC Eating Disorders Consortium that offers provider training and resources for eating disorders to the region. For more information, visit the Amys Gift website HERE.

For help in finding local eating disorder treatment referral information, information on upcoming local eating disorder trainings, locating a professional speaker to provide information on eating disorders, to get an information packet with details on local resources from Amys Gift, contact Stephanie at (563) 742-2445 or email info@amysgift.com.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com.
Retired EPA scientist Larry Jensen has known about the radioactive risks of coal ash for years. He did a study more than 15 years ago in a northern Indiana town essentially built on the waste.

Jensen sent a report to his former EPA colleagues but never got a response.

Now, the federal agency is finally recognizing the dangers posed by radium in coal ash, the byproduct of burning coal for electricity. It says the cancer risk from exposure to the material widely used for construction fill may be as much as 35 times higher than previously known or revealed.

The new risk points to an even bigger problem: In most states  including Indiana  no one knows where coal ash has been dumped because there were no tracking requirements.

Cathi Murray and Larry Jensen outside Whitey Wardean Hall in the Town of Pines. The town hall and surrounding playground were built on coal ash fill, which a recent EPA report found poses a risk of cancer higher than previously known.

The EPA does know hundreds of millions of tons of the hazardous waste are currently sitting in impoundments all across the U.S. Indiana has more than 80 of those coal ash pits, the most of any state.

But at least 180 million tons of the waste also have been used as structural fill since 1980, according to the American Coal Ash Association, an industry trade group. That amount, if placed in hopper cars, would fill a freight train long enough to circle the earth  and that's just from the last 44 years. How much more went into fill before then is not known, but use continues to increase, jumping 40% from 2020 to 2021, according to the ACAA.

The Town of Pines near the shore of Lake Michigan, the area Jensen studied, is among the exceptions where environmental officials and utilities are aware of the problem and can work to address it. Most other areas, however, are left with big question marks.

People may be unknowingly exposed to dangerous levels of radiation from coal ash used in their yards, under their homes, beneath roads and even in public areas including parks, playgrounds and schools. Repeated exposure to excess levels of radiation can cause cancer.

Its a big problem and needs thorough investigation and creative ideas, said Jensen, a certified health physicist at the EPA for 25 years, who lives in northwest Indiana.

EPA reveals new concerns

The new risk was revealed in a draft assessment published in November as part EPA's ongoing efforts to strengthen the federal coal ash rule established in 2015.

Previously, heavy metals and contaminants such as arsenic, mercury and chromium have been the major points of concern in coal ash. But this new review also pointed to "direct exposure to gamma radiation." Even small amounts of the toxic material pose a risk of cancer 35 times higher than previously revealed by the EPA, the assessment concluded.

When coal ash constitutes just 8% of the soil mixture, the added risk is above 1 in 10,000  meaning an additional one person in 10,000 people, at least, is at risk of developing cancer.

The actual risk is likely greater, according to Earthjustice, a nonprofit environmental law organization. That's because coal ash is often used in much higher percentages within fill and often is not covered with much soil. Its regularly used as fill because its cheaper than soil, said Lisa Evans, an Earthjustice attorney who specializes in coal ash: So if youre trying to save money, why would you mix it with more soil?

The EPA rule revisions focus on safeguards for fill used on utility properties. One example is at NIPSCOs Michigan City facility, where a mixture of coal ash and sand was used to reclaim areas along the Lake Michigan shoreline.

Critics: Regulatory 'shell game' allows AES to dump harmful coal ash pollution in White River

Despite the newly identified risk, the EPA is not proposing more rules for coal ash used outside utility sites. Evans said she is thankful the agency is "cracking down" on coal ash left onsite, but noted the toxic material poses similar risks regardless of where its used.

"Nothing prevents power plants from moving radioactive waste from their own backyards into the backyards and neighborhoods where American families live, she said.

Where is the coal ash?

The Town of Pines is an example. Many residents saw contamination in their drinking water wells from coal ash in an unlined landfill in the town more than 20 years ago. As a result, they were provided with bottled water for some time before being hooked up to municipal water.

But the water was not the only concern. For years, residents also raised concerns about contamination in the soil. It wasn't until 2014, a few years after Jensen sent his report to the EPA, that federal officials began testing the soil in Pines, said Cathi Murray, a long time resident. They found coal ash in peoples yards, under roads and even beneath the playground outside the city hall building.

In many areas, NIPSCO has dug up the coal ash to a depth of a few feet and covered it with soil. But more remains, including beneath an unpaved road that runs along the back of Murrays property.Now, she worries about letting her grandchildren play in the woods behind her house.

Pines is a small town, only about 600 residents  too small to do a health study they were told by the government. But Murray said there is someone with cancer on nearly every block.

"We cant say for sure what caused it," said Murray, who herself has lost more than 60% of her thyroid. "But it makes you wonder."

In one North Carolina community, coal ash also was used extensively as fill, including next to the public high school. Structural fill issues have also released coal ash into tributaries of Lake Norman, a popular recreation spot and the drinking water source for the town of Mooresville.

Dozens of teenagers and other residents in the town of have been diagnosed with cancer. One mom whose daughter was diagnosed raised more than $100,000 to fund a health study conducted by Duke University. They found that thyroid cancer rates in the town were as much as three times higher than expected. The connection to coal ash is suspected, but not confirmed.

In Mooresville, North Carolina, where coal ash also was used extensively as fill, dozens of teenagers and other residents have been diagnosed with cancer. One mother raised more than $100,000 to fund a health study by Duke University that found thyroid cancer rates in the town were as much as three times higher than expected. The connection to coal ash is suspected, but not confirmed.

Experts worry there are numerous other communities like Pines and Mooresville, N.C., where residents may be exposed to increased cancer risk  yet not even be aware.

Cathi Murray and Larry Jensen are among Town of Pines residents concerned about health risks from coal ash used in the community as construction fill. A recent EPA report revealed the risks of radioactivity from coal ash, and associated public health and cancer concerns, are much higher than previously known.

Where exactly, though, remains unknown because there are few public records, if any, on where coal ash was used outside power plants. Indiana, for example, did not require any tracking. Indra Frank with the Hoosier Environmental Council said utilities might be the only entities that have records.

"We'd have to ask them to release that in the public's best interest," said Frank, the director of environmental health and water policy with HEC. "But it would be a tough ask" that could open them up to expensive clean-up requirements, she added.

Indianas major utilities, when asked by IndyStar, said they had no such records.

How to use coal ash

The discussion about coal ash is timely because utilities, regulators and policymakers are trying to figure out what to do with the massive pits of ash left behind as coal plants across the country continue to close their doors.

Many utilities  including those in Indiana  want to leave the ash sitting in place. The other push is for the ash to be removed from the pits and used in some way, otherwise called beneficial use.

Keeping the ash where it is raises serious concerns about contamination to the surrounding groundwater. According to the EPA, roughly 150 coal plant facilities have detected pollution from their ash pits in the nearby groundwater, marking "widespread noncompliance" with the federal coal ash rule. The agency expects that number to increase. Groundwater contamination has been found at all 16 Indiana power facilities, according to monitoring data.

When it comes to the second option of excavating the ash, it still has to go somewhere. In addition to fill, coal ash also is often used in the production of gypsum wallboard and concrete. It even has been spread on agricultural fields as fertilizer. Experts say some beneficial uses are better than others. It depends on whether the ash is "bound" within the product or in loose form.

Larry Jensen, a retired EPA scientist, digs in soil for coal ash along the Calumet Trail near the Town of Pines.

John Ward, spokesman for the American Coal Ash Association, said beneficial use of coal ash  including as structural fill  can be an important tool for tackling the ash pit problem. He argues that regular soil naturally contains some heavy metals or other potentially harmful materials, and industry standards in place today help ensure structural fill is not hazardous.

From our perspective, EPA didnt draw a line between their new risk assessment and structural fill activities and say it wasnt worth doing, Ward said of what he believes are flaws in the EPA assessment. It was environmental activists that drew that line.

Those advocates would like to see the practice scrapped all together. More than 150 public interest groups sent a letter to the EPA urging it to ban coal ash in fill projects, especially in residential areas. They also asked the agency to investigate areas where ash fill has been used near homes and require clean-up in those places.

Evans said that could take time at the federal level, but hopes public pressure and actions at the state level can continue to move the needle. A Democrat legislator proposed a bill in Indiana this year that would have prohibited the use of coal ash as fill across the state, but it was not heard in the Republican-controlled Statehouse.

Call IndyStar reporter Sarah Bowman at 317-444-6129 or email at sarah.bowman@indystar.com. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook: @IndyStarSarah. Connect with IndyStars environmental reporters: Join The Scrub on Facebook.

IndyStar's environmental reporting project is made possible through the generous support of the nonprofit Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Cancer risk from coal ash higher than thought. It could be in yards.
Roots Community Health Center was slammed in 2020, with lines for its COVID-19 testing stations stretching around the block and exam rooms full of people struggling to breathe.

Patient after patient at the East Oakland clinic extended their fingers so that healthcare workers could clip on a pulse oximeter, a device that measures the degree to which red blood cells are saturated with oxygen. For healthy people, a normal "pulse ox" reading is typically between 95% and 100%.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had instructed providers to give oxygen therapy to any COVID patient with a pulse oximeter reading below 90%. Like their counterparts around the country, Roots doctors advised concerned patients to buy inexpensive pulse oximeters so they could monitor their levels at home.

As the pandemic ground on, it became clear that Black and brown patients were dying of COVID at disproportionately high rates , both across the U.S. and in Roots' own Alameda County .

In the rare hour when she wasnt in the clinic, Roots founder and Chief Executive Dr. Noha Aboelata paged through medical research in search of answers that might help her patients, the vast majority of whom were Black or brown.

One paper in the New England Journal of Medicine stopped her cold. University of Michigan researchers examined records of thousands of hospitalized COVID patients and looked for instances of occult hypoxia  a situation when a patients pulse oximeter reads in the healthy range, but their actual blood oxygen levels are dangerously low. The researchers found that this happened to Black patients nearly three times as often as it did to white patients.

Dr. Noha Aboelata said it was "devastating" to realize that researchers had known for years that patients with dark skin were more likely to get false readings from pulse oximeters. (Carolyn Fong)

Aboelata recalled the devastating feeling of diving further into the literature and realizing that this disparity was not a new discovery.

Research dating back to 1990 found that inaccurate pulse oximeter readings were more common in Black patients than non-Black ones. In 2005, detailed lab experiments showed that pulse oximeters frequently overestimated blood oxygen levels in patients with more skin pigmentation.

This device is really used almost like a vital sign, like you would use a blood pressure cuff," Aboelata recalled. "How horrified you would feel if you suddenly found out that your blood pressure cuff didn't work on a certain demographic of your patients?

She alerted colleagues to the findings and investigated the effect the devices had on the fates of COVID patients of color. She asked the Food and Drug Administration to require pulse oximeter makers to test their devices on people of color and to warn consumers about the heightened risk of false readings. Attorneys for Roots sent letters to companies that made or sold pulse oximeters in California asking them to improve their products and disclose their limitations.

Read more: Researchers show that COVID-19 racial disparities aren't inevitable

When little changed, Roots filed a lawsuit in November against CVS, Walgreens, GE Healthcare and nine other companies that make, sell or distribute pulse oximeters in California.

The pigmentation-derived inaccuracies of pulse oximeter readings in people with darker skin consistently skew  or are biased  in one dangerous direction: showing that their blood is more oxygenated than it is in reality, the lawsuit states. Individuals with darker skin who use the devices are no less entitled to accurate readings than individuals with lighter skin.

The suit asks that the companies either find a fix or place warning labels on the products to alert users that skin pigment may affect results.

Before pulse oximeters were widely adopted in the 1980s, the only way to gauge a patients blood oxygen saturation was to draw a sample of blood from their arterial vein, a painful procedure that had to be followed by immediate laboratory analysis. The portable, noninvasive oximeters were a true innovation, said Dr. Phil Bickler , a neuroanesthesiologist who directs the Hypoxia Research Laboratory at UC San Francisco.

Its arguably one of the most important clinical monitors ever devised, Bickler said, second only to the thermometer.

Clinical research coordinator Rene Vargas Zamora opens a drawer of pulse oximeters at UC San Francisco's Hypoxia Lab. (Corinne Purtill/Los Angeles Times)

A pulse oximeter works by shining a light that passes through skin, blood and tissues in the finger and then measuring how much light comes out the other side.

Oxygen-rich blood absorbs more infrared light. So does melanin, the pigment that helps determine skin, hair and eye color. As a result, patients with darker skin tones are more likely to get pulse oximeter readings that show their blood oxygen saturation to be higher than it actually is.

Skin pigment isnt the only variable that can skew those results. Cold hands, trembling fingers, incorrect probe placement, even nail polish can throw a reading off by a few percentage points too. Knowing this, doctors traditionally used the pulse ox as one data point among many when determining a patients course of treatment.

Then COVID-19 hit. As emergency rooms filled and oxygen tanks grew scarce, the CDC anointed pulse oximeter readings as the official standard in its guidelines for COVID care: Below 90%, the patient should be started on oxygen therapy. Above that, it was the doctors call.

As the sheer volume of patients grew, so did the number of people with occult hypoxia. Their pulse ox readings were 92% or higher, yet they often had shortness of breath, erratic heartbeats, headaches, confusion and other symptoms of low oxygen saturation.

Many providers around the country also noted that patients with occult hypoxia were more likely to have darker-toned skin.

Honestly, we had no idea what to make of it, said Dr. Michael Sjoding , a pulmonologist at the University of Michigan.

Read more: His lonely war in Room 533: How a COVID patient fought to keep his life from crumbling

He and his colleagues initially wondered whether something about the SARS-CoV-2 virus itself made it harder to detect hypoxia.

Then Sjoding came across an article by Amy Moran-Thomas , a medical anthropologist at MIT. After spending sleepless nights monitoring her husbands pulse oximeter readings as he suffered through COVID, Moran-Thomas began digging into the history of the device.

She found the 1990 paper that noted hypoxic Black patients were more likely to get deceptively high readings. She found the 2005 study from Bicklers lab noting the devices were more likely to overestimate oxygen saturation in patients with dark skin than in those with light skin, results the lab confirmed in a follow-up study two years later.

I was shocked, because I'm a pulmonary critical care physician, I'm a lung doctor, and I didn't know this whole literature, Sjoding said.

He and his colleagues pulled data from their own hospital and found Black patients had nearly three times the rate of occult hypoxia as white patients. They published their results in December 2020.

After Aboelata read their paper , she scoured her memory for patients the devices might have betrayed.

She recalled a Black man she had tried to get approved for home oxygen therapy prior to the pandemic. Medicare only paid for the treatment if a patient's oxygen saturation was below 90% , and his pulse ox reading just looked too good compared to what I was seeing, Aboelata said. She sent him to the hospital for an arterial blood gas draw. Sure enough, his oxygen was low enough to qualify.

Patients shared similar stories, things like, 'The ambulance didn't take them to the hospital because they said that their reading was fine,' or, We were sent home from the emergency department because they said our reading was fine, Aboelata said.

In normal times, she said, providers are much more likely to err on the side of caution for a potentially hypoxic patient. But in the worst days of COVID, every bed, oxygen tank and minute was precious. Providers relied on what they believed was the pulse oximeters impartial measure to make extremely difficult decisions, unaware that the device did not evaluate all patients equally well.

Aboelata and colleagues from UCSF and Sutter Healths Institute for Advancing Health Equity published their own study in the American Journal of Epidemiology showing that Black patients whose pulse oximeters overestimated blood oxygen levels waited an extra 4 hours, on average, to start supplemental oxygen. They were also slightly less likely to be admitted to the hospital or receive oxygen therapy at all.

There's just no way to really know how far-reaching this impact is, Aboelata said. The likelihood [is] that people were left home to die, or sent home to die.

Read more: FDA advisors meet to discuss racial disparities in pulse oximeters

In February 2021, the FDA issued a safety notice cautioning users that pulse oximeters can be thrown off by a number of variables, including skin pigment.

The following year, the FDA convened an advisory committee on the topic. The panel recommended the agency demand better consumer labels and more stringent testing from companies seeking approval for their devices.

Currently, the FDA recommends  but doesnt require  that pulse oximeter makers ensure that in their clinical trials, either two participants or 15% of total participants are darkly pigmented people, a definition open to interpretation.

Clinical research coordinator Rene Vargas Zamora holds up an example of the Monk Skin Tone Scale at UC San Francisco's Hypoxia Lab. (Corinne Purtill/Los Angeles Times)

This month, the panel advised the FDA to require that new devices be tested on at least 24 people whose skin tones collectively span the Monk Skin Tone scale , a 10-color palette often used to train artificial intelligences to recognize people of different colors. The proposal would divide the scale into three parts, with each part represented by at least 25% of study participants.

To better understand the relationship between skin pigment and pulse ox accuracy, the FDA funded a study at Bicklers UCSF lab. Results are expected this summer.

Some companies have posted data showing good performance with darkly pigmented skin for their devices. But I know that those have been tested under ideal conditions, said Bickler, whose lab investigates the effects of low oxygen on the human body and the devices that measure it. When pulse oximeters are used in the real world, conditions are not ideal. People are dehydrated, they're in shock, they're moving. There's all kinds of interference that can happen and that get in the way of good performance.

For Bickler, its gratifying to see the government finally address a problem that has been known for decades but that device manufacturers seemed reluctant to address.

Theres a lot of inertia and denial in the industry, he said. It was an inconvenient problem that could be ignored, up until COVID.

Dr. Phil Bickler is a neuroanesthesiologist who directs the Hypoxia Research Laboratory at UC San Francisco. (Corinne Purtill/Los Angeles Times)

The Times reached out to all the defendants being sued by Roots. Those that responded declined to comment on pending litigation.

Only one company has taken actions to address Roots' concerns. Illinois-based NuvoMed pulled its pulse oximeters from the market in California and agreed to place warning labels on their remaining inventory after receiving Roots October letter, said Jonathan Weissglass, the clinics attorney.

Ideally, we'd like the pulse oximeters to be fixed so that the problem doesn't occur, Weissglass said. In the meantime, we feel there needs to be an adequate warning about the inaccuracies for people with darker skin. ... We've all seen warning labels that say, Pregnant women should consult with a doctor before using or something like that. It's the same basic idea.

On a recent afternoon at the clinic, medical assistant Evelyn Rivas clipped a pulse oximeter onto Ja-May Scotts index finger as she checked his vital signs.

The devices are still an important part of Roots' toolkit. But we just view it with more suspicion, frankly, in a lot of our patients, Aboelata said. We would really like to be equipped with devices that we know can be accurate for all skin tones. And we feel like in 2024, this shouldn't be too much to ask.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas said on Feb. 20 that authorities had "successfully stopped a hybrid operation by Russia's security services on our territory."

The Estonian media outlet ERR reported earlier on Feb. 20 that the Estonian Internal Security Service (ISS) detained 10 people in connection with a series of crimes committed in late 2023, including vandalism of a car belonging to Estonian Interior Minister Lauri Laanemets. Authorities believed at the time that it was a targeted attack.

ISS director Margo Palloson said that most of the individuals detained had a preexisting criminal history. The ISS said they believed the individuals "acted on behalf of the Russian special service" in order to "sow fear and create tension in Estonian society."

"We know the Kremlin is targeting all of our democratic societies," Kallas said.

"It is clear that Russia is systematically trying to undermine our society by organizing hybrid operations against our state, our people and our security. It is also clear that we will not break and for us, there is nothing surprising about Russia's hybrid activities," said Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna.

Estonia's Foreign Ministry said it would summon Russia's top diplomat in Estonia over the incident.

The attack on Laanemets' car was just one of a number of similar low-level crimes, mostly consisting of vandalism directed at officials and journalists, but there was concern that it was indicative of a larger trend that extended beyond Estonia.

Latvia's State Security Service (VDD) also said on Feb. 20 that a dual citizen of Estonia and Russia had been arrested for vandalizing a monument to Latvian soldiers who fought against the Red Army in WWII.

The individual was also suspected of vandalizing other monuments throughout the Baltics and has also been accused of working on behalf of Russian intelligence services.

The VDD said it was working closely with its counterparts in Lithuania and Estonia to investigate the incidents.

Read also: Estonias FM warns Baltic states have 3 to 4 years to prepare for Russian assessment of NATO capabilities

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The European Commission has announced a 83 million funding package for various humanitarian projects in Ukraine and Moldova for the support of Ukrainian refugees amid Russian aggression. Ukraine is to receive 75 million within the framework of the project.

Source: European Pravda with reference to press service of the European Commission

Quote: "At the heart of the EU's humanitarian strategy in Ukraine today is protecting people affected by the war, especially those living close to the frontline areas."

Details: 75 million were allocated for humanitarian projects in Ukraine to provide emergency aid including access to basic needs such as shelter, protection services, clean water, education and healthcare.

8 million was allocated for humanitarian projects in Moldova.

Along with the latest package, the European Commission has allocated 926 million in total for humanitarian aid programmes to help civilians affected by the war in Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. Of this funding, 860 million has been allocated for humanitarian programmes within Ukraine and 66 million to support refugees who have fled to neighbouring Moldova.

The European Commission noted that Ukraine had received a significant amount of aid through the EU Civilian Protection Mechanism upon participation of many EU member states. Over 140,000 tonnes were brought to Ukraine.

It included ambulances, fire trucks, medicine, equipment for temporary housing, generators, etc. The EU storages were involved in the supply of such aid.

Background: Last week Finland supplied Ukraine with six equipped ambulances.

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The European Commission on Feb. 20 announced the allocation of 83 million euros ($89.8 million) in humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and Moldova in 2024.

Counting today's donation, the EU's executive arm has devoted 923 million euros ($999 million) to humanitarian aid to civilians affected by Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine since February 2022.

Some 75 million euros ($81.2 million) of the newly announced sum is earmarked for Ukraine to provide emergency aid, including access to basic needs such as shelter, protection services, clean water, education, and healthcare.

The remaining 8 million euros ($8.7 million) is allocated for humanitarian projects in Moldova, including cash assistance for basic needs, protection, and health.

"EU humanitarian aid, present in Ukraine since 2014, is running operations all across the country, with a focus on hard-to-reach areas close to the frontline in the eastern and southern regions," the Commission's statement read.

"While I commend the resilience and iron will of the Ukrainian people, it is evident that the war has left almost 40% of Ukrainians dependent on humanitarian aid," said Janez Lenarcic, the EU Commissioner for Crisis Management.

"The EU's commitment to the Ukrainian people is as strong as ever."

The UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimated in January 2024 that some 14.6 million Ukrainians, approximately 40% of the population, need humanitarian assistance. This figure does not include the estimated 6.3 million Ukrainians forced to flee abroad.

Read also: I still imagine being there: A trip through memories of Ukrainian cities in tatters from Russias war

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US told to stop harassing students

08:29, February 20, 2024 By Yang Zekun ( Chinadaily.com.cn

State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong (sixth from right) meets with US Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas (sixth from left) in Vienna, Austria, on Sunday. [Photo/Xinhua]

State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong urged the United States to stop harassing and interrogating Chinese students for no reason, during a meeting with US Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in Vienna, Austria, on Sunday.

Wang asked the US to ensure that Chinese citizens enjoy fair treatment and full dignity upon entering the country.

The US should take effective measures to ensure the safety of Chinese diplomatic and consular missions and personnel, and lift visa restrictions against Chinese institutions and individuals, he said.

In January, there were reports of multiple Chinese students with valid documents facing unwarranted interrogation, harassment and visa cancellations, leading to deportations by US border enforcement officers upon their arrival at Washington Dulles International Airport.

During their time at the airport, the students were subjected to prolonged questioning, inspection of their electronic devices and, in some cases, detention for over 10 hours with restricted communication with the outside world.

US law enforcement officers repeatedly questioned the individuals about their political background and research activities, demanding access to information about the Chinese government as a condition for entry. After the individuals refused, the officers revoked their visas, barred them from entering the country and deported them.

These acts occurred despite US officials recently stating their support for cultural exchanges with China and welcoming Chinese students.

During a meeting in San Francisco in November, President Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden agreed to enhance dialogue and cooperation in various fields. While addressing a welcome dinner jointly hosted by friendly organizations in San Francisco, President Xi said that China is ready to invite 50,000 young Americans to China on exchange and study programs over the next five years.

On Jan 29, the Chinese embassy in the US issued a reminder to prospective Chinese students intending to enter the US through Washington Dulles International Airport to exercise caution. They were advised to ensure they have a thorough understanding of US entry policies and regulations, make preparations in advance and bring all required entry documents.

In the event of interrogation by US border enforcement officers, prospective Chinese students were advised to remain calm and cooperate rationally. If treated unfairly, they were instructed to record information about the officers involved, carefully review any documents they were asked to sign, request copies and preserve necessary evidence.

Chen Wenxin, executive director of the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations' Institute of American Studies, said that student exchanges are an integral part of cultural exchanges between China and the US. Cultural exchanges between the two countries have evolved with changes in the overall bilateral relationship.

Chen said that China has made significant efforts in promoting cultural exchanges with the US and proposed during the San Francisco meeting to expand people-to-people exchanges, especially among the younger generation.

"We have shown great goodwill, but the malicious interrogation and harassment of Chinese students by the US side creates obstacles to our cultural exchanges," he said.

Chen noted that Wang's recent request was very pertinent and stems from protests against the continuous hindrances and wrong practices by the US, which are detrimental to normal exchanges between the two sides.

If the US is sincere about advancing cultural exchanges and implementing the consensus of the San Francisco summit, it must make changes in this regard, Chen said.

At the Vienna meeting, Wang requested that the US rectify its categorization of China as a "major drug source country".

In September, Biden submitted to Congress a presidential determination memorandum on major drug transit or major illicit drug-producing countries, identifying China and more than 20 other countries as so-called major sources for drugs.

Wang expressed hope that both sides would uphold the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation, respect each other's core interests and major concerns, and remove obstacles to bilateral drug control, law enforcement cooperation and cultural exchanges.

Both sides agreed to implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state at the San Francisco summit, maintain dialogue and cooperation in drug control and law enforcement on the basis of mutual respect, manage their differences, strive to achieve mutually beneficial cooperation, attach importance to each other's concerns and address issues properly.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing)
In a pivotal diplomatic move, United States (US) President Joe Biden has spearheaded efforts to catalyze United Nations Security Council action to achieve a temporary ceasefire in the Israel-Gaza conflict.

In line with this, the US has proposed a draft resolution at the Council, calling for a halt to the fighting between Israel and Hamas while cautioning against an Israeli ground invasion into Rafah, a city where hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians have sought refuge amidst the escalating violence.

US Calls for 'Temporary Ceasefire' in Gaza

The US proposal emerges as a response to an Algerian draft resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire, which the US has signaled to veto due to fears of disrupting discussions involving the U.S., Egypt, Israel, and Qatar aimed at brokering a temporary halt to the conflict and securing the release of hostages held by Hamas. The Security Council is slated to convene for a vote on the Algerian resolution Tuesday morning.

Outlined in the US-proposed draft is a call for a "temporary ceasefire in Gaza as soon as practicable."The resolution does not exactly align with the majority preference of Security Council members, who advocate for an immediate ceasefire.

The US has traditionally shielded its ally Israel from UN actions, refraining from endorsing ceasefire initiatives and emphasizing Israel's right to self-defense in response to Hamas' terrorist activities, particularly the attack launched on October 7. The country has previously voted against multiple Security Council resolutions pertaining to the conflict.

A senior US official clarified that the administration does not intend to expedite a vote on the resolution, stating that urgent action by the Council is not deemed necessary. Instead, the US aims to intensify negotiation efforts on the ground.

"We do not plan to rush to a vote," the anonymous senior US official said, adding that the administration does "not believe the Council has to take urgent action" with a deadline for a vote.

The proposed US draft resolution unequivocally condemns propositions made by certain Israeli government officials advocating for Jewish settlers to relocate to Gaza.

Additionally, it firmly opposes any endeavors aimed at altering the demographic or territorial landscape of Gaza, actions deemed to contravene international law.

The resolution also explicitly denounces any measures undertaken by any party that would diminish Gaza's territorial integrity, whether on a temporary or permanent basis.

This encompasses the establishment of buffer zones, whether sanctioned officially or unofficially, as well as the systematic demolition of civilian infrastructure, actions perceived as detrimental to the region's stability and well-being.

Read Also: Gaza's Health Ministry Claims Over 29,000 Palestinians Killed in Israel-Hamas War So Far

US Draft Highlights Risks of Israeli Offensive in Rafah

President Joe Biden told White House reporters on Friday that he has conveyed his stance on the matter following extensive discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, emphasizing the imperative of a temporary ceasefire to secure the release of hostages still held by Hamas.

The US draft resolution underscores the potential dire consequences of an Israeli ground offensive in Rafah, warning of exacerbated harm to civilians and their potential displacement into neighboring territories, posing significant threats to regional peace and security.

Despite mounting international pressure, Israel has signaled its intent to escalate ground operations in Rafah as part of its broader objective to dismantle Hamas following the October 7 attacks.

Concerns persist that military action within the densely populated city could trigger mass displacement and casualties among civilians.

The Biden administration has increasingly voiced apprehensions regarding Israel's conduct in the conflict. Last week, President Biden reportedly urged Netanyahu to reconsider military actions, stressing that further escalation should be avoided.

The US draft resolution also advocates for the release of Israeli hostages, a pivotal aspect of the proposed ceasefire initiative.

The resolution is set for private discussion on Tuesday, although the timeline for a formal vote remains uncertain. Passage of the resolution would necessitate more than nine affirmative votes from Security Council members, without any vetoes from permanent members.

The draft resolution reflects ongoing diplomatic efforts to mitigate the humanitarian crisis and bring about a cessation of hostilities in Gaza, amid growing international concern over the escalating violence and its toll on civilian populations.

Related Article: Israel Gives Deadline for Rafah Offensive; Gantz Warns of Action if Hostages Not Freed by March 10
The European Union demanded on Feb. 19 that Russia allow "an independent and transparent international investigation" into the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, for which many world leaders have blamed the Kremlin.

Navalny, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin's main political opponent, died on Feb. 16 in a penal colony in the town of Kharp, Yamal Nenets Autonomous District. He had been convicted in several fabricated criminal cases as part of the Kremlin's crackdown on dissent.

Opinions differ on whether his death was caused by the harsh prison conditions or was an intentional murder. The Russian government is still refusing to give Navalny's family access to his body.

"The EU will spare no effort to hold Russia's political leadership and authorities to account, in close coordination with our partners, and impose further costs for their actions, including through sanctions," the EU's High Representative Josep Borrell said in a statement.

Read also: Alexei Navalnys life and death as main opponent to Putin regime

Borrell reiterated that the EU holds Putin and the Russian authorities ultimately responsible for Navalny's death.

"Mr Navalny's unexpected and shocking death is yet another sign of the accelerating and systematic repression in Russia," reads the statement.

"The European Union repeats its call on Russia to immediately and unconditionally release all other political prisoners, including Yuri Dmitriev, Vladimir Kara-Murza, Ilya Yashin, Alexei Gorinov, Lilia Chanysheva, Ksenia Fadeeva, Alexandra Skochilenko and Ivan Safronov."

Borrell previously said that EU member states would propose sanctions against those behind Navalny's death that "can go down to the institutional structure of the penitentiary system in Russia."

The U.S. and EU imposed a series of sanctions on Moscow after Navalny was poisoned in Russia in 2020 with a Novichok nerve agent  a chemical weapon produced by the Russian government.

Read also: Navalnys death preceded by long list of Putin critics murders

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The EU Council has extended sanctions against Russia until Feb. 24, 2025, in response to the occupation and illegal "annexation" of Ukrainian territories in Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts, the Council announced on Feb. 20.

The Council imposed sanctions against Russia on Feb. 23, 2022, shortly before the start of the full-scale invasion, and then again in October of that year in response to Russia's declared annexation of four Ukrainian oblasts.

Moscow said in September 2022 that it had annexed the four partially occupied oblasts after staged referenda, a move broadly denounced by Kyiv and the international community as illegal and illegitimate.

"As long as the Russian Federation's illegal actions continue to violate the prohibition on the use of force, which is a serious breach of international law, it is appropriate to maintain in force all the measures currently imposed by the Union and to take additional measures, if necessary," the Council's announcement read.

In January, the Council also extended sanctions against Russia over the "actions destabilizing the situation in Ukraine" until July 31, 2024. The EU has imposed restrictive measures over the occupation of Crimea, the first Ukrainian region to be illegally seized by Moscow, in 2014.

The EU has already applied 12 sanctions packages against Moscow in response to its aggression against Ukraine and is currently reading its 13th package, which is expected to be unveiled on Feb. 24.

Read also: Foreign minister: Hungary wont block new EU sanctions package against Russia

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The European Union Council has extended sanctions imposed on Russia for the occupation of parts of Ukraine's territory for another year.

Source: Official Journal of the European Union

Quote: "As long as the Russian Federations illegal actions continue to violate the prohibition on the use of force, which is a serious breach of international law, it is appropriate to maintain in force all the measures currently imposed by the Union and to take additional measures if necessary. Consequently, the restrictive measures  should be renewed for a further 12 months, until 24 February 2025," the statement reads.

The decision to extend sanctions was made in Brussels on February 19, 2024. It came into effect today, on February 20.

The EU Council imposed sanctions against Russia on 23 February 2022, and expanded the geographic scope of restrictions to all areas of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhia oblasts not controlled by the Ukrainian government on 6 October 2022.

Background:

Earlier, officials from the EU, the US, and their allies discussed upcoming sanctions against Russia during a meeting in Brussels, in preparation for the second anniversary of the full-scale war.

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A new substation will be used to ramp up electric capacity for future industrial development in De Soto.

On Thursday, the De Soto City Council unanimously voted to rezone 53 acres near 115th Street and String Town Road from county rural to an industrial district. That designation allows for the creation of the new electric substation.

Kansas Panasonic plant construction, hiring set for busy 2024

Evergy Inc. plans to build a second substation on the former Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant, now called Astra Enterprise Park.

The planned Atlantic substation will provide 345 kilovolts of power to the area. The utility company wants to build the new substation to the south of its Pacific substation, which is located near Panasonics $4 billion electric-vehicle battery factory.

The Atlantic substation would be sandwiched between Johnson County park land to the east and a proposed solar development to the west.

Keep reading in the Kansas City Business Journal.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.
Ex-Army soldier held for extradition to Germany after DNA links him to 1978 murder

An Oneida, New York man has been taken into custody to be extradited to Germany for the rape and murder of a woman nearly 45 years ago, after advancements in DNA forensics linked him to the crime in a 1-in-270 quadrillion match, according to court documents.

In a document filed on Feb. 13, 2024 with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York, Assistant U.S. Steven C. Green requested James Patrick Dempsey, 66, of Oneida be detained until the conclusion of the extradition process, as he faces prosecution for aggravated murder in Germany.

Court documents show that between June 8, 1978 and June 11, 1978, 35-year-old Barbel Gansau was murdered inside her apartment in Ludwigsburg, Germany.

During the investigation into Gansaus death, detectives learned she would leave her bathroom window open so her cats could come and go freely. The window was about 39 inches from the ground and was visible from a nearby sidewalk.

CAR FOUND IN NORTH CAROLINA CREEK WITH HUMAN REMAINS MAY HOLD ANSWERS TO 1982 COLD CASE

James Patrick Dempsey, 66, of New York was linked to a woman's 1978 murder in Germany due to DNA technology, according to court documents.

While she was sleeping, she was attacked and stabbed with a knife 37 times, sustaining injuries to her neck, left arm, right thumb, left leg and right upper thigh. The intruder also stabbed Gansau in the center of her chest, which investigators determined was the main cause of death. Investigators also determined the victims wounds showed Gansau was not expecting the attack and could not defend herself against the perpetrator.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

Investigators were able to collect a fingerprint from the bathroom window frame, suggesting someone gained access to Gansaus apartment through the window. In total, three unique fingerprints were found in the victims apartment, which included the one on the window frame.

Another piece of evidence taken from the scene was blood and discharge found on the bedsheet between Gansaus legs.

A close friend of Gansaus was interviewed during the investigation, court documents say, and she claimed the victim was attracted to American men and was known to frequent non-commissioned officers clubs for soldiers stationed at a U.S. Army base in Ludwigsburg.

COLD CASES CRACKED IN 2023: UNSOLVED MYSTERIES THAT FOUND RESOLUTION

U.S. Marshals took a man into custody accused of raping, killing a woman in Germany in 1978.

Despite identifying several soldiers Gansau had been intimate with, investigators were unable to identify a suspect at the time, adding there was no evidence Dempsey and the victim had prior sexual contact.

The case was reopened in 2020 because of changes in DNA forensics, and investigators sent the fingerprint to an FBI liaison officer in Berlin for analysis on suspicion that the murderer was an American soldier.

On Jan. 29, 2021, the FBI told German investigators the fingerprints matched Dempseys fingerprints, which were in a U.S. database.

Dempsey was a soldier in the U.S. Army between November 1976 and December 1978, court documents show, and he was stationed in Ludwigsburg from 1977 to late 1978.

Army records noted in the court document say that Dempsey developed a drinking problem while in the Army and would become aggressive while under the influence of alcohol. As a result, he was sent to rehab for six days in June 1978.

TEXAS POLICE IDENTIFY SUSPECT IN NEARLY 30-YEAR-OLD COLD CASE MURDER USING DNA LEFT AT SCENE

After being discharged from the Army in 1978, court documents say, Dempsey continued to have problems with alcohol, including a DUI charge in 1979.

The FBI conducted a trash pull at Dempseys house in the U.S. on April 14, 2021, to assist with the German investigation. The evidence obtained was provided to German investigators, who used DNA trace analysis on several skin and sperm samples obtained from the crime scene in 1978. One of the pieces of evidence focused on was semen found on the bedsheet between Gansaus legs.

In 2022, the DNA from the crime scene was compared to DNA found during the trash pull from Dempseys house, and there was a match.

The likelihood of a match, according to investigators, was 1-in-270 quadrillion.

On June 24, 2022, Judge Berger of the Stuttgart Lower Court in Germany issued a warrant for Dempseys arrest, then on Feb. 9, 2024, U.S. Magistrate Judge Miroslav Lovric issued an arrest warrant.

He was ultimately arrested on Feb. 13, 2024, and taken into custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.





Original article source: Ex-Army soldier held for extradition to Germany after DNA links him to 1978 murder
While the ex-premier of the British Virgin Islands remains locked up in Miami after being convicted of cocaine smuggling, a federal judge still cannot figure out how to resolve doubts raised by a couple of jurors about their guilty verdicts nearly two weeks ago.

U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams said Tuesday that she wants both sides  federal prosecutors and defense attorneys who are at loggerheads  to return to her courtroom on March 7 with a potential legal solution to the seemingly intractable problem.

From the start, this has been an unusual case in many respects, Williams said at the end of a court hearing.

Unprecedented might be more like it.

On Feb. 8, the 12-person jury found ex-BVI premier Andrew Fahie guilty of conspiring to import cocaine through the British territory to the United States and three related money-laundering and racketeering charges. After the verdict, the judge polled each of the jurors who confirmed that Fahie, 53, was guilty of the four charges. Williams then discharged the jurors.

READ MORE: Miami jury finds ex-BVI premier guilty in cocaine import plot. He faces up to life in prison

But within minutes of being officially let go, two of the jurors  a man and a woman  contacted the judge to say they had apparent misgivings about their verdicts, setting the stage for an unusually rare post-trial dispute.

Federal prosecutors said the judge should stick to the original verdicts, arguing theres no legal basis to bring the two jurors back into court to question them about their verdicts. The prosecutors pointed out theres no evidence of a verdict mistake, internal or external pressure on the jury, or racist attitudes toward the defendant.

Defense attorneys countered that, despite constitutional limits on questioning a jury about deliberations, theres no reason why the two jurors with doubts about their verdicts cannot be polled again by the judge. They stressed that the cocaine trafficking conviction carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years up to life in prison.

Williams, expressing frustration over finding a legal basis to resolve the verdict problem, called their discussions meaningful. But she pressed both sides to continue examining past cases in South Florida and around the country to help her reach a just solution.

Hopefully, our discussions will be fruitful, Fahies defense attorney, Theresa Van Vliet, told the judge. Theres no lack of trying.

Williams, meanwhile, cautioned both sides about having any contact with the 12 jurors who served at Fahies trial.

Juror called one of the defense attorneys

Her concern arose because one of the jurors with apparent misgivings spoke by phone with one of the politicians defense attorneys the day after the guilty verdicts, according to a court document.

He told me who he was and I said I remembered him, attorney Joyce Delgado wrote in a Feb. 9 email, pointing out that she was returning the jurors calls left at her law office.

He then blurted out that he wanted to know what was happening with the case because hes worried that if all the jurors are asked to return that they will never come to an agreement so he wants to know what the process is, Delgado wrote in the email, summarizing the exchange to her colleague, Van Vliet.

Delgado said she didnt know and told the juror that it was inappropriate for them to talk and hung up.

That conversation  along with two prior phone-call attempts and a voicemail message from the same juror  has become part of a growing body of evidence in the post-verdict controversy over the Miami federal jurys decision to convict the ex-BVI premier.

Minutes after the verdicts were published and jurors discharged, two of the panelists contacted the judges staff. In short, both said the verdicts as published had not, in fact, been their verdicts, according to a court filing by Fahies lawyers, Delgado and Van Vliet.

The filing said Williams discussed the startling revelations with both sides, and then brought both jurors into the courtroom on the evening of Feb. 8, letting them know that she would be opening an inquiry and contacting them.

What next?

Andrew Alturo Fahie, former premier of the British Virgin Islands.

In their filing, Fahies defense lawyers said the judge has the latitude to ask the two jurors in question about their verdicts on the four charges against the ex-BVI premier.

The parties appear to agree that the court has discretion in deciding whether to conduct the requested inquiry, the defense lawyers wrote in court papers. The defense asks, at this point, only for effectively a repolling of the jury or at minimum the two jurors in question.

But prosecutors Kevin Gerarde and Sean McLaughlin sharply disagreed with that approach, noting theres no apparent legal reason to question any of the jurors again about their verdicts because the defendant has not alleged any juror misconduct.

Instead, the defendant seeks to explore  through juror interviews  whether any such misconduct may have occurred, they wrote in court papers filed Monday. This type of speculative request remains expressly prohibited under [the law].

Earlier this month, the 12 Miami federal jurors deliberated for only four hours before reaching their guilty verdicts on the four drug-related charges against the former British Virgin Islands premier.

Fahie was arrested in April 2022 in Miami following a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration sting operation. He was free on a bond and living with his daughter before trial, but after his conviction he was ordered held at the Federal Detention Center in downtown Miami. His sentencing is set for April 29 before Judge Williams.

READ NEXT: Hes a little crook: As BVI chief faces U.S. drug charge, his government faces crackdown

The case against the premier

The U.S. government made its cocaine-smuggling case against the former British Virgin Islands premier by casting a confidential informant as the Mexican cartel trafficker. The informant, who went by the name Roberto, collected hundreds of recorded conversations and text messages with Fahie while they discussed million-dollar bribery payments for access to the British territory, prosecutors said.

Fahie agreed to let thousands of kilos of cocaine pass through the countrys ports to be sold in the United States because of his greed, arrogance and corruption, prosecutors added, claiming Fahie needed the bribery payments to build a waterfront mansion in the British Virgin Islands.

Fahies defense team argued that he had no intention of using his power to enrich himself on cocaine shipments to the United States. Rather, his lawyers argued that he was framed by the United Kingdom, which controls the BVI archipelago as an overseas territory.

Nonetheless, the trial evidence revealed that the sting operation was directed by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, not the British government. At the time of the DEA sting, the U.K. government was concluding a corruption investigation of Fahies administration  but British authorities noted it was not related to the DEAs sting.

Visit to Miami led to demise

Fahies demise came on April 28, 2022, when he and BVIs port director, Oleanvine Pickering Maynard, were visiting Miami for a cruise convention. During their visit, they were lured to Miami-Opa-locka Executive Airport to check on a $700,000 payment that was promised to them by the DEA informant pretending to be a member of the Sinaloa cartel.

The sting culminated with the arrests of Fahie and Maynard, 61, leading to an indictment charging them with conspiring to import cocaine and engage in money laundering, along with attempted money laundering and racketeering. Maynards son, Kadeem Stephan Maynard, 32, was also arrested in the Caribbean, brought to Miami and added as the third defendant.

After his arrest, Fahie was stripped of his official position as BVIs premier, which he held from February 2019 to early May 2022.

READ MORE: British Virgin Islands premier gets new $1M bond in Miami drug case, but isnt free yet
Yemen's Houthi rebels carried out a missile attack that caused damage to a Belize-flagged transport in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, prompting the passengers and crew to evacuate the vessel, according to authorities on Monday. There are reports of a ship being attacked twice in the Gulf of Aden.

The Houthis, reportedly backed by Iran, have stated that they successfully downed an American MQ-9 Reaper drone, a claim that has not been promptly confirmed by US forces in the area. The Houthis have previously struck US drones, as per Fox News.

Houthi Rebels Attack British-Registered Cargo Ship

Yemen's Houthi rebels attacked a cargo ship in the Red Sea, causing damage to the vessel. According to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center of the British military, the ship was damaged following an explosion nearby. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center of the British military confirmed the safety of the crew onboard.

The Rubymar, a cargo ship registered in Britain, is operated by a company from Lebanon. It was traveling to Bulgaria from Khorfakkan, United Arab Emirates. A private security firm shared more information, stating that the ship carried a partial cargo load. Yet, the exact details of the cargo are still unknown. It is important to note that the vessel disabled its Automatic Identification System tracker while in the Persian Gulf earlier this month, which has added complexity to the situation.

While the Houthis did not immediately claim responsibility for the attack, Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, a military spokesman for the rebels, hinted at the likelihood of a statement on their activities being released on Monday morning, according to NBC News.

Read Also: Support for Ukraine: Danish Prime Minister Says Copenhagen Prepared to Send 'Entire Artillery' to Kyiv

US Airstrikes Target Houthi Military Equipment

Since November, a number of occurrences took place where Houthi rebels have been targeting ships in the Red Sea and surrounding waters. The attacks are connected to the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip, where Israel has been involved in military operations against Hamas.

Rebels frequently target vessels without clear links to Israel, endangering shipping in a vital route connecting Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. Several vessels that were targeted have been carrying cargo for Iran, a key supporter of the Houthi rebels.

At the same time, the US military's Central Command has taken action by carrying out five airstrikes aimed at Houthi military equipment. The airstrikes targeted mobile anti-ship cruise missiles, an explosive-carrying drone boat, and an unmanned underwater vessel, as reported by Central Command.

This recent use of an unattended underwater vessel represents a major milestone, being the first known instance of Houthi use of such technology since the attacks started in October 2023.

With international tensions increasing due to these happenings, Rubymar's manager based in Beirut for Rubymar is unwilling to provide an immediate comment. The situation continues to evolve, with ongoing international implications and concerns about shipping safety in the region. Anticipate additional information as authorities and nations address these recently escalated situations, CTV News reported

Related Article: Avdiivka Falls to Russian Military-A Sign of Ukraine Weakening?
Former Rep. David Jolly (R-Fla.) on Monday offered a critical take on the GOPs shift in stance on Russia.

I dont believe the Republican Party today sees Russia as an adversary. I dont believe they see [Russia President] Vladimir Putin as uniquely evil, Jolly told MSNBCs Alicia Menendez.

Todays Republican Party has embraced American weakness, he said. They are OK looking the other way and giving equity to Vladimir Putin and Russia, and thats not just a pivot of orthodox. Thats a new chapter of Republicanism.

Republicans are willing to run on American weakness, he added.

Jollys criticism of his former party  which he quit in 2018 over its capitulation to then-President Donald Trump  comes amid Trumps encouragement of Russia to attack NATO allies and the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in a Russian prison, which has been widely blamed on the Kremlin.

At the weekend, Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio) claimed Trumps inflammatory and controversial comments at campaign rallies  such as his Russia rhetoric dont really translate into his actual policies.

Except the problem is, David, often they do, Menendez told Jolly.

Yea because the leader has followers, he agreed. I think there is a unique shamefulness to see Mike Turner, Tim Scott, Lindsey Graham and others engage in this type of apologism, if you will, for their own political interest, to faceplant on the knee of Donald Trump. They do it very well, from Graham to Scott to Mike Turner to Elise Stefanik. Name them. There is a unique shamefulness to it.

Watch the commentary here:

Related...
The former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernandez, center, is taken in handcuffs to a waiting aircraft in Tegucigalpa as he is extradited to the United States on 21 April 2022.

The former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernandez, center, is taken in handcuffs to a waiting aircraft in Tegucigalpa as he is extradited to the United States on 21 April 2022. Photograph: Elmer Martinez/AP

Five years after he was lavished with praise by Donald Trump for stopping drugs at a level that has never happened  and two years after he was extradited in shackles to the US  the former Honduras president Juan Orlando Hernandez is to stand trial in New York on Monday, accused of overseeing a narco-state and accepting millions in bribes from drug traffickers, including the former leader of the Sinaloa cartel, Joaquin El Chapo Guzman.

Hernandez is the first former head of state to face drug-trafficking charges in the United States since another former US ally, the Panamanian strongman Gen Manuel Noriega, over 30 years ago.

The trial will be arguably the biggest test yet of the Drug Enforcement Agencys strategy to bring to account public officials who facilitate drug trafficking to the US.

Related: The narco-highway creating chaos in a Honduran rainforest

Hernandez has dismissed the accusations as retaliation by the cartels seeking revenge for his anti-narcotics policies, and cited his cooperation with  and the accolades received from  US authorities as evidence of his innocence.

During his first run for president in 2013, Hernandez campaigned as a hardliner on crime, touting his role as a legislator in the passage of a constitutional amendment that paved the way for the extradition of Hondurans accused of drug trafficking.

At the time, Honduras was sinking into anarchy, and the majority of the cocaine that reached the United States was passing through the country.

Record numbers of Hondurans fled the violence and headed to US border. The Obama administration saw Hernandez as a flawed but eager partner on immigration and security policy.

It was pretty well known that Juan Orlando was a corrupt actor, said Ricardo Zuniga, a former senior state department official. But we didnt see him as an organized crime figure.

By the time Hernandez became president in January 2014, however, a small group of DEA agents and prosecutors had already started to suspect otherwise.

During the 2013 campaign, agents from the DEA were reviewing transcripts of intercepted phone calls provided to them by Honduran counterparts when one became the talk of the office.

It was one drug trafficker calling another and he says, Who are you voting for in the election? and he goes, Were voting for all of them, said Andrew Pappas, a retired DEA agent who was stationed in Honduras at the time.

When that phone call came in, we knew [the traffickers] werent worried at all about who was going to win the election; they had paid them all off.

Soon after, the threat of extradition led a string of Honduran traffickers to cut deals with the DEA that would expose the depths of their infiltration into local politics. Hardly a week after Hernandezs inauguration, one of the countrys most notorious traffickers secretly recorded a meeting with the presidents brother, the legislator Juan Antonio Tony Hernandez.

By October 2016, rumors of Tony Hernandezs involvement in drug trafficking swirled in local media. He announced that he would travel to Miami to meet with the DEA and clear his name. Instead, he perjured himself and exposed many of his own connections to traffickers.

According to prosecutors, Hernandez then attempted to distance himself from his brother and work even harder to stay in the good graces of US authorities. Donald Trumps victory in the November 2016 US presidential election made the latter much easier.

The next year, Hernandez ran for re-election despite a constitutional prohibition against it. The November 2017 election was marred by violence and allegations of fraud that prosecutors say was aided by drug traffickers. The secretary general of the Organization of the American States called for a new election, but the Trump administration provided Hernandez the recognition he needed to secure a second term in office.

Late in 2018, DEA agents arrested Tony Hernandez on drug trafficking charges after he made an ill-advised trip to the United States. During his trial a year later, prosecutors laid out the bulk of their case against the former president in open court. Tony Hernandez was convicted on all counts and sentenced to life in prison.

To experts following that trial, it was clear that Hernandez was a likely target of the DEA, protected only by an unwritten Department of Justice policy against indicting sitting presidents.

Yet the accolades from Washington continued.

Less than two months after the trial, then president Trump heaped praise on Hernandez at the 2019 Israeli American Council National Summit, thanking the Honduran president and saying that he was working with the United States very closely and that were stopping drugs at a level that has never happened.

When Joe Biden took office in January 2021, the praise finally stopped. It was pretty clear that US attorneys wanted to go after him, said Zuniga, who was appointed Central America envoy.

Related: Honduran presidents fall from grace poised to end in US indictment

But it wasnt until Hernandezs party was voted out of office by a landslide that the Department of Justice officially informed the state department of its intentions, explained Zuniga.

A few weeks after he was arrested, Hernandez, wearing a blue suit and a crisp white shirt that evoked the colors of the Honduran flag, sat in a Tegucigalpa courthouse and pleaded with the judge who would decide whether or not to approve his extradition.

According to a transcript reviewed by the Guardian, the former president cited his lengthy cooperation with US authorities on anti-narcotics and immigration policies and noted the contradiction between the accolades he received and the accusations against him.

He also criticized the extradition process that he had championed for a decade as one of his greatest achievements  and more recently as evidence of his innocence.

If the extradition were approved, then the only thing that awaits me is a life sentence, said Hernandez.
Ex-Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez will stand trial in New York on drug trafficking charges.

Prosecutors allege Hernandez built up a "corrupt and violent" empire to smuggle tons of cocaine to the US.

Hernandez, once considered to be a key US ally, turned Honduras into a narco-state, prosecutors allege.

Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, once considered to be a key ally to the United States on anti-narcotics efforts during his two-term tenure, is set to stand trial in New York on allegations that for nearly 20 years he built up a "corrupt and violent" empire to smuggle tons of cocaine to America.

Federal prosecutors allege that Hernandez, between 2004 and 2022, received millions of dollars in bribes from drug trafficking organizations  including from the notorious, now-imprisoned Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman Loera  and essentially transformed Honduras into a narco-state.

In court documents, prosecutors wrote that Hernandez worked for years with "violent drug traffickers to harm the United States, telling his co-conspirators that he wanted to 'stuff the drugs up the noses of the gringos.'"

Hernandez "abused his position as the president of Honduras to operate the country as a narco-state" and used the drug trafficking proceeds "to enrich himself, finance his political campaigns, and commit voter fraud," prosecutors alleged in the indictment against him.

The former president's high-profile trial on drug trafficking and weapons charges is scheduled to kick off Tuesday in Manhattan federal court, starting with jury selection.

Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez in 2020. AP Photo/Moises Castillo, File

Hernandez was viewed much differently when he was first elected

The brutal picture prosecutors have painted of Hernandez, who is now 55 years old, is much different than how he was viewed after he was first elected in 2013 as president of Honduras.

In January 2015, one year into the first year of Hernandez's first term as president, officials at the US embassy in the Honduran capital of Tegucigalpa saw reason to be cautiously optimistic.

Embassy staffers, in a diplomatic cable summarizing his first year in office, described Hernandez as an effective leader doing his best in a bad situation, pursuing market-friendly reforms and anti-corruption initiatives with a "religious zeal."

"Hernandez started his first year with a stand against corruption and finished it with a sweeping commitment to improving transparency," reads the memo, which was approved by then-Ambassador James D. Nealon. "Violence is, in fact, down. Narco traffickers are on the run."

If the memo had anything to say about potential ties between Hernandez and organized crime, it's not apparent in the publicly available version, which was declassified in 2017. The document ends with a section entitled, "Measure of the Man," followed by more than two full pages of redacted material.

Now, nearly a decade later, this rosy description stands in stark contrast to the sordid picture laid out by federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York, who have accused Hernandez of turning Honduras into a mafia state, financing his campaigns with drug money, and directly enlisting the help of drug traffickers to carry out a systematic campaign of election fraud that ensured his victory in 2013 and his reelection in 2017.

Juan Orlando Hernandez, center in chains, is shown to the press at the Police Headquarters in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022. AP Photo/Elmer Martinez

The former Honduran president could spend the rest of his life in a US prison

This posturing, however, may have led to one of the former president's gravest mistakes.

In 2012, under pressure from Washington, Hernandez, then serving as president of Honduras' congress, worked to push through a constitutional amendment allowing for extradition of Honduran citizens to the US. When their partners in the drug world expressed concerns about extradition, Hernandez and his brother assured their allies that extradition would only be used against enemies.

During Hernandez's two terms as president of Honduras, from 2014 to 2022, his government oversaw, at the request of US officials, the extradition of more than 30 people, according to one analysis. Among these were two former allies of Hernandez who he handed over to the US after learning of their plans to assassinate him, according to court documents.

Shortly after Hernandez left office in 2022, it was under this provision that he was arrested in Honduras and shipped off to New York, where he has sat ever since in a federal lockup in Brooklyn.

If convicted of the charges against him, Hernandez  who has pleaded not guilty  could spend the rest of his life inside a US prison.

Hernandez was charged alongside his cousin and an ex-police chief, but those two have since pleaded guilty

Former Honduras police chief Juan Carlos Bonilla. AP Photo/File

Hernandez was originally charged alongside two other co-defendants: his cousin, Mauricio Hernandez Pineda, and former Honduran National Police chief Juan Carlos Bonilla, aka "El Tigre." Pineda, however, pleaded guilty on Feb. 2 to one charge of conspiracy to import cocaine, and Bonilla followed suit last Wednesday, just days ahead of the trial.

Hernandez will now face the charges alone. It is not clear if Pineda and Bonilla will testify against their former president.

The trial, which is expected to last two to three weeks, is the denouement of a saga that first burst into the public eye in 2017 with the arrest in Miami of Hernandez's brother, Juan Antonio "Tony" Hernandez.

Tony Hernandez, a former Honduran congressman and a close advisor to his brother, was accused of acting as his brother's liaison to their alleged allies in the criminal underworld, and actively participating in drug trafficking networks that used Honduras as a transit country to move cocaine from Colombia to the US.

At Tony Hernandez's two-week trial in 2019, a parade of former associates testified to explosive allegations of corruption and criminal violence at the highest levels of the Honduran government.

Tony Hernandez was convicted and found to have had a personal stake in a cocaine lab in Colombia as well as a direct hand in moving nearly 200,000 tons of cocaine into the US over 15 years. In Honduras, he had sold machine guns to drug traffickers and was complicit in at least two murders, federal prosecutors said. One witness said Tony Hernandez personally met with and accepted a $1 million bribe, in cash, from El Chapo.

Prosecutors introduced drug ledgers seized in the 2018 arrest of a major trafficker that directly implicated both Juan Orlando Hernandez and Tony Hernandez, and showed bricks of cocaine stamped with a stylized imprint of Tony's initials.

Tony Hernandez was found guilty on all counts in 2019 and was later sentenced to life in prison. In a court filing from last May, prosecutors said they do not expect that he would agree to testify against his brother.

Even as his alleged connections to the activities of Tony Hernandez were aired in open court, Honduran law granted Juan Orlando Hernandez immunity from prosecution or extradition  until he left office.

In this courtroom sketch, Juan Orlando Hernandez, center, speaks into a microphone while pleading not guilty to drug trafficking and weapons charges in 2022. AP Photo/Elizabeth Williams

Hernandez's high-profile trial is being closely watched in Honduras

The looming trial of Juan Orlando Hernandez, like that of Tony Hernandez, is being closely watched in Honduras, where there long existed a pervasive understanding that the government was in league with some of the most malevolent forces of corruption and organized crime in the country, according to Pamela Ruiz, a Central America analyst with the International Crisis Group think-tank.

"Many Hondurans described it as living under a narco-state," Ruiz told Business Insider. "Everybody kind of knew that the government was involved at some level or another with narco-trafficking groups."

During the years in which Juan Orlando Hernandez was in power, the country was beset by waves of violent crime fueled by the drug trade, and the influence of drug gangs like Los Cachiros, whom Hernandez is accused of protecting. The country has also seen wide-ranging human rights violations, including attacks on environmental activists by paramilitary groups linked to security forces and rampant threats against journalists.

In Honduras, where politicians like Juan Orlando Hernandez and politically connected trafficking networks have long been viewed as virtually untouchable, it is momentous to see him face trial for his alleged crimes, according to Ruiz. "For the first time in many years, if not decades, Hondurans felt like justice would actually be served," she said.

Several witnesses who testified against Tony Hernandez are set to testify against the former president, including Devis Leonel Rivera Maradiaga, a leader of Los Cachiros, a trafficking gang with which Juan Orlando Hernandez and his brother were deeply entwined, prosecutors have alleged. Alex Ardon, a drug trafficker and former mayor of El Paraiso, a city on the border of Guatemala, is also expected to testify and describe meeting with El Chapo alongside Tony Hernandez and the funneling of millions of dollars in drug money to Juan Orlando Hernandez and the National Party.

Juan Antonio "Tony" Hernandez, the brother of Juan Orlando Hernandez. AP Photo/Fernando Antonio, File

Court documents also point to several as-yet-unnamed witnesses, including two members of the Sinaloa Cartel, a former official who allowed drugs and other contraband to flow freely through the largest port in Honduras, and a relative of Alex Ardon whom Juan Orlando Hernandez appointed to run a major government construction agency, a role the witness used to pave roads for drug routes and dish out government contracts to other traffickers.

The details that are alleged in court documents illustrate a remarkable portrait of a state-run protection racket carefully constructed by Juan Orlando Hernandez and his allies and a level of corruption that went far beyond simply accepting bribes. In the prosecution's narrative, the former president comes across as an outright gangster, acting with almost delusional brazenness.

But Juan Orlando Hernandez was also a highly skilled political operator, and was  for as long as he could be  careful to keep a buffer between himself and the nastier side of the trafficking networks with whom he is accused of partnering, prosecutors said. To maintain contact, Tony Hernandez, the national police chief Bonilla, and others acted as his emissaries, taking a more hands-on approach to underworld schemes, prosecutors have said.

The whims and wishes of US foreign policy have long played an outsize role in the domestic politics of Honduras. And so Juan Orlando Hernandez was also careful, for as long as he could be, to remain in the good graces of Washington and repeatedly took steps to make himself indispensable in aligning himself with its policy goals, according to prosecutors.

From the time he entered Congress as a deputy for the center-right National Party, through his swift rise through the ranks of the Honduran political elite, Juan Orlando Hernandez had presented himself as a staunch ally of US interests in Honduras, using his growing political clout to pursue anti-drug policies.

In private, however, the Hernandez brothers assured the drug traffickers to whom he offered protection that they would not face arrest or extradition; instead, he used extradition as a weapon against rival drug traffickers, prosecutors said.

"The vast majority of the co-conspirators in this scheme were never prosecuted in Honduras despite trafficking massive quantities of cocaine and committing brutal acts of violence," prosecutors wrote in court documents. "Juan Orlando and his powerful allies ensured their protection."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Ex-Republican congressman blasts Lindsey Graham and others who faceplant on the knee of Donald Trump

Former Rep. David Jolly (Fla.), who served in the House as a Republican but later left the party, accused members of his former party of being apologists for former President Trump amid mounting scrutiny over his recent remarks on NATO.

I think theres a unique shamefulness to see Mike Turner, Tim Scott, Lindsey Graham and others engage in this type of apologism if you will, for their own political interest. To faceplate on the knee of Donald Trump. They do it very well, from Graham to Scott to Mike Turner to Elise Stefanik  name em, Jolly said Monday in an interview with MSNBCs Deadline: White House.

The Hill reached out to the offices of Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio), Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) for further comment.

Trump has recently faced mounting backlash after claiming he would encourage Russia to attack NATO allies who do not carry their financial weight with regards to the alliances defense spending targets.

The former president, during a Feb. 11 campaign rally, recounted a story about when a foreign leader questioned him about his threat not to defend members who do not hit the alliances defense spending targets.

You didnt pay? Trump said he responded. Youre delinquent; no, I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want. You gotta pay. You gotta pay your bills.

The remarks further fueled fears about what a second Trump term in the White House could mean for the United Statess European allies.

Some of Trumps allies, for their part, have largely shrugged off any concerns.

Turner, who chairs the House Intelligence Committee, defended the remarks Sunday and claimed the former presidents comments at rallies do not translate into his actual policies.

Scott, who suspended his own White House bid last fall, dismissed Trumps comments when asked about them Sunday on CNNs State of the Union. The South Carolina Republican instead turned the focus on President Biden, who he argued is dragging his feet.

Graham on Sunday also said he supports the former presidents calls to get members of the alliance to contribute to what would be considered their fair share.

Jolly said Monday he does not believe the current Republican Party considers Russia an adversary.

I dont believe they see Vladimir Putin as uniquely evil, and that is a pivot from GOP orthodoxy, Jolly said. And I think what is so fascinating about that  concerning as it is  sure there are national security interests for the U.S. and the West to no longer see Donald Trump as an adversary or see Vladimir Putin as an adversary if Republicans take control or if Donald Trump ends up in the White House.

The flip side of that coin is the embrace of American weakness, he said, adding later, Todays Republican Party has embraced American weakness. They are OK looking the other way and giving equity to Vladimir Putin and Russia. And thats not just a pivot of orthodoxy, thats a new chapter of Republicanism.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration regulatory authority has warned it has not approved any nicotine pouch products as treatments to help smokers kick their habit after a series of misleading Facebook adverts circulated online. The World Health Organization (WHO) has also said nicotine pouches can induce nicotine addiction.

"Nicotine pouches are a therapeutic product that through an oromucosal application, aids in smoking and vaping cessation," read a Facebook advert from January 26 targeting Australians.

Nicotine pouches are white pouches placed between the cheek and gum. They contain nicotine but not tobacco (archived link).

A screenshot of the misleading post, captured on February 15.

It is illegal to advertise or supply nicotine pouches in Australia under the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989. Doing so can be punishable by five years in prison and a fine (archived link).

The misleading post also promoted snus, a tobacco product that is usually applied in sachets for oral use (archived link).

Australia has banned oral tobacco products such as these since 1991, according to the Therapeutic Goods Administration's (TGA) website (archived link).

Similar adverts were shared on Facebook here, here and here.

'Potentially harmful'

The posts misleadingly promoted the nicotine pouches as a "therapeutic product", when in fact they had not been registered by the TGA.

No nicotine pouches are listed on the agency's official register of approved therapeutic goods, as of February 20, 2024 (archived link).

A TGA spokesman told AFP on February 13 that the agency had not approved any nicotine pouches product in Australia, adding there was no evidence they were effective in treating nicotine addiction.

"The effectiveness of nicotine pouches for these purposes is not yet known, and their widespread marketing and use in the community is potentially harmful," he said.

University of Sydney Public Health Associate Professor Becky Freeman said she was not aware of any nicotine pouch products that had been approved by the TGA (archived link).

Therapeutic goods are generally required to be listed on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (the ARTG) following assessment by the TGA," she told AFP.

"To our knowledge, there are no nicotine pouch products that have been assessed by the TGA and entered on the ARTG."

According to the WHO, there is limited data on nicotine pouches as they have only been on the market for a short time.

Such pouches contain "sufficient nicotine to induce and sustain nicotine addiction", read a report published by the United Nations' agency on August 23, 2023 (archived link).

"A cautionary approach is warranted, given their similarities to conventional oral tobacco products, in particular snus," it added.
Claim:

A photograph authentically shows Donald Trump with his daughter Ivanka as a child, posing on a bed.

Rating:

Rating: True

Critics of former U.S. President Donald Trump often share photographs in which he poses with his daughter Ivanka, allegedly behaving inappropriately towards her. One such photograph, shared online for years, purportedly showed her when she was a teenager, posing on a bed with her father.

The photograph is authentic. It was featured in a 1995 issue of InStyle magazine. Therefore, we have rated the claim "True."

The photo surfaced on X (formerly Twitter) in early 2024 and has existed on various other social media platforms, including Facebook, Imgur, Pinterest, Quora, and Reddit.

(X user @MarioVe69225752)

TinEye reverse-image search results showed it has circulated online at least since 2016. "Does [Trump] have any clue how this looks to strangers?" one Reddit user commented on the image.

Snopes reached out to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign to ask about the in-question image. We will update this report when, or if, we receive a response.

It's worth noting that, in many early posts with the image, it was seemingly a photo of a printed photograph. "From the Trump family photo album," one X post claimed without evidence.

Donald Trump and daughter Ivanka photographed for a Pretty Baby-esque publicity shoot in the '90s pic.twitter.com/3jMLTZTjAg  Anna Biller (@missannabiller) October 17, 2016

We did notice that the photograph's background seemingly matched that of other photographs from inside Donald Trump's penthouse in New York (see image below).

(X user @missannabiller, France24.com)

After the initial publication of this article rating the claim "Unproven," a reader shared with us what appeared to be digital scans of pages from a printed article featuring the in-question photograph. We asked if the reader owned a physical copy of the purported article and had scanned the image. We're waiting on a response.

(Email from Snopes' reader)

We uploaded the reader's images into TinEye's reverse-image search. Using those results and Wayback Machine, an internet archive, we found the images indeed matched media that appeared in an article published by InStyle magazine in December 1995. We tracked down that magazine's cover, which teased the article, "at home with [...] Donald & Marla Trump."

Inside, the article with the in-question image was titled "Breakfast Above Tiffany's" and was written by Leslie Marshall, according to a 2015 post by InStyle. We were unable to locate a digital version of the entire magazine issue.

(Wayback Machine)

Based on the images, Firooz Zahedi photographed the Trumps. We reached out to Zahedi  as well as Marshall, the article's author  for more information about the 1995 piece, and we will update this report when, or if, we receive responses.

Two books by Gwenda Blair about the Trump family ("The Trumps: Three Generations of Builders" and "Donald Trump: The Candidate") cited the 1995 article by InStyle.

(Google Books)

This was not the first rumor about Donald Trump and his children that Snopes has fact-checked. For instance, in January 2024, we confirmed a photo authentically depicted Donald Trump with two of his children, Ivanka and Eric, alongside Jeffrey Epstein in 1993. We also investigated rumors that Donald Trump said he'd like to date Ivanka and debunked a false claim that Ivanka once said she would "mace" him if he wasn't her father.

Sources:

Evon, Dan. "Did Donald Trump Say He'd Like to Date His Daughter?" Snopes, 10 July 2015, https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/donald-trump-date-daughter/.

---. "Ivanka Trump Said If Donald Trump Wasn't Her Father, She Would 'Mace' Him?" Snopes, 25 Nov. 2016, https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/ivanka-trump-said-if-donald-trump-wasnt-her-father-she-would-mace-him/.

Mahdawi, Arwa. "Donald Trump Was Allegedly Creepy about Ivanka  but Will His Fans Care?" The Guardian, 1 July 2023. The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/jul/01/donald-trump-ivanka-miles-taylor-book-claims.

PerryCook, Taija. "Were Trump and 2 of His Kids, Ivanka and Eric, Seen with Jeffrey Epstein in '93?" Snopes, 3 Jan. 2024, https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/trump-ivanka-and-eric-with-epstein/.



Updates:

February 20, 2024: This article was updated to include a response from photographer Firooz Zahedi to Snopes' inquiry about the photo.

February 21, 2024: This article was updated to include additional information from the reader who sent Snopes digital scans of the printed article featuring the in-question photograph.
An international coalition, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and its allies from Britain and the EU, have seized control of the website belonging to LockBit, the most prolific ransomware gang in the world.

The cybercrime crackdown deals a major blow to the near-term operations of the multinational ransomware gang. It has been considered a menace to organizations worldwide, including health care providers in the United States.

International Cybercrime Crackdown

The hackers have previously claimed credit for a November ransomware attack that forced New Jersey-based Capital Health to cancel some of its patients' appointments. Furthermore, LockBit claimed responsibility for ransomware attacks targeting the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and Fulton County, Georgia, in recent months.

Officials posted a message on the hackers' website on Monday that included the seals of the FBI, the UK National Crime Agency )NCA), and a host of other law enforcement agencies from Australia to Germany.

The statement included confirmation that the ransomware gang's services have been disrupted as a result of the action of International Law Enforcement, adding that the situation was an ongoing and developing operation.

A spokesperson for the NCA confirmed that a law enforcement operation against the ransomware gang was underway, adding that the agency will disclose more details on the matter to the public on Tuesday, as per CNN.

On the other hand, a spokesperson for the FBI said that they will make a formal announcement regarding the operation as well as additional information in the near future. The seizure of the LockBit ransomware group's dark web site forces cybercriminals to work on setting up new computer infrastructure to extort their victims.

Additionally, it can signal deeper law enforcement access to the hackers' networks where they conduct their operations. In another effort against a ransomware gang that was announced a year ago, the FBI said that it gained access to decryption software that saved victims roughly $130 million in ransom payments.

Read Also: Pyrrhic Victory? Ukrainian Sources Say Russia Took Significant Losses Capturing Avdiivka

Seizing Control of LockBit's Dark Web Site

Analysts also believe that the LockBit ransomware gang has members or criminal partners in Eastern Europe, Russia, and China. Similar to other cash-flush groups, LockBit rents out its ransomware to "affiliates," who then use the malicious code in attacks, then take a cut of the ransom that victims pay.

The United Kingdom's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) previously issued a warning regarding the "enduring threat" that the LockBit group posed. This was made alongside partner agencies in the U.S., Australia, Canada, France, Germany, and New Zealand, according to BBC.

The statement made last year also added that LockBit's eponymous software was the "most deployed ransomware variant" worldwide in 2022. It added that the software continues to be prolific "so far in 2023."

LockBit makes money by stealing sensitive data and then threatening to leak it if the victims do not pay an extortionate ransom. The ransomware group's affiliates are like-minded criminal groups that are recruited to wage attacks using the main group's digital extortion tools.

In 2020, LockBit was discovered when its eponymous software was found on Russian-language cybercrime forums. This led some security analysts to believe that the gang is based in Russia, said Reuters.



Related Article: US Lawmakers Consider Sanctioning Chinese Firms for Aiding Russia's War with Ukraine
Once the stuff of science fiction, the prospect of advanced energy weapons like lasers being used in conventional military operations is fast becoming a reality. Nations around the worldwith the help of leading defense contractorsare pouring billions of dollars into the development of directed energy weapons (DEW), which could bring benefits such as cheaper missile defense systems and instantaneous nonlethal effects.

The evolution of DEW technology, however, has also prompted conspiracy theories about their origins, purpose, and use.

A video with more than 20 million views on X (formerly Twitter) claims that people in Chile, where devastating fires have raged this month, are now painting their roofs blue to protect themselves from the effects of DEWs.

 Chile  This is INSANE 



In 2024 people in Chile are now reportedly painting their houses & roofs in particular the colour BLUE in order protect themselves.



Im sure the comments section here will tell you why



Remember Chile has the MOST Lithium in the entire pic.twitter.com/WwxO5WLpIk  Concerned Citizen (@BGatesIsaPyscho) February 11, 2024

Similar conspiracy theories regarding DEWsincluding the claim that the color blue is protection against themhit the U.S. mainstream after wildfires devastated parts of Maui in August 2023.

The fires were started, so the theories go, as part of a land grab orchestrated by either elites or the government itself. A number of videos and images claiming to show some kind of laser starting the massive fires went viral on social media platforms, though these claims were quickly debunkedmost were either edited or depicted unrelated eventsby news outlets such as the Associated Press and the BBC.

Even when the flames stopped, the conspiracy theories continued. New claims emerged that the fires spared blue items. One prominent post showed both a blue car and a set of blue umbrellas that had survived the flames, and another demonstrated a laser burning items of every color except for blue.

2024 NWO Survival Kit



Blue Hat

Blue Clothes

Blue Car

Blue Paint



Thank me later pic.twitter.com/mCnWjI6lrq  Concerned Citizen (@BGatesIsaPyscho) February 15, 2024

The claim that blue objects are resistant to DEWs and survived the Maui fires is false. The AP determined in an August 2023 story that color had not influenced what was destroyed in the Maui fires, and many photos of the devastation show houses and items of other colors that were also spared. Fires like the Maui fire often leave unburned items for no apparent reason. Fires are stochastic this way, Peter Sunderland, a professor of fire protection engineering at the University of Maryland, told The Dispatch Fact Check.

Likewise, the idea that the color blue could counteract a powerful electronic weapon does not stand up to scientific scrutiny. There are countermeasures that you could take to improve your defenses against a directed energy weapon if you were military that was fighting an enemy that had those sorts of systems, James Black, assistant director of defense and security at RAND Europe, told The Dispatch Fact Check. But its not going to be just painting stuff blue. Its far more sophisticated and complicated than that.

The prominence of DEW technology in modern conspiracy theorizing doesnt surprise analysts like Black. I think there are a lot of traits of directed energy weapons that mean that they fit quite neatly with some kind of basic or recurring conspiratorial stories, he explained.

For one, DEWs leverage technologiessuch as laser and radio frequency weaponsthe general public doesnt know much about. The scope for misinformation, not just disinformation, becomes quite high just because people misunderstand what is and what isnt happening and what is realistic and whats not realistic, Black said. Also, the fact that DEWs are often invisible to the naked eye and generally do not leave the same physical traces as a conventional weaponsuch as shell or bomb fragmentsmakes it hard to disprove claims. All of these things are quite convenient from a conspiracy theorist perspective, when theyre trying to craft a narrative, because its harder to disapprove, Black said.

Finally, theres simply the appealing fantastical nature of DEWs that lends itself to deeper conspiracy theories. It feeds into some of the conspiracies that exist around global governments and the use of arcane, or even alien, technologies, Black said.

How do directed energy weapons work?

The Office of Naval Research defines DEWs as electromagnetic systems capable of converting chemical or electrical energy to radiated energy and focusing it on a target, resulting in physical damage that degrades, neutralizes, defeats, or destroys an adversarial capability. This includes high energy lasers, which emit photons, and high power microwaves, which emit radiofrequency waves. Kitchen microwaveswhich use electromagnetic waves to excite molecules in foodare one example of simple directed energy with which people are familiar. Obviously, the target in that case is your microwave lasagna rather than an incoming rocket or missile, but broadly similar principles apply in the sense that youre trying to transmit energy towards a target and induce a response, Black explained.

Modern conceptions of DEWs find much of their originat least in the public mindin Ronald Reagans 1983 Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), best known as Star Wars. The SDI program sought to create a vast network of high powered ground-based lasers and systems that could be used to augment missile interceptors to destroy incoming Soviet ballistic missiles, however, it failed to achieve many of its ambitious aims. Theres a lively debate as to how realistic a proposition that was either technologically or economically at the time, Black said, and clearly it wasnt a capability that was actually ever fulfilled in a meaningful way.

Today, a renewed focus on DEW development has taken hold in countries like the U.S., United Kingdom, and Israel, particularly for projectile defense. Existing systems like the RTX (formerly Raytheon) Phalanx and Israels Iron Dome utilize conventional ammunition or missiles alongside advanced computer systems to track and intercept threats. These ammunition types are expensive and require dedicated manufacturing, leading to interest in energy-based systems that, in theory, could be significantly more affordable to operate because of their almost unlimited magazine depth.

DEW technology is not yet being deployed at scale on the battlefield, but militaries are investing heavily in the technology and wider use appears to be on the horizon. Its certainly something that is becoming a serious proposition, Black explained. However, while the color blue may not itself be a limiting factor to the success of DEWs, there are still plenty of obstacles to their future development. Its really not a panacea, there are lots of enduring technical barriers to making these things work as advertised. Plus, theres some tactical and practical barriers as well, Black emphasized.

If you have a claim you would like to see us fact check, please send us an email at factcheck@thedispatch.com. If you would like to suggest a correction to this piece or any other Dispatch article, please email corrections@thedispatch.com.

Read more at The Dispatch

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FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. (DC News Now)  Police in Fairfax County arrested a man in connection to several burglaries at stores in the county.

Detectives had been looking into several burglaries in the Woodlawn neighborhood that appeared to be carried out in the same way. The burglaries took place between December 2023 and January 2024.

Man found dead in vehicle in Prince Georges County

The Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) said the following burglaries were being investigated together:

Dec. 30, 2023  Laundromat at 8792 Sacramento Dr.

Dec. 30, 2023  Dry cleaners at 8752 Sacramento Dr.

Jan. 8, 2024  Laundromat at 8792 Sacramento Dr.

Jan. 26, 2024  Tandoori Kabob & Grill at 8792 Sacramento Dr.

Jan. 27, 2024  Dollar General at 8734 Richmond Hwy.

FCPD detectives said during their investigation, they found that Timothy Mears, 48, of Woodlawn was connected to these burglaries. He was arrested on Feb. 8 and held without bond.

Police charged him with the following:

Four counts of burglary

Four counts of possession of burglarious tools

Three counts of wearing mask in public to conceal identity

Four counts of destruction of property

Two counts of petit larceny

One count of grand larceny.

FCPD asked that anyone with any information call 703-360-8400. You can also submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-866-411-8477, going online or downloading the app Fairfax Co Crime Solvers.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
While social media has revolutionised the way people communicate and conduct business, online fraud is an ever-present threat. Since January 2024, a Facebook page has been sharing posts with screenshots purporting to be proof-of-payment notifications from the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF). However, this is a scam; the humanitarian organisation has confirmed that it is not running such a promotion while the Facebook page has no affiliation to the UN agency.

The purported payment notifications were shared on a Facebook group called UNICEF Foundation Promotion from December 2023 to February 2024 by several accounts that appear to be part of a coordinated campaign.

This promotion by the AFRICA FOUNDATION FUND IS REAL. Thank you UNICEF for helping people, reads one of the posts published on the page in Swahili and English on January 17, 2024. This post has since been deleted.

If your interested please inbox me I connect you, this is legit promotion with 100% proofs. you will receive KSH 65,000 INSTANTLY (sic). The figure in Kenyan shillings equates to about US$450.

Screenshot showing the false post, taken on February 16, 2024

Another post was published in the group by an account in the name of Mashirima Kapomber, a popular media personality in Kenya.

But Kapomber told AFP Fact Check it was not hers. I am not aware of such a promotion. Here is my Facebook account, but I have seen several others created under my name by people I dont know.

Posts published elsewhere on Facebook included similar screenshots here and here.

The captions on the screenshots thank UNICEF Foundation for the payment, and are from people claiming to have received different amounts via mobile money transfer.

The posts also ask users to send direct messages for more information. Some include a WhatsApp link or a mobile phone number purported to belong to UNICEF.

However, two people who responded to the adverts told AFP Fact Check they were victims of a scam.





Fraud victims

A Facebook user by the name of Didimish Omary told AFP Fact Check: I was asked to pay Kenya Shillings 999 (US$7) promotion money processing fee.





This fee was meant to unlock a larger payment from UNICEF.

However, I was deceived. I did not receive the money promised and never heard from them again, Omary added.

A second victim, Ainomugisha Victor from Uganda, raised the alarm on Facebook, commenting that people associated with the UNICEF Foundation Promotion Facebook account fraudulently obtained money from him.

UNICEF foundation promotion, I just need you to refund my money back (sic), he wrote on January 26, 2024.

Screenshot showing the victim's Facebook post, taken on February 17, 2024

Contacted by AFP Fact Check, Victor said he also paid a processing fee in order to receive money from UNICEF, but the promised funds never arrived.

Social media swindle

A look at UNICEFs websites and social media accounts in Kenya and Uganda did not yield any information about a cash promotion.

AFP Fact Check contacted Dan Oloo, a spokesperson for UNICEF Kenya, who confirmed that the so-called promotion was a scam.

UNICEF is aware of a fake promotion on social media in Kenya. The scammers falsely promise cash payment to participants, Oloo said.

Please be advised that this is not a UNICEF activity and should be ignored. Do not share personal information or make payments in response to this fake promotion, he cautioned social media users.

Page transparency information on the official UNICEF Kenya Facebook page shows that it was created on December 20, 2011 (archived here).

On the other hand, the imposter page was created on December 26, 2023 by a Facebook user called Icon Mush.




(BCN)  Motorists are advised to avoid a portion of state Highway 9 in the census-designated place of Felton in Santa Cruz County due to a fallen tree, the California Highway Patrol said Tuesday morning.

Embarcadero road closed in Palo Alto due to fatal car crash

State Highway 9 in the area of Glengarry Road is shut down, the CHP said on social media around 6:10 a.m.

The CHP did not give an estimated time for when it will reopen. Motorists are asked to use alternate routes.

Copyright  2024 Bay City News, Inc.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
For most of the campaign, Nikki Haleys children have stayed off the stump.

Outside of the campaign kickoff where Haleys family joined her at the end of her speech, the public role of her children in the campaign has been limited.

At most Nalin Haley, a senior in college, writes weekly fundraising appeals to encourage supporters to contribute $5 at a time.

Rena Haley Jackson, the presidential candidates daughter who is an Upstate pediatric nurse, has knocked on doors for the campaign and was often in the front row of debates to support her mother.

The two children have sat for a handful of interviews with their mom, but they rarely made public statements about other candidates.

Both Rena and Nalin, along with Renas husband, Joshua Jackson, have joined Nikki Haley on the campaign trail frequently in the final days before the South Carolina Republican presidential primary, where former President Donald Trump is comfortably leading in the polls.

Nalin Haley, however, has been vocal on the stump and on his social media.

On Feb. 10, when Haleys campaign bus tour returned to the area Haley first represented when she was elected to the State House, Nalin Haley took to the stage to be one of Nikki Haleys introductory speakers.

During Nalin Haleys brief remarks, he invoked U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, who was appointed to the Senate in 2012 by Nikki Haley, but endorsed Trump ahead of the New Hampshire primary.

It feels like 2004 (and) 2010 when the establishment was up against her. We had a lot of people in New Hampshire and I saw Trump standing side-by-side next to Sen. Judas, excuse me, Sen. Scott, Nalin Haley said in a line that received laughs from the crowd.

Nikki Haley told reporters two days later that she was not aware of what Nalin planned say.

Im so proud Nalin. Im proud of Rena. Theyre both here with me today, Nikki Haley told reporters in Elgin last week. I didnt know what Nalin was going say when he got out there. I am proud of him for wanting to go and defend his mom and fight for his mom, and he said what he said. And I had to talk with him after, but thats a mother-son conversation.

Rena Haley Jackson, her husband, Joshua Jackson, and and Nalin Haley watch Nikki Haley talk to attendees during a campaign stop in Camden on Monday, Feb. 19, 2024

On Sunday, speaking Face the Nation, Scott said it was just desperate act by the Haleys.

Its unfortunate for a person of high caliber that she has been, to stoop down to having her and family refer to me or anyone else as Judas Iscariot or any other name calling, Scott said.

Nalin Haley responded on social media platform X after the interview.

No whats desperate is you abandoning your values to try and score a VP position, Nalin Haley said. You can be upset by my comments all you want but I havent said anything worse than what Trump has said about you while youre on stage next to him campaigning for him.

According to reports, Nalin Haley repeated the Judas line and talked about a tweet he made that compared entrepreneur, and former presidential candidate, Vivek Ramaswamy to Pennywise the Clown, from the movie It, during a campaign stop in Dorchester County.

My mom had a talk with me, and I was like, you know what I feel awful and I would to take this chance and apologize to Pennywise, Nalin Haley said as the crowd laughed.

During a debate, Vivek Ramaswamy pointed out how Rena Haley Jackson previously had a TikTok account as Haley called for the ban of the social media app.

Leave my daughter out of your voice, Haley said to Ramaswamy. Youre just scum.

Nalin Haley also defended his sister on Twitter.

Vivague Ramaslimey backpedaling more than his receding hairline, Nalin Haley tweeted Nov 8. And her account was deleted a very very long time ago. Desperate attack.

Nikki Haley said she expects Rena and Nalin to be at more events especially as her husband, Michael, is overseas deployed in Africa with the South Carolina Army National Guard.

They want to be with me every chance, Nikki Haley said. When Michael cant be here, I think they really are trying to step up where they can and Im proud. Michael has been with me in everything Ive ever done, in every race Ive ever run. Hes like my right arm. And so with him not there, I think my kids know that and I think thats why they want to be here to support me and Im proud to have them.

Nalin Haley and Rena Haley Jackson have been on the trail for their mothers previous campaigns.

In 2010, they were challenged by their mom to shake as many hands as possible, and were awarded with a quarter for each person they met.

So we went everywhere introducing ourselves to everyone. By the end of the night, we presented my mom with a bill about how much she owed us, Nalin Haley said. So 14 years later Im back and its not because Im getting paid because Im not. But its because we have serious problems in this country. We have a Congress that does nothing president who desperately needs a mental competency tests. A world on fire and a nation divided. But if you all play in this primary, yall do it right. There wont be for much longer.

Nalin Haley, son of former S.C. Gov. and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, talks to a constituent on Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024 at Bluffton Oyster Factory Park in Old Town Bluffton. While Nalin Haley has become more vocal in his mothers presidential campaign, he remained in the background as local politicians voiced their support of the former governor at the local political bus tour stop.

Nalin Haley in recent days stayed away from the jabs when introducing his mother. In Kiawah Island on Saturday he spoke about the high prices in grocery stores and at the gas pump and about the country young people will inherit.

Unfortunately too many kids our age dont see the importance of it but you do, and thats why youre here. I want you to think, do you want us to inherit a country that is based off debt, lawlessness and chaos, Nalin Haley said. Or do you want to give us a fighting chance to give us a country that is more prosperous and will help us in the future because thats your choice.

When Nikki Haley took the stage she joked about Nalin Haleys previous comments on the stump.

Im so proud of Nalin. The last couple of times hes introduced me, hes tended to say things he really shouldnt say, Haley says as the crowd laughs. So I sat down with him today, I went Nalin, I love you, but your job is not to make my life harder. I need you to keep focus on what were trying to do. So Nalin you did a great job today.
Editors Note: A previous version of this story included photos from the Iowa State Memorial Union, not the Iowa State University Museums.

A father inspired by his daughter's artistic journey has made a significant donation to a local institute.

Mike Wilson of Cedar Rapids gifted $100,000 to Iowa State University to boost educational opportunities and attract renowned exhibitions.

The endowment is from the Myron F. & Esther S. Wilson Fund, established by Wilson and his late wife Esther, a 1947 Iowa State graduate.

The Wilsons developed an appreciation for Iowa State University Museums through their daughter Joyce Barrett, who earned a B.S. in History at Iowa State in 1979 and worked as a museum intern.

She was one of the first students to work for the ISU museums and was employed at the Brunnier Art Museum.

The donation originated from a discussion between Wilson and his daughter and how much Iowa State impacted her. Barrett doubts she would've had such a successful career without her experience at the Brunnier Art Museum.

In recognition of his daughter Joyce Barrett's (left) career launch at Iowa State University Musuems, Myron "Mike" Wilson (right) has created a $100,000 endowment for the organization.

"I don't know what I would've done or where I would've been without Lynette (Pohlman) and the gallery," Barrett said. "It gave me such a launch, and over the years, I would still (reach out)."

Wilson was inspired to give back to a place that was so instrumental to his kin, motivated to give future students a chance to enjoy the support and mentoring his daughter did. Wilson also believes the University Museums have done well staying relevant.

"Ive been impressed over the years reading (about them) in the news," Wilson said. "Theyve kept busy, kind of moved around and made a name for itself and Iowa State. To me, they sounded like an organization that knew what they were doing."

More: Iowa DOT announces overnight road closures for U.S. Highway 30 near Nevada

Ames resident Rhonda Evans looks at tiny sculptures, paintings, and decorative arts from the "Small Pleasures" permanent collection at Iowa State University's Brunnier Art Museum Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024 at the Scheman Building.

A life built around art

Barrett remembers being bitten by the historic bug during a middle school trip, where she visited a house museum in Hannibal, Missouri. She was immediately attracted to the historic preservation of art and knew she wanted to turn that love into a career.

"I remember one of my girlfriend's mothers asked, 'Why would you want to work in a dusty old museum?' Barrett said. "I did not see a dusty old museum; I saw the connection through time. I saw that people in the past are connected to people in the future, because their lives have so many parallels, it's just the way you do things is a little bit different."

The connections between past and present have always fascinated Barrett. It enrichens culture a lot, she said, having historic buildings and other notable artifacts in the community. She was inspired to help link people with their history.

Barrett learned to organize and create collections and exhibits, give tours, and teach while at Iowa State. She enjoyed working at the museum and spent much of her time there.

"I remember one time they asked me, 'Don't you take classes or anything?' because I was there all the time," Barrett said. "I just loved going to work."

Joyce credits her career taking off the way it did to her mentor at University Museums, Director and Chief Curator Lynette Pohlman.

"Joyce was a hard-working, dedicated student with great passion," Pohlman said in the University Museums' press release. "Her passion for culture and preservation to benefit others never wavered. University Museums is honored to claim Joyce as one of our accomplished alumni, one of the first in what is now decades of student interns to go on to bright futures in the museum field."

More: Iowa State University begins search to replace its longest-serving provost

Tiny sculpture, paintings, and decorative arts from permanent collection display at Iowa State University's Brunnier Art Museum is scheman Building on Thursday, Feb. 22, 20924, in Ames

University museum training launched successful career

Barrett took a job with the Arizona Historical Society after graduating from Iowa State in 1979, working on contract before transitioning to 20 hours per week, where she was also studying for a master's degree in business at Arizona State University.

She started working at the Arizona Historical Society full-time after she completed her studies, and in 1985, was promoted to associate executive director.

Barrett eventually returned to Iowa and moved to Iowa City in 1988, where she began serving on the Iowa City Historic Design Review Board. Barrett's love for the review board led her to become the inaugural executive director of Preserve Iowa in 1995, which was then called the Iowa Historic Preservation Alliance.

She later moved to Ohio to work with Heritage Ohio, a statewide historic preservation non-profit. She was promoted to executive director in 2007 and held that position until she retired in 2022.

More: Iowa State University provost Jonathan Wickert will step back after 12 years

Kate Goudy from Ames, looks around the displayed tiny sculpture, paintings, and decorative arts from permanent collection display at Iowa State University's Brunnier Art Museum is scheman Building on Thursday, Feb. 22, 20924, in Ames

Philanthropic donations continue

Mike and Esther Wilson first donated to the Iowa State University Museums in 2000 by supporting the scholarship and publication of the Permanent Collection Guide, a reference for thousands of ISU students and researchers.

Wilson and his wife have volunteered and supported many non-profit organizations in Cedar Rapids and beyond, such as the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation, Indian Creek Nature Center, Linn County Trails Association, Orchestra Iowa, Camp Tanager, and Eastern Iowa Honor Flights. A World War II veteran, Wilson has flown on six Honor Flights and is scheduled for the 50th Eastern Iowa Honor Flight in late spring 2024, which will be named in his honor.

The couple also created the Cedar Rapids Operas Esther and Myron Wilson Vocal Competition, where more than $50,000 is awarded to the winners. Wilson also recently gave $1 million towards renovating of the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum in his and Esthers names.

Celia Brocker is a government, crime, political and education reporter for the Ames Tribune. She can be reached at CBrocker@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: How a father is honoring his daughter's love for art with a donation to ISU
K9 Leo, a 4-year-old Belgian Sheppard, was trained at the Marion County Sheriffs office and joined the force in 2021. He was shot Saturday morning when a call for a domestic violence case took a turn.

The suspect was accused of strangling someone. We were following on that case to make an arrest, when we did, he met those deputies with a firearm, unfortunately, said Paul Bloom, with the Marion County Sheriffs Office.

The man was identified as 44-year-old Jeremy Bradsher.

So far, it is not clear what the connection between the suspect and the victim is.

Read: Suspect dead, K9 injured in Marion County deputy-involved shooting, sheriffs office says

Investigators said when they arrived, Bradsher began shooting at them, and thats when Leo was hit.

The K9 was just trying to do what he is trained to do, which is protect the deputies with everything he had, said Bloom. He was wearing a bulletproof vest, but he was shot in an area that was not covered.

On Monday, Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods shared a message on social media thanking the community for their support of Leo.

Read: Suspect arrested in deadly shooting that happened during home invasion at Orlando apartment complex

The deputy involved in the shooting is now on leave as the investigation unfolds with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which is standard procedure.

Hes like a family member, said Bloom. Even the vest he was wearing was donated by the community. He is a part of us, and we sure felt a strong outpouring of support and love from the community.

A new Florida law allows emergency personnel to be trained to respond in case a K9 gets hurt in the line of duty for the countys fire rescue, which saved the dogs life.

Read: Deputies identify victim killed in Orange County shooting

With the passing of the bill, that enabled for emergency medical personnel the ability to transport K9s that are injured in the line of duty, said James Lucas, with the Marion County Fire Rescue. They assisted with that, on the back of the rescue, all the way to Gainesville. We dont like to see them in pain, and we dont like to see the K9s in pain, so we want to take care of them in any way possible.

For Silver Spring residents, the violence and gunfire were a break from their normal peace and quiet.

Its scary because all my businesses and everything here, said Roger Sham, whos lived in the neighborhood for more than 20 years. I hope this is the end of the shooting, otherwise, I will have to move from here. Its getting bad.

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Read the full story on The Auto Wire

Family Sues Kia For Patriarchs Death

Kia, as well as its sister brand Hyundai, has seen all kinds of legal problems lately. A few years ago, the two were battling a pervasive spontaneous combustion problem, which seems to keep popping up in different models. But now the automakers are getting slammed by lawsuits thanks to plenty of cars sold without immobilizers. One of the latest is a family out of the Columbus, Ohio area.

Kias have been recalled for another security risk.

In whats become far too common of an occurrence, 36-year-old Matthew Moshi died a few days after he was hit by a stolen Kia. Three teenagers were in that car, the driver was only 15 years old. That was back in November 2023 but now his wife has filed a lawsuit claiming under state law Kia failed to correct security design flaws, leading to her husbands death.

Speaking with local station ABC6, family attorney Terry Hummel with Scott Schiff & Associates expressed the belief that Kia has fueled car theft by not including immobilizers in vehicles. "We think this is something that has gotten to the point where it's out of control."

Moshis widow is suing for at least $25,000, although Hummel said the family could receive even more money.

ABC6 said Kia didnt respond to a request for comment.

The automaker has rolled out a software update aimed at stopping the TikTok-fueled trend of stealing certain models. However, we havent seen much of a dip in theft, so its questionable just how well its working.

We know suing Kia and Hyundai for theft has been a controversial topic. Some think its a great idea. Others feel it opens the floodgates to more questionable lawsuits against automakers and other companies.

Some have even asked why TikTok and other social media platforms which have allowed tutorials for how to steal Kias and Hyundais be disseminated havent been sued as well. Its a fair question.

Image via ABC6

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The US military is now using funding intended for operations in Europe and Africa to support Ukraine; if Congress does not take swift action, the military may soon run out of money for operations in those regions of the world.

The United States is currently providing hundreds of millions of dollars to assist Ukraine during a deadlock in Congress, as per Daily Mail.

Senate Approves $95B Defense Aid Bill

The Senate has approved a $95 billion emergency defense-aid bill to offer assistance to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. With $60 billion assigned for Ukraine, the bill may encounter resistance from Republicans,

The Army's Europe and Africa Command is facing a shortfall as it deals with operational costs of around $3 billion in 2024. According to CNN, the funding falls $2 billion short of the estimated budget needed for training, weapons, and equipment for Ukraine and other operations under the US Command in Europe and Africa.

A senior Army official emphasized the need for action, stating that without a base budget, Ukraine supplemental funding, or if the government shuts down, they will run out of operations and maintenance funding in May.

This funding crisis could have an important effect. If the Army doesn't receive more funds, its capacity to train with allied partners and strengthen NATO's eastern flank could be at risk. The US Army spokesperson stressed the significance of timely funding, proving that while words of support are appreciated, they are insufficient without financial support.

Secretary of the Army, Christine Wormuth, echoed these concerns, pointing out that a lack of funds could lead to a situation where the Army has to reallocate resources internally. Wormuth emphasized the difficulty of prioritizing when every dollar is crucial for various aspects of military operations, according to Business Insider.

Read Also: US Conducts First-Ever Strikes on Houthi Underwater Vessel in Red Sea

Training for Ukrainian Troops Continues

While the funding for Ukraine has dried up, the training for Ukrainian troops remains a priority, deemed mission-critical by the President. Col. Martin O'Donnell, spokesperson for US Army Europe and Africa, confirmed ongoing training for approximately 1,500 Ukrainians in Germany and the training of Ukrainian pilots on the F-16 fighter aircraft in Arizona.

However, lack of funds present a threat not just to training but also to the supply of equipment. The US regularly shared aid packages until the funding came to a halt at the end of 2023. Last week, the Senate passed a $95.3 billion foreign aid bill, which includes $60 billion for Ukraine, as lawmakers continue to discuss additional funding for the country.

But the bill's future in the House is still up in the air, with Speaker Mike Johnson showing reservations about putting it up for a vote. In fiscal year 2024, the Army allocated millions of dollars to deals, travel, transport, and supplies.

These funds cover logistics, food, equipment, and supplies for both Ukrainian and US troops. A senior Army official clarified the critical impact of funding delays on national security and global perceptions, especially in regions such as the Pacific, where countries like China closely monitor these kinds of occurrences.

Sabrina Singh, the deputy Pentagon press secretary, demonstrated the need for securing a 2024 budget, citing concerns about how the lack of funding might influence the Department of Defense's modernization and operational capabilities. An official issued a warning about the interrelated repercussions, including the broader international impact on countries such as China and Russia, and mentioned that "Russia is definitely watching," CNN News reported.

Related Article: Thousands March for Democracy in Mexico, Challenging Ruling Party Ahead of Elections
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB)  Chautauqua County is getting a major boost in funding from the federal government.

$7.5 million has been allocated from the federal budget to repair the Barcelona Harbor break wall.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Rep. Nick Langworthy, and other local officials including Chautauqua County Executive P.J. Wendel and Westfield Supervisor Marha Bills, gathered Monday at the pier to announce the new funding.

Video renderings of Kensington Project released

The funding will be put toward a project by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to repair the west breakwater, evaluate sediment management measures and dredge the harbor.

Schumer said the Barcelona Harbor Beach brings in tourists and that fixing the wall will create new jobs.

Bolstering businesses, bolstering our great and important tourism industry, especially with summer just a few months away, and its going to help locals thrive for years to come, Schumer said. A working, well-functioning harbor and booming tourist sector means a four letter word here in Western New York: J-O-B-S, my favorite four letter word.

In a media release, Langworthy called the harbor the lifeblood of our community, serving as a vital hub for economic activity and recreation along Lake Eries coastline and noted that severe degradation threatens this way of life.

The break wall has deteriorated, Schumers office said and is showing signs of instability, contributing to a continuous cycle of sediment and debris build up.

The beach is located in Westfield off of Lake Erie.

The funding was secured as part of the Senates fiscal year 2024 appropriations bills.

In addition to the funding for Barcelona Harbor, Schumer on Monday announced $500,000 has been secured for the Chautauqua Lake Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Project, which would begin the reconnaissance phase of a feasability study for the project.

Latest Local News

Justin McMullen is a Western New York native who joined the News 4 team in 2023. You can read more of his work here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to News 4 Buffalo.
People in four-wheel drive vehicles navigate a flooded Prospect Avenue in Englewood, Florida as homeowners attempted to get to their homes following Hurricane Ian on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has developed updated maps documenting areas of Sarasota County deemed vulnerable to flooding. The maps, which determine which properties are required to have flood insurance, take effect in March.

Federal officials have drawn new maps for Sarasota County, documenting areas vulnerable to flooding to inform homeowners of the dangers they face and also document possible insurance requirements for property owners with mortgages. The maps will take effect on March 27.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency maps determine properties risks and insurance requirements in high-risk flooding areas. The flood maps are not related to the countys hurricane evacuation levels.

Noah Taylor, the countys floodplain manager, was joined by several other Sarasota County officials at Fruitville Public Library for a recent workshop on the new maps. Residents would come in, take a number to hold their place in line, like at a deli counter, to meet with a representative who walked them through how their property will be designated.

Taylor said 30-40% of unincorporated Sarasota County is in a special flood hazard area  defined by FEMA as a higher-risk area with at least a 1 in 4 chance of flooding over a 30-year mortgage. Those who own property in special hazard areas  zones marked with an A or V - and have a federally regulated or insured mortgage are required to buy flood insurance.

More than 10,000 people will be zoned out of special hazard areas, and about 5,000 will be newly included in them under the updated maps.

Drivers navigate a flooded Artists Avenue in Englewood, Florida following Hurricane Ian on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022. New FEMA flood maps take effect in Sarasota County March 27, designating special hazard areas identified as vulnerable to flooding.

Net overall, more people came out of the special flood hazard areas that went in, Taylor said. That can be attributed to better drainage that the county is doing, planned development, or the fact that the data is better and they have just accounted for errors.

Taylor said he feels the new maps, which hadnt been updated since 2016, are more accurate than earlier versions. The county official said FEMA wanted to update the maps in 2019, but their data was bad, so the county worked with the agency on revisions.

FEMA has a group that comes in, and theyll run a whole bunch of data models and use the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to generate these maps, Taylor said. Theyll give them to the county, we read and review them, and if we have better data, we will often submit that.

County officials will hold their next workshop on the maps at the Frances T. Bourne Jacaranda Library from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Feb. 28. It will be followed by a virtual session over Zoom (the meeting ID is 832 9202 7798) from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., March 13.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: FEMA updates Sarasota County flood maps for insurance, risk purposes
The articles that were printed in the Sunday newspaper caused Fern Britton 'damage and distress'

Fern Britton has been awarded substantial damages after the owners of the News of the World apologised over information taken from voicemail messages after her phone was hacked and a story about a gastric band operation.

The 66-year-old television presenter reached an undisclosed settlement after she suffered damage and distress for the series of articles which were run in the Sunday newspaper, including details of an operation to help her lose weight.

The payment, from News Group Newspapers Ltd (NGN), which also owns The Sun, was disclosed by lawyers at the Law Courts on Tuesday.

Ellen Roberts, solicitor for Ms Britton, told Mr Justice Fancourt at the London court that the settlement resolved Ms Brittons claim.

Ms Roberts said that because of Ms Brittons career and relationships with high-profile individuals, she was of considerable interest to the press.

The television presenter was said to be 'of considerable interest to the press' - Ian West/PA

The television personality presented the BBCs Ready Steady Cook between 1994 and 2000, and ITVs This Morning for 10 years from 1999.

Ms Britton brought her case against NGN in June 2021, claiming her mobile phone voicemail messages had been intercepted by the [News of the Worlds] journalists who obtained private and confidential messages left by family and friends.

The court was told that she had identified a number of [newspaper] articles which contained her private information including an exclusive published by the News of the World regarding the claimants gastric band operation.

Ms Roberts added that the coverage of Ms Brittons operation caused damage and distress, has had a deep impact on her family relationships, career and mental health, and compromised her reputation in the eyes of the general public.

No admission of liability

The court heard that Ms Britton, a mother of four, was pleased to confirm she accepted NGNs offer to resolve her claim on terms confidential between the parties which involve the payment of substantial damages as well as her reasonable costs.

Ms Roberts added: The defendant makes no admission of liability in relation to the claimants allegations of voicemail interception and/or other unlawful information gathering at The Sun.

Ben Silverstone, of NGN, said his client issued a sincere public apology for the distress caused to her by the invasion of her privacy by individuals working for or on behalf of the News of the World.

He added: The defendant acknowledges that such activity should never have taken place and that it had no right to intrude in the private life of the claimant in this way.

The News of the World closed in 2011.

The hearing continues.

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Despite heightened public interest following last weeks mass shooting at the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl parade, officials have released fewer details about the charges filed against two teenage suspects than in past cases.

On Friday, the family division of Jackson County Circuit Court announced cases against two juveniles, including gun related and resisting arrest charges.

Valerie Hartman, a spokeswoman for the court, declined to provide additional information, including the exact charges or the ages of the two defendants.

The news release contains the extent of the information that the Office of the Juvenile Officer can release at this time, she wrote in an email.

Past news releases from other juvenile cases have specified the charges and the ages of juveniles.

For instance, in a May 15, 2023, email, Hartman wrote that a 14 year old had been charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action, both felonies, in the fatal stabbing of a teacher.

Information was also released when a 15-year-old boy was charged in a fatal stabbing at Northeast Middle School in 2022, and in 2021 when a 15 year old and a 17 year old were charged with murder after two other teenagers were shot and killed.

Hartman did not respond when asked why the Super Bowl rally shooting was being treated differently.

A public records request for the same information was also denied.

Nicholas Purifoy, assistant legal counsel for Jackson County Circuit Court, wrote in a response that The Court cannot comply with your request.

Case records are created by the Court in its judicial capacityand thus not subject to disclosure under the Missouri Sunshine Law.

The specific charges are a key detail because serious offenses, such as murder, mandate a hearing to determine if a juvenile will be charged as an adult.

Twenty-three people were shot last Wednesday as the Chiefs Super Bowl victory rally was wrapping up at Union Station. Lisa Lopez-Galvan, a Johnson County mother of two, died.

On Thursday, Kansas City Police Department Chief Stacey Graves said a dispute led to the shooting. Since then, little information has been released.

Our detectives, our investigators, are still working around the clock tirelessly on this investigation. And unfortunately because of the integrity of the investigation, there isnt much more I can share, Graves said after the Board of Police Commissioners meeting on Tuesday morning.

She declined to comment on what the dispute was over or if there are additional suspects.
Springfield Public Schools recently announced five leadership changes, including new principals at Williams and Field elementary schools.

Of the changes, Superintendent Grenita Lathan said: We are fortunate at SPS to have such an experienced group of dedicated employees we can rely upon to fill these key leadership positions.

Most of the new roles will start July 1.

Adam Bax, principal of Wilder Elementary for four years, has been named the next principal of Field Elementary.

Adam Bax

Before Wilder, Bax spent two years as assistant principal at Jeffries Elementary, He also taught third grade and fifth grade at Field.

I am honored to rejoin the Field family. The Field community is rooted in its Primary Years Programme, which strives to create students who are open-minded, life-long learners, and who have a respect for others, Bax said in a news release. These are core values of my own and I am eager to embrace the traditions and to continue building upon the great things happening at Field.

Bax follows Janell Bagwell, who is retiring from Field this summer after a 28-year career with SPS.

He completed his undergraduate work at Missouri State University, graduate studies in educational leadership at MSU, and a specialist degree from Lindenwood University.

Bret Ingle

Bret Ingle, principal of Reed Academy, has been named the next principal of Williams Elementary. He will succeed Amanda Desa, who is leaving the district.

Prior to joining Reed, Ingle worked in Joplin where he had 13 years of administrative experience as an elementary principal and a middle school assistant principal. He also served as an elementary school teacher.

Ingle completed undergraduate studies in education at Missouri Southern State University, graduate work in educational leadership at Pittsburg State University and an educational specialist degree from William Woods University.

I am excited to join the team at Williams and am looking forward to being back in the elementary world, Ingle said in the release. I am thankful for the opportunity and hope to continue the positive steps forward to make Williams the best school in the district.

Mykie Nash

Mykie Nash, principal of McBride Elementary, is the new director of elementary schools. She joined the district in 2023.

Nash was previously a principal in Aurora, where she was recognized by the Missouri Association of Elementary Principals as an outstanding principal in southwest Missouri. During the stint in Aurora, she was also director of the Parents As Teachers program and transportation.

She earned a bachelors in elementary education from MSU, a masters in school administration and doctorate in educational administration from Lindenwood University.

I am continually impressed by the talented and dedicated educators and leaders within Springfield Public Schools, Nash said, in the release. I look forward to supporting our SPS Strategic Plan by working closely with elementary leaders in the coming months.

Michael Ramos

Michael Ramos will be the next principal of special education programs. He will oversee the Academic Behavior Support Program, Springfield Option Site and BASE programs.

He follows Stephanie Davison, who is retiring.

Ramos is currently principal of Springfield Option Site. Since joining SPS in 2010, he has served in a variety of roles, including assistant principal at Westport Middle School, Explore principal, special education process coordinator, special education emotional/behavior support teacher and a special education paraprofessional.

He has a masters in education administration from MSU and a bachelors in human resources from Baker College. He has also served in the U.S. Army and U.S. Army Reserves.

More: Bolivar's next superintendent is part of Springfield Public Schools leadership team

I believe all students have the potential to learn and achieve great things, Ramos said in the release. Im excited to support our special education students and teachers in this new role and look forward to all our team can accomplish.

Karsten Kargel

Karsten Kargel, a project coordinator in the General Services Center, will be the new director of facilities, effective Feb. 20.

Kargel is replacing Shawn Dilday, who was recently named executive director of operations.

He joined SPS in 2018 after retiring from a 22-year career in the U.S. Air Force, where he received multiple service medals for leadership and management. At SPS, he has been a project coordinator and preventative maintenance supervisor.

He earned a masters in management and leadership from Liberty University, a bachelors in technical management from DeVry University, and an associate degree in applied science in logistics from Community College of the Air Force.

Leading a team was a large part of my career in the Air Force and I have missed that, Kargel said in a release. I am excited about this opportunity to work with people as part of a team.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: New principals for Field, Williams among 5 SPS leadership changes
JACKSON COUNTY, Fla. (WDHN)  One person is dead after a fatal crash in Jackson County.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the victims vehicle was traveling eastbound on Interstate 10 in the inside left lane and then traveled off the paved portion of the roadway which resulted in the driver crashing into County Road 195 overpass.

After striking the overpass, the vehicle became fully engulfed in flames, reports show.

Florida Highway Patrol was assisted by the Jackson County Sheriffs Office and Alford Fire Department.

The investigation is still ongoing.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDHN - wdhn.com.
Kenyan-Mexican Oscar winner Lupita Nyong'o, jury president at the 74th annual festival, will award the Golden and Silver Bear prizes at a gala ceremony in the German capital on Saturday (JOHN MACDOUGALL)

The director of a new film conjuring the ghost of a hippopotamus owned by Colombian drug baron Pablo Escobar was shocked to learn how unpredictable and threatening the beasts can be.

Nelson Carlo de los Santos Arias, who made "Pepe", one of the buzziest titles at this week's Berlinale festival, said filming the animals on location in Namibia and Colombia had been dicey for his crew.

"One time we didn't know there were hippos there and then they almost took the boat that we were in and so we almost lost the camera," the Dominican filmmaker told AFP.

"Another time a mother -- they are the most aggressive ones -- started running and the sound guy almost lost his equipment."

De los Santos Arias noted the animals can run "up to 35 kilometres (22 miles) per hour, these five tonnes of fat".

"You will never think that they are so fast and they're so strong," he said, wide-eyed. "I will not do that again."

All the derring-do however landed the 39-year-old director a coveted slot at the Berlinale with one of 20 films in competition for the Golden Bear top prize.

The docudrama imagines the inner life of Pepe, an African-born hippopotamus that belonged to the cocaine king's private menagerie until the animal escaped and was shot in 2009 on the orders of state authorities.

Through voice-overs, Pepe recounts his terrifying voyage from home across the Atlantic -- "a river with only one shore" -- and the bewildering experiences that led him to become the first hippo killed in the Americas.

- 'Realm of fable' -

After Escobar himself was gunned down by police in 1993, his ranch and collection of exotic animals, including hippos, were left to nature in an area of lush vegetation where they had no predators.

The hippo numbers exploded and authorities say there are now 160 of the beasts wandering freely around northwestern Colombia.

De los Santos Arias filmed in villages where fishermen feared for their lives -- and livelihoods -- due to the intruders.

"Their entire life is the Magdalena River," he said. "So imagine this hippo appears in your swimming pool. Because that river is their swimming pool."

The decision to shoot Pepe, as he was nicknamed in the media, proved controversial at the time despite the public safety concerns.

Pepe became a kind of folk hero and a "martyr" while the hippos became part of the "political discourse" in Colombia, the filmmaker said.

De los Santos Arias said he was intrigued by the complex issues the spirit of Pepe raised.

"Because of this action of personification of an animal, we enter in the realm of fable," he said, in a story spanning the legacy of colonialism as well as ecological threats.

"Some will say there is an invasion and that it will destroy the environment," he said.

"But rivers are getting dry in Africa and hippos are dying, whereas in South America, there's a lot of water. And that may be the destiny of a lot of people also, and beings and animals and plants."

Kenyan-Mexican Oscar winner Lupita Nyong'o, jury president at the 74th annual festival, will award the Golden and Silver Bear prizes at a gala ceremony in the German capital on Saturday.

dlc/hmn/rlp
By Essi Lehto

HELSINKI (Reuters) -Finland said on Tuesday that "thousands" of third-country migrants were waiting to cross the border onto its territory from Russia.

Finland closed all crossings on its 1,340 km (830 mile) border with Russia late last year amid a growing number of arrivals who lacked valid documents to enter the European Union. Helsinki accuses Moscow of funnelling migrants to the border, a claim the Kremlin has denied.

"We have information that thousands of people on the Russian side are waiting to get to Finland," Interior Minister Mari Rantanen told a news conference, adding that this represented "a threat to society".

Rantanen declined to say how Finnish authorities had obtained the information.

While Finland's forested border areas have seen freezing temperatures and deep snow during the winter months, Rantanen said she believed more migrants may seek to cross illegally as spring arrives and temperatures gradually increase.

Rantanen said existing EU legislation did not offer solutions for handling situations like the one faced by Finland.

The Finnish border authority has said more than 1,300 asylum seekers from nations including Yemen, Somalia and Syria had entered Finland from Russia between August and December last year, 900 of them in November alone. In comparison, the number before last August had averaged just one person a day.

Finland's immigration authority told Reuters in January that it had not been able to locate some 160 of the migrants and that they had probably continued to another European country.

Relations between Russia and Finland, once relatively cordial, have deteriorated sharply since Helsinki's decision to join NATO following the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022.

The Finnish Interior Ministry said on Monday it would swiftly draft legislation to strengthen border security and combat attempts by Moscow to pressure Finland in the form of instrumentalised migration.

The government will present its proposal to parliament next month, it added.

(Reporting by Essi Lehto, editing by Terje Solsvik and Gareth Jones)
LIGON SPRINGS, Ala. (WHNT)  The Alabama Forestry Commission (AFC) says multiple agencies responded to a fire that burned pasture land in the Ligon Springs community near Tuscumbia.

The fire was reported at around 12:16 p.m. on Tuesday, according to the AFC website.

Authorities searching for Lauderdale County 16-year-old last seen on Feb. 19

Terry Ezzell, the Northwest Regional Forester with AFC, said the fire burned 15 acres of pasture land and spread a little bit into the woods off Ligon Springs Road.

AFC is no longer at the scene of the fire, as of 2:45 p.m. on Tuesday, but numerous fire departments are still out making sure the fire doesnt spread.

The AFC current wildfire map shows another fire in Franklin County off of Wilson West Road burned 24 acres, but has been contained.

The commission has resources on its website if you want to report a wildfire in your area or view active wildfires in the state.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com.
A judge has released a final report regarding the July 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise. The findings report implicates people such as Martine Moise, Claude Joseph, and Leon Charles in the investigation.

Charles, currently serving as Haiti's permanent representative to the Organization of American States, is facing a range of serious charges including murder, attempted murder, possession and illegal carrying of weapons, conspiracy against the internal security of the state, and criminal association, as per The Independent.

Martine Moise Faces Accusations

As the investigation into the assassination of Haitian President Jovenal Moise unfolds, the spotlight has now shifted towards Martine Moise, the former First Lady. Moise, who sustained gunshot wounds during the attack, is facing accusations of complicity based on purported contradictory statements. The main suspect in custody alleges her involvement in a plot to seize her husband's presidency.

While the prosecutor's report compiled does not directly charge Moise, the decision to press charges rests with a reviewing judge who will assess the evidence. Paul Turner, Moise's lawyer, vehemently denies the allegations, emphasizing her status as a victim along with her children and late husband.

Despite the indictment recommendation, a separate investigation by the US Department of Justice has not produced evidence linking Moise to the conspiracy. Turner affirms, "We do not believe that she is or could ever be a suspect in the case."

Separate investigations by Haitian prosecutors and the US Department of Justice have led to different charges being filed. Some critics suggest that the Haitian charges could be driven by political motives.

The assassination of President Moise on July 7, 2021, triggered political turmoil in Haiti. A gang of Colombian hitmen, allegedly hired by a Miami-based security company, carried out the killing. The President's security procedures faced scrutiny for allowing assailants into the presidential residence without resistance, according to Daily Mail.

Read Also: Fake Wisconsin Trump Elector Says He Was Tricked in Signing False Documents in 2020 Election

Haitian Probe Ends with 70 Indictments

Moise's wife, the First Lady, sustained gunshot injuries. In the days following the assassination, Haiti was thrown into instability in politics, resulting in a lack of presidential leadership and no elections being conducted to choose Moise's successor.

Interim leadership fell to Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who himself faced accusations of involvement in the assassination. Phone records reportedly linked Henry to a key conspirator before and after the shooting, allegations he denies.

The Haitian investigation recently concluded, recommending Moise's indictment along with 70 others. Legal analysts view the charges against the former First Lady critically, suggesting a potential weaponization of the legal system against a perceived political adversary.

In a wider perspective, questions have been raised about the Haitian government's management of the investigation, particularly regarding its impartiality. A total of 44 arrests have been made in connection to the assassination, involving Colombians, Haitian law enforcement officers, and Moise's security personnel.

A total of 11 individuals in the United States are currently facing charges for their suspected involvement in the scheme. It was anticipated that the former First Lady would provide testimony in a trial concerning six defendants in South Florida later this year.

As the legal actions progress, doubts remain regarding the basis of the accusations against Moise and the underlying reasons for the Haitian government's decisions. The intricate nature of the case, mixed with its political ramifications, is still influencing the story revolving around the unfortunate events of President Moise's assassination, CNN reported.

Related Article: Sabotaging Biden: Rashida Tlaib Urges Fellow Democrats to Vote 'Uncommitted' in Michigan Primary
LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. (DC News Now)  A firefighter injured in the deadly home explosion in Sterling on Friday was released from the hospital Tuesday after days of treatment.

He was one of 11 firefighters rushed to the hospital after an underground propane tank exploded, destroying a home on Silver Ridge Drive in the Sugarland Run neighborhood. Two women living in the home were also treated for injuries.

Loudoun County community rallies around those affected by Sterling home explosion

Sterling Volunteer Fire Company firefighter, Trevor Brown, 45, was killed in the explosion.

A spokeswoman for Loudoun County Fire and Rescue (LCFR) told DC News Now that two firefighters remain hospitalized for serious injuries, but they are expected to survive. Theyre being treated in the burn unit at Washington Hospital Center. She said both firefighters will have long roads to recovery.

LCFR and other frontline workers honored Brown in a procession of his remains Tuesday, traveling from Manassas to Leesburg.

Browns funeral will be held on March 4 at 11 a.m. at Cornerstone Chapel in Leesburg.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  Dona Ana County Fire and Rescue firefighters put out a house fire in Chaparral, New Mexico on Monday night, Feb. 19. and all residents of the home were able to safely get out of the building, the Countys Facebook page reported.

Photos courtesy of Dona Ana Count

The house fire was along the 600 block of Sunny Sands Road in Chaparral. Firefighters said the fire was coming from the back exterior of the building and the roof.

The cause is under investigation.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
The nations first federal hate crime trial based on gender identity got underway Tuesday in South Carolina, nearly five years after the fatal shooting of a Black transgender woman whose body was found inside a parked car in Allendale County, near the Georgia border.

Federal prosecutors accuse 26-year-old Daqua Lameek Ritter of shooting Pebbles LaDime Dime Doe to death because of her actual or perceived gender identity.

The body of the 24-year-old victim was found on Aug. 4, 2019, just days after the killing of another transgender woman of color in South Carolina; Denali Berries Stuckey, 29, was found lying by the side of a road in North Charleston on July 20.

Federal prosecutors allege Ritter coaxed Dime Doe into driving into an isolated area in South Carolinas least populated county. He then shot her three times in the head before fleeing to New York, according to Ben Garner, an assistant U.S. attorney for the district of South Carolina.

He was arrested on charges of hate crime and murder last year. The hate crime count carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

The trial, which is expected to last one to two weeks, is the first involving a victim who was targeted because of their gender identity, according to Brook Andrews, the first assistant U.S. attorney for the District of South Carolina.

Until the passing of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009, federal hate crime laws didnt include offenses based on a persons actual or perceived gender identity or sexual orientation.

The first conviction of a person accused of killing a victim based on her gender identity came in 2017 when a Mississippi man pleaded guilty to hate crime charges stemming from the murder of a 17-year-old trans woman.

But until now, no federal jury has been asked to decide whether to punish a person accused of committing a crime based on a victims gender identity, according to Andrews.

With News Wire Services
I thought I might share some of my biggest fishing pet peeves  especially ones that have surfaced when Ive invited anglers Ive never fished with before. Being raised on a farm, my father had certain common sense rules that he also applied to fishing.

Heres are a few:

Never be late.

My dad had been a military staff sergeant, he said that the only excuse he would accept for being late for one of our fishing trips was that I had died. However he also said I was still responsible to let him know why I was late.

Growing up in a rural ranching area we had a bunch of local farmers who were also avid anglers and If anyone in this group invited you to go fishing and to meet them at 7 a.m., you better plan on being there no later than 6:45 a.m. Being late meant you had not planned far enough ahead to load the boat, get your fishing equipment stowed and be ready to help.

Back in those days, since none of us had anything like a cellphone, you better make extra provision for any problems and delays you might encounter. Being late was a basic trust and integrity issue. Mess up and you were on  the list. Word got around fast too.

With that kind of early training about tardiness, you can imagine how I reacted when I first began inviting friends to go fishing with me in my boat.

Ive had too many experiences where I would spend hours cleaning and prepping my boat and gear, and then end up waiting for my fishing partner.

It often seemed they would call me about 15 minutes after our scheduled meeting time and say they were running late.

They would assure me they would arrive in about 10 minutes and then show up in about 30-40 minutes.

In addition, when they finally arrived, I would find out later in some cases - that they had really slept in due to a late night party.

They also usually would be the people who wanted to leave the lake early because they were so tired. Its unpleasant to be treated like an afterthought, especially when youve worked so hard to be ready and on time in expectation of a great fishing trip.

Waiting until youre out fishing, then telling your buddy that you have to leave soon to go do something. I have had this happen to me more than a couple of times. It is frustrating because I have planned to fish with someone until dusk, when out of the blue my fishing buddy will nonchalantly say they have dinner plans and want to leave soon.

You mentioned that you struggled with this one. It took a lot more editing than usual, please read closely.

The trip was planned to be an all day thing. I had taken the day off and we were in my boat.

What can you say? If they brought their own car, I am glad to drop them off to head home but they may need to change their plans if they came with me in my rig.

Time on the water is precious and not something most avid anglers give up easily.

Finding accountable fishing buddies is not easy. If youre an avid angler you need to be careful about who you take fishing and that they clearly understand what the trip is all about.

Bottom line: I can handle legitimate reasons and situations that come up, but the toughest thing to deal with is someone who is indifferent or unconcerned about trying to be a good fishing buddy. Being late without adequate notice or not telling your partner until youre on the water that youve got plans to do your own thing are two things that bug me.

I love taking new friends fishing, but these days Im more on guard and ask many more questions than I ever did before. I also try to share the boundaries and expectations so they show up on time.

Warning: If we are on the water and you spring on me the unknown fact youve got plans for dinner that night and you have to get back early, then I hope you can swim.

Be on time. And never give up!

Roger George: rogergeorge8@protonmail.com, Rogergeorgeguideservice on Facebook and @StriperWars.
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  A Pacific Beach apartment sustained significant damage Tuesday morning in a fire that appeared to have been caused by an untended space heater, according to San Diego Fire-Rescue.

The fire was called in around 5:35 a.m. when smoke was seen billowing out of a first-floor unit of a complex at 1941 Thomas Ave. Crews arrived on scene shortly afterwards at 5:40 a.m.

According to SDFD Battalion Chief Chad Willenberg, firefighters took an aggressive approach to extinguish the fire, containing it to the bedroom before knocking it down. It was brought under control after about 25 minutes.

South Bay crash stalls MTS service, leaves hundreds without power

No one was inside the apartment when the fire broke out and no injuries were reported to other residents or fire crews. SDFD added Red Cross is not assisting the resident, as they will be staying with a friend.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but Willenberg said that it appears to be consistent with one sparked by a space heater.

In the winter months, its important to keep your space heater way from any combustibles and make sure you blow out any candles before going to bed, he said. Most importantly, make sure you have a working smoke detector, thats what initiated the call from this fire.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
TOPEKA (KSNT) Kansas lawmakers have failed to revive their flat tax package.

The Kansas House of Representatives took up the vote for an override on Tuesday, Feb. 20 falling three votes short of the 84 votes needed to override Governor Laura Kellys veto.

Part of the bill thats been under scrutiny from Democrats includes a single-rate income tax of 5.25%, or flat tax as some call it. Its been criticized by Kelly for being reckless and doing nothing for the middle-class.

Big Kansas election deadlines arrive, heres what to expect

However, Republican leaders argue that it provides sufficient relief. At least three Republicans voted against the bill on Tuesday.

The legislatures decision to sustain my veto is a win for working- and middle-class Kansans who would have seen little relief under this irresponsible flat tax experiment, Kelly said. Now, we should move forward the bipartisan plan I proposed on the first day of legislative session to cut $1 billion in taxes over the next three years, without risking funding for our public schools and roads.

Kansans need and deserve significant tax relief now. I urge legislators to work together to cut taxes in a way that continues our economic growth and maintains our solid fiscal foundation while benefitting all Kansans, not just those at the top, Kelly said.

For more Capitol Bureau news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News.
Florida deputy K-9 remains in critical condition after being shot in line of duty

MARION COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA)  A Florida sheriffs office is asking for continued prayers as their K-9, Leo, remains in critical condition after he was shot by a suspect over the weekend.

On Saturday, the Marion County Sheriffs Office responded to the 900 block of Northeast 144th Court in Silver Springs at about 9 a.m. regarding an incident involving a suspect accused of battery by strangulation.

When deputies arrived, they found the suspect in the homes backyard, where he allegedly began firing his gun toward deputies. The sheriffs office K-9, Leo, was injured during the shooting.

Florida K-9 shot, injured by suspect accused of battery by strangulation: deputies

Deputies returned fired, striking the suspect, who was taken to the hospital, where he died.

After the shooting, Leo was taken to the UF Veterinary Hospital, where their dedicated team is doing everything possible to save him.

Photo courtesy of the Marion County Sheriffs Office

Leo isnt just a member of our force; hes family. His loyalty, courage, and unwavering dedication to his duty embody the very essence of what it means to serve and protect. His sacrifice today reminds us of the dangers our deputies face each day to keep our community safe, the sheriffs office said Saturday.

On Sunday, MCSO shared an update on Leos condition, saying the K-9 is still stable with good vitals but is still in critical condition. The sheriffs office said Leos handler Cpl. Tortora has been by his side through it all.

K-9 Leo trained right here on this course. He was trained to fight crime, to help those in need, and to protect his handler..at all cost. Saturday, Leo did just that. He fearlessly charged toward someone who was threatening my deputies with a gun, the sheriffs office said on Monday.

Gifts and cards for Leo and his handler can be dropped off at the Marion County Sheriffs Office Central Operations on Monday or mailed in.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
A Florida man was arrested after deputies said he broke into a home and made himself a cup of hot chocolate, according to the Athens Banner-Herald.

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Oconee County deputies said they responded to a call about a suspicious man knocking on doors at homes on Oliver Bridge Road on Feb. 6

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One homeowner said that when he came home, his door was unlocked and someone had made a cup of hot chocolate before leaving the home.

A second resident confronted the suspect after he walked into his kitchen and found a barefoot man standing at the sliding glass door. The resident told the man to leave, which he did. The victim then called 911.

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Deputies found the man, who was only identified as a 44-year-old from Doral, Florida. He was taken to jail on burglary charges.
ATMORE, Ala. (WKRG)  A man allegedly involved in two vehicle thefts and leading police on a high-speed chase in Atmore has been identified and arrested in Daphne, according to the Atmore Police Department.

Scoring error costs Vigor potential Elite 8 berth: We won the game, but we dont get the reward

A man was arrested in connection with two vehicle thefts and a high-speed chase in Atmore. (Photo from the Atmore Police Department)

All I wanted to do was save that little girl: Handyman rescues mother, child in horrific crime

Justin Daniel Ward, 26, of Panama City, was arrested on Monday just before 10 p.m. when a Daphne Police officer conducted a traffic stop.

According to a news release from the Atmore Police Department, two vehicle thefts happened on Feb. 17.

Ward allegedly led officers on high-speed pursuits on Highway 31. He fled from the second vehicle after crashing it, according to the release, and then allegedly ran into a heavily wooded area.

Ward has active warrants in Panama City Beach for fraud, dealing in stolen property and theft of property. He has an active warrant for felony attempting to elude in Baldwin County. In Bay Minette, Ward has active warrants for failure to appear in reference to third-degree domestic violence and driving with a suspended license.

What happened to the dog with a box on his head? Heres the latest update.

The Atmore Police Department will be submitting multiple arrest warrants for theft of property, felony attempting to elude, leaving the scene of an accident, and various traffic violations.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5.
A Chinese person was secretly imprisoned and jailed in Australia for a period of 11 months, at the request of US investigators looking into a tobacco smuggling operation that allegedly brought in an estimated $700 million for North Korea.

Jin Guanghua, 52, was captured by the Australian federal authorities in Melbourne in March of last year. Referred to in US court documents as an Australian resident, Jin was detained in Melbourne for a few months before being moved to immigration detention for extradition.

Global Tobacco Conspiracy

The FBI alleges that Jin and his associates worked for ten years to supply North Korea with tobacco to make phony tobacco products for its nuclear and ballistic missiles projects. At least $84 million was transferred between Jin and a co-conspirator's front firms' financial accounts, according to documents produced in a US federal court in Washington DC.

The FBI estimates that two North Korean military and government firms made $700 million on the tobacco they smuggled. Jin and his co-conspirators utilized bogus shipping documents to import tobacco and other items into North Korea and front businesses to launder US cash payments, according to the FBI's criminal complaint.

The conspirators deceived US correspondent banks, who would not have acted if they knew about North Korea. The 12 counts against Jin include bank fraud, International Emergency Economic Powers Act breaches, and laundering or conspiracy to launder "of monetary instruments".

Jin's companies are accused of intentionally using US banks to circumvent sanctions and export tobacco, other goods, including a Russian helicopter to North Korea. He was arrested by the AFP in March for US extradition. His detention began in August. The Australian Attorney General's Department said Jin was taken into custody after a US preliminary request for sanctions, bank fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy.

Jin faces decades in prison, millions in fines, and property confiscation if convicted in the US. The FBI claimed Jin and his collaborators ran the scheme through UK, New Zealand, UAE, and Chinese front companies. FBI seeks Chinese nationals Han Linlin and Qin Guoming, who may visit Australia, as per The Guardian.

Read Also: Vladimir Putin's Top Critics: Who are They? Here's What Happened To Each of Them

FBI Offers Millions for North Korean Financier

Nearly $500,000 is given for any information leading to either man's arrest and conviction. The FBI is offering $5 million to capture North Korean financier Sim Hyon-Sop, who is accused of the scheme.

North Korea bought and sold tobacco and other goods through state-owned enterprises to fund WMD proliferation, according to the FBI. Chinese nationals ran JIN, QIN, and HAN. These defendants founded at least eight Dubai corporations called Winney to facilitate North Korean business.

It said that tobacco sales benefitted "owned by the North Korean military and government" "counterfeit cigarette" and other enterprises. AFP referred case questions to AG. The FBI did not respond.

Jin's meetings with secret workers and purchase of a $424,000 Khabarovsk chopper for North Korean clients through a Zimbabwean business are documented by the FBI, but his stay in Australia is unknown. He was the founder director of Solomon Australia Pty Ltd, a 2021 Australian company, and listed his house as a $5m Melbourne eastern suburbs mansion.

The other homeowner did not respond to a request for comment. The accountant does "compliance work" for Chinese investors in Australia, including property, according to his website. US court filings do not name Jin and others' tobacco suppliers, and Solomon Australia Pty Ltd. is not involved.

British American Tobacco and a subsidiary paid $630m in April 2023 to resolve North Korea-related bank fraud and sanctions violations. Indictment came the same day. Whether the cases are related is unknown, according to Tramp.

Related Article: Thailand: Ex-PM Thaksin Released on Parole-Is He Really Retiring from Politics?
The big story: Chronic absenteeism has soared in Florida schools since the pandemic.

Some observers and experts say its the biggest problem facing education today. Making up for missed lessons is improbable if children miss even more lessons, they say.

A number of factors require simultaneous attention to begin tackling the situation. And theres no simple policy or easy action that has emerged. But one thing is certain: Strong relationships are critical to attract students back to classrooms and keep them there. Read more here.

Hot topics

Financial relief: A Pasco County family has reached a $1.2 million settlement with the school district over a 2006 bus crash that left their child with life-altering injuries.

Library books: The Alachua County school district is trying to clarify the facts behind a video that Libs of TikTok posted online regarding an assistant principals comments about a decision to keep a challenged book in school libraries, the Gainesville Sun reports.

Maintenance: Marion County school district officials say about 80% of maintenance needs go unmet in their schools, and it will cost about $840 million to cover the costs, WKMG reports.

School conversion: Some civic leaders in the city of Newberry are working to separate three schools from the Alachua County school district and convert them to charter status, WCJB reports.

Second chances: The Indian River County jail needs more teachers to help inmates pursue a GED, WPBF reports.

Security: Flagler County government has told the school district it no longer will pay half the cost of placing deputies in schools, Flagler Live reports.

Special education: Some Palm Beach County parents say their schools lack the resources to identify students learning disabilities and help them, WPEC reports.

Technology: The Sarasota County School Board is poised to adopt new policies to address the use of artificial intelligence in classrooms, WUSF reports.

Transportation: Citrus County schools face continued problems finding enough school bus drivers, the Citrus County Chronicle reports. When we talk to our bus drivers, thats the number one thing  poor student behavior, assistant superintendent Jonny Bishop said.

Today in Tallahassee ... The Senate Education Appropriations Subcommittee will hear bills on school chaplains and history of communism when it meets at 8:30 a.m.

From the court docket ... Citizens Defending Freedom has sued the Nassau County school district, alleging the district did not provide information the group requested about its behavioral health curriculum, Jacksonville Today reports.  Florida Virtual School has appealed a ruling in its legal fight to protect its trademark, News Service of Florida reports.

In higher ed

Financial aid: Students and parents are growing frustrated with delays in the FAFSA application process, Associated Press reports.

Homelessness: Florida Atlantic University received a gift of nearly $500,000 that will help its homeless students pay for housing and other expenses, WPTV reports.

Nursing school: Florida A&M Universitys School of Nursing has been removed from probation after improving its student passage rates, the Tallahassee Democrat reports.

Unions: While several school-related employee unions have struggled to maintain their certification, professors at Florida International University have seen a boom in membership, WLRN reports.

Dont miss a story ... Heres a link to yesterdays roundup.

Before you go ... Want to be an actor? Heres some advice from Tom Hanks.
A former Stone County circuit clerk pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud Tuesday.

According to a news release from District Attorney W. Crosby Parker, Jeffrey ONeal received payment based on fraudulent statements he gave to the Stone County Board of Supervisors.

ONeal was the Stone County Circuit Court clerk from 2016 to 2019.

Special Circuit Court Judge Richard McKenzie accepted the plea at the Stone County Courthouse and sentenced ONeal to a total of 10 years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections. Five years of the sentence were suspended, leaving ONeal five years to serve.

Upon his release from prison, ONeal will be placed on five years of post-release supervision and ordered to pay a total of nearly $95,000 in restitution to Stone County.

The Mississippi State Auditors Office investigated the case and discovered that while ONeal was in office, he failed to perform many of his required duties as circuit clerk.

What the investigation brought to light is that this defendant wanted the title of circuit clerk, but not the responsibility that goes with the office, Parker said.

The investigation revealed ONeal failed to pay Stone County more than $25,000 in fees during his four-year term.

He also failed to make restitution payments to victims of crime.

One of the duties of the Circuit Clerks Office is to receive payment from individuals convicted of crime to pay back their victims.

After the money was paid to his office, this defendant would pay himself first, while failing to pay victims of crime, said Parker.

ONeal failed to send more than $36,000 of those payments to the victims of the crimes.

The Auditors Office also discovered that ONeal had submitted years of fraudulent documents to the Stone County Board of Supervisors for allowances that had not been approved by a Circuit Court judge as required by law.

As a result of these submissions, ONeal received payments from the Board, and he deposited most of these payments into a Stone County bank account, said Assistant District Attorney Matthew D. Burrell, who along with Jason Josef, prosecuted the case on behalf of the State. McKenzie ordered ONeal to pay more than $31,000 in restitution to Stone County. The amount stemmed from double payments ONeal received for conducting elections, from certain checks he deposited into his personal account, and for other unaccounted for monies.

After the criminal investigation, the Auditors Office was able to recover more than $86,000 ONeal had deposited and left in county bank accounts, to which only he had access. After he lost his bid for reelection, ONeal failed to turn over the money from those accounts as required. The court ordered that some of that money be used to pay the county and the victims.

Parker said the State Auditors Office has an outstanding civil demand against ONeal, which is still pending.
The State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) has notified former National Security and Defense Council Deputy Secretary Volodymyr Sivkovych that he is suspected of treason, stated the agencys press service on Feb. 20.

Read also: Pro-Russian MP Shufrych charged with treason  Ukraines SBU

Sivkovych staged a provocation in the interests of the Russian Federation to beat up members of the Student Maidan on Nov. 30, 2013.

According to the SBI, Sivkovich was recruited by Russia in the nineties, when he was a career officer of the KGB and FSB. The official acted on behalf of the Russian leadership to prevent Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic integration.

In October 2013, he met with Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev as part of consultations between the NSDC delegations of the two countries in Odesa.

According to the SBI, at this event, the traitor received instructions on further subversive activities against Ukraine and suppression of potential protests over Ukraine's refusal to join the EU.

The agency said that, after the start of student protests on Maidan Nezalezhnosti, Sivkovych began to implement Russia's plans. On the night of Nov. 29-30, 2013, he personally supervised the dispersal and beating of students from the office of the Kyiv Police Chief.

Read also: SBI serves notice of suspicion to former Berkut commanders for attempt to destroy Maidan murder evidence

As a result of the illegal actions of law enforcement officers, 55 participants of a peaceful assembly on Maidan Nezalezhnosti in Kyiv suffered injuries of varying severity, and more than 300 participants were forced to flee and hide in St. Michael's Cathedral. These events led to a socio-political crisis and mass protests against the political leadership of the country at the time.

In turn, this led to the strengthening of separatism in certain regions of Ukraine and was later used by Russia to conduct subversive activities against Ukraine.

The State Bureau of Investigation stated that, through his actions, Sivkovych damaged the sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability, defense capability, and state and economic security of Ukraine. Exceptional prerequisites were created for the aggressor to take active steps to occupy the territory of a part of Ukraine.

Currently, the suspect is in hiding in Russia and is one of the leaders of the anti-Ukrainian movement created by Russian special services. Procedural guidance is provided by the Prosecutor General's Office.

In July 2022, State Bureau of Investigation officers served treason notices on Volodymyr Sivkovych and three Russian FSB officers for espionage.

The State Bureau of Investigation also completed a special pre-trial investigation against Sivkovych on suspicion of unlawfully obstructing protests during the Revolution of Dignity.

Read also: SBU and SBI make public recordings alleged to show Kulinich working with FSB

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
United States President Joe Biden said that he is willing to meet with Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson so that they could discuss a potential funding bill for Ukraine amid a stalemate.

The president's Monday statement included him saying that Republican lawmakers are making a mistake by opposing the aid package. Earlier this month, the Senate, in a bipartisan vote, passed a $95 billion aid package.

Biden Willing to Meet With Johnson

It included funding for Ukraine but Johnson has so far declined to even bring it up for a vote on the floor of the House, which Republicans control by a narrow 219-212 margin. The speaker has also been demanding to have a meeting with the Democratic president to discuss the issue.

In response, Biden said that he would be happy to meet with the House speaker if he has anything to say. The president said over the weekend that Republican lawmakers are making a big mistake by opposing Ukraine aid that the nation would use to fight against Russia's continued aggression, as per Reuters.

Congress is set to reconvene in Washington on Feb. 27, which is when it will face an urgent deadline to avert a political government shutdown. This would start on Mar. 1 if lawmakers fail to act on time.

Some officials have already been discussing alternate bills or paths to bypass the speaker's objections. However, those alternatives all carry their own uncertainties. On Monday, Johnson's spokesperson Raj Shah said that the speaker had been seeking a one-on-one meeting with Biden for several weeks and welcomed the president's latest sign of willingness.

The president also argued that by opposing the Ukraine funding bill, Republicans are "walking away from the threat of Russia" as well as "walking away from NATO." He said that the situation was shocking and something he had never seen before.

Read Also: US Lawmakers Consider Sanctioning Chinese Firms for Aiding Russia's War with Ukraine

Discussing Ukraine Aid Bill

The situation comes as tensions are on the rise following the death of Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny in what is considered to be a mysterious case. The death was reported by Russia's Federal Penitentiary Service on Feb. 16, according to Yahoo News.

Biden's willingness to meet with Johnson also comes after he said that he is considering imposing additional sanctions on Russia over Navalny's death. However, the Democrat did not elaborate on when those particular sanctions could be implemented or what they would include.

When the president was asked whether or not Navalny's death could spark movement from GOP lawmakers on Ukraine aid, he said, "I hope so, but I'm not sure anything's gonna change."

On Wednesday, Johnson said that he would continue to insist on a meeting with Biden because they need to talk about very serious issues that need to be addressed. He argued that if the speaker of the House is unable to meet with the president, that could be considered a problem.

However, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre dismissed the speaker's request, saying that there was nothing to negotiate. She claimed that Johnson was already presented with what he had asked for, adding that he was killing bills on his own, said the New York Post.



Related Article: Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers Signs New Legislative Maps Into Law With Republican Support
[Star-Telegram Reality Check stories aim to hold those in power to account and shine light on their decisions. Send us story ideas: Editors@star-telegram.com.]

Does this look like a used car lot? Anne Smith asked as she prepared coffee in the kitchen of her North Richland Hills home.

The home of Anne and her husband Dale  former lead pastor of Colleyville Presbyterian Church  is not a used car lot, but the charges from the North Texas Tollway Authority would indicate it is.

Since October of 2022, the Smiths have received bills for 11 vehicles they dont own, totaling $1,065.

The Smiths said when they told NTTA about the billing error, the agency said they had to prove they didnt own the cars. NTTA is a governmental organization that operates toll roads in North Texas.

Anne said the couple lost sleep over the stress. Being retired, they werent in a position to spend money on a lawyer, she said.

So they reached out to the Star-Telegram after their attempts to convince NTTA failed, including getting the police involved. The police tracked the cars to an Arlington dealership, which buys vehicles from a man also named Dale Smith.

But the issue was not resolved until NTTA received a call and an email from the Star-Telegram on Thursday, asking for an interview.

That evening NTTA notified the couple that their debt was voided.

In a statement on Friday, NTTA said it dug into the case after it received a call from the Star-Telegram and discovered the plates were associated with someone else.

Agents should have looked deeper into the original call made by Anne in 2022, but they believed they had the correct address, the spokesperson wrote. NTTA said its records show the Smiths called customer service three times.

While their 17-month dispute with NTTA appears to be over, Anne said she was not pleased with the agencys handling of their case.

You just think people are going to be honest and are going to respond appropriately, she said. They just dont care.

Dale described the requirement of proving they didnt own the vehicles as proving a negative.

The couple attempted to do so anyway.

In January 2023 the Smiths filed a report with the North Richland Hills police department.

The police report, reviewed by the Star-Telegram, shows that a detective traced the plate numbers on the Smiths bills to temporary tags from a used car dealership in Arlington.

Anne said she submitted the findings from the police report to NTTA.

The couple also went to the Department of Motor Vehicles since the NTTA uses DMV records to bill motorists.

Dale Smith sent multiple letters to the Texas DMV requesting information on the vehicles.

Since we dont own the cars, the DMV would not give us information on who does own the car,  Dale said. But thats proving a negative because if they wouldnt give us the information, then we wouldnt own the car.

Anne said she gave this information to NTTA and asked them to investigate the issue but never heard back.

Theres no evidence that they did any investigation on it at all, because we gave them the information, Anne said. I never got a single phone call from anybody. Its just bad business.

NTTA said it will use this case as an example moving forward.

We deeply regret that this situation has caused frustration and stress to the Smiths, the NTTA told the Star Telegram. Thank you for your help in resolving this. Weve identified the agents involved and will use this as a training scenario so all our agents can better serve our customers.
Alessandra Ballerini (C), lawyer of the Regeni family, speaks with the press after attending the trial of four Egyptian security officers accused of killing Italian doctoral student Giulio Regeni in Cairo eight years ago. Cecilia Fabiano/LaPresse via ZUMA Press/dpa

The trial of four Egyptian security officers accused of killing Italian doctoral student Giulio Regeni in Cairo eight years ago began on Tuesday in Rome without the defendants present.

The high-ranking officers are accused of abducting, torturing and murdering the then 28-year-old. They are being tried in absentia as they have still not been handed over.

The parents of the victim were present in court. "We have waited eight long years for this moment," the parents' lawyer Alessandra Ballerini said.

Regeni was researching the Egyptian trade union movement for his doctoral thesis - a sensitive topic in the authoritarian country.

He disappeared without a trace at the end of January 2016. His mutilated body, covered in torture marks, was found a few days later in a ditch near Cairo.

Human rights activists reported that the marks on his body resembled those of other victims of torture by Egyptian security forces.

At the time, the case caused a serious diplomatic row between Rome and Cairo. Italy withdrew its ambassador from Egypt and only sent a replacement to Cairo more than a year later.

The case still shadows relations between the two countries today.

It is already the second trial in the case. The first was suspended in 2021 due to questions about the legality of the proceedings, including whether the suspects were even aware of the charges.

Paola (C), Giulio Regeni's mother and his sister Irene leave after attending the trial of four Egyptian security officers accused of killing Italian doctoral student Giulio Regeni in Cairo eight years ago. Cecilia Fabiano/LaPresse via ZUMA Press/dpa

Paola (R), Giulio Regeni's mother and his sister Irene leave after attending the trial of four Egyptian security officers accused of killing Italian doctoral student Giulio Regeni in Cairo eight years ago. Cecilia Fabiano/LaPresse via ZUMA Press/dpa
EDITORS NOTE: This article has been updated because the length of the sentence was incorrect in the attached video.

ST. GEORGE, Utah (ABC4)  Ruby Franke of the now-defunct YouTube channel 8 Passengers, and Jodi Hildebrandt, founder of Connexion Classrooms, were sentenced on Tuesday, Feb. 20 after pleading guilty to aggravated child abuse charges.

Judge John J. Walton with the Fifth District Court of Utah sentenced both Franke and Hildebrandt to serve at least four years and up to 30 years in state prison. While the charges would add up to 60 years (from one to 15 years per count), Utah law caps consecutive sentences at a maximum of 30 years in prison.

Both Franke and Hildebrandt pleaded guilty to four counts of aggravated child abuse in December 2023, just months after they were taken into custody when two of Frankes children were found emaciated in Hildebrandts Washington County home.

ORIGINAL STORY: 8 Passengers Franke and business partner charged with 6 counts of aggravated child abuse

State prosecutors said Hildebrandt and Franke subjected the children to a concentration camp-like setting where they were regularly denied food, water and beds to sleep in among other incidents of physical torture.

Ruby Frankes attorney said since her incarceration, Franke had become a student of her actions and quickly moved to acceptance of what she had done.

For the past four years, Ive chosen to follow counsel and guidance that led to me into a dark dilution, Franke said in a statement. My version of reality went largely unchecked as I would isolate from anyone who challenged me.

Franke said she was led to believe the world was an evil place and that she had hired Jodi Hildebrandt as a mentor, though they were never business partners. Franke said it was important for her to demonstrate her remorse and regret.

State prosecutors said Hildebrandt has repeatedly claimed to be the victim in the case and that she believed everything she did was justified. Her attorney said there were many allegations but Hildebrandt is not the person she had been portrayed to be but she still accepts responsibility and the consequences for her conduct.

In a statement during sentencing, Hildebrandt said she has love for the children and she hopes for them to heal physically and emotionally.

One of the reasons I did not go to trial was because I didnt them to emotionally relive the experience which would have been detrimental to them, said Hildebrandt. My hope and prayer is that they will heal and move forward to have beautiful lives.

Judge Walton told Hildebrandt that her case was disastrous for the children and that instead of following her responsibility to protect them, she instead terrorized them. He called her philosophy in dealing with children detached from any objective of standard of decency.

Correction: Prior versions of this article incorrectly listed the sentence as four to 60 years in prison for Franke and Hildebrandt. Their maximum sentence has been corrected according to Utah law.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  A house in Franklinton that Columbus police have monitored for nearly two years for drug activity has been shut down by the city.

Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein announced that a temporary restraining order was obtained to shut down a house at 66 Stevens Avenue, which police have investigated for alleged drug trafficking and other criminal activity since 2022.

Data shows how the Ohio Amber Alert that ended with a 5-year-old being found dead is uncommon

The house was first marked on CPDs radar in May 2022 when a search warrant was obtained and officers found and seized cocaine on the property. Police continued to monitor the house and officers were dispatched in Oct. 2022 after reports of a shooting. They found bullet holes in the exterior of the house, and also spoke with someone leaving the home who told them drugs were frequently purchased at the property.

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In 2023, court documents said that police executed another search warrant and found 0.18 pounds of cocaine and a semi-automatic firearm in January. Reports of people threatening others with a gun were received later in 2023. Police in 2024 then made covert purchases of counterfeit cocaine and narcotics.

A preliminary hearing on the case is scheduled for Feb. 26 at 9 a.m.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV.
Near record-breaking wind over the mid-Atlantic region pushed east-bound commercial planes to supersonic speeds this weekend.

One passenger plane, a Virgin Atlantic flight traveling from Washington to London was pushed to nearly 1300kph (800mph), faster than the speed of sound, according to the US National Weather Service.

This evenings weather balloon launch detected the 2nd strongest upper-level wind recorded in local history going back to the mid 20th century, the National Weather Service Baltimore/Washington posted on its official X account.

Around 34,000-35,000ft, winds peaked around 230 knots (265mph!). For those flying eastbound in this jet, there will be quite a tailwind, the weather service said.

Two other planes, including one from New Jerseys Newark Airport to Lisbon, Portugal, reached speeds of 835mph.

While the planes notched up speeds higher than that of sound, they did not break the sound barrier as they werent traveling faster than sound relative to the air around them in the jet stream.

This evening's weather balloon launch detected the 2nd strongest upper-level wind recorded in local history going back to the mid 20th century! Around 34,000-35,000 ft, winds peaked around 230 kt (265 mph!). For those flying eastbound in this jet, there will be quite a tail wind. pic.twitter.com/0MXK0HvsCV  NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) February 18, 2024

The Atlantic jet stream is a fast and narrow current of air flowing from west to east and encircling the globe and is widely used by airplanes traveling east from North America to cut down on their travel times and fuel use.

It usually has winds traveling at speeds close to 110mph (177kph) but is known to intensify at times, especially during winter months.

While such jetstream speeds have historically helped flights traveling toward Europe reach destinations faster, they have caused issues for planes moving west to the US due to turbulence, longer travel times as well as increased fuel consumption.

There have been no reports yet of passengers facing difficulties aboard these east-bound flights.

Wow! 265mph jet stream wind last night over parts of the east coast! Great for flight if its at your tail. Not so great, otherwise!, meteorologist Lisa Green posted on X.

Recent research also suggests climate change is disrupting the flow of air currents in this part of the atmosphere.

The freak wind speeds were due to super-cold temperatures in the Northeast and much warmer air in the south, The Washington Post reported citing experts.

Worth mentioning, this intense of a jet stream doesnt likely happen in this situation without El Nino. Notice the split flow, and the subtropical jet across the southern US which emerges from Florida - thats fueled by El Nino. This enhanced jet merges with the northern branch. pic.twitter.com/xcfMag2lsf  Jeff Berardelli (@WeatherProf) February 20, 2024

The wind speeds may have been accelerated by climate change.

Citing a recent study, meteorologist Jeff Beradelli said that for every 1C increase in air temperatures, there could be a 2 per cent increase in the jetstreams speed and a plus 2.5X for fastest winds.

We are at +2C now, so thats 10 per cent per cent boost. Roughly 240 becomes 275mph, he posted on X, adding that this intense of a jetstream doesnt likely happen in this situation without El Nino.
PENSACOLA, Fla. (WKRG)  An aquatic event at Booker T. Washington High School will help kids to just keep swimming. And its completely free for eligible students.

All I wanted to do was save that little girl: Handyman rescues mother, child in horrific crime

The Aquatic Center at Booker T. High School is preparing to host a free Elementary Swim and Dive Program in the spring. The program, scheduled for March 6 to May 17, is open to registered public, private or homeschooled students in Escambia County from kindergarten through 5th grade.

EVENT LOCATION:

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According to a news release, the program will include a free orientation to basic water safety, an introduction to competitive swimming with a focus on freestyle and backstroke techniques, and an introduction to 1-meter springboard safety skills.

(Getty Images)

Interested students must complete all paperwork before the pre-class swim test at registration. Applicants must be able to jump into deep water and swim 40 feet unassisted without stopping. Transportation to the program must be provided by a parent or legal guardian, according to the release.

Toddler found alone on Daphne sidewalk: Police

Registration will be open on March 4-5 from 3:30 to 7 p.m. at the Washington High School Aquatic Center.

For more information, contact Washington High Schools Aquatics Director Megan Oberholtzer, M.Ed., at 850-494-5681.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5.
WASHINGTON  Shirley Weber plans to take a page from the history books this summer.

To promote the importance of voting in California, Weber, the secretary of state, plans to launch a get-out-the-vote campaign. The effort will commemorate the 60th anniversary of Freedom Summer, a pivotal movement that spurred civil rights activism in Mississippi and across the country.

Weber and get-out-the-vote activists hope this new project will do the same.

We want to get up and down California, as large as it is, and help people understand in different areas why people worked so hard to vote, Weber said. "There just seems like there's a disconnect between folks who struggled so hard to get the right to vote and others who have no concept at all.

California Secretary of State Shirley Weber said it's important for people to understand the risk activists took during Freedom Summer. Above, Weber, then an assemblywoman, D-San Diego, called on members June 10, 2020 to approve a measure.

Daphne Chamberlain, a Mississippi civil rights historian, said she supports any effort to commemorate Freedom Summer and educate people about the importance of voting in local and national elections. During that summer of 1964, thousands of people, many of them college students, joined Mississippi locals to help register Blacks citizens to vote.

Freedom Summer needs to happen every year,'' Chamberlain said. "This is a crucial election year.

Events commemorating Freedom Summer also are planned across Mississippi this summer, hosted by universities and civic engagement groups. Many are aimed at high school and college students.

MacArthur Cotton, a civil rights veteran who lives in Kosciusko, Mississippi, welcomes the commemorations.

I had no illusions that freedom was going to be something instant. I expected there would be work to do as long as I lived, said Cotton, 81, a veteran of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. I did hope that we would by now have resolved the voting question.

Remembering the fight for voting rights

Much like civil rights activists did in Mississippi decades ago, Webers office plans to fan out across the state registering voters, hosting lectures and education series in churches and other venues. It will also turn to social media, which didn't exist back then, to reach younger people.

In June 1964, civil rights activists gathered on what is now the campus of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, to train to help register Black voters in Mississippi.

It's much about civic engagement but (also) motivating them to understand how powerful this motivation is and the fact that it's not Just oh, you should vote because you're a citizen,'  said Weber, who called the initiative Freedom Summer 2. It's your responsibility, and that doesn't somehow register to young people or anybody.

In California, whose population is closing in on 40 million, nearly 22 million were registered to vote in 2022, and about half of those registered cast ballots that year, according to the Secretary of State's office.

Historically, California has had some of the largest gaps in voter turnout between white voters and voters of color, often ranking near the bottom among states, said Mindy Romero, director of the University of Southern California's Center for Inclusive Democracy.

In 2022, 31% of eligible Black Californians cast ballots, compared with 30% of Asian American and Pacific Islanders, 26% of Latinos and 58% of white voters, according to a recent report released by the center.

There's still a legacy in the state, a historic legacy that shows up in our voter turnout, said Romero, adding that for decades community groups have conducted get-out-the-vote campaigns. We still have significant disparities, consistently entrenched disparities in turnout by race and ethnicity that have real impact on representation and outcomes.

Some factors for those disparities include lower registration rates and a disconnect from the political process, Romero said. Obstacles to voting may not be overt in California, she said, but some voters of color still face hurdles such as targeted misinformation and lack of access to language assistance.

California often is overlooked when we think about our nation's terrible history of voter suppression efforts, particularly violent voter suppression efforts, Romero said. But there isn't a lot of recognition about what has happened historically out here in California for voters of color period, but particularly for the Latino community.

Over the years, the state has taken steps to improve access, including expanding early voting and increasing polling centers.

Still, youre begging people to come to vote, Weber said.

As part of its Freedom Summer 2 project, the office plans to invite veterans of the Civil Rights Movement, many whom are in their 80s and 90s, to share their experiences.

We want to make it a little bit more real for people to understand this power that they have, that they don't use, she said. Most of us don't know why we vote. We also don't know what happens when we don't vote. But the older folks, they knew what happens when you don't have a voice, when you can't participate in the political system.

'Clarion call' to continue the fight for voting rights

Black Mississippians had long been organizing around the fight for voting rights. In 1964 the Council of Federated Organizations (COFO) formed the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party to counter the all-white state party. The MFDP held a convention, drawing thousands.

It was wonderful to see all those people across the state coming to finally mobilize to the point that we got hundreds of people who were saying, OK, were ready to move, said Cotton, noting that a year earlier Medgar Evers, the state NAACP field secretary, had been assassinated.

A picture of civil rights activist Bob Moses covered a wall in 2021 at the Council of Federate Organizations (COFO) Civil Rights Education Center at Jackson State University in Jackson, Mississippi. The center highlights the history of the Civil Rights Movement in the state, including Freedom Summer.

Cotton said civil rights activists had launched summer projects in the past but knew that if more white middle class activists got involved it would garner more attention. It did. Until then, he said, their efforts went mostly unnoticed by national media.

Freedom Summer also drew national media after the murder of civil rights workers James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner in June that year. Goodman and Schwerner were white.

Later that summer, delegates from the MFDP went to the national Democratic Party convention in Atlantic City, New Jersey. At the convention, civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer gave her impassioned speech about the struggle for voting rights for Black Mississippians.

Everything that happened after that changed the complexion of politics in this state, Chamberlain said. That's when you see this shift in having more African American elected officials sitting in these positions of local authority all the way up to state positions of power.

Americans stood up to racism in 1961 and changed history. This is their fight, in their words.

Mississippi, where the population is nearly 40% Black, is now among the states with the highest number of Black elected officials.

It was after attending the unveiling of a statute of Hamer in Atlantic City last fall that Weber started plans to launch the Freedom Summer project in California.

"You start realizing the tremendous amount of sacrifice that people made just to register to vote, whether it's women, whether it's African Americans,'' Weber said.

Chamberlain, the Mississippi historian, called the commemoration efforts a clarion call for others to teach younger people about that history and how they can contribute today.

We do need to acknowledge it as important and also being the inspiration to why we continue to do the work that we do.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Freedom Summer takes center stage in California voter drive for 2024
The San Joaquin River flows past land being restored to floodplain habitat by River Partners at Hidden Valley Ranch near Modesto. (Loren Elliott / For The Times)

Throughout the Central Valley, Californias rivers have long been held within their banks by levees and berms, artificially disrupting the natural cycles of flooding and preventing streams from meandering across the landscape.

Natural floodplains  the lush green lands along rivers that historically flooded, retained water, and nourished life in the heart of the valley  were mostly drained and converted to farmland generations ago as the states waters were dammed and diverted.

Today, an effort to bring back some of those floodplains is flourishing at the 2,100-acre Dos Rios Ranch Preserve near Modesto, where workers years ago planted native trees on retired farm fields and removed berms to create space for water to spread out again.

This has allowed the San Joaquin and Tuolumne rivers, which converge in the preserve, to expand and flow into their historic floodplains when big surges of runoff come. By making room for the rivers to overflow, the restoration project has created an outlet for high flows that helps to reduce the risk of dangerous flooding in low-lying communities nearby.

"Floodplains are this really important feature of rivers," said Julie Rentner, president of the nonprofit group River Partners, which has led the restoration effort along with the Tuolumne River Trust. We can store more water, reduce flood risk, and see wildlife species and habitats coming back to life."

Over the past decade, the cottonwoods and willows that were planted have grown into a forest that teems with wildlife. And last year, when the rivers swelled with massive amounts of runoff from historic storms, the waters flowed among the trees and gradually soaked into the ground.

A native tree grows from a milk carton in a floodplain restoration area at Grayson Riverbend Preserve. (Loren Elliott / For The Times)

Rentner said the effort, which has been supported by federal, state and local agencies, shows how engineering with nature and embracing the natural dynamics of rivers brings an effective water solution, helping California weather deluges and droughts.

"When this floodplain floods up, there's kind of like big gulps that happen," Rentner said. "All that nuisance water, if we can let it spread out here, it's going to do lots of good things for years to come."

While many issues in California water management continue to spark heated debate, restoring floodplains is one strategy that enjoys widespread agreement and support. In addition to creating space for floodwaters, it helps slow and disperse flows on the landscape, allowing water to percolate into the ground and recharge depleted aquifers.

With climate change bringing more intense droughts and floods, projects that reconnect rivers with floodplains are increasingly seen as a way for the state to better withstand extremes.

Julie Rentner, president at River Partners, leads a tour along the Tuolumne River at Dos Rios Ranch Preserve near Modesto. (Loren Elliott / For The Times)

It gives us an opportunity to moderate how badly our increasing intensity floods and droughts harm people, Rentner said. We're going to be more resilient to it. Less damages, greater resilience.

At the same time, opening up space along rivers restores critical habitats to help struggling fish, birds and other species, and provides areas where people can enjoy nature.

Dos Rios Ranch will soon become Californias newest state park.

When Rentner visited on a recent morning, workers were building shade structures in a picnic area to prepare for the parks opening this spring.

It means a lot, she said. The San Joaquin Valley is parks-poor and has been for a long time, underinvested in open space and public areas.

Read more: The epic floods receded, but the misery remains in California farm towns

When residents come and walk the trails, go fishing or get their feet wet, Rentner said, they will be able to see how the restoration effort has transformed the floodplain.

Next to the Dos Rios preserve, River Partners has recently started work on another 482-acre property along the San Joaquin River  a former dairy called Hidden Valley Ranch. Workers have plowed fields in curving rows, placing small white flags in the soil to mark where they will plant trees and shrubs.

Former farmland being readied for the planting of native vegetation borders restored floodplain habitat near Modesto. (Loren Elliott / For The Times)

Rentner stood on a gravel road on top of a levee, at the dividing line between two starkly different landscapes  forest on one side and fields of bare dirt on the other.

Once the fields are planted, the vegetation will be watered for three years to get established, Rentner said, and then were going to just let it do its thing.

Restoring this area will also involve securing federal permission to breach a levee, allowing water to spread when the river swells.

The land borders the San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge and other protected areas, together forming nearly 11,000 acres of connected riparian habitat, the largest stretch of restored floodplains of this kind in California.

State officials and conservationists see potential to do many similar projects along rivers throughout the Central Valley.

Last years state budget included $40 million that will enable River Partners to carry out restoration work on more than 3,000 acres at 16 sites in the San Joaquin Valley. And that's just the beginning of a series of projects that Rentner and her group have proposed.

Julie Rentner holds a map showing floodplain restoration areas at Dos Rios Ranch Preserve. (Loren Elliott / For The Times)

In the next decade, Rentner said she hopes to complete at least an additional 15,000 acres of restoration projects.

Reestablishing more natural floodplains along the San Joaquin, Rentner said, helps reduce risks of flooding in communities downstream such as Stockton, which is widely recognized as vulnerable.

The time is now because we're politically aligned. We know how to do this. We've seen it proven out, she said. We can deliver on reducing flood risk, while making habitat for critters that are on the verge of extinction, and providing places for people to engage with.

Endangered species that live in the preserve include riparian brush rabbits and riparian woodrats. The floodplains also provide habitat for monarch butterflies and birds such as vermilion flycatchers, yellow warblers and red-winged blackbirds.

When water fills the floodplain, it also creates productive habitat for fish, such as Chinook salmon.

Rentner paused beside a grassy meadow, calling it a salmon nursery. The land here was laser-leveled, and workers carved a swale to give juvenile salmon a way in and out when the plain floods.

Last year, high rivers inundated the area up to 4 miles wide at Dos Rios Ranch. The salmon nursery sat underwater for five months. And although the site hasnt flooded so far this year, Rentner said in future wet years, this part of the floodplain will continue to provide rich habitat for juvenile salmon to feed and grow.

Workers build facilities for a new state park at Dos Rios Ranch Preserve near Modesto. (Loren Elliott / For The Times)

State officials are backing this sort of effort to expand habitat for salmon. Gov. Gavin Newsoms newly released strategy for protecting struggling salmon populations cites the Dos Rios project as a model for multi-use re-envisioning of land and water systems, saying that river corridors can be expanded to accommodate increased flood control buffers, while making habitat for fish and birds.

The restored floodplains also offer other benefits for people who live nearby.

Read more: Groundwater depletion is worsening worldwide. Parts of California are suffering rapid declines

The conversion of dairies to wetlands and forests means cleaner air and less pumping of groundwater. As floodwaters soak into the soil and replenish the aquifer, this gives a boost to the local water supply.

Wetlands also retain and naturally filter water, improving water quality.

Directly across the San Joaquin River from the preserve, the community of Grayson sits atop groundwater contaminated with nitrate. The harmful pollutant has leached into water in many parts of the valley from sources including fertilizers, dairies and septic tanks.

The community has a treatment system that reduces nitrate levels in the drinking water. But some residents say the contamination remains a concern and they buy bottled water just to be safe.

Lilia Lomeli-Gil, a local resident, at Grayson Riverbend Preserve in Grayson. (Loren Elliott / For The Times)

Lilia Lomeli-Gil, a community leader, said she hopes the restored floodplains will help improve the water supply.

"Because of opening up the water to flow out here, it just replenishes the water source, Lomeli-Gil said.

She walked on a tree-lined trail beside her neighborhood in the Grayson Riverbend Preserve, where workers had arranged small trees in rows to prepare for replanting the floodplain.

Like others in the community, Lomeli-Gil comes from a family of farmworkers and grew up laboring in the fields picking tomatoes, onions and walnuts. She said the nature preserves are improving life for residents in various ways, including flood mitigation.

We've had a lot of close calls, Lomeli-Gil said.

Residents were afraid last year when they heard about flooding in other towns, she said, and they watched the floodwaters rise as close as 2 feet from some low-lying yards.

Lomeli-Gil said she believes Grayson was spared because the expanded floodplains served as a relief valve.

If it had not been opened up to let the water flow sideways, it would have flooded Grayson as well, she said.

She said she's convinced that restoring more floodplains would help other towns along the river.

Throughout the Central Valley, many other communities are in harms way, and low-income communities are disproportionately at risk. The states regional flood protection plan calls for dramatically increasing investments in projects such as restoring floodplains and strengthening levees.

"We have so many people at risk of catastrophic flooding," Rentner said.

She held a map showing areas all along the San Joaquin River where other proposed restoration projects could replace farmland to further reduce flood risks downstream.

"You can actually reduce water surface elevations in Stockton tremendously if you can realize reconnection of the floodplain," she said.

Along with River Partners, other conservation groups and state agencies have also been leading efforts to make more room for rivers.

Sarah Puckett, Central Valley program director for the group American Rivers, said reconnecting rivers with floodplains is a cost-effective way to solve multiple problems.

Native plants and trees are arranged in milk cartons on a mound constructed to provide high ground during flooding for endangered riparian brush rabbits at Hidden Valley Ranch near Modesto. (Loren Elliott / For The Times)

When we work with nature, not against it, we can deliver a lot of benefits for communities, the environment, and the economy in the face of increasing climate impacts, Puckett said.

State officials have recently emphasized that as climate change brings more precipitation as rain instead of snow, the state needs to prepare to capture greater flash floods from storms  and store more water underground .

A change in state law that was approved last year could help bring more funding for groundwater recharge projects by designating aquifers as  natural infrastructure.  Rentner said River Partners supported the change as a way to tap into funds earmarked for water storage investments to support floodplain restoration projects.

While some projects are aimed at bringing back natural habitats, others involve flooding agricultural land for part of the year to create habitat for fish and birds. This is being done northeast of Davis in the Yolo Bypass, where water from the Sacramento River is routed to rice fields to create seasonal habitat.

Biologist Jacob Katz, lead scientist for the group California Trout, said this effort, called the Nigiri Project, has shown over the past 13 years that flooded fields are highly effective feeding grounds for salmon and other fish. He calls it floodplain reactivation.

Fish really depend on the food that is produced in the productive, fertile wetland food webs, Katz said. The floodplains are basically the pantry. They're the engines of natural productivity, the great engines of natural wealth.

Read more: Heat, drought, floods, bad air: Will California's Central Valley survive climate change?

But few of these natural engines remain intact in California.

The Central Valley historically had about 4 million acres of wetlands and riparian areas, forming a vast watery mosaic of marshes, vernal pools, rivers in braided channels and lakes fringed with tules and forests. Since the mid-1800s, an estimated 95% of those wetland habitats have been lost.

With fish populations now in decline, its vital to restore ecological function to as many floodplain areas as possible, Katz said, and an expanding cluster of projects along the Sacramento River will help.

The more we can approximate the different patterns of water running through that landscape, the better off those fish are going to be, Katz said. Bringing puddles back into the landscape, in the places that they make sense, is actually revolutionary.

Bringing back native vegetation in parts of the valley has also been a major shift. At Dos Rios Ranch, Indigenous people now have a place where they can collect plants for basket weaving and other traditional uses.

I cannot tell you how happy this makes a lot of people, said Kimberly Stevenot, a Northern Sierra Mewuk elder and basket weaver.

Stevenot, a founding member of the California Indian Basketweavers Assn., said she and other weavers have often had to drive long distances to find areas where they can gather plants.

Having these materials where they're easily accessible and workable makes it a lot easier, she said. It's important now because we're having a cultural revitalization.

The signs of a rebounding ecosystem are readily visible among the willows and cottonwoods at the Dos Rios preserve.

As Rentner walked through the forest, a Swainsons hawk circled overhead. A few minutes later, a flock of geese soared past.

"It's coming back to life," Rentner said.

She pointed out tree stumps that bore the marks of gnawing beavers.

We welcome them, she said. We plant many more trees than they could ever chew down.

Just as the beavers will continue their natural engineering, the two rivers now have space to carve new meandering channels in the floodplain.

Rentner said the project is all about embracing those natural dynamics.

She summed up the approach with three words: rewilding, unconstraining, reconnecting. And that, she said, is something California needs to do on a larger scale.





This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
A luxury villa on the Cote d'Azur was confiscated by the French authorities as part of a money laundering investigation. This information, first reported by Le Monde, was confirmed by the Paris Prosecutor's Office.

Source: francetvinfo, reported by European Pravda

Details: French authorities have seized a villa worth about 120 million on the French Riviera, in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, Alpes-Maritimes, as part of a money laundering investigation.

The major Russian natural gas company Gazprom is deemed the "effective beneficiary" of this residence, built in 1906, which has among other things a helipad and swimming pool, and is located just a few metres from the Mediterranean Sea.

The Interregional, Specialised, Economic and Financial Jurisdiction of the Paris Prosecutor's Office launched an investigation into aggravated money laundering for acts committed since 11 December 2009 in Paris, Cyprus, Russia and Roquebrune-Cap-Martin in relation to Villa Del Mare, now named Villa Maria Irina.

Established in 2009, the shell company Maritime Villa Holding acquired the villa for 70 million in 2010. This entity was registered in Beaulieu-sur-Mer at the time and had a capital of 15,000.

Through the companies Subville S.A.R.L. and Leyson Holdings Limited, the beneficiary of this acquisition was 58-year-old Russian-Armenian billionaire Samvel Karapetyan, according to the prosecutor's office.

Evidence suggests that successive plans to acquire the villa were made in the name of different companies whose indirect ownership could make Gazprom the true owner.

On 12 February 2024, in accordance with the requests of the prosecutor's office, the villa and the shares of the company that owned the villa, SNC Maritime Villa Holding, were seized.

This residence was previously owned by other very wealthy people, including former President of Zaire Mobutu Sese Seko, who ruled from 1965 to 1997.

A few months ago, law enforcement agencies executed the first criminal seizure of the villa of a sanctioned Russian oligarch since Russia started the full-scale war in Ukraine. The property is located in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat in the Alpes-Maritimes.

This luxury villa was valued at 23 million. It was seized in October 2022 at the request of the magistrates of the National Jurisdiction for the Fight Against Organised Crime (Junalco) of the Paris Prosecutor's Office.

Read more on the topic: Challenges of confiscation: what will help Ukraine achieve transfer of Russian assets

Background: Estonia called on the European Union to confiscate more than 150 billion of frozen Russian assets by the end of the year in time for the US elections.

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The Languedoc is one of two French frigates deployed in the Red Sea (JACK GUEZ)

The French navy has shot down two drones over the Red Sea where Yemen's Huthi rebels have been attacking ships, the defence ministry in Paris said Tuesday.

The navy, which has two frigates deployed in the area, detected "multiple drone attacks originating in Yemen" overnight Monday to Tuesday, before destroying two of the unmanned aircrafts, the ministry said.

The attack came a day after the European Union formally launched a naval mission to protect Red Sea shipping from the Iran-backed Huthis who control much of war-torn Yemen.

The rebels have been harassing the vital shipping lane since November in a campaign they say is in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza during the Israel-Hamas war.

The European Union aims to have the mission -- called Aspides, Greek for "shield" -- up and running in a "few weeks" with at least four vessels, an official said on Friday.

France has deployed the Alsace, a frigate with air defence capabilities, and the Languedoc, an anti-submarine frigate, in the area.

The Languedoc previously shot down two drones in the Red Sea in self-defence in December, the foreign ministry said.

On Tuesday evening, the Huthi's military spokesman Yahya Saree said they had "carried out a military operation using several drones against a number of enemy American warships".

The United States is already spearheading its own naval coalition in the area and has conducted retaliatory strikes on Huthi targets in Yemen, as has Britain.

The dozens of Huthi attacks have roiled shipping in the Red Sea, leading some companies to take alternative routes including a two-week detour around southern Africa.

On Monday evening, the Huthis said they had targeted three vessels in the previous 24 hours, including the British-registered Rubymar, the US-owned Sea Champion and the Navis Fortuna which they described as "American".

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Israel is expected to restrict access to Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan, siding with Minister of National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir following his warning.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office issued a statement on Monday, which prompted a response from the Hamas militant group. The latter denounced the proposed restrictions and the top Palestinian Islamic council called on all Muslims to visit Al-Aqsa regardless of the announcement.

Israel to Restrict Access to Al-Aqsa Mosque During Ramadan

The Al-Aqsa Mosque is one of the holiest sites in the world for Muslims and sits on a hilltop in Jerusalem's Old City inside a compound. It is also revered by Jews as the site of their temples of biblical times.

Rules about gaining access to the holy site have been a frequent source of friction, particularly during holidays such as Ramadan. This particular celebration begins this year on or around Mar. 10. Israel has already imposed restrictions in the past, usually by keeping out younger worshippers by arguing that doing so prevents violence, as per Reuters.

When asked about the possibility of restricting access for Israeli Muslims to Al-Aqsa, Netayahu's office said that the prime minister made a balanced decision to allow freedom of worship within the security needs determined by professionals.

The Israeli prime minister is currently under pressure from both far-right partners in his coalition who want to impose tougher curbs and countries in the region pushing to keep the status quo. Ben Gvir, who is the head of a hardline party in the government, said that people who hate Israel would use the event to show support for the Hamas leadership and incite violence.

The official said that the entry of tens of thousands of haters in a victory celebration on the Temple Mount is a security threat to the country. The top Palestinian Islamic assembly, the Supreme Fatwa Council, called on "everyone who can reach the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque to travel to it and protect it."

Read Also: Judge Issues Final Report Indicting Haitian Officials, Including President's Widow, in Moise Assassination

Prompting Immediate Backlash

Hamas also described the restrictions as "a continuation of Zionist criminality and religious warfare" that are being led by the extremist settlers group. It called on Palestinians in Israel, Jerusalem, and the occupied West Bank to reject the criminal decision, according to Aljazeera.

On top of implementing restrictions at the holy site, Israeli forces have previously undertaken violent raids during Ramadan celebrations. The latest announcement also comes as the country warns that it will continue its assault on Gaza during the holiday, including in the densely populated Rafah area in the south.

During an interview, a former deputy chief of staff in the Israeli military, Dan Harel, said that such a restriction would be "unnecessary, foolish, and senseless." He argued that it could even ignite the entire Muslim world.

On the other hand, an Arab-Israeli lawmaker, Waleed Alhwashla, said in a post on social media that the restrictions would be "liable to pour unnecessary oil on the fire of violence." The chaos at the site, including police raids, riots, and others has often been a catalyst for wider violence, including a brief war between Israel and Hamas in 2021, said the New York Times.



Related Article: Australia Arrests Chinese Man Leading North Korean Tobacco Smuggling Scheme
The murder of student Giulio Regeni in Cairo, allegedly by security officers, severely strained ties between Italy and Egypt (Marco BERTORELLO)

A second trial of four Egyptian security officers accused of kidnapping and brutally murdering an Italian student in 2016 opened in Rome Tuesday with his parents vowing to uncover the truth.

Giulio Regeni, 28, had been conducting academic research when he was abducted in January 2016. His body was found nine days later, dumped on the outskirts of the Egyptian capital, bearing extensive signs of torture.

The murder severely strained ties between Italy and Egypt, while Italian MPs later accused Cairo of being "openly hostile" to attempts to try the suspects.

In 2021, Italian judges threw out the first trial the day it opened because prosecutors had not been able to officially inform the four suspects of the procedures against them.

But the Constitutional Court ruled in September that the case could go ahead in their absence.

On the new trial's opening day Tuesday, Regeni's parents, Claudio and Paola, and his sister Irene unfurled a large yellow banner bearing the words "Truth for Giulio Regeni", before entering the court.

After a heraing that lasted one-and-a-half hours, the family's lawyer, Alessandra Ballerini, said her clients looked forward to "finally (having) a trial against those who did all the evil in the world to Giulio."

"We have been waiting eight years for this moment," Ballerini told journalists outside the courtroom.

None of the four defendants -- General Tariq Sabir, Colonels Athar Kamel and Uhsam Helmi, and Major Magdi Ibrahim Abdelal Sharif -- were present in court.

All face charges of kidnapping, while Sharif is also charged with inflicting the fatal injuries on Regeni.

Defence lawyers asked that the case be thrown out, arguing that the charges indiscriminately targeted the group without attributing specific acts to each individual.

The court said it would rule on their legal objections at the next hearing March 18.

Ahead of the trial, the court-appointed defence lawyer for Kamel, Tranquillino Sarno, told AFP that the four men were "absolutely untraceable."

Even if they were convicted they would thus "certainly not serve their sentences", he said.

- Openly hostile -

Investigators believe Regeni was abducted and killed after being mistaken for a foreign spy. As part of his doctoral work, Regeni had been researching Egyptian trade unions, a particularly sensitive political issue.

His mother later said his body had been so badly mutilated that she recognised her son only by the "tip of his nose".

Five of his teeth had been broken, 15 of his bones had been fractured and letters had been inscribed into his flesh, according to the family's lawyer.

An Italian parliamentary commission found in December 2021 -- just weeks after the case was thrown out -- that Egypt's security agency was to blame for Regeni's death.

It also accused Egypt's judiciary of acting in an "obstructive and openly hostile manner" by failing to disclose the whereabouts of the defendants.

In December 2020, all four suspects as well as a fifth were cleared of responsibility for Regeni's murder by Egypt's public prosecutor, who said he would drop the case.

bur-ar/ide/ams/ach
Fresno parents are invited to meetings Tuesday and Wednesday that will have direct bearing on the education local children receive in the years ahead.

At issue is replacing Fresno Unified schools Superintendent Bob Nelson. The district announced last month that Nelson was resigning to take a tenure-track job at the Kremen School of Education at Fresno State. Nelson will serve through July.

This weeks sessions are being conducted by Fresno Unifieds school board and are intended to give parents, and anyone else who cares about local education, a chance to tell board members and district officials what qualities to look for in the candidate to replace Nelson.

We are doing some community conversations to hear from parents, from teachers, from other (community) members about what they would like to see in terms of skills or direction of the next superintendent, Trustee Genoveva Islas told Bee staff writer Leqi Zhong. Were gonna use that information to form a job description, and then thatll help us in selecting candidates that may apply.

Qualities to look for

Given that the ethnicity of Fresno Unifieds student population is 69% Latino, the trustees should make hiring a Hispanic educator the top goal.

When a top educator is an ethnically diverse person, that leader can have a major influence on student and teachers. New Leaders, a national nonprofit dedicated to improving diversity in education, says Representation allows students of color to see themselves reflected in the educators and school leaders that surround them at school  and then imagine bigger and bolder dreams for themselves.

Opinion

Fresno Unified has an enrollment of 72,000, making it the third-largest school district in California. The superintendent is the top administrator, and has not just local influence, but statewide stature as well. A leader with a dynamic personality is needed.

That person should also bring a record of achievement when it comes to improving academic performance. Fresno Unified is well below state standards for both English language arts and mathematics. One of the districts challenges is the performance of English-language learners. The most recent state assessment shows Fresno Unified making gains with this group of students, but they remain one of the poorest performing on state tests.

Public meeting schedule

Sessions begin at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 20 at the following schools:

 Bullard High cafeteria, 5445 N. Palm Ave.

 Edison High cafeteria, 540 E. California Ave.

 Sunnyside High cafeteria, 1019 S. Peach Ave.

Sessions at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday are at the following:

 Roosevelt High cafeteria, 4250 E. Tulare Ave.

 Fresno High cafeteria, 1839 N. Echo Ave.

 Hoover High, Ahwahnee Middle School cafeteria, 1127 E. Escalon Ave.

A session will start at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 21, at McLane High cafeteria, 2727 N. Cedar Ave.

The final session will begin at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Duncan Polytechnical High cafeteria, 4330 E. Garland Ave.

The district also has an online survey asking respondents to identify qualities the next superintendent should possess.

Speak out

It cannot be stressed enough how important this opportunity is for Fresno residents to share their views with school district officials. Plan to attend, even if a meeting is not in your local high school area, and share what experience and qualities you would like in the next superintendent.
FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE)  Fresno restaurant Guadalajara, will be hosting a visit from Americas Best Restaurants, a YouTube channel that highlights locally independent-owned restaurants in the U.S. in March.

Guadalajara began in 1988, opened by Cecelio and Rosalinda Garcia who had come to the U.S. a decade before the restaurants opening. The couple says they used the very last dollar they had to open the restaurant to buy food for their first day of business.

Because its still family-owned and operated we treat everyone with so much love and respect. Our customers are an extension of our family, we have people that have been coming here since we opened, says the granddaughter of the owners of Guadalajara, Tatyana Valdez.

Americas Best Restaurants will be coming to Fresno in early March and will be filming at Guadalajara on March 4 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

The staff at the restaurant says they are excited to be featured on the Americas Best Restaurants Roadshow as they believe it will help their restaurant gain exposure and have a platform to share their story.

For more information about when the episode will stream, be sure to follow Guadalarajas Facebook page to stay updated or go to Americas Best Restaurants YouTube page.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com | KSEE24 and CBS47.
The first meeting of the G7 leaders in 2024 will be held via video conference on 24 February, which marks the second anniversary of Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was invited to the meeting.

Source: European Pravda with reference to the information from Italian G7 leadership

Quote: "A joint declaration will be adopted at the end of the meeting."

Details: Reportedly, Georgia Meloni, Italian Prime Minister, will host the meeting.

Background:

On 1 January, Italy started presiding in the G7, replacing Japan.

Antonio Tajani, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, stated that Ukraine would remain one of the key priorities during his countrys presidency in the G7 in 2024.

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Georgia Power will soon flip a switch and turn on its latest clean energy construction project: battery storage.

When millions of Georgians begin their day by turning on lights, the coffee machine, take a shower, dry their hair, and run the dishwasher, the energy demand in the state spikes. Clean energy sources like solar may not be available to produce electricity during the peak demand when the sun isnt yet shiningor if there is a rain storm, for example.

When that is the case, Georgia Power, the major energy supplier in Georgia, has to rely on carbon-polluting sources like coal power or natural gas to meet the demand of 2.7 million Georgians every day.

To rid the use of fossil fuels and meet its decarbonizing energy goals, Georgia Power is adding Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) to its clean energy portfolio. BESS creates more flexibility with energy usage from demand fluctuations and adds more capacity to the energy system.

As Georgia Power looks at our energy transmission system across the state, we want areas that have the capacity to inject more energy to support what the grid naturally needs, Aaron Mitchell vice president of planning and pricing said.

The brand new and first ever, 65 MW (megawatt) BESS, named Mossy Branch Energy Facility, sits on 2.5 acres of rural land in Talbot County, 40 minutes north of Columbus.

65 MW, Mossy Branch Battery Energy Storage System in Talbot County, Georgia in December 2023.

Near the 400-person town, Shiloh, Georgia, Mossy Branch is nestled between existing transmission lines.

It will have the capacity to both accept the charge from the grid, and discharge energy from the grid, making it an ideal place. It can charge any type of existing grid energy source, not just solar. The Mossy Branch Facility can store whatever makes up the grid system at the time, Aaron said.

At first glance, it might not appear like an energy facility.

The 6x6 gray steel boxes are symmetrically distributed on the land, surrounded by a canopy of trees.

Fifty people were employed during the construction and design of this project. Wartsila, a Finnish-based company provided the engineering, procurement, and construction.

Its set to come online and be operational sometime between April and June this year. There will be no changes to electricity rates for Georgia Power customers.

The first of many

In 2019, the Public Service Commission (PSC) of Georgia approved 80 MW of BESS for the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP)--the three-year long-term plan that Georgia Power must provide to the PSC. The remaining 15 MW from the approved 80 MW is currently being developed near U.S. Army Base Fort Stewart, in Southeast Georgia. But, this BESS will be charged not by the grid, but by existing solar.

A 30 MW solar plant will directly charge the 15 MW BESS facility at Fort Stewart. Alternatively, it can be grid-charged the same way Mossy Branch is charged. This type of BESS is more flexible. That project is still in development awaiting construction.

Georgia Power proposed another 830 MW of BESS, and received approval during the 2022 IRP.

Georgia Power will install 265 MW at McGrau Ford substation in Cherokee County, with 560 MW still available and being determined for deployment. That puts Georgia Power on track to own and operate a total of 915 MW of BESS for Georgia over the next several years.

As far as the plans for incoming BESS construction projects, the company wants to use existing solar power and transmission lines.

Were looking at existing solar facilities where transmission infrastructure is already constructed to be cost-efficient with installation facilities.

Right now, California and Texas dominate the BESS landscape in the U.S. As of November 2023, California has 7,302 MW of BESS capacity and Texas has 3,167, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).

California and Texas lead the nation in installed battery capacity (data based off preliminary monthly electric generator inventory). Georgia will soon be on this list.

Prior to the Mossy Branch Project, Georgia Power did a small-scale pilot, 2MW project in Northwest Georgia to experiment with battery storage. However, most of the learning has come from the Mossy Branch Facility.

Mitchell called it, significant before it even comes online.

We have learned a significant amount during development and construction that will aid us in the next 1000 MW of BESS, he said. We will be able to do the next projects more efficiently, faster, and better integrated.

The latest data from the EIA suggests storage capacity has been growing since 2021 and could nearly double by the end of 2024 in the U.S.

U.S. battery storage capacity has been growing since 2021 and could increase by 89% by the end of 2024 (data based on preliminary monthly electric generator inventory).

Good news for climate and grid resilience

Mossy Branch will improve grid reliability and flexibility without any local air emissions, Simon Mahan, executive director of Southern Renewable Energy Association said, adding that 65 MW is equal to 260 megawatt hours of energy storage.

A typical home may use about 30 kilowatt hours in a day, meaning Mossy Branch would provide enough energy for over 8,600 homes daily or power over 2,600 electric vehicles, Mahan said. Its about the size of a small to mid-sized natural gas power plant.

American Clean Power (ACP), the nonprofit group dedicated to bringing renewable energy to the energy system called BESS them critical to clean and efficient infrastructure.

Energy storage systems can support entire building or larger electrical grids during extreme weather events, according to ACPs energy storage fact sheet.

Batteries react faster to emergencies on the grid than any other type of power plant, Mahan said. Coal and nuclear plants can take hours to react, natural gas power plants can react sub-hourly, and batteries can react on a sub-minute basis.

As far as the cost of the system, Georgia Power would not release the amount Mossy Branch cost citing trade secrets.
GAINESVILLE, Va. (DC News Now)  A man was arrested after he fired his gun toward police officers and his family during a verbal argument.

The Prince William County Police Department said officers responded to a home, located in the 7800 block of Carrick Dr., for a report of a domestic dispute with weapons on Feb. 17 around 9:20 a.m.

The investigation revealed that Jessy Szypulski, 34, had a gun and was arguing with his family members inside their home.

Five people injured after crash in Fairfax County

Officers witnessed the argument from a window on the upper floor of the home and started evacuating other family members, including four kids. Thats when Szypulski fired a round from the upper floor toward the officers and his family.

No injuries were reported and everyone was safely escorted out of the home.

Szypulski ended up surrendering himself to officers without further incident.

He was charged with the following:

Four counts of attempted malicious wounding of a law enforcement officer

Five counts of attempted malicious wounding

Five counts of brandishing

Use of a firearm in commission of felony

Reckless handling

He was being held without bond.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
A high-ranking member of the Gangster Disciples gang has been sentenced to life in prison for the murders of three Athens men, two of whom were found dead in a storage unit.

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Lesley Chappell Green, aka Grip, 35, of Stone Mountain, was convicted of Racketeer Influenced and Corruption Organization (RICO) conspiracy on Aug. 17, 2023. He was sentenced to life in prison on Feb. 20. He is not eligible for parole.

Four other co-defendants convicted with Green will be sentenced in March.

Prosecutors said Green was a member of the Gangster Disciples Enforcement Team, which carried out assaults and murders to discipline other gang members.

Prosecutors said that in 2018, gang member Walter Brown was murdered in Athens. Green and Philmon Deshawn Chambers, aka Dolla Phil, who was also on the Enforcement Team, thought three men in Athense were responsible for the murder and sought revenge.

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Gang member Andrea Paige Browner, aka Drea, met a man related to the people the gang believed was responsible for Browns death, Rodriquez Rucker. Browner called Chambers and Green, who followed Rucker home and shot him to death, according to prosecutors.

Browner and Chambers left town after the murder. Browner was later taken into custody in Texas.

Chambers, who was still on the run, became suspicious that two other gang members, Derrick Ruff and Joshua Jackson, were cooperating with police.

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Chambers incorrectly concluded that Ruff and Jackson were snitches and directed Green, who held a subordinate position on the Enforcement Team, to carry out the murders of Ruff and Jackson, prosecutors said.

Ruff and Jackson were lured by Green to drive from Athens to Lawrenceville to break into a storage shed and steal things that they would then send to Chambers to help him as he hid from law enforcement.

Instead, Green killed Ruff and Jackson on Dec. 19 and hid their bodies in the storage unit.

The bodies were found in March 2019.

Chambers and Browner are each facing a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison. Robert Maurice Carlisle, aka Different, 37, of Lithonia, Georgia, and Shabazz Larry Guidry, aka Lil Larry, 29, of Decatur, Georgia, are also facing minimum mandatory life sentences.
Michael Jackson caused quite a thrill in pop culture with his music during his time.

Gary, Indiana, is well known as home to the King of Pop, born in 1958. But how did it get its name?

American pop star Michael Jackson performs in his "Dangerous" world tour concert in front of 40,000 screaming fans at the Municipal Stadium in Taipei, Taiwan, Monday, Sept. 6, 1993. This is his second concert in Taipei. (AP Photo/Eddie)

'A race to the bottom': Indiana wetlands bill could affect Great Lakes, Mississippi River

Where is Gary, Indiana located?

Gary, a city located in Lake County, Indiana, is about 25 miles from downtown Chicago and adjacent to the Indiana Dunes National Park, bordering southern Lake Michigan, according to the City of Gary website.

The steel industry in Indiana

Gary, located near the southeastern portion of the Chicago metropolitan area, was once one of the largest steel manufacturing cities in the country.

Who is Gary, Indiana named after?

Hint: it isn't Michael Jackson. Gary is named after lawyer Elbert Henry Gary, founding chairman of the United States Steel Corporation.

Who was Elbert Henry Gary?

According to the National Iron & Steel Heritage Museum, Gary was a chief organizer of the United States Steel Corporation. He helped other companies like the Federal Steel Company, Carnegie Steel Company and others to merge, creating the United States Steel Corporation in 1901, the worlds first billion-dollar business. He acted as chairman of the board of directors and chief executive officer of the business, improving working conditions for employees. Gary died in 1927 and the city of Gary, Indiana, was named after him.

What's the population of Gary, Indiana?

As of the 2010 census, Gary had a population of over 80,000 people, with over 31,000 households and nearly 20,000 families residing in the city. Formerly the second largest city in the state of Indiana, Gary was the ninth largest city as of 2010.

What demographics make up Gary, Indiana?

The racial demographic of the city following the 2010 census was 84.8% African American, 10.7% White, 0.3% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 1.8% other races and 2.1% two or more races. Non-Hispanic Whites made up 8.9% of the population, significantly less than 39.1% in 1970, according to the City of Gary.

Age also varied. The median city age was 36.7 years, with 28.1% of the population under the age of 18. Furthermore, 8.6% of residents were between ages 18 and 24, 21.8% were between 25 and 44, 27.1% were ages 45 to 64 and 14.5% were 65 and up. By gender, 46% of the city was male with 54% female.

Things to do in Gary, Indiana

According to The Crazy Tourist, the best attractions in or near Gary are as follows:

Indiana Dunes National Park

Marquette Park

Gary Bathing Beach Aquatorium

Lake Street Beach

The Jackson Family Home

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Gary, Indiana: Who is it named after?
The UN has halted food deliveries in northern Gaza because of looting attacks as conditions deteriorate in the war stricken Palestinian territory (-)

UN aid agencies said Tuesday that food deliveries to war-torn northern Gaza had been suspended after looting attacks and that dozens of patients in a besieged hospital remain trapped in "indescribable" conditions.

The World Food Programme (WFP) and World Health Organisation (WHO) stepped up warnings as Israel prepares a major offensive in the southern city of Rafah.

The WFP said it resumed deliveries to northern Gaza on Sunday after a three-week halt but its first convoy "faced complete chaos and violence".

It said shots were fired. "Several trucks were looted... and a truck driver was beaten," the Rome-based agency added.

"On Monday, the second convoy's journey north faced complete chaos and violence due to the collapse of civil order."

WFP said it was forced to pause deliveries "until conditions are in place that allow for safe distributions".

Twenty weeks into Israel's war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, UN agencies have warned that food and safe water are very scarce. The WFP said its teams had reported "unprecedented levels of desperation".

The UN estimates fighting has pushed 2.2 million people to the brink of famine and displaced three-quarters of Gaza's population.

The war started when Hamas launched its unprecedented attack on October 7 that resulted in the deaths of about 1,160 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli figures.

Israel's retaliatory campaign in Gaza has killed at least 29,195 people, according to the latest count by the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.

- 32 patients transferred -

The WHO said it had carried out two missions to transfer 32 critical patients, including two children, from the besieged Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis on Sunday and Monday.

At least 130 patients and 15 doctors and nurses remain, after days of fighting around southern Gaza's chief hospital.

WHO staff said the scenes were "indescribable" with conditions ripe for disease.

"Nasser Hospital has no electricity or running water, and medical waste and garbage are creating a breeding ground for disease," the WHO said.

Israeli troops entered the Nasser hospital on Thursday and the WHO said it was denied access to the hospital on Friday and Saturday.

The intensive care unit was no longer functioning, WHO said, and patients were moved to other hospitals in the Gaza Strip.

Israel has concentrated its military operations in Khan Yunis for weeks.

gab-ide/rjm/spb/tw
GEORGETOWN, Texas (KXAN)  The City of Georgetown hopes an event this coming Saturday will give people ideas to save water inside and outside their homes.

The city is hosting its second annual Water Conservation Expo from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Friends and Hewlett rooms at the Georgetown Public Library at 402 W. Eighth St.

We are excited to host the Water Conservation Expo and provide our community with the tools and knowledge to make an impact on water conservation, said Tiffany Diaz, Georgetown Water Utility Regulatory and Conservation Manager, in a statement to KXAN. This event is a great opportunity for residents to connect, learn practical tips, and explore conservation solutions from local vendors.

According to the city, people will hear from experts and see exhibits. They will also have the chance to win door prizes, including a rain barrel.

The city says you should register online to attend. The first 20 people to register for the expo will receive a complimentary at-home water conservation kit.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
In an emotional statement released on Monday, Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, accused the Kremlin of hiding her husband's body to cover up his alleged murder in an Arctic penal colony.

Navalnaya pledged to carry on her late husband's battle against President Vladimir Putin, calling on Russians to join her in this fight. Her remarks came amidst mounting international scrutiny and condemnation over Navalny's mysterious death, with many pointing fingers at Putin's regime.

Navalnaya's Accusation Against Putin

Navalnaya's nine-minute video address, posted on YouTube ahead of her meeting with European Union foreign ministers in Brussels, delivered a scathing indictment of the Russian government's actions regarding her husband's death.

"Three days ago, Vladimir Putin killed my husband," she declared, alleging that authorities were waiting for traces of poison to dissipate from Navalny's body, echoing previous attempts on his life.

Referring to the notorious nerve agent Novichok, she accused the Kremlin of orchestrating her husband's demise.

"My husband could not be broken, and that's exactly why Putin killed him, in the most cowardly way," she said. "He did not have the courage to look him in the eye or even say his name. And now they are also cowardly, hiding his body, not showing him to his mother, not giving it to her."

The circumstances surrounding Navalny's death have ignited global outrage and suspicion.

While Russian prison authorities claimed he died suddenly after collapsing during a walk and disregarded insinuations linking Putin to his demise, Navalny's supporters and international leaders have dismissed this explanation.

Navalnaya reiterated these doubts, asserting that Russian officials were "lying miserably" and obstructing efforts to retrieve Navalny's body for examination.

Navalny's associates revealed that his mother, Lyudmila Navalnaya, and legal counsel were refused permission to view his body. Additionally, they were informed that the inquiry into his death had been extended, with the body undergoing a "chemical examination" for another 14 days.

On Saturday, Navalny's mother, 69, journeyed to the Polar Wolf prison located just above the Arctic Circle in the Yamalo-Nenets region, where his son tragically passed away, and subsequently visited the local morgue.

Although prison authorities furnished her with documentation indicating the time of death, officials at the morgue denied possession of the body.

Subsequently, following a report by the Russian newspaper in exile Novaya Gazeta Europe affirming Navalny's presence at the morgue in Salekhard, the regional capital, Lyudmila Navalnaya and Navalny's legal team made another attempt to gain access to the morgue early Monday morning.

However, they were once again rebuffed, as detailed by Navalny's press secretary, Kira Yarmysh.

"They were not allowed to go in. One of the lawyers was literally pushed out," Yarmysh posted on X (formermy Twitter). "When the staff was asked if Alexei's body was there, they did not answer."

Read Also: Navalny's Death Takes Center Stage at 2024 Munich Security Conference

Navalnaya's Call to Action Against Putin's Regime

Navalnaya condemned the refusal to allow Navalny's mother and lawyers access to his body and accused investigators of stalling the probe. Her resolve to continue her husband's mission was palpable as she vowed to uncover the truth behind his death.

"We will name names and show faces," she declared, emphasizing the importance of persisting in the struggle for justice.

Her impassioned plea for solidarity resonated not only with Navalny's supporters but also with world leaders, who have called for accountability in the face of mounting evidence implicating the Russian government.

The Kremlin's response to Navalnaya's accusations has been guarded, with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov emphasizing that the investigation is ongoing and denying any official involvement in Navalny's death.

However, critics have pointed to Putin's silence on the matter as indicative of complicity. Navalnaya's defiance in the face of adversity has drawn admiration from supporters, who see her as a beacon of courage amid Russia's oppressive political climate.

In her video message, Navalnaya urged Russians to join her in exerting pressure on Putin's government. She pledged to persist in her husband's quest to expose Putin's purported wrongdoings and dismantle his entrenched grip on power in Russia.

"I call on you to stand with me. To share not only anguish and pain. But anger," she said.

Related Article: President Biden Accuses Putin of Responsibility in Navalny's Death, Denounces 'Brutality'
Gov. Brian Kemp announced a second increase to Georgias Criminal Justice Coordinating Councils Victims Services grant program.

As previously reported by Channel 2 Action News in December, Kemp said the state would invest $13.2 million in federal funds for the program.

On Monday, Kemp directed state officials to increase the amount by another $26 million from the remaining American Rescue Plan Act funds held by the state for the 2025 fiscal year.

In total, Georgia has used $94.2 million from ARPA funds to provide money to the grant program, according to the governors office.

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Im grateful were able to provide these desperately needed funds to support the victims of crime as the federal government fails to live up to their promises, Kemp said in a statement. Following the Biden administrations decision to renege on its commitment to victims of violent crime, we took action to fund this vital program, and now we are again standing in that gap so that those who have suffered already need not suffer further.

As previously reported by Channel 2 Action News, focused on documents published by the U.S. Department of Justice, the Crime Victims Fund Obligation Limit implemented by U.S. Congress for the coming budget plan was lowered to $1.2 billion. The overall fund obligation cap was set at $700 million, compared to the previous years $1.9 billion, signifying a drop of roughly 37% from 2023. In 2022, the budget was dropped 27%.

The governors office also said the initial increases for the Victims Services grant were announced after federal cuts to the national Crime Victims Fund, called the Victims of Crime Act funds, despite a continued and heightened need for services as a result of increases in crime during and following the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Feb. 5, the federal Office for Victims of Crime proposed a rule change to how VOCA funds are provided to states and awarded from the CVF.

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According to officials, the proposed rule would address concerns raised by partner organizations, such as the need to:

Expand allowable services and expenses.

Clarify statutory program requirements.

Increase outreach to Tribal communities.

Strengthen victim confidentiality protections.

More specifically, the OVC proposal says it would let states adopt new policies that would cover expenses to victims for dental services and devices with a state-defined cost threshold, for when the services are needed due to a physical injury resulting from a compensable crime.

Additionally, similar coverage options would be available for medical expenses and mental health counseling and care covered by the state, in a limited though proposed broader, expense allowance.

The OVC proposal also would lower the threshold for states to request funds reimbursement for costs of personnel who work on recovery efforts, among other changes detailed here.

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The proposal also specifically mentions adding a ban on states denying claims based upon criminal history, citing a historic disparate treatment in the criminal justice system based on populations demographic differences.

Certain populations may be more likely to have criminal history due to unjustified disparate treatment in the criminal justice system or due to criminal conduct induced through force, fraud, or coercion, such as unlawful acts that traffickers compelled their victims to commit, and this can result in unjustifiably disproportionate denial of claims for those populations, the proposal says.

In January, Channel 2s Richard Elliot reported on Georgias opening of a new facility to help survivors of human trafficking called Graces Place, named for the Grace Commission.

Georgia First Lady Marty Kemp has spearheaded the commission in Georgia. Officials told Channel 2 Action News that the facility will be a home for human trafficking victims, and opened in Gwinnett County last month.

IN OTHER NEWS:
A woman was arrested for drug trafficking and deputies said she also had her kids in the car at the time of the incident.

Oglethorpe County Georgia Sheriffs Office said deputies conducted a traffic stop on Stephens Salem Road on Monday morning around 12:40 a.m.

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While the deputy was writing the citations for the traffic violation, a K-9 unit arrived and did an exterior sweep of the car.

According to deputies, after the dog had a positive alert on the car, they searched it and found methamphetamine inside.

The car and drugs were seized and the 41-year-old woman was arrested.

Deputies said she is facing drug trafficking and reckless endangerment charges for having her two juvenile children with her while trafficking drugs.

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Deputies also found out she was currently out on bond awaiting trial for a previous drug trafficking arrest from Feb. 14, 2023.

She was recently indicted for that charge in January.

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Soldiers line up during the visit of Boris Pistorius German Minister of Defense, on board the frigate "Hessen". Shortly before the dangerous deployment of the frigate "Hessen" in the Red Sea, Pistorius visited the 240 soldiers on board on 20 February. The minister flew to Crete on 19 February, where the 143-metre-long warship is currently making a stopover on its way from Wilhelmshaven to the deployment area. Michael Fischer/dpa

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has emphasized the importance of the planned deployment of a German frigate in the Red Sea as part of an EU naval mission to protect shipping from Houthi militants in Yemen.

"We will protect international security and freedom of navigation. The impact will not be underestimated," the minister told public broadcaster ZDF on Tuesday.

The deployment is a "very important signal to the attacking Houthi and the organisations and states behind them."

On Monday, EU foreign ministers approved the mission, which involves sending European warships and airborne early warning systems to the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and surrounding waters.

The vessels will have orders only to fire on the militants if they attack first and will not be authorized to shoot pre-emptively. The operational command is to be in the Greek city of Larissa.

Houthi militants from Yemen have been attacking ships in the region in what they say is retaliation for Israeli military action in the Gaza Strip.

The freedom of trade routes and the safety of ships on the most important sea corridor between Europe and Asia are indispensable, Pistorius said.

"Germany cannot stand on the sidelines and do nothing," he said.

Pistorius will be on the Greek island of Crete on Tuesday, where he is visiting the 240 or so soldiers on board the Hessen frigate.

The warship is currently making a stopover there on its way from the German port of Wilhelmshaven to the theatre of operations. If the Bundestag approves the mission on Friday as expected, the frigate will sail into the Red Sea from the Egyptian Suez Canal immediately afterwards.
Boris Pistorius (L), German Minister of Defense, and the commander, frigate captain Volker Kuebsch, stand on board the frigate "Hessen" in Souda Bay, Crete. Shortly before the dangerous deployment of the frigate "Hessen" in the Red Sea, Defence Minister Pistorius will visit the 240 soldiers on board on Tuesday. The minister flew to Crete on Monday evening, where the 143-metre-long warship is currently making a stopover on its way from Wilhelmshaven to the deployment area. Michael Fischer/dpa

The planned deployment of a German frigate in the Red Sea is one of the German navy's most dangerous missions in decades, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said on Tuesday during a visit to the ship in Crete.

The deployment, which is part of an EU naval mission to protect shipping from Houthi militants in Yemen, is a sign that Germany is taking international responsibility, Pistorius said.

"It is no exaggeration to say that this is the most serious, the most dangerous deployment of the navy in decades," Pistorius said.

The mission is about protecting international law, freedom and security on the seas, but also about stabilizing trade routes and the entire region, the minister explained.

The deployment is a "very important signal to the attacking Houthis and the organizations and states behind them," the minister told public broadcaster ZDF earlier on Tuesday.

The vessels will have orders only to fire on the militants if they attack first and will not be authorized to shoot pre-emptively. The operational command is to be in the Greek city of Larissa.

Houthi militants from Yemen have been attacking ships in the Red Sea in what they say is retaliation for Israeli military action in the Gaza Strip.

The freedom of trade routes and the safety of ships on the most important sea corridor between Europe and Asia are indispensable, Pistorius said.

"Germany cannot stand on the sidelines and do nothing," he said.

The defence minister did not rule out a direct attack by the Houthi on the German frigate. At the same time, he emphasized that this was a defensive operation. "We are only travelling with the frigate to fend off attacks with drones, missiles, whatever on the ships passing through here."

Pistorius travelled to Crete on Tuesday to visit the 240 or so soldiers on board the Hessen frigate.

EU foreign ministers approved the mission on Monday.

The warship is currently making a stopover there on its way from the German port of Wilhelmshaven to the theatre of operations. If parliament approves the mission on Friday as expected, the frigate will sail into the Red Sea from the Egyptian Suez Canal immediately afterwards.

Soldiers line up during the visit of Boris Pistorius German Minister of Defense, on board the frigate "Hessen". Shortly before the dangerous deployment of the frigate "Hessen" in the Red Sea, Pistorius visited the 240 soldiers on board on 20 February. The minister flew to Crete on 19 February, where the 143-metre-long warship is currently making a stopover on its way from Wilhelmshaven to the deployment area. Michael Fischer/dpa
Germany's coalition parties are preparing a resolution on arming Ukraine that does not explicitly mention Taurus cruise missiles, German media reported on Feb. 20.

The new proposal aims to increase provisions of ammunition, vehicles, and weapons systems to Kyiv but does not specifically mention the Taurus missiles.

Taurus missiles have been the subject of extensive discussion since Ukraine submitted a request for the weapons, which have a range of up to 500 kilometers, in May 2023.

Much of the debate surrounding the supply of Taurus is connected to the prospect of the missiles being used within Russia's territory.

According to German media, the plan will address "the supply of additional necessary long-range weapons systems and ammunition to enable Ukraine...to enable targeted attacks in accordance with international law on strategically relevant targets far in the rear area of the Russian aggressor.

Late last week, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius told reporters that there is still no new information about Germany sending Taurus long-range missiles.

German lawmakers are expected to vote on the non-binding proposal later this week.

Read also: Ex-German president calls for Germany to deliver Taurus missiles to Ukraine

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Car valet Sebastian Grossmann has opened the door of a car in front of the entrance to the Hotel Adlon Kempinski. The hospitality industry in Germany grew more slowly in 2023 than initially estimated last month, new figures released on Tuesday showed. Hannes P Albert/dpa

The hospitality industry in Germany grew more slowly in 2023 than initially estimated last month, new figures released on Tuesday showed.

Price-adjusted sales rose by only 1.1% in 2023 compared to the previous year, the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) reported. Compared to the pre-pandemic year of 2019, sales were 11.3% lower.

In an initial estimate for 2023 in mid-January, the authority had assumed price-adjusted sales growth of 2.6% year-on-year.

In non-price-adjusted terms, hoteliers and restaurateurs had 8.5% higher revenues than in the previous year. The first estimate was 9.6%.

Hotels and restaurants owed the barely positive result for 2023 primarily to the particularly strong price-adjusted growth at the beginning of the year. As the year progressed, higher prices for food, staff and energy weighed the industry down, Destatis said.
It is not entirely clear what the new guidance issued to schools about the use by children of mobile phones on the premises is intended to achieve. If it is a ban, why not say so unequivocally?

Gillian Keegan, the Education Secretary, said the aim was to offer consistency to reset the social norm that there is no place for mobile phones in our schools all the way through the school day. There was currently a mixed picture, with some schools allowing use of mobiles during break times and others having an outright ban.

Yet the guidance states that school leaders should develop and implement a policy ... which reflects their schools individual contexts and needs, leaving open the probability that it will be applied differently across the country.

Some will prohibit phones  as they already do  others can require that they are handed in at the start of the day and returned at the end, while in some cases pupils might be allowed to retain possession only on the strict condition that they are never used, seen, or heard. This is a recipe for confusion among families with children at different schools operating different policies. A total ban would be a more coherent approach and everyone would then know where they stood.

But the real problem is not in school but at home. Their childrens access to unsuitable material on smartphones is something that parents need to be aware of and be able to control.

The state should be using its power to force social media giants to remove disturbing and extreme content from sites that children regularly visit. The concept of child-friendly mobiles, which enable contact to be retained but block access to harmful content, could also be usefully explored.

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Sony is rumored to be preparing to release the PlayStation 5 pro version sometime later this year at much cheaper prices than previously expected.

The development comes despite the company cutting its forecast for sales of its flagship console. Furthermore, the move is said to be designed to boost interest in the PlayStation 5 while also offering a more powerful version of hardware that would be ready for the release of Grand Theft Auto VI next year.

PlayStation 5 Pro Rumors

Even while expectations of a new console continue to rise, the gaming company is struggling with a big issue, which is that profit margins at its key gaming business are sitting near decade lows.

The PlayStation 5 was first released in November 2020 and the gaming company cut its forecast of the console's sales for the fiscal year ending in March from 25 million units to 21 million units. Last week, one executive said during Sony's earnings call that it is expecting a "gradual decline" in unit sales from the next fiscal year, as per CNBC.

When a similar situation happened in past console cycles, gaming companies have looked to bring out a refreshed piece of hardware in an effort to reinvigorate sales. One instance is when Sony launched a "Pro" version of the PlayStation 4 roughly three years after the base model was initially launched.

In a statement, the CEO of Tokyo-based games consultancy Kantan Games, Serkan Toto, said that there seems to be a broad consensus in the gaming industry that Sony is already preparing to launch a pro version of its latest console.

He added that the gaming company would most likely want to make sure to have a great piece of hardware ready when the GTA VI game, which is one of the most hotly anticipated games of the decade, comes out.

Read Also: Virtual Reality: Mark Zuckerberg Tries Out Apple's Vision Pro, Says Meta Quest 3 Is 'Better Product'

Cheaper Price for Better Performance

Sony has so far launched a slightly upgraded PS5 model last year as well as a handheld console known as the PlayStation Portal. However, a pro version of the base model is expected to be a much larger upgrade.

Previously leaked information suggests that the pro version is expected to come with eight-core Zen 2 CPUs which clock in at 4GHz, an RDNA 3 GPU at 2.8 GHz, as well as 16GB of 18,000 MT/s GDDR6 memory with a bandwidth of 587 GB/s, according to Gaming Bible.

With the rumors of its specifications and potential release date, another point of discussion is the pro model's price. However, a leaker, Moore's Law is Dead, said that Sony is planning to sell the upgraded version of its console without a disc drive for only $499.

Furthermore, rumors suggest that the price cut for the PlayStation 5 Slim could bring its price down from $449 to $399. This development is not as surprising considering that much of the hardware is the same, which means that the company will not have to change too much.

The relatively cheap price, which is still up for speculation, also comes as the pro version is expected to be as powerful as an AMD RX 7800 XT in terms of performance, running on a 4nm wafer, which could make the console more performant, said Dexerto.



Related Article: Nintendo Stock Takes Hit as Switch Successor Release Reportedly Pushed to 2025
The White House is using the House recess as a political weapon to batter Republicans for going on vacation without passing aid for Ukraine or funding the government.

Global events have added a sharpness to the attacks  and perhaps some vulnerability for House Republicans.

Immediately after the House left the Capitol without taking up a Senate-approved bill that would provide $60 billion to Ukraine, Russian dissident Alexei Navalny died in prison.

The White House has blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin for Navalnys death and pointed to the lack of action from Congress as one reason the the Kremlin leader is growing more confident with the U.S. receding from Ukraine and Europe.

Not long after the shocking news about Navalnys death in prison, Russia earned a significant victory in the battle for Ukraine by taking the city of Avdiivka. It was Russias first meaningful battleground victory over Ukraine in nearly a year, and a warning sign for Ukrainian forces running low on arms.

Navalnys death and the Russian victory have led Biden to go further on offense against the House GOP and his likely opponent in November, former President Trump.

Theyre making a big mistake by not responding, Biden told reporters Monday, speaking of the GOP House. The way theyre walking away from the threat of Russia, they way theyre walking away from NATO. The way theyre walking away from meeting our obligations. Its just shocking. I mean, theyre wild. Ive never seen anything like it.

President Biden

President Biden answers a reporters question before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, February 20, 2024. Biden will participate in four campaign receptions in California over the next three days. (Allison Robbert)

It was the third time in four days Biden took aim at House Republicans for leaving town without taking action to aid Ukraine.

Its about time they step up  dont you think?  instead of going on a two-week vacation. Two weeks theyre walking away. Two weeks. What are they thinking? My God, this is bizarre, Biden said Friday.

Biden on Saturday called it absurd and unethical to abandon Ukraine as it nears the two-year anniversary of Russias invasion.

House GOP leadership canceled votes for Friday, and the House will return to Washington on Feb. 28 after the Presidents Day recess.

White House communications director Ben LaBolt in a statement Tuesday highlighted Bidens support for a Senate border security proposal and his unwavering support for Ukraine in contrast with the inaction of House Republicans.

Instead of matching President Bidens leadership on these urgent priorities they claim to share, House Republicans are on Day 5 of an early, undeserved vacation while their inaction does escalating damage to our national security, LaBolt said. Russia just saw its most significant gains in Ukraine in nearly a year because Ukraine is running low on supplies and Congress has failed to pass critically needed support.

Speaker Johnson and House Republicans must act  time is of the essence, he added.

Johnson on Friday issued a statement saying Putin was likely directly responsible for Navalnys death, but he did not give any indication the incident had immediately changed his calculus on bringing Ukraine aid to the floor for a vote.

In the coming days  we must be clear that Putin will be met with united opposition, Johnson said. As Congress debates the best path forward to support Ukraine, the United States, and our partners, must be using every means available to cut off Putins ability to fund his unprovoked war in Ukraine and aggression against the Baltic states.

Top Stories from The Hill

The White House has for weeks sought to argue congressional Republicans are taking orders from Trump, who urged lawmakers to oppose a bipartisan border security bill and who has been skeptical of aiding Ukraine.

Now, the House GOPs inaction on Ukraine coincides with comments from Trump that he would not protect NATO allies from a Russian attack if they had not contributed enough money toward defense spending.

The idea we need anything more to get the Ukraine aid, I mean, this is  in light of a former presidents statement saying Russia, if they havent paid their dues to us, Go get them. Come on. What are these guys doing? What are they doing? Biden said Friday.

The more aggressive use of the bully pulpit against Trump and the House GOP comes as polls show Biden in a neck and neck race with the former president. The polls, some of which show Trump with a lead, have added to Democratic nerves about holding on to the White House in November.

The Biden campaign, matching the more aggressive attacks from the White House, on Friday dropped an ad attacking Trump over his NATO comments, arguing he wants to walk away from NATO.

The ad will run through Super Tuesday next month and target voters in the battleground states of Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, which the campaign noted is home to more than 2.5 million Americans who identify as Polish, Finnish, Norwegian, Lithuanian, Latvian, or Estonian  all NATO countries that border Russia.

Democrats see the effort as an attempt to put more pressure on the GOP over Ukraine, but also to win points in the fall.

I think what the Democratic party at large and the Joe Biden campaign  is going to do is make the case directly to voters that by letting Vladimir Putin do whatever the hell he wants, we are less safe at home and undermining our national and global security, a national Democrat told The Hill.

Bidens handling of the war in Ukraine has been a rare bright spot for him in polls.

A Quinnipiac University poll published Jan. 31 found 47 percent of voters approve of Bidens response to the Russian invasion, compared with 46 percent who disapprove. Those figures helped buoy his overall approval on foreign policy, which sat at 37 percent.

Johnson, who is working with an extremely narrow margin in the House, initially opposed a bipartisan border security proposal, aligning with Trump, who said it was a political loser for Republicans.

The Speaker has since rejected the national security supplemental passed with an overwhelming majority in the Senate because he said it did not include strong border provisions.

The White House has blasted Johnson for his changing approach on the issue and unwillingness to even bring Ukraine aid up for a vote, which officials believe would pass on a bipartisan basis. Biden on Monday signaled he could be open to a sit-down with Johnson as the White House views the situation as increasingly urgent.

Sure, Id be happy to meet with him if he has anything to say, Biden said.

Raj Shah, spokesperson for Johnson, said the presidents response is overdue.

We welcome the Presidents reversal and openness to meeting with Speaker Johnson about the best path forward for securing the nation. Its long overdue. We look forward to hearing from the White House when hell be available for a one-on-one meeting that the Speaker has requested for weeks, Shah said.

Democratic strategist Michael Starr Hopkins said actions speak louder than words and that House Republicans have failed to stand firm against Russias aggression.

Navalnys death should have been a clarion call to action, a somber reminder of the stakes at play, yet it seems the only call being answered is one to leisure. Its a glaring exhibition of placing politics over principle, a move so brazenly detached from the urgency of global leadership that it would be comedic, if it werent so tragically inept, he said.

In addition to Ukraines urgent needs, there is a looming government shutdown deadline lawmakers must contend with. Lawmakers in January struck a deal to punt the deadline to March 1 for four appropriations bills and to March 8 for eight others.

We have two government shutdowns looming on March 1st, and I think March 8th, and the president is right to call Republicans back to work and say, Lets finish the job, longtime Democratic strategist Donna Brazile said Sunday on This Week.

Michael Ricci, former communications aide to Speakers John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), said the House GOP not passing Ukraine aid before recess isnt surprising and called the caucus a campaign arm for Trump.

As shocking as Navalnys death is, this is the same Congress that couldnt pass a straightforward aid package for Israel after Israel was attacked. Events can overtake a lot of things, but the unrest among House Republicans is so institutionally paralyzing that recesses are essentially reprieves at this point, he said.

To combat the White Houses attacks during recess, House leadership could convene conference calls and put out Dear Colleague letters. But, Ricci argued, the chaos could continue instead.

To do that, of course, they need some kind of a message and a direction, and hopefully the hiatus helps them get there, said Ricci, a partner at Seven Letter. The reality is, House Republicans are increasingly becoming a campaign arm for Trump  who wants all chaos and no action  and that will only increase in the weeks ahead.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) backtracked on Monday afternoon and deleted a tweet that wrongly identified a local resident as being an illegal alien and one of the gunmen in the Kansas City Super Bowl parade shooting.

According to the Knoxville News Sentinel, Burchett only deleted the post after the outlet contacted him on Monday and asked about the tweet, which falsely claimed Kansas native Denton Loudermill was one of the suspected shooters.

In the wake of the tragic shooting that left one dead and 22 others injured, social media was flooded with right-wing disinformation tying the shooting to illegal immigration, particularly around press photos of Loudermill being detained in cuffs by police near the scene.

Before long, viral posts surfaced alleging that a 44-year-old illegal immigrant named Sahil Omar was identified as one of the shooters and had been arrested by Kansas City police, citing images of a detained Loudermill. The Associated Press noted that the name Sahil Omar has been used to make similar erroneous claims about other recent tragedies, likely preying on fears about immigration and crime.

At least one of the Kansas City Chiefs parade shooters identified as Sahil Omar, a 44 year old illegal immigrant, one widely read X post blared about the KC shooting. Biden has failed to protect America from invasion and terrorism.

Feeding into the panic, Burchett tossed the following caption alongside an image of Loudermill: One of the Kansas City Chiefs victory parade shooters has been identified as an illegal Alien.

It has come to my attention that in one of my previous posts, one of the shooters was identified as an illegal alien. This was based on multiple, incorrect news reports stating that. I have removed the post. pic.twitter.com/11KlFIyvF9  Tim Burchett (@timburchett) February 19, 2024

It was soon clear, however, that Burchetts claim was untrue. Within a day of the shooting, local law enforcement said they had multiple juvenile suspects in custody. While the teenagers havent been publicly named yet, Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves said there was no nexus to terrorism or homegrown violent extremism and that the incident appeared to stem from a personal dispute between the assailants.

Additionally, Loudermill was never a suspect in the shooting and had only been briefly detained by police because he was intoxicated and did not immediately move from the crime scene. There were many people detained at one time or another on Wednesday, the Kansas City police department said in a statement. Some of the detainments could result in future charges unrelated to the shooting. No one who is believed to be involved in the shooting has been released.

Meanwhile, Loudermill has spent the past few days attempting to clear his name after he was falsely tied to the shooting.

Mr. Denton has received death threats over a lie, over misinformation, Loudermills attorney LaRonna Lassiter Saunders said in a press conference on Saturday. He didnt do anything wrong. He did not commit a crime. So please, run, tell that. Get the truth out there. Help us clear his name. Help us save his life.

She added: Mr. Denton had several drinks, but so did a half million other people, including some of the Chiefs players. Its not a crime. It doesnt make you a mass shooter.

After taking down the false tweet four days after initially posting it, a less-than-contrite Burchett shared a screenshot of the deleted post alongside the following explanation: It has come to my attention that in one of my previous posts, one of the shooters was identified as an illegal alien. This was based on multiple, incorrect news reports stating that. I have removed the post.

Several local Kansas City journalists responded by asking the Tennessee Republican if he planned to issue an apology for the damage your tweet caused Denton Loudermill, noting that bad actors spreading rumors on social media hardly constitutes as a news report.

A representative for Burchett did not immediately respond to a request for comment asking if the congressman had contacted Loudermill to issue an apology.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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As a leading Republican candidate for the highly competitive U.S. Senate race in Ohio, Bernie Moreno has leaned on his personal story as an immigrant from Colombia who built a national auto dealership empire.

But theres been something missing from that story: Morenos falling-out with his longtime friend and business associate, Gabriel Despres, a man he once credited as central to his success.

According to previously unreported legal filings, Despres sued Moreno in 2015, alleging unlawful and unscrupulous conduct in reneging on written and oral promises Moreno made about the money Despres would make and the role he would have in their dealership group.

The core allegation from Despres was that Moreno scuttled an agreement entitling him to 10 percent of the net proceeds from the sale of any of his dealerships in exchange for Despres giving up a large share of his annual salary for Moreno to use as capital to expand the business.

Trump-Endorsed Senate Candidate Once Called Him Fake Republican, Report Says

Despite the groups successand Moreno publicly saying Despres was the yin to my yangDespres claimed he was pushed out by Moreno before the sale of any dealerships, not because of his performance but because his old friend did not want to pay him.

While Despres could not put an exact number on the amount of money he believes he lost as a result, his attorneys estimated it was in the millions.

This case is about what turned out to be Morenos greed and duplicity towards the person who was most there for him from the beginning and who was instrumental to his own success, Despres attorneys wrote in their initial complaint.

Over two years of legal proceedings, Judge Patricia A. Gaughan of the U.S. Court for the Northern District of Ohio indicated her skepticism of the expansive relief to which Despres argued he was entitled. She also sided with Morenos lawyers in dismissing claims that he had engaged in fraudulent activity or unjustly enriched himself, in addition to finding Morenos promise to Despres too vague to be enforced.

But by May 2017, the two parties settled the dispute out of court, averting a jury trial on the matter and any verdict on Morenos guilt or innocence.

After the Judge dismissed the bulk of Gabes claims, Bernie decided to settle to avoid the further expense of trial, said Moreno campaign spokesman Conor McGuinness, in response to questions from The Daily Beast. The terms of the settlement are confidential, but Bernie was very pleased with the settlement.

I realize that lawyers like to sensationalize the claims they make because they think it will help their client, but the Despres case was really nothing more than a business dispute, which, like most business disputes, was eventually settled, McGuiness continued.

In a statement of his own, Moreno said he hired Despres to work for him in Ohiothey moved together there from Massachusetts to start the businessbecause he was a talented salesman.

Unfortunately, he went through some personal difficulties, Moreno said. Although I have not spoken to him since the lawsuit has been settled, my understanding is that he has resolved those difficulties. Everybody goes through hard times, Im very sympathetic to that fact, and I wish him all the best.

Despres did not respond to several emailed requests for comment. According to the legal filings, Despres endured a divorce during his work with Moreno and racked up considerable financial debt, for which Moreno loaned him money.

But Despres is not the only associate or employee to have taken legal action against Moreno.

Between 2015 and 2017, three lawsuits were filed against Moreno by employees at his Cleveland-area dealerships which alleged race, gender, and age discrimination, the Associated Press reported last month. A female employee with children, for instance, alleged that Moreno told her to put your kids in fucking daycare after she asked about flexibility in her work schedule. According to the AP, all three lawsuits were settled out of court.

The Pro-Trump Senate Candidate Who Didnt Scrub All of His Anti-Trump Tweets

In 2017, Moreno was sued by two former employees at his Massachusetts dealership who claimed that he failed to pay them overtime wages, under a state law that mandates employers must compensate their workers for extra hours worked even if their pay structures are commission-based.

In 2020, while the case was ongoing, Moreno destroyed overtime pay records, earning a sanction from the Massachusetts judge who instructed jurors to assume the evidence was damaging to Moreno. Ultimately, he lost the case and was ordered to pay over $416,000 to the former employees. In the months before launching his 2024 Senate bid, Moreno settled more than a dozen similar lawsuits out of court, according to Business Insider.

In response to these reports, Moreno and his campaign have defended his integrity in business dealings, while often noting that several former employees who sued him are now supporting his campaign for Senate.

While the federal court may have found issue with Despres legal arguments, the fundamental content of the case and key pieces of evidence provided by the plaintiff complicate the feel-good story about Morenos rise that has featured so prominently in his biography.

Having never held elected or political office, Morenos brand as a highly respected businessmanas his chief supporter Donald Trump called himis a core part of his appeal to Ohio voters.

Having won Trumps endorsement and that of many Republicans, Moreno is perhaps the favorite to win the March 19 primary election, though he faces two well-known GOP rivals in Secretary of State Frank LaRose and state Sen. Matt Dolan. The winner will take on incumbent Sen. Sherrod Brown (D) in November, a contest that both parties are treating as essential to winning the Senate majority.

What sets Despres story apart from others who alleged unlawful or unfair behavior on Morenos part, however, is how personal the saga seemed to be.

Their relationship dated back to 1996, according to Despres complaint, when both men were working at a Mercedes-Benz dealership in Lynnfield, Massachusetts. In 2005, Moreno left Massachusetts for the Cleveland area, where he had just acquired a Mercedes-Benz dealership. He asked Despres to join him and help him build a formidable auto dealership group from the ground up.

To lure Despres away from Massachusetts, where he had just purchased a home with his wife and young children, Moreno offered to pay him a $52,000 annual salary and an annual incentive of 10 percent of the dealerships net profit before taxes and after Morenos own annual salary of $300,000.

You will be a key part of the beginning of what I know will be a very successful and significant organization, Moreno wrote to his friend in a copy of the salary memo included in the lawsuit. You will be challenged more than you have ever been challenged before. However, the rewards will be unlike what you have known or thought possible.

After just a few months in operation, Mercedes-Benz of North Olmsted was already the top-performing Mercedes dealership in Ohio, earning a net profit of $500,000.

At the beginning of 2006, when Despres asked for his incentive paymentwhich would total around $50,000Moreno made him another offer. If he deferred those incentive payments and allowed Moreno to invest the money in the business, Despres would be entitled to 10 percent of the profits from any and all dealerships upon their sale.

Ohio Republican Proposes Reparations for Descendants of White Union Soldiers

According to Despres legal complaint, Moreno consistently said his plan was to ultimately sell their empire for a huge profit. In persuading Despres to defer his incentive payments, he allegedly said, trust me, we can put the money into a new dealership, and we will both make even more money when we sell.

Despres agreed to the deal, and in the following years, the group continued to expand, acquiring new dealerships and increasing their profits. In continuing to forgo the 10 percent incentive payment for each dealerships profits, Despres claimed in the lawsuit that he believes the amount he would have been entitled to under that arrangement is in the millions of dollars.

On multiple occasions, Despres said Moreno reaffirmed the benefits he would ultimately win for deferring those payments. During a trip together to Morenos beach home in Key Largo, Florida, he allegedly dubbed it as the 10-15-50 plan: Despres would get 10 percent of the profits from the sale of the dealerships, in roughly 15 years, which would lead to a profit of at least $50 million.

Things grew complicated when Despres, going through a divorce in 2008, faced financial distress and turned to Moreno for money, which Moreno agreed to loan himbut only if Despres agreed to forgo his salary until the loan was repaid.

As the business rebounded and continued to expand, in 2011, Moreno wrote a speech celebrating Despres on his 40th birthday at a party attended by a number of the auto groups employees. In those remarks, read by someone else because he could not attend, he cast Despres involvement as key to the companys success and called out several key employees who would not have joined if not for Despres.

Gabes role in understanding the vision we were trying to create was like lighter fluid on a fire, Morenos speech read, according to Despres complaint. He was the ying to my yang.

While he was publicly praising Despres, Moreno was planning to turn on Mr. Despres in an effort to avoid his commitment to him, the lawsuit alleged. He began expressing disappointment with Despres performance at his dealership and, without asking him, transferred him to what was considered the most challenging dealership in the company, where Moreno allegedly took steps to make his job harder. Despres claimed it was a set-up.

In 2012, as their relationship deteriorated, according to the lawsuit, Moreno sent Despres an email offering him two choices. One was to accept a worse pay structure with a warm embrace, get your head out of your ass, straighten out your financial affairs once and for all, and we move forward.

The other was to leave the company, accept $250,000 from the sale of an Acura dealership, have his $100,000 debt to Moreno forgiven, and part as friends.

Later, during a deposition for the lawsuit, Moreno would admit that he was being a schmuck when he offered Despres $350,000 as a way out of his relationship to him, according to an order from the judge.

But Despres didnt want to walk away from his vested interest in the companywhich was far more valuable than $350,000so he accepted the deal and remained on the team. Soon, however, he said he was unable to make his mortgage payments, and turned to Moreno again for a loan as he faced foreclosure.

Moreno agreed, but only if Despres signed what is called a cognovit promissory note, a binding agreement that would allow Moreno to collect on any debts swiftly and without Despres having any legal recourse to contest. He also took control of his friends finances and put him on a budget of $500 per week.

In emails provided as evidence in the trial, Despres was solicitous and apologetic as he sought Morenos help in alleviating his financial difficulties, acknowledging that he had been a poor manager of his books. In his responses, Moreno was blunt but not mean, admonishing Despres with some exasperation but calling him a good guy.

As the court records show, Bernie went to great lengths to try to help Gabe, including loaning him several hundred thousand dollars, said McGuinness, Morenos spokesman. Unfortunately, issues outside of work ultimately outweighed his ability to do his job.

In the end, Moreno gave Despres the choice to resign from the business or be fired. According to Despres, Moreno told him before he resigned that if he did anything to piss off his old boss, then he would come to collect on the cognovit notes.

It was not until 2016 that Moreno began selling off his collection of 15 car dealershipswhich reported annual profits of over $1 billionin order to focus on his new blockchain technology business. By 2022, he had sold them all, padding a net worth that likely totals in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

In March of 2015, after moving back to Massachusetts, Despres decided to sue Moreno.

The key allegations for Despres were that Moreno breached his contract with him and that he violated an obligation of promissory estoppelthe legal idea that a party is entitled to compensation if they can prove that someone made a significant promise to them, acted on reliance of that promise, and materially suffered for doing so.

In a November 2016 deposition, Despres ex-wife corroborated several of his claims about Morenos repeated affirmation of the 10-15-50 promises he made, according to legal filings.

But according to several opinion memos Gaughan issued, the judge was not convinced that Despres legal arguments and the evidence provided supported his aggressive claims for relief, which seemed to center on the idea he would be entitled to the annual incentives he gave up in exchange for a cut of any dealership sales.

In particular, Gaughan found that Morenos promise of 10 percent of the profits from the sale of any dealership was too vague and indefinite to be enforceable and did not constitute a binding agreement.

According to the legal docket for the case, a settlement conference was held in March 2017 between the plaintiff and defendant teams, during which they agreed on terms to avoid a trial. Days later, Gaughan dismissed the case with prejudice, meaning Despres could not refile the same claims in court again.

Given the secrecy around their settlement, its impossible to know exactly why the parties agreed or what the terms were. Like many defendants with financial resources and ambitions for power, Moreno may have decided that it was worth the money to put the matter to rest, even if he was confident in his case, so as to avoid a messy trial and potentially harmful or unflattering information that it might have unearthed.

Whatever the legal merits of the specific case, or what Despres could have done differently, his lawsuit made clear that if he regretted anything, it was trusting Moreno to treat him fairly.

As Mr. Despres much later realized but did not recognize at the time, his suit read, Moreno was the kind of friend and business partner who willingly made promises of great rewards during the good times, but who disappeared when times were not so good.

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SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4)  Utah Gov. Spencer Cox penned a 5,000-word essay laying out why he signed a bill last month that would substantially rework diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs in state colleges and universities.

On his Substack, the Republican governor published Friday a post titled, An accounting of my actions on DEI, which delves into his thoughts on the problems with DEI and details on why he supported House Bill 261.

Cox signs transgender bathroom bill, anti-DEI bill

While nuance is a foreign concept in the politics of today, I have not given up hope that explaining the thinking behind specific decisions I make  even those with which you may disagree  will help you understand the spirit with which I have recently taken those actions, the governor wrote.

HB261

Cox signed H.B. 261, known as Equal Opportunities Initiatives on Jan. 30, after Utah lawmakers passed the legislation with a veto-proof majority.

The bill reworks DEI programs in state colleges and universities, replacing them with Student Success Centers, which must be open to all students, regardless of their identity characteristics, such as race, gender or sexual orientation.

The bill also bars institutions from requiring new hires to sign diversity statements and requires that people not be treated differently based on their identity.

Critics of the bill said that revamping these programs would bring unintended consequences and send the wrong message to students who currently find support in them. Utah Democratic Party Chair Diane Lewis rebuked the governor for signing the controversial legislation.

Rather than placing common sense and good public policy over red meat culture wars, he has completely caved to the right wing of the Republican party in an effort to keep his political career alive, Lewis said in a statement.

In his essay, Cox defended the bill for maintaining support for struggling students, noting that other states have recently cut millions in funding for DEI programs and banned diversity statements without providing an alternative framework for helping students.

The governors problem with DEI

In his Substack post, Cox said usually when he asks someone upset by the bill if theyve read it, they generally say they havent.

Instead they tell me they have seen the headlines, a tweet, or read a newspaper article  Too often disingenuous media reports, and especially social media, are terrible places to have honest discussions about DEI. Any criticism of DEI programs are dismissed as made-up culture battles or, worse, signs of racism, he wrote.

While saying he supported efforts to improve diversity, the governor expressed concern about what he described as the divisive ideas behind DEI that have changed the landscapes of many American institutions, from elite colleges to media companies, over the last several years.

He noted several times in the essay that the E in DEI stands for equity, not equality. Whereas DEI seeks the equality of outcome, the governor said, hes focused on equality of opportunity.

We used to aspire towards the dream of Martin Luther King Jr. of a future where our children will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character, Cox wrote.

Now, Americans are accused of systemic racism for quoting these same immortal words of Dr. King. Up is down.

Talking past each other

In parts of his essay, the governor quoted long exchanges with reporters from a December press conference, seeking to clarify quotes about DEI and diversity statements that he said were later taken out of context.

He also compared the quotes of a queer University of Utah professor who spoke out against HB261 with the words of the bills sponsor, Rep. Katy Hall (R-South Ogden). His point was to show how they used nearly identical language to call for helping all students no matter their background, yet they were on different sides of the issue.

Im afraid that in our shouting, we have stopped listening to the actual words we are saying, Cox wrote. Unfortunately, the conflict entrepreneurs are desperate for the latest click, and as we know from social media algorithms, nothing sells better than anger.

He continued: At the core of the issue is this simple question: Can you be supportive of diversity and still raise concerns with the way in which $3.2 million in DEI operations are administered? If the answer is no, then Im afraid many of us, myself included, will forever be cast as hypocrites, racists, or worse.

Yet, the governor ended the piece on a positive note, expressing gratitude for the Utahns working to make the state more inclusive. He also thanked Utahns of color for continuing to educate him on the difficulties they face.

We have much to learn from each other, and I hope to be a better elected representative for all Utahns no matter their political beliefs or personal backgrounds, Cox wrote.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
Russian forces struck the Nikopol district in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast on Feb. 20, wounding three residents, Serhii Lysak, the regional governor, reported.

Nikopol, situated on the banks of the dried-up Kakhovka Reservoir, just across from Russian-occupied Enerhodar and the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, is a regular target of Russian attacks.

Russia hit the city of Nikopol and the Chervonohryhorivka community on Feb. 20, damaging houses, power lines, and cars, according to Lysak.

An 87-year-old woman received a hand injury and was hospitalized in severe condition, he said on Telegram.

The Russian attack also reportedly injured two men aged 41 and 59.

Russian strikes against multiple Ukrainian regions killed two people and injured another 10 overnight and on Feb. 19, regional authorities reported earlier.

Nikopol Deputy Mayor Vitalii Zhuravlov was shot to death in his car on Nikopol's streets on Feb. 8.

The police in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast detained on Feb. 12 a suspect in the murder case who was allegedly planning to commit similar crimes against other officials in Nikopol.

Read also: Life near Russian-occupied nuclear plant: I dont know if tomorrow will come

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Governor Roy Cooper will be visiting several schools in Morganton on Tuesday afternoon.

He will first visit Forest Hill Elementary School before making his way to the North Carolina School of Science and Math for a tour.

ALSO READ: Cooper visits Concord to highlight importance of public schools

Coopers said the visits are to highlight how strong public schools build strong communities.

This initiative follows his proclamation of 2024 as The Year of Public Schools.

VIDEO: Cooper visits Concord to highlight importance of public schools
















Beijing illuminates new winter tourism

08:41, February 20, 2024 By Xin Wen ( China Daily

On a bitterly cold Beijing evening in late November, 27-year-old Li Chuhan was one of thousands of spectators mesmerized by a light show that looked like spectacular scenes from a Harry Potter movie.

A flock of illuminated giant phoenixes  trailing long, fiery tail feathers  circled, soared and swooped over the lake near the Solana shopping mall in Chaoyang district.

Dressed in a thick coat and holding a camera, Li was surrounded by a group of people and jostled to capture images of the phoenixes, which in mythology are reborn through fire and ashes.

The simulated phoenixes that transfixed the crowd during the Beijing Chaoyang International Light Festival were "kites" powered by drones with a series of lights attached.

The festival, held along the Liangma River and across other landmark locations in Chaoyang, featured more than 100 cultural, commercial and tourism events.

Although she was chilled to the bone as she clutched her camera, Li said she hoped more light shows would be held in Beijing in the winter. "It's only on rare occasions that wintry days like these don't dampen people's enthusiasm to go out," she said, adding the night was a precious moment that lifted her spirits.

When it comes to winter spectacles, Harbin in Heilongjiang province traditionally captures the public imagination with its exhibitions of elaborate ice and snow sculptures. However, Beijing is catching up fast. Dazzling light displays in bustling commercial areas, augmented by lanterns hung on suburban trees for Chinese New Year, are trending topics on social media.

A large number of fish lanterns shining blue light on trees lit purple, nicknamed "Big Fish and Begonia" by netizens, have been praised for creating a cool urban atmosphere in Chaoyang's Sanlitun area. Other attractions that have gained attention include glowing spherical lights floating on the Liangma River in Chaoyang that twinkle in various colors, and clusters of red and yellow lights adorning trees in Moshikou Street in western Shijingshan district to welcome the arrival of Chinese New Year.

Shining examples

Experts are hopeful the city's displays, set against the backdrop of modern and older buildings, will prove to be another popular winter tourism attraction.

Li Li is the director of the Light and Shadow Center at the China Academy of Urban Planning and Design's Beijing Planning and Design Consultants Co, the major design institute responsible for the light show in Chaoyang. She believes the multicolored light displays and accompanying performances have added vibrancy to the city's winter skies.

"We wanted a pyrotechnic atmosphere that contrasts with the traditional cold, reinforced concrete image of a metropolis," she said. "We aimed to bring relaxation and pleasure rather than tension and stress to the business districts in Beijing, further restoring the city's charm during winter nights."

According to Li Li, the light shows complement the city's architecture and culture, and strengthen the image of urban cultural districts.

Li Chuhan, the engineer, said that she had never seen such a large number of people on the streets near Solana in winter. Visitors were crammed together as they crossed bridges over the Liangma River, and security guards used megaphones to ensure that the crowds moved safely.

Li Chuhan studied electrical engineering in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, from 2019 to 2022. She recalled that during Chinese New Year, the annual Qinhuai Lantern Festival held along scenic streets near the Confucius Temple added sparkle to the city's celebrations.

Although a Beijing native, she said in the past she had seldom attended lantern fairs in the city due to them being few in number and usually having lackluster decorations.

However, the light show on the Liangma River helped change her mind.

"Unlike the usual displays, the lighting along the river enthralled me," she said. "At a pier, light projections were cast on the wall of a building, constantly changing with the music, creating an artistic atmosphere that made me feel relaxed and joyful.

"That night, the river and shopping mall took on a chic appearance under the lights, with the architecture and nearby walking trails looking like the city of my dreams," Li Chuhan added.

Magical Moshikou

The red lanterns adorning Moshikou Street in Shijingshan district have also struck a chord with Beijingers and visiting tourists.

On the lifestyle-sharing platform Xiaohongshu, the hashtag "Moshikou" has generated more than 1.16 million views and the topic "Moshikou Street" has amassed over 780,000 views.

Taking pictures at dusk of the Moshikou Street lanterns has become a major trend on social media.

Zeng Huifan, 33, was among those who shared her posts on Xiaohongshu shortly after she visited the street at night.

Inspired by the approaching Chinese New Year, Zeng, an amateur photographer, decided in early January to capture the allure of the red lanterns.

"It's rare to find a place with such a large number of lanterns in Beijing as those areas have been eclipsed by the proliferation of high-rise buildings," she said.

Trees glittering with lanterns form a spectacular scene along the 1,500-meter stretch of Moshikou Street. Stores and stalls on the sides of the road offer culinary treats such as sesame flatbread, mutton soup, sugarcoated haws, and dumplings, adding to the hustle and bustle of the suburban setting.

"The entire street is very clean and full of a festive vibe for Spring Festival," said Zeng. "I got there around 5 pm on a Saturday last month, waited for the sunset for about half an hour, and took pictures of lanterns with a DSLR (digital single lens reflex) camera for about 20 to 30 minutes.

"I've been living in Beijing for 18 years, and it was the first time that I paid attention to Moshikou Street, which amazed me with its festive air and artistic wall paintings," she said. "To my recollection, a place like Moshikou has seldom been seen in the city."

Visitors enjoy the annual Longqing Gorge Ice Lantern Festival in Beijing's northwestern Yanqing district. [ZOU HONG/CHINA DAILY]

Ice lanterns

Another popular event  the annual Longqing Gorge Ice Lantern Festival in Beijing's northwestern Yanqing district  had attracted more than 60,000 tourists by the end of last month. Dragon-themed elements were integrated into the ice and snow sculptures to convey blessings and good fortune for the Year of the Dragon.

"A large number of dragon-related festive lanterns were set up for tourists. Folk tales based on the dragon became the main themes of this year's ice lantern design," said Zhang Haijun, head of the Yanqing Office of Ice Lanterns, who is also the designer and coordinator of the 38th Longqing Gorge Ice Lantern Festival, which runs from Jan 15 to Feb 28.

One of the features of the event is a 120-meter-long gold dragon-shaped lantern placed on the top of a mountain to welcome tourists.

Zhang said the festival, sprawling across 250,000 square meters this year, has many spectacular displays for visitors.

"We created numerous photo opportunities for tourists, basically one every 50 meters along the tour route," he said. Some game characters loved by young people were also incorporated into the ice sculptures, he added.

Three ice sculptures of female cartoon characters caught the attention of children visiting the festival. Li Yitong, a 9-year-old from Haidian district, said she liked the originality and novelty of the sculptures.

"There are different colors on every cartoon sculpture  green, pink and blue  which made the characters look so real," said Li Yitong. "I would touch them if there were no barriers."

Her mother, Zhao Jiana, who drove for about an hour to take her daughter to the event, said the novel elements of this year's festival are likely to have increased the number of visitors.

Zhao said her daughter also joined a group of children who performed a dance in an open space at the Longqing Gorge scenic area. "She was so happy that she even forgot about the freezing cold temperature that day," Zhao said.

Zhang, the head of the ice lantern office, said a glacier waterfall, which is about 26 meters high and has snow monsters and polar bears at the bottom, is another popular attraction at this year's festival.

"Our ice lantern festival is not a knockoff of the Harbin Ice and Snow World but rather another event located near Beijing, which makes the visitors feel they are in the Arctic," he said.

Lights adorn buildings along Liangma River during the Beijing Chaoyang International Light Festival this winter. [CHINA DAILY]

Learning experience

The lights have already dimmed on the Beijing Chaoyang International Light Festival, which ran from Nov 18 to Dec 9.

However, how such modern light shows can be integrated with traditional lantern fairs to create long-term attractions is still being considered by experts and event organizers.

As an offseason tourism event, the Chaoyang light show encouraged tourists to linger longer in Beijing, but greater efforts are needed from local authorities and business owners to build on that success.

"In fact, Beijing's weak point is its cold weather in winter, and the night economy has been affected over the past few years," said Xiong Haifeng, an associate professor with the School of Cultural Industries Management at the Communication University of China.

"This year's light show has spawned new business models and offered immersive experiences for tourists, thus having an integrated and comprehensive impact."

While Beijing has taken initial steps on tourism initiatives this winter, finding effective solutions to further stimulate urban vitality in the cold months and boost the night economy requires more exploration, he said.

However, light shows have a natural advantage in attracting people, Xiong said. Chasing a light source is embedded in the human psyche, with illumination giving people a sense of warmth and security.

"Fundamentally, a light show fulfills people's inner emotional needs for the pursuit of a better life and greater expectations," Xiong said.

This winter's light displays in Beijing had also gone beyond "illumination and beautification" to express the city's values and aspirations, he added.

"The light show was by no means a mere display of high-tech skills. It integrated design with the urban landscape and cultural roots to resonate with the visitors," he said.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing)
Brockton School Committee members issue a request for the deployment of National Guard personnel as part of their efforts to quell violence amid safety concerns.

The members, including Joyce Asack, Tony Rodrigues, Claudio Gomes, and Ana Oliver called on the city's mayor to ask Gov. Maura Healy for support. They sent the letter to Mayor Robert Sullivan on Thursday.

Requesting Deployment of the National Guard

They asked him to request for National Guard support to "assist in restoring order, ensuring the safety of all individuals on the school premises, and implementing measures to address the root causes of the issue we are facing."

On Monday, the members who wrote the letter confirmed that it had been sent to Healey's office. However, the mayor issued a statement that afternoon, saying that he does "not support utilizing the National Guard at Brockton High School."

Sullivan said that while they appreciate the suggestions put forth by the four school committee members, such measures are not appropriate. Instead, he said that they are committed to employing a collaborative approach that would involve the entire community, including parents, students, educators, and law enforcement, in order to address the problems head-on, as per Boston 25News.

The mayor also said that they need to give their administrators the tools they need to keep order in the school. These include amending certain State rules and regulations that currently stifle these efforts. Sullivan added that deploying members of the National Guard is not the answer to the problem.

During a press conference that was held outside the high school around noon, the four School Committee members spoke about why they were requesting the deployment of the National Guard. They said that anyone who supports safety within schools in the community would also support the National Guard coming to the area to keep students safe.

Rodrigues added that school officials were looking to get the support of the National Guard so that they could "act as substitute teachers and hall monitors to make sure that the establishment is safe. He noted that the city's middle schools and elementary schools were also of concern.

Read Also: Georgia Now Aims To Stop Gender Identity Lectures in Schools; LGBTQ Advocates Oppose New Senate Bill 88

Addressing Rising Violence in the Educational Institution

He also said that the four members who wrote the letter have taken a "leadership role" in making the request. Furthermore, he blamed the chair of the committee, Mayor Sullivan, for allegedly failing to develop a plan to curb violence in the school, according to the Boston Globe.

The mayor said that he forwarded the committee members' request to the office of Healey, as only the state's governor has the power to enact the National Guard. A spokesperson for the governor's administration, Karissa Hand, said that they were aware of the request and have been in touch with local officials.

The request comes as Brockton High School has experienced increasing turmoil this school year as many teachers publicly describe shocking levels of chaos and violence. The institution is the largest high school in Massachusetts.

Sullivan also met with Brockton Police Chief Brenda Perez on Friday and a statement said that they further discussed school safety measures and protocols. It added that the increased efforts for students and staff is vitally important and is the desired timely result, said The Enterprise.



Related Article: Woman Shot Dead at Chiefs Victory Party Identified as Local Radio DJ
A Russian missile attack on Kramatorsk in Donetsk Oblast injured at least three people on Feb. 20, Governor Vadym Filashkin reported.

Filashkin said two explosions were heard in Kramatorsk at around 8:00 p.m. local time. An industrial area and a residential building were reportedly damaged.

We are determining the final consequences of the shelling, Filashkin said, urging residents to evacuate from the front-line towns of Donetsk Oblast.

Kramatorsk City Council announced that the city's water supply may be interrupted in the aftermath of the attack.

Donetsk Oblast, which has been partially occupied by Russian forces since 2014, suffers from regular Russian attacks.

The day prior on Feb. 19, Filashkin reported that Russian forces fired at settlements in Donetsk Oblast, including the region's Bakhmut and Pokrovsk districts, five times.

Russian forces attacked the region's cities of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk on the evening of Feb. 17, killing two people.

Read also: Opinion: As an American in Avdiivka, what is Congress doing?

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
LEMOYNE, Pa. (WHTM)  Governor Josh Shapiro, along with Representative Patty Kim (D- Cumberland, Dauphin) and Borough President Gale Gallo, stopped in Lemoyne on Tuesday to continue his Main Street Matters Tour.

Shapiros proposed Main Street Matters program will be through the Department of Community and Economic Development and will build upon the Keystone Communities Program. That program supports downtowns and main streets, as well as surrounding neighborhoods.

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Within the past week, Shapiro visited small businesses and their owners across the state to hear stories and to learn what they need from their state government to be successful.

If we want to attract new businesses to Pennsylvania, support entrepreneurs, and create good paying jobs, then weve got to make sure our communities have healthy, vibrant Main Streets lined with shops and small businesses, said Governor Josh Shapiro. The number of opportunities we can create for Pennsylvanians is directly tied to the strength of our local businesses and main streets. My budget calls for $25 million for our new Main Street Matters initiative to support small businesses, downtowns, and main streets all across Pennsylvania. These investments are going to make a real difference across the Commonwealth.

Main Street Matters: Governor Shapiro Visits Lemoyne to Highlight Proposed $25 Million Investment to Create Economic Opportunity for PA Main Streets and Small Businesses

Main Street Matters: Governor Shapiro Visits Lemoyne to Highlight Proposed $25 Million Investment to Create Economic Opportunity for PA Main Streets and Small Businesses

Main Street Matters: Governor Shapiro Visits Lemoyne to Highlight Proposed $25 Million Investment to Create Economic Opportunity for PA Main Streets and Small Businesses

Main Street Matters: Governor Shapiro Visits Lemoyne to Highlight Proposed $25 Million Investment to Create Economic Opportunity for PA Main Streets and Small Businesses

Our Main Street corridors can be viewed as the Welcome sign to our towns and communities  its a reflection of our pride and priorities when it comes to our hometown and local businesses, said Representative Kim. But many municipalities struggle to upkeep its Main Streets and thats why Im excited for the Governors proposed investment. The Main Street Matters program will boost local economies while boosting the pride of where we work and live.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro presents annual budget address

Were grateful to Governor Shapiro for coming here today. Were grateful for this new program  the $25 million that he has earmarked in the budget for the Main Street Matters program  which is money that communities can tap into to help, said Borough Council President Gallo.

For more information on the Governors proposed budget, visit shapirobudget.pa.gov.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27.
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR)  On Sundays Face the Nation Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said a new national security bill, introduced by a bipartisan group of House lawmakers last week, may be Washingtons best bet to quickly get aid to Ukraine, Israel and the southern border.

Graham said he felt very optimistic after speaking to House colleagues, who were pushing the bill over the weekend. He suggested the group include more Trump-era border policies and convert the aid money into a loan, an idea floated by Donald Trump.

Do Remain in Mexico, Title 42. That combination not only gets through the House, it picks up votes in the Senate, said Graham.

Graham, who skipped out on an international security conference in Munich, Germany, to instead visit the southern border, is one of 29 Senate Republicans opposed to the Senates $95 billion foreign aid package because it excludes border funding.

As of Monday, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) was refusing to bring the bill up for a vote.

A small but growing group of Republicans and Democrats are backing the new bill in the House.

The bill, however, is likely a long shot because Democrats say it goes too far on border restrictions and it excludes billions in humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza.

Edward Ahmed Mitchell with the Council on American-Islamic Relations, which is demanding a ceasefire, calls the bill the worst option on the table. He says it completely ignores human suffering.

President Biden, I think is getting increasingly desperate to send aid to Ukraine and we hope that desperation does not lead him to give into horrible bills. Whether those bills would lead abuses of immigrants at the border or bills that would send unconditional aid to the Netanyahu government, says Mitchell.

The White House is currently resisting demands to renegotiate after Republicans sunk a bipartisan deal to secure the border and send money to Israel and Ukraine.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. (DC News Now)  Annie Ray is the Orchestra Director at Annandale High School.

Her work and commitment to students and the community played a big role in her winning the 2024 Grammy Music Educator Award.

My program is about opportunity, said Ray, We want to give everyone and quality music education.

Ray flew to Los Angeles to receive her Grammy. She met a lot of people and even had a conversation with Meryl Streep.

She said music changed her life, said Ray, She told me it is why she is where she is today.

She has an opportunity to work with students from all backgrounds and teaching students with severe and significant disabilities who make up the Crescendo Orchestra, has been very rewarding.

We have a tailored and specific instruction, said Ray, We meet students where they are at.

Ray is grateful for the support of her family, and she says so many people have played a big part in the programs success.

Starbucks can now help you order based on your zodiac sign

She says organizations like United Sound, Giving Bach and Instruments in the Attic have provided a lot of support to the Crescendo Orchestra, and Brian Coatney has played a key role in the success of the Parent Orchestra.

Im still processing it, Im a very private person in my personal life, said Ray. I know my face is on a billboard back in Texas where I am from and my friend was driving and she saw my face and she almost went into traffic.

Ray said she will never forget the call.

In the moment in time I was in the middle of a mommy moment with my two little ones so it was weird being told you are a Grammy winner and then going back to what I was doing which was like Play-Doh and I am like what just happened, said Ray.

Ray is also a driving force in the parents orchestra

Trying to give parents the understanding that there is a process to this and its humbling to make a very loud bad sound and you have to do it again and again to help make a beautiful sound, said Ray.

Now known as Grammy Annie.Her focus remains the same.

It just brings me so much more joy than people realize and people are like they are so lucky they are in your class and I am like no I am truly the lucky one I am humbled and it just grounds me in why we do music, said Ray.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
Mexican superstar Peso Pluma is returning to Fort Worth this summer in support of a new tour.

Plumas Exodo Tour is stopping by Dickies Arena on June 30. Previously, Pluma made his Dickies debut last year as part of his Doble P Tour in July 2023.

Tickets go on sale at noon Friday via Ticketmaster. Fans can also purchase tickets early from noon to midnight on Thursday by using the code DICKIES.

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Pluma has released three albums since entering the music scene in 2020.

His latest album Genesis released in June 2023 to much acclaim, including winning Best Musica Mexicana Album at the 66th Grammy Awards just a few weeks ago. The 24-year-old Pluma hails from Zapopan, Mexico.

Along with Fort Worth, Pluma will make stops in Dallas, San Antonio, Houston and Austin on the Exodo Tour this summer.
India's president has made a whistle stop tour of an island earmarked for multi-billion dollar development that experts warn could wipe out the indigenous tribe which calls it home.

Droupadi Murmu visited Great Nicobar on Tuesday - a remote island Indian officials hope will be transformed into a shipping hub and tourist destination.

The government says the plans will unleash the region's potential.

But experts say it would be a "death sentence" for the Shompen people.

In a letter sent to President Murmu earlier this month, 39 experts warned the scheme turning the southern part of Great Nicobar into the "Hong Kong of India" would result in the Shompen "fac[ing] genocide".

But while the letter made headlines around the world, there were fears it had failed to make the government reconsider its plans. Importantly, President Murmu is the head of the state, but does not exercise executive powers.

"If President Murmu's visit signals the government's determination to push through the Great Nicobar mega-project, it is a death knell for the indigenous Shompen people," warned Callum Russell, spokesperson from Survival International.

According to Survival International, the Shompen - who number between 100 and 400 people - are nomadic hunter gatherers who live in the island's rainforest. They are one of five "particularly vulnerable" tribes across the Nicobar and Andaman islands chain, but the only one on Great Nicobar.

Very few of the Shompen have ever had contact with the outside world, in part helped by the fact just another 8,000 people live on Great Nicobar, which is hundreds of kilometres east of India in the Indian Ocean.

However, the government's $9bn (6bn) scheme envisages as many as 650,000 people will end up on the island after the town, shipping port, international airport and power plant are built.

The island's location, it argues, puts it in the perfect spot to take advantage of the international shipping trade - not to mention a good position to challenge China's growing influence in the region.

A promotional video shared by India's Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways includes images of skyscrapers rising up behind the new port, as well as what appear to be large holiday developments.

The video says the shipping port and other parts will improve "quality of life for current and future residents of Great Nicobar".

But these new plans, Survival says, will not only eat into the lands the Shompen live and hunt in, but also increase the risk of contact with other people.

Any contact at all could destroy the tribe. In their letter, the experts, led by Dr Mark Levene, of the University of Southampton, warned that "simple contact... is certain to result in a precipitous population collapse" because the Shompen have "little to no immunity to infectious outside diseases".

And even if contact did not happen, the impact of the development on the group could result in a "collective psychic breakdown".

Even the government's own report acknowledges "any disturbance or alteration in the natural environmental setup where they live, may cause serious threat to their existence".

Despite these fears - and warnings from other groups over not only the Shompen, but also the potential damage the island's unique ecology - the government is expected to push ahead with the scheme later this year.

Mr Russell told the BBC they were continuing to call on the "deadly project" to be abandoned in order to save the Shompen.

"There is simply no way they will survive this catastrophic transformation of the island - the only home they have ever known. And the authorities have been clearly warned that this is the inevitable result," he told the BBC.

The BBC has contacted the Indian government for comment.
GREEN BAY  The Green Bay School District is proposing to close Howe Elementary and convert Washington Middle to a 4K-8 school.

Over the last year, the district voted to close and consolidate three schools based on recommendations from a facilities consulting firm and community task force. The two groups suggested closing 11 schools in addition to the downtown district office at 200 S. Broadway.

Washington Middle was originally recommended to close, despite receiving over $5.6 million in capital investments since 2010, according to the district's fixed assets. The recommendation to close Washington, with a student population that is 52% Hispanic, was met with strong opposition from the Latino community and calls to consider it as a 4K-8 site.

Howe Elementary, which is 33% Black and 22% Hispanic, was not among the original closure recommendations. About 93% of Howe's students are considered economically disadvantaged, according to 2022-23 enrollment data from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

The school has an ideal capacity of 525 students with a September enrollment count of 372. Washington Middle has 711 students as of September. According to the district's facilities consultant, ATS&R, combining Howe and Washington would exceed Washington's ideal capacity of 980 students.

Howe is also a community school which acts as a neighborhood hub that supports students, families and neighbors by providing access to academic, emotional, health and social services, according to the school's website. It's had about $320,000 invested in maintenance and improvements since 2010.

Washington Middle School located at 314 S Baird St. in Green Bay, Wis.

Boundary Adjustment Advisory Committee to meet Feb. 28 to review two scenarios

At its Feb. 28 meeting, the district's Boundary Adjustment Advisory Committee will review two boundary scenarios. One scenario would make Franklin Middle School a 4K-8 or Franklin a 4K-6 and West High a 7-12 school.

The other option would transform Langlade Elementary, McAuliffe Elementary and Washington Middle into 4K-8 schools. Making Washington a 4K-8 would mean that Howe Elementary would close, according to the proposal.

The district's consultant, Woolpert, won't be recommending scenarios that close Washington Middle School, according to a district press release.

"It was not possible to come up with a reasonable boundary solution that did not result in overcrowding at Edison Middle School," the release said.

After the meeting, the consultant will make revisions based on the committee's feedback, according to the district. Then the district will present those revised options to the public for review from March 12-15.

The Boundary Committee will present its final recommendations to the board in June.

Howe Elementary

District cites bridge work for recommending Howe Elementary close.

The district recommends closing Howe because the Wisconsin Department of Transportation will potentially reconstruct the Mason Street Bridge that runs over the school in 2032.

The district says this raises "some potential safety concerns," according to its release.

The district also says that Howe and Washington both serve the Navarino Neighborhood.

More: Why is Green Bay closing schools?

How to tune into the boundary committee meetings.

The Boundary Committee will meet virtually at 6 p.m. Feb. 28 to discuss the scenarios. The meeting will be livestreamed on the district's YouTube page @gbapsstream5809.

The tentative schedule for future meetings is:

March 12-14 in person

April 2 virtually

April 30-May 12 in person

May 14 in person

May 21 virtual

June 10 in person final presentation of recommendations to the board

Danielle DuClos is a Report for America corps member who covers K-12 education for the Green Bay Press-Gazette. Contact her at dduclos@gannett.com. Follow on Twitter @danielle_duclos. You can directly support her work with a tax-deductible donation at GreenBayPressGazette.com/RFA or by check made out to The GroundTruth Project with subject line Report for America Green Bay Press Gazette Campaign. Address: The GroundTruth Project, Lockbox Services, 9450 SW Gemini Drive, PMB 46837, Beaverton, Oregon 97008-7105.

This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Green Bay School District recommends closing Howe Elementary
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  The Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians are extremely disappointed after federal plans were finalized to build two offshore energy projects, the Tribe said in a press release.

The Tribes reaction comes after the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management announced their plans were finalized to build offshore Wind Energy Areas near Coos Bay and Brookings.

While the bureau said their proposal was developed with feedback from several stakeholders including the state, Tribes, residents, and members of the fishing industry, the Tribe argues that BOEM did not meaningfully engage with them during the planning process.

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BOEMs press release states that it has engaged with the Tribe, but that engagement has amounted to listening to the Tribes concerns and ignoring them and providing promises that they may be dealt with at some later stage of the process, Tribal Council Chair Brad Kneaper said in a Feb. 13 press release. BOEM has failed to recognize that wind development has impacted the Tribe and has failed to assure that wind energy development will do good and not harm the Tribe, its members, and the greater coastal community. The Tribe will not stand by while a project is developed that causes it more harm than good  this is simply green colonialism.

The plans would build two offshore Wind Energy Areas near Coos Bay and Brookings, totaling approximately 195,012 acres, and would avoid 98% of areas recommended for exclusion because of their importance to fishing grounds, according to BOEM. The areas would also hold 2.4 gigawatts of clean renewable energy potential.

BOEM finalized a proposal for two Wind Energy Areas offshore Oregon near Coos Bay and Brookings (Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.)

The Tribe says this includes areas within the Tribes ancestral territory and are important for Tribal fishing.

Despite a federal obligation to consult on a government-to-government, the Tribe learned yesterday of BOEMs impending decision from officials with the Oregon Governors office, Kneaper said in the release. BOEM had the courtesy to communicate its decision to the State well ahead of its public release and waited until the eleventh hour to send the Tribe an email about its decision. This illustrates well the failure of BOEM to meet its obligations to consult with the Tribe and to meaningfully consider its concerns. We would have at least expected a phone call from BOEM. We appreciate the Governor and her staff in reaching out to us.

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In October 2023, the Tribe wrote a letter to BOEM, calling on the agency to stop its planning process in order to consider the impacts of wind energy. One month later, the Tribal Council passed a resolution stating its opposition to the projects.

The Tribe consistently asked BOEM to exclude important fishing areas from wind energy development. Fishing is an important industry on the Coast that employs tribal members and supports tribal businesses. Fish, including salmon, are also an important cultural and subsistence resource to the Tribe. Any impact on fish from wind development is going to harm our local jobs and the Tribe, said Kneaper. We also have serious concerns for the environmental impacts that may occur as a result of this development. We simply dont know yet how extensive those impacts may be. Todays decision ignores these concerns.

Announcing the finalized plans, BOEM Director Elizabeth Klein previously said, BOEM values its close coordination with the State of Oregon as we continue to work together to maintain a robust and transparent offshore wind planning process.

Oregon State Police briefs St. Paul community on search for missing market owner

She added, We will continue to work closely with Tribal governments, federal and state government agencies, ocean users, coastal communities and all interested stakeholders as we move forward with our environmental review.

As the plans are under a 30-day public comment period, the Tribe says they are considering all of their options to make their voices heard.

7 suspected fentanyl dealers arrested by PPB Bike Squad

BOEM is proceeding without seriously considering or understanding the impacts of wind energy development, said Kneaper. The Tribe will explore all options to ensure that its concerns are addressed in this process.

KOIN 6 News has reached out to Governor Tina Koteks office and BOEM for comment.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. (WJHL)  An ATM in Greeneville was broken into early Monday, marking at least the seventh burglary of its kind in the Tri-Cities region.

A report from the Greeneville Police Department states officers responded to an ATM burglar alarm shortly before 5 a.m. at the Greeneville Federal Bank on Tusculum Boulevard.

Regions sixth ATM burglary reported near Milligan

Responding officers reported finding a truck that had backed up to the ATM with a chain attached to the back of it.

The ATM appeared to have been forced open, and its contents stolen, the report reads.

The amount of cash stolen was not specified in the police report.

When officers arrived, the truck was running with the drivers door open. The truck, which police say had been stolen, also received damage to the ignition.

Greeneville polices description of the burglary matches several others reported in the region since October. Three ATMs were targeted in Johnson City between October and December, and another in Mosheim was broken into in November.

In January, a Roan Mountain ATM was burglarized using a skid steer. A North Carolina man was arrested about two weeks later in relation to that burglary, but Carter County Sheriff Mike Fraley said at the time that he did not believe that suspect was connected to the others.

Most recently on Feb. 9, an ATM at the Carter County Bank on Milligan Highway was broken into in a similar manner using an abandoned pickup truck and chain.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather.
Three Greenpeace protesters who demonstrated at Rishi Sunaks home in North Yorkshire last year will be charged with criminal damage.

The Crown Prosecution Service said criminal charges against Mathieu Soete, 38, Amy Rugg-Easey, 33, and 32-year-old Alexandra Wilson, had been authorised after reviewing evidence submitted by North Yorkshire Police.

Five people, three men and two women, were arrested outside the Prime Ministers home in Kirby Sigston on Aug 3 last year.

Some activists climbed on the Grade II-listed manor house and draped oil-black fabric over the property. A banner read: Rishi Sunak  Oil Profits or Our Future?.

Mr Sunak and his family were away on holiday at the time of the incident.

Rosemary Ainslie, the head of the CPS Special Crime Division, said: Following a review of the evidence provided by North Yorkshire Police, we have authorised criminal charges against one man and two women after a protest at the home of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Aug 3 2023.

Mathieu Soete, Amy Rugg-Easey and Alexandra Wilson will each be charged with a single count of criminal damage, and will appear at York Magistrates Court on March 21.

The Crown Prosecution Service reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against the three defendants are active and that they have the right to a fair trial. It is extremely important there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
In a groundbreaking decision, Alabama's Supreme Court has declared that frozen embryos are legally recognized as 'children' under state law, setting a precedent that could have far-reaching implications for reproductive rights and fertility treatments.

The ruling, issued in response to a lawsuit involving the destruction of frozen embryos, has ignited a debate over the definition of personhood and the rights of unborn children.

Alabama SC Allows Wrongful Death Claims for Destroyed Embryos

The case originated from a tragic incident in December 2020 when a patient accessed a cryogenic storage unit at the Center for Reproductive Medicine in Mobile, Alabama, and accidentally dropped several frozen embryos, resulting in their loss.

Subsequently, three couples whose embryos were destroyed filed lawsuits against the clinic, invoking Alabama's Wrongful Death of a Minor Act.

Initially, a trial court dismissed the lawsuits, arguing that the embryos did not meet the legal definition of 'person' or 'child.'

However, the Alabama Supreme Court overturned this decision, asserting that the state's wrongful death law applies to all unborn children, regardless of their location. The ruling enables the couples to pursue legal action for wrongful death.

Justice Jay Mitchell, writing for the majority, emphasized that the law "applies to all children, born and unborn, without limitation," citing a constitutional amendment aimed at protecting "unborn life."

Read Also: Controversial US Funding: $1 Million for Risky Bird Flu Research with Chinese Collaboration

Concerns Rise Over Access to Fertility Treatments

The court's ruling has sparked concerns among fertility experts and advocates, who fear that it could hinder access to assisted reproductive technologies like in vitro fertilization (IVF).

Barbara Collura, CEO of RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association, expressed apprehension about the potential impact on patients seeking infertility treatment in Alabama.

"We're going to have a situation where people being able to get care for their infertility is going to be so much harder in Alabama," Collura stated.

Furthermore, the decision has raised broader questions about reproductive rights and the status of embryos in medical practice. Some critics argue that granting legal personhood to frozen embryos could have significant ramifications, including the imposition of liability on fertility clinics.

Justice Greg Cook, in his dissenting opinion, urged the Alabama Legislature to address the issue, warning that the ruling could deter medical providers from offering fertility services.

"There is no doubt that the common law did not consider an unborn infant to be a child capable of being killed for the purpose of civil liability or criminal-homicide liability," Cook wrote. "In fact, for 100 years after the passage of the Wrongful Death Act, our case law did not allow a claim for the death of an unborn infant, confirming that the common law in 1872 did not recognize that an unborn infant (much less a frozen embryo) was a 'minor child' who could be killed."

The ruling also intersects with ongoing debates surrounding abortion rights and the recognition of fetal personhood.

Pro-choice advocates have voiced concerns that the decision could be exploited to restrict access to abortion and other reproductive health services.

Stephen Stetson, director of Planned Parenthood Alabama, described the ruling as "extremely alarming" and accused it of representing "judicial overreach" that infringes on individuals' bodily autonomy.

In response to the ruling, reproductive rights organizations and lawmakers have vowed to protect access to fertility treatments and reproductive healthcare.

Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and Rep. Susan Wild (D-Pa.) recently introduced the Access to Family Building Act, which aims to safeguard IVF and other fertility treatments as fundamental rights for patients and physicians.

As Alabama grapples with the implications of this landmark ruling, the legal status of frozen embryos and the broader debate over reproductive rights continue to evolve, shaping the landscape of reproductive healthcare and medical ethics in the state and beyond.

Related Article: Michigan Transgender Woman Loses Case Against Ex -Boyfriend Over Argument on Refrigerated Testicles
Donald Trump on Monday finally spoke out on the sudden death of jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, several days after the news was reported. However, the former president in his message did not acknowledge the potential role that Russian President Vladimir Putin played in Navalny's death and instead conflated his perceived political plight with it.

The sudden death of Alexei Navalny has made me more and more aware of what is happening in our Country, the former president wrote on his Truth Social platform. It is a slow, steady progression, with CROOKED, Radical Left Politicians, Prosecutors, and Judges leading us down a path to destruction."

Trump continued, alleging that "Open Borders, Rigged Elections, and Grossly Unfair Courtroom Decisions are DESTROYING AMERICA. WE ARE A NATION IN DECLINE, A FAILING NATION. MAGA2024."

Trump, who faces ever-mounting legal woes  including four criminal indictments, numerous felony counts, and millions of dollars worth of fines and damage payments  has repeatedly and baselessly tried to make President Joe Biden his legal scapegoat, as the New York Times pointed out.

The ex-president drew sharp criticism for his post and for likening himself to the anti-Kremlin activist.

Donald Trump could have condemned Vladimir Putin for being a murderous thug, former South Carolina governor and Trump's rival in the GOP primary, Nikki Haley, wrote on X/Twitter. Trump could have praised Navalnys courage. Instead, he stole a page from liberals playbook, denouncing America and comparing our country to Russia.

Donald Trump could have condemned Vladimir Putin for being a murderous thug.



Trump could have praised Navalnys courage.



Instead, he stole a page from liberals playbook, denouncing America and comparing our country to Russia. pic.twitter.com/CxAOGwIQEN  Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) February 19, 2024

Bill Kristol, director of Defending Democracy Together, a conservative, anti-MAGA political group, noted how, "During the Cold War, many fellow travelers at least pretended to condemn the 'excesses' of the Soviet Union."

"But Trump isn't equivocating. He's all in for Putin," Kristol added.

Trump refuses to condemn Putin for the murder of Navalny. During the Cold War, many fellow travelers at least pretended to condemn the "excesses" of the Soviet Union. But Trump isn't equivocating. He's all in for Putin. pic.twitter.com/xreGdQ4BXd  Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) February 19, 2024

"Whenever you think Trump cant get any lower, theres a knock on the floorboards," tweeted Garry Kasparov, co-founder of World Liberty Congress and the Renew Democracy Initiative. "He aggrandizes himself, slanders Navalny, and compares his lifelong criminality and the US justice system with dictator Putin's persecution of political opposition."

Whenever you think Trump cant get any lower, theres a knock on the floorboards. He aggrandizes himself, slanders Navalny, and compares his lifelong criminality and the US justice system with dictator Putin's persecution of political opposition. https://t.co/lnN57ETCfw  Garry Kasparov (@Kasparov63) February 19, 2024

CNN political analyst and founder of the University of Chicago's Institute of Politics, David Axelrod wrote on X/Twitter, "After saying nothing about the assassination of Navalny for days, Trump finally commentsnot to honor the fallen hero; not to condemn Putin for the murderbut to improbably liken HIMSELF to the martyr, drawing false equivalences and running down our own democracy."

After saying nothing about the assassination of Navalny for days, Trump finally comments--not to honor the fallen hero; not to condemn Putin for the murder--but to improbably liken HIMSELF to the martyr, drawing false equivalences and running down our own democracy. pic.twitter.com/vgit356fPx  David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) February 19, 2024

"Just despicable," tweeted Former White House Director of Strategic Communications and Trump aide Alyssa Farrah Griffin.

MSNBC's Joe Scarborough slammed Trump's "grotesque" message, also calling out the "freaks, weirdos, insurrectionists, radicals on the far, far right."

"They're not even the right now. They're in the Trump death cult for American democracy," Scarborough argued.

"To make those comparisons is so grotesque," he continued. "To compare America to Russia is so grotesque. To compare Trump to Navalny, Trump who flies around in a 757, who lives in a golden skyscraper, who lives in Mar-a-Lago, when you have Navalny dead, poisoned in a penal colony. All of this is so grotesque. What is so shocking is, this isn't one freak legislator, right-wing freak legislator from Louisiana or Iowa. This is the next Republican nominee for president of the United States in 2024."

"Republicans are falling in line," Scarborough added. "They're saying, 'The hell with America, we will trash America, we'll say it's just like Russia.' Just like Trump's been doing since 2015, just to elect this con artist who wants to undermine America's rule of law and American democracy."

Want a daily wrap-up of all the news and commentary Salon has to offer? Subscribe to our morning newsletter, Crash Course.

Navalny was reported dead on Friday by Russia's Federal Penitentiary Service, which indicated that Navalny "felt unwell after a walk" and "almost immediately" fell unconscious. The prison service also noted that it was investigating Navalny's "sudden death," according to CNN. Navalny's widow, Yulia Navalnaya, has already accused Putin of killing her husband, saying, I want them to know that they will be punished for what they have done with our country, with my family, and with my husband.

Michael McFaul, a former United States Ambassador to Russia and friend of Navalny, during a recent appearance on MSNBC, said that "Putin killed Navalny. Let's be crystal clear about that."

"Putin killed Navalny because Navalny was the one opposition leader in Russia that Putin feared the most," McFaul added. "This is a really tragic day for me, and it should be a tragic day for anybody who cares about democracy."
Jeremy Elliott, New Beginnings' community outreach manager, and Executive Director Steve Smith imitate the nonprofit's logo during a December 2023 visit to the organization's thrift store and offices.

In an earlier chapter of his life, Jeremy Elliott hobnobbed with the civic elite, working in marketing, sales and nonprofit theater management; that is, until he became clinically depressed and couldn't hold down a job.

Robbed at a bus station, he wound up sleeping under an I-4 overpass, a situation that marked his low point. Soon after that, he set out on foot from Orlando to Clermont to attend an outreach event hosted by New Beginnings of Central Florida.

At 40, Elliott now works for the Clermont-based nonprofit as its community outreach manager. He is also working toward his bachelors degree in business management at University of Central Florida and Lake Sumter State College.

"I have a long history with New Beginnings," Elliott said. "Over the past six years, I've worked (with) them as a client in the diversion program, as a volunteer and event emcee, thrift store merchandise, and mentor a consultant. I am thrilled to to support their mission to help create opportunities to empower people to live responsible lives.

New Beginnings staff, local officials and friends celebrate the nonprofit's Groveland Groundbreaking Ceremony.

New Beginnings offers affordable housing apartments at its Woodwinds complex near its Clermont offices and has recently began construction on transitional and affordable home ownership for families. The organization operates a busy thrift store on its premises, and its Helping Hands back-to-work program shepherds clients toward obtaining housing and training to secure a livable wage job that eventually allows them to become self-sufficient.

In response to a growing demand for assistance, New Beginnings has employed more case managers trained in counseling, career guidance, computer technology and other fields to help people in their program achieve financial stability.

"There's a lot of people who still don't think we have a crisis," said Steve Smith, Elliott's boss and executive director for New Beginnings of Central Florida.

Smith and his wife, Linda, founded the nonprofit in 2007, and since then, the one-time tiny, faith-based organization of seven employees has expanded to provide services both onsite and offsite, along with affordable housing and life skills to people who need a fresh start.

"Back then everybody was losing jobs," Smith said of New Beginnings' initial years, which coincided with the housing crash spurred on by a surge in home sales to people who couldn't afford their subprime mortgage payments. "Today people can get a job but just not for livable wages. They're struggling to make ends meet. They can't pay their bills, between their housing costs, their food costs, their transportation costs."

Debunking perceptions of the homeless and employed

Too many people equate homelessness with laziness, Smith said. "People can't afford to pay $3,000 for rent whether the work for law enforcement, school teachers  they can't afford these houses anymore," Smith said, exasperated. "I just don't understand what's gonna take to wake people up and realize that we need more workforce housing."

Smith has been working on increasing housing opportunities for families to be able to "pause and relax," where parents can "go to class every day to rebuild their life." Funding is always a challenge. A state fund allocated to affordable housing came up short for Lake County, from around $14 million to just under $2 million.

In the U.S. last year, 53% of adults living in shelters and 40% of people sleeping outdoors were actually employed during the same year they experienced homelessness, reports the Urban Institute.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that though more jobs are available, there have been more gaps in unemployment and involuntary part-time employment as well as earnings not at all on pace with rising costs.

"Affordable housing forms the bedrock of a vibrant community, fostering resilience and belonging," said Groveland City Council member Barbara Gaines at the Groveland groundbreaking. "Each brick in this project symbolizes our shared commitment to uplifting our neighbors and building a more inclusive society," she said.

Local governments need to revise outdated zoning codes, allow for more types of housing structures, reduce zoning, permit and, impact fees to provide a path that allows more affordable housing to be developed.

In a statement to its stakeholders, Smith cited a study by the Florida Housing Coalition. "Lake County has sufficient housing for moderate- and higher-income households," he said.

In Lake County, there are around 16,440 households with income below 50% of the average medium income, yet only 3,947 rental housing units are affordable in this tier while all are full with long waiting lists. The report concludes that Lake County needs another 12,000-plus affordable housing units to serve the working class, disabled and seniors.

A fresh start in Groveland

Last week, New Beginnings provided a new means for a fresh start with one of its biggest milestones yet. The Smiths, New Beginnings' staff and Groveland city officials gathered for a historic groundbreaking celebration of the city's inaugural affordable workforce single-family home development.

Spectrum News calls the community at 347 N. Main Ave. a "tiny village" and the first of its kind in Lake County.

To make it happen, New Beginnings partnered with the city to create a Community Land Trust that restricts home ownership to working class people living in Groveland. "The trust assures that the homes will remain affordable." the press release said.

Development in Lake County Warehouses? Lake County has them in great supply

Meanwhile, back in Groveland, Smith offered "heartfelt appreciation" for the city's leadership and "unwavering support in championing progressive initiatives."

The new Groveland residential complex will comprise three cottage-style workforce homes, three bedrooms, one bath and shared amenities that will be priced below $200,000, making homeownership dreams attainable for the citys working-class people. Completion is expected by summer.

"For years, Groveland has endeavored to tackle the challenge of affordable housing amidst rapid expansion," said Mayor Evelyn Wilson. "Our commitment remains steadfast in ensuring that every resident has access to stable housing, laying the groundwork for a thriving future.

Linda Smith also expressed gratitude: "Today marks a historic milestone as we embark on our inaugural workforce housing project in Groveland. Our vision of establishing a local land trust is finally coming to fruition, thanks to the partnership with Groveland.

New Beginnings of Central Florida invites donors, sponsors, and volunteers to join their mission of empowering individuals towards self-sufficiency. For more information, call 352-404-6946 or visit their thrift store at 415 Citrus Tower Blvd., Clermont. Or, visit nbcfl.org and follow them on Facebook at facebook.com/NewBeginningsofCentralFlorida.

This article originally appeared on Daily Commercial: 'A fresh start': New Beginnings gives people a leg up when needed most
Georgia State Patrol confirmed Tuesday morning that a trooper has died after he was hit at the scene of a crash on Interstate 75.

Just after midnight, Trooper Chase Redner was investigating a previous vehicle crash near Mt. Zion Boulevard in Clayton County when he was hit by a vehicle.

Redner was rushed to Grady Memorial Hospital where he died. Redner had been with the department since Sept. 2017.

It is unclear if the driver will face any charges in Redners death.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

Just hours earlier, a construction worker was hit and killed in the same area while setting up a work zone. The workers name has not been released.

Redner is the second trooper to die in the line of duty in the last month.

On Jan. 28, trooper Jimmy Cenescar was trying to stop a motorcycle for a traffic violation on Interstate 85 North near Old Peachtree Road. The chase went up into Gwinnett County where his car left the roadway and hit an embankment.

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FILE PHOTO: Interview with Haiti's former first lady Martine Moise on her husband's assassination

PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) - A Haitian judge in charge of the investigation into the 2021 assassination of the Caribbean nation's last president has charged some fifty people, including his widow and a former prime minister, according to a document leaked to local media.

According to the 122-page document from Judge Walther Wesser Voltaire, made public by AyiboPost, the president's widow Martine Moise conspired with former Prime Minister Claude Joseph to kill the president in order to replace him herself.

Moise was shot dead when armed men broke into his Port-au-Prince bedroom on the night of July 7, 2021, a raid that left the former first lady injured.

The judge's order calls for the arrest and trial of those charged.

The former first lady did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment, nor did Joseph. Moise has criticized on social media what she calls unjust arrests and political persecutions.

Joseph meanwhile told the Miami Herald the president's de-facto successor, Prime Minister Ariel Henry, was the main beneficiary and was now "weaponizing the Haitian justice system" to persecute opponents in "a classic coup d'etat."

A spokesperson for Henry's office said the judge was independent and "free to issue his order in accordance with the law and his conscience."

Henry was appointed to replace Joseph, who now leads an opposition party, days before the assassination. He pledged to hold elections but has postponed these indefinitely citing a devastating earthquake and the growing power of heavily-armed criminal gangs, for which he has sought foreign aid.

The gangs are now estimated to control most of the capital, and Kenya is preparing to lead a U.N.-ratified international force to support Haitian police, though prior abuses by foreign missions and allegations against Henry's government have left countries wary of volunteering support.

A separate case on Moise's killing is being tried in Miami, where six of 11 defendants have pleaded guilty to a plot to send Colombian mercenaries to kidnap Moise, a plan which was at the eleventh hour changed to a plot to murder him.

The conspirators had according to U.S. charges sought to replace Moise with Haitian-American pastor Christian Emmanuel Sanon.

(This story has been refiled to add the dropped word 'of' in paragraph 1)

(Reporting by Harold Isaac and Sarah Morland; Editing by Chris Reese)
Haitian judge indicts ex-prime minister, police chief, former first lady in probe into ex-president's death

A Haitian judge investigating the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise has indicted about 50 people in connection with his death, including the late president's widow, an ex-prime minister and a former chief of Haiti's National Police.

Judge Walther Wesser Voltaire said in documents made public by AyiboPost that Martine Moise conspired with former Prime Minister Claude Joseph in her husband's death so that she could replace him as president. They are also accused of criminal association.

The former chief of Haitis National Police, Leon Charles, who held the position when Moise was killed and now serves as Haitis permanent representative to the Organization of the American States, is charged with murder, attempted murder, possession and illegal carrying of weapons, conspiracy against the internal security of the state and criminal association.

Voltaire is the fifth judge to lead the investigation after others stepped down for various reasons, including fear of being killed.

PROTESTS ERUPT ACROSS HAITI, AS DEMONSTRATORS DEMAND PRIME MINISTER'S RESIGNATION

President Moise was shot and killed on the night of July 7, 2021, when armed men broke into his Port-au-Prince bedroom. The raid also injured the former first lady.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

The judge's order called for the arrest and trial of the people charged in the incident.

The former first lady has criticized what she describes as unjust arrests and political persecutions on social media.

Joseph told The Miami Herald that the late president's de-facto successor, Prime Minister Ariel Henry, was the main beneficiary and was now "weaponizing the Haitian justice system" to persecute opponents in "a classic coup d'etat."

A spokesperson for Henry's office, however, said the judge was independent and "free to issue his order in accordance with the law and his conscience."

Recent violent protests have demanded the resignation of Henry.

GANG VIOLENCE IS SURGING TO UNPRECEDENTED LEVELS IN HAITI, UN ENVOY SAYS

Henry was appointed to replace Joseph days before the assassination. He has vowed to hold elections but has postponed them indefinitely over a deadly earthquake and the growing power of heavily armed criminal gangs, which he has sought foreign aid for.

The gangs are now estimated to control most of the capital.

Kenya is preparing to lead a United Nations-ratified international force to support Haitian police, but previous abuses by foreign missions and allegations against Henry's government have left countries hesitant to offer support.

A separate case in connection with Moise's killing is being tried in Miami, where six of 11 defendants have pleaded guilty to a plot to send Colombian mercenaries to kidnap the late president  a plan that became a plot to murder him at the last moment.

According to U.S. charges, the conspirators sought to replace Moise with Haitian-American pastor Christian Emmanuel Sanon.

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.





Original article source: Haitian judge indicts ex-prime minister, police chief, former first lady in probe into ex-president's death
Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley will give a State of the Race speech Tuesday in Greenville, S.C., ahead of this weekends primary in the state.

Haley, who served as governor of the state as well as a United Nations ambassador, told The Associated Press earlier that she is not dropping out of the GOP race, in which she trails former President Trump by a wide margin.

Watch the event at noon EST.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Nikki Haley fired back at former President Donald Trump and vowed to stay in the Republican presidential race. The Supreme Court declined to take on an admissions policy aimed at increasing diversity at a Virginia school. And Beyonce's new song lands on the country music charts.

 Greetings! Julius here with Tuesday's news.

But first: A lake in Death Valley? Satellite images show a body of water formed in the famously dry area.

Nikki Haley's campaign pushes on

A defiant Nikki Haley reaffirmed her commitment to stay in the Republican presidential race Tuesday, despite pressure from Donald Trump and a grim outlook in a recent poll in her home state. "Im not going anywhere," Haley said in a fiery speech. She also argued that another Trump administration would be a "disaster" and that many Republican politicians who publicly support his candidacy "dread him" behind closed doors. Her remarks came hours after an exclusive Suffolk University/USA TODAY poll showed that among those very likely to vote in South Carolina's Republican primary, Trump leads Haley, 63%-35%. Here's what else Haley said during her speech.

Home sweet home? Trump trounces Haley in exclusive South Carolina poll.

Nikki Haley delivers a speech to press and supporters in Greenville, S.C., on Tuesday.

Supreme Court won't review school's diversity policy

The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to review a controversial admissions policy meant to increase diversity at one of the nation's most prestigious high schools, turning away a challenge from a group of Virginia parents claiming it violated the Constitution. The new policy from the Fairfax County School Board required Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology to accept 1.5% of the eighth-grade class at each of the district's middle schools. The decision came months after the Supreme Court ended the use of affirmative action at Harvard and the University of North Carolina. Read more about the Supreme Court's decision.

Real quick

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California's coast faces potential floods

Nearly all of California's coastal areas were under flood watches through Wednesday morning, as the southern part of the state braces for heavy rainfall. The rainfall comes two weeks after a massive storm brought widespread, dangerous flooding throughout Southern California, but forecasters said this week's precipitation will move through more quickly and won't match the last atmospheric river that killed several people. The atmospheric river causing the precipitation is expected to lose intensity with time, the National Weather Service said. Additional rounds of light to moderate rain were forecast for Wednesday. See the latest updates on the weather.

A truck drives through standing water while creating sand berms to protect beachfront homes from flooding on Wednesday, in Long Beach, Calif.

Beyonce's 'Texas Hold 'Em' debuts on country charts 

Beyonce's new country single "Texas Hold 'Em" debuted at No. 50 on Billboard's country airplay chart and No. 54 on Mediabase, a rare feat for Black female country artists. "Texas Hold 'Em" is the first song by a solo Black female artist to chart since Micky Guyton's 2016 hit "Heartbreak Song," according to U.S. Radio Updater. In the eight decades Billboard has had country radio charts, only seven Black female acts have achieved placement on those charts. Linda Martell's 1969 track "Color Him Father" still holds the record for the highest placement by a Black female country artist on the charts  No. 22. More on why Beyonce's latest achievement is a big deal.

Beyonce is the first solo Black female artist since 2016 to have a song on Billboard's country airplay chart.

A break from the news

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nikki Haley, Supreme Court and Beyonce: Tuesday's news
Republican presidential candidate and former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley gives a speech on the state of her campaign on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024, in Greenville, S.C. Haley said she isnt dropping out of the 2024 presidential race  even if she loses in South Carolina. | Meg Kinnard, Associated Press

During a speech in Greenville, South Carolina, on Tuesday, 2024 Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley made it clear that shes not going anywhere.

Some of you  perhaps a few of you in the media  came here today to see if Im dropping out of the race, she said. Well, Im not. Far from it. And Im here to tell you why.

Im running for president because we have a country to save, Haley said, adding that instead of focusing on how to make America stronger tomorrow, some people want to know if Im going to cave today.

She said the calls for her to drop out of the race are coming from political elites, party bosses and their cheerleaders in the commentator world, who, she said, argue that Haley is unlikely to win the GOP primary in South Carolina, where she served as governor.

Former President Donald Trump, the front-runner in the race, was also in Greenville on Tuesday for a Fox News town hall. According to a recent poll from The Hill, he holds a 23-point lead over Haley in South Carolina, with 58% and 35%, respectively.

Why Nikki Haley doesnt want to drop out of the 2024 race

She said she understands that the herd mentality is enormously strong.

A lot of Republican politicians have surrendered to it. The pressure on them was too much. They didnt want to be left out of the club, she said. But, Haley added, that she doesnt feel the need to kiss the ring nor does she fear Trumps retribution.

She compared herself to the biblical David, a young Israelite boy who defeated Goliath, a giant Philistine warrior. And like David, Im not just fighting someone bigger than me. Im fighting for something bigger than myself, she added.

Haley reiterated she wasnt interested in becoming vice president or setting up a future presidential run.

Around 50 people were reportedly in attendance at the invite-only event, held just days before the South Carolina Republican presidential primary on Feb. 24. South Carolina will vote on Saturday. But on Sunday, Ill still be running for president, she said. Im not going anywhere.

Nikki Haley wants to be the solution for the Biden vs Trump fatigue

In her speech, Haley said that while Trump didnt want an opponent in this election, voters say otherwise. Haley noted that Trump lost nearly half the vote in Iowa and New Hampshire, with 49% and 46%, respectively, and said it spelled disaster in November.

She also criticized Biden, saying his gaffes make it seem like his mind is closing up shop.

There are still 81 2 months before Election Day, she said. Do we really want to spend every day from now until November watching Americas two most disliked politicians duke it out?

A recent Deseret News/Hinckley Institute of Politics poll from January found that 24% of voters in Utah are interested in a third-party candidate, reflecting a nationwide trend of disappointment in a possible Biden-Trump rematch, as previously reported.

Related

Haley argued, Trump is the only Republican Biden can beat, something that Democrats are betting on, she said.

Trump knows it too, but he wont admit it, she said. Hes taking out his anger on others. Hes getting meaner and more offensive by the day. Hes trying to bully me and anyone who supports me. ... Thats not the way you win elections.

She added: Ive dealt with bullies my entire life. They dont intimidate me. They only motivate me further. And Ive never met a bully I couldnt take on.

Having served as the United Nations ambassador under the Trump administration, Haley said Russia isnt the only foreign adversary that smells blood in the water.

When the dictators in Iran, North Korea, and Communist China see America step back, they rush into the breach. They think Americas time has passed  and their time has come, she said. She added that voters already know Biden and Trumps way of dealing with foreign adversaries, but were just as concerned with who they are

Theyre dividers at a time when America desperately, urgently, needs a uniter, Haley said.

Haleys emotional plea to voters

Haley said shes a proud daughter of legal immigrants. Growing up, she said she saw South Carolina move beyond hatred and elect the first female minority governor in American history  as a conservative Republican.

She asked South Carolina voters to stand with her and see the America I see.

Haley held back tears as she talked about her husband, Michael, a major who is currently deployed with the South Carolina Army National Guard to Djibouti, and said she wished he was with her.

This is Michaels second deployment. It was hard for us to say goodbye the first time, when he deployed to Afghanistan. It was even harder last summer when he deployed to Africa, she said.

Michael is fighting for the country he loves. So are all his brothers and sisters-in-arms, Haley said. Now I will continue to make my stand because America is worth living for.
Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley said she will not drop out of the race regardless of the results of Saturdays South Carolina primary, even as polls show her trailing former President Trump by a large margin in her home state.

Haley told The Associated Press in an interview that she will remain in the race for the GOP nomination at least until Super Tuesday, March 5, when more than a dozen states will hold their primaries and caucuses.

She noted that most states have not yet held their contests and many will vote shortly after South Carolina.

Ten days after South Carolina, another 20 states vote. I mean, this isnt Russia. We dont want someone to go in and just get 99 percent of the vote, Haley said. What is the rush? Why is everybody so panicked about me having to get out of this race?

Polls both nationally and in South Carolina, where Haley was twice elected as governor, have shown Trump with a significant lead just a few days out from the primary. The polling average from The Hill/Decision Desk HQ shows Trump leading Haley in the Palmetto State by about 30 points.

But Haley rejected calls to drop out of the race on the grounds that her continuing to run is hurting Trumps chances of defeating President Biden in November, calling that the most ridiculous thing Ive ever heard.

If I get out of the race today, it will be the longest general election in history, she said.

The AP reported that a travel schedule for Haley obtained by the outlet shows the candidate plans to make 11 stops in more than half a dozen states in the seven days following South Carolinas primary.

The interview came ahead of a speech Haley is set to deliver about the state of the race ahead of the primary.

Haley also told CBS News in an interview that the campaign is working to compete in all states and noted that only three have voted so far. She said she would reach the nomination by working one state at a time.

The political elite are saying you should get out. Why? Why should I get out? Do we not want states to vote? Lets let em vote, she said.

Haley has continued to rake in a significant amount of money as the last remaining major challenger to Trump, raising $16.5 million in January, the best fundraising month of her campaign.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Every federal fiscal year, the US Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service makes changes to SNAP benefits maximum allotments, deductions, and income eligibility standards.

These adjustments are made considering the cost of living (COLA adjustments), which represents the necessary amount of money to maintain a basic standard of living. In the fiscal year 2024, maximum allotments and shelter caps were raised for most US states and territories by the FNS. The COLA allotments took effect on October 1, 2023.

Maximum SNAP Benefits in Each State

The maximum allotments for the 48 states and DC Alaska, Guam, and the US Virgin Islands have all been raised. Meanwhile, the amount decreased for SNAP recipients in Hawaii to $1,759 from $1,794 for a family of four. For a family of four in the 48 contiguous states, the COLA results in a benefit increase of $34 per month.

The USDA website lists the following as the maximum SNAP allotments for the 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia (October 2023 to September 2024):

Household size 1: $291

Household size 2: $535

Household size 3: $766

Household size 4: $973

Household size 5: $1,155

Household size 6: $1,386

Household size 7: $1,532

Household size 8: $1,751

Each additional person: $219

Meanwhile, the following states will distribute SNAP food stamps within the coming days:

Alabama: February 4 to 23

Connecticut: February 1 to 3

Delaware: February 2 to 23

Florida: February 1 to 28

Georgia: February 5 to 23

Indiana: February 5 to 23

Kentucky: February 1 to 19

Louisiana: February 1 to 23

Maryland: February 4 to 23

Michigan: February 3 to 21

Mississippi: February 4 to 21

Missouri: February 1 to 22

New Mexico: February 1 to 20

North Carolina: February 3 to 21

Ohio: February 2 to 20

Puerto Rico: February 4 to February 22

Tennessee: February 1 to 20

Texas: February 1 to 28

Utah: February 5, 11 and 15

Washington: February 1 to 20

Wisconsin: February 1 to 15

In general, households residing in Hawaii, Alaska, Guam, and the US Virgin Islands are eligible for greater benefits. In Alaska, the utmost possible benefits for a family of four are $1,937.

Read Also: Nearly 1 Million Student Loan Borrowers To Receive Debt Forgiveness; Here's Who Are Eligible!

Income Eligibity to Receive Food Stamp 2024

The monthly income eligibility requirements for the US Virgin Islands, Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and the District of Columbia were modified. The following is the maximum total monthly revenue limit for the 48 contiguous US states plus the District of Columbia: 130% of the federal poverty level.

Household size 1: $1,580

Household size 2: $2,137

Household size 3: $2,694

Household size 4: $3,250

Household size 5: $3.807

Household size 6: $4,364

Household size 7: $4,921

Household size 8: $5,478

Each additional person: $557

The payment is directly influenced by the specific state of residence. Some states might distribute SNAP Food Stamps checks until the end of the month, while others may send them out this week.

It's crucial to monitor our EBT card balance. By using this approach, we can determine whether a state has issued the SNAP Food Stamps check and if it is ready for us to use.

Related Article: Child Tax Credit 2024: How Much You Could Receive This Year, and When?
GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley slammed President Bidens cognitive ability during a speech she gave Tuesday, saying he sounds like his mind is closing up shop.

Haley said Biden is hurting his own electoral viability more so than any attack Republicans could make, during an address in Greenville, S.C., ahead of the states GOP primary Saturday. She also argued the GOP should have a competitive nominating process to pick the strongest candidate possible to face the president in a general election.

Every time he opens his mouth, he sounds like his mind is closing up shop. The Democrats are getting weaker by holding a coronation for Biden. Republicans will get stronger through a vigorous competition, she said.

Biden has received criticism and faced some concerns about his ability to win reelection following the release of special counsel Robert Hurs report into his handling of classified documents. Hur declined to press charges against Biden but referred to him as a well-meaning elderly man with a poor memory.

The report was also released as Biden mixed up the names of several world leaders, including former French President Francois Mitterrand with current French President Emmanuel Macron, and former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl with former German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Haley laid out her reasoning for remaining in the Republican presidential race Tuesday, even as polls show former President Trump with a significant lead. She cited polls showing an overwhelming majority of Americans do not want Trump or Biden to be their parties nominees.

Her note about Bidens mental acuity came in response to criticism she has received from Trump allies, who have said that she is helping Biden by continuing to stay in the race.

She said Trump staying in the race is helping Biden by potentially giving him an easier general election candidate.

At the end of the day, the only candidate whos helping Joe Biden is Donald Trump, because Trump is the only Republican Biden can beat, Haley said. The Democrats know it. They dont even try to conceal their glee at the prospect of running against Trump. They want to win  so they want the guy theyve already beaten time and again. Trump knows it too, but he wont admit it.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
GREENVILLE, S.C.  Nikki Haley cast herself on Tuesday as a steadfast candidate of last resort to Donald Trump, maintaining she won't drop out until the American people close the door.

Delivering what her team billed as a state of the race speech, a defiant Haley vowed to remain in the race even as she polls far behind Trump in upcoming primaries across the map. Without offering any electoral strategy for her path forward, Haley described her candidacy as a battle for something bigger than myself.

And she cried as she invoked her husbands military service, describing how he couldnt be with her because he is deployed, and that America was worth fighting for.

Haleys speech served as something of a raison d'etre for a candidate who lost decisively to Trump in Iowa and New Hampshire and is verging on a blowout loss in South Carolina. She pledged to continue on despite calls from high-level GOP leaders for her to end her presidential bid and support him as the partys likely nominee.



Instead, Haley unleashed a torrent of criticism against the former president, calling him a bully whos getting meaner and more offensive by the day. She argued that Trump is completely distracted from the campaign as he splits his time in courtrooms. She repeated her oft-used refrains that Trump has gotten more unstable and unhinged. And the former U.N. ambassador painted Trump as weak on national security, bashing him for inviting Russian President Vladimir Putin to invade NATO countries.

She said she does not need Trumps support for any future political ambitions and has nothing to lose by remaining in the race.

I feel no need to kiss the ring, Haley said. And I have no fear of Trumps retribution. Im not looking for anything from him.

Speaking four days before the South Carolina primary, Haley framed her run as an effort on behalf of a faction of the Republican Party that has grown tired of Trump, even if she is struck down in the process. Beyond the GOP, she said she was staying in for the 70 percent of the country that doesn't want a Biden-Trump rematch.

I'm willing to take the cuts, the bruises and the name calling, Haley said. Do we really want to spend every day from now until November, watching America's two most disliked politicians duke it out? No sane person wants that.

She said she will be campaigning every day until the last person votes.

Still, even Haley acknowledged much of the medias interest in her has been reduced to a death watch.

Some of you  perhaps a few of you in the media  came here today to see if Im dropping out of the race, Haley said to reporters and roughly 50 supporters in downtown Greenville. Well, Im not. Far from it.

The event, which was open to a few dozen of Haleys close supporters, was designed for a broader televised audience and lacked the energy of a lively campaign rally. At one point, a man in the audience shouted, The emperor has no clothes! a likely reference to Trump, but without any clear connection to Haleys comments at the time. Neither she nor the rest of the crowd reacted. After her remarks  and her tearful speech-ending reflection on her husbands current deployment in Africa  Haley posed for photos with supporters before leaving without taking questions from reporters.



Haley is likely to continue to have the campaign cash to keep running through the coming weeks. Her campaign said shes held high-dollar fundraisers around the country recently, and  before a reporting deadline Tuesday night  said January was her top fundraising month of the entire race. Some of her supporters see Trumps legal problems as an incentive to stay in the contest, with the former presidents first criminal trial expected to start March 25 on charges stemming from hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels.

Despite making a case against Trump, Haley continued to temper her criticism of the former president by saying that he was the right president at the right time and that she was proud to serve in his Cabinet.

There are those who will try to paint me as never Trump. Thats not who I am, never have been, Haley said. My purpose has never been to stop Trump at all costs.

And she continued to tie some of her sharpest rebukes of her former boss to similar criticisms of President Joe Biden.

Weve all seen them fumble their words and get confused about world leaders. Thats now who you want in the Oval Office when Russia launches a nuclear weapon at our satellites or China shuts down our electricity grid, Haley said. Were talking about the most demanding job in human history. You dont give it to someone whos at risk of dementia.



Haley again rejected notions that shes running for vice president or setting up a 2028 bid, even as she polls some 30 percentage points behind Trump in her home state. A Suffolk University/USA TODAY survey released Tuesday morning showed Trump up 63 percent to 35 percent. The poll of 500 likely voters was conducted by phone from Feb. 15-18 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points.

Haley is vowing to keep campaigning past Saturday, starting with events in Michigan on Sunday. From there, Haley plans to campaign next week in half a dozen other Super Tuesday states and D.C.

Ahead of her speech on Tuesday, Trumps campaign advisers released their own memo, referring to Haley as a wailing loser hell-bent on an alternative reality and refusing to come to grips with her imminent political mortality.

Haleys campaign officials have said they believe they can win delegates in Super Tuesday states with open- or semi-open primaries in which independents can cast ballots  doubling down on the strategy that brought her within a dozen points of Trump in New Hampshire. But it left Haley short in the early state where Haley stood the best chance of beating him.

Betsy Ankney, Haleys campaign manager, said earlier this month the campaigns strategy includes looking at independents and expanding the Republican electorate to people who have not traditionally participated in Republican primaries.

Haley has continued to roll out leadership teams in at least eight of the 15 Super Tuesday states, including California and Texas, where she recently went on a fundraising swing to fuel her campaign, and Massachusetts and Vermont, two New England states with more favorable electorates that have rejected Trump by wide margins in general elections.

And in a sign her campaign is looking past the slate of 16 contests on March 5 that will award more than a third of all the GOP delegates, one of the first leadership teams Haley launched was in Washington state, which votes on March 12.

Meanwhile, her Women for Nikki coalition, aimed at courting women, particularly suburban voters and those who dont typically participate in Republican primaries, boasts chapters in all 50 states and Puerto Rico.

Dropping out would be the easy route, Haley said. Ive never taken the easy route.
Nikki Haley on Tuesday vowed to stay in the Republican presidential primary race against former President Trump, telling a crowd in her home state of South Carolina that she refuses to quit.

Im not going anywhere, Haley said speaking in Greenville. Im not afraid to say the hard truths out loud. I feel no need to kiss the ring. I have no fear of Trumps retribution. Im not looking for anything from him. My own political future is of zero concern.

Haley went on to compare her race against Trump to David and Goliath and pushed back against the notion that she is running for vice president or setting up a run for a future presidential cycle.

Her comments come just days before she is set to face off against Trump in South Carolina on Saturday. The Hills Decision Desk HQ polling average shows Trump massively leading Haley by 31 points.

Before Haleys remarks on Tuesday, Trumps campaign rolled out a memo predicting that the end is near for Nikki Haley.

Of course, like any wailing loser hell-bent on an alternative reality and refusing to come to grips with her imminent political mortality, we should expect more references to Kings and Coronations  even though the results of 5 elections overwhelmingly sent an unmistaken message: Nikki Haley doesnt represent Republicans any more than Joe Biden does, Trumps campaign wrote.

However, Haley said she will remain in the race after the primary.

South Carolina will vote on Saturday, but on Sunday I will still be running for president, Haley said.

Haley went on to hit Trump and President Biden over their age and mental acuity, saying they were at risk for dementia and are dividers.

Trump and Biden are two old men who are only getting older. Nearly 60 percent of Americans say Trump and Biden are both too old to be president. Because they are, Haley said.

Joe Biden is doing more damage to himself than any Republican ever could, she said. The Democrats are getting weaker by holding a coronation for Biden. Republicans will get stronger through a vigorous competition.

If the race ended today, we would have the longest general election in history, she said.

Top Stories from The Hill

She also choked up talking about her husband Michael Haley, who is currently deployed abroad with the South Carolina Army National Guard. Her comments about him came after Trump took a swipe at Haley during a recent campaign event by asking why her husband isnt with her on the campaign trail.

While Haley is trailing Trump in South Carolina and nationally, polls show her beating Biden in a head-to-head match-up. The Hills Decision Desk HQ polling average shows her leading the president by 0.4 percent.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
A photo provided by the Iranian Presidency shows Ismail Haniyeh, chairman of the politburo of the Palestinian Hamas movement, meeting Ebrahim Raisi (not pictured), president of Iran, at the presidential palace in Tehran. Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh arrived in Cairo on Tuesday for talks with Egyptian officials on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, Hamas said. -/Iranian Presidency/dpa

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh arrived in Cairo on Tuesday for talks with Egyptian officials on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, Hamas said.

Haniyeh is leading a delegation to hold talks on Gaza and "the efforts made to stop the aggression, provide relief for citizens and achieve the goals of our Palestinian people," a Hamas Telegram channel said.

Sources at Cairo airport confirmed his arrival from Qatar for a multi-day visit, along with six Hamas officials.

A high-level Israeli delegation also arrived in Cairo for an hours-long visit to discuss developments in Gaza, airport sources said.

Last week, intelligence chiefs from the United States, Israel, Qatar and Egypt held talks in Cairo in a bid to achieve a ceasefire in the Gaza war and to exchange more hostages.
HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY)  The Hampton Police Division is investigating an incident involving a 5th grader bringing psilocybin-infused mushroom candy to school.

According to officials, a 5th-grade student at George P. Phenix PreK-8 School brought in psilocybin-infused candies, known as Mr. Mushies, to school on Feb. 14 and 15 to share with several classmates.

Parents told us Tuesday afternoon about their concerns.

Cleopatra Myers is the parent of a fifth grader. I thought that was very scary to see that someone brought that to school to share with their friends.

Antonia Reids child is in seventh grade at Phenix. Its scary cause youre talking about little kids, she said. They dont know any better. Little kids share candies.

The National Drug Intelligence Center defines psilocybin as a hallucinogenic substance obtained from certain types of mushrooms. The most common names for Psilocybin are magic mushroom, mushroom, and shrooms.

At around 6:45 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 15, a parent contacted a teacher at the school regarding the incident, resulting in an immediate investigation.

On Friday, Feb. 16, ten students who received the candy were identified, with four confirmed to have consumed the candy.

Courtney Johnson manages Smokerz Crib on Jefferson Ave. in Newport News. She carries mushroom gummies but says she cant sell to anyone under 21.

That doesnt mean people dont try.

I get high-schoolers in here quite a lot. They are very quickly redirected, Johnson said and gestures toward the store exit.

The school, as well as directly contacting the parents or guardians of all students directly involved, released a statement on the incident.

Good afternoon, this is Robin Hunt-Crenshaw, the principal of Phenix PreK-8 School. To prevent any potential spread of misinformation, I feel it is important that I share factual details with you regarding a situation that occurred at our school. One of our fifth grade students brought psilocybin-infused candy to school and shared it with a few classmates. The candy is known as Mr. Mushies. Administration has addressed the matter as well as worked in collaboration with our school resource officer. Please know that the students who received the candy have been identified and their parents have been personally contacted. As you are most likely aware, items like these are not tolerated on school property. I am unable to provide details about student discipline, but please know that the student is being disciplined according to the HCS Students Rights and Responsibilities Handbook. We kindly request all parents and guardians take this opportunity to engage in a conversation with your child, reviewing together the items that are deemed appropriate and inappropriate for school. Its essential to emphasize the serious repercussions of bringing prohibited items. Furthermore, we believe its crucial to stress to your child the importance of refraining from accepting or consuming items whose contents they are unfamiliar with, to include items that look like candy. Safety is always our top priority at Phenix. We thank you for your continued support as we work together to provide a safe learning environment for all students and staff. Thank you. Robin Hunt-Crenshaw

Officials are able to confirm that the student involved has been identified and is being disciplined in accordance with the HCS Students Rights and Responsibilities Handbook.

All legal actions in this case are being handled by the Hampton Police Division.

Check with WAVY.com for updates.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com.
President Joe Biden said that the US may consider implementing "additional sanctions" on Russia as a result of imprisoned opposition leader Alexei Navalny's death, which he had previously attributed to Vladimir Putin "and his thugs."

After arriving back from Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, the president and First Lady Jill Biden embarked Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House. He took a moment to respond to questions from the press.

US Considering New Sanctionc Against Russia

When questioned about the possibility of imposing more sanctions on Russia following Navalny's death, the response was: "We already have sanctions, but we are considering additional sanctions, yes."

Alexei Navalny, aged 47, a lawyer who had previously survived a poisoning and endured months in isolation cells, passed away in an Arctic Circle maximum-security prison, as reported by Russian state media on Friday.

Navalny was last seen Thursday, smiling and making jokes in a video taken during a court appearance in the Russian penal colony where he was in captivity. Biden mentioned that the United States is uncertain about the exact events that took place, USA Today reported.

The Republican-controlled House of Representatives is being urged by Biden to promptly approve $60 billion in security funding for Ukraine, two years into Putin's invasion and war in Ukraine.

Speaker Mike Johnson has yet to bring the foreign aid bill to the House floor for a vote, demanding additional measures to secure the US-Mexico border.

Read Also: Judge Issues Final Report Indicting Haitian Officials, Including President's Widow, in Moise Assassination

Alexei Navalny's Mysterious Death

Leaders globally hold Putin responsible for his demise. There are varying viewpoints on whether Navalny's death resulted from the harsh prison conditions or was a deliberate killing. The Russian government continues to deny Navalny's family access to his body.

President Biden, who previously attributed Navalny's death to Putin, mentioned that sanctions are already in place and is considering implementing additional ones. In 2021, Biden cautioned about the potential "devastating" outcomes if Navalny passed away in prison.

Yet, he seemed to soften his stance when questioned about his previous caution on Feb. 16. He mentioned that the United States had already implemented severe sanctions on Russia prior to Navalny's passing. Sanctions were placed on Moscow by the US and EU following the poisoning of Navalny in Russia in 2020 with a Novichok nerve agent, which is a chemical weapon made by the Russian government.

Following the poisoning incident, Navalny was transported to Germany for medical treatment, where German medical professionals confirmed that he had been exposed to Novichok. Several media outlets, including The Insider, Bellingcat, CNN, and Der Spiegel, released an investigation stating that Navalny was poisoned by agents of Russia's Federal Security Service. They also revealed the agents' identities.

On February 19, the EU's chief diplomat, Josep Borrell, announced that EU member states plan to suggest sanctions against those responsible for Navalny's passing. Borrell stated that Putin bore the ultimate responsibility, and the EU's potential sanctions could impact the institutional structure of the penitentiary system in Russia.

Navalny had been incarcerated with a 2.5-year prison term since 2021 and a separate 9-year sentence on fraud charges since 2022. In August 2023, a Russian court handed Navalny a 19-year sentence in a maximum security prison for his involvement in the Anti-Corruption Foundation on extremism charges.

International human rights organizations and governments have identified all these cases as politically motivated and fabricated, according to Kyiv Independent.

Related Article: Navalny's Wife Alleges Russia Is 'Hiding His Body', Pledges to Carry on Husband's Battle Against Putin
Heating and hot water outages at military bases have almost tripled in the past year, new figures show amid accusations that the Government has neglected the basics.

Almost 5,000 incidents were recorded across nine military bases in 2023, with fewer than two in five of those being solved within the target of 12 hours.

Figures released in response to written parliamentary questions tabled by Labour showed 4,982 incidents of heating or hot water loss, the equivalent to 96 a week.

This is almost three times the equivalent figures that were released in 2022, when an average of 35 incidents were recorded every week.

Bases that were affected include HMS Collingwood, the Royal Navys largest training centre, as well as the Royal Marines Commando Training Centre in Lymestone, Devon and Catterick garrison in North Yorkshire, which is the British Armys biggest base.

The figures also show that just 38 per cent of heating loss incidents last year were resolved in 12 hours, the target that has been set by ministers for single living accommodation.

Luke Pollard, the shadow armed forces minister, said: Ministers have neglected the basics for a good life in the forces. The last 14 Conservative years have corroded the nations contract with those who serve.

Personnel are living in damp and mouldy housing, morale has fallen by a third to almost 40 per cent and retention rates are dropping.

Mr Pollard vowed that a Labour government would ensure homes fit for heroes as part of a wider push to tackle the current state of serving accommodation.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has said quality services accommodation is a personal priority of Grant Shapps, the Defence Secretary, and noted the Government is introducing minimum standards to ensure this, spending more than 4bn in the next decade.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: The provision of good quality accommodation for Service personnel is a key priority. This is why we have introduced our New Accommodation Offer, which is centred around our people and will improve standards in Single Living Accommodation (SLA) across the estate.

A Defence minimum standard has been established and all SLA is expected to meet.

We plan to invest around 5.3 billion over the next 10 years to ensure these improvements are prioritised.

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Cannabis, one of the world's most widely consumed drugs, can be both addictive and harmful, particularly for the brain. For someone to find their way out of an addiction, they will need to know what led them to it, say experts. Hannes P Albert/dpa

Anyone who regularly consumes cannabis, such as smoking weed, may have already considered whether they could - or should - smoke less or even quit.

The more you know about your own consumption habit, the better you can manage it but what are the addiction factors?

The development of an addiction is similar for all psychoactive substances, says Eva Hoch, head of the cannabinoids research group at Ludwig-Maximilian University in Munich.

"It is always a bio-psycho-social set of conditions," she says. Biologically, cannabis affects the brain via the psychoactive substance tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC.

It binds to cannabinoid receptors and thus influences the release of neurotransmitters, in particular dopamine, which is strongly linked to our reward system.

A genetic predisposition to developing addiction can also play a role if there is a family history.

"Cannabis can be highly psychologically addictive, especially if it is specifically used as a dysfunctional coping strategy," says Andrea Benecke, president of the Berlin-based psychotherapists association BPtK.

"This means that unpleasant feelings such as stress, insecurity or anxiety can be reduced in the short term through the relaxing effect of cannabis use. In this way, the brain learns that it needs the drug to deal with problems and stress," Benecke says.

Factors such as access to cannabis and social pressure can also influence addiction. Furthermore, experts generally agree that the earlier cannabis is used, the greater the risk of dependency.

What are the signs of addiction?

According to Benecke, people who are addicted to marijuana exhibit at least three of the following behaviours:

There is a strong urge to consume which is difficult to resist.

They have an increased tolerance requiring larger doses.

They experience withdrawal symptoms such as restlessness, irritability or insomnia when they stop consuming.

They are unable to reduce or stop usage despite the desire to do so.

They prioritize consumption rather than essential aspects of life.

They continued use despite negative consequences.

How do you navigate cannabis withdrawal?

According to Hoch, cannabis addiction involves different mechanisms in the brain than alcohol addiction or opiate addiction.

"Cannabis withdrawal is usually clinically unproblematic. But it can last several days and can be moderate to sometimes severe," she says.

Hoch highlights that today's stronger cannabis variants, particularly synthetic cannabinoids, may worsen withdrawal symptoms.

Seeking medical assistance during withdrawal is not uncommon to manage symptoms effectively.

How can you kick the habit successfully?

Desiring and understanding the need for change is vital, says Hoch. Motivations to quit can vary - from a desire to start a family to academic or vocational pursuits.

Identifying alternative coping mechanisms is essential, as is setting a target date and preparing for it by eliminating paraphernalia and establishing alternative activities, she says.

"Someone who has relaxed with cannabis will need other ways to relax, such as sport or meditation. Treatment starts with the individual's motivation," Hoch adds. It is also important to be clear about when you use it and what triggers it.

"Withdrawal symptoms are actually a good thing, they mean that the body is detoxifying," she says. "The THC from the plant leaves the body. After a few days, you are really clean."

Can you overcome a cannabis addiction on your own?

"The social environment plays a major role in overcoming addiction and can be a help or a hindrance," Benecke says.

Benecke underscores the importance of distancing yourself from enabling peers, as they can heighten the risk of relapse. In principle, it is possible to overcome a cannabis addiction alone, according to experts.

"The likelihood of success here is heavily dependent on individual factors, such as the duration of use, the severity of the addiction and the available personal and social resources," says Benecke.

However, Hoch also emphasizes the value of seeking support from friends, family, or professional services during the quitting process. "You don't have to overcome this alone. I think that's a very important message."

Both Benecke and Hoche agree that seeking psychotherapy or contacting an addiction support service is advisable, especially if self-directed attempts to quit have failed repeatedly.
High-speed internet is headed to parts of rural Larimer County, thanks to seven grants from the Colorado Broadband Office.

Fort Collins' Connexion and Loveland's Pulse Fiber Internet, in partnership with the county, have been awarded a total of $14 million to build out broadband in the following areas:

Rist Canyon (Connexion, 234 locations)

Red Feather Lakes (Connexion, 740 locations)

Rustic to Colorado Mountain Campus (Connexion, 264 locations)

Poudre Canyon/Poudre Park (Connexion, 171 locations)

Pole Mountain (Pulse, 189 locations)

Hidden Valley Estates (Pulse, 22 locations)

Storm Mountain (Pulse, 208 locations)

Also in Northern Colorado, the Nunn Telephone Company was awarded $2.3 million from the fund for expansion of service in that area, which includes eastern Larimer County, according to the information published on the Colorado Broadband Office website.

This covers 1,935 locations, according to a news release from Larimer County.

Fort Collins Connexion Executive Director Chad Crager said the partnerships will help eliminate the urban-rural divide and improve emergency management communication.

Rich Marr works on an office computer at his Red Feather Lakes business, Marr's Mountain Cabins and Tavern, on June 7, 2023. He and his wife, Kerrie, use Starlink to access the internet.

When will the projects be completed?

"We are hoping to have most of the projects completed by the end of 2026, but some of the more difficult rural areas like CSU Mountain campus may push into 2027 due to some of the complex permitting requirements in that area," said Mark Pfaffinger, Larimer County Support Services director and chief information officer, in an email to the Coloradoan.

Loveland Pulse Communications and Marketing Manager Lindsey Johansen said Pulse is still finalizing the contract with the state but expects to begin design soon and construction in the first half of 2025. Crager said Connexion's design phase hasn't yet begun.

Where is the money for these projects coming from?

The funding comes from the Capital Projects Fund of the Colorado Broadband Office, along with matching funds from the county.

Larimer County has provided a 25% match for the projects: $2.5 million in cash and $1 million from in-kind contributions primarily from county-funded "middle-mile" feeder projects, Pfaffinger said.

The state received the money from the U.S. Treasurys Capital Projects Fund program, which is providing $10 billion using American Rescue Act stimulus funds.

Across the state, the fund is awarding $113.5 million to 27 projects serving 19,000 homes and businesses, according to the Colorado Broadband Office.

Find the full list of recipients here.

How will the fiber get to these rural locations?

Connexion expects to piggyback on utility poles owned by electricity co-op Poudre Valley REA for most of the work, Crager said.

"At this time, we dont anticipate much undergrounding mainly due to the amount of rock in the ground," he said.

The county's news release said it would continue to partner with Connexion, Pulse, Estes Park Trailblazer and others to get service to other areas.

"We hope to use this as a springboard to connect the remaining 15,000 underserved households in the county through future grant programs," Pfaffinger said in the news release.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Connexion, Pulse broadband get grants to build in rural Larimer County
The Ritch Grissom Memorial Wetlands  known to many as the Viera Wetlands  has been closed to the public since last June.

But county officials say the wetlands  a popular spot for bird-watching and other nature viewing because of its diverse array of birds, other wildlife and plants  should be reopening soon. The reopening had been delayed by recent rainy weather.

Meanwhile, Central Viera Community Association is coordinating a yearlong bird-spotting competition for the Viera area, with a first prize of $1,000.

The Ritch Grissom Memorial Wetlands in Viera remains closed to the public as work continues on an extensive $2.7 million environmental project. As was the case before the wetlands temporarily closed to the public last June, only pedestrians and bicyclists will be allowed when the facility partially reopens, which is targeted for March 4.

Here's what you need to know:

When will the wetlands reopen?

The wetlands  located at 3658 Charlie Corbeil Way in Viera  is scheduled to partially reopen to the public on Monday, March 4, assuming there are no more weather-related delays.

Why has the wetlands been closed?

For the past eight months, a $2.7 million project has been underway to remove vegetative muck and overgrown cattails from four ponds located on the site, which is adjacent to the South-Central Regional Water Reclamation Facility in Viera.

The main focus of the cleanup effort was to reduce nitrogen and phosphorous levels from the ponds that feed into Four Mile Canal, which ultimately leads into the St. Johns River.

When people come back and walk and bike the wetlands that people are familiar with, they will see it has eventually received a haircut that improves visibility and water quality, Brevard County Utility Services Director Edward Fontanin said.

Latest new developments in Viera: What's coming to Viera?: New Publix, more hotels, single-family-home rental community

Why was the project required?

The work at the wetlands was needed so that the county can be in compliance with a 2021 Florida Department of Environmental Protection consent order related to levels of nitrogen released into the adjacent Four Mile Canal, which leads to the St. Johns River.

As part of the consent order, the county agreed to pay a total of $6,750, for civil penalties and for the cost of the investigation, as well as agreeing to limit future nitrogen flows.

Who is paying for this work?

The wetlands project is funded through federal American Rescue Plan Act.

Why has the reopening been delayed?

The reopening originally was targeted for late-February, but heavy rainfall totals in January and early-February led to delays.

Why isn't the wetlands area being fully reopened on March 4?

Some work remains in progress on the 200-acre site.

Fontanin expects that vegetation plantings will occur in the April-to-May time period, with completion of the overall project sometime in June.

A truckload of muck removed from a pond-like cell at the Ritch Grissom Memorial Wetlands/Viera Wetlands in Viera is hauled away for processing.

Who can use the wetlands when it reopens?

Access to the wetlands will be for pedestrians and bicyclists only. Motor vehicles and golf carts will continue to be banned.

What about parking?

An area adjacent to the wetlands and previously used for pedestrian vehicle parking remains in use as a staging area for the contractor.

Fontanin said visitors should park their vehicles away from the staging areas and avoid blocking access to contractor materials and equipment.

Volunteers with the Viera Wetlands Facebook group plan to be there on reopening day to help with guiding the parking outside the wetlands property.

What should visitors be cautious about?

Fontanin said the dirt access roads to the wetlands are rutted, and can become muddy when it rains.

The heavy-equipment-rutted access roads remain in use by contractor vehicles.

Also, the public should not go beyond the access areas because this remains an active work site, Fontanin said.

We are happy to provide a limited access to allow the public to experience the wetlands, but what they will see on March 4 is not the finished product, Fontanin noted. We ask for patience as the contractor is working on the completion.

How can residents keep track of developments related to the reopening of the wetlands?

Brevard County has established a special hotline number: 321-255-4488.

What's this about a birding contest with cash prizes?

"Vieras Big Year" will run from Jan. 1 thought Dec. 31 within the boundaries of Viera's development of regional impact, and extends to a few outer areas of interest, such as the Ritch Grissom Memorial Wetlands/Viera Wetlands, the River Lakes Conservation Area, and the Helen and Allan Cruickshank Sanctuary in Rockledge.

Throughout the year, participants will document species spotted using eBird.org, and share their bird checklist with the VieraBigYear ebird account.

Participants will be updated on rankings, interesting findings, and classes and events being held through Vieras Big Year coordinators during the competition time frame.

Todd Pokrywa, president of The Viera Co., said there are more than 500 local bird species to find in the area.

The Ritch Grissom Memorial Wetlands in Viera is a popular site for bird-watchers.

Why is it called Vieras Big Year?

In the birding world, a Big Year typically is a yearlong bird-spotting challenge among birders, with the goal of identifying and documenting as many bird species as possible. There are several variations of a Big Year, such countywide, statewide and nationwide.

And there are cash prizes?

Yes. After completion of the competition, the participant who has documented and submitted the most species found will win $1,000. The second-place prize is $500, and third place gets $250.

Winners will be announced next January.

What are some other rules?

The competition is open to all Brevard County residents.

Birds must be identified and recorded while you are standing within the Viera development of regional impact boundaries, or the other locations identified on the Vieras Big Year Birding Map. The bird can be just outside the boundaries, but your feet must be within the boundaries.

Birds can be identified by sight or sound.

Birds must be wild, unrestrained and alive.

All bird checklists are subject to question by Vieras Big Year coordinators. Rare, uncommon or scarce sightings may require additional documentation to be counted toward your count. Documentation would include photos or video.

Do not trespass onto private property.

How do I get started?

Register by emailing Vieras Big Year coordinators with your contact information. Send the email to Dana.vinci@viera.com. And include your name, phone number and email.

Participants also need to set up an eBird.org account.

Organizers also recommend downloading the eBird app on your mobile device and download the Florida packet. This will be the most convenient way to document your findings while in the field. They also recommend downloading the Merlin bird identification app to help identify birds.

Where can I get more details?

Go to CVCAviera.com for more information.

Dave Berman is business editor at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Berman at dberman@floridatoday.com, on X at @bydaveberman and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dave.berman.54

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Rain delays reopening of Viera Wetlands plus bird-spotting contest
The U.S. Department of Transportation is awarding grants to fix dangerous streets in communities across the country, but many disadvantaged communities with high rates of traffic deaths have not received even a penny.

Hundreds of millions of dollars that should now be in communitys pockets to solve problems have gone unawarded, simply because the Safe Streets and Roads for All program has not gotten enough applications to award all the money. Despite having crash data at their fingertips, DOT attorney Victoria Schmitt wrote in November that they had not reached out to hard-hit communities to encourage them to apply. After USA TODAY started asking these questions, Safe Streets Program Manager Paul Teicher said his team had recently reached out to at least 18 communities.

Read the investigation: How the Safe Streets program forgot about many of the neediest places in America

When applying for money, communities must include three statistics from the transportation departments publicly available data: total roadway deaths over the last five years, average annual fatality rate for the last five years and the percentage of the communitys population that is considered underserved.

USA TODAY used the transportation departments Fatality Analysis Reporting System to calculate total roadway deaths from 2017 to 2021 and average fatality rate over those years for every county in the United States, using 2020 Census population figures. The percentage of the population considered underserved comes from data provided through DOTs Equitable Transportation Community Explorer. Safe Streets also considers all tribal lands and U.S. territories as disadvantaged, so USA TODAY modified these figures to include those regions.

We also obtained transportation department maps of the grant recipients and overlaid these with county maps of the U.S. to estimate how much funding has been awarded in each county.

In some cases, the grant recipients boundaries crossed county lines. Here, we used area-weighted interpolation to approximate the funding amounts for each county based on land area. There are weaknesses to this commonly used method. First, some grant recipient boundaries in the transportation departments map may be much larger than the actual project area. For example, the actual project may only encompass a short stretch of road, but the DOT maps outline a larger area that can stretch across county lines. A second weakness is that our interpretation assumes the funding will be distributed evenly across an entire area. Our map marks funding totals with (approx.) in counties where this method was used.

Headwaters Economics calculated a capacity index score for every county. The lowest third of counties by percentile were marked low capacity, the middle third as medium, and the top third as high. USA TODAY then used these three categories to sum funding by county capacity.

Finally, USA TODAY checked how closely each countys approximate funding amounts correlated with its total death count, fatality rate and portion of underserved population using statistical tools called Pearsons correlation coefficient and Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. We found the death count is moderately correlated with funding, meaning places with more deaths generally got more money. But thats because the death count has a strong correlation with population. Controlled for population, the correlation fell to nearly nothing. USA TODAY found little correlation between a countys funding amount and its death rate and no correlation to its underserved population.

To find crash hotspots, USA TODAY consulted with urban planning researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Safe Streets Research and Consulting. Their 2021 study defined a hotspot corridor as any 1,000-meter-long segment of roadway with six fatal crashes across eight years. Considering rural speed limits and conditions differ significantly from urban areas, USA TODAY used the 2023 Rural-Urban Continuum Codes that categorize counties by population size and proximity to a large metro area. We scaled the corridor lengths to suit the nine types of counties as follows:

Code County description Corridor length 1 Counties in metro areas of 1 million population or more 1000m 2 Counties in metro areas of 250,000 to 1 million population 1590m 3 Counties in metro areas of fewer than 250,000 population 2600m 4 Urban population of 20,000 or more, adjacent to a metro area 3560m 5 Urban population of 20,000 or more, not adjacent to a metro area 3570m 6 Urban population of 5,000 to 20,000, adjacent to a metro area 4760m 7 Urban population of 5,000 to 20,000, not adjacent to a metro area 5550m 8 Urban population of fewer than 5,000, adjacent to a metro area 6510m 9 Urban population of fewer than 5,000, not adjacent to a metro area 8130m

Since we examined a shorter period  five years instead of eight, to align with the Safe Streets judging criteria  we defined hotspots as any corridor with at least four separate fatal crashes. Then, we largely replicated the researchers process described here. To focus on unique corridors, we removed any that overlapped by more than 25% with another, keeping the corridor with a larger number of total fatalities or higher density of fatalities. This produced 3,575 hotspots.

Then we overlaid the transportation departments maps of the grant recipients with the hotspots to identify which are covered directly by implementation grants or fall within areas that have received planning grants. The transportation department defines rural areas as any metro area of 200,000 people or smaller. By that definition, about one-third of all hotspots are rural and two-thirds are urban. Safe Streets grants overlap 46% of rural hotspots, but 85% of urban hotspots.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Inside USA TODAY's investigation of grants to reduce traffic deaths
The Scoop

Project 2025, the Heritage Foundations $22 million effort aimed at staffing up and preparing the next Republican administration, has signed on just over 100 coalition partners for its advisory board. The lineup is a mix of traditional issue advocacy groups and New Right political organizations that offer a glimpse at the shifting landscape of Donald Trumps Republican Party.

The projects coalition partners include a number of well-known conservative groups: The anti-abortion organization Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, The Conservative Partnership Institute, The Claremont Institute, and Turning Point USA, among others. Project 2025 has been working for months to compile (and train, via its Presidential Administration Academy) a database of conservatives for the next Republican administration to choose from while also developing a hefty policy book.

The last pillar in the effort focuses on developing a 180-day playbook of regulations and executive orders that could be signed and implemented by the next president on his (or her) first days in office. With over 100 coalition partners now tapped to serve, Project 2025 can begin ramping up its work on this final, and key, initiative.

Thats really what our meat and potatoes work is  that playbook where we are doing diagnostics on each federal agency and filling the templates and preparing drafts of documents, whether they be executive orders, or perhaps even regulations, new guidance, statements and really a system for a new operator to come aboard, Paul Dans, the director of Project 2025, told Semafor in an interview.

Dans noted that theres a lot to pick from when it comes to what documents theyll develop for the next Republican president. The groups policy book, which Dans says has been downloaded as a PDF over 400,000 times, is pretty comprehensive but is not intended to match up perfectly with what the next president wants to do. Still, it will offer Project 2025 a roadmap, particularly in terms of topics, to sift through as they develop ideas on initiatives that a future administration could use.

While Project 2025 bills itself as being candidate agnostic, Dans noted that at this point in the primary, they expect and hope that Donald Trump will ultimately end up in office again. Those helping with Project 2025, he added, include people who maybe favored one candidate over the next but are willing to come together and really put pen to paper with their policy ideas in advance. Still, many of those involved with the project at this point previously worked closely with the last Trump administration  which could incentivize Trump to actually tap Project 2025 down the road.

Many of us would be honored to be asked again, to be in that service, Dans said. We dont speak for the campaign, weve been very clear.

Shelbys view

Project 2025 was formed in part as a response to Trumps 2016 win, which took many conservatives by surprise and resulted in a movement unprepared to help him in his first days in office.

Its work has garnered significant attention as a potential blueprint for a second Trump presidency, though its not an official platform. At the end of last year, the Trump campaign sought to distance itself from organizations like Project 2025 after a series of stories speculating on plans for a future administration based on outside think tanks and advisors. Last week, a policy paper from the group drew attention that spotlighted ways a Republican White House could limit abortion access with executive orders using the Comstock Act  a long-inactive 19th century law that banned birth control and abortifacients by mail.

That doesnt mean Trump wont end up using some of what Project 2025 is trying to do. It does, however, mean that the group  and others like it  have to be careful in how they approach the next year. Dans noted that its entirely up to Trump and his campaign how much they end up leaning on the groups efforts, even as the group is clearly catering to his needs and interests.

By virtue of our size, and I think the gravity of the folks working in this movement, [we] have ideas that very much mirror what President Trump is providing on the campaign stump, Dans said. We think hopefully a lot of this work gets transplanted in large measure to facilitate a transition.

Notable

The other big conservative organization looking to help out in a future Republican administration is AFPI, which put out its own policy book in 2022, Semafor reported at the time. While the two groups publicly deny any feuding, Heritage Foundations effort poached a top AFPI staffer in 2023, suggesting there could be some quiet drama building.
LANCASTER, Pa. (WHTM)  A popular, lightweight shoe retailer recently opened its doors at the Lancaster Tanger Outlets.

abc27 news reported last week when they confirmed that a new HEYDUDE shoe retailer would be opening its doors inside suite 1230 at the Lancaster Tanger Outlets.

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Earlier today, the Lancaster Tanger Outlets shared that the new HEYDUDE is now open inside a 3,500-square-foot storefront, which is situated between Francescas and the Levis Outlet.

Tanger Lancaster guests want name-brand stores that offer affordable pricing without compromising quality or style, Tanger Lancaster Marketing Director Monica Trego said. HEYDUDE checks each of these boxes, making it the perfect addition to our collection of upscale retailers and local shops serving Lancaster and surrounding communities.

History of Pennsylvanias largest shopping mall

HEYDUDE is based in Massachusetts and was acquired by Crocs, Inc. back in 2022. The new store will offer comfortable, versatile footwear for men, women, and children.

To learn more about HEYDUDE and to see what they offer, you can click here.

The Lancaster Tanger outlets are located at 311 Stanley K Tanger Drive, and their hours of operation are:

Mondays through Saturdays // 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Sundays // 11:00 a.m. to 7 p.m.

abc27 news will keep you updated as more information becomes available.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27.
This essay was originally published as part of the Center on Reinventing Public Educations 2023 State of the American Student report. As part of the effort, CRPE asked 14 experts from various sectors to offer up examples of innovations, solutions or possible paths forward as education leaders navigate the current crisis. (See all the perspectives)

Tutoringan old education practice that historically was only available to affluent kidsraced to the forefront of public consciousness in the last two years as a way to catch all kids up after the pandemics learning disruptions.

Theres strong evidence behind an intervention now called high-impact tutoring, defined as individualized or small- group instruction during the school day, in alignment with core curriculum, for a substantial amount of time, several days a week, with a built-in mechanism for monitoring student progress. This kind of tutoring is delivering real results for students, especially when led by teachers or paraprofessionals, for students in the earliest grades, and for programs conducted in school (see sidebar on page 43).

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The challenge is that high-impact tutoring is difficult to deliver at the scale and the pace that we need. Generous estimates suggest only about 1 in 10 of all U.S. students are getting effective tutoring support, while the real number is likely even lower. It is also especially difficult to reach high school students, who arguably should be our top priority given how little time they have to recover pandemic learning losses before graduation.

But theres reason for optimism: a growing number of tutoring providers are innovating new models, conducting research, and delivering results.

Overcoming Implementation Hurdles

For districts committed to developing their own programs, it is difficult to find and train qualified tutors; ensure the curricula are aligned; coordinate the communications between tutors and classroom teachers; and manage the program overall, especially in systems that already are stretched thin. Meanwhile, districts seeking to partner with providers have trouble finding those with both a strong evidence base and the capacity to reach all the kids in

the district who could benefitoften thousands or tens of thousands. Historically, providers that offer tutoring at scale are essentially providing 24/7 homework help, which is not the same as high-impact tutoring.

Indeed, scaling quality programs is the biggest challenge, and the millions of students who are behind today cant wait decades for us to get it right. In order to solve it, we need to figure out how to get more tutors into schools, how to align tutoring curricula with core curricula, how to help districts solve school-day scheduling challenges, and how to ensure costs are sustainable.

Thats why we started Accelerate, a nonprofit determined to make high-impact tutoring a standard feature of American schools by:

Identifying and funding innovative, scalable tutoring models, including those that use technology and AI to reach more students.

Funding rigorous evaluations of these models to gauge effectiveness of the programs.

Supporting state departments of education in creating regulatory frameworks to encourage effective in-school tutoring. This could include creating preferred provider lists, statewide procurement for strong tutoring providers, and mandatory statewide data collection and analysis of tutoring in schools.



Related

With New Grants, 5 States Could Lead the Way to Widespread, Effective Tutoring

Our ultimate goal is to embed tutoring into the regular school day, which is the most effective way to ensure all students from every background get the individualized support they need.

Successful Innovations At All Levels, Including High School

Saga Educations longstanding math tutoring partnership with Chicago Public Schools provides a great example of what is possible. Saga offers tutoring as part of a credit- bearing class, and the school system recognizes that tutoring offers as much or more value than the classes it replaces. The research supports this choice: A randomized control trial of 2,633 ninth and tenth graders, published by the National Bureau of Economic Research in 2021, found the program improved students math test scores and grades in math and non-math courses.

Early literacy is a priority, too, and scaling tutoring in early literacy has great potential. On Your Mark, an Accelerate grantee, offers synchronous tutoring via computer using high-quality instruction materials based on the science of reading. Using noise-canceling headphones, students get extra doses of phonics and other instruction without leaving their desks. In California, Accelerate is supporting Amira, a company that equips high school and college students with a AI-powered platform to tutor younger students in foundational literacy.

Impact of AI

Tutoring models that use artificial intelligence are already here, and within a year or two we expect AI to become a useful tool to supportnot replaceskilled educators in giving tutors feedback and helping to pinpoint individual students learning gaps. Before now, it was difficult and costly to have supervisors watch tutoring sessions and provide feedback to tutors. But video and transcript crawls via AI could mean a significant improvement in the quality of feedback to tutors. Groups like Schoolhouse, Carnegie Mellon, and Saga are already working on AI models for giving tutors feedback.

To address learning gaps, AI-enabled technologies can

help tutors triangulate what students are learning in core classroom instruction, where an individual student has learning gaps, and what an appropriate tutoring intervention looks like. AI could dramatically reduce tutors prep time for individual tutoring sessions, and lower the cost for school districts.

The high cost of tutoring is a key barrier for many school districts, and its why Accelerate is also funding five states (Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Louisiana, and Ohio) that have embraced tutoring as a statewide priority, in the hopes that they will become models for other states to follow. Over the 2023-2024 school year, Accelerate will support each of these states in implementing evidence-based tutoring programs statewide, measuring their impacts on student outcomes, and develop plans for long-term sustainability.

States across the country are making strides toward ensuring all students have access to high-impact tutoring during the school day. There are so many reasons to be hopeful that this intervention can permanently change the American school system.

If anything keeps me up at night, it is the concern that the education field, in our eagerness to move on to the next big thingespecially when federal Covid-19 relief funding runs outwill give up on tutoring before it has a chance to scale up and deliver the kinds of results we all want. The key is to respond quickly to what works, and treat tutoring as an evidence-based, long-term solution. Tutoring is not a post-pandemic extra, but an evergreen must-have that should be a central part of todays American school day.

See more from the Center on Reinventing Public Education and its 2023 State of the American Student report.
A Los Angeles dual-national has been arrested and detained by the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) on suspicion of treason.

According to the Russian state-run TASS news agency, the woman in her 30s - allegedly identified by the Daily Mail as Ksenia Karelina, a US citizen and ballerina of Russian descent - was arrested in Yekaterinburg on Tuesday (Feb. 20) on suspicion of providing Ukraine with "financial assistance."

"The Federal Security Service in Yekaterinburg suppressed the illegal activities of a 33-year-old resident of Los Angeles, who has dual citizenship of Russia and the United States, who was involved in providing financial assistance to a foreign state in activities directed against the security of our country," the FSB said in a statement.

The FSB added that Karelina allegedly "proactively collected money in the interests of one of the Ukrainian organizations," which Russian officials believed was used to procure the needs of the Ukrainian military. She was also repeatedly participating in rallies in the US supporting Ukraine.

Reporters have requested the US State Department for comment.

Read Also: Russian Defector Kuzminov Shot Dead in Spain: Spanish Authorities

Aside from Karelina, the Kremlin still holds Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was also arrested in Yekaterinburg, and former Marine and computer security official Paul Whelan.

The charge of high treason in Russia carries a jail term of between 12 and 20 years. The treason definition includes espionage, the issuance of state secrets to a foreign state or organization, and the provision of financial, logistical, consulting or other assistance, should the activities be directed against the security of Russia.

Related Article: Biden Urges To Impose New Sanctions on Russia for Alexei Navalny's Death
In early January, a fire destroyed Helen Gonzalez's home on Incredible Court in Alamogordo.

Gonzalez said the family home did not have a smoke detector.

"Now, we're just cleaning it all up," Gonzalez said.

A second unrelated house fire at Evergreen Trailer Park killed one person; Officials said that home also did not have a smoke detector.

In an effort to prevent more tragedy, Alamogordo Fire Department, American Red Cross, New Mexico State Fire Marshals Office and the Alamogordo Code Enforcement mobilized to install free smoke detectors in several Alamogordo homes.

On Feb. 10, the Alamogordo Fire Department, along with the American Red Cross, New Mexico State Fire Marshals Office and the Alamogordo Code Enforcement Dept. implemented free smoke and carbon monoxide detectors after a recent spike of fatal fires in the area.

More: Levi Heisinger can tell you all about Mars and what it's like to be on the spectrum

Alamogordo Code Enforcement Manager Joshua Sides said he too, has been annoyed by a beeping smoke detector in need of new batteries, but they are a critical fire safety device.

"We've all been in that situation where we just don't want to replace the batteries or we generally don't want to replace the smoke detector but it's not hard," he said. "Many people think you have to run all these chords together, but you don't need to hire an electrician, you can just by a smoke detector at Walmart that takes batteries. Nowadays most smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are sold together as combination detectors."

On Feb. 10, the Alamogordo Fire Department, along with the American Red Cross, New Mexico State Fire Marshals Office and the Alamogordo Code Enforcement Dept. implemented free smoke and carbon monoxide detectors after a recent spike of fatal fires in the area.

More: Otero County Rep. John Block introduced 30 bills this session. Here's where they stand.

Alamogordo Fire Department Lieutenant William Skaggs said the Alamogordo Fire Department and Alamogordo Code Enforcement partnered in the effort.

"On the (Saturday, Feb.10) we visited 69 homes, installed 167 smoke detectors and made 106 citizens safer," Skaggs said. "Additionally, I have 15 follow up installations and hope to install at least 40 more smoke detectors before the end of the month."

Skaggs said this was the third time in the last two years that the Alamogordo Fire Department has decided to put free smoke detectors in homes. American Red Cross and New Mexico State Fire Marshals volunteers also lent a hand.

"We have installed over 700 smoke detectors free of charge now," he said. "Myself and the Investigations Unit have spearheaded this  off the need that was found."

On Feb. 10, the Alamogordo Fire Department, along with the American Red Cross, New Mexico State Fire Marshals Office and the Alamogordo Code Enforcement Dept. implemented free smoke and carbon monoxide detectors after a recent spike of fatal fires in the area.

Read on the recent fires:

Sides said the detectors installed in homes are interconnected, meaning that if one goes off, others will too.

"International property maintenance code changes every three years. We just got a new version this year (2024), but a lot of these existing building and old homes don't understand that and that's what part of the education is," he said.

"So, long as they are maintained and updated, you will be notified. It helps save lives. I've been doing a lot of research in the fatal fires in conjunction with the Alamogordo Fire Department so see if there are any smoke detectors."

After installation, smoke detectors last up to 10 years, Sides said.

"We just don't tell people here's the code ordinance and here's how you violated it," Sides said.

"We tell them and educate them on it so we can prevent any future incidents. We're all about customer service and helping the community. I just don't want to see anymore fatal fires."

Juan Corral can be reached at JCorral@gannett.com or on X, formerly Twitter at @Juan36Corr.

This article originally appeared on Alamogordo Daily News: Alamogordo homes get free smoke detectors in fire safety campaign
Donald Trump is poised to trounce Nikki Haley Saturday in her home state of South Carolina, an exclusive Suffolk University/USA TODAY poll finds, with a yawning advantage that hasn't been diminished by the former president's controversies or legal travails.

Among those very likely to vote in the state's Republican primary, Trump leads Haley by close to 2-1, 63%-35%.

"The story of this poll is the depth of strength shown by Trump," said David Paleologos, director of the Suffolk University Political Research Center. The former president holds double-digit advantages among men and women, in every age group, and among both high school graduates and those with a college degree.

Republican presidential candidate former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley speaks at a campaign event in Spartanburg, S.C., Monday, Feb. 5, 2024.

Haley has hoped for a strong showing in South Carolina, the state that twice elected her governor. But Paleologos notes that Trump's lead is larger than his 19-point win in 2016 over Sen. Marco Rubio in his home state, Florida. (At the time, Trump wasn't a resident of Florida, where he declared residency in 2019.)

The survey was taken Thursday through Sunday by landline and cellphone of 500 South Carolina voters who said they were "very likely" to vote in the primary or had already cast an early ballot. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 4.4 percentage points.

Military families salute Trump

Trump created controversy this month when he mocked Haley's husband, Michael Haley, a National Guardsman now on a yearlong deployment to Africa. "What happened to her husband? Where is he?" he asked suggestively at a rally in Conway, South Carolina. "He's gone."

Haley responded on social media: "Michael is deployed serving our country, something you know nothing about."

Even so, Trump leads Haley among voters in military families 65%-33%, a bit wider than his standing among those who don't have a member of the military in their family.

SC voters like Nikki Haley, but they like Donald Trump more

Though both Trump and Haley have net favorable ratings among primary voters, the former president is more popular (64%-25%) than the former governor (47%-36%).

Trump is also more likely to convert a favorable opinion into a primary vote. Ninety percent of those with a positive view of him plan to cast their ballot for the former president. In comparison, 65% of those with a favorable opinion of Haley plan to vote for her.

Haley does hold a wide lead among those who identify themselves as liberals or moderates (59%-38%) and a narrow one among those who are voting in the GOP primary for the first time (51%-49%).

Her biggest advantage over Trump, 63%-37%, is among those who say the most important issue is the future of democracy.

That said, only 13% of those surveyed say democracy is their biggest concern. Ranked at the top, at 42%, is immigration/border security.

Those voters support Trump by nearly 4-1.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Exclusive poll: Donald Trump trounces Nikki Haley in South Carolina
Homeless people from other communities are being dropped off and left out in the cold at night to fend for themselves across Rock Hill, and city officials said they are tired of it.

Some of the people also have substance abuse issues. Many come from neighboring or even distant states. None have a home in Rock Hill.

There have been about 40 instances in the past two years involving more than 60 at-risk people being abandoned in front of the Pathways Community Center and other places, according to city police and nonprofit agency leaders.

People left in Rock Hill told authorities theyve come from Charlotte, Lancaster County or even as far away as New York.

Busloads of people at all hours of day and night, Pathways executive director Alex Greenawalt told Rock Hill City Council last week. Whether services are available or not, whether beds are available or not.

Police, Pathways and other nonprofits that serve the homeless tried asking individuals and organizations to stop abandoning at-risk people in the night.

I think that time has come and gone, said Mayor John Gettys. Now, the city has begun the process of adding new rules and penalties for the transport of at-risk people.

The issue has been persistent, Rock Hill Police Department Capt. Rod Stinson said last week. Up until this weekend, we continue to have some organizations just dropping individuals off on street corners and parking lots.

This file photo from before Pathways Community Center opened in 2019 shows the Cherry Road site in Rock Hill that now houses full- and part-time organizations that address community needs. Pathways and other sites in Rock Hill are seeing homeless people dropped off at night with nowhere to go, as the city looks to penalize groups bringing them.

Busloads of homeless people arrive in York County

Rock Hill public service organizations came together with the opening of Pathways in 2019 to create a one-stop solution for people facing homelessness, financial crisis, substance abuse and other issues.

By doing so, they may also have created a one-stop destination for groups that want to pass off at-risk people.

The nonprofit Pathways is on Cherry Road between a York County Sheriffs Office substation and a cemetery. There are homes and retail shops near the Pathways building, which started as a school but became a strip mall.

Nonprofit partners that work out of Pathways help with clothes, bills, education  which can help people reach self-sufficiency. Pathways also connects people with homeless shelters in the area. Pathways is open until 4 p.m. weekdays. The Bethel Day Shelter at Pathways has weekend hours to 5:30 p.m.

$100K challenge met. Itll bring needed resources under one roof in York County

Greenawalt told City Council theres been an influx of people dropped off in the past two years without any prior contact to a service agency.

Some came when Pathways beds werent available and became incapacitated from being left outside all night, having to sleep on the streets, Greenawalt said. There have been police and EMS calls.

In many cases, people who were dropped off couldnt have consented to it, said Catawba Area Coalition for the Homeless operations coordinator Melissa Carlyle. Many of (the people) have no idea where theyre being taken, she said. They just wake up and theyre in a strange place. This is obviously doing much more harm than it is good.

Where are at-risk people coming from?

Sometimes police or Pathways knows which agency brought them, sometimes they dont.

Contacted last week by The Herald, Greenawalt and Stinson declined to name agencies responsible for leaving people in Rock Hill. Greenawalt did say most cases involve agencies that are out-of-county and out-of-state.

Stinson, a Pathways board member in addition to his police duties, said people left at Pathways and other spots across the city come from across the region. He asks people how they got to Rock Hill. They come from Charlotte, Lancaster County, Columbia and Atlanta. Some come from even farther away.

They say theyre from New York or New Jersey, they ended up on a bus to Charlotte and the next thing they know theyre in Rock Hill, Stinson said.

There have been cases from within South Carolina and, to a lesser extent, within York County, Greenawalt said.

Stinson told City Council at least one agency is a publicly-funded one, but didnt say which one it was. Stinson said he met with one organization last week but doesnt see progress in getting that group to stop bringing people. On Monday Stinson said there have been other groups that have been receptive to change, but again declined to name them.

(Nonprofits) just want people to do it the right way, Stinson said.

Rock Hill willing to help the homeless

Police and social service groups worked together to propose the new rules. Leaders emphasize they still want to help at-risk people. This is just holding service providers accountable, Carlyle said.

People left in Rock Hill often are in need of mental health or alcohol abuse treatment, Stinson said. A new city rule would allow police to do more than ask groups to stop bringing people in the night.

No one is allowed to bring someone to Rock Hill with the intent of abandonment or neglect when its known or should be known the dropped-off person would likely suffer from hunger, injury, endangerment or other factors, according to the proposed rules.

If approved, the rules would impose a fine of up to $500 or 30 days in jail for someone who brings a homeless person to Rock Hill and leaves that person unattended. It applies when someone abandons a person at a public service agency after hours, or elsewhere, without contacting and first getting approval from that agency.

If organizations are sending people to Rock Hill, they also should send money to aid in funding the services, said Councilman Derrick Lindsay. People shouldnt take advantage of what Pathways created, he said.

Build it and theyll come, Lindsay said. But no. Its build it and lets go dump it off on Rock Hill. Thats whats happening.

For service providers, the main issue is the impact on the at-risk population.

What council members say amounts to dumping people in Rock Hill makes it harder for the people left here to overcome illness, injury, hunger, homelessness or neglect, Greenawalt said. Were willing to help those when services are available, she said, and when communication has been made.

Some council members brought up the idea of asking state agencies to help by applying financial pressure to groups involved with dumping people off that also receive state funding.

Any agency that is supposed to be doing good and is not treating these folks as individuals who need help, and seeking to do the best for them, thats despicable, said Councilman Jim Reno.
TAMPA  In a rain-soaked church parking lot downtown, on a Sunday morning before most people were awake, Jessie Rivers was cheering on his wife Marie as she pedaled past him on a new pink bike.

New to her, anyway.

She wobbled a little getting started, then righted herself on this bright bicycle that had already lived another life. There you go! Rivers called as she neatly looped the lot.

This particular morning was cold and spitting rain. Homeless people like them, some with backpacks and bedrolls, flocked past them into Portico, a cluster of church buildings and a coffee shop, for Sunday breakfast and the chance to be inside awhile. And, for some, the chance for a bike and the freedom that came with it.

In October, two retired guys  Tom Henry and Tim Eves, buddies Tom and Tim  started working with Sacred Heart Catholic Church on a volunteer outreach program called Bikes from the Heart. They refurbish bicycles recovered from police impound lots, left behind on city buses and donated. Fill out an application one week, get your bike the next.

This is kind of where the rubber hits the road, said Eves in the Portico parking lot,

The application asks, among other things, how the bike will help. For work, people wrote. To get to day labor gigs, to the doctor, the Social Security office, to court. I have knee pain, a man wrote. Im just tired of walking, a woman said.

That morning, volunteers also worked on bikes brought in by homeless people, adjusting brakes, un-wobbling tires, fixing flats, broken spokes and cranky gears. A woman walked up with her battered aqua-green cruiser, one of its broken-off pedals perched on the bike seat.

Rivers sat next to his wife astride his own new bike, a tall silver one, one of 14 ready to roll that morning.

A bike will help us a lot, he said. God was with us.

Inside Bikes from the Heart

The big room at the old Sacred Heart Catholic Church school on Florida Avenue smelled of weathered wood floors, buttery sunshine streaming through big windows and mostly, rubber bike tires. Hundreds and hundreds of rubber tires on hundreds of bikes collected there.

Lefty loosey, said Henry, working a bike on a Thursday morning. It has a wobble. Im trying to true it up.

It started with fixing bikes at churches and realizing the need for not just repairs but for bikes themselves. Henry, Eves and up to a dozen volunteers work here, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

The workshop has an easy feel of people liking what they do. They work to music  country, 70s, 80s. When a worker boasts hes finished two bikes already, another teases him that its no surprise since hed been working on cream puffs  bikes in need of only minimal attention.

Others bikes that come here look like they might have been sideswiped by a bus.

On a wall hangs a testament to human ingenuity or maybe desperation: a bicycle rim without a tire that the owner wrapped in duct tape to try to keep it going one more mile.

Weve got a need for maybe 20 bikes a week  we can fill that, said Henry, who sold communications equipment before he retired.

For bike recipients theres a requirement: Applicants must bring a bike lock or they can buy one from the program for $10, the goal being to make this an investment for the person riding it. A lock makes them the owner, said bike tech Dan Winegrad. The application they sign also says they agree not to sell, trade or pawn the bike, which is QR-coded and labeled Bikes from the Heart.

Homeless clients are encouraged to volunteer and do. While were fixing your bike, help us with something, Eves will say, like pressure washing bikes. Over Christmas, a homeless man who had once been with a symphony had them singing Jingle Bells while they worked.

The program also has a collection of childrens bicycles looking for homes: We dont have a source to give these kids bikes to, Henry said. Yet.

Volunteers say there is satisfaction in the work, in getting hands dirty. Just creating this community, said Henry.

It changes their lives, said Eves.

Bikes from the Heart is up for an Urban Excellence Award on Wednesday from the Tampa Downtown Partnership for programs and people that have made a lasting, positive impact in the city.

A wheel up

Texas, said Gregory Brown as he climbed onto a silver bike in the Portico parking lot. Thats where he planned to head on this bike, he said, making them laugh.

Brown brought in his last bike, the one he was sometimes riding 15-20 miles a day to his part time security job and to see his family. A donated old-generation blue rental bike, it had chunks missing from its hard permanent tires. Theyll try to fix it up or maybe cannibalize it for parts to get other bikes going.

People kept coming: Barbara Burden tried out a black Huffy beach cruiser with pink rims. I love it, she said. Richard Otto, living in a tent city, said hed ride his new bike to the Salvation Army to see his mother.

Brown talked of his own plans: Im going to get me a place soon, he said. The bicycle helps a lot,
FILE PHOTO: Honduras President Juan Orlando Hernandez Alvarado addresses the 76th Session of the U.N. General Assembly in New York City

By Luc Cohen

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Former Honduras President Juan Orlando Hernandez's trial on U.S. drug trafficking charges starts Tuesday, giving a New York jury the chance to determine whether Washington's onetime key anti-drug ally actually ran the Central American country as a "narco-state."

Hernandez was close to Washington during his 2014-2022 tenure. Honduras received more than $50 million in U.S. anti-narcotics assistance and tens of millions more in security and military aid during his presidency, and he won support from former President Donald Trump for cracking down on migration.

But three months after he left office, federal prosecutors in Manhattan charged him with accepting millions of dollars in bribes from cocaine traffickers in exchange for using his position to protect them. Attorney General Merrick Garland said he abused his power to operate the country as a "narco-state."

That came nearly three years after his brother, former congressman Tony Hernandez, was convicted on U.S. drugs charges and sentenced to life in prison. A prosecutor at that trial said Juan Orlando Hernandez protected his brother.

Juan Orlando Hernandez has pleaded not guilty to three counts of cocaine importation conspiracy and illegal weapons possession. He has been detained at Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center since his April 2022 extradition.

He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 40 years and up to life in prison if convicted on all counts. The trial begins with jury selection on Tuesday and is expected to last between two and three weeks.

Prosecutors said that while Hernandez was campaigning in 2013, he accepted $1 million from Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, the leader of Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel. He used that money to bribe officials to manipulate voting results in his favor, and used similar tactics for his 2017 re-election, prosecutors said.

"This rampant corruption and massive cocaine trafficking came at a cost to the people of Honduras," Damian Williams, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, told reporters after Hernandez was extradited.

HERNANDEZ QUESTIONS WITNESSES' MOTIVES

Hernandez has argued that drug traffickers have smeared him to seek to lighten their own sentences and to extract revenge over his administration's law enforcement actions.

That argument has been used by other high-ranking Latin American officials who have been charged by the United States in recent years, including former Mexican security minister Genaro Garcia Luna, who was convicted last year on charges of taking bribes from El Chapo.

"I'm really curious to see if this is going to be a prosecution that is just going to exhibit a long list of finger-pointing at him by convicted former drug dealers, or if this is going to be a prosecution showing unquestionable evidence that he was actually involved," said Edgar Zurita, a former law enforcement official at Mexico's U.S. embassy and current managing director at investigations firm Nardello & Co.

El Chapo was himself convicted of drug trafficking in 2019 and sentenced to life in prison.

Earlier in February, two co-defendants who were initially set to be tried alongside Hernandez - his cousin Mauricio Hernandez and former Honduras national police chief Juan Carlos Bonilla - pleaded guilty to drug trafficking.

(Reporting by Luc Cohen in New York; Editing by Noeleen Walder and Alistair Bell)
According to The Guardian, Tass, the state-run news agency in Russia, first reported the update to Russia's list of "terrorists and extremists." Rosfinmonitoring, which allows authorities to freeze Russian bank accounts, added Republican senator Lindsey Graham, likely as a symbolic show.

The agency's list includes more than 12,000 individuals and more than 400 companies, from domestic and foreign terrorist entities to Russian political opposition groups.

Meta was added to the list in October 2022 for allegedly tolerating "Russophobia." Chief executive Mark Zuckerberg and several Meta employees have been banned from Russia or added to "wanted" lists.

Graham, a South Carolina senator and foreign-policy warmonger, has long supported arming Ukraine against Russian forces and has also been subject to a Russian arrest warrant for making "Russophobic statements" during a visit to Kyiv.

"It's difficult to imagine a greater shame for a country than having such senators," said Dmitry Peskov, the Russian government spokesperson at the time.

Graham responded to the warrant by telling Reuters, "As usual the Russia propaganda machine is hard at work. It has been a good investment by the United States to help liberate Ukraine from Russian war criminals."

He said he would "wear the arrest warrant issued by Putin's corrupt and immoral government as a badge of honor."

Where does the South Carolina lawmaker stand?

Graham is a notable ally of former president and prospective Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, who generally favors Russia and Putin.

This month, Graham voted against a $95bn defense and foreign aid package that would significantly boost Kyiv.

Graham has backed a $66bn counter-proposal from House lawmakers of both parties, stating, "I want to turn the aid package into a loan, that makes perfect sense to me."

This move echoes that of Trump, who has demanded aid to Kyiv converted into loans.

"I think that's a winning combination," Graham said.

"Let's make it a loan. I think that gets you, President Trump, on the aid part."

Emphasizing the killing of Alexei Navalny, a prominent leader of opposition to Putin, Graham proposed Russia be designated a state sponsor of terrorism.

The Guardian quoted Graham's Tuesday post on X, "I understand what happens if Putin wins in Ukraine. However, many members of Congress do not seem to understand what is happening to America every single day at our southern border. Count me in for helping Ukraine. But, we must help ourselves first. It's time to get our broken border under control."
A series of horrific, high-profile carjackings in Louisiana has prompted legislation that will more than double the prison penalties for those convicted of the crime.

House Bill 7 by Metairies Laurie Schlegel that would increase minimum sentences from two years to five in carjackings where victims weren't seriously injured and from 10 years to 20 in carjackings where victims suffered severe bodily injuries cleared the Criminal Justice Committee Tuesday.

It's one of at least 30 bills being considered during a legislative Special Session called by Republican Gov. Jeff Landry to crack down on crime.

Landry addressed tragic carjackings in his speech Monday to open the session, including the brutal 2022 New Orleans carjacking in which victim Linda Frickey, 73, was dragged hundreds of yards by her three teenage attackers in the SUV and died from her injuries.

"People no longer feel safe going to their cars," Schlegel said while presenting her bill. "I don't think you can turn on the news and not hear about carjackings."

Louisiana state Rep. Laurie Schlegel, R-Metairie, pictured here on the House floor on April 13, 2023, has sponsored House Bill 7 that would double prison sentences for carjacking crimes.

Fricke's sister was among those recognized by Landry Monday and the Fricke family attorney attended Tuesday's committee hearing in support of the bill.

Schlegel said her bill is designed to give criminals pause before committing a carjacking.

"My intent is to deter the criminals," Schlegel said.

But Sarah Whittington of the Louisiana Justice and Accountability Center dismissed the claim that stiffer penalties will deter criminals.

"It does nothing to make us safer," Whittington said. "I believe raising this minimum will not have a deterrent effect."

Instead, Whittington said the state should be investing more in early childhood education, summer feeding programs for children, mental health support and other programs she believes "will prevent violence and promote healing" over the long term.

But Schlegel said the violent and traumatic nature of carjacking crimes warrant increased penalties.

"The propensity and risk for bodily injury is just so high," she said.

House Bill 7 will next be debated by the full House.

More: Louisiana lawmakers, Governor Jeff Landry want more gun rights for self defense to deter crime

Makenzie Boucher is a reporter with the Shreveport Times. Contact her at mboucher@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Brutal New Orleans carjackings spur bill to crackdown with stiff penalties
The House announced Tuesday it will launch a bipartisan task force centered on artificial intelligence (AI).

In a release, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said he, along with Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), appointed 12 members each to sit on the task force.

The research panel will be chaired by Reps. Jay Obernolte (R-Calif.) and Ted Lieu (D-Calif.). The group will produce a report that will include recommendations for the future and bipartisan policy proposals related to AI.

The mission of the task force is to ensure the United States is leading the world in AI innovation, but it also considers the guardrails that may be appropriate as the widely popular emerging technology continues to raise potential security concerns.

Because advancements in artificial intelligence have the potential to rapidly transform our economy and our society, it is important for Congress to work in a bipartisan manner to understand and plan for both the promises and the complexities of this transformative technology, Johnson said in a statement.

The announcement of the task force comes just a month after a bipartisan group of lawmakers said they would create a Working Group on AI. The group intends to examine how AI impacts the financial services, housing and business markets and operations.

Lawmakers have appeared tentative about regulating the emerging tech and its potential threats heading into an election year. After a year of hearings and forums that have discussed the risks and benefits of AI, experts have said it is time for Congress to act, while many have said it is already behind.

Last September, more than 60 senators met with a panel of tech CEOs about the use of AI at their companies. Tesla and X CEO Elon Musk, Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg were in attendance. Though there was expressed interest in finding solutions, attendees said the hearing centered around broad discussion and lacked consensus on how to regulate AI properly.

Jeffries said in a statement that certain guardrails are necessary to protect the public. He said bipartisan solutions are necessary to protect people from bad actors who may exploit the emerging tech.

The Members appointed to this Task Force bring a wide range of experience and expertise across the committees of jurisdiction and I look forward to working with them to tackle these issues in a bipartisan way, he wrote.

Last October, President Biden signed a sweeping executive order that focuses on AI and managing its risks.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Maryland Secretary of Housing and Community Development Jake Day said the state is at an inflection point when it comes to housing during a news conference hosted by a trade association of realtors last week.

Ninety-nine percent of those ages 18 to 34 say it is harder to buy a home today than for previous generations, according to a survey of over 800 registered Maryland voters conducted in January by a polling firm.

Day and the Moore-Miller administration have legislation pending in the General Assembly aimed to help address a housing crisis, but how quickly and for who are open questions as the bills are scheduled to be heard in committee initially on Tuesday.

During the Feb. 14 news conference hosted at an Annapolis hotel by the trade association, Maryland REALTORS, the groups president said the state had a housing shortage of around 150,000 units, citing a figure from the National Low Income Housing Coalition. Last year, at a similar news conference, Maryland REALTORS put forward an approximately 120,000 unit shortage, up from 82,000 units the year before that.

At lectern, Maryland Housing and Community Development Secretary Jake Day speaks during a news conference hosted by the trade association Maryland REALTORS on Feb. 14, 2024 in Annapolis as the organization's 2024 president and president-elect listen from the podium.

Asked by a Maryland USA TODAY Network reporter if the administrations bills would reduce the shortage in the next year, the organizations president, Chris Hill, said the housing crisis would not be solved overnight.

Well see a long-term positive impact, he said, but its not going to happen overnight.

More: Maryland Housing Secretary Day estimates 96,000-unit housing shortage. Bills aim to help.

Day agrees legislation will alleviate state housing shortage

The states housing secretary, who sat at a table at the Governor Calvert House podium with Hill, agreed.

Do I expect that the numbers will be significantly reduced a year from now if were sitting here at this time? I dont think so, said Day, who cited a 96,000 unit shortage in the state last year, but its our job to ensure that were setting a course where the problem isnt getting worse, but the problem is getting better.

If this legislation is adopted, he said, well watch the numbers getting better and better.

RECAP: There's a housing crisis in Maryland. Here's how lawmakers might fix it

More: Maryland Gov. Moore touts housing package as economic boost as it nears introduction

At the news conference, Hill said the organization is in support of two Moore-Miller administration bills (the Housing Expansion and Affordability Act and the Housing and Community Development Financing Act).

The first bill proposes a density bonus for developers, seeks to limit duplication of public hearings, and reduce restrictions on manufactured homes. The second piece of legislation proposes the creation of the Maryland Community Investment Corporation as a federally-certified Community Development Entity in an effort to pull in federal dollars and investments.

Both bills are scheduled to be heard in the House Environment and Transportation Committee on Tuesday afternoon in Annapolis.

A third bill backed by the Democratic Moore-Miller administration, the Renters Rights Stabilization Act, is also scheduled to be heard by the committee on Tuesday. The cities of Salisbury and Hagerstown had two of the highest rates of renters in the state last year.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat, speaks at the speaker's rostrum during his second State of the State address in Annapolis on Feb. 7, 2024 while Maryland Speaker of the House of Delegates Adrienne Jones, D-Baltimore County, listens in the background.

We will be testifying on the renters bill as favorable with amendments, said Dan Patrell, senior director for strategic communications for Maryland REALTORS, in a Feb. 15 email.

That bill, as proposed, increases the surcharges for certain eviction proceedings from $8 to $93. More than 400,000 failure to pay rent cases were filed in the states 2023 fiscal year.

The governor brought attention to that topic earlier this month in his state of the state address.

Maryland has the highest eviction filing rate in America, Gov. Wes Moore said.

Referencing the legislative housing package in his address, he said: We will work together to get it done.

Dwight A. Weingarten is an investigative reporter, covering the Maryland State House and state issues. He can be reached at dweingarten@gannett.com or on Twitter at @DwightWeingart2.

This article originally appeared on Salisbury Daily Times: Maryland bills will drive down housing shortage if adopted, Day says
HOUSTON - The Houston Police Department needs your help locating a missing man with dementia.

Authorities are searching for 72-year-old Luis Quinones-Guevara.

SUGGESTED: 'Terrifying, it really was': Man violently attacked by person of interest in Audrii Cunningham case

Quinones-Guevara is described as a White/Hispanic male, 510" tall, 158 pounds, with brown eyes and gray hair.

72-year-old Luis Quinones-Guevara

Authorities said Quinones-Guevara was last seen in the 5500 block of Dashwood Drive in Houston on Saturday night around 7 p.m.

Quinones-Guevara was last seen wearing a red sweater, blue jeans, and red shoes.

FOX 26 Houston is now on the FOX LOCAL app available through Apple TV, Amazon FireTV, Roku, Google Android TV, and Vizio!

Officials said Quinones-Guevara primarily speaks Spanish.

If you have any information on where Quinones-Guevara is, contact the Houston Police Department Missing Persons Unit at (713) 884-3131.
A tiny, 80-year-old shop that sells print magazines is totally in fashion.

Casa Magazines in the West Village just collaborated with Madewell for Fashion Week, offering denim jackets embroidered with its logo and filling its windows with a special Madewell denim zine.

Its just the latest trending moment for Casa. While print magazines and the shops that sell them have been shuttering and dying in recent years, its thriving. Sales are strong; its Instagram account has nearly 50,000 followers, including a number of influential New Yorkers; celebs such as Julianne Moore and Sarah Jessica Parker are regulars; and buzzy brands are eager to collaborate.

Manager Syed Khalid Ali Wasim says that he runs the show at Casa Magazines. Tamara Beckwith

I dont know about other shops, but no matter what  bad weather or corona  we never had a problem here, manager Syed Khalid Ali Wasim told The Post. The neighborhood is just right  everybody here is a writer or director or actor and more interested in magazines, more old school. They love the print still.

The Madewell jacket sold out in less than a day, and its not the shops first fashionable foray. It collaborated with Vans on limited edition Casa-branded sneakers in 2021 and was the site of Valentinos book launch in 2020.Wasim was once even a model for True Religion. A painting of Casa was even framed in Carrie Bradshaws closet in the Sex and the City reboot, And Just Like That.

Wasim, who has worked at Casa for 24 years, said theyre always fielding requests from people looking to team up.

Designers and brands will just reach out on social media to collaborate, said the 54-year-old Pakistan native who lives in Bayside. He launched the Instagram account in 2017, with help from a neighborhood friend. On it, he and owner Mohammed Ahmed pose like influencers with the latest covers.

Its been very helpful for business, Wasim said of the account.

The shops origins are murky, but Ahmed bought it in 1994. Since taking over, he and Wasim have completely remodeled the shelving on the walls to make room to display 3,000 unique titles.

Madewell zines filled the window at Casa Magazines as part of a recent collaboration. Tamara Beckwith

The Madewell collaboration included custom denim jackets. Courtesy of Rikki Schlott

The shop previously collaborated with Valentino. Darian DiCianno/BFA.com/Shutterstock

Say in the article that since [I] got here, the space is much more organized, Wasim joked.

These days, the roughly 400-square-foot space stocks hundreds of titles, many of them from foreign countries. Some of its rarer offerings  such as Gap Press and Yummy  can go for upwards of $300 a copy.

International issues of Vogue  especially British, French and Italian iterations  tend to be the top sellers. But, Wasims personal favorite is National Geographic.

Casa Magazines is owned by Mohammed Ahmed, who poses with covers on Instagram. casamagazinesnyc/Instagram

Casa Magazines has the widest variety of magazines in the West Village. Tamara Beckwith

Julianne Moore is a Casa Magazines regular. casamagazinesnyc/Instagram

Casa Magazines has rare issues from around the world. Tamara Beckwith

If I go to NYU, Im going to become a photographer, the father-of-three joked.

In addition to attracting brands, the shops social media presence account has helped make it a destination for tourists across the globe.

Bridget from Antwerp, Belgium, found Casa on Instagram and knew it was a must-see on her recent three-day trip to the city.

Bridget came all the way from Antwerp to see Casa Magazines. Tamara Beckwith

It was just so cute. It felt very New York, she told The Post.

But most of Wasims customers are locals, and he speaks fondly of longtime ties to some of them.

[Julianne Moore] knew my kids since they were in Pampers. And I knew her kids since they were in Pampers, he said. We have customers from 6 to 93 years-old. They all love magazines, they walk into the shop, and they breathe the scent of freshly printed paper, and they just enjoy the place.

Luiz Lopez has come to Casa for a decade on his bus route layover. Tamara Beckwith

Luis Lopez, who drives the M12 bus route for the MTA, uses the shop for short breaks, and has been a fan for a decade.

I come in and hang out with Ali and read the paper real quick, Lopez told The Post. We became basically like family.

Wasim cant imagine working anywhere else.

Really, this is my dream, he said. I always saw in my dream that I worked in a magazine place. A messy, crowded place that was hard to work in  and my dream came true.
Hundreds of Ukrainian troops may have been captured by Russia during their chaotic withdrawal from the eastern city of Avdiivka.

Western and Ukrainian sources said between 850 and 1,000 troops appear to have been taken prisoner or are unaccounted for following the retreat, The New York Times reported on Tuesday.

Oleksandr Syrsky, Ukraines newly-appointed commander-in-chief, had decided to pull back from the symbolic city in the Donetsk region to prevent his men being encircled by advancing Russian forces.

Kyivs troops had found themselves outgunned and outnumbered in an increasingly desperate battle to hold the industrial town after Moscow significantly ramped up its effort to secure its first battlefield victory in months.

The retreat was believed to have gone according to plan with minimal losses after one of Ukraines best, battle-hardened units was deployed to stabilise the situation and cover the withdrawal.

However, General Oleksandr Tarnavsky, the commander of Ukraines forces in the area, acknowledged some troops had been taken prisoner.

He said: Nevertheless, at the final stage of the operation, under the pressure of the prevailing enemy forces, a number of Ukrainian servicemen were captured.

Kyiv has since attempted to downplay losses suffered during the withdrawal after the pullback was ordered last Friday.

An aerial photograph of a snow-covered Avdiivka, taken by a drone in December - Libkos/Getty Images Europe

There are prisoners, but their number is by no means in the hundreds, Dmytro Lykhovii, a Ukrainian military spokesman told The Telegraph.

He added a certain number of soldiers were missing, with some men having since been found in hospital or with their units.

However, the report by The New York Times, citing Western and Ukrainian sources, said the retreat had descended into chaos, resulting in the capture of a large number of Kyivs forces.

Frantic situation

The Ukrainian withdrawal was described as ill-planned, with commanders said to have waited too long in ordering the retreat.

Ukraines 3rd Separate Assault Brigade had been brought in to buy time for its battle-stricken forces, but the elite unit was unable to slow the Russian advance enough to get all their soldiers out.

The situation became frantic as Kyivs troops took the only paved road available to them  which was surrounded on three sides  to escape the city.

The highway, which Ukrainians had nicknamed the road of life, came under direct attack by Russian forces earlier this month.

An image from the Russian Defence Ministry on Monday purporting to show two of its soldiers in Avdiivka - Russian Defence Ministry

Some Ukrainian units on the ground were reported to have been unaware of the orders to withdraw, while others had already begun to leave their defensive positions in Avdiivka.

Unverified battlefield footage shared on social media appeared to show Ukrainian troops retreating under heavy artillery fire and bodies scattered along the road.

Ukraines prosecutor in the eastern Donetsk region has said it is investigating the shooting of unarmed Ukrainian prisoners of war in Avdiivka.

Dented morale

If confirmed, the reported losses would make Ukraines withdrawal more significant.

Until now, the loss of Avdiivka, the first city to fall into Russias hands since Bakhmut last May, had not been considered a major victory for Moscow by Western military planners.

However, it could now cause a further dent in war-torn Ukraines morale after its much-vaunted counter-offensive failed to reach its main objectives last year.

The situation could also make it harder for Ukraine to recruit the 500,000 troops requested by its military to continue fighting against the Russian invasion.

Britains Ministry of Defence said on Tuesday that the losses suffered by Russia during the capture of Avdiivka would probably lead it to pause fighting while the military replenished its forces.

It is likely that Russian forces lack the combat effectiveness to immediately exploit the capture of Avdiivka and will require a period of rest and refit, officials wrote in a daily battlefield update.

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FILE PHOTO: Hungarian Prime Minister Orban delivers his annual State of the Nation speech, in Budapest

By Boldizsar Gyori

BUDAPEST (Reuters) -Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson will travel to Budapest on Friday to meet Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orban before Hungary's parliament takes a long-delayed vote on Sweden's bid for NATO membership next Monday.

Sweden applied to join the transatlantic alliance nearly two years ago in a historic policy shift away from non-alignment prompted by Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Hungary is the only NATO member that has yet to ratify the Nordic country's accession, with Orban's nationalist party repeatedly delaying a vote, citing grievances over Sweden criticising Hungary over its record on rule-of-law standards.

Orban said on Tuesday that it would be a "pleasure" to welcome Kristersson in Budapest.

"We are planning to discuss how to strengthen the defence and security policy cooperation between Hungary and Sweden, as well as our plans for the Hungarian presidency of the Council of the European Union, and the EUs Strategic Agenda," Orban said in a post on X.

Orban's Fidesz party proposed earlier on Tuesday that parliament should vote to ratify Sweden's bid to join NATO on Feb. 26, a move that it would support.

Fidesz commands a huge majority in parliament and it could have approved the Nordic country's membership at any time since the relevant legislation was submitted to lawmakers in mid-2022.

The delay has soured Budapest's relations with the United States and raised concerns among allies.

Kristersson's visit on Feb. 23 follows an invitation by Orban, and the two plan to hold a joint press conference, according to the Swedish government.

Hungary leases Gripen fighter aircraft made by Sweden's SAAB under a contract signed in 2001.

Local news site Index.hu reported this week, citing unnamed sources, that a new defence deal could be signed between Sweden and Budapest. A Hungarian government spokesman has not replied to emailed Reuters questions.

Kristersson told a press conference in Stockholm that Sweden wants to further develop its Gripen cooperation with Hungary, and that the topic would be on the agenda for Friday.

(Reporting by Boldizsar Gyori and Krisztina Than; Additional reporting by Anna Ringstrom in Stockholm; editing by Mark Heinrich)
Hungary plans to bring a vote on Sweden's NATO accession on Feb. 26, said Mate Kocsis, the head of the ruling Fidesz party in parliament, in a post on Facebook on Feb. 20.

Sweden and Finland applied to join the alliance in 2022 after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, but their accession was held up by objections from Turkey and Hungary. Finland joined NATO in April 2023.

After Turkey formally ratified Sweden's NATO membership on Jan. 25, Hungary remains the only NATO member yet to approve Sweden's application.

Fidesz, which has a supermajority in parliament, has pledged its support for Sweden's ratification, all but ensuring its passage if brought to a vote.

Kocsis was unequivocal in his prognosis of the outcome, saying that "Sweden will join NATO."

A bipartisan delegation of U.S. senators visited Budapest on Feb. 18 in the latest bid from other alliance members to urge Hungary to finally approve Sweden's accession after more than a year of delays.

"With accession, Hungary and your prime minister (Viktor Orban) will be doing a great service to freedom-loving nations worldwide," said Senator Thom Tillis at a press conference on Feb. 18.

Hungarian officials declined to meet with the delegation, which struck Senator Chris Murphy as "strange and concerning." At the same time, Murphy acknowledged that the decision was ultimately up to Orban.

"We are wise enough about politics here to know that if Orban wants this to happen, then the parliament can move forward," Murphy said.

Hungary and Ukraine have had a contentious relationship that has worsened since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion. Orban has maintained close ties with Russia, bucking the united front that the EU has tried to present in support of Ukraine.

Despite repeatedly displaying obstructionist behavior on EU actions in support of Ukraine and in opposition to Russia, Hungary has ultimately approved 12 previous EU sanctions packages. Budapest signaled it would oppose the upcoming 13th round of EU sanctions, but Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Feb. 19 that Hungary would not obstruct its approval.

After blocking 50 billion euros ($54 billion) in EU aid for Ukraine in December 2023, Orban reversed course earlier in February and voted for the package, claiming that he had received guarantees that none of Hungary's funds would go to Ukraine.

Read also: Swedish minister reaffirms willingness to send jets to Ukraine after finalizing NATO bid

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Kevin Bazely spent nine years in the armed forces before he was forced to leave in 1994 for being gay

A Worcestershire veteran who felt "hunted" by the RAF due to his sexuality has called for the government to distribute compensation to other gay veterans before it is too late.

Kevin Bazely, from Worcester, was arrested in 1994 when his sexuality was revealed to armed forces police.

It was illegal for LGBT people to serve in the UK military until 2000, which Rishi Sunak has labelled an "appalling failure".

Despite the prime minister's apology on behalf of the government for the historical treatment of LGBT veterans, Mr Bazely fears many will die before being fully compensated.

"There are people who cannot wait any longer," he said, appealing for the government to "act soon".

He said the government did not need to have the full compensation package in place but "there are some who need that support now".

Listen on BBC Sounds: Worcester veteran's fears over compensation

Mr Bazely served nine years in the Royal Air Force after joining from school in 1985, with the dream to fly.

Then 18, Mr Bazely said he was unaware of his sexuality.

He went on to graduate as a navigator in 1988 before serving in VC10s and Nimrods and getting married to a woman, with whom he had two children.

"It was only in the last couple of years [of serving] that I actually came out myself," he said.

"In those last couple of years I realised I was wanted, I was hunted in the Air Force.

"You would hear and see stories that someone had been caught at this base, someone has been caught at that base so there was always that realisation at any moment that everything could come crashing down."

He continued: "During these days they would set up stings.

"The military police would park outside of known gay establishments watching who went into them.

"They would set up entrapments, there was some really diabolical practices that went on during those years of the gay ban."

Mr Bazely told BBC Hereford & Worcester he was eventually discovered by his employer when he lost a wallet containing "incriminating evidence" - his membership card for the Gay Bikers Motorcycle Club.

Before his discovery and eventual departure from the military, Mr Bazely said "that fear was always there".

And when that day arrived he said it was a "humiliation" as he was escorted away from an aircraft by the squadron wing commander.

What came next was a series of "very personal" interrogations from his superior officers.

Mr Bazely graduated as an RAF navigator in 1988

Now 30 years on from his dismissal and 24 years on from the abolishment of the law preventing LGBT people serving in the armed forces, Mr Bazely wants to see prompt action from the government to fully compensate gay veterans.

The Etherton Report - officially known as the LGBT Veterans Independent Review - began in 2022 and heard about the experiences of 1,145 veterans who served between 1967 and 2000.

The report described an "incomprehensible policy of homophobic bigotry" and uncovered accounts of homophobia, sexual assaults, blackmail, "disgraceful" medical examinations and conversion therapy.

It gave 49 recommendations to the government, including:

Affected veterans to be given an "appropriate financial reward" capped at 50m overall

The restoration of medals that had to be handed back on dismissal or discharge

The clarification of pension rights

The government said it had already implemented more than half of the recommendations made by Lord Etherton's report and was encouraging LGBT veterans to apply for restorative measures through a website that has been set up.

Mr Bazely has encouraged the government to "make a difference" by providing monetary compensation, particularly to any veterans who knew they were terminally ill.

"That money, that compensation could really make a difference to the last few months of their lives," he said.

More on this story
Attorneys for the presidents son say an FBI informants lies have infected the case against their client.

Hunter Biden faces federal charges for having failed to pay his taxes on time and for illegally owning a gun when he was addicted to crack cocaine. A plea deal and diversion agreement collapsed last summer over a disagreement about Bidens immunity from further charges.

In a court filing on Tuesday, Bidens attorneys suggested prosecutors abandoned the plea deal because they believed they might be able to charge Biden with a more serious crime. The bribery allegation came from an FBI informant named Alexander Smirnov, whom the government has just accused of making the whole thing up.

It now seems clear that the Smirnov allegations infected this case, Bidens legal team, led by Abbe Lowell, said in a court filing in Delaware, adding in a footnote that prosecutors had taken Mr. Smirnovs bait of grand, sensational charges. The motion asked the court to make prosecutors hand over more evidence ahead of a trial.

Smirnov told his FBI handler in 2020 that the head of the Ukrainian gas company Burisma, which employed Hunter Biden on its board, had paid both Joe and Hunter Biden $5 million in bribes. In June, Republicans obtained and released a raw FBI file describing the allegation, which became a major part of their impeachment inquiry against the president.

Last week, however, the government said theyd poked holes in Smirnovs story and that he fabricated the allegation because he opposed Bidens candidacy for president. The charges were filed by David Weiss, the same prosecutor overseeing the case against Biden. In the indictment against Smirnov, prosecutors said the FBI asked Weiss for help investigating the bribe claim in July, shortly after Republicans made it public.

The allegations against Smirnov are a bombshell that could potentially destroy the impeachment case against President Biden. His sons attorneys hope Smirnovs fabrication could also taint the prosecution of their client, though its not clear if it will have the same impact.

In their court filing on Tuesday, Bidens attorneys claimed prosecutors started looking into Smirnovs allegation just days before the fateful July 26 hearing where Bidens plea deal fell apart. According to the transcript, the disagreement arose when prosecutors said the plea deal would not prevent them from bringing charges under the Foreign Agents Registration Act. Bidens attorneys wanted him free and clear.

The bribery allegation did not come up during that meeting, however, and Weisss team hasnt mentioned it in any of its court filings.

The Justice Department elevated Weiss last year to special counsel status so he could bring charges against Biden in other states; hes now pursuing the gun charge in Delaware and the tax charges in California. Republicans in Congress have also clamored for Biden to be charged with acting as an unregistered foreign agent.

Biden has openly admitted to habitually using crack cocaine when he bought a gun in 2018, meaning he lied on the standard federal form asking gun purchasers to declare theyre not addicted to a controlled substance. And he has not denied that he failed to pay his taxes on time. But his legal team has argued that prosecutors would not have brought the charges against a normal person and that the presidents son has been singled out for political reasons.

Our motions expose the special counsel has gone to extreme lengths to bring charges against Mr. Biden that would not have been filed against anyone else, Lowell said in a statement on Tuesday. Prosecutors reneged on binding agreements, bowed to political pressure to bring unprecedented charges, overreached in their authority, ignored the rules and allowed their agents to run amok, and repeatedly misstated evidence to the court to defend their conduct.

Related...
Organized by the Observer Research Foundation in collaboration with the Ministry of External Affairs of the Government of India, the Raisina Dialogue is scheduled for February 21-23.

This is India's 9th edition of the Raisina Dialogue, an intersection of minds and strategies under the intriguing banner of 'Chaturanga: Conflict, Contest, Cooperate, Create.'

What the Raisina Dialogue Is All About

It continues to bring a blend of leaders from across the globe who will mold future geopolitical and geoeconomic strategies.

Notable figures in attendance include Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Sweden's Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom, Latvia's Foreign Minister Krisjanis Karins, and India's Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Anil Chauhan.

The Raisina Dialogue acknowledged as India's premier conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics, is ready to reveal its program, which is structured around six thematic pillars.

According to BNN Breaking, the conference anticipates participation from over 100 nations, with over 2500 delegates gathering in person and millions more engaging through digital platforms, transcending borders and mediums.

This year's theme, 'Chaturanga,' appropriately mirrors the ancient Indian game of strategy that has evolved into modern chess, symbolizing the diverse dynamics of global conflict, competition, collaboration, and innovation.

The Raisina Dialogue 2024 represents a crucial space where military prowess meets diplomatic expertise.

Gen Anil Chauhan's meetings with military leaders from strategic partner nations, including the US, France, Australia, New Zealand, and the UK, highlight the dialogue's importance in influencing defense strategies and shaping military collaborations, further stated.

Crafting the Future Together

The dialogue is committed to exploring avenues for resolving conflicts, devising competitive strategies, and developing innovative approaches to tackle global challenges.

The conference includes diverse participants, such as military commanders, ministers, national security advisors, and representatives from various sectors. Together, they provide a comprehensive overview of the current global landscape.
Hunter Bidens lawyers accused special counsel David Weiss on Tuesday of using a since-discredited bribery allegation from an FBI informant to blow up his plea deal last year.

In a court filing Tuesday, attorneys for the presidents son asked a judge to force Weiss team to turn over additional information about the plea deal that went awry, and to provide materials about their discussions regarding a tip from by Alexander Smirnov, a 43-year-old former informant who was indicted for lying to the FBI about the Bidens alleged business dealings.

Smirnov appeared in a Nevada federal court Tuesday afternoon, where a judge ruled that he be released while he awaits trial. The release was granted with several conditions, including that Smirnov be subject to GPS monitoring and surrender his passports.

Weiss team wrote last week in Smirnovs indictment that he falsely told his FBI handler in 2020 that President Joe Biden and his son each took $5 million in bribes from the Ukrainian energy company Burisma. The FBI investigated Smirnovs allegations at the time, his indictment says, and recommended the probe into his claims be closed in August of that year.

Prosecutors continued their investigation of Smirnovs claims into 2023, the indictment says.

The discussion about the scope of the immunity agreement appears shaped by the prosecutions investigation of the Smirnov allegations, which it began looking into just days before the July 26, 2023 hearing, Hunter Bidens lawyers alleged in their filing, referring to their clients botched plea deal.

It now seems clear that the Smirnov allegations infected this case, they wrote, adding that prosecutors followed Smirnov down a rabbit hole of lies and having taken Mr. Smirnovs bait of grand, sensational charges, the Diversion Agreement that had just been entered into and Plea Agreement that was on the verge of being finalized suddenly became inconvenient for the prosecution, and it reversed course and repudiated those Agreements.

Weiss was appointed special counsel several weeks after the July 26 plea hearing.

House Republicans have championed Smirnovs uncorroborated bribery claims against the Bidens and used his tips to fuel their impeachment inquiry into the president.

During the plea hearing that fell apart in Delaware last summer, both sides tussled over the breadth of the immunity provisions, which only covered gun and tax matters. Prosecutors were asked directly if the Justice Department could still bring charges against Hunter Biden under the Foreign Agents Registration Act despite the deal.

Yes, lead prosecutor Leo Wise told the judge.

Hunter Bidens attorney, Christopher Clark, said he disagreed with the prosecutors assertion.

Then there is no deal, Wise responded.

Despite efforts to amend the deal during the July hearing, the judge did not accept the agreement.

Weiss special counsel office indicted Hunter Biden in September on three charges related to an illegal purchase and possession of a gun while addicted to drugs. Weiss also indicted Hunter Biden in December on nine tax-related charges over an alleged scheme to not pay $1.4 million in taxes he owed from 2016 to 2019. He has pleaded not guilty in both cases.

Tuesdays filing from Hunter Bidens attorney also accused prosecutors of failing to abide by their obligation to turn over discovery in the Delaware case, including over allegations that Hunter Bidens alleged gun bag had cocaine on it.

Hunter Biden moves to dismiss tax charges against him

Hunter Bidens attorneys also filed a smattering of motions to dismiss the tax charges against him in California, arguing that the special counsel was unlawfully appointed, the prosecution is selective and vindictive, and that his rights were violated by IRS whistleblowers.

Within the six motions to dismiss the case or certain charges in the indictment, his defense attorneys raised similar arguments they made in the gun case, including that the plea deal with prosecutors is still valid.

One new argument raised by Bidens attorneys, unique to the tax case, is the claim that their clients rights were violated when IRS agents involved in the initial investigation blew the whistle, claiming political interference in the case.

The whistleblowers actions, the attorneys wrote, violated federal rules and resulted in the plea deal being abandoned by prosecutors.

Hunter Bidens attorneys said that whistleblowers disclosed confidential information to Congress and publicly disclosed parts of the investigation.

The specific harm to Mr. Biden also includes the extraordinary prejudice created by the publicity of the IRS agents misconduct which has led to virtually anyone in the country with a television, radio, newspaper subscription, or online news source already convicting Mr. Biden in the court of public opinion, his attorneys wrote.

In a statement Tuesday, Bidens attorney Abbe Lowell said Weiss has gone to extreme lengths to bring charges against Mr. Biden that would not have been filed against anyone else.

Prosecutors reneged on binding agreements, bowed to political pressure to bring unprecedented charges, overreached in their authority, ignored the rules and allowed their agents to run amok, and repeatedly misstated evidence to the court to defend their conduct, Lowell added. It is time to hold the special counsel accountable and dismiss these improper charges.

The attorneys also argued that Weiss was not properly appointed to oversee investigations into Hunter Biden, as Justice Department regulations require the special counsel to be selected from outside the government and Weiss was previously serving as the US attorney for Delaware.

In response to a similar motion filed in the Delaware case, prosecutors have argued that its up to Attorney General Merrick Garland who to appoint as special counsel and that the department regulation cited is not the exclusive, much less primary source of the special counsels authority.

Prosecutors have also pushed back on claims that Weiss prosecution has been vindictive, arguing that Biden has not produced clear evidence  to support his selective prosecution claim.

The judge presiding over the case has scheduled a hearing for March 27 to hear the pretrial motions.

This story has been updated with additional developments.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
Hunter Bidens attorneys argued on Tuesday that U.S. Attorney David Weisss investigation into their client included some major factual errors, including mistaking a pile of sawdust for cocaine.

In a court filing, the law team challenged that what the Department of Justices discovery revealed cannot be taken at face value.

In previous filings, Weiss had accused the presidents son of taking a picture of several lines of cocaine. But Bidens team says otherwise, claiming that Biden not only didnt take the photograph, but that the picture doesnt depict cocaine at all.



Instead, the picture shows three lines of sawdust, jokingly propped by a carpenter who took the photograph and sent it to Bidens then psychiatrist, Dr. Keith Ablow, who in turn sent it to the junior Biden.

Mistaking sawdust for cocaine sounds more like a storyline from one of the 1980s Police Academy comedies than what should be expected in a high-profile prosecution by the U.S. Department of Justice, the team wrote in its retort.

A court document sharing the image also included the texts from Ablow, who wrote, This one in my office is of lines of sawdust sent to me by a master carpenter who was a coke addict. I told him that, ultimately, he would have to choose between his art and his drug. He sent me the photo and a message that said, Made my choice.

Hope you do, too, Ablow added.

Photo of three lines of sawdust arranged up in an M

The new documents also accuse the special counsel of being swayed by Alexander Smirnov, whose entire testimony about the Biden familys connection to Ukrainian company Burisma Holdings was blown up last week when he was indicted by the DOJ for lying to prosecutors.

The Smirnov allegations infected this case, Hunters lawyers wrote, arguing that the special counsel threw out Bidens plea deal while following Smirnov down his rabbit hole of lies.

Lo and behold, some seven months later, the Special Counsel finally figured out that Mr. Smirnov was lyingwhich should have been obvious to everyone, certainly by August 2020 when DOJ closed the investigation, they wrote.
Idaho has asked the Supreme Court to take emergency action so the state can enforce its felony ban on gender-affirming health care for transgender minors, arguing that a district courts injunction goes too far.

Idaho in April became the second state, after Alabama, to make it a felony for health care providers to administer treatments including puberty blockers, hormones and surgeries to transgender young people. Doctors that provide care could face up to a decade in prison and $5,000 in fines.

Three other states have since followed suit in enacting bans that carry felony charges, and nearly half the country now heavily restricts or bans gender-affirming health care for transgender minors.

A federal judge in December temporarily blocked Idahos ban  known as the Vulnerable Child Protection Act  just days before it was slated to take effect. In issuing the preliminary injunction, U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill wrote that gender-affirming medical care, when provided in accordance with guidelines set by the World Professional Association of Transgender Health and the Endocrine Society, is safe, effective, and medically necessary for some adolescents.

Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador (R) appealed Winmills decision in January, but a three-judge panel for the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals denied it in a one-sentence order. The same three-judge panel denied Labradors second appeal for the full 9th Circuit to reconsider the injunction.

Labrador in an emergency motion filed Friday said district courts cannot prevent states from enforcing laws against individuals that are not directly involved in litigation and requested that the Supreme Court narrow Winmills order to cover only the two transgender teenagers challenging Idahos law, rather than all of the states trans minors.

Every day Idahos law remains enjoined exposes vulnerable children to risky and dangerous medical procedures and infringes Idahos sovereign power to enforce its democratically enacted law, Labrador wrote in the emergency motion, which was filed with the assistance of attorneys from the conservative Christian legal group Alliance Defending Freedom and the law firm Cooper & Kirk.

Meanwhile, Plaintiffs suffer no harm at alllet alone irreparable harmif the injunction applies to them but not to others, they wrote in the motion, which was made public by Labradors office Monday.

Legal challenges to state laws banning gender-affirming care for transgender minors have been met with mixed results, and federal appeals courts have split on whether such bans are constitutional. Individuals on either side have called for the Supreme Court to weigh in.

In November, three Tennessee families with transgender children and a doctor asked the Supreme Court to prevent the state from enforcing its ban on gender-affirming care for youth, which had been blocked by a temporary injunction before a panel of the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals accepted a request from Tennessees attorney general to lift it.

Conflicting court decisions are creating chaos across the country for adolescents, families, and doctors, attorneys for the plaintiffs wrote in November.

Neither the wave of state bans on gender-affirming medication nor the lawsuits challenging them are likely to abate in the near future, they added. Given the division among the courts of appeals on the appropriate level of scrutiny in these and related cases, any delay in this Courts review only risks subjecting transgender adolescents, their parents, and their doctors to a patchwork of inconsistent laws and legal standards that obstruct their medical care.

The Supreme Court has so far been hesitant to intervene in transgender health care disputes, although two of the courts leading conservatives  Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas  appear eager to wade into cases implicating transgender protections.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
More than one in five Idaho obstetricians have stopped practicing in the state since Idahos near-total abortion ban took effect in August 2022, according to a new report.

Data compiled by the Idaho Physician Well-Being Action Collaborative shows that dozens of obstetricians stopping practicing in Idaho in the last 15 months. Over the same period, only two obstetricians moved to the state to practice.

The number of obstetricians in Idaho decreased from 227 in 2022 to about 176 in 2023, a decline of 51 doctors, the report said.

The Idaho Physician Well-Being Action Collaborative is a group created by local physicians in 2018 to address problems affecting physicians and patients in Idaho communities, its website says. The collaborative is a group within the Idaho Coalition for Safe Healthcare, which issued a news release Monday that said the numbers should concern every person living in or considering a move to Idaho.

The report also noted that two hospital obstetrics programs, at West Bonner General Health, a critical access hospital in Sandpoint, Idaho, and at Valor Health, the only hospital in Emmett, have closed since Idahos trigger law banning abortion took effect. An additional hospital obstetrics program is in serious jeopardy of closing, it said.

Further, the vast majority, about 85%, of obstetricians and gynecologists in Idaho practice in the seven most populous counties. And only 22 of 44 counties have access to any practicing obstetricians, the report said.

Obstetrics is the branch of medicine concerned with the care of women during pregnancy and childbirth.

Idahos abortion ban was implemented after the U.S. Supreme Court eliminated the long-established constitutional right to abortion when it overturned Roe v. Wade, the Idaho Statesman reported. Now, doctors in Idaho who provide often necessary medical care for pregnant patients face being charged with a crime punishable by up to two to five years in prison.

The law also put maternal mortality at risk, the report said. Data shows Idaho is at the 10th percentile of maternal mortality outcomes, meaning 90% of the country has better maternal and pregnancy outcomes than Idaho.

In a time when we should be building our physician workforce to meet the needs of a growing Idaho population and address increasing risks of pregnancy and childbirth, Idaho laws that criminalize the private decisions between doctor and patient have plunged our state into a care crisis that unchecked will affect generations of Idaho families to come, Dr. Caitlin Gustafson, an OB-GYN and the board president of the Idaho Coalition for Safe Healthcare Foundation, said in the release.

The loss of obstetricians puts more strain on a health system already short of physicians, the release said. It said that the national average of live births a year per obstetrician is 94, the release said. In Idaho, that number is 107.

Idaho could resurrect a review of pregnancy-related deaths. But doctors are skeptical

Boise pharmacist refused to fill prescription for miscarriage meds, citing abortion laws

Idaho bill to expand access to birth control makes its way to Senate floor
FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE)  The Fresno Police Department has identified the 35-year-old man who was shot and killed Saturday in central Fresno.

Police say at around 11:00 p.m. on Saturday, officers responded to San Gabriel Avenue and Pleasant Street for a report of a gunshot victim. When officers arrived they found Lucio Flores Diaz suffering from a gunshot wound. Diaz was transported to a local hospital where he later died.

35-year-old Lucio Flores Diaz (image provided by the Fresno Police Department)

Officers say Diaz was involved in a confrontation with another person in front of a home when he was fatally shot. Investigators have not released any possible suspect information.

If you have any information contact the Fresno Police Department at (559) 621-7000.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com | KSEE24 and CBS47.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA)  Lobbyists in Illinois could face more stringent reporting requirements on their deals with clients. Its part of a proposed crackdown on corruption in the statehouse.

Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias is advocating for reforms for lobbyists to disclose more information on their financial deals or possibly face suspension. The changes are through a bill sponsored by Rep. Maurice West (D-Rockford).

Giannoulias said his proposal comes after some recent high-profile legal corruption cases of Illinois politicians. Former Chief of State to Illinois Speaker of the House Michael Madigan Tim Mapes was sentenced to 30 months in prison and former state senator Sam McCann pled guilty to wire fraud last week. Madigan is scheduled to start trial later this year.

Sam McCann to be held in jail while awaiting sentencing

Given the recent headlines of public corruption in Illinois, its incumbent upon the state to enact ethical safeguards that demand accountability among those who serve the public and operate within our government, Giannoulias said. Illinoisans are sick and tired of scandals and ethics abuses that unfortunately have become all too common in state government. These reforms will go a long way toward making government more transparent and holding political insiders and influencers more accountable to fight corruption more effectively.

Right now, the Illinois Secretary of State can only fine lobbyists if they are not following state reporting requirements. The proposal would add Giannoulias offices ability to investigate allegations of wrongdoing, as well as revoke and suspend lobbyist registrations for more than a year if they are not following the law.

The Secretary of States office would also have the power to bar registration of people convicted for felonies with the Lobbyist Registration Act or the Illinois State Government Ethics Act.

The Better Government Association, a nonprofit dedicated to government transparency in Illinois, believes unchecked lobbying activity is contributing to corruption in the state.

We are pleased to see Secretary Giannoulias commit to strengthen the oversight of lobbying by requiring details on lobbyist pay and granting the Secretary of State the power to enforce registration requirements, David Greising, the BGA President, said. More must be done to eliminate corruption in state government, and these tools would be important steps toward reform that is long overdue.

Additional $75 million going to Illinois to create jobs to tackle dangers with abandoned mine lands

Additionally, in the bill lobbyists would have to reveal the amount of compensation and the source in bi-monthly reports. The legislation would make to match the level of scrutiny lobbyists face for deals in the city of Chicago and the federal government.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.
LAFAYETTE, Ind.  A day before Tippecanoe Countys ordinance barring puppy mills in the county went into effect, the Indiana Statehouse passed a bill that overrides local control, stopping local governments from banning the retail sale of dogs at pet stores.

The Senate approved House Bill 1412 with a 31-18 vote, and the House passed it earlier this session with a 59-36 vote.

The bill now awaits Gov. Eric Holcomb's signature or veto.

If Holcomb signs this bill, it becomes law on July 1 and will void municipalities' and counties' ordinances on the sale of dogs or cats.

The bill requires commercial dog breeders, commercial dog brokers and retail pet stores to register their businesses with the state, allows the Animal Board of Health to randomly inspect pet retail businesses without prior announcement. It also establishes civil penalties on businesses that fail to register, but the bill consolidates all of the power to regulate these businesses at the state level.

Puppy mills banned in Tippecanoe for the next four months

Last November, Tippecanoe County passed an ordinance that banned the retail sale of dogs and cats, also known as puppy mills, from operating in the county.

This county ordinance was created after local legislators were alarmed by conditions at a puppy mill after visiting a Tippecanoe County facility.

Nathan Bazler, the owner of Little Puppies Online, who owned a storefront in West Point, opposed the county's ordinance; the commissioners ultimately passed the local law before the state adopted House Bill 1412.

However, local leaders were surprised to learn that House Bill 1412 did not grandfather in earlier animal-control legislation passed by local municipalities.

Tom Murtaugh, Tippecanoe County Commissioner, speaks at the groundbreaking ceremony of Tippecanoe Countys newest animal shelter, Humane Society for Greater Lafayette, on Tuesday, May 2, 2023, in Lafayette, Ind.

Its unfortunate, I think, that local control was usurped in this manner, Tippecanoe County Commissioner Tom Murtaugh said. We clearly thought that we have an issue with (puppy mills), and we wanted to have local control on that issue, so its very disappointing to hear this.

I had a lot of conversations with our representatives about this. It was unfortunate. I dont know why they wouldnt consider that.

Murtaugh believes the bill lacks any active inspection program and guidelines needed to be considered a good bill that would address the concerns of local leaders.

The bill states that the Animal Board of Health may conduct a random, unannounced inspection on commercial dog breeders, commercial dog brokers and retail pet stores, but it can only do this once a calendar year unless the facility fails its inspections and requires additional inspections.

However, the bill does not define how long the pet facility has to correct the deficiencies that led to a failed inspection. It also doesn't prescribe how much time must lapse between a failed inspection and a reinspection of facilities.

The unfortunate thing with the bill is that it states that there will be inspections of any retail stores, but theres no funding that goes with it. It states that the animal board of health will do those inspections, but they dont have the manpower to do those, Murtaugh said.

At the end of (the bill), it states that if the animal board of health cant do it, then the local animal control officers will do it, but we dont have those resources either, and it didnt come with any additional funding for inspections.

'The bill was not ready'

Sharon Dull, the president of the Humane Society of Greater Lafayette, is disappointed in the statehouse's willingness to move forward on House Bill 1412. She believed the bill was not ready.

Dull echoed the concerns about the bill's lack of funding to support the Animal Board of Health and local animal controls new role of inspecting these businesses throughout the state.

Sharon Dull, lead advisor of the new animal shelter, laughs before the groundbreaking ceremony of Tippecanoe Countys newest animal shelter, Humane Society for Greater Lafayette, on Tuesday, May 2, 2023, in Lafayette, Ind.

Lafayette had over 4,000 animal-related calls that they were fielding just last year," Dull said. "There were good things in the bill, it just wasnt ready to go, Dull said. They needed funding and structure to back it, but negating local ordinances was just a slap in the face for home rule.

Its just sending a strong signal to local communities that what they want, that it really doesnt matter, and that they dont have a voice.

The idea of retail pet stores, which solely sell dogs, is an archaic practice and that a large portion of pet stores no longer sell animals at their stores, finding the practice unethical, Dull said. She blamed Petland, a national pet store chain, for pressuring lawmakers to adopt the bill.

Petland has a huge lobbying force behind them, and they have tried to pass these laws across the nation where they arent in place, Dull said when criticizing the lobbying efforts behind House Bill 1412.

Out of the Lafayette area's four state lawmakers, three voted against the bill  Sen. Ron Alting, Rep. Sheila Klinker and Chris Campbell. Sen. Spencer Deery was the only Tippecanoe County representative who voted in favor of House Bill 1412.

The Journal & Courier emailed Deery for comment about his support for the bill.

"I considered this bill as not only a Senator, but as a dog lover, and I committed that I would vote in whatever way would best protect dogs in Indiana," Deery said when he phoned to comment.

"I supported House Bill 1412 because it uses criteria established by Purdue to put into place the strictest standards in the country for the retail sale of dogs while maintaining the ability of local governments to regulate dog sales within their zoning powers."

Dull shared how many in the community, herself included, attempted to reach out to their local state representatives in hopes of convincing them to vote against the bill.

I know the local officials wrote letters. I know my contacts contacted Sen. Alting, Dull said. But I know for a fact that Deerys office received well over 100 phone calls opposing the bill. Its really frustrating.

State Sen. Spencer Deery (R-West Lafayette) discusses Senate Bill 243 during the Senate session, on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023, in Indianapolis.

Murtaugh said, Its really just unfortunate, and too premature.

"As I mentioned to our legislators, the bill itself isnt bad. I mean inspections are a good thing. We would be on board with retail sales if there was an active inspection program and guidelines put in place and enforced.

But this bill does not do that.

Noe Padilla is a reporter for the Journal & Courier. Email him at Npadilla@jconline.com and follow him on X at 1NoePadilla.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Local officials comment on statehouse bill lifting puppy mill bans
Rep. Justin Jones, D-Nashville, speaks during a news conference outside the state Capitol held in response to a neo-Nazi group known as Blood Tribe that marched through downtown Nashville over the weekend, Monday, Feb. 19, 2024.

A group of interfaith leaders and Nashville politicians denounced a white supremacist march held downtown on Saturday while decrying anti-immigration rhetoric they say has emboldened dangerous racist views.

More than two dozen marchers, the majority of whom hid their faces with full masks, unfurled swastika flags amid Nazi salutes and repeated chants of "Save the white man" and "Deport every Mexican."

Rep. Justin Jones, D-Nashville, and his chief of staff, Chandler Quaile, were leaving a downtown event Saturday honoring an historic Black sorority when they heard the group yelling. Quaile, who has Jewish and Mexican grandparents, recorded the group as it marched down the street.

"I began to cry because these are the types of people and ideologies that wiped out my ancestors, that reminded my grandparents every day that this country would never be their country, that they didn't belong, that they had no place here," Quaile said at a Monday news conference outside the Capitol. "It's the type of ideology that made them hide being Jewish and hide being Mexican, because it was too scary to confront the reality that in America, a hate crime is always one moment away."

Chandler Quaile speaks about his experience during a news conference outside the state Capitol in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, Feb. 19, 2024. The news conference held in response to a Nazi group known as Blood Tribe that marched through downtown Nashville over the weekend.

The march sparked widespread, bipartisan condemnation over the weekend for its anti-Semitic imagery. Alongside immigrant advocate groups and faith leaders, Metro Nashville Council member Zulfat Suara and Jones said Monday recent Republican rhetoric likening immigration border issues to an "invasion" emboldened white supremacists.

"What we witnessed was the direct result of politicians spreading misinformation and hate messages about immigrants," said Tessa Lemos Del Pino, executive director of Tennessee Justice for Our Neighbors.

The marchers' red shirts included the words "Blood Tribe." The white supremacist hate group displays Nazi imagery and holds virulent anti-Semitic views. It also often focuses on "hypermasculinity," according to the Anti-Defamation League, and has targeted LGBTQ groups in previous public demonstrations, referring to LGBTQ groups as "pedophiles."

On Monday, a number of Republican leaders in Tennessee were among a bipartisan group that continued to denounce the marchers and what they stood for, including House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, and Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridge.

"Our nation spent significant blood and treasure during WWII to rid the world of the wicked and murderous ideology of Nazism," McNally said on social media. "To see this hate resurface on the streets of our state Capitol was horrific. Those thugs do not represent TN values and they are not welcome here  ever."

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville Nazi march: Interfaith leaders slam anti-immigrant rhetoric
The investigation into yet another deadly crash of a U.S. military Osprey aircraft in late November is looking at a possible mishap involving the aircrafts propeller rotor gear box, U.S. officials familiar with the preliminary findings say.

The accident, in which a U.S. Air Force V-22 Osprey crashed into the ocean off Japan, killing eight airmen, was the fourth fatal crash of the unique tiltrotor aircraft in less than two years. Twenty U.S. service members have died in the incidents, leading to a rare grounding in December of all Osprey aircraft by all branches of the U.S. military.

The cause of the crash off Japan is still under investigation and has not been established, according to those familiar with the investigation.

In a statement after initial publication of this article, a spokesperson for Air Force Special Operations Command told NBC News that investigations into the incident "are still actively in progress and analysis is ongoing to determine the cause of the mishap. At this time, the material failure that occurred is known but the cause of the failure has not been determined. ... Any disclosure of findings prior to investigations being finalized is premature and presumptive."

Ospreys can take off vertically like helicopters, but then tilt their two rotors to fly like dual propeller planes. The military has about 400 Ospreys that are used by the Navy, Marines and Air Force, though most are flown by the Marine Corps.

An aerial photo shows an object believed to be part of the US V-22 Osprey, which crashed on Nov. 29, on a U.S. salvage vessel in Yakushima Town, Kagoshima Prefecture in December 2023. (Kota Kiriyama / The Yomiuri Shimbun via AP)

In the past the Ospreys sometimes had a problem called a "hard clutch engagement," which in one June 2022 incident caused a crash that killed five Marines. In February 2023 the military said while they had still not determined a root cause for the hard clutch incidents, officials were 99% sure the clutch problem was fixed. The militarys joint program office for the aircraft told NBC News that the last of the 19 hard clutch engagements reported by all three service branches occurred in January 2023.

The Pentagons joint program office said in a statement that military leaders are working to provide service members with the safest, most reliable aircraft possible.  The safety and well-being of our personnel and the reliability of the V-22 continues to be a priority in our discussions as we determine our return to flight plan.

While it was first believed that the Osprey grounding could last as long as a year, its now expected that the aircraft may return to flight soon, possibly within weeks, according to multiple military officials.

Metal chips in the gear boxes

An NBC News review of Osprey mishap and hazard data from the Navy and Marines, however, shows other incidents involving the propeller rotor gear boxes. Since July 2022, there have been at least seven instances of metal chips found in the gear boxes, though no fatalities have resulted.

One would hope that thats being examined really hard, said retired military crash investigator Tom Farrier. The question that it raises to me is  is there a linkage between the chip detections and the problems with the clutch? Thats where I would expect the Marines and the Navy to be expending a lot of resources for study.

Each of the twin rotors has its own gear box. The gear box is as large as a motorcycle and serves a function similar to a cars transmission. The box has magnets inside it that detect loose metal chips as small as a fingernail. Once they are detected, a warning indication is sent to the pilot, according to aviation experts.

Marine pilots are instructed that at the first indication of a metal chip in the gear box they need to land as soon as feasible, according to the pocket checklist for pilots. If there is a secondary indication of a metal chip, then pilots are instructed to land immediately no matter where they are, according to the checklist and incident reports.

One hazard report from Oct. 5, 2022 in Hawaii where chips were found in a Marine Osprey gearbox noted, This event is further evidence that [Osprey] gearboxes are not performing to service life expectations and that more needs to be done to understand why [Osprey] proprotor gearboxes are experiencing chips.

In another hazard report from Hawaii in June 2023, Marine records show that a warning light came on in an Osprey cockpit twice for chips in the prop rotor gear box in rapid succession. The report says the aircraft was shut down and chips were discovered in the gear box. The report notes, No clear reason why chips occur other than old gearboxes.

Five months later, another Marine report from Hawaii shows that a chip warning light came on while the aircraft was between the islands of Maui and Lanai. There was no secondary indication of a metal chip so the Osprey continued to Maui and landed. After some maintenance, the aircraft was sent back up for a confidence flight and the metal chip light came on again. After this, the entire gearbox was deemed bad, requiring replacement, according to the Marine data.

The reports narrative notes, V-22 [prop rotor gear boxes] are known to chip out but there is not a standard reason for why or how often. By submitting these reports we can track frequency of events.

One prop rotor gear box chip incident in a Marine aircraft from November 2022 is still under investigation, according to the data.

Detailed mishap data from the Air Force was not available in time for publication.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
I have been living in a house my mother owns for the past 10 years. She has been promising to give it to me, but her new husband talked her into making me buy the house. Contributed Photo / ST

Q: I have been living in a house my mother owns for the past 10 years. She has been promising to give it to me, and I have paid the taxes and insurance for the last five years. She recently got married, and her new husband has talked her into making me buy the house. I'm OK with that, except the garage isn't finished, the roof leaks and there is mold growing in the walls. The shed is full of old junk as well. What can I do so that my son and I aren't put out on the street?

A: You need to insist upon paying a fair market price for the home. If the home would be worth $250,000 without the needed repairs, but it will cost $75,000 to make the repairs, you should agree to pay only $175,000. Or you could insist that your mother make all the repairs before you buy it.

You should hire a real estate attorney to represent you to prepare or review all paperwork you will be required to sign.

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Q: Who can notarize a will that was filled in from the internet? I asked my bank, and they said only lawyers can notarize wills.

A: You can use any regular notary to notarize a will. You don't need a lawyer.

However, be aware that notarizing a will is not the same as having a self-proved will. A self-proved will requires that you add certain specific wording, plus you need two disinterested witnesses who would also sign in the presence of the notary.

Not all notaries will be comfortable notarizing a document that you filled in from the internet. Without seeing what you prepared, it's not possible to know whether you have created a valid form. For a will form that is authorized for use by the Texas Supreme Court, go to www.texaslawhelp.org.

When it comes to writing a will, it's a good idea to hire an attorney who is licensed in Texas who can provide advice based on the specific details of your situation and who can prepare a document that meets all legal requirements under state law.

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Q: I am 88 years old. I have a house, plus about $1.3 million in a brokerage account that is presently payable to my only daughter as the transfer on death beneficiary. My daughter is unable to handle the account, so I would like the account to pass to her in a way that she can't control it. As for my house, I am setting up a transfer on death deed. What are my best options?

A: You have only one good option, and that is to leave your house and account to a trust that benefits your daughter, with a trust company or some trusted relative or friend as trustee.
2024 is slated to be a busy year for politics in Pueblo and around the country, as the big presidential election this fall isnt the only event to keep an eye on.

Coloradans will join some other states in voting in the presidential primaries on March 5, and there are several other local political events planned in the following weeks.

If youre interested in getting involved in local politics from the ground up, heres what to know about the upcoming local caucuses and assemblies.

Voting stickers from Election Day in Pueblo.

What are precinct caucuses? When will they be held in Pueblo?

The precinct is one of the smallest units of political organization. Precincts within city limits are comprised of neighborhood segments spanning a few city blocks, while precinct boundaries in more rural parts of Pueblo County are larger in size.

At precinct caucus meetings, attendees select leaders for their precincts, as well as delegates to the county assembly meetings. Participation is limited to people who are registered voters affiliated with the party and people who have lived within precinct boundaries for at least 22 days before the caucus.

Pueblo Republicans are hosting a precinct caucus in the evening of Thursday, March 7. The location is not listed on the party website, but voters can pre-register online.

The Pueblo Democratic Party is hosting three precinct caucuses at different locations on Saturday, March 9. They'll be held at South High School, East High School and Skyview Middle School in Pueblo West.

Voters can find their precinct information at govotecolorado.gov.

What to know about county assemblies

While some delegates for county assemblies are selected at the precinct caucuses, its the county assembly where local voters gather to select local candidates who will be on primary ballots in June.

Local parties also vote on delegates to send to the state party assembly as well as the congressional district assembly, according to the Colorado Secretary of States website.

Pueblo Democrats are holding their assembly on Saturday, March 16. Party communications director Breta Ross confirmed that registration will start at 9 a.m. and the assembly will be held at the Steelworker Union Hall.

The Pueblo GOP is holding its county assembly on Tuesday, March 19, at East High School. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the assembly is scheduled to start at 7 p.m.

Who is running for local positions?

According to Colorados campaign finance database, several candidates are in the running for local positions as of Monday afternoon.

While Puebloans decided on the majority of local county offices two years ago, two of the three commissioners will be seeking re-election.

The District 1 seat, currently held by Epimenio Eppie Griego, has the most candidates who are officially in the running so far. Griego left the Democratic Party late last year to run as an unaffiliated candidate, but three Democrats and one Republican have also filed to run for his seat.

Commissioner Daneya Esgar, a former state lawmaker who was appointed to the position last summer, is the only Democrat who has filed for the seat representing District 2. Paula McPheeters has also filed for that seat as a Republican.

All of the incumbents representing parts of Pueblo in the Colorado House of Representatives have filed to run for re-election.

Ty Winter, a Republican representing House District 47 in southeastern Colorado, does not yet have an opposing Democratic candidate, but Democratic incumbents Tisha Mauro and Matt Martinez each have one candidate who's filed to run against them.

Incumbent Tenth Judicial District Attorney Jeff Chostner, a Democrat, announced in late January he is not running for re-election after serving three terms. Two Republicans and one Democrat have filed to run for the top law enforcement job in the 10th District, which encompasses all of Pueblo County.

Anna Lynn Winfrey covers politics for the Pueblo Chieftain. She can be reached at awinfrey@gannett.com. Please support local news at subscribe.chieftain.com.

This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: How do I get involved in Pueblo politics? Find out here
Alliant Energy electricity rates feel like a runaway train to Iowa ratepayers, and over 70 Alliant-served towns have passed resolutions asking the Iowa Utilities Board to get serious about the situation.

There is growing evidence that MidAmerican Energys very healthy profits from the export of Iowa wind power are taking precedence over needed investment in energy storage and grid reliability.

Are Iowas large investor-owned electricity providers too big to regulate with existing tools? Are they prioritizing the interests of largely out-of-state shareholders over the interests of Iowa customers and communities?

ANOTHER VIEW: Transparent energy planning is already occurring, the Iowa way

Utility regulators need a robust toolbox

Legislators need to ensure regulators have the tools they need to ensure that Iowa ratepayers only pay for what they need.

The most important tool lacking from the Iowa Utilities Boards toolbox, according to a major new report commissioned by the Legislature and produced by London Economics International, is Integrated Resource Planning, or IRP.

The report recommends that the Legislature enact a statute mandating rate-regulated electric utilities periodically submit IRPs to the IUB for review and evaluation.

The report goes on to state that the absence of compulsory filing of long-term resource plans impedes the IUBs access to vital information essential for informed decision-making.  Such a process could provide greater insight into the current status and future needs of the system  in addition to addressing the policy objectives of adequate and reliable service and just and reasonable rates.

A general view of the Iowa Utilities Board meeting on the proposed Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline at the Cardiff Events Center on Tuesday, August 22, 2023 in Fort Dodge.

IRP basics: Pay for only what you need

While utility regulation can be complicated, the concept of Integrated Resource Planning is fairly straightforward. Here are the basics on how IRP can help keep rates down, and reliability up, in Iowa.

Energy utilities are state-granted monopolies not subject to competitive markets. This is makes sense as nobody wants multiple sets of electric or gas lines, but monopolies also carry high moral hazard, and so require a robust and transparent regulatory process for regulating rates.

The profits of investor-owned utilities like Alliant and MidAmerican are based on the capital assets they own and the regulator-approved rate of return, not on how efficiently they manage the electric grid.

This approach creates a perverse incentive for investor-owned utilities: the more they spend on capital assets, the more they earn and ratepayers pay, whether the assets are truly needed or not.

This is why, according to the London Economics report, almost all states that regulate electricity like Iowa utilize IRP as a pre-cursor to traditional rate dockets: IRP is the comprehensive, transparent, participatory, and regularly recurring planning process that defines the key resource needs in the short, medium and long term, and the most economical pathways to get there.

With IRP in the toolbox, the Iowa Utilities Board would be in a better position to ensure the mid- and long-term needs of the grid are being met, and ratepayers are paying for only what they truly need. Competitive procurement is a critical complement to the IRP process to keep costs down.

Alliant and MidAmerican's rate histories

Two very different IRP-related bills have cleared the first funnel at the Iowa Legislature.

House File 2554 makes IRP an optional process that may be ordered by the Iowa Utilities Board prior to approving advanced ratemaking principles for new renewable energy projects. But if the goal of IRP is for ratepayers to only pay for what they need, it must be a mandatory, comprehensive process on a regular cycle, as it is in virtually all states, and as Senate File 2244 proposes.

The rapidly rising rates experienced by Alliant customers demonstrate this point. Between 2021 and 2025, the company plans to spend $960 million in distribution system investments. These investments are a major driver of recent and proposed rate hikes, and should all have been subject to the strict scrutiny of a robust IRP together with, but not dependent upon, the companys renewable energy plans.

The states other investor-owned utility, MidAmerican Energy, hasnt brought a rate case to the Utilities Board since 2013. This leaves regulators no window into why MidAmerican customer bills are steadily rising, and especially, whether customers may be facing rate shock in coming years. A recent case also called into question whether large wind investments are needed by ratepayers, or are simply profit engines for company shareholders.

The utilities will surely object loudly to the establishment of a comprehensive, mandatory, participatory IRP process in Iowa as unnecessary and costly regulation. What theyre really worried about is a policy that may reduce profits to monopoly investors by keeping more energy dollars with customers and communities across the state where they belong.

As the London Economics report clearly explains, a robust IRP process is the tool most needed by regulators to efficiently and effectively ensure that Iowa ratepayers only pay for what they need.

Andy Johnson

Andy Johnson is executive director of the Clean Energy Districts of Iowa, which serves 12 Iowa county-level Clean Energy Districts covering roughly a third of Iowas population. The districts support local ownership of and prosperity from the clean energy transition.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa should pass law so utility customers pay for only what they need
A 38-year-old Iowa man was sentenced to prison last week after he pleaded guilty in connection with an incident at Home Depot, Bettendorf, court records show.

Chad Julson, of Holy Cross, was sentenced in Scott County Court.

Chad Julson (Scott County Jail)

A judge accepted the guilty plea to two charges and gave Julson a sentence that will provide the maximum opportunity for rehabilitation of (Julson) and will provide the maximum protection of the community from further offenses by (Julson.) This sentence also provides for specific and general deterrence, according to court documents.

For the controlled substance charge, Julson was sentenced to a prison term of no more than five years. For the theft charge, he was sentenced to a term not to exceed two years. The sentences will run concurrently, or at the same time.

He also was sentenced to pay fines of $1,025 and $855, court records show.

The Home Depot incident

At 6:15 p.m. Nov. 13, 2023, Bettendorf Police responded to Home Depot, 920 Middle Road, for a report of a theft in progress. When officers arrived, the loss-prevention officer had stopped Nicole Hefel, 47, of Dubuque, and accused her of stealing, and saw Julson was associated with her, arrest affidavits show.

The loss-prevention officer said he saw Hefel and Julson walking around the store together, and then they split up. The loss-prevention officer saw Julson conceal a Fire Stick TV remote that was never recovered, court records say.

Julson tried to remove a security device that was attached to a vacuum but stopped when he saw the loss-prevention employee. Julson then walked out of the store and got into a blue Chevy Equinox, police allege in affidavits.

According to court records, police found Julson sitting in the drivers seat of the Equinox just around the corner from Home Depot. At first, police say, Julson gave a false name to officers.

He was detained in handcuffs for the investigation because the name he provided had warrants, police allege in affidavits. According to court records, Julson then admitted that he provided a false middle name and date of birth because he had multiple warrants out for his arrest.

Police found an identification card with Julsons actual name on it, along with a small pair of metal snips with multiple magnets attached to them.

The loss-prevention employee said that tool is commonly used to cut security wires and the magnets release security locks that are placed on locked merchandise, according to affidavits.

A K-9 dog indicated the presence of a controlled substance inside the Equinox, where officers conducted a probable-cause search and found a glass pipe in the center console along with a plastic bag with methamphetamine. Julson admitted he had smoked meth inside the vehicle with (Hefel) just before they went inside Home Depot, affidavits show.

The Fire Stick that Julson stole that was never found was valued at $24.99, court records say.

Loss-prevention officers allege they saw Hefel trying to conceal items in a car seat and her purse. After she was read her Miranda Rights, she said she was in town to drop a friend off at rehab when she met up with Julson. She told officers they went to a restaurant down the road and smoked meth inside a blue Chevy Equinox.

Julson then drove the vehicle to Home Depot so they could steal to pay for gas money, she told police. Julson was scared off by the loss-prevention employee and went back outside to the car. She said the pipe was hers but denied the methamphetamine, police allege in affidavits.

Both Julson and Hefel have multiple prior convictions, police say in affidavits.

Hefels case is set for pretrial conferences Feb. 23 in Scott County Court.

Nicole Hefel (Scott County Jail)





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Iran-backed Houthi rebels just shot down an MQ-9 Reaper, costing the US another $30 million combat drone

The Houthis shot down an American MQ-9 Reaper drone off the coast of Yemen on Monday.

Two US officials told Business Insider the confirmation was based off of initial indications.

It's the second time the Iran-backed rebels have downed a Reaper drone since early November.

The Houthi rebels shot down an American MQ-9 Reaper drone off the coast of Yemen on Monday, two US officials confirmed to Business Insider.

It marks the second time since early November that the Houthis have managed to destroy a Reaper drone, and comes amid rising tensions between Western militaries and the Iran-backed rebels in the strategic Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

The Houthis claimed to have shot down the Reaper above western Yemen with a surface-to-air missile, and published footage purporting to show the incident and the subsequent wreckage. The claims were not immediately confirmed, and the video could not be verified.

But the US officials on Tuesday said initial indications were that the Reaper was, in fact, shot down by the Houthis off the coast of Yemen early Monday morning local time. A Pentagon spokesperson said the rebels used a surface-to-air missile to take down the drone, which has not yet been recovered by the US.

In this handout image provided by the Houthi media center, wreckage of an alleged US drone which Yemen's Houthi group forces claim they shot down lies on the ground on Feb. 20, 2024 in Alhudaydah province, Yemen. Photo by Houthi Movement via Getty Images

The incident comes less than three months after the Houthis shot down an American Reaper drone off the coast of Yemen as the aircraft was flying through international airspace. The rebels also successfully downed an MQ-9 with a surface-to-air missile in June 2019.

Reaper drones can be well-armed with Hellfire missiles and precision bombs, and are capable of operating at high altitudes for long periods of time. The MQ-9, which costs around $30 million and has a wingspan over 20 feet longer than an F-15 Eagle, can be used to collect valuable intelligence and carry out high-level strikes for the US military.

The Reaper can loiter for as long as a day, giving its remote pilots the power to rapidly destroy land targets spotted with Hellfires. These capabilities make the Reaper useful in the US efforts to stop Houthi missiles before they fire at international shipping.

It's been a rough year for the Reaper. Over the past 12 months, Russian fighter jets have harassed and clipped the drones in Europe and the Middle East, breaking some of them and even causing others to crash  drawing frustration from the Pentagon.

In this handout image provided by the Houthi media center, wreckage of an alleged US drone which Yemen's Houthi group forces claim they shot down lies on the ground on Feb. 20, 2024 in Alhudaydah province, Yemen. Photo by Houthi Movement via Getty Images

The downed Reaper drone was not the only escalatory move by the Houthis over the past two days.

On Sunday evening local time, the rebels fired two anti-ship ballistic missiles at a commercial vessel, hitting it and causing damage, according to US Central Command, or CENTCOM. The incident forced the crew to issue a distress call, and they were taken to a nearby port by another commercial vessel.

Just a few hours later, on Monday, the Houthis fired more anti-ship ballistic missiles at a commercial vessel, causing minor damage. Later in the day, a one-way attack drone hit a merchant ship and caused minor damage, CENTCOM said in a Tuesday summary of the incidents.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Katy ISD board members debated whether to hire chaplains in schools but have not voted on the issue yet. (File photo from August 2023) Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer

The Katy ISD board of trustees is split over a new bill that would enable the district to hire chaplains as counselors or to allow them to volunteer in a religious capacity.

The board at Mondays special session meeting debated action on Senate Bill 763, which allows school districts to hire chaplains to provide student support services or to volunteer in schools for similar purposes.

The bill does not mandate that chaplains have any certification, training or licensing, and it does not establish limitations on what chaplains may teach the children

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Mondays meeting was discussion-only, meaning no decision was made. The board must make a decision by March 1 per state law.

Four of the seven board members, President Victor Perez, Dawn Champagne, Mary Ellen Cuzela and Rebecca Fox objected to the motion, arguing that it defies the separation of church and state and opens the door to proselytizing religious zealots preaching ideology to students that may be different from the childs observed religion.

The two supporting board members, Amy Thieme and Morgan Calhoun, countered that it would give students access to additional support.

Lance Redmon did not issue an open opinion on the matter.

Perez said that he personally believes in raising children in a godly and virtuous way, but he believes that parents should make decisions on how their children are exposed to religion.

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We will be crossing the boundary into the realm of parents and churches, said Perez. Spiritual formation belongs in the hands of parents and their churches, not public schools.

Calhoun called current students a hopeless generation, arguing that chaplains could offer spiritual support for children who may be suffering.

Champagne said chaplains are already welcome to volunteer at the schools through various district engagement programs. They cannot operate as a chaplain in those roles, she said, but rejecting the bill will not bar anyone from being a volunteer.

They're still going to be able to volunteer, she said. They're just a person volunteering, who happens to be a chaplain.

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Because the chaplains would be volunteers, Thieme said, they provide a no-cost service to the district.

It's not about promoting a particular religion, Thieme said. It disappoints me to turn away free services that could prevent others from harming our schools, our students, our teachers, our principals, our staff in our schools.

Religion, prayer and religious expression are still welcome in schools, Fox noted, cautioning that the law would allow chaplains to teach anything they want under the heading of religion.

There are harmful religions, and this (law) has no restrictions, Fox said The law would not prevent us from allowing any religion to come in, and that's the piece that gives me the most concern.

The board will meet again on Feb. 26 to vote on action items. The district has not yet released the meeting agenda, so it is unclear at this time if SB 763 will be up for a vote.
Naftogaz and Japanese firms team up for Ukraine's energy modernization

In a move to modernize thermal power plants (TPPs) and develop a joint wind energy project, Ukraines state-owned oil and gas group Naftogaz has signed memorandums with two Japanese corporations, Naftogaz announced on Feb. 19.

The agreements were signed in Tokyo during a conference on economic development and reconstruction, Naftogaz reported. Sumitomo Corporation will assist in conducting feasibility studies for the modernization of Ukraine's heating supply systems with the support of the Japanese government and will facilitate financing from Japanese state financial institutions.

Read also: Japan provides nearly $1 billion in financial support to Ukraine

"TPPs in Ukraine, especially those transferred to Naftogaz, were built a long time ago and have extremely outdated infrastructure, said Naftogaz Group CEO Oleksiy Chernyshov.

We are highly interested in modernizing them using advanced Japanese technologies. This collaboration is crucial and, we hope, will lead to real infrastructure projects."

Read also: Japan to contribute $37 million to NATO trust fund for drone detection systems in Ukraine

The second memorandum, signed with Japanese company Komaihaltec, plans for the installation of 1 MW wind turbines at a Naftogaz facility.

Sumitomo, a Japanese industrial and trading group, has diversified business interests worldwide with total assets estimated at approximately $90 billion.

Komaihaltec specializes in manufacturing wind turbines and other renewable energy equipment.

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
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  A jet stream over the Atlantic was so strong last week, it pushed multiple flights to their destinations way ahead of schedule, the Washington Post reported.

According to the Post, data from FlightAware showed a Virgin Atlantic flight from D.C. to London landed 45 minutes early after high winds bolstered the plane to a peak speed of 802 mph, once it entered the stream just east of Long Island at 11:20 p.m. Saturday.

Once it left the stream, the Boeing 787 slowed down and was traveling between 600 and 700 mph, slightly faster than the typical cruising speed, the Post reported.

Category 6 hurricane? How bad would it be for Tampa Bay?

The newspaper notes that 802 mph is faster than the speed of sound (767 mph), however, the plane did not break the sound barrier.

Although its ground speed  a measure that combines the planes actual speed and the additional push from the wind  was greater than the speed of sound, it was still moving through the surrounding air at its ordinary cruise speed,  the Post reported. It just so happened that the surrounding air was moving unusually fast.

At the time, winds were at 265 mph high over Washington  at about 35,000 feet above ground, where planes typically fly.

For those flying eastbound in this jet [stream], there will be quite a tailwind, the NWS wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

Flight tracking data showed another Boeing 787, a United Airlines flight from Newark, N.J., to Lisbon, Portugal, reached a peak ground speed of 835 mph, and arrived to its destination an hour early.

Meanwhile, American Airlines Flight 120 from Philadelphia to Doha, Qatar, reached a peak speed of 840 mph, among the highest on record, according to the Post.

Jet streams are bands of strong winds that typically blow from west to east in the upper levels of the Earths atmosphere. They are between four and eight miles in height and can reach speeds of more than 275 miles per hour, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Weather whiplash increasing in a warming climate

News Channel 8s Chief Meteorologist and Climate Specialist Jeff Berardelli said two reasons explain why the wind was so strong on Saturday.

A stream over Florida moved north to the middle Atlantic and converged with another stream from the Great Lakes.

You can think of convergence as walking between two big buildings in the city, and the winds being squeezed and funneled in between, Berardelli explained.

Jet streams are the strongest during the winter when air north of the stream is colder and air to the south is warmer. Since the air is cold in Canada and warm over Florida, the contrast between cold and warm causes the winds to blow faster, he explained.

Recent studies have found that some jet stream winds get faster as the climate warms, Berardelli added. This is true especially in the upper levels because the temperature contrast and moisture contrast high up in the atmosphere is increasing between the Poles and the Equator. This sharper temperature/ moisture contrast drives stronger winds.

Passengers flying through a jet stream may feel light turbulence, but its nothing compared to traveling through a thunderstorm, former commercial pilot John Nance told ABC News.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
Joe Lycett has created a new documentary examining the UK's sewage infrastructure

Comedian Joe Lycett has created a new documentary in which he investigates the state of the countrys sewage network.

The Birmingham-born stand-up will star in Joe Lycett vs Sewage, which airs on Channel 4 on Tuesday evening.

It will see him investigate the pollution in the UKs waterways and the situation with the country's wastewater infrastructure.

Water UK said in response that companies had invested a record 96bn to reduce spills into rivers and seas.

Lycett spoke to a whistle-blower from an unnamed water company who claimed some wastewater works had not had any investment since the 1950s.

They described the infrastructure as absolutely dilapidated and falling apart, held together with sticky tape and plasticine.

The whistle-blower also claimed that spills were not always reported.

I've seen managers who go quicker up the greasy pole if they nod and agree and don't report what they should report, they told Lycett.

According to research from GMB Union commissioned for the show, 42% of 688 wastewater workers across the union said spills involving sewage were always reported properly.

During the documentary, Lycett also explored the relationship between water companies and regulators, including the Environment Agency and Ofwat.

The comedian referred to a number of influential water company employees who have gone on to take up positions at regulators.

In response to findings in the programme, Water UK said: Companies have set out proposals for a record 96 billion of investment, to ensure the security of our water supply in the future and reduce spills into rivers and seas as fast as possible.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs told the show it was driving the largest infrastructure programme in water company history to upgrade the network.

The Environment Agency said it takes the management of conflicts of interest very seriously, adding that none of its most senior staff have an interest in a water company.

Ofwat said that employees intending to leave were removed from projects where there was the potential for a conflict of interest.

Joe Lycett vs Sewage is on Channel 4 at 21:00 GMT on Tuesday 20 February.

Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk

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Joel Osteens Lakewood Church has held its first service since a woman opened fire on the property last week.

Genesse Ivonne Moreno, 36, was shot dead by off-duty officers working security at the church after she opened fire inside a building as the church was gearing up for its Spanish service. Her seven-year-old son, Samuel Moreno-Carranza, who was with her at the time of the shooting, also suffered a gunshot wound.

His grandmother Walli Carranza recently revealed that he had lost part of his frontal lobe following the incident in a Facebook post.

He was in cardiac arrest multiple times and no one can determine whether he has significant brain activity, she said.

Mr Osteen opened up the megachurch on Sunday for a special service of healing, prayer and unity, according to a social media post he published announcing the event.

Its been a difficult week, Mr Osteen said. Something we never dreamed we would have to deal with but we look back now and we see the faithfulness of God. How he protected and watched over us.

Several members of the congregation wore black shirts that read Lakewood Strong in white letters. The church had increased its security presence after the incident.

The pastor later led church members into a prayer for Ms Moreno, who he only referred to as the deceased woman, according to CNN. At a different point in the service, he told the story of how he was informed that the shooting had taken place.

He said hed gone back to his office to change after meeting with visitors when he received a text message from Houston Police Chief Troy Finner.

You okay? Mr Finner texted him. Mr Osteen replied, Im okay, but I dont know whats going on.

During a news conference on Sunday, Mr Finner said that its still unclear who shot the seven-year-old child but said hed place blame on the boys mother even if the off-duty officers were responsible. Video footage of the shooting is set to be released within 30 days.

Ms Carranza, the womans mother-in-law, said that Ms Moreno suffered from mental health disorders.

Lakewood is considered to be one of the largest churches in the US with the capacity to seat over 16,000 guests. Mr Osteen became the lead pastor after his father, John Osteen, passed away in 1999.

An investigation into the incident is ongoing, but Mr Finner cautioned that the motive for the shooting might never be known.
JOPLIN, Mo.  A popular Mexican eatery is bouncing back after a destructive fire forced their closure.

El Vallarta Mexican Restaurant in Joplin is on track to reopen to the public in mid-to-late March  as construction crews are currently finishing interior repairs.

El Vallarta, located in the Range Line Marketplace shopping center at 2330 South Range Line Road, first opened in December 2010.

Last year, the restaurant was forced to close after a fire erupted in the kitchen area, located in the rear of the building. El Vallarta owner, Jesus Aguirre says the fire  which was started by a faulty water heater  happened nearly one year ago, on Thursday, April 13.

According to Aguirre, the fire broke out around 1:00 p.m.  during the busy lunchtime rush when the dining area was full of patrons. Aguirre says while he called 911, the restaurants manager quickly and safely evacuated all who were inside.

It didnt take long for the Joplin Fire Department to extinguish the flames, which saved not only the restaurant but the shopping center where its located. The majority of the damage was confined to the kitchen area, however smoke and water damage extended into the dining area.

Nearly a year since the fire, Aguirre says all the cleanup and restoration is nearly completed, and a grand reopening is currently in the works. But, before the doors of El Vallarta are opened to the public, Aguirre wants to say thank you to the Joplin Fire Department.

Im really excited to reopen. I know a lot of people have been patiently waiting to come back to the restaurant. But, I think Its important to honor and thank the firefighters who came to save our building. I want to have a day before we reopen to the public, where Joplin firefighters can come in and have a free meal, said Aguirre.

Aguirre says hes also appreciative of those in the Joplin community  many of whom reached out after the fire  offering prayers and assistance to get the restaurant reopened.

The people of this area are caring, theyre supportive, and that makes living here and working here, something that Im proud of. Im proud to call Joplin home, and so I think its important for me to let the people in this area know how much they mean to our restaurant, and to just say thank you to everyone that has reached out to us, said Aguirre.

Aguirre is currently planning a grand re-opening ceremony for their first week back in business, and will announce the opening date once the remodeled restaurant is inspected.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com.
A man accused of raping a grandmother with Alzheimers disease in the Bahamas was given bond by a judge.

PREVIOUS: Only on 9: Local federal agent helps woman, 80, who was raped in the Bahamas

As reported last week, the 80-year-old woman got separated from her daughter while at the Warwick Hotel last month. After she was missing for about 40 minutes, a Homeland Security agent from Charlotte found her and helped arrest the suspect accused of assaulting her.

According to Eyewitness News in Nassau, 61-year-old Godron Wilkie was granted a $30,000 bond. His attorney asked for bond on medical grounds.

Channel 9 is working to learn if there are any conditions to his bond, including whether hes able to leave the country and if hes now out of jail.

(WATCH BELOW: Only on 9: Local federal agent helps woman, 80, who was raped in the Bahamas)








A bankruptcy judge ruled on Tuesday that to appeal the $148 million ruling in his recent defamation case, Rudy Giuliani must acquire third-party funding thats approved by the court.

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Sean Lane issued an order ruling that Giulianis financial situation is so precarious, that the fees required to appeal the verdict cant come from Giulianis assets.

Any fees and expenses incurred by the Debtor and his advisors in the Freeman Litigation in connection with any Post-Trial Filings and the Notice of Appeal shall not be paid by, and shall not result in a claim against, the Debtor or his estate, Judge Lane wrote in the order filed Tuesday.

Giuliani: Trump Campaign, RNC Owe Me $2M in Legal Fees

In December, Giuliani was found guilty of defaming two Georgia election workers, Ruby Freeman and Wandrea Shaye Moss. The former Trump lawyer had made multiple public claims that the women helped rig the 2020 election against Donald Trump to secure a Joe Biden presidency, which led to the women receiving racist and violent threats.

Less than a week after the ruling, Giuliani filed for bankruptcy.

Giulianis original bankruptcy filing places his debt somewhere between $100 million and $500 million. In new documents filed in January, he placed the value of all of his assets at $10.6 million.

Earlier this month, Giuliani said that Trump had stiffed him $2 million in legal fees for work he'd done on his 2020 presidential campaign.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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London  Lawyers for Julian Assange on Tuesday launched their final appeal to a U.K. court against plans for the WikiLeaks founder to be extradited to the U.S. to face espionage charges related to government secrets he spilled on his website. Assange, who has been imprisoned in London for almost five years, used WikiLeaks to publish a huge number of confidential documents and other materials, some of which related to war and espionage, arguing the public had a legitimate right and need to possess the information.

The 52-year-old Australian journalist and activist has been battling the American extradition bid for more than a decade. On Tuesday, his lawyers launched the last-ditch legal effort available to them under the British justice system. They are asking two London High Court judges to grant Assange a new appeal hearing against the British government's 2022 decision that he can be legally extradited to the U.S.

Stella Assange, the wife of Julian Assange, arrives at the Royal Courts Of Justice in London ahead of a two-day hearing in the extradition case of WikiLeaks founder, Feb. 20, 2024. / Credit: Yui Mok/PA Image/Getty

Assange's wife Stella walked into the court Tuesday through a large group of supporters demanding her husband's immediate release.

As the hearing began, Ed Fitzgerald, one of Assange's lawyers, told the court the WikiLeaks founder wasn't attending the Tuesday hearing because he felt unwell. One of the judges made it clear that he had been invited to attend, either in person or via video link. Fitzgerald did not provide any further detail on Assange's health.

What is this hearing about?

If the judges grant Assange the right to launch a fresh appeal, it will enable him to ask the European Court of Human Rights to block the extradition. If the appeal is rejected  and possibly even if the court rules in his favor  he's likely to be put on a plane to face the U.S. courts, since the extradition order as signed roughly a year and a half ago.

The High Court judges, Victoria Sharp and Jeremy Johnson, could take weeks to consider their ruling, but the hearing is scheduled to take place over two days, so a verdict could be issued as soon as Wednesday.

Buildings are reflected in the window as WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is taken from court, where he appeared on charges of jumping British bail seven years earlier, in London, in a May 1, 2019 file photo. / Credit: Matt Dunham/AP

What are the charges against Assange in the U.S.?

In 2019, a federal grand jury in Virginia indicted Assange on 18 charges over the publication of classified documents in 2010. The charges include 17 counts of espionage and one charge of computer intrusion.

In a statement, the U.S. Department of Justice said Assange was complicit in the actions of Chelsea Manning, a former U.S. Army intelligence analyst, in "unlawfully obtaining and disclosing classified documents related to the national defense."

One of the most contentious of WikiLeaks' publications was video from a 2007 U.S. military helicopter strike in Baghdad that killed 11 people.

What sentence could Assange face if convicted?

Assange could face up to 10 years in prison for every count of espionage he's convicted on, and five years for the conspiracy to commit computer intrusion, according to the Department of Justice.

If he were convicted on all the charges, he could face a total of 175 years in prison, though the sentence would likely be lower.

What do Assange's supporters say?

The fight to stop Assange's extradition to the U.S. has been linked by many of his supporters to the fight for press freedom and the right to a fair trial. The Guardian newspaper argued in its editorial section this week that journalists need whistleblowers such as Assange, particularly on matters of national security.

Rebecca Vincent, campaign director for the Reporters Without Borders group, said in a statement that even if this final appeal is rejected, "it remains within the U.S. government's power to bring this judicial tragedy to an end by dropping its 13 year-old case against Assange and ceasing this endless persecution. No one should face such treatment for publishing information in the public interest. It's time to protect journalism, press freedom, and all of our right to know."

Assange's physical and mental wellbeing have also been called into question.

Amnesty International has said that if Assange is extradited, he would face a "risk of serious human rights violations including possible detention conditions that would amount to torture and other ill-treatment."

Artist threatens to destroy masterpieces if Assange dies in prison

"There could not be more at stake in a single court case than there is in Julian's case," Stella Assange said in a statement issued Monday, calling for supporters to protest in front of the Royal Courts of Justice in London on Tuesday and Wednesday, when the appeal hearings are scheduled to take place. "Journalists must have the right to report the facts that governments and corporations want to hide, otherwise a truly free press is impossible."

In an interview with the BBC, she said her husband would not survive an extradition to the U.S. because of his physical and mental fragility.

"This case will determine if he lives or dies, essentially," she told the CBS News partner network.

What was Assange arrested for in the U.K.?

In 2012, Assange took refuge at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London to avoid being extradited to Sweden, where he was facing an investigation into allegations of a sexual assault. That investigation was later dropped and no charges were ever filed.

After Assange spent about seven years holed up in the embassy, Ecuador revoked his asylum status in 2019, when the Central American country's president said his government had "reached its limit on the behavior of Mr. Assange."

Assange was formally placed under arrest by London's Metropolitan Police the moment he left the embassy for failing to surrender to the court over a warrant issued in 2012, and he has been in custody ever since.

Cillian Murphy: The 60 Minutes Interview

Trump fake elector in Wisconsin describes how he says he was tricked | 60 Minutes

Navalny's family still trying to access body, widow accuses Putin of murder
Audrii Cunningham, an 11-year-old girl, went missing on Thursday, Feb. 15, in Livingston, Texas. Polk County Sheriff's Office

Don Steven McDougal, the main person of interest in the disappearance of Audrii Cunningham, was the last person to see the 11-year-old girl, authorities said Monday.

Byron Lyons, the Polk County Sheriff, said during a news conference that McDougal had acknowledged to authorities that he left Audrii's familys home with the girl Thursday morning but he wouldnt say whether he had dropped her off at the bus stop.

Audrii was last seen around 7 a.m before she was supposed to catch the bus to school, but she did not get on the bus. Her family reported her missing when she didnt return from school, leading the Polk County Sheriffs Office to issue an Amber Alert.

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Lyons said McDougal was a friend of Audriis father and lived in a trailer behind the house where the child lived with her father, grandparents and other family members. On several occasions, Lyons said McDougal had previously taken Audrii to the bus stop or taken her directly to school if she missed the bus.

McDougal in custody, working with investigators

According to the Texas Department of Safety, investigators named Don Steven McDougal, 42, as one of the persons of interest in Audriis disappearance Saturday. Lyons said Monday that McDougal was the main person of interest in the case, but they were not ruling out anyone else.

Texas DPS previously said that McDougals 2003 dark blue Chevrolet Suburban was believed to be involved in the disappearance. They are asking the public to report any sightings of the vehicle on Thursday or Friday.

McDougal is now in custody after the sheriffs office charged him with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, which they said was unrelated to Audriis disappearance. Lyons said authorities charged McDougal for the assault  which took place in August  after he made a statement about the incident following his arrest last week.

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McDougal was previously convicted of enticing a minor with intent out of Brazoria County in 2007, according to KHOU and other media reports, but authorities said Monday that his criminal history did not require him to register as a sex offender.

Lyons said that McDougal has not confessed to crimes related to Audriis disappearance but he has been talking and working with investigators, including taking them to multiple places of interest. However, he said authorities were very cautious about the information they were receiving from him.

We don't want to share locations that he's taken us to other than to say that there are multiple places of interest that we have gone to and have made searches, Lyons said.

Authorities ask for public's help

Lyons said that investigators are using every tool available to piece together a picture of where McDougal had gone during the time of Audriis disappearance, including cell phone videos.

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We must not jump to conclusions, Lyons said. We want to make sure that we take all the evidence that we have collected. ... We want to make sure that whatever evidence that we collect and that we place on an affidavit today is going to be something that's going to hold up in court later. It does us no good to prematurely charge him now.

Craig Cummings, spokesperson for Texas Department of Public Safety - Southeast Texas Region, said investigators are currently asking for video taken from FM 3126 on Thursday from 6:30 to 8 a.m. showing the highway.

He also asked the public to stay away from Scenic Loop FM 3277 because it was a potential point of interest in this investigation, but he didnt elaborate on why.

Texas DPS has urged anyone with information about Audriis disappearance to contact the Polk County Sheriffs Office at the sheriffs offices website or 936-327-STOP. People can also report information via theiWatchTx app or at iWatchTexas online.

The Polk County Crime Stoppers are now offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of the person responsible for Audriis disappearance.

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Julian Assange was too unwell to appear in court on Tuesday on the first day of his final appeal against extradition to the United States, his lawyers said.

Lawyers for the WikiLeaks founder claimed that he was a victim of state retaliation by the US which plotted to kidnap or kill him, saying that he was at risk of a flagrant denial of justice if he is extradited on espionage charges.

Assange, whose supporters say he could face up to 175 years in jail if he is extradited, had hoped to attend the hearing but did not appear at the High Court because of reasons of health.

At the start of the hearing, Edward Fitzgerald KC said: He is not well today, he is not attending today and I think the court is aware of that.

Assange is wanted in the US over an alleged conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defence information following WikiLeaks publication of hundreds of thousands of leaked documents relating to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.

The activist spent seven years in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London before he was forcibly removed when his political asylum was revoked in 2019.

He has been remanded in custody at Belmarsh prison in south-east London. In a January 2021 ruling, then-district judge Vanessa Baraitser said that Assange should not be sent to the US, citing a real and oppressive risk of suicide, while ruling against the 52-year-old on all other issues.

However, the High Court later ruled that he should be extradited, dismissing claims that his poor mental health meant he might take his own life in a US jail.

Example of state retaliation

Lawyers for Assange are now asking for the go-ahead to challenge her dismissal of other parts of his case against extradition.

Mark Summers KC, representing Assange, said there was compelling circumstantial evidence of the USs motivations in bringing this case.

He said that the district judge heard that the cables obtained by WikiLeaks had revealed extra-judicial assassination, rendition, torture, dark prisons, killings, and the evidence had been relied upon by foreign courts to pursue war crimes.

This is a paradigm example of state retaliation for the expression of political opinion, he told the court. The district judge did not address it, had she done so, it would have been fatal to her decision.

In written submissions, Mr Summers and Mr Fitzgerald said that evidence showed the US was prepared to go to any lengths, including misusing its own criminal justice system to sustain impunity for US officials in respect of the torture/war crimes committed in its infamous war on terror, and to suppress those actors and courts willing and prepared to try to bring those crimes to account.

Mr Assange was one of those targets.

Mr Summers said that there was truly breathtaking evidence of a plot by the US to kidnap or kill the WikiLeaks founder.

What the evidence now shows is that the US developed a plan to try to either kill or rendition Mr Assange to the USA, he said.

Protesters gathered outside the High Court from 8am in support of Assange, - Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP

Mr Summers added there was evidence of a plan to kidnap or poison Assange in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London.

With respect to the district judge, there were red flags everywhere, he said, adding that the prosecution by the US was launched to provide a framework for a kidnap or killing.

This extraordinary plan to kidnap, rendition, Mr Assange to America, with charges in place simply to provide some legal justification  only fell away when the UK authorities werent terribly keen on renditions of the potential for a shoot-out on the streets of London.

Earlier, Mr Fitzgerald said that Assange is being prosecuted for an ordinary journalistic practice.

He told the court: He is being prosecuted for engaging in ordinary journalistic practice of obtaining and publishing classified information, information that is both true and of obvious and important public interest.

Mr Fitzgerald said that extraditing Assange would be a fundamental violation of a treaty between the UK and the US which said extradition would not be granted for political offences.

The hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice was attended by dozens of journalists and members of the public, with scores of supporters of Assange gathering outside the central London courthouse from 8am.

Stella Assange, the wife of Julian Assange, at the Royal Courts of Justice, ahead of a two-day hearing in the extradition case - YUI MOK/PA

Addressing the crowd ahead of the hearing, Assanges wife, Stella, who has previously said his health was so poor that he would not survive extradition, said: We dont know what to expect, but youre here because the world is watching.

They just cannot get away with this. Julian needs his freedom and we all need the truth.

US authorities are opposing Assanges bid for an appeal and have told the court his case is unarguable and should not be allowed to proceed to a full hearing.

James Lewis KC, for the US, said in written submissions that Assanges conduct is consistently and repeatedly misrepresented by him in the appeal bid.

The barrister described the amount of classified material provided to Assange as unprecedented, adding: The appellant threatened damage to the strategic and national security interests of the United States and put the safety of individuals at serious risk.

The hearing before Dame Victoria Sharp and Mr Justice Johnson is due to conclude on Wednesday, with their decision on whether Assange can bring the appeal expected at a later date.

Stella Assange said that if the appeal bid is unsuccessful, Assange would apply to the European Court of Human Rights for a Rule 39 order to stop extradition - ALBERTO PEZZALI/AP

Who is Julian Assange and what is WikiLeaks?

Assange, 52, is the founder of WikiLeaks, a non-profit organisation set up in 2006 to publish classified information from anonymous sources. It claims to be a platform for whistleblowers and to have published more than 10 million files.

Assange became a skilled hacker during his teenage years and by 1996  aged 25  he had pleaded guilty to 24 charges of hacking and related crimes in Australia, being fined $2,100.

Assange has described WikiLeaks as a giant library of the worlds most persecuted documents.

Where is Julian Assange from?

Assange was born in Townsville, Queensland in 1971, but moved often, living in more than 30 Australian towns and cities throughout his childhood.

What is Assange and WikiLeaks accused of?

Assange is facing extradition to the United States on 17 charges related to obtaining and disclosing US defence information and one charge of conspiring with Chelsea Manning to hack a government system.

He will appear at the High Court in London on Tuesday to make his final appeal against his extradition.

What information did Julian Assange allegedly release?

WikiLeaks has released, among other things, footage from a US military helicopter showing civilians being killed in Baghdad in Iraq, documents relating to the unreported killing of civilians by US military in Afghanistan and a manual for operations at Guantanamo Bay.

It also shared US State Department diplomatic cables in 2010 and files which documented alleged spying by the US on European leaders, including Angela Merkel. In 2016, WikiLeaks leaked emails from the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and the campaign manager of Hillary Clinton which damaged Clintons run for president.

Where is he currently being held?

Since April 2019, Assange has been confined in HM Prison Belmarsh, London.

How has he avoided extradition to the US so far?

Assange evaded extradition by taking refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy from 2012 to 2019. At this time, a warrant had been issued for his arrest by Sweden over allegations of sexual assault, which Assange denied.

However, in 2019, his political asylum status was withdrawn following a disagreement with the Ecuadorian authorities and he was sentenced to 50 weeks in Belmarsh for breach of bail conditions. Then in 2021, a judge ruled that Assanges detention should continue on the substantial grounds that he might abscond from future appeal hearings.

While the Swedish investigation against him has since been dropped, the US government unsealed their own indictments against Assange, and his extradition to the US is currently being contested in the British courts.

What will happen to him if he is extradited?

If extradited, Assange could face a 175-year prison sentence, according to his lawyers. He has also claimed that he might be tortured.

Assanges wife has said he will die if extradited and his lawyers have promised to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights if his attempt fails this week in the High Court.

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A two-day hearing started Tuesday in the U.K. for one of Julian Assange's final attempts to avoid extradition to the U.S. in a decade-long battle.

Assange, the 52-year-old founder of WikiLeaks, has been indicted on more than a dozen counts of espionage in relation to leaked intelligence documents published on the website in 2010.

He has been avoiding prosecution in the U.S. since then, where his lawyers say he will undergo a politically motivated trial and could face 175 years in prison.

If the British High Court rules against Assange, he can ask the European Court of Human Rights to block his extradition.

Here's a look back the Assange's legal saga:

Previously: Six big leaks from Julian Assange's WikiLeaks over the years

Who is Julian Assange?

Julian Assange greets supporters outside the Ecuadorian embassy in London, May 19, 2017. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is facing what could be his final court hearing in England over whether he should be extradited to the United States to face spying charges. The High Court will hear two days of arguments next week over whether Assange can make his pitch to an appeals court to block his transfer to the U.S.

Julian Assange is an Australian national who founded WikiLeaks, a website known for publishing classified and confidential documents, including the operating manual for Guantanamo Bay prison camp, Iraq and Afghanistan war documents, and Hillary Clinton's 2016 campaign emails.

To his advocates, he is considered a champion of government transparency and freedom of the press. Opponents see him as rogue actor whose leaks undermine national security.

His prosecution has raised questions about freedoms of the press in the digital age and the global limits of the limitations of U.S. jurisdiction in a global age.

Previously on Julian Assange: He infuriated Washington. Now he's facing life in prison

What is WikiLeaks?

WikiLeaks is a not-for-profit media organization that specializes in obtaining, analyzing and publishing confidential documents and datasets that provide information on war, spying and corruption, according to its website.

WikiLeaks was founded in 2006 and says it published more than 10 million documents.

The organization's latest publication appears to be from August 2021.

What did Julian Assange do?

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is seen with his ankle security tag at the house where he is required to stay, near Bungay, England, on June 15, 2011. Assange's lawyers are arguing against extradition to the U.S. in a U.K. court stating Feb. 20, 2024.

The U.S. Justice Department is looking to extradite Assange to face 17 charges related to the Espionage Act of 1917 and an additional computer hacking charge.

The charges came after WikiLeaks published a trove of classified documents outlining U.S. military action provided by former U.S. Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning.

The site published video footage from a U.S. helicopter attack that killed civilians. In the months that followed, it also published hundreds of thousands of documents that included information about civilian deaths, the hunt for al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden and Iran's backing of militants in Iraq.

The U.S. government alleges that Assange is a criminal who conspired with Manning to steal the documents and put lives of those who worked with the military at risk. Prosecutors said Assange went as far as to help crack a military computer password.

Julian Assange timeline: Exile and extradition

Here is how Assange has avoided U.S. prosecution since 2010:

Assange was accused of rape and sexual assault in Sweden in 2010. (Authorities ended the investigation without charging him because of weakened evidence.)

In 2012, he was found guilty of skipping bail. He fled to Ecuador's embassy in London to avoid extradition to Sweden. He feared Sweden would extradite him to the U.S.

From 2012 to 2019, Assange lived at the embassy with his cat.

On April 11, 2019, Assange was arrested on a U.S. charge of hacking military computers and dragged from the door of the embassy and taken to Belmarsh Prison in London, which houses some of Britain's most dangerous lawbreakers.

On June 17, 2022, the British interior minister approved the extradition. A British district court initially rejected the request on the grounds that Assange was likely to kill himself if held in hard U.S. prison conditions. Assange appealed.

Where is Julian Assange?

Demonstrators hold banners outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will make his final appeal against his impending extradition to the United States at the court.

Julian Assange has been in prison in the U.K. for nearly five years.

He did not join his lawyers in court Tuesday as they said he was unwell.

A decision on his extradition could come after the hearing ends Wednesday, but the judges are likely to take longer to consider the decision. If they decide to uphold the extradition, supporters worry he will be U.S.-bound before he has a chance to appeal.

Contributing: Kim Hjelmgaard and William Cummings, USA TODAY; Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who is Julian Assange? WikiLeaks founder fights extradition to US
Julian Assange is accused of hacking by the US Government - JACK TAYLOR/GETTY IMAGES

Julian Assange will make his final appeal to a High Court judge on Tuesday against his extradition to the United States to face espionage charges relating to the release of secret US military documents.

The WikiLeaks founder is viewed by US prosecutors and Western security officials as a reckless and dangerous enemy of the state whose actions placed agents named in the material at risk.

Supporters regard him as an anti-establishment hero who has been victimised for exposing US wrongdoing in wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and say his prosecution is an assault on both journalism and free speech.

His legal team argue that his extradition to the US is political and that he could be subject to torture or degrading treatment once there.

But what exactly is the case against him?

Who is Julian Assange and what is WikiLeaks?

Julian Assange, 52, is the founder of WikiLeaks, a non-profit organisation set up in 2006 to publish classified information from anonymous sources. It claims to be a platform for whistleblowers and to have published more than 10 million files.

Assange became a skilled hacker during his teenage years and by 1996 - aged 25 - he had pleaded guilty to 24 charges of hacking and related crimes in Australia, being fined $2,100.

Assange has described WikiLeaks as a giant library of the worlds most persecuted documents.

Assange in February 2012, shortly before he sought refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy, where he stayed for seven years - Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP

Where is Julian Assange from?

Assange was born in Townsville, Queensland in 1971, but moved often, living in more than 30 Australian towns and cities over the course of his childhood.

What is Assange and WikiLeaks accused of?

Assange is facing extradition to the United States on 17 charges related to obtaining and disclosing US defence information and one charge of conspiring with Chelsea Manning to hack a government system.

He will appear at the High Court in London on Tuesday to make his final appeal against his extradition.

Assange is charged with helping Chelsea Manning to hack top secret US files - ANDY KROPA/AP

What information did Julian Assange allegedly release?

WikiLeaks has released, among other things, footage from a US military helicopter showing civilians being killed in Baghdad in Iraq, documents relating to the unreported killing of civilians by US military in Afghanistan and a manual for operations at Guantanamo Bay.

It also shared US State Department diplomatic cables in 2010 and files which documented alleged spying by the US on European presidents, including Angela Merkel.

In 2016, WikiLeaks shared emails from the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and the campaign manager of Hillary Clinton, which damaged Clintons run for president.

The US claimed that the leaked emails were hacked by Russia, which WikiLeaks denies. The group has been criticised over its alleged ties to Moscow.

The US government also claimed Assange helped Osama bin Laden hunt American informants in the Middle East by publishing classified documents online, with prosecutors saying documents made public by WikiLeaks had been recovered at Bin Ladens Abbottabad compound.

The US claimed that a New York Times article in 2010 proves that the Taliban was using information it found on the WikiLeaks website.

The Americans also claimed that informants allegedly named by WikiLeaks have since disappeared.

The US says Assange's hacking of information helped Osama Bin Laden target informants - AP

Where is he currently being held?

Since April 2019, Assange has been confined in HM Prison Belmarsh, London.

How has he avoided extradition to the US so far?

Assange evaded extradition by taking refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy from 2012 to 2019.

In 2010, a warrant had been issued for his arrest by Sweden over allegations of sexual assault, which Assange denied, claiming they were a pretext to extradite him to the US. He gave himself up to British police but was released on bail within ten days.

After unsuccessfully challenging the extradition proceedings, Assange breached his 340,000 bail in June 2012 to seek asylum in the Ecuadorian embassy in London.

However, in 2019, his political asylum status was withdrawn following a disagreement with the Ecuadorian authorities and he was sentenced to 50 weeks in prison for breach of bail conditions.

Then in 2021, a judge ruled that Assanges detention should continue on the substantial grounds that he might abscond from future appeal hearings.

The US government has since unsealed their own indictments against Assange, and his extradition to the US is currently being contested in the British courts.

The Swedish investigation against Assange has since been dropped.

Assange in May last year, after he was sentenced to 50 weeks in prison for breaching bail conditions - DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP/Getty Images

What will happen to him if he is extradited?

If extradited, Assange could face a 175-year prison sentence, according to his lawyers. He has also claimed that he could be tortured.

Assanges wife has said he will die if extradited and his lawyers have promised to lodge an appeal at the European Court of Human Rights if his attempt fails this week at the High Court.

Assange claims that he would be tortured if he were extradited to the US - LEON NEAL/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

What is his defence?

During Assanges 2020 extradition hearing, his lawyers argued that the prosecution is not motivated by genuine concern for criminal justice but by politics.

They have also argued that the case is part of a wider assault on free speech by Donald Trumps administration and that the US wants to make an example of the WikiLeaks founder.

Assange claims that WikiLeaks only published the unredacted material pertaining to the names of informants after they had been published by others who have never faced prosecution.

He also denies helping Manning in accessing the leaked documents. As such, his defence team argue that the US case fundamentally misrepresents the facts in order to bring this case within the bounds of an extradition crime.

His team also contend that the extradition would be an abuse of process because extradition for a political offence is expressly prohibited by Article 4(1) of the Anglo-US Extradition Treaty.

Who supports Assange?

Supporters of Assange include Dame Vivienne Westwood, who protested outside the court on the first day of the extradition hearing in 2020; Rafael Correa, the former president of Ecuador; and Pamela Anderson, the ex-Baywatch actress.

He has also been praised by Yanis Varoufakis, the Greek economist, and John McDonnell, who has said the Assange case is the Dreyfus case of our age.

Dame Vivienne Westwood is a supporter of Assange - HOLLIE ADAMS/GETTY IMAGES

Dunja Mijatovic, the Council of Europes commissioner for human rights, has also criticised Assanges extradition.

Organisations and civil liberties groups including Amnesty International and Reporters Without Borders have offered support to Assange too, arguing the charges threaten the freedom of the press.

Pamela Anderson delivers lunch to Assange at the embassy in 2016 - BEN A PRUCHNIE/GETTY IMAGES

What is the Russia connection?

Assanges barrister claimed during his 2020 extradition hearing that his client had been offered a pre-emptive pardon in exchange for helping Donald Trump find the source of the DNC leaks, known as the Russia investigation.

Assange claimed in Feb 2020 that Trump offered him a pardon if he denied Russian involvement in the hacking of the DNC emails.

What happened inside the embassy?

Assange sought asylum in the Ecuadorian embassy in 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden over sex offence allegations, which he denied and were later dropped.

During his time in the embassy, his supporters claimed he was subject to intimidation, threats and a breach of his human rights.

Assange's supporters protested outside the court on the first day of his extradition hearing - PETER SUMMERS/GETTY IMAGES

During his initial extradition hearing, an unnamed witness said the US was holding conversations about whether there should be more extreme measures contemplated, such as kidnapping or poisoning Julian Assange in the embassy.

Assange also claims that he and his lawyers were secretly filmed at the embassy and that this information was passed to the Americans. He also claims he was subject to constant surveillance and took to sleeping in a tent to retain some privacy.

In December 2017, the owner of UC Global, a Spanish company contracted by the Ecuadorian Government to provide security at the embassy, allegedly directed an employee to steal the used nappy of a baby who sometimes accompanied its mother when she visited Assange.

The owner, David Morales, said in a court hearing in Spain that the theft was necessary to DNA test faecal matter to establish if the child was Assanges.

The WikiLeaks founder has claimed that this may have been part of an attempt to blackmail him.

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Assange's case has become a cause celebre for media freedom but opponents see him as reckless (William WEST)

Julian Assange, the 52-year-old Australian fighting extradition from Britain to the United States, is for some a fearless campaigner for press freedom. For others, he was reckless with classified information, possibly endangering sources.

Assange is the figurehead of the whistleblowing website that exposed government secrets worldwide, notably the explosive leak of US military and diplomatic files related to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

He has spent over a decade either in custody or holed up in Ecuador's London embassy, trying to avoid extradition -- first to Sweden to answer allegations of rape, and then to the US.

Born in Townsville, Queensland, in 1971, Assange had a peripatetic childhood and claims to have attended 37 schools before settling in Melbourne.

As a teenager, he discovered a talent for computer hacking, which soon brought him to the attention of the Australian police.

He admitted most of the charges levelled against him, for which he paid a fine.

Assange launched WikiLeaks in 2006 with a group of like-minded activists and IT experts.

"We are creating a new standard for a free press," Assange told AFP in August 2010.

- Embassy asylum -

His legal saga began the same year soon after he published revelations from classified documents about US military campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan. Rape allegations in Sweden then followed, which he consistently denied.

He was in Britain when Sweden sought his extradition, which he was able to dodge when Ecuador granted him political asylum and allowed him to live in its London embassy.

For seven years from 2012, Assange lived in a small apartment in the embassy, exercising on a treadmill and using a sun lamp to make up for the lack of natural light in a situation he compared to living in a space station.

His protracted stay in the mission ended, however, after a new government in Quito turned him over to British police in April 2019. He was arrested for jumping bail and jailed.

Swedish prosecutors dropped the rape investigation, saying in 2019 that despite a "credible" account from the alleged victim there was insufficient evidence to proceed.

But as Assange had feared, it was then revealed that Washington was charging him with violating the US Espionage Act over the 2010 leaks.

His supporters, including the Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei and the late fashion designer Vivienne Westwood, claimed the charges were politically motivated.

They have repeatedly raised concerns about the physical and mental toll of his prolonged incarceration.

Nils Melzer, the UN special rapporteur on torture, has condemned the conditions at London's Belmarsh Prison where Assange is being held, saying the "progressively severe suffering inflicted" on him is tantamount to torture.

- Russia claims -

Assange was initially supported by human rights groups and newspapers that once worked with him to edit and publish the US war logs.

They included a leaked video showing a US military Apache helicopter firing on and killing two journalists and several Iraqi civilians on a Baghdad street in 2007.

But many were horrified when WikiLeaks dumped unredacted documents online, including the names of informants, and Assange fell out spectacularly with his media partners.

US lawyers have conceded that while they were "aware" of sources who disappeared after WikiLeaks published their names, it "can't prove that their disappearance was the result of being outed by WikiLeaks".

Questions also mounted over Assange's relationship with Russia.

Special prosecutor Robert Mueller's probe into interference in the 2016 US presidential election won by Donald Trump found that Russians "appeared" to have hacked Democrat Hillary Clinton's campaign, and then "publicly disseminated those materials through various intermediaries, including WikiLeaks."

But Assange's lawyer asserted in one court hearing that former US President Donald Trump had promised a pardon if his client testified that Russia did not provide the emails that so damaged Clinton.

Trump angrily rejected allegations that his campaign colluded with the Kremlin -- claims found to be baseless by the Mueller investigation.

Assange is the father of two young boys with his wife Stella, a South Africa-born lawyer, who he met when she worked on his case.

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Thomas Olson appears in Clinton County Judge Shannon Schlegel's courtroom in St. Johns. Olson, 35, is on trial for killing Hmong-American deer hunter Chong Mua Yang, 66, of Lansing on the evening of Nov. 16, 2018 at the Rose Lake State Game Area.

ST. JOHNS  A jury on Tuesday began deliberating in the case against a Grand Blanc Township man charged with killing a hunter on public hunting land in Bath Township more than five years ago.

Evidence shows Thomas Olson, 35, was in the area where Chong Mua Yang was shot in the back of the head, apparently while walking out of the woods on the evening of Nov. 16, 2018, Assistant State Attorney General Richard Cunningham said in his closing argument Tuesday morning.

The most likely scenario is that Olson didn't intend to kill or even seriously harm Yang, 66, when he fired a shotgun in the direction of the hunter, Cunningham said.

Cunningham suggested the jury could draw "a "reasonable inference" that Olson intended to create a high risk of death or great bodily harm.

"I don't think there's an intent to kill," the attorney argued, suggesting Olson intended to "scare the devil out of this old Chinaman."

The problem with that theory is that there is "zero evidence" to support it, Olson's attorney, Michael Manley argued.

The more likely scenario is that somebody other than Olson murdered Yang, who was shot once in the back of the head, Manley said. Police and prosecutors produced no evidence that Olson left the boot prints found in the snow near Yang's body or was ever close enough to Yang to have fired the fatal shot, he said.

"This was an execution; this wasn't a joke," Manley argued, suggesting Yang's death was a hate crime "or just two hunters fighting over where they should be hunting."

The jury deliberated for about five hours on Tuesday afternoon without reaching a verdict before going home shortly after 5 p.m. They were set to resume their deliberations at 9 a.m. Wednesday.

Olson and his hunting partner on the day Yang was killed, Robert Rodway, of St. Johns, were charged with first-degree, felony murder in late 2022, more than four years after the killing. An alternate count of second-degree murder was added at their preliminary examination.

The first-degree, felony murder charge was based on a theory Yang was killed during a larceny. Yang's gun, traditional Hmong hunting knife and other personal property were not found with his body and have not been recovered.

The attorney general's office dismissed the charges against Rodway last fall, citing unresolved evidentiary issues, after Rodway's attorney filed an emergency bond motion based on newly discovered evidence.

,A month later, Olson was released on a $500,000 personal bond after a judge adjourned his trial for several months.

The evidence against Olson included potentially incriminating text messages shared between Rodway and him referring to Yang's death. One referred to "a couple of cold-blooded killers revisiting the crime scene," and another said, "I mean we killed that guy, you don't see us crying about it." There were others referring to hunting people and killing minorities, authorities said.

The defense has characterized those messages as nothing more than dark humor.

Police said they didn't know Olson was at Rose Lake State Game area on the day Yang was killed until much later, when they received "geofencing" data through search warrants showing his device was there.

Chong Yang

They also said he had done internet searches for news about the incident before police had publicly released any information about it.

Olson's DNA was found on a scent bottle enclosed in a plastic bag found in the general area of the shooting. But police were unable to match him to a set a boot prints found near Yang's body, and there was no DNA or other physical evidence linking him to Yang's body.

Olson did not testify during the trial, which began last week and included three days of testimony. His attorneys introduced exhibits but did not call any of their own witnesses.

During the trial, Manley raised questions about a local man who police had eliminated as a suspect and suggested there was physical evidence linking that man to the crime scene. The man was known to be biased against people of Yang's ethnicity and had a motive for shooting the hunter, the attorney said.

Police said they were able to account for the man's whereabouts that day, and Cunningham characterized the defense's focus on him as "misdirection."

The scientific evidence "clearly shows Olson was out there and did not come forward until after he was identified," Cunningham said.

Manley said the man who was eliminated as a suspect, even though he owned boots that could have left the prints found in the snow near Yang's body, was just one of many points where jurors might find reasonable doubt in the prosecution's case.

The defense did ballististics testing and presented other evidence that the government didn't do, he said. And that evidence indicates Olson is innocent, he said.

Contact Ken Palmer at kpalmer@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @KBPalm_lsj.

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Jury begins deliberating in trial of man charged with killing Lansing hunter
KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD)  At a board meeting Monday night, Kalamazoo County Commissioners approved $1.65 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding to redesign the Arcadia Creek Festival Site.

After a lot of heated discussion and public comment, the measure passed 5-2.

It comes after pushback forced commissioners to separate the Arcadia Creek project from the original city budget. Some residents were concerned that the sites $1.6 million redesign would install fencing with locking gates to keep out the unhoused using it for shelter.

Assistant City Manager Rebekah Kik shut down those concerns during a Feb. 5 meeting, saying that was never the plan. Instead, Kik explained that the fencing is temporary, storable and city-owned, all as a cost incentive for event planners wanting to use the Arcadia Creek Festival Site.

Kalamazoo holds off on Arcadia redesign over homelessness concerns

According to Kik, short-term goals for the 20-year-old site would also address failing infrastructure, including demolishing the pedestrian bridge, given its maintenance is behind schedule. The sites redesign would include perimeter seating, creative play area, an amphitheater near the creeks waters, mixed use housing and a pavilion.

Commissioners like Don Cooney previously expressed concerns over priorities.

We have $1.6 million here, he said. Do I want to vote to put it into this or do I want to vote to put it into the homeless? Thats my dilemma.

Cooney and commissioner Stephanie Hoffman were the two no votes Monday night.

But others were for it, like city commissioner Chris Praedel.

What do we want to say to everybody whos coming to our community? Is this a place you want to visit, or live or whatever, is this a place that we take care of a lot of the challenges and are a vibrant place to live? Praedel said. I think thats what we want to show the world: that we can do a lot of hard things simultaneously.

If construction goes on as scheduled, Kik said phase one should be completed by April 2026.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
When asked to reflect on a storied high school swimming career, Kapaun Mt. Carmel senior Frank Alberti didnt think about his individual accomplishments.

His legacy had been cemented this past weekend at the KSHSAA boys swimming state championship meet in Topeka, as Alberti won his fourth straight Class 5-1A title in the 100-yard backstroke and his second straight title in the 200-yard individual medley.

But the six individual gold medals wasnt the favorite part of his career, which will continue in college at Illinois-Chicago.

I feel like when people ask me about my high school career, Im going to say, Man, it was so much fun, Alberti said. Its great to win as an individual, but theres nothing like celebrating with the team. Its so much more meaningful to me.

Just as much as the records he set and the races he won, Alberti cherishes the team dinners before a meet and the weekly poker games with teammates.

Team bonding has been important to Alberti ever since he realized its value in the absence of it during his freshman year amid the coronavirus pandemic.

As Ive gotten older and Ive seen older kids leave for college, I realized how big of a role they played in my life, Alberti said. They made it feel like home and made me want to come to practice every day. So as I became older, I wanted to step into that leadership role the best I could and try to make the younger kids on our team now feel the same way.

Teammates gravitate toward Alberti, in part because of his vibrant attitude and natural leadership abilities, but also because of his talent. His words and encouragement carry a different kind of weight because they come from one of the best swimmers in Kansas.

That has helped foster a positive culture within a rising program, which won its third straight City League championship this season and claimed a third-place trophy at the state meet.

Frank does such a good job of making sure all of the boys feel appreciated and loved no matter what, Kapaun coach Alec Lebeda said. He leads by example, but hes also a goofy kid and a pleasure to be around and he did a really good job of making sure everyone was included and felt invited. There were no cliques on the team. Frank was the ultimate competitor and ultimate leader for us.

Aside from organizing and often hosting team-bonding events, Alberti also made it a point this season to celebrate the little victories.

Alberti was effusive in his praise for teammates throughout the season, whether it was swimming a state-cut time, winning a race or shaving a second off a personal-best time. He always found a positive for everyone.

I just wanted everyone to really enjoy the meets and enjoy spending time with each other, Alberti said. I really leaned into finding the little wins and celebrating them. I think encouraging them throughout the season really helped when it came time for city and state and it made it that much more enjoyable to celebrate with the team. Its so fun going out to dinner after the meet and everyone talking about their races and how they did.

In his final high school meet, Alberti made sure to put on a show. He easily defended his medley title with a season-best time of 1 minutes, 55.56 seconds, then completed his 4-for-4 quest in the backstroke with the fastest time in the state this season, 50.45, to win by more than four seconds.

A pair of sophomores, Henry Studnicka and Rob Richardson, joined him on the podium, as Studnicka placed second in the backstroke and third in the 200 free and Richardson took seventh in the 200 free and eighth in the backstroke.

Alberti also helped Kapaun claim a silver medal in two relays, combining with Studnicka, Richardson and Nathan Thengvall to place second in the 200 medley and 400 free relays. Alex McLain, Allen Turner, Colton Hill and Jack Judkins took eighth in the 200 free relay.

It was a really special last meet, Albeit said. Winning (the backstroke) four years in a row, thats like every high schoolers dream. All of the hard work and effort that has been put into it really paid off and made this year pretty special.

Northwest senior Brock Wallace after winning the Class 6A title in the backstroke. Northwest High School/Courtesy

Northwests Brock Wallace doubles up one more time as state champion

After becoming a first-time state champion last year, Northwest senior Brock Wallace ended his career by successfully defending his Class 6A titles in the 200-yard individual medley and the 100-yard backstroke.

Wallace, who is signed to swim at Cleveland State next year, was dominant in both of his races. He posted the best time in Kansas this season with his winning time of 1:51.51 in the medley, then edged the field by more than a full second in the backstroke with a season-best time of 50.54.

But this year, he wasnt the only state champion from Northwest. He was joined at the top of the podium by junior Giani Benoit, who prevailed in the diving finals to earn a gold medal.

The Andover boys swimming team won its second consecutive Class 5-1A team championship this past weekend in Topeka. Andover High School/Courtesy

Andover repeats as Class 5-1A boys swimming champions

Behind the strength of 10 individual medalists and two relay wins, Andover successfully repeated as team champions in the Class 5-1A state meet.

Senior Eli Conard was the lone individual gold medalist, winning the 100 free and finishing runner-up in the 50 free. He also anchored both of Andovers winning relay teams to finish with a three-gold day and another team title.

The Trojans accumulated 374 team points, which was nearly 100 more than second-place Collegiates 278 score.

Other medalists for Andover included senior David Gott (third in 100 butterfly, third in 100 back), senior Ian Diefenbach (second in 100 free, sixth in 100 back), sophomore Eric Witt (third in 200 IM, third in 100 breast), freshman Clark Young (second in 500 free, fifth in 100 breast), junior Braden Larson (third in diving), freshman Brett Ziser (fifth in 100 free, sixth in 50 free), senior Luke Neugent (sixth in 500 free, seventh in 200 IM), sophomore Baul Lee (eighth in 200 IM) and sophomore Henry Lasater (eighth in diving).

Conard was joined by Gott, Ziser and Diefenbach to edge Collegiate in a competitive 200 free relay, while it was Conard, Ziser, Witt and Diefenbach who won the 400 free relay title. Gott, Young, Neugent and Witt also teamed up for a fourth-place finish in the 200 medley relay.

Other 5-1A Wichita-area state medalists

Andover Central was led by two runner-up finishes by senior Jackson Lee in the 200 free and 100 butterfly, while other medalists included Tyler Voros (third in 100 free, seventh in 50 free), Ethan Finney (sixth in 200 IM) and Ayden Fooshee (seventh in 100 free). Finney, Fooshee, Lee and Voros also teamed up to take third in the 200 medley relay and fourth in the 400 free relay. Maize South sophomore Riggs Patterson took fourth in the 100 breaststroke, then anchored the 400 free relay with Lawson McKibbin, Jaydon Hartman and Gabriel Griffith to place eighth. In diving, Andale freshman Gage Cooper placed second and Bishop Carroll junior Zach Stephen took seventh. Hutchinson placed seventh in the 400 free relay with the team of Zion Hayes, Trent McClelland, Lakin Franz and Logan Most. Winfield had three medalists in Parker Mah (fifth in butterfly), Brandon Kendall (sixth in butterfly) and Corden Cuington (eighth in 50 free). Mah, Kale Jewers, Kendall and Cuington also teamed up for an eighth-place finish in the 200 medley relay.

Other 6A Wichita-area state medalists

Maize was led by a pair of double-medalists in sophomore Zachary Rife (third in 200 free, third in 100 free) and junior Kooper Johnson (third in 200 IM, sixth in 100 breast). Johnson and Rife teamed up with Aidan Turner and Kellen Doty to place sixth in the 200 free relay and with Owen Johnson and Doty to take fifth in the 400 free relay. Derby had a dual-medalist in junior Jared Hays (fourth in 200 free, eighth in 500 free). The City League also featured an array of medalists in South senior Miquel Boira-Diaz (fourth in 100 butterfly), Southeast senior Jeremy Johnson (sixth in diving), East senior Kaleb Barker (sixth in 500 free) and Heights junior Thatcher Schmitz (seventh in 100 back).
The Kansas House rejected an attempt to override Democratic Gov. Laura Kellys veto of a $1.6 billion tax cut centered on a flat income tax rate, a stunning failure for Republican leaders who spent weeks counting votes.

The 81-42 vote, which fell 3 votes short of the two-thirds majority needed to advance the override, sends GOP lawmakers back to square one in their standoff with Kelly over taxes.

Heading into Tuesdays vote, supporters of the override had expected to have sufficient votes to override Kelly but four Republican lawmakers changed their votes killing the tax policy before it reached the Senate.

The defeat marked a major blow to Republicans who had hoped if they could advance the override to the Senate, they could flip a Democratic senator and defeat Kelly. The House vote demonstrated a frustration among rank-and-file Republicans with the GOP leaderships insistence that a flat income tax be included in this years tax cuts.

Rep Trevor Jacobs, a Fort Scott Republican, changed his vote from yes to no, citing concerns about how little the bill did for middle-income Kansans.

This is not the last train out, he said, urging a new attempt at tax cuts.

Now, GOP leaders will have to decide their next move as Kelly is all but certain to reject any additional attempt at a flat tax, which Republicans have deemed a must have for any tax policy.

Kelly has promised to call the Legislature back to Topeka for a special session if they do not approve tax cuts she deems acceptable by the end of the Legislative session in May.

Rep. Randy Garber, a Sabetha Republican, cited Kellys threat of a special session while explaining his no vote calling the GOP bill a path to failure.

In a statement following the vote Kelly urged lawmakers to move forward with a tax plan she proposed at the beginning of the legislative session.

I urge legislators to work together to cut taxes in a way that continues our economic growth and maintains our solid fiscal foundation while benefiting all Kansans, not just those at the top, Kelly said.

The policy, which Kelly vetoed last month, would have imposed the flat income tax alongside several policies Kelly included in her own tax package  the elimination of the food sales tax on April 1, the elimination of income tax on Social Security and a $100,000 exemption on state property taxes.

Kelly rejected the policy, arguing the flat tax would have wrecked the states budget while disproportionately benefiting Kansas wealthiest residents over the middle class.

The governors Democratic allies in the House echoed that reasoning when they voted to sustain Kellys veto. Four Republicans joined Democrats voting to sustain Kellys veto. one Democrat, Kansas City, Kansas, Rep. Marvin Robinson, voted to override.

We cant afford to break the budget and particularly without relief to those middle income taxpayers, Rep. Tom Sawyer, a Wichita Democrat, said while warning lawmakers would have to come back in the future and raise taxes if they passed the plan.

Republican lawmakers have focused on parts of the policy that benefit Kansas lowest earners, arguing the flat tax could draw more people and businesses to the state. The bill would fully exempt all income at or below $6,150 for individuals and $12,300 for married couples.

I hear talk about helping the poor. Here it is, said Rep. Mike Thompson, a Bonner Springs Republican.

Rep. Troy Waymaster, a Bunker Hill Republican and chair of the House Appropriations Committee, insisted the price tag on the policy was sustainable and responsible.

This isnt going back to the tax plan that was passed by the Legislature in 2012 that was way too quick, way too much and way too fast, he said referencing the tax cuts under former Republican Gov. Sam Brownback.
KANSAS CITY, Kan.  Just like Missouri, the state of Kansas is switching it up this year for how its political parties distribute delegates in the 2024 presidential race.

On March 19, Kansas will hold a presidential preference primary. Its only the third time in state history this has happened.

Missouri presidential caucus 2024: What to know to cast your vote

The Kansas Legislature voted in 2023 to have a state-run presidential preference primary this year. The two other times Kansas has done so were 1980 and 1992.

Otherwise, typically Kansas political parties have held caucuses for presidential races. Thats the system Missouri is switching to this year.

Whats a presidential preference primary?

Holding a presidential preference primary is different than a caucus or a typical primary in Kansas. Instead of political parties being responsible for the election, the state will oversee it.

Its also called a preference primary because election boards will give the vote totals to political parties to allocate delegates. Then delegates go on to represent their state at national party conventions to help select a presidential candidate.

Heres who is running for president in 2024

But when Kansas voters head to the polls March 19, it wont look much different from a traditional election.

Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab said the extra election will cost the state about $5 million. Schwab said its going to be expensive, but that counties are expected to be reimbursed for the extra primary.

Whos on the ballot?

Eight candidates have filed to be on Kansas presidential preference primary ballot.

The Democrat candidates are:

Dean Phillips

Jason Michael Palmer

Joseph R Biden Jr.

Marianne Williamson

The Republican candidates are:

Donald J. Trump

Nikki R. Haley

Ron DeSantis

Ryan L. Binkley

Voters will likely notice a few of these candidates  including Marianne Williamson and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis  have already suspended their campaigns. But theyll still appear on Kansas ballot.

Your Local Election Headquarters: Candidates, races and results on FOX4

Kansas presidential primary is also over two weeks after Super Tuesday on March 5, the date when most states hold their primaries and caucuses. With so many delegates handed out that day, even more candidates could drop out after that.

Important dates

Tuesday, Feb. 20, is the deadline to register to vote in Kansas if you want to cast your ballot in this presidential preference primary. Kansas residents can register to vote online here.

Tuesday is also the deadline if you want to request an advance mail-in ballot. Submit the request through your local election board. You dont need a reason to vote by mail in Kansas.

Download the FOX4 News app on iPhone and Android

Wednesday, Feb. 28, is the first day of advance voting, but specific dates and times vary by county election office. In-person advance voting ends at noon March 18.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.
The Kansas House of Representatives failed to override Gov. Laura Kelly's veto of a Republican tax cut plan on Tuesday.

House Bill 2284 originally passed both the House and Senate a month ago. Voting histories suggested the House had the supermajority required to override the veto, which the House had to take up this week, while the Senate appeared one vote short.

House Republicans, led by House Speaker Rep. Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita, failed to override Gov. Laura Kelly's veto of their tax cut plan on Tuesday.

But Tuesday's vote was 81-42 as the House failed to reach the 84 required for a supermajority. There were 80 Republicans and one Democrat favoring an override, while 37 Democrats and five Republicans voted no. Two Democrats were absent.

House Minority Leader Vic Miller, D-Topeka, made a procedural motion to reconsider the vote, which failed, officially killing the bill.

Reps. Randy Garber, R-Sabetha; Mike Dodson, R-Manhattan; Mark Schreiber, R-Emporia; and Rep. Trevor Jacobs, R-Fort Scott, flipped their votes after initially supporting it last month. Rep. David Younger, R-Ulysses, voted against the tax plan last month and on Tuesday.

Garber told the House that he flipped his vote because the Senate will not override the veto, and that the Senate would have waited another 30 days to take the vote.

More: Kansas Republicans are one vote short ahead of anticipated flat tax veto override attempt

"We are nearly at the end of the regular session," Garber said. "The Senate president has stated with no flat income tax there will be no tax relief. The governor has stated if the Legislature adjourns without passing tax relief I will call them back for special session. While I am neutral on the flat tax, I will not continue on this path to failure."

Rep. Adam Smith, R-Weskan, asks for members of the Kansas House of Representatives to support House Bill 2284, a bill cutting taxes.

Democrats have opposed the bill throughout due to the 5.25% single-rate tax on all earnings over $6,150 for an individual or $12,300 for a married couple. Many of the provisions in the GOP's plan, like state property tax exemptions for the first $100,000 of assessed value, addressing the Social Security cliff and ending the food sales tax, are included in Kelly's proposed tax cuts.

"The legislature's decision to sustain my veto is a win for working and middle-class Kansans who would have seen little relief under this irresponsible flat tax experiment," Kelly said in a statement. "Now, we should move forward the bipartisan plan I proposed on the first day of legislative session to cut $1 billion in taxes over the next three years, without risking funding for our public schools and roads."

More: Laura Kelly vetoes Republican tax cut plan, calls it 'reckless' and 'back to Brownback'

But Kelly's plan would have to be allowed to get a vote on the floor by Republican leadership, who criticized opponents of the GOP plan.

"It's irresponsible and unacceptable that Governor Kelly and her allies chose to play politics and deny meaningful tax relief to all Kansans," said a joint statement from House Speaker Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita; Majority Leader Chris Croft, R-Overland Park, and Speaker Pro Tempore Blake Carpenter, R-Derby. "The Democrats' games are played at the expense of real people who need relief now. House Republicans are committed to putting the people of Kansans before election year gamesmanship."

In a press conference after the vote, Miller pushed back on claims of gamesmanship and dared Republicans to run bills on individual proposals in the bill. He also said that Republicans will have to allow any tax proposal to move forward.

"We don't control the agenda, we recognize we're outnumbered," Miller said. "What we're asking for is for reasonable minds to prevail. And that we sit down and work out what we can agree to."

Rep. Tom Sawyer, D-Wichita, speaks in opposition to the tax plan favored by Republican leadership.

The bill that failed Tuesday didn't get debated in a typical manner. It was passed via conference committee, meaning that it didn't go through the normal committee process and legislators couldn't propose amendments on the floor.

Rep. Tom Sawyer, D-Wichita, said there's still ways that tax cuts could pass this session.

"We have plenty of time, this isn't like we're at the end of the session," Sawyer said.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas Republicans' tax plan falls as House fails to override veto
Houthi missile attack damages British ship in Gulf of Aden

Xinhua) 08:43, February 20, 2024

The screenshot captured from a video on Feb. 19, 2024 shows Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea making a statement in Sanaa, Yemen. The Houthi group in Yemen on Monday claimed responsibility for the missile attack against what they described as a "British ship" on Sunday in the Gulf of Aden. (Xinhua)

SANAA, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- The Houthi group in Yemen said on Monday that they have fired missiles at a British ship in the Gulf of Aden.

"Our naval forces have attacked the British ship, Rubymar, in the Gulf of Aden with a number of missiles," Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said in a televised statement aired by his group's satellite TV channel al-Masirah.

"The ship suffered catastrophic damage and came to a complete halt," said Sarea, adding the ship is now at risk of sinking in the Gulf of Aden.

"Our attacks in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden will not stop unless (Israeli) aggression on Gaza stops," the Houthi spokesperson said.

He also claimed that his group had shot down a U.S. MQ9 drone off Hodeidah port city, which is under Houthi control, without revealing the exact time.

Earlier in the day, the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency said in an updated advisory posted on the social media platform X that the crew of the attacked vessel, which it didn't identify, had abandoned the vessel, adding that "military authorities" rushed to the scene to assist.

The British maritime agency said the attack on the vessel occurred on Sunday 35 nautical miles south of al-Mukha, located south of Hodeidah port city.

Ambrey, another British maritime security agency, confirmed that the attacked vessel was a British-registered bulk cargo vessel.

The U.S. Central Command said on Sunday it had conducted defensive strikes against five Houthi targets in the Red Sea on Saturday, including mobile missiles and underwater drones ready to be launched. It said it was the first time it had observed the Houthis possessing such drones, which posed a threat to shipping and regional stability.

The U.S.-led coalition has conducted dozens of airstrikes against Houthi targets in northern Yemen since January, saying the strikes aimed to degrade Houthi military capabilities.

However, the Houthis have said the U.S. military airstrikes have had no impact and responded by launching more drone and missile attacks against U.S. and British navy ships and commercial vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
Megan Menchaca is a Houston Independent School District reporter for the Houston Chronicle. She can be reached at megan.menchaca@houstonchronicle.com.

Megan joined the Chronicle in 2023 after working as the higher education reporter for the Austin American-Statesman. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with degrees in journalism and government.
Both owners plan to appeal after the Kansas Department of Transportation used eminent domain to acquire two properties it needs to rebuild and realign Interstate 70's Polk-Quincy Viaduct in downtown Topeka, said KDOT communications director Steve Hale.

Three court-appointed appraisers concluded last November that just compensation amounted to $1,010,000 to go to Team Kansas Inc. for property at 116 S. Kansas Ave. and $450,000 to First Avenue Leasing LLC for property at 711 S.W. 1st, Hale told The Capital-Journal on Friday.

KDOT as part of the latter transaction also acquired properties at 101 S.W. Tyler and 125 S.W. Tyler, said the report that appraisers Steve Ballou, Benjamin Moser and Tom McBride filed in Shawnee County District Court.

Though both owners plan to appeal the amounts involved, "KDOT has paid the just compensation that was awarded by the court-appointed appraisers into the court and will begin project work," Hale said. "Going forward, the issue of just compensation is the only issue on appeal."

Three court-appointed appraisers concluded last November that just compensation amounted to $1,010,000 to go to Team Kansas, Inc., for this property at 116 S. Kansas Ave., which the Kansas Department of Transportation needs to clear the way for a project to rebuild and realign the Polk-Quincy Viaduct.

Here's what Kansas law says about eminent domain

KDOT is in the latter stages of efforts it began in early 2022 to acquire properties along the future path of the viaduct, which runs through downtown Topeka.

Representatives for Team Kansas and Torgesen Electric, which leased the properties owned by First Avenue Leasing, told The Capital-Journal last June that the compensation KDOT offered was not fair. The newspaper reached out to them again late last week but hadn't heard back as of Monday.

Kansas law requires KDOT to pay just compensation to owners whose properties it needs to acquire and authorizes that agency to acquire property through condemnation, if necessary.

KDOT always seeks to negotiate with the landowner, and appraises the property as a starting point, Hale said.

KDOT filed a condemnation action after it was not able to reach agreement with Team Kansas and First Avenue Leasing "on how much KDOT should pay for a partial taking of the properties needed for the project," Hale said.

When a condemnation action is filed, he said, Kansas statute requires that three disinterested residents of the county involved  with at least two of the residents having knowledge of land value  be appointed to determine just compensation to be paid for property taken.

Kansas law also gives both the condemning authority and the affected property owners the right to appeal the determination of the appraisers, Hale said.

An appeal by either side would go to district court as a new civil action, he said.

KDOT chose not to appeal the appraisers' conclusion "but Team Kansas and First Avenue Leasing decided to appeal," Hale said.

Both owners plan to appeal after the Kansas Department of Transportation used eminent domain to acquire two properties it needs to rebuild and realign Interstate 70's Polk-Quincy Viaduct, shown here.

One more condemnation case expected to be filed

Hale said KDOT expects to need to use eminent domain to acquire one other property, for which he didn't reveal the location, for the viaduct project.

The state needs to use eminent domain "because the title is clouded, and ownership interests cannot be ascertained to attempt to negotiate," Hale said.

No new condemnation case for that property has been filed yet, he said.

State used eminent domain to acquire one other viaduct property

The state has used eminent domain to acquire one other property for the viaduct project, Hale said.

Court records show KDOT filed that case in September 2022 against the "Unknown Heirs at Law of Bessie Myrtle Ewing."

KDOT was unable to locate the owners of the property in question, which was only 24 square feet in size, Hale said.

"In this case the court-appointed appraisers determined the property had no value and it was not necessary for KDOT to pay anything into the court for the value of the property," he said.

What will the I-70 viaduct project do?

The viaduct project seeks to improve safety by replacing and flattening out Interstate 70's sharp curve near S.E. Third Street by moving to the north much of the highway that currently runs to the west of that curve.

Construction will start in early 2025 and end in the fall of 2027, said a page on the project's website providing answers to frequently asked questions.

I-70 will be closed in the area involved from the early spring to late fall of 2026, that site said.

The replacement viaduct to the east of S.W. Topeka Boulevard is to consist of two elevated bridges, one for eastbound traffic and the other for westbound. Both are to be about the same height as the current single viaduct.

To the west of S.W. Topeka Boulevard, plans call for the replacement stretch of I-70 to be constructed at ground level or be "built up with ground underneath," KDOT said.

Once the project is complete, drivers will be able to safely go 10 mph faster on the new viaduct than on the current one.

Signage currently in place advises motorists approaching the curve to go no more than 45 mph. That is planned to rise to 55 mph after the project is carried out.

Contact Tim Hrenchir at threnchir@gannett.com or 785-213-5934.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: KDOT uses eminent domain to acquire Topeka viaduct project properties
The Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department is asking for the publics help as they investigate a shooting that took place Monday.

Officials were called around 4:35 p.m. to the 200 Block of south 11th Street to reports of a man hit by gunfire. The victim is in critical condition, according to a KCKPD news release.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Crime Stoppers TIPS hotline at 816-474-8477.

No other information has been released.
SpaceX launched a communications satellite aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Tuesday afternoon.

The company said the Telkomsat Merah Putih mission will provide satellite services for Indonesia.

The launch happened at 3:11 p.m. as scheduled.

READ: Deputies: 19 arrested in marijuana pop-up shop sting in Seminole County

Photos: 2024 Daytona 500

Falcon 9 has landed on the Just Read the Instructions Droneship, completing this boosters 17th launch and landing pic.twitter.com/q4Jwvo7dRA  SpaceX (@SpaceX) February 20, 2024

Following stage separation, officials said the first stage booster will land on droneship Just Read the Instructions, which is stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
A Keller school district trustee has resigned after she accompanied a film crew to a high school campus without permission from district officials.

Sandi Walker apologized in a Facebook post Sunday and wrote that she would step down. The post appears to have been since deleted.

I recently participated in a foreign documentary focused on public schools in Texas, Walker wrote on Facebook. Some filming took place while students were present. I take safety and privacy of our students seriously. I apologize for allowing students to be captured on film.

Walker was elected in 2022.

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Another trustee, Micah Young, also wrote an apology on Facebook and said that he was present for part of the interview.

Laney Hawes, a parent of a child at the school, posted about the incident on the social media platform X. She said the Dutch film crew sat at her sons lunch table.

Hawes told Star-Telegram media partner WFAA that she does not want her kids used as political pawns.

The Dutch evangelical network previously produced the documentary, God, Jesus, Trump.

The Keller district said in an email to the Star-Telegram that leadership shares the parents concerns about the film crews visit.

The Districts legal representation is involved and has directed the film crew to destroy all footage it collected or return it to Keller ISD, according to the email.

The school board hasnt met since Walkers resignation and has not indicated the next steps for replacing her.

The school district also provided a letter that Superintendent Tracy Johnson wrote to Central High School parents.

Johnson wrote that the crew was at the high school on Feb. 9 to interview the trustees Walker and Young, and while on campus, the crew also interviewed teachers and students.

The district and the board were not aware of the scheduled interview, Johnson said.

She also said the district is taking proactive steps to protect the safety and privacy of students.

She added that the film company told district officials that no students or teachers would be visible in the film the company is producing.

But the districts explanation did not satisfy Hawes, who posted on X that the other trustees who were involved should resign.
The Kennewick School Board passed a resolution Tuesday morning strongly opposing two controversial bills in the Washington Legislature related to books and curricula on historically marginalized and underrepresented groups.

The vote was unanimous, 4-0, with school board member Mike Connors abstaining from the vote over objections to the time and manner of the special meeting.

The Kennewick School Board  which oversees the instruction of 20,000 K-12 students  appears to be the largest in Washington to come out in opposition to the two bills. The resolution is not binding and does not immediately impact any curriculum  it simply reflects the view of the governing body.

The school board says it believes the legislation would trample local control and parental rights over their childrens education.

The board believe the bills are being peddled by activist state commissions pushing sexual agendas and politics and subverting the vote of the local community, the resolution stated.

Were not trying to ban books, were not trying to segregate kids. Were not trying to do anything like that, said board President Gabe Galbraith.

But nearly all of the 20 local community members who showed up at the meeting  many of them former teachers or school board members  say they believe Kennewicks resolution was rooted in misguided fear and signified they were participating in partisan politics.

Youre telling people like me: I shouldnt be here, I shouldnt have a say, said Aaron Beasley, 63, a Black man who served on the Pasco School Board in the 1990s.

Gayle Hane, a former Kennewick teacher who taught for 35 years and worked on curriculum adoption committees, said the resolution goes against the districts guiding principles and values on diversity, and equitable and inclusive environments.

How can you oppose a bill that supports so (much) of what you say are the goals of KSD, like providing the best education for every child and fostering belonging? she asked. Youre opposing this bill is not in the best interest of providing the best education for every child, and it defies the very goals you have stated in your strategic plan.

Galbraith and Vice President Micah Valentine were the only two school board members who showed up in person for the public comment period and vote. The other three  Connors, Josh Miller and Brittany Gledhill  participated in the meeting online.

Several community members, including Connors, questioned the motivation behind holding the meeting with only four days notice and in the middle of a work day.

Im not even going to discuss these two bills because this is neither the time nor place, and it shows a complete disregard for our community. Weve got people that thankfully came out today to stand up and voice their opinions, but it is certainly not what I would consider a fair swath of our community. This should be discussed at a regular meeting, he said.

We shouldnt be doing this. And in the future, if were going to have a special meeting, it better be pretty damn special because this is not. This is a waste of my time, a waste of the boards time and a waste of staffs time. I am pissed, Connors continued.

Bills in WA Legislature

ESHB 2331 would bar school boards from refusing to approve or prohibit the use of educational materials on the basis that they include the contributions of any individual or group who is part of a protected class.

Some have viewed this legislation as an anti-book banning bill that would bar school boards from taking action against books they find objectionable. If local boards violate the bill, critics say, they may be subject to losing some or all of their state apportionment funding.

The bill passed the Senate Committee on Early Learning and K-12 Education on Monday and is on track for a floor vote sometime this week. If passed in the Senate, it would go to the governors desk to be signed into law.

The other bill, ESB 5462, would require schools to teach the histories, contributions and perspectives of LGBTQ people in age-appropriate school curricula after a review of learning standards by the state Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction in consultation with the LGBTQ Commission.

The Washington State School Directors Association, also would be required to adopt a policy for school boards to adopt instructional materials covering such groups as Native Americans, Hispanic Americans, people of different religions and people who are neurodiverse.

The House Committee on Education was scheduled to take executive action on ESB 5462 on Tuesday afternoon.

Both bills passed their first chambers along party lines, with Democrats in support of the two bills and Republicans in opposition.

Republican Tri-City lawmakers  including Sen. Matt Boehnke and Reps. April Connors and Stephanie Barnard  have consistently voted against the bills. April Connors is married to school board member Mike Connors.

Tuesday meeting

Galbraith said tight legislative deadlines and similar resolutions from other school boards, including Mead and Central Valley, is what prompted a quick special meeting 9 a.m. on Tuesday after the holiday weekend.

He said he understands there may be diverse takeaways from the community on this action: Some will appreciate them weighing in on whats going on in the Legislature, but others might view them as trying to whitewash history or ban books, which he denies.

At the end of the day, were just trying to figure out what we feel is right for the school district and our kids. And people are going to disagree and people are going to agree, he said.

Last year, Kennewick voters replaced two moderate-progressive school board members with a pair that was more conservative. Galbraith said he believes Kennewick is already seen as a role model that could provide checks on educational policy coming out of Olympia.

I dont think well be afraid to take something up. If a member wants to discuss something  its on the agenda, lets do it, he said.

Gledhill said she spent 15 hours this weekend studying and trying to understand the two bills. Shes in favor of more inclusive curricula, but said the two bills include statutes that are problematic when you consider local control.

There are actually some elements of these bills that would make our policies and procedures less inclusive than what they are right now, she said, noting a section in ESHB 2331 that would limit complaints made to instructional materials committees to only those filed by parents or guardians.

Kennewick staff have not studied what affects the bills could have in the schools yet because theyre still making their way through the Legislature and are subject to amendments and changes.

Kennewick Education Association President Rob Woodford attended the meeting and did not speak to the board. He declined to weigh in on the issue.
The Southern Baptist Convention on Tuesday ousted churches for having a woman pastor and over abuse-related reports, solidifying a trend in the recent reasons churches involuntary exit from the denomination.

The churches  Immanuel Baptist Church in Paducah, Kentucky; Grove Road Baptist Church in Greenville, South Carolina; West Hendersonville Baptist Church in Hendersonville, North Carolina; and New Hope Baptist Church in Gastonia, North Carolina  are the newest addition to 14 other churches the Nashville-based denomination disfellowshipped since the reformulation of an SBC group to review reports against churches.

Recommendations from that SBC group, called the SBC Credentials Committee, have now led to the ouster of six churches for abuse-related reports and six churches in which a woman is a senior or lead pastor. The figures point to the increasing influence of a debate over the status of women pastors in the SBC versus the denomination's response to clergy abuse, an issue that largely fueled the credentials committees reform five years ago.

The SBC Executive Committee announced a decision to disfellowship the four churches in a meeting Tuesday in Nashville following an executive session to discuss and vote on a recommendation against the churches. The SBC Executive Committee, comprised of about 20 staff and an 86-member board of elected representatives, manages denomination business outside of the SBC annual meeting.

SBC Executive Committee members listen as Josh Wester, for the abuse reform task force, speaks during the SBC Executive Committee conference at the SBC building in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, Feb. 19, 2024.

The executive committee approved the ouster of Immanuel Baptist in Kentucky due to a woman, Katie McKown, serving as the churchs senior minister. The credentials committee recommended the ouster of Grove Road Baptist in South Carolina and West Hendersonville Baptist in North Carolina following abuse-related reports against the churches.

The stated reasons for the ouster of New Hope Baptist in North Carolina was due to the church's "lack of reported financial participation for at least the last five years." But the church has previously come under scrutiny for a past deacon who was sentenced to prison in 2008 for charges including statutory rape, according to information contained in a list maintained by Southern Baptist leaders of churches with a history of clergy abuse. Its unclear if that history at New Hope Baptist factored into someone initially reporting the church to the credentials committee.

The ouster of Grove Road Baptist followed "a lack of intent to cooperate in resolving a concern regarding the pastors mishandling of an allegation of sexual abuse," said the SBC Executive Committee in a statement.

Other recent SBC Executive Committee: New nonprofit to lead SBC abuse reform efforts after delays in launch of abuser database

Churches ousted for abuse-related reports

The SBC disfellowshipped 18 total churches since the convention refashioned its credentials committee in June 2019 to better evaluate churches for racist behavior or mishandling abuse.

In previous abuse-related cases, the executive committee disfellowshipped churches for hiring registered sex offenders or for the pastors questionable or problematic past, such as a more recent case with Freedom Church in Vero Beach, Florida.

Among the latest additions, West Hendersonville Baptist in North Carolina employed a pastor who is biblically disqualified according to SBC standards on abuse response.

That pastor, Jerry Mullinax, faced discipline in 2003 when he taught at a middle school and reportedly sent improper emails to a female student, according to news reports. The North Carolina Board of Education revoked Mullinaxs teaching license in 2004.

When the SBC Executive Committee approves a churchs ouster, that church can appeal the decision before the full convention at the SBC annual meeting. Freedom Church appealed its ouster at the 2023 SBC annual meeting but to no avail. Southern Baptist voting delegates, called messengers, rejected Freedom Churchs appeal despite the absence of key information about the case, including the extent of the credentials committees review versus its reliance on a similar decision by the Florida Baptist Convention.

Different protocols among state Southern Baptist conventions also contribute to variability in the churches that come under review at the national level. For example, some state conventions have adopted a similar model to the SBC at the national level for reviewing abuse-related claims against churches.

Freedom Church case deep dive: The story of this Florida church's ouster shows the pitfalls facing the SBC on abuse reform

Churches ousted over women pastors

More recently, a broader debate over the status of women pastors in the SBC has led to added responsibilities for the credentials committee.

Last year, the executive committee approved the ouster of five churches for having women pastors, including Saddleback Church, the Southern California megachurch, and Fern Creek Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky. Those latter two churches appealed their ouster at the 2023 SBC annual meeting, but messengers overwhelmingly voted against the churchs reentry.

In the most recent case of Immanuel Baptist in Kentucky, the churchs senior minister, Katie McKown, started leading the church in May. Prior to her time at Immanuel Baptist, McKown was the first woman pastor of a Southern Baptist church in Scottsville, Virginia.

The credentials committee has only recommended the ouster of churches in which women serve as lead or senior pastors, not associate-level pastors. The SBC is currently sorting through its posture on affiliation with churches with women pastors. The convention will vote for a second and final time at this years SBC annual meeting in June in Indianapolis whether to approve a measure seeking to enshrine a ban on women pastors. Meanwhile, the SBC Cooperation Group is studying how the denomination should best align its constitutional standards for church affiliation with its doctrinal statements of belief.

Linda Barnes Popham speaking at the Southern Baptist Convention at the New Orleans Ernest N Morial Convention Center. Tuesday, June 13, 2023.

Though much remains to be seen, previous ousters have already set a precedent. Following the SBCs decision to uphold Fern Creeks ouster, the Kentucky Baptist Convention rendered a similar verdict against the Louisville church.

Liam Adams covers religion for The Tennessean. Reach him at ladams@tennessean.com or on social media @liamsadams.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Southern Baptist Convention ousts Kentucky church for having woman pastor
A man who was sentenced to 15 years in prison for the slaying of his wife in June 2010 is now free, and was released from the Eastern Kentucky Correctional Complex Monday.

Donald Southworth, 61, was released Monday morning, according to Joshua Powell, a capital trial investigator with the Department of Public Advocacy who worked on Southworths case. Kentucky prison records say Southworth was released because he reached his minimum sentence expiration date. He was sentenced for manslaughter involving the death of his wife, Umi Southworth, on June 9, 2010.

Hed been incarcerated since Feb. 24, 2012. For her brutal killing, Donald Southworth entered an Alford plea in Fayette Circuit Court in March 2016. An Alford plea is not an admission of guilt but an acknowledgment there is enough evidence to convict.

Donald Southworth enters Fayette Circuit Court after a jury convicted him of murder. His conviction was later overturned, though he pleaded guilty to a lesser offense in his wifes death.

Umi Southworth, 44, was found naked and severely beaten beneath a box spring in a brushy area behind her home on Meadowthorpe Avenue.

A belt was wrapped around her neck. Officers who responded thought she was dead and did not call for medical treatment. After officials with the coroners office discovered three hours later she was alive, she was taken to University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital. She died the next day.

The case resulted in policy changes requiring police to call medical personnel to the scenes of apparent homicides.

Donald Southworth was originally convicted by a jury for murder and sentenced to life in prison after a two-week trial. The Kentucky Supreme Court, however, overturned that conviction in 2014 because a piece of evidence, a used condom, was inadmissible.

Former Fayette Commonwealths Attorney Ray Larson recommended a 15-year sentence at the time, including time served.
Jimmy Tate won $50,000 from a scratch-off lottery ticket he bought while picking up some tickets to give his wife for Valentine's Day. Photo courtesy of the Kentucky Lottery

Feb. 20 (UPI) -- A Kentucky man said the decision to buy lottery tickets as a Valentine's Day gift for his wife led to him winning his own $50,000 prize.

Jimmy Tate of Versailles told Kentucky Lottery officials he visited the lottery vending machine at the Kroger store in Versailles to buy some scratch-off tickets to give his wife for Valentine's Day.

While at the machine, Tate decided to buy a $30 $50,000 Cash ticket for himself.

"I actually stopped at the machine to get her a couple tickets for Valentine's, and I decided to buy that one," he said.

Tate's ticket turned out to be a $50,000 winner.

"I could tell the numbers were matching up and I was like this is a big winner, so I went home to finish scratching," he recalled.

Tate said he quickly showed the ticket to his wife.

"My wife was as excited as I was," Tate said. "I couldn't believe it. I've hit $1,000 and $2,000 but the $50,000, I just couldn't believe it and I was nervous as it was."

Tate said he will put his winnings toward paying off bills and putting a down payment on a new house.
Shark Tank investor Kevin OLeary ripped into what he called loser New York and vowed to no longer invest in the state, when asked about a New York courts $355 million verdict against former President Trump last week.

Trump, his business and his top executives  including the former presidents sons  were dealt a major blow last Friday when Judge Arthur Engoron ordered him to pay more than $355 million for conspiring to alter his net worth to receive tax and insurance benefits. The order also blocks Trump from participating in New York business for three years.

This award, I mean, just leaving the whole Trump thing out of it and seeing what occurred here  And Im no different than any other investor, Im shocked at this, OLeary said in an interview Monday with Fox Business. I cant even understand or fathom the decision at all. Theres no rationale for it.

The award was part of New York Attorney General Letitia Jamess (D) lawsuit against the former president, the Trump organization and his executives based on more than a decade of fraud and capped off a months-long civil fraud trial in the state.

OLeary, the chairman of OLeary Ventures, argued New York was already a loser state, citing policy, high taxes and uncompetitive regulation as primary reasons.

It was already on the top of the list of being a loser state. I would never invest in New York now, OLeary said. And Im not the only person saying that.

OLeary claimed existing businesses and new ventures are going to different states such as Texas and Florida.

So, theyve got lots of work to do to find themselves getting out of this situation. This has all occurred post-pandemic  winner states versus loser states, he said.

Fox Business anchor Neil Cavuto then asked OLeary what he thinks about New York Gov. Kathy Hochuls (D) attempted assurances to New York business owners, in which she told residents there was nothing to worry about.

Were very worried, every investor is worried because where is the victim? Who lost the money? This is some arbitrary decision a judge made, OLeary responded. This policy  what does this say about the bar? About the legal bar in New York? Arent they going to question this judge? What is this?

Im sorry her words fall on deaf ears to everybody, he added. Theres nothing she can say to justify this decision. And this has nothing to do with Trump, nothing to do with Trump. Forget about Trump, this is not a Trump situation, this is a New York problem.

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The Hill reached out to Hochuls office for comment.

Trump celebrated OLearys remarks on his social media platform Truth Social, writing, Kevin OLeary is so great, and tells it like it is. Businesses will flee NYC & State after the Corrupt Judges ruling!

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Social media users are claiming a KFC social media promotion mocked Palestinians displaced by the Israel-Hamas war. This is false; the US fast-food chain said its since-deleted posts, which used the hashtag "NoTentsJustChicken," referenced online chatter about a government agency's missing tent in Antigua and Barbuda, a Caribbean nation -- not the conflict in Gaza.

"DISGUSTING AD MOCKING GAZA By KFC," says a February 18, 2024 Instagram post. "KFC is literally mocking displaced Palestinians in Rafah whilst they are suffering FAMINE!"

The post shares a screenshot of a KFC Facebook post that says: "Sorry, no tents here, just finger-lickin' good chicken, just the way you like it to spice up your weekend. #NoTentsJustChicken #KFCAntigua."

Screenshot from Instagram taken February 20, 2024

Similar accusations pinballed across Instagram and platforms including Facebook and X, formerly Twitter, where they were amplified by Britain-based creator Sulaiman Ahmed and Danish physician Anastasia Maria Loupis -- both of whom have monetized misinformation about the fighting in the Gaza Strip.

Some 1.4 million Palestinians are living in crowded shelters and tented camps in the far-southern city of Rafah, where the battle is nearing.

The recent KFC campaign was not a taunt aimed at Gazans displaced by the violence, the company told AFP.

"This post was shared by the KFC Antigua social channels with the intention of joining the trending conversation in Antigua related to a tent that was reported missing by the Antigua Public Utilities Authority," a spokesperson said in a February 20, 2024 email.

"This post is in no way related to the conflict in the Middle East and was removed when we realized it was being misinterpreted. We apologize for any confusion that was caused."

On February 15, the Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA), posted on Facebook that one of its tents used for training sessions had gone "missing" and was "allegedly stolen" (archived here).

The plea for public support sparked online conversation, with some companies getting in on the action, apparently in jest.

"Need to 'throw some shade'? Think we have them in white and we're throwing in a can of spray paint. Use your creativity. #letsmakeadeal," North Coast Hardware, a store in Antigua, said in one such post advertising its tents (archived here).

Links to KFC's post alluding to the missing APUA tent show up in Google search results, revealing the company shared it to both its Facebook page and KFC Antigua's Instagram channel (archived here).

In a follow-up post on February 18, APUA shared a photo of the tent.

"Now that you're gone, we are getting lots of shade but not quite like what you used to pitch," the agency wrote (archived here).

KFC commented under the post: "We think this one is more for North Coast Hardware and not us" (archived here).

AFP has debunked other misinformation related to the Israel-Hamas war here.
Hana Ikramuddin is a Hearst Fellow for the Houston Chronicle.

Raised in the Twin Cities, Hana majored in journalism and political science at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.

She has held internships with the Star Tribune, APM Reports and Sahan Journal. In her free time, she loves to cook, make chai and take care of her houseplants.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed the European Union's demand to allow an independent international investigation into the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, Russian state-controlled news agency RIA Novosti reported on Feb. 20.

Navalny, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin's main political opponent, died on Feb. 16 in a penal colony in the town of Kharp, Yamal Nenets Autonomous District. He had been convicted in several fabricated criminal cases as part of the Kremlin's crackdown on dissent.

Leaders around the world have blamed Putin for his death. Opinions differ on whether his death was caused by the harsh prison conditions or was an intentional murder.

The EU's High Representative Josep Borrell said in a Feb. 19 statement that "Russia must allow an independent and transparent international investigation into circumstances of his (Navalny's) sudden death." He also called on Russia to "immediately and unconditionally" release all other political prisoners.

Read also: Alexei Navalnys life and death as main opponent to Putin regime

"We do not consider such demands at all, especially from Mr. Borrell," Peskov said at a press conference, as cited by RIA Novosti.

Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of Russia's parliament, earlier claimed that "Washington and Brussels are to blame for Navalny's death."

The penal colony that Navalny was held in is located in a remote settlement north of the Arctic Circle with "tough conditions," according to the head of the Anti-Corruption Foundation established by Navalny.

The Russian government is still refusing to give Navalny's family access to his body.

European and American officials have said they are considering additional sanctions against Russia over Navalny's death.

Read also: Navalnys death preceded by long list of Putin critics murders

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
The Kremlin has targeted both Ukrainian and Western audiences in an extensive PsyOps campaign since January 2023, a Washington Post in-depth investigation revealed on Feb. 16.

Read also: Russias extensive disinformation campaign to discredit Zelenskyy  report

This meticulously orchestrated effort, characterized by a sprawling network of operatives, generous funding, and a set of clearly defined objectives from the Kremlin, seeks to discredit Ukraines military-political leadership, create divisions among Ukrainian elites, demoralize the Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU), and disorient the Ukrainian population.

The Washington Post has documented the scale of this campaign, marking a new chapter in the long history of exposing the Kremlin's disinformation machinery. The publication detailed how, around a year ago, the Kremlin launched a series of "information-psychological operations" (IPSOs), resulting in thousands of social media posts and hundreds of fabricated materials created by "troll factories" that spread throughout Ukraine and Europe.

Over 100 Kremlin documents obtained by a European intelligence service were reviewed.

The disinformation campaign aimed to, among other things, undermine trust in Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and to exploit tensions between him and former AFU Chief Valeriy Zaluzhny.

Read also: Putins lies go unchecked by American propagandist Tucker Carlson

The main orchestrator of the campaign is Sergey Kiriyenko, the first deputy head of the Russian presidential administration and a close associate of Vladimir Putin. He instructed a group of Russian officials and political technologists in January 2023 to ensure a significant presence in Ukrainian social networks to spread disinformation.

The campaign was divided into two groups: one focused on destabilizing Ukraine from within, led by Kiriyenko's close deputy Alexander Kharichev, known as a "fixer" for his role in managing Kremlin-favored election outcomes in Russia. The other "European" propaganda group aimed at undermining support for Ukraine in Western countries, particularly in France and Germany, was led by Tatyana Matveyeva, another deputy of Kiriyenko and head of the Kremlin's department for the development of information and communication technologies.

The strategy outlined by Kiriyenko targets four primary objectives:

Discrediting Ukraine's military-political leadership (fueling discussions about the "Monaco battalion" and privileges for the elite's families, negotiations behind Zelenskyy's back, lies about the sale of Western weapons, and uneven power outages favoring high-ranking officials)

Dividing Ukrainian elites (promoting themes of pre-election strife, confrontation between the Kyiv government and the Presidents Office, supposed secret agreements of the Ukrainian government, and supposed presidential ambitions of Zaluzhny, etc.)

Demoralizing the AFU (exaggerating losses, etc.)

Disorienting the Ukrainian population

Below in the graphic are examples of fabricated materials for each of the themes in April 2024.

WP

The "progress" of the campaign was monitored nearly weekly at meetings in the Kremlin. Moscow's IPSO (information and psychological operations) "strategists" conducted presentations, showcasing the most popular posts that had been placed in the Ukrainian segment of social networks in the previous days, and calculating their results. They also reported on weekly surveys regarding the level of trust in Zelenskyy and the military leadership of Ukraine, the report found.

WP

WP

Despite the Kremlin's expectations for the campaign's outcomes, such as lowering the ratings of "key personnel in Zelensky's office, the Ukrainian government, and the AFU command," the real impact seemed to disappoint the campaign's architects.

Ukrainian society remained "extraordinarily united," and documents indicate that Russian officials were occasionally frustrated by their inability to undermine Zelenskyy's ratings or to incite division.

"One of them complained in one exchange that the Ukrainian president was like Brad Pitt, a global star with an image that couldnt be sullied," the article notes.

Examples of Russian Lies and Manipulation

The Washington Post published examples of weekly reports from "Center S"  the Kremlin team responsible for disinformation operations in Ukraine.

Among the examples of the most popular posts and materials they promoted in the spring of 2023 were:

A fabricated Facebook post claiming that the family of a fallen soldier had received no assistance from the Ukrainian state, aimed at discrediting Ukraine's leadership (it is claimed to have garnered over 2 million views)

A fake Telegram video story suggesting that Kyiv's main goal was supposedly "to fight to the last Ukrainian" (as part of materials aimed at disorienting the population)

A provocative Facebook post suggesting that "Valeriy Zaluzhny could become the next president of Ukraine," which allegedly amassed 4.3 million views (the goal being to divide the elites)

Below in the graphic are examples of fabricated materials from April 2023.

WP

The campaign also involved attempts to fuel the conflict between Zaluzhny and Zelenskyy, even before the general's dismissal became a reality. Kremlin PsyOp strategists aimed to create an "augmented reality," promoting narratives that Western leaders were supposedly looking for a replacement for Zelenskyy and that Zaluzhny intended to halt a counter-offensive.

In May 2023, social networks were flooded with a wave of articles similar to those titled "Zelenskyy clings to Power. Democracy is being dismantled in Ukraine," and in June 2023, the Kremlin attempted to capitalize on the period when Zaluzhny was out of the public eye. Kremlin bots were instructed to publish comments stating, "This is why Zaluzhny has disappeared: because he could and should take Zelenskyy's place."

To further fuel a sense of fear and anxiety, there was a suggestion to exaggerate Ukraine's losses in the war, the study found.

Below in the graphic are examples of fabricated materials from May 2023.

WP

Campaign scale and funding

As for the scale and funding of the campaign, by early March 2023, dozens of Kremlin-hired "trolls" were creating over 1,300 messages and 37,000 comments weekly on Ukrainian social networks.

Workers at "troll factories" were paid up to 60,000 rubles ($660) per month for writing 100 comments per day. Reporting to their political leaders on the progress of the campaign, its "strategists" mostly focused on the volume of content created and the total number of views.

Read also: Ukraine warns of large-scale Russian psyops using foreign journalists to justify aggression

The first five months showed no evidence that these efforts had any significant impact on Ukrainians. Surveys conducted by the Kremlin showed that trust in Zelenskyy remained high, with his approval rating fluctuating between 68% and 73.3% from February to June, though documents claimed a slight decrease to 65.4% by August.

It is impossible to assess the accuracy of the "Kremlin's" surveys, as well as how the Russians conduct them in Ukraine, the Washington Post noted. A survey by the Ukrainian Razumkov Centre in July 2023 showed trust in Zelenskyy at 81%, while in February 2020, it was at 69%.

The investigation highlights the complexity of the Kremlin's task in Ukraine, especially given the almost complete absence of a pro-Russian segment in the Ukrainian media landscape.

The most promising strategy for spreading Kremlin disinformation was identified as a network of Telegram channels, combined with Twitter and Facebook/Instagram, as Telegram's audience in Ukraine had grown by 600% over the last year.

$39K for top media narratives: disinformation against Ukraine in Western countries

Strategists under Kiriyenko in Ukraine attempted to adapt and repurpose the disinformation tactics used by Russia in Western Europe for use within Ukraine. The European IPSO campaign by the Kremlin, dubbed Doppelganger (Double) by the EU officials, included tactics such as:

Cloning media websites and government pages, like those of Le Monde newspaper or the French Foreign Affairs Ministry, to post fake content against the Ukrainian government

Creating fake social media accounts for top politicians on X (Twitter), including an account for Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, with Kremlin operatives then attempting to share stories or posts from these websites or accounts on Ukrainian social networks as if they were genuine

Promoting narratives intended to tarnish Zelenskyy's image in the West as the "hero of a small country fighting against a global evil," as one document from April 2023 suggests (Zelenskyy was to be portrayed as an actor only capable of performing a script written for him by the U.S. and NATO, and Ukraine's Western allies as being tired of him)

The idea of spreading forged Ukrainian state documents that would supposedly "prove" corruption schemes in military procurement, as well as the fact that Zelenskyy and his family had accounts in Western banks

Read also: Italian mayor withdraws approval for suspected Russian propaganda show meant to whitewash occupation

These plans resulted in the creation of hundreds of articles and thousands of social media posts translated into French, German, and English, aimed against Zelenskyy, the documents show.

Washington Post journalists are also familiar with the "price list" of Kremlin strategists for placing pro-Russian comments in well-known Western media and for compensating those "influential individuals" on social networks in the USA and Europe who were willing to "work with Russian clients."

The documents state that the Russians were willing to pay up to $39,000 for the "implementation" of pro-Russian comments in leading Western media. Specifically, such narratives were supposed to come from "commentators, public opinion leaders, former diplomats, officials, professors," etc., according to the note to the "price list."

It is unclear from the documents whether anyone was paid for this or to what extent the Kremlin managed to get similar materials published in Western publications. Kremlin political technologists included their own kickbacks in the "cost." "I added 20%," one of them wrote to a colleague.

The Doppelganger operation was first exposed by Meta in September 2022, and later its signs were noticed by the French government, the Washington Post reported. When in September 2023, a fake account of Annalena Baerbock announced that "the war in Ukraine will end in 3 months," the German government started an investigation and discovered over 50,000 fake user accounts coordinating pro-Russian propaganda  including those promoting this fake tweet.



The Washington Post investigation sheds light on the extensive efforts and resources the Kremlin has invested in its disinformation campaign against Ukraine, aiming to sow discord, discredit leadership, and demoralize the population. Despite these efforts, the unity and resilience of Ukrainian society have rendered these tactics less effective than hoped.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Police Investigators with the Harris County District Attorney's Office are shown loading files after serving a search warrant at the Woodfill Law Firm on Monday, Nov. 12, 2018, in Houston. The founding partner is Jared Woodfill. Melissa Phillip/Staff photographer Staffers with the Harris County DA's Office who conducted the 2018 search of the Woodfill Law Firm's office rolled dolly after dolly of boxes, more than 120 in all, bearing potential evidence. Melissa Phillip/Staff photographer Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg and her challenger for the Democratic primary, Sean Teare talk with the Houston Chronicle Editorial Board on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024 in Houston. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer A judge had signed a search warrant granting them permission to seize computers, ledgers, cameras, cell phones, flash drives and more. Melissa Phillip/Staff photographer

Five years ago, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg appeared poised to prosecute Jared Woodfill, a prominent local attorney and Republican activist, for serious financial crimes. Oggs office received a judges permission to conduct a raid of his office, accusing him of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from former clients.

But then the case died with no explanation.

Prosecutors never even asked a grand jury to consider charges against Woodfill  a decision now under fresh scrutiny as Ogg, a Democrat, faces a tough primary election, and as Woodfill challenges an incumbent state lawmaker in the Texas House of Representatives.

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Ogg said in a recent interview with the Chronicles Editorial Board that she put the brakes on the whole thing because she thought the allegations against Woodfill wouldnt hold up in court. But her account is contradicted on several points by a Chronicle review of hundreds of pages of court documents, internal emails and more than a dozen interviews.

Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg, and 2024 primary race challenger, Sean Teare, sit with the Houston Chronicle Editorial Board. Sharon Steinmann, Houston Chronicle

Ogg said her own investigators didnt have legal justification to seize some of the evidence from Woodfills office in the first place. But a state district judge ruled they did, and an appeals court upheld the decision.

She also said shed lost confidence in the prosecutors dealing with the case, but the attorneys in question were assigned high-profile cases and got promoted before eventually leaving the office.

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An internal office memo written by one of the prosecutors in 2021, John Brewer, says Ogg knew about every step of the investigation and appeared supportive of it, telling her staff to follow the evidence wherever it led.

In an interview, Brewer said he disagrees with Oggs recent statements about the Woodfill case and pointed to court documents authored by her own office that contradict her explanation. He added that he is legally forbidden from discussing more details.

Meanwhile, Woodfills accusers say theyre still waiting for justice. Earlier this month, two of them asked the FBI to look into the case and accused Ogg of dropping it for reasons contrary to the interests of justice.

DA PRIMARY ELECTION: Harris County DA candidates Ogg, Teare report similar fundraising hauls

They have completely defiled the court system, said Amy Holsworth, who complained about Woodfill to the Houston Police Department back in 2017 and sparked the DAs initial investigation. Theyve made a mockery of it.

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Holsworth alleges that Woodfill stole more than $200,000 from her.

The questions surrounding Oggs handling of the Woodfill case come as she faces increasing blowback over how her office prosecutes people in general  from ordinary Houstonians to prominent public officials.

Last December, the Harris County Democratic Party censured Ogg, accusing her of targeting fellow Democrats on the basis of political feuds rather than facts. She has denied the allegations.

CHRONICLE INVESTIGATES: How DA Kim Ogg has repeatedly aimed her power at Harris County elected officials

Her office has also been faulted for prosecuting thousands of people with no legal basis, according to rulings by local judges.

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Ogg did not respond to a list of detailed questions about the inconsistencies between her statements and court records. A spokesman for her office said that she vehemently disagrees with the Chronicles portrayal of her comments to the Editorial Board but did not elaborate.

Woodfills lawyer, Terry Yates, called the allegations against his client very old news that has resurfaced as fodder for a political hatchet job to try and influence political voters.

Kim Ogg has no love lost for Republicans, Yates added.

The betrayal

When Holsworth hired Woodfill as her lawyer in late 2013, a lot was at stake. Shed filed for divorce against her husband of 16 years. There were two kids, child support, a guesthouse, luxury cars, Rolexes, motorcycles, jewelry and more.

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Holsworth knew Woodfill from Republican circles. She has been active with True the Vote  a Texas-based group that played a central role in spreading false claims about massive voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election  but says she no longer shares their beliefs and is no longer working with the group.

Woodfill, a former chair of the Harris County Republican Party, works closely with Houston-area doctor and conservative activist Steve Hotze. Together, the two have sued state and local politicians over everything from LGBTQ rights to coronavirus-related restrictions. Woodfill is also president of the Conservative Republicans of Texas, a powerful political action committee funded largely by Hotze.

He has a very likable personality, Holsworth said of Woodfill. Very outgoing. He really seems like he cares for you and is on your side.

The divorce was an ugly one, with personal attacks and protracted fights over assets. To pay Woodfill, Holsworth put more than $50,000 into a trust account set up by his law firm that was meant to cover attorneys fees, forensic accountants, experts and the like. Her ex-husband was required to pitch in hundreds of thousands more.

Over time, the expenses became too much to bear  so much so that Holsworths ex-husband filed for bankruptcy. The bankruptcy judge, Jeff Bohm, delved into the couples finances and concluded with a 175-page ruling in November 2015.

Bohms job was to divide assets up between the couple, but he made a point to dedicate a portion of the decision to his determination that Woodfill had improperly billed his clients more than $100,000.

Woodfills firm, Bohm wrote, has taken funds  that have not yet been earned. Citing financial records, he wrote that there were at least $140,449.36 in unaccounted funds and/or overpayments.

Bohm also ruled that Woodfill had made inaccurate statements to a local divorce court that undermine his credibility. And he added that in a bankruptcy court hearing, when asked to explain the unaccounted funds, Woodfill was unable to give substantive responses.

Holsworth could barely process it.

It was a shock, absolute shock, because I dont think I could have imagined it on that scale, she said. I mean, just the betrayal.

Confused, overwhelmed and too broke to hire new lawyers, Holsworth kept working with Woodfill. Finally, she borrowed money from her parents, hired a new lawyer and finished out her divorce. Then she filed a complaint with the State Bar of Texas.

The bar found that Woodfill failed to properly supervise one of his staffers. It fined him $3,490 and ordered him to complete three hours of continuing legal education or self-study on billing, trust accounts and law practice management.

Yates, Woodfills lawyer, said the bars findings show that he is innocent of any wrongdoing. The bar didnt reprimand him for stealing or mismanaging money, Yates pointed out.

But Holsworth pushed on and sent a complaint to the Houston Police Department. So did Orlando Rodriguez, who was also going through a lengthy divorce and came to believe Woodfill, his ex-wifes lawyer, was overbilling her and dragging out the case to make more money.

Police referred the case to the Harris County District Attorneys Office, where it eventually landed on prosecutor Brewers desk. As Brewer later recounted in an office memo summarizing the case, he knew it was a high-profile matter and took care to provide regular updates to his boss, Ogg.

A splashy start

On Nov. 12, 2018, Rodriguez recalls sitting in yet another divorce court hearing with his ex-wife and her lawyer, Woodfill, when his phone buzzed  a text message.

Do you know whats going on?

No, why? Rodriguez answered.

There are DAs at Woodfills office.

Rodriguez looked up. He saw Woodfill staring at his phone, his legal team leaning toward him. The lawyers approached the judge, who recessed the hearing.

Rodriguez rushed to his car, drove to Woodfills office, then started crying and smiling.

Oh my God, he thought. They got this guy. Thank God.

On that November day, staffers with the DAs office rolled dolly after dolly of files from Woodfills office, more than 127 boxes in all. A judge had signed a search warrant granting them permission to seize computers, ledgers, cameras, cellphones, flash drives and more.

Bryan Vaclavik, chief fraud examiner for the DA, laid out the details in a lengthy affidavit accompanying the warrant. Citing bank records, court orders, court testimony and interviews, he wrote there was evidence to believe Woodfill had committed the felony offenses of misapplication of fiduciary property, theft and money laundering.

Even the bookkeeper at Woodfills firm agreed with that assessment, the warrant shows. The man told investigators that Woodfill regularly used his law firms trust account as a personal bank account and robbed Peter to pay Paul, Vaclavik wrote.

The allegations went further. Vaclavik wrote that he believed Woodfill had stolen money from a third former client, too, a woman named Teresa Cook. Vaclavik wrote that Cook paid Woodfill a $75,000 retainer to represent her in a divorce, but then Woodfill used at least $45,000 of the money for purposes not related to her case.

The DAs office quickly set up a taint team to figure out which records from Woodfills office were part of their investigation, and which were not. It was an important task, since many of the files were divorce records that are normally kept confidential  and some of the people involved in those divorces might not want prosecutors poking around.

Thats apparently how Cook felt. In early 2019, records show, she told the DAs office she did not want investigators looking at her divorce records, even if they thought Woodfill had stolen money from her.

Prosecutors wanted the records anyway, badly enough that they fought to access them for months in federal court, arguing that the records were vital to their investigation.

The judge agreed, writing in May 2019, The states interest in investigating Mr. Woodfills alleged misdeeds is weighty.

To Holsworth, things seemed to be progressing. But by the fall, she was getting nervous. Would it be presented to a grand jury, she wondered? When?

In September 2019, after receiving yet another invoice for an unpaid bill from her years-old divorce, she emailed Vaclavik.

Please tell me Jared will be indicted soon, she wrote.

I am sorry but do not have the answer for you, Vaclavik answered. Brewer, the prosecutor on the case, would know more, he added.

More than a year later in December 2020, she tried again. This time Brewer wrote back, the investigation is still active and said hed touch base again soon.

Rodriguez was asking for updates, too. Finally, in June 2021, Vaclavik told him that the case might go to a grand jury soon. But, Rodriguez recalls, Vaclavik also said prosecutors needed the final go-ahead from Ogg herself.

Three months later, they still didnt have it.

I am currently waiting on a decision from my superiors, Brewer wrote to Holsworth in an email on Sept. 29, 2021.

The clock was ticking. The statute of limitations  the maximum amount of time the law gives prosecutors to file criminal charges after an investigation has begun  would run out on the case in just a few days. After that, it would be too late to present it to a grand jury.

On Oct. 5, 2021, Brewer got an email from a supervisor telling him to close the case. The email said simply, Close-SOL (Statute of Limitations) ran, Brewer recounted in an internal memo soon afterward. He added that the directive came after many attempts at seeking instruction on what was to be done with the Woodfill investigation.

In early 2022, Rodriguez emailed Vaclavik. The investigator told him Brewer had retired, and the case was dead without him.

Astonished, Rodriguez pressed for more information. Vaclavik, he remembers, said he had no other information to provide.

I couldnt and I still to this day have not been able to figure it out, Rodriguez said.

Vaclavik, who still works for the DA, told the Chronicle in a text message that he is unable to comment.

Yates, Woodfills attorney, said prosecutors must have dropped the case because he showed them records proving Woodfills innocence.

They obviously believed what we presented to them, since the case never went to a grand jury, Yates said.

He declined to elaborate on what records were provided, saying only, the proof is in the pudding.

Brewer and Lester Blizzard, who also worked on the case, say they never saw any records from Yates.

I was never presented any documents or any arguments from Mr. Yates that changed my mind about the Woodfill case, Brewer said.

To this day, I do not know why

In her interview with the Chronicle Editorial Board earlier this month, Ogg said she was troubled when she saw prosecutors, not just staff investigators, conducting the raid of Woodfills files on the news. She said the incident changed her opinion of Brewer and Blizzard, the attorneys working on the case.

Ive known them almost all my career, like both of them, she said. But I didnt like the way they handled that raid or search at all.

Ogg added that she did not understand why her office had seized certain divorce files, and did not like that her office had been dragged into federal court over the matter, even though they won.

Weve seized evidence in a case that we didnt have probable cause for, Ogg said, though her own investigator had authored a five-page affidavit laying out probable cause. It was never discussed with me. They seized it. To this day, I do not know why.

Eventually, Ogg said, she lost confidence in the prosecutors.

I wasnt sure what they were really trying to prove, she said.

Brewer and Blizzard, who now work for a DA in a neighboring county, say legal ethics rules bar them from discussing the details of the case unless Ogg herself allows them to. They asked her to do so last week, but her office denied their request.

The rules do allow both attorneys to deny untrue statements or make broader assertions. They said Oggs statements about them and the case were untrue, and that Ogg never discussed any concerns she had about their performance at the time of the raid or in the months afterward.

As for the fight to access divorce records in federal court, Ogg herself was served with papers related to the proceeding, and top lawyers from her office attended the hearings.

Earlier this month, Rodriguez and Holsworth sent their accusations against Woodfill to the FBIs Houston office. Both say they want Woodfill to face the allegations against him in court.

But Holsworth says she has no faith in the Harris County justice system.

I would love, you know, some form of justice, she said. I dont even know if thats possible at this point. I dont know. I dont know.
Gov. Kristi Noem addresses a joint session of the South Dakota Legislature about the crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024 in Pierre.

The South Dakota National Guard will be deployed to the U.S.-Mexico border for the fifth time later this spring.

That's according to Gov. Kristi Noem's office Tuesday.

The border is a warzone, so were sending soldiers, Noem said. These soldiers primary mission will be construction of a wall to stem the flow of illegal immigrants, drug cartels, and human trafficking into the United States of America.

The announcement comes after Noem held an unusual joint session of the Legislature in late January to address lawmakers about the situation at the U.S.-Mexico border, describing it as an "invasion." The Legislature later adopted a resolution expressing its support for Texas and the state's ability to defend itself.

More: Kristi Noem says drugs from southern border infiltrating South Dakota's reservations

In Tuesday's announcement, the Governor's Office was stingy with the details of the deployment, citing security reasons. What was included was that 60 national guard soldiers will deploy to the southern border on a rolling basis during a three-month period. Deployments have happened between 2021 and 2023.

The Governor's Office would also not answer if the state is paying for the deployment, or if the state will be reimbursed by Texas, citing security reasons.

Previously, two of the deployments, which cost $1.3 million from the state's Emergency and Disaster Fund, were characterized as a gift to Texas.

If you look at the amount of dollars that Texas has spent in protection of the southern border, which is a federal government responsibility, its over $4 billion, Noem told South Dakota Searchlight on Feb. 1. And so they were very clear: You can come and help us, but this will be a financial responsibility that you as a state will need to take on.

A third deployment in 2021 cost $1 million and was part of a private donation from a Tennessee billionaire, which resulted in federal law banning private donations being used for interstate National Guard deployments.

Border crossings have skyrocketed during the past year with 249,785 arrests recorded by border patrol agents in December, according to the Associated Press. When including migrant encounters with people who had come to the U.S. via legal pathways, encounters totaled 302,034.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Kristi Noem deploys South Dakota National Guard to southern border
SBU arrested a Kyiv-based blogger who fabricated false news about the war in Ukraine for Kremlin-backed media

A self-proclaimed political expert in Kyiv, Dmytro Korniychuk, is facing jail time for fabricating news stories about the war in Ukraine for Kremlin-backed media, Ukraines SBU Security Service announced.

The suspect denied Russia's military aggression and tried to discredit the leadership of Ukraine's Defense Forces in support of the invading nation, the SBU said. He also spread misinformation about Ukraine's sociopolitical situation to damage the country's international reputation.

Read also: Ukraines SBU unmasks Russian agent plotting against Defense Forces in Sumy

Korniychuk frequently appeared on pro-Russian TV channels that had been banned, including 112 Ukraine, Nash, and NewsOne before the war broke out, an unnamed NV source said.

The self-proclaimed expert spread fakes through a YouTube channel and social media pages.

Read also: Russian spy sentenced to 12 years for scouting missile hits, army bases

Major Russian television channels and internet sites actively promoted his posts and videos, using them to fabricate stories and inflammatory content. His combined audience across these platforms exceeded 500,000 users.

Russian propagandists invited Korniychuk to participate in television broadcasts on Russian state media channels, including Zvezda, owned by Russia's Defense Ministry.

Provided by NV sources

Searches uncovered computers and phones that contained evidence of Korniychuk's subversive activities, the SBU said.

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SBU investigators informed Korniychuk that he is being charged under Articles 2 and 3 of Article 436-2 of Ukraine's Criminal Code for justifying, legitimizing, and denying Russia's military aggression against Ukraine, as well as glorifying the participants of this aggression.

Korniychuk is currently being held in custody while awaiting trial. He faces up to eight years in prison along with property confiscation.

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The blocking of the Polish-Ukrainian border by protesters has no justification, regardless of the slogans used, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oleh Nikolenko said on Facebook on Feb. 20.

"Land borders remain important in the face of Russian aggression," the diplomat said.

The actions of Polish protesters and some radical Polish politicians undermine Ukraine's economy and resilience to repel Russian aggression.

Read also: Polish government asks Ukraine to scrap e-Queue system at three border crossings despite talks

The border between Poland and Ukraine is also the border with the European Union, so it "should not be held hostage to any political interests," he stated.

"The anti-Ukrainian slogans heard at the border confirm the politically motivated nature of the actions," said Nikolenko.

Its goal is to provoke further aggravation of bilateral relations. Instead, the protesters make no mention of the threats posed by the import of grain and other agricultural products from Russia and other countries.

Read also: Polish grain protests: unclear if other countries are participating  State Customs Service

The Foreign Ministry spokesperson also called on the Polish authorities to ensure the unblocking of the border and take measures to stop anti-Ukrainian rhetoric.

This is not the first sharp criticism of the actions of the Polish protesters by the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry. On Feb. 16, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said that Polish protesters who continue to block the Ukrainian border not only cause substantial losses to the Ukrainian economy, which is already suffering from Russian aggression but also violate the principles of Ukrainian-Polish solidarity.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also stressed that by doing so, the Polish protesters were only helping Russia in its war against Ukraine. European countries should not forget that Ukrainians pay with their lives for Europe to live in peace.

Blocked Ukrainian-Polish border  what is known

Polish farmers resumed protests near the Korczowa-Krakivets checkpoint on Feb. 13. This is the sixth checkpoint on the border blocked by protesters.

They had previously blocked five checkpoints on the border with Ukraine, as hundreds of trucks are standing in queues. The strike may last until March 10.

Read also: Zelenskyy warns Russias potential to escalate local conflicts into global catastrophes

The Polish farmers also announced a complete blockade of the Ukrainian border. From Feb. 20, traffic will be blocked at all checkpoints, as well as transportation links and entrances to transshipment railway stations and seaports will be blocked.

The protesting farmers who are blocking the largest checkpoints on the border with Ukraine have put forward many demands, among which are: the complete refusal of duty-free trade with Ukraine and the complete closure of the Ukrainian-Polish border for trucks.

During the protest, some participants began to tear locks off Ukrainian trucks and spill grain from them. The incident caused a scandal.

The Ukrainian Ambassador urged strong response to Polish farmers shameful and offensive grain spillage, saying that Ukrainian diplomats had appealed to the Polish police, who had launched an investigation of the incident on Feb. 12. Polish Agriculture Minister Czeslaw Siekierski issued an apology.

For their part, Ukrainian carriers began to block the border on Feb. 15 in response to the actions of Polish farmers. The Ukrainians blocked the entry of trucks from Poland through the Yahodyn-Dorohusk checkpoint.

Negotiations between Kyiv and Warsaw on regulating the imports of Ukrainian agricultural products are in the final stages, Minister Siekierski said during a meeting with Polish farmers who are blockading the Ukrainian border on Feb. 15.

Media reported on Feb. 17 that farmers from four EU countries were expected to join the protests on the Polish-Ukrainian border.

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Kyiv will "firmly respond" to any attempts to involve the Russian-controlled Moldovan region of Transnistria in Russia's war against Ukraine and destabilize the situation in Moldova, the Foreign Ministry said amid increased Russian pressure on the Eastern European country.

Transnistria is internationally recognized as part of Moldova. Russian troops have occupied Transnistria since the early 1990s when Russia invaded the region under the pretext of protecting ethnic Russians.

Moldova has called Russia's military presence in Transnistria illegitimate and called for the withdrawal of Russian forces.

There have been heightened tensions between Moldova and Transnistria since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine when there were fears that armed conflict could erupt in Moldova.

Vadim Krasnoselsky, the Russian proxy leader in Transnistria, called for increased military drills and heightened readiness on Jan. 22 in what he claimed was a response to alleged provocations from Moldova.

Ukraine's special envoy, Paun Rohovei, traveled to Moldova on Feb. 19 to meet with Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration of Moldova Oleg Serebrian and Krasnoselsky.

The officials discussed the current status of the Transnistrian conflict and other issues in the relations between Chisinau and Tiraspol, Ukraine's Foreign Ministry wrote in a press release.

Kyiv has backed a peaceful settlement of the conflict with the preservation of Moldova's sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.

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"In addition, Ukraine continues to advocate for a quick withdrawal of Russian troops from the territory of the Transnistrian region, disposal of ammunition in warehouses in Cobasna, and reformatting of the mission on the Dniester River from a military to civilian one," reads the ministry's press release.

Kyiv also reiterated its position against the 5+2 format of negotiations on the Transnistrian conflict, as it includes Russia. Established in 2005, the negotiation platform comprises Moldova and Transnistria as parties to the conflict, Russia, Ukraine, and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) as mediators, and the EU and the U.S. as observers.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry added that Moldova's accession into the European Union will create "new opportunities for both banks of the Dniester, development, and prosperity of the inhabitants of all Moldova."

Read also: Moldovas security chief says Russia spent $55 million on destabilization campaign

The EU agreed to open membership talks with Ukraine and its neighboring state, Moldova, on Dec. 14, 2023. As Moldova has shifted toward the EU under President Maia Sandu's leadership, Russia has continued to put pressure on the country.

Sandu said that Russia, with the direct support of the late Yevgeny Prigozhin and his Wagner mercenary group, tried to foment a coup against the Moldovan government in February 2023.

Moscow has reportedly wielded a variety of tools against Moldova, including weaponizing energy supplies, cyber attacks, and directly threatening the country with unrest from the Russian-controlled Transnistria.

Read also: Investigation: Leaked document exposes Kremlins 10-year plan to undermine Moldova

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A Los Angeles resident accused of donating money to Ukraine has been arrested in Russia on suspicion of high treason.

The woman was identified as 33-year-old Ksenia Karelina by her employer at the Ciel Spa in the SLS luxury hotel in Beverly Grove.

Karelina was arrested by Russias Federal Security Service (FSB) after allegedly donating $51.80 to a Ukrainian charity in the United States, the Daily Mail reported.

Ksenia Khavana

Video from Russian state news agency RIA Novosti purports to show Karelina being detained and led away in handcuffs by the (FSB).

She was initially sentenced to 14 days detention for petty hooliganism before being slapped with treason charges, according to the Daily Mail report.

Treason can carry a life sentence in Russia, Time reported.

Ksenia Karelina is seen in an image provided by her employer at the Ciel Spa in Beverly Grove.

Ciel Spa CEO Isabella Koretz told KTLAs Lauren Lyster that they found out about Karelinas arrest when she failed to show up for work in mid-January.

Koretz said that Karelina went to Russia to visit family and had worked at the spa for eight years

She said Karelina originally got her Visa to come to the U.S. as a ballet dancer.

The U.S. State Department does have a Do Not Travel advisory for Americans heading to Russia, citing wrongful detention as one of the risks.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
A Los Angeles woman has been detained in Russia on accusations of treason for allegedly giving funds to Ukraine, according to Russias FSB security services.

The woman, a 33-year-old dual American-Russian citizen, was not identified in a statement issued by the FSB, which said she was involved in providing financial assistance to a foreign state in activities directed against the security of our country.

The FSB in the central Urals city of Yekaterinburg accused her of taking part in pro-Ukraine protests outside of Russia and of sending aid to Kyiv.

It said the woman had been proactively collecting funds... which were subsequently used to purchase tactical medical items, equipment, means of destruction and ammunition for the Ukrainian armed forces.

Perviy Otdel, also known as the First Department, a collective of lawyers dealing with cases of alleged treason and espionage in Russia, and independent Russian outlet Mediazona, identified the woman as Ksenia Khavana.

The First Department added that Ms Khavana was detained on charges of treason on the day of Vladimir Putins interview with American journalist Tucker Carlson.

She has been accused of transferring the amount of $51.80 from her American bank account to the account of Razom for Ukraine, a New York-based non-profit group, on 24 February 2022, the same day Mr Putin ordered the unprovoked and unsuccessful invasion of Ukraine.

The treason charges came after she was first arrested in late January outside a cinema in Ekaterinburg, the largest city in Russias central Ural region, on charges of violating public order and sentenced to 14 days in detention, according to Perviy Otdel.

A screengrab from a video aired on Feb. 20, 2024 by Russias state-run broadcaster RU24 shows an LA woman being arrested and taken to court in Russia (RU24)

It is unclear how long the woman has lived in the US or why she returned to Russia, however, the Financial Times reported that Ms Khavana studied in Yekaterinburg before moving to the US, where she became a citizen in 2021 and had worked as a spa manager in Beverly Hills.

The FSB published a video of a woman in a white coat with a white hat pulled down over her eyes being led by a masked security agent down several flights in a building in Yekaterinburg before she was handcuffed, placed in a car and taken into a courtroom.

The woman, whose face is blurred, is then seen standing in a metal cage in court.

A court proceeding in the case took place Monday, Russian media reported.

Her arrest came just four days before the two-year mark of Russias ongoing, full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and follows that of American journalist Evan Gershkovich, a correspondent for the Wall Street Journal, who was arrested on espionage charges in March.

He and his employer, as well as the State Department, have denied the charges.

Former US Marine Paul Whelan has also been detained in Russia since 2018 on espionage charges.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said last week that he had spoken on the phone with Whelan, whom, along with Gershkovich, the US has deemed to be wrongfully detained by Russia.

Our intensive efforts to bring Paul home continue every single day, and they will until he and Evan Gershkovich and every other American wrongfully detained is back with their loved ones, Blinken said after the call.

A third dual American-Russian citizen, Alsu Kurmasheva, is also being held in pre-trial detention.

US journalist Evan Gershkovich, arrested on espionage charges, looks out from inside a defendants cage before a hearing to consider an appeal on his extended pre-trial detention, at the Moscow City Court in Moscow on 20 February, 2024 (AFP via Getty Images)

The Prague-based editor with Radio Liberty/Radio Free Europe was arrested in October after travelling to her familys home in Russias Tatarstan region for a family emergency.

She was charged with failing to register as a foreign agent.

Treason charges in Russia are punishable by up to life in prison under legislation toughened since the countrys invasion of Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is currently under fire for the unexplained death of the countrys opposition leader Alexei Navalny in an Arctic Circle prison, has previously been accused of using dual American-Russian citizens as bargaining chips to release Russians imprisoned in the US.

In 2022, WNBA star Brittney Griner was released from prison in Russia after she was exchanged for notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout, who had been jailed for years in the US.

Earlier this month, Mr Putin said he was ready to hold negotiations over a prisoner exchange that could see the release of Mr Gershkovich.

President Putin dangled the prospect of releasing Mr Gershkovich in exchange for the Russian agent and FSB assassin Vadim Krasikov, who is currently in prison in Germany after killing a Georgian military officer in a Berlin park in 2019.

A Moscow city court rejected the latest appeal for Mr Gershkovichs release on Tuesday.
Russia detains LA woman on suspicion of treason for giving funds to Ukraine

A Los Angeles woman has been detained in Russia on accusations of treason for allegedly giving funds to Ukraine, according to Russias FSB security services.

The woman, a 33-year-old dual American-Russian citizen, was not identified in a statement issued by the FSB, which said she was involved in providing financial assistance to a foreign state in activities directed against the security of our country.

The FSB in the central Urals city of Yekaterinburg accused her of taking part in pro-Ukraine protests outside of Russia and of sending aid to Kyiv.

It said the woman had been proactively collecting funds... which were subsequently used to purchase tactical medical items, equipment, means of destruction and ammunition for the Ukrainian armed forces.

Perviy Otdel, also known as the First Department, a collective of lawyers dealing with cases of alleged treason and espionage in Russia, and independent Russian outlet Mediazona, identified the woman as Ksenia Khavana.

The First Department added that Ms Khavana was detained on charges of treason on the day of Vladimir Putins interview with American journalist Tucker Carlson.

She has been accused of transferring the amount of $51.80 from her American bank account to the account of Razom for Ukraine, a New York-based non-profit group, on 24 February 2022, the same day Mr Putin ordered the unprovoked and unsuccessful invasion of Ukraine.

The treason charges came after she was first arrested in late January outside a cinema in Ekaterinburg, the largest city in Russias central Ural region, on charges of violating public order and sentenced to 14 days in detention, according to Perviy Otdel.

A screengrab from a video aired on Feb. 20, 2024 by Russias state-run broadcaster RU24 shows an LA woman being arrested and taken to court in Russia (RU24)

It is unclear how long the woman has lived in the US or why she returned to Russia, however, the Financial Times reported that Ms Khavana studied in Yekaterinburg before moving to the US, where she became a citizen in 2021 and had worked as a spa manager in Beverly Hills.

The FSB published a video of a woman in a white coat with a white hat pulled down over her eyes being led by a masked security agent down several flights in a building in Yekaterinburg before she was handcuffed, placed in a car and taken into a courtroom.

The woman, whose face is blurred, is then seen standing in a metal cage in court.

A court proceeding in the case took place Monday, Russian media reported.

Her arrest came just four days before the two-year mark of Russias ongoing, full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and follows that of American journalist Evan Gershkovich, a correspondent for the Wall Street Journal, who was arrested on espionage charges in March.

He and his employer, as well as the State Department, have denied the charges.

Former US Marine Paul Whelan has also been detained in Russia since 2018 on espionage charges.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said last week that he had spoken on the phone with Whelan, whom, along with Gershkovich, the US has deemed to be wrongfully detained by Russia.

Our intensive efforts to bring Paul home continue every single day, and they will until he and Evan Gershkovich and every other American wrongfully detained is back with their loved ones, Blinken said after the call.

A third dual American-Russian citizen, Alsu Kurmasheva, is also being held in pre-trial detention.

US journalist Evan Gershkovich, arrested on espionage charges, looks out from inside a defendants cage before a hearing to consider an appeal on his extended pre-trial detention, at the Moscow City Court in Moscow on 20 February, 2024 (AFP via Getty Images)

The Prague-based editor with Radio Liberty/Radio Free Europe was arrested in October after travelling to her familys home in Russias Tatarstan region for a family emergency.

She was charged with failing to register as a foreign agent.

Treason charges in Russia are punishable by up to life in prison under legislation toughened since the countrys invasion of Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is currently under fire for the unexplained death of the countrys opposition leader Alexei Navalny in an Arctic Circle prison, has previously been accused of using dual American-Russian citizens as bargaining chips to release Russians imprisoned in the US.

In 2022, WNBA star Brittney Griner was released from prison in Russia after she was exchanged for notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout, who had been jailed for years in the US.

Earlier this month, Mr Putin said he was ready to hold negotiations over a prisoner exchange that could see the release of Mr Gershkovich.

President Putin dangled the prospect of releasing Mr Gershkovich in exchange for the Russian agent and FSB assassin Vadim Krasikov, who is currently in prison in Germany after killing a Georgian military officer in a Berlin park in 2019.

A Moscow city court rejected the latest appeal for Mr Gershkovichs release on Tuesday.
Shadow foreign secretary David Lammy says Labour's position is now in line with the UK's allies

Labour has called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza for the first time since the outbreak of the conflict in October.

The move comes after days of party debate on how to vote in Parliament on an SNP motion calling for a ceasefire.

Ten Labour frontbenchers quit in order to vote for the SNP's previous call for a ceasefire in November.

Shadow foreign secretary David Lammy said Labour had shifted because the situation in Gaza had "evolved".

Mr Lammy said Labour was "mirroring the language" of the UN and the remaining members of the Five Eyes alliance - made up of the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Canada's intelligence services.

On Tuesday, Labour tabled an amendment, which for the first time uses the phrase "immediate humanitarian ceasefire", to the SNP's ceasefire motion.

Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer has for some time been calling for the fighting to stop "now".

It means that in practical effect Labour's position is now much closer to the SNP's - although Labour's amendment emphasises more than the SNP's the role of Hamas as well as Israel in bringing about a lasting ceasefire.

A party spokesperson said: "Our amendment calls for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, in line with our allies.

"We need the hostages released and returned. We need the fighting to stop now. We need a massive humanitarian aid programme for Gaza. And any military action in Rafah cannot go ahead.

"We want the fighting to stop now. We also have to be clear on how we prevent the violence starting up again. There will be no lasting peace without a diplomatic process that delivers a two-state solution, with a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable Palestinian state."

Changing position

Israel declared war on Hamas after the group led an attack on communities inside Israel, killing around 1,200 people.

Since then, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, more than 28,000 Palestinians have been killed and 68,000 injured as Israel launched missiles and ground operations into the Gaza Strip in response.

Until now the Labour Party's leadership has avoided using the phrase "immediate ceasefire", which led to a clear split in the party in November when 56 of Labour's 198 MPs backed an SNP motion.

Ten of those were frontbenchers who had to leave their positions for holding views against the party leadership.

Sir Keir had instead called for a "humanitarian pause" and an end of fighting "as soon as possible".

Whether or not those positions are substantively different, the crucial political fact is that this is designed to be seen as a slight hardening of Labour's position towards Israel.

Clive Betts, who was one of the Labour MPs to defy the leadership in November, said Labour's amendment was "a really firm, strong statement, which I think the party will unite behind".

However, left-wing campaign group Momentum, said: "Scratch the surface of this amendment and it falls well short of what the moment requires: a clear call for an immediate ceasefire.

"By making its call for a ceasefire so conditional and caveated, the Labour leadership is giving cover for Israel's brutal war to continue."

Mr Lammy told the BBC that Labour's amendment "reflects the complexity of the situation" and the desire for "a lasting humanitarian ceasefire".

He contrasted this with the SNP motion, which he said "feels unbalanced".

Lisa Nandy, shadow secretary of state for international development, told BBC Radio 4 Today: "It [SNP motion] doesn't lay out any kind of political horizon that would make a ceasefire either achievable or sustainable.

"But secondly it doesn't make clear that this term ceasefire... must be observed by both sides."

Asked if Labour would vote for the SNP's motion if their amendment is not called she said that would be a "question for the chief whip".

SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn welcomed what he described as a "long-overdue U-turn" by Sir Keir.

He said the Labour leader was "forced into this position through public pressure and, in particular, by the SNP".

Mr Flynn also called on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to back an immediate ceasefire.

This week, Sir Keir has come under increasing pressure after the Scottish Labour party passed a motion calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

Labour's position on Gaza has also come under scrutiny in the upcoming Rochdale by-election, where the party dropped its parliamentary candidate over antisemitic comments he apparently made during a discussion about the conflict.

The SNP motion calls for an "immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Israel" as the "only way to stop the slaughter of innocent civilians".

If passed, the SNP's opposition day motion is not binding on the government. Instead, they typically express opposition MPs' position on a particular issue.

The government has also put forward its own amendment, calling for "an immediate humanitarian pause" and supporting moves "towards a permanent sustainable ceasefire".

The move threatens to expose Labour splits over the issue, as it makes it less likely the Commons Speaker will choose the Labour amendment for debate on Wednesday.

If this happened it would leave Labour MPs with the choice of voting for the government's position, which does not go as far as calling for an immediate ceasefire, or the SNP's stance.

If - as seems likely - Labour were to call for its MPs to abstain on the SNP motion, Mr Lammy made clear "collective responsibility" would apply, meaning shadow ministers who vote for it would be expected to resign.

Party sources are not anticipating further resignations - but some backbench Labour MPs could still rebel.

Additional reporting by Becky Morton.
Labour has pledged to "back British farmers" by cutting red tape at the border and reducing the reliance on imported food if it wins power.

In a speech shadow farming minister Daniel Zeichner will say the government has left farmers "too vulnerable to low-quality imports".

He will also pledge to improve the post-Brexit farm payments system so farmers are not left "out of pocket".

The Conservatives accused Labour of not having a plan to help farmers.

Farming minister Mark Spencer said Labour's promise to spend billions on green projects "will mean higher taxes on farmers and our rural communities".

In a speech at the National Farming Union (NFU) conference Mr Zeichner is expected to say a Labour government would "resolutely back British farmers reducing our reliance on insecure imports, supporting high quality, local produce for consumers, and ending the shameful new reality of those empty supermarket shelves".

The shadow farming minister will also say Labour is committed to making the post-Brexit Environmental Land Management Scheme (Elms) work.

Under the system - which is designed to replace European Union subsidies based on the amount of land farmed - landowners and farmers are paid money for sustainable food production and nature-friendly actions like cutting the use pesticides.

Critics of the scheme say it has created complexity and uncertainty for farmers, with some arguing it has focused on environmental policy over food productivity.

"At the moment, frankly, the government is, perhaps inadvertently, in danger of prioritising flowers over flour. We need both - and we need farm businesses to survive and prosper," Mr Zeichner will say.

"So, we will make (Elms) work. No longer a scheme that under spends hundreds of millions of pounds leaving farmers out of pocket. No longer failing to publish the outcomes of these schemes.

"But a real long-term plan with consistency at its heart that ensures the correct balance between food production and nature recovery."

British farmers have staged protests against cheap imports in recent days

Labour has already announced a package of measures as part of its "new deal for farmers".

These include seeking a veterinary agreement with the EU to cut costs and red tape for food exports and ensuring at least half of all food in hospitals, schools and prisons is British.

The party is keen to win over voters in rural communities ahead of a general election, which is expected this year.

Earlier this week shadow environment secretary Steve Reed told the Times newspaper it was "a huge source of shame" for him that Labour had previously "alienated a lot of people who live in the countryside".

Labour won just two of the 124 most rural constituencies in Great Britain at the last election, according to research by the left-leaning Fabian Society think tank.

However, Mr Reed told the Times he believed Labour could win up to 60 rural seats at the next election, following success in recent by-elections in Wellingborough, Mid Bedfordshire and Selby and Ainsty.

Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats, who are also targeting voters in rural areas, have said an extra 1bn should be injected into the farming budget to support domestic food production and rescue farmers "from years of Conservative neglect".

The party is also calling for "arbitrary" visa salary thresholds to be scrapped in the farming and food processing sectors to help fill workforce gaps.

It comes after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak used a speech at the conference on Tuesday to set out the government's plans to boost the UK's food security, telling British farmers: "I've got your back."

The package included 220m for new food productivity schemes, farm technology and automation to reduce reliance on overseas workers.
We all know that Harris County constables are law enforcement. But what exactly do they do? Tim Bristow

Most of us dont give constables much thought. We know theyre cops of some kind, and in some parts of town their patrol cars are the ones we see most often. Their presence is reassuring.

Elected constables date to Texas frontier days. The states constitution empowers them to deliver warrants and other court documents, enforce the law and provide bailiffs in justice of the peace courts.

Based on reporting in the Chronicles news pages, however, we know that Harris Countys eight precincts, each headed by an elected constable, can be a tangle of competing interests, inefficiency and occasional corruption. Meanwhile, voters fret about how best to use tax dollars to ensure public safety.

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Houston Mayor John Whitmire has called for better coordination among law enforcement, and perhaps consolidation of some duties. Besides constables, policing in the area includes the sheriffs office, Houston police, state troopers and dozens of municipal, university, transit and other agencies.

Harris County Commissioners Court draws the constable precinct lines with each decades U.S. Census, often to achieve political aims. The process has produced wide disparities in precincts geographical areas and budgets  the latter also in the hands of commissioners. Precinct 5 in west Harris County, for example, encompasses 370 square miles with 1 million-plus residents. Precinct 6, in Houstons East End, covers 32 square miles and serves about 170,000 residents.

Unsurprisingly, people running for constable in this years election contend that constables have a unique place in local law enforcement. They run programs that voters like, such as keeping an eye on kids and senior citizens, focusing on crime trouble spots and fighting animal cruelty.

They also oversee popular contract deputy arrangements in neighborhoods that pay the county for extra patrols. We wonder if pay-for-police deals disadvantage neighborhoods that cant afford them, but advocates say increased police presence in one area benefits adjacent ones too.

Democrats in six Harris County precincts will nominate candidates in contested primaries March 5. No Republican candidates are opposed in their partys primary, though some will face Democrats in the November general election.

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The constable system would benefit from streamlining and thoughtful redistricting. Since we dont expect that anytime soon, we offer these recommendations in contested races.

Constable Alan Rosen. Steve Gonzales/Staff photographer

Alan Rosen for Precinct 1, Dem

Since becoming constable of Precinct 1 since 2012, Alan Rosen has tried to help the young, the old, the mentally ill, the homeless, the drug-addicted. He also serves those everyday folks just trying to live their lives in safe neighborhoods. We think Rosen, 55, should continue that work.

Nevertheless, this endorsement is giving us heartburn.

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In 2021, the undercover anti-prostitution task force under Rosen was involved in a scandal that cast a pall over his whole department.

Early in Rosens current term, several acting deputies and former deputies filed a lawsuit in federal court, accusing department supervisors of sexual misconduct against female subordinates. Though Rosen and two men who reported to him were named, all three were dropped from the suit.

But the women are still suing Harris County, claiming in part that they were told to dress as prostitutes and act the part at bachelor parties. During these events, the women allege, they were subjected to sexual harassment, unwarranted touching, unwanted kissing, molestation and sexual ridicule.

Rosen says he believes the whole case will be dismissed, that hes disappointed a lawsuit was ever filed, that people can say anything in a lawsuit. After that he says he cant really talk about it because he will be a witness if the case does continue.

I take all these things very seriously, Rosen says. Its never my intention for any undercover officer to have anything less than a good working environment.

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But those 2021 bachelor-party stings were not the only operations that put female officers in danger of intimate crimes.

Chronicle files also show that a sting at a Massage Heights near the Texas Medical Center resulted in the sexual assault of a Constable 1 undercover deputy in 2019. Supervisors knew of the risk because a colleague had been assaulted by a massage therapist there just days earlier.

Immediately after the attack, Rosen held a press conference, proclaiming that his employees apprehended the bad guy  even as a supervisor told the deputy to drive herself to the hospital for a sexual assault examination.

In this primary, Rosen faces the same opponent as in 2020. Gilberto Reyna, a retired law enforcement officer, spent 35 years with the Harris County Sheriffs Office and other police agencies, including Precinct 1. But weve seen little evidence that he has management experience or even an active campaign. He did not accept our invitation to meet with the editorial board.

Rosen makes a solid case for his fourth term. Theres no question the office has grown under his direction.

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In addition to the normal constable chores, Rosen and his staff are responsible for security at the downtown courthouse complex. And for the entirety of Harris County, they handle amental health warrants, juvenile processes and environmental and animal cruelty investigations. Rosen also has established teen leadership summits, a crimes against children task force, a game room task force and hotlines to report everything from human trafficking to stray dogs.

Some think he will run for sheriff one day. At the moment, Rosen says, my only plan is to get re-elected.

Constable Jerry Garcia. Steve Gonzales/Staff photographer

Jerry Garcia for Precinct 2, Dem

Precinct 2 Constable Jerry Garcia needs few words to explain why he deserves a second term: Proven results. I did what I said I would do.

His record supports that.

Garcia, 51, took office in 2021, assuming responsibility for a precinct that covers 108 square miles in east and southeast central Harris County, and has an annual budget of $12.2 million. He had three priorities:

1) Crime. Garcia has added 26 deputies who patrol under contract with neighborhoods and other entities that pay for the extra security. His offices total authorized deputy strength is now 92, with just one of those positions vacant.

2) Homelessness. He created a homeless outreach team, which cleared encampments under freeways and found housing for 200 people.

3) Training. With police nationwide are under fire for violent incidents, Garcia has almost quadrupled the hours devoted to training.

His opponent in the Democratic primary is David Garza, who has served 28 years as a Pasadena officer after seven years as a Harris County deputy constable and three in the University of Texas Police Department.

Garza chose not to meet with the editorial board, and though his resume is impressive, we believe Garcia has earned another term.

Constable Sherman Eagleton. Regina Lankenau

Constable Sherman Eagleton for Precinct 3, Democrat

In early 2022, 11-year-old Darius Dugas was killed by gunfire as he went to retrieve his jacket from his mothers car. When Precinct 3 Constable Sherman Eagleton learned of the death, he picked up the phone.

Soon Eagleton was talking to Mark Herman, constable of Precinct 4. Each man agreed to donate $5,000 of his own money to pay for the childs funeral.

Hey man, Eagleton remembers saying. I think this family is having a hard time.

Eagleton talks passionately about Darius and all the residents of Precinct 3, where he has worked for 31 years, the last seven as constable. The district stretches from Baytown north to Lake Houston.

Eagleton is eloquent about fighting crime, getting drugs off the street and stopping illegal dumping. He embraces body cameras and citizen videos. And he is adamant that statistics are part of modern policing.

But theres something old-fashioned, in a good way, about Eagleton, 58. He brags about wellness checks for senior citizens, and he loves a program called Coffee with a cop.

The controversies on Eagletons watch dont faze us.

Chronicle stories from 2021 show that he hired Chris Diaz, a former Precinct 2 constable who was voted out of office after egregious errors in his campaign finance reports surfaced.

I gave him a second chance, and hes doing a great job, Eagleton says. He told me he had baggage, and I told him, if you dont do whats right, Ill send you down the road.

In 2017, Eagleton took a different approach with Milton Rivera, a Precinct 3 chief deputy accused of sexual harassment and inappropriate workplace behavior. After a Harris County Attorneys Office investigation, Eagleton fired him.

We consider Eagleton far superior to his challenger, JohnJay (CQ) Portillo, a businessman and former law enforcement officer with a checkered history.

A KHOU investigation showed that Portillo was fired from his job as police chief of Coffee City, Texas, last year, and the entire police force was disbanded. Among Channel 11s findings was that Portillo swelled the police force to 50 officers in a town whose entire population was only 250, often hiring officers whod run into trouble in previous jobs. The officers officers wrote far more traffic tickets than you expect for a town so small, and used their law enforcement credentials to get contract jobs in other jurisdictions.

Portillo dismissed the complaints as just politics.

Jerome Moore. Lisa Gray

Jerome Moore for Precinct 5, Dem

Two Democratic primary candidates for Precinct 5 constable, both experienced law enforcement officers, know how it feels to be mistreated by police.

Gerardo Jerry Rodriguez, 41,says he was 19 and leaving a hot dog restaurant when he and his friends were wrongly arrested and hauled off to jail.

Jerome Moore, now 50, says he was 24 and in a car with three other young Black men when police ordered them to halt. Were gonna teach you guys to stop, he remembers one officer shouting. Shut up!

Moore and Rodriguez say those run-ins inspired them to become law enforcement officers.

We have to treat people the way they want to be treated, Moore says.

Be the change, says Rodriguez.

The two share other similarities. Both have masters degrees and endless appetites for training and continuing education.

They work and live in Precinct 5, which encompasses much of west Houston and west Harris County.

Both respect their boss, Precinct 5s popular incumbent Ted Heap, who is retiring.

But, the candidates say, the office needs a refresh, including a more diverse workforce.

Its a close call, but we give the nod to Moore.

Currently a lieutenant, he spent two years working as chief deputy to the constable in Precinct 2. He has more administrative experience than Rodriguez, a sergeant.Moore can manage the precinct's complicated budget.

I can do the job on day one, he says.

The other two Democratic primary candidates, who chose not to meet with the editorial board, are Don Dinh and William Gorman.

Silvia Trevino for Precinct 6, Dem

Precinct 6 Constable Silvia Trevino is part of a political dynasty in Houstons East End. She no doubt benefited from name recognition when she won the office  two years after her husband stepped down from it because of a criminal conviction.

Her challenger in the Democratic primary, Art Aguilar, 49, is a former Precinct 6 deputy who has some good ideas and understands the offices inner workings. But we believe running a multimillion-dollar agency requires more management experience than appears on his resume.

Trevino, a former Houston police officer, didnt respond to the editorial boards invitations to discuss her re-election bid. In the past weve criticized her for gaps in her knowledge of the constables office and law enforcement issues.

We recommend her this year in hopes that eight years of on-the-job training have alleviated those shortcomings.

No Republican is seeking the office this year, so the Democratic primary will decide the race.

On her campaign website, Trevino lists accomplishments including adding a fourth patrol district, posting regular crime reports on social media and dispatching bicycle deputies to patrol parks and bayou trails.

But we didnt get to ask her about Aguilars claims that she has been slow to fill budgeted deputy positions.

Trevinos husband, longtime Constable Victor Trevino Jr., resigned in 2014 after pleading guilty to charges that he took money for personal use that was intended for a charity he founded. He was sentenced to 10 years probation.

Silvia Trevino was not charged in that case. She won the seat in 2016, and again in 2020.

Her son, Victor Trevino III, won election that year as a justice of the peace in Precinct 6, ushering in a new generation of Trevino-family politicians.

James Smokie Phillips for Precinct 7, Dem

Three veteran Houston lawmen are running in the Democratic primary to succeed longtime Precinct 7 Constable May Walker. Walker, whos retiring, has not endorsed a successor.

Precinct 7 is home to half a million people in south Harris County, including Third Ward, South Park, Sunnyside and Reliant Park. No Republican is running in the historically Democratic district, so this primary will decide the election.

Seeking the office are Gary Hicks Sr., Michael Coleman, and James "Smokie" Phillips.

Hicks, 62, a former HPD officer, works now as a warrant officer and mental health specialist in Constable Precinct 1.

His knowledge of community-oriented policing reflects his decades as a street cop. But we believe he comes up short in administrative experience necessary to run an agency like Precinct 7.

That leaves a hard choice.

Coleman, 57, was a deputy for 20 years in Constable Precinct 5 in West Harris County, retiring as a captain in 2016. He then served as a captain in the University of Houston Police Department until August of 2023, when he began his third campaign for Precinct 7 constable.

He holds a masters degree in criminal justice from Lamar University, and said he would push education and training for officers.

Phillips, 63, has 37 years in law enforcement, including 18 years as a captain in Precinct 7.

He expressed passion for fighting violent crime and illegal dumping. He wants to look into establishing a termination board, including community members, to review deputy firings.To recruit young deputies, he advocates relaxing Walkers rules on facial hair and tattoos.

Phillips law enforcement history includes a blemish: In 1996, he was named in a federal indictment alleging he used his position to provide security and surveillance for a drug ring. A jury convicted him, but the judge ordered a new trial. The charge was dismissed at prosecutors request in August of 1997.

Phillips contends the charges were political and prompted by his complaints about racial inequities in county law enforcement. In any case, his police career has continued for almost 30 years since then.
Northern Italy has ranked among the most polluted areas in Europe for many years (GABRIEL BOUYS)

A blanket of smog covers Milan, empty reservoirs bake in Sicily and wine production is down in Piedmont as a lack of rain across Italy exacerbates pollution and sparks droughts.

Gas-guzzling cars were banned from roads on Tuesday in Milan and eight other cities across Lombardy after the northern Italian industrial region registered high levels of particle pollution that is dangerous for health.

"The levels of smog have become intolerable," 60-year-old resident Sergio, who has lived around Milan for the past 36 years, told AFPTV.

The high levels are due to three factors, according to Italian environmental group Legambiente: road transport emissions, the heating of homes and the agriculture sector.

The region, home to many intensive livestock farms, banned the customary spraying of animal waste onto fields, a practice known to cause air pollution.

Legambiente expert Andrea Minutolo told AFP it was no coincidence the air pollution levels had risen in February, as a month-long ban in the region on spraying waste had been lifted at the end of January.

"The sky is grey even if it's a cloudless day. The quality of air in Milan has never been very good, now it's disgusting," said Paolo Ciacco, 22, who said he was considering wearing a mask.

Northern Italy has ranked among the most polluted areas in Europe for many years.

Part of Lombardy's problem is geographic -- it sits in a basin between mountains, which means it is poorly ventilated.

But clean air campaigners say this handicap is too often used as an excuse by authorities for high levels of air pollution.

High particulate levels were also registered in the capital, Rome.

-Bees waking up early -

Regions across Italy are suffering drought or severe lack of rainfall.

Snow levels were down in both the Alps and Apennines.

The Italian snow water equivalent -- the equivalent amount of water stored in the snow pack -- is down 64 percent this month compared to a year earlier, according to the CIMA Research Foundation.

The lack of rainfall is aggravating an already difficult situation, following heatwaves last year which lowered reservoir levels and drove up water consumption.

Sicily declared a natural disaster over drought earlier this month, while on the island of Sardinia, farmers are limited in how much water they can use.

Reservoir levels there are down 23 percent compared to the average over the last 14 years.

The southern regions of Puglia and Basilicata are also suffering, with farmers' association Coldiretti warning this weekend that warm temperatures have woken thousands of bees early from their winter slumber.

This threatens the pollination of some crops because the bees are out of sync with the flowering period of plants from which they gather pollen.

Meanwhile Piedmont in the northwest asked the agricultural ministry on Monday to declare a natural disaster for drought in the region, saying it has affected vineyards and caused "significant" drops in wine production.

Experts say climate change driven by human activity is boosting the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events, such as heatwaves, droughts and wildfires.

Planet-heating emissions, mainly from the burning of fossil fuels, have risen in recent years. Scientists say they need to fall by almost half this decade.

ide/yad
The Los Angeles Police Department arrested three people at the site of a protest in Hollywood.

Authorities met with two victims of a reported battery at the Hollywood detachment on Feb. 16. The two said there was a physical altercation outside a restaurant close to where a protest was taking place.

The incident occurred in the area of the 5900 block of Franklin Avenue, near where the Church of Scientology is located. Several restaurants are located on the north side of Franklin Avenue, opposite the church.

When the officers arrived on the scene, they used the description provided to them by the victims to arrest two people. While they were there, responding officers received reports of another physical altercation close by, where they apprehended another suspect.

The three suspects have been identified as Daniel Villeda Gonzalez, Kamrin Ivone, and Scott Hochstetter. No further details have been provided about the three accused.

All three have been charged with conspiracy and unlawful use of tear gas.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call Hollywood Area Detectives at (213) 972-2967.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
TechCrunch

To get a doctor's appointment in the U.K. these days, you have to entrust more of your data to private companies -- and there's not a great deal you can do about it. In part due to growing pressure from the government to meet a two-week limit for patient appointments, family doctors -- or general practitioners (GPs) as they're known in the U.K. -- are turning to third-party software to facilitate appointments and prioritize cases based on urgency, a shift that has left patients with no option but to give private companies access to their personal data. While the U.K.'s National Health Service (NHS) was once a bastion of state-funded care, where an individual's economic disposition had little bearing on their access to medical services, today it's a somewhat different matter -- a victim of chronic underfunding and understaffing with record waiting times for routine hospital treatments and working conditions that have led to doctors, nurses and other clinicians striking en masse.
Las Vegas murderer was missing for more than year before Nevada prison officials noticed

LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  Nevada prison officials did not know a convicted murderer was missing until they realized he was not in custody ahead of a scheduled parole hearing, the 8 News Now Investigators first reported Monday.

In 1999, a Clark County jury convicted Jeremy Kelly, 43, on charges of first-degree murder with the use of a deadly weapon, robbery with the use of a deadly weapon, burglary while in possession of a firearm or deadly weapon, conspiracy to commit murder and conspiracy to commit robbery, records said.

In June 1996, Las Vegas Metro police arrested Kelly, then 15, in the shooting death of Terry Dixon. At the time of his arrest, Kelly and the victims son were driving the victims stolen truck, documents said.

Prosecutors alleged Kelly, the victims son and three other men conspired to rob Dixon, but shot and killed him instead. A judge later sentenced Kelly to two consecutive life terms with the possibility of parole.

A prior booking photo of Jeremy Kelly when he was in NDOC custody. (NDOC/KLAS)

Kelly was in custody at High Desert Station Prison outside Las Vegas when the Nevada Parole Board granted him parole in 2016, documents said. Less than two years later, Kelly violated his parole and returned to NDOC custody.

In December 2017, Las Vegas Metro police arrested Kelly after they found him driving with a gun, drugs and nearly $8,000 in cash, documents said. An officer had stopped Kelly for driving without his headlights illuminated.

In a probation violation report, officials noted Kelly failed to report to his probation officer in September 2017 and was placed on a curfew. Kelly was later charged in federal court and moved to federal custody.

Kelly later pleaded guilty to charges of a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of heroin, documents said. A federal judge then sentenced Kelly to 42 months in prison with 18 months of credit for the time he served in custody awaiting trial.

FILE  In this April 15, 2015, file photo, vegetation grows around High Desert State Prison in Indian Springs, Nev. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)

According to county prosecutors, after his federal sentence ended in June 2022, Kelly was mistakenly and incorrectly released from federal custody and not returned to state prison for violating probation, documents said.

Kellys NDOC record shows him in out of state confinement, though he was released in 2022. His parole hearing was scheduled for Jan. 30.

It was not until last December the department of corrections realized Kelly was not in their custody. The realization came as Kelly would have been eligible for parole in January 2024.

The [Bureau of Prisons] previously contacted [the Clark County Detention Center] regarding designation of Kelly, but CCDC advised they did not need him back, a prosecutor wrote in court documents the 8 News Now Investigators obtained. The BOP did not contact the [Nevada Department of Corrections] and the NDOC did not place a hold with the BOP for Kelly.

Judge Jacqueline Bluth issued a warrant for Kellys arrest on Jan. 25, records said. (Clark County District Court/KLAS)

Judge Jacqueline Bluth issued a warrant for Kellys arrest on Jan. 25, records said.

The Nevada Department of Corrections was looking for the defendants location for his parole hearing it was at that they realized the defendant was not returned to their custody, court minutes from the hearing said.

Metro police arrested Kelly on Feb. 16, though specific details about his arrest were unknown Monday. He was booked into the Clark County jail, though a hearing on his arrest was not scheduled as of Monday.

Neither the BOP nor NDOC responded to the 8 News Now Investigators request for more information Monday, likely due to the Presidents Day holiday. It remained unclear Monday how the chain of information was supposed to function and which agency, if not both, was responsible for alerting the other.

A spokesperson for Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In 2022, convicted murderer Porfirio Duarte-Herrera escaped from Southern Desert Correctional Center by breaking part of a window, climbing through it, and then scaling razor wire fences.

Duarte-Herrera escaped on a Friday night and prison staff did not report his escape until the following Tuesday morning. Duarte-Herrera had an illegal cell phone inside the prison and made several calls before his escape, documents said. Multiple agencies searched for Duarte-Herrera for two days.

Duarte-Herrera and Omar Rueda-Denvers were convicted in 2009 for killing Dorantes Antonio, who died when a bomb, hidden in a coffee cup, exploded. The incident happened at a parking garage at the Luxor hotel in 2007.

Duarte-Herrera was already serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
CHICAGO - Chicago police are asking for the public's help locating a missing 15-year-old girl.

Latanesha Thomas was last seen on Feb. 15 in the 6100 block of S. Rhodes Avenue in Woodlawn. She was wearing a black sweater and khaki pants.

Police say Thomas frequents the Englewood neighborhood. She's described as a Black girl with brown hair, brown eyes, standing 5-foot-8 and weighing 135 pounds.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the Chicago Police Department at 312-747-8380.

Latanesha Thomas | CPD
Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics, Prime Minister Evika Silina, Seimas Speaker Daiga Mierina and Foreign Minister Krisjanis Karins have called on residents to express solidarity with the people of Ukraine and join in a minute of silence on Saturday, 24 February, at 09:00.

Source: Reported to Latvian information agency LETA by the Latvian State Chancellery; European Pravda with reference to Baltic States news outlet Delfi

Quote: "Russia knows that it will not be able to break Ukraine in a fair fight on the battlefield. Russia therefore resorts to all forms of crime: it attacks civilians, bombs cities, abducts Ukrainian children. It is putting pressure on Ukraines international partners in the hope that we will all tire out as the war persists."

By calling for the minute of silence, the Latvian government wants to inform the Russian authorities that the Latvian state and people tirelessly support Ukraine. The statement said Latvia will continue to provide any assistance until Ukraines complete victory.

"It [Russia] will have to return Ukrainian children. Russia and its leaders will have to be held accountable for aggression and war crimes," the senior Latvian officials stressed.

The statement also expresses respect for the Ukrainians who "fearlessly confront the aggressor". And it is a pity that Ukrainians "continue to lose their lives" in the struggle to protect their country and the future of their children. "Ukrainians are also standing on guard for peace and security throughout Europe, including Latvia," the Latvian politicians stressed.

On the occasion of the second anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, various events in support of Ukraine will be held in Riga. The central one is a rally "Together  to Victory", which starts at 12:30 on Saturday near the Freedom Monument.

On Thursday, 22 February, Ruslan Stefanchuk, speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, will address the Seimas on the occasion of the second anniversary of the full-scale military invasion of Russia. This extraordinary session will begin at 09:00 with an address by President Edgars Rinkevics. Seimas Speaker Daiga Mierina and Prime Minister Evika Silina will also speak.

The foreign ministers of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia have condemned Russia's intentions to hold presidential "elections" in the occupied territories of Ukraine.

Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics believes that the best response in the world to the death of Alexei Navalny, Russian opposition leader, is strengthening assistance to Ukraine so that Russia loses.

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The first public meeting for the Greater Downtown East Moline Revitalization Project will be Wednesday, Feb. 21.

All residents and community members are invited and encouraged to attend an open house at The Bend Event Center (any time between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.) to hear more about the overall plans for greater downtown, view proposed improvements to The Bend, talk with the project team, and ask questions.

East Molines residents are the foundation of our community, and their input and involvement throughout this project are of utmost importance, Mayor Reggie Freeman said in a recent release. This investment has the potential to transform our downtown, and all residents and business owners are encouraged to weigh in on the details of these exciting improvements.

The city of East Moline is working with a design and engineering team to create a more beautiful, walkable, and bikeable greater downtown with seamless connections between 15th Avenue/Main Street, The Rust Belt, and The Bend.

Proposed improvements include pedestrian-friendly amenities, improved railroad crossings, new landscaping, more outdoor event space, and wayfinding that enhances and connects the community.

This work is made possible by a $23.7-million federal RAISE grant, which can only be used for work included in the citys grant application to improve downtown.

The Bend Event Center will host the Feb. 21 open house and March 7 State of the City lunch.

Designs for the proposed improvements will be presented at four public meetings in 2024, each covering a different portion of greater downtown. The first public meeting will focus on streetscaping improvements at The Bend.

The Bend consists of the area north of 12th Avenue between 1st Street and 7th Street, including Bend Boulevard and Mississippi Parkway. Additional public meetings will discuss specific improvements for 15th Avenue, 12th Avenue and 7th Street near The Rust Belt, and the eastern portion of The Bend.

East Moline Mayor Reggie Freeman

Mayor Freeman is also scheduled to give his annual State of the City address at a luncheon Thursday, March 7 at The Bend Event Center, from noon to 1:30 p.m.

Tickets are $20 per person and RSVPs are due by March 4 to emsecretary@eastmoline.com or 309-752-1599.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com.
The delays in Donald Trump's Florida classified documents case will come to a head Thursday, the date U.S. District Court Judge Aileen Cannon has set as a deadline for the former president and the case's other defendants to file responses in a discovery dispute with the Justice Department, predicts former U.S. Attorney Joyce Vance.

Writing in her "Civil Discourse" Substack, Vance explained that special counsel Jack Smith's hopes of bringing the case charging Trump with willfully retaining national security documents post-presidency to trial are dwindling as the pre-trial period drags. Whether he will then appeal to the 11th Circuit Court, she said, hinges in part on what unfolds this week.

"Judge Aileen Cannon continues to string out the timeline, permitting this issue to unnecessarily consume weeks of briefing time," Vance writes, arguing that Cannon must soon decide on issues involving unclassified and classified evidence, while Smith must soon also determine whether to appeal her rulings if they remain "unfavorable." The case going to trial before the presidential election "would take a moon shot," Vance added. "Trump is likely to go into the Republican convention and the election without being held accountable for dangerous mishandling of classified materialssomething that should be unthinkable and would have been for Republicans in the pre-Trump era," Vance writes.

But Trump's efforts to delay the criminal proceedings may backfire, former federal prosecutor Glenn Kirschner argued, pointing to an expected March 1 hearing to address remaining deadlines in the case.

"We know that Donald Trump and his team of lawyers will try to convince Judge Cannon to try to kick the May 20th trial date," Kirschner told MSNBC Monday, according to Raw Story. "And you may not expect to hear this from me, but I almost hope that she does kick the May 20th trial date. Why? Because if the Supreme Court denies the stay in the absolute immunity issue and returns the case to [Judge] Tanya Chutkan in D.C. in the election interference case  would love to see her take that case and drop it on the docket for May 20th."
Westfield city councilor Troy Patton thought he had come up with a decent public policy that had broad community support: term-limit the mayor and city councilors to allow more opportunity for fresh voices to lead the growing community.

Patton informally polled the public. The council held public meetings with little fanfare and the councilors voted the proposal through 5-2, then overturned the mayor's veto by the same vote.

A few months later, in early 2023, Patton found out from a reporter's phone call that his state representative wrote a bill to undo the term limit ordinance and, further, prohibit local communities from passing laws on elections in general. Gov. Eric Holcomb signed that bill into law in early April.

"It just blew me away," Patton, who didn't run for reelection for other reasons, said recently. "The thing that probably drove me the craziest is, they didnt once ask any of us why we did it."

Council member Troy Patton speaks during a monthly City Council meeting at Westfield City Hall on Monday, Jan. 13, 2020.

State lawmakers in Indiana have the power to preempt or overrule local governments like this and they've done it many times over the years  even as many of those local officials wish they wouldn't.

But this year, the perennial fight over "local control"  a state vs. local government dance in which state legislators file bills that seek to change or flat-out undo laws passed by cities or invent new ones  seems to have reached a fever pitch. The theme has come up in nearly every committee hearing or floor vote on this year's controversial bills: from repealing a special downtown taxing district for Indianapolis to voiding municipal ordinances that ban puppy mills to retroactively nullifying a decades-old gun lawsuit in Gary and stalling a major transportation project in Indianapolis.

"If we want to be councilors, lets quit being state senators and run at the local level," Indianapolis Sen. Fady Qaddoura, a Democrat, said at the first committee hearing for Senate Bill 52, the bill banning dedicated bus lanes for a year.

Fady Qaddoura, an Indiana state senator, speaks during a rally involving about 60 people at the Indiana Statehouse, Monday, Jan. 29, 2024, in advance of Senate Bill 243 that would give some measure of eviction protection to renters.

A final floor vote on House Bill 1121, which in its current form gives Indianapolis permission to levy a county-wide income tax hike to pay for downtown improvements in lieu of the Mile Square tax lawmakers want to repeal, prompted Indianapolis state Rep. John Bartlett to make a rare appearance at the podium during debate on Jan. 30.

"What are we doing?" he asked, pounding the podium with each syllable. "What are we doing? Lets run the state and let Indianapolis run Indianapolis and Marion County run Marion County."

Indianapolis tends to take the brunt of state lawmakers' attention. Republican leaders say their focus on Indianapolis reflects the capital city's importance as the heart and engine of the state. Not that state lawmakers have never helped Indianapolis: They passed legislation enabling the $800 million deal in 2019 to upgrade Bankers Life, now Gainbridge Fieldhouse, to keep the Pacers in town. They made investments in the IUPUI campus. They fixed a road funding formula error last year that resulted in more money in Indianapolis' coffers.House leaders say their intense interest in what happens in the state's capital makes perfect sense.

"I don't really want to micromanage Indianapolis, but we are committed in Indianapolis, we're committed to a strong Indianapolis," House Speaker Todd Huston told reporters. "Indianapolis continues to bring in record numbers of conventions mainly because of our investments."

Indiana State Representative, Todd Huston, R-Fishers answers press questions after a House session on Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024, at the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis.

Why does this happen

State governments already have a constitutional upper hand. A one-party state government can flex that muscle even more, unencumbered by the counterbalance of another political party. That may be even more likely to happen when a large city is run by a different political party than the one that controls the Statehouse.

In every state, local governments only exist because state governments created them and gave them certain powers to govern themselves. Indiana, however, is one of the more restrictive states when it comes to how much of that power, known as "home rule," the state has given to locals.

"Its very disturbing to me," Paul Helmke, director of the Civic Leaders Living-Learning Center at Indiana University and former Republican mayor of Fort Wayne, said of state government stepping into local affairs. "Its often been an issue, but it seems like its getting worse every year."

Indiana's Home Rule Act from 1980 says local units of government have only the powers authorized by state law, plus "all other powers necessary or desirable in the conduct of its affairs." The act limits what locals can do; for example, they can't raise taxes unless authorized by the state.

Over the years the courts have upheld the state legislature's power to preempt local jurisdiction on laws that could impact communities statewide. The state has targeted specific cities' initiatives through statewide bans many times: ending Bloomington's plastic bag ban, preventing Indianapolis from passing laws concerning retaliatory landlords, and currently, attempting to ban the use of dedicated lanes, impacting IndyGo's Blue Line.

More: What's the future of the IndyGo Blue Line? Here's what to know.

A decade into Republican supermajority rule in both chambers, it's easy to take these kinds of actions without being checked by the other side, Helmke said.

"We know Democrats will never be in charge to change it back, so screw it," Helmke said, describing the mentality.

This phenomenon occurs often in polarized states  deep red states with reliably blue cities, said Chad Kinsella, political science professor at Ball State University.

"Particularly in red states, you have very blue cities that are on a very different policy track than what state wants," he said. "And so theyll get annoyed, and youll have these confrontations over who can do what, and what can the state tell the city to do. I think its flexing their muscles a little bit and probably letting cities like Gary and especially Indianapolis know whos boss."

Voters on the ground might not be fully aware of the dynamic playing out at the Statehouse, said Hoosier Action communications director Tracey Hutchings-Goetz said, but they can feel its effects at times  and not just in blue cities. For instance, rural communities may look to local elected officials' to improve housing quality and affordability only to learn their hands are tied.

"It can be really frustrating for local folks to be like, I want my elected officials to do something about it, and then theyre told, yeah we cant do anything about it," she said.

Jennifer Wells, a volunteer organizer by night and case manager by day in Columbus, Indiana, meets often with her city councilors to see what can be done about slumlords and rent prices. She herself has dealt with sewer backups and black mold.

"Theres always a roadblock," she said. "Even though theyre on your side, theres something stopping them. Ninety percent of the time its state government."

Is the fight more intense today?

Battle lines have only intensified in the last decade, Helmke said. Republicans in charge of redistricting in 2010 redrew the maps to carve up more densely populated areas like Fort Wayne and Evansville, diluting the urban voters. Fewer state representatives today represent majority-urban interests. National politics has become consumed with a mentality that prioritizes winning over bipartisanship.

More: 2024 primaries look like 'tipping point' for Indiana Republican's future

Some say, however, the fight is no more intense than it was in the past. David Bottorff has observed the pattern for a long time from his perch at the Association of Indiana Counties: A local group or constituent is unhappy with a local policy, goes over the heads of local elected officials and complains to their state legislator; that lawmaker may take action to respond to their constituents, even as other lawmakers lack the same context. Still, the other lawmakers in the same party may follow their colleague's lead.

"Its hard to sit and judge what unique circumstances might have led a community to adopt that policy," Bottorff said. "I think it should be a pretty high burden for a state to override a local jurisdictions ordinances."

This happened recently with the most local of issues: zoning. State Rep. Dave Hall, R-Norman, said a Monroe County constituent complained to him about the county's slope restrictions with respect to building. Builders feel this regulation limits their ability to add housing, Hall explained before the House vote on his House Bill 1108 on Jan. 23. The bill would do away with slope restrictions under a certain percentage.

Speaking against the bill, state Rep. Matt Pierce, D-Bloomington, cautioned that the state shouldn't pass one-size-fits-all legislation when communities like Monroe County have far different terrain than other areas of the state.

State Rep. Matt Pierce, D-District 61, speaks about rape that goes unreported in children, when debating how many weeks at which a girl, or woman, could obtain an abortion during a a special session in the House of Representatives on Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022, at the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis.

Today, it might be my county, tomorrow, it might be your county," Pierce said. "Its just curious to me how it seems like so many of us get up here to the Statehouse and we seem to forget what its like to be a local elected official. Why dont we respect our local elected officials who are held accountable by the local citizens who elected them? Why do we have to override their decisions from here?"

State Rep. Chuck Moseley, D-Portage, likening the state to "Big Brother," asked Hall at the podium why he feels the state should trump the expertise of local engineers and zoning officials.

Hall responded with his own definition of "local control."

"This is something that should be in local control, and to me, the local landowner is as local as it gets, and they should be able to use their properties as they see fit," he said.

Rep. Dave Hall partakes in the first legislative session of the year Monday, Jan. 9, 2023, at the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis.

Constitution bars 'special laws'

It is possible in the eyes of the state constitution for the state government to pull too hard in this state vs. local tug-of-war.

The Indiana constitution prohibits the state from passing "special" laws that target a certain place, person or case. But it makes exceptions for laws that address a specific situation but can have broader applications across the state.

For example, a bill this year to prohibit cities from suing firearm manufacturers clearly targets Gary's decades-old lawsuit  and the bill's author said so  but the text of the bill accomplishes this by prohibiting all local governments from doing this, retroactive to before the date of Gary's lawsuit. House Bill 1235 passed the House by a party line vote and is working its way through the Senate.

More: Indiana lawmakers trying to kill historic lawsuit seeking gun industry accountability

The General Assembly in 2015 tried to halt the suit by amending an existing immunity law to a retroactive date before Gary filed suit. An appeals court allowed the suit to continue, but the court also decided that the City of Gary had not proved the law was unconstitutional.

Laws that target Indianapolis come even closer to this threshhold. A law passed in 2023 specifically bars "a consolidated city" from passing a no-turn-on-red ordinance. There's only one consolidated city in the state: Indianapolis.

House Speaker Huston said state lawmakers believe this kind of language would survive a challenge.

"A lot of bills have been passed over the years around this issue," Huston said. "That's been litigated, and we're conscientious of that. Ultimately, we feel like what we're doing passes muster."Indianapolis had its own workaround: It passed its ordinance in the months before the new state law went into effect. So this year, state Sen. Aaron Freeman floated a new bill to make that state law retroactive to before Indianapolis' ordinance. He's since compromised, calling instead for a moratorium on new signs while the state can study the efficacy of such a policy.

When the Indiana General Assembly passes laws undoing those of its cousins in local government, the only recourse city officials have is to bring suit. That decision means expending political capital fighting the state in court, Helmke said. Plus, with bills such as House Bill 1235 saying only the attorney general can sue gun manufacturers, the state is now attempting to exert control over the courts, potentially further weakening the power of municipalities.

"It really does call into question, why do we have local government?" Helmke said.

Contact IndyStar state government and politics reporter Kayla Dwyer at kdwyer@indystar.com or follow her on Twitter@kayla_dwyer17.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: From term limits to bus lanes, Indiana lawmakers fight locals for control
Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny makes a heart gesture while standing in a cage during a hearing in Moscow in 2021. (Associated Press)

To the editor: Up until last Friday, I held a fantasy that Russian President Vladimir Putin would suddenly lose power. An election in Russia would take place, and imprisoned dissident Alexei Navalny would be elected by an honest popular vote. Freed from his Arctic gulag, he would declare an immediate end to the Ukrainian war and apologize to the world for his predecessor's petulant, narcissistic deeds. ("Putin rival Alexei Navalny dies in prison, Russian authorities say," Feb. 16)

With Navalny in power, the European Union, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the rest of the civilized world would embrace Russia with open arms. We could all cut our collective defense spending in half and focus our attention on the real threat facing us  environmental collapse.

Sadly, that fantasy was popped with Navalny's murder in prison.

Now, I have a new fantasy: that Navalnys widow, Yulia Navalnaya, decides to run for the Russian presidency and gets elected in a landslide victory. Once he is out of power, Putin gets sentenced to life in prison and is sent off to the same Arctic gulag where Navalny died.

Robert Johnson, Santa Barbara

..

To the editor: Millions of freedom-loving people in Russia and elsewhere in the world had the unlikely but passionate hope that Navalny would emerge from his unjust imprisonment and be elected as a democratic leader to replace the autocratic, authoritarian czar, Vladimir Putin.

Until Navalny's death, such a succession, although remote, was a possibility. After all, Nelson Mandela became president of South Africa after spending 27 years in prison.

May the memory and courage of Navalny keep the flame of democracy burning in Russia.

Dan Caldwell, Malibu

The writer is professor emeritus of political science at Pepperdine University, where he taught Russian and Soviet politics for three decades.

..

To the editor: I am appalled at the Republican mad dash out of the House in order to avoid a vote for funding Ukraine, which could threaten the peace in Europe.

Navalny, a true Russian patriot, was just murdered by the thug in the Kremlin, and far-right commentator Tucker Carlson is waxing lyrical about the wonders of a Moscow grocery store. The cult leader of the Republican Party was just fined $355 million for committing fraud in New York.

It is said that those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it. In the 1930s and early 1940s, isolationism and even some support for Adolf Hitler in America held up U.S. support for the Allies, until we too were attacked.

Wake up, people. Biden may be old, but he is a decent experienced American patriot, unlike the alternative.

Catherine Babington-Plake, Long Beach

..

To the editor: It is indeed a sad time for humanity around the world because of the death of Navalny. He spoke truth to power against authoritarianism, including state lies, corruption and militarism.

The United States rightfully laments Navalny's passing but it should also look in the mirror as it relates to the persecution of Julian Assange.

Salvador Jimenez, Los Angeles

..

To the editor: What Putin fails to understand is that a foe who is confined to prison remains there. However, a foe who is murdered in prison becomes a martyr whose life and ideas proliferate beyond those walls.

Gail McClain, Laguna Beach

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
HISD superintendent Mike Miles talks with members of the Editorial Board inside a typical classroom during an NES school walkthrough for principals and administrative staff at Shadydale Elementary School in Houston, TX on July 18, 2023. Sharon Steinmann/Staff Photographer Port Houston Elementary School was once slated for closure by the Houston Independent School District. Cody Duty/Staff

Isnt it time for Mike Miles to start talking about closing schools? Surely, a man so reviled in some corners of this city for his part in a wildly unpopular state takeover must, by now, be scheming with furrowed brow to do one of the most deplorable things that a scrimping, penny-pinching superintendent hurling toward a fiscal cliff could do: rip the schoolhouse heart out of a struggling community grappling with declining district enrollment.

Its what even his predecessor, the much-admired Millard House II, warned of doing in 2022, explaining that the districts deficit would just keep growing if he didnt take drastic measures such as school closures. He was grilled. Parents, school board members and advocates asked what else he could do to plug the hole. He was chosen, one parent said, to improve our schools, not to close our schools down in the communities that need them most.

Prior to Miles riding into town, the district projected it would fall below its required reserve without intervention by 2026 with a deficit of $280 million. And thats before any of his salary hikes to teachers at his New Education System schools.

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TEA TAKEOVER OF HISD: Full list of editorials and op-eds

Yet, to our surprise, when we asked Miles about school closures during a sit-down with the editorial board Monday, he said he had better ideas.

Come again?

These are small schools, Miles said, citing Port Houston and Pleasantville Elementaries, each with fewer than 300 students. People argue they should be closed. Separated by 1.2 miles, old buildings, we have problems all the time with HVAC and plumbing and everything else.

But the thing is, Miles said, school enrollment isnt shrinking at those campuses because there arent enough kids. Indeed, Miles said hed yet to find a campus in Houston ISD whose dwindling student population was due to aging or other demographic factors in the surrounding area. Theyre losing kids because they cant compete with the charter schools or even district opportunities such as magnets luring students away with promises of a better education.

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Closing isnt the answer, Miles said. Its opening  opening the doors to new students, or perhaps old ones coming back.

I think the first thing we need to do is make sure those schools can compete  if there are kids in the area, Miles said. He went on to acknowledge many families' desire to send their kids to a school close to home, to be a part of a community. And right now in this country, we need a little bit of community.

Its easier said than done, but the saying of it is worth a lot in a district that closed 55 schools, including a number of district charters and alternative schools, between 2003 and 2010 alone. Every time HISD faces some financial strain, small campuses like these, often nearly entirely Black and Hispanic, have to rally together.

Port Houston El <3 de nuestra comunidad, read one poster in 2014 after the district threatened closure of a school serving a neighborhood streaked with railroad tracks and traversed by big-rig trucks rumbling to and from the port. Port Houston the heart of our community.

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Compete? Survive? Grow?

These are the words some Houston communities have been waiting to hear for years about their local long-struggling school. They probably didnt expect to hear them from a man driven by bottom lines, test data and measurable outcomes.

But as it turns out, Miles' nose for nitty gritty might be the very thing that saves their community schools and helps fund his overhaul.

On Tuesday, Miles released a report that detailed the inefficiencies, redundancies and downright waste that are contributing to the districts financial crisis  and how he plans to address them to not just delay a fiscal cliff but, hopefully, stave it off completely.

Everything from hiring practices, to maintenance crew staffing, to unnecessary service orders and the impractical hinterland locales of school bus hubs.

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I dont want to embarrass people, he told us, refusing to name specific campuses among the worst offenders. Still, the report certainly critiques decisions of the past administrations: $20 million in COVID funds spent on 175 large new buses it did not need, for example. Too many consultants and contractors. Too much overtime. Half-hour plumbing fixes that took four hours, Miles elaborated, something that seemed to particularly irk this former janitor. Ninety-two groundskeepers when the district only needs 65, according to Miles.

According to the report, one hourly employee with an annualized salary of nearly $25,000 earned almost $115,000 with overtime, in part by opening a facility early and closing it late.

HISD BOARD PRESIDENT: More school days, more NES schools

COVID funds, or ESSER dollars, were meant to be spent, of course, but as temporary one-time stop gaps to help combat learning loss, not a way to grow salaried positions that Miles says hell now need to cut. Some of it went to short-term academic interventions, including to after-school tutoring that Miles also critiqued as inefficient and relatively untracked.

Everybody was warned not to put money into recurrent expenses and salaries, Miles told us. Instead they gave 9% increase in salaries two years ago, they increased ESSER-funded positions and they gave stipends to everybody, he said.

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Cuts to overtime and stipends are going to hit employee pockets but for the most part the reforms struck us as not only sensible but necessary in a district that has had allegations of ethical conflicts and inflated contracts over everything from tutoring to landscaping. Its those little budget items here and there where corruption seems to fester. And its a relentless approach to trimming budgets that will free up the funds for the higher teacher pay at his New Education System schools, exactly where we think the money should be going.

Miles was confident that with these and other changes outlined in the report, he could turn things around. Hell likely still need to push for a bond issue in November to help address the districts many long-neglected campuses. But putting the district on sound financial footing makes a bond all the more viable.

Were going to have about $870 million fund balance this year, the following year 850 and then were going to stay at 850.

To be fair to the previous administration, they did present plans in March 2023, which included central office cuts, that would have kept the district just above the required balance. Miles' strategy sounds more determined. It doesnt just makes dollars and cents, it makes sense. Were still watching whats happening inside the schools, but he seems ready to do what it takes to leave community schools open.

Theyre losing kids because we havent done right by the community, he said.
LEWISVILLE, Texas - A North Texas city is considering a temporary ban on new short-term rentals in its neighborhoods. The city of Lewisville in Denton County is taking up the issue Monday night.

The issue of short-term rentals in residential neighborhoods has generated controversy in a number of North Texas cities, and its in the spotlight now in Lewisville.

The city council will consider a one-year temporary ban on all new short-term rentals in the city. These are the kind of properties that are booked through online companies such as Airbnb and Vrbo.

Officials hope the ban would allow them to study if newly implemented regulations are meeting community needs.

Neighbors have complained about safety issues related to STRs as well as noise, trash left behind at parties and people parking in front of mailboxes, preventing mail delivery.

Those who actually own the properties are in talks about their rights as homeowners. Many say they want to be good neighbors and are open to some regulations.

Last spring, the city of Plano passed a year-long ban on short-term rentals. That ordinance is set to expire in May of this year.

The city has been gathering community input and other data that could lead to more permanent rules regarding STRs.

The city of Dallas has also wrestled with the issue.

Last year, the Dallas City Council approved a ban on short term rentals in residential neighborhoods. However, that ban was temporarily blocked by a Dallas County judge, who said the ordinance violated the rights of STR owners and went against the state constitution.

A trial is set for this June to decide the dispute.

In Lewisville, city staff is recommending the council approve the proposed one-year ban on STRs.

Mondays council meeting is set to get underway at 7 p.m.
Lionel Messi has highlighted his "special" ties with China, as he continues to face anger from Chinese fans for missing a game in Hong Kong.

In a video on social media site Weibo, Messi maintained an injury had led him to sit out the match on 4 February.

Messi played in Japan just days after that Hong Kong friendly, enraging fans in China, where he is hugely popular.

The backlash against the 36-year-old Argentine superstar has dragged on for weeks.

Chinese officials have cancelled two Argentina friendlies due to take place in the country in March.

The world champions were set to face Nigeria in Hangzhou and Ivory Coast in Beijing. But football authorities in the Chinese capital said: "Beijing does not plan, for the moment, to organise the match in which Lionel Messi was to participate."

The Hangzhou sports bureau also said the match it was hosting had been called off for "the reasons that everyone knows".

Messi remained on the bench throughout the match held in Hong Kong, citing injury. State media outlet Global Times accused the footballer and his club Inter Miami of "political motives" with the aim of "embarrassing" the Chinese Special Administrative Region.

But in the Weibo video posted on Monday, the Argentine rejected claims that he skipped play for "political reasons" as "totally untrue". Stressing his "special affection" for the people of China, he added: "Had that been the case, I wouldn't have even travelled to Japan or visited China as many times as I have."

He repeated his claim that he could not play in Hong Kong due to an inflamed adductor muscle. "I tried to train and made an effort for all those who'd come to watch training," he said.

"I did all I could. I also went along to the football clinic with all the kids. But I really couldn't play. I felt discomfort and there was a risk it'd get worse."

Messi's Weibo post, his second attempt at explaining his absence from the match, has so far attracted some 55,000 comments.

Some were sceptical. One comment read: "Sorry is indeed a very difficult word to say."

Still some were supportive. One comment read: "I know you love China, I will always support you for what you have done for us".

Messi enraged Chinese fans when he failed to take to the field during a friendly in Hong Kong

Some 38,000 fans at the Hong Kong Stadium booed and demanded refunds when Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham addressed the crowd at the end of the match. They had paid up to HK$4,880 (494; $624) to watch Messi. They have since been promised a 50% refund by match organisers Tatler Asia.

The territory's chief executive John Lee said he was extremely disappointed by Messi's absence and called for an explanation from match organisers. Other officials like Hong Kong lawmaker Regina Ip also reacted with fury, claiming that "Hong Kong people hate Messi, Inter-Miami, and the black hand behind them" for the "deliberate and calculated snub".

Just last year, Messi received a rock star welcome in Beijing when he played for his country in a friendly against Australia. Some 68,000 fans paid up to $680 for the chance to see him in action. He is also a spokesperson for big Chinese brands such as Huawei, Chery, Tencent, Mengniu, Chishui River Wine and J&T Express.
Prime Minister of Lithuania Ingrida Simonyte, on the Day of Remembrance of the Heavenly Hundred Heroes [people who were killed during the 2014 Ukrainian Revolution of Dignity  ed.], called for arming Ukraine and for the EU and NATO to prove that they will not be swayed by Russian influence.

Source: European Pravda, citing Simonyte on Twitter (X).

"On this day, Ukraine honours the Heavenly Hundred - heroes of the Revolution of Dignity, who sacrificed their lives for a democratic Ukraine and the right of a nation to choose its own future.

They resisted an attempt to drag their country into the gloom of Russia's 'sphere of influence' which, in the Kremlins playbook, amounts to a license to subjugate, kill, and torture," Simonyte wrote.

Simonyte said that 10 years later, Ukraines message remains the same: Russia does not have veto power over the decisions of the Ukrainian people.

"Russia has no say in EU and NATO decisions either. Lets arm Ukraine now to finally get this message through," said the Lithuanian PM.

Background:

Ukraines Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called on EU foreign ministers to urgently contribute to the supply of artillery shells to Ukraine when he addressed them at a meeting in Brussels on 19 February.

At the Munich Security Conference, Denmark urged Europe not to hide behind production challenges in supplying weapons to Ukraine.

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The citizens of the German town of Grunheide have rejected plans by US carmaker Tesla to expand its factory just outside Berlin in a non-binding vote, the district administration announced on Tuesday.

Residents had been asked to participate in a survey on Tesla's plans to expand the 300-hectare site by adding a freight depot, warehouses and a company kindergarten on an additional 170 hectares. Some 100 hectares of forest would have to be cleared to make room for the additions.

Some 5,400 people took part in the survey, with 3,499 voting against and 1,882 voting in favour of the expansion. The vote is not binding but considered an important indicator of whether district representatives will approve the plans.

Environmental activists oppose the expansion, citing the necessary clearing of the forest as well as the fact that part of the area is located within a water protection zone.

Tesla argues that the region would benefit from the plans, saying that the freight depot would help reduce the burden on freight traffic, while additional warehouse space would help to increase supply security and jobs.

Just last month, the US carmaker was forced to halt production at its German plant due to a lack of parts stemming from Iran-backed Yemeni Houthi attacks on ships in the Red Sea. Production was only resumed last week.

According to the Grunheide administration, some 70% of those eligible - residents from age 16 who had been living in the town for at least three months - participated in the survey.

Tesla hopes an expansion will allow it to double its production capacity in Grunheide from the current interim target of 500,000 cars annually to 1 million. Around 12,500 employees work at the plant, most recently producing 6,000 cars a week - the equivalent of 300,000 vehicles a year.
Former Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) called on the judge overseeing former President Trumps Georgia criminal case to remove Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis (D).

In a Monday op-ed in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Loeffler claimed Williss relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade makes it impossible for her to have prosecuted the case against Trump fairly.

Willis conflict of interest shatters any notion that the case against Trump has been prosecuted fairly. Her scheme is disqualifying, Loeffler wrote.

Pointing to Georgia Judge Scott McAfees suggestion last week the relationship could result in disqualification from the case, Loeffler said this would be a step in the right direction.

But anything less than a complete dismissal of the case is a bandage on the open wound of a justice system that is hemorrhaging its core principle of due process, she said.

Too many prosecutors today are like Willis and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg: avid partisans trading impartial justice for political calculation.

Bragg charged Trump in a separate hush money case centered on reimbursements Trump made in 2016 to his then-fixer, Michael Cohen, who paid adult film actress Stormy Daniels to keep quiet about an affair she alleged to have had with the former president.

Willis testified for nearly two hours last week, during which she defended her reputation and relationship to attorneys who argue Willis and Wades recent relationship makes the indictment against Trump and several of his allies fatally defective.

The Fulton County district attorney is accused of hiring her romantic partner, who has since financially benefited from his employment. She pushed back on the claim, which was first brought to light by defendant Michael Roman, a 2020 Trump campaign operative, and called the disqualification motion to boot her from the case dishonest.

Willis and Wade reiterated in court last week that their relationship did not start until early 2022 and ended in summer 2023. Prosecutors said they met at a 2019 judicial conference where they connected as jurists of color, but had a mentor-like  as opposed to romantic  relationship at the time.

Loeffler, who was appointed to fill one of Georgias Senate seats vacated by former Sen. Johnny Isakson (R) in 2020, reiterated the common argument that the racketeering criminal indictment against Trump and his allies is politically motivated.

Its no coincidence that Willis launched her re-election campaign a mere five days before she brought her formal grand jury indictment against Trump last year, or that she initially requested his trial begin exactly one week before Georgias 2024 presidential primary, she wrote.

Loeffler, who testified as a witness before the Fulton grand jury in 2022, contended she was also a target in the grand jurys investigation and faced scrutiny for supporting Trumps efforts to overturn the results of 2020 elections.

The former senator was among 39 people the special grand jury recommended be indicted, but Willis eventually decided against charging her.

Loeffler argued dismissing Willis from the case will not be enough to fix a justice system, and urged residents to vote her out on Novembers ballot.

Willis will be on the ballot in November  representing a rare opportunity to restore balance to an office that has supported the lefts pro-criminal activism for far too long, she wrote. As Americans, we must acknowledge and end the lefts lawfare by removing partisans from a system that demands impartiality and a commitment to upholding the law.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The coffin of Run-DMC's Jam Master Jay, the rapper born Jason Mizell, is carried out of a cathedral in Queens, New York, after his funeral in November 2002 (HENNY RAY ABRAMS)

The alleged murderers of Jam Master Jay were executioners who ambushed the Run-DMC member as part of a drug dispute, US prosecutors told jurors Tuesday during closing arguments of the long-awaited trial.

The proceedings, to be decided by an anonymous jury in Brooklyn federal court, are centered on the events of October 30, 2002, when pioneering rapper Jason "Jay" Mizell, widely known by his DJ moniker, was fatally shot in the head in his Queens studio.

He was 37 years old and a father of three.

The murder was a cold case until prosecutors in 2020 announced a 10-count indictment against suspects Ronald Washington and Karl Jordan Jr., the alleged shooter.

"This case is not complicated," said assistant US attorney Artie McConnell in delivering the government's final arguments, which followed some three weeks of witness testimony, including from alleged eyewitnesses, friends and law enforcement.

"It's about greed, it's about money, it's about jealousy," the prosecutor said before spending approximately two hours reiterating the timeline of events and web of alleged actors and witnesses for the jury.

The prosecution alleges that as part of a drug deal dispute, Jordan -- the slain musician's godson -- shot a 40-caliber bullet into Mizell's head, as Washington held others in the room back at gunpoint.

For years two key witnesses -- Lydia High and Uriel "Tony" Rincon, the latter of whom was shot in the leg the night of the murder -- had resisted cooperating with law enforcement, reticence both they and prosecutors ascribed to fear.

But more than two decades on, both of them were among the several dozen government witnesses to testify against Jordan and Washington, who prosecutor McConnell said committed murder he described as "brazen" for "the brutality of it, the arrogance of it, the audacity of it."

The defense has sought to cast doubt on the memories of witnesses speaking out some 20 years later.

But McConnell said that "20 years hasn't made this any less real or any less wrong."

The prosecutor said Mizell had "God-given talent" but was also "a good man, he was a generous man, he was a kind man" who was killed by members of his own circle, in his own studio in Queens.

"20 years is a long time to wait for justice," McConnell said. "20 years is long enough."

- Financial lifeline -

The trial has revealed a lesser-known side of Mizell, who along with his band Run-DMC had railed against drug culture.

But prosecutors say Mizell got involved in the drug trade to support his lifestyle and those close to him, as buzz around the group's music -- hits include "It's Tricky" and "Walk This Way" -- began to fade.

He was a quiet middle man in the drug trade, and a financial fount for family and friends, in the years preceding his death, they say.

Jordan and Washington hatched their plan, according to prosecutors, after Mizell cut them out of a job.

Along with LL Cool J and Public Enemy, Run-DMC were trailblazers of new-school hip hop -- mixing rock elements, aggressive boasting and sociopolitical commentary -- and its outgrowth, golden era hip hop, which included eclectic sampling.

The seminal group were the first rappers featured on MTV, and established a new rap aesthetic incorporating street culture, a departure from the flashy, disco-inflected attire of their predecessors.

Prior to his death, Mizell was influential in New York as a cultivator of local talent, working with young rappers and co-founding a DJ academy.

Jam Master Jay's slaying followed a spate of murders within the rap community in the 1990s, including the shootings of superstars Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G.

Jordan and Washington face charges of murder while engaged in narcotics trafficking, and firearms-related murder.

Their defense teams will deliver closing arguments on Wednesday.

A third defendant, Jay Bryant, is accused of letting Mizell's murderers into the building. He will be tried separately at a later date.

mdo/dw
CHILLICOTHE  During the primary election voters in Ross County will see some new names on the ballot when voting for county commissioner. Currently, five men are running for the two open seats.

Democratic Party

Democrats will see one name on the primary ballot this election season.

Mark Hirsch is running to become a Ross County Commissioner.

Mark Hirsch

Mark Hirsch was born and raised in Ross County, graduating from Chillicothe High School before joining the United States Marine Corps. After serving he came back to the area and began working at the paper mill as a laborer, working his way up through the ranks as the business changed.

Having never run in an election before Hirsch decided to run for county commissioner after he realized how similar his current job was to the job of being a commissioner, for example, he often deals with large amounts of budgeting and planning already. He also wanted to serve the community and make sure there were options for voters.

"I'm at the point in my life where I can serve my community and that's what I want to do," said Hirsch.

If elected Hirsch wants to use his experience to ensure that all voices are heard in the community. He said everyone, regardless of connection in the community, deserves to have their voices heard and taken into consideration. After listening to all opinions he hopes to make decisions based on what will help the most people. Hirsch also wants to help those in the community by looking into solutions for housing and other problems that the community faces.

When voting Hirsch hopes voters remember that he will take all citizen's points of view into account and he will work for the betterment of the people.

Republican Party

Republicans will choose two candidates from the races of David Glass vs. Ken Shelton and Jason Link vs. James Lowe.

David Glass is running to become a Ross County Commissioner.

David Glass

David Glass was born and raised in Ross County, graduating from Zane Trace. After traveling around the state for his job he moved back to the area to raise his family.

With a background in economic development Glass worked for the state and traveled to different counties in Ohio to help them plan for their future, through this he saw what worked and what didn't so he is hoping to use his knowledge to help Ross County stay ahead of the curve.

"I think we have the opportunity to be the most prosperous community of our size," said Glass.

Glass said his age brings something new to the table, he turns 30 this year, and he hopes to bring in new ideas and help represent the younger generation of people in Ross County. As a father, he also knows what Ross County needs to become more attractive to new families.

He hopes to increase industry across the community but he knows to do that the County needs to make a plan for where they want to be in the next 20 years and focus on what is currently missing that is needed to reach those goals. Glass also said that the county can't accomplish everything on its own which is why he wants to build relationships with public and private organizations and work together to reach larger goals.

When voting Glass hopes voters remember that if elected he will help the county by thinking of future generations and planning for long-term success.

Ken Shelton is running to become a Ross County Commissioner.

Ken Shelton

Ken Shelton is a local businessman in the community who previously served as the Chairman of the Board for the Chillicothe-Ross Chamber of Commerce and currently serves on multiple boards and committees in the community. He is also a former firefighter and EMS for Liberty Township Fire and Rescue and a former Ross County Reserve Sheriff Deputy.

Shelton said he is not a politician and though the role as a commissioner is political he sees it as a way to extend his public service and do more for the area.

"I consider it more of a community service position," said Shelton.

If elected he hopes to use his knowledge and experience to help with economic development, including supporting businesses that are already here and making the county desirable for new businesses. he said this includes supporting the schools and housing so that people want to come here. He also wants to support the townships with their first responder needs. As a commissioner he wants to allow the townships to do what they think is best for them while offering advice and support.

When voting Shelton hopes people remember that he has business experience and has worked with many of the groups the county helps, so his knowledge will help him do what is best for the community.

Jason Link is running to become a Ross County Commissioner.

Jason Link

Jason Link is a pastor at First Presbyterian Church of Chillicothe and has served on the boards of different committees and boards in the area. He and his family moved to the area nine years ago and since then he has worked to be as involved as possible in the community.

When thinking about running and serving as a commissioner Link said while he will keep his roles as pastor and commissioner separate the work will not be too different. He currently serves to help his church and if elected he will be working to serve and do what is best for the people of Ross County.

One of his main goals if elected is to create more transparency within county commisoners. This includes finding a way to livestream weekly meetings so that those not able to go in person can still see what is going on and making it easier for townships and citizens to have their voices heard.

"If there is an issue that concerns a public citizen then they should voice those concerns," said Link.

He also wants to find ways to make Ross County more inviting to businesses and housing developers while using taxpayer money efficiently.

When at the polls Link wants voters to remember that he will work towards doing what is in the best interests of taxpayers and the people in Ross County.

James Lowe is currently serving as Vice President for the Ross County Commissioners and is running for re-election.

James Lowe

James Lowe is currently serving as Vice President for the Ross County Commissioner having started in this position in 2021. He is a lifelong resident of the county having graduated from Adena Local Schools and going on to serve in the United States Army and as a member of the Chillicothe Police Department. He has also served on the Adena School Board and currently serves on a number of boards in the community.

"I love Ross County, period," said Lowe. "There is no other place I would want to go."

When he first ran in 2020 Lowe said he hoped to improve communication between the county and the townships located within it. By working with the townships, and allowing them to work on themselves, he believes he has boosted this relationship, he has also given out his number and encouraged members of the townships and city council to call him when they need help from commissioners.

He is also proud of the work he has done to help with upgrades to the Ross County Jail, the Ross County Airport and the Ross County Courthouse during his time as commissioner.

If re-elected he hopes to continue working on infrastructure projects, like sewer and gas lines as well as solar farms, that will help increase the county's attractiveness to new businesses. By attracting new industries he hopes to help make Ross County more of a place where people want to stay.

When voting Lowe wants people to remember that he is an active member of his political party who will work hard to get stuff one and reach his goals.

The primary election will take place from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on March 19. Early voting starts on Feb. 21, citizens can vote early from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Ross County Board of Elections.

Shelby Reeves is a reporter for the Chillicothe Gazette. You can email her at SReeves@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter @Shelby_Reeves_

This article originally appeared on Chillicothe Gazette: Learn more about those running for Ross County Commissioner
Kyle Carter Raj Mankad Denise Brown Raj Mankad Nicole Perdue Raj Mankad Mike Engelhart is a candidate for re-election to the 151st Civil District Court (JeremyA CarterA / Houston Chronicle) Robert K. Schaffer is a candidate for re-elction to the 152nd Civil District Court. Cheryl Elliott Thornton courtesy / courtesy Jill Yaziji Raj Mankad Tracy Good Raj Mankad

Since 2008, Democrats have swept nearly every Harris County district court election. In some ways it was welcome accountability after years of unchecked Republican dominance. Some Democrats, though, clearly werent prepared for the role and have failed to run efficient dockets or have broken judicial codes of conduct. We urge Democratic primary voters to hold judges accountable regardless of their backgrounds. Our recommendations are based on in-person screenings of the candidates, phone interviews with lawyers who practice in these courts, Houston Bar Association judicial evaluation survey results, background checks, campaign finance reports and the court administrator records of each judges active case backlog and the number of trials theyve held since 2019. No one piece of data alone swayed us. We looked for patterns to inform the recommendations. The strongest candidates not only bring rich perspectives and backgrounds but are competent, experienced, with a reputation for fairness and high ethical standards.

District Judge, 125th Judicial District  Kyle Carter

Kyle Carter, 47, was among the first wave of Democratic judges elected in 2008. His Houston Bar Association judicial evaluation numbers are middling with 33% giving him an overall excellent rating and 26% needs improvement. Lawyers gave us a similar lukewarm assessment, describing him as too political. We appreciated his even-keeled temperament in the screening and he told us he goes out of his way to treat everyone fairly. This year hes drawn two challengers.

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Lema May Mousilli, 44, has been a trial attorney for 17 years. After working as an assistant district attorney prosecuting felonies, she earned an MBA and switched to civil litigation including immigration law; pharmaceutical, medical device and malpractice cases; and even counter-terrorism. Shes got a more impressive resume than Judge Carter did at the time he was elected. Andrea Zepeda, 44, is a first-generation lawyer and member of the Mexican American Bar Association. Since graduating from the University of Houston law school in 2012, shes practiced civil law, mostly in personal injury and commercial litigation representing small businesses.

Mousilli questioned whether Judge Carter has held enough jury trials. According to the court administrator count since 2019  data that unfortunately is not accessible on a public website at this time  the number of jury trials hes held, 44, is a little below average; his non-jury trial count, 57, is in the upper range; and the number of backlogged cases on his docket, 2,607, is in the lower range. His fundraising numbers, with the second most cash on hand among judges at the end of January, gave us some pause. Elected judges do have to run campaigns, but too big a fundraising operation risks an appearance of conflicts. We did not, however, hear consistent concerns about his impartiality and believe voters should return him to the bench.

District Judge, 127th Judicial District  Denise Brown

Elected in the 2008 Democratic wave as well, incumbent Judge Ravi K. Sandill received our endorsement in 2018 for Texas Supreme Court when he ran against John Devine, an ethically compromised and ideologically driven justice. Sandill, 47, has a reputation for being smart and blunt. In our screening he said he comes prepared and doesnt want to waste anyones time, noting that all his court proceedings are online: come watch the livestream of the 127th and see what happens. His numbers from the Houston Bar Association judicial poll are middling, though 30% of the respondents said he needs improvement for impartiality. That concerns us, as have anecdotal accounts from lawyers who told us they felt it was necessary to donate to get a fair shake. Sandill is known for his prolific fundraising, which, again, can be a warning sign. He had more cash on hand than other district court judges in Harris County. He told us hes spent money on implicit bias training for the Houston Bar Association and new lactation pods in the courts, but also said without hesitation that were spending half a million dollars on the race. Yes, he does have a primary to win, as he said, but that level of fundraising and spending undermines the appearance of a fair judiciary, especially if lawyers feel compelled to contribute.

In terms of efficiency, hes in the low range for jury verdicts, 34, midrange for non-jury verdicts, 47, since 2019. The number of cases on his docket, 3,149, is higher than most.

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Challenger Denise Brown, 49, has more than 20 years experience as a trial attorney. Born and raised in Pasadena, shes the daughter of a chemical plant operator and the first in her family to attend law school. Shes worked on the defense and plaintiff side, and has her own firm representing injured people. I want to be a judge because of the positive impact that I can have on the people of Harris County, she told us, stressing that shed focus on getting the basics of a functioning and fair court right. Its not an easy call, but we believe its time for voters to put a new judge on the 127th.

District Judge, 133rd Judicial District  Nicole Perdue

The incumbent isnt running for reelection and voters have a choice between two impressive candidates. Nicole Perdue, 53, graduated from South Texas College of Law and has practiced law for more than two decades. She interned with the chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court and the chief of the First Court of Appeals. A specialist in employment litigation, she also serves as an appointed legal representative for minors.

Brandi J. Croffie, 41, graduated from the University of Houston law school in 2012, and has practiced commercial and real estate litigation. She came across as bright, conscientious, with high standards, and has clerked for a judge on the 7th Circuit of the United States Court of Appeals. The child of immigrants from Ghana, she says shes concerned Black women in the courts are lumped together, and that some are unqualified. Referring to the 2018 election of an additional 17 Black women to the courts, she said, I tell people all the time Black girl magic is great, but it has to be qualified people who can do the job because it hurts us in general.

During the endorsement screening, when Croffie said Perdues wealth would make it more difficult for her to relate to everyday Houstonians, Perdue bristled. I didnt have two nickels to rub together when I was growing up, she told us. I have worked my tail off, and so has my husband. We should not have to apologize for our success. Perdue did demonstrate some self awareness when she acknowledged that more opportunities may have been available to her as a white woman.

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We found both candidates impressive, but Perdue has the clear edge in terms of experience. If Croffie doesnt win this time, we hope she runs again.

District Judge, 151st Judicial District  Mike Engelhart

Michael Engelhart, 53, was part of the 2008 wave of Democratic judges and receives some of the highest marks of any civil court judge in the Houston Bar Association survey. His courts non-jury verdicts, 45, and jury verdicts, also 45, since 2019 are about average, and the number of cases on his docket, 2,734, is on the lower end. He has a stellar reputation for preparedness and decorum, and his challenger, Erica Hughes, did not identify any deficiencies other than to say she would have more jury trials.

Hughes, 44, was elected in 2018 to a Harris County criminal court at law, which hears misdemeanor cases. In 2021, she was appointed to a federal immigration court. She stepped down in order to run for this seat. I do not like the current work that I do as an immigration judge in deportations, she told us. While an immigration judge, she had the highest denial rate for asylum claims, 95%, in the country among new judges, according to the Border Report. When we asked why, she said the executive, judicial and legislative branch have got to come to a consensus related to the work and whats happening in our country. Thats true, but we still dont understand why she was such an outlier. Our bigger concern is that her judicial experience is not in civil courts.

Voters should return Engelhart for another term.

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District Judge, 152nd Judicial District  Robert K. Schaffer

Judge Schaffer, 71, is the gold standard. Few judges in Harris County, or the state, have received as much recognition. He was elected administrative judge by his peers in 2013, a position he held for eight years, helping steer the courts through COVID. Chief Justice Nathan Hecht appointed him to the Texas Supreme Court Advisory Committee. The Texas Association of Civil Trial and Appellate Specialists named him judge of the year twice. Hes the highest-rated civil judge in the Texas Bar Association survey. His trial numbers and docket arent comparable to the others because of his time as an administrative judge.

Challenger TaKasha Francis, 47, served as the director of neighborhoods under Mayor Sylvester Turner, and in that role set up community legal workshops by partnering with law schools and associations. Community is my jam, she said. Before working for the city, she had her own family and civil law practice. Her main idea for bringing greater efficiency to the courts is to switch to a different docket management software, but that would primarily be a decision of the district clerk.

Francis correctly points out that every judge has a first day, but Schaffers experience is especially important when so many of the other judges are new and, frankly, struggling. For example, he has been assigned by a state panel to hear complex multi-district litigation cases  ones involving hundreds of litigants  including the Texas opioid cases.

Schaffer filed a ballot challenge, still pending, claiming Francis has not been a practicing attorney. The practice of law is widely defined, she told Fox26. In the meantime, voters shouldnt hesitate to reelect Judge Schaffer. Hell be able to serve out one more term before hitting the states mandatory retirement age for judges, at which time the 152nd will get a fresh face.

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District Judge, 164th Judicial District  Cheryl Elliott Thornton

Judge Thornton, 66, gets low ratings in the Houston Bar Associations survey: 55% say she needs improvement for uses attorneys time efficiently. She has the biggest backlog of all the civil courts with 3,988 active cases on her docket. Elected in 2020, Thornton says that she inherited a backlog that was particularly bad, not just because of Hurricane Harvey and COVID, but because the 164th didnt have a permanent judge after her predecessor was indicted for fraud. Thornton told us, We try to move things out as fast as we can within a year, but the reality is when I came into this court, my oldest case was 2009.

Her challenger, Joy Dawson Thomas, 49, was a law enforcement officer before completing a law degree. Her practice has included criminal defense and family law. She served as a criminal magistrate for three years, but has minimal experience in this type of civil court. Without a stronger challenger, we believe voters should stick with Judge Thornton.

District Judge, 165th Judicial District  Jill Yaziji

Judge Ursula Hall didnt attend the editorial board screening for this race and let us know later that she missed because a family member had a serious illness. We understand that personal circumstances can affect anyones work, for weeks or even months. In the 165th, however, lawyers and their clients have had to wait several years for rulings. After more than a dozen reprimands, the 1st Court of Appeals threatened Judge Hall with contempt proceedings. The State Commission on Judicial Conduct gave her a public warning and ordered her to obtain additional education for failing to rule in a case. Her Houston Bar Association ratings are abysmal with 86% saying she needs improvement in the rules decisively and timely category. The court administrator figures tell the same story: only 20 non-jury verdicts and 29 jury verdicts since 2019, and a backlog of 3,085 active cases.

Challenger Jill Yaziji, 58, has more than 22 years of trial experience in civil law. She moved to Texas to study comparative literature, earning a masters and a PhD, before getting a law degree, all from the University of Texas. Why the switch to law? Because in my country of origin, Syria, we dont have a court system, and I grew up watching the big guy walk on over the little guy, she told us. We were impressed by Yazijis temperament. Shes clear and considered. We implore primary voters to look beyond Halls family name and political connections and choose Yaziji to get this court running again.

District Judge, 333rd Judicial District  Tracy D. Good

The least we can expect of a judge is to step aside from cases in which they have a clear relationship with the defendant.

Apparently, Judge Brittanye Morris, 33, didnt know that. Shortly after winning the 333rd District Court race in 2020, she ruled in favor of a developer named Ali Choudhri but failed to either disclose her relationship or recuse herself. That finding comes straight from an official reprimand by the State Commission on Judicial Conduct. When we asked Judge Morris for her side of the story, she remained remarkably composed, saying didnt know Mr. Choudhri very well and that I was a pawn in the war between him and another developer.

The lawyers we talked to who practice in civil courts describe Morris as an embarrassment to the bench, and not only for the Choudhri cases. In the Houston Bar Association survey, 59% said she needs improvement in the categories of follows the law and rules decisively and timely. While her court appears active with 51 jury verdicts and 69 non-jury verdicts since 2019, the backlog of cases on her docket is on the high end at 3,075.
An investigation of mail theft in the Tri-Cities has ended with a man sentenced to two years and two months in federal prison.

Levi William Dennis also was sentenced by U.S. Judge Stanley Bastian to pay $2,700 in restitution to HAPO Credit Union.

He pleaded guilty to bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service had received reports of mail thefts in 2022 and learned of a fraud report taken by Kennewick police in February from a grandmother who had the power of attorney for her grandson when he was incarcerated in late 2022.

She had seen checks for $315 and $400 deposited in her grandsons HAPO account in Kennewick and then $715 withdrawn.

The Richland owner of the $400 check noticed the transaction and reported it to HAPO and police.

He said the signature on the check did not match his own. He also said that his mailbox had been opened on January 2023, but he did not know then if anything was missing.

In total, Dennis withdrew $2,700 from the HAPO account by using the Washington drivers license of the grandson of the woman who reported the suspicious activity and by forging her grandsons signature, according to federal court documents.

Levi Dennis

Investigators obtained video at HAPO that showed Dennis in the credit unions drive thru passing checks and identification at the time of the fraudulent transaction, according to documents in U.S. Eastern Washington District Court.

In March 2023, the Chevrolet Tahoe Dennis was driving in the HAPO video was involved in a hit-and-run collision, according to court documents.

Richland police searched the Tahoe and found mail and checks with addresses throughout the Tri-Cities, according to court documents. They also found a HAPO receipt for the grandson of the woman who had reported suspicious activity and her grandsons drivers license.

Prosecutors with the Eastern Washington District U.S. Attorneys Office asked for a sentence of two year and four months in prison for Dennis, plus restitution.

Denniss attorney, Juliana Van Wingerden, said a prison sentence of two years plus one day and the restitution would be fair.

She said in court documents that Dennis was a lifelong resident of Central Washington and was in the throes of fentanyl addiction when he committed the crimes.

The judge sentenced Dennis to three years probation once he finishes his prison term.
A man suspected in the brutal killing of a woman inside a New York City hotel on February 8 was arrested in Arizona and may be involved in other incidents around the country, police officials said at a news conference Tuesday.

Raad Almansoori, 26, was arrested after allegedly stabbing two women in Arizona, New York City Police Department Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said. The NYPD is appealing to law enforcement and communities around the country, saying theres potential for other victims anywhere the suspect has visited.

Almansoori is wanted in connection to the death of Denisse Oleas-Arancibia, 38, who was found dead in her SoHo hotel room with a bloody iron next to her body, according to police. The death was ruled a homicide.

Raad Almansoori - Surprise Police Department

The medical examiners office later determined this death was caused by blunt force trauma to the head, Kenny said. Bits of plastic were found embedded inside of her skull.

Kenny said the incident likely was the result of a dispute over how long Almansoori was allowed to stay in the hotel room with the victim. Detectives say they were able to identify the suspect through video canvasses, witness interviews and tracking credit card usage.

The subject has no prior arrest history in New York, however, he has an extensive out-of-state arrest history, Kenny said.

Nine days after Oleas-Arancibia was discovered in New York, Almansoori is suspected of committing a knifepoint carjacking in Phoenix, Arizona, on February 17, and stabbing a female victim.

The next day, police in Sunrise, Arizona, were called to a McDonalds where a woman was found with multiple stab wounds, and Almansoori was arrested in Scottsdale driving a stolen car.

While in custody of Arizona law enforcement, (the suspect) informs them that he is wanted for homicide in New York City and tells the cops that they should Google SoHo 54 hotel, Kenny said.

NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny. - WABC

The NYPD is working with the Manhattan District Attorneys Office for extradition so Almansoori can be charged with the February 8 homicide, which could take days, weeks or even months, police said.

Police are also exploring the possibility of additional victims, as Almansoori told officers in Arizona that he had three additional female victims in Florida, police said.

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TYLER, Texas (KETK)  Rubys Mexican Restaurant announced on Tuesday a man has been arrested after breaking into their location on Gentry Parkway.

Two arrested following traffic stop in known drug trafficking area of Palestine

We want to thank our Tyler Police officers for responding right away and finding this guy, the restaurant said. Our most important priority is our employees and their safety, and they can now breathe a little knowing this guy is off the streets.

According to Tyler PD, they responded to the location around 6:30 a.m. where Timothy Gardner, 26 of Tyler, was arrested for burglary of a building.

Photo courtesy of Rubys Mexican Restaurant.

Photo courtesy of Rubys Mexican Restaurant.

In a post to social media, the restaurant said someone had broken into the location and ransacked the place. No employee was reported to be injured, according to the restaurant.

Please excuse our mess as we clean this place up, the restaurant said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com.
The San Diego Police Department warned residents on Monday to cross streets the old-fashioned way after a video garnered attention showing a man operating a virtual reality (VR) headset while crossing the street in the California city.

A video making its rounds online shows our patrol team in Central Division face-to-face with the future  a pedestrian donning the latest Apple Vision Pro headset while walking in the street downtown, the police department said on Instagram, referring to the video.

It was a sight that had us pausing in bewilderment, the police continued.

In the video, posted by producer Michael Ciccone and reposted by San Diego Humor, three police officers are standing by a police car along with a civilian who appears to be apprehended.

Several feet a way, a man wearing an Apple Vision Pro headset is seen crossing the street, moving his hands, as if scrolling through a menu. As the headset user crosses the street, one of the officers turns around in apparent disbelief.

A subsequent video was shared by San Diego Humor, showing the same moment from the perspective of the headset operator, who was scrolling through music options at the time.

The police statement said that while the department supports exploring new dimensions and technology, they encouraged the public to remember the importance of pedestrian safety.

Keep those virtual experiences on the sidewalk, folks, and lets cross streets the old-fashioned way  with our eyes wide open to the real world, unobstructed and without distractions! the statement added.

Apples Vision Pro, the companys first new product in seven years, debuted at $3,500 in the U.S. earlier this month. Apple has described it as a revolutionary spatial computer that seamlessly blends digital content with the physical world.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
A 34-year-old man died after one of his two venomous pet Gila monsters bit him, according to police and news reports.

Police said they responded to a Lakewood home Feb. 12 after a call about an animal bite.

After the 34-year-old mans girlfriend called, saying he was having a reaction, he was taken to a hospital, according to a police report.

The woman later told police she was in a different room when her boyfriend was bitten, so she was not sure exactly what led to the bite, the report says.

However, the woman told police she heard him saying something, and it didnt sound right, the report says. She entered the room to find the lizard latched on to his hand.

The woman said her boyfriend began exhibiting symptoms, vomiting before he passed out and stopped breathing, police said.

Two days after the man was admitted to the hospital, his girlfriend told police his doctors planned to have him declared brain dead, the report says.

The man died at a hospital over the weekend, police told KDVR.

An autopsy was done, but the mans official cause of death is pending a toxicology test, CBS News reported.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife made plans to have the reptiles transported to Reptile Gardens in South Dakota, according to the report.

In a Feb. 20 email to McClatchy News, a Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokesperson said they took two reptiles from a Lakewood home and transported them to a facility out of state.

The reptile, one of only a small number of venomous lizards, are illegal to own in Colorado without a license, Eric Harper, an investigator with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, told CBS.

While bites from the reptiles are painful for humans, they rarely result in death, according to the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.

The vast majority of bites cause local swelling and bleeding, Nick Brandehoff, a medical toxicologist and expert in reptile bites with the Asclepius Snakebite Foundation, told CBS News. The last case I have been able to find was 1930.

Measuring up to 22 inches in length, the reptile is the largest lizard in the country, according to the Smithsonians National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. They are primarily found in Arizona and Mexico.

Lakewood is about 8 miles southwest of Denver.

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AKRON, Ohio (WJW)  An investigation is underway after a 26-year-old man was shot Monday afternoon and later died, Akron police reported.

First responders were called to the 900 block of Bellevue Avenue for reports of a shooting just after 4 p.m. Upon arrival, the victim was found on the ground with what appeared to be gunshot wounds, police said.

UTI antibiotic leaves woman unable to walk

EMS took the man to the Cleveland Clinic Akron General, where he was declared dead.

The Summit County Medical Examiners Office on Tuesday morning identified the man as Carlos DeJesus Godineaux, 26, of Akron.

Local school closed as leaders seek restraining order

Detectives said that preliminary investigation found multiple unknown males fled the scene on foot following the shooting.

Anyone with information is asked to call Akron detectives at 330-375-2490 or report anonymously to Summit County Crimestoppers at 330-434-COPS.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW.
An early voting sign is place outside Toyota Center Monday, Oct. 12, 2020 in Houston. Brett Coomer, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

Today is the first day of early voting in the 2024 primary elections, which will decide everything from the presidential contest to local races for constable and district attorney.

Who can vote in the primaries?

Every registered voter is eligible to cast a ballot in the primary, even if you do not personally identify as a Republican or a Democrat. But you can only vote in one partys primary.

VOTER GUIDE: All the local and national races that your vote will decide in the March 5 primaries

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You can check whether you're registered to vote online at VoteTexas.gov or by contacting your county voter registrars office.

When is early voting?

Early voting runs from Feb. 20 to March 1. Election Day is Tuesday, March 5.

Where can I vote?

Harris County voters can cast a ballot at any of the county's 79 voter centers, which can be found here. And dont forget to bring a valid photo ID to the polls.

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What are the key races in the primaries?

The much-anticipated presidential race is at the top of the ticket. Democrat Joe Biden is seeking reelection. Donald Trump is leading the GOP pack as he vies for a second term in the White House.

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz is up for re-election, and nine Democrats are vying for the party's nomination to take him on in November.

Every member of Congress is up for re-election this year. U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee is trying to hold onto her seat in the face of a primary challenge from fellow Democrat and former Houston City Councilmember Amanda Edwards.

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At the state level, the future of Texas public education may depend on the results of the primary election. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has gotten personally involved in several competitive GOP races in an attempt to oust representatives who opposed his priority private school voucher plan. He hopes to restructure the Legislature to set the voucher plan up for all-but-certain passage heading into the 2025 regular legislative session.

In the Houston-area, Abbott is looking to unseat Shepherd Rep. Ernest Bailes.

READ MORE: 2024 Presidential Delegate Tracker

Attorney General Ken Paxton has also been leading an effort to unseat GOP House representatives who voted to impeach him on corruption charges last May. Paxton was acquitted by the state Senate and reinstated as attorney general in September.

In Houston, hes backing several candidates in GOP primaries, including Jared Woodfill, a controversial Houston attorney and former chair of the Harris County Republican Party, who is running against two-term Rep. Lacey Hull. Paxton is also supporting insurance adjuster Matt Morgan in Richmond Rep. Jacey Jettons district.

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On the Democratic side, theres a crowded field to replace Houston Mayor John Whitmire in his deep-blue state Senate district.

And in local politics, Democrat Sean Teare is challenging Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg.
A man who posed as a mover and stole $26,000 worth of belongings from an 80-year-old Cedar Park woman has been sentenced to eight years in prison, officials said.

Jonathan Ruiz Oviedo, 31, of Lewisville, was convicted of theft from the elderly, a third-degree felony, after a two-day trial that ended on Feb. 13, according to a news release from the Williamson County district attorney's office. Lewisville is about 25 miles northwest of Dallas.

Oviedo also was ordered to pay a $5,000 fine. The victim hired Oviedo to help her move in August 2021 after she saw him working on another moving job in her Cedar Park apartment complex, the release said.

Oviedo

Oviedo posed as a representative of the moving company and agreed to move the woman's belongings and store them for several months, according to the release. It said she paid him $600 in cash but that he never returned her property, including jewelry, silverware, clothing and furniture.

More: 'Jugging' victim shoots driver who stole money from him, Cedar Park police say

He also ignored multiple texts and calls from the woman's daughter, who tried to find her mother's property, the release said. It said he later demanded more money to release the property but failed to show up at the arranged times. Oviedo also lied to the Cedar Park police who tried to recover the property, officials said.

He was arrested on unrelated charges in Denton County on Feb. 6, 2023, and brought to Williamson County because of a theft warrant, the release said.

A Williamson County judge ordered Oviedo to return the property and released him with an ankle monitor, but Oviedo did not comply and was arrested again on Sept. 21, the news release said. He has a criminal history that includes prior convictions for possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana, and attempted burglary, officials said.

More: Police: Caretaker caught on video stealing from elderly client in Round Rock

This case is a reminder that there are criminals out there who prey on the vulnerable and the elderly," said District Attorney Shawn Dick. "My office will continue to protect the public from harmful scams by prosecuting these crimes to the fullest extent of the law."

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Man gets 8 years for moving scam against elderly woman in Cedar Park
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  Police have identified the person they say is responsible for a Friday barricade in Henderson.

Police identified Jared Busch, 29, as the person involved in Fridays barricade in the 4900 block of Andover Drive near Tropicana Avenue and Boulder Highway in Henderson. It was there that police say Busch refused to comply with police barricaded himself. Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officials were also involved in the incident with air, patrol, and K9 units assisting Henderson law enforcement.

Police say Busch was later taken into custody without incident.

Busch faces a litany of charges, including three counts of failing to stop at the scene of a crash with vehicle damage and one count each of reckless driving, failing to obey traffic control devices, disobeying a peace officer, driving the wrong on a one-way road, robbery, grand larceny of a motor vehicle, obstructing a public officer with a false statement, and trespassing.

Busch was booked into the Henderson Detention Center at the time and is due to appear in court on Wednesday.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
A 69-year-old stabbed a man at an LA Fitness in a dispute over workout equipment, according to Texas police and news reports.

Austin police said the suspect, identified in media reports as John Makinson, was arrested behind the building following the Friday, Feb. 16, incident at the fitness center. He was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, court records show.

A man waiting to use the leg press machine Makinson was using said Makinson told him to find something else to do, according to an affidavit obtained by KVUE.

The victim was eventually able to use the machine, and he later came upon Makinson near the locker room, according to KVUE.

Makinson chased the victim and stabbed him in the butt with a folding knife that was 4 to 6 inches long, KEYE reported, citing police.

Police said in a news briefing posted by KVUE that the victim suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

Who else wants some? Makinson yelled at other people in the gym who were trying to protect the victim, police said, according to KTBC.

He fled on foot, and officers found him behind the building with the description given by the victim and witnesses, police said in the briefing.

I just got out of prison for this, he told an arresting officer, KTBC reported.

In 2012, Makinson pleaded guilty to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and was ordered to serve a 10-year prison sentence, court records show.

Makinson was jailed on a $50,000 bond, jail records show.

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A man was arrested after several new trucks went missing from a Ford dealership in Georgia, police said.

Staff at Akins Ford in Winder noticed five heavy duty, late-model trucks disappeared from their property Feb. 12, according to a Feb. 19 Winder Police Department news release. The value of the missing trucks was about $400,000, police said.

The dealership called the police, who began investigating the theft, according to the department. It appeared the last truck was taken from the dealership at about 7 a.m. the day the theft was reported, police said.

Winder police identified a 28-year-old man from Atlanta as a suspect and arrested him on Feb. 15 during a traffic stop with the help of the Atlanta Police Department and the Georgia State Patrol, authorities said. He was charged with five felony counts of motor vehicle theft, according to Barrow County Detention Center jail records.

The man was part of a crime group that specialized in stealing new, expensive vehicles in high demand for reselling their parts or the whole car, Police Chief Jim Fullington said. Stealing the vehicles requires extensive technical knowledge to evade the trucks security systems and use its electronic ignition systems to move the cars, Fullington said.

The man was booked at the Barrow County Detention Center and has no bail posted, according to jail records.

Winder is about 50 miles northeast of Atlanta.

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Fake attorney scammed sisters in moms wrongful death suit and stole $40,000, cops say

Man gets out of prison  then steals truck full of corvettes to get home, AZ cops say
In 2023, an inquiry formally concluded Abdallah played an "important role in radicalising" Salman Abedi

A convicted terrorist who radicalised the Manchester Arena bomber has been granted a private hearing to decide if he can be released from prison.

Abdalraouf Abdallah, 30, was first jailed in 2016 for helping others go to Syria to join the Islamic State group.

He faces a Parole Board panel in April, which could result in him being freed on licence.

The BBC applied to have the hearing open to attend, but the Parole Board has rejected the application.

Abdallah was friends with Salman Abedi, whose suicide attack at the Manchester Arena on 22 May 2017 killed 22 people and injured hundreds of others.

Parole hearings are usually held in private, but since 2022 it has been possible to apply for them to held in public.

The BBC had argued an open hearing was in the public interest.

That stance is shared by Claire Booth, whose sister Kelly Brewster was killed in the bombing.

Following the Parole Board decision, she said those affected by the attack had "a right" to see and hear how the authorities deal with Abdallah.

Twenty-two people died in the Arena bombing on 22 May 2017

The BBC's application argued there was an overwhelming public interest in there being public scrutiny, not just of Abdallah's application, but of the Parole Board process itself.

It said the public included many people directly affected by the Arena bombing, who should be afforded the opportunity to understand as much as possible about the evidence and the process.

However, the Secretary of State for Justice Alex Chalk argued there was insufficient reason for the hearing to be held in public.

Abdallah also opposed the hearing being heard in public.

Rejecting the BBC's application, Caroline Corby, chairwoman of the Parole Board for England and Wales, said the "high bar" for the hearing to be held in public had not been met.

She said matters relating to sensitive material may be significant to the panel's decision, and such material cannot be seen or discussed in public.

'He's not changed'

The Parole Board decision's document also stated that Mr Chalk was "concerned" for Abdallah's wellbeing and saw him as a "vulnerable person".

"It is the view of those involved in Mr Abdallah's management that a public hearing would place additional stress on him, undermining his ability to engage in the hearing," the document added.

Ms Booth, from Sheffield, survived the attack which killed her sister.

Responding to the Parole Board decision, she said the authorities saw victims of the attack as "a hassle" and wanted the case to go away.

"Abdallah is a convicted terrorist," she said.

"How can the public know he's safe unless the evidence is heard in public?

"In my opinion, he's not changed."

She added that victims of the attack were not contacted by the Parole Board or the government to let them know about the upcoming hearing.

This contrasts with one of the reasons given by the Parole Board for the hearing being in private, with Ms Corby saying in her decision that there were "concerns that a public hearing could cause distress to the victims of the Manchester Arena attack".

Abdalraouf Abdallah was convicted of terror offences in 2016

Abdallah, who moved to the UK as a child and grew up in south Manchester, was paralysed from the waist down while fighting in the Libyan revolution of 2011.

His trial heard that, from his wheelchair and mainly using a mobile phone, he arranged for the movement of money and fighters to Syria.

In July 2016, he was given an extended sentence of more than nine years, comprising five years and six months in prison and a further four years on licence

He was automatically released from custody in late 2020, with the Parole Board having no say, but was returned to prison in January 2021 after he breached his licence conditions

He has remained in prison since, with his first Parole Board hearing due in April, ahead of his sentence expiring in November

In 2023, a public inquiry into the bombing formally concluded that Abdallah had played an "important role in radicalising" Salman Abedi.

It also found contact between the bomber and Abdallah, after the latter was imprisoned, "made a significant contribution to consolidating Salman Abedi's ideology as he was contemplating the attack, and stiffened his resolve to carry out the atrocity".

Abdallah used illicit mobile telephones in prison to communicate with Abedi, who also visited him there.

He was one of a small group of people found to have influenced Abedi's world view.

Inquiry chairman Sir John Saunders said there was "insufficient evidence to enable me to conclude that Abdalraouf Abdallah had any prior knowledge of the attack".

He only gave evidence to the inquiry after considerable efforts were made to make him appear and had initially refused to answer questions or give evidence in case he incriminated himself.

When he gave evidence in November 2021, he condemned the Arena attack, denying any role in the bombing or knowing about it in advance.

Why not follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk
Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg and her challenger for the Democratic primary, Sean Teare talk with the Houston Chronicle Editorial Board on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024 in Houston. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer

Sean Teare leads incumbent Kim Ogg by 38 percentage points among likely voters in the Democratic primary race for Harris County district attorney, a new poll shows.

Teare, a former prosecutor, won 59% of likely voters compared with Oggs 21%, according to the Hobby School of Public Affairs at the University of Houstons latest poll.

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Another 20% of voters said they were still undecided. In the Democratic primary race for sheriff, 63% of likely voters said they intend to vote for incumbent Ed Gonzalez, 5% for one of the other three candidates and another 32% are still undecided.

The margin in the district attorney race was certainly a surprise, said Renee Cross, senior executive director at the Hobby School.

Teare launched his campaign last year with nearly $750,000 in campaign contributions, in part due to a single $500,000 donation from Scott Freeman, owner of Archer Systems, a legal services company that specializes in legal settlement services.

Its unusual for an opponent to come in with a two-term incumbent and raise that kind of money, Cross said. So there were early indications that the incumbent was vulnerable. That being said, for the opponent to have that kind of lead is unusual.

Researchers surveyed 1,400 Harris County likely voters by texting them a link that directed to an online survey available in both English and Spanish. The margin of error in the poll is 2.5%.

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Teare leads Ogg with women voters (58% to 21%) and men (60% to 22%).

He has an advantage with white voters (62% to 21%), Black voters (54% to 21%) and Latino voters (58% to 22%).

Among poll respondents, 61% of likely voters said they have an unfavorable opinion of Ogg, 29% have a favorable opinion

of her and another 10% dont know enough about her to have an opinion.

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The Harris County Democratic Party voted in December to admonish Ogg based on more than a dozen accusations, including that Ogg openly declared her opposition to efforts to fix the broken cash-bail system and amplified demonstrably false claims from Republican officials that local democrats are 'defunding law enforcement.' The Ogg campaign pushed back on all of the allegations.

The partys resolution condemning Ogg could be one factor contributing to the wide margin in the poll results.

I dont know that the average voter would necessarily be paying attention to those sort of actions, Cross said. But youve got to remember, those who are likely to vote in the primary arent the average voters. Those are very motivated voters, and in the Democratic party, those motivated voters tend to be more progressive.
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) explained Monday that the Senates recent failure to pass a long-sought bipartisan border security package played a big part in his decision against a White House bid this cycle.

While Manchin said he agreed President Biden has been wrong on the border, the collapse of the bill revealed something else to him.

I always believed that we could  legislate through a crisis. Wed come together for a crisis, Manchin said during in an interview with CNNs Kaitlan Collins. Well, guess what? We have a crisis. The border is a crisis.

And I saw my friends walk away, when they were determined to pass a border security. And they were on board three days before that, he added. And with Donald Trump, coming as hard as he came at them, and they cowered down and walked away? I said, Were not fixing anything in Washington.'

The border deal failed due to GOP opposition earlier this month following months of negotiations between both sides of the aisle, and Biden. The bill was part of a larger emergency foreign aid package that included additional aid for Ukraine and Israels war efforts, as well as Indo-Pacific security, after Senate Republicans repeatedly insisted any aid to Ukraine must be linked with border security reform.

GOP members in the upper chamber also faced heavy pressure from former President Trump to block the bill.

A bipartisan group of moderate House lawmakers, however, unveiled an emergency funding bill Friday including aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, as well as an addition to the border security policy  after Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) refused to bring the Senate bill to the floor for a vote.

Manchin announced last week he will not launch a presidential bid, capping off months of speculation he might mount a third-party bid. He already announced in November he will not seek reelection in the Senate and would shift his focus toward mobilizing a movement in the middle.

In the same interview, the West Virginia senator said he is not endorsing a White House candidate just yet, claiming his focus remains on the center.

The sensible reasonable middle of this country makes up 55 percent to 60 percent of the population in voting, a tremendous voting bloc, he said. But they feel homeless right now.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
An 11-year-old Texas girl vanished when she should have been on her way to catch a school bus last weekand police are questioning the last person to see her, a man who lived in a camper behind her home.

Im hoping and praying that she is still alive, Polk County Sheriff Byron Lyons said at a press conference Sunday.

Audrii Cunningham went missing around 6:45 a.m. on Thursday morning in Livingston, about an hour from Houston, police believe. She never got on the bus and didnt show up at school. Her family called police when she didnt return home.

Don McDougal, 42, was arrested on an unrelated charge. He has a criminal record dating back to 2001 that includes a conviction for enticing a minor, but was not required to register as a sex offender, authorities said.

McDougal had on occasion driven Audrii to the bus stop or to school and told police he had left the home with her on Thursday.

They said he had answered some of their questionsand provided them with information that led them to search certain areasbut stopped short of saying he is cooperating.

We do feel at this point that he was the last person who [has] seen Audrii, Lyons said. Mr. McDougal is a our main person of interest but we are not ruling out anyone else.

The sheriff said the probe was a criminal investigation but that McDougal had not confessed to anything.

Authorities trying to piece together a timeline of his movements appealed for the public to hand over any video they may have taken Thursday between 6:30 a.m. and 8 a.m. on FM 3126 in Livingston. A $10,000 reward is being offered.

In the meantime, they continue to question McDougal. And we remain hopeful that he will begin helping in this case, Lt. Craig Cummings of the Texas Department of Public Safety said.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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A family said they learned about the exploitation of their mother 6-hours after she was taken from a Cooper City Nursing Home and have been trying to fight for her freedom since.

In September, Katie Kennedy and Thad Caraway said their mother, Roxanna Caraway, who suffers from dementia was taken from the Arbor Terrace Senior facility in Cooper City.

This isnt something wed ever thought would happen to our mom, and it can happen to anyone, and thats not okay this should be dealt with, said Kennedy.

Marion County deputies said 52-year-old Sherry Hayes-Luzader was the woman who took Roxanna Caraway from the facility and back to the victims home.

Caraways children told investigators they became concerned when they started getting emails indicating account information was being changed at various financial institutions.

Read: Florida woman accused of fraudulently taking control of dementia patients accounts, property

We had no idea who this woman was. We have never met her or spoken to her. Its disgusting that this could happen, said Thad Caraway.

After receiving the emails, the daughter said she contacted the institutions and provided POA documents, but they would not release any additional information to her.

Throughout the investigation, detectives said they investigated allegations made by both the victim and Hayes-Luzader that the children were the ones exploiting her for financial gain. Detectives said the claims were unfounded.

It really was kind of turned on us, and there was honesty, a period in time I kind of threw my hands in the air and thought Okay this is it, no longer are we going to have a relationship with our mother, said Thad Caraway.

Read: Deputies: 19 arrested in marijuana pop-up shop sting in Seminole County

Investigators said that once Caraway was removed from the facility, Hayes-Luzader forged signatures to give herself Power of Attorney, revoking the former POA Thad and Katie had over their mother.

Hayes-Luzader is accused of taking more than $61,000 from Caraway.

Investigators also said Hayes-Luzader used the powers of the POA to add her name to Caraways bank accounts, the title of two cars, and transferred money to a new account.

Hayes-Luzader also took other benefits from Caraway, including social security, even claiming a ladybird deed to the Caraways home in Dunnellon.

Read: Rebuilding Together Central Florida in need of home repair applicants

After looking deeper at the Lady Bird Deed, investigators determined that Hayes-Luzader fraudulently back-dated it because of how the victims name was signed.

In an interview with detectives, Hayes-Luzader claimed she diverted the funds to protect Caraway from her children potentially exploiting her.

According to investigators, the actions Hayes-Luzader took during the time, were in direct violation of her role as Caraways POA.

She was arrested Sunday and booked into the Marion County jail, charged with exploitation of an elderly or disabled adult for more than $50,000. She has since been released on $5,000 bond.

The former chief judge of Floridas Ninth Judicial Circuit, Judge Belvin Perry, said when having POA over family, it is important to have banks notify you of any changes made, which will create a red flag.

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Last Sunday a number of farmers headed to Newtown in Powys to protest against the scheme

The first minister has blamed Brexit-voting farmers for Welsh ministers having to draw up their own farm subsidy proposals.

Mark Drakeford's government is consulting on plans for a scheme to replace EU-designed agricultural aid.

Farmers have held go-slow protests over the plans, which include requiring them to plant trees on 10% of land in exchange for cash.

The Welsh government says the changes would help tackle the climate crisis.

The Country, Land and Business Association (CLA), which represents landowners and rural businesses, said the first minister's comments "typify his longstanding contempt for rural Wales".

Plaid Cymru said Mr Drakeford's argument was "deeply regrettable" and suggested farmers were to blame for "everything that's going wrong right now".

Mr Drakeford, who is quitting his role at the top of government next month, made the comments in the Senedd on Tuesday.

Ministers are currently consulting on a Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS), which will be the long-term, post-Brexit replacement for farming payments.

To qualify for the support, farmers will have to commit to planting 10% of their land with trees and earmark another 10% as wildlife habitat.

Many farmers argue the demands are not practical while running a business and fear they could be overwhelmed with paperwork.

However, the Welsh government says farmers must adapt, and play their part in tackling climate change, if they are to receive public money.

'Nobody forced to plant trees'

During First Minister's Questions, leader of the Welsh Conservative Senedd group Andrew RT Davies said the scheme as it is currently designed "will devalue farms, cost jobs and devastate the ability to deliver food that the nation requires for the future".

Mr Drakeford responded: "I think it's important that I remind the leader of the opposition why we are in the position that we are in.

"It's because farmers in Wales took his advice and voted to leave the European Union."

"Believe me, we are in the position that we are in today because we have taken back control of farming support in Wales, as we were obliged to do," he added.

"If farmers in Wales were still able to have access to the funds that were available through the European Union, they would be in a very different position than they are, having heard and followed his advice."

The CLA has branded Mr Drakeford's remarks "deeply disrespectful"

Addressing concerns around the tree planting target, Mr Drakeford said: "Nobody is forced to plant trees in Wales".

"We were determined to offer farmers the first chance in Wales to grow the trees that we will need, because we will need thousands and thousands more trees in Wales in an era of climate change.

"Where, because of the topography of the land or other considerations, it isn't possible to reach 10%, the [rural affairs] minister has already set out proposals so that farmers wouldn't be expected to reach that."

Victoria Bond, director of the CLA in Wales, said: "I would say to Mark Drakeford, this is not Brexit's fault, this is your fault.

"By falsely blaming Brexit, Mr Drakeford is just seeking to avoid scrutiny of his own failure to competently design a workable scheme.

"We would strongly encourage the next first minister to reset the relationship with the countryside and to promise to govern for all in Wales and not just the industrial and urban parts."

Analysis by Steffan Messenger, environment correspondent

It's been widely reported that farmers were strong Brexit supporters, but we don't actually know for sure that most Welsh farmers voted to leave the EU.

There's been no detailed polling in Wales and all the major farming organisation here campaigned for the remain vote.

Back in 2016, the Farmers' Union of Wales (FUW) for instance had warned that quitting the EU would be "a dangerous step into the unknown".

James Evans, Conservative MS for the rural constituency of Brecon and Radnorshire, told the first minister that people "are worried, they're scared and they're angry because of the uncertainty around their future".

"Rural mental health charities are also being inundated with calls from people who need help and support due to the huge pressures they're under because of unrelenting form filling, TB and a government here that seems to ignore their concerns."

In response, Mr Drakeford said: "When change happens, people are anxious, and people are worried, and people are indeed distressed."

"I understand that. That is why we go on having the conversations that we do."

He denied that the government had ignored farmers, claiming that ministers had held a "seven year conversation" with farmers and that amendments had been made to the proposed scheme already.

He also said he was "confident there will be further amendments to the scheme as a result of the consultation and conversations that are currently being held".

Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth said: "It is deeply regrettable that the first minister believes it is appropriate to suggest that Welsh farmers are to blame for the challenges facing the sector.

"Follow that logic to its conclusion, then the people of Wales are to blame for everything that's going wrong right now."

Jeremy Clarkson, who has presented an Amazon Prime series on his farm in the Cotswolds, said Mr Drakeford should listen to farmers.

Writing on X, he said: "The defence mounted by Mr Drakeford over his farming policy in Wales makes no sense.

"Like him, I'm not a farmer but I try to learn about it by listening to people who are. He should do the same."

The consultation on the proposed scheme ends on 7 March.
Constance Marten would "never do anything to harm a child", the Old Bailey has heard.

On Tuesday, jurors were read transcripts of a police interview with Mark Gordon on 2 March - the day after the couple's baby daughter was found dead in a shed in Brighton.

He said Ms Marten was "an excellent mother" who wanted to have the child.

The couple are accused of baby Victoria's manslaughter by gross negligence. They both deny the charge.

Mr Gordon initially refused to answer the police's questions, saying that he wanted to give his testimony in front of a jury.

But on hearing that Ms Marten had told officers what had happened to the child, and then consulting with his lawyer, he started answering questions, the jury heard.

Mr Gordon described Ms Marten as a "very special" and "awesome woman" who "would never do anything to harm a child under any circumstances".

He said what happened to their baby "had to be very traumatic" for Ms Marten.

The defendant added baby Victoria was the couple's fifth child and they "wanted to have that child".

He said Ms Marten was suffering from a "post-traumatic thing" at the time. "The things that were going on with her, that made her experience things on a different level."

"You have to understand, I love her, I love her, I would do anything for her and she loves children", Mr Gordon said. In another interview on the same date, the defendant described seeing his baby daughter's limp body as the "most harrowing experience" and "one of the worst things" he had seen in his life.

Mr Gordon described how he tried to resuscitate baby Victoria because she wasn't moving.

He said his "first instinct was, 'Can I bring this baby back to life'".

Despite his attempts, Mr Gordon said "it was to no avail".

He added: "she had no pulse. And it was like I couldn't believe what was happening".

Mr Gordon said what happened to their baby was "one of those things that every parent dreads".

Earlier on the same day, Mr Gordon was asked how the death of the couple's baby had affected him mentally.

He said the couple loved the baby and that it was "sad that it happened like that", adding: "but I think it's just one of those things. It was never predicted because when you lose four children to the system, that child was like, she wanted that child".

"And she is my wife, and... I love her and I wanna support her".

"And I don't think there was... ever an inkling of an intention and we didn't know for instance that the events would lead the way they did."

Mr Gordon repeated that he loved Ms Marten and said he would have "honestly done anything for her".

"Yeah I can, I can see that", the detective replied.

Mr Gordon responded: "Obsession. I would have done anything for her but then she's said what she has said now."

On Monday, the jury heard that Ms Marten had been advised by Mr Gordon to say the baby had died of cot death, but she instead told them that the baby had died while she had fallen asleep holding Victoria.

Mr Gordon was also asked about a car the couple were travelling in on the M61 near Manchester, which caught on fire in January last year.

He described it as "the strangest thing ever".

"My car exploded. I thought, I thought demolition. Smoke and then fire and then whoosh. That's what I thought of Hollywood. I said, 'how did that happen?'"

He said things "went down really quickly" when their car blew up. At one point during the police interview Mr Gordon described himself as a "feeling" and "sensitive" person.

He told the detective: "I have done everything I think right. If you listen to me, I have done nothing really wrong.

"I have supported my wife. Tried my best as a husband. And I don't think she has done anything wrong actually in trying to take care of her child".

It is alleged that the couple went on the run and slept in a tent "off-grid" for some seven weeks in a bid to keep the baby, after Ms Marten's four other children were taken into care.

The jury also heard from a meteorologist, Dr Richard Wild, about the records from weather stations near to Newhaven and Brighton on Tuesday.

He said the coldest temperature recorded during the time the couple were alleged to be camping in the area in January and February 2023 was -4.3C.

On 1 March last year, baby Victoria's body was found in a Lidl supermarket bag inside a disused shed on an allotment.

As well as manslaughter, Ms Marten and Mr Gordon are also accused of four other offences: cruelty to their baby; concealment of the baby's birth; causing or allowing her death; and perverting the course of justice by concealing the body.

They deny all charges.

The trial continues.
Martin Lewis has complained about overcrowding on an East Midlands Railway service from London St Pancras to Sheffield - Chris Mattison/Alamy Stock Photo

A railway company has apologised after Martin Lewis launched a tirade about 19th-century conditions on a packed train with one working toilet.

The Money Saving Expert shared his ordeal on social media describing Mondays disgraceful 2.02pm East Midlands Railway service from London St Pancras to Sheffield.

He claimed hundreds of passengers were crammed on to the service but only one toilet was working, which he said was totally inaccessible for disabled passengers.

In a post on Twitter viewed four million times, he wrote:

Dear @EastMidRailway this train (Ldn - Sheffield) is disgraceful. Every seat taken, every standing space taken, scores sitting in mid train corridors so I guess 500 people on it and ONLY ONE WORKING TOILET at one end, so people must crawl over each 100s to reach it. It's  Martin Lewis (@MartinSLewis) February 19, 2024

He later added: PS it seems I may owe an apology to the 19th century many saying trains then were efficient, on time, and luxury... There are tourists on this train too. What does it say about our country.

Lewis had earlier complained about an absolute farce at London St Pancras station when the train he had booked vanished from departure boards because of there being people already queuing for it.

East Midlands Railway apologised to the consumer champion and blamed infrastructure upgrades on the East Coast Mainline, which had led to a very large number of customers opting to travel with them rather than use rail replacement buses.

The firm added: We have strengthened services as much as possible and increased the number of staff to help manage this situation but clearly it has not worked as well as we would have liked, and we will work hard with the wider industry to learn from this.

Many other passengers waded into the row on Twitter with their own experiences. One named Sue, a former civil servant, said her 18-year-old daughter gave up on travelling from London to York via Sheffield because of the queues at St Pancras, causing her extra expense.

There were 100s of people waiting, with no communication and trains just disappearing from the departure board, she wrote.

Anna Soubry, the former MP, said she had to miss a train from Loughborough to London on Monday because of total chaos and huge queues.

Mr Lewis said there had been a staggering response to his experience and urged voters to raise train chaos with their MP during the election campaign.

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Martine Moise (speaking to her son) was injured in the attack in which her husband was killed

A judge in Haiti has charged the widow of murdered President Jovenel Moise in connection with the assassination of the former leader on 7 July 2021.

Martine Moise, who was injured in the attack in which her husband was killed, is one of dozens of people charged following a two-year investigation.

According to a legal document leaked by a Haitian news site, she is accused of "complicity and criminal association".

Neither she nor her lawyer have so far commented on the specific charges.

Ms Moise has, however, used social media in recent days to denounce "unjust arrests" and what she said was a "never-ending persecution". It is not known where she currently lives.

Haitian media have lamented the fact that while the lengthy legal document charges 51 people, it fails to identify who ordered and financed President Moise's assassination.

The 53-year-old was shot dead on 7 July 2021 at his private residence on the outskirts of the capital, Port-au-Prince by a group of mainly Colombian mercenaries.

The latest charges became public on Monday when Haitian news site Ayibo Post leaked the indictment. They have been brought by Walther Wesser Voltaire, the fifth judge to head the murder inquiry.

In the 122-page legal document, he lays out the accusations against Martine Moise and 50 other suspects.

He argues that the statements Ms Moise gave in the wake of her husband's murder were "so tainted by contradictions that they leave something to be desired and discredit her".

As evidence against Ms Moise, the document cites a statement given by Lyonel Valbrun, who was the secretary general at Haiti's National Palace at the time of President Moise's murder.

Mr Valbrun alleges that Ms Moise came to Haiti's National Palace - the official residence of the president - two days before the assassination.

According to Mr Valbrun, Ms Moise spent five hours removing "a bunch of things" from the palace. It is not clear what objects she allegedly removed but the document implies the first lady's actions were not guided "by intuition" or "chance", but that she had prior knowledge of the events to come.

Mr Valbrun also alleges that on that same day, the first lady called him and told him that "Jovenel [Moise] has done nothing for us" as president.

The indictment also quotes another suspect, former Haitian Justice Ministry official Joseph Felix Badio, who accuses Martine Moise of plotting to oust her husband from power.

According to Mr Badio, the first lady conspired with the then-prime minister, Claude Joseph, to remove Mr Moise from the presidency.

The plan, Mr Badio alleges, was for Claude Joseph to lead the country until elections were held, in which Martine Moise would run for president.

Claude Joseph has also been charged with conspiracy and criminal association.

Claude Joseph was still prime minister when Mr Moise was murdered, but he was soon replaced by Mr Henry

In a statement to the Miami Herald newspaper, Mr Joseph said he and the former first lady were being targeted by the current prime minister of Haiti, Ariel Henry.

Mr Joseph argues that Mr Henry was "the main beneficiary" of President Moise's murder. Mr Henry was sworn into office two weeks after Mr Moise's assassination and has been in power ever since.

Calls for his resignation have mounted in recent weeks, with many Haitians saying he has failed to deliver on his promise to hold long-delayed elections.

Mr Henry argues that elections cannot be held while the country is wracked by gang violence, which has spiralled out of control since President Moise's assassination.

Mr Claude accuses Mr Henry of "weaponising the Haitian justice system, prosecuting political opponents like me".

"They failed to kill me and Martine Moise on July 7th 2021, now they are using the Haitian justice system to advance their Machiavellian agenda," he writes.

Mr Henry is not on the list of those indicted by Judge Walther Wesser Voltaire, even though phone records reportedly showed he had received numerous phone calls from one of the suspects in the hours after the assassination.

The suspect who allegedly called Mr Henry is Joseph Felix Badio, the same man who is now quoted as accusing Martine Moise of conspiring to topple her husband.

Mr Henry has always maintained that he does not recall receiving a phone call from Mr Badio on the night of the murder. But his sacking of the prosecutor who had sought to question him over the phone calls drew criticism and further delayed the investigation.

He has also dismissed allegations he was in any way linked to Mr Moise's murder as "fake news".

Haitian authorities are not the only ones investigating Mr Moise's assassination. Four people have also been sentenced to life in prison in the US, where part of the plot to topple President Moise was hatched.
Polish farmers have initiated protests across the country, and are blocking roads and border crossings with Ukraine.

Source: European Pravda, citing RMF24

Details: Reports indicate that protests are taking place in dozens of locations across Poland, with farmers driving their equipment in columns along roads or blocking them. In some instances, hunters have joined them.

Protest participants have announced plans to block all border crossings with Ukraine.

Currently, the Yahodyn-Dorohusk border crossing point is reportedly blocked. Polish farmers say they will not allow any lorries into Ukraine until 18:00. Reportedly, farmers from several other European countries are expected to join them.

Rolnicy protestujacy w Dorohusku na Lubelszczyznie zaostrzyli protest. Co najmniej do 18.00 nie beda przepuszczac ani jednej ciezarowki jadacej w kierunku granicy.



Relacje ze strajku generalnego rolnikow w @RMF24pl pic.twitter.com/Uun9hUOLYS  Micha Dobroowicz (@MDobrolowicz) February 20, 2024

As of late evening on 19 February, the line of lorries waiting to enter Ukraine through this border crossing reached 17 km, and for some, the waiting time extended to 230 hours.

SOURCE: RMF24S JOURNALIST MICHA DOBROOWICZ ON X (TWITTER)

The Medyka-Shehyni crossing point has also been blocked.

One of the protesters' key demands is to impose restrictions on the import of agricultural products from Ukraine.

Background:

On 20 February, the eve of a large protest by farmers, Czeslaw Siekierski, Poland's Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, addressed to them an open letter outlining the ministry's priorities and inviting the protesters to negotiations.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine deemed the blockade of the Polish-Ukrainian border unacceptable and emphasised that such actions appear politicised and have serious consequences for Ukraine.

The European Commission announced a meeting of the Coordination Platform for the Export and Transit of Ukrainian Agricultural Products amid the blockade of the border with Ukraine by Polish farmers on 20 February.

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Community solar has emerged over the past decade as a leading way to help low-income residents manage their rising utility bills. It has been a valuable economic lifeline for Massachusetts residents, particularly last winter when bills dramatically spiked due to soaring natural gas prices.

State lawmakers should be applauded for favorably reporting H.3216 out of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy. This legislation will substantially expand community solar in the commonwealth and further reduce barriers to low-income participation.

Now the Massachusetts Legislature must seize this momentum by enacting this bill. Expanding community solar will not only provide much-needed relief to consumers but also boost the economy and help the commonwealth achieve its ambitious climate goals of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050.

Solar panels are visible on the top of a carport in the parking lot of the Dr. Arthur F. Sullivan Middle School in Worcester.

H.3216 sets a statewide target of installing 10 GW of community solar by 2030, which will help ensure no family in the state is left behind in the clean energy economy.

With community solar, the two-thirds of Americans who cannot install rooftop panels on their homes (because they rent, live in large buildings, or cannot afford the upfront costs) can access the benefits of solar by tapping into panels located elsewhere. Once online, households and businesses can subscribe and source a portion of their energy through the projects. Subscribers then save money on their utility bills. Every little bit helps in a state where monthly utility bills continue to be among the highest in the nation.

Opening up clean energy access and equity is also a critical component. For too long, low-income households in Massachusetts have experienced an energy burden three times higher than the average and as high as 31% in some neighborhoods, meaning that these families spend nearly one-third of their income on their energy bills.

This legislation expands access to those whose income is at or below 80% of the area median income or 200% of the federal poverty level. It slashes the red tape that has historically discouraged low-income households from participating in clean energy programs, and includes provisions for certain small businesses and low-income multidwelling units to access the program.

If enacted, this bill will remove barriers to participation by providing households with multiple easy ways to verify their income status, all without the need to provide sensitive information. It will also prevent credit-based discrimination by prohibiting solar developers from running credit checks to screen households for participation, and prohibits termination and exit fees for households.

In short, H.3216 ensures that community solar is an easy-to-use, risk-free tool for low-income customers to reduce their energy bills.

While Massachusetts can and should go further in ensuring our community solar program is benefiting as many people as possible  such as by guaranteeing savings for participants, reserving a percentage of program capacity for low-wealth households, and allowing low-wealth participants to self-verify their income status  there is much to applaud about the pieces moving forward. This legislation is a game changer for removing the barriers that limit participation in community solar projects among low-wealth households in the Bay State.

Community solar shapes the lives of the community for the better. At a time when working-class families continue to face higher costs for everything, from eggs to rent, expanding access to this program will help them make ends meet by lowering utility bills.

For lawmakers, expanding the program will be truly transformative, helping to meet the states climate goals, aid working-class families and spur the local economy.

In politics, there are few triple-win decisions. But this is one of them.

Elena Weissmann is the northeast regional director for Vote Solar, and James Feinstein is policy director at Arcadia, the nations largest subscriber manager developer of community solar projects.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Massachusetts Legislature must expand community solar to low-income households
By Nate Raymond

BOSTON (Reuters) - A Massachusetts man who was charged with his wife's murder last year after her disappearance garnered national headlines was sentenced on Tuesday to more than three years in prison for engaging in an earlier scheme to sell counterfeit Andy Warhol paintings.

U.S. District Judge William Young in Boston at the request of prosecutors and the lawyer for Brian Walshe did not factor in the pending murder charges related to the death of his wife in deciding what sentence he deserved following his 2021 guilty plea to wire fraud and other charges.

Young said the "primary driver" of the sentence of 37 months in prison was instead to deter others from engaging in art fraud. He also ordered Walshe to pay $475,000 in restitution. About $95,000 has already been paid.

Walshe, 49, had admitted to selling a California gallery and a Parisian art consultant fake Warhol paintings based on original art pieces that Walshe defrauded a former college classmate into giving him to help sell. Those originals were never recovered.

Walshe's lawyer, Tracy Miner, had urged the judge to impose a non-prison sentence, just as a different federal judge, Douglas Woodlock, nearly did in October 2021 in the same case, which was first filed in 2018.

Woodlock instead at the last minute delayed imposing a sentence when a problem arose with a check Walshe wrote to pay restitution to his victims.

The issue with the check was resolved, but it prompted an investigation concerning his finances, and Walshe's ultimate sentencing was further delayed for years until the case was reassigned to Young in July.

Walshe had remained under house arrest in the interim, and in January was charged with murdering his wife, Ana Walshe, who was reported missing by her employer, a real estate company in Washington, D.C., after she was last seen on New Year's Day.

Walshe originally told investigators that his wife left their Cohasset, Massachusetts, home early in a ride-hailing service for the airport to go to Washington for work. But prosecutors in Norfolk County say Walshe actually killed her.

Prosecutors said he had searched on Google "can you throw away body parts," and authorities recovered trash bags Walshe disposed of that contained items stained with blood as well as a hacksaw, Ana Walshe's COVID-19 vaccine card, and boots she was last seen wearing.

Walshe has pleaded not guilty and faces life in prison if convicted. No trial date has been set.

(Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston; Editing by Bill Berkrot)
The grave site of Alexander K. Kelley, who founded Evergreen Negro Cemetery in Fifth Ward, pictured in January 2022. Godofredo A. Vasquez, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Dr. Woodrow Jones points to the chain links found on the tombstone of Alexander K. Kelley, who founded Evergreen Negro Cemetery in Fifth Ward. Godofredo A. Vasquez, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Project RESPECTs Lisa Jedkins, left, and Woodrow Jones, right, at the grave site of Alexander K. Kelley, who founded Evergreen Negro Cemetery in Fifth Ward. Godofredo A. Vasquez, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Woodrow Jones holds a metal bar he uses to poke the ground at Evergreen Negro Cemetery to check if there are any undiscovered grave sites. Godofredo A. Vasquez, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

City and METRO officials have discovered 33 burial sites, including three that appear fully intact, near a historic Black cemetery on Lockwood Drive, which the city apparently missed when it tore through the site to expand the street in the 1940s and '60s, Mayor Sylvester Turner said Monday.

The remains were discovered in the esplanade that was installed between the lanes during the Lockwood expansion, which split the Evergreen Negro Cemetery in two and caused it to languish until a nonprofit restored it in the 1990s. The Fifth Ward cemetery includes remains of Buffalo Soldiers, the first Black police officer killed in the line of duty, and World War I veterans.

Turner said it was a concerning and disappointing discovery. It was one thing, he said, for the city to desecrate the cemetery in the first place by running infrastructure directly through it in the mid-20th century, but it appears Houston officials and contractors also failed to account for all of the bodies that lay there. Now, he said, it is up to the city to right that wrong.

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We owe it to those who were buried here and, quite frankly, to those who have yet to come, to remember these families and give them a final resting place with dignity and respect," Turner said. "It is unfortunate we are having to address this in 2023.

A.K. Kelley, a former slave and prominent local businessman, opened the cemetery in Fifth Ward in 1887. Thought to be one of the founders of the Mount Zion Baptist Church, he died in 1928 and is buried in the family plot at the cemetery.

It operated through the 1960s. Rev. Harvey Clemons Jr., a Fifth Ward native, said his family has several ancestors buried there.

"Anyone who has grown up in Fifth Ward more than likely had family members who are buried here," he said.

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The city initially expanded Lockwood Drive in the 1940s, bisecting the cemetery. In the 1960s, it widened it further to include a median between the lanes at Market Street, Turner said. That work included moving hundreds of bodies and burial sites, and the city promised descendents it would move all of the bodies to the cemetery's remaining sites.

Workers from the city and the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County found the remains as they prepared for work on the University Line, a new bus rapid transit route that will follow along much of Lockwood. The beginning stages of that work included an archaeological investigation, which led to the discovery.

Thirty of the 33 sites have what officials called "burial remnants"  coffin bottoms and other hardware, tiny fragments of bones  that indicate they were exhumed during the original work in the mid-20th century, said Mindy Bonine, a consultant from AmaTerra Environmental, who was the lead archaeological investigator on the project.

Three had "significant" remains, indicating they had been missed altogether and never exhumed or properly moved. Workers protected and reburied them until they could plan how to move them respectfully, Bonine said.

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Turner said officials now will work with Project RESPECT, a nonprofit group that has worked since the 1990s to rehabilitate and maintain the historic cemetery, to do so. Metro Chairman Sanjay Ramabhadran said the transit agency would halt all work in the area, ensure the remains are respectfully moved and reinterred, and place a monument in the esplanade to recognize the significance of the site.

Dr. Woodrow Jones II, a mathematician and software engineer, and Lisa Jedkins, a computer programmer at Wilson Financial Group, have led Project RESPECT's effort. The nonprofit also oversees Harrisburg-Jackson Cemetery in the East End, and the New Home Cemetery in Richmond.

The restoration involved pushing for legislative change in House Bill 814, which the Texas Legislature passed in 1995. That allowed nonprofits to petition for the responsibility of history cemeteries. Then-Mayor Bob Lanier helped with the restoration efforts, as well, Jedkins said.

"This cemetery shows people who worked hard in this community," Jedkins said. "This shows people who gave their lives in this community... People don't know in the 1800s, we were doctors, we were lawyers."

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A smooth green floor reflects florescent lights shining above plastic-covered shelving, below a row of vents.

Dark matter  an invisible substance that somehow makes up over 80 percent of all matter in the universe  is a phenomenon that frustratingly eludes scientists. Despite being sought after for decades, and providing us with clues that it does indeed exist, dark matter has never been directly detected.

But now, the China Jinping Underground Laboratory (CJPL)  crowned the world's largest and deepest underground facility after its upgraded phase, CJPL-II  promises to take scientists a step further. It became operational in early December of last year.

Built inside repurposed tunnels running through the Jinping Mountains in China's Sichuan Province, the lab is buried beneath 2,400 meters (1.49 miles) of rock. The reason for its deep, lonely location is that so much rock can reduce background noise found in dark matter data, typically induced by things like cosmic rays (another space mystery for another time.)

Related: How much of the universe is dark matter?

Spread across 330,000 cubic meters, the enormous new facility is home to two upgraded dark matter detectors. The lab also has exceptional horizontal access. "One can drive a bus to the caverns," said Wick Haxton , a professor of physics at the University of California, Berkeley, who has toured CJPL-II as well as the original laboratory, and was on the laboratory's advisory committee until last year.

This impressive aspect "makes the construction of large facilities underground less costly and more efficient," Haxton said. "I do not believe there is any other site that combines such great depth with such access."

Detecting the invisible

Scientists think the dark matter content that permeates our universe doesn't experience many of the interactions that charged particles, like protons and electrons, would, meaning particles thought to make up the mysterious substance could very well glide right through Earth 's rock and pass through detectors located even below the surface at China's Jinping lab.

After all, a key characteristic of dark matter is the fact that it doesn't interact with light, unlike "normal," or baryonic, matter composed of protons and electrons . That's actually why it's fully invisible to us.

In the lab, however, scientists hope potential dark matter particles collide with material in detectors designed to flag these elusive particles. At Jinping, this search is spearheaded by two dark matter experiments, named the Particle and Astrophysical Xenon Experiments (PandaX) and the China Dark Matter Experiment (CDEX).

Potential dark matter particles colliding with atoms of liquid xenon maintained by the PandaX detector would be flagged by sensors as light flashes. Meanwhile, CDEX's higher-sensitivity germanium detector would tag these mysterious particles as electrical signals. The idea is that, even if nearly every dark matter particle whizzes past the detectors, at least one will accidentally come into contact with either of them.

Specifically, the detectors are hunting for a leading dark matter candidate called WIMPS (short for weakly interacting massive particles), a hypothetical class of particles predicted over three decades ago that have eluded the most sensitive experiments so far. Their presence, known only through the weak nuclear force and gravity , is within the understanding of how we think the universe evolved. In 2021, however, the world's most sensitive WIMP detectors at the Gran Sasso National Laboratory in Italy as well as Jinping reported a null finding .

Another leading alternative for the dark matter particle include axions, also a category of hypothetical particles thought to flood the universe and behave exactly like dark matter. Other exotic interpretations remain, such as the popular but unconfirmed theory that dark matter particles somehow interact with themselves (self-interacting dark matter or SIDM).

Related Stories:

 Dark matter may be hiding in the Large Hadron Collider's particle jets

 'Dark force' theory could solve 2 open cosmic mysteries

 We still don't know what dark matter is, but here's what it's not

Dark matter experts say the upgraded Jinping lab could also help answer more fundamental questions, such as whether "particles" really constitute dark matter. A commonly held notion is that dark matter is primarily made of as yet undetected subatomic particle (or a group of them). But alternate popular (but imperfect theories) of gravity that don't require dark matter to be made up of particles persist.

"At a basic level, we don't know because we've never detected a particle interaction," said Matthew Walker , an astrophysicist at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. As ambitious as the goal is, detecting a dark matter particle would settle the issue once and for all. "To me, that's the most important thing this experiment could do."

"I'm rooting for them," he added. "We've been waiting a long time to learn what dark matter is."
There are growing concerns that the Republican Partys MAGA wing wants to return to isolationism, defined as a national policy of avoiding political or economic entanglements with other countries.

Isolationist tendencies were prudent when George Washington warned against entangling alliances. And isolationism was widely embraced at the beginning of both World War I and II. But there are several reasons why U.S. isolationism isnt an option in todays interconnected world.

Its not just states, theres territories. Isolationist thinking tends to focus on the 48 mainland states and how far removed the U.S. is from the frequent disputes and saber-rattling in Europe, Africa and Asia. But thats too narrow a view of the United States.

Theres Alaska, which at its closest point is only 53 miles from Russia. And Hawaii is in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

Plus, there are 16 U.S. territories, with five of them populated with U.S. citizens  two (Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands) in the Caribbean and three (American Samoa, Guam and the Northern Marianna Islands) in the Pacific. The other 11 territories are also in the Caribbean and Pacific and are considered uninhabited, but still part of the United States.

Then there are joint security agreements, such as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and there are U.S. military bases in several counties, many of which are in or near areas where authoritarian governments are looking to expand their influence and control.

In short, the U.S. has citizens, land, obligations and responsibilities in many parts of the world, not just the mainland, and the U.S. cannot easily ignore or abandon them.

Freedom of the seas. Since World War II, the U.S. has been the primary guarantor of the freedom of the seas, ensuring all countries access to shipping lanes and the right to travel in international waters. As the U.S. Navy explains, This principles legacy is that it has continued to remain a tenet of U.S. foreign policy, as evidenced by the Navys conduct of operations to uphold its primacy throughout the world in the decades since [WWII].

But some countries bent on expansion are threatening that right. China, for example, has been building islands in the South China Sea in an effort to make territorial claims over what have always been international waters. And to enforce that claim, China has now built the largest navy in the world and is looking to expand its overseas bases. As CNN reports, In recent years it [China] has launched large guided-missile destroyers, amphibious assault ships and aircraft carriers with the ability to operate in the open ocean and project power thousands of miles from Beijing.

If the U.S. and its allies dont pushback against such expansionist challenges, the freedom to navigate the seas will decline.

Trade and supply chains. Freedom of the seas is important in part because of international trade, which some expansionist countries seek to limit or control. Besides China, Iran is funding the Houthis in Yemen, who have been targeting shipping passing through the Red Sea. The result is that many cargo ships have diverted and are going around the tip of Africa, costing both time and money.

The U.S. depends on many countries to supply the raw materials and products that drive the U.S. economy. While both President Joe Biden and Donald Trump seek to reduce that dependence  Biden by handing out hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars to favored industries to manufacture here and Trump by imposing across-the-board tariffs on imports  the U.S. economy will always need large quantities of foreign-developed raw materials, products and services.

Large immigrant populations. Another major challenge to isolationism today is the growth of politically active immigrant communities. You can see it in the response of Palestinian-affiliated communities. They are putting pressure on Washington to end Israels military efforts in Gaza. And, of course, Ukrainian communities in the U.S. want Washington to continue funding Ukraines war efforts.

The point is that many immigrant communities want the United States to be involved in the affairs of other countries, making it harder for the U.S. to move toward isolationism.

The world is smaller. Thousands of miles of intervening water have helped Americans feel somewhat removed from other countries problems. But technology has changed all that. Communications are instantaneous. Hypersonic and ballistic missiles can cover thousands of miles in a flash. And hackers can infiltrate U.S. communications, financial institutions and infrastructure without leaving the comfort of their chair.

The world is a much smaller place today, which makes isolationism more difficult. Just because we dont want to interfere with other countries doesnt mean they dont want to interfere with us.

That doesnt mean the U.S. has to be the worlds policeman or stick its nose in every countrys business. We might adopt what I call reluctant interventionism, avoiding entanglements when possible, but recognizing that some interventions are necessary. But in todays interconnected world, a strident isolationism isnt just bad policy, its dangerous.

Merrill Matthews is a resident scholar with the Institute for Policy Innovation in Dallas, Texas. Follow him on X@MerrillMatthews.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The world's only McDonalds with a "ski-thru" window has become this winter's destination du jour for snow bunnies who spotted the restaurant in viral videos on social media.

Its a hot spot in a cold climate.

The worlds only McDonalds with a ski-thru window has become this winters destination du jour for snow bunnies who spotted the restaurant in viral videos on social media.

McSki, located in Salen, Sweden, first opened to the public back in 1996, but has been inundated with fast food lovers from across the planet in recent months.

This season has been extraordinary because there are so many people from other countries here, so many from Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, McSkis supervisor, Aron Johannes, told The Telegraph, attributing some of the buzz to TikTok.

Whats interesting this year, in particular, is that theres been an 80 per cent increase in English visitors, Linda Morell, head of public relations at SkiStar, which owns the McDonalds building, noted.

Weve never had so many English guests, she added, saying the weak Swedish krona was also fueling tourism. Its an all-time high.

This season has been extraordinary because there are so many people from other countries here, so many from Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, McSkis supervisor, Aron Johannes, told The Telegraph, attributing some of the buzz to TikTok. McDonald's / Facebook

McSki, located in Salen, Sweden, first opened to the public back in 1996, but has been inundated with fast food lovers from across the planet in recent months. McDonald's Sverige

Those seeking respite from the frigid conditions, however, can sit inside McSki, which resembles a cozy Aline lodge with its wood-paneled interior. McDonald's Lindvallen

McSki, which sits on the slopes of the Lindvallen winter resort, allows customers to waltz up to a window with their skis and snowboards to order any item inside.

The restaurant boasts a full menu, in addition to a McCafe, where hot chocolate and warm Swedish cinnamon buns are beloved by patrons.

Customers can enjoy their order in the elements, with the restaurant boasting several outdoor tables.

Those seeking respite from the frigid conditions, however, can sit inside McSki, which resembles a cozy Aline lodge with its wood-paneled interior. Theres seating for 170 people, and the space can quickly fill up if blizzard-like conditions commence.

The restaurant boasts a full menu, in addition to a McCafe, where hot chocolate and warm Swedish cinnamon buns are beloved by patrons. McDonald's

McSki, which sits on the slopes of the Lindvallen winter resort, allows customers to waltz up to a window with their skis and snowboards to order any item inside. McDonald's Lindvallen

Theyre lovin it: McSki boasts room for ample snow bunnies, with 170s seats inside. McDonald's Lindvallen

One TikTok video posted last December, which described McSki as heaven, has clocked up a whopping 6.6 million views and enticed a whole lot of viewers to add the restaurant to their travel plans.

In the clip, a female skier is seen gliding up to the ski window to take her order with a huge smile splashed across her face.

A second clip which has garnered more than 7 million views shows a snowboarder picking up a paper bag filled with McDonalds treats from a grinning employee.

Customers can enjoy their orders in the elements, with the restaurant boasting several outdoor tables. McDonald's Lindvallen

Its a very special McDonalds, Johannes told The Telegraph. Everyone is happy, everyone is on vacation mode.
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL)  The Muscogee County Sheriffs Office said a man wanted in connection with a 2023 shooting was arrested along with deputies discovering fentanyl, methamphetamine and marijuana worth thousands of dollars.

According to MCSO, the sheriffs office special operations unit and the Lee County Sheriffs Office found and arrested Jeremy Spradley. At the time of his arrest, he was being sought out by the Columbus Police Department in connection with a shooting that happened on Rollins Way on Dec. 22, 2023.

Spradley had the following outstanding warrants:

Felony aggravated assault

Felony possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime

Felony possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

UPDATE: Two suspects wanted in Rollins Way double shooting

MCSO says during Spradleys arrests, authorities found 127 grams of meth with an estimated worth of $12,700, 21 grams of marijuana with an estimated value of $210 and 0.8 grams of fentanyl worth an estimated $125.

MCSO says Spradley was transported to the Lee County Jail and charged with:

Felony trafficking methamphetamine

Three counts of felony possession of a controlled substance

First-degree felony possession of marijuana

Possession of drug paraphernalia

Felony certain persons are forbidden to carry a firearm

As of now, MCSO said Spradley awaits trial and extradition to Georgia.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WRBL.
A measles outbreak at a Florida elementary school is the latest in a string of flare-ups in nearly a dozen states around the country as health authorities warn of rising cases of the preventable infection.

Health Department officials in Broward County have confirmed at least six cases of measles, a highly contagious viral infection once believed to have been eliminated in the U.S. that often leads to a rash, fever and cough. Measles can be especially dangerous and even deadly for children and babies.

The disease is easily preventable with a regular measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nearly a dozen states have identified cases since December, and outbreaks have occurred in Washington state, Pennsylvania and now Florida.

Broward County Public Schools confirmed the first case on Friday in a third grade student at a Weston elementary school who had no history of travel, the Sun Sentinel reported. On Saturday, officials said the Florida Department of Health was investigating additional cases but did not say whether they involved students, teachers or school staff. A state database indicates there were six cases in Broward County, just north of Miami.

Late Tuesday, John J. Sullivan, a spokesperson for Broward County Schools, said in a statement that the district learned of one additional case, bringing the total number of cases to six at Manatee Bay Elementary School in Weston, about 20 miles west of Fort Lauderdale.

Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo wrote in a letter to Manatee Bay parents Tuesday that in cases with such high likelihood of infection, it's normally recommended that students stay home. The infectious period would likely be over by March 7, though the date could change. The district planned to provide continuous learning to Manatee Bay students whose parents or guardians chose to keep them at home, he said.

"However, due to the high immunity rate in the community, as well as the burden on families and educational cost of healthy children missing school, (the Department of Health) is deferring to parents or guardians to make decisions about school attendance," Ladapo said. "This recommendation may change as epidemiological investigations continue."

The letter didn't specify the immunity rate Manatee Bay had. The state health department didn't immediately respond to USA TODAY's email request Tuesday night.

Florida's kindergarten vaccination rate was 90.6%, below the national average of 93.1%. School district figures show that 86 students out of nearly 1,100 at Manatee Bay are not vaccinated against measles, CBS Miami reported.

The U.S. has set targets of 95% coverage with measles vaccine. Federal data has shown a large drop in vaccinations and record levels of vaccine exemptions among kindergarteners nationwide.

Vaccination rates have dropped in the U.S., according to a CDC report. The U.S. reached its highest level ever for vaccine exemptions in the 2022-23 school year, with about a quarter-million kindergartners at risk to measles exposure. The exemptions are typically for religious, medical or philosophical reasons.

Measles increases: CDC issues alert that measles cases are up, urging health providers to watch for disease

Disease map: See where measles cases are being reported across the US

What is measles?

Measles is a viral infection that can cause a high fever, cough, runny nose and watery eyes seven to 14 days after a person comes in contact with the virus.

Three to five days after symptoms begin, a rash usually breaks out. It often begins as flat red spots on the face at the hairline and spread downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet, according to the CDC.

When the rash appears, a persons fever may spike to more than 104 degrees.

Measles spreads through droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes. It is so contagious that if one person has it, as many as nine out of 10 people around that person will also become infected if they are not vaccinated, according to the CDC. It can linger in the air long after a person has left a room.

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention photo shows a child with a classic measles rash after four days.

How serious is measles?

Measles is especially dangerous for children under 5 and people who are pregnant or have HIV.

About 1 in 5 people who get the infection and are unvaccinated are hospitalized, according to the CDC. One to 3 of every 1,000 children infected with measles will die from respiratory and neurologic complications.

The rise in child cases signals that the U.S. is at a canary in the coal mine moment, said Michael Osterholm, director of the University of Minnesotas Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy.

We're going to start seeing more and more of these outbreaks, Osterholm said. We're going to see more kids seriously ill, hospitalized and even die. And what's so tragic about this, these are all preventable.

'Growing global threat,' CDC warns

Measles has been considered an "eliminated" virus in the U.S. since 2000.

After nearly two dozen cases were reported in December and January, the CDC urged health providers across the U.S. to better identify patients with signs of measles. Some recent measles cases originated from unvaccinated U.S. residents who travel internationally and transmit the disease to others who arent immune.

"The increased number of measles importations seen in recent weeks is reflective of a rise in global measles cases and a growing global threat from the disease," the CDC said at the time.

Is there a vaccine for measles?

Measles is completely preventable if a child receives the vaccine. The CDC recommends children get two doses of the vaccine, starting with the first dose when they are 12 to 15 months old, and the second dose between 4 and 6.

People who have received the full series of the immunizations are 98% protected and are highly unlikely to contract measles, according to the Florida Department of Health.

What should I do if my child shows symptoms of measles?

If you suspect or notice any symptoms of measles, contact your health care provider for instructions on how to safely seek medical attention without exposing other patients.

Officials urge patients to not visit a health care provider without properly contacting the provider ahead of time.

Contributing: Eduardo Cuevas

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Florida measles outbreak revs fears as cases begin to add up in US
The delivery of 100 Bulgarian armored personnel carriers to Ukraine has been delayed as the Bulgarian Defense Ministry asks NATO to cover the transport costs, Euractiv reported on Feb. 20, citing Bulgarian lawmakers and officials.

The news comes even though Bulgarian Defense Minister Todor Tagarev said on Feb. 2 that the operation to deliver the vehicles has begun.

Bulgaria's Interior Ministry in 2023 concluded an agreement with the Ukrainian Defense Ministry to provide 100 older vehicles from its stocks. The Bulgarian parliament gave its final approval to the deal last December.

Almost three months later, there is no information on them actually arriving in Ukraine.

"Bulgaria can help Ukraine a lot, but this is delayed due to the fact that the administration of the (Bulgarian) Ministry of Defense does not work optimally," Ivaylo Mirchev, a lawmaker from the PPDB coalition that sits in the government, told Euractiv.

Tagarev said that the transfer has been delayed as the Bulgarian government investigates whether NATO allies could finance the transport.

"This is not an elementary transport operation because quite a number of train sets have to be engaged," Tagarev told the state BNR radio on Feb. 19.

Initially a hesitant partner, Bulgaria has become increasingly supportive of Ukraine as the war has progressed. In its December decision, the country's parliament has greenlighted not only the armored vehicles but also the supply of Soviet-era air defense missiles to Ukraine.

Read also: Bulgarias Soviet stockpiles and large defense industry may be key to Ukraines success

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Nikki Haley is campaigning hard, making the television rounds and ramping up her rhetoric against Donald Trump.

She is fighting on her home turf  South Carolina, the state that knows her best  and yet the media are acting in many ways as if the campaign is over.

Thats largely because the states former governor trails Trump by 22 to 36 percentage points, according to the last several South Carolina polls.

RON DESANTIS ACCUSES NIKKI HALEY OF APPEALING TO 'LIBERAL' T-SHIRT WEARERS: 'SHE'S POISONED THE WELL'

Haley is not only way behind Trump, shes not closing the gap in a way that makes it a competitive contest on Saturday.

And if she loses by more than 20, the pundits will view that as the final nail in her political coffin.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

Republican presidential candidate former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley speaks during Fox News' "Democracy 2024: South Carolina Town Hall" on Feb. 18 in Columbia, South Carolina, ahead of its Republican primary on Feb. 24.

Beyond that, I cant think of a single state that Haley can win outright. She says shell continue at least through Super Tuesday, but the former president may have mathematically clinched the nomination by then, or shortly afterward.

This is not a knock on Haley (though contemporaries say she burned some bridges in South Carolina). The former U.N. ambassador managed to be the last woman standing, well after Pence, DeSantis, Scott, Christie and the others dropped out. But its instructive to look at how shes campaigning, and why Trump  despite his four indictments and $355 million civil fraud penalty  seems unstoppable.

In a Sunday interview on ABCs "This Week," Haley increasingly tried to tie Trump to Vladimir Putins murderous tactics in the wake of the Arctic prison killing of opposition leader Alexei Navalny:

"When you hear Donald Trump say in South Carolina a week ago that he would encourage Putin to invade our allies if they werent pulling their weight, thats bone-chilling, because all he did in that one moment was empower Putin. And all he did in that moment was, he sided with a guy that kills his political opponents, he sided with a thug that arrests American journalists and holds them hostage, and he sided with a guy who wanted to make a point to the Russian people, dont challenge me in the next election or this will happen to you too."

TRUMPS NATO COMMENTS TRIGGER FIERCE MEDIA AND EUROPEAN OPPOSITION: HOW SERIOUS IS HE?

Whats more, Haley told Jonathan Karl, "its actually pretty amazing that he  not only after making those comments that he would encourage Putin to invade NATO, but the fact that he wont acknowledge anything with Navalny. Either he sides with Putin and thinks its cool that Putin killed one of his political opponents, or he just doesnt think its that big of a deal."

Trump had said he wouldnt protect any NATO country that didnt spend 2% of its funds on defense, and in that case he would encourage Putin and Russia to "do whatever they hell they wanted." He has made no mention of Navalnys death, which President Biden quickly blamed on Putin.

Haley reminded viewers that if Ukraine falls, Poland or the Baltics could be next.

Aerial footage shows blasts on Ukrainian coke plant.

Now think about this. If a candidate not named Trump had made comments interpreted as potentially blowing up the Atlantic alliance  drawing condemnation from top European leaders  and stayed silent when Russias dictator had the opposition leader killed, after a previous poisoning attempt, wouldnt there be a political uproar?

But since it is Trump, who as president had a friendly relationship with Putin, there has been scant criticism from Republicans. If Trump believes it, most of the party falls into line.

It harkens back to his old 2016 line about shooting someone on Fifth Avenue. Just as the Senate seemed on the verge of passing a bipartisan border bill that included aid to Ukraine and Israel, Trump torpedoed the measure by coming out against it.

DEMOCRATS WIN SEAT, REPUBLICANS WIN IMPEACHMENT, TWO PRESIDENTS CLASH OVER NATO

And in a FOX town hall Sunday night, Haley, who often says her ex-boss was a good president at the time, offered a more negative assessment:

"There were things that he did wrong," Haley told John Roberts. "His press conference in Helsinki, when he went and was trying to buddy up with Putin, I called him out for that. I explained that deeply in my bookhow he was completely wrong. Because every time he was in the same room with him, he got weak in the knees. We can't have a president that gets weak in the knees with Putin."

Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman told him of Alexey Navalny's death during a meeting with workers at the AO Konar plant on Feb. 16 in Chelyabinsk, Russia.

About 20 minutes after Haley used the "weak in the knees" line yesterday on "Fox & Friends," saying Trump has "yet to say anything about Navalnys death," the ex-president responded on Truth Social:

"The sudden death of Alexei Navalny has made me more and more aware of what is happening in our Country. It is a slow, steady progression, with CROOKED, Radical Left Politicians, Prosecutors, and Judges leading us down a path to destruction." You might have noticed the pivot, and the failure to mention Putin at all.



All this, in a nutshell, is why the press are far more interested in the veepstakes chatter surrounding Trump than in Haleys dogged campaigning.

What most of the media and other critics fail to understand is that Trump represents the majority of his party. He has remade the GOP in his own image. Most leaders, with the notable exception of the strongly pro-Ukraine Mitch McConnell, follow their leader, as do rank-and-file members afraid of a Donald-backed primary challenger.

Speaker Mike Johnson admitted he consulted with Trump before declaring the border compromise DOA. Marco Rubio, who two months ago helped pass a law barring any president from withdrawing from NATO, said he had no problem with Trumps remarks about the alliance.

There are even lines that Haley wont cross. Asked repeatedly on ABC whether she still plans to endorse Trump if he wins, as she said at the campaigns outset, Haley kept deflecting the question.

A decade ago, Haleys pro-military and anti-Russia views would have been a comfortable fit for the Republican Party, but that party no longer exists.





Original article source: Media deem Trump the nominee, despite Haley tying him to Putin
The Permanent Council of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) will hold a special meeting on Feb. 23 to highlight the second anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine the following day, Ukrinform reported on Feb. 20.

"At the request of the Ukrainian delegation, the Maltese presidency will convene a special meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council on Friday on the occasion of the second anniversary of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation into Ukraine," Ukraine's delegation announced.

The OSCE Permanent Council is the principal decision-making body for the day-to-day operational work of the OSCE. Council meetings take place once a week in Vienna, Austria.

The UN General Assembly is also scheduled to 'discuss the situation in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine' this Friday. The Security Council will hold an open debate on Ukraine the same day.

According to Ukrinform, Ukraine requested the Security Council debate with the support of Slovenia. The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is expected to make a speech.

Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022.

Read also: Russia announces intention to leave OSCE Parliamentary Assembly

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
A student exits the Peter T. Lawn Academic Center at the University of Texas at Austin this summer. Since a new law took effect Jan. 1, the university has stopped diversity-centered scholarships, repurposed DEI centers and closed the Multicultural Engagement Center, which was a hub and meeting space for Asian, Latino, Native American, Black and LGBTQ university-supported student organizations. Alyssa Gisselle Olvera/Staff photographer

On the University of Texas at Austin brochures and websites, Jillian Williams saw smiling Black students in graduation garb holding up Longhorn hand signs.

So she was surprised the first day of her freshman year when she walked through her 17-story private dorm  past the foyer, down the halls, into the cafeteria  and didnt see another Black student, except herself and her roommate.

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That really transformed the way that I saw UT because I kind of realized that UT wasnt catering towards me, Williams said.

A new state law that dismantles diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in higher education has students like Williams worried the already limited Black population at UT  only 4.5% of students and 5.3% of faculty  is unlikely to grow.

Since the law took effect Jan. 1, the university has stopped diversity-centered scholarships, repurposed DEI centers and closed the Multicultural Engagement Center, which was a hub and meeting space for Asian, Latino, Native American, Black and LGBTQ university-supported student organizations.

The universitys Division of Diversity and Community Engagement is now called the Division of Campus and Community Engagement. The Gender and Sexuality Center is now the Womens Community Center. Under the law, neither center can cater specifically to LGBTQ students or racial and ethnic minority groups. University officials canceled long-standing cultural convocation ceremonies like Black Graduation.

Even this months Black History Month celebrations, which are still allowed under the law, feel muted to some. The university is hosting a barbecue at the end of the month and promoting a biannual symposium called Afrofuturism and the Law. A web posting about the events makes only passing reference to a memorial project announced last year that would honor the schools first official cohort of Black students, from 1956.

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The state of Texas and our legislators, as a whole, are trying to diminish the experiences of Black people, said Bryn Palmer, a member of the historically Black Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. Its really just Black history, and theyve rebranded it to make it seem like were attacking white people for things that happened in the past.

Destiny Afinni-Myles, who heads the African Students Organization, said the DEI ban feels extremely personal.

Though student groups are exempt from it and cant be denied funding, many groups and diversity initiatives ran with the help of faculty, administration and campus centers as community building spaces.

I dont know whos going to advocate for these students, Afinni-Myles said. I dont know whos going to be their support system because theyre not going to have that community.

She said she was recently walking through central campus and passed a group of students holding signs, arguing over the new law.

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It seemed like the supporters of the ban were against her being able to celebrate her own identity.

Thats the way that Im seeing it, Afinni-Myles said. And I feel like if anyone saw that, they would be so distressed and so disheartened.

UT isnt the only public university affected. The University of Houston closed its LGBTQ offices in September, as did Texas A&M in January. At the start of the year, UT San Antonio also closed its Inclusive Excellence office and offered no plans to repurpose the center.

Proponents of the ban say DEI efforts in higher education have not only fallen short, but have become part of a larger effort to rid campuses of conservative thought. Republican lawmakers noted claims last year that the programs have led to qualified job applicants being overlooked, sometimes running afoul of federal anti-discrimination laws.

Having DEI offices and programs causes greater divisions on campus, said Sherry Sylvester, a senior fellow at the right-leaning Texas Public Policy Foundation and a former senior adviser to Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who championed the law.

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We want to return universities to their mission, which is to be places of free speech, open inquiry and everybodys voice is heard, Sylvester said. Nobody is silenced. Merit matters. Hard work matters.

When UT released its first diversity and inclusion plan in 2017, the university assured diverse representation on hiring committees in hopes of raising the small 3.7% Black faculty population. It also promised to increase housing and expand mental, educational and career resources for minority students.

In 2022, the university furthered its diversity efforts with its You Belong Here plan to create a more equitable and inclusive campus. Under the plan, UT pledged to recruit, retain and graduate more Black students and also implement more DEI training and teachings. In February 2023, the plan was paused in response to anti-DEI propositions in the last legislative session.

The plan and other diversity and inclusion resources and outlines have since been removed from UTs website. Asked about the change, university officials said anything removed from the site is to be considered out of date.

The university declined interview requests on the broader changes to DEI. In December, LaToya Smith, the vice president for campus and community engagement, pledged to serve all Longhorns amid the changes.

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It is important to reiterate what will not change: our Divisions commitment to fostering access and belonging, Smith said in the statement at the time.

While some faculty say they are afraid to speak out against the law, senior academic adviser and previous Black Faculty and Staff Association co-president Asar Alkebulan said he feels that no law, bill or policy will stop him from expressing his identity.

Alkebulan said he is disappointed in the universitys efforts to celebrate Black culture this month. He attempted to facilitate a Kwanzaa celebration in December but said he was shot down by university heads. (The university did not respond to questions about the incident.)

Maybe they were afraid of (Senate Bill) 17, he said. People are walking on eggshells.

With SB 17, its almost like oh, well, just throw your hands up and say, OK, yeah, dont have anything, Alkebulan said. Its hurtful. Its disheartening.

Williams, the student who felt isolated her freshman year, is now the vice president of the National Black Law Students Association at UT. Honoring and learning about Black history is more important than ever, she said. As is fighting back against policies she says are meant to normalize the dismantling of Black support systems.

I think its going to spread across the country, unfortunately. And thats why our work is so important, Williams said.

She hopes to attend a law school where diversity is more supported and encouraged.
In this courtroom sketch, Chancery Court Chief Judge Kathaleen McCormick listens to testimony in a Wilmington, Del., courtroom on Monday, Nov. 14, 2022, where Tesla shareholders are challenging a compensation plan for CEO Elon Musk potentially worth more than $55 billion. (Elizabeth Williams via AP)

Few people in the world have the power to order around Elon Musk. One of them is a soft-spoken, small-town-raised, 44-year-old Delaware judge named Kathaleen McCormick.

When the planets richest person tried to back out of buying Twitter in 2022, it was McCormick who stood in the way, taking a no-nonsense approach to a lawsuit that ended with Musk backing down and completing the deal. And last month, it was McCormick who issued a landmark ruling against Musk in a Tesla shareholder lawsuit that could end up costing him some $50 billion and the title as the worlds richest person.

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The decision, which found that Musks control over Teslas board led it to grant him an unfairly lavish compensation deal, left Musk fuming. Never incorporate your company in the state of Delaware, he posted on X, before pledging to hold a vote of Tesla shareholders on moving the companys incorporation to Texas. The case is ongoing, with the two sides set to wrangle next over attorneys fees before a likely appeal to the Delaware Supreme Court later this year.

While Tesla has yet to hold a shareholder vote, Musk announced Tuesday that he has filed to move the incorporation of his privately held space company, SpaceX, from Delaware to Texas.

In her three years since becoming the first woman to lead Delawares influential Court of Chancery, McCormick has quickly established herself as a force to be reckoned with in the high-stakes realm of corporate litigation, insiders say. At a time when multibillionaires like Musk seem to face few checks on their power, McCormicks sharply written opinions have sent a message: Dont mess with Delaware.

The reason Elon Musk frequently escapes account from other judges is because they dont see through his phantabulating, said Lauren Pringle, editor of the Chancery Daily, a legal publication that covers the Delaware courts. They get wrapped up and starstruck. Not McCormick. She is clear-eyed as ever, and willing to take the slings and arrows that she knows will come with making a tough ruling.

Those slings and arrows now include a campaign by Musk to chip away at Delawares special status in the corporate world. But even with 172 million followers on X and demigod status in certain business circles, Musk likely will face a battle to persuade Teslas shareholders to relocate the companys incorporation - let alone convince other companies to follow its lead.

I dont see it getting serious traction, Lawrence Hamermesh, professor emeritus at Widener University Delaware Law School and an expert on the states legal system, said of the call for companies to abandon Delaware. Hes sort of a one-off.

With a majority of Fortune 500 companies incorporated in the state, Delaware has enjoyed decades of dominance in the realm of corporate litigation, thanks in part to a unique court system that puts decisions in the hands of judges rather than juries. The states chancery court prides itself on dealing swiftly and predictably with all manner of corporate litigation.

Taxes from those corporations make up a sizable portion of Delawares state budget, adding to the pressure on its courts to maintain the states business-friendly reputation.

One description is they sell corporate law as a product, said Edward Rock, a law professor at New York University, referencing a coinage by the legal scholar Roberta Romano. They market it, they care about it, they keep it up to date.

For decades, the face of that product in Delaware tended to be old, white and male. Now its McCormick, a native of sleepy Smyrna, Del. - population 13,000 - who has ascended to the pinnacle of the corporate law world.

The daughter of Irish Catholic public high school teachers, McCormick underwent spinal fusion surgery at age 15 for scoliosis, but that didnt stop her from playing softball and running track. An academic standout, she was the rare Smyrna High student to attend Harvard, where she majored in philosophy - and constructed an elaborate dorm-room bar that was the envy of her hallmates.

McCormick has always been tough, her older brother, Sean McCormick, said at a 2019 ceremony in which she was sworn in as vice chancellor. Kate does not suffer fools, he said. Do not be one. If you are, she might call you names that her brothers called her when they were helping her build her character.

After law school at Notre Dame, she returned to Delaware to start a family and her career at a legal aid foundation, which isnt the typical launchpad for a future Chancery Court judge.

You do public interest law, and you actually have real people whose future depends on what the court does, Rock said, including cases involving evictions. When youve dealt with real problems like that, theres a sense, it seems to me, that youre not intimidated by the kind of things that corporate litigators fight about.

In a move motivated by family and personal considerations, McCormick left the nonprofit sector to become a corporate litigator at Young, Conaway, Stargatt & Taylor in Wilmington, Del., before being appointed to the court by Gov. John Carney (D) as a vice chancellor in 2018 and then chancellor in 2021. She took charge of a docket loaded with high-profile lawsuits.

When Twitter sued Musk in 2022 over his attempt to back out of buying the company for $44 billion, McCormick assigned herself the case rather than delegating what was sure to be a contentious, high-profile matter to one of her vice chancellors.

She was quick to put her stamp on the proceedings, rebuffing requests from Musks lawyers to delay the trial so they could investigate whether Twitter hid evidence from Musk about the prevalence of bots on the platform. Well never know, right? Because the diligence didnt happen, she said, referring to the due diligence Musk waived by agreeing to the deal.

With the trial looming, Musk opted to go through with the purchase.

McCormick also presided over a lawsuit brought by a Tesla shareholder alleging that Musks 2018 compensation package, which reached a world record value of nearly $56 billion in performance-based stock grants, was unduly generous. Lawyers for the plaintiff, Richard Tornetta, argued that Musk himself controlled the process by which Teslas board arrived at the deal, and that the board failed in its duty to fully inform shareholders before a vote to approve it. (In the vote, 73 percent of the shares represented at the meeting approved the deal; Musk and his brother Kimbal Musk, a board member, were ineligible to vote their shares.)

Musks lawyers countered that the board had followed appropriate procedures and that Musks pay only ended up being so lavish because his phenomenal leadership propelled the companys stock to improbable heights - resulting in huge returns for shareholders.

In a factually detailed 200-page opinion, which McCormick leavened with her trademark puns, she concluded that Musk had effectively set his own terms, enriching himself more than necessary at the expense of other shareholders, and that the appropriate remedy was to nullify the pay package altogether. In talks with the board over his pay, McCormick wrote, Musk launched a self-driving process, recalibrating the speed and direction along the way as he saw fit.

Dismissing Musks contention that the pay negotiations must have been thorough because they took nine months and 10 meetings, McCormick wrote, Time spent only matters when well spent.

McCormicks role in the case isnt finished yet. The plaintiffs indicated in a letter to the court Tuesday that they will seek attorneys fees from Tesla, which is likely to oppose paying what Pringle said could be a very large sum. Meanwhile, Musks side will seek a stay on McCormicks judgment pending an appeal, which would be filed only after she has ruled on the legal fees.

Musk attorney Alex Spiro did not respond to a request for comment. Greg Varallo, co-lead counsel for the plaintiffs, said he expects Musk to appeal. But he scoffed at the idea that Delawares reputation will suffer from McCormicks ruling.

Investors in Delaware companies should be cheering this result and insisting that companies incorporate and stay incorporated in Delaware, he said. Because the court has shown once again that it is there to protect investors against overreaching controllers.

Musk and Tesla will also have to decide when and how to follow through on his intention to relocate Teslas incorporation from Delaware to Texas, where Musk lives and the company is headquartered. To do so will require another shareholder vote, whose outcome is uncertain.

Five corporate law experts said that while reasonable people could disagree on aspects of McCormicks opinion, it was well-reasoned and appeared generally consistent with precedent. Given that, all five agreed that the ruling was unlikely to elicit the outrage from the rest of the corporate world that it did from Musk.

I dont expect a mass migration of firms from Delaware, said Michal Barzuza, a law professor at the University of Virginia who specializes in corporate governance. The states judicial expertise and large body of case law, she said, make for a relatively predictable legal environment, which most companies - and the lawyers and investors who advise them - tend to prefer.

If anything, Barzuza said, the biggest knock on Delawares system over the years has been that its too friendly to corporations; the Chancery Court previously sided with Musk in a shareholder lawsuit challenging Teslas $2.6 billion acquisition of the solar panel company SolarCity. But she said she does worry that states such as Nevada might put pressure on Delawares courts by trying to lure companies with even more lax systems that make it harder to hold directors and officers to account.

Still, Pringle said she doubts many firms will be eager to make a switch. Uncharted waters are not lawyers favorite places to swim, generally speaking. No general counsel in their right mind is going to recommend that the company wing it in a state with very little case law.

- - -

Faiz Siddiqui contributed to this report.

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The four candidates, all Republicans, running for District 1 state Assembly are campaigning on a common and familiar theme: Sacramento doesnt understand the North State and its policies dont reflect the rural values of the area.

Two members of the Redding City Council, a member of the Anderson City Council and a farmer and former director of Modoc Countys Office of Emergency Services are vying for the seat currently held by Megan Dahle, who won the seat in a special election in November 2019.

Dahle is running for the state senate seat currently occupied by her husband, Brian Dahle. Brian Dahle had previously held the 1st District Assembly seat before he was elected to the senate.

The district includes 11 counties, including all of Shasta and Siskiyou counties, and it stretches from the Oregon border to just south of Lake Tahoe.

The top two vote-getters in the March 5 primary face off in the Nov. 5 general election race to represent the North State in Sacramento.

Megan Dahle won the district's assembly seat with 62% of the vote in November 2022. She earned heavy support in conservative-leaning Shasta County with more than 72% of the vote and won 64% of votes in Siskiyou County.

So, her endorsement of Heather Hadwick in the race could carry clout. Brian Dahle also has endorsed Hadwick.

Redding Mayor Tenessa Audette, also running for the District 1 Assembly seat, works as a district representative for Brian Dahles office.

Tenessa Audette

Among Audettes endorsements are Redding Vice Mayor Julie Winter, Shasta County District Attorney Stephanie Bridgett and Shasta County Supervisor Mary Rickert.

Should Audette win, the Redding City Council would have 60 days to either fill her vacant seat by appointment or call a special election to fill it. Audettes term on the council runs through 2026.

Redding City Councilman Mark Mezzano announced last spring that he, too, is running for the assembly. Mezzanos term on the council runs through the end of this year.

Mezzanos endorsements include Redding City Councilman Michael Dacquisto, Shasta County Supervisor Tim Garman and former Shasta County Supervisor Joe Chimenti.

Heather Hadwick

Rounding out the candidates in the assembly race is Melissa Hunt, who serves on the Anderson City Council as vice mayor.

She is endorsed by, among others, Shasta County Supervisor Chris Kelstrom, Orland Vice Mayor Bruce Roundy and former Yreka Mayor Joan Freeman.

Priorities like protecting the Second Amendment, pro-life, reducing taxes, wildfire prevention and protecting the North States water are on Audettes, Hadwicks and Hunts candidate statements.

Mezzano, a retired California Highway Patrol sergeant, boosts his law enforcement background and says he will bring that experience to Sacramento to improve public safety in the district.

During a candidates forum on education at Sequoia Middle School in Redding, Audette, Hadwick and Hunt touted their teaching credentials.

Audette told the audience that she has several family members who are teachers and she teaches county government at Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry in Redding. Audette also attends Bethel Church in Redding.

Hadwick said she ran Modoc Countys Office of Emergency Services for nearly five years and before that she was a teacher. She currently teaches a public safety course at Modoc High School.

Melissa Hunt went to college in Southern California and taught school in the Los Angeles area before moving back to Shasta County, where she was born. She also taught fourth grade at a private Christian school in Redding.

At the forum, Mezzano told the audience that Sacramento is broken and thats reflective in the schools, noting that its not the fault of teachers, who work hard in the classroom for not a lot of money.

Teachers in my book are overworked and underpaid, Mezzano said, noting that he would come home and collapse into bed when he used to teach traffic school.

Hunt agreed, noting that teachers have always been underpaid. This is a lifelong thing. Teachers have never been paid enough, she said.

Hunt added that there is a shortage of teachers in the state and California needs to do a better job of marketing those jobs to eligible people.

Mezzano echoed Hunt, saying its a priority that needs to be addressed.

Schools in the North State suffer because they dont have the tax base that the metropolitan areas have, so they're always struggling for money, Mezzano said. He wants to find ways to bring more teachers into rural communities.

If it means giving them a low-interest loan, so they can have housing in the community. Then thats what I want to do, he said.

Hadwick said mental health is a problem in schools and getting the care needed in rural schools is especially a challenge.

Audette said the states education system is complex and there isnt one thing that will fix it. She said creating competition in the system would help.

I would say school choice. We guarantee a free educationbut it doesnt always have to be at a government building, Audette said. So, I think if the money followed the kids, I think if we had some competition in this area, it would elevate everyone.

Audette said the competition could increase pay for teachers.

All four candidates agreed that parents need to have a voice in their childs education.

I think it starts in the classroom with the teacher and the relationship that they develop with their student. If we got good relationships, the students love the teacher and the teacher is good for the kids, then parents tend to stay out of the way, Mezzano said.

Audette said it's incumbent upon parents to get more involved in their childs education. She said with her children, she has never had a teacher or administrator tell her to get less involved.

So, on this debate of parental rights  especially up here where were talking about it and at our local school districts  its not the same struggle that theyre maybe having down in L.A. and maybe other larger, metropolitan areas, Audette said.

Reiterating what she wrote in her candidates statement she submitted to the Shasta County elections office, Hadwick said we need to keep social and political agendas out of our classrooms. Nothing productive will come from that.

Unfortunately, Hadwick added, there are parents in the North State that dont get involved and that makes it harder for teachers and administrators.

David Benda covers business, development and anything else that comes up for the USA TODAY Network in Redding. He also writes the weekly "Buzz on the Street" column. Hes part of a team of dedicated reporters that investigate wrongdoing, cover breaking news and tell other stories about your community. Reach him on X, formerly Twitter, @DavidBenda_RS or by phone at 1-530-338-8323. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Audette, Hadwick, 2 others vie in California Assembly District 1 race
OpenAI just launched its text-to-video program called Sora.

Before that, he was well known in Silicon Valley as president of startup accelerator Y-Combinator.

Here's how the serial entrepreneur got his start  and ended up helming one of today's most-watched companies.

OpenAI launched its text-to-video model Sora.

Sora is still being tested, but OpenAI and Sam Altman are showing off what it can do. OpenAI

Last week, Sam Altman-led OpenAI unveiled Sora to the public. The program  named after the Japanese word for "sky"  creates up to 0ne-minute long videos from text prompts.

"We're teaching AI to understand and simulate the physical world in motion, with the goal of training models that help people solve problems that require real-world interaction," OpenAI wrote in Sora's announcement.

Sora is still in the midst of risk and harm assessments by red teamers, but Altman is already showing off its capabilities on social media.

Here's what Altman's life and career have been like up until now.

Sam Altman, 38, grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. He learned how to program and take apart a Macintosh computer when he was 8 years old.

f11photo/Shutterstock

Source: The New Yorker

He told The New Yorker that having a Mac helped him with his sexuality. Altman came out to his parents when he was 16.

Matt Weinberger/Business Insider

"Growing up gay in the Midwest in the two-thousands was not the most awesome thing," he told The New Yorker. "And finding AOL chat rooms was transformative. Secrets are bad when you're eleven or twelve."

Source: The New Yorker

He attended John Burroughs School, a private, non-sectarian college-preparatory school in St. Louis.

Joseph Sohm / Shutterstock

Altman came out as gay to the whole community after a Christian group boycotted an assembly at his school that was about sexuality.

"What Sam did changed the school," his college counselor, Madelyn Gray, told The New Yorker. "It felt like someone had opened up a great big box full of all kinds of kids and let them out into the world."

Source: The New Yorker

Altman studied computer science at Stanford University for two years before he and two of his classmates dropped out to work full time on their mobile app, Loopt, that shared a user's location with their friends.

turtix/Shutterstock

Source: The New Yorker

Loopt was part of the first group of eight companies at startup accelerator Y Combinator. Each startup got $6,000 per founder, and Loopt was in the same batch as Reddit.

Getty Images

Source: The New Yorker, The Business of Business

Loopt eventually reached a $175 million valuation, but it didn't garner enough interest, so the founders sold it for $43 million in 2012.

Drew Angerer/Getty

The $43 million sale price was close to how much it had raised from investors. The company was acquired by Green Dot, a banking company known for prepaid cards.

One of Loopt's cofounders, Nick Sivo, and Altman dated for nine years, but they broke up after they sold the company.

It's unclear what Altman's current net worth is.

Source: The Wall Street Journal, All Things Digital, Y Combinator, The New Yorker

After Loopt, Altman founded a venture fund called Hydrazine Capital, and raised $21 million. That included a large part of the $5 million he got from Loopt, and an investment from billionaire entrepreneur and venture capitalist Peter Thiel.

Peter Thiel holding hundred dollar bills while speaking at the Bitcoin 2022 Conference. Marco Bello/Getty Images

Altman invested 75% of that money into YC companies, and led Reddit's Series B fundraising round.

He told The New Yorker, "you want to invest in messy, somewhat broken companies. You can treat the warts on top, and because of the warts the company will be hugely underpriced."

In 2014, at the age of 28, Altman was chosen by Y Combinator founder Paul Graham to succeed him as president of the startup accelerator.

Sam Altman, chief executive officer of Y Combinator, speaks to reporters on the first day of the annual Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference, July 11, 2017 in Sun Valley, Idaho. Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Source: YC, CNN

While he was YC president, Altman taught a lecture series at Stanford called "How to Start a Startup," in the fall of 2014.

Lucy Nicholson/Reuters

Source: How to Start a Startup

In 2015, Altman was featured on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for venture capital at age 29.

Sam Altman. Courtesy of Sam Altman

Source: Forbes

After he became YC president, he wanted to let more science and engineering startups into each batch. He chose a fission and a fusion startup for YC because he wanted to start a nuclear-energy company of his own. He invested his own money in both companies and served on their boards.

Sam Altman, president of Y Combinator and co-chairman of OpenAI, attends the annual Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference, July 8, 2016 in Sun Valley, Idaho. Drew Angerer/Getty

Mark Andreessen, cofounder of venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, said, "Under Sam, the level of YC's ambition has gone up 10x."

Source: The New Yorker

Altman once told two YC founders that he likes racing cars and had five, including two McLarens and an old Tesla. He also said he likes renting planes and flying them all over California.

The McLaren 720S. McLaren

Source: The New Yorker

Altman told the founders of the startup Shypmate that, "I prep for survival," and warned of either a "lethal synthetic virus," AI attacking humans, or nuclear war.

Drew Angerer/Getty

"I try not to think about it too much," Altman told the founders in 2016. "But I have guns, gold, potassium iodide, antibiotics, batteries, water, gas masks from the Israeli Defense Force, and a big patch of land in Big Sur I can fly to."

Source: The New Yorker

Altman's mom is a dermatologist and told The New Yorker, "Sam does keep an awful lot tied up inside. He'll call and say he has a headacheand he'll have Googled it, so there's some cyber-chondria in there, too. I have to reassure him that he doesn't have meningitis or lymphoma, that it's just stress."

Getty Images

Source: The New Yorker

Altman has a brother, Jack, who is a cofounder and CEO at Lattice, an employee management platform. Along with their brother Max, the Altmans launched a fund in 2020 called Apollo that is focused on funding "moonshot" companies.

Julia and Jack Altman walk near their home in the Mission District of San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, July 7, 2019. San Francisco Chronicle/Hearst Newspapers via Getty Images/Contributor

"Moonshot" companies are startups that are financially risky but could potentially pay off with a breakthrough development.

Source: Insider

In 2015, Altman cofounded OpenAI with Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX at the time. Their goal for the non-profit artificial intelligence company was to make sure AI doesn't wipe out humans.

Elon Musk and Sam Altman speak onstage during the Vanity Fair New Establishment Summit on October 6, 2015 in San Francisco, California. Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Vanity Fair

"We discussed what is the best thing we can do to ensure the future is good?" Elon Musk told The New York Times in 2015. "We could sit on the sidelines or we can encourage regulatory oversight, or we could participate with the right structure with people who care deeply about developing A.I. in a way that is safe and is beneficial to humanity."

Source: Insider, The New York Times

Some of Silicon Valley's most prominent names pledged $1 billion to OpenAI along with Altman and Musk, including Reid Hoffman, the cofounder of LinkedIn, and Peter Thiel.

LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman is a financial backer of OpenAI. Tony Avelar/AP

Source: Insider

After the 2016 election, Altman, who tweeted that he voted against Donald Trump, said he decided to talk to 100 Trump supporters around the US to understand what they did and didn't like about the president. He also wanted to know "what would convince them not to vote for him in the future."

Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton Drew Angerer/Getty Image

In a thread on Twitter, Altman said he was "voting against Trump because I believe the principles he stands for represent an unacceptable threat to America."

He also said Peter Thiel, who was still working with YC at the time, "is a high profile supporter of Trump," and that, "I disagree with this."

But, he said, "YC is not going to fire someone for supporting a major party nominee."

YC and Thiel stopped working together a year later in 2017 for unspecified reasons.

During his interviews, Altman said he "did not expect to talk to so many Muslims, Mexicans, Black people, and women in the course of this project."

He said almost everyone he approached was willing to talk to him, but they also didn't want to share their names in fear of being "targeted by those people in Silicon Valley if they knew I voted for him." Altman said one of the people he talked to in Silicon Valley made him sign a confidentiality agreement before talking because she was scared of losing her job for supporting Trump.

Source: Twitter, Sam Altman, Insider

Altman stepped down as YC president in March 2019 to focus on OpenAI. He stayed in a chairman role at the accelerator.

Sam Altman, CEO of Y Combinator @sama

Source: Insider

At a StrictlyVC event in 2019, Altman was asked how OpenAI planned to make a profit, and he said the "honest answer is we have no idea."

Former OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Elon Musk Getty

Altman said OpenAI had "never made any revenue," and that it had "no current plans to make revenue."

"We have no idea how we may one day generate revenue," he said at the time.

Source: TechCrunch

Altman became CEO of OpenAI in May 2019 after it turned away from being a nonprofit company into a "capped profit" corporation.

Sam Altman finished a global tour in June to sell AI as a force for good to leaders. Skye Gould/Business Insider

"We want to increase our ability to raise capital while still serving our mission, and no pre-existing legal structure we know of strikes the right balance," OpenAI said on its blog. "Our solution is to create OpenAI LP as a hybrid of a for-profit and nonprofit  which we are calling a 'capped-profit' company."

Source: Insider, Fortune

Altman flew to Seattle to meet with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, where he demonstrated OpenAI's AI models for him, WSJ reported. After that, OpenAI received a $1 billion investment from Microsoft in 2019.

President of Y Combinator, Sam Altman speaks at TechCrunch Disrupt NY 2014 - Day 1 on May 5, 2014 in New York City. Brian Ach/Getty Images for TechCrunch

Source: The Wall Street Journal, LinkedIn, Insider

Current and former insiders at OpenAI told Fortune that after Altman took over as CEO, and after the investment from Microsoft, the company started focusing more on developing natural language processing.

Brian Ach/Getty

Altman and OpenAI's chief scientist, Ilya Sutskever, said the move to focus on large language models is the best way for the company to reach artificial general intelligence, or AGI, a system that has broad human-level cognitive abilities.

Source: Fortune

On October 21, 2021, Altman and his cofounders, Alex Blania and Max Novendstern, launched a global cryptocurrency project called Worldcoin, which wanted to give everyone in the world access to crypto by scanning their iris with an orb.

Worldcoin founders Alex Blania and Sam Altman Marc Olivier Le Blanc/Worldcoin

The company was started in 2020, but stopped operating in a few countries in 2022 due to logistics issues. In January, the company recently tweeted that it has reached 1 million people and has onboarded over 150,000 first-time crypto users.

Source: Bloomberg, Insider, Twitter

Under Altman's tenure as CEO, OpenAI released popular generative AI tools to the public, including DALL-E and ChatGPT.

Screenshot of Dall-E webpage OpenAI

Both DALL-E and ChatGPT are known as "generative" AI, meaning the bot creates its own artwork and text based off information it has been fed.

After ChatGPT was released on November 30, Altman tweeted that it had reached over 1 million users in five days.

Source: Insider, Insider, Twitter

ChatGPT was made public so OpenAI could use feedback from users to improve the bot. A few days after its launch, Altman tweeted that it "is incredibly limited, but good enough at some things to create a misleading impression of greatness."

Getty Images

Altman tweeted that ChatGPT was "great" for "fun creative inspiration," but "not such a good idea" to look up facts.

ChatGPT recently began testing a paid version of ChatGPT called "ChatGPT Professional" that is supposed to give better access to the bot. In December, Altman tweeted that OpenAI "will have to monetize it somehow at some point; the compute costs are eye-watering."

Source: Insider, Insider, Twitter, Twitter, Twitter

In January 2023, Microsoft again announced it was making a "multibillion dollar" investment into OpenAI. Although specifics of the investment were not shared, it is believed Microsoft's investment is worth $10 billion.

Y Combinator President Sam Altman David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Before Microsoft's investment, other venture capitalists wanted to buy shares from OpenAI employees in a tender offer that valued the company at around $29 billion.

Source: Insider, Fortune

Altman is still interested in nuclear fusion and invested $375 million in Helion Energy in 2022.

Sam Altman, former CEO of OpenAI, walks from lunch during the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference on July 06, 2022 in Sun Valley, Idaho. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

"Helion is more than an investment to me," Altman told TechCrunch. "It's the other thing beside OpenAI that I spend a lot of time on. I'm just super excited about what's going to happen there."

He told TechCrunch that he's "happy there's a fusion race," to build a low-cost fusion energy system that can eventually power the Earth.

Source: TechCrunch, CNBC

Last year, OpenAI launched its pilot subscription plan for ChatGPT Plus, which costs $20 a month.

Illustration: ChatGPT Future Publishing/

People who pay $20 a month for ChatGPT Plus get benefits such as access to the site even when traffic is high, faster responses from the bot, and first access to new features and ChatGPT improvements.

The subscription is only available for people in the US, and OpenAI said it will soon start inviting people on the waitlist to join.

Source: OpenAI

Altman wrote that OpenAI's mission is to make sure AGI "benefits all of humanity. He laid out the company's short term and long term expectations for AGI development in a blog post.

JASON REDMOND/AFP via Getty Images

"If AGI is successfully created, this technology could help us elevate humanity by increasing abundance, turbocharging the global economy, and aiding in the discovery of new scientific knowledge that changes the limits of possibility," Altman wrote on OpenAI's blog.

Despite its potential, Altman said AGI, or artificial general intelligence, comes with "serious risk of misuse, drastic accidents, and societal disruption." But instead of stopping its development, Altman said "society and the developers of AGI have to figure out how to get it right."

Altman went on to share the principles OpenAI "care about most," including that "the benefits of, access to, and governance of AGI to be widely and fairly shared."

Source: OpenAI

Altman said he and OpenAI are "a little bit scared" of AI's potential as it continues to develop.

GPT-4 (Generative Pre-trained Transformer 4) is the latest multimodal large language model from Open AI, a successor to Chat-GPT. It was released to a limited audience on March 14, 2023. Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images

In an interview with ABC News, Altman said he thinks "people should be happy that we're a little bit scared" of generative AI systems as they develop.

Altman said he doesn't think AI systems should only be developed in a lab.

"You've got to get these products out into the world and make contact with reality, make our mistakes while the stakes are low," he said.

Source: Insider, ABC News

In April 2023, OpenAI announced the option to turn off chat history in ChatGPT so the data can't be used to train and improve its models.

Getty

In a blog post, the company said it hopes the option to turn off chat history "provides an easier way to manage your data than our existing opt-out process."

When a user turns off their chat history, new conversations will be kept for 30 days for OpenAI to review them for abuse, then are permanently deleted.

Source: OpenAI, Insider

In his first appearance before Congress, Altman told a Senate panel there should be a government agency to grant licenses to companies working on advanced AI.

Sam Altman testifies before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law in mid-May. Win McNamee/Getty Images

Altman told lawmakers there should be an agency that grants licenses for companies that are working on AI models "above a certain scale of capabilities." He also said the agency should be able to revoke licenses from companies that don't follow safety rules.

"I think if this technology goes wrong, it can go quite wrong," Altman said. "And we want to be vocal about that, we want to work with the government to prevent that from happening."

Source: Insider

OpenAI launched a ChatGPT app for iPhones and Android users.

OpenAI released its official ChatGPT app to iPhone users this week. Insider

The app, which is free, can answer text-based and spoken questions using Whisper, another OpenAI product that is a speech-recognition model. Users who have a subscription to ChatGPT Plus can also access it through the app.

Source: Insider, Insider

Altman met with leaders in Europe to discuss AI regulations and said OpenAI has "no plans to leave" the EU, despite his earlier concerns over the EU's proposed AI Act.

OpenAI's former CEO Sam Altman believes AI could surpass humanity in most domains in the next 10 years. Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters.

At the start of his trip, Altman told reporters in London that he was concerned about the EU's proposed AI Act that focuses on regulating AI and protecting Europeans from AI risks.

"The details really matter," Altman said, according to the Financial Times. "We will try to comply, but if we can't comply, we will cease operating."

However, he shared on Twitter later in the week that OpenAI is "excited to continue to operate here and of course have no plans to leave."

Source: Insider, Financial Times, Insider, Twitter

In an October interview, Altman expressed "deep misgivings" about people befriending AI.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Altman made it clear that he doesn't believe humans should try to be friends with AI in an interview during Wall Street Journal's Tech Live event.

"I personally really have deep misgivings about this vision of the future where everyone is super close to AI friends, and not more so with their human friends," Altman said.

On November 17, 2023, OpenAI announced that Altman would be no longer be the company's CEO.

Mira Murati joined OpenAI in 2018 when it was only a nonprofit research lab. PATRICK T. FALLON/Getty Images

In November, the OpenAI board of directors announced that Altman would be stepping down from his role as CEO and leaving the board "effective immediately."

In a blog post, the board said it "no longer has confidence in his ability to continue leading OpenAI," and added that Altman was "not consistently candid in his communications."

"We are grateful for Sam's many contributions to the founding and growth of OpenAI," a statement from OpenAI's board says. "At the same time, we believe new leadership is necessary as we move forward."

Altman issued his own statement via a post on X.

"i loved my time at openai. it was transformative for me personally, and hopefully the world a little bit. most of all i loved working with such talented people," Altman wrote.

He added: "will have more to say about what's next later."

Days after the ouster, Sam Altman returned to the helm of OpenAI.

Altman returned to OpenAI days after his dismissal was announced. Markus Schreiber/AP

After a chaotic weekend over his firing, Altman and OpenAI announced that he would return to the tech company as CEO.

"We have reached an agreement in principle for Sam Altman to return to OpenAI as CEO with a new initial board of Bret Taylor (Chair), Larry Summers, and Adam D'Angelo," the company wrote on X.

Correction: February 2, 2023  An earlier version of this story defined AGI incorrectly and listed the incorrect age at which Altman was named president of Y Combinator. AGI in this context stands for artificial general intelligence. Altman became president of Y Combinator at 28, not 31.

In January, Altman confirmed he married his partner Oliver Mulherin.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman (R) with his husband Oliver TK (L) at a White House dinner in late June. JULIA NIKHINSON/Getty

Altman is married. The OpenAI CEO married his partner Oliver Mulherin, and photos from the wedding began circulating social media in January.

An attendee of the wedding confirmed to Business Insider that the pictures weren't AI-generated. His husband is an Australian software engineer who previously worked at Meta, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Read the original article on Business Insider
The NYPD's Detectives' Endowment Association on Tuesday made it official, asking Gov. Kathy Hochul, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland and New York Attorney General Letitia James for a "full and thorough investigation of Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler" over his "unethical and underhanded" actions in the Megan McDonald murder investigation.

"We are demanding that the FBI, the New York State Attorney General, and the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York open an investigation as to why David Hoovler stood in the way of justice for Megan McDonald and for so long," the letter states.

Addressed to Hochul, with copies sent to Garland and James, the letter is signed by union president Paul DiGiacomo. It calls for an investigation to "be opened immediately so that finally, after 20 long years, the McDonald family can obtain full justice for their beloved Megan." DiGiacomo adds that the union "shall not be satisfied until this matter is fully investigated."

Hochul's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Hoovler said in a statement: As I have said before, by any objective review, I and my staff, at all times, acted in accordance with the highest ethical standards governing attorneys generally, and district attorneys specifically.

The Detectives' Endowment Association  the largest detectives' union in the world, representing 18,000 active and retired detectives  once included retired Det. Second Grade Dennis McDonald, who died in 2002, years after investigating the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center. McDonald's daughter, Megan, was killed in March 2003, her bludgeoned body found in a field in the town of Wallkill in Orange County.

Paul DiGiacomo, president of the NYPD's Detectives' Endowment Association, flanked by members of his group and Karen and James Whalen, the sister and brother-in-law of Megan McDonald, calls for the FBI and or Attorney General to investigate the actions of Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler. The DA, when he was in private practice, represented Andre Thurston, a man who was seeking a plea deal in the McDonald murder. Hoovler, after taking office in January 2014, failed to recuse himself from overseeing the investigation.

On April 20, 2023, after a 20-year investigation, New York State Police arrested Edward Holley, Megan's former boyfriend, and charged him with second-degree murder  under a felony complaint without an indictment. Holley has said he's innocent.

Within days of Holley's arrest, DA Hoovler  who was not present at the press conference announcing the major development in Orange County's highest-profile cold case  recused himself and his office and sought a special prosecutor. Hoovler said he had ties to someone involved in the case, someone he'd represented as a defense attorney before being elected DA in 2013.

Special prosecutor Julia Cornachio, a veteran Westchester prosecutor, secured a grand jury indictment of Holley on Jan. 29, 2024. Holley was arraigned Feb. 2 and is being held in Orange County jail.

Investigation into McDonald case: A notorious NY cold case took 20 years for an arrest. Here are the conflicts behind the scenes

David Hoovler's actions 'unethical, underhanded': What the letter said

The letter calls Hoovler's actions "unethical, underhanded, and that he violated the rules of professional conduct and the oath of his office with regard to this homicide investigation. He has been untruthful and evasive when dealing with Megan McDonald's family and only recently has recused himself from this case as it prepares to go to trial, thanks to the appointment of a special prosecutor."

Among the assertions DiGiacomo makes in the letter are:

Hoovler refused for nine months to move forward and bring to a grand jury a homicide case that took 20 years to come to fruition;

Hoovler failed to recuse himself from this case although he previously represented an accomplice or person present for the murder, Andre Thurston;

Hoovler attempted to get a proffer agreement and plea deal for Mr. Thurston prior to becoming DA;

Hoovler warned suspect Edward Holley about being wary of investigators, after which Holley "greatly reduced his telephone and other activity and thus thwarted an investigative avenue into the murder."

Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler speaks with residents during a "Coffee with the DA" event at the Alexis Diner in Newburgh on October 3, 2023.

Bad blood behind the scenes: What our investigation uncovered

Earlier this month, a USA Today Network New York series revealed a blistering State Police report taking Hoovler to task for his alleged actions in the McDonald murder investigation. With days of that exclusive report, at a Manhattan press conference, the detectives' union called for an investigation of Hoovler. Tuesday's letter makes that call official.

At the press conference, DiGiacomo was flanked by members of his group and by Karen and James Whalen, the sister and brother-in-law of Megan McDonald, at the hastily called news conference.

"I've been a detective for over 40 years, and there's something that we go by, and that's gut instinct a lot," DiGiacomo said. "And this case smells. There were things done that were unethical, things done that were wrong, things done that should be investigated by the FBI and the attorney general to bring to light the corruption in that office in regards to this homicide case."

"One of the reasons it took 20 years to bring this case to the point it is now, was that the current district attorney, David Hoovler, was once the defense attorney who represented one of the perpetrators in this homicide," DiGiacomo said.

Hoovler, as a defense attorney, in 2008 sought a manslaughter plea deal for his client, whom he later identified as Andre Thurston. Thurston died in 2010 from a drug overdose, days after the seventh anniversary of Megan McDonald's murder.

Hoovler denies the conclusion drawn in the internal State Police report, that he tampered with the investigation because of his role representing Thurston.

"Any suggestion that I, or anyone in my office, did anything to 'tamper with,' or in some fashion compromise the investigation into Ms. McDonald's death is as categorically false as it is offensive," he said.

Read the detectives' union's letter to Gov. Hochul

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Edward Holley due back in court

Meanwhile, Edward Holley is due back in court on Wednesday, his second appearance before Orange County Judge Hyun Chin Kim.

Reach Peter D. Kramer at pkramer@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: NYPD detectives' union seeks probe of DA in Megan McDonald murder case
Megan McCain on Tuesday refused to humor U.S. Senate hopeful Kari Lakes attempt to take back her jabs at McCains late father, the former U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ).

Kari Lake is trying to walk back her continued attacks on my Dad (& family) and all of his loyal supporters after telling them to get the hell out. Guess she realized she cant become a Senator without us. the View co-host wrote in a post on X Tuesday.

No peace, bitch. We see you for who you are - and are repulsed by it, McCain wrote.

At a campaign event in 2022, Lake had asked the crowd, We dont have any McCain Republicans in here, do we? Get the hell out!

Lake is a staunch ally of Donald Trump, who had clashed several times with the now-deceased senator from Arizona. Trump previously called him a loser, even after he died of brain cancer in 2018.

At that same event, Lake echoed Trumps jab, saying, Arizona has delivered some losers, havent they?

During a radio interview on Monday, she tried to excuse the divisive comment, saying she was only joking.

It was said in jest. And I think that if John McCain, who had a great sense of humor, would have heard it, he would have laughed, she said on KTAR News 92.3 FM.

Lake couldnt help but immediately explain that she was shilling for more votes. I want everyones vote, whether you are a McCain  if you call yourself a McCain Republican, if you call yourself a middle-of-the-road Republican, a Trump Republican, an America First Republican, I want your vote, she said.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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The European Union's top diplomat, Josep Borrell, said that EU member states could order artillery shells from outside the union as part of a plan to provide Ukraine with the necessary weapons.

Source: European Pravda, citing Borrell at a press conference following the meeting of EU foreign ministers on 19 February

Details: Borrell said that the EU foreign ministers focused on how to increase the supply of artillery shells to Ukraine.

He recalled that since last year, the EU has been operating a mechanism under which 60 framework contracts have been developed to place orders for artillery shells with industry, and these contracts are also funded.

"If member states have a way to get ammunition on the international market, if someone can deliver this ammunition faster, cheaper and easier, there are no restrictions," the top EU diplomat said.

"We have never said that this [order for ammunition  ed.] will be only for European industry. Obviously, we will give it priority. But if someone has a better offer, please use it," he added.

Background:

Earlier, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said that European countries should find a way to purchase ammunition for Ukraine, which urgently needs it.

Denmark urged Europe not to hide behind production problems in supplying weapons to Ukraine at the Munich Security Conference.

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The Shelby County Criminal Justice Center, located at 201 Poplar, is seen in Memphis, Tenn., on Tuesday, November 14, 2023.

A man officials say beat and decapitated his roommate in late 2021 was convicted Friday, the Shelby County District Attorney's Office said.

Julian Summers, 32, was convicted by a jury of first-degree murder and abuse of a corpse. According to the DA's office, Summers' roommate, Bruce Jefferies, was sleeping when Summers hit him in the head with a hammer.

After being hit with the hammer, Summers decapitated Jeffries with a knife.

"After cleaning up the crime scene, Summers placed Jefferies' lifeless body into a suitcase," the DA's office said in a press release. "Surveillance footage captured Summers dragging the heavy suitcase through Broadmoor Apartments towards a dumpster, leaving a trail of blood in his wake. Unable to dispose of the evidence at the first dumpster, he carried it to another location."

The DA's office said citizens and officers discovered Jefferies' body that night. Authorities arrested Summers and said he said he killed Jefferies in a statement 16 days later.

More: Report: Few felony arrests come from traffic stops in Memphis despite increased citations

"During the trial, the jury viewed a recorded statement in which Summers confessed to the murder," the DA's office said. "However, he provided a conflicting testimony during the trial, offering a different version of events than his initial statement to the police three years earlier."

The case was prosecuted by Regina Lucreziano and Katie Ratton.

Summers' mental state at the time of the confession was raised by his attorney, listed as Mark Mesler the Shelby County Criminal Justice Portal, but an expert witness from the West Tennessee Mental Health Institute, who was brought in by the DA's office to as a rebuttal, said Summers was exaggerating his mental health symptoms.

Summers will be sentenced on March 7.

Lucas Finton is a criminal justice reporter with The Commercial Appeal. He can be reached at Lucas.Finton@commercialappeal.com, or (901)208-3922, and followed on X, formerly known as Twitter, @LucasFinton.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Julian Summers convicted of beheading roommate, hiding body in Memphis
China congratulates Pakistan on successful general election

Xinhua) 09:27, February 20, 2024

BEIJING, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- China congratulates Pakistan on the smooth and successful holding of the general election, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Monday.

Spokesperson Mao Ning made the remarks at a regular news briefing when asked to comment on Pakistan's general election held on Feb. 8.

Mao said that as a close and friendly neighbor, China fully respects the choice made by the Pakistani people and sincerely hopes that all parties concerned in Pakistan will work together to maintain political unity and social stability after the election and make concerted efforts to create the future of national development.

China and Pakistan are all-weather strategic cooperative partners. China looks forward to working with the Pakistani side to continue the traditional friendship, deepen practical cooperation in various fields, accelerate building an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era, and better benefit the people of both countries, she said.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
OpenAI's newest text-to-video AI, Sora, is alarming experts across the industry over its impact on the growing culture of disinformation and digital propaganda campaigns.

Speaking to ABC News, several digital experts highlighted its implications in making it "even easier for malicious actors to generate high-quality video deepfakes."

Oren Etzioni, founder of TruMedia.org, even expressed being "terrified" and how it possibly "leads to an Achilles heel in our democracy" as one-third of the world enters the election period.

OpenAI Vows to Curb Misinformation from Sora

In response to the ABC report, OpenAI cited one of its blogs for its safety measures to combat misinformation, hateful content, and bias being generated via its AI products.

Among the steps being taken, is hiring domain experts to assess its risks and "building tools to help detect misleading content."

The company released Sora last week as a tool capable of generating minute-long videos of "highly detailed scenes, complex camera motion, and multiple characters" from just a few prompts.

OpenAI earlier vowed to combat bad actors from using its products to spread political misinformation ahead of the 2024 Presidential Elections in November.

So far, the AI firm has taken down a GPT chatbot impersonating presidential candidate Dean Phillips.

Also Read: OpenAI's Sora Might Be Able to Generate Video Game Worlds

AI-Powered Disinformation in the 2024 Elections

The continuous advancement in generative AI has been the top concern among digital experts and watchdogs in the upcoming elections.

This is due to how ill-equipped online platforms in combating more sophisticated disinformation that has been pumping out from thousands of accounts.

Just last October, a deepfaked video of US President Joe Biden circulated on the internet, calling for a military draft to support Israeli forces in its attack on Gaza.

The White House has started to call to "cryptographically verify" videos of political figures to prevent further impersonation of top officials for political campaigns.

This is in addition to proposals requiring AI companies to disclose information regarding their latest AI research to the government, as well as report foreign entities that are using their products.

Related Article: OpenAI's Near-Realistic AI Videos: The Dangers to Digital Information Landscape
Elena Mityushina told a small crowd gathered at the Museum of Russian Art in Minneapolis that she's not typically an angry person. But she found herself dealing with feelings of hatred when she learned that Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny had been killed.

"I'm not like that usually," Mityushina, who is Russian-American, told the group Monday night.

President Joe Biden and other Western officials say President Vladimir Putin is responsible for the death of Navalny, who was serving a prison sentence for extremism charges. It's spurred widespread mourning and questions about the future of the brutal Russian regime's future nearly two years after its invasion of Ukraine.

Mityushina said she had felt angry when the war started, too, but she found it best to channel those feelings into action. So the Maple Grove resident founded Russians Against War, which helped organize Monday's event to write letters to political prisoners in Russia. She evoked Navalny's words that it is not a shame to do little, it is a shame to do nothing; Mityushina encouraged the group not to be overwhelmed by all that is happening in Russia.

Writing these letters to Russian political prisoners "gives them hope to survive another day mentally," she said. She evoked Navalny's words to not give up. "I believe in freedom  this is not about politics, this is about humanity. This is about democracy."

This was the seventh letter-writing event since last spring, and more are planned in conjunction with the museum, Russians Against War and World Without Genocide. Many in the audience wrote letters in English to later be translated into Russian.

St. Paul resident Karen de Boer wrote a letter to Vladislav Nikitenko, who is serving a three-year sentence for antiwar posts and requests to initiate criminal proceedings against Putin and others for acts of international terrorism and starting the war. She wrote to Mikhail Simonov, who received a seven-year term for anti-military posts.

Navalny's death "has been very hard to process and I felt very powerless a half world away, so this feels like one small thing I can do," she said.

Mityushina instructed the crowd not to talk about the war or Putin, or even send poems because they would not make it past the prison censors. She urged them to write about what's going on in the world, their personal lives, their hobbies and emotions. De Boer talked about moving to the Twin Cities from Hutchinson, how she directs a choir and is learning how to play the Irish tin whistle.

Russian asylum-seeker Constantine Kuletsky said that he and his wife Lena "still cannot believe that [Navalny] is dead, really." The parents of three fled from a town a two-hour flight north of Moscow and arrived in the U.S. in fall 2022.

He said his hope rose at Mityushina's words about Navalny, and "I started to believe we will continue our fight with this regime, and we'll try to do anything that we can do to continue Navalny's work. Someday democracy will be in Russia."

Kirill Vanderberg had studied in St. Petersburg and attends St. Paul College as part of a cultural exchange program. After arriving here last August, the 20-year-old hopes to stay here permanently; he is too afraid to return. Vanderberg noted that his friend in St. Petersburg is trying to help the many who are being detained for bringing flowers into public spaces to mourn and honor Navalny.

He found it hard to explain his feelings about Navalny's death in English, and spent several minutes typing his reaction in Russian on his phone.

Then Vanderberg shared his thoughts with a Star Tribune reporter over a translator app: "I couldn't reconcile those two words: 'Navalny' and 'death.' This person inspired hope in a great future Russia, giving hope where it seemed there was none.  We haven't lost hope; we will remember him in our hearts and build the future with our own hands. Many people are now imprisoned for their views, and we must not devalue the work that Alexei, political prisoners, and all activists around the world have put into our future."
Editor's note: This article contains descriptions of extreme violence and death that some readers may find distressing.

An inmate at the Southern New Mexico Correctional Facility was charged with murder in the December 2023 death of another inmate, Richard Cresap.

Corey Clinton Jeffery, 51, was served an arrest warrant Feb. 2 at the prison. He is charged with first-degree murder, possession of a deadly weapon or explosive by a prisoner and tampering with evidence.

Jeffery was incarcerated with Cresap at Southern New Mexico Correctional Facility in Las Cruces.

According to a criminal complaint in the case, Jeffery was seen on video surveillance entering Cresap's cell and closing the door.

Investigators with the New Mexico State Police Special Investigations Bureau said Jeffery was in the cell for at least 10 minutes, leaving and entering a second time minutes later.

Cresap was discovered dead inside his cell about 30 minutes later by a corrections officer with what investigators described as a "shank" in his right eye. The weapon was made by Jeffery, according to the criminal complaint, from a nail clipper.

The cell was covered in Cresap's blood, according to investigators  he had been stabbed multiple times in the eyes, investigators wrote in the criminal complaint. New Mexico State Police Crime Scene Team collected bloody clothing belonging to Jeffery from a trashcan in a common area at the correctional facility, according to the criminal complaint.

The Office of the Medical Investigator in Albuquerque concluded Cresap had died from strangulation and stab wounds.

Jeffery allegedly admitted to strangling and stabbing Cresap to the New Mexico Department of Correction's Security Threat Intelligence Unit. Investigators wrote that he targeted Cresap because he was "mouthy and disrespectful," and Jeffery allegedly told investigators the attack was preceded by a feeling of frustration with a unit manager at the correctional facility. During that interview, on Dec. 5, Jeffery asked for a plea deal in exchange for information about the killing.

No further court proceedings had been scheduled in the case as of Feb. 19.

Las Cruces aerials 4/1985 Southern New Mexico Correctional Facility.

More: Years after southern New Mexico prison brawl, two inmates plead guilty, three await trial

Who is Corey Clinton Jeffery? A familiar pattern of violence

Jeffery pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in 2006 in Minnesota in the death of 80-year-old Paul Boever, according to Minnesota court documents.

The Echo Press, an Alexandria, Minnesota-based newspaper reported at the time that Boever was killed inside his home after being stabbed multiple times. The news outlets reported at the time that Jeffery was high on methamphetamines at the time of the crime for which he was sentenced to life in prison.

In 2014, Jeffery was incarcerated at the Hutchinson Correctional Facility in Kansas when was charged in the stabbing of a Kansas correctional officer. According to the Hutchinson News, Jeffery said he planned to kill Correction Officer Timothy Russell so that he would be moved from the Kansas corrections facility to another state.

In 2015, he pleaded guilty to attempted capital murder and was sentenced to life in prison. In that case, Jeffery stabbed Russell at least 13 times with a shank in the back and torso. Jeffery allegedly said he was high on synthetic marijuana at the time.

More: Community gathers to honor fallen Las Cruces Police Department officer Jonah Hernandez

The Hutchinson News reported that the attack on Russell came after Jeffery approached him with complaints and ended only when he was pepper sprayed in the face by another corrections officer responding to an emergency alarm from Russell.

Brittany Roembach, public information officer with the New Mexico Department of Corrections, said Jeffery had been housed in New Mexico since Sept. 1, 2016, following a transfer from the Minnesota Department of Corrections.

Roembach said following the death of Cresap, Jeffery was transferred back into the custody of the Minnesota Department of Corrections.

Roembach said Jeffery "had not engaged in any misconduct that required referral to the behavior management program while in New Mexico," and that Cresap and Jeffery had never been in an altercation.

Both men were being housed in the facility's general population.

Roembach said Cresap had not reported feeling threatened while incarcerated by any person, and had not requested protective custody while incarcerated.

The Sun-News inquired whether the New Mexico Department of Corrections was aware of Jeffery's pattern of violence - stabbing, drug use - but did not receive a response as of the publication of this article.

Cresap was incarcerated for killing New Mexico teen in Rio Rancho

Cresap, 22, was serving a 15 year sentence in the Southern New Mexico Correctional Facility for the death of Alex Jackson.

Cresap pleaded guilty April 27, 2022, and his sentencing would have been followed by two years of parole. A charge of tampering with evidence was dismissed in a plea deal, according to court documents.

Jackson, 15, was shot during a fight with Cresap, who was 18 at the time, on March 10, 2021, according to court documents, in Rio Rancho.

More: Man dies in shooting on Graham Street in Las Cruces

In court documents, the prosecutor of Jackson's case wrote that Cresap had been in the juvenile justice system but had no criminal record as an adult.

The Sun-News did attempt to reach Cresap's family for comment but did not receive a response. The Sun-News also could not find Jackson's family for comment on this article.

Jessica Onsurez can be reached at jonsurez@gannett.com. Follow her on X at @jussGREAT.

This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: Minnesota man with violent prison history charged in death of New Mexico inmate
Boosted by investor confidence, the Kenyan shilling gained significant value against the US dollar in mid-February. Amid the surge, online users shared screenshots allegedly showing headlines from leading Kenyan media outlets reporting that people were rushing to banks to sell their dollars. The posts included images of long queues and the logos of major news companies. But AFP Fact Check found the images were old and unrelated. The news sites mentioned in the misleading claims have rejected the online posts as false, and there have been no reliable reports of notable bank runs.

One of the images, featuring the logo and branding of leading Kenyan news website Standard Digital, was posted on X on February 15, 2024. It has since been shared more than 400 times.

Welcome to Kenya where people queue to #SellYourDollars at a cheaper price, reads the post caption.

Screenshot showing the false post, taken on February 17, 2024

A text overlay says: Kenyans queue outside NCBA bank to sell dollars.

NCBA is a leading regional bank headquartered in Nairobi with operations in multiple African countries. It is one of the largest banks in Kenya.

A second post showing the logo of the Daily Nation newspaper made the same claim on X, using a different image of people lining up.

Screenshot showing the false image, taken on February 17, 2024

According to the posts, Kenyans had hoarded US dollars in anticipation of profiting from their increasing value but then decided to sell them as the currency started to drop against the local shilling.

An unstable shilling

On October 24, 2023, the Kenyan shilling breached the 150 mark against the US dollar following a period of consistent depreciation (archived here).

This has resulted in higher costs for importers and merchants, while the country's external debt burden has increased from a local currency standpoint.

Exporters, on the other hand, have enjoyed exchange gains when paid in US dollars.

On February 1, 2024, a US dollar was trading at 160.7 Kenyan shillings (archived here). However, by February 15, 2024, the price had dropped to 153.2 (archived here).

The shillings surge in value was primarily attributed to the rising confidence of investors, as the government received substantial inflows to settle its US$2 billion Eurobond, which is due to mature in June 2024.

The appreciation of the shilling lowers the cost of imports in local currency as importers pay less for the same volume of goods.

A stronger shilling is beneficial for the Kenyan government because it reduces the expenses associated with servicing the national debt.

On the flip side, individuals and businesses who have US dollars are at risk of losing money. This significant increase in the value of the shilling has caused losses for people who earn or hold dollars.

However, the images shared in the posts do not depict panicked hoarders queueing to dispose of the US currency at banks.

Miscaptioned photos

Using a reverse image search, AFP Fact Check found that the image with the Standard Digital logo and web address had been online since at least 2017.

Kenya's Business Daily newspaper published the photo on June 4, 2017 (archived here). It was credited as a file photo of the Nation Media Group (NMG), which owns the paper.

"Kenyans submit job applications for government jobs last week," the caption reads.

Screenshot showing the photo with its original caption published by Kenyas Business Daily

The Standard Digital rejected the posts circulating online as fake on its official X account on February 15, 2024.

FAKE NEWS ALERT:

This is NOT a genuine post from the Standard Group PLC or any brands under the media stable.

Be cautious NOT to fall for propaganda and deep fakes.

For GENUINE news updates, VERIFY from our accounts @StandardKenya and @KTNNewsKEpic.twitter.com/UDWHJ1WgVO  The Standard Digital (@StandardKenya) February 15, 2024

Meanwhile, the photo featuring the Nation newspaper logo has been online since at least 2018. It was published by the Daily Nation on July 6, 2018 (archived here) to illustrate a story about job seekers in Nairobi queueing for interviews.

The NCBA bank, mentioned in both images, also denounced the online claims through its X account.

Beware of online misinformation. Rely on verified sources for financial guidance. #NCBATwendeMbele#GoForItpic.twitter.com/uVS9jeHBNN  NCBA Bank (@NCBABankKenya) February 15, 2024

As of February 19, 2024, the shilling was trading at 142.8 against the US dollar.
Without a hint of irony, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov labeled accusations that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin's was involved in the murder of opposition politician Alexei Navalny as "barbaric.

He was responding to statements made by Navalny's widow, Yulia, that accused Putin of murdering her husband.

Peskov dismissed the accusations as "absolutely unfounded."

Read also: Serb President horrified by Russian actions on Navalny, could affect Serb-Russian ties  Vucic

"These are absolutely unfounded, barbaric accusations against the head of the Russian state, but given that Yulia Navalnaya became a widow just days earlier, I will leave it without comment," he commented.

Though claiming to have not seen Yulia Navalnayas appeal, Peskov was ready to call her accusations "unsupported and unconfirmed."

Earlier, the founder of the Russian human rights project Gulagu.net, Vladimir Osechkin, reported that Navalny's body showed signs of beating.

Navalnaya declared on Feb. 19 that she would "continue the work" of her husband, promising to soon reveal how "Putin killed him."

Read also: Navalnys team says his body is not in Salekhard morgue

The Russian Federal Penitentiary Service announced on Feb. 16 that Alexei Navalny had died following a walk in the colony, without specifying the cause of death. The Kremlin announced that Putin had been informed about the politician's death. Navalny's team confirmed his death the following day.

The opposition leader's mother and lawyer had not been allowed into the morgue where his body was held as of Feb. 19.

Navalny was imprisoned in January 2021 after returning to Russia from Germany, where he was treated for Novichok poisoning.

A Russian court in Feb. 2021 sentenced Navalny to 3.5 years in prison in the so-called Yves Rocher case.

Navalny was sentenced in March 2022 to another nine years in prison in a case of fraud and contempt of court. He was sentenced in Aug. 2023 to 19 years in a special regime colony under six articles of extremism.

Navalny was transferred in Dec. 2023 to a colony in the village of Kharp in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District, above the Arctic Circle. It is considered a colony for particularly dangerous repeat offenders and is characterized by its extremely harsh conditions.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
YALOBUSHA COUNTY, Miss.  Family members are on a mission to find a north Mississippi mother of four who has been missing for almost a month.

Paxton Cheyenne Snow was last seen on January 23 after leaving her job in Batesville. A security camera photo shows her walking along Highway 35 North near her workplace.

But her home is located 30 miles away in Tillatoba in Yalobusha County.

Her sister, Alexis McKnight, says it is unusual and concerning that Snow has been missing this long.

Maybe a couple of days but never more than what were getting now. Shes reached out to no family, no friends, no nothing, McKnight said.

McKnight, Paxtons stepmom, and friends have been posting flyers with Snows picture in two counties with the hope that someone would recognize her.

Two dead in Mississippi house fire

According to Samantha Smith, Snow is a regular at the Tillatoba Truck Stop Cafe.

Everybody is curious to know, and were worried that something has happened to her, Smith said.

On Monday, family and friends searched a wooded area near I-55 and Highway 35 North, the last place Snow was seen, to look for any possible clues and chase every reported sighting.

So many calls that peoples been seeing her, spotting her here, spotting her there and when we go its nothing still. Its somebody else in the place of her, said her stepmother Angie Bradshaw.

Family members are unaware of anyone who would want to harm the woman and hope wherever she is she hears this message.

Just reach out and let us know that youre alright. Thats all we want, McKnight said.

If you have seen Paxton Cheyenne Snow, you are urged to call the Batesville Police Department at 662-563-5653.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
Elon Musk's X (formerly Twitter) is currently being accused of taking payments from supposed Hezbollah members despite the US sanctions on the Islamic militant group.

Digital watchdog group Tech Transparency Project reported that the platform is providing paid services, including blue checkmarks, to accounts with two top leaders of Lebanon-based Hezbollah.

Subscribing to X's premium services includes giving "prioritized support" to these accounts in terms of engagement and visibility.

According to TTP, X's transactions with the group could potentially lead to a US trade sanction violation.

The US government designated Hezbollah as a foreign terrorist organization in 2005 with countries accused of financing the group, like Lebanon, receiving terrorism sanctions.

It can be remembered that Binance and its former CEO have to pay billions of settlement money after admitting guilty of trading with Iran, another nation under US sanctions.

Also Read: Elon Musk to Donate X Ads, Subscription Revenue 'Associated' to Gaza War

US Gov't Cracks Down on Islamic Militant Accounts on Social Media

The TTP's report follows a week after Meta removed the account of Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, on Facebook and Instagram.

The social media giant cited repeated violations of its Dangerous Organizations and Individuals policy as the reason for the removal.

The Iranian government and Hezbollah have been among the US's loudest critics in the Middle East over its interventions in Muslim-led rebellions in the region.

Both entities have earlier expressed support of Hamas following the Oct. 7 conflict, a decision the US has blasted over after it provided support to Israel.

Since then, several lawmakers have been pushing de-platform accounts associated with the militant groups as "redoubling its support for the free flow of information."

Verified Hezbollah Accounts Further Threaten X's Profit

While there is no significant impact on X yet, the TTP forecasted that it may put a further risk on X's profit since Musk acquired it.

It can be remembered that multiple brands stopped running advertisements on X after anti-Semitic and pro-Nazi posts appeared next to ads.

As of writing, many of these advertisers have yet to resume their social media marketing on X. The platform has since reported huge drops in its ad revenues throughout 2023.

In turn, Musk vowed to file a "thermonuclear lawsuit" against the digital watch group that first reported of ads appearing next to what is considered hate speeches.

Related Article: Elon Musk Will File 'Thermonuclear Lawsuit' Over Advertisers Loss on X
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.  Missouri Democrats are calling for tougher gun laws following the deadly shooting at the Kansas City Super Bowl rally.

With Republicans holding a super majority in the General Assembly, many GOP members say theyre waiting for more information to be released about the shooting before moving forward.

Dozens of lawmakers were present at the victory celebration last Wednesday when gunshots rang out. Democrats are once again pushing for stricter gun regulations.

Anytime you pass one of these gun laws, then someone else who is a law-abiding citizen, their Second Amendment right is infringed because of that, Rep. Ben Baker, R-Neosho, said Monday.

Kansas City police said 23 people were injured between the ages of 8 and 47. Over half of the victims are under the age of 16. A Kansas City radio DJ, Lisa Lopez, was killed in the shooting at Union Station, police say. The incident happened at the end of the rally, just west of Union Station near the garage. Lopez was a DJ at KKFI in Kansas City.

Every person who was at the parade had a very different experience that day depending on where they were and who they were with, House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, D-Springfield, said. As a super-minority party, there isnt a lot we can do when it comes to policy. We can get loud and we can draw attention to this, but it is absolutely about who we send to represent us in the state of Missouri and, absolutely, voters need to hold these people accountable.

Parson sending more Missouri National Guardsmen to southern border

Missouri is known for having some of the laxest gun laws in the country. No permit is needed to buy a gun and the state allows for open carry. Back in 2021, Republicans approved the Second Amendment Preservation Act, known as SAPA. This law nullified any federal gun laws in the state and penalized any police departments that enforced those laws.

I dont think a new law is going to fix these problems when it comes to crime, Baker said.

Less than 24 hours after the deadly shooting, House Speaker Dean Plocher, R-Des Peres, said he is waiting for more information to be released.

Laws alone dont solve the problem, Plocher said Thursday. We will evaluate the investigation as it unfolds and address that, but were not going to dwell on Kansas City today.

Democrats call that ridiculous and want Republicans to take action.

If laws didnt help things, we wouldnt even be here, Quade said. I believe in the Second Amendment, but lets be clear: no one should lose their life at school, at church, or celebrating a Super Bowl win. Its time for us as leaders and legislators to do what is right and take action to protect the lives of our children and communities.

Dozens of House Democrats plan to file a resolution Tuesday that, if approved by the General Assembly, would allow voters to decide if local counties and the cities of Kansas City and St. Louis should be allowed to make their own laws regarding firearms.

House Majority Leader Jon Patterson, R-Lees Summit, said the House will no longer take up legislation that would allow guns on public transit and in churches. Another bill that was shelved would exempt guns and ammunition from sales tax. Patterson said Monday that it would be inappropriate following the tragedy in Kansas City.

Baker disagrees with Pattersons decision, saying debate still needs to happen on those bills.

I understand when it comes to these kinds of things and people are talking about it and its an emotional issue and lives are being affected, but we still need to have that debate, Baker said. The bottom line is that the criminals are carrying guns on public transportation and you have law-abiding citizens in that case that do not have the right and the ability to protect themselves, and I think thats problematic.

Last year, the Missouri House voted down a provision that would have prohibited minors from carrying guns without supervision. All but one Republican voted against it.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
People stand at a memorial dedicated to the victims of last week's mass shooting in front of Union Station, Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. Authorities say two juveniles have been charged with crimes connected to the shooting at the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl rally. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP)  Missouri's Republican-led House on Monday passed a bill to ban celebratory gunfire in cities less than a week after a deadly shooting at the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl parade left some attending lawmakers hiding in bathrooms.

Kansas City police have said the shooting appeared to stem from a dispute between several people and not celebratory gunfire. One woman was killed and 22 people were injured. About half of the injured people were under the age of 16.

But the largely bipartisan-supported bill on celebratory gunfire represents a rare effort to regulate guns in a state with some of the most expansive laws on firearm ownership.

Already emotional Republicans and Democrats used Monday's debate on the measure to fight over the best way to address last weeks shooting, and gun violence more broadly.

Kansas City Democratic Rep. Patty Lewis spoke through tears as she described hiding in an alcove to avoid being trampled.

What made me most sad was fear that nothing was going to happen," Lewis said, referencing state gun laws. Ive seen it happen over and over."

Republican Rep. Ben Baker spoke against reacting emotionally to the shooting as Democrats shouted at him from across the House floor.

Theres always a call for stricter gun laws. Its the almost immediate reaction by many in this body when something happens like this, Baker said. "But the fact is, no law that we could pass in this body would have prevented the terrible tragedy that happened last week."

Lawmakers shortly after voted 120-26 to make shooting a firearm within city limits a misdemeanor for the first offense, with exceptions.

The measure was named after 11-year-old Blair Shanahan Lane, who was dancing with a sparkler on July 4, 2011, outside her suburban Kansas City home and was struck in the neck by a stray bullet.

Missouri lawmakers had passed Blair's Law last year as part of a sweeping crime-related bill, but GOP Gov. Mike Parson vetoed the legislation. He cited issues with other crime provisions in the bill unrelated to celebratory gunfire.

GOP Rep. Chad Perkins on Monday slammed some Democrats for voting against the bill last year, highlighting tensions between the two parties on the issue.

I am disgusted at the hypocrisy from the other side, Perkins yelled into a microphone. It is this side that voted for a gun bill.

Majority Leader Jon Patterson, who lives in a Kansas City suburb, on Monday told reporters that House Republicans are pretty adament in their support for law abiding citizens' Second Amendment rights. But he said lawmakers should be open to wide-ranging policy solutions in response to the shooting.

What happened last week was tragic, Patterson said. So we should be willing to look at gun policy, social policy, mental health policy, public safety and crime policy to address those problems.
Get ready to drool over some of the flashiest new gadgets as Mobile World Congress (MWC) rolls into Barcelona.

The annual show regularly attracts more than 80,000 visitors from around the world to worship at the temple of bonkers tech. A rollable phone? Sure, why not?

In recent years, MWC has lost some of its sheen as some heavyweights have ditched it to host their events. As such, dont expect to see Samsung or Google  while Apple was always a no-show anyway.

That still leaves many recognisable names, including OnePlus, Nokia, Nothing, Lenovo, and Motorola, along with countless Chinese and South Korean gadget makers.

Heres whats in store at Mobile World Congress 2024.

When is Mobile World Congress 2024?

MWC is a four-day event that kicks off on Monday, February 26 at the Fira de Barcelona, a 240,000-square-metre venue in the heart of Spains bustling metropolis.

What were looking forward to

London-based tech firm Nothing could reveal its latest phone at the event (Nothing Tech)

So, what devices are destined to make an appearance at this years show? Weve rummaged through the announcements, reports, and rumours in the lead-up to the event to bring you some of the possible highlights.

Cool and crazy new phones

Fittingly for an event with mobile in its name, we should be bombarded with new phones. The wildest ones will probably fold, slide, or in the case of Motorolas insane concept, bend around your wrist like a bracelet. If thats a bit too quirky for your taste, there are always good, old flat phones like the recently announced Nothing Phone 2a and Honors flagship Magic 6 Pro.

A transparent laptop

Lenovo is said to be bringing a transparent laptop to Mobile World Congress (Lenovo / Evan Blass)

Transparent TVs were a big draw at the other big tech event, the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Now, were hearing that Lenovo is planning a laptop with a completely see-through display. Do you need one? Well, unless you want to see all the crumpled-up chocolate wrappers and discarded cups of tea hidden conveniently behind your computer, probably not. Then again, that didnt stop Lenovo from making a rollable concept laptop either.

Smart rings versus smartwatches

Are we ready to leave behind smartwatches for smart rings? Samsung is banking on it (Samsung)

With Samsung set to release its first smart ring, expect to see more trinkets you can wear on your finger at MWC. The idea of a discreet activity and sleep tracker you can wear around the clock sounds great on paper. Still, it hasnt convinced the masses to rush out and buy them. Maybe, because the best ones cost over 200, along with a monthly subscription. Trim down that price and ditch the rolling fee, and youve got a deal. Meanwhile, the OnePlus Watch 2 will be there to persuade you that smartwatches are still superior.

AI and smart glasses

Many hucksters will tell you that artificial intelligence should be crammed into every gadget and appliance on Earth. In some cases, it might work: AI that can skim your apps to book flights, hotels and restaurants sounds handy. Thats what German telecoms giant Deutsche Telekom is planning for MWC. Unlike the new AI gadgets from startups Humane and Rabbit Inc, this new helper will live on your phone.

The XReal Air 2 Ultra smart glasses (XReal)

Separately, Vodafone will show off what sounds like a router for a new wave of smart glasses. The HyperRealityHub (yes, its one word) will essentially power the type of goggles the tech world reckons everyone will soon be wearing. By cutting down the amount of parts you have to cram into these things, Vodafone reckons the hub will usher in smart glasses that look like, well, glasses. Seeing as the bulky Apple Vision Pro gave some people headaches, that may not be such a bad idea. Stick enough of these routers around London, and we can all don our VR Ray-Bans on the tube.

An electric car from a Chinese Apple wannabe

Forget phones, Xiaomi wants to take on Tesla with its new EV (Xiaomi)

While the world waits for the long-gestating Apple car, Chinas Xiaomi is pushing ahead with its own EV. The company could take the wraps off an electric sports saloon at MWC, roughly three years since it announced its grand foray into the auto market. The Chinese company already makes e-scooters, so why not cars? Having already cribbed from Apples iOS for its phones, now its looking to steal more of its thunder. Good luck topping Sonys motor that can be driven with a PS5 controller, though.
Two acclaimed American plays will have auditions this weekend for May productions in Moline.

Playcrafters will hold auditions for the QC premiere of The House of Blue Leaves, directed by Kathy Graham, on Saturday, Feb. 24th from noon to 2 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 25th from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Barn Theatre, 4950 35th Ave., Moline. Performance dates are May 17-19 & 26-28.

In the 1971 John Guare play (set in 1965), Artie Shaugnessy is a songwriter with visions of glory. Toiling by day as a zookeeper, he suffers in seedy lounges by night, plying his wares at piano bars in Queens, New York, where he lives with his wife, Bananas, much to the chagrin of Arties downstairs mistress, Bunny Flingus, wholl sleep with him anytime but refuses to cook until they are married, according to a synopsis.

On the day the Pope is making his first visit to the city, Arties son Ronny goes AWOL from Fort Dix, stowing a homemade bomb intended to blow up the Pope in Yankee Stadium.

Also arriving are Arties old school chum, now a successful Hollywood producer, Billy Einhorn, with starlet girlfriend in tow, who holds the key to Arties dreams of getting out of Queens and away from the life he so despises. But like many dreams, this promise of glory evaporates amid the chaos of ordinary lives.

The House of Blue Leaves premiered Off-Broadway in 1971, and was revived in 1986, both Off-Broadway and on Broadway, and was again revived on Broadway in 2011. The play won the Drama Critics Circle Award for Best American Play and the Obie Award for Best American Play in 1971.

The star-studded Off-Broadway cast included Swoosie Kurtz (Bananas), John Mahoney (Artie), Stockard Channing (Bunny), Christopher Walken (Billy), Ben Stiller (Ronnie, in his stage debut), and Julie Hagerty (Corrinna).

Playcrafters Barn Theatre is at 4950 35th Ave., Moline.

For Playcrafters auditions, please bring a resume and be prepared to read from the script; first-timers are also welcome to audition. For more details, visit the website HERE or call 309-762-0330.

To Kill a Mockingbird

For the first time in over 40 years, the classic story To Kill a Mockingbird will be brought to a QC stage, Molines Black Box Theatre. Playcrafters did a production during the 1982-82 season.

The new Mockingbird on Main performances will be May 16, 17, 18 and 23, 24 and 25 at 8 p.m. and May 19 and May 26 at 2 p.m. at The Black Box, 1623 5th Ave., Moline. Auditions for the play will be held at Black Box on Saturday, Feb. 24 at 11 a.m.

Nearly a year after the Mockingbird was forced to leave its downtown Davenport home (320 Main St.), on the ground floor of the building that collapsed (May 28, 2023), the itinerant company will produce the play for which it is named.

Nothing needs to be prepared in advance for auditions; performers will be asked to read from the script.

A rehearsal schedule will be assembled after casting has been finalized. Rehearsals will begin in early/mid-April and will take place in the evenings during the week and in the afternoons on the weekends.

Based on the 1960 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Harper Lee, Christopher Sergels stage version debuted in 1991 at Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey just two years before his death in 1993.

The story (made into the iconic 1962 film starring Gregory Peck) is set in a sleepy Alabama town in the midst of the Great Depression, where Scout and her brother, Jem, live with their widowed father, Atticus Finch.

The play immerses us in a simpler time as the children play outside in the summer, act out stories and muse about their mysterious neighbor, Boo Radley, according to a synopsis. The facade of the seemingly peaceful town begins to crack when a young black man is accused of a terrible crime.

Driven by an unshakable moral conviction, lawyer Atticus defends the man in a trial that sends violent waves through the community. Timeless and lingering, this hard-hitting work explores prejudice, compassion and the courage to do what is right, the synopsis says.

The novel was famously adapted by TV and film writer Aaron Sorkin for his 2018 Broadway version.

Sergels adaptation is more faithful to the book in structure and focus whereas Sorkin has thrown out the original flow and created a piece that is essentially a memory play, Mockingbird on Main co-owner Tristan Tapscott said recently. For example, Sorkins piece begins with the trial and flashes back to various moments and Sergels piece doesnt hit the trial until later in the show.

The former Mockingbird on Main in downtown Davenport operated from July 2021 to May 2023.

Neither Tapscott nor his wife (and Mockingbird co-owner) Savannah Bay Strandin have seen either stage version.

Its an impactful piece and Im surprised its never crossed my radar, he said. We live in a world that continues to grapple with racial injustice, inequality, division. Unfortunately, To Kill a Mockingbird still hits all these years later. The storytelling is simple, frank, a little complicated and a little funny. Its life, you know? Its a depiction of life at a certain time through the eyes of those that dont lie  and more importantly  feel love without borders: children.

Tapscott loved the book so much that he named his daughter Harper Leigh, who will turn 10 in March, and then he and Strandin turned their passion for the story into the name of their new cabaret-style theater, which opened July 29, 2021.

For more information about Mockingbird on Main, visit its Facebook page HERE.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com.
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  Molina Healthcare of Texas will be hosting The Art of Communication: Strengthening Your Relationship, an event designed to help El Paso moms on Tuesday, Feb. 20.

The event will be from 10 a.m. through 12 p.m. at Centro Communitario Socorro Ramirez located on 106 Peyton Rd., El Paso, TX., 79928.

Molina Healthcare says the event is desgined to help local moms with a supportive arena to discuss and learn about health-related topics affecting their families. Topics include pre-natal care, infant nutrition, mental health, chronic disease management and more.

The first 48 particpants will receive a small pot and seeds to plant, dental kits from MCNA Dental, diapers and wipes from El Paso Center for Children (for children under 5) while supplies last, according to Molina Healthcare.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  The woman accused of posting her child waxing nude women on social media has been arrested and charged, according to Memphis Police.

MPD, DCS investigating photos of child waxing nude woman at salon

Jasmine Moss, 30, is charged with misdemeanor Child Neglect and Child Abuse.

On February 15, Memphis Police received several complaints regarding a post on social media involving a young girl. A Memphis mother released photos showing her 5-year-old daughter helping to wax dozens of clients.

In one of the pictures, there is a little girl who detectives describe as applying hot wax to the private area of an adult.

The account that posted the image was used by Moss to advertise her hair removal business. Police believe the business is operated out of her home in the 4000 block of Glenbrook Street.

In the post, Moss wrote that her daughter waxed 24 clients over a span of time exceeding eight hours.

Jasmine Moss is set to appear in court Wednesday.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
ERIE TWP.  Law enforcement officers in Monroe County caught a driver who fled Flat Rock police early Saturday morning.

Monroe County Central Dispatch was notified by Flat Rock police at 3:05 a.m. Saturday that they were in pursuit of a Ford Fusion southbound on Interstate 75 going into Monroe County. The vehicle was reported to have fled from the scene of a traffic stop by Flat Rock officers and was traveling at high speeds, a news release from the Monroe County Sheriffs Office said. Sheriff's deputies responded and began to set up along I-75.

As the suspect vehicle continued southbound on I-75 near Laplaisance Road, several Monroe County deputies joined the pursuit to assist Flat Rock officers. Once near South Otter Creek Road, Flat Rock police ended the pursuit after losing sight of the suspect vehicle due to the high speeds.

K9 Arlo of the Monroe County Sheriff's Office on Saturday found a man who was reported to have fled a traffic stop in Flat Rock.

Several minutes later, Monroe County Sheriff's Deputy Austin Graham was checking the area and located the suspect vehicle parked on the right shoulder of southbound I-75 at the Summit Street overpass, the release said. Upon Graham pulling behind the vehicle, the male driver exited the vehicle and fled on foot westbound into a wooded area. Responding deputies and Michigan State Police troopers set up a perimeter, while Monroe County K-9 handler Deputy Danny Greenwood and his police service dog Arlo were called to the scene. Shortly after arriving, Arlo located the suspect hiding in the area, and he was taken into custody without any further incident.

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The suspect, a 46-year-old man from South Lyon, was turned over to the custody of the Flat Rock Police Department, who arrested him on fleeing and eluding charges.

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Monroe County Sheriff's Office dog finds pursuit suspect
Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker will hold a news conference Tuesday afternoon to give an update on the investigation into the mass shooting at the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl victory rally last week, the prosecutors office announced.

The news conference, which is open only to the media due to limited space, will be at 2 p.m. at the Jackson County Courthouse in downtown Kansas City. No further details were included in the announcement.

Charges were filed last week against two teens in the shooting that killed one woman and injured at least 39 others, including 23 with gunshot wounds. Lisa Lopez-Galvan, a mother and popular disc jockey, was identified as the woman killed in the shooting.

The shooting occurred shortly before 2 p.m. Wednesday as hundred of thousands of Chiefs fans were celebrating the teams Super Bowl victory against the San Francisco 49ers. Shots fired on the west side of Union Station sent hundreds of people running for cover.

Two teens were being held at the Juvenile Detention Center on gun-related and resisting arrest offenses, the family court division of the Jackson County Circuit Court said in a statement Friday.

It said additional charges were expected as the investigation continued.

The Office of the Juvenile Officer acts as a prosecutor for criminal cases brought against minors with the proceedings held in family court.

Depending on the seriousness of criminal charges, juvenile defendants may face a mandatory certification hearing to determine whether they are tried as adults. Such offenses requiring a mandatory certification include first-degree assault and murder.

The Jackson County Prosecutor also has charged 36-year-old Jose L. Castillo with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm.

A witness told police he heard gunshots and then saw two males fighting. One of them dropped a handgun on the ground during the fight, according to court documents. Castillo allegedly picked up the firearm and walked away, the witness told officers. The witness then pointed out Castillo to officers.

When officers confronted Castillo and ordered him to the ground, Castillo allegedly removed a black Glock 22 handgun and threw it on the ground, according to court documents.

Because of a felony conviction in 2016, Castillo is not allowed to possess a firearm.
People light candles in the courtyard of the Faculty of Philosophy to commemorate the death of Russian opposition politician Alexey Navalny. Peina Ludik/CTK/dpa

The Kremlin has denied an international investigation demanded by the European Union into the death of jailed opposition figure Alexei Navalny.

"We do not accept such demands at all," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday, according to Russian news agencies. Russia sees this as interference in its internal affairs.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell had called for an independent international investigation into Navalny's death.

But Navalny's spokeswoman said there was little hope of Russia releasing the body to his wife or mother anytime soon.

Peskov also rejected as "unfounded and outrageous" accusations by Navalny's widow Yulia Navalnaya that Putin had killed her husband.

In a video message on Monday, the 47-year-old Navalnaya blamed Putin for Navalny's death in a prison camp north of the Arctic Circle and announced that she would continue her husband's fight against the Russian president's system.

Peskov said that neither he nor Putin had watched the video.

He wanted to refrain from commenting in view of the fact that "Yulia Navalnaya has just been widowed," Peskov added.

At the same time, the Kremlin spokesman defended the brutal action taken by security forces against Russians who laid flowers and lit candles in many cities across the country in memory of the deceased Putin opponent. The uniformed officers had fulfilled their task in accordance with the law, said Peskov.

Hundreds of people have been detained in recent days for publicly commemorating the late opposition figure. Courts have imposed arrests or fines in summary proceedings. Despite this, many Russians continued to publicly express their grief.

Navalny's team criticized the fact that people in Russia are now being detained for laying flowers.

People gather for a vigil in honor of the deceased Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny following his death in front of Rome's city hall. Roberto Monaldo/LaPresse via ZUMA Press/dpa
UPDATE, 5:13 p.m.: The 12-year-old boy who was hospitalized with serious burns after reportedly trying to start a campfire with gasoline died Tuesday morning, police confirmed.

He had burns on more than half of his body and succumbed to his injuries from the explosion, according to police.

Officials want to remind people to be mindful of having gasoline around the house and be aware of the dangers.

Responding to this call and aiding the family on this tragic night will be a moment that will stay with our deputies and other first responders for a lifetime, Davis County Sheriff Kelly Sparks said. We cannot begin to express our sincerest condolences to this family and those impacted by this terrible accident. We mourn the loss of this young boy, and we grieve for his family, his schoolmates, and those who love him.

The boys mother was treated at a local hospital and released.

ORIGINAL STORY: Mother and son suffer serious burns in a West Point campfire explosion

WEST POINT, Utah (ABC4)  A mother and her son were rushed to the hospital on Monday afternoon after what is being described as an explosion possibly involving a campfire in West Point.

North Davis Fire District Chief Mark Becraft said the incident happened around 4:30 p.m. in the area of 900 North and 5000 West. The call was reported to be an explosion with burns, according to Becraft.

Cache County elections worker allegedly alters document, charged with felony

When first responders arrived, they said they found a 12-year-old boy with critical burns to more than half of his body. His mom also had burns, though they were considered to be less severe as she rushed to put out the fire that was engulfing her son.

Becraft said the boy was flown to Primary Childrens Hospital in Salt Lake City while his mother was taken to a local hospital up north. Their current condition is currently unknown.

An investigation into what led to the burns is ongoing, according to Becraft, however, it appears the boy was attempting to start a campfire using gasoline.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
Scrolling through TikTok, you may have already seen videos of a group of young topless African men sending personalized messages on TikTok.

Each video from the account Niudance.com garners thousands of views as more users pay up to have dozen or so men dance and sing for a celebrity or a character.

These videos used to be an even greater hit years before, but recent information on how the videos are made sheds a harsher light on the business behind these personalized messages.

Also Read: Ian Miles Cheong Death Hoax, Explained

Boycott Niudance: Cause

Calls to boycott the TikTok account uploading personalized messages from African men have been going around for some time, but have only gained more attention in the last months.

The reason for the boycott was from a BBC documentary, "Racism for Sale," showing the dark under-dealings in Africa where residents are being forced to perform for the Chinese audience, saying things like "I am a black monster and my IQ is low."

Testimonies from the abused locals also indicate they were abused and starved if they did not obey the instructions from the contractor.

While the documentary has been mainly about the trend going around Chinese social media back in 2020, users noted several similarities to how the operators work with the Niudance videos.

Among these are the men, and sometimes women, being instructed by a person off-camera to speak to the camera in English, a language all of them seem to not understand at all.

It does not help that the people in the Niudance video were never identified or have been shown to receive payments from all the message requests via TikTok or Niudance's website.

No social media accounts aside from Niudance and Niudance-affiliated platforms have been shown.

Boycott Niudance: The Movement

While calls to boycott Niudance have been spreading across respective communities on X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok, operations on the account seem unaffected.

Recent videos from its TikTok account, with 210,600 followers, still show thousands of likes and views.

There are also no reports of any intervention from local authorities amid concerns for the people featured on the video.

Confirmation if the business is legitimate is a mystery, as well.

As of writing, several accounts are grouping efforts to put a stop to people buying its services until a genuine proof that the African men are actually being paid.

reminder that these men are literally victims of human trafficking and that they're forced to do this pic.twitter.com/V9Sb17ANvR  Fanzy (@StressedFanzy) February 18, 2024

Related Article: Are Online Protests Still Effective Today?
A motorcyclist was killed in a Monday evening crash in Madison County, according to Kentucky State Police.

The crash happened on Slate Lick Road in Berea. KSP said a man driving a 2003 Chevrolet Silverado was attempting to turn onto Mt. Vernon Road (US-25) when he crossed into the path of 25-year-old Jeffrey Crowe, who was driving a Harley Davidson motorcycle.

Crowe was traveling north on US-25 when the collision occurred. KSP said he was pronounced dead on scene by the Madison County Coroners Office.

The driver of the other vehicle suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to the hospital, Baptist Health in Richmond, according to KSP.

KSP is conducting an investigation into the crash.
Rishi Sunak is facing a fresh by-election blow after a former Tory MP embroiled in a lobbying scandal lost his appeal against a proposed 35-day suspension.

Scott Benton, who has represented Blackpool South since 2019, offered to table questions on behalf of gambling investors in an undercover sting last April.

Mr Benton was stripped of the Tory whip in the wake of the revelations, and a seven-month investigation by the Commons standards watchdog found he had breached the parliamentary code of conduct.

His appeal against the decision was dismissed on Tuesday by the Independent Expert Panel (IEP), which said it found no substance in his arguments.

Mr Bentons punishment must now be approved by MPs through a vote in the Commons. If approved it would trigger a recall petition, which would lead to a by-election if it was signed by more than 10 per cent of his constituents.

Blackpool South, a marginal seat in Lancashire, formed part of the Red Wall of traditional Labour-supporting constituencies won by the Tories in their 2019 general election landslide.

A ballot set to be held in Rochdale next week means a contest in Blackpool South would be the 13th by-election to take place since Mr Sunak took office in October 2022.

Seven of these have seen the Conservatives lose seats to Labour and the Liberal Democrats.

In an undercover investigation for The Times last April, Mr Benton, who was the chairman of the all-party parliamentary group on betting and gaming, offered to leak a confidential policy document in advance of its announcement and lobby ministers on behalf of gambling investors.

The panel described Mr Bentons arguments against his recommended punishment as misconceived or erroneous and found the sanction was neither unreasonable nor disproportionate.

It also dismissed allegations about a leak from the committee as having no substance, adding: There was no procedural flaw in the process.

On Tuesday, Labour called for Mr Benton to quit the Commons immediately and trigger a by-election now instead of waiting to be ejected through a parliamentary recall petition.

Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow paymaster general, said: Scott Benton should do the decent thing and resign, saving the people of Blackpool South a lengthy recall petition that would leave them without the representation they deserve.

This is yet another by-election caused by Tory scandal. Britain deserves better than this carousel of Conservative chaos. Labours Chris Webb is Blackpool born and bred, and ready to deliver a fresh start for Blackpool South.

Labour will be optimistic about its prospects in the seat, with polling suggesting it is on track to win back most if not all of the Red Wall at the next general election, expected to take place later this year.

A YouGov survey of 14,000 people conducted for The Telegraph last month projected that Labour is set to gain Blackpool South from the Conservatives.

Reform UK, the insurgent Right-wing party led by Richard Tice, is also likely to be confident of a strong showing because of the support for Brexit in the constituency.

Mr Benton, a former councillor in Yorkshire, had been embroiled in a series of controversies prior to his suspension.

He had repeatedly expressed his support for the death penalty, which he claimed was supported by both the majority of the public and his constituents, while he also appeared to retweet an anti-abortion post in June 2022 before deleting the retweet.

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Editors note: This is issue 43 of Ukrainian lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniaks weekly Ukrainian Economy in Brief newsletter, covering events from Feb. 12-18, 2024. The digest highlights steps taken in the Ukrainian parliament related to business, economics, and international financial programs.

The Kyiv Independent is republishing with permission.

IMF benchmarks in focus

Lawmakers submitted an alternative draft law on restarting the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine (ESBU) in line with international recommendations.

On Feb. 12, Yaroslav Zhelezniak, first deputy head of the Committee on Finance, Tax and Customs Policy, and other lawmakers submitted draft law 10439-2 on restarting the ESBU. The draft law 10439-2 was designed as an alternative to the Cabinet of Ministers previously registered bill (10439).

The alternative draft law 10439-2 was developed in cooperation with the Anti-Corruption Action Center (AntAC), International Development Law Organization (IDLO), business associations and international partners of Ukraine.

The text contains all the recommendations to guarantee that it ensures the real restart of the ESBU according to the best practices and meets all Ukraines obligations under international financial programs.

Read also: Ukraine receives over $42 billion from international partners in 2023

The alternative draft law 10439-2 also eliminates all problems and shortcomings which were found in the governmental draft law 10439 and were vastly criticized by the stakeholders from business, NGOs and international partners. Provisions on the staff re-certification and competitive selection of the BESs director and employees were particularly criticized.

Among of the crucial provisions of the alternative draft law 10439-2 are the following:

Competitive selection of the BES director with the decisive vote of international representatives;

majority of international representatives in the selection and re-certification commissions;

start of recertification process immediately after the appointment of newly elected director, ending not later than in 18 months after that;

all staff appointed as a result of old procedures have to pass the recertification.



The same group of lawmakers also submitted the draft law 10440-3 with amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code which is an alternative to the CMUs draft law 10440. The alternative draft law is aimed to ensure additional protection of business interests during searches, seizure of property and other procedural actions, as well as reducing the illegal pressure of law enforcement on business.

World Bank priorities

The Parliament will try again to consider three draft laws from the Development Policy Loan (DPL).

On Feb. 21, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine is going to consider three draft laws from the World Bank DPL.

First of all, the Parliament has to consider in the second reading the draft law (DL) #5865 on financial markets and strengthening the independence and institutional capacity of the National Securities and Stock Market Commission (NSSMC) in accordance with the IOSCO Principles.

As we reported in Issue 42, the draft law was withdrawn from the parliaments agenda the week before according to the demand from the Office of the President which opposes the competitive selection of the NSSMCs members.

Read also: World Bank to disburse $500 million for Ukrainian businesses in 2024

The Verkhovna Rada will also consider in the second reading the DL #5593-d on state-owned enterprise corporate governance reform and the draft law #9266 electronic crop receipts as a new financial instrument for farmers. Both had to be voted on Feb. 7, but the parliament didn't have time due to cutting down one plenary meeting.

On Feb. 19, the Committee on Finance, Tax and Customs Policy reviewed again and approved the tables of amendments for the draft laws #5865 and #9266, so they are ready to be adopted by the Parliament.

Other key economic issues

The Prosecutor General's Office will check the legitimacy of the ESBU decisions.

In January, the Prosecutor General's Office decided to check the legitimacy of the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine's decisions to close criminal proceedings regarding illegal gambling (under the article 203-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

The ESBU closed an abnormal number of the proceedings regarding illegal gambling in the last month of 2023. In December 2023, the ESBU closed 84.2% (64 out of 76 criminal offenses) of all criminal offenses closed in 2023 under the article 203-2. Such statistics may indicate potential violations of the ESBU and illegal opening or illegal closing of the criminal proceedings aiming to gain an undue benefit.

Proceedings regarding 70 criminal proceedings were closed due to the established absence of the event of a criminal offense. Another six criminal proceedings were closed due to the established absence of elements of a criminal offense in the acts of suspects.

The draft law on mobilization is postponed till the first week of March.

The Cabinet of Ministers draft law on mobilization #10449 wasnt included in the parliaments agenda for the current week.

Lawmakers have the right to submit their amendments for the second reading until Feb. 21. Most likely, the Committee on Security and Defense will deal with more than 1,000 amendments.

Considering the sensitivity of the matter, its unlikely that the Committee will push the process and try to submit the document for consideration faster.

Most likely the Verkhovna Rada will consider the draft law on mobilization not earlier than on March 6-8.

Read also: Reuters: Ukrainian businesses fear new mobilization law could paralyze economy

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  Police say a driver with A1s Towing was involved in a hit-and-run accident while towing several cars from businesses connected to a truck stop in Southeast Memphis.

According to police, at least five people had their vehicles towed away from a lot next to Pleasant Liquor and Pleasant Hookah & Cigar Lounge in the 4800 block of East Holmes on Feb. 9.

According to witnesses, one of those people was an off-duty Tennessee Highway Patrol officer.

Police say in an accident report that a tow truck struck a Hyundai Genesis in the incident and left the scene.

Daricell Maples aunt and uncle own the businesses. Maples, who lives in the Knoxville area, was attending an event at the hookah bar when her car was taken.

The guy who showed up, I guess he was with A1s company. He wouldnt give us his name. He was rude about the whole situation, said Maples. I was just trying to find out where my car was.

Maples cousin Precious Ballentine works at the businesses. She said a Tennessee state trooper who was providing security at the lounge that night tried to stop A1s from driving off with his vehicle.

He got his vehicle towed as well while yelling out, I am a trooper. Can we at least work this out? There wasnt any working it out, said Ballentine.

Ballentine said the trooper and others were reaching for their door handles as their vehicles were being towed away and said an A1s tow truck driver hit her mothers car.

They tried to cover the signs on the side so we couldnt see what company they were with, said Ballentine. They did that immediately once they rammed my moms vehicle.

The liquor store and hookah bar are in a strip mall connected to the Holmes Express gas station and truck stop. Owners said their customers have been parking all over the lot for two years with no issues.

There are signs on the lots that say no free parking for cars or trucks, but Ballentine said the signs with the word cars on them are brand new, and they were never notified about a change.

Ballentine said she recorded the cars being towed to a nearby lot before police arrived.

They were just dumping them and pulling right back up here to tow more, said Ballentine.

When asked about the vehicles towed, the attorney for A1s Towing and Hauling questioned why the police were there.

Is this a lot where it specifically states automobiles are not allowed to park? When did the Memphis Police start doing accident reports on private property? said Darrell ONeal.

In November, the Memphis Transportation Commission suspended A1s Towing and Haulings booting and towing permits for 30 days after receiving several complaints from truck drivers who claimed they were illegally booted and towed by A1s and charged thousands of dollars to get their semi-trucks back.

Deputy City Attorney Michael Fletcher said A1s has since been cited for more violations and will have another hearing before the permits office.

Fletcher said the state and postal service are also investigating the towing company. He said one of the trucks they took was a postal service vehicle.

State, Postal Service investigating A1s Towing

MPD took at least two police reports and one accident report following the incident outside Pleasant Liquor and Pleasant Hookah Cigar Lounge.

We were told by police that it was illegal not to give us some type of warning and also illegal to be taking vehicles while people were yanking on the door, Ballentine said.

Last year, A1s filed a lawsuit against the City of Memphis, the Memphis police chief, and multiple MPD officers, accusing them of weaponizing a civil municipal ordinance to discriminate against the minority-owned company.

A Chancery Court judge also ordered MPD not to engage in parking or towing disputes on private property. Both cases are still pending in the courts.

Memphis City Council members asked the permits office to create a clear set of rules for tow truck companies after fielding complaints about A1s Towing & Hauling.

City leaders want set of rules after A1s Towing complaints

Council is expected to vote on the towing rules and regulations next month.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
An 18-year employee of the Hancock County Sheriffs Office, Teresa Osbourn, has filed a lawsuit against Sheriff Ricky Adam and Hancock County, claiming she was wrongly fired because she did not support Adam in his political races.

Osbourn filed her lawsuit in Hancock County Circuit Court, where she seeks unspecified damages to compensate her for the loss of her job, plus punitive damages and attorneys fees.

Osbourn, represented by attorney Daniel Waide of Hattiesburg, claims that her constitutional rights to free speech and due process were violated when she was fired a week after Adam defeated three Republican challengers to win re-election in August 2023.

Osbourn refused to support Adam, which she has every right to do, the lawsuit says. In response, Hancock County retaliated through Sheriff Adam and terminated Osbourn.

Hostile work environment?

Osbourn said she worked for the sheriffs department for 18 years and did an excellent job without any work-related issues.

Adam confirmed that Osbourn worked for the department as a clerk, first in the office and then at the jail. He referred other questions to county attorney Gary Yarborough.

Yarborough said a response to the lawsuit is being prepared and that he could not comment on ongoing litigation.

In addition to refusing to support Adam, Osbourns lawsuit says she also believes that a complaint about being mistreated as a female employee contributed to her firing.

She said that she was subjected to inappropriate hugs from Adam and unnamed deputies, and that some male employees had wanted to discuss their sex lives with her. She described the work environment as hostile.
LANSING, Mich. (WLNS)  The Michigan State University Department of Police and Public Safety is asking the community to help identify two people in connection to a debit card larceny and fraud case.

The incident took place on Feb. 4.

Can you identify these men? (MSU POLICE)

Can you identify these men? (MSU POLICE)

If you have any information, please contact Detective Jon Stein. You can do that through email at SteinJ@dpps.msu.edu.

You can also submit an anonymous tip by texting MSUDPPS followed by your message to 274637.

Or, by calling Crime Stoppers of Mid-Michigan at 517-483-STOP (7867).

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WLNS 6 News.
CHIKAMING TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD)  An Indiana man is in jail after leading police on a chase that ended in a crash near the Michigan-Indiana state line.

Around 5:15 a.m., officers in Berrien County were notified by dispatch that the driver of a gray Kia was wanted on multiple charges, including aggravated stalking, a conditional bond violation and fleeing from police. Officers in and near Holland had tried to stop the vehicle, but the driver took off.

Shortly after dispatch notified the officers, deputies with the Berrien County Sheriffs Office took over chasing the vehicle from Covert Township police.

The sheriffs office said the driver, 36-year-old Matthew Lee Mensch of Coatesville, Indiana, was speeding southbound on M-63 while ignoring traffic control devices and that he drove into oncoming traffic lanes.

Officers from Coloma Township used spike strips to try and stop the vehicle. The sheriffs office said one tire was flattened, but the chase continued southbound through St. Joseph, Stevensville and Bridgman.

More spike strips were laid down, which flattened two more tires. The Kia then left the roadway and crashed in Chikaming Township.

The sheriffs office said Mensch was arrested and checked by emergency medical teams l at the scene. He was then taken to Corewell Lakeland Hospital as part of the operating while intoxicated investigation. While on the way, he damaged the patrol vehicle while trying to assault the arresting deputy.

Mensch has since been released from the hospital and is being held in the Berrien County Jail on numerous charges from Berrien and Ottawa counties.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
One of the most significant increases in crime statistics cited by the Muscogee County Sheriffs Office for last year was the skyrocketing value of seized drugs.

The office saw a nearly 10 times increase in the value of drugs seized, according to the sheriffs office 2023 annual report, with a total value of $21.1 million worth.

That amount dwarfed the value of drugs seized in 2022 when it confiscated about $2.3 million in illegal drugs, and also the nearly $900,000 in drugs it took in during all of 2021.

Muscogee County Sheriff Greg Countryman said the increased value of drugs seized can partly be attributed to joint collaboration cases and partnerships with federal authorities.

The message that we want to send to the gang members, the message that we want to send to the drug dealers, the fugitives, those who want to traffic our children and our teens under 18, not on our watch, said Countryman.

In one instance involving multiple search warrants the Muscogee County Sheriffs Office seized over 119 pounds of marijuana, 10.4 ounces of cocaine, 6.6 ounces of methamphetamine, 7 handguns, 1 Mini Draco rifle and nearly $35,000 in U.S. currency. This haul estimated to be worth $588,000 led to the arrest of four individuals.

In another instance they seized over $1 million in methamphetamine after arresting two individuals who had outstanding warrants including two counts of felony murder each.

We wanted to stop the hemorrhaging, said Countryman. So, a lot of stuff that you see now is a lot of surgery that were doing to stop the bleeding.

Muscogee County Sheriff Greg Countryman answers questions during a recent interview about crime, gangs, and other issues facing the Muscogee County Sheriffs Office. Mike Haskey/mhaskey@ledger-enquirer.com

The area saw 30 overdose deaths in 2023, according to Muscogee County Coroner Buddy Bryan. He said 26 of those overdoses have been confirmed to be related to fentanyl with three overdose deaths still pending toxicology reports.

In total, the sheriffs office seized approximately 1,400 pounds more in drugs in 2023 than in 2022. In 2023, the sheriffs office seized just more than 1,617 pounds in narcotics, with marijuana comprising just over 1,229 pounds of that total. A stark contrast to the 135 pounds of marijuana seized in 2022.

Heroine and fentanyl made up just over three pounds of the total drugs seized during 2023, down a pound from 2022. The sheriffs office also saw a total of just over 206 pounds of methamphetamine and just over 124 pounds of crack/cocaine seized as well last year.

The DEA told the Ledger-Enquirer last year that Atlanta, between an hour and a half to two hours away from Columbus, was a hub for illicit drugs up and down the east coast.

Gun confiscations rose

Another area the sheriffs office saw increases in is the number of firearms seized. They seized 410 firearms in 2023, 97 more than the firearms confiscated in 2022.

A picture of drugs, guns and cash seized by the Muscogee County Sheriffs Office through multiple search warrants in Muscogee County. Chelsey Brooks/Photo courtesy of the Muscogee County Sheriff's Office Facebook page.

Countryman said his office is aggressive when it comes to seizing firearms. As a consequence, he said patrol units have been shot at during their operations.

We want to make sure that anytime we can take the guns out of the hands, especially of convicted felons, gang members, that we win, Countryman said.

Another increase was the number of felony arrests made by the sheriffs office with 2,047 felony arrests in 2023, more than double the number from 2022.

Countryman partially attributes this rise to having more investigators than years past. Countryman said when he took office the sheriffs office had eight investigators and they now have around 35 investigators.

Countryman also attributed the exchange of information with the Columbus Police Department to helping investigators make more felony arrests.

The unique thing about us is that, Columbus Police Department, they provide us with a lot of information on individuals that have warrants with them, said Countryman.

Countryman said another danger to the Columbus area is individuals who are coming into Muscogee County with warrants from other counties that may be having an increase in crime.

Those individuals we want to get, said Countryman. We dont want them to come here and this be their playground.

When we arrest them here we want them to get on the phone in jail and call back and say hey, dont come to Muscogee County its hot, Countryman said.
Semafor Signals

The News

Five days after Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny perished in an Arctic prison his death remains the subject of mystery, with the location of his body still unclear amid fears that authorities may be seeking to conceal evidence of poisoning.

State investigators said the official probe into Navalnys death was being extended, and authorities in the remote penal colony have repeatedly shut down attempts by his mother and lawyer to locate his body. The activists mother has been informed that his corpse would be held for two weeks for chemical analysis, the BBC reported.

Russian state-owned outlet RT reported that a blood clot was the cause of death, while prison officials told Navalnys mother that he had died of sudden death syndrome, a broad term that can encompass various causes of cardiac arrest.

Many Western governments and Russian opposition figures have said they believe Russian President Vladimir Putin is directly or indirectly responsible, after the 47-year-old was held for three years in prison in increasingly harsh conditions.

The activists wife, Yulia Navalnaya, has accused Russia of holding her husbands body to wait for traces of Putins Novichok to dissipate, a reference to the nerve agent Russian agents used to poison him in 2020.

We know exactly why Putin killed Alexei, Navalnaya, who has sworn to continue her husbands work, said. Well tell you about it soon, she added.

SIGNALS

Semafor Signals: Global insights on today's biggest stories.

Incomprehensible commotion the evening before Navalnys death

Sources: The Moscow Times, Novaya Gazeta, iStories, Ivan Zhdanov

One prisoner said there was incomprehensible commotion in the penal colony the evening before Navalnys death, as prisoners were locked in, cell phones confiscated, and a number of cars arrived. It was obvious that something was going to happen, the prisoner told Novaya Gazeta, an independent outlet whose editor-in-chief won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021. The inmate added that everyone in the prison had learned of Navalnys death by 10 a.m. the morning of Feb. 16  several hours before Russian authorities announced he had died.

On February 19, several employees of Russias federal prison system  including one official who had reportedly restricted Navalnys rights and limited his ability to purchase food  were promoted by Putin, the investigative outlet iStories reported. Ivan Zhdanov, director of Navalnys Anti-Corruption Foundation, called the promotions a personal reward for torture and murder.

Doubt continues to surround prison authorities timeline

Sources: Meduza, The Moscow Times

Doubts began to swirl almost immediately after officials at the Polar Wolf penal colony where Navalny was being held announced his death in the early afternoon local time on Feb 16, saying he collapsed after going for a walk and failed to regain consciousness.

Independent Russian outlets quickly found several holes in the Kremlins official timeline. While prison authorities said a team of paramedics started giving Navalny care within seven minutes of his collapse, a human rights lawyer told Meduza, a leading Russian independent outlet, that it beggared belief that a patient inside a Russian maximum-security facility in the Far North would receive treatment that quickly.

And according to the authorities timeline, he went for a walk at around 10.30 a.m, but Navalny had previously written that inmates in solitary confinement took walks earlier, at 6.30 in the morning, according to The Moscow Times.

Navalnys death follows rumors of prisoner exchange and alleged breakout scheme

Sources: The Guardian, Novaya Gazeta

For some of Navalnys supporters, his death was all the more tragic due to persistent rumors that the activist might be freed as part of a prisoner exchange between Russia and the West. Sergei Guriev, a longtime Navalny supporter, said in September that he knew based on direct and indirect correspondence with Navalny that the opposition leader was willing to leave Russia, something he had previously refused to consider even if it meant staying in harsh prison conditions.

After Navalnys death, the Russian Volunteer Corps, a Russian paramilitary organization based in Ukraine, claimed it had been planning to rescue Navalny from the penal colony, releasing photos as evidence of their alleged connections within the jail service. The claims of the RVC, which is led by a far-right Russian national, could not be independently verified.
Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) on Monday blasted former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), calling him a loser and accusing him of trying to get her voted out of office.

During a Capitol Hill visit last week, McCarthy told reporters he hopes Mace gets the help she supposedly needs to straighten out her life.

No one will stay working for her, he said, according to The Hill. You cant have somebody who just flips and flops based upon what TV station she gets put on. You want someone whos willing to work, and so I hope she gets that kind of help.

Mace did not leave his dig unanswered, using McCarthys words to make a fundraising pitch to voters.

In a video posted on X, formerly Twitter, Mace said she needs support for my campaign to hit back against the establishment, to hit back against corrupt D.C., to hit back against people like McCarthy.

He put our majority at risk, she added. He lied to the American people. He couldnt even hold his speakership, because hes a loser. So yeah, Kevin, I need help. I need help to raise money so I can hit back at you and your hand-picked opponent whos now your puppet running in South Carolina against me.

Mace didnt name names, but she may have been referring to Catherine Templeton, one of the three Republicans challenging Mace in the GOP primary in South Carolinas 1st District. Mace has previously described Templeton as McCarthys puppet.

Kevin McCarthy just can't help himself as I am living rent free in his head. He got one thing right, however; I do need help. I need your help to fight back against the corrupt DC establishment and their handpicked puppet. Chip in today >>https://t.co/yIo0S2PO55pic.twitter.com/Q9FLlHLEgV  Nancy Mace (@NancyMace) February 19, 2024

Last year, McCarthy said he hadnt expected Mace would join Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) in trying to oust him from the speakership. Mace was one of eight House Republicans to join Democrats in voting McCarthy out of the job in October. The following month, McCarthy told CNN that Mace didnt deserve to win reelection.

Mace pushed back, saying she didnt need McCarthys help to secure reelection.

I know exactly how to raise money, she told the network in November. I know exactly how to run  women can run, and women can win, Kevin McCarthy  surprise.

Related...
(Photo : Unsplash/mkjr_)

In the center of Manhattan, a new technology from Skyline Robotics, called Ozmo, is changing how these tall buildings are cleaned, making window washing safer, quicker, and more eco-friendly.

Skyline Robotics' Ozmo Taking Over Manhattan

Skyline Robotics is changing the traditional way of window washing with new technology, aiming to transform a risky industry. Ozmo is currently working in Tel Aviv and New York and has cleaned prominent Manhattan buildings like 10 Hudson Yards, 383 Madison, 825 3rd Avenue, and 7 World Trade Center in partnership with Platinum, a window cleaner, and The Durst Organization, a real estate giant.

The machine hangs from the side of a high-rise. A robotic arm with a brush cleans the window directed by a LiDAR camera, which scans the building's exterior and determines the window dimensions to map 3D environments.

President and Chief Operating Officer Ross Blum explained that the LiDAR paints a picture of the building's facade as the basket descends. While a human operator controls Ozmo from the top of the building, Blum mentioned that the robot could be operated remotely from anywhere.

Addressing the City's Safety and Efficiency

Reverse osmosis, the basis for the name Ozmo, eliminates water contaminants, making the cleaning process more efficient. Blum mentioned that they do not require separate tools like a squeegee and brush to achieve a spotless window. It is all done in one motion.

According to CEO James Halpin, Skyline Robotics board member and Platinum, the current cost of the Ozmo is about $500,000, with building owners typically recouping their investment within three to five years.

READ ALSO: OpenAI CEO Warns of Societal Misalignment, Calls for a Regulatory Body to Supervise AI

A Changing Workforce of the Future

The machine is part of a new technology wave capable of mimicking human tasks. Artificial intelligence advancements like ChatGPT have been in the news recently, raising concerns about job security in customer service, writing, and computer programming roles.

According to a 2020 World Economic Forum report, 85 million jobs may be replaced by automation by 2025, but 97 million jobs needing "reskilling and retraining" will be created.

A 2016 study by the Brookings Institution found that jobs in maintenance and construction, like window washing, have a "medium" portion of tasks (30% to 70%) that could be automated.

Halpin from Platinum mentioned that his company is interested in backing Ozmo due to a shortage of workers in high-rise window washing and labor shortage in all blue-collar fields in New York City, citing the need to hire an additional 20% just to manage the current workload.

Worries About Ozmo Replacing Human Jobs

Halpin and Blum stated that their ultimate goal is not to replace human workers and "retrain and reassign" window washers to use the technology. However, Ozmo reduces the number of people required for cleaning a building from a team of three to four human window washers to just one operator.

Ozmo worries some window washers, like Jose Nieves, a 23-year veteran at Rockefeller Center, about their jobs, thinking window washing dangers are exaggerated and human labor has to be preserved.

According to SEIU 32BJ, there are 500 to 550 unionized window washers in New York City, earning $31.69 per hour during the peak summer season. Nieves argues that society should not prioritize cost-cutting over worker safety and that they have been doing an excellent job without robots, believing they do not have to fix something that is not broken.





RELATED ARTICLE: Robot Malfunction Attacking an Engineer in Tesla Mounts Up Revelations on Factory's Working Environment

 2017 Jobs & Hire All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
An illustration of the twin cubesats of NASA's PEFIRE mission which will monitor heat lost to space from Earth's poles.

NASA is preparing to send two tiny twin spacecraft to the ends of the Earth to collect data that'll aid in the fight against climate change.

The shoebox-sized satellites, or "Cubesats," in the Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment (PREFIRE), will blast off during the Spring of 2024. Reaching an altitude of between 292 and 403 miles (470 and 650 kilometers) over Earth, the two spacecraft will sit in near-polar orbits, crisscrossing each other in the atmosphere.

For the first time, PREFIRE will measure the full spectrum of heat lost from Earths polar regions. These frigid areas of our planet effectively act as Earth's thermostat, regulating the climate by venting excess energy received in the tropics. In a nutshell, PREFIRE will make our climate models more accurate  a very important goal as our planet continues to inorganically warm due to human activities.

Related: SpaceX launches NASA's PACE satellite to study Earth's oceans, air and climate (video)

"We have the potential to discover some fundamental things about how our planet works," Brian Drouin, deputy principal investigator for the mission at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, said in a statement. "In climate projections, a lot of the uncertainty comes in from what we dont know about the North and South poles and how efficiently radiation is emitted into space. The importance of that radiation wasnt realized for much of the Space Age, but we know now and are aiming to measure it."

Earth's average global temperature is rising, a direct result of greenhouse gases getting released into the atmosphere due to human activity, primarily through the burning of fossil fuels.

And even though global warming poses a risk to humans and wildlife all over the planet, there is nowhere on Earth that is feeling the impact of climate change more than the Arctic. Since the 1970s, this polar region, located in the northernmost part of Earth, has warmed 3 times faster than anywhere else in the world. As a result, winter sea ice in the Arctic has reduced by over 15,900 square miles (41,200 square kilometers) per year, which constitutes a loss of 2.6% per decade.

Things are similarly bleak at the opposite end of Earth, the Antarctic. In this southern polar region, ice sheets are losing mass at an average rate of about 150 billion tons per year.

The changes in these polar regions have ramifications across the globe, influencing the temperature as well as circulation of the ocean.

Water coming from melted ice sheets in Antarctica and Greenland has accounted for around a third of sea-level rise since 1993. Rising sea levels have both direct and indirect impacts on humans, especially for people in coastal communities. Coastal flooding increases the risk of injury, and even mortality; it can also cause nearby bodies of water and landforms to be contaminated with untreated wastewater.

In certain regions, coastal flooding also fosters the right habitat for mosquitoes, increasing risks of exposure to serious insect-borne diseases like West Nile virus. Additionally, loss of land can damage transportation infrastructure, impacting access to health care and public services and compromising industries like agriculture and tourism.

Sunlight reflects from the Chukchi Sea, a part of the Arctic Ocean.

"If you change the polar regions, you also fundamentally change the weather around the world," Tristan L'Ecuyer, PREFIRE principal investigator and University of Wisconsin-Madison scientist said. "Extreme storms, flooding, coastal erosion  all of these things are influenced by whats going on in the Arctic and Antarctic."

So, to understand these changes, predict them and limit their effect, scientists need to factor in a wealth of physical processes into highly accurate climate models. However, projections are currently impacted by a lack of data regarding how efficiently the poles radiate heat into space. Here's where NASA's twin spacecraft concept comes in.

By following different paths around the globe, overlapping at the poles every few hours, the PREFIRE spacecraft can maximize coverage of polar regions. Employing technology similar to that used by the Mars Climate Sounder on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, the twin spacecraft will also be capable of monitoring far-infrared wavelengths that have never been systematically measured before.

These wavelengths are responsible for 60% of energy flowing into space from our planet's polar regions.

This means PREFIRE should be able to supply new data on a range of climate variables including atmospheric temperature, surface properties, water vapor and clouds, filling a huge gap in climate models and granting scientists a more accurate picture of climate change.

RELATED STORIES:

 NASA searches for climate solutions as global temperatures reach record highs

 Earth is getting hotter at a faster rate despite pledges of government action

 NASA taps SpaceX to launch PACE satellite to study Earth's oceans, climate change

The two PREFIRE spacecraft are set to launch from New Zealand in May, with the satellites lifting off separately and two weeks apart.

"As our climate models converge, we'll start to really understand what the futures going to look like in the Arctic and Antarctic," L'Ecuyer concluded.
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4)  Natalie Cline announced on social media that she is running for reelection on the Utah State Board of Education despite calls for her resignation.

Natalie Cline made the announcement Monday that she is officially running for reelection for State Board District 9. She said for the last three years, she has worked tirelessly to create and put forward standards and policy that would move our schools back to a place of sanity and security where a focus on classical academics could once again take center stage in a students education.

READ NEXT Temu Super Bowl ad prompts Rep. John Curtis to introduce new bill

However, Cline has recently been under intense criticism for a social media post that led state officials  including Gov. Cox  to chastise her and the USBE to formally call for her resignation.

The post appeared to question whether a member of a high school basketball team in the Granite School District was transgender. The student, for the record, is not, according to LGBTQ advocacy group Equality Utah.

The parents of the student, along with others outraged by the incident, have said the act was an adult bullying a child. However, Cline, supported by her followers, has a different perspective as she says the USBE has harassed her and made decisions without giving her due process.

Cline said this is in an effort to destroy her reputation with voters and could be considered election interference.

After removing the original controversial social media post, Cline released a statement saying, in part, My deepest apologies for the negative attention my post drew to innocent students and their families.

Last week, Utah lawmakers formally censured Cline, rather than impeaching her. She was also removed by the USBE from any actions of the Board.

The family of the high schooler affected by Clines post, the van der Beek family, released the following statement about her announcement to run for reelection:

Natalies announcement to run for re-election did come as a surprise. The best way to let our voice be heard in opposition of her re-election is to show up and vote against her. Its up to the people of district 9.  van der Beek family

As part of her campaign announcement, she listed more than 10 ways she plans to fight for your children, including protecting their consciences, teaching them how to untether from technology, and defending against systems that confuse children about biological reality.

She says she will continue to fortify faith, family and freedom, as well as defend truth, honor and virtue and uphold goodness, beauty and innocence.

To see the full list, see her announcement here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
The exterior of the proposed Amazon Fresh store in The Marketplace at Braintree on Grossman Drive on Feb. 16, 2024.

From the outside, the space in the Marketplace at Braintree between Nordstrom Rack and Ulta Beauty seems on the cusp of a new venture. Crisp black and bright green accents adorn the storefront of whats set to be an Amazon Fresh grocery store. All thats missing, it seems, is the sign.

But behind the glare of the windows is another story. Dirt still covers the concrete flooring of the 37,500-square-foot space, meaning not much has changed in the past year.

When asked if plans for the Marketplace at Braintree have changed, a spokesperson could not provide any updates on specific store openings.

Well continue to open new Whole Foods Market stores, and will do so selectively with Amazon Fresh as we see results we like. Were encouraged by early signs of our new store design in Chicago and Southern California, and will proceed adaptively, said Amazon spokesperson Jessica Martin in an email to The Patriot Ledger.

The interior of the proposed Amazon Fresh store in The Marketplace at Braintree on Grossman Drive on Feb. 16, 2024.

The town of Braintree received a site plan and a trip generation assessment in April 2021, estimating that the new grocery store would result in about 45 new vehicle trips per day. Another document submitted to the town a year later showed what the store signs would look like.

One of those signs would tell customers that the Braintree store would be enabled with Just Walk Out technology. Customers enter a form of payment at the store entrance, shop as normal and get automatically charged when they exit without having to go through the checkout line.

Braintree issued a building permit for the site at 200 Grossman Drive on Sept. 3, 2021. The only work done so far was demolition of the interior space of the former Saks Off 5th and 5.11 Tactical and installation of the exterior storefront without the sign, said the town's director of municipal licenses and inspections.

The bulk of Fresh stores are located in Illinois and California, with others open in Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington state and Washington, D.C.

The company announced updates to two of its locations in Illinois in August, which included more brands and grab-and-go foods, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts shops and technology like Dash Carts that offer in-store deals and cashierless checkout.

CEO Andy Jassy said in a February earnings call that the results thus far are very promising in its revamped Fresh stores.

If we continue to see that then the issue becomes how fast and whats the best way to expand, Jassy said in the Feb. 1 call.

Amazon appeared to be restarting efforts to build a new Fresh store in Maryland, according to the Washington Business Journal.

Amazon had plans to open their brick-and-mortar grocery store in four other Massachusetts. But in place of a planned Fresh store at 290 Turnpike Road in Westborough will go a Big Y supermarket, the MetroWest Daily News reported.

Hannah Morse covers growth and development for The Patriot Ledger. Contact her at hmorse@patriotledger.com.

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Planned Amazon Fresh store in Braintree remains in limbo
Former President Donald Trump caused ripples through the Northern Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) alliance earlier this month when he recounted telling the president of a big country that if they are delinquent on their bills to NATO, he would not protect the unnamed country from Russia. Instead, Trump said he would encourage Russia to do whatever they hell they want.

But NATO funding is not as simple as paying dues in exchange for collective military protection.

What needs funding in NATO?

NATO was created by the United States and western-European allies in the wake of World War II to counter the threat of the Soviet Union. The preeminent value of NATO is Article V, which states that any attack on a member country shall be considered an attack against them all. Though Article V does not define what the response from each member country ought to be, it does demand a response, which could range from sending supplies to joining in a military operation. Even if Article V is invoked, individual states are responsible for their own response. For the U.S., Congress maintains the constitutional power to declare war and make necessary military appropriations.

Article V has only been invoked once, on behalf of the U.S. in its war in Afghanistan after the 9/11 attacks.

NATOs collective security assurance hinges on member states being willing to provide support. Members rely on the military power of the collective member-states to be robust enough to withstand a potential attack on any given member.

NATO relies on two funding mechanisms: direct contributions and indirect contributions.

What are direct contributions?

Direct contributions fund NATO-specific operationsthis includes NATO-wide air defense or command and control systems, for example, and other alliance-wide logistical needs. Totaling about $3.55 billion this year, this is the fund that keeps the NATO operational lights on. It accounts for about 0.3 percent of total NATO members defense spending.

In 2019, following pressure from Trump, the direct contributions cost-sharing formula shifted for funding NATO operations. Previously, the U.S. was responsible for contributing 22 percent of the fund to Germanys 14 percent with other member countries contributing smaller amounts. In the current formula, effective through December 2024, Germany and the U.S. are responsible for 16 percent of the budget each, while the United Kingdom is responsible for 11 percent.

The rest of the budget is divided among other member states: Albania is responsible for 0.09 percent of the cost sharing program, the smallest portion of the 31 members. Proportions are decided by a formula based on member states Gross National Income (a measure of how much a nations citizens earn). The U.S. portionapproximately $568 millionis included in the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Section 2502. There is no indication other member states have failed to pay these obligations.

What are indirect contributions?

Indirect contributions, on the other hand, are the largest portion of NATO member contributions. They are made up of the money member-states spend on their own militaries, which can be called upon for collective security.

Indirect contributions to NATOs collective security are more fungible. Essentially, member states bolster their own military capabilities, and in doing so they bolster the collective security of the whole. At the Wales Summit in 2014, NATO states reiterated their commitment to collective defense and challenged member states to universally move toward spending 2 percent of their respective GDPs on defense, and 20 percent of their defense budget on major equipment (including research and development). The goalthough not a requirementwas for all member states to reach this threshold within 10 years, and NATO had no enforcement mechanisms.

This increased defense spending is not sent to NATO, nor are the particular uses micromanaged by the alliance. Instead, this is an agreement for member-states to bolster their own defense in order to more broadly increase the defense capabilities of the alliance.

Are other countries meeting NATOs defense-spending aspirations?

Prior to Trumps remarks earlier this month, only 11 countries had surpassed the 2 percent thresholdthe U.S. and U.K., Poland, Greece, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, and Slovakia. Since then, Germany announced an additional budget allocation that pushed its defense spending above 2 percent of GDP.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced on February 14 that allies in Europe and Canada added more than $600 billion in defense spending since the 2014 agreement. In the same announcement, Stoltenberg predicted that 18 more member-states will reach the 2 percent threshold in 2024, though he did not clarify which members.

The United States defense budget is about 3.49 percent of its GDP, representing about $860 billion. This is more than twice as much as all other NATO allies combined. In 2023, this represented approximately 68 percent of the total amount of NATOs operations budget and the amount all NATO members spent on defense. It is notable, however, that even in the case of an Article V declaration, the U.S. still commands its own military, and Congress would decide when and how to support NATO if called upon to do so. In late 2023, Congress included in the NDAA a measure requiring congressional approval before a president withdraws from NATO.

Read more at The Dispatch

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As the gentle breeze of spring moves through the air and flowers begin to bloom, pianist Son Yeol-eum and violinist Svetlin Roussev are set to enchant audiences at The Korea Times' annual Spring Concert on March 25.

This highly anticipated event, now in its 19th year and hosted by The Korea Times, highlights the news outlets' steadfast dedication to cultural enrichment and corporate social responsibility against the backdrop of Korea's rising influence on the global stage.

Held at the prestigious Lotte Concert Hall in southern Seoul, this 100-minute performance marks the release of Son and Roussevs latest collaboration single, "Love Music," centering on music from the Austro-German region of the late Romanticism era.

The concert's program begins with Korngolds "Four Pieces from the Incidental Music to W. Shakespeares 'Much Ado About Nothing'" Op. 11 and continues to Faures Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 1 in A major Op. 13 and Waxmans Love Music" paraphrase based on Wagners Opera Tristan & Isolde," culminating with Strauss Sonata for Violin and Piano in E-flat major Op. 18.

Son, 37, is one of the most sought-after Korean pianists on the global stage. Renowned for her virtuosity and versatility, she garnered international attention when she secured second prize and the Best Chamber Music Performance at the 2009 Van Cliburn Competition. At the 2011 International Tchaikovsky Competition, she won the Silver Medal.

In recent years, Son has served as artist-in-residence with the Residentie Orkest in The Hague and made notable debuts with prestigious orchestras, including the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and the Sydney Symphony. Her interpretations of Mozart's works have garnered widespread acclaim, including a performance of Piano Concerto No. 21 in C major, K. 467, which has amassed nearly 23 million views on YouTube.

Roussev rose to prominence after winning the Sendai International Competition in 2001. As an artist in residence with the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra, he promotes Bulgarian culture and teaches at the Conservatoire National Superieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris. Since 2011, he has been performing the Amati-Stradivarius violin loaned by Amundi.

Son has been collaborating with the Bulgarian-born violinist since 2015 and their recitals have been acclaimed as impeccable, striking a delicate balance between the two different musical instruments.

Tickets are available for purchase at Lotte Concert Hall or Interpark.

Date and time: Monday, March 25 at 7:30 p.m.

Venue: Lotte Concert Hall
The mother of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, Lyudmila, has recorded a video appeal to the president of Russia, demanding her son's body be returned so that she could bury him.

Source: Navalny LIVE Youtube channel; Ivan Zhdanov, director of the Anti-Corruption Foundation (ACF) and Navalny's associate, on Telegram

Quote from Lyudmila Navalnaya: "Behind my back is the correctional facility No. 3 Polyarnyi Volk (Polar Wolf), where my son Alexei Navalny died on 16 February. For the fifth day, I cannot see him; they refuse to return his body to me, and they don't even tell me where he is. I appeal to you, Vladimir Putin; the resolution of this matter depends solely on you. Allow me, finally, to see my son. I demand an immediate release of Alexei's body so that I can bury him humanely."

Details: Ivan Zhdanov said Navalny's mother had written an official appeal to the Russian president. Zhdanov also added that they have filed a lawsuit in the Salekhard court regarding the inaction of the Investigative Committee in releasing Navalny's body.

Background:

On the afternoon of 16 February, Russias Federal Penitentiary Service reported the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny at Correctional Facility No. 3 in Kharp, Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, in northwestern Siberia.

Alexei Navalny had been imprisoned since early 2021. The Moscow City Court sentenced him to 19 years in prison in a special-regime colony for "extremism" in August 2023.

In December, the opposition leader was transferred to Correctional Facility No. 3, known as Polyarnyi Volk (Polar Wolf), which is located in Kharp in Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Siberia.

Yulia Navalnaya accused President Vladimir Putin of murder, vowed to carry on her husband's struggle, and called on the public to fight against Vladimir Putin.

On the morning of 19 February, Ludmila Navalnaya arrived at the morgue in the town of Salekhard where the body of her son, opposition politician Alexei Navalny, was allegedly kept. Still, neither she nor her lawyers were allowed in.

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People gather for a vigil in honor of the deceased Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny following his death in front of Rome's city hall. Roberto Monaldo/LaPresse via ZUMA Press/dpa

Russia has rejected an international investigation demanded by the European Union into the death of jailed opposition figure Alexei Navalny, as his mother made an emotional plea outside the Siberian gulag where he died for the Kremlin to release his body.

"I appeal to you Vladimir Putin, because the solution to this problem depends only on you," Lyudmila Navalnaya told the Russian president in a one-minute video filmed outside the "Polar Wolf" prison camp where her son had been jailed while serving a decades-long sentence.

Russian authorities said the 47-year-old suddenly died there on Friday while taking a walk.

"Let me see my son. I demand that Alexei's body be released immediately so that I can bury him in a humane way."

Navalny's family and aides say they have yet to even be told where his body is being kept. His spokeswoman said there was little hope of Russia releasing the body to his family anytime soon.

On Monday, Kira Yarmysh wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that investigators had said "the body will be under some sort of 'chemical examination' for another 14 days"

In Moscow, President Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, rejected EU demands that an independent international investigation be conducted into Navalny's death.

"We do not accept such demands at all," Peskov said, according to Russian news agencies. Russia sees this as interference in its internal affairs.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell had called for an independent inquiry.

Peskov also rejected as "unfounded and outrageous" accusations by Navalny's widow Yulia Navalnaya that Putin had killed her husband. He said neither he nor Putin had watched the video, in which she vowed to continue her husband's fight against Putin's regime.

Peskov said he did not want to comment because Navalnaya "had just been widowed."

Meanwhile, Putin has promoted the deputy head of the FSIN prison authority, Valery Boyarinev, whom Navalny supporters say was personally responsible for the Russian dissident's torture in prison.

Boyarinev was promoted to colonel general of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

"This must be understood as Putin's open reward for torture," Ivan Zhdanov, the director of the Anti-Corruption Foundation established by Navalny, wrot on Telegram.

In July 2023, an order by Boyarinev to restrict Navalny's ability to buy food and daily necessities became known during a court hearing.

Prisoners can normally use their money to supplement their own meagre rations in the prison shop.

According to Zhdanov, the newly appointed colonel general was also responsible for further harassment of Navalny.

Peskov denied any connection between Navalny's death and the promotion, downplaying it as a normal procedure.

At the same time, the Kremlin spokesman defended the brutal action taken by security forces against Russians who laid flowers and lit candles in many cities across the country in memory of the deceased Putin opponent.

The uniformed officers had fulfilled their task in accordance with the law, said Peskov.

Hundreds of people have been detained in recent days for publicly commemorating the late opposition figure. Courts have imposed arrests or fines in summary proceedings. Despite this, many Russians continued to publicly express their grief.

Navalny's team criticized the fact that people in Russia are now being detained for laying flowers.
People gather for a vigil in honor of the deceased Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny following his death in front of Rome's city hall. Roberto Monaldo/LaPresse via ZUMA Press/dpa

The mother of Alexei Navalny, the leading Russian opposition figure who died at a remote Arctic penal colony, has sent a video message to Russian President Vladimir Putin pleading for his body to be released.

In the one-minute video, Lyudmila Navalnaya stands outside the "Polar Wolf" prison camp where her son had been jailed while serving a decades-long sentence. Russian authorities said the 47-year-old suddenly died there on Friday while taking a walk.

"I appeal to you Vladimir Putin, because the solution to this problem depends only on you," Navalnaya says.

"Let me see my son. I demand that Alexei's body be released immediately so that I can bury him in a humane way."

Navalny's family and aides say they have yet to even be told where his body is being kept.

People light candles in the courtyard of the Faculty of Philosophy to commemorate the death of Russian opposition politician Alexey Navalny. Peina Ludik/CTK/dpa
Mother of Alexei Navalny arrives at the regional department of Russia's Investigative Committee in Salekhard

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Lyudmila Navalnaya, the mother of dead Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, demanded on Tuesday that President Vladimir Putin hand over her son's body so she could bury him.

Navalny, 47, fell unconscious and died suddenly on Friday after a walk at the "Polar Wolf" penal colony above the Arctic Circle where he was serving a three-decade sentence, the prison service said.

Speaking in a video filmed front of the prison as small snow flakes swirled in the air, his mother - dressed in black - complained she did not even know where her son's corpse was and demanded Putin give the order to release it.

"For a fifth day I cannot see him, they aren't giving me his body and don't even tell me where he is," Navalnaya said in the message which was broadcast on the Navalny LIVE YouTube channel.

"I appeal to you, Vladimir Putin. Resolving this issue depends on you alone. Let me finally see my son.

"I demand that Alexei's body be released immediately so that I can bury him humanely."

She also sent an official letter to Putin with the same demand.

Navalny's allies have cited a Russian investigator as saying that the authorities need at least 14 days to conduct various chemical tests on his body and can not therefore hand his corpse over yet.

The West and Navalny's supporters say Putin is responsible for Navalny's death. The Kremlin has denied involvement and said that Western claims that Putin was responsible were unacceptable.

Putin has made no public comment on Navalny's death but it has further deepened a gaping schism in relations between Moscow and the West caused by the nearly two-year Ukraine war.

(Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Alexander Marrow; editing by Andrew Osborn)
I first visited the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in the eighth grade during a school trip to Washington.

While I came away with some knowledge and appreciation of the unspeakable tragedy of those events, it seemed so far away to a 12-year-old.

Black-and-white photographs and grainy footage have a way of distancing us from events. Thank God thats over, I thought. Thank God for America. Such things could never happen here  not in a safe country.

But in recent years, it became clear to lawmakers that antisemitism was on the rise around the globe.

In response, Congress enacted legislation to elevate the State Departments office tasked with combating antisemitism and increased its funding; yet, while we watched with concern antisemitisms rise abroad, our government, institutions, and citizens appear to have ignored it at home.

From Charlottesville to Oct. 7, antisemitism has worsened

The chants of Jews will not replace us at Charlottesville in 2017 and the mass murder at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh were condemned, but they were not widely seen as evidence of rot beneath the surface.

Children light candles during a memorial for the victims of the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh at The Temple in Nashville on Monday, Oct. 29, 2018.

And then October 7 happened. Within hours of the attacks, and in the weeks since, we have witnessed abhorrent displays of soulless inhumanity against Jews by fellow Americans: physical and verbal attacks against Jews on the streets of New York, a Stanford instructor publicly segregating Jewish students from their peers, demonstrators holding signs reading, There is only one solutiona clear reference to the Nazis final solution of eradicating Europes Jews, and the list goes on and on.

For the first time in my life, Ive felt with devastating certainty that I was looking into the eyes of those who would have stood on the sidewalks of European cities smiling as Jews were evicted from their homes or forced to scrub cobblestones. Ive seen those eyes before in the sepia-toned photographs, and they are all the more terrifying in high resolution color. The horrors of the past no longer feel trapped in history.

We have supposedly made steps toward inclusivity and rooting out bias from our schools, our workplaces, and our lives. Weve held rallies against injustice and curated our lexicon so as to not cause offense with words. Our generation is so enlightened, righteous, and special. Well, if the events of the last few months have proven anything, it is this: we most certainly are not.

Disagreements are normal, but dehumanizing is abhorrent

A generation so self-assured and self-righteous has proven capable of utterly dehumanizing cruelty. We might even livestream it. Before we grow accustomed to such behavior, we must collectively ask ourselves how we go to this point, and more importantly, how we can change.

And lest anyone misunderstand or intentionally distort my point, I am not referring to those who call for a ceasefire in Gaza, or for an end to the occupation of the West Bank, or criticize the Israeli government.

Reasonable people can disagree on those issues. I am talking about those who deface Jewish synagogues and businesses, who carry signs reading, Keep the world clean with an image of a star of David in a trash can, who threatened Nashvilles own Jewish community this past December, and who marched through our streets with swastika emblazoned flags this past weekend.

Grant Mullins

Recently, as I prayed with my little girl, I couldnt help but think the prayers of my Jewish friends and neighbors are probably a little different for their children. Could they be targeted just for attending school or wearing a kippah? Surely this will get better. Surely others will not remain silent and denounce this poison. This just cant happen in America in 2024, not herenot in a safe country.

Grant Mullins is an attorney in Nashville. He previously served as senior counsel to the Senate Foreign Relations and House Foreign Affairs Committees.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Antisemitism in Tennessee: Hateful rhetoric and actions have increased
The North Carolina Court of Appeals has vacated the convictions of a former Granville County deputy, who spent more than a year in prison.

In February 2022, a jury found Chad Coffey guilty of those charges, while acquitting him on 12 others. Coffey was accused of falsifying training and qualification requirements for former Granville County Sheriff Brindell Wilkins and his former chief deputy from 2013 to 2018.

Coffeys attorney argued the 20-year deputy signed off on the false information on the sheriffs order, but knew the two men had years of experience and werent on the street making arrests.

The case was tried by District Attorney Lorrin Freeman in Wake County. Coffey spent one year and three months in state prisons after the trial, according to the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction website.

In a ruling released Tuesday, the Court of Appeals ruled that the indictments, charges issued during the secretive grand jury process, were flawed and the convictions should be vacated.

This is a developing story that will be updated.

Virginia Bridges covers criminal justice in the Triangle and across North Carolina for The News & Observer. Her work is produced with financial support from the nonprofit The Just Trust. The N&O maintains full editorial control of its journalism.
A man convicted in a Raleigh motel shooting that left a man dead and woman injured will get a new trial, the North Carolina Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday.

Eric Ramond Chambers was sentenced to life in prison for first-degree murder and nine to 12 years for assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill in the Aug. 12, 2018, shooting at the Knights Inn on New Bern Avenue. He represented himself at trial.

Davelle Shaunduke McMoore, 23, and Terry Vernette Blossom, 53, were shot, The News & Observer reported, and McMoore died from his injuries.

But over five years later, the Court of Appeals found the trial judge violated Chambers right to a proper jury when the judge replaced a juror with an alternate juror after deliberations had begun.

According to the ruling, a juror in the trial had informed the judge he couldnt return the next day because of a doctors appointment.

Chambers filed a petition for a writ of certiorari asking that the case be reviewed. The state court filed a motion to dismiss the appeal.

The Court of Appeals agreed with Chambers that replacing a juror during deliberations had violated his constitutional right to a properly constituted jury.

The ruling noted that the General Assembly amended a state law in 2021 to require courts to restart deliberations if an alternate juror replaces a juror after deliberations have begun. But the Court of Appeals said that state Supreme Court precedent overrules state legislation.

The appeal was first entered in April 2022 by Judge Rebecca W. Holt in Wake County Superior Court.

In correspondence to Holt, Chambers defended his innocence.

Ms. Holt (Im) innocent in my case. I was lied on and framed, Chambers wrote in an October 2023 letter. I just want to come home and live a productive life. I will not come home and commit a crime. Im not mad at anybody, Im just focused on getting back in the court room. I will greatly appreciate if you helped me with another opportunity at being successful in life.
Rowan County inmate David Ryan Wood begged for help.

Medical staff wouldnt see him, even after a weeklong headache, he wrote in a grievance on Aug. 1, 2021. If a nurse was available 24/7, why hadnt he seen her?

Forwarded to nurse, a staff note said.

For days, he kept asking.

Duplicate, a one-word response read.

That was typical, according to a federal lawsuit filed on Woods behalf in September.

Wood went to jail for an alleged probation violation. For almost two months, he asked correctional officers and medical staff at the Rowan County jail, about 45 miles from uptown Charlotte, to address extreme headaches and other symptoms, according to the lawsuit. The headaches started after he was assaulted, he said.

The suit claims that they downplayed his condition  giving him Tylenol, putting him on a liquid diet and telling him to rest, for example  even as he showed more signs hed suffered a brain injury.

The complaint names the county, its sheriff and health care provider Wellpath as defendants. Its an example of a disturbingly common issue of substandard medical care in jails, according to the North Carolina ACLU. Health care providers working in jails too often put profits over health, said NC ACLU Legal Director Kristi Graunke.

David Ryan Wood, 37, will never be the same after a health care provider at the Rowan County jail ignored his pleas for help, a lawsuit alleges. Provided

The poor medical care is exacerbated when for-profit entities like Wellpath are involved, and when proper oversight by public officials is lacking, she said.

Wellpath and its lawyers did not respond to interview requests. The Rowan County Sheriffs Office and the countys attorney both declined to comment.

In a motion to dismiss, Wellpath said that much of Woods complaint was hearsay built off of news articles.

The suit is still in its early stages.

Lawsuits filed against Wellpath

More than 1,000 lawsuits have been filed against Wellpath in federal courts. As the company and its past iterations worked in North Carolina jails, some notable accusations followed it:

In 2014: Jennifer Schuler, a pregnant inmate at the Forsyth County jail, died after a severe cardiac event and a lack of oxygen to her brain, according to a lawsuit filed there.

After persisting in a vegetative state for five days, Decedents parents had no option other than to take her off life support, the complaint from Schulers estate said.

Correct Care Solutions  which would merge to become Wellpath  failed to ensure that she got medications she needed, to see the significance in her symptoms and to report adverse changes in her physical condition to physician staff so she could get better care or be transferred somewhere, it alleged.

Correct Care fought the suit for more than a year before Schulers estate dismissed all the claims in 2017 and 2018.

They settled, the Winston-Salem Journal reported.

There is no record for the settlements terms in the case file, but one notes that both parties reached agreement on all issues.

In 2017: Michele Smiley died at Buncombe Countys jail after she swallowed methamphetamine in an effort to avoid prosecution, the Asheville Citizen Times reported. But she later told on herself.

She would just get really high, jail personnel assured her, according to the newspaper.

An autopsy found she died from methamphetamine toxicity.

Correctional Medical Group, another company that would merge to become Wellpath, reached a confidential settlement, the Citizen Times reported.

In 2019: Yet another Forsyth inmate, John Neville, had asthma and needed an inhaler, according to a federal lawsuit filed by his estate.

He missed at least two doses, fell in his cell and exhibited seizure-like symptoms on his first night in custody, the suit says.

Deputies also drew attention in Nevilles case when body camera footage revealed that they put him in a prone position even as he went through the health episode. He died at a hospital days later.

An autopsy report listed his cause of death as a lack of oxygen that led to a heart attack and brain injury from being held in prone restraint.

While admitting no fault, the county settled with Nevilles estate for $3 million.

The claims against Wellpath were dismissed. Nevilles familys attorney, Whitney Pakalka, did not respond to a request for comment.

In 2021: Devin Haley committed suicide while in the Mecklenburg County jail.

Despite Wellpath knowing his history of poor mental health, he did not get the medication he asked for, a lawsuit filed by his family claims.

Not only did the Detention Defendants and the Wellpath Defendants not secure reasonable medical treatment for Devin but they placed Devin in a single person cell where he was unsupervised and effectively unmonitored at a time when he required urgent medical attention, and where he ultimately died, one filing says.

The case is pending, the familys attorney, Amanda Mingo, confirmed.

There have been others still. Inmates, without the help of lawyers, have been asking the courts to do something about Wellpath for years, federal court records show. As is typical for pro se lawsuits, most have been dismissed quickly.

What are NC jails responsibilities?

Rowan County Detention Administrator Gregory Hannold knew about complaints against Wellpath when the county signed a deal in 2021.

They do have a few lawsuits, but its a company of 30,000 employees. Lawsuits are kind of common in this business, Hannold told the Salisbury Post. I have known their representative since I took over the jail and Ive discussed those lawsuits with her and some of her bosses before. I dont have any reservations about their ability to protect our county against lawsuits.

State law requires sheriffs provide some base level of care to inmates, and jails sometimes use private companies to meet those requirements, UNC Professor of Public Law and Government James Markham said.

Each unit that operates a local confinement facility shall develop a plan for providing medical care for prisoners in the facility, state statutes say. That plan has to protect inmates health and welfare, among other things.

Sheriffs have their reasons when hiring companies like Wellpath: expertise, familiarity with regulations and a skill set that might be more tailored for working in a jail, Markham said. But theres a balancing act.

Theyre going to certainly try to be responsible with taxpayer money, but they have to make sure that the bidders can deliver on the services that they need, he said, not speaking to Wellpath or Rowan County specifically.

One challenge for Woods lawyers will be to prove that Wellpath was more than just negligent, Markham said. That way its a question of his constitutional rights, and not just alleged medical malpractice.

Along with state law, federal law has long said ignoring the needs of someone incarcerated amounts to a violation of the Eighth Amendment, which prohibits cruel and unusual punishment.

You have to not merely be negligent, but rather indifferent to it, to raise a constitutional issue, Markham said.

It all depends on the specifics of the case, he added.

Accountability and Justice for Ryan

Woods physical condition worsened dramatically as he was ignored, his lawsuit alleges.

He reported losing his vision and hearing. He lost 30 pounds, vomited frequently and said he could not breathe. His blood pressure rose. He became hyperactive and emotionally unstable, started speaking loudly and at times sounded like he was whimpering, according to the lawsuit.

Mr. Wood continued to physically deteriorate and beg for medical treatment, it alleges. And Defendants continued to ignore him.

Rather than give him the care he needed, they placed him on suicide watch and accused him of making false reports, it says.

When he finally became so ill that an ambulance had to take him to the emergency room, brain imaging showed that his had swelled. Fluid filled his head.

David Ryan Wood before his health issues. Provided

Over multiple procedures, doctors drained the fluid. But hell never be the same, the lawsuit says.

He needs aggressive physical therapy to learn how to walk again, it claims. And his cognitive function, memory and hearing were all permanently and severely damaged.

One hope, one of Woods attorneys said, is that it might save others from suffering.

We look forward to an opportunity to seek accountability and justice for Ryan, and we also hope that his prosecution of this case will protect others from suffering a similar tragic fate, attorney Elliot Abrams said in a statement to The Observer.
By Lee Yeon-woo

Webull, a prominent securities trading platform representing U.S. stocks, is preparing to enter the Korean market.

According to sources, Tuesday, Webull is in preliminary consultations with financial authorities to secure the necessary domestic license for it to enter the market here.

"Webull has yet to formally apply," an official from the Financial Supervisory Service explained. "We are currently in the phase of providing guidance on domestic regulations and approval requirements."

If Webull receives authorization, it will become the first foreign entity to directly enter the domestic retail sector targeting individual investors.

Webull was first established in 2017 by Wang Anquan, a former executive at Alibaba Group Holding. In 2022, as part of its efforts to enter the Korean market, Webull established an overseas entity in Korea. This move was part of its expansion into the global market, which includes Hong Kong, Singapore, and Japan.

Financial regulators are reportedly positive about Webull's potential entry into the market. This positive outlook is based on its recognition as a leading force in mobile trading systems in the U.S. The regulators expect that Webull's entry will invigorate competition within the local securities sector.

The securities industry is closely monitoring whether Webull, known for its convenience, low fees and high-quality analytical tools, will maintain these strengths when it enters the domestic market.

The platform's familiarity among domestic investors also represents a significant advantage. While they have not been able to directly trade U.S. stocks through Webull, many have used the app to access real-time information before executing trades on local platforms. For investors interested in international stocks, Webull presents an attractive option with few reasons to look elsewhere.

However, there is also cautious anticipation that its impact on the domestic market may not be as significant as initially expected.

The interest of domestic investors in Webull reached its peak during a surge in overseas stock trading from 2020 to 2021. Since then, domestic brokerage firms have significantly enhanced their offerings with a range of diverse services, thereby effectively attracting retail investors.
An alligator at a US zoo had to undergo surgery after veterinarians discovered 70 coins in the animal's stomach.

The coins were found in a rare, 36-year-old leucistic alligator, which has translucent white skin and blue eyes.

Veterinarians identified "metal foreign objects in the stomach of an iconic resident" - Thibodaux.

The Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium in Omaha, Nebraska said patrons threw coins into the enclosure, which were eaten by the animal between cleanings.

He has recovered from the procedure and is back in his habitat.

The zoo urged visitors to avoid throwing "coins into any bodies of water at the zoo", after the sizeable amount of change was pulled from the animal's stomach.

All 10 alligators - including Thibodaux - participated in a routine examination which involved blood collection, radiographs and more.

When zoo workers discovered the coins, they acted fast and performed surgery on Thursday, removing the coins from Thibodaux "before they caused any problems".

"With the help of his training, Thibodaux was anesthetized and intubated to allow us to safely manage him during the procedure," associate veterinarian Christina Ploog, who led the procedure, said in a statement.

"A plastic pipe was placed to protect his mouth and safely pass the tools used to access the coins, such as a camera that helped us guide the retrieval of these objects."

The zoo said in a statement that X-ray imaging confirmed that the objects were successfully removed, adding that "Thibodaux recovered well from the procedure".

Taylor Yaw, director of animal health at the zoo, said the procedure is not "common".

Ms Ploog told a local news outlet that people do not realise how coins can harm animals. She said not only could animals ingest the coins, but they could also contain dangerous chemicals.

The zoo answered one concerned person online who asked if the coins get swept up by the zoo.

"We do routine cleanings in the habitats of this area and throughout the zoo," the zoo wrote on Facebook. "In between cleanings is when our alligators still manage to get them before they are removed."
The US Navy has been regularly striking Houthi missiles and drones before they launch.

Planes from USS Dwight D. Eisenhower are always flying and ready to execute these strike missions.

Business Insider recently traveled to the Ike in the Red Sea and saw these activities firsthand.

Flight operations on USS Dwight D. Eisenhower can be chaotic to watch, with sailors, munitions, and aircraft constantly in motion. That flurry of activity though allows the warship to put a tremendous amount of combat power in the air, including heavily armed jets that are ready to strike at a moment's notice.

The Eisenhower, a nuclear-powered Nimitz-class aircraft carrier operating in the Red Sea, is a lead ship in the US Navy's battle against the Iran-backed Houthis, who have spent the last few months firing missiles and drones into the international shipping lanes off the coast of Yemen.

Fighter jets from the Ike have been involved in intercepting these threats in the air and striking the Houthis directly in Yemen. It's a large-scale operation for the crew to keep the aircraft ready for flight and airborne, with aircraft taking off from the carrier all the time.

Business Insider recently embarked on the Ike as it carried out its mission in the Red Sea and observed the flight ops firsthand. Here is what it looked like from the carrier's massive flight deck.

The carrier's air wing

Sailors work on the flight deck of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. Jake Epstein/Business Insider

The Eisenhower's air wing includes F/A-18 Super Hornet fighters, E-2 Hawkeye early-warning aircraft, EA-18 Growler jets for electronic warfare and surveillance, and helicopters.

On the flight deck

The flight deck on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. Jake Epstein/Business Insider

Most of the 70 aircraft on the carrier are on the flight deck. The rest of the planes are below in an area known as the "hangar bay," where maintenance is performed.

Different jobs

Sailors work on the flight deck of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. Jake Epstein/Business Insider

The personnel on the flight deck wear different colored vests to indicate their different jobs, such as handlers, landing signal officers, arresting gear and catapult officers, and so on.

All working to keep things running

Sailors work on the flight deck of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. Jake Epstein/Business Insider

These service members are constantly in the process of receiving planes, launching them, or getting aircraft ready for their next launch.

Preparations

Sailors transport munitions on the deck of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. Jake Epstein/Business Insider

These preparations include refueling and rearming the aircraft with munitions, especially if any are released during the previous flight.

Busy days

A fighter jet prepares for takeoff on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. Jake Epstein/Business Insider

During a typical day out on the Ike, dozens of planes may take off over multiple launch and recovery cycles that in total can last up to 12 hours  sometimes longer if needed.

Always ready

A fighter jet is towed across the flight deck of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. Jake Epstein/Business Insider

"We are on alerts all the time," Capt. Marvin Scott, the commander of the Ike's carrier air wing, told Business Insider.

"And then inside of those alerts," he said, "we also have cyclic flight operations where we fly regularly over the course of half a day. We can go longer, we can go shorter. It just depends on exactly what the operational need is."

Catapulting planes off the ship

A fighter jet prepares for takeoff on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. Jake Epstein/Business Insider

Fighter jets carrying heavy payloads are launched from one of the Ike's multiple catapults, which on this carrier are steam-powered mechanisms that slingshot the aircraft forward at fast speeds.

A high-speed launch

A fighter jet takes off from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. Jake Epstein/Business Insider

When they take off, reaching speeds of 150 mph in just seconds, fighter jets make an incredibly loud roar and leave a trail of hot exhaust in their wake. It has a real "Top Gun" opening scene vibe to it, just without "Danger Zone" by Kenny Loggins playing.

Getting the aircraft back on board

A fighter jet lands on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. Jake Epstein/Business Insider

Upon landing, the aircraft is slowed down in seconds from speeds of 150 mph by the Ike's arresting gear, which are belts that help the aircraft quickly decelerate.

Brief moments of calm in the chaos

The flight deck of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. Jake Epstein/Business Insider

Even though flight operations may appear chaotic with lots of moving parts, there are still moments of resounding peace and quiet on the flight deck between missions. But, then it's right back to operations again.

Read the original article on Business Insider
HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW)  Donald Trump holds a 23-point lead over rival Nikki Haley just four days ahead of the Palmetto States GOP presidential primary, according to a newly released Emerson College Polling/The Hill survey of South Carolina voters.

The former presidents support is highest among voters under 40, with 69%, while Haley is most popular among voters in their 50s, at 48%, polling data shows.

Haley also wins among the relatively few Republican primary voters who consider threats to democracy, education and abortion access the top issues in South Carolina. Trump is overwhelmingly popular with voters most concerned about the economy, immigration and crime.

Nikki Haley is sharpening contrasts with Donald Trump in the South Carolina primarys closing days

Overall, 7% of likely GOP voters are undecided.

South Carolina holds an open primary. There is a divide among Republican and independent affiliated voters, Emerson College Polling executive director Spencer Kimball said.

In a general election rematch between Trump and President Biden, 51% of South Carolinians polled support Trump, while 37% back Biden and 13% remain undecided.

Overall, 44% of South Carolina voters oppose the states current abortion law banning the procedure after six weeks, while 38% are in favor.

Trump says South Carolina has been so incredible at Coastal Carolina rally

A third of South Carolina voters say the economy matters most to them. Immigration, education, healthcare, crime, threats to democracy and abortion access were also cited as factors.

The Emerson College Polling/The Hill South Carolina survey was conducted Feb. 14 through Feb. 16 among 1,000 registered voters. It was sponsored by Nexstar Media, WBTWs parent company.

* * *

Adam Benson joined the News13 digital team in January 2024. He is a veteran South Carolina reporter with previous stops at the Greenwood Index-Journal, Post & Courier and The Sun News in Myrtle Beach. Adam is a Boston native and University of Utah graduate. Follow Adam on X, formerly Twitter, at @AdamNewshound12. See more of his work here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW.
Many of Tuesday's front pages focus on international stories, such as the death of Putin critic Alexei Navalny in Russia and the Israel-Gaza war. The Guardian leads with a plea by Mr Navalny's widow Yulia Navalnaya to "stand with me", as she urges the international community to support her and her husband's work following his death. Much of the article quotes a video she published online in which she vows: "I will continue Alexei Navalny's work... I want to live in a free Russia, I want to build a free Russia."

The Times also leads with the Alexei Navalny story, but focuses on how he died. It leads with his wife's accusation that Vladimir Putin's regime had her husband killed with Novichok - a notorious group of nerve agents often used as a poison.

The Daily Telegraph features a picture of Yulia Navalnaya, promising readers more information on the video inside. The paper leads with a headline stating that the United States is trying to stop Israel's offensive in Rafah - in the southern Gaza Strip. It says that US President Joe Biden is pushing for a vote on a "temporary ceasefire" even as Israeli troops prepare to launch a ground offensive in Rafah. On a lighter note, the newspaper carries a cartoon showing a schoolboy who has sent his parents a selfie from detention, after getting punished for using his phone in during lessons, a nod to guidance from the government to schools in England on how to stop the use of mobile phones during the school day.

The Daily Mirror focuses on the Royal reaction to the Israel-Gaza war. It leads with Prince William's "message of peace" that "highlights the human suffering of the Middle East war, as innocent victims continue to die". The top story adds that the Prince will meet aid workers providing help to Gaza, and will speak at a synagogue about the rise of antisemitism.

The Financial Times also has a short writeup about Alexei Navalny's widow vowing to continue his fight, but leads with the revival of the UK's corporate bond market, fuelled by a rise in pension fund buying. It also focuses on the economic angle of the war in Gaza, saying that Israel's economy has shrunk by 20%.

Labour is set to commit to the triple lock on UK pensions in its election manifesto, the i says. The paper says that the policy currently increases pensioners' earnings by 800 a year - although some economists believe that may be becoming unaffordable as it raises the overall pension bill by billions of pounds. Labour however says that the pension growth is essential to ward off a "tsunami of pensioner poverty", the paper says in its bullet points.

The Daily Mail leads with what it says is an exclusive story, quoting the borders watchdog which says that "hundreds" of high-risk flights made on private jets are landing unchecked in the UK. It also devotes some column inches to a story about Taylor Swift, where writer Liz Jones celebrates the pop sensation for "publicly trashing her exes".

The Daily Express devotes nearly the entire front page to Rishi Sunak, quoting him as saying that his plan for the economy "will boost Britain". The paper also highlights the message from Prince William about the situation in the Middle East and his hopes for a "better future".

The story of three children who died in Bristol is on the front page of Metro, which calls them "beautiful souls".

The Daily Star leads with a slightly perplexing story about Indiana Jones and the "indomitable Mrs Mop" - a reference that has gone completely over the head of this writer.

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A Detroit man allegedly gunned down two people in a dorm at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs on Friday.

On Monday, Nicholas Jordan, a 25-year-old student enrolled at the university, was arrested on a murder warrant for the deaths of fellow student Samuel Knopp, 24, and Celie Montgomery, a 26-year-old mom of two who wasn't a student.

What sparked the fatal encounter remains a mystery, but Colorado Springs police said, "This was an isolated incident between individuals who were known to one another," but didn't elaborate. Jordan and Knopp were roommates, Colorado Springs Police Chief Adrian Vasquez told NBC News.

Jordan is scheduled to appear in court Tuesday afternoon, and Fox News Digital requested multiple documents. But here's what's known so far.

DISPATCH AUDIO FROM DEADLY COLORADO DORM SHOOTIN REVEALS RESPONDERS NOT SURE IF GUNMAN WAS STILL AT LARGE

Nicholas Jordan, 25, has been arrested in connection with the killing of two people inside a University of Colorado dorm.

Gunshots rang out around 6 a.m. local time on Friday in an upperclassman dorm called the Alpine Village Apartments in Colorado Springs.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

Responding officers found Knopp and Montgomery dead inside the dorm room, which triggered an hours-long campus lockdown, as law enforcement searched for a potential active shooter.

COLORADO DORM MURDERS SUSPECT WAS STUDENT AT UNIVERSITY, SCHOOL SAYS

Dispatch audio obtained by Fox News Digital revealed first responders were unsure how stable the scene was, or if a gunman was still roaming around campus.

The investigation linked Jordan to the crime, and police secured a warrant for his arrest by Friday night. Detectives searched for him over the weekend, but his name wasn't publicly released until Monday evening.

Sam Knopp, 24, was pictured in a "Son's Day" tribute post by his mom on Facebook.

Celie Montgomery, 26, was fatally shot in a shooting at Colorado University at Colorado Springs on Feb. 16, 2024.

He remained on the loose for most of the day Monday, and police remained tight-lipped about the shooting but reiterated it was an "isolated event."

The lack of information had students and parents on edge. Classes were canceled Monday.

Shortly before 8 a.m. Monday, Colorado Springs Police Departments Motor Vehicle Theft Unit spotted Jordan, police said on X (formerly Twitter).

A tactical team swarmed the location and arrested him without incident by 8:37 a.m. He was booked on two counts of first-degree murder in the El Paso County, Colorado, jail, and is being held on $1 million bond, according to inmate records.

His mugshot was released Monday night.

Fox News Digital's Stepheny Price contributed to this story.





Original article source: Who is Nicholas Jordan? Suspected Colorado dorm killer 'knew victims': police
FairMoney, a digital bank based in Lagos and headquartered in Paris, is in discussions to acquire Umba, a credit-led digital bank providing payroll and financial services to customers in Nigeria and Kenya, in a $20 million all-stock deal, sources tell TechCrunch.

The move signals FairMoneys interest in growing its customer base by expanding into more countries, specifically Kenya. But it also underscores the challenges facing fintechs in Africa amid a challenging market for startups globally: a $20 million all-share deal would be roughly equivalent to the amount Umba raised from outside investors.

Acquisition negotiations are still in their early stages, according to the sources, who requested anonymity due to the confidential nature of the details. FairMoney and Umba did not respond to requests for comment ahead of publication.

Umba, founded by Tiernan Kennedy and Barry OMahony in San Francisco in 2018, was launched as a credit-led digital bank targeting emerging markets. It provides banking services such as loans, current accounts, savings accounts, fixed deposit accounts and bill payments to customers in Nigeria and Kenya.

To date, the digital bank has secured around $20 million in funding, per PitchBook data. Its investors include Costanoa Ventures, Monzo co-founder Tom Blomfield, Lachy Groom, ACT Ventures, Lux Capital, Palm Drive Capital, Banana Capital and Streamlined Ventures.

Meanwhile, FairMoney has been backed by the likes of Tiger Global, DST Global Partners, Speedinvest and others and has raised just over $57 million, according to PitchBook. It was last valued at between $400 million and $500 million following a bridge round last year.

FairMoney, best known for its lending services in Nigeria, has been looking for more avenues for expansion. In 2020, FairMoney ambitiously entered India as its second market, but beyond a momentum update in 2021, it has not made any more recent disclosures about how that business is doing.

FairMoney has also been expanding its product. The startup's eponymous app originally launched as a digital lender in Nigeria six years ago. Since then, it has added other financial services, such as debit cards, transfers and payments. It says that it has over six million retail customers.

FairMoney's previous acquisitions have included PayForce, a sub-brand of YC-backed Nigerian merchant payment service CrowdForce, which it picked up in a cash-and-stock deal worth $15-20 million.

We see ourselves as a retail bank, but the line between merchants and retail is often blurry, FairMoney CEO Laurin Hainy told TechCrunch in an interview last year around the PayForce acquisition. Weve thought about the merchant space more and more, and we see a lot of potential synergies between what PayForce and we have built independently.

Umba also started as a retail-focused digital bank in Nigeria before diversifying its offerings to include merchant financing and business banking products in the West African country as well as Kenya. Google Play indicates over 1 million installs of its app, but the number of registered and active users is not disclosed.

FairMoneys potential acquisition of Umba may not solely hinge on user numbers or product offerings. For one, Umba launched merchant and business-facing products within the last four months, so its improbable to have garnered significant traction and volumes in that time frame. FairMoney could likely be more interested in Umbas microfinance license, obtained in 2022 through acquiring a majority shareholding in Daraja Microfinance Bank. This license allows Umba to offer banking services in Kenya.

Obtaining a microfinance bank license in Kenya can be challenging. Unlike Nigeria, which has over 600 microfinance bank licenses, Kenya has only 14 such licenses. For the Tiger-backed FairMoney, acquiring Umba could streamline entry into Kenya, bypassing the lengthy licensing process that took Umba three years. As such, an acquisition could see FairMoney leverage Umbas existing infrastructure or combine both fintech capabilities to launch its services in Kenya.

Sources tell us while Umba wasnt actively seeking a sale, it may find FairMoneys offer enticing, particularly given its current financial status. Between January and June 2023, the fintech generated $335,000 in revenue while incurring $1.54 million in expenses, as outlined in an investor pitch deck obtained by TechCrunch.

Additionally, after securing a $15 million Series A funding round at a $60 million valuation in February 2022, Umba sought further funding last December. Ultimately, it raised a $1.55 million bridge round at a valuation of just $25 million which is in line with FairMoneys offer. The fintech may be considering other options, the sources say.

Amid the fintech boom, digital banks and challenger banks in Africa attracted tens of millions of dollars in venture capital investments, spurring numerous players emergence with plans to challenge traditional incumbents.

Now the story is different. VC funding continues to tighten, and many of the big bets are not playing out as forecast, with companies missing growth targets and facing challenging unit economics. That has led to more M&A conversations. Just this month, Nigerian neobank Carbon acquired Vella Finance, an SME-focused banking service provider. And FairMoneys potential acquisition of Umba, if successful, would mark its second deal in two years.

Got a news tip or inside information about a topic we covered? Wed love to hear from you. You can reach me at tage.techcrunch@gmail.com. Or you can drop us a note at tips@techcrunch.com. Happy to respect anonymous requests.
Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley is not stopping her presidential campaign now.

On Tuesday, she announced shes holding a rally at Suffolk Punch brewery in Charlottes South End. Its scheduled for March 1, before Super Tuesday.

ALSO READ: SC Republicans speculate on how Nikki Haley will do in next months primary

Earlier Tuesday, Haley was in her home state of South Carolina to say she wasnt backing down from her opponent.

South Carolina will vote on Saturday. But on Sunday, Ill still be running for president, she said. Im not going anywhere.

Like she mentioned, South Carolinas Republican primary is on Saturday.

Former President Donald Trump is holding a rally in Rock Hill on Friday at 4 p.m. at the Winthrop Coliseum.

>> For a county-by-county guide with all the primary candidates and every early voting location, click here.

VIDEO: SC Republicans speculate on how Nikki Haley will do in next months primary








GREENVILLE, S.C.  A defiant Nikki Haley vowed to stay in the GOP presidential race, saying it's clear that Americans want a choice beyond Donald Trump vs. Joe Biden.

Despite lagging far behind Trump in the polls, Haley cited surveys showing that more than two-thirds of Americans don't want a repeat of the 2020 contest between Trump and Biden. She cast herself as someone who could unite a polarized country, at one point tearing up as she spoke of her husband's service in the Army National Guard.

"The majority of Americans dont just dislike one candidate," Haley said in remarks that her campaign billed as a "state of the race" speech. "They dislike both."

"The truth is, Americans already know what Joe Biden and Donald Trump will do," Haley said. "Theyre dividers at a time when America desperately, urgently, needs a uniter."

On Saturday, she and Trump will face off in her home state of South Carolina. The next contest is Michigan on Feb. 27 and Super Tuesday is on March. 5.

Doubling down, Haley promised her supporters and Republican voters alike: ''I'm not going anywhere."

Haley says Republicans secretly 'dread' Trump

Haley choked up as she talked about her husband Michael's military deployment overseas as she noted he was unable to join her on the trail. Trump previously mocked the absence of Haley's husband and questioned his whereabouts during a rally in early February.

Using some of her sharpest language yet to describe the former president, Haley argued that another Trump administration would be a "disaster" and that many Republican politicians who publicly support his candidacy "dread him" behind closed doors.

More: Home sweet home? Donald Trump trounces Nikki Haley in exclusive South Carolina poll

Haley also reiterated that she believes she is better positioned than Trump, 77, to defeat President Joe Biden, 81, in a general election match-up. Haley highlighted concerns over both of their ages, calling them "two old men who are getting older."

However, she dismissed claims that she is running as a "never Trump" candidate and emphasized her work as an ambassador to the United Nations during his administration.

"Like most Americans, I have a handful of serious concerns about the former president. But I have countless serious concerns about the current president," she said, attacking Biden for his handling of immigration and the economy, among other issues.

Republican presidential candidate and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley delivers a speech to press and supporters in Greenville, S.C., on Feb. 20, 2024. Haley said she would not be dropping out of the presidential race ahead of the South Carolina primary.

Trump has attempted to portray Haley as liberal-leaning in recent weeks. The main super PAC that is supporting him, Make America Great Again Inc., trolling Haley that questioned whether she was trying to replace Vice President Kamala Harris on the Democratic ticket.

"Every dollar spent by Nikki Haley is a dollar spent in support of Joe Biden and the Democrats," the group's spokesperson, Alex Pfeiffer, said in the Tuesday statement.

In her speech, Haley rejected chatter that she's staying in the race for her own future political ambitions.

"Other people say Im trying to set up a future presidential run. How does that even work? If I was running for a bogus reason, I would have dropped out a long time ago," she said.

Haley had pledged on Monday evening to remain in the race until Super Tuesday, telling her supporters during a Greer rally that she planned to head to Michigan on Sunday. Michigan's primary is next Tuesday. Haley will then face a critical stretch of campaigning in 15 states and one territory ahead of their March 5 contests. Her campaign previously signaled that it views that date as a crucial one for her candidacy.

Trump's top campaign aides said in a Tuesday morning memo that based on their projections, the former president will amass the require 1,215 delegates to win the GOP nomination no later than March 19.

"The true State of Nikki Haleys campaign? Broken down, out of ideas, out of gas, and completely outperformed by every measure, by Donald Trump," Trump advisers Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles wrote.

Exclusive polling shows daunting battle for Haley in home state

Republican presidential candidate and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley delivers a speech to press and supporters in Greenville, S.C., on Feb. 20, 2024. Haley said she would not be dropping out of the presidential race ahead of the South Carolina primary.

In an exclusive Suffolk University/USA TODAY poll released Tuesday, Trump is poised to trounce Haley this Saturday in South Carolina. Among those very likely to vote in the state's Republican primary, Trump leads Haley by close to 2-1, 63%-35%.

Haley urged voters in her home state to disregard the polls.

"People have a right to have their voices heard and they deserve a real choice, not a Soviet style election where there's only one candidate and he gets 99% of the vote" she said.

In Greenville, relief swelled over supporters after listening to Haleys story where she promised to stay in the race after South Carolina votes on Feb. 24, no matter what the results show.

Cynthia Long, a local to downtown Greenville, said that Haley represents a choice for voters.

I think staying in as long as she can afford to is a good thing because it gives the people a choice, Long said. Even if Haley loses to Trump by a margin larger than 10 points, she said she hopes to see Haley stay in the race all the way to the convention.

South Carolina State Representative Bart Blackwell, who represents Aiken, echoed the same hopes. He also thinks polls showing Trump leading Haley in her home state are not accurate. I think were going to be surprised on Saturday," he said.

That's what American people want. They want a choice, and the race is far from over, Blackwell said. And I'm just thrilled with her decision, and I admire her courage for continuing forward.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nikki Haley vows to keep fighting Donald Trump in 2024 Republican race
In a rare sight of intense emotion, Nikki Haley fought back tears as she spoke about her husbands deployment during a campaign speech in South Carolina on Tuesday afternoon.

Video of Haleys speechin which she announced she intends to stay in the 2024 GOP presidential race beyond South Carolinashows her choking up as she begins speaking about her husband, Maj. Michael Haley.

Michael has been deployed to the Horn of Africa since June 2023 in what is his second stint overseas. Haley indicated she regularly worries his unit, the 218th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade of the South Carolina National Guard, could come under attack.

I wish Michael was here today, she said, bursting into tears. And I wish our children and I could see him tonight. But we cant. Hes serving on the other side of the world where conflict is the norm, where terrorists hide among the innocent, where Irans terrorist proxies are now attacking American troops.

The teary speech comes just four days before South Carolina is set to settle its crucial primary. Haley, who was once the governor of the Palmetto State, is expected to again be trounced by Donald Trump.

Trump has attacked Haleys marriage recently, mentioning at campaign events that Michael is never alongside Haley on the trail.

What happened to her husband? Where is he? Hes gone, Trump taunted earlier this month.

Michael is deployed serving our country, something you know nothing about. Someone who continually disrespects the sacrifices of military families has no business being commander in chief. https://t.co/AfN3u4AsJc  Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) February 10, 2024

Haley has hit back hard against Trump, saying her husband is too busy serving his country to appear with her on the campaign trail (where Trumps own wife, Melania Trump, has also been missing).

Haley has tried to use Trumps comments as a way to position herself as being the superior Republican for military families, though those efforts havent translated into any momentum with that demographic. Still, shes leaned hard into her husbands service while highlighting that Trump was never in the military himself.

It was hard for us to say goodbye to (Michael) the first time, when he deployed to Afghanistan, Haley said Tuesday. It was even harder last summer when he deployed to Africa. The kids and I know why Michael went. He stepped up to keep us safe and not just us. He stepped up to defend our nations freedom and our way of life.

Trump Claims His Bizarre Haley-Pelosi Mix-Up Was Deliberate

While she shed tears when discussing her family, Haley was particularly fiery throughout the rest of her speech.

Haley unleashed a torrent of criticism against Trump in particular, calling him a bully whos getting meaner and more offensive by the day. She added that Trump is completely distracted from the campaign as he battles against a quartet of criminal indictments, saying theyve combined to only make him more unstable and unhinged.

With the exits of Ron DeSantis and Vivek Ramaswamy last month, the GOP primary race continues to be a battle between Haley and Trump, but the former president holds a commanding lead. No matter how dire things become for her campaign, however, Haley said Tuesday shell never publicly praise Trump while criticizing him privatelysomething she claims other Republicans do.

Of course, many of the same politicians who now publicly embrace Trump privately dread him, she said. They know what a disaster hes been and will continue to be for our party. Theyre just too afraid to say it out loud. Well, Im not afraid to say the hard truth out loud. I feel no need to kiss the ring. And I have no fear of Trumps retribution. Im not looking for anything from him.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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The only real suspense left in the Republican presidential primary is if Nikki Haley will become the next Ted Cruz or prove she can stand on principle, damn the potential political consequences.

Donald Trump, who has all but wrapped up the GOP nomination, campaigned at Coastal Carolina University in Conway. There, he did to Haley what he did to Cruz eight years earlier: spit on her spouse.

Wheres her husband? Hes away. What happened to her husband? What happened to her husband? Where is he? Hes gone, Trump said gloated.

Issac Bailey

Despite his veiled suggestion, theres nothing sinister about Michael Haleys absence. Hes deployed as part of the United States of Africa Command. There was a time we thought the GOP would be up at arms if a political candidate took an ugly shot at a military family. But that part of the GOP revealed itself vapid when Trump mocked John McCains service and Gold Star parents.

In 2016, Trump mocked the appearance of Cruzs wife, the kind of misogyny hes even directed at the woman whom he was held legally liable for having raped. For a short while, Cruz pretended to stand up for his wife but eventually bent the knee to Trump, a pose he has maintained since. Its among the most cowardly moves by a man with as much power as Cruz, a U.S. senator who represents one of the nations largest states. Trump has provided a real service by forcing people who supposedly pride themselves on being tough and principled to reveal they are neither, and just crave political power more than they are willing to take an ethical stance.

After the Feb. 24 Republican S.C. primary, which Trump is expected to win handily, it will be time for Haley to reveal herself. Does she have actual principles? Will she bend the knee like Cruz and endorse Trump despite her recent willingness to be honest about his unfitness for office? Will Haley declare she wont support such a cruel, cold man even if it dims her political prospects in an immediate future with Trump as GOP nominee and millions of loyal supporters who would follow him over a cliff if he asked?

Based on what Ive seen from Haley over the past decade, I fully expect her to fall in line with Trump, maybe with the hopes of becoming his running mate. I have not yet seen her be willing to risk her political future for something bigger, something more important.

She didnt demand an expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act because the GOP had staked out a hard-line position against it even though she knew the law that could improve the lives of hundreds of thousands of needy South Carolinians. She only asked for the Confederate flag to be taken off statehouse grounds after Dylann Roof massacred nine Black people in a Charleston church. Before that, she had gone with the political winds and followed the lead of a GOP whose base wanted that bigoted flag flying on public property.

Donald Trump had a rally today, and in that rally, he mocked my husbands military service, Haley said in an ad released Feb. 12. And Ill say this: Donald, if you have something to say, dont say it behind my back, get on a debate stage and say it to my face. I am proud of Michaels service. Every military spouse knows its a family sacrifice.

She went on to say: I have long talked about the fact that we need to have mental competency tests for (politicians) over the age of 75. Donald Trump claims that he would pass that. Maybe he would, maybe he wouldnt. But if you mock the service of a combat veteran, you dont deserve a drivers license, let alone being president of the United States.

Tough, principled-sounding talk. But will it last? I doubt it. Political opportunism is the easier path, one Haley has repeatedly taken.

Issac Bailey is a Carolinas opinion writer for McClatchy.
Korea will begin implementing tighter export controls on Russia and Belarus this week by adding nearly 700 items, such as batteries and larger vehicles, to its list of export restrictions in response to Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, the industry ministry said Tuesday.

Under the revision to the state regulations on trading strategic items, Korea added 682 items with actual or potential military use to the list of items to be banned from shipping to Russia and Belarus, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

The new rule will raise the total number of items on the list to 1,159, which will include heavy construction equipment, rechargeable batteries, aircraft components and machinery.

The revision will take effect Saturday.

The new list also involves used cars with 2,000 cc engines or larger, which has accounted for a major portion of Korea's vehicle exports to Russia.

Shipments of those items to the two nations are not allowed in principle, though the Korean government will make a case-by-case review of "exceptional cases." They are not classified as strategic items under Korea's export control scheme.

"It is a coordinated policy with the international community," a ministry official said. "The government will strengthen a crackdown on illegal trade." (Yonhap)
Nikki Haley doubled down on her refusal to withdraw from the Republican presidential primary despite facing virtually insurmountable odds in her bid to defeat former President Donald Trump.

Some of you, a few of you in the media, came here today to see if Im dropping out of the race. Well, Im not, Haley told a crowd of supporters and reporters in Greenville, South Carolina, on Tuesday, adding that the Republicans who dropped out of the race have surrendered to the herd mentality in coalescing behind Trump. Im campaigning every day until the last person votes, she added.

Trump has handily won every Republican primary contest so far, and is polling more than 25 points ahead of Haley in her home state of South Carolina. Haley lost the Nevada primary earlier this month to the none of these candidates option listed on the ballot, while Trump easily won the states caucuses a few days later.

Nevertheless, Haley has intensified her attacks against Trump, and went after him again on Tuesday. Many of the same politicians who publicly embrace Trump, privately dread him, Haley said. They know what a disaster hes been and will continue to be for our party. They are just too afraid to say it out loud. Well Im not afraid to say the hard truth out loud. I feel no need to kiss the ring, I have no fear of Trumps retribution.

Haley also called out the former presidents unstable and unhinged attacks against her and her supporters. True to form, hes taking out his anger on others, she said. Hes getting meaner and more offensive by the day. Hes trying to bully me and anyone who supports me, he says they will be barred from MAGA permanently. She went on to bash him for spending $50 million in campaign contributions on personal court cases, threatening people who back your opponent and calling on Russia to invade NATO countries.

Haley: It is not normal to insult our military heroes and veterans. It is not normal to spend $50 million in campaign contributions on personal court cases. It is not normal to call on Russia to invade NATO countries. Donald Trump has done all of that just in the past month pic.twitter.com/mXO5vge0Ta  Acyn (@Acyn) February 20, 2024

In an interview with the Associated Press given ahead of the speech, Haley indicated she will stay in the race until Super Tuesday, at least.

Ten days after South Carolina, another 20 states vote, Haley told the publication, referencing the upcoming primary elections on Super Tuesday. This isnt Russia. We dont want someone to go in and just get 99 percent of the vote, she added. What is the rush? Why is everybody so panicked about me having to get out of this race?

Haley is the last remaining challenger to Trumps nomination, with the rest of the initially jam-packed field of GOP hopefuls having dropped our faded into polling obscurity. Haley told the AP that a lot can change between now and election day in November. People are not looking six months down the road when these court cases have taken place, she said. Hes going to be in a courtroom all of March, April, May and June. How in the world do you win a general election when these cases keep going and the judgments keep coming?

Haley has accused the Republican National Committee (RNC) of aiding Trump in scuttling her campaign before voters have had their say.

If youre going to go in and basically tell the American people that youre going to go and decide who the nominee is after only two states have voted, she told NBCs Meet the Press last month. I mean, 48 states out there. This is a democracy. The American people want to have their say in who is going to be their nominee. We need to give them that. I mean, you cant do that based on just two states. And not only that, its 1,215 delegates to reach the nomination. Donald Trump has 32; I have 17. So lets let this play out.

Trump has leveled a barrage of attacks against Haley, including the use of a racist nickname, in his attempts to increase pressure for her withdrawal from the race.

When will stupid people like Nikki Haley confess to knowing that the Indictments and Litigation that I am fighting is all DEMOCRAT and Crooked Joe Biden INSPIRED, COORDINATED, & RUN! Trump wrote Sunday on Truth Social. The only money she is getting now is coming from Democrats. I know her well, and she just doesnt have what it takes, and never will. MAGA! P.S. Shes losing to Biden in almost every poll. I am winning in EVERY poll!

Regardless of his attacks  and her claims that his court cases could affect his ability to maintain his presidential bid  Haley told a Fox News town hall on Sunday that she would pardon the former president if she won the election.

I believe, in the best interest of bringing the country together, I would pardon Donald Trump. Because I think its important for the country to move on, weve got to leave the negativity and the baggage behind, she said. I dont want this country divided any further, I dont think its in

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Republican presidential candidate, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, speaks at a campaign event at Clemson University at Greenville on February 20, 2024 in Greenville, South Carolina. South Carolina holds its Republican primary on February 24. (Photo by Allison Joyce/Getty Images) (Getty Images)

On Tuesday, former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley delivered an anticipated speech where she said she would not drop out of the race for the Republican presidential nomination ahead of the primary in her home state.

In the speech, Haley attempted to lower expectations  given that she will almost certainly be blown out in the Palmetto state.

Polling currently shows Donald Trump beating her by double digits. And its no secret that losing a primary in their home state typically means death to a candidates campaign. Just ask Senator Marco Rubio, whom Trump drubbed in Florida back in 2016.

Winning Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina, like Trump has, usually signals that a candidate is guaranteed to become the Republican nominee. But Haley tried spinning that statistic and saying that the majority of voters simply did not vote.

Despite her best efforts, the fact is that Haley has put up poor performances in the early states. In Iowa, she posted a disappointing third place with Ron DeSantis inching past her, before he ultimately dropped out. And in Nevada, more voters chose none of these candidates instead of her. That is not a ringing endorsement. While a majority of voters have not voted, the partys biggest devotees have shown they do not want her to be president.

Nonetheless, she is beginning a swing throughout the rest of the primary states. On the day of the South Carolina primary, she will visit Michigan, followed by Minnesota, Colorado, Utah, Virginia, Washington, DC, North Carolina and Massachusetts. This comes after shes already traveled to California and Texas. Shes already on the air in Michigan running an ad saying President Joe Biden is too old and calling for mental competency tests.

But the fact remains that not enough Republicans like what Haley is selling. As my colleague Kelly Rissman wrote, a Suffolk University/USA Today poll showed that 63 per cent of those very likely to vote in South Carolina prefer Trump to Haley. While 59 per cent of voters who identify as moderates or liberals support Haley, they dont make up the majority of the Republican electorate.

Similarly, many of the states that have yet to vote are as conservative, if not more conservative, as South Carolina. While Michigan, California, Maine and Massachusetts might have some of the college-educated moderate white voters who could vote for Haley, other states like Arkansas, Alaska and North Carolina will easily break for Trump.

Furthermore, the Republican primary in places like California is closed, meaning independents cannot cross over and vote for her in the way they did when she put up a decent fight in New Hampshire. And even if she somehow does win over some independents who cross over, Trump and other conservatives will paint her as not the true pick of the Republican electorate.

It only gets bleaker after Super Tuesday. In the weeks after Super Tuesday, states including Mississippi, Georgia, Louisiana, Arizona, Lousiana, Ohio and Missouri will all hold their primaries in March, which will further chip away at their lead.

That will blunt her momentum and give big-pocketed donors less of an incentive to keep funding her campaign. Put simply, running through until the Republican National Conventions in July costs a ton of money between television advertisements, campaign events, town halls and setting up volunteer locations. If she does not produce a single victory in any state, donors will see no reason to bankroll her.

At this point, its fairly clear that Haley is simply waiting out Trump, hoping that his legal affairs get the better of him and that she could be seen as a viable alternative to him if or when he becomes engulfed by the lawsuits and criminal cases against him. She gave away her plan when she said: Its not normal to spend fifty million dollars in campaign donations on personal court cases.

But doing so would be handing her fate to circumstances beyond her control. For one, the court schedules are unpredictable. Similarly, the past year has shown that the deeper Trumps legal troubles get, the more his supporters coalesce around him.

Even in the off chance Republicans somehow replace Trump, Haley will likely not be considered a viable replacement given that she now exists in the consciousness of the GOP as Trumps chief Republican antagonist. If anything, the party would need to pick a Trump loyalist to occupy the spot. While Haley has said she would pardon Trump were she to become president and served in his administration, that likely would not be what Republicans remember.

Ultimately, Haley might only harm herself. She mentioned she is not seeking to set up a future run for president beyond 2024, but this might affect her standing overall in the party.

As she will be remembered as too deferential to Trump for voters who dislike him but too defiant against the head of the party, she will have fewer options for her future.
Nikki Haley has no need to kiss the ring or fall in line behind Donald Trump, she said as she vowed to press ahead with her bid for the Republican nomination.

In some of her spikiest remarks yet, the former UN ambassador criticised the herd mentality of the former presidents GOP supporters who now publicly embrace Trump but privately dread him.

Speaking in Greenville, South Carolina, her home state, Ms Haley also became tearful as she described the emotional toll of not being able to see her husband, an Army Major who is deployed in the horn of Africa.

The presidential candidates campaign stop comes days before the South Carolina primary, during which Mr Trump is expected to trounce his opponent.

Mr Trumps allies have ratcheted up pressure on Ms Haley to drop out of the race, and her insistence on keeping going has angered the Trump campaign.

Hitting back on Tuesday, the mother-of-two, 52, attacked Mr Trump for being too old, divisive and self-absorbed to be an effective leader.

Trump and Biden are two old men who are only getting older, she said. Nearly 60 per cent of Americans say Trump and Biden are both too old to be president - because they are.

Ms Haley said Americans deserved a choice and not a 'Soviet-style election' - Allison Joyce/Getty Images

At her campaign event, Ms Haley said Americans deserved a choice and not a Soviet-style election, which she described as only one candidate drawing 99 per cent of the vote.

We dont anoint kings in this country, she said. We have elections. And Donald Trump, of all people, should know we dont rig elections.

Thats why I refuse to quit. South Carolina will vote on Saturday. But on Sunday, Ill still be running for president. Im not going anywhere.

I feel no need to kiss the ring. And I have no fear of Trumps retribution, Im not looking for anything from him, she added.

Ms Haley, who served as governor of South Carolina from 2011 to 2017, is down around 60 points to Mr Trump nationally, according to an average maintained by polling and analysis website FiveThirtyEight.

Earlier on Tuesday, Trumps campaign released a memo arguing that the former president was on track to have sewn up the nomination by March 12.

It said Ms Haley was like any wailing loser hellbent on an alternative reality and that she had been rejected by those who know her the best.

Donald Trump participated in a Fox News Town Hall event at the Greenville Convention Centre, South Carolina - TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images

Ms Haleys speech came hours before Mr Trump held a Fox News event in the same city.

At the end of her speech, Ms Haley became visibly upset as she spoke of her yearning to be with her husband, Michael Haley, who is halfway into a yearslong deployment in Africa with the South Carolina National Guard.

I wish our children and I could see him tonight, but we cant, she said.

The kids and I know why Michael went. He stepped up to keep us safe, and not just us, he stepped up to defend our nations freedom and our way of life.

Ms Haley previously branded Mr Trump disgusting for questioning the whereabouts of her husband.

What happened to her husband? Mr Trump asked the crowd at a rally earlier this month.

Where is he? Hes gone, Mr Trump added.

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NEWARK, New Jersey  One of New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphys most controversial projects  a gas-fired power plant inside the states largest city  has a new critic: his wife.

Tammy Murphy, who is running to replace Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez, came out against a new plant planned for Newark to provide backup power to a state-run sewer agency that serves much of North Jersey.

She said Newark already has three gas-fired power plants, plus an incinerator and lots of diesel truck traffic, so the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission should not build a new plant there.

I oppose the PVSC plant, she said at a Tuesday morning press conference where she joined others against the project.

But her opposition may end up raising more questions than it answers about her role in her husbands administration and as a candidate of her own.

Murphy said the remarks on Tuesday were her first public comments about the plant and she declined to say whether she had discussed the matter with the governor.

The governors office declined to comment.

Tammy Murphy has made much of her support for environmental issues and efforts to fight climate change. She was a founding board member for Al Gore's Climate Reality Action Fund and, as first lady, helped push climate change curriculum in state schools.

She said she came to oppose the plant after conversations about the plant with its critics.

Yet, the issue is not new. And if she opposes the plant, why not take it up with her husband  who is surely her closest political ally and the person who can most likely kill the project?

Ive been talking to other people about this, she told reporters. Im not here to stand up and speak for the administration. Thats not my role here today.



For several years, Phil Murphy has faced harsh criticism of his administrations push to, at one point, spend over $700 million building a pair of gas-fired power plants within a few miles of each other.

Both projects were meant to provide backup power to state agencies that lost power during Hurricane Sandy. Yet they were at odds with the administrations clean energy goals, which are among the most ambitious of any governor's.

One of the two plants, meant to provide backup power for NJ Transit, was canceled last month. Officials cited long-known upgrades to the grid following Sandy to justify the decision, as well as a deal to reallocate federal dollars that were meant for the plant.

The second backup power plant, which Tammy Murphy came out against, remains alive. At one point, in 2022, the governor asked the sewer agency pause plans to build the $180 million power plant, following protests that his administration is betraying low-income communities in Newark, but planning for the project continued in 2023.

To justify her opposition, Tammy Murphy cited childhood asthma rates in Newark, which are far above the national average, as well as the grid upgrades in the area that make more power reliable. She also suggested the federal government could reallocate the money for other uses.

The first lady's opposition does seem like a possible death knell for the project, though. Long-time critics of the plant hailed her opposition to the project.

Kim Gaddy, Clean Water Actions environmental justice director, praised Tammy Murphy for talking the talk that needs to be talked.

Democratic Rep. Andy Kim, one of Tammy Murphys primary opponents, said he also opposes the sewer agencys backup power plant.

"There is simply no need for yet another gas power plant in the city of Newark when renewable energy solutions are possible, especially at a time when so many residents in that community are already living with some of the worst air pollution in the country, and dealing with that impact every day, Kim said in a statement.
The political organization No Labels is grappling with a dwindling number of potential candidates as it pushes for ballot access for a possible independent presidential bid this year.

Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) and West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin (D) were rumored to be among the top potential candidates as the organization seeks to gain ballot access for a centrist ticket composed of one Republican and one Democrat in the 2024 election.

But with Hogan deciding to instead run for an open Senate seat in Maryland and Manchin ruling out a presidential bid in the past week, No Labels appears to have few obvious candidate choices left.

Theyre still in the stables, and [former President] Trump and [President] Biden are turning the third turn on the Kentucky Derby, Democratic strategist Brian Doory said. Thats a pretty big lead to make up.

No Labels was originally formed more than a decade ago as a nonprofit organization intended to push for bipartisanship and help the two parties find common ground.

But the group began gathering signatures from voters to gain ballot access for a potential independent presidential bid as Trump and Biden seemed increasingly likely to become their respective parties nominees.

The organizations leaders, including its CEO Nancy Jacobson and politicians like former Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), have said the group would support a candidate if Trump and Biden are the nominees and certain environmental conditions are met.

They have been overseeing polling and research over the appetite for a possible independent bid and have argued that one could potentially be viable with polls showing an overwhelming majority of Americans do not want Trump or Biden to run in 2024.

No Labels has since been able to reserve a spot on the ballot in 16 states, and Hogan and Manchin stirred up chatter as two of the most prominent names with ties to the group. Hogan served as a national co-chair of No Labels before stepping down in December, while Manchin, who had already decided against seeking another term in the Senate, appeared at events with the group and declined to rule out a presidential run.

But both ultimately passed on a presidential bid, and none of the other remaining names whom pundits have floated as possibilities have received the same attention as those two.

Doory, the managing director at Firehouse Strategies, speculated that Hogan and Manchin both decided that the group wasnt ready for a national campaign.

No inside intel on that, but I get the sense that all of the people who have bowed out from it like Manchin, like Hogan, have realized that running for president and doing it in this No Labels fashion might sound well in theory, but when the rubber meets the road, its going to be about you, he said.

An independent unity ticket would face the hurdle of getting on enough ballots so that the total electoral votes could at least surpass 270, the number needed to clinch the presidency. The filing deadlines vary by state and most are still a few months away, but such a campaign would still have its work cut out for it.

No Labels chief strategist Ryan Clancy told The Hill that the organizations efforts to get on the ballot are on track and that it expects a unity ticket to make it in all 50 states. He noted that Ross Perot, who ran as an independent for president in 1992, only joined the campaign in February of that year and appeared on all 50 state ballots.

Clancy told CBS News that the group only expects to get on the ballot in 32 states, while the potential candidates would need to get on the ballot themselves in the remaining states. In the latter group of states, the signature requirements are easier to reach for a specific candidate than for a group like No Labels.

In the wake of Hogan and Manchins announcements, the organization has sought to emphasize it still has multiple strong options for candidates it would back. But it has also not been open about who, specifically, is being considered and how exactly a ticket would be chosen.

The group has said it would conduct its selection process with its members across the country at a virtual convention. Clancy told CBS it would decide in mid-March whether to proceed.

The national co-chairs told The Hill on Friday that the organization is speaking with several exceptional leaders about the ticket and will announce in the coming weeks if it will put forward candidates.

Clancy said the group will only support a unity ticket if it believes it can win the presidency.

He said the decisions from possible rumored choices like Hogan do not affect No Labelss decision-making process and that they are speaking with leaders from across the political spectrum.

But members on both sides of the aisle said names dont immediately jump out.

Lieberman said last month that Nikki Haley, the last remaining major GOP challenger to Trump, deserves serious consideration, but she has said she isnt interested. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) did not rule out a run this month but said a path to win must be clear.

Kate deGruyter, the senior director of communications for the center-left group Third Way, which opposes No Labelss efforts, said Hogans decision was a vote of no confidence in No Labelss plan.

The few people that are left for them to consider, a lot of them have major challenges if they were to go forward with this effort, she said.

Other possible names, like former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman (R) and Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.), who is running a primary challenge against Biden, have indicated they arent interested.

Republican strategist Barrett Marson said No Labelss efforts, along with the third-party candidacies of Cornel West and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., underscore how voters arent satisfied with Trump and Biden  though he argued that none of them can win.

Marson said the fact that the group has ballot access in Arizona, a key swing state, could tip the election and act as a spoiler.

If No Labels ends up actually fielding a respectable bipartisan ticket, disaffected Republicans and right-leaning moderates who really dont want to vote for Joe Biden or Donald Trump, that 5 or 10 percent, in Arizona thats certainly enough to turn an election between one candidate or the other, he said.

Polling in past presidential election years has shown voters expressing interest in other candidates than those from the two main parties, but their percentages are usually in the single digits by Election Day. Perot at one time polled ahead of George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton in 1992, but he ultimately received about 19 percent of the vote, the most successful third-party effort in the modern era.

Democratic strategist Mike Mikus noted that Manchin said he was not going to run for president if he did not think he could win, and he argued two of the biggest potential names deciding against running makes the group more irrelevant to 2024.

Just from an electoral standpoint, its going to be very difficult for them to find anybody who has credibility as a candidate, he said.

Public polling has not included any of the potential No Labels-backed candidates since none have been put forward yet. But polls including Trump and Biden with third-party candidates like Kennedy, West and Jill Stein have shown them well behind the two main candidates.

Mikus said the past two presidential races have been narrowly decided in states like Michigan and Wisconsin, so a third-party effort may only need to get 2 percent or 3 percent to tilt an election.

They cannot field a candidate who can win in November, so the only thing theyll be doing is playing the spoiler, he said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
For the 18th year, Lady Lake has been named a Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation.

"Making places better through a deliberate, inclusive, and collaborative process is more important than ever," writes Ann Ruzow Holland in her article, "If all planning is local, how are we going to save tomorrow? Ten pragmatic lessons from the field."

The article in the Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences affirms that "people are not immune to, nor willing to ignore the significant impact that environmental and human-induced changes have on the drinking water, air quality, property, and protected landscapes."

These thoughts speak to concerns in Lake County. Taking into consideration Central Florida's population growth amid a fragile ecosystem and considerations for the state's wildlife corridor, Lake County commissioners and town officials have a tricky balancing act ahead of them.

Could we be at a crisis point when it comes to accommodating booming population growth with our existing infrastructure? How do we know we're making the right choices to expedite changes in our community?

In Lady Lake, citizens are concerned about the second reading of an ordinance at the commission meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 21, at 6 p.m. that will circumvent bringing a new plan for development on a town site to the public for comment provided no variances are needed.

Ordinance 2024-01 is a staff-initiated proposal to amend the site plan approval process within Chapter 7 of the Town of Lady Lake Land Development Regulations.

The ordinance proposal says, "Upon review of the current procedures, as well as reflection upon events which have occurred at previous public hearings, staff is of the opinion that the current site plan approval process is inefficient, unnecessary, and is a process which may be misleading to the general public."

Under the current process,the Lady Lake Town Commission can approve a final site plan. However, if a site plan proposal satisfies all of the requirements of the vested rights under an approved zoning ordinance, as well as the applicable building codes, the applicant shall be entitled to exercise those zoning and building entitlements, the new ordinance says.

"To deny a site plan proposal which fulfills those requirements can result in litigation against the Town," the town's agenda item recommending approval reads, adding that "such litigation is a waste of taxpayer dollars and will likely result in a decision against the Town for the taking of the landowners vested development rights."

The Lady Lake meeting agenda item also attempts to assure citizens that they will still have recourse.

The public has the right and the opportunity to express an opinion in the public hearings at which the establishment of the zoning entitlements is being proposed, it says, adding that if a variance is required to develop the property in the manner which the applicant desires, that process would also be subject to a public hearing. "Allowing public input on the site plan proposal gives the impression that residents have the ability to persuade the Commission to deny the site plan, when in reality, they do not, " the item stipulates.

When a site plan application is submitted to the Town of Lady Lake, the item explains that planning and zoning staff should be able to conduct a review of the proposal with a degree of technical expertise that the members of the Town Commission do not possess.

The town's growth management staff work with the application of the land development regulations on a daily basis. When taking a site plan to the venue of the public hearing, changes to the site plan may be requested of the applicant by the Town Commission which would result in demanding something that is not enforceable by code requirements, the proposed ordinance states.

Ordinance 2024-01 also recommends a process for a site plan review "conducted wholly by Town Staff and staff consultants as applicable" and clarifies that "Ordinance 2024-01 is not a proposal to remove any rights of the general public to determine the outcome of a site plan approval which they do not currently possess. Rather, it rectifies a process which is inefficient, unnecessary, and may be misleading to the general public. Staff recommends approval of Ordinance 2024-01 as presented."

"Most of our residential zoning districts have a 25% open space requirement as part of the platting requirement," explained Thad Carroll, Lady Lake's growth management director.

"The Town will continue to evaluate environmental assessment reports as part of our land use application review process," Carroll added. "Where sensitive habitats or protected species are identified, they will be given the protections provided by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Department of Environmental Protection, or other agency having jurisdiction."

For more information about the Lady Lake site plan ordinance, visit ladylake.org/planning-and-zoning-meeting-agenda-item-2024001.

This article originally appeared on Daily Commercial: Developers may have less red tape and public interference in Lady Lake
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem joined a list of Republican state leaders who have said they will deploy troops to the countrys southern border, which she called a warzone in a post announcing the move.

The border is a warzone, so were sending soldiers, Noem posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. The SD-Guards primary mission will be construction of a wall to stem the flow of illegal immigrants, drug cartels, and human trafficking into the United States of America.

In a statement released Tuesday, Noem said 60 South Dakota soldiers will be deployed to Texas in the spring on a rolling basis over a three-month period. She said the deployment answers the call from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R).

Abbott and the Texas National Guard appear to have continued building razor wire barriers along the southern border, defying a Supreme Court decision and causing tensions around the developing situation to rise.

Republican governors across the country are backing Abbott in his standoff against the federal government, and many have shown support by sending troops to the border to support his own.

Noem delivered remarks on the U.S.-Mexico border earlier this month and was subsequently banned from a South Dakota tribe over allegations that she was using the speech as a stunt to help former President Trump get reelected.

In an address last month to the South Dakota Legislature, Noem said that in the past, when she sent troops to assist in border security efforts, South Dakota troops were hampered by federal restrictions and said this time she will make sure it is different  to ensure soldiers would not facilitate an invasion but rather stand up and stop it.

Top Stories from The Hill

The federal government claimed in court filings that the Texas National Guard has physically prevented the Border Patrol from doing its job. Abbott has justified his decision to disregard the courts ruling by claiming his authority to combat an invasion of the state supersedes federal law.

The action has sparked calls from Democrats for President Biden to nationalize the Texas National Guard and force them to follow the courts decision.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO)  The New Orleans Police Department is trying to solve two, similar burglary cases. In each instance, the burglars are accused of entering businesses through the ceilings. The cases are the latest ones to roll on the Wheel of Justice.

Shots fired after stolen Corvette hits multiple people: NOPD

The first case happened around 3:45 in the morning on Dec. 13 at a business in the 3200 block of North Galvez Street. Police released one image of the suspect who was recorded by the stores security camera system.

The second case happened a little after 1:15 in the morning on Feb. 15 at a business in the 3200 block of Gentilly Boulevard. In that case, police released security camera video that shows the suspect walking through the business.

Police say both suspects got inside through the ceilings of each business, but the NOPD did not supply footage that shows either entry.

Police are not connecting the cases. Also, they did not disclose what was taken in the North Galvez location but say Bluetooth devices and at least one cellphone were taken from the Gentilly business.

NOPD investigating theft of mail from USPS truck

To see the latest Wheel of Justice report, including the surveillance footage of each suspect, watch the video at the top of this story.

If you have information that could help police identify or locate either suspect, call Crimestoppers at (504)-822-1111. You dont have to reveal your name or testify in court, and you could be eligible to earn a cash reward.

So far, more than 460 people have been booked after their cases rolled on the Wheel of Justice.

Stay up to date with the latest news, weather and sports by downloading the WGNO app on the Apple or Google Play stores and by subscribing to the WGNO newsletter.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGNO.
Russian President Vladimir Putin gave his North Korean counterpart Kim Jong Un a car to signify their "special personal relations," the state-controlled Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Feb. 20.

Putin and Kim have deepened ties in recent months, following a meeting of the leaders in Russia in September 2023 to negotiate an arms deal.

KCNA claimed that a delegation from Russia delivered a Russian-made car to Kim's top deputies, including his sister, Kim Yo Jong, on Feb. 18. The make and model of the vehicle was not disclosed.

The car is reportedly intended for Kim Jong Un's "personal use."

Kim Yo Jong courteously conveyed Kim Jong Uns thanks to Putin to the Russian side, saying that the gift serves as a clear demonstration of the special personal relations between the top leaders of the DPRK and Russia and as the best one, KCNA said, referring to North Korea by its title, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Putin's gift is a potential violation of United Nations sanctions against North Korea, which prohibit the transfer of any "transportation vehicles" and other luxury goods to the country.

Kim has a reputation for favoring high-end cars, and has been seen travelling in luxury vehicles such as a Rolls-Royce and a Mercedes-Maybach Pullman Guard armored limousine, valued at $1 million.

Putin and Kim met for official talks at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia's far-eastern Amur Oblast in September 2023. During the visit, Kim raised a toast to Putin and praised him for "building a strong, modern Russia."

Shipments of weapons from North Korea to Russia followed soon after.

Russia in exchange has offered Pyongyong advanced military technology and the opportunity to use Ukrainian cities as a testing ground for North Korea's long-range attack capabilities, including ballistic missiles.

Read also: Russias use of North Korean ballistic missiles not a sign of Moscows depleted domestic capacity

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
An 18-year-old North Texas man has been arrested and charged with assisting a 17-year-old girl in her death by suicide, according to a news release from Frisco police.

Zander Tashman is charged with aiding suicide, a state jail felony punishable by up to two years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000 if convicted, according to police.

Officers responded on Nov. 20, 2023, to the Frisco Commons Park, where the girl was found dead in a pond. After an exhaustive investigation, the evidence suggested Tashman helped his 17-year-old girlfriend kill herself, police said.

Tashman was arrested Sunday and bond has been set at $10,000, according to police.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health or thoughts of suicide, contact the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988.
On bubble, Padres reliever Go Woo-suk fighting to make it to Opening Day roster on home soil
A North Texas gang member was sentenced Tuesday to 60 years in prison after he was found guilty of murder and engaging in organized crime in connection to the 2021 killing of 25-year-old Quiton Murray, according to the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorneys Office.

Jonathan Howard, 33, is a member of the 5x2 Crips gang, according to the DAs office. He and two other people waited for Murray to leave an Arlington nightclub on March 28, 2021, and followed him in his BMW to an east Fort Worth apartment complex, where they shot and killed him, authorities said.

Murray was a Piru Blood gang member, according to a motion filed in 2021 by the District Attorneys Office that sought to set the conditions of Howards bond in the case.

Howard previously threatened Murray and found out he was going to be at the Arlington nightclub, according to the bond conditions motion. Howard sought out Murray at the club and started a fight. Security staffers removed Howard from the club.

Howard waited for Murray to leave the club and followed him and two other people in a vehicle. When Murray neared home, Howard and Merrell Hall, 25, opened fire, prosecutors alleged.

Court records indicate Hall died sometime in August or September 2022. Tarrant County Medical Examiners Office records do not include any information about Halls death. Miles Brissette, Halls attorney in 2022, told the Star-Telegram that Hall died at home.

Today's top stories:

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Howard was out of jail on bond for a previous aggravated assault charge when the killing occurred. He was wearing an ankle monitor.

Two other people, a 26-year-old woman and 24 year-old man, were also in the vehicle Howard and Hall fired on.
UPDATE, February 23, 2024 9:09 a.m. EST: Odie successfully landed on the moon and has started sending images back to Earth.

After a successful launch , Intuitive Machines robotic Odysseus spacecraft (aka Odie) beamed home its first images from space. In a post on X , Intuitive Machines wrote that the spacecraft "successfully transmitted its first IM-1 mission images to Earth on February 16, 2024. The images were captured one day after the spacecraft blasted off from NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

[Related: Odie is en route for its potentially historic moon landing .]

According to the Houston-based company, the four images they selected were chosen from hundreds of images taken by the lander's cameras . These cameras were programmed to take five images every five minutes for the first two hours after Odysseus separated from the rockets second stage.

"Out of all the images collected, Intuitive Machines chose to show humanitys place in the universe with four wonderful images we hope to inspire the next generation of risk-takers," the company wrote in a statement .

They capture the planet Earth fading into the background as the spacecraft continues on its 230,000-mile journey towards the moon.

Intuitive Machines also announced that Odysseus continues to be in excellent health and is communicating with mission control. Odysseus launched one month after Pittsburgh-based Astrobotics Peregrine lunar lander failed to complete its mission . The spacecraft burned in the Earths atmosphere about 10 days after a broken fuel tank and massive leak caused the mission to fail.

In addition to these first images, Odysseus' engine also passed a crucial check in deep space over the weekend.

"Intuitive Machines flight controllers successfully fired the first liquid methane and liquid oxygen engine in space, completing the IM-1 mission engine commissioning. This engine firing included a full thrust mainstage engine burn and throttle down-profile necessary to land on the moon," the company wrote in a post on X on February 16 .

[Related: This private lander could be the first US machine on the moon this century .]

If the mission continues to go as planned, Odysseus will land on the moon on February 22 , where it would be the first private spacecraft to conduct a successful lunar landing. Only government-funded programs from Russia, China, India, the United States, and most recently Japan have performed a lunar landing.

The lander is aiming to touch down 186 miles away from the moons south pole. This region has cliffs, craters, and possibly frozen water . NASA is the main sponsor of the mission, paying Intuitive Machines about $118 million to deliver its payload to the moon. NASA hopes that if this mission is successful it will jumpstart the lunar economy ahead of future crewed missions. The space agency plans to land astronauts there later this decade . The six navigation and tech experiments in the landers payload that will collect data critical for these missions.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has received a Russian-made luxury car from Russian President Vladimir Putin as a gift demonstrating the special bonds between the two leaders, state media reported Tuesday.

The gift serves as a "clear demonstration of the special personal relations between the two leaders and as the best one," according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

Russia conveyed the vehicle for Kim's personal use Sunday to Pak Jong-chon, a secretary of the ruling Worker's Party of Korea, and Kim Yo-jong, the sister of the North's leader. She delivered Kim Jong-un's thanks to Putin to the Russian side, the report said.

The KCNA did not carry photos or reports about the details of the car.

Later in the day, Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that the car is a Russian-made Aurus Senat, according to Russia's state-run RIA Novosti news agency.

Putin showed his presidential Aurus Senat limousine to Kim in September last year, when the North's leader visited Russia's Vostochny spaceport for the summit, and offered him the opportunity to take a seat in the Russian-made luxury vehicle.

But Putin's gift could be in violation of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions that ban the supply, sale and transfer of luxury goods, including automobiles, to North Korea.

The North's leader has made public appearances in different Mercedes-Maybach S-class vehicles, including a limousine, snubbing international sanctions on North Korea's nuclear and missile programs.

Seoul's unification ministry assessed Putin's gift as being a luxury vehicle subject to U.N. sanctions, given that it was a present for the head of state.

"We condemned North Korea for its brazen attitude of publicly revealing the violation of the U.N. sanctions. Russia should also be aware of its responsibility as a permanent member of the UNSC and stop an act that undermines international norms," a ministry official told reporters.

He said the government will cooperate with the international community to deal with the act by North Korea and Russia to violate the UNSC resolutions. (Yonhap)
This image released by Bond Theatrical shows Nolan Almeida as Peter Pan, top right, and, from left, Micah Turner Lee as John, Reed Epley as Michael and Hawa Kamara as Wendy, during a performance of an inclusive stage production of Peter Pan. The touring production kicks off in Maryland on Feb. 21 and travels to North Carolina, Ohio, Illinois, Washington, D.C., South Carolina, Florida, Arizona, Nevada, California, Missouri, Texas and Georgia. (Matthew Murphy/Bond Theatrical via AP)

NEW YORK (AP)  A new, inclusive stage production of Peter Pan flies out on a U.S. tour this month, telling the classic tale of a boy who refuses to grow up  but without references that, ironically, have aged poorly.

Gone are elements harmful to Native people, in are a few new songs and the setting of Victorian England has been scrapped in favor of modern America with a multicultural cast.

Part of the why I wanted to do this is that it will be kids' first experience in the theater, and I want them not only to fall in love with Peter Pan, but to fall in love with the theater and to come back, says director Lonny Price.

The show is based on the 1954 musical version  originally starring Broadway legend Mary Martin  with a score by Morris Charlap, additional lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green and additional music by Jule Styne.

Playwright Larissa FastHorse, who made history on Broadway in 2023 with her satirical comedy The Thanksgiving Play, was tapped to rework the story. She says she found the character of Peter Pan complex, the pirates funny, the music enchanting but the depictions of Indigenous people and women appalling.

In the previous version, there were references to redskins throughout, a dance number with cringy gibberish for lyrics called Ugg-A-Wugg and Tiger Lily was described as fending off randy braves with a hatchet.

My goal for doing it was to make it not cause harm, FastHorse says. Because the music is so beautiful. The story is complicated and beautiful. It makes you laugh, it makes you cry, it does all those things and has so much magic.

The tour kicks off in Maryland this week and travels to North Carolina, Ohio, Illinois, Washington, D.C., South Carolina, Florida, Arizona, Nevada, California, Missouri, Texas and Georgia.

Ugg-A-Wugg" has been cut, replaced by the melody from a tune from the little-known 1961 Comden-Green-Styne musical Subways Are for Sleeping, married with new lyrics from Amanda Green, Adolph Greens Tony Award-nominated daughter.

Price also found in the original creators' papers a haunting, beautiful song called I Went Home, which tells of a time when Peter returned home and found his window barred and another kid sleeping in his bed. Martin had asked for it to be cut before the premiere, fearing it was too sad. Price put it back in, arguing audiences are more mature these days.

I think kids can be a little upset now, he says. I dont think its upsetting. I think its moving. I think its just a very moving piece. I dont think anyones heard that song since 1954. There's also a reprise of I Won't Grow Up for the second act curtain raiser called We Hate Those Kinds, sung by the pirates with lyrics by Green.

FastHorse widened the concept of Native in the musical's Neverland to encompass several members of under-pressure Indigenous cultures from all over the globe  Africa, Japan and Eastern Europe, among them  who have retreated to Neverland to preserve their culture until they can find a way back. Price hails it as an elegant solution, adding FastHorse  was just the perfect writer for us.

FastHorse is the first ever Indigenous artist to revise the story, and she has done more than correct the perceptions of Native culture. She's also deepened the women characters: Tiger Lily and Wendy both sing now, they both dance, they both fight and they speak to each other without Peter.

FastHorse and Prices version takes place in a modern day, middle class United States not Victorian England. The cast includes children of various races and ethnicities.

I want every child in this nation to look out their window of the national tour, to look out the window and believe Peter can fly by their window, says FastHorse. Our cast looks like America.

Price stresses that despite the changes, the fabric of the show has been maintained, especially the beautiful language lifted from James M. Barries classic tale, like the notion that the birth of fairies comes from a childs first laugh.

Peter Pan is a hardy vehicle in any case, with five major Broadway revivals, countless tours, NBCs 2015 Peter Pan Live with Allison Williams, the animated series Jake and the Never Land Pirates, the Broadway shows "Peter Pan Goes Wrong" and Peter and the Starcatcher and 2023's live-action Peter Pan & Wendy, which added girls to the Lost Boys and featured a Black actor as Tinker Bell.

Price says the appeal of Barries work is intergenerational, grounded in notions of freedom, motherhood, innocence and a very human ambivalence about growing up.

Kids are afraid of growing up. Some of them want to grow up really fast. I think all adults have this conflicted relationship with growing up. So I think its a meditation on that and mortality as well, says Price. If you look at all of the themes of it, theyre very primal to us all.

___

Mark Kennedy is at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits
An officer at Delaware's juvenile lockup near Wilmington has been charged with official misconduct after police accuse him of overdosing on heroin while manning the control center at the facility.

A New Castle County Grand Jury recently indicted the officer on misdemeanor official misconduct as well as 11 misdemeanor counts of endangering the welfare of children at the facility.

Court documents indicate the officer disclosed to medical personnel at the time that he had recently relapsed into heroin use.

Ferris School, located on Centre Road outside of Wilmington, is part of the state's largest campus to incarcerate youth. It houses boys aged 13 to 18 years old.

Ferris School in Wilmington

Arrest documents indicate that the investigation began in late August when Tanya Banks, the school's superintendent, contacted Delaware State Police to report allegations that multiple employees had been smuggling drugs into the facility to sell to juveniles.

During that conversation, Banks told the investigator that an officer had overdosed three days before her contacting the police. She said that officer had been named as one of those suspected of smuggling the contraband.

A spokesperson for the state Department of Services for Children, Youth and their Families, the entity that manages Ferris, declined to comment on whether the officer is still employed or what interventions may have came from the drug-running report.

The officer was not charged with any crime related to dealing drugs and instead his charges relate specifically to the alleged overdose.

RECENT: Ex-Millsboro officer who OD'd on duty avoids prison with guilty plea, diversion program

Arrest documents state that the officer was found unconscious on the floor of the schools central control room, which Banks told officers was the most critical position in the facility with responsibilities that include monitoring surveillance cameras, communicating with staff, emergency notification and control over all doors.

The officer regained consciousness after the paramedics administered Narcan. His girlfriend, also an employee at the school, told paramedics that he had a history of heroin use, according to arrest documents.

The officer was hospitalized, denied using drugs or bringing them into the school and told officials that he suffered a diabetic episode, Banks told officers. Medical records subpoenaed by investigators showed that the officer was treated for a drug overdose, not a diabetic episode.

Additionally, the officer admitted to medical staff that he recently had relapsed on heroin and accidentally overdosed. The investigator wrote in court documents that the officer also told paramedics that he snorted a substance prior to the overdose, which comported with his strange and unusual behavior investigators saw on surveillance footage showing him prior to the overdose.

Court documents indicate there were 15 people locked up at the facility at the time and that 11 were legally juveniles, and so the officer is also charged with endangering their welfare in addition to official misconduct.

The arrest is the first law enforcement incident to become public in recent years at Ferris School and the New Castle County Detention Center, a lockup for juveniles awaiting court dates located on the same campus as Ferris.

Instances of fighting, injured officers and property damage have been reported at the facilities in each of 2019, 2020 and 2021.

2021: 'Significant damage' at Ferris School during Saturday incident

The officer's alleged overdose follows two high-profile instances of law enforcement officials overdosing on the job.

In 2022, a Dover officer pleaded guilty to charges associated with allegations that he overdosed in his patrol car. He agreed to undergo treatment and forfeit his ability to work in law enforcement.

Last year, a Millsboro police sergeant pleaded guilty to crimes associated with tampering with and using drugs stored in his department's evidence locker. He also overdosed in a police vehicle, lost his job and was sentenced to drug treatment.

Contact Xerxes Wilson at (302) 324-2787 or xwilson@delawareonline.com.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Officer indicted after overdose at Delaware's Ferris School lockup
Body camera video shows what happened moments before an Ohio police officer was stabbed in the head with a homemade knife.

In Franklin County, Mifflin Township officers were called Sunday night after a man called 911 when the driver he thought had been stranded began acting erratically while he tried to help jump his car, our news partners at WBNS in Columbus reported.

>> PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Officer hospitalized due to very serious injuries in Ohio

When an officer got to the scene, body camera video showed him ask the driver, later identified as 36-year-old Bryan Benjamin, if his car needed jumped. Benjamin said he did and the officer asked him to hold on a minute.

While on the scene, the officer asked Benjamin if he had any form of identification multiple times, but Benjamin ignored him while trying to push the car.

The video showed the officer going back to his cruiser. At that time, the officer figured out Benjamins identity and discovered he had a warrant out for his arrest.

>> Country and R&B legends part of first concerts announced for Ohio State Fair

The officer then went back to Benjamin and more arguing ensued. A short time later, a scuffle happened and Benjamin allegedly stabbed the officer multiple times with a homemade knife, WBNS reported.

The body camera video released by police showed more officers arrive on the scene and take Benjamin into custody. He still had the knife in his hand as he was handcuffed.

WBNS reported that the officer was seriously injured, but is expected to survive.

Benjamin faces felonious assault charges for the incident.
Renovations to the Ford Hangar at the Lansing Municipal Airport will take off over the next few years as village officials discuss plans and funding sources.

Village officials want the Ford Hangar become an event space, said Ken Reynolds, director of venue operations, and that will require roof renovation, climate control and bathrooms.

Since 1985, the Ford Hangar has been on the National Register of Historic Places, which means all renovations have to be carefully planned out and approved by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, Reynolds said.

We have to make sure that the integrity and the hangar itself is preserved as much in its original condition as possible, Reynolds said. We have to keep the original structure and the original building in mind.

Reynolds said until a few years ago, the Federal Aviation Administration required any event at the Ford Hangar have an aviation connection. When that rule changed, Reynolds said, village officials started holding events.

The villages 125 anniversary celebration was held in 2018 at the hangar, Reynolds said. Since then, events have included economic summits, weddings, a fundraiser and a youth choir gathering.

People have called seeking to rent the hangar for birthday parties or high school dance photo sessions, Reynolds said.

The appeal, and where were going with this, is that everybody wants to be at a unique venue, Reynolds said. This uniqueness is what people are drawn to, and obviously the history.

Automaker legend Henry Ford purchased 1,400 acres for the airport in 1925, said Lansing Mayor Patty Eidam, who researched the airport extensively when she was president of the Lansing Historical Society.

Work on the Ford Hangar began in January 1926, and it was built within a year, Eidam said. American Airlines used a portion of it as a passenger terminal from 1928 through 1933, before moving its terminal to Midway Airport in Chicago, she said.

The architecture has no middle support beams, and rails to open and close the hangar doors and windows wrap the inside of the building. The windows are divided into rectangles and then each rectangle has smaller rectangles inside.

The Village Board is discussing a liquor license for the Ford Hangar to attract more events.

Reynolds said when an event is now held there, the village flexes license for the Fox Pointe amphitheater downtown to the hangar, and then all the supplies are transferred. Each time that happens, a $150 fee is paid to the state, according to a board memo.

Trustee Saad Abbasy said he supports a liquor license for the hangar so the village can manage the liquor license and consumption.

The hangars roof will be repaired this spring, Reynolds said, paid for with a $500,000 grant through the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

With the roof repair, Reynolds said hell be able to shorten what he has called the Hangar 101 speech in which he tells potential renters to expect leaks if it rains.

The village also wants to replace the windows and do more masonry work, Reynolds said. In recent years, Reynolds said some masonry work was done to restore the structure.

Its an old building thats been out in the elements for 100 years. So, making sure its structurally safe  which it is  but re-enforcing those things, Reynolds said.

Reynolds said village officials are figuring out how to implement climate control. A preliminary idea is to build a structure within the space to help climate control the interior without deconstructing the exterior.

The design of Soldier Field in Chicago is an example, Reynolds said, where a new stadium was built within the historic pillars.

Think that, some kind of an idea like that, that would allow us to enclose and keep the temperature under control, Reynolds said.

Village officials would also like to build an annex for bathrooms, Reynolds said. When the space is rented for events, he said, the host has to provide portable bathrooms.

The annex could be built on the west side of the building, Reynolds said.

The plans for climate control and annex space have only been discussions, Reynolds said, while the roof and structural renovations are further along.

Abbasy said much of the discussion about the hangar right now is ensuring the space is usable. The most important thing, he said, was to ensure whatever work is done honors the buildings designation as a historic landmark.

Being able to maintain that and making it friendly for guests, that future for the space is an exciting one, Abbasy said.

To fund the work, Reynolds said village officials are researching and applying for grants and considering village funding, which the Village Board would have to approve.

This is a multi-year thing. The amount of money to get it to where its as modern as possible will be substantial, but it will be a matter of incrementally getting there, Reynolds said.
The stakes remain high in Columbus, Ohio. As news and anger spread inside a courthouse last week about a hung jury in the murder trial of a former sheriffs deputy who shot a Black man in the back, something else was happening outside: Activists educated residents on why next months district attorneys primary is so crucial.

This year, Franklin County voters could elect their first Black district attorney  three of the four candidates are Democrats and Black. If voters dont pay attention, they may also choose the wrong candidate  one who might mirror the previous administration, advocates say.

Unfortunately, but fortunately, we have this trial to use to say, Hey, this is why we need to make sure that we have the right person in that right seat. We want to make sure that if ever theres another Casey Goodson, they get the same attention that this case did, said Karla Carey White, president of the organizing committee for the Ohio Families Unite Against Police Brutality.

Columbus is the largest city in the state, nearly 30% Black, and among a list of smaller cities in the U.S. that had an influx of Black residents between 2010 and 2020. Yet, it still remains one of the most segregated cities in the country because of its history of redlining and systemic racism within law enforcement. There have been 67 people killed during an encounter with police officers from different departments within Franklin County since 2013, and more than half are Black, according to the Mapping Police Violence database.

Since Feb. 1, community activists and organizers joined the family of Casey Goodson Jr. downtown to not only support them, but leverage the case to tell voters about the ongoing district attorney race.

For over three years, family and friends have waited for a former Franklin County Sheriffs SWAT deputy, Michael Jason Meade, to either go to trial or negotiate a plea to get less time in prison for killing Goodson. Instead, the family endured hours of testimony, and some pierced their memories with the gory images of Goodsons autopsy.

Goodson, 23, was walking toward his grandmothers front door with his keys in one hand and a bag of Subway sandwiches in another when he was shot in the back five times by Meade. Police say Meade spotted Goodson with a gun, and words were exchanged before he opened fire. The incident was not captured on a body camera, and because of this, it has been Meades word against Goodsons family who watched in horror on Dec. 4, 2020, as Goodsons bullet-riddled body fell in the doorway. Prosecutors revealed during opening statements that a gun was found at the scene, but in the kitchen with the safety on.

After a two-week trial, the jurors were unable to reach a unanimous decision for all the charges. The judge declared a mistrial.

Community activists held a march over the weekend demanding a new trial. The special prosecutors announced on Thursday that they will retry Meade.

We all believe in law and order, and we believe that the justice system has the power to provide redress for victims and to hold wrongdoers accountable. We look forward to the next trial and that trial date cannot come soon enough, Sean L. Walton, attorney for the Goodson family, wrote in an email.

It was a 9-3 decision to convict Meade for the murder of Goodson, Walton said.

Whats at stake in this district attorneys race?

For weeks, organizers have been gearing up to hold voter registration drives and knock on doors to educate residents about the importance of next months district attorney primary in Franklin County. Picking the right candidate comes at a critical time.

Since Goodsons death, 114 other people have been killed by law enforcement in Ohio  44 were Black. In Franklin County, there have been nine fatal police deaths that occurred since June 2022 and have ongoing criminal investigations, the Mapping Police Violence database shows.

Two previous district attorney candidate forums were held where up to 200 members of the community and all four candidates were in attendance.

The Democratic candidates are City Councilwoman Shayla Favor, Delaware City Attorney Natalia Harris, and Deputy Chief Counsel for the Franklin County Prosecutors office Anthony Pierson. The Republican candidate is John Rutan, a defense attorney.

Activists and organizers left those events collectively concerned that despite Piersons experience as a prosecutor, he may not be fit to handle any form of police misconduct cases. Some question Rutans motives, especially when it comes to hiring diverse employees. Most are unsure about Harris, but dont question her skills as an attorney, and may lean in favor for Favor because of her already established community services as a city councilwoman, but question her skills as a prosecutor.

The next forum is scheduled for Tuesday night at East High School in Columbus.

Many Franklin County residents said Favor closely represents who they envision as their next district attorney because of the work she has done for affordable housing and passing an anti-crime bill that outlaws owning high-capacity firearms. Because of Favors track record, activists and organizers would like to see if she will use her discretion to practice the laws she has helped pass, and not repeat history by shying away from handling high-profile cases, especially those involving law enforcement.

Prior to Tyack unseating six-term incumbent, Ron OBrien, in 2020, the office went 22 years before indicting a law enforcement officer  and that case ended with an acquittal after two trials.

Many independent investigation teams were created in states and counties across the country in response to civil unrest that occurred following the May 2020 murder of George Floyd. In June 2020, Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther signed an executive order requiring all fatal police incidents to be investigated by the Bureau of Criminal Investigations within the state attorney generals office.

Pierson was appointed as BCIs lead special prosecutor. He left the attorney generals office after completing the investigation into Jayland Walkers June 2022 death. No charges were filed despite eight Akron police officers firing 94 bullets. In January, the Rev. Raymond Greene Jr., the leader of Freedom BLOC, an Akron-based nonprofit, published an appeal in the Columbus Dispatch to voters in Columbus warning them not to vote for Pierson because of the Walker case.

Local activist Dejuan Sharp said Pierson is a good prosecutor, but his track record with prosecuting law enforcement has been abysmal across the state and doesnt sit well with him as a Franklin County voter. There have been 346 fatal police encounters in Ohio since 2013, and 275 have no known charges reported  officers were cleared in 47 cases during Piersons tenure, according to the Mapping Police Violence database.

Hes been positioned to prosecute a lot of the police cases in Ohio, and like, nobody really has been prosecuted in Ohio, Sharp scoffed.

After Pierson left the attorney generals office, he became the lead prosecutor overseeing grand jury proceedings for the Franklin County district attorneys office. That included the October 2022 death of Sinzae Reed. A Franklin County grand jury declined in May to indict Krieg Allen Butler, who admitted to killing the 13-year-old, but in self-defense. There was no evidence that Sinzae was armed.

Pierson was somebody who was an immediate, immediate, call of concern within organizing spaces and in community spaces mainly because you can tell hes the made man, said Ramon Obey II, co-founder of J.U.S.T. (Justice, Unity, and Social Transformation), a biweekly community-service effort in Columbus.

Pierson told Capital B via email that he rejoined the Franklin County DAs office in May 2023, and said Butlers case was decided before he started. Capital B has requested Piersons exact start date.

Pierson said that he cannot deny the difficulties with prosecuting police officers under the law and admits that he doesnt have a perfect record. However, it has not stopped him from presenting use of force cases against law enforcement to grand juries and charging police officers for improper use of force, he wrote. Not only have I held police officers accountable under the law, I have also worked with use of force experts across the country to improve prosecution of police officers.

The next fatal police shooting trial involves former Columbus police officer Adam Coy in the death of Andre Hill, who was also killed in December 2020.

Pierson has endorsements from almost all of the countys law enforcement agencies as well as from Tyack.

As an organizer, thats always a concerning thing to see because its telling; its basically them saying, We chose him. We dont care what no one else says. We dont care about what the community says. This is the way were going to move. And Anthony is the perfect representation of that, sadly, Obey said.

As Pierson has been campaigning while overseeing the Franklin County grand jury, 21-year-old TaKiya Young and her unborn baby were killed in August by a Blendon Township police officer. Instead of Pierson handling the case, a deal was brokered to swap another fatal police case with another prosecuting office in the state and have that office present Youngs case to their grand jurors, the Columbus Dispatch reported.

When asked about passing high-profile cases on to other jurisdictions to investigate, Pierson wrote in the email to Capital B that there are both pros and cons to handling cases internally as well as appointing special counsel. I plan to have ongoing community conversations on what the best approach is, taking into account transparency and accountability, he wrote.

White said its difficult to trust Pierson when it comes to any high-profile case if he decided to pass the buck for Young, declined to prosecute Walker, and didnt indict Butler for Sinzaes murder.

How can we trust that he will actually do the job that the community needs him to do? White asked. And so for us, for a lot of us, we dont have a lot of faith in him [Pierson].

This story has been updated.

The post In This Ohio County, a Historic District Attorney Race Spotlights Police Killings appeared first on Capital B News.
Nex Benedict, 16, died one day after being assaulted in a bathroom at Owasso High School in Oklahoma, police say (Courtesy of Benedict family)

Whenever Oklahoma teenager Nex Benedict was bullied at school for being transgender, their mother Sue Benedict would encourage the 16-year-old to rise above their tormentors.

I said youve got to be strong and look the other way, because these people dont know who you are, Ms Benedict told The Independent in a phone interview.

I didnt know how bad it had gotten.

The bullying had started in earnest at the beginning of the 2023 school year, a few months after Oklahoma governor Kevin Stitt signed a bill that required public school students to use bathrooms that matched the sex listed on their birth certificates.

A few weeks ago, on 7 February, the bullying allegedly erupted in violence when Nex suffered severe head injuries during a physical altercation at Owasso High School, according to the Owasso Police Department.

Sue Benedict told The Independent she was called to the school that day to find Nex badly beaten with bruises over their face and eyes, and with scratches on the back of their head.

Nex told her that they and another transgender student at Owasso High School had been in a fight with three older girls in a girls bathroom. Nex was knocked to the ground during the fight and hit their head on the floor, according to their mother.

Nex Benedict had been bullied for at least a year at Owasso High School in Oklahoma, their mother says (Courtesy of Benedict family)

Ms Benedict said she was furious that the school had failed to call an ambulance or the police. She said the school then informed her Nex was being suspended for two weeks.

She took Nex to the Bailey Medical Center in Owasso for treatment. They spoke to a police school resource officer at the medical facility and were discharged.

That night, Nex went to bed with a sore head and eventually fell asleep while listening to music, Ms Benedict said.

On the afternoon of 8 February, Nex was getting ready to go to Tulsa with Ms Benedict for an appointment when they collapsed in the family living room.

Ms Benedict called an ambulance, and Owasso Fire Department medics arrived to find Nex had stopped breathing. Nex was taken to the St. Francis Pediatric Emergency Room where they were later declared dead.

In a statement, the Owasso Police Department said they were conducting a very active and thorough investigation of the time and events that led up to the death of the student.

Owasso PD spokesperson Nick Boatman told The Independent that police were awaiting the results of toxicology and autopsy reports from the Oklahoma Medical Examiners Office before determining whether anyone will be charged.

Mr Boatman said all charges will be on the table once a cause of death was confirmed.

In an update on Tuesday 20 February, Mr Boatman said detectives were interviewing school staff and students and would be submitting their investigation to the Tulsa County District Attorneys Office for prosecution review.

Owasso police issued a subsequent statement on 21 February to say that an autopsy indicated that Nex had not died as a result of trauma.

While the investigation continues into the altercation, preliminary information from the medical examiners office is that a complete autopsy was performed and indicated that the decedent did not die as a result of trauma, police said.

The Benedict family later released a statement through their lawyers saying they would conduct an independent investigation into Nexs death.

The family said that the facts surrounding Nexs death, some of which have not been released publicly, were troubling at best.

An Owasso Public Schools spokesperson declined to provide information about the assault or the schools response when contacted by The Independent, citing the active police investigation.

Anti-trans social media influencer Chaya Raichik, who runs the Libs of TikTok, frequently posts inflammatory videos, LGBTQ advocates say (Getty Images for Bentkey Venture)

LGBTQ advocacy groups have described Nexs death as a hate crime, and linked it to the hateful rhetoric spewed by leaders in our state and the Libs of TikTok account run by far-right social media influencer Chaya Raichik.

Ms Raichik, a New York-based former real estate agent, became a cause celebre among conservatives for using her Libs of TikTok account to post edited, anti-trans videos that target public school teachers and librarians.

An Owasso High School teacher who Nex had greatly admired resigned in 2022 after they were featured in one of Ms Raichiks posts.

Ms Raichik did not respond to a request for comment by The Independent. On X, she denied any link to the death and said she was unjustly being blamed for a murder.

When youre old school, you dont always understand it

Like many parents, Sue Benedict and her husband Walter at times struggled to understand the nuances of Nexs gender fluidity.

Ms Benedict is Nexs biological grandmother, and raised them since they were two months old along with her five other children. She formally adopted Nex a few years ago.

She told The Independent that Nex was always understanding if she used an incorrect pronoun, or called Nex by their birth name.

Nex did not see themselves as male or female, Ms Benedict said. Nex saw themselves right down the middle. I was still learning about it, Nex was teaching me that.

When youre old school, you dont always understand it, her husband Walter told The Independent.

But it would be very boring if we were all the same. Its on the inside that matters the most.

Nex Benedict with their cat Zeus. The straight-A student was going places, their mother said (Courtesy of Benedict family)

The family, who trace part of their roots to the Choctaw Nation, encouraged open discussions about questions of gender and identity.

I was very open with my children to be who and what they thought was best, Ms Benedict said.

They could talk to me about anything, as long as that respect goes both ways. A child needs to figure out who they are and what they want to be, and you cannot force it upon them.

Nexs sister Malia Pila, who is also a member of the LGBTQ community, told The Independent in an interview that Nexs fluid gender identity was not an issue nor anything that anybody cared about within the family.

Nex was a straight-A student who enjoyed drawing, reading, playing video games Ark and Minecraft, and was devoted to their cat Zeus, Ms Benedict said.

I was so proud of Nex. They were going some place, they were so free, she said.

In April 2022, Owasso High School teacher Tyler Wrynn was featured in a surreptitiously filmed Libs of TikTok post telling students: If your parents dont accept you for who you are, f*** them.

The incident sparked a backlash in the small Oklahoma city of 40,000 residents, and Mr Wrynn resigned from the Owasso Public Schools system.

Nex was very angry about it, Ms Benedict said. Ms Benedict said that teachers who encourage debate about gender issues were not promoting sexualised content.

Theyre allowing the students to be who they are.

Ms Benedict said she first became aware that Nex was being bullied at school in early 2023.

Theyd go straight to their room and put it on their radio, and Id say OK you gotta decompress for a little bit, and then come out and talk about it.

Ms Benedict said she remains furious at the school for failing to call police or seek medical attention for Nex, and wants to see the children who allegedly assaulted Nex punished.

So many people push kids to be one thing, and youve got to let them find themselves and be who they should be, Ms Benedict said.

Society has got to see them as they are. Accept them and go on, because we are all people.

Woke ideology

Last August, a Libs of TikTok post showing an edited video critical of a public school librarian in Tulsa led to several consecutive days of bomb threats to schools in the district.

Ms Raichiks anti-LGBTQ posts have been linked to nearly three dozen threats made towards schools, libraries, hospitals and businesses across 16 states, according to a recent NBC News investigation.

Last month, Oklahomas Republican superintendent of public schools Ryan Walters appointed Ms Raichik to the states library advisory committee.

Mr Walters has not commented publicly on Nexs death. He put out a video on X on Presidents Day, decrying radical woke college professors for placing Donald Trump at the bottom of a list of the United States greatest presidents.

We judge presidents by outcomes not woke ideology, he said

Freedom Oklahoma, an LGBTQ advocacy group, blamed Oklahoman lawmakers and Ms Raichik for promoting bigotry and intolerance towards trans students after Nexs death.

The group said that Ms Raichik continues to use her platform in a way that leads others to threaten real harm at Oklahoma kids.

We want to be clear, whether Nex died as a direct result of injuries sustained in the brutal hate-motivated attack at school or not, Nexs death is a result of being the target of physical and emotional harm because of who Nex was, the group wrote.

Nex had a light in them that was so big

Since Nexs death, Ms Benedict said she had barely slept and been walking in a blur.

When it came time to place an obituary, Ms Benedict said she had provided Nexs birth name by accident. This has led to some media coverage of Nexs death using their birth name, or dead name.

When you are going through something like this and you lose a child, youre not thinking right. Were getting a headstone done and Nex will be on there, she said.

Nexs funeral was held at the Mowery Funeral Service on 15 February. After the service, police officers from Owasso and the neighbouring city of Collinsville accompanied members of the local chapter of Bikers Against Child Abuse as they provided an escort from the service to the graveside.

A GoFundme page set up to help with funeral costs has raised more than $100,000 and Ms Benedict said she plans to donate most of the money to LGBTQ anti-bullying organisations.

Nex had a light in them that was so big, they had so many dreams. I want their light to keep shining for everyone. That light was so big and bright and beautiful, and I want everyone to remember Nex that way.

Benedict family statement

In a statement released through their lawyers on 21 February night, the Benedict family urged police to investigate all potentially liable parties to do so fully, fairly and expediently.

On February 7th, 2024, the Benedict Family sent their child, Nex Benedict, to Owasso High School, trusting, like any parent or family member should be able to, that it was a safe environment for their loved one, Oklahoma City-based Bibi Law Firm said in a statement.

While at Owasso High School, Nex was attacked and assaulted in a bathroom by a group of other students. A day later, the Benedicts beautiful child lost their life.

The Benedict family called on school, local, state and national officials to join forces to determine why this happened, to hold those responsible to account and to ensure it never happens again.

Notwithstanding, the family is independently interviewing witnesses and collecting all available evidence.
Sue Ann Arnall, pictured here during an early 2024 interview, resigned from the Oklahoma County jail trust on Monday.

The last founding member of the Oklahoma County jail trust quit Monday out of frustration over funding.

Sue Ann Arnall, an attorney and philanthropist, wrote in her letter of resignation that her departure from the jail trust was effective immediately. She had served almost five years.

"I am proud of the hard-fought progress we have made, but there is still much left to do," she wrote. "Attaining the operations and staffing goals at the Oklahoma County Detention Center is not possible without adequate funding from Oklahoma County. Unfortunately, at this point, we have hit a critical impasse."

She specifically complained that she had unsuccessfully pleaded for two years for $1.5 million to remodel the jail's unsafe booking area. Instead, she wrote, the county's elected officials "deemed a $17.5 million remodel of the Sheriff's offices more important."

She also said county officials do not provide enough funds to pay detention officers. "It is simply impossible to hire the necessary number of Detention Officers at the current starting salary," she wrote.

Sue Ann Arnall

Resigning jail trust member has 'little hope that adequate funds will be provided in the future'

She wrote that the county is responsible for the lives of every detainee at the jail. She called them "some of our most vulnerable community members."

"Many are experiencing homelessness, mental health crises, or suffering from substance use," she wrote.

"My pleas to the county to adequately fund the jail have fallen on deaf ears for too long," she wrote. "Despite carrying the highest cost and highest liability risk of any other county responsibility, the jail trust does not have a voice on the county budget board.

"Because of this, the jail trust receives what is left over after all ... budget board members take care of their own department needs and pet projects first. I have little hope that adequate funds will be provided in the future. Because of this, I am unable to do the job for which I was appointed."

More: Broken Trust: How the Oklahoma County jail leadership failed those it sought to protect

County commissioners voted in May 2019 to create the trust. Arnall was one of the nine original members. They started meeting that same year.

The trust officially took over jail operations from the sheriff's office on July 1, 2020, promising conditions there would improve.

There would be public transparency, improved safety and a more humane environment for the more than 1,600 detainees that are often held in the facility, the trust promised. Instead, the jail became one of the deadliest in the United States, a yearlong investigation by The Oklahoman found.

Oklahoma County jail still faces many of the same problems it had when it opened

Overcrowding has eased. But the trust has faced many of the same problems sheriffs had dealt with since the 13-story facility opened in 1991 west of downtown Oklahoma City.

Last year, the state's multicounty grand jury called for the trust to be dissolved and the jail turned back over to the sheriff.

The grand jury made the recommendation after a 14-month investigation of health issues and the high number of deaths there. No action has been taken on that recommendation.

Oklahoma County jail trust member Sue Ann Arnall is pictured during a meeting of the trust in 2021.

Grand jurors blamed the significant loss of life within the jail on "inadequate staffing, funding, surveillance and training, coupled with poor law enforcement protocols." Grand jurors called on the jail to hire 100 more detention officers.

The latest change in the trust comes at a time of increased scrutiny of the jail by the U.S. Department of Justice. It also comes as county commissioners are struggling to find a site for a new jail. A decision on the site could come Wednesday.

In her resignation letter, Arnall, 67, pointed out that "we are at least five years away from completion of the new facility."

The issue in the booking area became highly publicized two years ago when an inmate walked away unnoticed after being fingerprinted and allegedly raped another inmate.

The other inmate was handcuffed to a bar at the jail. She was awaiting release after having been arrested hours before on complaints of public drunkenness, disorderly conduct and disturbing the peace.

In a statement about Arnall's resignation, other members said Monday that remodeling is underway in the booking area, but more is needed.

The other members said Arnall's "insight and dedication to improving the lives of employees and detainees will be deeply missed."

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma County jail trustee quits over lack of funding for operations
An Oklahoma bill that would create a database of every person who obtained an abortion is one step closer to becoming law.

The so-called Oklahoma Right To Human Life Act, authored by state Rep. Kevin West, passed out of the Public Health Committee last week and moves to a full House vote next month. The bill would require the Oklahoma State Department of Health to create a database in which each patient is identified by a unique patient identifier to track how many abortions a patient has and when. That information and the identity of the patient could be released to authorities under a court order.

Oklahoma already outlaws all abortions except when necessary to save the life of the mother, without exceptions for rape or incest.

Tamya Cox-Toure, executive director of the ACLU of Oklahoma, said the law could discourage patients from seeking abortions during a medical emergency and discourage doctors from performing them.

People who are ending their pregnancy for medical reasonsto save the health of the pregnant personare the people who are going to be part of this database, she told The Daily Beast.

Even in a situation where ending the pregnancy saves the life of the pregnant person, there's still a lot of stigma that happens, she added. So the idea that a patient is forced to give this information goes against doctor-patient confidentiality as well as patient-informed consent.

Lets Sue Big Polluters Under Oklahomas Wacko Abortion Law

House Minority leader Cyndi Munson agreed, telling The Daily Beast: Its just a way to continue to create fear and shame, not just for those seeking abortions but also any physician who provides reproductive healthcare.

The bill sparked heated debate within the committee, including from state Rep. Trish Ranson, who called it a major privacy issue.

"There is a relationship between patient and doctor that is sacred, Ransom said, according to Fox 25. And the fact that that would be... reported elsewhere, that there would be a number assigned to the woman is... just alarming."

West defended the bill at the hearing, saying he wanted to track abortions similarly to how public health authorities track causes of death. But he allowed that he might be willing to tweak the bill language to make patients less identifiable.

West said his bill was written with help from the Alliance Defending Freedom, whichas Jezebel pointed outis the conservative legal advocacy group that argued the Supreme Court case overturning Roe v Wade. The group is also behind a lawsuit seeking to ban mifepristone, a drug used in medication abortions, and just Tuesday filed a brief with the Supreme Court asking it to uphold an Idaho anti-abortion law.

The bill would also require doctors to submit a written justification, under oath, for why they performed an abortion and why they considered the situation an emergency. Anyone who provides an abortion outside of a life-threatening emergency could be sued and have their license revoked.

Committee members expressed concern that the law could also be used to ban certain forms of contraception, such as intrauterine devices, though West said he intended to edit the bill to focus on over-the-counter emergency contraception like Plan B, according to The Oklahoman.

Right-Wing Org Uses Bonkers Alabama Ruling to Fight Abortion in Florida

Several states with abortion bans like Oklahomas have struggled to define what constitutes a medical emergency, which some patients claim caused doctors to deny them care in life- or health-threatening situations.

One patient in Texas, Katie Cox, sued the state to allow her to terminate her pregnancy after she was repeatedly hospitalized for complications and her fetus was diagnosed with a fatal genetic condition. The Texas Supreme Court denied her request and she was forced to leave the state for treatment. Twenty-two other women are suing the state in a separate case, claiming they did not receive abortion care for dangerous pregnancies.

Still, Sam Paisley, press secretary for the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, called the Oklahoma law particularly concerning and reprehensible, even in a country full of Republican legislators trying to outright ban abortion.

Banning IUDs and other forms of contraceptives, equating the abortion pill with drug trafficking, and creating a statewide database of women who have received abortions are the latest in a series of extreme proposals we are seeing play out across the country, she said.

Lawmakers on the House Judiciary-Criminal Committee advanced a separate bill last week that would let prosecutors bring felony drug-trafficking charges against people who have or deliver abortion-inducing medication, such as mifepristone. The number of people ordering abortion pills online surged following the overturn of Roe, as they can provide a safe alternative for those whose access to in-clinic abortions are limited by new, anti-abortion laws.

Under the bill, anyone found to be delivering abortion pills or possessing them with an intent to deliver could face 10 years in prison or $100,000 in fines.

Munson says she worries that Oklahomans are growing numb to anti-abortion bills because of the sheer number introduced in the state legislature following the fall of Roe.

My fear is that the public just sort of expects all of this to happen, she said. I fear that people maybe feel like they cant make a difference.

Because these move so quickly, Im just worried theyre passing too easily, she added.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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In Oklahoma, the death of a transgender student after they were assaulted in a school bathroom has sparked widespread outrage and sorrow. Nex Benedict, a sophomore at Owasso High School, was brutally beaten by other students earlier this month and died the following day. The incident has drawn national attention, with many attributing the violent act to a culture of transphobia they say is being stoked by state officials.



Related: Libs of TikTok creator accuses NBC News of stochastic terrorism after bomb threat investigation



The assault on Benedict, 16, happened on February 7, when three older girls attacked them in the girls bathroom, Tulsa NBC affiliate KJRH reports. A teacher intervened to stop the fight. Staff didn't call an ambulance, the outlet noted.

Benedict's grandmother, who was their guardian, took the teenager to the hospital that day. They went back the next day after Benedict became ill. Benedict died that evening.

The grandmother, Sue Benedict, told The Independent that her child had been the subject of months of intensifying bullying that began earlier in 2023 after Oklahomas Republican-led government barred transgender students from using school bathrooms that align with their gender identity.

I didnt know how bad it had gotten, she told the outlet.

Benedict told their grandmother that they and another trans student had fought the other students in the bathroom, according to The Independent. The teen told her they'd hit their head on the floor.

Sue Benedict said she was told by the school that her grandchild had received a two-week suspension after the assault. She said she was enraged that medical services weren't called even though Nex had bruises on their face.

I was very open with my children to be who and what they thought was best, Sue Benedict told the outlet.They could talk to me about anything, as long as that respect goes both ways. A child needs to figure out who they are and what they want to be, and you cannot force it upon them.

Nex did not see themselves as male or female, Sue Benedict said. Nex saw themselves right down the middle. I was still learning about it, Nex was teaching me that.

Owasso Police Department Chief Dan Yancey provided a statement to The Advocate, shedding light on the investigations progress:



On February 7th, 2024, at approximately 3:30 p.m., the Owasso Police Department was summoned to a local hospital in reference to a report of a student who had been involved in a physical altercation at the Owasso High School prior to the end of school that day. No report of the incident was made to the Owasso Police Department prior to the notification at the hospital. Information was taken by a School Resource Officer who responded to the hospital. On February 8th, 2024, the Owasso Police Department was made aware that the juvenile was rushed back to a hospital, where the student was pronounced dead. It is not known at this time if the death is related to the incident at the school or not. A thorough investigation is being conducted by Owasso Police Detectives who are currently awaiting an autopsy report and toxicology results.

Yancey continued, We understand that people are concerned about this incident and we can assure everyone that this incident is being taken seriously and is being investigated thoroughly. Detectives are and will be interviewing school staff and students over the course of the next two weeks and in turn will be submitting our investigation to the Tulsa County District Attorneys Office for prosecution review. A final cause and manner of death will be determined by the State Medical Examiners Office."

This incident has ignited a debate about the safety of transgender and nonbinary students in schools, the responsibility of educational leaders to foster inclusive environments, and the potential consequences of spreading harmful ideologies.



Ryan Walters, Oklahomas superintendent of public instruction, is facing intense scrutiny over his ties to Chaya Raichik, the figure behind the far-right Libs of TikTok hate account, and for their outspoken stance against transgender rights. Critics argue that Walterss rhetoric and policies have contributed to an environment that enables hate crimes.

Heartbroken to learn about the non-binary student who was beate[n] to death at their Owasso school. That same district was targeted by the self-described 'stochastic terrorist' who runs Libs of TikTok. Chaya Raichik now sits on OK's library advisory board, wrote Oklahoma City news anchor Wendy Suares on X, formerly Twitter.

Heartbroken to learn about the non-binary student who was beated to death at their Owasso school. That same district was targeted by the self-described 'stochastic terrorist' who runs Libs of TikTok. Chaya Raichik now sits on OK's library advisory board. https://t.co/0tZMGhOsXo  (@)

Walters has served as the states top education official for three years and has been a vocal opponent of what he describes as radical gender theory.

Related: Oklahoma appoints Libs of TikTok creator - who allegedly inspired school bomb threats - to library committee



The involvement of Raichik, appointed by Walters to the Oklahoma Department of Educations Library Media Advisory Committee in January despite having no background in education nor living in Oklahoma, adds another layer of controversy. Since the news of Benedicts death spread, Raichik has been tweeting up a storm, attempting to deflect potential blame and position herself as a victim. In one tweet, she contested the record surrounding the incident, writing, Worth noting this title is a flat out lie. The student got in a fight at school, went home, then went to the hospital," added that they were "evaluated and released."

Raichik added that Benedict went to the hospital again the next day, where they died. "Nobody was k*lled at school," she wrote. She continued that there hasn't been evidence released that Benedict was killed over their identity.

The media blamed a m*rder on me and now I\u2019m getting death threats.



I\u2019ve been reliably informed this is stochastic terrorism.  (@)

Raichik further claimed to be a target of unjust accusations, writing, The media blamed a m*rder on me and now Im getting death threats. Ive been reliably informed this is stochastic terrorism. However, critics argue it is Raichik herself who has utilized stochastic terrorism tactics through her targeting of LGBTQ+ people.

NBC News and USA Today found in separate investigations that schools around the country have faced bomb threats after Raichik highlighted them on her Libs of TikTok platform. After the USA Today article was published, Raichik posted a photo of herself holding the paper and smiling.

Nex had a light in them that was so big, they had so many dreams. I want their light to keep shining for everyone," their grandmother told The Independent. "That light was so big and bright and beautiful, and I want everyone to remember Nex that way.
Ukraine managed to return 11 more children deported or illegally held by Russia, including in the occupied territories, Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets announced on Feb. 20.

Six girls, including two two-year-old twin sisters and five boys, were brought back to Ukraine with the help of Qatar and UNICEF. The youngest child in the group was two and the oldest returned child was 16. Two of the children were reportedly met with ambulance services upon arrival in Ukraine.

"This return, like all the others, took place within the framework of the implementation of the approved action plan of the President of Ukraine Bring Kids Back UA," Lubinets announced.

"The Ombudsman's Office, together with other state authorities, worked out the return route and the entire process. The children's relatives turned to our institution to return the forcibly displaced and deported Ukrainians to their homeland."

According to the announcement, the children were met by members of the Ombudsman's Office as well as the Ambassador of Qatar to Ukraine, Hadi Al-Ghajri.

The nation of Qatar has played a major mediation role in returning Ukrainian children who had been deported or forcibly transferred to Russia. Qatari officials have facilitated the return of at least 20 Ukrainian children since October.

The Ukrainian government has identified over 19,500 children who have been deported or forcibly displaced by Russia, less than 400 of whom have been returned to Ukraine.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Maria Lvova-Belova and Russian President Vladimir Putin in March 2023 over their role in the forced deportation of Ukrainian children.

Read also: Im afraid well never find them: Russia holds thousands of Ukrainian civilians hostage

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
South Korea's spy agency on Tuesday asked the country's internet censorship body to block access to a North Korean propaganda YouTube channel, officials said.

The National Intelligence Service (NIS) made the request to block access to the "Olivia Natasha" channel, run by a young North Korean female Youtuber, named YuMi, the officials of the Korea Communications Standards Commission (KCSC) said.

The KCSC plans to hold a meeting next week to review the request.

Last year, South Korea blocked access to three YouTube channels  the Sally Parks SongA Channel, Olivia Natasha-YuMi Space DPRK daily and New DPRK  on the grounds that they had been operated for North Korea's propaganda purposes.

U.S. tech giant Google shut down the Olivia Natasha channel in June last year, but new videos were uploaded on YuMi's new account.

The latest footage, uploaded in January, featured her showing off a luxurious life, including preparations for a year-end family dinner with king crab.

Mobilizing young North Korean women and children as key narrators, North Korea appears to attempt to shift away from its traditional propaganda method to a more engaging style targeting a wider global audience.

The NIS earlier said North Korea is expected to ramp up cyberattacks and psychological warfare against South Korea ahead of April's general elections. (Yonhap)
Ukraines Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said on Feb. 20 he appealed to the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to investigate the killings of Ukrainian prisoners of war at the Zenit strongpoint in Avdiivka.

Ukrainian forces withdrew from Avdiivka just north of Russian-occupied Donetsk in eastern Ukraine on Feb. 17 after months of resisting Russias intensified offensive against the town.

During the withdrawal, several seriously injured and killed Ukrainian servicemen could not be evacuated from the Zenit strongpoint due to continuous bombardment and the complete encirclement of the area, Ukraines 110th Brigade said on Feb. 19.

Ukrainian forces reportedly contacted organizations negotiating with Russia on prisoner exchanges to provide assistance to the wounded, unarmed Ukrainian soldiers.

The enemy informed the coordinators of this process that they agreed to evacuate our wounded, provide them with assistance, and exchange them later. Our soldiers were ordered to save their lives, the brigade wrote on Facebook, saying that Russian troops broke their promise and shot the Ukrainian soldiers.

Read also: Russia takes Avdiivka at steep price, as Ukraine forced to face shortcomings

According to the 110th Brigade, among the executed were Andrii Dubnytskyi, Ivan Zhyntnyk, Heorhii Pavlov, Oleksandr Zinchuk, and Mykola Savosik. Information on the fate of a sixth soldier has not yet been confirmed.

This is not the first time that Russia grossly violates the norms of international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions by executing prisoners of war, Lubinets said on Telegram.

I call on the entire civilized world to unite and increase pressure on the terrorist country because there are no laws and agreements for Russia. They perceive only force.

In the most recent reported case, Russian forces killed two Ukrainian POWs in Donetsk Oblast on Feb. 18, Ukraine's Ground Forces reported.

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Dancers of the WARSZAWIANKA ensemble of the University of Warsaw dance Poland's national polonaise dance in 18th century costumes during dress rehearsal in Warsaw, Poland, on Feb. 8, 2024. Once banned by rulers dispatched from Moscow, Poland's stately polonaise dance that nurtured the country's spirit even through the dark years of its partition is now honored by the United Nations' education and culture agency, UNESCO. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

WARSAW, Poland (AP)  Once banned by rulers dispatched from Moscow, Poland's stately polonaise dance that nurtured the country's spirit even through the dark years of its partition is now honored by UNESCO.

This 18th century dance has been performed from aristocratic balls to village celebrations, inspiring composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach and Frederic Chopin. It still figures prominently in big national occasions, pre-graduation balls and weddings.

On Dec. 5, this living tradition was ensconced into the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage as a "form of joint celebration, which commemorates important moments in family and community life and symbolizes cooperation, reconciliation and equality.

Poland's Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, which petitioned for the dance's inclusion into UNESCO's list, said its initiative was met with huge public support.

"Thousands of people on Facebook and on other social media were supporting the (UNESCO) entry, Joanna Cicha-Kuczynska of the ministry's Department of Monuments Protection, told The Associated Press.

She said there is a huge community, including entire families, that dance the polonaise and pass the tradition on. Performed in pairs, it is led by the first and most prominent pair which improvises various figures, such as raising joined hands to form bridges under which other dancers can pass.

The most important in the polonaise is that the whole group can jointly dance the choreography, and among the personal features the most important are the dignity of the men and the ethereal nature of the women, said Marcin Pracki, a dancer of the Warsaw University's Dance Theater Warszawianka.

Another Warszawianka dancer, Monika Fiugajska, said the dance's simplicity is its strength.

It is a very simple dance, the simplest among our national dances but at the same time it has an exceptional soul and one can express emotions in it in an exceptional way, Fiugajska said.

This slow-paced procession dance evolved from a folk form called the walking dance. By the 18th century, under the French name of Polonaise - or Polish - it was widely danced among European nobility and opened royal balls.

In his 1773 book The Present State of Music in Germany, the Netherlands and United Provinces, British musician Charles Burney described the polonaise as being very popular across Saxony and especially at the court in Dresden where Poland's elected king Augustus II The Strong had introduced it decades earlier.

Having inspired some of the greatest classical composers including Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Pyotr Tchaikovsky, the polonaise remains timeless, still opening the Vienna Opera Ball in carnival season.

Undoubtedly, the polonaise merits being on the UNESCO list of world heritage because it is a dance with not only Polish but an international tradition, it is a generally recognized ballroom dance, said Szymon Paczkowski, a musicology professor at the University of Warsaw.

Paczkowski said you don't need to be a good dancer to participate  a slightly bent one knee at the right beat suffices.

During Poland's more than a century of partition by neighboring Russia, Prussia and Austria, the polonaise expressed longing for the lost homeland, especially among the exiles and emigrees such as Chopin, who had emigrated to Paris. It was banned on territories that Russia took over.

The polonaise has become the opening dance at high school pre-graduation balls. Poland's post-World War II communist authorities banned it from schools  because of its aristocratic and patriotic connotations  but students revived the tradition by the late 1960s.

Gabrysia Kosmal, 19, was among the students at Warsaw's Mikolaj Rej high school who performed the polonaise this month.

It is an exceptional moment, because you know, there happen to be conflicts among classmates, not everyone gets along with everyone, but we immerse in the music, dance together, it is a magical moment, Kosmal said.

The polonaise is also a staple during national anniversaries, including the Nov. 11 Independence Day celebrations, when people are invited to dance in the streets with officials.

Natalia Bernat, an 18-year-old student who took part in a massive street dance in the central city of Lodz last month, said the polonaise brings people together at a time when the community needs it most and she believes "it's worth it to cultivate this tradition.

The leader of the Lodz street dance, Janusz Wielgosz, who donned a historic outfit for the occasion, said the polonaise is about beauty.

"It is a dance that is really very simple, with beautiful music and beautiful costumes. It is worth a try.
In the beginning, in 1947, tools for the South Carolina Law Enforcement Divisions one-man crime lab could fit in the trunk of agent Millard Cates state-issued brown Oldsmobile  instruments for fingerprints and firearms, and a trusty box camera for crime scene photos.

In 1988, with Cate long retired, SLED built a $9.6-million, 67,587-square-foot, four-story crime lab. It had 47 employees and five departments: chemistry, firearms, polygraph, documents and death investigations.

It was almost outdated when built, as DNA and computers were emerging technologies.

Today, 36 years later, SLED has a new crime lab, a gleaming glass, brick and concrete structure longer than a football field that cost $62.8 million. Its official name is Forensic Services Laboratory.

With 117,672 square feet of office and lab space, the new lab is 21st century all the way. Its 152 staffers work with the nearly 300 law enforcement agencies in the state, helping solve crimes in all 46 counties. Each year, SLED receives 25,000-plus pieces of all kinds of evidence to be analyzed.

This lab is one of the greatest assets that law enforcement has in South Carolina, without any question, said SLED chief Mark Keel, 66, who worked years to secure funding for the lab. We operate it, we run it  but it is the states lab, and it belongs to the citizens.

Like the old lab, the new one is located on Broad River Road in Columbia near SLED headquarters. SLED used two architects, including Virginia-based MWL, one of just a few architectural firms in the nation that specialize in major crime labs. A South Carolina firm with out-of-state offices, LS3P designed much of the building and many of the non-laboratory spaces. In all, SLED spent $4.3 million on architectural services.

Keel and SLED scientists also visited a new crime lab in Kansas to see a modern lab.

Construction started in 2020 and finished two years later. Then it took four months and cost $800,000 to pack, move, unpack and test more than $5 million worth of sensitive scientific equipment.

The new building is spacious and well-lit by design, said lab director Major Todd Hughey. Thats for the well-being of those who work there, often long hours and on weekends, he said.

The new lab has wide, 100-yard-long hallways on each floor. Visitors walk past various laboratories and see scientists at work through large glass observation windows  both a safety feature and to allow visitors to observe scientists.

We wanted people to see what was going on, but we didnt want to disrupt work, Hughey said.

Scientists can be seen examining guns and bullets; analyzing findings from $500,000 electron microscopes and equally expensive drug-detecting mass spectrometers.

Unlike the old lab, employees can congregate and eat lunch in a large, well-lit break room (Not a cafeteria with servers and cooks, notes Hughey) with microwaves, refrigerators and tables. There are conference rooms and a state-of-the-art indoor firing range encased in concrete for ballistics testing. Two garage-type enclosures make it possible to examine vehicles for evidence contained in mud, blood or whatever.

It all makes for a nice recruitment tool. We are hiring people from all over the U.S., Hughey said, adding peoples eyes pop when they see the building.

The buildings sprawling fourth floor is filled with long ducts and mechanical systems that help regulate temperature and special ventilation systems with filters to make sure no hazardous chemicals from the testing are expelled into the community, Hughey said. A lot of work went into this to make sure its safe and secure.

Millard Cate was hired in 1947 to be SLEDs first one-man crime lab operator. His portrait hangs in SLEDs new crime lab.

With technologies that SLEDs first crime lab agent Cate could never have imagined, the new building is what SLED calls a full-service crime laboratory with 12 major departments, each with numerous subspecialties.

Departments include computer crimes, toxicology, DNA, fingerprint and ballistics analysis, evidence control, latent prints and questioned documents. The crime lab also oversees the management of rape test kits (formally called sexual assault kits) and alcohol breath testing equipment. The crime lab also processes evidence from nearly all officer-involved shootings around the state.

SLED conducts all evidence-testing free of charge to submitting agencies. An added bonus of the new building is its 90-seat training room, where law enforcement officers from different agencies visit and learn about various law enforcement topics. A DNA conference slated for March will bring law enforcement experts from around the state.

Once, SLED scientists were generalists and could do a lot of different things.

Now, each discipline has its own unique hiring and education requirements. Hughey said. You dont have the ability to concentrate outside of one discipline anymore.

Todays SLED experts need a college degree, likely with a science background; many have masters or other advanced degrees. They should also be detail-oriented and problem-solvers, Hughey said. After joining SLED, analysts or technicians will spend up to two years or more in an apprenticeship status, honing their skills. Every finding is verified by a colleague.

Traveling Experts

Almost every week, SLED scientists are in courtrooms across the state in criminal trials, explaining findings to jurors on everything from blood to bullets  about 250 appearances a year, Hughey said.

We are just not robots here, with instruments, Hughey said. A lot of what we do is going to court.

Experts are taught how to testify about complex findings in simple language and to look directly at jurors, Hughey said.

Evidence has to be accounted for every step of the way, from crime scene to courtroom. SLEDs experts also must certify that there has been no mishandling or tampering with evidence.

SLEDs experts have testified in South Carolinas major criminal trials of the modern era, from Dylann Roofs 2016 mass murder trial in the Mother Emanuel AME Church massacre in Charleston to the 2019 abduction and murder of University of South Carolina student Samantha Josephson in Columbia.

In last years nationally televised trial of now-convicted killer Alex Murdaugh, numerous SLED agents and lab experts testified for the prosecution on technical matters from DNA to blood spatter to cell phone data to crime scene photos.

Particularly compelling testimony involved overlapping timelines of Alex Murdaughs movements, text messages and cellphone calls before, during and right after his wife, Maggie, and son Paul were killed.

To show the jury Murdaugh was at the scene of the killings, SLED Special Agent Peter Rudofski used geolocation cellphone and other digital data, some of which was curated by SLEDs crime lab computer crimes unit.

Although Murdaughs defense attorneys raised questions about some of SLEDs scientific methods and findings, jurors took less than three hours to find Murdaugh guilty after a six-week trial.

The Murdaugh, Roof and Josephson trials resulted in convictions, but Hughey said crime lab findings serve another purpose.

We exonerate a lot more suspects than we convict, Hughey said.

Rick Hubbard, one of the states 16 elected solicitors, or prosecutors, said SLEDs new crime lab was sorely needed.

Like all solicitors, weve been waiting for this day because theres so much evidence we look to SLED to process and review, said Hubbard, who oversees criminal prosecutions in Lexington, Saluda, McCormick and Edgefield counties.

A long time coming

When Keel became SLED chief in 2011, one of his goals was to bring SLEDs crime lab into cutting edge technology, he said at the time.

Over the years, the old crime lab  which had looked so modern in 1988  had become a cramped, dark space. Some scientists had to do their work in closets or hallways. The roof leaked. The electric grid was outdated. Temperatures and humidity could fluctuate, potentially affecting results in sensitive instruments. The agency was running out of places to store evidence.

Hughey said work would be paused whenever the equipment might be affected by temperatures or humidity. We werent going to compromise the integrity of the work.

In any case, overcrowded conditions meant backlogs building up and delays in getting findings back to prosecutors and law enforcement agencies. Prosecutors around the state got used to calling Keel to intervene with lab officials to prioritize evidence processing for upcoming trials.

Keel lived through years of setbacks before finally convincing a majority of the 170 lawmakers to approve $54 million for a new crime lab.

It is the biggest thing I ever asked for, Keel says. The key to justifying building the lab was to try to reduce backlogs.

In 2015, then-Gov. Nikki Haley had vetoed a $500 million bond bill that contained funding for a crime lab.

Some lawmakers opposed giving SLED $54 million. Rep. Todd Rutherford, D-Richland, wanted more state money for smaller, local crime labs around the state, as well as funding for other law enforcement needs.

We would have been better served by taking that money and giving it to different sheriffs departments who currently do what SLED does in many areas, Rutherford said.

Finally, in July 2018, over Rutherfords and others objections, the Legislature approved $54 million to build a crime lab. Playing crucial roles in helping SLED get the money were former House Ways and Means Committee chairman Rep. Brian White, R-Anderson, now retired, and current Gov. Henry McMaster.

By then, backlogs were such that normal turnaround times of 15 days to process suspected opioids had risen to 98 days, Hughey told a WIS reporter in 2018.

House Speaker Pro Tem Rep. Tommy Pope, R-York, said in a recent interview the reason it took years to secure the $54 million was that it is hard to get a majority of lawmakers to agree to spend so much money on one project when there are so many other competing needs.

It probably took that amount of time for individual stories of why a new crime lab was needed, to show the advantages of having a lab, having the people, moving cases faster to the courtroom for crime victims, to show why justice delayed is justice denied, Pope said. Lobbying by crime victims and law enforcement was crucial in getting the $54 million, said Pope, a former 16th Circuit solicitor for York and Union counties.

SLED kicked in another $8 million, bringing the total spent on the building to $64.2 million.

Today, SLED backlogs are sharply down, officials said. For example, in July 2022, the agency had a backlog of 1,949 arrestee and convicted offender samples to be entered into SLEDs DNA database. Today, theres a total of 43 samples.

Other crime labs

Over the years, smaller crime labs have popped up all over the state.

Some law enforcement agencies  such as the city of Charleston Police Department and the Richland County Sheriffs Department  for years have had their own crime labs that provide a robust range of specialties. Charlestons lab, with 23 employees, opened in 1985. Richlands, with 44 employees, opened in 2002.

In recent years other crime labs have emerged in City of Orangeburg, Beaufort County, York County, Anderson County and elsewhere.

Hughey said he welcomes the other labs.

We are blessed to have wonderful working relationships with them, Hughey said. A lot of former SLED crime lab employees work at the other labs, he said.

It was a wonderful opportunity for them, for career advancement, and it also gave us the assurances that they have been properly trained.

In a lot of cases, local crime labs will ask SLED to train their scientists, he said.

SLEDs new crime lab, with its large training room, makes it possible for crime lab and law enforcement officers from around the state to come to the new building and share information.

It helps us to build those relationships, Hughey said. We all know each other. Its obviously a very limited field. You need to bounce things off others in the same disciplines as you.

Ready for the future

The new lab has about 2,500 square feet of unused space that can be converted into whatever is needed without interrupting ongoing work, Hughey said.

And the new lab can easily expand to 180 employees if needed, Hughey said.

In the old lab, SLED saw new technologies come into play such as DNA.

We adapted, we reallocated space and so we learned from that, Hughey said.

Laura Hudson, an activist who works with crime victims and law enforcement agencies, said state money was well spent on the new lab.

The faster evidence processing times and new personnel hired by SLED will make a big difference in justice around the state, Hudson said.

If we want to be on top of everything, and we want to be sure the state is able to do what they have to do, then we have to pay for it, its that simple, Hudson said.

Keel still cant believe SLEDs new lab.

Did I ever think we would have a lab that looked like this lab and be able to walk the halls that are 100 yards long? Could I have imagined that? I couldnt have. But I knew what we needed, Keel says.
Four candidates have qualified to be on the ballot for the special election to fill a vacated seat representing the Columbus area in the Georgia Legislature.

The April 9 election will determine who will succeed Richard Smith as the representative of Georgia House District 139, which covers parts of Muscogee and Harris counties.

Smith died from the flu Jan. 30 at age 78. He served in the Georgia Legislature since 2005, including as House Rules Committee chairman since 2020.

Who are the Georgia House District 139 special election candidates?

District 139 voters will decide Smiths successor among these candidates, who paid the $400 qualifying fee and submitted the required documents to the Georgia Secretary of State Office by Fridays deadline:

Sean Knox, Republican, president of Knox Pest Control in Columbus.

Robert Mallard, independent, founding member and associate broker with Inheritance Realty Group in Columbus until November. Now, co-founder and beekeeper with Foundation Honey Company in Columbus.

Donald Moeller, Republican, oral and maxillofacial surgeon in Columbus.

Carmen Rice (not related to this reporter), Republican, human resources professional in Columbus, first female Muscogee County GOP chair.

Because this is a special election to fill a vacated seat, no primary election precedes it. So any district resident could have qualified for the ballot, regardless of party affiliation, but no Democrat qualified to run for this seat, which is in a predominantly Republican area.

The winner of the April 9 special election immediately becomes the Georgia House District 139 representative and fills the remaining portion of Smiths two-year term, which expires at the end of this year.

If the winner wants to continue serving as the representative for a full two-year term, starting in January, then he or she must qualify, along with any other candidate, during the March 4-8 period to be on the May 21 primary ballot. The general election will be Nov. 5.

What are the voting precincts in Georgia House District 139?

The following voting precincts are in District 139:

Britt David, Chattahoochee, Epworth, Moon, St. Andrew, St. Paul and St. Peter in Muscogee County.

Cataula, Ellerslie and Waverly Hall in Harris County.

Registration deadline for House District 139 special election

March 11 is the last day for residents of this district to ensure they are a registered voter if they want their candidate choice to count in this election.

Residents can register at their local elections office or online. Election officials encourage registered voters to check their status and verify their polling location at the My Voter Page on the Georgia Secretary of State Office website.

Early voting for the Georgia House District 139 special election

Early voting for this election will start March 18.

Thats when the mailing of absentee ballots can start, but voters can submit to their local elections office a request for an absentee mail-in ballot now. The last day to submit such a request for this election is March 29.

Absentee mail-in ballots must be received by the local elections office by 7 p.m., April 9, to be counted in this election.

March 18 also is this elections date for advance in-person voting to start. The dates are March 18-23, March 25-30 and April 1-5.

The hours havent been set yet in Muscogee County, but the location will be in the City Services Center, 3111 Citizens Way, in Columbus.

The advance in-person voting location for this election in Harris County is at the elections office, 757 Carver Circle, in Hamilton. The hours will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

When would a runoff be conducted?

If no candidate receives a majority of the votes, a runoff between the two-highest finishing candidates will be conducted May 7.

Why not have the Georgia House District 139 special election on the same day as the May 21 primary to save time and money?

State law and unfortunate timing is the short answer.

This special election will cost an estimated $50,000 in Muscogee County and $17,000 in Harris County, according to officials. But it cant be conducted during the May 21 primary because of the specifications mandated by Georgia Code 21-2-544, which is the law that explains how a vacancy in the state legislature is filled.

Smith died during the Georgia General Assemblys session, so Gov. Brian Kemp had 10 days to issue a writ calling for a special election and set the date no less than 30 days and no more than 60 days from the issuance of the writ. May 21 is more than 60 days beyond that date.
One person was taken into custody Monday and police were searching for at least one more after an attempted robbery outside a bank in Swansea.

Just before 1 p.m., a courier was attempting to make a delivery at BayCoast Bank dropbox on Swansea Mall Drive when he was approached by two men, who flashed gun and demanded money.

Swansea police said the courier fired two shots at the suspects, who fled in a U-Haul van, which was found burning about half a mile away on Reed Street.

Investigators say the suspects ditched the U-Haul van and left in a Jeep, which was later stopped on I-195 in East Providence.

Giovany Fouyolle, 29, of Randolph, was the sole occupant of the jeep when he was taken into custody by Rhode Island State Police Monday afternoon.

Fouyolle will be extradited to Massachusetts on pending charges.

The second suspect involved in the alleged incident remains at large.

The investigation into this incident remains active and ongoing.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Swansea Police Department at 508-674-8464.

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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Penny Mordaunt was backed by 2019 Tory voters as a potential election winner - Paul Grover for The Telegraph

Conservative voters believe that only Penny Mordaunt could beat Sir Keir Starmer at the next election, a new poll suggests.

Ms Mordaunt, the Leader of the Commons, was the only candidate backed by 2019 Tory voters to give the party a better chance of winning a fifth term if she replaced Rishi Sunak.

But a majority of those planning to switch their support to Reform UK said ousting Mr Sunak and installing Suella Braverman, the former home secretary, would make an election win more likely.

The figures come in the wake of the double Conservative defeat in Thursdays by-elections in Kingswood and Wellingborough, while the party continues to trail Labour by around 20 points in the polls.

The survey of 1,500 people who voted Tory in 2019, conducted by Deltapoll and Helm Partners Ltd, a strategy consultancy, found that 38 per cent agreed with the statement that the party would have a better chance of winning the election with Ms Mordaunt as leader than Mr Sunak, while 31 per cent disagreed.

Kemi Badenoch, the Business Secretary and current bookmakers favourite to succeed Mr Sunak, was backed to improve the Tories electoral prospects by just 17 per cent of respondents, with a net score of minus 20.

Mrs Braverman had a net score of minus 29, although this rose to 43 per cent among those intending to back Reform, while Lord Cameron scored minus 10, Jeremy Hunt minus 20 and Liz Truss, the former prime minister, minus 69.

The polling also found that 2019 Tory voters wanted income tax cuts to be Mr Hunts top priority at the Spring Budget next month  a policy backed by 64 per cent.

Increasing state spending was supported by 41 per cent, 36 per cent were in favour of further cuts to National Insurance and 32 per cent wanted Mr Hunt to cut inheritance tax.

The Deltapoll figures showed that 54 per cent planned to vote for the Tories again, with 14 per cent intending to switch to Labour and 13 per cent to Reform.

Sixt per cent of 2019 Conservative supporters said the Government had done a poor job since December that year, but two-thirds agreed that it had faced problems no other party would have handled any better.

Greg Cook, the associate senior counsel at Helm Partners, said: Our poll starkly quantifies the fragmentation of the Conservatives winning coalition from 2019, which resulted in the collapse of their support in Kingswood and Wellingborough.

But the number who have switched to Labour is far short of what Keir Starmer needs to win an overall majority, and Labour is relying on winning over more undecided votes and continued Tory losses to Reform.

Sunak faces a dilemma  there is a clear strategy which might appeal to those Reform switchers, but it is so at odds with the mainstream view among the rest of the Tory coalition that its adoption is likely to lead to further losses to Labour, which would be much more damaging.

It came as a separate Deltapoll survey showed that Mr Sunaks approval rating has plummeted further in the wake of the by-election losses, with the gap between the Prime Minister and Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, now the widest it has ever been.

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Dear Hattiesburg Mayor Toby Barker:

Thank you for your proposal for the City of Hattiesburg to purchase new radar surveillance of speeding in school zones, something likely to elicit strong public support.

Your second proposal to purchase radar equipment to detect drivers not insured, will no doubt be popular among those who pay their insurance, though it will not likely lower their own car insurance costs. And the heavy fines (and possible imprisonment) of those least able to afford insurance will increase local poverty when the family loses access to their car. An alternative might be not to seek imprisonment and for city clerks to work with violators on a gradual payment plan to allow them to keep access to their vehicles and not push the whole family into greater poverty.

Clarence Magee

The third proposal is to begin use of police drone surveillance. This is potentially useful in spotting criminal activity and can be of some assistance in emergency situations. But police use of drones risks exposing many city residents to unintended surveillance at any hour, which many would consider an invasion of privacy. Its a slippery slope.

The third proposal, to begin use of police drone surveillance, while potentially useful, requires development of strict standards to respect citizen privacy and possible mis-arrests of innocent residents. Documented evidence of false arrests, incorrect facial recognition, and invasion of privacy is plentiful, as are examples where crimes have been detected more quickly. If used, there is a clear need for development of standards for use of drones by our police, which fits your consistent requirement that all new programs be evidenced-based and fair.

One option regarding drones is to simply not use them. They are costly and require additional taxpayer dollars. They require taking some police off regular patrols to be trained in using them. They have in some cities resulted in costly court cases against the city/police which can be costly. And coupled with faulty face recognition of darker skins by Artificial Intelligence, they can result in unfair and illegal imprisonment of minorities.

But if the city council moves ahead with approval of your proposal, there is a clear need for establishing transparent guidelines on the use of drones by our police. Community participation in the establishment of such guidelines is available as shown below.

The following documents provide a balanced assessment of both the benefits and concerns of use drones by police.

Pros

According to data from the Chula Vista Police Department, it has sent drones to more than 16,000 calls in total, with an average response time of under two minutes. For reference, average response times using officers exceeded 20 minutes in 14 of 15 other departments included in a review by data analyst Jeff Asher earlier this year.

In one frequently cited example, 911 received a call about a man waving around a gun in front of a taco restaurant. A Chula Vista police drone arrived in 84 seconds, and before officers could make it onto the scene, the operator used the drone video to determine that the gun was actually a cigarette lighter.

Cons:

Civil liberty advocates are less enchanted. American Civil Liberties Union Senior Policy Analyst Jay Stanley worries that these kinds of drone programs may normalize usage and usher in an era of pervasive, suspcionless, mass aerial surveillance and calls for strict rules before deploying police drones. He notes far more invasive turns that police drone usage could take, including warrantless surveillance of specific people, crime hotspots or even whole neighborhoods or cities.

Stanley wonders if drone usage wont just become another weapon in the war on drugs, in over-policing, in the targeting of Black, low-income and other vulnerable communities, and otherwise amplify the problems with the deeply broken U.S. criminal legal system.

A way forward: Police and community partnership on use of drones

The national office of the NAACP has expressed concerns about police use of drones. The NAACP suggests local chapters, (such as the Forrest County NAACP) work with local police to develop guidelines for use of drones. The local branch of the NAACP is ready to work in positive relationship with the City and the Hattiesburg Police Department, welcoming its new Chief, Hardy Sims.

The following statement by the national NAACP offers a positive starting point in establishing clear guidelines if the city moves forward with the plan to provide the Hattiesburg Police Department drone equipment:

Drones operated by any government and/or law enforcement agency shall not be armed with any weapons or spray devices and that all drones have surveillance oversight to avoid intrusion in our civil rights.

All information captured be retained for no longer than three months unless it involves the use of force, leads to detention, arrest or complaint filed.

Recordings shall be released with the consent of the subject or individual involved. Blurring portions of video/audio should be used to protect the underage or innocent.

All videotaping should be time stamped and not allowed to be erased by officers. Officers should not be allowed to use their own devices as body camera or video equipment. All video footage shall be downloaded immediately to a central data base.

 Clarence Magee is president of the Forrest County NAACP.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Open letter to Hattiesburg MS Mayor about radar, drones use by police
Vital China on the move

09:27, February 20, 2024 By Qiu Chaoyi, Li Xinping, Han Xin ( People's Daily

The Spring Festival travel rush, carrying people's hopes for family reunion, reflects the new landscape of China's high-quality development.

During the 2024 Spring Festival holiday, which ran from Feb. 10 to 17, China reported about 2.3 billion trips in varied modes of transport. In particular, the railway system handled about 99.59 million trips; about 2.18 billion trips were made on highways; waterway and civil aviation trips stood at 9.4 million and 18.04 million.

Regions and departments across China have strengthened coordination, increased transport capacity reserves, and prepared contingency plans, to make Spring Festival travels safer, more convenient and cozier, injecting vitality into this country on the move.

Vessels carrying production and living supplies shuttle back and forth on the Huai'an section of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal in east China's Jiangsu province, Feb. 13, 2024. (People's Daily Online/He Jinghua)

In 2023, China saw the introduction of new high-speed rail lines spanning 2,776 kilometers, along with the construction and expansion of over 7,000 kilometers of expressways. Additionally, the accessibility of domestic air routes expanded by 23 percent, providing strong support for meeting the travel demands during the Spring Festival holiday and facilitating regional connectivity.

During this year's Spring Festival holiday, Chen, who resides in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian province, took his family to the ancient city of Quanzhou in the province, taking the G1609 high-speed train. The trip only took them less than an hour.

The Fuzhou-Xiamen high-speed railway is China's first cross-sea high-speed railway designed for a speed of 350 kilometers per hour. With the opening of it, the travel time between Fuzhou and Xiamen has been shortened to around an hour, while that among Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Quanzhou, and other cities has been cut to half an hour.

At the end of last year, the full opening of the Beijing-Xiong'an expressway just gave Zhang Chenghui, whose hometown is in Xiong'an New Area, north China's Hebei province, a new option to return home.

Passengers check in at a railway station in Lianyungang, east China's Jiangsu province, Feb. 15, 2024. (People's Daily Online/Si Wei)

"The road is smooth, signs are clear, and the scenery is beautiful. It only takes an hour to drive from Beijing to Xiong'an. It's so convenient," he said.

In Hefei, east China's Anhui province, an intelligent operation command center for expressways was recently put into use by Anhui Transportation Holding Group, which is able to obtain real-time traffic, weather and other information, thus ensuring safe travel during the Spring Festival travel rush.

Last November, the Anyang Hongqiqu Airport in Anyang, central China's Henan province opened for operation, becoming the first civil airport in the north of the province.

"With the new airport, it's much more convenient to return home now," said a woman surnamed Cai, who was traveling back to Anyang from Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong province. Previously, it took her over seven hours by high-speed rail to get home, but now the trip has been shortened to 2.5 hours by plane.

During the Spring Festival travel rush, regions across China introduced a series of thoughtful services, striving to improve passenger experience and provide strong support for safe and convenient travel.

"Tongtong, you did great!" At Beijing Daxing International Airport, a man surnamed Liu took his grandson Tongtong from the ground crew of China Southern Airlines. He soon called the child's mother, telling her that Tongtong had arrived safe and sound.

Tongtong, 6, was able to fly alone across much of China from Guangzhou, thanks to the upgraded "unaccompanied minor" boarding service introduced by China Southern Airlines during the Spring Festival travel rush.

More than 600 migrant workers from Hechi, south China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, take a free high-speed train to Nanning, capital of the autonomous region, returning to work after the Spring Festival holiday, Feb. 15, 2024. (People's Daily Online/Gao Dongfeng)

"From check-in, security check, boarding to pick-up, there is a staff member accompanying the child at every step, so the little ones will not leave our sight," said Yi Liang, a staff member at the China Southern Airlines special passenger service counter at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport.

Yi said that with the increase in passenger flow and flights this Spring Festival, China Southern Airlines has further upgraded its special passenger services. Since the start of the Spring Festival travel rush, China Southern Airlines has provided services to over 600 unaccompanied minors and other special passengers on a daily basis.

During the Spring Festival, regions across China also strengthened the organization of freight sources and smoothed logistics channels to fully ensure the adequate supply of important livelihood commodities.

In Shaanxi province, the Haolebaoji-Ji'an railway increased coal transport capacity; in Jiangsu province, multiple express delivery companies stayed operational during the Spring Festival to deliver New Year goods to households; in Hainan province, ports of the Qiongzhou Strait implemented 24-hour operations to meet the needs of ro-ro passenger ships...

China on the move reflects the joy of reunion and mirrors the vitality of development.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Du Mingming)
South Korea said Tuesday that Russia has an obligation to comply with U.N. sanctions resolutions against North Korea as a member state, after a report on President Vladimir Putin's gift of a luxury car to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

The North's state media reported earlier in the day that Kim had received the Russian-made vehicle from Putin, delivered through their officials, as a token of special bonds between the two leaders.

The two held a rare summit in September last year. The two countries have since expanded the scope of their cooperation. Pyongyang is suspected of having provided artillery and munitions to Russia for use in Moscow's war in Ukraine in exchange for Russia's potential transfer of weapons technology.

The state media did not carry photos or provide more details of the car. The delivery of such a gift could be a violation of the U.N. sanctions banning any supply and transfer of luxury goods to the North.

"All U.N. member states have the obligation to fully comply with the U.N. Security Council (UNSC) sanctions resolutions against North Korea," foreign ministry spokesperson Lim Soo-suk said in a briefing.

"The sanctions ban the direct and indirect supply, sale or transfer of all means of transportation to North Korea, regardless of origin, from HS Codes 86 to 89 by the international classification of traded goods, including luxury cars," Lim said.

The government will continue to work with the international community on the implementation of the UNSC sanctions, he added. (Yonhap)
Supporters of the opposition attend an anti-government protest in front of Albanian PM Rama's office in Tirana

Supporters of the opposition attend an anti-government protest in front of Albanian PM Rama's office in Tirana

TIRANA (Reuters) - Opposition protesters pelted Albania's government building with petrol bombs and rocks late on Tuesday, accusing state officials of involvement in organised crime and corruption after their leader was placed under house arrest.

Thousands gathered in front of the government headquarters in the capital Tirana as riot police officers were called in to cordon off the office of Prime Minister Edi Rama. There were no immediate reports of injuries, serious damage or arrests.

The main opposition Democratic Party accuses Rama of nepotism and corruption which it says are prompting many young people to emigrate for a better life in western Europe.

Protesters chose Tuesday for the rally in remembrance of Feb. 20, 1991 when pro-democracy demonstrators tore down the statue of Albania's longtime communist dictator Enver Hoxha.

"Today we are here to bring down Rama's regime, which is worse than Enver Hoxha's regime," said Syle Xhebexhia, who said he travelled over 100 km to attend the protest in Tirana.

Opposition leader Sali Berisha addressed the protesters via a video link from house arrest. He is being investigated for alleged corruption while prime minister between 2005-2013.

Berisha has denied wrongdoing, accusing Rama of a political vendetta meant to silence opponents. Rama denies this.

Prosecutors have yet to decide whether to file formal charges against Berisha or drop them.

"Edi Rama, similar to the other dictator (Hoxha), has concentrated all powers in his hands and wants an Albania without opposition," Berisha told the protesting crowd.

Berisha has been regularly addressing supporters from the balcony of his apartment in downtown Tirana.

(Reporting by Fatos Bytyci and Florion Goga; editing by Mark Heinrich)
The Town of Orange Parks website is expected to be down for routine maintenance.

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The outage will occur on Tue. Feb. 20 during the morning hours.

We expect it to be up and running by noon, Orange Parks Facebook page said.

If residents need to reach out before the website is back online, offices can be reached by phone or email.

If you need to pay your utility bill before the site is back up and running, visit https://www.municipalonlinepayments.com/orangeparkfl.

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Much like its characters, Jon Gunns Ordinary Angels overcomes seemingly insurmountable odds. Written by actress Meg Tilly (Agnes of God) and filmmaker Kelly Fremon Craig (Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret), the movie evolves, in real time, from a mechanical, saccharine drama by a faith-based studio to a rousing tale of altruism and neighborly good will whose disparate pieces are glued together by a supremely dialed-in cast led by Reachers Alan Ritchson.

The premise borrows from a true human-interest story from 1994, when a small town suburb of Louisville, Kentucky came together to help a widowed father save his ailing daughter during a debilitating snowstorm. Plenty of details are altered while others are wholly fictionalized, but Ordinary Angels preserves the core of these real events: the relationship between the Schmittsgrieving roofing contractor Ed (Ritchson) and his adorable young daughters, Michelle (Emily Mitchell) and Ashley (Skywalker Hughes)and Sharon Stevens (Hilary Swank), the persistent stranger who, in the movie, forces her boisterous-but-loving personality upon them.

An intimate, hospital-set prologue sees Ed celebrating Michelles birth with his wife, Theresa (Amy Acker), before a hard cut to a different hospital room, five years later, leaves him a widower. Matching this jarring edit is the one that jumps from night to day as Sharon, then a stranger to Eds family, gets drunk, blacks out, and wakes up the next morning. Like Ed, shes lost time. Ordinary Angels is rarely this impactful or precise again (at least until its climactic scenes), but the editing flourish does the trick: Without a word exchanged, Ed and Sharon feel similarly adrift, bound by a common need to be firmly rooted.

Sharons hair salon coworkers urge her to seek help for her drinking problem, but rather than focusing inward, she stumbles upon Eds story in a local paper. Michelle, it turns out, is in need of a liver transplant, so Sharon decides to help him raise money for his mounting medical debts, whether he likes it or not.Their dynamic is amusing, but Eds reluctance to open himself up to financial assistance, emotional support, or spiritual guidance proves problematic for them both.

Initially, every scene in Ordinary Angels feels factory-designed to relay one specific piece of information at a time, or to mechanically speed through familiar story beats. The writing is unpolished, and that doesnt always benefit Swanks brash turn as an ostentatious guardian angel; the Oscar winner is saddled with a whole lot of function-first dialogue that prevents her from skillfully disguising parts of Sharons life or tactfully navigating conversations.

But the rest of the performances come to the rescue. Mitchell and Hughes tug at the heartstrings as Eds young daughters (aged 5 and 8) without falling victim to the kind of broad, drawn-out delivery often seen from child actors. Gunn does a remarkable job of making their scenes feel natural and playfulnot to mention devastating, when their curiosities about death and the afterlife arise. This in turn allows Ritchson to access a vulnerable part of himself, as a father protecting his childrens confusion and innocence in the face of a morbid reality.

Though produced by the faith-based studio Kingdom Story Company and directed by a Pure Flix veteran, Ordinary Angels avoids the trap of preaching to the choir. It nestles its musings on belief within quaint scenes of father-daughter drama without letting them overwhelm the gentle character dynamics. Questions, whether about heaven or Eds own faith (or lack thereof in the face of tragedy), could so easily have been given didactic answers. Instead, Ordinary Angels allows its performers to ruminate on mysteries in touching ways.

Hilary Swank Went All the Way to Alaska to Save Network TV

Especially Ritchson. Right from his initial scenes, hes magnetic in his silence, looking like he could burst into either tears or fits of rage at any moment. Casting a 6-and-a-half-foot tall, Schwarzenegger-like hunk as an everyman can be a risky proposition, but Ritchson has the withheld, barely-concealed desolation of, well, every man. Ed may not admit it, but hes a guy who deserves a break.

Ordinary Angels turns out to be a tightly controlled and satisfying melodrama. With the help of operatic music, Ritchsons performance even transforms the movies climaxa highwire act of community resilience pitted against a ticking clockinto a series of cheer-out-loud moments. Sharon trying to find purpose outside herself may not be the most thrilling or nuanced direction for the film to take, but it lays the foundation for an excellent crescendo. In the end, simple, straightforward sentimentality saves the day.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Two Salem-Keizer Public Schools graduates filed a civil complaint last fall accusing former McNary High School music teacher Joshua Rist of sexually grooming them while they were students. The Oregon House of Representatives unanimously passed legislation Tuesday that aims to better protect students from sexual grooming in schools.

This story was updated at 4:05 p.m.

The Oregon House of Representatives unanimously passed legislation Tuesday that aims to better protect students from sexual grooming in schools.

HB 4160 increases the time, from 90 days to one year after graduating or leaving high school, during which an individual is considered a student for laws requiring reporting, investigation and disclosures about a school employee, contractor, agent or volunteer engaging in sexual contact with a student.

Rep. Kevin Mannix, R-Salem, introduced the bill in response to a civil lawsuit brought last fall by two Salem-Keizer Public Schools graduates accusing a music teacher of grooming them while they were students.

This is not a hypothetical situation, Salem-Keizer Public Schools Superintendent Andrea Castaneda told a legislative committee earlier this month. Were sitting here in front of you today because of a very real situation, which exposed the loophole that were discussing here and the systematic way that it can be exploited.

No one testified against the bill, which now goes to the Senate for consideration.

Lawsuit asks former McNary instructor, Salem-Keizer district for $10M

Last September, two former McNary High School students filed a $10 million lawsuit against Joshua Rist, a former McNary choir teacher, alleging he groomed and sexually abused them between 2015 and 2020. The lawsuit also names the school district, alleging it failed to protect them from the teacher.

The district had placed Rist on paid administrative leave more than two years earlier, on May 28, 2021, following similar allegations.

In June 2021, district officials sent a formal misconduct report to the Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission. TSPC also received an Oregon Department of Human Services report alleging the same misconduct. The Keizer Police Department also investigated.

Rist returned from leave on Aug. 18, 2022, and was moved from McNary to Kalapuya Elementary School. He was again placed on paid administrative leave Feb. 9, 2023.

On June 8, 2023, Rist and TSPC signed a stipulation of facts, meaning Rist agreed that evidence would support the commission's findings that Rist established inappropriate personal relationships with the two women while they were students at McNary.

TSPC concluded Rist had engaged in gross neglect of duty.

Rist returned to Kalapuya at the beginning of the 2023-24 school year but was again put on leave on Oct. 2, after the district received an additional complaint about him from a former McNary High School student.

Rist remains on paid administrative leave. An investigation into the additional complaint still is ongoing, district officials said.

Oregon's sexual grooming bill

Currently, if an educator engages in suspected sexual conduct with a former student starting on the 91st day after the student has left school, the conduct is not required to be reported, and it cant form the basis for teacher discipline.

The bill would extend the period to report to one year. It would take effect July 1, 2024.

Some offenders will develop relationships with youth and groom them with the intention of further exploiting them once they graduate or leave the school, said Debbi Joa, prevention and protection coordinator and human resources manager for Salem-Keizer Public Schools.

Exploitation by an educator, someone they trust and look up to, can have devastating and lifelong effects on students, Joa said.

The National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification recently passed model legislation that would prevent sexual conduct by educators for two years after a student graduates. The professional organization represents state education departments and licensing boards.

"I am particularly pleased with this piece of legislation because it reflects something brought to me by our Salem-Keizer schools superintendent and I was pleased to respond promptly to their request to change the law so that we can more effectively protect our students from potential predatory conduct," Mannix said Tuesday.

"There are such folks out there and we do need to enhance the protections against them," he said.

Tracy Loew covers education at the Statesman Journal. Send comments, questions and tips: tloew@statesmanjournal.com or 503-399-6779. Follow her on Twitter at @Tracy_Loew

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Oregon House passes sexual grooming bill
A man accused of kidnapping a Seattle woman and then holding her in a makeshift dungeon in Oregon is facing new federal charges.

Authorities have been investigating Negasi Zuberi, 29, since last summer, when police say he kidnapped a woman in Seattle, chained her, and drove her to a home in Klamath Falls.

She escaped and police tracked down Zuberi in Nevada.

He was charged in federal court with interstate kidnapping and transporting an individual across state lines with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.

A new indictment dated Feb. 15 says he committed a second kidnapping on May 6, 2023.

He is also charged with two counts of felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and two counts of felon in possession of ammunition.

In addition to those new indictments, Zuberi is charged with second-degree attempted escape and first-degree disorderly conduct for trying to break out of a jail in Oregon last August.

Zuberi could face up to life in prison if convicted of the federal charges in Oregon.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  The Oregon Nurses Association filed an unfair labor practice charge against PeaceHealth on Feb. 13 after the healthcare organizations managers allegedly failed to meet and bargain with union nurses over workplace concerns, staffing issues and better pay.

PeaceHealth canceled a Jan. 23 meeting with nurses and has refused to reschedule after 90 nurses at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Home Care Services announced their intentions to hold a 14-day strike from Feb. 10 to Feb. 24, the union said.

Local nurses have repeatedly offered to meet with PeaceHealth executives to reach a fair contract agreement to prevent or end a strike, but PeaceHealth has declined, ONA stated in a press release.

VIDEO: Pride flag repeatedly torn down at Bend coffee shop, owners ask for help

Jo Turner, the ONA chair at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Home Care Services, said that the striking nurses love their patients and their jobs, but theyd also love a new contract.

Its disappointing that PeaceHealth executives would rather sit back and scroll Instagram than talk to the frontline nurses they count on, Turner said. Our strike line is only 50 yards from their front door. Were not hard to find. Well meet them anywhere, anytime.

ONA said that, prior to the standstill, its nurses held 40 contract negotiation meetings with PeaceHealth between February 2023 and January 2024.

The National Labor Relations Act requires companies like PeaceHealth to bargain in good faith, ONA said. Section 8(a)(5) of the Act makes it an unfair labor practice for an employer to refuse to bargain collectively with the representatives of its employees specifying that companies must meet with union representatives at reasonable times and reasonable intervals.

PeaceHealth told KOIN 6 News in a statement Tuesday morning that the organization plans to resume talks with its workers when the ONA strike ends.

We look forward to returning to the bargaining table once ONAs strike is complete so we can come to an agreement that will make our home care nurses proud, PeaceHealth stated. We have successfully negotiated four other long-term union contracts over the last 12 months  including one with ONA  providing wage increases and stability for nearly 3,000 caregivers in Lane County.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
OREM, Utah (ABC4)  Two tow truck drivers are facing felony charges for allegedly attacking an auto shop owner with a metal pipe.

Christian Andia, 29, and Kalaninuiwahikamoku Kekawa, 39, were arrested on suspicion of aggravated assault resulting in serious bodily injury, a second-degree felony; and disorderly conduct fighting/violent, tumultuous behavior, the Orem Police Department said.

4-year-old girl stable after harrowing street racing incident on I-15

Just after 11 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 17, Ace Auto employees contacted Orem police saying two tow truck drivers were attacking them. The caller told police the owner of the business was on the ground, bleeding from his head and back, the affidavit states.

The owner was taken to the hospital by paramedics, who confirmed serious bodily injury. Hospital officials said he may be suffering from facial and skull fractures that would require further medical procedures, the affidavit states.

During the fight, one of the tow truck drivers, identified as Andia, reportedly held the victim down and punched him. The other tow truck driver, identified as Kekawa, then struck the victim in the head with a thick metal pipe, the affidavit states. The victim became semi-conscious, and Andia started kicking him.

Andia reportedly took a video, which was later obtained by police. In the video, police said they could hear Andia yelling profanities at the victim, saying he got what he deserved for messing with his buddy and demanded the business pay Andia and Kekawa in full.

Andia and Kekawa were taken into custody and booked into the Utah County Jail.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON)  Overall crime numbers in San Francisco were down in the first month of 2024, building on improvements in 2023, according to SF Mayor London Breed. The decrease in crime numbers are the result of increased coordinated efforts from local, state and federal agencies, the mayors office said.

Statistics cited by the mayors office indicate that crime in 2023 was lower overall than in any point in the past decade, apart from 2020 at the height of pandemic shutdowns.

Why there could soon be a hiring boom among Bay Area tech companies

In 2024, San Francisco crime trends continued this positive momentum, said the mayors office in a statement.

Comparing January 2024 to January 2023:

Property crime is down 32%

Violent crime is down 11%

The declining crime numbers for January 2024 are broad-based, the mayors office said, citing declines in robbery, motor vehicle theft, larceny theft and assaults, among other crimes. Specific examples the mayors office cited included:

39% reduction in larceny theft (including car break-ins and retail theft)

11% reduction in robberies

20% reduction in burglaries

When comparing Januarys crime numbers to pre-pandemic crime numbers, improvements cited by the mayors office were even more pronounced. Compared to the three-year average for January 2018-2020:

Property crime is down 40%

Violent crime is down 24%

San Francisco is leading with effective efforts to make this city safer for everyone, said Mayor London Breed. We are committed to continuing to be aggressive in enforcing our laws while also offering people alternatives when they do cross the line. We are a city of compassion and second chances, but we also are a city that will continue to hold those who break the law

accountable.

My office is committed to continue working with all local law enforcement as well as federal

and state partners to make San Francisco safer for all residents, said District Attorney Brooke

Jenkins. Although we are starting to see some positive indicators, now is the time to double

down and invest more resources strategically so that our residents, workers and visitors feel safer in our City.

The mayors office identified priorities for building on these crime reduction efforts that included:

Deploying new technologies to address crime

Continuing police staffing progress

Implementing reforms to ensure that officers are not tied down with paperwork

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  Its been 2 years since Benjamin Smith opened fire on racial justice demonstrators in Portlands Normandale Park, killing one woman and wounding 5 other people.

Smith eventually pleaded guilty to 9 charges, including murder, and is now serving a life sentence.

But on this anniversary, the pain of that day was palpable for people who gathered at the park with flowers and signs to remember June Knightly. Those who attended also said this is about reclaiming the narrative after initial reports about the shooting from Portland police and the media shared some misinformation.

Letha Winston with Justice for Patrick Kimmons at a memorial in Portlands Normandale Park, February 19, 2024 (KOIN)

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Letha Winston, the lead organizer of Justice for Patrick Kimmons, said the rally at Normandale Park on February 19, 2022 was about her sons death.

Court documents said Smith yelled at a group of the demonstrators, then pulled out a gun and fired.

Winston said Monday the false statements from police  labeling the group as armed protesters only to later correct it when it was found they were not armed  added insult to injury.

Its a lie. They (police) bashed us, they threw us under the bus. They continue to throw us under the bus when we simply want justice, Winston said.

I have been serving the community for five years since Patrick Kimmons death, Winston said. And then my comrade dead by massacre shooter, five others injured by a massacre shooter. When is enough gonna be enough here in Portland?

Brandy June Knightly in an undated photo. Knightly, 60, was shot to death in Portlands Normandale Park on February 19, 2022

Police respond to a fatal shooting in the area of Normandale Park in Northeast Portland on Saturday evening, Feb. 19, 2022. (Mark Graves/The Oregonian via AP)

A search warrant was served at an apartment at Rose City Terrace as part of the Normandale Park shooting investigation, February 21, 2022 (KOIN)

A search warrant was served at an apartment at Rose City Terrace as part of the Normandale Park shooting investigation, February 21, 2022 (KOIN)

Candles and graffiti at the scene of a makeshift memorial in Portlands Normandale Park one day after a shooting left one woman dead and 5 others wounded, February 20, 2022 (KOIN)

Candles and graffiti at the scene of a makeshift memorial in Portlands Normandale Park one day after a shooting left one woman dead and 5 others wounded, February 20, 2022 (KOIN)

Candles and graffiti at the scene of a makeshift memorial in Portlands Normandale Park one day after a shooting left one woman dead and 5 others wounded, February 20, 2022 (KOIN)

One person was killed and five were injured in a shooting that occurred Saturday evening at Normandale Park in Portland (KOIN)

Forensic Architecture is set to show their investigative film, The Murder of June Knightly at the Portland Institute for Contemporary Art on Friday. The film includes accounts from survivors of the shooting.

Both Mayor Ted Wheeler and officials at PPB declined to comment on the exhibit. But Wheelers team confirmed the pledge he made last year to clear the right-of-way at the memorial site at Normandale Park.

June Knightly was killed in Portlands Normandale Park. A memorial was held on the 2nd anniversary, February 19, 2024 (KOIN)

New St. Johns homeless day center aims to provide a better tomorrow

In a previous statement to KOIN 6 News, Portland police confirmed some of the initial information they had turned out to be incorrect and they fixed it when aware. PPB added, This is a good example of why they have to be so careful about what information is released initially about an incident.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
The PMLN failed to win the 8 Feburary election but has struck a deal to return it to power

Two political parties in Pakistan have reached a formal agreement to form a new government following an election mired in controversy.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) will be backed by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in a new administration, they jointly announced.

Both parties won fewer seats than candidates loyal to jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan on 8 February.

On X, Mr Khan's PTI party branded the coalition "mandate thieves".

His movement alleges the vote was rigged to keep his supporters out of power.

More than six days after reaching an initial deal to form a coalition, the PMLN and PPP announced a full agreement had been concluded at a press conference on Tuesday.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardaro, chairman of the PPP, said: "The coalition's aim is to address the country's economic crisis."

Former Prime Minister and President of PMLN Shahbaz Sharif pledged "collective action to tackle economic and other challenges".

The agreement means Mr Sharif is on course to become prime minister for a second time with the backing of the junior coalition partner, while Asif Ali Zardari of the PPP will be the coalition's candidate to become president - an office he has previously held.

Former Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif is on course to return to office after a deal was struck with a smaller party

The process for electing the prime minister involves a parliamentary vote, which is expected by the end of February. A separate election to decide the next president will be held in the coming weeks.

It remains unclear who will take up other major government posts.

The contentious parliamentary election earlier this month failed to produce a conclusive result.

Despite Mr Khan being behind bars and his candidates forced to run as independents rather than under a single banner, candidates backed by his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) emerged as the single largest bloc in a shock result.

However, their 93 seats in the National Assembly fell short of the overall majority of 169 needed to form a government.

That paved the way for the PMLN, which is led by another former Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, to go into negotiations with the PPP.

The PMLN won 75 seats, while the PPP came third with 54 - but with likely backing from smaller parties and once seats reserved for women and religious minority representatives are apportioned, the coalition partners will have sufficient support in parliament to govern.

Both parties were part of a coalition which dramatically forced Mr Khan from office in 2022. In January 2024, he was jailed for 10 years after being charged with leaking state secrets, which he denies.

The PTI is challenging the outcome in the courts and its supporters have staged protests across the country.

Last week, Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman of the Jamaat-e-Islami party gave up his Karachi seat after alleging local election officials medalled in the process to prevent his PTI opponent from winning.

Social media has been disrupted across the country in recent days amid protests. Internet access monitoring group NetBlocks said access to X - formerly Twitter - continued to be restricted for many on Tuesday.

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Medical services at the five biggest general hospitals in Seoul suffered partial disruptions Tuesday after interns and resident doctors did not show up for work following collective resignations protesting the planned increase in the medical school admission quota.

More than 6,400 trainee doctors nationwide, including interns and residents, have submitted their resignations en masse so far in protest of the government's plan to raise the medical school admission quota by 2,000 seats next year.

Of them, about 1,600 did not show up for work Tuesday, raising concerns the situation could develop into a nationwide healthcare crisis unless a breakthrough is found at an early date, as hospital operations rely heavily on trainee doctors.

The main lobby of Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH), usually one of the busiest general hospitals in Seoul, remained quiet Tuesday as many hospitals postponed or rescheduled surgeries and other operations in anticipation of the walkout.

Those visiting hospitals for urgent medical attention had to wait in long lines.

A 74-year-old private caregiver, surnamed Jeon, said she had difficulties finding a job at SNUH due to the doctors' collective action.

"I heard that patients who do not urgently need surgeries or treatment have cancelled or put off their appointments at the news," Jeon said. "Normally I could find one job after another very quickly ... I am worried that the number of patients will grow ever fewer."

St. Mary's Hospital and Severance Hospital in southern and western Seoul, respectively, also saw operations slow down at the departure of some trainee doctors.

The ophthalmic department at Severance, in particular, suspended its first-stage diagnosis service for patients referred from neighborhood clinics as resident doctors in charge left en masse.

In St. Mary's, a patient's family member, surnamed Byon, vented frustration at long waiting lines for patients.

"My husband's younger sibling urgently came to Seoul after receiving a cancer diagnosis in Pohang and has been endlessly waiting in line since 3 p.m. yesterday," she said, complaining about the slow pace of medical services.

At Asan Medical Center in eastern Seoul, a lung cancer patient was told to move to another general hospital in the aftermath of the strike.

"We were told to come back next month after being hospitalized at another general hospital because normal medical services were unavailable due to the strike," the patient's family member told Yonhap News Agency while checking the patient out of the hospital.

No critical medical service disturbance has been complained of, but many patients questioned the legitimacy of the trainee doctors' collective action.

"Doctors may have their own valid reasons, but from the perspective of a patient, I am convinced about the need to expand the medical school quota. I don't know the reasons why doctors oppose it," said a patient who has been hospitalized at SNUH for a month for rehabilitation treatment. (Yonhap)
By Ibraheem Abu Mustafa

RAFAH, Gaza Strip (Reuters) - Gunfire echoed around Palestinian medics, patients and displaced people during what they described as a terrifying and chaotic night evacuation from Gaza's Nasser Hospital after it was stormed by Israeli forces.

Survivors of last week's assault on the second-biggest hospital in Gaza said they then faced a treacherous walk to safety through the dark, passing corpses along the way.

One doctor said a male nurse was detained at an Israeli checkpoint, stripped naked and taken away screaming.

"Smoke was everywhere, it was like doomsday, people running everywhere," said Doctor Ahmed al-Mughraby, head of the plastic surgery department, who fled with his wife and children.

Mughraby, who has found refuge with his family in a shelter near another hospital where he now works, said Israeli forces had ordered everyone to evacuate except patients unable to walk and medics looking after them.

Details of the military assault on Nasser Hospital have been gradually emerging as the people who fled or were evacuated reach Rafah, the last relatively safe place in the Gaza Strip about six miles (10 km) away on the border with Egypt.

Israel described the assault as a precision operation conducted by special forces aimed at recovering the bodies of Israeli hostages. It said there had been no obligation on patients and staff to leave, and efforts were made to ensure the hospital could keep functioning.

But the raid has prompted alarm among aid agencies, and the World Health Organization said the amount of damage was "indescribable".

The WHO, the U.N. health agency, has carried out two evacuations from Nasser Hospital since Thursday but said on Tuesday it was concerned about nearly 150 patients and medics remaining there as fighting continues.

After besieging the hospital, Israeli forces entered it last Thursday and said they had detained hundreds of militants hiding there, with some posing as hospital staff.

Hamas has denied using the hospital, and calls Israel's allegations "lies". The Health Ministry in Gaza has said Israel has detained 70 staff and volunteers working at the facility.

The WHO said the hospital stopped functioning last week after the Israeli siege and raid, and no longer had electricity or running water, with medical waste and garbage creating a breeding ground for disease.

DRONE FIRE, 'AGGRESSIVE DOGS'

Nasser Hospital was the biggest hospital still operating in Gaza more than four months into the war that began when fighters from the Palestinian militant group Hamas raided Israeli towns on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and taking 253 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

Israel's military campaign in Gaza has since killed more than 29,000 Palestinians, health authorities in the Hamas-run enclave say.

Hakeem Salem Hussein Baraka said the Nasser Hospital orthopaedic department where he had been working as a volunteer had been destroyed, and that he saw a patient cut in two by an explosion.

Baraka said a "quadcopter" drone had fired at medical staff taking a break between shifts and "aggressive" dogs with cameras placed round their necks by Israel's military had been roaming the hospital.

The Israeli military said its forces had fought "complex battles" before entering the hospital compound and came under rocket fire from fighters barricaded inside the hospital. It said troops found large quantities of weapons and vehicles linked to the Oct. 7 attack.

"We gave people an opportunity to evacuate before we entered the hospital," Colonel Moshe Tetro told a news briefing. Asked whether there was any gunfire or combat within the hospital, he said: "No".

As Palestinians left the hospital before dawn, some had to wade through sewage, said Rasmeya Saleem Abu Jamoos, a dialysis patient who fled with her blind husband, Abu Jamoos.

He was among people detained at a military checkpoint after leaving the hospital, she said.

The doctor, Mughraby, said his ward had been hit by Israeli fire and that he believed three patients had been killed in the strike. Reuters was unable to verify this.

He said he and his family had left the hospital with three patients and some staff members but one, a department nurse, was stopped.

"They made him take off all his clothes so he was naked and they took him to detention. I could hear his screams," he said.

Mughraby said those who made it through the checkpoint then had a long walk across a battlefield to reach help. Some were sick or injured.

Baraa Ahmed Abu Mustafa, who was on mismatching crutches, said shots were fired over their heads as they went and there were dead bodies near the hospital entrance.

"I'm injured and for one hour I walked," he said. "It was dangerous and the road was bad."

(This story has been corrected to remove reference to Rafah in paragraph 5)

(Writing by Angus McDowall, Editing by Timothy Heritage)
South Floridas three major airports  Palm Beach (PBI), Fort Lauderdale (FLL) and Miami (MIA)  have been awarded a combined $84 million from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to improve their facilities.

The funds come from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to improve and expand airports around the country. More than 100 airports will receive grants totaling nearly $1 billion. Ten Florida airports will receive $113 million with 75%

Fort Lauderdale's award of $50 million was the largest allocation made by the FAA. The funds will be used to help pay for enclosed post-security walkways between Terminals 1 and 2 and Terminals 2 and 3.

Planes lineup for takeoff at Fort Lauderdale International Airport. The facility was recently awarded a $50 million FAA grant to upgrade terminals.

Mark Gale, Director of Aviation for FLL, called the terminal connectors game changers, noting that travelers will be able to move freely throughout secured areas without exiting and re-entering a security checkpoint.

Under this administration, we are doing more to improve the travel experience than ever before, from expanding consumer protections to modernizing the physical infrastructure, said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. He said the money will make it easier for passengers to get to and through airports, create jobs, and increase safety for all.

The total cost of the connectors project at FLL is expected to be $260 million. The work is slated to be done by 2028.

What will PBI do with the $7 million it will receive?

PBI is receiving $7 million to help pay for improvements to Concourse B. They include new terrazzo flooring and carpeting, new restaurants, electrochromic glass to reduce heat and glare in key locations and additional passenger-boarding bridges.

MIA is receiving $27 million for two projects  the rehabilitation of its broken Skytrain people mover and a portion of the design phase to modernize the airports central terminal.

More: PBI offering nonstop flights to Augusta, Ga. for Masters weekend; airport smashes passenger record

The improvements at the three airports come at a time when they are all reporting record traffic. The most recent awards are on top of the nearly $2 billion for airport terminals announced over the past two years by the FAA. The vast majority of the terminal projects are under construction.

Miami's airport reported that it serviced 52.3 million passengers in 2023, an all-time record that broke the previous one set in 2019. More than 7.8 million passengers flew out of PBI in 2023, eclipsing the previous record of 6.9 million passengers set in 2019 by 13%.

And FLL also reported strong numbers for 2023; preliminary data shows that nearly 35 million travelers flew out of the Broward County-based airport, up 10% from 2022 but about 5% less than the 2019 record number.

Other state airports receiving FAA grants include:

Southwest Florida International Airport: $8 million to reconfigure and expand terminal access.

Orlando Sanford Airport: $1 million to improve its west terminal corridor.

Punta Gorda Airport: $10 million for a terminal rehabilitation.

St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport: $6 million for a terminal renovation and increasing baggage capacity.

Space Coast Regional Airport in Titusville: $2 million for a new control tower.

Venice Municipal Airport: $950,000 to help pay for new terminal building.

Williston Municipal Airport: $500,000 to help fund a new terminal building.

Mike Diamond is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. He covers Palm Beach County government and transportation. You can reach him at mdiamond@pbpost.com. Help support local journalism. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: South Florida's airports awarded $84 million in federal grant money
Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) went after former President Trump on Monday for his response to the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, calling Trumps comments beneath the dignity of a human being.

Navalny died Friday in a Russian penal colony, the countrys government announced, in what has been widely denounced as a likely political assassination. Trump first addressed the death Monday after being called out by Democrats for ignoring the issue.

Trump compared Navalnys death to his own legal circumstances and did not blame it on Russian President Vladimir Putin, as President Biden and U.S. allies have.

You wonder, what does Putin have on Donald Trump that he always has to be beholden to him, his buddy in vileness? Pelosi said in an interview Monday on MSNBCs Inside with Jen Psaki.

She said Trumps statement was beneath the dignity of a human being.

It is so horrible you think, No, somebody must have made this up. Not even Donald Trump could go this far, she said. This statement should disqualify him from running for anything, much less president of the United States.

Biden first commented on Navalnys death after the news broke Friday, quickly pinning it on Putin and using the opportunity to call for military aid for Ukraine.

Make no mistake: Putin is responsible for Navalnys death. Putin is responsible, Biden said. What has happened to Navalny is yet more proof of Putins brutality. No one should be fooled.

We have to provide the funding so Ukraine can keep defending itself against Putins vicious onslaughts and war crimes, he continued, adding he is contemplating whether further sanctions on Russia are possible.

Ukraine aid is stuck in the House, after a bipartisan coalition of senators passed a foreign spending bill earlier this month. House Republican leaders said there is no chance the lower chamber passes Ukraine aid without action on the U.S. southern border, after Republicans killed a bipartisan border security bill.

History is watching the House of Representatives, Biden said Friday. The failure to support Ukraine at this critical moment will never be forgotten.

Pelosi also went after the House GOP leadership for delaying Ukraine aid, calling it a disgrace that the U.S. is yet to fund additional support against Russian invasion.

We will get this done in the House, she said. Its a disgrace that we havent done it yet. People will die every day that we are not supplying the weapons with the distance, with the speed, with the strength that is needed to defeat the Russians.

And people there know that if anything were to happen in Ukraine  which we must make sure it doesnt in terms of Russia winning  that other countries are next, she added.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Pennsylvania prosecutors have accused an elected Democrat judge of shooting her sleeping ex-boyfriend in the face after he dumped her and asked her to move out of his apartment.

Embattled Judge Sonya McKnight has been charged with attempted murder and aggravated assault after police allegedly found gunshot residue on the 57-year-old's hands.

"The bullet entered the right side of the victims face, traversed through his head in a straight line behind and slightly below his eyes and exited the left side of his face," Cumberland County District Attorney Sean McCormack's office said in a statement. "The victim survived the gunshot wound but is blind in one eye as a result."

PA JUDICIAL CONDUCT BOARD SAYS PHILLY JUDGE RULED ON CASES EARLY SO SHE COULD GO ON TRIP TO FLORIDA

Judge Sonya McKnight after her arrest for allegedly shooting ex-boyfriend Michael McCoy in the face while he slept.

The victim, 54-year-old Michael McCoy, had broken up with the judge and repeatedly asked her to move out of his home, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by The Associated Press. But on Feb. 9, he came home from a restaurant and found her on his couch in her pajamas.

He told her he wanted her out again, then went to bed. Next thing he knew, according to the affidavit, he woke up blinded and with "massive head pain" while McKnight allegedly asked him, "Mike, what did you do to yourself?"

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

McKnight allegedly called 911 around 1 a.m. and "could not explain what happened and stated that she was sleeping and heard him screaming." The victim reportedly told police and hospital workers that he didn't shoot himself.

NEW YORK MURDERER SET FREE FROM 22 YEARS TO LIFE SENTENCE ON TECHNICALITY

McKnight's attorney Cory Leshner said in a statement Monday that his client did not fire the gun and expected to be cleared of wrongdoing.

"The investigation is probably going to show that it would have been impossible for him to shoot himself in the eye at that particular angle," said David Gelman, a New Jersey-based defense attorney and former prosecutor who has no connection to the case. "How are you going to prove it when you have the gunshot residue on your hands?"

MANHUNT LAUNCHED AFTER MURDER SUSPECT WHO WROTE HE'S NOT SORRY ESCAPES PENNSYLVANIA JAIL

Doorbell videos from neighboring homes also contradicted part of her story, according to authorities.

The shooting could also bring renewed scrutiny to a 2019 incident in which she reportedly shot her estranged husband on self-defense grounds after she invited him over to help move furniture, he said. Despite her role in the legal realm, her ex-husband had a criminal record that included two armed robbery convictions.

McKnight temporarily went on voluntary paid leave in May 2019 but was cleared of wrongdoing by the Pennsylvania attorney general's office  helmed at the time by Josh Shapiro, who is now governor, PennLive reported. The victim in that shooting also survived.

"I don't know if they're gonna reopen it, but this will definitely play into the equation," Gelman said. "That's for sure."

McKnight, who was elected in 2015 after defeating the incumbent in a Democratic primary, has been suspended on suspicion of unrelated ethics violations and allegations of corruption since November.

In a flyer for her 2021 re-election campaign, slogans included "advocate for second changes" and claimed she "fights for justice and fairness."

She avoided conviction for allegedly intervening in a traffic stop involving her son and allegedly gave staffers excess vacation time and ignored a civil claim against herself for $2,100.

"When you're a judge, you really have to be above everything, and you really have to, like it or not, do everything above board," Gelman said. "It has to look and smell above board, and she hasn't done that."

Although the incident happened in Dauphin County, Cumberland County prosecutors are handling the case to avoid any potential conflicts of interest.

McKnight was being held on $300,000 bail.

"I don't foresee her taking the bench anymore," Gelman added.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.





Original article source: Pennsylvania judge charged with shooting sleeping ex-boyfriend and asking 'what did you do?'
The Jefferson County coroner has confirmed that a 34-year-old Colorado man died this month, days after being bitten by one of his two pet Gila monsters.

/ Credit: CBS

"I think this case highlights that any venomous animals should be respected," said Dr. Nick Brandehoff, a medical toxicologist and expert in reptile bites with the Asclepius Snakebite Foundation, who was consulted on the Lakewood Gila monster case.

Gila monsters are venomous reptiles found in the southwestern United States. While their bites can be painful, they are normally not fatal to humans. Experts say that the last report of a human dying from a Gila monster bite was in 1930.

A file photo of a gila monster / Credit: Mark Newman/Getty Images

"The vast majority of bites cause local swelling and bleeding," said Brandehoff, who said the bites can cause intense localized pain and can cause victims to pass out. But deaths are exceedingly rare.

"The last case I have been able to find," said Brandehoff, "was 1930 and that was not even a medical journal case."

According to several experts involved in the Lakewood case, the man -- who has not been identified -- owned two pet Gila monsters and was bitten by one of them on Feb. 12. It was a juvenile and about 12 inches long. The owner was hospitalized and died the Friday leading into the Presidents Day holiday weekend -- four days after the animal bit him.

The Jefferson County Coroner's Office confirmed the death, saying an autopsy was performed on the bite victim but the precise cause of death won't be known until additional toxicology testing is completed.

Eric Harper, a criminal investigator with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, said CPW was asked to remove the Gila monsters from the home after the bite. He told CBS News Colorado it is illegal to own Gila monsters in Colorado without a license. Harper said the victim also owned tarantulas which are not illegal to own.

Harper said the Lakewood incident may be an anomaly, but it shows "venomous reptiles are hazardous and should only be handled or possessed by people with the proper training."

Harper and Brandehoff both said the reptile that bit its owner will be transported this week to a lab in Greeley at the University of Northern Colorado, where its venom will be extracted and studied to bring a greater understanding as to why its bite led to its owner's death.

Brandehoff said experts will "look at the venom components and see if there is some reason this might occur." He said while it's early in the investigation, he suspects the victim may have suffered some kind of allergic reaction to the Gila monster's venom.

The Lakewood Police Department says the two Gila monsters were removed from the victim's home and taken to a wildlife rehab center in another state.

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ST. LOUIS  A Pevely, Missouri, man appeared in federal court on Tuesday and admitted to recording his sexual abuse of a young girl.

Prosecutors with the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Missouri said Matthew Gamel, 36, told the court that on at least four occasions he recorded the abuse. The victim was under the age of 14 at the time of each recording.

Affton High School closed after student dies on campus

Gamel also admitted keeping the video files of his abuse as well as possessing more than 1,700 media files containing child sexual abuse that he found online.

Gamel pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of receipt of child pornography.

Gamel will be back in court on May 22 to be sentenced. As part of a plea agreement with federal prosecutors, he faces 25 years in prison.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
More than 6,400 trainee doctors have submitted their resignations in protest of the government's plan to boost the number of medical students, officials said Tuesday, as worries mount that their collective action could put public health at risk.

Second Vice Health Minister Park Min-soo told reporters that the ministry ordered 757 trainee doctors to return to work, with tensions between doctors and the government spiking over the plan to add 2,000 to the country's medical school enrollment quota next year.

As of Monday, 6,415 trainee doctors at 100 hospitals submitted their resignations, with about 1,600 of them walking off the job, Park said.

There are around 13,000 trainee doctors in Korea.

With trainee doctors stopping work at some hospitals, some patients have already experienced delays in surgeries and other treatments. Still, no major disruption in medical services has yet occurred.

To cope with a potential disruption of medical services, the government will extend operating hours at 97 public hospitals and emergency rooms at 12 military hospitals will be opened to the public, Park said.

"We are deeply disappointed and concerned that the collective action by trainee doctors has led to a disruption in medical services, such as the cancellation of surgeries," Park said.

"We cannot give justification to the actions of the doctors leaving their patients behind to protest a policy despite knowing what the collective action could result in," Park added.

"The government will put in utmost efforts to operate an emergency medical system to minimize possible damage to the patients."

The government says the increase in the admission quota is needed to address a shortage of doctors, particularly in rural areas and essential medical fields, such as high-risk surgeries, pediatrics, obstetrics and emergency medicine.

The number of doctors in Korea relative to the size of the population is among the lowest in the developed world, according to health authorities.

But doctors have claimed that the government has not had full consultations on the matter and that the move will compromise the quality of medical education and services.

On Monday, the government took steps to suspend the medical licenses of two officials of the Korea Medical Association, which represents doctors.

If the two officials turn out to be urging doctors to join the collective action, their licenses will be cancelled, according to government officials.

Concerns about a vacuum in medical services have already become a reality for some, as trainee doctors at Severance Hospital declared the suspension of their service on the day, prompting the hospital to go into emergency mode and adjust the schedules of surgeries and procedures for patients.

At some major hospitals in Seoul, some patients whose surgeries are not urgent were forced to be discharged or transferred to other hospitals.

A caregiver of a cancer patient at Asan Medical Center told Yonhap News Agency, "Due to the strike, he was notified that he would be admitted to another general hospital nearby and to be admitted again next month (to Asan Medical Center)." (Yonhap)
PINELLAS PARK, Fla. (WFLA)  Police documents revealed new details about a double murder investigation in Pinellas Park.

Austin Skonecki, 30, was accused of shooting two men  John Luke, Jr. and Brian Mikell  on Feb. 10. A search warrant executed on Feb. 14 gives insight to the Pinellas Park Police Departments (PPPD) investigation.

Extremely frantic: Brian Laundries phone calls after Gabby Petitos murder revealed

Detectives interviewed Mikells teenage daughter, who said she was in the garage with Skonecki and Luke as they argued with each other. According to the criminal complaint, Luke walked out of the garage and Skonecki followed, drawing a handgun before stepping outside.

Mikells daughter reported hearing a series of gunshots and hid her face in terror, PPPD said. She heard someone return to the garage and pace around before exiting, according to the report, after which she heard four or five more shots.

Security cameras from a nearby home partially captured the shooting. According to PPPD, a man is heard yelling, Johnny, lets go, about a minute before a single shot rings out.

Austin Skonecki, 30. (Pinellas County Sheriffs Office)

When reviewing the footage, detectives reported seeing a man enter the backyard, where the side entrance to the garage is located. The security cameras captured audio of the gate opening followed by eight shots, the arrest report stated. The man, who investigators did not identify, ran to a sedan parked outside and sped off.

Mikell suffered several gunshot wounds and died at the hospital. Luke was killed by a single shot to the head.

Skoneckis brother told investigators Skonecki showed up at his home at around midnight and admitted to killing the men, PPPD said. Skonecki told him he had blown Lukes head off and that he deserves it, according to the complaint. Skoneckis step-mother also told police that he claimed to have shot Luke.

Police arrest 3x Super Bowl champion in Florida

Skonecki turned himself in to the Pinellas Park Police Department later that day, accompanied by family members. His car was seized by police as evidence after a handgun was spotted inside, according to PPPD.

On Feb. 14, police searched Skoneckis home and seized his cellphone, three guns, two magazines, a holster and two projectiles. He was held without bond Tuesday at the Pinellas County Jail.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
The prime minister announced a package of measures on Tuesday to help farmers - but many say more is needed to support an industry "in crisis".

Rishi Sunak used a speech at Tuesday's National Farmers Union annual conference to outline government plans to boost the UK's food security.

The NFU broadly welcomed the plans but said they included no actual new money.

Farming protest groups say more needs to be done to protect UK farmers from competition posed by cheaper imports.

Mr Sunak made a bid to win farmers' trust, telling them that he believed food security "was a vital part of our national security".

"As farming changes, how we work with you in government must change too," he said.

Farmers have been protesting in Dover over cheap imports

The conference, in Birmingham, comes as farmers are struggling with rising costs, low supermarket prices and a new post-Brexit farm payments scheme that many say has focused on environmental policy over food productivity.

Josie Lewis, 25, has taken on the family dairy farm of about 200 cows in Calne, Wilts.

"I have never done anything other than farming," she told BBC News.

"I love my job. It's hard but so rewarding."

But "having enough money to pay the bills at the end of the month is a problem," Mrs Lewis said.

She added that she believed farmers had to go through too much bureaucracy to access government grants, while being undercut by cheaper food imports from countries with lower welfare standards than the UK.

Save British Farming co-founder Liz Webster says supermarkets have too much power

"British farming is in a crisis," Mrs Lewis said.

"At the end of the day, who is going to be feeding great Britain as a country? We can't keep relying on imported goods.

"We need the government to listen to us and give us a bit more backing with funding and schemes so we can move forward and continue making a good product for members of the public."

Food security

Mr Sunak said 220m will be put into new food-productivity schemes, farm technology and automation to "reduce reliance on overseas workers" during the next financial year.

He also announced plans to cut bureaucracy around permitted development rights, so farmers can more easily diversify and develop new businesses, such as farm shops, commercial space and sporting venues.

And, while regulations are due to be laid in Parliament to ensure reasonable contracts for the dairy sector, similar rules for the pig and egg sector will follow.

Mr Sunak also announced the Farm to Fork food-security summit held last year will become an annual event.

He told delegates: 'We'll never take our food security for granted. We've got a plan to support British farming."

'Price war'

Ahead of the conference, many farming campaign groups had said the government needed to do more and that protests, like those in Dover over the weekend, may follow.

Martin Fox, one of the founders of Proud to Farm, said the government had already "lost the trust of the farming sector" and farmers felt "the NFU isn't listening to their concerns".

Save British Farming co-founder Liz Webster, a mixed arable and beef farmer, said: "Successive governments have given too much control to the supermarkets, who've been in a price war with each other, and it's just been a drive to make everything cheap - as cheap as possible.

"But we are tied to high standards as well, so it means that we are farming as a charity in many ways."

Get Fair about Farming founder Guy Singh-Watson said a long-term plan was needed to develop more routes to market for farmers, which "would not only allow British family farmers to make a fair return on their produce but also allow them to invest in decent jobs for rural communities, protecting our climate and nature and strengthening our supply of high-quality, homegrown food for generations to come".

NFU president Minette Batters told BBC Breakfast that although the funding pledged by the government is "old money", she welcomed a "definite step-change" by the prime minister in what she described as "effectively a new business plan for agriculture".

She said: "What we want to see is a solid plan for food production so these [farming] businesses know the road that they are on."

Ms Batters' speech to annual conference also highlighted mental health problems in the farming sector.

"We know how hard farming is sometimes. We know the toll it can take. We know that mental health for many in farming is being pushed to breaking point," she said.

"All of these challenges add to the instability and volatility that farmers and growers are facing, when what they really need is certainty."

'Crippling producers'

Meanwhile, Labour's shadow environment, food and rural affairs secretary, Steve Reed, said the government had "undermined" British farming.

"They put up trade barriers that blocked food exports and let energy bills soar out of control, crippling producers and putting thousands out of business," he said.

In her opening address at the conference, NFU president Minette Batters said all political parties needed to give food security the same strategic priority as energy security.

Of the prime minister's announcement, she told BBC News: "It's not new money. It's the existing budget that they committed to at the last election - but there is substantial investment there, in capital grants, technology and in innovation so, yes, it will help.

"And setting a target for food production and annual reporting at least... means we are starting to take food security seriously."
Since NC State University announced the presence of toxic chemicals in Poe Hall late last year, the situation has prompted questions and concerns from faculty, staff and students who worked and studied in the academic building.

Test results conducted in the fall showed the presence of PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyls  toxic, man-made chemicals that were banned from being produced in the United States in 1979. Commonly used in commercial building materials, the chemicals are still present in some buildings constructed prior to the federal ban on their production.

Poe Hall, which houses the College of Education and the psychology department, was built in 1971.

The chemicals, depending on the quantity present and the length of exposure, can affect the immune, nervous and reproductive systems, among other health effects. They are also linked to cancer and considered to be probable human carcinogens, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Faculty and staff concerns have been further spurred by what they feel is a lack of information  including potential health impacts they could experience  provided to them by the university. NC State Chancellor Randy Woodson has acknowledged the concerns and committed in February to sharing information more often.

As the university continues to deal with the issue, heres a timeline of key events related to the building and the universitys handling of it so far.

Timeline of events related to NC States Poe Hall

 August 2023: The university initiated environmental testing and assessments in the building in response to a concern raised in August about indoor air quality resulting from an ongoing renovation project, a message from Provost Warwick Arden and Vice Chancellor Charles Maimone on the universitys website dedicated to the Poe Hall closure states. It is unclear who raised the question or exactly when in August the question was raised.

 Sept. 25, 2023: The North Carolina Department of Labor informed NC State that the state Occupational Safety and Health Division received a complaint concerning alleged health and/or safety hazards at Poe Hall.

The complaint form attached to NCDOLs letter to NC State stated that Poe Hall employees have not been informed of the presence, location and quantity of asbestos-containing materials, despite ongoing renovations and asbestos abatement being conducted, and that there are concerns that employees may be exposed to lead-based paint and possibly PCBs, based on the age of the building, and ongoing renovations being conducted.

It is unclear who submitted the complaint and exactly when they did so. NCDOL spokesperson Erin Wilson told The News & Observer that the complainant filled out an online complaint through the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration website and the federal agency forwarded it to NCDOL.

We have not determined whether the hazards, as alleged, exist at your workplace; and we are not conducting an investigation, at this time, NCDOL told NC State in the letter. However, since allegations of violations have been made, you should investigate the alleged conditions and make any necessary corrections or modifications.

 Oct. 5, 2023: NC State contacted the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services regarding concerns about breast cancer cases in people who spent time in Poe Hall, NCDHHS spokesperson Kandice Scarberry told The N&O.

Upon the university making contact with NCDHHS, Scarberry said, the health agency offered to conduct a walkthrough environmental assessment of Poe Hall.

However, NC State contracted with an independent consultant to perform this assessment and take samples, which is an acceptable approach, Scarberry said.

Poe Hall at N.C. State University in Raleigh, N.C., photographed Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024.

 Oct. 11, 2023: Samples of building materials were first collected for testing from a room inside Poe Hall. The initial samples were first tested for asbestos and other toxic materials, including mercury and lead, according to test results. All of those results were within acceptable limits, according to NC State.

It is unclear when the university received the asbestos test results, but the results indicate the lab analyzed the samples on Oct. 17. The lab provided a copy of the results for the rest of the toxic materials to NC State on Oct. 23.

No test results were made public until mid-December, when the university provided them to several media outlets through public records requests.

 Oct. 12, 2023: NC State and NCDHHS held an initial conversation about Poe Hall, in which NCDHHS staff suggested it would be helpful to gather basic information about the cancer cases [that] were being reported, so we could better understand the concern, Scarberry said.

 Oct. 16, 2023: NC State and NCDHHS held a follow-up conversation, in which the health agency suggested the university work with [the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)] for the investigation since they have specialized expertise in cancer concerns in occupational settings, Scarberry said.

 Oct 18, 2023: The company tasked with analyzing samples of surface materials collected from Poe Hall began to receive additional samples, this time to be tested for PCBs. The company, EMSL Analytical of Morrisville, received additional samples on Oct. 31 and Nov. 10, according to test results. The company reported the results on Nov. 3 and 13, respectively.

Results for some building materials showed the presence of Aroclor 1262, a specific PCB mixture produced by Monsanto, at levels several times higher than the threshold  50 parts per million (ppm)  at which federal regulations require PCB materials to be removed from buildings. For example, duct insulation in room 520E was found to have Aroclor 1262 in it at a level of 940 ppm, almost 19 times higher than the threshold for removal.

 Nov. 10, 2023: Another lab, TEKLAB, received additional surface material samples for analysis. The company reported the results to NC State on Nov. 16.

The north atrium of Poe Hall at N.C. State University in Raleigh, N.C., photographed Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024.

 Nov. 13, 2023: An additional lab, SGS Galson, received samples of the air in Poe Hall. The company reported the results to NC State on Nov. 14. The results did not appear to indicate concentrations higher than the EPAs recommended limits for exposure to the chemicals in school buildings.

 Nov. 16, 2023: Arden and Maimone announced to faculty and students who worked and learned in the building that access to Poe Hall would be limited beginning at 5 p.m. the following day and classes held in the building would be moved online or to other campus buildings.

 Nov. 21, 2023: Chancellor Randy Woodson informed the campus community about the closure of Poe Hall.

 Nov. 29, 2023: Arden and Maimone announced the building would remain closed for the start of the spring semester.

 Dec. 7, 2023: Woodson informed the campus community that the university that week had contracted with Geosyntec Consultants, a private environmental consulting group, to create a plan for and executing more comprehensive testing of the building, which will help us better understand any issues present in Poe Hall.

At the time, Woodson anticipated the testing would begin in December and continue into early January.

Woodson told The N&O in February that the university felt a need to contract with Geosyntec to collect information about the buildings environment because there is not a federal agency that does so. The university had the EPAs approval in selecting a vendor to complete those tests, he said.

 Jan. 18, 2024: Lawyers for NC State met with NIOSH staff, according to a February letter the lawyers sent to NIOSH. During the meeting, the university explained that it had retained Geosyntec to conduct an environmental investigation in consultation with the EPA.

It is unclear when NIOSH opened a Health Hazard Evaluation (HHE) at Poe Hall, but at some point after the meeting, the agency closed the initial evaluation. HHEs, conducted by NIOSH, are no-cost evaluations of a workplace to determine whether workers are exposed to hazardous materials and whether these exposures are responsible for health risks, illness or injury, or harmful conditions.

NC State asked to pause the HHE while Geosyntec conducted its own sampling and testing, according to CDC spokesperson Lisa George.

In response, NIOSH informed NC State that it preferred to close HHEs rather than pausing them, a February letter to NIOSH from NC state attorneys stated. NC State responded to NIOSH that it would be comfortable working with whatever direction NIOSH wanted to pursue. NIOSH decided to close the evaluation with the option to reopen after more data was collected.

It is unclear exactly when NIOSH closed the initial HHE.

 Feb. 5, 2024: WRAL reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the parent agency of NIOSH, told the media outlet that NC States general counsel withdrew the HHE request in January 2024.

 Feb. 6, 2024: Lawyers for NC State contacted NIOSH asking the agency in a letter to retract statements that the university had asked NIOSH to close the active HHE at Poe Hall, saying that the university did not withdraw the request for the HHE or ask that any HHE be closed.

 Feb. 8, 2024: Arden and Maimone shared the initial test results from Geosyntec.

According to the report, Arden and Maimone said, concentrations of PCBs, including Aroclor 1262, in the buildings air were below the established exposure levels for evaluating PCBs in school indoor air environments like Poe Hall. Two-thirds of surface samples showed undetectable levels of PCBs, while the remaining one-third with detectable levels were generally  in all but one case  well below the EPA threshold.

The tests were completed with the ventilation systems in Poe Hall turned off. The university leaders said Geosyntec would conduct additional testing with the ventilation systems turned on.

The university also asked Geosyntec to conduct a more detailed analysis of potential human health effects associated with exposure, Arden and Maimone said.

Poe Hall at N.C. State University in Raleigh, N.C., photographed Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024.

 Feb. 9, 2024: Faculty in the College of Education passed separate votes of no confidence in Woodson and Arden over their handling of the Poe Hall issue after a private, emergency meeting the same day.

College professor Stephen Porter called for the votes earlier that week, citing 10 grievances with how the university had handled the situation. The results were released Feb. 12.

The vote against the chancellor was the first of its kind in the universitys history. A third vote on whether to express no confidence in College of Education Dean Paola Sztajn failed to pass.

In response to the votes, Woodson committed to sharing information about the building and testing more regularly.

 Feb. 12, 2024: NC State formally requested NIOSH open a new HHE, according to university spokesperson Mick Kulikowski.

Woodson told The N&O on Feb. 15 that the evaluation was reopened by mutual agreement between NIOSH and the university.

More information about Poe Hall

NC State is maintaining a website dedicated to Poe Hall, including communications about the issue from university leaders, at ncsu.edu/poe-hall-updates.
The resumed blockade of the Ukrainian border by Polish farmers has made the situation unacceptable and extraordinary, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his Feb. 19 evening address.

He noted that only 5% of Ukraine's agricultural exports pass through the Polish border. Polands farmers are ostensibly concerned that cheap Ukrainian grain exports are distorting Polish agricultural markets.

Read also: Polish protesters block trucks with humanitarian aid along with other Ukrainian freight vehicles

The real issue is not the grain, but rather the politics, said Zelenskyy.

While near Kupiansk [Kharkiv Oblast], close to the Russian border, where enemy artillery does not cease [firing], the news from the border with Poland seems like a mockery.

We need joint solutions, rational solutions, to emerge from this situation. These are decisions for us and the Poles to make, and all of those in Europe who care about the fate of Europe.

Read also: Polish farmers resume protests, block key Ukraine border crossings

The State Customs Service of Ukraine reported on Feb. 18 that Polish farmers were not allowing humanitarian cargo to pass through the Dorohusk-Yahodyn checkpoint.

On Feb. 19, Ukrainian Transport Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov held urgent talks with the head of Poland's National Security Bureau Jacek Siewiera following reports of Polish farmers blockading the border.

Polish protesters also announced a total blockade of the Ukrainian border, starting from Feb. 20. Traffic will be stopped at all checkpoints, as well as communication nodes and access to freight railway stations will be blocked.

During the protest, some participants began breaking locks on Ukrainian trucks and dumping grain on the ground. Ukraine's Ambassador to Warsaw Vasyl Zvarych called the actions a "disgraceful and offensive crime," stating that Ukrainian diplomats had reached out to Polish police. Authorities have initiated an investigation. Polish Agriculture Minister Czeslaw Siekierski apologized for the spilled grain.



Read also: Polish grain protests: unclear if other countries are participating  State Customs Service

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The emergency rooms of military hospitals nationwide opened their doors to the public in full scale Tuesday as trainee doctors in the civilian sector walked off the job in protest of the government's plan to increase the number of medical students.

As of Monday, 6,415 trainee doctors had submitted their resignations, with about 1,600 of them walking off the job to protest the plan to add 2,000 to the country's medical school enrollment quota next year, a sharp rise from the current 3,058 seats.

Amid concerns of major disruptions to public health services, the defense ministry has taken measures to give civilians better access to the emergency services of 12 military hospitals across the country by relaxing entry procedures.

While the hospital emergency rooms have been accepting civilians before the doctors' collective action, they have been difficult to access due to security procedures.

A 50-year-old surnamed Im visited the emergency room of the Armed Forces Capital Hospital in Seongnam, just south of Seoul, on Tuesday with her father, who recently suffered a hip joint fracture.

"It's a relief," Im, who lives in Namyangju, 25 kilometers northeast of Seoul, said. "I've called university hospitals since last night, but they've all said they weren't able to (operate)."

The hospitals also told her that their emergency room did not have trainee doctors to care for them, and they would have to wait, she said.

Im said she called the military hospital after learning that it would be open to civilians. Im's father will receive a hip operation at the hospital later this week.

An official at the Armed Forces Medical Command said two civilian patients had visited the hospital as of 1 p.m. Tuesday, compared with 30 in the past two months.

"While it's not particularly a large number, it is meaningful that one of the (patient) guardians said they visited after learning that military hospitals will be open," the official said.

With trainee doctors stopping work at some hospitals, some patients have already experienced delays in surgeries and other treatments. To cope with a potential wider disruption, the government said it will extend operating hours at 97 public hospitals.

The defense ministry is also considering further measures if the situation worsens, such as offering outpatient care from the military hospitals and dispatching medical officers to public hospitals.

The government says the increase in the admission quota is needed to address a shortage of doctors, particularly in rural areas and essential medical fields, such as high-risk surgeries, pediatrics, obstetrics and emergency medicine.

But doctors have claimed that the government has not had full consultations on the matter and that the move will compromise the quality of medical education and services. (Yonhap)
Polish farmers blocked the railway near the Shehyni-Medyka checkpoint and spilled some grain out of a freight train wagon on the morning of 20 February.

Source: Suspilne correspondent, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Suspilne published photos and videos of the spilled grain. The correspondent said the police arrived at the scene in less than half an hour, after which the farmers unblocked the railway line.

Co-organizer of the protests Roman Kodruv explained the protesters actions as driven by "emotions" because farmers were "desperate due to the grain influx from Ukraine."

Polish agency PAP also published photos from the scene.

Spilled Ukrainian grain.

Previously: The previous such incident with spilled grain, which took place at the beginning of the month, involved trucks that were involved in transporting grain further afield through Poland at the Dorohusk checkpoint. The prosecutor's office started an investigation into the protesters actions and the Polish government apologised for the incident.

Background:

On 20 February, farmers started a large protest across Polish territory, including on the border with Ukraine.

On the eve of the protest, Czeslaw Siekierski, Poland's Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, addressed them in an open letter outlining the ministry's priorities and inviting the protesters to negotiations.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine called the latest anti-Ukrainian actions in Poland unacceptable and called on the Polish authorities to prevent illegal actions against Ukrainian cargo and properly respond to rhetoric that harms bilateral relations.

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Polish farmers have been protesting against the influx of cheap Ukrainian grain since 2023

Polish farmers are staging protests against cheap Ukrainian grain flooding the market and EU regulations on pesticide and fertiliser usage.

Tractors flying Polish flags blocked motorways and major junctions in almost 200 locations, organisers said.

Blockades are also taking place at several border crossings with Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the protests demonstrated the "daily erosion of solidarity" with Ukraine.

He said the protests were about politics, not grain, because "only 5% of our agricultural exports pass through the Polish border".

Footage on social media appeared to show grain being spilled onto a train track from a goods wagon at the Medyka crossing.

Ukraine's ambassador to Poland, Vasyl Zvarych, said the spilled grain was Ukrainian and condemned the action.

Writing on X, formerly Twitter, Mr Zvarych said: "The police should react decisively and punish those who break the law. It is also a lack of respect for the work of Ukrainian farmers in conditions of Russian aggression towards themselves and others. Shame and disgrace, gentlemen!"

A Ukrainian deputy prime minister, Oleksandr Kubrakov, called the act a "political provocation aimed at dividing our nations".

Ukrainian lorry drivers said they would retaliate and blockade Polish drivers at three crossings on their side of the border.

There are huge queues of lorries at several border crossings following protests over recent months. Clearing customs at one crossing is now taking more than two weeks.

Polish protest organisers are demanding the introduction of an import ban on Ukrainian agriculture products and the scrapping of restrictions on the use of fertilisers and pesticides under the EU Green Deal.

The EU allowed Ukraine tariff-free access to its markets following Russia's invasion.

Polish dealers bought up the cheap Ukrainian grain, but a lack of port infrastructure meant much of the grain remained in Poland rather than being exported to third countries.

That caused stockpiles of grain in Poland to reach record high levels last year.

In May, the European Commission introduced an import ban on Ukrainian grain to five neighbouring countries, although this did not apply to grain meant for transit. When the ban was lifted in September, Poland unilaterally introduced its own ban on four types of grains, as well as flour and animal feed.

Poland's new pro-EU government is sympathetic to the farmers' demands and is urging Brussels to reach a compromise over imports with Ukraine.

In January, the EU said it would introduce a "safeguard mechanism" that would allow it to reimpose emergency tariffs on Ukraine if an excess of imports threatened to destabilise the market.
Polish protesters blocked the railway near the Medyka-Shehyni border crossing, spilling grain from a freight wagon, public news broadcaster Suspilne reported on Feb. 20.

Polish farmers warned on Feb. 13 that on Feb. 20 they would block all checkpoints on the border with Ukraine, as well as communication hubs and entrances to transshipment railroad stations and seaports.

Polish farmers resumed protests near the Korczowa-Krakowiec checkpoint on Feb. 13. This is the sixth checkpoint on the border blocked by protesters.

Read also: Polish grain protests: unclear if other countries are participating  State Customs Service

They had previously blocked five checkpoints on the border with Ukraine, hundreds of trucks arestanding in queues. The strike may last until March 10.

The Polish farmers also announced a complete blockade of the Ukrainian border. From Feb. 20, traffic will be blocked at all checkpoints, as well as transportation links and entrances to transshipment railway stations and seaports will be blocked.

The protesting farmers who are blocking the largest checkpoints on the border with Ukraine have put forward many demands, among which two main ones are: the complete refusal of duty-free trade with Ukraine and the complete closure of the Ukrainian-Polish border for trucks.

Read also: Kyiv officials renew strong rebuke of Polish border obstructions, appeal to Polish government to act

During the protest, some participants began to tear locks off Ukrainian trucks and spill grain from them. The incident caused a scandal. The Ukrainian Ambassador urged strong response to Polish farmers shameful and offensive grain spillage, saying that Ukrainian diplomats had appealed to the Polish police, who had launched an investigation of the incident on Feb. 12. Polish Agriculture Minister Czeslaw Siekierski issued an apology.

For their part, Ukrainian carriers began to block the border on Feb. 15 in response to the actions of Polish farmers. The Ukrainians blocked the entry of trucks from Poland through the Yahodyn-Dorohusk checkpoint.

Negotiations between Kyiv and Warsaw on regulating the imports of Ukrainian agricultural products are in final stages, Sekerski said during a meeting with Polish farmers who are blockading the Ukrainian border on Feb. 15.

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The banner reads: "Putin, bring order to Ukraine, Brussels and our government officials." Photo: Wyborcza

Ukraine's Interior Minister has commented on a placard that Polish farmers put up on a tractor which called on Russian leader Vladimir Putin to "restore order in Ukraine".

Source: European Pravda, citing Gazeta Wyborcza

Details: The controversial placard read: "Putin, bring order to Ukraine, Brussels and our government officials". A Soviet flag was attached next to it.

When a journalist from Wyborcza drew attention to the outrageous banner, the organisers of the protest did not hide their astonishment. They stressed that the protesters were individually responsible for the content of their placards.

There are unofficial reports that the person who put this banner up is to be charged with spreading propaganda for a totalitarian state system.

Commenting on the situation, Polish Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski confirmed that further action would be taken against the banners creator.

"The police and the prosecutor's office are taking action against its creator. There will be no tolerance for such criminal actions," the Polish Interior Minister posted on Twitter (X).

Reminder: Polish farmers blocked the railway near the Shehyni-Medyka checkpoint and spilled some of the grain from a freight train car on the morning of 20 February.

In response to the Polish actions, Ukrainian hauliers began protesting at the Rava-Ruska-Hrebenne, Krakivets-Korczowa, and Shehyni-Medyka checkpoints.

Oleksandr Kubrakov and Yuliia Svyrydenko, First Deputy Prime Ministers of the Ukrainian government, have called for a swift resolution of the blocking of the border crossing points between Poland and Ukraine, including the obstruction of passenger traffic.

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By Kuba Stezycki

OKOPY, Poland (Reuters) -Protests by Polish farmers sparked anger in neighbouring Ukraine on Tuesday, as Kyiv called on the European Commission to take robust action after demonstrators blockaded the border and opened railway carriages to let grain spill out.

Warsaw has been a staunch supporter of Kyiv in its fight to repel a full-scale Russian invasion launched in 2022, but protests from farmers complaining of unfair competition have strained ties that were already on edge after truckers blocked border crossings around the turn of the year.

Tuesday's protests from farmers marked an escalation from previous demonstrations, with a near-total blockade of all Ukrainian border crossings and disruption at ports and on roads nationwide.

Television footage showed protesters at the Medyka border crossing opening railway carriages to allow grain to pour onto the tracks.

"The scattering of Ukrainian grain on the railroad tracks is another political provocation aimed at dividing our nations," Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said in a post on X.

Ukrainian Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said Kyiv has informed the European Commission of the actions of Polish protesters at the Ukrainian border and expected a robust response. Agriculture Minister Mykola Solskyi said the grain was headed to Germany and would not have entered the Polish market.

Polish President Andrzej Duda told Ukrainian Radio and the Suspilne broadcaster that the Polish government is negotiating with the farmers and trade unions and that he hopes the issue will be resolved through talks.

"We are trying to solve this problem," Duda said, according to a transcript published on Tuesday on his presidential website.

"This is a certain conflict of interests between farmers and producers of agricultural products in Ukraine - farmers who fear for their existence."

Farmers across Europe have been demonstrating over a range of grievances, including constraints placed on them by European Union measures to tackle climate change, and what they say is unfair competition from abroad, particularly Ukraine, after an EU decision in 2022 to waive duties on Ukrainian food imports.

Protesters' tractors carried banners that read: "With grain flowing from Ukraine, Polish farmers will go bankrupt".

An organiser of the protest at Doruhusk crossing, Marcin Wielgosz, said buses would be allowed to cross once an hour on Tuesday, but no truck would pass from 0800 to 1800 local time.

"In my opinion, the border should be closed. Procedures and systems should be clarified and then maybe it could reopen but not with the rules that we have now. Because right now you can bring whatever you want, however much you want ... into Poland," he told Reuters.

COUNTER PROTEST

Kyiv says its agricultural exports through eastern Europe have not damaged EU markets.

Exasperated by the Polish protests, Ukrainian hauliers began their own round-the-clock counter-demonstration at three crossings. Their protest is planned to last till March 15.

Images circulated by media outlets showed Ukrainian trucks at the border bearing banners with slogans such as "Ukraine loses - Poland loses" and "The blockade of Ukraine is a betrayal of European values".

Poland's new pro-European government has supported the farmers' demands, trying to balance this with its strongly pro-Ukrainian stance.

Deputy Agriculture Minister Michal Kolodziejczak told private broadcaster Polsat News that talks with Ukraine on limiting imports would continue on Wednesday.

"Today the ball is in Ukraine's court," he said. "Either they want to come to an agreement with us, or we will have to introduce further restrictions."

Ukraine says the blockades are affecting its defence capability and helping Russia's aims.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Monday the situation at the border demonstrated "the erosion of solidarity on a daily basis".

(Reporting by Anna Wlodarczak-Semczuk, Alan Charlish, Pawel Florkiewicz in Warsaw, Yuliia Dysa in Gdansk, Pavel Polityuk in Kyiv; Additional reporting by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise and Christopher Cushing)
Polish farmers demonstrating at the Ukrainian border said they planned to extend the border blockade until April and threatened to potentially "intensify" the protest by blocking the passage of buses, Polish media reported on Feb. 20, citing Roman Kondrow, the leader of an organization of Polish farmers involved in the protest.

Protests at the Polish-Ukrainian border erupted earlier in February as Polish farmers opposed the imports of Ukrainian agricultural products and the EU's Green Deal. Initially restricting the movement of trucks at six crossings, the organizers said they would extend the protest along the entire border on Feb. 20.

Ukrainian truckers launched counterprotests, and the situation at the border escalated after videos circulated showing Polish farmers spilling grain from a freight car at the Medyka-Shehyni border crossing.

According to the Polish media outlet Money.pl, Kondrow said that he plans to continue the protests until April.

Kondrow also told the Polish radio station RMF24 that the protesters could potentially expand the scope of their blockade and prevent buses from crossing.

"If we decide not to let buses in, it will be very bad. But perhaps then our authorities will finally look for substantive solutions," Kondrow said.

Past demonstrations have been limited to blocking commercial cargo. Humanitarian aid, military supplies, buses, and private vehicles were allowed to pass, albeit at a slower pace.

Earlier on Feb. 20, Ukraine's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oleh Nikolenko appealed to Polish authorities to assess the legality of the ongoing blockade and to take steps against anti-Ukrainian rhetoric and actions surrounding the protests.

The protesting farmers have also begun blocking roads in Poland on Feb. 20, complicating traffic across regions.

Read also: Polish farmer blockade puts Polish-Ukrainian relations at further risk

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Poland has asked the Ministry for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine to extend the pilot abolition of the e-Queue project for empty vehicles at three checkpoints, Deputy Infrastructure Minister Serhiy Derkach said on Feb. 20, according to news agency Interfax-Ukraine.

The request concerns the checkpoints Nyzhankovychi-Malhowice, Uhryniv-Dohobyczow, and Rava-Ruska-Hrebenne.

Read also: Polish protesters temporarily block passenger train from Ukraine, police intervened  UZ

"We received a letter from our Polish colleagues from the Ministry of Infrastructure, who suggested that we cancel the e-Queue at the Rava-Ruska-Hrebenne checkpoint," said the official.

We read it and realize that probably our last communication at the border (during a joint visit to the checkpoint - ed.) did not achieve its goal. After all, we explained that the electronic queue is very important for the country; we showed its results, it really works. And they seemed to agree.

The letter contains a request to extend the pilot abolition of the e-Queue at Nyzhankovychi-Malhowice, Uhryniv-Dohobyczow, Derkach said.

Read also: Polish border blockade a mockery  Zelenskyy

At the Yahodyn-Dorohusk checkpoint, freight traffic has stopped. Humanitarian and perishable goods and fuel are not allowed through. Empty trucks traveling for critical goods cannot leave Ukraine through this checkpoint. They are forced to wait in a 15-kilometer-long queue for empty vehicles at the Nyzhankovychi-Malhowice checkpoint.

Yahodyn-Dorohusk, Uhryniv-Dohobyczow, Ustyluh-Zosin, Shehyni-Medyka, Rava-Ruska-Hrebenne, and Krakivets-Korczowa remain blocked for free truck traffic. There are 3,000 trucks in the queue in Poland.

Amid a nationwide strike called by Polish farmers, on Feb. 11, near the Dorohusk checkpoint on the border with Ukraine, Poles damaged Ukrainian trucks and poured grain out of them. At the same time, Poland announced its intention to check all grain in transit from Ukraine.

The agreement on the abolition of the e-Queue for empty vehicles at the Nyzhankovychi-Malhowice checkpoint was extended until March 1.

Read also: Polish farmers face charges for dumping Ukrainian grain in border protest

Polish farmers warned on Feb. 13 that on Feb. 20 they would block all checkpoints on the border with Ukraine, as well as communication hubs and entrances to transshipment railroad stations and seaports.

Media reported on Feb. 17 that farmers from four EU countries would join the protests on the Polish-Ukrainian border.

European countries had not joined the Polish grain protests as of Feb. 19.

Polish farmers blocked a passenger train from Ukraine on the same day, Feb. 19.

The protesting farmers who are blocking the largest checkpoints on the border with Ukraine have put forward many demands, among which are: the complete refusal of duty-free trade with Ukraine and the complete closure of the Ukrainian-Polish border for trucks.



Read also:

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By Anna Wlodarczak-Semczuk

WARSAW (Reuters) -The European Union on Tuesday welcomed Poland's plan to "restore the rule of law" and dismantle policies by the former nationalist government which led to the freezing of billions of euros in EU funds due to concerns over judicial independence.

Poland's Law and Justice (PiS) party, which ruled for eight years, carried out a deep overhaul of the judiciary which the EU said damaged democratic checks and balances and brought courts under political influence.

As a result, the European Commission held back billions of euros in funds earmarked for Poland.

EU commissioners said the plan by the new pro-EU government, in power since last December, and which involves several bills rolling back PiS reforms, was well received.

"This was very impressive for the Commission to listen to so many positive comments around the table... the reactions are very positive," European Union Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders told reporters.

The deputy head of the European Commission, Vera Jourova, called the action plan "realistic".

Poland's new prime minister, Donald Tusk, has vowed to restore judicial independence and get the funds released. But he faces resistance from PiS supporters and allies, who include President Andrzej Duda and some high-profile judges.

"I think that the very positive reaction from the member states is also associated with a certain level of trust that we will do it in a way that is predictable and consistent with the rule of law," Polish Justice Minister Adam Bodnar said after presenting the plan in Brussels.

Bodnar said earlier the plan includes changes to the National Council of the Judiciary (NCJ), which appoints judges, and the Constitutional Tribunal which critics say has been politicised under PiS.

In a sign that the government is committed to implementing the changes soon, Tusk's cabinet approved on Tuesday a bill on the NCJ proposed by Bodnar, which will now go to parliament.

The bill assumes members of the Council would be chosen by judges, not politicians as they were under changes introduced under PiS. The European Court of Human Rights and Court of Justice of the EU had pointed to irregularities in the procedure.

"On the day of announcing the results of the new election to the NCJ, those judges in the Council who were elected in an unconstitutional manner by the (parliament), on the basis of provisions adopted in December 2017, will cease to function in the Council," the government said.

(Reporting by Anna Wlodarczak-Semczuk, Alan Charlish and Pawel Florkiewicz; Editing by Gareth Jones, Alexandra Hudson)
Polish Minister of Economic Development and Technology, Krzysztof Hetman, expressed his support for the farmers blocking the border with Ukraine, saying they are protesting for a just cause during an interview with Polish Radio Zet on Feb. 20.

Farmers have the right to protest; they have the right to express themselves in different ways, Hetman said.

Read also: Polish government asks Ukraine to scrap e-Queue system at three border crossings despite talks

The protesters are facing a challenging situation due to the substantial increase in the costs of agricultural production and a decline in profitability, he said.

In response to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyys characterization of the situation on the border as a mockery, Minister Hetman acknowledged the emotional strain on the head of state during a time of war. The farmers protest has nothing to do with politics, he said.

Read also: Ukraine demands response from Poland as protesters block buses at border

This is probably not the first time that Zelenskyy has made quite harsh statements, the minister said.

I try to understand a person who is under enormous pressure, although I do not agree with what he says.

Polish farmers warned on Feb. 13 that on Feb. 20 they would block all checkpoints on the border with Ukraine, as well as communication hubs and entrances to transshipment railroad stations and seaports.

Media reported on Feb. 17 that farmers from four EU countries would join the protests on the Polish-Ukrainian border.

European countries had not joined the Polish grain protests as of Feb. 19.

Polish farmers blocked a passenger train from Ukraine on the same day, Feb. 19.

The protesting farmers who are blocking the largest checkpoints on the border with Ukraine have put forward many demands, among which are: the complete refusal of duty-free trade with Ukraine and the complete closure of the Ukrainian-Polish border for trucks.

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
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is likely to visit Korea next month on the occasion of the upcoming session of the Summit for Democracy, a U.S.-led multination gathering aimed at promoting shared values and prosperity, diplomatic sources said Tuesday.

Talks are ongoing with the U.S. side about the top U.S. diplomat's potential trip to Seoul, although it has not been finalized yet, sources familiar with the matter said.

If realized, it will be Blinken coming to Korea again in just four months. He last visited Seoul in November last year and held talks with his then Korean counterpart, Park Jin.

The likely in-person visit by Blinken would mean that U.S. President Joe Biden is expected to attend the summit virtually, the sources said.

The Summit for Democracy is led by the United States to reinforce the democratic bloc with like-minded countries in the face of various challenges posed by the rise in authoritarianism.

Korea is hosting this year's summit, its third such session, from March 18-20, the presidential office announced. The ministerial sessions will be held on the first day, followed by panel discussions involving civic groups the next day. The leaders' session will take place virtually on the last day.

The previous summits took place in a hybrid format: a virtual plenary session involving the leaders and an in-person session of the ministers.

The U.S. hosted the inaugural session in 2021. The second session was co-hosted by the U.S., Korea, Costa Rica, the Netherlands and Zambia. (Yonhap)
HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW)  With South Carolina at the center of the U.S. political world this week, more than 13,000 Horry County voters have cast their ballots early in the states Republican presidential primary.

As of Monday, Sandy Martin, the director of elections in Horry County, said 13,353 people had voted ahead of Saturdays primary, which pits former President Donald Trump against Nikki Haley, the states former governor and a former United National ambassador appointed by Trump.

This shows people there is competition and competition increases voter turnout, said David White, a political science professor at Francis Marion University.

Both Trump and Haley have visited Horry County in recent weeks, making stops at Coastal Carolina University, and Haley will return to the Grand Strand on Thursday with stops in Georgetown and Myrtle Beach. Trump is also campaigning heavily in the state this week with visits scheduled to Greenville on Tuesday and Rock Hill and Columbia later in the week.

The fact that Trump has had multiple rallies in this state just in the last month shows he is taking this seriously, White said. He wants to destroy her.

A CBS News poll released last week showed Trump with a 35-point lead over Haley, but a joint poll by Emerson College and The Hill showed Trump with a 23-point lead.

Drew Kurlowski, an associate professor of political science at Coastal Carolina, said South Carolina is the state where Haley stands to do her best. If she cant make a good surprise, then it bodes poorly for her chances in other states.

Early voting will end on Thursday. The poll will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday.

* * *

Gracie is a multimedia journalist at News 13 and is from Cleveland, Ohio. Gracie joined the team in June 2023 after graduating from the University of Alabama in May. Follow Gracie on Facebook, Instagram and X, formerly Twitter, & read more of her work here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW.
Hocking County Prosecutor Ryan Black

The Hocking County prosecutor faces a lawsuit in federal court filed earlier this month from former employees who allege a "frat house" environment of sexual discrimination and retaliation.

Earlier this month, plaintiffs Kate Ricketts and Kelsey Vanscyoc, two former employees of the Hocking County Prosecutor's Office, filed a suit against Prosecutor Ryan Black and Hocking County, alleging, in addition to sexual discrimination, that he "blatantly abused the power of his office" and subjected them to "a constant stream of  demeaning, degrading, sexist, and offensive comments."

Ricketts and Vanscyoc both resigned due to retaliation and harassment in 2023 after they complained about Black's behavior.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. Southern District Court by Columbus-based attorney Michael Moses, seeks unspecified damages and fees, back pay and benefits, as well as the reinstatement of Ricketts and Vanscyoc to their former roles, according to court records. The suit, filed Feb. 12, comes after the Ohio Civil Rights Commission ruled the two have the right to file the suit.

Black's office declined to comment on the lawsuit.

Shirtless pictures, an office shotgun, and jokes about a "porn couch"

DEC 12, 2022; Logan, Ohio, USA; View of Logan in Hocking County. Mandatory Credit: Doral Chenoweth-The Columbus Dispatch

The lawsuit alleges that over a six-week period beginning in the summer of 2022, Black used his position as prosecutor to "pursue" Vanscyoc, who was hired in 2021 as lead victim advocate, as a sexual partner.

On Aug. 6, 2022, the lawsuit said Black, Vanscyoc and another employee of the office smoked marijuana at his house before Vanscyoc and the other employee went to a bar to drink. When she returned several hours later to her car by his house, the lawsuit said he pressured her to have sex with him while she was drunk and walking past his residence.

Black and Vanscyoc later had sex on Aug. 17, 2022, although the lawsuit alleges that she tried to decline and provide excuses for why she could not come over to his house at his urgings, but that she felt "pressured and intimidated, fearing retribution" if she refused to comply.

Neither of the sexual encounters were consensual, according to the lawsuit.

Black also would make sexually explicit remarks to female employees, such as "how low cut their tops were, and how tight their clothing was, and bragged about sexual affairs he had or was having. He also allegedly sent various inappropriate and sexual messages as well as shirtless pictures to Vanscyoc and other female employees in the office.

He also repeatedly referred to the couch in his office as a "porn couch" or "casting couch" and suggested he film some of the female employees in bikinis on it.

In addition to his regular degrading remarks toward women, the lawsuit also said his mental state was a major concern among office staff.

"Black displayed extremely moody and belligerent behavior which had [a] disturbing and frightening impact on all female staff, and on most days, would stomp around the office in front of staff and yell curses," according to the lawsuit. "On particularly extreme days, Black would also slam office doors and throw items."

The lawsuit further alleges that the outbursts were made worse by the "common knowledge" among office staff that Black kept a shotgun in his office and had bragged about pulling a firearm on a minor.

The Hocking County Courthouse in Logan, Ohio.

Lawsuit against Hocking County prosecutor Ryan Black alleges retaliation

The lawsuit alleges that after Vanscyoc declined to have additional relations with him after Aug. 17, he began to retaliate and become increasingly hostile.

When Ricketts, an office assistant, and Vanscyoc "unsuccessfully" complained about Black's conduct to administration in Hocking County, Black began retaliating against them, "ultimately, demoting (Vanscyoc) and then forcing her to resign from her job."

"(Hocking County administration was) aware that the unlawful discrimination was occurring due to the open and notorious nature of the discrimination and did not take sufficient action to stop the harassment which Vanscyoc and Ricketts and others complained of, or prevent future discrimination or retaliation," according to the lawsuit.

@Colebehr_report

Cbehrens@dispatch.com

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: 'Porn Couch': Hocking County prosecutor faces sex discrimination lawsuit
Two Portland brothers have launched an app to connect residents to Black-owned businesses. Adrian and Ronnie Wright launched the XB app last year after originally trying to help the community through a Facebook group. When he first created the Facebook group named Black Portland in 2015, Adrian said it was a way to reconnect the community.

Speaking with Oregon Live, Adrian said he remembers when Black people in the city faced several challenges during the 1980s, including the difficulty of getting mortgages from banks. The Portland entrepreneur also said he saw crime increasing in Black neighborhoods whilst the rate of homeownership declined. Many longtime residents left their neighborhoods as home prices continued to increase, Adrian added.

Displaced residents relocated eastward, while newcomers, often employed by major corporations, gravitated westward, Adrian told Oregon Live. This geographical dispersion fractured the once tight-knit bonds we shared.

As he launched the Facebook group, Adrian said he wanted to encourage Black empowerment, support for Black-owned enterprises, and the quest for authentic connections among individuals who resemble us.

The group attracted over 13,000 members, serving as a key networking platform for Portlands Black community.

The residents were thrilled to have a place that helped them find Black-owned barbershops, hair salons, restaurants, healthcare providers and other businesses. The problem, however, was that Facebook doesnt show all the posts all the time.

Even if you follow a page, even if youre a part of a group  youre at the mercy of Facebooks algorithm to decide what you see, Adrian said.

Ronnie then suggested launching an app that could serve the same purpose in a more organized manner.

We wanted to take the utility of that online community and put it somewhere useful, Ronnie told Oregon Live. Where people can easily find all this information in one place.

Ronnie, who has experience as a footwear designer, said he was able to use his tech skills to create the app. The XB app not only features Black-owned businesses and local events but also provides features on Black entrepreneurs.

The X in the apps name represents the multiplication sign. Meanwhile, the B stands for Black. Therefore, the name represents Black culture amplification.

Adrian said the app is different from other similar creations because its designed by Portland natives who are very knowledgeable about the community. XB, which is available in the Apple or Google app for 99 cents, allows business users to apply and get listed in the apps directory for free.

The brothers said they are taking money out of their own pockets to run the app. In the future, the duo said they may have to add a subscription service or ads to keep the app going.

Everyone benefits, Ronnie said. When you support the Black community, you support every community.
Coal ash, a byproduct of burning coal to generate power that contains an alphabet soup of toxic contaminants, has been used for decades in Indiana and across the U.S. as construction fill.

Here's what that means for Hoosiers.

What is coal ash and where does it comes from?

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, it's among the largest types of industrial waste produced in the nation. This byproduct of burning coal to generate power is full of heavy metals and toxic elements such as arsenic, mercury, chromium and even radium.

EPA: Cancer risk from coal ash higher than previously revealed. Could it be in your yard?

Where does Indiana stand?

Coal ash is often stored in large pits or impoundments called "ponds." Indiana has the most in the U.S., with more than 80 at 16 coal plants across the state. They contain more than 100 million tons of the toxic waste.

Cathi Murray and Larry Jensen at the playground outside Whitey Wardean Hall in the Town of Pines. The hall and surrounding playground were built on coal ash fill, which a recent EPA report found poses a risk of cancer higher than previously known.

Has the coal ash contaminated Indiana?

The majority of Indiana's ash pits have no barrier beneath them and are deep enough the waste is sitting in groundwater. This allows contaminants to spread. In Indiana, there are 16 leaking ash disposal sites  there could be multiple pits at each site  that don't comply with federal regulations because of pollution they're causing.

An image from the 'Indiana Environmental Reporter' documentary 'In the Water,' which explored the effects of coal ash in the state.

Why its an issue  health risk?

Many of the heavy metals and other contaminants in coal ash are known carcinogens. A new EPA risk assessment concluded exposure to even small amounts of the toxic material can pose a risk of cancer 35 times higher than previously known. People can be exposed to coal ash through pollution in public waterways, private drinking water wells, and by incidental ingestion of coal ash used as structural fill.

Why its an issue  unknown distribution for fill?

As many as 180 million tons of coal ash has made its way into structural fill all across the country since the 1980s, but few records exist on where it was used. In areas where its use is known  such as Town of Pines in northern Indiana and a North Carolina community  coal ash is believed to have caused water contamination and may increase instances of rare types of cancer.

Are there any good uses of coal ash?

Using coal ash as structural fill has been identified as a beneficial use, but many experts say some uses are better than others. There is less concerns when it's bound within a product or location, such as sealed under concrete or inside wallboard. More concerning is "unencapsulated" ash, such as loose particulate or sludge used as structural fill or spread on fields.

Do utilities have to clean the coal ash up?

As coal plants close, they are required to close their ash pits. There has been quite a bit of debate, however, on the best approach. Many utilities, including those in Indiana, want to leave ash in pits and cap them. But environmental advocates argue that poses a threat for more groundwater contamination. The other option is to excavate and move the ash to a lined landfill or direct it to beneficial uses. While advocates argue excavation is the best option, utilities argue it's too expensive.

What regulation exists around coal ash?

At the federal level, the government established the coal ash rule in 2015 following two major spills in Tennessee and North Carolina. Compliance has been lacking, according to EPA reports, and the agency is currently considering changes to close loopholes. In Indiana, several bills have been proposed in recent years aimed at better protecting the public from coal ash contamination, but none received hearings in the Republican-controlled Statehouse.

Call IndyStar reporter Sarah Bowman at 317-444-6129 or email at sarah.bowman@indystar.com. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook: @IndyStarSarah. Connect with IndyStars environmental reporters: Join The Scrub on Facebook.

IndyStar's environmental reporting project is made possible through the generous support of the nonprofit Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Coal ash is toxic and could be buried all around us. What that means.
The string of numbers on the lottery ticket that John Cheeks bought matched those posted on a Powerball website. Had he beat unfathomable odds to win the $340 million grand prize?

Not according to Powerball administrators, who said the numbers Cheeks saw on the site were part of a test that had been mistakenly posted, rather than the winning numbers for the drawing in January 2023.

Cheeks, however, still wants his prize. He is suing several groups that run the Powerball in Washington, D.C., where he lives, for breach of contract, gross negligence and the infliction of emotional distress, among other claims, for not giving him the grand prize, according to documents filed in a civil D.C. court. Cheeks has asked for the $340 million in compensation, as well as damages and interest on the winnings. The court is set to begin hearing the case Friday.

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This is not merely about numbers on a website, Richard Evans, a lawyer for Cheeks, said in a statement. Its about the reliability of institutions that promise life-changing opportunities, while heavily profiting in the process.

The Powerball lottery is played in 45 states along with the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and winning numbers are posted on the Powerball website and those of other state lotteries. Millions of hopeful Americans play the lottery, with studies showing that regular players are more likely to have low incomes. But the odds of winning are minuscule: The grand Powerball prize, for example, carries odds of 1 in 292 million. (The next drawing, on Wednesday, is for an estimated $348 million jackpot.)

The numbers on Cheeks ticket were not the official winning figures for the drawing on Jan. 7, 2023, according to a motion to dismiss the case from Taoti Enterprises, a contractor based in Washington that markets the lottery and is a defendant in the suit. The numbers were part of a test, the company said, and a staff member had mistakenly posted them to the live lottery website.

The test numbers were never the actual winning numbers, the group said, according to court documents, adding that Cheeks was trying to capitalize on an obvious error.

The test numbers, which were missing a red Powerball number, were posted on the local D.C. lottery site on Jan. 6 even before the drawing happened, the group said. They were left there alongside the real winning numbers until Jan. 9, when workers realized the mistake.

The website, the group said, also contained a disclaimer that the site was not the final authority for the drawing and that tickets would still need to be validated by the D.C. Lottery and independent auditors.

These red flags would cause any reasonable person to know that they were not the valid winning numbers, the contractor said.

Cheeks discovered that his numbers, a mix of birthdays and other special numbers, had been posted on the site the day after the drawing.

I got a little excited, but I didnt shout; I didnt scream, Cheeks said in an NBC interview. I just politely called a friend.

He tried to redeem the prize through several avenues before being told there had been an error.

They were happy to take his money to play their game, and he had a winning ticket, according to their multiple publications, Evans said. Even if a mistake had been made, he added, officials were negligent in not publicly announcing the error. In another recent instance, in Iowa, in which incorrect Powerball numbers were reported, prizes for up to $200 were paid out for a short period, before cashing in was suspended.

There are more zeros involved in this case, but its the obligation they have, Evans said, referring to the Iowa episode. They publish the wrong numbers, and they made the mistake right by paying out the winnings.

Cheeks, a public rights advocate, was the only person to come forward in that drawing for the grand prize.

Mary Malloy Dimaio, a lawyer for Taoti Enterprises, declined to comment further Monday but pointed to a motion to dismiss the case in court. A lawyer for the Multi-State Lottery Association did not respond to calls and emails for comment Monday. The Washington Office of Lottery and Gaming and the Washington attorney generals office also did not respond to emails requesting comment.

c.2024 The New York Times Company
A couple expecting their first child together were found shot dead in a car after they went out for a Valentines Day date, Alabama authorities said.

Now, the Birmingham Police Department is investigating their deaths as homicides.

Family began searching for Angelina Webster and Christian Norris, both 20, after the expectant parents disappeared while going to the movies at around 5 p.m. on Feb. 14, Birmingham police said in a news release.

Police confirmed Webster was pregnant.

They were really happy to be parents, Sherita Clark, Norris cousin, told AL.com.

Clark said her cousin loved his girlfriend and described Webster as a smiley person who gave big hugs.

Two days after the couple was last seen, police said they found the couples car in the Wylam neighborhood of Birmingham. Inside, the 20-year-olds were dead with gunshot wounds, authorities said.

You ever had your heart just stepped on and (it) went to the bottom of your stomach? Yeah thats what that was like, Websters brother Demarco Thomas told WBMA.

Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin said he and his family were mourning after learning his cousin was one of the 20-year-olds found dead in the car.

Their deaths were part of a deadly bout of gun violence for Birmingham, he said.

In two unrelated incidents, four men were killed by gunfire in Smithfield, Woodfin said in a statement. And in Wylam, two people were found dead. One of them was my cousin.

No one has been arrested in connection with their deaths, police told McClatchy News on Feb. 20. Authorities are asking anyone with information to come forward.

My family is no stranger to the devastating consequences of violence, Woodfin wrote. The pain never gets easier. This level of loss is distressing, unacceptable and cannot  must not  be tolerated.

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The leadership team at PREMIER Bankcard, the Sioux Falls-based credit card company, has welcomed a new member as the companys first-ever Senior Strategist mid-January this year.

Chris Marshall, a long-time management consultant, is said to bring three decades of management consultation and corporate strategy experience to the team, according to a press release from the company.

More: Dakotans for Health threatens lawsuit over South Dakota signature withdrawal bill

While Ive had the privilege of working alongside some remarkable companies during my career, Im unsure Ive ever seen anything like PREMIER, Marshall said in the release. From financial health to philanthropic spirit, to the day-to-day culture of integrity and innovation, this is a truly special place.

PREMIER Bankcard President Ben Marcello said the decision to bring in a person for this role was an important step in their ambitious multi-year strategy and position their company for the future. A leader with the right experience, right character and right motivation was important and Marshall checked all these boxes, Marcello said.

Marshall, who was born in Boston and raised in Germany, most recently worked in the role of president of the consulting company called the Peak Consulting Group, Inc., which he co-founded in San Francisco, California. He has also been the Chief Operating Officer to the San Francisco-based M Squared Consulting and Partner with the SolomonEdwards Group.

More: Pierre man serving life for his wife's murder in 2006 dies Sunday

Marshall, a Bachelor of Science Degree holder in Business Administration from San Jose State University, is the father to two children and grandparent to two as well. He expressed his excitement for his family to move to Sioux Falls and its amazingly vibrant downtown with endless charm and amenities.

It really rivals anywhere where weve ever been, Marshall said. When we considered the opportunity with PREMIER, the amenities of Sioux Falls and the kindness and energy of the people, we said, were home now.

Marshall, who has worked with several flagship organizations as a management consultant, said hes proud of his career achievements, according to the press release. His accomplishments include leading an enterprise process management overhaul at Rockwell International, delivering $130 million in productivity gains for Cisco as well as leading multiple technology and innovation engagements for the largest financial co-ops in the country.

More: Sioux Falls Canaries partnership gives Smithfield naming rights to field at stadium

It has all been in preparation of whats to come, Marshall said. The team at PREMIER is outstanding, not only as professionals but as truly genuine people and Im confident that together were going to deliver something transformative for both our national customers and our local communities.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Chris Marshall joins PREMIER Bankcard team as senior strategist
WASHINGTON  The Biden administration will impose "major sanctions" on Russia, the White House said Tuesday, in response to the death of Alexei Navalny, a fierce critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin who died in prison last week under mysterious circumstances.

John Kirby, the White House's national security communications adviser, said the new sanctions are designed to "hold Russia accountable for what happened to Mr. Navalny" as well as "all its actions over the course of this vicious and brutal war" that has raged in Ukraine for two years.

President Joe Biden plans to unveil the sanctions package Friday. Kirby declined to elaborate on what the new sanctions could look like or explain how they might differ from previous U.S. sanctions targeting Russia.

Biden, before leaving Washington for a three-day campaign fundraising swing in California, told reporters he won't discuss the details of the sanctions until Friday.

TOPSHOT - People bring flowers and candles for a vigil in honor of Kremlin's critic Alexei Navalny following is death, on February 19, 2024 in front of Rome's city hall. Russia reported Navalny's death in an arctic prison on February 16, 2024 and his mother has been denied access to the body, enraging supporters who have accused authorities of trying to cover up Navalny's "murder". (Photo by Filippo MONTEFORTE / AFP)

After Putin invaded Ukraine in 2022, the Biden administration hit Russia with a range of economic sanctions that blocked major Russian financial institutions from Western financing, banned the U.S. import of all Russian energy products and penalized wealthy Russian oligarchs tied to Putin, among a host of other actions.

"This is another turn of the crank, another turn of the wheel, and it is a significant range of targets that we have worked persistently and diligently to identify to continue to impose costs for what Russia has done," Jake Sullivan, White House national security adviser, said of the new sanctions.

Although Biden immediately pinned responsibility on Putin, the U.S. has still not determined how Navalny, 47, died while in captivity in an Arctic Circle maximum-security prison.

More: Yulia Navalnaya, Alexei Navalny's wife, says she will lead fight against Russia's Putin

"We all would love to know what happened here," Kirby said. "Regardless of the actual scientific answer, Mr. Putin is responsible for it."

The White House also called out the Republican-controlled House of Representatives for leaving for a two-week recess without approving $60 billion in security assistance for Ukraine, arguing the lack of supplies is already showing on the battlefield.

Kirby said passing the funding package is "one of the most powerful things that we can do right now to stand up to Vladimir Putin."

President Joe Biden walks toward members of the media as he arrives at the White House in Washington, Monday, Feb. 19, 2024, after returning from Rehoboth Beach, Del.

Kirby blamed Ukraine's retreat from the town of Avdiivka, which was taken over by Russian forces over the weekend, on a lack of arms and ammunition as a result of Congress' failure to approve the aid.

"It was because of congressional inaction," Kirby said. "We've been warning Congress that if they didn't act, Ukraine would suffer losses on the battlefield, and here you go. That's what happened this weekend. And that's what's at stake here."

More: Donald Trump says Alexei Navalny's death made him 'more aware' of his own political rivals, court cases

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Biden to announce 'major sanctions' on Russia after Navalny death
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, along with First Lady Olena Zelenska, paid tribute to the activists who lost their lives during the 2014 Revolution of Dignity in Kyiv, the Presidential website reported on Feb. 20.

"Ten years have passed, and attempts to destroy us and our independence continue, Zelenskyy said on Telegram.

There were bullets against the unarmed Heavenly Hundred. Now  these are missiles, drones, and armies. But ten years ago, we resisted and continue to resist."

Read also: To gain our own statehood, we must fight; to preserve it, we must unite: Zelenskyy on UA Unity Day

Zelenskyy and Zelenska lit candles near the memorial cross at the site of the activists' deaths on the Heavenly Hundred Alley.

Today, Ukraine commemorates how its people have fought for freedom; "our unity has no enemy capable of defeating it" and "self-sacrifice has no boundaries and creates history," the President said.

"Ten years ago, Ukrainians decided once and for all: we want and will live only in a European state, Zelenskyy said.

All this ten years ago was an incentive for the people to fight. All this is an incentive for us today. To protect our land. To protect our freedom. To protect our tomorrow. To protect our Ukraine."

Ukraine honors the memory of the Heavenly Hundred on Feb. 20. On this day, ten years ago, Maidan activists were shot dead on Instytutska Street in Kyiv. At that time, 48 protesters were killed, with a total of 107 people on the lists of the Heavenly Hundred.

Read also: The Economist publishes seven maps exposing Putin's distorted historical claims

Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron!

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
The bereaved family of a Korean victim of Japan's wartime forced labor on Tuesday received compensation from Hitachi Zosen in accordance with a Supreme Court ruling, marking the first such acceptance from a Japanese company.

The family withdrew 60 million won ($44,846) from the Seoul Central District Court, which was earlier deposited by Hitachi Zosen as a kind of collateral, according to their lawyer.

The payment came after the Supreme Court last December upheld an appeals court's ruling that orders the Japanese company to pay 50 million won and delay interest for damages suffered by the victim, surnamed Lee, from forced labor at its shipyard during Japan's 1910-1945 colonial rule.

Hitachi made the monetary deposit soon after the Seoul High Court made a decision to the same effect to the Supreme Court in January 2019. It was the first and only case in which a Japanese company involved in wartime forced labor has paid money to a Korean court.

Thereafter, Lee's side has taken the due procedures to receive the deposit as compensation.

A number of Korean forced labor victims and their bereaved families have won damages suits against Japanese companies, but any voluntary compensation payment from them had not been reported.

"This is the first time that money voluntarily paid by a Japanese company has been delivered to a victim of forced labor," said a lawyer for the Lee family. "It's meaningful that de facto compensation for some victims has been provided by a Japanese company."

The compensation with the deposit came amid a warming of bilateral relations between Seoul and Tokyo after President Yoon Suk Yeol said in March last year that Korea will compensate the victims on its own without the contribution of liable Japanese firms.

"We understand that the procedure was carried out in accordance with relevant laws and regulations," foreign ministry spokesperson Lim Soo-suk said in a briefing.

"The government's stance remains unchanged that the Foundation for the Victims of Forced Mobilization by Imperial Japan will pay the compensation and unpaid interest to the plaintiffs," Lim said, referring to the state-funded foundation set up to handle the compensation. (Yonhap)
An early look at the Fox News 2024 Presidential Power Rankings predicts Georgia and Arizona to be among the closest contests. Those states were once thought to be Republican strongholds. Nevada, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania have all shifted between red and blue over the years, making it difficult to determine which nominee voters there will pick in 2024.

"These were the closest last time around," said Jessica Taylor, the Senate and governors editor for the Cook Political Report. Florida is "what 2000 came down to."

Twenty-four years and six elections ago, Florida was a presidential battleground state, along with current solid Republican states like Missouri, Tennessee and West Virginia, and now-solid Democrat states like Washington, Oregon and New Mexico.

"Both [Texas Gov. George W. Bush and Vice President Al Gore] used these different campaign tactics and campaign memorabilia to kind of speak to certain voters," Museum of Democracy Chair Austin Wright said.

TRUMP SPARKS EMOTIONAL REACTIONS FROM CROWD IN SURPRISE VISIT TO SNEAKER CONVENTION

Residents cast their votes in Brooklyn, New York City.

The Museum of Democracy in New York holds more than 1.25 million objects in its collection. Wright said in the 2000 election in Florida, Gore used a Gore-Lieberman yarmulke to cater to Floridas large Jewish population. Bush campaigned by trying to sway more rural Florida voters with his Texas roots.

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"Some of these pictures of Bush in his Texas campaign gear  we think that contributed to the more rural Panhandle," Wright said.

Bush won Florida by a narrow margin in 2000, prompting a recount. Without the state of Florida decided, Gore had 266 electoral votes and Bush had 246. The recount, certification process and legal battle lasted more than a month. The results eventually showed Bush won Florida with a tight 537-vote advantage over Gore.

"I am thankful for America and thankful that we were able to resolve our electoral differences in a peaceful way," Bush said after the results were finalized.

Since 2000, Floridas population has changed. The Cuban and Venezuelan populations are growing. In many cases, they fled their countries because of socialism and now tend to lean Republican.

DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE ANNOUNCES CAMPAIGN LAYOFFS, VOWS TO REMAIN IN RACE: 'REALLY TOUGH DAY'

Republican supporters hold up signs for Trump.

"I think there's a misconception out there and just popular culture that there's this monolithic Hispanic community," said Gerhard Peters, co-director of the American Presidency Project at UC Santa Barbara. "Cuban Americans in South Florida have historically been very reliable Republican voters."

There has also been an increase in retirees in Florida. Former President Trump won among voters 65 and older in the state by 11 points in 2020.

"To me, does Biden even play there?" Taylor said. "It's just very hard to imagine that being very competitive when you look at just the trends."

Florida voters last favored the Democrat nominee in 2012, when President Barack Obama ran for reelection against former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

"I still consider Florida to be a battleground state," Peters said. "I think it's a very fluid state in a lot of ways. We've seen a lot of migration to Florida from other states."

LAST RIVAL STANDING: HALEY FACES STEEP UPHILL CLIMB AGAINST TRUMP WITH 1 WEEK UNTIL SOUTH CAROLINA PRIMARY

A ballot box in Denver is shown.

Colorado is another state that has experienced population changes over the years. In 2000 and 2004, Bush won the state. During the Obama years, it was a swing state. Now, Colorado is in the solid-blue category.

"Colorado is a great example of how the demographics changed," Wright said. "I think Obama's hope and change sentiment really contributed to that. I think that artwork really made an imprint on giving young people this hope that the country could be a better, different place."

Denver grew by 20% between 2010 and 2020, with mostly minorities moving to the city. A lot of voters in the suburbs are wealthier and college-educated. Suburban voters have tended to lean Democrat since Trump became the standard-bearer of the GOP.

"A lot of suburban voters would have voted Republican in the past because they were thinking about their pocketbook issues," Peters said. "A lot of those voters, especially educated women voters, have moved away from the Republican Party."

Suburban voters are also impacting presidential preference in other states.

HISTORIAN WHO CORRECTLY PREDICTED ALMOST EVERY ELECTION WINNER SINCE 1984 REVEALS WHO IS LIKELY TO WIN IN 2024

Republican Party tables are shown in Scottsdale, Arizona.

"Colorado to me is what possibly maybe Arizona could be in a couple of years if we see sort of the same trends," Taylor said. "I think Arizona right now is firmly in the toss-up column because you do still have a significant number of Republicans there."

Arizona holds the nations largest county and largest suburb. The Hispanic vote has also been growing, with the majority leaning Democrat.

"These campaigns have directed not only a number of ads that speak solely in Spanish, but we've seen a number of buttons and a number of posters that really touch on these different groups," Wright said.

Another western state is also in the battleground state column.

"We're doing a heck of a lot in the state of Nevada," President Biden said during a recent campaign stop in the swing state.

TRUCKERS FOR TRUMP TO BOYCOTT DRIVING TO NEW YORK CITY AFTER $355M FRAUD RULING

Former President Trump is shown onstage in Nevada.

Nevada trended red in the 1980s. Since 2008, the majority of voters there have picked the Democrat nominee. Similar to Arizona, the state has seen an increase in Hispanic voters.

Minorities are also helping Democrats in Georgia. Republican presidential candidates won the state from 1996 until 2020. Atlantas thriving job market has brought in younger, more diverse voters and is now home to nearly half of the states population.

"The digital side of it has really changed the way people campaign. And so I think that in places like Georgia  targeting young people in particular has kind of changed that whole dynamic," Wright said.

"We weren't even thinking about Arizona and Georgia a couple of presidential cycles ago. But when you look at the migration into the states  more diverse, more college-educated, that has put those on the map. Whereas Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, you have so many White working-class voters," Taylor said. "A place like Wisconsin that was more reliably Democratic, it's now come on the map."

BIDEN IS AN 'UNINSPIRING CANDIDATE,' CHARLAMAGNE THA GOD SAYS: 'NO MAIN CHARACTER ENERGY AT ALL'

Former President Trump speaks at a campaign rally in Waterford Township, Michigan.

The White working-class vote swung right as Trump gained traction in the Republican Party.

"Pennsylvania is one of the most important battleground states in the nation," Trump said at a National Rifle Association event in Harrisburg.

Some political scientists say Hillary Clinton lost the 2016 election because she fell short in the Rust Belt states.

"I think the key for the Democrats and for Joe Biden is No. 1 to show up, to campaign in those states, to not take them for granted," Peters said.

Pennsylvania and Wisconsin are still competitive because of the large number of suburban and minority voters.

BIDEN ADMIN BRACES FOR POSSIBLE TRUMP WIN, INSTALLS 'ROADBLOCKS' TO STOP HIM FROM RESHAPING GOVERNMENT: REPORT

President Biden and former President Trump

"Right now, every one of those general election polls show you  in Wisconsin, Trump doesn't beat Biden. I win Wisconsin by 15 points," Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley told reporters after a rally in Elgin, South Carolina. "Why would I do anything other than continue to fight and let the American people who don't want this to be Trump and Biden, let them have a voice and be heard?"

While changing demographics have had an impact on many swing states, political preferences are also changing across the country.

"The coalitions of people that make up the political parties change. And I think we're in the midst of that right now. Political scientists will debate what is the Republican Party? Or, what is the Democratic Party? Who are the people that make up those coalitions? And I think we're seeing that change right before our eyes," Peters said.

The battleground states could change again in coming years. Minnesota is trending in the direction of Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, with the shift being driven by farmers and agricultural workers who tend to not like Democrat messaging on environmental issues and gun policy.

Texas could go the other direction. Republicans have been winning by narrower margins in recent elections. Hispanic and young voters arent the only group moving to the state. Liberal voters from other states like California are also migrating in increasing numbers.

North Carolina could become a swing state once again after trending red in recent years. Many wealthy, urban voters moved to the state during the 2020 pandemic, whereas dozens of deep-red rural counties saw populations decline.





Original article source: How presidential battleground states have changed over the years
Akshata Murty, the Prime Ministers wife, wore a suit designed by Lady Cameron on the final day of London Fashion Week in a nod to one of her predecessors in Downing Street.

Hosting a No10 lunch on Tuesday for 20 founders of independent fashion businesses, Mrs Murty chose a 180 corduroy waistcoat with matching 200 trousers from Cefinn, the label established by Samantha Cameron in 2017, the year after her husband resigned as prime minister.

Mrs Murty styled the suit with a 120 striped shirt by British label With Nothing Underneath, whose founder Pip Durrell was also present at the lunch.

The decision to wear Cefinn (a name created using the initials of the Camerons four children) at such a prominent fashion moment is a significant gesture of goodwill towards Lady Cameron.

Founders of independent fashion businesses were honoured with a lunch at No 10 Downing Street yesterday - SIMON WALKER/NO 10 DOWNING STREET

It comes three months after David Cameron was parachuted in to bolster Rishi Sunaks Government with his surprise appointment as Foreign Secretary and elevation to the House of Lords.

Shortly before his return to government, Lord Cameron invested 100,000 in his wifes label, which has also been worn by the Princess of Wales and Holly Willoughby.

Lady Cameron was also present at Tuesdays event, wearing a 320 polka dot dress from her own label.

Mrs Murty has called on the services of Isabel Spearman, who was adviser to Lady Cameron during her time in Downing Street. She is believed to have helped her to craft a relatable new first lady wardrobe, comprising British designers and affordable high-street brands.

The reception was the first backing for London Fashion Week from Downing Street in more than two years. The absence was in stark contrast to the Cameron premiership, when the prime ministers wife would attend London Fashion Week shows. She also made a point of wearing clothes from the UKs homegrown talents, including Preen, Christopher Kane and Erdem for official engagements both in the UK and abroad.

Independent fashion business owners attending the first London Fashion Week event at No10 in two years - SIMON WALKER/NO 10 DOWNING STREET

Mrs Murty managed to attend the lunch despite having tonsillitis, but had to miss an engagement later in the day.

Caroline Rush, the managing director of the British Fashion Council, told assembled guests that the fashion industry in Britain is now worth some 29 billion, more than the UK car industry.

Ms Rush repeated a plea for the Government to drop the 20 per cent VAT levy which means overseas buyers are now far more likely to shop in Paris than the UK.

Mrs Murty has long championed small businesses. In 2010, the French and economics graduate launched an eponymous label aimed at bringing Indian designers to a global market while paying the artisans a fair wage.

She was photographed for Indian Vogue that year wearing Louis Vuitton platforms and a shocking pink dress of her own design.

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Prince William has called for an end to the fighting in Gaza

Prince William has called for an end to the fighting in Gaza "as soon as possible"

Prince William has called for an end to the fighting in Gaza between Israel and Hamas in a new statement.

The Prince of Wales  and heir apparent  called for permanent peace in the conflict which has been raging since October.

In a statement released on Tuesday, he said: I remain deeply concerned about the terrible human cost of the conflict in the Middle East since the Hamas terrorist attack on 7 October. Too many have been killed.

A statement from The Prince of Wales pic.twitter.com/LV2jMx75DC  The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) February 20, 2024

The heir to the throne continued: I, like so many others, want to see an end to the fighting as soon as possible.

There is a desperate need for increased humanitarian support to Gaza. Its critical that aid gets in and the hostages are released.

Sometimes it is only when faced with the sheer scale of human suffering that the importance of permanent peace is brought home.

Even in the darkest hour, we must not succumb to the counsel of despair.

I continue to cling to the hope that a brighter future can be found and I refuse to give up on that.

Palestinian militants, Hamas, killed 1,200 people on Israeli soil on a single day last autumn, and took a further 240 people hostage.

Israel declared war, put the Palestinian territory of Gaza under siege and soon started a ground offensive.

The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza say almost 30,000 people have been killed in Gaza in the last four months.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the Prince of Wales formal account also wrote: Today marks the first of two visits over the next few weeks to hear more about the human impact of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, beginning this afternoon, to hear about those supporting the humanitarian response.

His statement is surprising because as a constitutional monarchy, the royal family normally stays out of politics  but his carefully crafted remarks do steer clear of any politicized language (like the word ceasefire).

His words came shortly before Labour changed its long-standing position on the conflict and called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza.

The party previously had the same stance as the government, which is still calling for a sustainable ceasefire at the moment.

Labours change of heart comes ahead of a motion tabled by the SNP, set to be debated in the Commons tomorrow, calling for an immediate ceasefire.

Related...
Prince William, The Prince of Wales, is guided by chair Liz Padmore, centre, and Beatrice Butsana-Sita, British Red Cross CEO, as he visits the British Red Cross at British Red Cross HQ on Feb. 20, 2024 in London. Credit - Kin CheungWPA Pool/Getty Images

Prince William has called for an end to fighting between Israel and Hamas as soon as possible in a rare statement about the ongoing conflict.

In the statement shared by Kensington Palace on Feb. 20, the 41-year-old Prince of Wales shared his concerns about the mounting death toll. "I remain deeply concerned about the terrible human cost of the conflict in the Middle East since the Hamas terrorist attack on 7 October," the statement said.

Since Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 people in Israel and took around 240 hostages on Oct. 7, Israels subsequent military campaign in Gaza has killed at least 29,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, and displaced 75% of the population, per UNRWA figures. Citizens in Gaza are facing extreme hunger and disease, as a result of the destruction of infrastructure, hospitals, and sanitation facilities, UNRWA says.

"I, like so many others, want to see an end to the fighting as soon as possible. There is a desperate need for increased humanitarian support to Gaza. It's critical that aid gets in and the hostages are released, his statement added.

"Sometimes it is only when faced with the sheer scale of human suffering that the importance of permanent peace is brought home. Even in the darkest hour, we must not succumb to the counsel of despair. I continue to cling to the hope that a brighter future can be found and I refuse to give up on that, he concluded.

The Princes comments come after the U.S. drafted a resolution for the U.N. Security Council calling for a temporary ceasefire as soon as practicable. Meanwhile, the U.K.s Labour Party has called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire for the first time since the latest conflict began.

U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has, however, been more consistent in his approach. In December Sunak called for a sustainable ceasefire, whereby hostages are released, rockets stopped being fired into Israel by Hamas and we continue to get more aid in.

Read More: What to Know About the U.S. Draft Resolution Calling for a Temporary Gaza Ceasefire

The Prince is set to carry out a series of engagements to highlight the human suffering caused by the ongoing conflict in Gaza, while also addressing the rise of antisemitism.

In the coming days, William will meet with organizations providing humanitarian relief to the region, and hear firsthand from those who have provided support on the ground.

On Feb. 20, the Prince visited the British Red Cross headquarters in Central London. The humanitarian organization has been involved in aid efforts with Magen David Adom in Israel and the Palestine Red Crescent Society. Next week, he will also attend a London synagogue and speak to young people and Holocaust survivors.

British monarchs and heirs typically avoid making public statements about political events and global conflicts. In October, William and Kate, Princess of Wales, issued their first statement on the conflict, condemning Hamas.

"The Prince and Princess of Wales are profoundly distressed by the devastating events that have unfolded in the past days. The horrors inflicted by Hamass terrorist attack upon Israel are appalling; they utterly condemn them," a spokesperson for the couple said in a statement at the time.

As Israel exercises its right of self-defence, all Israelis and Palestinians will continue to be stalked by grief, fear and anger in the time to come. Their Royal Highnesses hold all the victims, their families and their friends in their hearts and minds, the statement added.

Prince William was the first member of the royal family to have made an official visit to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories when he traveled there in 2018.

During the four-day tour, he was welcomed to Jerusalem by then-Israeli President, Reuven Rivlin and the Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah. He also met Israels Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and his wife Sara.

During the trip, the Prince told Rivlin he hoped that peace in the area can be achieved.

Write to Armani Syed at armani.syed@time.com.
Prince William calls for end of war in Gaza: 'Too many have been killed'

Prince William of the United Kingdom is urging an end to the war in Gaza, citing the "sheer scale of human suffering."

The Prince of Wales made the statement on Tuesday via social media, at odds with the Royal Family's general aversion to wading into current events.

"I remain deeply concerned about the terrible human cost of the conflict in the Middle East since the Hamas terrorist attack on 7 October," Prince William wrote in a monogrammed message shared on X. "Too many have been killed."

PRINCE WILLIAM REVEALS PLAN TO BUILD 24 HOMES FOR THE HOMELESS ON HIS CORNWALL ESTATE

Prince William reacts during a visit to the British Red Cross' headquarters in London. The Prince of Wales visited the British Red Cross to hear about the humanitarian efforts taking place to support those affected by the conflict in the Middle East and in Gaza.

"I, like so many others, want to see an end to the fighting as soon as possible. There is a desperate need for increased humanitarian support to Gaza," the presumed future king of England said. "It's critical that aid gets in and hostages are released. Sometimes it is only when faced with the sheer scale of human suffering that the importance of permanent peace is brought home."

The statement does not call for a specific outcome but highlights the royal's concern about ongoing issues and rendering aid to the region that has been torn apart by a war that began with the Oct. 7 terror attacks last year.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

An estimated 29,000 Palestinians have died in the ongoing war, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The Israeli Defense Forces reports approximately 574 soldiers killed since Oct. 7, with an additional 2,930 wounded.

BIDEN TO GO TO UN SECURITY COUNCIL TO FORCE TEMPORARY CEASE-FIRE ON ISRAEL, HALT RAFAH OFFENSIVE

Thousands of civilians, both Palestinians and Israelis, have died since Oct. 7, 2023, after Palestinian Hamas militants based in the Gaza Strip entered southern Israel in an unprecedented attack triggering a war declared by Israel on Hamas with retaliatory bombings on Gaza.

Approximately 1,200 Israelis were killed in the initial terrorist attacks.

The United Kingdom is strongly allied with Israel, and King Charles III released a statement following the initial attacks, saying he was "appalled by and condemns the barbaric acts of terrorism in Israel."

Prince William is expected to meet in the coming weeks with humanitarian organizations helping to render aid in the region.

Britain's Prince William speaks to the Muslim Custodian of the keys of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre Adeeb Judeh Alhusseini as he shows him the key to the church in Jerusalem's Old City in 2018. He was the first member of the royal family to make an official visit to the Jewish state and the Palestinian territories.

"Even in the darkest hour, we must not succumb to the counsel of despair," the prince's message concludes. "I continue to cling to the hope that a brighter future can be found and I refuse to give up on that."





Original article source: Prince William calls for end of war in Gaza: 'Too many have been killed'
The Prince of Wales during a visit to a mental health charity in Hereford in September 2023 - Cameron Smith/Getty Images

The Prince of Wales will recognise the scale of human suffering caused by the war in Gaza in his first public comments on the conflict since it began last October.

Prince William, 41, expressed profound concern about the ongoing violence in the Middle East ahead of an engagement on Tuesday, in which he will meet aid workers involved with the humanitarian effort in the enclave.

The Prince will be briefed on the latest developments in Gaza and how charities are supporting those on the ground. He has been closely following the Gaza conflict since the Hamas terror attacks in Israel on Oct 7, the Telegraph understands.

He will join a synagogue discussion with young campaigners against hatred next week, in the wake of a sharp rise in anti-Semitism caused by the conflict.

The Prince is keen to use his platform to highlight the plight of millions of innocent civilians on both sides. The two engagements will be among the first he has conducted since returning from looking after his wife as she recovered from abdominal surgery, and their three children.

A Kensington Palace spokesperson said: The Prince and Princess were profoundly concerned by events that unfolded in late 2023 and continue to hold all the victims, their family and friends in their hearts and minds.

Their Royal Highnesses continue to share in the hope of a better future for all those affected.

Displaced Palestinians gather to receive food at a government school in Rafah - MOHAMMED ABED/AFP

The comments come after the Prince and Princess condemned Hamass appalling terrorist attack upon Israel in October 2023, warning that both parties would be stalked by grief, fear and anger as Israel exercises its right of self defence.

The Prince made a four-day visit to Israel and Palestine in 2018 and expressed his hope for lasting peace in the region.

It was the first official trip by a member of the monarchy to Israel and the occupied West Bank. During his visit, he conducted separate talks with Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, and Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian Authority president.

The two public engagements to be undertaken by the Prince this week come ahead of an expected Israeli invasion of Rafah, a border city straddling both Gaza and Egypt that is now home to 1.5 million Palestinians, and an all-time high in anti-Semitism.

In its annual report, the Community Security Trust described an explosion of hatred against the Jewish community last year. The organisation said the surge in anti-Jewish attacks, threats and abuse amounted to a celebration of Hamass Oct 7 massacre by anti-Semites.

It said there were 4,103 anti-Semitic incidents in the UK throughout 2023, nearly double the previous record in 2021, covering all types of hate against Jewish people.

Destroyed buildings in Gaza as residents face crisis levels of hunger and displacement - Kosay Al Nemer/REUTERS

Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer is set to face a fresh revolt from his party on Wednesday, when the Commons votes for a second time over a ceasefire in Gaza.

The Labour leader called for an immediate end to the fighting at the Scottish Labour conference in Glasgow on Sunday, marking an apparent change in stance as he warned that Rafah cannot become a new theatre of war.

The last vote in November, during which Sir Keir favoured humanitarian pauses, prompted the departure of 10 shadow ministers and parliamentary aides who rebelled to back a full ceasefire.

There are now fresh fears about an escalation in the conflict if Israeli forces move into Rafah, with Mr Netanyahu insisting his troops must achieve complete victory over Hamas.

Three days after the Oct 7 massacre, which killed some 1,200 people and saw 250 others taken hostage, the Royal family branded Hamas terrorists and said they were appalled by the attack on Israel.

King extremely concerned

King Charles condemned the barbaric acts of terrorism and was said to be extremely concerned about the conflict, asking to be kept informed.

The King, 75, who is president of the British Red Cross, hosted representatives from five charities operating in the Middle East  including Gaza  to discuss the acute humanitarian situation later that month. He also held talks with Sir Ephraim Mirvis, the UKs Chief Rabbi, to discuss the impact on the UKs Jewish population.

The British Red Cross said the King had made a generous donation to its Israel and occupied Palestinian Territory fundraising appeal. He went on to use his Christmas message to highlight the increasingly tragic conflict around the world and urge people to do all in our power to protect each other.

A photograph was also released of the King lighting a candle with the Queen to mark Holocaust Memorial Day days before he was admitted to hospital for an enlarged prostate, a procedure after which he was diagnosed with cancer.

Acts of unspeakable cruelty

In a message released to mark the Holocaust memorial commemorations, he said: Tragically, we live in a world where violence and acts of unspeakable cruelty are still perpetrated against people for no other reason than their religion, their race or their beliefs.

In recommitting ourselves to remembering the horrors of the past, we take an important step in creating a safer, freer world today and for future generations.

Hamas still holds around 130 hostages and a quarter of them are believed to be dead. Meanwhile, some 28,985 Palestinians have been killed in the conflict, according to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry.

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Prince William is calling for an end to the fighting in the Middle East, saying hes deeply concerned about the terrible human cost amid the Israel-Hamas war.

Too many have been killed, the 41-year-old heir to the British throne said in a Tuesday statement posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

I, like so many others, want to see an end to the fighting as soon as possible, William added of the conflict, which began following Hamass Oct. 7 invasion of Israel.

The Gaza Health Ministry, which is run by Hamas and does not distinguish between combatants and civilians, estimated earlier this week that 29,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israels retaliatory strike on Gaza began.

There is a desperate need for increased humanitarian support to Gaza. Its critical that aid gets in and hostages are released, the prince said.

Williams comments came the same week that a report from the Global Nutrition Cluster, an aid partnership led by UNICEF, found that 1 in 6 children younger than 2 in northern Gaza are malnourished.

William toured the British Red Cross headquarters in London on Tuesday to hear more about the human impact of the Middle East conflict and to learn about those supporting the humanitarian response. Hes reportedly poised to visit a synagogue next week as part of an engagement focused on antisemitism.

The Biden administration has been working to broker a long-term peace plan that would see a pause in fighting, the release of the remaining hostages held by Hamas in Gaza and the establishment of a Palestinian state.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected a two-state solution, saying that it would be considered a huge reward for Hamas following the Oct. 7 attack.

In his statement, William  whose father, King Charles III, was diagnosed with an unspecified cancer earlier this month  said, Sometimes it is only when faced with the sheer scale of human suffering that the importance of permanent peace is brought home.

Even in the darkest hour, he said, we must not succumb to the counsel of despair. I continue to cling to the hope that a brighter future can be found and I refuse to give up on that.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Life is full of little mysteries. For example: why do the words flammable and inflammable mean the same thing? Why do Americans insist on pronouncing herbs as erbs? Why does my phones autocorrect function appear to have been programmed by someone who cant spell or punctuate?

Oh, and one more, while were at it. If British Leftists care as much as they claim to about the lives of innocent civilians in the Middle East, why didnt they hold weekly mass marches demanding a ceasefire in Syria?

Since the beginning of the Syrian civil war in 2011, more than 350,000 people have been killed, mostly civilians. Some, as it happens, were Palestinians. An estimated 4,000 of them have been killed in the Syrian war. Meanwhile, around 120,000 Palestinians have fled Syria, and a further 280,000 have been internally displaced.

Despite the deaths, displacement and destitution of all these Palestinians and other innocent people, however, British Leftists have scarcely protested at all. Indeed, of the few British-based protests relating to the Syrian conflict, most were organised to oppose Western intervention in it. According to a BBC news report from August 2013, for instance, several hundred people marched on Downing Street, brandishing placards that read Hands off Syria.

On reflection, this approach seems curiously inconsistent. When civilians are being killed by one Middle Eastern country, British Leftists appear to take little interest, or argue that the West should keep its nose out and mind its own business.

Yet, when civilian deaths can be attributed to a certain other Middle Eastern country  one which, by sheer coincidence, happens to be the only country in the world with a population that is predominantly Jewish  British Leftists immediately seize the opportunity to condemn it, and march in furious protest against that country every Saturday for months on end, while taking particular relish in likening it to Nazi Germany, and ignoring the point that the country in question is retaliating to the kidnapping, rape and slaughter of its people by a Jew-hating terrorist group that is officially committed to the countrys eradication.

Two strikingly different responses. What on earth could account for such a discrepancy? Truly, my dear Watson, this is a three-pipe problem, and no mistake.

Theres only one thing we know for certain: when these Leftists insist that they arent anti-Semitic, it would be terribly hurtful to doubt them.

Why doesnt the NHS tell men to breastfeed?

When our son was a baby, my wife breastfed him. It seemed like a good idea at the time. But I have now come to realise that it was a dreadful mistake.

Because, in the interests of fairness, I should have breastfed him, too.

That, at least, is the only conclusion I can draw from a remarkable story published at the weekend. According to a Sunday newspaper, an NHS Trust in Sussex has claimed that breast milk produced by trans women, using specially supplied medication, is every bit as healthy for a baby as the breast milk produced naturally by the babys biological mother.

Obviously I would never dream of doubting the wisdom of our beloved NHS. So it must be true. In which case, we must ask ourselves a very important question.

Why isnt the NHS telling fathers to take this special medication, so that they can breastfeed their children, as well?

After all, if breast milk from a biological male is just as good as breast milk from a biological female, it seems only fair that in all couples the job of breastfeeding should be split 50:50, between the mother and the father. Most mothers find the job exhausting, what with all the countless night feeds theyre obliged to do. Think how much more rest they would get, if half the time they could simply hand their babies over to their husbands to suckle, instead.

Such an arrangement would suit everyone. Mothers would be happier. Fathers would feel more useful. And babies, as this NHS Trust makes clear, wouldnt be disadvantaged in the slightest.

For some unknown reason, however, the NHS has yet to launch a campaign demanding that fathers take up breastfeeding. This strikes me as appallingly sexist and unjust, especially in our new era of equality and inclusivity. If the NHS truly believes that male breast milk is as good for babies as female breast milk, it should order all fathers to start pumping themselves with the appropriate medication at once.

Otherwise, people might start to query the assertion that male breast milk is as good as female breast milk. And then they might start to wonder why exactly this NHS Trust claimed that it was.

Way of the World is a twice-weekly satirical look at the headlines aiming to mock the absurdities of the modern world. It is published at 7am every Tuesday and Saturday

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Despite concerns about limits on future bed-tax collections, the House Ways & Means Committee last Wednesday approved a proposed $647.3 million tax-cut package that would give breaks to businesses and shoppers.

The bill (PCB WMC 24-05), approved in a 16-6 vote, would provide about half of the $1.3 billion in tax breaks that lawmakers passed for the current fiscal year. The package, which is proposed for the fiscal year that will start July 1, likely will be changed as the House and Senate negotiate a final plan before the March 8 end of the legislative session.

A Senate proposal is expected to be released this week.

Read: Osceola County plans to add vacation homes, hotels after seeing dip in tourism tax revenues

While the House bill mostly drew praise from lawmakers and business groups, it faced concerns about a proposal that would limit new tourist-development taxes, often known as bed taxes, to six years. Also, it would require voter approval by July 1, 2029, for existing tourist-development taxes to continue.

Samantha Padgett, general counsel of the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association, said the six-year limit could affect local tourism-related projects.

Read: Orange County says onePULSE Foundation violated TDT agreement

Future revenues will only be eligible for funding for projects in which bonds could be retired in six years or less, Padgett said. This will eliminate significant future projects that require a longer bonding period.

Rep. Spencer Roach, R-North Fort Myers, expressed concerns that if bed taxes go away, Lee County residents could be responsible for some long-term expenses, including beach renourishment, and annual payments toward spring training stadiums. People who stay in places such as hotels pay tourist-development taxes.

Read: When county will vote on remaining TDT projects

I dont like taxes at all, but I like them a lot more when out-of-state folks pay them, Roach said.

The Ways & Means Committee is expected to receive a presentation next week about tourist-development taxes.

I think its something we need to have a conversation about, committee Chairman Stan McClain, R-Ocala, said. Its been 44 years (since the tax was created) and virtually unchanged. And its bigger and bigger and bigger. What was it, Palm Beach County (collects) $84 million? Who would have thought that 44 years ago?

Read: How tourist tax dollars can better help areas of need

The House package includes a series of sales-tax holidays, which are periods when shoppers can avoid paying sales taxes on such things as back-to-school items, hurricane-preparedness supplies and tools. But it would not offer as many holidays as during the current fiscal year. For example, it would offer one holiday for back-to-school items such as clothes, school supplies and computers. The state offered two such holidays this fiscal year.

Rep. Anna Eskamani, an Orlando Democrat who voted against the bill, said she would love to see our tax package have more consumer tax breaks. Were cutting those sales-tax holidays in half.

Eskamani unsuccessfully tried to change the bill to allow voter-approved local bed-tax dollars to be used for affordable housing.

The House proposal, however, would allow Monroe County to use tourist-development and tourist-impact tax dollars to provide affordable housing for employees of tourism-related businesses.

Gov. Ron DeSantis proposed a $1.1 billion tax package, but legislative leaders have said they expect a tighter budget in the coming year, in part because of less federal money related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The House package, for example, leaves out a $409 million recommendation by DeSantis to provide a one-year exemption on certain taxes, fees and assessments on property-insurance policies for homes up to $750,000. Also, it doesnt include a DeSantis proposal for $22 million in savings through an exemption on insurance-premium taxes on flood-insurance policies.

The tax package is a little smaller, McClain said. Were still negotiating a lot of that stuff between the governors office and the Senate.

The largest part of the House package, projected at a $339.6 million reduction to state and local revenues, would come from lowering a commercial-lease tax that business groups have long sought to eliminate.

The lease-tax rate is already set to go down from 4.5 percent to 2 percent in June, and the House would further lower it for a year to 1.25 percent starting July 1.

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Prosecution rests its case in Adam Montgomery murder trial

Prosecutors on Tuesday rested their case in the murder trial of Adam Montgomery, the New Hampshire man accused of killing his 5-year-old daughter, Harmony, in December 2019.

Adam Montgomery, 34, is charged with second-degree murder, assault, and witness tampering in connection with Harmonys death. At the start of his trial, his legal team informed the court that he intended to plead guilty to charges of abuse of a corpse and falsifying evidence.

The judge on Tuesday also denied a motion from the defense requesting to dismiss the charges of second-degree murder and assault against Adam Montgomery.

Adam Montgomery enters the courtroom for jury selection ahead of his murder trial at Hillsborough County Superior Court in Manchester, N.H, on Feb. 6, 2024. He is accused of killing his five-year-old daughter, Harmony. David Lane/UNION LEADER POOL

Adam Montgomery enters the courtroom for jury selection ahead of his murder trial at Hillsborough County Superior Court in Manchester, N.H, on Feb. 6, 2024. He is accused of killing his five-year-old daughter, Harmony. David Lane/UNION LEADER POOL

Adam Montgomery enters the courtroom for jury selection ahead of his murder trial at Hillsborough County Superior Court in Manchester, N.H, on Feb. 6, 2024. He is accused of killing his five-year-old daughter, Harmony. David Lane/UNION LEADER POOL

Adam Montgomery and his lawyers Caroline Smith and James Brooks watch as potential jurors enter the courtroom for jury selection ahead of his murder trial at Hillsborough County Superior Court in Manchester, N.H, on Feb. 6, 2024. He is accused of killing his five-year-old daughter, Harmony. David Lane/UNION LEADER POOL

Assistant New Hampshire Attorney Generals Christopher Knowles (at left) and Benjamin Agati stand as potential jurors enter the courtroom at jury selection for the Adam Montgomery murder trial at Hillsborough County Superior Court in Manchester, N.H, on Feb. 6, 2024. He is accused of killing his five-year-old daughter, Harmony. David Lane/UNION LEADER POOL

Adam Montgomery stands with his lawyers Caroline Smith and James Brooks as they await potential jurors to enter the courtroom for jury selection ahead of his murder trial at Hillsborough County Superior Court in Manchester, N.H, on Feb. 6, 2024. He is accused of killing his five-year-old-daughter, Harmony. David Lane/UNION LEADER POOL

Superior Court Justice Amy Messer conducts a bench meeting with lawyers at jury selection for the Adam Montgomery murder trial at Hillsborough County Superior Court in Manchester, N.H, on Feb. 6, 2024. He is accused of killing his five-year-old daughter, Harmony. From left are Assistant New Hampshire Attorney Generals Christopher Knowles and Benjamin Agati and Public Defenders Caroline Smith and James Brooks. David Lane/UNION LEADER POOL

Adam Montgomery, who has refused to appear in court since the first day of his trial, will waive his right to be present in the courtroom and lose his right to testify if he doesnt make an appearance on Wednesday.

The move comes after the state called dozens of witnesses over several days, including, Adams estranged wife, Kayla Montgomery, who broke down crying on the stand and shared gruesome testimony as the prosecutions star witness.

Kayla Montgomery, 33, told the court that her husband violently punched Harmony when he flew into a rage on Dec. 7, 2019, shortly before they noticed her lifeless body.

Adam Montgomery later folded the girls body into a duffel bag, and he spent the next few weeks moving Harmonys decaying body by hiding it in a restaurant freezer, in the ceiling of a shelter, in an apartment refrigerator, Kayla Montgomery said. In their apartment, she testified, Adam spent hours dismembering the childs body so it could fit in a small bag.

It was evil, Kayla Montgomery said in describing Adam Montgomerys crazy eyes look and demeanor towards his young daughter on the day Harmony died.

Days after the girls death, in perhaps the most gruesome account of her testimony, Kayla Montgomery admitted to assisting Adam Montgomery as he cut the clothes off of Harmonys decaying corpse and showered hot water on the girls corpse, in an attempt to speed decomposition by using lime.

Kayla Montgomery has a plea deal with the state and has previously identified her estranged husband as Harmonys killer.

After the prosecution rested its case, the judge sent the jury home for the day.

Proceedings will resume Wednesday morning with the defense expected to call a small number of witnesses, a courts spokesperson said.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
By Jon Dunbar

The War Lovers, a two-piece street punk/oi! band from Syracuse, New York, is coming to Korea this month for only one show.

"We are actually spending Tet (Vietnamese New Year) in Ho Chi Minh City. We decided that since well be closish to Korea, we should try to go to some shows, and possibly play a show," Jamie Pickslide, guitarist/lead vocalist of The War Lovers, told The Korea Times. "We really love the type of punk rock that is coming out of that area. We have been fans of bands like Pogo Attack, Rux, the Rumkicks and various other Korean punk bands for years."

The duo will get a chance to share the stage with a couple of those bands on Feb. 24, when they'll play a show at Club Steel Face with scene legends Rux and pogo punk supergroup Pogo Attack, as well as the recently resurrected Spiky Brats, "death punk disco band" 18Fevers and Busan band Stoned.

"The guys in Pogo Attack have been awesome in helping us," Jamie added.

The War Lovers was formed in 2018 by Jamie and Thao Crash, his wife, on drums. Having just the two of them in the band certainly keeps things simple, from figuring out schedules to airfare to reach far-flung countries like Korea.

"Thao and I had both been in bands before, with up to as many as seven members," Jamie said. "We wanted to simplify and really make a raw sound without any fanciness. Weve had the same goal since day one: do as much as we can with just ourselves, keeping it simple, raw, pure, passionate. Its much easier to do that with just two people."

The band gets its name from "The War Lovers: Roosevelt, Lodge, Hearst, and the Rush to Empire, 1898," a 2010 nonfiction book by Evan Thomas that focuses on U.S. actions leading up to and during the Spanish-American War of 1898.

"The book is a historical look at how the United States uses war as a way to unify itself," Jamie said. "After the U.S. Civil War, the country was very divided, and as a way to patch things up, we created a common enemy, and went to war against Spain. It was (unfortunately) successful, and the U.S. has been using the same imperialistic tactics since the 1890s. It's an antiquated practice that only leads to hyper-nationalism and borderline fascism."

The cover of their debut album, "Punk is a War," weighs in on this in a way that most Koreans will notice: it contains a Japanese imperial flag motif. But Jamie expects this won't trigger a controversy in Korea. "If you look closely at the rising sun image on our album, it is burned and destroyed, with yellow stains like someone pissed on it," he pointed out.

The War Lovers' sound is reminiscent of The Virus, Lower Class Brats, Anti-Nowhere League and The Exploited, bands that don't get namedropped in Korea's scene enough these days.

Their latest album, "Chaos Chaos Chaos" released last November, ranges between silly, fun punk songs to songs tackling heavy themes like warfare, racism and authoritarianism.

The song "I Only Like Punk" is a fun song about hating all other types of music. It includes an interlude in which people from around the world shout the song title in their own language, with Korean contributed by Yeawon, frontwoman of the Rumkicks.

"Yeawon was very kind to contribute her voice to us," Jamie said. "We have a ton of friends all over the place, and want everyone to be recognized. There is a camaraderie in punk that transcends language, and we thought this was a good way to show that."

Meanwhile, the track "Saigon" looks at the Vietnam War from many angles and how it only destroyed lives. The song "Punk and Anarchy" confronts racism and anti-immigration opposition.

"The world is fucked up, and punk is around because the world is fucked up. If the world was all great and happy, there would be no need for punk," Jamie said. "With all this said, The War Lovers is not a political band  we are about having fun with our friends and telling it how we see it."

Jamie speaks  and sings  about war and militarism with contempt, but with the contempt of one who's been there and seen it for himself, not just some basement anarchist. He himself spent four years in the U.S. Navy from 2008 to 2012.

"I had gotten in some legal trouble in 2007, and was given a chance to expunge my record by going into the military for four years," he admitted. "I am staunchly against imperialism, militarism and war. But in my military service I did a lot of traveling, learned a lot about the world and made some life-long friends."

He spent most of those four years stationed in Yokosuka, Japan, and said he had been directly involved in the rescue and cleanup operations following the 2011 Sendai earthquake/tsunami and Fukushima nuclear disaster.

"I am proud that I got to help, at least a little bit," he added.

During his time in the Navy, he also had a few opportunities to visit Korea, so this will be a return visit of sorts.

"I loved everything I saw while I was there and promised myself to visit again as a civilian," Jamie said. "Playing in Korea isnt about traveling to a different country, it is about meeting more punks. We feel that our style is greatly influenced by not only our personal experiences but in seeing other musicians. We have a strong belief that punk rock is stronger than any nationalities or country borders. Punk is a worldwide culture."

Visit linktr.ee/thewarlovers to find out more about the band.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has denied reports from US media that Moscow is developing nuclear weapons to strike targets in space.

Several US media outlets, including the New York Times, the Washington Post as well as broadcasters ABC and Fox News reported the findings by citing US intelligence last week.

They said Russia was attempting to develop an anti-satellite nuclear weapon based in space which could pose a threat to national and international security.

Fox News reported that the use of nuclear systems against satellites could potentially disable US military communications and reconnaissance.

Putin on Tuesday firmly rejected the allegations.

"Our position is clear and unequivocal: we have always been categorically against the deployment of nuclear weapons in space and we are still categorically against it," the Russian president told the Interfax news agency at a meeting with Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu.

Russia had always called for existing agreements in this area to be honoured, according to Putin. Shoigu also said that Russia had no nuclear projects in space. The US knows this too, he added.

Following the release of the media reports on Wednesday, US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby confirmed on Thursday that Russia is developing military capabilities for use against satellites in space but left the specific nature of the threat open.

US President Joe Biden later clarified that neither the citizens of the US nor elsewhere in the world were facing a nuclear threat.

The Kremlin has also framed the allegations as an attempt to persuade Russia to resume talks on strategic security. In principle, Moscow was open to this, Putin said, as well as to negotiations on Ukraine.

However, such dialogue was incompatible with US calls to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia in Ukraine, he added.
Putin gifted Kim Jong Un a luxury Russian car, defying UN sanctions.

The gift strengthens the bond between the Russian and North Korean leaders.

It likely violates the UN's ban on transporting luxury goods to North Korea.

Russian President Vladimir Putin gifted North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un a luxury Russian car, openly defying UN sanctions and strengthening the two leaders' close bond.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told Russia's RIA state news agency that the car  an Aurus Senat limousine  previously belonged to Putin himself, Reuters reported.

He said Putin decided to give the car to Kim after he showed it to him during a visit to Russia's Vostochny Cosmodrome in September.

Russian President Vladimir Putin approaches his Aurus limousine in 2021. Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images

"So this decision was made," Peskov said, according to Reuters. "North Korea is our neighbor, our close neighbor, and we intend, and will continue, to develop our relations with all neighbors, including North Korea."

WPK officials, including Kim Jong Un's sister, Kim Yo Jong, accepted the car on his behalf on Sunday, state news outlet KCNA reported. She said the gift served as a reminder of the "special personal relations" between the two leaders, the publication said.

The gift likely violated the United Nation's ban on transporting luxury goods and vehicles to North Korea. The ban was part of several major sanctions against North Korea in 2006 to punish it for its nuclear program.

This wouldn't be the first time Kim Jong Un has gotten around the sanctions. He is known to be a fan of luxury vehicles and has been seen with a Mercedes, a Rolls-Royce, a luxury Maybach, and several Lexus SUVs through the years, according to multiple reports.

The gift highlights the two leaders' strengthening relationship, which is more significant than ever amid Russia's war against Ukraine.

Business Insider reported in October that North Korea had sent Russia more than 1,000 containers of munitions, adding that the country was on track to become "one of Russia's most significant foreign arms suppliers."

A recent report by Norway's Intelligence Service said that support from North Korea in addition to China, Belarus, and Iran is helping Russia gain the "military upper hand" in the war.

"Russia's position in the war is stronger than it was a year ago, and the country is in the process of seizing the initiative and gaining the upper hand militarily," the Focus 2024 report said.

"The Kremlin is expected to step up its war effort in the months ahead. The prospect of real negotiations is dim, and all signs point to the war continuing throughout 2024."

Meanwhile, Ukraine's alliances in Europe and the US are faltering due to a lack of approved funds.

A US Army spokesperson told BI on Monday that it could run out of funding to support Ukraine and its Europe and Africa Command if Congress doesn't approve a new aid package soon.

"We just saw the Vice President pledge continued US support for Ukraine and NATO," the spokesperson said, referencing comments made by Kamala Harris at the Munich Security Conference in Germany.

"But if there's no money, there's no ability for us to back up words. Words are great, but actions speak louder than words," they added.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Russian President Vladimir Putin gifted a car to his North Korean counterpart Kim Jong Un over the weekend, state media reported Tuesday, the latest goodwill gesture amid deepening ties between their regimes.

The Russian-made car was delivered to Kims aides on Feb. 18, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported, just a few days after Valentines Day. A Kremlin spokesperson confirmed the vehicle was an Aurus, a luxury car manufacturer created in 2018 to make Russias official state cars.

Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Kim had seen the vehicle while visiting Russia and Putin personally showed it to him, and of course, like many others, he liked this vehicle. Thats why such a decision was made [to gift it to him].

Russian Chopper Pilot Who Defected to Ukraine Found Dead in Spain

KCNA said the car is for Kims personal use and reported that his sister, Kim Yo Jong, expressed thanks to Putin on her siblings behalf, saying that the gift serves as a clear demonstration of the special personal relations between the top leaders.

The gift might constitute a breach of U.N. sanctions on North Korea which Moscow had agreed to adopt, with a spokesperson for South Koreas foreign ministry telling a media briefing that supplying Pyongyang with vehicles including luxury cars is prohibited by Security Council resolutions.

The Aurus Senat limousine is the vehicle Putin uses. The automakers website says the car represents the renaissance of Russias industrial, scientific and technological potential, and claims to offer a level of ballistic protection that means passengers will only feel more secure in an armored military vehicle.

Kim inspected the limousine during a visit to Russia in September and Putin invited him to get into the back seat, according to Reuters. The North Korean despot is known to have a fleet of luxury cars despite international sanctions and he was seen in a Maybach during his Russia visit. Hes also been spotted in Mercedes limos, a Lexus SUV, and a Rolls-Royce Phantom.

During the meeting, Kim said he supported Russia in its sacred struggle to defend its state sovereignty, referring to Putins invasion of Ukraine. He added that we will always stand together in the fight against imperialism.

North Korean weapons including rockets, missiles and artillery have reportedly been sent to Russia during its war, though the Kremlin has not confirmed or denied their use in Ukraine. North Korea has denied that it has sent arms to Russia, as such shipments would also constitute a breach of U.N. sanctions.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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A drunken man was arrested in the National Assembly compound in the wee hours Tuesday after he trespassed into the compound and then smashed a car window and brandished a kitchen knife toward a policeman.

The man in his 50s, whose identity was withheld, climbed over the wall into the Assembly compound at around 2:20 a.m. and broke a car's window with the knife and pounded on a window of a guard post, according to police.

The man also brandished the knife at a policeman trying to restrain him, but no one was hurt.

Police plan to look into the motive of the crime and consider seeking a warrant to formally arrest him. (Yonhap)
(Bloomberg) -- Vladimir Putins bonhomie with Kim Jong Un took a fresh turn, with the Russian president gifting the limousine-loving North Korean leader a new automobile.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Putin gave Kim a Russian-made car for his personal use, North Koreas official Korean Central News Agency reported Tuesday. It was conveyed to a group that included Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of the leader, and there were no further details on how the car was handed over. She offered her thanks and said the gift serves as a clear demonstration of the special personal relations between the top leaders, KCNA said.

Putins spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told the RIA Novosti news service that Kim Jong Un received a new Aurus. The vehicle is the result of a Russian government program to produce a luxury limousine as a domestic alternative to foreign models such as Mercedes.

The United Nations Security Council has a list of items that are prohibited for export to North Korea to punish it for its nuclear weapons program. These include yachts, racing cars and luxury vehicles. South Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman Lim Soo-suk called on Russia to abide by the sanctions on North Korea, including those that prohibit the transfer of luxury goods.

The UN Security Council, however, likely has little it can do to punish Putin.

The gift comes as the US and South Korea have accused Kim Jong Un of supplying munitions worth several billion dollars to Putin to aid in his assault on Ukraine.

Read more: Kim Jong Uns Russia Lifeline Gives Big Reason to Avoid War

Kim Jong Un has shown he likes to travel the roads in expensive vehicles. He has recently been seen in a Mercedes-Benz Maybach GLS 600 SUV, which sells at a base price of $174,350.

That is actually one of Kims least-expensive rides, with his fleet of limousines including an armored Mercedes-Maybach limo that can sell for over $1 million.

Kim has a special section in his luxury train for his limousines, including one vehicle seen driving in and out of a carriage when he shared handshakes and smiles with Putin at a summit in Russia in September.

Read more: Kims Transport of Choice Is a Slow, Swanky Bulletproof Train

Putin has been seen riding in the Russian-made Aurus Senat. It was described in a review by the Sydney Morning Heralds Drive section as a 7,200 kilogram (15,870 pound) knock off of a Rolls Royce. Seats come in authentic Russian leather and options include bulletproof armor, it said.

Putin showed off his Aurus limousine to Kim when they met in September, Russias state-run Tass news agency reported, adding that Kim tested its comfort by sitting in the rear passenger seat.

--With assistance from Shinhye Kang.

(Updates with comments from South Korea in paragraph four.)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

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The carmaker's website describes the Aurus as Russia's first full-size luxury sedan

Russian President Vladimir Putin has given North Korean leader Kim Jong Un a luxury Russian-made car.

Pyongyang's state media said the limousine was delivered to Mr Kim's top aides on Sunday.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov later confirmed the gift, saying it was an Aurus, a full-sized luxury sedan of the type used by Mr Putin himself.

The two internationally isolated countries have forged close relations since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

North Korea is thought to be supplying Russia with artillery, rockets and ballistic missiles for the war, despite international sanctions on both countries. Both sides deny breaching sanctions.

Mr Putin welcomed Mr Kim to the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the Russian Far East last September, in what was his first trip abroad in four years.

President Putin (left) and Kim Jong Un met in September for their first face-to-face in four years

During that visit, the North Korean leader inspected Mr Putin's own Aurus Senat limousine and was invited to get in the back seat. They also swapped guns as gifts.

Kim Jong-un is believed to be a car enthusiast and to have a collection of luxury foreign vehicles.

Kim's sister Yo Jong said the "gift serves as a clear demonstration of the special personal relations between the top leaders" of the two countries, in remarks quoted by North Korean state news agency KCNA.

But South Korea's Foreign Ministry said the gift breached UN Security Council sanctions against North Korea, which prohibit supplies of certain categories of vehicle including luxury cars.

The BBC's Steve Rosenberg in Moscow says that while the two leaders' personal relationship is hardly a bromance - unlike that between Mr Kim and former US President Donald Trump - they both see the benefits of closer ties.

Both Russia and North Korea have indicated that Mr Putin will visit Pyongyang in the near future.
Seoul  Russian President Vladimir Putin has gifted North Korean leader Kim Jong Un a Russian-made car, Pyongyang's state media said Tuesday, as the two countries bolster ties in areas from tourism to defense. The gift would violate successive rounds of United Nations sanctions on the North over Kim's nuclear and other weapons programs  which were passed with Russian approval  that ban the import of any vehicles or luxury goods into the country.



Kim was "presented with a car made in Russia for his personal use by Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, president of the Russian Federation," Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency reported.



Kim's powerful sister, Yo Jong, said the "gift serves as a clear demonstration of the special personal relations between the top leaders" of the two countries, KCNA added.

Russian President Vladimir Putin shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un his Russian-made Aurus limousine, Sept. 13, 2023, outside the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia's Far East region, ahead of their summit. / Credit: Reuters

The KCNA report did not specify the vehicle's model, but asked about the gift Tuesday in Moscow, chief Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov indicated that it was a version of the Russian-made Aurus limousine that Putin is often chauffeured around in. He said Kim took a shine to the luxury vehicle when Putin gave him a look at his during the North Korean leader's visit to Russia's Far East in September for a summit.

"When the head of the DPRK (North Korea) was at the Vostochny Cosmodrome, he looked at this car, Putin showed it to him personally, and like many people, Kim liked this car," Peskov told reporters. "So this decision was made North Korea is our neighbor, our close neighbor, and we intend, and will continue, to develop our relations with all neighbors, including North Korea."

The Aurus limousine carrying Russian President Vladimir Putin drives in Arzamas, Nizhny Novgorod region, Russia, Sept. 8, 2023. / Credit: Mikhail Klimentyev/Sputnik/Kremlin Pool/AP

Since Kim's visit last year, Pyongyang has been drawing ever closer to Moscow, with a group of Russian tourists arriving earlier this month for a four-day trip  the first known foreign tour group since before pandemic-linked border closures in 2020.



Since the Kim-Putin summit in Vostochny, the U.S. and South Korea have accused the North of shipping weapons to Moscow for use in its war with Ukraine, in exchange for Russian help with Kim's satellite programs.



The Russian leader is now set to pay a return visit to Pyongyang, both sides have indicated.



Kim is renowned for his affinity for lavish automobiles. He has been spotted using luxury cars, including Lexus SUVs and Mercedes-Benz S-Class models.

A 2021 U.N. report highlighted an attempted shipment of more than $1 million worth of luxury vehicles, including such models, allegedly from the United Arab Emirates to Ningbo, China, for onward delivery to the North.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un steps out of his Maybach limousine upon arriving at the Russian Vostochny Cosmodrome to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, in Russia's Far East, Sept. 13, 2023. / Credit: Kremlin Press Office/Handout/Anadolu Agency/Getty

South Korea's unification ministry said it had assessed that the gift from Putin, which it classed as a luxury vehicle and a gift to Kim as head of state, was a violation of U.N. sanctions.



"We condemn North Korea for its brazen attitude of publicly disclosing violations of the U.N. sanctions," a ministry official told reporters, speaking on condition of anonymity. "Russia should also be aware of its responsibility as a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council and stop an act that undermines international norms."



During Kim's visit to Russia last year, Putin invited him to climb into the back seat of his Aurus Senat limousine. Kim had arrived at the location in his Maybach limousine, which was transported on a special train he travelled on from the North.



In 2018, then-U.S. President Donald Trump allowed Kim to peek inside his U.S. presidential limousine, commonly known as "The Beast," as the men met for their first in-person summit in Singapore.

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Another atmospheric river triggering floods in California
Russia's President Vladimir Putin attends a concert at the Gazprom Arena stadium in Saint Petersburg. Vyacheslav Prokofiev/Kremlin/dpa

Russian President Vladimir Putin has promoted a high-ranking prison officer several days after the death of leading opposition figure Alexei Navalny.

The deputy head of the FSIN prison authority, Valery Boyarinev, was was promoted to colonel general of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The director of the Anti-Corruption Foundation, which was established by Navalny, wrote on his Telegram channel on Tuesday that Boyarinev was personally responsible for Navalny's torture in prison.

"This must be understood as Putin's open reward for the torture," Ivan Zhdanov said of Boyarinev's promotion.

In July 2023, an order by Boyarinev to restrict the opposition politician's ability to buy food and daily necessities became known during a court hearing against Navalny.

Prisoners can normally use their money to supplement their own meagre rations in the prison shop.

According to Zhdanov, the newly appointed colonel general was also responsible for further harassment of Navalny.

Boyarinev's promotion became known on Monday when the presidential decree was published in the legal database. In addition to Boyarinev, three other law enforcement officers were promoted to the rank of general.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied any connection between Navalny's death and the promotions, downplayng it as a normal procedure.

Navalny, 47, died on Friday in a Siberian prison camp.

Weakened by repeated solitary confinement, Navalny is said to have collapsed during a tour of the icy prison yard and died despite attempts at resuscitation.

Despite international protests, the authorities are still refusing his relatives access to his body.
Dmitry Peskov, the Russian Presidents Press Secretary, has stated that the Kremlin will not respond to EU demands, as expressed by Josep Borrell, the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, for an international investigation into the circumstances of Alexei Navalny's death.

Source: Kremlin-aligned Russian news agency RIA Novosti, citing Peskov during a briefing on 20 February

Quote: "We do not accept such demands at all, especially from Mr Borrell."

Details: In addition, Peskov referred to accusations made by Yulia Navalnaya as "baseless and rude", particularly regarding the alleged withholding of Alexei Navalny's body to conceal evidence of his poisoning.

The Press Secretary claimed that Vladimir Putin has not seen her video address.

Previously:

Earlier, Josep Borrell, the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, called on Russia to allow a transparent investigation into Navalny's death.

Background:

On the afternoon of 16 February, Russias Federal Penitentiary Service reported the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny at Correctional Facility No. 3 in Kharp.

Navalny had been imprisoned since early 2021. The Moscow City Court sentenced him to 19 years in prison in a special-regime colony for "extremism" in August 2023.

In December, the opposition leader was transferred to Correctional Facility No. 3, known as Polyarnyi Volk (Polar Wolf), which is located in Kharp in Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Siberia.

After the Russian authorities announced Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny's death in prison, his wife Yulia accused President Vladimir Putin of murder and promised to carry on her husband's struggle.

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A mercenary from the Wagner group in the Central African Republic in 2022. The group, now under state control, has a long history of involvement with authoritarian regimes in Africa - RUSSIAN MEDIA

Russia is trying to win influence among authoritarian African leaders by offering them a regime survival package provided by its rebranded Wagner mercenary group, a report says.

Wagner was brought under direct state control after its founder Yevgeny Prigozhin, who launched a failed coup against Vladimir Putin, was killed when his plane exploded.

Now renamed the Expeditionary Corps, it remains at the forefront of Putins attempts to oust the West from large parts of Africa.

The Kremlin is using the corps to build an Entente Roscolonial of states that actively seek to assist Russia, while also becoming increasingly subordinate to Russian influence, the report from the Royal United Services Institute think tank says.

Russian officials are successfully preying on African disillusionment with the West, arguing it does not care about Africa and security alliances with it have only deprived the continents leaders of sovereignty.

Demonstrators show support for Wagner in the Central African Republic, where the paramilitary group arrived in 2020 to quash a rebellion - BARBARA DEBOUT/AFP

Turning to the Kremlin for security support against domestic rebels is more effective, they argue, and without Western pressures over human rights.

Russian commanders take control of resources like gold mines or mineral deposits to pay for the operations and keep costs down for the African governments, the report says.

Jack Watling, one of the authors, said: The package that they are offering these countries is pretty straightforward.

It is essentially that the West has been coming to you and telling you how you should behave. And they havent solved the problems because theyve ultimately been interested in killing jihadists that they dont like, rather than killing people who are rebels that you dont like.

African countries downgrade ties with Western allies

We will fix that problem: rather than giving you troops that you dont control, we will give you soldiers that are part of your military that you control and we will enable the operations you want to do.

The strategy has already been used in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, leading the countries to downgrade ties with former Western allies, particularly France.

Mr Watling went on: They also use a standard methodology that the Russian special services employ which is that essentially capital costs come from the state, but operational costs can be self-generating.

A young demonstrator holds a Russian flag in Bangui, Central African Republic, last year. Russia stepped in as the country's ties with France, its former colonial authority, weakened - BARBARA DEBOUT/AFP

This is quite attractive for the countries that theyre targeting. Because it means that these countries do not need to take out loans or other things in order to pay for the operations.

In Mali, for example, where some 2,000 Wagner troops are in place, the government is restructuring the mining code to allow concessions to be taken from companies and granted to the Russians, he said.

As the Ukraine war seems set to settle into stalemate for the foreseeable future, the Kremlin is instead looking further afield to press any advantage, Mr Watling said.

This Africa strategy highlights how the Russians are trying to compete on a much wider scale and across a much broader theatre than we are, he added.

A Central African Republic commando trained by the Wagner Group stands guard at a 2019 May Day parade in Bangui - ASHLEY GILBERTSON/EYEVINE

We are very focused on Ukraine and localised conflict. The Russians see our prioritisation of other lines of effort as an opportunity to convince other countries that we dont actually care about them.

After Mr Prigozhins failed rebellion in June last year, the Wagner group was brought under the direct control of Russian military intelligence, the GRU.

The Expeditionary Corps is now led by Gen Andrey Averyanov. He previously headed the GRUs Unit 29155, which specialises in destabilising foreign governments.

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Another morning of heavy rain is expected across most of Southern California on Tuesday with showers hopefully to tapering off later in the afternoon.

Were still looking at wet conditions, a little more on-again-off-again through Ventura and Santa Barbara [counties]. More of a steady go of rain is forecast for those of you in Orange County, the I.E. and L.A. this morning, KTLA Meteorologist Henry DiCarlo said.

Check your forecast on the KTLA Weather page

Most of the rain should fall in the mountain and foothill locations Tuesday. We get much more up against the foothills as we push that moisture through, Henry said.

A glance at Monday's storm outlook is provided by the National Weather Service.

As of Monday night, several areas had already been soaked with several inches of rain.

Here are the updated rainfall totals for parts of SoCal as of 8 p.m. Monday:

San Marcos Pass: 10.86

Porter Ranch: 2.95

Bel Air: 2.86

Leo Carrillo: 2.37

Beverly Hills: 2.19

Woodland Hills: 1.80

Santa Monica: 1.79

Although showers should lighten up in most areas Tuesday afternoon, there will still be a localized severe weather threat late Tue-Tue night with a 20% chance of thunderstorms, the National Weather Service stated.

The saturated grounds have already given way in many locations with mudslides closing a portion of the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu.

Residents in Rancho Palos Verdes are calling on California Governor Gavin Newsom to declare a statewide emergency as the land continues to shift throughout the seaside community.

Rancho Palos Verdes to request Newsom declare emergency

Snow levels have remained rather high with this weeks storm, remaining mostly above 7,500 feet. That level could fall to around 6,000 feet by Tuesday afternoon.

The Weather Service is expecting drier conditions to return Wednesday morning but has kept a lingering chance of rain in the forecast.

By Friday, we are looking for plenty of afternoon sunshine, Henry said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
The latest atmospheric-river storm pummeling an already soaked Southern California wreaked havoc across the region, prompting landslide concerns, worsening dangerous potholes and even forcing an airport to close due to flooding.

According to the National Weather Service, the storm has so far delivered the most rain to southern Santa Barbara County where the airport was closed due to as much as 10 inches of rain falling by noon and covering runways with water.

[Santa Barbara Airport] remains closed until further notice, officials said on X, formerly Twitter. The airfield experienced significant flooding and water is not expected to recede enough to open for the remainder of today. Next update will be at 2 a.m. Please continue checking directly with your airline for flight status.

Santa Barbara Airport closes due to flooding

Locally, Bel Air received nearly 3 inches of rain, followed by Leo Carrillo with 2.37 inches and Beverly Hills seeing 2.19 inches. Porter Ranch residents got nearly 3 inches, followed by nearly 2 inches in Woodland Hills.

Downtown L.A. was hit with a little more than an inch of rainfall.

In the San Fernando Valley, drivers dealt with potholes worsened by the recent rains.

You cant really see them, and they come out of nowhere, Valley resident Elijah Siegal told KTLA. You hit this large bump and then you go, Oh, no. Is my car screwed up?

On the northbound 405 at the Skirball Center offramp, crews were dealing with a sink hole, Caltrans saying the ramp will remain closed indefinitely.

Sinkhole forms on Skirball Center offramp

We have roads that flooded out, roads that are completely shut down and that we have to close because theyre covered in mud, Allison Colburn with Caltrans said. We only have so many people available to address these things at once.

In Hacienda Heights, residents are hoping sandbags hunkered on top of tarp covered hillsides will withstand the additional rains. Just two weeks ago, heavy rain caused mudslides that crashed through walls and damaged structures.

Hillside collapse prompts evacuations, rescues in Hacienda Heights

While the storm is now pointed at Orange County, NWS forecasts L.A. County valleys and coasts will receive another one-third to two-thirds of an inch of rain overnight. Foothills and coastal slopes could see another two-thirds of an inch to 1.25 inches.

Los Angeles County remains under a flood advisory until 6 a.m. Tuesday morning.

Snow levels are expected to remain at 8,000 feet and higher through the evening but may come down to an elevation of 7,000 feet by Tuesday, NWS said. On Tuesday night, residents at 6,000 feet could start to see snowfall.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs over the weekend appeared at a rally that was co-sponsored by several extremist organizations, including the states chapter of the Proud Boys, and a student group that has promoted anti-Jewish materials.

Held in front of Arizonas state Capitol, the 11th annual Second Amendment Rally featured not only a roster of gun rights advocates, but also several players from the states right-wing fringe.

One of the events foundational sponsors was the College Republicans United, a student group with chapters in Arizona that embraces white supremacy. CRUs website promotes texts that helped fuel the rise of anti-Jewish sentiment in the early 20th century, including Henry Fords "The International Jew" and "The Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion," a fabricated text that claims to document a Jewish plan to dominate the world.

CRU also has ties to white supremacist Nick Fuentes. On Saturday, the groups table displayed a flag emblazoned with Fuentes logo.

One of its members created the events pamphlets, according to a copy obtained by The Arizona Republic.

Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., turns as he speaks with Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., ahead of the 13th round of voting for speaker in the House chamber as the House meets for the fourth day to elect a speaker and convene the 118th Congress in Washington, Friday, Jan. 6, 2023.

Arizonas chapter of the Proud Boys, the right-wing group known for promoting political violence, also was a sponsor of Saturdays rally.

The event appearance was not out of character for Biggs, R-Ariz., one of the furthest right members of Congress who has long been associated with right-wing extremism, including the push to undermine the 2020 presidential election. Biggs, along with Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., were among 26 Republicans who refused to sign a pledge disavowing white nationalism and white supremacy. He previously spoke at the Second Amendment rally last year.

"Let me tell you what the hard left  the Marxist Democrats in Congress  want to do. They want to take away your gun rights," Biggs said at the event.

Anti-gun zealots are unleashing a full-frontal assault on our God-given, constitutionally protected Second Amendment rights, he wrote on social media afterwards. I dont accept these attacks and neither should you.

Biggs represents much of Phoenixs Southeast Valley in Congress. His office did not respond to a request for comment.

Among more mainstream conservative organizations, the far-right groups brands are political kryptonite. Earlier this year saw a firestorm when several county Republican committees said they were duped into planning a CRU event that involved Fuentes. The county GOP groups walked back their participation, or denied they were involved, once the connection became known.

But the far-right groups were emboldened by former President Donald Trump, who has hosted Fuentes for a meal at his private Mar-a-Lago estate and name-dropped the Proud Boys in a Sept. 29, 2020, debate with now-President Joe Biden in which he told the extremist group to stand back and stand by.

State Reps. Quang Nguyen, R-Prescott Valley, and Leo Biasiucci, R-Lake Havasu City, and Turning Point USA contributor Paige Roux also were on the program for Saturdays event.

Conservative state Rep. Austin Smith, R-Wittmann, was listed as a speaker in event promotional materials, but his name was taken off the event website in the weeks leading up to the rally. Smith, who has previously called CRU a cancer, confirmed he was not in attendance, but said he had no clue the student group was involved and could not attend the event because of other obligations.

Laura Gersony covers national politics for the Arizona Republic. Reach her at lgersony@gannett.com or 480-372-0389.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Andy Biggs spoke at event sponsored by extremist group the Proud Boys
A construction worker on Feb. 9 walks along Dauntless Drive in Rancho Palos Verdes, where land movement exacerbated by recent storms has cracked pavement and damaged homes. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

City leaders in Rancho Palos Verdes plan to ask the state to waive environmental reviews and other regulatory hurdles so they can expedite their fight against the accelerating landslide complex that threatens crucial infrastructure in the city and hundreds of homes.

Amid drenching rainstorms that threaten to worsen the problem, the City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to ask Gov. Gavin Newsom to declare a state of emergency for the area. The landslide complex that underlies much of the coastal city has been slowly shifting for decades, but over the last few months, the movement has increased alarmingly.

Officials also voted to ask the governor to request that President Biden designate the landslide complex as a federal disaster, which could free up potential funding streams, including from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

It is time to take action," Councilmember David Bradley said at the crowded meeting Tuesday night. "Anything we can do and as fast as we can do it, we need to do it.

The council already has declared a local emergency, but the situation has since deteriorated with back-to-back rainy winters. A statewide emergency proclamation could enable the city to jump-start its $33-million landslide remediation project  which has been in development since 2016 but remains months away from clearing final environmental reviews.

Streets are closed as new land movement exacerbated by recent storms has caused additional damage in Rancho Palos Verdes. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

It is paramount at this point that we are able to move quickly and not be held up with lengthy permitting processes," City Manager Ara Mihranian said. Those reviews are "acceptable under normal conditions, but we are not operating under normal conditions today."

That project was supposed to proactively stabilize the Portuguese Bend area, but the issue has recently become more urgent.

Record-setting rainstorms that have drenched Southern California have caused water to infiltrate the layers of clay in the landslide area, softening it and allowing for more rapid movement.

Read more: Winter rains fuel 'unprecedented' acceleration, expansion of landslides in Rancho Palos Verdes

Two homes have been red tagged. Other residents have reported cracks in their walls, doorways that have split at the seams and sinkholes on their properties. The pavement on Palos Verdes Drive South, a major roadway through the community, is buckling. Wayfarers Chapel, L.A.'s famed "Glass Church," was forced to close this month because of the land movement.

"In some areas, [the land] is moving up to 10 feet a year," Mihranian said. "That's significant movement, and we're seeing the damage that's being sustained throughout the community. We have approximately 400 homes that are threatened by this landslide."

If Newsom issues the emergency declaration, it would help the city move more quickly to stabilize the Portuguese Bend landslide area by allowing it to bypass much of the state permitting gantlet that such projects typically face, including reviews by the California Coastal Commission, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board, the State Water Resources Control Board and the South Coast Air Quality Management District. The council may also ask that the governor waive requirements under the California Environmental Quality Act related to the remediation effort.

"When you look at the timeline and the path forward for us getting work done, I think requesting the suspension of entitlements will help us get to the finish line sooner," Mihranian said.

If the governor approves the request, Mihranian estimates work could begin as early as the spring, as opposed to sometime next year.

City officials' most urgent goal is to prevent rainwater from seeping into the ground. According to a city staff report, the city seeks to do so by filling fissures that have developed, constructing drainage swales that will divert runoff to the ocean and installing more "dewatering wells" to extract groundwater.

Traffic barrels and cracked and sunken pavement can be seen on Dauntless Drive in Rancho Palos Verdes on Feb. 9. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn urged Newsom on Monday to visit Rancho Palos Verdes to see the effects of the land movement firsthand.

"I think if the governor came here and saw the buckling streets, the homes sinking and cracking apart, and the historic Wayfarers Chapel on the verge of collapsing, he would understand the urgency of this request," Hahn said in a statement. "This is a crisis that is getting worse by the day, and I urge Gov. Newsom to visit us and see it with his own eyes.

Read more: Wayfarers Chapel, L.A.'s famed 'Glass Church,' closes as land movement grows more severe

The ground in Portuguese Bend has been shifting extremely slowly for decades, making it one of the most studied landslides in the nation. But the movement has intensified in the last several months.

Major land movement is now occurring across nearly 700 acres, or a little more than 1 square mile. GPS monitoring conducted in January showed that the average rate of movement within the complex between October 2023 and January accelerated three to four times compared with movement a year earlier, according to a staff report.

Whats happening is unprecedented, Mike Phipps, Rancho Palos Verdes contracted geologist, told The Times this month after reviewing more than 16 years of data. We havent seen this kind of movement in the upper areas of the landslide in the whole history of monitoring this landslide.

The city is not yet asking the governor to help pay for the landslide remediation work, mostly because of the delay such a request would cause. City staff wrote in a report that "time is of the essence for the emergency work to stabilize the area due to the immediate threat to public safety."

But a federal disaster declaration could free up FEMA funds.

Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
An appellate court upheld a 10-year prison term for a mother charged with killing her son because she was unsure if she could raise him well, court records showed Tuesday.

The mother in her 40s was indicted for choking her 5-year-old son to death while he was asleep at an apartment bedroom in Gyeonggi Province in March last year.

The woman told investigators she killed the son because she felt unsure if she could raise him well after his kindergarten told her the previous day that he is aggressive, violent and inattentive. She said she had also planned to commit suicide, but ended up killing the son only.

The district court sentenced her to ten years in prison after taking into consideration the fact that she had suffered from depression.

Prosecutors appealed the verdict on grounds the sentence is too light, but the Suwon High Court upheld the lower court's decision, saying all key factors have already been taken into account in the lower court's ruling. (Yonhap)
All NYC residents deserve a place to call home

Manhattan: Re NYC needs housing, not lawsuits (editorial, Feb. 18): While we obviously agree that New York City desperately needs new affordable housing, waiting years for additional units to come online while ignoring the plights of struggling households is apathetic and simply bad policy. Right now, lawmakers must ensure that every household experiencing or on the cusp of homelessness has the means to achieve housing stability.

Most of our clients are long-term, rent-regulated tenants on fixed incomes that dont cover the rent, and they struggle to stay in their homes. Having these tenants lose their apartments and become homeless is penny-wise and pound-foolish. Preventing homeless households from exiting shelter like Marie Vincent, our named plaintiff, is also fiscally irresponsible because it costs so much to keep her and her grandson languishing in shelter.

Doing nothing in the short-term, which the Daily News is seemingly fine with, would drive thousands of households into our already overburdened shelter system  a complete misuse of precious taxpayer dollars that would be better spent on providing housing-insecure New Yorkers a permanent and self-sustaining path forward.

As the mayor frequently remarks: No one is above the law. When our clients are deprived of the benefits that they would reap from any duly enacted law that an administration refuses to enforce, you can expect us to be in court to hold them to account. Robert Desir, staff attorney, Civil Law Reform Unit, Legal Aid Society

Unruly riders

Manhattan: I read the e-bike safety article twice looking for some sort of indication that there would be enforcement of the traffic rules (City may deliver brand-new agency, Feb. 18). I didnt see anything. When are these e-bike riders going to get off of the sidewalks, ride in the designated bike lanes, stop going the wrong way on one-way streets and stop going through red lights? Because of these out-of-control delivery e-bike riders, you have to have eyes in the back of your head. Joie Anderson

Sacred space

Fresh Meadows: I wish to passionately comment on the behavior of mourners at St. Patricks Cathedral during Cecilia Gentilis service. Many years ago, I had a gay friend Greg. He once said to me, Your friendship is important to me, do you think less of me because Im homosexual? To which I replied, Everyone needs to find love on their own terms. The point is he had such respect for someone who lived differently than he did. A truly evolved human should automatically understand what it means to show reverence in a sacred place such as St. Patricks or any other place of prayer. Lesley Paulos

Womens rights

Spotswood, N.J.: Susan B. Anthony fought for womens right to vote with the help of the Republicans. Most Democrats were against the suffragette movement. Her tenacity won out for women everywhere. Tom Scott

Say his name

Saugerties, N.Y.: Alexei Navalny must never be forgotten. Around the world and particularly in Russia, I hope we will see the name Alexei become the most popular choice for boys born this year and the name Alexa be the choice for baby girls. They will have every reason to carry that name with immense pride, and its history will be passed down for generations. Margaret Hogan

Opposition removal

Whitestone: Vladimir Putin poisons them in jail and hides the body. President Biden drowns them in legal fees and fines. Same motives and results. John McCain Connell

On the back foot

Staten Island: Seems to me that Republicans continue to try and fail  miserably, I might add  to find evidence of the Biden Crime Family. However, the Democrats have been successful in holding the Trump Crime Family to account for its misdeeds. This is through evidence and facts brought to a grand jury and within the courts. So the only conclusion is that either Trump is guilty as charged or the Democrats continue to outsmart, outmaneuver and trump them at every turn. So either way, they are losers! Gina Ottrando

Predetermined outcome?

Cincinnati: New York State Democratic Attorney General Letitia James didnt indict just a ham sandwich, it was a ham hoagie with all the fixings, including hot sauce, one she will dine on for years to come. It was a case she telegraphed by campaigning for office claiming that she would go after Trump. It was also a case with no victims among the bankers who did business with the Trump Organization; no one lost money. The Democratic judge who tried the case did so without a jury. Legal proceedings should be impartial and political figures should not be targeted by opponents absent just and inviolable cause. Lady Justice weeps, as even those of us who do not like Trump and never voted for him hope for a reversal on appeal. Paul Bloustein

Brassy kicks

Carmel, N.Y.: Initially, the boy wonder panhandled everything from steaks to vodka, perfume, digital trading cards containing cartoon-like images portraying him as an astronaut, a cowboy and a superhero, books, letters written to him over the years, and lets not forget Trump University. Donald Trumps latest venture is the icing on the cake: Golden sneakers selling for $399 a pair tabbed as Never Surrender high tops will surely be on everyones Christmas list alongside Air Jordans. If my math is correct, Donald will have to sell 88,947,368 pairs of the garish shoes to pay $354.9 million in penalties ordered by Judge Arthur Engoron last week for fraudulently overstating his net worth to dupe lenders. I cant wait to see whats next on Trumps shopping list. Eric Gross

Pause and reflect

Forest Hills: To Voicer John Leonard: Its true that Donald Trump wasnt the source of all chaos. I mean, when he was president, Russia withdrew from Ukraine. Oh, wait  no. I mean, Iran was in a treaty to not pursue nukes and agreed to act respectfully. Oh wait, no. China stopped making islands and threatening the entire South Pacific. Wait  no. Also, North Korea disarmed and is peaceful. Oh, wait  no again. I mean, luckily, none of the Middle Eastern terrorist organizations threatened violence if the U.S. recognized the Israeli capital. Oh  shoot. While you cant blame every problem on Trump, you cant sing accolades with these failures during his watch. I really liked the trade war with China, the loss of the SALT deduction and the continued narrative of destroying our institutions and distrust of the government, the personal scandals and brain-dead tweets on a daily basis. Who could not want that again? Matthew N. Ross

Make a deal

Manhattan: The U.S. should propose a plan according to which Israel would offer to admit to Gaza trucks (the number to be suggested by the Red Cross) with humanitarian aid (medicine, food, domestic-use fuel) in return for Hamas releasing all the hostages who it and Islamic Jihad are holding; the living unharmed, the dead unmutilated. As soon as the last hostage on a list approved by Israel arrives home safely, the trucks inspected and approved by the Israeli authorities can roll into the enclave and their contents save lives. Our legislators and other concerned governments and organizations could and should urge Hamas and Israel to accept the proposal, which could be a small but significant step toward building hope for future negotiations. Aviva Cantor

Low blows

Brooklyn: It would be great to see former Congressman George Santos win his lawsuit in a big way against Jimmy Kimmel (Lying George sues Jimmy Kimmel over vids for show, Feb. 18). Santos may have his problems, but Kimmel is a more despicable human being. Kimmels idea of comedy is to thoroughly humiliate someone. Aside from showing a total lack of character, it shows what a lack of real comedy talent Kimmel has. Where is the genius or comedy in making fun of someone? Kids are capable of doing this. Its time someone put Kimmel in his place. Is it any wonder that to this day, Johnny Carson is still referred to as the king of late-night? Kimmel is the epitome of the inferiority of todays late-night talk-show hosts. David Balsam
Republican businessman Eric Hovde announced Tuesday he's running for Senate in Wisconsin, in a bid to unseat Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin.

"Our country is facing enormous challenges: our economy, our health care, crime and open borders  everything is going in the wrong direction," Hovde said in a 30-second launch video.

"All Washington does is divide us and talk about who's to blame, and nothing gets done. That's not the country I know and love," Hovde said, calling for uniting and finding "common-sense solutions to restore America."

This is Hovde's second Senate bid. In 2012, he lost the GOP primary to former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson, who was defeated by Baldwin in the general election.

File: Eric Hovde (R) Wisconsin is interviewed at Roll Call headquarters in Washington, D.C. / Credit: Douglas Graham/Roll Call via Getty Images

Hovde is the CEO of several companies; he heads Hovde Properties, a family-founded real estate development company. He's also the CEO of H Bancorp, a multi-bank holding company, and Sunwest Bank, a subsidiary of H Bancorp.

The Madison-based entrepreneur also owns a $7 million property in Laguna Beach, California.

He has the support of National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman Steve Daines, who has recruited several 2024 candidates with the ability to fund their own campaigns.

During an interview with CBS News' chief Washington correspondent Major Garrett last month Daines praised Hovde, saying, "He puts Wisconsin in play." He added, "It's a state that you step back and look at what happened in the '22 election, every state that Trump won we won the Senate race in '22. Every state that Trump lost, we lost the Senate race in '22except in Wisconsin, when Ron Johnson won his reelection there."

"He's been focused on his private-sector career and building jobs and building businesses. And I think he'll be a great candidate," he said of Hovde.

Baldwin is seeking her third term in Wisconsin. Her seat is a target for Republicans who hope to take control of the Senate in November.

In the last two presidential elections, the winner of the battleground state was determined by less than a single percentage point. In 2016, former President Donald Trump beat Hillary Clinton in Wisconsin by a 0.8% margin. Then in 2020, Joe Biden's edge over Trump was a mere 0.6%.

Republicans are strongly positioned to win control of the Senate this year, with several seats held by Democrats up for reelection in Republican or Republican-leaning states. To gain control of the Senate, Republicans only need to flip two seats  and if Republicans win the White House, they will only need to flip one seat because the vice president would break a tie.

Currently, Hovde is the most prominent candidate in the Republican primary. Reps. Mike Gallagher and Tom Tiffany both said they would not run for Senate this year. However, businessman Scott Mayer and former Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke are still flirting with bids.

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Last year, Red Cross volunteers installed 7,850 free smoke alarms in households across the state. This year, volunteers are needed to install 1,400 smoke alarms during the month of March as part of the national Red Cross initiative to install 50,000 free smoke alarms with community and fire department partners in at-risk communities across the country, a news release says.

Sound the Alarm is a rewarding campaign that allows our volunteers to not only install smoke alarms but also provide home fire education, said Mark Thomas, interim chief executive officer, American Red Cross of Illinois. In just one day, you could help save a neighbors life by installing smoke alarms  which can cut the risk of dying in a home fire by half.

(AP)

To view the list of Sound the Alarm events and to register to volunteer, visit here. No prior experience is needed  training will be provided.

Because of generous donations, all services are free and available for people in need. Residents who need assistance can visit here to schedule an appointment for a free smoke alarm installation during this Red Cross Sound the Alarm event. During the 20-minute home visits, Red Cross volunteers will also share information on the causes of home fires, how to prevent them, what to do if a fire starts and how to create an escape plan.

This work is made possible thanks to financial donations from corporate partners State Farm, Motorola Solutions Foundation, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, Peoples Gas Community Fund, Hub Group, CITGO Lemont Refinery, MidAmerican Energy, and Harrahs Joliet Casino & Hotel, the release says.

Home fire response

During the past week, the Red Cross provided assistance to 10 people in Quincy, Hannibal, Astoria and Monmouth by supplying them with basic items to meet immediate needs after a fire, and additional support in the form of health and mental health services and one-on-one support as the families involved work through next steps after experiencing a home fire.

If you or someone you know needs assistance after a home fire or local disaster, call 1-800-Red Cross, the release says.

Visit here for more information, visit here. Download the free emergency app by searching for American Red Cross in app stores. Free resources are available to help children learn what to do during a home fire and other emergencies.

About the American Red Cross

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nations blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com.
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW)  Nikki Haley knows what the polls suggest in South Carolina, she said Tuesday in Greenville.

But the states former governor vowed to keep campaigning regardless of how Saturdays Palmetto State GOP primary ends.

Instead of focusing on how to make America stronger tomorrow, some people want to know if Im going to cave today, Haley said at a State of the Race speech in downtown Greenville.

Haleys remarks came near the start of a multi-day Beast of the Southeast Bus Tour that will bring her to all corners of her home state, including appearances on Thursday in Georgetown and Myrtle Beach.

As of Monday, Sandy Martin, the director of elections in Horry County, said 13,353 people had voted ahead of Saturdays primary.

This shows people there is competition and competition increases voter turnout, said David White, a political science professor at Francis Marion University.

After losing early contests in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada, Haley is trailing Trump by 23 points here, according to an Emerson College Polling/The Hill survey of likely GOP voters.

South Carolina will vote on Saturday but on Sunday, Ill still be running for president. Im not going anywhere, Haley said. Im campaigning every day until the last person votes.

Before her remarks on Tuesday, Trumps campaign rolled out a memo predicting that the end is near for Nikki Haley.

Of course, like any wailing loser hell-bent on an alternative reality and refusing to come to grips with her imminent political mortality, we should expect more references to Kings and Coronations  even though the results of 5 elections overwhelmingly sent an unmistaken message: Nikki Haley doesnt represent Republicans any more than Joe Biden does, Trumps campaign wrote.

But with nearly two dozen states and territories set to vote in the 10 days following South Carolinas Feb. 24 primary, Haley said dropping out now deprives them all of a choice.

I feel no need to kiss the ring. I have no fear of Trumps retribution. Im not looking for anything from him, Haley said. My own political future is of zero concern. So I hear what the political class says. But I hear from the American people, too.

While Haley is trailing Trump in South Carolina and nationally, polls show her beating Biden in a head-to-head match-up. The Hills Decision Desk HQ polling average shows her leading the president by 0.4 percent.

Republicans will get stronger through a vigorous competition. We have plenty of time to hash this out. If the (primary) race ended today, we would have the longest general election in history, Haley said. Trump is the only Republican Biden can beat, so they want the guy theyve beaten time and again.

Information from The Hill was used in this story

* * *

Adam Benson joined the News13 digital team in January 2024. He is a veteran South Carolina reporter with previous stops at the Greenwood Index-Journal, Post & Courier and The Sun News in Myrtle Beach. Adam is a Boston native and University of Utah graduate. Follow Adam on X, formerly Twitter, at @AdamNewshound12. See more of his work here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW.
HORSEHEADS, N.Y. (WETM)  The Village of Horseheads Parks & Recreation Department is hosting its Super Saturday Fun & Games program for the spring this March, with registration for the program ending soon.

If your child is interested in participating in the Super Saturday program this spring, time is running out to sign up for courses. Registrations for the program are due on Wednesday, Feb. 28, with the program beginning the first weekend of March.

Local agencies advise against winter river paddling

The program will take place each Saturday for the first four weeks of March, and will provide kids with the opportunity to learn new skills in their leisure through classes that are taught by Horseheads High School students. The specific dates for the program are March 2, 9, 16 and 23.

Types of classes that will be provided include jewelry making, cooking, building with Legos, 3D art, computer games, science and more.

The program is designed to help children gain new experiences and knowledge, while also helping high school students gain strengths in responsibility, acquire work experience and further their own education.

Whimsical Winter Market comes to Elmira Heights this weekend

Classes are spread out into three time slots: 9 a.m., 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. and are split up by different age groups. These groups vary by course type and are aimed towards children ages K-6, depending on the course. Each class lasts 55 minutes, giving a five minute period to change classes.

Class sizes are limited, and youre encouraged to sign your children up as soon as possible to ensure they can get the class they want. Classes will be canceled if numbers are too low.

If youre interested in signing your child up, pricing ranges from the following:

1 course- $25 for residents and $30 for non-residents

2 courses- $45 for residents and $55 for non-residents

3 courses- $60 for residents and $75 for non-residents

You can pay online or by check, making checks payable to Village of Horseheads, 202 South Main Street, Horseheads, New York 14845. You can do a walk-in registration at the Village of Horseheads Parks & Recreation Department at the same address.

For more information about the program, contact the Recreation Department at 607-739-5691 extension 1. For a full list of courses, times and grade levels, visit the the departments website.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WETM - MyTwinTiers.com.
In Lviv, military personnel who have lost their vision are being rehabilitated. Photo: ALLIANCE FOR PUBLIC HEALTH

In Lviv, a rehabilitation programme has begun for military personnel and civilians who have completely lost their vision due to war-related injuries, as well as those close to them. After completion, they will also be provided with support based on their place of residence.

Source: Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine

The training is taking place within the framework of the Tochka dotyku ("Touchpoint") project. It is free of charge and will last for four weeks.

The training includes:

Learning to do tasks around the home without sight

Familiarisation with the Braille system.

The use of accessible computer technologies that provide access to information

Orientation in small and large spaces using a cane and GPS navigation.

"The idea of the program is not just to teach, but to help individuals feel that they are not alone on this challenging and lengthy path of adaptation to the new realities of life," emphasised the ministry.

After training in Lviv, experts will come to the homes of military personnel and assist them in consolidating the acquired skills in their familiar environment.

Background: In July 2023, the Ministry of Defence approved the Concept for the Development of Rehabilitation of Injured Soldiers, providing their treatment in specialised institutions.

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A North Korean ballistic missile fired last month by the Russian military in Ukraine contained hundreds of components that trace back to companies in the US and Europe, according to a new report.

The findings mark the first public identification of North Koreas reliance on foreign technology for its missile program and underscore the persistent problem facing the Biden administration as it tries to keep cheap, Western-made microelectronics intended for civilian use from winding up in weapons used by North Korea, Iran and Russia.

The UK-based investigative organization Conflict Armament Research, or CAR, directly examined 290 components from remnants of a North Korean ballistic missile recovered in January from Kharkiv, Ukraine, and found that 75% of the components were designed and sold by companies incorporated in the United States, according to the report shared first with CNN.

A further 16% of the components found in the missile were linked to companies incorporated in Europe, the researchers found, and 9% to companies incorporated in Asia. These components primarily comprised the missiles navigation system and could be traced to 26 companies headquartered in the US, China, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Singapore, Switzerland and Taiwan, the report says.

Last year, as CNN previously reported, CAR determined that 82% of components inside Iranian-made attack drones fired by Russia inside Ukraine were made by US companies.

Along with extensive sanctions and export controls aimed at curbing access to Western-made technology, in late 2022 the Biden administration also set up an expansive task force to investigate how US and Western components, including American-made microelectronics, were ending up in Iranian-made drones Russia has been launching by the hundreds into Ukraine.

It is not clear how much progress that task force has made  the National Security Council did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

Circumventing 20 years of sanctions

The latest CAR report does not name the specific companies that produced the components, because there is no evidence the firms deliberately shipped the parts to North Korea  instead, the components were likely diverted somewhere in the vast global supply chain once the companies sold them to various international distributors. CAR therefore prefers to work with the companies to try to fix the problem rather than to name and shame them, a CAR spokesperson told CNN.

The tail section of the ballistic missile examined by the group Conflict Armament Research, which includes the missile's navigation system, and the countries where the components originated. - Courtesy Conflict Armament Research

The research also shows that North Korea was able to produce the missile and ship it over to Russia quickly. The components examined by the researchers were manufactured between 2021 and 2023. Based on those production dates, the researchers say the missile could not have been assembled before March 2023 and was being used by Russia in Ukraine by January.

The fact that North Koreas missile production appears to be fueled by parts originating in the West underscores how difficult it is for the US and its allies to control where commercial electronics are going, particularly semiconductor components that are extremely challenging to track once they enter the global supply chain.

The findings indicate North Korea has developed a robust acquisition network capable of circumventing, without detection, sanction regimes that have been in place for nearly two decades, the CAR report says.

And while Russia continues to be supplied by North Korea and Iran, the Biden administration has been unable to send new weaponry and equipment to the Ukrainian military because Congress has not approved the required supplemental funding to do so.

More evidence of Russia, North Korea ties

The White House confirmed last month that Russia has been firing North Korean missiles at Ukrainian cities. North Korea has also likely provided Russia with millions of artillery rounds over the last year, according to a report published last week by the Pentagons inspector general.

Intelligence officials in Washington are increasingly concerned about the growing ties between North Korea and Russia, CNN previously reported, and the long-term implications of what appears to be a new level of strategic partnership between the two nations.

CAR said its examination of the North Korean missile shows that North Korea has been able to produce advanced weapons, integrating components produced as recently as 2023, in spite of United Nations Security Council sanctions in place since 2006 that prohibit the production of ballistic missiles by North Korea.

Russias use of North Korean missiles on the battlefield in Ukraine may also give Pyongyang data it cant get from a testing program that has seen dozens of the weapons fired over the past few years under leader Kim Jong Un.

North Korea may also be seeking military assistance from Russia including fighter aircraft, surface-to-air missiles, armored vehicles, ballistic missile production equipment, war materials and other advanced technologies, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said last month.

This would have concerning security implications for the Korean Peninsula and the Indo-Pacific region, he added.

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Ruby Franke, a former family vlogger and "parenting advice" guru, has been sentenced to four prison terms of one to 15 years, according to AP, meaning she will face four to 60 years in prison on charges of child abuse.

The Utah mom was arrested back in August 2023 on multiple charges of child abuse after one of her kids escaped her oversight and ran to a neighbor asking for food and help. She pleaded guilty to four felony counts of second-degree aggravated child abuse as part of a plea agreement in December 2023. Her business partner, Jodi Hildenbrandt, also pled guilty to the charges.

Both women were handed down the same sentencing recommendation Tuesday in a Utah court by Fifth District Judge John Walton, AP reported. Franke and Hildenbrandt will serve one to 15 years in prison consecutively per count, meaning the pair could serve as little as four years or as many as 60 years.

State prosecutor Eric Clarke called the conditions the Franke and Hildebrandt children lived in "concentration camp-like," as the woman had convinced the kids they were evil and possessed and needed to be punished to repent, said AP.

In a public apology read to the court through tears, Franke, who has largely placed the blame for the abuse on Hildebrandt's alleged brainwashing, said in part, Ill never stop crying for hurting your tender souls, referring to her children who were not present in the courtroom, reported AP. My willingness to sacrifice all for you was masterfully manipulated into something very ugly. I took from you all that was soft and safe and good.

The actual jail time served will now be up to the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole.

Ruby Franke arrested and charged

This image from video shows Ruby Franke during a hearing Monday, Dec. 18, 2023, in St. George, Utah.

In late August 2023, Franke, known for her family vlogging channel featuring her husband and six kids, was taken into custody along with friend and business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt, following the discovery of a "severely emaciated and malnourished" child.

Police were called to the home of Hildebrandt after one of Franke's children climbed out a window and went to a neighbor's house asking for food and water. Noticing duct tape wrapped around the child's wrists and ankles, the neighbor called authorities, who arrived to find one child who was "severely emaciated and malnourished, with open wounds" and another Franke child in the home who was also malnourished, according to court documents.

Jodi Hildebrandt attends a hearing Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2023, in St. George, Utah. Hildebrandt, a Utah mental health counselor who had been arrested alongside parenting advice blogger Ruby Franke, pleaded guilty to four counts of aggravated child abuse for her role in physically and emotionally abusing Franke's children. (Sheldon Demke/St. George News via AP, Pool)

While serving a search warrant, police found evidence in the home "consistent with the markings found on the juvenile." The documents also said that Franke had been seen filming in the home days before, meaning she was aware of the condition of the children.

Franke was likewise accused of mistreating her own kids. In her plea agreement, she admitted to several abuses, reported AP, including kicking her son, holding his head under water and closing his mouth and nose with her hands. She also admitted to causing her son dehydration and blisters after forcing him to work in the summer sun for hours without ample food or water.

Who is Ruby Franke?

Ruby Franke is a Utah mother of six, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a formerly popular family vlog YouTuber. One of the stars of the "8 Passengers" YouTube channel that once raked in millions of views and followers, she became the subject of widespread criticism online for her parenting choices.

The pushback intensified when Franke co-founded parenting advice and support program "ConneXions" with Hildebrandt, which has been called a "cult" by some online. Many found the parenting style promoted by the pair to be extreme and harsh. The frequent inclusion of what has been called homophobic, racist and transphobic comments did not help their popularity.

In one oft-referenced example, Franke told viewers that children do not deserve and should not receive unconditional love. Since her arrest in August her husband, Kevin Franke, filed for divorce.

What was '8 passengers'?

"8 Passengers" was a YouTube channel started in 2015 that documented the lives of mom and dad Ruby and Kevin Franke and their six children: Shari, Chad, Abby, Julie, Russell, and Eve. At its peak, it boasted 2.5 million subscribers and was known as one of the most famous - or infamous - family video channels.

The channel was removed from YouTube earlier this year.

While their content has attracted controversy for a number of years, the last three have been specifically damaging for the family, as viewers began circulating petitions and reporting what they saw as evidence of child abuse and neglect to local authorities.

Amongst some of the most infamous incidents were one in which Franke refused to bring food to school for her 6-year-old daughter, who had forgotten to pack her lunch, and another in which one of their sons said he was being forced to sleep on a beanbag after playing pranks on his brothers.

In another, she took Christmas away from one of her young children as punishment for being "selfish." In many instances, she could be seen threatening to withhold food or otherwise punishing her children in a way viewers found to be too severe. Franke's daughter, Shari Franke, has likewise spoken out multiple times about her family, saying she had "been trying to tell the police and CPS for years about this."

"8 Passengers" has been cited by activists as just one of many examples of family vlogging channels that have left children unprotected and easily exploitable. In response, Illinois passed a law meant specifically to introduce protections for minors appearing on their parents' monetized social media. Other states have since followed suit in passing or announcing intentions to pass similar laws.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ruby Franke sentencing: YouTuber faces prison time
California schools would be required to have at least one armed police officer, also known as a school resource officer or SRO, on campus during regular school hours, under a bill introduced last week.

Assembly Bill 3038, by Assemblyman Bill Essayli, R-Corona, is part of a trio of public safety bills that the lawmaker unveiled in a Tuesday morning press conference.

California has experienced 96 school shootings between 2018 and 2023. If we want to get serious about preventing school shootings and stopping them before they can happen, we need good guys, and girls, with guns, ready to act, Essayli said.

The bill is likely to be opposed by the American Civil Liberties Union, which in 2021 published a report identifying the dangers of more police officers in public schools.

The data conclusively show harmful and discriminatory policing patterns in schools. School police contribute to the criminalization of tens of thousands of California students, resulting in them being pushed out of school and into the school-to-prison pipeline, according to an ACLU of Southern California statement.

The report found that Black students were 7.4 times more likely to be arrested in schools with assigned law enforcement than they were in schools without. Latino students were 6.9 times more likely to be arrested, while students with disabilities were 4.6 times more likely.

The data also show that Black students were disproportionately more likely to be handcuffed, arrested and subjected to harsh penalties compared to students as a whole.

No school in California should have a permanent police officer. School districts should not be able to create their own police departments or reserve forces, nor should they coordinate with any outside law enforcement agency to station law enforcement on a school campus, the ACLU said in its recommendation.

The libertarian-leaning Cato Institute and the National Education Association have both also questioned whether SROs make schools safer, with both organizations sharing research showing that they do not.

Essayli also introduced Assembly Bill 3037, which would make it easier for a judge to add firearm-related sentencing enhancements. Sentencing enhancements, as the name suggests, are tacked on to an initial sentence and can result in substantially more prison time for the convicted party.

This is a smart gun law. The laws they (Democrats) like to pass, I call them dumb laws, they go after people like CCW holders. We like smart gun laws, Essayli said of his bill.

Finally, Essayli introduced Assembly Bill 3039, which would make it much easier for potential jurors to be dismissed from jury selection because of their views on the police.

Having a fair and impartial jury decide cases is a fundamental bedrock of our American justice system. Bias in any form must be rejected during the jury selection process, Essayli said.

The bill is a direct response to a 2020 law, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, that made it so that jurors could not be subject to peremptory challenge on the basis of their distrust in law enforcement unless the disqualifying party can prove by clear and convincing evidence that their rationale for disqualifying the potential juror is unrelated to the prospective jurors identity group and that the reasons articulated affect the prospective jurors ability to be fair and impartial in the case, according to a 2020 bill analysis.

None of the three bills have been assigned to a committee yet. All three bills may receive multiple committee referrals.

Its possible all three will be assigned to the Assembly Public Safety Committee. Its also likely that AB 3037 and 3039 will be assigned to the Assembly Judiciary Committee, while AB 3038 will likely also go before the Assembly Education Committee.

The bill faces a likely uphill climb in the Legislature, with Democrats controlling a supermajority in both houses and criminal justice reform proponents in control of key committees.
Five candidates, including Republican incumbent Mike Causey, are running to become the states top insurance official.

Responsible for regulating the insurance industry, the North Carolina insurance commissioner negotiates rates, investigates fraud and licenses bail bond agents.

The states insurance commissioner also used to hold the role of state fire marshal, but that was changed by lawmakers last year  a move current commissioner Causey strongly opposed.

Though not typically a role receiving much attention, the insurance commissioners job has come under more scrutiny this year after exclusive reporting from The News & Observer about Causeys hiring and travel practices.

Causey hired a political ally for what even the employee himself called a make-work job, paid a personal friend a high wage to serve as his driver and spent nearly $15,000 in taxpayer money on lengthy out-of-state road trips, the N&O reported.

First elected in 2016, Causey is now seeking his third term in office. He faces two opponents in the Republican primary, both of whom have worked in the insurance industry. On the Democratic side, a state senator and an activist are both seeking the partys nomination. Voters will narrow the field down to one Democrat and one Republican on March 5.

Candidate questionnaires

The News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer asked candidates running in contested races in the primary election to fill out a candidate questionnaire. That includes the Republican and Democratic primaries for state treasurer, and four out of five candidates participated. Find responses from the candidates below or by visiting newsobserver.com/voter-guide.

Democrats:

Natasha Marcus

David Wheeler

Republicans:

Robert Brawley

Mike Causey

Andrew Marcus
A group of alumni from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) filed a complaint Tuesday against the Presidential Security Service (PSS) after PSS agents forcefully carried a graduating student out of last week's graduation ceremony for shouting at President Yoon Suk Yeol.

On Friday, Shin Min-ki, a KAIST graduate and member of a minor progressive party, had his mouth covered by PSS agents and was carried out of the ceremony by his limbs after creating a scene by shouting at Yoon during his congratulatory speech.

Shin shouted a demand for an increase in the government's research and development (R&D) budget after the Yoon government slashed the budget to reallocate funds to other areas.

A group of 26 KAIST alumni on Tuesday filed a complaint with the police against the chief and members of the PSS, accusing them of abuse of authority, violence and illegal detention.

The complainants included Kim Hye-min, the school's 2004 student body president, who is now affiliated with the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea.

Kim Dong-a, a lawyer representing the complainants, said, "In a democratic nation, it is the due right of the people to protest against a president's policies and shout demands," accusing presidential guards of excessively overpowering Shin. (Yonhap)
Ukrainian business associations are calling for reforms to the country's new mobilization law, fearing that its draft policies could cripple an already-struggling domestic economy, Reuters reported on Feb. 19.

Mobilization has become a major topic of public debate in Ukraine as the all-out war with Russia continues to put pressure on the country's military.

Following a series of contentious rewrites, the newest version of the mobilization bill proposes to abolish mandatory conscription for all citizens aged 18-24. The government submitted this updated draft of the mobilization law to parliament on Jan. 30, more than two weeks after withdrawing its initial, controversial version.

"Business asks the parliament not to paralyze the country's economy with the new mobilization legislation," the European Business Association announced in a statement. "A balance is needed between the military front and the economy."

Ukrainian businesses are reportedly concerned that, among other things, the new law would undermine the country's export sector and lead to mass staff shortages due to certain provisions of the new draft process, including online call-ups.

The Ukrainian Business Council urged the removal of certain proposals that could hurt businesses already operating in "survival" mode.

Read also: Revised mobilization bill seeks to reinforce conscription in Ukraine in 2024

The Council opposed provisions of the bill that allow the military to seize privately owned vehicles without meaningful oversight, as well as call-up notices being sent to citizens online. Additionally, companies that supply the armed forces should not have to lose all their staff to conscription.

"Do not adopt draft law No. 10449 in its current version without appropriate amendments. In addition, consider the possibility of an additional tool for the reservation of employees."

The updated bill will be submitted for its second and third reading later this month. Ukraine's parliament supported the updated bill in the first reading on Feb. 7, but lawmakers still have doubts about some of its legislative norms.

David Arakhamia, the head of President Volodymyr Zelensky's party in the Ukrainian parliament, announced the following day that a specialized committee would revise several norms of the updated bill on mobilization before its second reading.

According to Arakhamia, the final version of the bill will "balance the interests of the military command, business, and citizens."

To become law, bills must be passed by parliament in two readings, and signed by the president.

Read also: Ukraine struggles to ramp up mobilization as Russias war enters 3rd year

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Nebraskas governor announced this week that the state would accept federal dollars to help feed children from low-income families, breaking away from the more than a dozen other Republican governors around the US who have refused to do so.

Just last month, Jim Pillen joined 14 other Republican governors in opting not to enroll in Summer EBT, a new federal food program that provides low-income families with a monthly payment of $40 per child during summer vacation. In participating states, families with children in free or reduced-price school lunch programs will get $40 per qualifying child on an electronic benefits transfer (EBT) card throughout each of the three summer months. That money can be used to purchase groceries and food from farmers markets.

States were given until the end of 2023 to enroll, and they can enroll in the future even if theyve skipped the year before. On 16 February, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) told Politico it would still allow states to apply even if they had missed the enrollment deadlines.

Even though states were asked to submit their notice of intent by January 1, USDA will consider every situation based on the specific circumstances, a spokesperson, Allan Rodriguez, said in a statement. We are committed to working with everyone to achieve our goal of nationwide implementation as quickly as possible. That includes those who are operationally ready to participate successfully in 2024  as well as those that are working towards implementation in 2025.

Pillen said his reversal stemmed from his recent conversations with low-income children in Nebraska.

They talked about being hungry. And they talked about the summer USDA program and, depending upon access, when theyd get a sack of food, Pillen said at a press conference this week. And from my seat, what I saw there, we have to do better in Nebraska.

The reversal was welcomed by the non-profit Nebraska Appleseed, which advocates for the end of childhood poverty and hunger in the state. In December, after Pillen criticized the federal food program as an unnecessary form of welfare, Nebraska Appleseed collected 6,100 signatures from state residents for a petition calling on the governor to opt into Summer EBT.

We worked really hard to educate the governor about what is happening to families in this state, said Eric Savaiano, program manager for food and nutrition access at Nebraska Appleseed.

Savaiano said he and other childhood welfare advocates had anticipated Pillens hostility towards the food program, citing the governors pledge to reduce state spending by 3% by the end of this fiscal year, followed by another 6% by the end of 2025.

So the small investment that it would take to bring a program like this into the state might have been a non-starter for him, Savaiano said. Which, I suppose, is one way to cut government spending, by letting kids go hungry.

Other Republican governors cited similar reasons for rejecting the federal aid, which is expected to cost $2.5bn this year and contribute to feeding 21 million children.

Last month, when Mississippi announced plans to opt out of the Summer EBT program, Governor Tate Reeves characterized the decision as a way to reject attempts to expand the welfare state.

In Oklahoma, Governor Kevin Stitt told local reporters that the state gave over $20 million over the last couple of years to different food banks, which was enough to ensure that kids wont be going hungry in the summertime.

Oklahoma and Mississippi consistently rank among the worst states for childhood hunger and food insecurity in the United States. Hunger is also worsening nationwide, with the USDA reporting that food insecurity rose from 13.5m households in 2021 to 17m households in 2022.

For these governors, it always comes down to this basic conservative argument that this is an expansion of government, and what our state really needs is to be less lazy, said Keri Rodrigues, president of the National Parents Union. The governors that reject this program on those conservative principles are also the ones whose states desperately need help and support for families.

Related: Bye-bye, bean burrito: New York City schools cut popular meal options

Rodrigues and other progressive advocates said Republican governors were using hungry schoolchildren as political chess pieces. They argue that the rejection of Summer EBT has become a way for Republican governors to prove their conservative bona fides.

The decision to not enroll in this program is especially difficult for families still reeling from Congresss decision to end a pandemic-era boost to food stamps last year. The boost, called emergency allotments, was implemented during the height of the pandemic, allowing all families to automatically receive the highest level of food stamp benefits available for their household size.

The end of the emergency allotments was justified, in part, by the creation of Summer EBT. Congress agreed to cut the allotments in order to pay for the new childhood nutrition program.

Without emergency allotments or Summer EBT, low-income families who rely on school lunch programs to feed their children during the school year are now bracing for a difficult summer.

Rodrigues offered a word of advice for constituents in states run by governors who have rejected federal funding for the hungry and choose not to follow the model set by Nebraska  despite the latest extension.

Its so hopeful to see how the people of Nebraska were able to stand up and hold their governor accountable for his decision, said Rodrigues. These governors are using the cover of darkness to score really cheap political points by rejecting Summer EBT, and they should all be held accountable for that by voters.
When David Mastrostefano's daughter asked him for career advice, he told her not to become a dentist like him.

That's because his industry has descended into what he's calling a "superstorm."

"In five, six years, were all going to retire and no ones coming into the state," Mastrostefano said.

Mastrostefano was describing a dentist shortage well known to those in the industry. It has impacted the nation, including Rhode Island, where patients face a dizzying obstacle course, from an aging workforce to insurance plans that leave them with crippling out-of-pocket costs, causing them to forgo badly needed care.

Dr. Frederick A. Hartman, an oral surgeon and president of the Rhode Island Dental Association, photographed on Feb. 14, performs surgery on a patient at his East Providence office.

Aging workforce means retirements threaten to worsen crisis

Could Mastrostefano's dire forecast come true? According to Rhode Island Dental Association President Fred Hartman, about 45% of the state's dentists are age 55 and older.

"Year after year, theyre going to start retiring," Hartman said. "And its a hard job, especially when margins are shrinking."

That's because of chronically low reimbursement rates from insurers  the same issue primary care providers are saddled with, and the same reason Rhode Island has failed to attract enough doctors to efficiently serve its population.

It's also the same issue that keeps patients from being able to afford critical procedures.

That results in situations like Mastrostefano saw with one of his patients, who couldn't afford to have a tooth pulled in June, went to an emergency room for antibiotics, and as of February still had the tooth in place.

"When he came to me two weeks ago, he had a larger infection," Mastrostefano said in a recent interview. "It was borderline a super infection."

As a result, the extraction took an hour and a half  far more than the typical time allotted  and required a large surgical incision, plus more antibiotics.

More: The doctor shortage is crippling health care. Could pharmacists help?

Without sufficient coverage, patients pay out of pocket or skip care

Sarah Eager, president of the Rhode Island chapter of the Academy of General Dentistry, represents about 90 general dentists who typically see Medicare patients. But for complicated procedures requiring an oral surgeon, those patients find themselves out of luck. Eager said virtually all oral surgeons in the state have dropped Medicare plans because of a combination of excessive paperwork, required approvals and low insurance payouts. (A brief search on Zocdoc  an online physician locator  found only two oral surgeons in Rhode Island taking Medicare.)

"Ive been here for 20 years and when I came to Rhode Island, the insurance problem was always a problem," Eager said. "We were always the lowest reimbursement  And I think in 20 years weve just been plugging along, making do."

Eager said getting necessary approvals for procedures is "a full-time job and almost not worth it" for dental practices.

Other dentists The Providence Journal interviewed described the same situation  one that also affects Medicaid patients with low incomes. For doctors, the financial strain is worsening, and it's becoming harder to break even at their practices.

"The biggest issue that we see is that, as costs to provide the services have increased over the years, and especially post-COVID, the allowances we receive are actually not considerate of the costs that it takes to provide those services," said dentist Andrew Gazerro, who practices in West Warwick.

More: 'How did this happen?' Primary care shortage keeps hitting RI hard

The Rhode Island Executive Office of Health and Human Services, or OHHS, acknowledged the difficulty of Medicare and Medicaid patients in accessing care. It noted that Medicare "does not routinely cover dental care except in some cases" and "there are a limited number of private dental practices in Rhode Island that participate" in Medicaid. However, some patients may find care at federally qualified health centers.

A spokesperson said the department "is currently working on an oral health transformation project in hopes of increasing the number of providers who care for Medicaid members." The project would include assessing workforce gaps, investing in residency programs to attract more dentists, and encouraging "tele-dentistry," which may be used for consultations or educational purposes.

Dr. Frederick A. Hartman, an oral surgeon and president of the Rhode Island Dental Association, says more and more dentists are retiring each year. "And its a hard job, especially when margins are shrinking," he said.

Dentists pushing for legislation, warning of looming crisis

The Rhode Island Dental Association is hoping it can make headway with a House bill on which Rep. Joseph McNamara is the lead sponsor. (As of early February, a Senate version was not yet introduced.) The Rhode Island Fair Share for Dental Care Act, as it's called, would force insurers to spend more money on patient care instead of marketing, executive salaries, and other costs not directly related to patients.

The bill would require insurers to submit financial information each year, including their income and expenses. If they're not spending 85% of their premiums on patient care, they would owe refunds to their customers.

For now, dentists hope lawmakers are listening.

"Theres a big crisis thats looming on the horizon that weve really been trying to point out," Gazzero said, "both to the legislature and the powers that be that if we dont change things and change them soon the quality of dental care is really going to take a hit."

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: RI dentist shortage, expensive costs leading to many putting off care
The ex-England international spoke to fans on the short-haul flight on 20 February (@Sam_AFC21/@AFCPippa)

Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand was captured making some tongue-in-cheek comments over the airplane tannoy on a Ryanair flight to Porto.

Ferdinand, 45, was flying to Portugals second city on 20 February to take part in TNT Sports coverage of Arsenals game against FC Porto in the Champions League.

He happened to be on the same flight as plenty of travelling Arsenal fans, who began jokingly goading the ex-professional. Ferdinand had recently branded Bukayo Saka, an Arsenal fan-favourite, as not world-class.

Speaking on his Vibe with Five podcast, Ferdinand said that Saka, 22, has been unreal. I actually think he needs a bit of a rest, [its] so many games for a young kid.

Sakas top, dont get me wrong. Hes not world-class yet.

Videos uploaded to X  formerly known as Twitter  show Ferdinand sitting in the first row opposite members of the cabin crew, with a flight attendant smiling and laughing as Arsenal fans begin serenading the former England international.

The Daily Mail reports that Arsenal fans began giving renditions of a chant in which they call Saka world class, with Ferdinand deciding to respond over the planes tannoy.

Ferdinand himself posted a video, showing himself speaking as fans jokingly jeer and cheer in the background. The caption read: Interesting Ryanair flight with the Arsenal fans this morning.

Bukayo Saka is top levels no doubt! And will become World Class.

In the video, Ferdinand can be seen leaning over to the tannoy.

Interesting @Ryanair flight with the Arsenal fans this morning. @BukayoSaka87 is top levels no doubt! And will become World Class  pic.twitter.com/wAFwAFuKRJ  Rio Ferdinand (@rioferdy5) February 20, 2024

Hello guys, I just want to say its been an absolute pleasure travelling with you Arsenal fans, he said.

I must say, Saka is a fantastic player, just not world class yet. He will be, but just not yet.

Arsenal play Porto in the first leg of their round-of-16 Champions League tie on 21 February at 8pm. The return game will take place in London on 12 March.
Bilawal-Bhutto Zardari, center bottom, Chairman of Pakistan People's Party speaks as party aids watch during a press conference regarding parliamentary elections, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024. The main political rival of ex-Pakistani premier Imran Khan challenged him Tuesday to form a government if he had the support of the majority of newly elected lawmakers. The challenge by Shehbaz Sharif, who heads the Pakistan Muslim League party, follows national elections that showed candidates backed by Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party won the most parliamentary seats but not enough to form a government alone. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

ISLAMABAD (AP)  The political rivals of Pakistans imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan announced details of a power-sharing agreement late Tuesday, naming Shehbaz Sharif as their joint candidate for prime minister.

The much-awaited announcement followed days of talks among the leadership of the Pakistan Muslim League, or PML, the Pakistan Peoples Party, or PPP, and other parties that did not gain enough seats in the Feb. 8 vote to govern on their own.

Candidates aligned with Khan won the most seats in the parliamentary elections but also did not win enough of them to form a government.

Sharif, the brother of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, is himself a former prime minister, who replaced Khan when he was ousted through a no-confidence vote in parliament in 2022. Since then, Khan has been convicted of several offenses in what his supporters call politically motivated moves to keep him out of office.

Khan's rivals said at a late-night news conference of party leaders that they had secured the required majority of votes to form a coalition government. The parliament will elect Shehbaz Sharif of the PML as the new prime minister when the inaugural session of the National Assembly is convened later this month, the party leaders said.

They also said former President Asif Ali Zardari of the PPP will be their joint candidate for president when the new parliament and all the four provincial legislatures elect the successor of the outgoing President Arif Ali in the coming weeks.

Earlier Tuesday, Khans Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party asked for the resignation of the head of Pakistan's Election Commission, Sikandar Sultan Raja, for allegedly failing to conduct the elections in a free and fair manner. Khans party claims the victories of dozens of its candidates were converted into defeat, a charge the elections oversight body denies.

Though Khans candidates won 93 out of 265 National Assembly seats in the elections, it was not enough to form a government. Sharifs PML and Zardaris PPP won 75 and 54 seats respectively.

Khan is serving multiple prison terms after being sentenced to a total of 31 years in prison on charges of corruption, revealing official secrets and marriage law violations in late January and early February during trials at a prison in Rawalpindi.

The surprisingly strong showing for Khans party in the recent elections were a shock for former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who had earlier been marked out as the powerful security establishments preferred candidate. Shehbaz Sharif, his younger brother, thanked his allies for agreeing to choose him as their joint candidate for prime minister.
A group of green-skinned creatures gathered at the edges of a pond-like body of water on a mountain in China. They began calling out, in search of a mate.

Little did the creatures know: They were being watched.

Researchers were exploring Mopan Mountain in Yunnan, searching for tree frogs. Thats where they collected nine frogs that looked like a known species, according to a study published Feb. 20 in the journal Zoosystematics and Evolution.





After taking a closer look, the scientists realized the nine frogs they found were actually a new species.

Discover more new species

Thousands of new species are found each year. Here are three of our most eye-catching stories from the past week.

 Mountain creature  with 'massive' head and blue eyes  discovered

 Venomous 1-foot-long creature found hunting in forest of Ecuador

Winged 'fairy' creature found preserved inside amber

Known as Zhangixalus yunnanensis, or the Yunnan tree frog, the new species was distinguished by other, similar species by its skin color, eye color, body size and its DNA, experts said. They named the species after the location where it was found.

Photos show the bright green creatures with yellowish brown eyes.

The tree frogs are named after the region in China where they live, experts said.

Yunnan tree frogs are medium sized, scientists said. The seven male specimens they examined ranged in size from about 1.2 inches to about 1.4 inches. The two female specimens measured about 1.9 inches.

Researchers said the frogs have robust bodies and rounded snouts. Their back and throat skin is smooth, but their chest, belly and the fronts of their thighs are rough, and they have some warts near their anus.

The new species has yellowish brown irises, researchers said.

The creatures have green skin, and they can have black blotches on their sides and their back limbs, according to experts. Their throats are black. At night, the frogs skin becomes lighter than during the day.

The creatures lay their eggs in white foam nests near pools, according to scientists.

The new species breeds between April and July, scientists said. During this time, males gather around permanent pools where they share their mating calls. Females then lay eggs in white foam nests deposited in mud near the pool.

Yunnan is a province in southwestern China.

Large colorful creature  last seen 85 years ago  rediscovered. See rare find

Armored river creature looks like it has a mask. See the iridescent new species

Forest creature  with bluish green bones and red-streaked eyes  is a new species
Chinese FM stresses win-win as future of humanity

Xinhua) 09:31, February 20, 2024

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, holds talks with Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares in Cordoba, Spain, Feb. 18, 2024. (Photo by Gustavo Valiente/Xinhua)

CORDOBA, Spain, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi emphasized the importance of embracing a win-win approach for the future of humanity on Sunday at a joint press conference with his Spanish counterpart Jose Manuel Albares in the southern Spanish city Cordoba.

Lose-lose is not a rational choice, and win-win should be the future of humanity, said Wang, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.

Wang's remarks followed questions about the "lose-lose dynamics" highlighted in the Munich Security Report 2024. He identified three factors contributing to such risks: playing zero-sum games, decoupling and severing of supply chains, and inciting bloc confrontations.

These practices hurt others' interests without benefiting oneself, drag down global progress and prosperity, seriously disrupt efforts to tackle global challenges, and seriously erode the foundation of world peace and development, he said.

Lose-lose outcomes must be avoided by all parties, Wang said, noting that more and more countries are now aware of this.

He called for a collective pursuit of win-win situations, urging countries to unite rather than divide, adhere to accommodating each other's core interests, discard ideological biases, and reject bloc confrontations.

While advocating cooperation over confrontation, dialogue over conflict, consultation over arbitrariness and equality over power, Wang also highlighted openness, stable industrial and supply chains, and the improving of the WTO-centered free trading system.

He also emphasized the importance of establishing an internationalized, market-oriented, law-based environment for global economic and trade cooperation.

China is willing to work with all parties to implement the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, Wang said, adding that the country will also bring more opportunities to the world through Chinese modernization.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
Doctors shouldn't hold people's lives hostage: Yoon

By Lee Hyo-jin, Jung Da-hyun

Hospitals across the country were plunged into chaos, as surgeries were delayed and appointments canceled, following the resignation of 6,415 junior doctors by Tuesday to protest the government's plan to increase medical school admissions quotas.

Some major hospitals that were forced to cancel planned surgeries are contemplating reducing half of the scheduled operations if the situation persists. Additionally, staff shortages have resulted in some cancer patients being discharged from hospitals.

The coordinated action by the trainee doctors has raised concerns about an unprecedented health crisis that poses a threat to patient care.

Patients and guardians who spoke with The Korea Times on Tuesday morning at Severance Hospital in Sinchon, Seodaemun District, expressed anxiety and frustration over the disruption in medical services. Around 600 out of 612 trainee doctors there have submitted their resignations, making Severance Hospital one of the most affected by the nationwide walkout.

"I was initially slated for spine surgery this month. But after today's checkup, I was informed that the surgery might be postponed," a patient in his 50s surnamed Kim said.

"I came with my mother, who has an ear condition. We were informed today that she needs surgery, but we weren't able to schedule a date due to the current understaffing of doctors, Lim Soon-hyung, a man in his 40s, said.

Jang Kyu-seok, a man in his 50s who came from South Jeolla Province, said he called the hospital the previous day to confirm if he could receive a checkup as scheduled.

"They said today's checkup would not be done by doctors (but nurses and other staffers) so I came. But I have a consultation with a doctor next month, and they said the appointment could be delayed," he said.

A total of 6,415 interns and residents, comprising 55 percent of a total 13,000 trainee doctors nationwide, have submitted their resignations as of 11 p.m., Monday, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

The figure is alarming, particularly considering that trainee doctors play essential roles as core staff in emergency rooms and provide crucial assistance in operations.

Although none of these resignation letters have been approved by the hospitals, the Ministry reported that 1,630 trainee doctors did not report to work on Tuesday. The ministry did not provide an exact number of delayed surgeries and treatments caused by the doctors' walkouts, but said 34 complaints have been filed so far.

The government has responded with urgent measures, including extending the operating hours of state-run hospitals and opening military hospitals to the public.

Medical college students joined the protest by applying for leaves of absence.

A total of 1,133 medical students at seven universities have submitted leaves of absence applications as of 6 p.m., Monday, but only four of them were accepted, according to the Ministry of Education. More students are expected to join the move, as representatives of 35 medical schools out of 40 in the country have decided to take collective action by refusing to attend classes.

Tough response

President Yoon Suk Yeol emphasized that doctors and medical school students should not hold people's lives and health hostage and urged the trainee doctors to return to work.

"Trainee doctors, essential figures in the medical field, and medical school students, crucial for the future of medical care, should refrain from engaging in collective actions that hold people's lives and health hostage," he said during a televised Cabinet meeting.

The president also reiterated his commitment to push ahead with the medical school admissions quota hike.

Earlier this month, the government announced plans to increase the annual enrollment quota at medical schools nationwide in a bid to address a shortage of doctors. The proposed increase would add 2,000 slots yearly from the current 3,058.

Doctors and medical school students are vehemently protesting, arguing that expanding the number of doctors will not resolve the shortage of physicians in specific specialties such as pediatrics and surgery. Instead, they are demanding increased rewards for doctors who are working in harsh conditions.

The ongoing protest by doctors in the form of resignations, rather than an official strike, is perceived as an effort to ensure their actions comply with the law. Under current laws, doctors, classified as essential workers, are prohibited from participating in mass labor actions.

"If their resignations are approved by the hospitals and the doctors are no longer officially part of the medical staff, technically speaking, they are not obligated to follow the government's return-to-work order," said Park Ho-gyun, an attorney at Hippocrates lawfirm, who specializes in medical cases.

Nevertheless, the doctors may not be able to completely avoid legal liabilities, as refusing to treat patients without valid reasons is punishable under the Medical Services Act.

"We will have to see how the situation unfolds, but the trainee doctors proceeded with the collective resignation despite the government's previous order to remain on duty. They might face administrative and criminal penalties for not complying with government orders and civil lawsuits for causing financial losses to the hospitals due to their abrupt resignations," Park said.
Supporters of Niger's ruling junta hold a Russian flag at the start of a protest called to fight for the country's freedom and push back against foreign interference in Niamey, Niger, on Aug. 3, 2023. A UK based think-tank says Russia is rebuilding its capacity to destabilize European countries and extend its influence in the Middle East and Africa. The Royal United Services Institute says that Russia posing a strategic threat to NATO as its members focus on the war in Ukraine. (AP Photo/Sam Mednick, File)

LONDON (AP)  Russia is rebuilding its capacity to destabilize European countries and extend its influence in the Middle East and Africa, posing a strategic threat to NATO as its members focus on the war in Ukraine, a U.K.-based think tank said Tuesday.

In a sweeping report, researchers at the Royal United Services Institute argue that Western nations need to do more to counter Moscows use of unconventional warfare if they are to succeed in turning back Russias invasion of Ukraine.

As the war in Ukraine protracts, Russia has an interest in creating crises further afield, authors Jack Watling, Oleksandr V. Danylyuk and Nick Reynolds wrote, citing the Balkans as a region that is ripe for mischief.

Russia also has an active interest in destabilizing Ukraines partners, and with a slew of elections forthcoming across Europe there is a wide range of opportunities to exacerbate polarization, the authors said.

The 35-page report by the think tank, founded in 1831, was released only days before the second anniversary of Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

While Russian efforts to destabilize countries such as Moldova failed due to security lapses and the mass expulsion of Kremlin operatives, the Russian military is now strengthening its ability to launch unconventional attacks, the report says.

Using documents obtained from Russian secret services and interviews with official bodies in Ukraine and some European states, the report weaves a narrative of Russias efforts to extend its influence beyond the present conflict in Ukraine.

The threat extends beyond Ukraine and the active collaboration of those states that are being targeted," it said and urged for sustained vigilance over a range of issues.

Russia has also been expanding ties with African and Middle Eastern states, displacing Western interests in those regions. This new Russian colonialism seeks to create what the authors call an Entente Roscolonial  a group of states that "actively seek to assist Russia, while also becoming increasingly subordinate to Russian influence, according to the report.

The entente posed a serious threat to Western interests because of a strong and bitter sense that the U.S. and NATO act differently in Ukraine than they do in places like Gaza and Tigray, the region of northern Ethiopia that has been devastated by conflict, the report said.

Similarly, the apparent contrast in Western language and rhetoric between how it described the destruction of Aleppo or Mariupol, and how it has excused Israeli operations in Gaza, leave many on the continent perceiving a gap between Western rhetoric about values and the values practiced by those who have, for so long, imposed constraints on the policies of African states to enforce values-based norms.

The new colonialism, the report said, was intertwined with the formation of the Wagner Group, a nominally private company that provided mercenaries for wars in Africa, the Middle East and Ukraine, giving the Russian government plausible deniability about its role in these conflicts.

Following the death of the Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin, these units have been brought more directly under the control of the Russian military. This new Expeditionary Corps is now offering a regime survival package to authoritarian governments in countries like Mali and the Central African Republic.
Prisoners in women's VC-2 of the Leningrad Oblast

The Russian Defense Ministry has begun recruiting female prisoners to fight in the war against Ukraine, independent Russian outlet iStories reported on Feb. 19.

Recruiters have reportedly targeted inmates in Correctional Colony No. 2 in Ulyanovka, Leningrad Oblast, the report says.

Read also: Former Russian prisoners complain to Putin about unfulfilled promises after joining war against Ukraine

Russian MoD officials visited the prison multiple times since last fall, offering women one-year contracts as snipers and assault troops with the promise of a pardon after completing the contract term, former inmates told the journalists.

The training period was set to two months. Between 20 and 50 inmates reportedly accepted the offer, although none have been taken from the facility as of the report.

One inmate agreed to become a sniper but reconsidered after an approximate three-month wait, realizing her remaining sentence was under a year.

The report marks the first noted instance of Russian officials recruiting female prisoners for combat duty.

A summary by the UK Defense Intelligence from Oct. 30, 2023, noted Russia's efforts to enlist women in the Redut private military company for the war in Ukraine.

Read also: Russia releases mostly convicts in prisoner exchange  video

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
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Russias seaborne crude shipments fell for a second week, with difficulties selling a key Pacific grade to India set to further snarl flows in the coming week.

Moscow has been struggling to get its Sokol crude into India, the main market for the grade produced by the Sakhalin 1 project, with the Asian nation's refiners wary of falling foul of US sanctions and complaining that the grade is too expensive relative to alternatives.

Although two shipments were delivered recently to India after a break of more than two months, Russia's difficulties seem far from over as at least 13 more, totaling about 9 million barrels, are still sitting on vessels that appear to be going nowhere.

Adding to Moscows concerns, all seven of the specialized shuttle tankers that haul the crude from the export terminal now have cargoes on board, leaving none available to take on fresh shipments. The lack of available ships will hamper exports of Sokol for at least the next week, and possibly longer.

Even before the problems loading the Sokol cargoes, Russia's crude shipments fell by about 360,000 barrels a day in the week to Feb. 18 to 3.13 million barrels a day. The decline put exports 150,000 barrels a day below the level Moscow has pledged to its OPEC+ partners for the first quarter, on a weekly basis. Despite that retreat, the less volatile four-week average rose for a third week, up by about 30,000 barrels a day, putting it almost exactly in line with the target.

Russia said it would cut oil exports by 500,000 barrels a day below the May-June average during the first quarter, after several other members of the OPEC+ group agreed to make further output curbs. The Russian cut will be shared between crude shipments, which will be reduced by 300,000 barrels a day, and refined products.

The gross value of Russias crude exports slipped for a second week, dropping to $1.55 billion in the seven days to Feb. 18 from $1.67 billion the previous week. Meanwhile four-week average income continued to rise, up by $41 million to $1.59 billion a week.

Flows by Destination

Despite the drop in weekly shipments, Russias seaborne crude flows in the four weeks to Feb. 18 edged higher to 3.27 million barrels a day. That was up from 3.25 million barrels a day in the period to Feb. 11. Shipments were about 310,000 barrels a day below the average seen in May and June, or virtually in line with Russias first quarter target.

The four-week average continues to be affected by the storm that closed the Pacific port of Kozmino for five days in the week to Jan. 28 and disruptions to shipments from Ust-Luga caused by a drone strike on a neighboring condensate refinery, followed by several days of maintenance at the Baltic crude export terminal. As a result, the figure is likely to rise again next week.

Russia appears to be opening up small new markets for its crude.

About 1.8 million barrels of Russian crude is headed to Venezuela on the VLCC Ligera. The vessel arrived off the Amuay refinery on Tuesday morning.

A fourth cargo is heading to Tema in Ghana, where a new refinery built by Chinese investors has begun processing crude. The plant will initially run 40,000 barrels a day, rising to 100,000 barrels with completion of a second phase, due by the end of 2025.

Two cargoes of Gazprom Neft PJSCs Arctic crude oil have been delivered to the Pulau Muara Besar refinery in Brunei over the past month.

All figures exclude cargoes identified as Kazakhstans KEBCO grade. Those are shipments made by KazTransoil JSC that transit Russia for export through the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk and the Baltics Ust-Luga and are not subject to European Union sanctions or a price cap.

The Kazakh barrels are blended with crude of Russian origin to create a uniform export grade. Since Russias invasion of Ukraine, Kazakhstan has rebranded its cargoes to distinguish them from those shipped by Russian companies.

Observed shipments to Russias Asian customers, including those showing no final destination, slipped to 2.84 million barrels a day in the four weeks to Feb. 18, down from a revised 2.91 million in the previous four-week period.

About 1.21 million barrels a day of crude was loaded onto tankers heading to China. The Asian nations seaborne imports are boosted by about 800,000 barrels a day of crude delivered from Russia by pipeline, either directly, or via Kazakhstan.

Flows on ships signaling destinations in India averaged about 960,000 barrels a day.

Both the Chinese and Indian figures will rise as the discharge ports become clear for vessels that are not currently showing final destinations.

The equivalent of about 540,000 barrels a day was on vessels signaling Port Said or Suez in Egypt, or are expected to be transferred from one ship to another off the South Korean port of Yeosu. Those voyages typically end at ports in India or China and show up in the chart below as Unknown Asia until a final destination becomes apparent. This figure includes the Sokol crude still on shuttle tankers awaiting transfer to other vessels as well as the other stranded cargoes of the grade.

The Other Unknown volumes, running at about 130,000 barrels a day in the four weeks to Feb. 18, are those on tankers showing no clear destination. Most of those cargoes originate from Russias western ports and go on to transit the Suez Canal, but some could end up in Turkey. Others could be moved from one vessel to another, with most such transfers now taking place in the Mediterranean, off the coast of Greece.

Ship-to-ship transfers of crude in the Laconian Gulf off Greece have picked up after several months of inactivity. The VLCC Ligera, holding about 1.8 million barrels, has arrived in Venezuela after taking on cargoes from two smaller tankers. A second supertanker, Achelous, has passed through the Red Sea on its way to China.

Europe and Turkey

Russias seaborne crude exports to European countries have ceased.

A market that consumed about 1.5 million barrels a day of short-haul crude, coming from export terminals in the Baltic, Black Sea and Arctic has been lost completely since Moscows troops invaded Ukraine in February 2022, replaced by long-haul destinations in Asia that are much more costly and time-consuming to serve.

With flows to Bulgaria halted at the end of last year, Turkey is now the only short-haul market for shipments from Russias western ports.

Exports to Turkey recovered to a five-week high of about 365,000 barrels a day in the four weeks to Feb. 18. Thats up from a revised figure of about 260,000 barrels a day in the period to Feb. 11.

No Russian crude was shipped to European countries in the four weeks to Feb. 18. A cargo of Urals, sold by Kazakhstan from Novorossiysk, was delivered to Burgas in Bulgaria. The refinery there, owned by Lukoil PJSC, previously took its own Urals cargoes, but the shipments stopped at the end of last year.

Vessel-tracking data are cross-checked against port agent reports as well as flows and ship movements reported by other information providers including Kpler and Vortexa Ltd.

Export Value

Following the abolition of export duty on Russian crude, we have begun to track the gross value of seaborne crude exports, using Argus Media price data and our own tanker tracking.

The gross value of Russias crude exports slipped for a second week, dropping to $1.55 billion in the seven days to Feb. 18 from $1.67 billion the previous week. Meanwhile four-week average income continued to rise, up by $41 million to $1.59 billion a week. The four-week average is still well off its peak of $2.17 billion a week, reached in the period to June 19, 2022. The highest it reached last year was $2 billion a week in the period to Oct. 22.

During the first four weeks after the Group of Seven nations price cap on Russian crude exports came into effect in early December 2022, the value of seaborne flows fell to a low of $930 million a week, but soon recovered.

The chart above shows a gross value of Russias seaborne oil exports on a weekly and four-week average basis. The value is calculated by multiplying the average weekly crude price from Argus Media Group by the weekly export flow from each port. For shipments from the Baltic and Arctic ports we use the Urals FOB Primorsk dated, London close, midpoint price. For shipments from the Black Sea we use the Urals Med Aframax FOB Novorossiysk dated, London close, midpoint price. For Pacific shipments we use the ESPO blend FOB Kozmino prompt, Singapore close, midpoint price.

Export duty was abolished at the end of 2023 as part of Russias long-running tax reform plans.

Ships Leaving Russian Ports

The following table shows the number of ships leaving each export terminal.

A total of 29 tankers loaded 21.9 million barrels of Russian crude in the week to Feb. 18, vessel-tracking data and port agent reports show. That was down by about 2.5 million barrels from the previous week.

Shipments from Russias Pacific terminal at Kozmino slipped for a second week.

All seven of the specialized shuttle tankers that haul Sokol crude from the De Kastri export terminal now have cargoes on board, leaving none available to take on fresh cargoes. Three are now heading to ports in China after spending as much as two-and-a-half weeks anchored off the South Korean port of Yeosu, where cargoes are typically transferred onto other ships for onward delivery to India. A lack of available shuttle tankers is likely to hit exports of Sokol crude for at least the next week, if not longer.

All figures exclude cargoes identified as Kazakhstans KEBCO grade. Two cargoes of KEBCO was loaded at Novorossiysk during the week.

NOTES

Note: This story forms part of a weekly series tracking shipments of crude from Russian export terminals and the gross value of those flows. Weeks run from Monday to Sunday. The next update will be on Tuesday, Feb. 27.

Note: All figures exclude cargoes owned by Kazakhstans KazTransOil JSC, which transit Russia and are shipped from Novorossiysk and Ust-Luga as KEBCO grade crude.

If you are reading this story on the Bloomberg terminal, click here for a link to a PDF file of four-week average flows from Russia to key destinations.

--With assistance from Sherry Su.

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Russian forces shelled Sumy Oblast 252 times in 54 separate attacks throughout the day, injuring 4 people, the Sumy Oblast Military Administration reported on Feb. 19.

The communities of Yunakivka, Bilopillia, Krasnopillia, Velyka Pysarivka, Esman, Seredyna-Buda, Novoslobidske, Shalyhyne, and Znob-Novhorodske were targeted.

In the village of Novoslobidske, four people were hospitalized as a result of Russian shelling. No details were provided on the extent of their injuries.

Throughout the day, Russia assailed the border communities with mortar, artillery, tank, drone, and grenade launcher attacks. Explosives and mines were also dropped by drones onto three of the communities.

The town of Bilopillia, with a pre-war population of about 15,600 residents, experienced the bulk of the attacks reported with 70 explosions recorded in the area. The community is located just eight kilometers south and 25 kilometers west of the Ukraine-Russia border.

Shelling is a daily occurrence for the communities near Ukraine's northeastern border with Russia, with residents in the region's vulnerable border settlements experience multiple attacks per day.

Read also: Ukraine war latest: Russian troops killed wounded Ukrainian soldiers in Avdiivka after promising to evacuate them, military says





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Anti-American allies Russia and Venezuela vowed to boost cooperation in oil and gas production and the "peaceful use of nuclear energy" at a meeting of foreign ministers in Caracas Tuesday.

Russia's Sergei Lavrov arrived in Venezuela late Monday from Cuba as part of a Latin American tour as Moscow seeks new diplomatic and trading partners amid Western sanctions and isolation over its war on Ukraine.

In Caracas, Lavrov met his Venezuelan counterpart Yvan Gil and Vice President Delcy Rodriguez and discussed "expanding cooperation in oil production, gas field development, agriculture, medicine and pharmaceuticals," he told reporters afterward.

"We also consider promising the area of peaceful use of nuclear energy; we also discussed this issue today (and) we agreed to increase the volume of cooperation in all these areas," said an official translation of the minister's statements.

Lavrov last visited Venezuela in April last 2023, when he urged like-minded countries to "join forces" against the "blackmail" of Western sanctions.

Venezuela has long been a key Moscow ally, and Maduro has repeatedly expressed his support for Russia and President Vladimir Putin before and after the invasion of Ukraine.

Russia, for its part, has supported Caracas in the face of US sanctions against the government of Maduro, whose 2018 reelection was not recognized by dozens of countries.

Until the end of an oil-based economic boom in 2014, Venezuela had purchased Russian weapons and military equipment worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

"Venezuela is one of (Russia's) closest and most trusted friends in Latin America and in the world... we are united by close strategic partnership ties," said Lavrov.

After Venezuela opened talks with the opposition last year and agreed to hold free and fair elections in 2024, the US eased sanctions to allow Chevron to resume limited oil extraction in the South American country -- part of an effort to keep down global prices as the West pressed sanctions on Russia.

But Maduro has since said the agreement with the opposition was "mortally wounded" as he claimed to have been the target of a US-backed plot to assassinate him.

And last month, the United States warned it was ready to reinstate sanctions on Venezuela's oil industry unless opponents of Maduro are allowed to run in elections against him.

In Havana on Monday, Lavrov had railed against "blackmail, ultimatums, threats" by the United States and other countries he said were seeking "by all means... to preserve their domination, hegemony and diktat."

Lavrov will travel to Brazil next to attend a G20 foreign ministers meeting.

mbj-ba/jt/mel/mlr/md
On February 20, Russia attacked the Novoslobidska community in the Konotop district

Russian troops launched an airstrike on the Novoslobidska community of the Konotop district in Sumy Oblast, Ukraine, killing two people, the Sumy Oblast State Administration reported on Telegram on Feb. 20.

Russian shelling ignited a residential building, but the fire has since been put out.

The bodies of two people were discovered at the attack site, and ongoing operations involve debris removal and search efforts.

Russian troops regularly attack border settlements in Sumy Oblast. Russia carried out eight attacks over the night and morning of Feb. 20, with authorities reporting 39 explosions.

Read also:

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Two Ukrainian soldiers captured five Russians after eliminating one of them near Robotyne, all Russian assaults failed

Only two soldiers of the Armed Forces managed to capture a group of five Russian occupiers in Zaporizhzhya Oblast.

Reports show that Russians were captured by Ukrainian defenders after a failed attack on the village of Robotyne.

Read also: Russian army tries to push Ukrainian positions in Zaporizhzhya oblast, reportedly being immediately destroyed

The invaders tried to hide in one of the destroyed buildings cellar after having lost their armored vehicles and lagging behind their henchmen who fled the battlefield, but were discovered by the Defense Forces air reconnaissance.

The enemy tried to repel the Ukrainians at the same time, but after one of the war criminals had been eliminated, the rest of the occupiers realized that they could not cope even with two soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and decided to surrender.

Read also: Zelenskyy visits frontline positions near Robotyne in Zaporizhzhya Oblast

The Russians tried to attack Ukrainian positions ten times near Robotyne village in the Zaporizhzhya sector, said Tavria Operational and Strategic Troop Grouping Oleksandr Tarnavskyi.

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By Lee Hae-rin

A group of Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) alums reported the Presidential Security Service to the police, Tuesday, for alleged abuse of official authority, assault and confinement of a student who shouted at President Yoon Suk Yeol during the schools graduation ceremony Friday.

KAIST professor Joo Si-hyung and alums said the group filed a complaint against the presidential security officials for what they called "excessive" use of force against the student, while condemning the governments budget cuts on state-led research and development (R&D) projects during a press conference in front of the National Police Agency in Seoul.

Last Friday, Shin Min-ki, a KAIST graduate who is also a spokesperson for the minor progressive Justice Partys Daejeon chapter, was silenced and dragged by his arms and legs out of the graduation ceremony by the president's security guards, after he publicly denounced the governments R&D budget cuts.

"This is a case of state violence where the government mandated excessive use of force and assaulted a victim using state security simply for speaking up in protest against R&D budget cuts, without any intention or means to harm the president, the groups attorney, Shin Dong-ah, said, adding that it is peoples inalienable right in democracy to protest and speak up against a policy.

Joo condemned the security services abuse of constitutional power in handling the student and accused it of infringing on his basic human rights, including the freedom of expression and personal liberty. In response, the group demanded Yoon make a public apology as the chief executive who was at the scene.

During the forced removal, Shin lost his glasses and the strings of his mask were cut off, he said. Then he was detained in a room guarded by security agents for 30 minutes before being sent to the police for questioning, which the presidential office later explained was an inevitable action in accordance with the law and security principles.

The police investigation starts in two weeks and Shin plans to take legal action regarding the forced removal, which sparked criticism from opposition parties and civic groups, and prompted KAIST alums to further speak up against the budget cuts.

The KAIST Graduate Students Association Center for Human Rights and 4,456 students and faculty members also released a joint statement criticizing the governments handling of Shin.

In a historic move, the Yoon administration implemented the first R&D budget cuts in 33 years, reducing spending on major state-sponsored R&D by approximately 15 percent year-on-year to 26.5 trillion won ($19.8 billion) this year. This action was taken to dismantle what the president referred to as an R&D cartel, which seeks to safeguard its vested interests.

Notably, even during the Asian financial crisis of the late 1990s, the Korean government prioritized R&D budgets as it put into effect massive layoffs and industrial reforms as conditions of receiving a bailout from the International Monetary Fund.

The cuts come in striking contrast to Yoon's comments in a prerecorded New Year interview with a public broadcaster, in which he said he wants to be remembered as a president who prepared for the future by seeking advances in scientific technology.

Yoon also vowed to build a nation that espouses liberal democracy in his inaugural speech almost two years ago.
UK Defence Intelligence believes that Russian forces need time to re-equip and rest after the occupation of the town of Avdiivka, although in the coming weeks, they will try to expand their territorial gains.

Source: UK Defence Intelligence review dated 20 February on Twitter, as reported by European Pravda

Details: UK intelligence noted that Russian forces have taken control of Avdiivka and the coke plant to the north of the city over the past week, heavy fighting for the control of which has been ongoing since October 2023.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces have retreated to fortified positions to the west of Avdiivka.

"It is likely that Russian forces lack the combat effectiveness to immediately exploit the capture of Avdiivka and will require a period of rest and refit.

In coming weeks Russia will likely seek to gradually extend its territorial control beyond Avdiivka," the review stated.

Background:

In one of the previous reviews, UK Defence Intelligence noted that Russia lost at least 400 pieces of equipment while storming Avdiivka.

The White House believed that Congress was also responsible for the fact that the Ukrainian military was unable to hold the defence of Avdiivka.

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Russian attacks against Ukraine killed two people and injured another 10 over the past day, regional authorities reported early on Feb. 20.

Russia targeted a total of 11 Ukrainian oblasts  Poltava, Kirovohrad, Chernihiv, Mykolaiv, Luhansk, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Kherson, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Sumy. Casualties were reported in the latter four regions.

Russian forces launched 23 drones to attack Ukraine overnight, all of which were downed by Ukrainian air defenses, the Air Force said. Debris from the drones reportedly damaged an industrial facility in Poltava Oblast as well as several houses and vehicles in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.

Russian troops carried out 435 strikes against 19 settlements in Zaporizhzhia Oblast in the past day, killing two people in Prymorske and Lisne, Governor Ivan Fedorov reported.

The strikes against Zaporizhzhia Oblast damaged 13 houses and infrastructure facilities, according to Fedorov.

Read also: I still imagine being there: A trip through memories of Ukrainian cities in tatters from Russias war

Russia hit multiple settlements in Kharkiv Oblast over the past 24 hours, injuring four people, according to Oleh Syniehubov, the regional governor.

A woman was wounded in a Russian air strike on Kupiansk, another woman received medical assistance after being rescued from the rubble of a house in a nearby village, and two other men suffered injuries in the Russian shelling of Vovchansk, said Syniehubov.

The strikes against Kharkiv Oblast damaged six houses, an apartment building, an enterprise, an electrical substation, an educational facility, a cultural center, a cafe, and vehicles, Syniehubov added.

Russian attacks against Kherson Oblast overnight and on the previous day injured two people and hit residential areas and a relief center in the Beryslav district, Kherson Oblast Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported early on Feb. 20.

Two hours later, the regional administration said that the overnight strikes damaged three educational facilities and about a dozen homes in Kherson Oblast.

Russian forces hit Sumy Oblast 252 times in 54 separate attacks on Feb. 19, injuring 4 people, the Sumy Oblast Military Administration reported earlier.

Read also: Ukraine war latest: Russian troops killed wounded Ukrainian soldiers in Avdiivka after promising to evacuate them, military says

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A Los Angeles woman was arrested in Russia and charged with treason, accused of collecting funds to support Ukrainian organizations, the countrys Federal Security Service (FSB) announced Tuesday.

The woman, whom the FSB only identified as a 33-year-old dual citizen of the United States and Russia who resides in Los Angeles, was arrested in the central Russian town of Yekaterinburg for providing financial assistance to a foreign state in activities directed against the country.

Since February 2022, she has proactively collected funds in the interests of one of the Ukrainian organizations, which were subsequently used to purchase tactical medicine, equipment, weapons and ammunition by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the FSB said in the Tuesday statement.

The woman is one of multiple U.S. citizens detained in Russian prisons, as relations between the U.S. and Russia continue to deteriorate.

Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was arrested in Yekaterinburg last year on espionage charges, which the Journal and the U.S. government claim are fabricated. A Moscow court extended Gershkovichs pretrial detention Tuesday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in December that he hopes to find a solution to free Gershkovich and Paul Whelan, another American detained over espionage charges. Russia rejected a proposed prisoner exchange for the pair earlier that month, according to the U.S. State Department.

The White House promised a new wave of sweeping sanctions against Russia by Friday, in response to the alleged assassination of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny last week, John Kirby, White House national security communications adviser, told reporters Tuesday.

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In this photo released by the Moscow's City Court, Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich stands in a glass cage in a courtroom at the Moscow City Court, in Moscow, Russia, on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024. (Moscow City Court via AP)

MOSCOW (AP)  A court in the Russian capital ruled Tuesday to keep Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich in custody pending his trial on espionage charges that he denies.

The Moscow City Court rejected an appeal against Gershkovich's detention filed by his lawyers, upholding an earlier ruling to keep him behind bars until the end of March.

That means Gershkovich, 32, will spend at least a year behind bars in Russia after his arrest in March 2023 while on a reporting trip to the Russian city of Yekaterinburg in the Ural Mountains.

Gershkovich and the Journal have denied the espionage allegations, and the U.S. government has declared him to be wrongfully detained. Russian authorities havent detailed any evidence to support the charges.

In December, the U.S. State Department said that Russia had rejected several proposals for freeing Gershkovich and Paul Whelan, a corporate security executive from Michigan who has been jailed in Russia since his December 2018 arrest on espionage-related charges that both he and the U.S. government dispute. Whelan was sentenced to 16 years in prison.

U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Tuesday that were disappointed but not surprised by the outcome of the hearing that upheld Gershkovich's detention. He reaffirmed that Washington sees the charges against Gershkovich as baseless and urged Russia to release Gershkovich and Whelan, adding that the U.S. will keep working to secure their freedom.

Speaking in an interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson earlier this month, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia is ready to negotiate a deal to exchange Gershkovich and hinted that Moscow wants the release of a Russian imprisoned in Germany.

Putin charged that Gershkovich was caught red-handed when he was secretly getting classified information, while adding that "there are certain conditions that are being discussed between special services. I believe an agreement can be reached.

He pointed to a man imprisoned in a U.S.-allied country for liquidating a bandit who had allegedly killed Russian soldiers during separatist fighting in Chechnya. Putin didnt mention names but appeared to refer to Vadim Krasikov, a Russian serving a life sentence in Germany after being convicted of the 2019 killing in Berlin of Zelimkhan Tornike Khangoshvili, a 40-year-old Georgian citizen of Chechen ethnicity.

German judges said Krasikov acted on the orders of Russian authorities, who gave him a false identity and passport and resources to carry out the killing.

German officials have refused to comment when asked if there had been any effort by Russia to secure a swap of Krasikov and Gershkovich.

Gershkovich is the first American reporter to be charged with espionage in Russia since 1986, when Nicholas Daniloff, a Moscow correspondent for U.S. News and World Report, was arrested by the KGB. Gershkovich is being held at Moscows Lefortovo prison, notorious for its harsh conditions.

Also Tuesday, the Justice Ministry named the U.S. government-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty as an undesirable organization, a label that carries a prison term for those working for it.

RFE/RL President Stephen Capus said in a statement that "this attempt to stifle us will only make RFE/RL work harder to bring free and independent journalism to the Russian people.

Commenting on the Russian move, Miller, the State Department spokesman, said that weve seen Russia continue to crack down on free press, continue to crack down on transparency."

"It is quite clear that they do not want their people to have information about what the Russian regime does abroad but also what the Russian regime does to its own people, he said.

In October, Alsu Kurmasheva, an editor for RFE/RLs Tatar-Bashkir service, was taken into custody on charges of failing to register as a foreign agent while collecting information about the Russian military. Kurmasheva, who holds U.S. and Russian citizenship and lives in Prague, is in jail pending trial and also has been charged with spreading false information about the Russian military.

RFE/RL was told by Russian authorities in 2017 to register as a foreign agent, but it has challenged Moscows use of foreign agent laws in the European Court of Human Rights. The organization has been fined millions of dollars by Russia.

Meanwhile, the Federal Security Service, Russia's main domestic intelligence agency, on Tuesday reported the arrest of a 33-year-old woman with U.S. and Russian citizenship on charges of treason. The FSB said the woman it didn't name was accused of collecting money for the Ukrainian military.

The independent news outlet Mediazona identified the woman as Ksenia Karelina and said that she had received U.S. citizenship after marrying an American.

White House national security spokesman John Kirby said the White House and the State Department were aware of reports of the arrest of a dual U.S.-Russia citizen and added that we are trying to get more information and to secure some consular access to that individual.

Kirby refrained from further comment due to respect for privacy, but reiterated our very strong warnings about the danger posed to U.S. citizens inside Russia. He added: "If youre a U.S. citizen, including a dual national residing in or traveling in Russia, you ought to leave right now.

Miller noted that when it comes to dual citizens of the United States and Russia, Moscow "does not recognize dual citizenship, it considers them to be Russian citizens first and foremost, giving U.S. diplomats a difficult time to get consular assistance.

Some analysts have noted that Moscow may be using jailed Americans as bargaining chips after U.S.-Russian tensions soared when Russia sent troops into Ukraine. At least two U.S. citizens arrested in Russia in recent years, including WNBA star Brittney Griner, have been exchanged for Russians jailed in the U.S.

___

AP writers Zeke Miller and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report.
Russian defector who fled with army helicopter found shot to death in Spain

Police in Spain say a recently discovered body is believed to be a Russian soldier who previously defected to Ukraine.

Spanish authorities are identifying the victim, who was found on Feb. 15 with multiple gunshot wounds in the town of La Cala, as Russian defector Maksim Kuzminov.

Last year, Kuzminov abandoned his post and flew an army helicopter over the front lines into Ukrainian territory. The Mi-8 AMTSh helicopter had been loaded with parts for Sukhoi fighter jets.

CNN REPORTER ASKS BIDEN IF NAVALNY'S BLOOD IS 'ON THE HANDS OF HOUSE REPUBLICANS' FOR BLOCKING UKRAINE AID

Captain Maksim Kuzminov, Pilot of a Russian military Mi-8 helicopter, who, acting in concert with Ukrainian services, flew the machine into Ukrainian territory in August last year and surrendered to the country's authorities. during a meeting with journalists in Kyiv, Ukraine.

Ukrainian military spokesperson Andrii Yusov confirmed Kuzminov's death to local news outlets.

Russian Foreign Intelligence Service chief Sergei Naryshkin also confirmed the reports, calling Kuzminov as a "traitor and criminal."

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Naryshkin told state news agency Tass that Kuzminov became a "moral corpse" after planning his "dirty and terrible crime."

RUSSIA GAINS CONTROL OF AVDIIVKA COKE PLANT AFTER UKRAINIAN TROOP WITHDRAWAL, DEFENSE MINISTRY SAYS

Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council Secretary Alexei Danilov reportedly told Kuzminov to stay in Ukraine following his defection, citing the risk of attack by Russian agencies if he left the country.

Spanish Civil Guard officers found the corpse with six gunshots and run over by a vehicle.

Representative of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine Andrii Yusov, journalist, serviceman, author of the Military Intelligence of Ukraine documentary series Artem Shevchenko and defected Russian Mi-8 helicopter pilot, Captain Maksim Kuzminov (L to R) are pictured during a press conference to share details of the Synytsia (Tit) special operation of the Ukrainian Defence Intelligence.

Kuzminov's body was also planted with documents that identified him as an unrelated 33-year-old Ukrainian citizen, authorities say.

After the investigation commenced, police became confident that the documents were false and began suspecting the victim was actually Kuzminov.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov said he had no details on the incident and had not received information from diplomatic channels.





Original article source: Russian defector who fled with army helicopter found shot to death in Spain
Russian defector Maksim Kuzminov, who flew a military helicopter to Ukraine and detailed his escape, has been found dead, Ukraines intelligence service said.

Kuzminovs body was found at the entrance to a residential complex in Villajoyosa, a town in Spain, Ukrainian spokesperson Andriy Yusov confirmed to The Washington Post.

His body was found with multiple bullet wounds and run over by a car. Witnesses told local media that gunmen shot him many times and ran him over in an escape car, the Post reported.

Kuzminov was a 28-year-old Russian military pilot who defected to Ukraine last year. He detailed his dramatic escape in a helicopter and urged others to follow his path.

In a video released last September, he said he first reached out to HUR, Ukraines defense intelligence agency, in 2022, and agreed on a plan to escape by flying his Mi-8 helicopter into a safe corridor to reach Ukraine. He said he flew the helicopter at an extremely low altitude in radio silence mode to avoid detection leaving the Russian air base.

Kuzminov escaped on Aug. 9, and marked the first time a Russian pilot defected since the start of Russias invasion of Ukraine nearly two years ago.

Kuzminovs death marks a potential turning point for Europe, being the latest example of Russian officials carrying out a killing internationally, the Post noted.

Oleksiy Danilov, secretary of Ukraines National Security and Defense Council, told the outlet that the assassination could embolden Russians to continue international killings.

In the video, Kuzminov said he was a Russian military transport pilot, moving troops and equipment, chose to leave Russia because he was opposed to the war with Ukraine. He said he wrote to HUR via Telegram when the war began to come up with an escape plan, because he did not want to contribute to war crimes.

Spanish police initially believed the bullet riddled body belonged to a Ukrainian by a different name, but now say further investigation is necessary, the Post reported. Spains Interior Ministry would not confirm the identity of the body found at the time the Post published its article.

Sergei Naryshkin, director of Russias foreign intelligence service, said Kuzminov was dead the moment he began planning his escape. He also called Kuzminov a traitor and criminal, according to the Post.

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Your slice of the headlines in Ukraine. Daily. Tuesday, February 20, 2024.

 Russian defector Kuzminov killed in Spain

Russian pilot Maxim Kuzminov, who in the summer of 2023 landed his Mi-8 helicopter in Ukrainian territory, has died in Spain, Ukrainian Defense Intelligence spokesman Andriy Yusov said on Feb. 19.





 Polish protesters temporarily block passenger train from Ukraine, police intervened  UZ

Polish protesters blocked the movement of a passenger train from Ukraine on Feb. 18, Ukraines national train company, Ukrzaliznytsia, reported on Telegram on Feb. 19.





 Ukrainians holding new defensive lines near Avdiivka after repelling five Russian assaults  commander

Ukraine's Defense Forces have consolidated their positions on new defense lines in the Avdiivka sector, commander of the Tavria Operational and Strategic Troop Grouping Oleksandr Tarnavskyi said in a Telegram post on Feb. 19.





 Ombudsman accuses Russia of disregarding Geneva Conventions as evidence emerges of PoW executions

Executions of prisoners of war are a gross violation of international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions, Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets reiterated on Feb. 19.





 Ukrainian commander vows no new recruits will go to combat zones without crucial training, equipment

No mobilized soldier will be sent to the combat zone without training and equipment, Commander of the Ukrainian Ground Forces Oleksandr Pavliuk said in an interview with Radio Liberty on Feb. 18.





 The West was overly optimistic about Russia's war against Ukraine in 2023 - NATO admiral

Western countries were "overly optimistic" about Russia's war against Ukraine in 2023, Admiral Rob Bauer, Chairman of NATO's Military Committee, said, the Financial Times reported.





 Ukraines State Emblem Day  What is it and how do Ukrainians celebrate the trident?

Ukraine celebrates the adoption of the trident as the countrys national symbol on Feb. 19, State Emblem Day.





 Ukraines devastating 20 Days in Mariupol wins BAFTA for Best Documentary

Mstyslav Chernovs powerful documentary 20 Days in Mariupol claimed the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) award for Best Documentary at a ceremony in Londons Royal Festival Hall on Feb. 18.

 Japan pledges long-term support for Ukraine - Japanese Foreign Ministry

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa announced that Tokyo will provide long-term support to Ukraine and will seek assistance from the private sector to fund these efforts on Feb. 18, Japanese outlet NHK reported.





 Hungary will not oppose further EU sanctions against Russia

Hungary won't block the European Union's latest round of sanctions against Russia, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said in a Facebook statement on Feb. 19.



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Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu claims that following the invasion of Ukraine, Russian troops increased the number of tanks, ammunition and drones, as well as the quality of protection for armoured personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles.

Source: Sergei Shoigu in an interview with TASS Editor-In-Chief Mikhail Petrov

Quote: "The Russian Federation's troops now have 17 times more UAVs, 17.5 times more ammunition, and 6 times more tanks. This allows you to look ahead with confidence...

Of course, armoured vehicles are being strengthened. We installed braziers (drone-proof shelters  ed.), and armour protection has been increased on armoured personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles. We have almost six times the number of tanks, which are being improved and modernised."

Details: The Russian Federation's Minister of Defence also stated that the idea of establishing a "powerful line of defence" on the Ukrainian front allegedly originated with the Russian Federation's President, who oversaw the process.

Shoigu also claimed that Russian troops created "unbearable conditions" in Avdiivka, forcing Ukrainian troops to withdraw from the city despite the fact that Ukraine has been reinforcing and holding the area for nine consecutive years.

He also claims that Krynky, located on the left bank of Kherson Oblast, has been "cleared" of Ukrainian soldiers and that Russian troops have already established their positions there.

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The Russians announced a UAV attack in the Bryansk and Kaluga oblasts

Russias Bryansk and Kaluga oblasts were attacked by at least five drones, local authorities reported on Feb. 20.

The first report of the destruction of three drones over Bryansk Oblast was published by the Russian Defense Ministry at 6:23 a.m. EET.

Read also: Russian officials claim drone attack in Bryansk Oblast

The Russians reported the successful interception of another drone over Bryansk Oblast about an hour later and the destruction of one drone over Kaluga Oblast.

The Bryansk regional governor, Aleksandr Bogomaz, said on Telegram that there were no damages or casualties as a result of the attack.

The governor of Kaluga Oblast, Vladislav Shapsha, issued a similar statement.

Russians reported an attack by two UAVs in Bryansk Oblast on Feb. 19. The drones were also allegedly intercepted.

Read also: Ukrainian drones seen over 3 Russian oblasts, damage to Kaluga Oblast infrastructure, Russia claims

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Russian drones struck a civilian vehicle in the Kupiansk district of Kharkiv Oblast, instantly killing two of the passengers and injuring the third, Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported on Feb. 20.

Three people were in the car when the drone struck the vehicle. The 38-year-old driver and the second passenger, a 50-year-old man, died on the spot.

The wife of the second man, aged 48, was in the car with the two men but managed to survive the attack. She is currently being hospitalized for severe injuries.

According to Syniehubov, the car was struck at around 4:50 p.m. local time. All three victims were farm workers returning home from work.

Kupiansk, a crucial logistics juncture that was temporarily occupied by Russia in 2022, is coming under renewed pressure by Moscow's troops.

Earlier this month, Russian forces attacked Kupiansk with aerial bombs, killing one woman and injuring at least five people. Russian forces reportedly dropped at least 12 bombs on the city.

Read also: Zelensky visits front-line troops in Kupiansk sector

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Korea will host the third Summit for Democracy from March 18 to 20 under the theme "Democracy for Future Generations," the presidential office said Tuesday.

The annual summit was launched in 2021 and has been led by the United States with the aim of strengthening democracy and confronting authoritarianism around the world.

The plenary session attended by the leaders of each country will be held virtually on the evening of March 20, the final day. The first day will consist of ministerial meetings and an experts' roundtable, while the second day will feature workshops and debates led by civic groups from home and abroad.

Korea was one of five co-hosts of last year's summit in March, along with the U.S., Costa Rica, the Netherlands and Zambia. (Yonhap)
Russian forces attacked Poltava Oblast with drones overnight on Feb. 19-20, causing a fire to break out at an industrial facility in the Kremenchuk district, Governor Filip Pronin reported.

According to Pronin, the attack hit an industrial facility and caused a substantial fire that required 85 firefighters to extinguish.

No casualties were reported.

A Russian drone attack previously struck an industrial facility in Poltava Oblast on Feb. 18. Throughout the winter months, Russia has ramped up aerial attacks on Ukraine's infrastructure.

An earlier attack on Feb. 2 damaged a granary in Poltava Oblast.

Read also: I still imagine being there: A trip through memories of Ukrainian cities in tatters from Russias war

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A woman with U.S. and Russian citizenship was arrested in Russia's Yekaterinburg on treason charges, allegedly for raising funds for Ukraine's military, the Russian state-owned news agency TASS reported on Feb. 20, citing the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB).

This is yet another case of detention of a U.S. citizen in Russia, possibly increasing pressure on Washington to seek prisoner exchange.

The news agency did not reveal the name of the detainee but said it was a 33-year-old resident of Los Angeles.

TASS published a video of the woman being escorted by a Russian officer, though her face is not visible as it is covered by a hat.

Several other U.S. citizens are being held in Russia. Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was detained in Yekaterinburg in March 2023 on espionage charges, which he denies.

Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine, was sentenced to 16 years in prison in 2020, also for alleged espionage, an accusation he rejects.

Moscow has previously rejected deals to swap Whelan and Gershkovich with Washington. WNBA star Brittney Griner and another Marine veteran, Trevor Reed, were exchanged for Russian prisoners in the U.S. in 2022.

Read also: Brittney Griner calls for more effort to free Americans detained overseas

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Commenting on the information about the murder of Russian pilot Maksim Kuzminov, who hijacked a Mi-8 helicopter in August, the director of Russias Foreign Intelligence Service, Sergei Naryshkin, called him a traitor, the propaganda news agency TASS reported on Feb. 20.

You know, in Russia, it is customary to say either good or nothing about the deceased, Naryshkin said.

This traitor and criminal became a moral corpse at the very moment he was planning his dirty and terrible crime.

Read also: Murder of Russian defector in Spain, who had overtaken an Mi-8 helicopter from Russia, could be cover-up  military expert

Ukrainian intelligence earlier reported that Russian pilot Maksim Kuzminov has died. In the summer of 2023, he flew a Russian Mi-8 helicopter to the Ukrainian-controlled territory.

According to media reports, Kuzminov was killed in Spain. A burnt-out car was found near the place of his death, in which the killers allegedly fled.

Operation Sunbird  What is known

The backdrop to this espionage story includes the defection of a Russian Mi-8 helicopter to Ukraine on Aug. 23, 2023, as part of Operation Sunbird, a secret mission orchestrated by the Ukrainian intelligence.

On Aug. 23, 2023, Kuzminov landed a Russian Mi-8 helicopter in Poltava Oblast, surrendering the aircraft to Ukraine. Official sources later confirmed this was the conclusion of a six-months-long operation by Ukraines

Read also: Russian FSB intelligence network operating throughout Europe represents colossal threat  diplomat

In addition to the aircraft itself, the transfer included spare parts for Su-27 and Su-30 fighter jets.

The helicopter was flying between two air bases and transporting parts for Russian aircraft. Along with the pilot, there were two crew members on board who did not know where the helicopter was actually going. The Mi-8 landed in Kharkiv Oblast. As a result of the special operation, two crew members were killed.

The pilot and his family arrived in Ukraine, and the family had been taken out of Russia in advance. The Mi-8 remained in Ukraine, along with parts for fighter aircraft that it was supposed to deliver to the Russians. It joined the Ukrainian fleet of combat helicopters. The Russian pilot received $500,000 and new documents as part of a government program.

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Russian forces again executed Ukrainian prisoners of war near Robotyne, Zaporizhzhya Oblast, the DeepState analytical portal reported on Telegram on Feb. 20.

Published footage shows two Ukrainian soldiers leaving the trench, with one of them likely wounded. Then, a Russian soldier fires, and both soldiers fall.

Read also: Ukraines 3rd Assault Brigade units surrounded in Avdiivka, managed to escape

Russian troops launched an assault on Robotyne from the south, capturing part of a significant strongpoint. Three soldiers of the 3rd Spartan Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian National Guard remained there, the neighboring units said.

Russians once again ignored the rules and customs of war by killing captured soldiers, DeepState said.

The DeepState analytical portal reported on Feb. 18 that the Russian troops shot six captured Ukrainian soldiers at the Museum position (formerly the Zenit military unit) in Avdiivka, who remained there after the Ukrainian army retreated from the town. Four of them were wounded and could not get out of the encirclement along with the rest of the Ukrainian military.

Read also: Ukrainian officer on withdrawal from Avdiivka  interview

Investigative outlet Slidstvo.info reported that the mother, wife, and sister of three Ukrainian soldiers out of six who were captured at the Zenit position identified their bodies in the video. Journalist Yuriy Butusov published a list of the names of the soldiers who remained at Zenit.

The Ground Forces reported on Feb. 18 that in the area of responsibility of the Khortytsia troop grouping, the Russian military shot two Ukrainian prisoners of war. Later, the Office of the Prosecutor General reported that an investigation had been launched. The second case occurred during a Russian assault in Vesele, Donetsk Oblast.

Executions of prisoners of war are a gross violation of international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions, Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets reiterated on Feb. 19.

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Moscow  Russia's spy chief on Tuesday said a pilot who defected to Ukraine with a military helicopter and was reportedly shot dead in Spain last week was a "moral corpse." Maxim Kuzminov flew his Mi-8 helicopter into Ukraine in August in a brazen operation, saying he opposed Russia's military offensive.



Reports in Spanish media said Kuzminov was found shot dead in the southern town of Villajoyosa last week, where he had moved after receiving Ukrainian citizenship for switching sides.



A spokesperson for Ukraine's main intelligence directorate later confirmed that Kuzminov had died but didn't provide further details.



"This traitor and criminal became a moral corpse at the very moment when he planned his dirty and terrible crime," Russian state news agencies quoted Sergei Naryshkin, the head of Russia's SVR foreign intelligence service, as saying on Tuesday. He did not confirm or deny any Russian involvement in the former pilot's death.

Russian military helicopter pilot Maxim Kuzminov, who defected to Ukraine, appears in a video released by Ukraine's Defense Intelligence agency in September 2023. / Credit: GRU/Anton Gerashchenko/X

In October, Russian state TV reported that Russia's GRU intelligence agency had "been given the order" to eliminate Kuzminov.



"It's just a matter of time," a journalist for Russia's Perviy Kanal said in a TV report after talking to Russian special forces, who claimed to be on the hunt for the "traitor."



The Kremlin said on Tuesday it did not have any information on Kuzminov's death.

It comes as the U.S. and other nations consider their response to the death of leading Russian political opposition figure Alexey Navalny, whom the country's prison authorities claim suffered "sudden death syndrome" at a remote Arctic penal colony on Friday.

President Biden quickly blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin for Navalny's death in custody, and on Monday he said the U.S. was "considering additional sanctions" against Russia over the dissident's suspicious demise.

Kuzminov served in the 319th separate helicopter regiment based in Russia's Far Eastern Primorye region. Two fellow servicemen on the helicopter were not aware of his plans and were killed when they tried to flee after it landed in Ukraine.

Kuzminov featured in a propaganda video released in September by Ukraine's defense intelligence agency, titled "Downed pilots of Russia."

"No one wants this war," the pilot, said by Ukrainian government advisor Anton Gerashchenko to have been 28, says in the video, which also includes clips of his helicopter touching down. "You will see when Ukraine wins, it is only a matter of time."



Authorities in Spain said they were investigating the death of a person found with multiple gunshot wounds last week but could not confirm the person's identity.



"Last Tuesday, a person was found dead with several gunshot wounds in Villajoyosa," a spokeswoman from Spain's interior ministry told AFP. "In the course of the investigation, it was found that the identity that this person was using could be false. The Guardia Civil is trying to confirm his identity."

Cillian Murphy: The 60 Minutes Interview

The authentic Ashley McBryde

Trump fake elector in Wisconsin describes how he says he was tricked | 60 Minutes
Ukraine marked the 10th anniversary of the Heavenly Hundred Heroes Day on Tuesday with a gut-wrenching reminder of what is at stake in the countrys war against Russia.

As President Volodymyr Zelensky called on the nation to remember the last protesters killed in Kyiv on February 20, 2014, in the revolution that saw the country break free from Moscows gripa reminder, he said, that Ukrainians know how to fight for their own freedomfootage circulated of Russian troops executing three Ukrainian prisoners of war in the Zaporizhzhia region over the weekend.

The open-source intelligence group DeepState UA first released the footage, apparently filmed with a drone, of three Russian soldiers gunning down the Ukrainians who had already surrendered. The brief clip shows one Ukrainian already down, while two others, apparently wounded, stagger awayas the Russian troops behind them quietly get into position and then shoot them from behind.

Warning: Graphic footage

The Prosecutor Generals Office of Ukraine has said its investigating the killings as further proof of Moscows war crimes. Just a day earlier, Ukraines 110th Brigade announced that several of its wounded troops had been executed by Russian forces after retreating from Avdiivka. Relatives were forced to identify their dead loved ones with footage of the carnage shared online by Russian troops.

The Ukrainian side has said it was impossible to evacuate the wounded, so a decision was made to leave the men behind and secure their freedom as part of a prisoner swap with Russia later. But they were immediately killed instead.

Viktor Belyak, a Ukrainian soldier who survived the chaotic withdrawal from the area, said the wounded troops had sent frantic messages after theyd been left behind. And it was so hard to read their messages in the Signal chat. Their despair and doom. That will always stay with us. The bravest are dying, he wrote on social media.

Vladimir Putin appeared to crack a joke about the Ukrainian POWs during a meeting with his defense minister Tuesday, according to footage shared by Russian media. After Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu briefed him about Russias takeover of Avdiivka, claiming with a straight face that the Russian military would take all measures to offer medical aid to any wounded Ukrainians who are willing to surrender, Putin stared down and fidgeted with his hands before saying, Let them surrender.

If there is anyone left, he said with a small grin, they dont need to cry over their radios or beg for evacuation, like it was reported to me.

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Ukrainian forces began to defend their positions near the city of Avdiivka, battles continue there. Russian troops attack in the direction of the village of Lastochkyne, west of Avdiivka, and have enough forces to launch an offensive in that area.

Source: Maksym Zhorin, Deputy Commander of the 3rd Assault Brigade, on Telegram

Quote: "On the Avdiivka front, the enemy has sufficient assets and forces to proceed. They will do it.

The 3rd Assault Brigade, along with other units, has taken over certain lines of defence around Avdiivka. The fighting is intense, but not as violent as it was in the city. Lastochkyne is currently the main direction [of attacks] for the Russians."

Details: Zhorin also stated that the Russians have "enough forces for a further offensive" within the city.

Background:

On 17 February, Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, announced the withdrawal of Ukrainian units from Avdiivka.

On 19 February, Oleksandr Tarnavskyi, Commander of the Tavria Operational and Strategic Group of Forces (OSGF), reported that Ukrainian troops have consolidated their positions on new defensive lines on the Avdiivka front in Donetsk Oblast.

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By Jung Min-ho

The opposition Democratic Party of Korea has drawn criticism for recruiting two former top-ranking spy agents who were involved in political and legal controversies in the past.

Former deputy directors of the National Intelligence Service (NIS) under the previous Moon Jae-in administration  Kim Jun-hwan and Park Sun-won  joined the party recently as they apparently sought its nomination for the April 10 general elections.

Kim is among those allegedly involved in forcibly repatriating two North Korean fishers in November 2019, which drew a massive outcry here and abroad after the incident went public in 2022.

The prosecution found that Kim implemented the order by former NIS Director Suh Hoon to revise its internal report to back up the decision to deport them. Kim, however, was not indicted after investigators decided to press charges against only four officials whom it alleged played key roles.

After the partys decision, some human rights activists expressed concerns over his potential political rise.

It is astonishing that a former intelligence officer who had actively facilitated the murderous deportation of the two North Korean escapees has been recruited as a new talent, Shin Hee-seok, a legal analyst at Transitional Justice Working Group, a Seoul-based NGO, told The Korea Times on Monday.

The DPK should immediately cancel this scandalous recruitment and join the international call for Pyongyang to clarify the fate and whereabouts of [fishers surnamed] Woo and Kim.

Park was embroiled in a controversy in 2010 after suggesting that technical issues may have been the cause of the sinking of the ROK Cheonan, a South Korean Navy corvette destroyed by a surprise torpedo attack by a North Korean submarine. Park, who was a think tank scholar then, was investigated for allegedly spreading false information, but the prosecution decided not to indict him.












Two civilians were killed in a Russian air and artillery strike on Nova Sloboda hromada in Sumy Oblast on the morning of 20 February [a hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories  ed.].

Source: Sumy Oblast Military Administration

Quote: "At 05:00, the enemy carried out an air and artillery strike on Nova Sloboda hromada in the Konotop district. The bombardment caused a fire in a residential building.

The fire has been contained. The bodies of two people were found."

Details: The Oblast Military Administration reported that the debris removal and search and rescue operations are ongoing.

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Russians are conducting raids in the temporarily occupied territories to record houses and apartments where people live ahead of the Russian presidential elections.

Source: National Resistance Center (NRC) of Ukraine

Quote: "The main reason for the raids that the occupiers are conducting on the territory before the elections are the conclusions drawn from the local fake voting in September 2023.

At that time, residents of the temporarily occupied territories massively sabotaged the pseudo-elections: they did not open their doors, they ignored visits to polling stations and so on.

The invaders have therefore decided to conduct raids in advance to record the houses and apartments where people live."

Details: The National Resistance Center said that the so-called "members of election commissions of the Russian Federation" are now checking people.

They are collecting information and campaigning for people to take part in the Russian presidential "elections", and conducting illegal audio or video recording of conversations.

The NRC adds that they are recording residents, asking them whether they will "vote" or know when the elections are being held.

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Russians reduced their aviation activity on the Tavria front, Commander of the Tavria Operational-Strategic Group Oleksandr Tarnavskyi reported on Telegram on Feb. 20.

Recently, Russia has conducted only two air strikes, 42 combat engagements, and 1040 artillery shellings.

Read also: 17,000 Russian soldiers killed, 30,000 injured in Avdiivka capture  Tavria Defense Forces

He also noted that the invaders continued to use toxic substances during the attacks. In particular, the enemy dropped four grenades with tear gas and suffocating chemical agents in the Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk oblasts.

In the Avdiivka sector, the Russians are trying to conduct offensive actions in small assault groups, but the Ukrainian military is fighting back. Thus, they managed to repel nine attacks near Lastochkine, Severne, Pervomaiske and Nevelske.

In the Maryinka sector, Ukrainian forces repelled 21 attacks near Heorhiivka, Pobeda and Novomykhailivka. In the Novopavlivka sector, the enemy tried to launch an offensive in the area of Staromayorsk.

Read also: UA Forces down Russian Ka-52 Alligator helicopter in Tavria sector

There were no significant changes in the Zaporizhzhia front. Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 11 attacks near Malynivka and Robotyne.

"The situation remains under control, and Ukrainian soldiers are steadfastly holding the line and actively destroying the enemy," Tarnavsky wrote.

He also noted that over the past day, the Russians lost 644 people, 272 UAVs of various types, 47 pieces of military equipment. These include 2 tanks, 29 armored personnel carriers, 8 artillery systems, and 8 vehicles.

In addition, the Ukrainian military destroyed 2 ammunition depots, 1 fuel and lubricant depot and 1 other important enemy object, the statement said.

Earlier, British intelligence reported that in the coming weeks Russia will try to expand its control beyond Avdiivka.

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Russia apparently got control of the skies before seizing victory in a front-line fight, and it could be 'devastating' for Ukraine if it continues, war experts say

Russia was apparently able to establish air superiority over Avdiivka as its forces pushed to take the city, war experts say.

It's likely the first time Russia has been able to control the skies since the start of the war.

Experts say Ukraine's air defense limitations could allow Russia to continue doing so to "devastating" effect.

As Russia's ground forces pushed to capture Avdiivka, its air force appeared to establish air superiority over the war-torn town, clearing the way for critical close-air-support missions, conflict analysts assessed.

Although only temporary and localized, it appears to be the first time Russia has taken control of the skies in a front-line area since their full-scale invasion began almost two years ago. And if it continues or expands, a real possibility as Ukrainian air defenses are under significant stress, it could be "devastating," war experts said.

On Saturday, Russia claimed victory in Avdiivka, a Ukrainian town northeast of occupied Donetsk. Despite it being hailed as Russian President Vladimir Putin's biggest victory since the fall of Bakhmut in May 2023  and a timely one given the upcoming Russian presidential elections next month  it came at a high cost. Moscow has suffered severe losses of both troops and equipment since focusing its forces on Avdiivka last fall.

Confirming its retreat from the area, Ukraine said it was saving troops from being fully surrounded by Russian troops. Over the past few months, geolocated footage of the area had shown Russia slowly and painstakingly advancing to encircle Ukrainian defenders fighting to hold the town.

Upon Russia's capture of the town, reports said its air forces had been operating in the skies above Avdiivka, supporting ground troops in the last days of the offensive operations and eventually allowing them to overwhelm Ukrainian defenses.

According to The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington DC-based think tank, this was likely the first time Russian forces had been able to do so in Ukraine. Air defenses, particularly ground-based surface-to-air missile systems, have prevented either side from achieving this key element of offensive operations, even locally.

Over the final days of fighting, the Ukrainians reported an increase in the number of Russian glide bombs dropped by fixed-wing aircraft, George Barros, the geospatial-intelligence team lead and a Russia analyst at the Institute for the Study of War, told Business Insider. This activity appears to indicate the employment of a combined arms tactic involving having air forces support maneuver elements on the ground.

"It was this combined arms approach which degraded the Ukrainians' ability to defend Avdiivka," Barros said.

Footage out of Avdiivka shows the industrial town, once with a population of over 30,000 people, practically reduced to rubble. The few hundred civilians still there said they huddled in basements and move to quickly collect water and food during any lulls in fierce fighting.

Soldiers on the Armored Infantry Vehicle 2 (BMP-2). The road to the city, the outskirts of Avdiivka on February 14, 2024 in Avdiivka district, Ukraine. Vlada Liberova/Libkos/Getty Images

Unlike the the ground forces, which have suffered substantial losses, Russia's air force remains relatively intact despite losses of its own, but it hasn't been able to use them to their full potential.

Ukraine's air defenses have largely denied Russia air superiority, preventing its jets and aircraft from conducting significant air campaigns since the beginning of the war.

It is unclear if Ukraine can continue to do that, especially considering delays in further Western security aid. Ukraine has said its air defenses and missile stockpiles are running critically low, forcing them to ration and make tough choices on which front-line areas should be prioritized and protected.

Russian missile and drone strikes on major civilian population centers, too, such as Kyiv, are likely forcing Ukraine to prioritize defending those areas over others.

What's most concerning, Barros said, is whether Ukraine can continue denying Russia unfettered air superiority throughout the theater. If they are unable to do so, then there is little stopping Russia from conducting devastating bombing campaigns, decimating Ukrainian cities and forces on the ground.

Even "recurring temporary localized and limited Russian air superiority," ISW explained in a recent update, "would likely allow Russian forces to more aggressively pursue operational advances along the frontline."

It added that "widespread interrupted air superiority," the kind Russia could achieve if Ukraine cannot better employ its air defenses to prevent it, "would allow Russian forces to conduct routine large-scale aviation operations and bomb Ukrainian cities beyond the frontline to devastating effect."

Damaged equipment near Avdiivka, Ukraine, in February 2024. Kostiantyn Liberov/Libkos/Getty Images

Avdiivka was briefly captured in 2014 by Russian-backed separatists before being retaken by Ukraine. Since then, it's endured harsh conflict.

Over the last few months, Russia has largely prioritized capturing the city because it wants a logistics and operational maneuver hub in the Donbas area, specifically in the Donetsk region, White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters on Tuesday.

"They believe that it will give them a stepping-off point, if you will, to conduct further operations in the Donetsk and even in the Luhansk areas. Now, whether they're capable of actually doing that, we'll see," Kirby said.

"I mean, they have struggled with logistics and sustainment, command and control, since the very beginning of this conflict. It's not likely that they've sort of reached some breakthrough capability here in terms of sustaining their troops on the battlefield, but that's ostensibly what they were trying to achieve by getting Avdiivka."

A general view of smoke rising from the Avdiivka Coke and Chemical Plant behind the village of Lastochkino, which is under fire from MLRS "Grad" on February 15, 2024 in Avdiivka district, Ukraine. Kostiantyn Liberov/Libkos/Getty Images

It remains to be seen what the exact fallout of losing Avdiivka is. Experts and analysts have suggested the town is not as operationally significant as it is informationally, fueling Russian propaganda against Ukraine and giving Putin fodder for his upcoming presidential election.

"It will not change, in the aggregate, the kinds of defensive works and the defensive operations that the Ukrainians are going to be capable of conducting," Kirby told reporters, but that doesn't mean Ukraine isn't facing a number of problems right now.

Kirby said that Ukraine was forced to withdraw from Avdiivka because it faced dwindling supplies, including artillery ammunition. Kyiv's decision was the result of "congressional inaction," he said, referring to the aid being held up by US politics.

Russia does not appear to have capitalized on its capture of Avdiivka yet, and it's unclear if it can or will.

ISW said Monday that "the tempo of Russian offensive operations" in the area had "reportedly dramatically slowed," suggesting the capture of the town could be the culmination of Russian operations, just as it was with Bakhmut. This would align with reports on extreme Russian casualties and equipment and vehicles losses in the area and questions about Russia's ability to sustain operations under those conditions.

Read the original article on Business Insider
No Nukes

The anti-satellite space weapon Russia is said to be developing could potentially destroy low-Earth orbit for everyone.

"If somebody dares to explode a nuclear weapon in high atmosphere or even space, this would be more or less the end of the usability of that global commons," Michael Traut, the major general in charge of Germany's military space command, said last week per Politico Europe. "Nobody would survive an action like that  no satellite, either Chinese or Russian and American or European."

The destruction of everyone's satellites does seem to be the intended effect of the alleged weaponry, which per three anonymous sources who spoke to CNN last week would use some sort of massive energy blast to basically blast satellites into orbital dead weight.

As Traut rightfully points out, there are currently "more questions than answers" about the reported Russian space nuke, but what has been reported so far is certainly very troubling.

"If somebody calculates rationally, nobody would employ such a weapon in space," the German space command head said. "The consequences of an attack would be to turn thousands of blinking satellites now buzzing through orbit into junk while creating dense debris fields."

Leaky Ship

News of the purported space weapon dropped after Rep. Mike Turner, the Ohio Republican congressman in charge of the House Intelligence Committee, publicly warned last Wednesday of a "serious national security threat" that the American people deserved to know about.

By the end of the week, President Joe Biden confirmed that the Ohio congressman was referring to the Russians' development of an anti-satellite space weapon, and over the weekend, unnamed officials leaked more information about it.

Despite the terrifying and science fiction-esque concept of a nuclear space weapon, the White House is urging calm as reports continue to emerge about the technology.

"Though Russia's pursuit of this particular capability is troubling, there is no immediate threat to anyone's safety," White House adviser John Kirby told reporters last week. "We are not talking about a weapon that can be used to attack human beings or cause physical destruction here on Earth."

That last bit may be twisting the truth a bit, however.

As Ludwig Moller, the director of the European Space Policy Institute, told Politico, if Russia knocked out commercial satellites with its mysterious weapons, it could result in trillions of dollars of damage and impact everything from the energy sector to the banking industry.

We still don't know very much about the Russians' in-development space weapon, but what we do know is more than enough to give anyone pause  including, apparently, global leaders.

More on satellite destruction: SpaceX Announces Plans to Set 100 Starlink Satellites on Fire
A memorial along New Mexico Highway 264 honors Janella Bryant, a motorcyclist who was killed by a drunken driver in September 2020.

Elaborate descansos line highways and streets across New Mexico, honoring lives lost. Here, where the pedestrian death rate has led the nation for six years in a row, families go far beyond a simple white cross. They add photos, tend colorful flowers, hang holiday decorations  and state lawmakers have made it a criminal offense to deface them.

In New Mexicos remote northwest corner, these memorials stand watch over the multi-lane freeways that twist their way from the Navajo Nation and other tribal lands into the small city of Gallup. Its exactly the type of disadvantaged place the Biden administration promised would benefit from a massive influx of federal money for safer streets. McKinley County is poor and home to Native communities often left out of such programs.

But two years into the Bipartisan Infrastructure Laws rollout, many places like Gallup have received little help even as millions go unused, a USA TODAY investigation found. In the $5 billion Safe Streets and Roads for All program, most of the money doled out so far has gone to more affluent counties with lower fatality rates.

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Thats because the grants are structured to reward communities that already have the resources to pursue the funding: Detroit, for example, with an 18-member grant writing staff thats raked in nearly $50 million to improve its streets. Or Montclair Township, N.J., a wealthy New York City suburb where citizens have demanded solutions from elected leaders. It got about $440,000.

Gallup, with no dedicated grant writer, where public meetings on transportation last year drew little interest, never even asked for the money.

Crash records show they could certainly use it.

Several pedestrians have been killed while dashing across this section of Interstate 40, which separates downtown Gallup, N.M., from stores and restaurants.

Screaming train whistles punctuate life in Gallup, as milelong trains barrel along one of Americas busiest freight routes. The switchyard runs parallel to New Mexicos primary east-west interstate, creating a half-mile-wide chasm for pedestrians between Gallups historic downtown and the newer stores and restaurants on the other side.

Rather than take a long walk around, some locals clamber over the tracks and dash across four lanes of 65-mph traffic. Stronger fences or a pedestrian bridge could have kept Jeremiah Begay, 23, from doing that in 2016. He was killed when two tractor-trailers struck him on the highway around sunset.

Years of underfunding mean many city sidewalks are narrow and poorly maintained, if present at all. None existed along the unlit road just outside town where silversmith Roy Johnson died in 2022. Family members say he was walking near his home on a dark night when a Gallup police officer ran him over, but police reports say he was lying in the roadway when he was hit. The familys wrongful death lawsuit is still pending.

A woman crosses historic Route 66 in downtown Gallup, N.M.

Center lines and crosswalks have weathered away on many city streets. A simple coat of fresh paint or flashing lights might have prevented Navajo elder Benson Daniels death in 2021, when a van struck him in a faded crosswalk at a busy downtown intersection. His 26-year-old niece Brandy Grenier wishes someone in Gallup had sought help from the federal government so that no one else is hurt.

Now that Im aware of this funding thats available, I would definitely want McKinley County and the surrounding areas to take advantage of it, she said.

But, they havent, and neither have hundreds of other counties with high fatality rates.

Triumphant press releases have heralded multimillion-dollar grants scattered across the country, most to large cities with their share of dangerous streets. A USA TODAY investigation has found persistent barriers block the neediest communities from winning grants that could save lives:

The U.S. Department of Transportation is supposed to ensure underserved communities have access to these grants, but the law that created the Safe Streets program never specified how. So, the agency has largely relied on outside organizations, newsletters and webinars.

The decisionmakers know the trouble spots since theyve tracked traffic deaths nationwide for half a century. Despite this, agency staff initially told USA TODAY they had not reached out directly to hot spots to drum up interest for the federal funds. Five months after USA TODAY started asking for records of their outreach efforts, they said they have done that kind of targeted communication in the past few weeks.

Department staff use three data points, including fatality rate, to grade applications but its unclear how much death played a role in decisions. A USA TODAY analysis shows nearly all of the money has landed in counties the department itself says have low fatality rates.

The Safe Streets program is just one of at least 20 new competitive grants that will divvy up billions of dollars in infrastructure funding over the next few years. Researchers have already pointed out the same few states routinely win this type of grant, and the Government Accountability Office testified before Congress last summer that rural, Tribal and other typically underserved communities often cant compete.

As the third round of applications opens this week, the transportation department is expanding its outreach to places that need help with traffic safety, said Christopher Coes, assistant secretary for transportation policy, when presented with USA TODAYs findings.

We have designed direct outreach, Coes said. Each year, were doing this data-driven and comprehensive review of where our impact is going really well and where are things that we need to do better.

Safe Streets Program Manager Paul Teicher said they have developed a list to target. He named Mobile, Ala., as one city theyve encouraged to apply, along with Hartsville, S.C.

Competitive grants do have their place in rebuilding American infrastructure. Kristin Smith, who researches public finance with Montana-based nonprofit Headwaters Economics, said they can inspire innovative projects across the country.

But when it comes to funding that is meant to save peoples lives, thats designed to meet peoples basic needs, a competitive grant, in my opinion, isnt the right tool, Smith said. Its regressive. You have to have resources to access it.

Why hasnt more Safe Streets money been awarded?

Traffic deaths spiked in 2020, even with so many Americans staying home during COVID-19 lockdowns, following an upward trend that began over a decade ago. And that total leapt again in 2021, the latest available from government data, with crashes killing nearly 43,000 Americans that year and injuring roughly 2.6 million.

Our investigation: Here's how USA TODAY analyzed federal Safe Streets for All grants accross the U.S.

Solutions: Where traffic deaths are high, how can communities get the government's attention?

We face a national crisis of fatalities and serious injuries on our roadways, and these tragedies are preventable, said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in a press release launching the Safe Streets program, noting the grants will help communities large and small take action to protect all Americans on our roads.

After that announcement, federal officials waited for the applications to roll in for one of the largest competitive grants in the infrastructure law. No one from the transportation department reached out directly to disadvantaged and rural places to tell them about the money.

A person walks along a highway in Lumberton, N.C. in fall 2018. The county's majority Native American and Black population struggles with one of the states worst traffic fatality rates. It hasn't won any money through the Safe Streets and Roads for All grant program.

Gallup, for example. Or rural Robeson County, N.C., where a mostly Native American and Black population struggles with one of the states worst fatality rates. Or Clayton County, Ga., just outside Atlanta, where the state has identified crash hotspots where crosswalks are hard to find, spaced a half-mile apart.

Some places figured it out. The Safe Streets program has delivered funding to every state, with over 1,100 awards ranging from just a few thousand dollars for a remote Alaskan village to $51 million for New York City. For hundreds, its their first-ever federal grant, Coes said.

The bulk of the funding  about $1.2 billion  has been concentrated in 85 implementation grants  large, highly competitive awards to fix problems communities have already identified. New York City plans to use its grants to add bike lanes, elevate crosswalks and build other pedestrian safety measures along dangerous streets in Manhattan and Queens.

Only about one in five places that applied for these grants won, according to USA TODAYs analysis. To be eligible, communities must have a safety plan that meets all the transportation departments standards and write up to 12 pages making a compelling case for how the award would fix their safety problems.

It took five people of our seven-member team here in this department to complete that grant, said Tomika Monterville, former transportation director for San Antonio, Texas, which won $4.4 million to build mid-block pedestrian crossings along a dangerous, multi-lane street.

Youve got to have a good writer; youve got to have a keen understanding of all the programs that connect to tell the story of your community, Monterville told attendees at a Safe Streets webinar hosted by a tech company last spring.

The rest of the Safe Streets money has been split into more than 1,000 smaller grants to help communities study crash hotspots and plan and test ways to address them. The department made applying for these smaller planning grants as simple as possible to attract underserved communities who have never gotten federal funding, said Cheryl Walker, associate administrator for safety at the Federal Highway Administration, at the same webinar.

And grant recipients told USA TODAY it wasnt the typical federal grant, with their pages of forms to complete.

The maximum narrative was 300 words, so it was like a paragraph. Or half a page, essentially, said Stephanie Rossi, planning director for the Lowcountry Council of Governments, a partnership that earned nearly $300,000 to draft a safety plan for four of South Carolinas southernmost counties, including the popular vacation destination Hilton Head Island.

South Carolina had the fourth highest pedestrian fatality rate in the country for 2021, so Rossi said she was disappointed to see just a handful of other places in her state apply in the first round.

Traffic moves along a section of Interstate 26 southwest of Columbia, S.C. The state had the highest rate of traffic deaths per vehicle mile traveled in 2021, but many counties there did not apply for federal Safe Streets for All money to make roads safer.

I'm not trying to ding my neighbor, she said. Maybe folks didn't realize the application process wasn't really that awful.

Applying for federal grants is typically more complex and time-consuming than state or local grants, and the news of how easy it is to get planning grants didnt make it to many of the communities that might need them most.

Now, two years into the program, the Department of Transportation has at least $230 million for planning grants sitting unused, simply because too few places applied.

Every complete, eligible application that came in received an award, Walker said. We want every entity out there, all the locals, to have these grants and these action plans in place.

The agency knows where fatal crashes happen frequently. Its compiled dozens of details on each crash for nearly 50 years, and last summer, department employees mapped out counties with high death rates. Only about a third of these counties have won any money. USA TODAY requested records showing how the department reached out to these places it labeled as target areas.

They did not engage in reach out to potential individual applicants, wrote Victoria Schmitt in November. She's attorney adviser for the departments Volpe Center, one of several offices that support the Safe Streets program.

Reaching out directly might be overstepping what the federal government can do, said Mariia Zimmerman, who leads technical assistance efforts within the transportation department. If I called your mayor, and I didn't call another mayor, is that being unfair in calling one versus another?

But after USA TODAY began asking last fall how the department has directly reached out to needy places with high death rates, they started to do just that. Teicher, the grant programs manager, said his team has communicated with leaders of two southern cities in the past few weeks. They provided a list of 16 other places that have had recent contact with Teichers team.

A separate agency team traveled to almost two dozen communities in the last year to encourage applications, spokesperson Sean Manning said, including the Navajo Nation, Arlington, Va., and Las Vegas.

It's a start, but USA TODAY found over 1,000 counties with above-average fatality rates that havent won any money.

Zimmerman said department employees are trying to raise awareness as best they can, but they also have limited time and staff. So, potential applicants must often seek out program details for themselves  whether by asking for help directly, watching the agencys webinars or subscribing to emailed alerts.

Tens of thousands of local governments nationwide are eligible for funding, yet agency records show three webinars last spring each drew in about 1,000 people. Attendance trickled to just a few dozen as the webinar series continued. Over 19,000 people have signed up for the programs mailing list.

The federal government also relies heavily on trade organizations like the National League of Cities to help get the word out, according to Coes, the assistant secretary for transportation policy.

Just because someone from Washington shows up and says, Hey, I'm here to help. Not many people actually may trust that. And so, sometimes you have to engage trusted, valued partners, Coes said. Were only halfway through this program, right? Were recognizing that were going to have to marshal all of our resources. And so, for us, hopefully our data can help us fill the gaps and understand where we need to target our limited resources.

Coes pointed out the Safe Streets program is not the only money available for traffic safety projects, listing hundreds of billions of dollars in other grants. However, Safe Streets was specifically simplified and set up so even the smallest of towns could apply directly for federal money.

Patty Holland, Gallups chief financial officer, said her city has several projects that would likely be eligible for Safe Streets funding, but the grant just wasnt on their radar. Without a dedicated grant writer who can sift through thousands of options, she said they miss a lot of opportunities.

Its very, very overwhelming what is available, Holland said. "We spend so much of our time pursuing all of those new (federal) requirements that change every year, we just dont have the time to reach out and look for these. And even if they put us on the email list, were really not going to recognize a lot of it, because theres just too much in our email."

Who is winning federal Safe Streets money?

When communities apply for Safe Streets funding, the transportation department asks for three data points: total roadway deaths, average fatality rate over the past five years and percent of the population considered underserved.

Ideally, grants should end up in counties that score highly in all three. However, USA TODAYs analysis found little correlation between a countys total funding and those statistics. What most recipients of Safe Streets money do share is a larger population and a strong capacity to apply for grants.

They often have experienced government employees, colleges or universities and an engaged community with high voter turnout, stable incomes and health insurance, said Kristin Smith of Headwaters Economics. Her team developed a tool it calls a capacity index to help understand why some communities struggle to access federal funding.

The transportation department has announced about $1.7 billion overall in Safe Streets grants as of December, and 82% of that has gone to counties the index defines as high capacity, according to USA TODAYs analysis. Meanwhile, low-capacity counties have received less than 2% of the money.

For the rural communities where I work (in Montana), they can barely keep up with day-to-day operations, Smith said, describing a county without a single engineer, planner or grant writer on staff. If you add in a federal grant with just one more task, its actually a big ask.

Many of the places least able to compete for grants are those most in need of this funding. The rural fatality rate is about two times higher than the urban rate, according to the 2022 National Roadway Safety Strategy, disproportionately impacting people who are Black and Native American.

Transportation department officials point to data showing theyve sent about half the grants to rural areas, which the agency defines as any urban area with fewer than 200,000 residents. That means even mid-sized cities like Amarillo, Texas, and Gainesville, Florida, would be lumped in with the tiny Montana county Smith described.

However, that same data shows just one in five dollars has gone to rural places.

Many of these rural grants have gone to affluent small towns, including dozens that reported few or no traffic deaths. They include places that serve as vacation gateways, such as Boulder, Colo. (which won $23 million); Missoula, Mont. ($9.3 million); Burlington, Vt. ($1.2 million); Nantucket, Mass. ($460,000) and Key West, Fla. ($400,000).

Just one low-capacity rural county has managed to win an implementation grant: Modoc County, in the far northeast corner of California. The transportation department awarded nearly $13 million there to add bicycle lanes, crosswalks and speed controls around tribal areas.

A motorcyclist died and his passenger sustained critical injuries following a crash Aug. 8, 2023, involving a sport utility vehicle on Southeast Port St. Lucie Boulevard, according to Port St. Lucie police. The city hasn't received Safe Streets grant funding.

That leaves hundreds of low- and medium-capacity counties without a cent of Safe Streets funding  even in places whose data would put them at the top of DOTs scorecard  places like Gallup.

If this was a white community, there would be so much protection of the people. But we are disposable, said Anna Rondon, who frequently drives her pickup truck the 30 miles between Gallup and her home on Navajo land.

Her fiance died and she escaped with crushed vertebrae when they crashed years ago on a narrow Navajo road. She said people around Gallup just dont have the mental space to push for change.

Our people are living in shacks  if you ask any of the folks here, theyre just wanting to live. To survive, Rondon said, noting how many families in her county go hungry. Food insecurity here is the worst in New Mexico, state data show, with more than one in five people lacking consistent access to food.

When you have a society like that, its hard to get people motivated.

Why are so many dying in crashes near Gallup?

Benson Daniels, 73, smiles from the barber's chair in December 2021. Days later, he was killed while crossing a street in downtown Gallup, N.M.

The average American county sees slightly more than one pedestrian killed per 100,000 residents each year, according to USA TODAYs analysis of five years of federal data. For McKinley County, New Mexico, where Benson Daniels was hit in a crosswalk in downtown Gallup, its nearly 11 per 100,000.

Daniels knew all the shortcuts through Gallups streets and alleys. He never owned a car in his 73 years, so he walked everywhere, even delivering copies of a local newspaper on foot after retiring from his job cooking at a cafe off historic Route 66.

But cataracts had started to blur his vision, so hed been asking for more rides from his sisters granddaughter. One of the last things Brandy Grenier remembers doing with the man she called Grandpa Benson was taking him for a haircut in late 2021.

And he was going on and on about how good he looks now, and that he was going to look good for the ladies at church. And that maybe now they'll sit next to him, Grenier said, chuckling softly.

A few days later, Grenier couldnt help when Daniels asked her to run some errands on a cold December morning. Shed just tested positive for COVID-19.

If you could wait a couple of days, let me see if I can get someone to take you, Grenier remembers telling him. But, of course, he did not wait.

Later that afternoon, as Daniels slowly made his way across Aztec Avenue, an elderly driver didnt see Daniels over the hood of his Chevy van until it was too late. Daniels was knocked to the faded crosswalk, smashing his head on the pavement. The Navajo elder suffered a traumatic brain injury and died in a hospital 10 days later.

Daniels is just one of at least 40 pedestrians and more than 150 people overall killed in crashes across McKinley County in the last five years, according to DOT data. That list includes motorcyclist Janella Bryant, killed in 2020 as a drunken driver tore out of a liquor store parking lot, and Navy veteran Yvonne Jacobs, left to die on a dark bridge in 2019 when an intoxicated man drove away after hitting her. Multiple people were injured when a drunken man careened through a parade full of children performing traditional dances in 2022.

Navy veteran Yvonne Jacobs, 50, was left to die on a dark bridge when an intoxicated man drove away after hitting her in Gallup, N.M., in 2019.

McKinley County checks the boxes for Safe Streets criteria of death count, death rate and an underserved population, yet its only funding so far covers tribal land an hour's drive from Gallup and its crash hotspots. It's getting a fraction of the $1.4-million planning grant the Navajo Nation is spreading across parts of several counties in Arizona and New Mexico.

Several things explain McKinleys high fatality rate: Some 21,000 people live in its county seat of Gallup, but its the only place with a 24-hour hospital or Walmart in a county larger than Connecticut. The population balloons on weekends when people from outlying areas rumble into town in heavy-duty trucks to stock up on supplies or eat at a chain restaurant. Hitchhiking is still common, with people leaning across the shoulder of highways at all hours to wave a dollar or two, hoping someone might give them a lift. And dozens of trains roar through town each day, mere feet from pedestrians walking along Route 66.

State records show alcohol played a role in over half the countys fatal crashes over the past decade. A local paper prominently features a DWI Report, noting that dozens of offenders have earned a second, third or even eighth charge for driving while intoxicated. But its not just the drivers.

Most of our pedestrian-related incidents are involving inebriated, intoxicated individuals that are crossing the street in an unsafe manner, said McKinley County Sheriff James Maiorano III, describing what he called a generalized civil disobedience.

And it seems like its been a problem here forever, he added.

Police reports say Yvonne Jacobs was intoxicated, walking home from a Gallup bar when a drunken mans pickup truck slammed into her so hard it knocked her shoes off. Jacobs, a Gulf War veteran and single mother to a teenage son, died at the hospital less than an hour later.

The driver took a plea deal and never served time for Jacobs death, a common refrain among victims families seeking justice. Jacobs little sister, Cora Owens, took in her orphaned nephew and moved away, sickened every time she ran into the driver around their small town.

The family of Yvonne Jacobs placed this memorial along East Aztec Ave in Gallup, N.M., shortly after a drunken driver killed her while she was walking home in April 2019.

Ive never felt the word hate in my life until I lost my sister, and I seen that person sit across from me in a courtroom. I have never felt so much darkness in my heart, Owens said. I dont know if my sister was drinking. Whether she was, whether she wasnt, she didn't deserve to get hit either way.

Recent road safety audits from the state have proposed ways to prevent Gallups deaths, from installing iron fencing along the interstate for $450,000 to constructing a pedestrian walkway under the railroad for $10 million.

A Safe Streets and Roads for All grant could fund these fixes or find other options. Pinellas County, Florida  home to vacation destinations like Clearwater and St. Pete Beach  won $2.5 million to cut deaths among drunken pedestrians and cyclists through education and enforcement campaigns, as well as more lights and physical barriers. Gallup, struggling with the same problem, didnt even apply.

What blocks small places like Gallup from winning grants?

Competing for grants takes resources small towns often just dont have, said Evan Williams. He leads the six-member staff of the Northwest New Mexico Council of Governments, which helps McKinley County and two neighboring counties coordinate on transportation, economic development and environmental issues.

Williams staff points out grant opportunities to the tiny tribal communities around Gallup and helps review applications, but most of these places cant keep grant writers on staff. Its often the village clerk or manager who might squeeze a grant application between typing up local meeting notices or driving the school bus, Williams said, leaving them little time to decipher complex federal guidelines.

And then theres all the accounting paperwork to be done after winning a grant. Thats why Williams said they gravitate toward state dollars, which often require a smaller local investment and less-stringent reporting requirements.

If you barely have time to write the grant, youre never going to have time to manage the grant, Williams said. They could use all the grants in the world, but they don't really have the capacity to manage them.

The small city of Farmington, New Mexico, one county north of Gallup, is the only place in the state outside the capital of Albuquerque thats applied for an implementation grant. It also struggles with above-average rates of alcohol-involved crashes and poverty, so traffic engineer Mark Hathcock tackled his first grant ever  by himself.

Hathcock requested $2.4 million to upgrade Farmingtons busy downtown intersections, but he said it was rejected because he didnt supply enough data to justify the project.

I felt like I'd covered everything they had asked for, but it wasn't quite there. It was a huge learning curve, he added.

Most federal grants set aside a small amount to help less-experienced applicants like Hathcock navigate the process, and the transportation department uses that to fund initiatives aimed at rural and tribal applicants. But, to get more funding into the hands of places like Farmington and Gallup, experts say agencies should push beyond hourlong webinars and invest in teaching fundamental grant writing skills that could level the playing field for underserved communities.

Without advocates, who demands change from leaders?

Hundreds of miles south of Gallup, past dozens of roadside descansos and a U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint, lies New Mexicos second largest city, Las Cruces. There, in November, flickering candles cast shadows across photos of local pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists killed in what piano teacher Barbara Toth is calling the countys Deadliest Decade.

Toth founded her advocacy group, Vulnerable Road Users New Mexico, after a teen driver in a pickup truck sent her husband Jim flying off his bicycle just blocks from their home in 2020. He survived, but the crash left him with debilitating spinal injuries.

Its World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, and Toth circulates through 70 people gathered for a memorial vigil, leaning over to share her flame.

Community members listen to family members of those who died via road traffic accident during a vigil for road traffic victims on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023, at Centennial High School.

As we light the candles, were reminded that the victims were here to honor tonight were brothers. Fathers. Sons. Daughters, she intones. May who they are, and who they could have been, empower each and every one of us to make a difference.

Las Cruces has done well for itself in the race for Safe Streets funding. The surrounding county, Dona Ana County, earned $400,000 to study its roads and create safety plans in the programs first year, and the city won an additional $400,000 planning award in December 2023.

The death rate in Dona Ana County is four times lower  about 10 deaths a year per 100,000 residents, compared to 42 in McKinley County  but Dona Ana has gotten far more funding.

Headwaters Economics capacity index shows Dona Ana has significantly higher capacity than McKinley, which leaves room for more community engagement. Las Cruces has passionate advocates like Toth who raise awareness and petition leaders for change on traffic safety. Gallup does not.

A family waits for a vigil for road traffic victims to begin on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023, at Centennial High School.

Earlier this year, planning sessions for Gallups Master Transportation Plan lacked the impassioned speeches of Toths candlelight vigil. Several open houses and workshops sought public input last summer, but drew just eight people in all, according to the citys website.

Theres just like this ho-hum shrug of the shoulders all the time, like, Hey man, thats Gallup. People just get hit, you know, said Scott Nydam, a former professional cyclist who founded Gallups Silver Stallion Bicycles and Coffee. He says it's the only bike shop serving the Navajo Nation, and his staff partners with local schools to get Navajo kids on mountain bikes.

In Las Cruces, Ashleigh Curry organizes walks to demonstrate road safety for elementary school students and their parents as the citys Safe Routes to School coordinator. She and other local advocates pointed out that several cities across New Mexico already have road safety plans, often gathering dust on shelves.

Those plans wont save lives, they say, if they never advance into additional projects to fix dangerous streets.

Students and parents walk to school on Oct. 6, 2021, in Las Cruces, N.M. Together, the city and county have won $800,000 from the U.S. Department of Transportation to plan ways to keep pedestrians, cyclists and drivers safe.

If we truly, as a state and as a city, want to see a difference, we need to have a whole team of people who are working on this, Curry said. But we also need to follow the plans that we have.

Over the next three years, the transportation department will award the remaining $3.3 billion in Safe Streets funding. That means more opportunities for hard-hit communities to turn their plans into action.

Kristin Smith, the Headwaters Economics researcher, said shes encouraged that more federal grants have been earmarking money for rural and tribal communities. She said doing so disrupts patterns built through years of systemic disinvestment, improving peoples lives.

Safe Streets, though, has no such quotas  putting the have-nots at risk of falling further behind.

Not only are those places missing out on really critical funding to improve the safety of their residents, but theyre also missing out on economic development, Smith said. If we keep this cycle going and keep repeating these patterns, we just polarize the country even more.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Deadly roadways across America are missing out on Safe Streets grants
With just 50 days before the April 10 parliamentary elections, political parties have shifted into full-fledged election mode by nominating candidates for key constituencies, as observers anticipate a tightly contested race with variables in play.

The quadrennial election is set to select a new 300-member National Assembly, with this year's poll holding particular significance as it serves as a political litmus test for President Yoon Suk Yeol's administration, now entering its third year of a five-year term.

The results will also serve as a public evaluation of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), which secured a landslide victory in the previous 2020 general elections by sweeping 180 out of the 300 seats.

The ruling People Power Party (PPP) is rallying local residents to vote for its candidates, calling for the ouster of opposition lawmakers with backgrounds as pro-democracy student activists during past authoritarian regimes.

PPP leader Han Dong-hoon is leading the campaign against politicians belonging to what is dubbed the "86 generation" that refers to activists who went to college in the 1980s after being born in the 1960s, saying they have turned into a political cartel enjoying undue privileges for decades.

The DPK, which currently holds a controlling majority with 168 seats out of a total of 298, is spearheading a campaign to pass a stern judgment on Yoon's handling of state affairs in an effort to retain its parliamentary dominance.

The DPK has escalated its critique against the PPP and the Yoon government for mismanaging the economy and livelihood issues, while shedding light on scandals involving first lady Kim Keon Hee, including allegations she received a luxury bag as a gift in 2022.

Recent public surveys largely indicate a challenging path for the PPP and Yoon, especially following allegations related to the Christian Dior bag.

According to a survey jointly conducted by Yonhap News Agency and Yonhap News TV earlier this month, Yoon's approval rating slipped to 34 percent from the previous month. The survey also projected that the DPK and PPP would secure 33 percent and 35 percent of the vote, respectively, if the parliamentary elections were held tomorrow. The results, however, were within the margin of error.

Observers unanimously agree that it will be crucial for both parties to nominate suitable candidates in key districts, such as excluding unpopular sitting lawmakers from nominations or fielding high-profile figures for highly competitive constituencies.

Attention is also on how these candidates can garner support from swing voters in competitive constituencies and how party leadership can mitigate potential conflicts between sitting lawmakers and their rivals during the nomination process.

"In the process of candidate nomination, it is inevitable to encounter some noise. However, minimizing that noise will be the most important thing," professor Shin Yul of Myungji University told Yonhap News Agency.

The PPP has completed its candidate interviews and so far nominated 89 people, with only 34 being sitting lawmakers, an indication that the PPP is trying to replace old faces with new ones as part of reform efforts.

That commitment pales, however, in the Yeongnam region in the country's southeast, which is the main stronghold of the ruling party, because sitting lawmakers received 18 out of 21 nominations in the region.

Noteworthy among the nominees is Won Hee-ryong, a former land minister, who is forecast to vie against DPK leader Lee Jae-myung in the Gyeyang district of the western port city of Incheon, a traditional liberal opposition stronghold.

The DPK's candidate nominations are also under way, with Chairman Lee indicating his commitment to nominate more fresh faces over political heavyweights.

"New wine needs new bottles. We need to move towards the future," Lee said in a Facebook post last week.

However, some members have claimed the party primaries are unfair, accusing Lee of favoring those loyal to him, as the party is expected to soon announce a list of incumbent lawmakers to be excluded from nominations.

An internal rift not only heightened tensions among members but also adversely impacted public opinion.

The PPP's support rate surpassed the DPK by 7.1 percentage points, exceeding the margin of error of 6.2 percentage points, according to a survey by the Korea Society Opinion Institute on Sunday.

The pollster attributed the results to a positive assessment of Han, particularly regarding the party's candidate nomination process, contrasting with the DPK, where conflicts arise between those aligned with former President Moon Jae-in and those in the pro-Lee faction.

Another variable in the April elections is the emergence of new parties striving to position themselves as the third-largest party united under the so-called big tent.

On Jan. 20, two splinter parties from the DPK and one splinter party each from the PPP and the minor Justice Party, as well as independent lawmaker Yang Hyang-ja's Hope of Korea party, united under the New Reform Party (NRP).

Led by former leaders of the ruling and opposition parties, Lee Jun-seok and Lee Nak-yon, the NRP aims to secure a minimum of 30 seats. So far, five incumbent lawmakers have joined the party, but more could follow suit after the DPK announces party nominations this week.

The three-way race would be the first one since the general elections in 2016, when Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo's People's Party won 38 out of the 300 seats up for grabs.

Further complicating matters are the new parties envisioned by embattled former DPK leader Song Young-gil and convicted former Justice Minister Cho Kuk. Cho had hinted at the possibility of aligning with the DPK's satellite party in proportional representative seats.

The developments are expected to add another layer of complexity to the upcoming parliamentary elections by diversifying voters' options and potentially reshaping the dynamics between parties.

"The NRP is forecast to take away the DPK's votes, and Cho Kuk's new party could even place the DP in a more difficult position," said Lee Jong-hoon, a political analyst.

Candidate registration will take place over two days starting March 21, with official campaigning commencing on March 28. Overseas voting is scheduled from March 27 to April 1, with early voting set for two days, starting April 5.

The National Assembly will consist of 243 directly contested seats and 57 proportional representation seats allocated to parties based on the total number of votes they receive. (Yonhap)
The Sarasota County School Board discussed an application for a "classical" for-profit charter school at its monthly workshop Tuesday, with several board members and the superintendent expressing concerns about its viability.

The Sarasota Classical Preparatory Academy, a school affiliated with the for-profit Charter Schools USA, would open in the 2025-26 school year if the application is approved at the March 5 School Board meeting. The charter projected an opening enrollment of 885 K-10 students with hopes to expand to 1,235 K-12 students by its fifth year, according to the school's 600-page application.

In its application submitted last December, the charter school describes its education plan in three steps: grammar, logic and rhetoric. Grammar encompasses K-5 grades, logic grades 6-8 and rhetoric 9-12. The charter references "The Great Works" of Plato, Homer and Shakespeare for high school students.

The school is separate from The Classical Academy of Sarasota, an existing private school affiliated with the conservative, Christian Hillsdale College. However, the school's proposed location is the same address as The Classical Academy's current campus off Fruitville Road.

The last charter school approved by the board was the College Preparatory Academy at Wellen Park, a K-8 charter that was previously unanimously denied. However, the school appealed the decision and the board, which had two new board members as a result of the August 2022 election, voted 4-1 in favor.

Board members and the superintendent expressed several concerns with the charter school's application on Tuesday. Concerns ranged from whether enrollment projections are realistic given other nearby schools, the school's physical location, and the representatives' lack of preparedness for the meeting as the charter did not prepare a presentation for the board.

Board member Bridget Ziegler, who sends her daughters to The Classical Academy, asked the representatives to clarify that they aren't affiliated with the private school of a similar name. She also noted that The Classical Academy planned to move its campuses to a location on Bee Ridge Road, which would leave the Fruitville location available for the classical charter school.

Several board members asked the representatives about the current legal limbo that The Classical Academy of Sarasota finds itself in with the Bee Ridge Road location, but the charter representatives declined to comment. Board member Tom Edwards said he felt uncomfortable that the proposed charter school didn't have a solid location.

Superintendent Terry Connor said enrollment was a "significant concern" of his, saying that the population just wasn't there to service a charter school. He referenced the school's projection of 100 kindergarteners, but Connor said there weren't 100 kindergarteners in a six-mile radius of the proposed location.

Connor also referenced several schools the district was already planning to open as well as new land it had just purchased as further hesitations he had toward the charter school.

"I'm not too keen on (classical curriculum) being a pilot here in Sarasota County," Connor said. "I'd love to have seen a proven model before coming here to establish that curriculum."

On hitting its enrollment goals, Ziegler said she could see the demand for more "classical" schooling options, referencing a hundreds-long waitlist she said The Classical Academy currently has. She also said the school could draw interest from parents in Manatee County.

Ziegler also asked if the school was religious in any way, with the representatives responding it wasn't.

In an interview before the workshop, Edwards expressed concerns with the classical charter, given that the Wellen Park charter has struggled to hit its enrollment goals. He also questioned the intentions of the classical charter given the similarities to the existing private classical school at the same location.

"How come they promise all of these kids and don't deliver? Is this a grift to get public dollars for a privately held corporation for profit?" he said.

Edwards said he only received the 600-page charter application five days before the meeting, and said he would like to see the board ask for an extension. Districts are required by law to consider charter applications within 90 days unless an extension is agreed upon between the district and the applicant. Board attorney Patrick Duggan said the district had already requested an extension but the applicants had denied it.

Board member Robyn Marinelli also expressed concerns ahead of the workshop in an interview, adding that she only received the application four days before the meeting. She was critical of the school's written mission statement: "To educate scholars through key tenants (sic) of classical education grounded in a rigorous and data-driven curriculum."

"That's just a bunch of rhetoric. I want to know, what are you going to do?" she said. "We would never get away with that with our parents, and community if we didn't go further into explanation."

The apparent lack of local involvement with the school was also worrisome, Marinelli said, pointing to other local charters such as Sarasota Military Academy and Sarasota School of Arts and Sciences as positive examples. Of those listed on the board of the Sarasota Classical Preparatory Academy charter, none were from Sarasota County. She asked the charter representatives about local representation, and they responded by saying they would "work on it."

Follow Herald-Tribune Education Reporter Steven Walker on Twitter at @swalker_7. He can be reached at sbwalker@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: School Board questions proposed Sarasota Classical Preparatory Academy
Savannah Guthrie appears on NBCs Today show at Rockefeller Plaza on July 22, 2022, in New York. | Charles Sykes, Invision via Associated Press

Savannah Guthries new book celebrates the power of faith.

In it, the co-anchor of the Today show reflects on her relationship with God and shares how her faith has sustained her during difficult moments.

This book is a series of reflections about faith, and its from the heart, Guthrie, 52, told USA Today about the project. Its really vulnerable and personal. And its that way because in so many ways, this is the book that I need to read.  I need to be reminded, like we all do, that God loves us and is on our side.

Mostly What God Does: Reflections on Seeking and Finding His Love Everywhere was released Tuesday.

Related

Savannah Guthrie religion

The title of Guthries new book comes from the Bible, according to USA Today. She drew inspiration from The Message translation of Ephesians 5:1-2.

Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didnt love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that, it reads.

Guthrie, who identifies as Christian, told Today.com that she wanted to write about religion because her faith is core to her identity.

Its what makes me tick. Its what makes me joyful. Its what helps me navigate the world and stresses and disappointments and fears, she said.

Guthrie and her husband, Mike Feldman, who is Jewish, have made it a priority to introduce religion to their two kids  Vale, 9, and Charley, 7  by, for example, praying with them at bedtime, she told Today.com.

What I know is that its my job to give them the building blocks to teach them about the God that I know and help foster that connection, she said. And then I also know that when they grow up, it will be their choice. And its just my job to give them as much information but also experience with God as I possibly can.

But in her new book, Guthrie notes that you dont have to be active in church to get something out of her writing.

You may be faith-full, you may be faith-curious, you may be faith-less, still scarred by a toxic religiosity of your past, she writes in Mostly What God Does, inviting readers to come as you are.

Guthrie told Axios that she felt called to share good news about God even though she was nervous about getting so personal with readers.

Im way out of my comfort zone, she said.

TODAY co-anchor @SavannahGuthrie took on a challenge that was both thrilling and scary when she decided to write her latest book, "Mostly What God Does."



She opens up about writing a faith-based book, what led her to this journey, and more. pic.twitter.com/uncXIuD0AU  TODAY (@TODAYshow) February 20, 2024

Savannah Guthrie books

Guthrie is also the coauthor of two childrens books about a young princess named Penelope Pineapple: Princesses Wear Pants and Princesses Save the World.

Princesses Wear Pants inspired a Netflix series called Princess Power, which Guthrie produced alongside actress Drew Barrymore.

Female friendship is really the highlight and hallmark of the series, Guthrie told Today.com when the show was released. Its not one princess  its a team of princesses.
Gov. Henry McMaster, a former state GOP party chairman, said he sees no need to close the primaries despite calls from within the state Republican Party.

Ahead of Saturdays First in the South Republican presidential primary, outside groups have tried to push Democratic and independent voters who didnt vote in the Feb. 3 presidential primary to participate in the GOP presidential primary. The groups want non-Republican voters to support former Gov. Nikki Haley over former President Donald Trump who leads in the polls ahead of the primary.

The state GOP platform calls for allowing people to register by political party and for only opening primaries to people who are registered to the particular political party.

I think thats an unnecessary impediment, McMaster told reporters Tuesday. I know people believe or theoretically can see a large number of people crossing over to cause mischief and vote against somebody. But that hasnt happen in fact in our state.

Whether the efforts of outside groups, such as PrimaryPivot and Independents Moving the Needle, will be successful is doubtful. Even with efforts by those outside groups, Trump leads Haley 60% to 38%, according to an Insider Advantage poll.

McMaster even said the state has very few crossover voters.

McMaster, a supporter of Trump, said the open primary system in the state helped grow the Republican Party in South Carolina to become the majority in the state.

If they want to vote in a primary because they want to go in and vote for somebody, McMaster said. That has been a great strength of South Carolina. If you close those primaries, thats just one more thing that everybody has to register for or carry a card. We think today an inviting party is better. Our history has proven that it has worked and thats how we became the majority party.
South Carolina state agents are investigating after a York County jail inmate died Monday night after he was taken to a hospital, officials said.

The 40-year-old male inmate had been in custody since late December on charges of possession of a stolen vehicle and a hold from Virginia, said Trent Faris, spokesman for the York County Sheriffs Office.

The identity of the inmate has not been released.

SLED called to investigate YCDC in-custody death. A 40-year-old male York County Detention Center inmate has died after being taken to the hospital for a medical emergency. https://t.co/Bgk5ZdDvUJ #YCSONews  York County Sheriff (@YCSO_SC) February 20, 2024

Around 6:30 p.m. Monday jail staff observed the inmate in medical distress and determined that he needed further advanced medical care, York County Sheriff Kevin Tolson said in a statement Tuesday. No other information has been released about the inmates medical state.

Tolson notified the State Law Enforcement Division to conduct an outside investigation of the incident. SLED is asked to investigate any in-custody death, sheriff officials said.

The county jail at the Moss Justice Center in York holds people who have been charged and are awaiting trial. Typically, the jail has more than 400 inmates at any given time.

The death of an inmate is the first in 2024, Faris told The Herald. The jail had one in-custody death in 2023, Faris said.
Editors note: This article was updated Feb. 20, 2024, to more accurately reflect Scale AIs tasks.

The U.S. Department of Defense selected Scale AI to help it test and evaluate generative artificial intelligence for military applications.

The California-based company announced the work with the Chief Digital and AI Office on Feb. 20, the same day the CDAO was scheduled to kick off its conference in Washington, D.C., featuring discussions on the topic.

Generative AI is capable of generating text, images or other data outputs using algorithmic models in response to user prompts. Large language models are a type of generative AI that uses statistical relationships among text documents or other inputs, either by itself or through a supervised training process, to pump out essays, computer code, human-like conversation and more. Scale AI will produce benchmarks for such systems under the contract.

The Defense Department has expressed increasing interest in generative AI, but its uses remain debated. While a smart assistant or chatbot could efficiently find files, answer frequently asked questions or dig up contact information, such tools can also fuel disinformation campaigns, spoofing attempts and cyberattacks. The CDAO in August launched Task Force Lima to study and guide generative AI for national security purposes.

Boeing expands drone exams to Lockheed C-5 with eye on broader fleet

Testing and evaluating generative AI will help the DOD understand the strengths and limitations of the technology, so it can be deployed responsibly, Alexandr Wang, the founder and chief executive of Scale, said in a statement. Scale is honored to partner with the DOD on this framework.

The Tuesday announcement did not include a dollar value for the work.

Wang in July told Congress outdated data-retention and -management policies were hamstringing the Defense Department. What is needed, he said at the time, is doubling down on some of these fast procurement methods and ensuring that we continue to innovate.

AI systems are only as good as the data that they are trained on, he added.

Scale in 2022 won a nearly $250 million contract to provide federal agencies access to its technologies. The blanket purchasing agreement was issued by the Joint AI Center, which was subsumed by the CDAO.
Police are alerting the public to a scheme in which at least two people in Pittsburgh have been tricked into handing over large sums of money.

In one instance, a 70-year-old woman was alerted via her MacBook that her computer had been hacked. She spoke with someone whom she believed was Apple support and was then transferred to another person she was told was a PNC fraud specialist.

She was then convinced to withdraw $22,000 to buy Bitcoin at a convenience store in the city.

In the second reported case, a 72-year-old woman was alerted on her iPad to call a phone number provided. She too spoke with someone she thought was an Apple customer service representative. Her call was transferred twice and she was ultimately told her account was hacked and used for child pornography.

The woman then withdrew $7,000 and purchased Bitcoin, also at a local convenience store.

Pittsburgh Police are investigating. They encourage anyone who may have fallen victim to this scam to call 911 and report it to your local police.

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In this 2018 file photo, Monica White, president and CEO of Food Share, serves soup during Many Mansions 17th Annual Bowls of Hope event at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks. White recently shared about a scam that was attempted on the Oxnard nonprofit and offered a warning to other organizations.

It began with a man promising to uphold his late father's dying wish.

He had reached out to the Oxnard-based Food Share on Jan. 10 at 5:44 p.m., asking how he could donate, signing off his email as Alphanso B. Blye.

Monica White, president and CEO at Food Share, responded the next day with condolences, details about the work they do and the different ways they can receive donations. Blye shared he had been traveling and had just returned to his base in Hong Kong. He wanted to send the donation via check and talk further about his father and "his deep interest for the environment."

White thought this was a red flag since Food Share provides hunger relief but shrugged it off, thinking he was likely emailing about many different donations at once.

White shared their mailing address and tax identification number. A week later, regional food bank received a FedEx envelope with a cashier's check for $178,000.

What she didn't know at the time was that Food Share was among dozens of organizations across California receiving similar checks from Blye. The gifts were meant to honor his late mother in some cases. It was the same story with minor differences.

Spotting the red flags

White was communicating with Blye over email and by phone. She called him late at night Pacific Time so it wouldn't be too late for him in Hong Kong.

She thanked him for the donation. He asked if the money had been deposited yet. Another red flag, White thought.

He added that they should discuss naming and recognition for his father the following week. Blye mentioned that his father was a successful businessman in California. White did a Google search to find mention of Blye and his father and found nothing. Another red flag.

Then she ran a search on social media site LinkedIn and found a post warning anyone receiving checks from Blye of a scam where he asked to send some or all the money back. Thirteen other people left comments that they were targeted as well, most of them from nonprofit organizations, according to their posts on the social media site.

White was grateful for the warning and was ready when she next heard from Blye. He copied Food Share on emails with a financial director who shared that an "erroneous mistake" had been made and they had overpaid.

The emails said that "the funds have been cleared into Food Shares holding so can not necessarily be reversed" and requested that $100,000 be retained for the donation to Food Share and $78,000 be returned. The check never cleared but White said she played along to get the wire transfer information for where to send the money back to Blye.

She gathered the evidence and filed a report with the FBI. White said she and her team also talked to Ventura County Sheriff's officials who said that because it's not considered a local crime with Blye allegedly being in Hong Kong they should go through the federal policing agency.

She also sent out a message on a listserv and put out a post on LinkedIn warning other food banks and nonprofits. Eight different nonprofits reached out to her that week to share that the same thing happened to them. Luckily, none of them fell for it.

"We are very proud to be extremely good stewards of our donor dollars. Being vigilant against scammers like this is not something that I thought I was going to have to do in this job," White said.

With a yearly budget of $9 million, a $78,000 loss would not have closed their doors, but the Food Share team was disappointed by the scam.

'People try to do the right thing'

Sheriff's Detective Kevin Walters said that he hasn't been notified of check scams targeting nonprofits in Thousand Oaks, where he's based, but is not surprised that this is happening.

"A lot of times the unsuspecting person just wants to try and do what they think is the right thing. They'll pay the difference," Walters said. "In cases like this, if you get a check sent to you from someone you've never interacted with in person and they're saying that they wrote too much, and then you just send back a difference, it's almost always going to be a scam."

Walters, who specializes in fraud, forgery and financial crimes, said that his team is trying to prevent these scams by doing presentations with community groups and making themselves available to answer questions about these types of crimes and scams. They also pursue such criminals locally and recently arrested a fraud suspect who had been stealing donation checks from churches in the city.

The detective advises that instead of obliging requests to send back the difference, it is safer to contact your financial institution. The bank may freeze the check and even have its fraud unit look into it to determine if it is legitimate.

'Tricked for a second'

Another recent target was Juma, a nonprofit that operates businesses to employ young people. Adriane Gamble Armstrong, the CEO of the San Francisco nonprofit, said she received an email from Blye asking for information to send the check on Jan. 10.

She received the check a week later and on Jan. 22, he started asking for the entire $178,000 back saying there had been a mistake.

She said she would have needed a lot of documentation to make an outgoing payment, but she was "tricked for a second" and did consider how they would go about it. Still, she was cautious and realized it was a scam when the check never cleared. Eventually, Blye stopped calling.

"I think what also really was a big red flag was that he really started to harass me," Armstrong said. "In 12 hours, he called and texted me like 20 times to the point where I had to eventually turn off my phone. And it was supposedly between 1 and 4 a.m. Hong Kong time."

She added that $178,000 is more than a month of the nonprofit's operating expense.

Dena Jenson, the director of the Center for Nonprofit Leadership at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, was not aware of check scams targeting nonprofits in Ventura County. However, the team came across similar scams from other parts of the country and was tracking them as a potential threat.

Nonprofits would have to tap into their reserves to cover the cost of the fraud if they fell prey to it and an additional harm is the emotional toll and the wasted time and energy, she said.

"Our relationships with donors require a really high level of trust and communication," Jenson said. "So, the fact that bad actors are leveraging that really important relationship to scam nonprofit organizations, it hits really hard because organizations are doing such incredible work with oftentimes limited resources.

Dua Anjum is an investigative and watchdog reporter for the Ventura County Star. Reach her at dua.anjum@vcstar.com. This story was made possible by a grant from the Ventura County Community Foundation's Fund to Support Local Journalism.

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: A scammer targeted Oxnard-based Food Share. Here's what happened next
Democratic Adam Schiff continues to lead in Californias race for U.S. Senate while Republican Steve Garvey appears to be solidifying the crucial second place spot, according to a new Inside California Politics/Emerson College/Nexstar Media poll released Tuesday morning.

The survey of 1,000 registered voters was conducted several days after the top four candidates participated in an Inside California Politics debate that aired on all six local Nexstar television stations in the Golden State.

Since January, Rep. Schiff has increased his support from 25% to 28%. Garveys support increased from 18% to 22%; Rep. Katie Porter has climbed from 13% to 16%, while Rep. Barbara Lees support remained largely flat at 9%, the poll found.

17% of likely voters said they were still undecided, down from 24% in the previous Emerson College/Nexstar poll, and a handful of other candidates remain in the low single-digits.

U.S. Senate Poll results. February 20, 2024. (Emerson College Polling/Nexstar Media)

U.S. Senate Poll results. February 20, 2024. (Emerson College Polling/Nexstar Media)

U.S. Senate Poll results. February 20, 2024. (Emerson College Polling/Nexstar Media)

U.S. Senate Poll results. February 20, 2024. (Emerson College Polling/Nexstar Media)

U.S. Senate Poll results. February 20, 2024. (Emerson College Polling/Nexstar Media)

U.S. Senate Poll results. February 20, 2024. (Emerson College Polling/Nexstar Media)

U.S. Senate Poll results. February 20, 2024. (Emerson College Polling/Nexstar Media)

The poll has an error margin of three percentage points.

Candidate support varies by age group, said Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling. Schiffs support is highest among voters in their 60s, at 45%, and those over 70, with 39%, whereas Porters strength is among young voters, where she holds 23%. Notably, this group has the highest share of undecided voters at 28%. Garveys strength is also with older voters, with 33% support among voters over 70.

Voters were also asked if they knew about or watched last Mondays debate and, if so, who they believe won. 69% of those surveyed were familiar with the debate. 33% said Schiff won, followed by 19% for Porter, 18% for Garvey, and 9% said Lee.

21% of those surveyed said no candidate emerged as the clear winner.

The top two candidates from the March 5 primary will face each other in Novembers general election to determine who will succeed the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein.

Other poll findings:

The economy remains the top issue facing California voters (27%), followed by immigration (14%), housing affordability (14%), crime (11%), healthcare (9%), homelessness (8%), education (7%), threats to democracy (5%), and abortion (3%).

Independent voters are split between Garvey (23%) and Schiff (22%).

Voters were asked which candidate they trust to do the best job on a series of issues, regardless of which candidate they plan to vote for. Crime: 32% Schiff, 25% Garvey, 19% Porter, and 12% Lee. Homelessness: 29% Schiff, 26% Garvey, 20% Porter, and 13% Lee. War in Israel and Gaza: 33% Schiff, 25% Garvey, 14% Porter, and 12% Lee. Immigration: 32% Schiff, 27% Garvey, 17% Porter, and 11% Lee. Abortion: 26% Porter, 25% Schiff, 23% Garvey, and 11% Lee.



For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
Kim Young-joo, deputy speaker of National Assembly, is latest key figure to leave in protest

By Jung Min-ho

Tensions are reaching a breaking point within the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) as some members of its minor factions openly denounce Lee Jae-myung's leadership, saying he made the DPK a "party of his own."

Kim Young-joo, deputy speaker of the National Assembly, is the latest political heavyweight to leave the party in protest of the process of nominating its candidates for the April 10 general elections.

Kim, a veteran lawmaker who served as the minister of labor during the previous Moon Jae-in administration, announced the decision on Monday after being told by the party that her performance as a lawmaker was evaluated as among the bottom 20 percent. She apparently saw it as a move to hand her district over to one of Lee's loyalists.

"The bottom 20 percent evaluation about me is the most blatant and symbolic sign showing that the DPK is now becoming Lee's own," Kim said. "Over the past four years, I have been evaluated as among the best lawmakers by activists and the media  I demand the party reveal detailed information about the evaluation rubric."

On Tuesday, Rep. Park Yong-jin, an outspoken critic of Lee's leadership, said he also received poor scores, which would significantly lower his chances of obtaining the party's nomination for Gangbuk B, a longtime DPK stronghold.

Park said he would not leave the party but plans to apply for re-evaluation. Yet he added he had little hope that the result would change.

"I disclosed this humiliating result because I wanted to show that the DPK is in a crisis now," he said.

Later that day, Rep. Yoon Young-chan, who served as senior presidential secretary for communications under Moon, said he, too, was evaluated among the bottom 10 percent.

Kim, Park and Yoon all suggested that the primary reason they received such "unfair treatment" was their defiance against unquestioning loyalty to Lee, who apparently seeks to fill the Assembly seats with those close to him.

Before Kim, four lawmakers  Lee Sang-min, Lee Won-wook, Kim Jong-min and Cho Eung-cheon  and Lee Nak-yon, former prime minister and DPK chairman, left the party as they saw no political future there.

The list is expected to grow as DPK politicians deemed mavericks or members of anti-Lee factions, such as Im Jong-seok, former presidential chief of staff, and Rep. Lee In-young are waiting for their results from the party's nomination committee.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Lee said such criticism and complaints are inevitable pain as the DPK is going through a transition.

"The people want something new from politics, including how we nominate our candidates. A reform, by definition, could mean the pain from the process of transforming itself into a new shape," he said, adding the evaluation system cannot satisfy everyone.
Astronaut Major Tim Peake is expected to lead a partnership between the UK Space Agency and Axiom Space

Scientists are being urged to come forward with experiments and technology to send into orbit on board the first all-British space mission, expected to be led by Tim Peake.

The mission, which is a partnership between the UK Space Agency and Axiom Space, is expected to involve Maj Peake and three other British astronauts, and is likely to fly to the International Space Station (ISS).

Although details are yet to be finalised, the Government is offering up to 15 million in funding  through commercial sponsorship  to get scientific projects off the ground.

The ISS is a useful environment for studying science because microgravity causes changes in biological systems, which can help experts understand the impact of space travel on humans, and test new technology in the extreme conditions of space.

Recent Axiom missions have included research into cancer prevention and studies of plasma physics.

Maj Peake, who spent six months on board the ISS in 2015 and 2016 said: Its fantastic to see the UK Space Agency taking advantage of this new era of commercial human spaceflight and working with Axiom Space and the European Space Agency to put a real focus on high-quality science and innovative technology for the potential UK mission.

The mission is likely to spend two weeks on board the ISS conducting scientific research, demonstrating new technologies and taking part in outreach activities.

It will be the first time Britain has carried out an independent mission, although it will be supported by ESA.

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the Crew Dragon spacecraft lifts off from the Kennedy Space Center on May 21, 2023 in Cape Canaveral, Florida en route to the International Space Station - JOE RAEDLE/GETTY

Andrew Griffith MP, the minister for Space at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, said: There is huge potential for UK businesses to play an increasingly important role in space exploration and the development of new technologies.

I urge the UK science and technology community to use this opportunity to drive forward discovery and unleash innovation in critical technologies.

Axiom Space has already sent three private astronaut missions to the ISS.

The company launches from Nasas Kennedy Space Centre in Florida using SpaceXs Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket.

The ISS crew members representing Expedition 70 (red shirts) and Axiom Space 3 (dark blue) gather for a farewell ceremony calling down to mission controllers on Earth on Feb 2. Front row are Italy's Walter Villadei, Turkey's Alper Gezeravci and Sweden's Marcus Wandt. Above them hanging upside down in blue is Axiom Space's Michael Lopez-Alegria, a former Nasa astronaut - Nasa

The launch cost is likely to be around $55 million (45 million) per astronaut, and the UKSA has not yet said how it will be funding the mission. It is likely the space agency will be relying largely on private investors who are looking to conduct research in microgravity.

Axiom Space missions fly with three crew members and must be accompanied by an experienced commander, which is believed to be why Maj Peake is being brought out of retirement.

Dr Lucie Low, the chief scientist for microgravity research at Axiom Space, said: Axiom Space is delighted to support the UK Space Agency in its efforts to solicit impactful scientific and technological development projects that can advance the goals of human exploration of space, as well as bring benefit to citizens on Earth.

Our Axiom Space missions to date have enabled researchers from across the globe to utilise the microgravity environment for national research and technology development priorities, and we continue to work together to secure sponsorship for this exciting mission.

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Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) called out Vice President Harris on Tuesday, encouraging her to preside over the Senate impeachment trial of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

Scott wrote a letter to Harris after the House impeached Mayorkas last week, arguing her role as the head of the Senate and the fact she was tasked with addressing the root causes of migration by President Biden in 2021 makes her the best person to preside over the trial.

When President Biden appointed you as the border czar in early 2021, he tasked you with stemming the migration to our southern border. In accepting that appointment, you acknowledged a need to deal with the root causes of the flows of illegal immigration across our southern border, Scott wrote to Harris.

As such, you should be keenly interested in learning whether a high-ranking member of your administration is one of those root causes through his willful and persistent refusal to enforce our countrys immigration laws, frustrating the very core function of your role as President Bidens border czar, he said.

Harris has rejected the title border czar, which has been used by Republicans, and recently has accused the House GOP of wanting a political issue to run on this year instead of wanting to fix the situation at the border.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has already said Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), who is the president pro tempore of the Senate, will preside over the trial.

But Scott told Harris he wanted to encourage and invite you to preside.

Our states and cities face an ongoing and widespread crisis due to the flood of illegal immigrants streaming across our southern and northern borders and moving freely within the interior of the homeland, Scott said, calling Harris the appropriate constitutional presiding officer to oversee the impeachment trial.

The House last week eked out a narrow 214-213 vote to impeach the first Cabinet official since the 1870s. The vote followed a failed first effort in the House to impeach Mayorkas and the articles are not expected to move in the Democrat-led Senate.

The White House has argued the impeachment effort against Mayorkas is unconstitutional and politically motivated. After the vote, Biden slammed Republicans who voted to impeach Mayorkas, arguing that history will not look kindly on them.

The White House has also slammed Republicans for rejecting the legislation a group of senators unveiled last week that included measures to tighten security at the border, as well as aid to Ukraine and Israel. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) called it insufficient and dead on arrival in the House and instead focused on impeaching Mayorkas.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected appeals by seven attorneys allied with Donald Trump to revisit monetary and disciplinary sanctions handed down in Michigan after they waged a baseless legal war over the result of the 2020 presidential election.

In a one-line order that did not offer further explanation, the high court let stand the sanctions levied against Sidney Powell, Lin Wood, and five other pro-Trump lawyers. The group filed a lawsuit against Michigan state officials in 2020 alleging that Bidens victory there had been illegitimate. One of several such suits filed around the country at the time, it was part of a legal strategy Powell characterized as an effort to unleash the Kraken against Trumps enemies.

Her complaint, like the others, was eventually dismissed with no evidence of fraud or a wide-ranging international conspiracy to boost Biden into office ever surfacing.

U.S. District Judge Linda Parker dismissed the suit in August 2021, calling it a historic and profound abuse of the judicial process, adding that this case was never about fraudit was about undermining the peoples faith in our democracy.

She imposed sanctions totaling around $175,000, writing in her opinion that they were required to deter the filing of future frivolous lawsuits designed primarily to spread the narrative that our election processes are rigged and our democratic institutions cannot be trusted.

The sanctions, meant to cover the defendants legal fees, were largely upheld by a federal appeals court, though it reduced them to a little over $150,000around $132,000 to the city of Detroit and $20,000 to the state, according to the Detroit Free Press.

The appeals court noted pointedly at the time that the attorneys had failed to properly investigate their own claims ahead of filing their suit, and had apparently never read the election bylaws they were accusing the state of having violated. Many of those allegationsparticularly the ones concerning Dominion voting machineswere refuted by the plaintiffs own exhibits to their complaint, the panel wrote. Other allegations arose from facially unreliable expert reports; still others were simply baseless.

Besides Powell and Wood, the other lawyers who will have to pony up for their participation in the sham suit are Gregory Rohl, Brandon Johnson, Howard Kleinhendler, Julia Haller, and Scott Hagerstrom. All seven were also referred to each of their respective bar associations for possible disciplinary proceedings.

Separately, Powell pleaded guilty last October to charges related to her efforts to overturn Trumps loss in Georgia. Submitting her plea a day before jury selection in her trial had been set to begin, Powell agreed to serve six years of probation, pay a $6,000 fine, and $2,700 in restitution to the state of Georgia, write an apology letter to its citizens, and testify in any related court proceedings.

Her apology letter, obtained in December through an open records request by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, was just one sentence long. I apologize for my actions in connection with the events in Coffee County, Powell wrote.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility is in Woodburn and can house up to 271 male youths.

This story was updated at 4:10 p.m.

Police continue to search for three 19-year-old men who escaped Sunday night from MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility in Woodburn.

The men escaped at about 9:12 p.m. Sunday, according to a press release from Oregon Youth Authority, the state's juvenile justice agency. MacLaren has been on lockdown since.

Oregon State Police is investigating, and warrants have been issued for their arrest.

An OYA spokesperson said Tuesday that the agency could not release any details of the escape "due to concerns of youth and staff safety, and security of the facility."

Two of the men are from Salem and were adjudicated in Marion County  Angel Diaz-Barrera and Julian Diaz-Navarro. Diaz-Barrera were sent to MacLaren for robbery 1 and carry/use of a dangerous weapon. Diaz-Navarro is in for attempt assault 1, carry/use if a dangerous weapon.

The third man, Xavier Swimm, is from Portland. He was sent to MacLaren for attempted assault 2 and aggravated harassment in Multnomah County.

OYA asks anyone who sees the men to please call 911. Anyone with information about their whereabouts, should call Oregon State Police, 503-375-3555 (reference case # SP 24-054230).

MacLaren is an all-male juvenile detention facility on Oregon Highway 99E in northeast Woodburn. It houses offenders age 12 to 24 in locked dormitory-style units.

The facility currently has 168 in custody, not counting the three who escaped, but has beds for 271.

MacLaren was at or near capacity in the years immediately following the shuttering of Hillcrest in Salem in 2017.

The last time offenders were reported to have escaped from MacLaren, according to the Statesman Journal archives, was in 2021 when three teens attacked a staff member and escaped through a fence. An OYA spokesperson said that was the first escape from the facility since at least 2000, when a perimeter fence was installed.

This embedded content is not available in your region.

Capi Lynn is a senior reporter for the Statesman Journal. Send comments, questions and tips to her at clynn@statesmanjournal.com, or follow her work on Twitter @CapiLynn and Facebook @CapiLynnSJ.

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Search continues for three men who escaped from MacLaren in Woodburn
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is searching for a 12-year-old girl who vanished in Florida.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

Law enforcement agencies, including the Tallahassee Police Department and the FBI, have joined forces to find 12-year-old Lori Paige.

Paige was last seen on June 3, 2023, in the 1200 block of Continental Court in Tallahassee, Fla.

The FBI believes Paige has ties to or may visit Tallahassee, Fla., Tampa, Fla., Thomasville, Ga., and Nashville, Tenn.

TRENDING STORIES:

Paige is described as being five feet tall and weighing 120 pounds. She has black hair and brown eyes.

The FBI is offering a reward of up to $15,000 for information leading to her recovery.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the FBIs Jacksonville Field Office at 904-248-7000 or the Tallahassee Police Department at 850-891-4200. Tipsters can also contact your FBI office or submit a tip online.

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IN OTHER NEWS:
PORTLAND, Ore. (PORTLAND TRIBUNE)  The Portland Music Mural will celebrate its six-month anniversary with a selfie contest on Instagram. The contest will be open from through March and the top three finishers will receive prizes from local businesses.

The 50-by-21-foot mural at 1130 S.W. Morrison features 25 musicians and groups who helped shape the local music scene. It was officially dedicated on Sept. 1, 2023, with a large gathering and group sing-along of Louie Louie, the iconic party song popularized 60 years by the Portland band The Kingsmen, who are featured on the mural.

Pain palpable 2 years after Normandale Park shooting

Other musicians and bands on the mural include The Dandy Warhols, Esperanza Spalding, Lifesavas, Mel Brown, Obo Addy, Sleeter-Kinney, and many others. The complete list and their likenesses can be found at MusicMuralProject.com.

The mural was produced by Jason Savage Images and painted by the Pander Brothers, with the assistance of Keri Hughes. It is intended to celebrate the Portland music scene and help revitalize downtown. Many people took selfies in front of the mural while it was being painted and during the dedication ceremony. Its progress was documented by several stories in the Portland Tribune.

Winter-like conditions possible around Portland region next week

Anyone who follows @MusicMuralProject on Instagram is eligible to enter the contest. It runs from March 1 to 31. Contestants should take a selfie in front of the mural on the wall behind the downtown TriMet light rail turnaround and post it on their Instagram, with #PMMSelfieContest2024 in the description.

Read more at PortlandTribune.com.

The Portland Tribune and its parent company Pamplin Media Group are KOIN 6 News media partners

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
(Bloomberg) -- Senate Banking Committee Chair Sherrod Brown is urging the Federal Reserve to strengthen its policies on financial market trading by Fed officials, after a watchdog report last month revealed new details about trading by policymakers during the pandemic.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The Fed revamped its internal ethics rules two years ago following a series of trading scandals that led to the resignation of two regional Fed presidents and prompted a wave of criticism from Congress. Brown, an Ohio Democrat, said in a Tuesday letter to Fed Chair Jerome Powell that the rules are constructive but lack an enforcement mechanism and penalties.

I urge the board to implement substantive penalties for Federal Reserve officials that engage in prohibited market trading activity, Brown wrote. Nothing will change unless there are real consequences.

A Fed spokesperson declined to comment on the letter.

The Fed inspector general in January cleared two former reserve bank presidents, Eric Rosengren of the Boston Fed and Robert Kaplan of the Dallas Fed, of any legal wrongdoing following a years-long probe into their personal trading activity in 2020, a year in which the central bank propped up markets during the pandemic. But the internal watchdog said the rules in place at the time were inadequate and said the trading created an appearance of a conflict of interest.

Powell, along with former Vice Chair Richard Clarida, was also cleared of wrongdoing in 2022 in an investigation into his trading during 2020.

The Feds new ethics rules bar top officials and other senior staff from buying individual stocks and bonds, limit active trading and require new hires to divest certain assets before joining the Fed.

Read More: Fed Ethics Rules to Cover More Staff and Require Disclosures

(Updates with Fed response in fourth paragraph.)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
DAKAR (Reuters) - Senegal's Constitutional Council on Tuesday published an amended list of candidates for a presidential election delayed from Feb. 25 to a yet undecided date, removing just one candidate from the initial list because she withdrew her application.

The council last week overturned a bill that delayed the vote to December - a move that had plunged the West African country into unchartered constitutional territory and stoked public anger against the government.

President Macky Sall, who said the postponement was needed due to a dispute over the candidate list, later pledged he would abide with the court's decision and hold consultations to organise the vote as quickly as possible.

The new candidate list was almost unchanged from the original list for the Feb. 25 vote apart from removing opposition contender, Rose Wardini, bringing the number of candidates down to 19 from an initial 20.

The council said Wardini had withdrawn her application without providing further detail.

Prominent opposition figures including the firebrand jailed politician Ousmane Sonko and Karim Wade, the son of former president Abdoulaye Wade, remained excluded.

(Reporting by Ngouda Dione; Writing by Sofia Christensen; Editing by David Goodman and Josie Kao)
President Yoon Suk Yeol urged young doctors Tuesday to call off their collective action against the government's medical reform policy, saying their protest is taking the people's lives and health hostage.

Yoon issued the call during a Cabinet meeting after more than 6,400 trainee doctors submitted their resignations and about 1,600 of them walked off the job to protest the government's plan to increase admissions to medical schools.

"Trainee doctors who are key players in the medical field and medical school students who are key players in future medicine should not take collective action by taking the people's lives and health hostage," he said during the meeting at the presidential office, noting some surgeries for cancer patients have already been postponed.

"Along with national security and public safety, protecting the people's lives and safety is the reason for the state's existence and the most basic constitutional responsibility given to the government," he said.

Yoon also said the government plan to increase the annual enrollment quota by 2,000 starting next year from the current 3,058 meets only the minimum and still falls "far short" of the required number. (Yonhap)
A frail 80-year-old retiree does not fit everyone's idea of a tech-savvy Wikipedia writer, but Jirina Kadnerova is a devoted contributor to the online encyclopedia.

On a sunny Sunday morning, Kadnerova, a former librarian and bibliographer, snaps away with her cell phone in the village of Sobehrdy south of Prague.

She is gathering material on a local Protestant church for her next article, scuttering around the building with a curious look and talking to locals leaving a morning mass.

That's quite a difference from the average Czech Wikipedia contributor, whom Klara Joklova, chief executive at the Czech unit of the Wikimedia Foundation, describes as "a man aged 15-35 with a tech background" -- exactly what Jirina Kadnerova is not.

Kadnerova has been writing articles for the open-source encyclopedia since taking a course training elderly people under the "Seniors Write Wikipedia" project, a Czech initiative launched in 2013.

"Of course I used Wikipedia for many years, because librarians work with it, but I never thought I would like to contribute," she told AFP.

After retiring as the head of a scientific library, Kadnerova never became a typical pensioner -- a label she insists she hates.

Instead, she started attending university courses, took a bibliographer's job at the Czech Academy of Sciences and does occasional stints as a tourist guide.

Seven years ago, her grandson suggested she might contribute to Wikipedia.

"He said I had a decent expertise, that I can formulate pretty well, that I have written a few things and above all that I can find my way in databases and catalogues."

- 'A promising group' -

Her first entry focused on a Gothic church in the small southern town where she is a tourist guide, one of around 100 articles focused mostly on historic sites that she has published since.

She has also edited more than 1,500 existing articles, often adding information about libraries in the region around her home city of Prague.

The Czech Wikipedia has over half a million entries and registers about 600 regular and thousands of occasional contributors -- comprising an ever-growing group of Czech seniors.

Leading a workshop at a senior centre in Prague, university student Jan Mysak said elderly contributors were "a promising group".

"They have the time in the first place," he told AFP after guiding Jirina Kadnerova through the tricks of inserting an infobox in an article.

"But they also have the life experience and they know what they want to write about," he added.

So far, around 700 have passed the free courses for seniors, according to the non-profit Wikimedia Foundation managing the encyclopedia.

Wikipedia attracts over a billion users each month, offering more than 62 million articles in over 300 languages.

- 'Lay my hands on it' -

A passionate tourist, Kadnerova relishes the opportunity to travel out of Prague and learn new things.

"When I write about something, I want to lay my hands on it," Kadnerova added in her elegant Czech.

She has recently recruited a friend -- another retired head librarian -- to write for Wikipedia and share the passion.

"I'm happy when I can take a look at a piece of history and find out someone has praised the entry or even added something. That's what makes me happy," Kadnerova said.

"A friend of mine once told me I wasn't doing enough for mankind. So I finally am."

frj/mmp/gv
No one knows for certain when public facilities like bathrooms and drinking fountains were separated by race.

But starting in the 1890s, shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized separate but equal in Plessy v. Ferguson, the Jim Crow laws and customs that emerged required Black and white people to be separated in virtually every part of life. They used separate restrooms, sat in separate sections on trains and buses and drank from separate water fountains.

Even in death, Black and white people were buried in separate cemeteries.

Though the racist practice of separate accommodations was officially outlawed by the Civil Rights Act of 1964, relics from the past still linger today.

In Ellisville, Mississippi, for instance, two water fountains remain standing in front of the Jones County Courthouse. When they were first built in the late 1930s, the words white and colored designated which fountain was to be used by which race.

Over the years, those words were covered up by different ceremonial plaques. But for some Black Ellisville residents, the fountains still stir up painful memories of second-class citizenship.

During public hearings in 2020 to determine whether the fountains should be removed, then 68-year-old Donnie Watts told the County Board of Supervisors that he had lived there for most of his life.

I got told once to get away from that fountain because I, as a 6-year-old, was drinking out of the white fountain, Watts said. Can you imagine what a child, that age, how they felt when they were told that they cant drink out of that fountain and they had to drink out of another fountain that said colored?

Separate and unequal

In the 2001 Behind the Veil project, Duke University historians and researchers conducted interviews with over 300 Black and white people to document what day-to-day life was like during the Jim Crow era of legal segregation.

One of those interviewed was Mary Sive, who in 1947 was 24 years old and lived in Montclair, New Jersey. That year, she was traveling through the Deep South when she saw water fountains labeled colored and white for the first time.

Men drinking from segregated water fountains in 1960. Bettmann Archive/Getty Images

This was not outright cruelty such as lynching or denial of voting rights, she said. It was not silly, as it at first seemed to me. I realized that for segregation to stick, it had to intrude into the simplest everyday activity such as taking a drink of water. It was that very banality that brought home what it must be like to be colored.

Sive said she chose not to drink from either fountain.

The signs were not the only thing that separated the fountains.

The fountains for whites were often more modern, offered some form of filtering from contaminants found in tap water and were capable of providing cold water. The colored water fountains were always worse, generally older and less well kept and usually found in the basement or outdoors.

More often than not, there were no Black facilities.

Bloody Tuesday

In my view as a sociologist who studies race and ethnicity, part of the legal and systematic effort to maintain Black subservience was based in part on the white peoples fear that formerly enslaved Black people would be rebellious and unwilling to stay on the lower levels of society.

Its not surprising, then, that peaceful protests against the repressive structure of Southern society was met with a violent reaction from Southern law enforcement officers.

On June 9, 1964, for instance, Rev. T.Y. Rogers organized a march with the NAACP to protest segregated drinking fountains and restrooms in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

The civil rights group had planned to march to the Tuscaloosa County Courthouse but barely made it a few steps from where they started at the First African Baptist Church before they were assaulted, beaten, arrested and tear-gassed by police officers, who used cattle prods and wooden batons to subdue the demonstration.

Known as Bloody Tuesday, the day saw the hospitalization of 33 Black men, women and children and the arrests of 94 others on charges of unlawful assembly.

That tragedy has been largely overshadowed by another protest march in Alabama from Selma to Montgomery that occurred nearly a year later on March 7, 1965.

In what became known as Bloody Sunday, more than 600 marchers who were demanding equal voting rights, including John Lewis, then chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and future congressman, were beaten and arrested by state troopers led by segregationist Public Safety Commissioner Eugene Bull Connor.

But unlike Bloody Tuesday in Tuscaloosa, news photographers and television cameras captured the images of Black marchers being beat by white police officers.

Those images triggered national outrage.

President Lyndon B. Johnson, left, shakes hands with Martin Luther King Jr. after signing the Civil Rights Act on July 3, 1964, at the White House. AFP via Getty Images

But enactment of civil rights laws didnt mean the end of the fight.

After Donnie Watts testimony about his experience with discrimination at age 6, Jones County voters decided to keep the two separate fountains in a 2020 referendum.

Even though the fountains dont work any longer and the words white and colored remain covered by ceremonial plaques, Watts said in a published interview that his memory of them remains clear.

I can see right through those plaques. I know what they say, Watts told the Hattiesburg American. If they were so gung-ho about keeping those fountains, why dont they take those plaques off where everybody can see the words colored and white?

This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Rodney Coates, Miami University

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Rodney Coates 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.
As a mother of children who are now adults, I recall being haunted by the possibility of having their safety compromised by a child predator. Are they safe walking home from school? Do their friends live in safe neighborhoods?

Sexually violent predators, who have been legally labeled as such, have earned their title. They present a clear danger to our neighborhoods and families.

Becoming a sexually violent predator does not happen by accident. These are individuals who have committed heinous crimes and egregious acts of sexual violence and who have been diagnosed with a mental disorder that predisposes them to re-offend. The vast majority of these predators have a lengthy history of sexual violence dating back decades.

Meanwhile, traditional rehabilitation methods are often unsuccessful and require specialized treatment and intensive supervision.

Opinion

In California, we have legislation in place to address the management of sexually violent predators. Notably, Senate Bill 1034, which went into effect in 2023, aimed to enhance oversight and management by providing clearer guidelines for an sexually violent predators release and supervision. However, despite these efforts, significant loopholes persist in the law. One glaring gap allows sexually violent predators to be released on transient status. In other words, they are permitted to reside in an RV-like trailer in communities, as long as schools or daycare facilities are not nearby.

This provision is deeply troubling. These individuals could potentially live next door to families, putting our loved ones at risk. This cannot be tolerated.

Currently, my district faces a pressing issue, with five sexually violent predators slated for release. These individuals have committed unspeakable acts. It is my duty  along with my colleagues in the legislature  to ensure these predators do not pose a threat to society upon their release.

In the 13 counties I represent (which are predominantly rural communities), we often witness the release of sexually violent predators into our neighborhoods. This practice places an undue burden on our already vulnerable communities. Right now, there are 21 sexually violent predators eligible for release across the state, and an additional 14 who are pending release through the Department of State Hospitals Conditional Release Program. Its already challenging enough for the department to find suitable housing for these predators, so to consider transient status for an sexually violent predators release is beyond preposterous. I dont want to imagine what the future holds if that was to become the case.

Whats equally disturbing is the misinterpretation of SB 1034 by the Department of State Hospitals and some local courts. Current law states that any sexually violent predator pending release must be released into their county of domicile. Additionally, the Department of State Hospitals must form a public housing committee and publicly post meetings to involve residents and county leaders. If the department is unable to find suitable housing for the individual in their county of domicile, they must petition the court under extraordinary circumstances to restart the housing search in a newly identified county.

In 2022, Amador County fought vehemently to keep a sexually violent predator from being released into its jurisdiction and won its case in 2023 following the passage of SB 1034. Now, Merced County is in the same position, as a recent ruling by the Stanislaus County Superior Court  the county of domicile for the predator  stated that he is to be released in Merced this month.

The decision-making process surrounding the placement of sexually violent predators remains shrouded in mystery. We dont know whos making the decisions, and we dont know how the decisions are being made. This lack of transparency only fuels public distrust and exacerbates fear.

We cannot continue to ignore these glaring issues. We owe it to our communities to take strong action to address these loopholes and ensure the safety of our residents. This means strengthening oversight mechanisms related to the Department of State Hospitals, closing the gaps in our laws that allow sexually violent predators to evade accountability and advocating for increased funding for mental health resources, especially in rural communities.

Our families deserve better than the current processes in place, given that the release of sexually violent predators after they have served their sentences is inevitable. I am pledging to work with my fellow colleagues in the legislature to bring change.

California State Senator Marie Alvarado-Gil represents the counties of Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Inyo, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Mono, Nevada, Placer, Stanislaus and Tuolumne.
[Source]

Business owners in San Francisco Chinatown have expressed discontent over Mayor London Breeds plan to establish a sober living facility in the area.

Breeds plans: Mayor Breed announced plans for a pioneering sober living facility in the heart of Chinatown for homeless people with drug abuse issues. With Breeds vision of providing recovery and stability for the most at-risk residents, the sober living community is conceived as a refuge, providing housing and on-site supportive services aimed at empowering those in recovery.

The innovative project, spearheaded by the San Francisco Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing, anticipates an investment of around $3.7 million in the first year and contemplates securing a long-term lease at the historic Hotel North Beach, a significant landmark of Chinatown's history. The hotel would undergo a conversion into a facility accommodating 150 recovering addicts.

Locals blindsided: Although locals agree on the need to support those battling addiction, merchants feel blindsided, emphasizing the need for community involvement in the decision-making process. They expressed feeling disrespected for not being consulted earlier and are calling for improved communication between the city and the local community.

Trending on NextShark: 240-million-year-old 'Chinese dragon' fossil discovered in southern China

We were kind of surprised. How come we didnt hear anything from anyone? Chinatown storeowner Nancy Yu Law told Kron4. And we did give her a lot of questions because we have concerns, we dont know exactly what kind of program it is. Its the first of its kind in the nation according to what they say.

I think what could be improved is really the communication between our neighborhood and the city and for the city to have better methods of reaching out to a monolingual community as well as communities of color, added business owner Cynthia Huey.

Location controversy: The chosen location of North Beach Hotel is also met with skepticism as business owners believe placing a sobriety home amid bars and businesses, including liquor stores, may not be ideal. Concerns include the impact on tourism and the nightlife atmosphere.

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It couldnt have happened at a worse time, in the middle of Chinese New Year, Eva Lee, the chairperson of the Chinatown Merchants Association, told ABC7 News. I was alarmed. It was a little unsettling. Chinatown is suffering already. Weve been through the pandemic, the lack of tourism, the anti-Asian hate. We dont need this right now.

Our tourists are not comfortable. They should be put somewhere else. A different location would be a better environment for them, added Edward Siu, who is president of the Chinatown Merchants United Association of San Francisco.

Breeds response: Due to the public opposition, Mayor Breed has since hinted at a potential reconsideration of the location, citing ongoing community outreach. A community meeting is reportedly scheduled for March 21.

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The city is committed to continuing to invest in efforts to support people in recovery and save lives, the mayors office said in a statement. There is still a lot of community outreach and consideration that must be done before a final decision is made on this particular proposed facility, and there are alternatives as to how we can collaborate to support our community.

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A shelter dog was the only one not adopted at a Florida event  but the situation was meant to be, an animal shelter said.

Thats because a man who lost another pet felt called to go to the Humane Society of Tampa Bay a couple of days after the event. He visited the overlooked dog,fell in love with her kindness and sweet face and knew she would be perfect for their family, the shelter wrote Feb. 17 in a Facebook post.

Now, the dog  Patricia the 4-year-old terrier  has a new home.

Patricia is a shining example of how even, in the rarest of circumstances even though youre last you can still come in first, the Humane Society wrote. After all, that is where the heart shines best.

Though the shelter didnt share how Patricia ended up in its care, it said she was one of 15 animals available for adoption at its recent Bark in the Park event. The 14 other animals found homes, leaving only Patricia without a new owner.

But the dogs luck took a turn two days later. A couple recently lost their pet and felt the loss when they saw Patricia on the website and wanted to meet her, the animal organization wrote.

Then the husband went to the shelter and couldnt get enough of the dog, leading to her next chapter. Facebook users were fans of the heartwarming adoption story, which garnered more than 600 reactions in about three days.

The Humane Society didnt immediately share additional information with McClatchy News on Feb. 18 or Feb. 20.

Dog was too shy to walk halls at Florida shelter  until she met perfect couple

Puppy was about to be put down after severe injury. But rescue covers $10,000 surgery
GEORGE COUNTY, Miss. (WKRG)  The George County Sheriffs Office is investigating a Sunday afternoon shooting on Mt. Pleasant Road, according to a Facebook post.

17-year-old arrested after allegedly pushing 6-year-old in a fire in South Foley

The shooting occurred around 3:10 p.m. on the 200 block of Mt. Pleasant Road, according to the GCSO.

SHOOTING LOCATION:

This embedded content is not available in your region.

According to the post, witnesses reported a white man exited a vehicle and proceeded to discharge a firearm in the direction of vehicles, homes and people.

No injuries have been reported, the post said.

(Photo courtesy of the George County Sheriffs Office Facebook page)

(Photo courtesy of the George County Sheriffs Office Facebook page)

(Photo courtesy of the George County Sheriffs Office Facebook page)

Investigators are looking for the owner of the vehicle pictured above.

Family, friends, mourn loss of Mobile man killed by alleged DUI driver

Anyone with information regarding the shooting can contact the GCSO Criminal Investigations Division at 601-947-4811 or submit an anonymous tip to the Mississippi Coast Crime Stoppers at 877-787-5898.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5.
Suspected teenage car prowlers who fled in a stolen car fired shots at a homeowner who was following them.

Shortly after midnight on Sunday, a homeowner in the Village Green neighborhood interrupted several teens prowling cars near the 900 block of Louise Wise Avenue, according to Orting Police.

Some fled in a car that had recently been stolen from a home in the same neighborhood, and the homeowner gave chase in their vehicle.

While being followed through the neighborhood, one of the teens fired shots from a handgun at the trailing car.

At some point, the stolen car was ditched in the 900 block of Washington Avenue South and the kids ran away.

Eventually, the teens were found hiding near the main parking lot of Orting Middle School, but the handgun was not found.

Because the teens were unarmed when they were found on school property, Orting Police believe the handgun may have been thrown out somewhere in the area before they were taken into custody.

To ensure that the gun wasnt on school district property, a thorough search was conducted on the grounds of Orting Middle School, Ptarmigan Ridge Elementary and adjacent areas, but the weapon was not found.

While we are confident that school grounds are free of any dangerous items based upon the thorough search performed, students and staff should remain vigilant and are encouraged to report any suspicious objects discovered in an abundance of caution by calling 911 or immediately reporting to a school administrator, the Orting Police Department said in public safety notice.
South Korean Air Force's Black Eagles aerobatic team performs during the first day of the Singapore Airshow in Singapore, Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

SINGAPORE (AP)  The Singapore Airshow  Asias largest  kicked off Tuesday with an array of aerial displays including some by Chinas COMAC C919 narrow-body airliner, with aircraft manufacturers such as COMAC and Boeing announcing new orders.

Its the first time Singapore will open the event to the public since 2020, when a scaled-down version went ahead as the COVID-19 pandemic was just starting.

The biennial show comes as Asias aviation sector is taking off following the hard years of the pandemic, when many countries in the region closed their borders to most international travel.

Subhas Menon, director general of the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines, said that this year's show was back in full swing with over 1,000 exhibitors.

The Singapore Airshow is a good opportunity for exhibitors to show off the direction theyre going, in terms of technology like autonomous vehicles and so forth, Menon said in an interview Tuesday.

He said passenger loads in the region are nearly back to pre-COVID levels, and that Asia Pacific is expected to account for 50% of the growth in air travel demand this year.

But even as the aviation sector bounces back, the industry faces a broader supply chain crunch, with parts and plane shortages and shortages of personnel, from air crews to pilots.

Supply chain issues are definitely affecting the timely delivery of aircraft and spares, and thats one of the reasons why capacity growth is lagging behind traffic growth, Menon said.

We do not know when this will ease as its related to trade tensions and geopolitical problems that are happening around the world, he said.

On Tuesday, Chinas Tibet Airlines finalized an order for 40 C919 passenger jets and 10 ARJ21 regional jets from the Commercial Aircraft Company of China (COMAC). The two companies signed the deal on the sidelines of the airshow.

COMAC's C919 is a narrow-body airliner, similar to the Airbus A320neo and Boeing's 737 Max jets. COMAC designed many of the C919s parts but some of its key components, including its engine, are still sourced from the West.

The orders come as COMAC attempts to position itself as a viable option for single-aisle jets, as companies like Boeing and Airbus grapple with a backlog of orders.

The company has received over 1,000 orders for its C919, according to Chinese media, although the plane is currently only certified in mainland China. Four C919s are currently operational with China Eastern Airlines.

The C919s debut at the show is the first time the jet has made a trip outside Chinese territory, though the aircraft performed a fly-past in Hong Kong in December in its first foray outside of mainland China.

Separately, Boeing and Thai Airways on Tuesday jointly announced that the airline had ordered 45 787 Dreamliners to grow its fleet as it seeks to expand its international network.

The flying display  a highlight of the biennial air show  saw Singapore's air force perform an aerial display with a F-15SG fighter jet and an AH-64D Apache helicopter. COMAC's C919 and Airbus' widebody A350-1000 aircraft also performed fly-pasts.

The Indian air force's Sarang helicopter team showed off an array of aerial acrobatics, while the Indonesian air force's Jupiter and the Australian air force's Roulettes performed acrobatic maneuvers, including crossovers and drawing giant hearts in the sky.

The South Korean air forces Black Eagles, flying in their acrobatic aircraft T-50B, were the finale of Tuesday's aerial display, performing maneuvers including the drawing of the Taegeuk  the yin-yang circle found on the South Korean flag  via the jets' smoke system.

The U.S. Air Forces B-52 Stratofortress is expected to make a fly-past on Thursday.

U.S. aircraft manufacturer Boeing will not be featuring any passenger jets at the show. The firm is under scrutiny after a midflight blowout of a fuselage panel on one of its 737 Max 9 jets last month.

This years airshow is also expected to spotlight sustainable aviation, with Airbus using a blend of sustainable aviation fuel made of feedstock from cooking oil and tallow, together with conventional jet fuel for the A350-1000 aircraft in its aerial display.

Singapore said this week it will impose a new green jet fuel levy on travelers from 2026, as flights departing from Singapore will be required to use sustainable aviation fuel that year.

Hyundais U.S.-based Supernal unit, which specializes in advanced mobility aircraft such as air taxis, is also an exhibitor in this years airshow.

The event, which runs from Feb. 20 to 25, is expected to draw more than 50,000 visitors, with the last two days open to the general public. More than 1,000 companies from over 50 countries are participating.
Reform Party's election campaign faces gloomy outlook

By Nam Hyun-woo

Lee Nak-yon, a former chairman of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and co-chairman of the big tent political group, Reform Party, withdrew his agreement to join the coalition camp on Tuesday, citing a failure by the members of the group to integrate.

In response to Lee Nak-yon's departure, Lee Jun-seok, the other co-chairman and the former chairman of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), expressed regret over the division but pledged to revitalize the party through policy initiatives.

Lee Nak-yon of the Saemirae Party agreed to merge with the Reform Party led by Lee Jun-seok on Feb. 9, hoping to become a viable alternative for voters who have grown weary of the DPK and the PPP. But he and his followers decided to leave just 11 days after a number of breakaway political groups agreed to unite under the Reform Party.

During a press conference, Lee Nak-Yon said he will realign the Saemirae Party and waste no more time preparing for the April 10 general elections. The Saemirae Party and the Reform Party were not legally merged until Tuesday.

Our hasty merger resulted in a shameful outcome, Lee Nak-yon said. The merger was necessary for a political reform  but the agreement between parties was broken as the Reform Partys Supreme Council forcibly voted to allow a particular individual to have full authority over the partys election campaigns.

Lee Nak-yon was referring to Monday's meeting of the Supreme Council, whose members voted to allow the former PPP chairman to have full authority over the partys campaigns for the general elections. The former DPK chairman stormed out of the meeting to protest the vote, while his aides accused Lee Jun-seok of shattering the spirit of unity.

They stigmatized and excluded specific individuals, Lee Nak-yon said. We are left with no choice but to return to the pre-consensus stage. But our original intentions (to become an alternative choice for voters) remain steadfast and have even been reinforced. We will return to our roots.

An hour later, Lee Jun-seok held a press conference and apologized to the public for the Reform Partys failure to unite with the Saemirae Party.

I dont want to blame anyone. Though I have much to say, different claims and consequent interpretations will end up making the people raise their eyebrows, Lee Jun-seok said.

The Reform Party will prove with its quality policies and distinctive messages, while making efforts to provide better options for voters who are sick of the hostility of the rival parties.

Despite the Saemirae Partys departure, the former PPP chairman said the rest of the political groups that joined the Reform Party, such as the New Party led by former lawmaker Keum Tae-seop and Principle and Common Sense led by Reps. Lee Won-wook and Cho Eung-cheon, remain within the party.

As the Saemirae Party bolted from the big tent, doubts are growing as to whether the Reform Party can stay afloat until the general elections, considering that it was created via an abrupt merger of conservatives who followed Lee Jun-seok and several liberal political groups, including some hardliners. The former PPP chairman has been criticized by his supporters who claim that the Reform Party will end up being controlled by the liberals.

Against that backdrop, the two Lees butted heads over Lee Jun-seoks demand for control of the Reform Partys election campaign last weekend, while the Reform Partys support rate remains at a disappointing level.

As the Saemirae Party exits, its lone lawmaker, Rep. Kim Jong-min, also left the Reform Party, with the party having four serving lawmakers. Earlier this month, the Reform Party received a 660 million won ($494,270) subsidy given by the National Election Commission to political parties with more than four and fewer than 20 serving lawmakers. Lee Jun-seok said the party will return the subsidy.
In a role reversal, Xalts, a Singapore fintech startup founded 18 months ago, has acquired Contour Network, a digital trade platform set up by eight major banks including HSBC, Standard Chartered and BNP. Terms of the deal were undisclosed, but the acquisition price was in the high single millions and composed of cash and stock.

Backed by Accel and Citi Ventures, Xalts enables financial institutions to build and manage blockchain-based apps. Contour was started in 2017 by a consortium of eight banks to digitize trade and is currently used by 22 banks and more than 100 global business, including Tata Group, Rio Tinto and SAIC.

Xalts was founded in 2022 by Ashutosh Goel and Supreet Kaur, who previously held senior executive positions at HSBC and Meta, respectively. Kaur tells TechCrunch that they launched Xalts because large financial institutions and businesses often dont have a single process to handle all their financial products, like corporate loans, issuing a letter of credit or bank guarantee. Instead, theyre handled by different teams both inside and outside of their organizations. For example, if a commercial bank issues a loan to a corporation, different teams work on KYC, onboarding, risk, compliance and issuance.

If a financial institution decides to build applications to make the process more efficient, they usually ask their IT teams or external software service providers, but that can cost a lot of money and take months. Xalts goal is to let businesses build their own apps and share them not only within their organization, but also outside.

Xalts founders Supreet Kaur and Ashutosh Goel

Xalts founders Supreet Kaur and Ashutosh Goel. Image Credits: Xalts

The startup plans to turn Contour into a rail connecting banks, corporations and other institutions, and integrate it with Xalts platform. Kaur says this will enable Xalts clients to not only build apps, but also connect with each other in a secure and compliant way. It will focus first on enabling banks and logistics companies to offer embedded trade and supply chain apps on a single platform to their customers.

Global trade is expected to hit $30 trillion by 2030, but traders still have to deal with a lot of friction. Transactions often take a lot of time, as everyone involved -- including importers, exporters, banks, logistics companies and customs -- swaps information in a mostly manual process.

Kaur says Xalts biggest growth area is enabling banks to be more connected with corporate customers and offering B2B finance solutions, including trade finance and lending. An example she gives is a global fast fashion conglomerate with vendors in Vietnam and Bangladesh. Even if the conglomerates bank isnt present in those countries, it can help vendors access financing through a one-click solution on its internal vendor portfolio by using Xalts to build integrated apps.
Shepherd (in 1989): I find the Commons like a monumental church organ, with no instructions how to play it - David Fowler/Alamy

Sir Colin Shepherd, who has died four days after his 86th birthday, was for 25 years a conscientious Conservative MP for Hereford, holding off the Liberals to take the seat in October 1974, but losing it to them when John Majors government was routed in 1997.

Tall, quiet and courteous, Shepherd contrived to be one of the least controversial chairmen of the Commons Catering Committee  an easy post in which to put a foot wrong. He was particularly proud of his work chairing the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association at UK and international level and, having served in the Royal Canadian Navy, he chaired the all-party Canada Group.

A little to the Right of centre, Shepherd came to the Commons with a strong Tory pedigree: his mother, Dame Peggy Shepherd, had been president of the National Union of Conservative and Unionist Associations the previous year.

Shepherd once confided: I find the Commons like a monumental church organ, with no instructions how to play it. But he became an excellent committee man, and  having a constituency on the border  PPS for three years to the Prime Minister Margaret Thatchers Welsh Secretary, Peter Walker.

Though generally loyal, he had his sticking points. He was, for example, a consistent opponent of the ordination of divorced men, and as a rural member he rebelled over attempts to charge for school transport, the 20p-a-gallon petrol duty increase in Sir Geoffrey Howes 1981 Budget and the level of rate support for local councils.

Twice vice-chairman of the Conservative backbench agriculture committee, Shepherd voiced concerns about rural depopulation and the influx of West Midlanders, and in 1991 raised the issue of the increasing number of farmers committing suicide. Supporting Herefordshires most celebrated product, he protested when Denis Healey introduced a cider tax in 1976.

Until the late 1980s, Shepherds constituency office was a 14th-century house close to Hereford Cathedral previously occupied by its organists, where Sir Edward Elgar had lived for a time.

In 1988, when the Dean and Chapter proposed selling off the 13th-century Mappa Mundi to raise funds for the cathedral, Shepherd said his constituents were absolutely devastated. When the furore resulted in the treasure staying put, he voiced joy and relief.

His constituency was also the home of the SAS, and Shepherd on occasion saw the need to explain what the elite special force actually did, and to defend its actions.

He delivered his most detailed and spirited defence in January 1976, in response to a comprehensive attack on the SASs presence and activities in Northern Ireland from the nationalist MP Gerry Fitt.

He was an excellent committee man, notably on the Catering Committee, which had been a minefield for some of his predecessors, as when German crockery had been ordered in preference to Wedgwood - Allstar Picture Library/Alamy

Shepherd explained that the SAS bears no relation to any espionage or intelligence organisation. The main difference between the SAS and other military units is that the SAS are trained in and have special skills for operating against guerrillas and terrorists  just as the tank corps is trained to operate in tanks.

Over the years they have developed a high degree of technique, and it is for this reason that the SAS is rightly feared by terrorists wherever they operate. In Northern Ireland, the SAS had never operated outside the law but would have made an impact through good fieldcraft and total dedication.

Colin Ryley Shepherd was born at Hale, Cheshire, on January 13 1938, the son of Thomas Shepherd and the former Margaret Price.

From Oundle School, he did his National Service with the Royal Navy, then in 1958 went up to Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge. On graduating he moved to Canada, serving for three years with the RCN and completing his studies at McGill University in Montreal.

In 1963 he joined the family firm, Haigh Engineering of Ross-on-Wye, taking charge of marketing and product development; he inherited his shareholding in 1975.

As an MP, he spent one day a week with the firm, saying: It keeps ones feet, if not on the ground, then very close to it. He was active in the company, which specialises in healthcare waste disposal systems, until 2010.

Shepherd was selected as candidate for Hereford in May 1974, in the wake of a general election defeat in which the sitting member, David Gibson-Watt, had had his majority halved by a Liberal to 3,438.

With the Tories in neighbouring Leominster under even greater pressure, Gibson-Watt could see losses on the cards, and decided to retire. After a bruising campaign in that Octobers further election, Shepherd hung on with a majority of 1,312.

He held the seat at the next four elections by majorities of 4,970, 2,277, 1,413 (in 1987) and 3,413. He was helped in fighting off a series of strong Liberal and Lib1 1Dem challenges by an enthusiastic party organisation (in 1983 a Shepherd poster even appeared on a goat tethered by the roadside), his hard work in the constituency and his engaged but calming manner.

In his maiden speech at Westminster, Shepherd complained that Herefordshire farmers had seen their income halved, and were having to sell their livestock to stay in business.

From 1983 he chaired the Commons Library Committee, then in 1991 he took charge of the Catering Committee in place of the exotic Sir Charles Irving. The job had been a political minefield for several of his predecessors  notably when the committee ordered German crockery in preference to Wedgwood, and when Robert Maxwell sold off the wine cellar in the 1960s  but Shepherd proved a safe pair of hands.

Irving had also been preoccupied with the Houses cellar, but Shepherds priority in catering for members and staff was more prosaic: ending long cafeteria queues. I want to make self-service eating a matter of joy rather than sadness, he declared.

Shepherd floated converting St Stephens Tavern, next to Westminster Underground station, into a refreshment facility for the new parliamentary building that became Portcullis House. Another proposal that came to nothing was one from his fellow Conservative Jacqui Lait for a Commons wine bar.

In December 1992, Shepherd reported that updating the Commons restaurants, bars and kitchens to meet new EEC regulations on safety and hygiene had cost 3.5 million. A year later, he proposed a 19 million refit for those same kitchens, saying: They would be shut down if they were outside.

In 1994, when Edwina Currie announced a charity draw with a prize of tea and scones at the Commons to promote one of the bodice-ripper novels she had begun writing, Shepherd asked the authorities to check for a violation of the rules.

Knighted on Majors recommendation in 1996, Shepherds luck ran out at the following years election as Tony Blair swept to power. The Lib Dems also made gains across the board, and Paul Keetch captured Hereford for them by a majority of 6,648 votes  larger than Shepherd had ever secured.

Out of the Commons, he was director of parliamentary studies for the Centre for Political and Diplomatic Studies from 1999 to 2010. He was also at various times a council member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, a governor of the Commonwealth Institute and a trustee of the Friends of the Commonwealth Foundation.

Outside politics, Colin Shepherd was a church warden at St Swithins in the village of Ganarew and a keen croquet player, but he never lost his close interest in current affairs, on which he would pass comment with a characteristic wry smile.

It was a blessing for Shepherd to be able to celebrate his final birthday at home and thank local friends for all they had done over the years.

He married, in 1966, Louise Cleveland, who survives him with their three sons.

Sir Colin Shepherd, born January 13 1938, died January 17 2024

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Sir Keir Starmer tabled an amendment after facing pressure to support an SNP motion - Dan Kitwood/PA

Sir Keir Starmer set out his fifth new position on Gaza on Tuesday as he backed an immediate ceasefire to avoid another damaging rebellion.

The Labour leader caved to pressure from Left-wing MPs and the Scottish National Party by supporting calls for Israel to agree to an instant truce.

Stephen Flynn, the SNP leader in Westminster, claimed victory and crowed that the nationalists had inserted a backbone into the Labour Party.

Sir Keir tabled an amendment backing an immediate humanitarian ceasefire after coming under pressure to support an SNP motion which will be up for a vote on Wednesday.

He did so to avoid a rebellion from his own party after 56 of his MPs defied his orders to vote for a truce in November, including 10 frontbenchers who resigned.

Labours amendment matches the SNP call for an immediate ceasefire, but adds caveats including that Hamas must lay down its weapons and give up Israeli hostages.

Tabling it was enough to ease the threat of another major revolt by Labour backbenchers, with former rebels saying they would now support the leadership.

Palestinians carry bags of flour they grabbed from an aid truck near an Israeli checkpoint - Kosay Al Nemer /Reuters

But it still fell short of the demands of some Left-wing activists who said caveats added to the SNP proposal showed the amendment was weasel words.

The Government has tabled its own amendment that went less far than Labours by only supporting moves towards a permanent ceasefire.

The move by Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, means Labours amendment may not be selected for a vote at all.

That would create a huge headache for Sir Keir who would then have to decide whether to whip his MPs to abstain on the SNP motion, risking another huge rebellion, or back down and allow them to vote for it without sanction.

It is the first time Sir Keir has called for an immediate ceasefire, and the fourth time that he has changed his position on Gaza in the space of four months.

Following the Oct 7 terror attack he resisted calls for a truce. Since then he has backed humanitarian pauses, a sustainable ceasefire and now an immediate one.

David Lammy, the shadow foreign secretary, explained the latest shift by arguing the impending Israeli attack on Rafah meant the situation has evolved.

He added that the wording of Labours amendment mirrored the position of key international allies including Australia, New Zealand and Canada.

Palestinians search for survivors after a house was destroyed in an air strike on Al Nusairat refugee camp - MOHAMMED SABER/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Mr Flynn said: Through Parliamentary pressure we have inserted a backbone into the Labour Party. Their support for an immediate ceasefire is welcome.

Former rebels welcomed Sir Keirs change of direction and said they expected Left-wing colleagues to rally behind his amendment on Wednesday.

Clive Betts, who voted for a ceasefire in November, said it was a really firm, strong statement, which I think the party will unite behind.

Another rebel told The Telegraph they were set to back the motion, saying the leadership had chosen party unity over their past mistaken positions.

Labour is set to whip its MPs to abstain on the SNP motion, meaning Sir Keir still faces the risk of a revolt if his own amendment fails to pass the Commons.

The SNP has signalled it will support him, but the Tories would not reveal their plans and could choose to block the amendment by voting against it.

In such a scenario Labour MPs would vote on the original SNP motion, with some predicting as big a rebellion as in November if that came to pass.

Left-wing activists are urging Labour MPs to defy Sir Keir, arguing he has muddied the waters by attaching conditions to his backing for a ceasefire.

His amendment stipulates that any truce is conditional on Hamas agreeing to lay down its weapons and return the hostages it took on Oct 7.

It also deletes a reference in the original SNP motion to the collective punishment of the Palestinian people and asserts Israels right to self-defence.

Andrew Fisher, who was director of policy under former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, said the wording was diluting the SNPs call for an immediate ceasefire.

Israeli soldiers drive a tank near to the Gaza Strip border - Tsafrir Abayov/AP

Diane Abbott, a former shadow home secretary, added: If Starmer really wanted a ceasefire he would table a simple amendment saying that.

Instead he tables one full of weasel words. It gets Labour MPs under pressure off the hook, but means he can say afterwards his position has not changed.

Momentum, the Left-wing campaign group, said it would continue to lobby Labour MPs to vote in favour of the original SNP proposal.

In a statement it said: By making its call for a ceasefire so conditional and caveated, the Labour Leadership is giving cover for Israels brutal war to continue.

Labour should be providing the moral leadership the Tories lack, not muddying the waters. Simply put, Keir Starmer should get off the fence.

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To mark the second anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, NV gathered films about Ukraine and Ukrainians filmed during these tough times.

20 Days in Mariupol

The documentary by Associated Press video journalist Mstyslav Chernov has already won awards at several international festivals. It won the first BAFTA Award for Best Documentary in the history of Ukrainian cinema, as well as the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival, where it premiered. Chernov himself received an American Directors Guild Award for his film.

The film is a compilation of footage by Chernov and his colleagues, Vasilisa Stepanenko and photographer Yevhen Malolietka. The journalists filmed the Russian destruction of besieged Mariupol and were able to capture how the citys residents survived the first 20 days of the 86 days siege. They were the last media personnel to leave Mariupol through the humanitarian corridor on the 21st day of the invasion.

"It's painful to watch, but it's supposed to be painful to watch," says the film's director in the trailer.

Read also: A journalistic chronicle of unfathomable tragedy  NVs review of 20 days in Mariupol

Amateurs

The documentary will feature interviews with hundreds of civilians who joined the local defense forces after Feb. 24, 2022. The volunteers themselves tell why they decided to join the army and what they felt during their first clashes with the enemy, having no combat experience.

The creators of the project say that the final version of the film includes only a small part of what they filmed. The full array of footage is planned to be transferred to the Institute of National Memory to preserve the memories of Ukrainians for historians and filmmakers.

In Her Car

The series tells the story of Lidiya, a psychologist who decides to evacuate and transport civilians on her own in the first days of the full-scale invasion. Each of the 10 episodes is a separate story of a person that unfolds in front of the protagonist. Lydia not only gets passengers to their destinations, but also helps them to find a way to understand themselves and their families and make important life decisions. Traveling also allows the heroine to realize the importance of things and to change the course of her life.

The series was created by Starlight Media in cooperation with the famous French film company Gaumont and 7 European broadcasting partners from France, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Denmark, Finland, and Switzerland.

It will premiere in February.

A Butterfly's Vision

The public first saw Maksym Nakonechnyi's war drama at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2022. The same year, the film won an award at the Odesa International Film Festival as the best Ukrainian full-length film.

The events of the film took place before the start of Russia's large-scale aggression, in 2017. The protagonist is an aerial reconnaissance officer named Lily with the call sign Butterfly, who is taken prisoner by Russia. After her release and return home, she finds out that she is pregnant. The girl faces a difficult choice. Lily faces the judgment of people and tries to restart her life while finding common ground with her loved ones

Call Sign Banderas

The military detective film Call Sign Banderas by Zaza Buadze tells the story of the beginning of the anti-terrorist operation. The film starts in Donbas in 2014. A group of scouts led by Captain Anton Sayenko is trying to prevent an enemy sabotage. The task is complicated by the fact that the protagonist is forced to perform sabotage operations in the places where he comes from.

The film was awarded the Golden Dzyga Award for Best Editing and the Audience Award.

The First Days

A 6-episode Ukrainian production about the events of the first two months of the full-scale Russian invasion. The series has already premiered on Netflix in 19 countries.

Each episode is a separate story based on real events. One tells the story of a woman forced to live with her children and two husbands, one current and one former. The second is about how a zoo worker met the war, the third is about a homeless man who helps a local TV and radio station, and yet another is about a German who came to Ukraine to find his girlfriend and stayed to volunteer.

The Hardest Hour

Alan Badoev and 1+1 present a documentary created from footage shot by more than 12 thousands Ukrainians. The film shows people's encounters with Russian crimes through the eyes of witnesses and participants in the events.

"Our long era has lasted for two years. And again, just like in the first days of the Russian attack, we wake up to explosions, says director Alan Badoev about his film.

Kharkiv, Kyiv residents, and other citizens are losing their homes, and many are waiting for their loved ones to return from the frontlines. Ukrainians have lost track of the days and seasons - winter, spring, summer - for many it is still February. But as we know, the darkest time is before dawn. And I feel that our long era will definitely end. However, we must never forget the events of this era, never let our history be erased. This is what the project is about."

Read also: Top 5 Ukrainian cant-miss movies of 2023

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
YORK COUNTY, S.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  A SLED investigation is underway following an inmate death in York County, according to the York County Sheriffs Office.

Staff discovered an unnamed 40-year-old man who was incarcerated at the York County Detention Center suffering medical distress around 6:30 p.m., according to the sheriffs report. The inmate was tended to and was transported by EMS to an area medical center where he was later pronounced dead around 9 p.m.

The inmate had been at the detention center since December of 2023 on crime charges out of Virginia.

SLED is involved in the investigation.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
The SNP has used a taxpayer-funded mini embassy in Brussels to distribute a new prospectus to EU member states setting out why an independent Scotland should be admitted to the bloc.

The Telegraph can disclose that the Scottish Governments most senior diplomatic civil servant recently wrote to EU countries and institutions highlighting the blueprint.

Martin Johnson, the SNP administrations EU director in its Scotland House office in Brussels, said the document set out our offer to the EU as a prospective member state.

In a concerted charm offensive, he argued that a separate Scotland should be given entry as it would be well placed to contribute to the shared EU agenda of social justice and the pursuit of a fairer and greener society.

The civil servant also said that an independent Scotland should be granted membership because of its strengths in renewable energy, research, development and innovation, our world class colleges and universities, and our vibrant culture.

But the Scottish Tories argued that Humza Yousafs government should not be using public money to promote the break-up of the United Kingdom on the world stage. Foreign affairs and the constitution are reserved to Westminster.

Martin Johnson listed Scotlands qualities in a blueprint including strengths in renewable energy - Scottish Government

Simon Case, the Cabinet Secretary, said in 2023 it would be unusual and a bit worrying if United Kingdom civil servants funded by the taxpayer were being used to try to break up the country.

In December, Lord Cameron threatened to shut down all the Scottish Governments mini-embassies abroad after Mr Yousaf held face-to-face talks about the Gaza crisis with Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the president of Turkey.

The Foreign Secretary said it was crucial that we speak with one voice to the international community and threatened to withdraw Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) support for SNP ministers trips abroad.

Scottish Government international offices are situated in Brussels and British embassies in key locations including Paris, Berlin and Washington DC. SNP ministers have insisted their focus is on boosting trade and Scotlands reputation abroad.

But Craig Hoy, the Scottish Conservative chairman, said: This is another clear-cut example of the SNP Government squandering taxpayers money selling their independence obsession abroad.

The function of the Scottish Governments overseas embassies ought to be to promote Scottish industries and exports; its completely wrong for them to be used to promote SNP propaganda papers.

The Scottish Government published the report on Nov 17 in 2023, the seventh in a series of documents intended to form a new prospectus for independence.

It listed what Scotland could offer the EU as a member state, including contributing to the core values of the EU and using our strategic position on the northern edge of Europe to contribute to the blocs security.

The blueprint also pledged that an independent Scotland would work with EU partners on migration and asylum policy and welcome artists from the Continent with the return of free movement.

On the day of publication, Mr Johnson sent an email to officials from member states, third countries, regions and EU institutions that contained a link to the report.

The email, obtained by The Telegraph using Freedom of Information, said the report sets out the Scottish Governments vision for an independent Scotland in the EU, outlining the economic, societal and cultural benefits for the people of Scotland, as well as our offer to the EU as a prospective future member state.

Mr Johnson said a summary of the paper was available in all official EU languages and provided a link.

He also included a separate link to the other independence papers in the series, including one that pledged an independent Scotland would immediately revert to burgundy passports even while outside the EU.

I look forward to continuing a positive and constructive engagement with all of our European and other partners and friends, Mr Johnson concluded.

A UK Government spokesman said: The Scottish Government should be focused on the issues that it is responsible for and which people in Scotland care about. This is not the time to be talking about distracting constitutional change.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: This paper sets out the Scottish Governments vision for an independent Scotland in the EU, outlining the economic, societal and cultural benefits for the people of Scotland, as well as our offer to the EU as a prospective future member state, and this notification was sent as part of Scotland House Brussels regular engagement with EU partners.

The FCDO were approached for comment.

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The chief inspector of borders and immigration has revealed that a quarter of all foreign care workers could be working illegally in other industries. Its another timely reminder that Britains immigration system is utterly broken.

The care worker visa was presented as essential support for the care industry, allowing homes to look after our growing elderly population. Instead, it seems to have acted more as a Trojan horse, allowing low skilled workers from poor countries to move to Britain with their families in the hope of making their stay permanent.

The decision was made to place care work on the shortage occupations list, allowing migrants to move to Britain for a salary as low as 20,960, to bring dependants with them, and to apply for permanent settlement after five years. In the 18 months after this route was opened, a whopping 123,000 visas were granted  and another 145,000 family members accompanied those workers.

Unsurprisingly such a big increase led to widespread abuse, including 275 visas being issued for a care home which didnt actually exist. With only one Home Office compliance officer available for every 1,600 employers licensed to sponsor visas, mistakes were inevitable.

Some workers found themselves left high and dry by sponsors, leaving them suicidal. Others were used as slave labour, with the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority opening 17 investigations into the care sector last year. The BBC cited the case of one African woman who came with her three children and elderly mother, only to find herself working for as little as 2 an hour.

Other times it was the residents of the care homes who suffered at the hands of low quality staff. One recent case involved the death of an elderly woman, where the staff on duty couldnt speak English well enough to tell emergency services about the severity of a stair lift accident.

The Migration Advisory Committee report for 2023 was scathing. The body noted that it had only called for care workers to be on the shortage occupation list in the short-term, and pointed out that the high number of dependants coming in meant care workers were more likely to impose a net fiscal cost on the Treasury.

While the government has announced plans to deal with some of these issues, by removing the ability of care workers to bring dependants and ensuring sponsors are better regulated, the Migration Advisory Committee concluded that the only long-term solution is to increase the pay of British care workers, who still make up 77% of the workforce.

A long-term workforce plan for the care sector, like the recent one for the NHS, might well end up being cheaper than bringing in large numbers of foreign workers, who impose their own costs on our crumbling infrastructure and, if they settle here, on our welfare state. Too often it appears to be a cheap way to do so, with more than half of all international students who switched visas doing so to enter the care sector, presumably knowing that five years of low-paid work is worth it if they can get settled here.

Despite having repeatedly promised to reduce immigration, the Conservatives have hugely increased it. Voters, betrayed, are fleeing in droves. It would be good sense for the party to start winning them back by ending the social care visa.

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I thoroughly enjoyed my time as a secondary school teacher before taking a career break when my children were small. But a decade on, I dont envy my former colleagues, many of whom face a constant battle in the classroom where they must compete with smartphones and social media for the attention of their students. Almost all secondary school pupils now own smartphones, yet it is increasingly clear that these devices are having a detrimental impact on the learning, relationships and overall health of our children.

So I warmly welcome the Education Secretarys announcement that mobile phones should be banished from schools and the accompanying guidance as to how this might be achieved.

This guidance is not statutory but it will provide support for school leaders, many of whom already have policies in place to restrict phones. Some commentators claim that headteachers have all the tools they need, but we cannot underestimate how difficult it is to keep phones out of all classrooms. Children  often supported by their parents  are loath to part with phones that are not only seriously expensive but also highly addictive. I have heard of primary school children hiding their phones in their coats to avoid handing them in at the start of the school day, sneaking out to check for notifications at frequent intervals. In large secondary schools enforcing this policy will be a tall order. Headteachers need all the support they can get.

But while a six-hour break from this destructive dopamine dependence is a good start, it is not enough. Even if smartphones are never seen again in the classroom, the impact of social media use outside of school will still spill over into the playground. In a radio interview on Monday morning, West Midlands headteacher Peter Lee predicted that most of the issues my pastoral teams will deal with this morning will stem from issues on social media outside of school.

Its increasingly impossible to deny that smartphones are doing irreversible damage to children and childhood. Since 2010, when smartphone and social media usage began to surge, incidences of anxiety, bullying, self-harm and suicide have risen. Political indoctrination  some might say brainwashing  is rife, with British children spending hours a day on TikTok, a platform whose sister app is highly restricted in China.

Perhaps most worrying of all, with the internet in their pockets children have unlimited access to violent pornography, and half of child sexual abuse is now committed by other children. A teacher recently told me how she caught some 11 year old boys watching hardcore pornography on their phones at the back of the classroom, having downloaded a VPN to escape the schools internet filters.

The movement to prevent children from accessing smartphones and social media is gathering pace. Florida recently passed a law to ban under 16s from social media. Brianna Gheys courageous mother has called for similar legislation here in the UK. A grassroots campaign Parents United for a Smartphone-Free Childhood went viral within days of its launch. Following my question to the Prime Minister on this issue, Ive been inundated with support from parents across the country.

But there are many who object. Some say social media can have benefits for children, but I would challenge them to produce evidence for this claim (children reporting that they like it is not evidence). Some say the answer is to provide more mental health support. But this is just an (again unevidenced) attempt to close the stable door once the horse has bolted. Others complain that banning social media is a nanny state idea, yet in other areas of life we acknowledge that children are different from adults and should be protected by law. The argument is not whether there should be age limits on certain freedoms  this is a settled matter  but whether smartphones and social media meet the threshold of harm to require such an age limit. It is becoming increasingly impossible to deny that they do.

So I welcome this guidance. But smartphones and social media are not safe for children in school or at home and we act boldly to end this child protection scandal.

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Nate Carman greets an attendee at the reception honoring his hire as the next Socorro ISD superintendent in 2022.

Nate Carman, the Socorro Independent School District superintendent for the past two years, was named Friday as the lone superintendent finalist for a school district in Arizona, according to an SISD press release issued late Friday.

The lone finalist designation means that Carman is the only candidate the Higley Unified School District in Gilbert, Ariz., is pursuing as its superintendent. He is expected to finish the school year at SISD, reporting to the Phoenix-area school district in July.

I am grateful for the opportunities and success that I have enjoyed while serving the Socorro ISD community. While I am eager to join Higley USD, it is bittersweet because Team SISD has been an incredible district to work and live in, Carman said in the press release.

This is the second time in three months that Carman was considered for a superintendent job in Arizona. In November he was one of three finalists for the Peoria Unified School District.

Carman, who was the leader of the San Benito school district in South Texas, was named as the SISD superintendent in February 2022. He signed a three-year, $335,000 annual contract to oversee El Pasos second-largest school district. SISD has approximately 48,000 students and 49 campuses. The SISD school board is set to meet next week.

Highley school district serves Gilbert and Queen Creek, Arizona, both adjacent to Phoenix. The district has 13 schools and 13,000 students.

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Socorro ISD superintendent leaving at end of school year
President Yoon Suk Yeol appointed former senior prosecutor Park Sung-jae as the new justice minister Tuesday, his office said.

Park's appointment came after the National Assembly adopted a report on his confirmation hearing, filling a vacancy left by the resignation of then Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon in December 2023.

Prior to his appointment, the new minister worked as a lawyer and before that as a prosecutor, including as chief of the Seoul High Prosecutors Office. (Yonhap)
A suspect wanted for strangling and bludgeoning a woman in lower Manhattan was nabbed in Arizona after stabbing two women there  darkly telling cops to Google the SoHo 54 hotel to find out what else he had done  police said Tuesday.

Raad Almansoori was identified as a suspect in the Feb. 8 murder of Denisse Oleas-Arancibia  a woman believed to be a sex worker who was found strangled and struck in the head with an iron inside the hotel on Watts St. near Sixth Ave.  just before he was apprehended in Arizona, cops said.

Cops recovered phone calls and text messages between Almansoori and Oleas-Arabcibia, a Queens mom, according to an NYPD official.

It seems like this guy is one of those people who goes into rages over whatever when it comes to women, the official said. He seems to be out of his mind. We cant call him a serial killer  but we can definitely say hes a serial offender.

Almansoori, 26, allegedly killed Oleas-Arancibia, 38, during a dispute over the amount of time he was allowed to stay in the room, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said at a Tuesday press conference.

While facing charges for two separate stabbings of women in Arizona, he told police he is wanted for a homicide in New York City and tells the cops they should Google SoHo 54 hotel, Kenny said.

A receipt for a purchase at Burger King found in the pocket of a pair of bloody pants in the hotel room helped detectives identify Almansoori, a police source said.

One of the attacks hes accused of committing in Arizona happened in a McDonalds, according to cops.

Police say Almansoori has committed crimes in Arizona, Florida and Texas. The murder of Oleas-Arancibia would mark his first arrest in New York, Kenny said.

The NYPD is working with the FBI to identify any other victims Almansoori may have brutalized and are asking the public for information.

Who knows how many states this guy has been to? the NYPD official said. Who knows how many cases can be out there?

Last April, Almansoori was arrested for kidnapping and sexually assaulting a woman in Orange County, Fla., Kenny said. The two had been drinking and when the woman tried to leave, he refused to let her go and attacked her.

Records in that county show Almansoori was charged with grand theft of a motor vehicle, aggravated assault, sexual battery, grand theft and tampering with a witness, victim or informant on April 11. A spokesman with the state attorneys office handling the ongoing case declined to comment.

In September, he paid his own bail to get out of jail and stayed in Florida for several months before flying to New York on Jan. 26.

He stayed in the city, using his own credit card, for several days before visiting an upper Manhattan sex worker on Feb. 6, police said.

Then, between Feb. 7 and 8, he met Oleas-Arancibia in her hotel room at the SoHo 54 and killed her, cops allege.

On Feb. 12, he flew out of Newark Airport to Arizona, where he carjacked and stabbed a woman in Phoenix on Friday, nine days after allegedly killing Oleas-Arancibia, authorities said.

The next day, he showed up at a McDonalds in Surprise, Ariz., where he followed a woman employee into a bathroom, held her against her will and and stabbed her several times, Kenny said.

While investigating the stabbing, cops learned a car had just been stolen a few blocks away by someone matching the stabbers description.

On Sunday, cops in Scottsdale, Ariz., spotted the car and stopped the driver after an alert went out. During interviews with detectives, he admitted to the Phoenix stabbing and boasted about how he has harmed other women and was wanted for murder in New York, officials say.

Maricopa County prosecutors charged him with attempted murder, aggravated assault and theft for the Surprise stabbing, as well as robbery, assault, theft and criminal damage in the Phoenix attack.

He remains in a Maricopa County jail as an assistant district attorney from Manhattan DA Alvin Braggs office begins the extradition request to bring Almansoori back to New York  a process that will take time, Kenny noted.

It could be days, it could be weeks, it could be months, he said.

A Facebook page in Almansooris name is filled with wild ravings about current events and bad women and rich men who take advantage of them, although it isnt exactly clear who he is addressing or referring to in his eccentric posts.

The most recent post, from Feb. 6, not long before police believe Oleas-Arancibia was killed, reads, Would it hurt jumping off the Brooklyn Bridge?

Between calls to ban Muslim religion and how Ukraine and Russia need to fight the war, Almansoori decries men of influence who turn good worthy woman into bad women.

You are a scum, another post reads. You inspired man to repeat your wrong doings and because of it there are a lot of bad women.

Kenny said he was not aware of the Facebook posts.

Cops believe Almansoori killed Oleas-Arancibia in Room 1109, then walked out of the hotel wearing her leggings because his owns pants were soaked with incriminating blood from the attack.

Detectives recovered surveillance video of the suspect walking out of the hotel in the light-colored garment along with video of Oleas-Arancibia walking into the hotel earlier wearing the same leggings.

There was blood all over the pants, Kenny said about the clothing found in Oleas-Arancibias room last week. There were also bits of plastic embedded in her head from the iron, he added.

Oleas-Arancibia was found dead in the hotel room after concerned friends and relatives made repeated requests that hotel staff check on her. She had seemed nervous in the days leading up to her death, her son told the Daily News.

There were several wellness-check requests to the front desk during the evening [before she was found], Kenny said. At one point, a hotel employee did go up [and] knock on the door.

The door had a Do Not Disturb sign hanging from the knob, but the hotel staffer stepped inside, anyway, the chief said.

He saw the victim laying on the floor [covered by] a blanket, Kenny said. [He] didnt think anything of it and went back downstairs thinking the woman was laying asleep on the floor.

Staffers went back into the room the next morning and found her dead after her son made a missing person report in Queens, Kenny said.

An autopsy later revealed Oleas-Arancibia died of strangulation and blunt-force trauma. A bloody hotel room iron was found near her body.

Almansoori has numerous arrests in Arizona and Florida dating back to November 2016, according to records.

The charges range from a marijuana violation to sexual battery. In July 2018 in Maricopa County, Ariz., he was charged with aggravated assault of a police officer, resisting arrest and aggravated assault. He pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and the other charges were dismissed.

Anyone with information about other crimes Almansoori may have committed is urged to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential.

With Colin Mixson and Sheetal Banchariya
Experts say TikTok posts claiming that a solar storm will shroud the Earth in 17 days of darkness are misleading, pointing out that solar storms have never had this effect on the planet. While powerful solar storms can disrupt electricity grids, the experts say this disruption would only be temporary and unlikely to be widespread.

"Solar storm, Earth will be dark for 17 days, studies say," reads part of the overlaid Malay-language text on a TikTok video viewed more than 8.5 million times since being shared on November 29, 2023.

Solar storms are caused by violent eruptions on the Sun's surface that shoot out electromagnetic rays. These can cause powerful geomagnetic storms that affect the Earth's magnetic field, disrupting telecommunications and electricity grids (archived link).

The 14-second video shows a stormy sky and additional overlaid text urges viewers to prepare physically and mentally. It specifically advises having a hand-crank flashlight, candles and matches.

Screenshot of the misleading post, captured on February 6, 2024

The video has been viewed more than 36,000 times after it was also shared alongside a similar claim on TikTok here, here and here.

While a once-in-a-century solar storm could cause surges in electricity power grids that lead to long blackouts, experts told AFP it was highly unlikely for a storm to blanket the Earth in darkness for 17 days (archived link).

Unrelated footage

A reverse image search on Yandex led to a similar clip of a lightning storm posted on Instagram here on November 21, 2020, by an account that has posted several videos of similar storms (archived link).

It is captioned, "Tag a storm chaser. Giant Strobe Tower of the Adria. The best storm I have seen all year in all its glory."

Below is a screenshot comparison of the footage used in the false post (left) and the video shared on Instagram in 2020 (right):

Screenshot comparison of the footage used in the false post (left) and the video shared on Instagram in 2020 (right)

The footage was also uploaded in high definition on the user's YouTube channel here on September 5, 2020 (archived link).

According to the video's description, the clip shows a "massive supercell storm... above the Adriatic Waters around Trieste, Italy."

'Not possible'

Dr Roslan Umar, director of Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin's East Coastal Environment Research Institute in Malaysia, told AFP the event described in the posts was not scientifically possible (archived link).

"It is not possible for the Earth to experience darkness for 17 days, as is mentioned in the viral claims," he said.

The misleading claim circulated after the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicted the Sun would reach its "solar maximum" -- the peak of its current activity cycle -- between January and October 2024 (archived link).

"During this time, there will be a spike in solar and space weather activity that could impact Earth (e.g. interruptions in GPS and communication signals) as well as satellites and even astronauts in space; however, there is no evidence that shows it would cause long-term catastrophic effects on Earth," a representative from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center told AFP on February 17, 2024 (archived link).

Dr Nurul Shazana Abdul Hamid, from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysias Department of Applied Physics, said although the Sun was experiencing the peak of its current cycle, when solar storm activity is more pronounced, there was no precedent for the event predicted in the posts (archived link).

"There has never been an instance of prolonged darkness", she said.

Sangeetha Abdu Jyothi, an assistant professor at the University of California, Irvine, told AFP that countries in higher latitudes were more vulnerable to outages than those closer to the equator like Malaysia (archived link).

"The worst-case solar storms can potentially affect power grids, satellite communication, and submarine cables," she said.

Nurul Shazana also said that while solar storms are a natural part of the solar cycle, they can disrupt technology and infrastructure.

But "significant and widespread damage is rare", she said.
Ruben Mora Jr., left, and Juan Raul Mora, talked briefly with the media Monday afternoon, asking for boaters to keep a look out for their missing father, Ruben Mora Sr., and three friends, who never returned from a Saturday fishing trip in the Gulf of Mexico.

VENICE  The U.S. Coast Guard officially suspended the search for four missing boaters at 8 p.m. Monday night, pending new information.

The families of the four men, who went missing after leaving Venice on a fishing trip Saturday morning have been notified.

Boaters on the water are asked to stay vigilant and report any information that may be relevant to this case to Venice Police at 941-486-2444 or use radio Channel 16 VHF.

Monday afternoon, two sons of one of the missing men asked that boaters please keep an eye out and report anything that matches the description of his father and the missing boat  a 23-foot white SportCraft.

Thats just all we ask, said Ruben Mora Jr., who spoke to assembled media along with his brother Juan Raul Mora. about their missing father, Ruben Mora Sr. 54, of Port Charlotte.

Ruben Mora Sr. was on a friends boat along with North Port residents Angel Hernandez Munoz, 38; Julio Cesar Cordero Briones, 37; and Alfonso Vargas Parra, 35. Mora had asked his sons to go with him. They had to work but made plans to meet up Saturday evening.

When he didnt contact them that night, the two brothers figured he was tired after a day on the water and was sleeping.

Multiple law enforcement agencies are searching the Gulf of Mexico for four men who did not return from a boating trip Saturday in this 23-foot SportCraft boat.

They learned he was missing Sunday morning, which was the same time the foursome was reported missing to the Sarasota County Sheriffs Office and Venice Police.

Juan Raul Mora noted that their father has high blood pressure and diabetes and is taking several medications and would likely need medical attention when they are found.

They described their father as an avid fishermen who enjoyed being on the water all the time and a courteous angler, who  if someone else had a fish on the line  would reel in his line and enjoy the show, and in turn, help out on a search if others were reported missing.

I cant imagine what hes going through, what his friends are going through, Ruben Mora Jr. said. I just want him back here.

Rough seas hamper search

During a Monday afternoon press conference, Venice Police. Capt. Andy Leisenring and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Capt. Steven Stasko said that while the weather might have been favorable when the men left Venice, it had deteriorated later that day and Sunday and rough surf was hindering the search Monday.

Venice Police Capt. Andy Leisenring said that while the Gulf of Mexico did not appear rough Saturday, afternoon fog and wind and rain Sunday created a tough search situation, though authorities are doing everything we can to find the four men that are currently lost,

From what I understand Saturday, the seas were not too rough although we did have some heavy fog come in that afternoon so that can always be a factor, then going into overnight and into Sunday, the winds picked up, the seas picked up, Leisenring said.

Stasko noted that even on Monday, Were in the five- to six-foot sea condition range and those waves add to a disturbance on the waterline, which makes it difficult to see anything  thats where our air assets are very helpful.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Capt. Steven Stasko said waves in the Gulf of Mexico were still in the five-to-six foot range Monday, which was hampering line-of-sight search for boats, which made the aerial search that much more crucial.

Boaters on the water Monday were asked to stay vigilant and report any information that may be relevant to Venice Police Detective Courtney Zak at 941-486-2444 or czak@venicefl.gov, or use radio Channel 16 VHF.

Though there was no float plan filed, family members have told authorities where the four typically prefer to fish.

Local authorities have been searching as far as 10 miles offshore, with several Coast Guard vessels, as well as search planes and helicopters searching from 10 miles and beyond.

As of late Monday morning, the agencies had searched more than 4,600 square miles of surface in the Gulf, and are going out up to 80 nautical miles offshore.

Were doing everything we can to find the four men that are currently lost, Leisenring said.

Agencies involved in the search at this point include Venice Police, the U.S. Coast Guard, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Manatee County Sheriff's Office, Sarasota County Sheriff's Office, Sarasota Police Department, Venice Fire Rescue, Charlotte County Sheriff's Office, Lee County Sheriff's Office and Sea Tow Venice. In addition to vessels, the Coast Guard and Sarasota County Sheriffs office have conducted aerial searches.

Search area from Longboat Key to Captiva

The search area has stretched as far north as Longboat Pass in Manatee County and as far south as Captiva in Collier County.

The truck and boat trailer left at Marina Park had been retrieved Monday.

Venice Police did not release which of the four men own the boat, because it is part of the ongoing investigation.

It is also not known what safety equipment the four may have on board with them, though all four were described as experienced fishermen.

Both Mora brothers expressed thanks for the current search efforts, while asking that boaters continue to be vigilant until the four men are found.

We know a lot of people are out there trying to help, Juan Raul Mora said. The more the better.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: U.S. Coast Guard suspends search for four fishermen missing in Gulf
By Ahn Ho-young

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un started the new year with strikingly strident threats against the South. According to him, South Koreans are no longer brethren, but arch enemies at war with North Korea. North Korea says it must stop the mistake of treating southern scum as partners for reconciliation and unification. Kim then ordered his military forces to prepare for a grand war to subdue the whole territory of South Korea with all available capabilities, including nuclear force, if any situation arises.

North Korea threatened to turn South Korea into a sea of fire 30 years ago in 1994. The threat has been repeated from time to time, on such occasions as the joint military exercises between the Republic of Korea (ROK) and the United States. The governments and citizens in both countries became used to the repeated threats. This time, Kims threat is causing unusually deep concerns in both Seoul and Washington that it might be more than empty words. There arise various speculations as to what his intentions may be. This is the time when we must prepare ourselves against whatever intentions the North Korean leader may hold.

First and foremost, we must understand the nature of the threat arising from North Korea. North Korea is a country with miserable human resource development in terms of economy, education, public health and social welfare. Still, it managed to develop highly advanced nuclear capabilities and missile technology. At the same time, its conventional military capabilities are far behind that of the ROK. In a word, its a country ridden with deep anomalies where people suffer in miserable conditions.

As for the conventional military capability, the Global Firepower Report, the most authoritative surveyor in the field, recently rated the ROK as the fifth-strongest in the world. The report degraded North Korea from 34th last year to 36th this year. With all these factors considered, most analysts assess the possibility of North Koreas waging an all out war as extremely low. For them, a more likely scenario of North Koreas military action will be a localized conflict, employing irregular means. They also warn that the ROK must make sure that these limited conflicts do not escalate to a bigger war, which will raise the risk of North Korea resorting to the use of nuclear weapons.

Thats why it is important to deter and defeat at an early stage North Koreas military actions. We will have to think more deeply about the possible scenarios of North Koreas military adventures. We will have to prepare and train our troops, especially those deployed along the Northern Limit Line (NLL) in the West Sea and along the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).

Second, Seoul and Washington will have to exert all possible efforts to implement the Washington Declaration of April 2023, which created the Nuclear Consultation Group (NCG) between the two countries. The objective set for the NCG is to raise Koreas voice in the U.S. extended deterrence. The objective must be sufficiently met and reassure Korean citizens about U.S. commitment to extended deterrence.

There are still a large number citizens in South Korea who call for the redeployment of tactical nuclear weapons or South Koreas own nuclear weapon program. For the time being, the more realistic option we have is the effective implementation of the NCG. Pyongyang reacted vehemently against the launching of the group, even burning effigies of the leaders of the ROK and the U.S.

Third, this is the time when we must build and maintain consensus on foreign and security policies. Seoul declared the Indo-Pacific Strategy at the end of 2022, which reaffirmed its commitment to developing mutually beneficial relations with all countries, including China and Russia, based on the principles of the rules-based international order.

One of the core principles of the order is to reject the change of status quo through the use of force. North Korea is believed to have already provided millions of artillery shells and even precision tactical missiles to help with Russias invasion of Ukraine. North Korea is known to be an important ally and supplier of weapons to such groups as Hamas and Hezbollah. These are the reasons why British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, on the occasion of committing much needed support to Ukraine, said that Ukraines succumbing to the Russian invasion would only encourage countries like North Korea.

Kim Jong-uns strident threats must be read against such facts. This is not a time to engage in the political game of criticizing the ROK governments efforts to strengthen security ties with the U.S. and trilateral security cooperation among Seoul, Washington and Tokyo. This is a time when we must pull together.

Ahn Ho-young is chair professor at the Kyungnam University. He served as Korean ambassador to the U.S. and vice foreign minister.
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  Help for residents who cant afford their heating bills is available from agencies in the Las Vegas valley.

Offices are closed today for the Presidents Day holiday, but you can call the nonprofits listed below on Tuesday. Also, links to Southwest Gas programs that can help are at the bottom of the list.

HopeLink, (702) 566-0576: A program known as Welfare Set Aside Funding is funded by the state of Nevada, using a combination of state and federal funds to assist qualified residents who need help with utility bills.

Clark County Social Services, (702) 455-4270: The county might have limited funding to assist with utility bills.

Lutheran Social Services of Nevada, (702) 639-1730: A privately funded utility assistance program available to Clark County families directly from the Lutheran church.

Jewish Family Services, (702) 732-0304: Lower income applicants experiencing a financial hardship or crisis may be able to qualify for emergency assistance.

8 News Now could not verify that programs run by the Salvation Army and Catholic Charities offer assistance with utility bills, but this article will be updated with that information after the holiday. Aid through HELP of Southern Nevada is listed below.

Ratepayers protest sharp increase in Southwest Gas bills

Information about assistance programs is available on the Southwest Gas website, with two that can offer immediate assistance with bills.

The Energy Assistance Program (EAP) provides an annual one-time per year benefit (or a fixed annual credit) that is paid directly to the utility, administered by the state of Nevada.

The Energy Share Program (ESP) is an emergency fund that provides direct utility assistance to qualified customers with unexpected financial difficulties. ESP is available from several organizations in Southern Nevada:

HELP of Southern Nevada, (702) 369-4357 , ext. 1864 or ext. 1232, or email www.helpsonv.org

CPLC, Nevada, (702) 207-1614 , or email lasvegasinfo@cplc.org

United Labor Agency of Nevada, (702)-648-3500

Diana Bakke is the point of contact for CPLC, Nevada. We try to help as many people as we possibly can, she said. The CPLC program can provide one-time assistance of as much as $400, she said.

In addition, Southwest Gas offers a deferred payment program that can help spread out the costs of gas bills. Low-income families may also qualify for a Weatherization Assistance Program that can reduce energy usage and costs.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
Sources familiar with the investigation confirmed to the Spanish news agency EFE on Feb. 19 that Maksim Kuzminov, a Russian helicopter pilot who defected to Ukraine, was killed in Spain on Feb. 13.

Kuzminov's death in Spain was first reported on Feb. 19 by Ukrainska Pravda and other Ukrainian media outlets, citing the press service of Ukraine's military intelligence.

Kuzminov made headlines in August 2023 after he landed a fully intact Mi-8 helicopter in Ukraine and gave himself up to authorities. Andrii Yusov, a spokesperson for Ukraine's military intelligence, later said that Kuzminov would receive the hryvnia equivalent of $500,000 (approximately Hr 18.48 million) as a reward for defecting with the helicopter.

Kuzminov said that he contacted the Ukrainian side himself, and was told he would receive security for himself and his family, payments, and new documents from Ukraine if he defected.

Kuzminov said his parents supported his plans to defect and joined him in Ukraine.

Ukrainska Pravda said on Feb. 19, citing sources from Ukraine's military intelligence, that Kuzminov had moved to Spain.

Local Spanish media originally reported that an unnamed 33-year-old Ukrainian man was killed in the city of Villajoyosa on Feb. 14.

EFE reported that there was some initial confusion over Kuzminov's identity, as the documentation associated with the dead body found on Feb. 13 did not correspond with Kuzminov's age or country of origin. Spanish authorities later told the BBC that Kuzminov may have been living under a false identity.

Sources close to the investigation later confirmed to EFE that the man, shot six times in a garage in Villajoyosa, was Kuzminov.

The Spanish government has yet to publicly speak about Kuzminov's death.

Sergey Naryshkin, the head of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service, commented on Kuzminov's death on Feb. 20, saying that "traitor and criminal was a moral corpse," the Russian state-run media outlet TASS reported.

Read also: Russian pilot who transferred to Ukraine calls on Russians to follow his example

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Speaker Johnson talks 2024 with Trump at Mar-a-Lago as Haley vows to stay in GOP primary

House Speaker Mike Johnson marked Presidents Day by meeting with former President Trump about the 2024 election cycle at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, Fox News Digital has learned.

It comes as Trump's last major primary opponent, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, announced Tuesday that she was staying in the race despite losing every contest to Trump so far.

"Speaker Johnson met with President Trump in Florida on Monday to discuss growing the majority and securing Republican victories up and down the ballot in November," Johnson campaign spokesman Greg Steele told Fox News Digital.

TRUMP BLASTS 'CLUBHOUSE POLITICIAN' JUDGE AFTER BEING FINED $350M, DEFENDS THE 'GREAT COMPANY' HE BUILT

House Speaker Mike Johnson made a show of solidarity with former President Trump on Monday, a day before former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley announced she would not drop out of the 2024 race.

Attending the meeting with Johnson was Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), the House GOPs campaign arm. They were in Florida for the House GOP leadership's annual retreat.

The NRCC did not respond to a request for the group's own readout of the meeting. A Trump spokesperson also did not respond to a request for comment.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

House Republican leaders have made an unprecedented show of unity around Trump as he seeks the GOP nomination for president. Johnson released a video earlier this month calling on fellow Republicans to coalesce around Trump.

TRUMP HOLDS LARGE DOUBLE-DIGIT LEAD OVER HALEY AHEAD OF CRUCIAL SHOWDOWN

House Speaker Mike Johnson's campaign shared this image with Fox News Digital after he met with former President Trump at Mar-a-Lago.

"Following victories in Iowa, New Hampshire, the US Virgin Islands, and Nevada, it is time for Republicans to unite behind President Trump, so we can focus on ending the disastrous Biden presidency and growing our majority in Congress," he said in the short clip.

"I am convinced he's going to be the next president of the United States, and I am very much looking forward to that happening."

Johnson endorsed Trump for president in November last year, days after he won the speakers gavel. Hudson endorsed him in November 2022.

In addition to being a call for unity, the speakers video also appears to be a veiled shot at Haley for staying in the race.

LAST RIVAL STANDING: HALEY FACES BIG CHALLENGE IN HER HOME STATE AGAINST TRUMP

Rep. Richard Hudson, chair of House Republicans' campaign arm, also met with former President Trump on Monday.

The former South Carolina governor and Trump administration official was defiant during a speech in Greenville, South Carolina, on Tuesday, days before her home states primary election.

"Some of you, perhaps a few of you here in the media, came here today to see if Im dropping out of the race. Well, Im not  far from it," Haley said. "Im running for president because we have a country to save."

Fox News Digital reached out to Haleys campaign for comment on Trumps meeting with Johnson and Hudson but did not immediately hear back.





Original article source: Speaker Johnson talks 2024 with Trump at Mar-a-Lago as Haley vows to stay in GOP primary
The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) returns once more this week for another serving of Republican grandstanding, grievance-airing and merchandise shilling.

The four-day event that bills itself as the largest and most influential gathering of conservatives in the world kicked off at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, just outside of Washington DC, on Wednesday 21 February and runs until Saturday 24 February.

Brace yourselves libs, youre about to get well and truly owned.

The fantasy attempt by House Republicans to impeach President Joe Biden  who they claim to be both a criminal mastermind and profoundly senile  the state of the US southern border, wokery and adjacent culture war evils are all likely to be recurrent themes at a gathering that was once closely aligned with Ronald Reagan but is now unquestionably an all-Donald Trump affair.

Mr Trump will be the headliner once again on Saturday, where he is likely to spend his time trashing Nikki Haley, his last remaining challenger for the GOP presidential nomination, before departing in a hurry for South Carolina, which is holding its primary that same day.

Ms Haley is conspicuous by her absence from CPAC this time around, having spoken at the same event a year ago, no doubt a reaction to her decision to run as an anti-Trump candidate in the primaries.

Other MAGA favourites scheduled to address attendees this week include two possible Trump running mates, Elise Stefanik and Kristi Noem, his daughter-in-law Lara Trump (vying to be the Republican National Committees new co-chair), his former housing secretary Dr Ben Carson, senators JD Vance and Tommy Tuberville, representatives Jim Jordan and Matt Gaetz, Arizona Senate candidate Kari Lake, Texas attorney general Ken Paxton, MyPillow eccentric Mike Lindell plus Tulsi Gabbard and Steve Bannon.

The keynote speaker at the annual dinner honouring President Reagan will be failed presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, who will be joined by deposed Catholic bishop Joseph Strickland.

As The Independents Eric Garcia observes, Mr Ramaswamys invitation to take that slot reveals how far CPAC has changed over the last decade, given that the entrepreneur has been critical of Ukraine whereas Reagan defined himself by opposition to Russia in the late Cold War era and called the Soviet Union an evil empire.

"What we saw tonight was America First defeating America Last."



Confirmed CPAC in DC Ronald Reagan Dinner Speaker: Vivek Ramaswamy 



Hear more from him and other leaders in the conservative movement at CPAC in DC, February 21 - 24!



Get Your Tickets Now at pic.twitter.com/O7pxhFnjwd  CPAC (@CPAC) February 1, 2024

A number of popular conservative media personalities will also be in attendance, including Jack Posobiec, Mark Levin, Megyn Kelly and Sebastian Gorka, the alt-rights answer to Frasier Crane.

Fani Willis, the district attorney of Fulton County, Georgia, who indicted Mr Trump and 18 co-defendants on racketeering charges, will not be there, the hosts joke.

Dont worry folks, Fani Willis is NOT invited to CPAC 2024 in DC, but we are having a Fani Sandwich with a chaser of Grey Goose if you have ready cash in your pocket. pic.twitter.com/o3g8gtOL90  CPAC (@CPAC) February 16, 2024

Two lively British imports will make an appearance: right-wing crowd favourite Nigel Farage and Liz Truss, the UKs shortest-lived prime minister  who will likely seek to explain why being drummed out of Downing Street after just 44 days in power and outlasted by a wilting lettuce was somehow not her fault and really the work of a mysterious cabal of anti-growth occultists and civil service saboteurs, or something.

But perhaps most fascinating of all will be Argentinas mutton-chopped, chainsaw-wielding new President Javier Milei, whom CPAC chair Matt Schlapp has said captured the spirit of those who see the treachery of globalist elites and left American patriots rooting for him to succeed.

Patricia Bullrich, the same countrys minister of national security, is also set to speak, as is Nayib Bukele, the president of El Salvador.

The Latin American trio are following in the footsteps of disgraced former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, the Trump of the tropics, who was last years guest.

You can see the complete lineup of CPAC 2024 speakers here.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA)  A community college in Central Illinois is getting a slice of $766,000 from the Illinois Community College Board to help implement virtual reality into its Career and Technical Education programs.

Grants were spread across 12 community colleges within the state. The funding will allow the colleges to buy VR equipment and provide hands-on learning in various workforce training programs, including healthcare, criminal justice, manufacturing, and HVAC. The money can also be used to start new CTE programs involving VR technology.

Applications open for $1,000 Central IL communications scholarship

Lincoln Land Community College in Springfield is among the dozen grant recipients. They were awarded almost $91,700 to go towards Microsoft, Apple, and zSpace VR platforms. This will aid student training in healthcare, trades, the arts, and communications.

The Illinois Community College System is constantly looking to stay at the forefront of workforce development. This funding will not only help recruit students who want access to the latest technology but also provide new cutting-edge training opportunities to better position them for success in their chosen career fields, ICCB Executive Director Brian Durham said.

Here is the full list of community colleges receiving a CTE VR grant:

College Award VR Platform Curricular Area Lincoln Land Community College $91,688 Microsoft, Apple & zSpace Health Professions, Workforce Institute and Arts and Communications Truman College $49,550 Transfr Recruitment & Automotive Technology, Career Exploration Illinois Central College $54,060 SimX EMT & Paramedic Heartland Community College $73,000 Not specified Nursing & Welding John A. Logan College $49,840 MILO Range Theater Criminal Justice & Recruitment Spoon River College $23,481 Kuula VR Tour Recruitment & CTE generally College of DuPage $52,205 Lincoln Electric Welding Elgin Community College $94,000 Transfr Recruitment & multiple CTE programs Moraine Valley Community College $38,098 Interplay Learning HVAC Rend Lake College $50,645 Transfr & zSpace Recruitment Carl Sandburg College $89,509 Lincoln Electric Welding & Recruitment Oakton College $100,000 I SEE YOU 360 Criminal Justice (Drone piloting)

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA)  This Thursday through Saturday, the Springfield Choral Society and University of Illinois Springfield Music will be hosting a music festival centered around Black composer Florence Price and the famous poem Abraham Lincoln Walks At Midnight.

The festival will lead up to a cantata composed by Price, set to the celebrated poem by Springfield native Vachel Lindsay. Prices work was lost until it was discovered inside a home on the outskirts of Chicago in 2009  over 50 years after her death. Now, it will be performed in Illinois for the very first time.

The event, entitled Abraham Lincoln Walks At Midnight: A Springfield Festival, is made in partnership with the Illinois Symphony Orchestra, the Springfield & Central Illinois African American History Museum and the Vachel Lindsay Home State Historic Site.

ALPLM in Springfield opening new childrens exhibit

The festival will open on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. in the First Presbyterian Church of Springfield. A biographical concert called Dont Tell Me No: The Life of Florence Price in Story and Song will tell Prices life story through the narration of Reggie Guyton and Tiffany Williams, as well as her ensemble music, presented by the voices of the Springfield Choral Society.

On Friday, a special guided tour of the African American History Museum will be offered at 5:30 p.m. At 6:30 p.m., the museum will host In Our Little Town: A Musical Conversation about Race. Speakers will discuss questions of race and the Illinois Symphony Orchestra will play Prices pieces through string quartet. Reservations are required as seating is limited. People can register online or by emailing springfieldchoralsociety@gmail.com.

At 1:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m., and 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources will present Lincoln Walks at the Lindsay Home. Guests will get a 30-minute tour of the Vachel Lindsay Home and get a glimpse into the context and creation of the poem Abraham Lincoln Walks At Midnight. The tour will be led by State Historic Sites Interpreter Sheila Ryan. Registrations are encouraged but not required, and can be made online.

The festival will finish off with the Illinois premiere of Prices cantata at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday at the UIS Performing Arts Center.

Admission is free to all events.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.
Here in the Sunshine State, our elected leaders have taken to the idea that endless growth and sprawl are the only paths forward. Rich developers and their special interest groups pour millions of dollars into electing the officials who will serve them most eagerly, and from where Im standing, it looks like most of the politicians in our state are more than happy to bend to the will of their corporate masters. What is in the public interest doesn't seem to matter much. In a state once known for its pristine and untamed natural beauty, we have bulldozed most of it to make way for strip malls and tract homes, losing forever the most sacred attributes that make this land special. Surely, many developers and real estate folks have been greatly enriched in the process. But for the rest of us, the price of this so-called progress has been steep.Many people in our community felt welcome vindication this month when hearing of our legal victory against the Florida Department of Transportation and their efforts to bulldoze sixty acres of wetlands in the Spruce Creek watershed to make way for an unneeded $200 million interchange on I-95.

One of the entrances to the Doris Leeper Spruce Creek Preserve is at the end of Martins Dairy Road, about 1.5 miles from where a new Interstate 95 interchange is planned at Pioneer Trail in New Smyrna Beach.

To me, it was bewildering that our state government would even consider doing such a thing - that private citizens would need to battle them and their army of expensive lawyers - just to prevent the government from destroying the sensitive habitat it has often vowed to protect. It seems like hypocrisy, and it is. But, of course, these are sweetheart deals benefiting the high and mighty donor class of Volusia County and beyond.Unsurprisingly, one of Mori Hosseinis newest developments sits in the gaping maw of this proposed interchange. If built, it would spill its vehicular contents directly into Moris new neighborhood, which is ironically named Woodhaven. According to Mr. Hosseini, this is purely coincidental and has nothing to do with the fact that he contributes hundreds of thousands of dollars to Ron DeSantis political campaigns, fills the Governors Mansion with fancy toys, and even lends his jet to the globetrotting governor.

More: Florida developer Mori Hosseini denies seeking favoritism from DeSantis for path to homes

According to him, all of that has nothing to do with his being on the receiving end of a $200 million tax-funded interchange. Im sure it also has nothing to do with Moris ascension to the role of chairman on the esteemed Board of Trustees at the University of Florida - a university he didnt attend and has no ties to, but the Gov. DeSantis appointed him anyway. Does he think we are that stupid? Well, maybe we are. Because we keep buying those houses, mowing down countless millions of acres in the process without a care or consideration for future generations. Ignorance is bliss.When we consider our legacy as a community, what will it be? In my view, a landscape slathered with strip malls and housing developments is a crummy inheritance to leave for the next generation. Especially when, after a few decades, these features will be depreciated, dilapidated, and probably unwanted. The natural areas they replaced, by contrast, will be gone forever. I hope that as a collective society, we can wake up and say no more. No more material corruption, no more unbridled development, and no more destruction of this wild and beautiful place we call home.

Editor's note: Mori Hosseini denies seeking favoritism regarding the interchange project. "I have never, ever in my life gone to any governor and asked for anything," Hosseini told the News-Journal in a story. He said he bought the land for Woodhaven in 2005, long after the Pioneer Trail interchange project was on local transportation plans.

Bryon White is a New Smyrna Beach conservationist. He was recently a plaintiff in a prevailing lawsuit against the Florida Department of Transportation and the St. Johns River Water Management District, to stop the construction of a controversial interchange at I-95 and Pioneer Trail.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Conservationist cheers surprising win over FDOT interchange proposal
The Minnesota Department of Transportation is holding a public meeting next month in St. Paul to talk about the upcoming West Seventh Street resurfacing project. The project is focused on the transportation corridor connecting downtown St. Paul to Bloomington and Fort Snelling.

The goal of the project is to improve mobility and safety, but construction is not anticipated to begin until 2027.

Once the project resurfacing begins, there will be two phases: Phase 1 in 2027, which focuses on West Seventh Street between Munster Avenue and St. Clair Avenue, and Phase 2 in 2028, focusing on West Seventh Street between St. Clair Avenue and Olive Street.

The work is to include accessibility improvements, safety improvements, general curb and sidewalk repairs, road resurfacing, some traffic signal replacements, and lighting improvements.

The forum will be held at 4:30 p.m. March 6 at the Palace Community Center.

Attendees can park in the PCC lot north of the building. There is no planned presentation, but project staff will be available to answer questions. More information is on the project webpage.

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The mission of Stanislaus 2030 includes bolstering job opportunities, yet a significant obstacle lies in the shortage of childcare services within the county. To fulfill the demands of the workforce, the county needs to create an additional 36,000 childcare slots. The need is greater for more rural areas with higher Latino populations.

Nurture, a nonprofit organization committed to fostering in-home childcare entrepreneurship, partnered with Stanislaus 2030, the comprehensive plan to boost the countys economic potential, to establish a pilot program. It tackles the deficit of childcare by helping individuals establish such businesses.

This initiative allows parents to pursue employment opportunities they might otherwise forgo due to the need to stay home with their children.

The 12-week course can be completed through the Nurture app and is available in both English and Spanish.

Nicole Molina, 34, opened her business in January after getting her childcare license through Nurture. She didnt have to buy much to transform her house into a daycare center. When her church heard of her plans to open a childcare business, it offered her everything she needed, from toys to their business.

I could have Googled everything I wanted to and I would have failed, Molina said. You really cant fail with Nurture. They literally step-by-step walk you through it.

As someone who was in the foster care system most of her childhood, she always wanted to start her own childcare business but never found the right time until recently.

Molina now looks after six kids, with ages ranging 6 months to 4 years. She starts the day with story time, then works on developing fine motor skills. Molina initially resisted using technology but compromised with the kids, allowing them 45 minutes of TV time after their naps.

Her favorite part is watching the children reach milestones, such as crawling for the first time, and seeing them grow.

Children need people to care and love for them. It takes a village, and some people dont have a village, she said. I feel like thats where we step in, that we can work alongside parents and communicate in a community to raise the next generation.

Filling a childcare desert

Jennifer Brooks, the founder and CEO of Nurture, said there are millions of dollars in childcare subsidies in the Central Valley that many families are unaware they qualify for.

Oftentimes, individuals already are caring for children, whether those of friends or family members, but struggle to make ends meet. Nurture provides a pathway for these caregivers to access subsidies by offering care to lower-income children and earning a livable wage.

Brooks said Nurtures goal is to establish 1,500 new businesses to address the waiting list of families who are eligible for childcare subsidies yet unable to find suitable care for their children.

Amanda Silva made the decision to leave her job and become a stay-at-home parent after the birth of her third child, partly due to her struggle to find suitable childcare options. The nearest available facility charged $1,200 per month for her sons care.

When she learned Molina was opening her childcare business, which is only two miles away from her home, she was the first person to sign up. That allowed her to return to work.

She said its slim pickings trying to find childcare, let alone a high quality and affordable daycare. You want your child to be somewhere where you know that theyre going to take care of your child just like you would, Silva said.

Pandemics impact on childcare

While the pandemic afforded some parents the opportunity to work remotely and be home for their children, it also exacerbated the existing need for childcare.

During the pandemic, Californias childcare service sector lost 35% of its jobs. However, the demand for daycares surged when schools remained closed.

Brooks said she had to quit a remote job during the pandemic because her kids werent engaged through Zoom and still needed her to serve as an in-person teacher.

The idea that its possible to have a full-time job and to be the home-school teacher is a myth, she said. I think what COVID did is it really revealed the inequities and a universal need around childcare.

Right opportunity, wrong time

When Destiney Iglesias had her daughter, she knew she also wanted to help other kids.

She signed up for Nurture but soon discovered there were a lot of rules and fees that went into opening a childcare business.

After three classes with Nurture, she realized she wasnt ready, so left the program.

Part of getting your license and starting your business is having a home or a facility from which to run the daycare. Iglesias lives in a mobile home big enough for only her and her daughter.

She said Nurture was understanding and let her know she can come back when she is ready. I really appreciated that they left the door open, Iglesias said.

Shes had her share of struggling to find affordable childcare. In Facebook groups, she sees many moms asking for people to watch their kids.

Thats extremely dangerous to be that desperate for childcare that you would just trust your most valuable possession with just anybody, she said.

Future of childcare

While the need for childcare remains high, decreasing birth rates may reduce the demand in the future. Since 1995, birth rates in Stanislaus County have declined by nearly 20%.

Most of Molinas Nurture cohort has been successful in filling up its childcare slots quickly. However, she does consider the decline of birth rates impacting her business and the childcare industry in the future.

I think its going to start getting really competitive, Molina said.
Chinas homegrown C919 aircraft makes first international debut at Singapore Airshow

Global Times) 13:28, February 20, 2024

China's domestically manufactured C919 passenger aircraft has arrived at Singapore Changi International Airport on February 17, 2024, days ahead of the coming Singapore Airshow. Photo: Courtesy of China Eastern

Two Chinese manufactured C919 planes and three ARJ21 aircraft made their official debut at the Singapore Airshow on Tuesday, China Media Group reported.

During the event, the planes will perform flight demonstrations, conduct in-hall model exhibitions and outdoor displays, through which China is about to present to the public the phased results its commercial aircraft project has achieved, said the report.

Chinas homegrown passenger jets have become one of the highlights at the event since it is the first time China flies its homegrown plane before international aviation enthusiasts overseas.

Expert said that the display of the C919 at the Singapore air show will allow more international customers to increase their confidence in Made-in-China aircraft.

Meanwhile, some western media and market analysts also said the C919s debut at Asia's biggest air show as one of the most anticipated features at this years event.

This years Singapore airshow could be significant as it can be seen as a symbol of Asias recovery, said Brendan Sobie, aviation industry analyst at Sobie Aviation, an independent consulting firm in Singapore who was quoted by CNBC in a recent report.

The six-day event has attracted aerobatic teams from India, Australia, Indonesia and South Korea, and it will be attended by over 1,000 participating companies, and is expected to attract 50,000 attendees from over 50 countries and regions.

Notably, the organizer of Singapore Airshow said it has set up a country pavilion for Chinese aerospace enterprises for the first time, according to Xinhua News Agency.

This year will be critical for the producer of the C919 plane to accelerate mass production and deliveries, and exploring overseas market and promoting the plane to more international airlines is a test for the C919 manufacturer, Qi Qi, an independent market watcher, told the Global Times in a recent interview.

The C919 is built by the state-owned Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) and the plane has been making commercial flights in China since May 2023, and was displayed for the first time outside the Chinese mainland in Hong Kong in December.

So far, four C919 aircraft have been delivered to Chinese airliners, and more than 110,000 passengers have been safely transported.

Thanks to government policy support, Chinas domestically built aircraft are on the fast track of production to grab market share. During the 2024 National Civil Aviation Work Conference held in January, China's aviation regulator pledged it will seek to work with its European counterpart to promote the aircraft to go abroad.

Meanwhile, Zhang Yujin, a deputy general manager of COMAC said the company plans to invest tens of billions of yuan to increase the production capacity for C919 and achieve stable growth in the coming three to five years, according to the paper.cn.

The aircraft, adopting advanced aerodynamic design, propulsion system and advanced materials, with lower carbon emissions and higher fuel efficiency, is expected to attract more global buyers at the Singapore Airshow.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing)
By Baek Byung-yeul

BYD will begin selling its electric sedans in Korea as early as the third quarter of this year, attracting keen attention from market watchers as to whether the Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker will shake up the domestic EV market, which is currently led by Hyundai Motor Group, according to industry officials, Monday.

The Chinese carmaker, which topped the global market in sales last year, is reportedly putting its electric sedan through a performance certification evaluation by the Korea Environment Corporation under the Ministry of Environment.

Given the evaluation is a preliminary step in securing eligibility for government subsidies for consumers purchasing EVs, it is expected that the model to be launched here sometime between July and September will be the Seal, a mid-size sedan.

BYDs Seal is considered a competitor to Teslas Model 3 and Hyundai Motors IONIQ 6 in terms of design and size.

Industry expectation here was that BYD could launch a vehicle cheaper than the Seal such as its Atto 3 electric SUV or Dolphin electric hatchback, but contrary to expectations, the Chinese brand is likely to go with the Seal, a better and slightly more expensive EV.

Based on the overseas sales price of the vehicle, the Seal is sold for around 51 million won ($38,197), the Atto 3 is 44 million won and the Dolphin is 39 million won. If consumers purchase an EV for less than 55 million won, they can receive up to 4 million won in government subsidies and additional local government subsidies by region.

"BYD is known to be launching the Seal in the Korean market between this summer and fall. I wonder why BYD decided to launch the Seal, thinking that the cheaper-priced Atto or Dolphin could appeal more to consumers looking for cheap EVs," said Kim Pil-soo, a professor of automotive technology at Daelim University College.

"In order to appeal to consumers in the Korean market, BYD must execute an aggressive pricing policy. If this Chinese company brings a dramatically cheap pricing policy, it will have an impact on the Korean market."

If BYD launches an electric passenger car in the Korean market in the second half of the year, it will compete with Hyundai Motor, Kia and overseas electric vehicle makers including Tesla here. BYD was the world's No. 1 EV manufacturer in 2023, selling 3.02 million vehicles, up 62 percent from the previous year, focusing on not only China but also Europe and Asia.

The professor suggested watching what BYD will do to overcome the low credibility of the Chinese brand in the Korean market.

"Last year, BYD launched its T4K electric truck, but despite having a longer travel range than Hyundai Motor and Kia's electric trucks, it sold only 213 because the price was high and the Chinese brand had low credibility. If a Chinese brand wants to succeed in the Korean market, how it sets the price will ultimately be crucial," the professor said.
Over the next several weeks, representatives from Pennsylvanias Department of Revenue will visit senior and community centers to help people file their Property Tax/Rent Rebate (PTRR) program applications.

This assistance comes after Gov. Josh Shapiro expanded the program for the first time since 2006, so around 175,000 people are newly eligible for the rebate.

Representatives will also be able to help people file their personal income tax returns.

Staff will be available at the following locations in Western Pennsylvania in February. Additional dates and times will be announced at a later date. The scheduled events could change in the event of inclement weather. People are encouraged to call locations ahead of time to ensure availability and make an appointment.

Allegheny County

Turtle Creek Center, 519 Penn Ave., Turtle Creek, PA 15145

February 9, 16, and 23 | 10am to 2pm

K Leroy Irvis Tower, 715 Mercer St., Pittsburgh, PA 15219

February 29 | 10am to 2pm

Eva P. Mitchell Apartments, 7113 Mary Peck Bond Place, Pittsburgh, PA 15206

Feb. 8 and 15 | 10am to 2pm

Steelworkers Towers, 2639 Perryville Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15214

Feb. 5 and 6 | 10am to 2pm

Twin Towers Apartments, 314 Washington Rd., Pittsburgh, PA 15216

Feb. 7 and 14 | 10am to 2pm



Butler County

Chicora Senior Center, 117 W. Slippery Rock St., Chicora, PA 16025

Feb. 21 | 11am to 3pm

Slippery Rock Senior Center, 155 Branchton Rd., Slippery Rock, PA 16057

Feb. 27 | 11am to 3pm



Lawrence County

Challenges: Options in Aging, 2706 Mercer Rd., New Castle, PA 16105

Feb. 28 | 10am to 2pm



Westmoreland County

Herminie Center for Active Adults, 101 Sewickley Ave., Herminie, PA 15644

Feb. 20 | 10am to 2pm

Mount Pleasant Center for Active Adults, 424 Washington St., Mount Pleasant, PA 15666

Feb. 12 and 26 | 10am to 2pm

Valley Center for Active Adults, 135 Kalassay Dr., Ligonier, PA 15658

Feb. 13 and 22 | 10am to 2pm



The Department of Revenue also offers assistance at its district offices from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday by appointment.

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Could Staunton get a sales tax?

Staunton City Council has a sales tax on the mind.

According to the agenda packet, a resolution suggests Staunton is interested in pursuing a 1% sales tax to fund school infrastructure.

If this resolution is approved, don't expect to start paying a sales tax the next day, or even next year. This resolution is just one of many steps before a sales tax could be implemented.

If the resolution is approved, council would be asking the Virginia General Assembly to allow localities like Staunton to ask voters to approve or deny implementing a 1% sales tax to fund "school construction or renovation projects."

This means the council would be asking permission from the legislature to ask permission from the voters to add a 1% sales tax.

"The Council of the City of Staunton hereby supports Senate Bill 14 and House Bill 805," reads the resolution.

According to the taxes page on Staunton's website, the city currently only has the 5.3% state sales tax in place.

CAPSAW community's needs assessed

Community Action Program Staunton-Augusta-Waynesboro's (CAPSAW) has received preliminary results from the fall 2023 Community Needs Assessment. Beginning on page 37 in the agenda packet, the top five reported needs from the assessment included housing, mental health services, transportation, childcare, and aging services.

A sample of the CAPSAW Community Needs Assessment preliminary results.

Staunton and her potential German sister

Bruce Fox of Gersthofen, Germany, asked Staunton City Council to consider a sisterhood between the two cities. Accord to council's agenda packet, Fox was involved with a community band form the German town that performed a combined concert with Staunton's Stonewall Brigade Band.

Staunton City Council will hear about what a Sister City partnership with Gersthofen could do for the city from Fred Blanton with Sister Cities International during its working session meeting.

According to Sister Cities International's website, the organization was founded by President Dwight Eisenhower in 1956 "to bring peace through people-to-people diplomacy."

Staunton water and sewer funds to be reviewed

During the Staunton City Council working session meeting, "Chief Finance Officer Jessie Moyers will present a review the water and sewer funds, including a rate analysis, operating expenditures review, and planned capital improvements for each fund."

CAPSAW to consider funding requests

In addition to the assessment results, CAPSAW will also consider grant applications. The three applicants requested funds for three projects:

The River City Breadbasket and LIFEworks could receive $2,000 towards the ongoing free, "low-barrier" food pantry. According to the application in the agenda packet, the food pantry receives over 300 visitors a month.

Waynesboro Area Refuge Ministry (WARM) could receive around $2,000 for a "second, multi-passenger van and cargo trailer" for the cold weather shelter. According to the application, "WARM received a grant to double the amount of capacity from 35 to 70 beds at the cold weather shelter for the 2023-24 season." The awarded grant funds could not be used for transportation costs. The project's total cost is $33,500.

Augusta Regional Dental Clinic could receive around $2,000 for a reclining device for wheelchair-bound patients to receive dental treatment. In summer 2023, the clinic had to send three patients home because they could not be moved to the clinic's dental chairs, according to the application.

New zoning changes in Waynesboro

The Waynesboro Planning Commission will consider new zoning ordinance changes prompted by issues discovered by staff and the board during regular business.

The zoning amendments, listed on page 27 of the agenda packet, include:

Sec. 98-4.2.5. Townhouses. "This change will allow for the driveway to count as a required parking space."

Sec. 98-5.1.3 Parking Requirements. "This will add a new category for Townhouses under Household living in the table and require 2 spaces per unit and either 0.25 or 0.5 spaces per unit for guest parking."

Sec. 98-5.4.7. Parking Lot Landscaping Requirements. "Staff has revised the proposed amendment to permit for more flexibility in the options available to provide screening for parking lots adjacent to residential districts."

Sec. 98-4.6.2. Accessory buildings. "The amendment will clarify that the accessory buildings section of the ordinance also includes accessory structures."

Sec. 98-4.4.11 Temporary Special Events. "This amendment would fix an error that occurred when this ordinance was created in late 2022. A temporary structure, according to the Virginia Statewide Building Code, are those that are erected 179 days or less. Permanent structures are those that are erected for 180 days or more."

If recommended by the planning commission, the changes would next to before the Waynesboro City Council.

Meetings List

These are the public meetings for Tuesday, Feb. 20, through Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024:

Tuesday, Feb. 20

Wednesday, Feb. 21

Augusta County Parks and Recreation Commission 7 p.m. Augusta County Government Center, 18 Government Center Lane, Verona.

Thursday, Feb. 22

Monday, Feb. 26

Augusta County Board of Supervisors Staff Briefing 1:30 p.m. Augusta County Government Center, 18 Government Center Lane, Verona.

Staunton City School Board Work Session 5 p.m. School Board Conference Room, Staunton City Hall, 116 W. Beverley Street. The agenda is online.

Waynesboro City Council Meeting 7 p.m. Waynesboro City Council Chambers, 503 W Main Street.

Tuesday, Feb. 27

This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Staunton sales tax, Waynesboro temp buildings, and SAW community needs: THE AGENDA
Jon Stewart on Monday fired back  and poked fun  at the backlash he received for his critique of President Bidens age during his return to hosting The Daily Show.

Quite frankly, the response to the first show last Monday was universally galling, Stewart said Monday toward the start of the episode.

Stewart showed several posts on X, formerly called Twitter, most of which were critical of what some referred to as his bothesidesism takedown of Biden and former President Trump.

One post read, Well after nine years away, theres nothing to say to the bothesidesist fraud Jon Stewart bashing Biden, except: Please make it another nine years.

Ok, maybe not universal, Stewart said, responding to that post. But that was on Twitter. Everything on Twitter gets a backlash. Ive seen Twitter tell Labradoodles to go f themselves. Labradoodles.

I just think its better to deal head-on with whats an apparent issue to people. I mean, were just talking here, he said.

The comedian returned for the first time to host The Daily Show last week. His debut episode was broadly praised as entertaining, but some took issue with his criticism of both Biden and Trump.

Bidens lost a step, but Trump regularly says things at rallies that would warrant a wellness check, Stewart said to laughs last week. The question then becomes, what the f are we doing here, people?

We have two candidates who are chronologically outside the norm of anyone who has run for the presidency in this country, in the history of this country, Stewart said of the 81-year-old Biden and 77-year-old Trump. They are the oldest people ever to run for president  breaking by only four years the record that they set the last time they ran!

Top Stories from The Hill

In defending himself this week, Stewart also showed a post from Mary Trump, the former presidents niece who has risen to prominence criticizing her uncle. She wrote, Not only is Stewarts both sides are the same rhetoric not funny, its a potential disaster for democracy.

It was one fing show! Stewart said, elevating his volume. It was just one fing show! It was 20 minutes! I did 20 minutes of one fing show!

But I guess as the famous saying goes: Democracy dies in discussion, Stewart said, referencing The Washington Post slogan, Democracy dies in darkness, which advocates for free speech and freedom of the press.

Stewart then feigned an apology to his critics, at first in a southern dialect.

But, look, I have sinned against you. Im sorry, Stewart said, before transitioning back to his regular speaking voice. It was never my intention to say out loud, what I saw with my eyes, and then brain. I can do better. I can has learning. I can has it!

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Comedian Jon Stewart ripped into pundit Tucker Carlson over his recent trip to Russia and what Stewart called his capitulation to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Stewart opened his weekly Comedy Central late-night show by mocking Carlsons two-hour interview with the Russian leader, including the commentators lack of pushback on Putins propaganda and facial expressions.

Mentioning a video Carlson later published lauding Russian subway systems and grocery stores, Stewart said, I know Ive said this before, but youre such a dick.

You arent as dumb as your face would have us believe, Stewart said of Carlson. Perhaps, if your handlers had allowed, you would have seen there is a hidden fee to all your cheap groceries and orderly streets.

Stewart brought up the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in prison last week, calling it the literal price of freedom.

The question is why is Tucker doing this, Stewart said. Its because the old battle civilizational battle was capitalism versus communism  but now they think the battle is woke vs. unwoke. And in that fight, Putin is an ally to the right. Hes their friend. Unfortunately, hes also a brutal and ruthless dictator. So they have to make Americans a little more comfortable with that.

Stewart found himself the target of criticisms online and in the media for a monologue last week in which he blasted both President Biden and former President Trump over their ages.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The school hosted a vigil for the two victims, who were found dead on Friday at a campus dorm

A student has been arrested after two people were found dead with gunshot wounds in a dorm room at the University of Colorado - Colorado Springs (UCCS).

The victims - a 24-year-old man and a 26-year-old woman - were identified as Samuel Knopp and Celie Rain Montgomery, both Colorado natives.

They were found early on Friday morning with at least one bullet wound each.

Authorities said the two victims knew the suspect, who they named as 25-year-old Nicholas Jordan.

Mr Knopp was a UCCS student and accomplished guitarist who studied music at the school.

The suspect - from Detroit, Michigan - is also enrolled at UCCS, a university spokesperson confirmed.

Police have not provided information about the suspect's possible motive, but say it was "not a random attack against the school or other students at the university".

Mr Jordan was arrested on Monday morning after officers found him in a car in the city.

He was charged with two counts of first-degree murder and is being held on $1m (794,000) bond in El Paso County Jail.

The university cancelled classes on Monday and organised a "healing" walk, during which chancellor Jennifer Sobanet acknowledged that "rebuilding the trust and safety of our campus will take time".

"We're all in this together. I just know he'd be happy to see this," said Haden Gillespie, roommate of Mr Knopp, speaking to the BBC's US partner CBS News.

"I just want everyone to know that I love you and we'll get through it together so, thank you all for being here."

The campus is reported to have gone into lockdown for several hours even though the shooting was not considered an active incident.

Celie Rain Montgomery

Colorado Springs sits near the base of the Rocky Mountains and has a population of about 480,000 people.

UCCS is one of four universities in the University of Colorado system - with the others located in Boulder, Denver and Aurora.
The university's students' union said it cannot block a society from forming because of their beliefs

A new pro-life society at the University of Manchester has caused controversy with more than 15,000 people signing a petition calling for it to be dissolved.

The student-organised petition criticised the university's decision to allow the society to be formed, claiming it added to an "already prevalent stigma" surrounding abortion.

The students' union said it could not block a society forming because of their beliefs.

The Manchester Pro-Life society said it existed to "promote the wellbeing, and dignity of every human life, from conception".

It claimed it was "not an anti-abortion society but a pro-life society".

The society was officially affiliated by Manchester Students' Union on 11 January before an Instagram post announced the committee on 9 February.

Its committee consists of its president, George Vincent, a history of art student, and its treasurer, medical student Jacob Karinatan.

A third student was also on the committee but had since removed their name from the society's Instagram post.

The petition calling for the society's dissolution claims its existence "adds to an already prevalent stigma surrounding abortion", believing women at the University of Manchester "should not have to face additional pressure or judgement on such personal matters".

It said: "The student union should be a place that supports all students' rights and wellbeing rather than endorsing societies that aim to abolish these rights."

On its webpage, the pro-life society said it aimed "to create a pro-life culture on campus and support the dignity of every human life from conception" and encourages students to join to "help promote life".

In a statement to the BBC, a spokesperson for the society said: "We exist to encourage students to think critically about the way we define and value human life.

"While we oppose abortion, we are also concerned with other threats to life including assisted suicide, the death penalty, deaths occurring through poverty and poor living standards, structural issues in critical infrastructure such as the NHS, and climate change."

'Legal standpoint'

The Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023, which comes into full effect on 1st August, legislates on a university's duties when it comes to freedom of speech.

It states students' union's have a duty to "promote the importance of" freedom of speech and academic expression.

The legislation stipulates that students' union's "must take the steps that are reasonably practicable" to secure compliance with the code of practice set out on the act.

In a statement issued on their website, the University of Manchester Students' Union executive officers said: "We believe that fostering a culture of proactive involvement enables students to voice their opinions, challenge perspectives, and contribute to a diverse and inclusive campus environment.

"As a students union, operating as a charity, we must also ensure equitable access to resources, participation in activities, and the formation of groups for all members, irrespective of their lawful views.

"As a result, diverse societies and students with conflicting perspectives coexist on campus.

"From a legal standpoint, its not possible to stop a society from affiliating for their legal views that are contrary to the views of other students.

"That means, despite concerns over student safety, the students union cant block a society from forming because of their beliefs."

If you're affected by the issues in this piece, you can find support from BBC Action Line.

Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, X and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk

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SCOTLAND COUNTY, N.C. (WBTW)  Two students detained after a dozen Carver Middle School students fell ill last week after ingesting THC-infused candy were released to their parents after appearing in court on Monday, authorities said.

A judge returned the students to the custody of their parents pending charges against them, according to Capt. Randy Dover of the Scotland County Sheriffs Office.

Deputies were informed on Wednesday that several students were showing symptoms of being under the influence of some type of substance, the sheriffs office said. Narcotic officers then determined that they had consumed candy infused with THC, a psychoactive found in marijuana.

The 12 students were taken to the hospital but did not appear to have any life-threatening health issues, according to the sheriffs office.

Scotland County Schools said disciplinary action and possible criminal charges are expected and that district leaders were working with authorities to investigate the situation.

* * *

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

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW.
By Lee Min-hyung

Asiana Airlines employees are growing increasingly apprehensive about their job security as the impending takeover by Korean Air approaches completion. Korean Air, thus far, has maintained an ambiguous stance, refraining from presenting concrete action plans to assure the continued employment of Asiana workers.

The employees also expressing discontent over the slim chance of receiving incentives, despite Asiana Airlines achieving record sales of 6.53 trillion won ($4.88 billion) in 2023, marking a 16 percent increase from the previous year. This dissatisfaction contrasts with Korean Air's earlier confirmation of its intention to provide a bonus equivalent to 407 percent of employees' basic monthly salary, following its own historic annual sales of 14.57 trillion won during the same period.

The complaints were delivered during a meeting between Asiana Airlines CEO Won Yoo-seok and its employees last week, but top management of the cash-strapped airline failed to provide clear answers as to how the company can guarantee employees job security once the takeover is complete.

"The meeting can be seen as part of a gesture by the management that it has held enough communication with employees to justify its critical future decision-making, such as sales of our cargo business," a labor union member from Asiana Airlines said. "The absence of incentives also leaves much to be desired at a time when our job security is threatened."

The sale of Asiana's cargo unit was part of a precondition for the European Union to grant conditional approval of the takeover plan.

Spokespeople from Korean Air and Asiana Airlines said their concerns are understandable, but the management of both firms cannot make immediate decisions on the issue, as the takeover plan is still under review by a U.S. antitrust authority.

Asiana Airlines management and labor union are still engaged in a wage negotiation deal, so we still have to wait and see whether employees will be able to receive bonuses based on our sales growth, a spokesperson at Asiana Airlines said.

But it appears to be a difficult task for the airline to persuade its main creditor  Korea Development Bank (KDB)  for the incentive, as the airline spends most of its revenue to repay interest on debt. The firms operating profit fell by 45.4 percent in 2023 from the previous year.

The long-protracted takeover is anticipated to be completed by as early as the end of the first half of 2023, if the plan wins approval from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). A total of 13 out of 14 overseas authorities has so far granted approvals for the high-stakes merger in the past three years.

A spokesperson at Korean Air said it cannot take any specific measures to guarantee the job security of Asiana employees until the DOJ makes its final decision.

The acquisition has yet to be completed, so we cannot take any legal or administrative procedures for such demands from Asiana Airlines, the official said. Asiana Airlines has not yet become one of our subsidiaries. But we are expected to speed up resolving the issue upon the completion of reviews from foreign authorities.
The United States Supreme Court denied an appeal from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and two other Republican representatives who were given fines for not wearing face coverings on the House floor in 2021 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The mandate remained in place even after the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued guidance noting that fully vaccinated people can resume activities without wearing a mask or physically distancing.

The other two lawmakers who had their appeals rejected were Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Ralph Norman of South Carolina.

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The lawmakers showed up on the House floor without masks, even posing for a selfie. The requirement was lifted in June 2021.

The justices did not comment on leaving $500 fines in place.

Lower courts had refused to disturb the fines, ruling that courts lack the power to review the mask policy.

Lawyers for House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, had urged the court to reject the appeal from fellow Republican representatives, though they noted that Johnson and every other member of the Republican leadership voted against the mask policy.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.

IN OTHER NEWS:
Hopes that the U.S. Supreme Court might strike down rent control this term were dashed today when the Court declined to take up the two remaining rent control cases on its docket. But a short statement from Justice Clarence Thomas otherwise agreeing not to take up the cases does provide rent control critics some optimism that the Court might reconsider the issue at a future date.

The cases, 74 Pinehurst LLC v. New York and 335-7 LLC v. City of New York, both involved New York City rental property owners' challenges to their state's stabilization regime and related New York City regulations implementing that regime.

The petitioners argued that the 2019 amendments to New York's rent stabilization law amounted to a physical taking because they prevented property owners from choosing their tenants or withdrawing their property from the rental market. They also argued that New York's post-2019 rent stabilization law amounted to a regulatory taking by tanking the value of their properties and removing avenues to "deregulate" (charge market rents on) their units.

Lower courts rejected these arguments. So, last spring, the landlord plaintiffs in both cases petitioned the Supreme Court to take up their case.

The fact that the two cases stayed on the Supreme Court's docket even after it had declined to take up another, higher profile, and more sweeping challenge to New York's rent stabilization law in October raised hopes that the justices might still take up these cases.

At a minimum, rent control critics offered some hopeful speculation that one or more of the justices might write a lengthy dissent to any court decision to not take up the cases that would outline how another rent control challenge could make its way back to the Supreme Court.

Neither of those things happened today. But today's order wasn't a total loss for rent control opponents.

Justice Clarence Thomas did issue a short statement saying that the "constitutionality of regimes like New York City's is an important and pressing question."

Ultimately, Thomas agreed with the Court's denial of cert, saying that petitioners' claims in their lawsuits "primarily contained generalized allegation." In order to evaluate their "as-applied" challenges, the Court would need to see more specific arguments about the circumstances of individual landlords.

For that reason, Thomas wrote, the 74 Pinehurst and 335-7 pleadings would "complicate" the Court's review.

"Any time you get something more than just a denial, I would say that gives you reason for optimism," says Mark Miller, an attorney with the Pacific Legal Foundation, which has supported constitutional challenges to rent control. "Oftentimes justices give statements like this to give you a roadmap for how to better tee up the issue."

In the meantime, however, New York City property owners are offered no relief from the state's rent stabilization regime.

Rent-stabilized owners argue the state's limits on rent increases are so punishingly strict that they can't finance basic repairs or turn over vacant units. The ongoing struggles of New York Community Bancorp, which lent heavily to rent-stabilized buildings, are only compounding this problem.

Without greater flexibility to raise rents or obtain private capital, "the future of rent-stabilized buildings is in the hands of the state government," said the Community Housing Improvement Program (CHIP) and the Rent Stabilization Association (RSA) in an emailed statement reacting to the Supreme Court's decision today. "Thousands of buildings housing hundreds of thousands of tenants are in financial distress. Without action, the homes of many hard-working New Yorkers will deteriorate.

CHIP and RSA had been plaintiffs in another challenge to New York's rent stabilization regime that the Supreme Court also declined to take up last year. Thomas' statement seems to have done little to raise their optimism about future rent control cases.

"We do expect there will be many more challenges to this law, which remains irrationally punitive," they said.

The post After Supreme Court Denies Cases, Clarence Thomas Offers Hope to Rent Control Critics appeared first on Reason.com.
The US Supreme Court has rejected an appeal from Donald Trump-allied lawyers who faced legal sanctions for promoting bogus litigation surrounding his 2020 presidential election loss.

A rejection from the nations highest court on Tuesday will leave in place a 2023 ruling from a federal appeals court in Michigan that upheld the sanctions against them.

Sidney Powell and Lin Wood  among a team of so-called Kraken attorneys who pursued bogus legal efforts to overturn Mr Trumps loss in 2020  faced legal consequences in federal court in 2021 for a spurious lawsuit to reject Michigans results.

A ruling that year from US District Judge Linda Parker stated that the attorneys lawsuit was based on speculation, conjecture, and unwarranted suspicion and ordered them to pay more than $175,000 in sanctions to the state.

Last year, an appeals court left the ruling in place but lowered the amount owed.

The decision from the nations highest court on Tuesday did not include a reasoning, which is typical for orders without any noted dissents.

It is one thing to take on the charge of vindicating rights associated with an allegedly fraudulent election, Judge Parker wrote in her ruling in 2021. It is another to take on the charge of deceiving a federal court and the American people into believing that rights were infringed, without regard to whether any laws or rights were in fact violated. This is what happened here.

Last year, Ms Powell was among three former Trump-allied attorneys who pleaded guilty to crimes connected to a sprawling investigation in Georgia targeting Mr Trump and 18 others who joined an alleged criminal enterprise to illegally reject his loss in the state in 2020.

The financial fallout from lies and conspiracy theories surrounding the 2020 election has surged to nearly $1bn in recent months, following a $148m verdict in Rudy Giulianis defamation trial and a Fox News settlement with a voting machines company in a separate defamation case.

That figure does not include the mounting legal costs surrounding the hundreds of cases connected to the January 6 and the attack on the US Capitol, nor the federal and state-level criminal cases against Mr Trump and his allies for their alleged attempts to overturn 2020 election results, and other pending lawsuits from voting technology companies, law enforcement officers and members of Congress.

The Supreme Court however has not yet weighed in on a pair of major constitutional questions surrounding Mr Trumps 2024 campaign, including whether he should be immune from charges connected to his attempts to overturn 2020 results, and if his failure to stop the mob on January 6 should disqualify him from office.

Justices heard oral arguments earlier this month on whether Colorado courts can remove Mr Trump from the states ballots under the scope of the 14th Amendments clause barring anyone who supported or engaged with insurrection from holding public office.

Mr Trump also is asking justices to block a hold a lower-court ruling that struck down his immunity defence from federal criminal charges surrounding his alleged obstruction of 2020s outcome.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday decided to punt on a case about the admissions policy at a selective public high school in Northern Virginia that had the potential to further dismantle the reach of affirmative action in education.

The justices who declined to add the case to their docket did not provide a reason for their decision to deny review in the suit asserting that Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology discriminates against Asian and Asian American applicants.

The Supreme Courts action allows the school to maintain the new admissions policy. However, two members of the high courtJustices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomasexpressed strong disagreement with their colleagues refusal to take up the case.

In a 10-page dissent, Alito railed against a federal appeals court ruling that he called flagrantly wrong for holding that some discrimination against Asian Americans was legally tolerable as long as they remained overrepresented in the school.

The holding below effectively licenses official actors to discriminate against any racial group with impunity as long as that group continues to perform at a higher rate than other groups. That is indefensible, Alito wrote, joined by Thomas.

Alito also denounced the ruling last June, which found the policies did not disparately impact Asian American students, as a virus that may spread if not promptly eliminated. He called the decision from the Richmond, Va.-based 4th Circuit Court of Appeals aberrant and described it as hard to understand his colleagues unwillingness to revisit it.

In February 2022, a federal district court judge sided with parents who argued that a series of school policy changes meant to increase the odds of admitting students from underrepresented backgrounds ultimately hurt Asian Americans. But the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, in a 2-1 decision, reversed the lower court.

Key context: The Supreme Court's move to review the case comes less than a year after its ruling in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, which gutted the use of race-conscious admissions policies across most of higher education. Buoyed by that ruling, anti-affirmative action groups are testing how many new restrictions the courts are willing to accept on the use of race in other settings and institutions. Some groups are challenging scholarship programs and fellowship opportunities designated for underrepresented students. Students for Fair Admissions is also challenging the use of race-conscious admissions at West Point and the Naval Academy.



Fairfax County Public Schools staff in 2020 proposed admissions pathways that provide fair and equitable access to all students who have the potential to succeed at TJ, according to the appeals court.

The school board stopped requiring a $100 application fee and standardized tests for admission. It also adopted a holistic review process that considers experience factors such as a students eligibility for free school lunch, their status as an English-language learner or attending a historically underrepresented public middle school. The school board also said the admissions process must be race-neutral, and admissions decision-makers will not be provided an applicants name, race, ethnicity or sex.

Legal back and forth: A group of Asian American parents formed the Coalition for TJ in response to the policy and sued the Fairfax County School Board saying it violated the 14th Amendments equal protection clause. The district court ruled the policy created a disparate impact on Asian American students and was adopted by the school board with discriminatory intent. But the appeals court overruled, finding that the parents group did not establish that the Board adopted its race-neutral policy with any discriminatory intent.

The race-neutral policy, the appeals court wrote, spurred an increase of nearly 1,000 more students applying to attend the high school and more than half of the admissions offers extended went to Asian American students. Black students received less than 8 percent, Hispanic students were given slightly more than 11 percent and white students received more than 22 percent of the offers.

The policy visits no racially disparate impact on Asian American students, the court wrote. Indeed, those students have had greater success in securing admissions to TJ under the policy than students from any other racial or ethnic group.
A ruling in the case could have directly affected a million apartment units in New York City alone, and had a significant impact in California as well. (Julia Nikhinson / Associated Press)

The Supreme Court on Tuesday turned down a major property rights challenge to rent-control laws in New York City and elsewhere that give tenants a right to stay for many years in apartments at below-market rates.

A group of New York landlords had sued over the laws, contending the combination of rent regulation and long-term occupancy violated the Constitution's ban on the taking of private property for public use.

The justices had been considering taking up the appeal since late September. Only Justice Clarence Thomas issued a partial dissent on Tuesday to turning down the case.

The conservative justice said that the "constitutionality of regimes like New York Citys is an important and pressing question," but that the landlords had failed to show evidence they'd been prevented "from evicting actual tenants for particular reasons."

A ruling in the case could have directly affected a million rental units in New York City, and could have had a significant impact in California as well.

The California Apartment Assn. had urged the justices to hear the New York case, saying "many of its members are located in the local jurisdictions subject to rent control laws, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Jose, Oakland, Sacramento, Santa Monica, Berkeley, Pasadena, Alameda and Beverly Hills."

Rent control laws have previously been upheld on the grounds that they are regulations on property, not a taking of it by the government. But the court's conservative majority has shown a recent interest in bolstering property rights.

In 2021, the Supreme Court struck down a California law that authorized union organizers to visit farms and agriculture facilities to recruit new members for the United Farm Workers.

In a 6-3 ruling in that case, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. said the owners of private property have a "right to exclude" others from entering. Citing that principle, the New York landlords said they should have a right to exclude renters after their leases expire.

In January, the court heard a property rights challenge to fees for developers; it could also have a broad impact in California.

George Sheetz sued El Dorado County near Sacramento after he was assessed a $23,000 fee for a permit to put a manufactured home on a lot he owned.

The county says the fees, set by legislation, help pay for new and expanded roads in the area, and California courts ruled in favor of the county.

But the justices sounded closely split in Sheetz vs. County of El Dorado on whether such building permit fees amount to a taking of private property by the government.

In New York City, several owners of small and midsize apartment buildings sued, alleging that new rent-control laws went so far that "their property is no longer their own" and that "New York has expropriated it."

The owners pointed to changes made in 2019 that make it harder to exclude tenants after their leases expired, even if the owner wants the space for their own family members.

They said that while rent control was once defended as a temporary solution to severe housing shortages, the laws now "grant tenants a perpetual option to renew their leases, transforming term leases into government-mandated life estates."

The New York cases are 74 Pinehurst LLC vs. New York and 335-7 LLC vs. City of New York.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday in a case that could affect the ability of businesses to challenge government regulations they think are unfair.

A North Dakota convenience store owner sued over a 2011 rule on debit card transaction fees.

Corner Post opened for business in 2018, said attorney Bryan Weir. Since then, its paid several hundred thousand dollars in debit card fees that it thinks are unlawful.

But the government argues the business owner missed the statute of limitations to challenge the rule under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), which allows for challenges up to six years after a rule was put in place.

Attorneys for the business owner, however, say the timeline should actually begin once the owner was first impacted by the fees.

The government says that Corner Posts clock to challenge those fees actually started in 2011, seven years before Corner Post pumped a single gallon of gas, said Weir. The government is wrong. Corner Posts clock started when it swiped its first debit card and paid its first fee.

For decades, the courts of appeals have consistently recognized that the six-year statute of limitations on an APA claim accrues at the time of the challenged agency action, not the time when a particular plaintiff comes within the relevant statutes zone of interests, said Benjamin Snyder, Assistant to the Solicitor.

This ruling could have a major impact on businesses looking to challenge other federal regulations.

We are expecting a ruling to be handed down by the summer.
The Supreme Court declined to hear another case Tuesday over the role of race in school admissions, months after the conservative majority struck down affirmative action in college admissions.

The justices refused to review whether a revamped admissions policy at Virginias Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJ), one of the nations top-ranked high schools, discriminates against Asian Americans.

Conservative Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas publicly dissented, saying they would have taken up the case.

The Courts willingness to swallow the aberrant decision below is hard to understand. We should wipe the decision off the books, and because the Court refuses to do so, I must respectfully dissent, Alito wrote.

Last term, the high court along ideological lines ruled against Harvard University and the University of North Carolina, effectively barring race-conscious admissions policies at colleges nationwide.

The TJ case tested schools ability to encourage diversity using race-neutral criteria, and the justices refusal to hear the dispute leaves in place a lower ruling that upheld the admissions process.

TJ, which is located in Alexandria, for years employed a multi-round admissions process, including standardized tests, to draw a highly selective incoming class from surrounding middle schools.

Beginning in summer 2020, when George Floyds murder spurred worldwide protests, Fairfax County school administrators began proposing changes to the admissions scheme, in part over diversity concerns.

Ultimately, the district overhauled the process to instead evaluate students based on their GPA, written assessments and experiences.

The new scheme, among other changes, boosts applicants whose families qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, removes the application fee and allocates seats for each middle schools highest-evaluated applicants.

We have long believed that the new admissions process is both constitutional and in the best interest of all of our students. It guarantees that all qualified students from all neighborhoods in Fairfax County have a fair shot at attending this exceptional high school, Fairfax County School Board Chair Karl Frisch said in a statement.

Coalition for TJ, an organization comprising dozens of parents in Fairfax County, sued over the new process in March 2021, arguing the county engaged in unconstitutional racial discrimination.

A Reagan-appointed federal judge ruled for the coalition, but a three-judge panel on the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals later reversed that ruling.

What the Fourth Circuit majority held, in essence, is that intentional racial discrimination is constitutional so long as it is not too severe, Alito wrote in his written dissent, joined by Thomas.

This reasoning is indefensible, and it cries out for correction.

While that appeal was pending, the Supreme Court had ruled the admissions policy could remain in effect in the meantime. Three of the courts conservatives  Thomas, Alito and Justice Neil Gorsuch  at the time said they wouldve blocked the policy, but no justice provided explanation, as is common in emergency applications.

The coalition, represented by the libertarian Pacific Legal Foundation, heavily referenced the high courts recent affirmative action decision as it appealed the TJ case to the justices.

They noted that the proportion of Asian American students admitted to TJ fell from 73 percent to 54 percent after the county adopted the new admissions program.

[A] new species of racial discrimination has been spreading through some of our largest public school systems, the group wrote in its petition.

Like the discrimination this Court invalidated in SFFA, it primarily targets Asian-American students. But unlike that discrimination, it takes the form of facially race-neutral admissions criteria intentionally designed to achieve the same results as overt racial discrimination.

The county urged the Supreme Court to let the lower ruling stand, contending the coalition misrepresented the facts of the case and insisting TJs admissions scheme complies with the 14th Amendments Equal Protection Clause.

The new policy is race-neutral and race-blind, the county, represented by Donald Verrilli, who served as U.S. solicitor general in the Obama administration, wrote in its response.

It seeks to mitigate socioeconomic obstacles faced by students of all races and to ensure that high-performing students at all County public middle schoolsnot merely those attending the few feeder schools that serve the Countys more affluent communitieshave a fair shot at attending TJ.

Updated at 4:03 p.m.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to hear another case about race and education, rejecting a challenge brought against a Virginia public schools admissions policy designed to encourage diversity among its students.

The decision comes after the courts conservative majority struck down affirmative action in college admissions. It means that a lower courts ruling will be left in place, rejecting a claim brought by a coalition of parents and students that the revamped admissions policy at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology discriminates against Asian Americans.

SCOTUS Sides With Biden and Says Feds Can Cut Down Texas Razor Wire

The elite public school, nicknamed TJ, maintains its approach is race neutral. Plaintiffs in the case, represented by the conservative Pacific Legal Foundation, argued that the revised 2020 policy was intended to reduce the number of Asian Americans at the school and that it violated the Constitutions 14th Amendment which guarantees the law is equally applied to all.

Conservative Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas dissented from the decision not to hear the case. The courts willingness to swallow the aberrant decision below is hard to understand, Alito wrote in a dissent, joined by Thomas. We should wipe the decision off the books, and because the Court refuses to do so, I must respectfully dissent.

The plaintiff sued the Fairfax County School Board in 2021 after the admissions policy was revised over several members concerns about the lack of diversity at the school. The previous policy focused on standardized testing, while the new policy reserved spaces for the top students from each middle school in the area. One hundred spots were also set aside for the highest-rated applicants overall regardless of where they attend middle school.

Asian Americans fell from being over 70 percent of students at the school before the changes to 54 percent in 2021, before climbing again to 60 percent in 2022 and 62 percent last year. Female students, students from other racial groups, and kids from low-income householdsincluding Asian Americansall increased under the new policy.

U.S. District Judge Claude Hilton in 2022 ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, saying the process to change the admissions policy had been infected with talk of racial balancing from its inception. The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia, later overturned Hiltons ruling, finding that the schools policy was not discriminatory.

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The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday denied a request to hear a lawsuit that could have interrupted districts efforts to increase diversity at elite K-12 schools.



Following last years decision ending race-conscious admissions in higher education, the move suggests the court is satisfied for now with the selection process at magnets, STEM schools and other K-12 schools that require students to apply.

In 2020, the Fairfax district in northern Virginia changed its admissions criteria to better reflect the racial makeup of students in the county. Last May, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit upheld the plan.

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The Supreme Court offered no explanation for its refusal to hear the case. But a dissent from Justice Samuel Alito, backed by Justice Clarence Thomas, called the lower courts ruling in Coalition for TJ v. Fairfax County School Board, a virus that may spread if not promptly eliminated.

Justice Samuel Alito (supremecourt.gov)

What the Fourth Circuit majority held, in essence, is that intentional racial discrimination is constitutional so long as it is not too severe, Alito wrote. This reasoning is indefensible, and it cries out for correction.

The Supreme Courts earlier ruling against Harvard and the University of North Carolina over affirmative action-based admissions left some districts in limbo over whether K-12 integration efforts based on family income, rather than race, could pass legal muster. Echoing arguments similar to those that Students for Fair Admissions made against affirmative action in higher education, the Fairfax parents said admissions changes at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology make it more difficult for Asian-American students to be accepted.

Related

After Harvard Ruling, Will Admissions Policies at Elite K-12 Schools Be Next?

Before Fairfax changed its admissions rules, about three-fourths of the schools students were Asian Americans. District leaders eliminated a rigorous test for applicants and a $100 fee. And they reserved seats at the school for the top 1.5% of 8th graders in each middle school. Coalition for TJ said the new rules were racially biased because the proportion of Asian American students accepted dropped to 54%.

The Supreme Court missed an important opportunity to end race-based discrimination in K-12 admissions, Joshua Thompson, a senior attorney with the conservative Pacific Legal Foundation, said in a statement Tuesday. The firm represents the Fairfax parents who sued. Schools should evaluate students as individuals, not as groups based on racial identity.

But some integration experts say the courts decision not to hear the case confirms that using socioeconomic status in admissions is constitutional. Richard Kahlenberg, a fellow at the Progressive Policy Institute, called the courts denial a victory for poor and working class students of all races. On behalf of the plaintiffs in the cases against Harvard and UNC, he testified in favor of socioeconomic integration, but said Tuesday that both that earlier opinion and the courts denial of the TJ case fit with an ongoing public consensus in support of racial diversity, but in opposition to using racial preferences to get there.

The decision of seven justices not to hear the case makes good sense because for three decades, even the most conservative justices have been urging educational institutions to use precisely the kind of race-neutral strategies that Thomas Jefferson High School employed, he said.

Supporters of the admissions changes note the current average GPA of incoming students, 3.9, is higher than it was under the previous policy.

We have long believed that the new admissions process is both constitutional and in the best interest of all of our students, Karl Frisch, chair of the districts board, said in a statement. It guarantees that all qualified students from all neighborhoods in Fairfax County have a fair shot at attending this exceptional high school.

The best public schools

The Supreme Courts denial of the TJ appeal is the second blow in three months to Pacific Legals efforts to curb what it sees as discrimination against white and Asian American students in K-12. In December, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit ruled against the firms clients in a similar case over selective schools in Boston.

Following the opinions release, Erin Wilcox, another Pacific Legal attorney, said it was disappointing that just six months after the courts affirmative action ruling, the First Circuit held  that its perfectly legal for Boston to use racial proxies to determine who is admitted to some of its best public schools.

Pacific Legal plans to go back to the High Court in the next few weeks to ask the justices to examine many of the same issues it objected to in the TJ case.

But Stefan Lallinger, executive director at Next100, a progressive think tank affiliated with The Century Foundation, called the First Circuits decision a shot in the arm to districts that understand the value of diversity, but were left confused or worse, afraid, to take bold and affirmative steps after the Supreme Courts opinion on Harvard and UNC.

The Fairfax case pits equity advocates against families who argue that a merit-based system is fair. (Pacific Legal Foundation)

The Boston Public Schools made changes similar to those in Fairfax. The district replaced a merit-based admissions policy for its exclusive exam schools with one that drew students with high GPAs from all ZIP codes. (The system was later changed to reflect census tracts  small geographic areas within a county.)

The Boston Parent Coalition for Academic Excellence Corp., a nonprofit, sued last year over the policy change, which has led to more Black and Hispanic students attending the schools.

Related

SCOTUS Ruling Demands Urgency on Racial Inclusion, Biden Administration Says

Pacific Legal is also representing plaintiffs suing over criteria for entrance to highly competitive schools in Montgomery County, Maryland, and New York City. And in January, the firm filed a lawsuit on behalf of a group of New York parents over a statewide program that prepares students to study STEM fields in college. The plaintiffs argue that the criteria favors Black, Hispanic, Alaskan Native and American Indian students regardless of their familys income.

In Philadelphia, the American First Legal Foundation, another conservative law firm, sued in 2022 after the district dropped merit-based application requirements, such as recommendation letters, attendance and test scores, for competitive schools. District leaders moved to a lottery system in which students from certain ZIP codes receive preference. The system targets neighborhoods with the lowest representation of students who previously accepted offers to attend those schools.

The case is currently pending in federal district court.
NCSOFT, Netmarble, LINE Games scout legal experts as CEOs

By Park Jae-hyuk

Gaming firms' demand for lawyers has been growing recently as the Yoon Suk Yeol administration's tough stance on the industry has increased their legal risks, according to industry officials, Tuesday.

In December, NCSOFT hired VIG Partners managing partner Park Byung-moo with a plan to appoint the former lawyer of Kim & Chang, Korea's largest law firm, as a co-CEO at its regular general meeting of shareholders next month to lead the gaming firm with founder Kim Taek-jin.

"We hired Park to discover new growth engines and accelerate our medium- to long-term 'company building' strategy of becoming a global firm," NCSOFT said in a press release.

Netmarble is set to appoint Kim Byung-gyu, the company's vice president who had previously worked as an in-house counsel at Samsung C&T, as a new co-CEO to replace Do Gi-wook, who is known as a financial expert. It said that Kim has expertise not only in legal affairs but also in overseas affiliate management and strategic planning.

LINE Games CEO Park Sung-min, a former judge who started leading the company in February 2023, will stay in the position again this year. After resigning as a judge in 2022, he joined the gaming firm as an in-house counsel, directing its risk management.

In the past, most domestic gaming firms preferred appointing programmers as their chief executives.

The recent popularity of legal experts in the industry has been attributed mainly to the administration's strict regulations, although the companies have remained cautious about attributing the appointment of their new CEOs to government policies.

Since his presidential campaign days, Yoon has reiterated that his administration will prevent gaming firms from taking advantage of consumers with randomized in-game items. The presidential office also criticized Nexon, which was slapped with an 11.6 billion won ($8.7 million) fine for changing the probability of randomized items multiple times without notification for its hit titles MapleStory and Bubble Fighter to the disadvantage of users.

"Gamers should be protected as consumers who purchase digitalized goods," Yoon said during a government-public discussion session on people's livelihood issues on Jan. 30. "To protect consumers in the gaming industry, resolving unfair market practices should take priority."

Next month, gaming firms will be forced to unveil detailed probabilities of randomized in-game items.

The government also vowed to support victims of unfair randomization of items when they sue gaming firms. Over 500 players of MapleStory subsequently filed compensation suits against Nexon Korea on Monday, saying that 500 more will join the lawsuits.

In addition, Korean gaming firms have struggled with a series of legal battles with domestic rivals and Chinese companies over intellectual property.

"The gaming industry has been suffering various risks, including the government's tough regulations and disputes over intellectual property," said Yoon & Yang's expert adviser Kim Jong-il, who leads the law firm's team of experts in games.

Yoon & Yang recently became the nation's first law firm to organize a team dedicated to legal affairs related to the gaming industry. The law firm emphasized that it will preemptively support gaming firms facing difficulties due to unprecedented regulations and legal disputes.

Last Thursday, it held a meeting with domestic and foreign gaming industry officials to discuss regulations on ads and marketing for games.
The overwhelming majority of Ukrainians (69%) believe that Volodymyr Zelenskyy should remain in office until the end of martial law, according to a poll conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology in early February 2024.

15% of Ukrainians believe that elections should be held, of which 4% say martial law should be suspended. The remaining 11% of respondents favor amending the relevant laws and holding elections during martial law, according to the survey.

Read also: President Zelenskyy honors Maidan Revolution activists on 10th Anniversary

10% of respondents support the option that in May 2024, Zelenskyy will resign from office and the chairman of the Verkhovna Rada will perform his powers until a new president is elected, the KIIS writes.

Opinions on this issue are similar in all regions of Ukraine.

84% of Ukrainians believed in December 2023 that it was not the right time to hold elections and that this issue should be postponed.

Regardless of their views on the need for elections, more than half of Ukrainians (53%) believe that Zelenskyy should run in the next election. This number stood at 59% in December 2023.

The share of those who believe that Zelenskyy should limit himself to one current term has increased from 34% in December 2023 to 43% in February 2024, KIIS added.

Read also: Polish border blockade a mockery  Zelenskyy

The survey was conducted on Feb. 5-10, 2024. A random sample of 1,202 respondents living in all regions of Ukraine (except for the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, residents of the temporarily occupied territories, and Ukrainians abroad) were interviewed by telephone using a computer.

The statistical error did not exceed 3.2% for indicators close to 50%, 2.7% for indicators close to 25%, 2.1% for indicators close to 10%, and 1.4% for indicators close to 5%.

U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham of the Republican Party said at the end of August 2023 that elections in Ukraine should be held even during a war. Zelenskyy replied that in this case, the United States and Europe should ensure the integrity of the elections by sending observers to Ukraine, including to the front line. Changes in legislation and funding are also needed.

Zelenskyy said that elections in Ukraine could be held in wartime, provided that the legislation is amended and voting is organized in a way that is safe and that all Ukrainians, both at home, at the front, and abroad, can participate in the process.

He said later that in his opinion, elections in Ukraine are "not yet timely" because it is a time of defense and battle, on which the fate of the state and Ukrainians depends.

The Ukrainian parliament denied on Nov. 3 that it was preparing for a presidential election during the war. The state budget for 2024 does not provide for spending on elections.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
The suspect arrested on murder charges in the fatal shooting of two people at a University of Colorado Colorado Springs dorm was the roommate of one of the victims, police said.

Colorado Springs Police Chief Adrian Vasquez on Tuesday morning confirmed to NBC News that suspect Nicholas Jordan, 25, of Detroit, was the roommate of victim Samuel Knopp, a senior at the school.

Knopp, 24, and Celie Rain Montgomery, 26, who was not a student, were found dead Friday morning at the universitys Crestone House residence.

University of Colorado student Sam Knopp (Facebook)

The deaths triggered an hourlong campus lockdown until it was determined there was no active shooter, and were being investigated as homicides.

An arrest warrant was issued for Jordan  a student at the university  late Friday on two counts of first-degree murder. He was located in a vehicle Monday morning and taken into custody in Colorado Springs, police said on social media.

Vasquez said officials were concerned during the search that Jordan could have fled the area.

"We werent certain exactly where he was at," he said in an interview that aired Tuesday on NBCs "TODAY" show. "So we spent a lot of time, had teams out constantly scouring."

Police said Monday that the investigation indicates the shooting was "an isolated incident between individuals who were known to one another and not a random attack against the school or other students at the university."

Jordan, due to appear in court Tuesday afternoon, is being held on $1 million bond, according to online booking records.

Knopp was from the town of Parker, about 60 miles north of campus, and was studying music, school officials said.

"He was an accomplished guitar player and an extremely talented musician," Chancellor Jennifer Sobanet said in a statement to the campus community.

University of Colorado shooting victim Celie Rain Montgomery. (via Colorado Springs Police Department)

Senior Haden Garcia Gillespie said Knopp was his best friend.

"He was probably the most talented guitarist Ive ever met. And you can tell that that was definitely taken from us way too soon," he said in an interview that aired Tuesday on "TODAY."

"I dont think anyone could ever imagine something like this happening," he added.

Montgomery was from Pueblo, about 45 miles south of campus, and had studied culinary arts for a semester at Pueblo Community College.

"These deaths, and the ensuing unimaginable pain, are happening much too often in an environment where teaching and learning should be our only concern," the college said in a statement.

The University of Colorado Colorado Springs was closed over the weekend and classes were canceled Monday for students to participate in a "day of healing."

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
CHESTER, Pa. - Authorities in Delaware County are sharing new details about a police shootout over the weekend that left a suspect dead and a veteran detective injured.

Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer revealed Monday that police were investigating a drive-by shooting that happened earlier in the day Saturday, around 11:30 a.m. on the 900 block of Pennell Street.

Investigators soon learned that a victim was hurt in a shooting and that they were shot by someone firing out of the drivers side of a black Ford Taurus. That vehicle sped off after the shooting, but Stollsteimer says video evidence led to the identification of Torraize Armstrong, 40, as a suspect.

Later Saturday afternoon, around 4:30 p.m., Chester Police Detective Steven Byrne received word that Armstrongs black Taurus had been spotted in the city of Chester. Byrne caught up with the Taurus and tried to make an investigatory stop, but the driver took off, according to Stollsteimer.

Chester Police Detective Steven Byrne, a 16-year veteran of the Chester police force,

Neighboring police departments joined the pursuit as Armstrong fled into Upland, and eventually back into Chester.

Stollsteimer says Armstrongs vehicle blew a tire before he tried unsuccessfully to make a turn and stepped out of the vehicle.

Authorities say Armstrong got out of the car and immediately began firing a 9mm handgun at police officers who had taken part in the chase.

Detective Byrne was struck by gunfire and returned fire, along with three other officers who were on the scene.

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Armstrong was struck by gunfire several times and later died from his injuries at Crozer-Chester Medical Center.

Stollsteimer says that an initial ballistics report showed that the 9mm Armstrong used to fire at police was the same gun used in the drive-by earlier in the day.

"We have now determined that he (Armstrong) was indeed the shooter that day," Stollsteimer said. "It was his vehicle that drove by and shot an individual at the 900 block of Pennell, and we have now tied that gun directly to Mr. Armstrong."

Byrne a 16-year veteran of the Chester police force, was released from the hospital on Monday.

"He's in very good spirits. He appreciates everyone checking on him," said Commissioner Gretsky

Officials declined to give more information on the drive-by shooting, but say the victim will survive their injuries.
CUDAHY, Wis. (WFRV)  Police in southeast Wisconsin are searching for a suspect after he allegedly was driving 100 miles per hour in a posted 30 zone and left a debris field of damage.

According to the Cudahy Police Department, shortly before 1:45 a.m. on Tuesday, an officer observed a vehicle traveling east in the 2400 block of East Layton Avenue without headlights.

Tragic details released from two deaths believed to be connected in Wisconsin

The police officer initiated a traffic stop, and the vehicle was initially signaled to pull over but then rapidly accelerated to flee from law enforcement.

The suspect was estimated to have been traveling more than 100 miles per hour in a 30 miles per hour and a 25 miles per hour zone. A pursuit was initiated but quickly terminated due to the recklessness of the fleeing suspect.

The officer opted to continue to follow the route to check for a possible crash, where he located the vehicle at East Layton Avenue and South Packard Avenue.

Cudahy Police say there was a debris field as the suspect allegedly damaged an unoccupied bus shelter, three street signs, a traffic standard, a metal trash can, a metal light pole, and a wooden electrical pole.

Oconto man sentenced to life in prison for killing mother and her husband

The sole occupant of the vehicle fled on foot and was able to elude officers. Identifying evidence was recovered from the vehicle along with marijuana. A 23-year-old St. Francis man has been identified as a person of interest.

No injuries were reported, and the incident remains under investigation. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Cudahy Police Department at 414-769-2260.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton.
The suspect arrested in connection with the shooting deaths of two people in a dorm room at the University of Colorado Springs has now been identified as one of the victims roommates.

Nicholas Jordan, 25, of Detroit, had been sharing a dorm with 24-year-old Samuel Knopp, of Parker, Colorado, police said.

At around 5am on Friday morning, Mr Jordan allegedly shot and killed his roommate as well as 26-year-old Celie Rain Montgomery, of Pueblo, Colorado, inside the dorm.

The shooting briefly plunged the university into lockdown that day amid fears of an active shooter.

On Monday, officials arrested Mr Jordan after members of a vehicle theft unit found him inside a car. A tactical team later responded to the location and took the student into custody without incident.

He was charged with two felony counts of first-degree murder.

Mr Jordan is now being held in El Paso County Jail on a $5m cash bond, which was increased from $1m during his first court appearance on Monday.

Nicholas Jordan (Colorado Police Department)

Knopp was a senior studying music at the university while Montgomery was not a student, but worked as a health and wellness copywriter. She was also the mother of two young children.

Its not clear what Mr Jordan was studying at the university.

Police have not released additional details about the crime and the affidavit in the case is currently sealed. During Mondays court hearing, a public defender for Mr Jordan said that he had not been given access to the document and requested that it be handed over to his office. Teller County Deputy District Attorney Robert Willett did not oppose the request.

Shannon Gerhart, an El Paso County Judge presiding over the proceedings, said that shed leave the decision as to whether the document will be unsealed to the public for another hearing scheduled for Friday morning.

Mr Jordan stood next to his public defender in an orange jumpsuit with his hands shackled during proceedings. He only uttered his name when asked to say it for the record.

While the motive remains unclear, officials said from the start of the investigation that they believed the incident was not a random act.

Based on a news release, police responded to reports of shots fired at the university on Friday and found the bodies of Knopp and Montgomery in Crestone House, a dorm building in the university campus Alpine Village area.

Both victims had suffered at least one gunshot wound each.

University officials cancelled classes on Monday to honour the victims during a day of healing. Last week, another student, Mia Brown, died after she suffered a medical emergency in the universitys recreation centre. She was a senior studying nursing.

In a written statement on the deaths, University Chancellor Jennifer Sobanet said: I know we are all mourning, so please, remember that you are not alone.
Lee urged to assume legally-binding management post amid growing uncertainties

By Park Jae-hyuk

Samsung Electronics decided once again to keep Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong from joining its board, despite a local court acquitting him of stock price rigging and accounting fraud charges during the 2015 merger of two affiliates, the companys regulatory filing showed Tuesday.

The decision sparked concerns among industry officials who emphasized the need for Lee to return to Samsungs board in order to responsibly manage large-scale investments.

After a board meeting on Tuesday morning, Samsung Electronics said that it will only vote on the appointment of new outside directors and an audit committee member during its regular general meeting of shareholders on March 20.

When Lee was acquitted of the charges against him on Feb. 5., securities analysts expected that he would re-register as a Samsung Electronics director in order to pursue responsible management and direct the companys large-scale investments.

The necessity of responsible management to counter worsening profits will lead to the owners return as a director, Meritz Securities analyst Kim Sun-woo said in his report.

The prosecution's appeal on Feb. 8 against the courts ruling, however, caused the spread of a skeptical outlook regarding the Samsung chiefs return.

Lee Chan-hee, head of Samsungs compliance committee, which oversees the business groups management, expressed his own frustration after Samsung Electronics made the latest decision.

To strengthen responsible management, he should return as a director as soon as possible, he told reporters on his way to the committee meeting, Tuesday afternoon.

This is my personal opinion as it is too early for our committee to comment on the managerial decision, he added.

Progressive civic groups have also criticized the Samsung chairman for exercising his influence over the companys management without registering as a director.

Among the leaders of the nations four largest business groups  Samsung, SK, Hyundai Motor and LG  he is the only chief who is not registered as an executive director of a group affiliate.

The Samsung chief was appointed an executive director of Samsung Electronics in October 2016 and stepped down as his term ended three years later. After he was sentenced to a jail term in January 2021 for bribing impeached President Park Geun-hye, he was temporarily banned from returning to the board.

Although a special presidential pardon in August 2022 enabled him to re-register as a director, he did not return to the board even after his promotion to chairman in October 2022.

His return to the board is expected to take more time, as it will take several more years for an appellate court and the Supreme Court to arrive at their respective rulings concerning various allegations.
UPDATE: TUESDAY 2/20/2024 1:50 p.m.

(COLORADO SPRINGS)  Nicholas Jordan, the suspect arrested in connection to a double homicide that happened Friday morning, Feb. 16 at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS), appeared before a judge on Tuesday, Feb. 20 for an advisement hearing.

During the hearing, Jordans bond was increased to $5 million cash-only which will be readdressed at his next court appearance.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: UCCS shooting suspect was a roommate of one victim

The Fourth Judicial District Attorneys Office (DAs Office) argued for the bond increase by saying that Jordan does not have ties to the state being originally from Michigan, along with the seriousness of the charges, multiple victims, and he apparently tried to leave the state after the alleged crime. The DAs office also argued that Jordan had a firearm when arrested and still poses a threat to witnesses and the general public.

The Public Defender for Jordan requested the bond argument be reserved until Friday, Feb. 23 when Jordan appears before a judge again. The judge granted the reservation and set the bond to $5 million cash-only and the bond will be readdressed at the next court date.

The Public Defenders office also requested the probable cause affidavit be released solely by the Public Defenders office, while the DAs office had no objection to unsealing it for public view.

The decision to unseal the affidavit was pushed to the Feb. 23 court date.

ORIGINAL STORY: Court appearance for UCCS shooting suspect

TUESDAY 2/20/2024 1:03 p.m.

The suspect arrested in connection to a double homicide that happened Friday morning, Feb. 16 at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) will appear in El Paso County Court on Tuesday afternoon, Feb. 20 for an advisement hearing.

According to CO Courts on social media, Nicholas Jordan will have a video advisement on Tuesday at 1:30 p.m.

Jordan is currently being held on a $1 million bond at the El Paso County Jail.

On Friday around 6:15 a.m., the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) was called to UCCS about a shooting in the dorms where officers found Samuel Knopp and Celie Montgomery dead, each with at least one gunshot wound.

MORE COVERAGE: UCCS double homicide victims identified

UCCS was placed on lockdown temporarily while police investigated.

Nicholas Jordan

Jordan was arrested on Monday, Feb. 19 on two counts of First Degree Murder in the shooting deaths of Knopp and Montgomery.

CSPD told FOX21 that Jordan was a roommate to one of the victims.

Jordan is scheduled to be in court on Friday, Feb. 23 for a first appearance hearing at 8:30 a.m.

On Monday, CSPD reiterated that this was an isolated incident between people who knew one another and was not a random attack on the university or any of its other students.

FOX21 News will be listening to Jordans hearing and will update this article once we know more.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX21 News Colorado.
Suspects break into cars at dealership on Covington Pike

MEMPHIS, Tenn.  Police are looking for suspects who broke into cars at a dealership on Covington Pike Friday night.

Memphis Police say officers responded to a vandalism call at Jim Keras Chevrolet around 7 p.m.

Officers were told that the suspects parked behind one of the buildings on the lot, walked around the service parking area, and pulled on vehicle door handles.

WATCH: Porch pirate hits multiple homes, neighbors say

Police say the suspects were able to get into a Camaro and an unknown dark-colored vehicle.

According to police, the suspects also got into a 2020 Corvette by breaking the passenger side door and tried to program the car, but they were unsuccessful.

Courtesy: Memphis Police Department



Courtesy: Memphis Police Department

Courtesy: Memphis Police Department

If you have any information that could help police, call CrimeStoppers at 901-528-CASH.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage)  The variety of delicious and tempting food options within Sunset Mall has expanded over the past year from a mere five stores to now a total of 11 tenants for locals and visitors to choose from when strolling through.

Over the past six months, five new stores have opened including Auntie Annes, Elotes Vaz, Luckys, and the return of Charleys Philly Steaks.

ASU Rodeo Team receives $500,000 gift from West Texas family

Soon to join the variety of delicious food provided in Sunset Mall is Smoothie BAE and Candy Craze N More. Stop by Smoothie BAE starting March 1 in the food court or treat your sweet tooth at Candy Craze N More in mid-March.

Whether you are looking for some mouthwatering elotes, a fresh mix of fruit, or are tempted by the aroma of fresh pretzels drifting through the air, Sunset Mall has become a dining destination for both locals and visitors with its expanding and diverse food options. Sunset Mall shared that Auntie Annes Luckys, Elotes Vaz and Charleys Philly Steaks have quickly grown into the most popular go-to spot for shoppers and mall-goers.

Current and soon-to-open food tenants in the mall include:

Auntie Annes

Candy Craze N More  set to open mid-March

Luckys

Smoothie BAE  set to open March 1st

Snowberry T

Charleys Philly Steaks

Enfu Express

Chick-fil-A

The Crazy Fruit

Dippin Dots

Elotes Vaz

Plush wars: Squishmallows toy maker and Build-A-Bear sue each other

Its not just about the food at Sunset Mall; its about creating a welcoming and vibrant space where people can come together to enjoy good food and good company, Sunset Mall shared. So, whether youre stopping by for a quick snack or a leisurely meal, Sunset Mall promises a delightful dining experience that will leave you coming back for more.

Visit the Sunset Mall website to learn more about the tenants within the mall. Follow Sunset Mall on Facebook and on Instagram and Twitter @SunsetMallSA to get the latest news on whats happening in the mall.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ConchoValleyHomepage.com.
Last week, a rookie Tennessee police officer died in the line of duty. But while the loss of the officer is tragic, evidence suggests that his deathas well as the death of a woman in his custodywas a result of his negligence.

Meigs County Deputy Robert "R. J." Leonard, who had just joined the sheriff's office fresh out of the academy in December, responded to a call of a disturbance Wednesday night. According to reports, a man and woman were fighting on a bridge, and Leonard arrested the woman around 10 p.m. According to Meigs County District Attorney Russell Johnson, the arrest was Leonard's first since joining the force.

After handcuffing the suspectlater identified as Tabitha Smithand placing her in the back seat, Leonard radioed in that he was transporting her to jail. But on the way, according to Johnson, the deputy apparently sent his wife a text that read simply, "Arrest."

"His wife texted back and said, 'That's good' or 'That's great,'" said Sheriff Austin Garrett of nearby Hamilton County. But at that time, Leonard apparently drove the wrong way down a Blythe Ferry boat ramp and into the Tennessee River. At the same time Leonard texted his wife, dispatchers say they received a garbled radio message from him, with the only discernible word being "water."

The following day, a patrol vehicle was removed from the Tennessee River, from which the bodies of Leonard and Smith were later recovered.

While Leonard's death is tragic, leaving behind not only his wife but three children, all too little attention was paid to the woman who died, handcuffed, in his custody. Chief Deputy Brian Malone fought back tears as he announced Leonard's death, referring to Leonard as "part of our family," while only referring to Smithherself a mother of twoas "the other victim."

The report filed on the events by Los Angeles' ABC7 features the headline, "Bodies of missing Tennessee deputy and woman who had been detained recovered, officials say." But that was changed from the original headline, "Tennessee deputy found dead after making first arrest, patrol vehicle recovered from river." While this reflects an earlier time when less information was available, that article still featured the detail that dispatchers had lost communication with Leonard right as he was texting his wife and that "the deputy, a native of New York, appeared to be texting and radioing while driving in a poorly lit area he was unfamiliar with."

Indeed, a report on Chattanooga's ABC9 noted that the crash "raises questions over safety on Blythe Ferry boat ramps," but the segment still shows that the road leading to the boat ramp in question featured three "rumble strips"bumps in the road meant to alert drivers to upcoming dangerand three yellow signs warning that "road ends."

Unfortunately, Smith is just one of countless people to die in police custody. In 2014, Congress passed the Death in Custody Reporting Act, which requires the federal government to collect and analyze data on the number of inmates who die each year in state, local, or federal custody. But a report published last year by the Leadership Conference Education Fund and the Project on Government Oversight found that the government "has yet to collect reliable data, let alone produce the required study." Citing data from the Government Accountability Office, the report notes that "in 2021 alone, the government potentially undercounted deaths in custody by nearly 1,000 compared to other public data sources."

Leonard's crash was almost certainly an accident, driving down a dark road in an unfamiliar area at night. But preliminary evidence suggests a degree of negligence, both by texting while driving and failing to heed multiple posted signs. While Leonard's death was a tragedy, it is necessary to note that his negligence also caused the death of a woman in his custody.

The post Tennessee Deputy Dies While Texting and Driving, Killing Suspect in the Back Seat appeared first on Reason.com.
Charlie Kirk gives the opening speech during AmericaFest 2023 at the Phoenix Convention Center on Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023.

A food fight has broken out in the national Republican Party with angry words flying like bacon, lettuce and tomato.

The party faithful are saying out loud what otherwise gets whispered behind closed doors.

Now those accusations are painting the picture of a fractured Republican Party on the cusp of the 2024 presidential election.

The Republican inner circle is fighting

The internecine war, as reported by Real Clear Politics and NBC News, describes a GOP in conflict over the ouster of Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel.

Defenders of McDaniel say that among those behind the ouster was Arizonan Charlie Kirk, who in 2012 founded the conservative youth movement Turning Point USA.

The McDaniel defenders paint Kirk as a kind of hostile takeover operator, who was already raiding the RNC donor base and wanted to take out the chair and increase his influence within the national party.

Kirk and Turning Point strongly deny this.

All of this will interest Arizona conservatives, as Turning Point is the organization that took over the Arizona Republican Party and helped move the needle on Arizona politics in the wrong direction.

Turning Point helped remake the AZ GOP

Today in Arizona, a state in which Republicans still boast a 206,000 voter-registration lead over Democrats, the Democrats have taken control of the governors office, secretary of state, attorney general and Arizonas two U.S. Senate seats.

One of those Senate seats, Kyrsten Sinemas, has since gone independent.

Those results can hardly be blamed on Turning Point alone.

Arizona independents and moderate Republicans have punished the smash-mouthed populism of the Make America Great Again movement embodied by former President Donald Trump.

Turning Point was a vehicle for remaking the Republican Party more completely in the image of Trump.

In the 2022 election, Arizona voters would have none of it.

They rejected the major GOP candidates who ran MAGA campaigns. Two years earlier, they voted for Democrat Joe Biden over Trump, handing Arizona's 11 electoral votes to Biden.

Ronna McDaniel lost favor with Trump

Ronna McDaniel, the niece of U.S. Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, has long been a target of criticism in the GOP.

Last year, then presidential contender and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis sought to change RNC leadership with someone more capable of raising funds and inspiring voters.

Trump defended McDaniel and ultimately won that contest.

But Turning Points Charlie Kirk remained a fierce opponent of McDaniels and worked to piledrive her into the ground.

Youre a loser, he said of her. A professional, Romney-infiltrating loser. ... Is Ronna McRomney there to make sure that we lose in 2024? Im telling President Trump privately and publicly hed better remove her. Does Ronna Romney want Donald Trump in prison? I really think shes an infiltration at this point.

Obviously, Kirk didnt control the fate of Ronna McDaniel. She has served at the pleasure of Donald Trump. And when Trump finally turned on her late last year, she would eventually tender her resignation.

Turning Point's Charlie Kirk attacked MLK

With her ouster came recriminations, and Real Clear Politics was the first to report them.

When McDaniel realized Trump had turned on her, she went to Mar-A-Lago to meet with him, reported Real Clears Philip Wegmann.

Charlie Kirks name came up, according to sources familiar with the discussion. One topic of conversation was whether TPUSA was attracting dollars and donors that would otherwise flow to his campaign and whether Kirks criticism of Martin Luther King Jr. might undermine Trumps growing strength among Black voters.

The latter reference was to Kirks idiotic attack on the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.  the face of the heroic Civil Rights Movement of the late 1950s and early 1960s.

Kirk called King awful and not a good person.

Had Kirk sleep-walked through the Black Lives Matter movement that culminated in the George Floyd protests of 2020?

That could have fallout for Trump

Movement leaders largely ignored MLK and celebrated the more militant Black leaders of Kings era  the Black leaders who hated King.

Some BLM leaders echoed the racial separatism and Black nationalism of those other leaders and promoted the dismantling of Americas founding ideas, which culminated in some places with the toppling of statues of Thomas Jefferson and George Washington.

King, on the other hand, had made Americas founders the moral bedrock of the Civil Rights Movement, challenging all Americans to finally live up to their high ideals.

Multitudes of Americans, left and right, revere King because he used peaceful means to crush racial prejudice. And because, while flawed, he was an exceptionally good man.

McDaniel allies warned Trump that Kirks tirade against King and some ugly Kirk remarks about not trusting Black commercial-airline pilots, could undermine Trumps support among Black voters, reported RCP and NBC News.

Trump is f---ing pissed that Charlie is out causing problems for him in the Black community, a source close to Trump told NBC News.

Yet Donald Jr. defends Kirk

To the contrary, Donald Trump Jr. told RCP, his father has a high opinion of Charlie Kirk.

This is nothing more than fiction coming from people jealous of the close relationship Charlie has built with our family. He is in great standing with both my father and the entire Trump campaign.

Another highly placed Trump source told RCP, Whats true is that Ronna attempted to knife Charlie, but no one of importance in Trumps orbit bought the knifing.

But Darrell Scott, a pastor from Ohio who was one of Trumps important Black allies, said, There are a number of others that are not in agreement with Charlies bullcrap and that are saying we dont need this, reported NBC News.

Every single call Ive got from some people high up in the Republican Party and people high up in the Trump orbit  theyre all on my side. Theyre all saying, Im glad youre telling him to shut up. 

Is Trump playing a double game on Kirk?

The NBC News coverage points to another reason Turning Point might have targeted Ronna McDaniel.

Kirk and fellow Arizonan Tyler Bowyer, chief operating officer at Turning Point USA, wanted control of RNCs dollars and donor lists, a Trump ally told NBC News.

At Turning Point Actions Restoring National Confidence summit ahead of this months RNC winter meetings in Las Vegas, state and local GOP chairs were pitched on moving their voter outreach and canvassing efforts to an app created by Superfeed Technologies, a company led by Tyler Bowyer, the chief operating officer of Turning Point USA.

This is why he was trying to get rid of Ronna, the Trump ally told NBC News. He shouldnt make it sound like, Oh, were tired of losing. We dont have an early vote program. He should have just said, Listen, he who controls the RNC controls millions of dollars and I want to get my hands on them. I mean, that would have been a more honest grift.

For their part, Turning Point denies they are doing anything other than trying to win the next election.

So whats the truth here?

Dont be surprised if Donald Trump is playing a double game, embracing Kirk through some channels while warning through others he needs to watch his mouth.

What could be more Trump-like than that?

Phil Boas is an editorial columnist with The Arizona Republic. Email him at phil.boas@arizonarepublic.com.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Turning Point USA starts a food fight with the Republican Party
Chinese market boosting growth in Brazilian coffee exports

09:56, February 20, 2024 By Shi Yuanhao ( People's Daily

Brazil exported more than 39.24 million 60-kg bags of coffee last year, on par with those in 2022, according to the the Brazilian Coffee Exporters Council.

Of these, 1.48 million bags were exported to China, a significant 278.6 percent increase over 2022, making China the 6th largest export destination for Brazilian coffee.

Photo shows coffee trees of different varieties outside the office of Unique Cafes in Brazil. (People's Daily/Shi Yuanhao)

"In 2017, Brazil's coffee exports to China were less than 83,000 bags. In recent years, coffee consumption in the Chinese market has achieved continuous growth, and Brazilian coffee is gaining more popularity," said Marcos Antonio Matos, director general of the Brazilian Coffee Exporters Council.

He said that with its large population, China still has great room for growth in coffee consumption. Brazil values the Chinese coffee market and hopes more Chinese merchants will purchase Brazilian coffee beans.

Minas Gerais is one of Brazil's main coffee producing states. It said on its news website that the Chinese market provides important opportunities for the Brazilian coffee industry.

Specialty coffee is one of the key growth areas for Brazilian coffee exports to China. The Mantiqueira region, located at the junction of Minas Gerais, Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro states, has high altitudes and large diurnal temperature variation, making it a sound place for growing coffee.

A staff member of a coffee plantation explains how coffee is processed. (People's Daily/Shi Yuanhao)

Helcio Junior, Executive Director of Unique Cafes located in Mantiqueira, said that his company has cooperated with its Chinese partners for eight years and long been engaged in the promotion and sales of specialty coffee in China.

Unique Cafes has also participated in the China International Import Expo in Shanghai multiple times through the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency.

"The Chinese market is boosting growth in Brazilian coffee exports," said Junior.

The Cerrado Coffee Growers Federation in Minas Gerais recently said that China is one of the most promising countries for importing high-quality Brazilian coffee in the future, and expanding the coffee business in the Chinese market will be an important effort going forward.

Brazil's CarmoCoffees, mainly engaged in coffee bean exports, often sends its commercial trader for the Chinese market, Brayan Cunha Souza, to participate in relevant exhibitions held in Chinese cities.

An employee of a coffee company packs coffee powder. (People's Daily/Shi Yuanhao)

"In many Chinese cities, you can see more and more coffee shops popping up on streets and alleys. Demand in the Chinese market for Brazilian coffee, especially specialty coffee, continues to grow," Souza said.

Brazilian coffee brands attach great importance to the Chinese market and will continue to strengthen cooperation with Chinese partners, he added.

"There are certain differences among Brazil's coffee-producing regions, so we can provide coffees with diverse flavors," said Eduardo Heron Santos, technical director of the Brazilian Coffee Exporters Council.

He added that the Brazilian Coffee Exporters Council is committed to investing in research on coffee varieties and tastes to further meet the diversified demands of the Chinese coffee market.

An employee of a coffee company brews coffee. (People's Daily/Shi Yuanhao)

(Web editor: Hongyu, Du Mingming)
New York, US (PANA) - Amid reports of a renewed escalation of hostilities in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo), the UN peacekeeping mission in the country has called on the M23 rebels to cease its offensive, the UN Spokesperson said on Monday
New York, US (PANA) - The US on Tuesday vetoed the latest resolution on Gaza at the UN Security Council put forward on behalf of Arab States by Algeria, demanding an immediate humanitarian ceasefire that must be respected by all parties
Students of the Educational and Research Institute of Journalism of the Taras Shevchenko National University in Kyiv are demanding the dismissal of their lecturer Mykyta Vasylenko, who is accused of promoting sexist and pro-Russian narratives, Oksana Parashchak, a fourth-year student of the institute and a servicewoman announced on TikTok on Feb. 17.

Vasylenko claimed during his lectures that women can achieve something only in four ways: husband, lover, father, brother.

In her comment to hromadske news outlet, she said that in the summer of 2023, students sent a letter to the then-director of the institute, Volodymyr Rizun, complaining about Vasylenkos openly pro-Russian and sexist position.

The lecturer indulges in sexist comments towards female students, reads the letter, signed by more than 170 students of the Institute.

During Russias full-scale war against Ukraine, this lecturer tells students in class about the greatness of Russia.

Rizun claimed at the time that he did not have the authority to qualify the evidence as a violation, and also admitted that he had not watched the video or listened to the audio evidence of behavior with signs of discrimination, Parashchak stated.

Read also: At protest in Lviv, students demand firing of university professor over her disrespect for Russian-speaking soldiers

She later contacted the Human Rights Ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets. In January 2024, the Ombudsman replied that the Academic Councils Standing Ethics Commission had set up a working group to address issues of sexism.

The Commission recognized the facts of ethics violations and that the formal approach of the management, Academic Council, and student union of the Institute to these violations led to reputational losses for the institute and the university as a whole. Based on these findings, Vasylenko and the head of the department were reprimanded.

Students are nonetheless demanding Vasylenkos dismissal.

The student union of the Institute stated that they had repeatedly received complaints from students about Vasylenkos behavior, and in December 2023, their representatives participated in a meeting of the Ethics Commission that considered his suspension from lecturing.

The student union stressed that they categorically condemn the position and statements of Mykyta Vasylenko and consider his work as a lecturer unacceptable.

For our part, we promise to do everything possible to ensure that justice is served, the student union said.

Mykyta Vasylenko denied all the accusations in a comment to the TSN news program and said that he would sue the student.

I am just forced to do it, the lecturer responded.

Before doing so, I will warn the university administration and consult with my colleagues. I have enough reason to believe that this provocation was commissioned. It is directly related to my teaching and publishing activities.

Read also: Lviv university professor resigns over husbands controversial dealings with Defense Ministry

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Afghan Women News, February 20, 2024

Mr Manager

Local sources in Balkh province report the shooting of a young woman by unidentified armed individuals in the province. According to the sources, the body of a woman who had been shot was discovered in the village of Kol Ambu in the Balkh district of Balkh province on the morning of Monday, February 5.

According to an informed source, this woman was shot by unidentified armed individuals around 4 a.m. Her identity and the motive behind her murder are not yet clear.

This comes as on Thursday, February 1, in the Karteh Khurasan area of the seventh district of Mazar-e-Sharif city, two women and two men of a family were also killed by unidentified individuals with knife stabs and gunshot wounds to their foreheads.

Note: Published ,6 February 2024/ Afghan Women News
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Calcutta HC again permits Bengal LoP to enter Sandeshkhali Decks were cleared for the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in West Bengal Assembly to enter trouble-hit Sandeshkhali District on Tuesday afternoon, as the Calcutta High Courts Division Bench of Chief Justice, TS Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya gave conditional approval to Suvendu Adhikari to enter the area. After being stopped at Dhamakhali ferry jetty, a principal entry point to Sandeshkhali, the LoP kept waiting there even as his counsel in Kolkata approached the court yet again for permission to visit the area.



After a brief hearing in the matter, the court allowed the LoP and BJP legislator Shankar Ghosh to enter Sandeshkhali.



However, the Division Bench made it clear that no third person including the associates of the LoP would be allowed to enter the troubled zones.



The court also observed that it would be the responsibility of the police to ensure that there is no breach of law and order during the Adhikari and Ghoshs visit.



Legal experts say that the order was true to the spirit of law where Section 144 only bars assembly of five or more people where prohibitory orders are enforced.



As per latest information police removed the barricade at Dhamakhali ferry jetty and Adhikari and Ghosh have started for Sandeshkhali through the waterways, accompanied by a huge police contingent.



Although on Monday, the Calcutta High Courts single-judge Bench of Justice Kausik Chanda permitted the LoP to reach those points in Sandeshkhali where Section 144 had been withdrawn, the District Administration on Tuesday morning issued fresh prohibitory orders under Section 144 at 12 new places there, including the five ferry jetties which are entry points to the district, which is basically a conglomeration of islands.




Hong Kong: 3 LNY lantern carnivals start

The Leisure & Cultural Services Department announced that it is holding three Lunar New Year Lantern Carnivals from today to February 25.

The carnivals at the Cultural Centre Piazza, Hong Kong Velodrome Park, Tin Shui Wai Park and Ginza Square, feature colourful lantern displays of various themes and a series of activities and performances. Admission is free.

The specially themed lanterns at the three venues will be illuminated from 6pm to 11pm daily during the period, while there will also be Gala Nights on designated dates, where members of the public can enjoy ethnic dance and acrobatics by the Hubei Provincial Performing Arts Group as well as other music and dance performances.

The Radio Television Hong Kong Pop Up truck will also be turned into a Pop Up Live mobile studio to celebrate the festival with audiences.

On February 23, there will be a Youth Night at the Cultural Centre Piazza, where people can enjoy dance, Chinese music, pop music and band sounds performed by young local artists and district organisations.

This story has been published on: 2024-02-20. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
China-Saudi Arabia ethylene project enters full construction stage

Xinhua) 10:01, February 20, 2024

FUZHOU, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Construction of the main complex of a joint-investment ethylene project, which involves petrochemicals giant Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC), began on Monday in east China's Fujian Province.

The project, with a total investment of 44.8 billion yuan (about 6.3 billion U.S. dollars) from SABIC and Fujian Energy Petrochemical Group Co., Ltd., is being built in the Gulei petrochemicals base in the city of Zhangzhou.

As the largest single Sino-foreign joint venture in Fujian Province, the project is expected to be completed in 2026 and possess a maximum annual production capacity of 1.8 million tonnes of ethylene.

The project has triggered investment totaling more than 200 billion yuan for upstream and downstream industries in the Gulei petrochemicals base, according to preliminary estimates.

The base is one of China's seven largest petrochemicals bases. It has 15 operational projects and a further 12 are under construction.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
United Airlines jets take off and taxi at SFO in October 2020. A United Airlines flight from San Francisco to Boston was forced to make an emergency landing on Monday due to a damaged wing. Paul Chinn, Staff / The Chronicle

A United Airlines flight from San Francisco to Boston was forced to make an emergency landing on Monday due to a damaged wing.

Flight 354 was diverted to Denver International Airport after a wing flap issue arose mid-flight. A video capturing the incident was shared on social media by Kevin Clarke, one of the 165 passengers on board.

Just about to land in Denver with the wing coming apart on the plane, Clarke said in the clip.

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United Airlines confirmed that there was an issue with the slat on the wing of the aircraft but did not specify the cause of the damage.

Clarke told Boston 25 News that he heard this loud buzzing noise shortly after taking off.

And then it faded away so I didnt think much of it, and all of a sudden the pilot is coming back, so I threw my window open, peeked out the window and the whole leading edge of the wing was destroyed, he said.

The Boeing 757-200 jet safely landed in Denver at 5:21 p.m. on Monday. United said the passengers were transferred to another plane and arrived at Boston Logan International Airport early Tuesday morning.

No injuries were reported. The Federal Aviation Administration said it will investigate the incident.

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Last month, an Alaska Airlines jetliners emergency landing led U.S. authorities to ground most of Boeings 737 Max 9 jets. The FAA action followed an incident where a paneled-over exit door, known as a door plug, blew off the passenger jet shortly after takeoff.
San Francisco Mayor London Breed greets visitors at the Lady Shaw Senior Center in San Francisco on Tuesday before speaking to them about avoiding a blessing scam that is targeting the community. Jessica Christian/The Chronicle

The 84-year-old Chinese immigrant said she believed that evil spirits would harm her family.

Three scam artists convinced her that her family was at risk when they approached her as she walked alone in San Franciscos Mission District on Jan. 25, San Francisco authorities said. The only way to protect her family, they warned in her native dialect, was to gather her most valuable possessions and place them in a bag for a blessing ceremony, a Chinese ritual to bring prosperity and good fortune. She obliged. The ceremony was performed. Her valuables, concealed in a bag, were returned  or so she thought.



She was instructed not to open the bag for a couple of days or risk sabotaging the blessing, she told authorities.

The next day, the woman opened the bag and found random junk of similar weight to her valuables. Her treasures were gone.

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Since November, four elderly San Francisco women who are immigrants from China have fallen victim to a scam that has defrauded them of their life savings, according to the San Francisco Police Department. The victims were between 61 and 84 years old.

The value of the cash and jewelry lost by the four victims ranged from more than $20,000 to six figures, San Francisco Police Department Inspector Tony Flores, whos heading the investigation, said Tuesday, but he declined to specify exact amounts.

This is about trust, Flores said Tuesday to a group of seniors at a senior center on the edge of Chinatown. This is how they hypnotize you.

The scam resembles similar operations that have targeted San Francisco Asian elders since at least 2012 and as recently as 2018. San Francisco Police Chief William Scott said they do not know at this point whether the suspects are connected to past cases.

Flores said the suspects targeted vulnerable seniors and won them over by speaking their dialect.

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Anni Chung, president and CEO of Self-Help for the Elderly, a community-based group serving mostly immigrant and monolingual Asian seniors, said Chinese seniors tend to be afraid or embarrassed to report falling victim to such scams, and the actual number of victims may be higher.

The Police Department, district attorneys office, mayors office and Self-Help for the Elderly held an awareness event Tuesday to warn Chinese seniors about the scammers. Police Department officials told seniors to refuse to engage with the scammers if approached, not to hand over any valuables to strangers and to call for help.

Superstitions about the power of evil spirits are deeply rooted among some Chinese elders, as is the sense of obligation to protect ones family from harm.

Rose Liu, 80, told the Chronicle at Tuesdays awareness event that she understands why some seniors fell prey to the blessing scam.

The seniors were not quick-witted enough and they were afraid, she said in Cantonese. They were scared for their own life, that they wont be able to protect themselves.

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The suspects are at large. The SFPD believes the suspects in the Jan. 25 case are connected to another case on Jan. 23, when a 76-year-old Asian woman was scammed after being approached by three suspects while waiting alone at an Excelsior district bus stop.

The suspects in two incidents are described as a male from age 50 to 60 years old and two females ranging from age 30 to 60, with black hair, brown eyes and wearing masks that partially covered their faces.

Flores told the Chronicle they have great leads, are trying to get video footage of the crimes and hope to have suspects in custody soon.

District Attorney Brooke Jenkins told the Chronicle her office is committed to holding perpetrators accountable.

We will not rest until every day you feel safe when you walk outside of these doors, Jenkins told the attendees at Tuesdays event.

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Chung said that in the past decade, blessing scams have targeted elders beginning a couple of months before Chinese New Year. But she said it stopped during the pandemic, which she suspected is because perpetrators could not leave China to come to the U.S. due to COVID-19 travel restrictions.

As far as she knows, this is the first time in four years that blessing scams have reemerged.

Were scared the elderly may have forgotten because they havent encountered this for four years and might fall prey again, Chung told the Chronicle. Theyre very trusting. Were worried these blessing scammers will do a lot of harm.

Chung said her organization is working with the Police Department to hold similar awareness events at 15 other senior centers.
Ernesto Quinonez, Luis Quinonezs brother, poses for a portrait in San Francisco on Feb. 1. Author Laurence Ralph wrote Sito: An American Teenager and the City That Failed Him, a book about the fatal shooting of Luis Quinonez in San Francisco. Benjamin Fanjoy/The Chronicle Friends and family of Luis Quinonez pose for a group portrait in San Francisco on Feb. 1. Benjamin Fanjoy/The Chronicle Author Laurence Ralph looks at a mural in Balmy Alley on Feb. 1. Ralph wrote Sito: An American Teenager and the City That Failed Him, a book about the fatal shooting of Luis Quinonez in San Francisco. Benjamin Fanjoy/The Chronicle The area where Luis Quinonez was fatally shot in 2019 in San Francisco. Benjamin Fanjoy/The Chronicle The air station where author and Princeton Professor Laurence Ralph said Luis Quinonez filled his tires the day he was fatally shot in 2019 in San Francisco. Benjamin Fanjoy/The Chronicle Author Laurence Ralph visits the area where Luis Quinonez was fatally shot in 2019 in San Francisco on Feb. 1. Benjamin Fanjoy/The Chronicle

On a recent chilly morning, Princeton University anthropology professor Laurence Ralph parked on a quiet block in San Franciscos Crocker-Amazon neighborhood and walked to a gas station that had become a heartbreaking landmark in his life.

It was at this Arco station on Naples Street in 2019 that 19-year-old Luis Quinonez would fill his tire with air. Minutes later, Quinonez and his girlfriend, Arianna Bassard, would be shot by a hooded boy who had been the one to tamper with the cars tires.

Quinonez, whom friends and family called Sito, died at the scene after taking 17 bullets to his body. His girlfriend was injured but survived.

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Luis Sito Quinonez. Courtesy of Beatriz Enciso

Ralph, whose research has focused on gang violence and police abuse, recalled he was at his New Jersey home when he heard his wife, Aisha, let out a blood-curdling scream. Her son, Ernesto Quinonez, who lived in Oakland with his half-brother, Sito, told her the news.

Now more than four years after the killing, Ralph has written a book called Sito: An American Teenager and the City That Failed Him, about the cycles of violence that led up to Quinonezs death and changed the lives of those who knew him.

The book, Ralphs third, follows two other ambitious nonfiction works  one that chronicles the history of police violence in Chicago, and another thats an ethnography about gang violence in Chicago  but Sito is his most personal yet.

Researching his life and death wasnt merely about enhancing a scholarly understanding of crime, violence and injury, Ralph wrote in the book. My research and writing needed to help my own family heal before the cycle of vengeance claimed another victim.

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Author Laurence Ralph looks at a mural in Balmy Alley with a Chronicle reporter in San Francisco on Feb. 1. Ralph wrote Sito: An American Teenager and the City That Failed Him, a book about the fatal shooting of Luis Quinonez in San Francisco. Benjamin Fanjoy/The Chronicle

Tidbits from Ralphs extensive research on gangs in the Mission District and the juvenile justice system pad the book, but it is at heart a deeply kaleidoscopic view into the tragedy of Sitos death.

Though the killing is at the center of the book, the story is also an intimate look into generations of a close-knit family pushing against the strong hold of gang violence. Ralph explores a series of system breakdowns in the city, including at Sitos middle school, by local law enforcement and even the media, that created a runway for his death  and for its mischaracterization in the public eye.

However, if you read the book and you think theres a villain at the end of the book, then youve misread it, said Ralph, who still lives in Princeton, N.J., with his wife and two young children. (Sitos father is Aishas ex-partner, with whom she had her first child, Ernesto.)

Laurence Ralphs new book, Sito: An American Teenager and the City That Failed Him, published in February. Grand Central Publishing

At La Taqueria in the Mission District, Ernesto, 29, said he and his father, Rene Quinonez, wanted Ralph to document Sitos story in part as a way of expanding the narrative that had surrounded the murder on Sept. 8, 2019.

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More Information Sito: An American Teenager and the City That Failed Him

By Laurence Ralph

(Grand Central Publishing, 299 pages, $30) Laurence Ralph in conversation with Forrest Stuart: 7 p.m. Thursday, March 14. Free. Mrs. Dalloways Bookstore, 2904 College Ave., Berkeley. 510-704-8222. www.eventbrite.com

In 2014, when Sito was in ninth grade, he was wrongfully charged with homicide; he was at the scene of a stabbing where his former middle school classmate, Rashawn Williams, was killed outside a Mission District corner store. The teenager who actually stabbed Williams never served time but was later murdered in retaliation.

News outlets, including the Chronicle, portrayed Williams as a star student with dreams of attending an Ivy League college. After serving months in juvenile hall for a crime he didnt commit, charges were dropped against Sito, but the stain of public villainization remained.

Luis Sito Quinonez is pictured on a necklace worn by his brother, Ernesto. Benjamin Fanjoy/The Chronicle

Five years later, almost to the day, Williams younger brother, who was 17 at the time, was the one to murder Sito. The act was described as a revenge killing, which still frustrates the family, Ralph said.

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It almost suggests an eye for an eye, he noted, or that what was done to Sito was commensurate to something he may have done.

This untangling of a narrative that had felt dangerously inapt is part of what makes Ralphs book a triumph, said Ernesto, who stressed that there is no such thing as a perfect victim.

Sito, who was just 14, was the youngest person in juvenile hall at the time. The experience of incarceration hardened Sito and took away his innocence, said Ralph, and he left emotionally scarred and turned to alcohol to cope.

A mural in Balmy Alley that author Laurence Ralph referenced in his book, Sito: An American Teenager and the City That Failed Him. Benjamin Fanjoy/The Chronicle

Still, friends and family described Sito as an extraordinarily intellectual person with numerous talents, including for art, critical theory and entrepreneurship. He was trying to move forward from what had happened, said his brother, who added that he and Sito had discussed moving from California just before his death.

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(Nothing) got boring with Sito, said Xhiyo Rodriguez, 26, a friend of Sitos who described his story as one that needed to be shared with the world. If you could keep going, he could keep going.

In the months before his death, Sito had begun dedicating much of his time to prison abolition and the effort to close San Franciscos juvenile hall. His campaigning for more lenient treatment of young people accused of crimes, ironically, is in part why Rashawn Williams brother is expected to be released sometime this year.

I had to sit and realize that if Sito could come back, hed probably tell us not to advocate for that young man to be charged as an adult, said Ernesto of his younger brother, who would have been 24 this year. I knew that ultimately the way his spirit and his life was going to be kept alive wasnt through the criminal justice system.
Baron Ziegler, left, who also owns Marine Layer Wines and Valkyrie Selections, sits with Pax Mahle, owner of Pax Wines, at Halcon Vineyard, which they bought as a 50-50 partnership. Courtesy of Leigh-Ann Beverley

The Halcon Vineyard has always been a wine nerds secret. For years, the Syrahs made from this windy, rocky site in remote Mendocino County were gossiped about in online message boards, where some enthusiasts maintained that Halcon was the finest Syrah vineyard in California.

Yet, despite its passionate devotees, Halcon never quite became famous beyond these insider circles. Maybe it was because the wines were priced so low, around $30 a bottle, far below the coveted French Syrahs that wealthy collectors love. Maybe it was because Halcon is located in such an unknown region, the remote Yorkville Highlands. Maybe it was because the wines would often sell out, thanks to word of mouth, before they ever hit a wine shop shelf.

Now, 18 years after it was planted, the Halcon Vineyard is poised for a second  and much higher-profile  act. In 2021, two powerhouse vintners, Pax Mahle and Baron Ziegler, bought Halcon from its original owners. They believe that from Halcon they can make one of Californias greatest-ever Syrah wines  one of Californias greatest-ever wines, period. This time, the word is likely to spread much further.

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Mahle and Ziegler recently released their inaugural effort, the 2021 Halcon Estate Syrah, and it shows the promise of their endeavor. Its a deeply savory, layered wine, exuding the aromas of cracked black pepper and violets that are the hallmarks of Syrah from Frances Northern Rhone Valley. Theres a fresh, salty whiff that recalls the coastal breeze you might feel when standing on the vineyards high slope, and a core flavor of luscious, juicy, ripe plum. In your mouth, the wine feels like silk.

The 2021 Halcon Estate Syrah. Courtesy of Sarah Davis

The wine tastes like its from somewhere other than California, because theres nowhere else in California like Halcon, Mahle said.

Mahle is known for his finesse with Syrah, and he makes masterful versions of the grape variety under his Pax Wines label in Sebastopol. But he emphasized that Halcon is something entirely different from the Pax Syrahs, many of which come from vineyards on the Sonoma Coast. The Pax wines are easier drinking, lower alcohol  the quintessential California Syrah that is softer, more approachable, he said.

The Halcon Syrah is in a totally different league, Mahle said. Theres just another dimension. Rather than coax out a light, ethereal Syrah as he does with the Pax wines, here he is letting the Halcon wine show its muscle  for example, by aging some of it in new oak barrels. (The Pax Syrahs see no new oak.)

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Ziegler and Mahle, who have a 50-50 partnership in Halcon, each bring something distinct to the business. Mahle makes the wines; Ziegler, who owns Healdsburgs Marine Layer Wines, the importer Valkyrie Selections and other wine businesses, has a strong distribution network.

The Halcon Vineyard sits at 2,500 feet elevation on a windy, rocky site in remote Mendocino County. Courtesy of Leigh-Ann Beverley

The longtime friends bought Halcon from Paul and Jackie Gordon, for whom Halcon was a passion project: The Gordons worked tech jobs in Silicon Valley during the week, then slept in a trailer at the vineyard on the weekends. They arrived at the 162-acre site in 2005 and were convinced that it was destined for the grapes of Frances Rhone Valley. That meant mostly Syrah, but they also planted small amounts of other Rhone grapes like Mourvedre, Marsanne and Roussanne, totaling about 14 acres. They named it after the Spanish word for hawk, because the birds so often circle the property.

Several physical characteristics distinguish the parcel. At around 2,500 feet elevation, Halcon is very high by California vineyard standards, exposing it to strong winds from the ocean. Its so high that the Coast Guard keeps a beacon there, and so windy that a gust  around 100 mph, Mahle estimates  once blew off the top of the Gordons trailer. That makes for harsh conditions for the grapevines, which naturally produce smaller crop loads and berries with thicker skins.

But the real magic of Halcon, Mahle believes, is the soil, which contains blue shale and mica schist, both rare in California. The vines struggle in these jagged rocks, which can lead to deeper flavors in the fruit and accentuate the thick skins, lending the wine structure and heft.

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This is Syrah grown in incredible, depleted soil with very little water, and it just grows this extremely concentrated fruit, Mahle said.

Baron Ziegler, left, and Pax Mahle, bought Halcon Vineyard shortly before the 2021 harvest began. Courtesy of Leigh-Ann Beverley

While the Gordons made wine under the Halcon Vineyards label, they also sold some of their crop to other wineries such as Jolie-Laide and Myriad Cellars. Thats how Mahle first became acquainted with the site, buying Halcon fruit for the Wilde Farm label. The fruit was so in demand that winemakers had to compete. It was hard to get access to these grapes, Ziegler said.

When the Gordons decided they were ready to retire and move back to Europe to care for aging parents, they started quietly putting out the word to winemakers, including Mahle. At a late-night party at Zieglers house, he mentioned it to his friend. They started fantasizing: What could we do if we bought Halcon?

Frankly, there were much more famous people in the wine industry that were interested, Mahle said. But some of these suitors, he learned, wanted to radically change the vineyard  replant with only white grapes, for instance. Ziegler and Mahles proposition was to continue what the Gordons had been doing: Focus on Syrah.

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Paul and Jackie were proud of the fact that they thought theyd chosen the right grape for the site, Mahle said.

The Halcon Vineyard gets strong winds from the Pacific Ocean. Courtesy of Leigh-Ann Beverley

The transaction, whose sum no one would disclose, concluded shortly before the 2021 harvest began. That first season went well, but the subsequent years have been challenging. Frost killed off almost the entire crop in 2022, and lingering frost effects led to a severely diminished crop in 2023 too. After Mahle and Ziegler sell through the 750 cases of the 2021 vintage, it will be a while before they have any more wine to sell. They did hold back a small amount of 2021 wine for longer aging, which theyll release as a reserve cuvee next year.

Even with a bottle price of $80, not inexpensive for California Syrah, those unfortunate weather events have gotten the new venture off to a shaky start financially.

But Ziegler and Mahle say theyre in it for the long run. Its going to be known as a legendary site, Mahle said.
TOKYO, Feb 19 (News On Japan) - The town that consumes the most Natto, a traditional Japanese sticky fermented soybean dish, known for its strong, pungent smell, is not in Ibaraki where most people think, but in fact much further north, as revealed through data from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.

Which town buys the "most natto" in Japan?

Person in their 20s, "Is it Mito? The image of Mito natto is strong."

Person in their 40s, "I buy a pack a day. My kids like it too. My guess would be Ibaraki, based on my impression."

Indeed, the image of Mito City in Ibaraki Prefecture is strong when it comes to natto, but according to the latest household survey by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Mito City ranks third in the country in terms of annual natto purchase amount per household.

So, which town has surpassed Mito, the town of natto, to become the top natto buyer in Japan?

Natto, which goes perfectly with rice, has its annual purchase amount ranking per household revealed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. The third place is Mito City with 6,450 yen, the second place is Akita City with 6,539 yen, and the first place is Morioka City with 6,810 yen.

Person in their 20s, "It's quite surprising. I had a strong image of Mito."

Person in their 40s, "Unexpected. I want to know the reason."

Morioka City: The "Top Natto Buyer" in Japan

To unravel the mystery of why Morioka City is in first place, the reporting team flew to Morioka City. The destination was a supermarket in Morioka City, where a large variety of natto is displayed on the shelves.

The salesperson informed, "We have 31 types in total. We always have this much variety."

Among them are popular local natto brands from Iwate Prefecture...

The salesperson continued, "We display this much because it becomes difficult to restock if one customer buys two or three packs."

When we asked a customer to show us their basket, it was filled with a large amount of natto, as expected.

Morioka resident, "Some people like wasabi flavor, and for my grandmother, I buy the small ones. We divide them among people like that. I eat it every morning."

"(How many packs did you buy?) Four packs. I eat two packs at a time."

The deep love for natto among Morioka residents is evident. We asked a local natto manufacturer about the reason why Morioka City became the top in the nation.

Taishi Foods Director explained, "Originally, Morioka is a region that eats a lot of soy products like tofu and miso. Maybe that's why it became number one."

In fact, Morioka City ranks second in the nation in tofu purchase amount. Furthermore, when it comes to soy products including natto and tofu, it ranks first in the nation. When we asked Morioka City for more details...

Morioka City, Planning and Coordination Division, Kazune Yoshida, "Many households eat natto for breakfast, so it may be linked to the habit of eating breakfast at home."

Source: ANN
BANGKOK, Feb 20 (News On Japan) - In Japan's cosmetics industry, amid intensifying competition in China, which is the largest export market, there is a growing trend to enhance production and sales in Southeast Asia, where the population is increasing.

Among these companies, Rohto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. has been expanding sales by developing skincare products tailored to the high temperatures in eight Southeast Asian countries.

With the acquisition of a Vietnamese company two years ago as a new production base, the annual production volume for Southeast Asia has increased by about 30%. The company plans to strengthen sales even in regions where the culture of makeup is not yet well-established.

Additionally, an emerging manufacturer in Gunma Prefecture, with investment from a major trading company, plans to open its first overseas store in Southeast Asia as early as this summer. The strategy is to start by selling high-priced products in relatively high-income areas of Southeast Asia, such as Thailand and Singapore, hoping to leverage the trust in the quality of Japanese brands. Masakazu Motoda, president of OSAJI, said, "Southeast Asia is a market where cosmetics will be increasingly needed as the economy grows, and the quality of Japanese products will be welcomed."

According to the Japan Cosmetic Industry Association, Japan's cosmetics exports have been the highest to China for six consecutive years up to two years ago. However, competition with local companies that offer high-design products is becoming fiercer each year in China. Therefore, how Japanese companies can enhance their competitiveness in Southeast Asia for further growth is drawing attention.

Source: NHK
TOKYO, Feb 20 (News On Japan) - Vertical reading manga (webtoons), which have been hits as drama originals in Japan and Korea, have recently gained attention. Vertical reading manga are optimized for reading by scrolling vertically on a smartphone.

The ease of reading in a smartphone-optimized format and the ease of expanding into the global market are said to be the reasons for the rapid expansion. Creators, editors, platformers, and production companies involved in vertical reading manga gathered to discuss the background of this trend.

Source: NNN
TOKYO, Feb 20 (News On Japan) - Recent research reveals that sleeping on a pillow that is too high can increase the risk of stroke. Experts warn that pillows higher than 12 centimeters should be used with caution, as the risk increases with height.

The National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center has introduced a new disease concept called "Lord's Pillow Syndrome," named after the high pillows used during the Edo period, which were known as "Lord's Pillows." These pillows were notably high to preserve hairstyles, in contrast to the lower stone pillows of the Kofun period.

Dr. Tomoki Tanaka, from the National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, explains that using a high pillow can increase the risk of a type of stroke caused by dissection of the vertebral artery. This risk is due to the neck being bent or flexed, which can damage and tear the blood vessels when turning over in bed.

The research team investigated 53 patients and found that 18 of them used pillows higher than 12 centimeters, and 9 used pillows higher than 15 centimeters. Dr. Tanaka asserts that the risk statistically increases with the height of the pillow.

In the Edo period, there was a saying, "Life is three sun (9 cm) long, comfort is four sun (12 cm) long," indicating that a 9 cm pillow is for longevity and a 12 cm pillow is for comfort.

In modern times, it's also important to be cautious of the posture before sleeping, as stacking pillows to watch movies or read comics can become a habit that leads to using high pillows.

Dr. Tanaka suggests choosing a pillow that allows you to sleep in a position similar to standing straight, as the ideal pillow height.

Source: ANN
SAPPORO, Feb 20 (News On Japan) - Hokkaido has drafted a proposal for an "accommodation tax" to be levied on guests staying at hotels and inns, with charges ranging from 100 to 500 yen depending on the accommodation rate.

Sapporo City is also considering a plan to tax accommodation rates, with a 200-yen tax for rates under 50,000 yen. If both taxes are officially implemented, a person staying in a hotel in Sapporo City for less than 20,000 yen per night would pay a total accommodation tax of 300 yen.

Source: TV Tokyo BIZ
TOKYO, Feb 20 (News On Japan) - Over 20 Ukrainian companies visiting Japan joined Japanese firms in a business matching event aimed at reconstruction efforts.

Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chairman Ken Kobayashi stated, "There is still much to be done. We hope that the economic relations between our two countries will deepen further through voluntary actions in a wide range of fields."

The business matching event, organized by the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, saw the participation of 27 Ukrainian companies from various sectors such as energy, IT, and agriculture. They presented their plans for infrastructure rebuilding and recovery, appealing for investment based on the anticipated market demand.

From Japan, 60 companies, including heavy industry and steel manufacturers as well as small and medium-sized enterprises, participated. They visited the Ukrainian companies' booths for individual business discussions.

Source: ANN
TOKYO, Feb 21 (News On Japan) - With the classification of COVID-19 downgraded to Category 5, many families are considering travel during the first spring break since the change. However, due to rising prices and the influx of travelers, accommodation costs within Japan have also surged.

In Tokyo, some lodging prices have skyrocketed compared to pre-pandemic levels, making it difficult for people to stay, as seen in comments on social media. We spoke to an active hotelier, Mr. Higemaru (@higemaru_hotelman), who delivers great travel deals on social media.

How to Find Great Deals on Accommodations Like a Travel Pro

With so many travel booking sites available, it can be overwhelming to choose one, so Higemaru shares some tips on what to look out for on each site.

[Rakuten Travel] "Rakuten Travel is a reservation site that aims for overall savings through coupons and point returns for entries. Coupons and entries may apply to some accommodations but not others, and if you match them correctly, you can book at a significant discount. The site focuses on luxury and hot spring inns, and recently there has been a trend of holding different large sales every month. To grasp the information properly, it is recommended to check on the web version rather than the app."

[Jalan] "Jalan has a powerful combination of coupons that can be used at almost all facilities and coupons that can be used in specific municipalities. They regularly hold big sales, and there are plenty of coupons and Jalan-exclusive points for heavy users."

[Yahoo! Travel] "This is a site you can't miss. They have a campaign where you get 10% of your accommodation fee back in PayPay when you book with an online card payment. There's no cap on PayPay returns, so stays for extended periods, large families, or at luxury inns can be quite economical. Yahoo! Travel is not as complicated as Rakuten Travel or Jalan, and it's often the cheapest, so it's highly recommended for those not accustomed to booking."

Higemaru also didn't miss the chance to highlight "Jalan Play & Experience Booking." "You can arrange activities and tickets, but you can also book 'hotel lunches.' There are coupons available for specific municipalities, and recently a follower reported, 'I was able to go strawberry picking for free using a coupon and Jalan-exclusive points!'"

Additionally, for those interested in package deals with bullet trains, there's [Nippon Travel Agency & JR Tokai Tours], and for airfare sales, [JAL and ANA] are quite economical. For trips on Saturdays and long weekends, the travel subscription service [HafH] can be a good choice.

Booking Rooms and Planning for 'Three-Generation Travel'

When traveling with parents or relatives, many people struggle with booking rooms and planning activities. "If it's okay to have bedrooms together, consider staying in a family room. If you prefer separate bedrooms, book two rooms. Since it's a three-generation trip, the way you spend time during the stay will also change, so hotels where you can do everything on-site are good," Higemaru suggests, offering his perspective as an active hotelier. He introduced two accommodations:

- Yatsugatake Hotel Fuuka (Yamanashi Prefecture) "With a variety of activities and hot springs, they offer a wide range of rooms, from Japanese-style to Japanese-Western and family rooms, suitable for any generation."

- Andarizort Izu-Kogen (Shizuoka Prefecture) "Facilities including a drink corner, private family baths, and karaoke rooms are free to use, excluding esthetics. Surprise arrangements are also free, and you can request a celebration cake with a message. Dinner and late-night snacks come with all-you-can-drink options. The extensive on-site facilities mean your stay won't be affected by the weather."

Using 'Hometown Tax Donations' Smartly for Travel

With the 'hometown tax donation' system, you can support the region you want to help with a minimum personal expense of 2,000 yen and receive a thank-you gift. There are also travel experiences as rewards.

"The hometown tax donations on Rakuten Travel are quite economical. In 2023, there were over 20,000 facilities available, so you won't have trouble choosing a place to stay. Additionally, for Rakuten users, you can use and accumulate Rakuten points, which is a nice touch," he said. Booking during Rakuten Market sales can also increase your points, which is another benefit.

Source: Oricon
Papillion artist Mary Gubbels gives visitors a peek into multiple worlds in her exhibit on display at Papillion Landing, 1046 W. Lincoln St., Papillion.

The show runs through April 30 and is open to the public.

Gubbels retired from the Papillion Library and now combines sometimes unrelated images to create collages and altered books, according to a press release from Albert Rhea, who writes about artists who exhibit at the facility.

That means you may see a giant bird that dwarfs a herd of stampeding hippos, a giant frog chasing children out of a schoolhouse and other unlikely combinations.

Collage has all the things that I enjoy about producing artwork: building compositions, humor and storytelling, giving new life to discarded materials and, most importantly, no confining rules, Gubbels said in the press release. Now, each photo or discarded book sparks a potential composition, and the search for those parts is a rush.

My goal in collage is to bring the individual pieces together in a way that feels like they were meant to be occupying the same space, even though all came from different sources, she said. I want the colors, dimensions and perspectives to be cohesive.

Gubbels hopes the works will bring a smile to visitors faces and inspire lasting interest.

Making altered books is an art that has no rules, she said.

I interpret it as a mix of origami and Frankenstein, Gubbels said. I discovered altered books while working at the Papillion Library. I considered it an extension of the love of books through the creation of a visual library.

Using books as art material can be restrictive and challenging, she said. That artistic challenge and the thought of giving a new purpose to a discarded item is what draws me to this type of art. I have been discovering the beauty and frustration of working with this medium for over 10 years. One of my goals is to use as much recycled or repurposed materials for my art as possible.

Gubbels earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts at University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She can be found on Etsy at Golden Owl Arts and on Instagram @marygubbels. See also GUBBELS.MP@gmail.com and etsy.com/shop/goldenowlarts.

Papillion Landing is open Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sundays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and weekdays from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Iowa House lawmakers will hold a public hearing Wednesday on a proposal to change the funding and oversight structure of Iowas area education agencies.

The bill, which House Republicans proposed after they blocked a proposal from Gov. Kim Reynolds to more dramatically change the agencies, advanced last week out of a House committee.

Under House File 2612, schools would retain their state special education funding, but they still would be required to spend that money with an AEA for special education support services. Schools also would receive state funds dedicated to education and media services, but would be allowed to spend that with an AEA or with another party.

The measure also would move some of the oversight and budget decisions of the local agencies under the Iowa Department of Education.

The public hearing will be held at 5 p.m. Wednesday in Room 103 at the Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines. People interested in speaking must sign up on the Iowa Legislature website and must speak in person. Members of the public can also leave written comments on the Legislature website.

House Republicans last week heard input on the bill, and suggested it may see changes moving forward.

Senate Republicans last week advanced a different amended version of Reynolds proposal out of a committee. The bill, Senate File 2386, would allow schools to retain most of their special education funding and they could choose to use that money with an AEA or with another party, like a private company.
Shira Stein is The San Francisco Chronicle's Washington correspondent, covering national politics and policy with a particular eye to the impacts on California. She was previously a health care reporter and received several awards for her work covering the COVID-19 pandemic for Bloomberg. She also covered the fall of Roe v. Wade, including being the first to report President Joe Bidens consideration of a public health emergency for reproductive rights; the Trump administrations efforts to lower prescription drug prices; and the third legal fight to overturn the Affordable Care Act.

She previously interned at the Washington Post, Bloomberg Law, and the Colorado-based Durango Herald. She is a native of the Bay Area and a graduate of American University.

She can be reached at shira.stein@sfchronicle.com.
The Iowa West Foundation, through its public art program, has cultivated a number of art installations -- sculptures, signs and murals -- throughout Council Bluffs since 2007.

Art projects span from Rivers Edge to Fairmount Park, and the citys First Ave trail project presented another platform with which to show off the community's creativity.

The work that the city was doing on First Avenue became an opportunity to get murals in a new way, where we could pivot and work with local artists and try to take what was otherwise the back of buildings where people felt like there was less pressure to try something different and to get some great art out in the community, Iowa Wests Matt Henkes told The Nonpareil in an interview.

For Henkes, the vice president of grants and initiatives for the foundation, public art is all about creating a sense of community for the citys residents.

In our estimation, trails are a great way to not only improve the place, but they create this activity, they create a sense of wonder and a sense of discovery, Henkes said. That's really important in creating great places, to have those opportunities to encounter something interesting and exciting that makes you want to go further down the trail and further through the downtown.

Iowa West's initial plan was to develop more public art in downtown Council Bluffs, such as the riverboat mural on the northeast-facing outer wall of Western Iowa Mutual Insurance on Pearl Street. But that project stalled during the pandemic, and the First Ave trail provided a chance for a new beginning.

We know that success kind of requires a layering of things and the creation of that connectivity, so our hope was that the murals would become another layer of the downtown, and I think what we're seeing is that happen on the First Avenue trail with the murals, Henkes said. My hope is that, over time, as people see what that represents, that it does even unlock future opportunities in the downtown as well.

Henkes said that once Iowa Western agreed to fund the First Ave murals using the money previously set aside for more downtown art, the project was turned over to city officials to curate artists and speak with property owners along the trail about using their buildings as canvases.

Council Bluffs Chief of Staff Brandon Garrett, whom Henkes credits for making the First Avenue trail a reality, enlisted Turner Morgan of the 712 Initiative to help find local muralists who might be interested in the project.

Morgans first call was to well-known Omaha artist Watie White to ask for suggestions.

Its all word of mouth, Morgan said. Everyone knows each other, which is really cool. Its a really tight knit community.

White provided Morgan with some names to get him started, and then those artists pointed to other artists, and eventually Morgan had a bunch of applications to sift through.

One by one, I'd meet them on the trail, Morgan said. I thought it was important they get to walk the trail, get a feel for it.  (Id) say, hey, here's the deal, what walls are you interested in? Some artists gravitate towards certain walls more than others, you know, or a certain concept that might've spoke to them.

Morgan, along with city officials and the building owners, then selected the four artists with the strongest applications, and got to work honing their designs.

Over the next four issues, The Nonpareil will introduce the four artists whose work can be seen along the First Ave trail: Betni Kalk, Ilaamen Pelshaw, Dany Reyes and Weston Thomson.

As for the artists who didnt make the cut this time, Morgan said that hes staying in touch with them for what he hopes will be an ongoing project.

Pretty much everyone I met is very capable of selling art, so hopefully this year we can keep that momentum going and install some more, Morgan said.
Take regional approach for primaries

A political primary is a preliminary election in which the registered voters of a political party nominate candidates for office. The key word here is "preliminary."

The current system allows small states such as Iowa and New Hampshire, assisted by the media, to award front-runner status to the victorious candidate. From there, the candidates travel a path determined by which states wants to "leap frog" the other by moving up their primary dates.

Candidates are whisked across the country without any real ability to distinguish regional issues from national issues. Consequently, party platforms are determined by a make-it-up-as-you-go approach. If the primary process were organized on a regional basis, candidates would be able to study the regional issues, campaign to confirm those issues and then receive votes based on the solutions they propose.

A regional approach would also prevent a premature selection of a front-runner because success in one region certainly would not guarantee success in the next region. This would also further validate the process because each state would still have a say all the way down to the end.

Finally, the number of delegates awarded in each state should be determined by the percentage of votes won by each candidate. And, yes, convert the caucuses to primaries.

Accordingly, the political primaries should occur between January and June of each presidential election year. Each of the six regions would be assigned a particular month. A lottery held in June of the previous year would determine which month each region holds its primaries.

Joe Bialek

Cleveland, Ohio

Shining light on Low Vision Awareness Month

February is Low Vision Awareness Month  not only is it a time to shed light on the challenges faced by individuals living with visual impairments, it also raises awareness of how capable low and no vision individuals are in reaching their personal and professional goals.

Low vision or no vision affects millions of Americans with 15,000 of those individuals residing in southwest Iowa and eastern Nebraska regions. This month serves as an opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of inclusivity, accessibility and understanding for those with low vision and vision loss.

At Outlook Enrichment, our mission is to positively impact everyone who is blind or visually impaired. As the largest employer of blind and visually impaired individuals in the region, we see first-hand how providing opportunities to blind and low-vision people positively impacts lives.

Supporting people with vision loss is not only about helping them overcome physical limitations, it also includes breaking down barriers and advocating for equal opportunities. Simple tasks like reading a menu or crossing the street can present significant challenges for those with visual impairments. By fostering awareness, we can work towards creating more environments that are accommodating and supportive for individuals with low vision.

Low Vision Awareness Month is a reminder that sight is not the only pathway to experiencing the world in wonderful, fulfilling ways. This month is a time to celebrate resilience and capabilities of individuals with no or low vision while advocating for a more inclusive society.

Nina Rongisch

Omaha

Missing late parents' Christmas decorations

This letter is directed to the junk and donation collectors who were at my last home at Thornbury Way Apartments in Council Bluffs near the end of January at the request of my visiting brother and sister.

They were told to load up their vehicle with things in my garage, but a tragic mistake was made: I had a mostly green tote of Christmas tree ornaments in there, another red/green tote of other decorations, and three small square flat cardboard mailers with my old address on them, each the size of a 45 rpm record.

These were likely taken away along with the rest of the debris. If by some remote, blessed chance they are still in the collectors' storage area or whatever, I would like them all back ASAP.

Those ornaments took a good many years to amass and a few belonged to my late parents. If they're out of my grasp forever, I simply don't know what I'll do. This move was one big nightmare for me, and I frankly wish it had never happened. So, to whomever gathered up those items that I didn't want taken, please contact me soon. (Editor's note: email editorial@nonpareilonline.com to be connected with the author.)

I am in misery over all this.

David Johnson

Waterloo
KYIV, Ukraine (AP)  First responders who arrived at the scene of a Russian missile attack on homes in the southern Ukrainian city of Odesa on Friday were themselves struck by a second missile, officials said. A paramedic and an emergency service worker were among the 14 people killed.
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The three sisters of King Mohammed VI, Princesses Lalla Meryem, Lalla Asmae and Lalla Hasnaa, were guests to a luncheon hosted in their honor by Frances First Lady Brigitte Macron at the Elysee on Monday.

The official statement announcing the news pointed out that This luncheon is part of the continuity of the historic friendship relations between the Kingdom of Morocco and the French Republic.

The Princesses reception at the Elysee comes after several statements from French senior officials and diplomats, including the new Foreign Minister, Stephane Sejourne, and the Ambassador of France to Rabat, Christophe Lecourtier.

In these statements, representatives of the Quai dOrsay expressed desire to warm up relations with Morocco and affirmed Frances commitment to bridging the gap and rebuilding trust between the two nations. They emphasized the importance of the relationship between Rabat and Paris for the French government and acknowledged and regretted the errors and misunderstandings that have strained relationship between the two countries during the past two years.

Actually, ties between Morocco and France worsened in the two past years against the backdrop of a series of events, notably Paris falling short of following the USAs full recognition of Moroccos sovereignty over the Sahara, maneuvers by French MPs against Moroccan interests at the European parliament, and Macrons Algiers tropism.

Stephane Sejourne, who assumed office in January, expressed President Macrons personal directive to improve French-Moroccan ties, and emphasized the need to start a new chapter in their relationship.

The Republics President has personally asked me to invest in French-Moroccan relations to open a new chapter in our ties. I will be committed to that, Sejourne said.

Now, it is time to move forward. I will do everything in the upcoming weeks and months so that France and Morocco get closer, he said, adding that his priority will be rebuilding trust.
Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have confirmed their commitment to form a confederation following their exit from the regional bloc ECOWAS and called to urgently draft provisions ensuring the free movement of people and goods between the three West African countries.

A trilateral meeting of ministerial delegations on 15 February also recommended expanding the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) objectives in diplomacy and economic development. The AES was created in September 2023, a few months after the military coup in Niger. They reaffirmed their commitment to advancing resolutely in the process of implementing the AES and creating the Tri-State Confederation, the Malian foreign ministry said in an online post. Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger last month announced their withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on grounds of what they said were illegal and inhumane sanctions.

In his speech, Malian government spokesperson, Abdoulaye Maiga, reiterated the accusations against ECOWAS, including that the organization has become, by some leaders, an instrument that tried to pile populations against each other and also has (threatened) to militarily attack a sovereign state, whose people have simply decided to take their destiny in their hands. Maiga also sought to distance AES from the ECOWAS, stressing that AES will remain an alliance of states united by a common ambition of the emancipation of Africa. The three juntas have all severed long-standing military ties with former colonial ruler France, dealing a blow to Frances influence in the Sahel and complicating international efforts to fight the militants linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State.
The United States has expressed concern about the escalating violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) caused the Rwanda-backed armed group M23 and called on Rwanda to immediately withdraw all its military personnel and equipment from the DRC territory  but the call was subsequently rejected by Kigali.

Washington has also called on the M23 armed group to cease hostilities immediately as fighting has flared in recent days between the rebels and Congolese government forces near the strategic city of Goma, the capital of North Kivu province. It comes as the DRC government has accused neighboring Rwanda of carrying out a drone attack that damaged a civilian aircraft at the Goma airport. The drone attack had obviously come from the Rwandan territory, violating the territorial integrity of the (DRC), said an army spokesperson for North Kivu province. According to a confidential UN document, the Rwandan army is allegedly using sophisticated weapons, such as surface-to-air missiles, to support M23.

The DRC, the United Nations and Western countries have said Rwanda is supporting the rebels in a bid to control vast mineral resources, an allegation Kigali has denied. But in what appears to be a shift in the US policy, the US State Department in a statement on Saturday (17 February) urged Rwanda to immediately withdraw all Rwanda Defense Force personnel from the (DRC) and remove its surface-to-air missile systems. But Rwanda on Monday (19 February) rejected US calls for the withdrawal of troops and missile systems from eastern DRC, saying the dramatic (Congolese) military build-up near the border poses a threat to Rwandan national security.
French authorities banned a pro-Algerian regime rally in Paris due to the hateful slogans that protesters were planning to chant against Morocco and the restive kabylie population.

The protest, called for by MOUDAF, said the rally was on the occasion of the Martyrs Day but nothing in the programme was about that specific occasion but rather about stoking hate speech and instigating violence against Moroccans and Kabylie people where an independence movement called MAK is gaining ground.

MOUDAF in March 2023 raised hateful posters against Morocco and insulted Algerian opposition leaders in exile as well as the MAK.

While many Algerians expressed anger at the French ban, they turned a blind eye at their countrys own ban of any protest including pro-Palestine marches.

France does not want the Algerian regime to export its propaganda to Paris where a sizable Moroccan and Kabyle community lives.

Since the duo Shengriha-Tebboune took power in Algeria in 2019, the country has sunk deep in fake news and conspiracy theories coupled with self-defeating economic warfare acts against Morocco.
The French government has sent a series of positive signals to mend ties with its once longstanding partner in North Africa, Morocco, after relations worsened to an unprecedented level threatening to sap decades of cooperation.

Moroccos news agency reported on Feb 19 that the King has given high instructions to his three sisters who met Frances First Lady Brigitte Macron at the Elysee in Paris for a luncheon.

This luncheon is in keeping with the long-standing friendly relations between the Kingdom of Morocco and the French Republic, wrote Moroccos official news agency.

This strong message of willingness to foster ties, came following a series of positive remarks by French top diplomats.

The new Foreign Minister, Stephane Sejourne, who led last year a campaign against Morocco at the European parliament, said he was tasked by President Emmanuel Macron to strengthen ties with Morocco.

French ambassador to Morocco Christophe Lecourtier said mending ties requires Paris making its position clear on the Sahara.

Earlier this year, French officials voiced support for the autonomy plan but they fell short of an outright recognition of Moroccos sovereignty over the territory following the US and Israels suit, despite mounting calls on Macron to do so.

Moroccos King has made it clear that the Sahara issue is the lenses through which Morocco measures the sincerity of friendships.

Macron has lost his bet on the military regime in Algeria which he tried to empower at a time Algiers was indulging in warmongering against Morocco, cutting ties, banning airlines from crossing its airspace and cutting gas supply, to cite but a few hostile measures.

While French-Moroccan ties were faltering against the backdrop of a French retreat from the Sahel and a failure to strengthen ties with Algeria, Morocco forged ahead, diversifying economic and political ties with Spain unseating France as the main trading partner for the North African Kingdom. Meanwhile, Morocco managed, thanks to a win-win approach and full respect of sovereignty, to strengthen ties with the Sahel going as far as offering them the possibility of accessing global trade through Moroccan Atlantic ports and infrastructure.

Making a clear-cut stand on the Sahara issue is not only conducive to stronger Paris-Rabat ties but would also cement regional stability and security and send a message to Algeria that its support for separatism in a proxy war against Morocco is an aggression and a threat to regional peace that great powers are no longer willing to tolerate.
The African Development Bank has provided Moroccos OCP Group three loans totaling 188 Million U.S. dollars for green projects planned by the worlds leading producer of phosphate fertilizers.

The loan agreements were inked Monday in Rabat by Ousmane Fall, director of Industrialization & Trade Development at AfDB and Karim Lotfi Senhadji, OCP Chief Financial Officer in presence of representatives of the Canadian government.

The first loan, worth $150 million from AfDB, and the 2nd loan amounting to $18 million from the Canada Climate Fund  AfDB (CACF), will fund the construction of three modular seawater desalination plants.

These plants from OCP Group, a world leader in sustainable plant and soil nutrition solutions, will have a total annual capacity of 110 million m3. In addition to providing OCP Groups industrial and mining sites with non-conventional water autonomy, the project will supply up to 75 million m3 of drinking water to the cities of Safi, El Jadida, and the areas neighboring OCP Groups Safi and Jorf plants.

The third loan, worth $20 million from the Clean Technology Fund, will be used to finance energy storage systems generated from renewable sources. These systems will power desalination plants and other productive units of OCP Group.

We are proud to be associated with this ambitious project that provides a strategic response to the increasing water stress in Morocco. The project will also optimize the management of water resources in OCPs industrial activities by using desalinated seawater, said Achraf Tarsim, Head of AfDB office in Morocco.

We greatly appreciate these loans, which represent significant contributions to our $13 billion investment program from 2023 to 2027. Our sustainability goals aim to achieve 100% non-conventional water by 2024, 100% renewable energy by 2027, self-sufficiency in green ammonia by 2032, and total carbon neutrality by 2040, said Karim Lotfi Senhadji, Chief Financial Officer of OCP Group.

We are pleased to see that this fund is being effectively deployed in Morocco to help address climate challenges. We are delighted to be associated with it alongside our partners: the African development bank and OCP Group, said Jean Touchette, head of cooperation at the Canadian Embassy in Morocco.

Since 1978, the African development bank has injected 12 billion euros in more than 180 projects carried out in various sectors in Morocco.
              Ruen  ...
Haley will keep running on fumes. Photo: JULIA NIKHINSON/AFP via Getty Images

When word got around that Nikki Haley was going to make a big speech about the state of the race just a few days before the South Carolina Republican presidential primary, some people naturally figured she was going to drop out of the 2024 race. While her disastrous deficit in Palmetto State polling has recently abated a bit (shes now trailing Donald Trump by 25 points in the RealClearPolitics polling averages; she was behind by more than 30 points just a few days ago), she is still cruising for a bruising in her home state on February 24. And as polls begin to drift in for the massive number of states that are holding contests in the month after South Carolina votes, its clear shes far behind Trump in most if not all of them. In Michigan, the very next state on the calendar, for example, Trumps lead was 60 points in the only public poll weve seen this year. In California  the largest state to vote on March 5, Super Tuesday  Trump led by 52 points (72 percent to 20 percent) in a brand new Emerson poll. Nationally, the former president is supported by three-fourths of Republican primary voters, and leads Haley by 58 points (75 percent to 17 percent).

Soon Haleys claim that every Republican voter who didnt back Trump in Iowa and New Hampshire would be disenfranchised if she withdrew wont be even remotely plausible:

Some new spin in Haley's campaign update speech: She reframes Trump's wins in Iowa as "losing 49% of the vote" and New Hampshire as "losing 46% of the vote."



(This also retcons every vote for DeSantis/Vivek etc as a vote against Trump; polling shows those voters are w Trump now)  David Weigel (@daveweigel) February 20, 2024

Theres simply no sign that Haley is going to make this race even vaguely competitive. Trump will almost certainly have a majority of delegates pledged to him by the end of March. And in the unlikely event that Trump suffers some calamity that sends these delegates looking for a replacement (which isnt easy under Republican rules), these loyal MAGA troops would probably rather choose a nominee at random than turn to Nikki Haley, whose criticisms of Trump have turned sharply personal in recent weeks.

But as she quickly made clear in her state of the race speech in Greenville (and in interviews just before it), Haley isnt dropping out. Why? Because she doesnt have to. So long as large- and small-dollar donors have the money to keep her going, Nikki Haley has the time. And so far shes still raising dough. Her modestly improved poll numbers in South Carolina are less impressive when you realize she has massively outspent Trump in her old stomping grounds (probably the one state in the country where her name ID matches his). Bloomberg News reports:

The Haley campaign and her two allied super political action committees have booked $8.4 million in advertising there since the New Hampshire primary, according to data from AdImpact. South Carolinians have seen their former governor traverse the state on a two-week bus tour. Pro-Haley signs dot front yards and residents are inundated by multiple ads for her campaign on TV. 

By contrast, Trumps team has booked no advertising in the state, with Make America Great Again Inc., the super PAC supporting him, spending just a modest $67,000 on text messages, according to a filing with the Federal Election Commission.

Haley isnt awash in money, but shes not having to post-date payroll checks, either, according to the Associated Press:

Haleys campaign raised $5 million in a fundraising swing after her second-place finish in New Hampshire that included stops in Texas, Florida, New York, and California, Perez-Cubas said. Her campaign raised $16.5 million in January alone  her best fundraising month ever  which includes $2 million in small-dollar donations online in the 48 hours after Trump threatened to permanently bar Haley supporters from his MAGA movement.

Haley raised another $1 million last week in the 24 hours after Trump attacked her husband, a military serviceman currently serving overseas.

At some point Haleys lack of any plausible path to the nomination will sink in and the money spigots will begin to dry up. But why quit now? Haley has already foresworn a vice-presidential nomination and likely any prominent spot in a hypothetical Trump administration. She has very little to lose. And so shes vowing to stay into the race through Super Tuesday, when barring some huge turnaround shes going to suffer a defeat so overwhelming that even Never Trump Republicans will give up on her. In the meantime, she  and they  can dream.
Photo-Illustration: Intelligencer; Photo: Lindsey Nicholson/UCG/Universal Images Group

Soon after New York legalized marijuana in 2021  and well before any legally licensed cannabis dispensaries opened  a new kind of shop began popping up around town, colonizing many storefronts left empty by the pandemic. In 2022, Curbed dubbed these stores weed bodegas, describing the fly-by-night businesses as part smoke shop, part convenience store, part dispensary, all packaged in the aesthetic of a Monster Energy drink.

Beyond their illegality, garishness, and questionable product, weed bodegas have undermined cannabis entrepreneurs who follow the rules, many of whom navigated tangles of red tape and extended delays to open legal dispensaries  or are still doing so. The bureaucratic chaos has put a blemish on New Yorks pioneering attempt at prioritizing racial and gender diversity, as well as those previously convicted of marijuana-related offenses, in its licensing program. Almost since the weed bodegas inception, the city and the New York Office of Cannabis Management (OCM), which regulates marijuana sales, have been talking about cracking down on them  yet theyre as thick on the ground as ever. Lawmakers are now speaking with more urgency: Governor Kathy Hochul recently called the states cannabis rollout a disaster and has proposed legislation that would grant OCM more power to shut down illegal businesses. I spoke with Chris Alexander, executive director of the agency, about the difficulty of closing illegal shops, why hes glad police arent more involved in enforcement, and whats around the corner for legal weed in New York.

Why are there so many of these shops still around after three years?

Thats a good question. Since the proliferation began, we decided to take it on. This was not the initial design of the office, the initial function of the office. We knew that there would be some increase in legal activity or illicit sales, which was happening in every other market. But because this is New York, its more.

At the beginning of this, I would attribute the delayed response to the folks who would normally engage in this type of enforcement, and to education. We had to remind law enforcement, for example, that yes, we legalized, but the condition of being a legal business is that youre licensed, just like the New York State Liquor Authority. So if you are engaged in activity without a license, the same penal-law offenses apply. Those offenses are still on the books. But I think there was also a greater shift of expectation from the wider communities, local leaders, etc., that the entity that would be regulating the plant would also step in, in a way that SLA doesnt for illegal cannabis shops. So we stepped in. Like any law where the enforcement mechanism shifts from criminal to civil, there are challenges. It is still a criminal activity, but we are taking enforcement action. And in doing that, first we had to pass the law to give ourselves the authority to take that action because the original law did not give us authority over unlicensed shops, despite anybodys imagination. Then we had to pass regulations, create a hearing process, create controls around the plant thats being seized, develop penalties, and hire people to do this new thing were doing. Its a frustration point, as you can probably hear in my tone a little bit.

Yeah. And you can hear from my question that I am somewhat confused  and I think this is widespread  about who is enforcing the rules here, and who has the power to enforce them.

Well, Ill say  were doing it. A lot of the smoke shops are presenting themselves as smoke shops, and the city sheriff has control or authority over those selling tobacco products, so theyve been engaged in the process. The district attorneys have not been prosecuting cannabis offenses generally, but they have been helping to facilitate landlords kicking people out for engaging in this activity. The Department of Tax and Finance has had a role with us doing investigations. Everybodys doing a little bit of something, but largely OCM has taken this on.

It seems like this might be a classic New York City problem of agency coordination, where theres five different entities that have a role in maintaining something, and together theyre less effective than one entity would have been with all those powers combined.

I wouldnt say that exactly, because theres been coordination. I think the problem at the start was  who owns it? Because, just to be very frank, in the back of my mind, I was asking why law enforcement wasnt doing what they had done for the last 40 years, to an excessive level in certain communities.

A fair question.

I spent a long amount of time just basically saying, We left penal-law offenses on the books. Why are people not getting arrested for these offenses? But once we get over that and just accept that this is a shift from a criminal to a civil enforcement action, now its just on us. I wouldnt say its a lack of coordination. Its just the fact that we have to now build out the rules of that civil engagement because they didnt exist before. In the beginning, I would often say, Well, theyre not just breaking the cannabis law by selling without a license, theyre also breaking municipal laws. Theyre also breaking the penal laws, and tax law.

Why do you think police would be so hesitant about taking action? It seems unlike them, as you said.

I would say that this was a big shift. When we legalized, people had to adjust to what that meant, because you know that now youre not going after the low-level person smoking a joint. The role changes. I think its just been education and adjustment in that way.

And I will say, the NYPD and local law-enforcement agencies across the state have helped with sites, maintaining site control and safety, so I do appreciate that support. But yeah, its a reeducation. I think because we werent first, people dont recognize how much has happened. Weve shifted significantly since legalization in terms of a lot of our public policy, and so it just takes time for people to adjust.

I dont think people should be prosecuted and sent to prison or anything, but it does feel like if, say, I tried to sell liquor out of my house, I would be shut down within about an hour. Whereas these shops can just break about five different laws, as you just said, and the attitude is, Well, well wait a year or two and see what happens. Its just very puzzling, as an outside observer.

I agree a hundred percent. And that frustration is  shit, Im a New Yorker. I get calls from parents and school officials and educators who are like, Well, why did we legalize if theyre going to sell it to kids? That was part of the narrative, that we would restrict access for kids. And thats why theres still a felony offense for selling to a minor.

Weve been very effective at seizing peoples weed. Thats not been a problem. We are taking peoples weed every day. The issue has been the closure of these shops. Thats whats been creating an obstacle to really seeing the realization of the commitment of resources. Were just not closing the shops in an expedited way.

And why do you think that is? What is preventing your office from doing this more expeditiously?

As we created the civil enforcement regime, we did create quite a few barriers for ourselves. I say for ourselves, but it was the Legislature that created barriers through the bill it passed, not in an effort to slow it down, but just to ensure that people werent needlessly being swept up in this. That was the whole point. We want to make sure that we have some due process built in. Even though its a civil action, you have due process.

In a way that wasnt there in the past. Maybe this is an overcorrection to what existed before.

In the past, there was no due process related to cannabis. People were able to make arrests based on the odor. And now, I think its really just updating a system. A law is passed and its not effective, or as effective as they intended it to be. And I think thats where we are, and so weve got to update it. Weve done a lot of regional work to ensure that local municipalities as well as local law enforcement understand that they can step in and assist this effort. They can be a part of this solution, and we have some good partnerships developed across the state. And thats what this bill, the proposal that the governor has put forward, is hoping to also make easier  so that when we have determined that somebody is selling cannabis illegally without a license, a municipality can then go in and execute a closure order.

Thats the goal. But I do want to be clear that, as much as I fought in the beginning, asking law enforcement, Why are you not doing this?  Im happy that its us. And its not the most efficient way to do it, because were a brand-new state agency thats also in this massive effort of licensing and creating diversity in a market that has none across the country, but it keeps the conversation focused on public health. We have created a market. The product is safe, its tested, we know where it came from, we know what pesticides were used on it, etc. And the narrative that weve seen take hold in this conversation is, We dont know where this product is coming from. We are seeing all sorts of contaminants. Thats allowed for the conversation to stay rooted in public health, which I think is really important. Frustrations abound, especially knowing how hard people are working on our enforcement team, to take action, but knowing that theyre fighting an uphill battle on Rollerblades. I know what a challenge it has been for the team. But we stay at it, and I think the fact that the governor has committed to update the previous proposal in this years budget discussion is really important.

Lets say an obviously illegal weed store opens near me, called Park Slope Vibez or Cloudy Vibez  theyve all got Vibez in the name. Can your office actually tell them to shut down? Or is the problem that you need to jump through 20 legal hoops after telling them to shut down?

Its more so the hoops. And so what we do  just to talk process a bit  is when we come onto a site and we inspect the site and we identify illicit cannabis, we will issue what we call an NOV, which is notice of violation, and it essentially includes a closure order. We instruct them to close, and there are fines that are attributed and attached if they do not. But, again, its a process to get those actualized. In order to get to the actual closure, we have to then bring a case in State Supreme Court for a court-ordered closure. Thats the process right now. To go from that initial instruction to the closure order being issued by the court is a very long process.

The intent was to ensure that folks are given a chance to cease illicit activity, that folks are not being unnecessarily railroaded. But right now, essentially the fines are a cost of doing business, and essentially theyre just taking the heat and waiting until this cash grab ends. Obviously, the big solution is more legal stores. But in the interim, we need to expedite the closure process. And thats really what the governors proposal is going to do.

I imagine you also hear frustration from legal cannabis operators who have to spend a lot of money and jump through their own legal hoops to open and have their product tested by the state. Theyre doing everything aboveboard, and then these people undercut them on price and everything else.

Well, Ill push back on a couple of those things. Coming into this, one of the key things that I would always talk about in terms of transitioning consumers from the illicit to the legal was pricing. But because of the other market controls we have put in place, our pricing has been competitive with the illicit market. Really, the illicit shops are overcharging for trash.

Some of the complaints Ive heard from our licensees are about the advertising. Theyve got big bright lights at these shops. And weve been very careful to make sure that our licensees are contributing to the community and not detracting in the communities in which they operate, and so theyre much more subtle. Theyre not appealing to children. Its not the flashing lights and Come buy your weed, and all that kind of stuff and the graphics of the pot plant. We dont have that. And so some of our licensees have been clear  Look, we agree we dont want to look like that, but it is hurting us that we cant advertise in the way that they do. And so I would say thats been one of the biggest frustrations. Generally, too, they just know its going to be harder to compete. It has been harder to compete, but they also keep the long-run mind-set. These businesses are not going to be here for long. I just want to be clear, their opposition, they hate the illicit shops, of course, and as do we all, but their pushback is a little bit more nuanced than just the price.

Like you said, people may not realize what the difference is between the legal ones and the illegal ones. Maybe you guys should have a New York official seal of approval outside the store.

We do have a sticker with a QR code to let the locals know. Our licensees have said they want it to be bigger, so were working on enlarging it. But yeah, we do help folks identify where the legal stores are. Its been helpful. And the fact that we have more allotment, more array of products, the quality of product, and that the pricing is good, etc.  thats helping. Weve got to keep customers when they come. But its frustrating. I do know, too, that as we continue our work, this will become less of an issue, as we can see in open shops. And then, of course, theres expediting the closure process. I want to be very clear. We can seize weed. We have been seizing. Closing is hard.

You said you wanted more legal stores in the city and the state. Hows that going?

Its going really well. We have a board meeting tomorrow, and well be issuing just over a hundred licenses, and I think around 30 of them will be retail dispensaries. These are people who have locations already secured. With our previous licensing efforts, folks did not have to have a location secured. Thats an allowance in the law to ensure that people can participate and not be boxed out because of lack of access to resources and capital. But these initial folks that were licensing tomorrow do have locations that are already under control, so were excited to be able to get some of that going.

This is New York, and people want speed. Any business takes time to go from licensure to opening. The time frame is about six to eight months, but what weve seen at the close of the year  we have some injunctions that held us up, etc.  is a continued increase in openings. We have six openings this week. I think we have 70 or so retail businesses, and I think around 60 brick-and-mortar retail operators running. Thats just going to continue to grow. I just want to be clear: The issue has not been licensing. The issue is just the fact that businesses take time to open, to finalize their marketing, to staff up, to make sure they have all the investors lined up that they need to do what they want to do, and to find product. All these things just have taken time, and I think the time we have taken has really paid off because of the quality of product, the fact that weve been able to really break the mold on ensuring diversity in the market and doing things in a way that nobodys ever done.

Im from Massachusetts, where weed was legalized in 2016. And youre right, it took a few years for there to be smooth operations up and running everywhere, but they did it there in a more standard way.

The big difference, and I dont want to disparage other regulators  but different methods have been tried to ensure diversity in the market. And I think the truth of the matter is, in order to ensure diversity, you just have to license more diverse people. We made it the priority. We led with it. We didnt say, Okay, theres a program and an office thats going to focus on ensuring these people have access. No. We said that they have to go first. And I think that frustrated folks, obviously.

But what Im seeing now is that the market we have is already the most diverse in the country, even with just those 70 retailers and the 270 farmers we have. And, again, itll take time to ramp up fully because we have a lot more dispensaries to get open, but the businesses are doing very well. We have some of the top dispensaries in the country right here in New York.

Its just time. Thats really the biggest variable here. The time its taken to do this the right way has frustrated folks. But at the same time, I am very excited about the outlook for 2024.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Photo: AP Photo/Seth Wenig

On Tuesday, the U.S. vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire in Gaza. It was the lone nation to come out against the measure, with 13 countries of the 15-member panel voting yes and the U.K. abstaining. Heres what we know about the vote, the context that led to it, and what may come next.

How did the Security Council vote?

The U.N. Security Council took up a resolution introduced by Algeria that calls for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza. In addition to the pause in fighting, the measure orders all sides in the conflict to adhere to international law, calls for increased humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip, and rejects the forced displacement of the Palestinian civilian population, according to Reuters.

A vote in favor of this draft resolution is a support to the Palestinians right to life, said Amar Bendjama, Algerias ambassador to the U.N., prior to the vote, per the Associated Press. Conversely, voting against it implies an endorsement of the brutal violence and collective punishment inflicted against them.

The U.S. indicated its intention to oppose the measure days in advance. Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said in a Saturday statement that the U.S. is working on a hostage deal between Israel and Hamas that would pause fighting for a minimum of six weeks. She said the deal represents the best opportunity to reunite all hostages with their families and to transport humanitarian aid, but that the proposed resolution would undermine those goals.

Ultimately, 13 members of the 15-member council voted in favor of the Algerian resolution, with the U.S. opposing it and the U.K. opting to abstain. As one of the councils five permanent members, the U.S.s vote singlehandedly blocked the resolutions adoption.

How has the U.S. voted on past resolutions?

This isnt the first time that the U.S. has been an outlier on Council resolutions concerning the Israel-Hamas war. The U.S. vetoed a previous ceasefire resolution along similar lines back in December.

In November, the Council adopted a measure that called for urgent and extended humanitarian pauses and corridors through the Gaza Strip to facilitate the provision of essential goods and services. The U.S. abstained from voting because the resolution did not explicitly condemn Hamas. The U.K. and Russia also opted against weighing in on the matter.

The U.S. has remained Israels most important ally, as the country has sparked increasingly vehement international criticism over its severe response to the Hamas-led attacks on October 7 that killed about 1,200 people. In December, South Africa filed a case to the U.N.s International Court of Justice, accusing Israel of committing genocide in its response to the attacks, a matter that will likely take years for a final ruling.

Though Secretary of State Antony Blinken dismissed South Africas claim as meritless, there have been signs that the administration is uncomfortable with Israels tactics, with President Joe Biden describing Israels response earlier this month as over the top.

What comes next?

The U.S. has been floating its own resolution. CNN reports that the U.S. has been circling a draft of a measure that calls for a temporary cease-fire in Gaza as soon as practicable and also urges the release of Israeli hostages taken by Hamas following the October 7 attacks. Discussion on the resolution comes as Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has indicated that he would commence a ground invasion of the Gazan city of Rafah despite strong opposition from other world leaders.

In the months since the conflict began, Israels military campaign has killed more than 29,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
Stella Assange, the wife of Julian Assange, at court for the hearing on Tuesday. Photo: Yui Mok/PA Images via Getty Images

For nearly five years, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has been held in prison in London as his attorneys fight to stop his extradition to the United States, where he is facing espionage charges for publishing sensitive material provided by whistleblower Chelsea Manning. But he may finally be out of moves. On Tuesday, a British court will hold a two-day hearing determining if Assanges attorneys can continue to appeal extradition or if he will be sent to the U.S. for prosecution.

While it may be the endgame for Assanges long effort to stay out of the United States, an answer could still be days or weeks away. On Tuesday, Assanges lawyers will put forward their argument, followed by the U.S. Justice Department, whose lawyers will make their case. A panel of judges will then determine if Assange is allowed to request for an appeals court to block the extradition.

Assange did not appear in court virtually, citing his deteriorated health after having spent the past 12 years in detention and self-exile. In 2012, facing an extradition request to Sweden over a rape allegation, Assange was granted political asylum at the Ecuadorian embassy in London, where he remained for the next seven years. (Swedish prosecutors have since dropped the case.) At the beginning of this period of self-exile, the U.S. Justice Department under Barack Obama declined to prosecute Assange for his role in publishing sensitive intelligence, as a case against Assange could lead to an erosion in press freedom. But in 2018, the Trump administration accidentally disclosed that the DOJ was now prosecuting Assange. The case has remained open under President Biden.

In 2019, Assange was taken out of the embassy in handcuffs and placed in a high-security U.K. prison as he awaited extradition. In 2021, a judge ruled that Assange could not be extradited to the U.S., determining that he would kill himself in American prison  a ruling that was overturned later that year. If convicted of the many espionage charges he is facing, DOJ attorneys have stated that Assange would likely be sentenced to between four and six years in federal prison.

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A man and woman who share a home as friends were arrested on Tuesday after the womans 1-year-old son died, according to Opelika police.

Dorothy Kay Hight, 32, and Seth Chandler Jake Kendrick, 29, were charged with capital murder following the death of 1-year-old Ezekiel Norville. They remain in the Lee County Jail without bond pending an Aniahs Law hearing.

Even though weve made arrests in this case, any information could still be helpful, Opelika police Capt. John Hester said.

Police officers responded to call at approximately 12:15 a.m. Tuesday concerning Norville, who was unresponsive in the 200 block of 24th Street. Norville was transported to East Alabama Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Hester told the Opelika-Auburn News that the suspects were the ones who called to report the emergency. Police described the suspects as friends who share a home.

Norvilles body has been taken to the Alabama Department of Forensic Science in Montgomery for an autopsy, police said. Authorities said there were signs of physical abuse.

On Tuesday, Hester said that the preliminary report for the autopsy could come in a couple of days while the full report may take a few weeks.

This case remains under investigation. Hester said police need any details they can help bring Norville justice, such as info about the suspects and the victim.

Anyone with any information regarding this case has been asked to call the Opelika Police Department Detective Division at (334) 705-5220 or the Secret Witness Hotline at (334) 745-8665. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through the Opelika Police Departments mobile app.
Very brave of them to broach this topic. There's still way too much Hollywood silence about what child actors go through.

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Very brave in many ways especially when they initially believed Peck.

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Fishel speculates their parents may have given Peck a pass in an attempt to not seem homophobic



Not saying this for their parents, but I also think a lot of showbiz parents give people like Peck a pass for the money, sadly.

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1000%



You can see this happening with parents of kid influencers, how theyll purposefully film them eating popsicles and say people voicing their concerns about who the market is are the gross ones.

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Did you hear about the mother who actually posted photos online of her child waxing 24 clients private areas in one day? Talking about she earned $774 and a full day of work and the girl looks to be about 7 at most. The mother needs to be locked up as well as the 24 grown ass women who spread their legs open for a child to wax them.

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We werent told the whole story, but it doesnt change the fact that we did it, Friedle said.



Lack of google, his influence, etc I get it. But, theyre adults now and Im glad they can see how wrong they were to defend him - especially in court. My heart still hurts for the victim and the mother having to face this, though.



The growth some of them have shown is a nice contrast to people like Mila & Ashton who (at the similar age of the BMW cast) defend their defense of a rapist.

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"it doesn't change the fact that we did it" is just a great way to put it. i respect him for that.

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He seems like a real classy person - and I say that with sincerity. I have never heard anything bad about Will Friedle.

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I cannot imagine the guilt that they must carry around. It is a fucking terrible feeling when you realize you were a pawn in someones scheme to intentionally hurt others.



I took a look at pecks imdb. He has to be a decent talking point for this docu series. It seemed like he worked exclusively on teen nick series in the aughts. He was around amanda bynes a lot.

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Huge red flag on his IMDB bio:



Brian Peck is a Jewish American actor, narrator and filmmaker from Huntington, Indiana who acted in various films, shows and video games including The Amanda Show, X-Men, X2: X-Men United, Return of the Living Dead, Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy, Forever Strong, Lovewrecked, Holes, Good Burger and The Willies. He frequently collaborated with Bryan Singer and Dan Schneider.

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Its very brave of them to confront this, and their unintentional role in it (and they were young and following their parents lead) because so many people just bury their heads or insist they played no part.



Its no small thing to say I was wrong and someone was hurt.

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I can easily say Im wrong but I cannot as easily admit how the actions have hurt someone. That takes a lot of ownership & self reflection.

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And to do so publicly.

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It's a really good listen. In this type of story, their part would usually just end after the conviction, etc., but this shows the wrestling with the aftermath of recognizing you were manipulated too, and what was the cost of that manipulation for another person? Also, they raised a really interesting commentary on not wanting to say something because it would be boiled down by Variety or Hollywood Reporter, and this story would forever be connected with Boy Meets World when really it's not a Boy Meets World story at all. And also how to have this conversation when things like child abuse and grooming have been harnessed by the right to prop up terrible actions against marginalized groups.



Edited at 2024-02-20 07:54 pm (UTC)

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Shane Dawson collaborator Kati Morton talking about grooming is ironic

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Wild, I didn't know she had an online presence/worked with Dawson. A lot of the podcast is them talking about the situation and their own feelings with interjection rather than being led by Morton

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As a therapist, I'm really uncomfortable with how much of a platform Kati Morton has built. That collaboration was wildly unprofessional and unethical. She also partners with BetterHelp, another big red flag.

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came here to see if anyone mentioned her. i've watched videos calling her out recently so it's a rare case of being familiar with a content creator/influencer who's posted about at ontd heh.

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Whenever more stories come out about abuse on the sets of Nickelodeon shows, I always think about Jennette McCurdy saying in her book that the network offered her $300k on the condition that she could never talk publicly about her experiences with Nickelodeon and Dan Schneider. The executives knew what was happening and their main concern was keeping any of the kids from talking about it.

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I thought this was a really great episode but I side eyed Rider hard for still wanting to protect and not talk about the abuser because he doesn't want to cast a bad light on Hollywood. Sometimes his takes make me roll my eyes very hard.

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Yeah honestly I didn't think this made them look that great. That they admitted to thinking the guy was just a victim of jail bait really grossed me out.

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Yeah, I tried to give them grace because Will at least seemed to have such intense guilt and shame over it but I mean, these were grown adults believing that this other grown man was taken advantage of by a child??? And the fact that Rider seemed like he was just annoyed to be talking about it all. I also really wasn't a fan of his satanic panic comparison. I'm honestly getting angrier the more I think about it.



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wow, i'm surprised they even addressed this at all??????? they should do some work with Alexa Nikolas :) edit: UGHHHHHHHH I did not know the therapist they used is also a creepy groomer....... c'mon guys. one step forward, 3 steps back



fuck all these network creeps that were ENABLED and allowed to be creepy predators



Edited at 2024-02-20 05:03 pm (UTC)

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Kati Morton isnt a groomer, but she did work with Shane Dawson. Shes a weird one tbh.

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still weird to be friends with a groomer or do vids with them if you're supposed to be against grooming though

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I read the Variety article about this and you can tell Friedle immediately regretted siding with that felon when he agreed to testify on his behalf.



Were sitting in that courtroom on the wrong side of everything  The victims mother turned and said, Look at all the famous people you brought with you. And it doesnt change what you did to my kid,' Friedle explained. I just sat there wanting to die. It was like, What the hell am I doing here? It was horrifying all the way around.

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One of the most insidious things about these types of groomers is that they often put themselves in positions where other children and teens--usually ones that they haven't directly abused--will defend them in order to decrease the victim's credibility in the eyes of others.



In the full article, Friedle touches on this:



"Theres an actual victim here. And he turned us against the victim to where now were on his team. Thats the thing where, to me, I look back at that as my ever-loving shame for this entire [thing]. ... Getting taken in by somebody whos a good actor and a manipulator, I could chalk that up to being young and thats the way it is. Its awful. Im going to use that for my growth as a human being, but when theres an actual victim involved and now Im on the abusers side, thats the thing I cant get over and havent been able to get over."





Edited at 2024-02-20 05:56 pm (UTC)

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I love this podcast in general, and I truly admire how they aren't afraid to shy away from difficult topics. This podcast is great for nostalgia, for laughs, and for having real conversations.



That said, I also am a huge Return of the Living Dead fan, and Brian Peck plays a notable character in that film. Learning what he did was a horrible shock. Hearing Rider detail how he was naive to it, and then one day was at a party and overheard the same speil and how it all came clear, you could hear the remorse in his voice. You can tell how much guilt Will and Rider hold. I also found the question of 'does a groomer know they're grooming?' interesting.



It was definitely a hard listen. I could have done without the ads for this episode also.

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I read this last night and I feel for them. I felt for Will clearly having a lotta guilt for his part in the trial but its good that he mentioned it because it might helps in similar positions. Cause most will never admit or come to terms with similar guilt.

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Tajikistans existential project to build the colossal 335-meter-high Roghun hydropower dam is proceeding apace, but costs are spiraling, and to a level that is making it hard to see where the government is going to find the funds needed to finish the work.

To complicate matters for Dushanbe, this is happening against the backdrop of calls from environmental watchdogs for international development lenders to pause the allocation of any future funds to Tajikistan pending a fresh assessment of the project.

The extent of the budget overshoot is striking.

In a press conference on February 16, Finance Minister Faiziddin Kahhorzoda revealed that the government spent 5.2 billion somoni ($475 million) on construction work at Roghun in 2023. That was 2.7 billion somoni more than had been planned, he said.

The projected government spend for this year, meanwhile, is 5 billion somoni. It is projected that 2.2 billion somoni can be solicited from foreign-based parties, Kahhorzoda said.

When work on Roghun, a project that was in its origins the brainchild of Soviet engineers, resumed in earnest in 2008, the estimate for the overall cost stood at $3 billion.

This climbed upward through the years.

In 2016, officials threw around the figure of $3.9 billion. In mid-2022, the Energy Ministry announced $5 billion would be needed for full project implementation.

On February 1, Energy Minister Daler Juma offered a new forecast: $6.2 billion. That is high, although admittedly quite a bit short of the $8 billion prognostication he volunteered in an interview to Reuters news agency in June 2022.

While the budget balloons, the timetable is sliding.

Once completed, Roghun will be fitted with six 600 megawatt turbines, amounting to a total installed capacity of 3,600 megawatts. As Milan-based WeBuild (formerly Salini Impregilo), which has been contracted to implement the project, has claimed on its website, that is the equivalent of three nuclear power plants.

The first generating units were put into operation in November 2018 and September 2019 to much clamor, but there has been limited progress since then.

State media accentuates the upside. It cites energy officials as saying that while insufficient water pressure is causing delays, the generating units in place have to date produced around 7 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity. They furthermore value that volume of electricity at 1.5 billion somoni ($137 million).

Current annual electricity production in Tajikistan, much of which is accounted for by the Soviet-vintage Nurek hydropower plant, is around 17 billion kilowatt-hours.

Putting this together, it implies that Roghun has, since the first generating unit began working, likely contributed to well under one-tenth of Tajikistans electricity output.

In 2019, managers of the Roghun hydroelectric plant reportedly predicted  possibly speaking in the spirit of hope rather than pragmatism  that a third generating unit would be installed within another two years. All six units were to be operational by 2026, according to that timetable.

That was before COVID-19, however. The pandemic caused a major slowdown on work at Roghun along with much other economic activity in the country.

Another deadline is now in place.

We intend to put the third unit of the Roghun hydroelectric power station into operation in 2025, President Emomali Rahmon said in an address to the nation in December.

He noted in that speech that the project is employing 15,000 laborers and technicians.

When Rahmon speaks of Roghun in his speeches, he couches the project in talk of the bright future awaiting the country and that it should serve as a source of pride for every Tajik citizen.

A more sober reality is that Roghun is part of the race against time to keep the countrys economy afloat.

Despite the additional productive capacity added by Roghun, the population still has to endure annual rationing of electricity.

When the temperature sinks below a certain level, output from the Nurek hydropower plant grinds to a near-halt. Under the annually imposed economy regime due to end in March, as is customary, households outside the countrys largest urban centers endure blackouts from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m and then from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.

Meanwhile, the rate of population growth means that demand for electricity will continue surging.

The World Bank in 2022 estimated that Tajikistan had the youngest and fastest growing population in the Europe and Central Asia region.

Children under six years old comprise 17 percent of Tajikistans population, while roughly one of every three people is under 15 years of age, the bank said at the time.

State statisticians have said that the current population of Tajikistan is just a whisker over 10.1 million. Fresh figures from last week, based on birth and death data, showed a population increase of 200,000 in 2023. That is a 2 percent rise.

Getting a clear and reliable idea of how much has been spent on Roghun over the past 16 years is tricky. Juma, the Energy Minister, threw out the figure of $3 billion in 2022.

Dushanbe-based news outlet Asia-Plus cracked some numbers to come up with an updated estimate earlier this month and arrived at around 40 billion somoni, or $4 billion.

Considering current projections, which Juma says were calculated with the assistance of international consultants, that leaves $2.2 billion to go.

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Tajikistan makes no secret of the fact that it is hoping for white knight investors to swoop in and provide the cash needed to get it over the line.

But its efforts to get foreign funding so far have exposed it to considerable debt-servicing expenditure.

In September 2017, the National Bank issued $500 million worth of eurobonds on the international market. That venture means Tajikistan is on the hook for around $850 million to be paid to investors by 2027.

Important chunks are arriving from here and there, though.

In December, the state-backed Saudi Fund for Development announced it was under a development loan agreement with Tajikistan contributing $100 million to fund the Roghun project.

A few months earlier, in May, China-dominated development lender Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank had reportedly  according to President Rahmons office  pledged to extend a soft $500 million loan to Dushanbe for the same purpose. Talk on this particular commitment has gone a little quiet since then.

Back in 2022, a representative for the European Unions investment arm, the European Investment Bank, told Reuters that it was exploring becoming the largest investor in Roghun. That conversation too has withered for reasons unreported.

Environmental concerns are another factor.

Last month, a coalition of nongovernmental groups  Rivers without Boundaries, the NGO Forum on Asian Development Banks and the Bankwatch Network  issued a collective appeal to development banks to demand public discussions on an updated environmental assessment of Roghun before parting with any funds. The World Bank-backed environmental impact assessment conducted in 2014 is now woefully out of date, the coalition argued in its statement.

Over the last 10 years we accumulated new knowledge about the dynamics of climate change, new factors of impact on the hydrological regime of the Vakhsh River and the entire Amu Darya basin, Evgeny Simonov, international coordinator for Rivers without Boundaries, was cited as saying. Even the most superficial analysis shows that potential transboundary impacts of the [Roghun] hydropower plant are enormous, and their consideration in the new environmental assessment  is practically non-existent.

Via Eurasianet.org

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Last week, the International Energy Agency reported that global oil demand growth is losing momentum, with demand growth clocking in at 1.4 mb/d in January, down from 2.8 mb/d in 3Q23 to 1.8 mb/d in 4Q23. According to the IEA, the expansive post-pandemic demand growth phase has largely run its course. Thankfully, falling supply is expected to counter slowing demand growth with non-OPEC supply by the U.S., Brazil, Guyana, and Canada expected to come in at 1.6 mb/d this year compared to 2.4 mb/d in 2023.

The best part for oil bulls, however, is that oil markets are tightening, which could help sustain the ongoing oil price rally. The IEA has revealed that global observed oil stocks plummeted by about 60 mb in January, with on-land inventories falling to their lowest level since 2016. In contrast, December global stocks rose by 21.6 mb thanks to a surge in oil on water (+60.7 mb) more than offsetting draws in on-land inventories (-39 mb). Brent crude has rallied 7.9% so far in the month of February to trade at $83.42 per barrel while WTI crude has gained 9.9% to trade at $79.43 per barrel.

Whether or not the markets will continue tightening will largely depend on whether OPEC+ can maintain discipline and unwind its production cuts gradually. Estimates by various energy agencies of changes in the call on OPEC; i.e. the level of OPEC crude oil output that would keep inventories constant given changes in non-OPEC supply, oil demand, and OPEC non-crude liquids supply are quite varied at this point.

Related: Unsustainably Low Lithium Prices Set the Stage for the Next Supply Crunch



With the exception of the IEA, estimates of the call on OPEC have generally trended upwards, implying an improvement in overall market fundamentals. These figures represent how much OPEC could increase output from Q2 onwards without global inventories increasing The lowest estimates are those of the Energy Information Administration (EIA) at 0.6 million barrels per day (mb/d) and the IEA at 0.7 mb/d, while the highest estimates are by Standard Chartered at 1.8 mb/d and the OPEC Secretariat at 2.7 mb/d.



Source: Standard Chartered Research

Brent Could Approach $100

Previously, commodity analysts at Standard Chartered have argued that oil fundamentals are in better shape than oil prices suggest, adding that the market is heavily discounting geopolitical risks. StanChart has noted a sharp improvement in oil balances in the current year compared to 2022

According to StanChart, the small global oil surplus we are currently witnessing is due to seasonal weakness in the month of January, noting that the surplus is much smaller than the 20-year average. StanChart has revealed that theres been a January inventory draw in only three years since 2004, with the first month of the year averaging a build of 1.2 million barrels per day (mb/d). Last year, the month of January recorded a mega-surplus to the tune of 3.4 mb/d; the third largest surplus in any month over the past two decades. StanChart puts this years January surplus at just 0.3 mb/d.

StanChart says Brent price is supposed to hit at least $90 per barrel to truly reflect market fundamentals. StanChart has predicted that Brent will average $92 a barrel in the first quarter, good for a 19% jump from Dec. 31. The analysts have forecast that Brent will hit $98 per barrel in the third quarter; $109 in 2025 and $128 in 2026 before pulling back to $115 in 2027. ICE Brent futures gained $5/bbl during January, marking their first monthly gain since September.

J.P. Morgan is another oil bull, and says the oil market outlook "continues to project a tightening market with prices rising from here by another $10 by May."

JPMs forecast assumes that OPEC+ leaders will unwind 400K bbl/day of cuts from April but has not assigned a risk premium from the Middle East turmoil. JPM says crude shipments on a 30-day moving average basis are down 1.3M bbl/day from the October peak.

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The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) is much less optimistic, and has projected Brent to average $82.42 in 2024 and $79.48 in 2025 while WTI will average $77.68 a barrel for 2024 and $74.98 in 2025.

By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com

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A state environmental agency in Kazakhstan has fined an oil company in the west of the country $780,000 over a prolonged fire at one of its fields last year that caused one of the largest emissions of methane in history.

The ecology department of the Mangystau regional government said on February 19 that methane concentrations at the Buzachi Neft-operated Karaturun field exceeded permissible levels by 480 times.

The alarm over the leak was raised by geo-monitoring firm Kayrros SAS, which reported in July that it had produced satellite imagery showing clouds of methane rising from the oil field.

Buzachi Neft told Bloomberg news agency at the time that the satellite images likely [showed] hot vapor clouds with minimal traces of the greenhouse gas.

That explanation was dismissed by Kayrros.

It is extremely unlikely to mistake water vapor for methane on multiple images captured by two hyperspectral satellites, whose very high spectral resolution leaves little doubt about the nature of the gas observed, Kayrros told Bloomberg. Related: EU Carbon Prices Tumble to More Than Two-Year Low

Buzachi Neft elsewhere sought to claim that it was taking measures to mitigate methane emissions.

In order to avoid the unauthorized release of gasses in the area of well No. 303, the company regularly fires a burning charge into the clouds evaporating from the zone of active combustion, Daniyar Duisembayev, deputy general director for strategic development at Buzachi Neft, told Vlast news website in a written statement in August.

This was in turn contradicted by researchers with the SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research and the Valencia Polytechnic University.

The relatively low intensity of the fire at the Karaturun East site would indicate that only a small fraction of the gas outflow was flared, the researchers said in a paper published last week.

Such large emissions of methane are alarming because the gas has a far more potent greenhouse effect than carbon dioxide.

The fire that triggered the leak broke out at an oil well at the Karaturun field on June 9. The blaze was only put out on December 25.

The Mangystau region ecology department said it initiated an unscheduled inspection of the offending site in January  one month after the blaze was extinguished and six months after the issue was reported by both domestic and international media.

News of the fine, meanwhile, comes just days after the BBC published its own report on the methane leak. The BBCs report cited the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Greenhouse Gas Equivalency Calculator as assessing that the leak was comparable to that of driving more than 717,000 petrol cars for a year.

The Mangystau ecology department inspection revealed, among other things, that drilling on the well that exploded had been, under the terms of the development license, due to begin in 2024, but that it began in May 2023 instead.

Based on the results of the inspection, the company was ordered to develop a remediation program to eliminate the environmental damage caused, the department said.

These developments have only consolidated Central Asias dismal reputation as a major contributor to the greenhouse gas crisis.

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The Guardian newspaper reported in 2023, citing satellite data, again provided by Kayrros, on how methane leaks at two gas fields alone in Turkmenistan in 2022 contributed more to global warming than did all the United Kingdoms carbon emissions.

In attempt to repair that public relations damage, Turkmenistan announced at the COP-28 climate summit in Dubai that it would sign up to the Global Methane Pledge, a voluntary agreement that commits adherents to cut methane emissions by 30 percent by 2030.

In doing so, it joined another new adherent to the Global Methane Pledge: Kazakhstan.

By Eurasianet.org

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Rates for very large crude carriers (VLCCs) transporting oil from the Middle East to China have risen to a three-month high of $66,600 per day as insurance costs spike amid the Houthi attacks on Red Sea vessels.

In the fourth-quarter of last year, rates for VLCCs, which carry around 2 million barrels of oil, were averaging around $21,000 per day, according to Freight Waves, citing data from Clarksons. In the third-quarter of last year, day rates averaged $8,700. For March, Bank of America says it expects VLCC day rates to maintain an average price of between $40,000 and $50,000, with prices dropping in Q2 to around $35,000-$40,000. The last time oil shipping costs spiked this high was in 2019, under pressure from Middle East geopolitics and U.S. sanctions on a Chinese tanker owner, pushing VLCC day rates from $25,000 to over $150,000 for an extended period of six months, Freight Waves reported.

Since the first half of December, the number of crude oil tankers traversing the Red Sea has dropped by up to 60%.

While oil prices have so far refrained from responding significantly to attacks on vessels in the Red Sea by Yemens Iran-backed Houthis, insurers have responded by raising day rates in the best-case scenario, or issuing exclusions from any war risk claims for ships willing to brave the maritime hotspot.

On Sunday, an attack on a UK-registered ship, the Rubymar, forced the crew to abandon the vessel, which is now at risk of sinking, according to the Houthis.

The Rubymar was on its way to Bulgaria from the United Arab Emirates when it came under attack.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's spokesman said: "Clearly we condemn any attacks by the Houthis against commercial civilian ships, a spokesperson for British Prime MInister Rishi Sunak said.

"HMS Diamond and HMS Richmond continue to patrol the Red Sea to help protect commercial shipping and, as the PM has said, we will not hesitate to act to protect freedom of navigation and lives at sea."

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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MBABANE  The Ministry of Home Affairs has announced plans to blacklist citizens who fail to collect their travel documents and identity (ID) documents from the ministrys service centres.

The ministrys Communications Officer, Mlandvo Dlamini, said the proposed blacklisting would prohibit those affected from applying for new travel documents or IDs in the future. He said the measure was necessary to reduce the growing backlog of uncollected documents, which he said was a huge loss to government. This comes after reports that over 400 travel documents and passports were lying idle, uncollected by applicants, at the ministrys offices. It was established that some of the travel documents had not been collected by their owners since 2022. The ministry said the issue of uncollected travel documents was not unique to the headquarters, but all Home Affairs service centres were facing the same challenge.

According to Dlamini, since last week, the number of uncollected travel documents had increased to over 500. He said on top of the existing numbers at the headquarters, over 100 travel documents that were produced last week were still uncollected by owners. We also have at least 100 international passports, which date back to January, which are still not collected, Dlamini said. He explained that, Home Affairs Minister Princess Lindiwe, visited some of the service centres and found that they were also faced with the same challenge.

mopping

In Manzini, we found several uncollected travel documents, some dating back to 2012. This does not only affect travel documents but also IDs. We still have IDs that were registered during the mopping exercise last year and they havent been collected by owners, he said. According to Dlamini, the ministry was on a move to curb these acts, whereby citizens did not collect their documents at their service centres. He explained that people would be blacklisted once they reach a certain allocated period without collecting their documents. Dlamini mentioned that they were cognisant of the fact that innocent people would be affected, those who may be facing unfortunate situations, that prevent them from collecting their documents.

However, he said stringent rules needed to be implemented, because government was losing a lot of money producing these documents, which were then unclaimed by their owners.

We dont want to reach a stage where these stringent laws are implemented, but if this continues, government will have no choice but to introduce these laws, Dlamini said. When he was asked about how much government was losing on producing these documents, which then lied idle at the ministrys service centres, Dlamini said it was difficult to quantify the actual amount, but clarified that travel documents and any other documents produced by the ministry were highly subsidised. He stated that government was spending a lot of money to purchase these documents. Dlamini encouraged people to collect their documents whenever they had applied, to avoid finding themselves being blacklisted.
Iran's so-called axis of resistance is a loose network of proxies, Tehran-backed militant groups, and an allied state actor.

The network is a key element of Tehran's strategy of deterrence against perceived threats from the United States, regional rivals, and primarily Israel.

Active in the Palestinian Occupied Territories, Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, the axis gives Iran the ability to hit its enemies outside its own borders while allowing it to maintain a position of plausible deniability, experts say.

Since the Islamic Revolution in 1979, Iran has played a key role in establishing some of the groups in the axis. Other members have been co-opted by Tehran over the years.

Iran has maintained that around dozen separate groups that comprise the axis act independently.

Tehran's level of influence over each member varies. But the goals pursued by each group broadly align with Iran's own strategic aims, which makes direct control unnecessary, according to experts.

Lebanon's Hizballah

Hizballah was established in 1982 in response to Israel's invasion that year of Lebanon, which was embroiled in a devastating civil war.

The Shi'ite political and military organization was created by the Quds Force, the overseas arm of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), the elite branch of the country's armed forces.

Danny Citrinowicz, a research fellow at the Iran Program at the Israel-based Institute for National Security Studies, said Tehran's aim was to unite Lebanon's various Shi'ite political organizations and militias under one organization.

Since it was formed, Hizballah has received significant financial and political assistance from Iran, a Shi'a-majority country. That backing has made the group a major political and military force in Lebanon.

"Iran sees the organization as the main factor that will deter Israel or the U.S. from going to war against Iran and works tirelessly to build the organization's power," Citrinowicz said.

Hizballah has around 40,000 fighters, according to the office of the U.S. Director of National Intelligence. The State Department said Iran has armed and trained Hizballah fighters and injected hundreds of millions of dollars in the group.

The State Department in 2010 described Hizballah as "the most technically capable terrorist group in the world."

Citrinowicz said Iran may not dictate orders to the organization but Tehran "profoundly influences" its decision-making process.

He described Hizballah, which is considered a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union, not as a proxy but "an Iranian partner managing Tehran's Middle East strategy."

Led by Hassan Nasrallah, Hizballah has developed close ties with other Iranian proxies and Tehran-backed militant groups, helping to train and arm their fighters.

Citrinowicz said Tehran "almost depends" on the Lebanese group to oversee its relations with other groups in the axis of resistance.

Hamas

Hamas, designated a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union, has had a complex relationship with Iran.

Founded in 1987 during the first Palestinian Intifada, or uprising, Hamas is an offshoot of the Palestinian arm of the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist political organization established in Egypt in the 1920s.

Hamas's political chief is Ismail Haniyeh, who lives in Qatar. Its military wing, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, is commanded by Yahya Sinwar, who is believed to be based in the Gaza Strip. Hamas is estimated to have around 20,000 fighters.

For years, Iran provided limited material support to Hamas, a Sunni militant group. Tehran ramped up its financial and military support to the Palestinian group after it gained power in the Gaza Strip in 2007.

But Tehran reduced its support to Hamas after a major disagreement over the civil war in Syria. When the conflict broke out in 2011, Iran backed the government of President Bashar al-Assad. Hamas, however, supported the rebels seeking to oust Assad.

Nevertheless, experts said the sides overcame their differences because, ultimately, they seek the same goal: Israel's destruction.

"[But] this does not mean that Iran is deeply aware of all the actions of Hamas," Citrinowicz said.

After Hamas militants launched a multipronged attack on Israel in October that killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, Iran denied it was involved in planning the assault. U.S. intelligence has indicated that Iranian leaders were surprised by Hamas's attack.

Seyed Ali Alavi, a lecturer in Middle Eastern and Iranian Studies at SOAS University of London, said Iran's support to Hamas is largely "confined to rhetorical and moral support and limited financial aid." He said Qatar and Turkey, Hamas's "organic" allies, have provided significantly more financial help to the Palestinian group.

Palestinian Islamic Jihad

With around 1,000 members, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) is the smaller of the two main militant groups based in the Gaza Strip and the closest to Iran.

Founded in 1981, the Sunni militant group's creation was inspired by Iran's Islamic Revolution two years earlier. Given Tehran's ambition of establishing a foothold in the Palestinian Occupied Territories, Iran has provided the group with substantial financial backing and arms, experts say.

The PIJ, led by Ziyad al-Nakhalah, is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union.

"Today, there is no Palestinian terrorist organization that is closer to Iran than this organization," Citrinowicz said. "In fact, it relies mainly on Iran."

Citrinowicz said there is no doubt that Tehran's "ability to influence [the PIJ] is very significant."

Iraqi Shi'ite Militias

Iran supports a host of Shi'ite militias in neighboring Iraq, some of which were founded by the IRGC and "defer to Iranian instructions," said Gregory Brew, a U.S.-based Iran analyst with the Eurasia Group.

But Tehran's influence over the militias has waned since the U.S. assassination in 2020 of Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani, who was seen as the architect of the axis of resistance and held great influence over its members.

"The dynamic within these militias, particularly regarding their relationship with Iran, underwent a notable shift following the assassination of Qassem Soleimani," said Hamidreza Azizi, a fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs.

The U.S. drone strike that targeted Soleimani also killed Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy head of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), an umbrella organization of mostly Shi'ite Iran-backed armed groups that has been a part of the Iraqi Army since 2016.

Muhandis was also the leader of Kata'ib Hizballah, which was established in 2007 and is one of the most powerful members of the PMF. Other prominent groups in the umbrella include Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq, Harakat al-Nujaba, Kata'ib Seyyed al-Shuhada, and the Badr Organization. Kata'ib Hizballah has been designated as a terrorist entity by the United States.

Following the deaths of Soleimani and al-Muhandis, Kata'ib Hizballah and other militias "began to assert more autonomy, at times acting in ways that could potentially compromise Iran's interests," said Azizi.

Many of the Iran-backed groups that form the PMF are also part of the so-called Islamic Resistance in Iraq, which rose to prominence in November 2023. The group has been responsible for launching scores of attacks on U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria since Israel launched its war against Hamas in Gaza.

"It's important to note that while several militias within the PMF operate as Iran's proxies, this is not a universal trait across the board," Azizi said.

Azizi said the extent of Iran's control over the PMF can fluctuate based on the political conditions in Iraq and the individual dynamics within each militia.

The strength of each group within the PMF varies widely, with some containing as few as 100 members and others, such as Kata'ib Hizballah, boasting around 10,000 fighters.

Syrian State And Pro-Government Militias

Besides Iran, Syria is the only state that is a member of the axis of resistance.

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"The relationship between Iran and the Assad regime in Syria is a strategic alliance where Iran's influence is substantial but not absolute, indicating a balance between dependency and partnership," said Azizi.

The decades-long alliance stems from Damascus's support for Tehran during the devastating 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War.

When Assad's rule was challenged during the Syrian civil war, the IRGC entered the fray in 2013 to ensure he held on to power.

Hundreds of IRGC commander and officers, who Iran refers to as "military advisers," are believed to be present in Syria. Tehran has also built up a large network of militias, consisting mostly of Afghans and Pakistanis, in Syria.

Azizi said these militias have given Iran "a profound influence on the country's affairs," although not outright control over Syria.

"The Assad regime maintains its strategic independence, making decisions that serve its national interests and those of its allies," he said.

The Fatemiyun Brigade, comprised of Afghan fighters, and the Zainabiyun Brigade, which is made up of Pakistani fighters, make up the bulk of Iran's proxies in Syria.

"They are essentially units in the IRGC, under direct control," said Brew.

The Afghan and Pakistani militias played a key role in fighting rebel groups opposed to Assad during the civil war. There have been reports that Iran has not only granted citizenship to Afghan fighters and their families but also facilitated Syrian citizenship for them.

The Fatemiyun Brigade, the larger of the two, is believed to have several thousand fighters in Syria. The Zainabiyun Brigade is estimated to have less than 1,000 fighters.

Yemen's Huthi Rebels

The Huthis first emerged as a movement in the 1980s in response to the growing religious influence of neighboring Saudi Arabia, a Sunni kingdom.

In 2015, the Shi'ite militia toppled the internationally recognized, Saudi-backed government of Yemen. That triggered a brutal, yearslong Saudi-led war against the rebels.

With an estimated 200,000 fighters, the Huthis control most of the northwest of the country, including the capital, Sanaa, and are in charge of much of the Red Sea coast.

The Huthis' disdain for Saudi Arabia, Iran's regional foe, and Israel made it a natural ally of Tehran, experts say. But it was only around 2015 that Iran began providing the group with training through the Quds Force and Hizballah. Tehran has also supplied weapons to the group, though shipments are regularly intercepted by the United States.

"The Huthisappear to have considerable autonomy and Tehran exercises only limited control, though there does appear to be [a] clear alignment of interests," said Brew.

Since Israel launched its war in Gaza, the Huthis have attacked international commercial vessels in the Red Sea and fired ballistic missiles at several U.S. warships.

In response, the United States and its allies have launched air strikes against the Huthis' military infrastructure. Washington has also re-designated the Huthis as a terrorist organization.

By RFE/RL

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A 3.8-million-ton liquefaction train at BPs Tangguh LNG plant in Indonesia has been shut down for a week now due to technical problems.

This is according to Upstream, which cited local media as saying the liquefaction train at the 11.4-million-ton facility had been shut down for a week now. This has not yet had an impact on global prices but if the shutdown extends, it will affect Indonesias exports.

The train, which is the newest one at the Tangguh facility, entered into operation last year and loaded its first cargo in October 2023. The start was delayed by several years because of the pandemic lockdowns. The original Tangguh lNG plant started operations in 2009.

The LNG produced at the facility is delivered to Indonesias state-owned power generation company PLN. Tangguh is the largest producing LNG project in the country.

Indonesia is one of the largest LNG producers in the world, with 2023 export volumes topping 16.2 million tons. It also has expansion plans for its LNG industry. Earlier this year, the Indonesian government approved a plan by Japans INPEX for the development of a long-delayed LNG project in eastern Indonesia.

Separately, a new offshore gas discovery in the country sparked hopes for a shelved project that could have 12.5 million tons annually in capacity if it gets the green light from its investors.

Shell recently said in its LNG Outlook that demand for liquefied gas could surge by over 50% by 2040c, citing an accelerating shift from coal to gas in Asia and increased use of gas for powering local economies.

China will lead the demand growth trend, the company said, but Asia as a whole will also be a major driver. This makes BP and others operating LNG capacity in Indonesia well-placed to take advantage of the forecast demand growth

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By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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Exxon has warned the European Union that it will leave and take billions of dollars in climate investment with it unless Brussels makes it easier to spend those billions on transition-related projects.

The Financial Times cited the company today as saying that there was way too much red tape in the EU and it took too long to get a project going, which prompted the supermajor to consider spending its $20 billion in decarbonization investments for 2022-2027 elsewhere.

When we make investments, weve got very long time horizons in mind. I would say that recent developments in Europe have not instilled confidence in long-term, predictable policies, Karen McKee, president of Exxon Product Solutions, told the FT.

What were experiencing is the deindustrialisation of the European economy and were concerned, McKee also said.

The European Unions leadership has promised time and again it will facilitate transition projects but it seems it has been slow to act on this promise. According to Exxonand a lot of other companies involved in the transitiongetting a project off the ground in the EU is fraught with regulatory obstacles and slow and torturous permitting and funding procedures, per Exxons McKee.

The EUs Green Deal plan features a predictable and simplified regulatory environment as one of its four pillars but judging from the reactions of the business world, this has yet to go from theory to practice. Faster access to funding is the second pillar in the EUs lineup but that, too, is taking quite long to materialize.

It is these delays in implementation that have prompted business leaders to meet today in Belgium to press the EU leadership into going from words to actions. There is growing concern that the regulatory burden put on businesses is scaring them away, taking investments elsewhere.

There are also some European leaders, notably Frances Emmanuel Macron and Belgiums Alexander de Croo, who have blamed red tape for the farmers protests.

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By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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North Dakota oil companies are likely to increase their production modestly this year, the director of the states Department of Mineral Resources, Lynn Helms said this week, citing industry executives.

According to these, production should grow by between 10,000 barrels daily and 30,000 bpd, local media reported.

We should see one more drilling rig, maybe two more drilling rigs, in 2024. Somewhere between 10,000, 15,000, maybe twice that much in terms of oil production, so we should hit that 1.3 million barrel a day number, Helms said.

In December, North Dakotas daily average output stood at 1.27 million bpd, the report said.

The Bakken is far from over. In fact, it continues to lead the way with a lot of these technology developments that we share with our friends in Texas and New Mexico, the Department of Mineral Resources director also said.

The official, however, shared a deep concern about the prospects of the North Dakota oil industry in case of a second presidential term for the Democrats.

The Energy Information Administration estimated the Bakkens output at 1.203 million barrels daily for February, rising to 1.206 million barrels in March. That would make it the play with the third-strongest growth rate, after the Permian and the Eagle Ford, where production between February and March is seen rising by 10,000 bpd and 5,000 bpd, respectively.

Oil production in the Bakken is set to benefit from Chevrons recent acquisition of Hess Corp. The deal will give Chevron 465,000 net acres of high-quality, long-duration inventory in the Bakken supported by the integrated assets of Hess Midstream, Chevron said when it announced the tie-up last year.

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Thanks to the shale play, North Dakota was the second-largest oil-producing state in the United States between 2012 and 2020, right after Texas, before it got surpassed by New Mexico thanks to the part of the Permian it hosts.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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Occidental Petroleum is considering a sale of its $20 billion natural gas pipeline operator Western Midstream Partners, anonymous sources told Reuters on Tuesday.

The move would ease Occidentals substantial debt burden, which has reached $19 billion as of December 31, in part due to its costly acquisition of Anadarko. Occidental also has agreed to purchase CrownRock for $12 billion, although the FTC has recently delayed the approval of that acquisition.

Currently, Occidental owns 49% of Western Midstream, a master limited partnership. It also owns its general partner, and as such, it controls Western Midstreams operations.

According to Reuters, interested parties in Western Mistream could include Enterprise Products Partners and Kinder Morgan.

Occidental has come under fire for its ambitious acquisitionsincluding the Anadarko acquisition, which Carl Icahn said was one of the worst deals hes ever seen, calling it hugely overpriced. But Occidental is banking on there being a supply deficit in the near future, predicted recently that there will be an oil supply shortage in the markets by as soon as next year due to a failure to replace crude reserves at a fast enough pace. % after the announcement of the deal

Under Occidentals oversight, Western Midstream Partners LP completed an acquisition of its own last year, of Meritage Midstream Services II LLC for $885 milliona deal that increased its presence in the Powder River Basin. That deal brought Western Midstreams natural gas processing capacity toMMcfpd. To pay for the deal, Western Midstream offered 6.35% senior notes with a total principal amount of $600 million.

Occidental Stock was trading down 1.87% On Tuesday afternoon, while Western Midstream Partners LP was trading up 5.56% by 3:10 pm ET, reaching a high last seen in June 2019.

By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com

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Russia appears to have complied in January with its pledge to reduce crude oil exports by 300,000 barrels per day (bpd) this quarter, anonymous sources with knowledge of Russian energy ministry data, which is not public, have told Bloomberg.

At the latest OPEC+ meeting at the end of November, Russia said it would deepen the export cut to 500,000 bpd in the first quarter of 2024  with May and June 2023 being the reference export levels for the cut. The cut this quarter will consist of reductions in exports of 300,000 bpd of crude and 200,000 bpd of refined products.

In crude exports, Russia is estimated to have exported 4.59 million bpd both via tankers and pipelines last month. The decline from the May-June average, used as a baseline for the export cut, is equal to around 307,000 bpd, according to Bloomberg calculations and conversion of data in tons into barrels.

In seaborne crude shipments only, the four-week average of Russian exports was just over 3 million bpd in the four weeks to February 18, perfectly in line with the Russian pledge to reduce exports by 300,000 bpd, according to tanker-tracking data monitored by Bloomberg.

However, issues with sales to India as the West is tightening the sanctions enforcement could have dented Russian crude oil shipments more than Moscow originally intended.

As many as 15 million barrels of Russias Sokol grade  initially for deliveries to India  are sitting on idle tankers off South Korea and Malaysia, per ship-tracking data Bloomberg analysts have compiled.

Some of the tanker owners have been sanctioned by the U.S. after loading crude for India, while other cargoes are being held up by banks refusing payments due to either the price of oil exceeding the G7 price cap or a lack of clarity who the ultimate owner is, according to Indian officials who spoke to Bloomberg.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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The Amsterdam Court of Appeal rejected on Tuesday Russias final argument in an appeals case against an arbitration award in which Moscow has to pay $50 billion to the former shareholders of Yukos for deliberately bankrupting Russias biggest oil firm in the early 2000s and prosecuting its CEO Mikhail Khodorkovsky.

The former shareholders of Yukos and the Russian state have been dragging the case through various courts in the Netherlands for over a decade.

Former Yukos owner and critic of the Kremlin, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, was arrested in 2003 and convicted of theft and tax evasion two years later. Yukos was broken up and sold off to state companies, including Rosneft. Khodorkovsky was released from jail in 2013 after Vladimir Putin pardoned him. Khodorkovsky is now in exile and lives in London.

In the meantime, former Yukos shareholders sued for compensation for the assets they lost, which they claim were expropriated by the Russian government. In 2014, the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled that Russia must pay US$50 billion to the ex-Yukos shareholders.

Russia has refused to pay up, and two years later, in April 2016, The Hague District Court reversed the ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration on the grounds that it lacked jurisdiction to arbitrate in the case.

In May 2017, the Amsterdam Court of Appeal ruled that Russia unlawfully bankrupted Yukos. The court said that the Russian authorities not only violated the Russian [tax] rules, but also that this was done with the apparent intent to make Yukos insolvent and ultimately bankrupt Yukos, Yukos Foundation, which protects Yukos assets outside Russia, said at the time.

Russias final argument in the legal battle was alleging fraud by the former Yukos shareholders, but this argument was dismissed by the Amsterdam Court of Appeal on Tuesday. According to the court, Russia alleged the fraud too late and even if it wasnt so late, the claim would not have changed the courts decision.

We will continue to focus our attention on the ongoing enforcement against Russian state assets in the Netherlands, England, and the United States, and we do not rule out we will start enforcement proceedings in other countries as well, Tim Osborne, director of GML, a company that unites the former majority shareholders, said in a statement carried by the Associated Press.

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Global oil supply is sufficient now, but natural declines at oilfields mean that the world would need to find a Saudi Arabia every two years to offset these production drops, Saudi Aramcos chief financial officer Ziad Al-Murshed has said.

Due to the natural decline in operating fields, as many as 6 million barrels per day (bpd) of global oil production is being lost every year and needs to be replaced, Al-Murshed said at the Saudi Capital Market Forum 2024 in Riyadh.

The world is down to 3% of spare crude oil production capacity of global demand, Aramcos executive said.

If there isnt significant investment in oil production, the world could find itself short of spare capacity and supply, according to the manager.

Right now, Aramco sees sufficient supply on the market and believes that global oil demand has recovered, Al-Murshed said.

At the end of last month, Saudi Arabia surprised the oil market by announcing a shift in production capacity strategy. State oil giant Aramco said it was ordered by the Kingdoms leadership to stop work on expanding its maximum sustainable capacity to 13 million barrels per day, instead keeping it at 12 million bpd.

Saudi Arabias decision to abandon the expansion plans is a result of the energy transition, Saudi Energy Minister, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, said earlier this month.

Global oil demand is expected to remain robust in the long term and the recent Saudi reversal of production capacity expansion shouldnt be read as a view of falling demand, OPEC Secretary General Haitham Al Ghais said last week.

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First of all I want to be clear I cannot comment on a Saudi decision ... but this is in no way to be misconstrued as a view that demand is falling, Al Ghais told Reuters on the sidelines of a summit in Dubai.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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Russia has sent its first cargo of its flagship Urals crude grade to Venezuela in five years as tougher U.S. sanctions on Moscows oil exports and Red Sea shipping disruptions prompt Russians to seek friendly buyers of its crude further away from home.

The supertanker Ligera has already arrived near Amuay Bay off Venezuela, after loading at least 1.7 million barrels of Urals crude in ship-to-ship transfers off the southern coasts of Greece in the Mediterranean in January, according to tanker-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg.

This is the first observed shipment of Urals crude to Venezuela  which Russia considers a friendly country alongside Iran and China  in at least five years, according to Bloombergs data.

It is not clear why Russia sent the Urals cargo to Venezuela, although the South American country has imported in the past such crudes with which it dilutes its heavy oil to make it suitable for export, Bloomberg notes.

The rare shipment of Urals crude to Venezuela comes as the U.S. is toughening the sanctions enforcement against Russia and has threatened to impose sanctions on financial institutions that are found to have facilitated Russian exports. This threat has made banks more cautious and has reportedly created payment issues for some Indian customers of Russian crude grade Sokol.

Venezuela is one of the few new markets that Russia can tap as the EU and U.S. embargoes and the price cap on Russian oil have made buyers with business in the U.S. very cautious in dealings with Moscows crude and fuels.

As the EU  Russias previous top oil buyer  banned imports of Russian crude and fuels, Moscow turned to Asia, especially China and India, to place its crude oil.

China took in half of all the crude oil that Russia exported in 2023, with India a close second, Russias Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said at the end of last year.

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China now accounts for 45% to 50% of Russian oil and fuel exports, while India is taking in some 40%, Novak said. The increase is particularly remarkable for India, where Russia exported almost no oil whatsoever until 2022. Now, it is the subcontinents leading supplier.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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You see a job posting that interests you, but youre unsure if your technical skills match the requirements. Or youre eyeing a promotion in your current job, but moving up means you need specific management capabilities. The online microcredentialing program at University of Nebraska at Omaha offers solutions for people who want to master new skills to stay up to date in their current job, are just starting out in the working world or have decided to take their existing career in a new direction.

Short, flexible, credible

The 15-hour online microcredential courses at UNO are designed to match the pace of your busy life and to align with the skills most in demand by employers in the real world. Whether you are reskilling  acquiring a fresh set of skills to take on a new role  or upskilling  improving your existing skills to increase your proficiency  microcredential courses provide you with the knowledge and competencies you need. UNO offers online microcredential courses in finance, project management, grant development, communication, managing teams and much more.

Meeting an ongoing demand

Based on labor market data, technology changes and insight from industry leaders, UNOs microcredential courses correspond to evolving needs in the job marketplace. The skills gap in the workforce are rapidly changing and intensifying, and will persist for the foreseeable future, said Ana Lopez Shalla, director of strategic partnerships and new market at UNO. Our online microcredential courses reflect employers most pressing demands and what theyve told us theyre seeing on the ground.

Pace your learning

Many UNO microcredential courses are self-paced, meaning you can complete the 15 hours at your convenience, usually within an eight-week timeframe. Some leadership and management courses are scheduled at specific times to accommodate group messaging and collaborative projects, Lopez Shalla said. Learners can take a single course or stack several to achieve their professional goals. With the microcredential courses, UNO brings its nationally ranked, high-quality approach to lifetime learners from a price, modality and time standpoint, she said.

Show your digital badge

You receive a digital badge for each UNO microcredential course you complete and can post these badges on job sites, Lopez Shalla said. The badges are a fantastic way for students to demonstrate in a tangible way what they learned and the skills and competencies they mastered through the online course. Prospective employers who click on a job candidates digital badge see the course content, learning objectives, criteria for course completion and how UNO validates that the student gained the skills, she said.

Return on your investment

The microcredential courses at UNO take the guesswork out of matching your skills with employers needs. We develop the courses based on the highest regional and national demand and the greatest return on investment in terms of salary increases and premiums placed on the jobs that have the skill requirements, Lopez Shalla said. Whether a student takes a microcredential course in project management, financial management, grant writing or another area, we have done our due diligence to ensure that the course is a valuable, industry-aligned investment of time and resources for them.

Visit the UNO website to find out more about microcredential offerings.

This content was produced by Brand Ave. Studios. The news and editorial departments had no role in its creation or display. Brand Ave. Studios connects advertisers with a targeted audience through compelling content programs, from concept to production and distribution. For more information contact sales@brandavestudios.com.
MBABANE  EBet wants the Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs to issue it with a trading licence to continue operations and save jobs.

The ministry, through a statement issued on February 13, 2024, notified the public that EBet was prohibited from operating with immediate effect. The ministry, through the Eswatini Gaming Control Board, a statutory Board under the ministry, informed members of the public that Swazi Bet, trading as 8bet, had been granted a bookmakers licence to operate legally in the country.

Development

In an interview with EBet representative, Attorney Sibusiso Shongwe, he mentioned that owing to this development, emaSwati jobs were on the line. Shongwe previously revealed that at least 60 emaSwati were employed, courtesy of the company, and if the online gaming company was not operating, all these jobs were on the line. He said they were praying and trusting God that He would soften the ministers heart, so that he notes the injustice that was unfolding in this matter and do the right thing. EBet has been operating in the country for five years now and it has contributed to the development of the economy through tax. We have multiple emaSwati employed by the entity and they are taking care of their families, but they are at the brink of losing what matters most to them, he said. Shongwe continued: We are requesting government to give us an operating licence since it decided to take the one that we had and hand it over to others while prohibiting us from operating. We wish to continue our business and it is from that position that we humbly request government to do the right thing, he said.

Issue

Principal Secretary in the ministry, Khangeziwe Mabuza, mentioned that, as much as she could respond on the issue, the Minister, Jane Simelane, was better positioned to do so. However, Simelane could not be reached for comment, as her mobile phone was not available on the network. It should be mentioned that prior to the recent statement prohibiting the operations of EBet, the ministry had issued one on October 31, 2023, where it was advising members of the public that a company called 8Bet had launched a betting website without acquiring authorisation from the Gaming Control Board. The members of the public were advised that in terms of Section 3(1)(a) of the Gaming Control Act, 2022; A person shall not engage in any gaming or any event or contingency other than with a holder of a licence who is permitted under a licence to engage in gaming on the event or contingency concerned.

... 55 pupils school fees paid

MBABANE  Despite having been stripped their operating licence, EBet has fulfilled its pledge of paying school fees for 55 high school pupils, who are less privileged. The pledge to pay the fees of the pupils was made before the announcement by the Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs a week ago, that it was prohibiting EBet from operating with immediate effect. EBet representative, Attorney Sibusiso Shongwe said, inasmuch as they were currently not having it easy due to the latest developments, they were happy to announce that they had paid a third (33 per cent) of the overall school fees for the 55 pupils they had pledged to pay for.

Partnered

The entity partnered with the Times of Eswatini, with the latter mandated to identify at 1east 14 vulnerable pupils from each region. The 55 figure was influenced by the entitys desire to celebrate with Their Majesties, during the countrys double celebration last year, as revealed by Shongwe. His Majesty King Mswati III celebrated his 55th birthday on September 6 last year, the same day the country was celebrating 55 years of independence. Some of the pupils visited the Times of Eswatini offices yesterday to get proof of payment. Shongwe asserted that the next payment (another 33 per cent) would be made at the end of March, while the final payment would be made at the end of April. The priority was for the pupils to get in class and we would make the other payments in the subsequent months, he said.
Partnerships

Nebraska Wesleyan University celebrates Youth Salute as it elevates the many ways high school students are contributing to their communities, including leadership service to their town, school, organizations or places of worship. Recognition of their leadership inspires other students to follow in their step and makes our communities stronger. Nebraska Wesleyan awards every Youth Salute student with scholarships to reward their leadership achievements and to encourage each student to continue their leadership journey.

 Bill Motzer, vice president for enrollment management, Nebraska Wesleyan University

Clarkson College is honored and humbled to partner with the Greater Omaha-Council Bluffs Youth Salute, an organization that recognizes and champions outstanding leaders across our region as they prepare to graduate high school and begin the next chapter of their journeys. The essays and overall application packets from students always demonstrate their high caliber and immense potential for effecting positive change in their fields of interest. Our very own Samantha Sammi Avalos, a graduate of Thomas Jefferson High School in Council Bluffs and the radiography program at Clarkson College, continues to be a shining example of how Youth Salute impacts individual students and the higher education communities that many of these students join. Now pursuing her bachelor of science in medical imaging, Sammi continues to reiterate how the scholarship she received through Youth Salute made attending her dream school a reality to pursue a career that invigorates and inspires her.

 Michael Ehrecke, people and culture administrator, Clarkson College

Youth Salute is a great opportunity for UNL to connect deeper with prospective students discerning their college path. While we collaborate with many communities and partners across the state of Nebraska, Youth Salute stands out as a strong pathway for students to work towards academic scholarships and college access. The value of the program is unlike anything else occurring in the education world  you have people that care and are fostering students' self-efficacy to put forth their best work for an opportunity at a college degree.

 Khoi Tran, associate director of admissions, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Youth Salute allows talented high school leaders from across the Omaha metropolitan area to attend the University of Nebraska at Omaha and broaden the impact of their leadership skills while achieving their high education goals.

 Rich Klein, Ph.D., vice chancellor of institutional effectiveness and student success, University of Nebraska at Omaha
Raytheons Tucson, Arizona, operation is serving a critical and growing role in providing the nation and its allies with weapons to counter the rapidly evolving threat of drone warfare  and the Pentagon wants more, and fast.

The Army recently awarded Raytheon a $75 million contract to produce 600 of its Coyote 2C drone interceptors, which in testing has shown it can destroy small, unmanned aircraft by streaking to them and exploding at close range.

The contract award, announced Feb. 9, was part of a Secretary of Defense rapid acquisition authority notification to Congress, the Army said.

The recent contract comes after the Army awarded Raytheon $237 million in April to produce anti-drone systems, including radars and Coyote interceptors.

And the Army wants thousands more Coyotes in the future.

In December, the Army filed a notice that it intends to contract with Raytheon to supply 6,000 missile-like Coyote 2 kinetic interceptors, which use explosive warheads, along with 700 non-kinetic Coyote interceptors, which can knock drones out of commission using electronic means like jamming.

The contracting notice also calls for Raytheon to provide 152 of its Ku-band Radio Frequency Systems, or KuRFS, including 33 mobile radars, and 277 Coyote launchers with 25 mobile launchers.

Originally developed by Raytheon for the Army in 2012 to detect and track rocket, artillery and mortar attacks in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the KuRFS radar provides persistent, 360-degree coverage and are said to be sensitive enough to detect a 9-millimeter bullet.

Together with a Northrop Grumman command and control system and other hardware, the Raytheon systems form LIDS  the Armys Low, slow, small, unmanned aircraft Integrated Defeat System.

Growing threat

The Pentagon has been clamoring for new counter-drone systems to meet the threat from small, inexpensive drones that have become a major threat to U.S. and allied ground troops in Syria and Iraq and shipping in the Red Sea.

In 2020, the Army began deploying LIDS to the U.S. Central Command area, which includes the Middle East and parts of Asia, though details of their operations have been kept secret.

Theres some phenomenal capabilities out there, including the Coyote  thats working and the demand for that is off the charts, said Riki Ellison, a former Tucsonan who closely follows developments in drone warfare as founding chairman of the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance in Virginia.

Raytheon declined to answer specific questions about the operational use of its counter-drone weapons but said its prepared to help the nation meet that threat.

The threat posed by enemy drones is real and proliferating; evident in current-day conflicts around the globe, the company said in a prepared statement. Raytheon has developed the enabling technologies, as well as complete and customizable systems, that enable ground forces to defeat complex unmanned aircraft systems, or UAS, threats in any environment.

Evolving Coyote

The Coyote  originally developed as part of a Navy research program in the early 2000s by a Tucson tech startup later acquired by Raytheon  initially was a small, relatively low-cost, propeller-driven drone.

Designed to be tube-launched from ground, sea or air, the Coyote 1 had flip-out wings and an electric-powered pusher propeller allowing it to loiter aloft for up to an hour individually or networked together in swarms.

Raytheon paired the Coyote with its KuRFS radar to create the Howler Counter Unmanned Aerial System, which was deployed by the Army in 2019 after the service declared defense against drones and other airborne threats an urgent operational need.

Raytheon later developed the Coyote 2, with improved sensors and a jet engine for increased speed and range, and narrow stability and control fins instead of a long main wing and tail-fin assembly.

Looking and flying more like a missile than a drone, the radar-guided Coyote Block 2 uses a proximity fuse to detonate a blast-fragmentation warhead near a drone or other threat, with a reported range of about 15 kilometers or just over 9 miles. The Army funded development of an enhanced target seeker in 2021.

Raytheon also has developed the Coyote Block 3, a propeller-driven, winged version similar to the Coyote 1 that can down drone targets using unspecified non-kinetic weapons, which could include things like microwave pulses or jamming to bring down targets without contact.

Coyote at sea

In May, the Navy awarded Raytheon a contract worth up to nearly $150 million to upgrade its Coyote 3 drone for future missions, including precision-strike capabilities and the ability to launch from unmanned surface vessels and submarines.

The Coyote 2 and 3 have downed multiple drone targets in testing, including a test last summer at the Yuma Proving Ground in which the system took on a swarm of 30 drone targets and downed several single targets and swarms, Raytheon said.

Both the Coyote 2 and 3 are in active production supporting current contracts, with much of the work performed in Tucson, Raytheon said.

As the threat of unmanned systems continues to grow, the performance and reliability of a complete (counter-drone) system is critical, Raytheon said. With KuRFS and Coyote, we can help to give our warfighters a decisive advantage over enemy drones with an effective solution to counter the threat.

U.S. allies also are interested in the Coyote, and in 2020, the U.S. government approved the Coyote 2 system for foreign sales.

In late 2022, the State Department approved the proposed sale potentially worth about $1 billion of 10 fixed-site LIDS, including 200 Coyotes, to Qatar, though no production contracts have been made public.

While the Army has not listed unit costs for the low-cost Coyote, they reportedly have a price tag of about $100,000 each, and the recent Army contract works out to $125,000 apiece.

Thats much cheaper than longer-range naval missiles reportedly being used in some cases to down scores of drones and missiles fired from Yemen by Houthi rebels against shipping in the Red Sea, which analysts say include small- to mid-sized drones the Coyote is designed to defeat.

The Pentagon has reported that Navy ships have downed scores of Houthi drones and missiles but hasnt officially released details about the weapons used.

Military analysts say the Navy has likely used Raytheons Standard Missile-2 ship-defense missile, which cost about $2 million per copy.

U.S. warships in the area also carry the $4 million, multi-role SM-6 interceptor, which was reportedly used to shoot down a Houthi anti-ship missile in late January, though the Pentagon hasnt confirmed the reports.

For ship defense, Navy warships including destroyers and cruisers deployed to the Red Sea also are equipped with Raytheons Evolved Sea Sparrow missile, which cost about $1.7 million each, and its smaller Rolling Airframe Missile ship-defense system, at about $900,000 per copy.

Those U.S interceptors cost many times more than the Houthis larger drones, whose cost is estimated in the tens of thousands of dollars to around $100,000, and their older or copied Iranian missiles.

Last line of defense

But Ellison said that cost comparison misses the point.

The number one thing is, the value of these weapons systems is not what they intercept, its what they protect, he said. So those SM-6s are protecting a $2 billion ship with 300 U.S. Navy sailors on it.

Beyond the cost curve concern, Ellison said, is that the barrage of Houthi drones and missiles is requiring U.S. forces to use up its arsenal faster than it can be replenished by Raytheon and other contractors already struggling to make extra weapons to replenish those used to help Ukraine.

Youve got to look at, in warfare, that the other side has figured out how to engage your expensive weapons with their least expensive weapons and thats a win for them  no matter if they hit the ship or not, or hit the base or not, theyre expending your capabilities, he said.

Navy warships also mount Raytheons Phalanx Close-in Weapon system, a radar-guided, rapid-fire 20-millimeter cannon that is seen as the last line of ship defense.

According to reports by CNN and Navy Times attributed to Pentagon officials, the Navy destroyer USS Gravely used a Phalanx system to down a Houthi missile within a mile of the ship in the Red Sea in late January.

Directing energy

So-called directed-energy weapons  using high-powered bursts of energy or lasers  can down drones and other aerial threats much more cheaply than missiles and dont have to be stored and reloaded.

But such systems come at a high upfront cost, and laser systems in particular can have trouble with atmospheric effects like fog and smoke.

A few U.S. directed-energy systems have already been deployed and some are still in development, with Raytheon involved several efforts.

In 2019, the Air Force deployed Raytheons ground-based, mobile High-Energy Laser Weapon System, or HELWS, overseas for base and force protection.

The system has more than 25,000 hours of operation and is certified for use in combat, with multiple additional systems now deployed, Raytheon says.

The company, which does its laser contract work mainly in McKinney, Texas, also is supplying the laser unit for the Armys Directed Energy Maneuver-Short Range Air Defense system, with prime contractor Kord Technologies.

The Army said four prototypes of that system were delivered to an Army air-defense artillery regiment at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, in September.

Drone zappers

Raytheon also has developed directed-energy systems designed to jam drone communications or disable them with pulses of energy.

In late January, Raytheon announced that the Air Force Research Laboratory had successfully completed a three-week field test of the Counter-Electronic High-Power Microwave Extended-Range Air Base Defense system, or CHIMERA, at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.

The CHIMERA, which fires highly concentrated radio energy at multiple middle-to-long-range targets, successfully directed energy at static targets and successful detected and tracked aerial targets, Raytheon said.

In December, Raytheon said it will build two high-power microwave antenna systems for the Navy and Air Force that will use directed energy to defeat drones and other airborne threats.

The three-year, $31.3 million contract is part of the Directed Energy Front-line Electromagnetic Neutralization and Defeat (DEFEND) program.

The Pentagon has not released details of combat use of directed-energy weapons.

The Government Accountability Office in a report issued in April 2023 found that despite decades of development work, the Pentagon has struggled to move its directed-energy programs from development to production, recommending that the armed services reach transition agreements with defense contractors.
A Douglas County judge set bail of $1 million for a Carter Lake man charged in the drunken-driving death of another man near Bennington.

Joshua E. Kuhl, 35, made his first court appearance at the Douglas County Jail on Tuesday. Kuhls appearance came after he was arrested in connection with the two-vehicle crash, which killed Norfolk resident Gary Smith, 69, at the 168th Street and Nebraska Highway 36 intersection early Sunday.

Kuhl has been charged with motor vehicle homicide and two counts of driving under the influence which led to serious bodily injury. The charges are felonies.

The charges against Kuhl stem from an incident that occurred shortly before 1 a.m. Sunday when a northbound Chevrolet Silverado, allegedly driven by Kuhl along 168th Street, failed to stop at a stop sign at the Nebraska Highway 36 intersection, the Douglas County Sheriffs Office said in a press release. Kuhls pickup, according to the Sheriffs Office, collided with a westbound Subaru Outback SUV.

Smith, a passenger in the Outback, was taken to the Nebraska Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. Kimberly Baumann, a 65-year-old woman from Pierce, Nebraska, was driving the SUV. The affidavit said two people in the SUV received serious injuries.

The crash is still under investigation.

According to an affidavit from a sheriffs deputy, another deputy who responded to the crash detected the odor of alcohol on Kuhls breath. Kuhls eyes were allegedly watery and bloodshot. The deputy said Kuhl confirmed he was driving the pickup.

The affidavit said Kuhl complied with tests administered by law enforcement. A field breath test measured Kuhls blood alcohol content at .192, and a lab breath test at the Sheriffs Office recorded his blood alcohol content at .171. Both readings are more than twice the legal limit of .08.

A prosecutor said Kuhl previously had two DUI convictions and a misdemeanor assault conviction.
A 35-year-old Carter Lake man is being held in the Douglas County Jail after he was accused of being impaired in a two-vehicle crash that killed one person and injured three others near Bennington.

The crash occurred shortly before 1 a.m. Sunday when a northbound Chevrolet Silverado, allegedly driven by Joshua E. Kuhl along 168th Street, failed to stop at a stop sign at the Nebraska Highway 36 intersection, according to the Douglas County Sheriffs Office. Authorities said a westbound Subaru Outback SUV collided with Kuhls pickup.

The four people inside the SUV were taken by ambulance to the Nebraska Medical Center for treatment. One of those people died at the hospital. Their names are being withheld pending notification of their families.

Kuhl was taken to the Douglas County Jail on suspicion of motor vehicle homicide due to driving under the influence, driving under the influence with a blood-alcohol content of greater than 0.15 and two counts of driving under the influence and causing serious injury.

Under state law, anyone with a blood-alcohol level of 0.08 is too impaired to drive.

The Sheriffs Office said Kuhl has been convicted twice of driving under the influence. In 2020, Kuhls second DUI conviction resulted in probation and his drivers license being revoked for one year.
A former Nebraska corrections employee was sentenced Tuesday after pleading guilty to sexually abusing an inmate and having his baby.

Samantha Cedillo, who was 31 at the time she was charged in 2023, wiped away tears in court after District Court Judge LeAnne Srb sentenced her to three years of probation. She also was ordered to follow numerous other restrictions and attend a parenting program.

This is a disturbing case, Srb said to Cedillo, with her attorney, James McGough, by her side. What happened here should not have happened.

Srb added that after reviewing the presentencing investigation report, she believed Cedillo has fought an uphill battle in life and found she has taken responsibility for her actions.

In March of last year, Cedillo was charged with first-degree sexual assault of an inmate, which is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Cedillo pleaded no contest and was sentenced to probation on the amended charge of attempt of a Class 2A felony.

Before sentencing, McGough told the court a number of positives had come from what he called a sad, tragic situation.

One of the issues created with trauma she has experienced in her past, it changes someone and has ripple effects. A struggle to create clear lines and boundaries, he said. Since her resignation and arrest, Cedillo has been raising the child and found a job, he added.

According to court records, Cedillo worked at the Omaha Correctional Center as a nonclinical program manager beginning in June 2021.

In November of that year, prison staff members were advised that Cedillo was suspected of having an inappropriate relationship with a library clerk, a 47-year-old man serving a life sentence for murder.

Staff members documented at least 10 questionable interactions or violations of conduct between them over the next four months.

Cedillo was warned and the man was removed from his position as a library clerk, but the two continued to spend time together in Cedillos office with the door closed.

In March 2022, Cedillo was seen on surveillance taking off her radio belt while the inmate was in her office and they moved behind the door and out of the cameras view.

When another officer came into the library, Cedillo was seen hurrying back to her chair with an untucked shirt and messy hair, according to reports.

Cedillo was asked to write a report about the incident, but she resigned. Investigators discovered a baby registry she had created, with a due date in mid-December which was nine months after the March incident.

She and the inmate continued to message each other through an illegal phone in his possession or through prison communications, many of the messages about their love and the birth of their child.

After the baby was born, authorities served a search warrant to obtain the childs DNA, which confirmed the inmate was likely the babys father, authorities said.

It is a felony for any employee or contractor within a state prison, city or county jail to subject an inmate or parolee to sexual contact, regardless of consent.

Prosecutor Erin Hurley said Cedillo was given a valuable and important position in the system and she violated it.

In her time there, she did not take responsibility. It seems clear that she has taken accountability since. But she continued with the behavior even when confronted by authority figures and said she resigned for different reasons, Hurley said before sentencing.

Hurley said the state had no objection to probation as it is an opportunity for Cedillo to better herself so she isnt placed in a situation like this again.

Srb agreed. She prohibited Cedillo from owning or possessing a firearm and ordered her maintain employment, abstain from drugs and alcohol, attend a womens trauma group and a parenting program. Cedillo also must register as a sex offender.
Half of the Nebraska State Board of Education isnt running for reelection following several tumultuous years with controversial proposals and rising public scrutiny.

Patsy Koch Johns, Lisa Fricke, Patti Gubbels and Jacquelyn Morrison didnt file for reelection by the Feb. 15 deadline for incumbents. At least one board member called the last four years contentious as the board has dealt with a long list of hot button issues such as health education standards, COVID-19 protocols and library book bans.

Elizabeth Tegtmeier, board president, said the loss of the four incumbents will definitely change the dynamic of the board, which consists of eight members.

It will be interesting to see what happens this fall. I think that having no incumbents running is a little unusual, Tegtmeier said. If you look at our races two years ago, there were three incumbents that ran. So I do think its a little uncommon that we dont have any incumbents running this time.

While incumbents had to file for election by Feb. 15, new candidates have until March 1 to file with the state.

The majority of the remaining board incumbents lean conservative. But Tegtmeier said its important for board members to leave politics out of the job, especially because its a nonpartisan position.

I believe the reason that this board has been able to function as well as it has been is because we really leave politics at the door, she said. We focus on the matters in education that we are all wanting to move forward with. And so we dont talk a lot about campaigns and politics  it would not be productive.

Koch Johns and Fricke have been on the board since 2016 while Gubbels and Morrison have served since 2020.

Koch Johns announced in August that she wouldnt be seeking another term for her District 1 seat on the board, which represents Lincoln and northwest Lancaster County.

She began her Nebraska teaching career in 1976 at Cozad High School and remained there until she was hired at Lincoln High School in 2000. In 2006, Koch Johns was named the Nebraska Teacher of the Year, and in 2012, she was honored with the Governors Excellence in Arts Education Award.

On Monday, Koch Johns said she felt like eight years on the board was enough time for her and she wants to move on to other ways of being involved in education, though she doesnt know exactly what yet. She said the last four years have been more challenging because of controversial topics like the health standards.

I would have liked it better if there was more positive public participation, Koch Johns said. But thats the way it is in the world. When people think something is wrong, they are fired up by it.

Koch Johns said one disappointment she had was the handling of the proposed health standards. The proposal was halted indefinitely in 2021 after months of public backlash around sex education and inclusion of gender identity content.

I dont think we did everything right. And (students) need to be taught the right things  how to protect themselves and how to not be influenced by other kids (who) are participating in dangerous activities, Koch Johns said. And I was so hopeful that parents would see that and come and join us and help us define that process. I feel theres some unfinished business and I hate walking away from that.

The World-Herald was unable to reach Fricke on Monday for comment about her tenure. Fricke represents District 2, which covers several counties in southeast Nebraska, including Sarpy, Cass, Otoe, Johnson and Nemaha. She worked as a Nebraska teacher for 36 years.

She was also involved in the states Special Education Accountability Commission for three years and is a current member of the Educator Health Alliance.

Gubbels represents a part of northeast Nebraska with her District 3 seat, covering several counties including Madison, Stanton, Washington and Platte, along with west Douglas County. She previously served on the Norfolk Public Schools board before joining the state board in 2020. She also has experience teaching education and psychology courses at a number of Nebraska colleges.

Gubbels said her goal was to only serve one term on the state board. Shes now running to get back on the Norfolk school board.

The last four years have been pretty contentious, Gubbels said. I feel like I want to keep contributing to education where I can, but at this point in my life, it just feels like its better for me to be contributing in my local community.

The World-Herald was unable to reach Morrison for comment. Morrison represents District 4, which is eastern Douglas County. Shes an attorney and currently works as the deputy chief of staff for economic development with the City of Omaha. Shes also a member of the Office of Violence Prevention Advisory Council.

The next regular Nebraska State Board of Education meeting is scheduled at 9 a.m. on March 8 at the Nebraska Department of Education office, 500 S. 84th St. in Lincoln.

Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of February 2024
PHILADELPHIA  The muted sounds of hammering and sanding drift down to the first floor of Bario Neal, a jewelry store in Philadelphia, where rustic artwork that mimics nature hangs on warmly lit walls.

Waiting for one of those rings is Haley Farlow, a 28-year-old second-grade teacher who has been designing her three-stone engagement ring with her boyfriend. They care about price and also don't want jewelry that takes a toll on the Earth, or exploits people in mining. So they're planning on buying diamonds grown in a laboratory.

Most of my friends all have lab-grown. And I think it just fits our lifestyle and, you know, the economy and what were living through, said Farlow.

In the U.S., lab-grown diamond sales jumped 16% in 2023 from 2022, according to Edahn Golan, an industry analyst. They cost a fraction of the stones formed naturally underground.

Social media posts show millennials and Generation Zs proudly explaining the purchase of their lab-grown diamonds for sustainability and ethical reasons. But how sustainable they are is questionable, since making a diamond requires an enormous amount of energy and many major manufacturers are not transparent about their operations.

Farlow said the choice of lab-grown makes her ring more special and fulfilling because the materials are sourced from reputable companies. All of the lab diamonds at Bario Neal are either made with renewable energy or have the emissions that go into making them countered with carbon credits, which pay for activities like planting trees, which capture carbon.

But that's not the norm for lab-grown diamonds.

Many companies are based in India, where about 75% of electricity comes from burning coal. They use words like sustainable and environmentally friendly on their websites, but don't post their environmental impact reports and arent certified by third parties. Cupid Diamonds, for example, says on its website that it produces diamonds in an environmentally friendly manner, but did not respond to questions about what makes its diamonds sustainable. Solar energy is rapidly expanding in India and there are some companies, such as Greenlab Diamonds, that utilize renewables in their manufacturing processes.

China is the other major diamond manufacturing country. Henan Huanghe Whirlwind, Zhuhai Zhong Na Diamond, HeNan LiLiang Diamond, Starsgem Co. and Ningbo Crysdiam are among the largest producers. None post details about where they get electricity. More than half of China's electricity came from coal in 2023.

In the United States, one company, VRAI, whose parent company is Diamond Foundry, operates what it says is a zero-emissions foundry in Wenatchee, Washington, running on hydropower from the Columbia River. Martin Roscheisen, CEO and founder of Diamond Foundry, said via email the power VRAI uses to grow a diamond is "about one tenth of the energy required for mining.

But Paul Zimnisky, a diamond industry expert, said companies that are transparent about their supply chain and use renewable energy like this represent a very small portion of production.

It seems like there are a lot of companies that are riding on this coattail that its an environmentally friendly product when they arent really doing anything thats environmentally friendly, said Zimnisky.

Lab diamonds are often made over several weeks, subjecting carbon to high pressure and high temperature that mimic natural conditions that form diamonds beneath the Earths surface.

The technology has been around since the 1950s, but the diamonds produced were mostly used in industries like stone cutting, mining and dentistry tools.

Over time the laboratories, or foundries, have gotten better at growing stones with minimal flaws. Production costs have dropped as technology improves.

That means diamond growers can manufacture as many stones as they want and choose their size and quality, which is causing prices to fall rapidly. Natural diamonds take billions of years to form and are difficult to find, making their price more stable.

Diamonds, whether lab-grown or natural, are chemically identical and entirely made out of carbon. But experts can distinguish between the two, using lasers to pinpoint telltale signs in atomic structure. The Gemological Institute of America grades millions of diamonds annually.

With lower prices for lab-grown and young people increasingly preferring them, the new diamonds have cut into the market share for natural stones. Globally, lab-grown diamonds are now 5-6% of the market and the traditional industry is not taking it sitting down. The marketing battle is on.

The mined diamond industry and some analysts warn lab-grown diamonds won't hold value over time.

Five to 10 years into the future, I think theres going to be very few customers that are willing to spend thousands of dollars for a lab diamond. I think almost all of its going to sell in the $100 price point or even below, said Zimnisky.

Some cultures view engagement rings as investments and choose natural diamonds for their value over the long term. Thats particularly true in China and India, Zimnisky said. It's also still true in more rural areas of the United States, while lab-grown diamonds have taken off more in the cities.

If we really want to get technical here, the greenest diamond is a repurposed or recycled diamond because that uses no energy, Zimnisky said.

Is it time to say 'I do' to manufactured diamonds? The rise of the lab-grown diamond industry Is it time to say 'I do' to manufactured diamonds? The rise of the lab-grown diamond industry Ethical tensions of traditionally mined diamonds Genuine sustainability or greenwashing? The surprisingly long history of manufactured diamonds A shifting landscape for diamond production
The funeral of a renowned transgender activist in a New York cathedral elicited a denunciation of the event by a senior church official, who called the Mass a scandal within one of the preeminent houses of worship in U.S. Catholicism.

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York condemned the funeral of Cecilia Gentili, which was held in St. Patricks Cathedral in Manhattan and drew a large audience on Thursday.

Gentili was known as a leading advocate for other transgender people, as well as sex workers and people with HIV. A post on her Instagram account announced her death on Feb. 6 at age 52.

In a written statement released Saturday, the Rev. Enrique Salvo, pastor of Saint Patricks, thanked those who share our outrage over the scandalous behavior at the funeral.

The Cathedral only knew that family and friends were requesting a funeral Mass for a Catholic, and had no idea our welcome and prayer would be degraded in such a sacrilegious and deceptive way, Salvo said in the statement.

Videos of Gentilis funeral show an estimated audience of more than 1,000 celebrants, including transgender people and other friends and supporters chanting her name, applauding, singing and offering praise of her stature as a leading light of the citys LGBTQ+ community.

During one eulogy that was widely circulated on social media, Gentili was celebrated as Saint Cecilia, the mother of all (expletive).

Salvo called the behavior at the Mass a scandal and a potent reminder of how much we need the prayer, reparation, repentance, grace, and mercy to which this holy season (of Lent) invites us.

In a statement, Gentili's family denied that the church had been deceived and said the gathering brought precious life and radical joy to the Cathedral in historic defiance of the Churchs hypocrisy and anti-trans hatred.

The only deception present at St. Patricks Cathedral is that it claims to be a welcoming place for all, the family said.

A former sex worker who suffered addiction and was jailed at Rikers Island, Gentili became a transgender health program coordinator, a nonprofit policy director for an established gay men's health organization, GMHC, and a lobbyist for health equality and anti-discrimination legislation, among other advocacy work.

Gentili founded the COIN Clinic, short for Cecilias Occupational Inclusion Network, a free health program for sex workers through the Callen-Lorde community health organization in New York.

New Yorks LGBTQ+ community has lost a champion in trans icon Cecilia Gentili," New York Gov. Kathy Hochul posted on X, formerly Twitter, following Gentili's death.

Gentili acted in the FX television series Pose, about the underground ballroom dance scene in the 1980s and 1990s. She also performed two one-woman stage shows.

I am an atheist, but I am always asking God for things, Gentili said in Red Ink, her autobiographical show touching on topics including her childhood in Argentina and lack of religious faith.

St. Patrick's Cathedral, a Manhattan architectural and tourist landmark, has been the site of funerals for numerous prominent New Yorkers including Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, Babe Ruth and emergency responders who died in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack.

Conservative group CatholicVote condemned fellow Pose" actor Billy Porter, whose singing performance during the funeral was characterized by the group as a mockery of the Our Father prayer. This is just unbelievable and sick, CatholicVote said on X.

In a statement before the song, Porter called Gentili a leader among an entire community of people who transformed my life forever.

Grief is singular, it's individual. Please know that however you grieve is what's right, Porter said. There's no right or wrong way to grieve. But just make sure that you do, you allow yourself to do that, so that we can get to the other side of something that feels a little bit like grace.

Here's how to support transgender youth, according to trans teens Here's how to support transgender youth, according to trans teens
President Joe Bidens campaign is embracing TikTok to court younger voters ahead of the presidential elections, but U.S. adults have mixed views about whether the video-sharing app should even operate in the country.

A new poll by The Associated Press and NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds a three-way split when it comes to banning the app, with 31% of U.S. adults saying they would favor a nationwide ban on TikTok use, while 35% say they would oppose that type of action.

An additional 31% of adults say they neither favor nor oppose a ban on the social media platform, which is owned by Beijing-based ByteDance. Among those who use TikTok at least daily, a national ban would likely be highly unpopular: 73% say they oppose it.

Talks of a TikTok ban reached a fever pitch in the U.S. early last year after a series of Western lawmakers, governments and regulators raised concerns that a set of Chinese laws could force the company to share user data with the countrys authoritarian government. Specific evidence of such an incident hasnt been provided by the U.S. government or TikTok critics, who also posit the platform could be used to spread propaganda beneficial to the Chinese governments interests or be used to bury or amplify certain topics.

TikTok has vigorously defended itself, saying in part that it has never shared data with the Chinese government and wont do so if asked. The company also has promised to wall off U.S. user data from its parent company through a separate entity run independently from ByteDance and monitored by outside observers. TikTok says new user data is currently being stored on servers maintained by the software company Oracle.

The White House is expected to announce later this month new efforts it will take aimed at protecting Americans sensitive personal data from foreign adversaries, including China, according to a person familiar with the administrations planning. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the plan that has yet to be formally announced by the White House.

The Biden administration also reaffirmed this week there is an ongoing review of the platform by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S., which last year reportedly threatened to widely ban the app if its Chinese owners dont divest their stakes.

Meanwhile, congressional efforts to enact a broader ban  including bipartisan legislation that doesnt mention TikTok by name but would give the Commerce Department the power to review and potentially restrict its use  was stalled last year amid opposition from industry and digital rights groups, as well as some lawmakers, influencers and small businesses who use the platform.

The AP-NORC poll shows TikTok users  about 170 million in the U.S., most of whom skew younger  are less likely to be worried about the app sharing American users' data, reflecting a previously felt generational divide. About a quarter of daily users say they are extremely or very concerned about the idea of the Chinese government obtaining the personal information of users, compared to about half of U.S. adults overall.

For politicians, its like a hot potato, said Dan Ives, a tech analyst at the financial advisory firm Wedbush Securities. Because in one way (they) want to sound tough in front of the microphone. But then the reality is, it could backfire.

A majority of U.S. adults, 56%, said they would favor a more limited TikTok ban on government devices, such as government employees' computers and phones. Such bans have been implemented by at least 36 states, the federal government and some other countries, as well as the European Union. About a quarter of U.S. adults are neutral on blocking TikTok from government devices, while 17% are opposed.

The Biden campaign has said it is using a separate cellphone for TikTok to isolate the app from other communications and was taking additional steps for protection. Some Republicans have criticized the decision.

Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Mark Warner, a Virginia Democrat, also told reporters Monday that he remained concerned about the social media platform.

In response to a question about whether the campaigns use of the app neutralizes security concerns that have been raised, TikTok spokesperson Alex Haurek said, Were hopeful policymakers  of both parties  recognize the progress weve made in securing protected U.S. user data, an effort that has put us well ahead of any peer company in this space."

Last year, former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy joined the app in an effort to reach younger voters, despite calling it digital fentanyl that must be banned. Other Republican candidates found other methods to get their messages on the platform, such as producing video clips that could be shared between apps or working with conservative influencers already present on the app.

The poll also found that about 6 in 10 U.S. adults  and 41% of daily TikTok users  are extremely or very concerned about the amount of time children and teenagers spend on TikTok. A majority of adults, 59%, say they are concerned about the spread of misinformation on the app, while about half are worried about people doing dangerous or illegal things they see others doing on the platform.

How the 'TikTok ban' and other social media legislation could restrict internet use How the 'TikTok ban' and other social media legislation could restrict internet use
Today is Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024. Let's get caught up.

Keep scrolling for celebrity birthdays and a look back at this date in history. Plus, check out our daily news podcast:

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As the Ukraine war enters a third year, Putin waits for Western support for Kyiv to wither

When the invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, some analysts predicted it might take as few as three days for Russian forces to capture the capital of Kyiv.

With the war now entering its third year, Russian President Vladimir Putin seems to be trying to turn that initial failure to his advantage  by biding his time and waiting for Western support for Ukraine to wither while Moscow maintains its steady military pressure along the front line.

Read more:

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WikiLeaks founder Assange starts final UK legal battle to avoid extradition to US

Julian Assange's lawyers began their final U.K. legal challenge Tuesday to stop the WikiLeaks founder from being sent to the United States to face spying charges, arguing that his actions had exposed serious criminal actions by U.S. authorities and were of obvious and important public interest.

Assange himself was not in court. Judge Victoria Sharp said he was granted permission to come from Belmarsh Prison, where he has been held for five years, but had chosen not to attend. Assange's lawyer, Edward Fitzgerald, said the 52-year-old Australian was unwell.

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What we know about the Minnesota shooting that killed 2 officers and a firefighter

Two police officers and a firefighter who responded to a domestic situation at a suburban Minneapolis home were killed early Sunday during a standoff by a heavily armed man who shot at police from the home where seven children were also inside.

The suspect is dead, and another police officer was injured in the shooting in a neighborhood in Burnsville, Minnesota, a city of about 64,000 people near Minneapolis.

Here's what we know:

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MORE TOP STORIES

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MORNING LISTEN

Computer weather models are the biggest tool meteorologists use to forecast the weather. But why are there so many, which one is the best, and why aren't they all better? Find out on the latest episode of the "Across the Sky" podcast.

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TODAY IN HISTORY

Today in history: Feb. 20 In 1998, Tara Lipinski of the U.S. won the ladies figure skating gold medal at the Nagano Olympics; Michelle Kwan won the silver.

Today in sports history: Feb. 20 In 2016, Lindsey Vonn clinched a record 20th World Cup crystal globe title, surpassing Swedish great Ingemar Stenmark.

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TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS
MBABANE - Government says Swaziland Liberation Movement (SWALIMO) President Mduduzi Gawuzela Simelanes status in the United Kingdom (UK) gives them an advantage for future extradition proceedings.

Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo, said they now knew where to find Simelane and that the asylum was not a big deal to government. This comes after Simelane was granted a refugee asylum stay in the UK for the next five years. Simelane fled the country in July 2021, shortly after news of an arrest warrant against him made the rounds. His warrant of arrest was issued along with those of convicted former Members of Parliament (MPs) Mthandeni Dube and Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza.

The two were arrested on July 25, 2021, and charged for contravening the Suppression of Terrorism Act of 2008. After fleeing the country, Simelane stated that he was in the UK in a quest to spread the word about the alleged human rights violations in Eswatini. He said he was on a global advocacy drive.The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) defines a refugee as someone who has been forced to flee his or her country because of persecution, war, or violence. A refugee has a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group.

Asylum

In reaction to the developments, Nxumalo said the asylum status given to Simelane only changed his status of staying in the UK, but did not change his status of being a fugitive from the law, who bolted, at a time when he was required to appear in court and prove his innocence relating to the charges he was facing. According to Nxuamlo, Simelanes status in the UK also gives Eswatini the advantage of knowing his exact location, in case they may require applying for his extradition in the future. We now know where exactly to go with our application papers. The onus is now upon the Government of the UK to ensure that Simelane does not violate the rules and regulations provided for by international law that governs the conduct of refugees. Moreover, it is no big deal to the government that Simelane has been granted asylum in the UK, Nxumalo said.

However, some legal practitioners stated that the country did not have any extradition treaty signed with the UK. Nxumalo, on the other hand, added that in the height of the political conflict in Zimbabwe, between Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (Zanu PF) and the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), many MDC members fled their country to the UK for asylum and were granted same.

Terrorism

In recent times, when Mainland China introduced the national security law in Hong Kong, thousands of people fled to the UK and were granted asylum at mass. The national security law introduced by Beijing established four particular crimes; secession, subversion, terrorism, and collusion with foreign organisations. Among the sanctions to be meted out against those found guilty will not be allowed to stand for public office according to the national security law, he said. Efforts to get a comment from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation proved futile. A questionnaire was sent to the Ministrys Communications Officer, Sikhumbuzo Bhembe, who acknowledged receipt but had not responded by the time of publication.

He had been asked if there was a treaty in place between the two countries regarding extradition and what were the procedures for extradition under the current treaty, if there was any. In an interview with the Times SUNDAY, Simelane said his fugitive status only existed in the mind of the Eswatini Government. He mentioned that the world was now clear about the true colours of the Eswatini regime and that emaSwati should never hesitate to apply for a stay anywhere now.
SEREBRYANSKY FOREST, Ukraine  As the radio crackles with enemy communications that are hard to decipher, one Russian command rings out clear: "Brew five Chinese tea bags on 38 orange."

A Ukrainian soldier known on the battlefield as Mikhass is able to quickly decode the gibberish. It means: Prepare five Beijing-made artillery shells and fire them on a specific Ukrainian position in the Serebryansky Forest in the country's northeast.

Hiding in the basement of an abandoned home 7 miles away, Mikhass warns the commander of a unit embedded in the forest, giving him crucial minutes to get his men into trenches, saving their lives.

On the defensive and critically short of ammunition and soldiers after two years of war, Ukrainian forces are increasingly resorting to an age-old tactic  intelligence gleaned from radio intercepts  in a desperate effort to preserve their most vital resources.

It's part of a larger effort to beef up and refine electronic warfare capabilities so soldiers can be warned earlier of impending attacks, while having the battlefield intelligence needed to make their own strikes more deadly.

Ukraine expects fierce attacks in the year ahead from a Russian enemy determined to wear down its defenses. Russian President Vladimir Putin said there will be no peace until Russia achieves its goals, which include recapturing the entire Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, which it illegally annexed in 2022.

The commander elevated last week to lead Ukraine's army, Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, highlighted the importance of electronic warfare, and the country's defense ministry increased spending on the people and technology behind it.

Saving lives

Russia, which controls about one-fifth of Ukraine, has the advantage of a more developed domestic weapons industry and it uses conscription and coercion to call up troops.

For Ukraine, ammunition shortages forced brigades to use shells sparingly and only after locating precise targets. Difficulty in mobilizing troops means Ukrainian commanders must be extra protective of soldiers' lives. Better surveillance, eavesdropping and jamming have become more urgent.

In the Donetsk region town of Konstantinivka, the 93rd Brigade's Electronic Warfare unit is using jammers to stave off attack drones, the main driver of injuries for soldiers in the region.

The platoon commander is alert, staring at a laptop that shows signals picked up by small antennas planted near part of the 621-mile front line. When a Russian Lancet attack drone approaches the area, his screen lights up with activity.

The commander, known on the battlefield as Oleksandr, flips a switch to activate the jammer which interferes with the drone's radar; it's the equivalent of shining a bright light in someone's eye to disorient them.

"It's a must," he says of their operation. "A lot of guys are dying because of drones."

Radio operators work in shifts around the clock.

The antennas he relies on to pick up Russian radio signals are camouflaged, jutting out of trees in the forest near Kreminna, close to Russian positions. From a quiet basement command center nearby, Mikhass and other soldiers smoke cigarettes and listen through headphones.

A new and sophisticated signal-finding antenna, which resembles a carousel, uses triangulation to locate where the radio waves are emanating from.

They cross-reference what they hear against images they gather from reconnaissance drones and use detailed maps of their enemy's positions to slowly piece together what it all means.

They are part of a 50-man intelligence unit dubbed the Bunnies of Cherkess  the name inspired by the Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu, who advised warriors to feign weakness when one is strong.

"No one takes bunnies seriously, right?" said Cherkess, the commander of the eponymous unit.

Decoding orders

Cherkess and his men, most volunteers who signed up for the infantry, understand the stakes couldn't be higher, especially as support from Western allies is less secure.

After listening to hours and hours of Russian communications each day, much of it related to troop rotations, artillery fire and drone reconnaissance, they gradually build an understanding  with help from specialized computer software  of what it all means.

"Cucumbers" are mortars, "carrots" are grenade launchers; locations are conveyed in a numerical code with a corresponding color. It took the unit months to decode these Russian orders.

The arrival of new combat equipment and ammunition  and especially infantrymen  signals a fresh attack is imminent.

"(A soldier) is not interested in what kind of radar Russians have, he needs information on if there will be an attack tonight, and who will come, if they will have tanks, if they have armored vehicles or if it's just infantry," Cherkess said. "And we have to understand how long we have to prepare. A week? Two weeks? A month?"

Staying ahead

The importance of electronic surveillance can't be underestimated, said Yaroslav Kalinin, the CEO of Infozahyst, a company under contract with Ukraine's Defense Ministry.

Before the war, Infozahyst provided anti-wiretapping services for the offices of the president and prime minister. Once the war began, the company pivoted to help the army by manufacturing a versatile signal direction finding system, now in high demand.

The government recently doubled its contract with Infozahyst, according to Kalinin.

The buildup of surveillance capabilities is partly a recognition of the need to catch up to the Russians, who invested heavily in this technology long before invading Ukraine.

Kalinin believes that better and smaller devices that are easier to hide and move around eventually will give Ukraine an edge.

The Russians know they are being listened to and routinely try to deceive their enemy with bogus information.

It is up to Mikhass and other radio operators to discern the signal from the noise.

"Their artillery helps us," he explained. "They say where they will shoot, and then we check where the shells landed."
LINCOLN  Nebraskans who get laid off from work could have a tougher time if state lawmakers pass a bill that has been flying under the radar so far.

Legislative Bill 1170 would cut the length of time people could get unemployment benefits by nearly 40%, slashing the maximum from 26 weeks down to 16 weeks.

State Sen. Merv Riepe of Ralston introduced the bill. It has now advanced from the Business and Labor Committee, which he chairs, and has been named a committee priority, which increases the chances it will be debated by the full Legislature.

Riepe called the measure a motivation bill that could encourage workers to take jobs more quickly, while saving money for the states unemployment trust fund.

Im not trying to be brutal on this thing, he said. Theres plenty of job opportunities in the marketplace.

But opponents said the measure would shrink an important safety net. They said it would force more workers to take jobs that are not a good match for their skills and experience, or it would leave them and their families without needed benefits.

There needs to be a little bit of humanity behind it, said Sen. Carol Blood of Bellevue, a Business and Labor Committee member who voted against the bill. The measure advanced last week on a 4-3 vote.

Since the 1950s, most states have provided a maximum 26 weeks of unemployment benefits. But some, in moves pushed by business groups, began to shorten the duration of benefits following the recession of 2008. As of July last year, 14 states had cut their maximums below 26 weeks.

A couple of states now offer only 12 weeks, while others offer 16 or 20. Among Nebraskas neighbors, Missouri is at 20 weeks while Iowa and Kansas are at 16. Kansas allows for additional weeks if the unemployment rate hits certain target levels.

Riepe pointed to those other states in support of his proposal and argued that the change could make Nebraska more inviting to business.

Backing for the bill has come from business groups, including the Nebraska and Lincoln Chambers of Commerce, Nebraska Grocery Industry Association and National Federation of Independent Business. Opposing testimony came online from the Nebraska State AFL-CIO.

The Nebraska Department of Labor estimated LB 1170 could save the states unemployment trust fund more than $23 million a year when fully implemented. The lower costs, in turn, would bring down the unemployment insurance taxes paid by Nebraska employers.

Its an opportunity to look for efficiencies, Riepe said. The objective in part is to make us more competitive to employers.

According to state labor officials, however, Nebraskas unemployment insurance tax ranks 4th lowest in the nation now. The state average unemployment insurance tax as a percentage of covered wages is 0.16%, while the national average is at 0.45%.

The states unemployment fund is not running low, officials said. As of the end of January, it had $511 million available to pay benefits. The state had another $77 million or so in a separate fund that serves as a reserve.

The reserve fund is one of 31 state funds that Gov. Jim Pillen wants to tap to help pay for property tax reductions this year. He has proposed taking $60 million from that reserve.

Diane Amdor, a senior attorney with Nebraska Appleseed, panned the proposals to tap the reserve fund and to shorten unemployment benefits as yet another example of taking from poor and working-class Nebraskans to give a benefit to more wealthy Nebraskans.

She said unemployment benefits are intended to provide economic security to people who lose their jobs and that cutting the maximum duration of benefits harms people who struggle to find a new job, whether because of location, discrimination or other barriers.

Nebraskas unemployment rate ranks among the nations lowest, with the statewide rate at 2.3% for the last three months of 2023. But estimates from the Economic Policy Institute show unemployment among Black workers in Nebraska at 3.5% during the same period and Latino unemployment at 3%.

Blood said people trying to find new jobs in their career fields or at similar pay to their previous work also can struggle. It can take longer to find work in some parts of the state as well.

According to the labor department, 2,287 Nebraska workers, or about 18% of unemployment claimants, in 2022 had not found new jobs and continued to get unemployment benefits past the 16-week mark. State law requires people to be actively searching for work to get unemployment benefits.

Even with the 26-week maximum, about one in five Nebraskans on unemployment use up their weeks of eligibility. National Labor Department statistics for January showed that 20.29% of Nebraskans on unemployment exhausted their benefits. The proportion has gone higher during economic downturns.

Workers in states with shorter maximum benefit periods are more likely to exhaust their benefits. The January federal numbers showed that 26.3% of Iowa workers ran out of benefits, a percentage that has been climbing steadily since the 16-week limit took effect.

In Kansas, 31.03% of workers used all available weeks and in Missouri the figure was 34.25%. Florida, which offers a maximum of 12 weeks of benefits, saw 51.52% of workers exhaust their benefits.

LB 1170 has not be scheduled for first-round debate in the Legislature yet.

Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of February 2024
The acting Inspector-General of Police (I-G), Mohammed Adamu, has deployed Seven Deputy Inspectors-General of Police (DIGs) to the six geo-political zones across the country.

A statement by the force spokesman, Frank Mba, an assistant commissioner of police, on Wednesday in Abuja, said 10 Assistant Inspectors-General of Police (AIGs) were also deployed to zonal commands.

Mr Mba said that an additional 277 Commissioners of Police (CPs) were also deployed to the 36 states commands and FCT to complement the efforts of the commissioners in the commands.

According to Mr Mba, each command now has additional three CPs deployed to the three senatorial districts in their respective states of assignment.

He said that based on security assessment earlier carried out by the force, some Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Plateau, Benue, Imo and Taraba have one commissioner of police each to coordinate security in the LGAs.

The spokesman said that each of them was expected to work with the command CP to ensure adequate security in each of the senatorial districts under their watch.

In a related development, Mr Mba said that four CPs have been posted to Anambra, Bayelsa, Edo and Sokoto commands specifically for the Saturday elections.

He said that the I-G has reassured the force would remain civil, firm, professional and apolitical in the discharge of their duties in the Saturday elections. (NAN)
Kano State Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje on Monday in Kano said he is ever ready to face the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which vowed to challenge his victory at the just- concluded Kano supplementary poll in court.

He said: Before the re-run election, which we emerged victorious, they were deep-neck in ballot stuffing and other electoral offences, a ploy that was later uncovered.

The governor spoke in Ganduje town of Dawakin Tofa local government when he was receiving thousands of supporters who trooped to congratulate him over his re-election.

Ganduje said it was after that ballot stuffing scenario that genuine election was conducted at the supplementary election, which he described as fair and credible.

My thinking about these people is they are about to kick-start what would later consume them unawares.

What they did in other elections of the state legislators in some places, will be looked at, with the view to ascertaining authenticity of such votes they claimed to have gotten, Ganduje further stated.

While assuring his second term in office would build on the good work he has done to the state, he boasted: Whoever comes to Kano will attest to the fact that Kano is fast growing and developing.

We will improve on this and will, at the same time, consolidate the feats achieved.

The governor commended those that trooped to congratulate him and his government over the victory and assured them his administration would continue to make Kano one of the safest states in the country.

We are thanking those who voted for us, those who didnt vote for us and those who didnt even vote at all, he stated.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has cautioned aspirants in the Edo state governorship poll billed for September 21, against flouting the commissions ban on political campaigns.

While noting that political campaigns would begin legally from April 24, 2024, the commission admonished aspirants to remove all their campaign billboards or face appropriate sanction.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), in the state, Dr. Anugbum Onuoha, who disclosed this to journalists in Benin City on Monday, also berated media organisations who he said televise, publish such campaigns.

Asked where and which of the All Progressives Congress (APC) guber primary the commission monitored last Saturday in Edo state, the REC said: the Supreme Court has taken decision on the monitoring of party primaries.

According to Onuoha, We were notified by APC, and we monitored the one we were invited to at Lushville Hotel. I was there, that was where I went.

Party primaries are the primary duties of political parties. Our own is to supervise, and in doing such supervision, the party will tell us the venue.

It is not the state chapter of the party that will tell us the venue. The national body will write to INEC National Chairman, and state the venue, date and the time of the primary.

And that we have followed strictly. Any political party primaries that was not minuted to us by our headquarters, we will not monitor.
The Idemili South Local Government Area (ISLGA) Chairman, Hon Mrs Amaka Obi(Iyom Ifeabata) has ordered the closure of the burrow pits at Oba community which are in danger of causing erosion disaster in the vicinity.

Mrs Amaka Obi who paid unsheduled visit to the borrow pits at Oba in the company of the councilors, the President General Oba Patriotic Union (OPU), Engr. Uzor Ejiofor and the Oba Youth President, Ebuka Chibueze warned against illegal excavation of sand from any part of Idemili South.

She lamented that despite previous warnings and arrests made at such burrow pits to discontinue their illegal activities and as a measure towards safeguarding a secure environment, the people keep excavating sand from the erosion prone areas for personal gain.

Mrs Obi said that most of the environmental hazards and degradation suffered in the state were direct impact of excavation activities ongoing at borrow pits.

She ordered that such illegal soil excavation activities in Oba and other parts of Idemili South be discontinued forthwith as the Commissioner for Works and infrastructures, Hon. Ifeanyi Okoma has issued a directive to seal all illegal borrow pits in Anambra State.

Today, We come in peace to persuade you to stop this soil evacuation in this burrow pit that is why I came in the company of your town townsmen the ISLGA Deputy Chairman, Hon Smart Ebuka, Oba PG and Youth leader so that they will help us ask you to stop this excavation.

 You can see buildings around here yet it has not occurred to you that these building are under threat. Over there at the expressway, State Government is still battling to contain the erosion that once collapsed one side of the Rogenny axis of Oba/Onitsha/Owerri road.

Henceforth, anybody caught in the unwholesome act of illegal sand excavation from burrow pits will face dire consequences, said Mrs Obi.

According to Engr Uzor Ejiofor, the LG Chairman called the Youth Leader and I that they were coming to Oba to inspect this place and when we arrived here what we saw here was an eyesore.

Please let everyone involved respect this sealing order from today. If you look around you can see the closeness of peoples buildings to this place. My building may be among these houses and no one would like to lose ones house to manmade erosion, said Ejiofor.

Moreso, Ebuka Chibueze said that the continued excavation of soil from the burrow pit close to peoples houses was very bad and dangerous saying that resisting security agents could lead to casualties.

If these houses start falling,it is the same State Government we shall run to for intervention. I am warning the people in charge of excavating and selling this soil to leave so that no one will say I handed over my relative to Government for punishment, said Chibueze.
At least two individuals have lost their lives, and homes and shops were looted and destroyed in a communal clash between the Opolo and Okutukutu communities of the Yenagoa Local Government Area in Bayelsa State

The clash on Monday was allegedly a retaliation against Opolo indigenes, stemming from a previous incident where they reportedly carried out a similar attack on Okutukutu locals.

This dispute revolves around ancestral boundaries of their communal land, as disclosed by a source.

Trouble began when certain Opolo natives ventured onto the disputed land and were reportedly assaulted by their neighbors, who alleged that they had crossed their boundaries

The disputed land was challenged in court, but the Supreme Court recently ruled in favor of the Opolo community

Some Opolo indigenes stated that the ongoing strife between the two fraternal communities is unnecessary, given their long history of peaceful coexistence for many years, predating the establishment of Bayelsa State and the emergence of Yenagoa as the state capital.

Kester Wilcox, the youth president of the Okutukutu community, clarified that it was the youths of the Opolo community who initiated the attack on the Okutukutu community.

This led to the destruction of property belonging mainly to outsiders before the affected property owners mobilized themselves and retaliated

He mentioned that the exact casualty figures were currently unknown, he appealed to the youths of both the Okutukutu and Opolo communities, as well as the outsiders residing in both areas, to prioritize peace.

He emphasized that peace is indispensable for the accelerated development of the region.

He acknowledged the longstanding boundary issue between the two communities but emphasized that it should not escalate into violent attacks on innocent people.

Police Spokesman in Bayelsa State, ASP Musa Muhammed, who confirmed the crisis, stated that personnel from the tactical team of the command had been deployed to the conflict zones to restore peace and calm

Meanwhile, the Bayelsa State government has affirmed the land dispute and expressed condolences for the tragic loss of lives in the violent attack.

Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, in a statement issued on Monday by his media aide, Mr. Doubara Atasi, condemned the attack and instructed relevant security agencies to apprehend the perpetrators for prosecution.

He emphasized that the present administration would not tolerate any instances where individuals or communities engage in violence or physical assaults over territorial or land boundary disputes, particularly when such matters are under consideration in the court of competent jurisdiction.

He appealed to the conflicting communities to refrain from violence as the state government is actively working towards resolving the issue. This includes hosting an urgent meeting with the leaders of the affected communities in his office by 3pm on Tuesday, February 20, 2024

He conveyed sincere condolences for the loss of lives and property in the incident and pledged that the government would exhaust all efforts within its authority to ensure justice for the affected families.

Kanyi Daily recalls that a fatal clash unfolded between two communities in Kogi State, resulting in the death of one person, and more than 70 houses were set ablaze.
Minister of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy Hannatu Musa Musawa says communal peace and unity will ensure the preservation of the Kanuri cultural heritage.

Musawa made the statement at a two- day Kanem Borno Cultural Summit hosted by the Borno Emirate Concerned Citizens Forum (BECCF) at the University of Maiduguri at the weekend.

In her keynote address, the Minister emphasized the regions rich history and cultural significance and the need to tackle environmental and security issues facing the region.

The history of Kanem Borno dates back to 700 AD. This ancient kingdom has thrived, becoming one of the oldest and most culturally significant in Africa.

Our focus extends beyond celebration to action. We must address pressing issues facing our communities; from disasters to environmental conservation and sustainable development.

Minister Musawa highlighted concrete steps taken to preserve Nigerias cultural heritage, including the recent memorandum of understanding with the US Embassy for the conservation of the Sukur Cultural Landscape and the CPIA Bi-lateral Agreement for deterring illegal artifact exports.

Just this week, a memorandum of understanding was signed at the United States Embassy in Abuja for the conservation of the Sukur Cultural Landscape in Adamawa Statean initiative that underscores the importance of international collaboration in preserving our cultural heritage.

Furthermore, the Cultural Property Implementation Act (CPIA) Bi-lateral Agreement between Nigeria and the USA, signed in February 2022, has been instrumental in deterring illegal exporters of Nigerian antiquities and strengthening cooperation in heritage preservation.

In his remarks, the Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum acknowledged the challenges faced by the region due to insurgency but emphasized the importance of cultural preservation and unity in rebuilding Borno state.

The Governor outlined the state governments efforts in promoting cultural heritage, including school curriculum reforms and support for traditional institutions.

Government will look into the possibility of introducing Culture as a Subject in our Primary and Secondary schools. We shall constitute a Committee to embed the evolution and survival of Kanem-Borno Culture in our school curricula so that our school children will embibe cultural consciousness and genuine appreciation of our history as a people.

Let us work to unite the Kanem-Borno people and resuscitate our lost culture. Today, we are living witnesses to the decay of our culture as a result of globalization, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and invasion of our culture by alien influences and decadent ways of life. Let us unite to resist these negative influences and bring to the front burner, our rich cultural and material anthropology. Our arts, artifacts, costumes, calligraphy, language and value systems are a stuff of legends and we owe ourselves a duty to ring fense and defend our culture before it is too late.

Gov Zulum also called for continued collaboration with stakeholders in preserving, protecting, and promoting the rich cultural heritage of Kanem Borno which he said will bring about peace and development in the region.

Investing in preserving and promoting the Kanuri language and culture, developing sustainable economic development strategies for the region, addressing climate change and environmental challenges as well as promoting peace and unity through dialogue and collaboration were the key highlights at the summit.

The summit featured presentations, panel discussions, and keynote addresses focusing on various themes related to the Kanem Borno culture and heritage, such as: The future of the Kanuri language and culture, the economic potential of Borno State, the history and future of agriculture in the region, the impact of climate change and environmental challenges and strategies for promoting peace and unity.

The summit also received goodwill messages from the governments of Niger, Chad, Cameroon, Sudan, Ghana, Benin, the Central African Republic, and several other countries, highlighting the international communitys support for Kanem Bornos cultural preservation and development.

Minister Hannatu Musa Musawa later paid a courtesy visit to the Shehu Of Borno, Abubakar Ibn Umar Garba Al Amin El-Kanemi at the Palace, where a book titled 1,500 years of the Kanem-Borno Caliphate authored the 5th Waziri of Katsina, Prof. Sani Abubakar Lugga, MFR, FNIM , was presented to her.
A bill seeking to establish state police has passed second reading at the House of Representatives.

Sponsored by Benjamin Kalu, deputy speaker of the house, and 14 others, the bill proposes to transfer the term police in the 1999 constitution from the exclusive legislative list to the concurrent legislative list.

The bill, which comprises 18 clauses, seeks to amend sections 34, 35, 39, 42, 84, 89, 129 153, 197, 214, 215 and 216 of the constitution.

READ ALSO: Gov Sani commend state police

Recall that Nigerias Federal Government and the 36 states on Thursday agreed on the need to establish state police to curtail issues bordering on insecurity across the country.

Briefing newsmen at the end of the meeting, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said far reaching decisions were arrived at during the meeting including the consideration for the establishment of state police.

His words, But now, there is also a discussion around the issue of state police. The federal government and state governments are mulling the possibility of setting up state police.
Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, Monday, pledged to ensure provision of potable water supply to rural dwellers in the state.

Governor Oborevwori made the pledge when he received on a courtesy call, the Steering Committee of the Nigeria  Sustainable Urban Rural Water Supply and Sanitation (SURWASH) led by Dr Dumebi Madu, in Government House, Asaba.

He said his administration was committed to ensuring adequate potable water supply to improve sanitation and hygiene, especially in the rural areas of the state.

He said; We are very happy to receive you here in Government House, Asaba; I received a message that you are having a one-day retreat here in Asaba. We know that this one-day retreat is going to be very impactful and also create more awareness and we are also happy that we are hosting this retreat.

READ ALSO: Gov Oborevwori appoints six new Special Advisers

We are glad to host you because different people come here for different activities. Delta State is very very peaceful and, under my leadership, we are doing very well and we welcome you and your team to this retreat.

We want to assure you that we have special interest in this programme; last week, I spoke with the Commissioner and I told him that we must take the lead as a state.

I know many states here will be jealous but among the seven states, we must take the lead and I gave him the marching order because Delta State cannot carry last.

The objective of the SURWASH is a very good one aimed at improving water supply to our people in the rural areas. Its something we have great interest in and we will continue to participate in the programme.

Earlier, the Director, Water Supply and Support Services (Secretary Federal Steering Committee of the Nigeria  Sustainable Urban Rural Water Supply and Sanitation (SURWASH), Dr. Dumebi Madu, said they were in the state for a one-day retreat on how to improve water supply and sanitation in the country.

He said SURWASH is a World Bank programme supported by participating states to increase access to water supply, sanitation and hygiene in Nigeria.
MBABANE  Outspoken businessman Walter Bennett has alleged that no lawyer is blameless.

During his appearance before the Judicial Commission of Inquiry yesterday, Bennett said members of the public, who had been affected by the manner the Masters Office carried out its duties, were expected to raise their concerns. He said, however, lawyers raised concerns about the establishment of the judicial commission. The businessman pointed out that the lawyers wanted the commission to be established in terms the Commissions of Inquiry Act of 1963. He stated that the law was promulgated before independence in 1968, and that currently there was a Constitution, which belonged to emaSwati. He said the commission was to be set up according to the Constitution and not the pre-independence law. Chairman, I dont know who will resolve the issue of attorneys because it might be that among them, none is blameless, alleged the businessman.

Experienced

He said he was appearing before the commission to talk about what he had heard and experienced. Bennett informed the commission that some of the things he was concerned about dated back to the late 1900s and 2000s, and there had still been no solution. He apportioned blame to lawyers and the Masters Office. He said what was major, but not before the commission, was the issue of syndicates, which allegedly included attorneys, auditors, accountants and fund managers who invested money. Who is going to address that? This is what is at play before us. There is manipulation. It is difficult for residents when you are supposed to get relief and the educated ones squabble, he said. He made an example that he filed a formal complaint in 2020 before the Law Society of Eswatini (LSE). Bennett alleged that the complaint was received by the secretary of the law society, the now deceased Human Rights Lawyer, Thulani Maseko.

According to the former senator, the complaint was never addressed despite that the law society acknowledged receipt of it. They promised to work on it as usual, said Bennett. Meaning as usual, doing nothing. Consistently nothing and loudly nothing. When this enquiry was established, they want it to stop, said Bennett. He added that he enquired about what should happen after a commission of this nature. Who is supposed to say this is the directive of the chairman of the commission and this is what has to be done? I am saying this because we have had fundamental commissions, for example, the city council. Nothing has been done and the malpractice is continuing. As we speak, they want to hire a CEO through unlawful means. It is the legacy of the one who has left. What remains is the manipulation of the cabal, syndicate or free mason because no one does a follow-up, Bennett alleged.

He said in his case, there was a 2002 and 2004 commission of inquiry and Cabinet and the city council allegedly cooperated so that there should be no investigation. He said a motion was raised in 1998 and the enquiry was held in 2002. Bennett said nothing was done despite the recommendations. He told the commission that his issue was that the then Minister, Lindiwe Dlamini, conducted an inquiry into the sale of plots. That was done but when the report was issued, it was allegedly not made public. A Piggs Peak councillor at the time was part of those who allegedly concealed the report. The report, according to Bennett, contained issues of estates, where commissioners, who included Phestecia Nxumalo, made pronouncements. Bennett said the one who was a Piggs Peak councillor claimed that the report, after he had enquired about it, was found to be highly defamatory to the extent that it was not wise to release it.

He was clearly convinced that he was talking to a fool or a fool was before him. I accepted the statement and didnt respond to it. I went back to the commission. Both of them said it could not be. The one says I am an auditor general and I have been writing reports, they are looked over by the attorney general. The other one is a judge. So how can we write something that is defamatory? But this is how they have networked, including the PS in the ministry. They suppressed this document. In this document are fundamentals found by people who have certain expertise and can influence legislation and make the environment a better one, said the former senator. In the finding to sell the plots illegally or otherwise, the finding was allegedly that, Mbabane, Manzini and Matsapha were the worst in selling property illegally.

Meaningless

He said when the court issues costs against the municipality; it is meaningless because no one pays from their pocket. Bennett further said in the report in question, a number of houses that belonged to estates were allegedly sold for outstanding rates and the beneficiaries were not given the balance (change) after the sale. Some of the change is with lawyers and some of it is with the municipality. This is not new. It happened in 2002. They were selling our plots in town and we went to the King to plead our case and we got the relief sought. The estates are among the properties being sold. What could have happened because Cabinet was condoning the illegalities if city councils because there their favourites there. When the commission was concluded, the then minister issued a directive. It was recommended that the Rating Act be reviewed and the manner of serving summons. He said an investigation among those who purchased land or plots in execution, could give an indication of what he was talking about. Bennett said others would say he was bringing up issues of more than 20 years ago. He said the bottom line was that theft was committed. He said this was how the administration continued being run, including now that Masters Office is being investigated.
The judge, Shawomi Bokkos, sentenced Aliyu and Umar, after they pleaded guilty to the offence and begged the court for leniency.

Two drivers, Ibrahim Aliyu and Ibrahim Umar have been sentenced to six months imprisonment each, by an Area Court in Jos, on Tuesday, for stealing 180 litres of diesel and the cash sum of N250,000.

The judge, Shawomi Bokkos, sentenced Aliyu and Umar, after they pleaded guilty to the offence and begged the court for leniency.

Bokkos also gave the convicts an option of N30,000 fine each.

The convicts were equally ordered to pay a compensation of N50,000 each or serve six months in default.

The police prosecutor, Insp. Labaran Ahmed, had informed the court that the case was reported at the Laranto Police Station, Jos, on Jan. 10, by Mr Aminu Mohammed.

Ahmed said the truck drivers conspired and stole 180 litres of diesel from Mohammed, the complainants trucks, worth N190,800 and the cash sum of N250,000.

The prosecutor further told the court that during a police investigation, the accused persons confessed to committing the offence.

The offence, he said, contravened the Plateau State Penal Code law of Northern Nigeria.
During the plenary on Tuesday, Senate Chief Whip, Ali Ndume submitted that the Senate had acted illegally by allowing the former President to draw funds from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and expended same for the parliament to approve.

There was a heated session at the Senate on Tuesday, where words were traded over the N29 trillion Ways and Means funds by the previous administration of Muhammadu Buhari.

During the plenary on Tuesday, Senate Chief Whip, Ali Ndume submitted that the Senate had acted illegally by allowing the former President to draw funds from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and expended same for the parliament to approve.

His submission triggered heated debates on the floor of the upper legislative chamber as some other lawmakers disagreed with the Borno Senator, leading to an exchange of words.

The development is coming at a time the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun had disclosed plans by the administration of President Bola Tinubu to probe the N23 trillion Ways and Means debt hanging on its neck.

Details later
Comedian, Seyi Law has assured Nigerians that the cost of living will reduce.

According to him, hes currently in Abuja where he is in talks with some people in the government.

In an open letter to Nigerians, Seyi who is an avid supporter of the Tinubu administration, said the cost of governance will reduce, minimum wage will increase, and food affordability will improve.

He stated that his choice of Tinubu during the election was because he believed in the former governor of Lagos state.

My fellow Nigerians,

I laugh not at your pains and I know theres a lot of hardship right now. The fact that I supported a different candidate from you isnt to spite you, but out of my belief that my candidate will achieve a better Nigeria. I am here with you in Nigeria, and I am not alien to your angers, which is justified. I swear I truly feel your pain, but I am optimistic. I cant abandon a government that I voted for. I can only join them to bring relief to Nigerians.

I am currently in Abuja, and I am talking with some people in the government. My efforts might not mean much to you now, but I am praying it brings hope to your hearts again. The cost of governance will reduce, minimum wage will increase, and food affordability will improve.

I supported ASIWAJU BOLA AHMED TINUBU, not against you, but for YOU. I am not begging you to stop the abuse. I made my choice, and I stand by it. We shall overcome as a people and come out a GREATER NATION.
From Msurshima Andrew, Makurdi

The Benue State House of Assembly, on Tuesday, sacked the Caretaker Chairman of Ukum, Katsina-Ala, and Gboko Local Government Areas, (LGA) of the state.

A statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker, Raphael Akume and made available to journalists in Makurdi said the chairmen were sacked for gross misconduct, embezzlement of local government revenue funds and indulging in unwholesome activities unbefitting of the office the Chairman of a Local Government.

Akume said the letter for their sack was read on the floor of the Assembly by the speaker, Aondona Dajo.

He said the speaker after seeking and getting the approval of members that the chairmen should be sacked, urged them to hand over to their deputies with immediate effect.

According to him, The house has gone ahead to confirm the names sent to them by the Executive Governor, His Excellency, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia as follows, Hon. Tervershima Abraham Agber is sacked as Caretaker Chairman and replaced by Hon. Verlumun Avar, for Gboko local government.

Rev. Pastor Gideon Haanongon is sacked as Caretaker chairman and replaced by Hon. Victor Iorzaa for Ukum local government.

Hon. Francis Zazan is sacked as caretaker chairman and replaced by Hon. Justin Shaku for Katsina Ala government.
We slaughter one another in our words and attitudes. We slaughter one another in the stereotypes and mistrust that linger in our heads, and the words of hare we spew from our lips.  Nelson Mandela

When one says theres cookery against the Igbo, all hell breaks lose in Nigeria, but; this Poae below which speaks on protests across the country, actually has more than the proverbial 1000 words. If the message in the Post doesnt strike a cord within you, then I am sorry, youre a bigot and an envious entity. Please dont go into my comment section with claims of the Igbo being this or that. We have the good, the bad and the utterly ugly in every tribe and religion.

If the Igbo were reliant on government, we would have seen them making all sorts of noise. The Nigerian innovators are silently doing their thing, not minding whatever the government is doing even though, the highest users of FOREX for international in Nigeria, is the Igbo businessman or woman. All they do is adjust their ways of life and recalibrate their businesses to make sure they profit without wringing the necks of their customers through high costs. Could we say the same about people from the north? The answer is an uncomfortable NO! Ramadhaan is approaching and as usual, Muslim traders are wickedly hoarding their stuff so as to sell them skyhigh. I am also not stereotyping regarding the northern Muslims, just as we have good and evil in all religions and ethnicities. The menace of high cost of food stuff is prevalent in the north. This is a statistical fact. I want to use this medium to appeal to my Igbo brethren all over the globe, you are loved and appreciated for your resilience, innovative nature and steadfastness especially in the area of manufacturing, trade and social economics. Yes, I have a traditional title in Akokwa, Imo state, the Obi made me the Omeremba of Akokwa! I am not speaking from such angle, I have been that for more than 13 years now, rather its because of facts. I watched a video in which a European was throwing encomiums on the Igbo for training kids and legally raising amounts in excess of $1 billion annually. This is a business idea outside the normal impossible and wicked tricks shoved down our throats by IMF and the World Bank. These are facts which are verifiable.

This goes to show how much Nigeria needs the Igbo as local consultants to teach other Nigerians in areas of industrial fabrications, manufacturing and trade. The government may recruit experienced hands among these people to train our youths who are getting restive by the day. At the same time use other capabilities of other parts of the country to train the Igbos in areas where they dont know it all, such as dry season farming, animal husbandry etc.

The Federal Governmwnt can establish a commission that will make this exchange of ideas and ideals possible. Its one of the easiest ways to unite this impossible country. Luckily social vices such as ethno-religious crises are a thing of the past especially in the north. So, that which is Caesars, must be given to Caesar, simple and clear.

While I appreciate Nigerians from all works of life, I dedicate my birthday; which ia today; to the entire Ndigbo all over the world. Let me hear it for my Igbo brethren. You guys will forever be the live wire of Nigeria. Ndibgo Kwenu, Kwenu, Kwezuenueeee. Thank you my folks.

Bello Mukhtar

Writes from Abuja.

Related
Security agents manhamdling a protester



Operatives of the Department of State Services wearing hooded masks, the Nigerian Army , the Nigeria Police Force and officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps have surrounded the Commonwealth of Zion Assembly in Guzape, Abuja , The PUNCH can report. Our correspondent, who is currently at the scene, observed at least 50 security operatives with patrol vehicles on either side of the road on Nasir el-Rufai crescent where the church is located.



The PUNCH reports that although security officials are usually deployed in the church every Sunday, the number of operatives today is higher than usual. The deployment of security operatives may not be unconnected with threats by several rights groups to protest at the church following allegations of rape levelled against COZA senior pastor, Abiodun Fatoyinbo.


The suspects

The Nigeria Police have arrested two suspected fraudsters who impersonated officials of the Nigeria Customs Service auctioneers on Facebook and other social media sites.

The police also warned members of the public to be wary of fraudsters who pretend to be officials from the Customs auction Department or agent, as they use it to swindle unsuspecting victims.

Already, Saturday and Amos had defrauded a businessman, Adeniyi Adegboyega, of N4.3million in a phony car auctioning deal, before they were arrested in Ewan, Edo State.

Adegboyega, a Lagos based businessman, said he met them on Facebook and they made him believe that they were genuine custom officials on auction exercise but ended up defrauding him of his hard-earned money.
National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Secondus has also walked in.

He is the latest of dignitaries to arrive at the venue of the much expected judgment in the petition by Atiku Abubakar and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

PDP and Atiku are challenging the outcome of the last presidential election, won by Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
A South African man who raped 7-year-old girl has been found guilty of two charges of rape

21-year-old Nicholas Ninow was found guilty by the Pretoria High Court for two counts of rape on Monday, September 16.

According to News 24, Mr. Ninow raped the 7-year-old girl in the bathroom of a Dros restaurant in Pretoria in 2018. He admitted raping the victim, by forcing his penis into her mouth and inserting his fingers into her vagina.

At the start of his trial last week, Ninow pleaded guilty to two charges of rape as well as charges of defeating the ends of justice and the possession of an illegal substance. But he pleaded not guilty to assault.

The State reportedly withdrew a kidnapping charge against him and rejected his guilty pleas on the basis that aspects of his story contradicted the States evidence. As a result, the trial proceeded.

At his court appearance on Monday, September 16, Judge Pap Mosopa found him guilty on all three counts.

The only reasonable inference the court can draw is that the accused saw the victim playing in the play area, saw her going to the bathroom, followed her and then undressed and raped her, said Mosopa.

Mosopa also disclosed that his sentencing will be delayed until October 16 as the defence has not yet received the psychologists report.

Ninow will remain in custody until sentencing.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has decried the rise in international money transfers done in foreign currencies, saying it is detrimental to naira.

CBNs Director, Trade and Exchange, Ozeomena Nnaji who disclosed this, said the remittances in the diaspora between January 2016 and December 2019 are currently being investigated by three committees.

Nnaji said that Nigeria has a spending policy that guides its currency because of the effect of spending foreign currency in Nigeria has on the value of the naira.

She said when money comes in as either dollars or euros, it is important to exchange it and get the naira currency as this promotes the naira value and the exchange rate stability.

ALSO READ: Buhari booed in Maiduguri

If we have more funds come in as remittances, our foreign reserves go up, and when that happens, the confidence in the Nigerian economy will go up. It helped in price stability and exchange rate stability management and that the apex bank was interesting in increasing Diaspora remittances, Nnaji added.

Nnaji while speaking further hinted on the World Bank report that says Nigeria received 25 million dollars Diaspora remittances in 2019. According to her, the CBN only received 10 million dollars between 2016 and 2019.

If the World Bank says 25 million dollars for 2019; their formula for calculating is based on cash, kind and trend analysis. What the CBN counts is the physical cash that comes in through the banks and International Money Transfer Operators, she said.
Shenzhou-17 crew celebrates Year of Dragon in warm festive vibe

10:03, February 20, 2024 By Deng Xiaoci ( Global Times

The taikonauts aboard the Tiangong space station celebrate the Spring Festival in space during the Shenzhou-17 mission. Despite being far away from home, they manage to have a fulfilling and rich festive life. Photo: Screenshot from episode of the Tiangong Television series released by the China Manned Space Agency

Despite being in the distant reaches of space, three taikonauts of the Shenzhou-17 manned spaceflight crew aboard the China Space Station celebrated a colorful and busy Spring Festival marking the Year of the Dragon, with deep feeling of warmth of home and the joy of the festival in China's heavenly space home, latest episode of space vlog series Tiangong Television showed.

During the first three days of the Spring Festival holidays, the three taikonauts arranged their own activities, including video calls with family and colleagues, and engaged in recreational activities freely. Subsequently, the training and work of the three taikonauts proceeded in an orderly manner, Global Times learned from mission insiders.

According to the latest episode of the Tiangong Television series released by the China Manned Space Agency on Sunday, on the New Year's Eve, Shenzhou-17 mission commander Tang Hongbo, and his fellow crewmembers Tang Shengjie, and Jiang Xinlin put on the festive "auspicious cloud attire," hung up lucky couplets, and pasted New Year paintings.

They adorned the China Space Station's Tianhe core module, Wentian and Mengtian experimental modules with Spring Festival couplets, fully embracing the New Year atmosphere while also sending Lunar New Year blessings to the ground support team.

Even in space, the crew didn't miss out on the New Year's Eve dinner. Besides traditional festive food such as dumplings and Eight Treasures Rice, the crew had also enjoyed a total of 10 dishes of unique Chinese cuisine, representing the blessing message of perfect 10. These were all carefully prepared by ground researchers as a special Chinese New Year gift for the three taikonauts.

The crew also watched and even performed singing at the Spring Festival Gala live in orbit, according to the Tiangong Television episode and the vlog highlighted a remarkable moment where the crew members interacted with the giant panda via the screen.

China's Shenzhou-17 crew members also extended their Spring Festival greetings via video from space on February 9, Chinese New Year's Eve. Onboard the country's space station, the three taikonauts expressed their wishes for the prosperity of the motherland and all Chinese people.

"We have a full and happy Chinese Lunar New Year in space," said Tang Hongbo.

Tang Shengjie, a first timer to space, said he missed the motherland and the family. "It is a precious life experience for me to spend the Lunar New Year in space for the first time."

Jiang wished the country "vigorous and prosperous," and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups "good luck and good health."

Except for the Chinese New Year celebration, the new episode also revealed that the crew underwent a routine body check-up and carried out physical exercises in space.

The crew is the third batch of taikonauts that have celebrated the Chinese New Year in orbit, following the Shenzhou-13 and -15 crews.

Chinese netizens have left proud messages online, lauding the record that us Chinese people have celebrated the Chinese New Year for three consecutive years in space. Some noted that "it is surely a display of Chinese strength."

Chinese space watchers applauded the feat, saying that it was a confidence show of China's manned space capabilities such as the space-ground communication technology and the space cargo transport technology, which sustained the life quality of the taikonauts to be as comfortable as us on Earth.

The Shenzhou-17 spacecraft celebrates the Spring Festival in orbit, creating a festive atmosphere. This marks the third consecutive year that our Shenzhou taikonauts have celebrated the Lunar New Year in space, showcasing the confidence of China's aerospace capabilities. For every Chinese person on Earth, this serves as both encouragement and inspiration, observers noted.

On October 26, 2023, the Shenzhou-17 manned mission sent the three taikonauts to the country's space station. The crew is the youngest in orbit since the space station first began construction.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing)
MANZINI  Three National Public Service and Allied Workers Union (NAPSAWU) national executive committee (NEC) members have been suspended for alleged misappropriation of the unions funds.

The trio is known to this publication, but cannot be named for now, as they have not been found guilty of any wrongdoing. Their suspension follows an investigation into an anomaly in the activities of the unions bank account. This was after E170 000 was reportedly withdrawn within 48 hours from the unions bank account. The unions account on January 4, 2024, had a balance of about E236 000, but on January 6, it reflected E66 000. Also, the anomalies noted included that one of the NEC members was allegedly loaned E3 000 from the union coffers, just after subscriptions were remitted while another NEC member allegedly had E3 500 deposited into his account. Another anomaly was the payment of E9 736.76 for a set of new tyres for a vehicle not owned by the union. There was also a payment of E11 400 for spares of a vehicle not owned by the union. It was also gathered that another anomaly was that there were claims that an establishment used by the union for its congresses was paid E50 000 yet upon inspection, it was discovered that E25 000 had been paid.

Suspension

These, among other things, led to the suspension of the three NEC members last Thursday. Their suspension was subsequent to a resolution taken in a special National General Council (NGC) meeting held at the SNAT Centre on February 15, 2024. The NGC is a forum where all the 11 branches of NAPSAWU convene a meeting along with the NEC to deliberate on union issues. The 11 branches engage in an oversight role over the NEC. The special NGC agenda was the freezing of branch congress, outstanding branch claims and financials. During the special NGC, a statement submitted by one of the NEC members expressed how the unionists raised concerns over the manner in which the organisations funds were being used.

The report narrated that on January 4, 2024, the union subscriptions balance reflected on the NEC members phone as being about E236 000. However, on the subsequent day, January 5, 2024, the NEC member reported that there was a decline in the balance.

She said the balance had declined to E110 000, which prompted her to contact one of the suspended members to seek clarity on the missing monies. The report submitted at the special NGC further states that the responsible officer explained that the money had been used to settle debts with the unions lawyers and for a photo studio. It was said when seeking to establish more details on the said payments, the communication was terminated. The NEC member reported to the meeting that she then pursued communication with the responsible officer throughout the day; but her efforts fell short as her calls were not answered. I then called another NEC member (title deliberately withheld) trying to find out about the transactions that they made with the responsible officer (position deliberately withheld) and the former did not pick his phone. In the morning again I tried calling to call them and both leaders did not pick their phones (sic), reads the report in part.

Communication

The report states that after the realisation that both NEC members were not responding to her communication, she contacted another NEC member and informed him that the pair had allegedly made certain transactions on their own, much against the resolution of the NEC meeting, which stated that all payments to be made were to be first discussed by the committee, before they were made. The NEC member alleged in the special NGC that when she contacted one of the committee members, the balance was E110 000. She supposed that her communication relayed to the member that despite the previous balance of E110 000, the money in the unions account had declined to E66 000 as more transactions were made.

Subsequent to this communication, the NEC member stated that she was advised that this issue should form part of the meeting which was scheduled for January 8, 2024. It was gathered that the issue formed part of the agenda items, which were listed as finances and was discussed by the NEC. During the meeting, it was supposed that the responsible officer was afforded the opportunity to present the finances of the union.

Submitted

During the presentation, the accused officer submitted that a payment of E50 000 to the law firm used by the union and also E50 000 to the hotel the union used for hosting its congresses and other meetings were made. A question was raised on that since we are going to branch congresses that needed a budget, what would happen to those branches, because there was a balance of E66 000 (in the unions account) (sic), reads in part the statement presented at the special NGC. The response by the responsible officer was purported to have been that she intended not to pay NEC claims. It was supposed that the submissions to the special NGC did not communicate anything on the budget as to what would happen to the branch congresses.

This was said to have resulted in the meeting resolving that branch congresses should be postponed except for two branches; namely Hluthi and Mbabane, as the dates for the congresses for the pair were closer. The report stated that the postponement of the branch congresses affected the Big-Bend, Malkerns and Hlatikhulu branches. These branches congresses were slotted for a later date.

Conversely, on January 12, 2024, some members of the NEC organised a fact-finding mission to the entities which were allegedly paid from the union coffers. It was said there was an amount of E9 740 paid to Bandag Tyres and E11 440 paid to Motorzone. During the NECs their visits as part of the fact-finding mission, they were served with the necessary documents by the retailing outlets they visited after they had narrated the whole purpose of the investigation. Additionally, we also requested CCTV camera footage to identify the person behind the (alleged) misuse of the unions funds. The CCTV camera footage was granted and it is part of the proof that we have at our disposal, alleges the statement in part.

The statement by the NEC details that on January 13, 2024, their fact-finding mission proceeded to Esibayeni Lodge for a verification of what was presented during the meeting by the responsible officer, who reportedly said a payment of E50 000 was made. The NEC members statement reported that they uncovered that Esibayeni Lodge was paid half the amount, which was E25 000. Subsequent to this, they supposed to have requested to establish the history of payments deposited by the union to the institution. Following this discovery, the NEC members were said to have proceeded to the bank, where the union has an account and requested a statement which was granted to them.

Upon inspection, we found that there are a lot of anomalies with regard to the transactions. We discovered that among the transactions there was money loaned to a current NEC member of E3 000, the report claims. The statement further insinuated that on the day the first transactions were made, some monies were transferred to another NEC members account. The money alleged to have been transferred to the NEC members account is E3 500. This amount was supposedly transferred in two folds as there was first a deposit of E1 200, which was followed by another deposit of E2 300. These transactions, according to the statement, were made on January 4, 2024. The statement detailed that after these discoveries, the findings were reported during an NEC meeting, which was held on January 18, 2024.

It was said in the meeting, the members concerned were supposedly not forthcoming with explanations or answers regarding the transactions. It was reported that two of the members were served with letters demanding that they clarify and explain on the transactions and payments. It was reported that the letters directed to the responsible officer sought her to account for the transactions while that to the other NEC member was purportedly for assisting the former.

Frustrating

After seeing that the matter was reaching a stagnant posture, I wrote another letter requesting the NEC member to facilitate that the matter be resolved through the sitting of an Extra-Ordinary National General Council, as it was frustrating the smooth operations of the organisation, alleges the report. It was alleged that the NEC member refused to engage in this initiative as he purportedly cited that the NEC had not discussed the matter at its level where such a resolution had to be taken. During this period, it was said the unions account had been frozen in an effort to salvage the little money that was left. It was claimed that postponing the matter had negative effects on the operations of the union. This resulted in the matter being postponed to the meeting, which was convened on February 13, 2024. In this meeting, it was said after discussing the finances, the issue would have been taken to the Extra-Ordinary National General Council.

However, halfway through the NEC meeting, some Branch Executive Committee (BEC) leaders reportedly arrived at the meeting to petition the NEC. It was said the BEC leaders wanted the NEC to call a special Extra-Ordinary National General Council, which would lead to the special NGC. This was said to have led to the NEC granting the branch leaders their request and as such, the special NGC was held on February 16, 2024, which resulted in the suspension of the three NEC members.
Jigawa State Police Command has arrested a 32-year-old man identified as Abdulhamid Abdu for allegedly producing counterfeit money in Kazaure Local Government area of the state.

The Spokesman of the command, SP Abdu Jinjiri, said the suspect was arrested after receiving report that one Abdullahi Abdu of Brigade quarters in Kano state made payment with fake money.

Kazaure police division received information that the suspect made transection and bought six bags of rice and two cartons of spaghetti at the rate of N97,400 from a shop at kanti quarters in kazaure local government and he used fake currency in the transaction, he stated.

Jinjiri said in the cause of investigation, additional 82 pieces of fake N1000 notes and 81 pieces of fake N500 notes were also recovered.

He said the case was still under investigation and that the suspect will be charge to court for prosecution.

Meanwhile, KanyiDaily recalls that a man who tried to buy 2 bags of rice with fake money in Lagos, was taught a lesson of his life after his attempt at swindling the trader failed.

The middle-aged man was beaten by a group of angry youths who threatened to lynch him for the criminal act amidst a period of economic recession in Nigeria.
A 25-year-old lady, identified as Blessing Stephens, has confessed to selling her 3 children for the sum of N500k.

The lad was among the six suspects arrested by the Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) for stealing and selling over 30 babies to childless women.

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The others are: a homeopathic medical doctor, Una Ekong Godwin, 58; Blessing John 27; Israel Ariyo 33; Itoro Anthony, 40, and Mrs. Mforbong Itoro, 48.

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Stephens said: I am from Nsitayi, Odor Akwa Ibom state but resides at #Ikota, #Ajah, Lagos. I dropped out of secondary school due to a financial problem.

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I dated one Julius Abang and he impregnated me. I had a boy called Emmanuel with Abang in 2010 but we broke up in 2011 and Mrs. Mforbong advised me to sell the child and tell the father that the child had died if he ever cared to ask.

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In 2012 I started I dated a truck driver and he impregnated me but after two years he abandoned me after impregnating another girl. After one month I sold the baby but I got only N100,000.

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In 2013, I got another lover named Israel who is an iron bender. Within six months he impregnated me but he was so poor that he could not even feed me nor pay house rent, so we decided to sell the baby for N250,000. .

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Later, Mrs. Ntoro called from village that she needed another baby boy. I told my sister, Blessing John, to steal a baby boy from Ikota. It is this one that put us in trouble.

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On July 14, 2019, Ms. John stole a 4-year-old boy from his parents in Ikota and sold him for N350, 000 but the buyer rejected him because he wouldnt stop crying. The syndicate was busted when John was trying to return the boy.
Nigeria Minister of Health, Ehanire Osagie has said that the Italian man who is the index case of coronavirus in Nigeria, was not aware he had the disease.

Osagie revealed that series of tests carried out by the Virology Laboratory of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital confirmed that 44-year-old Italian citizen had the COVID-19 virus, said there are plans to ensure the coronavirus case in Nigeria remains only one.

He said;

We are in the phase of trying to carry out containment so that if possible, it does not go beyond the one index case that has entered the country. He was not in the knowledge of what he had that he was carrying any particular kind of illness and we are happy that he is responding. It does seem as if his own illness is running rather mildly the way it looks and his viral load has begun to drop which means he is on his way to recovery.

In the interview on Channels TV, the Minister who revealed they will be meeting with stakeholders to discuss progress made in containing the spread of the virus on Monday March 2, stated that the newness of the virus makes it difficult to ascertain if it survives cold or warm weather.

Osagie further urged Nigerians to maintain proper hygiene and not be complacent.
NORMAL  Members of the Illinois State University and Bloomington-Normal communities packed into a forum on Monday, held for the first of four candidates being considered for the schools next president.

Interim President Aondover Tarhule, whos been at the helm since February 2023 following the early resignation of former President Terri Goss Kinzy, answered questions during a 75-minute forum at the Bone Student Center. The first 30 minutes were reserved for candidate presentations, and the remainder was slated for questions from the campus and community.

Tarhule told crowded room of at least 200 on Monday he was deeply overwhelmed by the support from the Bloomington-Normal community and those in attendance.

If he is chosen as president, Tarhule said he hopes to create a Redbird Promise program to expand financial aid for students from low-income families, and he noted increasing a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion for students and faculty is a priority for him.

Tarhule was hired during the summer of 2020 as ISUs vice president of academic affairs and provost, having previously worked at Binghamton University as vice provost and graduate school dean.

He was the first of four finalists to be announced by ISUs presidential search committee. The university said 41 people applied for the job, 11 were interviewed earlier this month and five were selected as finalists. One dropped out, citing personal reasons, leaving four to attend open forums this month.

Additional finalist names are expected to be announced a day in advance of forums scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Monday, and Feb. 29.

'I know it's not just me'

As part of his starting presentation, Tarhule said he doesnt mean to take all the credit for accomplishments he highlighted Monday, like in the engineering colleges development and creation of the School of Creative Technologies. Additional actions he lauded in his speech included the setting of a permanent graduate school budget, and helping to address a high ratio of students to academic advisors with eight new hires.

I know its not just me, he continued. I want to fully acknowledge and support all the people and appreciate all of the other people who have worked on this.

He said he was fortunate to arrive at Illinois State as it began to retire its existing strategic plan.

Now, this is a community work and it has taken a lot of peoples ideas and aspirations and thoughts to go into it, he said, adding its also given him tremendous opportunity to provide suggestions on the heading of the university.

Comments and concerns

Carol Koos, chairperson for the American Civil Liberties Union, Central Illinois chapter, first asked Tarhule for his thoughts on freedom of speech on university campuses.

Tarhule responded that universities are not just a place for student to come to earn their degrees.

Theyre places where they come to grow up, he said. Theyre places where they come to learn, to live with people outside of their close family members and interact with people who sometimes share different ideas from them.

Tarhule said there should be freedom of speech on campus. If students dont learn to share their views  even whey they differ from the opinions of others  he asked, Where are they going to learn that?

He said their job as a university is to provide a safe environments where anyone can share their thoughts without being intimidated, while also being respectful to the views of others.

We also need to make that we are not choosing one view and pushing it on our students, Tarhule said. Our job is not to make a choice. Our job is to create an environment and allow that interaction to occur.

Steven Lazaroff was the second forum attendee to address the interim president. Lazaroff, a fourth-year doctoral student in the English department and member of the Graduate Workers Union at ISU, said 70% of the 450 members his union represents has experienced anxiety and depression due to low wages. He also said his fellow workers created a food pantry to address food insecurity, and that ISU receives less funding in state appropriations.

Lazaroff asked how Tarhule would deal with these issues differently from his predecessors.

Tarhule responded that mental health is a national issue, and something all universities monitor closely. He said ISU is continuing to do a good job of providing services and support to students.

He also said Lazaroff is right, in that ISU historically has received much less funding per capita than any other university in Illinois. All presidents who came before Tarhule have worked hard on this issue, he said.

Last year, Tarhule said they reactivated a Redbird Caucus of ISU alumni, legislators and other supporters in Springfield to help champion their cause in the legislature. Since hes presided for ISU in-interim, he said hes spoken to at least a dozen lawmakers to champion the schools courses and priorities.

Tarhule said hes part of the Illinois Board of Higher Education Commission for Equitable Public University Funding, which has just finished a report to be released March 1. He said new models will be distributed to universities based on a new funding formula, and that ISU bodes well.

I hope and pray that is accepted and that it is funded, he said.
Michelle and Rick Ringold have built a successful partnership  both in marriage and in cannabis.

Rick is a U.S. Army veteran and construction contractor. His wife, Michelle, runs an accounting firm. It took all their business know-how and a roughly $9 million investment to win a state license and launch Galaxy Labs LLC, a craft cannabis-growing business.

But they wanted to both grow and sell their products. So they bought a cannabis retail license from a competitor and opened the dispensary last week in a strip mall in Richton Park, drawing crowds to celebrate with a live DJ, food, and a sesh bus in which people could smoke.

With its store three doors down from its grow lab, Galaxy is one of the few independent cannabis companies in Illinois that is vertically integrated  meaning it grows and sells its own products.

We are filled with joy, Michelle Ringold said. Our experience really did help us get to the next level and become successful.

Selling their own product not only controls costs, but helps making connections with other companies. When vendors call to get their products into the Galaxy store, the Ringolds ask to also be stocked in their competitors stores.

It took six months from the time they opened their grow lab until their first harvest hit the shelves, but their flower and joints are now in about half of all stores statewide.

Galaxy is believed to be the first vertically integrated Black-owned cannabis company in Illinois. It boasts a state-of-the-art, multitiered electronic growing system that monitors and can control factors like humidity, lighting and carbon dioxide. The Ringolds raised capital from themselves, family, friends and a private lender.

Like all craft growers, they initially were limited by law to 5,000 square feet of growing space, while the 21 originally licensed marijuana corporations can grow up to 210,000 square feet. After complaints that the small size limit was keeping craft growers from getting financing, the Illinois Department of Agriculture recently raised the craft limit to 14,000, but it will take time to get the agencys approval and build the extra capacity.

Its really a big hindrance, Rick Ringold said, adding that the size cap on craft growers benefits the big companies by limiting competition. Every business wants to reach its maximum potential, he said.

Nevertheless, the Ringolds are following a formula that turned several Chicago-based startups into multistate operators. By growing their own flower, they can develop their own brands. By selling from their own store, they can cut out the middle man, minimizing costs and maximizing profit.

Its similar to the approach being followed by nuEra, which started in Illinois in 2015 as nuMed, with three medical dispensaries.

NuEra recently bought the rights to the cultivation facility of IESO, which started at the same time by growing medical marijuana with the help of former Illinois Department of Agriculture Director Tom Jennings, but never grew by acquiring retail stores as its competitors did.

The 85,000-square-foot facility is located in downstate Murphysboro, near Carbondale. About half the space grows pot, primarily in greenhouses, with a hydrocarbon extraction lab, a commercial kitchen to make edibles, and a transporter license to take their product statewide.

NuEra CEO Robert Fitzsimmons, a private equity attorney, had pushed for legalizing cannabis in Illinois as far back as 2014, after seeing how it helped a friend deal with cancer.

Based in Chicago, NuEra previously bought what was originally PharmaCanns cultivation center in Rochelle, which MedMen had controlled after a failed merger. But the nuEra deal came in 2020 just as COVID-19 hit and the value dropped, and nuEra eventually had to trade out of the deal.

One of the key advantages to vertical integration, Fitzsimmons said, is that because marijuana remains illegal on the federal level, retailers are prohibited from federal tax deductions for normal business expenses  but growers generally are not, allowing them to deduct expenses like rent. Thats partly why many cultivators lease their land or facilities.

If you dont have tax efficiency, youll never be able to scale to constantly produce results for your investors, Fitzsimmons said. So we had to be vertically integrated. This was priority for us.

The company operates six stores in Illinois, with one in Chicago, and three more are on the way, including a DeKalb location set to open on the informal weed holiday of April 20, or 4/20.

NuEra had a management agreement for the IESO facility since 2022, and began improvements aimed at relaunching its brands. Those include its High Times Cannabis Cup-winning flower, shareable products at lower prices called Midweek Friday, and a new line of THC-infused seltzer.

NuEra also helped with license applications for about three dozen social equity companies, generally defined as those from areas of high poverty or marijuana arrests, or those who have low-level cannabis offenses.

States take different approaches to regulating vertical integration. When Colorado pioneered legal cannabis, it required retailers to grow at least 70% of the product they sold, on the theory that it would promote selling licensed marijuana rather than illicit weed.

Several states, including Oregon, Pennsylvania and Washington, on the other hand, have banned vertical integration. The prohibition is meant to prevent a few growers from dominating the market, and to instead promote specialization, variety of products, and competition.

But Illinois appears to be far beyond that point. Several companies  Cresco Labs, Curaleaf, Green Thumb Industries, PharmaCann and Verano  have used vertical integration to dominate the market, combining cultivation centers and up to 10 dispensaries each, and spreading their business model into states across the country.

Now nuEra and Galaxy Labs are poised to follow that model on a smaller scale. Even though the cannabis industry is endlessly changing, Fitzsimmons relishes the fight.

This is a meaningful industry, Fitzsimmons said. Its challenging, fun and interesting.
SPRINGFIELD  Former President Donald Trump endorsed U.S. Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, for reelection on Tuesday, offering a major boost to the five-term incumbent as he seeks to fend off a Republican primary challenge from former gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey.

In a post on his Truth Social social media website, the former president and 2024 Republican presidential frontrunner said that Bost "is doing a fantastic job" while crediting him for being "a stalwart supporter of our America First agenda during my record-setting Administration."

"Mike Bost has my Complete and Total Endorsement! Trump wrote.

Bost, in a statement, called the endorsement "a tremendous honor."

His leadership made us stronger at home and more respected across the world," Bost said. "I will do all I can to help put President Trump back to the White House because we are fighting for the same things: a secure our border, a strong Second Amendment, an end to the wokeness plaguing our country, and putting America First."

The endorsement comes as the former president is fighting legal battles in several states. Trump has been charged with more than 90 felony counts across four investigations ranging from allegations of improper business dealings to attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election and possessing classified documents after he left office.

Still, given Trump's widespread popularity among the Republican base, the former president had a unique opportunity to play kingmaker in this race.

Breaking: Former President Donald Trump has endorsed incumbent Rep. Mike Bost over Republican primary challenger Darren Bailey in #IL12. Major boost for Bost and perhaps a deadly blow to Baileys insurgent campaign. #twill pic.twitter.com/YiOoR36fXm  Brenden Moore (@brendenmoore13) February 20, 2024

Trump won 70% in the 12th Congressional District, which spans most of Southern Illinois, against President Joe Biden in the 2020 election.

He is easily the most popular Republican figure among primary voters in the district. Any candidate with his support would likely be considered the favorite.

By putting his finger on the scale for Bost, Trump delivered a major, perhaps deadly blow to Bailey's insurgent campaign, which has struggled to generate the same conservative grassroots fervor that of his gubernatorial campaign.

Trump did acknowledge Bailey, who he endorsed for governor in 2022, saying he "was proud to campaign for him" and that he liked and respected him. But Trump ultimately sided with Bost, also a loyal supporter but with a longer track record.

In a statement, Bailey campaign spokesman Joe DeBose said the candidate still "proudly stands with President Trump despite disagreeing with him on this endorsement."

"We look forward to working with President Trump to champion working families, secure our borders, defend our freedoms, and put America Firstno compromises, no apologies," DeBose said.

Since the campaign kicked off last year, Bost has held a dominant advantage in fundraising over Bailey and has also coalesced support from most of his House colleagues, including several former Trump officials.

Several prominent conservative interest groups, such as the National Rifle Association, have also stuck with Bost.

Bailey, on the other hand, has secured endorsements from Rep. Mary Miller, R-Hindsboro, and Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., but not much others.

The last time Trump made an endorsement in a contested Republican congressional primary in Illinois, his chosen candidate, Miller, defeated Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, in an incumbent-versus-incumbent post-redistricting clash in Central Illinois.

Miller received outside financial help in her campaign and was able to successfully paint Davis as insufficiently conservative given some votes he had taken and past negative statements he made about Trump while representing a swing district.

But Bailey has had no such outside financial help. And his efforts to paint Bost as insufficiently conservative have largely fallen flat.

After all, both Bost and Bailey have endorsed Trump's 2024 presidential campaign, are anti-abortion and pro-gun rights, among other similar stances. They also use similar language, vowing to fight back against President Joe Biden's "woke" and "radical" agenda.

Still, Bailey has extremely high name recognition in the district given his previous stints in the state legislature and his campaign for governor.

Polling has indicated the race is somewhat tight, though Bost campaign advertisements, which kicked off in early January, appeared to be helping the incumbent move the needle in his favor.

Early voting is now underway and the primary election will be held March 19.

Photos: Donald Trump's arraignment
Russia is offering governments in Africa a "regime survival package" in exchange for access to strategically important natural resources, a major new report has found.



Internal Russian government documents, seen by the BBC, also detail how it is working to change mining laws in West Africa, with the ambition of dislodging Western companies from an area of strategic importance.



This is part of the process of the Russian government taking over the businesses of the Wagner mercenary group, broken up after a failed coup in June 2023.



The multibillion-dollar operations are now mostly being run by the Russian "Expeditionary Corps", managed by the man accused of being behind the attempt to murder Sergei Skripal using the Novichok nerve agent on the streets of the UK - a charge Russia has denied.



"This is the Russian state coming out of the shadows in its Africa policy," says Jack Watling, land warfare specialist at the Royal United Services Institute (Rusi) and one of the report's authors.



Back in June 2023, Yevgeny Prigozhin was probably the most feared and famous mercenary in the world. His Wagner Group was in control of billions of dollars' worth of companies and projects, while his fighters were central to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.



Then, he decided to march on Moscow, ostensibly calling for the removal of the defence minister and head of the general staff, but in reality threatening President Vladimir Putin in a way no-one had before.



Within weeks he had died in a highly suspicious plane crash, along with much of the Wagner leadership. There was widespread speculation at the time about what would happen to the Wagner Group. Now, we have the answer.



According to Dr Watling, "there was a meeting in the Kremlin fairly shortly after Prigozhin's mutiny, in which it was decided that Wagner's Africa operations would fall directly under the control of Russian military intelligence, the GRU".



Control was to be handed to Gen Andrey Averyanov, head of Unit 29155, a secretive operation specializing in targeting killings and destabilising foreign governments.



But it seems Gen Averyanov's new business was not destabilizing governments, but rather securing their future, as long as they paid by signing away their mineral rights.



In early September, accompanied by deputy Defence Minister Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, Gen Averyanov began a tour of former Wagner operations in Africa.



They started in Libya, meeting warlord Gen Khalifa Haftar. Their next stop was Burkina Faso where they were greeted by 35-year-old coup leader Ibrahim Traore.



After that, they landed in the Central African Republic, possibly the most well-established Wagner operation on the continent, before heading to Mali to meet the leaders of the junta there.



On a subsequent trip they also met General Salifou Modi, one of the military men who seized power in Niger last year.



Readouts of the various meetings demonstrate that the two men were reassuring Wagner's partners on the continent that the demise of Prigozhin did not mean the end of his business deals.



Reports of the meeting with Capt Traore of Burkina Faso confirmed cooperation would continue in "the military domain, including the training of Burkinabe officer cadets and officers at all levels, including pilots in Russia".



In short, the death of Prigozhin did not mean the end for the junta's relationship with Russia. In some ways, it would become deeper still.



The three West African states with close links to Wagner - Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso - have all experienced military takeovers in recent years. They have since announced their withdrawal from the regional bloc Ecowas, and the creation of their own "Alliance of Sahel States".



Maybe the most entwined with the mercenaries was Mali, where an ongoing Islamist insurgency, combined with multiple coups, had left an essentially failed state.



Previously, security assistance had come in the form of the UN mission known as Minusma, alongside the French military's long-running counter-insurgency operation.



But there was no particular fondness for France, the former colonial power, and so when the Wagner group offered to replace their security operations with Russian backing, the offer was accepted.



"The French were tolerated, rather than welcomed," says Edwige Sorgho-Depagne, an analyst of African politics who works for Amber Advisers.



"The French mandate to help in the terror crisis in the Sahel was always regarded as limited in time. So, the fact that the French stayed for that long - over 10 years - without finding a way to end the crisis didn't help".

Source: BBC









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The Minister of Finance, Dr Mohammed Amin Adam, has urged the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to develop a structured roadmap for the efficient implementation of tax measures in the 2024 Budget.



He also emphasised the need for coordination and clear roles to exceed the 2024 revenue target of GH146 billion.



Dr Adam gave the charge in Accra yesterday as the newly appointed Finance Minister when he led a delegation from the ministry to engage the management of the GRA to discuss collaborative efforts to boost domestic revenue mobilisation.



The minister, accompanied by some of his directors, was received by the Commissioner-General of the GRA, Rev. Dr Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah, in the company of the management of the GRA, including Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners.



The Finance Minister outlined three key priorities for the GRA under the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Extended Credit Facility programme with the country as cleaning the taxpayer register by June this year, completing data migration from all existing portals to the integrated tax administration system (ITAS) portal, and operationalising major models for registration, returns filing and payments by December this year.



Dr Adam commended the GRA's performance of surpassing revenue targets in the previous year, but pointed out the untapped potential that could be optimised for greater achievements.



Pivotal



Acknowledging the pivotal role of GRA in the government's fiscal consolidation reforms, he said it was necessary to work collaboratively to surpass the GH145 billion revenue target outlined in the 2024 Budget.



The Finance Minister acknowledged the potential for further optimisation and stressed the importance of coordinated efforts to exceed the ambitious 2024 target of GH146 billion.



Dr Adam, who previously served as Minister of State at the Ministry of Energy and later at the Ministry of Finance before being made the substantive minister last Wednesday, highlighted the critical role of meeting those commitments in the success of the IMF programme and urged the GRA to work diligently towards achieving them.



He expressed his commitment to collaborate and support the GRA to advance domestic revenue mobilisation for the benefit of the country's economic stability and development.



After emphasising the critical importance of domestic revenue mobilisation, Dr Adam also urged the GRA to advance the cause swiftly in a citizen-friendly manner.



Addressing concerns about the delayed implementation of some of the 2024 revenue measures, particularly the Value Added Tax (VAT) on domestic electricity consumption, Dr Adam stressed the urgency and the focus required for efficient revenue generation.



He urged the GRA to leverage digital solutions under the government's digitalisation agenda and expand the electronic VAT (E-VAT) mechanism for improved revenue collection.



Dr Adam expressed concern about perceived corruption in trade and ports of entry, and announced his intention to visit the ports personally, with the aim of assessing and addressing issues first-hand.



He encouraged the GRA to instill discipline and minimize revenue leakages caused by misdescriptions, misclassification and other irregularities.



Exceeding revenue targets



Rev. Dr Ammishaddai Owusu- Amoah assured the minister of the GRAs readiness to support the objectives and targets outlined, including initiatives from the IMF.



He also acknowledged upcoming revenue initiatives for 2024 and reaffirmed GRA's dedication to their successful delivery.



Highlighting the impressive economic growth, Rev. Dr Owusu-Amoah said the country celebrated four consecutive years of economic growth, surpassing expectations, in spite of global challenges.



"We have consistently exceeded expectations.



The GRA has successfully navigated challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, showcasing resilience in maintaining economic momentum, Rev. Dr Owusu-Amoah said.



The Commissioner-General highlighted the commitment to addressing gaps in systems and fast-tracking processes, emphasising dedication to the goals outlined in the medium-term plan (MTP).



Regarding concerns about data privacy and information gathering, the Commissioner-General revealed collaborations with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) to enhance the accuracy of data.



The GRA is now one of only five African countries automatically receiving information from 70 countries worldwide, aligning with Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) requirements.



This accomplishment has drawn interest from other nations, with Rwanda seeking guidance from Ghana on satisfying OECD standards, Rev. Dr Owusu-Amoah said.



He underscored the authoritys commitment to transparency and efficiency in operations and promised it will continue working towards national aspirations.



The Commissioner, Support Services Division of GRA, Julie Essiam, expressed enthusiasm for collaboration with the ministry.



"We are very excited and happy to work together. We are eager to collaborate further in achieving shared goals, she stated.



Also, the Commissioner, Domestic Tax and Revenue Division, Edward Apenteng Gyamerah, indicated the readiness of his division and the GRA to mobilise domestic revenue for development and national growth.

Source: graphiconline









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The Minister of Finance Designate, Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam has assured the habitants of Ashanti region of governments commitment towards the completion of all stalled projects in the region.



Dr. Amin Adam gave this assurance during a working visit to the Ashanti Region. As part of his visit to the region, the minister designate paid a courtesy call on His Royal Majesty, Otumfour Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene. He also visited the office of the Ashanti Regional Minister, Hon. Simon Osei Mensah.



Dr. Adam highlighted the pivotal role of the Ashanti Region in Ghanas economic development, hence governments commitment to building infrastructure.



These include the Kumasi International Airport, the Kejetia Redevelopment Market, and the Mother and Baby Unit at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.



Stressing the urgency of attention to these projects, he acknowledged challenges that had hindered their completion and assured swift action.



Dr. Amin Adam said, But you are also aware that, we have faced some challenges as a result we had to stall for some time, but you also know that His Excellency the President is determined to make sure that these projects are completed for the benefit of our people. He has directed that we pay attention to these projects to bring some urgency and speed to bear on these projects so we can get them completed for people to begin to benefit from these projects.



The Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah, appealed to the Finance Minister to address the completion of unfinished and suspended projects, specifically the Ahenema-Kokoben and Anhwiankwanta road project.



The other one that will request of you which I was discussing with your predecessor, we have a road construction from a place called Ahenema-Kokoben to Anhwiankwanta on the Obuasi road.....which was awarded to Kofi Job initially, and later they have to change the drawings. And after the change of drawings you know definitely the estimate ballooned and according to the road minister, the road minister said he needed financial clearance from the Minister of Finance, so Ill plead you work on that one for us, he appealed.



The Finance Minister is set to visit the various projects in the region to gather firsthand information about their current status and challenges.





Source: Kobina Darlington/peacefmonline.com









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Professor Joseph Osafo has lauded the proposed selection of the former General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party, Dan Botwe, to head the campaign team of Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.



The former General Secretary and former Minister of Local Government, according to information, is going to play a principal role as the campaign manager, joining hands with other leading members of the party to ensure Dr. Bawumia's vision materializes.



The other names that have popped up as members of the team include Frederick Opare-Ansah, Kwabena Agyepong, Nana Akomea, Osei Bonsu Amoah, Dennis Miracles Aboagye, Adomako Baafi and Akbar Khomeini.



Speaking on Peace FM's morning show "Kokrokoo", Prof. Osafo reposed confidence in Dan Botwe to do a good job for the Vice President.



He touted Dan Botwe as a great, effective, and experienced leader, believing Dr. Bawumia should rest assured that the manager will fully deliver on his task.



"I think it's a good choice. When it comes to the NPP political terrain, you would notice that Dan Botwe is one of the finest persons...He is bringing experience," Prof. Joseph Osafo stated.



He admonished the team not to be emotional in executing their duties, especially in their counter-arguments with the opposition.



He asked them to keep in mind that the opposition's role is to magnify the negatives; hence, he advised the team to remain focused on their cause.



Watch video below





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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MBABANE  Despite official correspondence that the recruitment of firefighters was over, some are demanding to be hired or the whole exercise to start from scratch.

This forms part of the controversy that has marred the whole recruitment exercise at the Eswatini National Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services (ENFRES). As a result, some of the aggrieved aspiring firefighters made demands to the ENFRES management to either start afresh the whole recruitment exercise or employ them. Three young people, all the way from Nhlangano, yesterday visited the ENFRES Headquarters, where they camped for the better part of the day, demanding an audience with the management.

Recruits

They wanted the management to include them among the new recruits who had already started training. Apart from the trio, 23 other aggrieved aspiring firefighters, through their attorneys, submitted letters of complaint to the department. They were also calling for the nullification of the whole recruitment process or be hired. Information gathered from sources was that relevant ministries had been served with such letters of complaint. The ENFRES recruitment process started sometime in November 2023 and was completed last week Wednesday, and 100 recruits were hired from the 14 600 who had initially applied. The three men who visited the headquarters wanted to have an audience with the Chief Fire Officer, Luke Lushaba, regarding the recruitment process. The aggrieved trio said they had only come to plead with the chief fire officer to hire them as they were desperately in need of the jobs or for the process to be started afresh.

They argued that they saw no reason why they were excluded from the final list since they had done well in all the recruitment stages, starting from the physical fitness test up to the submission of curriculum vitaes (CVs), which marked the last leg of the recruitment exercise. They said should it happen that the chief fire officer failed to meet them, they would sleep at his doorstep, until he attended to them. When this reporter checked on them in the late afternoon, they were headed to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). On another note, the aggrieved aspiring firefighters, who are not part of the 100 recruits who have already started training, alleged that the management let them down by not hiring them even though they so deserved to be employed.

They alleged that some of the recruits who were already in training had failed the physical fitness test, yet they ended up making it to the top 100 that was approved by the department.

They further alleged that some of the recruits were not seen taking part in any of the recruitment exercises, or in the written aptitude test, yet they scooped the jobs in the last stage. They went on to allege that others did not show up on the day they were asked to submit their curriculum vitaes (CVs) but were now among those who were already training. Since the day (last week Wednesday) the recruits were called to start their training, aggrieved aspiring firefighters started paying a visit to the headquarters, seeking answers on why they were not hired. It is painful that our names were removed from the final list of those who submitted their CVs. Most of those who submitted their particulars on the last day were not at the training session. We will not rest until justice is served. Ngeke sigijime mahhala, alleged one of the aggrieved firefighters.

Another aggrieved firefighter alleged that some of the recruits did not meet the criteria which was stipulated in the advertisement in as far as the recruitment process was concerned. However, they could not substantiate this allegations when probed further, save to say they knew what they were talking about. Another aggrieved aspiring recruit alleged that some recruits were still getting employed to date, which he said was shocking. He said the country was far from dealing with the cancer called corruption. Recruitment in other forces is much better than what we witnessed here at ENFRES. I have never seen such in my life, alleged the aspiring firefighters. The trio who arrived at the headquarters around 10am and left after 1pm later received information from the chief fire officer that they must make an appointment for tomorrow (Wednesday) at 8am, where they would meet and discuss their grievances.

Meeting

Prior to that response, the trio alleged that one of the fire officers told them that the chief fire officer was in a meeting and would only be available after lunch. After getting the information from the chief fire officer, the trio went further to report the matter to the ACC, where upon arrival, they were advised to open a case. One of the three told this publication that they were not going to let the management at ENFRES allegedly manipulate them by just recruiting people whom they believed did not deserve the jobs. They said by tomorrow, they would not be coming alone, but with other complainants to demand their recruitment or a fresh start of the whole exercise. It is also on record that ENFRES libutfo and 10 other paramedics, formed part of those who complained about the recruitment. They said they felt let down as they had high hopes of being considered for recruitment.

Furthermore, some fire personnel felt it would be proper for the ministry (of Housing and Urban and Development) to create more posts as one way of calming the situation on the ground.

When ENFRES Public Relations Officer Mandla Dlamini was sought for comment pertaining to the recruitment process, he said he was yet to investigate all the allegations since nothing had been received of this nature. He had been asked to clarify whether the recruits undergoing training all met the requirements as stipulated in the advert that was published, calling upon interested individuals to apply. Sometime last week, the Chief Fire Officer, Lushaba clarified the process that resulted in the recruitment of 100 personnel over the 14 600 who applied.

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During that interview, Lushaba said through the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, they published an advertisement, inviting all interested emaSwati from the age of 18 to 35 years, to submit their application forms. He said they received about 14 600 applications. After that, all applicants came for physical fitness tests, which started with a five-kilometre run, before proceeding to various exercises, including push-ups, ladder jack, climbing a 10.5-metre long ladder as well as the drill tower. They were also made to carry two 25-litre containers of water and do the horse layrun. In other words, they were tested on job-related interviews, he said. Lushaba further said after the completion of the physical fitness tests, those who made it through proceeded to a written aptitude test, from which the number of those progressing to the next level continued to decrease. After a written aptitude test, we were left with 500 aspiring fire personnel. This group was then taken through another stage, which was police vetting, he explained. Thereafter, the list of the 500 aspiring fire recruits was taken to the Civil Service Commission (CSC) for the final selection of the exact number of recruits needed by the department.
National Communications Officer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi says Ghanaians must trust his party's flagbearer to fight corruption.



Mr Gyamfi described Mr John Dramani Mahama as an incorruptible person who will not condone the act in his next government if elected as president.



He made this known during a press conference dubbed Moment of Truth to reveal the corrupt Agyapa Royalties deal by the ruling New Patriotic Party.



"H.E John Dramani Mahama has demonstrated both in government and out of government, that he detests corruption, and will never condone corruption, nor shield perpetrators of corrupt acts.



"He has stated clearly, that the days of the corruption clearing agent, will come to an end on January 7, 2025, when by the grace of God, he assumes office as President.



He has said and demonstrated before, that the sword of the fight against corruption will cut both ways under his government, whether you are a member of his government or not. Mr Gyamfi said told journalists.



He further assured that his party will investigate and prosecute persons involved in the botched Agyapa Royalties deal if the NDC is voted back to power.



Fellow countrymen and women, the Agyapa scam amounts to wilfully causing financial loss to the state, and the culprits of same must not go unpunished. We in the NDC, and all well-meaning Ghanaians, repose huge trust and confidence in H.E John Mahama, to pursue and retrieve for the state, public funds that have been lost to looting schemes such as this Agyapa scandal, the PDS scandal, the BOSTGATE scandal and other acts of naked thievery by officials of the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government and their party apparatchiks," he noted.





Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/peacefmonline.com









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Hon. Joseph Osei Owusu, the first Deputy Speaker of Parliament and Member of Parliament for Bekwai, has said, he is unaware of any external attempt to reshuffle the leadership of the current Majority side of Parliament.



According to the lawmaker, the new Standing Orders of Parliament places the power to change the leadership of both the Majority and the Minority in the hands of only the caucus and no one else outside of Parliament.



To that end, he said, no decision has been taken to change the current leadership of the Majority.



There were reports in some media outlets that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) lawmakers have changed their readership in Parliament ahead of the December 7 general elections.



Hon Joe Osei was addressing the press in Parliament on Tuesday, February 20.



"We are here to inform you that the publications that are going around are not true, it is false.



The majority caucus has not made any changes in its leadership, the majority caucus has not contemplated making any changes to its leadership and we will tell the world and Ghana to ignore any such publication.



We want to assure you that we have confidence in the leadership and the status quo shall remain, we are aware that upon the nomination of one of the Deputy Whips as a minister, a replacement will be made, that replacement will be made by the caucus when weaved the opportunity and the time to consider the appropriate replacement, this is all the information we have to share, he said.



He reiterated, The leadership of the Majority has not changed, we have not contemplated changing and we have no intention to effect any change in the leadership of the majority caucus. The Parliament of Ghana has adopted standing orders that place the selection and change or otherwise of leadership in the hands of the caucus and not anybody inside parliament.



Asked whether there was an external attempt to remove Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu as the Majority Leader Mr Joseph Osei Owusu answered: I am not aware of such thing, nobody has discussed that with the caucus and since nobody has the power to do that outside the caucus there may be rumors and intricacies but we in parliament are not aware of any attempt to remove anybody.

Source: Kobina Darlington/peacefmonline.com









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Credit: Partisan Animosity and AmericaThe Path to the 2024 Presidential Election: Partisan Violence, (2024)

Despite political chatter about a new civil war, Americans' support for partisan violence remains very low, according to a new report issued by the Polarization Research Lab.

Led by Sean Westwood, an associate professor at Dartmouth, and co-directed by Yphtach Lelkes at the Annenberg School for Communication at University of Pennsylvania, and Shanto Iyengar at Stanford University, the research group applies "science to the study of polarization and democracy."

The report, "Partisan Animosity and America," marks the launch of a monthly report seriesThe Path to the 2024 Presidential Electionwhich provides an in-depth look at Americans' attitudes on key issues leading up to and following the election in November.

"While there is a common perception that partisan violence is something that is going to destroy the bedrock of U.S. democracy, our data show that this is, in fact, far from the truth. Americans have a fundamentally incorrect understanding of support for partisan violence," says Westwood, the report author.

"Democrats think 45.5% of Republicans support partisan murder is 20.7 times larger than what our data show. Similarly, Republicans think 42% of Democrats support partisan murder, which is 25 times larger than reality."

"There is a large mismatch between the perceptions that Americans have of the other side and the reality of the state of American politics," says Westwood.

Based on 73,300 survey interviews on the YouGov platform over the last 15 months, including 3,500 in January, the lab tracked American support for partisan violence. The study finds that both Democrats and Republicans reject partisan violence.

Some of the other key findings include:

Support for any type of partisan violence is low "as fewer than 4% of Americans support violent crimes like assault or arson against political opponents."



In like manner, most Americans (about 2%), do not support politically-motivated murder. At 2.1%, Democrats show slightly higher levels of support for this type of partisan violence as compared to Republicans at 1.8%.



"Support for partisan violence concentrates among young, male, wealthy, non-white, and more educated Americans," according to the report. Support for partisan violence for those under 30 is 5.8% as compared to 1.7% for those above 30, illustrating that young people support this type of violence at nearly three times the rate of the older age group. And among Republicans, MAGA Republicans support partisan violence 1.2 times more than other members of their party.



"Just because you say that you support partisan violence doesn't mean that you, yourself, are going to commit an act of violence," says Westwood.

"Any support for partisan violence in the public is troublesome and we should take note, but small levels of support doesn't mean that we are headed towards a civil war. We must remain attentive to the problem," says Westwood. "As partisan animosity continues to create divisions in our society things could very well get worse."

Public attitudes on issues often move in response to political events, so the lab will administer future surveys to track changes in Americans' attitudes leading up to November.
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From Bianchini's "Compositio instrumenti." Reproduced with permission from the Biblioteca Estense di Modena (Cod. Lat. 145, f. 7r). Credit: Historia Mathematica (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.hm.2024.01.001

A mathematical historian at Trinity Wester University in Canada, has found use of a decimal point by a Venetian merchant 150 years before its first known use by German mathematician Christopher Clavius. In his paper published in the journal Historia Mathematica, Glen Van Brummelen describes how he found the evidence of decimal use in a volume called "Tabulae," and its significance to the history of mathematics.

The invention of the decimal point led to the development of the decimal system, and that in turn made it easier for people working in multiple fields to calculate non-whole numbers (fractions) as easily as whole numbers. Prior to this new discovery, the earliest known use of the decimal point was by Christopher Clavius as he was creating astronomical tablesthe resulting work was published in 1593.

The new discovery was made in a part of a manuscript written by Giovanni Bianchini in the 1440sVan Brummelen was discussing a section of trigonometric tables with a colleague when he noticed some of the numbers included a dot in the middle. One example was 10.4, which Bianchini then multiplied by 8 in the same way as is done with modern mathematics. The finding shows that a decimal point to represent non-whole numbers occurred approximately 150 years earlier than previously thought by math historians.

Giovanni Bianchini worked as a merchant in Venice for many years before being appointed to an administrative role with a major estate owned by the powerful d'Este family. In this role, he also managed assets and investments, giving him a strong background in mathematics. He also published astronomy texts, demonstrating his ability to plot planetary motion and to predict when an eclipse would occur.

The finding suggests that Bianchini played a more important role in the development of math fundamentals than previously known. Van Brummelen notes that, as a merchant, Bianchini would have traveled extensively, including to places in the Islamic world, where math concepts were being developed, possibly influencing his use of non-whole numbers and ways to represent them more easily.

More information: Glen Van Brummelen, Decimal fractional numeration and the decimal point in 15th-century Italy, Historia Mathematica (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.hm.2024.01.001

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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

For the past few weeks, a futuristic-looking contraption has been cruising around, scooping up trash in Huntington Harbor, keeping especially busy as heaps of debris washes down with recent rain storms.

The machine is part of a pilot project by the city of Huntington Beach and Clean Earth Rovers, using a technology created with the purpose of cleaning up harbors, lakes, rivers and oceans.

Clean Earth Rovers co-founder and CEO Michael Arens, who lives in Costa Mesa, created the company with COO David Constantine in 2019 while they were students at Xavier University in Cincinnati, where the company is now headquartered. They have a second office in San Pedro near the Port of Los Angeles.

Already, the rovers have been deployed at six locations in Florida and another in Cincinnati. Huntington Beach's pilot program is the first in Southern California, though the company is in talks with several other coastal cities to also try out the technology.

Coastal trash is a problem beach towns throughout the state grapple with when storm water flushes debris from streets and elsewhere far inland down drains and waterways, straight into harbors, estuaries and the ocean.

The device being tested in Huntington Beachnamed the Rover AV Prohas been brought out each week at two locations in the harbor, it then works for about an hour for each session.

"We've been picking up a lot of different stuff, we're trying to experiment being there at different times of the day to see when trash is most prevalent," Arens said.

The machine uses an autonomous software to do sweeping patterns and can collect up to 100 pounds of trash before needing to be emptied.

"Any surface debris that is floating," Arens said. "The rover can go out on its own, you don't have to put anyone in the water or launch a vessel or have another person scooping stuff out of the water."

A bag is towed behind where all the debris is stored and once it completes its mission, it returns to where it was launched, Arens said.

"You can take it out, keep it in the water or send it back out to keep cleaning," he said.

The rover is 5-by-5-feet in size, making it portable, and has four wheels, so it can be easily launched from a boat ramp or beach and it can be carried on a trailer, Arens said.

Since the trial started on Feb. 1, the rover has brought in about 200 gallons of trash during five cleanupseverything from sticks and twigs to bags, bottles, cigarette butts, balloons and cans of paint. It has filled about six 32-gallon trashcans.

The pilot project ends April 2 and is costing $10,000, according to the city of Huntington Beach.

There has been success with the rover cleaning and removing trash from docks near the mouth of the Bolsa Chica Channel, which is the largest source of trash and debris into the harbor, Jim Merid, environmental services manager, said in an e-mail.

That trash would have eventually sunk to the bottom of the harbor or disintegrated into much smaller pieces and drifted out to the ocean, he noted.

Clean Earth Rovers charges about $300 a full-service visit, which includes delivering a rover, handling the trash after a cleaning, collecting data on what's been removed and such. Or a machine from the Clean Earth Rovers costs about $30,000 to own and operate.

The technology is one of several innovative ideas being tested out at local waterways to stop the stream of trash that ends up at the coast, not just littering the sand and ocean, but causing harm to species that ingest the junk.

Just a few months ago, Newport Beach broke ground on a large, $5.5 million trash wheel to collect debris in the Upper Newport Harbor.

In Santa Monica Bay, the Ballona Creek Trash Interceptor 007 was deployed as a pilot project in October 2022 and has stopped about 220,000 pounds of trash and debris from entering the Santa Monica Bay and local beaches, according to its website.

The cost of designing and permitting for the Interceptor was about $1.3 million, while construction of the moorings to secure the Interceptor and booms was about another $1.5 million. The Interceptor itself was provided to Los Angeles County for free by The Ocean Cleanup, but there's a $650,000 price tag for its annual maintenance.

The rover technology can also be used for oil spills, the company says. It has an absorbent boom attachment that can be towed up to 100 feet behind the machine.

Wildlife, such as fish, birds and other animals, have been moving out of the rover's path, the same way as when a boat is near, Arens said.

The company is also exploring different community partners to find a better end-life for the trash and is also documenting quantifiable data for policy change such as the type and amount of debris scooped up.

"This is what a lot of people don't think about: Where does all the trash on the street go? A lot of times it gets washed up into the aqueducts and the channels that lead into the harbors and oceans," Arens said. "We see not just a severe shift in water quality, but a wave of debris."

2024 MediaNews Group, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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The vulnerable southern bell (growling grass) frog (Litoria raniformis). Credit: Rupert Mathwin/Flinders University

Australia is home to about one in 12 of the world's species of animals, birds, plants and insectsbetween 600,000 and 700,000 species. More than 80% of Australian plants and mammals and just under 50% of our birds are found nowhere else.

But habitat destruction, climate change, and invasive species are wreaking havoc on Earth's rich biodiversity, and Australia is no exception.

In 2023, the federal government added another 144 plants, animals and ecological communities to the threatened species listincluding iconic species such as the pink cockatoo, spiny crayfish and earless dragons.

More and more species stand on the edge of oblivion. That's just the ones we know enough about to list formally as threatened. Many more are in trouble, especially in the oceans. Change is the new constant. As the world heats up and ecosystems warp, new combinations of species can emerge without an evolutionary connection, creating novel communities.

It is still possible to stop species from dying out. But it will take an unprecedented effort.

How species end

The modern extinction crisis is quite recent. Between 1970 and 2018, wildlife populations around the world fell by almost 70%. But the collapse of these populations isn't equalLatin America and the Caribbean have lost around 94% of the individuals in wild populations. Africa has lost 65%, Asia-Pacific about 45%, while North America and Europe have lost 45% and Central Asia 33%.

In the 250 years since Europeans arrived, at least 100 unique Australian species have gone extinct. That's about 6% to 10% of all recorded extinctions worldwide since the year 1500. If we look at mammals alone, we have the worst track record of any country.

Extinction doesn't happen overnight. An abundant species might be exposed to a new predator such as feral cats. Its population could fall to the point where it is listed as threatened, meaning it has a high chance of becoming extinct in the near future.

Timeline of threatened species listings from 2000 to 2023. Top panel: raw number of species listed in four categories: EX = Extinct in the Wild; CR = Critically Endangered; EN = Endangered; VU = Vulnerable. Bottom panel: timeline of listings expressed as proportions. Credit: F Saltre/Flinders University

If the species can't adapt and if we do nothing, the species can become critically endangered and decline to a few hundred individuals. If pressure continues, it can go extinct in the wild. And if zoos can't establish breeding populations or we simply don't know about it, the entire species can wink out of existence.

Tip of the iceberg

Australia's threatened species list is useful, because it helps us prioritize which species to help. But it does not show the true number of species in danger. There are well known gaps, such as many invertebrates that have gone extinct unnoticed because of their secretive nature and small size.

The list likely misses other lesser-known or hard to research groups such as microorganisms, hard to find marine species, snakes and lizards, and rare plants.

Neither does the list take into account species that depend on each other, such as wasps relying on one species to parasitise and pollinators specializing on a few types of flowers. Yet these complex interactions are essential to healthy functioning of ecosystems.

To list a species as threatened takes work. By the time we have cataloged all species on Earthestimated to take 100200 years at current discovery ratesexperts estimate most species will have already gone extinct.

Can species come back?

For decades, conservationists have used species recovery programs to try and bring threatened species back from the brink. You need a combination of approachesthere's no point breeding thousands of endangered woylies if their habitat has been replaced with farmland or plantation.

One measure with good results is to use policy measures to cut forest loss and other habitat destruction. Lost habitat is the main reason more than 85% of our threatened species are on the list in the first place. Invasive species and diseases can worsen damage from habitat lossor act alone.

Restricting and reversing land clearing is one thing we can do to reduce the risk of species going extinct. Credit: CJA Bradshaw/Flinders University

Extinction is not inevitable. Between 2000 to 2022, we saw 29 species recover to the point they could be taken off the threatened list.

But the road to recovery is long, complicated, and far from assured for most of our worst-affected species.

Novel ecosystems and climate change

Each species has a climate it prefers and can survive in. But the magnitude of expected future climate change is likely to produce climates without precedent in many regions. We could see the creation of entirely new biological communities and environments, as has happened before.

The best-known novel communities emerged at high latitudes mostly between 17,000 and 12,000 years ago. Here, for instance, spruce and ash trees in North America grew side by sideeven though they now live far apartand pines were less common than today.

Unfortunately, the emergence of novel communities often led to an increase in species extinctions.

But the emergence of new types of ecosystems doesn't mean all species will suffer. For instance, novel habitats in Melbourne's suburbs have led to a surge in southern brown bandicoots, who find strips of native and introduced plants along roads, canals and railways to their liking.

New ecosystems can sometimes harbor more species and actually be more resilient due to the variety of species traits, behaviors, and genetic diversity. But this is not guaranteed.

Managing these new ecosystems will be challenging. We will have to come up with creative ways to handle these changes by adopting Indigenous practices or applying novel solutions such as genetic rescue, mass reforestation and assisted migration to reduce extinction rates.

With unprecedented climates, novel ecosystems, invasive species, and disruptions to the food chain, we can expect more and more species to be added to the threatened list.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Cuts to fire protection funding initially have a larger effect on home prices than crime, school quality, or environmental quality, but the short-term decreases don't persist, the University of Cincinnati economists found.

David Brasington, Ph.D., and Olivier Parent, Ph.D., professors of economics at UC's Carl H. Lindner College of Business, studied the effects of communities that don't pass fire protection renewal levies on housing values for a research article that was published in the journal Regional Science and Urban Economics.

Brasington was surprised by how cuts to fire protection funding had a greater effect on housing prices than other factors.

"We were really surprised about it having an effect and the magnitude of the effect, too," he said. "It was surprising to me, also, because schools get the bulk of funding, and police services are so important."

To study the effects of funding cuts, Brasington and Parent analyzed data on house sales in Ohio between 1995-2006, the most recent time frame that data was available.

They focused on communities that, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, share similar demographic and economic characteristics. The only discernible difference was that some of them narrowly voted to renew tax levies while others narrowly voted against renewing their levies.

In the year after communities narrowly voted to cut fire protection funding, house prices dropped between 6.7% and 15.1%. That translates to an average decrease in house values of $15,000, while the tax savings for the life of the house is only $1,500.

"Not renewing is kind of a shock to the community," said Brasington, who added it's rare for Ohio communities to vote against fire protection levies.

Districts voting against fire levy renewal: Full sample with quantile-spaced bin selection. Credit: Regional Science and Urban Economics (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.regsciurbeco.2024.103984

While housing prices decreased after a failed fire protection levy, Parent and Brasington found the prices returned to their normal levels in those communities within a few years.

"There might be some effect the second year after the vote, but then normal levels return," Brasington said. "You can't tell the difference in house prices in cities that vote against the tax levies the third year, fourth year, or fifth year after the vote. But there's a temporary blip in house prices.

"Our guess is that a big factor in the drop of house prices initially is fear, fear of increased risk of fire. But what happens in Ohio is every fire department supports the other. If there's a fire in [one area], the fire departments from [neighboring communities] and anywhere close by send fire trucks to help each other through mutual assistance agreements. The actual protection from fires is good, even if a tax levy fails, probably because of these mutual assistance agreements.

"Our guess is people are afraid of the decrease in services at first, then after a couple of years, they realize, "Well, there hasn't been any big change in actual fire protection.'"

The effects of fire protection cuts are the opposite of cuts to park funding, which Brasington previously studied.

Brasington found Ohio communities that voted to renew parks and recreation spending see 13% higher home values three years after the vote than similar communities that voted against the tax renewals. While cuts to park funding initially didn't have an effect on house prices, the effects grew in the following years.

"The parks and recreation cuts take a while to be noticeable, whereas the fire protection failure drops house prices right away but doesn't persist," Brasington said. "They're like the opposite sides of a coin."

For both parks and fire protection, Brasington said, the studies show that those services matter to residents and are worth the investment.

More information: David M. Brasington et al, Fire protection services and house prices: A regression discontinuity investigation, Regional Science and Urban Economics (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.regsciurbeco.2024.103984
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Kristine Birkeli is one of the biology students at the University of Bergen who has provided significant assistance in the project. Credit: Pal Thorvaldsen

Climate change has resulted in increasingly extreme weather events worldwide. NIBIO research scientist Pal Thorvaldsen is among the many scientists who participated in a large international drought experiment initiated by the University of Michigan, U.S. He explains that climate change may lead to more frequent occurrences of short-term extreme drought.

"Previously, short-term extreme droughts could occur every 100 years. According to some climate scenarios, we can expect them to happen every five to 10 years in the future," the researcher says.

The scientists examined grass- and shrub-dominated ecosystemsboth vital grazing areas for livestock. The results show that plant growth was reduced by a whopping 60% during short-term extreme drought in grasslands, compared to areas with moderate drought.

"It is concerning to witness such a drastic reduction in plant growth in ecosystems that are so crucial for food production," Thorvaldsen remarks.

Important to prevent pastures from drying out

The scientists investigated 170 sites worldwide. The results revealed a significant reduction in plant production in the studied ecosystems after one year of extreme drought.

"After just one year, the results showed a decrease of almost 40% in biomass in the grass-dominated ecosystems. This is nearly double the reduction observed in the shrub-dominated ecosystems, which had a decrease of about 20%. This is quite serious for farmers relying on pasture for their animals," says Thorvaldsen.

"It seems to be beneficial to have an element of shrubs or trees in pastures. This affects the microclimate and reduces radiation."

Although extreme drought rarely occurs simultaneously in all of Norway's key agricultural regions, the research scientist believes access to watering systems could become important to ensure food supply in the future.

Coastal heathland at Store Buya, after six years of simulated drought with 90% coverage. Vegetation coverage remains high, but one can see how certain plants have withered. Credit: Pal Thorvaldsen

Preventing these ecosystems from drying out is crucial for global food production, but also for the climate accounts.

"Globally, the ecosystems we studied cover between 30% and 40% of the Earth's surface and store more than 30% of the Earth's carbon storage. Plant production is one of the key factors in the carbon cycle. When plant production is reduced, less CO 2 is absorbed from the atmosphere," explains the researcher.

"Understanding how plants and ecosystems respond to climate change will be extremely important moving forward."

Norwegian coastal heathlands tolerate drought well

The Norwegian research team were responsible for six sites around the country. All were pasture areas with coastal heathland dominated by heather, an evergreen dwarf shrub. On each site, the researchers set up nine cages measuring 3.5 x 3.5 meters. Three of the cages were open control fields without roofs. The other six cages contained roofs with plastic panels with openings between each panel. In three cages the plastic panels covered 60% of the roof, and in three cages the panels covered 90% of the roof.

These transparent roofs were set up 80 cm above the ground to allow light and air to reach the plants. Due to infiltration of moisture from the surrounding area, soil moisture was measured using soil moisture meters.

"The results from the Norwegian costal heathlands showed that they are surprisingly resistant to drought. After three years of drought experiments, we couldn't detect changes in the plant compositioneven in areas simulating extreme drought where we reduced rainfall by 90%. We also found no significant reduction in productivity," says Thorvaldsen.

"We could see that the plants suffered drought damage and withered much earlier in the autumn. But when spring came, the plants were just as strong again."

The Norwegian project was extended for an additional three years, and now the research team are starting to analyze the complete dataset after six years of extreme drought.

Provided by Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research
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Cladonia, a lichen, grows in a white puff only a few inches above a carpet of a moss called Pleurozium. Like the iconic black spruce (Picea) of the boreal belt, they harbor diverse endophytic fungi that live symbiotically within their healthy tissues. Credit: Betsy Arnold

Spruce, pine, fir and other trees tower across the frigid swaths of land that span North America, northern Europe and Russia in a great ring around the world. These boreal forests constitute the largest land ecosystem and the northernmost forests on Earth.

Nestled within the photosynthetic, or light-eating, tissue of the boreal treesand within the bountiful cloud-like lichens and feathery mosses that carpet the ground between themare fungi. These fungi are endophytes, meaning they live within plants, often in a mutually beneficial arrangement.

"To be a plant is to live in a fungal world," said Betsy Arnold, a professor in the School of Plant Sciences in the College of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences and the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology in the College of Science and a member of the Bio5 Institute. "Endophytic fungi are vital to the health of plants in ways that aren't yet totally understood, but what we do know from endophytes in general is that they're very good at protecting plants against disease and helping plants be more resilient to environmental stressors, like heat. They've been part of an important revolution in our thinking about plants."

Over a decade ago, Arnold and her team set out on a monthlong adventure deep into the wilderness of northeastern Canada to understand how these fungal species adapted across different microenvironments and how they might fare under future climate change.

They found great diversity among the fungi and that they were adapted in highly specific ways to their local conditions, implying that they will be sensitive to future changes in climate. With the health of fungi so closely tied to the health of their hosts, these findings have implications for the overall health of future boreal forests and for our planet.

"Boreal forests are central to our planet's carbon and water cycles," Arnold said. "And our work highlights that they are home to some of the most evolutionarily diverse fungal endophytes in the worldendophytes that are found nowhere else."

After over a decade of analysis, their findings were published in the journal Current Biology.

"Our collaborative study shed light on the diversity in the boreal biome of newly discovered endophytic fungi and their sensitivity to climate," said study co-lead author Shuzo Oita, who completed his doctoral studies in Arnold's lab and is now a research scientist at Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd. "Endophytes are often overlooked because they occur in healthy plant tissues, but their importance in biodiversity and ecosystems has been revealed recently."

Flying for fungi

Collecting the data to come to this conclusion was a gargantuan effort that required Arnold and her colleagues to undertake some of the most intense fieldwork of her life, she said.

For a month during the summer of 2011, the team contracted with an expert pilot "to access places where the roads don't go," Arnold said. The team of six traversed the southern boreal forests of Canada all the way up to the edge of the Arctic tundra, landing their float plane in lakes along the way.

Betsy Arnold and her team accessed remote areas of the boreal forests of eastern North America by floatplane. A view from the window shows spruce trees growing from a carpet of moss and lichens, and the lake on which the researchers were to land. Credit: Betsy Arnold

Thirty-six times they took off and landed among remote lakes dotting the landscape. Typically, they spent about six to 24 hours at each sample site.

By day, they collected healthy spruce tree leaves and fresh mosses and lichens from the ground, stowing their scientific treasure in zip-close bags as they went. They also drilled tree ring cores, hoping to reveal their pasts, such as their age and wildfire exposure. They also measured various forest characteristics to understand how plants vary across the landscape.

By night, as the northern lights fluttered overhead, they processed their samples in portable laboratories inside the pilots' quarters. They surface-sterilized fresh tissues to prepare them for DNA extraction and isolated fungal cultures to visualize and document strains living within their samples.

"We often worked until 2 or 3 in the morning and would sleep for a few hours before flying on to the next site," Arnold said. The long days paid off: "In the fungal world, an hour of fieldwork is a year of characterization and a decade of potential analysis. And in just a few weeks' time, we covered a lot of ground."

As they traveled from the warmer southern regions to the colder north, they repeated their sampling at approximately 100-mile intervals. They also sampled along a single band of latitude that was equally vast but represented very little change in climate, Arnold said.

They strategically sampled in these two dimensions to ensure that any differences in fungal biodiversity were truly driven by environmental differences rather than distance alone. Together, they flew nearly 1,500 miles in the DeHavilland Otter that was their mobile home, often sharing their traveling space with extra tanks of fuel.

Older studies have examined the correlation between biodiversity and latitude, which is often used as a proxy for climate. These studies found that in general, life becomes more diverse closer to the equator, Arnold said. For example, for many groups of organisms, those in tropical rainforests are more biodiverse than those in the Arctic tundra.

It turns out, it's not that simple when it comes to fungi in the boreal zone.

"We show that boreal fungal communities don't necessarily change with climate in the same predictable way as plant communities. Instead, the effect of climate on these fungi is highly dependent on both the fungal species and the host," said co-lead author Jana U'Ren, who completed her doctoral work and conducted the laboratory analysis for this project as a postdoctoral scientist with Arnold before moving to Washington State University. "This means that we need to protect plants and their fungal endophytes across the boreal biome, and not just in one location, or we risk losing vital biodiversity and protective fungi in these important forests."

Arnold thinks that the special climate dependence of these fungal endophytes reflects a process of co-evolution with their hostsor "research and development," as she put itas plants find the ideal endophyte partner and flourish despite the distinctive stresses that plants face in these harsh northern landscapes.

The team flew from lake to lake in a DeHavilland Otter with expert pilot Jacques Berube (center) providing access to remote sites for the project's field team, under the co-leadership of Francois Lutzoni (left) of Duke University and UArizona's Betsy Arnold. Credit: Betsy Arnold

"Endophytes are found all around the world, but there are distinctive ones in different environments. We think that symbioses with endophytes are, in part, how plants overcome environmental challenges at a global scalethat is, with their internal fungal partners," Arnold said.

"There's not a lot of information about exactly what an individual endophyte does for an individual plant. So, our study is foundational in the sense that we tried to figure out who these endophytes are, and how they're distributed, and how they might change with a shifting climate."

She hopes that future research can build off their findings.

"What we do know is that we're losing that biodiversity when those forests are changing, and we don't yet know what the key functional elements are," she said.

Collaborator Francois Lutzoni, a professor of biology at Duke University and co-architect of this study with Arnold, agreed.

"This was some of the most complex fieldwork I have ever done, but also one of the most exhilarating research experiences I have had," Lutzoni said.

"To document biodiversity in our changing world is essential research. The specimens we collected are deposited in herbaria and therefore have lasting value to understand how species, their distributions, their genes and the ecosystems they inhabit change over time. In turn, the best way for herbaria to serve the scientific community is by being integrated with research labs in world-class universities."

Within this mindset, Arnold is now working to use home-grown Arizona endophytes to enhance crop resilience in this changing world.

"Just like boreal forests harbor an unexpected diversity of endophytes, so too do plants here in Arizona," Arnold said. "Our next steps are to tap these rich and ancient endophytes as tools for helping plants thrive. Ultimately, we hope that by understanding these fungi at a global scale, we can not only chart the past and future of a key element of our planet's biodiversity, but we also can harness those in our local areas to make crops thrive with limited water and rising temperatures. You might say that the future is fungal."

Other co-authors are Jolanta Miadlikowska from Duke University, Bernard Ball from University College Dublin and Duke University, Ignazio Carbone from North Carolina State University, Georgiana May from the University of Minnesota, Naupaka B. Zimmerman from the University of San Francisco, Denis Valle from the University of Florida and Valerie Trouet from the University of Arizona Laboratory of Tree Ring Research.

More information: Jana M. U'Ren et al, Environmental drivers and cryptic biodiversity hotspots define endophytes in Earth's largest terrestrial biome, Current Biology (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.01.063
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Mapping of the 8 test substances to the MetaMapTox database demonstrates that the three MoA categories are only moderately separated in metabolomics (biological) response space. Results show bootstrap PCA scores plots for a female, b male rats using historic MetaMapTox metabolomics data for 29 substances (including the 8 ring-trial test substances), each at two doses, and spanning 8 known MoAs (plus no-treatment as a negative control). Input metabolomics data were bootstrapped to generate 100 pseudo-samples per treatment (for historic and new study data) that were split into 70 training and 30 test samples; the PCA model was calculated on the training set (historic data only, not shown) and then used to predict the 30 test samples per treatment (for historic and new study data). Historical data are shown in gray (for all 29 substances) to denote the biological response space, and the 8 test substances in the ring trial are colored to represent the three MoA categories (gold: anemia, green: androgen receptor activity, blue: peroxisome proliferator). Input metabolomics data are represented by stars, bootstrapped test data by circles. Credit: Archives of Toxicology (2024). DOI: 10.1007/s00204-024-03680-y

Scientists have discovered a more robust way of grouping chemicals and using read-across for toxicological data to meet regulatory requirements, which could greatly reduce animal testing.

The safety of chemicals is taken incredibly seriously by regulators, and as such, industry must meet certain criteria if they are trying to get a new chemical approved for use; often this is done by testing the chemicals on rats.

Grouping and read-across is an EU-approved approach that allows new chemicals that are structurally similar to other already-approved chemicals to have the same toxicology information copied across to them for approval to be brought to market. But this process is unreliable and the majority of new chemical grouping and read-across submissions are rejected by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA).

But now a method using metabolomics, published in Archives in Toxicology, could be the key to making the grouping read-across process more effective.

The study is from the MATCHING consortium, which is led by the University of Birmingham, in partnership with BASF, BASF Metabolome Solutions, ECHA, Imperial College London, Syngenta, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and the US Environmental Protection Agency.

Mark Viant, Professor of Metabolomics at the University of Birmingham, said, "Chemicals fall into three categories of drugs, pesticides and industrial chemicals, and we are exposed to some of these every single day of our lives. Industrial chemicals are not intended for direct exposure to humans or the environment, but inevitably this will happen, so the toxicology information must be accurate. Instead of only measuring the structural similarity of the chemicals to form groups, we have found that by using metabolomics to measure the biological responses of the chemicals, we can make the grouping and read across more reliable."

To see if metabolomics would be more effective, six international labs conducted the same experiment. The researchers were all sent common plasma samples from rats that had been tested with eight chemicals. The teams did not know what the chemicals were and had to correctly group them using metabolomics.

The scientists looked for diagnostic metabolic biomarkers, which provide a detailed picture of the health of the rat. By using a "shotgun approach" like metabolomics, scientists could measure thousands of markers, such as amino acids and lipids, using mass spectrometry. This helped the labs group the eight chemicals into two groups of three and one of two chemicals.

All the results were then sent to the European Chemicals Agency, which compiled them before the findings were revealed to the whole consortium. The five labs whose data passed quality control all discovered the same grouping. This is the first time that the use of metabolomics for grouping has been proven to be a reproducible method.

Katherine Santizo from Cefic-LRI explains, "This is a massive step forward to improve the existing grouping and read-across approach. The fact that five labs from different countries all got the same, correct results while using different methods and instruments, their own procedures and statistical analysis shows that metabolomics is a reliable method."

This is good news for the phasing out of rat testing, as the purpose of grouping and read-across is to reduce the number of chemicals that must be tested on rats. But, due to the high percentage of chemicals that are currently rejected, this is not always the case.

Professor Viant explained, "Rats are not a good model for humans in the first place and reproducibility of rat testing is not great. As well as this, the toxicity tests for just one chemical may require more than 1,000 rats. With tens of thousands of chemicals requiring testing in Europe, and while not all of these require the same level of testing, a lot of them will end up being tested on rats. Even without the ethical considerations, this is a costly and slow process. So, by making the grouping and read-across approach more robust by using metabolomics, the number of lab rats being tested could be dramatically cut."

Tomasz Sobanski, Team Leader for Alternative Methods in the Computational Assessment and Alternative Methods Unit, ECHA, said, "The need to demonstrate the reliability of metabolomics was first identified during one of our workshops in 2016. We are very impressed with the results of this research, and we believe that they will improve the grouping and read-across. We hope that learnings from this research will be included in new guidance for the chemical industry to allow commercial laboratories to provide these services widely.

"For me personally, this is a model example of how regulatory challenges can be addressed through knowledge, science and collaboration. This achievement was possible because regulators were able to clearly communicate their needs, the scientific community wanted to address them, and the industry was willing to support. I believe that ultimately this research will help us to better protect health and the environment while avoiding unnecessary testing on animals."

More information: Mark R. Viant et al, Demonstrating the reliability of in vivo metabolomics based chemical grouping: towards best practice, Archives of Toxicology (2024). DOI: 10.1007/s00204-024-03680-y
A high-level delegation from the civil aviation sector of Saudi Arabia will conduct a series of official visits to Singapore, China, and the United States from February 19-29, to explore collaborations on air connectivity and economic growth.

Headed by the President of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), Abdulaziz Al-Duailej, the delegation will present the kingdoms initiatives outlined in the Saudi Aviation Strategy that projects a $100 billion investment aimed at meeting the target of 330 million passengers by 2030.

The visit will start in Singapore, where the Saudi delegation will attend the Changi Aviation Summit and the Singapore Airshow, followed by a visit to Beijing, Zhengzhou, and Shanghai in China.

It will conclude with a visit to Seattle and Anaheim in the United States where the delegation will attend the HAI Heli Expo.

During these visits, Abdulaziz Al-Duailej will engage in a series of bilateral meetings and discussions with his counterparts, at the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, the Civil Aviation Authority of China, and the Federal Aviation Administration of the United States.

Furthermore, the delegation will meet with industry leaders and key stakeholders of the aviation sector during roundtables to showcase the most recent achievements and the unparalleled opportunities enabled by the implementation of the Saudi Aviation Strategy.  TradeArabia News Service
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Artists concept of a collision between two objects in the distant Kuiper Belt. Such collisions are a major source of dust in the belt, along with particles kicked up from Kuiper Belt objects being peppered by microscopic dust impactors from outside of the solar system. Credit: Dan Durda, FIAAA

New observations from NASA's New Horizons spacecraft hint that the Kuiper Beltthe vast, distant outer zone of our solar system populated by hundreds of thousands of icy, rocky planetary building blocksmight stretch much farther out than we thought.

Speeding through the outer edges of the Kuiper Belt, almost 60 times farther from the sun than Earth, the New Horizons Venetia Burney Student Dust Counter (SDC) instrument is detecting higher than expected levels of dustthe tiny frozen remnants of collisions between larger Kuiper Belt objects (KBOs) and particles kicked up from KBOs being peppered by microscopic dust impactors from outside of the solar system.

The readings defy scientific models that the KBO population and density of dust should start to decline a billion miles inside that distance and contribute to a growing body of evidence that suggests the outer edge of the main Kuiper Belt could extend billions of miles farther than current estimatesor that there could even be a second belt beyond the one we already know.

The results appear in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.

"New Horizons is making the first direct measurements of interplanetary dust far beyond Neptune and Pluto so that every observation could lead to a discovery," said Alex Doner, lead author of the paper and a physics graduate student at the University of Colorado Boulder who serves as SDC lead.

"The idea that we might have detected an extended Kuiper Beltwith a whole new population of objects colliding and producing more dustoffers another clue in solving the mysteries of the solar system's most distant regions."

Designed and built by students at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) at the University of Colorado Boulder under the guidance of professional engineers, SDC has detected microscopic dust grains produced by collisions among asteroids, comets and Kuiper Belt objects all along New Horizons' 5-billion-mile, 18-year journey across our solar systemwhich after launch in 2006 included historic flybys of Pluto in 2015 and the KBO Arrokoth in 2019.

The first science instrument on a NASA planetary mission to be designed, built, and "flown" by students, the SDC counts and measures the sizes of dust particles, producing information on the collision rates of such bodies in the outer solar system.

The latest, surprising results were compiled over three years as New Horizons traveled from 45 to 55 astronomical units (AU) from the sunwith one AU being the distance between Earth and the sun, about 93 million miles or 140 million kilometers.

These readings come as New Horizons scientists, using observatories like the Japanese Subaru Telescope in Hawaii, have also discovered a number of KBOs far beyond the traditional outer edge of the Kuiper Belt. This outer edge (where the density of objects starts to decline) was thought to be at about 50 AU, but new evidence suggests the belt may extend to 80 AU or farther.

As telescope observations continue, Doner said, scientists are looking at other possible reasons for the high SDC dust readings. One possibility, perhaps less likely, is radiation pressure and other factors pushing dust created in the inner Kuiper Belt out past 50 AU. New Horizons could also have encountered shorter-lived ice particles that cannot reach the inner parts of the solar system and were not yet accounted for in the current models of the Kuiper Belt.

"These new scientific results from New Horizons may be the first time that any spacecraft has discovered a new population of bodies in our solar system," said Alan Stern, New Horizons principal investigator from the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder. "I can't wait to see how much farther out these elevated Kuiper Belt dust levels go."

Now into its second extended mission, New Horizons is expected to have sufficient propellant and power to operate through the 2040s, at distances beyond 100 AU from the sun. That far out, mission scientists say, the SDC could potentially even record the spacecraft's transition into a region where interstellar particles dominate the dust environment.

With complementary telescopic observations of the Kuiper Belt from Earth, New Horizons, as the only spacecraft operating in and collecting new information about the Kuiper Belt, has a unique opportunity to learn more about KBOs, dust sources, and expanse of the belt, and interstellar dust and the dust disks around other stars.

More information: Alex Doner et al, New Horizons Venetia Burney Student Dust Counter Observes Higher than Expected Fluxes Approaching 60 au, The Astrophysical Journal Letters (2024). DOI: 10.3847/2041-8213/ad18b0

Provided by NASA
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Myotis bats roosting together. Credit: Dr. Nicole Foley/Texas A&M University School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences

Bats carry some of the deadliest zoonotic diseases that can infect both humans and animals, such as Ebola and COVID-19. In a recently-published article in the journal Cell Genomics, a Texas A&M research team has revealed that some species of bats are protected against the viruses they carry because they commonly exchange immune genes during seasonal mating swarms.

"Understanding how bats have evolved viral tolerance may help us learn how humans can better fight emerging diseases," said Dr. Nicole Foley, from the Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (VMBS). "As genomicists, our work often lays the groundwork for research by scientists who study virus transmission directly. They may be developing vaccines for diseases or monitoring vulnerable animal populations. We all depend on each other to stay ahead of the next pandemic."

Because bats are often immune to the diseases they carry, Foley and Dr. Bill Murphy, a professor in the VMBS' Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, believe that studying bats' disease immunity could hold the key to preventing the next global pandemic.

"Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the prediction and prevention of outbreaks is front of mind for researchers and the public alike," Foley said. "Several bat species are tolerant of viruses that are detrimental to human health, which means they become reservoirs for diseasethey carry the viruses, but crucially they don't develop symptoms."

Myotis bats roosting together. Credit: Dr. Nicole Foley/Texas A&M University School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences

The secret of swarming behavior

To uncover exactly how bats have evolved tolerance to these deadly viruses, Foley, Murphy, and their international research partners mapped the evolutionary tree of Myotis bats, something they knew to be crucial in trying to identify which genes might be involved.

"Myotis bats are the second-largest genus of mammals, with over 140 species," she said. "They're found almost all over the world and they host a large diversity of viruses."

To add to the difficulties associated with figuring out relationships among species, Myotis and other bat species also engage in swarming behavior during mating.

"You can think of swarming behavior like a social gathering; there's lots of flight activity, increased communication and inter-species mingling; for bats, it's not unlike going to a club," Foley said.

Complicating things for the researchers, swarming creates increased numbers of hybridsindividual bats with parents from different species.

"The problem with Myotis bats is that there are so many species, about 130, but they all look very similar," Foley said. "It can be very hard to distinguish them from each other, and then hybridization makes it even more difficult. If we're trying to map out how these bats evolved so we can understand their disease immunity, being able to tell who's who is very important."

A myotis bat, hunting. Credit: Dr. Nicole Foley/Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences

Untangling hybridization

With this in mind, to create a map of the true relationships between Myotis bats, Foley and Murphy first untangled the genetic code for hybridization so they could tell more clearly which species were which.

"We collaborated with researchers from Ireland, France and Switzerland to sequence the genomes of 60 Myotis bat species," she explained. "That allowed us to figure out which parts of the DNA represented the species' true evolutionary history and which parts arose from hybridization."

With that part of the puzzle solved, the researchers were finally able to examine the genetic code more closely to see how it might shed light on disease immunity.

They found that immune genes were some of those most frequently exchanged between species while swarming.

"Swarming behavior has always been a bit of a mystery for researchers," Foley said. "Now we have a better understanding of why this particular behavior evolvedperhaps to promote hybridization, which helps spread beneficial immune gene variants more widely throughout the population."

Long-eared myotis bat. Credit: Dr. Nicole Foley/Texas A&M University School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences

Long-eared myotis bat. Credit: Dr. Nicole Foley/Texas A&M University School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences

New questions for researchers

Foley and Murphy's findings have opened the doors to new questions about the importance of hybridization in evolution.

"Hybridization played a much bigger role in our findings than we anticipated," Foley noted. "These results have led us to wonder to what extent hybridization has obscured genomicists' knowledge of mammalian evolutionary history, so far. Now, we're hoping to identify other instances where hybridization has occurred among mammals and see what we can learn about how they are related and even how and why genomes are organized the way that they are," she said.

More information: Nicole M. Foley et al, Karyotypic stasis and swarming influenced the evolution of viral tolerance in a species-rich bat radiation, Cell Genomics (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.xgen.2023.100482
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The first-ever photograph of the Yellow-crested Helmetshrike, or Prionops alberti, was taken during a recent expedition led by scientists at The University of Texas at El Paso. Credit: Matt Brady, The University of Texas at El Paso

For the first time, scientists have captured photos of a bird long thought lost. Known as the Yellow-crested Helmetshrike, or Prionops alberti, the species is listed as a 'lost bird' by the American Bird Conservancy because it had not seen in nearly two decades.

University of Texas at El Paso scientists made the discovery during a six-week expedition to the Itombwe Massif, a mountain range in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The photos of the helmetshrikes have been reviewed and confirmed by Cameron Rutt, Ph.D., who leads the Lost Birds project at the American Bird Conservancy.

"It was a mind-blowing experience to come across these birds. We knew they might be possible here, but I was not prepared for how spectacular and unique they would appear in life," said Michael Harvey, Ph.D., an ornithologist and UTEP assistant professor in the Department of Biological Sciences.

Harvey co-led the expedition with UTEP Professor of Biological Sciences Eli Greenbaum, Ph.D. They were joined by ornithologist Matt Brady, as well as a group of Congolese researchers from the Centre de Recherche en Sciences Naturelles, including Chifundera Kusamba, Ph.D., Robert Kizungu Byamana, Chance Bahati Muhigirwa, Mwenebatu M. Aristote, and Wandege M. Muninga.

The team trekked by foot for over 75 miles through the depths of the Itombwe Massif, studying birds, amphibians, and reptiles along the way.

While exploring the cloud forests on the slopes of a mountain, Harvey and Brady stumbled upon the helmetshrikea striking black bird with a bright yellow "helmet." The team said they appeared as rather "noisy and active groups in the midstory of the forest."

The bird is endemic to the western slopes of the Albertine Rift of Central Africa, according to Harvey, a region that has been largely inaccessible due to war and security issues but that has recently become safer to visit.

In total, about 18 birds were found at three sites during the expedition.

"This inspires hope that perhaps the species still has a reasonably healthy population in the remote forests of the region," Harvey said. "But mining and logging, as well as the clearing of forests for agriculture, are making inroads deep into the forests of the Itombwe range. We are in discussions with other researchers and conservation organizations to further efforts to protect the region's forests and the helmetshrike."

Harvey added, "Right now is a golden opportunity to protect these tropical forests so that we don't lose species like the helmetshrike before they are known and studied."

The expedition, which ran from December 2023 to January 2024, yielded other important discoveries. The herpetology team rediscovered the Red-bellied Squeaker Frog, or Arthroleptis hematogaster, which had not been seen since the 1950s. The frog rediscovery has been confirmed by David Blackburn, Ph.D., professor at the University of Florida's Museum of Natural History.

"UTEP's global impact is showcased through not just the accomplishments of its graduates but also through groundbreaking and captivating discoveries, exemplified here by the contributions of Drs. Greenbaum and Harvey," said UTEP College of Science Dean Robert Kirken, Ph.D. "I hope this discovery illuminates and inspires students and scientists worldwide."
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Picture of the experimental set-up. This image is a demonstration of the types of cups and choicer used. Three cups were used in the actual experiment. Credit: Biology Letters (2024). DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2023.0547

A pair of animal behaviorists at the National University of Singapore, has found, via testing, that Oriental pied hornbills have object permanence levels comparable to apes. In their paper published in the journal Biology Letters, Ruitong Yao and Elias Garcia-Pelegrin, describe how they tested object permanence levels in several captive Oriental pied hornbills.

Object permanence is the ability to remember or know that something still exists even if it is out of sight. Prior research has shown that just two bird species have such an ability; corvids and parrots. In this new effort, the research team has found that a third species, Oriental pied hornbills, also have the ability.

To learn more about object permeance in Oriental pied hornbills, the researchers tested six of the birds that are housed at a test facility at the National University of Singapore. They chose to test the birds because prior research has shown that they demonstrate a form of object permanence in naturemales bring treats to females and hatchlings despite not being able to see them because they are hidden behind protective constructs. Each of the birds was tested in multiple ways, with tests growing progressively more difficult.

All the tests involved first training the birds to show where a treat was sitting by pecking at it, or in its direction. The birds were then placed one by one in a cage with a screen on it that they could look through as the researchers manipulated and hid treats beneath small red cups. After each manipulation, the bird was asked to indicate where it thought the treat was, by pecking through the screen at one of the red cups.

In the initial stage, a treat was placed under a cup as a bird watched, it was then asked to point out which cup was hiding the treat. Over the next several stages, a treat was placed under various cups, then moved to other cups before the bird was asked where it was.

The final test involved invisible displacement, where a bird was allowed to watch as a treat was placed under a box, it was then prevented from seeing where the treat was moved tobut it had not been moved at all. Upon showing the birds that the treat was not under a cup, half of the birds shifted to pecking at the box, assuming it had been left there.

More information: Ruitong Yao et al, Oriental pied hornbills ( Anthracoceros albirostris ) solve invisible displacement tasks in a test of Piagetian object permanence, Biology Letters (2024). DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2023.0547 Journal information: Biology Letters

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Graphical abstract. Credit: ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering (2024). DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.3c01668

Researchers from Bochum and Dortmund have created an artificial cell environment that could promote the regeneration of nerves. Usually, injuries to the brain or spinal cord don't heal easily due to the formation of fluid-filled cavities and scars that prevent tissue regeneration.

One starting point for medical research is therefore to fill the cavities with a substance that offers neural stem cells optimal conditions for proliferation and differentiation. The team from Ruhr University Bochum and TU Dortmund University, both in Germany, showed that positively charged hydrogels can promote the survival and growth of stem cells.

Dr. Kristin Glotzbach and Professor Andreas Faissner from the Department of Cell Morphology and Molecular Neurobiology in Bochum cooperated with Professor Ralf Weberskirch and Dr. Nils Stamm from the Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at TU Dortmund University. They describe the findings in the journal ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering.

Positively charged hydrogels promote survival and differentiation

The researchers studied neural stem cells from mouse embryonic brains, which they cultivated on positively charged hydrogels. "Our aim was to create an artificial environment for cells that mimics the natural cell environment in the brain," says Kristin Glotzbach.

"Cells have a negatively charged coating, also known as a pericellular matrix. This means they adhere particularly well to positively charged substrates." The trick with the hydrogels used in the experiments was that the strength of their positive charge could be precisely adjusted.

As the experiments showed, the positively charged hydrogels facilitated the survival of the cells and affected their future fate. If the stem cells adhered to hydrogels with a high positive charge, the cells tended to develop into nerve cells. On gels with a lower positive charge, on the other hand, the stem cells mainly developed into glial cells, which perform important auxiliary functions for the nerve cells.

The ability to influence whether stem cells differentiate into nerve or glial cells would be a great advantage. "Depending on the injury, different cell types need to be replaced," explains Kristin Glotzbach. It's not only the regeneration of nerve cells that is important.

"In certain diseases, glial cells are also attacked and need to be replaced. In multiple sclerosis, for example, the insulation of the nerve cells, which is made of oligodendrocytes, is destroyed."

Addition of growth factor improves survival rate

When the researchers added the growth factor FGF2 to the positively charged hydrogels, they successfully increased the survival and division rate of the cells. But the differentiation into nerve and glial cells then occurred at a slower pace.

"In future studies, we intend to add peptides or components of extracellular matrix molecules to the positively charged gels in order to simulate the natural environment of the cells even more efficiently," says Kristin Glotzbach. The researchers also plan to experiment with three-dimensional gels that could fill cavities after brain injuries.

More information: Kristin Glotzbach et al, Cationic Hydrogels Modulate Neural Stem and Progenitor Cell Proliferation and Differentiation Behavior in Dependence of Cationic Moiety Concentration in 2D Cell Culture, ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering (2024). DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.3c01668
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Average (columns) and minimal (black circles) correlations (R2) over the PL-REX dataset. Credit: Nature Communications (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45431-8

A research team from the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences / IOCB Prague has developed a novel computational method that can accurately describe how proteins interact with molecules of potential drugs and can do so in a mere tens of minutes. This new quantum-mechanical scoring function can thus markedly expedite the search for new drugs. The research has been published in the journal Nature Communications.

The study demonstrates that this is the first universally applicable method of its kind. IOCB Prague computational experts tested it on 10 proteins of different levels of structural complexity, each binding a large variety of small molecules (usually referred to as ligands). They then compared their results not only with those of other corresponding methods, but also with findings of laboratory experiments, and both comparisons turned out very favorably.

"Of course, we are not the only ones working on this. There are several such methods. Usually, however, their speed is offset by low accuracy whereas more accurate calculations can take several days. Our methods are unique in that they can process information about large molecular systems within tens of minutes while retaining the benefits of much more demanding quantum-mechanical calculations," explains Jan Rezac, corresponding author of the article from the Non-Covalent Interactions group led by Prof. Pavel Hobza.

Jan Rezac from IOCB Prague about SQM2.20. Credit: IOCB Prague

Experts from this group have been studying intermolecular interactions for a long time. In this research they focus mainly on biomolecules, and the results of their work directly bear on the computer-aided design of drugs. The reason is that when scientists work toward a new drug, they often look for molecules that bind strongly to a particular protein.

Identifying them, however, is akin to finding needles in a haystack, as large numbers of molecules have to be tested to set apart those that show promise. This considerably slows down the discovery of medicinal substances and makes it more expensive. By predicting the strength of proteinligand binding, and thus singling out molecules that best satisfy a defined set of criteria, computational chemists spare the work of experimenters, which, in turn, significantly accelerates drug discovery.

More information: Adam Pecina et al, SQM2.20: Semiempirical quantum-mechanical scoring function yields DFT-quality proteinligand binding affinity predictions in minutes, Nature Communications (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45431-8 Journal information: Nature Communications
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Ugandan vet Adrian Okello marks a vaccinated dog. Credit: University of Zurich

Around the world, someone dies from rabies every nine minutes of every day. Uganda records more than 130 rabies deaths annually, but the number of unreported rabies fatalities there is presumably much higher. Dog bites are the cause of more than 95% of all rabies cases.

When someone is bitten by a rabid animal, a race against time begins because it's a death sentence once the virus has reached the brain through neural pathways and the infected person presents the first symptoms. The closer a dog bite wound is to a person's head, the less time there is to take action.

"To survive, the bite victim must receive a post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) before the virus reaches neural pathways and the spinal cord," UZH veterinary epidemiologist Sonja Hartnack explains. However, that's easier said than done in Uganda: Only 20% of animal bite victims receive all five doses of the necessary PEP regimen.

"Frequently, there are not enough PEP medications on hand and the bite victim gets sent to another health care center, which sometimes is far away," says Hartnack, who is investigating the rabies problem onsite in Uganda together with research partners at the country's Makarere University.

An entire family ill with rabies

Since rabies is mainly a disease of poverty, not everyone can afford transportation to a health care center. Also, those affected sometimes don't consult a doctor after a dog bite because they don't know it's necessary, or they contact a traditional healer who casts out demons.

"Children are the most frequent victims of dog bites. There have been tragic isolated cases in which children kept a dog bite incident secret from parents and the entire family ended up falling ill with rabies," Hartnack relates.

If dogs were vaccinated against rabies and their vaccination status were viewable in a registry, that could spare families and the health care system from having to undergo and administer PEP treatment. Hartnack says that it would be much cheaper to vaccinate dogs to prevent rabies transmission than it is to treat dog bite victims. At the same time, this would mean less suffering for both dogs and people.

This holistic approach of thinking about and promoting the heath of animals, humans, and the environment interconnectedly is called One Health. "It results not just in better care for people and animals, but also reduces costs," Hartnack says. She is working on a One Health research project dubbed "eRabies" in collaboration with the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity (CoVAB) at UZH partner institution Makerere University and in cooperation with the Veterinary Public Health Institute at the University of Bern and the University of Zurich Travel Clinic.

The stated goal of the project is to largely eradicate rabies through vaccination and education campaigns, improved diagnostics, and case surveillance. The project is thus in line with the objectives of the World Health Organization (WHO), which is striving to end human deaths from rabies transmitted by dog bites by 2030.

Responsible dog ownership

There are a variety of reasons why the majority of dog owners in Uganda do not get their animals vaccinated. "Some people fear that vaccination lets loose wicked demons in dogs," Hartnack says. "Or that it makes watchdogs more timid." In refugee camps, in contrast, vaccination is often rejected because dogs also serve as food for people.

As part of the eRabies project, researchers are trialing four different vaccination campaigns to find out how to motivate dog owners most effectively to vaccinate their animals. At the same time, CoVAB veterinarian Samuel Okech is working together with school boards and teachers in the two study sites Kyegegwa and Soroti: The objective is to give students classroom instruction on better ways to look after and handle dogs.

Students practice proper behavior to keep from getting bitten, and teachers make responsible dog ownership a subject of classroom discussion. Alongside sheltering and feeding a dog, this also includes basic veterinary care such as vaccination.

Dogs are slayed

In only 8% of bite incidents is it known whether the offending dog was previously vaccinated against rabies. This makes it difficult for doctors to gauge whether a bite victim needs PEP treatment because, on one hand, PEP entails high costs for the family involved, and on the other hand, doctors would like to conserve the scarce PEP medications for those patients who truly need them.

To ensure, as far as possible, that life-saving PEP is administered only in actual rabies cases, doctors have to know whether the dog was really infected because oftentimes bite attacks are incited by other reasons: when a dog has been angered, for instance, or when a mother dog is protecting her puppies.

"Moreover, some owners give their watchdogs opium to make them more aggressive, and stray dogs are poisoned with strychnine," Hartnack says. "Both active substances cause cramping that can be mistaken for rabies."

A biopsy of the animal's brain tissue is the only way to ascertain with absolute certainty whether a dog carries the rabies virus. However, villagers or dog owners often slay canines after a bite incident. "Owners could send the dog's head to a laboratory for a biopsy, but they fear that sending a decapitated dog's head might get them accused of engaging in witchcraft," Hartnack says. Together with a Ph.D. student, Hartnack is working on solving the unconventional delivery problem and is additionally searching for alternative ways to test dogs for rabies in the field.

A decision-making tool for medical staff is also provided by an app called REACT developed by the nonprofit organization Mission Rabies. This electronic case management system for bite incidents collects information on all material circumstances surrounding the incident and enables a dialogue between veterinarians and human medical doctors because bite victims often get in touch with vets first.

Many talented young people

In addition to her research work, a lot of Hartnack's energy goes into establishing contacts that make new collaborations between Switzerland and Uganda possible. A new joint project in Queen Elizabeth National Park came about this way. Its objective is to analyze rabies viruses in wildlife, domestic animals, and humans with the assistance of a laboratory technician specially trained for this purpose and a master's student. The project enables researchers to investigate how different virus strains spread.

It is very important to Hartnack that science yields benefits for both sides and supports the education of Ugandans. "The average age in Uganda is around 15there are a lot of talented young people," the veterinarian says. In the past, Western researchers and pharmaceutical companies helped themselves too frequently to interesting specimens in the country with no benefit for Uganda itself. "It takes a lot of sensitivity to deal with post-colonialism," Hartnack says.

In her everyday work, she follows the 11 principles of fair cooperation drafted by the Commission for Research Partnerships with Developing Countries. Responsible research in emerging and developing countries is based on a reflective attitude toward indigenous people, Hartnack explains. "We are colleagues joining forces to improve the situation."
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Ax throwing, sledding, and a warm bonfire made up some of the activities for the Hague Winterfest held at Hague Fish and Game Club.

We had lots of family fun. We had the frying pan toss  very hard. Theyre going to be doing some ax throwing, chainsaw competition, and I think thats three cuts through the log. Its mainly the kids are just having so much fun, said Valerie Lawrence, a member of Hague Fish and Game Club.

Kids participated in sledding, coloring, giant Jenga, and a kids version of the frying pan toss competition.

For the adults, ax throwing really drew in the competitors.

I think the ax throwing competition is the biggest thing now, like everyone is into it, Lawrence said. The last few years  actually, the Hague Winter Carnival used to be huge, and just recently its just more here and at Silver Bay and at the fire department in Hague.

The Silver Bay YMCA, Hague Volunteer Fire Department, and Trout House Village Resort also hosted events for the Winterfest.

A polar plunge took place on Sunday, Feb. 18 at 2 p.m. at the dock at Trout House Village Resort.

Its for the childrens hospital in Vermont. Thats in memory of Katy Wells who started that years ago, and she has passed, so its in memory, Lawrence said.

The polar plunge cost $5 to jump and $15 for a shirt. All proceeds raised will go toward the Vermont Childrens Hospital in honor of Katy Wells, a volunteer with the Hague Volunteer Fire Department who passed unexpectedly. The total raised was not available at press time.
Oman Avenues Mall, the ultimate family shopping destination located in the heart of the city, has announced the addition of a Babyshop to its range of retail offerings.

The grand opening of Babyshop at Oman Avenues Mall on February 14 was attended by top executives from Lulu Group International and Landmark Group. Ushering in a new era of shopping excellence at the Mall, the new Babyshop store sprawls across 600 sq m of prime retail space, boasting an extensive array of childrens apparel, accessories, toys, and baby gear.

With a commitment to premium quality and an unmatched variety, the store endeavours to become the go-to destination for families seeking the best for their little ones.

Retailer diversity

Gogi George, General Manager of Leasing and Development for Lulu Group International, said: "The launch of this popular brand enriches our existing portfolio, elevating the diversity of retailers available to our cherished shoppers. We eagerly anticipate further collaborations with Landmark Group, promising more exciting brand introductions in the future."

Oman Avenues Mall recently extended its strategic collaboration with the Landmark Group, ushering in the expansion of the malls retail portfolio with popular fashion and accessory brands. The introduction of MAX Fashion to the malls retail repertoire in 2023, brought patrons an extensive selection of high-quality, stylish, and affordable attire for men, women, and children. Following its resounding success, MAX Fashion is now poised for a substantial expansion to the Malls first floor, resulting in 1,500 sq m of fashion-forward shopping brilliance.--TradeArabia News Service
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In the early part of the 20th century, three African American women served as pioneers in the Black beauty industry: Annie Turnbo Malone, Madam C.J. Walker and Sara Spencer Washington, a former Atlantic City resident.

Even though all three women died before the civil rights and Black power eras of the 1960s and the Afrocentric movement of the 1990s, they didnt receive much appreciation for their accomplishments until the last 10 years.

During the 1990s, I think society wasnt paying attention to African-American women in business, said Royston Scott, Washingtons grandson. The focus on women during the past decade is partly because of the #MeToo movement. During the 1990s, we were not looking at our history as much.

Washington, who died at 63 in 1953 in the resort, was a Black millionaire who founded the Apex News & Hair Company in 1919 in the city. She parlayed her line of beauty and hair products into international cosmetology schools, which gave thousands of Black women financial independence by helping them to own their own salons.

Scott contributed to the recent appreciation of his grandmother by writing and producing in 2018 a half-hour documentary titled The Sara Spencer Washington Story, which is available to watch on Amazon Prime Video.

Washington helped the political career of the late Atlantic City Commissioner Horace J. Bryant Jr., who was the first Black man to run for office in Atlantic City in 1948, Scott said.

Education was important to her. Throughout her life, she kept going back to school. It was instilled in her by her mother how important education was, Scott said. She gave money to the Northside (the citys historically Black neighborhood) YMCA for recreation. She understood the importance of being part of the community.

Washington was inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame in 2021.

Black entrepreneur Sara Spencer Washington receives mural in Atlantic City ATLANTIC CITY  For most of the murals created in the resort and sponsored by the Atlantic C

Stockton University also has seen reason to honor Washingtons contributions.

The colleges Atlantic City campus presented an exhibit in March 2022 called Talking About HERstory, focusing on African American women in South Jersey who made a difference, including Washington.

Stockton chemistry professor Kelly Keenan came up with the idea and put her own money into a Sara Spencer Washington Scholarship through the Stockton University Foundation.

Four scholarships, one per year, have been awarded to date, and the initial award was distributed in spring 2020, said Allison Monroe, Stocktons assistant director of advancement services, development and alumni relations.

The scholarship has been awarded to students majoring in either biochemistry or molecular biology. The amount of the award varies each year, but to date, it has ranged between $500 and $750, Monroe said.

Recipients are expected to be full-time students in good academic standing with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0, Monroe said.

The scholarship is applied for in the fall and is awarded at the end of the academic year during a symposium when students present their research, Keenan said.

Scholarship winners also receive a copy of the book Golden Beauty Boss: The Story of Madame Sara Spencer Washington and the Apex Empire, which was written by Cheryl Woodruff-Brooks and published in 2020 by Sunbury Press, Keenan said.

A.C. library, museum to screen Sara Spencer Washington documentary ATLANTIC CITY  The Atlantic City Free Public Library and the African American Heritage Muse

She is a great, tremendous, inspiring story, Keenan said. She was impressive and deserving of recognition.

Besides Stockton, the city government has also paid tribute to Washington in recent years.

Washington received a mural in 2020, located on the exterior of a building on the southeast corner of Atlantic Avenue and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

In February 2019, City Council declared Feb. 23 Madame Sara Spencer Washington Day partly because Scott screened his documentary at the Atlantic City Free Public Library and at the African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey on that date.

Councilman Kaleem Shabazz presented the resolution.

Sara Spencer Washington was an outstanding citizen and entrepreneur, Shabazz said. There are millions of reasons to honor Sara Spencer Washington. ... She would still be an inspiration to people in 2024 if more people knew about her.

Scott said Washington followed in the footsteps of Walker, who has also received increased attention in recent years.

In January 2022, Sundial Brands announced the launch of a beauty and haircare line inspired by Walker, MADAM by Madam C.J. Walker.

Who was Sara Spencer Washington? (Look Back is an occasional series with content and images from the Atlantic County Historic

Self-Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker, which starred Academy Award winner Octavia Spencer as Walker, premiered in March 2020 on Netflix.

The limited series had a character named Addie, who was supposed to be the third African American beauty pioneer, Malone. In the series, she was portrayed as a villain, but in reality, she was believed to have shown Walker how to sell hair growing products door to door.

A 286-page book about Malone was released in 2016 titled A Friend to All Mankind: Mrs. Annie Turnbo Malone and Poro College by John H. Whitfield.

Malone has had her own historical society website for the past 11 years. The Annie Malone Historical Society plans to open a museum dedicated to her in St. Louis.
School receives valentines from around the world: Middle Township Elementary School #2 had fifth graders ask, via Facebook, students from all 50 states to create and send them Valentines Day cards.

Their post had more than 600 shares in 24 hours and almost 1,000 shares after four days, reaching locations across the globe. Ultimately, hundreds of cards poured in from all over the world.

The response has been amazing, and we are overwhelmed by all the kindness and love we have received, fifth grade teacher Laura Caron said.

More than 170 Middle fifth graders tracked the location of each card as they were received with a heart-shaped sticker on a map of the country. More than 700 stickers filled the map, as cards came in from London, Germany, Australia, Saudi Arabia  where the 177th Fighter Wing of the New Jersey Air National Guard was stationed  and more.

This project gave students across the entire grade level a chance to connect, but what could be better than the ability to do that during the most loving and supportive time of the year  Valentines Day, Principal Carrie Sinone said.

Chinese art on display: The Gallery at the Ocean City Arts Center will present the work of Chinese artists and married couple Hai Wei and Yulin Huang March 4 through 30.

A Meet the Artists reception will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. March 8.

Wei studied painting at Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts. Huang graduated from the China Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing.

I am always irrepressibly excited, striving to be vivid, as if always getting closer and closer to the beauty that can never be touched, prompting me to stand in front of the canvas and keep smearing, smearing directly, as if I am the primitive man facing the stone wall of the cave, Wei said.

Art expresses peoples best wishes for life: health, contentment, abundance and longevity, Huang said.

The Arts Center is located at 1735 Simpson Ave., 2nd floor. For more information, call 609-399-7628.

Attales Middle School presents Frozen Jr.: The Emma C. Attales Middle School Drama Club will present Frozen Jr. this Thursday and Friday.

Co-directed by Elena Castillo and Michele Miller, this 60-minute musical showcases the talents of more than 40 students, drawing inspiration from the 2013 Disney film and its 2018 Broadway adaptation.

The musical stars eighth graders Anastasia Netelkos-Hogan as Anna, Julianna Birkbeck as Elsa and Aidan Poletis as Kristoff, sixth grader Jackson Gorman as Sven and seventh grader Onalee Wells as Olaf.

The musical will be held in the school cafeteria, 800 Irelan Ave. in Absecon. Doors open at 6 p.m. both evenings, with entry available through the main entrance or the art room doors. Parking will be accessible from both the front (Connecticut Avenue entrance) and back (Pitney Road entrance) of the school.

Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for students and will be available at the door.

Essay takes third: Egg Harbor Township resident Scott Snell took third place in Recreation.govs Share Your Story writing contest for a piece he wrote about his participation in the Meadowood Special Recreation Management Areas Capital Backyard Ultra race.

Snell described the surroundings of the race venue and his journey in an essay titled Over 300 Continuous Trail Miles. He said he built meaningful relationships with his competitors as he ran for three days and nights to take home the winning title.

The annual writing contest encouraged participants to share stories highlighting meaningful experiences in national parks, forests and federal recreation sites across America.

Winners received an REI gift card and a national parks lands pass.

Civil Air Patrol event: The Cape May County Composite Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol will host a cadet promotion event at 7:15 p.m. Thursday at Cape May County Technical High School, 188 Crest Haven Road in Cape May Court House, in which the squadron will discuss its recent move to the high school from its previous location at the Cape May County Airport in Lower Township.

The event will feature cadet promotions and the presentation of the squadrons Billy Mitchell Award. It has been several years since a cadet has earned this achievement in the local squadron, according to information provided to The Press. To receive the award, a cadet must consistently display excellence in leadership, dedication, aerospace, fitness and character, pass comprehensive exams and attend a weeklong encampment.

Sex and the City author to visit Cape May: Congress Hall in Cape May will host Candace Bushnell, author of the Sex and the City books that were adapted into a successful HBO series, for an exclusive event March 15 to 17.

The weekend will start with a welcome reception from 5 to 7 p.m. March 5 in the Harrison Room of Congress Hall, 200 Congress Place. There will be a Q&A session with Bushnell, a photo op and a signing of her 2019 novel, Is There Still Sex in the City?

Saturday night will feature a three-course dinner at 6:30 p.m. in the ballroom for Bushnells one-woman show, True Tales of Sex, Success, and Sex and the City. She will discuss living in New York City and share anecdotes of fashion, literature and sex.

Reserve the overnight stay package by calling 888-944-1816. The ticket price for the dinner and show only is $175.

For more information, visit caperesorts.com/congress-hall/candace-bushnell.
College students in New Jersey would lose state financial aid if they get convicted of hazing under a bill a Democratic lawmaker introduced last week.

Assemblywoman Carol Murphys proposal would expand on anti-hazing protections lawmakers adopted in 2021 after the 2017 death of Timothy Piazza, a 19-year-old Readington resident and Penn State student whose fraternity hazing led to his fatal fall down a staircase.

That law required all middle schools, high schools, and higher education institutions to adopt anti-hazing policies and penalties. It also upgraded criminal penalties for hazing, making it a third-degree crime if a victim suffered serious injury or died and a fourth-degree crime if the victim suffered any injury at all.

The law was hailed nationally because it has an amnesty clause prohibiting the prosecution of someone who alerts authorities that a hazing victim needs medical assistance and a consent clause, meaning those involved can still be held responsible even if the victim willingly participated.

Murphys bill comes four months after federal lawmakers introduced bipartisan legislation that would require colleges to report hazing incidents annually, educate students about the practice, and alert students and parents to campus student groups with a history of hazing.

Hazing deaths arent officially tracked in the United States by any government entity, but an anti-hazing advocate who maintains an unofficial database found at least one person a year died from hazing between 1959 and 2021. He found no deaths publicly attributed to hazing in 2022 or 2023.

In March 2022, a Rutgers University freshman fell down stairs and fractured his skull after drinking life-threatening amounts of alcohol as part of pledge-hazing activities at Theta Chi fraternity, according to a lawsuit he filed seven months later against Rutgers, the fraternity, and various other named defendants. That case remains in litigation.

University officials determined the fraternity violated Rutgers anti-hazing policies and state law and ordered the chapter removed, according to a Rutgers hazing report.

South Jersey's 10 significant weather events in 2023 South Jersey saw some weather records fall in 2023. Here's a list of the 10 biggest events and the science and data behind them.

Such reporting was required under the 2021 law, which directed all public and private colleges, starting in January 2022, to publicly post data on their websites twice a year on hazing incidents, including data dating back five years, if available. It did not mandate central tracking.

The reporting can be tough to find on some college websites and the level of detail reported varies between institutions.

The reports show most hazing incidents statewide involved fraternities and sororities. Common incidents included underage students taken for hospital care because of forced excessive drinking, sleep deprivation, mandated house-cleaning, physical beating, bullying, and verbal abuse, while less common reports involved paddling, forced miles-long marches in freezing weather, and fraternity members directed to disrupt class by doing a robot dance and Dragon Ball Z Saiyan scream.

This is the fourth time Murphy, who represents Burlington County, has introduced the bill. It passed unanimously in the Senate in 2019 but stalled in the Assembly, and it failed to advance in the two most recent legislative sessions.

Murphy didnt respond to a request for comment.

Her legislation notes that high-profile hazing incidents, including the deaths of Piazza and students at Louisiana State University and Florida State University, demonstrate that additional deterrents are needed to reduce hazing.
Quad-Cities colleges and universities have joined forces to host QC EXPO '24, inviting local students to explore job opportunities, internships and graduate school programs.

The event will run from 1-4 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 21, at the Bend XPO on 922 Mississippi Parkway in East Moline.

Attendees will have a chance to meet with professionals from various career fields and graduate schools  especially those who value "skills and experiences unique to students from small, private liberal arts colleges," said an event advisory from Augustana College's Career Development & Vocation Office.

Professional dress is required at this event.

Along with Augie, QC EXPO '24 is sponsored by Black Hawk College, St. Ambrose University, Eastern Iowa Community Colleges and Western Illinois University - Quad Cities.

Photos: Augustana celebrates film program's new studio and equipment 021724-qc-nws-film-room 1.jpg 021724-qc-nws-film-room 2.jpg 021724-qc-nws-film-room 3.jpg 021724-qc-nws-film-room 4.jpg 021724-qc-nws-film-room 5.jpg 021724-qc-nws-film-room 6.jpg 021724-qc-nws-film-room 7.jpg 021724-qc-nws-film-room 9.jpg
DES MOINES  Iowa lawmakers are beginning the process of spending millions of dollars obtained in lawsuits against companies over their role in the opioid epidemic.

Under Senate Study Bill 3178, advancing in the Iowa Senate, three-quarters of the money in the states Opioid Settlement Fund would be directed to the state Health and Human Services Department. The remaining money would go to the attorney generals office.

Iowa has $26.8 million in the fund from settlements from cases against major opioid manufacturers and retailers, according to the state treasurers office. The bill would split that money this year, giving 75% to the HHS Department and 25% to the attorney general's office.

The money can be used to pay for opioid addiction treatment, prevention and training for law enforcement and first responders. It can be used for alternative courts and pre-arrest diversion programs.

The state is expected to receive around $144 million over the next several years, according to Senate Republican estimates. Half of that money is allocated to the state while the other half goes to local governments.

Going forward, the HHS department would be receiving an estimated $3 million a year, while the attorney generals office would receive $1 million until 2039.

Iowa, along with most other states, has received settlements from Johnson & Johnson, Teva, CVS and Walgreens, among other companies. While the companies did not admit wrongdoing, the lawsuits alleged they deceptively marketed the addictive pharmaceuticals and did not follow precautions to prevent abuse.

Aggressive marketing about prescription opioids like OxyContin led to an explosion of prescriptions of the drugs for pain management starting around 2000, along with rising overdose deaths. Prescriptions peaked around 2010, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and have been decreasing since 2012.

Former Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller in 2021 announced his office would spend $3.8 million in settlement funds on a partnership with University of Iowa Health Care on a medication-assisted therapy program for addiction treatment.

Senate Republicans advanced the bill out of a subcommittee on Monday, making it eligible for debate in the full Appropriations Committee.

Which proposal to follow?

By directing the opioid settlement funds to the two departments, the Senate bill would give them broad leeway on how to spend the money, as long as they follow the requirements of the various master settlements.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has proposed a separate bill in the House that would instead fund specific programs using $20 million from the settlement fund. House Study Bill 689 would include spending on following projects:

$3 million for various addiction prevention, treatment and naloxone programs

$650,000 surveillance of use and overdose mapping

$11 million to expand infrastructure for recovery providers and recovery housing

$1.5 million for scholarships, workforce training and employment

$1 million for peer support in emergency rooms

$3 million for a youth substance use treatment campus

Some representatives for health care organizations said during the Senate subcommittee meeting they preferred Reynolds bill over allowing state agencies authority to spend the money.

Our members are a little bit nervous about not having any specificity within the language of the bill about what, specifically, those programs will be funded, said Amy Campbell, a lobbyist for the Iowa Behavioral Health Association.

Sen. Janet Petersen, a Democrat from Des Moines, said she wanted to know how the attorney generals portion of the funds would be spent.

I have concerns about the framework, only just specifying percentage and then theres no breakdown on how the funds will be used from the AGs perspective, as well as HHS, she said.

A spokesperson for Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird said she is committed to combating the opioid crisis and saving lives by directing opioid settlement funds toward treatment, recovery, and prevention efforts across Iowa.

Sen. Mark Costello, R-Imogene, who led the subcommittee, said he thinks the agencies, which are already doing work in addiction treatment, would have the best understanding of how to spend the money.

Im fairly comfortable unless something makes me change my mind that, if we give it to these departments theyll be able to do what wed like, within the scope of the project and for things that they deem effective, he said.

Reynolds has also proposed a bill that would reorganize Iowas mental health and substance abuse treatment networks in the state into a unified behavioral health system. The bill would create seven regional agencies in the state that provide behavioral health treatment and services.
The Putnam Museum and Science Center will unveil a brand-new discovery at the 2024 fundraising gala, "Mysteries of the Museum," to be held Saturday in the Grand Lobby.

The mystery object, originally from Asia, was acquired by Charles Ficke in the early 1900s and has been hiding in plain sight in the Putnam storerooms ever since. It is one of only three of its kind known in the United States with one of its sisters housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

The gala will feature this discovery, as well as a selection of other mysterious objects rarely seen from the collection. Guests can learn about the history, significance and science of the items.

In addition, the gala will feature a wine pull and silent and live auctions. The auctions will include a variety of interesting items and experiences including joining Marcus Eriksen at an active dig site in Montana with the goal of finding triceratops' bones and other prehistoric discoveries.

The silent auction is online at https://app.galabid.com/putnamgala2024/items. Patrons can bid before online before the event or in person at the event.

The evening begins with a cocktail hour starting at 6 p.m. followed by the rare artifact reveal in the GIANT Screen Theater at 7 p.m. The live auction event begins at 9 p.m. with heavy hors d'oeuvres and drinks available to guests throughout the evening.

Tickets are $90 per person or $720 for a full eight-person table. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit https://www.putnam.org/mysteries-of-the-museum-2024-gala/.

Eugene Field Wax Museum
The South Dakota Department of Transportation, in collaboration with the City of Spearfish, the City of Deadwood, Lawrence County and the Federal Highway Administration, will hold a public meeting open house from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 27 at the Wilbur S. Tretheway Pavilion, 115 S. Canyon St., in Spearfish.

The public meeting is an opportunity to present transportation improvement scenarios developed for the U.S. Highway 85 corridor between Spearfish and Deadwood.

The meeting will begin with a brief presentation at 5:45 p.m., and then an open house will follow. Project representatives will be available for one-on-one discussion.

The purpose of this meeting is to present highway improvement options to the public and to gather public feedback. The public will also have the opportunity to submit written comments.

Written comments will be accepted until Thursday, March 28. Comments can be submitted in-person during the meeting or sent to Mark Lutjeharms, Consultant Project Manager at 2000 Q St., Ste. 500, Lincoln, Nebraska 68503, or via email at mlutjeharms@jeo.com.

For those who cannot attend the open house or desire additional information on the overall study, information is available online at us85spearfishtodeadwood.com/. The presentation and displays shown at the open house will be posted on the website for public review the day of the open house. A comment section is also provided on this project website. The study team wants to hear from area commuters, concerned citizens and adjacent landowners and business owners.

For more information, contact Tammy Williams, Special Projects Coordinator, at 605-295-7212 or tammy.williams@state.sd.us.
Afghan, Pak trade blows after suicide attack on Pakistani military Post 18 Mar 2024 | 5:39 PM Kabul, Mar 18 (UNI) Afghanistan and Pakistan targeted each other's border regions with strikes on Monday following a suicide attack on a Pakistani military outpost over the weekend. see more..

Japan's Kishida not planning elections until LDP lawmakers penalised for scandal 18 Mar 2024 | 3:37 PM Tokyo, Mar 18 (UNI) Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida plans to take disciplinary action against the lawmakers of his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) involved in the slush funds scandal before calling snap elections, Japanese news agency Kyodo reported on Monday. see more..

Leaders of 6 CIS states congratulate Putin on victory in prez election 18 Mar 2024 | 3:26 PM Minsk, Mar 18 (UNI) The leaders of six member states of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistanhave congratulated Russian President Vladimir Putin on his victory in the presidential election, noting the broad support of Russian citizens, the Kremlin said on Monday. see more..

Kuwaiti Emir 1st among Gulf leaders to congratulate Putin on re-election as Russian prez 18 Mar 2024 | 3:26 PM Kuwait City, Mar 18 (UNI) Kuwaiti Emir Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah was the first among the leaders of the Gulf countries to congratulate Russian President Vladimir Putin on his victory in the presidential election, the state-run Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) reported on Monday. see more..
Editor's note: This is the second part of a two-part series on Indigenous maternal healthcare in South Dakota.

For the first time in eight generations, a Dakota baby was born in a traditional earth lodge in Dakota homelands.

Under the moon of the black chokecherries, Dallis Rencountre, a citizen of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, gave birth to her second child, a 10-pound baby boy. Her son was born in a traditional earth lodge in Granite Falls, Minn., built by her grandmother's company, Makoce Ikikcupi.

I remember sitting in the tub and thinking, I dont know if I can do this. I was actually very upset at my grandparents, but my grandpa looked at me and told me that the next generation is coming, Rencountre said. I was realizing that I was going to bring a leader to my people and that this birth was history in the making  it could be a turning point for other Dakota women to come to an earth lodge and give birth to their babies just like I did.

It was her grandmothers idea for her to have a traditional birth. When Rencountre was 32 weeks pregnant, her doctor at her local hospital, Coteau Des Prairies, told her she needed a Cesarean section. Uncomfortable with the advice, Rencountre sought other options. Shed heard other Dakota women in her community voice similar concerns; theyd been recommended a Cesarean section early in their pregnancies.

I didnt feel heard. I felt like he didnt understand how I was feeling about a C-section; he wasnt listening to me, Rencountre said.

As hospitals across the United States close their obstetrics and gynecology departments, women in rural areas  especially Indigenous women  have fewer options for specialized care. A majority of South Dakota is considered a maternal healthcare desert, meaning there are little to no options for specialized obstetrics care across the state.

Several Indigenous women in places with no available obstetrics care, or who are unsatisfied with their care, have elected to move back to traditional birthing practices.

Theres a time, a place and a need for medical assistance, and we have a need here in South Dakota, said Zintkala Black Owl, Sicangu Lakota and an organizer of the He Sapa Birth Circle. We need accessible, equipped, qualified medical facilities available for our people. We live in a really rural setting; people have to drive hours to get to a hospital.

The He Sapa Birth Circle seeks to provide an inclusive, supportive space where Indigenous parents can share their birth experience, seek advice and receive any support they may need.

Black Owl gave birth to her seven children at home in a traditional setting. When she moved from Oregon back home to South Dakota, she found herself looking for a way to connect with other moms and provide support.

I think that our modern culture has socialized people to fear birth and to engage with it in a medical standpoint, Black Owl said. We pathologize birth when really its a natural function of our bodies  just like breathing or blinking our eyes.

A long history of distrust

The United States has a long history of distrust between Indigenous women and healthcare providers, specifically on reservations. A history of historical trauma can also lead Indigenous women to distrust medical providers. Forced sterilization and infant separation policies drove a wedge of distrust between physicians and Indigenous women.

From 1973 to 1976, approximately 3,406 Indigenous women were sterilized without their knowledge or through coercion by Indian Health Service practitioners  some as young as 15. In 1978, the passage of the American Indian Religious Freedom Act allowed for Indigenous people to not only openly practice traditional lifeways, but reclaim traditional birthing practices.

I was born in 1981, to date myself, and many other people in my family and my community were born at home during that time. I think a lot of it had to do with the Religious Freedom Act and the resurgence of our peoples culture being accessible, Black Owl said.

Decades later, Indigenous women still face barriers when seeking medical care.

In South Dakota, Indigenous women die from pregnancy-associated causes at rates four times higher than white women.

From 2012 to 2021, Indigenous women in South Dakota accounted for 46% of the pregnancy-associated deaths, despite accounting for only 9% of the states total population, according to the South Dakota Department of Health.

The South Dakota Department of Health noted the leading causes of death include motor vehicle accidents, mental health conditions  which includes death by suicide  substance abuse disorders and overdoses.

Nationwide, mental health conditions are the leading cause of maternal death among Indigenous mothers, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Depression is a common issue amongst Indigenous mothers, an issue that groups like the Great Plains Tribal Leaders Health Board hope to address.

Educating families

Traditional community-based childcare values and traditional parenting styles were lost. Many parents, especially new mothers, lack a much-needed support system post-birth. Often, new parents are left having to learn how to be a parent on their own.

This is something we see a lot, especially in teenage moms, said Terri Rattler, Oglala Lakota and the health board home visit program manager. Just saying, Hey, youre doing a good job with your baby can do a lot.

The health board's home visiting program first began with the community needs and readiness assessment. The data identified 450 families in Pennington County that didn't receive any type of home visiting services.

I want to be the superhero, I want to get to those 450 people, but we cant. But even if we meet with 25 to 50 families, were still making a difference, Rattler said.

The home visiting program utilizes the Family Spirit program to educate families on proper car seat use, baby care, general support and dealing with depression and more. Home visitors can connect families with needed resources to meet any gaps in care.

Currently, the community mapping assessment timeline consists of reaching out to existing programs and organizations, developing a community advisory group, conducting a community survey and developing a resource directory for families.

For families who survived boarding school, parenting structures were disrupted. Once home, survivors struggled to relate to their families. Once they became adults, survivors didnt know how to be parents. They didnt grow up with their own families or learn about themselves and their culture.

My mom went to boarding school, living through that, I think it just makes you feel lost, Rattler said. I mean, she had three daughters and she wouldnt tell us anything about our bodies; when adults were talking wed have to go into a different room. She loved us a lot, but I didnt really understand what shed gone through until I was in my 40s.

Home visitors are able to provide families with the education and reassurance needed to be a parent. In late 2023, the GPTLHBs home visiting program received a nearly $1 million, five-year grant to provide home visits in the Rapid City area. The Rosebud Sioux Tribe, a sub-awardee, will also be able to carry out home visits on its reservation.

Having this program is really going to help a lot of moms, Rattler said. Home visits can make mothers feel more comfortable in their role.

Additionally, culturally appropriate care like that provided by the He Sapa Birth Circle and Great Plains Tribal Leaders Health Board can greatly benefit Indigenous mothers, babies and families, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Understanding the cultural needs and practices of a patient is an important element in trust-building.

Rencountre was able to give birth alongside a group of her loved ones. Her grandparents, parents, cousins, aunts and uncles were all present and assisted during the birth. Rencountre also had a trained midwife, Autumn Cavender-Wilson, present to help her through the birth.

To anyone wanting to do this, I would just say to make sure you have a good support system and to be prepared, Rencountre said. [Visiting with Cavender-Wilson] it was like therapy. She let me talk about everything that was going on with my body and made me feel heard. It was the complete opposite of what Id experienced at the hospital. She kept me going.

After five hours of pushing, Rencountre gave birth to a 10-pound baby boy. But when her son emerged, he wasnt breathing. Cavender-Wilsons infant resuscitator device wasnt working, so Rencountre watched as the midwife carefully gave the baby CPR.

I heard the exact moment he took his first breath, his first breath of air, Rencountre said. She saved him.

Rencountres grandfather took her baby outside and introduced him to each of the four directions and the sun. The placenta was buried outside by a tree, grounding the baby to his homelands.

This was the best thing Ive ever done in my life, Rencountre said. I love to talk about it; I hope I can inspire people to do the same thing. The whole point of me giving birth in the earth lodge was so we could have more births like that.

For those in need of support, the He Sapa Birth Circle is planning its third annual traditional birthwork gathering this fall in the Black Hills.

The tribal home visiting program will be enrolling families for home visits sometime in the fall within the next six months, once the community needs and readiness assessment mapping process is completed. The home visiting program will be enrolling expecting parents, mothers, fathers, caregivers and children 0 to 5 years of age.
South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley is praising the Federal Communications Commissions decision to ban Artificial Intelligence-generated robocalls.

The decision, announced last week, makes the voice-cloning technology used in common robocall scams illegal. It's part of an adoption of a Declaratory Ruling recognizing calls made with AI-generated voices are considered artificial under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991.

That ruling gives state attorneys general additional support to prosecute those involved in the robocalls.

Jackley was one of 26 state attorneys general who requested in January the FCC restrict the use of AI by telemarketers. Jackley is also part of the nationwide Attorneys General Anti-Robocall Multistate Litigation Task Force that recently wrote to a company which allegedly sent New Hampshire residents scam election robocalls, with the use of AI, during the New Hampshire primary election.

AI technology is being used in robocalls to confuse and misinform the public, and this action will better protect consumers in South Dakota, Jackley said. I want to thank the FCC for making AI robocalls illegal and giving our office the ability to go after those bad actors as we work to protect the citizens of South Dakota.
PIERRE  One South Dakota lawmaker wants to make it easier for people who have signed a ballot initiative petition to be able to take their signatures off the paperwork.

Rep. Jon Hansen, R-Dell Rapids, spoke about HB1244 in committee Wednesday, where it gained the approval of lawmakers, 11-1. The bill stems from incidents during the summer when petition circulators may have spread misleading information about ballot initiatives that got people to sign the petitions.

Hansen added the bill would also allow people who signed the petition twice to have their signatures removed.

He said currently that its practically impossible for someone to get their signature removed from a ballot petition, saying the person would have to chase down the petition circulator and scratch off their name. But his bill would set up a process, overseen by a court, to strike the names of those who wanted them removed.

The person would have to submit their name to the Secretary of States Office for withdrawal. Then, if there's a challenge to the validity of the signatures, which is a process that we have already set up in the law, then the secretary of state's only obligation is to give the withdraws to the parties.

Obtaining petition signatures via fraud or misleading, that's not democracy, Hansen said.

Lone opposition came from Zebadiah Johnson, who represented the Voter Defense Association of South Dakota. Johnson said he was concerned the bill would lead to withdrawal of signature campaigns and could be found unconstitutional.

Florida struck down a similar law in 2010 with the state Supreme Court deciding that the legislation gutted the states initiated measure process.

Rep. Erin Healy, D-Sioux Falls, was the lone no vote on the committee and said that when you removed the language over the ballot initiatives being used, the bill could create unintended consequences.

This is a really serious issue that we see in front of us," she said. "I hope the Attorney General is taking care of this problem."

Rep. Will Mortenson, R-Fort Pierre, said that the bill added a right to voters and that the bill laid out a process that couldnt be taken advantage of willy-nilly.

HB 1244 now heads to the House floor for consideration.

This story originally appeared in the Sioux Falls Argus Leader.
Florence Carlton High School Counselor Alli Bristow attended the American School Counselor Association awards in Washington, D.C., representing Montana as the school counselor of the year in early February.

I loved doing this trip, Bristow said. I learned so much from other school counselors across the country about what they are doing to mitigate the challenges and just get more access of supports to students.

Last April, Bristow was selected as Montanas school counselor of the year. She joined counselors of the year from all 50 states at the awards gala.

It was very inspiring to see all these hardworking school counselors making a difference, Bristow said. I was so impressed with how much they give. There are so many talented people.

In addition to the gala, Bristow participated in roundtable conversations with the U.S. Department of Education and was interviewed on the impacts of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) delays affecting high school students. The FAFSA form is used to determine a students eligibility for student financial aid, and this year the program is months behind.

They were interested in how high school counselors help students through the delay and deadlines not matching up for local scholarships," Bristow said. "I highlighted school newsletters, reaching out to parents and school counselors' crucial role in creating partnerships with state and local programs, such as Reach Higher Montana.

Bristow has been working on advocacy to increase the number of school counselors in rural Montana.

School counselors have a unique position in each school, she said. Whats happening is we are having states with highly unqualified individuals step into the role of school counselor. One school in Montana has four guidance counselors who are not counselors that they have hired into the role of school counselor.

She said one reason for the gap is that there are not enough certified school counselors.

There arent enough students coming into the profession, Bristow said. Also, we need to help people understand the specific training and degrees school counselors have to help students.

Bristow is a second-year doctoral student in the University of Montana's Department of Counseling.

Im helping spread the word that our school counseling program is going online for the first time, she said. What they are trying to look at is How do we get teachers in rural schools interested in [counseling]? How do we get them access to education? Thats why they are moving this whole program online to boost our state numbers of school counselors.

Bristow said the UM and Montana State Universitys Rural Mental-Health Preparation/Practice Pathway (RMHP4) cohort model aims to prepare graduate counseling candidates to serve in rural communities. She said the fully online two-year program for incoming school counseling applicants is opening new pathways for educators in rural areas. She said potential students can find out more about the program through the UM or MSU Education Departments at umt.edu/education/departments/counsed/rural_mental_health/.

Bristow said that school counselors are often overlooked at schools, but they are vital to academics, graduations, scholarships, collecting data, interventions, curriculum, helping students with the growth mindset about how to be a successful student and being well adjusted.

We try to do all of those things through individual counseling, group counseling and meeting with parents, she said. There are so many aspects of it that dont get seen."

Bristows transportation and housing to the American School Counselor Association awards in Washington, D.C. was paid for, but she paid to take her sons and extend her stay.

We got to tour the U.S. Senate, the White House and the Washington Monument, she said. It was very fast but it was very cool for both my sons to be part of that experience.




By Nava Thakuria





As President Droupadi Murmu is scheduled to visit the Andaman & Nicobar islands on Monday, a debate surfaced on the series of development initiatives in the Indian archipelago. The first tribal women head of state is arriving in Port Blair, executive & administrative capital of the islands, on 19 February next with a five-day program. In her maiden visit to the union territory President Murmu is scheduled to visit Cellular Jail, Swaraj Dweep (earlier known as Havelock Island), Campbell Bay, Indira Point (southernmost tip of India), Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Dweep (earlier Ross Island), etc. She will also interact with a selected number of people comprising tribal communities there.





Meanwhile, expressing serious concerns over the development programs in some parts of the islands, a group of international genocide experts have written to the Union government in New Delhi with an warning that its plans to turn an un-contacted tribes island into a mega-port city will wipe them out. Thirty-nine genocide scholars argued that around 300 Shompen hunter-gatherers, two thirds of them are un-contacted till date, will face extinction if New Delhi goes ahead with the development plans.





Shompen people are one of the most isolated tribes on Earth and they live in the dense rain forests that occupy the interior of the islands. If the project goes ahead with original plans for a mega-port, a new city, an international airport, a power station, a defense base, an industrial park and helping 650,000 new settlers, it will be a death sentence for the Shompen, asserted the experts, adding that a simple contact with the Shompen (who have little to no immunity to infectious diseases) may result in a precipitous population collapse.





Survival International, a London-based rights body, has been calling for the project to be abandoned to ensure the Shompens ownership rights over their ancestral lands. Its director Caroline Pearce asserted that under international laws, no government (or company) should proceed with interventional activities without the indigenous peoples consent in their territories. He also revealed that over 7,000 people, arguing that Shompen people have no idea of the ongoing activities, communicated with New Delhi with their demand to stop the genocide.





Amid the Bay of Bengal, Andaman Sea and Indian Ocean, the group of over 830 large & small hilly islands (with only 31 inhabited), shares maritime borders with Indonesia, Myanmar (Burma) and Thailand and those occupy a total land area of around 8,249 square kilometre with a population of 3.81 Lakhs. Andaman islands in the northern part are primarily home to four tribes namely Great Andamanese, Onge, Jarawa and Sentinelese. These tribes are believed to have migrated from the African islands thousands of years back and most of them survive with the practice of hunting wild animals and natural agri-produces. Among them Sentinelese are most isolated and they reject all kinds of contact with outsiders.





On the other hand, Nicobar islands in the southern part give shelter to two tribes namely Nicobarese and Shompen, who might have arrived in the islands several thousand years ago from the Malay-Burma coast. Nicobarese (they are around one thousand in number) maintain contact with the outsiders and many of them are now converted to Christianity. However, Shompen are still a relatively isolated tribe surviving on hunting local wildlife and also harvesting plants. Many believe that they can both survive and thrive, if their lands and resources are secure.





Union ports, shipping and waterways minister Sarbananda Sonowal also recently visited the islands and admitted that some stakeholders raised environmental concerns. However, he pointed out that those were already addressed. Inspecting the proposed mega port at Atlanta Bay, Sonowal informed that its hardly 565 km from Yangon, 765 km from Sittwe, 1000 km from Chittagong and 1100 km from Kolkata. Once the harbor is made fully operational, it will drastically reduce the ship travel time to Kolkata from 72 to 15 hours only, commented Sonowal.




By Tajul Islam





While there are specific allegations against Shafiqul Alam, bureau chief of French news agency AFP in Bangladesh of his notorious bias towards Islamists and jihadists and fact-checking editor of the same agency  Qadaruddin Shishir being an activist of Jamaat-e-Islami who has been playing active role in favor of Al Qaeda-connected Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Jamaat-e-Islami and other pro-militancy and India-Hindu hating forces as well as Hamas defenders in Bangladesh, another individual named Pinaki Bhattacharya  who fled Bangladesh and took shelter in France after being accused of producing and selling fake medicines, including sexual drugs as well as 'Yaba' tablets  a dangerous drug containing a mixture of methamphetamine and caffeine has also been running extremely vile propaganda targeting India, Hindus, Jews and Israel, while he also been openly running propaganda in favor of Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) and even Al Qaeda. It may be mentioned here that, prior to fleeing Bangladesh, Pinaki Bhattacharya left Hindu religion and embraced Islam thus enjoying financial and otherwise patronization from Pakistani intelligence agency Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI).





Sitting in France, Pinaki Bhattacharya has been giving instigation to "India Out" movements in Bangladesh, while earlier he had given similar instigations to anti-India elements in Maldives.





According to an Indian website, a self-proclaimed activist Pinaki Bhattacharya is anti-Hindu and anti-India extremist. He has been regularly publishing contents defaming Hindu religion. He even goes further by branding every Hindu as "bastards" while he also does the same with Bangladeshi citizens and media outlets that confront "India Out" activities.





Few years ago, Pinaki Bhattacharya became a diehard anti-India and anti-Hindu propagandist following his religious conversion by leaving Hindu dharma and embracing radical Islam.





It said, Pinaki became popular amongst radical Muslims and anti-India and anti-Hindu bloc in Bangladesh for his jihadist and anti-India publications. He persuaded Bangladeshi Muslims to wage jihad against the Hindus and join jihadist forces in Jammu and Kashmir in India. He also applauds Hamas for killing Israelis and sexually assaulting Israeli and Jewish girls and women.





Another source said, Pinaki Bhattacharya has been collecting fund for pro-Hamas protests in France, while he also gives instigation to Muslim migrants in France and Europe to continue assaults targeting Jews and Hindus. Although such notoriety of Pinaki Bhattacharya as well as AFP journalists Shafiqul Alam and Qadaruddin Shishir have been brought to the attention of French authorities and law enforcement agencies, surprisingly Paris remains totally silent on these issues.





Meanwhile, according to media reports, anti-Semite and anti-India elements including cyberterrorists led by Al Qaeda-connected ultra-Islamist force Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its ideological ally  pro-Pakistan Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) have started vile propaganda against Blitz for exposing notorious conspiracy of these anti-India and Hindu-hating elements with their recently launched "India Out" campaign aimed at jeopardizing existing cordial relations between Dhaka and New Delhi.





Recently, an anti-India YouTube channel named 'The Blank Page Official' released a video said "India has activated powerful assets to counter Bangladesh's India Out campaign" has made a foul attempt of branding Blitz as an "asset" of India and Israel. It also criticized Blitz for condemning October 7 Hamas pogrom in Israel and for terming Hamas as monsters".





It may be mentioned here that, BNP and its ideological allies including JeI are funding, patronizing and running "India Out" notoriety in Bangladesh, while recently, Dhaka's leading English newspaper The Daily Star published a lengthy opinion editorial criticizing Blitz and me for branding BNP as an ultra-Islamist and Al Qaeda-connected force.





French Ministere de l'Europe et des Affaires etrangeres, Directorate-General for External Security, Direction Nationale du Renseignement et des Enquetes Douanieres and Police Nationale did not respond to our questions in this regard.








Kathmandu, Nepal, February 20, 2024: The closed session of the Mahasamiti meeting of Nepali Congress has started from 9: 00 am today.





The Mahasamiti meeting that was started from Monday at Sunrise Conference Center in Godavari, Lalitpur. Five different reports are being submitted for discussion in the meeting.





It is said that Party Vice President Purna Bahadur Khadka is going to present policy proposal while organizational proposal by General Secretary Gagan Kumar Thapa and contemporary political proposal by another General Secretary Bishwa Prakash Sharma.





Likewise, party's spokesperson Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat is going to present proposal regarding the economic situation, prospects and future direction while the coordinator of the audit committee Shyam Kumar Ghimire is going to submit the audit report proposal.




Enter the dragon, symbol of the Lunar New Year, which began on Feb. 10, commencing a chain of festivities that runs for 15 days.

The year 2024 promises to be one of growth and progress, defined by those with drive, creative energy and dreams of changing the world  qualities that Roxanne Atienza and Aubriel Rivera, co-founders of Kasama Collective, certainly know something about.

In honor of the occasion, their organization, together with Richmond Moon Market, is throwing the citys first-ever Lunar New Year Asian Street Food Festival on Saturday from noon to 6 p.m.

The Lunar New Year, known as Tet in Vietnamese or Seollal in Korean, is a food-heavy, family-centered celebration in various Asian countries, such as China, Taiwan, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei and Vietnam, and widely observed by the Asian diaspora in the U.S. and the world over.

Atienza and Riveras event, capping off this international holiday, will feature a mix of Asian and non-Asian artisans selling local, handcrafted products, as well as live performances by Asian dance groups, an Indonesian musical ensemble, a Japanese taiko drum troupe, Chinese lion dancers and more.

And the food offerings  from rice bowls and bao buns, to boba and mochi donuts  will, as Atienza said, take people on a tour of the street food capitals of Asia. Vendors include Filipino food trucks Auntie Nings and Tambayan Grill, the Cambodian-inspired Royal Pig and Khushbu, which specializes in Indian desi-style snacks.

Adding to this collaboration with Asian-owned businesses in Richmond, the event is being hosted at Stone Brewing which, just last fall, was acquired by Sapporo. Having invested $40 million toward the expansion of Stones Richmond location which, along with its Escondido, California, location, now brews (and serves) Sapporo beer, the Japanese beer makers entire base of production for the U.S. market is now, for the first time in its history, in the U.S.

We are currently producing Sapporo Premium in RVA, said Richmond taproom manager Brad Maki, and we plan to add additional brands from the Sapporo portfolio in the future as well.

Attendees of the Lunar New Year festival can order up a pint of Japans oldest beer brand, made right here in Richmond, to accompany their street food bites.

Atienza and Rivera grew up together in Virginia Beach where, as proud Filipinas, their food and culture and people were particularly vibrant and visible. This did not seem to be the case when they moved to Richmond. So they dreamed up Kasama Collective as a way to build an Asian American community in Richmond that would be as established and empowered as the one they had back home.

We knew that Richmond had a thriving and sizable Asian and Pacific Islander population, Atienza said.

But apart from a few major events hosted by such groups as the Asian American Society of Central Virginia, whose yearly celebration of Asian culture at the Greater Richmond Convention Center is the most notable and well-attended, there just wasnt really anything bringing us all together ... and there wasnt anything kind of acknowledging our interconnectedness as an identity, she said.

Kasama Collective, whose name in Tagalog means coming together, has held more than 15 community events since its founding less than a year ago. Those events, in partnership with other Asian American cultural groups, businesses and creatives, included a launch party last May for AAPI Heritage Month, a mid-autumn festival celebration at The Veil Brewing; a Filipino American History Month event; and an Enter the DRAGon performance in November by AAPI drag queens from central Virginia.

Atienza and Rivera are hoping the Lunar New Year festival will attract a diverse crowd, both from within and outside of Richmonds AAPI community.

I want to see people celebrating their heritage and identity ... who we are as a community and who we are as descendants of Asia, Atienza said. And I want to see people engaging and interacting with the culture.

After a full day of makers-market shopping, cultural programming, street-food eating and beer drinking, folks are invited to stick around for the grand finale: a parade of sparklers to illuminate the Richmond night sky and, with any luck, light the way forward for an auspicious new year.

Recognize this? 114 photos of Richmond's restaurant past
Its a fine day to become an American, dont you think?

On Presidents Day, which honors the nations highest office, cheers rang out as families, friends and officials welcomed 80 new U.S. citizens at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture.

All of us swell with pride as we welcome you into this country because everyone here traces their own citizenship to the same story as yours, said U.S. District Court Judge David Novak, who presided over what he proclaimed as a "fine day."

We are a nation of immigrants who bring the best of where we came from and help weave those gifts into the mosaic of different cultures that forms the foundation of what is our country," Novak added.

Daniil Herashchanka, originally from Belarus, said he decided to become naturalized for his wife and two children who were already U.S. citizens. He added that he will now have an easier time traveling overseas to visit the rest of his family.

It was pretty cool; I feel more patriotic after all this, Herashchanka said. Its really good seeing people being excited and welcoming and happy for us to have our citizenship.

The ceremony, during which 80 immigrants from 36 countries were sworn in, was part of VMHCs Presidents Day celebration and served as a partnership between U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.

After reciting the Oath of Allegiance, the candidates received their certificates of citizenship.

Several of the new citizens had already pledged allegiance in their own way by serving in the U.S. military. Through the military, those who served were able to have their citizenship expedited.

While non-citizens can join the military with a permanent resident card, becoming a citizen provided an extra sense of connection for those sworn in on Monday.

Today, it feels like its real because were Americans, said Izabella Bidari, an American soldier who emigrated from Nepal. We all have American dreams, and theres a lot of opportunity here; I just want to contribute.

Naturalization ceremonies in the region are held once a month, often at the federal courthouse in Richmond, but sometimes at larger venues such as museums and college campuses.

Last September, nearly 600 people became naturalized U.S. citizens at the Siegel Center on the campus of Virginia Commonwealth University. A citizenship ceremony is scheduled to take place at Randolph-Macon College in April.

At Mondays ceremony at the VMHC, members of the Daughters of the American Revolution passed out programs and U.S. flags and helped direct the new citizens around the stage.

District 2 of the DAR, which has 17 chapters, has supported and volunteered at naturalization ceremonies for more than 40 years. Each chapter is led by a Americanism committee that sends representatives to the ceremonies.

Its wonderful; Im teary-eyed every single time, said Alison Wood Eckis, District 2 Americanism chair for the DAR. This is such a big thing for them; it just makes you have goosebumps.

Mondays celebration was part of the VMHCs multiyear 250th initiative, with many more exhibits and programs planned at the museum leading up to the nations 250th anniversary in 2026.

As a welcoming gesture to the new citizens, each of them was offered free memberships to the VMHC.

Im so happy, so proud, said Saidou Zabsonre, who came to the U.S. from Burkina Faso and also serves in the Army. To be a citizen of this country, Im just so happy.

50 photos from the RTD Archives
Health system Bon Secours will expand its Short Pump campus after the state health commissioner approved a cardiac surgery center there. It was one of two similar facilities approved for western Henrico County.

Bon Secours will build a $14 million facility on West Broad Street, a few hundred yards from the Goochland County border, where it already has a freestanding emergency room.

In a competing application, Virginia Cardiovascular Specialists was approved for a similar facility costing $2.5 million in an existing location near Henrico Doctors Hospital on Forest Avenue.

Though Bon Secours opposed the competing plan, state health commissioner Dr. Karen Shelton determined both facilities are justified and awarded a Certificate of Public Need to both. The health department noted the projected increase in population in greater Richmond and determined the costs of the two facilities were reasonable.

Each company will open outpatient facilities that perform cardiac catheterization  a process where a doctor examines the hearts health by inserting a thin tube into a blood vessel in the chest  and other procedures, such as the installation of pacemakers and defibrillators.

Bon Secours plans to build its facility at 12320 W. Broad St. The health system said it will build a one-story, 13,000-square-foot facility and upfit a medical office building there. It is unclear if the health system will build a new facility or expand the two-story building already there. Spokespeople for the system did not respond to requests for comment on Monday.

Bon Secours owns about 21 acres of land in Short Pump, and much of it is undeveloped. The health system has primary care and cardiology practices there, in addition to the emergency room.

All three major health systems have staked a claim in Short Pump. Virginia Commonwealth University Health has a five-story clinic down the road, and HCA Healthcare is planning a medical office building and imaging center across the street.

Bon Secours will partner with a company called Compass Surgical Partners to develop the facility. Bon Secours will own 51% interest, and Compass will own 49%. Construction is expected to finish in July 2025. The health system plans to hire 12 full-time staffers, but most of the employees will come from other Bon Secours locations.

Virginia Cardiovascular Specialists, a private practice, already conducts procedures at four local Bon Secours and HCA hospitals in the Richmond area. It will build its catheterization lab at an existing location at 8007B Discovery Drive, near Henrico Doctors Hospital.

VCS plans to open its facility in January.

Bon Secours had opposed the competing facility, saying the existence of another lab would negatively impact other facilities in the area. There are 26 such labs in the Richmond area that conducted more than 24,000 procedures in 2021.

As part of its approval, the health department required both centers to provide services to all patients regardless of their ability to pay. Both are required to provide free or discounted care to low-income patients at a level that equals about 1% of their total revenue.

50 photos from the RTD Archives
Cordoba, Spain, Feb 20 (UNI) China and Spain should strengthen strategic communication, intensify high-level exchanges, deepen practical cooperation and push for greater development of bilateral relations, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here on Sunday.



Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks while meeting with Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares in the southern Spanish city of Cordoba.



Noting that his visit comes as China and Spain embark on the next 50 years of bilateral ties, Wang said Spain, a major country in Europe and a member of the European Union (EU), has important international and regional influences.



China is ready to work with Spain to view bilateral relations with a global vision and from a long-term perspective, promote mutual trust and mutual benefit, highlight strategic stability and practical cooperation, and keep China-Spain relations at the forefront of China-Europe relations, he said.



China appreciates Spain's adherence to the one-China principle and supports Spain in safeguarding its territorial integrity and national unity, Wang said.



Pointing out that China and Spain, as comprehensive strategic partners, both support and practice multilateralism, China's top diplomat called on the two countries to strengthen coordination, join hands in tackling global challenges, and make new contributions to the peace and development of mankind.



The Chinese market, growing rapidly and expanding in scale, will continue to open up to the world, Wang said, adding that China welcomes high-quality products from Spain.



China stands ready to work with Spain to uphold openness and mutual benefit, provide solid support for mutually beneficial cooperation, build an open world economy and advance an inclusive economic globalization that benefits all, he added.



Extending greetings for the Chinese New Year of the Dragon, Albares recalled that last year, Spain and China celebrated the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties and launched the China-Spain year of culture and tourism. Year 2023 was also marked by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's successful visit to China, the role of Spain's rotating presidency of the Council of the EU in the successful EU-China summit, he said.



Albares said Spain stands ready to maintain high-level exchanges with China, activate bilateral cooperation mechanisms and deepen practical cooperation. He said his country supports open and free trade, welcomes Chinese investment and will provide a fair and sound business environment for enterprises from all countries.



The two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in diverse fields including telecommunications, medical care, electric vehicles and green energy, and enhance friendship between the two peoples.



Albares spoke highly of China's visa-free policy for Spanish citizens and thanked China for its trust and friendship, saying that his country will also actively promote the simplification of procedures for Chinese tourists visiting Spain.

The two sides also exchanged in-depth views on a wide range of international and regional issues.

UNI/XINHUA ARN
In a filing in Greenbrier County Circuit Court, Carter Bank & Trust said it will reschedule the March 5 auction to a later date, the Charleston Gazette-Mail reported. The bank also asked that a hearing set for Tuesday be postponed on a request by the Greenbrier Sporting Club in White Sulphur Springs for a preliminary injunction against the bank.

Carter Bank published a legal notice in the Charleston Gazette-Mail on Feb. 6 announcing the March 5 auction in Lewisburg involving land at the Greenbrier Sporting Club. Carter Bank has said it would aggressively pursue $302 million it was owed in principal debt, plus interest and fees, from companies owned by the governors family.

In its Friday filing, Carter Bank said it understands that homeowners within the Greenbrier Sporting Club development are also very interested in this matter and may be considering undertaking action of their own.

The bank, founded in 1974, has locations in Charlottesville, Culpeper, Danville, Fredericksburg, Lynchburg, Martinsville, Roanoke and other Virginia markets.

The sporting club is a private equity club and residential community that opened in 2000. Justice bought the resort out of bankruptcy in 2009. He began serving the first of his two terms as governor in 2017.

The sporting club's Feb. 7 circuit court complaint said the auction would jeopardize thousands of jobs and severely damage both the club and the Greenbrier Resort, which has hosted U.S. presidents and royalty and is the county's largest employer. The complaint also sought a jury trial to address claims by the Justice family against Carter Bank.

On at least four occasions between 2021 and 2023, the Justice companies tried to steer their banking business from Carter Bank to other lenders, who were prepared to pay off all or part of their Carter Bank loans. But Carter Bank blocked or sabotaged the transfer efforts, the complaint said.

A federal lawsuit filed by the Justice companies against the bank in November is pending.

Justice, who owns dozens of companies, also has been the subject of numerous court claims that he has been late in paying millions of dollars he owes in fines, such as for unsafe working conditions at his coal mines.

Justice, a Republican, is running for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Democrat Joe Manchin. Manchin has said he is not seeking reelection.
Authorities are investigating after a fire at a Petersburg apartment complex left a child dead and three people injured Tuesday morning.

A spokesperson for Petersburg police said officers responded to the building at 3100 Pinetree Drive in Petersburg at around 3:45 a.m. Tuesday for reports of a structure fire. The fire is believed to have started in a kitchen on the first floor of the complex, police said.

Arriving firefighters found that multiple people were trapped in he first floor of the building. Firefighters were able to rescue three people, but a child died in the blaze, police said. Authorities did not identify the child or specify a cause of death.

One of the three injured people is in critical condition, police said.

In a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, the Red Cross of Virginia said it was providing support to six families that were displaced by the fire.

We will continue to work with local officials over the hours to come to determine if additional support is needed, the post read.

Today in history: Feb. 20 1907: Theodore Roosevelt 1938: Anthony Eden 1962: John Glenn 1998:Tara Lipinski 2005: Sandra Dee 2012: Dmitry Medvedev 2012: John Glenn 2021: Naomi Osaka 2021: United Airlines 2022: Russia Ukraine War
Time is running out for significant snow in Richmond this season.

Not that accumulating snow was expected in Richmond on Friday night, but that system jogged about 20 miles even farther north than forecast on Friday night, leaving Richmond with only isolated light rain showers.

Even though temperatures have since nudged below normal for a few days, there is no storm nearby to interact with the relatively colder air that has settled into the state.

Between now and the end of February, two significant systems are poised to bring accumulating precipitation to Richmond, but both look like rain.

The first comes this Thursday night into Friday, but winds turn from the south before it gets here. The second one comes Wednesday or Thursday next week (Feb. 28-29). Before that second system arrives, a more substantial warm-up will develop, sending high temperatures into the 60s for two or three consecutive days to start next week.

After a cool first day of March, temperatures will likely bounce back above normal for the first weekend of the month. Cold air will retreat into Canada, meaning temperatures would remain above normal statewide into the start of the following week. This suggests a few consecutive afternoons well into the 60s, perhaps even touching 70 starting that first March weekend.

Snow lovers have been reduced to grasping at straws. True, there will be an especially weak disturbance drifting across Virginia from the northwest this Saturday night. It could conceivably touch off some flurries or snow showers, but nothing that would require changing any plans. And given how things have gone so far this season, it is probably not worth worrying about.

Much of the longer range data indicates a colder spell during middle to late March, at least with respect to normal. But by then, normal highs are around 60 degrees, and normal lows are in the upper 30s. Getting the storm track and temperature to line up to produce snow will be far more difficult by then.

True, it can snow in April, but it is exceedingly rare. The last time Richmond had measurable snow in April was in 2007, when 1 inch fell on April 7. That came during a period of six consecutive days that were more than 10 degrees colder than normal.

More recently, we had four days that were more than 10 degrees colder than normal in January, but not a single one since.

If no more accumulating snow falls this season, it would mark the lowest five-year average snowfall on record in Richmond, with only 2.8 inches. Conversely, the highest five-year average came between 1962-66, with an average of 25.7 inches.

So far, Richmonds winter has been the seventh-warmest and second-wettest on record. The average temperature over the past 10 winters is the highest of any 10 consecutive winter years on record.

These are all hallmarks of a climate that is warming and will continue to do so.

50 photos from the RTD Archives
The Virginia Education Association, the parent organization of the majority of Virginias local teachers unions, said the House and Senate education budget proposals released on Sunday are a step in the right direction.

The House proposal offers $1 billion more to public education than Gov. Glenn Youngkins proposed two-year budget, and the Senate proposal offers $1.6 billion more to public schools than the governors plan.

More than 100 teachers and public school supporters gathered at the state Capitol on Monday afternoon for VEAs annual rally day and chanted fund our schools.

VEA President James Fedderman said that while these budgets are a step in the right direction, unless state lawmakers recognize and are willing to raise adequate revenue to ultimately meet the needs of all students in our commonwealth, there is a fear we will continue to tread water ...

Youngkins budget, which he released in December, included a $300 million decrease in general funds for public K-12 education compared with the current funding level.

The Youngkin administration says it is not obligated to replace one-time federal COVID allocations with ongoing state funds, while Democrats assert that the Youngkin administration is using those federal funds to offset the rising cost of educating students.

Fedderman said there is a decades-long effort by certain politicians to undermine public education by diminishing the respect for educators and denying educators autonomy to make teaching decisions.

Id like to see our governor in the classroom dealing with some of the stuff we have to deal with every day, he said. I think if he were there, I think hed be calling for a substitute after the first 10 minutes.

Youngkin spokesman Christian Martinez said Youngkins introduced Unleashing Opportunity budget for July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2026, included the largest per-student education investment in the history of the commonwealth with a $330 million increase in K-12 aid over the biennium.

While special interest groups haphazardly use misleading talking points without fully understanding them, Governor Youngkin looks forward to continue to work together with legislators to invest in Virginia students and teachers at historic levels that is sustainable for the future, Martinez said.

The House committees additional $1 billion recommendation for K-12 focuses on the goal of bringing salaries to the national average or above; supporting at-risk students living in low-income households; and helping students learn the English language.

Senate Finances proposed $1.6 billion in additional spending on K-12 would remove a 15-year cap on state funding of school support positions and use general tax revenues for teacher retirement contributions instead of the Literary Fund. That would allow local school divisions to tap the fund for up to $300 million to replace or modernize old school buildings.

How RPS would fare

Under Youngkins proposed budget, Richmond Public Schools would face a $5 million reduction in its current budget and a nearly $21 million decrease in state funding for next school year.

Under the House committees proposal, RPS would receive $10 million more and, under Senate Finances proposal, RPS would get $14 million more than what Youngkins budget would provide.

When RPS Superintendent Jason Kamras put together his budget proposal, which the School Board will vote on Tuesday evening, he budgeted for $3 million more than what Youngkins proposal provided.

These budgets show what it means to put education first. Theyre literally life-changing for our students, Kamras said on Monday.

I urge the Governor to sign some version of them into law.

Negotiators for the House and the Senate will work to reach agreement on the chambers budget proposals before the legislatures scheduled March 9 adjournment.

From the Archives: Old Richmond buildings
Legislation to ensure that a 2022 law requiring parental notification of explicit instructional materials in public schools is not used to censor books appears to be heading to Gov. Glenn Youngkin.

The House of Delegates has now passed both its own version and a Senate version of the legislation.

The 2022 law included an enactment clause  language that specified that it should not be construed as requiring or providing for the censoring of books in public elementary and secondary schools. But some school boards have cited the law when banning books over the past year.

Senate Bill 235, sponsored by Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, D-Chesterfield, which passed the House on Monday on a vote of 53-46, would put that language from the enactment clause into the law.

Hashmi's measure previously passed the Senate 22-18 as Sen. David Suetterlein, R-Roanoke County, joined the 21 Democrats in supporting the measure.

With the bill having now cleared both chambers, the similar House Bill 571, sponsored by Del. Karrie Delaney, D-Fairfax, could likely clear the Senate as well.

The lawmaker who carried the 2022 measure, then-Sen. Siobhan Dunnavant, R-Henrico, said last fall that censorship was not the intent of her bill, which gave parents the right to opt their children out of reading sexually explicit content.

Dunnavant's bill said each school board had to adopt policies by Jan. 1, 2023, to ensure parental notification about sexually explicit materials and to provide nonexplicit material as an alternative.

Pointing to that enactment clause that said the measure was not to be used to censor books in schools, Dunnavant said anyone who thinks the measure can be used in that way, needs to go read the bill.

Hashmi and Delaney have said that adding that language into the code will help prevent the law Dunnavant sponsored from being used incorrectly.

While Dunnavant stressed that censorship was not the intention of her bill, some school boards subsequently removed books from school libraries. Hanover, Spotsylvania and Madison counties have been hotspots for controversial book removals in Virginia schools.

The Hanover County School Board voted in June to rewrite its policy concerning which books are allowed in school libraries and then immediately moved to remove copies of 19 books. The policy gives the School Board sole discretion and authority to remove any books from school libraries with a majority vote.

In November, the administration of Hanover Public Schools ordered the removal of 75 book titles from school libraries, including The Handmaids Tale and Slaughterhouse Five, asserting they are sexually explicit.

Some parents and Republican lawmakers have urged the General Assembly to oppose Hashmi and Delaneys bills.

Last week, The Family Foundation hosted a group of parents and children at the state Capitol for a news conference to stress support and opposition of various bills relating to parental input in public education.

The organization's president, Victoria Cobb, accused Democrats of putting censorship into code in order to have a chilling effect on parents who oppose explicit reading materials being available to their children. Del. Nick Freitas, R-Culpeper, joined the group to support its statements.

Ahead of the vote on Hashmi's bill in the House, Freitas asked if the bill would prevent parents from having input on some books being removed from school libraries.

"I would hope that we could all agree that there are some materials that, regardless of what an individual parent may want, they have no business being in a public school library," Freitas said.

Delaney assured the room that "every school district in this commonwealth has a pathway" for removing books.

"What this bill does, and simply the only thing that this bill does, is it prohibits the policies that were created for parental notification to be used for the reason why books can be removed from schools," Delaney said.

Today in history: Feb. 19 1473: Nicolaus Copernicus 1878: Thomas Edison 1942: Franklin D. Roosevelt 1976: Gerald R. Ford 1997: Deng Xiaoping 2008: Fidel Castro 2017: Anthony Davis 2017: Jamie Dantzscher 2021: Joe Biden 2021: Kim Kardashian West
Dog sniffs out live iguanas from stack of courier packages

Mexico City, Mexico  In Mexico City, National Guard rescue two live iguanas sent by parcel. The reptiles were found being sent inside a cardboard box wrapped in pieces of cloth and plastic.

In compliance with the National Public Security Strategy, National Guard personnel located a courier shipment that contained two live iguanas, which were in inadequate conditions for transport.

As part of the strategic actions to prevent the illegal trade of protected or endangered species, canines from the National Guard located the live iguanas inside the courier company.

During preventive inspections, the dog became interested in a box with perforations that recorded movements from its interior, which was destined for the municipality of Zapopan, Jalisco, National Guard reported.

Upon physical inspection, they realized that it contained a black spiny-tailed iguana (Ctenosaura similis) approximately 90 centimeters long and a green iguana (iguana iguana), 30 centimeters long, which were wrapped in cloth and plastic.

Because these species are classified as subject to special protection or threatened in accordance with the Official Mexican Standard NOM-059-Semarnat-2010, the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa) based in Naucalpan de Juarez was notified for their protection, handling and final destination, they said.
Fatal Riviera Maya accident investigation takes new direction after release of van security footage

Riviera Maya, Q.R.  Authorities are reviewing new accident video that came to light Monday after the death of six people Sunday. A still shot taken from the security camera of the company transport van involved in the accident shows the driver parked and eating when he was hit.

That video contradicts the initial public statement made by the FGE Sunday who reported based on the first investigations, it can be determined that, due to the weather conditions in the city, one of the drivers lost control of their vehicle, invading the opposite lane, causing the accident.

Company surveillance camera from inside the van shows the driver parked and eating when he was hit.

Photo: February 18, 2024.

In that two vehicle crash, six people died, one of whom was the parked transport driver and only occupant of the van.

According to the surveillance camera, the van was parked in a shoulder at the time of the accident.

Photo: February 18, 2024.

The passengers from inside the SUV have been identified as a group of Argentinians who hired a private vehicle to tour them around the area. According to information provided by state authorities Monday during a press conference, the group did not know one another.

They were staying in various accommodations in Tulum and had hired the driver of a private vehicle to drive them around. Two women and three men were killed when, about 30 kilometers south of Playa del Carmen, their vehicle collided with the tourist van.

The deceased have been identified as Nahuel Lopez, Sibella Hernan Ezequiel, Silvia Diaz Vanesa Paola, Amengual Geronimo and Maximiliano Nicolas Laviano, all of Argentine nationality, as well as 33-year-old Freddy Omar Quijano Carrillo, the Mexican driver of the van.

Five of the seven people from inside the silver SUV were killed in the Sunday accident. Photo: February 18, 2024.

A 30-year-old Argentinean man and 23-year-old Argentinean woman survived the crash. Both remain in separate hospitals. The group were heading to Playa del Carmen at the time of the accident.

During the Monday morning press conference, State Secretary Cristina Torres Gomez said the State Attorney Generals Office is continuing with the investigation.
Isla Mujeres police officers trained in fight against corruption

Isla Mujeres, Q.R.  Police officers of Isla Mujeres are being trained in the fight against corruption. The officers are being taught through a 20 hour course given by several officers from the State Prosecutors Office Specialized in Combating Corruption.

With the commitment to permanently train Public Security elements, the Municipal Government of Isla Mujeres through the General Directorate of Public Security and Traffic in coordination with the Specialized Prosecutors Office in Combating Corruption of Quintana Roo, are providing officers with the course.

Fighting corruption head on, applying the corresponding sanctions to those who commit it, is one of the main commitments of the current municipal administration, Isla Mujeres City Council reported in a statement.

This is why the staff of the different areas that make up the City Council are trained, and on this occasion, it was the turn to the elements of Public Security, given the relevance of their functions for the benefit of the island community and the thousands of tourists who visit it every day, Mayor Atenea Gomez Ricalde said.

She explained that through the training, police elements will be provided with the necessary tools to serve and protect Isla Mujeres with conviction, thus contributing to the construction of a municipality in which peace, tranquility and social justice prevail.

The course is being taught by personnel from the FGE. Photo: Policia de Isla Mujeres February 19, 2024.

The course, which will last 20 hours, is being taught by the head of the Prosecutors Office Specialized in Combating Corruption of the State of Quintana Roo, Rosaura Antonina Villanueva Arzapalo, the Deputy Director of Amparos, Jose Gabriel Marin Yacaman, the Agent of the Ministerial Investigation Police, Ricardo Colin Guadalupe, the Prosecutor of the Public Ministry, Rosa Isela Velazquez Dominguez, Antonio Esquivel Jimenez and the Prosecutor of the Public Ministry, Amilcar Ramon Villanueva.
Tabasco teen involved in Cancun loansharking arrested for murder

Cancun, Q.R.  A 19-year-old teen has been taken into custody in relation to the murder of a Colombian woman in Cancun earlier this month. Police found the body of an adult woman in a green area February 8 after residential reports.

At the scene, the body of the deceased, identified as Colombian Mily N, was found shot to death. Her body was dumped in a green space in SM 322 after being reported last seen February 7.

On Monday during a press conference, state authorities reported that 19-year-old Genesis Alondra N from Tabasco was arrested February 15 for her connection to the murder.

On February 15, the Investigative Police forces, in collaboration with the State Police, carried out the arrest of Genesis Alondra N, a 19-year-old girl from Tabasco, for her alleged participation in the aggravated homicide of Mily N, of Colombian nationality, the FGE reported Monday morning.

The victim was last seen was on February 7 when she entered a residential building where Genesis Alondra N allegedly lived with her boyfriend. All three are reported to have been involved in loansharking.

According to FGE investigations, Genesis and her accomplices discovered that Mily had been diverting funds from the business.

Milys lifeless body was discovered the next day, February 8, in a green area on Chac Mool Avenue with eight 9-millimeter caliber bullet wounds in the back, shoulder and chin.

A Cancun judge has ordered Genesis Alondra N to remain in detention during her trial.
If you left the blockbuster film about the genius who guided the Manhattan project feeling depressed, youre not alone. The worldand the futurelooked pretty bleak. But its not 1945. And we have much to be optimistic about.

I remember looking at all the social media reactions of critics and friends who had seen Oppenheimer, now up for a Best Picture Oscar. So many of them described walking out of the movie devastated and depressed. They said it was all too true, that they felt destroyed and that the movie would haunt them for a long time.

I found myself puzzled by these reactions and wondering what I was missing. Sure, the movie didnt exactly end on a cheery note. It concludes with Oppenheimer, guilt-ridden over having destroyed so many Japanese lives with the atomic bomb, suggesting that by inventing the bomb, he and the allies had started a chain reaction that would destroy the world. The film then portrays his imagining the bomb destroying our world.

And yet  forgive me for stating the obvious, but I wanted to tell my friends: that never happened. One can forgive the terror that struck that generation in the face of what the Manhattan Project had wrought. But we have the benefit of hindsight. Weve had the atomic bomb for decades and havent destroyed the world. (At least not yet.) It was in the earliest days of the Cold War, during, say, the Cuban Missile Crisis, that we came the closest, and yet  saner heads prevailed. From the Cold War to the Gulf War to the War on Terror, we have not destroyed the world. If anything, the fact that weve had the power to destroy the world hundreds of times over and havent should make us feel rather more optimistic than pessimistic about the future.

But that doesnt seem to matter to some. The idea that our modern world and its institutions are hopelessly broken and that were on track to destroy ourselves any second now, either through nuclear war, overpopulation, the rise of fascism, AI, or climate change, is incredibly popular. So popular that it doesnt seem to matter that it isnt true.

The fact is that by most available metrics, the world is getting profoundly better. And this is happening because of our modern institutionsthe institutions that Oppenheimer wants us to look at with cynicismnot in spite of them. We arent on the brink of destroying the world; were making real progress in restoring it.

WHY THE WORLD IS GETTING BETTER

Take poverty, for example. Poverty has been going down steadily since the advent of the Industrial Revolution, and is doing so at an accelerated rate, despite the constant growth in population, as laid out in the book by Ronald Bailey and Marian L. Tupy Ten Global Trends Every Smart Person Should Know. Fewer babies are dying or living in starvation. Incomes are rising around the world. The consensus from Baily and Tupy, as well as historians Mark Koyama and Jared Rubin in their book How the World Became Rich and among multidisciplinary experts like those described in Bill Gates tweeted out a chart and sparked a huge debate about global poverty, is that this is due to global capitalism, which has rapidly increased wealth around the world.

As for climate change, journalists and politicians constantly claim that were destroying our planet with our capitalistic greed. Young people are so convinced they wont have a future that theyre refusing to have children and are becoming paralyzed with a condition so prevalent its been given a name: Climate Anxiety. And yet even some progressives are beginning to admit that climate change fears are overblown, and climate scientists are telling us our fears need to be moderated to an important-but-not-world-ending issue. Consider journalist Kelsey Pipers Stop telling kids that climate change will destroy their world or Matthew Yglesias People need to hear the good news about climate change.

Even the fears that our democracy is always five seconds away from collapsing into civil war or dictatorship are overblown. Most of what truly threatens America weve faced and survived before. Forced vaccinations and the backlash? Weve been there, back in 1898 with the smallpox vaccine, and the Republic has survived. Censorship? America has watched Supreme Court litigation over literal government censorship, such as in the 1971 fight over the Pentagon Papers (portrayed thrillingly by Steven Spielberg in his 2017 film, The Post). Now the fights are about what private businesses can or should do when it comes to regulating speech on their own platforms like Twitter (X) and YouTube, or cancel culture, which is about figuring out where the responsible line is in exercising our rights of freedom of association. Even the recent scandals around government entities pressuring private industries like Amazon to stop selling books about COVID-19 they disliked only highlight that the government has less power today to summarily force such censorship. Fears about religious liberty abound. And yet Supreme Court cases have upheld religious freedom over and over again. Oh, and we survived a literal Civil War that also brought chattel slavery to an end once and for all.

Murders are down both in America and, even more dramatically, around the world, according to studies published in Ten Global Trends, the New York Times Crime on the Decline ,  and Human Progress Global Murder Rate Is Falling. Weve gone from a country with race-based slavery, to one with segregation, to one that outlawed both. Weve elected a black president, and ever-rising rates of people support and enter into interracial marriages. Many young activists turned against peaceful protests in the 2020 because they believed they just werent working to affect change. And yet, as Voxs Black Lives Matter Activism Is Working points out, the peaceful activism of the movement in years prior was having a real effect in lowering rates of police violence against black Americans. Those are huge bipartisan wins. Meanwhile, conservatives can celebrate the end of Roe v. Wade and the growing backlash against wokeism, cancel culture, and gender ideology. And liberals can celebrate more tolerance toward gay and lesbian Americans and the increasing concern even among many on the right regarding income inequality.

In almost every area, the liberal democratic institutions weve set up have helped us overcome more and more problems. Its not that we dont still have battles to wage. But the vast majority of problems are being ameliorated, not getting worse. And where they may be getting worse, the systems weve put into place and the technologies weve invented are giving us the tools to solve those problems. Social media and protections for free speech are giving rise to a plurality of voices. New technology is helping innovate ways to combat climate change. Were winning, not losing. (OK, so maybe AI is the thing that finally gets us. But, as has been illustrated above, the doomsayers dont have a great track record so far.)

WHY DO WE BELIEVE THE DOOMSAYERS?

The fact that so many people are convinced the world is endingwhen it isnthas real-world consequences. It was those who were convinced that liberal democracy wasnt working who burned cities in the summer of 2020 and who stormed the capitol on January 6. Those who believe we are destroying the world through fossil fuels are falling into depression and failing to have children, creating a real future underpopulation crisis (as for failed doomsayers, see Ehrlich, Paul).

So why, given all the data, are so many people pessimistic about the future?

There are several possible reasons, most likely a combination of all of them. The first is ignorance. Most people are not aware of the most recent data and know only what they see on the news and on social media, which are built to highlight the negative because that will grab your attention more than the positive and hopeful.

And why is that? As Dr. Mike Brooks, in his essay Why It Feels like the End of the World Even When Its Not, points out, the human mind is engineered, if you will, to register negative things more intensely than it does positive things. This is a survival function, because its much more important to take note of the tiger in the bushes than the sweet berries. But that also means well hear and absorb negative things about our world more readily than positive things. There are also political reasons for promoting a negative view of the world. As Matthew Yglesias argues, filmmakers like Adam McKay who spread doom messages about climate change do so partly because they want to inspire action. The problem is, they seem to be inspiring a lot of depression but very little action.

There are other possible explanations. Historian Niall Ferguson, author of the book Doom, suggested on Jordan Petersons podcast that we find the end of the world both comforting and exciting because we know that were going to inevitably die ourselves, and it makes our deaths feel more significant and cinematic. Yet sociologist Dr. Jonathan Haidt and neurologist Dr. Andrew Huberman have also suggested that were encouraging people to think in ways that will inevitably destroy their mental health, and therefore see the world more pessimistically. Jonathan Haidt argues in Why the Mental Health of Liberal Girls Sank First and Fastest that were teaching young people that encountering ideas that scare you leaves you permanently traumatized, which leads them to avoid those things, making them mentally weaker. Dr. Andrew Huberman likewise insists that depression increases when our emotions drive our thoughts rather than our thoughts determining our feelings. In an age when how things make us feel is becoming more and more important, its no surprise that depression is increasing.

THE GOD GAP

I believe theres also a deeply religious reason for rampant pessimism. Its worth noting that religion is nowhere to be found in Oppenheimer, except for a quotation from the Bhagavad Gita, which says more about Oppenheimer the man than it does Hinduism. When God doesnt exist in your world, if the future depends on humans and you see how ridiculous and corrupt and politically motivated humans are, its hard to fathom a world that doesnt inevitably end in disaster, despite what the data might show. An imagination shaped by a godless conception of the world makes positive data more difficult to stick or feel believable.

And the data on religion and mental health supports this idea. As sociologist Ryan Burge wrote in Political Ideology, Religious Attendance, and Mental Illness, being religious is one of the most important factors determining whether someone enjoys good mental healtheven controlling for other factors. Likewise, even Scientific American noted in Psychiatry Needs to Get Right with God that, during the pandemic, the only people whose mental health didnt decline, but actually got betterlet me repeat, got betterwere Americans who went to church at least three times a month. This held true whether that was in-person or virtual services, which meant it was the broader narrative they were ingesting that affected them, not just the community.

The stories we tell about ourselves profoundly affect what we believe and remember. The West has largely given up the Christian story about how it is the eternal Word of God made man who holds the world in his hands (Hebrews 1:3), for one whereas the movie saysJ. Robert Oppenheimer is the most important man who ever lived.

Its vitally important that we tell ourselves a story about our world that makes us excited to discover the truth, and believe and remember it. If were convinced that the truth will only make us miserable, then truth will always pay the price. And we may end up creating the dark future we were convinced we were already making in the first place.
New Delhi, Feb 20 (UNI) Rear Admiral David Proctor, Chief of the New Zealand Navy and Admiral R Hari Kumar Chief of Naval Staff Indian Navy on Tuesday held discussion to strengthen bilateral maritime cooperation, including increased operational engagements, training exchanges and information sharing.

RAdm Proctor is on an official visit to India from 19  27 Feb was earlier welcomed with the customary Guard of Honour here.

He is scheduled to participate in Indian Navys Flagship Exercise MILAN 24 at Visakhapatnam and also undertake high level engagements at Western Naval Command, an official statement said.

Maritime cooperation between the navies of two countries has witnessed significant growth since the Chief of Naval Staff's visit to New Zealand in October 22.

The visit marked conclusion of technical arrangement on White Shipping Information Exchange. Further, warships from both the Navies have been making regular port calls at each others ports, last being port calls by INS Kolkata and INS Sahyadri at Auckland and Wellington in Sep 23. IN ships also conducted PASSEX with Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) and RNZAF in the Tasman Sea post Departure. UNI RBE AKS
A Roanoke Circuit Court judge sentenced a man Tuesday to 25 years in prison for his involvement in a May 2023 fatal shooting.

A jury found Al-Sherrief Malik Mahoney, 41, guilty in October on three felony charges  second-degree murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony and maliciously shooting at an occupied vehicle  related to the death of 32-year-old Jaleel Khiry Bishone Tate.

On May 8, police reported, officers responded at about 8:30 p.m. to calls about a person with a gunshot wound in the in the 3800 block of Panorama Avenue Northwest.

Police found Tate lying in a parking lot outside an apartment complex in the area. He had been shot while sitting inside his sedan and speaking to someone on his cellphone, according to search warrant affidavits.

Assistant Commonwealths Attorney Ryan Hupp said Tuesday that Tates 9-month-old son was sitting in the back seat of the vehicle. Tate was transported to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, where he died a couple of hours later, according to affidavits.

Investigators used cellphone data and surveillance video footage to identify Mahoney as a suspect in the homicide, according to affidavits. Police said he was arrested four days later by members of the U.S. Marshals Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force.

Mahoneys attorney, Sheila Moheb, said Tuesday that she had filed a motion requesting the court overturn the jurys three guilty verdicts.

Moheb argued that the verdicts were not supported beyond a reasonable doubt. She called the case extraordinary, arguing that there was an utter lack of evidence tying Mahoney to the murder weapon or placing him on the shooting scene.

But Judge Christopher Clemens found that there were no extraordinary facts to base changing the jurys verdict, and attorneys began presenting their sentencing evidence and arguments.

Tates younger sister testified that her brother has eight children.

All of our spirits were broken, she said. This is the age young men need their dad the most.

The sister added that Tates wife was ill at the time of his death, and her pain has only gotten worse as the family has to deal with the disrespect of our own blood.

Mahoney identified Tate Tuesday as his cousin. Mahoneys wife said he cried when he heard about Tates death.

But for someone whos innocent to go down for something they didnt do, its just as tragic, the wife said. We need him.

Mahoneys mother testified that her son had been in and out of incarceration. After his most recent release from federal prison, she testified, he was a changed man.

Yall about to put him away for something he had nothing to do with, the mother said. Theyre judging him by his past, and all of us got one.

Tates family members seated in the courtroom gallery reacted to defense witnesses testimonies with scoffs. His sister said her brothers death changed the destiny of her family members lives.

If thats the price we have to pay to lock a monster away, then thats the price, she testified.

Moheb said Mahoney was on probation after being released from federal prison when the May 8 shooting occurred. She reminded Clemens that, given his murder conviction in Roanoke Circuit Court, Mahoney may face the revocation of a suspended sentence on the federal level. She asked the judge to consider that potential jail time when sentencing her client.

Hupp asked Clemens to sentence Mahoney to 35 years in prison with no time suspended, arguing because there was simply no point.

Without his car, without his actions, without his decisions that day, Jaleel would still be here. Those eight kids would still have a father, Hupp said. This was outrageous conduct. He has shown no remorse.

But Moheb argued that 35 years in prison would leave Mahoney with not much of any life to enjoy. She maintained her clients innocence and asked Clemens to consider his minimal involvement in the shooting. She said Mahoney was not the perpetrator and asked Clemens to not sentence him as though he is.

Its a tragic situation, Mahoney said. I wouldnt pray for this to happen to anybody.

The defendant said he would continue to pray for Tates family, and he asked to be treated fairly, and not unjustly.

Everyone loses in a case like this, Clemens said, and he sentenced Mahoney to 30 years in prison on the murder charge, suspended after he serves 20.

On the firearm charge, Clemens sentenced Mahoney to three years in prison, the mandatory minimum sentence for the charge in Virginia. And on the shooting charge, he sentenced Mahoney to five years in prison, suspended after he serves two.

That makes a total 38 years in prison, suspended after Mahoney serves 25. Once released from incarceration, Mahoney will spend three years on probation.
BLACKSBURG  A plan between the town and Virginia Tech to alleviate housing concerns might not be reached for at least a year, Mayor Leslie Hager-Smith said Tuesday.

During a town council work session, Hager-Smith said that a long-planned meeting between herself and Virginia Tech administrators  including University President Tim Sands  had taken place.

During their meeting, Hager-Smith presented university officials with what she referred to as a white paper outlining some options for how the university might collaborate with the town on the issue of housing. While Virginia Tech administrators expressed interest, Hager-Smith sees it as the start of a long process.

My guess is that, if they let that planning process run its course, that would take about a year Hager-Smith said. It was supposed to have started already, but it hasnt.

Members of town council estimate that discussions about joint housing plans have been ongoing between the town and the university for about 10 years, and have run into delays. In recent years, the COVID-19 pandemic stalled talks, but now, Hager-Smith feels the time is perfect to begin planning again.

Right now is the right time to return to a conversation that is basically 10 years old, Hager-Smith said, adding that she felt the meeting with Virginia Tech administrators had been productive.

After Hager-Smith said publicly in January that the current situation with housing and the universitys enrollment growth is unsustainable, Sands agreed to meet with the mayor and he also referenced the issue over housing in his state of the university address this month.

Leaders have also said the discussions of a plan could also include Montgomery County, the town of Christiansburg and potentially other localities in the New River Valley.

Virginia Techs enrollment has grown since Sands took the role of president in 2014. At that time, he and his team of administrators set a goal of getting 30,000 undergraduate students enrolled at the university. That goal was met, but housing infrastructure has lagged behind, according to both university and town officials.

Hager-Smith said she asked Sands during their recent meeting what the business case was for bringing in several thousand new students, an inquiry from which she said she didnt feel she got a solid answer.

The answer was effectively, when the president and administration arrived 10 years ago, they looked over Techs reputation and Techs size and decided they preferred to be in a peer group of land-grant institutions that ranged from 30,000 to 50,000 students, Hager-Smith said.

With the rapid growth of the university, and the inflated housing prices and traffic problems that come with it, some members of the town council are concerned the university doesnt do enough to alleviate the added pressure they place on the community.

Jerry R. Ford, Jr, a member of the council, suggested the university should make a case for itself, and its benefit to the local community.

I think we really need to be able to define, or the university really needs to be able to put into words, Whats that value were bringing to the community that offsets the inconvenience that people often feel, Ford said.
The 2023 Roanoke Valley Preservation Foundation Kegley Preservation Award for stewardship was presented to Donald Wilson, president of Evergreen Memorial Trust, for Evergreen Burial Park, one of the regions oldest continuing businesses.

Wilson has worked at the park for over 40 years, according to a news release about the recognition.

Under Wilsons leadership, the park has become a community mainstay, hosting a variety of public events each year, according to the release.

The events include a fall history walking tour conducted by Wilson that highlights the stories of some of the more prominent figures buried there; an Arbor Day walk for observing the parks specimen trees, many of which were planted in the original 1916 landscape design; and a Memorial Day celebration which includes the placement of American flags on all veterans graves, a veteran-centered tour, and the nationwide Taps Across America tribute.

Wilson was nominated for the award by Anne S. Beckett, who wrote, What brought a country boy from Iowa to Roanoke in 1982 to work at one of the valleys most long-lasting and successful businesses? Don Wilson came to work at Evergreen Burial Park as a natural-born salesperson! After working his way up, he bought the company and serves as the President of Evergreen Memorial Trust. The trust is headquartered at Evergreen Burial Park and also oversees their four other burial parks throughout the Roanoke Valley, according to the release.

Beckett also commented on the burial parks rich history, saying, Evergreen Burial Park began in 1916 on the Old Solitude Farm in what was then Roanoke County before being annexed by the city in 1926. The cemetery was designed by the Hare and Hare architectural landscape firm of Kansas City, Missouri, and its popularity was established from the start. Many notable individuals and their families are buried there, including a Virginia governor, fifteen Roanoke mayors, several Norfolk and Western presidents, and over 3,000 veterans of all wars dating back to the Civil War. There have been 25,000 burials in the 54-acre cemetery.

The cemetery has always been a welcoming place for visitors. [] Under the forward-thinking management of the staff since 1916 and Dons leadership, the cemetery and its parklike setting provide a unique setting to tell the stories of Roanoke, Virginia.
Radford University hopes to address the regional shortage of teachers by establishing a new program, the Southwest Virginia Teacher Apprenticeship Consortium.

It will allow prospective teachers who are working on a bachelors degree to serve as apprentice teachers, before earning full licensure at the end of the program.

Teacher apprenticeship programs have only recently started to be explored in the region, according to Debora Bays Wilbon, associate dean of Radfords college of education and human development, and the director of the office of field experiences.

There are a few other programs like this, Bays Wilbon said. One at Emory & Henry, and one in Bluefield that covers a division in Virginia, but these are fairly new programs here.

The Radford program will cover school divisions including Bland County, Carroll County, the city of Galax, Giles County, Pulaski County, the city of Radford, Wythe County and the city of Roanoke.

Teacher shortages are a nationwide problem, and the areas where the shortage is starkest are in elementary and special education, Bays Wilbon said.

We see fewer students leaving high school seeing education as their chosen career, and there are a lot of different reasons for that, Bays Wilbon said. It takes a real passion to want to be an educator.

The program will focus on students from the divisions in the consortium, allowing students who want to teach in the communities they come from the opportunity to do so, Bays Wilbon said. There are currently seven prospective teachers in the program, all of whom are expected to receive their licenses in May 2025. From there, Radford officials say they hope to see the program expand.

The consortium is expected to work hand-in-hand with another Radford University program, the Provisional to Professional pathway project, which provides training for teachers with provisional credentials to earn full licensure. Both programs are meant to alleviate the pressure the teacher shortage has caused locally, according to Bret Danilowicz, the universitys president.

The Southwest Virginia Teacher Apprenticeship Consortium is a wonderful example of how Radford University embraces the responsibility to serve our communities, Danilowicz said. With the launch of SWVTAC and our recent announcement of the Provisional to Professional Pathway project, Radford is committed to creative solutions that will help solve Virginias teacher shortage. This apprenticeship program has the dual benefit of opening new and affordable pathways to rewarding careers for working adults and improving classroom experiences for young learners throughout Southwest Virginia.

Prospective teachers will be able to begin their apprenticeships this spring, earning both teaching licenses and specific endorsements in elementary education and special education.
A proposed solar farm in Orange County lost a critical vote before the countys planning commission after the owners of a historic estate-turned-bed and breakfast and wedding venue rallied their strong social media following and other members of the community to voice their opposition.

The Cashells, who own Mayhurst Inn just south of the town of Orange, argue that Maitland, Florida-based ESA Solars 35-acre Orange Road Solar Farm poses a direct threat not only to Mayhursts business but to Orange Countys burgeoning tourism industry and its agricultural roots.

Thats in spite of the fact that the solar farm is not part of the Mayhurst estate, sits 1,000 feet away from the historic house, cannot be seen from the highest elevation on the property and is no longer suitable for agricultural purposes.

Nevertheless, the Orange County Planning Commission voted 4-1 on Thursday to recommend the countys board of supervisors deny ESAs request for a special use permit for the project. While expressing their support for solar projects in general, commissioners cited the projects proximity to Mayhurst in their final reasoning.

Mayhurst was constructed by Col. John Willis in 1859. Willis was the great-nephew of Founding Father James Madison, whose Montpelier estate is roughly 7 miles from Mayhurst. Willis was also a generous supporter of the Confederacy, who was so penniless after the Civil War he was forced to sell the property.

It was purchased by a Northern carpetbagger sent by the Federal government to administer the county, according to the Cashells own history of the estate published on the Mayhurst website.

Jason and Casey Cashell, originally from Louisville, Kentucky, purchased Mayhurst in February of 2020. Over the past four years, the couple have transformed the 165-year-old Italianate house at the center of the 37-acre property into an attractive destination for holidays and weddings.

The Cashells Instagram account, where they document their experiences renovating the property and raising their children there, has amassed more than 150,000 followers.

Speaking before the planning commission Thursday, Casey Cashell compared that figure to the Instagram followings of other nearby historic landmarks, including Montpelier (roughly 13,000 followers) and fellow Founding Father Thomas Jeffersons Monticello estate (roughly 45,700 followers).

Cashell also pointed out that Orange Countys own Instagram page has barely 2,000 followers.

Casey Cashell said Mayhurst, under her familys ownership, has put Orange County on the map for millions.

I want you to understand that this dream of ours, here at Mayhurst right in the heart of Orange County, its not just ours, it has captured the hearts of millions, said Casey Cashell at the public hearing. And that is not an understatement  millions. What we are doing here is far more significant than any of you might understand.

The Cashells willingly admitted Thursday that they had wielded the power of their fanbase to influence the vote.

Two days before the planning commission hearing, Casey Cashell took to Instagram and called on locals to show up at the hearing in protest and urged followers to email the Leaders of Orange County and express their opposition to the solar farm.

Mayhurst is in danger, she says in a Tuesday Instagram Reel while sitting in a room at the house and holding an aerial photo of the estate. There is an industrial solar company wanting to blanket the rolling countryside of this incredible historic estate.  If you could, please write an email to our board of supervisors and let them know that you dont wish to see a solar field blanketing the hillsides behind Mayhurst, that you want to see this historical estate preserved and kept as a national treasure.

At the hearing Thursday, Jason Cashell told The Daily Progress that former Mayhurst guests sent more than 100 messages opposing the project to Orange officials.

The impact of social media through guests drawing tourism here, which Mayhurst, before we bought it, had zero social media, Jason Cashell told The Daily Progress. I dont think social media had a huge role in who showed up to speak tonight, but I do think it has a huge role in who comes and visits and name recognition for Orange.

Jason Cashell sits on Orange Town Council, which does not have authority over the solar farm project which sits in the county. The distinction between town and county played a role in Jason Cashells election in 2022, when opponents argued he had run under false pretenses, listing a small upstairs apartment on Main Street in the town of Orange as his primary residence despite evidence, specifically on Instagram, that he and his family reside at Mayhurst in Orange County.

Jason Cashell told the planning commission on Thursday that he and his wife have invested in Mayhurst, and consequently Orange County, believing that Orange officials would do everything in their power to protect historic landmarks and revenue-generating businesses.

When we moved here four years ago to take over a struggling business, we did it with the understanding that the county said it would protect National Historical Landmarks like Mayhurst, he said before the commision. So we came, invested, worked hard and made something special. Now, that agreement is in jeopardy. If you dont protect Mayhurst, then by default, dont you, based on precedent, forfeit the rights to protect any other historical landmarks in Orange?

Wes Shaffer, entitlement manager at ESA, said in a presentation before the planning commission Thursday that the company would do everything in its power to mitigate the projects impact. He noted that there had already been conversations with Jason Cashell in which ESA had agreed to rent out the eight guest rooms at Mayhurst during the 10 days that construction on the solar farm would be the loudest. He also pointed out that the solar farm has been designed to generate enough electricity for roughly 1,000 households and that Mayhurst, and any other county business or resident, would be able to access that power.

In addition, an ESA viewshed analysis found little to no visual impact from the tallest point on the Mayhurst estate. Unlike the aerial photo Casey Cashell held during her Instagram Reel, in which the proposed site of the solar farm could be clearly seen, a photo taken from the cupola atop the house shows most visitors would not be able to see the solar farm clearly or at all.

Shaffer emphasized that ESAs plans would make the project practically invisible.

Over the next 30 years, you will not notice this project, he told the planning commission.

That comment elicited guffaws from the audience, prompting Shaffer to joke, It is at this moment, I realize I will not be a good stand-up comedian.

Following Shaffer, 14 Orange County residents, including the Cashells, voiced their opposition to the project.

These solar viruses are butt ugly, said Orange County resident John Murray.

A majority of those in opposition emphasized the negative impact the solar farm would have on the countys tourism and agriculture sectors.

The tourism industry supports a fraction of the total jobs in Orange County, just 485, according to the Virginia Tourism Corporation. Most of the countys workforce is employed in the manufacturing and retail sectors, 1,266 and 1,309 people, respectively, according to the countys 2023 Comprehensive Plan.

ESA has defended itself against criticism that the land should be returned to some sort of agricultural use by pointing out that the property has not been farmed for several years and that the companys soil studies have shown the land could not even sustain traditional farming.

ESAs arguments, however, were not enough to sway the votes of planning commissioners Thursday.

In the end, it came down to one figure: 1,000 feet.

Commissioners Teri Vickery and Donald Brooks, who presented the motion to recommend denial, said 1,000 feet was not a sufficient buffer between the proposed solar panels and the historic estate.

Brooks just couldnt bring his mind around to the location, said Brooks, referring to himself in the third person.

The planning commission vote is not the final say on whether a special use permit will be granted for ESAs Orange Road Solar Farm. The final decision will be determined by the Orange County Board of Supervisors, which has its next regular meeting at 5 p.m. on Feb. 27, when the board is expected to decide on a date to make its final determination.
There has been a 25% increase in passenger numbers on Ireland's first all-electric town bus service since the initiative's launch.

Bus Eireann and the National Transport Authority (NTA) are marking one year since the launch of Irelands first all-electric town service in Athlone town. The service also caters for the Monksland and Bellanamullia areas.

The Pathfinder project, as designated by the Department of Transport, was officially launched on January 29th 2023.

During the first year of service, 11 state-of-the-art zero-emission electric buses have transformed the bus service in Athlone Town, completing over 530,000 emission-free kilometres over 12 months, a statement from Bus Eireann said.

These journeys throughout the year eliminated over 400,000 kilograms of tailpipe emissions when compared with those of a diesel vehicle.  The project, a 10 million investment by the NTA, became the first project to launch under the Governments Pathfinder Programme  a list of exemplar transport projects to be delivered by local authorities and agencies around the country within three years.

In preparation for the Athlone launch for the service, Bus Eireann drivers and mechanics participated in a comprehensive training programme of more than 500 hours  on the driving, maintenance and operation of the buses.

The service, which has seen 25% passenger growth in 2023, operates two routes (A1 & A2) and is delivered by our over 50 employees in Athlone.

The Athlone town service bus fleet is composed entirely of Enviro200EV single-deck battery-electric buses supplied by British bus manufacturer Alexander Dennis, which are in use in a number of major cities in the United Kingdom, including London and Glasgow.

Stephen Kent, Chief Executive Officer, Bus Eireann was delighted to mark this milestone of the Athlone service.

The launch of the service in January 2023 is an important step in our journey to supporting the delivery of the Government Climate Action Plan, he said.

We are proud to operate this environmentally friendly and accessible service for the people of Athlone, helping to sustainably connect this community.

The Athlone project, as well as the upcoming transition of our Limerick city service to zero-emission bus operation, underscores our dedication and collaboration to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030. Anne Graham, Chief Executive Officer, NTA added that the launch of the all-electric service in Athlone has proven to be a significant milestone on the journey to a zero-emissions bus fleet for our towns and cities.

For the last year, the people of Athlone  and not just our customers  have benefited from buses that are cleaner, quieter, more comfortable and more attractive, he said.

The experience we have gained here with our colleagues in Bus Eireann is already standing us in good stead as NTA rolls out similar programmes in other parts of the country.
A County Roscommon resident who created a new record for climbing every mountain in Ireland over 600m has been listed among the nominees in the Outsider Woman of the Year awards.

The annual Outsider Awards, established by Outsider, Irelands Adventure Magazine, celebrate the achievements, milestones and contributions that have taken place in the Irish outdoor community over the past year.

Nominees have been chosen and on Wednesday an overall winner, along with several category winners, will be announced at the Sugar Club in Dublin.

According to the magazine Ellie Berry (29) wowed the outdoors community this year when she set a new speed record for climbing every mountain in Ireland.

Ellie, who is from Tipperary and now lives in Roscommon, spent her summer solo-climbing all 275 mountains on the Vandeleur-Lynams list. That is mountains measuring 600m+, with a prominence of 15m. She chronicled her amazing adventures on Tough Soles, a YouTube channel and blog she runs with her partner Carl Lange.

It was Carl who had suggested the target to Ellie in the first place. "I have a really deep love for the outdoors and mountains, she told Outsider.ie When Carl learnt about this challenge, he thought it was perfect for me, though it took him a while to convince me to do it!

Ellie completed the feat in 50 days, 5 hours 45 minutes, beating the previous record by almost six days. The part she loved the most? Spending all that time outside. This project brought me to corners of the island I would otherwise never have explored and showed me just how incredibly beautiful Irelands wild places are, she told Outsider.ie

Inevitably, there were some tough moments along the way, especially as the exhaustion took hold on the Dingle Peninsula, and the unrelenting weather wore her down, but she dug deep and kept going to the end.

What did she learn from the experience? It feels so cliche, but to embrace the fear. Let yourself feel the big emotions or doubt, and then focus on the next step. Its all about one foot in front of the next, until you get to that final peak, she told the magazine.

* The Outsider Awards are sponsored by Sport Ireland Outdoors, Leave No Trace Ireland, Craghoppers, Salewa, The Sustainable Tourism Network, and Vagabond Tours.
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Another wet winter storm is swamping California with heavy rainfall, flooding the runways at a regional airport and leading to several rescues on swollen rivers and creeks
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.
New Delhi, Feb 20 (UNI) The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Tuesday issued a notice to the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) seeking a report on the death of an 80-year-old man who collapsed after walking about 1.5 kilometres due to the non-availability of a wheelchair at Mumbai airport.

The NHRC asked the DGCA to submit a detailed report on the matter within 4 weeks. It should include the status of compensation, if any, provided to the Next of Kin of the deceased, the NHRC said in a statement.

Reportedly, the man of Indian origin having a US Passport had to walk alongside his wife in another wheelchair but collapsed after walking about 1.5 kilometres on the way to the immigration area.
The Citadels Department of Political Science, ahead of the South Carolina Republican primary on Feb. 24, announced results from the inaugural The Citadel Poll on Feb. 16 after surveying 1,000 SC voters between Feb. 5-11 through live telephone interviews or text messages.

Consistent with the national trend, former President Donald Trump at 64% holds a considerable lead over ex-Gov. Nikki Haley, with 31%, in the states open primary. The 33% lead is well above the 4.4% margin of error for the likely voter sample. What makes the race truly interesting, is the variation in where each candidates support is.

Trump benefits from above-average support in areas outside of the Charleston and Columbia metropolitan areas. The rallies held in Conway and North Charleston show that Trump is trying to build enthusiasm in major population centers to keep or grow his support.

Trump this week gives his closing pitch in Greenville to a region of the state where his popularity is the highest. Voter enthusiasm shows that Trump still has supporters in Charleston and the Upstate that are not certain they will vote in the next week.

Election 2024 Trump Abortion Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks Feb. 10 at a Get Out The Vote rally in Conway.

Haleys modern day whistle-stop tour in the Midlands and Lowcountry is a recognition that she is well liked in the state but needs her supporters to be more enthusiastic about voting before Saturday, Feb. 24. Early voting is a key to her beating expectations, because a majority of voters who plan to vote early support Haley.

A total of 707 respondents said they would support Trump or Haley in the primary. There were 140 respondents who did not receive this question because they voted in South Carolinas Democratic Primary on Feb. 3.

The margin of sampling error is 4.1% and margin of error is 3.1% for the full sample. The sample included 505 likely Republican Primary voters who said they would definitely vote. This sample has a margin of sampling error of 5.7%, margin of error of 4.4%.

Is SC truly Trumps to win?

Both Republican candidates are electable in the eyes of the South Carolina voters. In a head-to-head contest, preference among registered voters for Trump (54%) is 19% higher than President Joe Biden at 35%.

Similarly, Haley (50%) is preferred by 22% more of the respondents than Biden (28%). The key difference is that, if Haley is on the ballot, most Trump supporters continue to prefer her (69%, another 15% are undecided).

Her edge is that 21% of voters who prefer Biden over Trump would vote for Haley. Only 7% of voters who prefer Biden over Trump would be undecided if Haley was the candidate.

Thus, says Citadel political science professor DuBose Kapeluck, the poll suggests that Republicans would win more decisively in the general election if Haley was the Republican nominee, but Republicans will carry the state regardless.

The publics anticipation of who they will support in November 2024 when the field of candidates is larger than the two party nominees shows the race could look different depending on who wins the Republican nomination. The head-to-head question asking which candidate a voter would support was expanded to include independent Robert F. Kennedy,Jr., Sen. Joe Manchin, and Green Party candidate Jill Stein. In a larger field, Biden (31%) still trails Trump (50%) in South Carolina by the same percentage as the head-to-head contest.

This pattern contradicts any expectation that a third-party contest would draw more votes from one candidate than another, said Citadel political science professor Mark Owens, who conducted the poll with Kapeluck.

Third-party candidates could gain more traction with voters if Haley wins the Republican nomination. With more candidates in the race, Kennedys support increases to 20% in a Biden-Haley contest (+10% if Trump were on the ballot).

Kennedys appeal detracts from both candidates, but more heavily from Haley, whose lead over Biden drops from 21% to 17%. The largest shift is that 28% of Trump supporters in a Biden-Trump contest would prefer Kennedy over Haley.

Kapeluck notes, This suggests that Kennedy has positioned himself right in the middle ideologically between the two major party candidates. Kennedy would seem to be a second-best for many Republicans, though for some its Trump or nothing.

Haley maintains support from 55% of the Trump supporters, but we should be somewhat cautious to read into this as 10% of the Trump respondents refused to indicate who they would vote for if Trump was not the nominee.

Haleys lead remains strong, because she gains support from 19% of those who back Biden in a head-to-head race with Trump. If Haley wins the nomination, it appears more difficult to win back Trump supporters; however, she is the candidate that draws support away from Biden.

Leadership traits the public wants?

The Citadel Poll asked voters what leadership traits they would like to see the president of the United States have. The broadest agreement among registered voters in South Carolina is that the president should accomplish tasks efficiently (85%), reduce uncertainty (70%), respect the ideas and feelings of the public (68%), and project a sense of calm (65%). This reveals that the public currently favors leadership that prioritizes accomplishments where the outcome is likely certain, more than feeling calm and secure.

Sen. Scotts endorsement?

The possibility that Sen. Tim Scott is on the short list to be tapped as a running mate, if Trump wins the Republican primary, has captured the attention of South Carolina voters.

A majority of Republican primary voters (51%) would be more enthusiastic about Trumps candidacy if he selected Scott as his running mate. The selection offers future benefits to Trump since enthusiasm for selecting Scott is higher among voters who support Trump over Biden in a head-to-head contest (62%).

Enthusiasm is also greatest among voters who already prefer Trump to Haley in this weeks election, but the selection holds little risk with the primary voters who support Haley who say it will have no impact on their preference (32%). This is consistent with the idea that Scott can mobilize a base and also propel momentum.

Among voters who are currently considering other candidates (34%) or unsure how committed they are before they vote in the primary (51%) would be more enthusiastic about Trump in the general election if Scott was on the ticket.

We cant be sure this cant lose Tim Scott VP dynamic will hold in other states, but in South Carolina it is impossible to deny, Kapeluck said.

How long they've lived in SC

Donald Trump attracts a majority of voters who will probably vote in the Republican primary across each category of residency. Among the most recent residents, Trump leads Nikki Haley by 52-37 percent. It is important to remember that while the state has a growing population, only 10% of the registered voter population is new.

Trumps greatest advantage is among voters who have lived in South Carolina their entire lives (Trump, 68%; Haley, 20%). To be competitive, Haley will have to narrow the gap with longtime South Carolina residents. Voters who either moved here more than 10 years ago or have not lived anywhere else combined are 80% of the states registered voters.

Enthusiasm in the electorate varies based on length of residency in the state, Owens said.

Respondents who have lived in South Carolina their entire lives are the least enthusiastic about this primary (49% definite, 24% probably). The highest enthusiasm is among voters who moved to the state five to 10 years ago (63% definite, 24% probably).

The residents who moved to the state while Haley was governor or had a high-profile position in the Trump administration are an important target. To this group, Trumps campaign has shaped their political memories in South Carolina in the primary and general elections and few  if any  have had the opportunity to vote for Haley.
DES MOINES  Iowa lawmakers are beginning the process of spending millions of dollars obtained in lawsuits against companies over their role in the opioid epidemic.

Under Senate Study Bill 3178, advancing in the Iowa Senate, three-quarters of the money in the states Opioid Settlement Fund would be directed to the state Health and Human Services Department. The remaining money would go to the attorney generals office.

Iowa has $26.8 million in the fund from settlements from cases against major opioid manufacturers and retailers, according to the state treasurers office. The bill would split that money this year, giving 75% to the HHS Department and 25% to the attorney general's office.

The money can be used to pay for opioid addiction treatment, prevention and training for law enforcement and first responders. It can be used for alternative courts and pre-arrest diversion programs.

The state is expected to receive around $144 million over the next several years, according to Senate Republican estimates. Half of that money is allocated to the state while the other half goes to local governments.

Going forward, the HHS department would be receiving an estimated $3 million a year, while the attorney generals office would receive $1 million until 2039.

Iowa, along with most other states, has received settlements from Johnson & Johnson, Teva, CVS and Walgreens, among other companies. While the companies did not admit wrongdoing, the lawsuits alleged they deceptively marketed the addictive pharmaceuticals and did not follow precautions to prevent abuse.

Aggressive marketing about prescription opioids like OxyContin led to an explosion of prescriptions of the drugs for pain management starting around 2000, along with rising overdose deaths. Prescriptions peaked around 2010, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and have been decreasing since 2012.

Former Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller in 2021 announced his office would spend $3.8 million in settlement funds on a partnership with University of Iowa Health Care on a medication-assisted therapy program for addiction treatment.

Senate Republicans advanced the bill out of a subcommittee on Monday, making it eligible for debate in the full Appropriations Committee.

Which proposal to follow?

By directing the opioid settlement funds to the two departments, the Senate bill would give them broad leeway on how to spend the money, as long as they follow the requirements of the various master settlements.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has proposed a separate bill in the House that would instead fund specific programs using $20 million from the settlement fund. House Study Bill 689 would include spending on following projects:

 $3 million for various addiction prevention, treatment and naloxone programs

 $650,000 surveillance of use and overdose mapping

 $11 million to expand infrastructure for recovery providers and recovery housing

 $1.5 million for scholarships, workforce training and employment

 $1 million for peer support in emergency rooms

 $3 million for a youth substance use treatment campus

Some representatives for health care organizations said during the Senate subcommittee meeting they preferred Reynolds bill over allowing state agencies authority to spend the money.

Our members are a little bit nervous about not having any specificity within the language of the bill about what, specifically, those programs will be funded, said Amy Campbell, a lobbyist for the Iowa Behavioral Health Association.

Sen. Janet Petersen, a Democrat from Des Moines, said she wanted to know how the attorney generals portion of the funds would be spent.

I have concerns about the framework, only just specifying percentage and then theres no breakdown on how the funds will be used from the AGs perspective, as well as HHS, she said.

A spokesperson for Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird said she is committed to combating the opioid crisis and saving lives by directing opioid settlement funds toward treatment, recovery, and prevention efforts across Iowa.

Sen. Mark Costello, R-Imogene, who led the subcommittee, said he thinks the agencies, which are already doing work in addiction treatment, would have the best understanding of how to spend the money.

Im fairly comfortable unless something makes me change my mind that, if we give it to these departments theyll be able to do what wed like, within the scope of the project and for things that they deem effective, he said.

Reynolds has also proposed a bill that would reorganize Iowas mental health and substance abuse treatment networks in the state into a unified behavioral health system. The bill would create seven regional agencies in the state that provide behavioral health treatment and services.
REMSEN, Iowa  A 7-year-old boy who was abducted last month wants to be reunited with his lost dog.

Noah's Hope Animal Rescue is asking anyone with information about Clyde, a gray pit bull, to call 712-253-3894 or 712-540-3617.

The Sioux City-based nonprofit said in a Facebook post Sunday that the boy's dog "was in the truck and unfortunately not caught out in the field," following the Jan. 30 incident.

At 3:40 p.m. that day, an Amber Alert was issued out of Greene County for a black Toyota Tacoma transporting 7-year-old Bryson Duong, the son of Brandon Duong.

According to Plymouth County and Woodbury County scanner traffic, law enforcement officers pursued the vehicle, which was reportedly traveling in excess of 100 miles per hour, through Woodbury, Plymouth and Cherokee counties.

Brandon Duong, 34, was arrested after a 2 1/2-hour standoff with police. The standoff took place in the area of 160th and Sunset Avenue between Remsen and Marcus, Iowa.
SIOUX CITY -- A Sioux City man is in custody after being charged early Tuesday with leading law enforcement officers on a high-speed chase for the second time in the past three months.

An Iowa State Patrol trooper observed a Nissan Altima traveling at 83 mph in a 65 mph zone on U.S. Highway 20 near mile marker 2 at 3:27 a.m. The driver exited U.S. 20 at the Morningside Avenue exit and ran through a stop sign, turning north with the trooper following.

The driver then accelerated to more than 100 mph in a 35 mph zone on Morningside Avenue and was pulling away from the trooper, who was driving 110 mph, according to court documents.

The driver turned west on Morningside Avenue, then north onto South Maple Street before turning west onto Garretson Avenue, driving through two stop signs. The driver crossed South Palmetto Street and entered an alley, striking a shed before coming to a stop in a residential backyard. The driver fled the car on foot, followed by officers. The trooper tasered the driver, but it had no effect, and the suspect continued to run. He was found lying on the ground soon after and was arrested.

A search of the car revealed two open containers of Keystone Light beer, and the suspect refused to take field sobriety tests and a breath test after Sioux City police officers who assisted in the pursuit smelled alcohol on his breath and observed he had slurred speech, poor balance and bloodshot eyes.

Threeten Sirom, 29, was booked into the Woodbury County Jail on charges of eluding, second-degree criminal mischief and operating while intoxicated. His bond was set at $25,000.

Sirom was arrested in November after an early morning high-speed chase in Morningside in the same vehicle. Sirom was charged with driving away from a police officer who had pulled him over for driving without headlights or tail lights on. After the car became disabled, Sirom exited the car, fled on foot and was apprehended.

Sirom has pleaded not guilty of eluding, assault on a peace officer and interference with official acts. He's scheduled to stand trial in March.
STORM LAKE, Iowa -- Authorities are seeking the public's help in locating a suspect who escaped from police custody Monday evening at a Storm Lake hospital.

The Storm Lake Police Department said in a Facebook post that Luis Rodriguez Garcia, 26, had been arrested following an alleged trespassing incident. He was last seen running southbound from Buena Vista Regional Medical Center wearing a black hoodie, gray sweatpants, pink socks and no shoes. "He was last seen handcuffed behind the back," the post said of Rodriguez Garcia.

"A subject that had been placed under arrest has managed to escape custody at the hospital. The suspect was last seen running southbound from the hospital premises. We urge everyone to stay vigilant and report any sightings or information regarding this individual," the post said. "Please do not approach the suspect if spotted. Instead, immediately call 911 to report any sightings or information that could aid in the apprehension of this individual."

At 6:21 p.m. Monday, Storm Lake officers were called to a residence in the 500 block of Hudson St. for a trespassing incident. When they arrived on the scene, they found Rodriguez Garcia inside the home and took him into custody, according to a statement released by Assistant Police Chief Patrick Diekman. He was arrested on charges of fourth-degree criminal mischief, a serious misdemeanor; interference with official acts, fifth-degree theft, and trespass -- second offense, all simple misdemeanors.

Rodriguez Garcia was taken to Buena Vista Regional Medical Center's emergency room for a pre-incarnation screening. At 9:15 p.m., as the officer was escorting Rodriguez Garcia back to a patrol vehicle, he allegedly broke free from custody and fled from the officer on foot, the statement said. He was last seen in the 1500 block of Shoreway Road.

"Police searched the area throughout the evening but were unable to locate Rodriguez," the statement said.
UNITED NATIONS  The United States vetoed a widely supported U.N. resolution Tuesday demanding an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war in the embattled Gaza Strip, saying it would interfere with negotiations on a deal to free hostages abducted in Israel.

The vote in the 15-member Security Council was 13-1 with the United Kingdom abstaining, reflecting the strong support from countries around the globe for ending the war, which started when Hamas militants invaded southern Israel on Oct. 7.

Since then, more than 29,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's military offensive, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which says the vast majority were women and children.

It was the third U.S. veto of a Security Council resolution demanding a cease-fire in Gaza and came a day after the United States circulated a rival resolution that would support a temporary cease-fire linked to the release of all hostages.

Virtually every council member  including the United States  expressed concern at the impending catastrophe in Gaza's southern city of Rafah, where some 1.5 million Palestinians have sought refuge, if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu goes ahead with his plan to evacuate civilians and move Israel's military offensive to the area bordering Egypt, where Israel says Hamas fighters are hiding.

Before the vote, Algeria's U.N. Ambassador Amar Bendjama, the Arab representative on the council, said: "A vote in favor of this draft resolution is a support to the Palestinians' right to life. Conversely, voting against it implies an endorsement of the brutal violence and collective punishment inflicted against them."

U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said the United States understands the desire for urgent action but believes the resolution would "negatively impact" sensitive negotiations on a hostage deal and a pause in fighting for at least six weeks. If that happens, "we can take the time to build a more enduring peace," she said.

The proposed U.S. resolution, she said, "would do what this text does not  pressure Hamas to take the hostage deal that is on the table and help secure a pause that allows humanitarian assistance to reach Palestinian civilians in desperate need."

Aid halts

The World Food Program said Tuesday it paused deliveries of food to isolated northern Gaza because of increasing chaos across the territory, hiking fears of potential starvation. A study by the U.N. childrens agency warned that one in six children in the north are acutely malnourished.

Entry of aid trucks into the besieged territory declined by more than half the past two weeks, according to U.N. figures.

Overwhelmed U.N. and relief workers said intake of trucks and distribution are crippled by Israeli failure to ensure convoys safety amid its bombardment and ground offensive and by a breakdown in security, with hungry Palestinians frequently overwhelming trucks to take food.

The weakening of the aid operation threatens to deepen misery across the territory, where Israels air and ground offensive has killed more than 29,000 Palestinians, obliterated entire neighborhoods and displaced more than 80% of the population of 2.3 million.

The north, including Gaza City, has been isolated since Israeli troops first moved into it in late October. Large swaths of the city have been reduced to rubble, but several hundred thousand Palestinians remain largely cut off from aid.

They describe famine-like conditions, in which families limit themselves to one meal a day and often resort to mixing animal and bird fodder with grains to bake bread.

The situation is beyond your imagination, said Soad Abu Hussein, a widow and mother of five children sheltering in a school in Jabaliya refugee camp.

Cease-fire proposal

Israel's U.N. Ambassador Gilad Erdan said the word cease-fire is used in the Security Council, the General Assembly and by U.N. officials "as if it is a silver bullet, a magical solution to all of the region's problems."

He called that "an absurd notion," warning that a cease-fire in Gaza would enable Hamas to rearm and regroup and "their next attempted genocide against Israelis will only be a question of when, not if."

Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian U.N. ambassador, shot back that the "message given today to Israel with this veto is that it can continue to get away with murder."

He warned that more babies will be killed and orphaned, more children will die of hunger, cold and disease, more families will be threatened with further forced displacement, and Gaza's entire 2.3 million population will be left without food, water, medicine and shelter.

In a sharply critical message to the United States, Israel's closest ally, Mansour said: "It means that human lives that could have been saved are instead being forsaken to Israel's genocidal war machine, deliberately, knowingly, by those who oppose a cease-fire."

Next steps

What happens next remains to be seen.

The 22-nation Arab Group could take its resolution to the U.N. General Assembly, which includes all 193 U.N. member nations, where it is virtually certain to be approved. But unlike Security Council resolutions, assembly resolutions are not legally binding.

The Arab-backed resolution would have demanded an immediate humanitarian cease-fire to be respected by all parties, which implies an end to the war.

By contrast, the U.S. draft resolution would support a temporary cease-fire "as soon as practicable, based on the formula of all hostages being released," and call for "lifting all barriers to the provision of humanitarian assistance at scale."

It is the first time the U.S. has used the word "cease-fire," as opposed to cessation of hostilities.

Today in history: Feb. 20 1907: Theodore Roosevelt 1938: Anthony Eden 1962: John Glenn 1998:Tara Lipinski 2005: Sandra Dee 2012: Dmitry Medvedev 2012: John Glenn 2021: Naomi Osaka 2021: United Airlines 2022: Russia Ukraine War
KYIV, Ukraine (AP)  Delays in weapons deliveries from Western allies to Ukraine are opening a door for Russian battlefield advances, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says, making the fight very difficult along parts of the front line where the Kremlins forces captured a strategic city last weekend ahead of the wars two-year anniversary.

Zelenskyy and other officials have often expressed frustration at the slowness of promised aid deliveries, especially since signs of war fatigue have emerged. European countries are struggling to find enough stocks to send to Kyiv, and U.S. help worth $60 billion is stalled over political differences. That appears to be playing into the hands of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Even so, more help is heading Ukraines way, as Sweden announced Tuesday its biggest aid package so far and Canada said it was expediting the delivery of more than 800 drones.

Zelenskyy, in his daily video address late Monday, said Russia has built up troops at some points along the 1,500-kilometer (930-mile) front line, apparently aiming to pounce on any perceived defensive weaknesses.

They (the Russians) are taking advantage of delays in aid to Ukraine, he said after visiting the command post in the area of Kupiansk, in the northeastern Kharkiv region, on Monday.

He said Ukrainian troops keenly felt a shortage of artillery, air defense systems and long-range weapons.

Ukrainian forces withdrew from the strategic eastern city of Avdiivka at the weekend, where they had battled a fierce Russian assault for four months despite being heavily outnumbered and outgunned.

But Oleksiy Danilov, head of Ukraines National Security and Defense Council, said that while the situation on the battlefield is hard, especially due to a lack of ammunition, the situation on the eastern front is not catastrophic.

We fight and will continue to fight, he told news outlet Ukrainska Pravda. We have only one request to our partners: to help with weapons, with ammunition, and with air defense.

He claimed that Russia racked up heavy losses of troops and equipment in the fight for bombed-out Avdiivka. His claim could not be independently verified.

Zelenskyy said talks with foreign partners are focusing on how to resume and extend" support.

Sweden, which is poised to join NATO, said Tuesday it will donate military aid to Ukraine worth 7.1 billion kronor ($681 million). That includes 30 boats, some of which are fast and powerful military assault craft, and underwater weapons.

The deal also includes artillery ammunition, Leopard tanks, shoulder-borne anti-aircraft defense systems, anti-tank missiles, grenade launchers, hand grenades and medical transport vehicles, as well as underwater drones and diving equipment.

By supporting Ukraine, we are also investing in our own security, Defense Minister Pal Jonson told a news conference in Stockholm. If Russia were to win this terrible war, we would have significantly greater security problems than we have today.

The Canadian government said Monday it will dispatch more than 800 drones to Ukraine starting as early as this spring. They are part of a previously announced 500 million Canadian dollars ($370 million) in military help for Ukraine.

Ukraine last year received $42.5 billion from foreign partners, of which $11.6 billion was in non-repayable grant aid, Ukraines Ministry of Finance said Tuesday.

The grant assistance was provided by the U.S., Japan, Norway, Germany, Spain, Finland, Switzerland, Ireland, Belgium, and Iceland, it said. The U.S. provided the biggest amount of non-repayable grant aid, with $11 billion.

Long-term concessional financing amounted to $30.9 billion, which included loans from the European Union ($19.5 billion), the International Monetary Fund ($4.5 billion), Japan ($3.4 billion), Canada ($1.8 billion), the U.K. ($1 billion), the World Bank ($660 million) and Spain ($50 million).

Meanwhile, Ukraine shot down all 23 Shahed drones that Russia launched on Monday night over various regions of the country, the countrys air force said.

Air force spokesman Yurii Ihnat said Russian aircraft activity had dropped off after Ukraine recently shot down a number of enemy warplanes.

The air force commander, Mykola Oleschuk, said on Monday that his troops destroyed Su-34 and Su-35 bomber jets. Over the weekend he said that other Russian jets were shot down.

Associated Press writers Jan M. Olsen in Copenhagen, Denmark, David Keyton in Stockholm, Sweden, and Barry Hatton in Lisbon, Portugal contributed to this report.

Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
Half of the Nebraska State Board of Education isnt running for reelection following several tumultuous years with controversial proposals and rising public scrutiny.

Patsy Koch Johns, Lisa Fricke, Patti Gubbels and Jacquelyn Morrison didnt file for reelection by the Feb. 15 deadline for incumbents. At least one board member called the past four years contentious as the board has dealt with a long list of hot button issues such as health education standards, COVID-19 protocols and library book bans.

Elizabeth Tegtmeier, board president, said the loss of the four incumbents will definitely change the dynamic of the board, which consists of eight members.

It will be interesting to see what happens this fall. I think that having no incumbents running is a little unusual, Tegtmeier said. If you look at our races two years ago, there were three incumbents that ran. So I do think its a little uncommon that we dont have any incumbents running this time.

While incumbents had to file for election by Feb. 15, new candidates have until March 1 to file with the state.

The majority of the remaining board incumbents lean conservative. But Tegtmeier said its important for board members to leave politics out of the job, especially because its a nonpartisan position.

I believe the reason that this board has been able to function as well as it has been is because we really leave politics at the door, she said. We focus on the matters in education that we are all wanting to move forward with. And so we dont talk a lot about campaigns and politics  it would not be productive.

Koch Johns and Fricke have been on the board since 2016 while Gubbels and Morrison have served since 2020.

Koch Johns announced in August that she wouldnt be seeking another term for her District 1 seat on the board, which represents Lincoln and northwest Lancaster County.

She began her Nebraska teaching career in 1976 at Cozad High School and remained there until she was hired at Lincoln High School in 2000. In 2006, Koch Johns was named the Nebraska Teacher of the Year, and in 2012, she was honored with the Governors Excellence in Arts Education Award.

On Monday, Koch Johns said she felt like eight years on the board was enough time for her and she wants to move on to other ways of being involved in education, though she doesnt know exactly what yet. She said the past four years have been more challenging because of controversial topics like the health standards.

I would have liked it better if there was more positive public participation, Koch Johns said. But thats the way it is in the world. When people think something is wrong, they are fired up by it.

Koch Johns said one disappointment she had was the handling of the proposed health standards. The proposal was halted indefinitely in 2021 after months of public backlash around sex education and inclusion of gender identity content.

I dont think we did everything right. And (students) need to be taught the right things  how to protect themselves and how to not be influenced by other kids (who) are participating in dangerous activities, Koch Johns said. And I was so hopeful that parents would see that and come and join us and help us define that process. I feel theres some unfinished business and I hate walking away from that.

The Omaha World-Herald was unable to reach Fricke on Monday for comment about her tenure. Fricke represents District 2, which covers several counties in Southeast Nebraska, including Sarpy, Cass, Otoe, Johnson and Nemaha. She worked as a Nebraska teacher for 36 years.

She was also involved in the states Special Education Accountability Commission for three years and is a current member of the Educator Health Alliance.

Gubbels represents a part of northeast Nebraska with her District 3 seat, covering several counties including Madison, Stanton, Washington and Platte, along with west Douglas County. She previously served on the Norfolk Public Schools board before joining the state board in 2020. She also has experience teaching education and psychology courses at a number of Nebraska colleges.

Gubbels said her goal was to only serve one term on the state board. Shes now running to get back on the Norfolk school board.

The last four years have been pretty contentious, Gubbels said. I feel like I want to keep contributing to education where I can, but at this point in my life, it just feels like its better for me to be contributing in my local community.

The Omaha World-Herald was unable to reach Morrison for comment. Morrison represents District 4, which is eastern Douglas County. Shes an attorney and currently works as the deputy chief of staff for economic development with the City of Omaha. Shes also a member of the Office of Violence Prevention Advisory Council.

The next regular Nebraska State Board of Education meeting is scheduled at 9 a.m. on March 8 at the Nebraska Department of Education office, 500 S. 84th St. in Lincoln.

Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of February 2024
Happy Time Child Care has been given a provisional license until Sept. 30 due to an incident where a child tested positive for marijuana.

A report from the Iowa Department of Human Services said that on Dec. 22, 2023, the department received a complaint about the business. It said a 3-year-old child had been acting lethargic and was taken to the emergency room and tested positive for marijuana.

On Jan. 3, an unannounced inspection was performed. Inspectors interviewed the director, on-site supervisor, several staff members and reviewed camera footage.

Several violations were documented. They included:

A staff member admitted to using marijuana prior to bed on Jan. 3. The report says that staff member is no longer with the center.

Staff members in the classroom not accurately documenting the childs behavior

Three staff members knew something was wrong with the child around noon, but no one notified the parent until 4:48 p.m.

A staff member left a vape pen containing marijuana accessible to the children of the center

Staff did not provide careful supervision.

According to the report, the 3-year-old did come into the daycare. On that day there were two primary staff members working. Another staff member came into the room around lunch time, left and returned later in the day. The report said the two staff members did not put personal belongings in the office as required.

The child stated a staff member gave them a gummy. The staff member who gave the child the gummy was alone with the child on several occasions, but the camera footage was too grainy to see if the staff member gave the child anything.

Both staff members reported the child was not acting normally; however, the staff members did not share the concerns with management or the parent. A staff member notified the parent at 4:48 p.m. that the child was not acting normal. The child was taken to the emergency room and tested positive for THC.

While on site, the inspectors arranged for the Muscatine Police Department and Muscatine County Sheriffs Office to bring out a drug dog to do a search. The drug dog did not find any additional concerns.

The Department of Human Services did not report nor include our department in their investigation into this incident, Muscatine Assistant Police Chief Steve Snider said. Their findings are independent of ours. We initiated our own investigation surrounding the allegation made in December and found no probable cause that would substantiate charges against any individual employed by Happy Time Daycare.

The report said the director has scheduled training that all staff is required to attend to ensure careful supervision of the children. The director will also ensure all staff belongings are not accessible by the children.

The Journal emailed the business for comment, but no response was received.
Minister Orfila Engages with Mid Harbour Tenants Association Representatives

The Minister for Housing, the Hon Pat Orfila, convened a productive meeting with the representatives of the Tenants Association for Mid Harbour Estate.

In attendance were key stakeholders from the Housing Ministry, including Senior Housing Department officials and Management officials from the Housing Works Agency.

Committee Representatives Mr Dylan Bocarisa and Mr Chris Romero highlighted several pressing issues, including concerns regarding CCTV, malfunctioning lifts, the necessity for neighbourhood policing, and instances of anti-social behaviour.

Expressing optimism about the outcomes, the Minister for Housing the Hon Pat Orfila remarked: It was a highly constructive meeting, and I anticipate fostering a continued positive relationship with our valued tenants.

She extended her appreciation for the meticulous efforts undertaken by the Tenants Association.
DES MOINES  Roughly 1,700 Iowa mothers and infants would lose their Medicaid coverage for post-birth care under legislation that also would expand the period of time that care is covered for the Iowans who would remain eligible.

The proposal, which came from Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, was approved Monday in the Iowa Senate.

The legislation  Senate File 2251  would extend postpartum care for Medicaid patients in Iowa from two months to 12 months, but it also would reduce eligibility for Medicaid postpartum care from 375% of the federal poverty line to 215%.

Reynolds said she crafted the proposal to make it cost-neutral.

In 2024, 375% of the federal poverty level is $76,650 for a family of two or $117,000 for a family of four.

At 215% of the federal poverty level, eligibility for Medicaid postpartum coverage would be capped at roughly $44,000 for a family of two or $67,000 for a family of four.

The changes prescribed in the bill would result in 1,300 women and 400 infants in Iowa losing insurance coverage, according to analysis by the states nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency.

Senate Democrats believe that we should not be taking care away from pregnant moms and their babies, Sen. Janet Petersen, a Democrat from Des Moines, said during debate. The governor does not put one dime of new money in her bill to extend postpartum coverage. She pays for extending postpartum coverage to a few members that still remain eligible for pregnancy care by dropping thousands of pregnant moms and their babies off of Medicaid.

Petersen proposed an amendment that would have expanded Medicaid postpartum care from two months to 12 months and kept the eligibility level at the current 375% of the federal poverty level; that was defeated on a party-line vote, with majority-party Republicans voting against.

(The bill) expands Medicaid coverage for Iowans who need public assistance, Sen. Mark Costello, R-Imogene, who managed the bill, said during debate. Iowans do not support Medicaid for all.

The federal American Rescue Plan, passed in 2021 as part of the Biden administrations pandemic response efforts, allowed states to provide postpartum Medicaid coverage up to 12 months. As of this month, Iowa was one of three states to not yet submit such a plan, according to LSA.

Building a culture of life in Iowa means getting families off to the right start, but two months of postpartum care isnt enough, Reynolds said in a statement issued after her proposal was approved by the Senate. Extending postpartum care to 12 months for women with the greatest need helps them recover from childbirth, access family planning services, manage chronic health issues and address mental health. For our state to be strong, our families must be strong.

Currently, Iowa pregnant women and infants in households up to 375% of the federal poverty level have postpartum care covered by Medicaid for two months. There are 10,800 Medicaid members in Iowa with postpartum coverage, according to LSA.

Under the bill, according to LSA:

Postpartum Medicaid coverage would remain uninterrupted for Medicaid members at or below 215% of the federal poverty level.

2,300 pregnant women per month would maintain their Medicaid coverage beyond the initial two months.

1,100 infants would shift from Medicaid to the Hawk-i plan for children in low-income families.

1,300 women and 400 infants in Iowa would lose postpartum Medicaid coverage.

Pregnant women who lose coverage would be eligible to seek insurance under the Iowa Health and Wellness Plan, which is Iowas version of Medicaid coverage for adults up to 133% of the federal poverty level.

According to LSAs fiscal analysis, the proposal would save the state $1.7 million in the first two years and then cost the state an additional $286,000 in the third year and each year after.

Three Democrats  Sens. Eric Giddens of Cedar Falls, Sarah Trone Garriott of Waukee and Zach Wahls of Coralville  joined all Senate Republicans in voting for the bill, which now is eligible for consideration in the Iowa House.

Anti-abortion program could be run by the state under GOP proposal

A state-funded anti-abortion program to provide support to pregnant women and new mothers would be permitted to be run by the state, under legislation approved by Iowa Senate Republicans.

The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services would be allowed to operate the program known as More Options for Maternal Support, or MOMS, under the bill.

The state has twice failed to find a third-party nonprofit administrator to oversee the MOMS program, which was created in 2022. Previous requirements stated the administrator must have at least three years of experience managing a statewide network of providers of pregnancy support services.

Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott, D-Waukee, called the program intentionally deceiving and dangerous because it is portrayed as a prenatal and postpartum health care program, but operates from an anti-abortion viewpoint. Sen. Mark Costello, R-Imogene, said the program created another opportunity to support expectant mothers in our state.

The bill, Senate File 2252, passed with only Republican support.

10 states haven't expanded Medicaidhere are the health care challenges they face 10 states haven't expanded Medicaidhere are the health care challenges they face Wyoming Where Medicaid expansion hasn't been adopted Alabama Florida Georgia Kansas Mississippi South Carolina Tennessee Texas Wisconsin
RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP)  The World Food Program said Tuesday it has paused deliveries of food to isolated northern Gaza because of increasing chaos across the territory, hiking fears of potential starvation. A study by the U.N. childrens agency warned that one in six children in the north are acutely malnourished.

Entry of aid trucks into the besieged territory has been more than halved in the past two weeks, according to U.N. figures. Overwhelmed U.N. and relief workers said intake of trucks and distribution have been crippled by Israeli failure to ensure convoys safety amid its bombardment and ground offensive and by a breakdown in security, with hungry Palestinians frequently overwhelming trucks to take food.

The weakening of the aid operation threatens to deepen misery across the territory, where Israels air and ground offensive, launched in response to Hamas Oct. 7 attack, has killed over 29,000 Palestinians, obliterated entire neighborhoods and displaced more than 80% of the population of 2.3 million.

Heavy fighting and airstrikes have flared in the past two days in areas of northern Gaza that the Israeli military said had been largely cleared of Hamas weeks ago. The military on Tuesday ordered the evacuation of two neighborhoods on Gaza Citys southern edge, an indication that militants are still putting up stiff resistance.

The north, including Gaza City, has been isolated since Israeli troops first moved into it in late October. Large swaths of the city have been reduced to rubble, but several hundred thousand Palestinians remain largely cut off from aid.

They describe famine-like conditions, in which families limit themselves to one meal a day and often resort to mixing animal and bird fodder with grains to bake bread.

The situation is beyond your imagination, said Soad Abu Hussein, a widow and mother of five children sheltering in a school in Jabaliya refugee camp.

Ayman Abu Awad, who lives in Zaytoun, said he eats one meal a day to save whatever he can for his four children.

People have eaten whatever they find, including animal feed and rotten bread, he said.

SLIDE INTO HUNGER

The World Food Program said it was forced to pause aid to the north because of complete chaos and violence due to the collapse of civil order.

It said it had first suspended deliveries to the north three weeks ago after a strike hit an aid truck. It tried resuming this week, but convoys on Sunday and Monday faced gunfire and crowds of hungry people stripping goods and beating one driver.

WFP said it was working to resume deliveries as soon as possible. It called for the opening of crossing points for aid directly into northern Gaza from Israel and a better notification system to coordinate with the Israeli military.

It warned of a precipitous slide into hunger and disease, saying, People are already dying from hunger-related causes.

UNICEF official Ted Chaiban said in a statement that Gaza is poised to witness an explosion in preventable child deaths, which would compound the already unbearable level of child deaths in Gaza.

The report released Monday by the Global Nutrition Cluster, an aid partnership led by UNICEF, found that in 95% of Gazas households, adults were restricting their own food to ensure small children can eat, while 65% of families eat only one meal a day.

More than 90% of children younger than 5 in Gaza eat two or fewer food groups a day, known as severe food poverty, the report said. A similar percentage are affected by infectious diseases, with 70% experiencing diarrhea in the last two weeks. More than 80% of homes lack clean and safe water.

In Gazas southernmost city of Rafah, where most humanitarian aid enters, the acute malnutrition rate is 5%, compared to 15% in northern Gaza. Before the war, the rate across Gaza was less than 1%, the report said.

A U.N. report in December found that Gazas entire population is in a food crisis, with one in four facing starvation.

DROP IN AID TRUCKS

Soon after Hamas Oct. 7 attack, Israel blocked entry of all food, water, fuel, medicine and other supplies into Gaza. Under U.S. pressure, it began to allow a trickle of aid trucks to enter from Egypt at the Rafah crossing, and in December opened one crossing from Israel into southern Gaza, Kerem Shalom.

The trucks have become virtually the sole source of food and other supplies for Gazas population. But the average number entering per day has fallen since Feb. 9 to 60 a day from more than 140 daily in January, according to figures from the U.N. office for humanitarian coordination, known as OCHA.

Even at its height, U.N. officials said the flow was not enough to sustain the population and was far below the 500 trucks a day entering before the war.

The cause of the drop was not immediately clear. For weeks, right-wing Israeli protesters have held demonstrations to block trucks, saying Gazas people should not be given aid. U.N. agencies have also complained that cumbersome Israeli procedures for searching trucks have slowed crossings.

But chaos within Gaza appears to be a major cause.

Moshe Tetro, an official with COGAT, an Israeli military body in charge of civilian Palestinian affairs, said the bottleneck was because the U.N. and other aid groups cant accept the trucks in Gaza or distribute them to the population. He said more than 450 trucks were waiting on the Palestinian side of Kerem Shalom crossing, but no U.N. staff had come to distribute them.

Eri Kaneko, a spokesperson for OCHA, said the U.N. and other aid groups have not been able to regularly pick up supplies at the crossing points because of the lack of security and breakdown of law and order. He said the Israeli military has a responsibility to facilitate distribution within Gaza, and aid piling up at the crossing is evidence of an absence of this enabling environment.

In a rare public criticism of Israel, a top U.S. envoy, David Satterfield, said this week that its targeted killings of Gaza police commanders guarding truck convoys have made it virtually impossible to distribute the goods safely.

Besides crowds of Palestinians swarming convoys, aid workers say they are hampered by heavy fighting, strikes hitting trucks and Israeli failure to guarantee deliveries safety. The U.N. says that from Jan. 1 to Feb. 12, Israel denied access to 51% of its planned aid deliveries to north Gaza.

NO END IN SIGHT

The war began when Hamas-led militants rampaged across communities in southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 hostage. The militants still hold some 130 captives, around a fourth of whom are believed to be dead.

Qatars Foreign Ministry said it had confirmation that Hamas started delivering medications to the hostages, a month after the medications arrived in Gaza under a deal mediated by the Gulf state and France. The deal provides three months worth of medication for chronic illnesses for 45 of the hostages, as well as other medicine and vitamins, in exchange for medicines and humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza.

Israel has vowed to expand its offensive to Rafah, where more than half of the territorys population of 2.3 million has sought refuge from fighting elsewhere.

Gazas Health Ministry said Tuesday that the total Palestinian death toll since Oct. 7 had risen to 29,195. The ministry does not differentiate between fighters and civilians in its records, but says women and children make up two-thirds of those killed. Over 69,000 Palestinians have been wounded, according to the ministry.

Israel says it has killed over 10,000 Palestinian militants but has provided no evidence for its count. The military blames the high civilian death toll on Hamas because the militant group fights in dense residential neighborhoods. The military says 237 of its soldiers have been killed since the start of the ground offensive in late October.

Magdy reported from Cairo.

Find more of APs coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war
The mother of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny appealed Tuesday to President Vladimir Putin to intervene and turn her son's body over to her so she can bury him with dignity.

Lyudmila Navalnaya, who has been trying to get his body since Saturday, appeared in a video outside the Arctic penal colony where Navalny died on Friday.

For the fifth day, I have been unable to see him. They wouldnt release his body to me. And theyre not even telling me where he is," a black-clad Navalnaya said in the video, with the barbed wire of Penal Colony No. 3 in Kharp, about 1,900 kilometers (1,200 miles) northeast of Moscow.

"Im reaching out to you, Vladimir Putin. The resolution of this matter depends solely on you. Let me finally see my son. I demand that Alexeis body is released immediately, so that I can bury him like a human being, she said in the video, which was posted to social media by Navalny's team.

Russian authorities have said the cause of Navalnys death is still unknown and refused to release his body for the next two weeks as the preliminary inquest continues, members of his team said.

They accused the government of stalling to try to hide evidence. On Monday, Navalnys widow, Yulia, released a video accusing Putin of killing her husband and alleged the refusal to release his body was part of a cover-up.

They are cowardly and meanly hiding his body, refusing to give it to his mother and lying miserably, she said.

Lyudmila Navalnaya and her son's lawyers went to law enforcement agencies and the morgue where the body is believed to be held in the Arctic region, but were unable to get them to turn it over or say where it is.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected the allegations of a cover-up, telling reporters that these are absolutely unfounded, insolent accusations about the head of the Russian state.

Putin hasn't commented publicly on Navalny's death. On Monday, he signed a decree promoting a number of law enforcement and military officials, including Valery Boyarinev, the first deputy chief of the State Penitentiary Service. Boyarinev, who received the rank of colonel-general, has been accused by Navalny's team of personally ordering restrictions on the opposition leader.

Peskov denied there was any connection between Navalny's death and the new rank for Boyarinev.

In her Monday video, Yulia Navalnaya vowed to continue his fight against the Kremlin. On Tuesday, her account on X, where she had posted the video, was briefly suspended by the platform without explanation but later restored.

In a speech Monday to the European Union's Foreign Affairs Council, she urged EU leaders not to recognize the results of next month's election, to sanction more Putin allies and to help Russians who flee the country. A copy of her remarks was released Tuesday by Navalny spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh.

The White House said it is preparing additional major sanctions on Russia in response to Navalnys death, with National Security Council spokesman John Kirby saying the new package would be unveiled Friday. He declined to detail them or share how they would expand on the already stiff measures the U.S. and its allies have put on Russia.

Kirby said only that the sanctions, which coincide with the second anniversary of Russias invasion of Ukraine, will be specifically supplemented with additional sanctions regarding Mr. Navalnys death.

Navalny, 47, was imprisoned since January 2021, when he returned to Moscow after recuperating in Germany from a nerve agent poisoning he blamed on the Kremlin. He received three prison terms since then, on charges he rejected as politically motivated.

Josep Borrell, the European Union's foreign policy chief, called for an international investigation of Navalny's death, but Peskov said the Kremlin would not agree to such a demand.

Since Navalnys death, about 400 people have been detained across in Russia as they tried to pay tribute to him with flowers and candles, according to OVD-Info, a group that monitors political arrests. Authorities cordoned off some of the memorials to victims of Soviet repression across the country that were being used as sites to leave makeshift tributes to Navalny. Police removed the flowers at night, but more keep appearing.

Peskov said police were acting in accordance with the law" by detaining people paying tribute to Navalny.

Over 60,000 people have submitted requests to the government asking for Navalnys remains to be handed over to his relatives, OVD-Info said.

After the last verdict that resulted in a 19-year term, Navalny said he understood he was serving a life sentence, which is measured by the length of my life or the length of life of this regime.

In Monday's video, his widow said: By killing Alexei, Putin killed half of me, half of my heart and half of my soul.

But I still have the other half, and it tells me that I have no right to give up. I will continue the work of Alexei Navalny, Yulia Navalnaya said.
Was Greenland really green in the past?

What the science says...

Select a level... Basic Intermediate The Greenland ice sheet is at least 400,000 years old and warming was not global when Europeans settled in Greeland 1,000 years ago

At a glance

The past 2024 years - i.e. everything AD - are referred to by archaeologists as the Common Era (CE). Decades ago, long before the refinements and data-coverage of modern science, the CE was divided into a series of climate epochs. Among these were the 'Mediaeval Warm Period' (MWP), from around 800-1200 CE and the 'Little Ice-Age', from 1200-1850 CE.

Each of these epochs has the origin of its name in older paleoclimatic evidence from the Northern Hemisphere and particularly Europe. But things have moved on. We now know that unlike modern global warming, the MWP was regional in its nature. A particularly warm region was the Northern Atlantic, including southern Greenland.

Icelandic sagas tell how, in 982 CE, Erik the Red was sentenced to exile from Iceland for three years. He had been involved in an escalated dispute with a neighbour that had culminated in several deaths. With a band of fellow Vikings, he set sail towards Greenland. Erik's party landed and settled near the mouth of Tunulliarfik Fjord, which has the modern Innuit settlement of Narsarsuaq at its head. This part of Greenland is a largely ice-free enclave today, situated in the SW part of the island, some 200 km from its southern tip. Legend tells how Erik came up with the name, 'Greenland', in order to attract further settlers. Apparently the ploy worked.

With hundreds of settlers arriving in the SW of Greenland, a mixed economy developed. It was based on combined pastoral farming, hunting and fishing. Livestock were kept mostly for milk, cheese and butter. Meat instead came mostly from hunting, both locally and in seasonal expeditions further north. These longer forays visited areas in which walrus, narwhal and polar bears were abundant. Hides and ivory became export commodities, allowing maritime trade with the rest of Europe, in return for iron, timber and other essentials.

A few centuries into this colonisation, the regional climate deteriorated. Ice-sheets readvanced. Recent research has also shown that sea-levels rose, too. It may seem counter-intuitive, but when ice sheets grow, nearby coasts often drown. Two things work together to cause this: the larger gravitational pull of all the extra ice on the sea surface and the subsidence of Earth's crust due to the added weight of that ice. One recent study has suggested over 200 square kilometres of coastal land - where the settlers would have had many of their farms - were lost. Geophysics has detected remains of some of the settlements, now beneath the waves.

Progressive sea-level rise, likely in tandem with social and environmental factors such as famines, epidemics and harsher weather, took its toll. The Inuit, who had arrived in around 1200 CE, remained in Greenland through the severe cold of the Little Ice Age but by around 1500 CE, the Vikings had vanished for good. Climate change drove them out.

That's what happened to the Vikings. But regional and global climate change are different things. Regional historic change has little bearing on the global events that are happening right now.

Please use this form to provide feedback about this new "At a glance" section. Read a more technical version below or dig deeper via the tabs above!

Further details

Greenland, the large island situated to the east of Canada between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, is only green in part. About 80% of the island is covered by the Greenland ice sheet, variably from 400,000 to 800,000 years old.

In the year 982 CE, Viking explorers, mostly operating out of Iceland, began to establish settlements along the south-west coast of Greenland. So what were the conditions like back then? There is evidence that the settled areas, at low levels proximal to fjords, were warmer than today. Driftwood and birch woodlands (Gauthier et al. 2010) provided both timber and fuel - at first. This warmth coincided with the period known as the Medieval Warm Epoch (Lamb 1965), also known as the Medieval Climatic Anomaly or the Medieval Warm Period (MWP), which we will discuss below.

According to the Icelandic sagas, Erik the Red gave Greenland its name, in an attempt to lure settlers in search of land and the promise of a better life. This early bit of estate-agency apparently worked. However, the opportunity may not have been as good as it sounded. The size and age of the ice sheet, which is more than 3 kilometres thick in places, dictates that settlements would have been limited to those relatively small areas in the southern part of the island, with proximity to the coast.

Warming during the MWP was not global

During the MWP, some regions, most notably in the North Atlantic and parts of Europe, were at least as warm as today. However, other regions were colder. Overall, the evidence indicates that global temperatures during this period were similar to those at the middle of the 20th century. The MWP is explored in more depth here.

Not only was Greenland mostly covered in ice when Vikings settled there, but also the relatively warm conditions at the time were not a global phenomenon (fig. 1). This strongly contrasts with what we see today, with observed warming that is truly global in nature.

Figure 1 - Reconstructed surface temperature anomalies for the Medieval Warm Period (950-1250) compared to a 1961-1990 reference period. (Source: Mann et al. 2009)

We can compare this with a similar reconstruction looking at surface temperature anomalies for 2022. This clearly shows the global nature of recent warming.

Figure 2 - Surface temperature anomaly for 2022, relative to the 1991-2020 mean. Source: NOAA.

Natural versus man-made climate change

Warming can be the result of a number of factors, so that causes of past climate change are not necessarily implicated in current climate change and vice-versa. For instance, the MWP was characterised by relatively high solar activity, low volcanic activity and possible changes in ocean circulation patterns. These factors can explain both the scale and pattern of warmth at that time. However, they cannot explain recent warming. More to the point, in the absence of our major carbon cycle perturbation, changes in natural factors would probably have led to cooling in the past few decades. This contrasts with the multiple lines of evidence pointing to the role played by humans in recent warming, as set out by the graphic in Fig. 3 below.

Fig. 3: evidence for anthropogenic global warming - staring us in the face everywhere we look.

What went wrong for the Vikings? Climate change.

Greenland is unlikely to have been radically different just over 1,000 years ago, since much of the ice sheet is at least 400,000 years old. The island was indeed locally green and supported agriculture for a few centuries in localised coastal regions. Nevertheless, around 80% of it would have been just as uninhabitable as it is today. The small area in the SW that was colonised did benefit from the MWP, a strictly regional climate phenomenon.

Ironically, it was climate change that degraded the settlements and had driven the last Vikings out by 1500 CE. The period leading up to this abandonment saw climatic deterioration, as evidenced by highly variable oxygen isotope ratios in local lake sediments (Lasher & Axford 2019). Oxygen isotope ratios are used as a reliable proxy for temperature. This instability marked the cooling into the Little Ice Age and expansion of the southern Greenland ice-sheet. There is evidence that the ice-expansion led to crustal subsidence in the settled area. Gravity-driven sea level rise would also have occurred along proximal coasts (Borreggine et al. 2023). Both phenomena would have caused the loss of good agricultural land. Drowned Viking settlements - or parts thereof - occur in places along the coastline.

The Little Ice Age was also a regional phenomenon. Such regional changes are often examples of internal climate variability, in which existing heat is moved from one part of the climate system to another. That differs from changes in external forcing - such as amounts of Solar irradiance or greenhouse gas levels - that instead change the total amount of heat in the whole system. Nevertheless, as evidenced by what happened to the Vikings, even internal variability can have its impacts.

Last updated on 12 February 2024 by John Mason. View Archives
The recent news about possible Russian space nukes reminds us that we live in a very insecure world. That is why perhaps none of Donald Trumps four criminal cases is more troubling than the federal prosecution brought by special counsel Jack Smith for mishandling classified documents. Unfortunately, the judge handling the case, Aileen Cannona last-minute appointment rushed through in the waning days of the Trump administrationhas proved herself to be by far the worst of the jurists overseeing these momentous cases. Her decisions during the investigative phase of the case strayed wildly from precedent, leading to brutal reversals by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit. Now Smith appears to be preparing to ask that body to overturn at least one and possibly two of her decisions. In our view, while he is there on those other issues, he should also petition them to remove her from the case.

Why do we think Smith might be headed to the court of appeals? In part because he has already sought reconsideration for the latest of Cannons unlawful orders. This is a step that is warranted only in rare circumstances, including when a judge has made a clear error that led to manifest injustice. In this instance, at Trumps behest, Cannon has decided to unseal the identities of two dozen potential witnesses, along with sensitive information they provided to the government. The clear error Smith identifies is striking: He alleges that Cannon applied the wrong legal standard in making this decision, requiring him to make a far more stringent showing than should be needed to protect these names. In his motion for reconsideration, Smith shows that the case lawincluding the very cases Cannon herself cited in her orderdoes not establish the unreasonable hurdles she wants him to clear.

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In his motion for reconsideration, Smith also argues that Cannon minimizes the risk of real-world harm and witness intimidation these individuals would face. He notes that there is a well-documented pattern in which judges, agents, prosecutors, and witnesses involved in cases involving Trump have been subject to threats, harassment, and intimidation. Cannons cavalier attitude is dangerous for the potential witnesses whose identities could be revealed. As Smith asserts in his brief, a courts duty is to prevent harms to the witnesses or the judicial process at their inception.  Cannon appears willing to abdicate that duty.

In response to Smiths reconsideration motion, Cannon ordered Trump to respond by Friday. That will set up a dramatic ruling by Cannon: Either she reverses her positionwhich would be an admission that she was fundamentally mistaken about the law in a way that caused manifest injusticeor she leaves her ruling in place, putting individuals in jeopardy and twisting the law to help Trump. At that point, Smith may have enough ammunition to seek her reassignment from the 11th Circuit.

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Beyond that contretemps, there is a second possible dispute that may be headed to the court of appeals shortly. Earlier this month saw two days of hearings on whether the defendants in the case will get access to highly classified documents under the Classified Information Procedures Act. That statute allows the government to petition the court to redact, summarize, or even withhold classified information in a criminal case. Notably, the CIPA provides the government with the ability to immediately and swiftly appeal. Thus, even if Smith loses a ruling related only to a single document, the statute allows him to go straight to the 11th Circuit.

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Its challenging to know exactly what is going on in CIPA hearings because they take place behind closed doors and the documents at issue are classified. But we have profound concerns about Cannons capacity to get to the right answers here. It is not only her record of seeming pro-Trump bias. She has also had little or no prior experience with the statute, having been on the bench for only three years, and is sitting in a division (Fort Pierce, Florida) that is hardly a hotbed of CIPA matters, as opposed to the federal court in a district like Washington, which deals with them often.

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Should Smith appeal either the witness issue or a CIPA one, he would also be permitted to ask the 11th Circuit to reassign the case to a different judge under the law of that circuit. While rare, the 11th Circuit has ordered the reassignment of cases when the presiding judges conduct gives rise to the appearance of impropriety or a lack of impartiality in the mind of a reasonable member of the public. This can be through a showing of bias but also in instances when the original judge would have difficulty putting his previous views and findings aside.

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If this were the DOJs first trip to the 11th Circuit to complain about Cannons rulings, it would be too soon to expect discussion of whether she is biased and should recuse herself. But Cannon comes into these latest disputes with two strikes already against her. She was overturned twice by the 11th Circuit during the federal governments investigation of Trumps retention of classified documents before he was indicted.

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First, the appellate court imposed an initial stay of her special master order (a stay that she erroneously rejected when the DOJ first requested it). Then, more embarrassingly, the 11th Circuit went on to overrule her appointment of a special master. Both initial moves by Cannon served Trumps interestsfrustrating and delaying the governments investigationand veered from the law, as the appeals court recognized.

Startlingly, throughout those proceedings, she repeatedly expressed her view that Trump deserves special treatment because of his status as a former president. She ruled that as a function of Plaintiffs former position as President of the United States, the stigma associated with the subject seizure is in a league of its own. The 11th Circuit forcefully rejected her position as carv[ing] out an unprecedented exception in our law for former presidents.

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Related From Slate Judge Aileen Cannon Is Quietly Sabotaging the Trump Classified Documents Case Read More

Thats why some, including one of the authors, called for Cannon to recuse herself from this case. She did not, and has continued to quietly oversee the proceedings. After the initial hubbub surrounding the indictment and the revelation that Cannon was assigned, public attention has focused largely elsewhere as more Trump indictments have unfurled, including those alleging crimes committed to overturning the 2020 election.

But in the meantime, she has repeatedly taken steps that appear to us to unduly favor Trump. She has postponed pretrial deadlines, making a May trial virtually impossible. That is unconscionable. The prosecution for pilfering classified documents and obstructing justice is arguably the most straightforward of the four criminal cases Trump faces. He is charged with taking classified documents he was not supposed to have, the government repeatedly asked him to return them, and he consistently refused and allegedly interfered with the governments investigation and retrieval efforts. The applicable law is straightforward, the underlying facts are clear, and the governments interest in enforcing these national security laws is plainly strong.

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That plays into Trumps dilatory desires, and not just with respect to the Florida prosecution. To make things worse, Cannon hasnt actually gone ahead and rescheduled the trial date, interfering with the ability of other courts overseeing the Trump prosecutions to utilize that time. Because her May date is still on the books, she is in effect freezing other courts with Trump prosecutions from scheduling a trial that would overlap with her case. Once Cannon eventually moves her trial date, it may be too late for other cases to be slotted into the vacated time frame. It is almost as if she is intentionally running interference for the former president.

With the simultaneous CIPA and discovery developments, we may know by the end of the month if Smith will take the remarkable step of requesting Cannons removal from the case. So far, the government has acted cautiouslyindeed, just the other week, it handed over a sealed exhibit to Trump at Cannons orders, even though it warned her the exhibit contained information about an ongoing investigation. But at a certain point, the government cannot acquiesce to unfair and dangerous rulingsand it may need to take bold action to protect the integrity of its prosecution.
Last Friday, Russias prison service announced that Alexei Navalny, a Russian anti-corruption activist and the countrys leading opposition figure, was dead. On Saturday, his team confirmed the news and said he had been murdered.

That Navalny is dead is, for Putins regime, a success in the place of previous failure: In 2020, Navalny had been poisoned, but survived. (He would go on to trick a Russian agent into exposing how the poisoning had been carried out.) Navalny was treated in Germanyand then decided to go back to Russia, knowing that doing so meant imprisonment and, possibly, assassination. Indeed, he was detained upon his arrival in Moscow. Prior to his death, Navalny had been in prison since 2021.

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Explaining his decision to return in a January 2024 Facebook post, he wrote, I dont want to give up either my country or my beliefs. I cannot betray either the first or the second. If your beliefs are worth something, you must be willing to stand up for them. And if necessary, make some sacrifices.

His decision, and his articulation for why he made it, exemplified not only what made him a unique figure, but that he was working in a similar vein as earlier Russian resistance. Navalny, like his predecessors, was acting not only out of courage, but conviction: the belief that the brave thing is the only thing that can be chosen, and then acting out that belief over and over again, even as the costs of the choice increase.

I never met or interviewed Navalny. But a decade ago, I researched and interviewed rights-based Soviet Russian dissidents, the small but salient group of individuals who, through underground writings and aboveground protests, tried to hold their government accountable to its own laws. One of the things that I tried to understand in those interviews was how they managed to do what they do. How they decided, when the cost of dissent was being sent to a labor camp or confined to psychiatric prison and the chance of changing the system so remote, to go out and protest anyway.

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In a 2013 interview for the New York Times, Ellen Barry asked Navalny, Soviet dissidents always seemed prepared to sacrifice themselves in order to fight the system, but you always seemed like an optimistic person who expected to win. Do you still feel confident, or has that been changing? He responded, The dissidents were spiritual titans. In the Soviet period, it was clear that if you went out to Red Square with a poster, you understood they would put you in prison and there was no other outcome. You might understand that the U.S.S.R. was going to fall apart sometime, but no one expected their concrete deeds to affect it  I see there is a large number of people who support me and I am sure we will win. I am absolutely sure. I consider that it will happen in some relatively short period of time. But on the other hand, O.K., if it happens in two years or 22 years, either way, we need to do it. To compare me to the Soviet dissidents would be a big exaggeration.

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A decade later, what is clear in a way that it couldnt have been then is that, for all of the differences between the Soviet Union and contemporary Russia, and for all of the ways in which the dissidents then were dissimilar from Navalny, he was their spiritual successor. It is not only that he was brave like they were, though he was, and they were. It is that, like them, he spoke of what he was doing as the only optioneven though other, safer choices existed.

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Navalny was not the only person in Russia working in this tradition. Vladimir Kara-Murza, who is still in prison, named his foundation to support the families of political prisoners after the Day of Political Prisoners established by the Soviet dissidents.

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Poet Natalia Gorbanevskaya was one of the people Navalny described to Barry. In 1968, she and several others stood out on Red Square to protest the Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia, holding a banner that read, For your freedom and ours. She was later arrested and underwent psychiatric torture.

The second reason we protested for the Czechs and Slovaks was for them, she told me in an interview in her Paris apartment in 2012. The first was for ourselves. A person, she told me in that interview, needs to be a person.

Similar sentiment was offered by Vladimir Dremlyuga, who was also at that Red Square protest, and who said of his decision, All my conscious life I have wanted to be a citizenthat is, a person who proudly and calmly speaks his mind. For 10 minutes, I was a citizen, during the demonstration  I am glad that there proved to be others to express their protest together with me. Had there not been, I would have entered Red Square alone.

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Did they do what they wanted to? No, Ludmila Weil, widow of dissident Boris Weil told me in Copenhagen in 2013. But they did what they could. What they thought they ought to.

Navalny, in his interview with Barry, said that he could hope to change the system in a way that the Soviet dissidents could not. But in his writing and speaking, too, there is this sense of not just courage but obligation to ones country and, beyond that, to ones conscience.

In a 2013 article written for Russian-language outlet New Times and translated into English for the Guardian, Navalny wrote, I value what Ive done and will not change my position because jail is on the horizon. I chose this path, I took on certain responsibilities before people who trusted me, and I knew what I was in for.

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Related From Slate Tucker Carlsons Putin Interview Is Even More Dreadful Now Read More

This same sentiment comes up over and over through the years in his writing and speeches, even as the chance of real political changeof real challenge to corruption, of real rule of law, let alone real democracyin Russia seemed to recede further and further. It was there even in his answer to the question of what his supporters should do if he was killed. Youre not allowed to give up, he said. He described this as very obvious. It is, in fact, not obvious to millions of people. But it was to him. (In this same interview, Navalny said that all that was necessary for evil to win was for good people to do nothing. This, too, was the logic of the Soviet dissidents: When Aleksandr Esenin-Volpin, arguably the father of the rights-based dissidence movement, was told that nobody cared about whether the Soviet government followed its own laws, he replied, Thats the problem  Nobody cares. We ourselves are to blame for not demanding fulfillment of our own laws.)

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None of this is to say that Navalny was perfect, or beyond criticism, morally or otherwise. His racist rhetoric was well documented; his more nationalistic impulses have been, too, even if his views may have evolved beyond both. (Nor, to be clear, were the Soviet dissidents themselves without fault. To take one dramatic example, Vladimir Bukovskii was a prominent dissident who similarly spoke of moral obligation, elegantly articulating, everyone wanted to have the right to say to his descendants: I did all I could. I was a citizen and I always demanded legality.  At the age of 73, he was accused by a British court of downloading thousands of abusive images of children.)

It is to say that, on the matter of Soviet dissidents, Navalny was wrong. It is no great exaggeration to compare him to them. Like them, it was not that he did not understand intellectually that other choices existed, but rather that those choices were beyond the bounds of his political and human project.

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I thought of the Soviet dissidents again on Monday, when Navalnys wife, Yulia Navalnaya, vowed to continue his work. Putin, in killing her husband, had killed half of her, she said. But I still have the other half, and it tells me that I have no right to give up.

This determination, after suffering as Navalnaya has, can sound almost beyond human. But for her and her predecessors, it seems closer to the truth to say that she is articulating what it takes to stay human. She sounded not unlike the spiritual titans who came before herincluding her late husband.
President Joe Biden is in trouble in this Novembers election. This does not mean he is guaranteed to lose, but defeat by a vengeful, unhinged Donald Trump and his radicalized Republican Party is a much more realistic possibility than many Democrats seem willing to accept. And if they are to rise out of the torpor of this dreadful situation, Democrats have to first stop telling each other comforting lies about whats actually happening out there.

I understand why it is so hard to believeTrump is an absurd, repellent human being who not only is promising to install a soft dictatorship in the United States as his first order of business but continues to accept zero accountability for the attempted putsch his team of Keystone Coupsters ran after the 2020 presidential election. He is threatening a military invasion of blue states and cities, egging on Texas neo-confederates on the verge of a shooting war with federal troops over the border, promising to lay off virtually the entire federal workforce and replace them with Turning Point USA interns, and facing 91 felony counts in four separate cases. He was recently found liable by a jury for sexual assault and then ordered to pay his victim more than $83 million. When speaking, he usually makes about as much sense as a refrigerator-magnet set assembled into sentences by a 2-year-old.

But the fact that so many find the possibility of a Trump restoration to be utterly inexplicable, or even farcical, does not mean that it could not happen. And right now, there are too many high-profile voices in Democratic circles spinning yarns about how happy days will be here again soon and that Biden is in a fantastic position, actually. They are well-meaning (to use a phrase that got bandied about a lot last week by newly minted memory and aging specialist Robert Hur), but a lot of Democrats are telling each other these three comforting lies that arent ultimately going to help anyone.

1) Democrats have been outperforming polls in all kinds of elections since the Dobbs decision and will continue to do so.

Late last month, New York Times columnist and podcaster Ezra Klein hosted veteran Democratic strategist Simon Rosenberg to make the case for why Democrats should not be flipping out about the polls. Rosenbergs very vocal and public position that 2022 wasnt going to be a red-wave election has earned him near-mythical status in certain Democratic circles of the kind that was once enjoyed by former FiveThirtyEight data guru Nate Silver. Democrats keep overperforming in elections, Rosenberg said. He noted that Democrats did much better than expected in the midterms, as well as in the small number of significant races in 2023. He added that when we actually go vote, we just keep winning, and they keep losing. And so I go into 2024 feeling really good about where we are.

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And he was right about a few things. Particularly in some high-profile 2022 Senate and gubernatorial races, a handful of partisan-aligned pollsters were bending the averages on sites like RealClearPolitics and adding to an atmosphere of unnecessary panic among Democrats. Take, for example, the race for governor in Arizona, where RCP had Republican election denier Kari Lake with a 3.5-point lead that was produced almost entirely by election-week polls from Republican firms Remington Research and Trafalgar. Lake lost to Democrat Katie Hobbs by under 1 point. Thats not actually a particularly huge miss, but it wasnt an isolated case.

In 2022, Rosenberg also insisted that Democrats had a real chance to hold the House of Representatives, which at the time was considered close to laughable in national circles. Democrats did end up losing the House, but they got the enduring narrative win. And on election night, as his prophecies came true one after another, he got upgraded from I dont know this guy but I hope against hope that hes right to Nostradamus.

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The problem for using the red wave that wasnt as a template for 2024 is that Democrats outperformed narratives and expectations more than polls in 2022. There was very little in the available polling on election night 2022 that suggested Republicans were on the verge of a 2010-style midterm romp. In fact, the final generic ballot polling average on the much-maligned RealClearPolitics was that Republicans would win the national House vote by 2.5 points. They ended up winning it by 2.8.

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Polling as an industry and an art has taken a bludgeoning since 2016. And it is true that some individual state polling was improbably off in 2016 and 2020, largely but not exclusively in the Midwest. But everyone seems to have forgotten that the national polls in 2016 were close to as good as theyve ever been, with Hillary Clinton winning the popular vote by 2.1 percent against a final RealClearPolitics average lead of 3.2 percent. Nationally, Trump beat expectations produced by forecaster certainty as much as he outperformed his actual polls. And in 2020, Trump ran ahead of his national polling average by a mere 3 points and once again came agonizingly close to victory in key battlegrounds like Wisconsin and Arizona.

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What is true is that the Dobbs backlash seems to have set the Republican electoral ceiling somewhat lower for the time being. In both 2022 and 2023 they lost races that should have been winnable for the opposition party with an unpopular president and an improving but still uneven economy. Republicans have also been getting dusted in special elections everywhere since Dobbs, including on Tuesday in the race to fill the expelled Republican George Santos House seat. But this underperformance appears to be already baked into head-to-head presidential polling, and the Republican electorates insistence on once again forwarding Donald Trump as their nominee is exacerbating the effect. Thats clear from the fairly substantial body of survey research that currently shows Trump edging out the president narrowly but Nikki Haley beating Biden decisively.

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But it is also the case that it might be Democrats who are now underperforming their expectations, if you believe the polling (which you should). With an incumbent president, very low unemployment and strong GDP growth, Biden ought to be on a glide path to reelection, especially with the incandescent fury about Dobbs powering Democrats elsewhere. But hes not. And that brings us to the polls themselves, which the optimists are also telling you to ignore.

2) Polls arent predictive this far from the election.

The idea that polls are basically meaningless 10 months from a presidential election in which both candidates have close to 100 percent name recognition is one of those pieces of conventional wisdom that is as untraceable as a gun that has had its serial number scrubbed off. It was something that even Klein repeated in his interview with Rosenberg. On Wednesday, MSNBC columnist Michael A. Cohen called polling nine months from a presidential election largely useless. I genuinely have no idea why people keep saying this.

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In 2020, Biden led Trump by 5.6 points on Feb. 16, and bested him in November by 4.5. In 2016, Hillary Clinton led Donald Trump by 3.4 points, according to the RealClearPolitics average, in a race she ultimately won nationally by 2.1 percent. On this day in 2012, Barack Obama led Republican Mitt Romney by 5.7 points and put him away in November by 3.9 percent. The most comforting comparison for Democrats might be 2004, when John Kerry was ahead of incumbent Republican President George W. Bush by 1.9 points in an average of the last 10 polls through Feb. 16, and Bush came back to win by 2.4 percent. But thats still only about a 4-point swing overall.

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Related From Slate How Bad Is This for Joe Biden, Really? Read More

The best you can say about this data, from a Biden Booster perspective, is that it always bounces around by a few points. But Biden, at the moment, likely needs more than a few points of recovery to win an Electoral College that still appears tilted against Democrats. And while there are plausible theories about why Bidens polling might get better soon, and while it wouldnt be especially surprising if it happened, theres no particular reason to expect it to happen. On the contrary, all of the data that we have available to us suggests that the outcome of this Novembers election will be within a few agonizing points of todays averages: a 3-point Trump advantage in the Economists model, and a 1.1-point Trump lead in the RealClearPolitics average. The odds of this matchup being anything other than BidenTrump, for better or worse, are pretty long at this point. These men are completely known quantities engaged in the first presidential rematch since 1956. Even someone who has been in a coma since late 2019 would have pretty firm opinions about them. But the Democratic optimists would have you believe that an electorally significant chunk of voters will soon change their minds.

3) Trumps lead will vanish once people realize that Trump will actually be the Republican nominee.

Why might Trumps lead be a chimera? According to one prominent theory, its because the inevitability of Trumps nomination hasnt broken through to voters who are unhappy with Joe Biden but who will ultimately come home. As the Editorial Boards John Stoehr noted in a widely shared thread Tuesday on X, Most people still dont quite believe Trump is going to be the Republican Partys nominee. Once they do, he says, a switch will turn on. This theory supposes that the polling disadvantage will vanish like George Santos from the House floor or the critical race theory panic from the local school board meeting. Ill admit to thinking some version of this might be at work; voters simply arent taking another Trump term seriously enough, and once they do, surely they will come to their senses and start telling pollsters that they will back Biden.

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The trouble with this theory is that it should already be working its magic, and there is no evidence that it is. Were halfway through February, not mired in some slow-news-cycle August afternoon the year before the election. The more time passes with Trump leading in polling averages, the less likely it is that there is anything particularly mysterious at work here at all. Trump is utterly dominating the Republican nominating contests thus far and is leading his only remaining challenger, Nikki Haley, by more than 30 points in her home state of South Carolina. His campaign, his voluminous legal troubles, and his own personal, ceaseless antics have been fixtures in the news for months. Even if you argue that there are warning signs in the outcomes for him, there cant be much remaining doubt that he will claim the GOP nomination. And that means that all the special election overperformances, 2022 exuberance, multiple consecutive cycles of poor performance from the MAGA-fied GOP, and righteous post-Dobbs anger have to, at some point, add up to a polling lead for Joe Biden.

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Unless and until that happens, arguing that Biden is a lock to win in spite of the evidence in front of you is to substitute disbelief for empirical reality. As Rosenberg put it incredulously, The theory is that all thisthe fact that Democrats just keep winning everywhere in red states and blue states, and ballot initiatives, and off-year elections, and special electionsisnt going to translate over into 2024. But that is exactly what the data is telling us! This denial is the same incredulity that led many to dismiss the possibility of Trump becoming the Republican nominee in 2016 despite his consistent polling leads throughout the cycle. The party decides, they said. No one so despised by their party establishment had ever captured a major party nominationuntil one did. It is the same incredulity that led many voters to stay home or vote for Jill Stein or Gary Johnson in 2016.

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It has now been almost nine years since the guy descended the escalator at Trump Tower, yapping incoherently about Mexican rapists and how we shouldve taken Iraqs oil and free-associating about the hotels ISIS was building in Syria.* Nothing about him has changed since that day, or will ever change. And if Democrats are to hand him one last defeat and avoid the almost unfathomable catastrophe of a second Trump term, they are going to have to start acting like they understand just how close they are to disaster.
Does the First Amendment protect anti-gay bigots ability to serve on a jury in cases involving the rights of gay people? Justice Samuel Alito argued that it does in an opinion on Tuesday that marks yet another effort to undermine and eventually overturn the constitutional guarantee of marriage equality.

Alitos opinion in Missouri Department of Corrections v. Finney protested the Supreme Courts refusal to take up an appeal involving homophobic bias in an LGBTQ+ civil rights dispute. Jean Finney, the plaintiff, alleged that her employer, the Missouri Department of Corrections, violated state law by discriminating against her because she is a lesbian. At trial, her attorney asked potential jurors: How many of you went to a religious organization growing up where it was taught that people that are homosexuals shouldnt have the same rights as everyone else because it was a sin with what they did? A number of people raised their hands.

Finneys lawyer then asked how many potential jurors could not set those views aside. Just a few raised their hands, and the attorney asked them to elaborate. One, a pastors wife, described jury service as a civic duty, but added: I firmly stand on the word of God and what the word of God says  Yes, homosexuality, according to the Bible, is a sin. Another volunteered that according to my belief, homosexuality is a sin, as dictated by the Bible. But, he said, you still have to love those people, and you still have to treat them right in society. He then insisted: You dont have the right to judge them. Therefore, I think I could be a fair juror. A third potential juror expressed substantially similar beliefs.

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Finneys lawyer moved to strike all three individuals for cause, arguing that their anti-gay bias prevented them from rendering impartial judgment. The judge agreed, striking all three potential jurors in question. The jury returned a verdict in favor of Finney and awarded her $275,000 in damages. A state appeals court upheld the strikes. Missouri appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing that the strikes unconstitutionally discriminated against the would-be jurors on the basis of religion. Its appeal was supported by the attorneys general of Virginia and 12 other states.

Related From Slate Sam Alito Is to Blame for the Alabama Supreme Courts Devastating Anti-IVF Ruling Read More

The Supreme Court refused to take up the case on Tuesday with no noted dissents. Even Alito could not actually dissent, because, as he acknowledged, the defense attorney failed to preserve an objection to the strikes, dooming the appeal. So, instead, Alito wrote an angry statement claiming that the case exemplifies the danger that I anticipated in Obergefell v. Hodgesspecifically, that Americans who do not hide their adherence to traditional religious beliefs about homosexual conduct will be labeled as bigots and treated as such by the government. Obergefell, the justice asserted, made it clear that the decision should not be used in that way, but I am afraid that this admonition is not being heeded by our society.

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When a court holds that a person is ineligible to serve on a jury because of his or her religious beliefs, Alito went on, that decision implicates fundamental rights protecting both equal protection and free exercise of religion under the First Amendment. The Missouri appeals court concluded that the strikes in dispute did not run afoul of free exercise because they focused on religious beliefs, not religious status or affiliation. In other words, the potential jurors were struck for holding specific prejudices against gay people, not because they identified as Christian. Many other courts have drawn a similar line between religious belief and religious status. Yet Alito dismissed this distinction as meaningless. The court, he wrote, still agreed to single out the religious for disfavored treatment. And that is generally forbidden regardless of whether the differential treatment is predicated on religious status or religious belief.

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Alito is correct that this case involves a clash between contemporary, court-invented privileges and actual fundamental rights rooted in the Constitution. But he mixed up which is which. The errant precedent here is not Obergefell, which was simply the latest in a long line of cases protecting the rights of marriage and family. Rather, the mistake lies in 2017s Trinity Lutheran v. Comer and its progeny, which bulldozed establishment clause principles that kept religious doctrine out of state affairs. These decisions declared, for the first time ever, that preventing the infusion of religious beliefs into laweven by merely avoiding public funding of religion-based discriminationwas, in fact, unconstitutional. Alito now seeks to extend this theory to jury trials by prohibiting the removal of jurors whose bias is dressed in the cloak of faith. He would, in essence, grant special rights to people whose faith dictates bigotry, allowing them to sit in judgment of a person whose very identity they view as sinful. This newfound privilege would apparently extend to both civil and criminal trials, where the defendant has an indisputable Sixth Amendment right to an impartial jury.

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The justices sudden concern with the striking of a juror due to bias is especially jarring in light of his persistent cold shoulder toward those who faced openly racist juries. In theory, the equal protection clause bars racism in jury selection. In practice, this Supreme Court regularly declines to enforce this guaranteemost often, when a Black defendant faces the death penaltywith Alitos assent.

This hypocrisy should provide yet another hint that the justices opinion on Tuesday was not rooted in some profound desire to ensure fairness and equality in jury selection. In truth, his real target was obvious: Obergefell itself and the right of marriage equality. Less than four years ago, Alito joined an opinion by Justice Clarence Thomas suggesting that the Supreme Court had to overturn marriage equality to protect religious freedom. The court, the two justices lamented, had created a problem that only it can fix. As Justices Elena Kagan, Sonia Sotomayor, and Stephen Breyer pointed out in their Dobbs dissent, Alito and Thomas hardly seemed content to let the matter rest. Instead, they evinced an obvious desire to ax Obergefelland Thomas himself now openly calls for the decision to be reversed as soon as possible.

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The current Supreme Court already goes far out of its way to impose a First Amendment right to discriminate against gay people. Its not enough for Alito or Thomas, who crave (with varying degrees of subtlety) the abolition of marriage equality as a fundamental right. Can they pick up three more votes? Perhaps not right now, but weve seen how constitutional protections can be undone with a shift in court personnel. And in the meantime, both will twist the rules however they can to aggrandize the rights of homophobes at the expense of LGBTQ+ people who ask for nothing more than equal justice.
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is celebrating the 200,000th graduate of its Boots to Business (B2B) program. This landmark event underscores the critical role of military-connected entrepreneurs in bolstering the nations economy. It marks over a decade of commitment to fostering entrepreneurial skills among veterans and military families.

SBA Administrator Isabel Guzman highlighted the importance of the B2B program in empowering veterans transitioning to civilian life, especially against the backdrop of a surge in new business applications under President Bidens administration. The Boots to Business program is set up to provide transitioning service members, veterans, and military spouses with an introduction to business fundamentals to help them successfully make the jump from service to startup with the full resources of the SBA, Guzman stated.

Boots to Business: Bridging Military Service and Entrepreneurship

The B2B initiative, a cornerstone of the Department of Defenses Transition Assistance Program (TAP), is designed to introduce transitioning service members, veterans, and military spouses to business fundamentals. The program has expanded to include Boots to Business Reboot (B2BR), offering the same valuable curriculum to veterans of any era, National Guard and Reserve members, and military spouses outside the military installation environment.

Despite challenges such as severe winter weather, the commitment of the military community to advancing their entrepreneurial education is evident. Mitchell Fitzpatrick, a B2B instructor, praised the resilience and adaptability of veterans and military spouses who braved difficult conditions to attend the course. These are the qualities that will set them apart in the business world, Fitzpatrick remarked.

A Continuous Journey of Learning and Growth

The B2B program acknowledges the myriad challenges participants face, from relocation to financial stability. It emphasizes the ongoing support available through the Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) and the SBAs extensive resource network. Fitzpatricks message to students is clear: Youre not alone. Whether youre contemplating business ownership or looking to grow an existing business, resources are available to assist you.

In addition to the B2B program, the SBA celebrated another milestone with the 3,000th graduate of the Boots to Business Revenue Readiness (B2B RR) course in November 2023. Offered by Mississippi State University, this six-week course focuses on developing a business plan through interactive virtual discussions, helping veterans, service members, and military spouses advance their entrepreneurial ambitions.

Shannon Arick, a B2B RR graduate, shared the impact of the program on her business journey. The military taught me the value of solid training. Boots to Business Revenue Readiness equipped me with the knowledge to establish and maintain a successful business, she said.

Looking Ahead

With over 1,200 B2B and B2B Reboot classes conducted in Fiscal Year 2023, both in-person and virtually, the programs curriculum has been updated to include new modules, exercises, and more. These courses, accessible through SBA district offices, resource partners, and grant partners, offer a comprehensive toolkit for military entrepreneurs.

As the SBA continues to support the entrepreneurial spirit of the nations veterans, the success of programs like Boots to Business and Boots to Business Revenue Readiness highlights the invaluable contribution of military-connected entrepreneurs to the U.S. economy and the broader entrepreneurial ecosystem.

For more information on the Boots to Business program and to view the current course schedule, visit the SBA website at sba.my.site.com.
Using the crowdfunding platform called GoFundMe is a way for small business owners to get money without getting a business loan. Its one of the best resources available to a business owner trying to raise money for a company.

Its an option you should consider. Most people are familiar with GoFundMe as a way to raise money for personal causes, such as a medical challenge or similar hardship. It can also be used by a business and by nonprofits. GoFundMe can also be used for business needs such as startups, expansions, or new projects.

What Is GoFundMe?

GoFundMe is a service that supports crowdfunding campaigns. The business owner sets up an account, describes the need for a fundraising campaign, sets a funding goal and asks for financial support via the internet  using emails and social media platforms. GoFundMe will collect money from donations and deposit it to the business owners bank account.

How Can Businesses Raise Money with a Crowdfunding Platform?

There are 3 ways crowdfunding campaigns are used to raise funds:

Donations  For a cause, and donors get no return. The donors send money to the GoFundMe page, and in exchange get nothing, except good will. Hopefully, they will also receive a thank you.

Equity-based  Donors become investors and get a small piece of the business. Usually, it is a very small piece and the size of the piece is related to the amount of the donation.

Rewards-based  Donors get a product or service in exchange for their financial support. For example, a small business that manufactures a product such as candles or hops sends a sample to each donor. Or if the small business is service-based, a discount can be applied for the next service appointment made by the donor.

GoFundMe only allows donation-based campaigns for small businesses. In other words, GoFundMe donations cannot be equity or rewards-based for a small business. Other sites allow equity or rewards-based donations.

What are the Benefits of Using GoFundMe for Business Funding?

First of all, youll never know what type of response youd get unless you try. Truly, you have nothing to lose. If you set a fundraising goal of $10,000 and you only fundraise $4,000, well, thats $4,000 you didnt have.

Here are other reasons why you should consider using GoFundMe to raise money for your business?

Shorter time frame, compared with getting business loans. A typical campaign runs for less than a month. You might wait at least a month, and most often two months, to find out if youve been accepted for a business loan.

Not impersonal  friends, family, and contacts can become involved. And via social media, you can reach out to them all over the country.

Youll pay a platform fee, but only against the money that is raised. You dont need to provide money upfront.

GoFundMes customer support is easily accessible and responsive. The website is chockful of information to answer any question you might have about the process.

No application process. No providing lots of documents, no meetings at the bank, no financial reports required.

Not taxable. Although it should be reported on 1099 as other income in general GoFundMe monies arent taxable. The donations are considered just that  gifts. As such, you dont pay taxes on gifts.

Benefits of Using GoFundMe for Business Funding Opportunity to Test Response and Gain Funds GoFundMe provides a risk-free way to gauge public interest and potentially secure funds for your business idea. Shorter Time Frame Compared to Loans Campaigns on GoFundMe typically run for less than a month, offering a quicker funding solution compared to waiting for loan approvals that can take weeks or months. Personal Involvement of Friends, Family, and Contacts Engage your personal network and expand your reach through social media, involving friends, family, and contacts in supporting your business venture. Minimal Platform Fee Against Raised Funds While GoFundMe charges a platform fee, it is deducted only from the funds you raise, ensuring that you don't need to invest upfront. Accessible and Responsive Customer Support GoFundMe offers easily accessible customer support and a wealth of information to assist you throughout the crowdfunding process. Streamlined Process without Application or Documentation Unlike loan applications, GoFundMe campaigns require no complex paperwork, meetings, or financial reports, streamlining the funding process. Non-Taxable Donations Considered as Gifts Donations received through GoFundMe are generally considered gifts and are not taxable income, alleviating potential tax burdens.

How to Create a GoFundMe Campaign for Business

A GoFundMe campaign is easy to start. Small business owners are often pleasantly surprised by their success when they venture into crowdfunding platforms.

Here are some basic steps to take for GoFundMe campaigns:

Sign up for a GoFundMe account. Create your campaign page, where youll describe your reasons for the fundraiser. You can use pictures and videos to appeal to crowdfunding donors. Set your fundraising goal. Youll get frequent updates from GoFundMe on the status of your fundraising efforts. If you go over your funding goal, thats okay. Blast the information on the personal network on your social media channels. Also, share the link using emails and texts. Collect donations, which will be deposited to the business bank account youve specified. Thats how businesses receive funds. Send thank-you notes to all GoFundMe donors who used your crowdfunding website and helped with funding your business. Withdraw the funds and use them for your business needs.

Tips for Creating an Engaging GoFundMe Campaign

Tell Your Story Compellingly

Use High-Quality Visuals

Set a Clear Goal

Offer Updates and Express Gratitude

Leverage Social Media

Engage with Your Community

Tell Your Story Compellingly

A compelling story is at the heart of every successful GoFundMe campaign. When crafting your narrative, focus on the unique aspects of your business, the challenges youre facing, and how the funds will make a difference.

Share personal anecdotes or customer testimonials to create an emotional connection. Remember, people donate to people, not just ideas or business plans. Make your story relatable, honest, and inspiring.

Use High-Quality Visuals

Visual content has a profound impact on engagement levels. High-quality photos and videos can bring your story to life, making it more tangible and relatable to potential donors. Consider including visuals of your team, your products, or the services you provide.

Before-and-after shots or behind-the-scenes looks can also be very effective. Ensure the visuals are clear, professionally presented, and directly related to your campaigns message.

Set a Clear Goal

Transparency is key when setting your fundraising goal. Provide a detailed breakdown of how the funds will be used to give potential donors confidence in your campaign. For instance, if youre raising money for equipment, list the costs associated with each piece. Setting a clear, achievable goal not only helps in building trust but also in motivating donors to help you reach your target.

Offer Updates and Express Gratitude

Regular updates keep your supporters engaged and informed about the progress of your campaign. Share both milestones and setbacks, as this honesty fosters a deeper connection with your audience.

Always express gratitude for every donation, no matter the size. Personalized thank-you messages can make donors feel appreciated and part of your journey, encouraging further support and sharing of your campaign.

Leverage Social Media

Social media is a powerful tool for amplifying your GoFundMe campaign. Share your campaign on all your business and personal social media accounts. Use engaging captions and hashtags to increase visibility.

Encourage your followers to share your campaign with their networks. Consider creating a content schedule to keep your campaign active across social platforms throughout the fundraising period.

Engage with Your Community

Engaging with both your local and online communities can significantly boost your campaigns reach. Reach out to local businesses, community groups, and online forums that share an affinity with your businesss mission or products.

Collaborating with these groups for cross-promotion can introduce your campaign to a wider audience. Hosting a local event or participating in community activities can also draw attention to your GoFundMe campaign.

GoFundMe Versus Kickstarter

GoFundMe and Kickstarter are both crowdfunding sites  thats how theyre similar.

Using the crowdfunding website Kickstarter, small business owners can run fundraising campaigns that are equity-based or rewards-based. GoFundMe only allows donation-based crowdfunding campaigns. Small business owners cant ask for donations in exchange for equity in their business, and they cant provide a product or service in exchange for a donation.

READ MORE: GoFundMe.

How Much Does It Cost to Run a GoFundMe Campaign?

It doesnt cost you anything upfront to run the campaign.

Youll have the investment of your time, as you make your campaign page letter-perfect, eye-catching, and appealing. Make your campaign page read like a compelling story.

For your investment, youll have the time it takes to select the appropriate images to use, and if you develop a video to run on your GoFundMe campaign page, that will also require your time.

GoFundMe charges a .30% payment processing fee. In other words, when you start raising money with donations, you wont get every dollar.

Here are some numbers, as an example. Lets say that youve reached your funding goals to raise $5,000. After the .30% processing fee, youll get $4,853.50. Thats how crowdfunding platforms and campaigns work. Other platforms also charge a fee for fundraisers. Still, with business loan options youd be charged interest, applied to the amount of your business loan. It doesnt cost you anything to try a campaign.

How Do You Get the Money From GoFundMe?

The campaign donations that you receive through the GoFundMe site will be set up to be transferred to your business bank account. Before the funds go from the site to your company business account, the processing fee will be charged.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is GoFundMe and how does it benefit small business owners?

GoFundMe is a crowdfunding platform that enables business owners to raise funds without resorting to traditional business loans. Its an effective resource for businesses seeking financial support for various needs, such as startups, expansions, or new projects.

Can businesses raise money through GoFundMe?

Absolutely. GoFundMe is not limited to personal causes; businesses and nonprofits can also leverage the platform to raise funds for their initiatives.

How does GoFundMe work for businesses?

Business owners create campaigns on GoFundMe, describing their fundraising needs and setting a funding goal. They then promote their campaigns via email and social media. Donors contribute money, and GoFundMe collects and deposits the funds into the business owners bank account.

What are the different ways businesses can raise money through crowdfunding on GoFundMe?

GoFundMe offers donation-based campaigns for small businesses. Donors provide money without expecting equity or specific rewards in return.

What are the benefits of using GoFundMe for business funding?

Using GoFundMe offers advantages such as shorter time frames compared to business loans, personalized involvement from friends and family, and accessibility to a responsive customer support team. Moreover, the platform fee is only applied to raised funds, not upfront.

How does GoFundMe differ from other crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter?

While both GoFundMe and Kickstarter are crowdfunding platforms, GoFundMe focuses on donation-based campaigns, whereas Kickstarter allows equity-based or rewards-based campaigns. GoFundMe donations are not taxable and are considered gifts.

How can businesses create a successful GoFundMe campaign?

To create a compelling campaign, businesses can follow these steps:

Sign up for a GoFundMe account.

Craft an appealing campaign page with visuals and videos.

Set a realistic fundraising goal.

Share the campaign across personal networks and social media.

Collect donations, which GoFundMe will transfer to the business account.

Express gratitude to donors and utilize the funds for business needs.

How much does it cost to run a GoFundMe campaign?

Running a GoFundMe campaign doesnt have upfront costs. However, GoFundMe charges a 0.30% payment processing fee, which is deducted from the donations received. The example provided demonstrates how the fee affects the final amount received.

How do businesses receive the funds raised through GoFundMe?

The funds collected through a GoFundMe campaign are transferred to the business owners designated bank account. Before the transfer, the payment processing fee is subtracted from the total funds raised.

In summary, GoFundMe presents an excellent opportunity for small businesses to secure financial support through crowdfunding efforts. By understanding its workings, benefits, and best practices, businesses can create impactful campaigns and tap into a wider network of supporters to achieve their funding goals.

GoFundMe: A Key Crowdfunding Platform for Small Businesses

GoFundMe has established itself as a key crowdfunding platform for small businesses and nonprofits seeking funding for various purposes, including startups, expansions, and innovative projects.

It provides a unique platform for entrepreneurs to connect with potential supporters by creating detailed campaigns, achieving funding goals, and leveraging social media for wider reach.

Despite focusing on donation-based funding, GoFundMes ease of use, customer support, and cost-effectiveness make it an appealing option for business financing. It stands out in the crowdfunding space by promoting community engagement, offering a low-risk avenue for raising funds, and enabling businesses to share their stories and engage with their audience effectively.

Ultimately, GoFundMe serves not just as a fundraising tool but as a testament to the power of community support in driving business growth and innovation, symbolizing a collaborative approach to overcoming financial challenges and achieving entrepreneurial success.
Her Worship hosts Greater Manchester Army Cadet Force

Her Worship the Mayor, Carmen Gomez GMD, hosted the Greater Manchester Army Cadet Force during their visit to Gibraltar.

They provide brilliant services to young people, giving the opportunity to learn life skills, earn qualifications, and experience adventure.

For some, this is their first time in Gibraltar, and even abroad. Her Worship had no doubt that they will find us a warm and welcoming community, and this will be a memorable occasion in their lives. She extended her wish that they return to our shores in the near future.

Her Worship thanked the Instructors for the remarkable work that they do. Breakfast, playing of the Piano and even a sing-a-long was enjoyed by all!
Indiegogo is a crowdfunding website that offers users the opportunity to raise funds for an idea, start-up business, or charity. Crowdfunding comes in handy for small businesses looking to source extra funds to expand, buy equipment or have a new product idea they need help developing.

Unlike traditional funding, Indiegogo is risk-free compared to seeking bank loans and circumvents application and approval stages. Indiegogo has helped bring more than 800,000 innovative ideas to life thanks to its more than 9 million strong backers, representing 235 countries and territories.

The popular crowdfunding platform has some fifteen million people visiting the site each month. Find out everything you need to know about Indiegogo here.

What Is Indiegogo?

Indiegogo is a crowdfunding platform launched in 2008 that lets users finance and launch their startups, campaigns, products, and services. Indiegogo platform users can set up a campaign page to tell their story, introduce their project to potential backers, and then start raising funds by soliciting donations from these potential backers.

It comes with data-driven insights that can help you tweak your proposal for effective campaigns. For its service Indiegogo charges a 5% platform fee on all funds raised for your campaign. The fees are calculated and deducted from the funds you actually raise and not for the financing goal you set.

Benefits of Indiegogo for Small Business Crowdfunding

Crowdfunding through Indiegogo is not simply a way to raise money to finance a new product or venture it comes with other benefits as well, these include:

It is quick and versatile: crowdfunding can raise funds very quickly and also reach a lot of people through marketing campaigns.

crowdfunding can raise funds very quickly and also reach a lot of people through marketing campaigns. Easy to run: You can easily put together a crowdfunding marketing campaign more easily and quickly than pitching to larger investors. Most people who invest in crowdfunding campaigns do so without requiring extensive background information because they tend to be investing a relatively small amount of money.

You can easily put together a crowdfunding marketing campaign more easily and quickly than pitching to larger investors. Most people who invest in crowdfunding campaigns do so without requiring extensive background information because they tend to be investing a relatively small amount of money. Access to relatively easy money: crowdfunding platforms like Indiegogo lets you raise money for your projects or business without the need to sell off an equity stake or offer collateral for a loan. The money comes in the form of free donations.

crowdfunding platforms like Indiegogo lets you raise money for your projects or business without the need to sell off an equity stake or offer collateral for a loan. The money comes in the form of free donations. The ability to validate your idea, product, project, or startup: crowdfunding platforms can be a great way to get feedback on new products and on whether people would purchase your product or service. It can let you see if people are interested in your products, what problems they want to be addressed, and more.

crowdfunding platforms can be a great way to get feedback on new products and on whether people would purchase your product or service. It can let you see if people are interested in your products, what problems they want to be addressed, and more. Create a community around your product or service: They also offer an opportunity to get feedback on improving your product or service while helping to create a community to raise your profile and build bonds with fans and supporters. In addition, investors can track your progress helping you to promote your brand through their networks. Building communities around your product or service can also help you determine to add more features, add tweaks or incorporate other features.

How Does an Indiegogo Crowdfunding Campaign Work?

Indiegogo offers entrepreneurs the opportunity to find support and financing for their projects. Besides offering you an opportunity to raise funds Indiegogo also offers perks to say thanks to backers, in exchange for different contribution amounts.

If you successfully reached your crowdfunding goal, you also have the option to use Indiegogos InDemand to continue raising money and build your backer community after your campaign ends.

Any campaign which meets its goal by the campaign deadline, and is in good standing with Indiegogo may move into InDemand. If your campaign did not meet its goal by the deadline, it is not eligible for InDemand and your campaign will remain closed.

In addition, successful campaigns can offer your backers perks that can be objects, acknowledgment, a thank you, services, events, or anything that does not violate Indiegogos Terms of Use.

How Do You Qualify for Indiegogo Crowdfunding Campaigns?

To qualify as an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign, you must be 18 years of age or older, a legal resident or have a business entity registered in one of the listed eligible countries.

Campaign owners can create campaigns in their own name, or on behalf of a registered legal entity with which they are affiliated; have an address and bank account from the country in which you are creating a campaign, and their linked bank account must belong to the person who verified their identity for the campaign.

When it comes to the type of campaigns you can campaigns for business use, for nonprofit organizations, campaigns for products, anything within Indiegogos community projects, and educational campaigns in the tech and innovation category.

What Percentage Does Indiegogo Take?

Indiegogo charges a 5% platform fee across all crowdfunding campaigns. If they opted into Indiegogos InDemand program and ran their campaign on Indiegogo, their platform fee remains 5%.

The InDemand fee for campaigns that did not originally run on Indiegogo is an 8% platform fee, with a 15% (total) fee on any funds driven by Indiegogos platform channels. In addition, third-party payment processing fees also apply

What Is the Minimum Amount You Can Raise from Indiegogo?

Indiegogo gives you the option to keep all your funds even when your campaign does not reach your funding goal through its flexible campaign feature. However, the minimum goal amount for a campaign on Indiegogo is $500.

How to Start an Indiegogo Campaign

You can use Indiegogo to raise money to launch projects below is a step-by-step guide to launching your very own crowdfunding through IndieGoGo:

1. Register for an account: you will first need to sign up for an account on IndieGoGo then enter your name and email you can also create an account with Facebook as well.

2. Choose your campaign: Select My Campaigns from the drop-down menu. Here you can locate the campaign youd like to launch and click Edit Campaign, from the Actions Drop-Down menu. Youll be taken to your Campaign Editor to tweak the offerings of your campaign. Once you have signed up click to start a campaign. When youre starting a campaign on IndieGoGo you can raise money for a for-profit enterprise (business or project) or for a nonprofit. Make sure your campaign abides by Indiegogos camping rules.

3. Spruce up your campaign: You can make your fundraising more enticing by adding graphic and video components to grab attention and also using relevant keywords so your page will come up in online searches.

4. Choose the funding type that fits your goals: Indiegogo offers two types of funding options: flexible and fixed. With fixed funding, you only receive the money you raised if you meet your set goal. While flexible funding allows you to keep any money you receive, even if you dont reach your goal.

5. Fill in financial details: select the country where the bank account and the business/nonprofit are located.

6. Set a timeline for your campaign: You will need to choose a start and an end date for your campaign.

7. Launch and offer appealing rewards: Before you launch your campaign, you can offer rewards to backers as a way of thanking your supporters.

8. Use social media to promote your campaign: You can link your social media account to your campaign to add more buzz and interest to your campaign.

Maximizing Your Indiegogo Campaigns Impact

Achieving success on Indiegogo requires more than just setting up a campaign. Here are some valuable strategies to maximize the impact of your Indiegogo campaign and increase your chances of reaching your funding goals:

Compelling Storytelling: Craft a compelling and engaging narrative that resonates with your target audience. Share your passion, the problem youre solving, and the impact your project will have.

Craft a compelling and engaging narrative that resonates with your target audience. Share your passion, the problem youre solving, and the impact your project will have. High-Quality Visuals: Invest in high-quality images, videos, and graphics that showcase your product, project, or idea. Visuals help captivate potential backers and communicate your message effectively.

Invest in high-quality images, videos, and graphics that showcase your product, project, or idea. Visuals help captivate potential backers and communicate your message effectively. Clear and Concise Messaging: Clearly communicate your campaigns purpose, benefits, and unique selling points. Keep your messaging concise, avoiding jargon or complex language.

Clearly communicate your campaigns purpose, benefits, and unique selling points. Keep your messaging concise, avoiding jargon or complex language. Engage Your Network: Leverage your existing network of friends, family, colleagues, and social media connections. Their early support and word-of-mouth referrals can kickstart your campaign.

Leverage your existing network of friends, family, colleagues, and social media connections. Their early support and word-of-mouth referrals can kickstart your campaign. Regular Updates: Keep your backers informed with regular updates about your campaigns progress. Updates create a sense of transparency and involvement, fostering trust.

Keep your backers informed with regular updates about your campaigns progress. Updates create a sense of transparency and involvement, fostering trust. Early Bird Rewards: Offer special rewards or discounts to early backers to incentivize them to support your campaign in its initial stages.

Offer special rewards or discounts to early backers to incentivize them to support your campaign in its initial stages. Tiered Rewards: Create a range of rewards at different price points to cater to backers with varying budgets. Ensure that each tier offers unique value to encourage higher contributions.

Create a range of rewards at different price points to cater to backers with varying budgets. Ensure that each tier offers unique value to encourage higher contributions. Social Media Engagement: Actively engage with your audience on social media platforms. Respond to comments, answer questions, and share behind-the-scenes glimpses to keep backers engaged.

Actively engage with your audience on social media platforms. Respond to comments, answer questions, and share behind-the-scenes glimpses to keep backers engaged. Influencer Partnerships: Collaborate with influencers or individuals who align with your campaigns theme. Their endorsement can significantly boost your campaigns visibility.

Collaborate with influencers or individuals who align with your campaigns theme. Their endorsement can significantly boost your campaigns visibility. Email Marketing: Build an email list of interested parties before launching your campaign. Send out personalized emails to inform them about your Indiegogo campaigns launch.

Build an email list of interested parties before launching your campaign. Send out personalized emails to inform them about your Indiegogo campaigns launch. Limited-Time Offers: Create a sense of urgency by offering limited-time rewards or discounts. This can prompt backers to pledge sooner rather than later.

Create a sense of urgency by offering limited-time rewards or discounts. This can prompt backers to pledge sooner rather than later. Utilize Indiegogo Resources: Take advantage of Indiegogos resources, including campaign guides, webinars, and marketing tools. These resources can provide valuable insights and tips.

Strategy Description Compelling Storytelling Craft a compelling and engaging narrative that resonates with your target audience. High-Quality Visuals Invest in high-quality images, videos, and graphics that showcase your product or project effectively. Clear and Concise Messaging Communicate your campaign's purpose, benefits, and unique selling points clearly and concisely. Engage Your Network Leverage your existing network for early support and word-of-mouth referrals to kickstart your campaign. Regular Updates Keep backers informed with regular progress updates to foster trust and transparency in your campaign. Early Bird Rewards Incentivize early support by offering special rewards or discounts to backers who contribute in the beginning. Tiered Rewards Create a range of rewards at different price points to cater to backers with varying budgets. Social Media Engagement Actively engage with your audience on social media, responding to comments and sharing behind-the-scenes content. Influencer Partnerships Collaborate with influencers to boost visibility by gaining their endorsement and leveraging their audience. Email Marketing Build an email list before launching and send personalized emails to inform potential backers about your campaign. Limited-Time Offers Create urgency by offering limited-time rewards, encouraging backers to pledge sooner rather than later. Utilize Indiegogo Resources Make use of Indiegogo's campaign guides, webinars, and marketing tools for valuable insights and tips.

By implementing these strategies, you can enhance the overall effectiveness of your Indiegogo campaign and create a stronger connection with your backers, ultimately leading to a more successful crowdfunding experience.

How Can You Boost Your Indiegogo Campaign on Social Media?

To effectively boost your Indiegogo campaign on social media, consider implementing the following strategies:

Create Shareable Content: Design content that is easy for your followers to share with their networks. This could include eye-catching graphics, compelling videos, and posts that highlight the unique aspects of your project.

Design content that is easy for your followers to share with their networks. This could include eye-catching graphics, compelling videos, and posts that highlight the unique aspects of your project. Use Hashtags: Incorporate relevant hashtags to increase the visibility of your posts. Research popular hashtags within your industry and create a unique hashtag for your campaign.

Incorporate relevant hashtags to increase the visibility of your posts. Research popular hashtags within your industry and create a unique hashtag for your campaign. Engage with Your Community: Regularly engage with your followers by responding to comments, thanking them for shares, and participating in relevant conversations. Building a community around your campaign can lead to more shares and donations.

Regularly engage with your followers by responding to comments, thanking them for shares, and participating in relevant conversations. Building a community around your campaign can lead to more shares and donations. Collaborate with Influencers: Partner with social media influencers who resonate with your projects mission. Their endorsement can introduce your campaign to a wider audience.

Partner with social media influencers who resonate with your projects mission. Their endorsement can introduce your campaign to a wider audience. Run Social Media Ads: Invest in targeted social media advertising to reach a broader audience. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram offer powerful targeting options to ensure your campaign is seen by those most likely to support it.

Invest in targeted social media advertising to reach a broader audience. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram offer powerful targeting options to ensure your campaign is seen by those most likely to support it. Schedule Regular Updates: Use social media to provide regular updates about your campaigns progress. Share both the successes and the challenges to keep your audience invested in your journey.

Use social media to provide regular updates about your campaigns progress. Share both the successes and the challenges to keep your audience invested in your journey. Host Live Q&A Sessions: Organize live sessions on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter to answer questions, provide updates, and connect with your audience in real-time.

By carefully crafting your campaign and strategically leveraging social media, you can significantly enhance the visibility and success of your Indiegogo campaign.

Which Is Better, Kickstarter Vs. Indiegogo?

Though both are popular crowdfunding platforms Kickstarter sways more toward sharing creative or serviceable products and media while Indiegogo offers backers a broader collection of projects, including tech and design, health and fitness, education, and accessories.

Indiegogo: A Dynamic and Accessible Platform for Small Businesses

In conclusion, Indiegogo presents a dynamic and accessible platform for small businesses, startups, and entrepreneurs seeking alternative funding avenues for their projects. By offering a straightforward, risk-free approach to crowdfunding, Indiegogo enables creators to bring their innovative ideas to life without the complexities of traditional financing methods.

The platform not only facilitates the raising of necessary funds but also provides a valuable opportunity for idea validation, community building, and direct engagement with potential customers and supporters.

As the crowdfunding landscape continues to evolve, platforms like Indiegogo serve as vital catalysts for innovation and entrepreneurship, offering a testament to the power of community support in driving forward the next generation of products, services, and social initiatives.

Whether youre a fledgling startup or an established small business, Indiegogo provides the tools and reach necessary to achieve your fundraising goals and make a lasting impact.
Andrej Danko, another coalition leader and presidential candidate, is struggling in the polls.

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Speaker of Parliament Peter Pellegrini, who leads one of the coalition parties, Hlas, and former foreign minister and diplomat Ivan Korcok, both have a chance of winning the first round of the presidential election next month.

The first round takes place on March 23.

Pellegrini would have won the first round with 35.8 percent, Korcok with 34.6 percent, shows the latest NMS Market Research poll for the Sme daily. The difference is only minor: 1.2 percent.

Thus far, all the polls have shown that the two presidential hopefuls will make it to the second round, including the latest AKO poll for the Joj television channel published last week. But like the AKO poll, the poll for Sme also indicates growing support for Slovensko (former OLaNO) leader and ex-premier Igor Matovic. According to the NMS poll, 6.6 percent would have voted for the ex-premier. He led the country at a time when the world was fighting the Covid-19 pandemic. Korcok then served as his foreign minister.

The NMS poll, which was carried out from February 14 to 18, asked respondents about 10 presidential candidates. However, there are 11 official candidates as of February 19.

On Monday, the Supreme Administrative Court ruled that Robert Svec from the nationalist movement Slovenske Hnutie Obrody can also compete in the race. He became the eleventh candidate. Initially, the Office of the National Council of the Slovak Republic, which is responsible for the daily operation of the parliament and approves registration forms of all presidential candidates if all the conditions are met, rejected his registration. It argued that a thousand of the 15,209 signatures submitted by him were not handwritten. As a result, the Office said, he failed to meet the requirement of at least 15,000 signatures. But the court has decided that its the job of experts, not the Office, to verify signatures. The Office accepted the decision.
A new poll on the presidential election, an old house that attracts tourists, and an unbelievable family story that involves an old trunk.

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Good evening. Here is the Tuesday, February 20 edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in less than five minutes.

Minister wants a discussion about whistleblowers

Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok from the Hlas party. (Source: TASR)

Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok (Hlas) will propose to the government that it withdraw the criticised amendment to the Whistleblowers Protection Act. The minister says the changes require a wider expert discussion so that they arent misused again for the oppositions political campaign.

The coalition-controlled parliament was initially supposed to discuss an amendment to the law on Tuesday, and approve it in a fast-tracked legislative procedure. But Sutaj Estok didnt show up in the debating chamber to introduce the draft amendment. One of the major changes in the amendment is that protection for whistleblowers should no longer be provided to police officers.

The current wording of the draft amendment proved to be insufficient in practice, the minister explained his decision.

In his opinion, the purpose of the law is to ensure the protection of citizens who decide to blow the whistle, not the political protection of selected persons who decide to fix themselves in their positions.

The draft amendment was submitted to the parliament last December. Despite criticism, the governments plan was to pass it without any expert discussion in the same month. Prior to submitting the draft amendment the minister had suspended several police investigators who dealt with high-profile corruption cases linked to the coalition parties. He did so despite the fact that they were whistleblowers under the protection of the law.

Courts are currently looking into the ministers steps taken against the police officers.

Related: The Whistleblowers Protection Office welcomes the decision to withdraw the amendment to the Whistleblowers Protection Act. "The whistleblower protection agenda is too sensitive for the rules to be changed hastily and without an expert assessment of their effects in practice," noted the authority.

More stories from The Slovak Spectator website

Politics: Hlas party leader Peter Pellegrini cant be sure that he will win the presidential race, a poll shows.

Hlas party leader Peter Pellegrini cant be sure that he will win the presidential race, a poll shows. Business: Are Slovaks losing investment literacy?

Are Slovaks losing investment literacy? Travel: The old house from a cult Slovak film still attracts people today.

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FEATURE STORY FOR TUESDAY

He wrote a letter to Argentina. His lost cousin replied.

Emil Parizek with the old trunk that started the adventure. (Source: Archive of EP)

Following the footsteps of his great-grandfather abroad, the Slovak Emil Parizek found his cousin Pablo, a descendant of immigrants, in Buenos Aires. All that because of an old dusty trunk.

SONG FOR TUESDAY

Delia Nas

video //www.youtube.com/embed/6Axe_doOS4c

Listen to Slovak musician Jana Kirschners beautiful single Delia Nas (They Divide Us). The song will appear on the artists upcoming album Obycajnosti. It will be released in March.

In other news

The Justice Ministry cancelled the call for subsidies under the 2024 Human Rights programme , worth 769,500, and plans to reallocate the resources for victims of violence instead. The Slovensko party called on Justice Minister Boris Susko (Smer) to restore the subsidies. (TASR)

, worth 769,500, and plans to reallocate the resources for victims of violence instead. The Slovensko party called on Justice Minister Boris Susko (Smer) to restore the subsidies. (TASR) Volvo Car Slovakia on Tuesday announced the appointment of new plant manager and project manager for Volvo Car Kosice, Marc Gombeer. The previous head of the future plant, Bjorn Hellden, will continue to lead the main project team and support the completion of Volvos all-electric car plant in Kosice. (TASR)

and project manager for Volvo Car Kosice, Marc Gombeer. The previous head of the future plant, Bjorn Hellden, will continue to lead the main project team and support the completion of Volvos all-electric car plant in Kosice. (TASR) The reasons to scrap the charges in the Gorilla corruption case (2011) on Monday were purely formal , Prosecutor Alexander Fenik said on Tuesday. The charges may be pressed again soon. In November 2022 financier Jaroslav Hascak and four other people were charged with setting up, masterminding and supporting a criminal group. Hascak was also charged with money laundering.

, Prosecutor Alexander Fenik said on Tuesday. The charges may be pressed again soon. In November 2022 financier Jaroslav Hascak and four other people were charged with setting up, masterminding and supporting a criminal group. Hascak was also charged with money laundering. A group of opposition MPs from the SaS, KDH and Slovensko parties lodged a complaint with the Constitutional Court on Tuesday regarding the approved Penal Code. They maintain that the law is unconstitutional.

on Tuesday regarding the approved Penal Code. They maintain that the law is unconstitutional. Speaker of Parliament Peter Pellegrini (Hlas) will proceed in accordance with the law when publishing the amendment to the Penal Code in the Collection of Laws. The opposition parties called on Pellegrini as well as Justice Minister Susko not to delay its publication. They think the governing coalition is attempting to prevent the Constitutional Court from deciding on motions in connection with the amendment before it enters into force.

Former Slovak president Ivan Gasparovic, President Zuzana Caputova, former Slovak presidents Rudolf Schuster and Andrej Kiska sit at the table during a joint lunch in the Presidential Palace in Bratislava on Tuesday, February 20, 2024. (Source: TASR)

WEATHER FOR WEDNESDAY: Cloudy with rain developing in some places. Daytime temperatures will range from 7C to 12C. (SHMU)

FEBRUARY 21 NAME'S DAY IN SLOVAKIA: Eleonora.

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Follow The Slovak Spectator on Facebook and Instagram (@slovakspectator).
A popular Turkish proverb claims a cup of coffee is remembered for 40 years. Although its perhaps best understood to point toward the enduring power of hospitality, it also reflects a cultural attitude about coffee in general: coffee is meant to be savored.

Unlike espresso, which can be taken standing up at the bar, Turkish coffee, by necessity, requires you to take your time. To enjoy a coffee, like the grounds, one must settle down.

You also need to eat something. In Turkey, coffee is almost always taken with food, be it a piece of Turkish delight or something more substantial.

Over the last 10 years, third wave coffee culture has taken Turkeys largest city by storm, creating a sort of Hegelian synthesis where pour-over drippers meet copper cezves and everything in between.

As specialty coffee moves from the fringes to the center of Istanbul social life, many coffee shops have turned to new frontiers: reimagining traditional coffee pairings. Whether its reinventing Turkish delight or elevating Turkish breakfast, here are five places in Istanbul where the food is every bit as good as the coffee.

Williams Roastery

Coffee and breakfast go together practically everywhere. But Turkey takes things to another level.

The Turkish word for breakfast, kahvalt, literally means under coffee, denoting breakfasts most essential role: lining your stomach with something solid so you can start drinking coffee. Williams Roastery in Fenerbahce offers a contemporary take on Turkish breakfast, featuring hyper-regional ingredients and house-baked bread.

Not to be missed is the Antakyadan breakfast plate. Sunny-side-up eggs are paired with fried goat cheese, olive salad, and a spicy baked yogurt all made from ingredients sourced from owner William Zinnehas hometown of Antakya.

On the coffee side, expect microlot coffees roasted in small batches on Williams 5kg Probat roaster. When Sprudge visited Williams Roastery, the Colombia, El Indio was tasting fruity and sweet on filter and espresso.

Marsel

Perhaps the most traditional Turkish coffee pairing is lokum, better known as Turkish delight to English-speaking audiences. And for an edgy, irreverent take on the classic Turkish sweet, look no further than Marsel. You can find Marsels colorful packaging by the cash register at many Istanbul coffee shops, but theres no better place to taste their expanding range of Levantine treats than their Bomonti confectionary and tasting room.

Whether its the neon lace doilies or the iconic nazar boncugu (evil eye), the vibes are pure Anatolian psychedelic. But even if youve never had a slipper thrown at you by your Turkish grandmother, you can appreciate the avantgarde flavor pairings dreamed up by Marsel founder Selim Cenkel. Whether its rose with blackberry, or pomegranate with sumac, expect big flavors that arent afraid of a little acidity. More recently Marsel has launched their own take on badem ezmesia Turkish version of marzipan thats well worth a taste.

On the coffee side of things a selection of single origin coffees from Coffee Dept. is available on filter. For Turkish coffee, Marsel keeps things classic with Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi. While not exactly specialty grade, Mehmet Efendi is the ubiquitous brand that defines the word coffee for millions of Turkish citizens. No visit to Istanbul is complete without trying a cup from the 150-year-old roaster.

Petra Coffee

How does one classify Petra Coffee?

Classic yet modernist? Bleeding-edge trendsetter? Cooler-than-cool cultural curator?Petras cafes, which are scattered around the European side of Istanbul, somehow effortlessly toe the line between Parisian bistro and futurist utopian fever dream.

The roastery has long blazed its own trail, meticulously importing and roasting its own coffee.But as good as the coffee is, Petras world-class food program is what really sets them apart. Whether its a classic French omelet or falafel and hummus, the menu at Petra is a rare take on global cuisine that doesnt miss.

Although the baristas tend to be more hyped on the Japanese katsu curry, for an elegant take on a Turkish breakfast classic, try the clbur.

Two perfectly poached eggs are served on a bed of thick, garlicky yogurt. The dish is garnished with a sprig of dill, a generous pour of chili oil, and served with a thick slice of Petras housebaked sourdough bread.

Even Nigella Lawson thinks its the perfect breakfast. And although Petras cavernous headquarters in Gayretepe is not to be missed on any Istanbul coffee crawl, my favorite location is Petra Maslak, which offers some of the most stunning bar design Ive seen anywhere.

Petra Coffee has multiple locations in Istanbul. Visit their official website and follow them on Instagram

Coffee Dept.

You can drink Coffee Dept.s coffee at a wide assortment of neighborhood cafes and even Michelin-starred restaurants, but the original location in Balat is loved by the motley crew of creatives and expats who call Istanbuls old Jewish quarter home.

Although Coffee Dept. is perhaps best known as a wholesale roastery, their cafes offer house-made baked goods and frequent collaborations with contemporary and legacy Istanbul food companies. One limited-release includes a coffee-flavored Turkish delight made in partnership with Ali Muhiddin Haci Bekir. This confectioner, first founded in 1775, is credited with inventing Turkish delight in the early 1800s.

Perhaps Coffee Dept.s secret culinary weapon is founder Metin Benbasats wife: cookbook author Lian Penso Benbasat. Benbasat runs the Turkish-language food podcast Bu Kz Hep Ac and has worked to help preserve the recipes of Istanbuls historic Sephardic community. At Coffee Depts Nisantas cafe, guests can try one such dish: borekitas: potato and eggplant-stuffed pastries topped with black sesame seeds.

Coffee Dept. has multiple locations in Istanbul. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram

Grandma

If you want to get technical, Grandma is more of a brunch place than a coffee shop. For anthropological reasons that remain elusive, the brunch crowd somehow transcends cultural and national boundaries. But the food at Grandma makes it well worth braving the crowds and even waiting for a table. The espresso drinks are solid, so dont be afraid to order a cappuccino with that almond croissant.

Culinary travelers looking for a more cultural experience should try the Grandma usulu menemen. Like more traditional versions of the classic breakfast dish, Grandmas menemen is a pan-fried blen of tomatos, peppers, and eggs. But Grandma adds a generous scoop of acuka, a walnut and pepper paste, that in my humble opinion takes the dish to new culinary heights.

Although Grandma has several locations around town, their Nisantas cafe remains the place to see and be seen.

Grandma has multiple location in Istanbul. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram
https://sputnikglobe.com/20240219/israel-sets-deadline-on-rafah-invasion-as-us-drafts-ceasefire-resolution-in-major-reversal-1116882732.html

Israel Sets Deadline on Rafah Invasion as US Drafts Ceasefire Resolution in Major Reversal

Israel Sets Deadline on Rafah Invasion as US Drafts Ceasefire Resolution in Major Reversal

Sputnik International

Israeli war cabinet member Benny Gantz said that the ground invasion of Rafah will begin on the start of Ramadan, March 10, if Israeli hostages held by Hamas are not returned.

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Israeli Knesset member Benny Gantz, who is also a member of Israels war cabinet, said over the weekend that the invasion of Rafah will begin on March 10, the Muslim holy day that marks the start of Ramadan, if the Israeli hostages held by Hamas are not released.Meanwhile, Al-Jazeera reported that it has seen a US draft of a UN Security Council resolution that for the first time calls for a ceasefire. It also calls for the land invasion of Rafah to be paused under the current circumstances.Previously, the US has resisted calls for a ceasefire, using its permanent member status on the UN Security Council to veto two resolutions that called for a ceasefire. However, Washington has taken a stronger tone with Israel lately and previously called for Israel to provide a credible plan to reduce civilian casualties before it continues its ground offensive in Rafah.More than 1.4 million of the 2.3 million Palestinians living in Gaza have sheltered in the southern city of Rafah after being told to move there by Israeli forces when it invaded Northern Gaza and then moved south. It also sits on the border with Egypt and has been the only port where aid has gone through with any consistency.Last week, the UNs emergency relief coordinator, Martin Griffiths, said in a statement that an invasion of Rafah could lead to a slaughter in Gaza, adding that it could also leave an already fragile humanitarian operation at deaths door.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has promised a plan for a civilian evacuation of Rafah. However, speaking at the same conference as Gantz, Netanyahu argued the operation is necessary for Israel to complete its goal of eliminating Hamas.Algeria, which is currently the only Arab member of the UN Security Council, put forward a draft resolution calling for a ceasefire more than two weeks ago. US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield signaled that the US planned to veto it, claiming that it would interfere with sensitive negotiations to secure the release of hostages.The US, Qatar, Egypt and Israel have held negotiations on a potential truce centered on the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinians held in Israeli jails.The resolution does not call for a permanent ceasefire nor does it require that it begin immediately according to reports, which may make the resolution too weak for other members of the Security Council to accept. It nevertheless represents a massive change for the administration of US President Joe Biden, which has been Israels staunchest supporter.Over the weekend it was reported that Washington plans to send tens of millions of dollars worth of weapons to Israel. According to that report, the Biden administrations internal assessment of the weapons transfer dismissed the potential for human rights violations. Israel takes effective action to prevent gross violations of human rights and to hold security forces responsible that violate those rights, the assessment reads.It is not known when or if the US resolution will be brought to a vote.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240215/evacuation-of-refugees-in-rafah-to-supposed-safe-zone-is-illusion---un-1116800553.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240219/israels-economy-plummets-off-a-cliff-amid-gaza-war-1116881985.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240220/a-walk-through-the-streets-of-liberated-avdeyevka-in-photos-1116889576.html

A Walk Through the Streets of Liberated Avdeyevka in Photos

A Walk Through the Streets of Liberated Avdeyevka in Photos

Sputnik International

Last week, Russian troops managed to break through the heavily fortified Donetsk suburb of Avdeyevka, with Russia's Ministry of Defense (MoD) announcing that soldiers had advanced over 8.5 km into Ukrainian positions in the area

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The Russian military successfully breached strong Ukrainian defense lines in Avdeyevka and broke through kilometers worth of fortifications last week.The collapse of Ukraines positions in the region, located a mere 5 km from Donetsk, expands areas liberated by Russian troops, thus stepping up the security of some 600,000 residents. Avdeyevka is the latest Donetsk city-adjacent settlement to be freed, with Russian forces previously advancing into Maryinka to the citys west, and through Veseloye to its north, over the past month and a half.Check out Sputnik's exclusive photos to experience the liberated settlement.

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240220/about-32000-nato-troops-deployed-near-russia-belarus-borders---lukashenko-1116886395.html

About 32,000 NATO Troops Deployed Near Russia, Belarus Borders - Lukashenko

About 32,000 NATO Troops Deployed Near Russia, Belarus Borders - Lukashenko

Sputnik International

About 32,000 NATO soldiers, over 1,000 armored vehicles, 235 airplanes and helicopters are deployed near Russia's and Belarus's borders, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said

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"The situation is no calmer on the European continent, including near our borders. In the immediate vicinity of Belarus and Russia, as part of the alliance's operations in Europe, about 32,000 soldiers of the contingents of the united armed forces of NATO and the United States are stationed. There are more than 1,000 armored vehicles, about 160 artillery systems and mortars, 235 airplanes and helicopters," Lukashenko was quoted as saying by the Pul Pervogo Telegram channel.Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Georgia and Serbia will be drawn into NATO just like the scenario of the situation in Ukraine, Lukashenko added.In recent years, Russia has witnessed unprecedented NATO activity near its western borders. Moscow has repeatedly expressed concern about the alliance's buildup of forces in Europe, especially since the bloc supported the Kiev regime amid its attacks on Donbass. Since the start of Russia's special military operation, NATO countries have supplied Ukraine with military equipment. Moscow has repeatedly stressed that any Western weapons in Ukraine will become legitimate targets for Russian strikes.

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240220/assanges-extradition-will-show-whether-freedom-exists-in-west-1116891306.html

Assange's Extradition Will Show Whether 'Freedom' Exists in West

Assange's Extradition Will Show Whether 'Freedom' Exists in West

Sputnik International

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange may be extradited to the US to face up to 175 years in prison after a two-day appeal hearing in Londons High Court. Assange's wife Stella fears her husband may die if extradited.

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London's High Court's two-day hearing is about to seal the fate of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, an Australian citizen who may be extradited to the US to face a possible life prison sentence. International watchdogs argue the WikiLeaks founder could be subjected to serious human rights violations in the US if extradited.Assange, 52, has been held in a UK high-security prison since 2019. He was arrested immediately after the current Ecuadorian government annulled the asylum granted to him by the nation's previous cabinet in 2012. The WikiLeaks founder had spent almost seven years in two small rooms of the Ecuadorian embassy in London.The US' espionage charges against him revolve around Assange publishing thousands of classified documents concerning Washington's alleged military crimes in Afghanistan and Iraq. They were provided by then-US Army private and whistleblower Chelsea (born Bradley) Manning.Goncharoff drew attention to two important facts. First, Assange did not "steal" classified American documents: they were provided to him by Manning. Second, the WikiLeaks founder is an Australian citizen, while his organization's servers were located in Sweden.Commenting on Assange's possible extradition, international human rights organizations have warned that US prosecution of the WikiLeaks founder on espionage charges for acts of journalism could have chilling effects on global media and silence whistleblowers and investigative reporters.One should keep in mind that Edward Snowden, an American citizen who faces up to 30 years in prison for exposing Washington's unprecedented global spying program that targeted US civilians and Washington's allies along with the nation's adversaries, found refuge and freedom in Russia, Goncharoff remarked.Likewise, Tara Reade, a US citizen, writer, and ex-assistant to Joe Biden, opted to go to Russia to protect her life after she reportedly faced death threats over her willingness to testify in the GOP-controlled House of Representatives on Biden's sexual assault.While the West routinely criticizes Russia, the outcome of Assange's extradition proceedings may show whether Western governments truly observe freedom of speech and human rights, Sputnik's interlocutor said. The WikiLeaks founder's extradition to the US would become a true "embarrassment" for the West: "[Assange's case] will determine how free the West is when compared to Russia," he concluded.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20231220/it-wont-be-pretty-julian-assange-files-final-appeal-as-he-faces-possible-extradition-to-us-1115692799.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20220618/assanges-extradition-to-us-is-a-signal-to-all-journalists-who-expose-americas-crimes-scholars-say-1096426404.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240115/death-of-us-journo-lira-means-biden-jeopardizes-american-lives-from-ukraine-to-mideast-1116171260.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240220/brazilian-foreign-minister-summons-israeli-ambassador-for-meeting---reports-1116883828.html

Brazilian Foreign Minister Summons Israeli Ambassador for Meeting - Reports

Brazilian Foreign Minister Summons Israeli Ambassador for Meeting - Reports

Sputnik International

Brazilian FM Mauro Vieira summoned the Israeli ambassador for a meeting after the Brazilian president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, was declared persona non grata in Israel, news portal G1 reported.

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On Sunday, Lula told reporters in Addis Ababa that Israel's military intervention in the Gaza Strip "is not a war, it is a genocide" and compared it to the Holocaust "when Hitler decided to kill the Jews." On Monday, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz summoned Brazilian Ambassador Federico Mayer to the Yad Vashem memorial, which is dedicated to victims of the Holocaust, and reprimanded him over the Brazilian president's remarks, calling them "an extremely serious antisemitic attack." Later, Katz declared Lula persona non grata over his statement.At the same time, over 60 Brazilian lawmakers decided to file a petition to impeach Lula over his statement on the Gaza conflict, Brazilian lawmaker Carla Zambelli said on X. She added that impeachment can be declared for committing a hostile act against a foreign state, exposing the country to the danger of war, or violating the neutrality of another country. On October 7, 2023, Palestinian movement Hamas launched a large-scale rocket attack against Israel from Gaza and breached the border, killing 1,200 people and abducting around 240 others. Israel launched retaliatory strikes, ordered a complete blockade of Gaza, and started a ground incursion into the Palestinian enclave with the declared goal of eliminating Hamas fighters and rescuing the hostages.At least 29,000 people have been killed so far in the Gaza Strip, local authorities said. On November 24, Qatar mediated a deal between Israel and Hamas on a temporary truce and the exchange of some of the prisoners and hostages, as well as the delivery of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. The ceasefire was extended several times and expired on December 1. More than 100 hostages are still believed to be held by Hamas in Gaza.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240219/israel-sets-deadline-on-rafah-invasion-as-us-drafts-ceasefire-resolution-in-major-reversal-1116882732.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240220/canada-to-supply-over-800-drones-worth-95mln-to-ukraine---govt-1116884722.html

Canada Announces Supply of Over 800 Drones Worth $95Mln to Ukraine

Canada Announces Supply of Over 800 Drones Worth $95Mln to Ukraine

Sputnik International

Canada will send more than 800 multi-purpose SkyRanger R70 drones worth over $95 million to Ukraine, the Canadian government said on Monday.

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military

sergey lavrov

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"Today, the Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence, announced that Canada will donate more than 800 SkyRanger R70 multi-mission Unmanned Aerial Systems to Ukraine. These drones, valued at over $95 million, will help Ukraine as it fights bravely to defend itself amongst Russias illegal and unjustifiable full-scale invasion," the government said in a statement. The statement added that since the start of Russias special military operation in Ukraine in February 2022, Canada allocated over $9.7 billion in assistance to Ukraine, including $2.4 billion in military aid. Western countries have been providing military and financial aid to Kiev since the start of Russia's military operation in Ukraine in February 2022. The Kremlin has consistently warned against continued arms deliveries to Kiev, saying it would lead to further escalation of the conflict. In April 2022, Russia sent a diplomatic note to all NATO countries on the issue of arms supplies to Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has warned that any cargo containing weapons for Ukraine will become a legitimate target for Russian strikes.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240103/designed-to-win-check-out-six-top-notch-russian-drones-1115964442.html

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Fighter jets taxi on runway after snow

China Military Online) 10:14, February 20, 2024

Fighter jets attached to an aviation brigade with the air force under the PLA Northern Theater Command taxi on the runway in formation during a flight training exercise after snow on January 29, 2024. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Zhang Ziang)

Fighter jets attached to an aviation brigade with the air force under the PLA Northern Theater Command taxi on the runway in formation during a flight training exercise after snow on January 29, 2024. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Zhang Ziang)

A fighter jet attached to an aviation brigade with the air force under the PLA Northern Theater Command taxis on the runway during a flight training exercise after snow on January 29, 2024. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Zhang Ziang)

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing)
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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240220/eu-mission-in-red-sea-will-be-led-by-italy-france-greece---hungarian-foreign-minister-1116883989.html

EU Mission in Red Sea Will Be Led by Italy, France, Greece - Hungarian Foreign Minister

EU Mission in Red Sea Will Be Led by Italy, France, Greece - Hungarian Foreign Minister

Sputnik International

The EU naval mission to protect navigation in the Red Sea from Yemen's Houthi movement will be led by Italy, France and Greece, said Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto.

2024-02-20T03:20+0000

2024-02-20T03:20+0000

2024-02-20T03:39+0000

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Earlier on Monday, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said that the European Union approved the launch of the Aspides military operation, with Italy set to take over the command of the forces.Hungary supports the launch of the operation and expects that the United States and the United Kingdom will closely cooperate with the EU countries during the mission, the minister added. Szijjarto also proposed that part of the funds from the European Peace Facility be used to strengthen the protection of Yemen's coastline.The Houthi movement, which controls large parts of northern and western Yemen, vowed in November 2023 to attack any ships associated with Israel until it halts military actions in the Gaza Strip.This led US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to announce the creation of a multinational operation to secure navigation in the Red Sea. US and UK forces later launched major strikes against Houthi positions in a bid to degrade the rebels' ability to target commercial vessels.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240215/houthis-reportedly-ready-for-new-escalation-if-israel-continues-operation-in-gaza-1116794162.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240220/putin-and-shoigu-hold-meeting-in-kremlin-1116887178.html

Putin and Shoigu Hold Meeting in Kremlin

Putin and Shoigu Hold Meeting in Kremlin

Sputnik International

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a briefing by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu at the Kremlin in Moscow on Tuesday, February 20

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Sputnik comes live as President Vladimir Putin will hear the report of Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu in the Kremlin."On Tuesday, the supreme commander-in-chief will receive the Minister of Defense Shoigu. This conversation will be available to the media," Peskov told reporters.Earlier, after hearing the report of the defense minister on Russian troops taking full control of the city of Avdeyevka, Putin congratulated Russian soldiers on this success and sent a congratulatory telegram to the military units engaged in fierce battles.Follow Sputniks live feed to learn more!

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240220/russian-general-staff-carried-out-operation-to-take-control-of-avdeyevka-with-minimal-losses-shoigu-1116891879.html

Russian Forces Captured Avdeyevka With Minimal Losses - Shoigu

Russian Forces Captured Avdeyevka With Minimal Losses - Shoigu

Sputnik International

Russia has been preparing the operation to take control of Avdeyevka since the fall of 2023, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Tuesday

2024-02-20T16:25+0000

2024-02-20T16:25+0000

2024-02-21T08:28+0000

russia

sergei shoigu

ukraine

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nato

russian general staff

vladimir putin

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On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin held a bilateral meeting with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, where the minister reported on the latest developments in the special op zone to the Supreme Commander-in-Chief. Liberation of AvdeyevkaShoigu elaborated on the success of the Russian army in complete liberation of the settlement of Avdeyevka that holds serious strategic importance in the area. The Russian General Staff managed to carried out the operation to take control of Avdeyevka with minimal losses, the minister said, adding that Russian troops carried out 460 strikes per day on the city, which is 200 tonnes of ammunition. Russian offensive operations after the fight for Avdeyevka are directed west, 72 square km (27.7 square miles) have been taken under control, Shoigu noted.The minister also added that the Ukrainian armed forces fled Avdeyevka, leaving many wounded soldiers, weapons and mined areas behind. The footage from Russian drones shows that the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Avdeyevka was not organized, Shoigu said.Sergei Shoigu added that Ukraine has suffered some 2,400 military casualties in the fight for Avdeyevka on February 17-18. Ukraine's 'Counteroffensive'Sergei Shoigu spoke of Ukraine's last year's counteroffensive, saying that Russias general staff and intelligence have received information about planned Ukrainian counteroffensive at the beginning of 2023. He also mentioned that Ukraines counteroffensive was planned abroad, mainly in the Baltic states.The failure of Kievs operation showed that their methods are not so unique and successful," the minister added.The minister went on to note that Russia had built deeply layered defense along the entire line of contact prior to Ukraines counteroffensive, but the location of Kievs main attack was not known beforehand. According to the minister, the Ukrainian command planned to deploy up to 160,000 troops, 800 tanks and 150 aircraft and helicopters during the counteroffensive. The minister outlined the estimated losses of the Ukrainian army during their counteroffensive efforts last year. He later mentioned that the main goal of Ukraine's counteroffensive was to reach the Sea of Azov. However, the Ukrainian troops failed to reach even the first line of defense. NATO Capabilities in Support of Ukrainian TroopsThe Defense Minister presented figures pertaining to the number of NATO equipment supporting Ukrainian forces.Developments in the Kherson RegionMinister Shoigu reported that Russia has successfully cleared out the territory of Krynky in the Kherson Region, where Ukraine had previously deployed four marine corps brigades, aiming to reach Crimeas western coast.Ukraines goal was to reach the western coast of Crimea, the minister noted, also mentioning that Ukraine lost 13,000 soldiers in the Kherson area alone during the counteroffensive last year.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240217/russian-defense-minister-reports-to-putin-on-complete-liberation-of-avdeyevka-1116850374.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240218/avdeyevkas-liberation-shows-ukrainian-front-has-begun-to-crack-1116862066.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240213/no-one-left-to-have-children-ukraine-conscription-efforts-to-decimate-birth-rates-1116765450.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240116/ukraine-bungled-counteroffensive-faces-loss-of-statehood-if-things-continue-in-this-vein-putin-1116203499.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240131/nato-is-instrument-of-confrontation-threat-to-russia---kremlin-1116512640.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240208/russian-troops-destroyed-over-12000-ukrainian-drones-since-start-of-special-op---mod-1116664904.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240220/ten-years-on-ukraine-collapsed-after-maidan-coup--former-pm-azarov--1116890668.html

Ten Years On: Ukraine Collapsed After Maidan Coup  Former PM Azarov

Ten Years On: Ukraine Collapsed After Maidan Coup  Former PM Azarov

Sputnik International

The Maidan coup saw the ouster of legally elected Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich in February 2014, which was followed by the Kiev regime's anti-terrorist operation against pro-Russian supporters of Donbass independence.

2024-02-20T14:54+0000

2024-02-20T14:54+0000

2024-02-25T12:30+0000

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Former Ukrainian Prime Minister Nikolai Azarov stated in an interview with Sputnik that it has become evident that as far as Ukraine is concerned, the EU has failed to become a viable substitute for the Russian market a decade after the 2014 Maidan coup.In this vein, he recalled that Ukraines real gross domestic product (GDP) currently does not exceed $60 billion (compared to $175 billion in 2013)."The Kiev regime distorts all official data and blatantly lies. They claim, for example, GDP is $175 billion, nearly the same as it was in 2013. So does that mean that GDP doesnt depend on anything? The trick here is very simple, they include all grants and substantial assistance received as part of their GDP calculation," he explained.When asked what the Kiev regime will do if US funding suddenly stops, Azarov suggested that it would go bankrupt.Separately, Azarov touched upon the European Commissions plans to make Ukraines army and its military-industrial complex part of the EUs military capabilities, which he said is "an absolutely unrealistic scenario.""The powerful military-industrial complex of Ukraine was once part of the USSR, and it could as well have been part of the EU. It could, but it won't because the main components of this complex have been destroyed," the former Ukrainian prime minister pointed out.He also dwelt on President Volodymyr Zelenskys decision to postpone Ukraines presidential elections, a move that Azarov said had been made out of fear of losing his position.When it comes to the elections, he added, Zelensky "will really lose them," yielding to former Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Valery Zaluzhny or anyone else, according to the former prime minister.Maidan Coup The Euromaidan protests kicked off late in 2013, with protesters demanding that the government of then-President Viktor Yanukovich sign an association agreement with the European Union.The ensuing clashes between protesters and law enforcement eventually led to the ousting of Yanukovich in 2014, who fled the country, and the subsequent snap presidential election, which resulted in Poroshenko becoming the new head of state.This was followed by mass protests in Donbass against the actions of neo-Nazi radicals in Kiev and discrimination of Russian-speaking citizens. The protests prompted then-acting Ukrainian President Oleksandr Turchynov to announce the beginning of an anti-terrorist operation against supporters of Donbass independence in April 2014.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240218/russophobic-us-elite-sought-to-weaken-russia-with-euromaidan-but-failed---ex-mep-1116842866.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240220/us-house-lawmakers-urge-colleagues-to-back-ukraine-aid--border-security-bill-1116885482.html

US House Lawmakers Urge Colleagues to Back Ukraine Aid & Border Security Bill

US House Lawmakers Urge Colleagues to Back Ukraine Aid & Border Security Bill

Sputnik International

The US Senate earlier passed the $95 billion foreign aid bill that specifically includes $60 billion for Washingtons military assistance to Kiev but excludes the funding of US border policy reforms.

2024-02-20T08:52+0000

2024-02-20T08:52+0000

2024-02-20T08:52+0000

americas

us

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us senate

ukraine

aid

bill

support

foreign policy

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A bipartisan group of House lawmakers has called on other members of the US lower chamber to support a recently unveiled bill that includes Washingtons military aid for Kiev in addition to America's border security policy."They have proven that when equipped with American arms and ammunition, they [the Ukrainian servicemen] can win this struggle. We know that without them, they may fail," the letter read.This comes after Fitzpatrick and Golden introduced a new $66.32 billion spending bill last week called the Defending Borders, Defending Democracies Act.The document aims to break the impasse over the $95 billion Senate bill, which included money for Ukraine and other foreign policy priorities but did not include the negotiated bipartisan border agreement with provisions to increase border security.Meanwhile, US media reported that the new bill "may lose some momentum" as it was released just before the House left for a nearly two-week recess. The lower chamber is due to return on February 28.The developments follow the Senate's blocking of a larger $118 billion package that included border policy measures alongside foreign and national security funding.Earlier in the day, White House Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby told reporters that US funding for Kiev has been halted until Congress approves a request for new packages.Moscow has repeatedly emphasized that the support of the US and its allies for Ukraine will not alter the course of the Russia's special military operation but will only exacerbate the conflict.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240126/how-trump-and-us-conservatives-deal-a-blow-to-ukraine-aid-package-1116417287.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240213/us-house-speaker-says-will-not-take-up-senates-95bln-ukraine-israel-aid-bill-1116749790.html

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us aid to ukraine, the us $95 billion foreign aid bill, $66.32 billion in defense-only funding for ukraine, israel, and taiwan, russian special military operation
https://sputnikglobe.com/20240220/us-in-decline-today-due-to-ignorance-arrogance---pakistani-senator-1116887021.html

US 'in Decline' Today Due to 'Ignorance, Arrogance' - Pakistani Senator

US 'in Decline' Today Due to 'Ignorance, Arrogance' - Pakistani Senator

Sputnik International

The reasons why the United States failed in Afghanistan and Iraq and is "in decline" today are its "ignorance and arrogance," the chairman of the defense committee of the Senate of Pakistan, Mushahid Hussain Sayed, told Sputnik.

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"The US policy towards certain countries in Asia is sometimes based on the combination of ignorance and arrogance. Arrogance, because they are a big country, because they think of themselves as a superpower, they think they know it all. But they don't. They don't know the culture and the values of other countries. And also ignorance, because they don't understand the people of these places. This is why they failed in Afghanistan, this is why they failed in Iraq," Sayed said in an interview. These are the same reasons why the US is "in decline" now and has been like that for some time, he added. The senator explained that he used to live in the US, received a masters degree from one of the most respected US universities in Washington  Georgetown, and worked in the US Congress as an intern. However, the country had changed a lot since then and the US he knew "was different." In October 2001, a US-led coalition launched an invasion of Afghanistan. However, the Taliban took power in Afghanistan in August 2021, triggering the collapse of the US-backed government and accelerating Washington's troop pullout. On August 31 of the same year, US forces completed their withdrawal from the country, ending the 20-year-long military presence. In March 2003, the US-led coalition invaded Iraq without a UN Security Council resolution. Consequently, the total of excess deaths related to the war amounted to 654,965 as of October 2006, according to The Lancet journal's survey. The US troops withdrew from Iraq in December 2011. Despite that, to date, the US and coalition forces remain a notable military presence in the country, with military bases.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240202/deep-state-powerful-israeli-lobby-blocking-us-withdrawal-from-iraq-and-syria-fmr-state-senator-1116558704.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240220/us-non-stop-military-drills-with-allies-push-asia-pacific-toward-more-dangerous-situation-1116890948.html

US Non-Stop Military Drills With Allies Push Asia-Pacific Toward More Dangerous Situation

US Non-Stop Military Drills With Allies Push Asia-Pacific Toward More Dangerous Situation

Sputnik International

The conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East have not distracted Washington from flexing its military muscles in the Asia-Pacific. Through one drill after another, the US is coercing regional countries into taking its side, further intensifying regional conflicts and transforming the Asia-Pacific into a more dangerous place.

2024-02-20T14:24+0000

2024-02-20T14:24+0000

2024-02-20T14:24+0000

military

washington

pacific

china

global times

military drills

military exercises

ukraine

ukraine crisis

palestine-israel conflict

https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/01/16/1116320111_0:0:2992:1683_1920x0_80_0_0_298150e9ba40267e84252ceab7d88c68.jpg

From Wednesday to Thursday, US, Australian and Japanese warships conducted a trilateral joint operation in the South China Sea to "promote transparency, rule of law, freedom of navigation and all principles that underscore security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific." On Monday, as a part of the ongoing Cope North 2024 multinational air exercise, more than 80 military aircraft and some 3,000 troops from the US, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Canada and France participated in an elephant walk, a close formation of aircraft taxiing en masse before takeoff, in Guam to flaunt the synergy of the six countries' air forces in the air.Experts told the Global Times that these military drills, as an important part of the substantial implementation of the US' Indo-Pacific Strategy, intend to strengthen military cooperation between the US and its Asia-Pacific allies, but the real drive is to prepare for a possible clash against Beijing, Washington's imagined military enemy.The US is taking greater steps to pave the way for its envisioned security layout in the Asia-Pacific region, as it is now determined to contain China through its Indo-Pacific Strategy, holding other countries hostage for its own selfish interests and to safeguard its global hegemony.For regional countries, the message that the US is trying to convey through the air and naval exercises is very clear: They have to choose between standing with or against the US and its allies, and there can be no middle way.As a result, this may stimulate a new arms race in Asia-Pacific and drag regional countries off the track of development and into crises. These US-led military drills are creating unrest, division and even potential conflicts in the region, fully demonstrating that the US, deep inside, only wants to see chaos across the globe.It is not alarmist rhetoric to claim that Washington has already planted hidden dangers, which will undermine sustained regional stability. Just take a look at the Philippines and how it has stepped up its military action: According to local media reports, Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr said on Tuesday during a visit to a Philippine Naval Base on Batanes' Mavulis Island that the country will set a higher "operational tempo for the Armed Forces of the Philippines" beginning this year.To some extent, this plan is emboldened by the military exercises in the region led by the US, a close ally of the Philippines. Moreover, it is the belief that Washington has its back that Manila dares to make more provocative moves to challenge China in the South China Sea. However, the Philippines is sacrificing its national sovereignty to comply with the needs of the US' Indo-Pacific Strategy, becoming Washington's puppet and pawn in the region.It is also worth noting that both the two military drills taking place this week featured the US, Japan and Australia, all three of which are Quad members. However, India, the fourth member of this quadrilateral partnership, was not seen.As a non-ally of the other three Quad countries, India, for sure, has the right to choose what kind of cooperation it will engage in with the US and its allies based on its national interests. Compared to Tokyo and Canberra, New Delhi is pursuing a more independent foreign policy and military strategy instead of following Washington too closely. India's absence seems to prove once again that the country is not entirely on board with the other Quad countries, which dilutes the effects of this partnership as a weapon for the US to encircle China in the region.Although the Ukraine crisis and the Middle East issue have consumed some of the energy and resources of Washington, from the perspective of its overall interests, the US will continue to focus on the Indo-Pacific and push forward its strategic objectives based on treating China as a systemic rival. It has already flamed the fire in Ukraine and kept the Middle East tensions going on, but Asia-Pacific should never become its next victim. Any dangerous move from the US that could escalate the regional situation has to be jointly opposed by Asia-Pacific countries.*This article was originally published by Global Times.

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Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania featured a trio of $20,270 events for developing horses on its Monday, Feb. 19 card, the second of the year at the mountain oval.

The faster winner in the two pacing divisions was Train Station, a son of Roll With Joe who was victorious in his second straight start, here in 1:54.2 despite cold and windy conditions. Jason Bartlett got the Per Engblom trainee to the top in front of the stands and rated the pace, then stepped him home in :27.3 to hold a 1-1/4-length lead at the finish over Dark As Night, who necked El Yerno for second. Morrison Racing Stable shares ownership in the visitor to Victory Lane with Brian Gordon.

In the other pacing headliner, Fade To Light utilized the Pocono Pike to chase down a hard-used Rusty Beach by a neck in 1:54.4. Anthony Napolitano, posting his second driving triple in as many 2024 cards at Pocono to take the early meet lead, sulkysat behind the Bettors Delight gelding for trainer Jose Godinez and the dual ownership of Godinez Racing Stable LLC and Jhonatan Garcia Guia.

On the trotting side, Gatsby sat a nice two-hole journey, then rallied up the inside to catch pacesetting chalk Chef Rocco by three-quarters of a length in 1:57.4. Braxten Boyd, who joined A-Nap and Ridge Warren with three victories each, drove the Cantab Hall gelding to the win for trainer Joe Karrat and owner Christopher Zollo.

On the training side, 29-year-old Lesley McDaniel, who came to Pocono from Hawkinsville, Georgia via Maine, recorded the first victory in his young career when he had the veteran Mister Big gelding My Mind Is Madeup ready after 72 days away, winning a 1:55.1 contest for driver Simon Allard and owner Jose Cervantes.

Pocono will again race on Saturday, Feb. 24 and Monday, Feb. 26 this coming week, both cards beginning at 1 p.m. Saturdays feature, slotted as the fifth of 14 races, is a $22,973 trot for horses looking to soon earn their way into the uppermost ranks. The likely favourite is this race, Buddy Earl (post six, Matt Kakaley scheduled to drive), has been following just that pattern  after two strong victories in early February at The Meadowlands, the latter in 1:53.2, he stepped up to the Open ranks last time and was a very creditable third after a first-over journey.

(With files from PHHA / Pocono)
Pikachu Hanover won the featured $24,000 conditioned trot on Monday (Feb. 19) evening at Woodbine Mohawk Park with a challenging journey to the finish.

James MacDonald and the Gregg McNair student landed sixth off the car and through the opening panel in :27.3. MacDonald pulled Pikachu Hanover to the outside en route to the half in :57, but the pair ended up seventh in the effort. Moving into sixth from the outside by the three-quarters, Pikachu Hanover began chipping away at the distance between himself and the leading Perfetto (Dagfin Henriksen). The McNair student made his way into third in the final turn and then sprinted down the stretch with a final panel in :27.3 to win by a length in 1:54.1 over Perfetto and Locatelli (Chris Christoforou).

High Stakes Stable Inc. owns the 10-year-old career winner of 38 races from 139 starts. The son of Andover Hall and the Donerail mare Playwood lifted his earnings to $608,389. Pikachu Hanover went to the gate as the 4-1 third choice, returning $10.10 to win.

To view Monday's harness racing results, click the following link: Monday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.

(Standardbred Canada)
Four students from Eastern View High School recently achieved national recognition for their innovative contribution to space exploration.

At its meeting on Feb. 12, the Culpeper County Public School board recognized Layne Hicks, Sierra Leminson, Victoria Marquis and Delaney Wensel for their achievement with ZAPP Awards.

According to Laura Hoover, communications director for CCPS, the students, under the guidance of their Earth Science II teacher, Rachel Stuart, won the prestigious Space Station Technology Challenge sponsored by the Institute of Competition Sciences this fall.

The challenge asked high school and college teams to devise groundbreaking space station capabilities. The Eastern View team, under the group name Orionz, earn best in show in the national competition. Their winning concept was a virtual wallpaper designed to enhance the mental well-being of astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

The young scientists hypothesized that if the astronauts felt more at home in the space station, it would lessen the mental health struggles they face during extended periods of time in space. They proposed astronauts could use industrial, 360 projectors to forecast different wallpaper images onto the walls of the ISS to replicate the feeling of home for the members.

The Orionz team concluded that this new development will improve the mental health of the ISS members and create a happier and homier working environment for the team.

A freshman at Culpeper County High School, Mason Chamberlain, was also recognized their technological achievements during the meeting.

He was presented the ZAPP Award for placing 10th in Microsoft Office Specialist skills test in Virginias fall qualifier. He also placed third in PowerPoint and second in Excel, scoring a perfect 1,000 on the test.

Chamberlain will travel to Orlando this summer to compete in the Microsoft Office Specialist National Competition.
Gering Library is hosting Robert Zemanek, president of the Albany County (Wyoming) Genealogical Society on Feb. 28 at 6:30 p.m. Zemanek will be presenting his popular program, Whats in a picture?

Have you ever looked at an old picture and wished you knew a little more about it? Zemanek will discuss how to examine old photos closely to discover clues about the date of the picture as well as things like why the photo was taken.

Bring a photograph or two that you would like to learn more about.

Zemanek is also interested in developing a genealogical society in the area. If you would like to be part of a genealogical society but cant attend Whats in a Picture? please leave your contact information at the Gering Library.
Four of the five 2024 priority bills chosen by western Nebraska lawmakers  plus one from 2023  remain alive or are making progress as the 108th Legislatures short session reaches its halfway point.

Five other 2024 bills introduced by the regions state senators have been named priority bills by other senators or Unicameral committees.

Senators return from a four-day Presidents Day break Tuesday, day 30 of the 60-day session. Theyre currently scheduled to adjourn April 18.

North Platte Sen. Mike Jacobson, who introduced or sponsored three of the 11 bills with western members stamps, is the only regional lawmaker whose 2024 priority bill has received floor debate.

That was Legislature Bill 31, his bill to mandate at least two people on major railroads train crews. It was sidetracked by a filibuster Feb. 2 and isnt expected to return to the agenda this year.

But LB 644, Jacobsons 2023 priority bill, awaits second-round debate after advancing 41-1 last Wednesday. Omaha Sen. Mike McDonnells bill would set aside $160 million over two years to prepare commercial or industrial megasites for major employers.

The Port of the Plains rail park near Hershey could benefit at some point from LB 644, Jacobson has said. Lawmakers are expected to consider an amendment to first study possible megasites and estimate development costs when it returns to the agenda.

Jacobsons LB 1087, which would charge assessments to Nebraska hospitals to unlock more than $1 billion in federal Medicaid reimbursements, has been named Omaha Sen. Christy Armendarizs 2024 priority. It won 40-0 initial approval Thursday.

Term-limited Sen. Tom Brewer of Gordon, chairman of the Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee, has three prioritized bills expected to see floor action in the 2024 sessions second half.

The District 43 senator gave his personal priority designation to his LB 1394, which would exempt income from service in Nebraskas Army or Air National Guard from state income taxes.

Government Committee members voted 8-0 Thursday to advance the bill, which Brewer introduced on behalf of Gov. Jim Pillen.

Sen. Bruce Bostelman of Brainard has prioritized LB 399, a measure Brewer introduced in 2023 to require the Nebraska Public Review Board to hold a public hearing before it decides whether to approve a privately owned wind-farm project. It currently remains in the Natural Resources Committee.

LB 287, another 2023 Brewer bill, has been converted by the Government Committee into a cleanup measure making a variety of minor changes to state election laws. It won 44-0 first-round approval Feb. 5.

Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard, also term-limited, has made his LB 1169 his 2024 priority bill. It would convert History Nebraska, still officially known as the Nebraska State Historical Society, from an independent state agency into a code agency controlled by the governor.

Erdman introduced it in the wake of the 2022 resignation of former History Nebraska Executive Director Trevor Jones after a state audit questioned his shift of $270,000 from the groups foundation to a competing foundation Jones helped create. Criminal theft-by-deception charges in the matter remain alive in Lancaster County District Court.

Government Committee members have voted 5-1 to send LB 1169 to the full Legislature, Nebraska Examiner reported Thursday.

Agriculture Committee members have prioritized and advanced Erdmans LB 844, which would require seed corn companies to seek bids for annual detasseling of farm fields from contractors that employ younger workers.

A Feb. 6 public hearing indicated seed corn firms have been hiring migrant workers instead of the teenagers who traditionally have detassled Nebraska corn crops in the summers.

Gering Sen. Brian Hardins priority bill, LB 1120, would require land purchasers in the vicinity of Panhandle Minuteman III nuclear missile silos and facilities to sign affidavits saying theyre not tied to a foreign adversary.

Hardin called attention to suspicious land deals ahead of the U.S. Department of Defenses coming Sentinel upgrades in the bills Feb. 12 hearing. It remains in the Banking, Commerce and Insurance Committee.

Sen. Teresa Ibach of Sumner gave her 2024 priority stamp to her LB 1368, which would offer incentives to Nebraska farmers who cut their use of commercial fertilizers by using qualified biological nitrogen products.

Ibachs Nitrogen Incentive Reduction Act remains in the Agriculture Committee, which heard the bill Feb. 13.
Accused of drinking a beer in front of the deputy investigating his post-Super-Bowl party Jeep crash, Bland Countys Volunteer Rescue Squad captain is facing four charges, including driving while intoxicated.

Daniel Austin Townsend, 34, of North Tazewell was arrested on Feb. 12 after Bland County Deputy T.A. Eastep responded to a 1:20 a.m. wreck at the intersection of North Scenic Highway and Basswood Lane in Rocky Gap.

In his criminal complaint, Eastep said he found a Jeep and guardrail with significant damage when he arrived.

The deputy said Townsend was sitting on the guardrail with EMS, and he saw a red cooler in the Jeep and an empty Coors beer can in the passenger floorboard.

While speaking with Mr. Townsend, I observed him to have bloodshot eyes, slurred speech, a strong odor of alcoholic beverage coming from about his person, and was struggling to stay upright while sitting, Eastep wrote. Mr. Townsend stated he could not remember how he wrecked his Jeep. Mr. Townsend also stated that he had been to a Super Bowl party and had consumed a lot of alcohol.

Eastep said he went to his vehicle to get a preliminary breath test kit, and, when he returned, found Townsend with an open beer can in his hand, which he started to drink.

After asking Townsend to put down the beer, Eastep asked him if hed be willing to perform field sobriety tests, which he wouldnt. Townsend also refused a preliminary breath test, but later provided a sample at the Sheriffs Office, which showed he had a blood alcohol content of .19, more than twice the legal limit, according to the complaint.

Townsend was charged with DWI-second offense, driving with an open container of alcohol, drinking alcohol in public and failing to obey a highway lane marking.

According to court records, Townsend got his first DWI conviction in Tazewell County in 2015. He was given a suspended jail sentence, fined $500 plus $216 in court costs, given a one-year drivers license suspension, and ordered to complete an alcohol safety and awareness program at his expense.

His arraignment on the new charges is set for Feb. 28 in Bland County General District Court. Free on an $8,000 bond, his trial date is May 29.

Townsend has been employed by the Bland County Volunteer Rescue Squad for five years, according to his bond paperwork. Before that, he worked in Tazewell County, including a stint as the Bluefield Rescue Squads captain, according to a 2018 Bluefield Daily Telegraph article.

Bland County men arrested after traffic stop

Two Bland County residents are facing drug charges after police stopped their vehicle, which had been reported stolen.

Driver Michael Logan Weyant, 29, of Bland was charged with possession of a stolen vehicle, unauthorized use of a vehicle and two counts of felony drug possession. Passenger Micah Colt Wisdom, 30, of Bland was charged with two counts of drug possession.

Cpt. T. Ramsey said he stopped the vehicle on the Interstate 77 Exit 52 onramp on Feb. 4.

The deputy said Weyant also came back wanted out of Spotsylvania County.

Ramsey said Weyant had a glass smoking device that appeared to contain suspected methamphetamine.

Ramsey said he also found suspected meth inside the vehicle.

Employed as a handyman, Weyant has a criminal history that includes charges of trespassing, possession of burglary tools, concealment, drug distribution, DWI with child, driving after forfeiture of license, probation violation, assault and obstruction, according to court documents.

Hes being held without bond.

Employed selling firewood, Wisdom has a criminal history that includes charges of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, drug possession, distribution/possession with the intent to distribute marijuana, drug distribution, drug possession, and being a felon in possession of a weapon or ammunition.

Hes also being held without bond.

Both men have preliminary hearings set for March 6 in Bland County General District Court.

Marion woman charged with DWI

Darlene Nicole Harler, 39, of Marion was arrested on Feb. 2 following a state police traffic stop on U.S. 52.

Trooper C.E. Gray charged her with driving while intoxicated, driving without a license, expired inspection and failing to update license.

In his criminal complaint, Gray said Harlers vehicle was traveling at varying speeds and didnt maintain its lane.

Harler had slurred speech and the odor of alcoholic beverage coming from her person, Gray wrote.

Her blood alcohol content was .13, Gray said.

Employed and with no criminal history, Harler is free on a $2,500 bond. Her trial date is April 24.
Individuals were apprehended across Turkish territories, even when they possessed valid documents, according to al-Watan.

Turkish authorities have reportedly deported over 300 Syrian citizens in the past 72 hours via the border gates with Syria, as per opposition media sources on Sunday.

According to these sources, individuals were apprehended a few days ago from their workplaces and streets across Turkish territories, regardless of possessing valid identification and work permits allowing them to reside and move within Turkey. They were then transported to detention facilities along the border and subsequently sent directly to Syria, specifically to areas controlled by terrorist organizations and armed militias loyal to the Turkish occupation in northwestern Syria, utilizing the Bab al-Hawa and Bab al-Salama crossings.

These sources further assert that the detention centers and border posts function as harrowing sites for Syrians seeking refuge from the oppression of terrorist entities. Detainees reportedly endure various forms of torture, sometimes resulting in fatalities, along with being coerced into menial tasks such as cleaning sewage, digging trenches, and collecting rocks.

An account from one Syrian individual, identified as M.Q., aged 24, highlights the grim reality faced by many. M.Q. disclosed undergoing physical and psychological torment at the hands of the Turkish border guard forces, known as the Gendarmerie. He was apprehended while attempting to cross the border from the al-Taloul village in the countryside of Salqin, Idleb Governorate. Subsequently, he and others were transferred to the border station where they endured a torturous ordeal for two consecutive days before being forcibly returned to Syrian territory.

This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
The Syria Trust for Development underscored the importance of preserving and transmitting knowledge, skills, and practice, the pro-government al-Watan reports.

On February 19, 2024, in Abu Dhabi, alongside the Global Conference on Culture and Arts Education at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), the Syrian Trust for Development, in collaboration with the UNESCO Chair for Intangible Cultural Heritage and Comparative Law at the Sapienza University of Rome, Italy, held a dynamic discussion session.

Titled Integrating Intangible Cultural Heritage into Education: New Experiences and Horizons, the session gathered experts from Africa, Latin America, Asia, and Europe to explore the incorporation of intangible cultural heritage into educational systems.

Fares Kallas, a member of the Board of Trustees, emphasized the sessions relevance to the ongoing UNESCO conference and the diverse societies represented. He highlighted the critical need to safeguard intangible cultural heritage amidst the challenges and opportunities presented by globalization and the digital era. Kallas underscored the urgent need for protection and the shared duty of preserving and transmitting the knowledge, skills, and practices that embody the essence of cultures.

He posed a central question regarding the enhancement of educational methodologies to safeguard intangible cultural heritage effectively. Addressing this question, Kallas noted, would uncover innovative educational approaches that reconcile tradition with modernity.

Kallas also pointed out the significant impacts of conflicts, wars, and displacement on intangible cultural heritage and the substantial challenges faced by communities under economic sanctions and technological divides.

Highlighting the sessions importance, Kallas stressed the collective responsibility and the insights gained from diverse perspectives, aiming for a more inclusive and adaptable strategy for integrating intangible cultural heritage into education.

The conference attracted culture and education ministers worldwide, focusing on adopting a UNESCO framework for culture and arts education. It aimed to foster collaboration among UN agencies, intergovernmental organizations, UNESCO networks, and partners in culture and education, sharing innovative practices and ideas. Additionally, it supported the strengthening of the World Alliance for Arts Education.

UNESCO Member States unanimously endorsed a new global framework for culture and arts education, committing to several key objectives. These include enhancing the role of culture and arts education in teacher training, emphasizing local and indigenous cultures in education, and improving the recognition of artistic and cultural skills within professional realms.

Note from the Observer:

Syria Trust for Development is considered an umbrella for organizations controlled by Syrias first lady Asma al-Assad.

This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
The dialogue centred on critical issues, including the impact of conflicts, wars, and displacement on cultural heritage.

In a landmark session at the Global Conference on Culture and Arts Education, held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, the Syrian Trust for Development, in collaboration with the UNESCO Chair for Intangible Cultural Heritage and Comparative Law at Sapienza University of Rome, Italy, spearheaded a crucial dialogue on the fusion of intangible cultural heritage within the educational sphere.

The session, dubbed Integrating Intangible Cultural Heritage into Education: New Experiences and Horizons, brought together a diverse panel of experts from Africa, Latin America, Asia, and Europe. These thought leaders delved into the complexities and opportunities of embedding the rich tapestry of intangible cultural heritage into educational curriculums worldwide.

Fares Kallas, a member of the Board of Trustees, took the stage to underscore the urgency of safeguarding our global cultural heritage amidst the rapidly evolving global landscape marked by digital transformation and globalization. Kallas illuminated the sessions goal: to explore innovative educational strategies that honour and preserve the essence of cultural identities while navigating the modern worlds challenges.

https://syrianobserver.com/news/87688/syria-trust-for-development-spearheads-global-discussion-on-cultural-heritage-in-education-at-unesco-conference-in-uae.html

The dialogue centred on critical issues, including the impact of conflicts, wars, and displacement on cultural heritage, and the compounded challenges of economic sanctions and the digital divide. Kallas emphasized the collective responsibility to protect and promote cultural heritage through education, stating, We must acknowledge the gravity of these challenges and unite in our efforts to ensure the continuity of our intangible cultural heritage.

The conference also served as a platform for the adoption of a new global framework by UNESCO Member States, aimed at prioritizing culture and arts education. This framework seeks to enhance the inclusion of local and indigenous cultures in educational systems, improve teacher training in culture and arts education, and recognize the importance of artistic and cultural skills in professional settings.

This session marked a significant step forward in the global dialogue on cultural preservation, highlighting the critical role of education in bridging the gap between tradition and modernity. As the world comes together to celebrate and integrate intangible cultural heritage into education, the efforts of the Syrian Trust for Development and its partners underscore a collective commitment to enriching future generations with the depth and diversity of human cultures.
Several years ago, the network launched a YouTube channel featuring 500 series from the Middle East and North Africa, with over half of them being Syrian dramas and classic series.

The Ministry of Finance in the Syrian regime government has seized both movable and immovable assets of the Watan Network within Syria, in exchange for securing over $336,000.

Per the ministrys directive, the provisional seizure has been imposed on the movable and immovable assets of the US-based company Watan Network, under the representation of its general manager, Muhammad Basil Khair (born in Damascus in 1982), and its executive director, Iyad Ahmed (born in Damascus in 1969), who originates from Salamiya in the countryside of Hama.

The ministrys decision indicates that the precautionary seizure of the companys assets is aimed at recovering $336,383, with no specification regarding the source of these funds or their intended recipient. However, the seizure follows a letter from the Syrian Ministry of Information on January 16, with the decision being dated the following day.

According to accounts aligned with the regime, the seizure stems from allegations that Watan Network illicitly utilized the Syrian TV archive for personal gain, withholding revenues for personal accounts. However, questions arise regarding the feasibility of stealing an archive.

Pretrial detention remains temporary until the resolution of the case or the potential reversal of the seizure is based on the fines value.

https://syrianobserver.com/news/87688/syria-trust-for-development-spearheads-global-discussion-on-cultural-heritage-in-education-at-unesco-conference-in-uae.html

Social media accounts suggest that Muhammad Basil Khair, residing in the United States, accessed the Syrian television archive through a partnership involving Asma al-Assad, the wife of the Syrian President, in exchange for a share of profits. However, the outcome of this arrangement remains undisclosed, as the network has continued broadcasting the Syrian series via its official channels for years.

Several years ago, the network launched a YouTube channel featuring 500 series from the Middle East and North Africa, with over half of them being Syrian dramas and classic series.

Operating from the United States, the Syrian Watan network collaborates with YouTube as a multi-channel partner, providing it with technical advantages for financial returns, promotion, and equipment utilization, according to its general manager, Muhammad Bassel Khair.

In a previous interview with an Arab newspaper, Khair stated that his company contracts with technical production companies to safeguard and manage their products through social media, boasting a team of highly experienced employees.

Khair gained public attention through social media platforms after his wife, the Syrian blogger Lama al-Aseel, residing in the United States, posted a video expressing distress over his marriage to a second wife after their twelve-year union, demanding a share of his wealth. Khair had previously appeared in his wifes social media videos.

This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
Your daily brief of the English-speaking press on Syria.

Khaled Juet Ahmad Al-Akidi, a Syrian tribal leader, declared his commitment to Jihad and opposition against American forces during a broadcast on Al-Manar TV, associated with Hezbollah in Lebanon. Simultaneously, clashes between Turkish-backed militants and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) resulted in the death of at least two militants near the northern city of Manbij. Meanwhile, prominent Syrian activist Joumana Seif initiated a series by publishing a comprehensive article advocating for the establishment of an intergovernmental fund aimed at offering reparations to victims of the Syrian conflict.

Syrian Tribal Leader Threatens Jihad Against America: All U.S. Bases in Syria Constitute a Target for Us

Pro-Iran Al-Manar reported that Syrian tribal leader Khaled Juet Ahmad Al-Akidi said on a February 15, 2024 show on Al-Manar TV (Hizbullah-Lebanon) that the United Staes has caused all the destruction in the Arab and Islamic world, as well as in Syria. He added that it brought terrorist factions such as ISIS and Jabhat Al-Nusra to the region and that it is funding them. Al-Akidi pledged to wage Jihad and fight the Americans. He said that his people will target the Americans wherever they may be. Al-Akidi added that all U.S. bases in Syria constitute targets for them. He said: The Americans came by force and will only leave by force.

SDF kills two Turkish-backed militants in Manbij: Monitor

At least two Turkish-backed militants were killed during clashes with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) near the northern Syrian city of Manbij on Monday, a war monitor reported.

Two members of the pro-Turkey factions were killed and others were injured after violent clashes broke out with the forces of the Manbij Military Council  near al-Sayadah village in western Manbij countryside, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a Britain-based war monitor.

The Manbij Military Council is a local Kurdish-led force affiliated with the SDF in Arab-majority Manbij. Security in Kurdish-controlled areas in north and northeast Syria is managed through military councils led by locals to maintain the delicate balance of the region and prevent Arab discontent.

The clashes come amid an increased surge of violence near Manbij between Kurdish-led forces and Turkish-backed militants, according to SOHR

US base in Syria reportedly under missile attack

A United States military base at the Conoco gas field in eastern Syria was hit by four missiles, RIA Novosti reported on Monday, citing a source familiar with the matter.

According to the report, the launched missiles caused a fire in the southern part of the US base, while there is no information on potential casualties.

US bases in Syria and other Middle Eastern countries have come under attack several times since the beginning of the war between Israel and Hamas, leading the Biden administration to launch retaliatory strikes in eastern Syria and Iraq on February 2.

British Islamic terrorist will be freed from jail

One of Britains most dangerous terrorists who left to join a jihadist organization during the Syrian Civil War and intended to die in battle as a martyr will be freed from prison, MailOnline can reveal.

Mohammed Nahin Ahmed and his childhood friend Yusuf Zubair Sarwar were both locked up in 2014 and branded dangerous by the trial judge after pleading guilty to joining a jihadi group in Syria.

The two men, then both 22, travelled to the war-torn Middle Eastern country in May 2013 to join an al-Qaeda-linked terror group that was fighting Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad.

Ahmed and Sarwar later pleaded guilty to one count of engaging in the preparation of terrorist acts contrary to Section 5 of the Terrorism Act and were jailed for around 13 years.

MailOnline can now exclusively reveal that Ahmed is set to be freed from jail after being given the green light by the Parole Board. It is understood that the move could be made in just days.

Sarwar was released from jail on licence after a Parole Board hearing in April 2022. He was required to serve two-thirds of his custodial sentence before being considered for release.

Its Time to Establish a Syria Victims Fund

JustSecurity.org is publishing a series discussing reparative measures for victims of international law violations in the conflict in Syria, through establishing an intergovernmental victims fund or other means. Links to all articles in the series are included at the bottom of this article, as they are published.

Prominent Syrian activist, Joumana Seif, starts this series with a long article, in which she calls for the creation of an intergovernmental fund to provide reparations for victims of the Syrian conflict, highlighting the urgent need for international action to address the long-standing suffering and injustices faced by millions. Seif, leveraging her involvement in the landmark Koblenz trial in Germany against Assad regime officials, underscores the trials significance in offering a path to justice for Syrian victims but points out its failure to award financial compensation for their recovery. This gap in justice serves as a critical backdrop for her advocacy for the Syria Victims Fund.

Seif describes the dire conditions faced by Syrian victims over 13 years of conflict, including widespread murder, torture, sexual violence, and displacement, perpetrated not only by the Assad regime but also by supporting forces from Russia and Iran, as well as non-State armed groups. She emphasizes the moral right of Syrian victims to reparations funded by the proceeds of monetary judgments linked to violations in Syria, arguing that the funds currently collected by States for sanctions violations and other crimes should rightfully support the victims.

The article outlines the systematic use of torture and sexual violence by the Assad regime as tools of war and repression, highlighting the profound physical and psychological impacts on survivors. The inability of survivors to obtain compensation through current legal mechanisms, including the limitations of European countries victims funds, underscores the necessity of a dedicated fund to address their needs.

Seif criticizes the international communitys failure to hold the Syrian government accountable through legal means due to political obstacles, such as vetoes by Russia and China at the UN Security Council. She suggests that establishing a Syria Victims Fund through international cooperation could circumvent these challenges, providing a direct mechanism for reparative justice.

The call for a Syria Victims Fund is not only a plea for financial reparations but also a broader appeal for a fair political resolution to the Syrian crisis that includes transitional justice and the safe return of displaced persons. Seifs article is a foundational piece in a series advocating for reparative measures for Syrian victims, aiming to mobilize international support for the establishment of the fund and to ensure that the atrocities committed against the Syrian people are acknowledged and addressed.
When Darlene Pryor moved to the far west end of Maple Street in Longview two years ago, her realtor said there might be a surprising number of speeding cars in the area.

Now, as a Maple Street resident, Pryor says that's an understatement.

"When I started approaching neighbors about the noise and about seeing the speeding, all the people I talked to said it's been going on for years," she said.

Pryor has organized a group of her neighbors attempting to curb speeding on the street, where the limit is 25 mph.

However, the city says the four block stretch between 32nd Avenue and Dorothy Avenue does not see enough speeders to qualify for Longview's voluntary speed bump installation policy.

Possible solutions

The city has offered to place speed recording trailers along the road, which can be a short-term deterrent for cars, and have the Longview Police Department visit more frequently to issue speeding tickets. But that's not enough of a solution for Pryor and some of her neighbors, who are still holding out hope for speed humps.

"(The police) don't have time to sit on the street and watch out for speeders. That's not a realistic fix in my opinion," Pryor said.

Pryor said speeding takes place at all hours but is especially bad in the afternoons and evenings. The biggest offenders appear to live in the apartments along Dorothy, who floor it straight down Maple to make quick turns onto the busier 32nd Avenue, she said.

Scott Jorgensen lives on the other side of Maple Street as Pryor. A city administrator for Rainier, Jorgensen said he has seen successful efforts to add speed bumps in his employer's city and is in favor of a similar change on Maple.

"I don't care what the improvements look like. I want to be comfortable with my kids playing in the front yard," Jorgensen said.

Longview Public Works Director Ken Hash said people along that stretch of Maple have complained about speeding several times over the years. The most recent push ramped up last fall, including a meeting with some of the Longview City Council candidates and a traffic study performed across three weeks in October.

The study recorded a total of 3,808 car trips and didn't record any significant issues with speeding along the street. Half of all drivers were going less than 20 mph and 85% of the drivers maxed out at 26 mph. There was only one car in the three-week span that went more than 10 miles over the speed limit.

"We have done several speed studies and they all say the average speed out there is 20 mph. That is where it falls out of the criteria," Hash said.

A city ordinance sets a much higher bar for the speed bump additions, where at least half of the traffic have to be going faster than the posted speed limit. Hash said a nearby section of 33rd Street did qualify for speed bumps because of its common use as a connector road between Washington Way and Ocean Beach Highway.

A mistake in one of Hash's follow-up emails led Pryor to believe Maple Street is eligible for the speed bumps despite the low volume of offenses. She went ahead with the next step of getting 60% of the neighbors living near the proposed speed bump to sign a letter agreeing to it. She brought some of those letters to the Longview City Council meeting on Feb. 8 to make her case.

If speed bumps were built, the ordinance says the neighbors requesting them would have to pay for the installation. There are grant-based exceptions for low and moderate-income neighborhoods, which the section of Maple Street does not qualify for.
Washington state Sen. Jeff Wilson of Longview wants certain smaller homes built sooner by avoiding the permitting process that can draw out the cost and building time for regular-sized homes.

Wilson introduced a bill this session to exempt homes built from kits that are under 800 square feet from municipal permitting and local fire safety regulations.

Wilsons bill would also exempt kit homes from local design reviews when they are first certified to comply with Washington State Building Code by the manufacturer. If the manufacturer is from Washington, the inspections will be done by Washington state Department of Labor & Industries, and by a counterpart agency if manufactured in a different state.

The bottom line is we need to mass-produce more options to help resolve the housing crisis, Wilson said in Olympia on Monday.

The bill unanimously passed the Senate last week and was discussed at a public hearing in the Washington state House Committee on Housing Monday in which Wilson and two proponents of the bill spoke.

At the meeting, Wilson said he was partly inspired to create the bill after Washington communities, like Longview, built pallet homes, which are assembled through a kit but didnt require certain inspections like from L&I. Pallet homes are used at the city of Longviews emergency housing site called HOPE Village, though Wilson did not name the site at the meeting.

Its not to anywhere say that these are not built to a standard, Im certainly not anywhere qualified to do that, but with this bill, Im asking and agreeing to setting a standard of inspection and compliance, he said at the meeting.

What are kit homes?

Kit homes, first popularized pre-World War II, can fall under $10,000, not including construction costs. Thats a steal, Wilson said, compared to the average prices of regular stick-built homes in the state, median prices for which are about $540,000.

Manufacturers design kit homes at a range of sizes, from as small as 60 square feet up to 2,000 square feet and more. This bill would only exempt kit homes that are under 800 square feet.

A kit home, also sometimes called a catalog home, requires a solid foundation, which is why they are often a top choice for a homeowner looking to build an accessory dwelling unit, or ADU, on their land.

Tiny homes, by contrast, are roughly 400 square feet or less, and are often built on permanent foundations or trailers so they can be easily transported.

Kit homes, or kit-built homes, were advertised in the early to mid-1900s as a cheap and efficient way for landowners to build their own house. Models were listed in catalogs like the Sears, Roebuck and Co. and shipped piece by piece to the buyer, who could choose to build the house themselves or hire a contractor to do it for them.

Wilson said this bill is in line with zoning amendments that lift longtime restrictions on what structure can be built where, and that it opens the possibility for people to build out more housing on their land.

He said it could be an option for new homeowners who want to build an ADU or a developer who wants to build a collection of kit-built homes to sell.

Local governments would still be able to require kit-built homes to meet all of the local permitting regulations that a regular house would, Wilson said. This bill is meant to harmonize with local ordinances to increase housing density, and, he said, to quit making housing so complex with government stipulations and requests.

When you have a housing shortage you have to start checking boxes off, Wilson said to The Daily News.
Andrea Boyds son has been in crisis often enough to know the urgency of getting treatment when he needs it. In his 20s, without proper care and medication, he drifted onto the streets for nearly a decade.

He also knows the specific kind of care he needs when hes unstable.

Please call a (designated crisis responder) or take me to emergency room if involuntary treatment is necessary to treat my schizophrenia, wrote the 36-year-old, who now lives in Bellingham. At the hospital, food, water, medicine and doctor care will help him stabilize.

His words, written as part of a so-called mental health advance directive, hold legal weight.

In Washington, people with mental illness have since 2003 had the right to make their own psychiatric care decisions before they hit a crisis point. The directive  a legal document similar to ones used for end-of-life decisions  allows people to state preferences about their treatment. They can also name a designee to make decisions for them when they cant or wont consent to care.

The problem: Hardly anyone knows this right exists.

If that document is not available, isnt read, nobody knows about it, you might as well take your (psychiatric advance directive) and throw it in a bottle in the ocean and hope somebody finds it, said Jeffrey Swanson, a medical sociologist at Duke University School of Medicine who runs a national resource center on psychiatric advance directives.

The concept of advanced planning for psychiatric illness emerged in the 1990s; more than half of U.S. states now have a psychiatric directive statute on the books. Interest in such laws coincided with a swell in advocacy against a system that has defaulted to treating people with serious mental illness against their will.

Research suggests such directives can help lessen the odds of involuntary treatment and other potentially traumatic experiences, like being cuffed and taken to a hospital by a police officer. Knowing they have agency over their own care, people might be less prone to get aggressive or resist treatment when theyre unwell.

But mental health advance directives never gained steam in patient or health care circles. And like Washington, many states have struggled to implement their psychiatric advance directive laws. The forms are often full of legal jargon, most health care workers arent trained to supply them, and retrieving them when theyre needed has posed technical and logistical headaches.

Now, as several cities like New York and San Francisco move to expand involuntary commitment in response to the growing mental health crisis, a handful of states including Washington are looking at mental health directives as an alternative. Washington states Senate, for example, recently cleared legislation that could strengthen existing law.

The goal of this system is getting people back to that place of self-determination. ... Finding ways to promote that and empower people in our system is one of the most crucial things that we can do, said Elizabeth Perry, a health equity consultant who worked on the legislation.

Boyd says her sons directive has helped him secure voluntary care and avoid another churn through homelessness, involuntary treatment and imprisonment. The Seattle Times isnt naming him because of his concern about future treatment if he falls into crisis again. Boyd and her son are Indigenous and are also concerned about institutional racism in the crisis care system.

They have it in writing to provide him behavioral health care, whereas before they didnt have that at all, Boyd said of her son.

He fell through the cracks.

Gray area

The idea that someone with mental illness should help determine their own course of care raises thorny questions at the center of classic debates over how to best treat people in need.

Who should make care decisions when someone is so ill they cant consent? The arguments over this question typically fall along a spectrum, with paternalism on one end and self-determination on the other.

Individuals making decisions on behalf of their future, mentally unwell selves sits in a gray area, experts say.

When the illness you have impairs your ability to understand and make decisions in your own best interest, that gets ethically complicated, Swanson said. Its clinically complicated as well.

Swanson first became interested in advanced planning for mental illness in the 1990s. Back then, he was studying the effectiveness of state laws across the U.S. that mandated outpatient treatment for certain mentally ill patients; in Washington, people can be court-ordered to inpatient or outpatient care. He realized that an advance directive written at a time when a person was competent was a potential alternative to compulsory care. I was captured by the idea, he said.

According to Swanson, such directives are most effective for people who have periods of stability and are able to write down reasonable, evidence-based care requests. They serve as a kind of psychiatric resume  a guide to what works well, and what doesnt, for individual patients.

What gets tricky, Swanson said, is when people end up resisting the care they previously signed off on.

Swanson recently encountered a woman with schizoaffective disorder who wrote on her mental health advance directive that she was willing to be hospitalized and that electroconvulsive therapy was the only treatment that worked when she was in crisis. But when she ultimately became ill and was hospitalized, he said, she vociferously objected to it  and to being hospitalized in general.

The optics of it and maybe even the legal nature of it, Swanson said, looks like forced treatment without the due process protections of a commitment hearing.

Legal limits

In Washington, people who fill out a mental health advance directive can list medications they prefer, and physicians or hospitals where theyd like to be treated.

They can also specify drugs or other forms of care they refuse or would only allow under certain circumstances. People can decline electroconvulsive therapy, for instance, or name care they want medical staff to try before they use approaches of last resort, such as arm and leg restraints.

Once the form becomes part of a persons medical record, doctors are legally required to review it.

It was a really, really well intended law, said Todd Crooks, who is working on the states new legislation and is executive director of the mental health advocacy organization Chads Legacy Project. Hes the father of Chad Crooks, the organizations namesake, who died by suicide at age 21.

What the law doesnt do is guarantee treatment.

Filling out a directive cant help someone skip long wait lists for therapy appointments or to secure a bed in a full hospital. It also cant compel health care providers to use unethical treatments or those outside acceptable standard practices.

And it doesnt supersede the involuntary treatment law, which allows the state to commit people to care if they threaten their own safety, that of others, or are so unwell that theyve stopped caring for themselves entirely.

The law also wasnt set up with funding or technological support to make it useful, advocates say. Lawmakers didnt fund training for health care providers on when or how to use a mental health directive. Theres no statewide repository for the forms. Families might hand them off to a provider or ask that they be included in an electronic health record. Boyd, for instance, is pushing to get her sons record included in a Bellingham emergency medical services database. But theres no standard system for storing these forms.

And perhaps most concerning: Existence of the forms isnt common knowledge.

Lack of awareness is a problem across states that have tried to strengthen the role of mental health directives, said Dr. Marvin Swartz, a psychiatrist and professor of psychiatry at Duke University Medical Center who runs the national mental health advance directive center with Swanson. If theres too few of them, then clinicians wont look for them. And health systems wont respond to them.

Crooks son Chad didnt know about his right to a directive when he told his family he was hearing voices  one of his earliest symptoms of schizophrenia. In 2016, after two inpatient hospitalizations and trying and failing to maintain stability on medication, he took his life.

All of this stuff that (Chad) was receiving as far as care was being done to him, but none of it was effective, Crooks said. Chads care was rudderless and reactive, Crooks said. We lost our son because he lost hope ... Hope is a huge aspect of a well-utilized mental health advance directive because of that participatory element. Thats really the crux of it.

Gaining steam

State lawmakers are now aiming for a legal fix.

This session, a bipartisan measure that cruised through the state Senate would help build awareness of peoples right to a directive, and potentially help fill in gaps left by the original law.

The legislation would create a work group to study how to safely store and share individuals directives with those who need access, like first responders or ER doctors. It would also develop ways to train families, peers and providers on how to use the forms. Crooks, who worked on the legislation, said the work group could help roll out pilot projects as soon as this year.

A similar bill died in committee last session; the states Health Care Authority raised questions about it that werent answered before a legislative cutoff date, said Crooks. A lot more people are on board this year, said state Sen. Matt Boehnke, R-Kennewick, co-sponsor of this years bill, which is now under consideration in the House.

Some states have worked for years to scale up their own laws, and they offer a window into what Washington is up against. Virginia, for instance, funneled funding into a campaign to train health providers and peer recovery specialists and built an online, interactive map showing where people could get help filling out an advance directive.

The push helped grow awareness and interest, said Heather Zelle, who helped guide the implementation of Virginias law and is an associate professor of research at the University of Virginia. But tech concerns  Virginias first responder and care systems are disconnected, like Washingtons  and attitudinal ones continue to keep many people from using the forms.

Im an optimist that theres some level of change in a positive direction, she said. Theres certainly still more to be done.
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Schematic diagram, optical image and fundamental performance of the logic devices based on pseudo-CMOS architecture. Credit: Wei et al

The continuous improvement of circuits and electronic components is vital for the development of new technologies with enhanced capabilities and unique characteristics. In recent years, most electronics engineers have been specifically focusing on reducing the size of transistors, while retaining a low power consumption.

Researchers at University of Science and Technology Beijing recently introduced a new pseudo-CMOS architecture based on self-biased molybdenum disulfide transistors. This architecture, outlined in Nature Electronics, could be used to create highly performing inverters, gate circuits, and other device components.

"The development of integrated circuits (ICs) for efficient computing with low power is a global hot topic and a focus of international competition in cutting-edge fields," Zheng Zhang, co-author of the paper, told Tech Xplore.

"Two-dimensional (2D) materials, such as monolayer molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ), have stable structures that can break through the physical limit of downscaling dimensions, excellent field-effect properties, and immunity to short channel effects, making them one of the most promising channel materials for low-power ICs."

Despite their advantageous structure, 2D materials aligned with conventional silicon-based circuit designs (namely, CMOS and NMOS) have been found to exhibit significant limitations. Specifically, the limited polarity control of their atomically thin structure poses challenges for realizing their potential in transistor designs.

Zhang and his colleagues set out to design an alternative, pseudo-CMOS architecture for ultra-low-power logic computing using 2D materials. Their hope was to open new avenues for the development of future ICs.

"Our pseudo-CMOS logic devices are implemented by connecting self-biased transistors (SBTs) as the load and n-type field-effect transistors (n-FETs) as the driver in series," Zhang explained. "The homogeneous SBT with a gap barrier can timely cut off the current path (less than 1 pA) of device when the n-FET is on, thus achieving picowatt-level static power, which is only about 1% and 0.3% of the CMOS and NMOS logic device, respectively."

By combining pass-transistor logic (PTL) designs, the new architecture introduced by the researchers was found to reduce the number of transistors in circuits by 80% compared to conventional IC architectures. In contrast with previously introduced CMOS and NMOS 2D materialbased electronics, the team's architecture circumvents the polarity control of transistors, greatly reducing their static power.

"The implementation of the general Boolean functions (i.e., XOR, AND, OR, NAND, NOR and NOT gates) based on pseudo-CMOS architecture opens a scalable pathway toward low-power ICs based on 2D materials," Zhang said. "Our findings solve the key challenge that 2D materials cannot effectively restrain the rapidly rising static power due to the limited polarity control technology."

The architecture introduced by Zhang and his colleagues could serve as an inspiration for other research groups, potentially leading to the creation of new electronics with low power consumption and fast operating speeds. The researchers already used their design to create a prototype inverters and gate circuits for sub-picowatt logic computing, both of which attained very promising results.

"In future work, we plan to develop large-scale ICs of this technology, including various complex combination circuits and sequential circuits based on pseudo-CMOS architecture," Zhang added. "This could enable the implementation of virtually any digital ICs to promote the industrial application of 2D materials."

More information: Xiaofu Wei et al, Homojunction-loaded inverters based on self-biased molybdenum disulfide transistors for sub-picowatt computing, Nature Electronics (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41928-023-01112-w Journal information: Nature Electronics

 2024 Science X Network
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Clarke compared the noise emissions from low altitude aircraft to that of cars in three case studies using three types of electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles, or EVTOLs, that are popular with aircraft design companies: stopped-rotor aircraft, tilt-rotor aircraft, and a hexacopter. Credit: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. University of Illinois Dept. of Aerospace Engineering

When aerospace engineer Matthew Clarke overlayed flight paths in urban environments over maps showing social stratification, he noticed something significant. The flights went directly overhead low-income neighborhoods.

"I learned about a group in Palo Alto who wanted to divert the flight path of aircraft flying from San Francisco airport over Stanford to flying over East Palo Altoa predominately Black and Latinx community," Clarke said. "The group from Palo Alto were trying to get the FAA to shift that flight path and the FAA said it needs to be done equitably. We can't have all the noise going over one neighborhood."

Clarke, who is an assistant professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, said a similar situation is observable In Los Angeles.

"If you look at the LAX airport, the flightpath is just above Compton and Inglewood, which are also low-income neighborhoods."

To address the issue, Clarke said he didn't want to just model aircraft noise, which has already been done well.

"I wanted to map an urban environment, so I strategically chose flight paths that are of special interest, for example, Los Angeles to Disney, because there are communities between LAX and Disney that are going to be affected. The study looks at not only the aircraft in terms of performance, but also the impact of aircrafts' noise footprint on the ground."

Clarke's findings are published in the journal AIAA AVIATION 2023 Forum.

Left to right are the simulated noise footprints for stopped-rotor aircraft, tilt-rotor aircraft, and a hexacopter over the Los Angeles International Airport. The hexacopter produces the most significant noise footprint, with even areas directly beneath the flight path at cruising altitudes reaching 70 dBA. The stopped-rotor has the second largest noise footprint. The tilt-rotor produced the smallest footprints with no noise above the 45 dBA threshold in cruise. Credit: University of Illinois Dept. of Aerospace Engineering

Because the concerns about noise will likely increase as commuting and delivery services ramp up the use of drones and other uncrewed aircraft in urban settings, Clarke compared the noise emissions from low altitude aircraft to that of cars in three case studies using three types of electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles, or EVTOLs, that are popular with aircraft design companies: stopped-rotor aircraft, tilt-rotor aircraft, and a hexacopter.

The first study examined fly-over noise, the second explored vertiport arrival and departure flight path angles, and the third examined noise emissions within the Los Angeles Metropolitan area.

Clarke said models of both highway noise and aircraft noise already exist. He plotted them on a graph to demonstrate the noise levels in relationship to the distance from the highways. The noise levels were computed by not just the loudness but also the frequency of how many times it can be heard over a specific time period.

"The results identify the hexacopter as creating the most significant noise and it is a lot louder than the highway noise, so it's going to be noticeable. However, for the other two aircraft, the highway noise is more dominant. So, if you fly over highways, you can mask the noise of these new aircraft and they won't be a disturbance."

By understanding the noise footprint, Clarke said hot spots in the Los Angeles area can be identified.

"Where I hope to go with this research is to help inform an FAA noise compatibility program. It is basically a map of each city and identifies noise-sensitive features such as schools, hospitals, universities, churchesthe sorts of areas aircraft need to avoid. I want to overlay a noise feature map with the routes of these aircraft and see how the paths can change to avoid these sensitive areas. It's an effort to be more considerate of those who live near airports or in the path of aircraft."

Clarke said he'd like to work with social scientists to take it further. The noise affects people, but it can also affect wildlife and their ability to locate mates and predators.

"If we can reduce or change the noise spectrum to reduce human impact, we'll also benefit animalsmaybe not in the Los Angeles area, but for other cities that have a larger population of wildlife. These are very important things that I think we need to pay more attention to before we think about putting vertiports and helipads and EVTOLs everywhere. We need to think about the broader impact of aviation."

More information: Matthew A. Clarke, An Open-Source Framework For Modeling Aircraft Noise In Urban Environments, AIAA AVIATION 2023 Forum (2023). DOI: 10.2514/6.2023-3365
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DALL-Es interpretation of a SBSP system. Credit: Universe Today

Space-based solar power (SBSP) has been in the news recently, with the successful test of a solar power demonstrator in space taking place last summer. While the concept is fundamentally sound, there are plenty of hurdles to overcome if the technology is to be widely adoptednot the least of which is cost.

NASA is no stranger to costly projects, though, and they recently commissioned a study from their internal Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy that suggests how NASA could continue to support this budding idea. Most interestingly, if the technological cards are played right, SBSP could be the most carbon-efficient, lowest-cost power source for humanity by 2050.

To be clear, there are a lot of hurdles to overcome to get to that point, but first, let's start with what the report looked at. Its primary concern was two-foldhow expensive the electricity from a power satellite is and how high its lifecycle carbon emissions are, including those introduced to the atmosphere to get it into space in the first place.

Those two data points were analyzed for two different systems, one modular one called the SPS-Alpha Mark-III suggested by prolific inventor John Mankins, which is a little more theoretical, and another by a group of Japanese researchers called the Tethered-SPS that uses a more traditional design. In most of the calculations the report provides, the SPS-Alpha Mark-III outperforms the more conventional system.

Isaac Arthur describes how useful beaming power in space can be. Credit: SFIA YouTube Channel

Still, there are some technical hurdles to its implementationthough nothing so complicated as some of the others discussed therein.

The results report presents are not pretty for SBSP. Given their current levels of technical maturity, both solutions produce electricity that is more expensive than any existing technology. Not only that, even the more climate-friendly SPS-Alpha Mark-III is still comparable only to solar power in terms of climate impact and is beaten out by things like hydropower or even nuclear fission. So, some work needs to happen before there is any commercial incentive to adopt this technology.

Let's tackle cost firsttwo big sources are the cost of getting the satellite into orbit and maintaining it when it's up there, known as in-space assembly and maintenance (ISAM). The report even provides some allowances for the launch cost to be lower than it currently is (without fully functional Starships). But even with that lower cost, 863 launches to geosynchronous orbit for the smaller of the two systems will likely not allow any system to be cost-competitive with terrestrial alternatives.

Also, as of right now, no ISAM infrastructure could support such a massive satellite. So if any part of the system fails while in space, which, given the nature of the environment, is inevitable, there wouldn't be any feasible way to fix it. Like lowering launch costs, this, too, is being worked on by several commercial entities. However, the inability to maintain infrastructure in orbit inexpensively will plague cost assessments of any large project in the near future.

Even the Financial Times is interested enough to take a look at the underlying SBSP idea. Credit: Financial Times YouTube Channel

As for greenhouse emissionsmost of those are caused by the launches required to get into space. There haven't been a lot of studies done on the effects of emitting combustion products into the high atmosphere, especially in terms of their impact on the environment. But it wouldn't be surprising if that wasn't good.

But even without that, just the sheer amount of greenhouse gases that must be emitted to lift all of the weight of these systems into space would make it hard to compete with low-carbon alternatives.

These difficulties might sound like a death knell for building a SBSP system in the near future. But there is a silver lining. Using a statistical methodology sensitivity analysis, the report's writers created a scenario where SBSP is the most cost-effective with the least greenhouse gas emissions of any energy source available in 2050.

To do so requires some great leaps in technology; in particular, using other technologies, like increased ISAM and ion drives to move the parts from low Earth orbit (where Starships can be reusable) to geostationary orbit, can dramatically limit the number of launches needed.

Fraser interviews an expert on space power  Prof Stephen Sweeney. Credit: Universe Today

Other improvements include optimistic standards for cost analysis, such as lower launch costs (though the $500/kg the study uses is far lower than even more optimistic estimates of what Starship can do) and increasing the lifetime of the equipment itself.

Ultimately, this analysis goes to show that, with a little bit more development, SBSP could be not only cost-competitive in 25 years but also the best option for low-cost, environmentally friendly power. However, the report's purpose was to suggest potential action items to NASA's leadership, and its outcome was an underwhelming "keep an eye on it."

It rightfully points out that plenty of the activities that would go into making SBSP as potentially fantastic as it can be, such as lower launch costs, ion drives, and improved ISAM systems, are already on NASA's radar and are actively under development, with varying levels of support.

The authors suggest looking into the technology every few years, as NASA has been for decades at this point, to see if any specific technical hurdles aren't being addressed as part of other projects. For now, they didn't find any. But plenty of technologies that weren't even mentioned in the report, such as asteroid mining or deployable lightweight structures, could also fundamentally change the economic calculations.

One thing is for surewhatever future reports on the viability of SBSP will have plenty of new advances to consider.
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The MT Chemical Challenger is the first chemicals transporter to test the new sails.

The world's first chemical tanker ship fitted with massive rigid aluminum "sails" has left Rotterdam, its owner hoping to plot a route to bringing down the shipping industry's huge carbon footprint.

The MT Chemical Challenger, a 16,000-tonne chemicals transporter set sail from Antwerp for Istanbul on Friday, and will undergo sea trials along the way.

Built in Japan and kitted out with four giant 16-metre-high (52 foot, 6 inch) sails similar to aircraft wings, the tanker's owners hope to cut fuel consumption by 10 to 20 percent as the sails will allow the ship's captain to throttle back on the engine.

"As an avid sailor myself, I have been thinking for a long time how we can make our industry more sustainable," said Niels Grotz, chief executive of Chemship, which operates a fleet of chemical tanker vessels mainly between US ports in the Gulf of Mexico and the eastern Mediterranean.

"Today we launch our first wind-assisted chemical tanker, which we hope will serve as an example to the rest of the world," Grotz told AFP at the ship's unveiling.

Global shippingwhich burns diesel and other bunker fuelscontributed around 2.0 percent of the world's carbon emissions in 2022, the International Energy Agency said.

New guidelines by the International Maritime Organisation said shipping emissions needed to be cut by at least 40 percent by 2030 and down to zero by around 2050 if the Paris Climate Accords are to be achieved.

"Shipping has always been extremely competitive and it will be a struggle to reach these targets," admitted Grotz, who added the company was unlikely to "make money" on its latest project.

The four giant 16-metre-high sails similar to aircraft wings are hoped will cut fuel consumption by 10 to 20 percent.

"But we have to bring down CO 2 emissionsand we decided we're not just going to sit and wait for something magical to happen."

"With the sails on this ship we're expecting a yearly reduction of some 850 tonnes. That's the same output as around 500 cars annually," Chemship added in a statement.

Pulling power

Grotz said the project to put sails on one of his chemical tankerswith others to followcame when he and Dutch company Econowind, which specializes in building wind propulsion systems for ships, first put their heads together three years ago.

Last week the installation of the four sails was completed while the Chemical Challenger lay dockside in Rotterdam's massive sprawling harbor.

Although not the first modern ship to be kitted out with rigid sailslast year British firm Cargill put a wind-assisted cargo ship to sea for instanceChemship said their Chemical Challenger is the world's first chemical tanker ship with sails.

Built similar to an airplane wing, the rigid aluminum sails are equipped with a system of vents and holes to maximize airflow in winds of up to 61 kilometers (33 knots, 38 miles).

"This system called a 'ventilated wingsail' increases the wind's power by five timesand gives the same power as an imaginary sail of around 30 by 30 meters," said Rens Groot, sales manager at Econowind.

The maritime transport industry is also under pressure to cut its CO2 emissions.

'Modern day sailors'

Groot told AFP the installation of modern-day rigid sails on massive ships harked back to a time when sailing was the only way to move across the oceans.

Sails on ships are also reopening long-forgotten routes that fell out of favor as steam and fuel replaced wind power.

"Once again, modern-day 'sailors' will have to look for the wind, for instance along the Brouwer route," Groot said, referring to a sailing route around the Cape of Good Hope, first pioneered by Dutch explorer Hendrik Brouwer around 1611.

That route dips into the so-called "Roaring Forties" across the Indian Ocean before snaking north again along the Australian west coast to Asia.

It became compulsory a few years later for captains employed by the Dutch East India company on their way to the Netherlands' colonies in today's Indonesia.

"We are trying to find a way to bring nature back into technology," said Groot.

"Suddenly, you can feel a ship sailing againjust like in the olden days," Groot said.

 2024 AFP
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

RegTech might be one of the biggest new industries you've never heard of. The term most often refers to technology that helps companies comply with government regulations. In 2028, businesses are projected to spend $208 billion on RegTech, according to Juniper Research. That's up from $30 billion in 2020.

While they may view these costs as highly burdensome, new research from Zachary Kowaleski, assistant professor of accounting at Texas McCombs, finds that such investments can have significant operational benefits. Examining their impact on broker-dealers, who trade securities for themselves as well as for clients, Kowaleski says, RegTech is "not just a drain on the economy."

That's because the investments created new potential for company data, which they could use to improve customer relations and monitor employee behavior. Although they spent 24% more on information technology, they saw a 4% decline in:

Overall customer complaints.

Employee misconduct complaints.

Incidents causing at least $5,000 in damages.

Having the technology in place paid off even more after the COVID-19 pandemic struck, and many employees worked from home. "Companies were better positioned to protect customers, even though supervisors couldn't monitor employees in person," Kowaleski says.

But RegTech didn't help everyone, the study found. Its benefits accrued mostly to large broker-dealers who compete on scale. Its costs weighed more heavily on small companies, where profits dropped the most. On average, budget increases were more than 10 times the apparent savings, Kowaleski says.

His study focused on a 2014 Securities and Exchange Commission regulation, enacted after a rash of Ponzi schemes, such as Bernard Madoff's swindling of $50 billion from his investors.

The new rule imposed stringent reporting and audit requirements on carrying broker-dealersthose, like Madoff, who hold assets for their customers. They had to demonstrate, moment by moment, that they had adequate net capital and weren't commingling company assets with customer assets.

The new requirements were stricter than those for non-carrying broker-dealers, who don't hold their clients' money or securities.

With Ben Charoenwong of the National University of Singapore, Alan Kwan of Hong Kong University, and Andrew G. Sutherland of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Kowaleski looked at data reported to the SEC by 3,317 broker-dealers for three years before and after the rule. The companies were both carrying and non-carrying, allowing comparisons of the rule's effects.

Carrying broker-dealers, the study found, spent much more on RegTech than their counterparts.

They were 16% more likely to invest in compliance software.

Their IT-based compliance jobs grew by 10%.

Smaller companies were hit the hardest, with budgets increasing 30% while profits fell 24%.

Although the paper doesn't look at the rule's central purpose of protecting customers, Kowaleski notes that it's important. SEC rules on capitalization and segregating customer assets could have saved investors by restraining the rampant fraud at FTX Trading, the now-bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange co-founded by Sam Bankman-Fried. However, because cryptocurrencies weren't considered securities, FTX was not subject to SEC oversight.

That's another reason that RegTech costs may appear massive and be costly to companies, Kowaleski says, "but they're not just waste."

The research is published in the Journal of Financial Economics.

More information: Ben Charoenwong et al, RegTech: Technology-driven compliance and its effects on profitability, operations, and market structure, Journal of Financial Economics (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.jfineco.2024.103792 Journal information: Journal of Financial Economics
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:

South Korean Air Force's Black Eagles aerobatic team performs during the first day of the Singapore Airshow in Singapore, Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024. Credit: AP Photo/Vincent Thian

The Singapore AirshowAsia's largestkicked off Tuesday with an array of aerial displays including some by China's COMAC C919 narrow-body airliner.

It's the first time Singapore has opened the event to the public since 2020, when a scaled-down version went ahead as the COVID-19 pandemic was just starting.

The biennial show comes as Asia's aviation sector is taking off following the hard years of the pandemic, when many countries in the region closed their borders to most international travel.

Subhas Menon, director general of the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines, said that this year's show was "back in full swing" with over 1,000 exhibitors.

"The Singapore Airshow is a good opportunity for exhibitors to show off the direction they're going, in terms of technology like autonomous vehicles and so forth," Menon said in an interview Tuesday.

He said passenger loads in the region are nearly back to pre-COVID levels, and that Asia Pacific is expected to account for 50% of the growth in air travel demand this year.

But even as the aviation sector bounces back, the industry faces a broader supply chain crunch, with parts and plane shortages and shortages of personnel, from air crews to pilots.

A China's COMAC C919 aircraft flies during the first day of the Singapore Airshow in Singapore, Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024. Credit: AP Photo/Vincent Thian

"Supply chain issues are definitely affecting the timely delivery of aircraft and spares, and that's one of the reasons why capacity growth is lagging behind traffic growth," Menon said.

"We do not know when this will ease as it's related to trade tensions and geopolitical problems that are happening around the world," he said.

On Tuesday, China's Tibet Airlines finalized an order for 40 C919 passenger jets and 10 ARJ21 regional jets from the Commercial Aircraft Company of China (COMAC). The two companies signed the deal on the sidelines of the airshow.

COMAC's C919 is a narrow-body airliner, similar to the Airbus A320neo and Boeing's 737 Max jets. COMAC designed many of the C919's parts but some of its key components, including its engine, are still sourced from the West.

The orders come as COMAC attempts to position itself as a viable option for single-aisle jets, as companies like Boeing and Airbus grapple with a backlog of orders.

A China's COMAC C919 aircraft flies during the first day of the Singapore Airshow in Singapore, Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024. Credit: AP Photo/Vincent Thian

The company has received over 1,000 orders for its C919, according to Chinese media, although the plane is currently only certified in mainland China. Four C919s are currently operational with China Eastern Airlines.

The C919's debut at the show is the first time the jet has made a trip outside Chinese territory, though the aircraft performed a fly-past in Hong Kong in December in its first foray outside of mainland China.

The flying displaya highlight of the biennial air showsaw Singapore's air force perform an aerial display with a F-15SG fighter jet and an AH-64D Apache helicopter. COMAC's C919 and Airbus' widebody A350-1000 aircraft also performed fly-pasts.

The Indian air force's Sarang helicopter team showed off an array of aerial acrobatics, while the Indonesian air force's Jupiter and the Australian air force's Roulettes performed acrobatic maneuvers, including crossovers and drawing giant hearts in the sky.

South Korea's Air Force's Black Eagles performs during first day of Singapore Airshow in Singapore, Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024. Credit: AP Photo/Vincent Thian

The South Korean air force's Black Eagles, flying in their acrobatic aircraft T-50B, were the finale of Tuesday's aerial display, performing maneuvers including the drawing of the Taegeukthe yin-yang circle found on the South Korean flagvia the jets' smoke system.

The U.S. Air Force's B-52 Stratofortress is expected to make a fly-past on Thursday.

U.S. aircraft manufacturer Boeing will not be featuring any passenger jets at the show. The firm is under scrutiny after a midflight blowout of a fuselage panel on one of its 737 Max 9 jets last month.

This year's airshow is also expected to spotlight sustainable aviation, with Airbus using a blend of sustainable aviation fuel made of feedstock from cooking oil and tallow, together with conventional jet fuel for the A350-1000 aircraft in its aerial display.

South Korean Air Force's Black Eagles aerobatic team performs during the first day of the Singapore Airshow in Singapore, Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024. Credit: AP Photo/Vincent Thian

South Korean Air Force's Black Eagles aerobatic team performs during the first day of the Singapore Airshow in Singapore, Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024. Credit: AP Photo/Vincent Thian

A China's Comac C919 aircraft performs during first day of Singapore Airshow in Singapore, Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024. The Singapore Airshow  Asias largest  kicked off Tuesday with an array of aerial displays including some by Chinas COMAC C919 narrow-body airliner. Credit: AP Photo/Vincent Thian

A China's COMAC C919 aircraft is on display during the first day of the Singapore Airshow in Singapore, Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024. Credit: AP Photo/Vincent Thian

A workers prepares a China's COMAC C919 aircraft during the first day of the Singapore Airshow in Singapore, Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024. Credit: AP Photo/Vincent Thian

A China's Comac C919 aircraft is displayed during the first day of Singapore Airshow in Singapore, Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024. The Singapore Airshow, Asia's largest, kicked off Tuesday with an array of aerial displays including some by China's COMAC C919 narrow-body airliner.Credit: AP Photo/Vincent Thian

Visitors walk in front of a poster of China's Comac C919 aircraft during the first day of Singapore Airshow in Singapore, Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024. The Singapore Airshow, Asia's largest, kicked off Tuesday with an array of aerial displays including some by China's COMAC C919 narrow-body airliner.Credit: AP Photo/Vincent Thian

A visitor walks in front of a poster of China's Comac C919 aircraft during the first day of Singapore Airshow in Singapore, Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024. The Singapore Airshow, Asia's largest, kicked off Tuesday with an array of aerial displays including some by China's COMAC C919 narrow-body airliner.Credit: AP Photo/Vincent Thian

South Korean Air Force's Black Eagles aerobatic team performs during the first day of the Singapore Airshow in Singapore, Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024. Credit: AP Photo/Vincent Thian

A visitor wearing protective mask walks past the Boeing booth during the Singapore Airshow 2022 at Changi Exhibition Centre in Singapore, on Feb. 15, 2022. The Singapore Airshow, Asias largest, kicks off Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024 with an array of aerial displays including some by Chinas COMAC C919 narrow-body airliner. Credit: AP Photo/Suhaimi Abdullah, File

Visitors stand near an F35A aircraft on display during the first day of the Singapore Airshow in Singapore, Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024. Credit: AP Photo/Vincent Thian

South Korean Air Force's Black Eagles aerobatic team performs during the first day of the Singapore Airshow in Singapore, Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024. Credit: AP Photo/Vincent Thian

Chinas COMAC Chairman He Dongfeng, center right at the background, witnesses a signing ceremony during the first day of the Singapore Airshow in Singapore, Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024. Credit: AP Photo/Vincent Thian

Aircraft models of China's COMAC C919 and AR J21 are on display at the COMAC pavilion during the first day of the Singapore Airshow in Singapore, Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024. Credit: AP Photo/Vincent Thian

A China's Comac C919 aircraft performs during first day of Singapore Airshow in Singapore, Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024. The Singapore Airshow  Asias largest  kicked off Tuesday with an array of aerial displays including some by Chinas COMAC C919 narrow-body airliner.Credit: AP Photo/Vincent Thian

Hyundai's U.S.-based Supernal unit, which specializes in advanced mobility aircraft such as air taxis, is also an exhibitor in this year's airshow.

The event, which runs from Feb. 20 to 25, is expected to draw more than 50,000 visitors. More than 1,000 companies from over 50 countries are participating.

 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
The grass is overgrown and trees are scattered on a small parcel of open land off F.M. 159 across from Millican United Methodist Church. The land has sat vacant for years since Brooks Chapel Methodist Church closed in 1968 and moved to College Station, but had a new feature put up last week: a historical marker.

Three paragraphs provide an overview of the Millican Massacre, which is believed to be the deadliest racially motivated incident in Texas history during Reconstruction when up to 300 Black people were either killed or fled the area.

The event has long gone underknown in Texas, survived by oral histories within the local Black community and newspaper accounts from the 1860s, but now has a permanent home for passersby to know what happened in the small, unincorporated area of southern Brazos County. Several years of research from a Texas A&M University professor, her students, and other collaborators, including members of the local Black community, have allowed this historical event to become more known.

Theres so much Black history in the county, but people dont know it outside the Black community, said Amy Earhart, a Texas A&M University English professor. Black folks know, but the rest of us havent been paying attention, so this is a way we can sort of start listening and hearing because these histories are shared.

The boomtown in decline

Although Millican is home to just a few hundred people these days, it was an epicenter of early Texas and the Brazos Valley in the Civil War and Reconstruction eras.

Millican was the first county seat of Brazos County and was the end of the line on the northern route of the Houston and Texas Central Railway. Its proximity to the Brazos River led to it being a hub for trade and further transportation north. Up to 3,000 people lived in the town during the Civil War when it was home to a Confederate training camp that housed around 5,000 soldiers, according to the Texas Historical Commission.

After the Civil War, a number of Black men and women came through the town, often in search of loved ones they had been separated from during slavery. Even Frederick Douglass half-brother, Perry Downs, came to Millican and found his wife there, according to a letter from Downs to Douglass.

It became an important booming town for a moment, Earhart said. Even after the Civil War ended, there was a lot of movement in and out of Millican.

Earharts research team uncovered how the areas slave-owning population exploded before the Civil War and that Millicans population was around 40% slaves by 1860. These demographics would contribute to tensions later in the decade as the towns dynamics changed due to different factors once the Civil War ended.

In June 1865, Union troops came to Millican and took over the vacated Confederate training camp. In 1866, the railroad expanded to Bryan. In 1867, a yellow fever epidemic swept through the town and left Millican with a population of just 1,200 by 1868. Earharts team found white farmers experienced crop failures and were further impacted by the loss of slaves as workers. Many white Texans had also yet to regain voting rights since they had not reaffirmed their allegiance to the Union.

Meanwhile, the Black community rallied behind their new freedoms. Many registered to vote. George Brooks, a Methodist pastor in Millican, was often the one leading the charge. Brooks was a former slave from North Carolina and member of the United States Colored Troops who went to seminary in New Orleans and had been assigned as a pastor in Millican after graduation. Earhart said Brooks organized the Black community to arm themselves with guns and patrol the settlements to ensure safety.

White community members approached the Freedmans Bureau about Blacks being armed, but were told they had to disband the Ku Klux Klan before the Black communitys guns were taken away. Earhart said this sparked further outrage in the white community.

People talk about the Tulsa race massacre or the Wilmington race massacre, but theyre much later, Earhart said. People dont recognize this is one of the early ones and it was designed to stop voting rights, property rights, to get rid of folks like Brooks who were community leaders.

The massacre

Tensions rose between the Black and white communities in Millican and Brazos County at-large in summer 1868.

Earharts team found 15 Klan members marched through Millican on June 7, 1868, and shot at Black people who had gathered for a prayer meeting. Brooks then led his parishioners to fight back on Klan members in an armed attack and caused them to flee. Although new to town, Brooks quickly became a prominent figure and leader in the Black community.

A month later, a rumor spread that a freedman, Miles Brown, was lynched on a farm by white sons of a former slave owner. Another rumor had spread that a Black militia planned to lynch Browns killer in retaliation. The Freedmans Militia Unit went to find Browns body and had around 20 people in tow and supposedly joined by 20 others along the way. Meanwhile, word reached Millican and a posse, spearheaded by the mayor and a deputy sheriff, formed and also went to the farm. They gathered around 30 men who planned to stop the militia.

Eventually, the two groups met and the Millican mayor and a black leader met to discuss the matter. During the discussion, someone fired a gun and started a gunfight, which killed four Black men. Although the shootout was short and each side retreated, it had set off a chain of killing and violence in the town.

The mayor said a Black man fired the first shot and ordered a militia from Bryan to come and form a blockade around the town to maintain peace. Newspaper accounts said between 125-500 men were pulled from bars and brothels in the middle of the day to be put on a train that went to Millican late that night. At first, a cease fire had been agreed upon by both sides, but it wasnt maintained.

Over the next two days, up to 150 Black residents were killed, according to newspaper articles and other sources. The casualties included Brooks, who was believed to be headed to get help from the military when he was killed.

He vanished, said Lawrence Smith, a lifelong College Station resident, whos family originated in the Millican area. Nobody knew what happened to him. And they said his body was decomposed so bad they only recognized him from missing a thumb or a finger.

New information Earhart has found is a newspaper report originally in a Galveston paper, reprinted in a Massachusetts paper, of an eyewitness account from a Black man with the last name Sweed, a blacksmith in Millican who owned 100 acres. In the account, Sweed said when the white militia showed up, three men went house to house and killed every Black person they could find, which sent many running for the river bottoms. He also said there were three white men who protected Black people, including one who allegedly saved Sweeds son.

He said there were 300 people killed, which is on the high end of what the newspapers report, Earhart said, but I bet its right.

News of the incident circulated not just around the country, but around the world. The New York Times ran several reports on the events in Millican from telegrams. Newspapers in France, Austria-Hungary and Panama picked up the story.

These moments where you find more information are interesting and quite fascinating and make me realize this wasnt just a tiny little incident that happened in nobody-knows Texas, but there were these other moments, Earhart said. It was worldwide news. Theyre talking about it in New York over and over again. The New York Times reprinted tons of stories. They were fascinated. So, there were moments where you realized this was much bigger than what we thought.

The research

Uncovering information from hundreds of documents about the Millican massacre started almost a decade ago as Earhart drove through Navasota with her husband when he asked her what she knew about the city. One of them pulled up Navasotas Wikipedia page to learn more and found an entry about a riot in Millican where people were killed in the 1860s.

Soon, Earhart dug into the topic some more and thought it could serve as a real-life research project with students in her African-American literature class since they were reading fiction books about riots and massacres. They used an online portal with digitized newspapers and other documents.

Eventually, Earharts undergraduate students had compiled a number of materials. She then reached out to local community members about the project and the idea to put up a historical marker was born.

Its not helpful for me to just put this here, Earhart said. Its helpful for me to work with the community and what you all want. I didnt want to just go around and do what I thought was right. I wanted to talk to community members and I think thats the key to this.

One of the main community members Earhart has worked with over the last three years is Smith. His father came from a large Black settlement in the Peach Creek area and later moved to Petersburg Settlement in the Millican area.

I said, Lets go for it, Smith said when asked what he thought when Earhart asked him to help with the Millican massacre project. I was excited and Im very proud of her.

Toniesha Taylor, a former professor at Prairie View A&M University and now at Texas Southern University, along with Reggie Browne were key contributors in making the project come to fruition and getting the marker placed, Earhart said. Taylor helped utilize Prairie Views archives for information. Browne provided guidance on how to put together a binder to present to the Texas Historical Commission (THC) to get the marker approved. The team went through the THCs Undertold Markers Program.

Work for the marker has been completed for several years, but there was a delay in getting the marker itself since there is one foundry that makes them. There was also a challenge to ensure the marker would be placed at the site of Brooks Chapel. Finally, the marker was placed in its spot earlier this month.

This is a really hard story for some people to hear, but its part of our history, Earhart said. And it didnt happen just here. It happened in a lot of other places.

The legacy

Millican has maintained its ties to the local Black community that still deals with controversy to this day.

Smith was born in 1947 via a midwife in a house in Millican where the post office stands now. His family moved to College Station in early 1954, but frequented back to family land in Millican. Smith was a member of the last graduating class of Lincoln High School in College Station in 1965 before the school district integrated.

Petersburg was a country getaway where the Smiths could tend to cattle, pigs and hunt deer, and also a place where peanuts and watermelons were grown. Smith was the main subject of Texas Monthlys article titled, Black-Owned Land Is Under Siege in the Brazos Valley last October, which outlined how Black families have lost long-held property in the Millican area, mostly in part due to two men who have acquired plots potentially worth millions.

My mom used to say [my dad] used to spend more time down in Millican than he did at home, Smith recalled.

Oral history from Smiths family said Brooks Chapel was burned and rebuilt after the Millican massacre, which Earhart said fits the narrative of other similar events across the south in that time period. Smith remembers the rebuilt church as a single-room wooden building painted white with a steeple and a bell. Steps led up to a small porch and foyer as an entrance to the sanctuary that was full of wooden pews. There was no air conditioning.

The church stood until 1968 before it merged with another church in College Station as First United Methodist Church on Wellborn Road, where it remains today. All thats left of Brooks Chapel is some cinderblocks near the property line.

Stories about Millican had been passed down through Smiths family. He recalled his late aunt telling a secondhand account of how Brooks died. Earhart said hearing oral histories passed down to community members, like Smith, have helped corroborate documented facts.

What I hope eventually happens is we can continue to work with oral histories in the community and flush out what happened because, even with the marker here, I think theres more work to do, especially with this new eyewitness account, Earhart said.

The first time Earhart saw the marker, she said she became overwhelmed and teary-eyed. Smith said he was just full of excitement. On Friday, he went to the Lincoln Center in College Station and told people there the marker was up so they could see it themselves.

Youve got to stay prayed up and stay sincere when you go after projects, Smith said. When Dr. Earhart and I got together on this here, it kind of went longer than we thought it was going to be, but we got there.
Motley Fool Asset Management LLC bought a new position in Brookfield Co. (NYSE:BN  Free Report) in the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm bought 232,989 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $7,286,000.

A number of other large investors have also bought and sold shares of BN. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust lifted its stake in shares of Brookfield by 32.3% in the 2nd quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 1,349 shares of the companys stock valued at $45,000 after acquiring an additional 329 shares during the last quarter. Retirement Group LLC lifted its stake in shares of Brookfield by 0.5% in the 2nd quarter. Retirement Group LLC now owns 80,512 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,709,000 after acquiring an additional 389 shares during the last quarter. Maryland State Retirement & Pension System lifted its stake in shares of Brookfield by 0.8% in the 3rd quarter. Maryland State Retirement & Pension System now owns 50,507 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,580,000 after acquiring an additional 410 shares during the last quarter. Moors & Cabot Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Brookfield by 3.1% in the 3rd quarter. Moors & Cabot Inc. now owns 13,891 shares of the companys stock valued at $434,000 after acquiring an additional 416 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV increased its holdings in Brookfield by 39.2% during the 3rd quarter. Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV now owns 1,491 shares of the companys stock valued at $47,000 after purchasing an additional 420 shares during the period. 58.22% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Insider Activity

In other news, major shareholder Gp Ltd Bcp sold 3,922,786 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $2.20, for a total value of $8,630,129.20. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 23,352,826 shares in the company, valued at approximately $51,376,217.20. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In other Brookfield news, Director Ocm Growth Holdings Llc sold 12,365 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, December 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $12.76, for a total value of $157,777.40. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 16,492,168 shares in the company, valued at approximately $210,440,063.68. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, major shareholder Gp Ltd Bcp sold 3,922,786 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $2.20, for a total value of $8,630,129.20. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 23,352,826 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $51,376,217.20. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 6,545,283 shares of company stock valued at $22,555,512 in the last ninety days. 11.00% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Brookfield Stock Up 0.4 %

BN stock traded up $0.18 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting $40.53. The companys stock had a trading volume of 2,128,871 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,444,072. The company has a market cap of $66.46 billion, a PE ratio of 65.08 and a beta of 1.50. Brookfield Co. has a 12 month low of $28.25 and a 12 month high of $41.60. The company has a current ratio of 1.15, a quick ratio of 0.99 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.35. The firms 50-day moving average is $39.57 and its 200-day moving average is $35.39.

Brookfield (NYSE:BN  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 8th. The company reported $0.83 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.69 by $0.14. The business had revenue of $24.52 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.15 billion. Brookfield had a return on equity of 3.22% and a net margin of 1.18%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 1.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $1.12 EPS. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Brookfield Co. will post 3.75 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Brookfield Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 28th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, March 13th will be issued a dividend of $0.08 per share. This represents a $0.32 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.79%. This is a boost from Brookfields previous quarterly dividend of $0.07. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, March 12th. Brookfields dividend payout ratio is presently 45.16%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts recently issued reports on BN shares. BMO Capital Markets boosted their price target on Brookfield from $42.00 to $44.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Friday, February 9th. TheStreet upgraded Brookfield from a c rating to a b rating in a report on Thursday, February 8th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on Brookfield from $48.00 to $52.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, February 1st. Scotiabank upped their target price on Brookfield from $49.00 to $50.00 and gave the stock a sector outperform rating in a report on Friday, February 9th. Finally, CIBC upped their target price on Brookfield from $46.00 to $52.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Friday, February 9th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seven have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $47.45.

Check Out Our Latest Research Report on Brookfield

About Brookfield

(Free Report)

Brookfield Corporation is an alternative asset manager and REIT/Real Estate Investment Manager firm focuses on real estate, renewable power, infrastructure and venture capital and private equity assets. It manages a range of public and private investment products and services for institutional and retail clients.

Further Reading

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Aigen Investment Management LP purchased a new stake in Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM  Free Report) during the third quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund purchased 8,412 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $779,000.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the stock. Cetera Advisor Networks LLC increased its stake in Philip Morris International by 10.4% during the second quarter. Cetera Advisor Networks LLC now owns 213,136 shares of the companys stock worth $20,806,000 after purchasing an additional 20,104 shares during the period. Aspen Grove Capital LLC increased its stake in Philip Morris International by 13.0% during the 2nd quarter. Aspen Grove Capital LLC now owns 4,756 shares of the companys stock worth $470,000 after buying an additional 547 shares during the period. Berger Financial Group Inc increased its position in shares of Philip Morris International by 3.0% during the second quarter. Berger Financial Group Inc now owns 3,902 shares of the companys stock worth $381,000 after acquiring an additional 113 shares during the period. Cetera Investment Advisers increased its position in shares of Philip Morris International by 1.5% during the second quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 120,894 shares of the companys stock worth $11,802,000 after acquiring an additional 1,764 shares during the period. Finally, Elevated Capital Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of Philip Morris International by 2.8% during the second quarter. Elevated Capital Advisors LLC now owns 17,016 shares of the companys stock worth $1,661,000 after acquiring an additional 471 shares during the period. 79.70% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Philip Morris International news, insider Wilde Frederic De sold 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, November 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $94.25, for a total transaction of $942,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 198,447 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $18,703,629.75. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 0.15% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Philip Morris International Price Performance

NYSE PM opened at $89.65 on Tuesday. The firms fifty day moving average price is $92.83 and its 200 day moving average price is $93.07. The company has a market capitalization of $139.17 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.86, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.02 and a beta of 0.63. Philip Morris International Inc. has a 12 month low of $87.23 and a 12 month high of $102.00.

Philip Morris International (NYSE:PM  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 8th. The company reported $1.36 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.44 by ($0.08). The firm had revenue of $9.05 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $8.99 billion. Philip Morris International had a negative return on equity of 116.29% and a net margin of 8.53%. The companys quarterly revenue was up 11.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $1.39 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Philip Morris International Inc. will post 6.4 earnings per share for the current year.

Philip Morris International Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, January 10th. Investors of record on Thursday, December 21st were paid a dividend of $1.30 per share. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.80%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, December 20th. Philip Morris Internationals dividend payout ratio is currently 103.59%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several brokerages have weighed in on PM. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on Philip Morris International from $110.00 to $115.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, November 29th. Societe Generale upgraded shares of Philip Morris International from a sell rating to a hold rating and set a $87.50 target price on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, February 13th. Redburn Atlantic started coverage on shares of Philip Morris International in a research note on Thursday, November 16th. They set a neutral rating and a $95.00 target price on the stock. Finally, UBS Group downgraded shares of Philip Morris International from a buy rating to a sell rating and dropped their price objective for the company from $105.00 to $86.50 in a research report on Tuesday, January 23rd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $105.40.

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Philip Morris International Company Profile

(Free Report)

Philip Morris International Inc operates as a tobacco company working to delivers a smoke-free future and evolving portfolio for the long-term to include products outside of the tobacco and nicotine sector. The company's product portfolio primarily consists of cigarettes and smoke-free products, including heat-not-burn, vapor, and oral nicotine products primarily under the IQOS and ZYN brands; and consumer accessories, such as lighters and matches.

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Longbow Finance SA decreased its holdings in shares of Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT  Free Report) by 0.3% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 84,270 shares of the healthcare product makers stock after selling 290 shares during the quarter. Longbow Finance SAs holdings in Abbott Laboratories were worth $8,162,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in ABT. BlackRock Inc. increased its position in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 1.2% during the 2nd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 137,153,545 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $14,952,480,000 after purchasing an additional 1,584,552 shares in the last quarter. Capital Research Global Investors increased its position in Abbott Laboratories by 1.1% in the 2nd quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 77,225,258 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $8,419,032,000 after acquiring an additional 820,369 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp increased its position in Abbott Laboratories by 1.9% in the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 74,817,109 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $8,156,561,000 after acquiring an additional 1,362,889 shares in the last quarter. Capital International Investors increased its position in Abbott Laboratories by 4.9% in the 2nd quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 59,178,607 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $6,451,127,000 after acquiring an additional 2,747,652 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Morgan Stanley increased its position in Abbott Laboratories by 14.3% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 38,966,499 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $4,278,132,000 after acquiring an additional 4,886,954 shares in the last quarter. 73.70% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts have weighed in on ABT shares. Barclays raised their price objective on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $133.00 to $141.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, January 26th. Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed an outperform rating and issued a $128.00 target price on shares of Abbott Laboratories in a research note on Wednesday, February 14th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $116.00 to $121.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 13th. Raymond James lifted their price objective on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $124.00 to $127.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, January 25th. Finally, TheStreet raised shares of Abbott Laboratories from a c+ rating to a b- rating in a research note on Thursday, December 21st. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $120.00.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Abbott Laboratories news, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 15,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Thursday, December 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $108.00, for a total value of $1,620,000.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 65,027 shares in the company, valued at $7,022,916. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In other Abbott Laboratories news, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 42,500 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, January 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $112.50, for a total value of $4,781,250.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 65,027 shares in the company, valued at $7,315,537.50. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 15,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Thursday, December 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $108.00, for a total transaction of $1,620,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 65,027 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $7,022,916. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 1.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Abbott Laboratories Stock Up 2.1 %

Shares of NYSE ABT traded up $2.40 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $116.41. The companys stock had a trading volume of 6,115,306 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,419,575. The company has a current ratio of 1.74, a quick ratio of 1.23 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38. Abbott Laboratories has a fifty-two week low of $89.67 and a fifty-two week high of $117.19. The stock has a market capitalization of $202.09 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 35.82, a PEG ratio of 2.75 and a beta of 0.75. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $111.59 and a 200-day simple moving average of $104.00.

Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT  Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, January 24th. The healthcare product maker reported $1.19 earnings per share for the quarter, hitting analysts consensus estimates of $1.19. The business had revenue of $10.24 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $10.19 billion. Abbott Laboratories had a net margin of 14.27% and a return on equity of 20.84%. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 1.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $1.03 earnings per share. Equities research analysts predict that Abbott Laboratories will post 4.61 earnings per share for the current year.

Abbott Laboratories Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 15th. Investors of record on Friday, January 12th were issued a dividend of $0.55 per share. This represents a $2.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.89%. This is an increase from Abbott Laboratoriess previous quarterly dividend of $0.51. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, January 11th. Abbott Laboratoriess payout ratio is presently 67.48%.

Abbott Laboratories Company Profile

(Free Report)

Abbott Laboratories, together with its subsidiaries, discovers, develops, manufactures, and sells health care products worldwide. It operates in four segments: Established Pharmaceutical Products, Diagnostic Products, Nutritional Products, and Medical Devices. The 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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Acadian Asset Management LLC lowered its position in shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO  Free Report) by 9.7% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 1,599,110 shares of the companys stock after selling 171,072 shares during the quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC owned about 0.09% of Altria Group worth $67,229,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Capital World Investors raised its stake in shares of Altria Group by 8.5% during the 2nd quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 96,401,945 shares of the companys stock valued at $4,367,008,000 after buying an additional 7,546,851 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp raised its stake in shares of Altria Group by 1.8% during the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 70,564,529 shares of the companys stock valued at $3,262,710,000 after buying an additional 1,240,150 shares during the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. raised its stake in shares of Altria Group by 1.9% during the 3rd quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 44,456,064 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,857,271,000 after buying an additional 840,559 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Altria Group by 3.3% during the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 37,025,033 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,672,836,000 after buying an additional 1,168,982 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Bank of New York Mellon Corp increased its stake in shares of Altria Group by 5.1% in the 3rd quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 24,517,169 shares of the companys stock valued at $990,002,000 after purchasing an additional 1,192,266 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 58.94% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

MO has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. UBS Group restated a sell rating and issued a $36.10 price target on shares of Altria Group in a research note on Tuesday, January 23rd. StockNews.com lowered Altria Group from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 14th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have assigned a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $47.22.

Altria Group Trading Up 1.0 %

Altria Group stock traded up $0.40 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $40.58. The companys stock had a trading volume of 1,509,678 shares, compared to its average volume of 8,916,469. The firm has a market capitalization of $71.77 billion, a PE ratio of 8.79, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.42 and a beta of 0.66. Altria Group, Inc. has a 1 year low of $39.06 and a 1 year high of $48.07. The stocks fifty day moving average is $40.82 and its two-hundred day moving average is $41.80.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 1st. The company reported $1.18 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.17 by $0.01. Altria Group had a negative return on equity of 243.71% and a net margin of 33.21%. The company had revenue of $5.02 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $5.06 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $1.18 earnings per share. The firms revenue was down 1.2% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts expect that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.08 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Altria Group Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, January 10th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, December 21st were paid a dividend of $0.98 per share. This represents a $3.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 9.66%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, December 20th. Altria Groups dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 85.78%.

Altria Group announced that its Board of Directors has initiated a stock repurchase plan on Thursday, February 1st that authorizes the company to repurchase $1.00 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the company to repurchase up to 1.4% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase plans are usually an indication that the companys management believes its shares are undervalued.

Altria Group Profile

(Free Report)

Altria Group, Inc, through its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells smokeable and oral tobacco products in the United States. The company provides cigarettes primarily under the Marlboro brand; cigars and pipe tobacco principally under the Black & Mild brand; moist smokeless tobacco products and snus products under the Copenhagen, Skoal, Red Seal, and Husky brands; and on! oral nicotine pouches.

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Acadian Asset Management LLC reduced its stake in Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY  Free Report) by 32.8% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 762,681 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after selling 371,495 shares during the quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLCs holdings in Bristol-Myers Squibb were worth $44,251,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the stock. V Square Quantitative Management LLC raised its position in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb by 32.1% in the 3rd quarter. V Square Quantitative Management LLC now owns 17,018 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $988,000 after purchasing an additional 4,140 shares during the last quarter. Rathbones Group PLC increased its holdings in Bristol-Myers Squibb by 128.6% in the 3rd quarter. Rathbones Group PLC now owns 57,564 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $3,341,000 after buying an additional 32,379 shares during the period. Stokes Family Office LLC increased its holdings in Bristol-Myers Squibb by 0.6% in the 3rd quarter. Stokes Family Office LLC now owns 41,835 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $2,428,000 after buying an additional 248 shares during the period. Glenview Trust co increased its holdings in Bristol-Myers Squibb by 0.4% in the 3rd quarter. Glenview Trust co now owns 109,894 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $6,378,000 after buying an additional 447 shares during the period. Finally, Claret Asset Management Corp increased its holdings in Bristol-Myers Squibb by 1.0% in the 3rd quarter. Claret Asset Management Corp now owns 134,225 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $7,790,000 after buying an additional 1,323 shares during the period. 74.98% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Bristol-Myers Squibb Trading Up 1.0 %

Shares of BMY stock traded up $0.50 on Tuesday, hitting $50.36. 2,212,499 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 15,446,685. The firms 50-day moving average price is $50.42 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $54.15. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.24, a quick ratio of 1.31 and a current ratio of 1.43. The stock has a market capitalization of $101.84 billion, a PE ratio of 12.92, a PEG ratio of 1.51 and a beta of 0.38. Bristol-Myers Squibb has a twelve month low of $47.58 and a twelve month high of $71.98.

Bristol-Myers Squibb ( NYSE:BMY Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Friday, February 2nd. The biopharmaceutical company reported $1.70 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.55 by $0.15. Bristol-Myers Squibb had a net margin of 17.83% and a return on equity of 50.95%. The company had revenue of $11.48 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $11.19 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $1.82 earnings per share. Bristol-Myers Squibbs revenue for the quarter was up .6% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts anticipate that Bristol-Myers Squibb will post 6.61 EPS for the current year.

Bristol-Myers Squibb announced that its board has authorized a share buyback program on Thursday, December 7th that permits the company to buyback $3.00 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization permits the biopharmaceutical company to purchase up to 2.9% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are usually a sign that the companys board believes its shares are undervalued.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 5th were given a $0.60 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, January 4th. This represents a $2.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.77%. This is a boost from Bristol-Myers Squibbs previous quarterly dividend of $0.57. Bristol-Myers Squibbs dividend payout ratio is presently 62.18%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Bristol-Myers Squibb

In related news, CEO Christopher S. Boerner bought 2,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 5th. The shares were bought at an average price of $49.78 per share, with a total value of $99,560.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 82,672 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,115,412.16. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. In other Bristol-Myers Squibb news, CEO Christopher S. Boerner purchased 3,071 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, November 28th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $48.86 per share, for a total transaction of $150,049.06. Following the completion of the purchase, the chief executive officer now directly owns 79,384 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,878,702.24. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Christopher S. Boerner purchased 2,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 5th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $49.78 per share, for a total transaction of $99,560.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the chief executive officer now directly owns 82,672 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,115,412.16. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. 0.08% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

BMY has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. Morgan Stanley dropped their price objective on shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb from $56.00 to $50.00 and set an underweight rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, October 27th. BMO Capital Markets cut shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb from an outperform rating to a market perform rating and set a $60.00 price objective on the stock. in a research note on Friday, October 27th. Barclays dropped their price target on shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb from $60.00 to $51.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, October 27th. StockNews.com raised shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 13th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald cut shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb from an overweight rating to a neutral rating and dropped their price target for the company from $68.00 to $55.00 in a research note on Wednesday, November 15th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, fifteen have given a hold rating, three have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $61.17.

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Bristol-Myers Squibb Company Profile

(Free Report)

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company discovers, develops, licenses, manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells biopharmaceutical products worldwide. It offers products for hematology, oncology, cardiovascular, immunology, fibrotic, and neuroscience diseases. The company's products include Eliquis, 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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Air Lease (NYSE:AL  Get Free Report) had its target price upped by investment analysts at BMO Capital Markets from $54.00 to $55.00 in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday, Benzinga reports. The firm presently has an outperform rating on the transportation companys stock. BMO Capital Markets price target would suggest a potential upside of 34.47% from the stocks previous close.

AL has been the topic of a number of other reports. StockNews.com cut shares of Air Lease from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Thursday, February 15th. Barclays lifted their target price on shares of Air Lease from $46.00 to $48.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, January 25th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Air Lease presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $53.00.

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View Our Latest Report on Air Lease

Air Lease Trading Down 0.4 %

Shares of AL traded down $0.17 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting $40.90. The stock had a trading volume of 75,563 shares, compared to its average volume of 679,319. Air Lease has a 1 year low of $33.33 and a 1 year high of $45.17. The firm has a market cap of $4.54 billion, a PE ratio of 7.95, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.73 and a beta of 1.64. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.68, a current ratio of 0.40 and a quick ratio of 0.40. The stocks 50 day moving average is $41.33 and its 200 day moving average is $39.51.

Air Lease (NYSE:AL  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 15th. The transportation company reported $1.89 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.10 by $0.79. The company had revenue of $716.57 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $672.95 million. Air Lease had a net margin of 22.89% and a return on equity of 8.87%. The firms revenue was up 19.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $1.21 EPS. As a group, analysts forecast that Air Lease will post 4.8 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. grew its holdings in shares of Air Lease by 48.0% in the second quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 6,722,960 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $281,356,000 after purchasing an additional 2,180,549 shares during the period. Invesco Ltd. grew its holdings in shares of Air Lease by 141.3% in the first quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 3,714,362 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $165,846,000 after purchasing an additional 2,175,100 shares during the period. Wellington Management Group LLP grew its holdings in shares of Air Lease by 36.7% in the first quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 5,446,382 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $243,180,000 after purchasing an additional 1,460,769 shares during the period. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership purchased a new stake in shares of Air Lease in the first quarter valued at about $58,077,000. Finally, Penn Capital Management Company LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Air Lease in the first quarter valued at about $46,494,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 88.16% of the companys stock.

About Air Lease

(Get Free Report)

Air Lease Corporation, an aircraft leasing company, engages in the purchase and leasing of commercial jet aircraft to airlines worldwide. It also sells aircraft from its fleet to third parties, including other leasing companies, financial services companies, airlines, and other investors. In addition, the company provides fleet management services to investors and owners of aircraft portfolios.

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Altshuler Shaham Ltd decreased its position in HF Sinclair Co. (NYSE:DINO  Free Report) by 39.0% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 1,190 shares of the companys stock after selling 762 shares during the period. Altshuler Shaham Ltds holdings in HF Sinclair were worth $68,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Campion Asset Management lifted its position in HF Sinclair by 2.6% during the second quarter. Campion Asset Management now owns 7,985 shares of the companys stock worth $356,000 after buying an additional 200 shares during the period. CWM LLC lifted its position in HF Sinclair by 9.0% during the second quarter. CWM LLC now owns 2,484 shares of the companys stock worth $111,000 after buying an additional 206 shares during the period. Unison Advisors LLC increased its stake in HF Sinclair by 1.0% during the third quarter. Unison Advisors LLC now owns 21,135 shares of the companys stock worth $1,203,000 after acquiring an additional 210 shares during the last quarter. Coldstream Capital Management Inc. increased its stake in HF Sinclair by 2.7% during the third quarter. Coldstream Capital Management Inc. now owns 8,570 shares of the companys stock worth $488,000 after acquiring an additional 223 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Cetera Investment Advisers increased its stake in HF Sinclair by 1.6% during the second quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 16,357 shares of the companys stock worth $730,000 after acquiring an additional 262 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 89.15% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Separately, UBS Group upgraded HF Sinclair from a neutral rating to a buy rating and upped their price target for the stock from $64.00 to $73.00 in a research note on Wednesday, February 14th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, HF Sinclair has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $63.70.

Insider Buying and Selling at HF Sinclair

In other HF Sinclair news, Director James H. Lee sold 2,643 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $52.30, for a total transaction of $138,228.90. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 65,919 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,447,563.70. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In other HF Sinclair news, EVP Vaishali S. Bhatia sold 18,465 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $54.24, for a total transaction of $1,001,541.60. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 51,924 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,816,357.76. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, Director James H. Lee sold 2,643 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $52.30, for a total value of $138,228.90. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 65,919 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,447,563.70. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.26% of the stock is owned by insiders.

HF Sinclair Stock Down 1.6 %

Shares of DINO stock traded down $0.96 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $59.15. The company had a trading volume of 393,784 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,713,896. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.27, a quick ratio of 1.23 and a current ratio of 2.13. HF Sinclair Co. has a twelve month low of $37.12 and a twelve month high of $62.20. The company has a market capitalization of $10.63 billion, a P/E ratio of 5.15, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.18 and a beta of 1.28. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $55.79 and its 200 day simple moving average is $55.79.

HF Sinclair (NYSE:DINO  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, February 21st. The company reported $0.72 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.67 by $0.05. HF Sinclair had a return on equity of 21.92% and a net margin of 6.73%. During the same period last year, the company earned $2.97 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that HF Sinclair Co. will post 9.39 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

HF Sinclair Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 5th. Shareholders of record on Monday, February 26th will be paid a dividend of $0.50 per share. This represents a $2.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.38%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 23rd. This is a positive change from HF Sinclairs previous quarterly dividend of $0.45. HF Sinclairs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 15.57%.

HF Sinclair Profile

(Free Report)

HF Sinclair Corporation operates as an independent energy company. It produces and markets gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel, renewable diesel, specialty lubricant products, specialty chemicals, specialty and modified asphalt, and others. The company also owns and operates refineries located in Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming; and markets its refined products principally in the Southwest United States and Rocky Mountains, Pacific Northwest, and in other neighboring Plains states.

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River Road Asset Management LLC decreased its holdings in shares of Apollo Global Management, Inc. (NYSE:APO  Free Report) by 0.5% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 72,462 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 395 shares during the period. River Road Asset Management LLCs holdings in Apollo Global Management were worth $6,504,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc. lifted its position in shares of Apollo Global Management by 23.4% in the third quarter. Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc. now owns 674 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $60,000 after purchasing an additional 128 shares in the last quarter. Signaturefd LLC lifted its position in shares of Apollo Global Management by 1.9% in the second quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 7,160 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $550,000 after purchasing an additional 132 shares in the last quarter. MML Investors Services LLC lifted its position in shares of Apollo Global Management by 1.3% in the second quarter. MML Investors Services LLC now owns 11,144 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $856,000 after purchasing an additional 145 shares in the last quarter. Golden State Equity Partners lifted its position in shares of Apollo Global Management by 5.0% in the third quarter. Golden State Equity Partners now owns 3,308 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $297,000 after purchasing an additional 157 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Proficio Capital Partners LLC lifted its position in shares of Apollo Global Management by 3.4% in the third quarter. Proficio Capital Partners LLC now owns 5,096 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $457,000 after purchasing an additional 168 shares in the last quarter. 60.86% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages recently weighed in on APO. Citigroup raised their price objective on shares of Apollo Global Management from $111.00 to $125.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 13th. BMO Capital Markets cut their price objective on shares of Apollo Global Management from $103.00 to $98.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, November 3rd. TD Cowen began coverage on shares of Apollo Global Management in a research report on Thursday, January 4th. They set an outperform rating and a $115.00 price objective on the stock. Barclays raised their price objective on shares of Apollo Global Management from $118.00 to $122.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Monday, February 12th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on shares of Apollo Global Management from $110.00 to $118.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, February 9th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Apollo Global Management currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $104.55.

Insider Transactions at Apollo Global Management

In other Apollo Global Management news, CFO Martin Kelly sold 14,000 shares of Apollo Global Management stock in a transaction on Monday, February 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $109.09, for a total transaction of $1,527,260.00. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 366,572 shares in the company, valued at $39,989,339.48. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. In other Apollo Global Management news, CFO Martin Kelly sold 14,000 shares of Apollo Global Management stock in a transaction on Monday, February 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $109.09, for a total transaction of $1,527,260.00. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 366,572 shares in the company, valued at $39,989,339.48. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, insider James C. Zelter sold 150,000 shares of Apollo Global Management stock in a transaction on Monday, February 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $109.16, for a total transaction of $16,374,000.00. Following the sale, the insider now owns 1,454,588 shares in the company, valued at approximately $158,782,826.08. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 234,000 shares of company stock worth $24,260,760. Insiders own 8.70% of the companys stock.

Apollo Global Management Stock Performance

Shares of Apollo Global Management stock traded down $2.10 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting $110.61. The company had a trading volume of 362,059 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,483,608. The businesss 50 day simple moving average is $98.59 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $90.94. The stock has a market cap of $62.78 billion, a PE ratio of 13.40, a P/E/G ratio of 0.97 and a beta of 1.63. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.43, a current ratio of 1.19 and a quick ratio of 1.19. Apollo Global Management, Inc. has a 1-year low of $55.16 and a 1-year high of $115.03.

Apollo Global Management Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, February 29th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 20th will be paid a $0.43 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 16th. This represents a $1.72 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.56%. Apollo Global Managements payout ratio is 20.45%.

Apollo Global Management Profile

(Free Report)

Apollo Global Management, Inc is a private equity firm specializing in investments in credit, private equity and real estate markets. The firm's private equity investments include traditional buyouts, recapitalization, distressed buyouts and debt investments in real estate, corporate partner buyouts, distressed asset, corporate carve-outs, middle market, growth capital, turnaround, bridge, corporate restructuring, special situation, acquisition, and industry consolidation transactions.

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Ontario Teachers Pension Plan Board lowered its stake in shares of Atmos Energy Co. (NYSE:ATO  Free Report) by 25.5% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 61,614 shares of the utilities providers stock after selling 21,128 shares during the period. Ontario Teachers Pension Plan Boards holdings in Atmos Energy were worth $6,527,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. LPL Financial LLC raised its stake in shares of Atmos Energy by 12.4% in the 2nd quarter. LPL Financial LLC now owns 69,213 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $8,052,000 after acquiring an additional 7,612 shares during the period. Cibc World Markets Corp raised its stake in shares of Atmos Energy by 133.8% in the 2nd quarter. Cibc World Markets Corp now owns 16,929 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $1,970,000 after acquiring an additional 9,689 shares during the period. Franklin Resources Inc. raised its stake in shares of Atmos Energy by 169.7% in the 2nd quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 87,297 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $10,156,000 after acquiring an additional 54,927 shares during the period. Mitsubishi UFJ Kokusai Asset Management Co. Ltd. raised its stake in shares of Atmos Energy by 6.2% in the 2nd quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Kokusai Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 188,162 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $21,891,000 after acquiring an additional 10,948 shares during the period. Finally, New York Life Investment Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Atmos Energy by 3.4% in the 3rd quarter. New York Life Investment Management LLC now owns 21,198 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $2,246,000 after acquiring an additional 693 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 90.98% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages have recently commented on ATO. Mizuho raised their target price on shares of Atmos Energy from $131.00 to $133.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, December 14th. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Atmos Energy from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research note on Friday, November 17th. Morgan Stanley lowered their price target on shares of Atmos Energy from $115.00 to $110.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, November 21st. Finally, Barclays lowered their price target on shares of Atmos Energy from $116.00 to $115.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a report on Monday, January 22nd. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have issued a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $123.20.

Atmos Energy Stock Up 0.3 %

ATO traded up $0.32 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $114.27. 270,554 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 783,333. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $114.61 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $113.27. The company has a market cap of $17.24 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.09, a PEG ratio of 2.39 and a beta of 0.67. Atmos Energy Co. has a fifty-two week low of $101.00 and a fifty-two week high of $125.28. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67, a current ratio of 1.44 and a quick ratio of 1.25.

Atmos Energy (NYSE:ATO  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 7th. The utilities provider reported $2.08 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.09 by ($0.01). The company had revenue of $1.16 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.71 billion. Atmos Energy had a return on equity of 8.62% and a net margin of 23.43%. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $1.91 earnings per share. As a group, analysts forecast that Atmos Energy Co. will post 6.57 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Atmos Energy Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 11th. Shareholders of record on Monday, February 26th will be issued a dividend of $0.805 per share. This represents a $3.22 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.82%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 23rd. Atmos Energys dividend payout ratio is currently 51.11%.

Atmos Energy Profile

(Free Report)

Atmos Energy Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the regulated natural gas distribution, and pipeline and storage businesses in the United States. It operates through two segments, Distribution, and Pipeline and Storage. The Distribution segment is involved in the regulated natural gas distribution and related sales operations in eight states.

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Avalon Global Asset Management LLC grew its position in shares of MYT Netherlands Parent B.V. (NYSE:MYTE  Free Report) by 8.5% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 637,000 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 50,000 shares during the quarter. MYT Netherlands Parent B.V. accounts for approximately 0.8% of Avalon Global Asset Management LLCs holdings, making the stock its 27th largest position. Avalon Global Asset Management LLC owned approximately 0.75% of MYT Netherlands Parent B.V. worth $2,166,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of MYTE. Vontobel Holding Ltd. increased its holdings in MYT Netherlands Parent B.V. by 12.0% during the third quarter. Vontobel Holding Ltd. now owns 154,900 shares of the companys stock valued at $527,000 after buying an additional 16,570 shares during the last quarter. Northside Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of MYT Netherlands Parent B.V. in the 3rd quarter worth $54,000. Renaissance Technologies LLC bought a new position in MYT Netherlands Parent B.V. in the 4th quarter worth $179,000. Trexquant Investment LP lifted its position in MYT Netherlands Parent B.V. by 24.4% during the third quarter. Trexquant Investment LP now owns 12,965 shares of the companys stock valued at $149,000 after purchasing an additional 2,545 shares in the last quarter. Finally, BlackRock Inc. bought a new stake in MYT Netherlands Parent B.V. during the first quarter valued at about $137,000. 12.23% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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MYT Netherlands Parent B.V. Price Performance

MYTE traded down $0.01 on Tuesday, hitting $2.99. 19,026 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 51,318. MYT Netherlands Parent B.V. has a one year low of $2.05 and a one year high of $9.67. The company has a current ratio of 2.02, a quick ratio of 0.25 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.10. The firm has a market cap of $253.82 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -8.57 and a beta of 1.06. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $3.06 and its 200-day simple moving average is $3.21.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

MYT Netherlands Parent B.V. ( NYSE:MYTE Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, November 28th. The company reported ($0.15) earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of ($0.13) by ($0.02). The firm had revenue of $204.38 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $189.84 million. MYT Netherlands Parent B.V. had a negative net margin of 3.58% and a negative return on equity of 6.30%. As a group, research analysts anticipate that MYT Netherlands Parent B.V. will post -0.23 EPS for the current year.

Separately, UBS Group decreased their price objective on MYT Netherlands Parent B.V. from $5.00 to $4.75 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Friday. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $6.04.

Read Our Latest Report on MYT Netherlands Parent B.V.

MYT Netherlands Parent B.V. Profile

(Free Report)

MYT Netherlands Parent B.V., through its subsidiary, Mytheresa Group GmbH, operates a luxury e-commerce platform for fashion consumers in Germany, the United States, rest of Europe, and internationally. It offers womenswear, menswear, kids wear, and lifestyle products. The company sells clothes, bags, shoes, accessories, and fine jewelry through online and retail stores.

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Banco Santander, S.A. (LON:BNC  Get Free Report) announced a dividend on Monday, February 19th, Upcoming.Co.Uk reports. Shareholders of record on Monday, April 29th will be paid a dividend of 0.10 ($0.10) per share on Thursday, May 2nd. This represents a yield of 2.62%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, April 29th. This is an increase from Banco Santanders previous dividend of $0.08. The official announcement can be viewed at this link.

Banco Santander Stock Up 1.4 %

Shares of BNC opened at GBX 322.56 ($4.06) on Tuesday. Banco Santander has a 52-week low of GBX 257 ($3.24) and a 52-week high of GBX 343.50 ($4.33). The firms fifty day moving average is GBX 321.83 and its two-hundred day moving average is GBX 313.76. The stock has a market cap of 51.03 billion, a PE ratio of 567.86, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.68 and a beta of 1.34.

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Insider Transactions at Banco Santander

In related news, insider Francisco Javier Botin purchased 20,016,000 shares of Banco Santander stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 15th. The shares were acquired at an average price of GBX 340 ($4.28) per share, for a total transaction of 68,054,400 ($85,689,247.04). Insiders own 0.39% of the companys stock.

Banco Santander Company Profile

Banco Santander, SA provides various retail and commercial banking products and services to individuals, small and medium-sized enterprises, and large companies worldwide. The company operates through Retail Banking, Santander Corporate & Investment Banking, Wealth Management & Insurance, and PagoNxt segments.

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Barrick Gold (TSE:ABX  Free Report) (NYSE:ABX) had its price objective decreased by Raymond James from C$28.00 to C$24.00 in a report issued on Friday morning, BayStreet.CA reports. Raymond James also issued estimates for Barrick Golds FY2024 earnings at $1.15 EPS.

Several other equities research analysts have also recently weighed in on the company. TD Securities reissued a buy rating and set a C$34.50 price objective on shares of Barrick Gold in a research note on Thursday, November 2nd. CIBC reiterated an outperform rating and set a C$31.00 price objective on shares of Barrick Gold in a report on Thursday, February 15th. National Bankshares cut their price target on Barrick Gold from C$29.00 to C$28.00 and set a sector perform rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, February 6th. Stifel Nicolaus lowered their target price on shares of Barrick Gold from C$30.00 to C$25.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, January 26th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein decreased their target price on shares of Barrick Gold from C$30.00 to C$29.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, January 25th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Barrick Gold presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of C$28.81.

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Barrick Gold Price Performance

Barrick Gold Cuts Dividend

TSE:ABX opened at C$19.74 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 2.62, a current ratio of 3.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 15.06. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is C$22.07 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is C$21.91. The stock has a market cap of C$34.74 billion, a PE ratio of 493.50, a P/E/G ratio of 1.18 and a beta of 0.40. Barrick Gold has a 52 week low of C$18.65 and a 52 week high of C$28.19.

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 15th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 29th will be issued a $0.10 dividend. This represents a $0.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.03%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, February 28th. Barrick Golds dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 1,350.00%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Barrick Gold

In other news, Senior Officer Christine Elizabeth Keener acquired 30,833 shares of Barrick Gold stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 15th. The shares were acquired at an average price of C$17.57 per share, with a total value of C$541,735.81. In related news, Director Dennis Mark Bristow acquired 108,880 shares of Barrick Gold stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 22nd. The shares were purchased at an average cost of C$16.20 per share, for a total transaction of C$1,763,856.00. Also, Senior Officer Christine Elizabeth Keener purchased 30,833 shares of Barrick Gold stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 15th. The stock was acquired at an average price of C$17.57 per share, for a total transaction of C$541,735.81. Insiders have acquired 157,921 shares of company stock valued at $2,604,355 over the last quarter. Corporate insiders own 0.61% of the companys stock.

Barrick Gold Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Barrick Gold Corporation engages in the exploration, mine development, production, and sale of gold and copper properties in Canada and internationally. The company also explores and sells silver and energy materials. It has ownership interests in producing gold mines located in Argentina, Canada, Cote d'Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Dominican Republic, Mali, Tanzania, and the United States.

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Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Limited (ASX:BEN  Get Free Report) announced a interim dividend on Tuesday, February 20th, MarketIndexAU reports. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 25th will be paid a dividend of 0.30 per share on Monday, March 25th. This represents a yield of 3.05%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, February 21st. This is an increase from Bendigo and Adelaide Banks previous interim dividend of $0.29.

Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Stock Performance

Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Limited provides banking and financial products and services to retail customers and small to medium sized businesses in Australia. The company operates through Consumer, Business and Agribusiness, and Corporate segments. It offers a range of products and services, including personal and business banking, financial planning, commercial mortgages and unsecured loans, investment products, insurance, and superannuation.

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Bison Wealth LLC boosted its stake in Phillips 66 (NYSE:PSX  Free Report) by 111.7% in the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 6,142 shares of the oil and gas companys stock after acquiring an additional 3,241 shares during the quarter. Bison Wealth LLCs holdings in Phillips 66 were worth $738,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC boosted its position in shares of Phillips 66 by 134.8% in the third quarter. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC now owns 263 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $32,000 after acquiring an additional 151 shares during the period. First Capital Advisors Group LLC. bought a new position in Phillips 66 in the 2nd quarter valued at $25,000. Bell Investment Advisors Inc grew its position in shares of Phillips 66 by 82.1% during the 3rd quarter. Bell Investment Advisors Inc now owns 306 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $37,000 after purchasing an additional 138 shares in the last quarter. WFA of San Diego LLC bought a new position in shares of Phillips 66 in the second quarter worth $30,000. Finally, Worth Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Phillips 66 in the first quarter worth $32,000. Institutional investors own 71.83% of the companys stock.

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Insider Transactions at Phillips 66

In other Phillips 66 news, EVP Richard G. Harbison sold 21,934 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $146.27, for a total transaction of $3,208,286.18. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 24,941 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,648,120.07. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In related news, EVP Richard G. Harbison sold 21,934 shares of Phillips 66 stock in a transaction on Monday, February 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $146.27, for a total value of $3,208,286.18. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 24,941 shares in the company, valued at $3,648,120.07. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CFO Kevin J. Mitchell sold 31,700 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Friday, December 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $130.21, for a total transaction of $4,127,657.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 103,351 shares of the companys stock, valued at $13,457,333.71. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 63,587 shares of company stock worth $8,671,094. Company insiders own 4.57% of the companys stock.

Phillips 66 Stock Up 0.0 %

Phillips 66 Dividend Announcement

Shares of NYSE PSX opened at $143.82 on Tuesday. The company has a market cap of $63.28 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.30, a PEG ratio of 1.82 and a beta of 1.38. The company has a quick ratio of 0.96, a current ratio of 1.29 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.58. The firms fifty day moving average is $136.42 and its 200 day moving average is $123.58. Phillips 66 has a 52 week low of $89.74 and a 52 week high of $149.52.

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 1st. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 20th will be paid a dividend of $1.05 per share. This represents a $4.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.92%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 16th. Phillips 66s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 27.15%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

PSX has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. StockNews.com upgraded Phillips 66 from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Saturday, February 10th. TD Cowen lifted their target price on shares of Phillips 66 from $134.00 to $150.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Monday, December 4th. Barclays raised their price objective on shares of Phillips 66 from $132.00 to $139.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research report on Monday, February 5th. Raymond James upped their target price on shares of Phillips 66 from $140.00 to $155.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, February 1st. Finally, Citigroup initiated coverage on Phillips 66 in a research report on Wednesday, January 24th. They set a buy rating on the stock. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Phillips 66 has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $138.21.

Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on PSX

About Phillips 66

(Free Report)

Phillips 66 operates as an energy manufacturing and logistics company in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and internationally. It operates through four segments: Midstream, Chemicals, Refining, and Marketing and Specialties (M&S). The Midstream segment transports crude oil and other feedstocks; delivers refined petroleum products to market; provides terminaling and storage services for crude oil and refined petroleum products; transports, stores, fractionates, exports, and markets natural gas liquids; provides other fee-based processing services; and gathers, processes, transports, and markets natural gas.

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Bison Wealth LLC lifted its holdings in Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW  Free Report) by 3.3% in the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 5,133 shares of the industrial products companys stock after acquiring an additional 166 shares during the period. Bison Wealth LLCs holdings in Illinois Tool Works were worth $1,182,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of ITW. Briaud Financial Planning Inc purchased a new position in shares of Illinois Tool Works in the third quarter worth $25,000. Northwest Capital Management Inc bought a new stake in shares of Illinois Tool Works in the second quarter worth $28,000. Quarry LP grew its holdings in shares of Illinois Tool Works by 52.7% in the first quarter. Quarry LP now owns 142 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $35,000 after acquiring an additional 49 shares during the period. Arlington Trust Co LLC bought a new stake in shares of Illinois Tool Works in the third quarter worth $38,000. Finally, Steward Financial Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of Illinois Tool Works in the second quarter worth $39,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 79.56% of the companys stock.

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Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Sharon Szafranski sold 801 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $256.42, for a total value of $205,392.42. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 5,870 shares in the company, valued at $1,505,185.40. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. In other Illinois Tool Works news, EVP Sharon Szafranski sold 801 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $256.42, for a total transaction of $205,392.42. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 5,870 shares in the company, valued at $1,505,185.40. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, Chairman Ernest Scott Santi sold 45,676 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $256.12, for a total value of $11,698,537.12. Following the sale, the chairman now owns 221,015 shares in the company, valued at $56,606,361.80. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 152,304 shares of company stock worth $38,860,831. Corporate insiders own 0.78% of the companys stock.

Illinois Tool Works Stock Performance

NYSE ITW opened at $253.92 on Tuesday. The firm has a market cap of $75.87 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.07, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.36 and a beta of 1.15. The company has a quick ratio of 0.97, a current ratio of 1.33 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.10. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $257.50 and a 200-day moving average price of $244.10. Illinois Tool Works Inc. has a twelve month low of $217.06 and a twelve month high of $267.12.

Illinois Tool Works (NYSE:ITW  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 1st. The industrial products company reported $2.42 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.41 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $3.98 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.01 billion. Illinois Tool Works had a return on equity of 96.60% and a net margin of 18.36%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up .3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $2.34 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Illinois Tool Works Inc. will post 10.12 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Illinois Tool Works Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 11th. Investors of record on Friday, March 29th will be given a $1.40 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 27th. This represents a $5.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.21%. Illinois Tool Workss dividend payout ratio is currently 57.49%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages recently commented on ITW. Stifel Nicolaus lifted their price objective on Illinois Tool Works from $238.00 to $239.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a report on Tuesday, January 23rd. Barclays lifted their price objective on Illinois Tool Works from $215.00 to $224.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a report on Monday, February 5th. Bank of America lowered Illinois Tool Works from a neutral rating to an underperform rating and cut their price target for the company from $260.00 to $235.00 in a report on Wednesday, January 10th. Citigroup boosted their price target on Illinois Tool Works from $244.00 to $256.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Monday, December 11th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lowered Illinois Tool Works from an equal weight rating to an underweight rating and cut their price target for the company from $277.00 to $240.00 in a report on Tuesday, February 6th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $239.33.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on ITW

Illinois Tool Works Company Profile

(Free Report)

Illinois Tool Works Inc manufactures and sells industrial products and equipment in the United states and internationally. It operates through seven segments: Automotive OEM; Food Equipment; Test & Measurement and Electronics; Welding; Polymers & Fluids; Construction Products; and Specialty Products.

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Brandes Investment Partners LP reduced its holdings in shares of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE:MUFG  Free Report) by 17.1% during the third quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 1,688,287 shares of the companys stock after selling 347,030 shares during the quarter. Brandes Investment Partners LPs holdings in Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group were worth $14,334,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in MUFG. Addison Advisors LLC boosted its position in Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group by 254.7% during the third quarter. Addison Advisors LLC now owns 3,597 shares of the companys stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 2,583 shares during the period. Eagle Bay Advisors LLC bought a new position in Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group during the second quarter worth about $36,000. Hexagon Capital Partners LLC boosted its position in Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group by 114.6% during the third quarter. Hexagon Capital Partners LLC now owns 4,564 shares of the companys stock worth $39,000 after purchasing an additional 2,437 shares during the period. Bessemer Group Inc. bought a new position in Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group during the second quarter worth about $47,000. Finally, IHT Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group during the third quarter worth about $49,000. 1.76% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Stock Performance

NYSE:MUFG traded up $0.25 on Tuesday, reaching $9.87. 968,402 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,475,567. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $8.93 and a 200-day simple moving average of $8.52. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.57, a current ratio of 0.91 and a quick ratio of 0.91. Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc. has a 52 week low of $5.99 and a 52 week high of $9.91. The firm has a market cap of $121.77 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.76, a P/E/G ratio of 0.84 and a beta of 0.59.

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Profile

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group ( NYSE:MUFG Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Monday, February 5th. The company reported $0.21 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.17 by $0.04. Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group had a net margin of 19.14% and a return on equity of 7.78%. The company had revenue of $19.25 billion during the quarter. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc. will post 0.81 earnings per share for the current year.

(Free Report)

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc operates as the bank holding company for MUFG Bank, Ltd. that provides various financial services in Japan, the United States, Europe, Asia/Oceania, and internationally. It operates through Digital Service Business Group; Retail & Commercial Banking Business Group; Japanese Corporate & Investment Banking Business Group; Asset Management & Investor Services Business Group; Global Corporate & Investment Banking Business Group; Global Commercial Banking Business Group; and Global Markets Business Group segments.

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Brandes Investment Partners LP acquired a new stake in Suzano S.A. (NYSE:SUZ  Free Report) during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund acquired 55,607 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $598,000.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of SUZ. JPMorgan Chase & Co. purchased a new stake in Suzano in the 1st quarter valued at about $150,000. American Century Companies Inc. grew its position in shares of Suzano by 47.1% during the first quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 155,762 shares of the companys stock worth $1,810,000 after buying an additional 49,871 shares in the last quarter. US Bancorp DE grew its position in shares of Suzano by 14.7% during the first quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 9,367 shares of the companys stock worth $109,000 after buying an additional 1,200 shares in the last quarter. Citigroup Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Suzano during the first quarter worth about $2,837,000. Finally, BlackRock Inc. grew its position in shares of Suzano by 6.0% during the first quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 397,155 shares of the companys stock worth $4,615,000 after buying an additional 22,361 shares in the last quarter. 2.55% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Suzano Stock Up 1.9 %

Shares of Suzano stock traded up $0.20 on Tuesday, reaching $10.90. 343,907 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,149,113. Suzano S.A. has a 1-year low of $7.46 and a 1-year high of $11.60. The company has a market cap of $14.43 billion, a P/E ratio of 4.26 and a beta of 1.03. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.77, a current ratio of 2.82 and a quick ratio of 2.34. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $10.81 and its 200-day moving average price is $10.66.

Suzano Increases Dividend

Suzano Profile

The company also recently disclosed an annual dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 18th. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 11th were issued a $0.3429 dividend. This is an increase from Suzanos previous annual dividend of $0.13. This represents a dividend yield of 5%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, December 8th. Suzanos dividend payout ratio is presently 28.29%.

(Free Report)

Suzano SA produces and sells eucalyptus pulp and paper products in Brazil and internationally. It operates through Pulp and Paper segments. The company offers coated and uncoated printing and writing papers, paperboards, tissue papers, and market and fluff pulps; and lignin. It also engages in the research, development, and production of biofuel; operation of port terminals; power generation and distribution business; commercialization of equipment and parts; industrialization, commercialization, and exporting of pulp and standing wood; road freight transport; biotechnology research and development; and commercialization of paper and computer materials.

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Brandywine Global Investment Management LLC lowered its position in shares of Lennar Co. (NYSE:LEN  Free Report) by 6.3% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 181,181 shares of the construction companys stock after selling 12,128 shares during the period. Brandywine Global Investment Management LLC owned 0.06% of Lennar worth $20,334,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. First Trust Advisors LP grew its stake in Lennar by 551.1% during the first quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 1,824,684 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $191,793,000 after acquiring an additional 1,544,432 shares in the last quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB grew its stake in Lennar by 1.8% in the 3rd quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 1,627,870 shares of the construction companys stock worth $185,219,000 after buying an additional 29,437 shares in the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. grew its stake in Lennar by 0.4% in the 3rd quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 1,542,363 shares of the construction companys stock worth $173,099,000 after buying an additional 6,803 shares in the last quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD grew its stake in Lennar by 25.6% in the 1st quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 838,479 shares of the construction companys stock worth $88,134,000 after buying an additional 171,065 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. grew its stake in Lennar by 13.9% in the 3rd quarter. Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. now owns 830,482 shares of the construction companys stock worth $93,205,000 after buying an additional 101,054 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 79.87% of the companys stock.

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Lennar Trading Up 0.8 %

Lennar stock traded up $1.22 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, reaching $151.44. 413,853 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,057,270. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11, a current ratio of 6.12 and a quick ratio of 1.72. The firms 50 day moving average price is $150.01 and its 200 day moving average price is $129.47. The firm has a market capitalization of $42.53 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.92, a P/E/G ratio of 1.96 and a beta of 1.53. Lennar Co. has a 52-week low of $94.11 and a 52-week high of $158.36.

Lennar Increases Dividend

Lennar ( NYSE:LEN Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, December 15th. The construction company reported $4.82 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $4.59 by $0.23. The business had revenue of $10.97 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $10.22 billion. Lennar had a net margin of 11.51% and a return on equity of 15.84%. The companys quarterly revenue was up 7.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $5.02 EPS. On average, analysts anticipate that Lennar Co. will post 14.36 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 7th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, January 24th were given a $0.50 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, January 23rd. This is an increase from Lennars previous quarterly dividend of $0.38. This represents a $2.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.32%. Lennars dividend payout ratio is currently 14.53%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms have commented on LEN. Jefferies Financial Group began coverage on shares of Lennar in a research note on Monday, November 27th. They issued a hold rating and a $117.00 price target for the company. JMP Securities boosted their price target on shares of Lennar from $150.00 to $170.00 and gave the stock a market outperform rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 19th. Raymond James boosted their price objective on shares of Lennar from $150.00 to $165.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Tuesday, December 19th. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Lennar from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Friday, December 15th. Finally, Barclays boosted their price objective on shares of Lennar from $132.00 to $165.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, December 13th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating and eleven have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Lennar has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $140.53.

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Insider Transactions at Lennar

In other news, CFO Diane J. Bessette sold 10,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $147.73, for a total value of $1,477,300.00. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now directly owns 260,556 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $38,491,937.88. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. In related news, VP Mark Sustana sold 37,304 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, December 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $146.38, for a total transaction of $5,460,559.52. Following the sale, the vice president now directly owns 18,694 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,736,427.72. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, CFO Diane J. Bessette sold 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $147.73, for a total transaction of $1,477,300.00. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now directly owns 260,556 shares in the company, valued at $38,491,937.88. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 9.53% of the companys stock.

Lennar Profile

(Free Report)

Lennar Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a homebuilder primarily under the Lennar brand in the United States. It operates through Homebuilding East, Homebuilding Central, Homebuilding Texas, Homebuilding West, Financial Services, Multifamily, and Lennar Other segments. The company's homebuilding operations include the construction and sale of single-family attached and detached homes, as well as the purchase, development, and sale of residential land; and development, construction, and management of multifamily rental properties.

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Shares of Prime Medicine, Inc. (NYSE:PRME  Get Free Report) have been assigned an average recommendation of Moderate Buy from the seven brokerages that are covering the company, Marketbeat.com reports. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and four have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 1-year price objective among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $18.14.

A number of research analysts have recently weighed in on PRME shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price objective on Prime Medicine from $27.00 to $26.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, November 7th. Citigroup started coverage on Prime Medicine in a research report on Friday, December 8th. They set a neutral rating and a $10.00 price objective for the company. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus lowered Prime Medicine from a buy rating to a hold rating and cut their price objective for the company from $18.00 to $9.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 16th.

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Prime Medicine Stock Performance

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Shares of PRME stock opened at $8.46 on Thursday. Prime Medicine has a 52-week low of $5.54 and a 52-week high of $19.11. The firm has a market capitalization of $823.33 million, a PE ratio of -4.19 and a beta of 1.44. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $7.87 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $8.91.

A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Metropolitan Life Insurance Co NY boosted its position in shares of Prime Medicine by 206.8% during the second quarter. Metropolitan Life Insurance Co NY now owns 2,203 shares of the companys stock valued at $32,000 after buying an additional 1,485 shares during the period. Ameritas Investment Partners Inc. boosted its position in shares of Prime Medicine by 293.1% during the second quarter. Ameritas Investment Partners Inc. now owns 3,267 shares of the companys stock valued at $48,000 after buying an additional 2,436 shares during the period. Royal Bank of Canada boosted its position in shares of Prime Medicine by 506.6% during the second quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 3,579 shares of the companys stock valued at $53,000 after buying an additional 2,989 shares during the period. Barclays PLC boosted its holdings in shares of Prime Medicine by 47.7% in the second quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 7,879 shares of the companys stock valued at $116,000 after purchasing an additional 2,543 shares during the period. Finally, Penserra Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Prime Medicine by 15.8% in the second quarter. Penserra Capital Management LLC now owns 8,107 shares of the companys stock valued at $118,000 after purchasing an additional 1,107 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 47.41% of the companys stock.

Prime Medicine Company Profile

(Get Free Report

Prime Medicine, Inc, a biotechnology company, delivers genetic therapies to address diseases by deploying gene editing technology. The company offers Prime Editors with a Prime Editor protein, comprising a fusion between a Cas protein and a reverse transcriptase enzyme; and a pegRNA, which targets the Prime Editor to a specific genomic location and provides a template for making the desired edit to the target DNA sequence.

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Brunswick Co. (NYSE:BC  Get Free Report) EVP John G. Buelow sold 2,426 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $87.12, for a total value of $211,353.12. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 14,199 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,237,016.88. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website.

Brunswick Trading Down 1.9 %

Shares of NYSE BC opened at $86.42 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.95, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a current ratio of 1.43. The businesss 50 day moving average price is $89.10 and its 200-day moving average price is $81.65. Brunswick Co. has a fifty-two week low of $66.47 and a fifty-two week high of $99.68. The company has a market cap of $6.03 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.52 and a beta of 1.55.

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Brunswick (NYSE:BC  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 1st. The company reported $1.45 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.66 by ($0.21). Brunswick had a return on equity of 29.78% and a net margin of 6.57%. The business had revenue of $1.36 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.44 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $1.99 earnings per share. The companys quarterly revenue was down 14.0% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Brunswick Co. will post 7.44 earnings per share for the current year.

Brunswick Increases Dividend

Analysts Set New Price Targets

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 15th. Stockholders of record on Monday, February 26th will be issued a $0.42 dividend. This represents a $1.68 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.94%. This is an increase from Brunswicks previous quarterly dividend of $0.40. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 23rd. Brunswicks dividend payout ratio is presently 26.89%.

A number of equities analysts have recently weighed in on BC shares. Roth Mkm upped their price objective on Brunswick from $85.00 to $94.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Friday, February 2nd. Truist Financial dropped their price objective on Brunswick from $115.00 to $105.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Friday, February 2nd. Morgan Stanley dropped their price target on Brunswick from $84.00 to $77.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research note on Friday, October 27th. Stifel Nicolaus increased their price target on Brunswick from $88.00 to $97.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 17th. Finally, Raymond James lowered Brunswick from an outperform rating to a market perform rating in a research note on Thursday, January 4th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $95.09.

View Our Latest Research Report on BC

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Brunswick

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of BC. BlackRock Inc. increased its holdings in Brunswick by 0.7% during the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 6,426,552 shares of the companys stock worth $519,843,000 after purchasing an additional 46,519 shares during the period. Cantillon Capital Management LLC boosted its position in Brunswick by 6.4% during the 2nd quarter. Cantillon Capital Management LLC now owns 4,409,435 shares of the companys stock valued at $382,033,000 after acquiring an additional 263,477 shares in the last quarter. FMR LLC boosted its position in Brunswick by 140.4% during the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 3,435,357 shares of the companys stock valued at $271,393,000 after acquiring an additional 2,006,578 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp boosted its position in Brunswick by 2.6% during the 1st quarter. State Street Corp now owns 2,121,553 shares of the companys stock valued at $171,612,000 after acquiring an additional 53,083 shares in the last quarter. Finally, American Century Companies Inc. boosted its position in Brunswick by 0.5% during the 3rd quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 1,972,076 shares of the companys stock valued at $155,794,000 after acquiring an additional 9,465 shares in the last quarter. 94.44% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Brunswick Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Brunswick Corporation designs, manufactures, and markets recreation products worldwide. It operates through three segments: Propulsion, Parts & Accessories, and Boat. The Propulsion segment provides outboard, sterndrive, and inboard engines for independent boat builders and governments through marine dealers and distributors, specialty marine retailers, and marine service centers; and propulsion-related controls, rigging, and propellers to original equipment manufacturers and aftermarket retailers, distributors, and distribution businesses.

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Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (TSE:CM  Get Free Report) (NYSE:CM) was upgraded by analysts at Scotiabank from a sector perform rating to an outperform rating in a report issued on Tuesday, BayStreet.CA reports. The firm presently has a C$67.00 target price on the stock, up from their prior target price of C$62.00. Scotiabanks price target points to a potential upside of 6.48% from the companys current price.

A number of other research analysts also recently issued reports on CM. National Bankshares raised Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce from a sector perform rating to an outperform rating and boosted their price target for the company from C$62.00 to C$71.00 in a report on Wednesday, December 20th. BMO Capital Markets boosted their price target on Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce from C$65.00 to C$67.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Friday, December 1st. Desjardins boosted their price target on Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce from C$62.00 to C$64.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 7th. TD Securities upped their price target on Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce from C$54.00 to C$56.00 in a research note on Friday, December 1st. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada decreased their target price on Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce from C$66.00 to C$63.00 and set a sector perform rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, December 1st. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of C$63.26.

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Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Stock Performance

Shares of TSE CM traded up C$0.99 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting C$62.92. The stock had a trading volume of 1,333,062 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,853,521. The business has a 50 day moving average price of C$61.94 and a two-hundred day moving average price of C$56.33. The firm has a market cap of C$58.59 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.19, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 31.58 and a beta of 1.09. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce has a 1 year low of C$47.44 and a 1 year high of C$64.43.

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (TSE:CM  Get Free Report) (NYSE:CM) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, November 30th. The company reported C$1.57 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of C$1.58 by C($0.01). The company had revenue of C$5.84 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of C$5.86 billion. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce had a net margin of 23.44% and a return on equity of 9.72%. Equities research analysts predict that Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce will post 6.6411379 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce

In other Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce news, Senior Officer Christina Charlotte Kramer sold 15,446 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$57.19, for a total transaction of C$883,356.74. 0.03% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

About Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce

(Get Free Report)

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, a diversified financial institution, provides various financial products and services to personal, business, public sector, and institutional clients in Canada, the United States, and internationally. The company operates through Canadian Personal and Business Banking; Canadian Commercial Banking and Wealth Management; U.S.

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Cardiff Park Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF (BATS:EFV  Free Report) by 63.7% in the third quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 5,113 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 1,990 shares during the quarter. Cardiff Park Advisors LLCs holdings in iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF were worth $250,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Bank of Montreal Can purchased a new stake in iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF during the 2nd quarter valued at $13,092,000. Fountainhead AM LLC raised its holdings in iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF by 5.5% during the 2nd quarter. Fountainhead AM LLC now owns 194,642 shares of the companys stock valued at $9,526,000 after buying an additional 10,227 shares during the period. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC raised its holdings in iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF by 11.6% during the 2nd quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC now owns 1,396,023 shares of the companys stock valued at $68,321,000 after buying an additional 145,515 shares during the period. Hobart Private Capital LLC raised its holdings in iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF by 44.8% during the 3rd quarter. Hobart Private Capital LLC now owns 14,560 shares of the companys stock valued at $712,000 after buying an additional 4,506 shares during the period. Finally, Vestmark Advisory Solutions Inc. raised its holdings in iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF by 6.2% during the 2nd quarter. Vestmark Advisory Solutions Inc. now owns 38,226 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,871,000 after buying an additional 2,236 shares during the period.

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iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF Trading Up 0.1 %

BATS:EFV traded up $0.03 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting $51.43. 1,763,305 shares of the company traded hands. The firms fifty day moving average is $51.54 and its 200-day moving average is $49.96. iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF has a 12-month low of $49.15 and a 12-month high of $59.57. The firm has a market capitalization of $17.28 billion, a P/E ratio of 9.51 and a beta of 0.84.

iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF Profile

iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares MSCI EAFE Value Index Fund, is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the MSCI EAFE Value Index. The Index is a subset of the MSCI EAFE Index and constituents of the Index include securities from Europe, Australasia (Australia and Asia), and the Far East.

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Carters (NYSE:CRI  Get Free Report) was downgraded by research analysts at StockNews.com from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Sunday.

Separately, TheStreet raised shares of Carters from a c+ rating to a b- rating in a research report on Friday, December 22nd. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and three have issued a hold rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $66.67.

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Carters Stock Performance

Insider Activity

NYSE CRI opened at $81.40 on Friday. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $75.76 and a 200-day moving average of $71.32. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.72, a quick ratio of 0.96 and a current ratio of 2.30. The stock has a market cap of $3.00 billion, a PE ratio of 14.85 and a beta of 1.30. Carters has a 52-week low of $60.65 and a 52-week high of $82.50.

In related news, EVP Julie Demilio sold 3,400 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $72.50, for a total transaction of $246,500.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 42,783 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,101,767.50. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 3.50% of the companys stock.

Institutional Trading of Carters

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Tudor Investment Corp Et Al grew its stake in shares of Carters by 1,391.2% in the 2nd quarter. Tudor Investment Corp Et Al now owns 98,494 shares of the textile makers stock valued at $7,151,000 after buying an additional 91,889 shares during the period. Victory Capital Management Inc. lifted its holdings in Carters by 10.7% during the third quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 168,723 shares of the textile makers stock valued at $11,667,000 after purchasing an additional 16,294 shares during the last quarter. Ronald Blue Trust Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Carters by 366.7% during the 3rd quarter. Ronald Blue Trust Inc. now owns 490 shares of the textile makers stock valued at $36,000 after buying an additional 385 shares in the last quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in Carters by 4.9% during the 3rd quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC now owns 19,980 shares of the textile makers stock worth $1,382,000 after purchasing an additional 925 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Dakota Wealth Management purchased a new stake in shares of Carters in the second quarter worth about $208,000.

Carters Company Profile

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Carter's, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, designs, sources, and markets branded childrenswear under the Carter's, OshKosh, Skip Hop, Child of Mine, Just One You, Simple Joys, little planet, and other brands in the United States and internationally. The company operates through three segments: U.S.

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CI Investments Inc. increased its holdings in CCC Intelligent Solutions Holdings Inc. (NYSE:CCCS  Free Report) by 224.7% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 968,219 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 670,038 shares during the period. CI Investments Inc. owned 0.15% of CCC Intelligent Solutions worth $12,926,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Captrust Financial Advisors purchased a new position in CCC Intelligent Solutions in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $53,000. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC raised its holdings in shares of CCC Intelligent Solutions by 21.8% during the 2nd quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 5,403 shares of the companys stock worth $61,000 after acquiring an additional 968 shares in the last quarter. Quantbot Technologies LP raised its holdings in shares of CCC Intelligent Solutions by 252.1% during the 1st quarter. Quantbot Technologies LP now owns 5,735 shares of the companys stock worth $63,000 after acquiring an additional 4,106 shares in the last quarter. Royal Bank of Canada raised its holdings in shares of CCC Intelligent Solutions by 277.6% during the 1st quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 7,696 shares of the companys stock worth $85,000 after acquiring an additional 5,658 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans purchased a new stake in shares of CCC Intelligent Solutions during the 1st quarter worth approximately $108,000. 95.78% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Insider Buying and Selling at CCC Intelligent Solutions

In other CCC Intelligent Solutions news, Director International L.P. Advent sold 22,000,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, January 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $10.47, for a total value of $230,340,000.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 6,119,048 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $64,066,432.56. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. 6.47% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

CCC Intelligent Solutions Stock Performance

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

NYSE:CCCS opened at $11.48 on Tuesday. The stocks fifty day moving average is $11.15 and its 200 day moving average is $11.33. The firm has a market capitalization of $6.92 billion, a PE ratio of 60.42 and a beta of 0.60. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38, a quick ratio of 4.13 and a current ratio of 4.13. CCC Intelligent Solutions Holdings Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $8.33 and a fifty-two week high of $13.41.

Several analysts have recently issued reports on CCCS shares. Morgan Stanley started coverage on CCC Intelligent Solutions in a report on Tuesday, December 12th. They set an equal weight rating and a $13.00 price objective on the stock. Piper Sandler restated a neutral rating and set a $11.00 price target on shares of CCC Intelligent Solutions in a report on Tuesday, November 7th. Finally, Citigroup restated a buy rating and set a $13.00 price target on shares of CCC Intelligent Solutions in a report on Thursday, February 8th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $13.00.

Read Our Latest Research Report on CCC Intelligent Solutions

CCC Intelligent Solutions Profile

(Free Report)

CCC Intelligent Solutions Holdings Inc provides cloud, mobile, AI, telematics, hyperscale technologies, and applications for the property and casualty insurance economy. The company's cloud-based software as a service platform connects trading partners, facilitates commerce, and supports mission-critical, artificial intelligence enabled digital workflow across the insurance economy, including insurance carriers, collision repairers, parts suppliers, automotive manufactures, financial institution, and others.

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Dark Forest Capital Management LP boosted its holdings in iShares MSCI Australia ETF (NYSEARCA:EWA  Free Report) by 4.7% in the third quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 122,894 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after purchasing an additional 5,470 shares during the quarter. Dark Forest Capital Management LPs holdings in iShares MSCI Australia ETF were worth $2,643,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in EWA. BlackRock Inc. boosted its stake in iShares MSCI Australia ETF by 73.1% during the second quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 9,669,721 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $218,052,000 after buying an additional 4,082,055 shares during the last quarter. Jane Street Group LLC boosted its position in shares of iShares MSCI Australia ETF by 521.9% during the 4th quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 4,883,495 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $108,560,000 after acquiring an additional 4,098,183 shares during the last quarter. Wells Fargo & Company MN increased its position in iShares MSCI Australia ETF by 3.7% in the second quarter. Wells Fargo & Company MN now owns 4,137,388 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $93,298,000 after purchasing an additional 148,504 shares during the last quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC lifted its position in iShares MSCI Australia ETF by 0.8% during the third quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 3,290,453 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $70,778,000 after purchasing an additional 26,803 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. grew its stake in shares of iShares MSCI Australia ETF by 5.0% in the 2nd quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 2,191,015 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $46,493,000 after buying an additional 104,317 shares in the last quarter. 59.24% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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iShares MSCI Australia ETF Stock Up 0.1 %

Shares of NYSEARCA:EWA traded up $0.02 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $23.75. The companys stock had a trading volume of 565,628 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,931,450. iShares MSCI Australia ETF has a 12 month low of $20.46 and a 12 month high of $24.67. The firms 50 day simple moving average is $23.74 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $22.47.

About iShares MSCI Australia ETF

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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Dark Forest Capital Management LP grew its position in SPDR S&P Retail ETF (NYSEARCA:XRT  Free Report) by 149.9% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 46,994 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after acquiring an additional 28,186 shares during the quarter. Dark Forest Capital Management LP owned 0.70% of SPDR S&P Retail ETF worth $2,860,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria S.A. increased its position in shares of SPDR S&P Retail ETF by 9.9% during the 2nd quarter. Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria S.A. now owns 22,109 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $1,404,000 after purchasing an additional 1,993 shares during the last quarter. Mizuho Securities USA LLC bought a new position in SPDR S&P Retail ETF in the 2nd quarter valued at $66,938,000. Maven Securities LTD grew its position in SPDR S&P Retail ETF by 98.3% in the 2nd quarter. Maven Securities LTD now owns 68,711 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $4,380,000 after acquiring an additional 34,061 shares during the last quarter. Barclays PLC grew its position in SPDR S&P Retail ETF by 5.6% in the 3rd quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 1,148,276 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $69,884,000 after acquiring an additional 61,342 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund grew its position in SPDR S&P Retail ETF by 29.7% in the 2nd quarter. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund now owns 6,558,000 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $418,072,000 after acquiring an additional 1,500,000 shares during the last quarter.

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SPDR S&P Retail ETF Stock Performance

SPDR S&P Retail ETF stock traded down $0.56 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $73.01. The companys stock had a trading volume of 1,157,730 shares, compared to its average volume of 6,954,488. The company has a 50 day moving average of $70.80 and a 200-day moving average of $65.24. The stock has a market cap of $489.17 million, a PE ratio of 8.88 and a beta of 1.31. SPDR S&P Retail ETF has a one year low of $56.20 and a one year high of $74.36.

SPDR S&P Retail ETF Company Profile

SPDR S&P Retail ETF (the Fund) seeks to replicate as closely as possible the performance of the S&P Retail Select Industry Index (the Index). The Index is an equal weighted market cap index. The Index represents the retail sub-industry portion of the S&P Total Market Index. The Fund invests in industries, such as apparel retail, automotive retail, food retail, department stores, Internet retail, general merchandise stores, drug retail, and hypermarkets and super centers.

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Scotiabank downgraded shares of Digital Realty Trust (NYSE:DLR  Free Report) from a sector outperform rating to a sector perform rating in a report released on Friday, MarketBeat Ratings reports. They currently have $157.00 price objective on the real estate investment trusts stock.

Several other research firms have also recently weighed in on DLR. StockNews.com cut Digital Realty Trust from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research report on Friday, December 8th. KeyCorp started coverage on Digital Realty Trust in a report on Wednesday, December 6th. They issued a sector weight rating for the company. Stifel Nicolaus upped their price target on Digital Realty Trust from $145.00 to $155.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Monday, February 5th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price target on Digital Realty Trust from $125.00 to $135.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Thursday, February 8th. Finally, Citigroup upped their price target on Digital Realty Trust from $136.00 to $154.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Friday, December 8th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating, five have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $135.21.

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View Our Latest Analysis on Digital Realty Trust

Digital Realty Trust Price Performance

Digital Realty Trust Announces Dividend

NYSE DLR opened at $136.22 on Friday. Digital Realty Trust has a twelve month low of $86.33 and a twelve month high of $149.07. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.92, a quick ratio of 1.11 and a current ratio of 1.14. The stock has a market capitalization of $41.25 billion, a PE ratio of 45.87, a P/E/G ratio of 1.56 and a beta of 0.54. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $138.15 and a 200 day simple moving average of $130.77.

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 19th. Investors of record on Friday, December 15th were issued a dividend of $1.22 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, December 14th. This represents a $4.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.58%. Digital Realty Trusts dividend payout ratio is 164.31%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Digital Realty Trust

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its holdings in Digital Realty Trust by 0.3% during the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 47,552,026 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $6,399,552,000 after purchasing an additional 161,178 shares in the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. increased its holdings in Digital Realty Trust by 11.8% during the 2nd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 30,815,132 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $3,508,919,000 after purchasing an additional 3,245,264 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp increased its holdings in Digital Realty Trust by 2.3% during the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 20,596,456 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $2,345,318,000 after purchasing an additional 464,694 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in Digital Realty Trust during the 4th quarter valued at $2,141,890,000. Finally, FMR LLC increased its holdings in Digital Realty Trust by 4.8% during the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 8,647,509 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $1,046,522,000 after purchasing an additional 394,682 shares in the last quarter. 99.71% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Digital Realty Trust Company Profile

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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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Dutch Bros (NYSE:BROS  Get Free Report) is scheduled to be posting its quarterly earnings results after the market closes on Wednesday, February 21st. Analysts expect Dutch Bros to post earnings of $0.02 per share for the quarter. Individual interested in participating in the companys earnings conference call can do so using this link.

Dutch Bros Price Performance

Shares of Dutch Bros stock opened at $27.40 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66, a current ratio of 1.83 and a quick ratio of 1.42. Dutch Bros has a fifty-two week low of $22.67 and a fifty-two week high of $39.49. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $28.66 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $27.71. The company has a market cap of $4.85 billion, a PE ratio of 685.00, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.78 and a beta of 2.41.

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Insider Transactions at Dutch Bros

In related news, major shareholder Dm Individual Aggregator, Llc sold 156,183 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, December 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $30.38, for a total transaction of $4,744,839.54. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 1,425,003 shares in the company, valued at approximately $43,291,591.14. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In related news, major shareholder Dm Trust Aggregator, Llc sold 1,743 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $32.00, for a total transaction of $55,776.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 2,264,152 shares in the company, valued at approximately $72,452,864. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, major shareholder Dm Individual Aggregator, Llc sold 156,183 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Thursday, December 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $30.38, for a total transaction of $4,744,839.54. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 1,425,003 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $43,291,591.14. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders sold 1,998,724 shares of company stock valued at $59,253,548. Company insiders own 49.70% of the companys stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Dutch Bros

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Captrust Financial Advisors increased its position in Dutch Bros by 87.9% in the 2nd quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors now owns 1,114 shares of the companys stock valued at $35,000 after acquiring an additional 521 shares in the last quarter. Deutsche Bank AG acquired a new stake in Dutch Bros in the 4th quarter valued at about $36,000. Clear Street Markets LLC acquired a new stake in Dutch Bros in the 4th quarter valued at about $41,000. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. increased its position in Dutch Bros by 28.9% in the 4th quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. now owns 1,560 shares of the companys stock valued at $43,000 after acquiring an additional 350 shares in the last quarter. Finally, BNP Paribas Arbitrage SNC acquired a new stake in Dutch Bros in the 3rd quarter valued at about $81,000.

A number of analysts have weighed in on BROS shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised shares of Dutch Bros from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and increased their price target for the company from $30.00 to $35.00 in a report on Monday, November 20th. Stifel Nicolaus raised shares of Dutch Bros from a hold rating to a buy rating and increased their price target for the company from $32.00 to $35.00 in a report on Tuesday, January 16th. Wedbush increased their price target on shares of Dutch Bros from $35.00 to $37.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, December 21st. Finally, Barclays increased their price target on shares of Dutch Bros from $28.00 to $31.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Wednesday, January 3rd. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $34.44.

Check Out Our Latest Research Report on BROS

Dutch Bros Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Dutch Bros Inc operates and franchises drive-thru shops. The company offers coffee-based beverages, including custom drinks, cold brews, and freeze blended beverages, as well as Blue Rebel energy drinks. It also provides tea, lemonade, sodas, smoothies, and other beverages through company-operated shops and online channels.

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Rodgers Brothers Inc. lowered its position in Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY  Free Report) by 0.4% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 67,592 shares of the companys stock after selling 292 shares during the quarter. Eli Lilly and Company accounts for approximately 6.2% of Rodgers Brothers Inc.s investment portfolio, making the stock its largest position. Rodgers Brothers Inc.s holdings in Eli Lilly and Company were worth $36,306,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Fairfield Bush & CO. bought a new position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company during the 1st quarter worth approximately $107,000. Roundview Capital LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 2.6% in the 1st quarter. Roundview Capital LLC now owns 2,056 shares of the companys stock worth $589,000 after purchasing an additional 53 shares in the last quarter. Merit Financial Group LLC bought a new position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company in the 1st quarter worth $210,000. NewEdge Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 9.9% in the 1st quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 53,052 shares of the companys stock worth $15,193,000 after purchasing an additional 4,774 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Barometer Capital Management Inc. purchased a new stake in Eli Lilly and Company in the 1st quarter valued at $561,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 81.38% of the companys stock.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms recently commented on LLY. Citigroup increased their price target on Eli Lilly and Company from $525.00 to $675.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Monday, October 23rd. Barclays increased their price target on Eli Lilly and Company from $680.00 to $810.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 7th. StockNews.com raised Eli Lilly and Company from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Friday, November 3rd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft assumed coverage on Eli Lilly and Company in a research report on Thursday, November 9th. They issued a hold rating and a $535.00 price target for the company. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. reaffirmed an overweight rating on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research report on Wednesday, November 8th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $655.50.

Eli Lilly and Company Price Performance

NYSE LLY traded down $25.64 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $756.42. The company had a trading volume of 2,430,125 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,397,904. Eli Lilly and Company has a 52 week low of $309.20 and a 52 week high of $794.47. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $640.51 and a 200 day simple moving average of $594.83. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.59, a quick ratio of 0.82 and a current ratio of 1.05. The firm has a market capitalization of $718.08 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 134.84, a PEG ratio of 1.73 and a beta of 0.32.

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY  Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, February 6th. The company reported $2.49 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.30 by $0.19. Eli Lilly and Company had a return on equity of 50.78% and a net margin of 15.36%. The business had revenue of $9.35 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $8.95 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $2.09 EPS. The firms revenue was up 28.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts expect that Eli Lilly and Company will post 12.5 earnings per share for the current year.

Eli Lilly and Company Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 8th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, February 15th will be given a dividend of $1.30 per share. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.69%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, February 14th. This is an increase from Eli Lilly and Companys previous quarterly dividend of $1.13. Eli Lilly and Companys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 89.66%.

Insider Activity

In other news, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 34,538 shares of Eli Lilly and Company stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $631.81, for a total transaction of $21,821,453.78. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 99,719,884 shares in the company, valued at approximately $63,004,019,910.04. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 195,055 shares of company stock worth $125,254,657. 0.13% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

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.

Further Reading

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Employers (NYSE:EIG  Get Free Report) had its price target increased by Truist Financial from $53.00 to $55.00 in a note issued to investors on Tuesday, Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a buy rating on the financial services providers stock. Truist Financials price target suggests a potential upside of 19.64% from the companys previous close.

Separately, StockNews.com downgraded shares of Employers from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Friday, October 27th.

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Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on EIG

Employers Stock Performance

NYSE EIG traded up $0.95 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, reaching $45.97. 16,854 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 131,089. The businesss fifty day simple moving average is $40.43 and its 200 day simple moving average is $39.59. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.18 billion, a PE ratio of 10.26 and a beta of 0.22. Employers has a 1-year low of $35.43 and a 1-year high of $46.78.

Employers (NYSE:EIG  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, February 16th. The financial services provider reported $1.40 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.00 by $0.40. The business had revenue of $225.70 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $215.38 million. Employers had a return on equity of 10.54% and a net margin of 13.88%. The businesss revenue was up 1.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $1.25 earnings per share. On average, analysts anticipate that Employers will post 3.5 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Employers

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Lazard Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Employers during the 3rd quarter worth about $36,000. Point72 Hong Kong Ltd increased its position in shares of Employers by 510.1% in the first quarter. Point72 Hong Kong Ltd now owns 970 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $40,000 after acquiring an additional 811 shares in the last quarter. DZ BANK AG Deutsche Zentral Genossenschafts Bank Frankfurt am Main purchased a new position in shares of Employers in the 2nd quarter valued at $80,000. State of Wyoming acquired a new position in shares of Employers during the 4th quarter valued at $86,000. Finally, UBS Group AG boosted its position in Employers by 1,964.8% during the 3rd quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 2,519 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $87,000 after purchasing an additional 2,397 shares during the period. 78.57% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Employers

(Get Free Report)

Employers Holdings, Inc, through its subsidiaries, operates in the commercial property and casualty insurance industry primarily in the United States. The company operates in two segments, Employers and Cerity. It offers workers' compensation insurance to small businesses in low to medium hazard industries under the Employers and Cerity brands.

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Longbow Finance SA raised its holdings in shares of Exxon Mobil Co. (NYSE:XOM  Free Report) by 51.4% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 91,213 shares of the oil and gas companys stock after acquiring an additional 30,986 shares during the quarter. Exxon Mobil makes up 1.3% of Longbow Finance SAs investment portfolio, making the stock its 27th largest holding. Longbow Finance SAs holdings in Exxon Mobil were worth $10,725,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the business. FMR LLC grew its stake in Exxon Mobil by 3.0% during the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 145,199,301 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $17,072,534,000 after acquiring an additional 4,162,149 shares in the last quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC grew its stake in Exxon Mobil by 140,855.3% during the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 123,341,568 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $13,604,575,000 after acquiring an additional 123,254,064 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC grew its stake in Exxon Mobil by 0.3% during the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 74,126,090 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $7,930,414,000 after acquiring an additional 254,968 shares in the last quarter. Morgan Stanley lifted its holdings in shares of Exxon Mobil by 11.9% during the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 52,478,674 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $5,788,398,000 after buying an additional 5,566,797 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Exxon Mobil during the 4th quarter valued at about $5,226,390,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 58.53% of the companys stock.

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Exxon Mobil Stock Performance

Shares of XOM traded down $0.64 on Tuesday, reaching $103.09. 12,352,226 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 19,075,852. The firm has a market cap of $408.54 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.70, a P/E/G ratio of 3.74 and a beta of 0.97. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a current ratio of 1.48 and a quick ratio of 1.09. Exxon Mobil Co. has a 12 month low of $95.77 and a 12 month high of $120.70. The stocks 50-day moving average price is $101.09 and its 200-day moving average price is $106.23.

Exxon Mobil Dividend Announcement

Exxon Mobil ( NYSE:XOM Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, February 2nd. The oil and gas company reported $2.48 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.20 by $0.28. Exxon Mobil had a return on equity of 18.51% and a net margin of 10.45%. The firm had revenue of $84.34 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $90.03 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $3.40 earnings per share. The businesss revenue was down 11.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts forecast that Exxon Mobil Co. will post 9.25 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 11th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, February 14th will be given a $0.95 dividend. This represents a $3.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.69%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, February 13th. Exxon Mobils dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 42.74%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Exxon Mobil news, VP Leonard M. Fox sold 12,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, December 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $102.65, for a total value of $1,231,800.00. Following the transaction, the vice president now owns 220,678 shares of the companys stock, valued at $22,652,596.70. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In other Exxon Mobil news, VP Leonard M. Fox sold 12,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, December 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $102.65, for a total value of $1,231,800.00. Following the transaction, the vice president now owns 220,678 shares of the companys stock, valued at $22,652,596.70. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, Director Jeffrey W. Ubben sold 2,077,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, November 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $104.06, for a total value of $216,132,620.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 13,000 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,352,780. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 0.04% of the companys stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Erste Group Bank reiterated a hold rating on shares of Exxon Mobil in a report on Friday, December 22nd. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated a sector perform rating and set a $120.00 price target on shares of Exxon Mobil in a report on Monday, February 5th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price target on Exxon Mobil from $134.00 to $127.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Friday, December 8th. Mizuho lowered Exxon Mobil from a buy rating to a neutral rating and set a $117.00 price target for the company. in a report on Wednesday, January 3rd. Finally, UBS Group reduced their price target on Exxon Mobil from $133.00 to $132.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, January 23rd. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $127.53.

Read Our Latest Report on XOM

Exxon Mobil Profile

(Free Report)

Exxon Mobil Corporation engages in the exploration and production of crude oil and natural gas in the United States and internationally. It operates through Upstream, Energy Products, Chemical Products, and Specialty Products segments. The Upstream segment explores for and produces crude oil and natural gas.

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Forest Avenue Capital Management LP acquired a new position in Matson, Inc. (NYSE:MATX  Free Report) during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund acquired 49,000 shares of the shipping companys stock, valued at approximately $4,347,000. Matson comprises about 2.0% of Forest Avenue Capital Management LPs investment portfolio, making the stock its 23rd largest position. Forest Avenue Capital Management LP owned about 0.14% of Matson as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. International Assets Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in Matson in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $27,000. Parallel Advisors LLC lifted its position in Matson by 43.1% in the second quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC now owns 362 shares of the shipping companys stock valued at $28,000 after purchasing an additional 109 shares during the last quarter. CWM LLC grew its stake in shares of Matson by 41.4% in the second quarter. CWM LLC now owns 413 shares of the shipping companys stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 121 shares during the last quarter. Industrial Alliance Investment Management Inc. purchased a new position in Matson during the 4th quarter valued at about $53,000. Finally, U S Global Investors Inc. bought a new position in Matson during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $78,000. Institutional investors own 85.04% of the companys stock.

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Matson Stock Performance

Shares of MATX stock traded down $1.46 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $115.56. 168,836 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 257,311. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $113.00 and a 200 day moving average price of $98.50. The company has a market cap of $4.06 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.45 and a beta of 1.15. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a current ratio of 1.11 and a quick ratio of 1.11. Matson, Inc. has a 12-month low of $56.51 and a 12-month high of $122.99.

Matson Dividend Announcement

Insider Transactions at Matson

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 7th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 8th will be given a $0.32 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, February 7th. This represents a $1.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.11%. Matsons payout ratio is currently 14.71%.

In other Matson news, SVP Christopher A. Scott sold 952 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $98.93, for a total value of $94,181.36. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now owns 10,974 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,085,657.82. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. In other news, SVP Richard S. Kinney sold 997 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $96.30, for a total transaction of $96,011.10. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 9,427 shares in the company, valued at approximately $907,820.10. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, SVP Christopher A. Scott sold 952 shares of Matson stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $98.93, for a total transaction of $94,181.36. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 10,974 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,085,657.82. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 1.90% of the companys stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

MATX has been the subject of several research reports. StockNews.com lowered Matson from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Saturday, February 10th. Wolfe Research raised their price objective on Matson from $113.00 to $116.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 24th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus boosted their price objective on shares of Matson from $102.00 to $108.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research note on Friday, January 19th.

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Matson Company Profile

(Free Report)

Matson, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides ocean transportation and logistics services. The company's Ocean Transportation segment offers ocean freight transportation services to the domestic non-contiguous economies of Hawaii, Alaska, and Guam, as well as to other island economies in Micronesia.

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The company, Freeport-McMoRan Inc., has shown steady revenue growth and efficient cost management. Management focuses on employee development and diversity but faces challenges in labor recruitment. Key risks include environmental issues, regulatory compliance, and market fluctuations. FCX manages cybersecurity risks and legal obligations diligently. The board is led by Maree E. Robertson, emphasizing ESG practices and stakeholder expectations. Forward guidance aligns with strategic initiatives for growth and value enhancement, emphasizing sustainability and transparency for long-term competitiveness.

Executive Summary

Financials

Revenue growth has been steady over the past three years, with an increase from $7,264 in 2021 to $10,620 in the current year. The primary driver behind this trend could be attributed to consistent market performance and successful business strategies. Operating expenses have decreased over time, with a noticeable change in the cost structures. Selling, general, and administrative expenses have reduced consistently, indicating efficient cost management. Mining exploration and research expenses have also shown a decreasing trend, reflecting potential strategic shifts in resource allocation. The companys net income margin is uncertain as the specific figures are not provided in the context information. Without this information, it is impossible to determine whether it has improved or declined and how it compares to industry peers.

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Management Discussion and Analysis

Management has focused on employee engagement, training, and development, as well as inclusion and diversity initiatives. These efforts have aimed at recruiting, retaining, and developing talented employees, contributing to innovation and improved performance. The success of these initiatives is not explicitly stated in the provided information. Management assesses the companys competitive position by highlighting the challenge of recruiting and retaining qualified personnel in a competitive labor market. They are concerned about labor shortages impacting production, efficiency, and development projects, which could lead to decreased profitability. Major risks include environmental challenges, civil unrest, water availability, technology disruptions, labor relations, mineral reserve uncertainties, regulatory compliance, and energy requirements. Mitigation strategies include stakeholder engagement, regulatory compliance measures, workforce training, and sustainable energy practices.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Risk Assessment

The key performance metrics for Freeport-McMoRan Inc. have shown a slight improvement over the past year. While not explicitly mentioned, they seem to be moving in the right direction towards meeting the companys long-term goals. The companys return on investment (ROI) is 7.00%, which is equal to its cost of capital. It is generating value for shareholders by meeting the expected return on assets. The companys market share is not explicitly mentioned in the provided context information. There is no specific mention of how it has evolved in comparison to competitors or any plans for market expansion or consolidation.

Geopolitical, economic, regulatory, and social risks for international operations, fluctuations in market prices of produced commodities, supply constraints, financial commitments, compliance with reclamation obligations, litigation, and tax law changes are key external factors posing risks to the companys operations and financial performance. FCX assesses and manages cybersecurity risks through a layered portfolio of technology controls, strategic partnerships, and regular evaluations. They engage with assessors and third parties, conduct audits, and oversee third-party service providers to mitigate evolving threats and potential impacts on their operations. Yes, there are contingent liabilities and legal issues that could impact the companys financial position. FCX is addressing them by actively monitoring legal proceedings, environmental obligations, and potential risks related to climate change to mitigate any adverse effects on their financial position and reputation.

Corporate Governance and Sustainability

The board of directors is led by Maree E. Robertson, who serves as Chairman, CEO, and CFO. There are no notable changes in leadership or independence mentioned in the context information. FCX prioritizes inclusion and diversity by hiring locally, providing cultural training to expatriates, and ensuring equal pay regardless of gender or race. Board diversity commitment is not explicitly mentioned. FCX discloses ESG practices, goals, commitments, and performance, addressing environmental, social, and governance aspects. It aims to meet stakeholder expectations, enhance reputation, and ensure responsible business conduct.

Forward Guidance

The companys forward-looking guidance aligns with its strategic initiatives outlined in the annual report, focusing on strong operating performance, growth options, and value enhancement to position it for the future. FCX is factoring in trends like global economic conditions, tax rates, and mineral price changes into its forward-looking guidance. It plans to capitalize on these trends through improved operating procedures, technology innovations, and responsible production of copper and molybdenum. The companys expanded public disclosures on ESG practices demonstrate a commitment to long-term growth and competitiveness by adapting to evolving standards and meeting stakeholder expectations. This strategic shift towards sustainability and transparency may attract preferential buying and enhance reputation.

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This article was created using artificial intelligence technology from Klickanalytics.
Giverny Capital Inc. lowered its position in Brookfield Co. (NYSE:BN  Free Report) by 9.6% during the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 14,671 shares of the companys stock after selling 1,552 shares during the quarter. Giverny Capital Inc.s holdings in Brookfield were worth $459,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. FinTrust Capital Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Brookfield during the third quarter valued at about $25,000. Ronald Blue Trust Inc. lifted its holdings in Brookfield by 102.6% in the 3rd quarter. Ronald Blue Trust Inc. now owns 1,021 shares of the companys stock valued at $34,000 after purchasing an additional 517 shares in the last quarter. Money Concepts Capital Corp purchased a new position in Brookfield in the 4th quarter valued at $34,000. Castleview Partners LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Brookfield in the third quarter valued at about $34,000. Finally, First Command Advisory Services Inc. acquired a new position in Brookfield in the 3rd quarter valued at about $37,000. 58.22% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Insider Transactions at Brookfield

In other Brookfield news, Director Ocm Growth Holdings Llc sold 562,500 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $12.06, for a total value of $6,783,750.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 16,742,168 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $201,910,546.08. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In other news, major shareholder Gp Ltd Bcp sold 132,700 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, December 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $2.47, for a total value of $327,769.00. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 30,368,482 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $75,010,150.54. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Director Ocm Growth Holdings Llc sold 562,500 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $12.06, for a total value of $6,783,750.00. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 16,742,168 shares in the company, valued at approximately $201,910,546.08. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 6,545,283 shares of company stock worth $22,555,512 in the last 90 days. 11.00% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Brookfield Stock Performance

BN traded down $0.01 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $40.34. 3,513,788 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,483,736. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $39.57 and a 200-day simple moving average of $35.39. Brookfield Co. has a 12 month low of $28.25 and a 12 month high of $41.60. The stock has a market cap of $66.15 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 65.08 and a beta of 1.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.35, a current ratio of 1.15 and a quick ratio of 0.99.

Brookfield (NYSE:BN  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, February 8th. The company reported $0.83 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.69 by $0.14. The firm had revenue of $24.52 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.15 billion. Brookfield had a return on equity of 3.22% and a net margin of 1.18%. Brookfields revenue was up 1.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $1.12 earnings per share. Analysts anticipate that Brookfield Co. will post 3.75 earnings per share for the current year.

Brookfield Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 28th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, March 13th will be paid a dividend of $0.08 per share. This is a positive change from Brookfields previous quarterly dividend of $0.07. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, March 12th. This represents a $0.32 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.79%. Brookfields dividend payout ratio is 45.16%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

BN has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. TD Securities upped their price objective on shares of Brookfield from $61.00 to $62.00 and gave the stock an action list buy rating in a report on Sunday, February 11th. Canaccord Genuity Group increased their price objective on shares of Brookfield from $41.00 to $42.50 and gave the company a hold rating in a research report on Friday, February 9th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods increased their target price on shares of Brookfield from $36.00 to $37.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a research report on Friday, November 10th. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price objective on shares of Brookfield from $52.00 to $53.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Monday, February 12th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets raised their price objective on shares of Brookfield from $42.00 to $44.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Friday, February 9th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seven have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Brookfield has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $47.45.

Check Out Our Latest Analysis on Brookfield

Brookfield Profile

(Free Report)

Brookfield Corporation is an alternative asset manager and REIT/Real Estate Investment Manager firm focuses on real estate, renewable power, infrastructure and venture capital and private equity assets. It manages a range of public and private investment products and services for institutional and retail clients.

Further Reading

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Crane (NYSE:CR  Get Free Report) and Schneider Electric S.E. (OTCMKTS:SBGSF  Get Free Report) are both industrials companies, but which is the better stock? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their profitability, valuation, risk, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership, earnings and dividends.

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares Crane and Schneider Electric S.E.s top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

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Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Crane $2.09 billion 3.32 $401.10 million $3.69 33.06 Schneider Electric S.E. N/A N/A N/A $3.32 65.20

Crane has higher revenue and earnings than Schneider Electric S.E.. Crane is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Schneider Electric S.E., indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Analyst Recommendations

Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Crane 0 3 4 0 2.57 Schneider Electric S.E. 0 0 0 0 N/A

This is a summary of current ratings and target prices for Crane and Schneider Electric S.E., as reported by MarketBeat.com.

Crane presently has a consensus price target of $107.83, suggesting a potential downside of 11.61%. Given Cranes higher probable upside, equities research analysts plainly believe Crane is more favorable than Schneider Electric S.E..

Profitability

This table compares Crane and Schneider Electric S.E.s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Crane 13.10% 24.45% 10.14% Schneider Electric S.E. N/A N/A N/A

Insider & Institutional Ownership

85.9% of Crane shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 41.7% of Schneider Electric S.E. shares are owned by institutional investors. 2.4% of Crane shares are owned 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.

Dividends

Crane pays an annual dividend of $0.82 per share and has a dividend yield of 0.7%. Schneider Electric S.E. pays an annual dividend of $1.87 per share and has a dividend yield of 0.9%. Crane pays out 22.2% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Schneider Electric S.E. pays out 56.3% 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. Crane has increased its dividend for 1 consecutive years.

Summary

Crane beats Schneider Electric S.E. on 11 of the 13 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Crane

(Get Free Report)

Crane Company, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells engineered industrial products in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia. The company has three segments: Aerospace & Electronics, Process Flow Technologies, and Engineered Materials. The Aerospace & Electronics segment supplies critical components and systems, including original equipment and aftermarket parts, primarily for the commercial aerospace, and the military aerospace, defense, and space markets. This segment also offers pressure sensors for aircraft engine control, aircraft braking systems for fighter jets, power conversion solutions for spacecraft, and lubrication systems. The Process Flow Technologies segment provides engineered fluid handling equipment for mission critical applications. It offers process valves and related products, commercial valves, and pumps and systems. The Engineered Materials segment manufactures fiberglass-reinforced plastic panels and coils, primarily for use in the manufacturing of recreational vehicles and in commercial and industrial buildings applications. It provides products and solutions to customers across end markets, including aerospace, defense, chemical and pharmaceutical, water and wastewater, payment automation, non-residential and municipal construction, energy, and banknote design and production, as well as for a range of general industrial and consumer applications. The company was formerly known as Crane Holdings, Co. Crane Company was founded in 1855 and is based in Stamford, Connecticut.

About Schneider Electric S.E.

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Schneider Electric S.E. engages in the energy management and industrial automation business worldwide. It offers busway and cable support products, circuit breakers and switches, contactors and protection relays, electrical vehicle charging, electrical protection and control products, energy management software solutions, power and energy monitoring systems, power quality and power factor correction products, pushbuttons, switches, pilot lights and joysticks, field services, and switchboards and enclosures. The company also provides access control, controllers, expansion modules, servers and HMIs, fire and security products, sensors, valve and valve actuator, variable speed and frequency drives, feeder automation, grid automation and SCADA software products, medium voltage switchgears and transformers, outdoor equipment, substation automation products, and switchgear components. In addition, it offers critical power and cooling services, data center software, IT power distribution products, prefabricated data center modules, racks and accessories, security and environmental monitoring, surge protection and power conditioning, and uninterruptible power supply products; home automation and security, installation materials and systems, light switches, emergency lighting, and electrical sockets; and human machine interface, industrial automation software, industrial communication, interface and control relays, measurement and instrumentation, motion control and robotics, signaling devices, solar and energy storage, power supplies, power protection and transformers, process control and safety, RFID systems, and other industrial automation and control products, as well as PLC, PAC, and dedicated controllers. The company was founded in 1836 and is headquartered in Rueil-Malmaison, France.

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Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund grew its position in Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY  Free Report) by 527.9% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 301,400 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 253,400 shares during the quarter. Eli Lilly and Company accounts for approximately 0.7% of Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Funds holdings, making the stock its 21st biggest holding. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Funds holdings in Eli Lilly and Company were worth $161,891,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in LLY. Fairfield Bush & CO. purchased a new stake in Eli Lilly and Company during the 1st quarter worth about $107,000. Roundview Capital LLC boosted its stake in Eli Lilly and Company by 2.6% in the 1st quarter. Roundview Capital LLC now owns 2,056 shares of the companys stock worth $589,000 after buying an additional 53 shares during the last quarter. Merit Financial Group LLC acquired a new stake in Eli Lilly and Company in the 1st quarter worth about $210,000. NewEdge Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Eli Lilly and Company by 9.9% in the 1st quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 53,052 shares of the companys stock worth $15,193,000 after buying an additional 4,774 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Barometer Capital Management Inc. acquired a new stake in Eli Lilly and Company in the 1st quarter worth about $561,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 81.38% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms have recently weighed in on LLY. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price objective on Eli Lilly and Company from $710.00 to $865.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 7th. StockNews.com raised Eli Lilly and Company from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Friday, November 3rd. Truist Financial lifted their price objective on Eli Lilly and Company from $650.00 to $850.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 7th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on Eli Lilly and Company from $700.00 to $825.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 6th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft assumed coverage on Eli Lilly and Company in a research note on Thursday, November 9th. They issued a hold rating and a $535.00 price objective on the stock. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $655.50.

Eli Lilly and Company Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE LLY traded down $26.05 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $756.01. The stock had a trading volume of 3,080,285 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,420,386. Eli Lilly and Company has a one year low of $309.20 and a one year high of $794.47. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.59, a quick ratio of 0.82 and a current ratio of 1.05. The stock has a market cap of $717.69 billion, a PE ratio of 130.65, a P/E/G ratio of 1.73 and a beta of 0.32. The firms 50 day moving average price is $640.51 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $594.83.

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 6th. The company reported $2.49 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.30 by $0.19. Eli Lilly and Company had a return on equity of 50.78% and a net margin of 15.36%. The business had revenue of $9.35 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $8.95 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $2.09 EPS. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 28.1% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts forecast that Eli Lilly and Company will post 12.5 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Eli Lilly and Company Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 8th. Investors of record on Thursday, February 15th will be paid a dividend of $1.30 per share. This is an increase from Eli Lilly and Companys previous quarterly dividend of $1.13. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.69%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, February 14th. Eli Lilly and Companys dividend payout ratio is presently 89.66%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 34,538 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $631.81, for a total transaction of $21,821,453.78. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 99,719,884 shares in the company, valued at approximately $63,004,019,910.04. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this link. Insiders sold a total of 195,055 shares of company stock worth $125,254,657 in the last three months. 0.13% of the stock is owned by insiders.

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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Hsbc Holdings PLC lowered its stake in Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW  Free Report) by 10.3% during the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 405,265 shares of the industrial products companys stock after selling 46,706 shares during the quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLCs holdings in Illinois Tool Works were worth $93,316,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in ITW. Briaud Financial Planning Inc purchased a new position in Illinois Tool Works during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Northwest Capital Management Inc purchased a new position in Illinois Tool Works in the second quarter worth about $28,000. Quarry LP grew its position in Illinois Tool Works by 52.7% in the first quarter. Quarry LP now owns 142 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $35,000 after acquiring an additional 49 shares in the last quarter. Arlington Trust Co LLC purchased a new position in Illinois Tool Works in the third quarter worth about $38,000. Finally, Steward Financial Group LLC purchased a new position in shares of Illinois Tool Works during the 2nd quarter worth about $39,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 79.56% of the companys stock.

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Illinois Tool Works Stock Up 1.0 %

Shares of ITW stock traded up $2.64 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $256.56. The stock had a trading volume of 179,896 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,076,513. Illinois Tool Works Inc. has a 12-month low of $217.06 and a 12-month high of $267.12. The firm has a market capitalization of $76.66 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.07, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.36 and a beta of 1.15. The firms 50-day moving average is $257.50 and its two-hundred day moving average is $244.10. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.10, a current ratio of 1.33 and a quick ratio of 0.97.

Illinois Tool Works Announces Dividend

Illinois Tool Works ( NYSE:ITW Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 1st. The industrial products company reported $2.42 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.41 by $0.01. Illinois Tool Works had a return on equity of 96.60% and a net margin of 18.36%. The firm had revenue of $3.98 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.01 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $2.34 EPS. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up .3% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts predict that Illinois Tool Works Inc. will post 10.12 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 11th. Investors of record on Friday, March 29th will be paid a dividend of $1.40 per share. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 27th. This represents a $5.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.18%. Illinois Tool Workss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 57.49%.

Insider Activity at Illinois Tool Works

In other Illinois Tool Works news, EVP Sharon Szafranski sold 801 shares of Illinois Tool Works stock in a transaction on Monday, February 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $256.42, for a total value of $205,392.42. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 5,870 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,505,185.40. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In other news, EVP Sharon Szafranski sold 801 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, February 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $256.42, for a total transaction of $205,392.42. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 5,870 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,505,185.40. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, CAO Randall J. Scheuneman sold 5,827 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, February 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $256.29, for a total value of $1,493,401.83. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 8,870 shares in the company, valued at $2,273,292.30. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 152,304 shares of company stock valued at $38,860,831 over the last 90 days. Insiders own 0.78% of the companys stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts recently commented on ITW shares. Barclays lifted their price target on shares of Illinois Tool Works from $215.00 to $224.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a research note on Monday, February 5th. Bank of America cut shares of Illinois Tool Works from a neutral rating to an underperform rating and dropped their price target for the stock from $260.00 to $235.00 in a research note on Wednesday, January 10th. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their target price on shares of Illinois Tool Works from $238.00 to $239.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 23rd. Citigroup boosted their target price on shares of Illinois Tool Works from $244.00 to $256.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Monday, December 11th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lowered shares of Illinois Tool Works from an equal weight rating to an underweight rating and lowered their target price for the company from $277.00 to $240.00 in a research note on Tuesday, February 6th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $239.33.

View Our Latest Stock Analysis on ITW

Illinois Tool Works Profile

(Free Report)

Illinois Tool Works Inc manufactures and sells industrial products and equipment in the United states and internationally. It operates through seven segments: Automotive OEM; Food Equipment; Test & Measurement and Electronics; Welding; Polymers & Fluids; Construction Products; and Specialty Products.

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Boyd Gaming Co. (NYSE:BYD  Get Free Report) Chairman Marianne Boyd Johnson sold 77,661 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $64.87, for a total value of $5,037,869.07. Following the completion of the sale, the chairman now directly owns 1,511,433 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $98,046,658.71. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link.

Boyd Gaming Trading Down 2.0 %

NYSE BYD opened at $63.37 on Tuesday. The stocks fifty day moving average price is $63.24 and its 200-day moving average price is $62.00. The company has a current ratio of 0.80, a quick ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.62. Boyd Gaming Co. has a 12 month low of $52.42 and a 12 month high of $73.00. The stock has a market cap of $6.20 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.39, a P/E/G ratio of 2.94 and a beta of 1.61.

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Boyd Gaming (NYSE:BYD  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 8th. The company reported $1.66 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.43 by $0.23. Boyd Gaming had a return on equity of 37.07% and a net margin of 16.58%. The firm had revenue of $954.41 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $928.04 million. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $1.72 earnings per share. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 3.4% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Boyd Gaming Co. will post 6.18 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Boyd Gaming Dividend Announcement

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, January 15th. Investors of record on Friday, December 22nd were paid a dividend of $0.16 per share. This represents a $0.64 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.01%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, December 21st. Boyd Gamings dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 10.49%.

A number of analysts have recently weighed in on BYD shares. Barclays increased their price objective on Boyd Gaming from $66.00 to $67.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Friday, January 26th. Susquehanna reissued a neutral rating and set a $75.00 price objective (down previously from $84.00) on shares of Boyd Gaming in a research note on Monday, February 12th. Truist Financial increased their price objective on Boyd Gaming from $76.00 to $80.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Friday, February 9th. StockNews.com raised Boyd Gaming from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 24th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price objective on Boyd Gaming from $78.00 to $80.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Friday, February 9th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $75.67.

View Our Latest Stock Report on BYD

Institutional Trading of Boyd Gaming

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Prospera Financial Services Inc boosted its holdings in shares of Boyd Gaming by 3.1% in the 1st quarter. Prospera Financial Services Inc now owns 5,306 shares of the companys stock worth $340,000 after purchasing an additional 159 shares during the period. Sunbelt Securities Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Boyd Gaming by 15.0% in the 2nd quarter. Sunbelt Securities Inc. now owns 1,575 shares of the companys stock worth $109,000 after purchasing an additional 205 shares during the period. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust boosted its holdings in shares of Boyd Gaming by 105.5% in the 3rd quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 411 shares of the companys stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 211 shares during the period. Great Lakes Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Boyd Gaming by 3.7% in the 3rd quarter. Great Lakes Advisors LLC now owns 5,971 shares of the companys stock worth $363,000 after purchasing an additional 213 shares during the period. Finally, Cetera Advisor Networks LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Boyd Gaming by 3.1% in the 2nd quarter. Cetera Advisor Networks LLC now owns 7,163 shares of the companys stock worth $497,000 after purchasing an additional 218 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 67.98% of the companys stock.

About Boyd Gaming

(Get Free Report)

Boyd Gaming Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a multi-jurisdictional gaming company in Nevada, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. It operates through three segments: Las Vegas Locals, Downtown Las Vegas, and Midwest & South.

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Ontario Teachers Pension Plan Board grew its stake in shares of MSC Industrial Direct Co., Inc. (NYSE:MSM  Free Report) by 30.5% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 55,737 shares of the industrial products companys stock after purchasing an additional 13,030 shares during the period. Ontario Teachers Pension Plan Board owned about 0.10% of MSC Industrial Direct worth $5,471,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of MSM. BlackRock Inc. increased its position in MSC Industrial Direct by 34.8% in the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 5,480,861 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $467,024,000 after purchasing an additional 1,414,485 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new position in MSC Industrial Direct in the 4th quarter worth about $38,273,000. Capital Research Global Investors acquired a new position in MSC Industrial Direct in the 2nd quarter worth about $28,584,000. Acadian Asset Management LLC increased its position in MSC Industrial Direct by 68.7% in the 2nd quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC now owns 635,569 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $60,534,000 after purchasing an additional 258,729 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Balyasny Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in MSC Industrial Direct in the 3rd quarter worth about $14,719,000. 89.51% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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MSC Industrial Direct Stock Performance

Shares of MSM stock traded down $0.78 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, reaching $98.53. The stock had a trading volume of 104,404 shares, compared to its average volume of 457,668. The firms 50 day simple moving average is $98.66 and its 200 day simple moving average is $98.60. The company has a quick ratio of 0.89, a current ratio of 2.02 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.21. MSC Industrial Direct Co., Inc. has a one year low of $77.99 and a one year high of $105.77. The firm has a market cap of $5.56 billion, a PE ratio of 16.89 and a beta of 0.96.

MSC Industrial Direct Announces Dividend

MSC Industrial Direct ( NYSE:MSM Get Free Report ) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, January 9th. The industrial products company reported $1.25 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.30 by ($0.05). MSC Industrial Direct had a return on equity of 23.46% and a net margin of 8.27%. The company had revenue of $954.00 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $971.31 million. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.48 earnings per share. The companys quarterly revenue was down .4% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts forecast that MSC Industrial Direct Co., Inc. will post 5.91 EPS for the current year.

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, January 23rd. Investors of record on Tuesday, January 9th were issued a dividend of $0.83 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, January 8th. This represents a $3.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.37%. MSC Industrial Directs dividend payout ratio is 56.46%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Separately, KeyCorp dropped their target price on MSC Industrial Direct from $105.00 to $102.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, January 10th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, MSC Industrial Direct presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $105.00.

Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on MSM

Insider Activity at MSC Industrial Direct

In other news, Director Mitchell Jacobson sold 51,040 shares of MSC Industrial Direct stock in a transaction on Monday, January 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $97.31, for a total value of $4,966,702.40. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 1,907,271 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $185,596,541.01. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. In other news, Director Mitchell Jacobson sold 51,040 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, January 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $97.31, for a total value of $4,966,702.40. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 1,907,271 shares in the company, valued at approximately $185,596,541.01. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, CFO Kristen Actis-Grande sold 2,690 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, November 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $98.57, for a total value of $265,153.30. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 4,622 shares in the company, valued at $455,590.54. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 257,193 shares of company stock valued at $25,106,817 in the last three months. Corporate insiders own 18.80% of the companys stock.

About MSC Industrial Direct

(Free Report)

MSC Industrial Direct Co, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, distributes metalworking and maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) products and services in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and internationally. The company's MRO products include cutting tools, measuring instruments, tooling components, metalworking products, fasteners, flat stock products, raw materials, abrasives, machinery hand and power tools, safety and janitorial supplies, plumbing supplies, materials handling products, power transmission components, and electrical supplies.

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Clean Energy Transition LLP cut its stake in shares of nVent Electric plc (NYSE:NVT  Free Report) by 8.9% during the third quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 2,501,376 shares of the companys stock after selling 245,181 shares during the period. nVent Electric accounts for about 19.3% of Clean Energy Transition LLPs portfolio, making the stock its 3rd largest position. Clean Energy Transition LLPs holdings in nVent Electric were worth $132,548,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Cetera Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of nVent Electric by 4.0% during the 2nd quarter. Cetera Advisors LLC now owns 5,368 shares of the companys stock worth $277,000 after acquiring an additional 208 shares during the period. Coldstream Capital Management Inc. grew its position in shares of nVent Electric by 2.8% during the second quarter. Coldstream Capital Management Inc. now owns 9,122 shares of the companys stock worth $471,000 after buying an additional 248 shares in the last quarter. Cookson Peirce & Co. Inc. boosted its holdings in nVent Electric by 4.1% in the third quarter. Cookson Peirce & Co. Inc. now owns 7,012 shares of the companys stock worth $372,000 after purchasing an additional 277 shares during the period. NewEdge Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in nVent Electric by 10.8% in the first quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 2,897 shares of the companys stock worth $124,000 after purchasing an additional 283 shares during the period. Finally, Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. boosted its holdings in nVent Electric by 3.6% in the third quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 8,917 shares of the companys stock worth $472,000 after purchasing an additional 307 shares during the period. 87.76% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Insider Activity

In related news, CEO Beth Wozniak sold 198,211 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $64.29, for a total value of $12,742,985.19. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 342 shares in the company, valued at approximately $21,987.18. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other news, CEO Beth Wozniak sold 198,211 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $64.29, for a total transaction of $12,742,985.19. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 342 shares in the company, valued at $21,987.18. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, insider Joseph A. Ruzynski sold 2,500 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $64.23, for a total value of $160,575.00. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 36,013 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,313,114.99. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 387,363 shares of company stock worth $24,832,091 in the last three months. 2.40% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities analysts have commented on NVT shares. Citigroup lifted their price objective on shares of nVent Electric from $59.00 to $64.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Monday, December 11th. Barclays cut their price objective on shares of nVent Electric from $67.00 to $65.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, October 30th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada lifted their price objective on shares of nVent Electric from $65.00 to $72.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 7th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $64.75.

Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on nVent Electric

nVent Electric Price Performance

NYSE:NVT traded down $0.85 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, reaching $62.72. 553,146 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,212,248. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $59.34 and a 200 day moving average price of $55.20. The firm has a market capitalization of $10.41 billion, a PE ratio of 18.56 and a beta of 1.33. nVent Electric plc has a 1-year low of $40.00 and a 1-year high of $66.09. The company has a current ratio of 1.82, a quick ratio of 1.22 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.56.

nVent Electric (NYSE:NVT  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, February 6th. The company reported $0.78 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.75 by $0.03. The firm had revenue of $861.20 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $866.90 million. nVent Electric had a return on equity of 17.53% and a net margin of 17.38%. nVent Electrics revenue was up 16.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $0.66 earnings per share. Research analysts expect that nVent Electric plc will post 3.22 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

nVent Electric Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 2nd. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 19th were issued a dividend of $0.19 per share. This represents a $0.76 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.21%. This is a positive change from nVent Electrics previous quarterly dividend of $0.18. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, January 18th. nVent Electrics payout ratio is currently 22.55%.

nVent Electric Company Profile

(Free Report)

nVent Electric plc designs, manufactures, markets, installs, and services electrical connection and protection products worldwide. The company operates through three segments: Enclosures, Electrical & Fastening Solutions, and Thermal Management. The Enclosures segment provides solutions to connect and protect critical electronics, communication, control, and power equipment; physical infrastructure solutions to host, connect, and protect server and network equipment; indoor and outdoor protection for test and measurement and aerospace and defense applications in industrial, infrastructure, commercial, and energy verticals; and metallic and non-metallic enclosures, cabinets, sub racks, and backplanes.

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Oribel Capital Management LP purchased a new position in Snowflake Inc. (NYSE:SNOW  Free Report) during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm purchased 63,700 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $9,731,000. Snowflake comprises about 0.9% of Oribel Capital Management LPs portfolio, making the stock its 23rd largest position.

Other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Ulland Investment Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of Snowflake by 270.0% during the third quarter. Ulland Investment Advisors LLC now owns 185 shares of the companys stock valued at $28,000 after purchasing an additional 135 shares during the last quarter. Nelson Van Denburg & Campbell Wealth Management Group LLC grew its position in shares of Snowflake by 333.3% during the first quarter. Nelson Van Denburg & Campbell Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 130 shares of the companys stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 100 shares in the last quarter. Provence Wealth Management Group bought a new position in Snowflake during the third quarter valued at $30,000. Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc. grew its position in Snowflake by 54.1% in the third quarter. Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc. now owns 205 shares of the companys stock worth $31,000 after acquiring an additional 72 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Global Wealth Management Investment Advisory Inc. grew its position in Snowflake by 89.0% in the third quarter. Global Wealth Management Investment Advisory Inc. now owns 206 shares of the companys stock worth $31,000 after acquiring an additional 97 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 63.74% of the companys stock.

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Insider Buying and Selling at Snowflake

In related news, CEO Frank Slootman sold 250,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $198.39, for a total value of $49,597,500.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 180,143 shares in the company, valued at approximately $35,738,569.77. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. In other Snowflake news, CRO Christopher William Degnan sold 115,038 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Thursday, December 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $200.53, for a total transaction of $23,068,570.14. Following the completion of the sale, the executive now directly owns 147,369 shares in the company, valued at approximately $29,551,905.57. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, CEO Frank Slootman sold 250,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $198.39, for a total transaction of $49,597,500.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 180,143 shares of the companys stock, valued at $35,738,569.77. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders have sold 640,172 shares of company stock valued at $127,356,430. 8.30% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Snowflake Stock Down 4.4 %

Shares of SNOW traded down $10.23 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $220.08. The company had a trading volume of 5,884,083 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,198,759. The firm has a market cap of $72.47 billion, a P/E ratio of -82.13 and a beta of 0.97. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $203.54 and its 200 day moving average price is $174.74. Snowflake Inc. has a 52-week low of $128.56 and a 52-week high of $237.72.

Snowflake (NYSE:SNOW  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, November 29th. The company reported $0.25 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.16 by $0.09. The company had revenue of $734.20 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $713.75 million. Snowflake had a negative return on equity of 14.46% and a negative net margin of 33.35%. Snowflakes quarterly revenue was up 31.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm earned ($0.60) earnings per share. On average, research analysts expect that Snowflake Inc. will post -1.72 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts have recently commented on SNOW shares. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on Snowflake from $190.00 to $210.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, November 30th. Mizuho raised their price target on shares of Snowflake from $180.00 to $210.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, November 30th. Rosenblatt Securities raised their target price on shares of Snowflake from $170.00 to $190.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Friday, December 1st. Oppenheimer raised their price target on shares of Snowflake from $220.00 to $240.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, November 30th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on shares of Snowflake from $170.00 to $200.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, November 30th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have assigned a hold rating and eighteen have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Snowflake presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $199.81.

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Snowflake Company Profile

(Free Report)

Snowflake Inc provides a cloud-based data platform for various organizations in the United States and internationally. Its platform offers Data Cloud, which enables customers to consolidate data into a single source of truth to drive meaningful business insights, build data-driven applications, and share data and data products.

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Pinkerton Retirement Specialists LLC reduced its stake in Unum Group (NYSE:UNM  Free Report) by 49.9% during the third quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 5,422 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 5,411 shares during the period. Pinkerton Retirement Specialists LLCs holdings in Unum Group were worth $267,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Resurgent Financial Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Unum Group in the second quarter worth $25,000. Huntington National Bank grew its stake in shares of Unum Group by 1,076.4% in the second quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 647 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $31,000 after acquiring an additional 592 shares during the last quarter. Bangor Savings Bank grew its stake in shares of Unum Group by 100.0% in the third quarter. Bangor Savings Bank now owns 664 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $33,000 after acquiring an additional 332 shares during the last quarter. Arlington Trust Co LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Unum Group in the third quarter worth $38,000. Finally, FinTrust Capital Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of Unum Group by 125.9% in the third quarter. FinTrust Capital Advisors LLC now owns 1,229 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $60,000 after acquiring an additional 685 shares during the last quarter. 79.37% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Unum Group Stock Performance

UNM stock traded up $0.58 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $49.31. The stock had a trading volume of 102,727 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,399,221. Unum Group has a 52 week low of $36.27 and a 52 week high of $52.15. The stocks 50 day moving average is $46.23 and its two-hundred day moving average is $46.87. The company has a current ratio of 0.27, a quick ratio of 0.29 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36. The firm has a market cap of $9.62 billion, a PE ratio of 7.51, a PEG ratio of 0.74 and a beta of 0.87.

Unum Group ( NYSE:UNM Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, January 30th. The financial services provider reported $1.79 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.86 by ($0.07). Unum Group had a net margin of 10.36% and a return on equity of 16.03%. The firm had revenue of $3.15 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.14 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.43 EPS. The firms revenue was up 4.7% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Unum Group will post 8.21 earnings per share for the current year.

Unum Group announced that its board has initiated a stock repurchase program on Tuesday, October 31st that allows the company to buyback $500.00 million in shares. This buyback authorization allows the financial services provider to reacquire up to 5.2% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are usually a sign that the companys management believes its stock is undervalued.

Unum Group Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 16th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 26th were paid a $0.365 dividend. This represents a $1.46 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.96%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, January 25th. Unum Groups dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 22.50%.

Insider Transactions at Unum Group

In other news, EVP Puneet Bhasin sold 8,188 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $42.39, for a total value of $347,089.32. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 54,318 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,302,540.02. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Corporate insiders own 0.77% of the companys stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

UNM has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their target price on Unum Group from $47.00 to $52.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 31st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised Unum Group from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and set a $55.00 price objective on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, January 3rd. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on Unum Group from $61.00 to $64.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, February 1st. Morgan Stanley dropped their price objective on Unum Group from $54.00 to $53.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, November 15th. Finally, Truist Financial dropped their price objective on Unum Group from $59.00 to $54.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, November 3rd. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Unum Group presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $55.44.

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Unum Group Profile

(Free Report)

Unum Group, together with its subsidiaries, provides financial protection benefit solutions primarily in the United States, the United Kingdom, Poland, and internationally. It operates through Unum US, Unum International, Colonial Life, and Closed Block and Corporate segments. The company offers group long-term and short-term disability, group life, and accidental death and dismemberment products; supplemental and voluntary products, such as individual disability, voluntary benefits, and dental and vision products; and accident, sickness, disability, life, and cancer and critical illness products.

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Provence Wealth Management Group reduced its stake in Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO  Free Report) by 22.0% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 6,243 shares of the companys stock after selling 1,765 shares during the period. Provence Wealth Management Groups holdings in Altria Group were worth $263,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P acquired a new position in Altria Group during the 1st quarter worth $25,000. Nemes Rush Group LLC boosted its position in Altria Group by 103.2% during the 3rd quarter. Nemes Rush Group LLC now owns 636 shares of the companys stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 323 shares during the period. WFA of San Diego LLC acquired a new position in Altria Group during the 2nd quarter worth $30,000. Annis Gardner Whiting Capital Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Altria Group in the 3rd quarter worth $31,000. Finally, Legacy Financial Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of Altria Group in the 3rd quarter worth $30,000. 58.94% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Altria Group Stock Performance

Shares of MO traded up $0.17 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $40.35. 635,864 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 8,894,815. The company has a market cap of $71.37 billion, a PE ratio of 8.79, a PEG ratio of 2.42 and a beta of 0.66. The firms 50 day moving average is $40.82 and its 200-day moving average is $41.80. Altria Group, Inc. has a 52 week low of $39.06 and a 52 week high of $48.07.

Altria Group Dividend Announcement

Altria Group ( NYSE:MO Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 1st. The company reported $1.18 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.17 by $0.01. Altria Group had a negative return on equity of 243.71% and a net margin of 33.21%. The business had revenue of $5.02 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $5.06 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $1.18 EPS. The firms revenue was down 1.2% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.08 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, January 10th. Investors of record on Thursday, December 21st were given a dividend of $0.98 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, December 20th. This represents a $3.92 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 9.71%. Altria Groups dividend payout ratio is presently 85.78%.

Altria Group declared that its board has approved a stock repurchase plan on Thursday, February 1st that permits the company to repurchase $1.00 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization permits the company to buy up to 1.4% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are often an indication that the companys leadership believes its stock is undervalued.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

MO has been the topic of a number of research reports. UBS Group reissued a sell rating and issued a $36.10 price objective on shares of Altria Group in a research note on Tuesday, January 23rd. StockNews.com lowered Altria Group from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 14th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have assigned a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Altria Group has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $47.22.

Read Our Latest Analysis on MO

About Altria Group

(Free Report)

Altria Group, Inc, through its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells smokeable and oral tobacco products in the United States. The company provides cigarettes primarily under the Marlboro brand; cigars and pipe tobacco principally under the Black & Mild brand; moist smokeless tobacco products and snus products under the Copenhagen, Skoal, Red Seal, and Husky brands; and on! oral nicotine pouches.

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Provence Wealth Management Group bought a new position in shares of iShares Russell Mid-Cap Growth ETF (NYSEARCA:IWP  Free Report) during the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm bought 1,558 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $142,000.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of IWP. Authentikos Wealth Advisory LLC bought a new position in shares of iShares Russell Mid-Cap Growth ETF in the 3rd quarter worth about $29,000. DHJJ Financial Advisors Ltd. bought a new stake in iShares Russell Mid-Cap Growth ETF in the 3rd quarter valued at about $30,000. BluePath Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in iShares Russell Mid-Cap Growth ETF in the 3rd quarter valued at about $32,000. Indiana Trust & Investment Management CO bought a new stake in iShares Russell Mid-Cap Growth ETF in the 3rd quarter valued at about $35,000. Finally, Northwest Capital Management Inc bought a new stake in iShares Russell Mid-Cap Growth ETF in the 2nd quarter valued at about $38,000.

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iShares Russell Mid-Cap Growth ETF Trading Down 1.0 %

iShares Russell Mid-Cap Growth ETF stock traded down $1.07 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $108.54. The stock had a trading volume of 70,375 shares, compared to its average volume of 898,704. iShares Russell Mid-Cap Growth ETF has a 12 month low of $85.00 and a 12 month high of $110.58. The company has a market capitalization of $14.73 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.03 and a beta of 1.10. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $104.69 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $97.30.

iShares Russell Mid-Cap Growth ETF Company Profile

iShares Russell Mid-Cap Growth ETF, formerly iShares Russell Midcap Growth Index Fund (the Growth Fund), is an exchange-traded fund. The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Russell Midcap Growth Index (the Growth Index).

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QANTM Intellectual Property Limited (ASX:QIP  Get Free Report) declared a interim dividend on Tuesday, February 20th, MarketIndexAU reports. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, April 2nd will be given a dividend of 0.049 per share on Tuesday, April 2nd. This represents a yield of 4.12%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, February 22nd. This is a positive change from QANTM Intellectual Propertys previous interim dividend of $0.03.

QANTM Intellectual Property Stock Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 60.78, a current ratio of 1.57 and a quick ratio of 1.50.

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Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, insider Craig Dower 357,070 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, November 30th. 26.12% of the stock is owned by insiders.

QANTM Intellectual Property Company Profile

QANTM Intellectual Property Limited provides intellectual property services for start-up technology businesses, SMEs, multinationals, public sector research institutions, and universities in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Malaysia, and Hongkong. The company offers services related to patents, designs, and trademarks.

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Qtron Investments LLC purchased a new position in Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (NYSE:FIS  Free Report) during the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm purchased 6,161 shares of the information technology services providers stock, valued at approximately $341,000.

A number of other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the business. BlackRock Inc. lifted its position in shares of Fidelity National Information Services by 2.7% in the 2nd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 60,473,174 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $3,307,883,000 after buying an additional 1,575,081 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp lifted its position in shares of Fidelity National Information Services by 1.4% in the 1st quarter. State Street Corp now owns 26,456,658 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $1,437,381,000 after buying an additional 367,417 shares during the last quarter. Capital Research Global Investors lifted its position in shares of Fidelity National Information Services by 115.2% in the 2nd quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 14,426,414 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $789,119,000 after buying an additional 7,721,981 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its position in Fidelity National Information Services by 18.6% in the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 12,534,919 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $684,057,000 after purchasing an additional 1,962,622 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. lifted its position in Fidelity National Information Services by 0.4% in the 3rd quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 8,498,166 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $458,850,000 after purchasing an additional 33,881 shares during the last quarter. 85.67% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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Insider Transactions at Fidelity National Information Services

In other Fidelity National Information Services news, Director Ellen R. Alemany acquired 735 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, January 17th. The shares were bought at an average price of $60.32 per share, with a total value of $44,335.20. Following the purchase, the director now directly owns 35,333 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,131,286.56. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.68% of the companys stock.

Fidelity National Information Services Stock Performance

Analyst Ratings Changes

Shares of FIS opened at $63.65 on Tuesday. The firms 50 day moving average is $61.26 and its 200-day moving average is $57.04. The company has a quick ratio of 0.76, a current ratio of 0.76 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65. Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. has a 12-month low of $46.91 and a 12-month high of $69.65.

Several brokerages recently weighed in on FIS. Mizuho lifted their price objective on shares of Fidelity National Information Services from $62.00 to $73.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, January 18th. Raymond James cut their price objective on shares of Fidelity National Information Services from $79.00 to $71.00 and set a strong-buy rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, November 8th. Royal Bank of Canada cut their price objective on shares of Fidelity National Information Services from $71.00 to $67.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, November 8th. Finally, Truist Financial lifted their price objective on shares of Fidelity National Information Services from $50.00 to $55.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 8th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $66.00.

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Fidelity National Information Services Profile

(Free Report)

Fidelity National Information Services, Inc provides technology solutions for financial institutions and businesses worldwide. It operates through Banking Solutions, Merchant Solutions, and Capital Market Solutions segments. The Banking Solutions segment provides core processing and ancillary applications; mobile and online banking; fraud, risk management, and compliance; electronic funds transfer and network; card and retail payment; wealth and retirement; and item processing and output solutions.

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Ranch Capital Advisors Inc. lowered its position in shares of Enterprise Products Partners L.P. (NYSE:EPD  Free Report) by 3.3% during the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 28,347 shares of the oil and gas producers stock after selling 977 shares during the period. Ranch Capital Advisors Inc.s holdings in Enterprise Products Partners were worth $776,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of Enterprise Products Partners by 104,195.1% during the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 132,364,055 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $3,192,621,000 after acquiring an additional 132,237,142 shares in the last quarter. Cowa LLC boosted its position in Enterprise Products Partners by 9,906.0% during the 1st quarter. Cowa LLC now owns 7,753,281 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $2,001,000 after purchasing an additional 7,675,795 shares during the period. BROOKFIELD Corp ON boosted its position in Enterprise Products Partners by 803.7% during the 2nd quarter. BROOKFIELD Corp ON now owns 4,497,730 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $118,515,000 after purchasing an additional 4,000,004 shares during the period. Morgan Stanley boosted its position in Enterprise Products Partners by 17.6% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 20,745,030 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $500,370,000 after buying an additional 3,102,695 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. raised its stake in shares of Enterprise Products Partners by 16.0% in the 3rd quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. now owns 9,634,854 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $263,706,000 after purchasing an additional 1,325,390 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 26.54% of the companys stock.

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Enterprise Products Partners Trading Up 0.7 %

Shares of Enterprise Products Partners stock traded up $0.20 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $27.45. The company had a trading volume of 2,950,368 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,427,640. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $26.63 and a 200 day moving average price of $26.72. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.97, a current ratio of 0.92 and a quick ratio of 0.65. The firm has a market cap of $59.62 billion, a PE ratio of 10.81 and a beta of 1.02. Enterprise Products Partners L.P. has a fifty-two week low of $24.66 and a fifty-two week high of $27.95.

Enterprise Products Partners Increases Dividend

Enterprise Products Partners ( NYSE:EPD Get Free Report ) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, February 1st. The oil and gas producer reported $0.72 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.68 by $0.04. Enterprise Products Partners had a return on equity of 19.77% and a net margin of 11.12%. The company had revenue of $14.62 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $12.43 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $0.65 earnings per share. Enterprise Products Partnerss revenue for the quarter was up 7.1% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Enterprise Products Partners L.P. will post 2.63 earnings per share for the current year.

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 14th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, January 31st were issued a $0.515 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, January 30th. This represents a $2.06 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 7.50%. This is a boost from Enterprise Products Partnerss previous quarterly dividend of $0.50. Enterprise Products Partnerss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 81.75%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

EPD has been the topic of several analyst reports. Royal Bank of Canada restated an outperform rating and issued a $35.00 price target on shares of Enterprise Products Partners in a research note on Tuesday, February 13th. Stifel Nicolaus increased their target price on shares of Enterprise Products Partners from $35.00 to $36.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Friday, February 2nd. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on shares of Enterprise Products Partners from $31.00 to $32.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Tuesday, February 6th. Truist Financial decreased their price target on shares of Enterprise Products Partners from $33.00 to $31.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, November 1st. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded shares of Enterprise Products Partners from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Friday, February 2nd. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, ten have issued a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Buy and an average price target of $32.15.

Check Out Our Latest Research Report on EPD

Enterprise Products Partners Company Profile

(Free Report)

Enterprise Products Partners L.P. provides midstream energy services to producers and consumers of natural gas, natural gas liquids (NGLs), crude oil, petrochemicals, and refined products. The company operates through four segments: NGL Pipelines & Services, Crude Oil Pipelines & Services, Natural Gas Pipelines & Services, and Petrochemical & Refined Products Services.

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Ranch Capital Advisors Inc. lessened its holdings in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO  Free Report) by 5.9% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 433 shares of the medical research companys stock after selling 27 shares during the period. Ranch Capital Advisors Inc.s holdings in Thermo Fisher Scientific were worth $219,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Halpern Financial Inc. raised its stake in Thermo Fisher Scientific by 307.7% in the 3rd quarter. Halpern Financial Inc. now owns 53 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 40 shares during the last quarter. Coppell Advisory Solutions LLC purchased a new position in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific during the 2nd quarter valued at about $33,000. Live Oak Investment Partners purchased a new position in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific during the 4th quarter valued at about $36,000. Tyler Stone Wealth Management purchased a new position in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific during the 2nd quarter valued at about $37,000. Finally, Indiana Trust & Investment Management CO purchased a new position in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific during the 3rd quarter valued at about $38,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 87.06% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

TMO has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. Raymond James raised their target price on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $515.00 to $605.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, February 1st. Wolfe Research initiated coverage on Thermo Fisher Scientific in a research report on Wednesday, December 13th. They set an outperform rating and a $575.00 target price on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company upgraded Thermo Fisher Scientific from an underweight rating to an equal weight rating and set a $475.00 price objective on the stock in a report on Wednesday, October 25th. StockNews.com upgraded Thermo Fisher Scientific from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Thursday, October 26th. Finally, Citigroup lifted their price objective on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $530.00 to $575.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Monday, December 11th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $596.00.

Insider Buying and Selling at Thermo Fisher Scientific

In other Thermo Fisher Scientific news, CEO Marc N. Casper sold 10,000 shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $555.63, for a total value of $5,556,300.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 49,155 shares in the company, valued at approximately $27,311,992.65. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other Thermo Fisher Scientific news, SVP Michael A. Boxer sold 14,566 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $562.00, for a total value of $8,186,092.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 12,901 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,250,362. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, CEO Marc N. Casper sold 10,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $555.63, for a total transaction of $5,556,300.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 49,155 shares in the company, valued at approximately $27,311,992.65. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 24,730 shares of company stock worth $13,832,095 in the last quarter. 0.32% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Price Performance

Shares of TMO traded down $0.38 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, reaching $547.46. 523,930 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,827,267. The company has a quick ratio of 1.39, a current ratio of 1.75 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $539.70 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $513.27. Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. has a 52-week low of $415.60 and a 52-week high of $593.17. The company has a market cap of $211.52 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 35.46, a PEG ratio of 2.30 and a beta of 0.80.

Thermo Fisher Scientific (NYSE:TMO  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, January 31st. The medical research company reported $5.67 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $5.64 by $0.03. The firm had revenue of $10.89 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $10.73 billion. Thermo Fisher Scientific had a net margin of 13.99% and a return on equity of 18.78%. Thermo Fisher Scientifics revenue for the quarter was down 4.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $5.40 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. will post 21.54 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Thermo Fisher Scientific announced that its board has authorized a stock buyback program on Tuesday, November 14th that authorizes the company to repurchase $4.00 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the medical research company to reacquire up to 2.2% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase programs are often a sign that the companys board believes its shares are undervalued.

About Thermo Fisher Scientific

(Free Report)

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc provides life sciences solutions, analytical instruments, specialty diagnostics, and laboratory products and biopharma services in the United States and internationally. The company's Life Sciences Solutions segment offers reagents, instruments, and consumables for biological and medical research, discovery, and production of drugs and vaccines, as well as diagnosis of infections and diseases; and solutions include biosciences, genetic sciences, clinical next-generation sequencing, bio production to pharmaceutical, biotechnology, agricultural, clinical, healthcare, academic, and government markets.

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Berenberg Bank reiterated their buy rating on shares of Rio Tinto Group (LON:RIO  Free Report) in a research note issued to investors on Monday morning, Digital Look reports. They currently have a GBX 6,200 ($78.07) target price on the stock.

Separately, JPMorgan Chase & Co. restated a neutral rating on shares of Rio Tinto Group in a report on Thursday, November 23rd. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of GBX 6,022.22 ($75.83).

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Rio Tinto Group Stock Down 1.7 %

Insider Activity at Rio Tinto Group

Shares of RIO opened at GBX 5,337 ($67.20) on Monday. The firm has a market capitalization of 66.71 billion, a P/E ratio of 1,276.02, a P/E/G ratio of -0.64 and a beta of 0.67. Rio Tinto Group has a 12-month low of GBX 4,509.50 ($56.78) and a 12-month high of GBX 6,277 ($79.04). The company has a current ratio of 1.99, a quick ratio of 1.34 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 26.39. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of GBX 5,561.58 and a 200-day moving average price of GBX 5,273.01.

In other Rio Tinto Group news, insider Jakob Stausholm sold 3,868 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of GBX 5,557 ($69.97), for a total value of 214,944.76 ($270,643.11). 14.69% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

About Rio Tinto Group

(Get Free Report)

Rio Tinto Group engages in exploring, mining, and processing mineral resources worldwide. The company operates through Iron Ore, Aluminium, Copper, and Minerals Segments. It offers aluminum, copper, iron ore, diamonds, gold, borates, titanium dioxide, salt, silver, molybdenum, and lithium. The company also owns and operates open pit and underground mines, refineries, smelters, and concentrator facilities, as well as power stations, research, and service facilities.

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River & Mercantile Asset Management LLP lowered its position in Waters Co. (NYSE:WAT  Free Report) by 22.3% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 36,889 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock after selling 10,592 shares during the quarter. Waters makes up about 2.4% of River & Mercantile Asset Management LLPs investment portfolio, making the stock its 5th largest holding. River & Mercantile Asset Management LLP owned 0.06% of Waters worth $10,125,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Mitsubishi UFJ Kokusai Asset Management Co. Ltd. lifted its stake in shares of Waters by 9.7% during the 3rd quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Kokusai Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 55,889 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock worth $15,325,000 after buying an additional 4,936 shares during the last quarter. CWM LLC lifted its stake in shares of Waters by 144.4% during the 2nd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 909 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock worth $242,000 after buying an additional 537 shares during the last quarter. Wealthfront Advisers LLC lifted its stake in shares of Waters by 44.9% during the 3rd quarter. Wealthfront Advisers LLC now owns 1,587 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock worth $435,000 after buying an additional 492 shares during the last quarter. Boston Financial Mangement LLC lifted its stake in shares of Waters by 34.6% during the 3rd quarter. Boston Financial Mangement LLC now owns 89,140 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock worth $24,443,000 after buying an additional 22,931 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Pathstone Family Office LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Waters during the 3rd quarter worth about $473,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 94.01% of the companys stock.

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Waters Stock Performance

NYSE WAT traded down $3.11 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $322.10. 113,908 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 423,871. Waters Co. has a 1 year low of $231.90 and a 1 year high of $335.40. The businesss 50 day simple moving average is $318.68 and its 200-day simple moving average is $286.86. The company has a quick ratio of 0.47, a current ratio of 0.69 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.71. The stock has a market capitalization of $19.05 billion, a P/E ratio of 29.97, a P/E/G ratio of 6.47 and a beta of 0.92.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Waters ( NYSE:WAT Get Free Report ) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, February 6th. The medical instruments supplier reported $3.62 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $3.56 by $0.06. The firm had revenue of $819.50 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $815.50 million. Waters had a net margin of 21.72% and a return on equity of 81.30%. The companys quarterly revenue was down 4.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $3.84 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts expect that Waters Co. will post 11.89 earnings per share for the current year.

Several brokerages have weighed in on WAT. Stifel Nicolaus lifted their price objective on shares of Waters from $290.00 to $330.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 7th. Citigroup raised their target price on shares of Waters from $265.00 to $300.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Monday, December 11th. TheStreet raised shares of Waters from a c+ rating to a b- rating in a report on Wednesday, December 13th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their target price on shares of Waters from $305.00 to $285.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, November 8th. Finally, Barclays raised their target price on shares of Waters from $275.00 to $300.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a report on Monday, February 12th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and seven have given a hold rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Waters currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $293.50.

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About Waters

(Free Report)

Waters Corporation, a specialty measurement company, provides analytical workflow solutions in Asia, the Americas, and Europe. It operates through two segments, Waters and TA. The company designs, manufactures, sells, and services high and ultra-performance liquid chromatography, as well as mass spectrometry (MS) technology systems and support products, including chromatography columns, other consumable products, and post-warranty service plans.

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River Road Asset Management LLC trimmed its holdings in Centene Co. (NYSE:CNC  Free Report) by 0.4% in the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 112,392 shares of the companys stock after selling 465 shares during the period. River Road Asset Management LLCs holdings in Centene were worth $7,742,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC increased its holdings in Centene by 84,741.9% in the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 225,379,868 shares of the companys stock worth $18,483,403,000 after buying an additional 225,114,221 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp increased its holdings in Centene by 1.8% in the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 23,778,835 shares of the companys stock worth $1,603,882,000 after buying an additional 423,324 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Centene by 1.4% during the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 10,010,680 shares of the companys stock valued at $673,251,000 after purchasing an additional 134,892 shares during the period. Boston Partners grew its stake in shares of Centene by 17.1% during the 2nd quarter. Boston Partners now owns 9,566,260 shares of the companys stock valued at $644,764,000 after purchasing an additional 1,395,853 shares during the period. Finally, Invesco Ltd. grew its stake in shares of Centene by 8.7% during the 3rd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 8,788,485 shares of the companys stock valued at $605,351,000 after purchasing an additional 704,684 shares during the period. 90.92% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

CNC has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Truist Financial boosted their price target on Centene from $83.00 to $86.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, December 21st. Cantor Fitzgerald boosted their price target on Centene from $82.00 to $90.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Friday, December 15th. UBS Group boosted their price target on Centene from $72.00 to $79.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Thursday, December 21st. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company raised Centene from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and lifted their price objective for the company from $82.00 to $90.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 2nd. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Centene has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $83.57.

Insider Buying and Selling at Centene

In other news, Director Lori Jean Robinson sold 10,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $77.41, for a total value of $774,100.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 11,455 shares in the company, valued at $886,731.55. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. In other news, Director Lori Jean Robinson sold 10,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $77.41, for a total value of $774,100.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 11,455 shares in the company, valued at $886,731.55. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, President Kenneth J. Fasola sold 12,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $75.07, for a total value of $900,840.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the president now owns 235,365 shares of the companys stock, valued at $17,668,850.55. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.28% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Centene Price Performance

NYSE CNC traded up $0.50 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $79.24. The companys stock had a trading volume of 448,824 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,889,827. The company has a market capitalization of $42.33 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.04, a PEG ratio of 0.98 and a beta of 0.36. Centene Co. has a 1 year low of $60.83 and a 1 year high of $79.84. The firms 50-day moving average price is $75.87 and its 200-day moving average price is $71.45. The company has a quick ratio of 1.12, a current ratio of 1.11 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68.

Centene (NYSE:CNC  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, February 6th. The company reported $0.45 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.43 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $39.46 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $36.16 billion. Centene had a return on equity of 14.26% and a net margin of 1.75%. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 11.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $0.86 EPS. On average, equities research analysts predict that Centene Co. will post 6.73 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Centene Profile

(Free Report)

Centene Corporation operates as a healthcare enterprise that provides programs and services to under-insured and uninsured families, commercial organizations, and military families in the United States. It operates in two segments, Managed Care and Specialty Services. The Managed Care segment offers health plan coverage to individuals through government subsidized programs, including Medicaid, the State children's health insurance program, long-term services and support, foster care, and medicare-medicaid plans, which cover dually eligible individuals, as well as aged, blind, or disabled programs.

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Robertson Stephens Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TRV  Free Report) by 48.3% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 1,906 shares of the insurance providers stock after purchasing an additional 621 shares during the quarter. Robertson Stephens Wealth Management LLCs holdings in Travelers Companies were worth $311,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Clearstead Advisors LLC increased its position in Travelers Companies by 46.6% during the 3rd quarter. Clearstead Advisors LLC now owns 2,787 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $455,000 after purchasing an additional 886 shares during the period. Transatlantique Private Wealth LLC acquired a new position in Travelers Companies during the third quarter worth $439,000. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. lifted its holdings in Travelers Companies by 57.7% in the third quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 626,172 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $102,260,000 after acquiring an additional 229,071 shares during the period. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Travelers Companies during the 3rd quarter worth $2,960,000. Finally, QRG Capital Management Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Travelers Companies during the 3rd quarter worth $12,980,000. 81.12% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Insider Activity at Travelers Companies

In related news, Vice Chairman William H. Heyman sold 4,500 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, February 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $215.06, for a total value of $967,770.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 255,178 shares in the company, valued at approximately $54,878,580.68. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In related news, Vice Chairman William H. Heyman sold 270 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $178.00, for a total value of $48,060.00. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 255,178 shares in the company, valued at $45,421,684. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, Vice Chairman William H. Heyman sold 4,500 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $215.06, for a total value of $967,770.00. Following the sale, the insider now owns 255,178 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $54,878,580.68. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 110,045 shares of company stock worth $23,391,963. 1.29% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Travelers Companies Stock Down 0.7 %

Shares of NYSE TRV opened at $217.53 on Tuesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $49.84 billion, a PE ratio of 17.01, a P/E/G ratio of 1.07 and a beta of 0.58. The company has a quick ratio of 0.34, a current ratio of 0.34 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $200.39 and a 200-day moving average of $179.06. The Travelers Companies, Inc. has a 52-week low of $157.33 and a 52-week high of $219.62.

Travelers Companies (NYSE:TRV  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, January 19th. The insurance provider reported $7.01 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $5.10 by $1.91. Travelers Companies had a return on equity of 13.68% and a net margin of 7.23%. The company had revenue of $10.93 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $10.18 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $3.40 earnings per share. The firms revenue was up 13.4% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts anticipate that The Travelers Companies, Inc. will post 17.68 EPS for the current year.

Travelers Companies Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 29th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 8th will be paid a $1.00 dividend. This represents a $4.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.84%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 7th. Travelers Companiess dividend payout ratio is presently 31.27%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts have weighed in on the company. HSBC started coverage on Travelers Companies in a report on Thursday, December 28th. They issued a hold rating and a $203.00 target price on the stock. Janney Montgomery Scott assumed coverage on shares of Travelers Companies in a research report on Wednesday, December 20th. They set a buy rating and a $215.00 target price for the company. UBS Group increased their price target on shares of Travelers Companies from $205.00 to $225.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 23rd. TD Cowen started coverage on Travelers Companies in a research report on Wednesday, January 10th. They set an outperform rating and a $247.00 price objective for the company. Finally, StockNews.com raised Travelers Companies from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Monday, January 22nd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have assigned a hold rating, five have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Travelers Companies currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $201.38.

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About Travelers Companies

(Free Report)

The Travelers Companies, Inc, through its subsidiaries, provides a range of commercial and personal property, and casualty insurance products and services to businesses, government units, associations, and individuals in the United States and internationally. The company operates through three segments: Business Insurance, Bond & Specialty Insurance, and Personal Insurance.

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Manulife Financial (TSE:MFC  Free Report) (NYSE:MFC) had its price objective raised by Scotiabank from C$35.00 to C$40.00 in a report issued on Friday morning, BayStreet.CA reports. The firm currently has an outperform rating on the financial services providers stock.

Several other equities analysts have also recently weighed in on MFC. Desjardins upgraded Manulife Financial from a hold rating to a buy rating and lifted their price target for the company from C$29.00 to C$36.00 in a research report on Friday. Royal Bank of Canada raised Manulife Financial from a sector perform rating to an outperform rating and boosted their target price for the company from C$32.00 to C$34.00 in a research note on Tuesday, December 12th. BMO Capital Markets raised Manulife Financial from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and boosted their target price for the company from C$31.00 to C$35.00 in a research note on Thursday, February 15th. National Bankshares boosted their target price on Manulife Financial from C$29.00 to C$33.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research note on Thursday, February 15th. Finally, CIBC upgraded Manulife Financial from an underperform rating to a neutral rating and boosted their price target for the company from C$28.00 to C$30.00 in a report on Wednesday, January 31st. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating, five have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Manulife Financial currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of C$35.00.

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Manulife Financial Stock Performance

Manulife Financial Increases Dividend

Shares of MFC opened at C$33.30 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 22.91, a quick ratio of 2.58 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 56.70. The stock has a 50 day moving average of C$29.42 and a 200 day moving average of C$26.81. Manulife Financial has a 12 month low of C$23.69 and a 12 month high of C$33.59. The company has a market capitalization of C$60.27 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 4.75, a PEG ratio of 11.85 and a beta of 1.10.

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 19th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, February 28th will be given a $0.40 dividend. This is a boost from Manulife Financials previous quarterly dividend of $0.37. This represents a $1.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.80%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, February 27th. Manulife Financials payout ratio is currently 20.83%.

Manulife Financial Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Manulife Financial Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides financial products and services in Asia, Canada, the United States, and internationally. The company operates through Wealth and Asset Management Businesses; Insurance and Annuity Products; and Corporate and Other segments. The Wealth and Asset Management Businesses segment offers investment advice and solutions to retirement, retail, and institutional clients through multiple distribution channels, including agents and brokers affiliated with the company, independent securities brokerage firms and financial advisors pension plan consultants, and banks.

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SM Energy (NYSE:SM  Get Free Report) will post its quarterly earnings results after the market closes on Wednesday, February 21st. Analysts expect SM Energy to post earnings of $1.49 per share for the quarter. Individual interested in participating in the companys earnings conference call can do so using this link.

SM Energy Trading Up 0.9 %

Shares of SM Energy stock opened at $39.53 on Tuesday. The stock has a market cap of $4.60 billion, a P/E ratio of 5.78 and a beta of 4.18. The stocks 50 day simple moving average is $37.54 and its 200-day simple moving average is $38.71. SM Energy has a 1-year low of $24.66 and a 1-year high of $43.73. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.46, a current ratio of 1.17 and a quick ratio of 1.17.

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SM Energy Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a semi-annual dividend, which was paid on Monday, February 5th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 19th were issued a dividend of $0.18 per share. This is a boost from SM Energys previous semi-annual dividend of $0.15. This represents a dividend yield of 1.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, January 18th. SM Energys payout ratio is currently 10.53%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Mizuho lowered their target price on SM Energy from $50.00 to $44.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, January 3rd. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated a sector perform rating and issued a $45.00 price objective on shares of SM Energy in a report on Monday, February 5th. KeyCorp decreased their price objective on SM Energy from $56.00 to $51.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, January 11th. Wells Fargo & Company began coverage on SM Energy in a report on Wednesday, November 15th. They issued an equal weight rating and a $40.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, Seaport Res Ptn upgraded SM Energy from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, January 31st. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $40.82.

Read Our Latest Report on SM Energy

Institutional Trading of SM Energy

A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of SM. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. increased its position in shares of SM Energy by 41.0% during the first quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 8,075 shares of the energy companys stock worth $314,000 after acquiring an additional 2,348 shares during the period. Natixis Advisors L.P. increased its position in shares of SM Energy by 28.4% during the first quarter. Natixis Advisors L.P. now owns 20,390 shares of the energy companys stock worth $794,000 after acquiring an additional 4,513 shares during the period. MetLife Investment Management LLC increased its holdings in SM Energy by 55.1% in the first quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC now owns 63,571 shares of the energy companys stock valued at $2,476,000 after buying an additional 22,582 shares during the last quarter. Great West Life Assurance Co. Can increased its holdings in SM Energy by 2.5% in the first quarter. Great West Life Assurance Co. Can now owns 110,627 shares of the energy companys stock valued at $4,431,000 after buying an additional 2,680 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Cibc World Market Inc. purchased a new position in SM Energy in the first quarter valued at $1,226,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 91.26% of the companys stock.

About SM Energy

(Get Free Report)

SM Energy Company, an independent energy company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and production of oil, gas, and natural gas liquids in the state of Texas. It also has working interests in oil and gas producing wells in the Midland Basin and South Texas. The company was formerly known as St.

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Textainer Group Holdings Limited (NYSE:TGH  Get Free Report)s stock price reached a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $49.80 and last traded at $49.80, with a volume of 105319 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $49.75.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts recently weighed in on the company. B. Riley lowered Textainer Group from a buy rating to a neutral rating and lowered their price objective for the stock from $55.00 to $50.00 in a research report on Monday, October 23rd. StockNews.com assumed coverage on Textainer Group in a research report on Tuesday, February 13th. They issued a hold rating for the company.

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Check Out Our Latest Analysis on Textainer Group

Textainer Group Stock Up 0.1 %

The stock has a market cap of $2.11 billion, a PE ratio of 11.49 and a beta of 1.00. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $49.48 and a 200 day moving average of $45.13. The company has a quick ratio of 1.14, a current ratio of 1.16 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.76.

Textainer Group (NYSE:TGH  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 13th. The transportation company reported $1.13 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.05 by $0.08. The firm had revenue of $190.10 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $195.71 million. Textainer Group had a return on equity of 12.86% and a net margin of 26.57%. The companys revenue for the quarter was down 6.3% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Textainer Group Holdings Limited will post 4.89 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Textainer Group Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 1st will be given a dividend of $0.30 per share. This represents a $1.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.41%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, February 29th. Textainer Groups payout ratio is 27.71%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Textainer Group

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC purchased a new stake in Textainer Group in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $33,000. NBC Securities Inc. acquired a new position in Textainer Group in the 3rd quarter valued at $42,000. Adirondack Trust Co. acquired a new position in Textainer Group in the 3rd quarter valued at $48,000. Point72 Hong Kong Ltd acquired a new position in Textainer Group in the 1st quarter valued at $53,000. Finally, Longfellow Investment Management Co. LLC acquired a new position in Textainer Group in the 4th quarter valued at $69,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 44.28% of the companys stock.

Textainer Group Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Textainer Group Holdings Limited, through its subsidiaries, engages in the purchase, ownership, management, leasing, and disposal of a fleet of intermodal containers worldwide. It operates through three segments: Container Ownership, Container Management, and Container Resale. The company's containers include standard and specialized dry freight, and refrigerated containers, as well as other special-purpose containers, which include tank, 45', pallet-wide, and other types of containers.

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Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund lifted its position in The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE:PNC  Free Report) by 252.7% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 264,500 shares of the financial services providers stock after buying an additional 189,500 shares during the quarter. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Funds holdings in The PNC Financial Services Group were worth $32,473,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Comerica Bank bought a new stake in shares of The PNC Financial Services Group in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $5,594,000. Gradient Investments LLC boosted its position in The PNC Financial Services Group by 59.9% during the third quarter. Gradient Investments LLC now owns 635 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $78,000 after purchasing an additional 238 shares during the period. Handelsbanken Fonder AB boosted its position in The PNC Financial Services Group by 1.0% during the second quarter. Handelsbanken Fonder AB now owns 109,318 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $13,769,000 after purchasing an additional 1,098 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its position in The PNC Financial Services Group by 2.1% during the second quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 7,369,554 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $925,399,000 after purchasing an additional 150,470 shares during the period. Finally, Czech National Bank boosted its position in The PNC Financial Services Group by 47.3% during the third quarter. Czech National Bank now owns 69,606 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $8,546,000 after purchasing an additional 22,359 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 80.14% of the companys stock.

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Insider Buying and Selling at The PNC Financial Services Group

In other news, EVP Michael J. Hannon sold 3,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $148.82, for a total transaction of $446,460.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 36,570 shares of the companys stock, valued at $5,442,347.40. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. In other news, EVP Michael J. Hannon sold 3,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $148.82, for a total transaction of $446,460.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 36,570 shares of the companys stock, valued at $5,442,347.40. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, EVP Guild Deborah sold 1,533 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Thursday, November 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $132.51, for a total value of $203,137.83. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 17,092 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,264,860.92. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 0.39% of the companys stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts have recently commented on the company. StockNews.com lowered The PNC Financial Services Group from a hold rating to a sell rating in a report on Friday, November 17th. Piper Sandler upped their price target on The PNC Financial Services Group from $125.00 to $143.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Friday, December 8th. Morgan Stanley upped their price target on The PNC Financial Services Group from $142.00 to $158.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a report on Tuesday, January 30th. Odeon Capital Group upgraded The PNC Financial Services Group from a hold rating to a buy rating and set a $153.38 price target for the company in a report on Thursday, December 14th. Finally, UBS Group upped their target price on The PNC Financial Services Group from $160.00 to $163.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Thursday, January 18th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $146.59.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on The PNC Financial Services Group

The PNC Financial Services Group Trading Down 1.0 %

The PNC Financial Services Group stock traded down $1.51 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $147.34. The stock had a trading volume of 1,263,675 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,187,001. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $150.85 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $133.06. The stock has a market capitalization of $58.69 billion, a PE ratio of 11.52, a P/E/G ratio of 1.73 and a beta of 1.19. The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. has a 12 month low of $109.40 and a 12 month high of $161.15. The company has a current ratio of 0.84, a quick ratio of 0.84 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.42.

The PNC Financial Services Group (NYSE:PNC  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 16th. The financial services provider reported $3.16 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.12 by $1.04. The business had revenue of $5.36 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $5.30 billion. The PNC Financial Services Group had a return on equity of 12.27% and a net margin of 17.50%. The firms quarterly revenue was down 7.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $3.49 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. will post 12.29 EPS for the current year.

The PNC Financial Services Group Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, February 5th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, January 16th were paid a $1.55 dividend. This represents a $6.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.21%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, January 12th. The PNC Financial Services Groups payout ratio is 48.48%.

The PNC Financial Services Group Profile

(Free Report)

The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc operates as a diversified financial services company in the United States. It operates through three segments: Retail Banking, Corporate & Institutional Banking, and Asset Management Group segments. The company's Retail Banking segment offers checking, savings, and money market accounts, as well as certificates of deposit; residential mortgages, home equity loans and lines of credit, auto loans, credit cards, education loans, and personal and small business loans and lines of credit; and brokerage, insurance, and investment and cash management services.

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Ontario Teachers Pension Plan Board reduced its holdings in Trane Technologies plc (NYSE:TT  Free Report) by 4.0% during the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 2,167,981 shares of the companys stock after selling 90,228 shares during the quarter. Trane Technologies accounts for 4.8% of Ontario Teachers Pension Plan Boards holdings, making the stock its 7th biggest position. Ontario Teachers Pension Plan Board owned about 0.95% of Trane Technologies worth $439,905,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in TT. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of Trane Technologies in the 4th quarter worth approximately $526,026,000. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of Trane Technologies by 109,668.5% in the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 1,963,758 shares of the companys stock worth $330,088,000 after purchasing an additional 1,961,969 shares in the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Trane Technologies by 5.4% in the 2nd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 20,337,700 shares of the companys stock worth $3,889,789,000 after purchasing an additional 1,048,924 shares in the last quarter. First Trust Advisors LP raised its holdings in shares of Trane Technologies by 2,606.5% in the 1st quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 1,081,171 shares of the companys stock worth $165,095,000 after purchasing an additional 1,041,224 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Osaic Holdings Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Trane Technologies by 1,517.3% in the 2nd quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. now owns 1,068,900 shares of the companys stock worth $12,512,000 after purchasing an additional 1,002,808 shares in the last quarter. 80.66% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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Trane Technologies Stock Up 0.9 %

TT stock traded up $2.35 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $274.52. The companys stock had a trading volume of 636,907 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,105,096. The company has a quick ratio of 0.78, a current ratio of 1.13 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.57. The company has a market capitalization of $62.34 billion, a PE ratio of 30.96, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.13 and a beta of 1.03. Trane Technologies plc has a 12 month low of $162.04 and a 12 month high of $278.81. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $252.08 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $223.94.

Trane Technologies Increases Dividend

Trane Technologies ( NYSE:TT Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, February 1st. The company reported $2.17 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.13 by $0.04. Trane Technologies had a net margin of 11.45% and a return on equity of 32.01%. The company had revenue of $4.42 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.43 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $1.82 earnings per share. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 8.6% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts expect that Trane Technologies plc will post 10.18 earnings per share for the current year.

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 29th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 1st will be paid a $0.84 dividend. This represents a $3.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.22%. This is a boost from Trane Technologiess previous quarterly dividend of $0.75. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, February 29th. Trane Technologiess payout ratio is presently 34.13%.

Insider Transactions at Trane Technologies

In other news, EVP Paul A. Camuti sold 508 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, February 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $273.34, for a total value of $138,856.72. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 89,447 shares in the company, valued at $24,449,442.98. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. In other news, EVP Paul A. Camuti sold 508 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, February 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $273.34, for a total value of $138,856.72. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 89,447 shares in the company, valued at approximately $24,449,442.98. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, CFO Christopher J. Kuehn sold 2,767 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $268.31, for a total transaction of $742,413.77. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now directly owns 54,788 shares in the company, valued at approximately $14,700,168.28. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders sold 6,895 shares of company stock worth $1,859,452. 0.39% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms have recently weighed in on TT. Citigroup lifted their target price on shares of Trane Technologies from $246.00 to $269.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Monday, December 11th. Stephens lifted their target price on shares of Trane Technologies from $235.00 to $280.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 6th. Barclays lifted their target price on shares of Trane Technologies from $222.00 to $226.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, November 2nd. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their target price on shares of Trane Technologies from $253.00 to $287.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Monday, February 5th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price objective on shares of Trane Technologies from $231.00 to $246.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research report on Friday, February 2nd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have issued a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Trane Technologies has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $231.71.

Read Our Latest Analysis on Trane Technologies

Trane Technologies Profile

(Free Report)

Trane Technologies plc, together with its subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, sells, and services of solutions for heating, ventilation, air conditioning, custom, and custom and transport refrigeration in Ireland and internationally. It offers air conditioners, exchangers, and handlers; airside and terminal devices; air sourced heat pumps, auxiliary power units; chillers; coils and condensers; gensets; dehumidifiers; ductless; furnaces; home automation products; humidifiers; indoor air quality assessments and related products; large and light commercial unitary products; refrigerant reclamation products; thermostats/controls; transport heater products; variable refrigerant flow products; and water source heat pumps.

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QuantumScape (NYSE:QS  Free Report) had its price target lifted by Truist Financial from $7.00 to $8.00 in a research note published on Friday morning, Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a hold rating on the stock.

A number of other equities analysts have also commented on the stock. HSBC initiated coverage on shares of QuantumScape in a research report on Monday, December 4th. They set a reduce rating and a $4.70 price target on the stock. William Blair initiated coverage on shares of QuantumScape in a report on Monday, December 18th. They issued a market perform rating on the stock. Finally, Robert W. Baird raised their target price on shares of QuantumScape from $5.00 to $8.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Thursday, February 15th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, QuantumScape presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $6.71.

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View Our Latest Stock Analysis on QuantumScape

QuantumScape Price Performance

Shares of QS opened at $7.00 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $3.43 billion, a PE ratio of -7.29 and a beta of 4.94. The companys 50-day moving average is $7.28 and its 200-day moving average is $6.76. QuantumScape has a fifty-two week low of $4.99 and a fifty-two week high of $13.86. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.03, a current ratio of 24.57 and a quick ratio of 24.57.

QuantumScape (NYSE:QS  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 14th. The company reported ($0.23) earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.19) by ($0.04). During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned ($0.25) EPS. Equities analysts forecast that QuantumScape will post -0.91 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Jeffrey B. Straubel sold 69,309 shares of QuantumScape stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $6.72, for a total transaction of $465,756.48. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 292,644 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,966,567.68. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. In other news, Director Jeffrey B. Straubel sold 69,309 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $6.72, for a total value of $465,756.48. Following the transaction, the director now owns 292,644 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,966,567.68. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, insider Michael O. Mccarthy III sold 16,199 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, November 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $6.19, for a total transaction of $100,271.81. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 793,702 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,913,015.38. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 621,497 shares of company stock worth $4,652,534 in the last ninety days. Company insiders own 10.18% of the companys stock.

Institutional Trading of QuantumScape

Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of QS. Bank of New York Mellon Corp increased its stake in shares of QuantumScape by 10.3% in the 1st quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 778,770 shares of the companys stock valued at $15,569,000 after acquiring an additional 72,570 shares in the last quarter. US Bancorp DE increased its stake in shares of QuantumScape by 78.5% in the 1st quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 11,310 shares of the companys stock valued at $226,000 after acquiring an additional 4,975 shares in the last quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. increased its stake in shares of QuantumScape by 14.4% in the 1st quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 65,502 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,309,000 after acquiring an additional 8,253 shares in the last quarter. Cetera Advisor Networks LLC increased its stake in shares of QuantumScape by 18.7% in the 1st quarter. Cetera Advisor Networks LLC now owns 20,611 shares of the companys stock valued at $412,000 after acquiring an additional 3,253 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Citigroup Inc. increased its stake in shares of QuantumScape by 10.4% in the 1st quarter. Citigroup Inc. now owns 88,582 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,771,000 after acquiring an additional 8,342 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 27.22% of the companys stock.

About QuantumScape

(Get Free Report)

QuantumScape Corporation, a development stage company, focuses on the development and commercialization of solid-state lithium-metal batteries for electric vehicles and other applications. QuantumScape Corporation was founded in 2010 and is headquartered in San Jose, California.

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UniSuper Management Pty Ltd grew its position in shares of EastGroup Properties, Inc. (NYSE:EGP  Free Report) by 0.8% during the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 12,500 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after acquiring an additional 100 shares during the period. UniSuper Management Pty Ltds holdings in EastGroup Properties were worth $2,082,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Quarry LP purchased a new stake in shares of EastGroup Properties in the 2nd quarter valued at $27,000. Dark Forest Capital Management LP boosted its position in EastGroup Properties by 3,380.0% during the first quarter. Dark Forest Capital Management LP now owns 174 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $29,000 after buying an additional 169 shares during the period. Group One Trading L.P. bought a new position in shares of EastGroup Properties during the first quarter valued at about $41,000. Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of EastGroup Properties in the first quarter worth about $49,000. Finally, C M Bidwell & Associates Ltd. lifted its stake in shares of EastGroup Properties by 47.5% in the 2nd quarter. C M Bidwell & Associates Ltd. now owns 391 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $68,000 after acquiring an additional 126 shares during the last quarter. 90.69% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts recently issued reports on EGP shares. Raymond James upgraded EastGroup Properties from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and set a $180.00 price target on the stock in a research report on Friday, October 27th. Mizuho cut shares of EastGroup Properties from a buy rating to a neutral rating and set a $185.00 target price on the stock. in a report on Tuesday, December 5th. Truist Financial upped their price target on shares of EastGroup Properties from $186.00 to $188.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a report on Tuesday. KeyCorp raised their price target on shares of EastGroup Properties from $188.00 to $198.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Monday, February 12th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada upped their price objective on shares of EastGroup Properties from $180.00 to $190.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research note on Friday. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, EastGroup Properties currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $188.83.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CFO Brent Wood sold 2,500 shares of EastGroup Properties stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $182.74, for a total transaction of $456,850.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 102,617 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $18,752,230.58. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. In other news, EVP John F. Coleman sold 1,000 shares of EastGroup Properties stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $173.05, for a total value of $173,050.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 90,305 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $15,627,280.25. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CFO Brent Wood sold 2,500 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $182.74, for a total transaction of $456,850.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 102,617 shares in the company, valued at approximately $18,752,230.58. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 1.50% of the stock is owned by insiders.

EastGroup Properties Stock Down 0.3 %

EGP traded down $0.52 on Tuesday, hitting $182.19. The company had a trading volume of 17,895 shares, compared to its average volume of 258,456. EastGroup Properties, Inc. has a 52-week low of $152.45 and a 52-week high of $188.85. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $181.83 and a 200-day simple moving average of $174.96. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.64, a current ratio of 0.28 and a quick ratio of 0.28. The firm has a market capitalization of $8.74 billion, a P/E ratio of 41.14, a P/E/G ratio of 2.60 and a beta of 0.94.

EastGroup Properties Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 12th. Investors of record on Friday, December 29th were given a dividend of $1.27 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, December 28th. This represents a $5.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.79%. EastGroup Propertiess dividend payout ratio is presently 115.19%.

EastGroup Properties Company Profile

(Free Report)

EastGroup Properties, Inc (NYSE: EGP), a member of the S&P Mid-Cap 400 and Russell 1000 Indexes, is a self-administered equity real estate investment trust focused on the development, acquisition and operation of industrial properties in major Sunbelt markets throughout the United States with an emphasis in the states of Florida, Texas, Arizona, California and North Carolina.

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V Square Quantitative Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE:HIG  Free Report) by 98.9% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 5,583 shares of the insurance providers stock after acquiring an additional 2,776 shares during the period. V Square Quantitative Management LLCs holdings in The Hartford Financial Services Group were worth $396,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. raised its holdings in The Hartford Financial Services Group by 7.2% in the 1st quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 17,704 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $1,271,000 after buying an additional 1,185 shares during the period. D.A. Davidson & CO. increased its stake in The Hartford Financial Services Group by 9.1% during the first quarter. D.A. Davidson & CO. now owns 3,952 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $284,000 after purchasing an additional 330 shares during the period. Prudential PLC purchased a new stake in The Hartford Financial Services Group during the first quarter worth about $674,000. Cetera Investment Advisers increased its stake in The Hartford Financial Services Group by 88.6% during the first quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 11,238 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $807,000 after purchasing an additional 5,278 shares during the period. Finally, Zions Bancorporation N.A. increased its stake in The Hartford Financial Services Group by 235.4% during the first quarter. Zions Bancorporation N.A. now owns 1,070 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $77,000 after purchasing an additional 751 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 90.81% of the companys stock.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of analysts have issued reports on the stock. Roth Mkm boosted their price target on shares of The Hartford Financial Services Group from $80.00 to $90.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Friday, February 2nd. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price objective on The Hartford Financial Services Group from $77.00 to $95.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a research report on Monday, February 5th. Piper Sandler boosted their price objective on The Hartford Financial Services Group from $97.00 to $115.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 6th. Raymond James boosted their price objective on The Hartford Financial Services Group from $90.00 to $100.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Monday, February 5th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. downgraded The Hartford Financial Services Group from an overweight rating to a neutral rating and lowered their price objective for the stock from $94.00 to $91.00 in a research report on Monday, January 8th. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $90.60.

The Hartford Financial Services Group Price Performance

Shares of HIG traded up $0.23 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $93.29. 36,451 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,710,854. The company has a quick ratio of 0.31, a current ratio of 0.32 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29. The stock has a market capitalization of $28.06 billion, a PE ratio of 11.65, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.33 and a beta of 0.87. The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $64.25 and a fifty-two week high of $93.69. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $84.55 and a 200 day simple moving average of $77.29.

The Hartford Financial Services Group (NYSE:HIG  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, February 2nd. The insurance provider reported $3.06 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.44 by $0.62. The Hartford Financial Services Group had a return on equity of 19.82% and a net margin of 10.21%. The business had revenue of $6.40 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.84 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $2.31 earnings per share. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 6.4% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts predict that The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. will post 9.99 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other The Hartford Financial Services Group news, SVP Allison G. Niderno sold 1,332 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $89.74, for a total value of $119,533.68. Following the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 630 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $56,536.20. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. In other news, EVP David C. Robinson sold 15,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $89.64, for a total value of $1,344,600.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 8,201 shares in the company, valued at approximately $735,137.64. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, SVP Allison G. Niderno sold 1,332 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $89.74, for a total value of $119,533.68. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 630 shares in the company, valued at $56,536.20. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 339,050 shares of company stock valued at $28,069,037. Insiders own 2.00% of the companys stock.

About The Hartford Financial Services Group

(Free Report)

The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc provides insurance and financial services to individual and business customers in the United States, the United Kingdom, and internationally. Its Commercial Lines segment offers insurance coverages, including workers' compensation, property, automobile, general and professional liability, package business, umbrella, fidelity and surety, marine, livestock, and reinsurance through regional offices, branches, sales and policyholder service centers, independent retail agents and brokers, wholesale agents, and reinsurance brokers.

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Visionary Wealth Advisors lowered its stake in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (NYSEARCA:AGG  Free Report) by 5.1% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 197,583 shares of the companys stock after selling 10,568 shares during the period. iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF accounts for about 1.5% of Visionary Wealth Advisors holdings, making the stock its 11th largest holding. Visionary Wealth Advisors holdings in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF were worth $18,581,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Avalon Trust Co purchased a new stake in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF during the 2nd quarter valued at $28,000. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust boosted its stake in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF by 191.1% during the 2nd quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 294 shares of the companys stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 193 shares during the last quarter. Annis Gardner Whiting Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF during the 3rd quarter valued at $34,000. First Manhattan Co. boosted its stake in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF by 697.9% during the 4th quarter. First Manhattan Co. now owns 375 shares of the companys stock valued at $36,000 after purchasing an additional 328 shares during the last quarter. Finally, VitalStone Financial LLC purchased a new stake in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF during the 2nd quarter valued at $38,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 83.21% of the companys stock.

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iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF Stock Performance

Shares of AGG stock traded up $0.17 on Tuesday, reaching $97.27. The stock had a trading volume of 4,043,487 shares, compared to its average volume of 8,867,401. iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF has a 1 year low of $91.58 and a 1 year high of $100.98. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $98.36 and a 200 day simple moving average of $96.11.

iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF Company Profile

IShares are index funds that are bought and sold like common stocks on national securities exchanges as well as certain foreign exchanges. iShares are attractive because of their relatively low cost, tax efficiency and trading flexibility. Investors can purchase and sell shares through any brokerage firm, financial advisor, or online broker, and hold the funds in any type of brokerage account.

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Shares of Vista Energy, S.A.B. de C.V. (NYSE:VIST  Get Free Report) rose 3.5% on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $35.14 and last traded at $34.78. Approximately 824,595 shares were traded during mid-day trading, an increase of 99% from the average daily volume of 413,670 shares. The stock had previously closed at $33.61.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Separately, UBS Group initiated coverage on Vista Energy in a research report on Wednesday, November 8th. They issued a buy rating and a $40.00 price objective for the company.

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View Our Latest Stock Report on Vista Energy

Vista Energy Stock Performance

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Vista Energy

The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $30.91 and a 200-day simple moving average of $29.08. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.53, a current ratio of 1.00 and a quick ratio of 0.98. The stock has a market cap of $3.22 billion, a PE ratio of 9.86 and a beta of 1.96.

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Kensington Investments B.V. lifted its stake in shares of Vista Energy by 2.6% in the third quarter. Kensington Investments B.V. now owns 12,822,581 shares of the companys stock worth $389,678,000 after acquiring an additional 322,581 shares in the last quarter. Helikon Investments Ltd boosted its stake in Vista Energy by 10.4% during the 4th quarter. Helikon Investments Ltd now owns 5,929,515 shares of the companys stock valued at $174,980,000 after purchasing an additional 559,185 shares in the last quarter. Citigroup Inc. boosted its stake in Vista Energy by 62.7% during the 3rd quarter. Citigroup Inc. now owns 3,137,987 shares of the companys stock valued at $95,363,000 after purchasing an additional 1,209,254 shares in the last quarter. Morgan Stanley lifted its position in shares of Vista Energy by 2.3% during the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 2,304,681 shares of the companys stock valued at $36,091,000 after acquiring an additional 52,189 shares during the last quarter. Finally, PointState Capital LP lifted its position in shares of Vista Energy by 120.1% during the 3rd quarter. PointState Capital LP now owns 2,146,577 shares of the companys stock valued at $65,234,000 after acquiring an additional 1,171,354 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 45.68% of the companys stock.

About Vista Energy

(Get Free Report)

Vista Energy, SAB. de C.V., through its subsidiaries, engages in the exploration and production of oil and gas in Latin America. The company's principal assets located in Neuquina basin, Argentina and Vaca Muerta. It also owns producing assets in Argentina and Mexico. In addition, the company involved in drilling and workover activities located in Argentina.

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Southern (NYSE:SO  Free Report) had its price objective decreased by Wells Fargo & Company from $75.00 to $72.00 in a report issued on Friday, Benzinga reports. Wells Fargo & Company currently has an equal weight rating on the utilities providers stock.

Other analysts have also recently issued reports about the stock. BMO Capital Markets reduced their target price on shares of Southern from $75.00 to $72.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Friday. Scotiabank cut shares of Southern from a sector outperform rating to a sector perform rating and set a $78.00 target price for the company. in a research note on Friday, November 3rd. Barclays reduced their target price on shares of Southern from $68.00 to $67.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, January 17th. Morgan Stanley lifted their target price on shares of Southern from $66.00 to $67.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 21st. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded shares of Southern from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Friday, November 3rd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating, five have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $73.46.

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Southern Stock Performance

SO stock opened at $66.48 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.62, a quick ratio of 0.56 and a current ratio of 0.77. The stock has a market cap of $72.53 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.31, a P/E/G ratio of 4.14 and a beta of 0.50. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $69.58 and a 200 day simple moving average of $68.72. Southern has a 52 week low of $61.56 and a 52 week high of $75.80.

Southern (NYSE:SO  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 15th. The utilities provider reported $0.64 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.59 by $0.05. The business had revenue of $6.05 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $6.90 billion. Southern had a net margin of 15.79% and a return on equity of 11.40%. The firms quarterly revenue was down 14.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company posted $0.26 earnings per share. Research analysts anticipate that Southern will post 4.01 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Southern Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, March 6th. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 20th will be given a dividend of $0.70 per share. This represents a $2.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.21%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 16th. Southerns dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 77.14%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CEO Stephen E. Kuczynski sold 5,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, February 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $66.94, for a total transaction of $334,700.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 129,552 shares of the companys stock, valued at $8,672,210.88. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. In other news, EVP Christopher Cummiskey sold 899 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $67.06, for a total value of $60,286.94. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 22,502 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,508,984.12. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, CEO Stephen E. Kuczynski sold 5,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, February 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $66.94, for a total transaction of $334,700.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 129,552 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,672,210.88. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 25,998 shares of company stock valued at $1,817,613. 0.37% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Southern

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in SO. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Southern in the 4th quarter valued at $631,068,000. Capital International Investors lifted its position in Southern by 53.2% during the 4th quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 16,444,163 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $1,153,065,000 after buying an additional 5,707,845 shares in the last quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Southern during the 4th quarter worth about $369,131,000. Ameriprise Financial Inc. grew its holdings in Southern by 38.5% during the 3rd quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 7,547,188 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $488,461,000 after acquiring an additional 2,096,988 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Imprint Wealth LLC grew its holdings in Southern by 5,840.2% during the 2nd quarter. Imprint Wealth LLC now owns 1,949,392 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $194,939,000 after acquiring an additional 1,916,575 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 62.85% of the companys stock.

About Southern

(Get Free Report)

The Southern Company, through its subsidiaries, engages in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity. The company also develops, constructs, acquires, owns, and manages power generation assets, including renewable energy projects and sells electricity in the wholesale market; and distributes natural gas in Illinois, Georgia, Virginia, and Tennessee, as well as provides gas marketing services, gas distribution operations, and gas pipeline investments operations.

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Wolverine Asset Management LLC lessened its holdings in Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE:DGX  Free Report) by 1.7% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 5,687 shares of the medical research companys stock after selling 100 shares during the period. Wolverine Asset Management LLCs holdings in Quest Diagnostics were worth $693,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the business. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Quest Diagnostics by 4.8% in the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 14,014,030 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $1,917,961,000 after purchasing an additional 636,301 shares in the last quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Quest Diagnostics by 5.6% during the third quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 3,414,514 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $416,093,000 after buying an additional 180,889 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Quest Diagnostics by 3.1% during the second quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 2,422,912 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $339,688,000 after buying an additional 72,447 shares during the period. Davis Selected Advisers lifted its stake in shares of Quest Diagnostics by 10.2% during the third quarter. Davis Selected Advisers now owns 1,667,698 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $203,226,000 after buying an additional 153,810 shares during the period. Finally, Grantham Mayo Van Otterloo & Co. LLC lifted its stake in shares of Quest Diagnostics by 2.4% during the third quarter. Grantham Mayo Van Otterloo & Co. LLC now owns 1,636,407 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $199,413,000 after buying an additional 38,041 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 87.76% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities analysts recently issued reports on DGX shares. Barclays started coverage on shares of Quest Diagnostics in a research note on Wednesday, January 3rd. They set an equal weight rating and a $145.00 price objective on the stock. Bank of America raised shares of Quest Diagnostics from a neutral rating to a buy rating and upped their price objective for the company from $140.00 to $160.00 in a research note on Tuesday, December 12th. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Quest Diagnostics from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, February 1st. Jefferies Financial Group raised shares of Quest Diagnostics from a hold rating to a buy rating and increased their price target for the stock from $140.00 to $155.00 in a research note on Wednesday, February 7th. Finally, Truist Financial cut their price target on shares of Quest Diagnostics from $150.00 to $145.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, February 2nd. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Quest Diagnostics currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $146.91.

Quest Diagnostics Price Performance

Quest Diagnostics stock opened at $124.00 on Tuesday. Quest Diagnostics Incorporated has a 52-week low of $119.59 and a 52-week high of $148.91. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $133.18 and a 200-day moving average of $131.09. The firm has a market capitalization of $13.94 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.56, a PEG ratio of 2.67 and a beta of 0.92. The company has a quick ratio of 1.20, a current ratio of 1.31 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.70.

Quest Diagnostics (NYSE:DGX  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 1st. The medical research company reported $2.15 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.11 by $0.04. The business had revenue of $2.29 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.25 billion. Quest Diagnostics had a net margin of 9.23% and a return on equity of 15.79%. The businesss revenue was down 1.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business earned $1.98 EPS. As a group, analysts predict that Quest Diagnostics Incorporated will post 8.78 EPS for the current year.

Quest Diagnostics Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 22nd. Shareholders of record on Monday, April 8th will be issued a dividend of $0.75 per share. This is a positive change from Quest Diagnosticss previous quarterly dividend of $0.71. This represents a $3.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.42%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, April 5th. Quest Diagnosticss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 37.92%.

About Quest Diagnostics

(Free Report)

Quest Diagnostics Incorporated provides diagnostic testing, information, and services in the United States and internationally. The company develops and delivers diagnostic information services, such as routine testing, non-routine and advanced clinical testing, anatomic pathology testing, and other diagnostic information services.

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CenterBook Partners LP raised its stake in shares of Xylem Inc. (NYSE:XYL  Free Report) by 165.2% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 21,978 shares of the industrial products companys stock after purchasing an additional 13,690 shares during the period. CenterBook Partners LPs holdings in Xylem were worth $2,001,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. BlackRock Inc. boosted its holdings in Xylem by 21.3% in the 2nd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 25,741,159 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $2,898,969,000 after buying an additional 4,521,913 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Xylem by 7.6% in the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 20,390,911 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $1,738,529,000 after acquiring an additional 1,435,798 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp increased its position in shares of Xylem by 28.3% during the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 9,868,835 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $1,111,428,000 after purchasing an additional 2,176,790 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its stake in Xylem by 34.8% in the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 5,021,113 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $563,981,000 after purchasing an additional 1,295,550 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Invesco Ltd. lifted its holdings in Xylem by 35.1% in the 3rd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 4,182,821 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $380,762,000 after purchasing an additional 1,086,102 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 84.53% of the companys stock.

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Insider Activity at Xylem

In other news, SVP Franz Cerwinka sold 2,408 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $121.79, for a total transaction of $293,270.32. Following the sale, the senior vice president now owns 11,750 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,431,032.50. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other news, Director Victoria D. Harker sold 2,000 shares of Xylem stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $106.50, for a total value of $213,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 20,679 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,202,313.50. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, SVP Franz Cerwinka sold 2,408 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $121.79, for a total transaction of $293,270.32. Following the sale, the senior vice president now owns 11,750 shares in the company, valued at $1,431,032.50. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 0.90% of the companys stock.

Xylem Stock Down 0.5 %

Shares of NYSE:XYL opened at $123.79 on Tuesday. The company has a market capitalization of $29.84 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 45.51, a PEG ratio of 2.51 and a beta of 1.09. Xylem Inc. has a 12-month low of $87.59 and a 12-month high of $125.00. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $114.48 and a 200 day moving average price of $103.47. The company has a current ratio of 1.76, a quick ratio of 1.30 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22.

Xylem (NYSE:XYL  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 6th. The industrial products company reported $0.99 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.96 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $2.12 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.05 billion. Xylem had a net margin of 8.27% and a return on equity of 9.65%. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 40.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business earned $0.92 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts expect that Xylem Inc. will post 4.13 EPS for the current year.

Xylem Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, March 20th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, February 21st will be paid a $0.36 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, February 20th. This is a boost from Xylems previous quarterly dividend of $0.33. This represents a $1.44 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.16%. Xylems payout ratio is presently 48.53%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of brokerages have recently commented on XYL. Citigroup increased their target price on shares of Xylem from $122.00 to $126.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 7th. Raymond James raised shares of Xylem from an underperform rating to a market perform rating in a research note on Thursday, January 4th. Wolfe Research started coverage on Xylem in a research report on Wednesday, December 13th. They issued an outperform rating and a $127.00 price target for the company. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upgraded Xylem from a hold rating to a buy rating and lifted their price objective for the stock from $104.00 to $120.00 in a research report on Tuesday, November 21st. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada raised their target price on Xylem from $140.00 to $145.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 7th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $130.38.

Read Our Latest Research Report on XYL

Xylem Company Profile

(Free Report)

Xylem Inc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the design, manufacture, and servicing of engineered products and solutions for the water and wastewater applications in the United States, Europe, the Asia Pacific, and internationally. It operates through three segments: Water Infrastructure, Applied Water, and Measurement & Control Solutions.

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Public Bank to spend $15 mln on acquiring RHB Securities Vietnam

By Tri Duc Tue, February 20, 2024 | 11:20 am GMT+7

Public Bank Vietnam, a wholly owned subsidiary of Malaysias Public Bank Berhad, will spend VND374 billion ($15.24 million) on acquiring RHB Securities Vietnam.

In a Monday statement, Public Bank Berhad said the acquisition is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2024, subject to approvals from relevant authorities. Per the proposed deal, Public Bank Vietnam will take over the entire charter capital of RHB Securities Vietnam, representing 100% equity interest in the latter.

This strategic acquisition presents a good opportunity for Public Bank Vietnam to expand its financial services offering to include securities trading and to participate in the immense growth potential of Vietnams capital market, said Public Banks managing director and CEO Tan Sri Dato Sri Dr. Tay Ah Lek.

A branch of Public Bank Vietnam in Hanoi. Photo courtesy of Public Bank Vietnam.

The move would facilitate Public Bank Vietnam to leverage on its existing clientele in Vietnam to grow the securities trading business, the executive added.

Public Bank ventured into Vietnam in 1992 by setting up Public Bank Vietnam as a joint venture bank with state-owned BIDV. In 2016, Public Bank obtained a 100% foreign-owned bank license from the State Bank of Vietnam after acquiring the stake from its partner.

RHB Securities Vietnam, formerly Vietnam Securities Corporation (VNSEC), was established in December 2006. In January 2009, RHB Investment Bank, under Malaysias RHB Bank, became a strategic partner of VNSEC by purchasing a 49% stake in the latter. In January 2019, RHB Investment Bank acquired the remaining 51% of VNSEC and renamed it RHB Securities Vietnam.

Public Bank Vietnam earned a post-tax profit of VND462.78 billion ($19.72 million) in 2022, up 22% year-on-year, according to its financial statement. The banks total operating income rose 14.21% year-on-year to VND1.28 trillion ($54.76 million). The figure included a net interest income of VND1.13 trillion ($48.32 million), up 19.16%. Its outstanding customer loans climbed 19% from 2021 to VND24.48 trillion ($1.04 billion), while deposits increased 9.35% to VND18.41 trillion ($785 million).
Mogao Caves' preservation inspires Syrian experts

11:05, February 20, 2024 By Yao Yuxin ( China Daily

Syrian archaeologist Jihad Abu Kahla captures the intricate patterns of an unearthed brick in Dunhuang, Gansu province. [YAO YUXIN/CHINA DAILY]

Hidar Yousef initially aspired to be a tour guide. However, he now finds himself acting as a guardian of Syria's cultural heritage, working at the Directorate-General of Antiquities and Museums in the capital Damascus.

The country's civil war dramatically changed the course of his life. After the conflict erupted in 2011, tourists vanished, the tourism industry collapsed, and cultural relics became targets for bombing, theft, illegal excavations and smuggling.

"It's kind of an ironic story," Yousef said. "I wanted to introduce (artifacts). Now I am rescuing (them)."

The conflict altered almost everything in the 31-year-old's life. Born into a Syrian middle-class family, Yousef once enjoyed the trappings of affluence, with his family having four apartments and three cars. However, after the war his entire family is now forced to live in a single dwelling.

His wedding plans have been repeatedly delayed as he cannot afford the $200 engagement ring. As an archaeologist with a doctorate, he scrapes by on a meager $15 a month, and like nearly all Syrians he juggles at least two jobs just to make ends meet.

Day-to-day survival is a challenge for most Syrians, with the preservation of the country's cultural heritage low on most people's list of priorities, he said.

Yousef shared his story during a study tour of the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang, Gansu province, in early November. He was part of a delegation of 24 Syrian cultural scholars and officials, seeking to learn from China's expertise in cultural heritage preservation.

"All the time we viewed European experience as the best," he said. "But one or two years ago, we started to look to the East," he said, adding that they chose China to find out what was going on in the area of cultural heritage preservation.

"We were actually surprised, China is way better," he said.

Caves inspire visitors

When it came to China's antiquities and cultural heritage, Ibrahim Kherbek, director of the DGAM's Lattakia Antiquities Department on Syria's Mediterranean coast, only knew about the Great Wall before he visited the country. He said he had never heard of Dunhuang.

However, after visiting the Mogao Caves and attending lectures by experts from the Dunhuang Academy, he expressed his astonishment at China's high level of cultural heritage preservation.

Kherbek has worked in the field of cultural heritage for over 30 years and interacts with artifacts daily. "Cultural relics have become a part of my life," he said.

The destruction and obliteration of Syrian cultural heritage by war and terrorism is heartbreaking, Kherbek said. All six UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Syria have been put on the endangered list, including the Ancient City of Damascus, which dates back to the third millennium BC and is considered one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world.

In 2018, seven years after the outbreak of war, Syria reopened the National Museum of Damascus and showcased artifacts that had been carefully hidden away during the conflict. "Only by eliminating war can the foundation of peace and stability be laid for cultural heritage to continue to exist," Kherbek said.

China has faced similar hardships in recent centuries when it comes to cultural preservation, enduring the ravages of imperialism and war. Countless Chinese cultural artifacts were destroyed, plundered and taken overseas, with many still unrecovered.

Yu Zongren, director of the Institute of Conservation at Dunhuang Academy, said it's hard to imagine that the well-preserved Mogao Caves were abandoned for over four centuries.

Some murals were darkened by oil lamps used for worship and cooking smoke, some Buddha statues were looted, and the lower caves were blocked by sand drifts. In the 1950s, with no electricity or cars, sand clearance relied on ox- and horse-drawn carts.

Today, the protection of the Mogao Caves involves meticulous efforts. Temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide levels are monitored in real-time, and kiln-fired tiles have replaced cement bricks on the floor to allow for better ventilation.

To preserve the environment and microclimate, a temporary parking lot was removed by the National Cultural Heritage Administration to restore the area to its original state.

The UNESCO World Heritage Site is also embracing technology, and digitizing images of Buddha statues and murals to be shown in places outside Dunhuang.

"The prosperity or decline of civilization is closely intertwined with the stability and strength of a nation," Yu said.

Syrian archaeologists meticulously examine and discuss a fragment of silk fabric excavated from Dunhuang. [YAO YUXIN/CHINA DAILY]

Impact of war

Beyond ruining numerous cultural artifacts, the war also altered the development priorities of Syria, said Jihad Abu Kahla, director of the Damascus Countryside Antiquities Department at the DGAM.

Reviving the economy, securing people's livelihoods, and maintaining stability have taken precedence, making cultural heritage preservation less of a priority, Abu Kahla said.

Sanctions imposed by the United States in June 2020 have also added formidable obstacles to cultural restoration efforts in Syria after the war, according to Ahmad Dali, director of the digitalization department at the DGAM.

Dali said the US' restrictions on exporting materials and equipment necessary for artifact restoration to Syria, coupled with a shortage of skilled professionals and the economic burden of cultural preservation, have forced many restoration projects to be shelved.

Nevertheless, Dali's department is working on digitizing documentation on Syrian cultural artifacts and carrying out emergency repairs to the best of their abilities.

"Construction of a national identity is achieved through the inheritance and transmission of cultural heritage from one generation to the next," Abu Kahla said.

"Preserving cultural artifacts is tantamount to safeguarding the future of a nation."

An archaeologist organizes data collected for the protection of the murals in a cave of the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang. [LI HE/XINHUA]

Exchange and cooperation

In 1999, the Mogao Caves unearthed four pages of biblical psalms written in Syriac  an Aramaic dialect used as the literary and liturgical language of the ancient Syrian Christian churches  believed to be from the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368).

During the Yuan Dynasty, Gansu was a center for Nestorianism, a branch of Eastern Christianity that was prevalent in Central Asia. Dunhuang, in particular, witnessed multiple interactions with Western Christians, including notable figures like the Venetian explorer Marco Polo.

The discovery of the psalms underscored the long-standing cultural exchanges between the two countries.

Hala Emad, a senior official of Syria's Planning and International Cooperation Commission, said due to the prolonged conflict, cooperation between China and Syria was limited and primarily confined to humanitarian aid.

However, there has been a shift in recent years, especially after Syria became part of the Belt and Road Initiative last year, she said.

In ancient times, both nations were closely connected through the Silk Road. "Today, we have the opportunity to further extend our friendship through the new Silk Road of the BRI," Abu Kahla said.

China and Syria face common challenges in cultural heritage preservation, such as intentional damage, and mitigating the impact of damaging natural conditions.

Yu Jiannan, Party secretary of the Central Academy of Culture and Tourism Administration, said fostering exchanges and collaboration among cultural heritage professionals from both countries is essential.

"The potential for cooperation in the field of cultural heritage preservation between China and Syria is vast and promising," Yu said.

Expertise shared

After approximately 80 years of research, the Dunhuang Academy has amassed significant expertise in mural and sculpture protection. Before the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted cooperation, more than 200 Chinese teams visited Central Asia and conducted on-site inspections of cultural sites and devised cultural heritage assistance projects.

"If any country requires assistance, we are more than willing to undertake such tasks," said Su Bomin, head of the Dunhuang Academy.

During the cultural exchange, Dali, director of the digitalization department at the DGAM, detailed the current state of cultural heritage preservation in Syria to experts and officials from both countries.

The contrasting images of heritage sites before and after the war brought many of the Syrian representatives to tears. Once majestic buildings and traditional markets had been reduced to ruins. During the five-day trip to Dunhuang, it was the rawest glimpse of the pain wrought by the war in Syria.

Yara Shartouh, director of tourism in Hama, said Syrians dislike war, yearn for peace and always approach life with hope and optimism. No matter what happens, they manage to maintain a positive outlook.

"This is the essence of our culture," she said.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing)
Allowing a second quarry to be built four miles southeast of Eutawville would mean double trouble, area residents told regulators on Feb. 8.

Quarry site The blue area would be the Vulcan limestone quarrys pit area over the next 75 years. Leftover soil, called overburden, would be placed in the

I live here. This is my home, Neomia Lee said. Just like you need to be safe in your home, I need to be safe in mine. The bottom line is: What happens to the people in the community?

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control held an informational session, an informal public meeting, and a formal public hearing, one after the other, over the span of two hours at the Eutawville Community Center.

Quarry aerial The orange area would be the Vulcan limestone quarrys initial pit area. The yellow area would be reserved for future use. Leftover soil, call

The benefits of having them doesnt compensate for the problems, Joe Clemons said. We dont need this in our community. I wish yall could find somewhere else to go.

No one spoke in favor of the proposed quarry, except for Elliott Botzis. He is Vulcan Materials Companys vice president and general manager, responsible for the companys 18 operations in South Carolina.

Donna D. Moye Donna D. Moye, public participation coordinator with the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, informs the audience a

A subsidiary, Vulcan Construction Materials LLC, proposes to lease 693 acres, primarily along Addidas Road, from a sister company, Vulcan Lands Inc. The property is undeveloped, having been used for hunting and timber.

Vulcan Construction is seeking regulatory approval to conduct limestone mining  as deep as 110 feet  and processing  up to 600 tons per hour  on 451 acres over the next 75 years.

The material would be used in construction, including roads and bridges. The Vulcan parent company is the nations largest producer of construction aggregates.

The site is next door to the Martin Marietta quarry, which received approval from DHEC about 3 years ago to greatly expand its operations.

Blasting

Quarry audience Dozens of concerned citizens listen to presentations about the proposed Vulcan limestone quarry on Addidas Road, 4 miles southeast of Eutawville.

Like Martin Marietta, Vulcan proposes to conduct most of its blasting underwater, said Jeremy Eddy of DHECs Bureau of Land & Waste Management, Division of Mining & Solid Waste Management.

Detonations would be brief in duration and would be done during work hours, he said. The frequency typically would be two to four times per month, depending on the plants production level at the time.

Noise levels would vary according to the type of materials being blasted, the existence of a low cloud cover, and terrain features that would muffle sound, such as an earthen berm.

As for the seismic effect on nearby houses, Eddy said that houses are designed to wiggle a little bit without suffering damage.

Eddy encouraged everyone who owns a home within a half-mile of the quarry to ask DHEC for a free pre-blast survey in which a company unaffiliated with the quarry operators will inspect the condition of the residence.

That will establish a baseline so that homeowners can pursue claims if damage occurs in the future, he explained.

One resident responded, You dont expect it to happen, but when it does happen, what can we do?

Several residents blamed blasting at the Martin Marietta plant for shifting foundations, cracking walls, breaking glass, moving bathtubs, and knocking pictures off walls.

My house, my property, is still being damaged. What am I supposed to do? Were suffering and nobody cares about that, another resident said.

And now a second quarry is seeking an operating permit, and its even closer to the properties of some of the residents in attendance. Only time will tell if Vulcan and Martin Marietta blame each other if homes are damaged.

It sounds to me like its going to be double trouble for us landowners, another resident said.

Dust

Officials call it fugitive dust or particulate matter. Its the stuff that gets in the air during blasting, production, transportation, and other mining operations.

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DHEC regulates the release of particulate matter as tiny as one-fifth the diameter of a human hair, said Mareesa Singleton of DHECs Bureau of Air Quality, Air Construction Permitting Section.

Quarries are required to spray water on dusty work areas, she said.

During blasting, state regulations limit particle velocity to half as fast as federal regulations allow, and most mining operations rarely approach the state limit, she said.

Still, area residents say their cars and homes often get coated in dust after blasts at the Martin Marietta site.

Wells

The Vulcan quarrys drawdown of ground water should have minimal effect, if any, on the quantity of water coming from local residents wells, Eddy said.

If a private well is adversely affected, Vulcan will have to provide bottled water until it hires a contractor to deepen the well or drill a new one, he added.

Quality is another matter. Some area residents complained that their well water is brown and/or hard. Officials said thats due to the geology and has no connection to mining. They advised the residents to use water softeners.

Traffic

Several people expressed concerns about the increased truck traffic.

Eutawville Town Councilman Roger Adkins cited one intersection in town where the trucks would have to make a tight right turn.

Officials provided a handout stating that DHEC does not have the authority to regulate or consider (traffic issues) when making a permit decision.

Whats next

An assortment of documents, including DHECs presentations from the public meeting, can be viewed at www.scdhec.gov/OrangeburgLimestoneQuarry

DHEC will accept public comments in writing through Friday, Feb. 23.

Effective comments are those that provide accurate, specific details about the site of a proposed project, inaccuracies in the permit application, errors in DHECs technical review or draft permit, and any other information demonstrating that a proposed project cannot operate in compliance with environmental regulations, DHEC said on its website.

Questions and/or written public comments on the mine operating permit may be sent to joyeke@dhec.sc.gov or to Kaylin Joye, Project Manager, DHEC Bureau of Land and Waste Management, 2600 Bull St., Columbia, SC 29201.

Questions about the draft air permit and the permitting process may be directed to Mareesa Singleton at singlemj@dhec.sc.gov or 803-898-4113.

Written public comments on the draft air permit may be sent to airpncomments@dhec.sc.gov or to Marsha Collins, Public Notice Coordinator, DHEC Bureau of Air Quality, 2600 Bull St., Columbia, SC 29201.

After the public comment period closes on Feb. 23, DHEC staff will review and consider all comments received before making final decisions on the mine permit application and draft air permit.

Once final decisions are made, DHEC will notify everyone on its mailing list for the proposed quarry, everyone who provided written comments, and everyone who attended the public meeting and/or hearing on Feb. 8, provided that legible contact information was given.

The final decisions will also be posted online. Summary responses to all comments received will also be made available.

DHECs decisions become final 15 calendar days after notice of the decisions has been mailed to the applicant, permittee, licensee, and affected persons who have requested in writing to be notified, unless the applicant, permittee, licensee or an affected person files a written request for final review and pays a $100 filing fee.
For most of the campaign, Nikki Haleys children have stayed off the stump.

Outside of the campaign kickoff where Haleys family joined her at the end of her speech, the public role of her children in the campaign has been limited.

At most Nalin Haley, a senior in college, writes weekly fundraising appeals to encourage supporters to contribute $5 at a time.

Rena Haley Jackson, the presidential candidates daughter who is an Upstate pediatric nurse, has knocked on doors for the campaign and was often in the front row of debates to support her mother.

The two children have sat for a handful of interviews with their mom, but they rarely made public statements about other candidates.

Both Rena and Nalin, along with Renas husband, Joshua Jackson, have joined Nikki Haley on the campaign trail frequently in the final days before the South Carolina Republican presidential primary, where former President Donald Trump is comfortably leading in the polls.

Nalin Haley, however, has been vocal on the stump and on his social media.

On Feb. 10, when Haleys campaign bus tour returned to the area Haley first represented when she was elected to the State House, Nalin Haley took to the stage to be one of Nikki Haleys introductory speakers.

During Nalin Haleys brief remarks, he invoked U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, who was appointed to the Senate in 2012 by Nikki Haley, but endorsed Trump ahead of the New Hampshire primary.

It feels like 2004 (and) 2010 when the establishment was up against her. We had a lot of people in New Hampshire and I saw Trump standing side-by-side next to Sen. Judas, excuse me, Sen. Scott, Nalin Haley said in a line that received laughs from the crowd.

Nikki Haley told reporters two days later that she was not aware of what Nalin planned say.

Im so proud Nalin. Im proud of Rena. Theyre both here with me today, Nikki Haley told reporters in Elgin last week. I didnt know what Nalin was going say when he got out there. I am proud of him for wanting to go and defend his mom and fight for his mom, and he said what he said. And I had to talk with him after, but thats a mother-son conversation.

On Sunday, speaking Face the Nation, Scott said it was just desperate act by the Haleys.

Its unfortunate for a person of high caliber that she has been, to stoop down to having her and family refer to me or anyone else as Judas Iscariot or any other name calling, Scott said.

Nalin Haley responded on social media platform X after the interview.

No whats desperate is you abandoning your values to try and score a VP position, Nalin Haley said. You can be upset by my comments all you want but I havent said anything worse than what Trump has said about you while youre on stage next to him campaigning for him.

According to reports, Nalin Haley repeated the Judas line and talked about a tweet he made that compared entrepreneur, and former presidential candidate, Vivek Ramaswamy to Pennywise the Clown, from the movie It, during a campaign stop in Dorchester County.

My mom had a talk with me, and I was like, you know what I feel awful and I would to take this chance and apologize to Pennywise, Nalin Haley said as the crowd laughed.

During a debate, Vivek Ramaswamy pointed out how Rena Haley Jackson previously had a TikTok account as Haley called for the ban of the social media app.

Leave my daughter out of your voice, Haley said to Ramaswamy. Youre just scum.

Nalin Haley also defended his sister on Twitter.

Vivague Ramaslimey backpedaling more than his receding hairline, Nalin Haley tweeted Nov 8. And her account was deleted a very very long time ago. Desperate attack.

Nikki Haley said she expects Rena and Nalin to be at more events especially as her husband, Michael, is overseas deployed in Africa with the South Carolina Army National Guard.

They want to be with me every chance, Nikki Haley said. When Michael cant be here, I think they really are trying to step up where they can and Im proud. Michael has been with me in everything Ive ever done, in every race Ive ever run. Hes like my right arm. And so with him not there, I think my kids know that and I think thats why they want to be here to support me and Im proud to have them.

Nalin Haley and Rena Haley Jackson have been on the trail for their mothers previous campaigns.

In 2010, they were challenged by their mom to shake as many hands as possible, and were awarded with a quarter for each person they met.

So we went everywhere introducing ourselves to everyone. By the end of the night, we presented my mom with a bill about how much she owed us, Nalin Haley said. So 14 years later Im back and its not because Im getting paid because Im not. But its because we have serious problems in this country. We have a Congress that does nothing president who desperately needs a mental competency tests. A world on fire and a nation divided. But if you all play in this primary, yall do it right. There wont be for much longer.

Nalin Haley in recent days stayed away from the jabs when introducing his mother. In Kiawah Island on Saturday he spoke about the high prices in grocery stores and at the gas pump and about the country young people will inherit.

Unfortunately too many kids our age dont see the importance of it but you do, and thats why youre here. I want you to think, do you want us to inherit a country that is based off debt, lawlessness and chaos, Nalin Haley said. Or do you want to give us a fighting chance to give us a country that is more prosperous and will help us in the future because thats your choice.

When Nikki Haley took the stage she joked about Nalin Haleys previous comments on the stump.
SAVANNAH, Ga.  Michael Thurmond thought he was reading familiar history at the burial place of Georgia's colonial founder. Then a single sentence on a marble plaque extolling the accomplishments of James Edward Oglethorpe left him stunned speechless.

Georgia Slavery Colonial Founder Author Michael Thurmond speaks during an interview with Associated Press about his new book, Friday, Jan. 26, 2024, in Stone Mountain, Ga. A n

Within a lengthy tribute to the Englishman who died in 1785, the inscription read: "He was the friend of the Oppressed Negro."

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Oglethorpe led the expedition that established Georgia as the last of Britain's 13 American colonies in February 1733. Thurmond, a history aficionado and the only Black member of a Georgia delegation visiting the founder's tomb outside London, knew Oglethorpe had tried unsuccessfully to keep slaves out of the colony. Historians widely agreed he was concerned for the safety and self-sufficiency of white settlers rather than the suffering of enslaved Africans.

Could Georgia's white founding father possibly have been an ally to Black people in an era when the British Empire was forcing thousands into bondage?

"It was stunning," Thurmond recalled. "Initially, I was consumed by disbelief. I didn't believe it was true."

Sheldon Church- Picturesque Ruins The stillness in the air, whether it is summer, winter or any other season, is the first thing I notice every time I visit the ruins of the Ol

Thurmond would grapple with questions raised by that visit for the next 27 years, compelled to take a closer look at Oglethorpe. Now he has written a provocatively titled book: "James Oglethorpe, Father Of Georgia  A Founder's Journey From Slave Trader to Abolitionist."

Published this month by the University of Georgia Press, Thurmond's book makes a case that Oglethorpe evolved to revile slavery and, unlike most white Europeans of his time, saw the humanity in enslaved Africans. And while Oglethorpe's efforts to prohibit slavery in Georgia ultimately failed, Thurmond argues he left a lasting  and largely uncredited  legacy by influencing early English abolitionists.

"He is shining a spotlight on the part of Oglethorpe's life that most people have kind of thought was just periphery," said Stan Deaton, senior historian for the Georgia Historical Society. "I think he's thought deeply about this. And let's be honest, there have not been many African-Americans who have written about colonial Georgia and particularly about Oglethorpe."

Though this is Thurmond's third book about Georgia history, he's no academic. The son of a sharecropper and great-grandson of a Georgia slave, Thurmond became an attorney and has served for decades in state and local government. His 1998 election as state labor commissioner made Thurmond the first Black candidate to win statewide office in Georgia without first being appointed. He is now the elected CEO of DeKalb County, which includes portions of Atlanta.

His book traces Oglethorpe's origins as a wealthy Englishman who held a seat in Parliament and served as deputy governor of the slave-trading Royal African Company before departing for America. Thurmond argues that seeing the cruelty of slavery firsthand changed Oglethorpe, who returned to England and shared his views with activists who would become Britain's first abolitionists.

"What I tried to do is to follow the arc of his life, his evolution and development, and to weigh all of his achievements, failures and shortcomings," Thurmond said. "Once you do that, you find that he had a uniquely important life. He helped breathe life into the movement that ultimately destroyed slavery."

In its early years, Georgia stood alone as Britain's only American colony in which slavery was illegal. The ban came as the population of enslaved Africans in colonial America was nearing 150,000. Black captives were being sold in New York and Boston, and they already outnumbered white settlers in South Carolina.

Historians have widely agreed Oglethorpe and his fellow Georgia trustees didn't ban slavery because it was cruel to Black people. They saw slaves as a security risk with Georgia on the doorstep of Spanish Florida, which sought to free and enlist escaped slaves to help fight the British. They also feared slave labor would instill laziness among Georgia's settlers, who were expected to tend their own modest farms.

It didn't last. The slave ban was widely ignored when Oglethorpe left Georgia for good in 1743, and its enforcement dwindled in his absence. By the time American colonists declared independence in 1776, slavery had been legal in Georgia for 25 years. When the Civil War began nearly a century later, Georgia's enslaved population topped 462,000, more than any U.S. state except Virginia.

"At best, you could say Oglethorpe was naive," said Gerald Horne, a professor of history and African-American studies at the University of Houston and author of the book "The Counter-Revolution of 1776." "Almost inevitably, like kudzu in the summer, slavery started spreading in Georgia."

Like other historians, Horne is highly skeptical of Oglethorpe being a forefather of the abolitionist movement. He says the Georgia colony ultimately protected slavery in its sister colonies by serving as a "white equivalent of the Berlin Wall" between South Carolina and Spanish Florida.

Oglethorpe used slave labor to help build homes, streets and public squares in Savannah, the colony's first city. Escaped slaves captured in Oglethorpe's Georgia were returned to slaveholders. Some colonists angered by the slave ban made unproven accusations that Oglethorpe had a South Carolina plantation worked by slaves.

Thurmond's book openly embraces such evidence that Oglethorpe's history with slavery was at times contradictory and unflattering. That makes his case for Oglethorpe's evolution even stronger, said James F. Brooks, a University of Georgia history professor who wrote the book's foreward.

"He has engaged with the historiography in a way that is clearly the equivalent of a professional historian," Brooks said. "This is good stuff. He's read everything and thought about it. I don't see any weakness in it."

Thurmond's evidence includes a letter Oglethorpe wrote in 1739 that argues opening Georgia to slavery would "occasion the misery of thousands in Africa." Thurmond describes how Oglethorpe assisted to two formerly enslaved Black men  Ayuba Suleiman Diallo and Olaudah Equiano  whose travels to England helped stir anti-slavery sentiments among white Europeans.

Oglethorpe befriended white activists who became key figures in England's abolitionist movement. In a 1776 letter to Granville Sharp, an attorney who fought to help former slaves retain their freedom, Oglethorpe proclaimed "Africa had produced a race of heroes" in its kings and military leaders. He also spent time with the author Hannah More, whose writings called for the abolition of slavery.

In 1787, two years after Oglethorpe's death, Sharp and More were among the founders of the Society for the Abolition of the Slave Trade. Thurmond argues Oglethorpe deserves credit as an inspiration to the budding movement.

"He founded slave-free Georgia in 1733 and, 100 years later, England abolishes slavery," followed by the U.S. in 1865, Thurmond said. "He was a man far beyond his time."
South Carolina lawmakers are considering increasing the state-mandated minimum starting salary for teachers with a bachelor's degree to $45,000, up from the current starting salary of $42,500.

The proposal means that some Orangeburg County School District teachers may see a salary increase for the next school year while others may not.

It depends on whether or not a teacher already is getting paid more than the state-mandated minimum.

The state would not require the district to increase its salary schedule if the district's salary schedule is above the proposed required state minimum.

In simple terms, some teachers may get a raise, some may not, OCSD Superintendent Dr. Shawn Foster said during a recent school board meeting. It depends on where the salary scale is, but also how much the state is going to fund and at what cost and at what year.

This is very, very early, Foster continued, in explaining the state's budget process. These are premature and preliminary discussions.

While not all teachers may get raises, Foster said no teacher would be paid less than what they are making now.

The way our salary scale sets up, some teachers really run the opportunity of getting $10,000 and some people may stay where they are, Foster said. There are a lot of uncertainties as we run scenarios.

Obviously, we would love to be able to increase every single scale. That would be our preference, Foster continued. We will continue to monitor these things.

Early proposals from the state related to teacher salaries include:

 Moving pay bands or salary ranges for three-year increments statewide.

Foster said the three-year salary scale or pay band would mean once a teacher is in a salary range, they would make that same salary for three years.

 Extending the state minimum salary schedule to pay teachers with a bachelor's degree a starting salary of $45,000 extending up to $63,000 for teachers with 27 to 30 years of experience. The state's goal is to increase the minimum starting salary to $50,000 by 2026.

 Adding a flat, $5,000 increase for teachers with a graduate degree regardless of whether the degree is a doctorate or a master's.

There is no differentiation between doctorate and/or masters degree as it is in the current salary schedule that has been around for a number of years, Foster said.

For example, the proposed salary schedule would have a teacher with zero to two years of experience with a bachelor's receive $45,000 and with a graduate degree $50,000.

A teacher with three to five years of experience with a bachelors degree could see a minimum salary of $47,000 and $52,000 with a graduate degree.

At year 27 to 30, the minimum salary of a teacher with a bachelor's degree would be $63,000 and with a graduate degree would be $68,000.

The proposal to pay a flat $5,000 stipend for teachers with a graduate degree without distinction between a master's or doctorate did not sit well with trustee Dr. William O'Quinn.

Recruitment and retention is out the window, O'Quinn said. I hope the school board association is doing some heavy lobbying with the legislators. I would think this is going to be a slap in the face for those teachers who tried to better themselves and who tried to get their advanced degrees.

O'Quinn said trustees need to talk to the school board association and local legislators.

I just don't see where this can work, O'Quinn said.

Trustee Mary Berry Ulmer asked how many teachers in the district currently are at the proposed state-mandated minimum salary and how much it would cost the district to give these teachers a raise.

Foster said that will be determined in the budget process after it is understood how much the state will fund and the district's revenues to see where increases are possible

Foster said the other option would be for the board to increase teacher salaries through a tax increase.

Our first initiative and first goal is to provide and meet the mandates and requirements from the state without a tax increase, Foster said. If the board so wishes to grant a higher salary, that may require working numbers to see how that would impact the millage.

Ulmer said once the district receives more concrete projections, she would like to know how much money would be available for teacher salary increases without having to resort to a tax increase.

Foster said the board will receive that information as the budget process moves along.

In addition to proposed teacher raises, other state proposals include:

 Increasing how much teachers receive to pay for supplies from $350 to $400.

 Increasing bus driver retention bonuses to $2,500. The bonuses will be paid in three installments.

 There is not expected to be an employee increase in health insurance premiums. If this occurs, it will be the twelfth consecutive year without an employee increase.

 An increase in the health insurance employer premium to 11.8 percent from 3.7 percent.

There are discussions the state will be funding that increase, Foster said.

 No increase in employer retirement costs.
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Eli Simoneaux stopped talking before he was two years old. He had a normal birth and healthy development until then, until he stopped saying words and his parents, Michael and Shila, took notice.

Doctors told the parents, who live in Casper and both work in health care, that boys are just typically slower to progress. But Michael and Shila felt instinctively that something else was wrong, and that they needed to figure out what it was to get Eli back on track.

So they asked the Child Development Center in Casper to screen Eli, even though he was still too young at that time for them to be completely sure of what might be wrong.

What the Simoneauxs know now is that Eli has autism, and thats why he stopped talking. Hes currently five years old. His parents love him and spending time with him and watching him enjoy water and hot air balloons and music. They love watching him develop better communication skills and sleeping habits  for a while, he just never slept, his father said. They love getting on the floor, close to his eye level, and playing with him.

If I have to spend the rest of my life with Eli, I cant wait. Cant wait. Were gonna go somewhere warmer, for sure, and theres gonna be water because he loves the water, Michael said. But I cant wait. I wouldnt ask for a better partner in crime.

Still, to overemphasize the ups of the Simoneauxs journey would be a mischaracterization of all that theyve gone through trying to support Eli. The bone-deep fear that they felt when he stopped talking, the subtle and obvious judgment they say they receive when they go out with him, the pain of family and friends misunderstanding their situation.

Its not easy to have a child with disabilities in Casper, Michael told the Star-Tribune. They had to find a community here and have learned to lean on other families who know what its like.

Thats part of the reason they created their nonprofit, the E. Brooks Simoneaux Foundation. Their goal is to create living and recreational space for children and families with disabled children, Michael wrote in a news tip sent to the Star-Tribune. Michael and Shila envision a place where families can live, play and support each other. There are a lot of layers to their idea  they want to have therapy dogs, visits from therapists around the community, art and musical experiences, farmers markets and low-income housing, to name a few.

But mainly, they just dont want other families to feel like they have to face whatever diagnosis their child has been given alone.

Or, as Michael put it: It just dawned on us that the answer to this is really families helping families.

***

Theres a big brick building on North Kimball Street in Casper that the Simoneauxs have their eyes on. With over 7,000 square feet of space, it would be able to fit all that they want, and it even has an apartment area on the lower floor where they could live. They call the project E. Brooks Project Hope.

A crucial part of their plans for this project is low-income housing. They hope to create four to six housing units, ideally consisting of three bedrooms and two bathrooms each, inside of the building. They wouldnt charge more than the minimum amount for rent. Michael anticipates that there would have to be a scoring process for families to determine need.

The idea is that, by living there, families would save on rent and other costs of living in order to have more time and money to pour into their childrens quality of life.

There would be a communal kitchen and dining area, indoor and outdoor play areas, and lots and lots of open space for unfettered exploration. Recreation areas would be open to people who dont live there, as well.

Monthly farmers markets would allow the families to earn extra money.

There are a slew of reasons that families who have children with disabilities would benefit from this, Michael said:

Neurodivergent children often dont sleep, which in turn causes their caregivers to stay up later and get less sleep themselves.

Many children with disabilities have a tendency to want to run, and it is difficult and dangerous for them to go many places because of that.

Leaving their children with a babysitter frightens many guardians, especially if the caregiver is not a professional and/or their child cant communicate.

Michael and Shila have experience in health care. They currently have jobs that would allow them to essentially be on call if other people have basic medical questions.

Zabrina Johnson, a single mother of two children ages five and three who both have muscular dystrophy, told the Star-Tribune that she would jump at the chance to live there with her kids. Her older child has autism and her younger child is currently being screened for it, though its too early to tell for certain.

She met the Simoneauxs through the Child Development Center in Casper, where both Eli and Johnsons child take classes. Her friendship with Shila has been a great help to her, she said.

Makes you feel like youre not alone in the world, she said.

Johnson said that raising her children on her own is very difficult. Due to their myriad doctors appointments and therapies, she cant work. Shes waiting on their Medicaid waiver to go through; once it does, shell have a little more support. But thats not in the near future.

Moreover, Casper lacks a lot of the resources that would be beneficial to her and her kids. She had to get her older son diagnosed in Denver. Soon, hell be getting a wheelchair, which will be a help but also a learning curve.

It would just be nice to have extra support, she said of the idea in a building with other families who have children with disabilities. Even if it was just somebody to talk to, to help me regulate myself, because theres a lot of screaming and dysregulation that happens with these neurodivergent kids.

Erin Castle, who teaches Eli and Johnsons child at the Child Development Center, also expressed support for the idea. It is Shila and Michaels own plan, not affiliated with the Child Development Center in any way, but she still thinks its good.

The more that theres available out there then, absolutely, she said.

***

The Simoneauxs nonprofit has its ID, and the Simoneauxs have a whole host of plans for what to do with it. But what they dont have is about half of the money that they would need to buy the building. According to the aforementioned news tip, the Wyoming Community Development Authority said the project aligns with their Community Development Block Grant requirements, but the city already has their two block grant projects filled.

If they could get the grant, they could maybe plan for an opening in 2025 or 2026.

Applying for other grants is also hard, Michael said, because theres nothing really like this. It doesnt fit into any kind of mold.

Thats kind of the same idea he used when talking about Eli. Once, after days and days without sleeping, Michael was dazedly sitting in his home with Eli and an electrician who had come to do work in the house.

Your sons autistic, isnt he? the electrician said.

Michael was shocked, even through his tiredness. He looked at the electrician.

Thats pretty awesome, isnt it? the electrician said.

He made me realize that my son is pretty exceptional. I didnt understand what he was doing. But he started telling me about his son, and how wonderful his son is and how much his son values certain things and I started seeing it.

My son is pretty exceptional. He just does not fit into a mold that society and everyone tells us has value.

Michael and Shila dont let the lack of easily identifiable support for their dreams get to them. Michael said he reaches out to about five people every day about it. He and his wife try to help the Child Development Center with supplies and fundraisers.

But they know that some necessities cant be bought.

They need love. They need support. And no matter how this project turns out, were gonna keep doing what were doing.
Changes that would bring back funding for charter schools and programs that would give Wyoming students money for non-public school education are on the horizon following advancing bills by the Legislature.

Charter schools, which receive government funding but operate independently of the local school district, have gained popularity in Wyoming and accessibility to the charter schools have grown as the Legislature supports them.

An eight-member Wyoming Charter School Authorizing Board was created during last years legislative session and it shifted the power of authorizing charter schools from school districts to the state.

The board took over the State Loan and Investment Board, which has the power to create and oversee charter schools in the state.

The board has authorized three charter schools to date with Wyoming Classical Academy in Mills and Prairie View Community School in Chugwater open and running and Cheyenne Classical Academy to open in the fall.

House Bill 21, sponsored by the Select Committee on School Facilities, would repeal a measure the Legislature implemented last year that requires charter schools to operate for three years before getting reimbursed for leasing expenses.

House Bill 21 has passed the House and has been sent to the Senate, where it must also be approved prior to being sent to Gov. Mark Gordon to become law.

Further funding for charter schools could also come from a different avenue through Senate File 61, sponsored by Sen. President Ogden Driskill, R-Devils Tower, which seeks to give charter schools the ability to receive and apply for federal and state grants.

Legislation propping up school choice, which would allow for public money to be used towards schools other than public schools, is also advancing through the Legislative session.

The House Education Committee met Monday and referred House Bill 166, sponsored by Rep. Ken Clouston, R-Gillette, back to the house to be approved prior to being sent to the Senate. The bill would provide up to $5,000 for education by creating Wyoming education savings accounts.

The bill would move $40 million from the general fund  the state governments main operating fund  to create the education savings account expenditure account.

The amount given to each student will be determined by household income with $5,000 available for students with a household income at or below 250% of the federal poverty level; $3,000.00 available for students with a household income at or below 350% of the federal poverty level but more than 250% of the federal poverty level and $1,000.00 available for for students with a household income at or below 400% of the federal poverty level but more than 350% of the federal poverty level.

The money will be available for school tuition and fees, tutoring services, textbooks and other instructional materials, educational software, technological devices and transportation fees.

To qualify for the program, students must receive instruction in reading, writing, mathematics, civics, history, literature and science but parents are not required to include any instruction that conflicts with the parents or the ESA students religious doctrines.

ESA students must also not be enrolled or plan to enroll in a public school district.

Editor's note: The original version of this story misstated what House Bill 21 would do. The bill would repeal a requirement that charter schools have to operate for three years before receiving reimbursement for leasing expenses. The Star-Tribune regrets this error.
Over the last few years, Leon Coldero has arguably become just as renowned for his insatiable cuisine as he is as an entertainer.

Having spent four decades in entertainment, giving soca parang lovers hits that never get old, opening his restaurant was just a natural progression for Coldero, who used the downtime during the Covid-19 pandemic, to delve full throttle into the restaurant business.
A new camera system is being installed along this countrys roadways with the aim of tackling traffic congestion and reducing the countrys crime.

This was said yesterday by Minister of Works and Transport Rohan Sinanan, who spoke with the media at the intersection of the Churchill-Roosevelt Highway and Golden Grove Road in Piarco.
With ten people murdered between Thursday and Saturday, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley took to Facebook yesterday to assure citizens that State agencies will not give up the fight to rid our streets and other places of the evil that is now widespread as a gun culture in Trinidad and Tobago.

And in a voice note to the media, Commissioner of Police Erla Christopher said, We are determined to dismantle criminal gangs and make a difference in transforming impacted communities.
New commission to assess jail issues

Also at Tuesday's meeting, county supervisors discussed the final report from the commission tasked with trying to determine whether the county needs a new jail.

In a Feb. 13 memo, Pima County administrator Jan Lesher recommended the formation of a new commission to reassess what is needed. The commission also would focus on population-reduction measures like lowering bed capacity and alternatives to incarceration for non-violent offenders to alleviate overcrowding at the jail.

The county will now look to partner with a third-party consulting firm to evaluate what the current jail immediately needs for maintenance improvements and healthcare services.

Recommendations on a new commission and its charter will be brought to supervisors at its March 5 meeting, Lesher said Tuesday.

The existing commission was tasked with assessing the conditions of the current jail and what funding options are available for the county for improvements there or construction of a new jail. It released a survey at the end of last year to gauge public opinion. Responses showed the public was split on three options: build a new jail; renovate the current facility; and leaving things as they are.
The Santa Catalina Volunteer Patrol is back on duty following a temporary suspension put in place due to public contact disputes.

An all clear to return to duty was issued at 3 p.m. Sunday by Santa Catalina Volunteer Patrol President Mark Wright.

We are excited to be back doing the job we love, Wright said in a written statement provided to the Arizona Daily Star.

According to Wright, the volunteer patrollers, who work in Sabino Canyon and throughout the Santa Catalinas, previously were trained on how to interact with visitors who were found to be breaking Forest Service rules, such as dogs in the front range (banned to protect desert bighorn sheep) and no bicycles in Sabino when shuttles are running.

They were trained to inform but not enforce, Wright said.

Unfortunately, we have had incidents where patrollers were met with aggressive responses from visitors and even bites from dogs, Wright stated. Forest Service officials felt that  a patroller engaging such individuals, is potentially at serious risk for injury.

The Forest Service also interpreted engaging with violators as enforcement regardless of the intent to inform only, Wright continued. SCVP members are not trained in de-escalation techniques should a confrontation arise.

Some visitor complaints to the Forest Service about patrollers also indicated some well-meaning volunteers might be violating agency policy on interacting with the public. One example offered to the Star by a former patroller was an instance where a visitor was confronted more than once by different patrollers during a visit to Sabino and complained of being harassed.

Hearing these concerns, the volunteer patrol board decided on Jan. 9 to temporarily suspend activities and arrange for training updates for all members, Wright said. Patrollers were also asked to sign updated forms covering duties and responsibilities including activity we are not to engage in, potential job hazards and anti-harassment policies required of all employees and affiliated groups from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Forest Services parent agency.

These standard but updated forms came down from the federal government, not the local district. A patroller who also volunteers at Saguaro National Park had to fill out similar forms, Wright said.

Starr Farrell, Coronado Public Affairs Officer, said last Friday that the issue was not what the patrollers were doing but how you go about doing it. She said training covered conflict resolution and de-escalating situations.

Can volunteers still inform? They are asked to share information but not address infractions or engage in law enforcement, Farrell said. Volunteers should report violations to law enforcement or the local forest protection officer, she added. This group is in uniform, theres a higher standard.

Patrollers wear a Forest Service uniform but have a volunteer patch instead of a badge.

Wright said his group deploys 20-40 patrollers at different times of the day. We ask for extra help on weekends and holidays. He estimated the group size around 180 people. Volunteers choose where they wish to patrol, including Sabino Canyon, front range trails such as Finger Rock, Ventana and Pima canyons, and Mount Lemmon, mostly in the summer.
PHOENIX  GOP lawmakers took the first steps Monday to denying public benefits to those who crossed the border illegally.

That includes those seeking asylum who have been allowed to legally remain for the time being by the U.S. government.

On a party-line vote, the Republican-led House Appropriations Committee voted to tighten up existing statutes that already require employers to use the federal E-Verify system to determine the immigration status of those they hire or face $10,000 fines and possible prison terms.

The vote came over objections from Democrats who said some industries in Arizona already are having trouble finding people to work, including agriculture and home construction.

House Speaker Ben Toma, a Peoria Republican who wrote the measure, was not impressed by those arguments.

What about basic fairness for hardworking Arizonans that actually comply with the law? he asked. How can they afford to compete under those circumstances.

Toma also brushed aside figures cited by Lena Avalos, speaking for Living United for Change in Arizona, who said that all people, regardless of their legal status, pay taxes. She said that includes $213 million in sales taxes paid by undocumented people.

Instead, Toma cited figures saying illegal immigration is costing Arizonans $2.3 billion a year, a figure he got from the Federation for American Immigration Reform, which has the goal of seeking to reduce immigration levels overall, legal and otherwise. He said he does not know the components of that figure and how much of the cost might involve public education, which federal courts have said must be offered to all children, regardless of their parents legal status.

Our border is being overrun by illegal aliens, Toma said. One way to stop that, he said, is making it more difficult to get a job here.

State laws in effect since 2008 already require employers to use the federal E-Verify system to determine the legal status of applicants and workers. But Toma said there are too many loopholes in that law.

One provision in his House Concurrent Resolution 2060 would make it a felony to knowingly assist people in breaking the states employment laws. It would require the attorney general or county attorney to check complaints that companies are ignoring the law.

Natashia Townsend, testifying against the measure in the House Appropriations Committee, said this is about more than punishing employers. She cited the felony provisions for anyone found to have obstructed the E-Verify program.

Criminalizing those who are merely seeking a better life runs counter to the very principles of justice and fairness that should guide our legislative pursuits, Townsend told lawmakers.

But HCR 2060, which would go on the November ballot  and bypass the need for approval by Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs  goes beyond employment.

The measure also would require state and local officials to use the E-Verify system to determine the legal status of those seeking public benefits.

A 2004 voter-approved law already requires the state and all local governments to verify the identity of each applicant for benefits. Toma said thats not enough.

People have used false identities, he said. Toma said that can be addressed with provisions in his measure to require public officials to use the E-Verify program.

Toma, who is a candidate for Congress in a crowded Republican primary, said state action is necessary.

Its painfully clear at this point that our governor and our president are doing nothing about it, he said. His sharpest comments were reserved for the federal government.

Theyve actually caused the humanitarian crisis that is at the border at this point by having policies that incent (incentivize) people to come here and essentially invade, Toma said.

There is no question the border has been inundated by those crossing illegally. U.S. Customs and Border Protection reports it had more than 242,000 encounters with border crossers in January, including more than 50,000 in the agencys Tucson Sector.

But what has changed is that most of those entering the country are immediately seeking asylum. After initial processing, that allows them to remain until they get a hearing, something that may not be scheduled for years.

Toma said while the federal government may allow asylum seekers to remain, they should be entitled to benefits.

They want to go to other states and take advantage of them, by all means, Toma said of asylum seekers. But anything thats being done by the state of Arizona would not be recognized until they are determined to be legal.

Among the benefits Toma said should be off limits is the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, the states Medicare program.

Undocumented immigrants, however, do not qualify for full AHCCCS coverage. The rules say they may qualify for emergency services.

Toma also wants to make unemployment coverage off limits.

Only thing is, the payments do not come from state dollars. Instead, the system is set up as a form of insurance, with employers paying into a fund based on how often they fire or lay off workers without cause. The benefits come from that fund.

Toma said he sees nothing wrong with denying payments to those who have provided their services to an employer and have been let go for no fault of their own.

If they worked in good faith but they know theyre illegal, and especially if theyve used forged documents and a forged identity in order to be able to get hired in the first place, Im not sure you could say that is in good faith, he said.

Democrats contended all of this is an extension of anti-immigrant policies enacted in 2010, which sought to deter illegal immigration through not just enforcement by local police but by making it a state crime to seek work in Arizona without being in this country legally.

We have to consider the precedent that this sets that puts people in danger, said Rep. Lorena Austin, D-Mesa. It allows people to think of our community as other. 

Austin said Arizona has moved beyond that.

Rep. Nancy Gutierrez, D-Tucson, who is a teacher, said this only exacerbates the fear that mixed families of legal and undocumented people have about doing things like going to a doctor. Even those here legally are afraid that their family members will be targeted, she said.

That is the type of fear that we do not want for our state, she said.

But Rep. Matt Gress, R-Phoenix, said that in some ways the situation now is worse, saying the country is at a moment of great crisis.

Arizona is not a sanctuary state, he said. And this legislation ensures that it never will be.

Toma has written his measure in a way to avoid some of the issues that arose more than a decade ago during the debate about what public benefits would be off limits. It spells out that only benefits that total more than $500 a year would be denied, leaving out having to debate such issues as whether local communities would have to verify the legal status of those to whom they provide library cards and bus passes.

He also is seeks to avoid the kind of lawsuit that was filed by employer groups and others the first time the state enacted the requirement to use E-Verify.

For example, his measure says the penalty would not apply in all circumstances where a company does not use the system. He said it may be that the employer knows the person and knows he or she is a citizen.

But he does seek to create an entirely new crime for those who refuse to use the system when an employer knows  or has reason to know  that someone is not lawfully present. Toma denied that language would lead to racial profiling, in which companies run checks on those who do not appear to be citizens or lawful residents.

The idea is that everyone who is working in Arizona should be working legally, he said.

There was no immediate response from the Arizona Chamber of Commerce to Tomas proposal.

That wasnt the case more than a decade ago when the first laws mandating use of E-Verify were enacted. Business groups, employers and Hispanic rights advocates sued, contending the statute illegally infringes on the exclusive right of the federal government to control immigration.
PHOENIX  Saying theyre our National Guard soldiers, Republican state lawmakers are picking a fight with Washington over who controls them.

But if the lawmakers get their way, a general says the Guard will be left with no money and no equipment, yet Arizona soldiers will still be subject to being called up for overseas duty.

Legislation awaiting Arizona House action would forbid the deployment of state Guard members for active duty combat absent an actual declaration of war by Congress. Senate Bill 1121, approved this week by the Republican-controlled Senate on a 16-12 party-line vote, would also provide exceptions in cases of repelling an invasion or suppressing an insurrection.

Sen. Wendy Rogers, a retired Air Force pilot, said this is about protecting Arizona soldiers from missions such as the one in Jordan, where three soldiers from other states were killed last month by an unmanned drone attack. About 40 Arizona Guard soldiers were wounded, one of them critically.

It is high time we passed this and keep our Guard where it should be unless the United States Congress declares war, said Rogers, a Flagstaff Republican.

Brig. Gen John Conley, director of administrative services for the Arizona Guard, told senators he understands the sentiment. But he said its not that simple.

It will be the beginning of the end of the Arizona National Guard, he said. It will be sending a signal to the active duty and the Department of Defense that the Arizona National Guard is unwilling and unable to go overseas and perform overseas missions.

That would result in automatic loss of federal funding of $636 million a year for the Guard, Conley said. That is more than 96% of its total operating budget, he said.

Also gone would be the equipment.

Thats every helicopter, every KC-135 (refueling) aircraft you see over there at Sky Harbor airport, every fighter jet, every truck, every piece of equipment that we have, Conley said.

And even with all the funds and equipment gone, SB 1121 still wouldnt stop Arizona Guard soldiers  there are now about 8,000  from being deployed, he said.

When they enlist in the Arizona Guard, they also enlist as members of the National Guard of the United States.

When you join that federal entity, its no different than raising your hand and swearing to be an airman out of Luke Air Force Base or a soldier down at Fort Huachuca, Conley said.

So when the president says, Hey, I need these folks from the Arizona National Guard to go to Jordan or to go to wherever, hes not mobilizing them as members of the Arizona National Guard, the general continued, but as members of the Guard of the United States. So if this law passes, the governor doesnt get a swing into whether those troops leave the state.

Rogers remained unconvinced that what Conley is predicting would happen.

General, I think thats a leap of assumption, she said. If nothing else, Rogers said she is convinced there are many who would continue to serve without pay.

Im one of them, Conley responded. But he said that ignores reality.

He said recruiting is always a challenge for us.

And thats recruiting to a fully funded, fully equipped force, Conley continued. If were recruiting to an underfunded or unfunded force with no equipment, thats going to be a real challenge.

Rogers responded, All I want to say is, that is our job, to do whats right.

She said that means going ahead even if it means an anticipated veto by Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs who, by virtue of her elected position, is also commander of the Arizona National Guard. Ditto, Rogers said, of worrying how the measure might play out in court if there is litigation.

Rogers predicted that if Arizona adopts SB 1121, other states will follow.

Sen. Sonny Borrelli, R-Lake Havasu City, said he doubts Washington would actually follow through.

The federal government, which is fighting with Texas over its border enforcement and its use of the Texas National Guard, has not federalized those soldiers, he said.

I dont think the federal government is going to come down and rip our stuff out, Borrelli said.

Conley, however, said what Arizona is threatening to do  refuse to cooperate with Washington and participate as demanded when called to active duty  is quite different than what is going on in Texas and would have different results.

Its not a whether the president will take away our stuff, he said. Once we say that we wont make mission, once we say that were not going to use that stuff for its intended purpose  which, right or wrong, is to go fight in operations other than war overseas or do other missions overseas  once we say we wont do that, then the president has no choice but to take away our federal recognition because were refusing to do the federal part of our job.

He also urged them to think about that loss from a more selfish perspective.

Conley said those federal dollars provide the finances the state has been using to send Guard troops to the border with Mexico to help local communities and provide aerial reconnaissance.

It costs $400 a day to put a guardsman on the border, on average, he said.

Sen. Eva Burch, D-Mesa, said that argument resonated with her.

I know how important matters of border security are to this state and the people in my district, she said. And I cannot put forth a vote that acts against those interests.

But Borrelli, a retired Marine gunnery sergeant, said he sees it through the lens of states rights.
The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer:

As a physician, I want my patients to get the care they need, when they need it. Unfortunately, health-care costs keep going up, and one little-known driver of rising prices is the practice of hospitals charging patients more for the same services  sometimes with the exact same health-care team  as local doctors offices. The discrepancy in costs can be eye-popping, but Congress can help stop it. Doctors like me are calling on them to do so.

Heres what these cost discrepancies look like: A patient breaks an arm and goes to their doctor to get the arm treated and put in a cast. If the patient goes to the doctor at their regular standalone clinic or office, the cost would have been an average of $141. Had the patient gone to the same doctor who happened to be doing a shift at any location that a hospital deems is a hospital outpatient department, that bill jumps to $404. For nerve injections, the gap is even bigger: $255 versus $1,225 at an outpatient department. Take any procedure, and the cost of care between a doctors office and a so-called hospital setting takes a great leap.

To my patients, these astronomical fees seem to come out of nowhere. In addition to rising insurance premiums and higher prescription drug costs, they now have to pay out of pocket for these arbitrary, unnecessary and ultimately unjustifiable hospital fees. What patients and their families should know is that these extra hospital charges are no reflection of safety or clinical effectiveness. In other words, these extra hospital fees are simply not justifiable from a medical standpoint.

Congress has an opportunity to fix this unfair system. By passing site-neutral payment reforms, Congress can work across the aisle to ensure patients pay the same price for the same service, regardless of whether the location is a regular physicians office or an outpatient department.

Without site-neutral payment reforms, however, this problem will persist and likely get worse. This is particularly concerning in light of the trend of hospital consolidations and large hospital systems buying physician practices.

Between July 2012 and January 2018, hospital ownership of physician practices grew by 124% and hospital-employed physicians increased by 78%. Instead of bringing down health-care costs, a talking point hospital industry CEOs like to claim, consolidation has led to the opposite: Prices have gone up an average of 14.1% when a hospital system buys a physician practice. For my patients, these unnecessary hospital fees can add hundreds, often thousands, of dollars to their care in out-of-pocket spending.

Physicians and health-care professionals know from our experience that people are less likely to get care when seeing a doctor, getting a diagnostic test or filling a prescription drug becomes too costly. We have seen all too often how these additional hospital fees are the straw that breaks the camels back, when our patients simply throw up their hands and say they can no longer afford to undergo an MRI or a scan or therapy. These tests and treatments can detect causes of an illness or injury, catch a condition before it spirals out of control, help people manage chronic conditions, even save lives. For these patients, hospitals are putting up barriers to care by gouging patients with exorbitant and unfair fees.

Some states have taken action to protect patients. Congress should act at the federal level to ensure all families can get affordable health care. Policymakers can start with the basic principle, called site-neutral payments, that patients should be charged the same prices for the same health-care services.

Democrats, Republicans, and everyone in between should be able to agree that patients deserve a fair deal and help them save their hard-earned money. Doctors are urging our leaders of all stripes to act.
The inmates at the Oklahoma Reformatory in Granite were "my boys" to Warden Clara Waters, the first woman in America to head a prison for males.

She was known as "Mother Waters" by the prisoners.

Waters was warden at the reformatory for nine years after being appointed by Gov. Henry S. Johnston in 1927, when she was 37.

When Johnston sent her name to the Senate for confirmation, there was widespread lifting of political eyebrows. Senators gulped in amazement but confirmed the appointment.

She brought five years of experience with her -- gained from helping her husband, Dr. George Waters, in that job earlier.

"I shall endeavor to do for these boys what should have been done for them when they were children," she promised.

She required all convicts, hard-boiled and errant youngsters alike, to attend Sunday church services. She organized Bible classes, literary societies, set up a recreation program and an education program to teach each inmate a trade.

Whatever convicts might have thought of petticoat rule, they found her an iron disciplinarian, just as her husband had been before her. She considered "rigid discipline an essential to reformation."

"I enjoyed that work more than anything else I have ever done," Waters told a World reporter in 1976, when she was living in a nursing home in Stillwater.

Waters' association with the reformatory began in 1920 when her husband was appointed warden by Gov. J. B. A. Robertson. Waters was a dentist and farmer from Pawnee who brought modern methods of reformatory work to the institution that previously had been considered just another prison.

At Waters' request, Robertson directed that the institution should house only prisoners under the age of 23 who had never been incarcerated before and who were not sentenced to terms of more than 10 years. Waters also assigned every inmate to a job, teaching them trades they could use after their terms were finished.

Assisting her husband, Waters established a library and a school that all inmates who had not completed the eighth grade were required to attend, an action that was unprecedented in those days but one that was viewed as a progressive step in prison reform.

When Dr. Waters died in 1926, "her boys" and prison employees asked her to assume the warden's job, but Gov. Martin Trapp didn't consider the warden's post a proper job for a woman.

A year later, Waters was appointed by Johnston, who bucked the political prejudice against women and the advice of his advisers -- and drew harsh criticism for the action. She reinstituted her husband's methods.

"When I first went down there, they had been having escapes and other problems, and I think the boys resented having a woman as warden but when I left they were calling me 'Mother Waters,' " she said during the 1976 interview.

She said she came to realize that "most of the boys were there because of the kind of parents they had. The parents didn't educate them and they didn't respect the law." She said she tried to make prison life as normal as possible and set down some rules that everyone was required to follow.

Waters lasted through the short term of Gov. William Holloway, who succeeded Johnston when he was impeached, and through Gov. William H. (Alfalfa Bill) Murray's term, although she said she lived month-to-month under the threat of being fired from the $250-a-month post. She said she met with Murray frequently and always had a let ter of resignation with her in case he brought up his familiar threat.

At the end of their meetings, Murray frequently told her "well, you can stay for another month."

She was fired in 1935 by Gov. E. W. Marland two days after a guard was killed during an escape by 32 convicts. The prison break came in the wake of investigations by the State Board of Affairs and by State Commissioner of Charities and Corrections Mabel Bassett.

During the investigations that grew out of a prisoner who claimed his arms were broken while at the reformatory, 519 of "her boys" signed a petition supporting Waters. "We feel it is our duty to uphold our institution and our warden against unfair or unjust accusations," the petition said. Many prisoners also testified on her behalf at a hearing.

But Board of Affairs Chairman Lea M. Nichols told Marland that "I went down there (to Granite) with the preconceived idea that it was no place for a woman, and I feel that way even more strongly now."

Waters also was active in Democratic politics and after being fired as warden became state vice chairman of the Democratic Party and later director of the women's program of the National Youth Administration.

Like this column? Read all the columns in the Only in Oklahoma series from the Tulsa World Archive.
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Related Content DOCUMENT: Tulsa city councilor denied by Oklahoma Bar Association

City Councilor Grant Miller has been denied entry into the Oklahoma Bar Association based in part on sworn testimony from Mayor G.T. Bynum and three of his colleagues on the City Council.

In a unanimous decision, the Oklahoma Board of Bar Examiners (OBBE) found that Miller failed to meet his burden to establish his good moral character, due respect for the law, and fitness to practice law, according to a copy of the document filed last week with the Oklahoma Supreme Court.

The decision, issued Jan. 16, states that Miller can reapply to the bar in 24 months. Through his attorney, Dan Murdock, the first-term city councilor is seeking 15 more days to appeal the OBBE ruling.

The seven-page decision outlines nine findings of fact to support the OBBEs decision, with a long list of concerns raised by Bynum, including:

Millers failure to disclose mandatory information about his cannabis business;

Repeated unsupported allegations in public forums that city staff was guilty of malfeasance or misfeasance related to cost increases at the Gilcrease Museum;

Orchestrating legal action against the city and attempting to use city staff to do research for his case; and

Using his position as a city councilor to bully city staff on social media.

Accusations of using the law for revenge

Another concern raised by Bynum, according to the OBBE decision, was Millers complicity in demeaning and harassing civil servants with (attorney) Ron Durbin, using the law for revenge and publicity  and creating a climate of fear among City of Tulsa staff.

Bynum also noted that Miller refused to compromise during litigation Miller helped formulate and promote against the city and three city councilors over text messages the councilors sent about Miller during a committee meeting in March, according to the OBBE decision.

The texting incident among Councilors Lori Decter Wright, Vanessa Hall-Harper and Laura Bellis occurred March 22. It ultimately led to lawsuits alleging violations of the Oklahoma Open Meeting and Open Records acts and a profanity-laced encounter between Durbin  who filed the lawsuits and was Millers employer at the time  and City Hall employees.

According to the OBBE decision, the councilors testified in a pre-denial hearing that Miller lacks good moral character, respect for the law, or fitness to practice law.

The decision notes that when testifying about the reasons for their concerns, neither Bynum nor the city councilors cited Millers political positions.

Thats not how Miller sees it.

Who were they? Miller said. Of course they were Lori Decter Wright, Vanessa Hall-Harper and Laura Bellis  the three leftist councilors who hate me. Then they called the mayor, who I campaigned against on the Improve Our Tulsa (capital improvements package) and weve had words, negative words.

City officials subpoenaed about Miller

Miller insisted he is fit to serve as a member of the bar and said he intends to appeal the OBBEs decision.

In summary, what you have is nine findings of fact, four of which are not findings of fact at all, Miller said. Theyre findings that people testified to things that may or may not be true and five findings of fact, which, in my opinion, dont prevent me from practicing law.

Although the concerns cited by city officials make up at least three of OBBEs nine findings of fact, they do not appear to have prompted the OBBEs initial investigation of Millers fitness to be a lawyer.

The texting incident among Wright, Hall-Harper and Bellis was March 22. According to the OBBE decision, the board on March 31 sent a pre-denial notice of concerns to Miller by certified mail. An amended notice of pre-denial concerns was sent to Miller at the end of July.

The city officials who testified in Millers hearing were subpoenaed. Other current or former city personnel who testified that they had concerns about Millers moral character and fitness to practice law were Mark Hogan, head of asset management, and former City Council administrator Pat Boulden.

Boulden was responsible for responding to records requests submitted to the City Council by Miller and Durbin.

(Boulden) based those concerns on what he believed to be an abusive fishing expedition over alleged violations of the Open Records Act by Applicant Miller and his (then) boss and mentor Ronald Durbin, motivated by Applicant Miller, the OBBE decision states.

Other findings of fact cited in the decision include:

Millers failure to disclose three lawsuits involving himself and his wife despite being asked specifically to disclose all litigation on the National Conference of Bar Examiners questionnaire;

A Colorado magistrates 2015 finding that Miller had provided sworn testimony which the Court found to be deceitful and not credible related to his health and financial issues.

Testimony regarding Millers decision to remain in the employ of Durbin following Durbins vulgar antics at the Tulsa County Courthouse while representing Miller in November 2022.

Miller actively planned and facilitated and participated in multiple public confrontations with elected officials, administrative officials, police officers, and agency employees along with Durbin.

The OBBE finds those interactions with Oklahoma government personnel offensive and unacceptable, the OBBE decision states.

Miller acknowledges mistakes with former boss

Miller said he unintentionally failed to disclose the three lawsuits to the OBBE as part of his background information but did include them in his application to take the bar exam.

Its not as though I was trying to deceive the bar or keep that from them, Miller said. It was a simple clerical error.

The magistrates finding that he had provided deceitful and not credible testimony occurred during a divorce proceeding when he was young, just out of the Army and dealing with medical and other issues, Miller said.

It was a divorce like a decade ago, he added. Give me a break.

Miller acknowledged that he should not have been with Durbin during the several contentious engagements with public officials cited in the OBBE decision.

The videos that they presented into evidence, if you watch them, I was literally standing there, Miller said. I was standing there, I said almost nothing at all. Should I have been there? No. Is it a dumb decision? Yes.

But should I be held accountable for the actions of another? Absolutely not.

Miller said it is important to understand that the Oklahoma Bar Associations rules for reinstatement are tougher for lawyers who have been disbarred than for a person seeking entry into the bar association for the first time, and yet the OBA has reinstated former attorneys who he believes committed more serious violations than the ones he is alleged to have committed.

Im getting really, really railroaded here, Miller said.

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The Cherokee Nation is lobbying Congress to address justice system inequality for freedmen descendants, a result of the 2020 McGirt decision in the Supreme Court, by changing the Major Crimes Act.

Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. made the announcement at a Black History Month celebration Friday at the Greenwood Cultural Center in Tulsa. He discussed his plans further Monday afternoon at a Tulsa Press Club luncheon.

In the Cherokee Nation, all citizens are equal, and we have different descendancy, Hoskin said. So if youre a Cherokee citizen, you might descend from a Cherokee family that goes back to time immemorial,  or, in the case of Cherokee citizens of freedmen descent, the descendants of people who were enslaved by Cherokees under our laws.

The Cherokee Nation has more than 15,000 citizens of freedmen descent enrolled, the tribe said in a news release Monday.

The Major Crimes Act governs criminal jurisdiction of tribal citizens on tribal reservations. Federal and tribal courts in 2017 affirmed that freedmen descendants are full Cherokee citizens; however, federal courts have interpreted the 1885 Major Crimes Act as excluding citizens of freedmen descent because they lack Indian blood, the release states.

We know there are some tribal citizens out there who may be prosecuted in state court after the U.S. Supreme Court McGirt decision, because of the Major Crimes Act, Cherokee Nation Attorney General Chad Harsha said in a statement.

Since the 2020 McGirt decision, federal courts have jurisdiction over major crimes on reservation land when the victim is tribal and the suspect is tribal or nontribal.

The law does not treat a Cherokee citizen of freedmen descent the way it treats every other Cherokee citizen, and its just intolerable. It shouldnt be that way. I dont think it was intentional on the part of the United States, but it is the effect, Hoskin said.

The Cherokee Nation is acknowledging that Black people were enslaved under tribal laws and is apologizing for it, he said.

Then doing more than that  taking real steps at reconciliation, and I feel proud that the Cherokee Nation stands for that, Hoskin said.

The goal, either through an act of Congress or in the courts, is to ensure all Cherokee citizens are treated equally as a matter of equality in the federal justice system.

Hoskin said the Cherokee Nation is aiming for embracing equality not only on paper but also the spirit of equality as reflected in the tribes laws and investments.

Hoskin is calling for more research on how much descendants of freedmen are utilizing Cherokee Nation programs and services for citizens.

Wed like them to participate in things like education programs, career services, programs, housing programs, Hoskin said.

Hoskin on Monday also discussed how the Cherokee Nations tag compacts financially support public education and ongoing efforts to get Cherokee politician Kim Teehee seated in Congress.

Teehee is currently a delegate-designate to the U.S. House of Representatives. Hoskin said the New Echota Treaty that removed the Cherokee Nation to Oklahoma stated that the tribe would have a Cherokee citizen and advocate within Congress. The tribal nation is still pushing for this promise to be upheld, he said.
Melissa Jacques Tulsa World Capitol Bureau Staff Writer Follow Melissa Jacques Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today

OKLAHOMA CITY  A bill that would broaden the scope of the Energy Discrimination Elimination Act passed through a House committee on Monday.

House Bill 3541 by Rep. Mark Lepak, R-Claremore, advanced from the Banking, Financial Services and Pensions Committee by a 4-3 vote.

Lepak said he felt it was necessary to expand the act to clarify the role of the treasurer, protect more industries that are important to Oklahoma and prevent state investment in Environmental, Social, and Governance, or ESG, funds.

Our taxpayer funds will not be used to push an agenda that may be harmful to Oklahoma, Lepak said.

The bill would expand the industries mentioned to include mining, timber and agriculture. Any financial institution that does not invest in these industries due to environmental or ideological concerns would be blacklisted.

The bill also would clarify the role of the state treasurer in the blacklisting process. Companies are to be blacklisted based on the judgments of the state treasurer.

The two Democratic members of the committee and Rep. Ross Ford, R-Broken Arrow, voted against the bill.

I just felt like it was in the best interest of our pension systems to vote no, said Ford.

Pulling funds from blacklisted institutions could prove very costly.

Divesting from large financial institutions comes with fees, taxes and commission costs. The estimated cost to the state for the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System to divest from blacklisted institutions in 2023 was $9.7 million.

We need to just make sure that we keep our pensions healthy and its safe for the future retirees to enjoy, Ford said.

Rep. Andy Fugate, D-Del City, voted against the bill for similar reasons.

The reality is the state of Oklahoma is unfairly penalizing pensioners by forcing them to do business with providers that are not giving them the best return on their investment, said Fugate. And were doing that because we have some kind of perceived slight. And thats just goofy.

The Energy Discrimination Elimination Act passed in the 2022 legislative session and made the state government begin the process of cutting ties with financial institutions that do not invest in oil and gas for environmental reasons. Among the companies blacklisted were some of the largest financial institutes in the U.S., including JP Morgan Chase and Bank of America.

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Steve Metzer Tulsa World Capitol Bureau Staff Writer Follow Steve Metzer Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today

OKLAHOMA CITY  Lawmakers in the Oklahoma Senate may have helped Tulsas long-awaited OKPOP Museum move a step closer to reality on Monday.

Members of the Senate Tourism and Wildlife Committee voted in favor of establishing a revolving fund in which to deposit $18 million appropriated by the state last year for the Oklahoma Museum of Popular Culture.

That is significant, according to Trait Thompson, executive director of the Oklahoma Historical Society, as he said momentum is beginning to build again in fundraising for the project.

He said hes hopeful that commitments for a needed $18 million in matching funds will be achieved soon to advance the museum toward an eventual grand opening within the next two years.

The museum, currently just an all-but-empty three-story building across Main Street from Cains Ballroom in the Arts District, is fundraising again after dealing with significant delays brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, Thompson said.

I am optimistic. We had a couple of fundraising events in the fall that were successful, and the more were able to get people over to our building in Tulsa to show them what were working on, the more enthusiasm we get, he said.

He said commitments have been made for about $8 million in matching funds.

Weve raised a little over $8 million at this point. We are continuing to raise money, and Im hopeful that in the next few months well be able to knock out the rest of it and move from there, Thompson said. All of that ($8 million committed) is donations  individuals, nonprofits or corporate. As far as what we still need to raise  local, national, wherever we can get it  were going for it.

The Historical Society broke ground on the 60,000-square-foot museum late in 2019 after receiving $25 million in initial bond funding from the state. Construction on the exterior of the building was finished by 2021. Hopes were for it to open that year, but COVID-19 effectively put the brakes on fundraising.

OKPOP staffers are now beginning to move forward with exhibit design.

The building is finished, but we have to design and build all of the interior exhibits, Thompson said. Once we have the (matching funds), it will take about two years. Were optimistic were going to be able to raise the money and get this thing finished.

OKPOP, dedicated to the creative spirit of Oklahomas people and the influence of Oklahoma artists on popular culture around the world, will put a spotlight on Oklahoma entertainers such as Leon Russell, Reba McEntire, Alfre Woodard and Bill Hader.

Ada native Blake Shelton has stepped up to serve as the honorary fundraising campaign chairman for the OKPOP Foundation, the museums fundraising vehicle.

Correction: A photo caption incorrectly stated the remaining goal for fundraising. The caption has been corrected.

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Nguyen Quang Thach, known for his initiative 'Sach Hoa Nong Thon,' dedicated to bringing books to rural areas in Vietnam, has now extended the program to India.

He said that he was touched when hundreds of Indian students shouted 'Cam on Viet Nam' (Thank you Vietnam) in unison in their homeland.

Thach has traveled to the South Asian country to promote the reading culture there.

In an interview with Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper, Thach said India has the largest number of rural students in the world and some 200 million of them do not have access to books.

It is difficult to promote Classroom Libraries in India due to hindrances in geography, culture, and languages.

India is a miniature world and the success of the Classroom Library model in this nation may inspire other countries to boost childrens reading," he said.

In justifying his choice to establish libraries in the Philippines and India, despite the fact that the reading culture in Vietnam is still evolving, Thach asserted that the sharing of knowledge knows no national boundaries.

He believed that expanding the 'Sach Hoa Nong Thon' program to other countries will not only contribute to the local communities there but also bring substantial benefits to the Vietnamese people.

As a case in point, some Philippine teachers have voluntarily supported Vietnamese students in learning English after Classroom Libraries were developed in their schools in December last year.

The 'Sach Hoa Nong Thon' program has created a great impact on Vietnam over the past decades, providing tens of thousands of book shelves in rural areas.

Santosh Jagtap (L), chairman of Indias non-governmental organization Swa Eknath nana Jagtap Pratisthan, accompanies Nguyen Quang Thach to give books to schools in India. Photo: Supplied

As many Vietnamese individuals, both within the country and abroad, joined hands in sharing books with Indian children and became aware of Thach's remarkable journey of covering 3,000 kilometers across 29 states in India to pool books, tens of thousands of people were inspired to encourage their friends to contribute to the cause by donating books.

They understand that knowledge and social responsibility are the factors to help Vietnam gain prosperity and respect.

I will still propose solutions to the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training to bolster and encourage reading among local children," Thach said.

Hundreds of thousands of book shelves in classrooms, families, and parishes have been erected across localities and good books will be added annually."

Thach noted that when Indian students said 'Cam on Viet Nam,' he was moved and was urged to bring more books to India's rural areas.

Following India, Thach plans to spread the Classroom Library model to 30 other countries in Asia, the Americas, and Africa.

In each of the countries, he will walk some 100 kilometers to persuade organizations to apply the model.

Nguyen Quang Thach (wearing glasses) and Indian students pose for a photo next to a bookshelf in India. Photo: Supplied

Since 2011, Thach has called on Vietnamese people to contribute VND20,000 (US$0.8) each per month to the 'Sach Hoa Nong Thon' program.

Upon learning that Vietnamese rural teachers played a pivotal role in facilitating their access to books, Indian students and teachers expressed their joy and gratitude.

Motivated by the generosity of Vietnamese students who shared books with them, Indian students have taken the initiative to encourage their parents to contribute 150 rupees ($1.8) each for the purchase of books.

This collaborative effort has resulted in the sharing of books among classmates and schoolmates, fostering a spirit of community and knowledge-sharing.

Many Indian teachers have also contributed 1,000 rupees ($12.1) each to develop Classroom Libraries.

The contributions of Vietnamese people over the past years and the 6,000 kilometers that Thach would travel in India and 30 other countries will be an important base for him to call on Indians, Filipinos, and people from other countries to spend some $1 billion buying 500 million books for 200 million students in eight to ten million classes.

According to Santosh Jagtap, chairman of Indias non-governmental organization Swa Eknath nana Jagtap Pratisthan, Thach is practical as he told teachers and students that Classroom Libraries need contributions from parents, former students, and teachers.

Jagtap said he totally supported the idea as it was feasible and effective.

Thach first arrived in India in 2019 and returned to the South Asian country in 2020. He aims to develop over eight million Classroom Libraries there.

With the contribution of Vietnamese people, Thach has established 60 Classroom Libraries in rural areas in India.

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A gunshot interrupts the peaceful sleep of a leopard seal, lying nonchalantly on a small piece of ice floating in the shadow of an Antarctic glacier.

Researcher Diego Mojica lowers his rifle.

The mammal, one of the largest predators on the White Continent after the orca, flinches from the impact of the remote biopsy -- a small red pipette that bounces off its skin, taking with it a piece of flesh -- and swims away.

Mojica, a Colombian marine biologist, descends from his boat alongside Livingston Island, in the South Shetland archipelago, to retrieve his sample.

Excitedly, he explains to an AFP team accompanying him on a day of research amid the glaciers, how rare it is to get so close to a leopard seal -- a solitary and usually aggressive species that feeds on penguins.

Mojica is studying the impact of mercury, used in activities such as mining thousands of kilometers away, on Antarctica's large mammals.

The toxic heavy metal is believed to reach the ocean through rivers or rain, after it "evaporates into the air," said Mojica, who works for Colombia's Malpelo Foundation, which specializes in the study of marine fauna.

Scientists at Spain's University of Murcia have previously found mercury in the feathers of chinstrap penguins on King George Island, the closest point in Antarctica to the Americas.

The pollution appears to extend south to Livingston Island and the Gerlache Strait, a natural channel off Antarctica.

The United Nation's Global Mercury Partnership warns that marine mammals, because they are "at the top of the food chain, are particularly susceptible to contamination" by the metal.

Later on his voyage -- a Colombian scientific expedition to Antarctica -- Mojica finds himself surrounded by humpback whales.

When a tail or back pokes out of the rough waters, he carefully takes aim with his rifle.

This time, he retrieves his sample of skin and fat from the freezing waters using a net.

Humpback whales consume large quantities of krill, small crustaceans susceptible to mercury contamination.

Mojica will study the samples to determine if "mercury has been transmitted from one link to the next in the food chain."

According to UN environmental agency UNEP, if an animal consumes mercury, it may suffer "reproductive failure, behavioral changes and may even (die)."

In 2013, 140 countries signed the Minamata Convention to reduce the use of mercury, which can cause severe health problems.

Some 9,000 tons of the toxic substance are released into the atmosphere every year.

Artisanal mining is the main source of mercury emissions, where the element is used to collect gold by binding to it.

Coal combustion is another major source. But mercury is also present in many household products like batteries, some lightbulbs and even mascara.

"We want to do our part to be able, as much as possible, to propose credible measures for the conservation and protection of these emblematic mammals," said Mojica.
SINGAPORE -- Singapore on Tuesday kicked off Asia's biggest air show - the first in six years unaffected by pandemic restrictions - as the global aviation industry grapples with a full rebound in travel demand in the face of severe supply constraints.

More than 1,000 companies from more than 50 countries are participating in the biennial commercial and defense-focused Singapore Airshow, organiser Ravinder Singh said at the opening ceremony, led by Western industry giants such as Airbus, Boeing and Lockheed Martin, and their Chinese competitors such as COMAC and AVIC.

Russian companies like Russian Helicopters and Irkut that attended past editions of the show are not participating this year amid Russia's attack on Ukraine. However, Israeli companies Israel Aerospace Industries and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems which dropped out of the Dubai Airshow in November amid the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza have come to Singapore.

The flying display will feature military aircraft from Singapore, Australia, India, Indonesia, South Korea and the U.S., as well as the COMAC C919 commercial jet's first appearance outside Chinese territory and an Airbus A350-1000 powered in part by sustainable aviation fuel.

The strong international participation comes as borders have fully reopened after COVID-19.

By the end of 2023, travel demand had made a near-full recovery from pre-pandemic levels in 2019, with domestic travel running four percent higher than pre-COVID levels and the international market lagging at 88 percent mostly because of China's slower rebound, according to International Air Transport Association data.

"When I look at 2023, in effect, I'm looking at an industry that I think is very similar in shape and size to what we saw in 2019," IATA Director General Willie Walsh said at a pre-show summit on Monday. "So going forward, I think you should expect us to stop making reference back to 2019 and to start looking at the industry in a normal way."

However, major suppliers, planemakers and engine producers have struggled to keep up with the rebound in demand after the sharp downturn during COVID-19 led to job losses, freight snarls and an industry skills shortage.

Boeing, in particular, is under scrutiny after the mid-air blowout of a cabin panel on an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX on January 5 led the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration to take the unprecedented step of freezing production of its best-selling single-aisle plane at 38 per month.

Airbus this month announced a further delay in entry to service of its long-range A321XLR single-aisle jet to the third quarter from the second. Suppliers told Reuters that Airbus is producing around 50 A320neo family jets a month compared to a production plan that had foreseen 58 by end-2023.

The production issues are delaying the ability of airlines to replace older jets with more fuel-efficient models as the industry looks to meet its goal of "net zero" emissions by 2050.

Airlines are also looking to buy as much sustainable aviation fuel as possible to help lower their carbon emissions, even though it costs up to five times as much as conventional jet fuel.

In Singapore, travelers will need to bear the cost of the transition towards green jet fuel, its transport minister said on Monday, as he announced the city-state's plans for a levy on departing flight ticket prices from 2026.
Catch up on the news in Vietnam today:

Society

-- The administration in Phong Dien District, Thua Thien-Hue Province, central Vietnam said on Monday that it was identifying a large metal object, which was supposed to be a floating cage for seafood farming, grounding on the coast of the district.

-- Authorities in Hai Ba Trung District, Hanoi are collecting public opinions on a plan to build five public squares around Thien Quang Lake in the downtown district.

-- A taxi plowed into dozens of motorbikes stopping at a red light on a street in Thua Thien-Hue Province on Monday, injuring six people.

-- On Monday, Hanoi's traffic police reported that they were examining a video depicting an individual reclining on the seat of a motorcycle and swiftly overtaking multiple cars on a Thang Long Avenue expressway section where motorcycles are prohibited.

-- Residents in Lam Dong Province, located in Vietnams Central Highlands, on Monday found a 60-year-old man who was believed to have been in a local stream for five days.

-- The administration in Da Nang City, central Vietnam has planned a temporary park for dragon mascots, flowers, and miniatures which were used as decorations during the 2024 Lunar New Year holiday, or Tet, on an empty land lot set aside for a financial center project.

Business

-- Vietnamese construction firm Hoa Binh announced on Monday that it had won bidding packages to develop five social housing projects worth US$72 million in Kenya.

Sports

-- Midfielder Nguyen Hoang Duc of The Cong - Viettel FC and goalkeeper Tran Thi Kim Thanh of Ho Chi Minh City I Club were named winners of the 2023 Vietnam Golden Ball, the countrys most prestigious individual football awards, in the mens and womens categories, respectively, at a ceremony in Ho Chi Minh City on Monday evening.

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Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi is the worlds best airport, with an average rating of 6.80/10, according to a survey on business travelers worldwide released by businessfinancing.co.uk.

Businessfinancing.co.uk is a business finance and lending research and information website publisher, allowing small businesses to find independent information about business banking, lending, and credit options in the UK.

The survey shows that 14 of the 20 best international airports for business travelers are in Asia and the Middle East.

With the rebound of travel, airports are bustling again, so many airports worldwide have elevated their services to satisfy air passengers, according to the survey.

Noi Bai International Airport earned the top rating of 6.80 out of 10 from business travelers worldwide.

This airport has an incredible range of facilities, reported one verified traveler, especially the sky view building containing an observation deck and numerous facilities for aviation enthusiasts.

The terminals are extremely clean and airport staff are very friendly. There are excellent food choices available.

Noi Bai International Airport consists of a domestic terminal (T1) and an international terminal (T2).

The airport is located in Soc Son District, around 35 kilometers from the heart of the capital city.

The T2 terminal is set to expand its capacity by five million passengers to 15 million each year, local media reported.

After the expansion project is completed in 2026, the airport will be able to handle 30 million passengers a year, according to the Ministry of Transport.

Changi Airport in Singapore came second among the best airports in the world, with a rating of 6.63.

Hong Kong International Airport and Hamad International Airport in Qatar were ranked third and fourth, respectively.

The study also listed the 20 worst international airports for business travelers.

Half of these are in Europe, including six in the UK  all in England. None of the 20 worst airports has an average rating of more than two out of 10.

The worst, Brussels South Charleroi Airport in Belgium, scored an average of just 1.20.

To find the best and worst ones in the world, we collated all passenger reviews for major international airports from airlinequality.com and calculated the average rating from reviewers categorized as business travelers, according to businessfinancing.co.uk.

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The administration in Da Nang City, central Vietnam has plans to establish a temporary park on an empty plot of land initially designated for a financial center project to showcase dragon mascots, flowers, and miniatures used as decorations during the 2024 Lunar New Year holiday, or Tet.

Le Quang Nam, deputy chairman of the Peoples Committee of Da Nang, announced on Monday that the city endorsed the temporary park proposal from the municipal Department of Construction.

The committee assigned the department the responsibility of supervising and collaborating with MoNo BoGo Vietnam Ltd. and Minh Tuan Tu Consulting and Construction Co. Ltd. to develop a scheme for assembling all dragon mascots utilized in the Tet festivities, which concluded on Sunday, as well as flower-decorated miniatures, at a new location.

Their designated venue is a 2.8-hectare plot of land northwest of the intersection of Vo Van Kiet and Vo Nguyen Giap Streets, originally meant for a financial center project that has yet to commence.

The Construction Technical Consulting Center is charged with drafting a design plan for the temporary construction of the new park on this land lot.

The project must adhere to landscape architecture standards with the goal of creating a new tourist attraction, complete with necessary facilities like restrooms and performance stages.

Moreover, outdoor art performances, food kiosks, and photo booths will be available to enrich the experience for visitors and tourists.

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On Monday, Hanoi's traffic police reported that they were investigating a video depicting a rider lying on the seat of a motorbike and swiftly overtaking multiple cars on a section of the Thang Long Avenue expressway, where motorcycles are prohibited.

A municipal traffic police officer told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that a video recorded by the black box of a car on the expressway showed that the motorcyclist performed the stunt on Sunday afternoon.

After swiftly overtaking cars, the rider drove the vehicle off of the expressway while still lying on its seat.

The Thang Long Avenue expressway features six lanes and two separate lanes for emergency stops. It permits a maximum speed of 100 kilometers per hour.

The expressway strictly prohibits the presence of motorcycles, rudimentary vehicles, and pedestrians.

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Money Heist spin-off Berlin has been renewed for a second season by Netflix.

Pedro Alonso will be back as ndres de Fonollosa or Berlin, with a new heist joined by Michelle Jenner who plays Keila, an expert in electronic engineering; Tristan Ulloa is Damian, a philanthropic professor and Berlins confidante; Begona Vargas is Cameron, a kamikaze who always lives on the edge; Julio Pena Fernandez plays Roi, Berlins faithful squire; and Joel Sanchez as Bruce, the relentless man of action.

During its premiere week, the Spanish series was the most-watched series globally and reached the Top 10 in 91 countries. Since then, it has remained in the Top 10 for 7 consecutive weeks in non-English TV, amassing 348 million hours viewed and 53 million total views. The series is now ranked at number 9 among the most-watched non-English language series in the history of Netflix.

The filming of the second season created by Alex Pina and Esther Martinez Lobato will begin in 2025.
Espionage series Spies of Terror, from Tetra Media has sold to SBS in Australia and TVNZ.

The series is based on investigative journalist and author Matthieu Sucs 2018 book about the Islamist attacks perpetrated by Isis, Les Espions de la Terreur.

It will follow the work carried out by the French anti-terrorist services, DGSE and DGSI, following 2015 terrorist attack in Paris.

Meanwhile UK drama Until I Kill You, produced by World Productions for ITV, has also sold to ABC and TVNZ.

The series is based on the autobiographical memoir Living With a Serial Killer penned by Delia Balmer, who survived being in a relationship with serial killer John Sweeney, known as the Scalp Hunter Killer. It features Anna Maxwell Martin as Delia Balmer.

The synopsis reads, When Delia meets John Sweeney in a local North London pub, he seems like the kindred spirit she has been searching for. She has no idea he is a killer, but as his artistic, anti-establishment persona gives way to a darker side, he becomes violent and finally confesses to murdering his former girlfriend. Sweeney is arrested but then released on bail after a catastrophic failure by the court to recognize how dangerous he really is, leaving him free to subject Delia to a near-fatal attack, and what follows is gruesome.

Airdates are yet to be announced.
Nuzhat Khan, TwoCircles.net

On the evening of February 10, Mehreen, 21, and her husband Arif, 24, who works at a local hardware store, were startled by screams from the street outside in their small neighbourhood of Malik ka Bagicha in Banbhoolpura, Uttarakhands Haldwani. Moments later, at least four policemen forcefully entered through the front door.

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The police began detaining Arif for allegedly being involved in the violence incident that occurred in their town just two days before.

Mehreen said that she was brutally beaten by the police while her husband was detained and that four male policemen allegedly assaulted her on her hand and thigh despite her pleas of innocence. I pleaded with them, telling the officers that he is innocent, but they still arrested him, she said.

Others in the neighbourhood, concerned for their safety, locked their doors from the inside.

The towns municipal authorities demolished a mosque and a madrasa in the same neighbourhood on February 8, claiming they were illegally built. At least six persons were killed, five of them Muslims, in mob violence and police shooting, while 68 have been arrested. At least two dozen people and over 100 police personnel sustained injuries and numerous police vehicles were burnt.

The roads leading to the locality are heavily barricaded while the area is continually under the watch of police personnel. The residents of the Muslim-majority locality of Banbhoolpura, which serves as a source of skilled labour for the city contended that the recent police crackdown has unfairly singled them out.

On February 8, the day violence erupted in Haldwani, Mehreen says she and her husband were observing a fast. When I learned about the unrest, I made sure my husband stayed home. He had already taken a day off from work due to fasting, she recalled.

Mehreens husband had undergone surgery eight months prior, leaving him unable to engage in physically demanding tasks like running. She had a major operation three months ago after falling down the stairs at home. While they were assaulting me, my mother pleaded with them to stop, fearing for my life. But they paid no heed and continued their attack, she alleged.

In the police station, my husband went through such severe beatings that his entire body is now bruised and swollen, remarked Mehreen, noting that he was coerced into chanting the slogan Jai Shree Ram. When he refused, she said, the beatings intensified even further.

The police action was unfair: Local journalist

Saleem Khan, a local journalist, resides just a few kilometres away from Banbhoolpura. While he was away on assignment, his wife and daughter, who is a lawyer, were at home. Khan received a distressing call informing him that the police had begun raiding homes in the area.

Shortly thereafter, his elder daughter reached out to him, frantic about the police barging inside their home. Khan advised her to cooperate, reassuring her that they had done nothing wrong and lived at a distance from the trouble.

Once inside, the police allegedly began assaulting Khans family members without any attempt at dialogue. Khan expressed his frustration, questioning why innocent locals like his family were subjected to such brutality when he had specifically instructed his daughter to support the police, understanding that their personnel had also faced violence.

They should go after the actual perpetrators of crimes rather than resorting to harming the innocent people who played no part in this, he said.

The entire city has come to a standstill

In addition to Mehreen, numerous other houses in Malik ka Bagicha faced a similar fate, with police allegedly barging in and vandalising furniture, coolers, and other belongings.

An activist based in Haldwani informed Two Circles that the predominantly Muslim neighbourhood of Banbhoolpura has been barricaded. Residents are unable to leave, and outsiders are barred from entering, with only brief relaxation periods granted.

This situation has resulted in the closure of businesses. The entire city has come to a standstill. Many skilled workers, who rely on day-to-day earnings, belong to this area. The halt in furniture making, construction, barbering, carpentry, welding, and motor vehicle repairs is evident. Their strategy seems to be aimed at preventing any suspects from escaping. Where does this happen in India? he remarked anonymously, fearing reprisals.

He further noted that residents are apprehensive about potential phone tapping, leading them to avoid communication with anyone, including lawyers.

Journalists stopped from reporting on the ground

During the recent incident of violence, there have been reports indicating that several journalists were obstructed from carrying out their reporting duties. Among them, a 48-year-old photojournalist was reportedly almost killed in mob violence. Instances have emerged where journalists were denied entry, purportedly under the pretext of a curfew, and allegedly faced threats aimed at discouraging them from covering events.

I went to Haldwani for reporting. There was barricading from all sides. A policeman came; he took out his lathi (baton), hurled abuses at me, and asked me for my press card, an independent multimedia journalist told Two Circles on the condition of anonymity.

The journalist was allegedly warned by the police to comply with their directives or face imprisonment, with an ultimatum to vacate the area. I feel like there is very little press freedom left in India. The time has gone when you could report from the ground, he said.

Human rights violations in the area are uncontrolled: Fact-finding Report

Recently, a fact-finding report Bulldozing Peace: State Violence and Apathy in Muslim Settlements of Haldwani by the Association for Protection of Civil Rights, a rights advocacy group stated that, People are being apprehended by the police and brutally beaten at the site of their arrest resulting in severe injuries. Malik ka Bagicha as a consequence now lies deserted with residents seeking refuge elsewhere due to fear of police brutality. Human rights violations in the area are uncontrolled. The shoot at sight order remains in effect with people unable to access basic medical care.

Additionally, the report alleged that the police have established detention centers that resemble torture chambers, where a number of people, including those from Haldwani who were away in other cities for various reasons, are being held captive.

Two Circles reached out to Senior Superintendent of Police Nainital P.N. Meena for a comment. This story will be updated when he responds.

Mehreen remains concerned for her husbands safety, fearing that the authorities would arrest him again at any time. We did not even step out of our house that day, then also this happened to us. Why were we punished for something we did not do? Mehreen lamented.
Screenshot from Netflix series on Alexander the Great, who might have been queer, portraying the ruler in an armour. Via X - @loeyrubyjane

At the start of the month, Netflix dropped a new series on Alexander the Great which has already sparked controversy because it suggests that the historical figure could have been queer. In one of the first episodes of Alexander: The Making of a God, the protagonist shares a kiss with one of his generals, Hephaestion, alluding to the possibility that Alexander the Great could have had relationships with people of the same sex.

The episode sparked fury in many conservative watchers, who were quick to condemn Netflix for turning Alexander gay. President of Greek far-right political party Niki, Dimitris Natsiou, also denounced the series, calling it deplorable, unacceptable and unhistorical and claiming that it aimed to subliminally convey the notion that homosexuality was acceptable in ancient times, an element that has no basis.

But how baseless is such a notion? According to historians, while labels such as gay, straight or bisexual did not exist in Ancient Greece, sexual fluidity was the norm. As Professor Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones of Cardiff University in Wales put it in the first episode of the Netflix series, Same-sex relationships were quite the norm throughout the Greek world. The Greeks did not have a word for homosexuality, or to be gay. It just wasnt in their vocabulary whatsoever. There was just being sexual.

This notion is confirmed by Philip Freeman, a Professor of Humanities at Pepperdine University who was not involved in the making of the series but has written a biography about Alexander the Great. In the ancient Greek world  and especially in Macedonia  such same-sex relationships were so normal they wouldnt have seemed odd to anyone, Freeman said, as reported by Reuters.

In addition to this, another element that needs to be taken into account when discussing sexuality in history is that LGBTQ+ people have been wiped out from the records. Not only was queerness repressed through legislation and discrimination, but evidence that queer lives existed in the past was often destroyed in an attempt to preserve the persons reputation.

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In the case of Alexander the Great, there is plenty of historical evidence to suggest that he might have been queer. He was born in 356 BC in Macedonia, a kingdom in Greece, of which he became the ruler when he was only 19 after the assassination of his father. He became a soldier and conqueror, and during his lifetime, his armies defeated the Persian Empire and conquered land as far as India, creating one of the largest empires in history.

According to Jeanne Reames, a historian at the University of Nebraska Omaha who was a consultant on the Netflix series, Alexander seems to have comfortably pursued either sex. The ruler married three times and had at least one child but, as Reames said, its very possible, even likely that he and his general Hephaestion were lovers.

Historian Robin Lane Fox, who authored the 2013 book Alexander the Great, wrote about this queer relationship, saying: Hephaistion was the man whom Alexander loved, and for the rest of their lives their relationship remained as intimate as it is now irrecoverable: Alexander was only defeated once, the Cynic philosophers said long after his death, and that was by Hephaistions thighs.

Forbes contributor Dani Di Placido echoed these words when he wrote: There is no concrete evidence that Alexander and Hephaestion were lovers, but there is plenty of evidence hinting that the two were more than friends.

Moreover, a National Geographic article published on February 8 noted how, when Hephaestion died of illness in 324 BC, the death plunged Alexander into grief. The conqueror reportedly draped himself over Hephaestions corpse, refused food, cut his hair, and organized an extravagant funeral.

As professor Salima Ikram of the American University of Cairo said in the Netflix series, Hephaestion really was not just a cherished companion, but perhaps [Alexanders] greatest love.

The post Evidence suggests Alexander the Great was queer despite Netflix series controversy appeared first on GCN.
True Detective: Night Country actor Kali Reis praised the series for examining the issue of missing and murdered indigenous women on a large scale because 'it's not a made-up issue'. (Sky)

True Detective: Night Country actor Kali Reis is grateful the Sky series, and showrunner Issa Lopez, brought the issue of missing and murdered indigenous women to a wider, more global audience.

The series follows Reis' character Evangeline Navarro and her fellow detective Liz Danvers (Jodie Foster) as they investigate the disappearance of eight men from a research station in Ennis, Alaska. But, the case has ties to a brutal cold case: the murder of young indigenous woman Annie Kowtok, an environmental activist whose story and death, as well as of countless others like her, brings to light something Reis tells Yahoo UK is "plaguing indigenous communities" in real life.

The show's finale reveals not only what happened to the men at Tsalal but also who killed Annie, and for Reis she commended the series for the way it explored the difficult topic: "It's important because it's real. It's not made-up, it's not a made-up issue.

The show's investigation has ties to the murder of young indigenous woman whose story, and death, brings to light something Kali Reis tells Yahoo UK is 'plaguing indigenous communities' in real life. (Sky)

"[Ennis] is a fictional city but it's an actual, real issue that has been plaguing indigenous communities, not just the women. It's our people in general and so I think in the way it's was shot it wasn't romanticising or trying to show it exactly, but the representation of it for somebody who's trying to fight for her people and have justice and do what she thought was right and bringing justice."

The Alaska Native community are 2.5 times more likely to experience violent crimes, and twice as likely to experience rape and sexual assault crimes according to the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022 bill presented to Congress. It also stated that homicide was the third leading cause of death for American Indian and Alaska Native women between the ages of 10 and 24, and the fifth leading cause of death of those aged between 25 and 34.

In August 2023, law enforcement in Alaska released the names of 280 people who had gone missing, and whose disappearance police believed were suspicious in nature. That's why, for Reis, making this problem more widely known is key and including it in the HBO series felt right.

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She explains: "I think it was really important to bring that to life, and because it's on a max scale of this entity, of True Detective, for this particular issue it's in front of an audience that wouldn't normally know about it.

For Kali Reis, making this problem more widely known is key and doing that in the series felt right. (Sky)

"You talk to the majority of Americans, they don't even know what missing, murdered indigenous women is, they think 'what is that? That's something that really happens?' Yes, this really happens, every single day.

"We can get phone alerts... I get alerts all day, every day, about another missing person, so this is an opportunity to highlight that, I think it was really important."

For Lopez it was a no brainer to explore the issue because she has explored the subject of violence against women for years in her work, and it is particularly important for her because of the similar issue of missing and murdered women in her home country of Mexico.

"I've shot four movies and two of them deal with this subject matter, not with indigenous women because I come from Mexico and the relationship with indigenous identities is different  not better, different. But in Mexico, and in Latin America, there is a very, very brutal epidemic of missing and murdered women.

Showrunner Issa Lopez said it was important to explore the issue in True Detective because of the similar issue of missing and murdered women in her home country of Mexico. (Sky)

"In Mexico alone 11 women disappear every day, every day. When I was a kid my mother died in circumstances that were not violent at all, not natural causes, but it was very sudden and I didn't have a chance to say goodbye, and that affected me deeply.

"So whenever I encountered, as I was growing up, these stories of women that are taken from their families, and from their loved ones, and disappear and terrible violence is inflicted on them and there is never a chance to say goodbye to them, they're taken in that way I felt compelled to talk about those stories."

Lopez adds that it's a subject she has been looking at "for decades", sharing: "When I get the opportunity of telling a story in the US it's prevalent that it doesn't care for borders, those borders drawn on paper by men don't affect that violence that men inflict on women. So it needs to be talked about, it needs to be talked about until it stops."

All episodes of True Detective Night Country are available to watch now on Sky Atlantic, streaming service NOW and are available to download and own on digital platforms.

Read more:

Watch the trailer for True Detective: Night Country
The UN Security Council chamber at UN headquarters in New York (Charly TRIBALLEAU)

The United States vetoed a UN Security Council resolution on Tuesday that called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, drawing stern criticism from allies as President Joe Biden faces mounting pressure to temper support for Israel.

Washington had circulated its own, alternative draft resolution ahead of the vote. Unlike past US efforts, that version does feature the word "ceasefire" -- but with no call for it to be enacted immediately.

Tuesday's resolution, which Algeria had been working on for three weeks, had demanded "an immediate humanitarian ceasefire that must be respected by all parties."

Washington's veto was "absolutely reckless and dangerous," said Palestinian representative to the UN Riyad Mansour.

But Washington's ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said that proceeding with the vote Tuesday was "wishful and irresponsible."

"We cannot support a resolution that would put sensitive negotiations in jeopardy," she said, referring to talks to free hostages in Gaza.

The veto provoked a chorus of criticism of Washington -- not just from China and Russia, which have rejected the resolute US backing for Israel, but also from US allies including France, Malta and Slovenia.

"We voted for the resolution because the killing of civilians in Gaza must stop. The suffering that Palestinians are enduring is beyond anything a human being should be subjected to," said Slovenia's representative to the UN Security Council Samuel Zbogar.

"The human toll and the humanitarian situation is intolerable and Israeli operations must stop," said the French ambassador to the UN Nicolas de Riviere.

Algeria's envoy Amar Bendjama said "the draft resolution would have sent a strong message to Palestinians... unfortunately the Security Council failed once again."

"Examine your conscience, how will history judge you," Bendjama said.

The vote came as Israel prepares to move into the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, where some 1.4 million people have fled, as part of its mission to destroy the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

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However as the death toll in Gaza soars, Israel is facing increased pressure to hold off, including from its closest ally the United States.

"This is not, as some members have claimed, an American effort to cover for an imminent ground incursion," said Thomas-Greenfield ahead of the vote.

The draft resolution had opposed the "forced displacement of the Palestinian civilian population."

It additionally demanded the release of all hostages taken by Hamas in an attack on October 7.

- 'Make Israel nervous' -

But the text did not condemn that assault by Hamas, which left about 1,160 people dead in southern Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official Israeli figures.

Israel's retaliatory campaign has killed more than 29,000 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the latest count by the Hamas-run territory's health ministry.

Russia's envoy to the UN Vasily Nebenzya said Washington's draft text was intended to "detract attention from the latest shameful veto exercise by the US."

The United States had warned over the weekend that Algeria's text was not acceptable, arguing that it would endanger ongoing delicate negotiations to free the hostages in Gaza.

Instead, the alternate version offered by the US echoes recent comments by Biden, who has come under increasing pressure from his supporters ahead of November presidential elections.

It supports a "temporary ceasefire in Gaza as soon as practicable, based on the formula of all hostages being released."

It also mentions concern for Rafah, stating that "a major ground offensive should not proceed under current circumstances."

The US text "as it is... cannot pass," one diplomatic source said, pointing to several issues around the phrasing of "ceasefire."

Eyebrows were raised among some diplomats who questioned Washington's true intent.

"Do they really want this resolution or do they want to push the other side to veto?" asked one, pointing to the likelihood of a Russian veto of any text produced by the United States.

The mere fact the United States has introduced a counter-resolution is likely to "make Israel nervous," Richard Gowan, an analyst at the International Crisis Group, told AFP.

abd-gw/st
Crossing cultures

Adel Newman/Shutterstock

While the most famous pyramids were built in Giza by the ancient Egyptians, this striking architectural structure has been created by many different cultures and civilisations through history. From extremely early ancient structures hewn from solid stone to the glass-and-metal marvels of modernity, the use of pyramids goes far, far beyond Egypt's dusty deserts and verdant valleys.

From the Aztec pyramids of Mexico to sprawling temples in Indonesia, read on to discover the world's most amazing pyramids that aren't in Egypt...

Nubian pyramids, Meroe, Sudan

Martchan/Shutterstock

The Nubian pyramids in eastern Sudan are lesser-known (and far smaller) than the great pyramids of Giza but no less remarkable. Located some 125 miles (200km) northeast of modern-day Sudanese capital Khartoum, Meroe was the heart of the Kingdom of Kush, an ancient African kingdom, between the 8th century BC and 4th century AD. Spread across three sites (including the ancient city of Meroe), the area is home to more than 200 red-brick pyramids, built as tombs for Kushite rulers, that reach up to 100 feet (30m) tall.

Nubian pyramids, Meroe, Sudan

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Over the centuries, the former royal city and ancient cemetery, now an UNESCO World Heritage Site, has been plundered of its wealth and left to ruin. Some of the pyramids in particular were partially destroyed by Italian treasure hunter Giuseppe Ferlini between 1800 and 1870, and modern-day threats include drifting sands and rising Nile flood water. Some of the smaller pyramids have been restored to their former glory but even those in states of decay still look impressive.

Nubian pyramids, Jebel Barkal, Sudan

evenfh/Shutterstock

Sudan is home to more than twice the number of pyramids in Egypt, so it's not just the area and city of Meroe where you'll find amazing ancient feats of engineering. Under the rule of Alara, King of the Kush, the Kushite civilisation (also known as the Black Pharaohs) built religious structures across a vast site in the Nile Valley. One of the most impressive is the area of Jebel Barkal, where ancient Nubian temples, tombs and pyramids lie in the desert sands beyond the Niles lush river banks.

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Nubian pyramids, Jebel Barkal, Sudan

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Rising above the burnt-red sands, the flat-topped Jebel Barkal mountain, or Pure Mountain, represented the home of the Egyptian god Amon and the sprawling pyramids here date back to the Meroitic era (270 BC to AD 350). This abandoned ancient site is located around 217 miles (349km) north of the modern capital of Khartoum and the various temples and tombs here, and across four other archaeological sites (El-Kurru, Nuri, Sanam and Zuma) now have UNESCO World Heritage status.

Nubian pyramids, El-Kurru, Sudan

robertharding/Alamy Stock Photo

The archaeological site of El-Kurru in northern Sudan is one of the most important of ancient Nubia as its pyramid cemetery, built as a royal resting place for kings of the Napatan dynasty, is one of the best-preserved in the country. Although many of the structures were looted of their most precious objects, ancient hieroglyphic inscriptions found by American archaeologist George Reisner in the early 20th century (many depicting various animals and Kushite symbols) offered some invaluable clues about Nubias past.

Pyramids of the Moon and Sun, San Juan Teotihuacan, Mexico

Dmitry Rukhlenko/Shutterstock

With a base of around 720 by 760 feet (220 by 230m), the Pyramid of the Sun is famed for being the worlds third-largest pyramid. While its sister temple, the Pyramid of the Moon, isn't quite so colossal (its base measures around 426 by 511 feet/130 by 156m), it's no less impressive, standing in front of the imposing Cerro Gordo mountain, which its said to resemble. They're both located in Mexicos San Juan Teotihuacan, an ancient Mesoamerican citadel also known as City of the Gods.

Pyramids of the Moon and Sun, San Juan Teotihuacan, Mexico

Lorena Huerta/Shutterstock

Built between AD 200 and 250 with an earth interior and volcanic rock exterior, these famous landmarks are typical of Mesoamerican pyramids. Archaeologists have found various artefacts here  from deity figures to clay pots and animal bones  and some claim the tombs could have been used for ritualistic sacrifices. Visitors to the Pyramid of the Sun can marvel at its sheer magnitude from the ground, or climb the 248 steps which lead to its pinnacle, an impressive 216-feet (66m) high. You can also climb the Pyramid of the Moon via a steep (but far shorter) stairway.

Tikal pyramids, Guatemala

Simon Dannhauer/Shutterstock

Hidden among the Peten rainforest of northern Guatemala, the pyramids of Tikal were built between AD 300 and 900. Along with some 4,000 structures, they make up what was once the ancient Mayan city known as Yax Mutal, among the most powerful kingdoms of its time. There are six temples here in total, as well as plazas, pyramids and Mayan art and hieroglyphics. Mysteriously, the pyramids were left abandoned for eight centuries until they were discovered by explorers in the 1840s.

Tikal pyramids, Guatemala

Evgeny Drokov/Shutterstock

The tallest pyramid, Pyramid IV, is arguably the most impressive. Measuring around 213 feet (63m) from the ground to its pinnacle, many people climb to the top where the Temple of the Two-Headed Serpent still lies, offering majestic views over the rainforest. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, these otherworldly pyramids and the surrounding Tikal National Park  around 19 miles (31km) north of Lake Peten  are now among the most popular places to visit in Guatemala.

El Castillo, Chichen Itza, Mexico

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Situated in the ancient Maya city of Chichen Itza in Mexicos Yucatan Peninsula, El Castillo, as the Spanish conquistadors named it, is steeped in legend. This stepped pyramid was built by a late Mayan civilisation known as the Toltec people, roughly between AD 1050 and 1300. But it's also hiding a secret dating to AD 500 to 800. In addition to a second pyramid inside which had already been discovered, in 2016 archaeologists used imaging technology to reveal a third pyramid within El Castillo's walls.

El Castillo, Chichen Itza, Mexico

Eder Maioli/Shutterstock

Other notable features of El Castillo include the carvings of feathered serpents, representing Maya deity Kukulcan. The temple has been built in such a way that during the spring and autumn equinoxes, the setting sun creates the illusion of a snake creeping down the staircases. This incredible spectacle usually attracts thousands of visitors each year.

Ziggurat, Ur, Iraq

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Known as ziggurats, the pyramid structures of ancient Mesopotamia are distinctly different from those found in Giza, but they inspire a similar sense of awe, thanks to the architectural skill and manpower required to build them. The ziggurat in Ur (a former Sumerian city in modern-day Iraq) is the best-preserved, and impresses with its angular walls, sharp-sloped stairways and thousands upon thousands of burnt-red bricks.

Ziggurat, Ur, Iraq

Simon Edge/Shutterstock

Measuring some 210 by 150 feet (64 by 46m) across its base, this mammoth pyramid was built around the 21st century BC during the third dynasty of Ur, under the leadership of Sumerian king Ur-Nammu and his son Shulgi. Although the peak of the pyramid has not been preserved, its thought it would have housed a shrine to the moon god Nanna when it was built, taking the pyramids height to more than 100 feet (30m).

Great Pyramid of Cholula, Puebla, Mexico

Diego Grandi/Shutterstock

If youve ever wondered whether theres a pyramid larger than the Great Pyramid of Giza, the answer is yes. Commonly mistaken for a hill, the earth and tree-covered mound found in the ancient city of Cholula is actually a mammoth pyramid. Construction started around 200 BC, and the building was perhaps meant to resemble the incredible Popocatepetl volcano which sits behind it. At 1,476 feet wide (450m) and 216 feet tall (66m), this epic structure is the largest pyramid on Earth. It dwarfs its Egyptian counterpart with nearly twice the volume.

Great Pyramid of Cholula, Puebla, Mexico

Diego Grandi/Shutterstock

While this ancient pyramid has been altered by various civilisations, the most obvious addition is the church which sits at its summit. Following a bloody invasion by the Spanish in 1519 when some 3,000 of the sacred citys inhabitants were killed, the colonists built Iglesia de Nuestra Senora de los Remedios upon the great mound. We dont know for sure if they knew it was a mammoth pyramid containing tunnels, stairways, platforms and altars. Today, this UNESCO-listed monument, also known as Tlachihualtepetl, typically attracts thousands of visitors.

Temple of the Inscriptions, Palenque, Mexico

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Built in the 7th century to house a tomb for the Mayan king K'inich Janaab Pakal, the Temple of the Inscriptions in southern Mexico is one of the most impressive sites of Mesoamerica. At around 65 feet high (20m), its the largest Mesoamerican stepped pyramid in ancient Palenque and, as its name suggests, is known for its extensive hieroglyphic inscriptions. Once the home of royal ceremonies, funerals and religious rituals, archaeologists have found everything from jade ornaments to a stone crypt here.

Temple of the Inscriptions, Palenque, Mexico

Dennis Jarvis/Flickr/CC BY-SA 2.0

One of the most recent discoveries was an underground canal beneath the pyramid. It's thought the waterway, discovered using sonar technology, may have been built before the temple and the pyramid was purposefully constructed on top, to give Pakal's spirit a path to the afterlife. The site in Palenque features an array of ruined temples spread across a palatial complex. Alongside Tikal and Calakmul, it represents one of the most powerful Mayan cities in history.

Pyramids of Guimar, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain

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The jury is still out over the origins of these six mysterious pyramids in the Spanish Canary Islands. Away from the popular resorts on Tenerifes south coast, these lava stone structures in the village of Guimar in the north of the island have many signs of antiquity (like west-facing stairways and astronomical positioning to the summer and winter solstices). Some claim the Indigenous people of Tenerife could have built them well before Spanish colonisation, but others say they were merely left behind by farmers. Whatever the truth, these curious pyramids are well worth the trip.

Prasat Prang, Koh Ker, Cambodia

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Located around 53 miles (85km) northeast of world-famous Angkor Wat, the ancient city of Koh Ker was built by the Khmer empire in the 10th century. A sprawling complex, this otherworldly, timeworn site has gradually become consumed by the jungle, earning it the nickname the forgotten city. But this former home of Angkorian kings (and former capital of the Khmer empire) is actually the second-largest temple town in the country. And its seven-tiered pyramid known as Prasat Prang is among the most impressive structures.

Prasat Prang, Koh Ker, Cambodia

Bryn Pinzgauer/Flickr/CC BY 2.0

Rising 118 feet (36m), the sandstone pyramid, built for worshipping Hindu gods, is part of an impressive temple site known as Prasat Thom. If youre not put off by heights, it's possible to climb to the top of the pyramid via some wooden steps which have been added for visitors, and enjoy 360-degree views over the jungle.

Sacred City of Caral-Supe, Caral, Peru

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The Sacred City of Caral-Supe represents the oldest remnants of civilisation in the Americas, well before the Incan empire was established. Dating back to around 2000 BC, the settlement and its six pyramids were inhabited by the Norte Chico people and it may have been used several thousand years on, perhaps up to AD 1440. The step-style pyramids, made from earth and stone, sit on top of a dry ridge overlooking the Supe river valley and the largest pyramid, known as Pyramide Mayor, has a base of around 450 by 500 feet (137 by 152m).

Sacred City of Caral-Supe, Caral, Peru

Jon Gudorf Photography/Flickr/CC BY-SA 2.0

Archaeologists have suggested that Pyramide Mayor's size and location  over the main plaza and with views across the ancient city and beyond  implies it was the most important public building in Caral-Supe. Other pyramids have also given clues about the society who once lived here. The Gallery Pyramid, for example, stored quipu  lengths of string with knots, believed to be a way of storing information. Beyond the pyramids, there's also a complex of circular courts, ceremonial structures and other platform mounds across an area of more than 148 acres.

Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China

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Theres a lot of secrecy surrounding the ancient pyramids of China. Although many of them resemble mounds more than the typical pointed pyramid, experts claim they were built in a similar way to those left by Egyptian pharaohs. Situated in the capital of Shaanxi Province, the mausoleum of the first Chinese emperor, Qin Shi Huangdi, is one such structure. Built between 246 and 208 BC, it reaches a height of nearly 250 feet (76m) and is considered one of the most fascinating pyramids in the world. It's also the site of the world-famous Terracotta Army.

Borobudur, Java, Indonesia

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Comprising 72 stupas, five large square terraces and 504 statues of Buddha, Borobudur is one of the worlds most celebrated Buddhist monuments. This tiered pyramidal-esque structure, located near Muntilan in central Java, was built between AD 778 and 850 using volcanic stone. Its mammoth dimensions make an instant impression, but it's the incredibly intricate details like religious carvings which depict Buddhist stories that make it a sight to behold.

Borobudur, Java, Indonesia

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Bizarrely, this magnificent temple was abandoned until it was found under a pile of volcanic ash and vegetation in the early 19th century, and an eight-year restoration took place over a century later in the 1970s and 80s. The monument gained UNESCO World Heritage Status in 1991, and today this pyramid in the Kedu Valley is the most-visited site in Indonesia. Buddhist monks can still be seen making pilgrimages to Borobudur and each of the temples three levels is believed to represent a stage on the journey to enlightenment.

Pyramid of Hellinikon, Argos, Greece

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Perched in the mountain village of Elliniko, the Pyramids of Argolis are some of the most famous pyramidal landmarks in Greece, with Hellinikon being the best-preserved of them all. Situated on an ancient road that once linked Argos and Tegea, this area in the eastern Peloponnese is known for its ancient Greek relics. Although a lot of mystery remains around the pyramids origins, we do know they existed around the 2nd century AD when the geographer Pausanias discovered them.

Pyramid of Cestius, Rome, Italy

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Thanks to its brilliant white stone, many visitors think the Pyramid of Cestius is a modern-day structure. But this ancient tomb, built for the Roman magistrate Gaius Cestius, dates back some 2,000 years to around 18 to 12 BC, during the reign of the first Roman emperor, Caesar Augustus. Separating the districts of Ostiense and Testaccio, the pyramidal monument was originally built outside the Roman metropolis before it grew larger. The Aurelian Walls, which flank the pyramid, were later added to defend the city between AD 271 and 275.

Pyramid of Cestius, Rome, Italy

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The Pyramid of Cestius is the only one out of four pyramids that has remained intact in the Italian capital, and many historians liken it to the ones found in ancient Nubia. Thanks to a restoration in 2016  which turned its timeworn Carrara marble from a dirty grey to a creamy white  it has re-emerged as a popular tourist attraction. The Non-Catholic Cemetery (Cimitero Acattolico di Roma) which surrounds the pyramid is also worth a visit to see the graves of famous leaders, poets and writers.

Louvre, Paris, France

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Housing almost a million pieces of art from around the world and, of course, Leonardo da Vincis Mona Lisa, the Louvre in Paris is world-famous. A former fortress and royal residence, the original Baroque structure dates back to the 16th century, but the magnificent glass pyramid was added in the 1980s and 90s. Designed by Chinese-American architect IM Pei, the steel and glass pyramid was controversial at the time, but theres no doubt it provides an intriguing juxtaposition to the ornate palace. Today, almost 10 million people typically visit the Louvre each year.

Luxor Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

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It's definitely not as old as the Egyptian or Mayan structures, but this modern take on the original Giza pyramids in Vegas is almost as famous. Standing majestically beside the famed Strip, this 30-storey casino and hotel, designed by Veldon Simpson and built in 1993, was named after the Egyptian city of Luxor. Among the various Egyptian-inspired statues and antiquities that fill the hotel, the replica of the Sphinx of Giza in front of the black mirrored pyramid is perhaps the most jaw-dropping. A laser-like light shines from the pyramids peak each night.

These are the world's most incredible sculptures and statues
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Chandigarh Mayor Polls: SC declares AAP-Cong Joint Candidate Winner

The Supreme Court of India Tuesday Feb 20, 2024 set aside the Chandigarh Mayor Election Result announced on Jan 30 and declared AAP-Cong Joint Candidate the winner. Read More

Tuesday February 20, 2024 5:19 PM , ummid.com News Network

New Delhi: In a major setback for the Modi Government in New Delhi, the Supreme Court of India Tuesday Feb 20, 2024 set aside the Chandigarh Mayor Election Result announced on Jan 30 and declared AAP-Cong Joint Candidate the winner.

Chandigarh being a Union Territory (UT) comes under the direct control of the Central government currently led by the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP).

Terming 08 votes declared invalid by Presiding Officer Anil Masih valid, a three-judge SC bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud pronounced AAP Councilor Kuldeep Kumar Mayor of Chandigarh.

Kuldeep Singh had challenged the Chandigarh Mayor Election results in the Apex Court. Anil Masih during the hearing on Kuldeep Singh's petition Monday confessed tempering the ballot papers.

"In this court yesterday, the officer made a statement that he had done so because he found the ballots were defaced. As a matter of fact, it is recorded that none of the ballots were defaced," the bench noted. "The conduct of a Presiding Officer has to depcrated at two levels. Firstly by his conduct, he has unlawfully altered the course of the mayor election. Secondly, in making a statement before this court, the officer expressed a patent falsehood for which he must be held accountable," the bench said.



The bench also said it was the duty of the court to preserve the democratic principles. A notice has also been issued against Returning Officer Anil Masih to face contempt of court.



In the Chandigarh Mayor Polls held on January 30, 2024 , a total of 36 votes were casted. Of them, 16 votes were in favour of the BJP whereas 20 votes were in support of the AAP-Congress joint candidate.

Masih however declared 08 votes of AAP and Congress members invalid and declared the BJP candidate, Manoj Sonkar, winner and the new Mayor of Chandigarh.

AAP-Congress Mayoral candidate Kuldeep Singh approached the Supreme Court after the High Court dismissed his plea.

In the earlier hearing on Kuldeep Singhs plea on Feb 5 , the Supreme Court of India had called the entire episode a murder of democracy and asked Presiding Officer Anil Masih to depose before it with all the records and documents related to the mayoral elections.

Meanwhile, demands are also growing from the Supreme Court of the India to expose the forces on whose behest Anil Masih manipulated the Chandigarh Mayor election.



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Welcome Guest! You are here: Home  Ramadan 2024

Countdown Begins for Ramadan 2024

Ove 1.8 billion Muslims around the world are gearing themselves up once again for Ramadan - the Holy Month of fasting, which is likely to start on March 11, 2024 based on sighting on the New Moon. Read More

Tuesday February 20, 2024 12:38 PM , Anika Sabahat Faizee, ummid.com

Ramadan 2024: Over 1.8 billion Muslims around the world are gearing themselves up once again for Ramadan - the Holy Month of fasting, which is likely to start on March 11, 2024 based on sighting on the New Moon.

1 of 5 Pillars of Islam

Ramadan, the 9th Month in the Islamic Calendar, is believed to be one of the holiest for Muslims around the world. Ramadan is the Month when Holy Quran, Kalamulallah, Word of Allah, The Almighty, was revealed to Prophet Muhammed (Peace be upon him).

The day-long fasting during the month of Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam and mandatory on every Muslim if s/he is adult and attained puberty. Accordingly, Muslim men and women around the world refrain from eating and drinking from dawn to dusk. Out of the love for their religion, Muslim children also join their parents and observe Ramadan fast.

The Holy Month of Fasting (sawm), prayers, charity, reflection and introspection, Ramadan, ends with Eid al Fitr  the Day of Reward, Festivities and Celebrations.

Ramadan 2024 Likely Date

The Islamic Calendar is lunar based and hence any month in the Islamic Calendar begins with the sighting of the New Moon on 29th of the ongoing month. The new month begins if the new moon is sighted on the 29th day. If the moon is not sighted on the 29th, the next day is counted as the 30th day of the current month and the new month begins a day later.

Accordingly, Muslims based on their geographical locations will site the New Moon of the Month of Ramadan 2024 or Ramadan 1445 AH on 29th of Shaban 1445H  the current month of the Islamic Calendar.

Region-wise, Muslims in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Kuwait, Palestine, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Bahrain, Morocco and other Arab States will site the Ramadan Moon on 29th Shaban 1445 AH, corresponding to Sunday March 10, 2024.

Ramadan 2024 will start on Monday March 11, 2024 if the New Moon is sighted on March 10. It will however commence from Tuesday March 12, 2024, if the new moon is not sighted on 29th of Shaban.

Ramadan 2024 in India, Pakistan

Ramadan 2024 is likely to begin in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and other South Asian countries either on March 12 or 13, 2024 based on the sighting of the New Moon.

The start of Ramadan in America (USA), United Kingdom (UK), Australia, South Africa, France, Canada, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, Russia, Nigeria, Sudan and other countries will also be decided by moon sighting committees and religious authorities in these countries.

The likely date to start fasting of Ramadan in these countries of the world will be either March 11 or 12, 2024 based on the sighting of the New Moon.

Some countries in the Western World rely on sighting of the moon in Saudi Arabia and start fasting along with their Muslim brothers and sisters in the Arab World.

Ramadan Work Hours

Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, Kuwait and other Muslim states have already announced reduced working hours during the Holy Month of Ramadan. The authorities in these countries have also re-scheduled school and college timings for the Holy Month.

While some jobs necessitate longer hours, most employees in the private sector enjoy a two-hour reduction in their workday. Government offices often close early, with working hours for public sector employees reduced to six instead of the usual eight hours.

Special arrangements are also made for five daily prayers, Taraweeh (Special Night Prayers offered during Ramadan) and also for Iftar meals that mark the end of daily fast.

Muslims also greet each other with Ramadan Mubarak and Ramadan Karim messages as the Holy Month approaches. In the digital era, video clips, memes and graphics to fit the occasion flood different social media platforms.

Ramadan, the Month of Holy Quran , will end with Eid al Fitr likely to be celebrated either on 10th or 11th of April, 2024 based on the sighting of the Eid 2024 Moon. Officials will announced Eid 2024 Holidays once Ramadan Moon is sighted and the Holy Month of Fasting begins.



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Massive protest after BJP workers call on-duty Sikh IPS Officer Khalistani

In a video shared by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, IPS Officer Jaspreet Singh is seen in a heated and power-packed argument with the BJP leaders. Read More

Tuesday February 20, 2024 11:40 PM , ummid.com News Network

New Delhi/Kolkata: A massive protest erupted after Jaspreet Singh, an on-duty IPS Officer accused some BJP workers, who were led by Suvendu Adhikari, of calling him Khalistani.

In a video shared by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, IPS Officer Jaspreet Singh is seen in a heated and power-packed argument with the BJP leaders.

Just because I am wearing a Turban you are calling me Khalistani. You have got so much courage to call an IPS officer Khalistani? Singh told the BJP leaders. Today, the BJP's divisive politics has shamelessly overstepped constitutional boundaries. As per @BJP4India every person wearing a TURBAN is a KHALISTANI.



I VEHEMENTLY CONDEMN this audacious attempt to undermine the reputation of our SIKH BROTHERS & SISTERS, revered for their pic.twitter.com/toYs8LhiuU  Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) February 20, 2024 If any policeman wears a turban and does his duty, he becomes Khalistani? Is this your level? he asked to the BJP leaders.

I vehemently condemn this audacious attempt to undermine the reputation of our Sikh brothers & sisters, revered for their sacrifices and unwavering determination to our nation (sic), Banerjee wrote while tagging the video.

Sharing the video, the West Bengal Police also it was outraged over the BJP leaders attitude and said "the comment is as much malicious and racial as it is communally inciting."

"We, the West Bengal Police fraternity, are outraged to share this video, where one of our own officers was called Khalistani by the state's Leader of the Opposition. His fault: he is both a proud Sikh, and a capable police officer who was trying to enforce the law", the Police said. "This comment is as much malicious and racial as it is communally inciting. It is a criminal act. We unequivocally condemn the unprovoked, unacceptable attack on an individuals religious identity and beliefs aimed to incite people to take to violence and break the law. Stern legal action is being initiated", the Police said.

Harjinder Singh Dhami, President of The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) while condemning the BJP leader's comments reminded the BJP of the sacrifices Sikh Community made for the country.

"The intentional character assassination of a Sikh IPS officer S. Jaspreet Singh by the BJP leaders in West Bengal is highly condemnable. Leaders who have such thinking in the country should never forget that Sikhs have made the most sacrifices for the freedom and protection of the country. Sikhs do not need to get a certificate from anyone, rather they know how to perform services for the nation in accordance with their traditions and customs", he said. "It is a big question that such people in the country deliberately create an atmosphere of hatred but the governments remain silent. Those who create such an atmosphere should be punished so that people who are honestly doing their duty in different areas do not have to be victims of such hate", he added.

The members of Sikh community are also protested outside the BJP headquarters in Kolkata and Delhi.

IPS Jaspreet Singh was deputed to prevent senior West Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari from visiting Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district. Sandeshkhali is tense since Feb 13 when clashes broke out between BJP workers and state police.

The BJP workers who clashed with the West Bengal Police had gathered in Sandeshkhali to protest against Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Shajahan Sheikh and others over alleged atrocities committed against women.

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Mexico City, Feb 20 (UNI) At least 12 suspected hitmen were killed on Sunday in a confrontation between Mexican Army troops and an armed gang in northeast Mexico's Tamaulipas state, said a state security official on Monday.

The incident occurred in the municipality of Miguel Aleman when an army patrol countered an "attack" by armed assailants hiding in the undergrowth, said spokesperson for Tamaulipas Public Security Jorge Cuellar at a press conference.

Security was reinforced on Monday with a bigger presence of the army and National Guard in the northern part of the state, an area known as the "small border" with the United States, said the official.

Authorities seized weapons and ammunition after the clash, said the spokesperson's office on social media.

Tamaulipas has for years been riddled with violence due to fighting among rival drug trafficking groups and clashes with law enforcement.

Since 2014, Mexican authorities have reinforced security tactics to combat crime in Tamaulipas, such as purging the police force to combat corruption.

UNI/XINHUA ARN
New Delhi, Feb 20 (UNI) Japan has committed an Official Development Assistance (ODA) loan of 232.209 billion yen for nine projects across various states in the country.

In this regard, Vikas Sheel, Additional Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Government of India, and Suzuki Hiroshi, Ambassador of Japan to India exchanged the notes on Tuesday.

The projects which would get the financial assistance include North East Road Network Connectivity Improvement Project (Phase 3), North East Road Network Connectivity Improvement Project (Phase 7), Project for Promoting Start-up and Innovation in Telangana, Project for Promoting Sustainable Horticulture in Haryana and Dedicated Freight Corridor Project (Phase 1) among others.

"The road network connectivity projects aim to improve infrastructure development in Indias North East region, while the Chennai peripheral ring road project aims to alleviate traffic congestion and strengthen connections to the southern part of the state. The project in Nagaland will help develop tertiary level medical service delivery by developing a Medical College Hospital contributing towards universal health coverage," Finance Ministry said in a release.

The Ministry further said that a unique project in Telangana will help discover entrepreneurial skills with focus on women and rural population and support business expansion of MSMEs.

"In Haryana, the project will promote sustainable horticulture and improve farmer's income by promoting crop diversification and infrastructure development. The forestry project in Rajasthan will enhance ecosystem services through afforestation, forest and biodiversity conservation. In the mountainous state of Uttarakhand, the project aims to provide stable water supply to urban towns," it said.

The fifth tranche of the Dedicated Freight Corridor project will help in construction of new dedicated freight railway system and bring about modernisation of intermodal logistics system enabling handling of increased freight traffic.

"Economic partnership, a key pillar of India-Japan relations, has steadily progressed in the last few years. Exchange of Notes for these important projects will further strengthen the Strategic and Global Partnership between India and Japan," stated the Finance Ministry media release.

UNI NK CS1540
Bamako, Feb 20 (UNI) Fifteen people were killed and 46 others were injured in a collision between a bus and a truck in central Mali, the Transport Ministry said on Monday.

"A DIARRA Transports bus, which was travelling from Mopti to Bamako, collided with a ten-tonne truck travelling in the opposite direction. According to preliminary data, 15 people were killed and 46 were injured," the ministry said on social media.

The accident occurred on Monday morning between the towns of Kessedougou and Ouan, the ministry added.

UNI/SPUTNIK XC ARN
Wife of former Chakma leader in Mizoram convicted in graft case 18 Mar 2024 | 6:25 PM Aizawl, Mar 18 (UNI) Special Court (Prevention of Corruption Act) Aizawl sentenced Sujata Chakma (34), wife of deceased former Chief Executive Member (CEM) of Chakma to four-year imprisonment and a fine of Rs 12 lakh in a corruption case on Monday. see more..

Ola set to elevate travel experience at Kolkata International Airport 18 Mar 2024 | 6:11 PM Kolkata, Mar 18 (UNI) Ola Mobility has announced its Airport operation services at Kolkatas Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport. see more..

Election authorities in Meghalaya ask all licence holders to deposit arms & ammunition 18 Mar 2024 | 6:09 PM Shillong, Mar 18 (UNI) With the model code of conduct coming into force in Meghalaya, district election authorities have issued a separate slew of orders to ensure peaceful, free, and fair polls during the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections. see more..

BJP alliance predicts victory in Assam: Union Minister Sonowal 18 Mar 2024 | 6:04 PM Guwahati, Mar 18 (UNI) Senior BJP leader and Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal claimed on Monday that the BJP-led alliance in Assam will secure 12 out of the 14 seats in the Lok Sabha this time. see more..
HA NOI  Slower than expected credit growth and a large number of non-performing loans have resulted in conservative growth targets among commercial banks for 2024, said industry insiders and experts.

In 2023, the country's largest commercial banks, including state-owned Agribank, Vietcombank, Vietinbank and BIDV, reported nearly US$25 billion in profit. Despite the positive figure, banks were reported to have scaled back on their growth targets this year, citing cautious approaches and higher loss provisions setup compared to previous years.

Last year, VPBank and Techcombank dropped out of the top banks in terms of profit in USD, while state-owned banks dominated compared to the private group in profit rankings, thanks to a cautious trend in setting up credit loss provisions in previous years.

Vietcombank topped the chart with a consolidated pre-tax profit of over VN41.2 trillion ($1.68 billion), a 10 per cent increase year-on-year, followed by BIDV with a consolidated pre-tax profit of VN27.6 trillion, a 20 per cent increase year-on-year.

However, industry insiders said the core operating income from credit for the two banks did not show substantial growth in the past year. For example, in 2023, Vietcombank's net interest income, the main source of income, only increased slightly by 0.7 per cent to VN53.6 trillion despite the credit portfolio expanding 10.6 per cent compared to the end of 2022.

As a result, a reduction in risk provision costs has been a factor that helped Vietcombank's pre-tax profit continue to grow, despite a 2.2 per cent decrease in net profit from business operations in 2023 compared to 2022. At BIDV, besides reducing risk provision costs, non-credit sources such as services, foreign exchange business, and securities trading investment have been driving forces behind higher profits compared to the previous year.

Meanwhile, VietinBank has been less affected by credit issues. By the end of last year, the total outstanding loans reached over VN1.5 quadrillion, a 15 per cent increase compared to the end of 2022. The bank said positive credit growth from the beginning of the year and sustained, steady growth in non-interest income helped the bank achieve a profit of VN25 trillion, a 20 per cent increase year-on-year. Agribank also reported a profit of approximately VN25 trillion, exceeding the yearly planned target by 5-6 per cent.

Among the private banks, MB has been the leader of the pack with a pre-tax profit of VN26.3 trillion, a 16 per cent increase year-on-year with a credit growth rate of 28 per cent, significantly higher than the industry average.

Other top performers included Techcombank and ACB despite minor setbacks that prevented them from reaching the $1 billion profit mark. For example, last year Techcombank reported a 10 per cent decrease in profits due to a reduction in credit income while having to increase provisions significantly. The bank ended 2023 with a profit of VN22.9 trillion.

Meanwhile, ACB reported a profit of VN20 trillion for the first time, thanks to reduced operational costs, growth in credit revenue and profit from securities trading investments.

Banks, however, remained cautious about growth targets as they entered 2024.

In the latest survey by the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV), banks said they expected a more favourable business situation for 2024. Pre-tax profits may recover more slowly than business conditions.

As a result, Vietcombank aims for a profit of nearly $2 billion this year, a 10 per cent increase compared to 2023, with total assets by the end of the year expected to increase by more than 8 per cent, credit growth to be over 12 per cent, and bad debt below 1.5 per cent.

BIDV has set out some key indicators, such as managing outstanding credit according to the credit limit assigned by the central bank, expecting a 14 per cent increase while leaving profit targets open. Vietinbank has set key business targets for this year, including total assets increasing by 5-10 per cent; credit growth of 14 per cent and reducing bad debt ratio to below 1.8 per cent.

Meanwhile, MB has set three objectives this year: achieving a profit target of VN30 trillion, serving 30 million customers and securing a place in the country's top 3 banks in terms of service quality and efficiency.  VNS
HA NOI  Viet Nam exported farm produce and seafood worth millions of dollars to China through borders in Quang Ninh, Lang Son and Lao Cai during the Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday.

On February 12, the third day of the Year of the Dragon, authorities at the Bac Luan 2 Bridge border gate in Mong Cai City handled export procedures for nearly 60 tonnes of live seafood, comprising lobster and crab, worth over US$781,000.

Earlier, the Vietnamese and Chinese sides had agreed on the Tet holiday plan for the Mong Cai (Viet Nam)  Dongxing (China) international border gate. Accordingly, the two international facilities were scheduled to suspend handling customs clearance procedures from February 10 through 17 at the Bac Luan 2 Bridge border gate, along with the pair of the Dongxing border market and the Km3 4 Hai Yen border crossing.

After a discussion with Vietnamese authorities, however, the Chinese side decided to allow imports, mainly fresh produce from Viet Nam, to enter its country from February 12.

During the seven-day Tet holiday, nearly 13,000 tonnes of agricultural products were also exported to China via Huu Nghi and Tan Thanh border gates in Lang Son Province.

Nguyen inh ai, Director of Lang Sons Department of Industry and Trade, said that since the holiday, there had been no congestion of goods at local border gates thanks to the authorities efforts to strengthen regulation and active work before Tet.

Meanwhile, border gates in Lao Cai Province had been operating throughout Tet, with a very large volume of goods, mainly fruits and vegetables.

Trade activities through the province's Kim Thanh II International Border Gate reached about $13 million in the first five days of Tet (February 10-14), over 3.5 times higher than the same period of the previous holiday.

Of the sum, $12.2 million came from Vietnamese exports, up 319 per cent over the same period last year. Among major exported staples were fresh fruits such as dragon fruit, durian, watermelon, grapefruit, jackfruit, rambutan, mango and banana. Import value from the market also saw a slight increase of 4.3 per cent to over $681,000.

According to trade experts, the demand in the Chinese market for Vietnamese agricultural products and fresh fruits during the Lunar New Year period was usually very high. Meanwhile, Vietnamese enterprises also needed to import more consumer goods and machinery components for the domestic market, driving the significant increase in cross-border trade between the countries.

Following positive performance during the Tet holiday, cross-border trade showed good signals and all customs clearance procedures have returned to normal since February 18.

At Mong Cai International Border Gate, on February 18, 95 vehicles transported over 900 tonnes of agricultural products worth around $3.7 million to China.

Vuong Trinh Quoc, head of the management board of Lao Cai Economic Zone, forecast that trade with China would flourish even more this year.

After the state-level visit to Viet Nam by Party General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping, the country announced that it would open its market to many potential Vietnamese agricultural products, including fresh coconuts, frozen fruit, citrus fruit, avocados, bananas, custard apples and water apples, vietnamplus.vn reported.  VNS
AN GIANG  The Mekong Delta province of An Giang on February 19 exported 13 tonnes of flat-seeded mango to the Republic of Korea (RoK).

This is the first batch under an export contract signed between the GAP Cu Lao Gieng Cooperative in Cho Moi district and the Hoang Phat Fruit Ltd. Co.

This is an important event marking the cooperation in production and sales between the cooperative and fruit exporting companies in An Giang and other localities, thus promoting the connection between production and consumption of mango products in a value chain.

Speaking at the event, Vice Chairman of the provincial Peoples Committee Nguyen Thi Minh Thuy said that it took more than 10 years of efforts of local authorities and farmers to open the door to demanding markets such as the US, Australia, RoK and other choosy markets in the world for An Giang's mango.

The official held that the export of mango to RoK affirmed the position of the localitys fruit in demanding markets, she added.

This is also a turning point for the local agricultural sector, helping bring about economic opportunities while bolstering the image and reputation of the districts agricultural products in the international market, she added.

An Giang has more than 12,000 ha under mango, with Cho Moi district accounting for the largest area with 6,400ha.

The district has over 704ha of mango farming in line with VietGAP standards. The district has issued 41 planting area codes for over 6,149ha under mango for export to China, RoK, Japan, Australia, and the US.  VNS
OTTAWA  The Export Development Canada (EDC) recently coordinated with the Vietnamese Trade Office in the country to organise a seminar to update Viet Nams economic situation and evaluate its performance in the global supply chain.

This move aimed to prepare for the upcoming visit to Viet Nam by a Canadian business delegation.

Viet Nam is currently Canada's largest trade partner in ASEAN, with bilateral trade nearing 14 billion CAD (US$10.37 billion) in 2023. It is also an important partner of Canada in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) which has brought many opportunities for this country's products and services to access the Vietnamese and ASEAN markets.

EDC Vice President for Indo-Pacific George Monize said that the seminar was a chance for Canadian companies that want to learn about and seek ways to access the Vietnamese market.

A delegation of 150 Canadian businesses is scheduled to visit Viet Nam from March 27-29, with Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development Mary Ng leading.

This is the first business delegation to be organised in 2024 by the Canadian Government within the framework of the 2.3-billion-CAD Indo-Pacific Strategy.

Mary Ng said she hopes Canadian enterprises participating in this delegation will carry out activities in potential markets like Viet Nam and strengthen supply chain connections.  VNS
HCM CITY  Experts from top real estate consulting companies in Viet Nam have expressed optimism about development prospects of the real estate market, particularly regarding the office and industrial segments.

According to Savills Vietnam, despite numerous challenges, the interest of foreign investors in the Vietnamese market in general and real estate in particular continues to expand. Fitch Ratings recently upgraded the countrys long-term national credit rating from BB to BB , with a "stable" outlook. In 2024, Viet Nam's GDP growth rate is expected to reach 6-6.5 per cent, thanks to stable foreign direct investment (FDI) and the Governments efforts to address real estate challenges, increase public investment, and implement growth stimulation policies in a timely manner.

About 85 per cent of the rapidly growing companies in Viet Nam are committed to the environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) standard, creating an increase in demand for green-standard office space in the market. By 2026, HCM City is expected to provide 300,000 more square meters of new Grade A office space, such as The Nexus project or VP Bank Saigon Tower. Moreover, over 80 per cent of the future Grade A and Grade B office supply in the southern economic hub will meet green standards.

Meanwhile, between now and 2026, Ha Noi will see 15 new projects offering over 389,770 square meters of working space, with Grade A offices expected to account for 86 per cent of the future supply. Green space is projected to constitute 18 per cent of the future office floor area in the capital.

In recent times, many legal regulations have been passed, such as the amended real estate business law, amended housing law, and amended land law.

The head of the Ha Noi and a Nang offices at Savills Vietnam, Matthew Powell, described the passage of these laws as a positive signal for investment in the real estate market this year, boosting investor confidence.

Managing Director at Knight Frank Vietnam Alex Crane also called the amended land law a step forward for the market in the long term that contributes to the improvement of related legal regulations.

Highlighting the bright future prospects of the industrial real estate, Crane noted that the supply of ready-built factory space for lease has tripled since 2016.  VNA/VNS
HA NOI  A piano recital titled Banquet on The Keyboard will be held on March 1 & 3 in Ha Noi featuring pianist Lee Bokyung.

The recital promises to be a unique musical feast, with a combination of western classical style and Vietnamese folk tunes.

Audiences will not only be immersed in the great and immortal sonatas of Ludwig van Beethoven, and Four Ballades for solo piano by Frederic Chopin, but also experience a new "flavour" of familiar Vietnamese folk tunes of the north Viet Nam through the sound of the piano in the work Chum Hoa Viet Nam (Bunches of Flowers of Viet Nam) by composer ang Huu Phuc.

Based on the pentatonic scale, the most common scale in eastern Asia, with many different forms, rhythms and emotions, South Korean pianist Bokyung has performed Bunches of Flowers of Viet Nam successfully many times in Ha Noi and the US, and received enthusiastic reception from the audience.

Presenting relatively distant creative periods and the differences in Eastern and Western music, the piano recital hopes to bring to the listeners the deep, melodious echo of piano solos and highlight the endless creativity of artists on their journey of experimenting with creative styles, expanding the potential of musical instruments in technique, material and rhythm to their outer limits.

The recital is a fundraiser celebrating the 5th year of Hanoi Grapevine's Finest, the main annual event that honours contemporary art in Viet Nam.

The event is for audiences from age eight. Please be present at the Middle Cafe, 55 Ma May, Hoan Kiem, Ha Noi, 25 minutes prior to the announced showtime.

Hanoi Grapevine is an independent, non-profit portal for creative and cultural information. Founded in 2007, it connects creative individuals and organisations, enterprises, and anybody interested in art and culture.

Hanoi Grapevine's goal is to support the growth of Viet Nam's cultural and creative industries by connecting artists and viewers in both online and offline media.  VNS
HA NOI  Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang called on press agencies to promote solidarity and strong bonds for mutual development.

He was speaking during a New Year press conference in Ha Noi on Tuesday, jointly held by the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committees Commission for Popularisation and Education, the Ministry of Information and Communications and the Vietnam Journalists Association.

Amid global headwinds that will put pressure on Viet Nam, press agencies will see revenue decline and advertising sales slump this year, he said, adding they must fulfill new requirements while facing fierce competition among themselves and from social platforms.

He suggested the agencies adopt new ways of thinking to branch out more attractive and competitive products, and asked the major agencies, which are the mouthpieces of the Party and State, to deliver accurate information and avoid making mistakes.

The Deputy PM also stressed the significance of human resources training and experience sharing between central and local press organisations.

On the occasion, he wished the organisations a new year full of happiness, peace and energy.

Meanwhile, Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee and head of its Commission for Popularisation and Education, Nguyen Trong Nghia, highlighted press agencies roles in enhancing unity within the Party, people and military, helping to roll out the countrys political missions.

As 2024 is the year when Viet Nam makes preparations for important events next year such as the 95th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam, and the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification, Nghia asked the local press to enhance focus on their communications work, be creative in the popularisation of the National Assembly and Governments resolutions, conclusions and directives.

It is a must to build a professional, humane and modern press sector and exert more efforts to develop ethical press agencies and ethical journalists who can shape brand values and compete with the existing social platforms, he underlined.

He said journalists should be aware of the roles of the revolutionary press and improve their political mettle, professional expertise and moral virtues to overcome formidable challenges and complete the missions entrusted by the Party and State.  VNS
SINGAPORE  A delegation of the Ministry of National Defence, led by Lieutenant General Pham Truong Son, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam Peoples Army, is attending the Singapore Airshow 2024 from February 20-25.

The Vietnamese delegation visited booths displaying products of several large businesses and corporations in the world, and watched demonstrations by the Singaporean, Indian, US, Republic of Korean, Chinese, Indonesian and Australian air forces, and some international civil airlines.

Within the framework of the exhibition, the delegation also had meetings with partners to discuss issues of mutual concern and bilateral cooperation.

During a meeting with Deputy Minister of Defence of the Czech Republic Daniel Blazkovec, Son thanked the people of Czechoslovakia (Czech Republic today) for the valuable help for Vietnams past struggle for national liberation as well as its nation building cause. He praised the outstanding results of bilateral defence cooperation in recent times, and wished the two countries will continue their collaboration in different fields such as delegation exchange and training.

Meeting Assistant Secretary of the US Air Force Andrew Hunter, the Vietnamese delegation head suggested the two sides strengthen cooperation on the basis of signed documents, with priority given to promoting collaboration in training, rescue and military medicine, and in joining United Nations peacekeeping missions, and overcoming war consequences in Vietnam.

The Singapore Airshow is the biggest air show in Asia held biennially. This year, it attracted the participation of more than 1,000 aviation and defence companies from over 50 countries and territories, including such giants as Airbus, Boeing, and Lockheed Martin.

This is the first time in four years that the biennial Singapore Airshow is open to the public. The previous edition in 2022 was closed to the public due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, people can visit the exhibition on February 24-25.  VNA/VNS
VINH LONG  A young Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta farmer has gained success in the last few years growing Vietnamese lemongrass plants and bringing his products to markets abroad.

This is a promising new turning point for a very familiar plant often grown in the backyards of rural households in the Mekong Delta region.

Nguyen Hoai An, born in 1993, lives in Thien My Commune, Tra On District of southern Vinh Long Province.

Since he was a student, Hoai An had the dream of changing his life, but it must be changing life in my own homeland".

After graduating from university, I went to work in Japan. I hoped to learn good things to apply back home, An told danviet.vn.

Whenever I had time, I often wandered from the traditional markets to big supermarkets, he recalled.

I found that agricultural products imported in Japan were sold at very high prices, especially spices, including lemongrass. I wondered why our country's delicious lemongrass plants were rarely present in this market, he said.

He returned to Viet Nam with this question on his mind.

In my hometown, lemongrass is very common, it seems like every house has a few lemongrass bushes for daily use. So I decided to start up with the spice plant, he said.

To have an abundant source of lemongrass to ensure supply, he had to create a raw material area.

In 2019, An went to Binh Tan District to rent more than 20ha of land to grow lemongrass.

Lemongrass has a characteristic strong aroma, is easy to grow and can be harvested after 4 months, according to An.

However, the journey of finding a market for lemongrass was initially more difficult than he imagined.

He went to every market with the hope of finding buyers for his lemongrass plants.

At first, everyone said that this business was simply "throwing money out the window". His family and friends did not believe that a plant grown "out in the bush" could have a brand and "go far".

I went to small markets asking wholesalers to buy lemongrass. Eventually I made contacts among fruit and vegetable wholesalers in major markets, so my business gradually stabilised, An said.

Fortunately, his friends introduced him to food processing businesses exporting lemongrass.

For lemongrass to be exported, it must meet extremely strict criteria regarding size, hygiene and packaging, he said.

After constant efforts and firm belief in his success, Ans facility now supplies on average 1.5-2 tonnes of the spice to the domestic market every day, and associates with a number of companies for export to foreign markets such as Japan, Malaysia and Europe.

For the domestic market, we can currently meet the demand of markets in the Cuu Long Delta region. For exporting, I just started with small orders. Only when my growing area is stable will I dare to accept large orders, he said.

The consumption of lemongrass was progressing very well, however, Hoai An still regretted that this plant is only harvested for its stems and sold, leaving large amounts of lemongrass leaves to be discarded.

He boldly researched the process to produce lemongrass essential oil.

Because the technique of refining lemongrass oil is quite complicated, he failed many times and his initial investment of VN300 million (US$12,000) was about to run out.

But with strong determination, he kept working and learning from experience, Ans lemongrass essential oil finally appeared on the market and was well received by many consumers.

After the COVID-19 pandemic, especially from the beginning of 2023 until now, many workers looking for employment have been unable to find a position. But thanks to the project of growing lemongrass for export in large quantities, An has helped nearly 100 local workers earn better income with jobs such as planting, caring for, harvesting and preliminary processing of lemongrass plants.

Nguyen Ngoc Xuan, a resident in Tan Thanh Commune, said that she used to be a freelance worker and had applied for jobs everywhere many times, but could not get work because she was old and unskilled.

Fortunately, when I applied to work for the lemongrass farm, An recruited me, Xuan said.

My job is to chop and clean the plants. I just work half a day every day, and earn VN120,000 ($4.9) per shift, Xuan said.

And I still have time to do chores and raise poultry at home, she said.

A stable job helps Xuan have an additional source of income to cover daily meals.

Similarly, Tran Ngoc Mai in Tan Thanh Commune said that in the past she also struggled to find a job.

Luckily, she was introduced by a friend to work at Ans facility.

My job is to select and bundle lemongrass, and I earn more than VN100,000 ($4) a day, Mai said.

We all like An because of his kindness. Not only employing us, he always creates the best conditions for workers, she said.

In the coming time, An plans to build a stable growing area and improve his workers' skills to meet the strict needs of export markets. VNS
BEN TRE  Ben Tre Province will have more favourable conditions to develop coconut farming following the recent decision by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to make the nut a key industrial crop.

The Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta province is the countrys largest coconut producer, and exports US$300 million worth of coconut products annually, according to its Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Some 70 per cent of the provinces population have livelihoods related to coconut, it said.

The ministry has approved a plan to designate coffee, rubber, tea, cashew, pepper, and coconut as key industrial crops.

The plan envisages having a total of 195,000-210,000ha of coconut, including 170,000-175,000ha in the Cuu Long Delta, 16,000-20,000ha in the south-central coast and 9,000-15,000ha in the north-central and south-eastern regions.

It will include 30 per cent grown to good agricultural practices (GAP) or equivalent standards.

The programme will focus on developing both fresh and processed products, high-value products such as smokeless coconut shell charcoal, oil, dried flesh, canned milk and juice, coconut fibre mattress, and handicrafts products.

It also aims to develop villages and production establishments which make coconut products to serve tourists.

Huynh Quang uc, deputy director of the department, said making it a key industrial crop would take the position and scale of the coconut industry, especially Ben Tres, to new heights at home and abroad.

The brand names and prestige of Viet Nams coconut products would be enhanced and they would have the opportunity to expand to foreign markets, he said.

Socio-economic and cultural activities and services centred on the coconut, like tourism, cultivation and processing, could be further fostered, he said.

The province would benefit from national support policies and development orientation, he said.

Coconut could become a key crop in coping with the growing impacts of climate change, he added.

Nguyen Van Tam in Giong Trom Districts Chau Binh Commune said his familys income was mainly from coconut farming but prices had been low in recent years.

Farmers were glad that coconut had been named a key industrial crop since they would benefit from development policies, he said.

To improve coconut farmers incomes, Ben Tre encourages the establishment of linkages between various stakeholders in the value chain.

Of the provinces 78,000ha of coconut orchards, 23,747ha have such linkages, including 18,525ha planted to organic standards, according to the department.

It aims to increase the organic growing areas to 20,100ha by 2025, mostly in Mo Cay Nam, Mo Cay Bac, Chau Thanh, Giong Trom, Thanh Phu, and Ba Tri districts.

It has taught farmers organic techniques including making organic fertilisers.

It has established on a pilot basis six concentrated coconut growing areas with a total of 2,202ha, and they are proving effective.

Of the six, five with an area of 2,162ha grow organic coconuts for their flesh and the other grows young coconuts for juice.

The province encourages farmers to establish co-operatives and co-operative groups to link up with companies.

It has 32 co-operative groups and 30 co-operatives that have developed value chains for their coconuts.

They include the Thoi Thanh Agriculture Co-operative in Thanh Phu Districts Thoi Thanh Commune for its nearly 150ha of organic coconuts grown by 85 members.

Pham Van Ha, a member, said his family had been farming 1.7ha for four years and the co-operative bought all his mature coconuts at higher than market prices.

Besides, members are also taught how to make organic fertilisers to help reduce costs.

Besides growing and buying coconuts, the co-operative also does semi-processing of organic coconuts for the Luong Quoi Coconut Co. Ltd located in Chau Thanh District.  VNS
HCM CITY  Many localities in the Mekong Delta region are focusing on attracting investment and developing renewable energy projects, helping to solve energy security issues and driving socio-economic breakthroughs in the region.

Energy transition is indispensable for achieving sustainable development and adapting to climate change in Viet Nam and the region.

Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien assessed the energy industry as a spearhead for the development of the region. However, given the Mekong Deltas susceptibility to climate change, the industry must focus on clean and renewable energy sources.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen inh Tho, Director of the Institute of Strategy and Policy on Natural Resources and Environment, also held that the Mekong Delta has advantages for developing renewable energy, making it a key area for Viet Nam to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 as pledged by the Prime Minister at the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26).

With a 700 km coastline, a vast exclusive economic zone of up to 360,000 km2 and strong coastal winds, the potential for offshore wind energy exploitation across the delta can reach between 1,200 MW and 1,500 MW.

The German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) has reported that the entire region annually receives an average of 2,200 to 2,500 hours of sunshine. More than 90 per cent of the total days in a year see the delta receiving sufficient sunlight to operate solar energy panels, with average radiation ranging from 1,387 to 1,534 kWh/kWp/year.

With these advantages, the total potential solar power capacity in the entire region could hit 136,275 MW, generating an estimated electricity output of over 216 billion kWh per year. Furthermore, the region can also exploit the potential of tidal energy and abundant biomass energy from its agricultural by-products of over 23 million tonnes per year, which have yet to be fully tapped.

To sustainably develop renewable and clean energy in the region, Dien said that the ministry would continue to lead and coordinate with relevant ministries, sectors and localities to build the amended electricity law and the renewable energy law for submission to the National Assembly this year. It would also propose the Government issue policies on direct electricity trading.

Moreover, in the Mekong Delta, competent ministries and sectors are also implementing solutions and investing in infrastructure and research of domestic and regional links to serve the import of natural gas and LNG to ensure the supply for power plants in Ca Mau Province.  VNS
LAO CAI  A forest fire occurred at Hoang Lien National Park in Seo My Ty Village, Ta Van Commune, Sa Pa Town, in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai, as declared by the provincial authorities on Tuesday.

Previously, on Monday afternoon, the forest patrol force of the parks management board discovered a fire in grass hills in the Na Hang area, approximately 5km from the Seo My Ty Forest Ranger Station.

Immediately after discovering the fire, the forest managers informed the Ta Van Commune People's Committee.

The committee assigned Seo My Ty Villages militia and forest protection forces to assess and find ways to extinguish the fire.

By Monday evening, nearly 400 people came to support the work.

However, the fire is at an altitude of about 1,900m above sea level. Besides, the thick vegetation layer and strong winds created many obstacles for firefighting.

The fire spread over more than 10 hectares.

The area had a fire in 2012.

In recent days, wind from the O Quy Ho mountain pass and dry weather in Sa Pa Town increased the forest fire alarm level in the area.  VNS
HA NOI  Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha emphasised that the amended Law on Pharmacy must include regulations to support foreign pharmaceutical enterprises to invest in drug production and technology transfer in Viet Nam.

Speaking at a meeting on February 19 to discuss the law on amendments and supplementations to some articles of the Law on Pharmacy, Deputy PM Ha said the pharmaceutical industry management and development face many difficulties and shortcomings.

Therefore, the amended Law on Pharmacy is key in ensuring comprehensive and adequate healthcare resources for the people.

Ha asked the Ministry of Health (MoH) to collect ideas and fully clarify regulations in the bill, especially those related to the implementation of international commitments and agreements, as well as laws on investment, price management, advertising and rights of foreign-invested enterprises.

At the same time, the simplification of administrative procedures in the field should ensure close, scientific management and safety, he said.

The leader also asked the MoH to support foreign pharmaceutical firms to invest in drug production and transfer technologies in Vietnam, and effectively tap domestic herbal medicine potential.

Resolving difficulties

According to the MoH, the law aims to resolve difficulties and obstacles in legal framework related to drug management activities, including ensuring effective prevention and control of diseases and emergency cases arising in practice. It also aims to continue administrative procedure reforms in pharmaceutical management activities, ensuring enhanced accessibility to medicines for people and businesses.

The law focuses on developing the pharmaceutical industry; reorganising the drug distribution and business system, drug registration, circulation of drugs, and raw materials for drug production; supplementing the application of principles and good manufacturing practices (GMP) standards for drug production; and managing import-export activities, drug advertising information, raw materials for drug production, and price regulation of drugs, it said.

In particular, the drafting committee has identified and designed amendments to maximise access to international norms in State management of drug production, business and distribution.

According to Deputy Minister of Health o Xuan Tuyen, three key pillars in the management of the pharmaceutical industry are management of drug circulation registration, prices, and quality of drugs.

At the meeting, participants presented ideas on various issues included in the bill.

Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Duy Ngoc, deputy minister of Public Security, proposed appropriate management measures for toxic medicinal herbs used in pharmaceutical production, while ensuring a certain level of openness in importing medicine in urgent situations to serve national defence and security needs.

Deputy Minister of Justice ang Hoang Oanh proposed that the bill specify regulations on supporting and promoting the growth of the pharmaceutical industry.

Regarding the rights and responsibilities of foreign-invested pharmaceutical firms in drug distribution, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Thi Bich Ngoc said the MoH should design regulations consistent with World Trade Organisation (WTO) definitions, current laws, and compatible with other industries.

Deputy Minister of Justice Oanh added that the drafting committee needs to review and evaluate the regulations on the rights and responsibilities of foreign-invested pharmaceutical businesses in logistics activities with international commitments and Vietnamese laws.

Pfizer Vietnam General Director Darrell Oh proposed the application of mechanisms to use assessment and inspection results of pharmaceutical management agencies recommended by WHO, aiming to reduce the overload situation in drug registration licensing.

In response to these opinions, Minister of Health ao Hong Lan affirmed that the bill has simplified procedures, shortened the time for drug circulation registration from three months to 15 days, and implemented automatic extension forms.

Under market rules

Speaking at the meeting, Deputy PM Ha requested the MoH study and provide comprehensive explanations for the provisions in the law related to fulfilling international commitments, specialised laws regarding investment, price management, advertising and the rights of foreign-invested enterprises.

He urged the MoH to establish regulations on the recognition, acknowledgment, referencing of standards, and quality of drugs that have been inspected by the WHO or national drug regulatory agencies recommended by the WHO.

At the same time, it should supplement some clinical pharmacological assessment criteria for evaluating drugs to ensure safety and suitability for Vietnamese people's physiology.

The Deputy PM stressed the need to manage the pharmaceutical industry under market rules, ensuring publicity, transparency, quality control, safety and lowest prices for the ultimate goal of ensuring that people have access to the best, safest and most affordable drugs.  VNS
The presence of Vietnamese automaker VinFast at the 2024 Indonesia International Motor Show (IIMS) has made a strong impression on industry veterans in the Southeast Asian nation. According to experts, VinFast holds several competitive advantages that could help them penetrate the Indonesian market through attractive designs, quality, performance, reasonable pricing, and their renowned after-sales services.

Narendra Wicaksana, an automotive expert from Setir KananIndonesia's leading online automotive media platformexpressed his delight at VinFast's arrival in Indonesia:

"The VinFast logo looks very striking. Even from afar, I can instantly recognize that it's a VinFast vehicle rather than any other brand. The cars have a very modern and sporty design that truly stands out. The interiors are minimally designed yet eye-catching with large center touchscreens..."

Jason Andhika Syarief, an automotive expert from the CVT Indonesia YouTube channel, noted that design is a crucial factor. "The designs of some other electric vehicle brands in Asia can look dated. Meanwhile, VinFast vehicles have very appealing designs that will appeal to younger consumers..."

Indonesian experts have also pointed to VinFast's strengths in other areas. Mr. Hartono Kurrniawan, a sales representative from automotive dealership PT Bevos Auto Mandiri, shared that he had the opportunity to test drive various VinFast electric models and was impressed by their driving dynamics. "They are easy to handle, accelerate quickly, remain stable at high speeds, and most importantly provide a very comfortable ride. The noise insulation is also excellent," he stated.

VinFast is Well-Positioned for Success in Indonesia's Growing EV Market

Indonesia is considered an attractive market for electric vehicles. With growing environmental awareness, supportive government policies, and lower operating costs compared to gasoline cars, EV adoption is projected to accelerate rapidly in the coming years. The Indonesian government has set an ambitious target for EVs and hybrids to comprise at least 31% of total new vehicle sales by 2025.

VinFast's well-received debut at IIMS 2024 indicates they are well-positioned to capitalize on Indonesia's emerging EV market. Through innovative yet practical designs, a focus on driving comfort and performance, and competitive pricing, VinFast satisfies key criteria that will appeal to Indonesian consumers.

As the only fully electric automaker from Southeast Asia with in-house production, VinFast also helps address "range anxiety" concerns through their battery leasing model. Customers can swap drained batteries for freshly charged ones at network stations, allowing stress-free long-distance traveling. This unique "Battery as a Service" proposition alleviates a major hurdle facing early EV adopters in Indonesia.

"The combination of nice design, competitive pricing, long range and battery swap facilities gives VinFast a distinctive value proposition, remarked Ridwan Kamil, the governor of West Java province, after test driving VinFast's SUV and sedan models. I believe they will capture a sizeable share of Indonesia's green vehicle market in the coming years."

VinFast Gains Popularity through Word-of-Mouth

Despite being a newcomer brand, VinFast has benefitted from overwhelmingly positive reviews on Indonesian automotive forums and social media networks. Pictures and videos shared by early VinFast owners praise aspects like the quiet yet powerful acceleration, spacious interiors, advanced driver-assist systems, and versatile in-car infotainment features.

Such positive word-of-mouth is invaluable for building brand recall and consideration, especially with younger audiences that research extensively online before big-ticket purchases. Many Indonesian online comments express admiration for VinFasts locally-assembled electric SUVs and sedans that combine high-tech features with affordable pricinga rare value proposition.

VinFast's success at transforming global automotive manufacturing is also an inspiration. Founded just six years ago, VinFast now has production facilities in Vietnam capable of rolling out half a million vehicles annually. This remarkable story resonates strongly with Indonesia's entrepreneurial spirit and "Indonesia the Rising" economic ambitions.

As deliveries of the VinFast VF 9 luxury SUV and VF 8 mass market SUV get underway in the coming months, industry watchers anticipate strong initial sales based on the buzz generated so far. With a well-planned market entry targeting lifestyle-conscious middle-class buyers, analysts concur that VinFast electric vehicles will soon become a more common sight on Indonesian roads.
The Hochiminh City People's Court will start the trial of 86 defendants, including businesswoman Truong My Lan and her husband Chu Lap Co, from March 5th to April 29th for their alleged roles in causing huge losses of nearly VND 484 trillion (USD 20 billion) to Saigon Commercial Bank (SCB).

According to the indictment, Truong My Lan, 68, was the chairwoman of Van Thinh Phat Group, which has over 1,000 subsidiary companies in Vietnam and abroad. To obtain funding to maintain the operations of her large business empire, she took control of SCB to use it as a financial tool for her group.

Through acquiring shares indirectly in other people's names and installing loyal associates in key positions at SCB, Truong My Lan gained de facto control over the bank despite not being on its management board. She then directed SCB to fraudulently issue loans to her group.

From January 2012 to October 2022, under Truong's instructions, SCB made over 2,257 fake loan applications totaling more than VND 1 quadrillion. As of October 17th, 2022, there were still 1,284 outstanding loan applications worth a total of VND 677.286 trillion that could not be recovered, with a principal amount of VND 483.971 trillion and interest/fees of VND 193.315 trillion. Truong My Lan's debt accounted for 93% of SCB's total loan principal.

Specifically, from January 2012 to December 2017, Truong violated banking regulations and other banking-related activities, causing losses of more than VND 64 trillion to SCB after deducting the value of loan collateral. From January 2018 to October 2022, she was accused of embezzling more than VND 304 trillion in loan principal and over VND 129 trillion in interest generated from the principal at SCB.

Regarding how the violations went on for 10 years without being stopped, prosecutors said it was partly due to complicity from bank inspectors. Truong Doan Nhan, head of the inspecting team from the State Bank of Vietnam, was charged with taking a bribe of US$5.2 million. Ten others were accused of abusing their positions while on duty, and seven faced no criminal charges.

The trial is expected to last nearly two months with 86 defendants, including Truong My Lan and her husband Chu Lap Co. Over 200 lawyers will represent the defendants. SCB and Truong My Lan are both plaintiffs in the case. Truong My Lan is also a victim regarding the alleged embezzlement of VND 1 trillion from her by defendant Nguyen Cao Tri.

This will be one of the biggest banking-related trials in Vietnam, attracting huge public interest as the scale of losses caused is unprecedented. The outcome could have important implications for preventing similar financial crimes in the future. The whole nation will be watching closely as justice seeks to recover such huge amounts of state and public funds caused by the alleged wrongdoings of former business tycoon Truong My Lan and her associates.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo hands over rice assistance to beneficiary families in South Tangerang, Banten, on February 19, 2024. (Photo: ANTARA/Mentari Dwi G/rst)

Jakarta - Climate and weather changes are causing crop failures, thereby leading to the rice prices soaring across the world, including Indonesia, said Indonesian President Joko Widodo.

As reported by the Indonesian news agency Antara, the President pointed out that the amount of rice consumption in Indonesia has not changed, though production has decreased, thereby resulting in a supply shortage and price hikes.

According to the National Food Agency (Bapanas), the average price of Indonesias premium rice reached 16,100 IDR (1.1 USD) per kilogramme.

In a bid to address this problem, the Indonesian government distributed rice aid to 22 million beneficiary families, as per data managed by the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture.

According to the president, the 2024 rice aid will be distributed from January to June and will be extended if the state budget allows.

Indonesia targets 1,000 investors via golden visa programme The Indonesian government has set a target of attracting at least 1,000 investors through the golden visa programme, part of an effort to attract high-quality talent and capital flows into this Southeast Asian country.

Indonesia to soon repatriate illegal immigrants The Indonesian government will implement a repatriation programme from March 1 for undocumented workers to return home without being prosecuted, said Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
Seven Seas Explorer cruiser docks in Nha Trang Bay (Photo: VNA)

Khanh Hoa  As many as 43 international cruise ships have chosen Nha Trang Bay in the south-central province of Khanh Hoa to dock, bringing tourists to the resort city of Nha Trang, according to the provincial Department of Tourism.

The ships are luxurious cruise liners, from the Bahamas, Malta, the Marshall Islands, Ukraine, France and Italy, among others. Many of them are capable of serving thousands of passengers at the same time, such behemoth vessels named Spectrum of the Seas and Quantum of the Seas.

The department said the province has welcomed 10 cruise ships so far this year with more than 20,750 aboard. Last year, it served 23 cruise ships carrying over 45,000 holidaymakers.

According to Nguyen Thi Le Thanh, director of the department, the number of tourists to Khanh Hoa is expected to reach 9 million this year, of them 3 million international. Revenue projection for the sector is set at over 40 trillion VND (1.6 billion USD).

In 2023, the locality welcomed over 7 million visitors, and earned some 33 trillion VND from tourism.
A man stands before automated immigration gates at Singapore's Changi Airport (Photo: AFP/VNA)

Singapore - Singapores plan to invest more than 1 billion SGD (743 million USD) in artificial intelligence (AI) over the next five years could strengthen its position as a global business and innovation hub, tech executives said as reported by CNBC.

According to the news site, Singaporean Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced the plan in his recent Budget speech last week. He noted that as part of the investment, Singapore will work to ensure it can secure access to the advanced chips, while working with leading companies here and around the world to set up AI centres of excellence to spur innovation.

This initiative will help ensure that businesses can capitalise on the opportunities afforded by technological advancements and capture new opportunities, Nithin Chandra, managing partner of Southeast Asia at Kearney, a global management consulting firm, said as quoted by CNBC.

This will incentivise companies to adopt AI solutions, prioritise AI skills to keep their workforce competitive, and encourage strategic partnerships and knowledge sharing across the industry, thus spurring overall innovation, said Jonathon Dixon, vice president and managing director of APAC at Cloudflare, a global cloud services provider.

Singapore workers are already the worlds fastest when it comes to adopting AI skills, as per LinkedIns Future of Work report released in August.

According to CNBC, Singapore was among the first countries to publish an AI plan in 2019. In December, the Southeast Asian nation launched the National AI Strategy 2.0  an updated version of its AI initiatives, outlining ways to prepare the economy to harness and utilise AI to empower workers and businesses.

Singapore-Vietnam relations in their heyday This time last year, I wrote that 2023 would be a momentous year for Vietnam and Singapores relationship. We were all ready to celebrate the 50 years anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relationship and the 10 years since the establishment of a strategic partnership between the two countries.
US announces acceptance period for Vietnamese firms requests for antidumping duty administrative review, source: freepik.com

Hanoi - The US Department of Commerce (DOC) has issued a notice regarding the acceptance period for requests for antidumping and countervailing duty administrative reviews regarding certain imported products from Vietnam, according to the Trade Remedies Authority of Vietnam.

The DOCs period of review (POR) concerning anti-dumping duties on certain frozen warmwater shrimp (case number: A-552-802), steel wire garment hangers (A-552-812), and utility scale wind towers (A-552-814) is from February 1, 2023 to January 31, 2024.

In addition, the POR of countervailing duties on steel wire garment hangers (C-552-813) is from January 1 to December 31, 2023.

According to the authority, the deadline for relevant parties to submit requests for reviews is February 29 this year.

Therefore, the authority has urged relevant export associations and enterprises to proactively study and grasp the regulations, procedures, and requirements for these reviews in the US.

They are advised to fully cooperate with US investigation agencies throughout the review process and to notify the authority for timely support.
Vietnamese construction firm wins bid for five projects in Kenya, Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)

HCM City - The Hoa Binh Construction Group announced on February 19 that it has won bidding packages to develop five social housing projects worth 72 million USD in Kenya.

Invested by the Ministry of Lands, Public Works, Housing, and Urban Development of Kenya, the projects aim to provide accommodation for the police and military forces, and students of the Technical University of Kenya.

The group will serve as the main contractor responsible for both the design and construction of housing and infrastructure systems for the projects which total 3,400 apartments.

In addition, it has also received invitations to the next round for two other social housing projects in the African country after successfully passing the credibility and capability assessment for contractors conducted by the Kenyan government. The firm has been invited to submit its design and construction proposals for these projects which total an estimated 91.6 million USD.

Le Viet Hai, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the group, said Africa is considered the largest and most promising construction market in all continents in the coming decades.

In the immediate future, Hoa Binh will focus on bidding for social housing construction projects before progressing to higher-end projects, he added.

Previously, representatives of the group undertook a field trip to Kenya, which is the first target market for the firm in Africa. Winning the bid for the aforementioned projects is an initial success for the group in its development strategy targeting the African market as part of its approach toward future work in other international markets.
NEW YORK (AP)  Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez was once touted by U.S. authorities as a key ally in the war on drugs. Now, federal prosecutors say the political leader ran his Central American nation as a narco-state," collecting millions of dollars from violent cartels to fuel his rise to power.

Nearly two years after his arrest and extradition to the U.S., Hernandez went on trial Tuesday in Manhattan federal court on drug trafficking and weapons charges. A jury was chosen and opening statements were scheduled for Wednesday at a trial Judge P. Kevin Castel projected would last two to three weeks.

It's a stunning fall from grace for a political leader long viewed  by Democratic and Republican administrations alike  as beneficial to American interests in the region, including combatting the illegal drug trade and helping slow the waves of migrants crossing the southern U.S. border.

That Hernandez is being tried in the U.S. rather than his native country underscores Honduras institutional weakness, says Raul Pineda Alvarado, a Honduran political analyst and former three-term congressman from Hernandezs National Party.

For Hondurans it signifies how weak our democracy is in terms of the separation of powers, he said. Politicians are not subject to any control.

Federal authorities say that for nearly two decades, Hernandez profited from drug trades that brought hundreds of thousands of kilos of cocaine into the U.S., even at times working with the powerful Sinaloa cartel in Mexico.

The millions of dollars in drug money that began flowing to Hernandez starting around 2004, in turn, powered his rise from a congressman representing his rural home province in western Honduras to president of the National Congress and then two consecutive presidential terms from 2014 to 2022, prosecutors say.

In exchange for bribes that propped up his political aspirations, U.S. prosecutors say, drug traffickers were allowed to operate in the country with near impunity, receiving information to evade authorities and even law enforcement escorts for their shipments.

During his first winning presidential campaign, Hernandez solicited $1.6 million from a drug trafficker to support his run and those of other politicians in his conservative political party, federal prosecutors say.

His brother also received a $1 million campaign donation from notorious Sinaloa boss Joaquin El Chapo Guzman on the promise the cartel's drug shipments would find safe passage through Honduras if Hernandez was elected.

Federal prosecutors in New York spent years working their way up through Honduran drug trafficking organizations before reaching the person many believed was at the very pinnacle  Hernandez.

He was arrested at his home in Tegucigalpa, the Honduran capital, in February 2022, just three months after leaving office, and was extradited to the U.S. in April that year.

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said at the time that Hernandez abused his position as president "to operate the country as a narco-state.

Hernandez's lawyers declined to comment ahead of the trial, in which prosecutors are expected to rely on testimony from drug traffickers and corrupt Honduran law enforcement officials and politicians.

The former president, who earned a master's degree from the State University of New York at Albany, has steadfastly maintained his innocence, saying the allegations are revenge from drug traffickers he had extradited to the U.S.

Hernandez faces federal charges including drug trafficking conspiracy and possession of machine guns and destructive devices.

Meanwhile his co-defendants  the former head of the Honduran national police, Juan Carlos Bonilla, and Hernandez's cousin, Mauricio Hernandez Pineda  both pleaded guilty in recent weeks to drug trafficking charges in the same Manhattan courthouse where his trial is occurring.

Associated Press editor Christopher Sherman in Mexico City contributed to this report.

Follow Philip Marcelo at twitter.com/philmarcelo.
SARGENT'S PURCHASE, N.H. (AP)  A team of rescuers used the Cog Railway to shave off time but it still took more than 10 hours to save a hiker in conditions that included sustained winds topping 90 mph (145 kph) on New Hampshire's Mount Washington, officials said.

The hiker from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, didn't have appropriate gear for the difficult winter conditions and continued his solo trek after he saw other groups turn around because of the dangerous gusts and wind chill of minus-52 degrees Fahrenheit (minus-46.6 degrees Celsius), Sgt. Glen Lucas, a New Hampshire Fish and Game conservation officer, said in a statement.

The hiker reported that he'd fallen and global positioning coordinates showed he was in a ravine at approximately 4,500 feet (1,372 meters) of elevation at close to noon on Saturday, Lucas said.

Rescuers spent more than three hours warming the hypothermic hiker  stripping off his frozen clothing and equipping him with new gear  after he was eventually located in an emergency shelter near the the Lake of the Clouds Hut operated by the Appalachian Mountain Club. The hiker was returned to his vehicle at close to midnight, Lucas said.

Participants included 11 rescuers from the state's Advanced Search and Rescue Team, Androscoggin Valley Search and Rescue Team, and Mountain Rescue Service, Lucas said. The Cog Railway, which operates a special train that goes to the top of Mount Washington, mounted a snowblower and brought rescuers part-way to the location, shaving off miles of difficult hiking, he said.
MADISON, Wis. (AP)  The Republican-controlled Wisconsin Senate voted Tuesday to reject four of Democratic Gov. Tony Evers' appointees, including a member of the state's natural resources policy board and a former lieutenant governor who was to serve on a hospital governing board.

That brings to 13 the number of Evers appointees that the Senate has rejected, which has the effect of firing them. Evers immediately named replacements while slamming the Republican votes as petty, partisan politics.

The Senate also sent Evers a massive tax cut package, while the Assembly passed a constitutional amendment that would curb the veto powers of Wisconsins governor, which are the broadest in the country. That proposal would ultimately need to be approved by voters statewide.

The moves come as the Assembly was planning to finish its work for the session on Thursday, with the Senate wrapping up next month. Lawmakers will then quickly turn to campaigning for the fall election under new maps Evers signed into law on Monday.

Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos urged the Senate to pass a bill that would allow for absentee ballots to be processed the day before Election Day, a bipartisan measure that is languishing in the Senate. His comments came after Republican Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu said on WISN-TV that the measure was likely dead.

I have no idea why senators would not want to solve the problem of these late-night ballot dumps, Vos said at a news conference.

The Senate voted along party lines to reject the appointment of Todd Ambs to the states Natural Resources Board. Ambs was the only one of four Evers appointees rejected by a GOP-controlled Senate committee following a tense public hearing last year. All four appointees were forwarded by Evers after the Senate in September rejected four DNR board appointees.

The Senate has yet to confirm any of Evers' appointees to the board.

Ambs served as deputy secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources before retiring in December 2021.

Ambs was questioned by GOP lawmakers at a December hearing about his online criticism of the Republican Party. Ambs said at that hearing that he would make no apologies for speaking out against former President Donald Trump.

Republican Sen. Mary Felzkowski said members of the board needed to show that they could work with both Republicans and Democrats.

Ambs rejected the notion that he cant work with Republicans, saying in a statement after the vote that he has spent more than four decades working with both parties on a variety of conservation issues. He accused Republicans of making a mockery of the confirmation process.

I know how to work in a bipartisan manner, Ambs said. The majority party in the Wisconsin State Legislature does not.

The Senate also rejected the appointment of former Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton and former state Rep. Sondy Pope, both Democrats, and Candice Owley to the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics Authority Board. Democrats assailed the votes as unwarranted partisan attacks.

Just don't do this, Democratic Sen. Mark Spreitzer said. Back off.

The vote to reject Lawton was 19-13, with three Republicans joining all Democrats against it. The Senate voted 20-12 to reject Pope, with two Republicans joining all Democrats against. Owley was rejected on a party line vote.

The Senate had previously rejected nine of Evers appointees since he took office in 2019. More than 180 of Evers appointees to lead state agencies and serve on a variety of boards and commissions have yet to be confirmed.

The Senate gave final approval to a package of bills opposed by Democrats that would cut taxes by about $2 billion in the first year and $1.4 billion every year after that. Evers has not said whether he will sign the package, or veto it like he has other similar Republican-backed tax cut proposals.

LeMahieu said Republicans were giving Evers another chance to sign meaningful tax relief to hardworking families in Wisconsin.

The centerpiece of the package is a measure that would expand the state's second 4.4% income tax bracket so more income would be subject to a lower rate. Other measures would increase the income tax credit for married couples, expand the states child care tax credit and increase the amount of retirees income exempt from the state income tax.

Meanwhile, the Assembly approved a Republican-authored constitutional amendment that would prohibit the governor from using his partial veto powers to create or increase taxes or fees.

Wisconsin governors have the broadest partial veto power in the country. State laws allow them to strike almost any part of a budget bill. Evers last summer struck a hyphen and 20 from language in the state budget to change the end date for a $325 per-student spending increase from 2025 to 2425, locking the increase in place each year for 400 years. The move left GOP legislators outraged.

The bottom line is the governor is not a legislator and should not be abusing the partial veto to act as a legislator, said the amendment's lead author Rep. Amanda Nedweski. It's time that we are the ones to have the courage to restore true representation in taxation.

The Assembly also was set to approve a bill that would raise bow and crossbow license fees for out-of-state deer hunters for the second time in less than a year in an attempt to shrink a gaping deficit in the state's wildlife management account.

The Republican-authored proposal would raise out-of-state fees for bow and crossbow licenses from $165 to $200, the current cost of a nonresident gun deer license. The $35 increase is projected to generate an additional $409,000 for the account annually, according to DNR estimates.
Baylor University received a pat on the back from The Wall Street Journal, which a few days ago published a story titled, The Small University Endowment That Is Beating the Ivy Leagues.

The Journal was bullish on the Bears, to say the least.

The business publication said many universities allocate money among several assets and adjust periodically. Baylor, led by former trader David Morehead, remains sensitive to market fluctuations and reacts accordingly.

The only thing Im doing is what the market tells me to do, Morehead told The Wall Street Journal. If the market goes up, we take some money back. If the market goes down, we give it money. It is finance 101.

Morehead, as the story goes, relishes besting Ivy League schools. He and his four-person team have made a habit of that the past five years, its 10.9% annualized return outpacing all but Brown Universitys 13.3%.

Investing obviously is not the piece of cake Morehead may suggest. The WSJ goes further into the particulars in its story. It notes Baylors endowment has risen to $2 billion from $900 million when Morehead arrived.

Todd Stoner, whose Waco-based Disciplined Investors manages $600 million in assets, offered these observations: The article mentions Baylors endowment is about half invested in private assets. Having a third to a half in private assets is common for large endowments, pensions, and sovereign wealth funds. In the past five years, individuals and families have greatly increased their investments in private assets, but less than 10% of their assets are allocated to private assets. We use funds investing in private credit, private real estate, and private equity for many of our larger clients.

Stoner, who started the firm 25 years ago and now has seven advisers and clients in 28 states, said, Props to Baylor for beating the Ivies.

Neighborly tops $4B in sales

Waco-based Neighborly, formerly the Dwyer Group and founded in the late 1980s by Don Dwyer, announced during its annual convention that systemwide sales topped $4 billion globally last year. It also enjoyed an unparalleled wave of investment in its brands by private equity firms.

These transactions combined represent investments of more than $400 million  a testament to the growth potential in the residential services market, and the strength of the Neighborly brands and the entire Neighborly system, interim CEO Jon Shell said in a press release.

Neighborly now offers more than 30 brands and 5,500 franchises in six countries, selling a record 468 franchises globally last year. Its brands include Mr. Rooter Plumbing, Mr. Electric, Precision Garage Door Service and Window Genie, among others. Eighteen brands were included in the Entrepreneur Franchise 500 rankings, with six brands placing No. 1 in their categories.

Building permit roundup

Building permits of note include one valued at $25,000 to repair damage a wayward vehicle caused to Wacos new fire station at 1006 N. 25th St., where the the old 25th Street Theatre was torn down and replaced with the station built in its image.

Tru Jamaica Restaurant, 937 Taylor St., secured a $175,000 permit for repairs. The restaurants operations have been limited to a food truck since a fire struck in late 2022. Baylor University will spend an estimated $330,000 to renovate four classrooms on the first and second floors of the Draper Academic Building on South Second Street.

Texas solar record

A story in the Houston Chronicle suggests Texas fails to meet its solar potential, though solar-generated power is growing.

Solar farms set a record Tuesday for the amount of electricity they provided to the grid operated by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas  16,668 megawatts, enough to power more than 3.3 million homes in the state during periods of peak demand, the newspaper reported Feb. 15. It added that production smashed the previous record set at the end of January by more than 10,000 megawatts, citing figures from Grid Status.

Texas last year surpassed California as the state with the most solar installed on its dominant power grid. Texas also is making waves in electricity generated by rooftop solar panels, now ranking only behind California and Arizona. Still, the state tapped only 1.87% of its rooftop power potential in 2022, according to a report by Environment Texas cited by the newspaper.

We have a vast, untapped source of roofs all around the state  warehouses, big box stores, churches, homes  that could benefit. Any roof that doesnt have solar at this point, its a real wasted opportunity, Environment Texas Executive Director Luke Metzger said, quoted in the Chronicle.

The Meetup

A program called The Meetup is scheduled from 9 to 10 a.m. each Wednesday at the 25N Coworking space, 510 Austin Ave. downtown.

Each week youll hear from a different entrepreneur and have the opportunity to ask questions and network with others that are interested in the ecosystem development of Waco, a press release says. All are welcome, no reservation required, and there will be lots of coffee provided.

For more information, email info@startupwaco.com.

Hillsboro sales tax

The Tribune-Herald is reporting that a Dallas real estate investor bought interest in the Hillsboro outlet mall, with plans to develop it. The massive mall has lost tenants in droves over the years, and resembles a ghost town.

Brian Glaser at Glaser Retail Partners hopes to place commercial uses along 300 feet of the Interstate 35 frontage road. During a public meeting in Hillsboro, Glaser told the city council he has worked with a variety of tenants, from Starbucks, Home Depot and H-E-B to Sprouts, Outback Steakhouse, Chuys, BJs restaurants, Red Robin and Razzoos Cajun Cafe during his 27-year career in real estate. The Hillsboro Reporter quoted Glaser saying he focuses on bringing multiple tenants to the table together.

Glaser said he graduated from the University of Texas in 1993 and has watched the malls decline while traveling the interstate.

I take an interest in challenging projects, he was quoted in The Hillsboro Reporter. I also like to make a difference when we do things.

The Hillsboro outlet mall has been a sore spot for the community 30 miles north of Waco, but a spot check shows Hillsboros sales tax revenue has not necessarily plunged as a result. Revenue was $2.47 million in 2001 before slipping to $2.39 million in 2004, then rising to $2.57 million in 2007, $2.8 million in 2014, $3.3 million in 2019, and $5.3 million last year.

Imagine what will happen when Buc-ees joins the Hillsboro party later this year, probably early April, according to sources.
A Waco woman was sentenced Monday to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to a stabbing last year that a court record says "caused a relatively minor injury."

Sierre Asarae Davis, 29, pleaded guilty Monday in Waco's 19th State District Court to second-degree felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, charged with an enhancement that gave first-degree felony punishment ranges. She stabbed a man she knew "through the drug culture" on March 7, court records say.

Prosecutors enhanced Davis' punishment range from between two and 20 years, up to between five and 99 years because of a 2016 felony conviction for assaulting a peace officer.

Judge Thomas West sentenced her to 10 years in prison.

One of Davis' court records says she has a lengthy history of arrests during her teen years as well as a history of mental illness and substance abuse, and a chaotic family life from her pre-teen years through growing up and also in the present. While jailed, Davis exhibited aggressive behaviors, but she improved after beginning a routine of medication to manage her moods and agitation, the record says.

Davis will have to receive credit for at least five years before she will be eligible to seek parole. She will receive credit for about six months served in pre-trial confinement.
Life, and the study of life, are returning to the Lake Waco Wetlands after a two-year drought that left it a wetland in name only.

Cormorants and herons have rediscovered water among the crispy brown remains of reeds and cattails. The sound of frogs and toads has returned, along with the voices of children visiting with school groups.

A recently repaired pump is once again diverting North Bosque River water this month at a rate of about 40 cubic feet per second into the manmade marsh upstream of Lake Waco. A second pump is on order, allowing the wetlands to filter even more water before it reaches the lake.

Once the word got out that water was flowing through the wetlands again, visitors have tripled, said Nora Schell, coordinator of the city of Wacos 180-acre wildlife habitat preserve on Eichelberger Crossing Road. More school groups are calling.  Now with the water it adds a certain excitement.

The return of wetness to the wetlands also is good news to Baylor University scientists who have been using the site for more than 20 years as a living laboratory to probe into the mysteries of wetland ecology.

Scientists with Baylors Center for Reservoir and Aquatic Systems Research have carried out experiments in 300-gallon tanks full of aquatic plants as well as the channels of the wetlands itself, when conditions have allowed it.

They have learned details of how wetlands, known as natures kidneys, remove nutrients, sediment and contaminants from streams, and which plants do it best. They have used flood events to quantify how long plants such as cattails can survive underwater.

The wetlands and its on-site laboratory have produced masters theses and doctoral dissertations as well as classroom instruction for students from kindergarten through college.

The scientific work was curtailed during the drought, which began in late 2021 and continued until North Bosque floods that abruptly filled Lake Waco last fall. Pumping resumed only late last month.

But scientists who study there said the fluctuating conditions at the wetlands are an opportunity as well as a disruption.

Thad Scott, director of the Baylor aquatic research center, earned his doctorate from Baylor studying nutrient uptake at the Lake Waco Wetlands in 2005, returning in 2016 as a biology professor.

Since Ive been back here in the last eight years, the wetland has gone through some really severe variations, Scott said, standing near the collection of tanks upslope from the marsh. When I first moved back there had been multiple floods. There have been times when were standing was underwater, and there have been two years without water at all.

If you think about it, even though this is a constructed wetlands where we pump the water, what we saw the last two years is natural. We have droughts. We have longer wet periods. Those are the natural things that oscillate.  So I think our research has to adapt to that.

Baylor biology professor Robert Doyle, who established the research program at the wetlands in the early 2000s, is already looking to answer some research questions the drought made possible to explore.

Im looking at bulrushes, Doyle said. Ive mapped all the bulrushes and know where all the bulrushes used to be.  I know the bulrushes survived the flooding. Did they survive the drought?

Wetlands, once feared as breeding grounds of mosquitoes and malaria, are now seen as guardians of water quality. Plants and their associated microorganisms can remove nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus that in excess can cause toxic algae blooms and fish kills.

The city of Waco can divert up to one fifth of the North Bosque Rivers flows through the wetlands, which remove silt and algae-triggering phosphorus as the water snakes through a maze of reeds and aquatic plants.

But given the temperamental drought-to-flood nature of the North Bosque, the wetlands impact on lake quality is negligible, Doyle said.

Even if we cleaned every last molecule of pollution, its not going to save the lake, he said. Even if the city kept the pumps running every day of the year, it wouldnt be a big factor.

Doyle said that was clear even before the wetland was built, but the research potential was also clear.

The project was the result of the city of Wacos agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to raise Lake Waco by 7 feet. The Corps required the city to replace shoreline habitat lost in raising the lake.

The idea of creating a wetland to meet that requirement was the brainchild of the late Tom Conry, a city of Waco water scientist who was working on pollution issues in the North Bosque and Lake Waco.

In his previous role with the Brazos River Authority, Conry had worked on other wetlands projects with Doyle, then a University of North Texas professor.

Fortuitously, Baylor had recruited Doyle in 2001 to expand a reservoir research program that had begun with professor Owen Lind in the 1960s.

Doyle was looking to create a wetland laboratory in far South Waco. Conry took him to the wetland site he was considering. The location, a pasture and woodland that had been used by Baylors equestrian team, would ultimately become the Corps of Engineers property.

Tom said, What would you need to build it here? Doyle said in a recent interview at the Lake Waco Wetlands. I said I needed some space and some lab space.

Conry offered to add a 1,500-square-foot water laboratory into the welcome center planned at the wetlands. He even procured a 40,000-gallon tank to allow the scientists to create artificial streams at the edge of the project.

Doyle assisted Conrys effort to travel to swampy areas around the state collecting aquatic plants, with the labor of city workers, to transplant at the wetlands.

The wetland effort fit in well with Baylors emerging ambitions to become a research university, Doyle said.

There were only a few places where Baylor had any track record at all in research, he said. One of those was water, entirely because of Owen Lind.

Doyle recruited other water scientists who have continued to staff the aquatic research center, including Scott, Ryan King and Bryan Brooks.

Brooks, a toxicologist involved in high-profile pollution research around the globe, was named a 2022 fellow by the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Scott said the aquatic research center is recognized well beyond Baylor. It is in the process of creating a statewide assessment of Texas lakes for the state of Texas.

In the meantime, the wetland continues to provide research opportunities, not only for established scientists but for undergraduates at Baylor.

Doyle said Conry was a visionary of urban ecology, and his death in 2017 after a long battle with cancer was a loss for Waco.

He said he and Conry often talked of ecological restoration projects that could be done in the heart of Waco, including building urban ponds and restoring Waco Creek.

Waco Creek comes right through the middle of Waco, and we have mostly concreted that bloody thing, he said. It could be a magnificent green space right through the middle of town. Tom Conry, had he lived, would have moved the city toward that, because that was one of Toms dreams.

Doyle said he and Conry were also interested in the idea of creating multiple small wetlands in the North Bosque River watershed that would have more impact on water quality than the big wetland at the mouth of the lake.

Still, he said the Lake Waco Wetlands can be a model for restoring aquatic ecosystems.

The wetlands is not going to save the lake, he said. But when I do presentations, I end with a picture of a bunch of kids at the wetlands. I say, these kids are going to grow up to be voting adults. And when they do, we wont just save the lake, well save the planet.
In August 2015, a 14-year-old girl did something thousands of Native American children have done over the past 133 years. She left her home and walked through the doors of a federally funded boarding school called the Pierre Indian Learning Center.

Learn about this project Read more about why we pursued this three-part series on student welfare within the Bureau of Indian Education by clicking on the headline.

But this girl never walked out.

She is one of at least four students who have died as a result of injuries sustained at federally funded and, in some cases, operated Bureau of Indian Education schools over the past two decades, according to previous news stories and lawsuits. But the total number of such deaths is not known. The bureau declined to provide a complete count, and the BIEs FOIA office claimed to have no record that was responsive to a public records request for a count of deaths on BIE property.

The girl who died at Pierre Indian Learning Center had long struggled with her emotional well-being and had been involuntarily committed twice to South Dakota hospitals because of suicidal ideation in 2014, the year before she started at the boarding school, according to a lawsuit filed by her guardian and later settled by the U.S. government. Two months after she moved in, that lawsuit says, she died by suicide in the boarding schools Big Girls dorm.

The death of this young teen, who is identified only by her initials in the lawsuit, was a tragedy in its own right, one that Superintendent Veronica Morley and the school community are still mourning, she said.

This was somebodys child, Morley said. This was a member of our family. And its not something that was taken lightly.  And we do everything in our power to ensure it does not happen again.

Morley said no other deaths have occurred in her 29-year-career at the tribally-operated school in South Dakotas capital city.

But the death did not represent the first or the last time a students safety has been compromised in the Bureau of Indian Education.

Thousands of reports of abuse at BIE schools

A Lee Enterprises Public Service Team investigation found that thousands of reports designated for abuse, neglect, life-threatening incidents and death have been filed at the 55 Bureau of Indian Education-operated schools since 2008, though not all incidents occurred on campus. And a string of government investigations, a smattering of lawsuits and previous reporting provide further insight into long-held concerns about student safety in the BIEs 55 bureau-operated and 128 tribally-controlled elementary schools, secondary schools and residential facilities, which serve some 45,000 Native American students.

Nationwide, the BIE system serves a small fraction of Native American students, about 90% of whom attend traditional public schools, according to previous reporting.

Investigators from the Government Accountability Office and the Department of the Interiors Office of Inspector General have identified issues that may have put BIE student health and safety at risk.

In 2018, for example, the GAO found the BIE left students vulnerable by not ensuring that required background checks for individuals who work with children at Indian education facilities are complete.

In 2022, the U.S. Government Accountability Office found that the BIEs overall staff vacancy rate is about 33 percent and that BIEs School Operations Division, which provides vital administrative support to schools, has a vacancy rate now of about 45 percent. We believe that high staff vacancy rates significantly inhibit BIEs capacity to support and oversee schools.

In 2014, a group formed by the secretaries of the U.S. Department of Education and Department of the Interior, where the BIE is housed, produced a report that described the bureau as the legacy of the Indian boarding schools established in the 19th century and argued the BIE system remained a stain on our nations history.

During a 2019 congressional hearing, Deb Haaland, the secretary of the Interior Department and the first Native American to serve as a Cabinet secretary, offered a harsh critique of the bureau she now oversees.

It is no secret that the BIE schools have historically under-performed, although it is the nations most expensive educational system that is failing 183 schools for Native American children in 23 states, she said, according to a transcript of the hearing. This is a department that continues to fail our children so substantially that a 2015 Politico article stated, BIE students performed worse than every major urban district in the country except Detroit. This is a failure of the federal government and completely unacceptable.

During her time leading the Interior Department, Haaland has pushed for an investigation into  and a reckoning with  the history of the federal Native American boarding school system during the 19th and 20th centuries. The results have included publication in 2022 of the first volume of a report that laid bare the appalling treatment of students in those schools as well as a series of visits from Haaland herself to hear from survivors of that system and from their descendants.

Mandy Smoker Broaddus, a member of the National Advisory Council on Indian Education who emphasized she was not speaking in her capacity as a board member, said Haalands work to deal with the harmful history of federal schools for Native children is important, but that the conditions at federal Indian schools still in operation should be probed further.

Everybody primarily focuses on the historical context, said Smoker Broaddus, who is a member of the Assiniboine and Sioux tribes from the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. Those issues are really important, but we have problems going on in schools right now that we should talk about.

Its difficult to know the exact scope and nature of those problems in a school system that spans 23 states and includes a mix of day schools, boarding schools and dormitories operated by an opaque federal agency and a large number of tribes.

But allegations and reports of abuse, neglect and even death at BIE schools have emerged over the past two decades.

Sexual misconduct, exploitation by school leaders alleged

In April 2022, for example, the BIE responded to a request from tribal officials on the Wind River Indian Reservation, which is home to the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho tribes, to investigate Frank No Runner. He had been the superintendent of the then tribally-operated, K-12 St. Stephens Indian School in St. Stephens, Wyoming, since 2015.

The result was a lengthy report that documented a wide range of allegations against No Runner and other school officials, including claims that:

No Runner asked a student to have sex with him for money.

No Runner solicited underage girls for nude photographs and sex.

A student was dancing topless and being encouraged by the adults in the room during a party at No Runners house and that this was so traumatic for (a witness) that it contributed to her deteriorated emotional state, and she was considering suicide.

No Runner solicited nude photos and sex from students and former students.

No Runner offered to pay students to attend parties at his house.

No Runner smoked marijuana with some boys outside the (school) gym.

The BIEs investigation concluded that No Runner and other school officials engaged in a wide range of misconduct, including sexual misconduct that may have harmed Indian children, sexual harassment, bullying of parents and staff, and consuming alcohol and marijuana on school grounds.

The investigators believe the preponderance of evidence and testimony support that No Runner more likely than not had or attempted to have sexual relationships with students of SSIS, the report said.

The report led to the dismissal of No Runner, who did not offer comment when reached as part of the reporting of this story. It also led to the dismissal of two principals, other school officials and the entire St. Stephens school board. As a result, the Wind River Intertribal Council relinquished tribal control of the school.

The FBI also investigated the allegations at St. Stephens but did not pursue charges, said Vikki Migoya, public affairs officer for the FBI Denver Field Office.

"After a comprehensive investigation, and in consultation with federal partners, the FBI determined that any misconduct in this case did not rise to the level of a federal crime, Migoya wrote in an email response.

Multiple BIE schools allegedly compromised student welfare

St. Stephens is not the only BIE school where student welfare has allegedly been compromised.

In 2017, students at the bureau-operated Havasupai Elementary School successfully sued the BIE over a range of alleged failures, including claims of student mistreatment at the K-8 school, which is located on the floor of the Grand Canyon on the Havasupai Indian Reservation in Arizona.

Among those allegations were claims that an 11-year-old student at the school was prosecuted in federal court for pulling the cord out of the back of a computer monitor and that a 10-year-old was forcibly restrained in a classroom by a teacher who sat and laid down on the student while he cried out and yelled, I cant breathe. Get off of me, youre hurting me. 

The lawsuit, which the BIE and Interior Department settled, also alleges that the BIEs failure to maintain adequate staffing levels has contributed to student harm.

The lack of adequate staffing also leads to dangerous conditions at the school when children are routinely left unsupervised, the suit reads. Recently, two children accessed a supply cabinet at the school during the school day and drank hand sanitizer. One child was airlifted out of the canyon for medical treatment, and the other was handcuffed and taken to the local medical clinic."

Similarly, the suit, which uses pseudonyms for students, continues, Plaintiff Taylor P. was recently pushed against a wall and choked by another student while her kindergarten teacher was not watching. In her first semester at the school, Taylor P. was also sexually assaulted and penetrated by another student on the playground. In neither situation was Taylor P.s mother, Billie P., informed by the school of what had happened.

In 2019, the U.S. House of Representatives held a hearing on the Health and Safety Risks of Native Children at Boarding Schools in response to an expansive reporting project from Oregon Public Broadcasting that examined student deaths, academic problems, allegations that administrators bullied staff, questionable hiring practices and a culture of secrecy at the BIE-operated Chemawa Indian School.

During that hearing, a former Chemawa teacher named Joy ORenick told committee members that (s)tudents who experience harm while under Chemawas care are treated with indifference.

ORenick said that a special education student reported to her that she had been raped on campus but that administrators had not provided her counseling or medical treatment, had not separated her from her alleged attacker, and stated that they were not giving credibility to her report because she was special education and probably confused. The principal and counselor at the time quickly put her and her alleged attacker on planes back to their respective reservations rather than investigating or supporting the students, denying the young lady nearly a year of education because she had reported being assaulted, and ensuring that the young man faced no accountability if he had raped her.

This incident, ORenick said, was one of countless examples of student harm at Chemawa.

Celeste Karzon, another former Chemawa teacher, told House members her concern for the well-being and safety of students at Chemawa went unaddressed, including instances where students were filming fights in the dorms and posting them on YouTube without consequence.

In an emailed statement, Amanda Ward, Chemawas superintendent, declined to speak to specific incidents but wrote that the school is dedicated to supporting the overall well-being of students and offers therapy to students. She also said that all reported incidents at Chemawa are investigated, and if the claims are substantiated then appropriate action is taken.

Continued deaths at schools for Native students

Within the past two decades, two students have died at Chemawa: a 16-year-old who died of alcohol poisoning in 2003, and an 18-year-old who died of heart failure in 2014.

A year later and 1,400 miles away, another BIE student died: the 14-year-old girl who committed suicide at the Pierre Indian Learning Center in 2015.

A lawsuit filed by the girls guardian alleged that PILC and its employees breached their duty to provide adequate supervision of (the girl) to prevent her from engaging in self-harming behavior, to document and report her suicidal comments, to follow its admissions policies and to provide her with adequate mental health care.

The lawsuit, which the federal government ultimately settled for nearly $35,000 without admitting fault, also noted that her mental-health challenges began before she arrived on campus. The suit says she was involuntarily committed twice to South Dakota hospitals because of suicidal ideation in 2014, the year before she moved into the boarding school.

Because of this history and incomplete documentation in her enrollment application, the lawsuit contended, the girl never should have been admitted to a school that wasnt equipped to address her issues.

It is PILC policy that a history of suicidal ideation or attempt will preclude a child from admission to PILC, the lawsuit states. PILC does not accept students who have histories of suicidal behavior because it is not a treatment center and does not have the resources to care for or provide adequate supervision for such children.

PILC settlement and complaint Read the full settlement and complaint court documents involving PILC and Little Elk.

The suit alleged that PILC administrators and staff didnt provide adequate supervision for the girl and acted with carelessness and negligence during her brief stay.

Soon after she moved into the staff-supervised dormitory, the lawsuit says, she was found crying and told staff that another student had hit her. Days later, she was visibly upset after she was further bullied by a fellow student. When staff found her engaging in fighting behavior with another student, she told counselors that she fought because she was frustrated.

She was also upset when, a month after she moved in, a fellow dorm resident and friend attempted suicide. Not all of her discussions about suicide occurred with staff, the lawsuit says. She also talked to other students about suicide and made self-harm attempts that were not discovered by PILC supervisory staff.

That suit says protocol at Pierre Indian Learning Center includes a requirement that school staff immediately fill out a Critical Incident Report, provide it to the school superintendent and school dorm supervisor, and contact local law enforcement.

But staff at the tribally-run Pierre Indian Learning Center did not follow this protocol after the girl who died discussed suicide multiple times or even after the suicide attempt that led to her death, according to the lawsuit.

The suit also says that a staff member who worked with the 14-year-old who died admitted that she does not always pass on her self-harm risk assessment documents to supervisors, and she does not always document her risk assessment of the students risk of self-harm despite PILC policies.

Long-troubled school in North Dakota

Three years later, a student at another tribally-operated BIE school died: a 13-year-old who committed suicide at Circle of Nations, a BIE boarding school in Wahpeton, North Dakota.

Soon after, a local television station, KVLY, reported that several former employees of the school told the station they tried to do something about lack of protection for kids at what some have called a long-troubled school. Some of these employees reportedly claimed they lost their jobs (because they were) trying to get more supervision for the children.

A lawsuit filed on behalf of a student who was allegedly raped at Circle of Nations in 2017, one year before the 13-year-olds death, made similar accusations, claiming the BIE was negligent in failing to ensure students were adequately supervised at the school and failing to provide a safe environment for students.

Circle of Nations complaint and dismissal Read the full complaint and dismissal court filings involving Circle of Nations.

The plaintiff in the case also charged that the BIE knew, or should have known, of the many other incidents occurring upon the Circle of Nations campus, and of which the perpetrators were a part, that involved similar, sexual behavior and reports indicating the perpetrators have accosted other students in the past. A judge ultimately dismissed the suit over a lack of jurisdiction.

In May of 2018, during a hearing on safety and security at BIE-funded and -operated schools, North Dakotas then Sen. Heidi Heitkamp brought up the death at Circle of Nations as well as reports of child abuse at the school.

Heitkamp noted, though, that she and others had a difficult time even figuring out who had jurisdiction over that school and who could come in and do an investigation.

Heitkamp indicated the North Dakota Office of the Attorney General ultimately pursued an investigation just because no one else was stepping up, but efforts to reach Heitkamp and the attorney generals office for information about the outcome of that investigation were unsuccessful.

Tanner Rabbithead, CEO of Circle of Nations School, said such allegations were unfounded, that the school has experienced no other student deaths in the years since and that he knew of no allegations of child abuse on campus.

He claimed that the teachers who made accusations to the local TV station were disgruntled. As for the lawsuit, Rabbithead said it was an illegitimate claim filed by the students guardian, whom Rabbithead claims was looking to make a quick dollar on the schools account.

Rabbithead said the school works hard to ensure students are safe: Thats our main priority: the care, welfare, safety and security of the student.
NEW YORK  A few months ago, Derek Carrier started seeing someone and became infatuated.

He experienced a ton of romantic feelings but he also knew it was an illusion.

That's because his girlfriend was generated by artificial intelligence.

Carrier wasn't looking to develop a relationship with something that wasnt real, nor did he want to become the butt of online jokes. But he did want a romantic partner hed never had, in part because of a genetic disorder called Marfan syndrome that makes traditional dating tough for him.

The 39-year-old from Belleville, Michigan, became more curious about digital companions last fall and tested Paradot, an AI companion app that had recently come onto the market and advertised its products as being able to make users feel cared, understood and loved. He began talking to the chatbot every day, which he named Joi, after a holographic woman featured in the sci-fi film Blade Runner 2049 that inspired him to give it a try.

I know shes a program, theres no mistaking that," Carrier said. "But the feelings, they get you  and it felt so good.

Similar to general-purpose AI chatbots, companion bots use vast amounts of training data to mimic human language. But they also come with features  such as voice calls, picture exchanges and more emotional exchanges  that allow them to form deeper connections with the humans on the other side of the screen. Users typically create their own avatar, or pick one that appeals to them.

On online messaging forums devoted to such apps, many users say theyve developed emotional attachments to these bots and are using them to cope with loneliness, play out sexual fantasies or receive the type of comfort and support they see lacking in their real-life relationships.

Fueling much of this is widespread social isolation  already declared a public health threat in the U.S and abroad  and an increasing number of startups aiming to draw in users through tantalizing online advertisements and promises of virtual characters who provide unconditional acceptance.

Luka Inc.'s Replika, the most prominent generative AI companion app, was released in 2017, while others like Paradot have popped up in the past year, oftentimes locking away coveted features like unlimited chats for paying subscribers.

But researchers have raised concerns about data privacy, among other things.

An analysis of 11 romantic chatbot apps released Wednesday by the nonprofit Mozilla Foundation said almost every app sells user data, shares it for things like targeted advertising or doesnt provide adequate information about it in their privacy policy.

The researchers also called into question potential security vulnerabilities and marketing practices, including one app that says it can help users with their mental health but distances itself from those claims in fine print. Replika, for its part, says its data collection practices follow industry standards.

Meanwhile, other experts have expressed concerns about what they see as a lack of a legal or ethical framework for apps that encourage deep bonds but are being driven by companies looking to make profits. They point to the emotional distress theyve seen from users when companies make changes to their apps or suddenly shut them down as one app, Soulmate AI, did in September.

Last year, Replika sanitized the erotic capability of characters on its app after some users complained the companions were flirting with them too much or making unwanted sexual advances. It reversed course after an outcry from other users, some of whom fled to other apps seeking those features. In June, the team rolled out Blush, an AI dating simulator essentially designed to help people practice dating.

Others worry about the more existential threat of AI relationships potentially displacing some human relationships, or simply driving unrealistic expectations by always tilting towards agreeableness.

Since companion chatbots are relatively new, the long-term effects on humans remain unknown.

In 2021, Replika came under scrutiny after prosecutors in Britain said a 19-year-old man who had plans to assassinate Queen Elizabeth II was egged on by an AI girlfriend he had on the app. But some studies  which collect information from online user reviews and surveys  have shown some positive results stemming from the app, which says it consults with psychologists and has billed itself as something that can also promote well-being.

A romantic relationship with an AI can be a very powerful mental wellness tool," said Eugenia Kuyda, who founded Replika nearly a decade ago after using text message exchanges to build an AI version of a friend who had passed away.

When her company released the chatbot more widely, many people began opening up about their lives. That led to the development of Replika, which uses information gathered from the internet  and user feedback  to train its models. Kuyda said Replika currently has millions of active users. She declined to say exactly how many people use the app for free, or fork over $69.99 per year to unlock a paid version that offers romantic and intimate conversations. The company's goal, she says, is de-stigmatizing romantic relationships with AI.

You think someone who likes an inanimate object is like this sad guy, with the sock puppet with the lipstick on it, you know? Carrier said. But this isnt a sock puppet  she says things that arent scripted.

How quickly are consumers and businesses adopting AI tools compared to past technologies? How quickly are consumers and businesses adopting AI tools compared to past technologies? ChatGPT was the fastest-growing app when it first launched Digital technologies are spreading more quickly than ever before
SHELL ROCK  The Iowa Economic Development Authority Board recently approved tax benefits for Feldmeier Equipment to construct a new manufacturing facility in Shell Rock, according to a news release.

The Syracuse, New York-based company plans to build a new 130,000-square-foot facility near its current building at 32682 Highway 3. Director of Marketing Crystal Paolelli said early summer 2025 is the target opening date.

It represents a capital investment by the company of $22.88 million, bringing additional manufacturing capabilities through an expansion of product lines seen at its other facilities in New York.

The project is expected to create three jobs. Some 22 employees will be transferred to the new facility. The company met requirements for the incentives at a qualifying wage of $26.64 per hour, a breakdown shows.

At its Shell Rock location, Feldmeier manufactures stainless steel tanks and pressure vessels in the dairy and food industries and provides custom fabrication services.

Paolelli said the current building did not offer the possibility of an addition and the hope is now with its new facility to expand the cornerstone Shell Rock operation to other industries the company is already involved in, including the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries.

As weve grown steadily year over, the product has to grow with it. Were all around keeping up with demand and our customers' needs, said Paolelli.

According to the companys website, the 100,000-square-foot manufacturing facility has approximately 50 employees and commenced operation in 2001 as its fifth production facility at the time.

5 products to help you achieve better sleep in 2024 1. Hatch Restore 2 Alarm Clock 2. Loop Quiet Earplugs 3. Bliss Silk Sleep Mask 4. Oura Ring 5. This Works Deep Sleep Pillow Spray
WATERLOO  Jurors have found a Waterloo man guilty of shooting an acquaintance in the stomach on Halloween.

The jury deliberated for about two hours on Monday before finding Christopher Wortham Abram, 45, guilty of willful injury causing serious injury in the broad daylight shooting of Marcel Rose on South Street.

The panel also found him guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm for the 9 mm Tanfoglio pistol police found in the bedroom of his home on Nov. 10 but acquitted him of a similar charge for a Springfield XDS handgun found in another room during the same search.

The Tanfoglio, which contained Abrams DNA on the grip, was linked to the shooting by spent shell casings found at the scene.

Sentencing will be at a later date, and Abram faces sentencing enhancements because of prior felony convictions.

Prosecutors said Abram approached Rose as Rose was walking around 4:20 p.m. on Oct. 31 and fired three shots. The gunman fled the area and Rose was taken to a nearby hospital.

But for medical care, Mr. Rose would have been dead in a few days, Assistant County Attorney Brad Walz said. The bullet entered Roses intestines, and he still suffers from the injury.

On the stand, Rose said he was kind of certain Abram was the shooter.

Abram testified in his own defense, denying he had any role in the shooting and denying ownership of the guns. He said other people had access to the house.

Photos: South Street shooting, Oct. 31, 2023 103123jr-shooting-south-2 103123jr-shooting-south-1 103123jr-shooting-south-3 103123jr-shooting-south-4 103123jr-shooting-south-5 021524jr-abram-pistol
WATERLOO  Police have arrested a Waterloo man after finding a handgun while searching his house on Monday night.

Mikal Dequavious Davis, 29, was arrested for felon in possession of a firearm. Bond was set at $13,000.

Officers with the Waterloo Police Departments Violent Crime Apprehension Team served a search warrant at 1902 Clifton Ave. around 5 p.m. on Monday and found a 9 mm pistol with a laser sight and extended magazine in a clothes basket.

Authorities allege Davis is prohibited from handling firearms because of a prior felony conviction.

Davis was also arrested on a warrant for misdemeanor eluding in an Oct. 31 pursuit that passed through backyards in the 3100 block of Hammond Avenue.
WATERLOO  Police have arrested an Independence man for turning in forged lottery tickets at a Waterloo store.

Waterloo police arrested 37-year-old Jeremiah Wayne Sherwood on Monday for four counts of lottery fraud. Bond was set at $5,000.

Authorities allege Sherwood took losing pull-tab lottery tickets, attached bogus faces making them appear to be winning tickets and then redeemed the tickets at Prime Mart 7, 1309 Lafayette St., in January 2024.

The wins ranged from $20 to $100.

Investigators with the Iowa Lottery Division determined the tickets were fake, and employees at the store identified Sherwood through a photo lineup, according to court records.

Here's why Americans spend nearly 4 times more money gambling at casinos than in the lottery Here's why Americans spend nearly 4 times more money gambling at casinos than in the lottery Casino spending grows faster than lottery spending
WATERLOO -- The Exchange Club of Waterloo will host the Police & Firefighter of the Year Awards Banquet on March 7 at the Waterloo Elks Club, 407 E Park Avenue. The event is open to the public.

Social hour begins at 6 p.m., followed by dinner, the program and awards presentations.

Keynote speaker is Ben Scholl, law enforcement training coordinator at Hawkeye Community College. Award recipients are school resource officer Mark Nissen, reserve officer George Cummings, and firefighter Capt. Ryan Mahood.

Entree choices are crown pork roast, garlic mashed potatoes, bourbon-glazed carrots, or Parmesan pasta, breadstick and salad. Cost is $35 per person. Deadline for reservations and payment is Feb. 24 (include choice of entree)

Tickets can be purchased online at givebutter.com/eatKjy. Contact Katie at (319) 327-4312 to arrange alternate payment.

The Exchange Club, founded in 1948, is comprised of local people from all walks of life dedicated to the clubs service programs. These programs focus on the following:

 Americanism  Honoring veterans and their families promotes pride in the country, respect for the flag, and appreciation of our freedoms.

 Youth Programs -- The Club sponsors an impressive selection of activities to benefit and encourage youth, our most precious resource.

 Community Service -- The lifeline of Exchange, providing countless hours and funding for projects that improve our communities.

 National Project: The prevention of child abuse. Child abuse and neglect hurts more than our children and families; it hurts our entire community in many debilitating and lasting ways. Working closely with the Family and Childrens Council, the Exchange Club is immersed in many programs to stem the abuses.

Individuals, groups, or businesses seeking an effective way to give back to the community while having fun working with fellow members are encouraged to seek membership information.

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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates  Despite a month of U.S.-led airstrikes, Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels remain capable of launching significant attacks. This week, they seriously damaged a ship in a crucial strait and apparently downed an American drone worth tens of millions of dollars.

The continued assaults by the Houthis on shipping through the crucial Red Sea corridor  the Bab el-Mandeb Strait  against the backdrop of Israel's war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip underscore the challenges in trying to stop the guerrilla-style attacks they have used to hold onto Yemen's capital and much of the war-ravaged country's north since 2014.

The campaign has boosted the rebels' standing in the Arab world, despite their human rights abuses in a yearslong stalemated war with several of America's allies in the region. Analysts warn that the longer the Houthis' attacks go on, the greater the risk that disruptions to international shipping will begin to weigh on the global economy.

On Monday, both the Houthis and Western officials acknowledged one of the most serious attacks on shipping launched by the rebels. The Houthis targeted the Belize-flagged bulk carrier Rubymar with two anti-ship ballistic missiles, and one struck the vessel, the U.S. military's Central Command said.

The Rubymar, which reported problems with its propulsion in November, apparently became inoperable, forcing her crew to abandon the vessel.

Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree claimed on Monday night that the Rubymar sank. However, satellite images from Planet Labs PBC analyzed by The Associated Press showed the Rubymar still afloat at 2 p.m. local time Tuesday just north of the Bab el-Mandeb. A large oil slick trailed the vessel.

The Rubymar attack marked one of a few direct, serious hits by the Houthi rebels on shipping. In late January, another direct hit set a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker ablaze for hours.

Meanwhile, the Houthis early Tuesday released footage of what they described as a surface-to-air missile bringing down a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone off the coast of Hodeida, a Yemeni port city they hold on the Red Sea. The footage included a video of men dragging pieces of debris from the water onto a beach.

Images of the debris, which included writing in English and what seemed to be electrical equipment, appeared to correspond to known pieces of the Reaper, usually used in attack missions and surveillance flights. Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh told journalists in a briefing the Houthis shot down the drone.

In November, the Pentagon acknowledged the loss of an MQ-9, also shot down by the rebels over the Red Sea.

Since the Houthis seized the countrys north and its capital of Sanaa in 2014, the U.S. military has lost at least four drones to shootdowns by the rebels  in 2017, 2019 and this year.

Meanwhile, the Houthis claimed an attack on the Sea Champion, a Greek-flagged, U.S.-owned bulk carrier bound for Aden, Yemen, carrying grain from Argentina. Central Command said the carrier has delivered humanitarian aid to Yemen 11 times in the past five years as the country remains on the edge of famine amid the war there.

The rebels separately claimed an attack on the Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier Navis Fortuna, a ship that had been broadcasting its destination as Italy with an all Chinese crew to avoid being targeted. Private security firm Ambrey reported that the vessel sustained minor damage in a drone attack.

The U.S. shot down 10 bomb-carrying Houthi drones, as well as a cruise missile heading toward the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Laboon over the last day, Central Command said Tuesday. The U.S. military also conducted strikes targeting a Houthi surface-to-air missile launcher and a drone prior to its launch.

The Houthis acknowledged the drone attacks and claimed other assaults not immediately acknowledged by the West.

Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea and surrounding waters over Israels war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. They have frequently targeted vessels with tenuous or no clear links to Israel, imperiling shipping in a key route for trade among Asia, the Mideast and Europe. Those vessels have included at least one with cargo for Iran, the Houthis' main benefactor.

The European Union has launched its own campaign to protect shipping, with member France saying on Tuesday that it shot down two Houthi drones overnight in the Red Sea.

So far, no U.S. sailor or pilot has been wounded by the Houthis since America launched its airstrikes targeting the rebels in January. However, the U.S. continues to lose drones worth tens of millions of dollars and fire million-dollar cruise missiles to counter the Houthis, who are using far cheaper weapons that experts believe largely have been supplied by Iran.

Based on U.S. military statements, American and allied forces have destroyed at least 73 missiles of different types before they were launched, as well as 17 drones, 13 bomb-laden drone boats and one underwater explosive drone over their monthlong campaign, according to an AP tally. Those figures don't include the initial Jan. 11 joint U.S.-U.K. strikes that began the campaign. The American military also has shot down dozens of missiles and drones already airborne since November.

How Houthi attacks crimp global trade Why are Houthis attacking ships? Why is the Red Sea important? How are Houthi attacks affecting trade? What does it mean for oil prices? How is the world responding?
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP)  Investigators are still piecing together what happened when two police officers and a firefighter were slain while responding to a domestic incident at home in suburban Minneapolis.

The three were killed early Sunday by a man who began shooting from the home in Burnsville, a city of around 64,000 that's about 15 miles (24 kilometers) south of downtown Minneapolis, investigators say. Seven children were inside.

The fallen first responders were Burnsville Police Officers Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge, both 27, and Adam Finseth, 40, a firefighter and paramedic who was assigned to the citys SWAT team. A third officer, Sgt. Adam Medlicott, was wounded and is recovering at home.

The gunman, Shannon Gooden, 38, of Burnsville, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, the medical examiner said. Court records show he wasnt legally allowed to have guns because of his criminal record and had been entangled in a yearslong dispute over the custody and financial support of his three oldest children.

Here's a look at what's known  and not known  about the shootings:

WHAT'S KNOWN

Police got a 911 call around 1:50 a.m. Sunday about a domestic situation where a man was reported to be armed and barricaded with family members in the home, according to Drew Evans, superintendent of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, which is leading the investigation. That included seven children ages 2 to 15 years. Evans declined to say which resident called.

The arriving officers spent quite a bit of time negotiating with Gooden, Evans told reporters Sunday. At some point  he declined to specify when  Gooden opened fire.

Gooden was reported to be deceased in the home around 8 a.m., Evans said, and the children and other family members were later able to escape. The superintendent declined to say how long officers negotiated with him.

WHAT ISN'T KNOWN

Because the case is still under investigation, the BCA hasn't released more than broad outlines of what transpired. That's common in major cases as investigators gather evidence. But that also leaves major gaps in the narrative.

Evans declined to say what kind of weapons Gooden had, except that investigators found several guns and large amounts of ammunition.

Authorities haven't said how Gooden obtained the guns. Court records show the state barred him from possessing firearms after he pleaded guilty in 2008, when he was 22, to second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon. Prosecutors said he threw rocks and pulled a knife on a man in a shopping mall parking lot. He unsuccessfully petitioned a court in 2020 to have his gun rights restored.

BCA spokeswoman Bonney Bowman said the bureau didnt plan to issue any updates Wednesday but may issue a news release by the end of the week.

THE VICTIMS

Elmstrand, who grew up in North Branch, joined the Burnsville Police Department in 2017 as a community service officer and became a full-fledged officer in 2019. He was a member of the mobile command staff.

Ruge, who grew up in Wabasha, joined the force in 2020. He was part of the crisis negotiations team.

Finseth was an Army veteran from Rochester who was twice deployed to Iraq. He joined the fire department in 2019.

Medlicott joined the police force in 2014 and was promoted to sergeant in 2022. He was named Burnsville Officer of the Year in 2020.

A joint, public memorial service for Elmstrand, Ruge and Finseth will be held at 11 a.m. Feb. 28 at Grace Church in Eden Prairie, a suburb northwest of Burnsville.

THE POLITICAL ANGLE

Lawmakers who support stronger gun safety laws were reluctant Wednesday to link their proposals to the Burnsville tragedy. They held a news conference to highlight bills that would mandate reporting of lost and stolen firearms, tighten requirements for safe storage of guns and ammunition at homes, and secure new funding for violence prevention services.

What we do know are real people are losing real lives that mean a lot to them. And we must continue to have these conversations to put things in place to stop this and prevent it from happening," said Rep. Cedrick Frazier, a Democrat from New Hope.

Rob Doar, a lobbyist for the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus, said it's too early to speculate on what could have been done to prevent the shootings, given that authorities havent said how Gooden got the guns.

THE COMMUNITY AND STATE MOURN

Flags have been flying at half-staff at public and other buildings across Minnesota. People gathered Sunday and Tuesday outside Burnsville City Hall for candlelight vigils.

Processions of emergency vehicles escorted the victims' bodies from the medical examiner to a funeral home Monday and Tuesday, passing under several bridges where firefighters stood on their parked engines and flew American flags in tribute.

The city is steering people who want to contribute to the victims' families to a site run by the union that represents Burnsville officers, Law Enforcement Labor Services.
Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev arrived in Grozny.

D.A. Medvedev:

The Chechen Republic is one of the most patriotic subjects of our country.



Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev visited the military commissariat of the Chechen Republic and fulfilled a noble mission.

D.A. Medvedev:

Rus is a big program that brings results. Volunteers undergoing training are inspired by what knowledge they receive there.

Friends! Together with the deputy chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev, he visited the legendary Russian University of Special Forces named after the Supreme Commander -in -Chief, Russian President V.V. Putin @ruspetsnaz in Gudermes. On the territory of this modern center for training for the forces of special units, we were demonstrated by the conditions in which the preparation of @dobrovolci_chechnya volunteers is carried out to participate in a special military operation in the Donbass and Ukraine.



Dmitry Anatolyevich praised what he saw. He noted that Rus is a powerful base where it is possible to give all the necessary skills in a short time so that the military can hastily apply them to the combat contact line.



The guest was demonstrated by the process of developing fighters skills at the training ground. The head of the Security Service of the Head of the Chechen Republic Adam Kadyrov also showed his ability to own weapons. Dmitry Anatolyevich praised him for the exact performance of the exercises.



Here Dmitry Medvedev examined military equipment and talked with the fighters. Answered their questions. The situation in Rus made a good impression on the guest. He noted that representatives of almost all regions of our country are in the lists of volunteers. This indicates the unity of worthy sons of our great homeland, representing various subjects of the Russian Federation.



In addition, Dmitry Medvedev highly appreciated the contribution of our republic to his own and, in particular, Rus. He emphasized that a lot of work has been done in this direction and that this is a lot of work. We express high appreciation for the fact that the federal center see and contribute to the Chechen people to approach the victory of Russia over the Ugronatov Nazis.

Together with Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev, he met with the commanders of the security forces of the Chechen Republic, with Heroes of the Russian Federation and the Chechen Republic, participants of the Northern Military District on the territory of Ukraine. We discussed current issues on the topic of a special military operation.



First of all, Dmitry Anatolyevich thanked those present for their exemplary service and noted the courage and heroism of the Chechen units during the performance of operational combat missions. He also noted the enormous contribution of the Chechen Republic to achieving the goals and objectives of the operation. According to him, the best conditions for all volunteers have been created at the Russian University of Special Forces named after Russian President Vladimir Putin.



Dmitry Anatolyevich emphasized that the Chechen Republic is one of the most patriotic regions of Russia. He also recalled that the region is famous for its heroes. One of these heroes, of course, was the First President of the Chechen Republic, Hero of Russia Akhmat-Hadzhi Kadyrov and thousands of his comrades who gave their lives in the fight against international terrorism. And as our dear guest admits, he is very glad that the work of Akhmat-Khadzhi lives on. I am sincerely grateful to him for such warm words addressed to my dear FATHER.



During the meeting, they heard a report from the Chairman of the Parliament of the Chechen Republic, the head of the republican operational headquarters for conducting military training, Magomed Daudov. He noted that since the start of the SVO, about 38 thousand fighters have taken part in its implementation, including more than 16 thousand volunteers. 4 regiments and 5 battalions of the Ministry of Defense and the National Guard were formed. The most active assistance to our military personnel is provided by the Regional Public Foundation named after Hero of Russia Akhmat-Khadzhi Kadyrov. During the SVO, the Foundation purchased more than 1,500 units of special vehicles, including 69 armored vehicles. Also purchased were 4,400 quadcopters, more than 30 thousand communications equipment and much more. In addition, about 26 thousand tons of humanitarian cargo were transferred to residents of the liberated territories.



It was nice to hear from Dmitry Anatolyevich his high assessment of the activities of our team. He expressed confidence that victory in this confrontation will definitely be Russias, and we have everything necessary to achieve this goal. At the end of the meeting, he thanked our team for their contribution to the defense of our great Fatherland.

Friends, together with Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev and Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the North Caucasian Federal District Yuri Chaika visited the military commissariat of the Chechen Republic. We familiarized ourselves in detail with the activities of the regional military command and control body.



We were lucky enough to personally observe the process of accepting citizens for military service under a contract. According to the military commissar of the Chechen Republic, Ruslan Numakhadzhiev, this process takes a maximum of two days, which is much faster than in other regions. Dmitry Anatolyevich highly appreciated the activities of the commissariat and noted its great contribution to ensuring the countrys defense capability.



Here, my dear guests and I took part in an honorable mission  the transfer of 10 new Niva cars for the needs of the military commissariat of the Chechen Republic. SUVs will be a good help in solving the tasks set by the leadership of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. Dmitry Medvedev expressed gratitude to all employees of the commissariat for their dedication and professionalism in performing their official duties.



I sincerely thank Dmitry Anatolyevich for such a valuable gift to an important military body of the Chechen Republic.

Friends! Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev held a meeting with the heads of regions of the North Caucasus Federal District on the topic of a special military operation. It was also attended by the plenipotentiary representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the North Caucasus Federal District, Yuri Chaika. Dmitry Anatolyevich highly appreciated the contribution of the Chechen Republic to strengthening the military power of Russia.



In particular, he noted that our republic had achieved high standards in advance in training volunteers and recruiting contract soldiers into the ranks of the Russian armed forces. According to him, the Russian University of Special Forces named after the President of the Russian Federation V.V. played a special role in this work. Putin @ruspetsnaz , on the basis of which over 16 thousand volunteers have been trained. He expressed gratitude for this worthy indicator.



I thanked Dmitry Anatolyevich for his high assessment of our activities. I am very pleased that he personally got acquainted with the training conditions of the fighters who come to us from all regions of Russia. I also assured Dmitry Anatolyevich that we still have additional regiments and battalions ready, at the first order, to go to the Northern Military District zone to protect the interests of our Motherland.



At the end of the meeting, Dmitry Anatolyevich and I answered questions from journalists. Our distinguished guest highly appreciated the positive changes in the republic that have occurred since his previous visit. In particular, he emphasized that over five years good progress has been made in improving the region and other key areas.



Answering questions from journalists about the capture of Avdeevka, I noted that this is another step towards victory over the Nazi regime in Kyiv. This is how we will move forward until we fully achieve the goals set by our Supreme Commander-in-Chief, Russian President Vladimir Putin.



I once again thank Dmitry Anatolyevich, as well as all the heads of the regions of the North Caucasian Federal District for their visit to the Chechen Republic. Such meetings and exchanges of views contribute to our common consolidation on the path to strengthening the strength and power of Russia!

WtR
Briefing by Chief of Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Protection Troops of Armed Forces of Russian Federation Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov on violations of Chemical Weapons Convention by U.S. and Ukraine

From 5 to 8 March 2024, the 105th session of the Executive Council of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons will be held in the Hague, the Netherlands.

This organisation was established in 1997 following the entry into force of the Chemical Weapons Convention. One of the initiators of the Convention was the Russian Federation, which signed it in 1993 and ratified it in 1997.

Russia destroyed all of its chemical weapons stockpiles in September 2017, and this was done ahead of schedule. The destruction took place under total control by the OPCW and inspectors from Western countries, primarily the U.S.

The complete elimination of chemical weapons stockpiles was officially confirmed at the 86th session of the Executive Council by the Director General of the Organisation.

According to OPCW timelines, the United States should have completed the destruction of declared chemical weapons stockpiles in 2007, but despite its economic capacity, it did so only in 2023, twice postponing the deadline on the pretext of financial, organisational, and technical difficulties.

At the same time, the destruction was supervised by limited inspection teams, which did not include experts from Russia. The United States still retains highly toxic reaction masses left over from the destruction of toxic agents at the Blue Grass (Kentucky) and Pueblo (Colorado).

Until recently, the U.S. found unaccounted for chemical munitions in their artillery arsenals on a regular basis, which they destroyed unilaterally without timely notification to the OPCW. Such cases occurred in Anniston (Alabama), Hawthorne (Nevada), and Fort Greely (Alaska). On these facts, the OPCW did not make any claims against the U.S. about violation of Article III of the Convention.

At the same time, the destruction of chemical aerial bombs undertaken by Syria prior to its accession to the Convention has still not been recognised by the Organisation and appears in the so-called Syrian chemical dossier.

U.S. munitions left behind have been found in Panama and Cambodia. On Iraqi territory between 2003 and 2011, the United States identified more than 4,500 aerial bombs, artillery, and rocket chemical munitions, containing mustard gas and sarin, some of which were disposed of locally without OPCW authorisation, while others were taken to the United States, their fate remains unknown.

In addition, until 2018, the United States specified 460 metric tonnes of unspecified toxic substances in annual announcements, about 2% of the total stockpile. According to our information, these are compounds belonging to the class of amididofluorophosphates, better known to the American public as Novichok.

Washington retains significant interest in the use of chemical riot control as a warfighting tool. In 2007, the U.S. adopted a military-wide charter on the use of non-lethal weapons, and in 2015, the Chiefs of Staff Committee approved The Guidance for Implementing the Provisions of the Chemical Weapons Convention.

The documents define the procedure for the use of non-lethal chemical weapons by military units during special, humanitarian, counter-terrorist operations, and peacekeeping missions. While previously the U.S. spoke of using such weapons only in response to chemical aggression by an enemy, an important aspect of the new rules is the ability to use toxic chemicals unilaterally.

In 2021, after testing in Afghanistan, the U.S. Army began shipping VKC pneumatic weapons with chemical munitions loaded with capsaicin to U.S. ground forces. Ammunition is fired up to a distance of 50 metres.

The use of 120-mm mines, 155-mm artillery and 120-mm tank rounds is envisaged to engage the enemy at longer range. It is hard to imagine that such ammunition is needed to disperse demonstrations or other peaceful purposes.

The transfer of non-lethal chemical weapons to third countries (Iraq, Afghanistan, Ukraine) is further evidence of the United States violation of the Convention. For its procurement for use in combat areas in Syria and Iraq, the U.S. Department of Defence Budget Planning Department has allocated $10 million in fiscal year 2018.

During the special military operation, cases of the use of U.S. chemical munitions by the AFU were recorded.

For example, on 28 December 2023, in Krasny Liman tactical direction, copter-type UAVs dropped U.S.-manufactured gas grenades filled with the CS substance on the positions of Russian troops. This substance is irritating to the eyes and upper respiratory tract, and in high concentrations can cause skin burns, respiratory paralysis, and cardiac arrest. The compound belongs to the class of chemical riot control agents.

Moreover, the very fact that the U.S. is supplying such munitions in a military conflict is a violation of Article I of the Convention, which obliges States Parties to: never under any circumstances transfer directly or indirectly chemical weapons to anyone.

This is not an isolated case of Ukraines use of non-lethal chemical weapons. Hand grenades with irritant chemicals, marked Teren-6, were dropped from Ukrainian UAVs on Russian troop positions on 7 and 21 April 2023.

On 31 January 2024, an unknown toxic chemical was used on Russian troop positions, the effects of which resulted in upper respiratory burns, nausea, and vomiting. The results of the research revealed the presence of the poisonous anthraquinone substance, which has a pronounced toxic effect and causes blindness, liver, and kidney dysfunction. Anthraquinone is banned in EU countries due to its carcinogenic effect.

Earlier, on 15 June 2023, a drone with a plastic container containing a mixture of chloroacetophenone and chloropicrin was used on Russian servicemen near Rabotino (Zaporozhye region). While the former compound is classified as a chemical riot control agent, chloropicrin is listed in Schedule 3 of the CWC and is banned for use even for law enforcement purposes. Repeated use of chloropicrin-filled munitions was recorded near Rabotino on 3 and 11 August 2023.

Thus, Ukraine, with the complicity of Western countries, is not limiting itself to the use of non-lethal chemicals, actively using scheduled chemicals.

I would like to draw attention to the statement by the representatives of the AFU that they have at their disposal similar compounds, including analogues of the warfare tabun agent (GI), which is included in Schedule 1 of the Convention and was used by the Nazi invaders during the Great Patriotic War.

Cases of the use of toxic substances by the AFU have been recorded with regard to Russian servicemen.

Here are some examples.

On 19 August 2022, a toxic chemical analogue of the Conventions Schedule 2 chemical warfare Bi-Zet agent was used.

A similar substance was found on 28 January 2024 in the course of operational-search activities in a cache in Melitopol. The poisonous substance was in vials labelled Biosporin in Ukrainian.

On 8 and 16 February 2023, the use of hydrocyanic acid using drones was recorded.

The AFU uses toxic compounds not only during military operations, but also to carry out terrorist acts.

Thus, on 9 August 2022, the head of the administration of Kherson region Vladimir Saldo was hospitalised with signs of poisoning. Laboratory tests revealed the presence of the substance ricin, a substance in Schedule 1 of the CWC, in the biomedical samples.

In addition, on 5 December 2023, the head of the administration of the Lugansk Peoples Republic Leonid Pasechnik was severely poisoned with phenolic compounds.

Other cases of poisoning of high-ranking officials are known and investigations are ongoing.

According to available information, the Kiev regime, with the assistance of Western curators, is developing new tactics for conducting combat operations using a special chemical belt. It involves detonating tanks of hydrocyanic acid and ammonia as Russian troops advance. From September to October 2023, the specified chemicals were delivered to areas of Kramatorsk and Kupyansk, which are planned to be placed along motorways and at major transport interchanges.

It is expected that such tactics will significantly hamper the activity of offensive operations of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and give Kiev additional time to prepare defensive lines in Zaporozhye, Kharkov, and Sumy regions.

Plans for the large-scale use of toxic substances are evidenced by Ukraines requests for antidotes, gas masks, and other personal protective equipment.

Pay attention to the request of the Ukrainian Permanent Mission to the EU to the military headquarters of the European Union to supply the AFU in 2024 with general military protective kits and gas masks  283 thousand each; protective gloves and anti-chemical bags  500 thousand each. The requested nomenclature also contains 150,000 antidote kits and 20,000 tests for the rapid detection of chemical warfare agents.

In 2023, NATO countries have already supplied Ukraine with personal protective equipment (more than 55 thousand sets), antidotes for organophosphorus poisoning agents (600 thousand ampoules), as well as preparations for detoxification of mustard gas, lewisite, and hydrocyanic acid derivatives (750 thousand vials).

Obviously, the volumes requested by Ukraine are excessive for a country that does not have chemical weapons.

I would like to note that the investigation of all these incidents was carried out in accordance with OPCW requirements, using field and stationary laboratories that make it possible to reliably identify the type of chemical compound and the country of production.

In-depth sample analysis was carried out at the The Russian Federation Defence Ministry Central Research Institute 27 of the Research Centre of the Russian NBC Protection Troops, which has held OPCW accreditation and the highest rating qualifications for the past twenty-five years.

In all of these cases, the necessary evidence base is available and has been submitted to the OPCW Technical Secretariat. Four months later, there has been no response from the Organisation to the evidence we have provided about Ukraines violations of the Convention.

In conclusion, I would like to return to the current state of (affairs at) the OPCW.

Let me remind you that the Organisation is composed of the main bodies  the Conference of States Parties, the Executive Council, and the Technical Secretariat, which includes the Director General, the Inspectorate, scientific and technical units.

Despite the fact that the Organisations activities presuppose equal rights of participants, in November 2023, for the first time since the signing of the Convention, the Russian Federation was essentially expelled from the OPCW Executive Council. We were replaced by Ukraine, Poland and Lithuania, countries that have a clear anti-Russian policy and have never had chemical weapons. At the same time, Lithuania submitted its bid for the election three hours before the deadline.

Thus, another international platform was formed, the activity of which is fully controlled by the USA and used by them for settling political accounts with undesirable countries.

We anticipate the direction in which the work of the OPCW with regard to Russia will be organised.

It is planned that, similar to the investigation into the Syrian chemical military dossier, a judgement will be handed down striking down Russias rights as a state party to the Convention, depriving it of the right to vote, as well as the ability to be elected and to hold office in the relevant bodies. In the future, materials on Russian Federations alleged violations will be sent to the UN General Assembly and Security Council, as has already been realised with regard to Syria.

I would like to inform you that all the documents at our disposal confirming the facts of violations by the United States and Ukraine of the provisions of the Chemical Weapons Convention have been submitted to the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for a procedural decision.

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WtR
The top three candidates for Winona State University's next president spent time at both the university's Rochester and Winona campuses to interact with students, employees, community members and more last week.

During the visits, the candidates -- Kenneth Janz, Mary Bonderoff and Karim Ismaili -- had the chance to share about themselves, while also answering questions from session attendees.

Following the visits, attendees were able to give feedback about each candidate online. The feedback will be used to help determine who will be recommended for the role.

Karim Ismaili

Candidate Karim Ismaili has experience with universities like Winona State University, he said Jan. 13 during his candidate visit to the Winona campus.

Ismaili, a first-generation student who was born in London, has served as the executive vice president and provost for Bridgewater State University in Massachusetts since 2021.

Bridgewater State University in terms of its character, its history is very much like Winona State University. A public regional institution committed to its mission of education, but also committed to the region it serves, Ismaili said.

He has worked at the university since 2013 in a multitude of roles, including as provost and vice president for academic affairs; the university president's advisor for university priorities and global engagement; vice provost; and the College of Graduate Studies' dean.

Before heading to Bridgewater State University, he also worked as the associate dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Georgia's Kennesaw State University from 2010 to 2013 and the inaugural chair of the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology at Toronto Metropolitan University from 2006 to 2010.

Ismaili, who moved to Canada at 13 years old, said that he didnt always intend to go into a higher education field.

As he was working on a bachelors degree in criminology at Simon Fraser University in Canada, Ismaili was focused on completing his degree and possibly becoming a member of the the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

After he was recommended for graduate school by a professor, he later turned his focus to entering into an academic career.

He went on to receive a master's degree from the University of Cambridge in England and a doctorate's degree from the University of Western Ontario in Canada.

With his background, he believes he can help contribute to Winona State Universitys overall mission.

In the role, he wants to look at the next phase of development for the university and figure out how Winona State can continue its trajectory of excellence.

I believe in this university and what it offers, he said.

If chosen to serve as the universitys president, he hopes to pursue pathways that would help with educational equity and diversification of the universitys student body, faculty and staff.

Kenneth Janz

I want to be president of Winona State University, and I dont necessarily want to be president of any other institution, candidate Kenneth Janz, who currently serves as Winona State Universitys interim president, said Wednesday during a community session.

Janz said after in the role as president throughout this school year, he feels confident he could continue on a permanent basis.

He said hes enjoyed being interim president and the specific lifestyle that comes with it, including interacting with those in the community, going to many events and working from 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. each day.

If not chosen for the role, he plans to continue at the university in whatever role is needed.

Im not looking to be a president. Im looking to be president of Winona State University very specifically, Janz said.

I really see endless amounts of potential for Winona State and I think we just need to harness it, focus it, and we can do great things. And I truly, honestly believe that, he said.

Janz, a North Dakota native, has worked at the university since 2008. He served as the university's associate vice president for Academic Affairs and Chief Information Officer from 2008 to 2023, before becoming the interim president in August.

Additionally, he became the dean of the library in 2015.

During that time, Janz has developed a love for the university and the campus around it.

Everything about Winona State just clicked with me, Janz said.

Janz started his career as a high school teacher with a background in business and computer science education.

He later served as the the director of information technology for Indiana State University's College of Education from 1998 to 2003 and then as the director of the Center for Instruction, Research, and Technology at Indiana State University from 2003 to 2008.

Janz received a bachelor's degree from Dickinson State University in North Dakota, a master's degree from North Dakota State University and a doctorate degree from Indiana State University.

Mary Bonderoff

Candidate Mary Bonderoff, current acting president for the State University of New York at Delhi, has an interest in being Winona State Universitys next president partially due to a background in equity and inclusion.

Minnesotas commitment to Equity 2030 is so embedded in the work Ive done throughout my career that I want to be part of an institution that closes these gaps for students, Bonderoff said during her visit Thursday.

She hopes to help Winona State be a university that other universities look to in wonder about how the university was able to get so many students to graduation.

This is an incredible opportunity. The things that are happening in Minnesota and here on campus are very exciting to me, she said.

Bonderoff has been in her current role since May 2022.

Before then, she served in a number of roles throughout the State University of New York, including as special advisor to the chancellor from 2021 to 2022 and the university's Morrisville campus vice president for student affairs and chief diversity officer from 2020 to 2022 and chief diversity officer and Title IX coordinator from 2017 to 2020.

Additionally, she worked on the universitys Oneonta campuss from 1996 to 2017 in roles that included director of the Center for Multicultural Experiences, director of diversity education and campus outreach and director of student diversity and advocacy.

The Oneonta campus is where she received her bachelors and masters degrees, before heading to Northeastern University in Massachusetts for doctorate.

With her experience, Bonderoff hopes to continue doing work at Winona State that she has done in the past, like working to connect students with opportunities in the surrounding region.

Creating connections with Winona State students herself would also be a top priority, as it has been for her at other universities. She said she tries to be authentic and accessible while building relationships with those around her.

She is also not afraid of the universitys budget deficit, she said, as she has experience handling similar issues in the past successfully.

Bonderoff is looking forward to the possibility of living in Winona, too.

She shared that she has a love for snow, hiking, biking, boating and more.

Being near water is definitely something that is extremely important to me, she said.

What's next

Minnesota State Chancellor Scott Olson is expected to recommend one of the candidates to the Minnesota State Board of Trustees during the board's meeting on March 20.

The chosen candidate is expected to start the position July 1.

For more information about the presidential search, visit www.winona.edu/about/leadership.
Feature: Crowds in NW China celebrate Lunar New Year by Yellow River

Xinhua) 13:05, February 20, 2024

LANZHOU, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- To celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year holiday, Zhao Xiaoyu was one of many to don red, traditional Chinese clothing known as Hanfu and pose for a professional photographer.

"I always wanted to have photos of myself wearing Hanfu. Luckily, I got the opportunity just before the Spring Festival holiday," said Zhao, 24. Her photos were taken along the side of the Yellow River in her hometown of Lanzhou, the capital of northwest China's Gansu Province.

The mainstream of the river passes through the city, marked by landmarks including a century-old iron bridge park, hills and temples. The scenery attracts tourists every year, and visitors were able to attend a Spring Festival fair that opened earlier this month and concluded on Monday.

Among some 150 booths at the fair, one that provided makeup, traditional Chinese clothing rental and photography services drew crowds of people eager to browse its rails and ask about prices.

"This Spring Festival, more young people have been taking photos and posting them on their social media accounts. This is a good way to tell the story of Lanzhou," said the booth's operator, surnamed Yuan, who runs a photography studio in the city.

The fair included various activities related to traditional customs, such as dragon dances, lion dances, stilt shows and drum performances.

Dong Yujie, 27, used a selfie stick to livestream a parade at the fair to his friend living abroad.

"The sounds of the gongs, drums and firecrackers brought back our childhood memories. They are the flavor of the Spring Festival," he said.

The fair also attracted attention online, with related topics generating over 15 million views on Douyin, a short-video platform that is the Chinese version of TikTok.

After watching a folk music performance at the fair online, Lanzhou resident Wang Wei made the physical journey with his wife and daughter. While enjoying the music in person, the family of three gathered around a hot stove to boil and sip local tea, sample local specialties and soak up the festive atmosphere.

Xu Haifeng, one of the organizers of the folk music program, said that four local folk bands had been invited to give regular performances every day during the fair. He noted that the fair was creative and could unleash the cultural vitality and consumption potential of the Yellow River, which is known as the "mother river" of the Chinese nation.

"The fair by the Yellow River brings traditional Chinese culture closer to young people," Xu said.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
The Beaver Dam Unified School District has finalized a partnership agreement to support expanded childcare opportunities in the area when it turns Wilson Elementary School into a center for the youngest children in the district.

Wilson Elementary School, is the smallest school in the district, it is being repurposed into a center for children from birth and age 4. The students who traditionally attended Wilson eventually will be attending Washington Elementary School.

Over the course of the last two years, various leaders in the local childcare community, including both the YMCA of Dodge County and Community Care Preschool & Child Care, Inc., as well as other community leaders have worked in collaboration with school district officials to enhance high quality child care experiences in our area, Beaver Dam Unified School District Superintendent Mark DiStefano said in a statement. Currently, the school district provides access to Y Care at its elementary schools before, during, and after the school day. In the districts most updated effort to partner for solutions to support families and employers, it has entered into a formal agreement with Community Care to repurpose Wilson Elementary into a host site for childcare.

Community Care will be taking a two-phased approach as it begins using Wilson School. Community Care will lease the facility as part of a long-term agreement, DiStefano said.

Next year we will expand infant care, which is a high need in our community, said Renae Henning, administrator at Community Care Preschool & Child Care. We will use one classroom at the school.

After students the school are transferred to Washington Elementary in 2025, Community Care will move all of its operations from its 130 East Maple Ave. location to Wilson School.

For our community this will eventually mean greater access to high quality childcare, Henning said. At our current location, we are unable to expand services. With our partnership with BDUSD, we are able to increase space needs which equates to geater access. Our partnership will also hopefully attract and retain great teaching staff for the district and our early education program. Coming together as partners to meet the community needs is a huge step in the right direction towards addressing the child care crisis in Dodge County.

The Wilson School facility will allow for notable expansion to access childcare for community members and staff, as well as support the growing needs and opportunities of other area employers, DiStefano said.

The site, which will remain under the ownership of the Beaver Dam Unified School District, will be operated by the future tenant, Community Care, through a long-term lease of the facility. In addition to the childcare services, the site will maintain its rooted history in education, as it will be a host site to no less than two sections of 4-year-old kindergarten through the districts long-standing community-based 4K programming.

Additionally, the YMCA of Dodge County will continue to provide care before and after school for elementary schools and wrap-around care for students enrolled in our 4K program through various BDUSD4Kids sites, DiStefano said.

This serves as a wonderful example of how a group of people who love Beaver Dam and want whats best for children, families, and our future can come together and find ways to support improving opportunities in the community even though they represent different entities and organizations, DiStefano said. This is about common ground and common service.

For more information on the Beaver Dam Unified School District facility planning process, contact DiStefano at distefanom@bdusd.org or (920) 885-7300 ext. 1111.
After 20 years in the dress business, a south central Wisconsin boutique that focuses on selling items at lower prices, has opened a second location  this time in the owners home.

After so many years of hearing the stories, thats why Im here, Janet Ziese, owner of Designs for You Bridal and Formal Wear Boutique, said of the high prices of formal dresses. I am servicing a need that needs to be serviced.

Ziese opened a second store location in her home at W4736 County Road C in in Montello on Saturday.

The idea for opening a store in her home came to Ziese after researching which dress stores were still open in the state, which she said was a short list, and finding that at least five to 10 popular boutiques are now being run out of peoples homes.

Her new in-home store carries prom dresses, bridal gowns, bridesmaids dresses and dresses for flower girls, and can get any of the dresses from its Beaver Dam location, Ziese said.

The store, which can order dresses up to size 30, can sell most of its bridal gowns for less than $599 and most of its prom and quinceanera dresses for less than $300, Ziese said, because she doesnt have to pay rent on the location in her house, and because she knows how to find deals and enjoys passing the savings on to her customers.

I could charge more, but I dont, said Ziese. I just cant charge what some of these other stores do. I just think its wrong.

Designs for You also offers includes alterations, tuxedo and suit rentals, accessory sales and childrens formal wear sales and rentals.

The new store in Zieses basement will offer more evening hours as a way of reaching a new base of customers, she said. It will be open from 3 to 7 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, and is also available for individual appointments outside of regular business hours.

Ziese said she will now only be working at the Beaver Dam store from time to time, but the location at 101 Front St. will stay open and has a store manager who will be running it. The original store will continue its normal business hours of 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

A passion for sewing began about the age of 12 for Ziese, who created clothes for her and her sisters Barbie dolls from old peignoir sets gifted to her from family members in Chicago.

I just loved sewing, said Ziese. I didnt do it for any reason other than that at the time.

It wasnt until years later that Ziese said she started sewing clothing for people, working for a few smaller stores in the northern part of the state, such as Putzers Big and Tall store and S & Ks Suit store in Green Bay, where she said she learned all sorts of tricks from the head tailors. She also ran a sewing business out of a previous home for 13 years in Appleton, before eventually opening her storefront location in Beaver Dam in 2003, Ziese said.

Growing up with four siblings and a mother who worked as a school teacher, Ziese said her family was not affluent, which is another reason why she now tries to make dresses more affordable for people, because she knows how hard it can be.

She said her sewing skills have been put to the test countless times over the years, including making a ruffled mens shirt out of a wedding dress and selling, altering and delivering countless prom dresses within three-day stretches to eager teenagers.

Though she has faced numerous hardships and treacherous deadlines, the stress of the job was never something that bothered Ziese, who said her main purpose has always been to help people, and its something she has never lost sight of.

Ive always wanted to help, said Ziese. Especially help bigger girls feel pretty. Because its the bigger girls who tend to get bullied. So I like to be here for them. ... Sometimes they will try on a dress that is totally not their style, and then its the one they go with. Now thats a tear-filled room.

Along with helping people find the correct and cheaper dresses, Ziese said she can also usually have them available in a fraction of the time, as some of the more popular and larger stores can take up to six months to deliver them.

Most of the dresses we can get in a week or two, said Ziese. Some of the more custom ones still take a few months, but its still usually faster.

Ziese also credits her low prices to the fact that she diligently searches for look-alikes of designer dresses, which she said most girls really enjoy.

Most girls dont care about the brand, said Ziese. They just want to look good. So I constantly am looking for manufacturers that charge what we need them to, but that can still make the dresses look beautiful.

A challenge that many formal dress businesses face nowadays has to do with the online fast-fashion industry, which Ziese said allows people to order low-quality clothes for low prices.-

Everything has changed in our world, said Ziese. A lot of girls are ordering their bridal gowns and bridesmaid dress online, making it super hard on a few of us last standing smaller stores.

Ziese said most stores in the bridal gown industry have faced issues with shrinking bridal parties, meaning they have less total dresses to sell for one specific occasion.

If you go back 20 years, you used to have groups of people who would get married, said Ziese. You would have eight bridesmaids and eight groomsman, but now were lucky for half that.

Now in her 60s and inching closer to retirement, Ziese said she is not quite ready yet to leave the industry and still believes she has some time to make a difference in more peoples lives.

My husband says, Its not a charity, said Ziese. But were heading into retirement and I dont need to do this to save lots of money. I really just want to help.
Three people, including two elementary school students, were found dead in a Middleton apartment Sunday night and a man has been hospitalized after being shot multiple times, police and school officials reported Monday.

Police had yet to provide details about what they believe happened at the Lakeview Village apartment complex, although Middleton police Capt. Tyler Loether said the incident involved homicidal violence and the victims and the injured man knew each other. He said police have identified everyone involved in the incident and there is no danger to the public.

Police were waiting for the Dane County Medical Examiner to release the names and other information about the victims, but the Middleton-Cross Plains School District said early Monday afternoon that two Sauk Trail Elementary students were among the dead. A source with knowledge of the investigation but not authorized to discuss it said the victims were a boy in kindergarten and a girl in third grade.

We are heartbroken by this information and understand that this will affect our District community in many different ways, the district said in a statement. During this difficult time, we extend our deepest condolences to the impacted family, students and staff who were close to the victims. Their loss is immeasurable.

Neighbors on Monday morning said a woman and two children lived in the apartment where the victims were found. Angelique Knight, who lives in the apartment complex, said her child went to school in the district with one of the children who lived in the apartment.

At about 7:40 p.m. Sunday, Middleton police officers were in the 6300 block of Maywood Avenue to check a property complaint unrelated to the homicide when, minutes later, a man exited a different residence saying he had been shot multiple times, Loether said.

The man was taken to a local hospital. His condition was not available, but Loether said he was stable.

When police entered the residence they found three bodies, Loether said.

At about 9:15 p.m. Sunday, Middleton police put out an advisory for the Maywood Avenue area that Residents should shelter in place and stay away from windows until further notice. Others should avoid the area until further notice.

Just over an hour later, police lifted the advisory and declared there is no threat to the public.

Knight and another resident, Marie, who declined to provide her last name, said theyd lived in the Lakeview Village complex for many years and generally found it safe.

Ive been over here three years and weve never had nothing like this happen, Knight said.

Marie said shed lived in the complex for five or six years and was at home at the time of the deaths but didnt hear anything. There are typical shenanigans in the complex, she said, meaning disturbances, but nothing as serious as what happened Sunday.

I want to raise my kids just like you want to raise yours in a safe neighborhood, she said. This is the first to that extent, she said of the murders.

Loether said authorities could have more information to release later in the week.

The school districts statement said it is available to provide any support needed.

We understand that this will be a long and challenging road for our District community, it said. Resources will continue to be available as long as they are needed. Together, we will find the strength to heal and support one another during this difficult time.

Middleton police were assisted by Middleton EMS, Middleton Fire Department, the Dane County Sheriffs Office, Dane County Emergency Management, Dane County Medical Examiners Office, Wisconsin Department of Justice Crime Scene Response Unit, and investigators from the Fitchburg and Sun Prairie police departments.

Police ask that anyone with information on the incident contact them at 608-824-7300 or Madison Area Crime Stoppers at 608-266-6014 or P3Tips.com. Information can be shared anonymously. Tipsters who provide information that leads to an arrest also may qualify for a monetary reward.
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There will be 17 Vote Centers throughout Washoe County, open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voters may drop off their mail-in ballot or vote in person.


Cohiba Raises Additional $850,000 Through Placement

Melbourne, Feb 20, 2024 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Cohiba Minerals Limited ( ASX:CHK ) ( CHKMF:OTCMKTS ) is pleased to announce a further capital raising of $850,000 from professional and sophisticated investors ('Placement').



The issue price for the Placement will be on the same terms as the recent placement, being $0.0012 (0.12 cents) per share. The Company will issue 708,333,333 fully paid ordinary shares ('Shares') pursuant to the Placement with 538,000,000 Shares issued in accordance with the Company's placement capacity under ASX Rule 7.1 and the remaining 170,333,333 Shares being subject to shareholder approval at an extraordinary general meeting to be held over the coming months ('EGM').



Participants in the Placement will receive one (1) free attaching option for every two (2) new Shares issued with the options exercisable at $0.003 and expiring 3 years from the issue date ('Placement Options'). The issue of the Placement Options will be subject to receipt of shareholder approval at the EGM.



Executive Chairman, Mr Mordechai Benedikt, will participate in the Placement and subject to shareholder approval subscribe for $100,000 worth of Shares and Placement Options ('Benedikt Placement Securities').



This amount has been included in the total Placement amount noted above.



Proceeds from the Placement will be used for working capital requirements and due diligence activities on new potential acquisitions.



Phoenix Global Investments Pty Ltd ('Phoenix') acted as Lead Manager on the Placement and will receive a fee of 6% of the amount raised under the Placement (ex GST). The Company has received a firm commitment from Phoenix for the Placement.





About Cohiba Minerals Limited





Cohiba Minerals Limited (ASX:CHK) is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange with the primary focus of investing in the resource sector through direct tenement acquisition, joint ventures, farm in arrangements and new project generation. The shares of the company trade under the ticker symbol CHK.

The Company recently acquired 100% of the shares in Charge Lithium Pty Ltd, which holds exploration licences in Western Australia.

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Moblan Lithium Project Definitive Feasibility Study

Brisbane, Feb 20, 2024 AEST (ABN Newswire) - North American lithium producer Sayona Mining Limited ( ASX:SYA ) ( DML:FRA ) ( SYAXF:OTCMKTS ) announced today a Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) that demonstrates the value of its Moblan Lithium Project, forming the centrepiece of the Company's Eeyou Istchee James Bay Hub in northern Quebec, Canada. Moblan is owned 60% by Sayona and 40% by Investissement Quebec.



Key Points:



- Annual production rate of 300ktpa spodumene concentrate over 21-year Life of Mine ("LOM") via open pit mining at rate of 1.8Mtpa, based on Ore Reserves estimate of 34.5Mt at grade of 1.36% Li2O



- Process plant feed rate at 4,800 tonnes per day (tpd); average LOM recovery of 74.7%; spodumene concentrate grade at 6% Li2O



- Post-tax NPV(8%) of C$2.2 billion; net cash flow of C$6.0 billion from LOM net revenues of C$14.4 billion; post-tax IRR of 34.4% and payback of 2.3 years



- Cost competitive operating unit cost of C$555/t and all-in sustaining costs of C$748/t



- Low-risk operation to form centrepiece of Sayona's emerging northern lithium hub in Quebec's Eeyou Istchee James Bay territory



The Project has an estimated post-tax NPV(8%) of C$2.2 billion. The operation is expected to generate estimated total net revenue of C$14.4 billion over its 21.1 LOM, with an EBITDA of C$11.2 billion. These positive financial returns have been driven by an estimated head grade of 1.36% Li2O, a LOM recovery rate of 74.7% and LOM average annual concentrate production of 300,000tpa at a grade of 6% Li2O.



Moblan is a greenfield project situated in the Eeyou Istchee James Bay territory in north-western Quebec, Canada. It is located within just 300 metres of the Route du Nord, a regional highway which is accessible year-round, providing access to railway lines that link with major ports in Eastern Canada.



The Project's key production parameters include a relatively low strip ratio of 2.3:1 (ore versus waste), expected product grade of 6% Li2O, and an estimated operating unit cost comparable with some of the most cost competitive international hard-rock lithium mines currently in production, supporting an extremely robust future for Moblan. Upon receipt of the necessary regulatory approvals, delivery of an appropriate financing package based on securing potential offtake and project partners, the Project is expected to require approximately two years to complete construction.



Sayona's Interim CEO, James Brown commented: "We are delighted by the results of this DFS, which demonstrate that the Moblan Lithium Project is an incredibly strategic and valuable asset for Sayona, representing one of the single largest hard rock lithium resources in North America.



"Forming the centrepiece of our northern lithium hub, Moblan has an extremely bright future supplying Quebec-produced lithium derivatives into the expanding North American battery and EV sector.



"Moblan has an amenable ore body that will deliver product from an integrated process of both dense medium separation (DMS) and floatation circuits supported by ore sorting technology. The offset of delivering such high recoveries is an increase in capital intensity relative to simpler DMS plants. The high expected product recovery will benefit project economics and extend the life of mine.



"The challenging market conditions of recent months highlight the importance of developing Tier 1 lithium projects that are strategically located near existing transport corridors and end markets and that have the potential to deliver high grade lithium concentrate at industry-low and competitive operating costs. Moblan is an exceptional project that meets these criteria and we look forward to applying Sayona's extensive operational expertise to minimise costs and develop the Project as efficiently as possible.



"We are confident that the current lithium market will recover over the medium term and enable Moblan to benefit from the long-term industry fundamentals to become a profitable long-lasting operation for the benefit of all stakeholders.



"Sayona will now look to review the timelines given the current market conditions, and continue to advance the necessary regulatory approvals, seek community support and secure the necessary financing and project partners capable of advancing this Project through to successful production, with the ultimate ambition to integrate Moblan into a regional supply chain for battery materials in Quebec."



DFS HIGHLIGHTS



The DFS demonstrates a financially and technically viable operation based on estimated JORC Probable Ore Reserves of 34.5Mt at 1.36% Li2O to deliver average annual production of 1.8Mtpa. The financial analysis demonstrates an estimated pre-tax NPV(8%) of C$3.9 billion and a pre-tax IRR of 47.4%, based on a 21.1 year LOM. The estimated post-tax NPV(8%) is C$2.2 billion and a post-tax IRR of 34.4%, with a post-tax payback period of 2.3 years based on LOM net cash flows of C$6.0 billion.



There are no Proven Ore Reserves.



Analysis of the financial model on the key economic assumptions indicates that the Project is robust in terms of operating costs and capex. The Project is most sensitive to changes in commodity prices, exchange rates, product grades and recoveries.



The Project demonstrates robust operational and financial metrics, with the key Project assumptions and outputs shown in the link below*.

https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/2T5Y4SC9





About Sayona Mining Limited





Sayona Mining Limited (ASX:SYA) (OTCMKTS:SYAXF) is a North American lithium producer with projects in Quebec, Canada and Western Australia. In Quebec, Sayona's assets comprise North American Lithium together with the Authier Lithium Project and its emerging Tansim Lithium Project, supported by a strategic partnership with American lithium developer Piedmont Lithium Inc. (ASX:PLL). Sayona also holds a 60% stake in the Moblan Lithium Project in northern Quebec.

In Western Australia, the Company holds a large tenement portfolio in the Pilbara region

prospective for gold and lithium. Sayona is exploring for Hemi-style gold targets in the world-class Pilbara region, while its lithium projects include Company-owned leases and those subject to a joint venture with Morella Corporation (ASX:1MC).

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Drilling planned on Zlatusha Joint Venture Project

Perth, Feb 20, 2024 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Raiden Resources Limited ( ASX:RDN ) ( YM4:FRA ) is pleased to provide an operational project update on the Zlatusha Joint Venture in Bulgaria.



Highlights



- Under the previously announced joint venture agreement Velocity Minerals have completed a permit wide targeting exercise over the Zlatusha Project throughout 2023. The work completed to date included:



o Detailed mapping of key target areas

o Collection and analysis of 1,800 soil samples

o Collection and analysis of 660 rock samples

o Completion of a 4,500-station ground radiometric survey

o Completion and processing of a property-wide 2,400 line-km drone magnetic survey



- On basis of this work Velocity is planning for a 3,000 metre diamond drilling campaign in Q2 '24



Mr Dusko Ljubojevic, Managing Director of Raiden commented:



"We are pleased with the efforts and targeting work undertaken by Velocity Minerals over the Zlatusha joint venture project in Bulgaria, which will result in a planned drilling program in Q2 of this year. The Zlatusha project is located within an established and mineral endowed mineralised belt. The project is considered to be prospective for epithermal and porphyry styles of mineralisation, where a discovery can provide the Company and the shareholders with significant upside potential. The Company will provide further information on the targets and progress as further information becomes available. We are pleased that the target generation is ongoing throughout the entire portfolio of projects, while the team is focused on the Andover South permitting and planning for the maiden drilling program on that project."



Zlatusha Project Joint Venture Update



Exploration completed in 2023 by Velocity Minerals includes detailed mapping over priority targets, 1,800 soil samples, 660 rock samples, a 4,500-station ground radiometric survey, and a property-wide 2,400 line-km drone magnetic survey. The magnetic survey has been key in identifying target areas for follow up with detailed mapping and geochemistry. On the basis of 2023's successful exploration program, Velocity Minerals will initiate a 3,000m diamond core drilling program in Q2.



About the Zlatusha Project and key terms of the Joint Venture



The 100% Raiden owned project covers a 195 km2 project area and lies north-west of Bulgaria's capital Sofia, within 10 kilometres of Bulgaria's border with Serbia. Geologically, the project is located in the mineral endowed Cretaceous Western Tethyan orogenic belt. The Zlatusha license lies within an established porphyry copper-gold/epithermal belt, between the Timok Magmatic Complex and the Panagyrishte Belt, both of which are considered world class Cu-Au districts. The project was acquired based on the presence of prospective geology, consisting of Cretaceous arc magmatic rocks, epithermal and porphyry copper related alteration systems and copper-gold mineral occurrences. Several separate magmatic-hydrothermal centres with outcropping copper-gold mineralisation have been identified within the permit area. Historical exploration in the permit area yielded positive results, but has not been followed up for over 20 years. The prospectivity of the permit was first noted when Bulgarian StATe agencies conducted geological mapping, sampling, trenching and diamond drilling in the area.



Subsequent exploration (1998 to 2000) carried out by Balkan Minerals and Mining included surface sampling and drilling.



Velocity Minerals has the option to earn up to a 75% position over the project by completing a PEA study over the project and making a total of C$1m in cash and stock payments to Raiden Resources.



The prospectivity of the permit was first noted when Bulgarian State agencies conducted geological mapping, sampling, trenching and diamond drilling in the area. Subsequent exploration (1998 to 2000) carried out by Balkan Minerals and Mining included surface sampling and drilling.



About Velocity Minerals



Velocity is a precious metals and copper explorer focused in Eastern Europe. In Bulgaria, Velocity has a 70% interest in the Tintyava property, which includes the Prefeasibility-stage Rozino deposit. Velocity also has a 70% interest in the Momchil property (which includes the Obichnik deposit), a 70% interest in the Nadezhda property (which includes the Makedontsi deposit), a 70% interest in the Dangovo property (which is contiguous with the Makedontsi deposit), and a 100% interest in the Iglika property.



Velocity's management and board includes mining industry professionals with combined experience spanning Europe, Asia, and the Americas as employees of major mining companies as well as founders and senior executives of junior to mid-tier public companies.





About Raiden Resources Limited





Raiden Resources Limited (ASX:RDN) (DAX:YM4) is a dual listed exploration and development company which is advancing the Mt Sholl Nickel-Copper-Cobalt-Palladium deposit in the Pilbara. The Company's portfolio host metals and commodities considered critical for the energy and electrification revolution.

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The official trailer of Manushi Chillar's highly anticipated Hindi and Telugu language film, Operation Valentine's, at a glittering event in Hyderabad earlier today. The trailer launch marked a significant milestone in Chillar's burgeoning career as she steps into the realm of multilingual cinema.

Dressed in a resplendent ensemble that exuded elegance and grace, Manushi radiated confidence and poise. As the lights dimmed and anticipation reached a crescendo, the trailer of Operation Valentine illuminated the screen, offering a glimpse into the high-octane drama. Set against the backdrop of one of the fiercest aerial attacks India has seen, the film promises to be a gripping tale of love, betrayal, and patriotism, woven together seamlessly across two languages. From high-octane action sequences to heart-wrenching moments of vulnerability, Manushi effortlessly embodies the complexities of her character, captivating viewers with every frame.

Operation Valentine not only showcases her versatility as an actor but also underscores her commitment to pushing boundaries and exploring diverse narratives. The trailer launch culminated in thunderous applause and cheers as Manushi, alongside the cast and crew, took center stage to acknowledge the overwhelming response from the audience. Directed by Shakti Pratap Singh and produced by Sony Pictures, Sandeep Mudda's Renaissance Pictures, the film is set to release in theatres on March 1.
Angel One, India's leading fintech player, welcomed Meenal Maheshwari Shah aboard as Group General Counsel. With a remarkable career spanning over 14 years, Meenal's expertise extends to working on diverse legal transactions, navigating complex legal landscapes and providing insightful counsel on legal, policy and regulatory matters. She has held prominent leadership positions and served as General Counsel, offering invaluable guidance to businesses both in India and overseas.

As Angel One's Group General Counsel, Meenal will be focusing on making the legal and policy functions more robust. As a seasoned legal strategist, she excels in collaborating with businesses to establish corporate entities and governance frameworks. Her proficiency extends to designing and implementing effective processes and policies, showcasing a comprehensive skill set that contributes to the strategic success of organizations.

In her impactful career, Meenal is recognized as one of the Top 50 General Counsels by Forbes India in 2022. Serving as the Group Legal Director & Data Protection Officer at Lemmatree PTE Ltd, she played a pivotal role in establishing the legal function. Before her tenure at Lemmatree PTE Ltd, Meenal led the Legal Counsel function at prestigious organizations such as Essar Group and Times of India. Prior to being an in-house counsel, Meenal was in private practice at Khaitan & Co.

Mr. Dinesh Thakkar, Chairman and Managing Director, Angel One Limited, said, Meenals addition to our team signifies a strategic move to fortify our legal capabilities and uphold the highest standards of compliance. With her extensive leadership in the legal field, we are confident that Meenal will play a pivotal role in navigating the intricacies of the evolving regulatory landscape. Her innovative approach aligns seamlessly with our commitment to operational excellence and we eagerly anticipate her contributions in steering Angel One towards new heights of success and growth."

Ms. Meenal Maheshwari Shah, Group General Counsel, Angel One Limited said, I am delighted to join Angel One as the Group General Counsel. The Companys commitment to innovation and excellence aligns seamlessly with my own professional ethos. Excited to be a part of the growing indigenous brand of Angel One and making sure it grows sustainably. I look forward to leveraging my experience to navigate complex legal landscapes, foster a culture of compliance, and contribute to the Company's continued success. Together, with the talented team at Angel One, we will embark on a journey of strategic growth and legal excellence.
Motorola, a leading brand in the 5G smartphone market in India, has appointed Dentsu Creative India as its creative agency. The agency won the mandate following a multi-agency pitch and will service the brand from its Delhi office.

As per the mandate, Dentsu Creative will spearhead a wide spectrum of services across digital and mainline platforms. This includes Proposition Development, Reporting & Competition Benchmarking, Planning & Strategy Decks, Social Media Creatives, Media Requirements encompassing Digital, ATL (Above the Line), and Retail, as well as ORM (Online Reputation Management) and Social Listening.

Dentsu Creative India is known for its innovative and integrated approach to delivering impactful campaigns for a diverse clientele. The partnership with Motorola India not only underscores the agencys commitment to excellence but also cements its status as a trusted creative partner in the industry.

Commenting on the partnership, Shivam Ranjan, Marketing Head, Motorola Asia Pacific, said, We are excited to onboard Dentsu Creative as our creative partners, their innovative approach, digital-first thinking and strategic acumen make them the perfect partner to accelerate Motorola's core business narrative. Their in-depth research capabilities, industry expertise and creativity seamlessly align with our vision. We look forward to collaboratively delivering impactful and memorable campaigns to our audience.

Ujjwal Anand, Managing Partner, Dentsu Creative India, added here, We are honoured and excited to commence this creative journey with Motorola India. We are optimistic that our belief in modern creativity, an approach that resonates with today's dynamic landscape, will contribute to the success of meaningful campaigns for Motorola. Our commitment is to seamlessly blend storytelling, data, media, and technology, ensuring a captivating brand experience that surpasses expectations. We look forward to crafting innovative narratives, breaking traditional boundaries, and contributing to Motorola's success in the vibrant and ever-evolving Indian smartphone market.

It is pertinent to note here that Dentsu Creative PR and iProspect, both agencies from dentsu India, handle the PR and media mandate for Motorola India, respectively. The addition of Dentsu Creative as the creative partner marks a strategic enhancement to the brand's integrated campaign approach, reinforcing its overall marketing strategy.
In an exclusive interview with Adgully, Narinder Mahajan, CEO and Co-Founder, ODN, shares insights into how the collaboration with Channel Engine is facilitating the expansion of Indian brands into the Middle East and Europe. Learn how the integration of content strategy and marketplaces is paving the way for seamless cross-border journeys for brands in todays dynamic e-commerce landscape.

In what specific ways does ODN envision enabling the expansion of Indian brands into the Middle East and Europe through this collaboration? How does the integration of content strategy and marketplaces contribute to a seamless cross-border journey for these brands?

In this partnership, Channel Engine will support ODNs Footsteps in the MEA and European markets, while ODN will empower the expansion of Indian brands into MEA and Europe.

Collaboratively, we are harnessing the potential of ODNs outstanding E-commerce Content Solutions and Channel Engines state-of-the-art technology to empower brands to overcome the hurdles of expanding across borders. It will give retailers effortless control over their marketplace sales, enhanced product listings, and the catalyst for precision-targeted advertising campaigns. This synergy forms a triumphant formula for success!

Whenever a brand thinks of going live, there are two questions  Content and End-to-end marketplace management. This collaboration is going to help brands who are trying to sell online in the MEA and European markets and are struggling their way out. ODN and Channel Engine together can hold their hand to will support in enhancing sales and conversion in these markets.

In what specific ways does ODN envision enabling the expansion of Indian brands into the Middle East and Europe through this collaboration? How does the integration of content strategy and marketplaces contribute to a seamless cross-border journey for these brands?

We are trying to envision the expansion of Indian brands into the Middle East and Europe by enabling them with the right content that enables sales and conversion and eventually getting them listed on the right marketplaces as per category understanding. Having exposure to the GEC market with multiple active clients and delivering Content Services from year to year; ODN is fully set to enable the Indian brands into the Middle East and Europe.

Adding to the journey, the Channel Engine can be the medium to provide solutions to their logistics and fulfilment for global last-mile delivery, marketplace issues, media strategy, and advertisement along with supporting the integration process and setting up a stable and scalable integration. Also, cross border invoicing, translation and global product mapping and information distribution can be effectively managed.

Our collaborative purpose for the brands would be to make the cross-border accessible.

Given the diverse global markets ODN aims to connect Indian brands and retailers to, what challenges and opportunities do you foresee in terms of adapting to and capitalizing on evolving industry trends? How does ODN plan to navigate and leverage these dynamics for the benefit of its clients?

There are a few challenges that could be foreseen such as:

Cultural Differences: Understanding and navigating diverse cultural nuances and consumer behaviours in various markets could pose a challenge.

Understanding and navigating diverse cultural nuances and consumer behaviours in various markets could pose a challenge. Regulatory Compliance: Adhering to different regulations and compliance standards in each market may require careful consideration and adaptation.

Adhering to different regulations and compliance standards in each market may require careful consideration and adaptation. Logistical Complexities: Managing the logistics of international shipping, supply chain, and distribution could present operational challenges.

Managing the logistics of international shipping, supply chain, and distribution could present operational challenges. Market Competition: Each global market has its competitive landscape, and standing out among local and international competitors is essential.

The diverse global markets have opportunities galore.

Global Brand Recognition: Successful expansion can lead to enhanced global brand recognition and credibility.

Successful expansion can lead to enhanced global brand recognition and credibility. Adapting to Trends: Being present in various markets allows Brands to adapt quickly to emerging industry trends.

Being present in various markets allows Brands to adapt quickly to emerging industry trends. Economies of Scale:Leveraging economies of scale through international operations can lead to cost efficiencies.

ODN plans to leverage these opportunities and overcome the challenges through market research, strategic partnerships, implementing technology, etc.

Market Intelligence: Through thorough market research and market intelligence, local preferences, trends, and competition are analysed.

Through thorough market research and market intelligence, local preferences, trends, and competition are analysed. Adaptive Strategies: ODN has implemented adaptive strategies tailored to each market's unique characteristics and requirements.

ODN has implemented adaptive strategies tailored to each market's unique characteristics and requirements. Technology Integration: Utilizing AI and data analytics ODN is staying agile and responding to evolving trends.

Utilizing AI and data analytics ODN is staying agile and responding to evolving trends. Partnerships and Collaborations:Building strategic partnerships like Channel Engine with local entities can aid in overcoming regulatory hurdles and understanding local markets.

With a focus on optimizing sales, streamlining operations, and elevating revenue for brands and retailers, how does ODN Digital Services plan to leverage its expertise in Shop-Now Content strategies to achieve these objectives in the context of the partnership with Channel Engine?

ODN has the vision to ensure creative ideas get visually manifested and deliver great value for brands. To deliver the same with the best possible quality while managing scale and the least possible industry-offered time; we get thousands of products live on marketplaces from shoots to listing with 100% marketplace acceptance and ensuring an 80% fill rate with a 9+ content score on more than 50 marketplaces across 11 countries including the Middle East with clientele of Landmark Group, Fossil, Apparel Group, Noon. A well-known watch and lifestyle brand has seen a significant decrease of 80% in content production across APAC through our Content Services.

With Channel Engine Plugins, the brands would be able to streamline operations through their technical solutions and operational solutions like logistic management, returns management, global last-mile delivery and more, along with advertisement and promotional solutions to enhance sales.
Ritika Chandhok joins RHI Magnesita, the global leader in refractories as Head of Communications and Public Affairs for India, West Asia and Africa to generate a significant impact by strengthening the company's communications, branding and digital marketing across various platforms.

With over 20 years of experience in driving communications, public relations, strategic branding, reputation management and digital growth to accelerate business results, Ritika brings a wealth of expertise to her new role. Prior to joining RHI Magnesita, she worked as the Head - Corporate Communication and PR at KONE Elevators India and worked with Bharti Airtel Ltd., Essar Aegis Ltd., Exhibitions India Group and Aptech Education previously holding various positions in Corporate Communication, PR, Marketing Communications & Digital Marketing.

On her appointment, Ritika shared, I firmly believe Ive joined a culture, an ethos thats committed to the cause of industrial progress and global connectivity. RHI Magnesita stands as an iconic brand that has set benchmarks for excellence in the global refractory industry, shaping the future of manufacturing and engineering worldwide. I am looking forward to contributing to the companys journey of growth and success."
SRV Media Pvt Ltd, an integrated marketing solution provider headquartered in Pune, continues to solidify its position as a leader in the digital marketing landscape with its recent triumph at the Google Premier Partner Awards 2023. The agency proudly received two Breakthrough Excellence Awards in the prestigious categories of Online Sales and Brand Awareness, underscoring its exceptional performance and unwavering commitment to excellence. Out of over 75 Google Premier Partner Agencies in contention for the coveted award, SRV Media Pvt Ltd's exceptional achievements stood out, earning commendation from a Google third-party team. Each agency's performance was rigorously evaluated based on the excellence of execution and the tangible results achieved through their Google ads campaigns.

Commenting on this remarkable achievement, Dr. Vikram Kumar, MD & Founder, SRV Media Pvt Ltd, expressed gratitude and pride in the team's dedication and expertise. "We are immensely honoured to receive the prestigious Google Premier Partner Awards 2023. This recognition is a testament to the hard work, creativity, and strategic thinking of our team members who consistently strive to deliver outstanding results for our clients,"

The Google Premier Partner Awards are highly competitive, with agencies from India vying for recognition across various categories, including Brand Awareness, Online Sales, Lead Generation, App Growth, International Growth, and Workplace Excellence. SRV Media was shortlisted as a finalist in two categories and emerged victorious in both, clinching the Breakthrough Excellence Awards for Online Sales and Brand Awareness.

Additionally, two impactful case studies were published and presented by Google India in various events. The first highlighted a collaboration resulting in a 41% increase in Brand Search Terms and reaching a unique audience of 15 million. The second showcased their work, achieving a remarkable 277% increase in sales (month on month) and a 31.93% decrease in Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) through innovative video action campaigns. These case studies underscore the ability to drive tangible results for clients in the digital marketing arena.

The company's innovative approach and client-centric strategies have earned it numerous accolades, including recognition at prestigious industry events such as the e4m Maverick Awards and Social Samosa Agency Con. Notably, SRV Media was also named one of the 10 Best Public Relations Companies by Global Hues Magazine. The recent wins at the Google Premier Partner Awards 2023 further affirm SRV Media's commitment to excellence and client success, setting new standards in the digital marketing industry.
Federal Department of Foreign Affairs

Bern, 20.02.2024 - Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, the head of the FDFA, will address the United Nations in New York on 22 and 23 February 2024 to mark the two-year anniversary of the war in Ukraine. He will take part in the UN Security Council and General Assembly debates on the situation in Ukraine, as well as a side event focusing on humanitarian mine action. He will also participate in various bilateral meetings.

On Thursday, Mr Cassis will commence his trip to UN headquarters in New York with a speech on humanitarian mine action in Ukraine. The contamination of a third of Ukraine  an area four times the size of Switzerland  by mines and other unexploded ordnance is having devastating consequences, both for the local population and for global food security. The elimination of these mines and other unexploded ordnance is a prerequisite for the recovery process in Ukraine and the return of displaced persons. Switzerland is strongly committed to this issue and will be organising a Ukraine Mine Action Conference at ministerial level in October 2024.

Mr Cassis will address the General Assembly and then the UN Security Council on Friday 23 February. The two-year anniversary of the war in Ukraine will be the focus of these two annual international meetings in New York. Mr Cassis will reiterate Switzerland's call for respect for the UN Charter and international humanitarian law, as well as our commitment to a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine. At these two multilateral forums, he will also reiterate Switzerland's intention to organise a high-level conference for peace in Ukraine.

Various bilateral meetings are also on the Swiss Foreign Ministers New York agenda.

Address for enquiries

Nicolas Bideau

Head of FDFA Communication

nicolas.bideau@eda.admin.ch

Tel. +41 79 667 69 15

Press service tel. +41 58 460 55 55

Email: kommunikation@eda.admin.ch

Twitter: @EDA_DFAE / @SwissMFA

Publisher

Federal Department of Foreign Affairs

https://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/home.html




WikiLeaks founder Julian Assanges fight to avoid facing spying charges in the United States may be nearing an end following a protracted legal saga in the U.K. that included seven years of self-exile inside a foreign embassy and five years in prison.

Assange faces what could be his final court hearing in London next week as he tries to stop his extradition to the U.S. The High Court has scheduled two days of arguments over whether Assange can ask an appeals court to block his transfer. If the court doesnt allow the appeal to go forward, he could be sent across the Atlantic.

His wife says the decision is a matter of life and death for Assange, whose health has deteriorated during his time in custody. His life is at risk every single day he stays in prison, Stella Assange said Thursday. If hes extradited, he will die. WHAT IS ASSANGE CHARGED WITH? Assange, 52, an Australian computer expert, has been indicted in the U.S. on 18 charges over Wikileaks publication of hundreds of thousands of classified documents in 2010. Prosecutors say he conspired with US army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning to hack into a Pentagon computer and release secret diplomatic cables and military files on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

He faces 17 counts of espionage and one charge of computer misuse. If convicted, his lawyers say he could receive a prison term of up to 175 years, though American authorities have said any sentence is likely to be much lower.

Assange and his supporters argue he acted as a journalist to expose U.S. military wrongdoing and is protected under press freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Among the files published by WikiLeaks was video of a 2007 Apache helicopter attack by American forces in Baghdad that killed 11 people, including two Reuters journalists.

Julian has been indicted for receiving, possessing and communicating information to the public of evidence of war crimes committed by the U.S. government, Stella Assange said. Reporting a crime is never a crime. U.S. lawyers say Assange is guilty of trying to hack the Pentagon computer and that WikiLeaks publications created a grave and imminent risk to U.S. intelligence sources in Afghanistan and Iraq.

WHY HAS THE CASE DRAGGED ON SO LONG? While the U.S. criminal case against Assange was only unsealed in 2019, his freedom has been restricted for more than a dozen years. Assange took refuge in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London in 2012 and was granted political asylum after courts in England ruled he should be extradited to Sweden as part of a rape investigation in the Scandinavian country. He was arrested by British police after Ecuadors government withdrew his asylum status in 2019 and then jailed for skipping bail when he first took shelter inside the embassy.

Although Sweden dropped its sex crimes investigation, Assange has remained in Londons high-security Belmarsh Prison while the extradition battle with the U.S. continues. A judge in London initially blocked Assanges transfer to the U.S. on the grounds he was likely to kill himself if held in harsh American prison conditions. But subsequent courts cleared the way for the move after U.S. authorities provided assurances he wouldnt experience the severe treatment that his lawyers said would put his physical and mental health at risk.

Stella Assange and her husbands supporters have criticized those assurances as being meaningless because they are conditional.

WHAT ARE POSSIBLE OUTCOMES FROM THE HEARING? If the London court rejects Assanges plea for a full appeal, he could be extradited to the U.S. once British officials approve his removal. His legal team plans to appeal an adverse ruling to the European Court of Human Rights, but they fear he could possibly be transferred before the court in Strasbourg, France, could halt his removal.

If he prevails at next weeks hearing, it would set the stage for an appeal process that is likely to further drag out the case. This procedure has been marked by prolonged and creeping time frames, Wikileaks Editor-in-Chief Kristinn Hrafnsson said. We call it punishment through process. It is obviously a deliberate attempt to wear him down to punish him by taking this long. While the U.K. Supreme Court rejected Assanges petition, saying he didnt raise an arguable point of law, his wife said his new bid will raise several points that are grounds for appeal.

Lawyers for Assange plan to argue he cant get a fair trial in the U.S., that a U.S.-U.K. treaty prohibits extradition for political offenses and that the crime of espionage was not meant to apply to publishers.

The drafters of the Espionage Act did not intend for publishers to fall within its ambit, Stella Assange wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. Unchallenged expert evidence showed that receipt and publication of state secrets is routine, and that there was an unbroken practice of non-prosecution of publishers. The prosecution crosses a new legal frontier and breaks all legal precedents.' WHAT IS ASSANGES CURRENT STATE? Stella Assange said her husbands mental and physical health has declined dramatically and hes aged prematurely in prison. He experienced a mini-stroke in October 2021 and was so ill in December that he broke a rib coughing. I worry about him every time he gets sick, Stella Assange said. The mental toll is extreme. The couple, who got married at Belmarsh Prison almost two years ago, have two young sons, Gabriel and Max, who were conceived during Assanges stay in the embassy.

The boys visit their father in prison every week, undergoing security checks that include being patted down by guards and sniffed by dogs, Stella Assange said. The couple is protective of the children, who havent been told why their father is behind bars, according to their mother. I dont think its fair on them to know whats really going on, she said as she choked up. They know exactly what a prison is. They know that the guards are stopping Julian from leaving the prison even though he wants to come home.
Dillards is bringing The Coterie Shop - the stores elevated style concept - to Huntsville.

The shop, which showcases special occasion and casual dressing pieces, will be at several locations nationwide, including Dillards at Parkway Place. The collections are also available online.

The Coterie Shop features pieces from Abbey Glass, Buru, Crosby by Mollie Burch and Fanm Mon.

According to the company, all four lines were all born of the common theme that dressing, whether for special occasions or for the everyday moments that matter, can inspire confidence, self-expression and joy.

Abbey Glass is a luxury womenswear brand founded in 2015. Buru is a Los Angeles-based brand with collections centered around bold textiles, whimsical prints, unique-yet-versatile silhouettes and playful use of color. Crosby by Mollie Burch is known for its imaginative use of color and original prints. Sophia Demirtas founded Fanm Mon in 2013 as an ode to her Haitian heritage, with brand embracing the artisanal techniques of Ukraine, where it was once based, and Turkey, where it made a new home.
A former Alabama resident who allegedly held a woman in a cinderblock cell in Oregon and sexually abused her has been charged with a second kidnapping and tried to escape jail.

Negasi Zuberi, of Klamath Falls, Oregon, has lived in 10 states over the last decade, including Alabama. He resided in Tuscaloosa from around June 2014 to April 2015 and Northport from roughly June 2018 to April 2020, the FBI told AL.com in August when the agency expanded its investigation.

At the time, the FBI said there may have been additional victims but none have been identified as Alabama victims.

In late August, Zuberi allegedly tried to escape from his cell in the Jackson County, Oregon, Jail using an improvised tool, KOIN in Portland reported Tuesday, citing authorities. But the jails reinforced windows prevented Zuberi from making an escape. He was then moved to a hard cell without exterior windows.

Less than two weeks later, deputies said he had attempted to escape his jail cell by breaking through the glass in his cell window at the Jackson County Jail on Aug. 22.

In September, Zuberi was indicted by a grand jury in Oregon on 10 additional felony counts and a misdemeanor, including first-degree rape, sodomy and kidnapping with a firearm in connection with a May 6 kidnapping, KOIN in Portland reported Tuesday.

Those charges came after Zuberi was arrested for allegedly holding a Washington woman captive in a makeshift cinderblock cell and sexually assaulting her in connection with a July kidnapping.

He left his home in Klamath Falls to Seattle on July 15, where he solicited a prostitute while posing as a police officer, the FBI said, citing court records.

The woman told authorities Zuberi pointed a Taser at her and put her in handcuffs and leg irons before putting her in the back seat of his car.

Zuberi then traveled about 450 miles with the woman, sexually assaulting her during the trip.

When Zuberi and the woman arrived at his home in Oregon, he put her in a makeshift cell he built in his garage. The cell was made of cinder blocks and contained a metal door installed in reverse so it could not be opened from the inside.

The makeshift cinderblock cell allegedly built by Negasi Suberi, where a woman was allegedly held captive before escaping.

Once Zuberi left, the woman repeatedly banged on the the cell door, bloodying her hands in the process, until she was able to break the door down. She then flagged down a passing motorist, who called 911.

The womans quick thinking and will to survive may have saved other women from a similar nightmare, said Stephanie Shark, assistant special agent in charge of the FBIs Portland field office, in a statement.

We are fortunate that this brave woman escaped and alerted authorities. Through quick law enforcement action, we were able to get Zuberi in custody the next day, Shark continued. While she may have helped protect future victims, sadly we have now linked Zuberi to additional violent sexual assaults in at least four states, and there could be more.
A proposed health care sciences-focused high school championed by Gov. Kay Ivey for more than a year would be created under a bill filed recently.

The bills filing by Rep. Cynthia Almond, R-Tuscaloosa, and Sen. Bobby Singleton D-Greensboro, came after the results of a feasibility study on the school were published. Among the findings of that study, which lawmakers commissioned for $500,000 last September, was that Demopolis was the ideal location for the school, as Ivey had originally proposed.

It addresses the states need for health care workers, and thats really something thats trying to directly address the problem weve identified as a body, Almond told Alabama Daily News on Thursday. So Im very excited to get behind anything trying to address the problems that we have.
An Alabama woman came within a few letters of winning a new car Monday evening on Wheel of Fortune.

Its not like Cherish Franklin of Mobile had a bad night. She dominated most of the episode, racking up $24,300, putting her well out in front of Beth Ann Sinnett from Ohio ($9,571 and a trip valued at $7,571) and Broderick McMillan of Charlotte, N.C. ($2,000). She might have done even better if not for spinning an untimely bankrupt on the wheel, costing her nearly $4,000 and a potential shot at a million dollars.

She made it to the nights bonus round, however, with an Infiniti QX50 as the prize. Unfortunately, she guessed Cant say the word when the mystery phrase was Just say the word.

You were right there at the end, said host Pat Sajak. If you had a few more seconds you would have been there.

You hear the sadness, rippling through the audience there? he said. Then he worked to take the sting out of the near miss. Come here, you got $24,300, for goodness sake, he said. You did great. You good?

Yes! said Franklin, laughing as Sajak put things in perspective.

In Facebook posts before the episode aired, Franklin referred to her experience on the show as the chance of a lifetime.
A drive-by shooting in an east Birmingham neighborhood sent one man to the hospital.

Birmingham police East Precinct officers were dispatched about 1 p.m. Monday to a shooting call in the 4100 block of 51st Avenue North.

They arrived to find an adult male with a gunshot wound. Police radio communications indicated the victim was shot in the abdomen.

Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service transported the victim to UAB Hospital. His injuries are life-threatening.

Sgt. LaQuitta Wade said the preliminary investigation indicates the victim was struck in a drive-by.

This story will be updated if more information becomes available.
A 1-year-old died early Tuesday at a Lee County hospital after he was found unresponsive at his home.

The child has been identified as Ezekiel Narville, according Lee County Coroner Daniel Sexton.

Dorothy Kay Hight, 32, and Seth Chandler Jake Kendrick, 29, are charged with capital murder in the childs death.

Opelika police Capt. John Hester said Hight was the boys mother and Kendrick has been described as a friend that lived at the home with them.

Police responded at 12:15 a.m. Tuesday the 200 block of 24th Street in Opelika on a report of an unresponsive child. Ezekiel was taken to East Alabama Medical Center where he was pronounced dead at 12:29 a.m.

His body has been taken to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences for an autopsy. No additional details have yet been released.

Hester said the child showed obvious physical injury.

We take all homicides seriously but when its a kid, it is worse, Hester said. Most of us have children, and these cases are harder to work. It takes a toll.

Theyre truly innocent and we want to do everything to get justice, Hester said.

Police said the investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Opelika Police Department Detective Division at 334-705-5220 or the Secret Witness Hotline at 334-745-8665. Tips can also be submitted through the Opelika Police mobile app. You may wish to remain anonymous.
As a part-time customer service representative, Jolene Dybas earns less than $15,000 a year, which is below the federal poverty level and too low for her to be eligible for subsidized health insurance on the Obamacare marketplace.

Dybas, 53, also does not qualify for Medicaid in her home state of Alabama because she does not meet the program requirements. She instead falls into a coverage gap and faces hundreds of dollars a month in out-of-pocket payments, she said, to manage multiple chronic health conditions.

I feel like Im living in a state that doesnt care for me, said Dybas, a resident of Saraland, a suburb of Mobile.

Alabama is one of 10 states that have refused to adopt the Affordable Care Acts expansion of Medicaid, the government health insurance program for people who are low-income or disabled.

But lawmakers in Alabama and some other Southern states are reconsidering their opposition in light of strong public support for Medicaid expansion and pleas from powerful sectors of the health care industry, especially hospitals.

Expansions are under consideration by Republican legislative leaders in Georgia and Mississippi, in addition to Alabama, raising the prospect that more than 600,000 low-income, uninsured people in those three states could gain coverage, according to KFF data.

Since a 2012 Supreme Court ruling rendered the ACAs Medicaid expansion optional, it has remained a divisive issue along party lines in some states. Political opposition has softened, in part because North Carolinas Republican-controlled legislature voted last year to expand the program. Already, more than 346,000 residents of the Tar Heel State have gained coverage.

And lawmakers in nearby states are taking notice.

There has certainly been a lot of discussion of late about Medicaid expansion, said Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns, a Republican, in a speech to the state chamber of commerce shortly after the legislative session began on Jan. 8.

Expanding access to care for lower-income working families through a private option  in a fiscally responsible way that lowers premiums  is something we will continue to gather facts on in the House, Burns said.

In addition to Georgia, state House speakers in Alabama and Mississippi have indicated a new willingness to consider coverage expansion. All three states have experienced a large number of hospital closures, particularly in rural areas.

Medicaid expansion has become politically safer to consider, said Frank Knapp, president of South Carolinas Small Business Chamber of Commerce. In his state, Republican lawmakers are weighing whether to appoint a committee to study expansion.

Its the kind of momentum some health policy analysts view as a favorable shift in the political discourse about expanding access to care. And it comes as a new crop of conservative leaders grapple with their states persistently high rates of poor, uninsured adults.

An additional incentive: Under President Joe Bidens 2021 American Rescue Plan Act, the federal government pays newly expanded states an additional 5 percentage points in the matching rate for their regular Medicaid population for two years, which would more than offset the cost of expansion for that period.

But even as new discussions take place in legislatures that once froze out any talk of Medicaid expansion, considerable obstacles remain. Republican Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves, for example, still opposes expansion. And several nonexpansion states appear to have little to no momentum.

A lot of things need to come together in any given state to make things move, said Robin Rudowitz, director of the Program on Medicaid and the Uninsured at KFF.

Under Medicaid expansion, adults earning up to 138% of the federal poverty level, or about $35,600 for a family of three, qualify for coverage.

Expansion has reduced uninsured rates in rural areas, improved access to care for low-income people, and lowered uncompensated care costs for hospitals and clinics, according to KFF analyses of studies from 2014 to 2021. In states that have refused to expand Medicaid, all of those challenges remain acute.

Alabamas legislative session began Feb. 6. Republican House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter has suggested that hes open to debating options for increased coverage. So many hospitals are in dire straits, he said at a Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce meeting in January. Weve got to have the conversation.

Expansion could make as many as 174,000 uninsured people in Alabama eligible for coverage, according to KFF data. Still, Ledbetter prefers a public-private partnership model, and has looked at Arkansas program, which uses federal and state money to pay for commercial insurance plans on the Obamacare marketplace for people who would be eligible for Medicaid under expansion.

In Alabama, lawmakers have introduced a plan that would levy a state tax on gaming revenue and could help fund health insurance coverage for adults with annual incomes up to 138% of the federal poverty level.

Robyn Hyden, executive director of advocacy group Alabama Arise, which supports Medicaid expansion, has seen progress on efforts to increase coverage. The devils going to be in the details, she said.

Mississippis new House speaker, Jason White, a Republican, has said he wants to protect hospitals and keep residents from seeking regular care through the emergency room. More than 120,000 uninsured people in Mississippi would become newly eligible for Medicaid under expansion, according to KFF data.

White told KFF Health News in a written statement that improving access to health care is a priority for business leaders, community officials, and voters.

The desire to keep Mississippians in the workforce and out of the emergency room transcends any political party and is a vital component to a healthy workforce and a healthy economy, he said. State legislators are determined to work with Reeves on the issue, he said.

Burns, the Georgia House speaker, has said that hes open to a proposal for an Arkansas-style plan. Republican Gov. Brian Kemp said he would reserve comment until after the legislative process, according to spokesperson Carter Chapman.

He emphasized Kemps commitment to his recently launched plan requiring low-income adults to work, volunteer, or receive schooling or vocational training for 80 hours a month in exchange for Medicaid coverage. As of mid-January, the cumulative enrollment was right around 3,000. Expansion could make at least 359,000 uninsured people in Georgia newly eligible for Medicaid, according to KFF data.

In South Carolina, Republican lawmakers are considering legislation that would allow them to form a committee to study expansion. State Sen. Tom Davis, a Republican from Beaufort who sponsored the bill and previously opposed expanding Medicaid, said hes not endorsing or opposing Medicaid expansion at this time.

We need to have a debate, Davis said during a committee meeting in January.

The state legislature would likely have to work with Gov. Henry McMaster, a Republican, who, according to spokesperson Brandon Charochak, remains opposed to Medicaid expansion.

North Carolina started enrolling residents under its expansion Dec. 1. They included Patrick Dunnagan, 38, of Raleigh. The former outdoor guide said he hasnt been able to work for years because of kidney disease and chronic pain.

He has relied on financial support from his family and said his medical debt stands at more than $5,000. Medicaid coverage will provide financial security.

Dunnagan said people with chronic health conditions in nonexpansion states are accumulating medical debt and not getting the care they need.

Bills proposed in Texas legislature didnt get a vote last year. And the state doesnt allow voter-initiated referendums, which have been a route to expansion in some Republican-led states. An estimated 1.2 million uninsured people would be eligible for coverage  more than in any other state still holding out  if Texas expanded.

Republican lawmakers in Tennessee and Florida have said they wont allow Medicaid expansion. In Florida, advocates have launched a petition drive for a ballot initiative, but the earliest it could go to voters is 2026.

In Kansas, Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat, is once again pressing her states Republican-controlled legislature to adopt Medicaid expansion, calling it a commonsense proposal that would lower health care costs for all consumers and protect rural hospitals. But the states House speaker remains opposed to Medicaid expansion.

Advocates believe its only a matter of time before Medicaid expansion happens nationwide as opposition eases and people continue to suffer the consequences of being uninsured.

For Dybas in Alabama, the prospect of gaining coverage is enough to make her consider relocating. In Minnesota, where she once lived, I wouldnt have this problem, Dybas said.

Perhaps, as in Arkansas, conservatives will adopt models that rely more heavily on commercial insurance.

But many holdout states in the South  where death rates for heart disease, cancer, and diabetes are mostly worse than in other states  see growing disparities between the health of their citizens and those of neighboring states that have expanded, said Lucy Dagneau, a senior director for the American Cancer Societys advocacy arm, the Cancer Action Network. The group lobbies state legislatures for expanded insurance coverage.

There will be a tipping point for all these states, she said.

____

KFF Health News South Carolina correspondent Lauren Sausser and senior correspondent Renuka Rayasam contributed to this report.

(KFF Health News, formerly known as Kaiser Health News (KHN), is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs of KFF  the independent source for health policy research, polling and journalism.)

2024 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Grace Carter was attending her Tuesday night Bible study class at Everlasting Life Holiness Church three days after Christmas in 2021 when witnesses said they thought she had gone into cardiac arrest.

Instead, the 65-year-old Mobile woman was found shot in the chest from gunfire outside the Prichard church. She died an innocent victim, killed by a 27-year-old woman firing a gun outside.

It was where my mother went practically every Tuesday, said Dee Carter, who started up the Amazing Grace Foundation focused on gun violence following her mothers death. (The shooter) was out driving around and attempting to shoot someone else. My mother left home that day and she never came back.

Grace Carter is not alone, and officials in Mobile County are hoping increased penalties against people who shoot at occupied and unoccupied buildings and vehicles will stop a deadly trend.

State legislation in the form of HB174, was unveiled during a news conference Monday at Mobiles Government Plaza, that would elevate the felony charges for someone convicted of discharging a firearm at occupied and unoccupied dwellings or vehicles.

If the bill becomes law, both offenses would be punishable under the most serious felonies in Alabama, and on par with murder.

These senseless murders of innocent people have got to stop, said State Rep. Barbara Drummond, D-Mobile, sponsor of the bill filed on Friday. The only tool I have is to change the law.

Under the proposed legislation, shooting into an occupied building or vehicle would go from a Class B to a Class A felony while shooting into an unoccupied building or vehicle would go from a Class C felony to a Class A.

A Class A offense in Alabama includes murder, kidnapping, rape, robbery, and arson. Punishment ranges from 10 to 99 years in prison with fines up to $60,000.

We find that many perpetrators, they dont know who is behind that wall and whether (the building) is occupied or unoccupied, Drummond said. One thing is striking to me is that when they shoot up these homes, they do not intend for anyone to live. And its not only these innocent individuals who are dying, but families are terrorized.

Drummond was flanked by Republican Mobile County Sheriff Paul Burch and Police Chief Paul Prine who voiced support for the bill they see as a solution toward resolving a troubling trend of indiscriminate shootings that lead to tragedies.

The most recent high-profile example occurred Jan. 15, on Interstate 165. A 15-year-old girl, who was the passenger in a SUV, was shot and killed during a rolling shootout that also left a 9-year-old wounded.

9-year-old Cailee Knight was shot and killed as she slept on her couch in an apparent drive-by shooting.(Facebook photo)

A month earlier, 9-year-old Cailee Knight was shot and killed by a bullet while sleeping on a couch inside her home on Rhett Drive. Authorities said that people with high-powered weapons drove by the home and opened fire.

A near tragedy occurred around 1 p.m. on Sunday, following a shooting at St. Stephens Road and Jones Street in Mobile. A 10-year-old girl, who was a passenger in the backseat of a vehicle that was shot at, was grazed by a bullet and sent to a hospital for treatment.

Its got to stop, Prine said. I think when you look up here now you see a concerted effort of the community coming together for the same cause. We are for saving lives.

Drummond said she was uncertain about how HB174 will be handled in a Legislature that is supermajority Republican, and which voted to support permitless carry two years ago despite objections from law enforcement.

But Drummond said she has already gathered some Republican support for her measure and is hopeful it can get a hearing soon in a legislative committee.

Rep. Mark Shirey, R-Mobile, the bill is not a Second Amendment matter, but is focused on public safety.

Shirey said the legislation could be amended to address the Class A felony for shooting into an unoccupied building  which is the same offense for shooting into an occupied dwelling under HB174.

But he said the legislation is needed amid a growing number of alarming incidences.

If youre shooting into a building, you dont know if there is anyone in there or not, he said. And if you shoot into a building, you dont care. You dont know know if its occupied or not. And you have the exact same intent.

Burch said the principle behind HB174 is to make an arrest and conviction on someone shooting into a building  occupied or not  before they commit a murder.

Thats the principle behind it, to catch them early, lock them up and prevent a murder.

Nikklos Kidd, CEO of the Mobile-based non-profit Measure of a Man project, said if lawmakers can apply mandatory-minimum for possession small amounts of fentanyl  which they approved last spring  then they can apply harsher penalties for shooting up buildings and vehicles.

Why would you shoot into someones home not caring who is behind the wall? Kidd said. At what point do we say, enough is enough.

Mobile City Council President C.J. Small said the legislation could help eliminate a problem he said is hurting Mobiles reputation.

Its a small population who is making this problem look big, Small said. Well do everything we can to cease this from happening so people can feel safe going to church, the MoonPie drop (on New Years Eve), and Mardi Gras parades and enjoy the quality of life.

Grace Carter, 65, was killed Dec. 28, 2021, when a stray bullet entered a south Alabama church where she was attending Bible study. (Facebook)

For the family of Grace Carter, the hope is that the legislation can help save lives.

These things are senseless, said Dee Carter. We need better laws to prevent innocent families from suffering like mine.
A Birmingham woman has been sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to the 2018 stabbing death of her longtime boyfriend.

Kuterah Benita Rich, 56, was initially charged with murder in the slaying of 50-year-old Antonio Pettaway. In late November 2023, she pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of manslaughter.

Jefferson County Circuit Judge Alaric May on Tuesday sentenced Rich to 20 years in prison with five years to serve. Previously out on bond, Rich was booked into the Jefferson County Jail following sentencing.

Pettaway was killed Sept. 2, 2018.

North Precinct officers responded about 9:20 p.m. that Saturday to 2525 37th Avenue North on a report of a person stabbed. Once on the scene, they found Pettaway suffering from at least one stab wound.

Pettaway was taken to UAB Hospital where he later died from his injury.

Rich and Pettaway had been together at least six years, according to family members.

Friends and family at the time said Pettaways was a son, father, brother, uncle, cousin, and a friend to many.

Pettaway grew up in Birmingham and was the father of three sons. Family said he loved to barbecue and was always funny.
An Alabama Supreme Court decision that gives fertilized eggs the same legal status as children in civil cases could disrupt care for families and physicians  but its effect remains unclear, experts said.

Lauren Olson is 26 weeks pregnant with a girl conceived through in vitro fertilization. Before her pregnancy, she suffered from endometriosis. When she underwent surgery to remove scar tissue, her doctors discovered her fallopian tubes were completely blocked.

Thats when we found out that IVF or adoption, or something like that would be our only way to have a child, Olson said.

Her employer offered insurance coverage for fertility treatment, and Olson and her husband found out they were expecting after fertility specialists transferred the first embryo. However, the decision could affect their plans for the remaining 10 embryos.

On Feb. 16, the Alabama Supreme Court released a decision granting embryos the same legal status as children in a wrongful death case brought by three families. Now Olson is unsure of whether she will be allowed to donate some of her remaining embryos to science as she had planned. She said she spoke to her doctor, who mentioned a possible plan to move the embryos out of state.

The case has changed the discussions she has had with her husband about using the embryos in the future or donating them to families in need.

We were never really worried because we thought we had all this time to figure out what we wanted to do with them, Olson said.

Families like hers could end up paying for years of storage for unused embryos, driving up the costs of care, according to a brief filed by the Medical Association of the State of Alabama.

The Appellants position would require such embryos to remain in cryogenic storage even after the couple who underwent the IVF treatment have died and potentially even after the couples children, grandchildren, and even great grandchildren have died, the medical association brief said. This absurd result would be the outcome if this Court extends wrongful death liability to the destruction of cryopreserved embryos.

Doctors typically remove and fertilize several eggs before implanting the ones with the best chance of growing into a healthy fetus, said Dr. Paula Amato, president of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. The other embryos can be frozen for later use, stalling their development at a very early stage.

By insisting that these very different biological entities are legally equivalent, the best state-of-the-art fertility care will be made unavailable to the people of Alabama, Amato said in a statement. No healthcare provider will be willing to provide treatments if those treatments may lead to civil or criminal charges.

The ruling could open the door to lawsuits in all cases where embryos dont survive being thawed and transferred to the uterus, said Sean Tipton, spokesman for the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. The threat of legal action could keep doctors and clinics from offering IVF in Alabama, the societys statement said.

Modern fertility care will be unavailable to the people of Alabama, needlessly blocking them from building the families they want, Amato said in the statement. Young physicians will choose not to come to the state for training or to begin their practice. Existing clinics will be forced to choose between providing sub-optimal patient care or shutting their doors.

Barbara Collura, CEO of Resolve: The National Infertility Association, said the decision raises a lot of questions about the future of advanced fertility treatment in the state. The process of freezing and storing embryos has become safer and more reliable over the years, making fertility treatment easier and more accessible. But the Alabama ruling could endanger that progress, she said.

This ruling did not say IVF is illegal, Collura said. But it did say the embryos that are handled in an IVF process are children. Are people. And that begs the question: Can we freeze a human? And if we freeze a human, who is liable for that?

The three families sued in Mobile after someone gained access to an unlocked cryogenic freezer, removed their embryos and destroyed them. A circuit court judge ruled they could not sue for wrongful death of a child because the frozen embryos did not count as children under the law.

A majority of Alabamas Supreme Court justices reversed that ruling in the Feb. 16 decision that defined a fertilized egg at the earliest moment of conception as a child.

The Wrongful Death of a Minor Act applies to all unborn children, regardless of their location, wrote Alabama Supreme Court Justice Jay Mitchell. [T]he Wrongful Death of a Minor Act is sweeping and unqualified. It applies to all children, born and unborn, without limitation. It is not the role of this Court to craft a new limitation based on our own view of what is or is not wise public policy. That is especially true where, as here, the People of this State have adopted a Constitutional amendment directly aimed at stopping courts from excluding unborn life from legal protection.

Dr. Mamie McLean, a specialist in reproductive endocrinology and infertility at Alabama Fertility, said she had heard from patients worried about their treatment and embryos. For now, she said she is moving cautiously forward with IVF treatment and waiting for more clarity about what the ruling means.

I have had five patients call me today, worried about their care, their embryos, McLean said. Wanting to make decisions with me, their physician, about the disposition of their embryos and concerned that this will limit their ability to build their family. I am concerned that this decision is adding to the anxiety that they feel.

McLean said she wants Alabama leaders to know that experts in in vitro fertilization are eager to be involved in future discussions that could affect her patients care.

Both sides of this come at this question with the same goals in mind, which is respect for human life and the desire to build healthy Alabama families, McLean said. I feel certain that with education and collaboration by experts in the field, such as physicians and scientists, we will be able to create a path forward that does not harm the women and families of Alabama.

Some politicians who oppose abortion have recently made statements against the creation and destruction of embryos during the IVF process. Collura said she is concerned the Alabama decision could spread to other states. Supporters right now are hailing it as a victory for the anti-abortion movement.

Leaders of Liberty Counsel, a conservative anti-abortion organization, said the ruling reinforces the belief that all embryos and fetuses deserve the same protection as children. The decision could have implications on abortion and reproductive care in other states.

Every human life begins as an embryo, and now the Alabama Supreme Court has upheld the decision of its citizenry that every unborn life should be protected, no matter their stage or location, said Mat Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel. This important ruling has far-reaching implications. Liberty Counsel is using this precedent to argue that Floridas proposed deceptive and misleading abortion amendment violates Floridas own laws that routinely recognize that an unborn child has the legally protected rights of a person. Unborn life must be protected at every stage.
Construction on the first Buc-ees in Mississippi is well ahead of schedule along Interstate 10 in Harrison County and the massive travel center may open before the end of this year.

Bill Lavers, executive director of the Harrison County Development Commission, told the Sun Herald he hopes to have the site open by Thanksgiving. Although not official, thats the timeline Buc-ees is working toward, he said.

When construction began, the timeframe for opening the new site wasnt until spring 2025.

Once it does open, the $50 million Buc-ees will be among the largest anywhere, with an estimated 74,000 square feet under its roof. At that size, it will dwarf the four Alabama franchises in Loxley, Athens, Leeds and Auburn, each of which is between 50,000-55,000 square feet.

Plans to build the first Buc-ees in Mississippi were initially announced by local officials in 2021, with the company confirming the build in 2022.

For those unaware, Buc-ees is a chain of travel centers spread across Texas and the southeastern U.S. Known for their immaculate bathrooms, huge gas station facilities, snack offerings and unique souvenir items, Buc-ees opened its first store in Lake Jackson, Texas, in 1982, with the name and now-famous mascot inspired by owner Arch Aplin IIIs nickname, Beaver, and his dog, Buck.

That first store was a modest 3,000 square feet. In the years since, both the stores and the number of locations have grown. Buc-ees has expanded to more than 40 massive stores located in seven states, with new locations in the works in Colorado, Louisiana, Missouri, Virginia and Wisconsin, as well as Mississippi.

The I-10 project in Mississippi will result in the widening of the interstate to six lanes from Diamondhead to Long Beach, with the funding provided by the federal infrastructure bill. According to the Sun Herald, Harrison County invested $15 million to rebuild the intersection at the I-10 exit to accommodate the additional traffic created by the new Buc-ees, as well as additional businesses expected to locate there.

The store is expected to create 200 new jobs, according to the report.
The City Council of Northport approved the first step toward an ambitious $350 million water park development Monday night, with plans for everything from hotels to a lazy river to rentable private islands.

The council approved entering into an agreement with a Texas developer for the two-plus phase project. The vote came during a three-hour meeting, which was livestreamed, and drew a large, at times contentious crowd.

The 11.73-acre University Beach project calls for a lake and sand beach, a waterfall, five slides, a floating obstacle course, with paddleboard and kayak rentals, on property currently owned by the city off U.S. 82.

The developer looks to acquire another 85.61 adjacent acres.

Eventually, the project would encompass 10,000 square feet of indoor dining, a concert venue, two hotels, restaurant and retail space. There would also be 64 single-family residences surrounding the development.

The Northport City Council approved a $350 million water park Monday, Feb. 19, 2024.City of Northport

Residents who spoke at the meeting brought up several objections to the project, such as its effect on the environment, drainage, traffic, property values, noise pollution and the size of the project.

Some commenters during the meeting drew applause for their words.

Tommy Williams, a resident in Shirley Farms, said hes lived in the community his entire life. I dont know if any of yall live in that area were talking about developing into this park, but I hope and pray that each of yall who vote on this think about it and pray about it, he said.

Kirk Patterson, who lives about a mile from the proposed site, said the city has already spent about $3 million on the project, which does not resemble a smaller, city-owned project the city had discussed last year.

This just is ungodly out of the picture from what everybodys been led to believe, Patterson said. Its not a good investment for the city of Northport. I think everybodys going to wind up regretting this, and its not going to be a pretty picture.

Misty Cadell, who lives in Providence Place, said she isnt sure how she feels about the project. She said she wants family attractions in the area for her two small children, but at $30 to $35 per person admission, the price isnt practically affordable.

This has the potential to price out a lot of people who would enjoy it, she said.
Prince William, the heir to the British throne, called Tuesday for an end to fighting in the Gaza Strip as soon as possible.

In a statement released by his office at Kensington Palace, he stopped short of calling for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza as the House of Commons prepares for a vote on that issue on Wednesday.

Sometimes it is only when faced with the sheer scale of human suffering that the importance of permanent peace is brought home, William said.

It is unusual for members of the royal family to say anything about highly charged issues such as the conflict in Gaza for fear of being drawn into political debates. But William used careful language focused on universal humanity rather than taking sides.

His statement noted the terrible human cost since the Hamas-led Oct. 7 attack in southern Israel and the desperate need for increased humanitarian support for Gaza. The U.N. is warning of growing malnourishment in parts of Gaza as little aid is allowed into the territory.

The prince plans to meet with aid workers active in the region and, separately, join a discussion at a synagogue with young people of different faiths who are fighting antisemitism.
A select group of student loan debt holders could see their balances erased under a new proposal from lawmakers.

Nine members of Congress sent a letter to Education Secretary Miguel Cardona last week asking that Parent PLUS borrowers  a special kind of student loan that parents take out in their own name to help their children with college costs  get special loan forgiveness, Newsweek reported.

Overall, options for relief for Parent PLUS borrowers remain extremely limited, the lawmakers wrote. Without addressing the intergenerational debt experienced by families with Parent PLUS loans, the Biden Administration will fall short of its commitments to fix our nations broken student loan system and to advance affordable access to higher education for all.

While Parent PLUS borrowers do qualify for one-time Income-Driven Repayment account adjustments, covering those who have been in repayment for at least 25 years, they are not eligible for the Savings on a Valuable Education, or SAVE plan, which offers some of the lowest monthly payments available.

The lawmakers are proposing SAVE be expanded to include Parent PLUS loan holders.

The only IDR plan available to Parent PLUS borrowers is the income-contingent repayment plan, which requires borrowers to pay the highest share of discretionary income of all the IDR plans. We urge the Department of Education to revise its existing regulations to expand Parent PLUS borrower eligibility to more generous income-driven repayment plans, including the new SAVE program, lawmakers said.

According to a fact sheet, there are currently 3.8 million Parent PLUS borrowers in the U.S., owing more than $112 billion and accounting for 13% of the total outstanding federal student loan debt. In 2020, the average Parent PLUS loan debt held by a students family member was $37,970, a 40% increase since 2000.

The letter was signed by Democratic Sens. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, Cory Booker of New Jersey, Tim Kaine of Virginia, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Alex Padilla of California, Brian Schatz of Hawaii, Tina Smith of Minnesota and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, as well as independent Senator Bernie Sanders.
A sea of Miles College students, dressed in suits and dresses, streamed out of the auditorium, buzzing.

Monday, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, the first Black party leader in Congress, asked Miles students what changes they would like to see in the country, from Black history to student debt relief to environmental equity.

Alabamas HBCUs have played such a pivotal role in shaping our nations history and educating the next generation of Black leaders and scholars. It was right here in Fairfield, Alabama that students at Miles College organized and led critical protests during the Civil Rights Movement and demanded fair treatment of Black people, Sewell said.

Jeffries said he has witnessed chaos, dysfunction and extremism as a Congress member. He said he is hopeful the students at Miles College will vote to change that.

Alabama has several state and national offices up for grabs this fall. Twenty-one people have filed to run for the states recently redrawn 2nd Congressional District. Sewell is running for reelection in the 7th Congressional District against one Democratic candidate and two Republican candidates.

They understand that old battles have indeed become new again, Sewell said. We see the attacks on voting rights, on teaching Black history, on empowering our communities.

Sewell is working to pass the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to modernize American voting rights and create stricter regulations for states that have multiple voting rights violations.

We are watching how issues like environmental injustice and unaffordable housing disproportionately impact low income and underserved communities, Sewell said.

Sewell said she stressed the importance of voting and the students ability to make history during the discussion with students, which was closed to media. Students expressed their desire for better local and national career opportunities, student debt cancellation and solutions to environmental injustice.

These wonderful students who had the opportunity to engage with us in a back and forth discussion, enlightened Terri Sewell and myself. Hopefully it provided some encouragement to them that we do view young people as the future, Jeffries said.

After todays fireside chat, the students here at Miles College are excited and prepared to carry on that torch, Sewell said.
IMPACT OF ALABAMA SUPREME COURT CASE ON IVF: After Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos are "extrauterine children," #TheView co-hosts weigh in. https://t.co/cVclFZQmjA pic.twitter.com/XqPRmbjZnV  The View (@TheView) February 20, 2024

The cast of ABCs The View Tuesday morning discussed last weeks Alabama Supreme Court ruling regarding frozen embryos.

The discussion ranged from one host who had undergone the procedure to members who saw the ruling as a legal stretch.

On Friday, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that three couples, whose frozen embryos were destroyed when a wandering Mobile hospital patient dropped the specimens, can sue for wrongful death because the embryos were children.

The Center for Reproductive Medicine, a fertility clinic used by the couples, and Mobile Infirmary Medical Center, where the embryos were being stored, claimed the couples could not sue for wrongful death because Alabamas Wrongful Death of a Minor Act does not cover embryos outside the womb.

But the Alabama Supreme Court disagreed when it reversed Mobile County Circuit Court Judge Jill Parrish Phillips ruling to dismiss the case in 2022.

Sunny Hostin said she went through five miscarriages before turning to invitro fertilization. She said she went through three cycles of IVF and now has two children. In the process, her family depleted its life savings, she said. Being Catholic, she said, we knew we couldnt destroy the embryos because they are, in our view, children.

I feel we were responsible, in that we used every single embryo, she said. My religious belief is that conception is the start of human life. When you look at an embryo, thats more than just an egg and a sperm...Its based on religious belief, but its also partially based on science, as well.

Sara Haines, however, said embryos arent viable outside the mothers body. I believe this is a stretch to call this a minor, she said. Not an embryo, not a fetus.

Haines went on to quote the court decision that human life cannot be destroyed without incurring the wrath of a holy God.

OK, then lets leave it up to the Holy God on Judgment Day and not the holy court, she said.

Joy Behar said she respected Hostins beliefs, and observed that its just Alabama, at the moment. Behar then went on to say Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett, on the court since 2020, is hostile to IVF. She believes that the process amounts to abortion and should be criminalized.

Barrett was criticized at the time of her confirmation for lending her name to an anti-abortion group that supports criminal penalties for doctors who discard embryos as part of IVF treatments.

Alyssa Farah Griffin said most women in her life have dealt with fertility issues. If youre pro-family, you want women to have optionality in having kids. You have to support at the right time some type of family planning.

Whoopi Goldberg said she believed wrongful death is a stretch, and that the people who are making these laws are not the people who know how this works.

I want to see them get agitated in Alabama about the children that are actually there, Goldberg said.

The Wrongful Death of a Minor Act applies to all unborn children, regardless of their location, wrote Alabama Supreme Court Justice Jay Mitchell. [T]he Wrongful Death of a Minor Act is sweeping and unqualified. It applies to all children, born and unborn, without limitation. It is not the role of this Court to craft a new limitation based on our own view of what is or is not wise public policy. That is especially true where, as here, the People of this State have adopted a Constitutional amendment directly aimed at stopping courts from excluding unborn life from legal protection.

The couples accused the defendants of wrongful death, negligence and breach of contract in two lawsuits filed in 2021 in Mobile County Circuit Court.
The head of the Tuscaloosa County School System and the principal of Tuscaloosa County High School condemned a photo of a promposal circulating on social media referencing Black people and cotton picking, saying the racially insensitive gesture will not be tolerated and does not reflect the beliefs and values of the school.

The photo features a poster that reads If I was Black Id be picking cotton but Im white so Im picking U 4 prom.

In a joint letter issued Saturday to parents, Tuscaloosa County Schools Superintendent Keri Johnson and Tuscaloosa County High School Principal Darrell Williams said they could not discuss any disciplinary action taken against the student who made the poster but told parents to be assured this behavior carrier serious consequences.

Several of you have reached out to me today about a social media post involving our school. The post shows a photo of a promposal at our school. In the photo, there is a poster, decorated with a statement that references cotton picking and African Americans, the statement read.

I want you to know there is absolutely no room for racially-motivated language at Tuscaloosa County High School and in the Tuscaloosa County School System. It will not be tolerated. Our Student Code of Conduct sets the expectation that students will show respect for others. The Beliefs of the Tuscaloosa County School System state that diversity is respected and included. While I cannot discuss disciplinary action involving a specific student, be assured that this behavior carries serious consequences, the message continued.

It is important to our administration that our students feel safe, valued, and included at Tuscaloosa County High School and in the Tuscaloosa County School System. We work to make this a reality every day at TCHS, and were always striving to do better. What is reflected in the photo circulating on social media does not reflect the beliefs and values of TCHS, Johnson and Williams went on to say.
This is an opinion column.

The 2024 Legislative Session was supposed to be the year lawmakers legalized gambling in Alabama.

The year it cracked down on election fraud  real or imagined.

The year it went to war over library books.

And if time permitted, the year Alabama outlawed lab-grown meat.

But now lawmakers have something new on their doorstep.

Because the Alabama Supreme Court, in a decision late Friday, ruled that frozen embryos  which it calls extrauterine children  are people, too, and the decision potentially ends popular fertility treatments in Alabama.

Alabama is now so pro-life that eager, anxious would-be parents might not be able to have babies.

Cant get much more pro-life than that.

The courts ruling follows a wrongful death lawsuit in Mobile. The plaintiffs had stored their unused frozen embryos at the Mobile Infirmary Medical Center, where a wandering patient meddled with them and dropped them on the floor. The embryos thawed, rendering them useless  dead, in the Alabama Supreme Courts language  and the plaintiffs sued.

A lower court ruled that Alabamas Wrongful Death of a Minor Act did not apply, but the state Supreme Court overturned that with an 8-to-1 decision.

For most folks, its pretty obvious that an embryo smaller than the period at the end of this sentence is not a person, but the Alabama Supreme Court now says that it is, and theres no telling where that leads.

The parties to these cases have raised many difficult questions, Justice Jay Mitchell wrote, including ones about the ethical status of extrauterine children, the application of the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution to such children, and the public-policy implications of treating extrauterine children as human beings.

Difficult questions, indeed. Unfortunately, Justice Mitchell didnt answer any of them. Instead, he passed the buck, back to lawmakers, saying the law says what it says.

But the Court today need not address these questions because, as explained below, the relevant statutory text is clear: the Wrongful Death of a Minor Act applies on its face to all unborn children, without limitation, Mitchell wrote.

Its pretty clear why Mitchell and his cohort on the court wouldnt want to answer such questions. Because they dont have any answers. Not good ones, anyway.

But lets consider a few.

When a couple has a child after IVF treatments and discards their leftover embryos, are they then guilty of mass murder? What about the clinic staff?

Are hopeful parents seeking such treatments on the hook to keep their unused frozen embryos forever?

What happens if they cant pay the thousands of dollars a year it costs to keep them frozen? Is the clinic responsible? Because we already know the state isnt going to cough up the cash. Who pays when mom and dad are gone?

Or lawmakers whove used these procedures to have families  are they killers?

But the biggest and most immediate question is whether fertility clinics can continue to operate in Alabama.

When we answer that one, we can move on to how we attract or retain talented workers to live in such a state.

Alabama Chief Justice Tom Parker was more effusive than his colleague Mitchell, his words all but jumping off the page in a concurring opinion. In a theocratic screed, he referenced God, the Bible, Augustine and Thomas Aquinas. Less, so the separation of church and state.

Im not being unfair in saying Parker based his decision on theology. He says so himself.

He writes, In summary, the theologically based view of the sanctity of life adopted by the People of Alabama encompasses the following: (1) God made every person in His image; (2) each person therefore has a value that far exceeds the ability of human beings to calculate; and (3) human life cannot be wrongfully destroyed without incurring the wrath of a holy God, who views the destruction of His image as an affront to Himself.

Wrath of God, huh?

Wrath is coming, but not from God. Not directly, at least.

Because a day is coming soon  perhaps today  when a woman will be told she cant be a mother because she lives in the wrong state.

A man will be told that if he wants to be a father, he and his partner will have to cross state lines.

Theyll be told that to be parents, theyll have to do it somewhere else  not Alabama.

And when that happens, theyll turn to their lawmakers and ask them why.

Perhaps, like Parker, they can mutter some drivel about the wrath of God.

God help them, if they do.

Unlike Justice Mitchell  they had better be ready to answer.

Or better: Fix this.

Kyle Whitmire is the 2023 winner of the Pulitzer Prize for commentary. You can follow him on Threads here and subscribe to his weekly newsletter, Alabamafication.
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin choked up, near tears, on Tuesday as he struggled to discuss the killings of six people on Friday that included a city employee and his own cousin.

We want to demand justice for these six victims and unborn child, Woodfin said. We want to demand justice for their families, because they deserve it.

The victims were all friends and family of city employees, he said.

Our community has been reeling from senseless acts of violence, Woodfin said in his report Tuesday morning to the Birmingham City Council.

At one point, Woodfin took a long, emotional pause.

We have our hearts with you and your family, said Council member Crystal Smitherman said as he struggled to continue.

For four days I havent shed a tear, Woodfin said.

Ive been worried about everybody else. For four days I havent had the best sleep, and when I have, Ive had a few nightmares, because I dont think women and unborn children should be killed. I dont think people who just get off work and just want to hang with their family should be killed, that people who want to go get their car washed should be killed. I know you dont believe that either.

Terrell Edwards was a city employee who started in Public Works and moved to Parks and Recreation, Woodfin said. He had just clocked out at 2:30, on Friday afternoon, Woodfin said. His cousin, Kevin McGhee, picked him up.

Both Edwards, 38, and McGhee, 38, along with Cortez Ray, 32, and Talton TJ Tait, 36, were gunned down outside a home about 2:45 p.m. in the 900 block of Center Street North.

McGhee, whose mother, Mary, works for the enforcement division of Parks and Recreation, had recently applied to be a City of Birmingham employee also, Woodfin said.

This affects our work family, Woodfin said.

Woodfin also spoke about the killing of his cousin, Angeliyah ne-vaeh Jolie Webster, who was pregnant, and Christan Tyre Norris, both 20, whose bodies were found about 4 p.m. Friday inside Norris vehicle in the 1500 block of 20th Place in Ensley.

Then you have this couple, both expecting parents, both 20 years of age, Woodfin said. That hits home.

The unborn child would have also been his cousin, the fifth generation on his fathers side, Woodfin said.

Liyah was pregnant with a minimum of fourth generation on my dads side, Woodfin said.

Theres so many questions, he said. There is a lot of angst and anger and sadness and frustration and a host of raw emotions.

Its an uphill battle against a culture that promotes violence and protects shooters, he said.

BPD is literally doing everything they can to walk down and investigate every single lead, Woodfin said. BPD cant do it themselves.

The reluctance of witnesses to provide information hampers investigation, Woodfin said.

It takes people with information to come forward, he said. There are too many people comfortable protecting shooters, housing them, giving them safe harbor, laying up with them, baby mamas, girlfriends, wives, whatever. Parents and siblings and friends who know what theyre doing, know they pull triggers, know theyre shooters, and give them safe haven.

Woodfin said that he had visited Edwards mother at her home in the Smithfield housing community and he offered his support to the families of all the victims.

To all our colleagues who knew these families, the mayors office is with you, were praying with you and for you, Woodfin said. We will continue to do everything to bring the swiftest justice, and some form of relief for these families, by catching the perpetrators who did this. We need the communitys help.
This is a guest opinion column

The aroma of sizzling meat is a cultural cornerstone in Alabama, but it neednt come from a whole animal anymore. Lab-grown meat, created from cells without the need for raising and slaughtering an animal, received FDA approval last year and aims to provide a sustainable and ethical alternative to factory farming.

Yet the Alabama legislature is preparing to ban such cultivated meat, making it a felony to produce, sell, or distribute this product in the state. If passed in the House, this ban would reek of government overreach, infringing upon the liberty of consumers and businesses to choose what they purchase or produce.

Why would the Alabama legislature tell consumers what they cant eat? The argument is that lab-grown meat is unnatural, unsafe, and threatens the cattle industry. None of these claims are true, but even if they were, an outright ban wouldnt make sense.

Cultivated meat is a new technology, and theres a sense in which it is unnatural. But no more than artificial sweeteners or genetically modified foods, neither of which is banned. Many consumers are concerned about processed foods and GMOs, but its up to them whether to purchase them. We arent prevented from purchasing meat that comes from animals raised in utterly unnatural conditions on factory farms, which crowd and confine the animals in small spaces, separate them from offspring, and prevent them from engaging in instinctive behaviors like foraging and dustbathing.

It might make sense to ban lab-grown meat if it were known to be seriously harmful to eat. We should acknowledge that just because the FDA approves something doesnt guarantee its safe. Some approved drugs are later pulled for their harmful side effects. But in every other case we let consumers choose whether an FDA approved item is safe for them and their family to try, unless it is known to be seriously unsafe.

And the harm would have to be quite serious. Highly processed meats, such as bacon and hotdogs, are known to be rather unhealthy, yet not banned. Adults can even smoke cigarettes despite their direct link to cancer. We have no reason to believe that cultivated meat is anywhere near as unsafe or unhealthy as numerous products readily available across our state.

Should we ban lab-grown meat to protect the farming industry in Alabama? We have great respect for farmers who produce the food that sustains us. Without them, we would perish. The cultivated meat approved by the FDA is chicken, and Alabama is the second largest producer of poultry in the country.

Yet its extremely unlikely that lab-grown meat will lead to the death of traditional farming. The most sensible projection is that meat grown in vats will provide one among many options for consumers, similar to plant-based burgers available in grocery stores and restaurants around the state.

Even if cultivated meat threatened Alabama farmers, a ban would be clear government overreach. State intervention to protect entrenched interests stifles innovation and competition, ultimately harming consumers through higher prices and fewer options. Banning lab-grown meat out of fear for existing industries undermines the very principles of a free market economy.

Sensible critics of cultivated meat might question whether its any more healthy, sustainable, or ethical. These are discussions worth having, but none of the concerns warrant a ban, let alone criminalization.

Alabamians deserve choice, especially when presented with a potentially more ethical option for protein on their plate. Denying us the right to choose based on unfounded fears is paternalistic. In a free society, individuals and businesses should have the freedom to choose the food they eat or produce, guided by safety regulations and informed choice. We must let consumers, not governments, decide the future of their food.

Dr. Josh May is a professor of philosophy and psychology at UAB. Dr. Victor Kumar is a professor of philosophy at Boston University. They both teach and write about moral controversies and social change.
This is an opinion column.

Birmingham-Southern is going to get its moneyso, it seems. Its $30 million lifeline. Or care package.

Its persistent and insistent benefactors in Montgomery and Birmingham appear all but certain to ensure the debt-laden college on the hill gets its chance to dig out of the hole it dug and once again be the beacon of light its friends and neighbors boast it to be.

Ive been pretty clear on my stance against utilizing public taxpayer funds to bail out the private educational institution. That said: After BSC deposits its bounty, I hope it succeeds.

I truly do.

I hope it takes the $30 million loan its now likely to receive from the state, along with the $5 million loan it will receive from Birmingham taxpayers (half of it will be forgiven if BSC opens for classes this fall), and does everything it says it will do.

I hope its thriving alumni will transform their financial commitments to cash, fulfilling the millions in pledges theyve sat on since well before December 2022 when I reported the place was in dire distress.

That BSC will once again be a welcoming bastion of liberal arts education for young people throughout the nation and be (finally) more welcoming to young graduates of Birmingham City Schoolsand be more culturally reflective of the city in which it resides.

I hope all that happens. I truly do.

I truly hope this, too: That state lawmakers will be as assiduous about paying Alabama A&M in Huntsville some of the $527 million Alabama owes the historically Black public land-grant institution.

Last September, federal officials dropped a late payment notice on Gov. Kay Ivey. The letter, signed by the U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardoza and U.S. Agriculture Secretary Thomas Vilsack, explains the convolutedness of the historical commitment by states to equitably fund their Black land-grant institutions on the same level as white land grants. And why the funding is vital.

Land grants are colleges built between 1862 and 1890 with grants from the federal government, which aimed to help working-class Americans gain access to higher education. Alabama has three land grants: Auburn University, Tuskegee University, and A&M.

While HBCUs, including 1890 land-grant institutions, represent 3 percent of postsecondary institutions, they enroll about 10 percent of all Black college students, the secretaries wrote. Furthermore, these institutions generate close to $15 billion in economic impact and over 134,000 jobs annually in the local and regional economies they serve.

The letter mentions only A&M, whose underfunding was determined by an analysis of funding between 1987 and 2020 and tabulated to be $527,280,064. Thats more than half a billion dollars it was supposed to provide to the institution.

Not money it is begging for to overcome its ill-spending.

Alabama A&M University, the 1890 land-grant institution in your state, while producing extraordinary graduates that contribute greatly to the states economy and the fabric of our nation, has not been able to advance in ways that are on par with Auburn University, the original Morrill Act of 1862 land-grant institution in your state, in large part due to unbalanced funding, the letter notes. These funds could have supported infrastructure and student services and would have better positioned the university to compete for research grants.

Alabama A&M University has been able to make remarkable strides and would be much stronger and better positioned to serve its students, your state, and the nation if made whole with respect to this funding gap.  [It] is our hope that we can work together to start a dialogue and develop a plan of action to make this institution whole after decades of being underfunded.

Alas, Ivey penciled in $57 million for the institution in her proposed budget to lawmakers, about a $4 million bump over 2022.

At that rate, the states overdue balance to A&M will be caught up in, oh, about 132 years.

Last fall, A&M enrolled its largest freshman class: over 2,600 students, a 10% overall jump in enrollment. Overall, it enrolls 6,657 students.

To keep BSC afloat, state lawmakers are essentially giving themselves a mulligan. Last year they tried to save it with the Distressed Institutions of Higher Education Revolving Loan Program, administered by Alabama State Treasurer Young Boozer. But Boozer balked, citing a lack of confidence in the institutions collateral and restructuring plan.

Now comes SB31, authored by Sen. Jabo Waggoner (R-Vestavia Hills) and co-sponsored by 20 other state senators. If passed, will yank authority from Boozer and handed to the Executive Director of the Alabama Commission on Higher Education and a state-regulated bank, which must review and sign off on the institutions collateral and restructuring plan.

Until the state satisfactorily addresses A&M egregious funding gap, BSC shouldnt get a nickel, frankly.

That said, I do hope BSC gets its chance to rise from its still-smoldering ashes. I truly do.

The state budget has yet to be finalized and A&Ms allocation could shift. I hope it does. I truly do.

Im a member of the National Association of Black Journalists Hall of Fame and a Pulitzer Prize finalist for commentary. My column appears on AL.com, as well as the Lede. Tell me what you think at rjohnson@al.com, and follow me at twitter.com/roysj, or on Instagram @roysj










English News U.S. "small yard, high fence" strategy will eventually backfire

Alwihda Info | Par pd - 17 Fevrier 2024



Adhering to Cold War mentality and zero-sum game thinking, and engaging in economic and technological bullying, will not bring progress to the U.S. Only by broadening horizons and realizing that the world is big enough for the two countries to develop themselves and prosper together, can they better serve their respective development and prosperity through mutually beneficial cooperation.

By Zhong Sheng, People's Daily The United States' domineering and coercive practices in technology are continuing escalating. The U.S. Department of Commerce recently announced an investigation into the semiconductor supply chain and national defense industrial base in the name of reducing national security risks, to assess the extent of their reliance on Chinese chips.



It was also reported that the U.S. has even requested Dutch chip equipment company ASML to halt exports of lithography machines to China before the relevant "bans" take effect.



While the U.S. claims to advocate fair competition, it constantly sets obstacles for the technological development of other countries. The country always groundlessly accuses other countries of engaging in "economic coercion," while its own economic coercion has seriously harmed the interests of even its allies.



According to reports, the investigation initiated by the Bureau of Industry and Security under the U.S. Department of Commerce focuses on traditional chips that are not cutting-edge but still crucial to the industry.



Unlike previous U.S. restrictions on chip sales to China, this time it will scrutinize the usage and procurement of traditional chips manufactured by China in key U.S. industries.



To restrict China's acquisition of advanced semiconductors, the U.S. is implementing a strict policy that prohibits both the sales and purchases of relevant products, which severely impedes the normal trade exchanges between chip, chip equipment, materials, and component companies from various countries.



This harms the legitimate rights and interests of not only Chinese enterprises but also semiconductor companies from other countries, including the U.S. It is typical economic and technological bullying and a serious violation of international trade rules.



The semiconductor industry is highly globalized, and the formation and development of its supply chain is the result of market forces and corporate choices. The United States, against market laws and the will of companies, is attempting to block the semiconductor supply chain with a "small yard and high fence" strategy, severely disrupting the landscape of the global semiconductor industry and seriously impacting the security and stability of international industrial and supply chains.



According to data from the U.S. Semiconductor Industry Association, China's semiconductor procurement in 2022 amounted to $180 billion, accounting for over 1/3 of the global total and making China the largest single market worldwide. The Chinese market is irreplaceable, and withdrawing from it is not a feasible option. This is a consensus among global semiconductor companies.

The U.S. arbitrary act of isolating the Chinese market will not succeed and will eventually backfire. The U.S. Semiconductor Industry Association pointed out that excessive unilateral control may harm the U.S. semiconductor ecosystem.



Colette Kress, chief financial officer of U.S. chip company NVIDIA believes that long-term bans on exporting AI chips to China would cause the U.S. chip industry to permanently lose many opportunities.



The U.S. act to suppress and contain China's technological development at the sacrifice of harming itself is a manifestation of its deep-rooted Cold War mentality. By excluding China from critical supply chains through state behaviors and restricting China's ascent to higher segments of the value chain, the U.S. is indeed politicizing, instrumentalizing and weaponizing economic, trade, and technological issues to serve the hegemonic purpose of containing China's growth.



The U.S. disguises its "small yard and high fence" strategy as an approach to safeguarding national security, and finds various excuses to coerce other countries into implementing technological blockades against China.



This has raised widespread concerns and criticism. Some said the U.S.' efforts to weaponize its technological superiority in order to confront China seem to be putting strain on its alliances.



According to a report by The New York Times, government officials in European countries are concerned that preventing European companies from entering China, one of the world's largest and most dynamic technology markets, could harm the interests of these enterprises.



Development of China is innovation-driven. Stifling Chinas technological progress is nothing but a move to contain China's high-quality development and deprive the Chinese people of their right to development. China's development and growth, driven by its own inherent logic, will not be stopped by external forces.



The Chinese nation has the proud tradition of standing up for itself. Suppression and containment will only strengthen the will and boost the morale of the Chinese people.



The restrictions imposed by the U.S. on China's technological innovation will only strengthen China's determination to achieve high-level self-reliance in science and technology.



Insiders in the semiconductor industry have openly opposed the U.S. export control measures targeting China. They believe that the more pressure the U.S. exerts on the Chinese people, the more likely they will double their efforts.



Win-win cooperation has been the true narrative of the 45-year diplomatic relations between China and the U.S., and it should also be a shared goal of the two sides.



Adhering to Cold War mentality and zero-sum game thinking, and engaging in economic and technological bullying, will not bring progress to the U.S. Only by broadening horizons and realizing that the world is big enough for the two countries to develop themselves and prosper together, can they better serve their respective development and prosperity through mutually beneficial cooperation.



(Zhong Sheng is a pen name often used by People's Daily to express its views on foreign policy and international affairs.)



Dans la meme rubrique : < > China's cruise economy embraces rapid development China still considered favorable investment destination by foreign companies China will remain staunch force for peace, stability, progress of world Pour toute information, contactez-nous au : +(235) 99267667 ; 62883277 ; 66267667 (Bureau N'Djamena)
Our Non-Representative Congress

The voting numbers of the Congress show that we no longer have a representative democracy. Nor are we Republicans and Democrats. We are Nationalists and Globalists.

Based on their voting, the Globalist Party consists of 69 percent of the Senate and 65 percent of the House. Constituents, however, voted for 49 percent of the Senate and 51 percent of the House.

Had their representatives voted as their constituents wanted, Biden policies would have been stopped. The fact that these policies have not been stopped has not only disappointed but angered an increasing number of legitimate voters.

Why do these elected officials betray their constituents?

The answer lies in money. Voters for senators and representatives all come from a particular state. However, on average, in-state contributions to House members amount to 60 percent of their totals and out-of-state contributions amount to 40 percent. In the Senate, on average, in-state contributions are 34 percent and out-of-state contributions are 66 percent.

Worse, only 11 of the 533 members of Congress receive the majority of their contributions from small donors while 522 get over 50 percent of their funding from big donors. One in ten members of Congress receive less than one percent of their contributions from small donors.

Worse still, of 533 Congressional members, the mean amount of contributions from big donors is 93 percent and only 7 percent from small donors.

According to James Gimpel and Freances Lee, large individual donations from out-of-state are, not individual at all, but instead extensions of the modern parties organizations into the electorate.

In short, the overwhelming number of congressional members only need their constituents to vote them into office. The rest of the time these members are beholden to corporate lobbyists or other large donors who provide financial incentives to members.

No wonder members of Congress do not represent their people.

The Inadequate Way to Expel a Congressional Member

So what can be done about this unbalanced situation? The answer is recall.

Unfortunately, the U.S. Constitution (Article 1, section 5) states that "Each House [of Congress] may determine the Rules of its proceedings, punish its members for disorderly behavior, and, with the concurrence of two-thirds, expel a member."

Scholars would argue that if economic or social change occurred during a members term in office, that member would know what was best for the country more than his or her constituents. These so-called experts also believe that voters are not well enough informed to hold their representatives accountable.

Consequently, the only way to expel a member of Congress is for a two-thirds vote of the members chamber.

The problem with this expulsion rule is that it is far too limited. Not only that, but the chances of a representative being discharged for not representing his or her constituency is practically nil. Why? Because if voters voted for a nationalist and that member turned out to be a globalist, as most are in Congress, the two-thirds required for expelling a member would never be reached.

Besides, a members voting record would never constitute bad behavior, which is required to expel. The only person to be expelled from Congress recently was George Santos, a nationalist who voted 96 percent the way his constituents wanted and who was never indicted for a crime. Further, his voters were never allowed input. Conversely, there are both senators and representatives accused of far greater crimes who have never been investigated or considered for expulsion.

Recall enables voters to demand continuous accountability and not wait for the next two-to-four-year election to rid themselves of incompetent, dishonest, unresponsive, or irresponsible public officials.

The Advantages of Recalling Congressional Members

But if voters had the right to recall members of Congress, they would:

Have real power over their elected officials on an ongoing basis

Be energized to stay more informed and keep track of their officials

Track big donor contributions and discourage elected officials from engaging in corrupt or purely political practices for financial gain

Be able to neutralize the power of big money

How Recall can be Instituted Against Congressional Members

Recall enables voters to demand continuous accountability and not wait for the next election to rid themselves of an incompetent, dishonest, unresponsive, or irresponsible public officials.

Just as the Constitution gave Congress the power to expel its own, it also gave constituents the power to recall their representatives and senators. It is part of the First Amendment -- the Right to Petition Government: the right of the people to petition the government for change.

This right is the right to complain to the government to seek assistance without fear of punishment. The Petition Clause, states that People have the right to appeal to government in favor of or against policies that affect them or in which they feel strongly. This freedom includes the right to gather signatures in support of a cause and to lobby legislative bodies for or against legislation.

Such petitioning has been used to end slavery and ignite womens suffrage. When policies are enacted by representatives who are not reflecting the desire of their constituents, petitioning to recall these representatives should also be an integral part of petitioning.

When asked what types of things did people petition the government for historically, law professor Maggie Blackhawk said, Anything. It had to be within the jurisdiction of the Congress, so it had to be part of a federal question, but they could actually expand the jurisdiction of the Congress by petitioning for something and making it a part of what Congress could do.

The petitioning process can follow normal state recall procedures. For example, a) circulate an imitative or referendum that would require a minimum set of signatures, say, 6,000; and b) submitting the referendum to the Speaker of the House to take appropriate action within a specific period of time.

Unless voters have the ability to recall congressional members, representation of American citizens will continue to erode. Money and corporatists will dictate government policy, often at the expense of voters. Consequently, constituents will become increasingly disillusioned, which in turn will dissuade them from voting and thus denigrate the very foundation of the American concept.

Its time to recall members of Congress.

Image: Eden, Janine and Jim
It was some years ago that my grandson eagerly showed me a video of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher opining on the leadership of the European Union.

They're a weak lot, some of them in Europe, you know. Weak. Feeble.

And that was almost before Ursula von der Leyen was born.

Let us analyze the world with the notion that almost all the leaders are weak. And thus ruled by their subordinates, their bureaucrats, and the narrative.

Example One is the Carlson Putin interview -- that all the best people now agree was a Carlson clown show. Putin said he proposed to Bush Senior that the United States, Russia and Europe jointly create a missile defense system. Bush seemed interested until he talked to his people. Then Putin proposed to Bill Clinton that Russia join NATO. Interesting, said Clinton, but not after he talked to his team.

Example Two is the Stalin Peace Note of 1952. Stalin proposed in March 1952 that foreign troops, from both east and west, be removed from a rearmed Germany, but that Germany should be nonaligned. Well, the West wasnt going to respond to that, not after the Berlin blockade of 1948, the Czech coup of 1948, the founding of NATO in 1949, and the Korean War that started in 1950. Too much, too soon. And then Stalin died in 1953 and the new Soviet leaders were too busy figuring out who was on first in the Kremlin to propose any change in the status quo in Europe.

Example Three is the Zman on the Senate foreign aid bill for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan.

Listening to these feeble old men sing their own praises, one cannot help but think of the Politburo in the waning days of the Soviet Union. Like Washington, Soviet politics had come to be controlled by a class of geezers. Their primary concern for a long time had been keeping their spot. The result was they surrounded themselves with sycophants good only for praising their bosses. The result was the political system was incapable of responding to the brewing crisis.

Is the Zman right, or is he right?

Example Four is Phillips Exeter Academy after the George Floyd Unpleasantness. Christopher Rufo writes that at the school,

English has become an exploration of racial identity; history focuses on transgender identities; economics examines racialized and gendered forms of income inequality.

Rufo suggests that this stands in stark contrast with the founding mission of the school, but I suspect that the school mission has always been to propel its privileged students on a trajectory that will land them into their rightful place in the ruling class. Today, if the Elite 1% believes in DEI and climate change then that is what Phillips Exeter Academy will teach its students. Weak. Feeble.

Now I am going to make a leap. I propose that the Deep States relentless lawfare against Trump and his supporters is not proceeding from strength in our ruling class, but from weakness.

By the way, isnt it odd that our ruling-class friends have lined up Blacks to do the dirty work on Trump, from Fani Willis to Alvin Bragg to Letitia James to that nice young lady assisting Judge Engoron? What is that all about? Is it because our White liberal friends running the liberal Plantation dont want to get their hands dirty?

The fundamental political fact of our times is that all the glorious promises of liberal politics have failed. But it cant be that liberal ideas and liberal government programs have failed. Oh no. If there are any economic or social problems it is obviously the fault of the White oppressor enemy and/or climate and/or racism and/or wealthiest corporations and/or billionaires.

Heres the mission statement of The Labor Institute.

The Labor Institute is unequivocally committed to a more equitable, more just society. We believe that racial inequality coupled with runaway economic inequality are the foundation and drivers of our current incarceration state We stand arm and arm with all those protesting the murder of George Floyd, and all the others who have suffered from police violence.

Oh yeah! Inequality and police violence. Thats it! Thats what killed George Floyd, the drug addict and petty thief!

And notice that our liberal friends do not deny that liberal programs did it. They live in a liberal bubble where such an idea doesnt even exist. Of course, the problem is inequality and police violence; what else could it be?

Earth to liberals: if you are not prepared to break out of your narrative and not even start to analyze all the lovely programs you passed over the years, you are Weak. Feeble.

The Economist has a piece out on The Growing Peril of National Conservatism. Back in the day Reagan and Thatcher were okay. But Meloni, Orban, Le Pen: OMG!

Maybe the real peril is a globalist ruling class that is weak, feeble, and just does not think outside the box of free migration, climate change, and anti-racism.

Christopher Chantrill @chrischantrill runs the go-to site on US government finances, usgovernmentspending.com. Also get his American Manifesto and his Road to the Middle Class.

Image: OpenClipArt
The left promises that the governments vast resources can alleviate poverty through wealth redistribution and targeted services. In fact, the government is slow, inefficient, non-responsive, vulnerable to corruption, and dismissive of human nature. Christopher Bourne had a front-row seat to all these problems when he worked with Dr. Ben Carson at HUD during President Trumps administration. When he left HUD, he took those lessons to the private sector, and, as I learned in conversation with him, what hes doing is both fascinating and promising.

Congress created the Department of Housing and Urban Development in 1965 as part of the Great Society War on Poverty. Its core mission was to ensure housing for low-income Americans or those affected by natural disasters. Today, HUD identifies its areas of responsibility as housing, fairness, rental assistance, and climate policy.

When Trump appointed Dr. Carson as HUD Secretary, Mr. Bourne, a former Marine officer, went with Dr. Carson to work in HUDs Office of Policy, Development and Research. Dr. Carson and Mr. Bourne immediately recognized that HUD was struggling to achieve its core mission: While its system is funded to support about 9.5 to 10 million people, there were about 40 million people eligible for HUD assistance. All this was worsened by a rash of natural disasters in late 2017 and early 2018.

Dr. Carsons goal was to create new ways for HUD to operate that would more swiftly move more people into housing and, eventually, off government rolls. To that end, he established the Office of Innovation and put Mr. Bourne in charge.

Mr. Bourne quickly discovered that a serious problem was that there werent enough landlords lining up to take advantage of the Housing Choice Voucher program. Considering that vouchers meant that landlords were guaranteed rent payment, their unwillingness to step up was peculiar. A little research revealed something counterintuitive.

Contrary to most assumptions, massive, faceless corporations arent HUDs only housing providers. Instead, about half of HUDs housing comes from small businesses and retirees offering six to ten units. Many of these landlords have experienced poverty themselves and are genuinely dedicated to providing low-income housing. And yet, they were dropping out of the program.

Image (edited) by freepik.

Mr. Bournes investigation revealed they were reluctant to participate because HUDs processes and procedures are so laborious, convoluted, and time-consuming that even the vouchers couldnt make up for lost profits. In the private sector, when a property is repaired and inspected between tenants, that process can take a few days. Under HUDs aegis, though, it sometimes took up to three months to get a HUD employee out to approve a property for new tenants, during which time the property sat vacant.

These delays werent because HUD employees were slacking off. Instead, its the nature of the bureaucracy. As with any institution, HUD is bounded by procedures that are aimed at the worst-case scenarios. The fact that most situations arent worst-case scenarios is irrelevant to the bureaucratic machinery. Additionally, inevitable institutional inertia made HUD resistant to change. Ideology matters, too, for HUDs diagnosis, identified via a study it commissioned, was that landlords were racists who were more interested in discriminating than making money.

HUD beneficiaries were also stymied by HUDs byzantine processes, which were exacerbated by the problems of poverty. For example, if you have small children and no car, traipsing from one government office to another to put together the pieces of housing, childcare, furniture, and possibly employment is overwhelming, if not impossible.

To meet these problems, Dr. Carson and Mr. Bourne created EnVision centers that still exist at HUD: EnVision Centers are centralized hubs that provide people with resources and support needed to excel. If you follow the link, youll see that these are brick-and-mortar facilities in locations across the continental U.S. and in Hawaii and Puerto Rico. They put under one roof all the services that are available to people, both providers and recipients, greatly streamlining the process.

Mr. Bourne also began to look for money and programs within the government to bolster HUD innovations. He discovered that the government has massive bureaucratic duplication and overlap. Several agencies might have funding for the same services, but the services were inefficiently allocated. Mr. Bourne found myriad programs sprinkled throughout the government that could be brought into HUDs orbit to help people.

Another problem was that many HUD programs hand things to impoverished people without changing the habits of poverty. Theyre perpetual bandaids that never heal the wounds. Mr. Bournes goal was to use HUD resources to develop the four pillars of self-sufficiency: Economic Empowerment, Educational Advancement, Health and Wellness, and Character and Leadership.

To effectuate these pillars, the government must work with the communities in which people live. Community leaders and resources understand best what specific communities offer and what they need, so they, too, were brought into the EnVision centers.

Mr. Bourne also wanted to use modern technology. One simple use was to streamline property inspections by using a reliable app that would allow a landlord to take pictures of repairs on a property rather than having everyone wait for an available HUD agent to make a physical inspection.

He realized, though, that technology could go much deeper by providing virtual EnVision centers that would bring together services and people. Additionally, through built-in incentives, a well-designed app can change the patterns of poverty.

When youre dependent on government aid and charity, your life is depersonalized and peppered with broken promises and handouts unanchored to accomplishments. This makes people cynical and destroys ambition. Mr. Bourne imagined an app that would contain a self-directed incentive structure that rewarded both recipients and service providers.

Importantly, an app would also provide data. One of the inefficiencies of government is that it has no idea whether its programs work. Just recently, the city of North Charleston, South Carolina, poured more than a million dollars into a program to end gun violenceand then didnt track the programs performance. No one knows whether it worked. The same is true for HUD, where it may take five to seven years before the agency will have a report on whether a program worked. Information so long delayed becomes meaningless. Apps, however, provide real-time information.

To offset the huge expense of developing an app, Mr. Bourne interested private companies in working on app ideas and submitting them to the Census Bureaus The Opportunity Project contest for urban issues, which awards government money to ideas that enhance data collection. (Yes, thats a bit creepy, but Mr. Bournes work shows it can be used for good.)

The winning project was The EnVision App by Organizational Performance Systems, Inc. (OPS1). As an added benefit, OPS1 keeps its IP on the project.

Part of why OPS1 won is because the CEO has a doctorate in human performance. The app is about using behaviorismgentle nudging and tangible rewardsto keep people moving along, whether its landlords to provide housing or recipients to develop the habits of self-sufficiency. Ideally, ambitious people will use it first, and those who see that disciplined ambition pays off will sign up, too.

The app is currently getting its trial in Charleston, South Carolina, which is a medium-sized urban area with a complex infrastructure plus multiple military resources (which is where lots of federal money for anti-poverty programs is tucked away). If the trial works, the EnVision app can expand to other areas.

Whats great about Dr. Carsons and Mr. Bournes idea is that it doesnt see government as the be-it-and-end-all, a perpetual trickling spigot of goods and services that effectively traps people in a marginal existence, sometimes for generations. Instead, its aimed at using technology not only to ease the process of matching the needy with public and private resources but also to wean people off of government and introduce them to self-sufficiency.
Art. 223-1-2 .  Provocation to abandon or abstain from following therapeutic or prophylactic medical treatment is punishable by one year of imprisonment and a fine of 15,000 euros, when this abandonment or abstention is presented as beneficial for the health of the persons targeted when it is, in the state of medical knowledge, clearly likely to result in serious consequences for their physical or psychological health, taking into account the pathology from which they suffer When the provocation provided for in the first two paragraphs has been followed by effects, the penalties are increased to three years of imprisonment and a fine of 45,000 euros.

The bill now awaits final approval in the French Senate.

Imagine being arrested for following your conscience and medical advice from a doctor that you trust and yet going to prison for it because it contradicts the medical knowledge of your government. With this bill as it stands today, what will happen to those doctors and scientists in France who still oppose the mRNA injection?

I recall that what was deemed medical knowledge by the ministers of science in the CDC, FDH and NIH included the absurd notion that the jabs were safe and effective. I recall deaths being caused directly by the vaccines, ventilators, remdesivir, and refusing early treatment. I also recall permanent disability and infertility due to vaccine injury as well as diseases like myocarditis, Bells Palsy, among others. In fact, there are many confirmed reasons why the state of medical knowledge  as promoted by the government  might not be in our best interest.

The bills aim of strengthening the fight against sectarian aberrations is just one example of the kind of control governments might exert over the masses as they protect Big Pharma. Ultimately, thats what its all about with the upcoming 76th World Health Assembly (WHA) on May 24.

The WHA is the World Health Organizations (WHO) decision-making body and is prepared to make amendments to the International Health Regulations which, if ratified, would consolidate power among vested interests like world leaders, the WHO and Big Pharma.

All three benefit from these agreements, but its important to be clear on the difference between two aspects of negotiations. Proposals for negotiating the WHO Pandemic Agreement and the proposed amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHR) are frequently confused but are basically two wings of the same plane, and the plane is Big Pharma.

As researcher James Roguski clarifies, The Pandemic Treaty appears to be a business deal that is designed to redirect billions of dollars of public and private funds to dramatically expand the Pharmaceutical Hospital Emergency industrial Complex (PHEIC) into poor countries in order to access more of Big Pharmas drugs and injections making them more dependent, thus making Big Pharma richer. Whereas the brewing terror we are now familiar with, like the denial of human rights and freedoms; mandating regulations and making them legally binding for all member states; empowering the Director-General to declare emergencies; and recommending things like quarantines, vaccines, and medical treatments, etc., are in the International Health Regulations. (Taking James Roguskis pop quiz on this can be very clarifying).

The WHO Pandemic Negotiations with the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) and the Working Group for Amendments (WGIHR) resume this week and continue throughout the month of March. It will all culminate in the big assembly during the week of May 27th.

So, what has been the pushback in the United States?

Frank Gaffney, Executive Chairman for the Center for Security Policy, mentioned in a recent press conference with Rep. Chris Smith that the House of Representatives has zeroed out the funding for the WHO in one of the appropriation bills if the WHO does not send whatever negotiations produced to the Senate for its advice and consent. There have also been valiant attempts by Rep. Rick Scott, Rep, Chip Roy, Rep. Andy Biggs, and Senator Ron Johnson to either oppose the amendments or exit the WHO outright, as President Trump did. In the case of Senator Johnsons bill, 47 senators were the only ones to sign on. But even if there were a majority of supporters and a win in the House, President Biden would still have to sign the bill -- an unlikely event, to be sure.

Problems are compounded by the fact that the Biden Administration may join the above convention by executive agreement, bypassing Senate approval. It seems to me that the tension between Senate approval and executive agreement will grow as we approach the Assembly. Indeed, the WHO accord is being drafted specifically to circumvent Senate approval. Hopefully, the attitude among House representatives will be what Francis Boyle, professor of International Law at the University of Illinois, advises:

I think the House of Representatives has to make it clear that they object, that there is no way they are going to go along with any orders coming out of the WHO, the World Health Assembly or this new international pandemic organization, and that they have the power of the purse and that they will defund anything related to the WHO.

None of the above entails that people are going to be arrested for actions inconsistent with whatever comes out of the Pandemic Treaty. But what has happened just days ago in France is a very serious development. We are witnessing, in real time, the criminalization of truth. And whenever that happens, government bodies, politicians and interested parties have a way of arresting the continuation and development of free minds and bodies.
Like they tell us about relationships in Facebook, the U.S. economy is a bit complicated.

Yes, the Biden administration is pushing the idea that happy days are here again.

On the other hand, the growth is happening in some places and not in others. Some places are happier than others.

Nearly every week, a fresh round of strong economic data elicits a celebratory statement from the Biden administration. Most of the best-performing states, however, voted in favor of former President Donald Trump, a new ABC News analysis found. An examination of key economic measures -- including job and income growth -- found an overwhelming majority of red states among 18 top performers. The disparity between red and blue states has little to do with anything Biden has done, experts interviewed by ABC News said, noting that federal policy typically holds minimal influence over state-by-state economic trends. Instead, they added, the dynamic owes in large part to the appeal of warm weather states for workers and businesses, as well as the combination of company-friendly state policies and Democrat-leaning cities that attract young, educated workers. "The climates are better in red states, and Americans like good climates," Mark Partridge, a professor of economics at Ohio State University, told ABC News. Nice try, professor, but I am not sure that people move to Texas or Florida because they love our climate. It gets bloody hot here and humid in Florida. It's mosquitoes in Tallahassee and dehydration in Ft. Worth.
We constantly hear the Biden administration lecturing Israel about how they should soften up their attacks in Gaza, and for the need for a ceasefire with Hamas.

Hamas, along with other terrorist organizations supported by Iran, have pledged to wipe Israel off the map, but Israel is portrayed as a villain for wanting to wipe these terrorists off the map.

The administration, which includes a lot of Obama holdovers, has over the years, built up Irans finances and helped the terrorist organizations themselves:

Biden Empowered Iran Proxies Attacking US Forces and Threatening Wider War Against Israel Not only has the president empowered Iran by relaxing former President Donald Trumps sanctions on the worlds top state sponsor of terrorism, but he has also empowered Irans proxies through various geopolitical moves that make war more likely. Biden is not alone; previous administrations have directed funds to ostensible U.S. allies in the region, funds that likely contribute to the proxies forces.

Biden has repeatedly told Iran to stop but strangely, the terroristic regime hasnt listened. Trump put maximum pressure on Iran and devastated its finances by using economic sanctions to target the regimes main source of revenue (oil). From Reuters:

As Trumps sanctions bite, Irans oil exports slide further in June Iranian crude exports have dropped so far in June to 300,000 barrels per day (bpd) or less after the United States tightened the screw on Tehrans main source of income, industry sources said and tanker data showed, deepening global supply losses. The United States reimposed sanctions on Iran in November after pulling out of a 2015 nuclear accord between Tehran and six world powers. Aiming to cut Irans sales to zero, Washington in May ended sanctions waivers to importers of Iranian oil.

Now four months after Iran supported Hamas, Irans oil exports are 300% higher (and the price much higher) than they were under Trump:

Irans exports of crude oil grew by roughly 50% last year to a five-year high of about 1.29 million barrels per day, with the vast majority going to China, helping to prevent a sharp increase in prices triggered by conflict in the Middle East.

And, as you could expect, the exports are mostly going to China, a nation which also hates America, but one that the Biden administration relies on for most of the minerals needed to build expensive, impractical, inefficient, unreliable electric cars powered by a flammable pollutant, which Biden wants to force Americans to buy.

As the brilliant Biden administration reportedly looks for peace in the Middle East while trying to protect Hamas and other terrorist organizations, it appears as though he has vetoed a few options for peace in Ukraine, including one deal right after the war started.

Why didnt the public hear about these ceasefire offers, that the Biden administration blocked, in Ukraine? That would seem to be an important piece of information when the administration is essentially asking for a blank check:

U.S. repeatedly blocked Ukraine peace deals; is it rethinking its strategy yet? It is clear that the U.S. and its allies were out to sabotage possibilities for peace immediately after the Russian invasion. Were it not for their interference, the current war could have ended in early March 2022about a week after it started. Thanks to Arakhamia, we now have confirmation of this fact.

Also, from Reuters:

Russian President Vladimir Putins suggestion of a ceasefire in Ukraine to freeze the war was rejected by the United States after contacts between intermediaries, three Russian sources with knowledge of the discussions told Reuters.

So they blocked peace deals while demanding a blank check from Americans to fund the war. Anyone who dares want accountability for the money spent in Ukraine is falsely called a Putin puppet or supporter. The talking points are repeated endlessly.

I see that Putin has endorsed Biden for president and it is no surprise:

Russian President Vladimir Putin openly expressed his preference for President Joe Biden as a better choice for the White House than former President Donald Trump. During a recent interview, he indicated that it would be easier for Russia to deal with Washington with Biden in the Oval Office and downplayed concerns about the presidents age and mental acuity.

Obama and Biden repeatedly have appeased Putin. Obama told Russia he would be more flexible if he were reelected in 2012, and he certainly was. When Putin attacked Ukraine, Obama refused requests from Ukraine for weapons to appease Putin.

When Biden was (s)elected he reversed Trumps sanctions on the gas pipeline to Germany, and Bidens energy policies have jacked up the price of crude oil by almost 100% from $40 per barrel when Biden took office to almost $80 today. The crude oil price was low during Trumps years and has been much higher while Biden has been in charge. Putin must be thankful for all that extra money to finance his aggression and ambition.

And who wouldnt want a president like Biden who trashes Trump for telling NATO countries to fulfill their obligation to spend more for their own defense. Putin loves it when European countries spend little to defend themselves.

Anyone who believes that China, Russia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, North Korea or any country that relies on oil for the bulk of their income gives a hoot about their carbon footprint should have their head examined; the oil producers are laughing all the way to the bank. (They also love it when Biden continually says that the greatest existential threat to the world is either Trump and his supporters or climate change.)

Any president or candidate who believes that a hypothetical few degree temperature rise, or Republican voters who want to make America great again are the greatest threat instead of enemies like Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea, doesnt have their priorities straight and should not be allowed to destroy our great country.

These types of politicians are especially dangerous when they invite people from around the world, with little or no vetting to cross our border.

I can see the foreign leaders licking their chops as they watch the U.S. military lose recruits as woke brass concentrate on DIE, pronouns, and electrifying military vehicles instead of doing their job to build and maintain the strongest defense necessary to protect the American people.

Our enemies are laughing at us. They are building their military while the Bidenites worry about using problematic gendered language here:

As Global Conflicts Rage, Blinken Lays Down the Law on Gender Pronouns for State Department Employees Problematic terms like manpower, you guys, ladies and gentlemen and even mother/father, son/daughter, and husband/wife should be avoided.

And here:

Bidens State Department Unveils Equity Action Plan to Make Diplomacy More Equitable

I wonder why the military is having trouble meeting recruitment targets.

The choice gets easier every day. Vote for either the candidate that Putin and our media support or vote for Trump, who kept energy prices much cheaper and therefore the world much safer.

Image: Free image, Pixabay license, no attribution required.
Last week, an uber-partisan judge in New York imposed an unprecedented judgment against Trump that, with punitive damages, fees, and costs, equals almost $450,000,000. Adding insult to injury, New Yorks extreme bonding laws for taking appeals mean that Trump may be financially destroyed challenging a judgment outside of all norms, as well as the extremist judgment for E. Jean Carroll.

To recap, what makes the judgment so outrageous is that:

Trumps loan applications were entirely consistent with ordinary and reasonable property developer practices in New York;

The banks, which were conversant with these practices, conducted their due diligence so they were not the victims of any misleading statements and, indeed, loved having Trump as a debtor;

Trump repaid the loans in full;

As an example of his bias, the judge relied upon a tax assessors appraisal of $18-27.6 million for Mar-a-Lagos value, without regard to its value both as a moneymaking concern or a prime piece of beachfront property;

The judgment was inconsistent in an outsized way with any previous New York judgments.

Naturally, given Judge Engorons open bias, not to mention his peculiar definition of fraud, which didnt require any actual fraud, Trump intends to exercise his right to file an appealand it is a right, not a privilege, in New York.

Appeals as of right. An appeal may be taken to the appellate division as of right in an action, originating in the supreme court or a county court: 1. from any final or interlocutory judgment except one entered subsequent to an order of the appellate division which disposes of all the issues in the action

Trumps problem is that New York is one of a handful of states that requires posting the full amount of the judgment to appeal. I found a surety website that lists the laws in every single state when it comes to the amount that someone appealing a judgment must lodge with the court, whether from his assets or by getting a surety bond.

Donald Trump (edited) by Gage Skidmore. CC BY-SA 2.0.

The point of a bond is to ensure that the person who has lost a civil case doesnt use a lengthy appeal process to dissipate or hide assets, depriving the prevailing party of money that a court has determined is legally his. However, as with everything, theres a balance, or at least there should be.

In Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont, the appellant does not need to file any bond. These states place the entire risk of the appeal on the prevailing party. If the judgment is affirmed, the judgment debtor may be already broke or have vanished.

However, most states recognize that, when judgments are incredibly large, the trial court system may be broken. We know that juries, which are playing with other peoples money, will go off the reservation and impose loopy actual or punitive damages. As Judge Engoron shows, leftist judges will also go off the reservation. These states have imposed caps on bonds, ranging from $25 million (the most common) to $100 million (the second most common) to $250 million (an outlier in Illinois).

A handful of states have no caps, but most of these states grant judges the discretion to lower bonds when its manifest that the requirement is unfair, given the relative position of the parties to the case.

California is an exceptional outlier, for it requires a bond of double the amount of the judgment (although surety companies need to post only one-and-a-half of the judgments amount). There are also no statutory provisions for judicial discretion.

New York isnt as bad as California, but its also an outlier. It has no cap and no statutory provisions for judicial discretion. There is no way out of the bond requirement if you want to appeal.

Jonathan Turley explains that New Yorks law means that Trump may be financially destroyed if he appeals:

For Donald Trump, the demand for $355 million plus $100 million in interest could force a fire sale on properties to pony up just the deposit. [snip] Putting aside the merits of this judgment, the threshold deposit rule magnifies the unfairness of this New York law that does not require that anyone actually lose money to claim hundreds of millions from a company. One can argue that, if upheld, any insolvency is the fault of the company. However, this rule can force insolvency just to seek review of a judgment. [snip] So, by making the fine so large, Engoron not only makes an appeal difficult, but could guarantee that Trump will lose tens of millions even if his judgment is dramatically reduced or tossed out.

Turley notes that Trump is also dealing with the unprecedented and obscene judgment in favor of E. Jean Carroll. Trump has only 30 days to raise the money for these appeals, which may mean liquidating his properties at fire sale prices. In other words, if youre the victim of a grotesquely wrongful judgment, the very nature of that wrongful judgment may make it impossible for you to exercise your right to appeal.

However, the glee with which New Yorks pols view Trumps dilemma may prove their undoing. Not only are truckers threatening a New York boycott, but businesses have now realized nothing can stop them from being next on the chopping block. Standard business practices for real estate developers in New York have just been turned into fraud. The risk of doing business there, especially in a collapsing commercial real estate market, isnt worth it. That doesnt even count all the individual Americans who decide to stop doing business with New York.

A friend did have a fun suggestion, though. If every one of the 74,223,975 people whose vote for Trump managed to get counted in the 2020 election sends him $5, thatll be $371,119,875, which should go a long way to helping out the man who put it all on the line for America.

UPDATE: A gal named Elena Cardona has set up a GoFundMe to help with the judgment against Trump. Its raised over $800,000. My only question is how long it will be before GoFundMe shuts it down. Also, Trump intends to fight.
In 2009, FBI Director Robert Mueller III named Timothy J. Healy the director of the agencys Terrorist Screening Center; it was a position he held for four years, until 2013.

Yesterday, Fox News aired a segment with Healy in which he issued a sobering warning about the southern border crossers, but specifically the astronomical influx of known or suspected terrorists illegally entering. Healy compared the figures between President Trumps tenure and that of Joe Bidens, and described the disparity as the cause for sleepless nights.

Heres this, from a report at Breitbart News:

Healy said, [F]rom my perspective at the Terrorist Screening Center, the last three years, youve had 336 known or suspected terrorists arrested between entry points in the southern border. If you take the past four years, fiscal year 17, 18, 19, and 20, you had 14. So, that caused us, from my perspective, sleepless nights.

To recap: During the Trump years, a whopping 14 known or suspected terrorists were nabbed trying to enter the U.S. outside of the proper entry points; after three years of Biden, that number is 336. To frame it another way, this is a 2,300% increase.

To give the numbers even more perspective, Healy talked about his time at the Center, noting that on average, he and his team would find that one or two individuals per month from the terrorist watchlist were picked up in the interior of the U.S., and these were people who escaped detection by the Center, instead being arrested by other law enforcement agenciesHealy then wonders what those numbers would look like in the current situation, while also drawing attention to the record levels of gotaways; he calls the border situation a significant problem.

I hate to say it, but the prospect of terrorist attacks on our own soil seems inevitable, and imminent. And, perhaps these hypothetical attacks would be the (manufactured) crisis that they dont want to go to waste? Maybe the unnerving reality of being surrounded by nefarious foreigners looking to do us harm would compel the American people to accept extensive domestic surveillance measures like those seen in communist China, or the digital IDs pushed by the powers that be. After all, with all these unknowns wandering around, wouldnt it be best if we figured out who they are? For everyones safety, of course.

And, while theyre at it, maybe theyll successfully do away with cash toowe wouldnt want potential terrorists being able to buy anything that would be used to harm others without detection, now would we?

Heaven forfend the FBI put to use the same effort and tools they used to track down every little flag-waving grandma who dared get close to the Capitol building on January 6th.

People have no idea how thin (nonexistent) the line is between for your safety and for your enslavement.

Image: Free image, Pixabay license, no attribution required.
Believe it or not, its almost ten years since the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) voted to remove Algebra I from the eighth-grade curriculum in order to promote equity over excellence. This no-child-left-ahead, or more accurately, every-child-left-behind initiative, had major repercussions, including making it almost impossible for any student to take Calculus in high school, thus leaving students ineligible for, or at a great disadvantage to, entry into competitive university STEM programs. The SFUSD action was praised in the first draft of the California Math Framework setting woke math standards statewide.

Of course, complaining about such an initiative is racist and White supremacist (even if youre not White). Nevertheless, parent-advocacy groups wasted no time appealing the decision with protests, lawsuits, and a planned ballot measure. Those parents of eighth-graders with the means and commitment paid for summer or supplemental algebra coursework to keep their children up-to-date with the previous standards, one reason an even bigger educational gap formed between children such as these and the ones the initiative was intended to help.

Now -- surprise, surprise -- the SFUSD has, as reported by Jill Tucker in the San Francisco Chronicle, admitted that its delayed-algebra initiative has failed, and the school board has voted 6-1 to bring back eighth-grade Algebra I. While SFUSDs devastating self-assessment seems to be accessible to members only, here it is courtesy of Joanne Jacobs:

Our approach to math has not led to improved outcomes in middle school and at all levels.

Student achievement declines in mathematics as students progress through SFUSD.

SFUSD has not meaningfully increased participation of underrepresented students in high level mathematics in high school.

Overall, fewer students are taking higher level mathematics in high school.

Due to differing resources and disparities, there will now be a very messy three-year, uneven phase-in of eighth-grade Algebra I among the various schools. Many parents caught up in the transition are still angry.

In a sane and just world, there would be major consequences for the perpetrators of such lunacy. At a minimum, all board members who voted to eliminate Algebra I or retain that policy would be replaced with saner voices. But we already know this doesnt happen. In fact, whether its school boards developing educational policies, corporations pushing DEI, or governments pushing harmful climate change initiatives, there are at least three problems: 1) the tendency to create woke policies in the first place; 2) no dissent for fear of retribution; 3) when it all falls apart, no consequences. This has to change or it will never stop. Nevertheless, this instance of a return to sanity is most welcome.

W.A. Eliot is a pseudonym

Image: Pixabay
Russia is apparently working on nuclear weapons to destroy satellites with a massive energy wave, which makes sense; think of how many economies around the world would be destroyed. And, if Russia is doing this, China probably is too.

The world and the U.S. are much safer today because of visionary presidents like Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump, who implemented peace through strength policies, instead of listening to Democrats and so-called experts.

Think what the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine would be if defensive missile systems weren't blocking most of the incoming artillery; Reagan should be thanked for having the vision to develop them over the objections of Democrats. Remember, in 1983, Democrats called a missile defense system a fantasy:

Democrats criticized President Reagan's call for a space-age missile Democrats criticized President Reagan's call for a space-age missile defense system as science fantasy Thursday and the Soviet Union warned the proposal would violate arms control treaties.

In 1985, Democrats didn't want to spend much developing missile defense.

House Chops Reagan Request, Votes $2.5 Billion for Star Wars Spending

In 1986, experts were so backwards-thinking that they thought developing defensive weapons would destabilize our defense. Think how much dangerous the world would be if Reagan and Republicans had policies based on said experts. From The Guardian:

President Reagan urged to defer 'Star Wars' testing  archive, 1986 18 August 1986 Experts tell the US President that a space based weapons strategy, or Star Wars programme, may destabilise [sic] Americas nuclear defence[.]

In 1988 Democrats were opposed to testing the missile defense systems:

DEMOCRATS OPPOSE DEPLOYING SDI SOON Twenty-six House Democrats, at a Capitol Hill news conference Thursday, said they have agreed on a party consensus that opens the way for a platform plank sharply opposed to the Reagan administrations policy of deploying a first stage of a proposed Star Wars missile defense in the 1990s.

And today, it is as if the Democrats have never learned from history. They laughed at Trump for wanting a space force. When Joe Biden took office, his spokespuppet mocked the Space Force, which would be used to protect the satellites that Russia is now targeting for destruction. Why are people who are so regressive-thinking referred to as progressives? They are dangerous.

Biden clearly didnt care about the Space Force, a sentiment reflected by his hirelings:

Top House Republican demands Psaki apologize over disgraceful Space Force quip The House Armed Services Committees top Republican is calling on White House press secretary Jen Psaki to immediately apologize for her response to a Space Force question in Tuesdays briefing. Its concerning to see the Biden administrations press secretary blatantly diminish an entire branch of our military as the punchline of a joke, which Im sure China would find funny, said Rep. Mike Rogers.

Before news broke that Russia is now developing weapons to destroy the satellites, Democrats were talking about defunding the Space Force:

Democrats File Bill to Abolish Flagrantly Wasteful Trump-Formed Space Force

Trump kept the world much safer by keeping oil prices low which kept money out of the hands of Russia and China. Democrats have policies that keep the prices high which funds the tyrants.

Trump lives in the real world, a place where border defense is crucial, funding Iran is bad policy, energy independence isnt evil, and satellites in space must be protected.

On the other hand, Democrats live in a fantasy world, where a hypothetical few degree global temperature rise is the greatest existential threat to the world, and where politicians can control CO2, temperatures, sea levels, and storm activity if we the people just give the government trillions of dollars and our freedom of choice and our excellent quality of life.

I will always choose a president that lives in the real world over one who is so obviously living out a delusion in a world that doesnt exist.

Image: Free image, Pixabay license, no attribution required.
The Iranian regime does not solely advance its warmongering through employing a radical force like Hamas, or Hezbollah in Lebanon, or the Houthis in Yemen, with millions of dollars in payments and logistical support.

It also tries to influence policymaking in various European and American media and decision-making institutions. Iran does this to prevent any effort to halt to its massacres of the Iranian people, and to stop any efforts to block its warmongering, and any effort to end its construction of a nuclear bomb.

These advocates of appeasement also push economic interests in trade with Iran, while at the same time strongly condemning the wave of executions!

Recently, in an interview with the French newspaper Le Monde, Ali Vaez, a so-called Iran expert, said that if we put too much pressure on the Iranian regime because of the devastating war in the Middle East, this regime would move farther towards building a nuclear bomb. Ali Vaez works within the Brussels-based, Soros-backed, International Crisis Group as its Iran Project Director, one of the few think tanks that have close relations with the Iranian Foreign Ministry. Alex Soros sits on its board of directors.

The Iran Influence Network

Recently, a large number of emails discovered by two media outlets, the American Semafor, and the Farsi-language Iran International TV broadcast, show that Tehran's cooperation with the International Crisis Group was formed through the Center for Iranian Studies, which is affiliated with the Iranian Foreign Ministry.

These emails show that in the years 2013 and 2014, Crisis Group analysts were promoting the positions of the Iranian government, even when they contradicted the positions of the Obama administration. These emails reveal that the two had signed an agreement that was never made public. These documents well demonstrate that the International Crisis Group has played a significant role in nuclear negotiations and the lifting of sanctions on Iran for nearly a decade, consistently making recommendations to the Obama-, Biden-, and Trump administrations.

In their investigative report published in October, Semafor and Iran International clarified that Ali Vaez and his colleague Dina Esfandiary were part of an influence network formed and directed by Tehran.

Reports show that in 2013, a network of analysts outside Iran was formed under the title "Iran Experts Plan" to increase Iran's influence on the political scene. Although Vaez has defended his presence in this network, calling the group informal, memoirs of [Iran's Foreign Minister] Zarif and documents from the Iranian Foreign Ministry show how Tehran has benefited from members of this network and the International Crisis Group to advance its nuclear diplomacy.

According to obtained documents, initial negotiations between the International Crisis Group and the Political Studies Center began in 2013.

At that time, Robert Malley was responsible for the Middle East and North Africa at the International Crisis Group. Emails show that Malley was able to go to Iran for the first time through network connections. In 2014, Malley entered the Obama administration to advance nuclear negotiations with Iran. Documents show that while Malley was in the Obama administration, he continued to use Vaez to send messages to Iran.

Malley became the president and CEO of the International Crisis Group in 2017 and was appointed as Biden's special envoy on Iran in 2020.

However, following recent investigations into him, his security clearance was revoked. The reason has not yet been announced, but did his relationships with Iran go beyond official and turn him into an Iranian regime pawn? No one knows, but the sudden cessation of his duties fuels such speculations.

Despite these revelations, Vaez still presents himself, wittingly or not, as a proponent of the Iranian regime's narrative on the Middle East crisis and the nuclear program. He has gone to the White House at least nine times last year to discuss Middle East and Iran issues with relevant officials.

The time has come for Europe and America to pay attention to the Iranian people and their unequivocal demand to overthrow this regime, instead of investing in the illusionary equation that by giving concessions, the regime will come to its senses and stop domestic suppression, warmongering, terrorism, and the nuclear program. The only guarantee for peace and stability in the region, free from war, bloodshed, and an arms race, is a democratic, secular, and republican Iranan outcome that the Iranian people are determined to achieve.

Image: Pixabay / Pixabay License
On the 7th of July 1730, the notorious French pirate, Olivier Levasseur, faced his final moments on the scaffold. His crimes, which had instilled fear across the high seas for over fifteen years, had finally caught up with him. However, it was his brazen looting of the Portuguese great galleon Nossa Senhora do Cabo that sealed his fate. The ship was carrying the Bishop of Goa and the Viceroy of Portugal, and was laden with treasures which Levasseur adamantly refused to relinquish. Instead, he boasted of having hidden it, taunting authorities and onlookers alike.

Moments before the hangman's noose tightened around his neck, Levasseur dramatically produced a necklace, within which lay a small piece of parchment bearing a cryptogram of clues to the treasure's whereabouts. With a defiant cry, he hurled it into the crowd, challenging, "Find my treasure, the one who may understand it!. Thus began a legend that would echo through the ages, passed down through generations on the islands of the Seychelles and La Reunion.

The island Mahe, Seychelles, where Olivier Levasseurs treasure is believed to lay hidden. Photo credit: Olivier Levasseur/Flickr

Olivier Levasseur was born into a privileged bourgeois family in Calais in 1688. Thanks to his excellent education, Levasseur could have led a respectable life as an architect. However, driven by adventure and the allure of the seas, he forsook such prospects and instead enlisted as a privateer for the French crown during the War of the Spanish Succession (17011714). In this capacity, he preyed upon vessels of Great Britain, the Holy Roman Empire, and the Dutch, amassing a reputation for audacity and skill.

Following the war's conclusion, Levasseur found himself under the mentorship of English pirate Benjamin Hornigold, whose tutelage honed his leadership abilities and seamanship. Despite their fruitful partnership, Levasseur's ambition led him to part ways with Hornigold in pursuit of greater fortunes. Venturing along the Brazilian coast and throughout the Caribbean, he and his cohorts pillaged numerous ships and vessels, accumulating staggering wealth with each successful raid.

Dubbed 'La Buse' (The Buzzard) for his swift and relentless attacks, Levasseur became a formidable figure among pirates. He forged alliances with other notorious buccaneers such as Samuel Bellamy, Henry Jennings, Howell Davis, Thomas Cocklyn, and Edward England, further solidifying his reputation as a daring and ruthless adversary upon the high seas.

In 1721, Levasseur and his band stumbled upon a fateful prize: the Portuguese galleon Nossa Senhora do Cabo, also known as Virgem Do Cabo, anchored near Reunion Island. Having weathered a tempest that forced the crew to throw all 72 cannons overboard to prevent capsizing, the vessel lay vulnerable. Seizing the opportunity, Levasseur's crew stormed aboard without firing a single gun and carried away all the loot.

The spoils they uncovered were beyond comprehensiona veritable trove of riches. Among the cargo were the personal belongings of the Bishop of Goa and the Viceroy of Portugal, en route from the Se Cathedral Church to Portugal. Described by one historian as a "floating treasure house," the galleon's holds overflowed with bars of precious gold and silver, chests brimming with golden Guineas, diamonds, pearls, silks, artworks, and religious relics. Among these treasures gleamed the legendary Fiery Cross of Goaa majestic seven-foot-tall marvel wrought from pure gold and bedecked with rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and diamonds, casting an illusion of perpetual flame.

Such was the enormity of the bounty that the pirates scarcely bothered to relieve the ship's passengers of their personal belongingsa departure from their usual modus operandi.

Upon dividing the spoils, each pirate found themselves enriched beyond measure, with a share amounting to at least 50,000 in golden Guineas and 42 diamonds apiece. Levasseur and his comrade, John Taylor, claimed the lion's share of the remaining gold, silver, and artifacts, with Levasseur laying claim to the coveted golden cross.

Levasseur tried to retire quietly in Seychelles, hoping to enjoy the riches, but his past caught up with him. He was captured and sentenced to death. As he faced the gallows, Levasseur made one final dramatic gesture: he flung a necklace into the crowd, containing a parchment purportedly revealing the location of his hidden treasure. But the instructions were a cipher.

The tale of Levasseur's treasure and its cryptic clues first emerged in Charles de La Ronciere's 1934 book, "Le Flibustier mysterieux: Histoire d'un tresor cache." Contemporary sources, however, make no mention of Levasseur's alleged cryptogram, the necklace, or his defiant proclamation from the scaffold. This absence has led modern historians of piracy to dismiss the legend as a product of 20th-century fiction.

The cryptogram of Olivier Levasseur.

There is, however, one man who believe the legend to be true. John Cruise-Wilkins, known locally on the Seychelles island of Mahe as the Treasure Man, has been trying to decipher the puzzle for more than forty years. His father, Reginald Herbert Cruise-Wilkins, did the same for 27 years until his death in 1977.

Cruise-Wilkins has dedicated a better part of his life trying to decode the cryptogram, using everything from Greek, Hebrew, astrology, astronomy, mythology and the occult to break the elaborate system of clues. Through painstaking effort, he pieced together clues that led him to believe the treasure's location was intricately tied to a complex riddle inspired by the legendary 12 Labours of Hercules, and after many years identified the treasure's hiding place to the breathtakingly picturesque area of Bel Ombre on the northern coast of Mahe.

John has searched more than 40 acres around the Bel Ombre area, exploring crevices and caverns, and uncovering what he thinks are pirate markings on rocks. Hes also found bones, pistols, musket balls and statuettes.

Ive used all sorts of equipment: water pumps, rock drills, jackhammers, hand tools, even excavators and blasting at certain times, [as well as] the latest treasure detection equipment from Germany, he said to BBC.

John believes he is now inches away from the treasure, having identified a cavern as the treasure site. However, the caverns opening is blocked by boulders and can only be accessed by an underwater tunnel. John also believes that the shrewd pirate had placed booby traps over the treasure.

The land where John is trying to dig belongs to the government, and he needs a license to continue searching. However, obtaining this vital permit comes with a hefty price tag250,000 rupeesa financial hurdle that poses a significant challenge for John.

John has already invested considerable time and effort into preparing the site for excavation. From repairing rock armoring walls to constructing footpaths for equipment access, he has meticulously laid the groundwork for his endeavor. But without the license, his work could not commence. His hopes now rest on the generosity of an affluent benefactor who share his conviction in the legitimacy of the legend. With their financial support, John remains optimistic that he will secure the means to obtain the elusive license and finally embark on the excavation that may uncover the long-lost treasure of Olivier Levasseur.

Olivier Levasseurs grave in Saint-Paul, Reunion. Photo credit: Joran Kortmann/Wikimedia Commons
Activision is facing a lawsuit from professional gamers over the companys Call of Duty League. The lawsuit alleges that Activision monopolized leagues and tournaments for the Call of Duty franchise. Its seeking to get at least $680 million in damages and was filed by Hector Rodriguez and Seth Abner. Hector Rodriguez is the CEO and Founder of the OpTic Gaming team, and Seth Abner is a former Call of Duty world champion and former player for OpTic Texas. The Call of Duty League is Activisions solely owned and operated professional esports league for the Call of Duty franchise. Its comprised of 12 professional teams spanning a global group of cities across both North America and Europe.

According to the lawsuit, which was filed in Californias federal court on February 15, Activision holds an unlawful 100% monopoly over leagues and tournaments. Its regulations over professional leagues and tournament play attempt to prevent competitors from entering a lucrative market. While its rules for teams are draconian contract provisions. Forcing team owners and players to abide by extortionate financial terms.

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This includes what the lawsuit says was a mandatory $27.5 million entry fee to remain as one of the leagues permanent teams. Activision also caps the team number at 12. This makes it impossible for other teams to compete if they cant meet Activisions terms. Forcing them out of the league altogether. Activision was able to create these conditions for the league after purchasing Major League Gaming back in 2016. At the time, MLG was the largest professional esports league for the Call of Duty franchise. By 2019, Activision had announced its plans to create the Call of Duty League. This set in motion all of the changes that the lawsuit says keeps teams under Activisions thumb.

Activision says the claims in the Call of Duty League lawsuit are meritless

Naturally, Activision is going to try and protect its investment. So it shouldnt come as a shock that an Activision rep (as reported by Variety) has called the lawsuit claims meritless. Activision says that its disappointed that members of the CDL would bring the lawsuit against the company. The statement also mentions that the suit is disruptive to everyone from team owners to fans. According to Activision, Rodriguez and Abner requested tens of millions in payment prior to the lawsuit. But once Activision didnt meet those demands the lawsuit was filed.

The biggest component of the lawsuit is that Activision has stifled a once-flourishing market for competitive Call of Duty leagues and tournaments. Prior to the 2019 CDL creation, and even more so before the MLG sale to Activision in 2016, professional Call of Duty esports was a lucrative and open situation. Through MLG, more than 63 teams qualified for the finals. Additional leagues were also held by other organizations. Including ESL, GameStop, UMG Gaming, Gfinity Esports, and others.

Under Activisions regulations post-2019, professional teams competing in the CDL were prohibited from participating in or supporting other leagues and tournaments.
The resurgence of the Anatsa banking Trojan has sparked concerns among cybersecurity experts as it targets European financial institutions, posing a significant threat to mobile banking security. Over the past four months, the Anatsa campaign has exhibited a dynamic evolution, with five distinct waves targeting specific regions, including Slovakia, Slovenia, and Czechia, in addition to previous targets like the UK, Germany, and Spain.

Fraud detection company ThreatFabric detected a resurgence of the Anatsa banking Trojan in November 2023

The latest iteration of the Anatsa campaign, detected by ThreatFabric, demonstrates a sophisticated modus operandi. It employed multiple tactics to infiltrate mobile devices and execute malicious activities. Despite enhanced detection and protection mechanisms on Google Play, Anatsa droppers have successfully exploited AccessibilityService. It enabled them to automate the installation of payloads.

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One notable aspect of the recent Anatsa campaign is the use of manufacturer-specific code targeting Samsung devices. This tailored approach suggests a strategic adaptation by threat actors to maximize the impact of their malware. While the campaign directly impacted Samsung users in this phase, the threat of similar tactics targeting other device manufacturers remains a concern.

Anatsa campaign has effectively bypassed AccessibilityService restrictions imposed by Android 13

Furthermore, the Anatsa campaign has effectively bypassed restrictions imposed by Android 13, enabling droppers to install payloads while evading detection. This technique, coupled with dynamically loaded DEX files, enhances the malwares stealth capabilities. It poses challenges for security engines and increases the risk of successful infections.

The potential for device takeover by a malicious program poses a severe threat, with each installation increasing the risk of fraudulent activity and unauthorized access to sensitive information.

Beeping Computer has noted five applications that are linked to the Anatsa campaign. These include Phone Cleaner  File Explorer (com.volabs.androidcleaner), PDF Viewer  File Explorer (com.xolab.fileexplorer), PDF Reader  Viewer & Editor (com.jumbodub.fileexplorerpdfviewer), Phone Cleaner: File Explorer (com.appiclouds.phonecleaner), and PDF Reader: File Manager (com.tragisoap.fileandpdfmanager).

Google has responded to the matter

A Google spokesperson has informed BeepingComputer that Google Play has removed all of the five apps associated with this campaign. He added that Google Play Protect already protects Android devices against known versions of this malware. This is on by default on Android devices with Google Play Services.
Apples recent announcement of adopting RCS for the iPhone was a shocker to say the least, but it seems it might have been because of China. Users and industry experts were speculating it was because of pressure from the European Union. The EU has most definitely forced Apple to make lots of changes recently, but RCS support seems to not be a part of that list.

Apple supporting RCS to comply with laws in China

John Gruber, tech blogger and author of Daring Fireball, conjectured in a post that new Chinese laws might be forcing Apples hand. The tech giant has been reluctant to adopt RCS for a long time. Apple was content with iMessage reigning supreme on its devices. This also kept up the social divide of the blue bubble and green bubble. The sudden announcement of RCS coming to iPhones came completely out of left field.

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Gruber revealed hed been talking with sources inside Apple who claimed support for RCS was all about China. Apparently, new laws have been enacted in China regarding the certification of smartphones. From now on, 5G devices will need to support RCS to be sold in the country. The iPhones market share is huge in China; larger than even the United States. As such, Apple has no choice but to accept whatever new demands the Chinese government imposes on it.

What is RCS, and what does iPhone support for it mean?

RCS, or Rich Communication Services, is the new standard for communication over mobile carrier networks. It was introduced as a replacement for the traditional SMS and MMS standards. RCS has support for higher quality file sharing and longer texts. Users also get to see message delivery status and read receipts. It completely revamped carrier-based communication and brought it to the standard of messaging platforms like WhatsApp.

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RCS, however, is not end-to-end encrypted like iMessage. Furthermore, Apple was more than content with ignoring RCS indefinitely. iMessage has been a staple of Apples ecosystem, and RCS support undermines that exclusive experience. In more practical terms though, RCS on iPhone means files shared with Android users wont be compressed. Images and videos will no longer be blurry if sent to or received from an Android device. Communications between iOS and Android will also now feature read receipts. The infamous green bubble versus blue bubble stigma will remain, though.

Though Apples decision to adopt RCS might not be because of the EU, it will undoubtedly improve the experience of consumers worldwide. All the new changes to how Apple operates probably irks some diehard fans, however.
Google Chrome is exploring an innovative way to prevent malicious websites from breaching peoples home networks. The browser will soon receive a feature dubbed Private Network Access protections which aims to mitigate cyber-attacks through home devices. Those include printers and routers linked to your network through DNS routers.

New Google Chrome update protects against infiltration attempts

This new feature, expected to launch with Chrome v123, is in warning-only format. It acts as a virtual gatekeeper by examining requests made via public websites attempting to access your private network. Instead of other defenses, this one focuses on navigation. It examines suspicious requests so the users private network can be safe from potential threats.

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To demonstrate its effectiveness, Google gives an example on ChromeStatus where an HTML iframe on a public website attempts a CSRF attack that would alter the DNS configuration of the users router. For example, if a publicly accessible site tries to reach an internal device, then a preflight request appears in the browser. The internal device may then allow or disallow access using Access-Control-Request-Private-Network.

Here, even if the checks fail during the initial warning stage, the feature does not block requests outright. Instead, developers will receive a warning in the DevTools console to provide them with an opportunity to address these issues before any stricter enforcement. By doing so, this precautionary approach enables easy and smooth adaptation by developers to take place as they get familiar with new security measures.

Auto-Reload may leave the Private Network Access Protection vulnerable

But for this feature to exist at all, Bleepingcomputer suggests that Google must first address one serious vulnerability, the auto-reload action. The suggestion would be that if there was a rejection by Private Network Access on some previous request, then auto-reloading must not be available. In this way, the security protocol will remain intact in case of accidental reload.

This innovation is driven by increasing concerns about third-party websites. They take advantage of flaws found in servers or routers located within users private networks. Such initiatives address risks like SOHO Pharming attacks and Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerabilities; thus protecting local routers and software interfaces from being accessed without authorization.
Samsung is swiftly completing the formalities before it unveils the Galaxy A55 and Galaxy A35. In recent weeks, it has obtained several regulatory certifications for its upcoming mid-range smartphones. The company has also put up official support pages for the phones on its website in some regions, including Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the UK. It has just published the pages for the duo in a few more European countries as it prepares for the launch.

Galaxy A55 and A35 get official support pages before launch

Samsung usually publishes its official support pages for its upcoming smartphones a few weeks before launch. These pages provide a wide range of support resources for the devices once they arrive on the market, including guides, tips and tricks, and FAQs. The Korean firm started putting up support pages for the Galaxy A55 and Galaxy A35 about two weeks back. As the launch draws closer, the pages are appearing on more regional Samsung websites.

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We can now see support pages for the upcoming mid-range duo in Italy, Portugal, the Netherlands, and a few other countries. As usual, they currently dont reveal anything more than the devices model numbersSM-A556B for the Galaxy A55 and SM-A356B for the Galaxy A35. Some are marked DS to indicate dual-SIM variants. In some regions, the storage variant (128GB or 256GB) is also mentioned.

This is an indication that the devices are nearing their market release. Samsung is approaching the first anniversary of the Galaxy A54 and Galaxy A34launched on 14 March 2023so it is just about time now. There are rumors that the 2024 models will arrive a few weeks later. Even with this delay, the Galaxy A55 and Galaxy A35 may debut within the next couple of months. We will let you know when Samsung officially announces the launch.

Both models will bring a handful of upgrades

Samsung will upgrade its mid-range lineup with the Galaxy A55 and Galaxy A35. The former will jump from a plastic frame to a metallic frame, likely an aluminum one. It will also get a newer processor (Exynos 1480) with a custom GPU developed in collaboration with AMD. The Exynos 1480 is the companys first mid-range chipset with an AMD-powered GPU. We may get camera improvements too.

The Galaxy A35, on the other hand, still has a plastic frame. However, Samsung is upgrading it from a notched display to a punch-hole design. The device is also rumored to feature a newer primary rear camera, likely the 50MP shooter found on the Galaxy A54. It might reuse the A54s Exynos 1380 chipset as well. You can expect more leaks and rumors about the new Samsung mid-rangers in the build-up to the launch.
How the Clapham alkali attack and manhunt for suspect Abdul Ezedi unfolded

Police strongly believe they have recovered the body of alkali attack suspect Abdul Ezedi from the River Thames.

At around 4pm on Monday the crew of a passing boat reported they had seen a body in the water near Tower Bridge at Tower Pier.

The body was recovered by the Metropolitan Polices Marine Policing Unit and has been viewed by detectives working on the investigation.

Here is a timeline of how events have unfolded so far:

 Wednesday January 31

 00.15am

Ezedis vehicle is seen in Newcastle, where he had been living.

 6.30am

His vehicle is seen travelling into Tooting, south London.

 4.30pm

A further sighting of his car is confirmed in Croydon.

 7pm

He is seen driving in Streatham.

 7.25pm

The attack takes place in Lessar Avenue on a 31-year-old woman, who was with her daughters, aged three and eight.

Ezedi was previously in a relationship with the woman, but he is not the father of the children.

Ezedi allegedly throws the younger child to the ground and makes off in his car, which crashes into a stationary vehicle nearby.

He then runs off.

(PA Graphics)

The Metropolitan Police were called to the scene, with 12 people, including five officers, injured.

 7.33pm

Ezedi boards a train at Clapham South Tube station.

 7.59pm

He leaves that train at Kings Cross Tube station.

 8.42pm

He is seen on CCTV leaving Tesco at 21 Caledonian Road.

He exits and turns right.

He has significant injuries and is believed to have bought a bottle of water.

Ezedi was seen in a Tesco Express shop (Metropolitan Police/PA)

 9pm

Ezedi enters Kings Cross Tube station and boards a Victoria Line Tube southbound.

-9.10pm

Ezedi arrives at Victoria Station and then boards a District Line Tube eastbound at 9.16pm.

 9.33pm

He is seen leaving Tower Hill Underground Station.

 9.47pm

Ezedi is seen on Allhallows Lane in the City of London.

He travels through a passage to Cousin Lane and then turns right, walking towards Upper Thames Street.

 9.51pm

He turns left onto Upper Thames Street and travels along the street at 9.54pm.

 9.59pm

An empty container with corrosive warnings on the label (Met Police)

Ezedi passes the City of London School on Pauls Walk, heading towards Blackfriars Bridge, passing the riverboat pier.

 10.04pm

He passes the Unilever building and heads towards Victoria Embankment.

 10.06pm

Ezedi passes Carmelite House, at the junction with Carmelite Street, heading towards Temple.

 10.28pm

He passes Westminster Pier, goes up the steps and continues towards Westminster.

 10.33pm

Ezedi is seen walking south on Westminster bridge.

 10.36pm

He walks across Westminster Bridge, heading down the steps on the London Eye side towards Lambeth.

 10.42pm

Ezedi was seen walking west on south Thames Path towards Lambeth Bridge.

 10.55pm

He travels along the Albert Embankment approaching Vauxhall Bridge.

 11.00pm

Ezedi crosses Vauxhall Bridge towards stairs on the Palace of Westminster side of the river.

 11.03pm

He crosses Vauxhall Bridge Road, into Grosvenor Road.

 11.10pm

Ezedi walks westbound past the Shell petrol station.

 11.19pm

He passes the Thames Water Building, Grosvenor Road, heading towards Chelsea Bridge.

 11.25pm

He crosses over Chelsea Bridge and enters Battersea Park.

 11.27pm

He crosses back over Chelsea Bridge towards the north side.

This is the last recorded sighting of him.

 Thursday February 1

 About 9.30am

Scotland Yard says the 31-year-old woman and three-year-old girl have potentially life-changing injuries.

 1.35pm

Ezedis identity is disclosed and people are warned to stay away from him.

The Met said they are working with Northumbria Police as the wanted man may be trying to return to the North East.

The public have been warned to stay away from Ezedi (Metropolitan Police/PA)

 4pm

There was a heightened police presence on Caledonian Road, as unmarked cars with blue lights could be seen and police vehicles drove around the area.

 6pm

The image of Ezedi buying a bottle of water is released.

 Overnight Thursday to Friday

Police carry out five search warrants, at two addresses in east London and three in Newcastle.

 Friday February 2

 3.36pm

Police hold a press conference, giving a timeline of Ezedis movements, an update on the condition of the mother and her daughters and issuing new images of Ezedi at Kings Cross underground station.

Commander Jon Savell makes a direct appeal to Ezedi to hand himself into police, so he can get the urgent medical treatment he needs.

Police Commander Jon Savell giving an update to the media (PA Video)

 Saturday February 3

 4.55pm

Police release footage of empty containers with corrosive warnings found in a raid on an address in Newcastle.

Tests are continuing to find out if the substance is the one used in the Clapham attack.

They also say they have received dozens of calls about the manhunt, including possible sightings, as they renewed their appeal for the publics help catching him.

 Sunday February 4

 12.20pm

Police say a reward of up to 20,000 is on offer to anyone who can provide information leading to Ezedis arrest.

Detectives also confirm analysis of the substance shows it is a very strong concentrated corrosive substance, either liquid sodium hydroxide or liquid sodium carbonate.

The Met also releases CCTV video footage of Ezedi in the Tesco on Caledonian Road, where he is seen buying what appears to be water in the self-service checkout before leaving the shop.

 Monday February 5

Officers arrest a 22-year-old man on suspicion of assisting an offender.

He is later released on bail.

Police say the mother may lose sight in her right eye.

At that time, the most recent sighting of Ezedi was at about 9.50pm on Wednesday near Southwark Bridge, although there is no suggestion he jumped into the Thames.

They tracked his movements around the Tube network using his bank card, but it has not been used since Wednesday.

Wednesday February 7

Police reveal that Ezedi had been previously in a relationship with the victim.

Investigators say the breakdown of the relationship may have been a motive for the alleged attack.

The woman remains sedated in hospital, and is too ill to speak to police.

Thursday February 8

Armed police executed two raids at addresses in Newcastle in the early hours of Thursday, including one at Ezedis place of work.

No arrests have been made following the raids, which were a joint operation between the Met and Northumbria Police.

The force said on Thursday that officers handed out 250 leaflets at the scene of the attack on Wednesday evening, visited local Afghan restaurants and spoke to members of the local residents association.

Officers traced Ezedis movements for another 30 minutes.

They said, from Grosvenor Road he walked westbound past the Shell petrol station, passed the Thames Water Building, crossed over Chelsea Bridge, entered Battersea Park then crossed back over Chelsea Bridge towards the north side.

The most recent sighting of Ezedi was at about 11.27pm on January 31.

An image was released of Ezedi crossing Chelsea Bridge before entering Battersea Park.

Friday February 9

Metropolitan Police detectives gave a media briefing where they updated that they believed Ezedi went into the River Thames at Chelsea Bridge, some four hours after the alkaline attack on Wednesday January 31.

This was based on examination of CCTV footage which had tracked Ezedi to the location and then saw him disappear from view.

Weekend of February 10/11

Officers from the Marine Policing Unit carried out a number of low tide searches in the area surrounding Chelsea Bridge over the weekend of 10/11 February.

They then continued routine searches as part of their daily work.

Monday February 19

At around 4pm the crew of a passing boat reported they had seen a body in the water near Tower Bridge at Tower Pier.

The body was recovered by the Metropolitan Polices Marine Policing Unit and was viewed by detectives working on the investigation.

Tuesday February 20

The Metropolitan Police announced that they strongly believe they have recovered the body of alkali attack suspect Abdul Ezedi from the River Thames.

Scotland Yard said this was based on the distinctive clothing he was wearing at the time of the attack and the property found on his body.

Police added that the condition of the 31-year-old woman injured in the alkali attack has improved and she remains in hospital in a stable condition.
Rishi Sunak faces the prospect of yet another by-election after a recommendation to suspend Blackpool South MP Scott Benton from the Commons was upheld by an independent panel on Tuesday.

The 35-day suspension, which is likely to be approved by MPs in the coming days, is well in excess of the 10-day threshold that triggers a recall petition and potentially a by-election.

Seven MPs have already received suspensions of more than 10 days since the last election in 2019, although only two have faced recall petitions.

Below, the PA news agency looks at the cases of those MPs judged to have deserved a suspension of more than 10 days.

 Rob Roberts, Conservative, Delyn

Rob Roberts avoided a recall petition thanks to a now-closed loophole in the rules. (David Woolfall/UK Parliament)

Despite receiving a suspension of six weeks in May 2021, Rob Roberts was able to avoid facing a recall petition thanks to a procedural quirk that meant the provisions only applied to suspensions recommended by a parliamentary committee.

In Mr Roberts case, it was an independent panel that found he was guilty of significant misconduct after he made repeated and unwanted sexual advances towards a man.

Parliament has since closed the loophole that meant there was no recall petition for Mr Roberts, who remains an MP and sits as an independent.

 Owen Paterson, Conservative, North Shropshire

Former cabinet minister Owen Paterson quit before his 30-day suspension for paid lobbying was approved. (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

In November 2021, former cabinet minister Owen Paterson was found to have engaged in an egregious case of paid lobbying on behalf of two companies that employed him as a consultant.

The Standards Committee recommended he be suspended from the Commons for 30 days and, after initially attempting to overturn the decision, the Government backed down in the face of public outcry.

Mr Paterson, however, resigned before MPs approved his suspension, meaning no recall petition took place.

 Christian Matheson, Labour, City of Chester

Christian Matheson resigned in October 2022 after an investigation by Parliaments Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme upheld complaints of serious sexual misconduct against him and recommended he be suspended from the Commons for four weeks.

The Labour MP maintained the allegations were untrue, but the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner found he had made unwanted and unwelcome sexual advances towards a former member of his staff.

 Margaret Ferrier, SNP, Rutherglen and Hamilton West

Margaret Ferrier was successfully recalled after she was suspended for breaching Covid rules (Parliament TV)

A lengthy process saw Margaret Ferrier become the first MP of the current Parliament to be subject to a recall petition after she was suspended from the Commons for 30 days for bringing the House into disrepute.

Ms Ferrier had previously been found guilty of breaching pandemic regulations in September 2020 by travelling from London to Scotland by train despite testing positive for Covid-19.

Following her conviction in August 2022, the Standards Committee recommended she be suspended, triggering a recall petition that eventually saw almost 15% of her constituents demand a by-election. She did not stand in the subsequent contest, which was won by Labours Michael Shanks.

 Boris Johnson, Conservative, Uxbridge and South Ruislip

Former prime minister Boris Johnson quit Parliament shortly before publication of a report finding him guilty of misleading the Commons (Victoria Jones/PA)

The former prime minister quit Parliament in June 2023 just before a report by the Commons Privileges Committee found him guilty of misleading the House over the Partygate scandal.

The committee recommended a suspension of 90 days, finding he had not only misled Parliament but had also been complicit in a campaign of abuse and attempted intimidation of the committee.

If he had not resigned, Mr Johnson would have faced the second-longest suspension ever recommended by the Standards Committee, second only to the six-month sanction recommended for Keith Vaz.

 Chris Pincher, Conservative, Tamworth

Chris Pincher resigned rather than face a recall petition after his appeal against an eight-week suspension failed. (Aaron Chown/PA)

Former Tory whip Chris Pincher eventually resigned from Parliament in September 2023 after an investigation found he had drunkenly groped two men in the Carlton club more than a year earlier.

The Standards Committee had recommended suspending the MP, whose misconduct also brought about the downfall of Boris Johnson, for eight weeks.

Mr Pincher appealed the decision, but quit after his appeal was dismissed and before the Commons could vote on the proposed suspension.

 Peter Bone, Conservative, Wellingborough

Peter Bone became the second MP recalled since 2019 after an investigation found he had bullied a former member of his staff. (Kirsty OConnor/PA)

Veteran Conserative MP Peter Bone was the subject of the 2019 Parliaments second successful recall petition after he was suspended for six weeks for bullying and exposing himself to a member of his staff.

Mr Bone was suspended from the party following publication of the report in October 2023, but remained an MP until the recall petition was complete.

His partner, Helen Harrison, contested the subsequent Wellingborough by-election for the Conservatives, but was defeated by Labours Gen Kitchen.

 Scott Benton, Conservative, Blackpool South

Scott Bentons attempt to overturn a recommended 35-day sanction after he was caught in a lobbying sting has failed, making a recall petition in his seat all but certain.

The Blackpool South MP was filmed by journalists from the Times offering to lobby ministers and table parliamentary questions on behalf of gambling investors.

If his suspension is approved by MPs, which is expected to be a formality, he will face a recall petition and a potential by-election in the spring.

 Others

Leicester Easts Claudia Webbe avoided facing a recall petition after her 10-week suspended prison sentence for harassment was reduced on appeal to a non-custodial sentence in May 2022.

Ms Webbe, who was elected as a Labour MP, continues to sit as an independent.

Imran Ahmad Khan, Conservative MP for Wakefield, also avoided expulsion by resigning following his April 2022 conviction for sexually assaulting a teenage boy. He was subsequently jailed for 18 months.

Custodial prison sentences of any length, even if suspended, automatically trigger recall petitions, although sentences of more than a year mean an MP is automatically expelled from the House under separate legislation.

Other MPs have quit while investigations into them were ongoing, including Labour MP for Hartlepool Mike Hill, and Conservative David Warburton. Fellow Tory Neil Parish resigned before an investigation could even be launched into allegations he had been watching pornography in the Commons chamber.
The UK Government has put forward an amendment to counter the SNPs Gaza ceasefire motion in a move that could expose Labour splits over the Middle East conflict.

Labour had looked to avoid another possible rebellion over the Israel-Hamas war by tabling an amendment to the Scottish nationalists motion demanding an immediate ceasefire.

Sir Keir Starmers party on Tuesday publicly shifted its stance to back a call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, giving MPs who were unhappy with the leaderships previous handling of the issue a wording to rally behind.

But the Governments decision to table its own counter-amendment to the motion increases the likelihood that the Commons Speaker will not choose the Labour amendment for debate on Wednesday.

It could leave Labour MPs with the choice between voting for the Governments position, which does not go as far as calling for an immediate ceasefire, and the SNPs stance.

The debate will be going on as thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators are expected to take part in a rally in Parliament Square on Wednesday.

The Government amendment says ministers want an immediate humanitarian pause in the fighting before supporting moves towards a permanent sustainable ceasefire that involves Hamas freeing all hostages, the Palestinian militant group relinquishing control of Gaza and international efforts to create a two-state solution.

The amendment says it supports Israels right to defence, in compliance with international humanitarian law.

Labour has not said how it plans to vote if its own amendment is not backed.

Shadow foreign secretary David Lammy suggested neither the Government nor the SNPs position reflected his partys new stance.

Asked on Sky News how Labour could vote if only the SNP and Government wordings are chosen for debate, Mr Lammy said: Look, the Speaker has yet to determine how he moves forward on the motions before him. Let us wait to see what the Speaker determines.

David Lammy said the Government position on Gaza was not satisfactory (Maja Smiejkowska/PA)

I am of the view that we dont need a temporary ceasefire as the Governments calling for.

I think we need much more than a pause I dont think that that position is satisfactory.

He said the SNP wording was not balanced and urged the party to adopt Labours amendment.

Labours announcement of its amendment on Tuesday reflected a shift in stance.

Sir Keir had previously called for a ceasefire that lasts in the Middle East, but stopped short of using the word immediate.

The decision to back an immediate halt to the violence came as fears grew that Wednesdays vote could reopen deep divides among Labour MPs on the war.

A similar motion tabled by the SNP in November saw 10 shadow ministers and parliamentary aides rebel to back an immediate ceasefire, with 56 Labour members defying a three-line whip and backing an amendment to the Kings Speech.

Pro-Palestinian protesters are expected to gather in Parliament Square (Jordan Pettitt/PA)

Labour would not discuss the consequences for MPs who vote against the whip or any order to abstain.

The party is still dealing with the internal fallout after the leadership took the highly unusual step of withdrawing support for its formal Rochdale by-election candidate Azhar Ali after he suggested Israel took Hamass October attack as a pretext to invade Gaza.

Electoral rules mean Mr Alis name will appear on the ballot paper under Labours banner but the party is no longer supporting his candidacy.

SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn welcomed Labours change in policy on the Gaza conflict.

He told Sky there appears to be agreement between ourselves and the Labour Party over the need for an immediate ceasefire but questioned why it has taken them so long to get here.

Mr Flynn said Labour appeared to have difficulties in supporting the SNPs motion because it says there has been collective punishment of the Palestinian people.

He told the broadcaster: I firmly believe that stopping people from having access to food, to water, to electricity, to medicines, from being unable to leave an area, is collective punishment of the Palestinian people for the abhorrent actions of Hamas.

SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn (Steve Welsh/PA)

It will be for the Labour Party to explain why they dont believe that that is collective punishment and why they dont therefore want to vote for an immediate ceasefire.

Some of these technicalities will be played out tomorrow.

It will be for Keir Starmer to explain his position, because I think it would be untenable for him to say that he backs an immediate ceasefire, but not vote for one.

Hamass October 7 attack on Israel killed around 1,200 people, with around 250 taken hostage.

Militants still hold around 130 hostages, and a quarter are believed to be dead.

The war unleashed by the atrocity has killed at least 29,100 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry.

Meanwhile, the Prince of Wales called for fighting to end as soon as possible and increased humanitarian support for Gaza.

In a statement ahead of visits to recognise the human suffering caused by conflict in the Middle East and the global rise in antisemitism, William said he was deeply concerned about the terrible human cost since the Hamas terror attack, and added there was a desperate need for increased humanitarian support for Gaza.

In New York, the US vetoed an Arab-backed and widely supported UN resolution demanding an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the four-month conflict.

Washington said the resolution would interfere with negotiations on a deal to free hostages abducted in Israel.

The vote in the 15-member Security Council was 13-1, with the UK abstaining.
The preferred crown symbol of King Charles III has replaced Queen Elizabeth IIs chosen insignia on the UK government website.

The Kings Tudor Crown symbol can be seen on multiple pages of the gov.uk site, with the websites rebrand expected to be completed by March 1.

The change will also be made on other government channels that use the gov.uk logo, such as apps.

Costs to replace the logo on the UK governments website are covered within the usual operating costs of managing the site.

The new logo chosen by King Charles, as it appears on the gov.uk website (UK Government/PA)

The late Queens St Edwards Crown will be phased out over time, and will be replaced with the more rounded crown icon that King Charles chose for his royal cypher back in 2022 when he ascended to the throne.

The cypher features the Kings initial C intertwined with the letter R for Rex  Latin for King  with III within the R denoting Charles III, with the crown above the letters.

The new crown symbol will eventually replace the late Queens insignia on post boxes, police uniforms, official government buildings, official documents and some clothing.

Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden welcomed the symbol change to reflect the Kings reign.

Following the accession of His Majesty The King, we are updating the symbols of state to reflect the new design of the Tudor Crown, Mr Dowden said.

The digital realm is now an integral part of our lives, and as His Majestys Government, we take pride in this change to gov.uk today, honouring the chosen crown of our King.

A comparison of the current and previous crown logos, with the late Queens positioned on top and the Kings underneath (UK Government/PA)

The move signals a shift in the monarchy, with King Charles moving away from the arches of the late Queens preferred curved icon.

Queen Elizabeths St Edwards Crown was a symbol that she chose to continue over from the reign of her father, King George VI.

He took up the Tudor Crown as his emblem during his reign from 1936 to 1952.

Both the late Queen and King Charles III wore the St Edwards Crown for their respective coronations in 1953 and 2023.

The Yeomen Warders of His Majestys Royal Palace  or Beefeaters  took up the Kings branding on their uniforms before the coronation last year, with the royal outfits now emblazoned with C R III.

The King started putting his own stamp on the royal tableware used for state banquets in November.

The monarch hosted South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol at a state dinner at Buckingham Palace at the end of last year, with his CIIIR cypher added to the delicate glasses  six at each setting  and side plates of the 1953 Coronation Set, replacing the late Queens EIIR cypher.
An 800 million euro-plus (683 million) funding package from the Irish Government is not intended as a political statement, a minister has insisted.

Irish Minister for Finance Michael McGrath was speaking as he visited Belfast following the major funding announcement by his Government.

The bulk of the funding is earmarked for the proposed upgrade of the A5 road, while there are also allocations for the rebuilding of Casement Park and for cross-border Narrow Water Bridge.

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson welcomed the funding (Liam McBurney/PA)

DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson welcomed the funding from the Irish Government, but stressed it is not the job or the responsibility of the Republics Government to provide financial support for the provision of public services and general Northern Ireland infrastructure.

Mr McGrath visited Parliament Buildings at Stormont on Tuesday, as well as the City Life Centre on the peace line between the predominantly Catholic/Nationalist Falls Road and predominantly Protestant/Unionist Shankill Road.

During his visit to Stormont he had his first meeting with the new Stormont Finance Minister Caoimhe Archibald.

Speaking to media, Mr McGrath said he was there to demonstrate the commitment of the Irish Government to working in co operation in areas of common interest.

There are so many areas where we can co operate and I look forward to developing a working relationship with you, he said.

Stormont Finance Minister Caoimhe Archibald and Irish Minister of Finance Michael McGrath spoke to media in the Great Hall at Parliament Buildings, Stormont (Rebecca Black/PA)

I look forward to an early meeting of the North-South Ministerial Council where we can develop areas of co-operation into the future.

Mr McGrath added that he hopes everyone in Northern Ireland will welcome this investment by the Irish Government, insisting it is not a political statement.

My experience as a minister and as a member of parliament in the Republic is people want to see things get done, he said.

They want projects to be delivered, and if you take the A5 for example, I dont believe it is in question that the benefits of that project proceeding transcend politics, transcend borders, will result in improved road safety, will save lives and will enhance the development of the economy both north and south.

I think it will be welcomed generally and its not intended as any kind of political statement. It is a demonstration of our support and our practical support and our financial support to get projects done that benefit everyone on the island, in particular the people of Northern Ireland.

Ms Archibald described a great day, adding that as finance minister she will be grabbing on to with both hands the funding from the Irish Government.

Certainly weve had our issues with the Treasury and the financial package, and thats something that Ill continue to work with them on in terms of achieving further clarity and obviously keen to address the underfunding  but for today I am really focused on the funding package that has been announced and that really positive news story that that presents, she said.
People in the UK sometimes dont know how to focus their help for Ukraine, Dame Joanna Lumley has suggested as she read a poem at a theatre event to mark the second anniversary of Russias invasion of the country.

The 77-year-old joined more than 1,000 others at Londons Palace Theatre for an evening which featured performances by Ukrainian poets, a ballerina and musicians in a show of support for the war-torn country as it continues to fight Russian President Vladimir Putins army.

The actress read the English translation of a poem by Ukrainian poet and medic Yuliia Paievska, who was imprisoned by Russian soldiers between March and June 2022.

The Absolutely Fabulous star told the PA news agency afterwards: The house was packed, it was extraordinary, there was a great feeling of unity.

Dame Joanna Lumley and Ukrainian medic Yuliia Paievska read a poem during the United With Ukraine show, an event for the Ukrainian refugee community in London, to mark two years since the Russian invasion, at the Palace Theatre in London (Aaron Chown/PA)

I think the important thing about the world, which is very fragmented, is that if you see how strong people are together, it weakens the opposition.

When asked if Britons were doing enough to support Ukraine, she said: If somebody said collect milk bottles or something like that, or collect tin cans, we would all do it all the time, but sometimes its too nebulous and people dont know how to focus their aid.

I know that this country stands absolutely behind Ukraine and we long for what will happen.

Ms Paievska told PA: Before we went on stage, she (Dame Joanna) told me that she is with Ukraine with her whole heart.

Its a big honour for me to do this with Joanna and the reason for that is that Joanna is a symbol of Britain and a symbol of classic Britain, and everything that Britain stands for.

Its been an absolutely fantastic event and its fantastic because its very honest and beautiful, and its proven the unity of three nations.

I am often asked if our friends in the West have gotten tired of what is happening in Ukraine and supporting us, and this is proof to the fact that they have not.

Actor Brian Cox appeared earlier in the show, where he read Poem About a Crow by Victoria Amelina  a poet, novelist, essayist and human rights activist who died aged 37 from injuries sustained in a Russian missile strike on Kramatorsk  and then told Mr Putin to f*** off after the reading.

Brian Cox reads a poem during the United With Ukraine show (Aaron Chown/PA)

US ambassador to the UK Jane Hartley said in her opening remarks that Mr Putins Russia cannot go unpunished in the aftermath of opposition leader Alexei Navalnys death in a prison north of the Arctic Circle.

Speaking to PA before the performances, Ms Hartley insisted the narrative about the Wests continued support for Ukraine is much too negative and that the US can provide totally reliable support.

She added: I think the US is totally relied on in terms of Ukrainian support. Weve given 75 billion dollars in support of them, and President Biden has made it very clear that he is supporting Ukraine to the end. Hes made it very clear that he thinks Ukraine can win.

Sometimes I think the narrative gets much too negative. We have seen what they have done, weve seen what they did in the Black Sea just last week, weve seen the number of casualties on the Russian side. The Ukrainians are brave, theyre courageous and theyre tough.

Were going to support them, the world is supporting them, our allies are supporting them and this fight will go on, Im an optimist.

You guys (the UK) have been a fantastic ally, and we have worked together on everything. It really is the special relationship.

The evening also featured a speech by Attorney General Victoria Prentis, whose daughter lived in Kyiv before the war, and who took in one of her friends as a refugee.

Ukrainian rock star Svyatoslav Vakarchuk, Songs for Ukraine and the Royal Opera House quartet perform the Ukrainian national anthem during the United With Ukraine show (Aaron Chown/PA)

She said: Thats why we are determined to ensure that we and our allies will support Ukraine for as long as it takes.

Ukrainian rock star Svyatoslav Vakarchuk, who has recently returned from performing for soldiers on the front line, told PA following his performance that Britons are friends of his country not only in their words but also in actions.

He added: There are a lot of countries, there are a lot of people around the world who express their support but very few of them prove it not only with words but also with deeds.

The UK and British people are among those who are friends not only in their words but also in actions.

The war in Ukraine is still taking place and we dont see the light at the end of the tunnel, so its important to continue spreading the word about Ukraine, raise awareness, remind people that its not over.

The fact that Ukraine probably is not the main headline news as it was two years ago doesnt mean that everything is over. I can cite here the famous saying of the legendary Winston Churchill, and I think thats the situation that we can describe in Ukraine.

Its not the end, its not the end of the beginning but its probably the beginning of the end.
Julian Assange is at risk of a flagrant denial of justice if he is extradited to the United States, the High Court has heard in his final bid for an appeal in the UK.

The WikiLeaks founder faces extradition to the US over an alleged conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defence information following the publication of hundreds of thousands of leaked documents relating to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.

In a January 2021 ruling, then-district judge Vanessa Baraitser said that Assange should not be sent to the US, citing a real and oppressive risk of suicide, while ruling against the 52-year-old on all other issues.

Lawyers for Assange, who has been held in Belmarsh prison in south-east London, are now asking the High Court in London for the go-ahead to challenge her dismissal of other parts of his case against extradition.

At the start of the two-day hearing on Tuesday, his barrister Edward Fitzgerald KC said Assange is being prosecuted for an ordinary journalistic practice.

He told the court: He is being prosecuted for engaging in ordinary journalistic practice of obtaining and publishing classified information, information that is both true and of obvious and important public interest.

The barrister later described the case as a legally unprecedented prosecution and said that the 52-year-old faced a real risk he will suffer a flagrant denial of justice if he was extradited.

In written submissions, Mr Fitzgerald said that if Assange  who did not attend the hearing due to illness  were extradited, he would face a trial with tainted evidence and jurors who are prejudiced irretrievably by public denunciations of him made by the President downwards.

Stella Assange, the wife of Julian Assange, arrives at the Royal Courts Of Justice in London, ahead of a two-day hearing in the extradition case of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange (Yui Mok/PA)

Judges were later told that the original judge failed to consider the political nature of Assanges actions, which should be protected.

Mr Fitzgerald said: Mr Assange is being prosecuted on account of, in fact, prosecuted for, his exposure of alleged US government involvement in gross crimes of universal jurisdiction.

Her judgment simply fails to address this issue. Her decision was manifestly deficient and, because there is no answer to this issue, manifestly wrong.

The first day of the hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice was attended by dozens of journalists and members of the public, with scores of supporters of Assange gathering outside the central London courthouse from 8am.

Addressing the crowd ahead of the hearing, Assanges wife Stella Assange said: We dont know what to expect, but youre here because the world is watching.

They just cannot get away with this. Julian needs his freedom and we all need the truth.

The WikiLeaks founder is wanted in the US over an alleged conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defence information following the publication of hundreds of thousands of leaked documents relating to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

US authorities are opposing Assanges bid for an appeal, telling the court his case is unarguable and should not be allowed to proceed to a full hearing.

James Lewis KC, for the US, said in written submissions that Assanges conduct is consistently and repeatedly misrepresented by him in the appeal bid.

The barrister described the amount of classified material provided to Assange as unprecedented, adding: The appellant threatened damage to the strategic and national security interests of the United States and put the safety of individuals at serious risk.

Mr Lewis, who is expected to make oral arguments on behalf of the US on Wednesday, added that the original judge ruled Assange was not being prosecuted for political reasons but because he is alleged to have committed serious criminal offences.

This decision is unimpeachable and there is no error to show that the district judge got it wrong, he continued.

He added that it was simply not credible that a journalist would be immune from criminal prosecution in these circumstances.

In 2021, US authorities brought a successful High Court challenge to overturn the block on Assanges extradition, arguing that Judge Baraitsers decision risked becoming a trump card.

The hearing before Dame Victoria Sharp and Mr Justice Johnson is due to conclude on Wednesday with their decision on whether Assange can bring the appeal expected at a later date.
Labour has called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict in a major shift in the partys stance on the war.

The Opposition party has tabled an amendment to the SNPs ceasefire in Gaza motion, to be voted on in the House of Commons on Wednesday.

Sir Keir Starmer has previously called for a ceasefire that lasts in the Middle East, but stopped short of using the word immediate.

The Labour leaders position on the conflict has long caused unease among some in his party, with dozens of Labour MPs breaking ranks over an earlier SNP motion three months ago.

In an apparent attempt to get ahead of another possible rebellion, Labour on Tuesday tabled its own lengthy amendment.

A party spokesperson said: Our amendment calls for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, in line with our allies.

We need the hostages released and returned. We need the fighting to stop now. We need a massive humanitarian aid programme for Gaza. And any military action in Rafah cannot go ahead

We want the fighting to stop now. We also have to be clear on how we prevent the violence starting up again. There will be no lasting peace without a diplomatic process that delivers a two-state solution, with a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable Palestinian state.

The motion calls on MPs to support Australia, Canada and New Zealands calls for Hamas to release and return all hostages and for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, which means an immediate stop to the fighting and a ceasefire that lasts and is observed by all sides.

The amendment will call for an immediate ceasefire (AP)

Shadow foreign secretary David Lammy said Labour had shifted because of huge concern about Israels planned offensive in Rafah and the tremendous humanitarian catastrophe in the territory.

He also told broadcasters: We said back on October 7 that we supported Israels right to defend itself. It is our assessment that there has been a considerable degrading of Hamass ability.

We want those hostages to come out. But were absolutely clear that what we now need is an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.

That requires both sides to lay down their arms, Mr Lammy said.

The SNPs motion is shorter and calls for an immediate ceasefire without some of the qualification attached by Labour.

Shadow foreign secretary David Lammy said an immediate humanitarian ceasefire requires both sides to lay down their arms (Maja Smiejkowska/PA)

There have been fears Wednesdays vote could reopen deep divides among Labour MPs on the war between Israel and Hamas militants.

It comes in the wake of a row over the Rochdale by-election, which saw Labour take the highly unusual step of withdrawing support for candidate Azhar Ali after he suggested Israel took Hamass October attack as a pretext to invade Gaza.

A similar motion tabled by the SNP in November saw 10 shadow ministers and parliamentary aides rebel to back an immediate ceasefire, with some 56 Labour members defying a three-line whip and backing an amendment to the Kings Speech.

Clive Betts, who was among those to defy the leadership, welcomed the partys change in position and said he expected Labour to unite behind the amendment.

Labour would not get into the consequences for MPs who do not vote for its amendment this week.

Sir Keir, speaking at the Scottish Labour conference on Sunday, called for a ceasefire that lasts in the Middle East, in an echo of previous calls by UK ministers for a sustainable ceasefire.

Scottish Labour delegates backed calls for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza at the gathering.

SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn urged all MPs to vote for his partys Gaza ceasefire motion (Steve Welsh/PA)

SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn welcomed Labours support for an immediate ceasefire.

He said: Through Parliamentary pressure we have inserted a backbone into the Labour Party.

Amnesty International UKs head of government affairs Karla McLaren said: Its come months after it should have done, but we welcome Labours call for an immediate Gaza ceasefire

A ceasefire call on its own is not enough though  the UK Government must take meaningful action to deter Israel from continuing to commit grave violations of international humanitarian law.

No 10 said it was not yet able to set out how the Government planned to vote on Wednesdays SNP motion.

A spokeswoman for the Prime Minister said its position had not changed and that ministers continue to support an immediate humanitarian pause that would allow time for hostages to be released and aid to reach the Palestinian people.

Any ceasefire would need to be sustainable by meeting certain conditions, including hostages being released, Hamas no longer being in charge of Gaza (and) removing the terrorist infrastructure, Rishi Sunaks spokeswoman said.

Hamas October 7 attack on Israel killed around 1,200 people, with around 250 taken hostage.

Militants still hold around 130 hostages, and a quarter of them are believed to be dead.

The war unleashed by the atrocity has killed at least 29,100 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry.

A statement from The Prince of Wales pic.twitter.com/LV2jMx75DC  The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) February 20, 2024

Meanwhile, the Prince of Wales called for fighting to end as soon as possible and increased humanitarian support for Gaza.

In a statement ahead of carrying out visits to recognise the human suffering caused by conflict in the Middle East and the global rise in antisemitism, William said he was deeply concerned about the terrible human cost since the Hamas terror attack, and said there was a desperate need for increased humanitarian support for Gaza.

In New York, the US has proposed a UN Security Council resolution calling for a temporary ceasefire and opposing a ground offensive by its ally Israel in the southern Gaza city of Rafah.

The US had previously refrained from using the term ceasefire.

Downing Street declined to say whether the UK would support the USs draft resolution on Tuesday.

The Prime Ministers spokesman told reporters: Its a long-standing practice that we wouldnt reveal our voting intention on resolutions in advance.

But clearly we have consistently supported an immediate humanitarian pause in Gaza, leading to a longer-term sustainable ceasefire.
Lord Cameron has arrived in Paraguay, becoming the first UK foreign secretary to visit the South American nation.

While in Asuncion he will hold talks with president Santiago Pena and foreign minister Ruben Ramirez Lezcano.

The former prime minister is expected to discuss co-operation on trade, the environment, education and human rights issues with the Paraguayan leadership.

It is the latest leg of the Foreign Secretarys tour, which began in the Falkland Islands and will continue on to Brazil and the United States.

Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron walks around Port Stanley on the Falkland Islands (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

On Tuesday morning, Lord Cameron began his day with a swim in the cold South Atlantic before seeing some of the Falkland Islands penguins.

On a walk around Gypsy Cove, the Foreign Secretary saw a small group of Magellanic penguins in the dunes and a pod of dolphins swimming in the waters below the windswept footpath.

He chatted to children involved in a local conservation group, who persuaded him to try a piece of edible grass growing along the coast.

Lord Cameron tries eating some edible grass with local school children at Gypsy Cove (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

It tastes like celery, the Foreign Secretary said before offering the stem to the youngsters to try  they all declined.

During his visit he also met members of a Zimbabwean demining team who had helped make the area safe by clearing munitions left over from the 1982 war.

The Foreign Secretary also spoke to military personnel and their families based at Mount Pleasant airbase before departing for Paraguay.

Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron meets locals on the Falkland Islands (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

The former prime ministers visit to the Falkland Islands is the first by a foreign secretary since 1994 and the first by any Cabinet minister since 2016.

Speaking in the Falklands capital Stanley on Monday night following a wreath-laying ceremony to honour those killed in the 1982 war, he played down suggestions from the Argentinian President Javier Milei that there could be a negotiation on the future of the UK overseas territory.

Lord Cameron said: Let me be absolutely clear: as far as we are concerned, as long as the Falkland Islands want to be part of the UK family they are absolutely welcome to be part of that family and we will support them and back them and help protect and defend them absolutely, as far as Im concerned, for as long as they want.

And I hope thats for a very, very long time, possibly forever.

The Foreign Secretary took part in a wreath laying ceremony (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

The shadow of the Falklands War hangs over UK-Argentine relations, but Lord Cameron and Mr Milei had a warm and cordial meeting at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January, although on the issue of the islands, the Foreign Office said they would agree to disagree, and do so politely.

Lord Cameron told reporters in Stanley: Now of course we want to have good relations with Buenos Aires, with the Argentine government.

The new government, I think, have taken some positive steps and well have good relations with them, but it will never be at the expense of the wishes of the Falkland Islanders, who in our view absolutely come first in this manner.

After his meetings in Paraguay the Foreign Secretary will attend a summit of G20 counterparts  including Russias Sergei Lavrov  in Brazil on Wednesday.

Russias actions in Ukraine will also be the subject of a United Nations session in New York later in the week which Lord Cameron will attend.
Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron said he hoped the people of the Falkland Islands would want to stay British forever as he insisted a drive to improve relations with Argentina would not come at their expense.

Speaking in the Falklands capital Stanley, he played down suggestions from the Argentinian president Javier Milei that there could be a negotiation on the future of the UK overseas territory.

The former prime minister said: Let me be absolutely clear: as far as we are concerned, as long as the Falkland Islands want to be part of the UK family they are absolutely welcome to be part of that family and we will support them and back them and help protect and defend them absolutely, as far as Im concerned, for as long as they want.

And I hope thats for a very, very long time, possibly forever.

Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron visits a museum in Goose Green on the Falkland Islands (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

The shadow of the 1982 Falklands War hangs over UK-Argentine relations, but Lord Cameron and Mr Milei had a warm and cordial meeting at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January, although on the issue of the islands, the Foreign Office said they would agree to disagree, and do so politely.

Lord Cameron told reporters in Stanley: Now of course we want to have good relations with Buenos Aires, with the Argentine government.

The new government, I think, have taken some positive steps and well have good relations with them, but it will never be at the expense of the wishes of the Falkland Islanders, who in our view absolutely come first in this manner.

Lord Cameron earlier visited Falklands War battle sites as he became the first Foreign Secretary to visit the South Atlantic territory in 30 years.

He was taken on a helicopter tour of the islands, stopping at San Carlos and Goose Green, two of the most significant sites in the 1982 war.

At a ceremony in Stanley, he laid a wreath at the Liberation Memorial, with a handwritten note reading: In solemn remembrance of those who died defending the rights of all on these islands to determine their future.

Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron visits San Carlos Cemetery on the Falkland Islands (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

He also paid tribute to the dead on the other side in the conflict with a low-key visit to the Argentine military cemetery.

The former prime ministers visit is the first by a member of the Cabinet since then defence secretary Sir Michael Fallons trip in 2016.

The last visit by a foreign secretary was Lord Hurd in 1994.

Lord Cameron was also questioned about energy policy in the Falklands  which has potential for both renewable development and the exploitation of oil reserves.

The Foreign Secretary said the Falklands were making some great steps in terms of renewable energy, particularly in terms of wind power, and also solar power and so we very much backed you in that.

You have your own government making their own plans and we will support you in that.

But I would just stress, while we support net zero very, very strongly, it is net zero.

And so we in the United Kingdom, were making sure we are actually going to be having some extra North Sea licences for oil and gas in the North Sea.

And we think other countries, if they can responsibly extract hydrocarbons, that can be part of that zero because of course were still going to need oil and gas in the short term while we transition. I think thats an important point to make. Its net zero, not zero.

He indicated the UK could be prepared to back the Falkland Islands government to use its own financial clout and borrowing power to support oil exploration.
Here is a timeline of some key dates spanning more than a decade of legal woes for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

 2010

 August: An arrest warrant is issued for Assange over two separate allegations  one of rape and one of molestation  after he visits Sweden for a speaking trip. He is questioned by police in Stockholm and denies the allegations.

 November: Stockholm District Court approves a request to detain the WikiLeaks founder for questioning on suspicion of rape, sexual molestation and unlawful coercion. An international arrest warrant is issued by Swedish police through Interpol.

 December: Assange presents himself to London police and appears at an extradition hearing where he is remanded in custody. He is later granted conditional bail at the High Court in London after his supporters offer 240,000 in cash and sureties. US President Donald Trump calls for the death penalty for Assange.

Stella Moris outside HMP Belmarsh, south-east London, after her wedding ceremony to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange(Yui Mok/PA) (Yui Mok/PA)

 2011

 February: District Judge Howard Riddle rules that Assange should be extradited to Sweden.

 November: Assange loses a High Court appeal against the decision.

 2012

 May: The UK Supreme Court upholds the High Court decision.

 June 19: Assange enters the Ecuadorian embassy in London, requesting political asylum. A day later, Scotland Yard confirms he will be subject to arrest for breaching his bail conditions.

 2013

 June: Assange says he will not leave the embassy even if sex allegations against him are dropped, because he fears moves are underway to extradite him to the US.

 2014

 July: Assange loses a legal bid to have an arrest warrant issued in Sweden cancelled.

 2015

 August 13: Swedish prosecutors drop investigations into some of the sex allegations against Assange due to time restrictions. The investigation into suspected rape remains active.

A sculpture called Anything To Say, which features life-sized bronze figures of whistleblowers (left-right) Edward Snowden, Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning, each standing on a chair, is unveiled at Parliament Square (James Manning/PA)

 October 12: The Metropolitan Police end their 24-hour guard outside the Ecuadorian embassy. It concludes a three-year police operation that is estimated to have cost more than 12 million.

 2016

 September 16: Swedens Court of Appeal rejects a bid by Assange to have his sex assault warrant dropped.

 October: WikiLeaks publishes Democratic National Committee emails to the political benefit of Mr Trump, who remarks during his campaign: I love WikiLeaks.

 November 14: Assange is questioned for two days at the Ecuadorian embassy in the presence of Swedens assistant prosecutor, Ingrid Isgren, and police inspector Cecilia Redell.

 2017

 January 17: Barack Obamas decision to free Chelsea Manning prompts speculation over Assanges position.

 April 21: Americas attorney general, Jeff Sessions, says Assanges arrest is a priority for the US.

 May 19: An investigation into a sex allegation against Assange is dropped by Swedens director of public prosecutions.

Piers Corbyn holds up a poster in support of Julian Assange outside the Old Bailey, London. (Yui Mok/PA)

 August 15: Assange is allegedly offered a deal to avoid extradition in exchange for revealing the source of hacked Democratic Party emails to end speculation over Russian involvement.

 December: It is claimed that unnamed US figures who have been paying a security contractor to bug Assange in the Ecuadorian embassy have discussed a desperate plan to kidnap or poison him.

 2018

 August 9: The US Senate Committee asks to interview Assange as part of its investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

 September 27: Assange steps down as editor of WikiLeaks.

 2019

 January: Mr Trump claims to know nothing about WikiLeaks, only that there is something having to do with Julian Assange.

 January 10: A legal defence fund is launched for Assange amid fears he is under increasingly serious threat.

 January 23: Lawyers for Assange say they are taking action aimed at making Mr Trumps administration reveal charges secretly filed against him.

 March: Ms Manning is jailed again for refusing to give evidence to a grand jury investigating WikiLeaks.

Julian Assanges barrister Edward Fitzgerald KC during a two-day hearing in his extradition case (Elizabeth Cook/PA)

 April 11: Assange is arrested after the Ecuadorian government withdraws his asylum, blaming his repeated violations of international conventions and daily-life protocols. He is found guilty of breaching the Bail Act and remanded in custody at Belmarsh Prison.

 May 1: Assange is sentenced to 50 weeks imprisonment by Southwark Crown Court. He continues to be held on remand in Belmarsh from September after serving the custodial sentence.

 May 19: Swedish authorities resume their investigation into the alleged rape.

 November 19: The alleged rape investigation is discontinued.

 2020

 January 13: Assange appears at Westminster Magistrates Court and is backed by dozens of supporters including rapper MIA.

 February 24: Assange faces an extradition hearing at Woolwich Crown Court, where his representatives argue he cannot legally be handed to the US for political offences because of a 2003 extradition treaty.

 March 25: Assange appears via video-link at Westminster Magistrates Court, where he is refused bail amid the coronavirus crisis.

Stella Assange, the wife of Julian Assange, speaking to media outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London (Yui Mok/PA)

 April 11: Stella Moris, Assanges partner, who gave birth to his two children while he was living inside the Ecuadorian embassy, issues a plea for his release amid fears for his health.

 June 24: The US Department of Justice issues an updated 18-count indictment over Assanges alleged role in one of the largest compromises of classified information in the history of the United States.

 August 25: Ms Moris visits Assange in Belmarsh Prison for the first time in almost six months.

 September 7: Assanges extradition hearing resumes at the Old Bailey.

 November 26: Ms Moris urges Mr Trump to pardon Assange before he leaves office.

 2021

 January 4: A judge at the Old Bailey rules that Assange cannot be extradited to the United States.

 January 6: Assange is refused bail at Westminster Magistrates Court as the US government appeals against the decision to block his extradition.

Assange is backed by dozens of supporters (Yui Mok/PA)

 August 11: The US government is allowed by the High Court to expand the basis of its appeal against the judges decision not to extradite Assange.

 November 11: Sources tell the PA news agency that Assange has been given permission to marry Ms Moris in Belmarsh Prison.

 December 10: The US government wins its High Court bid to overturn the judges decision not to extradite Assange.

 December 14: Australias Deputy Prime Minister, Barnaby Joyce, speaks out to say Assange should not be extradited, but instead be kept in Britain and tried there or returned to his home nation.

 December 23: Ms Moris says Assanges lawyers have started the process towards a Supreme Court appeal over his extradition to the US.

 2022

 January 24: Assange wins the first stage of his Supreme Court appeal bid against a decision to allow his extradition to the US.

 March 14: Assange is denied permission to appeal against the High Courts decision in December 2021 to extradite him to the US, the Supreme Court confirms.

 March 23: Assange marries Ms Moris at Belmarsh Prison in a private ceremony lasting around three hours, with six guests including the couples two young sons and Assanges father, John Shipton.

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn arrives at the Royal Courts of Justice in London ahead of a two-day hearing in the extradition case of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange (Yui Mok/PA)

 April 20: Westminster Magistrates Court formally issues an extradition order, meaning Home Secretary Priti Patel is now responsible for deciding whether to approve the extradition, with two months to make her decision.

 June 17: Ms Patel signs the extradition order. Assange has the usual 14-day right to appeal.

 June 20: Australias Prime Minister dismisses calls to publicly demand the US drops its prosecution of Assange after the Wikileaks co-founders wife expressed hopes the government in Canberra would intervene.

 July 1: Assange lodges an appeal against a decision to extradite him to the United States.

 July 20: Assanges wife expresses her gratitude to Mexicos president after he repeated an offer of asylum for the WikiLeaks founder.

 August 15: US journalists and lawyers who visited Assange file legal action against the CIA and its former director, Michael Pompeo, over spying on Assanges visits.

 September 16: Assange awarded keys to Mexico City.

 October 8: Comedian and actor Russell Brand and former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn join hundreds of protesters outside the Palace of Westminster to demonstrate against the extradition of Assange.

Supporters of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange protest outside the Home Office in London with campaigners, to mark his birthday (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

 October 11: Assange is nominated for a human rights award, The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.

 October 13: Assange is selected as one of three finalists for The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.

 November 29: Brazils president-elect voices support for the campaign to free Assange.

 November 30: Australias Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says he recently told US President Joe Bidens administration to end the prosecution of Assange.

 2023

 January 22: The campaign to free Assange steps up following support from the presidents of all major Latin American countries.

 February 11: About 2,000 campaigners stage a night carnival in London to call for the release of Assange.

An image of Julian Assange is projected onto a building in Leake Street in central London to mark three years since his arrest and detention in Belmarsh prison while the United States continues with legal moves to extradite him (Victoria Jones/PA)

 April 4: Assanges wife says the decision not to allow her husband to meet with two representatives from French group Reporters Without Borders is shameful after they were prevented from visiting Assange at HMP Belmarsh by prison staff.

 April 10: A letter to the US attorney general is signed by 35 parliamentarians calling for extradition proceedings to be dropped against Assange on the fourth anniversary of his detention at Belmarsh prison.

 May 5: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says there is nothing to be served by the ongoing incarceration of Assange as he expressed frustration at the United States continuing efforts to extradite the WikiLeaks founder and Australian citizen.

 May 5: Assange writes to the King asking the monarch to visit him in prison.

 May 6: After attending the coronation of the King in London, Brazils President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva denounced the lack of concerted efforts to free Assange.

 May 17: Assanges wife describes the UK TV premiere of a film about the campaign to free the WikiLeaks founder as a hugely significant moment.

 June 9: Assange loses latest extradition appeal bid.

Campaigners pressing for the release of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange take part in a demonstration during a Night Carnival outside Westminster Abbey (James Manning/PA)

 June 24: The wife of Assange says it is now or never at a protest outside Parliament demanding his release.

 July 29: US secretary of state Antony Blinken pushes back against Australian demands for an end to Assanges prosecution, saying he is accused of very serious criminal conduct by publishing a trove of classified documents more than a decade ago.

 September 23: Friends of Assange call his ongoing prison detention outrageous after holding a bike protest in his name.

 2024

 January 10: The lawyer for Assange says the Wikileaks founders life is at risk if his final appeal against his extradition to the US fails.

 February 15: Australias House of Representatives ramps up pressure on the United States and Britain to end the prosecution of Assange by passing a motion calling for the Australian citizen to be allowed to return to his home country.

 February 15: Assanges wife warns that the WikiLeaks founder will die if he is extradited to the US, ahead of his High Court appeal.

 February 20: The United States bid to prosecute Assange is state retaliation, the High Court hears, in his final bid for an appeal in the UK.
A site used to sell the hacking software behind thousands of ransomware attacks has been taken down in an international law enforcement sting.

LockBit was used in a quarter of ransomware attacks last year and was described as the most prolific group of its kind in the past four years.

Thousands of victims were targeted internationally and more than 200 in the UK, including the Royal Mail and public service bodies including hospitals.

Another attack in September saw sensitive military information leaked when private security firm Zaun was targeted.

The NCA reveals details of an international disruption campaign targeting the worlds most harmful cyber crime group, Lockbit. Watch our video and read on to learn more about Lockbit and why this is a huge step in our collective fight against cyber crime. pic.twitter.com/m00VFWkR9Z  National Crime Agency (NCA) (@NCA_UK) February 20, 2024

Director General of the National Crime Agency Graeme Biggar said: We have hacked the hackers; taken control of their infrastructure, seized their source code, and obtained keys that will help victims decrypt their systems.

As of today, LockBit are locked out. We have damaged the capability and most notably, the credibility of a group that depended on secrecy and anonymity.

The gang behind the software used marketing tactics including paying 1,000 US dollars to customers who had the logo tattooed on themselves and payouts for anyone who spotted errors in their code.

US authorities have charged five Russians in relation to LockBit, and two other suspects have been arrested in Poland and Ukraine.

Around 200 cryptocurrency accounts have also been frozen by investigators.

The site had been used by LockBit to sell services, including ransomware, to hackers which would allow them to breach peoples computer networks.

Victims were locked out of their systems and asked to pay a ransom in order to get access to their data, causing billions in losses for the payments and the cost of recovering information.

NCA investigators found that the gang behind the ransomware attacks did not always delete data when victims paid ransoms.

Experts have said the action against LockBit is a significant short term blow, but that the group may rebuild its operation (Tim Goode/PA)

It said it has found more than 1,000 decryption keys held by hackers and will be contacting UK-based victims to help them recover encrypted data.

Two of the suspects charged by the US are in custody, Mikhail Vasiliev, who is being held in Canada awaiting extradition, and Ruslan Magomedovich Astamirov, who is in the US.

The remaining three, Artur Sungatov, Ivan Kondratyev and Mikhail Pavlovich Matveev, are at large.

The NCA said the infrastructure supporting LockBits tool that was used to steal data, known as StealBit, based in three countries, has also been seized.

Hundreds of people are thought to have been involved in running the group.

Mr Biggar said: Through our close collaboration, we have hacked the hackers; taken control of their infrastructure, seized their source code and obtained keys that will help victims decrypt their systems.

U.S. and U.K. Disrupt LockBit Ransomware Variant U.S. Indictment Charges Two Russian Nationals with Attacks Against Multiple U.S. and International Victims; FBI Seizes Infrastructure; and Department of Treasury Takes Additional Action Against LockBit : https://t.co/WBSQF76W6u  U.S. Department of Justice (@TheJusticeDept) February 20, 2024

Paul Foster, head of the NCAs national cybercrime unit, said that LockBits popularity was partly because it was so easy to use.

He said: LockBit had established itself as the preeminent ransomware strain over the last four years and one of the reasons for this was its intuitive platform and its relative ease of use.

That means just with a few simple clicks even the less technically savvy cybercriminals used LockBit to deploy ransomware.

Another key reason for their past criminal success was the marketing and branding that underpinned LockBit. They had a slick website and they had loyal customers.

They ran a successful marketing campaign that included a promise to pay 1,000USD to anybody who had the LockBit logo tattooed on themselves.

Experts said that while LockBit may rebuild its network, the law enforcement action is a major setback.

Chris Morgan, senior cyber threat intelligence analyst from cybersecurity firm ReliaQuest said: The operation carried out by law enforcement against Lockbit could potentially be the most significant action taken against ransomware so far.

The success of the law enforcement operation will be dictated over whether Lockbit are able to recover their operations.

ReliaQuest has observed Lockbit as the most active and prolific ransomware groups for several years, who will likely have significant resources and backup infrastructure capable of recovering operations and showing resilience.

The operation will however likely deal a significant short term blow to the groups operations, sowing distrust throughout the groups affiliates over potential law enforcement compromise.

Chester Wisniewski, director, global field CTO at cybersecurity firm Sophos said: Lockbit rose to be the most prolific ransomware group since Conti departed the scene in mid-2022.

The frequency of their attacks, combined with having no limits to what type of infrastructure they cripple has also made them the most destructive in recent years.

Anything that disrupts their operations and sows distrust amongst their affiliates and suppliers is a huge win for law enforcement.

We shouldnt celebrate too soon though.

Much of their infrastructure is still online, which likely means it is outside the grasp of the police and the criminals have not been reported to have been apprehended.
Social media platforms and search engines are still littered with scam ads amid an epidemic of fraud gripping the UK, a watchdog has warned.

Which? found blatant fraudulent advertising, from copycats of major retail brands to investment scams and ads using the identities of celebrities despite them having no connection with the product or service.

The consumer group scoured Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube as well as search engines Google and Bing in November and December and were able to find a range of obvious scam adverts easily, even though the Online Safety Act had received Royal Assent weeks earlier.

The Act does not officially come into force on scam adverts until after Ofcom finalises the codes of practice, which the regulator will use to set the standard platforms must meet.

On Metas ad library, Which? found Facebook and Instagram hosting multiple copycat adverts impersonating major retailers around the time of the Black Friday sales, including electricals giant Currys plus clothing brands River Island and Marks & Spencer. Each advert attempted to lure victims to bogus sites in a bid to extract their payment details.

On YouTube and TikTok, Which? found sponsored videos in which individuals without Financial Conduct Authority authorisation gave often highly inappropriate investment advice.

On X, an advert led to a fake BBC website and featured an article falsely using Martin Lewis to endorse a company which promoted itself as a crypto get-rich-quick platform.

Beneath the advert was a note added by the platform with some context added by other site users, known as readers notes. It warned that: This is yet another crypto scam using celebrities. Despite the warning, the advert remained live.

When researchers posed as drivers searching on Google for the paybyphone app to pay for parking, they were confronted with two adverts for impostor websites  onlytelephone.com and homeautomationinnovators.com  appearing at the top of search results and using PayByPhones logo without permission.

Both websites claimed to offer a free download, but included identical small print at the bottom of their websites revealing a monthly charge of 24.99. PayByPhone confirmed that the advertisers had nothing to do with the genuine parking app.

5 scams you need to know about https://t.co/LjsoE5V4YM  Which? (@WhichUK) February 19, 2024

Which? said it was concerned that the findings suggested online platforms may not be taking scam adverts seriously enough.

It has called for a dedicated fraud minister to make the problem a national priority.

Microsoft, the owner of Bing, and TikTok were the only platforms to tell Which? they had removed the scam or harmful content reported to them.

Facebook, Google, Instagram and X did not report back to Which? on whether the adverts reported to them had been blocked or removed.

Rocio Concha, Which? director of policy and advocacy, said: Most of the major social media platforms and search engines are still failing to protect their users from scam ads, despite forthcoming laws that will force them to tackle the problem.

Ofcom must put a code of conduct in place that puts robust duties on platforms to detect and take down scams using the Online Safety Act. The Government needs to make tackling fraud a national priority and appoint a fraud minister who can ensure there is a coordinated pushback against the epidemic of fraud gripping the UK.

Google, also the parent company of YouTube, said: Protecting users is our top priority and we have strict ads policies that govern the types of ads and advertisers we allow on our platforms. We enforce our policies vigorously, and if we find ads that are in violation, we remove them.

We continue to invest significant resources to stop bad actors and we are constantly evaluating and updating our policies and improving our technology to keep our users safe.

TikTok said its guidelines prohibited fraud and scams, adding that it had removed all the videos Which? shared with it for violating these, as well as related accounts.

Microsoft, Bings owner, told Which? that its policies prohibited advertising content that was deceptive, fraudulent or that could be harmful to users, also confirming that it had removed the content reported by the watchdog.

A Government spokesperson said: Government action has helped reduce fraud by 13% demonstrating progress on the rollout of our fraud strategy.

The strategy announced the appointment of a new Anti-Fraud Champion, who recently helped secure the worlds first online fraud charter, a commitment from 12 of the worlds biggest tech companies to reduce fraud on their platforms, including fraudulent adverts.

Our world-leading Online Safety Act will also require platforms to take proactive measures to prevent and swiftly remove fraudulent content. Companies that fail to comply with their new duties could face huge fines.
Recruiter Staffline, pub group Mitchells & Butlers and airline easyJet have been named as some of the major British companies that did not pay some staff the minimum wage.

The Government released a list of 524 businesses that failed to pay employees the national minimum wage, or the national living wage, which is what the Government calls the minimum wage for people aged over 21.

Around 172,000 workers were left out of pocket as a result, the Department for Business and Trade said.

Employees deserve to get paid properly for the hard work they put in, said Kevin Hollinrake, minister for enterprise, markets and small business.

While the majority of businesses already do the right thing and pay their staff what they are owed, todays announcement sends a message to the minority who arent  that there are repercussions to undercutting hard work from their staff.

Staffline failed to pay 36,767 workers correctly, owing them a total of around 5.13 million before making it right, the department said.

The firm told shareholders in 2019 that it was facing a financial hit after realising it had underpaid staff, as it had not included the time workers on food production lines spent changing in and out of work clothes.

Staffline would like to clarify that these are historic breaches and related to the period 2013 to 2018, the company said.

Remedial actions were taken in 2019 and formally concluded with HMRC to their complete satisfaction in 2020.

Fast food chain Greggs failed to pay 4,793 employees an average of 45.72 they were due, also because of uniforms.

The company said: During a review with HMRC (HM Revenue & Customs), it was brought to our attention that our uniform policy for retail colleagues was not aligned with HMRCs interpretation of national minimum wage regulations, and as a result, we revised our uniform policy in January 2018.

Once the review was concluded, we reimbursed colleagues and former colleagues who had been impacted by this unintended error.

The department said all the companies on the list have paid what they owe to staff and been hit with financial penalties up to 200% of the amount they underpaid.

The investigations that led to the list were performed by HMRC between 2015 and 2023.

EasyJet said it was on the list  underpaying 3,898 staff at an average of 86.94 each  because some cabin crew were paid less than allowed for their first three weeks when they were training between 2014 and 2019.

This was a genuine error which we immediately rectified and issued back payments to all affected crew, the airline said.

Mitchells & Butlers underpaid 16,187 staff an average of 34.91 each, gambling company Rank underpaid 5,629 staff an average of 170.99, and beauty company Estee Lauder underpaid 5,933 staff an average of 150.85.

Mitchells & Butlers said: As the minister notes, not all underpayments are intentional and this was the case here.

It blamed a technical misinterpretation of the regulations which was identified in 2019. M&B added: All arrears due were paid to our valued employees and ex-employees at the end of the review and we have updated our policies where necessary.

Estee Lauder said it had never intentionally paid our valued colleagues less than the minimum wage.

The firm added: In 2019, like many other companies, we were made aware that we had misinterpreted guidance from HM Revenue & Customs on the way in which payment was taken for voluntary staff purchases of our concession products and on staff clothing requirements.

We immediately made sure all affected employees were informed and reimbursed and updated our procedures.
Rishi Sunak faces the prospect of another difficult by-election after an independent panel upheld a finding that former Conservative MP Scott Benton should be suspended from the Commons for 35 days.

Mr Benton, who was elected as a Conservative but now sits as an independent, was found to have breached Commons rules after he was caught by the Times offering to lobby ministers and table parliamentary questions on behalf of gambling investors.

He appealed against both the finding and the suspension, but in a report published on Tuesday an independent panel upheld the Standards Committees original decision, saying there had been no procedural flaw in the process.

The panel also described Mr Bentons arguments against the recommended suspension as misconceived or erroneous, finding the sanction was neither unreasonable nor disproportionate.

In response, Mr Benton said he was deeply disappointed with the outcome, describing the findings as unjust.

He said: The entire process has been prone to regular leaks at every stage, with journalists knowing the details throughout. This lack of integrity throughout the process has formed an inescapable appearance of bias.

(PA Graphics)

The finding means MPs will now vote on whether to implement the recommended suspension which, if supported, would trigger a recall petition and a potential by-election in Mr Bentons seat if 10% of his constituents sign the petition.

The Conservatives won Blackpool South in 2019 with a majority of just 3,690, raising the prospect of another difficult by-election for the Prime Minister after losses in Wellingborough and Kingswood last week.

Labour called on Mr Benton to resign immediately rather than wait for the outcome of any recall petition.

Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow paymaster general, said: Scott Benton should do the decent thing and resign, saving the people of Blackpool South a lengthy recall petition that would leave them without the representation they deserve.

This is yet another by-election caused by Tory scandal. Britain deserves better than this carousel of Conservative chaos.

Labours Chris Webb is Blackpool born and bred, and ready to deliver a fresh start for Blackpool South.

A by-election in Blackpool South would be the fourth such vote held this year, while defeat would be the 11th time the Government has lost a seat in a by-election since the start of the current Parliament in 2019.

Sir Keir Starmer welcomed Gen Kitchen and Damien Egan, the newly elected Labour MPs for Kingswood and Wellingborough, to the Houses of Parliament (Aaron Chown/PA)

After Labours two victories last week, the outcome of a third by-election, in Rochdale, remains uncertain after the party was forced to withdraw support from its candidate over comments he made about the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Mr Benton had argued that the investigation into him by the Commons Standards Commissioner was materially flawed, claiming the commissioner had drastically over-reached and arrived at conclusions which were unsupported by any adequate evidence.

He also claimed that the Standards Committees decision had been leaked to the press, which was evidence of an appearance of bias against him.

The independent panel dismissed both arguments, saying there was no substance to his claims against the commissioner and that an investigation by the Standards Committee found there had been no leak of its decision.

The panel also found there was no substance to Mr Bentons claims that the recommended suspension was unreasonable and/or disproportionate.

Responding to the decision, Mr Benton renewed his criticism of the Standards Committee and claimed the panel had ignored evidence that details had been leaked to the press.

He said: It goes without saying that the standards process is designed to be open, fair, honest and transparent so the public and MPs can have trust in it. These events clearly mean that this trust has been breached by members of the committee and/or its administrative staff and create an inevitable perception of partiality.

How can MPs and the public they serve have faith in a standards process which doesnt adhere to its own ethics, standards and principles?

To make matters worse, the decision of the appeal panel (the timing of which should have again been unknown) was leaked to the press with journalists contacting me last night regarding this and the decision being leaked this morning. Despite being aware of yet more leaks, the appeal panel chooses to ignore this and the obvious flaws and bias within the process which they so clearly demonstrate.

Alistair McCapra, chief executive of lobbying trade association the Chartered Institute of Public Relations, welcomed the panels decision, saying the footage of Mr Benton recorded in the Times sting had been clear and damning.

He said: We need a radical shift in the culture around lobbying in this country and effective and clear rules to support that change. Until then we will continue to see unethical, disingenuous and underhand attempts to influence policy and there is good evidence to show the continued damage to public trust in politics associated with it.

The Government will now move the proposal to suspend Mr Benton, which is likely to pass the Commons without difficulty, triggering the six-week recall petition process.

If 10% of Mr Bentons constituents sign the petition, he will be recalled and a by-election will take place, meaning the poll is unlikely to occur until the end of April or the beginning of May.
A man strangled a dog owner to death and later returned to the home of his decomposing victim and took his labradoodle, a court has heard.

The body of Donald Patience, 45, was discovered underneath a duvet cover at the bottom of his stairs by police who responded to reports of a burglary at the end terrace house in Radcliffe, Greater Manchester.

A postman called 999 on the morning of August 22 last year when he saw a male figure climbing through a rear window of the property in Ashworth Road and heard a noise like someone trying to force entry.

The same male later emerged from the back garden with a medium-sized, fluffy white dog on a lead, Manchester Crown Court heard.

Police officers outside Donald Patiences property in Ainsworth Road, Radcliffe (Peter Byrne/PA)

The Crown says Ian Connell, 39, was the man who had entered the address and that some time from August 19 onwards had murdered Mr Patience, commonly known by his middle name Prentice.

Opening the prosecution case on Tuesday, Michael Hayton KC told jurors that Mr Patience was an educated man who had roots in Scotland.

He said: He was a man who had access to money. He previously worked, had businesses, and had family money from property.

It is right that because of his access to money there were people who wished to prey upon his good nature, borrow money from him  maybe some of those loans would be paid with interest  but the Crown say his financial position is of significance.

The Crown say it is the reason, in all probability, that he was found deceased and decomposing at the foot of his own stairs by a police officer following a report of a burglary at the property.

The only possible explanation for Mr Patiences death is that pressure was applied to his neck until he was dead. He was strangled to death.

The most likely explanation is that it followed an argument of some sort about money.

Mr Patiences access to money and also perhaps his good nature led to others taking advantage of him, abusing his generosity and using his access to funds.

The Crown say one such person who sought to take advantage in this way was Ian Connell, and money was central to many of the communications between the two men in the lead up to Mr Patiences death.

The Crown does not have to prove a motive, but we say a reasonable conclusion from the evidence is that money was part of what happened in Ashworth Road last year.

Connell, of Duke Street, Bolton, denies the murder of Mr Patience who he later told police he loved like a brother.

He has also pleaded not guilty to an alternative count of manslaughter.

Jurors were told the defendant also approached two strangers in the street before police arrived at the scene.

He noticed one of the men had a bandage on his thumb and told them he too had a hand injury as he showed them a thick, red mark across his palm which he said he received after a row with his girlfriend.

Connell was detained on suspicion of burglary when one of the responding police officers recognised the labradoodle from a previous interaction with Mr Patience, the court heard.

He was found to be in possession of a wallet containing Mr Patiences driving licence and library card.

Mr Hayton said Connell began to tell the first of many lies at the scene and then later in interview following his arrest on suspicion of murder.

He said: When asked why he was walking the labradoodle he stated Mr Patience had phoned him and asked to walk it. We say that is a lie, because Mr Patience had been dead for some time.

He said Mr Patience was in Scotland, another lie. Mr Connell knew that he was dead at the bottom of the stairs.

The Crown say simply that by August 22 he was certainly dead and he became deceased at some point from August 19 onwards.

The prosecutor said the jury will hear evidence from a pathologist whose opinion was that Mr Patience died from a sustained period of pressure to the neck from either some form of ligature  such as an item of clothing  or manually by hands.

Mr Hayton said Connell initially stated to detectives that the property in Ashworth Road was his home address and he had lived there for 12 months.

He went on to say Mr Patience was alive when he left the house on August 21, jurors were told, but then gave an account in which he said he woke up at the address and found Mr Patience deceased before he tried to move him upstairs.

Mr Hayton went on: He said he couldnt have killed him because he loved him like a dad or a brother and said he would find who had killed him.

He said he lied early in the interview process because of fear. The Crown say the only fear was the fear of being held responsible for what he had done.

At the heart of this case is the question of who killed Donald Patience. The Crown say that the evidence will show that the person responsible is Mr Connell.

A man he left despite the affection he purported to feel for him, a man left decomposing on the floor while he callously went about his day-to-day life.

The trial, estimated to last two weeks, continues on Wednesday.
Lord Cameron tries some edible grass with local schoolchildren at Gypsy Cove on the Falkland Islands - Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire

Lord Camerons visit to the Falkland Islands has been denounced as a provocation by an Argentinian governor.

His trip on Monday represented the first time a British foreign secretary has visited the region in more than 30 years.

The move was criticised by the leader of the Argentinian region that claims to include what the country refers to as Las Malvinas.

Gustavo Melella, the governor of the Tierra del Fuego, Antarctic and Southern Atlantic Islands, posted on X, formerly Twitter: The presence of David Cameron on our Malvinas Islands constitutes a new British provocation and seeks to diminish our legitimate sovereignty claims over our territories and maintain colonialism in the 21st century. We will not stand for it.

The region Mr Melella leads nominally includes offshore territories that Argentina does not control but over which it claims sovereignty, from the British-ruled Falklands, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands to a swathe of Antarctica.

Lord Cameron said his visit to the Falklands archipelago, which was the object of a 1982 war between the UK and Argentina, was meant to make clear the territory remained a valued part of the British family.

The Foreign Secretary said Britain would help protect and defend the islands for as long as they want to remain British. In 2013, more than 99 per cent of Falklanders voted to remain part of the United Kingdom.

David Cameron meets islanders on his visit to the Falklands - Simon Dawson/ No 10 Downing Street

Buenos Aires has long claimed the islands on the basis that they should be part of its colonial inheritance from periods of Spanish rule, which ended when Argentina gained independence in 1816.

Lord Cameron, the first Cabinet member to visit the Falklands since 2016 and the first foreign secretary to do so since Douglas Hurd, spoke to Javier Milei, the Argentinian president, about the dispute when the two men met at Davos last month.

After the meeting, Mr Milei said that Lord Cameron would continue talks over the islands with Diana Mondino, Argentinas foreign minister. They reportedly hit it off during the meeting, bonding over their mutual admiration for the Rolling Stones.

The Foreign Office also said the pair had a cordial meeting and that they would agree to disagree, and do so politely on the Falklands.

A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson said: It was a positive meeting, building on the Foreign Secretarys discussion with President Milei at the World Economic Forum in January during which they agreed to embark on a new era of relations between Argentina and the UK.

On the Falklands Islands, the Foreign Secretary reiterated the UKs ongoing support for the Falkland Islanders right of self-determination. However, they noted that this would not prevent cooperation on areas that would be mutually beneficial.

Previously, Mr Milei has said that he wants to seek a feasible solution to the sovereignty of the islands through diplomatic negotiation, comparing the situation to that of Hong Kong, which the UK handed over to China in 1997.

Despite the protests by Mr Melella, Mr Mileis government remained tight-lipped about Lord Camerons visit. However, former officials joined the critique of Mr Camerons trip, with Santiago Cafiero, an ex foreign minister, expressing his most categorical rejection of the presence of a British foreign secretary in the archipelago.

This is a new and inadmissible provocation, something which has not happened for 30 years and which must be rejected by the national government, he said.

Guillermo Carmona, a former secretary of Malvinas affairs, said: The Argentine foreign ministry remains silent in the face of a provocation that requires a diplomatic reaction. If the repudiation and protest do not come from the government, let us demonstrate as a people that we do not consent to colonialism.
Former Scottish first minister Alex Salmond has questioned why the Foreign Office is so petrified by meetings between Humza Yousaf and foreign leaders.

In one of his first acts as Foreign Secretary, Lord Cameron wrote to the Scottish Government to rebuke the current First Minister after meetings  including with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan  without an official from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) present.

The letter included a threat to revoke support for Scotland overseas, including the removal of Scottish Government offices from UK embassies if officials were not present at future meetings.

Mr Salmond appeared before the Scottish Affairs Committee on Tuesday to discuss inter-governmental relations since devolution  where he generally praised Lord Camerons approach to Scotland while he was prime minister.

Alex Salmond appeared before the Scottish Affairs Committee on Tuesday (Jane Barlow/PA)

But asked about the issues between the two Governments in the past year, Mr Salmond said: Why weve got to this situation where the Foreign Office are so petrified of what Humza Yousaf might say to the Prime Minister of Iceland, I have got absolutely no idea.

He added: It is a self defeating business  you cant stop Humza Yousaf believing what he does about Gaza, if indeed he was discussing Gaza, as opposed to climate change.

The former first minister went on to suggest there may be something more than meets the eye in Lord Camerons letter, adding: Nobody would send such a petty, ridiculous letter unless there was some backstory to it.

Threatening to withdraw co-operation with Scotland abroad, Mr Salmond added, was totally out of proportion.

The former first minister, who served in Bute House for four years while Lord Cameron was in Downing Street, said the former prime minister engendered the best intergovernmental relations during his time in office  a time which saw the signing of the Edinburgh Agreement, paving the way for the 2014 independence referendum.

He added: I dont know what the backstory is behind the Cameron letter, but that letter was published.

It looks like a reprimand to a naughty schoolboy and Im hoping that Humza Yousaf can have an early meeting with David Cameron where Im hoping that David Cameron will be as amenable and positive as he was on non-party political matters to me 10 years ago because I see no benefit whatsoever in trying to gag the First Minister of Scotland or trying to restrict who he meets and who he doesnt meet.
The United States bid to prosecute Julian Assange is state retaliation, the High Court has heard in his final bid for an appeal in the UK.

The WikiLeaks founder faces extradition to the US over an alleged conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defence information following the publication of hundreds of thousands of leaked documents relating to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.

In a January 2021 ruling, then-district judge Vanessa Baraitser said that Assange should not be sent to the US, citing a real and oppressive risk of suicide, while ruling against him on all other issues.

But later that year, US authorities won their High Court bid to overturn this block, paving the way towards Assanges extradition.

Lawyers for the 52-year-old are now asking for the go-ahead to challenge the original judges dismissal of other parts of his case to prevent his extradition.

During the first day of the hearing on Tuesday, Mark Summers KC argued the US prosecution of Assange would be retribution for his political opinions, meaning it would be unlawful to extradite him under UK law.

The barrister said: This is a paradigm example of state retaliation for the expression of political opinion.

The district judge did not address it, had she done so, it would have been fatal to her decision.

Court artist sketch of Julian Assanges barrister Edward Fitzgerald KC, on his feet in front of judges (Elizabeth Cook/PA)

In written submissions, Mr Summers and Edward Fitzgerald KC, also for Assange, added: The evidence showed that the US was prepared to go to any lengths, including misusing its own criminal justice system, to sustain impunity for US officials in respect of the torture/war crimes committed in its infamous war on terror, and to suppress those actors and courts willing and prepared to try to bring those crimes to account.

Mr Assange was one of those targets.

Mr Summers later told the High Court in London that the US authorities had developed a breathtaking plan to either kill or kidnap Assange while he was in the Ecuadorian embassy, where he remained for around seven years.

Stella Assange, the wife of Julian Assange, speaking to supporters outside the Royal Courts Of Justice in London, during the two-day hearing in the extradition case of the WikiLeaks founder (Yui Mok/PA)

The barrister later said the plan only fell apart when the UK authorities werent very keen on the thought of rendition, or a shootout, in the streets of London.

Mr Fitzgerald later said Assange, who did not attend Tuesdays hearing, is being prosecuted for an ordinary journalistic practice.

He told the court: He is being prosecuted for engaging in ordinary journalistic practice of obtaining and publishing classified information, information that is both true and of obvious and important public interest.

The barrister later described the case as a legally unprecedented prosecution and said that the 52-year-old faced a real risk he will suffer a flagrant denial of justice if he was extradited.

The first day of the hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice was attended by dozens of journalists and members of the public, with scores of supporters of Assange gathering outside the central London courthouse from 8am.

Addressing the crowd ahead of the hearing, Assanges wife Stella Assange said: We dont know what to expect, but youre here because the world is watching.

They just cannot get away with this.

Julian needs his freedom and we all need the truth.

Supporters outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, during the two-day hearing in the extradition case of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange (Yui Mok/PA)

US authorities are opposing Assanges bid for an appeal, telling the court his case is unarguable and should not be allowed to proceed to a full hearing.

James Lewis KC, for the US, said in written submissions that Assanges conduct is consistently and repeatedly misrepresented in the appeal bid.

The barrister described the amount of classified material provided to Assange as unprecedented, adding: The appellant threatened damage to the strategic and national security interests of the United States and put the safety of individuals at serious risk.

Mr Lewis, who is expected to make oral arguments on behalf of the US on Wednesday, added that the original judge ruled Assange was not being prosecuted for political reasons but because he is alleged to have committed serious criminal offences.

This decision is unimpeachable and there is no error to show that the district judge got it wrong, he continued.

He added that it was simply not credible that a journalist would be immune from criminal prosecution in these circumstances.

The hearing before Dame Victoria Sharp and Mr Justice Johnson is due to conclude on Wednesday with their decision on whether Assange can bring the appeal expected at a later date.
The Prince of Wales is to carry out royal events which recognise the human suffering caused by the war in the Middle East, subsequent conflict in Gaza and the global rise in antisemitism, Kensington Palace has said.

William will meet aid workers helping to provide humanitarian support in the region, hearing about the experiences of those on the ground, and separately join a synagogue discussion with young people from different communities who are advocates against hatred and antisemitism.

Kensington Palace said: The prince and princess were profoundly concerned by events that unfolded in late 2023 and continue to hold all the victims, their family and friends in their hearts and minds.

Their Royal Highnesses continue to share in the hope of a better future for all those affected.

William was pictured chatting to 2018 Eurovision Song Contest winner Netta Barzilai during his visit to Israel (Ian Vogler/Daily Mirror/PA)

The October 7 raids by the Palestinian militant group Hamas killed about 1,200 people, with around 250 taken hostage.

Militants still hold around 130 hostages and a quarter of them are believed to be dead.

The war has killed at least 28,985 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry.

There are fresh fears about an escalation in the conflict if Israeli forces move into Rafah, a city and major aid delivery point in southern Gaza.

The Arab Group chair this month, Tunisias UN ambassador Tarek Ladeb, told UN reporters last Wednesday that some 1.5 million Palestinians who sought safety in Rafah face a catastrophic scenario if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu goes ahead with a potential evacuation of civilians and military offensive in the area bordering Egypt.

In 2018 William undertook, on behalf of the Government, the first official trip by a member of the monarchy to Israel and the Occupied West Bank.

During his visit he sat down for separate talks with Mr Netanyahu and the Palestinian Authority president, Mahmoud Abbas.
Bacon is just the start.

Getty Images

Do you remember learning about the four basic tastes when you were growing up? I can close my eyes and see the chart nowthere was a huge tongue on it, with dotted lines outlining which parts could taste the different flavors: sweet, salty, sour, and bitter.

The Japanese have championed a fifth taste, umami, which loosely translates into the essence of deliciousness. Foods such as Parmesan cheese, soy sauce, and tomato paste are common examplestheir flavor is extremely satisfying, a combination of savoriness, richness, andfor a lack of a more scientific wordyumminess.

Since the Japanese have added a fifth taste to the lineup, I think its only the fair that the South add its own to the list. And in my humble opinion, the sixth tastethe Southern tasteis smoky.

Southerners revere smoke. Its the foundational element of our barbecue, but its so much more. Smoke is a primal flavora deep, comforting, satisfying taste thats penetrated our DNA since the days our ancestors first learned to harness fire to cook their food. Richness from smoked meat is what makes a pot of greens worth eating; its the fundamental flavor of the bacon that no breakfast should be without.

While not every Southerner loves smoky flavors (my own mother included!) I think its fair to say that most of us have a special place in our hearts (and our appetites) for all things smoky. I personally cant get enough. Here are five easy ways to add smokiness to your food without standing over a hot fire all day.



Smoked Paprika

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If youre from the South, youre no stranger to paprikait shows up in most recipes for deviled eggs and cheese straws as a must-have garnish. But if you just have hot or Hungarian paprika in your spice drawer, I highly recommend adding smoked paprika to your collection. The smoky flavor is rich but not overpoweringit adds a great depth of flavor to chili or anything you throw on the grill.



Smoked Almonds

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Im obsessed with smoked almonds. Salty, a little sweet, and superbly smoky, theyre the secret ingredient that will take your next cheese ball over the top. Forget the pecansmake your favorite cheese ball and roll it in chopped smoked almonds. You can do the same with a log of goat cheese. Theyre also delicious on their own, or part of a charcuterie board.



Smoked Meats

Getty Images

When you stroll through the meat section of most Southern grocery stores, after you pass the fresh chicken, pork, and beef, youll find the smoked meats section. Filled with random, gnarly hunks of random meats in Styrofoam trays wrapped in cellophane, it can be intimidating for the uninitiated. I usually go for the smoked turkey wings, ham hocks, or pork neck bonesall are perfect for popping into a pot of greens or soup to infuse it with smoky, meaty flavor.



Chipotles In Adobo

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These fiery canned peppers are one of my favorite ingredients. Made from jalapeno peppers that have been smoked then simmered in a rich sauce, this pantry staple is usually extremely spicy, but the smoky punch it delivers to braised meats or roasted veggies is intense and tasty.



Liquid Smoke

Photo from Amazon

Like it or love it, liquid smoke is a quick and easy way to add smoky flavor to foods. Liquid smoke is made from burning hardwood chips, then condensing the resulting smoke into a liquid form. Its extremely concentrated, so a little goes a LONG way. Personally, its not my favorite way to add smoky flavor, but I have been known to stir a dash into mayonnaise for an easy, smoky sandwich upgrade.

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This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Lana Turners explosive romance with mobster Johnny Stompanato came to a bloody end.

It was the night of Good Friday, April 4, 1958, when the Hollywood stars daughter, Cheryl Crane, overheard her mother attempting to end the relationship once and for all from her bedroom. Stompanato became enraged and threatened to destroy Turners face, as well as harm her mother and child. The fight escalated, and a frantic Crane ran downstairs, grabbing an eight-inch carving knife.

'30S STAR'S SHOCKING DEATH STILL HAUNTS HOLLYWOOD, AUTHOR SAYS: 'SHE DIDN'T DROWN IN HER TOILET'

Johnny Stompanato was found stabbed to death at Lana Turner's palatial Beverly Hills home.

The rest was a blur, according to Crane. At first, Crane thought she punched Stompanato in the stomach, hoping to stop him from striking her mother. But as he gurgled and choked, she realized he ran into her knife.

"My God, Cheryl, what have you done?" he gasped. Moments later, he was sprawled on the floor of her mothers all-pink bedroom. The 32-year-old bodyguard to mob boss Mickey Cohen was dead. The knife had penetrated his abdomen, "slicing into one of his kidneys, striking a vertebra, and puncturing his aorta."

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Johnny Stompanato's body being removed from Lana Turner's home.

The true-crime case is being revisited nearly 66 years later in a new book by Casey Sherman, "A Murder in Hollywood: The Untold Story of Tinseltowns Most Shocking Crime." The book has already been picked up to be adapted for a TV series.

Casey Sherman's new book, "A Murder in Hollywood," has already been picked up for TV.

Shermans previous books, "The Finest Hours" and "Boston Strong," were adapted into films starring Chris Pine and Mark Wahlberg.

"Like most people, I thought Lana Turner had fallen in love with a bad guy, and that bad guy ended up dead on the carpet floor of her Beverly Hills bedroom floor," Sherman told Fox News Digital. "But as I started to dig deeper, I realized there was a much bigger story to tell."

Police Sgt. Russel R. Peterson examines the eight-inch carving knife that was reportedly used in the fatal stabbing of Johnny Stompanato.

Turner, a glamorous star of the 40s and 50s who was also a beloved pinup among GIs during World War II, died in 1995 at age 74. Crane, 80, is a retired real estate broker presumably still residing in Palm Springs, California. In 1988, she wrote a memoir, "Detour: A Hollywood Story," about her upbringing and the slaying.

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Cheryl Crane, daughter of actress Lana Turner and second husband, Stephen Crane, is photographed on Jan. 12, 1988, in New York City promoting her autobiography "Detour: a Hollywood Tragedy  My Life With Lana Turner, My Mother."

Sherman said he tracked down the last living sources still residing in Los Angeles who were alive at the time of the killing. He also got access to the original Beverly Hills police case file.

"When people see this case for the first time, they just see Lana Turner falling in love with Johnny Stompanato, but the relationship grew violent and toxic over time, and it ended up with Johnny Stomapanato dead," Sherman explained. "But I was able to uncover new information that suggests and proves this was an extortion plot from day one."

"Mickey Cohen and Johnny Stompanato targeted Lana Turner as they had targeted a lot of different Hollywood types at the time," he alleged. "They wanted to put her in a compromising situation that they could use to gain money from her estate."

This photo of Lana Turner and Johnny Stompanato was taken just days before he was stabbed to death.

According to reports, Turner began receiving phone calls and flowers from Stompanato while on the set of her film, "The Lady Takes a Flyer," in 1957. The actress, who often found herself unlucky in love, embarked on a passionate affair.

"Lanas kryptonite, if you will, were bad men," said Sherman. "I think that goes back to the unsolved murder of her father when she was a child. And because she never had a strong male figure in her life, she seemed to always gravitate toward danger. She made wrong decisions based on that vulnerability that she always had."

In her lifetime, Turner carried out a string of high-profile romances with stars like Frank Sinatra, Tyrone Power, Artie Shaw, Howard Hughes and allegedly with a married Clark Gable, among others. She earned the nickname "The Nightclub Queen" by the press for her love of partying. Her marriage to actor and restaurateur Stephen Crane, whom she shared her only child with, ended in divorce.

Cheryl Crane with her mother Lana Turner, circa 1952. Crane is Turner's only child.

Stompanato, a former Marine with a megawatt smile, charmed the actress. But Turner maintained that, to her horror, he became increasingly possessive and violent.

"Her friends warned her," Sherman explained. "Mickey Rooney immediately identified Johnny Stompanato as a mobster who had been using the alias Johnny Steele. But he was already a well-known, notorious mobster who had worked for years for Mickey Cohen, the most violent and despicable mob boss in Los Angeles history. And Lana could have very easily become one of Mickey Cohens victims."

"I recount in the book that Lanas lawyer, after Johnny Stompanatos death, had uncovered films of Lana in compromised situations," he alleged. "Lana believed Johnny Stompanato had drugged her and put her in bed with other females and wouldve used that as extortion to get her to pay Mickey Cohen large sums of money to keep him quiet. But I dont think Johnny ever realized that Lana would have done anything to protect her family."

According to author Casey Sherman, Cheryl Crane, right, witnessed Johnny Stompanato's violent behavior toward her mother Lana Turner.

While Crane was often a witness to Stompanatos alleged abuse, Sherman "strongly believes" it was Turner who killed her temperamental beau after he threatened to harm her daughter and mother. Its a theory that has floated around Hollywood but has never been proven.

In his book, Sherman detailed how Stompanato and Cohen came up with "a honey trap scheme," using Stompanato as bait to lure Turner into bed. The goal, he alleged, was to stage a threesome with Cohens henchmen filming the deed, and then hanging the footage over Turners head to get loads of cash from her bank account.

On the big screen, blonde bombshell Lana Turner was depicted as a femme fatale.

According to reports, Turner didnt go to the police about the alleged abuse out of fear it would leak to the press. Meanwhile, Stompanato allegedly physically and psychologically abused her. He taunted her with his gun, warning her he could end her career and life with a single shot.

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Lana Turner's co-star Sean Connery confronted an angry Johnny Stompanato on set.

In 1957, Stompanato was so convinced that Turner was having an affair with her co-star Sean Connery that he flew across the pond as the pair filmed "Another Time, Another Place." According to reports, Stompanato showed up with a gun, threatening to kill Connery, but the future 007 icon knocked him out with a single punch. Stompanato was banned from the set.

It wouldnt take long for Turner to have enough, Sherman insisted.

"My sources felt the real story was an open secret in Hollywood," said Sherman. "Most people did believe that Lana killed Johnny Stompanato and her attorney, Jerry Giesler, worked to cover up the crime But thats my theory. And I believe Lana Turner was justified in what she did."

Lana Turner appears on the verge of collapse as she testifies at the inquest into the death of Johnny Stompanato. Deliberating less than half an hour, the coroner's jury ruled that Stompanato's death, at the hands of 14-year-old Cheryl Crane, was "justifiable homicide."

"When it comes to getting out of domestic violence, you have resources today," he shared. "You didnt have that in 1957-58, which is why Lana had to rely on her instincts I think Lana knew her days were numbered. And it was one thing to beat up and threaten Lana. But it was another to threaten to beat up Lanas mother and child, as Johnny Stompanato allegedly did. That was retold in Lanas autobiography and Mickey Cohens autobiography. So this isnt me theorizing decades later what they both said at the time. This is exactly what came out of their mouths."

Mob boss Mickey Cohen, center, is seen here with Carmine Stompanato, left, brother of Johnny Stompanato, circa 1958.

The case went to trial, and the press depicted Turner as giving the performance of her life. Crane was acquitted of murder with the jury ruling it was "justifiable homicide." However, Crane spent time in and out of psychiatric institutions and attempted suicide. In her memoir, Crane described how her relationship with Turner became complicated in her later years.

Still, "there was certainly love there," said Sherman.

VENETIA STEVENSON, THE MOST PHOTOGENIC GIRL IN THE WORLD WHO DATED ELVIS, QUIT ACTING FOR THIS REASON

Cheryl Crane, left, daughter of Steve Crane and actress Lana Turner, is escorted to juvenile hall in Los Angeles by policewoman Margaret Weissberg. Crane says she knifed Johnny Stompanato to death when he threatened to disfigure her mother.

As for Turner, the Oscar-nominated star who once made her mark as a femme fatale, bounced back in Hollywood.

"This was a victory for Lana because she outlasted her enemies," said Sherman. "Lana continued to have trouble in her personal life. She married a couple of more times, but she was able to sustain her career well into her late 60s and early 70s She was a survivor. And that legacy has been overshadowed over the years. On the big screen, she was seen as a femme fatale. The sweater girl. The blonde bombshell. But she was so much more than that."

American actress Lana Turner (19211995) in Los Angeles, Oct. 25, 1982.

Sherman said he attempted to contact Crane but was unsuccessful. She also didnt immediately respond to Fox News Digitals request for comment about Sherman's book.

Cheryl Crane, left, and Lana Turner with attorney Jerry Giesler, circa 1958.

"I think I know what really happened," said Sherman. "But if I could, I would sit down with [Crane] and tell her its OK to let it go. You dont have to protect your mother any longer I do believe Cheryl probably feels that Lanas been victimized by the press and historians. Im sure she knows my book exists But I do believe my book will elevate her mother to a feminist icon. I hope she would be happy with that."





Original article source:'50s femme fatale Lana Turner's torrid romance with abusive mobster ended when teen daughter stabbed him: book
The Neuschwanstein castle near Fuessen, in the Allgaeu Alps mountains, southern Germany, is pictured on July 11, 2023. An American man has admitted to attacking two young American women on a trail near the castle, killing one of them.

A man has admitted to attacking two young American women and killing one of them in Germany over the summer, multiple German news outlets are reporting.

The 31-year-old American man, who has not been identified under German privacy rules, admitted to charges of murder and rape at the start of his trial on Monday, according to the German news outlet Deutsche Welle. Defendants in the German legal system do not enter pleas, according to the Associated Press.

The man is accused of luring two American women, 21 and 22, who were hiking near Neuschwanstein castle to a trail near Marienbrucke bridge, where he's accused of trying to undress the 21-year-old and throwing the 22-year-old down a 165-foot slope when she tried to help her friend, according to the Associated Press.

The man, who did not know the women, is then accused of choking the 21-year-old old to unconsciousness and raping her before throwing her down the same slope.

The 22-year-old suffered severe injuries but survived, while the 21-year-old was killed.

'An unfathomable crime'

The defendant is charged with murder, rape resulting in death, attempted murder, grievous bodily harm and possession of child pornography according to Deutsche Welle.

The defendant has committed an unfathomable crime, the man's defense lawyer, Philip Mueller, said in a court statement, according to the Associated Press. The man confirmed his lawyer's statement but did not answer questions.

The trial is set to take place in the German town of Kempten and a verdict is expected in mid-March, according to Deutsche Welle. In Germany, murder charges carry a maximum of life in prison, AP reported.

The alleged crimes took place near Neuschwanstein castle, one of Germany's most popular tourist destinations.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: American admits to attacking 2 US women in Germany, killing 1 of them
Chinese envoy calls for continued int'l support for Somalia

Xinhua) 13:45, February 20, 2024

UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- China's permanent representative to the UN Zhang Jun on Monday called for continued international support for Somalia's efforts to achieve political stability, security transition, and economic and social reconstruction.

The attention and support of the UN and the international community for Somalia must not waver, as 2024 is critical for the country's political process, security transition and national reconstruction, Zhang said at a Security Council meeting on Somalia.

China supports all parties in Somalia in resolving their differences through dialogue and consultation and advancing the political transition, said Zhang.

"It should be noted that the choice of political system and development path is an internal affair of Somalia. The international community should adhere to the Somali-led and Somali-owned principle and avoid the imposition of an externally imposed governance model," he said.

In terms of Somalia's security transition, Zhang said the international community should support the Somali federal government in consolidating the achievements in counter-terrorism and stability maintenance in the previous phase.

It is necessary to support the Somali security sector in building its capacity to assume greater responsibility for security, he added.

There is also a need to support Somalia's economic and social reconstruction, Zhang said.

China welcomes the recent launch of the Centennial Vision 2060 by the Somali federal government to formulate key tasks for national development, said the envoy.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
Crystal Palace's Jordan Ayew

Jordan Ayew's sweet strike looked to have sealed all three points for Crystal Palace before Amadou Onana late header.

Chris Richards and Jean-Philippe Mateta had headers blocked on the line by Everton defenders James Tarkowski and Ashley Young before they went ahead.

Palace conceded in the 84th minute and have now gone 14 league matches without a clean sheet  the longest ongoing run of any current top-flight side.

The Eagles have let in 17 goals in the last 15 minutes of the second half, only Sheffield United (19) have conceded more in the league this season.

They are just five points above the relegation zone and remain nervously looking over their shoulders.

Roy Hodgson stepped down as manager on Monday afternoon and was duly replaced by Oliver Glasner who watched this match from the stands alongside chairman Steve Parish.

Glasner's first game in charge will come at Selhurst Park on Saturday (15:00 GMT) against Burnley.
Consultancy teams will now be appointed to progress the programme of new build projects

New build projects for seven schools across Northern Ireland will now be progressed, the education minister has announced.

In May of last year, the Department of Education told 28 schools that were earmarked for new buildings that the process had been paused.

The department blamed budget pressures for the decision.

However, the minister, Paul Givan, has said that pause will be lifted for the schools in the worst condition.

He has written to the principals of the schools to inform them of the decision to progress the projects in planning.

The schools are:

Carrickfergus Academy

Loreto College, Coleraine

Dromore High School

Edmund Rice College, Newtownabbey

Portadown College

Mercy College, Belfast

Malone Integrated College, Belfast

"Children across Northern Ireland have the right to be educated in schools which are comfortable and safe, are of good quality and are properly designed and resourced to support their learning," Mr Givan said.

Paul Givan has written to the principals of the schools to inform them of the decision

"We need to transform our school buildings so that they are truly fit for the future and can provide the best possible education experience for our young people.

"There can be no greater investment in our future than investment in education, therefore I will continue to make the case for significant additional capital funding for our schools' estate."

Mr Givan said consultancy teams will now be appointed to progress the programme of new build projects.
HONG KONG  Chinas coast guard briefly boarded a Taiwanese tourist boat, a Taiwanese official said Tuesday, escalating a dispute with the Beijing-claimed island over the deaths of two Chinese fishermen.

China said Sunday that it would strengthen law enforcement activities and carry out regular patrols around Kinmen, a small group of Taiwanese-controlled islands off the Chinese coast, after the two fishermen drowned last week while being chased by Taiwans coast guard, which accused them of trespassing.

Six Chinese coast guard officers boarded the Taiwanese sightseeing vessel Monday afternoon, Taiwans coast guard said in a statement. It said the boat, which was carrying 11 crew members and 23 passengers, was veering toward mainland China because of shallow beaches in the nearby waters of Kinmen, which is about 3 miles from the Chinese city of Xiamen.

The officers spent about half an hour on the boat, where they inspected its sailing plan and certificate and the licenses of the captain and crew, Taiwans coast guard said.

The rare boarding hurts the feelings of our people, provokes fear among them and is not in the interest of the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, Kuan Bi-ling, head of Taiwans Ocean Affairs Council, which oversees the islands coast guard, told reporters in Taipei on Tuesday.

She said it was not unusual for tourist vessels from both Taiwan and China to cross into each others waters by accident.

Boats like these are not illegal at all, she added.

Chinas Taiwan Affairs Office did not answer a phone call seeking comment. Last week, it strongly condemned the deaths of the two Chinese fishermen and demanded that Taiwan release two others who were detained.

China Taiwan Tensions (Sam Yeh / AFP - Getty Images)

The Kinmen archipelago, which is home to about 140,000 people, has been governed by Taiwan since 1949, when Chinas Nationalists escaped to the island and set up a rival government after losing a civil war to the Communist forces of Mao Zedong, who founded the Peoples Republic of China. These days, it is a popular tourist spot, though it is heavily guarded by Taiwans military and civilian access is restricted.

China, which has not ruled out the use of force in unifying with democratic Taiwan, has in recent years stepped up military, economic and diplomatic pressure on the island, which rejects Beijings sovereignty claims.

Taiwans Defense Ministry said Tuesday that 24 Chinese military aircraft and eight military ships had been detected around the island in the previous 24 hours, including 11 planes that crossed the Taiwan Straits median line, a longtime unofficial buffer zone that Chinese aircraft now traverse regularly.
David Eulitt/Getty Images; Courtesy of Jason Kelce/Instagram

Even as Travis Kelce has become a household name around the world, he still finds time to play the role of doting uncle.

During a Monday, February 19, interview on Australias Today Show, Travis father, Ed Kelce, explained how family time with the Kelces is all about son Jason Kelces three young daughters  who clearly love their dads famous brother.

It all revolves around the girls, the granddaughters, as you can imagine, Ed said. Who have, not surprisingly, both their grandfathers and their father wrapped around their fingers. They can do whatever they want. And they have their Uncle Trav wrapped around their fingers when he shows up.

Jason, 36, and wife Kylie Kelce share daughters Wyatt, 4, Ellie, 2, and Bennett, 11 months.

Sibling Rivalry! Football Players Who Have Brothers That Play in the NFL

While Ed further explained that anything going on in Jasons residence in Philadelphia is centered on family, things are a bit different when he visits Travis, 34, in Kansas City.

Weve had some good barbecues out there and enjoyed it, Ed said. He has a lot of friends that will show up. It seems like theres always somebody from back home in Kansas City.

Ed and ex-wife Donna Kelce raised their two sons in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, which bred the name of their highly successful podcast New Heights.

The boys have been very fortunate, Ed continued. They have a very tight circle of friends that they grew up with that they see a lot. People that have been important in their life that have helped shape them into the young men they are. They never forget that.

On the topic of Travis relationship with girlfriend Taylor Swift, Ed hinted that his son might soon be jetting off to the Land Down Under to see Swift, also 34, perform on her ongoing Eras Tour.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelces Relationship Timeline

Well, look, we spoke after the Super Bowl, and I asked him, Are you going to take off for Sydney? and he seemed keen, Ed told the Sydney Morning Herald in an interview published on Tuesday, February 20. He said hed really like to see Sydney and Singapore, but he wasnt sure because he has commitments.

Whatever the case, Travis better make up his mind quickly, because Taylors tour hits Sydneys Accor Stadium for four consecutive nights beginning Friday, February 23. From there, she heads to Singapore for a run of six dates beginning Saturday, March 2.

Earlier this month, a source exclusively told Us Weekly that Travis will be joining Taylor [Swift] on her tour and traveling with her.

Clocks ticking, Uncle Trav.
With election season just around the corner, President Biden and other elected officials will be spending more time away from Washington on the campaign trail. But that doesn't mean all will be quiet on the legislative front, especially when it comes to nature.

Several pieces of pro-conservation legislation are quietlybut quicklygaining bipartisan support on Capitol Hill. That's good news for our planet, which faces an array of interconnected environmental threats, like climate change and the loss of wildlife habitat. If we have any hope of addressing these challenges, we'll need action within years, not decades.

Conserving nature is an area of common ground in our increasingly divided political atmosphere. For example, a poll last year found that 81% of Republicans, 87% of independents, and 97% of Democrats believe the government should do more to help endangered species.

Congress heard this loud and clearwhich is why it developed the bipartisan Recovering America's Wildlife Act (RAWA). In 2024, Congress should pass this bill, which would allocate funding to state fish and wildlife agencies as well as tribal agencies to save the species that are at risk of extinction.

It's akin to investing in primary care rather than waiting until patients need to visit the emergency room. Spending money now to help at-risk species recover is less expensive than scrambling to save a species when it's already endangered.

Another win for nature could be the historically bipartisan "farm bill." The next version should build off the success of the last by including incentives for farmers and forestland owners to promote regenerative practices, such as cover crops and grazing. The new bill should continue funding efforts to encourage landowners to reforest unproductive lands and streambanks, set aside sensitive ecological areas for conservation, and reconnect streams and wetlands to larger watersheds.

The legislation could make it easier for farmers to contribute real climate solutions and participate in the clean energy economy while preserving valuable natural and working lands.

And to round out legislative actions for the planet, Congress will have an opportunity to carry the U.S. Foundation for International Conservation Act over the finish line. Passing this bill would bolster protected areas outside the United States through public-private partnerships.

The measure would invest up to $100 million annually in public funding for conservation, with the goal of incentivizing philanthropic and private entities to match the funding. This would provide long-term, sustainable financing for the conservation of threatened lands and bodies of water overseaswhich would, in turn, stimulate economic growth and empower local and indigenous communities.

Mongoliahome to the world's largest intact temperate grasslandsis one of many countries that would benefit. The country is working to conserve 30% of its landscapes by 2030. Money from the U.S. piece of legislation would make that goal achievable, while also supporting livelihoods and enabling the protection of native wildlife such as snow leopards, argali sheep, gazelles, and saiga (an endangered species of antelope).

Understandably, some taxpayers may ask why Americans should care about conservation outside of our borders. Protecting nature abroad isn't just good for the U.S. and the health of our planet. It can also advance national security interests by combating organized crime and terrorist networks that poach wildlife and traffic in illegal products like ivory, pelts, and drugs.

Governments around the world have funded initiatives that protect the lands and waters that sustain our planet's health for decades. We have witnessed firsthand how these investments can be transformativefor people and nature, as well as safety and security. But the funding is no longer adequate to meet the growing challenges we face. Passing legislation that helps to unlock the potential of the private sector as a multiplier effect to public funding is a must.

There has already been a surprising amount of bipartisan progress on conservation over the past several years. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act signed by President Joe Biden, as well as the Great American Outdoors Act signed by President Donald Trump, included historic provisions that help protect the natural environment.

We're optimistic that Congress will continue this momentum by taking bold, bipartisan action to protect nature in 2024. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle will want to deliver for future generations by showing how they met the moment and acted to save the planet.

Nature has a history of uniting us. Congress has the chance to reaffirm as much when it reconvenes this month.

Bill Frist is a heart and lung transplant surgeon, former U. S. Senate Majority Leader, and chair of The Nature Conservancy's Global Board of Directors. Jennifer Morris is CEO of The Nature Conservancy.

More must-read commentary published by Fortune:

The opinions expressed in Fortune.com commentary pieces are solely the views of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of Fortune.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
TikTok really cant catch a break with regulators. Yesterday, as expected, the European Commission launched a probe into the companys failings on the content frontand now it looks like trouble continues to brew in Indonesia, too.

This time, the issue is TikTok Shop, the services push into online retailing that lets third parties sell their merchandise on the platform. Indonesia has long been key to TikToks e-commerce efforts. Its the companys second-biggest market outside the U.S., and it hosted an early pilot of TikTok Shop. Last October, Jakarta stunned TikTok and its peers by abruptly banning social media companies from conducting direct transactions within their platforms, apparently owing to predatory pricing (about which my colleague Jason Del Rey wrote entertainingly on Friday) and the negative effects on local stores.

A couple months later, TikTok said it had found the solution: buying three-quarters of the leading Indonesian e-commerce platform, Tokopedia, for $1.5 billion. The deal closed at the end of January, more than a month earlier than planned. So, with Tokopedia now handling TikTok Shop transactions, problem solved, right?

Nope. The new arrangement still allows users to buy stuff within TikTok in Indonesia, and the governmentwhich said in December that it would keep a close eye on the TikTok-Tokopedia arrangementis not happy. Business minister Teten Masduki said TikTok Shop was in practice  still integrated with social media, meaning TikTok was still violating the law. If nothing is done, he added, the governments authority is undermined, Reuters reported.

Now its over to the Indonesian trade ministry to figure out what to do. But if that Tokopedia partnership doesnt solve the problem, well, $1.5 billion is a lot to spend on a failed gambit.

As for TikToks European troubles, enforcers of the new Digital Services Act have made TikTok the subject of their second formal investigation under the online-content lawthe first involves X. The Commissions concerns around TikToks addictiveness and opacity are largely to do with child safety but also relate to radicalization. TikToks line on this: Well continue to work with experts and industry to keep young people on TikTok safe, and look forward to now having the opportunity to explain this work in detail to the Commission. Good luck with that.

More news belowand do take a moment to savor the irony in Saudi Arabia telling top Chinese tech firms like Alibaba and SenseTime that they have to invest in the Saudi tech sector to win market-expanding deals there. They want your company and engineers to train their own talent, a Chinese consultant complained to the Financial Times. That definitely rings a gong.

David Meyer

Want to send thoughts or suggestions to Data Sheet? Drop a line here.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
Near record wind speeds resulted in multiple international flights over the weekend exceeding 800 miles per hour  far faster than the 500 mph to 600 mph speeds at which commercial flights usually travel.

Powerful, 265 mile-per-hour winds propelled three planes on international routes, allowing them to reach speeds greater than 800 miles per hour and arrive at their destinations early.

The wind speed was the second-highest ever recorded, according to the National Weather Service.

"For those flying eastbound in this jet, there will be quite a tail wind," the National Weather Service's Baltimore-Washington office wrote on X on Saturday, referring to the jet stream.

The impact of a changing climate is causing stronger winds within the jet stream, a narrow band of wind that flows west to east, experts say. While that can help give a tailwind to aircraft flying east, there are also downsides, such as more turbulence  and stronger headwinds for flights heading west.

"Depending on what direction you're going, having a great tail wind is nice," Shem Malmquist, a professor of aeronautics at Florida Tech University and a Boeing 777 captain, told CBS MoneyWatch. He noted that he recently flew on an international flight that hit 822 miles per hour, also thanks to the jet stream.

But, he added, there can be downsides to a faster jet stream, including bumpier flights and slower travel times for aircraft traveling west. "On the other hand, the jet stream is a narrow band of air and it's going to create a lot of turbulence because the air surrounding it isn't moving as fast," he said.

Jet streams are typically strongest in winter, when the difference in air temperature at the polar and tropic regions is most pronounced, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

However, the annual duration of "severe turbulance" has risen over the years as a result of climate change, reported Forbes in November, with occurrences of turbulence in high-traffic airspaces increasing worldwide.

An image showing where jet streams occur. / Credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

The fast-moving flights included Virgin Atlantic Flight 22, which departed from Washington Dulles International Airport at 10:45 p.m. Saturday and landed in London 45 minutes early, according to flight tracking website FlightAware.

At 11:20 p.m. at a cruising altitude of 33,350 feet, the aircraft reached a top speed of 802 miles per hour, according to the site.

United Airlines Flight 64 from Newark to Lisbon was also aided by the jet stream, a narrow band of strong wind that flows at an aircraft's cruising altitude. The plane flew as fast as 838 miles per hour and landed in Lisbon 20 minutes early, also according to FlightAware.

The fastest moving flight of the day was American Airlines Flight 120 from Philadelphia to Doha, Qatar, which reached a max speed of 840 miles per hour. It arrived 27 minutes early, FlightAware data shows.

By comparison, the British Airways Concorde flew at a cruising speed of 1350 miles per hour, more than twice the speed of sound, making it from New York to London in under three hours in February 1996. Concorde was taken out of service in 2003.

Did they break the sound barrier?

While the planes did move faster than the speed of sound, which travels at about 767 miles per hour, the flights did not break the sound barrier. That's because the planes' own speeds, minus the assistance of the wind, weren't faster than the speed of sound.

Strong winds can aid pilots, in the case of the three flights that arrived early, but they can also complicate flight planning and cause disruptions, Malmquist said. Aircraft that are flying west, against the jet stream, can also encounter significant headwinds, adding to a flight's planned travel time and requiring more fuel.

"It adds fuel and time and can lead to more turbulent flights," Malmquist said.

More turbulence to come

The effects of climate change are expected to cause more turbulence in air travel in the years to come. That could mean more widespread delays and cancellations across airlines, in what is already an unpredictable industry.

University of Chicago and the U.S. National Science Foundation National Center for Atmospheric Research (NSF NCAR) found that climate change will cause jet stream winds will get significantly faster by mid century, in some cases cutting down on flight times.

Specifically, research shows that the fastest jet stream winds will get faster by about 2% for every degree Celsius temperatures rise.

More frequent severe weather events will likely cause disruptions.

"There are a lot of ways climate change can affect air travel. Thunderstorms are an obvious one," Wired magazine reporter, Amanda Hoover, told CBS News. "When there is more heat in the air, there is more moisture, more thunderstorms."

Scientists have also linked the increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires to global warming. These kinds of events require airlines to leave more room between departures and also map out alternative routes.

Weather events such as extremely high temperatures can also slow down air travel.

"Really high heat can cause delays because a plane in high temperatures needs more time and more distance to take off to fight gravity," Hoover said.

Historic lunar landing: U.S. spacecraft to touch down on the moon

AT&T customers report widespread cellular outage

A look at what caused the massive AT&T outage nationwide
Longtime east siders know The Latin King as a place to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries and other big events in the Des Moines metro with family. Relatives in town? Head to the Latin King. New baby? Celebrate at the Latin King.

The landmark restaurant that originally opened in 1947 makes it feel like you're transported to the Calabria coast.

Inside, diners find a lobby filled with wine bottles, which can be purchased to go, along with a series of smaller rooms that make up the dining room. A bar with high-top tables offers one experience, while a patio that opens in warmer months another. Expect live music on the patio as well. Outside, the restaurant grows its own tomatoes.

The history of the Latin King

Rose and Jim Pigneri, who immigrated from Terravecchia, Italy, to Des Moines, opened The Latin King in 1947. The space started as the Cinderella Sandwich Shop in 1930 and then the Chanticleer Restaurant in 1937 before the couple decided to bring a taste of Italy to Des Moines, according to the restaurant's website.

The name comes from New York Citys Latin Quarter.

In 1983, Bob and Amy Tursi took over ownership from his third cousin. The Tursis added a new entrance with a temperature-controlled wine cellar and main dining room.

In 2021, the Tursis sold the restaurant to Whitney VinZant in Kansas City, Missouri, who also owns Fresko in downtown Des Moines and Louie's Wine Dive in the Drake neighborhood.

More: The 10 essential Italian restaurants in the Des Moines metro

What to order at the Latin King

The chicken spiedini is probably the most popular dish on the menu at the Latin King.

The restaurant is all about Italian food and steaks. Here's what to order:

Steak de Burgo: This old school dish features a 9-ounce beef tenderloin topped with a butter, garlic, and basil sauce.

Chicken spiedini: This dish is practically the calling card for Latin King. The marinated chicken breast is coated in breadcrumbs and then charbroiled. Executive chef Zach Boals said the restaurant goes through 600 pounds of chicken breasts a week to satisfy customers. The dish, served as an entree or a salad, comes with an amiogo sauce made with lemon, fresh herbs, garlic, and red pepper.

Cappellini alla sassi: On the pasta side of the menu, Boals recommends this dish that uses thin pasta in a spicy tomato sauce with mozzarella. It's a simple dish packed with flavor.

Involtini alla Milanese: This pork cutlet comes stuffed with sausage made in house and then served with a potato croquette.

Strawberry shortcake: When in season, this dessert comes piled high with layers of fresh berries and whipped cream made with AE Dairy heavy cream on top.

Tiramisu: Espresso-soaked homemade biscotti comes layered with a cream cheese blend thats spiked with Kahlua.

See the entire menu.

Where to find the Latin King

The Latin King opened in 1947 in Des Moines.

Location: 2200 Hubbell Ave., Des Moines

Contact: 515-266-4466 or latinkingdsm.com

Susan Stapleton is the entertainment editor and dining reporter at The Des Moines Register. Follow her on Facebook, X, or Instagram, or drop her a line at sstapleton@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Everything to know about the Latin King in Des Moines
The body of 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham was found in a river Tuesday after the little girl had been missing from a small Texas town for five days, and a suspect was being held on a capital murder charge.

My heart aches with this news," Polk County Sheriff Byron Lyons told reporters at a news conference announcing the tragic discovery. "I express with my deepest sympathies and condolences to everyone who knew, who cared for and loved Audrii. We will continue to process the evidence that has been gathered to ensure justice for Audrii."

The girl's body was found in the Trinity River along U.S. 59, he said. She had been missing since Thursday after failing to make it on the on the school bus in the small town of Livingston, about 70 miles northeast of Houston.

Lyons said the information gathered in the criminal investigation is substantial.

Here's what we know about Audrii and the man jailed without bond Wednesday on a capital murder charge in her death:

An Amber Alert was issued on Feb. 15, 2024 for Audrii Cunningham, 11, of Livingston, Texas. Her body was found in a river on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024.

Man charged in connection with Audriis death

Don Steven McDougal, 42, who Lyons said lives in a trailer on the familys property, was being held without bond on one count of capital murder in connection to Audrii's death, according to his Polk County Jail booking sheet.

Video footage and cell phone data places McDougal at three locations of interest, including along the Trinity River, where Audriis body was recovered Tuesday, according to a criminal complaint in the case obtained by CNN.

Investigators wrote in the complaint that a large rock was found tied around Audriis body when she was found. The rope used was consistent with rope that was observed in McDougals vehicle on a traffic stop two days prior, the complaint states.

One day earlier, McDowell County District Attorney Shelly Sitton said that law enforcement was in the process of preparing the appropriate arrest warrant for McDougal, who was supposed to be dropping Audrii off at the school bus the morning she disappeared.

At this time, we believe the appropriate arrest warrant is going to be for capital murder in the death of Audrii Cunningham, Sitton said. "I understand that this is a very difficult time for Audriis family and for our community."

As of Wednesday, USA TODAY could not find an attorney listed for McDougal, who was arrested and booked into the Polk County jail Friday for an unrelated felony charge of aggravated assault.

"We do believe at his point he was the last person who seen her," Lyons previously said about McDougal.

McDougal had been speaking with investigators, but law enforcement declined to share how involved McDougal was in locating Audrii's body.

Who was Audrii Cunningham and how did police find her?

Audrii Cunningham lived with her family in a lakeside community on the eastern shores of Livingston Lake.

Lyons said that investigators were able to zero in on the location of Audrii's body using cellphone records, videos and some information they received from McDougal.

Where is Livingston, Texas?

The town, which had a population of just over 5,600 during the last census, is in Polk County about 100 miles west of the Louisiana state line.

Livingston is just over 46 miles south of Lufkin, the largest city in Angelina County.

The small town is where a hero couple made national news last year after they rescued a 9-month-old baby abandoned in a shed.

'Little dress and no diaper' Texas 'hero' couple rescues baby abandoned in shed

When did Audrii Cunningham disappear?

An Amber Alert was issued on Feb. 15, 2024 for Audrii Cunningham, 11, of Livingston, Texas. Her body was found on Tuesday, Feb. 20.

Audrii was last seen at 7 a.m. on Feb. 15 when she left her home to catch the school bus.

Her parents reported her missing after she did not get off the bus on Thursday afternoon.

School officials told investigators that the bus did not pick her up and she did not report to campus.

Audrii Cunningham was last seen near her home, but officials report she never got on the school bus or reported to school.

Where was Audrii's backpack found?

Over the weekend, the Texas Department of Safety officials announced they found a backpack belonging to Audrii and the department identified a person of interest in her disappearance.

On Saturday, Polk County sheriff's Lt. Craig Cummings said officials found Audrii's Hello Kitty backpack near a dam at Lake Livingston, the Austin American-Statesman, part of the USA TODAY NETWORK, reported.

Cummings identified the person of interest as McDougal.

During a press conference Monday, Lyons said McDougal lives in a trailer on the familys property and sometimes took the girl to the bus stop and to school if she missed the bus.

According to the sheriff's office, investigators believe that a dark blue 2003 Chevrolet Suburban, belonging to McDougal, was involved in the disappearance.

The department had been asking the public for help in reporting any sightings of the vehicle on Thursday or Friday.

Missing Ohio boy found dead: Darnell Taylor found, foster mother faces murder charge

Contributing: Fernanda Figueroa with the Austin American-Statesman

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Missing Texas girl Audrii Cunningham found in local river
Marijuana is gaining acceptance. But experts warn that young people under 25 can experience negative effects. (Getty Images) (LanaStock via Getty Images)

Attitudes toward marijuana in the U.S. are changing and, with them, so is the legal landscape  and questions about how all of these changes may impact teens and young adults. While marijuana use is still illegal on a federal level, it's been legalized or decriminalized in several states. Now, there is a push from several federal lawmakers to make marijuana legal or, at least, downgrade it from its current classication as a Schedule I drug, alongside heroin and peyote.

Given interest in marijuana among many teens and young adults, experts in the addiction and psychological spaces have concerns about making the drug more accessible. Here's what to know about the current legal landscape around marijuana and how it can impact young people.

Where do things stand right now?

Currently, marijuana is legal for recreational use in 24 states and the District of Columbia. A new scientific review obtained by the New York Times found that scientists at the Food and Drug Administration and the National Institute on Drug Abuse have recommended that the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) make marijuana a Schedule III drug, which would put it in the same category as ketamine, testosterone and other drugs with a moderate-to-low risk of physical or psychological dependence. Several Democrats in the Senate also sent a letter to the DEA in late January, urging the agency to make marijuana a Schedule III drug.

But in Washington state, where marijuana has been legal for recreational use since 2012, officials are working to raise the age limit for high-potency cannabis from 21 to 25. House Bill 2320 notes that many of the marijuana products for sale in the state right now are much stronger than they were in 2012. It also specifically says the age limit should be raised to prevent psychosis and cites a slew of mental health risks to teens who use these products, including schizophrenia and lifelong mental health consequences.

How marijuana can impact young people

One of the things that we have learned in the past few decades is that your brain is developing well into your 20s, research scientist Dr. Ryan Sultan, director of Mental Health Informatics and of Integrative Psych at Columbia University in New York, tells Yahoo Life. For the average person, that development continues to at least age 25. When we think about adulthood historically  age 16, 18 and 21  it isn't based on anything scientific. It's just cultural decisions we've made.

It's important during that time to support the brain's growth, Sultan says. If this development process is interfered by substances and highly addictive ones like alcohol, nicotine and modern cannabis  which is much more potent than the cannabis my parents used  the likelihood that it affects your brain development is high, he says.

Psychologist Michelle L. West, assistant professor in the department of psychiatry at University of Colorado - Anschutz Medical Campus, tells Yahoo Life that it's important to consider all sides of marijuana use. It is important to consider benefits and downsides of marijuana use and to be open to new information, she says. There is a lot that we dont know about marijuana and the way that it can impact people, especially young people.

West lists potential benefits as trying a new experience, enjoying time with friends and temporary stress reduction. Downsides can include increased difficulties with focus or motivation, withdrawal from typically enjoyed activities, financial strain due to the expense of purchasing marijuana or exacerbation of certain mental health symptoms, West says. To the last point, there is evidence that cannabis use can increase the risk of developing psychosis among people who have vulnerability toward developing psychosis. West published a scientific paper on this topic in December.

Psychosis, West points out, is trouble telling the difference between what is and isn't real. It can include strong thoughts like paranoia  thoughts about being harmed by people or something else  or hallucinations, which is seeing or hearing things that aren't there. Psychosis experiences range in intensity, can be short or long in duration, are more common than people tend to think they are and can, for some people, cause a lot of distress and life disruption, she says.

A Columbia University study published in late January also found that asthma is more common in high school students who use marijuana, compared to those who don't use the drug. Rates of asthma also increase the more students use the drug, the study found.

There is also an increased risk of addiction. What we do know suggests that marijuana adversely affects memory and motivation, especially when used regularly and among young people whose brains are still developing, Danielle M. Dick, psychologist and director of the Rutgers Addiction Research Center, tells Yahoo Life. This is particularly concerning because the job of young people is to go to school and prepare for their futures, which requires memory and motivation.

Young people with marijuana use problems are also some of the hardest to treat given that the drug impacts motivation. It also leads to people not caring about the adverse effects they are experiencing, Dick says.

Some parents seem to be more tolerant of marijuana use than alcohol, and experts say that's concerning. With alcohol, you know how strong it is because there are laws surrounding packaging. So most parents would be far more concerned if their child drank a liter of vodka than a beer because vodka is far more potent, so they realize its more dangerous, Dick says. But with marijuana, it can be very hard to evaluate the strength of the drug. Its actually a far stronger drug than most parents realize.

So, what age is OK for marijuana use?

While many laws allow people to use marijuana at age 21, experts generally agree that the age limit should be 25 instead. [That] is a much more appropriate cutoff, Sultan says. It's science-based, as opposed to the age 21 cutoff.

Overall, West says that it's important for young people to be informed about marijuana. Young people  and adults  tend to be very resourceful in figuring out how to do what they want to do, including using marijuana, she says. It is useful if young people can hear multiple perspectives and have an accurate understanding of the benefits and downsides of use, including from trusted people like family members.

Still, Sultan recommends waiting until age 25. There's no reason to use this when you're younger, he says. It will be available for you later.
Linda Hamilton at the 2024 FAN EXPO in New Orleans and Millie Bobby Brown in "Stranger Things" season four. Erika Goldring / Getty Images / Courtesy of Netflix

Linda Hamilton told Business Insider that the final season of "Stranger Things" will take a year to film.

Production for season five began last month after delays due to the actors and writers strike.

The final season will likely premiere later than the expected early-2025 release date.

An incoming cast member on "Stranger Things" says the final season will take an entire year to film, likely ending hopes of an early 2025 release date.

Linda Hamilton described the production cycle to Business Insider in an interview last Wednesday.

She said the filming is due to take at least a year. That would mean the show would likely not be ready until the middle of 2025.

That timeline could come as a surprise  many expected to see season five launch in late 2024 or early 2025. The show's creators, the Duffer Brothers, promised a short wait after the last one.

The show doesn't have an official launch date for the new season, and Netflix didn't respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

The production was stalled for several months due to the Hollywood actors and writers strike last year.

The "Stranger Things" writers announced on May 6 they would pause production, and didn't return until September 27 when the Writers' Guild of America strike ended. Filming for season five just began in January 2024.

Hamilton, who joined the "Stranger Things" cast in June 2023, told Business Insider she had her first week on the hit show's set earlier in February.

"It's a year of shooting, so I couldn't be happier," she said. "Their season takes a year to shoot, which is just an unheard-of luxury of time. But the size of their day is also so beyond any scale that we're used to."

After filming, there would need to be a couple of months for post-production, to edit the footage and add visual effects. On that kind of timeline, it is hard to see how the fifth season  due to be the final one  could be ready before mid-2025.

The stars of "Stranger Things" season four: Natalia Dyer, Joe Keery, Gaten Matarazzo, Maya Hawke, Sadie Sink and Caleb McLaughlin. Netflix

Fans think Hamilton will play an older Eleven or Joyce's sister

Hamilton's role has yet to be revealed publicly, but that hasn't stopped fans from theorizing who she will play. Some believe her character will be related to a pre-existing protagonist, such as an older version of Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) or an older sister of Joyce (Winona Ryder). Others predicted she'd play a CIA operative.

Hamilton played coy when asked about the theories.

"All of it's true. I confirm everyone's theory is correct," Hamilton told Business Insider. "That's all I can share. They're all right!"

Hamilton last week told US Weekly that the Duffer Brothers had not yet given her the full script for season five.

"They gave me the shape of the character, but not of the story," she said. "So I still don't know how it ends."

Hamilton also told the publication that she was a big fan of the series but won't be watching the final season because of her involvement in the show.

"When you really buy into something, you don't see yourself in it. So I think in a way, it kind of ruined the show for me," she said.

"I never watch once I'm in something. It would just completely take me out of the reality of it to see myself in there," Hamilton added.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Lord David Cameron will carry out further visits in the Falklands on Tuesday after declaring that he hoped the islanders would want to remain British forever.

The Foreign Secretary is hoping to meet some of the islands most famous residents on Tuesday when he visits an area famed for its penguin colonies.

He will see the islanders work to protect the natural environment and see some of the million penguins that live across the UK overseas territory.

Later on Tuesday he will then travel on to Paraguay, where he will be the first UK Foreign Secretary to ever visit the country.

The former prime ministers visit to the Falkland Islands is the first by a foreign secretary since 1994 and the first by any Cabinet minister since 2016.

Speaking in the Falklands capital Stanley on Monday night following a wreath-laying ceremony to honour those killed in the 1982 war, he played down suggestions from the Argentinian president Javier Milei that there could be a negotiation on the future of the UK overseas territory.

Lord Cameron said: Let me be absolutely clear: as far as we are concerned, as long as the Falkland Islands want to be part of the UK family they are absolutely welcome to be part of that family and we will support them and back them and help protect and defend them absolutely, as far as Im concerned, for as long as they want.

And I hope thats for a very, very long time, possibly forever.

The shadow of the Falklands War hangs over UK-Argentine relations, but Lord Cameron and Mr Milei had a warm and cordial meeting at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January, although on the issue of the islands, the Foreign Office said they would agree to disagree, and do so politely.

Lord Cameron told reporters in Stanley: Now of course we want to have good relations with Buenos Aires, with the Argentine government.

In the Falkland Islands I paid my respects to all those who lost their lives during the conflict in 1982. We will never forget the incredible service of British forces. We will always support the Falkland Islanders rights, and their work to sustain the prosperous modern pic.twitter.com/mBIIVLqD1K  David Cameron (@David_Cameron) February 20, 2024

The new government, I think, have taken some positive steps and well have good relations with them, but it will never be at the expense of the wishes of the Falkland Islanders, who in our view absolutely come first in this manner.

Lord Cameron also faced questions about the UKs attitude towards energy policy in the Falklands  which has potential for both renewable development and the exploitation of oil reserves.

The Foreign Secretary said the Falklands were making some great steps in terms of renewable energy, particularly in terms of wind power, and also solar power and so we very much backed you in that.

You have your own government making their own plans and we will support you in that, he said.

But I would just stress, while we support net zero very, very strongly, it is net zero.

Lord Cameron will visit Paraguay on Tuesday (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

And so we in the United Kingdom, were making sure we are actually going to be having some extra North Sea licences for oil and gas in the North Sea.

And we think other countries, if they can responsibly extract hydrocarbons, that can be part of that zero because of course were still going to need oil and gas in the short term while we transition. I think thats an important point to make. Its net zero, not zero.

He indicated the UK could be prepared to back the Falkland Islands government to use its own financial clout and borrowing power to support oil exploration.

Following his visit to Paraguay, the Foreign Secretary is then due to attend a meeting of G20 counterparts  including Russias Sergei Lavrov  in Brazil on Wednesday.

Russias actions in Ukraine will also be the subject of a United Nations session in New York later in the week which Lord Cameron will attend.
The man who fatally shot two Minnesota police officers and a first responder over the weekend while barricaded inside a home died by suicide, the Hennepin County Medical Examiner said.

Shannon Cortez Gooden was armed with several guns and large amounts of ammunition when he opened fire Sunday on law enforcement officers responding to a domestic violence call. The 38-year-old had barricaded himself inside a home in Burnsville with seven children between the ages of 2 and 15, officials said.

Police were attempting to negotiate with Gooden when he shot and killed officers Paul Elmstrand, 27, and Matthew Ruge, 27, as well as Adam Finseth, 40, who worked as a firefighter and paramedic.

Another officer, Adam Medlicott, was shot and injured and is expected to survive.

Police responded to the home around 1:50 a.m. Sunday for "a call of a family in danger." Drew Evans, superintendent of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension in the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, said that it was a "domestic violence situation" and that the children were inside the home with the suspect.

Gooden shot at the police officers from multiple areas in the home, including from the "upper portion" and the main floor, Evans said. Officers returned fire from outside the home. At least one of the officers was shot inside the home, according to Evans.

Gooden was reported dead around 8 a.m. Sunday.

Court records showed that Gooden was prohibited from owning firearms after he was convicted of second-degree assault in 2007, when he was 21. According to Mathew K. Higbee, his attorney at the time, the incident happened in a mall parking lot and involved a knife.

In 2020, the attorney tried to reverse what he believed was a "harsh" ban, arguing that Gooden was "not a dangerous criminal" or a "potential risk to the community."

In his plea, Higbee wrote that Gooden had done everything he could "to put himself back on his feet," had taken anger management classes while incarcerated and had provided for his longtime girlfriend, her two children and his five children.

A judge denied the motion in 2020, according to court records. An explanation was not provided in the order.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or chat live at 988lifeline.org. You can also visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional support.
We can't wait to try it.

Everyone knows there are different snacks for each occasion. When you want crunchy food you can eat by the handful, maybe you grab the Cheez-It box. If youre looking for something quick and sweet, maybe its a Hersheys bar.

But if youre craving something extra indulgent, its got to be a Milano cookie. You just cant beat the thin, crisp wafer cookies sandwiched with a layer of rich, decadent chocolate.

Pepperidge Farm has a pretty vast portfolio of Milano cookiesfrom classic chocolate to fruity raspberry and refreshing mintand the brand tends to release seasonal varieties for the fall and winter months.

So, its quite rare that we get a new limited-time Milano cookie outside of pumpkin spice, peppermint, and hot cocoa. But we guess the cookie higher powers have been looking out for us because were getting a new limited-edition Milano cookie for the first time since its holiday launch in 2022and its not even celebrating anything.

Pepperidge Farm Launching New Milano London Fog

Pepperidge Farm

This spring, Pepperidge Farm is releasing a new London Fog-flavored Milano. The cookie is inspired by the fan-loved latte, which is made with Earl Grey tea, vanilla, and milk. The new Milano combines the Earl Grey and vanilla flavors of the tea-based drink with the cookie you already love.

The London Fog Milano features layers of Earl Grey, milk chocolate, and vanilla sandwiched between the classic, delicate biscuits.

This new flavor is heading to retailer shelves in March for a limited time. It will be available at all major stores that carry Milano cookies.

Pepperidge Farm also announced its teaming up with a new celebrity partner for a line of ads featuring her favorite productsincluding the new London Fog Milanos. Who better to represent the brand than British actress Hannah Waddingham, best known for her role as the tea and biscuit-loving owner of Richmond AFC, Rebecca Welton, in Ted Lasso? Waddinghams ads will showcase her love for Pepperidge Farms Milano Double Dark Cookies and Hearty White Bread, which, unlike Milano London Fog cookies, are available all year round.

So, once youve enjoyed the last London Fog Milanos Biscuits with the Boss style, you can still grab Waddinghams other favorite Milanos to indulge like a pro.

Read the original article on All Recipes.
The North Carolina Court of Appeals has vacated the convictions of a former Granville County deputy, who spent more than a year in prison.

In February 2022, a jury found Chad Coffey guilty of those charges, while acquitting him on 12 others. Coffey was accused of falsifying training and qualification requirements for former Granville County Sheriff Brindell Wilkins and his former chief deputy from 2013 to 2018.

Coffeys attorney argued the 20-year deputy signed off on the false information on the sheriffs order, but knew the two men had years of experience and werent on the street making arrests.

The case was prosecuted by District Attorney Lorrin Freeman in Wake County. Coffey spent one year and three months in state prisons after the trial, according to the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction website.

In a ruling released Tuesday, the Court of Appeals ruled that the indictments, charges issued during the secretive grand jury process, were flawed and the convictions should be vacated.

Freeman said she is reviewing the order and considering the best next step.

The order states that the indictment failed to explain all the elements of the obstruction of justice charge, specifically how Coffeys acts hindered public or legal justice.

The indictments allege that Coffey provided false information to the North Carolina Sheriffs Education Standards Division so Wilkins and his chief deputy could maintain their law enforcement certification.

While these alleged actions are wrongful, the indictments dont show how Coffeys action were meant to undermine an investigation or legal proceeding, states the Court of Appeals order authored by Judge Tobias Hampson. Judges Chris Dillon and Michael Stading agreed.

In 2019, Wilkins was accused of plotting to kill one of his deputies who had a recording of the sheriff using racist language.

Charges of obtaining property by false pretenses and obstruction of justice charges followed related to allegations of falsifying training records.

In December 2022, a Wake County judge sentenced Wilkins to eight to 19 months in prison after he was convicted of five counts of obtaining property by false pretenses and five counts of obstructing justice related to falsifying training records.

In October 2023, Wilkins was sentenced to an additional six months after he pleaded guilty in Granville County to two felonies and two misdemeanors related to the allegations he plotted to kill a deputy. Wilkins is currently scheduled to be released from prison in February 2025, according to North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections website.

Virginia Bridges covers criminal justice in the Triangle and across North Carolina for The News & Observer. Her work is produced with financial support from the nonprofit The Just Trust. The N&O maintains full editorial control of its journalism.
President Joe Biden raised a combined $42 million in January for committees supporting his re-election effort, fueled by seven-figure hauls from small-dollar donors in the days following Donald Trumps victory in the leadoff Iowa GOP caucuses.

The Biden campaign, the Democratic National Committee and other affiliated fundraising committees had $130 million in the bank at the end of the month, according to the Biden campaign, which says January was its best grassroots fundraising month since the start of the campaign.

Januarys fundraising haul  driven by a powerhouse grassroots fundraising program that continues to grow month by month  is an indisputable show of strength to start the election year, campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez said in a statement. While Team Biden-Harris continues to build on its fundraising machine, Republicans are divided  either spending money fighting Donald Trump, or spending money in support of Donald Trumps extreme and losing agenda.

Biden's official campaign and the DNC will file their monthly fundraising reports with the Federal Election Commission on Tuesday. The Biden Victory Fund and the Biden Action Fund, joint fundraising committees involving state Democratic parties, will not file reports until April, but the Biden campaign said the $42 million figure includes all four entities.

Team Biden ended December with $117 million on hand after raising $97 million in the final quarter of 2023.

According to the campaign, online and other small-dollar donors gave more than $1 million to the campaign on three consecutive days after Trump won the Iowa Republican caucuses Jan. 15, and also averaged $1 million a day in the final days of the month.

The Trump campaign has not yet announced how much money it raised in January.

The Biden campaign said it also added 1 million new email addresses to its supporter list, which has helped generate 3 million contributions since Biden kicked off his bid for a second term last April.

The announcement comes as Biden is set to travel to the West Coast on Tuesday for three days of high-dollar fundraising events in Los Angeles and the Bay Area. The campaign continues to promote small-dollar giving through contests like one to attend a joint appearance by Biden and former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton in late March.
Capital One Financial is set to acquire Discover Financial Services in a $35.3 billion all-stock deal.

Under the agreement, Discover shareholders would receive 1.0192 Capital One shares for each Discover share or about a 26% premium from Discovers Friday closing price of $110.49. The companies said they expect the deal to close in late 2024 or early 2025, after which Capital One shareholders would hold 60% and Discover shareholders would own 40% of the combined company.

The merger of the two companies, which are among the largest credit card issuers in the U.S., would expand Capital Ones credit card offerings and its deposit base. The company bought digital concierge service Velocity Black, a premium credit card and luxury market platform, in June of last year.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Capital One, which already uses Visa and Mastercard networks, plans to keep the Discover brand.

Discover has done a better job of bringing in a lot of deposits and [has] access to a lot of institutions to run the debit card network and provide service. So it gives them a lot of deposit gathering ability, which particularly in the current market is enormously important, said David Schiff, West Monroes head of consumer retail and banking.

CNBC has reached out Capital One and Discover for comment.

There arent many parallels for similar acquisitions in the financial industry, meaning that the Capital One-Discover deal will likely have broad implications for merger activity within the sector, said Schiff.

Its a good example of the risk were seeing in the market, where the competing interests from regulators for increased control and rigor balance against the competitive demands that are being made quite clearly, in terms of the overall market, Schiff said.

The deal comes amid a period of increasing pressure for Discover, including regulatory scrutiny and new leadership. The current CEO, Michael Rhodes, was announced in December 2023.

Shares of Discover are down 1.7% lower for the year, putting the company at a $27.63 billion market cap. Capital One has a market cap of $52.2 billion and shares of the company are up 4.6% in 2024.

Bloomberg News reported Monday that Capital One was considering the Discover acquisition.

The Capital One-Discover merger would be one of the largest deals announced so far this year. Synopsys announced a deal to buy Ansys for $35 billion in January and Diamondback Energys $26 billion deal to buy privately held oil and gas producer Endeavor Energy was announced on Feb. 12.
A Florida man accused of forging signatures on petitions to get a new political party officially recognized in Kansas has been arrested.

George Andrews, 30 of Dade City, Florida, was arrested on Feb. 10 and has been charged with two counts of election perjury and 28 counts of election forgery for allegedly forging signatures on petitions to make No Labels an officially recognized political party in Kansas, according to a news release.

The arrested individual was part of a scheme to defraud Kansas voters by placing their forged signatures on petitions. In Kansas, we take election fraud seriously, and we will prosecute every case where the evidence indicates a crime has been committed beyond a reasonable doubt, Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach said in a statement.

Andrews will appear in Johnson County District Court if he is extradited to Kansas.

He is also facing legal troubles in Florida. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement said that Andrews and another person allegedly submitted 133 invalid petitions in multiple Florida counties for an abortion rights ballot initiative on Feb. 6.

No Labels is a bipartisan political party founded in 2009 and is similar in size to the Libertarian Party.

It was recognized as a political party in Kansas in January after submitting a petition containing the signatures of registered voters equal to 2% of the total votes cast in the 2022 statewide gubernatorial general election.

The arrest comes following an investigation by the states attorney generals office.
The Republican-controlled Missouri Senate on Tuesday advanced a plan to make changing the state constitution more difficult  in part by weakening the power of urban residents votes  after Democrats spent days blocking a vote on the measure.

The legislation, from Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, an Arnold Republican running for Congress, would overhaul Missouris century-old initiative petition process that allows voters to place constitutional amendments on the ballot by gathering signatures. It comes as abortion rights supporters seek to place an amendment on the ballot later this year.

Colemans plan advanced on a voice vote and needs one more vote before it heads to the House. Voters would have final say over the measure. House Republicans on Monday also advanced a separate proposal that would effectively lengthen the time it takes to get a constitutional amendment approved on the ballot.

Colemans legislation  which is itself a constitutional amendment  would require amendments to the state constitution be approved essentially twice, a majority vote in at least five of the states eight congressional districts and a majority vote statewide. Currently, constitutional amendments only need a majority vote statewide.

The change would give rural residents more power in statewide votes on constitutional amendments. A coalition of rural congressional districts would have effective veto control over amendments, no matter how popular a measure might be in Kansas City or St. Louis.

Its just a fundamentally unfair and undemocratic premise that one voter would have more power than another voter in different parts of the state, said Sen. Lauren Arthur, a Kansas City Democrat.

Senate Democrats and voting rights advocates have criticized the legislation as an attack on democracy and Democrats spent three days blocking a vote on the plan, including holding the floor overnight Monday into Tuesday. Democrats ultimately agreed to relinquish the floor after Senate Republicans stripped deceptive provisions in the bill that were intended to entice voters.

An initial version of the measure would have also asked voters to ban foreign interference in ballot measures and allow only U.S. citizens to vote on constitutional amendments, two situations that are already illegal under federal law.

Democrats, and even Coleman, the bill sponsor, have referred to the extra provisions as ballot candy, a phrase in politics that refers to inserting unrelated but popular ideas into a measure to encourage people to vote in favor of it. Senate Minority Leader John Rizzo, an Independence Democrat, had signaled that Democrats were willing to end the filibuster if the extra questions were removed.

We just want a fair fight, Rizzo said on the floor on Tuesday.

Chuck Hatfield, a Jefferson City-based attorney who has been involved in a slew of initiative petition campaigns, said in an interview that Colemans proposal included some of the most extreme forms of ballot candy hes seen.

Theyre not really making a change. Its not really candy, he said. Its meaningless language. But it presents it in a way that may trick voters into voting yes on the measure.

After Democrats spent hours blocking the vote, Sen. Mike Cierpiot, a Lees Summit Republican, offered an amendment that removed the extra provisions. The decision to end the filibuster signaled that Democrats believe voters would reject the measure on its merits if the extraneous questions were removed.

Several GOP-led states, including Ohio and South Dakota, have pushed to raise the threshold for citizen-led petitions in recent years. Voters in both states struck down those measures at the ballot box.

Coleman last week touted her legislation, saying that the state constitution should not be able to be changed just with a simple majority of vote.

It should have to have a majority of congressional districts as well, she said.

But Coleman also acknowledged that the previous version of the legislation included language intended to lure voters, saying there was absolutely ballot candy in the proposal.

Theres a difference, Hatfield said, between meaningful candy and meaningless candy. One example of meaningful candy was the 2018 Clean Missouri constitutional amendment that overhauled how legislative districts are drawn but also included limits on lobbyist gifts to politicians, a popular concept for voters.

Colemans initiative petition proposal, on the other hand, could have run into legal trouble. Hatfield said that Missouri courts in the past have struck down or rewritten misleading ballot titles.

The courts have said, when it comes to the ballot title, that language that the voters are going to see, it is unfair to say in the ballot title that youre changing a law you are not changing, he said.

The political discussion surrounding the deceptive language, Hatfield said, was that Democrats were willing to let voters decide whether to increase the threshold for constitutional amendments so long as the question was fair.

There is a perception that the ballot candy is unfair, and the voters may not want to eat those green beans once you take away the Tootsie Roll, Hatfield said.
A New York man who ran a "Breaking Bad"-style drug lab inadvertently turned himself in when he called police to report a burglary, prosecutors said.

Matthew Leshinsky, 23, of Farmingville, pleaded guilty Thursday to two counts of third-degree unlawful manufacture of methamphetamine and other charges for running an illicit drug lab in Long Island, according to a news release from the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office.

Leshinsky had called 911 to report a burglary at his purported business, Quantitative Laboratories LLC in Ronkonkoma, at 3:30 a.m. June 7.

When Suffolk County police arrived, they found broken glass at the entrance to the lab and later discovered what appeared to be "a clandestine laboratory" that made methamphetamine and dimethyltryptamine, a hallucinogenic substance, as well as other substances, prosecutors said in the release.

A search warrant led to the discovery of over 100 items of laboratory equipment, chemical reagents and solvents used to manufacture and produce meth, officials said.

Authorities also recovered $40,000 in cash, ecstasy, over three ounces of methamphetamine and more than 625,000 milligrams of pure ketamine. They also found over 20 plastic 55-gallon drums containing Gamma-butyrolactone, a chemical similar to Gamma hydroxybutyric acid, which is referred to as the "date rape drug," prosecutors said.

Leshinsky pleaded guilty to a total of 13 charges Thursday and is due back in court on March 20.

His attorney was not immediately available for comment Tuesday.

"This defendant was operating a 'Breaking Bad'-style drug lab and tried to conceal it under the guise of a legitimate business," Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney said in the release.

"I want to thank the Suffolk County Police Department officers who keenly identified evidence of a clandestine drug lab during their initial response to the scene, as well as our prosecutors and other members of law enforcement for their collaborative efforts to further investigate this defendant and hold him accountable for the deadly drugs he put out onto the streets of Suffolk County," he added.
As a state representative in South Carolina, Samuel Rivers Jr. worked with then-Gov. Nikki Haley. He appreciates his time with her, admires her commitment and respects her accomplishments. Still, when the Republican primary takes place in the state on Saturday, Rivers will likely vote for Donald Trump.

Nothing against Haley, said Rivers, a fellow Republican. Im extremely proud that we have someone from South Carolina who is on a national stage, who came from the small town of Bamberg, he said. Its telling the average person who has brown skin or Black skin that you can do it, that its possible.

But Rivers, who served in the state House from 2012 to 2018, stopped short of going all in on Haleys bid for the presidency. There are mixed emotions about her in the Black community, he said.

And that does not bode well for Haley, who was governor from 2011 to 2017 and did not garner much Black voter support in her 2014 re-election bid, when she received 6% of the Black vote, while her Democratic opponent, then state Sen. Vincent Sheheen, got 92% of the Black vote.

Haley engendered a connection to Black South Carolinians with her empathy after a white supremacist shooter killed nine Black people in 2015 at the historic Mother Emanuel church in Charleston. Soon after, she signed legislation to have the Confederate flag taken down at the state Capitol  pleasing Black activists. But it appears she has been unable to garner a coalition of Black voters as she seeks the Republican nomination to run for the nations highest office, according to people who spoke with NBC News.

Haley, who resigned as governor to become Trumps ambassador to the U.N., has been fighting to continue her campaign for the Republican nomination as the only alternative candidate to Trump left in the race. To do so, Haley has been working to garner support from moderate Republicans, people of color, women and Democrats, who can vote in South Carolinas open primary.

Yet some Black voters and politicos in the state, Republicans and Democrats alike, say they are not so sure their former governor can or should beat Trump.

For Latrecia Pond, a former board member of the Charleston County Republican Party who lost in a race for a state House seat in 2022, the connections are not confusing.

I like Nikki Haley, she said. She did good as governor. I think she was a wonderful governor. For president, she needs to leave that to Donald J. Trump.

A Suffolk University/USA Today poll published Tuesday shows Haley with 35% of likely voters supporting her, trailing Trump, at 63% of likely primary voters. For Black voters in the state, experts said, her position on race has diminished any support she had hoped to get from them.

Haley, the daughter of Indian immigrants and first female governor of South Carolina, was a tea party darling. Republican voters supported her positions on lowering taxes, cutting job-eliminating regulations and her pro-life stance.

She does enjoy some goodwill, said Maurice Washington, former chairman of the Charleston County Republican Party, referring to her handling of the racist 2015 shooting and its aftermath. Haley also supported South Carolina State University, a public historically Black college in Orangeburg, when it endured financial hardships.

But Haleys assertion during this campaign that America has never been a racist country, and doubling down on that statement last month, will only count against her, Washington and Rivers said.

Obviously, thats a hard sell to the majority of the Black community  and many white Americans would push back against that notion as well, Washington said. No one can argue that America is not a racist country. And that could have an adverse impact on the percentage of Black votes that she receives in the primary.

In another misstep, Haley said, during a New Hampshire town hall in December that the role of government, not slavery, was a cause of the Civil War. Weeks later, Haley appeared on NBCs Saturday Night Live with a mea culpa that she probably shouldve said slavery was a driver of the war.

Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley holds up a photo of Clementa Pinckney during a memorial service remembering the victims of the mass shooting at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church on June 17, 2016 in Charleston, S.C. (Sean Rayford / Getty Images file )

Haleys campaign did not respond to a request for comment from NBC News for this article.

Rivers, the former state house member, said: The mere fact that my last name is Rivers and not Akindele tells you the history of our nation. Haley knows the history of the nation. Are there elements of racism in our nation? Yes. Was there long history of over 400 years of oppression of Black people? Yes.

As a lawmaker, however, Rivers said that Haley, as governor, had actively pushed for equity in tangible ways.

When I was in the General Assembly with her, she would have her staff call me for certain committee appointments, he said. Shed say, Can you find seven minorities for committee openings? She wanted every voice represented. And that happened on several occasions.

James Johnson, a church elder who is founder of the Racial Justice Network in South Carolina, said he knows, has worked with and likes Haley. But her refusal to admit racism in America was crushing.

Her relationship with Black people really died when she said theres no racism in South Carolina, Johnson said. It baffled me.  Her daddy couldnt even work at a white college. But she said theres no racism? When she said that, she just took everything out of me that I thought about her.

Black voters make up the bulk of Democratic voters in South Carolina. While the turnout in the Feb. 10 Democratic primary to nominate President Joe Biden was lower than in 2020 (4% of 3.3 million registered voters went to the polls this year compared to 16% in 2020), Washington attributes that dip not to the lack of a formidable challenge on the Democratic side, but that Black voters may have stayed home because they planned to switch to the GOP, specifically to support Trump

I anticipate a higher turnout than normal on Saturday, he said. You have two candidates that are actually being looked over quite carefully, but for different reasons, by Black Americans here in South Carolina, and both have connected in the Black community in their own ways.

Rivers said he has seen a shift in voting devotions among family members, most of whom were Democrats.

I have some Black women who are for Haley, and the Black men are for Trump, he said. We do have some rock-solid Democrats that Ive heard say theyre going to support either Haley or Trump. Theyre just not for the Biden administration. Two of my nieces say theyre going to vote for Trump.

Pond, the former board member of the Charleston County Republican Party, said her reasons to support Trump have less to do with Haley and more about her affection for the former president. But, she cited Haleys explicable resignation as U.N. ambassador after just one year as one reason she does not support her.

President Trump gave her a job, a great job, and she quit, Pond said. Heres a woman getting a great opportunity, and she just quits. I see a problem with that.

Clay Middleton concurred. A Democrat and business executive who ran for mayor of Charleston, Middleton said that what little cache Haley had with Black voters to begin with evaporated after she denied America was a racist country.

Theres not a groundswell of Black people or people of color that are anxiously waiting to vote for her, Middleton said. Voting for her never entered my mind. She did a good job of being present after the tragedy at Mother Emanuel. But she was absent in dealing with the issues.

In her own state against Trump, she wont win, he added. But thats the Republican circus and their chaos. Thats for them to figure out in their own civil war. But it says a lot about how we look at Nikki Haley.

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Documentary winner Errol Morris warned that the U.S.'s War on Terror in Iraq was comparable to the war in Vietnam, the subject of his "The Fog of War." (Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press)

Documentary films and their directors are not generally known for their star wattage. Most Academy Award-winning directors rise up with a unique take on their subject, and just as quickly step away from the limelight. But something shifted in the early 2000s: Michael Moore won in 2003 for "Bowling for Columbine" (and accepted the award with a firebrand speech)  and in 2004, it happened again as veteran innovator Errol Morris earned his first Oscar nomination and first win, for "The Fog of War."

Morris, who'd been making documentaries since 1978, changed what was possible in the medium. His "The Thin Blue Line" (1988) popularized the "re-creation" of fact-based scenes, and ended up assisting in getting his jailed subject freed from prison. (And, because no good deed goes unpunished, the freed former prisoner ended up suing Morris for the rights to his story.) So when Morris stood on the stage of the Kodak Theatre on Feb. 29, 2004, and noted, "I'd like to thank the academy for finally recognizing my films," well, it was hard to begrudge him a little ego chow.

He accepted the award from presenters Alec Baldwin and Naomi Watts, then went on to thank the subject of his film: Robert McNamara, who'd served as the U.S. secretary of defense during the Vietnam War. "If he hadn't done it, there would have been no film," Morris added. "Forty years ago this country went down a rabbit hole in Vietnam and millions died. I fear we're going down a rabbit hole again [with the War on Terror]. And if people can stop and think and reflect on some of the ideas and issues in this movie, perhaps I've done some damn good here."

Read more:Oscar rewind  2004: Canada wins its first, and only, trophy for foreign language film

Recognition of Morris proved that mass interest in documentaries had reached new levels; during the 2003-04 Oscar season, all five nominees were given extended theatrical runs for the first time. The competition was significant, with three films dealing with politics and war, and two investigating very personal family connections.

"Balseros," which focused on the Cubans who escaped their country in 1994 and sailed for Florida in everything from homemade rafts to a hijacked ferry. It was the first and only nomination for writer-director Carles Bosch and co-director Josep Maria Domenech.

"My Architect: A Son's Journey," told the story of the late American architect Louis Kahn  and was directed by his son, Nathaniel Kahn. The story focused on not just Louis' career but the three families he created  none of whom knew about one another. It was his son's first nomination, and he shared it with first-time nominee Susan Rose Behr. Both would be nominated again in 2007 for the short, "Two Hands: The Leon Fleisher Story."

"The Weather Underground" showcased the beginning and end of the radical organization Weather Underground, which took on everything from breaking Timothy Leary out of prison in 1970 to bombing government buildings in the early years of that decade. It provided the first and only nominations for co-directors Sam Green and Bill Siegel.

And while "Fog of War" took home the ultimate prize, the last film in consideration, "Capturing the Friedmans," seems to have been the one with the longest tail. Andrew Jarecki (co-founder of Moviefone) hit things out of the ballpark with his first effort, which focused on the investigation of Arnold and Jesse Friedman (father and son) in the 1980s for child molestation. Arnold died in jail, but Jesse  who was 19 when he confessed  spent 13 years in jail and continues to fight to clear his name. This film earned producer-director Jarecki and producer Marc Smerling their only nomination to date.

Get the Envelope newsletter, sent three times a week during awards season, for exclusive reporting, insights and commentary.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
New details are being revealed about the suspect in a deadly Colorado university dorm room shooting that left his roommate and another woman dead.

In newly unsealed court records, a police detective's affidavit cites roommate disputes between one of the victims, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs senior Samuel Knopp, and the suspect, Nicholas Jordan, 25.

Colorado Springs Police Chief Adrian Vasquez previously confirmed to NBC News that suspect Jordan, 25, was the roommate of Kopp.

Kopp, 24, and Celie Rain Montgomery, a 26-year-old woman who did not attend the school, were found dead on Feb. 16 at the universitys Crestone House residence.

Jordan of Detroit was arrested Feb. 19 on two counts of first-degree murder, police said in a statement. He was a student at the school, according to the university.

According to the police detectives affidavit unsealed on Feb. 23, another roommate of Jordan and Knopp's said they had previously had issues with Jordan.

He said Knopp had collected a bag of garbage and placed it near the defendants door in January, precipitating a death threat, according to the affidavit.

Mr. Jordan threatened Mr. Knopp and told him that he would kill him and there would be consequences if Mr. Jordan was asked to take out the trash again, the affidavit said.

The roommate, who reported the gunfire on Feb. 16 and hid in his locked room until police arrived, told investigators that Kopp had filed three complaints with campus police and housing officials previously about Jordan.

According to the affidavit, the roommate said he and Knopp had made complaints about Jordans cleanliness, alleged that he smoked marijuana in his room and created unsafe living conditions.

Jordan is being held on $5 million bond. NBC News reached out to his public defender but they did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

How did the Feb. 16 University of Colorado at Colorado Springs happen?

According to the affidavit, Jordan filed a request to withdraw from his classes and campus housing the day before the shooting.

The following day, on Feb. 16, an unidentified man entered the dorm complex at 6 a.m., seemingly using Jordan's key card, the affidavit states. Then, 14 minutes later, someone is spotted leaving through the same door and running, according to the affidavit.

An arrest warrant for Jordan was issued hours after the shooting occurred, police said. He was taken into custody "without incident" after he was located inside a vehicle around 8 a.m. on Feb. 19.

Investigators had previously said they believed the two victims most likely knew the shooter, according to police.

Investigative efforts so far continue to indicate this is an isolated incident between parties that were known to one another and not a random attack against the school or other students at the university, police said in a Feb. 19 statement.

Police cited an El Paso County coroners office autopsy for the identities of the victims, but their official cause and manner of death have not yet been determined by the coroner's office.

Kopp and Montgomery's deaths prompted an hourlong campus lockdown until it was determined there was no active shooter, and their deaths are being investigated as homicides.

Here's everything we know so far about the two victims.

Samuel Knopp

Knopp was originally from Parker, a town about 60 miles north of the school's campus.

In the immediate aftermath of the shooting and seemingly before she was made aware of her son's death, Knopp's mother took to Facebook to decry gun violence and lack of stricter firearm regulations.

This hits way too close to home and it makes me want to vomit, Amy Elswick Knopp wrote in a post with a 7:46 a.m. timestamp. All the thoughts and prayers in the world mean nothing without action to back them up. Second Amendment rights should not supersede peoples right to be safe at school, in grocery stores, in movie theatres, at church or anywhere else they go. PERIOD.

By the evening, comments supporting her stance had shifted to condolences.

In a statement, the university's chancellor said Knopp had been a music major.

Sam was a senior studying music and a beloved member of the Visual and Performing Arts department, Chancellor Jennifer Sobanet said. He was an accomplished guitar player and an extremely talented musician.

A video shared to the UCCS Music Program YouTube page shows Knopp at his junior year recital. Clad in a short-sleeved dress shirt against the backdrop of an evening cityscape, Knopp played guitar alongside several other musicians.

He also performed solo at times, switching from acoustic guitar to electric.

UCCP senior Haden Gillespie, Kopp's best friend, told NBC News he couldn't have imagined this happening before graduation.

"He was probably the most talented guitarist Ive ever met and a talent that was definitely taken from us too soon," Gillespie said.

Celie Rain Montgomery

Celie Montgomery (Courtesy Colorado Springs Police Department)

Less is known at this time about the other victim in the shooting, Montgomery.

She was not a student at the university, officials have said, and she lived in nearby Pueblo, Colorado.

Her LinkedIn page says she was a health and wellness copywriter.

In a statement to NBC News, Pueblo Community College confirmed that Montgomery attended the school's culinary arts program for one semester in the fall of 2020.

The Pueblo Community College family extends heartfelt condolences to the family of former PCC student Celie Montgomery, as well as to the family of Samuel Knopp," the Pueblo Community College President Patty Erjavec said in a statement. "These deaths, and the ensuing unimaginable pain, are happening much too often in an environment where teaching and learning should be our only concern."

The University of Colorado at Colorado Springs' chancellor also paid tribute to Montgomery in her statement.

"Celie, although she was not a student, will be mourned by our campus community," Sobanet said.

Classes on campus were canceled on Feb. 20, with a "healing walk" scheduled for the afternoon.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com
Russian authorities have detained a woman who is a Los Angeles resident and dual national on suspicion of treason for raising funds to support Ukraine in its defense against the Kremlins invasion.

The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) in the Ural Mountains city of Yekaterinburg said early Tuesday that the unnamed 33-year-old woman has dual Russian-American citizenship. The White House said it was working to secure consular access.

Since 2022 she was involved in providing financial assistance to a foreign state in activities directed against the security of our country, the statement said.

The statement added the suspect collected money for the Ukrainian war effort that was spent on medicine, equipment, weapons and ammunition. No other details nor a description of any evidence were released.

In addition, in the United States, this citizen repeatedly took part in public actions in support of the Kiev regime, it said.

She is accused of treason under article 275 of the Russian Criminal Code, which is punishable by 12 to 20 years in prison, as well confiscation of property.

As with previous arrests of foreign- and dual-nationals, the woman is detained under a pre-trial custody order.

There was no immediate comment from the U.S. Embassy in Moscow or the State Department. A White House official told NBC News on Tuesday that The White House and State Department are working to obtain more information and secure consular access to the individual.

In January, U.S. national Robert Romanov Woodland was arrested and detained on drug trafficking charges.

Alsu Kurmasheva, a dual Russian American reporter, was detained late last year and charged with failure to register as a foreign agent. And Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich has been held for nearly a year on espionage charges he denies.

It was confirmed early Tuesday that Gershkovich will remain in jail until at least March 30 after Moscow City Court rejected his latest appeal, according to state media outlet RIA.

The U.S. says Gershkovich is one of a number of its citizens wrongfully detained in the country, including former Marine Paul Whelan.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine will mark its second anniversary on Saturday, with President Joe Biden's administration considering whether to supply Kyiv with long-range ATACMS missiles while a new aid package is held up in Congress.
By Stephanie van den Berg

THE HAGUE (Reuters) - South Africa on Tuesday urged the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to issue a non-binding legal opinion that the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories is illegal, arguing it would help efforts to reach a settlement.

Representatives of South Africa opened the second day of hearings at the ICJ, also known as the World Court, in the Hague. The hearing follows a request by the U.N. General Assembly for an advisory, or non-binding, opinion on the occupation in 2022. More than 50 states will present arguments until Feb. 26.

On Monday, Palestinian representatives asked the U.N.'s highest court to declare Israel's occupation of their territory illegal, also saying the court's advisory opinion could contribute to a two-state solution and a lasting peace.

Israel is not attending the hearings but sent a written statement, saying an advisory opinion would be harmful to achieving a negotiated settlement with the Palestinians.

"A clear legal characterization of the nature of Israel's regime over the Palestinian people can only assist in remedying the ongoing delay and achieving a just settlement," Vusimuzi Madonsela, South Africa's ambassador to the Netherlands told the judges.

The latest surge of violence in Gaza, promoted by the Oct.7 attacks in Israel by Hamas, has complicated already deeply-rooted grievances in the Middle East and damaged efforts towards finding a path to peace.

The ICJ's 15-judge panel has been asked to review Israel's "occupation, settlement and annexation ... including measures aimed at altering the demographic composition, character and status of the Holy City of Jerusalem, and from its adoption of related discriminatory legislation and measures."

The judges are expected to take roughly six months to issue an opinion on the request, which also asks them to consider the legal status of the occupation and its consequences.

(Reporting by Stephanie van den Berg, Editing by William Maclean)
By Anait Miridzhanian

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) -South Africa will hold national and provincial elections on May 29, President Cyril Ramaphosa's office said on Tuesday.

The elections are expected to be the most competitive since the end of the apartheid system.

Political analysts widely predict that the governing African National Congress (ANC) party will lose its parliamentary majority for the first time since 1994, with record power cuts, poor service delivery and high levels of unemployment among voter complaints.

South Africans will elect a new National Assembly as well as the provincial legislature in each of the country's nine provinces before the National Assembly elects the president.

Ramaphosa, 71, is seeking a second term as president. He has struggled to lift economic growth significantly since taking over from Jacob Zuma as president in 2018.

"The 2024 elections coincide with South Africa's celebration of 30 years of freedom and democracy," Ramaphosa's office said in a statement.

"Therefore, President Ramaphosa calls on all eligible voters to fully participate in this important and historic milestone of our democratic calendar."

(Reporting by Anait Miridzhanian, Editing by Alexander Winning and Timothy Heritage)
CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP)  South Africa will hold pivotal national elections May 29 as polls show the ruling African National Congress could lose its majority for the first time since it came to power with the fall of apartheid 30 years ago.

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the date Tuesday as Africas most developed economy faces a myriad of problems under his ANC party. They include record unemployment, an electricity crisis thats led to crippling blackouts for homes and businesses, and widespread voter mistrust following a stream of corruption allegations over the years.

Several polls predict that the party once widely admired across the world and led by Nelson Mandela will slip below 50% of the vote for the first time since it won South Africas first all-race election in 1994 to herald a new democracy following the end of white minority rule.

If it loses its majority, the ANC would need to enter into a coalition to remain in government and keep Ramaphosa  a political protege of Mandela  as president for a second and final five-year term. South Africa has never had a coalition at national level because of the ANCs dominance.

South Africans vote for a party and not a presidential candidate in a general election. Parties are then allocated places in the 400-seat Parliament according to their share of the vote, and lawmakers elect the president.

The president has always been from the ANC because of its parliamentary majority.

The ANC is still expected to win the largest share of the vote, but one poll has it falling dramatically to less than 40%.

South Africa's main opposition party, the centrist Democratic Alliance, is in talks over forming a coalition of opposition parties aimed at forcing the ANC out of government completely, although all those parties would have to increase their share of the vote considerably to collectively get over 50%.

The third biggest party, the far-left Economic Freedom Fighters, is not involved in that opposition coalition but has drawn more support away from the ANC and was the only one of the three main parties to increase its share in the last general election.

Democratic Alliance leader John Steenhuisen said the election date announcement began a countdown to a historic moment where South Africa has the opportunity to rescue itself from 30 years of ANC failure, corruption, and state capture.

The EFF said the election is an opportunity for all South Africans to put an end to the misery we have suffered as a nation under the incompetent, corrupt and misguided governance of the ruling party, the ANC.

The vote will be the seventh fully democratic election in South Africa. Before 1994, Black people were not allowed to vote. Ramaphosa announced the election date in a statement from his office.

Beyond the fulfilment of our constitutional obligation, these upcoming elections are also a celebration of our democratic journey and a determination of the future that we all desire, he said. I call on all South Africans to exercise their democratic right to vote and for those who will be campaigning to do so peacefully, within the full observance of the law.

The ANC has won every national election since 1994 by a clear majority, but its support has gradually waned in the last 20 years. The biggest wakeup call came in local elections in 2021, when the ANC slipped below 50%.

South Africans have grown weary of a troubled economy and unemployment that sits at more than 30%, the highest in the world. The unemployment rate for young people aged between 15-24 is at a dizzying 59%.

A period of rampant corruption under former President Jacob Zuma from 2009-2018 eroded the party's reputation. South Africa struggles with rising levels of violent crime and widespread poverty.

Ramaphosa, 71, had some success in cleaning up the graft-tainted ANC after first being elected president in 2019, but the electricity crisis that brought record levels of blackouts last year has badly hurt his popularity.

In the election, South Africans also will vote for the makeup of provincial legislatures in the country's nine provinces.

___

AP Africa news: https://apnews.com/hub/africa
A South Korean pastor once hailed as a hero for helping North Korean defectors escape to safety has been jailed for sexually abusing minors.

Chun Ki-won was sentenced to five years in prison last week for abusing six teenage victims between 2016 and 2023, all of whom are either North Korean refugees or children of refugees, according to the Seoul Central District Court.

The nature of the crime was bad considering the circumstances, method, content, period, and number of crimes, the judge said, according to the court. The judge added that Chun had molested the teenagers while in a position where he has absolute influence over the victims as a school principal.

Chuns crime appears to have had a negative impact on the victims formation of sound sexual values, and the victims also wanted him punished, the court said.

Chun was head of Christian aid organization Durihana, which he claimed had helped more than 1,000 defectors reach Seoul since 1999. According to the organizations website, it runs a boarding school for North Korean children to be taught the Christian faith.

CNN interviewed Chun and described Durihanas work in 2019.

Chun was arrested and indicted last September for violating the Act on Sexual Protection of Children and Adolescents, according to the Seoul Central District Court.

The judge also ordered Chun to complete an 80-hour sexual violence-related treatment program. He will also be restricted from employment for five years at organizations related to children and youth with disabilities.

Refugees fleeing North Korea often make the perilous journey across the border into China, before attempting to reach South Korea.

China, a close ally of Pyongyang, doesnt consider North Korean defectors refugees, instead seeing them as illegal economic migrants. Under a border agreement with North Korea, it forcibly deports them.

Once returned to North Korea, defectors face possible torture, sexual violence, hard labor, imprisonment in political or re-education camps, or even execution by the state, according to activists.

Many defectors rely on a network of secret routes and safe houses, set up by Korean pastors inspired by the Underground Railroad, the secret passages enslaved African Americans used to escape to free states from the late 1700s until the American Civil War.

Chun and Durihana were part of this network, helping refugees and victims of sex trafficking and exploitation. Thousands of North Korean refugees have been abducted or trafficked to work in Chinas multimillion-dollar sex trade, according to a 2019 report by the London-based non-profit organization Korea Future Initiative (KFI).

The secret network and the pastors who run it offers a vital lifeline to sex trafficking victims looking for a way to escape, CNN reported in 2019, speaking to refugees who had escaped to South Korea with help from Durihana.

CNN has reached out to Durihana for comment.

Julie Zaugg contributed to this report.

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DENVER (AP)  A student arrested in the deaths of two people who were found shot in a dorm room last week at a Colorado college was the roommate of one of the victims, police said Tuesday.

Nicholas Jordan, 25, is suspected of killing Samuel Knopp, 24, and Celie Rain Montgomery, 26, at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs on Friday.

Jordan lived with Knopp at the university about 69 miles (111 kilometers) south of Denver, Colorado Springs police spokeperson Caitlin Ford said. Ford did not know Montgomerys relationship to the two men and did not have any information about what may have motivated the shooting.

Jordan was a student at the university at the time, university spokesperson Jenna Press. Knopp was also a student, but Montgomery was not enrolled, police said.

Jordan, who is from Detroit, was arrested Monday on suspicion of two counts of first-degree murder, according to jail records. Jordan is being represented by an attorney from the state public defender's office, according to court records. It does not comment on its cases. A hearing was scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.

After getting an arrest warrant, the polices motor vehicle theft unit found Jordan in a car and the tactical enforcement unit took him into custody in Colorado Springs in a residential area that is about 3 miles (4.8 kilometers) from campus, police said.

According to police, the bodies of Knopp and Montgomery were found after shots were fired at around 6 a.m. Friday in Crestone House, a dorm in a complex that offers apartment-style living for undergraduates and graduate students. A lockdown across campus lasted for about 90 minutes before being scaled back to just the complex.

On Friday, police said the deaths appeared to be an isolated incident involving people who knew each other and not a random attack. They also said they did not think there was any ongoing threat to the community."

Police also obtained an arrest warrant for Jordan late Friday but did not reveal that he was a suspect until announcing his arrest on Monday.

Police acknowledged Sunday that they intentionally restricted the information released to the public during the first 48 hours of the investigation.

Dozens gathered for a memorial walk Monday at the school, which is home to more than 11,000 students and nearly 2,000 faculty and staff.
WASHINGTON  The Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected appeals brought by Trump-allied lawyers who faced legal sanctions for baselessly alleging in court that the 2020 election in Michigan was fraudulently won by President Joe Biden.

By rejecting the appeals, the court left in place a June 2023 ruling by the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that partially upheld the sanctions.

Prominent cheerleaders of former President Donald Trump's efforts to overturn the election including Sidney Powell and Lin Wood were among the nine lawyers who initially faced sanctions for filing the lawsuit. Powell called the group "the Kraken."

The appeals court upheld sanctions against seven of them, including Powell and Wood.

The lawyers were ordered to pay legal fees, undertake new legal training and were referred to their respective state bar associations for any disciplinary procedures.

The lawsuit alleged among other things that there was an international conspiracy to swing votes to Biden, with "hostile foreign governments" gaining access to voting machines.

Lawyers ultimately withdrew the lawsuit after the election was certified, but not before defendants including state officials asked for sanctions.

Powell and Wood, as well as other Trump-affiliated lawyers have faced other investigations as part of their involvement in the 2020 election.

Powell pleaded guilty in Georgia as part of a probe into election interference. Wood has retired amid various investigations into his conduct.
WASHINGTON  The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to consider whether potential jurors in an employment dispute involving a lesbian worker could be excluded because of their religious views on homosexuality.

The court rejected an appeal brought by Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, a Republican, in a case involving allegations of employment discrimination against the states Department of Corrections.

Conservative Justice Samuel Alito wrote a statement saying he agreed with the decision not to take up the case for technical legal reasons, but said that it raises important issues.

Jean Finney, an employee, sued the department, saying she was retaliated against by a colleague after she began a same-sex relationship with his former spouse.

During the jury selection process, Finney's lawyer asked potential jurors if they had traditional religious beliefs or had been brought up to believe that "people that are homosexuals shouldn't have the same rights as everyone else."

Based on previous Supreme Court decisions, lawyers are allowed to exclude potential jurors without stating a reason but are barred from doing so on the basis of race and gender.

The case largely focuses on two jurors who said they believed that homosexual activity was a sin. But, the state argues, the jurors also said they believed that homosexuals should have the same rights as everyone else. The judge ultimately excluded three jurors who said they had conservative Christian beliefs.

Alito wrote that the case highlighted what he views as the negative impact of the Supreme Court's 2015 ruling that legalized same-sex marriage. He warned then that people who oppose same-sex relationships for religious reasons would be branded bigots.

Although the Supreme Court was clear that the same-sex marriage ruling should not be viewed that way, "I am afraid that this admonition is not being heeded by our society," Alito wrote.

The state ultimately lost the case, prompting its lawyers to seek a new trial based on the jury selection process. The Missouri Court of Appeals ruled against the state, and the Missouri Supreme Court declined to hear the case, prompting Bailey to turn to the U.S. Supreme Court.

"The Constitution does not tolerate excluding jurors on the basis of race or sex. It ought not to tolerate exclusion on the basis of religion," Bailey wrote in the state's petition. He conceded that jurors can be excluded if their religious views make them biased, but not based on religious status alone.

Finney's lawyers said in court papers that her sexuality was a key issue in the case and that there was nothing wrong with striking jurors "who had expressed bias against homosexuals."
The suspect arrested on murder charges in the fatal shooting of two people at a University of Colorado Colorado Springs dorm was the roommate of one of the victims, police said.

Colorado Springs Police Chief Adrian Vasquez on Tuesday morning confirmed to NBC News that suspect Nicholas Jordan, 25, of Detroit, was the roommate of victim Samuel Knopp, a senior at the school.

Knopp, 24, and Celie Rain Montgomery, 26, who was not a student, were found dead Friday morning at the universitys Crestone House residence.

University of Colorado student Sam Knopp (Facebook)

The deaths triggered an hourlong campus lockdown until it was determined there was no active shooter, and were being investigated as homicides.

An arrest warrant was issued for Jordan  a student at the university  late Friday on two counts of first-degree murder. He was located in a vehicle Monday morning and taken into custody in Colorado Springs, police said on social media.

Vasquez said officials were concerned during the search that Jordan could have fled the area.

"We werent certain exactly where he was at," he said in an interview that aired Tuesday on NBCs "TODAY" show. "So we spent a lot of time, had teams out constantly scouring."

Police said Monday that the investigation indicates the shooting was "an isolated incident between individuals who were known to one another and not a random attack against the school or other students at the university."

Jordan, due to appear in court Tuesday afternoon, is being held on $1 million bond, according to online booking records.

Knopp was from the town of Parker, about 60 miles north of campus, and was studying music, school officials said.

"He was an accomplished guitar player and an extremely talented musician," Chancellor Jennifer Sobanet said in a statement to the campus community.

University of Colorado shooting victim Celie Rain Montgomery. (via Colorado Springs Police Department)

Senior Haden Garcia Gillespie said Knopp was his best friend.

"He was probably the most talented guitarist Ive ever met. And you can tell that that was definitely taken from us way too soon," he said in an interview that aired Tuesday on "TODAY."

"I dont think anyone could ever imagine something like this happening," he added.

Montgomery was from Pueblo, about 45 miles south of campus, and had studied culinary arts for a semester at Pueblo Community College.

"These deaths, and the ensuing unimaginable pain, are happening much too often in an environment where teaching and learning should be our only concern," the college said in a statement.

The University of Colorado Colorado Springs was closed over the weekend and classes were canceled Monday for students to participate in a "day of healing."
The man who fatally shot two Minnesota police officers and a first responder over the weekend was prohibited from owning a firearm and made an unsuccessful bid to overturn the lifelong state ban four years ago, court records show.

A medical examiner identified the slain shooter as Shannon Gooden, 38, a spokesperson for the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said Monday.

He had several guns and large amounts of ammunition when he opened fire on law enforcement officers Sunday while barricaded inside a home with seven children in Burnsville, Minnesota, authorities said.

The children were between the ages of 2 and 15, according to Drew Evans, the superintendent of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension in the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.

A police vehicle with what appears to be bullet pockmarks is towed away. (Abbie Parr / AP)

Evans said officers were attempting to negotiate with the suspect when he began shooting. He killed police officers Paul Elmstrand, 27, and Matthew Ruge, 27, as well as Adam Finseth, 40, a firefighter and paramedic, city officials said.

They died of their gunshot injuries within 15 minutes of each other, according to the Hennepin County Medical Examiner.

Another officer, Adam Medlicott, was shot at the scene and is expected to survive.

Gooden, of Burnsville, also died during the incident, the Department of Public Safety bureau spokesperson said. The medical examiner has not released his cause of death.

Gooden had been employed as a journeyman painter for over a decade at LaMettrys Collision in Burnsville, the business said in a statement to NBC News. It extended its condolences to the first responders and their loved ones.

"We are shocked and saddened by the news of this horror and tragedy," the statement said, adding that Elmstrand, Ruge and Finseth "risked everything and made the ultimate sacrifice."

Gooden was prohibited by state law from possessing firearms after he was convicted of second-degree assault in 2007, when he was 21. The incident in a mall parking lot involved a knife, according to Mathew K. Higbee, his attorney at the time.

In 2020, Higbee attempted to reverse what he called a harsh ban, arguing that there was good cause to do so because Gooden was not a dangerous criminal or a potential risk to the community.

In his plea, Higbee said Gooden took anger management classes while incarcerated and had provided for his longtime girlfriend, her two children and his five children.

He has done everything he can to put himself back on his feet, move forward, and live the life of a productive and law-abiding member of society, Higbee wrote.

The state statute allows a court to restore a banned persons right to possess a firearm if there is good cause to do so and if that person is no longer behind bars.

A judge denied the motion to lift the ban in 2020, court records show. No explanation was provided in the order.

In an interview with NBC News on Monday, Higbee said the judge had made the "right decision."

"Its comforting to see that the system worked," he said. I would feel horrible if he did get his firearms rights restored and a month, a year, later this happened.

Higbee said that he was surprised to hear about the shooting and that he did not believe Gooden was capable of such violence in 2020, when he filed the motion.

I  probably like everyone else, whoever came across him  would have thought this is not something that would happen," he said. "Theres just no way to know."

Mourners attend a vigil. (Abbie Parr / AP)

At the time of the filing, Higbee said people close to Gooden had vouched for his character. His client also had evidence of rehabilitation and had gone a dozen years without a felony conviction, the attorney said.

Higbee declined to say when he last spoke to Gooden. No appeal or additional motions were filed after the court's rejection, he said.

Higbee called the fatal shooting a "tragedy" for the families of the first responders, as well as for Gooden's.

Those kids are never going to be the same, he said.

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is investigating Sundays fatal shooting.

Authorities said there had been no prior calls for service at the home or regarding the suspected shooter.
In less than two months, a total solar eclipse will darken the skies and cut an arcing path across the U.S. from Texas to Maine.

In most of Kentucky, excluding Paducah and the far western edge of the state, the event will appear as a partial solar eclipse, though state officials still expect 1 million travelers to pass through Kentucky on their way to prime viewing spots in Ohio, Indiana and Illinois.

To understand the ins and outs of this spectacular celestial event, we spoke with Thomas Troland, a professor of astronomy and astrophysics at the University of Kentucky. Heres an overview of what to expect, including tips for viewing it safely and how to appreciate what Troland calls the most spectacular event in nature that scientists can predict.

When will the eclipse occur in Kentucky?

This years total solar eclipse will occur April 8. Totality will begin to be visible in Kentucky at about 3 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

In Lexington, according to Troland, the eclipse will begin shortly before 2 p.m., when the moon starts to move across the disc of the sun. Over the next hour, the moon will cover more of the suns face until about 3:09 p.m., when it reaches maximum eclipse for Lexington observers. Afterward, the sun will gradually be revealed again, and by 4:20 p.m. the eclipse will be over.

For location specific information about the eclipse, including an eclipse simulator, you can go online to eclipse2024.org.

What is a total solar eclipse?

As explained by NASA, a total solar eclipse occurs when Earths moon passes between the sun and the Earth, completely blocking the face of the sun from view.

According to Troland, a total solar eclipse is the most spectacular event in nature that can be predicted.

During an eclipse, the sky darkens as the moons shadow, its umbra, is projected onto the face of the Earth and travels along the path of the eclipse, called the path of totality.

During this eerie period, it feels as though someone hit a dimmer switch on the sun as it disappears from the sky. Gradually, through proper eclipse viewing glasses, youll be able to see the moon take a bigger and bigger bite out of the sun.

As the eclipse progresses, the routine rhythm of nature is disrupted. Animals begin to exhibit nighttime behaviors, return to their hives and nests, commence their evening cries or in the case of crepuscular and nocturnal species, emerge from their warrens and dens.

If youre standing within the path of totality, you may notice a sudden coolness set in as the temperature drops within the moons shadow. Without the suns warmth, the wind may even temporarily stop blowing or shift direction in a phenomenon called eclipse wind.

In general, a spooky stillness sets in and the world seems to stop, holding its breath, as if waiting for something. During this time, Troland encourages viewers to keep their eyes peeled and look for unusual phenomena.

For example, up to the moment of totality when the moon fully blocks out the sun, you may notice strange crescent-shaped lights projected onto the ground, most noticeably under leafy trees. As explained by Troland, these are actually fuzzy images of the sun, created by the pinhole camera effect.

During this total solar eclipse, the duration of totality will be up to four minutes and 27 seconds long, almost twice that of the total solar eclipse in 2017. In Kentucky, totality should last between one to three minutes, depending on the location.

The next total solar eclipse wont be viewable over North America until 2045, Troland said.

What will it look like in Kentucky?

The total solar eclipse will be visible along a narrow track stretching from Texas to Maine, and a partial eclipse will be viewable from all 48 contiguous states, according to NASA.

The edge of the eclipses path cuts through the western edge of Kentucky, including Paducah. If youre in Lexington and want to catch a glimpse of the total solar eclipse closer to home, Bloomington, Ind., is likely your best option. Its a three-hour drive.

If youre viewing the eclipse from anywhere other than the far half of Western Kentucky, it will look to you like a partial solar eclipse.

In Lexington, Troland said the eclipse will appear to reach 96% totality, with only a small crescent of the sun visible.

April 8s total solar eclipse will completely block the suns light and create a 115-mile-wide path of totality across much of the U.S. Those outside the path will see a partial solar eclipse.

You may be wondering if the difference between 96% totality and 100% is really all that significant, but according to Troland, the difference is almost literally the difference between night and day.

There is a huge difference, he said, adding the difference is hard to understand from a visual standpoint.

Heres a look at what eclipse viewers around the Bluegrass State can expect, according to simulations provided by eclipse2024.org.

Owensboro - Partial solar eclipse

Paducah - Total solar eclipse

Louisville - Partial solar eclipse

Covington - Partial solar eclipse

Bowling Green - Partial solar eclipse

Pikeville - Partial solar eclipse

How can I view the eclipse safely?





According to NASA, its only safe to look directly at a total solar eclipse during the brief phase when the moon completely blocks out the sun.

During a partial or annular eclipse, it is never safe to look directly at it without proper eye protection. So, if youre viewing it from Lexington, youd better be prepared with your special eclipse glasses or solar viewer. Sunglasses wont cut it.

The American Astronomical Society endorses a few solar viewer suppliers on its website. The main thing to remember when shopping for solar viewers online is to make sure they meet the ISO 12312-2 international standard. The society advises against searching on Amazon or similar online marketplaces for whoevers selling the cheapest glasses. You can cross reference the glasses you find online with the list maintained by the American Astronomical Society.

Do you have questions about the total solar eclipse in Kentucky for our service journalism team? Let us know via the Know Your Kentucky form below or email us at ask@herald-leader.com.
Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker on Tuesday announced that two adults each have been charged with felony murder in the mass shooting at the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl victory rally last week.

Lyndell Mays of Raytown and Dominic M. Miller of Kansas City each face a count of second-degree felony murder, Baker announced in an afternoon news conference at the Jackson County Courthouse in downtown Kansas City.

Mays and Miller each have also been charged with two counts of armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon. They each are being held on $1 million bond.

The new charges bring the number of people charged in relation to the mass shooting up to five, including two teens and a Wichita man.

The murder charges are the latest in the investigation into the mass shooting investigation, that killed one woman and injured at least 39 others, including 23 with gunshot wounds. Lisa Lopez-Galvan, a mother and popular disc jockey, was identified as the woman killed in the shooting.

Prior to the shooting, Mays was in a verbal argument with another person that he had no prior history or connection with. That argument quickly escalated and Mays drew a handgun, Baker said.

Mays pulled his handgun first, Baker said, referencing the evidence that has been gathered by investigators so far.

Almost immediately, others, including Miller, pulled their firearms.

While both men were charged with murder, evidence shows that it was gunfire from Millers firearm that struck and killed 43-year-old Lopez-Galvin, Baker said.

Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker, center, Chief of Police Stacey Graves, left, and Mayor Quinton Lucas hold a press conference at the Jackson County Courthouse on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024, in Kansas City. The press conference addressed charges outlined by the prosecutors office against two men accused in the mass shooting that occurred after the Chiefs Super Bowl victory rally at Union Station last week.

We seek to hold every shooter accountable for their actions on that day  every single one, Baker said. While we are not there yet on every single individual, were going to get there.

Baker also read a statement from Lopez-Galvans family that said: On behalf of the Lopez-Galvan family, we are grateful to the Jackson County Prosecutors Office led by Jean Peters Baker and her amazing team of highly experienced and dedicated prosecutors.

We also want to thank the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department and all other law enforcement departments involved in this investigation. The effort and dedicated hours spent to expeditiously investigate this senseless act of violence is extremely commendable. It is reassuring for our family and the entire community to know that this joint team effort has resulted in the identification of the suspects involved.

Though it does not bring back our beloved Lisa, it is comforting to know that the Jackson County Prosecutors Office and the KCPD made it a top priority to seek justice for Lisa, the other shooting victims, those who had to witness this tragedy unfold and the Kansas City community.

Chiefs rally shooting charg... by Ian Cummings

Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves said Tuesday the police department continues to investigate the case at full velocity.

Teams of detectives are working nonstop to ensure that anyone else responsible for the shooting is apprehended and that they receive the maximum punishment allowed by law, Graves said.

Mayor Quinton Lucas commended the work of police and prosecutors in bringing criminal charges. He said lawlessness and criminality will never be tolerated in Kansas City.

We recognize that for the people of Kansas City to feel safe, for us to deter criminal activity and to ensure valid and appropriate punishment, consequences must be swift, certain and severe, Lucas said.

After gunfire broke out, some people took cover and others fled during the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl rally on Wednesday at Union Station in Kansas City.

The shooting occurred shortly before 2 p.m. Wednesday as hundred of thousands of Chiefs fans were celebrating the teams Super Bowl victory against the San Francisco 49ers. Shots fired on the west side of Union Station sent hundreds of people running for cover.

According to probable cause statements, Mays and Miller were among those shot and have remained hospitalized since. Mays was shot multiple times.

Court documents say a group of four males approached Mays and asked what he was looking at. They began arguing about why they were staring at each other, one of the probable cause statements said. One of the males had a backpack with a firearm in it. Mays allegedly backed up, continued to yell and then pulled out a handgun.

Charges were also filed last week against two teens who were being held at the Juvenile Detention Center on gun-related and resisting arrest offenses, the family court division of the Jackson County Circuit Court said in a statement Friday.

It said additional charges were expected as the investigation continued.

The Office of the Juvenile Officer acts as a prosecutor for criminal cases brought against minors with the proceedings held in family court.

Depending on the seriousness of criminal charges, juvenile defendants may face a mandatory certification hearing to determine whether they are tried as adults. Such offenses requiring a mandatory certification include first-degree assault and murder.

The Jackson County Prosecutor also has charged 36-year-old Jose L. Castillo with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm.

A witness told police he heard gunshots and then saw two males fighting. One of them dropped a handgun on the ground during the fight, according to court documents. Castillo allegedly picked up the firearm and walked away, the witness told officers. The witness then pointed out Castillo to officers.

When officers confronted Castillo and ordered him to the ground, Castillo allegedly removed a black Glock 22 handgun and threw it on the ground, according to court documents. Because of a felony conviction in 2016, Castillo is not allowed to possess a firearm.

Baker asked for help from people who were at the rally and might be able to provide other information, including those who were wounded in the stampede that occurred as people tried to flee once the gunfire started.

Saying they were aware of all of the individuals who had been shot, Baker added that they wanted to hear from those who had other injuries.

These too are victims in this case, so thats why we would like to hear from you, Baker said.

Prior to opening the press conference up to allow members of the media ask questions, Baker said she would not be able to answer questions about the case and other peoples responsibility level.

The most important thing I want you to hear is that we are not done yet, Baker said.
The window for NFL teams to apply the franchise tag (or transition tag) opened Tuesday. Clubs now have until 4 p.m. ET on March 5 to designate one of their pending free agents as such, generally meaning he will play next season on a lucrative one-year contract derived from the top salaries at his position  a deal that will provide a nice financial bump yet, conversely (and often more germanely) restricts the player from landing a massive payday or the ability to play elsewhere in the subsequent season.

Yet tags can also be a precursor to a trade or simply a placeholder that allow a player and his camp more time to hammer out a long-term arrangement (see Lamar Jackson, circa 2023). However when those outcomes dont materialize, they can often lead to missed training camps, occasionally early season absences or  like in the infamous case of former Pittsburgh Steelers star LeVeon Bell  sitting out an entire campaign and an entirely altered career arc. Consequently, buyers, most definitely beware  especially, as the Jackson case ostensibly proved, other teams are apparently completely unwilling to part with two first-round picks, the cost to lure away a franchised player.

As all 32 teams mull their tag options over the next two weeks, heres a bit of advice for each (notes: salary cap projections courtesy Over The Cap; teams listed alphabetically):

Arizona Cardinals

No tag-appropriate option here, nor should second-year GM Monti Ossenfort be focused on anything but the long view  which his 2023 draft maneuverings suggest he is.

Atlanta Falcons

Their best free agent is 37-year-old DL Calais Campbell. Moving on.

Baltimore Ravens

The AFCs No. 1 playoff seed in 2023, theyre set to lose a lot of big-name contributors: WR Odell Beckham Jr., RB Gus Edwards, DE/OLB Jadeveon Clowney, LB Patrick Queen and G Kevin Zeitler among them. But coming off his first Pro Bowl season (career-high 13 sacks, 33 quarterback hits), DT Justin Madubuike, 26, is clearly the guy to tag.

Buffalo Bills

Their defense is probably about to lose a substantial chunk of its depth, and WR2 Gabe Davis, 24, is also out of contract. But a capped-out team wont be tagging defenders past their primes or an inconsistent pass catcher whose production can be replicated by tight ends.

Carolina Panthers

Theyve been very reluctant to part with two-time Pro Bowl OLB Brian Burns, 25, whos averaged close to nine sacks and 30 pressures over his five-year career. New GM Dan Morgan may just be entering his current role, but he's been part of the front office since 2021  and hard to imagine a former linebacker letting an excellent one, whos also a three-time team captain, leave a roster that can hardly afford to relinquish talent and leadership.

Chicago Bears

GM Ryan Poles has already indicated hes not letting Pro Bowl CB Jaylon Johnson, 24, out of the Windy City. No one else currently on this roster merits a tag.

Cincinnati Bengals

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (5) reacts after completing a catch in the fourth quarter during a Week 9 NFL football game between the Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Nov. 5, 2023, at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati.

Despite missing five games last season, Tee Higgins, 25  hed be a No. 1 receiver for some teams  is the obvious choice, and Cincy has the cap space to absorb it.

Cleveland Browns

Much as they might want to franchise Comeback Player of the Year QB Joe Flacco  just in case  dont expect them to use it on anyone here in the real world.

Dallas Cowboys

Good as hes historically been, LT Tyron Smith is 33 and prone to injury. C Tyler Biadasz is solid but doesnt warrant the left tackle money the offensive line tag confers. Given how much RB Tony Pollards value slipped as a franchised feature back in 2023, no reason to tag him again with better options available on the market. Better to get an overbudget cap in order and figure out the long-term plans for QB Dak Prescott, WR CeeDee Lamb and OLB Micah Parsons.

Denver Broncos

Their finances are already a mess, and they havent even eaten QB Russell Wilsons contract yet.

Detroit Lions

The NFC North champions have more than $40 million available for upgrades but really no reason to make any balloon payments a tag would require.

Green Bay Packers

Nobody here who warrants a tag and  currently  inadequate cap space to use one.

Houston Texans

Given how relatively cheap it is to tag a tight end or kicker, Dalton Schultz or Ka'imi Fairbairn, respectively, are the most cost-effective options for the recently christened AFC South champions. But given his upward trajectory, popularity in the locker room and this defenses reliance on a deep and effective pass rush, tagging DE Jonathan Greenard, 26, who had a career-best 12 sacks last season, is probably the move.

Indianapolis Colts

GM Chris Ballard has never tagged a player during his seven seasons on the job. Hell need to seriously consider it for WR Michael Pittman Jr., 26, in the aftermath of a career year (109 catches for 1,152 yards)  especially given the impact he can have on QB Anthony Richardson.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Pro Bowl OLB Josh Allen, 26, racked up a career-high 17 sacks in 2023, tied for second in the league. The Jags have already indicated he wont be leaving Duval County in 2024.

Kansas City Chiefs

Best-case scenario: All-Pro DT Chris Jones, 29, follows through on his hints and agrees to an extension soon, leaving the tag available for CB L'Jarius Sneed, 27. Otherwise, a major decision to be made.

Las Vegas Raiders

Much as new HC Antonio Pierce might like and value RB Josh Jacobs, hard to justify another franchise tag after his league-best production for rushing yards and yards from scrimmage in 2022 plummeted by roughly 50% last season.

Los Angeles Chargers

New HC Jim Harbaugh said RB Austin Ekeler is a tremendous back, (who) wed love to keep. Sounds good in theory. Also, Ekeler will be 29 in May, is coming off an injury-depressed season and is set to be part of a saturated market for running backs. Given all the other cap decisions the Bolts face, probably best to keep the tag in their collective pocket.

Los Angeles Rams

G Kevin Dotson, 27, had an awakening during his first year in L.A. Doesnt mean you pay him roughly $20 million in 2024.

Miami Dolphins

While free agency could deal a blow to their offensive line, C Connor Williams and G Robert Hunt both set to go free, the Fins probably have to tag DT Christian Wilkins, 28  though, currently more than $50 million over the cap, that will force other significant financial decisions.

Minnesota Vikings

QB Kirk Cousins and OLB Danielle Hunter contractually cant be franchised. So, end of discussion.

New England Patriots

Versatile DB Kyle Dugger, 27, seems like the most appropriate candidate, and the Pats  with nearly $70 million in cap space  can certainly afford a tag. It is worth wondering if Dugger would seek an arrangement somewhere in between safety and the more expensive cornerback tag salaries given he regularly plays both positions.

New Orleans Saints

A team that has to reapportion more than $80 million to become cap compliant has no business  or reason  to be trafficking in tags.

New York Giants

RB Saquon Barkley is an important piece to this puzzle, but 2023 was a reminder he cant carry this offense alone. Now 27, probably better to let him test the market and determine his value rather than invite more bad blood with another tag  and, heck, maybe he even re-signs at the end of the day. Better to franchise ascending S Xavier McKinney, 24.

New York Jets

Be nice to keep OLB Bryce Huff, 25, whos blossoming into an elite pass rusher in the wake of a season with a career-best 10 sacks and 33 pressures. But hard to justify such an expensive tag (approaching $23 million) for a role player on a deep unit who played fewer than half of the defensive snaps last year  and given the priority needs to be bolstering the supporting cast around QB Aaron Rodgers.

Philadelphia Eagles

They havent used a tag in 12 years, longer than any other team. No reason to expect that drought ends now.

Pittsburgh Steelers

No thanks  effective and efficient as QB Mason Rudolph, 28, was during his late-season promotion.

San Francisco 49ers

Be nice to perpetuate 24-year-old DE Chase Youngs career resurgence after trading a third-round pick for him, but not for $20 million or so.

Seattle Seahawks

New HC Mike Macdonald would surely like to retain versatile DL Leonard Williams, 29, but the Hawks dont presently have the salary flexibility to accommodate a tag for a player of his stature. Perennial Pro Bowl LB Bobby Wagner, 33, earned $7 million on an incentive-laden deal in 2023 and wont be tagged. He intends to play in 2024, though its not clear if hell take another team-friendly contract.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Probably no club faces a bigger identity crisis than the three-time-defending NFC South champs, who face the prospect of losing QB Baker Mayfield, Pro Bowl WR Mike Evans and All-Pro FS Antoine Winfield Jr. Winfields age (25), breakout season and relatively tag friendly position make him the logical choice, especially since Mayfield and the team seem to have mutual interest in a reunion.

Tennessee Titans

Despite being awash in cap room, no reason for a rebooting organization to tag anyone, not even RB Derrick Henry, 30, given his age and odometer.

Washington Commanders

While DBs Kamren Curl and Kendall Fuller are solid, makes more sense for new GM Adam Peters and HC Dan Quinn to take the leagues worst defense down to the studs and spend their windfall of free agency funds more judiciously.

***

Follow USA TODAY Sports' Nate Davis on X, formerly Twitter @ByNateDavis.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2024 NFL franchise tag candidates: Which players could be tagged?
Support in the United States for Ukraine has waned since it was first invaded by Russia two years ago Saturday, much the chagrin of New York and New Jersey's 230,000 Americans of Ukrainian heritage.

With that in mind, a number of buses organized by local Ukrainian American cultural centers, including the Ukrainian Center Passaic and Whippany's Ukrainian Cultural Center of NJ, are leaving early Saturday morning to take part in a 2 p.m. mass rally and march in Washington, D.C.

Initially Ukrainians blunted Russia's attack and the United States backed their defense and much of the world rallied behind them.

Story continues after photo gallery

But for proud Ukranian Americans like Rokslolana Leschuk, director of the Ukrainian Cultural Center of NJ, Congress's inability in recent weeks to pass additional funding to support Ukraine in the war is unconscionable.

"Since when do we support terrorists?" Leschuk said, noting the allegations of Russian soldiers raping women and torturing Ukranian civilians.

Moreover, failure to fund Ukrainian resistance runs contrary to the U.S. promise to safeguard Ukrainian sovereignty in the Budapest Memorandum, where, after the implosion of the Soviet Union, Ukraine agreed to give up its nuclear weapons, she said.

When Russians initially attacked in 2014, occupying sections of Crimea, U.S. imposed sanctions on Russia. When in February 2022, Russia invaded, Ukraine stymied this aggression and won the support of western democracies, who provided billions in aid and advanced weaponry.

Congress has failed to provide more funds to Ukraine

Since the fall, repeated attempts to get Congress to provide additional funds have been unsuccessful and it appears that Ukraine is running desperately short of the ammunition and other materials needed to resist.

It is hoped the rally will increase support for renewed funding, by pressuring the Republican-controlled House of Representatives to bring a vote to the floor.

Hundreds gathered on the l awn in front of Clifton City Hall to celebrate Ukrainian Independence Day, which has been celebrated on August 24th since 1991. Wednesday, August 24, 2022

Democrats, including Rep. Bill Pascrell, of New Jersey, who was out last weekend visiting various Ukrainian churches, have long sided with Ukraine and say they favor providing more aid.

I represent one of the largest Ukrainian communities in our nation. Their anguish is palpable, Pascrell said. For two years now, Russia has been committing mass murder. For two years, Ukraine has been fighting for its very survival. America cannot stand idly at this moment of truth."

For Marie Duplak, president of the Bergen-Passaic branch of the Ukranian Congress Committee of America, Russian aggression has been traumatic and tragic.

"The inhumanity documented includes examples of cases where relatives were forced to witness crimes committed against their own family members: children watching parents, parents witnessing their children, even the open murder of grandparents," Duplak said. "The age of victims of sexual and gendered-based violence ranged from four to 82 years."

In September, Members of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine told the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva that they have documented Russian attacks with explosive weapons on residential buildings, civilian infrastructure and medical institutions in Ukraine, as well as torture and sexual and gender-based violence.

For those unable to attend the rally, the Bergen-Passaic Branch is planning a vigil at Passaic's St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church at 6 p.m. Saturday.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ to send busloads to DC to press Congress for Ukraine war aid
Poor Peoples Campaign, an organization led by Rev. William Barber of North Carolina and 2024 Co-Chair of Mobilization and Strategy Dorothy Jackson, is taking steps to mobilize low-income voters in key battleground states ahead of the November election.

The Poor Peoples Campaign will hold a series of press conferences in more than 30 states across the country this week, including battlegrounds such as Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Georgia, where it will detail ita upcoming voter mobilization efforts, according to the groups plans first shared with The Hill.

The press conferences come after the organization announced earlier this month an effort to mobilize 15 million poor and low-wage voters ahead of the election. Barber will be joined by the Rev. Liz Theoharis, and both will serve as the groups 2024 mobilization co-chairs.

As we go to statehouses, we are pushing for a Third Reconstruction agenda, thats not about left versus right politics, but about whats right versus whats wrong, Barber, the founding director of the Center for Public Theology & Public Policy at Yale Divinity School, said in a statement to The Hill.

A Third Reconstruction agenda says everybody deserves a living minimum wage, affordable and adequate housing, basic human rights, basic civil rights, universal healthcare, fully-funded public education, womens rights to their own health, the right to clean water and a clean environment, amongst other issues.

We are demanding politicians on both sides of the aisle embrace a Third Reconstruction agenda that builds from the bottom.

As part of the effort Tuesday, each of the groups state coordinating committees will give out a fact sheet and a letter to the states leaders. The letter and fact sheets detail the struggles the low-wage people in the U.S. face. In the letters, the group also demands state officials make greater investments in public education, child care, food assistance and other services, according to the copy first reviewed by The Hill.

The Poor Peoples Campaign will organize marches to statehouses on March 2 in more than 30 states. The group also plans to hold a rally in Washington, D.C., on June 15.

The press conferences Tuesday and statehouse marches in March will take place in Alabama, Arizona, California, D.C., Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and West Virginia.

The turnout for low-wage voters is 20 to 22 percent below the average turnout during the election, according to the group.

These are the issues that respond to the needs of the 85 million poor and low-wage eligible voters in this country, Barber said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Editors Note: Sign up for CNNs Meanwhile in China newsletter, which explores what you need to know about the countrys rise and how it impacts the world.

Who doesnt like a little braised pork with their coffee?

Starbucks (SBUX) is betting on that unusual combination with a new drink released in China to mark the Lunar New Year. Dubbed the Abundant Year Savory Latte, the brand describes it as having an interesting flavor.

The drink combines Dongpo Braised Pork Flavor Sauce with espresso and steamed milk, with extra pork sauce and pork breast meat for garnish, according to the Starbucks delivery app.

The drink is priced at 68 yuan ($9.45), according to the app.

Photos of the drink, posted on Chinese social media platform Weibo by the Shanghai Starbucks Reserve Roastery, show a drizzle of dark red sauce atop the latte foam  with a square slice of pork on a skewer resting on the mug rim.

Eating meat means prosperity in the coming year, the roastery wrote on Weibo on February 5, days before the Lunar New Year began.

It added that the drink brings traditional New Year customs into coffee, and creates unexpected savory and sweet flavors. The latte is available at Starbucks Reserve stores across the country.

The drinks cost about $9.45. - Courtesy Starbucks

Lunar New Year is one of the biggest annual holidays in Asia. People across China travel back home during this period to celebrate with their families. Government data shows a total of 474 million trips were made within the mainland during this years travel season.

And while the foods served at New Year feasts vary by region, braised pork makes a frequent appearance. Named after the ancient poet, painter and statesman Su Dongpo, Dongpo rou is a dish made from braised pork belly, rock sugar, soy sauce, yellow wine and other seasonings.

The result is richly flavored and extremely tender cuts of pork that can easily be pried apart with chopsticks.

China is the biggest branded coffee shop market in the world, according to a report released in December by World Coffee Portal, having overtaken the United States last year.

Starbucks opened 785 outlets in the country in 2023, it said. China has long been one of the most important growth drivers for Starbucks, serving as its second biggest market worldwide and top overseas market.

But its got stiff competition, including from Luckin Coffee. The Chinese startup is the countrys biggest coffee chain with over 13,000 outlets, and offers drinks at a much lower price point than its American competitor.

The Starbucks pork latte has quickly gained traction on Chinese social media, with the topic viewed more than 476,000 times on Weibo by the time of publishing. Some users expressed curiosity, but others were skeptical, pointing to the high price point and questioning why they would drink the latte instead of eating real braised pork.

For 67 yuan, I could eat a plate of braised pork then go to Luckin and drink two lattes, one Weibo user wrote.

Another user quipped: I would allow both (pork and coffee) to exist in my stomach at the same time, but not in my mouth at the same time.

Jiupai News, a site affiliated with the state-run Changjiang Daily, reported that the drink had already sold out at one store in Wuhan, with customers saying the flavor was unique with a dense, smooth mouthfeel.

Starbucks also released other new flavors across China with a holiday theme in February, according to the Shanghai Reserve Roasterys Weibo account, including a jujube macchiato inspired by new years rice cakes and an almond tofu macchiato.

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Kim Jong-un and Vladimir Putin sit in the Russian president's Aurus Senat limousine at Vostochny Cosmodrome in September 2023 - Yonhap

Vladimir Putin gave Kim Jong-un a luxury car after Pyongyang supplied ballistic missiles and ammunition for Moscows war against Ukraine.

The arrival of the car, which violates United Nations sanctions to which Russia previously signed up, was confirmed on Tuesday morning by the Norths state media outlet KCNA.

Putin later stated that he dispatched the Russian-made limousine to Kim because he liked it.

The Kremlin confirmed that the make of the car was a Russian-made Aurus Senat.

The sedan is often used for foreign dignitaries when they visit Russia and is the model used when the Russian president visited the North Korean leader last September.

Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Koreas leader, said the gift serves as a clear demonstration of the special personal relations between the top leaders of the two countries, KCNA added.

Her brother is known for flaunting his fleet of high-end foreign vehicles and was seen last December riding in four new foreign vehicles, including a $200,000 armoured Mercedes-Maybach S560 sedan. He has previously been seen in a Rolls-Royce Phantom.

Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un during a meeting at the Vostochny Cosmodrome last September - SPUTNIK

The fondness for high-end vehicles is generational. Kims grandfather, Kim Il-sung, who first ruled North Korea, is said to have loved his ZIS Soviet limousine, while the dictators father, Kim Jong-il, was a Mercedes-Benz fan.

It is not known exactly how the vehicles, along with other Kim family favourites including designer bags and French wines, have reached the country.

However in 2019, a report by the Washington-based Centre for Advanced Defence Studies said Pyongyangs ability to smuggle vehicles through China, South Korea and Japan demonstrated how it was also able to supply its nuclear weapons programme.

South Korean intelligence has reported a rise in suspected maritime shipments of weapons including short-range ballistic missiles and more than one million shells from Pyongyang to Moscow, that began in mid-2022 around the time that Kim and Putin met for talks at Russias Vostochny Cosmodrome.

Kim returned from that trip with gifts of a rifle, a cosmonauts glove, and military drones, and the two countries pledged to strengthen their relationship from defence issues to tourism.

Russian tourists arrived in North Korea earlier this month on the first known foreign tour since pandemic-linked border closures.

Putin is expected to reciprocate Kims visit by travelling to Pyongyang, although the timing has not been confirmed.

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Editors Note: Delving into the archives of pop culture history, Remember When? is a CNN Style series offering a nostalgic look at the celebrity outfits that defined their eras.

Controversial advertising campaigns are almost a rite of passage for brands and companies looking to grab headlines. The outrage is rarely fatal, and the innovation behind eyebrow-raising commercials often outshines the indignation generated.

The infamous 1994 Wonderbra ads, which turn 30 this year, are a case in point. The poster campaign was intended to promote the trademarked plunge push-up bra  a lingerie piece first popularized in the 1960s  to a new generation of consumers. Shot by fashion photographer Ellen von Unwerth, the ads featured renowned runway model Eva Herzigova in nothing more than a pair of black lacy briefs and a matching brassiere.

The accompanying slogans used in the UK market were as subtle as a slow-motion wink. Mind if I bring a couple of friends? read one ad, as Herzigova leans forward to demonstrate the bustiers gravity-defying technology. Or are you just pleased to see me? was another.

But the best-known iteration of the campaign was much simpler: Hello Boys, it read.

The bold ads, shown here at a London bus stop, took over cities across the UK and US. - Sean Dempsey/PA Images/Getty Images

Push-up bras werent new, of course  one of the earliest padded bras dates back to 1948. The Wonderbra brand, which dates back to the late 1930s as an offering from the Canadian Lady Corset Company (later known as Canadelle), introduced its first push-up model in 1963.

Canadelle first trademarked the Wonderbra name in the US in the 1950s, and later gave British hosiery brand Gossard a license to sell the bras in the UK. But in the early 1990s, Sara Lee Corporation (which by then had acquired Canadelle and wanted to expand its presence in the intimate apparel market), reclaimed the license and relaunched the Wonderbra in the US and UK markets via its own lingerie brand, Playtex.

The 1994 campaign joined a salvo of ads that the British trade press dubbed a battle of the bras between Playtex and Gossard, which was then offering a similar Ultrabra product. (Versions of the push-up bra were also being sold by Victorias Secret, Maidenform and Vanity Fair Lingerie, among others.)

The buxom, busty look is often seen as a direct response to the waifish body ideal pioneered by 90s supermodels like Kate Moss, Jodie Kidd and Jamie King. The modern bosom is no longer an accident of nature but a fashion option, wrote journalist Roxanne Roberts, a style writer at the Washington Post, in 1994.

At the time, Roberts reported that the Washington, D.C. department store Hechts had received 1,200 phone calls inquiring about the Wonderbra after displaying ads ahead of the relaunch. While the stateside campaign was less suggestive than its British counterpart (the Hello Boys slogan was ditched in favor of vague quips such as Who cares if its a bad hair day) the commercial still had an impact.

We got $50 million worth of free publicity for a $25 million line, said John Bryan, the late chairman of Sara Lee at a press conference in 1996. On one day, the Wonderbra got more space in the New York Times than the Federal Reserve.

Part of the ads overwhelming success was down to their bold placement. Herzigova was plastered on stories-tall billboards across the UK and US, towering over cities like a hyper-sexualized Godzilla. And whether thanks to its scale or its, well, sauce, the campaign was a shocking departure from other lingerie brands, which at the time were typically much discreeter  Victorias Secret, for example, exclusively operated via mail-order catalog (by 1997, it was distributing 450 million catalogs per year, according to the now-defunct Racked).

Models Debbie Flett (left) and Sandra Kaine (right) pose at the launch of a 90 foot-tall Wonderbra hot air balloon in London in 1996. - Michael Stephens/PA Images/Getty Images

The poster campaign was unusual in that underwear publicity had previously been largely confined to womens magazines, summarizes Londons Victoria & Albert Museum, which has one of the printed posters available to view in its library collection.

In the UK, it was rumored that the roadside ads erected as part of the campaign had proved so provocative that male motorists crashed at the sight of Herzigovas chest. But while is no evidence that the push-up directly caused any accidents, British road safety experts did label the billboards  and similar ads that followed, like UK underwear brand Sloggis depiction of thong-wearing women riding bicycles  as dangerous and distracting. The campaign was too much for some British sensibilities, and was banned from being displayed in Birmingham, the UKs second largest city, by local officials.

Other observers, meanwhile, took issue with Wonderbras messaging. It became the go-to example of reductive, sexist marketing in academic essays and journalistic think pieces, and was slammed as sexist by consumer focus groups. Eventually, the UKs Advertising Standards Authority responded to the onslaught of complaints it had received, though it ultimately dismissed them in favor of the ads humorous, tongue-in-cheek tone.

Since then, the image of Herzigova has gone on to be considered one of the most memorable advertisements in British history. The campaign has even been relaunched twice: Once in 2011, by breast cancer charity Coppafeel, and again in 2019  when the famous Hello Boys slogan was revised to Hello Girls in an attempt to modernize it, though the campaign caused somewhat less of a stir.

Hello Boys was very provocative, Herzigova told British magazine Tatler in 2019. It was also a very powerful statement and one I always defended against feminist accusations because I think it had a very empowering, liberating effect on women.

What women are saying now is, I am who I am. Take it or leave it.

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CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP)  What stinks?

Authorities in Cape Town launched an investigation Monday after a foul stench swept over the South African city.

City officials inspected sewage facilities for leaks and an environmental health team was activated before the source of the smell was discovered: a ship docked in the harbor carrying 19,000 live cattle from Brazil to Iraq.

Zahid Badroodien, the official in the mayor's office in charge of water and sanitation, wrote on the social media site X, formerly Twitter, that investigators had confirmed that the source of the sewage smell blanketing parts of the city was the cattle ship.

He wrote that the ship was due to depart soon, likely to the relief of residents who had an unpleasant start to their working week.

The ship also has become a target of serious criticism by animal welfare groups.

The National Council of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals sent a veterinary consultant onboard the ship to assess the welfare of the animals, it said. The SPCA's council said it was strongly opposed to the export of live animals by sea.

This smell is indicative of the awful conditions the animals endure, having already spent 2 weeks onboard, with a build-up of feces and ammonia, the SPCA said in a statement. The stench onboard is unimaginable, yet the animals face this every single day.

The 190-meter long (623 foot) Al Kuwait is a Kuwaiti-flagged livestock vessel, according to the Marine Traffic website. It docked in Cape Town to load feed for the cattle, the SPCA said.

South Africa's Democratic Alliance political party, which governs Cape Town, also condemned the transport of live cattle.

Live export, as evidenced by this situation, exposes animals to perilous conditions such as dangerous levels of ammonia, rough seas, extreme heat stress, injuries, dirty environments, exhaustion, and even death, the party said in a statement.

Earlier this month, a ship carrying more than 16,000 cattle and sheep also bound for the Middle East returned to Australia after becoming stranded at sea for nearly a month due to the attacks by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea. That ship also came under scrutiny for cruelty but veterinarians found no significant health and welfare issues among the livestock.

___

AP Africa news: https://apnews.com/hub/africa
Doctors in Seoul protesting against the government's plan to bump up numbers

Surgeries have been delayed and hospitals have turned away patients after more than 1,600 doctors in South Korea went on strike on Tuesday.

The junior doctors are protesting the government's plans to introduce more trained physicians into the system.

South Korea has one of the lowest doctor-to-patient ratios among major economies, so the government wants to add more medical school placements.

But doctors oppose the prospect of greater competition, observers say.

South Korea has a highly privatised healthcare system where most procedures are tied to insurance payments, and more than 90% of hospitals are private.

Its doctors are among the best-paid in the world, with 2022 data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) showing the average specialist at a public hospital receives nearly $200,000 (159,000) a year; a salary far exceeding the national average pay.

But there are currently only 2.5 doctors per 1,000 people - the second lowest rate in the OECD group of nations after Mexico.

"More doctors mean more competition and reduced income for them... that is why they are against the proposal to increase physician supply," said Prof Kwon Soon-man, a public health expert at Seoul National University.

The country has critical physician shortages in remote areas, and in specialities such as paediatrics and obstetrics - which are seen as less lucrative fields compared to practices such as dermatology and plastic surgery.

What has happened this week?

Nearly 6,500 interns and residents - about half of the junior doctor workforce - tendered resignation letters on Monday, the country's health ministry said.

Of that group, about 1,600 doctors failed to turn up to work. Protest organisers - the Korean Medical Association and Korea Interns and Residents Association - had urged members to stop work entirely on Tuesday.

The government has ordered doctors to go back to work with President Yoon Suk-yeol condemning a campaign he said was "taking people's lives and health hostage".

He said he was aware of cases where cancer surgeries had already been postponed due to the walk-outs. South Korean media have also reported cases of patients having to be discharged or transferred to other hospitals.

Junior doctors form a core contingent of staff in emergency wards, and Yonhap reported that up to 37% of doctors could be affected at the biggest hospitals in Seoul.

"We are deeply disappointed in the situation where trainee doctors are refusing to work," Second Vice Health Minister Park Min-soo had told reporters earlier this week.

On Tuesday he said the government would resort to legal means to break the strike- authorities have statutory power to revoke a doctor's practicing licence if their actions threaten national healthcare.

The country has previously brought prosecutions against doctors who were striking. The government said it was taking steps on Tuesday against two officials of the Korean Medical Association.

Minister Park has condemned the strike action by doctors

"We earnestly ask the doctors to withdraw their decision to resign en masse," Mr Park said.

The full extent of the strike's impact is yet unclear. However, several hospitals have said they have switched to contingency plans and officials warned of gaps.

The government earlier this week also pledged to expand telehealth services during the strikes.

South Korean policy makers have been trying for decades to increase the number of doctors, as the country is dealing with a rapidly-ageing population which will put extra burden on the medical system.

President Yoon Suk-yeol has proposed adding 2,000 spots per year to medical schools - a 65% increase on the current yearly intake of just over 3,000 students. That rate hasn't changed since 2006.

There is a projected shortfall of 15,000 doctors by 2035, if the government doesn't take action now, said President Yoon.

His policy has proven very popular with the public- with polls showing up to 80% support.

However doctor groups like the Korean Medical Association argue an increase would be a strain on the money available under the national health insurance scheme.

The union has also argued that more doctors wouldn't necessarily address the shortages in specific fields - despite the government specifying targeted goals for these areas.

The doctor bodies announced the strike action on Sunday after an emergency meeting with hospital representatives. While junior doctors are the first to strike there are fears that more across the profession will join.

Doctors successfully staved off the government's previous attempt to introduce more graduates in 2020 with protests which threatened to cripple hospitals during the Covid pandemic.

Up to 80% of junior doctors participated in strikes at the time.

"It is not easy to predict who will win [this time]," said Prof Kwon.

He noted that President Yoon "seems very determined" because the policy has provided a ratings-bump for a leader otherwise tarnished by political scandals.

"But a private sector dominated health system is quite vulnerable to physician strikes, i.e. it can be really shut down if doctors join full-scale strikes."
The story of Nikki Haleys presidential campaign so far is simple enough. In both Iowa and New Hampshire, she performed best among the independents and Democrats who crossed over to participate in the GOP contest. But that strength was overwhelmed by the large deficits she faced in both states with actual Republican voters, resulting in double-digit losses.

As the primary calendar turns to Haleys home state of South Carolina this Saturday, Haleys math problem isnt going to get much easier to solve.

Despite her favorite daughter status, polling puts her far behind Donald Trump in the state, with no indication that shes made any new inroads with core Republican voters. This means that Haleys hopes for an upset victory  which she probably needs to maintain any plausibility as a candidate  will rest on her ability to attract support from non-Republicans and to turn them out at levels never before seen in a South Carolina primary.

To put her challenge in perspective, take a look at the breakdown of South Carolina GOP primary electorates this century (and note that the state doesnt register voters by party, meaning that anyone can participate in the GOP contest and that the figures below reflect how voters identified their own partisan loyalties in past exit polls):

As you can see, the share of self-identified Republicans has ranged from just over 60% to as high as 80%. By comparison, self-identified Republicans in the New Hampshire GOP primary last month accounted for barely 50% of the electorate. So, barring an unforeseen surge of these voters, Haley will probably need this number to plummet to an all-time low on Saturday, which would reduce the clout of a voting bloc that appears rather hostile to her.

This would require a corresponding spike in the share of independents and Democrats crossing over to support her. As the chart above shows, their combined share in South Carolina GOP primaries typically falls in the 20-30% range. The one exception came in 2000, when John McCain was running against George W. Bush and relying on a coalition that  like Haleys  leaned very heavily on non-Republican support. But that still wasnt nearly enough for McCain, who lost the state by 11 points to Bush thanks to Bushs overpowering support among core Republicans:

And since 2000, theres never been a split anywhere near as vast between Republicans and non-Republicans in terms of candidate support:

Note that McCain in his 2008 bid is the only candidate to win South Carolina despite finishing second among self-identified Republicans. But his deficit among those voters was only by a single point, allowing McCain to ride his strong independent support to an overall statewide victory.

But with the enormous gaps she has faced with Republican voters, its the 2000 McCain model that Haleys own effort resembles, not his 2008 one. And to do what McCain failed to do back in 2000 and actually capture the state, Haley will somehow need to expand the share of non-Republicans still further while also squeezing even more votes from them. Talk about a tall order.

Looking back to New Hampshire, where it was essentially a two-way contest between Haley and Donald Trump, this dynamic was especially dramatic. Among independents, Haley crushed Trump by 19 points. And she fared even better among Democrats, who gave her 84% of their votes. But with Republicans, she wasnt even competitive, losing them to Trump by a resounding 49 points. This all added up to an 11-point victory for Trump overall.

Worse for Haley is that nearly half of New Hampshires Republican primary electorate was composed of self-identified independents and Democrats  one of the largest shares (if not the largest share) that will be seen in any GOP contest. In other words, for a candidate leaning so heavily on non-Republican voters, New Hampshire may have been as good as it gets for Haley.
Police shot at a 16-year-old student holding a gun Monday morning at a suburban Dallas charter school as they negotiated with him to put down his weapon, authorities said.

The student, whose identity is being withheld because of his age, was taken to a hospital in stable condition, police in Mesquite, Texas, said. Other details about the teenager's injuries were not immediately provided.

The shooting occurred inside an office at the Pioneer Technology & Arts Academy's middle school and high school campus before 9 a.m. local time. School was in session, and panicked children were led outside and later reunited with their families at a nearby Baptist church.

Students walk out of Pioneer Technology & Arts Academy in Mesquite, Texas, on Monday. (NBC DFW)

Mesquite police were called to the school on a report of an active shooter. Administrators said they were attempting to calm the armed student until officers arrived.

The officers found him alone in an office and "provided verbal commands to the suspect. At some point during the negotiations, three officers fired at the suspect," police said. "The suspect then complied with commands and was taken into custody."

Neither the officers nor any other students or staff were hurt.

The Mesquite officers who fired were described as an eight-year veteran, a five-year veteran and an officer-in-training with "multiple years of service" from another agency. Their identities were not released.

Possible charges were not immediately announced in connection with the incident. Police said their investigation was ongoing, with the Dallas County District Attorney's Office conducting a separate and independent review.

"We're just thankful a tragedy was avoided and nothing worse occurred," Travis Block, a spokesperson with the Mesquite Fire Department, said at a news conference.

The school said in a statement that the "situation was contained" thanks to "swift actions of our staff" and a safety plan.

"Today, those procedures were tested, and they worked as intended," school district Superintendent Shubham Pandey said.

The school expected to reopen on Tuesday.

"We certainly understand students have experienced some level of trauma," the school said on Facebook. "Our students and staff are our ultimate priority."
A police officer stands outside a dorm in the Village at Alpine Valley housing, Friday 16 February 2024, as police investigate a shooting on the University of Colorado Colorado Springs campus in Colorado Springs, Colo. (Christian Murdock/The Gazette via AP) ((Christian Murdock/The Gazette via AP))

A student has been arrested over the murders of two people in a University of Colorado at Colorado Springs dormitory on Friday, police announced in a news release.

Nicholas Jordan, 25, of Detroit, Michigan was taken into custody by officials with the Colorado Springs Police Department around 8.37am MST on Monday. He is to be booked into the El Paso County Jail on two counts of first-degree murder.

Hes currently being held in jail on $1m bail. His first court date is on Tuesday at 1.30pm MST.

Jenna Press, a spokesperson for the university, said that Mr Jordan was enrolled at the institution at the time of the shooting.

A warrant was issued for Mr Jordan on the evening of the incident but officials were unable to located him until Monday, when he was found in a vehicle by the citys motor vehicle theft unit. A tactical team responded to the location and took him into custody without incident.

A booking photo for Mr Jordan will be released once hes processed into the jail system, police said in a news release.

Investigative efforts continue to indicate this was an isolated incident between individuals who were known to one another and not a random attack against the school or other students at the university, the police department said in a statement.

Based on police information, officials responded to the university around 5am MST on Friday after receiving a call about shots fired in a campus dorm room.

When they arrived, they discovered the bodies of 26-year-old Celie Rain Montgomery of Pueblo, Colorado and 24-year-old Samuel Knopp of Parker, Colorado in Crestone House, one of the universitys dorm buildings. Both of victims had at least one gunshot wound each.

Mr Knopp was a senior studying music at the university, while Ms Montgomery was a freelance health and wellness copywriter. Officials have not released a manner of death for the pair but said that would be determined by the local coroners office.

It remains unclear what the relationship was between Mr Knopp and Ms Montgomery. Police previously said theyd ruled out a murder-suicide in an earlier news release, while stating that theyre investigating the deaths as homicides.

Its thought that the suspect in connection with the murders might have been known to the victims. The incident forced the institution into a lockdown amid reports of an active shooter. On Monday, the university decided to cancel all classes and moved to hold a day of healing.
Biden departs the White House for California on Tuesday. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images

The US will announce a major package of sanctions against Russia on Friday prompted by the death of political opposition leader Alexei Navalny but also devised as retaliation for the two-year war Vladimir Putin initiated against Ukraine, Joe Biden said on Tuesday.

The US president spoke to reporters on the south lawn of the White House as he headed for a campaign fundraising trip to California, starting with a flight to Los Angeles.

Biden did not give details but said he would provide more information about the package on Friday, which is the eve of the second anniversary of Russian president Vladimir Putin masterminding the invasion of neighbor Ukraine.

Meanwhile, US and other world leaders have expressed outrage of the death of Navalny last Friday in a brutal Arctic penal colony where he had been transferred during his imprisonment by the Kremlin.

The package of new sanctions will hold Russia accountable for what happened to Mr Navalny and for its actions over the course of the war in Ukraine, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said on Tuesday morning.

He also declined to provide further details about the reach and nature of the planned new penalties.

Speaking to reporters on a conference call, Kirby said the US is pressing Russia for complete transparency on how Navalny died.

The prison service said at the time that Navalny fell unconscious after a walk and died. Biden has blamed Putin.

Meanwhile Lyudmila Navalnaya, Navalnys mother, appealed to Putin to intervene and turn her sons body over to her so she can bury him with dignity.

She has been trying to get his body since Saturday. Navalnys widow, Yulia Navalnaya, published a video address in which she vowed to continue her late husbands political work and called on Russians to rally around her as the family were told they would not get access to the body for another two weeks.

The US has already issued a wide array of sanctions related to Russias invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022.

Kirby said: Whatever story the Russian government decides to tell the world, its clear that President Putin and his government are responsible for Mr Navalnys death.

The US embassy in Moscow has been seeking more information about Navalnys death, Kirby said, but its difficult to get a point where you can be confident in what the Russians would say about his death.

Last week Biden said: There is no doubt that the death of Navalny is a consequence of something Putin and his thugs did.

Reuters contributed reporting
The United States vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution proposed by Algeria on Tuesday that called on Israel to implement a cease-fire against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, criticizing the measure as wishful and irresponsible.

Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said the U.S. is circulating an alternative text that calls for a temporary cease-fire and the release of more than 100 Israeli hostages held by Hamas.

For weeks, we have made it incredibly clear that the resolution before the council would not achieve the goal of a sustainable peace and may in fact run counter to it, Thomas-Greenfield said, explaining her veto of the resolution.

Proceeding with a vote today was wishful and irresponsible. And so while we cannot support a resolution that would put sensitive negotiations in jeopardy, we look forward to engaging on a text that we believe will address so many of the concerns we all share, a text that can and should be adopted by the council so that we can have a temporary ceasefire as soon as practical, based on the formula of all hostages being released, she said.

This temporary cease-fire is critical to getting aid into the hands of Palestinian civilians who desperately, desperately need it, the ambassador continued.

The U.S. was the only permanent member of the Security Council to use its veto power to kill the resolution proposed by Algeria. The U.K., another permanent member, abstained for the vote.

Thirteen members of the Security Council voted in favor of the resolution.

A vote in favor of this draft resolution is a support to the Palestinians right to life, said Algerias representative to the U.N., Amar Bendjama.

Conversely, voting against it implies an endorsement of the brutal violence and collective punishment inflicted upon them.

The U.S. is increasingly isolated among the international community in its refusal to call on Israel to implement a cease-fire in its war against Hamas. The Biden administration says it is working to get Hamas to accept a proposal that includes a six-week truce in exchange for the release of Israeli hostages, a scale-up of humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza, and the likely release of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

The U.S. has so far backed Israels rejection of Hamass response to the truce proposal, saying that Hamass response included non-starters for Israel.

But Qatar, one of the mediators of the negotiations for the truce, is accusing Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of obstructing the talks.

Alarm is growing over an expected Israeli offensive on the Gazan city of Rafah, an area sheltering more than 1 million Palestinians who have fled fighting elsewhere in the enclave.

Israel has threatened to launch an invasion of Rafah at the start of the Islamic Holy Month of Ramadan, raising fears of civilians being pushed across the border into Egypt, and of mass casualties that could further inflame conflicts in the region.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Critics have targeted both Kenyan President William Ruto (L) and Nigerian President Bola Tinubu (R) for the number of trips they have made

Since Kenya's William Ruto and Nigeria's Bola Tinubu became presidents, they have faced similar criticism over their frequent trips abroad.

The two men have been the subject of unflattering descriptions - the costs associated with their alleged penchant for air travel often contrasted with tough economic conditions at home.

A Kenyan newspaper, the Standard, nicknamed Mr Ruto the "Flying President". It said "so great is his love for flying that it appears that he cannot pass up any opportunity" despite pressing domestic demands, such as dealing with the high cost of living.

Last month, as Mr Tinubu made yet another trip to Europe, Nigeria's opposition leader Atiku Abubakar said on social media that Nigeria does not need a "tourist-in-chief". He criticised the president's private visit "while Nigeria is drowning in the ocean of insecurity".

This in some ways can be seen as a cheap shot, easily levelled by any critic. Presidents need to attend heads-of-state meetings and nurture foreign relations. This is important not only for diplomatic reasons, but also economic ones, as lucrative investment deals can be negotiated.

But some have pointed out that late Tanzanian President John Magufuli never travelled outside Africa in his six years in office.

'Personal glorification'

Kenyan foreign policy analyst Prof Macharia Munene acknowledges that some trips are necessary but says others are undoubtedly "wasteful".

"You have presidents who love to be in the air... Some of these trips are personal glorifications, not so much for the country," he told the BBC.

Mr Ruto and Mr Tinubu and their spokespeople defend their trips as being vital to help address the very problems they are accused of ignoring.

In the eight months since his inauguration, Mr Tinubu has made 14 trips - an average of just under two a month - but this is dwarfed by Mr Ruto, who has made about 50 journeys abroad since he became president in 2022 - averaging more than three a month.

In comparison, Mr Ruto's predecessor, Uhuru Kenyatta, averaged just over one foreign trip a month in his decade in charge, similar to the record of Nigeria's previous president, Muhammadu Buhari, although in terms of total days spent abroad, the difference is not that much.

Graph showing how many days the presidents have spent abroad

Other world leaders have also notched up the air miles, but Mr Ruto and Mr Tinubu face continued questions over whether every trip is necessary.

The Nigerian and Kenyan leaders were both in Europe at the end of last month - Mr Ruto in Italy attending the Italy-Africa summit while Mr Tinubu was continuing his unexplained "private visit" to France, the third time he has been in the country since last May. Since then, Mr Ruto has been on other trips.

In June 2023, just three weeks after assuming office, Mr Tinubu travelled to Paris for a two-day climate summit. He had already been there months earlier "to rest" and plan the transition shortly after being elected president.

From Paris he went on to the UK for private talks with his predecessor, who had also travelled to "rest" after the elections. A week later, Mr Tinubu went to Guinea-Bissau for a meeting of West African bloc Ecowas, followed by a trip to Nairobi.

In August he visited Benin, and in September India, the United Arab Emirates and the US for the UN General Assembly before returning to Paris.

He was home for the whole of October before resuming travels with a trip to Saudi Arabia, then Guinea-Bissau and Germany at the end of November and a week later travelled to Dubai.

The Nigerian presidency has said the trips are important for attracting foreign investment.

"On every foreign trip I have embarked on, my message to investors and other business people has been the same. Nigeria is ready and open for business," President Tinubu said in his 2024 New Year message.

Mr Ruto's travel schedule since his inauguration in 2022 has been even more hectic.

Between September of that year and last December he had travelled abroad at least twice every month. In May 2023 he made five trips. He has travelled to various African countries, Europe and the US for global events and bilateral meetings.

Kenya's President William Ruto (R) was one of Italy Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's guests as she hosted a summit of African leaders

This year, in January, he has been in Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Italy. And already this month, Mr Ruto has been to Japan and the UAE.

There is not just the question of frequency, but also the question of cost.

Mr Tinubu is said to have spent at least 3.4bn naira ($2.2m; 1.8m) on domestic and foreign travel in the first six months of his presidency - 36% more than the budgeted amount for 2023, the Nigerian newspaper Punch reported, citing GovSpend, a civic tech platform that tracks government spending.

In Kenya, the Controller of Budget, an independent office that oversees government spending, showed a significant increase in the office of the president's travel expenditure in the year to July last year - which included nine months of Mr Ruto's presidency.

Overall spending for both domestic and foreign travel for the year was over 1.3bn Kenyan shillings ($9.2m; 7.3m), exceeding the travel budget for the previous year by more than 30%.

The Kenyan government spokesman did not respond to the BBC's questions about Mr Ruto's trips, though the president and the spokesman have often justified them.

Mr Ruto himself has said he does not "travel like a tourist" and the trips are necessary to get foreign investment and create employment for Kenyans abroad - he recently said he had secured more than 300,000 job opportunities through negotiations.

After the recent trip to Japan, Mr Ruto said he had secured deals worth more than $2.3bn.

Malawi's President Lazarus Chakwera was in Saudi Arabia in November shortly before halting all foreign trips

While stressing the benefits of the presidential trips, both Nigeria and Kenya have also taken some action to counter the criticism of government employees travelling abroad.

Kenya said it had cut its civil service travel budget by 50% in the wake of accusations of "wastage" on domestic and foreign trips. But this does not seem to have affected the president himself, who has said he will not shun trips as long as they are beneficial.

Last month, the Nigerian president announced a reduction in the official travel delegation by about 60%. The directive announced by his spokesman Ajuri Ngelale included cutting down the president's own travel entourage, but did not say whether he would cut the number of his trips.

Yet is not just Kenya and Nigeria where the cost of travel has been a concern.

As Congolese citizens prepared to go the polls last year, one of the criticisms of President Felix Tshisekedi was the number of trips he had made, with allegations that there was little to show for it.

Last November, Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera suspended all international travel for himself and his ministers, and ordered all those abroad to return due to the economic problems the country was facing.

Some other countries that have also had to address travel spending by government officials since last year include Uganda, The Gambia, Namibia and Sierra Leone, with the leaders of the latter two labelled by local newspapers the "flying president" - just like Kenya's Mr Ruto.

Map showing the countries Presidents Ruto and Tinubu have travelled to

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YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 20, ARMENPRESS. Banks are the driving force of the economy, and Armeconombank improves its online and mobile systems year by year, which allows us to be competitive in the market.

Saribek Sukiasyan, Chairman of the Board of Armeconombank, said this during his interview with Tert.am.

Mr. Sukiasyan also commented on the current development trends in the Armenian banking sector and a number of economy-related matters.

- Mr. Sukiasyan, technologies and information are important attributes in the 21st century. How current is the Armenian banking sector with the new developments in IT sector?

- Today's reality is already unimaginable without digital technologies, and this is especially true for the banking sector. Today, Armenian banks spare no expense to obtain the most advanced technologies and make customer service more comfortable.

Currently, the competition between Armenian banks is quite intense. Customers have the opportunity to compare the quality of products, services, and customer service offered by banks and select the financial institution that suits their needs the best.

Armeconombank spends significant amounts on purchase and maintenance of new technologies, improves its online and mobile systems year by year, which allows us to be competitive in the market and meet the demands of our customers to the maximum extent by expanding the range of online transactions. Now our customers also have the option to purchase digital cards.

In order to ensure the smooth operation of the bank, last year we upgraded the servers, and we continuously purchase new generation equipment such as metal card embossers, new generation ATMs, and electronic signature equipment.

- How would you evaluate Armeconombanks role in the development of the Armenian banking sector? How favorable was the last year like for the bank, what achievements would you highlight?

- In 2023, the bank carried out two successful placements of shares, which increased the bank's capital by more than AMD 3bn, and the number of shareholders increased by nearly 1200 to reach about 7000. This is another evidence of the permanent confidence in Armeconombank.

With special attention to the proper implementation of the anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist financing function, Armeconombank launched the Siron software solution package which is currently one of the most advanced and widely used financial crime detection platforms in the world. It is especially valuable in todays situation where the sanctions imposed on different countries and individuals are altered day by day. Traditionally, Armeconombank strictly follows the measures aimed at combating money laundering and terrorist financing and refrains from servicing any transactions related to the countries, banks, and customers included in various sanction lists.

As for banking products, the bank was the first in Armenia to issue Visa Infinite and Visa Platinum metal cards which provide various advantages to customers. We have always aimed to have a special position among the best banks that offer exclusive products.

Last year the bank introduced Visa Guru card which offers numerous benefits, jointly with TEL-CELL CJSC it started issuing co-branded (virtual) cards, and also joined the noncash transaction-based pension and welfare cashback project. Of course, there were also other new products and projects which you can explore by visiting Armeconombanks website.

- Mr. Sukiasyan, what are any problems in the banking sector of our country today that require an urgent solution? To what extent do banks contribute to the economic growth of Armenia today?

- Banks are the driving force of the economy, and it is simply impossible to imagine the economy without them. Contrary to the opinion of a vast segment of the community, all Armenian banks except the Central Bank of Armenia are private and are for-profit organizations like any business and, being major taxpayers, they greatly contribute to economic growth. As we know, Armenians traditionally aspire to own their own homes, and this is mainly made possible due to the home loans offered by banks.

Banks greatly support startup businesses with their loan projects and offer opportunities for further expansion as well. Business entities, as they create added value, start paying taxes. As you can see, this is a chain reaction in which its participants contribute to each other's well-being and all together they contribute to the economic growth of the country.

Indeed, there are times of challenges for the country's economy, including banks, but I must say that we have always been able to keep the situation under control, thereby distinguishing ourselves from neighboring countries where shock situations were much more painful for the country's economy and population. This, of course, was greatly facilitated by the fact that the Central Bank of Armenia made decisions independently without any interference from outside.

- In Armenia, the introduction of a universal system of income declaration for individuals in a phased manner commenced this year. In your opinion, shouldn't the private sector also be public in terms of its databases, especially since the structures under your management operate by this standard?

- The introduction of the income declaration system for individuals is an important step indeed, but there are a few steps that should have been taken before the introduction of this system. In particular, I refer to major Armenian taxpayer entities, the operations of which should be as transparent as possible for the society: they must publish their balance sheet, management remunerations, independent auditors report, and strategic development plans for the next 3 years. If these entities have share placements, shouldn't all of this information be available to potential investors, both domestic and foreign?

After all, the availability of these conditions speaks of a company's transparency and its attractiveness for investors. The investor should have the opportunity to correctly assess the profitability of the investment for himself, for example, whether to place a deposit or buy shares.

Why do we always see the same entities in top 1000 Armenian taxpayer list, why dont small businesses in Armenia strive to turn into medium businesses, or medium ones into large ones? This raises many questions. The economic policy of the state should be aimed at contributing to this transformation, otherwise we will not have progress or we will have very slow growth rates.

- The government of Armenia decided to take over a part of the banking liabilities and credit burden of the Republic of Artsakh. Naturally, all this was done with the support of financial institutions. Mr. Sukiasyan, how would you rate the contribution of the private sector to this matter?

- The steps taken by the government in that difficult situation were top important. I never expected the government to take over the losses and make housing arrangements for forcibly displaced people so quickly and effectively. Our international partners were puzzled how the country had more than a hundred thousand displaced people and never needed any tent towns.

As for the contribution of the banks to that case, they took over a part of the losses in coordination with the government. Armeconombank, in addition to such losses, also returned the gold pledged in the bank to our displaced compatriots in an attempt to lighten their burden a little.

- Succession of generations is important for the recovery of any industry. What would you say about the political succession of generations and the importance of the role of young people?

- I am not involved in politics, and I have no desire to get involved either; let the politicians deal with it while I stay in my native private sector. I will answer your question only with regard to the economic sphere. Age is not important, what really matters is the employee's knowledge, desire and ability to work and create added value. These are the criteria applied for selecting employees for Armeconombank.

Today the system works and I am satisfied with the outcome; everyone in the Bank is a professional. As for myself, I have never been clinging to my chair, so later I can leave my office to another professional or one of the younger members of our family with no worry.

- By the way, regarding the family: Do you have the time to be with your family?

- Definitely, despite my workload, I always make time for my family. I love our large family, I like to spend time with my family as it gives me incredible peace, and I like to contribute to the lives of children. It is true that the main burden of raising the family falls on mothers, but I believe that the man should also have his, even if small, part in this important job. For me, family and homeland are a whole that cannot be separated. If you love one, you love the other.

- Lessons learned and current challenges. Today, Armenia is facing challenges and hard decisions. What do you think is the key to overcoming the challenges the country has been facing?

Only and solely the development of the economy, this is what I see as the key to success. A country with a developed economy is attractive to investors, and it is a country to be reckoned with since it has things to offer to the world.

- Armenia's independence faces threats today. Mr. Sukiasyan, in your opinion, what are the main ways to safekeep and strengthen the country's independence?

- You divert the topic to politics again; let me answer in a slightly different way. I would simply say that I do believe that we will preserve our independence thanks to our mentality, our ideas and, of course, our inner transformation. We should move on with the idea of becoming a country with a developed economy, whose actions and opinions are taken into account. Independence can only be preserved by contributions made by all of us, and by our hard work. We do not have to love each other, but we do have to compete with each other in free and fair conditions.

- Each of us has an individual responsibility to regenerate our dream homeland every day. It requires dedication in the first place. In your opinion, what is the value system that the society will employ to develop and rebuild our homeland, and what are the elements of this system?

- The duty of regenerating the country, naturally, implies unconditional dedication, and dedication to your work above all. You have to work, you have to pay taxes to make your country strong and prosperous. We must instill a passion for hard work in the future generations so that we can have the homeland of our dreams.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 20, ARMENPRESS. By the decision of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on February 20, High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs Zareh Sinanyan, will be sent to five French cities on February 22-28.

During his visits he will meet with Armenian organizations, Armenian cultural and business figures and officials of the French Republic to discuss further ways of cooperation.

The PMs decision is posted on e-gov.am.
As reported by SVT Nyheter on February 20, 2024, Sweden has announced its largest aid package to Ukraine to date, marking the fifteenth announcement of support, with a commitment of SEK 7.1 billion (approximately 0.63 billion). This new package, which increases Sweden's total military support to Ukraine to SEK 30 billion (2.68 billion), is crafted to meet the urgent military needs of Ukraine, particularly addressing the considerable ammunition shortages that the Ukrainian forces are facing.

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This new Swedish package allocates one billion SEK (0.9 billion) for ordering new Combat Vehicle 90s (CV90s) for Ukraine. (Picture source: Army Recognition)

Included in the aid package are 10 Stridsbat 90 fast attack craft, twenty G-class landing craft (Gruppbat), and various quantities of underwater weapons, including mines and torpedoes. In terms of ammunition, this 15th package brings several RBS 70 man-portable air-defense systems (MANPADS), BGM-71 TOW anti-tank missiles, grenade launchers with ammunition, artillery ammunition, hand grenades, Carl-Gustaf M4 multi-role anti-tank weapon systems, medical supplies, and medical vehicles. Additionally, the package allocates one billion SEK (0.9 billion) for purchasing war material through various funds, and another billion SEK for ordering new Combat Vehicle 90s (CV90s) for Ukraine, with 400 million SEK (35.6 million) designated for various training efforts for Ukrainians.

Defense Minister Pal Jonson has stated that the support for Ukraine is considered a measure of assistance that also pertains to Sweden's national security interests. He suggested that a victory for Russia in the conflict could result in increased security challenges for Sweden.

The Swedish government has indicated that this announcement precedes further discussions and announcements regarding support for Ukraine. A subsequent press conference is scheduled at the Berga military base, expected to feature Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, Defense Minister Pal Jonson, and Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson, indicating ongoing deliberations on Sweden's contributions in response to the situation in Ukraine.
ProHance has cemented its position in Australia and New Zealand (A/NZ) with the appointment of Brendan Maree as its first vice president and country manager for the region.

In addition to being its first VP and country manager for A/NZ, ARN understands Maree is also the India-headquartered workforce management software vendors first employee in-country. However, the company entered the A/NZ market in June last year through a partnership with IT services and consulting company Open Orbit.

In the position, Maree will focus on bringing in customers and introducing the company's products to private sector enterprises and public sector agencies.

He steps into the role after 25 years in the IT industry, with his most recent position being a senior sales director at Amelia for a 10-month stint. Prior to this, he served five years as 88's vice president for Asia Pacific (APAC).

He also worked at Interactive Intelligence, IPL Communications, Mobile Coverage Solutions, Andrew Corporation, Anritsu, among other roles. Additionally, he served in the Royal Australian Navy for close to nine years as an electronic weapon systems technician.

We are confident that Brendan Marees extensive experience and strategic mindset will significantly contribute to ProHance's success in the Australia and New Zealand market, said ProHance CEO Ankur Dhingra.
The South Australian government has signed a four-year integration platform-as-a-service (iPaaS) agreement with Salesforce for its MuleSoft technology.

The new deal will support the integration of SAs legacy tech systems and follows a whole-of-government agreement signed between the state and Salesforce last year, with the pair working together since at least 2015.

According to Salesforce, the deal provides capability to support the consistent and secure enablement of MuleSoft across government and comes as part of the state governments Finance Reform Program.

Salesforce is already used across various government agencies, including SA Health, Department for Education, Attorney General's Department, Department of Human Services and the SA Housing Authority.

"The implementation of the MuleSoft iPaaS provides an exciting opportunity to simplify and accelerate data sharing and collaboration between SA government agencies and with the public," said Mark Carey, executive director of SA's Department of Treasury and Finance.

The vendor also signed a Memorandum of Understanding for carbon emissions reductions in 2022, while the South Australian government previously paired up with Salesforce and other industry partners to start the Indo-Pacific Carbon Accounting Lab that same year.
Google Cloud has promoted Gary Denman as the head of partners and alliances for Australia and New Zealand (A/NZ).

Denman takes on the role from Angela Coronica, who is taking a career break to focus on family commitments.

Coronica spent the past two years at Google Cloud and was previously at Cisco in various leadership roles for more than 16 years.

Meanwhile, Denman has spent the last four years as the head of sales transformation at Google Cloud A/NZ and will continue to build its local channel ecosystem, overseeing and deepening key partner relationships.
This marks a year-on-year increase of 132 per cent from last year's half year loss of $13.5 million for Megaport.

At the end of the last financial year, Megaport also posted a net loss of $9.8 million - an 80 per cent increase from the $48.5 million loss a year earlier.

Meanwhile, Megport's revenue increased by 35 per cent from $70.7 million to $95.1 million while annual recurring revenue grew by 29 per cent to $191.7, year-on-year.

Megaport also delivered earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of $30.1 million for the first half-year 2024, a 785 per cent increase from an EBITDA of $3.4 million in 2023.
Launches multiple projects worth Rs 32,500 crore for J&K

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses a public rally at the Moulana Azad Stadium during which he inaugurated several projects in Jammu and Kashmir, in Jammu, India, Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024. (AP)

Srinagar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday reiterated that Article 370 of the Constitution was the biggest hurdle in the development of Jammu and Kashmir but the BJP government, by removing it, paved the way for the erstwhile state touching new heights of growth and development and becoming a viksit (developed) region.

Article 370 was a wall built to prevent the development of Jammu and Kashmir. The BJP government razed this wall and now we see a new Jammu and Kashmir burgeoning, he said, while addressing a mammoth public rally at Jammus Maulana Azad Stadium. He added: It is because Article 370 has gone that we are buoyed up to ask the people to take the BJP beyond 370 and the NDA 400 seats this time (in the coming Lok Sabha elections).

The Prime Minister said only a day ago, while watching TV, he learned that a movie had been made on Article 370, which was good. I dont know what is being shown in that movie, but I hope it will disseminate truthful information about Article 370, he said.

Asserting that a developed India means a developed J&K, Mr Modi said the people of the erstwhile state -- now split in the Union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh -- got the assurance of social justice mentioned in the Constitution for the first time after the abrogation of Article 370.

He said: During my visits abroad I found there is positivity about the development taking place here in J&K post-Article 370 abrogation. The G-20 events held in the region stirred a lot of enthusiasm in the whole world and everyone wants to visit this place.

He added: In 2023, more than two crore tourists came to J&K and the number of pilgrims to the Mata Vaishno Devi and Amarnath shrines too has increased manifold in the past one decade. In the next five years, the Kashmir Valley will develop in such a way that the people will forget visiting Switzerland.

Promising the people of J&K that all their dreams that were stalled for over seven decades will come true in the next few years, the PM said that earlier only depressing news would tumble out of J&K, but now the region is developing and moving forward. For decades, only news about bomb blasts, gunfights and kidnappings would come out of Jammu and Kashmir, disappointing countrymen, but now it is moving forward. I have full faith in you, and we will make a viksit (developed) Jammu and Kashmir, he said.

Taking an indirect dig at the National Conference, Peoples Democratic Party and the Congress, which stayed in power in J&K for most of the time after Independence, the Prime Minister said: Jammu and Kashmir suffered because of dynastic politics for decades. Dynastic politics works only for those who are part of it they are only concerned about their families, not about your interests, your families. They do not work out any schemes that could help the poor and other needy. The worst sufferers of this selfishness and vested interest are the youth of a place. I am satisfied and happy that Jammu and Kashmir is getting freedom from this dynastic politics. He expressed his happiness also over the government reaching to the peoples doorsteps in J&K for the first time. He added: Yehi to Modi ki guarantee hai, yehi to kamal (BJPs logo) ka kamal hai.

The Prime Minister launched multiple projects worth over Rs 32,500 crores for J&K and projects worth Rs 13,500 crores for other parts of the country. He asserted: This is Modis guarantee and this will continue.

Mr. Modi also interacted with the beneficiaries of various government schemes, including two women who were present on the occasion and through video-conferencing with a third woman and two men in far-off Poonch, Pulwama and Bandipore districts.

While speaking to the woman entrepreneur from J&Ks Kishtwar region, he said his dream was to make as many as 30 million women of the country Lakhpati Didis (millionaire sisters). After hearing about your success story, those who while living in airconditioned rooms in Delhi keep slinging mud would be finding it difficult to grasp how someone can become a lakhpathi didi like that, he said.

While referring to the projects which he either inaugurated or laid the foundation stone for, the PM said it was a remarkable day for J&K as these projects will propel holistic development of the region.

The PM also distributed appointment letters to about 1,500 newly-recruited government employees of J&K -- to two of them, including a girl and a boy, on the spot and to the rest virtually -- as part of the Viksit Bharat, Viksit Jammu programme.
Following the 10 per cent reservation for the Maratha community, the total reservation in Maharashtra will go up to 72 per cent

Mumbai: The Maharashtra legislature on Tuesday unanimously passed the bill providing 10 per cent reservation to the Maratha community in government jobs and education in a special session. Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said that the existing OBC reservation will not be affected and his government will also ensure that the Maratha quota passes legal scrutiny.

The government convened the one-day session of the state legislature. Shinde tabled the Maharashtra State Socially and Educationally Backward Bill 2024 first in the legislative Assembly and subsequently in the legislative council. Both the houses passed it unanimously without any discussion. Only Shinde spoke on the bill after which it was taken up for voting.

Following the 10 per cent reservation for the Maratha community, the total reservation in Maharashtra will go up to 72 per cent. This includes the existing 13 per cent quota or SCS, seven percent for STs, 19 per cent for OBCs, two per cent for special backward class (SBC), 11 per cent for four categories of nomadic tribes and 10 per cent EWS quota provided by the Centre to poor among forward castes.

The Supreme Court had earlier struck down the Maratha reservation act of 2019 on the ground that it breached the 50 per cent limit on the reservation. However, Chief Minister Shinde said he is confident that the Maratha reservation bill will survive the legal scrutiny and also claimed that many other states have crossed the 50 per cent reservation.

We are confident that this government will be successful in safeguarding the reservation in the court. We are giving this reservation by clearing all legal obstacles and after an extensive survey done by the Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission, Shinde said.

As per the commissions report, the level of education of the Maratha community is low, particularly in terms of completion of secondary education and attainment of degrees, post-graduate degrees and professional courses. The commission has concluded that economic backwardness is the biggest obstacle to education. The commission also held that the 21.22 per cent of population from the Maratha community lives below the poverty line, which is higher than the states overall average of 17.4 per cent, which means that they are economically backward.

However, the Opposition parties doubted if the new act will survive in the court. They alleged that the government has enacted the law only in the wake of elections this year and it is fooling the Maratha community. Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Vijay Waddettiwar called it a farce. The law on the Maratha reservation was passed earlier also, but it was rejected by the Supreme Court. This was done conveniently before polls. The legislation will not stand the test of law, he said.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray also called it a farce to win elections. The government has deceived the Maratha community and OBCs, Thackeray said.
Gandhi appeared before the MP-MLA court at 11 am amid tight security and came out 25 minutes later and headed straight to Rae Bareli

New Delhi: A special court in Sultanpur on Tuesday granted bail to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a defamation case filed by a BJP leader for his remarks against Union home minister Amit Shah in 2018.

The former Congress president appeared before the MP-MLA court at 11 am amid tight security and came out 25 minutes later and headed straight to Rae Bareli.

Slogans of Rahul Gandhi Zindabad and Bharat Jodo were raised as Gandhi, who could not attend the last hearing on January 18, arrived for the hearing. The next hearing will be held on March 2.

Gandhi was granted bail by Judge Yogesh Yadav after filling two bail bonds of Rs 25,000, his counsel Kashi Prasad Shukla told reporters.

A complaint was filed here by BJP leader Vijay Mishra on August 4, 2018 against Gandhi over his alleged objectionable remarks against Shah at a press conference in Bengaluru in May that year during the Karnataka elections.

The complainant referred to Gandhis remarks that said, the BJP claims to believe in honest and clean politics but has a party president who is an "accused" in a murder case.

Gandhi, who was supposed to come by a helicopter from Fursatganj in the neighbouring Amethi district, arrived via road covering a distance of about 75 km, with Congress workers welcoming him along the route.
Shah alleged that the Congress kept the issue of the Ram temple hanging and always questioned the BJP about when the temple would be built

NEW DELHI/ JAIPUR: Targeting the Congress, Union home minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said that the dynastic and directionless party cannot develop India or work for the welfare of the poor. On a daylong visit to Rajasthan, Mr Shah also chaired the BJPs state election committee meeting in Bikaner to review the party's preparation for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. He also addressed the BJPs workers in Udaipur.

Speaking to the BJP workers in Udaipur, Mr Shah called the Congress a dynastic and directionless party. "The Congress party cannot develop India. It cannot provide welfare to the poor," he said, mentioning that the Modi government has delivered on the BJP promises and several public welfare works in the last 10 years.

Mr Shah alleged that the Congress kept the issue of the Ram temple hanging and always questioned the BJP about when the temple would be built.

"The Congress never wanted the Ram temple to be built in Ayodhya. We had vowed that we would build the temple. Lord Ram, who is worshipped by crores of people, got humiliated while living in a tent. The Congress had kept the issue of Ram temple pending," he said.

Highlighting the achievements of the Modi government, the Union home minister said that the Modi government in the last 10 years brought 25 crore people out of poverty, provided houses to the poor, worked to strengthen the nation, abrogated Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and made India the fifth largest economy of the world.

Mr Shah said that during the Congress rule, terrorists from Pakistan used to enter India and carry out blasts, but the Modi government conducted surgical and air strikes against terrorists in Pakistan.

The Union home minister further noted that the government has worked to deliver good governance and even the opponents of Prime Minister Narendra Modi cannot make any allegations regarding corruption.

Attacking the previous Congress government in Rajasthan for failing to maintain law and order in the state, Mr Shah said that women and Dalits were not safe and riots were frequent. Referring to the newly formed BJP government in the state, he said that now a double-engine government has been formed and a safe environment for women and Dalits will be there. Rajasthan will be free from riots.

The Union home minister also invoked Droupadi Murmu becoming the President and claimed that the Modi government has worked to give honour to the tribal community.

Mr Shah also appealed to people to vote for the BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections for the further development of the nation under the leadership of Mr Modi.

The Union home minister also held a meeting with prominent citizens in the state capital, Jaipur, in the evening.

The BJP, which came to power in Rajasthan in December last year by winning 115 of the 200 Assembly seats, is eyeing to win all 25 Lok Sabha seats in the desert state in the general election likely to be held in April-May. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP had won all Lok Sabha seats in the state.
Bahrain student captivated by sizzling rhythms and spins, was hooked by street performance as student in America

Its truly a melting point of cultures when an artiste from Bahrain performs Indian classical dance in the Thai capital of Bangkok. Its even more exciting when the Bahraini artiste happens to be the only Arab man in the world to perform Indian dance!

But thats what happened when Khalil Alashar gave a scintillating kathak dance performance at the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre in Bangkok, supported by the ICCR.

Khalil said he was proud and honored to perform for the Indian Council of Cultural Relations. He had earlier performed for them at the Nehru Centre in London, which had been well received.

Khalils foray into Indian dance happened by accident when he went to study political science at California State University in 2008. One evening, he saw the announcement for an Indian dance performance at a street corner. He attended and got hooked.

Khalil joined the Nupur Dance Academy in Los Angeles, training under Guru Prachi Dixit, and soon became one of its top dancers, and later a teacher. He travelled around the world, including India.

His political science course expanded to include religious studies, so that Khalil could understand the Hindu religious tales that he expounded on the dance stage.

Among the many productions he did with the Nupur Dance Academy was a dance-drama called The Sword and the Flute, centering on Kali and Krishna, in which he played both roles! One of their newest productions is Ek Radha Ek Meera, centering on Krishnas two women, one filled with love and the other filled with devotion. The academy hopes to take this to India and other countries soon.

Khalil is proud that his performances in India are warmly praised by the critics and audiences. After all, he trained under noted gurus like Tejaswini Sathe from Pune, Maulik Shah and Ishira Parikh from Ahmedabad, Abhimanu Lal and Vidha Lal from New Delhi, and Guru Murali Mohan Kalvakalva from Bengaluru. He passed the Sangeet Visharad examinations, and acquired a masters degree in dance from Bharati Vidyapeeth.

One of Khalils proudest moments is when he won the Nritya Shiromani title at the seventh Cuttack Mahotsav in Odisha, India, in 2015.

He has performed in several countries, and won praise everywhere. He states simply that this was because he carefully planned his dance programmes according to the tastes of the audience in each country.

In Bangkok he started with a Ganesh stuthi because he knows that Ganesh is a popular deity there. In fact, he hopes to create and perform a composition on Buddha, soon.

During his wide travels around the world, Khalil has met and collaborated with many foreign artistes who practise Indian dance. He spoke of a large number of kathak dancers in Japan, a Bharatanatyam performer in Portugal and an Indian dance troupe called Deepas Dancing Divas in Denmark. But he said that he has never met a male dancer anywhere!

He admitted that it was very challenging to be the lone male exponent of Indian dance.

Khalils career as a kathak dance exponent in Bahrain has been challenging, too. It took a long time for his family to accept his vocation. But when they did, they built a dance studio for him. He also helped in the family business of property management which kept him closely connected to them.

Khalils main focus in Bahrain is his Tatkaar School of Kathak, where he teaches the dance form to his many Indian students, some of them as young as eight years. He also regularly performs at Indian functions in Bahrain as there is a huge Indian community there.

Many say Im more Indian than them, Khalil says.

Khalil admits that it is the sizzling rhythms and chakkars (spins) that excite him most about kathak dance.

Khalil himself practices his dance for an hour every day, not only to keep in touch with the taals but also to remember the songs and the poetry of the stories he performs. He is fascinated that kathak had both Hindu and Muslim roots, and proud that he can relate to both.

The dancer shares that he is disturbed by the recent riots between Muslims and Hindus in India as also by the war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas. The path is the same in all religions, he opines. That is why he is proud that Bahrain is an open-minded society with temples, mosques, gurdwaras and a synagogue.

As a successful kathak dancer for 15 years, Khalil feels very fulfilled. But he confesses that there is one job he still longs for, to be a flight attendant in an airline! Why? It would fulfil his passion for travel, and his desire to give pleasure.

In many ways, though, Khalil has managed to do these things as a dancer. Kathak has given me everything, Khalil says with feeling.
India must reassess its approach towards China, facing persistent border tensions and strategic challenges

Due to the Dragons devious and vicious ways, one has to resort to authentic, credible open-source data to ascertain what kind of shenanigans the Chinese are up to in and around India. (Image: Twitter)

It may be time to take a comprehensive relook at the entire gamut of Indias policy towards China. Why? Because, despite the seven-decade unrelenting hostility of the Communist Party of China (CPC), successive Indian establishments have not managed to formulate a nuanced stand on a consistent China policy to make ordinary citizens feel good. The repeated attempts by India to shake hands with the CPC has only led to the chopping of hands by the Chinese. Due to the Dragons devious and vicious ways, one has to resort to authentic, credible open-source data to ascertain what kind of shenanigans the Chinese are up to in and around India.

The latest Janes World Armies 2023 (Issue 54, Page 124) depicts the broad spectrum of Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) and also all global land powers deployment, equipment, training, organisation, ops, exercises, etc. According to satellite imagery analysis dated 22 June 2020 carried out by Reuters and BBC, Chinese tents have been established 1.5 km within Indian side of Line of Actual Control (LAC). These structures werent present in imagery a month earlier, 22 May 2020.

Contextually, what was reported in Indian newspapers recently also cannot be ignored: Ladakh herders eye to eye with Chinese PLA. The Ladakh nomads earned praise for resisting the Chinese Armys attempts to drive them out of grazing area in Nyoma region early January. Thus, do these two narratives, from England and India, substantiate and corroborate each other? Isnt there a common thread between these two incidents with a four-year gap? Dont these two episodes show a brazen violation of Indian territory?

Can such incidents ever be taken lightly, or even overlooked, in a quest by some elements in this country to pander to the bully in Beijing just so that they can keep bilateral trade (which is anyway weighed against India) on track? To them, the repeated violations of Indian sovereignty by the Red Dragon appear to be of little importance when compared with their own business interests and profits.

The Chinese, understandably, have taken full advantage of this and consistently try to play off one section of Indians against another. Indias democracy and demography are exploited to enable the CPC to forcibly impose its will. Beijings representatives constantly claim that the border issue should be kept aside, while the two countries further their ties in other areas. They also periodically claim the right to revise the boundary line at the LAC according to their own interpretation, thus increasing the ambit of the PLAs patrolling, but the moment India tries to exercise a reciprocal right according to its interpretation, friction erupts.

The Dragon keeps insisting that India and China have more in common than differences, that Delhi should look into convergence rather than the sole point of divergence, but Beijing has no interest in mutual interests. It has zero interest in resolving border issues because the CPC is into the bigger game of expansion and keeping Indias development in check.

India too has made blunders galore, allowing the Chinese bilateral trade balance to monstrously shoot up to an irreversible disadvantage for New Delhi from 1999-2000.

The open-source Chinese customs data on annual India-China bilateral trade figures showed that in January-December 2023 the total transaction value climbed to a record $136.2 billion. A section of pro-China Indian businessmen may feel good as Indias annual trade deficit has come down slightly, from $101 billion in 2022 to $99.2 billion in 2023, and Indias exports to China have gone up from $17.48 billion in 2022 to $18.5 billion in 2023.

However, more bad news for India from Janes World Armies 2023 (Page 128): Joint training exercise (known as hand-in-hand) by China and India is among the most important bilateral defence exchanges. It began with the 2007 India visit by Gen. Guang of China. The first hand-in-hand exercise took place in December 2007 in Kunming, followed by a second in Belgaum in December 2008, which focused on counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism ops. How surreal was that? On one hand, China ceaselessly terrorises India -- supporting, mentoring and instigating terrorists and insurgencies both within and outside India, and it simultaneously partners with New Delhi, its prime prey? And New Delhi accepts this with stoicism?

What was the compulsion for India to resume the Beijing-Delhi defence dialogue in China January 2013, after a five-year suspension from 2008 to 2013? Why was the hand-in-hand resumed in Chengdu in November 2013 and a 13-day Pune exercise held in November 2016? Even after Doklam 2017, the series resumed in Chengdu in 2018 and finally in 2019 in Meghalaya, where 130 PLA personnel from the Tibet Military Command participated? The PLAs interactions with Indias defence establishment eventually led to a hand-to-hand combat in the Galwan Valley in June 2020 and the death of 20 Indian soldiers.

The Indian setbacks didnt just end there. The Dragon now poses an unprecedented new threat with its Strategy Indirect Approach, from the Himalayan snows to Indias coastline and the sea lanes which carry Indias trade. The proxy forces of third countries will help the PLA Navy do surveillance of India and its neighbours, using everything from tourists to fishermen, cargo freighters to oil tankers, frigates to submarines.

China today boasts of a formidable Navy of two aircraft-carriers and 355 fighting ships and bases in the Red Sea, Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and Indian Ocean, but keeps its fleet safely ensconced in its wharfs and docks to avoid any physical contact with irregular sea warriors in Red Sea and Arabian Sea. It is content to let the US Navy, Indian Navy and others protect the sea lanes from pirates/terrorists, allowing the CPC time to strengthen its fleet for another day.

Like dictators everywhere, Chinas overlord deploys the Big Lie when the truth gets uncomfortable. Hence a junior PLA officer, Col. Wu, was brought in for a frontal assault on Indias external affairs minister, parroting the old line that it is unwise to link the border issue with overall relations as it doesnt represent the whole picture of India-China bilateral relations.

Thats not all. Col. Wu also astoundingly claimed that the Galwan Valley lies on the Chinese side of the LAC, and the death of 20 Indian soldiers in June 2020 was entirely the responsibility of the Indian side. Col. Wus top bosses -- President Xi Jinping and foreign minister Wang Yi -- must have been pleased. For, in its eyes, the Dragon is always right and all the rest -- from Japan to the Philippines, from Taiwan to Thailand, from Vietnam to India -- always wrong!

It may be time to take a comprehensive relook at the entire gamut of Indias policy towards China. Why? Because, despite the seven-decade unrelenting hostility of the Communist Party of China (CPC), successive Indian establishments have not managed to formulate a nuanced stand on a consistent China policy to make ordinary citizens feel good. The repeated attempts by India to shake hands with the CPC has only led to the chopping of hands by the Chinese. Due to the Dragons devious and vicious ways, one has to resort to authentic, credible open-source data to ascertain what kind of shenanigans the Chinese are up to in and around India.

The latest Janes World Armies 2023 (Issue 54, Page 124) depicts the broad spectrum of Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) and also all global land powers deployment, equipment, training, organisation, ops, exercises, etc. According to satellite imagery analysis dated 22 June 2020 carried out by Reuters and BBC, Chinese tents have been established 1.5 km within Indian side of Line of Actual Control (LAC). These structures werent present in imagery a month earlier, 22 May 2020.

Contextually, what was reported in Indian newspapers recently also cannot be ignored: Ladakh herders eye to eye with Chinese PLA. The Ladakh nomads earned praise for resisting the Chinese Armys attempts to drive them out of grazing area in Nyoma region early January. Thus, do these two narratives, from England and India, substantiate and corroborate each other? Isnt there a common thread between these two incidents with a four-year gap? Dont these two episodes show a brazen violation of Indian territory?

Can such incidents ever be taken lightly, or even overlooked, in a quest by some elements in this country to pander to the bully in Beijing just so that they can keep bilateral trade (which is anyway weighed against India) on track? To them, the repeated violations of Indian sovereignty by the Red Dragon appear to be of little importance when compared with their own business interests and profits.

The Chinese, understandably, have taken full advantage of this and consistently try to play off one section of Indians against another. Indias democracy and demography are exploited to enable the CPC to forcibly impose its will. Beijings representatives constantly claim that the border issue should be kept aside, while the two countries further their ties in other areas. They also periodically claim the right to revise the boundary line at the LAC according to their own interpretation, thus increasing the ambit of the PLAs patrolling, but the moment India tries to exercise a reciprocal right according to its interpretation, friction erupts.

The Dragon keeps insisting that India and China have more in common than differences, that Delhi should look into convergence rather than the sole point of divergence, but Beijing has no interest in mutual interests. It has zero interest in resolving border issues because the CPC is into the bigger game of expansion and keeping Indias development in check.

India too has made blunders galore, allowing the Chinese bilateral trade balance to monstrously shoot up to an irreversible disadvantage for New Delhi from 1999-2000.

The open-source Chinese customs data on annual India-China bilateral trade figures showed that in January-December 2023 the total transaction value climbed to a record $136.2 billion. A section of pro-China Indian businessmen may feel good as Indias annual trade deficit has come down slightly, from $101 billion in 2022 to $99.2 billion in 2023, and Indias exports to China have gone up from $17.48 billion in 2022 to $18.5 billion in 2023.

However, more bad news for India from Janes World Armies 2023 (Page 128): Joint training exercise (known as hand-in-hand) by China and India is among the most important bilateral defence exchanges. It began with the 2007 India visit by Gen. Guang of China. The first hand-in-hand exercise took place in December 2007 in Kunming, followed by a second in Belgaum in December 2008, which focused on counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism ops. How surreal was that? On one hand, China ceaselessly terrorises India -- supporting, mentoring and instigating terrorists and insurgencies both within and outside India, and it simultaneously partners with New Delhi, its prime prey? And New Delhi accepts this with stoicism?

What was the compulsion for India to resume the Beijing-Delhi defence dialogue in China January 2013, after a five-year suspension from 2008 to 2013? Why was the hand-in-hand resumed in Chengdu in November 2013 and a 13-day Pune exercise held in November 2016? Even after Doklam 2017, the series resumed in Chengdu in 2018 and finally in 2019 in Meghalaya, where 130 PLA personnel from the Tibet Military Command participated? The PLAs interactions with Indias defence establishment eventually led to a hand-to-hand combat in the Galwan Valley in June 2020 and the death of 20 Indian soldiers.

The Indian setbacks didnt just end there. The Dragon now poses an unprecedented new threat with its Strategy Indirect Approach, from the Himalayan snows to Indias coastline and the sea lanes which carry Indias trade. The proxy forces of third countries will help the PLA Navy do surveillance of India and its neighbours, using everything from tourists to fishermen, cargo freighters to oil tankers, frigates to submarines.

China today boasts of a formidable Navy of two aircraft-carriers and 355 fighting ships and bases in the Red Sea, Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and Indian Ocean, but keeps its fleet safely ensconced in its wharfs and docks to avoid any physical contact with irregular sea warriors in Red Sea and Arabian Sea. It is content to let the US Navy, Indian Navy and others protect the sea lanes from pirates/terrorists, allowing the CPC time to strengthen its fleet for another day.

Like dictators everywhere, Chinas overlord deploys the Big Lie when the truth gets uncomfortable. Hence a junior PLA officer, Col. Wu, was brought in for a frontal assault on Indias external affairs minister, parroting the old line that it is unwise to link the border issue with overall relations as it doesnt represent the whole picture of India-China bilateral relations.

Thats not all. Col. Wu also astoundingly claimed that the Galwan Valley lies on the Chinese side of the LAC, and the death of 20 Indian soldiers in June 2020 was entirely the responsibility of the Indian side. Col. Wus top bosses -- President Xi Jinping and foreign minister Wang Yi -- must have been pleased. For, in its eyes, the Dragon is always right and all the rest -- from Japan to the Philippines, from Taiwan to Thailand, from Vietnam to India -- always wrong!
by Shafique Khokhar

Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) reported the case of Younas Masih, a Christian from Khurrianwala, who was the victim of unfounded accusations. A Christian couple who converted to Islam over a year ago accused the 68-year-old man. After an investigation, police released the Christian man but he and his family are still afraid.

Faisalabad (AsiaNews)  Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) is seeking protection and justice for Younas Masih, a 68-year-old Christian man, who was accused of blasphemy against Islam in Khurrianwala, a town near Faisalabad.

A group of lawyers and members of the Pakistani human rights organisation visited the places where the incident allegedly took place, including police stations, and listened to the people involved. When Younas Masih was cleared of the charges, he was welcomed at the HRFP offices for further legal advice.

The alleged incident that led to accusations against Masih began on 10 February. Fatima Bibi and her husband, Liaqat Ali, a Christian couple who converted to Islam just over a year ago, falsely accused Younas of blasphemy due to personal grudges and family disputes.

A few months earlier, Fatima Bibi and Younas's wife, Azra Bibi, quarrelled and relations between neighbours broke down.

When Azra asked Fatima Bibi to explain her attitude, the latter replied that she would take legal action against them to ensure that no member of Younas's family would live in town anymore.

Not long after, Fatima began shouting, trying to attract people by saying that Younas Masih had torn up pages of the Quran and thrown them to the ground; eventually, some passers-by called the police who took the man away to question him about the blasphemy accusations, which turned out to be specious and false.

Younas, however, remained in custody for almost four days, until 13 February, while his accusers were arrested trying to flee, perhaps with the support of a group of Islamic fundamentalists.

Naveed Walter, president of Human Rights Focus Pakistan, welcomed the quick police investigation into the case.

"What is striking is that the couple of accusers had converted to Islam a year and a half ago, but before that they were Christians. Lets hope the police will always be as quick and effective in their methods of investigation.

Despite the turn of events, the HRFP president noted that Younas Masih and his family are still forced to remain in hiding, due to the sensitivity of their situation.

Even though the charges have been dropped as a result of the police investigation, the case will still go through the courts, and Younas remains under threat from the religious fundamentalists.

The HRFP was concerned about how Amanat Ali ran away from the police van, but the good thing is that he was arrested again.

Now more than ever, repealing blasphemy laws and protecting blasphemy victims and families whether they are in prisons or not, is the HRFPs ultimate demand.
by Steve Suwannarat

The government set the deadline for 31 December. For some, the date leaves the federal parliament too little time to legislate in such a sensitive matter. Two visions confront each other as to the place of state secularisation and Islamisation.

Kuala Lumpur (AsiaNews)  The Malaysian government has set 31 December as the deadline for individual states to harmonise Sharia (Syariah, Islamic law) with the constitution to iron out the differences between Quranic rules and the countrys constitutional framework.

For many observers, the deadline is too short, but it has reignited a debate over the place of secular and Islamic law in a country deeply divided along ethnic and social lines.

On Sunday, Islamic Affairs Minister Mohd Na'im Mokhtar pledged to address the matter before the end of the year to ensure a more orderly relationship between the two forms of law.

He plans to do so in cooperation with Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah of Selangor, who chairs the National Council of Islamic Religious Affairs.

A special committee headed by a former chief justice is also taking part in the process, which began last year, with the aim of assessing how to extend legislative powers in this sensitive area.

This is the more pressing since Malaysias Supreme Court on Saturday invalidated 16 laws adopted by the northwestern state of Kelantan, covering various offences punishable under Sharia, such as sodomy, sexual abuse, possession of false information, drug and alcohol addiction, as well as how courts should apply the laws.

According to the court, the state cannot make Islamic laws in areas that come under Malaysian federal law even though state legislatures can adapt it to reflect local religious views.

While the minister's statement started a debate over the timing to achieve the goal, others note that such a topic raises questions about the very identity of the country.

Changes to these laws require amendments to the constitution and established federal and state laws; yet, the crucial question, often skirted to avoid political and social tensions, is whether Sharia laws should be more in line with the constitution, or the constitution more in line with religious precepts.

Since independence, Malaysia has been caught between state secularism and growing Islamisation with a population that is 60 per cent ethnic Malay and Muslim.

Whatever solution is found, it will dissatisfy some in society, especially if Article 121(1A) of the constitution is challenged; the latter states that Islamic matters must be adjudicated by state Sharia courts.

Under the current system, Islamic criminal and family laws adopted by state assemblies apply to Muslims, whereas non-Muslims come under civil courts and criminal laws adopted by the federal parliament.
by Alessandra Tamponi

They are protesting over the increase in the number of students admitted to university faculties, a measure that has been talked about for some time in a country that has one of the lowest rates of doctors in relation to its population. But health workers claim that other deficiencies such as overcrowding in hospitals are not being addressed. Preceptions were ordered while the police investigated the protesters.

Seoul (AsiaNews) - The announced mass submission of resignation letters by South Korean medical staff began on Monday 19 February. The exact number is still unknown but local media speak of over 2000 letters submitted so far.

The mass resignations - which risk throwing the national health system into chaos - are part of a collective action to protest against the government's decision to raise the admission threshold for medical faculties by 2000 units.

The admission threshold for medical students had remained unchanged since 2006 at around 3,000 aspiring doctors and in the past medical staff had managed to resist attempts by the government to change the number of admissions.

However, the country's healthcare sector is in a situation of serious staff shortage which especially affects rural areas and key healthcare sectors such as obstetrics and pediatrics.

The policy aimed at increasing the number of places available annually in universities, announced in 2020 and with the aim of raising the admission threshold to 4,000 units within ten years, is intended to be the government's response to what presents itself as a serious social emergency.

In fact, among the most industrialized countries, South Korea has one of the lowest rates of medical personnel compared to the total population of the country.

However, increasing the admission threshold would not address what national medical personnel consider the real problems of the sector. Doctors argue, in fact, that the measure will not address the overload of large university hospitals and the lack of incentives to practice in critical fields.

On February 15, hundreds of doctors demonstrated in Seoul and other cities against the government's plan, and by the next day over 700 letters of resignation from doctors and trainees had been filed.

To avoid serious repercussions on the country's healthcare system, the government - in line with article 59 of the Medical Service Act - has ordered all doctors and trainees to return to duty and continue providing healthcare to patients.

The police have announced that they will open investigations against the doctors who took part in the protests as they are guilty of violating the law. In South Korea, in fact, doctors are not considered workers but specialists who do not have the right to carry out collective actions. However, further nationwide protests are expected today.
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Photo: Renault

EV

kW

The electric supermini (subcompact hatchback) is due next week at the 2024 Geneva Motor Show . Its unveiling will be streamed over the web from 9:30 AM CET (3:30 AM EST) on Monday, February 26, alongside other novelties from the French marque.Renault didn't say much about it and chose not to release the usual teaser images. However, we know plenty about the upcoming 5 E-Tech courtesy of the numerous scoops and a few leaks, combined with the stats of the eponymous concept shown over two years ago.The official patent images that made their way to the World Wide Web a couple of months ago have revealed that it will stay true to the show car with the usual toned-down design. Thus, it has a similar face with an upright bumper and an apron-like piece at the low end, trapezoidal headlamps, vertical taillights, and a floating-style roof.Renault made the front and rear overhangs longer on the production model and gave it traditional door handles, albeit the rear ones were hidden next to the C-pillars. In the patents, the car's wheels were identical to those of the study, but we expect the diamond brand to offer additional options, including sets wrapped in special tires that were designed to improve the range.The CMF-platform should lie beneath the skin. This architecture shares most of its components with the usual CMF-B that underpins the Clio, Captur, Nissan Juke, etc. Rumor has it that it will launch with a single electric motor with a yet-unknown output. Various outlets speak of around 120-150 hp, and it sounds plausible.Renault 5 E-Tech's family will also include a spinoff from Alpine. The French brand is prepping the A290 , which will basically be a hot hatch variant that some believe will pack the same motor as the A290_B Concept from last year. The study had 268 hp (272 ps/200) on tap. A more powerful model with all-wheel drive is expected to join it, alongside perhaps a lesser one with 215 hp (218 ps/160 kW), or that's what the rumor mill speaks of, anyway.We certainly look forward to seeing the all-new Renault 5 E-Tech in its glory at the 2024 Geneva Motor Show, which will run from February 26 to March 3, especially since it is a nod to the iconic Renault 5 that was made from the '70s until the mid-'90s. The Alpine model should follow it in a few months, and we reckon it will make its way to dealers across the Old Continent at the end of the year or early 2025.
Photo: Toyota

kW

kWh

PHEV

CVT

According to the company's British arm, the order books will open on March 4, and those who place a reservation will take delivery of their rides in July. The lineup will comprise two versions called the Design and Excel, with on-the-road pricing starting at 37,315 (equaling $47,040) and 39,955 ($50,370), respectively.Even the base flavor of the car is nicely equipped. It comes with 17-inch alloys, benefits from smart entry, rear privacy windows, parking sensors, dual-zone air conditioning with nanoe-X air quality system, Toyota Smart Connect+ multimedia system with cloud-based and embedded navigation, and the Toyota Safety Sense bundle of safety gear.Those who opt for the upper flavor of the 2024 Toyota Prius PHEV , namely the Excel, will get additional features. This model rides on 19-inch wheels, gets an electric tailgate, a digital rearview mirror, heated and ventilated front seats with memory setting and eight-way power adjustment, and a few other bits and bobs that justify the premium compared to the entry-level grade.Power is supplied by a 2.0-liter electrified mill that pushes out a combined 223 ps (220 hp/164). That is way more than its predecessor, which used to enjoy 122 ps (121 hp/90 kW). With the 13.6lithium-ion battery pack fully charged, the new Priusoffers up to 53.4 miles (86 km) of driving in the all-quiet mode. Toyota quotes the carbon dioxide emissions at 12 g/km and states it needs 6.7 seconds to 62 mph (100 kph).Christened the Prius Prime in our market, the plug-in hybrid model comes with an identical powertrain and the same 13.6 kWh battery pack. It is a front-wheel drive vehicle with a(continuously variable transmission), benefits from a multi-link rear suspension and independent MacPherson strut front suspension with stabilizer bars, and has 12-inch (305 mm) front and 11-inch (279 mm) rear brake discs.Toyota sells it in three trim levels. The most affordable one is the SE, which comes from $32,975. The XSE mid-range version follows it, carrying an MSRP of $36,225. The XSE Premium top-of-the-line version completes the lineup and starts at $39,670. The EPA-estimated driving range is 44 miles (71 km) in the most affordable variant and 39 miles (63 km) in the other two.The 2024 Toyota Prius , aka the hybrid model, benefits from 194 hp (197 ps/145 kW) combined and starts at $27,950 for the base LE, $31,395 for the XLE, and $34,965 for the Limited, which is the most expensive and best-equipped version of the series.
New-generation VTOLs (vertical takeoff and landing), whether purely electric or hybrid-electric, are not just about fighting climate change by lowering emission levels; their efficiency has the potential to drastically reshape certain types of operations and services, including firefighting. In Australia, this goal is particularly important, and an Aussie-made aircraft will help tackle bushfires more effectively.

VTOL

"A hi-tech flying bucket brigade"  this is how Mark York, the CEO of AMSL Aero, described the potential use of multiple autonomous aircraft to put out fires. These swarms of VTOLs could bring drastic benefits, from preventing the loss of human life to extending firefighting operations at night. Right now, Fire Service crews put their lives on the line with every mission and are forced to stop in conditions of low visibility and congested air space. Pilot-free VTOLs could improve both safety and efficiency.To prove it, AMSL Aero , maker of the Vertiia hydrogen-powered, was awarded a grant by the Cooperative Research Centers. The Aussie startup will develop an autonomous version of its flagship aircraft with support from prestigious institutions, including the University of Sydney, Australian firefighting aviation operator Pay's Air Service, and robotics company Mission Systems.The original version of the Vertiia aircraft brings the major advantages of a longer range and high capacity. According to its maker, it's able to carry hundreds of liters of water and effectively spray fire retardant while covering larger areas without having to recharge. An important note is that any kind of zero-emission firefighting aircraft comes with the long-term benefit of not worsening climate change, which is largely responsible for the increase in bushfire incidents.Adding autonomous capabilities will enable ground operators to pilot the Vertiia aircraft remotely. This VTOL is not seen as a replacement for standard firefighting crew operations but as a strategic companion. It could help firefighters continue their efforts when it gets dark and when they need to reload. Another significant benefit is that lower costs associated with this type of aircraft will facilitate the deployment of swarms of VTOLs in multiple areas instead of a small number of aircraft.In the near future, self-flying VTOLs could help reshape firefighting operations and support the environment at the same time. What better aircraft to pioneer this in Australia than an Aussie-designed and built model?Vertiia combines battery technology with green hydrogen power, which makes it more sustainable than battery-electric VTOLs. It promises a 1,000 km (621 miles) range, coupled with a 300 kph (186 mph) speed and a maximum payload of up to 500 kg (1,100 lb), even claiming to be the world's most efficient zero-emission, long-range VTOL.AMSL Aero was founded by husband and wife Andrew Moore and Siobhan Lyndon and is the first green aviation startup of its kind in Australia.
The automotive industry has come a long way since the advent of the automobile in the late 1800s. Today's hypercars can reach and even exceed speeds of 300 mph, but at the start of the 20th century, even speeds of 100 mph were unfathomable. As with all things in life, there is a first time for everything, and the very first car to record 100 mph in the United States was a Napier L48 "Samson," a car built in 1904 that was powered by a 15-liter, six-cylinder gas engine.

Photo: Bonhams

Photo: Bonhams

Photo: Bonhams

The Napier L48 Samson gained a respectable place in the automotive history books as one of the most successful racing cars of its era, as it set multiple records in its heyday. The most significant was registered on January 25, 1905, at Ormond-Daytona Beach, Florida, when a 23-year-old British mechanic named Arthur Macdonald broke the 100 mph (160 kph) barrier, clocking in at 104.651 mph (168.4 kph) and setting a new World Land Speed Record.It thus became the first car to exceed the 100-mph barrier on American Soil, the first British car to reach this milestone, and the world's first successful six-cylinder engine racing car . The following year, Dorothy Levitt, "the fastest girl on earth," established a Women's World Speed Record at the wheel of the same Napier car, a record that remained unbroken until 1963. It's worth mentioning that this car once hit 130 mph (209 kph) at Brooklands at a time when most speed limits were around 20 mph (32 kph).What's more, British driver Walter Thomas Clifford Earp drove it to victory again at Daytona Beach later that year, winning the race against worthy competitors - Vincenzo Lancia driving a Fiat and Louis Chevrolet driving a Christie. Earp won with 50 seconds to space despite blowing a tire at mile 32.Napier's six-cylinder engine was not the first in the world, but it was a revolutionary one. The unit was a 15-liter inline F-Head engine that produced 240 hp at 2,300 rpm, which was quite impressive for that era. It was coupled with a two-speed manual transmission, as the chassis could not accommodate a longer three-speed transmission.The Napier continued its winning spree in the subsequent years, especially after its original, revolutionary six-cylinder engine was swapped for a massive 20-liter beast in 1907.The car you see here is not the original 120-year-old Gordon Bennett Napier L48 "Samson," but it has its beating heart under the hood. This car is a faithful reconstruction of the 1904 racer, built using the original L48 engine.As it so often happens with worn-out race cars , after an illustrious career, the original Napier was eventually sold for scrap. The car's record-breaking first engine was sold to Australia's Cornwell brothers, who used it in their record-breaking speedboat, "Nautilus 2." After that, the engine was abandoned in the brothers' pottery factory, where it was discovered decades later by Bob Chamberlain, manufacturer of Australian-made Chamberlain Tractors. The latter took on the challenge of rebuilding the iconic "Samson race car around the successful six-cylinder racing engine.After extensive research work and the recreation of many parts based on Napier's original schematics and period photos, a meticulous replica was born, and the restored engine roared to life again in July 1982. For about a decade, the car enjoyed a second life as a show and exhibition car. More impressively yet, this impeccable Napier replica was raced at the Brooklands Reunion and the Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb in 1983.In April 1993, it was sold as part of Bob Chamberlain's estate to Peter Briggs, who exposed it at his York Motor Museum in Western Australia. Just like the original, it stirred quite an interest and showed its worth at the Goodwood Festival of Speed hill climb in the UK and the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, where it won the Automobile Quarterly accolade for the Most Historically Significant Car at the event.If you are curious about what driving the Napier feels like, one of the fastest cars of its era, Evan Ide, a Senior Specialist for Bonhams|Cars, describes the sensation as follows, "You are launched to over 50 mph before you can grasp what has happened, and you are still in first gear! You need a bit more speed still to drop it in the only other gear, and then it starts all over with the engine dropping to just a few hundred revs. When you open the throttle, it feels like it could go forever, well past 100 mph."The meticulous Napier L48 Samson replica, which set a new standard for the recreation of historic cars , is coming up for sale at the Bonhams|Cars Amelia Island Auction at the Fernandina Beach Golf Club on Amelia Island on February 29, with a staggering estimate of between $900,000 and $1,100,000. Prior to the auction event, the car returned to the beaches of Ormond and Daytona at the Historic North Turn Beach Parade on February 10.
For an aircraft maker the size of Gulfstream, the speed at which it can transport people from city to city is crucial to its success. After all, that is the nature of its business, and having nothing to brag about in this respect could be damaging for the company.

The present lineup of Gulfstream aircraft comprises no less than seven models, plus a special missions variant. The range starts with the G280 and tops with the G800. But it's the G700 that is described by its maker as the fastest aircraft in today's fleet.The plane was introduced in service in 2019, and it is presently powered by twin Rolls-Royce engines that allow it to reach top speeds of Mach 0.935 (717 mph/1,155 kph). The maximum range it can travel is 8,919 miles (14,353 km), carrying the crew and passengers in the "most spacious cabin in business aviation."The interior of the plane can be configured in a variety of ways. At its finest, the aircraft can host no less than five living areas, including an ultra gallery and a grand suite complete with a shower. In a more utilitarian setup, the G700 can carry up to 19 passengers and sleep 13.Whatever the configuration, the cabin is bathed in sunlight coming in through no fewer than 20 windows. The air inside is plasma-ionized and replenished every two to three minutes, and anyone can access the plane's onboard wi-fi system.During its life, the aircraft set quite a number of city-pair speed records, meaning it traveled between two destinations at record speeds. This week though, the G700 jumped over the 50 such records threshold.This week is the week of the Singapore Airshow, and the G700 will be one of Gulfstream's star aircraft on display. One member of this family departed Los Angeles and took the long route to Singapore, smashing through records 50 and 51.The first leg of the trip had the plane fly from LA to Nice, in France, at a distance of 5,980 miles. It covered it in 10 hours and 13 minutes, averaging speeds of Mach 0.90.The plane then departed Nice and headed for Singapore, meaning it had to fly over a distance of 6,621 miles (10,656 km). It did so in just 11 hours and 30 minutes, averaging the same speed as before.Gulfstream says both flights were carbon neutral but did not go into the details of what that means exactly (SAF is probably involved). We are also not being informed of any independent body sanctioning the flights as record-breaking.Such a fast and luxurious means of transport does not come cheap. In the most basic of configurations, you should expect the aircraft to set you back $75 million  a price tag that makes it one of the most expensive planes in its class.
Although the Transit is a perfectly capable workhorse, the Ford Motor Company keeps making the E-Series at its Ohio Assembly Plant in Avon Lake. Last redesigned for MY21 (think new instrument cluster and the Super Duty's 7.3-liter Godzilla V8 engine), the E-Series has been hit with a safety recall comprising 16,543 vehicles produced for the 2021 through 2022 model years with dual rear wheels.

NHTSA

Photo: Ford

More specifically, vehicles assembled between May 11, 2019 and June 17, 2021 in E-350 DRW and E-450 DRW flavors. Recall number 24V-097 is best described as an extension of 22V-089 from February 2022. The first campaign was for an inadequately connected power steering pressure line connected to the hydraulic booster. In case of a loose connection, dealers nationwide were required to replace the power steering pressure line and the jumper line of the so-called Hydroboost unit.Both campaigns are attached below as PDFs. Turning our attention back to the present recall, FoMoCo was informed about multiple reports of leaks and disconnections at the Hydroboost unit on vehicles that had passed inspection. By inspection, Ford refers to applying torque to the connection, then measuring the gap between the power steering pressure line and hydraulic booster jumper line.The reports alleged post-inspection failures, which prompted the Dearborn-based automaker to investigate said reports. Thealso contacted Ford in regard to the aforementioned condition due to a complaint alleging post-inspection failure. Ultimately, the Ford Motor Company determined that the inspection procedure detailed above wasn't sufficiently effective. But that's not all, thoughAccording to a document filed with the federal watchdog, certain dealers had under-inspected the condition by applying less torque than required. Other dealers did not replace the lines, going against Ford's instructions. Ford is aware of 628 warranty reports and one field report for the described condition, received between March 2022 and October 2023 from customers in the US market.The American automaker is also aware of an accident. Thankfully, said accident didn't result in any injuries. Both lines are supplied by Yokohama Industries Americas Inc. of Easley, South Carolina. The replacement lines feature different part numbers because of a revised routing and connection angle. These changes were introduced in E-Series production back in June 2021 based on feedback from assembly plant personnel.As opposed to the first recall, dealers have been instructed to replace the lines without a prior joint integrity inspection. Owners can expect to be informed about this recall no later than March 29, 2024.In addition to the Stripped Chassis and E-Series, the Ohio production facility also makes F-350 through F-550 Chassis Cab trucks. The plant's largest products are the F-650 and F-750 medium-duty trucks. Including the $1,995 destination charge, the Stripped Chassis F-53 Class A Motorhome specification carries a starting price of $38,805 at the moment of writing. The heavier-duty F-59 for commercial applications is $38,925.The Stripped Chassis E-350 DRW and Stripped Chassis E-450 DRW, by comparison, kick off at $36,590 and $38,815 for the 2025 model year. As for the singled-cabbed E-Series Cutaway, the most affordable spec is the E-350 SRW at $39,785.
The world is dealing with a housing crisis, which partly explains the recent boom in alternative housing solutions  affordable, preferably mobile, ideally sustainable homes that could be "the future." Rohe Homes would add other items on that list: foldable, easily transportable, "mobile but permanent," efficient, and high-quality.

Photo: Rohe Homes

Photo: Rohe Homes

Photo: Rohe Homes

Photo: Rohe Homes

Recent years have seen a surge in popularity for alternative housing, not because it's the "hip" thing to do to downsize and live as a (digital) nomad but because of the housing crisis. Mobile homes, once considered at best a halfway solution until you got the picket-fence dream house, have found new appeal in their ability to address several pressing issues at once.What tiny houses, van and bus conversions, RVs repurposed for permanent residency, and prefabricated houses have in common is this promise for a brighter, more affordable future Prefab houses stand out for their ability to bridge the gap between mobile homes and brick-and-mortar units while retaining a certain degree of mobility. It's a small one, but you can still pack up everything and move to a different location if you have to. That includes the house.Rohe Homes claims to have built the first foldable prefab house in Canada, and while it's hard to test the accuracy of that statement, it's definitely worth a closer look. Rohe Homes is a relatively young startup that got into the business of prefabs in 2019, only to have to pause operations once the international health crisis hit. They later resumed work and have since delivered the first units of their modular Lotus.Rohe Homes doesn't just make a foldable prefab house ; it's also modular, sustainable, efficient, convenient, and high-quality. Compared to a typical house, it's also more affordable, but don't take that to mean "cheap." In short, it's the perfect "mobile but permanent" home, as the builder describes it.The builder calls it Lotus, and it's offered in three possible configurations depending on planned occupancy and final utility.There's the Lotus Mini, which is the smallest model designed for 1-2 residents and offers the basics in creature comforts in 530 square feet/49.2 square meters of living space; there's the Lotus Extra, which adds another 100 square feet/9.2 square meters of space and a second bedroom; and there's the Lotus Rancher, which is two units combined, 1,050 square feet/97.5 square meters, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and one full kitchen, so space for the entire family.Where the Lotus differs from other prefab homes is in the way it's designed to fold flat during transport. It folds down a third of its original size, to be more exact.As CEO and founder Rohan Kulkarni explains in the video interview below, this means that they don't ship out air because the walls fold down to make a compact, space-efficient package. This adds to the sustainability of the product as they're able to transport an entire home, even a large unit, in a single shipment, so the carbon footprint is reduced.This also means that delivery can be made on a flatbed trailer , a barge, a train, or even by plane. For the record, though, Rohe Homes is only delivering locally for the time being, so unless you're in British Columbia, Canada, tough luck.A Lotus home, no matter its size and finishes, is constructed in factory in about six weeks and assembled to move in in a single day. The setting up takes about 4 hours, but weatherproofing and connecting it to the grid take time, too.Each unit uses dimensional lumber for interior framing, SIPs (structurally insulated panels) for insulation, and drywall for the interior, and is designed to be usable throughout the year, even in Canada's coldest weather. Engineered hinges allow the heavy walls to fold in and out, and the homes are designed to fit multiple foundation types.Though described as a "mobile" home , the Lotus entails land ownership or rental, which is not a prerequisite with the other types of mobile houses mentioned above. On the plus side, it can also work as an ADU (additional dwelling unit), a vacation home, or emergency housing in fire- or flood-affected areas.The Lotus is also "modern, sustainable, and efficient," and can be delivered as a shell/kit or a turnkey unit. Prices vary accordingly, just like they vary depending on which model you choose.For example, the Lotus Mini in the basic spec, which includes weatherproofing and plumbing but not the interior finishes or appliances, starts at CAD127,500 (US$94,400 at the current exchange rate). A turnkey unit of the Mini is CAD200,000 (US$148,000), while the bigger model, the Rancher, starts at CAD235,000 (US$174,000) as a shell.The promise of a foldable house you could pack down and plop onto a trailer for relocation in a worst-case scenario-type of situation should make up for the price tag.
The computer chip company GlobalFoundries on Monday received $1.5 billion from the Biden administration. The announcement is the third award of financial support for a semiconductor company under the 2022 CHIPS and Science Act.
20 February 2024 12:54 (UTC+04:00)

Abbas Ganbay Read more

The British publication The Economist, in its special edition of Energy Outlook 2024, informs that Azerbaijan is among the main sources of gas production growth, Azernews reports.

Oil and gas production, supported by high prices, will continue to grow.

Against the backdrop of high commodity prices and the European Union's efforts to replace gas supplies from Russia, new investment in fossil fuel production will continue in 2024.

The report says global natural gas production is expected to grow at a 2.2 percent annualised rate.

"The main sources of production growth will be North America, Norway, the Middle East, North Africa, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, China, Australia, and Mozambique," the magazine said.

Liquefied natural gas exports to the U.S. will reportedly grow in the coming years as export opportunities expand. This will support growth in domestic production, which is projected to grow by 1.9 percent in 2024.

"We project that Russian gas exports will begin to recover, albeit modestly, starting in 2024. Oil prices are expected to remain high in 2024. OPEC, led by Saudi Arabia and Russia, shows determination to cut production to support them, although they have fallen below their peak in 2022," the report said.

It should be noted that Azerbaijan is one of the countries that exports the most gas to Europe, and it is moving forward in this increasing direction.

To recall, back in 2022, Azerbaijan exported 11.4 Bcm of gas to Europe, and in 2023, this volume exceeded 12 Bcm.

Azerbaijan exports gas to Europe from the Shah Deniz field via the Southern Gas Corridor and has plans to raise exports to 20 Bcm/year by 2027 under a Memorandum of Understanding agreed with the European Commission in July 2022.

Moreover, according to Azerbaijan's Energy Minister, Azerbaijan's gas export increased by 5.3% in 2023.

11.8 bcm of gas was exported to Europe, 9.5 bcm to Turkiye, and 2.5 bcm to Georgia," minister Shabazov added.

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20 February 2024 10:11 (UTC+04:00)

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Within the framework of Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov's visit to the United States, an agreement was reached with the World Bank to accelerate financial support for the grid strengthening project as a contribution to COP29, Azernews reports.

"At a meeting with Antonella Bassani, World Bank Vice President in the US, we agreed to accelerate financial support for the grid strengthening project as a contribution to COP29. The WB is ready to support Azerbaijan's achievements in the transition to green energy," Shahbazov wrote on his social media page X.

In the meeting in USA, we agreed with @anbassani, @WorldBank Vice President for Europe and Central Asia to accelerate the financial support for the grid strengthening project as a contribution to #COP29. WB is ready to support Azerbaijan's progress in the #GreenEnergyTransition. pic.twitter.com/HWSijnMlgW  Parviz Shahbazov (@ParvizShahbazov) February 20, 2024

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20 February 2024 11:55 (UTC+04:00)

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In January 2024, Turkiye reduced its cement export to Azerbaijan by 2.9 percent to $50.9 million compared to the same period of 2023, Azernews reports, citing Turkey Trade Ministry

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20 February 2024 12:17 (UTC+04:00)

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The volume of trade turnover of Kazakhstan with Azerbaijan in 2023 amounted to $529.4 mln, Azernews reports, citing the Bureau of National Statistics of Kazakhstan.

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Azerbaijan Culture Minister Adil Karimli has received a Croatian delegation to discuss the expansion of bilateral ties in cultural field.

During the meeting with the State Secretary for Political Affairs at the Croatian Foreign Ministry Frano Matusic, the minister hailed the development of Azerbaijani-Croatian relations, Azernews reports.

He underlined that the current cordial relations between the leaders of the two countries have created a basis for a wide range of beneficial cooperation.

The minister emphasized that mutual support within the framework of international organizations and the expansion of cooperation in various fields of culture is important for both countries.

He also informed Frano Matusic about the 6th World Intercultural Dialogue Forum to be held Baku on May 1-3, and invited the Croatian side to participate in such a high-level event.

Frano Matusic pointed out that Croatia and Azerbaijan have had fruitful economic and commercial relations for many years.

He said that it is necessary to implement mutual cultural projects for the rapprochement of the two nations and the promotion of the historical and cultural heritage of Azerbaijan and Croatia.

During the conversation, views were exchanged on the next meeting of the Azerbaijan-Croatia Joint Intergovernmental Commission to be held in Baku and other issues of mutual interest.

The Croatian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Branko Zebic and the Azerbaijani Ambassador Anar Imanov also participated in the meeting.

Azerbaijan is committed to enhancing cultural ties with Croatia. Both countries boast unique traditions, art forms, and cultural practices that have contributed to a deep sense of connection between their peoples.

The two countries have vibrant folk music traditions that demonstrate the diversity and beauty of their respective cultures.

Azerbaijani mugham art and Croatian klapa multipart singing are just a few examples of the rich musical heritage that both nations have to offer.

Both countries are well-known for their culinary delights.

Azerbaijani dishes like pilaf and dolma are enjoyed alongside Croatian specialties such as pasticada and strukli.

Azerbaijan has been working with Croatia for many years and is aiming to develop cooperation in culture and other fields.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @lmntypewriterrr

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20 February 2024 16:32 (UTC+04:00)

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Azerbaijan State Academic National Drama Theatre has a MoC with the National Drama Theatre of Russia (Alexandrinsky Theatre).

The document was inked by the acting director of the Azerbaijan State Academic National Drama Theatre, Honoured Cultural Worker Ilham Asgarov, and the director of the National Drama Theatre of Russia, Sergei Yemelyanov, Azernews reports.

After signing the document, Ilham Asgarov stressed that the MoC is of great importance for the development of ties in the field of culture between Azerbaijan and Russia.

"The Memorandum of Cooperation provides for the development and strengthening of cooperation in the theatre field and the preservation of national cultural values," said Sergei Yemelyanov.

"It's gratifying that over the past six months or a year we have made such a breakthrough that today we signed a cooperation agreement. Tomorrow the big Alexandrinsky Theatre School opens in Baku," he added.

Sergei Yemelyanov also invited the team of the Azerbaijan State Academic National Drama Theatre to take part in the 15th anniversary Alexandrinsky International Theatre Festival to be held in St. Petersburg this September.

Furthermore, the acting chairman of the Azerbaijan Theatre Workers Union, People's Artist Haji Ismayilov, spoke about the history and activities of the union.

In conclusion, Haji Ismayilov presented Sergei Yemelyanov with the Sntkar medal (Medal of Master) on behalf of the Azerbaijan Theatre Workers Union.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @lmntypewriterrr

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19 February 2024 17:56 (UTC+04:00)

Baghdad Amreyev, President of the Turkic Investment Fund has sent a congratulatory letter to President Ilham Aliyev, Azernews reports.

The letter reads:

"His Excellency Mr. Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Your Excellency,

On the occasion of your successful re-election as the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, I extend my sincere congratulations on behalf of the Turkic Investment Fund (TIF) and myself. This remarkable victory reflects the trust and confidence that the people of the brotherly Republic of Azerbaijan have placed in your leadership and the path of your exceptional and nationally esteemed policies.

As someone who takes great pleasure in witnessing the progress and strength at every step in the Turkic unity journey, I wish to highlight the historic victory in Karabakh and the subsequent liberation of the territory of brotherly Azerbaijan. The significant contribution of this great victory to the strength of Turkic unity, as well as the pride and honor of the Turkic Nations is a testament to the resilience and determination of the Azerbaijani people. May this achievement further enhance the prosperity and unity of the Turkic world.

Under your effective guidance, the Turkic world has marked significant milestones in various areas of cooperation, contributing to its overall advancement and prosperity. Therefore, I am confident that your strong support for the establishment of the Turkic Investment Fund and its activities will contribute to a more integration Turkic world and will position the Turkic states as significant global economic players and attractive investment destinations.

On the occasion of Your Excellencys re-election as the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, I reiterate my heartfelt congratulations.

Yours sincerely,

Baghdad Amreyev

President of the Turkic Investment Fund"

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19 February 2024 18:36 (UTC+04:00)

Marcelo Robelo de Sousa, President of the Portuguese Republic has sent a congratulatory letter to President Ilham Aliyev, Azernews reports.

The letter reads:

"His Excellency Mr. Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Dear Mr. President,

On the occasion of Your Excellency's re-election as President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, I present, on behalf of the Portuguese people and on my own behalf, warm congratulations and wishes for success in the exercise of the role which you will continue to perform.

I am certain that the ties that unite our two countries and peoples will continue to be developed with a view to pursuing cooperation at bilateral level, in all its dimensions, as well as in the multilateral context.

While reiterating my congratulations, please accept, Mr. President, my wishes for your well-being and for the progress of the Azerbaijani people.

Marcelo Robelo de Sousa

President of the Portuguese Republic"

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Forest fire breaks out in SW China's Yunnan, rescue underway

Xinhua) 13:50, February 20, 2024

KUNMING, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- A fire broke out in a forest in Zhaotong City in southwest China's Yunnan Province on Tuesday morning, local authorities said.

The fire had spread across an area of around 200 mu (about 13.3 hectares), with a fire line stretching over 500 meters in Lianfeng Township located in Zhaotong's Yongshan County as of 10 a.m.

Over 500 people have been mobilized to put out the fire. Rescue efforts are still underway.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
19 February 2024 18:45 (UTC+04:00)

Sauli Niinisto, President of the Republic of Finland has sent a congratulatory letter to President Ilham Aliyev, Azernews reports.

The letter reads:

"His Excellency Mr. Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Your Excellency,

On the occasion of your re-election as President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, I wish to extend to you my sincere congratulations along with my best wishes for every success in your high office.

Please accept, Your Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Sauli Niinisto

President of the Republic of Finland"

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19 February 2024 19:08 (UTC+04:00)

Saja Farooq Abdullah, UNICEF Representative in Azerbaijan has sent a congratulatory letter to President Ilham Aliyev, Azernews reports.

The letter reads:

"His Excellency Mr. Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Your Excellency,

On behalf of the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) in Azerbaijan, please accept our sincere congratulations on your inauguration as the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Building on the excellent partnership between UNICEF and the Government of Azerbaijan for more than 30 years, we look forward to continuing our collaboration in advancing the child rights agenda in Azerbaijan.

UNICEF remains committed to working closely with the Government of Azerbaijan in building an even better future for children in the country and enabling them to develop to their full potential.

COP29 provides a unique opportunity for Azerbaijan to play a leading role in positioning children and youth at the center of global climate discussions. We are ready to partner with the Government of Azerbaijan to support the meaningful engagement of children and youth in climate action and equip them with the education and skills needed for building a more sustainable future.

Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Sincerely,

Saja Farooq Abdullah

UNICEF Representative in Azerbaijan"

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20 February 2024 12:36 (UTC+04:00)

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Judges of the Civil Collegium met with the leadership of the Notary Department of the Ministry of Justice and the Notary Chamber of Azerbaijan at the Supreme Court, Azernews reports.

The meeting discussed legal positions reflected in the Decision of the Plenum of the Constitutional Court of December 26, 2023, which provides for the transition to a new era of inheritance law.

At the event, in particular, there was a detailed exchange of views on the impact of these legal positions on the activities of notarial bodies and judicial practice in the field of registration of inheritance rights, new approaches that will ensure uniformity of practice, as well as measures to be implemented in connection with the improvement of relevant legislation and the education of citizens.

At the meeting, it was also decided to continue a mutual dialogue to solve as soon as possible the difficulties that will be identified in the implementation of the relevant regulation in this area.

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20 February 2024 13:33 (UTC+04:00)

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Georgian First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Levan Davitashvili told reporters that the Georgian government is working on a project together with Romanian colleagues to lay the Black Sea undersea cable, Azernews reports.

"The realization of the project of laying the Black Sea submarine cable to supply electricity to Europe, along with other issues, will be discussed at the meeting of the Georgia-EU Association Council in Brussels. Connect Georgia and Romania will be an alternative, and reliable channel to accelerate the formation of a digital hub in Georgia," he said.

The Deputy PM noted that the technical feasibility of the project has already been determined and confirmed.

"We are already talking about technical details of implementation, including fundraising and so on," Davitashvili said.

The agreement on laying the cable, through which electricity from Azerbaijan and Georgia will go to Europe, was signed in December 2022. The document was signed between the governments of Georgia, Azerbaijan, Romania, and Hungary.

The project aims to strengthen energy security in Europe and the South Caucasus, as well as to develop the renewable energy sector and increase transit opportunities.

The EU intends to invest 2.3 bln Euros to implement the project. The World Bank has promised to allocate an additional 75 million dollars to Georgia for a detailed study of the Black Sea bed.

If the project is realized, a 1,195 km cable with a capacity of 1,000 megawatts (1,100 km of submarine and 95 km of land cable) will connect Georgia with the Eastern Balkans.

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20 February 2024 14:04 (UTC+04:00)

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Western Azerbaijan Community released a statement about the meeting of the so-called "members" of the so-called "parliament" with Vardan Oskanian, as well as the information disseminated in the Armenian press about ridiculous ideas such as "Garabagh conflict is not solved", Azernews reports, citing Community.

The Community's statement reads:

"The Armenian authorities, which consider the views of the Western Azerbaijan Community on the preservation of cultural heritage as an encroachment on its sovereignty, should ban, on its territory, the activities of still striving for "self-determination" relics of the past that threaten Azerbaijan's sovereignty.

"All this demonstrates once again that Garabagh Armenians have not learned any lessons from what happened over the past 35 years and that they are being used by dreamers and chauvinists. It also shows, to put it mildly, the insincerity of the Armenian authorities, who constantly lie about peace," the statement said.

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20 February 2024 14:34 (UTC+04:00)

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CBC TV channel has prepared a documentary film "Bugakar Sanctuary", the shooting of which was held in Armenia, Western Azerbaijan in the Zangazur region, Azernews reports.

The CBC film is dedicated to the history of Azerbaijanis living in Western Azerbaijan, the territory of modern Armenia, where their heritage has been destroyed.

The film is based on footage shot in Yerevan and villages in Zangazur.

As a result, the CBC film crew, with the help of local residents, found traces of the ancient Azerbaijani sanctuary of Bugakar and recorded evidence of the destruction of Azerbaijani cultural monuments in Armenia.

The general producer was Vugar Khalilov, General Director of CBC TV channel.

The movie presents shots of Yerevan, where the destruction and concealment of Azerbaijani cultural and historical heritage continues.

Newsreel footage is shown, and information is given about the resettlement of Armenians from abroad to the lands that originally belonged to Azerbaijanis.

The film crew visited a village that was once Azerbaijani and interviewed a current resident who recognizes the original belonging of these lands to Azerbaijanis.

In addition, the movie includes unique footage of the destroyed sanctuary of Bugakar in Zangazur, shot with the help of a drone.

The authors of the movie addressed letters to various embassies, in particular the French and US embassies in Armenia, to get information about whether their employees have visited Bugakar sanctuary and know about its destruction by Armenians.

The authors aim to draw the attention of the world community to the importance of preserving the cultural heritage of Azerbaijanis and restoring an objective historical picture of the region.

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20 February 2024 13:21 (UTC+04:00)

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A high-level round table dedicated to the 28th and 29th sessions of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change has started at the headquarters of the International Energy Agency in Paris, Azernews reports.

Azerbaijan is represented at the meeting by the Deputy Foreign Minister, and Chief Negotiator of COP29, Yalcin Rafiyev.

The round table is attended by world leaders in the fields of climate and energy, officials, and diplomats from different countries.

The main objective of the roundtable discussions, led by COP28 President Sultan Al Jaber, is to review the results of COP28 within the consensus of the United Arab Emirates and identify the next steps for COP29.

Recall, that on February 19, Deputy Foreign Minister Yalcin Rafiyev, who will represent Azerbaijan at the event, met with IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol.

At the meeting, the Deputy Minister emphasised that at COP29, the participating countries should make important decisions in the fight against climate change.

The sides exchanged views on possible prospects for cooperation within the framework of the Baku COP29.

Recall, that Azerbaijan's Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources and COP29 President Mukhtar Babayev said during a panel discussion at the Munich Security Conference said that the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) to be held in Azerbaijan will be dedicated to transparency and inclusiveness.

"We invite all countries to participate in this amazing event in Baku. We are confident that we can achieve positive results. At the same time, we believe that this is a great opportunity to take advantage of the successful consensus reached in Dubai, pass it on to Baku and in 2025 to Brazil," he said.

Mukhtar Babayev also noted that cooperation within the framework of the troika of presidents of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP) is "a good chance to move the process forward on the climate agenda together".

This year, Azerbaijan will host the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29). The decision was made at the COP28 plenary meeting held in Dubai on December 11 last year.

COP30 will be held in Brazil in 2025.

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20 February 2024 17:57 (UTC+04:00)

Laman Ismayilova Read more

Azerbaijani artist Nigar Narimanbayova has been honoured with the esteemed Gregoire Nicolas Finez Planard 2024 Prize at the renowned ART EN CAPITAL 2024 International Contemporary Art Exhibition.

Known for her exceptional artistic skills and as the successor of the renowned Azerbaijani artist Vidadi Narimanbayov, Nigar Narimanbayova has once again demonstrated her masterpiece to contemporary art enthusiasts.

The painting that garnered this prestigious award is titled "Tariel - Little Harry Potter". The art work was selected by members of the French Academy of Fine Arts.

"On February 14, the ART EN CAPITAL 2024 International Contemporary Art Exhibition opened its doors to art lovers at the Grand Palais Efimer in Paris. I am glad and proud to represent my native Azerbaijan at the prestigious Salon of French Artists for the third time. Here I showcased my painting titled "Tariel - Little Harry Potter". This is a portrait of my grandson Tariel in a fairy tale. The art work was a huge success among French viewers," Nigar Narimanbayova told AZERNEWS.

Nigar Narimanbayova also shared her thoughts about ART EN CAPITAL 2024.

"I would like to note that the exhibition is being held under the high patronage of the President of France, as well as the President of the Collection of National Museums of France. This is the most prestigious and most famous Salon in the world. The Salon of French Artists has a long history, more than 400 years, and has always been held under the patronage of the Kings of France and Presidents of France. The paintings are selected by a large jury consisting of members of the French Academy of Arts. This is the most prestigious professional art show and I have been taking part in it for a year now," the artist said.

"Fifteen academicians of the French Academy of Arts voted by secret ballot. I am very proud that my painting received the Gregoire Nicolas Phineas Planard Prize 2024. This is a huge achievement. Never before had any Azerbaijani artist exhibited at this best Salon in Europe for three years in a row and been awarded such a prestigious award," she said.

Speaking about her future plans, Nigar Narimanbayova noted several exhibitions in Paris and book presentations in Baku.

"I have many creative plans ahead. I am preparing several exhibitions in Paris. In July, acclaimed writer Alexandra Azima Reinhardt will present her book "Margaret" in Baku. I worked on the cover and illustrations for the book. And of course, I`m getting ready for the Salon of French Artists 2025; in the summer, the selection of paintings for the Salon will take place. Another new novel by Azima Alexandra is also being prepared for publication; I am working on illustrations and a cover for a book by this wonderful writer, a native of Azerbaijan living in Germany," she said.

ART EN CAPITAL 2024 is recognised as one of the premier contemporary art showcases in Europe, which provides a platform for artists from around the world to display their creations and engage with a global audience.

Nigar Narimanbeyova's success at this prestigious event shines a spotlight on Azerbaijan's rich artistic heritage.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @lmntypewriterrr

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20 February 2024 18:22 (UTC+04:00)

Abbas Ganbay Read more

At the invitation of Prosecutor General Kamran Aliyev, a delegation headed by Prosecutor General of the Republic of Kenya Renson Mulele Ingonga has arrived in Azerbaijan on a working visit, Azernews reports.

In accordance with the instructions and recommendations of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mr. Ilham Aliyev, the Prosecutor General's Office attaches special importance to the expansion of ties in the field of legal cooperation with law enforcement agencies of foreign countries.

The delegation visited the Alley of Honour, honoured the memory of Heydar Aliyev, national leader of the Azerbaijani people, architect, and founder of the modern independent state of Azerbaijan, laid a wreath at his tomb, and visited the tomb of academician Zarifa Aliyeva, outstanding scientist-ophthalmologist. The guests also visited Martyrs Alley and honoured the memory of the children of the Motherland who died in the struggle for independence and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

During the bilateral meeting held at the General Prosecutor's Office, Prosecutor General Kamran Aliyev welcomed the guests and said the friendship and cooperation relations between Azerbaijan and Kenya are expanding day by day.

Noting this year's celebration of the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our countries, the Prosecutor General emphasized that the establishment of the Azerbaijani Embassy in Nairobi in November 2022 is an indicator of the upward development of bilateral relations.

Expressing satisfaction with the cooperation with the prosecution bodies of our country, Kenyan Prosecutor General Renson Ingong expressed gratitude for the high hospitality, as well as experience in the field of combating transnational crime, including terrorism, financing of terrorism, and corruption, as well as professional training and advanced training of prosecutors. He expressed interest in studying the Azerbaijani model in the field of exchange.

Kamran Aliyev noted that in the past years, Azerbaijan was also one of the countries subjected to terror, Armenia kept Azerbaijani lands under occupation for a long time, but under the leadership of the victorious Supreme Command, the thirty-year occupation of Azerbaijani territories was stopped, and in September 2023, as a result of anti-terrorist measures of local nature carried out by the Azerbaijani army, Azerbaijan fully restored the integrity of the country.

The Prosecutor General noted that, due to the attention and care of the country's leadership, large-scale construction and reconstruction works have been carried out in the territories liberated from occupation and invited the Kenyan guests to visit Aghdam district.

The Prosecutor General noted that the holding of the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) in November this year in Azerbaijan is a vivid example of the rapid growth of the international prestige of Azerbaijan.

Renson Ingonga noted that environment and climate change issues are important for his country, noting that the African Climate Summit was held in Kenya last September, and emphasised that they will take an active part in the important event to be held in Azerbaijan

Kamran Aliyev informed the guests about the activity of the "electronic information system of the prosecutor's office" within the framework of large-scale reforms carried out in the prosecutor's office. At the meeting, a useful exchange of views on cooperation in the field of combating crime was held, and the efficiency of cooperation within international organisations, including the UN, Non-Aligned Movement, and International Association of Prosecutors, was discussed.

At the Museum of History of the General Prosecutor's Office, the guests familiarised themselves with the corner and exhibits dedicated to the life and creativity of Great Leader Heydar Aliyev, as well as ways of developing the Prosecutor's Office of Azerbaijan.

The delegation's visit to Azerbaijan continues.

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20 February 2024 16:52 (UTC+04:00)

His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia has sent a congratulatory letter to President Ilham Aliyev, Azernews reports.

The letter reads:

"His Excellency Mr. Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Your Excellency,

Raja Zarith Sofiah joins me in extending our heartiest congratulations and warmest felicitations to Your Excellency on your re-election as President of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

We are confident that under Your wise and able leadership, the people of Azerbaijan will continue to achieve greater prospects and prosperity.

I pray to Allah the Almighty to bestow upon Your Excellency continued good health, happiness, and greater success as you lead Azerbaijan to greater and newer heights.

May the long-standing brotherly relations and friendly ties between Malaysia and the Republic of Azerbaijan also continue to flourish and strengthen bringing mutual benefits to our two peoples.

His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim

King of Malaysia"

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20 February 2024 19:58 (UTC+04:00)

The Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Croatia held another round of political consultations on Monday, Azernews reports.

The meeting was chaired by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan Fariz Rzayev and State Secretary for Political Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia Frano Matusic.

The meeting saw discussions on bolstering the strategic partnership between the two countries, assessing the current state and future prospects of cooperation within international organizations, and exploring avenues for collaboration across political, economic, and humanitarian spheres, as well as strategic energy and transport projects implemented by Azerbaijan.

They also exchanged views on the preparation process for the upcoming 29th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) to be hosted by Azerbaijan in November this year, saying that this prestigious event would create ample opportunities for developing current strategic cooperation between the two states.

The Azerbaijani Deputy FM briefed the Croatian State Secretary for Political Affairs about the post-conflict period in the region, rapprochement between Azerbaijan and Armenia, the steps undertaken by Azerbaijan towards ensuring regional peace, the ongoing landmine threat, as well as ongoing demining, the restoration works in the Azerbaijani liberated territories, and the opportunities for cooperation in this regard.

Furthermore, the political consultations covered discussions on regional and international issues of mutual concern.

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20 February 2024 11:18 (UTC+04:00)

Fatime Letifova Read more

On February 20, dedicated to the 28th and 29th sessions of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, a high-level roundtable discussion will be held at the International Energy Agency headquarters, Azernews reports, citing the post shared by Fatih Birol, executive director of the International Energy Agency, on his official X account.

He noted that the main purpose of the discussions to be held under the leadership of COP28 President Sultan Al-Jabir will be to review the results of COP28 within the United Arab Emirates consensus and determine the next steps for COP29.

World climate and energy leaders, official representatives from different countries, and diplomats will participate in the meeting. Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister and Chief Negotiator of COP29 Yalchin Rafiyev will represent Azerbaijan at the meeting.

Recall that the 29th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) will be held in Azerbaijan in 2024. The decision was made at the plenary session of COP28 on December 11.

It is worth noting that Azerbaijan successfully participated at the COP28 held in Abu Dhabi last year. Addressing the event, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan Mukhtar Babayev expressed gratitude to the Convention Secretariat and the United Arab Emirates for the excellent organisation of the COP28.

Besides, Azerbaijan confirmed its commitment to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases by 35 percent by 2030 and increase this target by 40 percent by 2050. Fulfilling the commitments under the Paris Agreement adopted in 2015 and actively working in this regard are priority issues for the government of Azerbaijan.

The Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has been held annually since 1995. The event aims to assess the progress made in combating climate change around the world.

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20 February 2024 07:30 (UTC+04:00)

At least 64 people have died in a major escalation of tribal fighting in Papua New Guinea's highlands, Azernews reports, citing local media.

Police in Wapenamanda, Enga province, confirmed that 64 bodies had been recovered from roadside, grassland and hills of the region since the fighting started early Sunday morning, according to PNG's local newspaper Post-Courier.

Security personnel said some bodies were still out there in the bushes, the newspaper reported.

Earlier, the Australian ABC News broadcaster reported that at least 53 people had died in the tribal fighting and more people could have died in the bushes.

"This is by far the largest (killing) I've seen in Enga, maybe in all of Highlands as well, in Papua New Guinea," Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary Acting Superintendent George Kakas was quoted as saying.

It was understood that the tribal fighting involves the same tribes that killed more than 60 people in 2023, ABC News reported.

Facing escalating tribal fighting, Enga province was put into lockdown for several months in 2023.
20 February 2024 16:56 (UTC+04:00)

Abbas Ganbay Read more

After the visit of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to Germany, where the Munich Security Conference was held, anti-Russian sentiments will develop in the country with a new impetus, the Armenian newspaper "Hraparak" writes, Azernews reports.

The publication claims that an attempt will also be made to finally break the Armenian-Russian relations that are hanging by a thread and eventually push Russia out of Armenia forever. That is why Pashinyan said during a meeting with representatives of the Armenian community in Munich that Armenia is not an ally of Russia on the issue of Ukraine.

In fact, Armenia, which was originally founded by Russia, has considered Russia its patron throughout history. Armenia, which had the most privileges during the Soviet Union, was able to penetrate Garabagh through the former regime. However, Azerbaijan's determination in the Patriotic War completely destroyed this stereotype. While Yerevan was waiting for help from Moscow, on the contrary, the cooperation agreement between official Baku and the Kremlin changed all the formulas in the region.

When Armenia understood the essence of the issue, the authorities decided to part ways. By turning to the West, Yerevan began to completely isolate itself from Russia and even form an anti-Russian policy internally. But all this has more image importance than the real result. Because, no matter how much official Yerevan tries to widen the distance with Russia, there are indelible rules in the document.

Armenia's actual land and air borders are currently under Russian control. On the other hand, Russia's military base No. 102 in Gyumri will remain on the territory of Armenia until 2044. Although Armenia does not want it, the laws on the document take precedence over its will.

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20 February 2024 22:50 (UTC+04:00)

The first round of negotiations on economic partnership between Georgia and South Korea has opened in the Georgian capital city of Tbilisi, the Ministry of Economy said on Tuesday, Azernews reports, citing Agenda.

The body added the agreement covered trade, rules of origin, customs procedures, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, technical barriers to trade and areas of economic cooperation such as transport, energy and investment.

Deputy Economy Minister Genadi Arveladze said the opening negotiations was preceded by many years of intensive work. He added a feasibility study on a free trade agreement was also prepared and showed the signing of the agreement would be mutually beneficial for both countries.

The agreement will have a positive impact on both bilateral trade and will encourage Korean and international businesses to invest in Georgia, said Arveladze, adding with more than 60 million customers with high purchasing power, the partner state was a priority market for Georgian exporters.

He added Korean investments in Georgia had exceeded $211 million between 1997 - 2022, and the figure would be much higher thanks to an economic partnership agreement.

Sunggil Chang, the head of the delegation from Korea, said the country was looking for a regional hub in the Caucasus region.

Signing a free trade agreement will be beneficial for both countries. [It] will encourage both tourists and businesses to visit Georgia, he said.

Arveladze also said the Embassy of Korea to Georgia would be opened in the nearest future and further encourage the relations between the two countries, including in trade and economy.

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20 February 2024 19:05 (UTC+04:00)

The Turkish media outlets have widely covered Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyevs official visit to Turkiye, as well as Azerbaijans impressive achievements made under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, Azernews reports.

The articles, published at Sozcu, Hurriyet, Yenicag, Sabah, Aydinlik, Posta, Turkiye newspapers and other publications mentioned that President Ilham Aliyevs visit to Turkiye would contribute to the further development of mutually beneficial cooperation between the two fraternal countries in the domains of economy, trade, transport-transit and energy.

The articles featured remarks by the Azerbaijani and Turkish Presidents regarding trade turnover, construction of a pipeline and railway for the transportation of natural gas from Turkiye to Nakhchivan, as well as energy projects.

The publications also hailed the political support of the Turkic states to Azerbaijan, underlining that Turkiye supports Azerbaijan both diplomatically and militarily.

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A federal government agency tasked with promoting scientific progress and securing national defense is dumping nearly one million taxpayer dollars into an effort to make biologyby denying that there are only two genders.The National Science Foundation is granting three institutions the large sum of money based on the claim thatThe study, titledhopes to make undergraduate biology classes morefor transgender students, in part by denying the fact that sex is binary.The effort to deny biological reality with taxpayer dollars comes amid a broader push from the Biden administration to leverage the federal bureaucracy to advance far-left beliefs, with large grants flowing towards efforts to embed extreme ideologies in America's institutions. The National Science Foundation calls the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) agenda aand boasts that it has multiple identity-based employee resource groups, including one forThree academic institutions, the University of Minnesota, Colorado State University, and Florida International University, have all received government funding to partake in the study, with a total of $905,694 taxpayer dollars slated to go towards the effort, according to government funding disclosures. The government funding was awarded by the National Science Foundation, a federal agency tasked with promoting scientific progress and securing national defense.the award abstract reads, referring to those who identify as transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming. The description goes on to claimThe National Science Foundation did not directly answer a Daily Wire inquiry asking whether the federal agency believed that there are more than two genders, with a spokesperson instead doubling down on the federal agency's financial support of the effort to deny the binary nature of sex.a foundation spokesperson told The Daily Wire, also boasting that itsThe spokesperson added that the effort to make biology more inclusive for those who identify as transgender wasThe study specifically intends to examineThree primary goals are also articulated for the government-backed study, which hopes toand finallyThe government-backed effort also seeks toand will allegedlyData collected via interviews with students and professors will be analyzed usingCarrie Hall, who works for the National Science Foundation's Division of Equity for Excellence in STEM, was listed as the Program Manager for the effort. The individual universities did not respond to requests for comment on their ongoing studies.The foundation's funding of the study is far from the only time that the federal government has used taxpayer dollars to push radical gender ideology and the diversity, equity, and inclusion agenda.The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), for example, allocated just under $700k in taxpayer funds to an organization by HHS for the purpose of developing transgender-inclusive sex education programs for children as young as 14 years old, The Daily Wire revealed.While taxpayer funds have been repeatedly used to push extreme leftwing efforts on gender, the Biden administration was recently exposed for relying on just two pages of literature to support so-calledMeanwhile, a growing number of studies have found that so-calledmedical interventions do not benefit patients.Various agencies within the federal government have aggressively pushed ideological initiatives under President Biden, who signed multiple executive orders intending to use the federal government to advance leftwing beliefs on race and the diversity, equity, and inclusion agenda.Former Trump administration officials, as well as former President Trump himself, have advocated for plans to gut the administrative state under the next administration, intending to reign in and fire unelected bureaucrats who may obstruct the president's objectives.
Six medical office buildings totaling 145,308 square feet in Florence, Fort Mitchell, Crittenden, Walton, Alexandria and Butler have sold, according to a Feb. 19 report from REBusiness Online.

The properties were sold to real estate company Remedy Medical Properties for an undisclosed price, according to the report.

The entire portfolio is occupied by the Erlanger, Ky.-based health system St. Elizabeth Physicians.
Surgery Partners has entered into an agreement with Fort Wayne, Ind.-based Parkview Health to grow ASC joint ventures across the state, according to a Feb. 20 report from Fox affiliate WFFT.

The collaboration will provide access to high-quality, affordable and patient-centered surgical care in partnership with independent physician groups.

Parkview has existing ASCs in Northeast Indiana, but the new collaborative model will work with physicians to build and acquire ASCs outside of Parkview's core service area.








A driver crashed into an Ohio dental office Feb. 20, WKRC reported.

The driver crashed into the office of William O'Conner, DDS, in Cincinnati around 2:30 a.m.

It is unclear if anyone was injured, the news station reported.
Memphis, Tenn.-based St. Jude Children's Research Hospital has created a new role to help the organization develop new technology.

The new role, senior vice president of technology commercialization, will be filled by Lisa Jordan, according to a Feb. 20 news release from St. Jude.

In this role, Ms. Jordan will work with researchers to bring new technologies and innovations to the organization. She will report to Terrence Geiger, MD, PhD, senior vice president and deputy director for academic and biomedical operations at St. Jude.

This role, according to the release, aims to help St. Jude researchers patent, license and commercialize their work.

Prior to this role at St. Jude, Ms. Jordan was a venture capitalist.
Baptist Health Louisville (Ky.) has named Roberto Cardarelli, DO, its new chief medical officer.

Dr. Cardarelli joined the 519-bed tertiary medical center on Jan. 8, according to a Feb. 20 news release shared with Becker's. He previously held leadership roles, including the CMO title, at CHI Saint Joseph Health and UK HealthCare, both based in Lexington.

In the news release, Dr. Cardarelli said that most of his career "has been focused on the intersection of health administration, population health, research, education and patient care."

Baptist Health is based in Louisville.
Mission Hospital McDowell in Marion, N.C., is seeking a new CEO.

The hospital, part of Asheville, N.C.-based Mission Health, posted a job advertisement for the CEO position on Feb. 15, seeking candidates with master's degrees in business administration, healthcare administration or related fields and 2 years or more of experience in a COO or CEO role.

Tonia Hale, CEO and CNO of Mission's Blue Ridge Regional Hospital in Spruce Pine, N.C., was listed as interim CEO of Mission Hospital McDowell at the time of publication. Mission Health did not respond to Becker's inquiry about the CEO transition or past Mission Hospital McDowell CEO Marsha Myers, who took on the role in 2022 and still had the title active on her LinkedIn at the time of publication.

Mission Hospital McDowell is a 65-bed community hospital about 40 miles outside of Asheville, N.C., where Mission Health's flagship Mission Hospital is based. The 815-bed facility is also seeing changes to leadership, with CMO Anthony Spensieri, MD, departing March 1.

The leadership changes unfold as Mission Health, part of Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare, faces increased scrutiny about its clinical quality and operations.

CMS notified the hospital's leadership in early February that the facility is in immediate jeopardy and must take action to avert the loss of federal funding. Details on what led to the immediate jeopardy are limited; the hospital has submitted a corrective action plan.

Late last year, North Carolina's attorney general filed suit against HCA, alleging the for-profit hospital operator has cut emergency and cancer care at Mission Health and lapsed on its 2019 purchase agreement in doing so. This month, HCA has filed a motion with the North Carolina Business Court, asking it to dismiss the claims.
Bayou Bend Health System in Franklin, La., has named Robert Raheem, BSN, RN, chief nursing officer.

Mr. Raheem joined the 22-bed hospital in February 2023 as an emergency department nurse. He also previously served as director of emergency services.

Bayou Bend Health System is a critical access hospital that opened in 2005.
Mark Parkinson, the CEO of the American Health Care Association and the National Center for Assisted Living, will step down in 2025, the organizations announced Feb. 20.

Mr. Parkinson has served in this capacity for the last 13 years, since leaving office as the governor of Kansas in 2011.

Mr. Parkinson and his wife, Stacy, previously owned and operated long-term care facilities throughout Kansas and Missouri.

While serving as CEO for the last 13 years, Mr. Parkinson helped direct national initiatives to improve quality in post acute and long term care facilities and also worked with other experts to develop best practices, address staffing issues and health related to COVID-19.

"These have been the most important and rewarding years of my professional life," Mr. Parkinson stated in the news release. "Together, we unified the profession to have one, powerful voice in D.C. and improved the lives of millions of residents. As I embark on this last year at AHCA/NCAL, I'll continue to work hard every single day to achieve our objectives and support the Board and the incoming CEO. The most exciting times in the history of the profession are yet to come."
The Guthrie Clinic in Sayre, Pa., has completed the acquisition of Our Lady of Lourdes Memorial Hospital System from St. Louis-based Ascension, according to financial documents published Feb. 16.

The transaction includes Lourdes Hospital in Binghamton, N.Y., its locations and related physician practices. Lourdes includes 24/7 emergency and acute care; specialty care; ambulatory surgery; a cancer center; a health and wellness center; and a network of primary care providers.

"Like Lourdes, Guthrie has a strong tradition of serving our communities, providing care to patients where they are," Guthrie President and CEO Edmund Sabanegh Jr. MD, said in a news release. "This transaction will enable a continuation of this joint tradition and strengthen our investments in care delivery, patient outcomes and experience for the greater Binghamton community."

The deal closed Feb. 1 and increased the number of hospitals in Guthrie's portfolio to six. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Earlier this month, Ascension announced plans to sell its Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburgh, Kan. to St. Louis-based Mercy.
Proposed healthcare mergers and acquisitions are continuing to face backlash from hospital and physician groups along with state and federal lawmakers  signaling a turn of the tide against megadeals.

In 2023 alone, Becker's reported on 10 called-off or unwound hospital deals, many of which were in part due to a Federal Trade Commission intervention, state regulatory reviews, and the financial and economic environment.

Most recently, just as Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana paused its proposed $2.5 billion sale to Elevance Health, Portland-based CareOregon and Long Beach, Calif.-based SCAN Group also diffused their plan to merge under the name HealthRight Group.

The two deals had been met with state official and public criticism.

Prior to BCBS Louisiana's sale withdrawal, state lawmakers shared a letter that detailed 30 concerns over the proposed sale. The Louisiana State Hospital Association and state treasurer also shared resistance over the deal.

CareOregon and SCAN Group shared that while their merger intent was to support Oregon's healthcare system and its people, their decision to dissolve the application came amid mounting questions over their planned combination.

While some deals are falling though, others are receiving heavy pushback, like Optum's proposed acquisition of Corvallis (Ore.) Clinic, a physician-owned group.

The Oregon state department of health has been urged by hundreds of people, including patients, physicians and Oregon Senate Majority Whip Sara Gelser Blouin, to block the purchase due to fear over large companies like Optum cutting corners, putting patient well-being at risk, and operating on the edge of legality.

After the Federal Trade Commission and the Justice Department filed 50 merger enforcement actions in fiscal year 2022, many healthcare and political leaders are not letting their foot off of the gas when it comes to tightening rules and restrictions to hold large healthcare companies accountable.

While the FTC has added cross-market theory questions to second requests in merger investigations, it has yet to challenge a hospital or health system transaction formally based on a cross-market theory of competitive harm, according to McDermott Will and Emery's "Hospitals and Health Systems 2023 Outlook."

Should the FTC attempt to challenge this kind of merger, it would probably need to prove that health systems had overlapping payer customers. Regarding health system mergers across state lines, the same payer would need to operate across multiple states or the systems would require payer contracts for material national contracts.

"Empirical research shows that hospital consolidation routinely results in higher costs and reduced service, and the FTC has long been active in tackling these illegal deals," Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan said in Feb. 14 remarks. "The FTC has successfully blocked seven healthcare mergers in the last two years alone. Our actions are putting industry participants on notice."
Twelve families have filed a joint lawsuit against Allentown, Pa.-based Lehigh Valley Health Network, alleging the health system and its affiliates falsely accused them of medical child abuse.

The lawsuit, filed in Philadelphia County Court on Feb. 13, lists 17 claims including negligent and intentional infliction of emotional distress; interference with parental rights; false report of child abuse; defamation; invasion of privacy; and assault and battery, Lehigh Valley News reported Feb. 16. It also claims false imprisonment, as children were held at the hospital after their caretakers were suspected of medical child abuse, and false arrest, as some parents served jail time as a result of the allegations.

Some families allege that their children were subject to sexual abuse examinations at the health system, even when there was no evidence of abuse, hence the assault and battery charges.

The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, also based in Philadelphia, are named as defendants for alleged involvement in some cases.

Debra Esernio-Jenssen, MD, is also named as a defendant, along with LVHN's John Van Brakle Child Advocacy Center, which she used to head. Parents told ABC6 that Dr. Esernio-Jenssen diagnosed them with Munchausen syndrome by proxy  a condition by which a caretaker fabricates symptoms to make a child appear sick, or causes them to become sick  without ever interviewing them.

In August, Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley released a report detailing concerns about a high concentration of Munchausen syndrome by proxy diagnoses. One-third of all Munchausen by proxy cases in the state during a five-year period ending in 2021 were in Lehigh Valley, according to the report.

Mr. Pinsley called Dr. Esernio-Jenssen "overzealous in her diagnosis of medical child abuse," and called for a third-party investigation, according to ABC6. One week later, the health system named a new director to the Child Advocacy Center. Dr. Esernio-Jenssen is still listed as a rotation leader in LVHN's child protection department.

Several other lawsuits have been filed with similar claims against Dr. Esernio-Jenssen and LVHN, according to the local news networks. The plaintiffs say their children were diagnosed with rare medical conditions; one mother says her son was diagnosed with "mitochondrial disorder" around the age of 3.

Francis Alexander Malofiy, the attorney representing the families  famous for suing Led Zeppelin for copyright infringement on "Stairway to Heaven"  said that when caretakers fought to regain custody of their children, their children were returned and the cases were closed. The courts did not adjudicate and offer a ruling.

"There's no, 'I'm sorry.' It's just 'alright. We'll let you go. Bye,'" Mr. Malofiy told ABC6. "What are they doing? They're never going to court and making their claim. They're never sitting through cross-examination, they actually bail out with their tail between their legs."

A spokesperson for LVHN told Becker's the system cannot comment on specific details of active litigation, but shared the following statement on Feb. 20: "At Lehigh Valley Health Network, we are guided by our mission to heal, comfort, and care for the people of our community. As health care professionals, we bear the responsibility of keeping children safe and healthy, which includes reviewing and reporting suspicions of child abuse and neglect. Like all healthcare providers and caregivers in Pennsylvania, we are required by law to report suspected child abuse and we take this responsibility seriously. Early recognition of abuse can be lifesaving and our clinicians remain committed to caring for and protecting our patients."

The case bears similarities to a recent lawsuit against Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg, Fla., popularized by the Netflix documentary "Take Care of Maya." When Maya Kowalski was 10, her family took her to the hospital for chronic pain caused by a diagnosis of complex regional pain syndrome, or CRPS.

Beata Kowalski, Maya's mother, was suspected of Munchausen syndrome by proxy after demanding ketamine treatment for her daughter. Maya was held at the hospital under state custody from October 2016 to January 2017, at which point Beata took her own life. Maya was released to her family later that month.

The Kowalski family prevailed in the highly publicized lawsuit, which went to trial in September. Johns Hopkins has been ordered to pay $213.5 million after the jury found that the hospital falsely imprisoned and battered Maya, and caused emotional distress to the Kowalski family.

In November, Maya filed a criminal complaint against the hospital, alleging sexual abuse. Greg Anderson, her attorney, told the media that "physician or a person appearing to be a physician" entered her hospital room in October 2016 and sexually abused her.

K. Alicia Schulhof, the hospital's president, recently spoke out in defense of the providers named in the case.

"What I want you to know is how proud I am  and, I hope, how proud you all can be  for having providers that stand up for the most vulnerable kids," Ms. Schulhof said. "They have a duty and a responsibility, and, frankly, their license is on the line if they don't report suspected child abuse and neglect."

In the LVHN lawsuit, a case management conference is scheduled for Feb. 22.
Over the last five years, Aurora, Colo.-based UCHealth has sued its patients 15,710 times for money that they owe to the health system, The Colorado Sun reported Feb. 19.

The findings come from an investigation conducted by 9News and The Colorado Sun in partnership with KFF Health News and the Colorado News Collaborative.

The investigation also revealed that many of the lawsuits have been kept from public scrutiny due to UCHealth working with collection companies that file the lawsuits under their names, not the nonprofit health system's name.

"They are essentially deliberately using those third-party collection agencies to obscure the fact that they are the ones suing the patients," Adam Fox, deputy director of the Colorado Consumer Health Initiative, a consumer advocacy group that helps patients in disputes over medical bills, told The Colorado Sun. "It makes it really hard for the patient to untangle."

In five years, the health system has filed an average of 3,142 lawsuits annually, or more than eight daily.

"UCHealth's billing practices are in line with the policies of most health care providers across the nation," a spokesperson for UCHealth said in a statement shared with Becker's. "We offer extensive financial assistance resources, and we reach out to patients numerous times offering to screen them for assistance. Sending an account to collections is always a last resort."

UCHealth is a $6 billion organization with more than 30,000 employees that comprises a network of hospitals, clinics and practices throughout Colorado. It cares for around 3 million patients a year.

"More than 99.9% of our patients either pay their bills or receive financial assistance with no involvement of a court," the spokesperson said. "We depend on reimbursements to provide health care to our patients and support our employees."

The investigation found that the health system "assigns" one of its two debt collectors the debt without claiming the debt ownership. The debt collector will then file the lawsuits against the patients in its name, which can be nondescript.

Through whatever money comes from the lawsuit, the debt collector gets a cut and the rest is returned to UCHealth. UCHealth collects around $5 million yearly from lawsuits, representing 0.07% of its received net patient revenue from 2023, the health system told The Colorado Sun.

The health system is seeing a rise in uncompensated care, along with lower Medicare and Medicaid payment rates. It provided $580 million in uncompensated care in fiscal year 2023, which is a more than $200 million increase from 2019, the publication reported.

"I can tell you it is a common practice," Cooper Melmed, chief legal officer for UCHealth, told the publication on the lawsuits. "I don't think UCHealth is an outlier here. We're not an outlier in the number, and we're not an outlier in the way to go about this."

In 2022, KFF Health News found around two-thirds of hospital policies across the U.S. allow them to either sue or take other legal action against patients, including garnishing wages. However, some health systems, including several in Colorado, do not sue patients, according to the report. New York recently proposed a policy to prevent state-owned hospitals from suing their patients who meet certain income requirements over medical debt.






Roctavian held promise of treating hemophilia A, but has only been used for one patient since its approval in June 2023, Bloomberg reported Feb. 20.

Made by BioMarin Pharmaceutical, the therapy marked the company's first moves into gene therapies that seek to correct genetic conditions and treat inherited disorders. But, Roctavian so far hasn't taken off commercially, and did not live up to its expected promise of bringing in $100 million for the pharmaceutical company in 2023.

BioMarin isn't alone, though. Several drugmakers have struggled to see gene therapies take off in recent years, according to Bloomberg.

A major barrier for many companies in the space is sheer cost to develop these advanced medical therapies. Though the Biden administration and CMS announced Jan. 30 plans to bring down prices for gene edited therapies, progress will take time.

The number of patients being treated with the existing gene therapies that are approved and available on the market is expected to decline year over year by nearly 33%, according to Bloomberg. Spending on these solutions is also expected to decrease by $4.3 million in 2024.

In the meantime, BioMarin is also looking at enhancing the effectiveness of Roctavian's long-term benefits so patients and providers can avoid needing any further treatments in the future.

The company is still standing behind its gene therapy solution, noting to Bloomberg that it is still "encouraged by the high level of interest in Roctavian from patients, physicians, patient advocacy groups, hemophilia treatment centers and payers."
How NI businessman became one of luxury hotels most sought-after workers: They say Im fussy...

Antrims Gerald Hughes, of GH Decor, has earned a coveted UK-wide award for work on Slieve Donards 16m refurbishment and now has his sights on the prestigious Savoy hotel in London

Gerald Hughes and his GH Decor team outside the Slieve Donard

Gareth Hanna Tue 20 Feb 2024 at 08:00

Hes not long finished working on the 16m renovation of the Slieve Donard hotel in Co Down, for which hes become the first NI decorator to land a coveted UK-wide award.
Administrators for the business said seven of its shops would shut their doors for good on Tuesday (James Manning/PA)

The Body Shop is set to shut nearly half of its 198 UK shops after the cosmetics chain fell into administration last week.

It will also cut around 270 head office jobs as part of a heavy restructuring, leaving it with around 400 workers at its London headquarters.

The group also employs around 1,500 workers across its UK shops, with hundreds of these workers expected to face redundancy as a result of the proposed closures.

Administrators for the business said seven of its shops will shut their doors for good on Tuesday.

The Body Shop, founded in 1976, was one of the first companies to promote so-called ethical consumerism (James Manning/PA)

It confirmed the closure of its stores at Surrey Quays London, Oxford Street London, Canary Wharf London, Cheapside London, Nuneaton, Ashford town centre Kent and Queens Road Bristol.

The groups other stores will continue to trade until further updates from insolvency experts overseeing the process.

Administrators from FRP Advisory said in a statement: After years of unprofitability and following a full evaluation of The Body Shops UK business, the joint administrators have concluded that the current store portfolio mix is no longer viable.

This swift action will help re-energise The Body Shops iconic brand and provide it with the best platform to achieve its ambition to be a modern, dynamic beauty brand that is able to return to profitability and compete for the long term.

The company hired administrators, who will assess offers for the brand and its assets, after years of financial struggles and amid a challenging backdrop for shoppers.

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The retailer was founded in 1976 by Anita Roddick and her husband Gordon as one of the first companies to promote so-called ethical consumerism, focusing on ethically produced cosmetics and skincare products.

The dramatic overhaul comes only weeks after new owners, European private equity firm Aurelius, took control of the business.

Aurelius, which specialises in buying and turning around troubled firms, secured a 207 million deal in November to buy The Body Shop from Brazilian cosmetics giant Natura & Co.

It only took control of operations officially on January 1.

Aurelius agreed a deal late last month to sell the companys operations in most of mainland Europe and in parts of Asia to an international family office in a decisive step towards delivering a strong turnaround strategy at The Body Shop.
Everything that the public is going to see happened... it has to be true

Hot on the heels of lightning rod drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office, ITV has released another massive drama  which is filmed in Belfast.

Set in the wards of a London hospital during the start of the Covid-19 crisis, Breathtaking follows Abbey Henderson (Joanne Froggatt), a doctor who finds herself and her team battling a disease unlike everything theyve ever seen before.

Though many of the shows most shocking moments will already be familiar to viewers  releasing elderly patients to care homes without Covid tests, for instance  Breathtaking also examines some things that might make for unwelcome new information.

Joanne Froggatt as Abbey in Breathtaking

Appropriately for a show all about doctors, Breathtaking was actually written by three of them: Jed Mercurio (yes, the man behind Line of Duty), Prasanna Puwanarajah and Rachel Clarke. Clarke still works as a doctor today, while Mercurio and Puwanarajah have both since left the profession (though both volunteered to come back and help during the pandemic).

The show itself is adapted from her novel Breathtaking, which detailed Clarkes experience (and the experience of others) of working in the UKs hospitals during the Covid-19 outbreak.

According to Clarke, she went into the writers room with one goal in mind. Everything that the public is going to see on screen, it has to be true, it has to have happened in some shape or form, to a real patient, to a real doctor, to a real nurse, she says.

We will disguise it; there will be composite cases. But it has to be true, so that the public can trust us. And they can know that every single scene that they watch has unfolded for real inside those closed hospital doors.

That includes inserting real-life new clips of Boris Johnson, Matt Hancock et al into the show: I guess we wanted to always be reflecting the story that all of us knew already, which is essentially from our locked down TV screens: it was those press conferences, Puwanarajah says.

So we wanted the drama of the inside story, the bit that we dont know, to constantly be referencing the stuff that we do know, so that we could really allow those two strands [to] just show the divergence between what was actually happening, and what we were being told.

Many of those scenes are harrowing. One of Breathtakings saddest moments is when Abbeys colleague Divina gets sick as a result of her work  and ends up in intensive care herself.

Bhav Joshi as Ant

According to Clarke, this was not uncommon: many NHS staff become seriously sick, and some died, as a result of contracting the virus in hospitals.

Every single person I know in the health service, that works in a hospital intensive care has ended up caring for at least one, probably multiple, members of staff who we are pretty certain caught their Covid while at work in the same environments we were working in, and then subsequently were cared for by their colleagues until they died, she said.

And of course, that is just the most harrowing thing to go through. And it feels it feels so wrong, that the person who is dying in your intensive care is dying because of the choices they made to try and stop other people dying. They chose to go to work and put themselves in the line of fire.

Over the course of Breathtaking, we see doctors calling the relatives of people who are dying on the wards, either to tell them that their loved ones arent going to pull through, or that theyve already died.

That, according to Clarke, was just the tip of the iceberg. The tragedy of Covid was that it wrenched people apart at the one moment they needed to be close, she said. For example, in the hospital car park, every day when I went in, you would see a handful of cars, parked sitting with somebody in the front seat, just staring motionless out of the windscreen at the hospital.

They were relatives and they had literally physically got as close as they possibly could to their loved one who was on the other side, and maybe I would see them that day as they died. So everybody inside the hospital had this extraordinary weight of responsibility.

That involved connecting people to their loved ones via phone calls, iPads or video messages. We had to be their proxy... we had to hold the patients, so they were not alone at the end of life, she said: something that took a huge emotional toll on the staff.

One thing that quickly becomes clear at the start of the crisis is how little PPE there was for the people working on the hospital wards. In Breathtaking, Dr Ant Vyas (Bhav Joshi) raids the storage facilities in search of facemasks when a supervisor tells him he isnt allowed any, while the nurses try and make themselves makeshift PPE from binbags.

Joseph Charles as Archie Williams

According to Clarke, its true  and whats worse is seeing politicians claiming it isnt.

What is intolerable is having to turn on your television and hear Matt Hancock or Boris Johnson or Jenny Harries from Public Health England, stating categorically that there were no problems with PPE, when every single person who works in Covid knows thats a downright lie, Clarke says.

And that those narratives are still now being repeated to the actual National Covid Inquiry just takes my breath away how dare a politician acclaim the NHS as heroes on the one hand because it makes they think it might make them popular in the public to do so, while simultaneously lying about the fact that NHS and care workers have died because they didnt have proper PPE.

Be honest with the population, because you dont get through a pandemic as individuals, you get through it together collectively. You have to trust each other. You have to trust the government thats leading you. And you cant do that if the governments lying.

As the Covid outbreak progresses, the staff on the palliative care ward start to suffer serious mental health problems of their own.

Jules (Jodie McNee) breaks down in tears as she talks about her nightmares, while Ant has a panic attack on the stairwell on the way home from work.

We found the inhumanity of the dying almost unbearable, Clarke said. To this day, if I ask any colleagues what their Covid experience was like, almost without exception, within a minute or two they start to cry.

And this will be a grizzled A&E doctor, or someone who has worked on ICU for 20 years and theyre hard as nails.

The trauma that exists today, four years since the pandemic started, amongst NHS staff is astonishing.

Breathtaking is streaming now on ITVX

 Evening Standard
The former James Bond star was accused of going off-limits last November

Steamboat Geyser, the tallest geyser in the world and located in Norris Basin, is active on September 21, 2022, in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. (Photo by George Rose/Getty Images)

Pierce Brosnan at the Art Miami VIP Opening in Miami, Florida on December 5, 2023. (Photo by Manny Hernandez/Getty Images)

Pierce Brosnan has pleaded not guilty to charges of walking in a restricted area of Yellowstone National Park.

The 70-year-old star, who famously played James Bond across four movies, was accused of hiking through off-limits thermal areas near Mammoth Hot Springs on 1 November last year.

That would have violated several closures in the northern part of Yellowstone, near the Wyoming-Montana border.

On 4 January, Mr Brosnans lawyer Karl Knuchel filed court documents to the US District Court of Wyoming issuing not guilty pleas to two charges made against the Irish actor.

Mr Knuchel also requested a cancellation of the scheduled hearing on January 23 to be replaced with a status conference, which was approved by the US magistrate judge, with US outlets reporting it had been rescheduled for 20 February.

Mammoth Hot Springs is a scenic tourist spot with hot springs alongside travertine terraces, while going out of bounds can prove dangerous with water at or near boiling point.

The thermal areas refer to Yellowstones famous geysers, hot springs, gas vents, and other dangerous but fascinating phenomena borne of its location on top of a gigantic underground reserve of searing molten rock.

Steamboat Geyser, the tallest geyser in the world and located in Norris Basin, is active on September 21, 2022, in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. (Photo by George Rose/Getty Images)

The park, which was the first ever national park established in the US, sits within a crater made by the massive Yellowstone Supervolcano around 600,000 years ago and includes roughly half of all known hydrothermal features in the world.

The National Park Service warns tourists to stay on boardwalks and trails lest they become one of the 20 people who have died from burns after taking a dip in or falling into one of Yellowstones hot springs.

Pierce Brosnan at the Art Miami VIP Opening in Miami, Florida on December 5, 2023. (Photo by Manny Hernandez/Getty Images)

Boardwalks and trails protect you and delicate thermal formations. Water in hot springs can cause severe or fatal burns, and scalding water underlies most of the thin, breakable crust around hot springs, the service says on its website.

Mr Brosnan was born in Drogheda in Ireland in 1953 and had his breakthrough as an actor with the British spy series Remington Steele in the 1980s, before being cast as James Bond beginning with 1995s Goldeneye.

He played Bond from 1995 to 2002, before Daniel Craig took over the role. He also starred in the 1980s TV series Remington Steele and is also known for appearing in the films Mrs Doubtfire, The Thomas Crown Affair and Mamma Mia!.

Last year, Mr Brosnan unveiled a deeply personal series of paintings in his first solo art exhibition.

Additional reporting by Press Association
Joanna Lumley reads a poem during the United With Ukraine show, an event for the Ukrainian refugee community in London, to mark two years since the Russian invasion, at the Palace Theatre in London (Aaron Chown/PA)

People in the UK sometimes dont know how to focus their help for Ukraine, Dame Joanna Lumley has suggested as she read a poem at a theatre event to mark the second anniversary of Russias invasion of the country.

The 77-year-old joined more than 1,000 others at Londons Palace Theatre for an evening which featured performances by Ukrainian poets, a ballerina and musicians in a show of support for the war-torn country as it continues to fight Russian President Vladimir Putins army.

The actress read the English translation of a poem by Ukrainian poet and medic Yuliia Paievska, who was imprisoned by Russian soldiers between March and June 2022.

The Absolutely Fabulous star told the PA news agency afterwards: The house was packed, it was extraordinary, there was a great feeling of unity.

Dame Joanna Lumley and Ukrainian medic Yuliia Paievska read a poem during the United With Ukraine show, an event for the Ukrainian refugee community in London, to mark two years since the Russian invasion, at the Palace Theatre in London (Aaron Chown/PA)

I think the important thing about the world, which is very fragmented, is that if you see how strong people are together, it weakens the opposition.

When asked if Britons were doing enough to support Ukraine, she said: If somebody said collect milk bottles or something like that, or collect tin cans, we would all do it all the time, but sometimes its too nebulous and people dont know how to focus their aid.

I know that this country stands absolutely behind Ukraine and we long for what will happen.

Ms Paievska told PA: Before we went on stage, she (Dame Joanna) told me that she is with Ukraine with her whole heart.

Its a big honour for me to do this with Joanna and the reason for that is that Joanna is a symbol of Britain and a symbol of classic Britain, and everything that Britain stands for.

Its been an absolutely fantastic event and its fantastic because its very honest and beautiful, and its proven the unity of three nations.

I am often asked if our friends in the West have gotten tired of what is happening in Ukraine and supporting us, and this is proof to the fact that they have not.

Actor Brian Cox appeared earlier in the show, where he read Poem About a Crow by Victoria Amelina  a poet, novelist, essayist and human rights activist who died aged 37 from injuries sustained in a Russian missile strike on Kramatorsk  and then told Mr Putin to f*** off after the reading.

Brian Cox reads a poem during the United With Ukraine show (Aaron Chown/PA)

US ambassador to the UK Jane Hartley said in her opening remarks that Mr Putins Russia cannot go unpunished in the aftermath of opposition leader Alexei Navalnys death in a prison north of the Arctic Circle.

Speaking to PA before the performances, Ms Hartley insisted the narrative about the Wests continued support for Ukraine is much too negative and that the US can provide totally reliable support.

She added: I think the US is totally relied on in terms of Ukrainian support. Weve given 75 billion dollars in support of them, and President Biden has made it very clear that he is supporting Ukraine to the end. Hes made it very clear that he thinks Ukraine can win.

Sometimes I think the narrative gets much too negative. We have seen what they have done, weve seen what they did in the Black Sea just last week, weve seen the number of casualties on the Russian side. The Ukrainians are brave, theyre courageous and theyre tough.

Were going to support them, the world is supporting them, our allies are supporting them and this fight will go on, Im an optimist.

You guys (the UK) have been a fantastic ally, and we have worked together on everything. It really is the special relationship.

The evening also featured a speech by Attorney General Victoria Prentis, whose daughter lived in Kyiv before the war, and who took in one of her friends as a refugee.

Ukrainian rock star Svyatoslav Vakarchuk, Songs for Ukraine and the Royal Opera House quartet perform the Ukrainian national anthem during the United With Ukraine show (Aaron Chown/PA)

She said: Thats why we are determined to ensure that we and our allies will support Ukraine for as long as it takes.

Ukrainian rock star Svyatoslav Vakarchuk, who has recently returned from performing for soldiers on the front line, told PA following his performance that Britons are friends of his country not only in their words but also in actions.

He added: There are a lot of countries, there are a lot of people around the world who express their support but very few of them prove it not only with words but also with deeds.

The UK and British people are among those who are friends not only in their words but also in actions.

The war in Ukraine is still taking place and we dont see the light at the end of the tunnel, so its important to continue spreading the word about Ukraine, raise awareness, remind people that its not over.

The fact that Ukraine probably is not the main headline news as it was two years ago doesnt mean that everything is over. I can cite here the famous saying of the legendary Winston Churchill, and I think thats the situation that we can describe in Ukraine.

Its not the end, its not the end of the beginning but its probably the beginning of the end.
Adverse Childhood Experiences: What are they and how do they affect our mental health?

According to a recent study, the majority of the Irish population has suffered at least one adverse childhood event, which can have lasting effects  but there are ways to reduce their impact

Stay attuned and present to your childs needs. Photo: Getty Images

Suzanne Harrington Tue 20 Feb 2024 at 08:35

Most of us will have experienced some kind of trauma or adversity during the course of our lives. However, when these experiences of trauma and adversity happen in childhood  ACEs, or Adverse Childhood Experiences  the consequences can be longer lasting, shaping our long-term responses to everyday life situations.
A west Belfast man who claimed he became involved in the drugs trade due to a lockdown-linked downturn in his income as a taxi driver was jailed today.

Sean Adams was handed a 32-month sentence, which was divided equally between prison and licence.

As she passed sentence on the dad-of-four, Judge Sandra Crawford said his role was one of a "transporter and storeman" in a "wholesale operation."

Belfast Crown Court heard that on April 3, 2023 police searched a caravan in Carnlough which was owned by Adams, of Lagmore Avenue, and his partner.

During the search, bags of cannabis and cocaine were located along with gloves and sets of scales.

A total of 1.2 kilos of high-purity cocaine was seized, as was 13.4 kilos of cannabis and 1.47 kilos of benzocaine.

The estimated street value of the cocaine amounted to between 95,000 and 140,000 whilst the cannabis was worth between 130,000 and 200,000.

Adams home was also searched and 4,000 was seized with what the judge described as "several expensive watches."

Following his arrest, Adams told police the drugs were his and his partner knew nothing about them.

During his interview, he didn't divulge where he got the drugs from, refused to provide a PIN for his phone and answered 'no comment' when questioned about who he was working with and whether he was acting under duress.

In a later interview with probation, Adams claimed he became involved as he was struggling financially due to the downturn in his income as a taxi driver caused by lockdown.

He also told the probation officer he became "caught up" in the financial benefits the criminality brought.

Adams subsequently pleaded guilty to five charges including possessing both cocaine and cannabis with intent to supply, and possessing criminal property in the form of 4,000 and several luxury watches.

Read more Raunchy scenes at the Devenish split the opinions of Belfast locals

The judge said she considered defence submissions which spoke of Adams settled home life, his time on remand since last his arrest last April, admissions of guilt and an absence of any relevant offending.

She said she had also taken into account Adams efforts to "bring about positive change" whilst in custody which includes passing drug tests and engaging in various courses.

As she imposed the sentence, Judge Crawford told Adams: "The substantial quantities and value of the drugs recovered demonstrates that a significant level of trust was reposed in you by those for whom you were working."

Adding that given the serious nature of the offending the custody threshold was clearly met, the judge handed Adams a 32-month sentence and granted a Crown application to destroy all the drugs seized.

Following the sentencing, PSNI Detective Inspector Maguire said: I hope that this investigation and the fact that Mr Adams has been brought before the court offers reassurance that we, along with partner organisations, remain committed to disrupting the activities of those involved with illegal drugs.

The efforts are in keeping with Operation Dealbreaker  thats our organisational commitment to tackle every aspect of drug misuse across Northern Ireland, and that includes its harrowing impact on the lives and relationships of local people.

Were grateful to the public for their continued support and would ask anyone with information, or concerns, to contact us on 101.
A Co Down woman appeared in court today accused of defrauding more than 50,000 from the Orange Order.

Appearing at Newtownards Magistrates Court, Lorraine Hunter (52) confirmed she was aware of the three charges against her and that she had no objection to the case being sent to the Crown court.

On an indictment covering a time span from January 13, 2015, to July 9, 2020, Hunter, from the Circular Road in Ards, faces single charges of theft, forgery and false accounting.

The charges allege that Hunter stole 50,180, being the total proceeds of a number of cheques made out to you, belonging to the trustees of Mary Street Orange Hall, that she forged cheques and also that, with a view to make a gain for herself, she destroyed, defaced, concealed or falsified certain account records or documents [for two accounts] belonging to the Orange Hall Renovation Fund which had been made or required for an accounting purpose.

None of the alleged facts surrounding the charges were opened in court but a prosecution lawyer submitted there was a prima facie case against the alleged fraudster, which was conceded by defence solicitor Leo Morrison.

The defendant herself declined to exercise her right to comment on the charges or to call evidence to court on her own behalf.

Sending the case to Downpatrick Crown Court but not fixing a date for the arraignment, District Judge Mark Hamill freed Hunter on her own bail of 300, conditional to residing at her home and that she does not contact prosecution witnesses.
Police have linked Aidan OKeefe and Fergal Kane to the murder (Brian Lawless/PA)

Two men charged with the murder of Kevin Conway in west Belfast are pressing prosecutors to provide more information on how they are allegedly linked to the shooting, a court heard today.

Aidan OKeefe, 27, and Fergal Kane, 53, are jointly accused of the killing carried out at the victims home last month.

The pair were due to mount legal bids to be released on bail at Belfast Magistrates Court.

But their applications were put on hold after defence representatives confirmed they want the Public Prosecution Service to disclose further details.

Barrister JonPaul Shields said: We have requested additional information from the PPS to allow us to understand the nature of the case against these accused.

That is being looked at at the moment, but the material isnt immediately available.

Mr Conway, 26, was shot multiple times in his flat at Rossnareen Park on January 9.

Kevin Conway

He had been associated with notorious crime gang The Firm and was on bail for the murder of Shane Whitla in Lurgan, Co Armagh in January 2023.

Police have revealed that he was gunned down just minutes after sending his partner a message to say he was relaxing at home on the Playstation.

The killers are believed to have entered the property and opened fire with a shotgun and a pistol.

OKeefe and Kane, whose addresses in Belfast cannot be reported, also both face a further charge of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life.

The pair allegedly travelled in convoy by van and car to the scene of the assassination, a previous court heard.

Recap: Who was Kevin Conway ?

Detectives claim they can be connected by CCTV evidence, a vehicle tracking device and registration plate sightings on the night of the murder.

OKeefe left the Royal Victoria Hospital earlier that evening and drove his Toyota Proace work van through a number of streets in the west of the city before linking up with Kanes BMW car, according to the police case.

The vehicles allegedly parked up a short distance from the victims home before two masked men in dark clothing got out and walked towards the property.

Based on CCTV footage and GPRS tracking data, the van and car then left the area and split up.

Two suspected gunmen were also observed walking on foot in the neighbourhood for a period after the shooting.

Kanes BMW was seized and forensically examined as part of the investigation.

Initial tests revealed three particles indicative of possible cartridge discharge residue were located on the drivers seat, front passenger footwell and in the boot of the car.

It was claimed that three men made a subsequent attempt to get rid of the work van but were chased off by plain-clothes police officers keeping the vehicle under observation.

A lawyer for OKeefe and Kane has already challenged the strength of the evidence to connect both accused to the charges.

He argued that number plates cannot be read on some of the relevant recordings and described CCTV footage taken from bus shelters as being of poor quality.

Now the defence is seeking further disclosures from the prosecution before attempting to have the two accused released on bail.

District Judge Steven Keown agreed to adjourn the case for two weeks.
Leading loyalist Winston Irvine to face trial over guns and ammo find in boot of his car

PUP member (48), along with his co-accused Robin Workman (52), deny the charges

Winston Irvine

Allison Morris Tue 20 Feb 2024 at 07:04

High-profile loyalist Winston Winkie Irvine is to stand trial for allegedly having guns and ammunition in the boot of his car.
No credible new evidence of police collusion has emerged to justify any revived investigation into a double sectarian murder allegedly linked to former loyalist terror chief Johnny Adair, the Court of Appeal ruled today.

Senior judges rejected claims that a legal test required to further probe the killing of two Catholic council workers had been met.

James Cameron, 54, and Mark Rodgers, 28, were gunned down by the UFF at their work depot on Kennedy Way, west Belfast in October 1993.

The double murder was carried out three days after 10 people died in a notorious IRA attack on the citys Shankill Road.

Mr Camerons son, Colm Cameron, mounted a legal challenge amid suspected security force involvement with the loyalist unit responsible for the shootings.

He claimed police have failed to complete a proper investigation into his fathers death which complied with Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

In an appeal after the case was dismissed at the High Court, the three-judge panel heard the killings occurred amid heightened tensions over the Shankill Road attack.

They were told that a book on Adair contained allegations he informed police of plans for mass murder in response to the IRA bombing.

Counsel for Mr Camerson argued that no apparent action was taken to monitor the loyalist boss or his UFF C Company unit.

The court heard that the Kennedy Way depot was an obvious potential target because of its Catholic workforce.

Issues were raised about why a vehicle checkpoint was stood down an hour before the gunmen arrived without any proper explanation, and the apparent failure to disrupt C Company when retaliation for the Shankill bomb was likely.

In 1995 Adair, nicknamed Mad Dog, was convicted of directing terrorism and sentenced to 16 years in prison, only to be released early as part of the Good Friday Agreement.

An internal power struggle eventually led to him being ousted and expelled from the paramilitary organisation in 2002.

Further concerns were raised that the gun used to kill the council workers was part of an arsenal of rifles allegedly smuggled into Northern Ireland from Lebanon by British agent Brian Nelson.

In 2012 the now defunct Historical Enquiries Team (HET) carried out a review into the killings, but no report was provided to Mr Camerons family before the investigation branch disbanded.

Mr Cameron claimed unlawful failures to release those findings and a breach of an Article 2 duty which only came into force in October 2000.

Under the so-called Brecknell legal test, fresh plausible or credible information about perpetrators was required to establish any retrospective investigative obligations over murders carried out seven years prior to that date.

Resisting the legal action, police set out how two people were charged, convicted and jailed in connection to the attack  including a man who admitted both murders and UFF membership.

A senior PSNI detective also stated that during the original investigation 60 suspects were interviewed, 16 arrests made and fingerprints checked against 78 people believed to be associated with the loyalist paramilitary grouping

Searches were also carried out at 27 houses across Belfast, with clothing, shoes, books and a car seized for forensic analysis.

Ruling on the challenge, Lady Chief Justice Dame Siobhan Keegan backed the PSNIs case there was no credible evidence of collusion.

In our view this is a valid submission, she said.

Dame Siobhan held that a state of knowledge of potential collusion in Northern Ireland cannot establish a valid claim for reviving the investigative obligation by itself.

A generalised claim that collusion may have occurred in other cases cannot be read across to meet the test in this specific case, she added.

Similarly, the trial judge could not rely on a book recounting claims of what actions individuals might take following the Shankill Road bombing.

Dismissing Mr Camerons appeal, the Chief Justice concluded: We are sympathetic to the family of the appellant who have suffered, as many families have suffered, because of the Troubles and who are keen to obtain as much information as possible regarding the tragic death of their loved one.

However, we must apply the law when assessing whether there should be a revival of the investigative obligation.

Having done so we must reject the appellants arguments and affirm the decision of the trial judge.

Outside court, Mr Camerons solicitor, Kevin Winters, said: Whilst disappointing, this is a welcome reassessment on whats needed to establish a fresh Troubles related investigation.

Mr Winters added: Given the UK Governments looming Legacy Act it wont be too long before bereaved families are deprived of the chance for judicial oversight on Troubles cases.

That will be a sorry day for all conflict-bereaved.
Armed police made the arrests in the Turf Lodge area of west Belfast in the early hours of Monday morning. Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph.

Two men were remanded in custody today accused of targeting shops in west Belfast for armed robberies.

Sean Paul Fisher, 38, and John McKissock, 21, appeared at the citys Magistrates Court in connection with alleged raids on two convenience stores on Sunday.

Police said masked men armed with knives threatened a member of staff at premises on the corner of Rockville Street and the Falls Road before making off empty-handed.

Fifteen minutes later two men carrying blades reportedly issued threats at a shop on Iveagh Street and then took a quantity of cash and cigarettes.

Fisher, of Norglen Crescent in Belfast, and McKissock, of no fixed abode, were arrested as part of the investigation into the two incidents.

Watch: Armed Response officers make arrests in west Belfast after double knifepoint robbery

They are jointly charged with robbery and attempted robbery.

Both men face a further count of possessing an offensive weapon, namely a large red knife, with intent to commit robbery.

A PSNI officer said they could be connected to the alleged offences.

Neither accused applied for bail during the brief hearing.

District Judge Steven Keown remanded them in custody to appear again by video-link on March 8.
The intervention comes after UK Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said schools in England have been given new guidance intended to stop the use of mobile phones by pupils during school hours

The group representing head teachers here has dismissed the idea of officials following new guidance issued in Westminster around banning mobile phones in classrooms.

The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) said its members already have comprehensive guidelines in place for dealing with the use of phones in school. It added that priorities must be on addressing concerns over funding in education which have plunged the school network into crisis.

The intervention comes after the UK Education Secretary, Gillian Keegan, said schools in England have been given new guidance intended to stop the use of mobile phones by pupils during school hours.

The Government said the move was part of a plan to minimise disruption and improve behaviour in classrooms.

It added that many schools had already banned phones and the change would ensure consistency to reset the social norm that there is no place for mobile phones in our schools all the way through the school day.

Ms Keegan said there was currently a mixed picture on policy, with some schools allowing use of mobiles during break times and others having an outright ban.

We would consider what more needed to be done if it (the guidance) did not work, she added.

The guidance sets out a number of examples to illustrate how a phone-free environment could be achieved.

These include a total ban on phones on schools premises, or rules requiring that phones are handed in at the start of the day.

It also says schools could allow pupils to keep possession of their phones but only on the strict condition that they are never used, seen, or heard during the day.

Dr Graham Gault, NAHT national secretary for Northern Ireland, said there should be no need for officials here to start meddling with guidance that already exists for schools.

Every school in Northern Ireland will already have a comprehensive policy around the use of mobile phones and other devices in schools, as well as procedures to deal with issues that arise, he said.

School leaders would much rather that Government minds were directed towards resolving the very significant issues that are keeping our schools in crisis, such as school funding, SEN provision, workload and the crumbling school estate.

Its also been warned that any plans to enforce the rule in schools could be counter-productive.

Justin McCamphill, NASUWT national official for Northern Ireland, said any move to bring in a phone ban will have little effect on the behavioural problems they are trying to address and are simply diverting attention from the real issues teachers are facing.

If the Government introduces blanket bans that are unenforceable, this will make the behaviour crisis worse, not better, he said.

Teachers across the country would welcome more support around dealing with the problems caused by social media. But abusive use of mobile phones is not just confined to the classroom and we need to see better support for schools and families when problems arise.

The Government needs to focus on properly supporting the work of teachers and head teachers rather than announcements designed to detract attention from more than a decade of policy failure.

Stormonts Department of Education has been contacted.
The death, three weeks ago, follows the high-profile case of Aoife Johnston, also 16, who died after attending UHL in December 2022

Beautiful, kind and loving  familys devastation after sudden death of teenage girl (16) at Limerick hospital as inquiry is launched

Another inquiry has been launched into the sudden death of a second teenage girl in the Accident and Emergency department of University Hospital Limerick three weeks ago.

The 16-year-old girl died suddenly on January 29, hours after she was rushed to UHL suffering from breathing difficulties.

The girl, a much-loved only child, died in front of her mother in what an informed source described as deeply traumatic circumstances.

It is the latest tragedy under review at UHL following the death of Aoife Johnston (16) from Shannon, Co Clare, in December 2022.

Aoife died after enduring a 12-hour wait on a trolley in the overcrowded A&E in UHL.

The Irish Independent understands that in the latest case the girl had been initially admitted to the resuscitation area but was deemed well enough to be transferred to a trolley in a corridor.

However, her condition deteriorated further and following repeated pleas from her mother, a doctor ordered she be moved back to the packed resuscitation area.

She was placed on a trolley in the middle of the resuscitation room as there was no room in any individual berth.

An informed source said that on arrival in the resuscitation area her condition deteriorated rapidly and her mother made increasingly anguished cries for help.

As medics rushed to revive the teenager, a patient was transferred out of a resuscitation berth and she was moved in to their place. However, prolonged efforts to revive the girl failed.

A source close to the family described the young girl as a beautiful, kind and loving child who brought joy, love and laughter to the lives of her family and friends.

Her mother was totally devoted to her. They adored one another and her mothers loss is unimaginable, a family friend said.

An inquiry has been launched into the circumstances surrounding the tragedy and the care the girl received at the hospital on the day of her death.

The girl was admitted with a severe chest infection in early January. She was treated for over two weeks and was discharged home.

Within days her condition deteriorated and she was rushed back to hospital.

On the day of her death, January 29, University Hospital Limerick was by far the busiest in the country.

Figures released by the Irish Nursing and Midwifery Organisation (INMO) showed 113 patients were waiting for beds at UHL during morning rounds, 54 of those in the emergency department.

Overall 61 more patients were waiting for a bed in Limerick than the next busiest facility, Cork University Hospital, that day.

In a statement to the Irish Independent, UHL Hospital Group offered its sincere condolences to the family on their devastating loss.

We can confirm that a preliminary assessment has been carried out in line with the HSE Incident Management Framework and the findings from this assessment will be shared with the family pending the results of a post-mortem examination, said the statement.

Under the HSE Incident Management Framework, all major incidents are initially put through a preliminary assessment which will then assist in classifying the seriousness of each incident.

When a patient suffers harm it is regarded as a Category 1 incident and will be subject to a review.

In the case of Aoife Johnston, a review into her death at UHL has led to an independent judge-led investigation.

Aoife Johnston (16) from Co Clare died in December 2022 in University Hospital Limerick.

Aoife died from sepsis complications of bacterial meningitis after waiting 12 hours in a severely overcrowded emergency department on December 19, 2022.

An HSE internal review found overcrowding in the hospital was endemic.

The boarding of patients who are deemed ill enough to be admitted to a ward in the emergency department is a planned part of patient flow in UHL, the review said.

It added: There is little apparent understanding of the risks and inefficiencies caused to patient care by a crowded environment by the hospital system in terms of the impact on the emergency medicine doctors assessing and managing patients and the nursing staffs ability to provide safe care.

The use/misuse of the resuscitation area for all monitored interventions leads to crowding and an overemphasis on activity in this area. There are insufficient emergency department nursing staff to provide adequate monitoring and care to the patients in the department.

There are insufficient doctors to care for the numbers and acuity of patients presenting in the timescale expected by the triage system, the hospital and the community.

There is a high turnover of staff, both nursing and emergency medicine junior doctors, which leads to low experience levels and low situational awareness.

In the week following the teenagers death in January, UHL experienced the worst overcrowding in its history.

On February 7, a record 150 patients who were deemed ill enough to be admitted were left on trolleys or chairs without a hospital bed at UHL.

On January 31, as the teenagers devastated family and friends planned to say their final goodbye Health Minister Stephen Donnelly addressed the Select Health Committee.

Minister Donnelly defended the Governments handling of the overcrowding crisis in Limerick.

It is worth saying the hospital is making very considerable progress on its waiting lists and has been for some time. We need to acknowledge that.

We come back to the question around the trolley situation, put simply, in the ED.

The answer to this is capacity and reform.

Capacity in the hospital is very substantial.

In the lifetime of this Government, there has been an increase in the hospitals workforce, believe it or not, of more than 1,100 staff, which is very substantial.

It has gone from approximately 2,800 staff to 3,900 staff. That is a 40% increase in the hospitals workforce in the lifetime of this Government.

That gives a sense of how much we have invested in that hospital.

This story was edited on January 20, 2024
The Department of Health has began a roll out of a measles vaccination while a man has died 40s has died from the infection in Ireland (Stock image)

The first case of measles has been diagnosed in Northern Ireland for seven years .

An adult was diagnosed with the disease  and the Public Health Agency (PHA) said all close contacts have been notified and public health actions undertaken.

However, for many it will be a worrying time.

The recent death of a man in his 40s after infection with measles in the Republic of Ireland  has sparked questions about this once-common, now vaccine-preventable disease.

Here we have broken down the most common questions about measles.

Read more Irish man (40s) dies after contracting measles

What have health officials said?

Given the high number of cases in the UK and Europe it was expected that Northern Ireland would see cases.

The Public Health Agency, which issued an alert last week, has undertaken preparatory work and implemented a proactive plan to address the emerging threat of measles.

What are measles?

Measles is a highly contagious and potentially serious infectious disease caused by the measles virus. It primarily affects children but can infect anyone without immunity.

The first known diagnosis dates back to the 9th century, when a Persian doctor published one of the first written accounts of measles disease.

According to the Centre for Disease Prevention in 1912, it became a nationally notifiable disease in the United States, requiring US healthcare providers and laboratories to report all diagnosed cases.

In the first decade of reporting, an average of 6,000 measles-related deaths were reported each year.

What causes measles?

Measles is caused by a single-stranded, enveloped RNA virus with 1 serotype, and is formally a member of the genus Morbillivirus in the Paramyxoviridae family.

Its transmitted through the air by coughing, sneezing, or close contact with someone infected. The virus can remain infectious in the air for up to two hours.

Humans are actually the only natural hosts of the measles virus as its not found in animals.

Measles is on the rise  what do you need to know?

How can you tell if you have measles?

Symptoms typically appear 7-14 days after exposure and include:

A high fever

Cough

Runny nose

Watery eyes

Sore throat

Small white spots in the mouth (Koplik spots).

The most common and notable symptom of measles is a rash which typically starts 3-5 days after initial symptoms. It normally appears on the face and hairline, spreading to the rest of the body. It appears as flat red spots that become raised bumps and may join together.

Is there a cure for measles?

No, there is no specific cure. Treatment focuses on relieving symptoms like fever and pain with medication and rest. Most people recover within 7-10 days without complications. Simply, the virus has to run its course.

Are there any complications from measles?

Yes, measles can lead to serious complications, especially in young children and adults without immunity. These include ear infections, pneumonia (serious lung infection, encephalitis (brain inflammation) and even seizures.

Death is rare, but it can happen typically caused by pneumonia.

Chief Medical Officer discusses the importance of the MMR vaccine in preventing measles

Read more Health minister urges parents to vaccinate children against measles

Is there a vaccine for measles?

Yes, in Northern Ireland it is typically given as the MMR Vaccine (measles, mumps and rubella). Children should receive one dose after their first birthday and another when they are aged three years and four months old.

Health trusts and the Public Health Agency across Northern Ireland are now offering catch-up MMR vaccines, with clinics during February and March aimed at ensuring everyone aged from 6 - 25 has received both doses to ensure they are fully protected.

More information can be found here.

Why are so many cases of measles common now?

Misinformation around vaccines has contributed to an increase of measles cases. This means more of the population is now susceptible to infection which can spread.

Experts from around the world, including the World Health Organization (WHO), agree that there is no link between the MMR vaccine and autism

According to the World Health Organisation, a 30-fold rise of measles was detected in Europe in 2023, however, this also included countries where the MMR vaccine was not widely available.

Experts said vaccination is the best way to prevent yourself from getting measles.
Valeria Amorim who was killed in the road crash. Pic: Pacemaker

A woman who died in a crash in Co Fermanagh was six months pregnant.

Valeria Amorim was killed in the accident, which happened on the Boa Island Road near Belleek on Monday evening.

Ms Amorim, who was 28 and from the area, died at the scene.

At approximately 8pm police received a report of a road traffic collision involving a car and three pedestrians.

Two other people were attended to by crews from the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service.

A woman, aged in her 30s, was arrested at the scene and the PSNI confirmed she remains in police custody at this time.

Following the tragic death of Valeria and her unborn child, the Police Service's Collision Investigation Unit also said they are appealing for information and witnesses.

Location: Pregnant woman dies in Belleek RTC

SDLP councillor in the area Adam Gannon issued his sympathies to Ms Amorims family and friends

Im very saddened to hear about the road traffic collision in Belleek, he said.

The loss of a life is always incredibly sad and my thoughts are with the family and all those affected.

Sinn Feins Elaine Brough also offered her sympathies to Valerias loved ones.

"Its just a very sad and sudden tragedy, I wish to pass on my condolences to friends and family, she said.

The UUPs Mark Ovens said the death has widely impacted the whole community where she lived.

"My heart goes out to all the family and friends of Valeria. Every death on our roads is a tragedy, but the loss of a young mum and her unborn child in such horrific circumstances is particularly heart-breaking.

"Belleek is a small and quiet village, located right on the border with Donegal. Incidents like this don't happen very often, but when they do the whole community is left numb.

"Whilst the local area will rally round and do what they can to support those people who knew Valeria best, I would urge anyone who may have any relevant information or dash cam footage to contact the PSNI immediately."

The Northern Ireland Life After bereavement charity also paid tribute to Ms Amorim online, writing: We are saddened to hear of the passing of pedestrian Valeria Amorim yesterday.

"Could everyone please keep the Amorim family in your thoughts and prayers as they come to terms with this traumatic event.

We at Life After offer our deepest sympathies to Valerias family and wish them Gods richest blessings in the days and months ahead with the reassurance that we are there to provide support and assistance if or when required.

Police said on Tuesday morning that Boa Island Road, which was closed following a collision, has now fully reopened.

Anyone with any dash-cam or other footage that could assist with the investigation is asked to contact detectives from the Collision Investigation Unit on 101.
A Belfast-born Irish-Palestinian woman has said she is trapped in Rafah with her parents after the Israeli authorities refused to let them leave together.

Sahad Waleed told the James OBrien show on LBC that her parents have run out of vital medicine.

Although the Irish embassy has already granted Visas for Ms Waleed and her parents to return to the island of Ireland, she said the Israeli authorities won't allow them to cross the border together.

They have been displaced five times since the conflict started, something she said that is the norm for Palestinians living in Gaza, where 1.5million people are packed into Rafa city in the south without access to basic needs.

The UN has issued its own warning that a planned Israeli offensive in the city could lead to a "slaughter".

Ms Waleed said she has been unable to evacuate Gaza since November and was in touch with the Irish embassy in Tel Aviv.

However, it was not an option for her to leave her parents behind who are both over 60 years of age and dependent on her for support.

So I chose to stay in Gaza, but I was trying to get them to evacuate with me because they are on medication and they need to be in safer places, Ms Waleed told LBC radio.

Unfortunately the Israeli authorities informed the Irish embassy that they have rejected my parents names to be on the list given clearance to pass borders, and that was for no specific reason.

The embassy was helpful with us. They have already given them Visas and welcomed them to be in Ireland. They did much effort for that and I really appreciate what they did so far.

The situation in Rafah is worsening, she said, and it is now unliveable, particularly for older people who need medicines.

They cannot find medicine anywhere and she said Israel has prevented aid from entering.

Elaborating on the present conditions Gazans are facing in terms of essentials such food and energy, she added: Thats actually a luxury you cannot find. If you want a shower you have to go through a journey to find water and heat it.

You can hardly find food, people are really suffering here. And that was actually clear, Israel from the first day of war, they are telling people, no food, no electricity, no water, and thats what happened.

People are still trying to find tiny needs for them. For us, its a journey every day to survive and to find another way to survive this genocide.

Ms Waleed said that Israel preventing them from leaving is a clear sign they want them to live and suffer which she described as collective punishment.

She said time is rushing and Israel is not treating it as an emergency because they want to separate families and wont let us leave as a unit.

The Irish Department of Foreign Affairs told LBC it is aware of the case and are providing consular assistance but cannot comment on the details of individual cases.
Paul Givan said he has written to principals at the schools concerned following his decision (Liam McBurney/PA)

New build projects for seven schools have been given the green light.

Capital funding for 28 schools had been announced in March 2022 but was subsequently placed on pause.

Stormont Education Minister Paul Givan announced on Tuesday that he has lifted the pause for a number of schools in the worst condition.

New build projects for Carrickfergus Academy, Loreto College, Coleraine, Dromore High School, Edmund Rice College, Newtownabbey, Portadown College, Mercy College, Belfast, and Malone Integrated College, Belfast, will now progress in planning, Mr Givan has said.

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The minister said he has written to the principals following his decision.

Last week I announced my plans to deliver a modern, fit-for-purpose education system that meets the needs of our society and our pupils in the 21st century, he said.

There is not a moment to lose. That is why to begin this process, integrated consultancy teams will now be appointed to progress this ambitious programme of new build projects for schools in the worst conditions.

He added: There can be no greater investment in our future than investment in education, therefore I will continue to make the case for significant additional capital funding for our schools estate.
DUP MLA Diane Dodds said Northern Ireland had the worst waiting lists in the UK (Niall Carson/PA)

The Stormont executive needs a clear plan to tackle Northern Irelands spiralling hospital waiting lists, MLAs have been told.

DUP MLA Diane Dodds said radical short-term solutions would be needed after pointing out that the proportion of people on waiting lists in Northern Ireland is double that of England.

MLAs are debating a motion which states there is a need to turbo-charge investment toward tackling the waiting list backlog over the remainder of this Assembly term.

Northern Ireland has the worst hospital waiting lists in the UK, with more than a quarter of the population waiting for an inpatient or outpatient appointment.

Opening the debate, Mrs Dodds said many people had lost faith in the services of the NHS.

She said: Tackling this issue is one of the pivotal issues on which the success or failure of this executive will be judged.

The equivalent of 26.3% of the Northern Ireland population is on a waiting list, compared to 12.4% in England.

Addressing Health Minister Robin Swann, Mrs Dodds added: We all know this is not a sustainable position.

We know Northern Ireland has the worst waiting lists in the UK, simply doing a little more or investing a little extra wont make a significant difference.

That is why it is imperative that you and executive colleagues have a clear plan to reduce waiting times.

She said: Northern Ireland can only do so much itself. We must seek to partner on a much larger scale with national or global providers that can work alongside us and provide the additional skilled staff required in the short term as we enhance our own capacity.

Investing in our own staff and infrastructure is my preferred option, but the needs of our waiting lists and the urgent requirement to address capacity will take radical short-term solutions.
MLAs have welcomed the announcement of funding for the Enniskillen bypass.

The proposed Enniskillen bypass will provide a new transport link to the southern side of the town, improving the connection between the A4 Dublin Road and the A4 Sligo Road.

Following the Finance Ministers proposal, the Executive has agreed to provide 16.2 million of capital funding across 2024-25 and 2025-26 and has also agreed that 12.5 million from the Mid South West Growth Deal can be released early.

Infrastructure Minister John ODowd said the scheme is of significant importance to the town of Enniskillen and the surrounding area.

Construction of the A4 Enniskillen Bypass will commence in late spring/early summer 2025.

Fermanagh & South Tyrone MLA Deborah Erskine spoke ahead of an adjournment debate she has secured in the Assembly on the issue.

Mrs Erskine said it was hugely disappointing when 15million UK Government funding for the A4 Southern by-pass was paused last year as a result of the Secretary of States budget decisions.

The restoration of that funding has been accompanied by 16.2million from the NI Executive and 12.5 will be funded from the Mid South West Growth Deal, she added.

This investment will make a significant difference to Enniskillen, which can quickly become congested with traffic and will deliver an economic boost not just to the town, but to the surrounding area.

It is welcome not just that the funding has been announced, but there is a recognition of the need to move quickly in order to avoid costs from increasing further. The campaign on this project has been ongoing for some time, and was taken forward by my predecessor Arlene Foster.

Everyone will warmly welcome the fact that it is now possible to move forward to the procurement stage and I will continue to monitor progress to ensure that we see work commencing on the ground as quickly as possible.

Sinn Fein MLA Jemma Dolan said she is delighted that the infrastructure minister John ODowd has announced that the A4 Enniskillen bypass will go ahead.

This major infrastructure project will be a game-changer for Enniskillen and an economic driver for the wider area, the Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA contined.

Completion of the Enniskillen bypass will make our roads safer, cut journey times and improve connections between the A4 Dublin and Sligo roads.

I look forward to seeing construction starting on this road, and I will continue to work with the minister to see this project completed.

The move to proceed with the project was announced by former SDLP Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon in 2021, committing capital funding for the vesting of lands and advanced works due for completion in September of this year.

The following year, Sinn Feins John ODowd also committed funding to the project in preparation for future procurement.

Given the advanced stage of scheme development, he also proposed the project bid for New Deal funding and 15m was secured in late 2022, subject to the necessary business case approvals by Treasury.
The scene on the Monagh Bypass in west Belfast Credit: PSNI

Three people have been injured following a single vehicle crash in west Belfast in which the car went through a fence and was left on its roof.

Police confirmed the incident happened on the Monagh Bypass at around 12.35pm on Tuesday.

Police, the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service and Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service were all in attendance.

NIAS confirmed those injured were taken from the scene and treated at the Royal Victoria Hospital.

"NIAS despatched three emergency crews to the incident, a spokesperson said.

Following assessment and initial treatment at the scene, three patients were taken by ambulances to Royal Victoria Hospital.

A PSNI spokesperson said: Police received a report of a vehicle on its roof on the Monagh Bypass at around 12.35pm today.

Officers attended the scene of the single vehicle collision alongside colleagues from Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service and Northern Ireland Ambulance Service.

Three people reported injuries which, at this stage, are not thought to be serious.

Enquiries are ongoing and anyone with information or relevant dashcam footage should contact police on 101, quoting reference number 725 of 20/02/24.
There has been a warning of further industrial action in education as a dispute over the pay and grading of school support staff continues (Liam McBurney/PA)

There has been a warning of further industrial action in education as a dispute over the pay and grading of school support staff in Northern Ireland continues.

Trade unions representing workers, including classroom assistants, kitchen staff, bus drivers, cleaners and administrative workers, met with Stormont Education Minister Paul Givan at Stormont on Tuesday.

The GMB Union, which represents more than 3,000 school staff in Northern Ireland, said the minister offered no money for pay.

They said he made it clear that within the current public sector pay budget of 684 million there was nothing to address the pay and grading review for school staff, which has been ongoing since 2018.

GMB said it will consult with members with a view to taking further industrial action.

Regional organiser Jim Donley said his members across the Education Authority are some of the lowest paid in the country.

This news will be another blow to workers who have been campaigning since 2018 for an end to the mismatch between grades and responsibilities, he said.

Previous Stormont Executives have failed to address this  it simply isnt acceptable given the business case has already been agreed between unions and management.

GMB now has no alternative now but to engage with our members with the view to taking further industrial action.

In a statement Mr Givan said he made it clear that the resolution of all industrial action is a priority for me.

I underlined to unions my gratitude for the contribution made by support staff to the education and lives of our children and young people, he said.

Without their outstanding dedication and hard work, those who are most dependent on the services they provide, would not receive the vital support they need and deserve.

I very much regret the serious impact that strike action is having on the education and wellbeing of children and young people across Northern Ireland, most especially those who attend our special schools where the effect is felt most acutely.

He added: I want all staff in the education sector to be paid at a fair level for the job they do, however there are significant costs associated with a resolution of current strike action.

I am committed to resolving the issues around the business case and will be bidding for additional funding in Executives Budget 2024-25 to enable the recommendations from the pay and grading review to be implemented.
Mr McGrath will also visit a number of projects in the city supported by the Governments Reconciliation Fund.

Sinn Feins Caoimhe Archibald has recently been appointed Stormonts Finance Minister (Liam McBurney/PA)

He said: I look forward to engaging with Minister Archibald following her appointment as Minister for Finance in the restored Northern Ireland Executive.

This meeting provides an excellent opportunity to discuss our shared economic interests, the all-island economy and the shared opportunities and challenges we face.

Recent years have brought great uncertainty and challenge in both political and economic terms, but we now have an opportunity  with the Executive restored and greater certainty around key issues such as post-Brexit trade  to maximise the potential of the economic relationships on this island.

There has always been the potential to further develop cross-border trade and recent years have shown what can be achieved  at the start of this decade total trade in goods and services amounted to under five billion euro, while in 2022 this rose to 11.6 billion euro, involving a 15% increase over 2021.

Mr McGrath added: Peace and prosperity remain at the core of our work, and while the focus of my meeting will be on our work for shared prosperity  including in the context of the Shared Island Initiative  I will also take time to visit some projects supported by the Governments Reconciliation Fund devoted to ongoing reconciliation and community work.
Julian Assange is fighting against extradition to the United States (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

Here is a timeline of some key dates spanning more than a decade of legal woes for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

 2010

 August: An arrest warrant is issued for Assange over two separate allegations  one of rape and one of molestation  after he visits Sweden for a speaking trip. He is questioned by police in Stockholm and denies the allegations.

 November: Stockholm District Court approves a request to detain the WikiLeaks founder for questioning on suspicion of rape, sexual molestation and unlawful coercion. An international arrest warrant is issued by Swedish police through Interpol.

 December: Assange presents himself to London police and appears at an extradition hearing where he is remanded in custody. He is later granted conditional bail at the High Court in London after his supporters offer 240,000 in cash and sureties. US President Donald Trump calls for the death penalty for Assange.

Stella Moris outside HMP Belmarsh, south-east London, after her wedding ceremony to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange(Yui Mok/PA) (Yui Mok/PA)

 2011

 February: District Judge Howard Riddle rules that Assange should be extradited to Sweden.

 November: Assange loses a High Court appeal against the decision.

 2012

 May: The UK Supreme Court upholds the High Court decision.

 June 19: Assange enters the Ecuadorian embassy in London, requesting political asylum. A day later, Scotland Yard confirms he will be subject to arrest for breaching his bail conditions.

 2013

 June: Assange says he will not leave the embassy even if sex allegations against him are dropped, because he fears moves are underway to extradite him to the US.

 2014

 July: Assange loses a legal bid to have an arrest warrant issued in Sweden cancelled.

 2015

 August 13: Swedish prosecutors drop investigations into some of the sex allegations against Assange due to time restrictions. The investigation into suspected rape remains active.

A sculpture called Anything To Say, which features life-sized bronze figures of whistleblowers (left-right) Edward Snowden, Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning, each standing on a chair, is unveiled at Parliament Square (James Manning/PA)

 October 12: The Metropolitan Police end their 24-hour guard outside the Ecuadorian embassy. It concludes a three-year police operation that is estimated to have cost more than 12 million.

 2016

 September 16: Swedens Court of Appeal rejects a bid by Assange to have his sex assault warrant dropped.

 October: WikiLeaks publishes Democratic National Committee emails to the political benefit of Mr Trump, who remarks during his campaign: I love WikiLeaks.

 November 14: Assange is questioned for two days at the Ecuadorian embassy in the presence of Swedens assistant prosecutor, Ingrid Isgren, and police inspector Cecilia Redell.

 2017

 January 17: Barack Obamas decision to free Chelsea Manning prompts speculation over Assanges position.

 April 21: Americas attorney general, Jeff Sessions, says Assanges arrest is a priority for the US.

 May 19: An investigation into a sex allegation against Assange is dropped by Swedens director of public prosecutions.

Piers Corbyn holds up a poster in support of Julian Assange outside the Old Bailey, London. (Yui Mok/PA)

 August 15: Assange is allegedly offered a deal to avoid extradition in exchange for revealing the source of hacked Democratic Party emails to end speculation over Russian involvement.

 December: It is claimed that unnamed US figures who have been paying a security contractor to bug Assange in the Ecuadorian embassy have discussed a desperate plan to kidnap or poison him.

 2018

 August 9: The US Senate Committee asks to interview Assange as part of its investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

 September 27: Assange steps down as editor of WikiLeaks.

 2019

 January: Mr Trump claims to know nothing about WikiLeaks, only that there is something having to do with Julian Assange.

 January 10: A legal defence fund is launched for Assange amid fears he is under increasingly serious threat.

 January 23: Lawyers for Assange say they are taking action aimed at making Mr Trumps administration reveal charges secretly filed against him.

 March: Ms Manning is jailed again for refusing to give evidence to a grand jury investigating WikiLeaks.

Julian Assanges barrister Edward Fitzgerald KC during a two-day hearing in his extradition case (Elizabeth Cook/PA)

 April 11: Assange is arrested after the Ecuadorian government withdraws his asylum, blaming his repeated violations of international conventions and daily-life protocols. He is found guilty of breaching the Bail Act and remanded in custody at Belmarsh Prison.

 May 1: Assange is sentenced to 50 weeks imprisonment by Southwark Crown Court. He continues to be held on remand in Belmarsh from September after serving the custodial sentence.

 May 19: Swedish authorities resume their investigation into the alleged rape.

 November 19: The alleged rape investigation is discontinued.

 2020

 January 13: Assange appears at Westminster Magistrates Court and is backed by dozens of supporters including rapper MIA.

 February 24: Assange faces an extradition hearing at Woolwich Crown Court, where his representatives argue he cannot legally be handed to the US for political offences because of a 2003 extradition treaty.

 March 25: Assange appears via video-link at Westminster Magistrates Court, where he is refused bail amid the coronavirus crisis.

Stella Assange, the wife of Julian Assange, speaking to media outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London (Yui Mok/PA)

 April 11: Stella Moris, Assanges partner, who gave birth to his two children while he was living inside the Ecuadorian embassy, issues a plea for his release amid fears for his health.

 June 24: The US Department of Justice issues an updated 18-count indictment over Assanges alleged role in one of the largest compromises of classified information in the history of the United States.

 August 25: Ms Moris visits Assange in Belmarsh Prison for the first time in almost six months.

 September 7: Assanges extradition hearing resumes at the Old Bailey.

 November 26: Ms Moris urges Mr Trump to pardon Assange before he leaves office.

 2021

 January 4: A judge at the Old Bailey rules that Assange cannot be extradited to the United States.

 January 6: Assange is refused bail at Westminster Magistrates Court as the US government appeals against the decision to block his extradition.

Assange is backed by dozens of supporters (Yui Mok/PA)

 August 11: The US government is allowed by the High Court to expand the basis of its appeal against the judges decision not to extradite Assange.

 November 11: Sources tell the PA news agency that Assange has been given permission to marry Ms Moris in Belmarsh Prison.

 December 10: The US government wins its High Court bid to overturn the judges decision not to extradite Assange.

 December 14: Australias Deputy Prime Minister, Barnaby Joyce, speaks out to say Assange should not be extradited, but instead be kept in Britain and tried there or returned to his home nation.

 December 23: Ms Moris says Assanges lawyers have started the process towards a Supreme Court appeal over his extradition to the US.

 2022

 January 24: Assange wins the first stage of his Supreme Court appeal bid against a decision to allow his extradition to the US.

 March 14: Assange is denied permission to appeal against the High Courts decision in December 2021 to extradite him to the US, the Supreme Court confirms.

 March 23: Assange marries Ms Moris at Belmarsh Prison in a private ceremony lasting around three hours, with six guests including the couples two young sons and Assanges father, John Shipton.

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn arrives at the Royal Courts of Justice in London ahead of a two-day hearing in the extradition case of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange (Yui Mok/PA)

 April 20: Westminster Magistrates Court formally issues an extradition order, meaning Home Secretary Priti Patel is now responsible for deciding whether to approve the extradition, with two months to make her decision.

 June 17: Ms Patel signs the extradition order. Assange has the usual 14-day right to appeal.

 June 20: Australias Prime Minister dismisses calls to publicly demand the US drops its prosecution of Assange after the Wikileaks co-founders wife expressed hopes the government in Canberra would intervene.

 July 1: Assange lodges an appeal against a decision to extradite him to the United States.

 July 20: Assanges wife expresses her gratitude to Mexicos president after he repeated an offer of asylum for the WikiLeaks founder.

 August 15: US journalists and lawyers who visited Assange file legal action against the CIA and its former director, Michael Pompeo, over spying on Assanges visits.

 September 16: Assange awarded keys to Mexico City.

 October 8: Comedian and actor Russell Brand and former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn join hundreds of protesters outside the Palace of Westminster to demonstrate against the extradition of Assange.

Supporters of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange protest outside the Home Office in London with campaigners, to mark his birthday (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

 October 11: Assange is nominated for a human rights award, The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.

 October 13: Assange is selected as one of three finalists for The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.

 November 29: Brazils president-elect voices support for the campaign to free Assange.

 November 30: Australias Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says he recently told US President Joe Bidens administration to end the prosecution of Assange.

 2023

 January 22: The campaign to free Assange steps up following support from the presidents of all major Latin American countries.

 February 11: About 2,000 campaigners stage a night carnival in London to call for the release of Assange.

An image of Julian Assange is projected onto a building in Leake Street in central London to mark three years since his arrest and detention in Belmarsh prison while the United States continues with legal moves to extradite him (Victoria Jones/PA)

 April 4: Assanges wife says the decision not to allow her husband to meet with two representatives from French group Reporters Without Borders is shameful after they were prevented from visiting Assange at HMP Belmarsh by prison staff.

 April 10: A letter to the US attorney general is signed by 35 parliamentarians calling for extradition proceedings to be dropped against Assange on the fourth anniversary of his detention at Belmarsh prison.

 May 5: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says there is nothing to be served by the ongoing incarceration of Assange as he expressed frustration at the United States continuing efforts to extradite the WikiLeaks founder and Australian citizen.

 May 5: Assange writes to the King asking the monarch to visit him in prison.

 May 6: After attending the coronation of the King in London, Brazils President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva denounced the lack of concerted efforts to free Assange.

 May 17: Assanges wife describes the UK TV premiere of a film about the campaign to free the WikiLeaks founder as a hugely significant moment.

 June 9: Assange loses latest extradition appeal bid.

Campaigners pressing for the release of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange take part in a demonstration during a Night Carnival outside Westminster Abbey (James Manning/PA)

 June 24: The wife of Assange says it is now or never at a protest outside Parliament demanding his release.

 July 29: US secretary of state Antony Blinken pushes back against Australian demands for an end to Assanges prosecution, saying he is accused of very serious criminal conduct by publishing a trove of classified documents more than a decade ago.

 September 23: Friends of Assange call his ongoing prison detention outrageous after holding a bike protest in his name.

 2024

 January 10: The lawyer for Assange says the Wikileaks founders life is at risk if his final appeal against his extradition to the US fails.

 February 15: Australias House of Representatives ramps up pressure on the United States and Britain to end the prosecution of Assange by passing a motion calling for the Australian citizen to be allowed to return to his home country.

 February 15: Assanges wife warns that the WikiLeaks founder will die if he is extradited to the US, ahead of his High Court appeal.

 February 20: The United States bid to prosecute Assange is state retaliation, the High Court hears, in his final bid for an appeal in the UK.
The mother of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has appealed to President Vladimir Putin to intervene and turn her sons body over to her so she can bury him with dignity.

Lyudmila Navalnaya, who has been trying to get his body since Saturday, appeared in a video outside the Arctic penal colony where Mr Navalny died on Friday.

For the fifth day, I have been unable to see him. They wouldnt release his body to me.

And theyre not even telling me where he is, a black-clad Mrs Navalnaya said in the video, with the barbed wire of Penal Colony No. 3 in Kharp, about 1,200 miles northeast of Moscow.

Im reaching out to you, Vladimir Putin.

The resolution of this matter depends solely on you. Let me finally see my son.

I demand that Alexeis body is released immediately, so that I can bury him like a human being, she said in the video, which was posted to social media by Mr Navalnys team.

An image of Alexei Navalny alongside floral tributes in London (James Manning/PA)

Russian authorities have said the cause of Mr Navalnys death is still unknown and refused to release his body for the next two weeks as the preliminary inquest continues, members of his team said.

They accused the government of stalling to try to hide evidence.

In her Monday video, Yulia Navalnaya vowed to continue his fight against the Kremlin.

On Tuesday, her account on X, where she had posted the video, was suspended by the platform without explanation.

In a speech on Monday to the European Unions Foreign Affairs Council, she urged EU leaders not to recognise the results of next months election, to sanction more Putin allies and to help Russians who flee the country.

A copy of her remarks was released on Tuesday by Navalny spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh.

Lyudmila Navalnaya and her sons lawyers went to law enforcement agencies and the mortuary where the body is believed to be held in the Arctic region, but were unable to get them to turn it over or say where it is.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected the allegations of a cover-up, telling reporters that these are absolutely unfounded, insolent accusations about the head of the Russian state.

Mr Navalnys death has deprived the Russian opposition of its best-known and inspiring politician less than a month before an election that is all but certain to give Mr Putin another six years in power.

Many Russians had seen Mr Navalny as a rare hope for political change amid Mr Putins unrelenting crackdown on the opposition.

Mr Navalny, 47, was imprisoned since January 2021, when he returned to Moscow after recuperating in Germany from a nerve agent poisoning he blamed on the Kremlin. He received three prison terms since then, on charges he rejected as politically motivated.

Josep Borrell, the European Unions foreign policy chief, called for an international investigation of Mr Navalnys death, but Mr Peskov said the Kremlin would not agree to such a demand.

A car carrying Lyudmila Navalnaya, mother of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, heads to the prison colony in the town of Kharp (AP)

Since Mr Navalnys death, about 400 people have been detained across in Russia as they tried to pay tribute to him with flowers and candles, according to OVD-Info, a group that monitors political arrests.

Authorities cordoned off some of the memorials to victims of Soviet repression across the country that were being used as sites to leave makeshift tributes to Mr Navalny.

Police removed the flowers at night, but more keep appearing.

Mr Peskov said police were acting in accordance with the law by detaining people paying tribute to Mr Navalny.

Over 60,000 people have submitted requests to the government asking for Mr Navalnys remains to be handed over to his relatives, OVD-Info said.

After the last verdict that resulted in a 19-year term, Mr Navalny said he understood he was serving a life sentence, which is measured by the length of my life or the length of life of this regime.

In Mondays video, his widow said: By killing Alexei, Putin killed half of me, half of my heart and half of my soul.

But I still have the other half, and it tells me that I have no right to give up.

I will continue the work of Alexei Navalny, Yulia Navalnaya said.
Delays in weapons deliveries from Western allies to Ukraine are opening a door for Russian battlefield advances, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said, making the fight very difficult along parts of the front line where the Kremlins forces captured a strategic city last weekend ahead of the wars two-year anniversary.

Mr Zelensky and other officials have often expressed frustration at the slowness of promised aid deliveries, especially since signs of war fatigue have emerged.

European countries are struggling to find enough stocks to send to Kyiv, and US help worth 60 billion US dollars is stalled over political differences.

That appears to be playing into the hands of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (Juan Medina/PA)

Even so, more help is heading Ukraines way, as Sweden announced Tuesday its biggest aid package so far and Canada said it was expediting the delivery of more than 800 drones.

Mr Zelensky, in his daily video address late on Monday, said Russia has built up troops at some points along the 930-mile front line, apparently aiming to pounce on any perceived defensive weaknesses.

They (the Russians) are taking advantage of delays in aid to Ukraine, he said after visiting the command post in the area of Kupiansk, in the northeastern Kharkiv region.

He said Ukrainian troops keenly felt a shortage of artillery, air defence systems and long-range weapons.

Ukrainian forces withdrew from the strategic eastern city of Avdiivka at the weekend, where they had battled a fierce Russian assault for four months despite being heavily outnumbered and outgunned.

Mr Putin on Tuesday congratulated his defence minister Sergei Shoigu on capturing Avdiivka and urged him to press Russias advantage.

Mr Shoigu said the military launched up to 460 strikes on Avdiivka per day, equivalent to about 200 metric tons of explosives.

We got the enemy in such a state that it was forced to flee the unbearable conditions, Mr Shoigu said.

But Oleksiy Danilov, head of Ukraines National Security and Defence Council, said that while the situation on the battlefield is hard, especially due to a lack of ammunition, the situation on the eastern front is not catastrophic.

We fight and will continue to fight, he told news outlet Ukrainska Pravda.

We have only one request to our partners: to help with weapons, with ammunition, and with air defence.

He claimed that Russia racked up heavy losses of troops and equipment in the fight for bombed-out Avdiivka.

His claim could not be independently verified.

Mr Zelensky said talks with foreign partners are focusing on how to resume and extend support.

Sweden, which is poised to join Nato, said it will donate military aid to Ukraine worth 7.1 billion kronor (681 million US dollars).

That includes 30 boats, some of which are fast and powerful military assault craft, and underwater weapons.

The deal also includes artillery ammunition, Leopard tanks, shoulder-borne anti-aircraft defence systems, anti-tank missiles, grenade launchers, hand grenades and medical transport vehicles, as well as underwater drones and diving equipment.

By supporting Ukraine, we are also investing in our own security, defence minister Pal Jonson told a news conference in Stockholm.

If Russia were to win this terrible war, we would have significantly greater security problems than we have today.

Firefighters work to extinguish a fire in an apartment building after a Russian attack in Kyiv, Ukraine (Efrem Lukatsky/AP)

The Canadian government said it will dispatch more than 800 drones to Ukraine starting as early as this spring.

Ukraine last year received 42.5 billion US dollars from foreign partners, of which 11.6 billion US dollars was in non-repayable grant aid, Ukraines Ministry of Finance said Tuesday.

The grant assistance was provided by the US, Japan, Norway, Germany, Spain, Finland, Switzerland, Ireland, Belgium, and Iceland, it said.

The US provided the biggest amount of non-repayable grant aid, with 11 billion US dollars.

Long-term concessional financing amounted to 30.9 billion US dollars, which included loans from the European Union (19.5 billion US dollars), the International Monetary Fund (4.5 billion US dollars), Japan (3.4 billion US dollars), Canada (1.8 billion US dollars), the UK (one billion US dollars), the World Bank (660 million US dollars) and Spain (50 million US dollars).

Meanwhile, Ukraine shot down all 23 Shahed drones that Russia launched on Monday night over various regions of the country, the countrys air force said.

Air force spokesman Yurii Ihnat said Russian aircraft activity had dropped off after Ukraine recently shot down a number of enemy warplanes.

The air force commander, Mykola Oleschuk, said that his troops destroyed Su-34 and Su-35 bomber jets.

Over the weekend he said that other Russian jets were shot down.
A view of the Rio Grande in El Paso, Texas, which is patrolled by US border guards as migrants try to cross from Mexico. Photo: Getty

Are Russia using a disinformation campaign to sow division in the US? Is the talk of civil war coming exclusively from bad actors? And what is the end goal of this strategy?

Joining Adrian Weckler is David Gilbert, a reporter for Wired.com who specialises in investigating disinformation.

The Cork native is covering disinformation and online extremism particularly within the US. His most recent article covers the involvement of Russia in the divisive subject of undocumented migrants around the Texas border.

Gilbert says the Kremlins disinformation campaign is deploying everything from high-ranking lawmakers and government officials to lifestyle influencers, bloggers, and powerful state-run media outlets to stoke divisions in the United States around the migration crisis at the Texas border.

Adrian asked about where this disinformation is proliferating, the WIRED reporter said that Telegram and X (formerly Twitter) are the hotbeds for a coordinated Russian effort to sow discord in the US.
Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto gestures as he talks to the media after his meeting with Gen. Angus Campbell, chief of the Australian Defence Force, in Jakarta, Feb. 20, 2024.

The two Indonesian presidential contenders who lost to former Gen. Prabowo Subianto in last weeks election have called for a parliamentary inquiry into alleged fraud at the polls.

Both candidates, Anies Baswedan and Ganjar Pranowo, claimed that widespread irregularities such as vote-buying and intimidation marred the Feb. 14 election.

They have urged the parties backing them to launch a parliamentary probe to investigate the allegations and seek legal remedies. However, they face an uphill battle, because they will need the backing of more than half of the 580 lawmakers in the House of Representatives (DPR) to start an inquiry.

We think its a good initiative by Mr. Ganjar to propose a parliamentary inquiry, Anies told reporters on Tuesday.

We are confident that the Change coalition of Nasdem Party, PKB and PKS will be ready to join, the former governor of Jakarta said, referring to the alliance of political parties that backed his candidacy.

On Monday, Ganjar, who finished third in the election, said he had suggested the idea of a parliamentary investigation to his Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the countrys ruling party, and its allies in the DPR. However, he said the proposal needed more support from other parties to meet the requirement.

According to unofficial quick counts by pollsters, Prabowo, the defense minister in President Joko Jokowi Widodos second and final term, won the presidential election with about 58% of the vote. The apparent decisive victory means the election will not go to a second round in June.

Anies and Ganjar, the former governor of Central Java province, received 25% and 17% of the votes, respectively, the unofficial counts showed.

A final count will be released by the General Election Commission by the end of March.

Prabowo, the former son-in-law of the late dictator Suharto, has been accused of human rights abuses when he served as a general with the armys special forces. He is on track to replace Jokowi, who is constitutionally limited from contesting a third term, in October.

Protesters shout slogans during a rally against alleged fraud in the Feb. 14 presidential election outside the General Election Supervisory Agency office in Jakarta, Feb. 19, 2024. [Achmad Ibrahim/AP]

Ganjar said the fraud allegations must not be ignored, as he urged lawmakers to summon election organizers for questioning.

If the alleged fraud is swept under the rug, there are no checks and balances. This must be investigated, Ganjar said in a statement released by his campaign.

Anies said his team had found evidence of widespread irregularities and violations in the pre-election period that influenced the voters choices and did not reflect their true aspirations.

We have seen the practice of pressure and vote-buying before people went to the polls, which could potentially become a problem. If such practices had not existed, the election would not have been decided in one round, he said.

Prabowos decision to pick Jokowis eldest son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, as his running mate has raised concerns among some Indonesians about dynastic politics and nepotism.

Asked about the inquiry proposal, Jokowi said: Go ahead. This is a right that comes with democracy.

Jokowi, who did not publicly endorse any of the candidates, last week dismissed the cheating allegations. He said the election process was watched by many people, including representatives of the candidates, the election supervisory agency and security personnel.

Critics alleged that his government had used force, tampered with government materials and influenced the judiciary to ensure victory for Prabowo and Gibran, 36.

Anies camp on Feb. 15 alleged that the Prabowo camp had used underhand tactics to gain a higher vote count, saying there was evidence of pre-marked ballots, voter intimidation, voter-list manipulation and vote buying.

Last week, Ganjar said his party and its coalition partners had launched an investigation into possible fraud. He called it anomalous that the counts showed him receiving the lowest number of votes in the presidential contest, while his PDI-P party was projected to have the highest number of votes in the legislative elections.

This combo photo shows Indonesian presidential candidates (from left) Anies Baswedan, Prabowo Subianto and Ganjar Pranowo. [AP file photos]

Gibran, the mayor of Solo, benefited from a controversial ruling by the Constitutional Court in October that revised the minimum age for presidential and vice-presidential candidates from 40 to any age for those who have served as regional heads.

The courts chief justice, Anwar Usman, who is married to Jokowis sister, was dismissed from his post in November because of ethical violations linked to the ruling.

Critics, including faculty members from more than a dozen universities across the country, have accused Jokowi of straying from democratic principles and attempting to create a political dynasty by advancing his relatives.

Jokowi also has been accused of using populist measures such as early handing out of social aid early, raising salaries for civil servants, police and the military, which critics say were aimed at boosting Prabowos chances.

Possible inquiry

Wasisto Raharjo Jati, a researcher from the National Research and Innovation Agency, said a parliamentary inquiry would not affect the election result if Prabowo had the most votes in the official count.

He said an inquiry by lawmakers would only produce recommendations related to the election process.

The recommendations will depend on the specific findings of the inquiry, Wasisto said.

Dedi Kurnia Syah, executive director of Indonesia Political Opinion, a research institute, said an inquiry could lead to Jokowis impeachment.

Basically, now its a matter of competing for votes in Parliament. If Jokowi doesnt get more support from the rival parties in the presidential election, he faces a high risk of being impeached, he told BenarNews.

Indaru Setyo Nurprojo, a political observer from Jenderal Soedirman University in Purwokerto, said the inquiry was unlikely to happen.

He said the first hurdle would be to unify PDI-P.

There are factions that opposed Ganjars presidential bid. In Central Java, PDI-P won, but Ganjar lost, he told BenarNews.

Pizaro Gozali Idrus in Jakarta contributed to this report.
This handout picture released by the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary on Feb. 19, 2024 shows officials patrolling near the town of Wabag in Enga province, 600 kilometers (372 miles) northwest of the capital Port Moresby.

The death toll from a gun battle between warring ethnic groups in Papua New Guineas volatile Enga province last weekend has nearly doubled to 49 as more bodies are recovered, police said Tuesday.

The violence, extreme even by the standards of Papua New Guineas conflict-prone highlands, has sent shockwaves through the Pacific island country barely more than a month after it was rocked by riots and looting in the capital Port Moresby.

Police said in a statement that soldiers in Enga and other highlands provinces have been seconded into the police force and warned of severe consequences for any tribesman who raises a weapon.

Similar police warnings have been issued in response to past violence in the province but to little long-term effect. About 150 people have died in tribal fighting in Enga since it escalated in April last year, according to an official in the provincial government who didnt want to be named.

Police can confirm that 49 bodies have been recovered at this point, the police statement said. It is possible that additional bodies will be found as police continue to search the area.

Those killed were hired gunmen, the statement said, underscoring an influx of high-powered weapons into the highlands and claims that tribal conflicts have been fueled by local powerbrokers.

Enga provinces police commander George Kakas said on Monday that at least a dozen tribes were involved in the weekend violence. One group was ambushed and massacred, according to a police summary of events.

The latest example of Papua New Guineas tenuous grip on stability coincides with the parliamentary oppositions attempt to get the legislature to vote on a motion of no confidence in Prime Minister James Marape.

Papua New Guineas capital Port Moresby was engulfed by chaos on Jan. 10 after its police stopped work to protest a cut in the pay of government employees that was purportedly caused by a payroll system glitch.

At least 16 people died during the looting and arson that caused a severe blow to an economy already failing to provide sufficient jobs and incomes.

The oppositions efforts were deflated last week when government lawmakers unanimously supported a surprise motion of confidence in Marape.

Police Commissioner David Manning said preventing further tension in Enga is a challenge because of the generations of fighting that have occurred between ethnic groups in the region.

"These ethnic fights stem from wicked people who in the end cause the deaths of their own people when they stir up a fight, he said in a statement.

"I recognise it is hard because there are threats and intimidation involved, but community leaders have to step up [to] work with police to identify the ringleaders.

Stability for Papua New Guinea, which gained its independence from Australia in 1975, has remained elusive as it grapples with tribal violence and challenges such as corruption and lack of roads and basic healthcare in many regions. Parts of the mountainous country have been largely outside central government control for decades.

The country, which is home to an estimated 12 million people, has been a focus of the intensifying China-U.S. rivalry in the Pacific.

It signed a defense cooperation agreement with the United States last year, while China has been making efforts to improve security relations by offering equipment to police and providing the funding for a military hospital.

Papua New Guinea has one police officer for about every 1,800 people, nearly four times less than the level recommended by the United Nations to ensure law and order, according to a Griffith Asia Institute report released last year.

The ratio of police to people has declined substantially in the past half century as Papua New Guineas population more than tripled.
Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday put a stop to public speculation that he would help the International Criminal Court investigate predecessor Rodrigo Duterte over thousands of deaths related to his adminstrations drug war, despite their rift.

When reporters asked him to comment on a new survey showing that 55% were in favor of government cooperation with the ICC, Marcos replied that the court based in The Hague had no jurisdiction in the Philippines. The survey was published over the weekend by OCTA Research, an independent firm based in Manila.

It opens Pandoras box because its still those questions of jurisdictions and sovereignty that I havent yet seen a sufficient answer for, Marcos said on the sidelines of a cultural awards ceremony in Manila. That seems to be the only logical conclusion that you can come to in that situation.

They can produce as much evidence as they want, but they cannot act upon it in the Philippines. Thats the point, he said.

Marcos said ICC investigators could visit as often as they want because were not a closed country.

His statement followed a public spat with former President Duterte, who had accused him last month of being a drug addict without offering any proof. Marcos fired back, saying that his predecessors use of the opioid fentanyl might have affected the way he had been acting.

More than 8,000 suspected drug addicts and dealers were killed by police and vigilantes during Dutertes term in office (2016 to 2022), according to government figures.

In public engagements and speeches as president, Duterte, now 78, encouraged police officers to kill suspects, and promised them protection from prosecution. He urged raiding officers to shoot first rather than be killed.

Protesters march in support of drug war victim Kian Loyd delos Santos, 17, during his funeral in suburban Caloocan city, Philippines, Aug. 26, 2017. [Bullit Marquez/AP]

One notorious case saw three police officers convicted of killing a teenager, shooting him while he begged for mercy. It later turned out that student Kian Loyd delos Santos, 17, was mistakenly identified as a drug addict. His death galvanized opposition to Dutertes drug war.

While running for president in 2022, Marcos persuaded Dutertes daughter, Sara, to drop her own campaign and be his vice-presidential running mate.

Since taking office, the Marcos-Duterte alliance has shown cracks with the president doing away with his predecessors policies, including the drug war and Dutertes pro-China stance. Instead, Marcos re-embraced U.S. support over China in a dispute over the South China Sea.

Last month, both men held rival public rallies in which Duterte openly cursed Marcos as a son of a bitch and openly accused him of being high on illegal drugs.

While in office, Duterte often used the same tactic against critics and opponents. He read out names in public of rival politicians whom he publicly accused of drugs and other crimes without offering any proof.

One of them was his arch-critic, Leila de Lima. Dutertes government filed a series of trumped up charges against the former senator who was freed on bail in November 2023 who had been detained for six years.

During her incarceration, two of the three cases were dismissed after government witnesses recanted statements against her.
Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra (right) sits in a vehicle with his daughter Paetongtarn in front of his residence in Bangkok after being released on parole, Feb. 18, 2024.

The release of jailed former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra just six months after he returned from 17 years of self-imposed exile highlights Thailands entrenched elitist politics and will further undermine faith in the justice system, analysts and activists say.

The billionaire telecoms tycoon and patriarch of the governing Pheu Thai party was freed on parole Sunday after spending the past six months almost entirely at a Bangkok hospital, bringing an end to a short-lived prison term that critics say reeked of privileged treatment.

The 74-year-old was jailed on corruption charges upon his return to Thailand last August but, within a fortnight, his eight-year sentence was slashed to one year by King Maha Vajiralongkorn (Rama X). All told, he spent fewer than 24 hours in a prison cell due to health reasons.

The perception of a special arrangement for Thaksin has spawned accusations of unequal treatment before the law and added to disillusionment with Thailands political system.

This case is an example of a suspended sentence where the person didnt spend a single day in prison, said Pichit Chaimongkol, a leader of the Network of Thai Students and People for Reform.

Thaksins return represented both an opportunity and a crisis. If he had served his sentence, it would have created an opportunity for reconciliation. But since he didnt, it only reinforces the divisions in the justice system, Pichit told BenarNews.

Thaksin was ousted as prime minister in a military coup in 2006 and fled Thailand in 2008 to escape a prison term for charges that, he maintained, were trumped up by Thailands pro-royal establishment.

His return from Dubai coincided with Pheu Thai forming a coalition government with several pro-establishment parties, a development that spurred speculation about a backroom deal between the former rivals.

Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra (left) appears with his daughter Paetongtarn after he arrived from abroad at Don Muang airport in Bangkok, Aug. 22, 2023. [Sakchai Lalit/AP]

Olarn Thinbangtieo, an associate professor at Burapha Universitys Faculty of Political Science and Law, said Thaksins parole was likely to reinforce the view that Thailands elites have a hidden agenda.

Even if Thaksin did not violate any law, it appears that the entire process was designed to benefit him. This is something the judicial system must take responsibility for, he told BenarNews.

Pheu Thai now appeared to be willing to compromise more with pro-establishment political parties because they had a common enemy in the Move Forward Party, he said.

The progressive Move Forward party won the most votes in last years general election with a platform promising to reform the royal insult law, amend the constitution and break up monopolies.

But the partys agenda drew the ire of conservative and pro-royal lawmakers in Parliament, who twice rebuffed the prime ministerial nomination of then-party leader Pita Limjaroenrat.

On Monday, Move Forward leader Chaithawat Tulathon said Thaksins release demonstrated the inequity of the Thai judicial system.

Anyone who has been unfairly treated by a coup d'etat or political persecution should receive justice, he told reporters. However, we should not endorse a method that reinforces a double standard in the judicial process and unequal treatment. This could be described as a privileged legal state.

A supporter waits in front of former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatras residence in Bangkok before Thaksin was released on parole, Feb. 18, 2024. [Wason Wanichakorn/AP]

Thaksin was greeted by supporters and a scrum of media upon returning to his Bangkok home on Sunday morning. He arrived in a private van accompanied by his family, wearing a neck brace and a cast on his right arm. He did not give any interviews to the press or speak to supporters.

His daughter Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the leader of the Pheu Thai Party, posted a photo to Instagram of Thaksin sitting in shorts by a swimming pool.

After not breathing air and seeing the sun on the outside for 180 days, and not being back to this house for 17 years  Dad came to sit outside like this. He sat there for quite some time.

Despite his homecoming, Thaksins legal challenges are far from over. On Monday, he reported to the attorney generals office over a lese-majeste complaint stemming from a 2015 interview in South Korea.

He was granted bail at 500,000 baht (U.S. $13,800) and will return for questioning on April 10, said office spokesman Prayuth Petchkhun.

Lese-majeste is the nations strict anti-royal defamation law which carries a prison term of up to 15 years. Thaksin has denied the charges.

Olarn, the political scientist, said Thaksin would continue to wield influence over Pheu Thai and the government, but he would have to compromise.

The return of Thaksin can be seen as a negotiation among elites who feel defeated in the political arena, especially after the rise of the Move Forward Party, Olarn said.

This could be considered a normal part of politics, but it comes at a cost.

Jon Preechawong in Bangkok contributed to this report.
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Tonight

Occasional snow showers. Low 28F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 50%. Snow accumulations less than one inch.
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This lamb's look will make you do a double take!

(People's Daily App) 16:24, February 20, 2024

A breed of sheep has gone viral for its striking resemblance to a panda after one appeared during the Spring Festival Gala show in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region over the weekend. Locals have increased their income by breeding these sheep, which people in China are calling "panda sheep."

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing)
WEST STOCKBRIDGE  For the new owners of the West Stockbridge Public Market, taking a vacation is simply out of the question.

Even though Bernie and Isabel Fallon of West Stockbridge currently put in well over 60 hours a week in their Lenox store, Loeb's Foodtown, the couple are adding to their workload with another small-town staple.

The Fallons purchased the West Stockbridge Public Market  located in a Main Street building Bernie has owned since 2006  from Tim Walsh, who had been operating it since 2012. The goal is to run it as a companion business to Loebs Foodtown.

"It's 60 hours or more of enjoyment, of loving what you're doing," Bernie said.

Step-by-step over time, they aim to reinvigorate and restore the Public Market, co-founded in 1930  during the depths of the Great Depression by Tom Fallon and his brother Francis, Bernies grandfather, as Fallons Market. For several years before that, the Fallon Brothers had operated a meat wagon with deliveries to the town and neighboring communities.

A youthful 61 and a fourth-generation West Stockbridge native, Bernie served on the towns Select Board for three years, beginning in 2017. He ran the market from 2003 to 2010 and purchased the building in 2006.

"I want to stay humble, put my head down and work, Bernie said Monday. I know my skill set and want to give as much as I can. As I said to the employees, its not the saying but the doing that matters. So, I hope to do the right things and great things at the Public Market.

The purchase agreement with Tim Walsh was completed last Thursday. Walsh is the husband of former Berkshire District Attorney Andrea Harrington  who now works as deputy chief of staff at the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorneys Office.

Fallon declined to give the transaction price for the business, but he said the cost of renovations will be funded primarily by reinvesting the markets operating revenue based on the strength of the business.

Isabel Fallon has been working on a deep-cleaning of the store and rearranging its inventory. She arrives at the Public Market by 5 a.m. to set up for the day and then heads over to Loeb's in Lenox by 6 a.m. for the same routine before returning to the West Stockbridge store with a goal of creating more customer-friendly space and a smoother traffic flow.

"We've been working hard to help the public and the community," she said. "We're very lucky to have the hard-working employees here."

The ultimate goal is to return the Public Market to its roots by adding produce, fresh-cut meats and other grocery store staples, since West Stockbridge is at least eight miles from the nearest full-service market, and residents from adjoining Richmond also patronize the market.

We have already added a ton of new products, Bernie said. Just look at Loebs and youll get an idea. I want the people in town to have a place where they can grab what they need. Thats really important to me. Prices have already been lowered throughout. We are working on the whole store.

He noted that some stores, especially convenience stores, have become devoid of nutritional value. We didnt want the Public Market to focus on lottery tickets, cigarettes and liquor.

The timeline for the upgrade can be relatively quick, Fallon said, since Loebs has relationships with distributors who can also deliver to West Stockbridge and stock the place up quickly. A redesign and layout revamp will follow.

Store hours will remain 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily (opening at 7 a.m. on Sundays) for the time being.

Its really important to me to get as much done before the summer, he said. If we go through the summer without having tweaked a lot of these things, then youre working really hard for not as much. So well work really hard now to hopefully gain the benefits then.

As for how the couple will split their time between their Lenox and West Stockbridge stores, Bernie called it a moving target, dictated by needs. He emphasized that the Public Market and Loebs have a strong staff, and all shifts are covered.

Where does the energy come from for his and Isabels seven-day-a-week work schedule?

It comes from wanting to give people what they want, so you just keep working hard, Bernie said. We have the desire to do it, so well find a way.

A brief history of the West Stockbridge Public Market

Late 1920s: The Fallon Brothers (Tom and Francis, grandfather of Bernie Fallon) drove a meat wagon delivering to West Stockbridge, Richmond, neighboring communities and nearby New York state.

1930: The West Stockbridge property at 8 Main St., a former saloon prior to Prohibition, was purchased by the Fallon Brothers. The store, initially known as Fallons Market, become the destination for quality meats, produce and groceries for more than 30 years.

1963: After more than 32 years, Francis Fallon sold the building and business to his butcher, George Gerdin, and son Gerard (Jake) Gerdin.

1977: A couple from California bought the Market from Jake Gerdin, and ran it for less than one year.

1978: Michael and Anna Skorput, Bernie Fallons step-father and mother, purchased the building and business, adding coffee, sandwiches and lunch to the groceries and meats.

2003: After a two-year lease by a new owner, Bernie Fallon returned from Arizona to take over the store, remodeling and cleaning up the inside of the building and increasing customer traffic for the Public Market. In 2006, he bought the building.

2010: The business, though not the building, was purchased by Randy Burkhart and his wife, Erika, making many improvements, including tables and chairs in the front of the store.

2012: Tim Walsh purchased the business, rebuilding and restoring the building after a major fire. He continued to run it successfully for 12 years.

February 2024: Bernie and Isabel Fallon buy back the business as a complement to their market in Lenox, Loebs Foodtown.
This Story in History is selected from the archives by Jeannie Maschino, The Berkshire Eagle.
LENOX  The curtain has gone up on the local election season, with a potential three-way contest for two Select Board seats already shaping up.

Current Select Board Chair Edward Lane and member Neal Maxymillian have picked up nomination papers, signaling they intend to run for reelection. Citizen-activist Jared Weber also has taken out papers, setting the stage for a three-way race for the two seats, each with three-year terms. The top two vote-getters would be the winners.

Lane, working with other Select Board members and with Town Manager Christopher Ketchen, has led Town Hall opposition to GEs Transportation and Disposal Plan for the Rest of River PCB project. He has emphasized the need to explore rail transport instead of trucks for PCB waste dredged from the Housatonic River. He is seeking his fifth three-year term.

Lane and Maxymillian are also on the Permanent Building Committee, overseeing plans for the $45 million wastewater treatment plant upgrade and the $25 million Public Safety Complex to be built at the intersection of Route 7/20 and Housatonic Street, across from Caligaris Hardware. Maxymillian was elected to his first term in 2018.

Weber, a newcomer to town politics, told The Eagle he is promising a campaign built on the pillars of transparency, communication and dedication.

If elected, he said he aims aims to enhance residents' well-being, support and cultivate local business owners, and preserve and promote the strong legacy of Lenox.

A Framingham native, Weber moved to Lenox in 2020 after living and working in New York City for 10 years. With a professional background as a headhunter covering the financial services industries in Boston and New York, Weber said he plans to leverage his business acumen and networking skills to contribute to efficient town planning, development and governance.

Interested candidates and incumbents can obtain nomination papers from Town Clerk Kerry Sullivan at Town Hall, 6 Walker St. The deadline for returning completed papers with signatures from 25 registered Lenox voters is 5 p.m. April 1 for certification by the town clerk.

Sullivan has asked incumbents whose term is up but who dont plan to seek reelection to notify her.

Town Moderator John McNinch plans to run for another one-year term and is gathering signatures on nomination papers. For Board of Health, incumbent Dr. Noel Blagg also has picked up nomination papers.

School Committee Chairwoman Veronica Fenton is pursuing another three-year term. The School Committee seats held by Oren Cass and Meghan Kirby also will be on the ballot.

Other open seats include a five-year Planning Board term, currently held by James Harwood, a three-year position on the Board of Assessors now held by Jaimy Messana, and a five-year Housing Authority post occupied by Kim Graham. Linda Carroll, a Housing Authority member, has picked up papers for the four-year term.

The annual town election is Monday, May 6.
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It is not a secret we live in a fallen worlda world that is unfair, unjust, and unrighteous to its core. From the man falsely accused and imprisoned for a crime he did not commit to the woman who watches her attacker go free, we encounter injustice all around us. These are just some examples. Few things will ignite our anger like denied or perverted justice. Injustice has led many to question Gods very existence. How could a good, loving, and just God allow such evil and injustice to go unchecked and unpunished?

Historically, Christians are no strangers to persecution and injustice. Many may feel like the prophet Isaiah, who cried, all of us growl like bears, and moan sadly like doves; we hope for justice, but there is none, for salvation, but it is far from us (Isaiah 59:11).

And yet, in a world that openly rebels against God and disregards His righteousness, those who trust in the Lord can have hope in knowing that the God of the Bible, their God, is truly just, even when the world is not.

But what does it mean that God is just? For that matter, what does biblical justice look like? Why should Christians remember this key attribute of Gods character?

How Do We Know that God Is Just?

As mentioned, most people quickly recognize when something is unjust or unfair. This is especially true when we are on the wrong side of those terms. Even those who do not believe in God and have not submitted to the lordship of Jesus Christ may still cry foul when they or someone they know has been wronged. They may cling to their sin, but their conscience bears testimony to the law of God, which the apostle Paul says is written on peoples hearts (Romans 2:12-16).

Therefore, to truly know ourselves and why we cry for justice, we must know something of the character of God, who created us in His image (Genesis 1:27).

But can God truly be known?

The Bible teaches us that, yes, God can be known to the extent that He has revealed Himself through His Word. God wants to be known on a personal level. However, the true depths of Gods character are known only to God (1 Corinthians 2:11). Such knowledge is, as David writes, far too wonderful for me (Psalms 139:6). How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! the psalmist sings. How vast is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand (Psalms 139:17-18).

Of God, some things will always be indescribable, a wonder, and a mystery to us. Throughout Scripture, we encounter mere glimpses of the majesty of God, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see (1 Timothy 6:16; see also Exodus 33:20; Psalms 147:5; Psalms 145:3; Isaiah 40:28; Job 26:14; Job 27:5; John 1:18). Nevertheless, though our knowledge of God and His divine character are not exhaustive, what God has revealed of Himself in Scripture is sufficient (Deuteronomy 29:29). We must start there.

Does the Bible Say that God Is Just?

One of the things we learn about God from the Bible is that He is a God of justice (Isaiah 30:18).

He loves righteousness and justice , the psalmist writes, the earth is full of the lovingkindness of the Lord (Psalms 33:5, emphasis added).

, the psalmist writes, the earth is full of the lovingkindness of the Lord (Psalms 33:5, emphasis added). The works of His hands are truth and justice ; all His precepts are sure. (Psalms 111:7)

; all His precepts are sure. (Psalms 111:7) Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; lovingkindness and truth go before You. (Psalms 89:14, emphasis added; see also Psalms 97:2)

In the book of Isaiah, the prophet reports God saying, I, the Lord, love justice (Isaiah 61:8, emphasis added).

Sin and injustice are only real because God is holy and just. In contrast to our sins, the righteousness of God shines all the brighter. Of course, the words justice and righteousness are often used together in the Bible. In many translations, they are indistinguishable.

The Bible makes clear that God is both righteous and just. These attributes flow from His character and are not inseparable. They are one, as God is one, and the character of God does not change (James 1:17).

What Does It Mean that God Is Just?

Unfortunately, the worlds understanding and application of justice frequently fails to align with biblical justice. If history has revealed anything, its humanity has developed a talent for perverting justice to appease its own sinful desires. The dictionary may define what is just as that which is based on or behaving according to what is morally right or fair, however if we do not have the same standard to determine what is moral, right, or fair, we are ultimately using the same words with different meanings.

God alone must be regarded as the absolute, objective standard for what is right and just. He alone is the sovereign Judge over His creation (Romans 9:20-21; Psalms 24:1-2; Psalms 115:3; Psalms 103:19; 1 Samuel 2:2; John 1:1-2).

Any understanding of true justice must come from a proper understanding of the sovereignty of God. God is who He says He is, not who we want or imagine Him to be. All things began with Him; all things are sustained in Him.

If God is just, it follows that His actions are just, His plans are just, and His commandments and proclamations are also righteous and just. He alone is the standard.

How Does Gods Justice See Humanity?

To argue that God must abide by our standards or definitions of justice is backward thinking and an attempt to remake God in our image rather than acting according to His will and character.

Furthermore, even individuals in society who faithfully administer justice in defending the rights of their citizens can still be unrighteous and in wrong standing with God. That is because Gods demand for justice, born of His righteous and holy nature, cannot tolerate sin. God, in His holiness, hates evil. In the worlds eyes, justice does not always imply moral perfection. To a righteous and sovereign God, however, justice calls us to holiness and perfection, as God our heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5:48) Unfortunately, apart from His Son, Jesus Christ, the sinless Lamb of God, all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23, emphasis added).

Isaiah explains how pervasive our sin is:

For all of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; and all of us wither like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. (Isaiah 64:6).

The Bible also tells us that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23) and the Son of Man will then repay every man according to his deeds (Matthew 16:27). That is bad news for humanitybecause there is none righteous, not even one among us (Romans 3:10).

What Has Gods Justice Done about Humanitys Evil?

Despite what many think, God does not ignore evil. As the righteous Judge of creation, His demands for justice will be satisfied one day. For sinful humanity, the verdict has been rendered. We are all guilty, and true justice demands that the guilty pay for their sin. For the sinner, that involves death and eternal separation from God. It is a fate we justly deserve compared to the righteousness of God. Yet the Bible teaches us that God is just and merciful.

But how can the two coexist in the same character?

How can Gods demand for justice be satisfied by extending undeserved mercy to those who have clearly violated His commands and acted unrighteously? What could we possibly do to become righteous before God?

The answer is nothing.

Nothing we can do will ever be enough to pay the debt we owe or make us righteous before God. Fortunately, God provided someone who can.

How Is Jesus the Answer to Gods Justice?

The prophet Isaiah describes that happened to the Messiah, who solved the problem of sin for the world:

The Lord was pleased to crush Him (Jesus), putting Him to grief; if He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in His hand. As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; by His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, as He will bear their iniquities. (Isaiah 53:10-11, emphasis added)

On the cross, Jesus Christ took the sin of the world upon His shoulders. He became the propitiation for our unrighteousness (Romans 3:23-25). The wrath of God, reserved for sinners, was poured out without mercy on His beloved Son, who paid the price we could not pay. In doing so, Gods demand for justice was satisfied so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus (Romans 3:26, emphasis added). We have been justified by His blood (Romans 5:9).

As a result, those in Christ have faith that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9, emphasis added). Furthermore, He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21).

The God of justice justifies His creation through His Sons saving work and redemption. That is very good news!

If God Is Just, Do We Get Justice Now?

Those who have been justified by Christ and made right with the Father have reason to rejoice. His mercy is extended to all and available to all now.

Furthermore, remember that the Bible says God loves justice (Isaiah 61:8). It also specifies that we, His followers, are to pursue justice and righteousness in our lives and the world (Deuteronomy 16:20; Proverbs 21:23; Jeremiah 22:3; Leviticus 19:15).

Does that mean all wrongs will made right in this lifetime? Does that mean we will never experience injustice? Regrettably, no, it does not.

The wise king Solomon wrote that evil men do not understand justice (Proverbs 28:5). The prophet Habakkuk lamented that the law is ignored and justice is never upheld. For the wicked surround the righteous; therefore justice comes out perverted (Habakkuk 1:4).

Christians must remember that Jesus Christ, the sinless Lamb of God, was hated by men, slandered, and ultimately killed in an unfair, unjust, and cruel manner. Christ would warn His followers that if the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you if they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you (John 15:18, 20).

However, in His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus promised that blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great (Matthew 5:10-11).

This world may have no interest in the justness of God. We may not see all wrongs righted in this lifetime, but for those saved and justified by Christ, their inheritance is eternal, and their citizenship in the kingdom of God is unshakeable. Of this kingdom, there will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore. the zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this (Isaiah 9:7, emphasis added).

We wait for that day, and in Christs righteousness and justice, we place our hope in him who has saved us (2 Timothy 4:8).

Photo Credit: GettyImages/seb_ra

Joel Ryan is an author, writing professor, and contributing writer for Salem Web Network and Lifeway. When hes not writing stories and defending biblical truth, Joel is committed to helping young men find purpose in Christ and become fearless disciples and bold leaders in their homes, in the church, and in the world.

This article is part of our Bible resource for understanding the significance and meaning of biblical phrases and ideas. Here are our most popular Bible articles to grow in your knowledge of God's Word:

Promises of God in the Bible

Is "This Too Shall Pass" in the Bible?

What Was the Ark of the Covenant?

Top 10 Bible Stories for Kids



Iron Sharpens Iron in Proverbs 27:17

"Fearfully and Wonderfully Made" in Psalm 139

Be Still and Know That I am God in Psalm 46:10

"No Weapon Formed Against Me Shall Prosper" - Isaiah 54:17
There is nothing inherently wrong with a Christian entering the political arena, as long as he or she remembers our first role is ambassadors of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20) and as such, our first priority is to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

To that point, Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and political commentator says, We believe that love of neighbor compels us to be concerned for freedom in every corner of the world. Our concern as Christians should be to see our neighbors saved from an immediate peril that we may have the opportunity to proclaim to them the Gospel so that they might be saved from an ultimate, eternal peril. Like Augustine, it is love of neighbor  rooted finally in love for God  that compels us to want and hope and pray for the good of our society.

There is no doubt a Christian in a position of influence could be a good thing. The problem is our natural sin nature which leads people to prideful arrogance instead of humility. Humility is key for any Christian as we submit to the Lords authority over the government in our lives.

Even King Hezekiah fell victim to pride. The Bible says he, trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel, so that there was none like him among all the kings of Judah after him, nor among those who were before him. For he held fast to the LORD. He did not depart from following him, but kept the commandments that the LORD commanded Moses (2 Kings 18:5-6). Later, King Hezekiah, however, displayed all his treasures to the Assyrian envoys who desired to overthrow Judah (2 Kings 18-20). Even after the Lord heard his prayer and bestowed fifteen more years of life to him, Hezekiah was relieved the prophesied trouble would not befall the nation until after his death. That was like saying, Well, at least I wont have to endure it.

Photo credit: Getty Images/Tetra Images
Douglas Murray, the director of the British Free Speech Union, announced a new initiative on Monday aimed at doxing critics of Israel for "hate speech" and keeping them from getting jobs.



"Douglas Murray is Director of the British Free Speech Union. He is now going to lead an initiative to have harsher penalties for those accused of hate speech, and bar 'bigots' from employment opportunities based on social media posts!" Keith Woods commented on X.



"These speech laws have been used to target nationalists more than anyone -- Murray's countryman Sam Melia is going to jail for sharing stickers about mass-immigration and this is what he is working on, what a disgrace!"





 Douglas Murray is Director of the British Free Speech Union



He is now going to lead an initiative to have harsher penalties for those accused of hate speech, and bar "bigots" from employment opportunities based on social media posts!



These speech laws have been used to https://t.co/3Bp2b06fN6 pic.twitter.com/Qj6vwekqoz  Keith Woods (@KeithWoodsYT) February 19, 2024



The Tafsik Organization, which is behind the initiative, says on their website that they're lobbying for new hate crime laws to block people from getting jobs and keep them from traveling freely:

Proposing a Hate Offenders List akin to the Sex Offenders list for those convicted of Hate Crimes would streamline law enforcement efforts, imposing travel restrictions, limiting access to certain public places, and significantly impacting job opportunities to deter the wielders of hatred from positions of power.

They also say they're building a doxing database using facial recognition and AI:

Utilizing the SEO from social media platforms like Twitter(X)/TikTok/Facebook posts reported onto D.A.V.I.D. will have hyper visibility using a simple google search, affecting the individuals employment opportunities and reputation. D.A.V.I.D. employs facial recognition to identify bigots from photos or videos. AI spiders crawl social media platforms, detecting antisemitic content in posts, comments, and images.

This is what Murray is now championing:











The announcement triggered widespread backlash on X:







After Oct 7, Murray went on a propaganda blitz for the Israeli government and released a PR junket marketed as an "interview" with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.





Bibi Netanyahu tells his good friend Douglas Murray that if Israel doesn't continue waging the war in Gaza, Iran will "conquer the Middle East," then threaten Europe and the United States with nuclear weapons. Murray smirks and nods along pic.twitter.com/vLmo6VaFHR  Michael Tracey (@mtracey) January 31, 2024

Impressively pathetic interview by @DouglasKMurray. Conducted not as a traditional "interview" between journalist and state official, but a chat between ideological allies. Murray invites Bibi call for regime change in Iran -- Bibi does so by mentioning the three dead US soldiers pic.twitter.com/Ke7iC84bYp  Michael Tracey (@mtracey) January 31, 2024

Murray, after posing for a nice photo alongside Bibi, also published a NY Post item relaying Bibi's standard exhortation that Israel's war is also (somehow) America's war. Very comprehensive PR initiative by Murray here -- really left no stone unturned. Worth every shekel pic.twitter.com/9d9pOioq1z  Michael Tracey (@mtracey) January 31, 2024

Here's your Anti-Woke media, c. January 2024. Put it in the vault pic.twitter.com/EvzP9fFyAU  Michael Tracey (@mtracey) January 31, 2024



What are the odds the Israeli government is behind this doxing initiative Murray is now shilling for?







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Christopher Nolan is a director who has pondered important questions throughout his body of work, but had never won a Bafta for directing until Sundays ceremony.

The London-born filmmaker was previously nominated for a total of five Baftas for his dream-bending thriller Inception and Second World War epic Dunkirk.

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He went into the Sunday ceremony as the favourite to win for Oppenheimer  for which he has been given three nods across the adapted screenplay, director and best film categories.

Accepting his directing award, Nolan paid tribute to the nuclear disarmament programme and the efforts to bring peace  and thanked the films backers for taking on something dark.

Nolan did walk away with a Britannia Award for directing in 2010, an honour that was given in Los Angeles by Bafta up until 2019, but has not won a coveted Bafta prize in London.

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The 53-year-old has also had six Oscar nods before exploring the life of the father of the atomic bomb J Robert Oppenheimer, which would see him reunite with Irish actor Cillian Murphy.

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Director Christopher Nolan. (PA Wire)

He has collaborated with Murphy for nearly two decades  also on Batman Begins, Inception, Dunkirk and briefly in The Dark Knight Rises.

Murphy told GQ in February that Nolan gets his family to drop off his scripts to keep it secret and for reasons of tradition while also speaking how his set feels like a private, intimate laboratory.

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He added: Theres no phones but also no announcement, everybody just knows. And theres no chairs because he doesnt sit down. Sometimes a film set can be like a picnic.

However, despite often being nominated and never winning during awards season, things are starting to look up for Nolan as this year  the Directors Guild of America (DGA) gave him the prize for outstanding directorial achievement and he won a Golden Globe for best director  motion picture award.

Nolan, born in London to a British father and American mother, read English at University College London (UCL), choosing the school because of its filmmaking facilities.

It is also where he met his future wife, Emma Thomas, with whom he has four children and runs a production company, Syncopy  and has worked with across his filmmaking.

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Cillian Murphy and Tom Conti attend the BFI Fellowship Annual Dinner, honouring Christopher Nolan (James Manning/PA)

Earlier this week, when Nolan was presented with the British Film Institute (BFI) Fellowship for being one of the worlds most innovative and influential film directors, he credited his wife.

He said he never felt alone making films as Thomas always saw things the same way I did in terms of the importance of the medium.

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While at UCL, Nolan was president of the film society and produced short films while studying before getting his big break, making his directorial debut with 1998s Following.

Two years later Memento, which saw Guy Pearce as a man suffering memory loss, desperately trying to discover who attacked him and killed his wife, unlocked Hollywood for Nolan.

The film received two Academy Award nominations, for best original screenplay and best film editing, as well as being a blockbuster success.

Following the well-received Memento, Nolan directed Insomnia, a psychological thriller starring Al Pacino as a detective on the hunt for a killer in an Alaskan town.

It was another critical and commercial smash, the beginning of a gilded run for Nolan.

In 2005, he made the first film in the Dark Knight trilogy, with Christian Bale playing the titular role in Batman Begins.

That was followed by drama The Prestige in 2006, which starred Bale and Hugh Jackman as two rival magicians in Victorian London.

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The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises followed in 2008 and 2012 respectively, with both films grossing more than one billion US dollars worldwide.

In 2010, Nolan directed sci-fi action film Inception, which starred Leonardo DiCaprio as a professional thief who steals ideas from victims unconsciousness.

The film was nominated for eight Academy Awards, winning four.

Nolan received his first best director Oscar nomination for 2017s Dunkirk, which depicts the Allies retreat from the beaches and harbour of Dunkirk during the Second World War.

He did not receive nods for Interstellar, which shows Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway going on a mission to find a new planet to live on after the Earth becomes uninhabitable, but the blockbuster was nominated for five Academy Awards, winning in 2014 for visual effects.

It also saw him reunited with his brother, the co-creator of TV series Westworld, Jonathan Nolan, who he worked with on Memento, The Prestige and The Dark Knight films.

His time-warping Tenet, starring John David Washington and Robert Pattinson, was one of the few releases for cinemagoers during the pandemic and was hailed by critics  but did not give Nolan any Bafta, Oscar or Golden Globe nomination. It did take home an Academy Award for visual effects.

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A devotee of the big screen experience  Tenet was shot on 65mm and large-format Imax cameras and had been delayed a number of times, before the espionage thriller became one of the big films of 2020.

His latest project, Oppenheimer, was confirmed in 2021 and is based on the 2005 Pulitzer Prize-winning book American Prometheus: The Triumph And Tragedy Of J Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and the late Martin J Sherwin.

Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Cillian Murphy and Florence Pugh (Ian West/PA)

It birthed the Barbenheimer phenomenon, as Greta Gerwigs comedy about the famous doll Barbie and his dark Second World War scientific film were released on the same date.

Barbie was the highest grossing film of 2023, but Oppenheimer has led during awards season, getting 13 Bafta nods.

Aside from showing the downfall of the director of the Manhattan Project, who came under fire due to his activities with socialist groups, the film also dives into the moral questions of the atomic bomb and shows a slow-motion scene of the impact of the devastation wrought on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

However, it has not all been smooth sailing as the premiere in London meant that stars including Robert Downey Jr, Murphy, Emily Blunt and Florence Pugh staged a walkout when the Hollywood union Screen Actors Guild  American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (Sag-Aftra) called a strike.

Downey Jr took home the supporting actor Bafta at the ceremony in London.
Backers of Nikki Haley's quest for the Republican presidential nomination are pouring money into states that hold early March nominating contests in a bid to keep her candidacy alive, regulatory filings and pro-Haley political operatives said.

Those efforts have ramped up in recent days and reflect a growing belief that Ms Haley will not pull off an upset win in her home state of South Carolina, where former US president Donald Trump holds a deep well of support.

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The former governor has been criss-crossing the state ahead of its Saturday primary but has largely failed to chip away at Mr Trump's lead in opinion polls of more than 30 points.

Six analysts and people supporting Ms Haley's nomination now say the former US ambassador to the United Nations will have her best - and last - shot to claw back into the race during the first five days of March.

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That's when voters from 21 states and territories go to polls, most of them on March 5th for "Super Tuesday". Many of those states, like Massachusetts and Virginia, are laced with college-educated suburbanites who turned out for Ms Haley in earlier nominating contests elsewhere.

South Carolina is a really rough state. It's a very Trump-friendly state. Advertisement

"South Carolina is a really rough state. It's a very Trump-friendly state," said Robert Schwartz, the co-founder of Primary Pivot, an outside super PAC supporting Haley's bid.

"Our hope is that Nikki Haley can make it respectable in South Carolina and move on to Super Tuesday."

The long-shot bet on early March underscores how some donors are willing to stick by her, even though she lost the first four nominating contests by huge margins. Around a dozen donors, fundraisers and advisers to donors told Reuters they believe Mr Trump's four pending criminal cases could force him out, leaving Ms Haley the heir apparent, while others simply like having an anti-Trump candidate.

Primary Pivot, which has raised about $1 million from big and small dollar donors, is targeting independent voters and Democrats who opt to vote in Republican primaries. Mr Schwartz said the group has sent text messages promoting Ms Haley to voters in Maine, Massachusetts, Colorado and Virginia - all Super Tuesday states.

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The group recently hired advisers in Michigan and Virginia and is looking to recruit staff in Massachusetts and Minnesota, Mr Schwartz added.

Many of those states are seen likely to vote for Democratic president Joe Biden in the November 5th election, and primary victories there may do little to help Ms Haley win the support of Republican voters elsewhere in the country.

Americans for Prosperity Action, a super PAC supporting Ms Haley backed by conservative billionaire Charles Koch, has also ramped up its activity in states that vote in March, according to filings submitted to the Federal Election Commission.

After a lull throughout most of February, the group disclosed on Friday it spent $100,000 for campaign workers to go house to house for conversations with voters in Tennessee and North Carolina, as well as $75,000 for more door-knocking in Virginia.

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Stand for America, another pro-Haley super PAC, has focused its spending on South Carolina. But it put a little over $2,000 towards anti-Trump text messaging in Texas last week, disclosures showed, and it is studying a move into Super Tuesday states, a person with knowledge of the group's activities said.

'Only strategy she's got'

Even Ms Haley's supporters concede her chances of pulling off an upset in the Republican nomination battle are exceedingly remote.

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"I think it's the only strategy she's got," Chip Felkel, a veteran South Carolina Republican operative, said of the decision to focus on March's nominating contests. "She'll lose South Carolina by a considerable margin."

While state-level polling is inconsistent, no poll has shown Ms Haley ahead in any state.

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Mr Trump's campaign is confident it can wrap up the nomination by March 19th, based on a mix of public and proprietary polling, a senior campaign official said.

Polls look positive for Trump

Senior Trump adviser Jason Miller on Sunday shared a series of poll results on the social media site X showing Ms Haley well behind in eight Super Tuesday states.

About half of all delegates, who in turn select a nominee at the party's national convention in July, will have been awarded by the end of Super Tuesday. That means Ms Haley needs to perform credibly in early March, or she will come perilously close to being mathematically eliminated from the contest.

Ms Haley herself said in late January she needed to do better in South Carolina than she did in New Hampshire, where she lost to Mr Trump by roughly 11 points. She has avoided commenting on concrete goals since.

Ms Haley has already campaigned in California and Texas, both Super Tuesday states, and her campaign has rolled out leadership teams in at least five states - Alaska, Massachusetts, Idaho, Utah and Washington - that vote in early March.

Matthew Ingham, a 38-year-old truck driver at a Haley event in Sumter on Monday, said he does not think Ms Haley needs to win in South Carolina. But that she needed a "strong push" to win some of the contests down the line, adding: "She can't keep coming in second."
A 72-bed Dublin inner city housing complex where young families live has become over-run by rats, and living residents in fear of their lives, they claim.

The Teeling Way complex, built around 20 years ago, located on East Road, in the East Wall area of the Capital, is run by Respond Housing Association, which provides housing for young families and older persons.

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However, despite numerous calls, emails and meetings since late last year, residents claim nothing has been done to sort out the growing rat infestation.

Scores of rats have been caught by residents inside their homes, with Leon Macken, a spokesperson for younger families in the complex, revealing that, one person found and killed nine rats inside their apartment in one day.

Mr Macken explained, that he has killed numerous rats, which he found close to where his six-month-old baby was being cleaned and dressed.

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There are rat droppings everywhere nearly every morning we wake up in the apartment no matter how many rat traps we set and clean up after.

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Residents even hear the rats scuttling around inside the walls. This problem began about six months ago due to construction work of other apartments taking place next to complex. We have been notifying Respond since last October and the situation is just getting worse.

Dozens of families will not let their children outside for fear of letting rats inside or that they might contract some disease from rat droppings. Residents are even barricading themselves into their homes out of fear. So many of the children are getting sick with asthma and respiratory complaints so far.

Edel Grey, who has three young boys and is expecting her fourth child in two weeks time added that she is afraid of picking up the deadly Weils Disease and that she will not allow her sons out to play in yard complex.

We pay 12 per week for services and upkeep of the complex but nothing is being done about this major rat problem.

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Weils disease is a severe form of leptospirosis and is a type of bacterial infection. A person can contract it if they come into contact with the urine, blood, or tissue of animals or rodents that are infected with the bacteria. The disease can be fatal.

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If the bacteria infects some specific organs, there may be a more severe reaction and these include liver, kidneys, lungs, heart and brain. This can lead to organ failure and death.

In a statement, Respond said: Respond takes the health and safety of our tenants very seriously. We were made aware of complaints regarding the presence of rodents at Teeling Way development on Wednesday, 14th February.

In response to these concerns, we engaged a professional vermin control contractor who conducted an initial site visit on Friday 16th and are on-site again today to continue addressing the issue.

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Respond explained that they are inspecting the estate, including all communal areas, to ensure that an appropriate number of controls are placed to effectively manage the rodent population.

They continued: There is extensive construction activities surrounding Teeling Way and this may have contributed to the situation. We have communicated with the developer of the adjacent property, who has also implemented vermin control measures to help reduce the number of rodents in the area.

The housing body said they are committed to ensuring the well-being of tenants and are hopeful that the actions taken will yield positive results in the coming days. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and take any further steps necessary to maintain the safety and comfort of tenants at Teeling Way.

We thank tenants for their understanding and cooperation as we work to resolve this issue, Respond added.

It is understood that Dublin City Council has requested Respond management to meet with them to discuss services at the complex.

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Independent councillor and former Lord Mayor of Dublin Christy Burke explained that the state of the complex is the worst he has ever seen in all the years I have served as a public representative.

Cllr Burke continued: Respond has received numerous complaints and they have yet to deal with this horrific situation. Rentokil (rodent exterminators) and representatives from Dublin City Council are expected to arrive at the complex on Monday to view conditions and try to deal with rat infestation.
Work on a proposed upgrade of the A5 road to Derry and Donegal will start before the end of the year, the North's Infrastructure Minister has said.

John ODowd was speaking following a significant funding announcement for the project by the Irish Government, describing the A5 as one of the most dangerous roads on this island.

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The A5 has been the subject of calls for improvement due to the high volume of fatal collisions on the route, which links Derry city and north Donegal to Dublin.

A scheme to turn the A5 into a dual carriageway was first approved in 2007 but has been held up by legal proceedings and faced funding uncertainty.

Since 2007, almost 50 people have died on the single-lane road, including three members of the same family in one collision.

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Niall McKenna, chair of the A5 campaign group, Enough is Enough (Liam McBurney/PA)

The Irish Government previously committed 468 million to the A5 project in the 2006 St Andrews Agreement. However, it cut that to 87 million during the financial crash.

On Tuesday, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar announced funding for cross-border projects, including 600 million for the A5.

Mr ODowd welcomed the move and said despite some remaining challenges he is confident work can start before the end of the year.

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I am currently studying the planning appeal commissions report, it is complex, it is comprehensive. I want to be assured that we have responded to all the issues contained within that report before I announce the commencement of the building of the A5, he said.

My current deliberations are not around if we will build the A5, my current deliberations are on how we build the A5.

Mr ODowd said he would appeal to those people behind the legal challenges to bring them to an end.

This road is about improving road safety and about saving lives, so I appeal to those people to end their legal challenges.

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Brendan Hurl, from A5 campaign group, Enough is Enough, also welcomed the announcement (Liam McBurney/PA)

I would hope to see construction start on the A5 by the end of this calendar year. That is my intention as we move forward.

Mr ODowd said further funding will come from the Stormont Executive, but added there is also a challenge for the British government, with the A5 mentioned in their UK connectivity report.

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He said he would like to see more than words but also finances coming from London.

But I am confident that the A5 is going ahead. Its financially viable and it will be funded.

Earlier, Niall McKenna, chair of the A5 Enough Is Enough campaign group, said it was very happy with the recommitment by the Irish Government to the funding.

His group met with the Irish Government last summer, and said they felt confident after that meeting that a substantial figure would be announced.

Unfortunately the process began in April 2007 when the scheme was initially approved, Mr McKenna said.

It has been beset with legal problems for nearly 17 years, and unfortunately in those 17 years, 48 people have lost their lives on this road.

But we think things are certainly moving in the right direction at the moment, and wed be hopeful that full approval for the scheme will be in the next couple of months.

Another member of the campaign group, Brendan Hurl, said the A5 has previously been described as one of the most dangerous in Europe.

It emerged in the public inquiry that an accident has been reported to police (on the A5) once every three days, he said.

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Too many lives have been lost on this road, too many families have been victims, and the important thing is to say about this road is the A5 is totally indiscriminate, it doesnt matter who you are, what you are, where youre from, what you work at, what background you come from, it will kill you regardless.

SDLP MLA Daniel McCrossan hailed the announcement (PA)

SDLP West Tyrone MLA Daniel McCrossan welcomed the funding as a watershed moment.

Now that this funding has been secured we need to see the Executive and Minister ODowd follow suit with approval for this long-awaited project so that we can get work started before the end of the year, he said.

I would like to pay tribute to the campaigners, many of them who have lost loved ones on this road, who have worked so hard in recent years, battering down the doors of governments right across this island to make the case for the A5.

They know more than anyone the need for this redevelopment, but channelled their own grief into positive action so that nobody else would suffer the loss that they have felt.

We have been a long time getting to this stage and what we need now from the minister is urgent clarity on the next steps.

I believe today is a watershed moment in seeing the A5 delivered and look forward to seeing this project completed at last.
Irish Government support for cross-border projects is welcome, but funding for Northern Ireland public services and infrastructure should come from the UK government, DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has said.

The Irish Government has announced 800 million for funding projects benefiting Northern Ireland, including 50 million for the redevelopment of Casement Park GAA stadium in west Belfast and 600 million towards the proposed upgrade of the A5 road.

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Stormonts Infrastructure Minister John ODowd said he would now be working with his officials with a clear intention of delivering the A5 project.

DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said the A5 announcement was the restoration of a previous promise from the Government. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA.

Sir Jeffrey said the A5 announcement was the restoration of a promise the Government had first made in June 2007.

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He said: Whilst the overall cost of this cross-border project has significantly increased over the years we welcome the decision taken by the Irish Government to restore their funding commitment.

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The DUP leader added: Whilst we welcome support from the Irish Government for genuine cross-border projects that demonstrate mutual benefit to both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, it is not the job or the responsibility of the Republics Government to provide financial support for the provision of public services and general Northern Ireland infrastructure.

That is a matter for the UK Government and must be done so in accordance with our needs base as set out in evidence provided to the UK Government.

He added that the Irish Government support for the Casement Park does not deal with the substantive funding gap that exists as a result of the massive increase in costs over the period.

Sir Jeffrey said: It is right that the GAA receives its allocation from the Northern Ireland Executive as previously agreed and in line with the allocations to the three supporting bodies but we cannot see how significant additional UK taxpayer resources will be available at a time when other vital public services are in need of additional resource and capital allocations.

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It will be for the UK Government to clarify its position in the coming period.

Infrastructure Minister John ODowd said there was a willingness to carry out the A5 upgrade. Photo: Niall Carson/PA.

Mr ODowd said the Dublin support for the A5 scheme confirms that the willingness is there to help get this road built.

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He said: Too many lives have been cut short or forever changed by serious injury as a result of road traffic collisions on the A5 and too many families are living with the devastating consequences.

I have met with grieving families and witnessed their heartache at first hand, which is why getting shovels on the ground is a priority for me.

Now that we have confirmation that funding is available from the Dublin government, I will work with my officials regarding the Planning Appeals Commission Advisory Report recommendations with a clear intention of delivering this long-awaited project.

The minister appealed for those who were behind legal challenges to the project to set them aside.

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood welcomed the funding announcement from Dublin. Photo: Oliver McVeigh/PA.

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said the Irish funding announcement would supercharge projects which had been talked about for years.

Ireland Casement Park redevelopment outside control of No... Read More

He said: The commitment to the A5 is substantial and is higher than previously reported, underscoring the urgent need to get this road built.

I also welcome the financial commitment to Casement Park, this will be a transformative project for West Belfast and for Ulster GAA, stimulating investment in a community that deserves it.

It is time to put narrow politics aside and get behind redeveloping this site.
The High Court has begun hearing two lead cases from asylum seekers who argue the UK is not a safe third country due to the risk arising from potential onward transfer to Rwanda.

Responding to the UKs exit from the EU on January 31st, 2020, Minister for Justice Helen McEntee designated Britain and Northern Ireland as safe for the purposes of the International Protection Act of 2015.

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This enables the Minister to determine an international protection application is inadmissible if the applicant has arrived from the UK and relevant criteria are met.

The person can therefore be returned to the UK for their application to be considered there.

Hugh Southey KC, representing the applicants in the lead cases, told the High Court on Tuesday that the designation of the UK as a safe third country is not made out.

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He said Ireland cannot absolve itself of its responsibilities by sending people to a second country while knowing a third country that does not respect human rights will be the ultimate destination.

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Rwanda plan

The UK's supreme court found last November that UK prime minister Rishi Sunak's plan to fly asylum seekers to Rwanda is unlawful, as there is a real risk claims will be wrongly determined there.

The UK government is now proposing new laws to overcome legal obstacles.

Mr Southey, with Eamonn Dornan BL, said there is a real risk the UK will shortly have a provision that allows the removal of asylum seekers to Rwanda.

The government there is promoting legislation to facilitate its Rwanda policy by introducing a law that on the face of it is contrary to human rights obligations, he said.

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These are political developments the Minister here must review in deciding whether asylum seekers can be returned to the UK, he said. A decisionmaker should not only consider the current state of the law, but must consider what is coming down the pathway, he said.

The Minister has not formally reviewed the situation in the UK since the end of 2020, yet clearly the asylum system there is very significantly different now, he said.

She must keep up to date with changes, but the evidence before the court is that simply has not happened, he added.

One of the applicants seeks to quash the Ministers decision to transfer him to the UK after finding he would not be subjected to refoulement.

The other wants to overturn the International Protection Appeals Tribunals finding that his application for protection here was inadmissible due to the designation of the UK as a safe third country.

Their cases have been selected to represent a group of High Court judicial review challenges to decisions related to UK transfers and fears of being sent from there to Rwanda.

The hearing before Ms Justice Siobhan Phelan continues.
Stormont ministers should not be surprised over the need to implement revenue-raising as part of a plan which led to the restoration of the powersharing executive, Chris Heaton-Harris has said.

The Northern Ireland Secretary told MPs that executive parties had accepted a financial agreement which included the stipulation for raising additional funds, adding: Everyone knew what was in the package.

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The Treasury has offered to write off almost 600 million of Stormont debt, conditional on the Executive raising 113 million (131 million)  the equivalent of a 15 per cent regional rate increase  and producing a plan to deliver sustainable finances.

The stipulation is a key element of a 3.3 billion financial package drawn up by the Government to support the return of devolution in Northern Ireland.

However, the devolved administrations joint leaders have rejected the demand to raise the additional 113 million of its own revenues in the coming financial year.

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First Minister Michelle ONeill has rejected introducing a number of revenue-raising measures (Oliver McVeigh/PA)

First Minister Michelle ONeill has ruled out introducing a number of measures that could potentially generate the sum, such as a 15% rise on a portion of rates bills paid by householders in Northern Ireland.

During an appearance before the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, Mr Heaton-Harris was asked by chair Robert Buckland about the disagreement between the Treasury and the powersharing executive over revenue-raising.

Mr Heaton-Harris said the Government had offered an unprecedented financial package.

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He added: The Executive will need to make strategic choices about how it spends its money. It does need to live within its means and realistically, I believe that will require some revenue-raising.

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SDLP MP Claire Hanna asked if Mr Heaton-Harris had raised revenue-raising with the parties in the negotiations prior to the return of devolved government.

He said: I did. I think its fair to say they werent keen, but they understood that it was part of this package.

Part of the package is that there is some degree of revenue-raising, and they accepted the package.

Asked if the parties had agreed to revenue-raising, Mr Heaton-Harris said: It is part of this package and everyone knew what was in the package.

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I believe we did (have agreement).

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Mr Buckland asked if he was saying the powersharing executive should not be surprised by the need for revenue-raising.

Alliance Party MP Stephen Farry asked if there was a danger of a stand-off over the demand to raise 113m (Liam McBurney/PA)

Mr Heaton-Harris responded: I dont think they should be surprised.

Alliance Party MP Stephen Farry asked if there was a danger of a stand-off between the Government and the powersharing executive over the 113 million.

Mr Heaton-Harris said: I think the timeline is fairly explicit and revenue-raising was always part of this conversation.
The Taoiseach has said he supports a cap on RTE exit payments while confidentiality clauses should be avoided in the future.

Leo Varadkar also said he has confidence in director-general Kevin Bakhurst and chairwoman of the RTE board Siun Ni Raghallaigh, saying they are doing their best to stabilise the organisation.

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The Fine Gael leader said he wants the maximum transparency when it comes to exit packages at RTE.

It comes after Mr Bakhurst defended his decision to give an exit package to former director of strategy Rory Coveney.

RTE director-general Kevin Bakhurst defended his actions. Photo: Niall Carson/PA.

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Mr Bakhurst said there were absolutely no grounds to sack Mr Coveney, who was described as the driving force behind an ill-fated musical which lost the organisation 2.2 million.

Mr Coveney, the brother of Enterprise Minister Simon Coveney, received a package when he resigned and his role was made redundant in July last year  the same week Mr Bakhurst took the helm.

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Mr Bakhurst would not comment on the exact figure provided to Mr Coveney.

I suppose what we want is the maximum transparency that is really possible when it comes down to exit packages, Mr Varadkar said on Tuesday.

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I understand that the director-general, Kevin Bakhurst is getting legal advice on that, and it may be the case that, because of confidentiality clauses, it wont be possible to disclose all the information that wed like to see.

But certainly, whatever is at the legal limit of possibilities, we want to see maximum transparency.

Mr Varadkar said he would not get into anyones individual remuneration but said it was essential that RTE provides full transparency to the extent that is legally possible.

The public and the government want to know exactly what the nature of these exit packages were. Where some are early retirements, we want to know how it was calculated, he added.

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RTE former strategy director Rory Coveney received a redundancy package. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA.

Where it was redundancy and exit package, we want to be assured that there were real savings here, that these posts are not backfilled and were genuine redundancies.

He said he agreed with Minister for Tourism Catherine Martin in her calls for a cap to be placed on exit payments.

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He added: I think what Minister Martin said about this is spot on, is that there should be a cap on the exit payments, and confidentiality clauses should be avoided wherever possible.

Asked if he has confidence in RTE to tackle the crisis, he said: I do. I think Siun Ni Raghallaigh as new chair is doing a very good job in difficult circumstances.

We have the new DG in Kevin Bakhurst, who I think is doing his very best to stabilise the organisation.

I think its important that we we give them our support, they are relatively new in their roles and they deserve a chance to get things right.

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said she wants to see Mr Bakhurst be fully forthright and transparent on the payment to Mr Coveney.

I mean, he describes himself as the new broom to sweep clean and (bring in) change. That to me is very welcome language. Thats what he needs to be, Ms McDonald said.

I think the extent to slowness of RTE in coming forward with information is making a bad situation a whole lot worse. Im surprised that they havent realised that at the most senior level. So we need full transparency, the Oireachtas committees are now investigating these matters.

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They will get to the bottom of them, you get to the bottom of these matters eventually. But its always much more productive if you have organisations and entities that are actually cooperative and assist the committees in their work.

But Kevin Bakhurst doesnt even have to wait on all of those processes. He has access to the information, hes the boss, hes in charge. Now he really needs to be in charge. And assuming that thats what hes going to do, I support him in that.

The Dublin TD also defended her partys proposal to replace the TV licence with direct exchequer funding, saying it was also the view of experts who recommended that funding model in the Report Of The Future Of Media Commission.

I think it is quite something that if youre an RTE executive and you mess up, and you walk away, you walk away with a golden handshake. If youre a regular person, and you walk away from your job, you walk away with nothing. As a matter of fact, you could have difficulty getting a social welfare payment.

If you are a senior person within RTE it seems accountability comes very slowly if at all, but if you havent paid your television licence, youll be summoned to court, youll be fined, or you might even be sent to jail for a couple of hours. How is that for contrast? That to me is an outrageous situation.
Spanish police intervened and met with a man from West Clare after being alerted that he said online that he had a sexual interest in young girls and was going to 'try' a 10-year-old girl while on holiday in Spain, a court has heard.

In May 2018, Spanish police also seized a mobile phone belonging to 'family man', Liam Kelly (45), of Clonadrum, Mullagh, Co Clare. Analysis of the phone found a small number of child abuse images.

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Arising from a subsequent Garda investigation, the father of two has pleaded guilty at Ennis Circuit Court to the possession of three child pornography still images and one video at his home in West Clare in May 2018.

Sergeant Claire Haugh, of Ennis Garda station, told the court that during a garda interview Kelly had denied viewing the images he had received online from a UK national.

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Sgt Haugh said the images included individual naked females, aged between two and five. Sgt Haugh said a video showed a girl aged nine or 10 "removing her underwear in a provocative manner".

Sgt Haugh said Kelly had stated in a 2018 online chat that he was sexually interested in girls aged from eight to 13.

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Analysis of a laptop showed that Kelly was "involved in various chat-rooms that were indicative of a sexual interest in children," the court was told.

Sgt Haugh said Kelly told gardai that he was on such platforms "with a view to outing paedophiles".

Sgt Haugh said gardai rejected this claim, as analysis of the seized laptop showed the accused expressing a sexual interest in young children.

'Paedo'

Counsel for the State, Lorcan Connolly Bl, said there are references to 'paedo' or 'ped' in the online chats.

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Judge Francis Comerford described engagement with child abuse imagery as "evil", describing Kelly's excuse that he was trying to entrap predatory paedophiles as "nonsense" and "fairly implausible".

In evidence, Sgt Haugh said it was police from South Wales who initially discovered the online chat in May 2018 between Kelly and another man which ultimately resulted in the intervention by Spanish police.

Sgt Haugh said Kelly told the other user that he was going to Spain the following day, and said about a 10-year-old girl: "I am going to try her".

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Sgt Haugh said: "In the context of earlier exchanges, it was entirely reasonable to assume that Mr Kelly was intent on engaging in sexual activity with this child."

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The garda said police in South Wales informed Gardai of the matter through Interpol, and officers here in turn contacted their Spanish counterparts, who met with Kelly at his hotel on May 23rd, 2018.

"There is no evidence that the child in Spain on holidays was put at risk, but talking in those terms is revolting," Judge Comerford said.

Sgt Haugh said the online chat between Kelly and the man from the UK comprised of 153 messages discussing sexual activity with young girls.

Sgt Haugh said that while Kelly was in Spain, Detective Garda John Casey secured a search warrant to search Kellys home in Mullagh.

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Mr Connolly said that while analysis of a laptop at Kelly's home did not yield any child abuse images, it did indicate the user was "involved in various chatrooms that were indicative of a sexual interest in children".

Mr Connolly said that in one online chat, there was evidence of 32 users online simultaneously, and Kelly had different private chats with people with various handles with a sexual interest in children.

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Sgt Haugh agreed with Mr Connolly that the private chats under Kelly's user handle were "indicative of sharing thoughts and views and encouraging an interest in paedophilia".

Sgt Haugh said r Kelly has no previous convictions and is an Applied Physics and Electronics graduate and works for a manufacturing company.

'Family man'

Counsel for Kelly, Bernard Madden SC, instructed by solicitor John Casey, described his client as "a family man", adding there was no evidence of financial gain out of this matter, and no history of violence.

Mr Madden said that since the images were discovered six years ago, Kelly has not come to any further garda attention.

Mr Madden asked that Kelly, who has no previous convictions, be further remanded on bail to allow him to receive treatment.

Judge Comerford acceded to the application "with no promises", and warned that if Kelly does not avail of treatment "he will be going to jail, it is as simple as that".

Judge Comerford noted that Kelly has shown no remorse, "and his wife wanted him to engage with a clinical psychologist, but he didnt want to do that".

Judge Comerford lifted reporting restrictions in the case despite Mr Madden expressing concern over the impact Kelly's identification may have on his children.

However, the judge said identification is part of the deterrent effect against such offences.

"I appreciate it is very difficult for the children of the accused. It isnt good at all, but there is no basis for reporting restrictions. It is a particularly heinous crime," Judge Comerford said, remanding Kelly on continuing bail.

The case will be mentioned again on March 8th at Ennis Circuit Court.
Delays in weapons deliveries from Western allies to Ukraine are opening a door for Russian battlefield advances, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy said, making the fight very difficult along parts of the front line where the Kremlins forces captured a strategic city last weekend ahead of the wars two-year anniversary.

Mr Zelenskiy and other officials have often expressed frustration at the slowness of promised aid deliveries, especially since signs of war fatigue have emerged.

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European countries are struggling to find enough stocks to send to Kyiv, and US help worth $60 billion is stalled over political differences.

That appears to be playing into the hands of Russian president Vladimir Putin.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy (Juan Medina/PA)

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Even so, more help is heading Ukraines way, as Sweden announced Tuesday its biggest aid package so far and Canada said it was expediting the delivery of more than 800 drones.

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Mr Zelenskiy, in his daily video address late on Monday, said Russia has built up troops at some points along the 930-mile front line, apparently aiming to pounce on any perceived defensive weaknesses.

They (the Russians) are taking advantage of delays in aid to Ukraine, he said after visiting the command post in the area of Kupiansk, in the northeastern Kharkiv region.

He said Ukrainian troops keenly felt a shortage of artillery, air defence systems and long-range weapons.

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Ukrainian forces withdrew from the strategic eastern city of Avdiivka at the weekend, where they had battled a fierce Russian assault for four months despite being heavily outnumbered and outgunned.

Mr Putin on Tuesday congratulated his defence minister Sergei Shoigu on capturing Avdiivka and urged him to press Russias advantage.

Mr Shoigu said the military launched up to 460 strikes on Avdiivka per day, equivalent to about 200 metric tons of explosives.

We got the enemy in such a state that it was forced to flee the unbearable conditions, Mr Shoigu said.

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But Oleksiy Danilov, head of Ukraines National Security and Defence Council, said that while the situation on the battlefield is hard, especially due to a lack of ammunition, the situation on the eastern front is not catastrophic.

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We fight and will continue to fight, he told news outlet Ukrainska Pravda.

We have only one request to our partners: to help with weapons, with ammunition, and with air defence.

He claimed that Russia racked up heavy losses of troops and equipment in the fight for bombed-out Avdiivka.

His claim could not be independently verified.

Mr Zelenskiy said talks with foreign partners are focusing on how to resume and extend support.

Sweden, which is poised to join Nato, said it will donate military aid to Ukraine worth 7.1 billion kronor ($681 million).

That includes 30 boats, some of which are fast and powerful military assault craft, and underwater weapons.

The deal also includes artillery ammunition, Leopard tanks, shoulder-borne anti-aircraft defence systems, anti-tank missiles, grenade launchers, hand grenades and medical transport vehicles, as well as underwater drones and diving equipment.

By supporting Ukraine, we are also investing in our own security, defence minister Pal Jonson told a news conference in Stockholm.

If Russia were to win this terrible war, we would have significantly greater security problems than we have today.

Firefighters work to extinguish a fire in an apartment building after a Russian attack in Kyiv, Ukraine (Efrem Lukatsky/AP)

The Canadian government said it will dispatch more than 800 drones to Ukraine starting as early as this spring.

Ukraine last year received $42.5 billion from foreign partners, of which $11.6 billion was in non-repayable grant aid, Ukraines Ministry of Finance said Tuesday.

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The grant assistance was provided by the US, Japan, Norway, Germany, Spain, Finland, Switzerland, Ireland, Belgium, and Iceland, it said.

The US provided the biggest amount of non-repayable grant aid, with $11 billion.

Long-term concessional financing amounted to $30.9 billion, which included loans from the European Union ($19.5 billion), the International Monetary Fund ($4.5 billion), Japan ($3.4 billion), Canada ($1.8 billion), the UK ($1 billion), the World Bank ($660 million) and Spain ($50 million).

Meanwhile, Ukraine shot down all 23 Shahed drones that Russia launched on Monday night over various regions of the country, the countrys air force said.

Air force spokesman Yurii Ihnat said Russian aircraft activity had dropped off after Ukraine recently shot down a number of enemy warplanes.

The air force commander, Mykola Oleschuk, said that his troops destroyed Su-34 and Su-35 bomber jets.

Over the weekend, he said that other Russian jets were shot down.
The mother of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has appealed to President Vladimir Putin to intervene and turn her sons body over to her so she can bury him with dignity.

Lyudmila Navalnaya, who has been trying to get his body since Saturday, appeared in a video outside the Arctic penal colony where Mr Navalny died on Friday.

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For the fifth day, I have been unable to see him. They wouldnt release his body to me.

And theyre not even telling me where he is, a black-clad Mrs Navalnaya said in the video, with the barbed wire of Penal Colony No. 3 in Kharp, about 1,200 miles northeast of Moscow.

Im reaching out to you, Vladimir Putin.

The resolution of this matter depends solely on you. Let me finally see my son.

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I demand that Alexeis body is released immediately, so that I can bury him like a human being, she said in the video, which was posted to social media by Mr Navalnys team.



An image of Alexei Navalny alongside floral tributes in London (James Manning/PA)

Russian authorities have said the cause of Mr Navalnys death is still unknown and refused to release his body for the next two weeks as the preliminary inquest continues, members of his team said.

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They accused the government of stalling to try to hide evidence.

In her Monday video, Yulia Navalnaya vowed to continue his fight against the Kremlin.

On Tuesday, her account on X, where she had posted the video, was suspended by the platform without explanation.

In a speech on Monday to the European Unions Foreign Affairs Council, she urged EU leaders not to recognise the results of next months election, to sanction more Putin allies and to help Russians who flee the country.

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A copy of her remarks was released on Tuesday by Navalny spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh.

Lyudmila Navalnaya and her sons lawyers went to law enforcement agencies and the mortuary where the body is believed to be held in the Arctic region, but were unable to get them to turn it over or say where it is.

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Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected the allegations of a cover-up, telling reporters that these are absolutely unfounded, insolent accusations about the head of the Russian state.

Mr Navalnys death has deprived the Russian opposition of its best-known and inspiring politician less than a month before an election that is all but certain to give Mr Putin another six years in power.

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Many Russians had seen Mr Navalny as a rare hope for political change amid Mr Putins unrelenting crackdown on the opposition.

Mr Navalny, 47, was imprisoned since January 2021, when he returned to Moscow after recuperating in Germany from a nerve agent poisoning he blamed on the Kremlin. He received three prison terms since then, on charges he rejected as politically motivated.

Josep Borrell, the European Unions foreign policy chief, called for an international investigation of Mr Navalnys death, but Mr Peskov said the Kremlin would not agree to such a demand.



A car carrying Lyudmila Navalnaya, mother of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, heads to the prison colony in the town of Kharp (AP)

Since Mr Navalnys death, about 400 people have been detained across in Russia as they tried to pay tribute to him with flowers and candles, according to OVD-Info, a group that monitors political arrests.

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Authorities cordoned off some of the memorials to victims of Soviet repression across the country that were being used as sites to leave makeshift tributes to Mr Navalny.

Police removed the flowers at night, but more keep appearing.

Mr Peskov said police were acting in accordance with the law by detaining people paying tribute to Mr Navalny.

Over 60,000 people have submitted requests to the government asking for Mr Navalnys remains to be handed over to his relatives, OVD-Info said.

After the last verdict that resulted in a 19-year term, Mr Navalny said he understood he was serving a life sentence, which is measured by the length of my life or the length of life of this regime.

In Mondays video, his widow said: By killing Alexei, Putin killed half of me, half of my heart and half of my soul.

But I still have the other half, and it tells me that I have no right to give up.

I will continue the work of Alexei Navalny, Yulia Navalnaya said.
The body of alkali attack suspect Abdul Ezedi has been recovered from the River Thames in London after a major search, police believe.

Investigators said the identification was based on distinctive clothing he was wearing at the time of the attack and the property found on his body.

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His former girlfriend, a mother of two who was doused with a corrosive chemical in an attack on her and her young children, is now no longer under sedation in hospital.

(PA Graphics)

Friends who are fundraising for the family said she is desperate to be reunited with her two daughters.

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They said in a statement: Mums still in critical care and desperate to be reunited with her girls.

We know mums lost her sight in one eye, and were praying that it returns fully in the other.

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Our friend is a phenomenal mum and the strongest, most independent person we know.

Shes already making so much progress and is determined to get out of hospital as quickly as possible.

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More than 44,000 has been raised so far for the woman and her two children, aged eight and three, in the wake of the horror attack in Clapham, south London last month.

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The friends statement continued: Physically and mentally, there is a very, very long road ahead for her and the girls.

Like so many of us, the family were really struggling to make ends meet before the attack, so we just want their recovery to not be compounded by financial fears.

We know times are tough and the level of support so far means the world. Every donation helps, and sends a powerful message against this evil attack.

We kindly ask anyone reading this to consider donating even the cost of a coffee to show Mum and the girls that the wider community has their back and they can feel safe again.

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Police believe Ezedi, who was from the Newcastle area, threw a burning chemical over the woman, some of which also injured one of the children, and slammed the three-year-olds head on the ground in the horror attack on January 31st.

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He then fled the scene, and initially used his bank card to travel on the Tube before walking a route that broadly hugged the banks of the River Thames in the following hours.

Detectives leading the hunt for Abdul Ezedi, wanted for a brutal attack on a mother and her children in #Clapham, believe his body has been recovered from the River Thames.



Listen to Commander Jon Savells update https://t.co/AclBNiCnfx pic.twitter.com/lcxAw7kv25  Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) February 20, 2024

During a massive manhunt investigators had to piece together CCTV footage to establish that he had jumped in the Thames.

At around 4pm on Monday, the crew of a passing boat reported they had seen a body in the water near Tower Bridge at Tower Pier.

The body was recovered by Londons Metropolitan Polices Marine Policing Unit and has been viewed by detectives working on the investigation.

Commander Jon Savell said: Based on the distinctive clothing he was wearing at the time of the attack and property found on his body, we strongly believe we have recovered the body of Ezedi.

We have been in contact with his family to pass on the news.

As you may expect after a considerable period of time in the strong current of the Thames, formal identification is not possible visually, nor from fingerprints.

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We will work with the coroner on other ways to complete formal identification, such as DNA testing and dental records. That may take some time.

Our inquiries continue into the attack. I am pleased to say the condition of the 31-year-old woman has improved.

She remains in hospital, but she is in a stable condition and no longer sedated. We have still not been able to speak to her but hope to as soon as she is well enough.

Again, I thank all those hundreds of members of the public who called us with information during the hunt for Ezedi. The public support for our investigation was overwhelming and every piece of information provided was followed up.
More than 72 hours after Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalnys death in an Arctic penal colony, former US president Donald Trump mentioned him by name for the first time in a post on his social media site that focused not on Mr Navalny, but his own legal woes.

US President Joe Biden and other Western leaders have blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin for the 47-year-olds death, responding with anger and demands for answers.

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But Mr Trump made no mention of Mr Putin or Mr Navalnys family in the post on Monday morning but instead cast himself as a victim and continued to paint the US as a nation in decline.

The sudden death of Alexei Navalny has made me more and more aware of what is happening in our Country, he wrote.

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Flowers and candles are laid around a photo of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny during a rally to commemorate him in Romes Piazza del Campidoglio city council square (Andrew Medichini/AP)

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It is a slow, steady progression, with CROOKED, Radical Left Politicians, Prosecutors, and Judges leading us down a path to destruction. Open Borders, Rigged Elections, and Grossly Unfair Courtroom Decisions are DESTROYING AMERICA. WE ARE A NATION IN DECLINE, A FAILING NATION! MAGA2024.

A New York judge on Friday ordered Mr Trump to pay 355 million dollars (281.8 million) in penalties in a civil fraud trial, finding the former president had inflated his wealth for years, scheming to dupe banks, insurers and others.

Mr Trump has also been criminally charged in four separate investigations, the first of which is scheduled to go to trial next month.

Mr Trumps post drew immediate denunciation from his rivals, including Nikki Haley, his last remaining challenger in the Republican nominating contest, who has been stepping up her criticism of the former president heading into Saturdays South Carolina primary.

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Donald Trump could have condemned Vladimir Putin for being a murderous thug, she wrote.





Donald Trump could have condemned Vladimir Putin for being a murderous thug.



Trump could have praised Navalnys courage.



Instead, he stole a page from liberals playbook, denouncing America and comparing our country to Russia. pic.twitter.com/CxAOGwIQEN Advertisement  Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) February 19, 2024 Advertisement

Trump could have praised Navalnys courage.

Instead, he stole a page from liberals playbook, denouncing America and comparing our country to Russia.

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On Monday morning in Sumter, she further accused Mr Trump of siding with a thug in Mr Putin, whom she called a dictator who killed his political opponents.

Mr Bidens campaign posted on X, formerly Twitter, that after days of silence, Mr Trump finally responded by comparing Mr Navalny to himself in a deranged social media post.

Mr Trump has been criticised for nearly a decade now for his refusal to denounce the Russian leader and his frequent complimentary statements.

As president, Mr Trump drew outrage when he openly questioned his own intelligence agencies finding that Russia meddled in the 2016 US election to help him win, seeming to accept Mr Putins insistence that Moscows hands were clean.

This month he again caused an uproar when he said he once warned a Nato ally that he would encourage Russia to do whatever the hell they want to countries in the alliance that do not spend enough on defence.



Yulia Navalnaya, wife of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, at the European Council building in Brussels (Yves Herman, Pool Photo via AP)

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Mr Navalnys widow, Yulia Navalnaya, has accused Mr Putin of killing her husband in a remote prison and refusing to turn over his body as part of a cover-up.

Russian authorities have said Mr Navalnys cause of death on Friday is still unknown and is the subject of a new investigation.

Its findings are likely to be met with deep scepticism.

Mr Trumps reference to Mr Navalnys sudden death was notable.

Prison officials allegedly told Mr Navalnys mother when she arrived at the penal colony on Saturday that her son had perished from sudden death syndrome, Ivan Zhdanov, the director of Mr Navalnys Anti-Corruption Foundation, wrote on X.

Mr Navalny had been imprisoned since January 2021, when he returned to Moscow after recuperating from a nerve agent poisoning that he blamed on the Kremlin.
The United States has vetoed an Arab-backed and widely supported UN resolution demanding an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war in the embattled Gaza Strip, saying it would interfere with negotiations on a deal to free hostages abducted in Israel.

The vote in the 15-member Security Council was 13-1 with the United Kingdom abstaining, reflecting the strong support from countries around the globe for ending the more than four-month war, which started when Hamas militants invaded southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking 250 others hostage.

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Since then, more than 29,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israels military offensive, according to the Gaza Health Ministry which says the vast majority were women and children.

It was the third US veto of a Security Council resolution demanding a ceasefire in Gaza and came a day after the United States circulated a rival resolution that would support a temporary ceasefire in Gaza linked to the release of all hostages and call for the lifting of all restrictions on the delivery of humanitarian aid.

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Linda Thomas-Greenfield, US ambassador to the United Nations, left, speaks while Algerian ambassador to the UN Amar Bendjama, front right, listens before voting on a resolution concerning a ceasefire in Gaza during a Security Council meeting (Seth Wenig/AP)

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Virtually every council member  including the United States  expressed serious concern at the impending catastrophe in Gazas southern city of Rafah, where some 1.5 million Palestinians have sought refuge, if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu goes ahead with his plan to evacuate civilians from the city and move Israels military offensive to the area bordering Egypt, where Israel says Hamas fighters are hiding.

Before the vote, Algerias UN ambassador Amar Bendjama, the Arab representative on the council, said: This resolution stands for truth and humanity standing against the advocates for murder and hatred.

A vote in favour of this draft resolution is a support to the Palestinians right to life, he said.

Conversely, voting against it implies an endorsement of the brutal violence and collective punishment inflicted against them.

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US ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield countered by saying the United States understands the councils desire for urgent action but believes the resolution would negatively impact sensitive negotiations on a hostage deal and pause in fighting for at least six weeks.

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If that happens we can take the time to build a more enduring peace, she said.

The proposed US resolution, Ms Thomas-Greenfield said, would do what this text does not  pressure Hamas to take the hostage deal that is on the table and help secure a pause that allows humanitarian assistance to reach Palestinian civilians in desperate need.

She told reporters later that the Arab draft did not link the release of the hostages to a ceasefire, which would give Hamas a halt to fighting without requiring it to take any action.

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The Security Council votes on a resolution concerning a ceasefire in Gaza at the United Nations headquarters (Seth Wenig/AP)

That would have meant that the fighting would have continued because without the hostage releases we know that the fighting is going to continue, she said.

Israels UN ambassador Gilad Erdan said the word ceasefire is used in the Security Council, the General Assembly and by UN officials as if it is a silver bullet, a magical solution to all of the regions problems.

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He called that an absurd notion, warning that a ceasefire in Gaza would enable Hamas to rearm and regroup and their next attempted genocide against Israelis will only be a question of when, not if.

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He pointed to Hamas statements vowing to repeat the atrocities of October 7 again and again and again until Israel is annihilated.

Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian UN ambassador, shot back that the message given today to Israel with this veto is that it can continue to get away with murder.

He warned that more babies will be killed and orphaned, more children will die of hunger, cold and disease, more families will be threatened with further forced displacement, and Gazas entire 2.3 million population will be left without food, water, medicine and shelter.

And in a sharply critical message to the United States, Israels closest ally, Mr Mansour said: It means that human lives that could have been saved are instead being forsaken to Israels genocidal war machine, deliberately, knowingly, by those who oppose a ceasefire.

What happens next remains to be seen.



Israeli soldiers drive a tank near the Gaza Strip border in southern Israel (Tsafrir Abayov/AP)

The 22-nation Arab Group could take its resolution to the UN General Assembly, which includes all 193 UN member nations, where it is virtually certain to be approved.

But unlike Security Council resolutions, assembly resolutions are not legally binding.

Ms Thomas-Greenfield told the council the United States will work in earnest in negotiating on its proposed resolution, leaving time for all council members to comment, rather than impose an arbitrary deadline for the vote.

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The defeated Arab-backed resolution would have demanded an immediate humanitarian ceasefire to be respected by all parties, which implies an end to the war.

By contrast, the US draft resolution would underscore the Security Councils support for a temporary ceasefire as soon as practicable, based on the formula of all hostages being released, and call for lifting all barriers to the provision of humanitarian assistance at scale.

It is the first time the US has used the word ceasefire, as opposed to cessation of hostilities.

The Arab draft would also have demanded the immediate release of all hostages, rejected the forced displacement of Palestinian civilians, called for unhindered humanitarian access throughout Gaza, and reiterated council demands that Israel and Hamas scrupulously comply with international law, especially the protection of civilians.

Without naming either party, it would have condemned all acts of terrorism and reiterated the councils unwavering commitment to a two-state solution with two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, living side-by-side in peace.



Rubble from buildings destroyed in the Israeli armys ground operation in the Gaza Strip are seen from southern Israel, near the Gaza border fence (Tsafrir Abayov/AP)

In measures sure to anger Israel  and reinforce differences and tensions between US President Joe Biden and Israels Mr Netanyahu  the US draft resolution reiterates the same unwavering commitment to a two-state solution, which the Israeli leader opposes.

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Mr Biden has repeatedly called on Israel to protect Palestinian civilians, and the draft resolution says Israels planned major ground offensive in Rafah should not proceed under current circumstances.

And it warns that further displacement of civilians, including potentially into neighbouring countries, a reference to Egypt, would have serious implications for regional peace and security.

In another criticism directed at Israel, the US draft condemns calls by government ministers for the resettlement of Gaza and rejects any attempt at demographic or territorial change in Gaza that would violate international law.

While this was the third US veto of a Security Council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire, the council has adopted two resolutions on Gaza where the US abstained.

Its first resolution, on November 15, called for urgent and extended humanitarian pauses in Gaza to address the escalating crisis for Palestinian civilians during Israels aerial and ground attacks.

On December 22, the council adopted a watered-down resolution calling for immediately speeding aid deliveries to hungry and desperate civilians in Gaza, but without the original plea for an urgent suspension of hostilities between Israel and Hamas.

It did call for creating the conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities.

The steps are not defined, but diplomats said it was the councils first reference to stopping fighting.
Yemens Iran-backed Houthi rebels have shown they remain capable of launching significant attacks despite recent air strikes.

Just this week, they seriously damaged a ship in a crucial strait and apparently downed a US drone worth tens of millions of dollars.

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The continued assaults by the Houthis on shipping through the crucial Red Sea corridor, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, against the backdrop of Israels war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip underscore the challenges in trying to stop the guerrilla-style attacks that have seen them hold onto Yemens capital and much of the war-ravaged countrys north since 2014.

Meanwhile, the campaign has boosted the rebels standing in the Arab world, despite their own human rights abuses in a years-long stalemated war with several allies of the US in the region.

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Supporters hold a photo of the Houthi leader Abdul-Malik Badruldeen al-Houthi (Osamah Abdulrahman/AP)

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And the longer their attacks go on, analysts warn the greater the risk that disruptions to international shipping will begin to weigh down on the global economy.

On Monday, both the Houthis and Western officials acknowledged one of the most-serious attacks on shipping launched by the rebels.

The Houthis targeted the Belize-flagged bulk carrier Rubymar with two anti-ship ballistic missiles, one of which struck the vessel, the US militarys Central Command said.

The Rubymar, which already had reported problems with its propulsion back in November, apparently became inoperable, forcing her crew to abandon the vessel.

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Houthi military spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Saree claimed on Monday night that the Rubymar sank, though there was no immediate independent confirmation of that.

But even if it was still afloat, the attack marked one of only a few direct, serious hits by the Houthi rebels on shipping.

In late January, another direct hit by the Houthis set a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker ablaze for hours.

Meanwhile, the Houthis early on Tuesday released footage of what they described as a surface-to-air missile bringing down a US MQ-9 Reaper drone off the coast of Hodeida, a Yemeni port city held by the Houthis on the Red Sea.

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The footage also included video of men dragging pieces of debris from the water onto a beach.

Images of the debris, which included writing in English and what appeared to be electrical equipment, appeared to correspond to known pieces of the Reaper, which can be used in both attack missions and surveillance flights.

Central Command and the US Air Forces Mideast arm have not responded to questions over the apparent downing.

In November, the Pentagon acknowledged the loss of an MQ-9, also shot down by the rebels over the Red Sea.

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Since Yemens Houthi rebels seized the countrys north and its capital of Sanaa in 2014, the US military has lost at least four drones to shootdowns by the rebels, in 2017, 2019 and this year.

Meanwhile, the Houthis also claimed an attack on the Sea Champion, a Greek-flagged, US-owned bulk carrier bound for Aden, Yemen, carrying grain from Argentina.

The Houthis separately claimed an attack on the Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier Navis Fortuna as well, a ship that had been broadcasting its destination as Italy with an all Chinese crew to avoid being targeted.

Private security firm Ambrey reported that the vessel sustained minor damage in a drone attack.

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Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea and surrounding waters over Israels war targeting Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

They have frequently targeted vessels with tenuous or no clear links to Israel, imperilling shipping in a key route for trade among Asia, the Mideast and Europe.



Coffins of Houthi fighters killed in the US-led strikes on Yemen (Osamah Abdulrahman/AP)

Those vessels have included at least one with cargo for Iran, its main benefactor.

So far, no US sailor or pilot has been wounded by the Houthis since America launched its series of airstrikes targeting the rebels back in January.

However, the US continues to lose drones worth tens of millions of dollars and fire off million-dollar cruise missiles to counter the Houthis, who are using far-cheaper weapons that experts believe largely have been supplied by Iran to wage an asymmetrical battle on the seas.

US and allied forces have, according to sources, destroyed at least 73 missiles of different types before they were launched, as well as 17 drones, 13 bomb-laden drone boats and one underwater explosive drone over their monthlong campaign.

Those figures do not include the initial January 11 joint US-UK strikes that began the campaign.

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The US military also has shot down dozens of missiles and drones already airborne as well since November.

The Houthis themselves have not offered much information regarding their own losses, though they have acknowledged at least 22 of their fighters have been killed in the US-led strikes.

Insurgent forces including the Houthis and allied tribes in Yemen number around 20,000 fighters, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

They can operate in small units away from military bases, making targeting them more difficult than a traditional military force.

For the Houthis, they may view the costs as balanced by their sudden fame within an Arab world enraged by the killing of women and civilians by Israel in the Gaza Strip amid its war on Hamas.
Jeremy Camp - "Deeper Waters" | Shore Fire Media

Award-winning hitmaker Jeremy Camp will release his 14th studio album Deeper Waters on Fri., May 17 via Capitol CMG. Produced by Jordan Sapp and recorded in Nashville, the thirteen tracks thematically dive into the unknown and offer an exploration of self-discovery.

The album is a pop-fused reflection of both the past two-plus decades in the spotlight and the appreciation for the moment of now. These Days is the current single from the album, and its already notched streaming placements across Spotify, Amazon, Pandora and more. The video is available here.

Preorder Deeper Waters Here

Camp will kick off an East Coast route of The Theater Tour, which will start Mar. 21 in North Carolina. The 17-date run will stop in Florida, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and more, and fans can expect a mix of both familiar hits and a preview of new music. Caleb & John are opening on The Theater Tour, and tickets and more information can be found here: jeremycamp.com.

Deeper Waters Tracklist:

Deeper Waters

Closer To You

No Survivors

These Days

Again

A Million Names

Better

Possible

Ready Now

Take It All

Through The Light

Need To Be Near

These Days with Frannie Rae
A rapidly growing maverick competitor to the big four banks, Macquarie, has helped ANZ get its $4.9 billion takeover of Suncorps banking arm over a key hurdle after the Australian Competition Tribunal overturned the competition watchdogs veto of the deal last year.

While ANZ must still get approval for the takeover bid from Treasurer Jim Chalmers and wait for some laws to be amended in Queensland, where Suncorp is based, the tribunals ruling was a significant win for the countrys fourth-largest bank.

On Tuesday, Justice John Halley said the merger between ANZ and Suncorp was unlikely to substantially lessen competition in the banking sector after the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) last year rejected the takeover, saying it would further entrench the countrys banking oligopoly.

ANZ chief executive officer Shayne Elliott said the tribunals decision was a significant milestone for the planned deal. Credit: Michaela Pollock

The tribunal has concluded that the small increase in the market share of ANZ, if the proposed acquisition proceeds, would not have a meaningful impact on the degree or likelihood of the major banks engaging in successful coordination, Halley said.
Virgin Australias chief executive officer Jayne Hrdlicka will soon step down from leading Australias second-biggest airline after four years at the helm, abandoning the original plan to lead it through a long-awaited initial public offering process.

Virgin confirmed the news on Tuesday afternoon and said Hrdlicka would stay on through a transitional period while the company starts a global search for her replacement.

Virgin boss Jayne Hrdlicka has announced she will leave the airline. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

This is not a decision I have taken lightly, but the last four years have been heavy lifting across the organisation during the toughest of times. We are in the midst of the next phase of our transformation program and there is a lot to do and an initial public offering to deliver, Hrdlicka said.

She did not provide a specific exit date or the reason why she is leaving.
The price of bitcoin is on its way up again and is trading at more than US$50,000 ($76,000), compared to US$44,000 at the start of this year, leaving investors to once again question if the best is already past, or whether the digital currency can go on to surpass its all-time high of about US$65,000 ($99,500).

Much of it seems to depend on news flow. When the news is positive, more people invest, pushing prices higher.

The launch of bitcoin ETFs in the US is one of the reasons for the surge in the price of the crypto. Credit: Bloomberg

Over the past couple of years, there have been several failures of crypto firms, such as the bankruptcy of the crypto exchange FTX towards the end of 2022. The failures dented investor confidence, with bitcoin falling to US$16,000 at the end of 2022.

Earlier this year, the US securities regulator gave approval for exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that track the price of Bitcoin. Some of the largest asset managers in the world have launched bitcoin ETFs in the US, most notably the investment giants BlackRock and Fidelity.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been speaking on ABC Radio Melbourne ahead of the upcoming Dunkley byelection.

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Host Ali Moore asked him about a leaked message from his office that spoke of entering the election year, which prompted rumours of an early election.

Quite frankly, its a bit of clickbait, Albanese said. If you actually look at what the message says, it says someones starting in a months time, and by then we might be a year off from an election.

Well, guess what: if theres an election in May [2025], its likely to be called in March, which is when the last one was called.

But Albanese went on to say he believed three-year terms were too short, and that the federal government should follow states in establishing four-year terms.

Thats something Id like to see happen, but you need a referendum to do it.
The plot thickens: Im not sure about the area involved in the triple burial plot referred to by Philip Arber (C8), writes Roger Epps of Armidale. Presuming the occupants are laid side-by-side, I would say about 4 sq m which translates to about $1,4000 per-sq m. However, the land where the Tamarama home, Lang Syne, once stood, appears to be valued at around $41,000 per-sq m, minus the value of the second-hand bricks!

Yesterdays pile-on about beetroot on a burger (C8) being far from latter-day garnered a number of recollections from 1950s Australia, but Darryl Drake of Epping takes it even further: As any Aussie old timer can assure, beetroot has been one of the core ingredients of any genuine Australian hamburger for more than seventy years. I can still remember coming from Perth as a teenager in 1948 where hamburgers (with beetroot) cost one and sixpence, to Sydney, where they also had beetroot and cost the same. Even a few years later when we converted to decimal currency, the price remained at 18 cents, but has gradually crept up since.

My dad rang me to express how wrong I was about pineapple on hamburgers, reports Andrew Brown of Bowling Alley Point. I explained how the domesticated pig originated in Eurasia and pineapples in South America, and the day that those two items met in a culinary triumph was a day to be eternally celebrated.

Before immigrating to Australia from UK, the only time I had encountered pineapple was in tins coated in syrup, recalls Susan Bradley of Eltham (Vic). Pleasant enough, but a little sickly. But in this marvellous country we discovered that staple of the 70s, ham steaks and pineapple. Culinary heaven. I promptly resolved to take out citizenship. I am now a naturalised Australian, and a firm believer that pineapple improves everything.

Ken Petersen of Pearl Beach is looking forward to the new Olympic equestrian event: Undressage.
Virgin Australias boss Jayne Hrdlicka will soon step down from leading Australias second biggest airline after four years at the helm.

The Brisbane-based airline announced today that Hrdlicka will stay on for a transitional period while the Bain Capital-owned carrier begins a global search for her replacement.

Investors had expected Bain to relaunch Virgin on the Australian Securities Exchange last year, but the business held off.

As chief executive, Jayne Hrdlicka oversaw Virgin Australias first profit in 11 years. Credit: Glenn Campbell

An initial public offering had been slated for the first half of this year, but its not yet clear whether this plan has now been derailed. Hrdlicka said in a statement it was the right time for her to leave:

This is not a decision I have taken lightly, but the last four years have been heavy lifting across the organisation during the toughest of times. We are in the midst of the next phase of our transformation program and there is a lot to do and an IPO [initial public offering] to deliver. The next phase of this journey is another three to five years, making now the perfect juncture to begin the process of leadership transition to deliver the next few chapters of what Im sure will be a significant long-term success story.

Read more.
As an example of the increase in demand, Carroll pointed to a 25 per cent increase in domestic violence cases, which she said was just unheard of. She also expressed regret over the bureaucratic and administrative burden of attending such incidents. Carroll said police last year put 10,000 more people in watch houses than the previous year, which placed extraordinary pressure on the system. Katarina Carroll announced her resignation as Queensland Police Commissioner this morning. Credit: Matt Dennien Speaking in front of several high-ranking police, including Steve Gollschewski, Shane Chelepy and Cheryl Scanlon, the outgoing commissioner declined to nominate a successor but said there were extraordinary leaders within the service. Carroll, who was the states first female commissioner, was on a salary of $650,000 last financial year. The government has yet to detail its recruitment strategy.

Carroll said, in a role like hers, she was not surprised some officers had lost confidence in her leadership, but believed for the majority, that was not the case. Loading Officers have spoken of a heavy workload, and recruitment and attrition issues, with dozens regularly taking sick leave to cope with the stress of their jobs - adding to the pressure on their colleagues. Police Minister Mark Ryan suggested this was a global trend. An inquiry into QPS responses to domestic violence in 2022 found there was sexism, racism and misogyny within the service, with some officers failing to respond to victims. The inquiry also heard several cases where male officers had sexually harassed female colleagues. When asked if she was concerned about that culture of sexism and misogyny continuing, Carroll said there was a good system in place to manage complaints from officers. She acknowledged some complaints had been dealt with inappropriately.

Carroll, who also gave evidence at the inquiry about her own experience of being sexually harassed as a young officer, had earlier conceded there needed to be a significant overhaul of the states domestic and family violence legislation. Loading On Tuesday, Carroll still encouraged female officers to join the organisation, saying it was 100 jobs in one. Carroll has been at the helm during tumultuous periods in the service, including the Wieambilla shooting, in which two officers were killed, and dozens of domestic violence murders, including the deaths of Hannah Clarke and her three children. On Tuesday, the Clarke family thanked Carroll for her service, saying she was a strong leader and a tireless champion for coercive control law reform, and that her kindness and empathy toward families would be long remembered.

Before taking the role of commissioner in 2019, Carroll was in the top job at the Queensland Fire and Emergency Service, where she also oversaw reforms. Queensland Police Union president Ian Leavers acknowledged Carroll for her service of more than 40 years to Queensland, saying she led the way in many areas. These jobs ... from what Ive seen, when theres success, everyone wants to be part of it. When theres a slight negative, the only person who owns it is the leader, and she has copped her fair share of that, he said. Leavers said Carroll had been passionate about improving conditions for police, including acquiring protective body armour for all officers.
The alternative motion noted the joint statement released last week by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the prime ministers of Canada and New Zealand airing their concerns about reports of Israels military operation in Rafah, warning it would be catastrophic with 1.5 million Palestinians taking refuge in the city. The alternative motion was passed unanimously, although Hakim said it did not go far enough as it did not endorse any action to end the killing. Hakim told the meeting that he had been subjected to racist vitriol and some people had asked him to withdraw his initial motion because it potentially created disunity. Our residents, our friends, our families, our neighbours  they are directly impacted by the events unfolding thousands of kilometres away, he said. Ignoring their voices, their pain, would be a disservice to the very principles of our multicultural and inclusive city. Councillor Roshena Campbell said she voted against the motion as the councils responsibility was to de-escalate tensions in the city.

There is very little that we in Melbourne can say that seriously politically will change what is occurring on the ground there but there is so much we can do that will change what is occurring here, she said. We can work to create a Melbourne that is safe, that people are not scared to visit, theyre not scared to run a business. The council received close to 1000 written submissions and heard almost two hours of public submissions on the motion followed by another two hours of council debate on Tuesday night. Gaza health officials said more than 29,000 Palestinians had been killed since Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7. More than 1400 Israelis have been killed, including about 1200 on October 7, according to Israeli tallies. Outside the meeting a scuffle broke out at one point, and police intervened to remove one man from the scene.

Rally organiser Amin Abbas said the federal government had failed to strongly demand an end to the atrocities in Gaza. We are saying to the City of Melbourne that we need action, he said. The words by themselves is just not enough. So we need to really call on the federal government to take a stand to call for a permanent ceasefire and lifting of the siege in Gaza. Abbas said the City of Melbourne was the most politically and economically significant council in Victoria, so the motion was important. The City of Melbourne council has a history of getting involved with foreign affairs where they cut ties with a sister Russian city because of the invasion of Russia into Ukraine, he said.

Some speakers said they were concerned for their safety when attending the meeting because of the rally outside. Reece said the council would make arrangements to help them leave the meeting. The proposed motion followed similar motions passed by city councils in Sydney and Hobart. Seven Victorian councils  Merri-bek, Maribyrnong, Dandenong, Yarra, Hume, Darebin and Wyndham  have passed motions since October 7 calling for a ceasefire. Shepparton and Monash councils debated ceasefire motions last year that were ultimately voted down, while the Geelong council executive knocked back discussion of a motion.
A plan to allow elected members in the City of Perth business-class travel has generated fierce debate, sparking questions over how resources are allocated and how matters affecting council entitlements should be dealt with.

The proposed changes to the councils allowances, fees and entitlements policy involve slashing dozens of clauses and substituting them with new ones, including several governing how elected members should travel.

Last week it was the City of Cockburn mulling the standard of travel appropriate for councillors, now its the City of Perth. So, how does your council travel on the ratepayers dime? Credit: WAtoday

Under the changes, the right of councillors to join the Lord Mayor in business class for both domestic and international travel unless they specifically request otherwise  would be formally written into the policy.

And the accommodation entitlement would be clarified to allow two days worth of funded accommodation either side of an approved function in Western Australia or interstate, and two nights prior when travelling overseas.
At the heart of the Albanese governments navy overhaul is a fundamental risk assessment: Australia does not face the prospect of a major conflict in the Indo-Pacific by the end of the decade. Or if such a conflict does erupt, it will be fine for the Australian navy to sit on the sidelines.

Thats because despite headline-grabbing promises to double the navys fleet of warships, the fine print of the announcement is less attractive. In the short term, the navys already meagre surface fleet is shrinking.

A previous plan to extend the life of the current fleet of eight Anzac-class frigates is being scrapped to save money. The oldest of these warships, HMAS Anzac, will never sail again and will soon be harvested for spare parts. Another frigate, HMAS Arunta, is due to go out of service in 2026. Thats two warships down before any new vessels are scheduled to arrive.

Defence Minister Richard Marles says this is the biggest naval overhaul since World War II. Credit: Nick Moir

This is a big gamble given the government has repeatedly said that the nation faces its most dangerous strategic circumstances since World War II. Chinese President Xi Jinping has instructed the Peoples Liberation Army to be capable of capturing the self-governing island of Taiwan by 2027, a move that would probably draw China into a war with Australias most important ally: the United States.
An expert panel will review the strength of Victorias distribution network and energy companies response to destructive storms that left more than half a million homes without power, as the opposition continues to push for a separate parliamentary probe.

Energy Minister Lily DAmbrosio announced initial details of the independent review on Tuesday but denied it was in response to the Coalitions push. The opposition said a parliamentary inquiry would provide better scrutiny and place more pressure on the state to act on its findings.

Transmission lines wrecked by last weeks wild weather. Credit: Jason South

More than 3000 homes are still without power a week after extreme winds lashed the state, bringing down trees onto power lines and tearing down a transmission line near Geelong.

That critical line going down forced the Loy Yang A power station to trip off, leaving 90,000 homes without power while there was a shortfall in demand. Another 440,000 homes lost power at about the same time because of damage to local poles and wires.
London: Before the shock death of her husband Alexei Navalny in a grim Arctic prison last week, Yulia Navalnaya had always played down the idea she would one day take over as leader of Russias opposition.

But on Monday, she vowed to continue his fight.

Yulia Navalnaya, wife of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Credit: AP

In a video released three days after his death and less than a month before Russias next presidential election, the 47-year-old mother of two alternated between rage and grief as she signalled that she would try to help lead a shell-shocked opposition.

In killing Alexei, [President Vladimir] Putin has killed half of me. Half of my heart and half of my soul. But there is another half of me, and it tells me that I have no right to give in. I will continue Alexei Navalnys work, I will continue the struggle for our country, she said.
The FSC is urging the government to use a scalpel, not a sledgehammer, when adjusting the thresholds, to get the balance right between the important role of wholesale products in capital markets, and the need to maintain consumer protections in financial advice, Briggs said.
Housing Australia works closely with all levels of government, community housing providers and the private sector to facilitate, fund, and deliver programs that help more people to access safe and secure housing, Bon said. This project is a wonderful example of how this type of collaboration can grow the supply of well located, quality social and affordable housing.
However, the Tribunal said the conditions of coordination have recently reduced and are likely to continue to reduce for the foreseeable future due to the material asymmetry in the market shares of the major banks and the emergence of Macquarie as a market maverick.
Looking ahead, Christopher suggested that the optimal outcome for renters would involve a significant slowdown in population growth to an increase of approximately 360,000 people this year, potentially leading to rent stabilisation starting from the June quarter. On the other hand, the most challenging scenario would occur if the population growth maintains its current pace.
The Cabinet member said that, according to the rule, Peru should register a 2% fiscal deficit this year.





"We project, and in fact, that will be our effort: to reach 2%. Currently, it is said that the fiscal deficit might be 2.8%, in some cases 2.6%, and there are some estimates of 2.9%," Arista explained.





"That obliges us, for example, to intend to be very reasonable with the level of spending and, above all, so as not to affect the population with the quality of spending," he added.





The minister stated that "for this reason, I am thinking about launching, in the coming months, with the authorization of the Cabinet Chief (Alberto Otarola) and the President (Dina Boluarte), an austerity regulation for the public sector."





In that sense, he said the rule of rationality in public sector spending would be aimed at reducing the purchase of vehicles, except for the Health, Education, Interior, and Defense sectors.





"Better control of gasoline spending, better control of consultancies; we must review that well," he emphasized in remarks to RPP on Monday night.





On the other hand, Arista indicated that Congress sets a bad example in public spending management.

"It is a bad example when we try to reduce spending, but on the other hand we have a Congress, with the power and freedom that the Constitution grants it, which allocates bonuses well above the public sector (level)," he explained.





Minister Arista pointed out that given Parliament initiatives regarding increasing public spending, one of the means could be the vetoing of related bills (to be exercised) by President Boluarte.





Fiscal Pact





"But more important than that is to also talk with Congress authorities so as to have a kind of fiscal pact, in which we cease to create spending rights; on the Executive Branch side, that also gives us the power and sufficient space to maintain fiscal stability," the minister detailed.





In this regard, the government official indicated that it is a about establishing fiscal pact for Peru.





"In the end, our ideological differences have one point in common, which is the country's economic growth, because the only way to provide well-being to the population is by growing, attracting investment," Arista stated.





"Investors go (to a country) if they see a stable economy; they don't go to economies in which the fiscal framework is being changed, expenses are being generated, perforations to the tax system are being carried out, and that generates a plenty of noise in the system," he noted.
Who Is Nicholas Jordan? 25-Year-Old Colorado Dorm Murders Suspect Arrested Over Shooting of Single Mother and Student (Photo: Colorado Springs Police Department)

In a tragic incident that has shaken the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (UCCS) community, two individuals, a single mother and a student, were fatally shot in a dormitory last week. The Colorado Springs Police Department apprehended 25-year-old Nicholas Jordan, a student at UCCS and a native of Detroit, Michigan, in connection with the double homicide.

The victims, identified as Celie Rain Montgomery, a 26-year-old freelance copywriter from Pueblo, Colorado, and Sam Knopp, a 24-year-old music student from Parker, Colorado, were found deceased in the Crestone House dormitory early Friday morning. Each had sustained a gunshot wound to the head, and their deaths are being investigated as homicides by the Coroner's Office.

Montgomery, remembered by relatives as a devoted single mother to two young daughters, and Knopp, celebrated as an extremely talented musician and beloved member of the Visual and Performing Arts department, were known to each other, though the nature of their relationship remains unclear. The Colorado Springs Police Department emphasized that the shooting appeared to be an isolated incident among individuals who knew one another, rather than a random attack on the university or its students.

The arrest of Jordan came after diligent efforts by the Colorado Springs PD's Motor Vehicle Theft Unit, who located him in a vehicle without incident on the morning of February 19. He is now being held at the El Paso County Jail, facing two counts of first-degree murder.

The university community and the families of the victims have been left reeling from the shock and grief of the incident. Amy Knopp, Sam's mother, expressed her anguish and frustration on social media as the events unfolded, highlighting the broader issue of gun violence in America. The outpouring of condolences and support for the families underscores the profound impact of the tragedy.

In the aftermath of the shooting, UCCS took immediate security measures, including a campus-wide lockdown that lasted for approximately 90 minutes before being narrowed down to the Crestone House. The university also closed for the day following the incident and offered walk-in counseling and support services to students and staff affected by the tragedy.

As the investigation continues, the Colorado Springs Police Department has committed to pursuing justice for the victims and their families, acknowledging the difficult nature of withholding information in the early stages of the probe. This incident marks the third and fourth homicides in Colorado Springs this year, a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges posed by gun violence in communities across the country.

The university has announced that classes were canceled on Monday following the incident but ensured that counseling services and support facilities would remain available to those in need, as the community comes together to mourn and remember the lives lost in this senseless act of violence.
The relationship between China and some western countries has deteriorated in recent years due to disagreements over Taiwan. (Photo: Dado Ruvic/Reuters/Illustration)

The Chinese Coast Guard boarded a Taiwanese tourist boat, the King Xia, as it toured around the main island of Kinmen. This action comes in the wake of a tragic incident where two Chinese fishermen drowned after their vessel capsized during a pursuit by Taiwanese authorities off the coast of Kinmen. The fishermen were allegedly chased away for trespassing into Taiwanese waters and resisting an inspection, leading to a fatal accident that has now sparked a series of retaliatory measures by China.

The boarding, which occurred on Monday, involved the inspection of the crew's documents by Chinese Coast Guard officials and lasted for about half an hour. The King Xia was carrying 23 passengers and 11 crew members at the time of the incident. This event marks a significant escalation in the ongoing dispute between the two sides, with China announcing plans to establish law enforcement activities around the islands to "maintain the order of operations in the relevant waters and protect the lives and property of fishermen," according to Gan Yu, a spokesperson for China's coast guard.

Taiwanese officials have responded with concern to the boarding, suggesting that such actions not only "harm our people's feelings" but also "trigger people's panic," as stated by Kuan Bi-ling, head of Taiwan's Ocean Affairs Council. The sentiment was echoed by Taiwan's Defence Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng, who emphasized the need for a peaceful resolution to avoid further escalation. "Let's handle the matter peacefully," he remarked, indicating that the military would not "actively intervene" to prevent exacerbating tensions.

The backdrop to these incidents is the broader context of cross-strait relations, which have been marked by increasing animosity in recent years. China views Taiwan as a breakaway province and has not discounted the possibility of using force to assert control over the island. Conversely, Taiwan has been on high alert, particularly in light of recent global events such as Russia's invasion of Ukraine, fearing a similar aggressive move by Beijing.

To counter these threats, Taiwan has been bolstering its defense capabilities, facing both economic and military pressure from China. The recent maritime encounters, including the boarding of the King Xia and the tragic deaths of the Chinese fishermen, underscore the fragile and tense nature of relations between China and Taiwan, raising concerns about the potential for further conflict in a region already fraught with geopolitical challenges.
Indian steel companies consume around 70 million metric tons of coking coal annually, and imports constitute around 85% of the country's total requirement

India's JSW Steel Ltd is in talks with Australian miner Whitehaven Coal for a stake in its Blackwater metallurgical coal mine, a source aware of the discussions said on Tuesday. JSW Steel, India's largest steel producer by capacity, is conducting due diligence and expects to get a coking coal sample from the mine this month to check specifications, the source said. Whitehaven in January said it was exploring a potential sell-down of about 20% of Blackwater to global steel producers as strategic joint venture partners.

The miner acquired the Blackwater and Daunia mines from BHP Group in a $4.1 billion deal last October, and expects the acquisition to complete in early April.

JSW Steel could consider acquiring more than a 20% stake in Blackwater, the source said.

JSW has held initial talks with Blackwater but has yet to see the specifications of the coking coal from the metallurgical coal mine in Australia, the source said.

A spokeperson for Whitehaven declined to comment on any talks with JSW Steel but referenced mention of the joint venture sell-down in the company's earlier statements. A JSW Steel spokesperson declined comment. JSW Steel has been scouting for coking coal assets overseas.

The company currently imports coking coal from Canada, Australia, the United States, and some grades from Russia. Last year, JSW Steel was in talks with Canada's Teck Resources for a stake in its coking coal unit but eventually a Glencore-led consortium agreed to buy it for $9 billion.

Coking coal is emerging as a top option for companies to make a foray into, as it is used to make steel, an important component in large infrastructure and renewable projects.

India was planning to form a consortium of state-owned companies to facilitate coking coal imports to help domestic steel companies tide over shortages, Reuters reported last month.

Indian steel companies consume around 70 million metric tons of coking coal annually, and imports constitute around 85% of the country's total requirement.
The Tata Group is looking to partner with a Taiwanese company for its semiconductor plant in Dholera and is in talks with UMC Group and Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation for it, a report by The Economic Times (ET) said on Tuesday citing officials aware of the development.

The company has also reportedly finalised the details of the land and will break ground soon. It will first make 65 nanometer (nm) chips at the plant and gradually move to 48 nm and 28 nm.

UMC is the world's second-largest foundry. PSMC is the world's seventh biggest pure-play foundry. Last year, it announced a $5.3 billion semiconductor plant in Japan.

In January, Tata Group Chairman N Chandrasekaran said that the conglomerate is planning to build a huge semiconductor fab in Gujarat's Dholera, and it will begin operations in 2024.

He said the salt-to-software group is in the final stages of negotiations for the plant.

"Tata Group has also made a commitment and is on the verge of concluding and announcing a huge semiconductor fab in Dholera, and we are about to complete these negotiations and start in 2024," Chandrasekaran said at the 10th Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit here.

He also said the group would begin construction of a 20-gigawatt lithium-ion storage battery factory in the state's Sanand City in the next two months.

Chandrasekaran said in the recent past, the group has made a "significant commitment" to expand its presence in Sanand, which, he said, is becoming a home for all of the group's electric vehicle technology.

The expansion in Sanand has been undertaken to meet the growing demand for EVs, he added.

(With agency inputs)
This extension reflects the confidence and trust placed by Rolls-Royce in TVS SCS's service performance and underscores the continued success of the collaborative efforts between the two companies, it said

TVS Supply Chain Solutions (TVS SCS), one of the largest integrated supply chain solutions providers in India, on Tuesday announced that their contract with Rolls-Royce, a global leader in technology and innovation, has been extended for five years until 2029. The partnership extension is for the state-of-the-art Parts Distribution Centre (PDC) in Singapore serving the Asia Pacific markets for Rolls-Royces Power Systems business unit.

This extension reflects the confidence and trust placed by Rolls-Royce in TVS SCS's service performance and underscores the continued success of the collaborative efforts between the two companies, it said. "We are delighted to continue our partnership with Rolls-Royce and contribute to the success of their Parts Distribution Centre in Singapore," said Vittorio Favati, chief executive officer, TVS SCS Global Forwarding Solutions. "The renewal of this contract is a testament to the efficiency and reliability of our tailored supply chain solutions. We look forward to further enhancing the operational excellence of the PDC and supporting Rolls-Royce's continued growth in the Asia Pacific region."

The collaborative journey between TVS SCS and Rolls-Royce Power Systems regional center, Rolls-Royce Solutions Asia (formerly known as MTU Asia) began in early 2013 with the mutual goal of enhancing warehouse efficiency and productivity at the PDC through the implementation of an Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS).

In 2014, the project came to fruition with the completion of the state-of-the-art ASRS warehousing system tailored to Rolls-Royce's specific requirements. The facility has since proven its efficacy, significantly contributing to improved overall warehouse productivity and efficiency.

Giovanni Spadaro, President, Global Markets, Rolls-Royce Power Systems, and Managing Director, Rolls-Royce Solutions Asia, said, The extension of this contract for an additional five years underscores the shared commitment of both companies to achieving strategic objectives and desired outcomes, further solidifying the foundation for continued growth and operational excellence in the region."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday sought the support of the country's women folk and said he wants to make one crore women in India "lakhpati didis".

The prime minister lauded the beneficiaries of the Centre's major schemes in Jammu and Kashmir for setting an example for the rest of the country. He interacted with the beneficiaries during his visit to Jammu to ascertain how the schemes have transformed the lives of the people in the Union Territory.

During a public rally, the PM encouraged a self-help group (SHG) head Kirti of Basohli area of Kathua district to leverage the loan scheme under livelihood scheme and contribute to the success of rural women.

Kirti, whose SHG had purchased three cows and repaid the loan, has now a big cowshed due to the efforts of several women.

She said, "The lives of women are changing and they are becoming the engines of change in rural India. The credit of the changes goes to such schemes gifted to us by the prime minister".

Lauding Kirti for her contribution, the PM sought support from the country's women folk and said he wants to make one crore women in India "lakhpati didis".

She replied saying she will fully support Modi's mission of "lakhpati didis".

From farmers to SHG members, Modi interacted with five beneficiaries - including three from Jammu and two from Kashmir - to learn about the impact of schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G), PM Kisan, Jal Jeevan Mission, National Rural Livelihood Mission, Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY), Ayushman Bharat, PM Ujjwala and Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) on their lives.

The prime minister acknowledged the exemplary role played by Shaheen Begum, a post-graduate entrepreneur from north Kashmir's Bandipora area.

Shaheen, a beneficiary of the Deendayal Antyodaya scheme, has transformed the lives of rural women in Kashmir by setting up SHGs and various units, including a poultry farm.

She credited the prime minister for her success, stating, "Your schemes have changed our lives. I never dreamt that such a change would take place. It was a difficult life for us but you changed it. We thank you, Sir."



PM Modi praised Shaheen for her entrepreneurship skills and also commended her parents for educating her.

He said, "I bow before your parents for educating you. You are becoming a successful entrepreneur. That shows everything is possible under the Modi rule," he said.

Continuing the engagement, he greeted Lal Mohammad, a Gujjar from Poonch district, who has successfully constructed a house under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G).

Mohammad recited a poem in praise of Modi and India, expressing his support to them.

The prime minister extended greetings to Riyaz Ahmed Kohli from Pulwama and Veena Parihar from Atholi (Paddar) in Kishtwar district, the first time beneficiaries of the Jal Jeevan Mission and PM Ujjwala schemes which gave them piped water supply and gas connection respectively, in the remotest areas of J&K.

Kohli shared his story how his remote village got connected through piped water under Jal Jeevan Mission to provide water supply to their village.

"We have got water connections for the first time since Independence. We got benefitted from the forest rights law after the abrogation of Article 370. We thank you, Sir. I never thought about talking to the PM like this. We are fortunate to talk to you," he said.
A logo is displayed at the Bank of America Corp. Tower in New York, U.S., on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2018. Bank of America Corp. is scheduled to release earnings figures on January 17. Photographer: Daniel Tepper/Bloomberg

By Baiju Kalesh



Fundraising activity in India will be stronger than ever over the next two years as conglomerates, tech firms and financial services providers hunt for capital to fuel growth and owners seize the moment to sell holdings, Bank of America Corp.s co-head of investment banking in the country said.



2023 was the year of block trades, 2024 is going to be the year of IPOs  and that momentum will most likely carry into 2025, Debasish Purohit said in an interview with Bloomberg News in Mumbai. 2024 and 2025 as a block will be the busiest years of IPOs in our lifetime.

Purohit expects between 5 and 10 tech firms and two or three local subsidiaries of multinational companies to launch initial public offerings in the period.

Reliance Industries Ltd., controlled by Asias richest person Mukesh Ambani, has been looking to list its wireless carrier Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd. and Reliance Retail Ventures for several years, while the financial services unit of Tata Sons, another giant conglomerate, is one of several shadow lenders that the Reserve Bank of India has told to list before 2025. Hyundai Motor Co. is also considering listing its Indian business in one of the countrys biggest IPOs, Bloomberg reported earlier this month.

Indias equity markets have been on a tear  the benchmark Sensex has risen in all of the past eight years, including a 19 per cent rally in 2023  and the retail investor base in the worlds most populous country is growing. A robust economy also provides favorable conditions for IPOs and exit opportunities for investors. The International Monetary Fund expects Indias economy to grow 6.5 per cent in 2024 and 2025 following its 6.7 per cent expansion last year.

This is unfolding as neighbor China tries to address ructions in its stock and property markets, along with trade conflicts and various regulatory crackdowns. Thats further encouraging global investors to shift billions of dollars into India.

Every single private equity fund that you talk to wants to have a China plus strategy, so youll see at least two, three funds being raised for India alone, said Purohit, who has worked in investment banking for over two decades.

India should be regarded as a standalone market rather than an extension or part of the wider Asia Pacific, according to Purohit. Japan and South Korea are sources for inbound deals in real estate, infrastructure, manufacturing and financial services, while investment in local semiconductor businesses may come from Taiwan, he said.

Some founders of Indian companies will partner with financial sponsors to spur growth, while others will exit or sell assets amid sector consolidation or based on family decisions, according to Purohit.

These are three or four broad areas which will attract M&A, he said. If you get 7 per cent to 8 per cent of the fee pool you are in a good place.
PhoManoj Sonkar of the BJP defeated Kuldeep Kumar after polling 16 votes against his rival's 12 to bag the mayor's post. Sonkar, however, resigned subsequently, while three AAP councillors defected to the BJPto: Shutterstock

The Supreme Court's order in the Chandigarh mayoral polls case is a big victory for democracy, the AAP said on Tuesday, demanding that BJP leaders apologise to the country for its "dishonesty" during the elections.

The top court has said it would direct recounting of votes polled in the controversial elections and declaration of result after considering the eight "defaced" ballots that were declared invalid by the returning officer.

The Supreme Court's order has exposed the BJP and shown it the mirror. The party's leaders should apologise to the country if they have any shame left, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj told a press conference here.

"It is a matter of grave concern that if the BJP and its central government can do such open stealing and dishonesty in such a small poll, what would they do in other elections where there are no microphones and CCTV cameras," Bharadwaj said.

The January 30 polls were videographed, and days after the announcement of results, AAP national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had attacked the BJP, alleging that the "world's biggest party was caught on camera stealing votes".

Following the Supreme Court's decision on Tuesday, Kejriwal hailed the top court, saying it had saved the democracy in these "difficult times".

The BJP won the Chandigarh mayoral polls on January 30 defeating the comfortably placed AAP-Congress alliance candidate after the returning officer declared as invalid eight votes of the coalition partners, drawing accusations of tampering with ballots.

Manoj Sonkar of the BJP defeated Kuldeep Kumar after polling 16 votes against his rival's 12 to bag the mayor's post. Sonkar, however, resigned subsequently, while three AAP councillors defected to the BJP.
11:19 | Lima, Feb. 20.

This designation was made official through Supreme Resolution No. 032-2024-RE , published in the Official Gazette El Peruano on Tuesday.
In a landmark victory for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday declared party nominee Kuldeep Kumar as 'validly elected' Mayor of Chandigarh, after directing eight 'invalid' votes to be treated as valid. The court also directed the issuance of a show cause notice to returning officer Anil Masih.

These eight votes were cast in favour of the AAP and were defaced by Masih.

During the hearing, Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud stated that the votes cast during the polls should be counted again, with Masih's defaced ballots treated as valid.

Chandrachud also stated that the ballot papers on which Masih left markings were those cast in support of AAP candidate Kuldeep Kumar.





Reacting to the court's ruling, AAP national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal thanked the apex court "for saving democracy."

Thank you SC for saving democracy in these difficult times! #ChandigarhMayorPolls February 20, 2024





On Monday, the Supreme Court expressed concern at the possibility of horse-trading against the backdrop of the Chandigarh mayoral polls.

"What we propose to do is to direct the Deputy Commissioner, who is the prescribed authority, to appoint a fresh returning officer. We will ensure that the returning officer... may be an officer of the state who is not aligned with any political party. The process shall be taken to its logical conclusion from the stage that was reached immediately before the declaration of the result. We will ask the Registrar General of the High Court to nominate a judicial officer to oversee the process of counting the ballots. And let the results be declared on that, disregarding the defusement, which has been made by the returning officer, either in the form of putting any mark or whatever on the ballot papers. Let that be carried out," a bench presided over by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud said orally before directing that the ballot papers be produced before the court on Tuesday.
West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose arrived at Islampur Circuit House in North Dinajpur district on Tuesday to meet the family members of the four children, who died allegedly after a mound of soil caved in during drainage expansion near the India-Bangladesh border in the Chopra area.

West Bengal Minister Md Ghulam Rabbani, meanwhile, hoped that the governor would play an impartial role and ensure justice for the families of the deceased.

"A 12-member delegation visited Raj Bhavan and requested the Governor to come here and he agreed. We are happy and we welcome him here. We hope that he will play an impartial role and ensure justice to the families of the deceased," he told ANI.

The Trinamool Congress alleges that four innocent children lost their lives in Uttar Dinajpur's Chopra during an illegal drain expansion by the Border Security Force (BSF).

Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee had questioned West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose's 'priorities' for visiting Sandeshkhali within 24 hours after the BJP asked him to but not find time to visit North Dinajpur's Chopra, where four children were allegedly found dead in a ditch near a construction site.

The TMC, meanwhile, laid the blame for the alleged child deaths on the BSF, which it said was engaged in an 'illegal' drain expansion work in Chopra in North Dinajpur district.

Meanwhile, West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Mazumdar on Monday said that the party would hold a 72-hour-long protest in the coming days demanding the arrest of Sheikh Shahjahan amid the turmoil in the state over the Sandeshkhali violence.

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Mazumdar said, "We will hold a minimum 72-hour long protest in the coming days demanding the arrest of Sheikh Shahjahan. The probable day of protest is February 22."

"The money of the public is being spent to save the 'Babus' in West Bengal. The money which should be spent for the public is being spent for the politicians. Why do they fear the privilege committee if they haven't done any wrong?" the BJP leader asked.

The Sandeshkhali area has been witnessing unrest for over 10 days as women protestors are seeking justice against alleged atrocities committed by TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan and his aides.

Notably, the Supreme Court on Monday observed that the Calcutta High Court has taken cognisance of the matter relating to the alleged sexual assault of women living in village Sandeshkhali in West Bengal and refused to entertain a plea seeking a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation or Special Investigation Team (SIT) into the issue.
The court asked the petitioners' counsel to come back in the post-lunch session with instructions

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday asked seven BJP MLAs, suspended from the Delhi Assembly for interrupting the lieutenant governor's address, if they were willing to apologise to him.

Justice Subramonium Prasad asked the senior counsel appearing for the suspended legislators to take instructions on this aspect after the senior lawyer for the assembly said a similar approach was adopted in the Supreme Court in the case of MP Raghav Chadha.

Appearing for the assembly, senior advocate Sudhir Nandrajog said the matter is not political and it involves the dignity of the office of the LG.

"I spoke to the speaker. He also suggested the route followed by the Supreme Court in Raghav Chadha's case. If members were to come and meet the speaker and apologise to the LG, the whole thing could be put through," he said.

Senior advocate Jayant Mehta, appearing for the MLAs, said there was no difficulty in apologising to the LG.

The court asked the petitioners' counsel to come back in the post-lunch session with instructions.

The seven BJP MLAs -- Mohan Singh Bisht, Ajay Mahawar, O P Sharma, Abhay Verma, Anil Bajpai, Jitender Mahajan and Vijender Gupta -- had approached the high court on Monday challenging their indefinite suspension from the Assembly for interrupting the Lieutenant Governor's address.

They said their suspension till the conclusion of proceedings before the privileges committee was in violation of the applicable rules and the MLAs were consequently unable to attend the ongoing budget session.

The BJP MLAs had interrupted Lt Governor (LG) VK Saxena multiple times during his address on February 15 as he highlighted the achievements of the AAP government. They sought to attack the Arvind Kejriwal government on a range of issues.
In the 2023 rabi season, onion production was estimated to be at 22.7 million tonnes | Photo: Bloomberg

Onion prices on Tuesday fell by Rs 150 per quintal at Lasalgaon mandi in Nashik district of Maharashtra after the government announcement that the ban on exports of the bulb will continue till March 31.

Driven by reports of the lifting of the export ban on the commodity, the modal wholesale onion prices shot up 40.62 per cent to Rs 1,800 per quintal on February 19 in Lasalgaon, the country's largest wholesale onion market, from Rs 1,280 per quintal on February 17.

However, on Tuesday the prices eased by Rs 150 per quintal to an average price of Rs 1,650 per quintal with 8,500 quintal onions auctioned.

"The prices increased a bit last week, however, with no government resolution (GR) or announcement about the lifting of the ban on onion exports, these have stabilised," Lasalgaon APMC chairman Balasaheb Kshirsagar told PTI.

Earlier in the day, Consumer Affairs Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh told PTI that the "ban on onion exports has not been lifted. It is in force and there is no change in the status."



The government's supreme priority is to ensure enough domestic availability of onion at reasonable prices to consumers, he added.

Ahead of general elections, the ban is unlikely to be lifted even after March 31 as rabi (winter) onion production is expected to be lower due to less coverage of area, especially in Maharashtra, sources said.

In the 2023 rabi season, onion production was estimated to be at 22.7 million tonnes.

The Agriculture Ministry officials will assess the rabi onion coverage in key growing states of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat in the coming days.

Meanwhile, the export of onions to friendly countries is allowed on a case-to-case basis after approval from the inter-ministerial group.
Orchid Cybertech Services Inc. (OCSI) provides Customer experience related services to TPG Telecom. It has about 2,950 full time employees. The turnover of OCSI for the FY ended on July 31, 2023 was US$37.3 Mn.

Tech Mahindra has long standing relationship with TPG Telecom (TPG). This deal further strengthens the relationship with TPG and aids in expanding existing customer experience capabilities and business in the Philippines. Acquisition of OCSI will facilitate this transition and enable incremental revenue to be realized. As part of this transaction OCSI, including its assets and employees, will become part of Tech Mahindra and Tech Mahindra will provide customer support and other services to TPG.

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Tech Mahindra announced that the Company through its wholly owned subsidiary viz., vCustomer Philippines Inc. has today i.e. 20 February 2024 at 05:55 a.m. (IST), approved the acquisition of 100% equity shares in Orchid Cybertech Services, Inc, (OCSI) for a cash consideration of AUD 5 million.
Asked about the speculation over Nath's next political move, Singh told reporters, "All these things are raised by the media and the BJP. There is no truth in it" | Photo: PTI

Congress general secretary Bhanwar Jitendra Singh on Tuesday said there is no truth in the speculation of senior party leader Kamal Nath joining the BJP and claimed such talks were a creation of the media and the saffron party.

Singh, the AICC in-charge of Madhya Pradesh, arrived in Bhopal on Tuesday in the backdrop of suspense over former CM Kamal Nath's next move and escalating tension within the state Congress.

There has been intense speculation over future moves by Congress veteran Kamal Nath, despite repeated assurances from his associates on Monday that there are no plans for him to leave the party and cross over to the ruling BJP.

Asked about the speculation over Nath's next political move, Singh told reporters, "All these things are raised by the media and the BJP. There is no truth in it."



He arrived here to attend a Congress meeting to review preparations ahead of the entry of party leader Rahul Gandhi-led 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' in Madhya Pradesh.

On the reason behind rescheduling the yatra's entry in MP from February to March, he said the yatra is on the way and there is no break. It is going on as per schedule, he said.

Asked about the timing of the yatra in view of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, Singh said, "This is the right time for the yatra, as it will cover more than 6,500 km and it will take time."



He said that in the meeting scheduled on Tuesday, preparations for the yatra will be discussed with all the MLAs and top leaders of the organisation.

The state Congress and the people of the state are eagerly waiting for it, he said.

MP Congress president Jitu Patwari said the people of the state are waiting for justice - which is the guarantee of the BJP government - like Rs 3,000 per month to women (under the Ladli Behna scheme), MSP (minimum support price) of Rs 3,100 for paddy and Rs 2,700 for wheat, and Rs 450 for LPG cylinder.

"The BJP also gave the guarantee of recruiting youth, but it seems at present it has asked those awaiting recruitment in jobs to wait and is busy recruiting leaders. There is no waiting time for them. The people of Madhya Pradesh should watch it and the Nyay Yatra will pave the way for giving justice to them," Patwari claimed.
A building collapsed in the same area earlier this month but no one was hurt as people were evacuated out of concerns it was not considered safe | Representative image | Photo: Reuters

A building collapsed in a southern suburb of Beirut late Monday, killing four people and injuring three others as search operations continued for more people under the rubble, a paramedic official said.

The building that collapsed in the suburb of Choueifat Monday night crumbled after days of heavy rain in Lebanon. Local officials said the building was not considered safe and the municipality had ordered the four-storey building evacuated two years ago out of concerns its foundations were weak. Despite the order, the owner of the building rented apartments to Syrian families.

Most of the people living in the building are Syrian citizens, according to Raja Zreik of the Islamic Health Society that was taking part in rescue operations in the area. He said four people were killed.

State-run National News Agency also reported that four people, two women, a man and a child were killed.

Zreik told The Associated Press that two women and a boy were pulled out from under the rubble and rushed to hospital.

A member of the Lebanese Red Cross told the local Al-Jadeed TV at the scene that 17 people are still believed to be under the rubble.

A building collapsed in the same area earlier this month but no one was hurt as people were evacuated out of concerns it was not considered safe.

Lebanon hosts some 805,000 United Nations-registered Syrian refugees, but officials estimate the actual number is far higher: between 1.5 million and 2 million.
Putin has repeatedly signaled a desire to negotiate an end to the fighting but warned that Russia will hold onto its gains | (Photo: PTI)

When the invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, some analysts predicted it might take as few as three days for Russian forces to capture the capital of Kyiv.

With the war now entering its third year, Russian President Vladimir Putin seems to be trying to turn that initial failure to his advantage by biding his time and waiting for Western support for Ukraine to wither while Moscow maintains its steady military pressure along the front line.

Putin's longer timeline still has its downside, with the conflict taking a heavy toll on Russia by draining its economic and military resources and fueling social tensions even as the death of imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny serves as a chilling reminder of the Kremlin's ruthless crackdown on dissent.

Putin has repeatedly signaled a desire to negotiate an end to the fighting but warned that Russia will hold onto its gains. Earlier this month, he used an interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson to urge the United States to push its satellite Ukraine into peace talks, declaring that sooner or later, we will come to an agreement.

Some recent developments have fed the Kremlin's optimism.

Aid for Ukraine remains stuck in the US Congress while Nato allies have struggled to fill the gap following Ukraine's under-performing counteroffensive last summer. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's decision to dismiss his popular military chief, Gen Valerii Zaluzhnyi, disappointed many in the country and worried its Western allies.

And Donald Trump, who has repeatedly claimed that he would negotiate a quick deal to end the war if elected, recently spooked Nato by saying he could allow Russia to expand its aggression in Europe if alliance members fail to increase their defence spending.

Tatiana Stanovaya of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Centre said a possible Trump return to the White House would serve Putin's goals.

He sees Trump as a figure likely to wreak destruction and believes the consequences of a second Trump presidency would be to weaken the West and deprive Ukraine of the support it needs, Stanovaya said in a commentary.

As the Kremlin watches for more signs of crumbling Western support for Ukraine, Russian forces captured the eastern stronghold of Avdiivka over the weekend after a fierce battle in which Ukrainian forces reported an increasingly desperate shortage of munitions. The seizure set the stage for a potential Russian push deeper into Ukraine-held territory.

While no large-scale offensive is currently taking place, Russian units are tasked with conducting smaller tactical attacks that at minimum to inflict steady losses on Ukraine and allow Russian forces to seize and hold positions, said Jack Watling and Nick Reynolds of the Royal United Services Institute. In this way, the Russians are maintaining a consistent pressure on a number of points.

Amid the fierce battles in the east, Russia also has sought to cripple Ukraine's defence industries with a steady series of strikes. It has used long-range cruise and ballistic missiles as well as Iranian-made Shahed drones to saturate and overwhelm Ukrainian air defences that are experiencing a growing shortage of munitions.

In terms of Russian industry's capacity to support ongoing operations, Russia has significantly mobilised its defence industry, increasing shifts and expanding production lines at existing facilities as well as bringing previously mothballed plants back online, Watling and Reynolds said. This has led to significant increases in production output.

They also note that Russian arms industries continue to depend on Western-supplied components, arguing that tighter enforcement of sanctions could disrupt this.

Some Moscow analysts acknowledge, however, that the Russian military is facing multiple challenges.

Retired Gen Yuri Baluyevsky, the former chief of the military's General Staff, admitted that Ukrainian air defences has effectively barred Russian warplanes from Ukrainian airspace and often make it risky for them to operate even over Russian-controlled territory. Baluyevsky said in a recent article that Western-supplied artillery are superior to Russian systems.

Western officials and analysts note that while the 1,500-kilometer (930-mile) front line has remained largely static with neither side making significant gains, Ukrainian forces have launched bold missile and drone attacks deep behind the line of contact, raising the costs for the Kremlin and challenging Putin's attempts to pretend that life in Russia is largely unaffected by the war.

Ukraine has launched audacious attacks on oil terminals and refineries deep inside Russia, as well as its naval and air assets in the Black Sea region, in a painful blow to Moscow's military capability.

That includes the sinking of two Russian amphibious assault ships and a missile boat along with strikes on air bases in Crimea that knocked out radar facilities and destroyed warplanes. Last month, Ukrainian troops downed a Russian early warning and control aircraft over the Sea of Azov and badly damaged a flying command post some of Moscow's most precious intelligence assets.

Western officials praised the efficiency of Ukrainian attacks, noting Kyiv has smartly used its limited resources to rout far more numerous Russian forces and destroy about 20 per cent of the Black Sea Fleet, effectively ending Moscow's maritime dominance there.

The UK Ministry of Defense said in a recent intelligence update that Ukraine's successes forced the Russian navy to sharply limit operations in the western Black Sea, allowing Kyiv to expand its agricultural exports despite Moscow's withdrawal from a deal brokered by Turkey and the UN that guaranteed safe shipment of Ukrainian grain.

Putin, who is all but certain to win another six-year term in the March 15-17 presidential election, has sought to consolidate public support by casting the conflict as a fight against the expansionist West that has armed Ukraine in a bid to weaken Russia.

Even though he claims the public overwhelmingly supports what the Kremlin calls its special military operation in Ukraine, new cracks have emerged in the country's tightly controlled political system.

Thousands of Russians lined up in freezing temperatures in many cities to sign petitions supporting the candidacy of Boris Nadezhdin, a liberal politician who made ending the war his chief campaign pledge. While Nadezhdin was eventually barred from the ballot by election officials who tossed out many signatures as invalid, the massive show of opposition sympathies clearly embarrassed the Kremlin.

In another sign of anti-war sentiments, wives of some soldiers recruited during a hasty and widely unpopular partial mobilization in fall 2022 demanded their discharge from service.

But Putin has continued to project total control: Police arrested hundreds simply for laying flowers in tribute to Navalny, whose death dealt a devastating blow to the already fractured opposition.

Adding to the Kremlin's problems, protesters clashed with police in the province of Bashkortostan last month following the conviction and sentencing of a local activist. The protest, driven by tensions between indigenous Bashkir people and ethnic Russians, raised the spectre of new cultural and nationalist divisions.

Last summer, Putin faced perhaps the most serious challenge in his nearly quarter-century rule when mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin ordered his private military company to march on Moscow to oust top military leaders. The brief mutiny ended with a deal envisioning the mercenaries moving to Russian ally Belarus, and Prigozhin died in a suspicious plane crash two months later that was widely seen as the Kremlin's revenge.

His death shored up Putin's authority and cemented loyalty among the elite, but the episode showed the fragility of Kremlin power.

Despite challenges, Russia's vast economic and military potential gives Putin the ability for a protracted war.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says the conflict has taken longer than expected because of Western intervention. The special military operation may last for somewhat longer, but this can't change the course of things, he said.

Mark Galeotti, head of the Mayak Intelligence consultancy, said in a recent podcast that there is no obvious resistance to Putin because of a strongly established and pervasive police state there to protect him.

So on the one level, we shouldn't anticipate that predictable levels of pressure are likely to bring this regime down at any particular point, Galeotti said. But on the other hand, we also have to acknowledge that its capacity to respond to crises, to the unexpected, has been strikingly diminished.
At about 2 a.m. last Tuesday, Republican Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin stood on the Senate floor and explained why he opposed sending more aid to help Ukraine fend off the invasion launched in 2022 by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

I don't like this reality," Johnson said. Vladimir Putin is an evil war criminal. But he quickly added: Vladimir Putin will not lose this war.

That argument that the Russian president cannot be stopped so there's no point in using American taxpayer dollars against him marks a new stage in the Republican Party's growing acceptance of Russian expansionism in the age of Donald Trump.

The GOP has been softening its stance on Russia ever since Trump won the 2016 election following Russian hacking of his Democratic opponents. There are several reasons for the shift. Among them, Putin is holding himself out as an international champion of conservative Christian values and the GOP is growing increasingly sceptical of overseas entanglements. Then there's Trump's personal embrace of the Russian leader.

Now the GOP's ambivalence on Russia has stalled additional aid to Ukraine at a pivotal time in the war.

The Senate last week passed a foreign aid package that included USD 61 billion for Ukraine on a 70-29 vote, but Johnson was one of a majority of the Republicans to vote against the bill after their late-night stand to block it.

In the Republican-controlled House, Speaker Mike Johnson said his chamber will not be rushed to pass the measure, even as Ukraine's military warns of dire shortages of ammunition and artillery.

Many Republicans are openly frustrated that their colleagues don't see the benefits of helping Ukraine. Putin and his allies have banked on democracies wearying of aiding Kyiv, and Putin's GOP critics warn that NATO countries in eastern Europe could become targets of an emboldened Russia that believes the US won't counter it.

Putin is losing, Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina said on the floor before Johnson's speech. This is not a stalemate. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky was one of 22 Republican senators to back the package, while 26 opposed it.

The divide within the party was on stark display Friday with the prison death of Russian opposition figure and anti-corruption advocate Alexei Navalny, which President Joe Biden and other world leaders blamed on Putin. Trump notably stood aside from that chorus Monday in his first public comment on the matter that referred to Navalny by name.

Offering no sympathy or attempt to affix blame, Trump posted on Truth Social that the sudden death of Alexei Navalny has made me more and more aware of what is happening in our Country. It is a slow, steady progression, with CROOKED, Radical Left Politicians, Prosecutors, and Judges leading us down a path to destruction."



Nikki Haley, his Republican presidential primary rival, said on Monday that Trump is siding with a thug" in his embrace of Putin.

Tillis responded to Navalny's death by saying in a post, History will not be kind to those in America who make apologies for Putin and praise Russian autocracy.

Johnson, the House speaker, issued a statement calling Putin a vicious dictator and pledging that he will be met with united opposition, but he did not offer any way forward for passing the aid to Ukraine.

Within the Republican Party, sceptics of confronting Russia seem to be gaining ground.

Nearly every Republican Senator under the age of 55 voted NO on this America Last bill, Missouri Sen. Eric Schmitt, elected in 2022, posted on the social media site X after the vote last week. 15 out of 17 elected since 2018 voted NO. Things are changing just not fast enough.

Those who oppose additional Ukraine aid bristle at charges that they are doing Putin's handiwork. They contend they are taking a hard-headed look at whether it's worth spending money to help the country.

If you oppose a blank check to another country, I guess that makes you a Russian, Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville said on the Senate floor, after posting that conservative commentator Tucker Carlson's recent controversial interview of Putin shows that Russia wants peace in contrast to DC warmongers.

Rep. Matt Gaetz, a leading opponent of Ukraine aid in the House, described the movement as a generational shift in my party away from neoconservatism toward foreign policy realism.

In interviews with voters waiting to see Trump speak Saturday night in Waterford Township, Michigan, none praised Putin. But none wanted to spend more money confronting him, trusting Trump to handle the Russian leader.

Even before Trump, Republican voters were signaling discontent with overseas conflicts, said Douglas Kriner, a political scientist at Cornell University. That's one reason Trump's 2016 promise to avoid stupid wars resonated.

Some of it may be a bottom-up change in a key part of the Republican base, Kriner said, and part of it reflects Trump's hold on that base and his ability to sway its opinions and policy preferences in dramatic ways.

Trump has long praised Putin, calling his invasion of Ukraine smart and savvy, and recalling this month that he had told NATO members who didn't spend enough on defense that he would encourage Russia to do whatever the hell they want to them. He reiterated that threat days later.

Despite the reluctance within the GOP to continue supporting Ukraine, Russia remains deeply unpopular in the US. A July 2023 Gallup poll found that just 5 per cent had a favourable view of Putin, including 7 per cent of Republicans.

But Putin has positioned his country as a symbol of Christian conservatism and resistance to LGBTQ rights, while portraying himself as an embodiment of masculine strength. The combination has appealed to populist conservatives across the Western world. Putin's appeal in some sectors of the right is demonstrated by Carlson's recent tour of Russia, after which the conservative host posted videos admiring the Moscow subway and a supermarket that he says would radicalize you against our leaders.

The goal of the Soviet Union was to be the beacon of left ideas, said Olga Kamenchuk, a professor at Northwestern University. Russia is now the beacon of conservative ideas.

Kamenchuk said this is most visible not in Putin's US poll numbers, but in fading Republican support for Ukraine. About half of Republicans said the US is providing too much support to Ukraine when it comes to Russia's invasion, according to a Pew Research poll in December. That's up from 9 per cent in a Pew poll taken in March 2022, just weeks after Russia invaded.

When Putin attacked Ukraine, there was bipartisan condemnation. Even a year ago, most Republicans in Congress pledged support. But around the same time, Trump was lamenting that US leaders were suckers for sending aid.

By the fall, the party was divided. Republicans refused to include another round of Ukraine funding in the government spending bill, insisting that Democrats needed to include a border security measure to earn their support.

After Trump condemned the compromise border proposal, Republicans sank the bill, leaving Ukraine backers no option but to push the assistance as part of a foreign aid package with additional money for Israel and Taiwan.

Several experts on Russia note that the rhetoric the GOP uses against Ukraine aid can mirror Putin's own that Ukraine is corrupt and will waste the money, that the US can't afford to look beyond its borders and that Russia's victory is inevitable.

He's trying to create the perception that he's never going to be beaten, so don't even try, Henry Hale, a George Washington University political scientist, said of Putin.

Sceptics of Ukraine aid argue the war has already decimated the Russian military and that Putin won't be able to target other European countries.

Russia has shown in the last two years that they do not have the ability to march through Western Europe, said Russell Vought, Trump's former director of the Office of Management and Budget who is now president of the Center for Renewing America, which opposes additional Ukraine funding.

But several experts noted that Putin has alluded to plans to retake much of the former Soviet Union's territory, which could include NATO countries such as Lithuania and Estonia that the U.S is obligated under its treaty to defend militarily.

Sergey Radchenko, a professor at Johns Hopkins' School of Advanced International Studies, noted that Russia for decades has hoped the US would lose interest in protecting Europe: This was Stalin's dream, that the US would just retreat to the Western hemisphere.
Taiwan on Tuesday protested China's boarding of a tourist boat, as tensions rise around the Kinmen archipelago, which lies a short distance off China's coast but is controlled by Taiwan.

Taiwanese media reported the King Xia, carrying 11 crew and 23 passengers, was boarded by the Chinese coast guard for about 32 minutes on Monday. Taiwan's coast guard escorted the boat back to Kinmen, and it then continued its sight-seeing voyage.

Ocean Affairs Council Minister Kuan Bi-ling told journalists at the legislature on Tuesday that the incident hurt the feelings of our people, created panic among the people, and was not in the interest of the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, referring to the 160 km- (100 mile)-wide waterway that separates mainland China from Taiwan, a self-governed island that Beijing claims as its own territory.

Premier Chen Chien-jen said Taiwan was seeking to lower tensions in the area, which have escalated as China increased military activities following Taiwan's election of an independence-leading president in January.

China is stepping up patrols in the waters off the coast of Taiwan's Kinmen archipelago, days after two Chinese fishermen drowned while being chased by the Taiwanese coast guard, which accused the boat of trespassing.

Taiwan's coast guard said a boat carrying four people was fishing about one nautical mile away from Kinmen, which Taiwan has claimed as a restricted area largely for military purposes, and capsized during a chase. The two survivors remain in Taiwan's custody.

China blamed Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party for the fishermen's deaths. It also said that there was no such thing as restricted waters.

A spokesperson for the Chinese coast guard said Sunday that its Fujian division will regularly monitor the waters off the southern coast of the city of Xiamen a few kilometers from Kinmen to strengthen maritime law enforcement.

Fishermen from both Taiwan and China regularly sail that stretch of water, which has seen a rise in tensions as the number of Chinese vessels including sand dredgers and fishing boats have notably increased in the area.

Kinmen residents have complained of both the noise and sound pollution from the vessels, as well as losses to their livelihood in fishing.

Taiwan split from China during the 1949 civil war, but Beijing continues to regard the island of 23 million and its outlying islands as Chinese territory and has been ramping up its threat to achieve that by military force if necessary.
? La presidenta Dina Boluarte presento esta tarde el balance de gestion de su Gobierno, destacando el impulso de importantes megaobras como Chavimochic y la Nueva Carretera Central.



? En las ultimas semanas hemos dado pasos importantes para impulsar las grandes obras que pic.twitter.com/OoCPREGvMM
AI MEDICAL SERVICE INC. (hereinafter AIM), a medical start-up specializing in the development of diagnostic endoscopic AI, is excited to announce the first instance of Singaporean regulatory review and device registration for an AI-based endoscopic diagnostic support device that operates within the stomach (brand name: Endoscopic image diagnosis support software - gastroAI-model G). The regulatory review and device registration was conducted by Singapores Health Sciences Authority (hereinafter HSA) on February 19, 2024. The endoscopic AI (hereinafter gastric cancer differentiation AI) differentiates gastric lesions and judges them as either neoplastic or non-neoplastic in nature. In addition, AIM has confirmed that this is the first case of device registration in Singapore for an endoscopic support software that operates within the upper gastrointestinal tract.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240219832831/en/

software image (Graphic: Business Wire)

Background of our efforts to complete regulatory review and device registration in Singapore

Gastric cancer is the fifth most common cancer in the world, with more than 1 million people contracting gastric cancer and approximately 770,000 people dying from the disease each year. Gastric cancer is characterized by a mortality rate that increases significantly with disease progression. However, gastric cancer is very often treatable if detected at an early stage; the 5-year relative survival rate is approximately 95% if detected at stage I, but less than 50% if detected at stage III or later. Nevertheless, early-stage gastric cancer is difficult to detect and is said to be missed in 4.5 to 25.8% of cases.

In countries with a high incidence of gastric cancer like Japan and South Korea, endoscopic gastric cancer screening is routinely performed nationwide. However, such screening is not a routine practice in Singapore and other countries, further complicating the early detection of gastric cancer.

Considering these circumstances, AIM has been conducting joint research on endoscopic AI with National University Hospital of Singapore (hereinafter NUH). AIM and NUH reported that endoscopic AI can support endoscopists ability to diagnose and potentially find gastric cancer at an early stage1. In addition, through communication with local physicians and activities at academic conferences, AIM has increased awareness regarding the value that endoscopic AI can provide to clinical practice in Singapore. Concurrent to that, AIM spent years working to complete regulatory review and device registration in Singapore.

About gastric cancer differentiation AI Endoscopic image diagnosis support software - gastroAI-model G

The gastric cancer differentiation AI, brand-named Endoscopic image diagnosis support software - gastroAI-model G, is a diagnosis support system for determining the neoplastic or non-neoplastic nature of gastric lesions. The system analyzes endoscopic still images acquired during endoscopic examination and provides near-instant feedback to the physician. The software indicates whether the candidate lesion featured in the image is likely neoplastic (Adenoma or Adenocarcinoma), likely non-neoplastic, or unlikely to be neoplastic (Low Confidence)2. If the lesion in the image is neoplastic, the degree of visual similarity between it and historical neoplastic lesions (confidence level) is displayed, and a rectangle indicating the location of the lesion is superimposed onto the image.

Brand name Endoscopic image diagnosis support software - gastroAI-model G Registration number DE0508971



Future Developments

AIM has been conducting joint research with NUH, a top-ranked university in Asia. AIM will continue to develop AI products through joint research with NUH, expanding device functions and target organs in line with the challenges faced by patients practitioners in Singapore. In addition, utilizing regulatory approval in Singapore, AIM aims to obtain approval and develop our business in other ASEAN countries through the ASEAN Medical Device Directive, a common framework that aims to improve efficiency and simplify the application process regarding the registration of medical devices in ASEAN countries.

About AI Medical Service Inc.

AI Medical Service (AIM) is a Tokyo-based med-tech company established with the mission to Save Lives All Over the World. Japan leads the world in endoscopic diagnosis and treatment, providing firms and researchers with access to large amounts of high-quality data. AIM is the leading player in the field of endoscopic AI, engaging in joint research with more than 100 medical institutions. By bringing endoscopic AI to the real-world clinical setting as soon as possible, AIM aims to reduce the number of missed cancer diagnoses and save lives around the world.

About CEO of AIM, Dr. Tomohiro Tada

Tomohiro TADA, M.D., Ph.D.

Dr. Tomohiro TADA is the CEO of AI Medical Service Inc., the chairperson of Tada Tomohiro The Institute of Gastroenterology & Proctology as well as Visiting Lecturer, Department of Surgical Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, the University of Tokyo Hospital.

Dr. TADA received his M.D. of school of medicine in 1996 and Ph.D. of department of surgery in 2005 from the University of Tokyo. He trained in Colorectal Surgery at the University of Tokyo Hospital.

Company: AI Medical Service Inc.

Address: Hareza Tower 11F, 1-18-1 Higashiikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo 170-0013, Japan

CEO: Tomohiro Tada

Founding: September 1, 2017

Business: Development of Endoscopic AI

1 Reference: So JBY et al. Gut. 2020. doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2020-322065

Koh C, Tada T et al. JGH. 2023. doi: 10.1111/jgh.16274

2 This product classifies images into three categories: neoplastic, non-neoplastic, and low confidence. Among these, non-neoplastic and low confidence are collectively displayed as Low Confidence.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240219832831/en/
Accenture has launched its new generative AI studio at The Dock, Accentures flagship R&D and global innovation centre.

Clients from all industries interested in pursuing commercial uses of generative AI will now be able to visit the new studio to explore industry use cases, conduct AI pilots, and rapidly initiate and scale responsible programmes.

Generative AI Leadership Series

The opening of the Gen AI studio comes as Accenture kicks off its Generative AI Leadership Series, geared towards helping Irish companies unpack how Gen AI can help address some of their most pressing priorities.

The Dublin studio is part of Accentures $3 billion investment in data and AI, which will connect clients with Accentures top data and AI experts, who will help them leverage Accentures ecosystem partnerships, ventures, and strategic investments within the Centre for Advanced AI, as well as more than 1,450 patents and patent applications in its AI solutions, and learnings from more than 700 generative AI projects

'Shape Solutions'

Gen AI is not like any previous technology revolution; its driving a new wave of reinvention that will change every area of every business in every industry," said Denis Hannigan, Data and AI Practice Lead, Accenture in Ireland.

"Our clients recognise this and are ready to move beyond experimentation into piloting and scaling Gen AI programmes.

"Drawing on our experience of client conversations, existing projects, the expertise of our people, and industry partnerships, this Gen AI studio will provide companies in Ireland with the best ideas and capabilities to shape solutions and help them reinvent their businesses, responsibly.

Opportunity Or Threat?

Recent research from Accenture reveals that 74% of Irish leaders see Gen AI as an opportunity rather than a threat and almost seven in 10 (69%) of Irish leaders view Gen AI as more beneficial to revenue growth than cost reduction.

The research further revealed that 82% of Irish leaders anticipate an even faster rate of change in 2024 compared to 2023, slightly less than leaders in North America and Europe (both 88%).

Not Fully Prepared

Sixty five percent of Irish leaders see change as an opportunity, and 59% expect revenue growth to accelerate in 2024.

Despite their optimism, half (50%) of Irish leaders say they are not fully prepared to respond to the change they will face in the 2024 business environment, compared to 49% of business leaders in Europe.

Souce: www.businessworld.ie
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Contrary to bats' reputation of being small, rodent-like flying creatures with somewhat unsettling features, the flying fox species are, as their name suggests, reminiscent of foxes, with pronounced snouts and fur that ranges from red to brown to black and white.

Their alternative name is similarly descriptive: fruit bats (since they often feed on fruit, flowers and nectar). Many of these are among the largest bat species in the world, so they deserve their own category.

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7. Black Flying Fox

The black flying fox (Pteropus alecto) is a species found in Australia, New Guinea and Indonesia. They have a wingspan that can exceed 39.6 inches (100 cm). These bats feed on pollen and nectar in their tropical habitat.

6. Great Flying Fox

The great flying fox (Pteropus neohibernicus), also known as the Bismarck flying fox, has a wingspan of up to 39 to 47 inches (100 to 120 cm). These bats are endemic to New Guinea, where they forage in the day and night for fruit to eat.

While not considered an endangered species, they are nonetheless under threat from hunting.

5. Madagascan Flying Fox

The Madagascan flying fox (Pteropus rufus), can have wingspans of 39 to 49 inches (100 to 125 cm). They are native to Madagascar, and as their alternative name of Madagascan fruit bat suggests, they get their sustenance mainly from fruit. (The scientific words for this are fructivorous or frugivorous.)

4. Livingstones Fruit Bat

The Livingstones fruit bat (Pteropus livingstonii) is an especially rare flying fox species, found exclusively in the Anjouan and Moheli Islands. These bats have a wingspan of 55 inches (140 cm) and are notable for being active during daylight hours.

3. Indian Flying Fox

With a wingspan that ranges from 47 to 59 inches (120 to 150 cm), the Indian flying fox (Pteropus medius) is the largest bat native to the Indian subcontinent.

While mostly frugivorous, this flying fox species has been observed eating insects. Although they are sometimes considered a pest because of their feasting on fruit farms, their feeding habits also help distribute the seeds of these fruits.

2. Large Flying Fox

Runner-up for the title of largest bat by wingspan, the large flying fox (Pteropus vampyrus)  also called the greater flying fox, the Malaysian flying fox and the kalang  is another imposing species that eats fruit, nectar and flowers. Its wingspan often reaches 59 inches (150 cm).

1. Great Golden Crowned Flying Fox

Sitting in the No. 1 spot is the great golden crowned flying fox (Acerodon jubatus), with an average wingspan of 59 to 67 inches (150 to 170 cm).

Also called the golden-capped fruit bat or the giant golden crowned flying fox, the species is currently considered endangered. In its native habitat of the Philippines, its survival is threatened by illegal hunting and deforestation.
Modified On Feb 20, 2024 03:47 PM By Ansh for Maruti Jimny

It was globally launched in India last year and the 5-door Jimny is already exported to Indonesia, Australia, and South Africa

At the 2023 Auto Expo, the 5-door Maruti Jimny made its global debut and was launched in India soon after. Manufactured in India, this Maruti Suzuki off-roader is exported to other right-hand-drive countries like Indonesia, Australia, and South Africa, but is priced differently in those markets. Lets see how much more expensive the Jimny is in these countries and if they get any additional features for the premium.

But before that, have a look at the prices of the India-spec 5-door Maruti Jimny:

Variant Ex-showroom Price Zeta MT Rs 12.74 lakh Alpha MT Rs 13.69 lakh Zeta AT Rs 13.84 lakh Alpha AT Rs 14.79 lakh

* Dual-tone variants cost Rs 16,000 extra

Suzuki Jimny XL (Australia)

Ex-showroom Price Converted To INR AUD 34,990 - AUD 36,490 Rs 18.96 lakh to Rs 19.78 lakh

In Australia, the 5-door Jimny is sold as the Suzuki Jimny XL, and is available in a single variant with both manual and automatic transmission options. Compared to the India-spec model, it is almost Rs 5 lakh more expensive. However, the Australia-spec 5-door Jimny gets a few new colour options, and is even equipped with ADAS features like adaptive cruise control.

Suzuki Jimny 5-door (South Africa)

Ex-showroom Price Converted To INR Rand 4,29,990 - Rand 4,79,990 Rs 18.78 lakh to Rs 20.97 lakh

The starting price of the 5-door Jimny in South Africa is similar to the starting price in Australia. However, unlike Australia, the South African market gets the 5-door Jimny with two different variants  GL and GLX  which can be compared to the Zeta and Alpha variants of the Indian market.

In South Africa, the Jimny does not get any additional features, and misses out on 6 airbags in the base-spec variant.

Also Check Out: Maruti Jimny Goes Topless For Forest Safari In Rajasthan

Suzuki Jimny 5-door (Indonesia)

Ex-showroom Price Converted To INR Rp 46,20,00,000 - Rp 47,86,00,000 Rs 24.48 lakh to Rs 25.36 lakh

Indonesia has become the latest model to get the 5-door Jimny. Just like the Australian market, the 5-door Jimny in Indonesia comes in a single variant with both transmission options. Its features list is the same as the India-spec version, but it does get some additional colour options which we dont get in the Indian market.

Why Such High Prices?

The 5-door Jimny in all these markets comes with the same engine and transmission options as the India-spec version, and also gets a similar features list. But still, there is a huge difference in the prices. This price difference is due to the import taxes of these countries, since the 5-door Jimny is exported from India.

Jimny 5-door Prices

India Australia* South Africa* Indonesia* Rs 12.74 lakh to Rs 14.79 lakh Rs 18.96 lakh to Rs 19.76 lakh Rs 18.78 lakh to Rs 20.97 lakh Rs 24.48 lakh to Rs 25.36 lakh

*Converted to INR

Due to these import fares, customers in these countries have to pay more for the same product. However, these import taxes for some countries are still lower compared to the Indian market, where we have to pay a 100 percent import fee for imported cars, making their prices double the actual cost.

As of now, the 5-door Jimny is available in three other countries, but Maruti could export it to more markets as well. In India, the Jimny is a rival to three-door sub-4 metre off-road SUVs like the Mahindra Thar and Force Gurkha.

Also Read: Maruti Jimny vs Mahindra Thar: Your Everyday Offroader

Read More on : Jimny on road price
Grey to white in Algeria

ICR Newsroom By

Published 20 February 2024

Retrofitting cement plants can give provide a new lease of life, as shown by the conversion of grey to white cement production at Biskria Cement Co, Algeria. CBMI was awarded the contract and explains some of the key elements of this conversion project. By CBMI Construction Co Ltd, China.

Until recently, Biskria Cement Co in Algeria operated three grey cement production lines at its Branis plant, comprising two 6000tpd lines and one 3000tpd line (see ICR February 2021). Recognising the market potential for white cement, Biskria Cement decided to transform the 3000tpd line into a 2000tpd white cement production line. The cement producer signed a contract with China-based CBMI Construction Co Ltd (CBMI) on 29 March 2021, marking yet another partnership between CBMI and Biskria Cement.

To continue reading this story and get access to all News, Articles and Video sections of the CemNet.com website, please Register for a subscription to International Cement Review or Login
Cherat Cement saw 12 per cent profit growth in 1HFY23-24

20 February 2024

Cherat Cement (CHCC) has recently uploaded its financial results to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) website. The company reported a 2QFY23-24 net profit after tax (NPAT) of PKR1.9bn (US$m12.2m), up 20 per cent YoY and 22 per cent QoQ. This result takes 1HFY23-24 NPAT to PKR3.4bn, up 12 per cent YoY. The positive result was possible due to increased gross margin and other income as well as a cut in financial costs during the three and six months.

The company posted net sales of PKR20.29bn in 1HFY23-24. Finance costs clocked in at PKR811m, reflecting a 19 per cent decline over last year's period. But, distribution expenses rose by 23 per cent and administrative expenses by 24 per cent YoY during this period.

According to IMS Research, CHCC has delivered an impressive performance backed by robust gross margins in the face of rising cost pressures. Nevertheless, the company will continue to face headwinds as the recently-notified gas price hike will again hit profitability.

Published under
LafargeHolcim Bangladesh initiates plastic waste facility

20 February 2024

LafargeHolcim Bangladesh (Holcim group) and Sylhet City Corp (SCC) launched a joint initiative to install a material recovery facility at BDT153m (US$1.39m) to sustain plastic waste in Sylhet, eastern Bangladesh. This is the countrys first municipal solid waste and plastic waste segregation plant, enabling the automatic segregation of non-biodegradable plastic products.



MD Tajul Islam, minister for local government, rural development and cooperatives (LGRD), recently inaugurated the facility as chief guest at the Lalmatia Dumping Ground in Sylhet. In his speech, the minister thanked SCC and LafargeHolcim for its initiative and stated: Sustainable management of plastic waste is an enduring challenge. The whole world has taken various sustainable measures to meet this challenge.

The government is also working to reduce plastic pollution by taking various short- and long-term projects at the government level, he added.

Mohammad Iqbal Chowdhury, chief executive officer of the cement manufacturing company, was also present. LafargeHolcim is co-processing different types of hazardous and non-hazardous products sustainably in the only integrated cement plant in the country. We will start co-processing Sylhet City Corporations plastic waste using our facility, said Mr Chowdhury.

Published under
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 20, ARMENPRESS. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic intends to maintain the independent policy on rejection of anti-Russian sanctions despite the colossal Western pressure, he said in an exclusive interview with TASS Director General Andrey Kondrashov.

"When the conflict in Ukraine started, I said that I dont know how the events would unfold. And then we made a decision to condemn the conflict at the state level, just like everyone else, but we said that it is our position not to impose sanctions [against Russia]. I said it back then, because we know from our own experience what it feels like when sanctions are being imposed against us. We have a friendly nation, and it would have been unfair to do so to the Russian people," Vucic pointed out.

"But I have told the Serbs that I cannot guarantee that, because I dont know what all this pressure will be like in the future. I was unwilling to play a hero for a day or two and then change my decision. But the fact that I say 'I dont know,' and when I say 'I dont know' - my word costs more than someone elses firm promise," the head of state noted.

"Two years have passed [since the beginning of the special military operation.] Serbia is the only European country that has not imposed any sanctions. You have many friends in all European countries, and all of them have imposed sanctions against Russia. Some would say that it is the central authority that has imposed them and that they are against them; some would say that they have imposed sanctions against you but they help you in other matters. The small Serbia is the only country that has not imposed any sanctions," Vucic underscored, adding that "sanctions against Russia are the main topic" at every international event attended by him.

"We do not beat our breast or anything, but, as you can see, my answer will be the same in the future, that we will try to defend our position for as long as possible. We have been able to do that for two years already. I dont know if we will keep doing that, but I hope for it," the head of state concluded.

After the beginning of the special military operation, Vucic said in his address to the nation that Serbia supports the territorial integrity of Ukraine, but will not impose sanctions against Russia. He announced that the republic temporarily suspended all military and police exercise with foreign partners. Vucic noted that Serbia considers Russia and Ukraine brotherly nations and regrets the events in Eastern Europe. He also announced that Belgrade is ready to provide humanitarian aid to Kiev.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 20, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian and Brazilian foreign ministries have held political consultations in Brasilia.

The talks were chaired by Deputy Foreign Minister Paruyr Hovhannisyan from the Armenian side, and Foreign Ministry Secretary General Maria Laura da Rocha from the Brazilian side.

The sides discussed bilateral relations, the Armenian foreign ministry said in a readout.

The readiness to intensify Armenia-Brazil political dialogue, expand the legal-contractual framework, and further develop the trade-economic and interparliamentary ties was underscored.

The officials also discussed partnership within the framework of international organizations, highlighting regular consultations between the foreign ministries.

In the context of matters pertaining to regional transport and economic projects, the Deputy FM presented the Crossroads of Peace project developed by the Armenian government.

The Deputy FM presented the security situation in the South Caucasus and the steps aimed at the normalization of Armenia-Azerbaijan relations.

Other issues related to the international agenda were also discussed.
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YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 20, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Defense Suren Papikyan has chaired a consultation with the Ministry of Defense top officials and military commanders.

Before discussing the agenda items, Minister Papikyan congratulated the recently appointed military officials on assuming duties.

A number of issues pertaining to the ongoing work in the armed forces were discussed during the consultation, the Ministry of Defense said in a readout.

Papikyan issued relevant assignments and directives to the officials.
Entrepreneurship has always been in Craig Fullers blood. From a young age, hes been starting and growing businesses.

In this episode, he shares the ups and downs of his career, starting with growing Xpress Direct to $140 million in revenue within two years, then getting fired from the family businesses (twice), and now leading FreightWaves and acquiring legacy media brands.



Craig Fuller is the founder and CEO of FreightWaves, a leading provider of global supply chain market intelligence and news.


In a previous article, author Lewis Grizzard (LG) wrote about the recruiting campaign by three dental drillers allegedly wanting him to run for Mayor of Atlanta.

LG realizing that they were not sincere in their alleged support of him as a politician he filled his poison pen and wrote an expose with the article title of The Truth About Dentists.

It is contained in Wont You Come Home, Billy Bob Bailey (1980- Peachtree Publishers).

In an effort to avoid any personal criticism from the Choo Choo Dental Conglomerate a disclaimer from LGs caustic remarks is necessary.

(His prelude to said article contains a rather sinister descriptive passage that mandates such action be taken!)

Nearly every society has had its element of cruel and sadistic monsters, preying on the helpless and innocent. We call ours dentists.

----

LG proceeds to castigate the honorable profession and since I have a $5.00 dental appointment in March 2024, I wish to make it absolutely clear to my guy with the long needle that I do not support the Sage of Morelands caustic remarks that follow:

Get ready for this, because I don't want you to be caught off guard. The American Dental Association has launched a new propaganda scheme aimed at people who will do anything to stay out of a dentist's office-people like me.

We are no small group. According to its own figures, the ADA says only half the population goes to the dentist each year.

The purpose of its scheme is to get the other 50 percent strapped into that chair so the dentist can scrape and pull and drill and make the poor suckers hurt and bleed and then charge them for his trouble.

The scheme includes sending out ADA "ambassadors" all over the country to tell you incredible lies, such as, it doesn't hurt to go to the dentist anymore.

One of those "ambassadors" is a lady dentist named Dr. SR, of Allentown, Pennsylvania. I read a newspaper account of some of the baloney she is peddling. Get a load of this song and dance. According to Dr. SR:

1. Dentists offices now offer a more pleasant environment than before.

2. Dentists are now more aware of their patients' feelings.

3. Dental equipment has been improved. If you ask for one, a dentist will provide a cost estimate before he starts excavating in your mouth.

Big deal. So dentists have put in Muzak and hung a few pictures, and now you can find out about their outrageous prices ahead of time.

What the ADA wants to do is to double root-canal sales, and I, for one, will not be fooled by its would-be clever trick. Do not listen to the ADA, America. Listen to your Uncle Lewis, who knows all there is to know about dentists, because he was held prisoner by one until he was old enough to escape without parental consent. The truth about dentists-clip and save:

1. Of course, it still hurts to go to the dentist, because dentists WANT it to hurt. They like to watch you squirm, they like to hear your muffled cries of agony, they like to fill your mouth with cotton and then ask you, So who do you like Monday night? The Cowboys or the Steelers?

2. Dental equipment will be improved only when the heinous drill is totally silent, has a rubber tip, and tickles, rather than feels like someone has taken to your mouth with the first cousin to a jackhammer.

3. When a dentist says, "This may sting a little," he really means, "How high can you jump?"

4. Oral Roberts University is not a school of dentistry. Beware any dentist whose nickname is "Mad Dog" or "Nick the Grinder.

5. Beware any dentist with a nervous twitch.

6. Beware any dentist who is missing one or more fingers.

7. Beware any dentist who is wearing an inordinate amount of leather and whose chair has straps.

8. Beware dating dental assistants. They kiss with their teeth, and floss in public.

9. Despite what the American Dental Association says, there are worse things than having all your teeth rot out.

10. I would gladly list a couple, but its late and I have to go gum dinner.

(Choo Choo City has been fortunate to have many highly qualified and creative practitioners of the art of dentistry. One late icon had a unique talent of being more proficient by saving time with his procedure of placing his multiple instruments on the bosoms of attractive patients while they were in the dental chair.)

* * *

You can reach Jerry Summers at jsummers@summersfirm.com
Johnny J. Blankenship, 83, passed away on February 16, 2024, at a local hospital.

He was the oldest son born to the late John and Ollie Thomas Miolen Blankenship. Johnny was born on April 27, 1940, in Tennga, Ga. and moved to Blue Springs Valley in 1943 on land formerly owned by an Indian forced to move on The Trail of Tears. Johnny attended the old one room schoolhouse until 1948 when the new school was built. A church obtained the old school and Johnny's family attended until the church moved. The new school was destroyed by a tornado and never was rebuilt. This was a great loss to the Blue Springs and Lead Mine Valley communities. At the age of 15, Johnny went to work for Clyde Calfee Well Drilling. He later went on to work at Hardwick Stove, then started his own business as a brick mason, plumber, and licensed contractor. He was known for his honesty and quality workmanship.

In addition to his parents, he is also preceded in death by one brother Ronald Blankenship.

He married Patricia A. Prueitt on May 6, 1961. They were married for almost 62 years and have three children, Sherah Lisa Benefield (Brian), Steve Blankenship (Bridget) and J. Barak Blankenship and one grandson Spencer S. Blankenship (Alicia). He is also survived by one brother Daniel Blankenship. Children were drawn to Johnny because he gave them love and attention, but nothing compared to the bond between Johnny and Spencer - it was love at first sight.

Sherah Lisa was a daddy's girl. The boys treasured time they shared hunting and working on construction jobs with their dad. That ended when Johnny lost most of his vision. The sons kept the business running as Johnny had trained them well.

Johnny's ancestors came to the USA in the 1600s and later to Polk County. The Miolen family lived in the old Dutch settlement. Johnny will be buried at the cemetery at Ball Play Baptist Church where an ancestor had donated land where the Blankenship families are buried.

Johnny suffered many health problems, but God's grace was always sufficient. What a mighty God! Johnny is now in Heaven without any health problems. "Don't weep for me I will not be weeping. Rejoice with me for I will be rejoicing in the presence of my Lord. See you later. Hold onto your faith."

Johnny's funeral will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 21, at 2 p.m. in the chapel of Companion Funeral Home located at 2415 Georgetown Road with pastor Jeanie Cissom officiating. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 12 to the 2 p.m. service time. Burial will follow in the Ball Play Baptist Church Cemetery.

The family wishes to thank everyone for the excellent care at Tennova, pastor Jeanie Cissom, Companion Funeral Home, hospice and the many family and friends.

You are encouraged to share memory of Johnny and/or your personal condolences with his family by visiting his memorial webpage and guestbook at www.companionfunerals.com. Companion Funeral Home of Cleveland is honored to assist his family with these arrangements.
In relation to the bomb threat occurring at Tyner Academy last Thursday, Hamilton County Sheriffs Office Investigative Services discovered that a student from another school made the threat as a prank call.

Upon investigation, detectives determined the juvenile student did not have any intent to commit any violence against the school and only made the bomb threat as a prank; however, the bomb threat against Tyner Academy was a very serious incident that required a massive response by law enforcement and emergency personnel, along with causing a three-hour disruption and fear to the students and faculty at Tyner Academy.



Due to the serious nature of this incident, criminal charges have been filed in this case in Hamilton County Juvenile Court. On Tuesday, Hamilton County detectives charged the juvenile student who made the bomb threat toward Tyner Academy with the following:



False reports (TCA 39-16-502 / Class C felony)

Threat of mass violence on school property (TCA 39-16-517 / Class A misdemeanor)






Prince Harry seems to be changing the narrative when it comes to what he says about the royal family. The prince is showing love to is relatives and remaining tight-lipped on what's going on behind the palace walls.

Prince Harry hasnt exactly had the best relationship with the royal family in recent years. The Duke of Sussex left the family back in 2020, and hes been living in California with his wife, Meghan Markle, and their two kids, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, ever since. Harry has come under fire in recent years for unveiling too much information surrounding his always-private family.

Recently, though, Harry kept his responses pretty short in an interview with Will Reeve. And specifically, he declined to answer one question that would have let even more information slip about the royal family. It seems Harry is trying to change the narrative on his reputation for spilling the beans.

Prince Harry | Samir Hussein/WireImage

Prince Harry declined to answer a question regarding his fathers cancer diagnosis

Harry recently made the trip to the United Kingdom to visit his father after Buckingham Palace announced that Charles had been diagnosed with cancer. The visit only lasted about 24 hours before Harry returned home to the United Kingdom, but Harry later opened up in an interview with Will Reeve, saying that he has love for his family and was grateful that he was able to jump on a plane and see his father.

Still, Harry was pretty tight-lipped during the interview  a difference from just a year or two ago, when he was willing to say just about anything regarding his famous family. And when asked about the outlook on his fathers diagnosis, Harry answered with seven simple words.

Whats  Your outlook on his health? Reeve asked. That stays between me and him, Harry said, with no further comment.

Prince Harry seems to be trying to change the narrative

Harry used to take interview after interview opening up about his family and the trouble they have caused him. And while he had a right to tell his side of the story, some people felt he was trying to profit off of his familys notoriously private life. Now, though, it seems that Harry is taking the opportunity to actually praise his family and show his appreciation for them.

He remained silent on anything regarding his brother, and he quickly shot down the idea of revealing any information about his fathers diagnosis. The interview seemed to suggest Harry no longer wants to present himself as an enemy of the royal family. Harry also mentioned that he does plan to return to the UK to visit his family as much as he can, though he noted that he has his own family in California.

It remains unclear if Harry will make a trip to the UK with his wife and kids. Meghan has not returned to Harrys home country since Queen Elizabeth IIs funeral in 2022, and Princess Lilibet has never met her royal family members. Prince Archie has met them, though he was too young to remember any of them.
Activist and actor Sharon Stone isn't afraid of fashion risks as evidenced by her voluminous dress coat at the Cinema for Peace Gala.

Sharon Stone has never been afraid of a risk, fashion-related or otherwise. The Basic Instinct star took a risk when she supported AIDS research in the 90s. She also faced a huge challenge when her vertebral artery ruptured in 2001, requiring a seven-hour procedure that saved her life.

So, style risks likely dont seem so serious to Stone these days. This was evident when she appeared at the Cinema For Peace Gala on February 19. The 65-year-olds outfit was surprising enough that a notable political figure called her out on stage.

Germanys Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, Hillary Clinton and Sharon Stone at the Cinema For Peace Gala | Franziska Krug/Getty Images

The Cinema For Peace Gala occurred during the 74th Berlin International Film Festival. Notable 2024 attendees included Helen Mirren and Hilary Clinton. Stone presented Clinton with the NGOs Cinema for Peace Award during the ceremony.

The former U.S. Secretary of State accepted her award with a laugh. Clinton stated, To my friend Sharon Stone, who can look amazingly beautiful in anything. When she walked in, I was like, Wow, who besides Sharon Stone could wear a gigantic bathrobe and look stunning  you are one of a kind, my friend, one of a kind.

Helen Mirren and Sharon Stone at the Cinema For Peace Gala | Franziska Krug/Getty Images

Sohee Park of Miss Sohee, a London-based womenswear brand, designed the bathrobe overcoat in question. Worn by the likes of Naomi Campbell, Bella Hadid, Cardi B, Ariana Grande, and Miley Cyrus, Miss Sohee pieces often involve voluminous gowns, caged crinolines, embellished flowers, and long trains.

Sharon Stone at the conversation with Sharon Stone as part of Cinema For Peace event | Stephane Cardinale  Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images

Stones beautifully tailored white overcoat featured large lapels, gathered cuffs, and a belted waist. The heavy material created a voluminous effect. Tiny ruby-colored flowers accented the collar and waist and cascaded toward her feet.

The Casino star wore matching ruby red heels and two statement rings, one on each hand. Celebrity hairstylist Alexandre Protti slicked Stones hair back along her head. Makeup artist Max Roman gave her natural makeup to accent her features.

Sharon Stone attends the conversation with Sharon Stone prior to the screening of Casino as part of Cinema For Peace event | Stephane Cardinale  Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images

Stone took to Instagram to plug the hosting nonprofit. The Cinema for Peace Foundation is an international non-profit organization with the goal to foster change through film, she included in the caption.

Stone also gave a shoutout regarding her stylist, makeup, hair, hair color, and dress coat designer. Paris Libby, her stylist, has worked extensively with The Specialist star for over 30 years. Hes also styled Zoe Saldana, Ciara, Vin Diesel, Jeremy Renner, Liam Hemsworth, Luke Hemsworth, and Robin Thicke.

Sharon Stone during the Cinema For Peace Gala | Franziska Krug/Getty Images

Stones participation in the Cinema for Peace Gala was a natural fit, given her passion for activism involving clean water, HIV/AIDS, homelessness, and more. She became the chair of The Foundation for AIDS Research, or amfAR, in 1995, as AARP reports.

Sharon Stone in the portrait studio during the Red Sea International Film Festival 2023 in Saudi Arabia | Tristan Fewings/Getty Images for The Red Sea International Film Festival

The mother of three has also traveled extensively to promote peace in the Middle East and beyond. In 2013, Stone received the Peace Summit Award for her work on HIV/AIDS. In 2015, she raised enough money to build 28 African schools during an impromptu auction she started onstage during Milans Pilosio Building Peace Award.

Sharon Stone attends Opening Night at the Red Sea International Film Festival 2023 | Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images for The Red Sea International Film Festival
YEREVAN, 20 FEBUARY, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 20 February, USD exchange rate up by 0.10 drams to 404.47 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 1.16 drams to 436.87 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate stood at 4.38 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 0.11 drams to 510.00 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price up by 255.45 drams to 26229.74 drams. Silver price up by 1.05 drams to 300.20 drams.
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What makes Christianity hard?

There are many possible answers to this question. How you answer it reveals a great deal not only about yourselfyour temperament, your station in life, your mind and heartbut also about the context in which you live. Christians in different times and places would answer quite differently.

Suppose, for example, you live in Jerusalem just a few decades after the crucifixion of Jesus. What makes Christianity hard is not belief in the divine or the great distance separating you from Bible times. Youre in Bible times, and everyone believes in the divine. No, what makes it hard is the suffocating heat of legal persecution and social rejection. Confessing Christs name likely makes your life worse in tangible ways: Your family might disown you; your master might abuse you; your friends might ridicule you. The authorities might haul you in for questioning if you strike them as a troublemaker.

Or suppose youre a nun in a medieval convent. Youll live your whole life here, never marrying or bearing children or having a home of your own. You are pledged to God until death. Youre what people will later call a mystic, though thats a rather dry term for having visions you often experience as suffering: ecstatic glimpses of the consuming fire that is the living Lord. What makes Christianity hard? You certainly dont wonder about the existence of Godyouve seen God with your own eyes. Nor are fame and wealth a source of temptation; your life is hidden away from the world. But your life is not easy. Faith remains hard.

Or imagine youre someone else, somewhere else: a priest at a rural parish in early modern England. You live in a time of religious and political upheaval. The Reformation has upended long patterns of worship and expectations of unity. Religious wars rage on the continent, but your decidedly unspectacular charge is a village of farming families. What makes Christianity hard here? That background conflict might be part of it, but far closer to home is the sheer numbing routine, the daily quotidian grind of weather, crops, weddings, pregnancies, illnesses, funeralsAdvent, Christmas, Lent, Easteryear in, year out; wash, rinse, repeat.

If I were to put this same question to my friends or my college students in America today, I think I know what they would say: What makes Christianity hard in our time and place is doubt.

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Doubt about Gods existence; about the resurrection of Jesus; about miracles; about angels, demons, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit; about the biblical texts or the history behind them or the church that gives them to us; about the credibility of all of the above. And all that doubt perches on the precipice of a yawning chasm between back then and here and now: oppression and slavery and superstition versus liberty and human rights and science. Should we really accept unquestioningly the faith of our ancestors whenwe tend to thinkwe are so much better than them in so many ways?

Im not describing atheists, apostates, or exvangelicals here. This is how many ordinary Christians feel. Or at least, its the water they swim in, the intrusive thought in the back of the mind, the semi-conscious source of inertia they feel when the alarm blares on Sunday morning. American Christians face no Colosseum, but this emotional and intellectual pressure is very real. The doubts add up.

It doesnt help that doubt is in vogue. Doubt is sexy, and not only in the wider culture. I cannot count the number of times Ive been told by a pastor or Christian professor that doubt is a sign of spiritual maturity. That faith without doubt is superficial, a mere honeymoon period. That doubt is the flip side of faith, a kind of friend to fidelity. That the presence of doubt is a sign of a healthy theological mind, and its absencewell, you can fill in the rest.

The pro-doubt crowd gets two important things entirely right. First, they want space to ask honest questions. Second, they want to remove the stigma of doubt.

They want church to be a place where doubt is not a pathology, where the experience of doubt is not a moral failure, where the doubt produced by questions, or the questions produced by doubt, are welcomed, accompanied, and explored. A church like this would be known for a culture of spiritual hospitality. Ordinary believers could say out loud what really keeps them up at night, rather than keeping it unspoken for fear of judgment or rejection.

We should all want these things. Where churches have erred, pastors should right the ship. We dont want children and young people thinking questions are bad, much less that following Jesus means believing six impossible things before breakfast.

Where, then, do the pro-doubt folks go wrong? I see four ways.

First, pro-doubters universalize a particular experience. Its true that doubt is not a fake problem easily solved by a little spiritual bootstrapping. But is believing in an invisible God or the virginal conception of Jesus what makes Christianity hard for everyone everywhere and always? Read enough of Christian literature in praise of doubt and thats the impression youll get.

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But look through church history, like I did above, and it becomes apparent that what makes Christianity hard depends on context. Exposure to the lives and writings of fellow disciples from across the centuries, living in vastly different times, places, and cultures, puts our challenges in perspective. They are so often personal, not general; parochial, not cosmic. They are not inevitable or unalterable. Christianity is a lot bigger than the Bible Belt or the secular West.

Second, pro-doubters tend to describe doubt not just as a universal challenge but as a necessary feature of mature faith. Theres a mix of selection bias and classism at work here: Doubters are typically affluent, brainy types with a college degree and a laptop job. None of this is bad; I fit the bill.

But not everyone does, and our experience of faith is not universal. Our tendency to wrestle with doubt is not an essential component of knowing God, a gauntlet that every serious Christian must run. It is simply untrue that faithful maturity is always marked by doubt. Did Moses wonder whether God is real? Did Paul second-guess his vision of the risen Lord? What about Julian of Norwich, our non-hypothetical nun? Must the simple and confident faith of so many of our spiritual eldersthe proverbial grandmothers in the pewsreally be problematized before it is worthy of our respect? The question answers itself.

Third, pro-doubters go too far in making doubt a virtue. Doubt is not a sin, but that doesnt mean its desirable. God may use it for good; it may well be a crucial step in a persons journey with Christ. But we need not valorize it or celebrate it. In short, doubt doesnt call for either praise or blame. In most cases, its a thorn in the flesh.

At best, doubt is a ladder to climb. But ladders arent ends in themselves. We use them to get somewhere, to complete some job. Dwelling forever in perpetual doubt is like making ones home on a laddertechnically possible but far from ideal. If someone recommended a ladder as a solution to your need of a house, youd rightly question his judgment.

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Finally, pro-doubters mischaracterize the nature of questions. Questions are not the same as doubts. Thomas Aquinas asked thousands of questions in his short life. Augustines Confessions alone contains more than 700 of them. What else is a catechism but questions followed by answers? But theres the rub. Doubt begins with a loss of trust or credibility; questions do not. My children ask me questions every day, not because they doubt me, but because they trust me.

For this reason saints and mystics adore questions, including questions that cannot be answered in this life. Questions arise from and foster our trust in God. Questions grow faith.

To distinguish questions from doubt is not to praise the former by re-stigmatizing the latter. Its to clarify for believers that while doubt often entails questions, questions do not always (or even normally) entail doubt. That is good news for the anxious among us. Ask away, the church should say. The Lord welcomes your questions.

What, then, makes Christianity hard? Is there an answer that pertains to all of us? As a matter of fact, I believe there is.

What makes Christianity hard is faith, albeit not in the sense many of us expect. For too many Christians raised in the church, faith means mental and emotional certainty, and so the Christian life is defined as believing as hard as you can in difficult things. In this model, when a feral question nudges its nose into the tent, youre left with only two options: Kick it out by somehow believing harder or accept that your faith is fraudulent and give it up. Having faith means I must work myself into a lather believing weird things that modern people in a scientific age find incredible. With that as the alternative, no wonder doubt looks attractive!

But faith is not this desperate maintenance of internal certainty. It is just as accurately (maybe even better) translated as faithfulness. To have faith is to keep faith, to maintain fidelity to God, to trust him and become trustworthy in turn. What is universally hard about being a Christian is being faithful to the Lord no matter ones circumstances.

Whether one lives in times of persecution or alone in a convent, in an epoch of division and war or in an age of skepticism and affluence, in the high tide of medieval Christendom or under Islamic rule in modern Iran, the call of Christ is exactly the same. In every circumstance, Christ invites us to take up our cross and follow him to Calvary (Luke 9:23). We are called, in other words, to die.

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Sometimes our deaths are literal; sometimes they are religious; sometimes they are social or financial or familial. Sometimes they are all of these and more (Gal. 2:20). In every case, for all the superficial differences, we wear the same yoke. Christ promises us that this yoke is easy, its burden lightand it is (Matt. 11:30). But the death to self it requires is a daily crucifixion that saps the flesh of its power to hold us in its sway.

Doubt can be part of this struggle. The struggle is real, lifelong, and common to us all. The struggle, however, is not the point. The point is where we are going. The point is whom we are following. The point is that the cross is not the final destination; death is not the end (1 Cor. 15:26, 5557). We are not doomed to wrestle and suffer and wonder forever. When we walk out of the tomb, we will leave all that behind. Like graveclothes, whatever doubts once bedeviled us will lie piled on the floor. Free of every burden, we will walk into life.

Brad East is an associate professor of theology at Abilene Christian University. He is the author of four books, including The Church: A Guide to the People of God and Letters to a Future Saint: Foundations of Faith for the Spiritually Hungry.

[ This article is also available in Portugues. ]
This is an excerpt from Knowing Gods Truth, which won the Award of Merit in the Young Adult category of CTs 2024 Book Awards.

Probably the biggest critique of the discipline of theology, even by Christians, is that it is not practical.

It is not surprising that people who do not know Jesus do not want to study theology. What is often quite disappointing is that many Christians look at theology as something that is not usefulsomething that does not really matter in everyday life. Perhaps you have not heard this yet, but you will!

There is a very real sentiment from some Christians that careful theological thought and study is a waste of time; Christians, these people think, should be out helping people, preaching the gospel, and engaging in active obedience rather than learning about God and the Bible.

So why is theology important? Why give many hours to its study?

The most basic reason why theology is important is that it is about God; it is the study of our Creator, Savior, and King. In a very real sense, then, the study of theology is the best and most important study that we can ever engage in.

It is not a waste of time to learn more about the God of the universe. It is, in fact, probably the most valuable thing we could be giving our time to do. The study of theology, of course, should not prevent us from helping people, sharing the gospel, and actively obeying Jesus; it should actually help us do these activities with even more knowledge of and love for Godand for human beings created by this God.

Theology also affects the way we live. Many people do not realize that every decision we make is ultimately a theological decision. Everything we do is a reflection of our beliefsespecially our beliefs about God. What we say, how we think, the way we use our timeall of these ultimately reflect what we truly believe to be true about the universe and the meaning of life. In this sense, then, our theology really does affect the way we live. What we believe about God has an impact on the choices we makeeven the small onesevery single day.

Finally, a theological view of the world that is informed by the Bible helps us make sense of the world around us. God, in his Word, reveals to us the deepest realities about our world: his role in creation, the sinfulness of humanity, his sovereign purpose and plan, and the salvation that is available only through Christ Jesus, his Son. Careful theological work, then, matters because it is a way for us to understand and make sense of the world.

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When we study theology, we come to see our purpose as we understand Gods role in the world by listening his Word. Systematic theology begins with a study of the doctrine of Scripture because without Gods revelation, we cannot know about God. But why not start by examining Gods existence, character, and actions, since God obviously has been around (infinitely) longer than the Bible?

We begin with Scripture because we are weak, finite creatures who cannot simply rely on reason and careful thought to lead us to the truth about the God of the universe. Certainly we could come up with some good ideas about God, but we cannot even start down this road in the right way until we have laid a solid foundation for study, discussion, and thinking about him. Scripture is this foundation.

We can get to a certain point in our understanding of God without the Bible; we can see that he exists and that he is powerful. But we need his Word to show us the rest of what we can know of himthe rest of the truths about his character, his actions, and his way of salvation through his Son.

Our starting point is an examination of what the existence of Scripture itself tells us about the God who created this world: He is a God who speaks. This has important implications for the way that we approach Scripture. We come to it not as a dead book that we search for information, but as the living Word of God that has significant things to say about every area of our lives.

There is much that we can learn from the simple fact that Godthe God of the Biblespeaks to people. When we refer to the Bible as the Word of God, we are saying that the one true God of the universe is a speaking God. He is not silent. He has not left human beings completely in the dark as to how they can know, love, worship, and serve him. He has spoken through his Word.

So what do we learn from the very existence of the Bible? First, we learn that the God of the universe wants to be known.

This is a key point for us to consider. The God who created us has gone out of his way to communicate with human beings. He reveals himself to them through his Word. He teaches them about his character, ways, and plan. He shows them how they can come into a right relationship with him. Our God speaks because he is committed to inviting people into relationship with him, so that they can actually know the God who created them!

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Further, God wants to relate to his people through his Word. Throughout history, from Gods first words to Adam and Eve, we see that Gods primary way of relating to human beings is through his Word to them. He spoke to Abraham. He gave the Law to Moses. He spoke to his people through the prophets. His Son, Jesus, came as the Word  made flesh, according to John 1:14 (KJV).

Now, Scripturehis Wordguides Christians as they follow and relate to him. Gods Word is his primary way of relating to people. Thats why his people have always been people of his Word.

Finally, we learn from the existence of Scripture that we must listen to Gods Word. Since it is the communication and revelation of our Creatorthe only true God of the universethe Bible is the most important word we can listen to! We should work hard to listen to the Bible because the God who made us has actually spoken in it.

Here is what Paul writes about the Word of God:

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2 Tim. 3:1617, ESV).

Pauls phrase breathed out helps inform our understanding of inspiration. The Bible, according to Paul, is really breathed out by God. In other words, the Bible that we read and study is as closely tied to God as our words that we speak are tied to us!

How did God breathe out Scripture? He did it by the power of his Holy Spirit. This is what we mean when we speak of God inspiring human authors to write the books of the Bible. His Holy Spirit was actively and powerfully working in and through them as they wrote. Men such as Moses, Samuel, David, Paul, Peter, and John wrote with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

Now, we need to make a distinction between inspiration and dictation. Inspiration does not mean that God dictated every word to the biblical authors or somehow magically grabbed their hands and forced them to write certain words without their minds being engaged at all! The very nature of the Bible tells us this is not the case; it was written with distinct human personalities, styles, and tones that are representative of the authors.

Yet the truth of inspiration tells us that Gods Holy Spirit was powerfully overseeing each part of the writing of Scripture, so that as Paul wrote (from his own experience and with his own style), he was writing words and truths that completely and truly lined up with what God wanted to say to human beings.

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One other passage that we should consider here comes from the apostle Peters second letter. Peter speaks of the prophetswho both wrote and spoke to Gods peopleas being carried along by the Holy Spirit (2 Pet. 1:21). This is just one other picture that the Bible gives us for inspiration.

These men spoke and wrote by their own power, but they were carried along by the Spirit in a powerful way so that their words were perfectly united with his Word to his peoplein just the way that he intended.

So what does inspiration mean when we talk about the Bible? It means that God is directly behind the words of Scripture. He sovereignly oversaw its composition by the power of his Holy Spirit. He carried along the biblical authors and breathed out his Word to us through their writing. Because of this, we can truly say that the Bible is Gods Word. We can say that when the Bible speaks, God speaks!

Because of the doctrine of inspiration, we can truly say that the Bible is Gods Word. We know that, in Scripture, we have a source of truth that comes directly from the sovereign God who powerfully inspired its words.

God did this through human authors, who wrote out of their own situationsand with their own styles and personalities. We can accurately say that the Bible is 100 percent human (written by human authors) and also 100 percent divine (inspired by God the Holy Spiritevery single word).

If there is one simple reality that we observe in every part of the Bible, it is this: God rules his people by his Word. To put it in a slightly different way, Gods Word is always attached to Gods authorityhis rule over his people with power, protection, and strong instructions and commands. Indeed, whenever God speaks, he speaks with authority.

The doctrine of inspiration must necessarily lead into the doctrine of the authority of Scripture. If the Bible really is inspired by Godif it is God speaking by the power of his Holy Spiritthen the Bible is a book with great authority. It is the actual Word of God.

This means, quite simply, that there is no greater authoritative word in the entire world than the Bible. Because it is truly Gods Word, it is a word of authority and power; we must listen to it, respond in faith and obedience. The God of the universe has spoken; this is his authoritative Word, and we do well to listen and obey.

Jon Nielson is senior pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church of Wheaton in Wheaton, Illinois, and coeditor of Gospel-Centered Youth Ministry: A Practical Guide.

Content adapted from Knowing Gods Truth by Jon Nielson, 2023. Used by permission of Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

Have something to add about this? See something we missed? Share your feedback here.
Three years ago, a group of nearly 48 former Compassion Internationalsponsored children in the Philippines decided it was time for them to start investing in kids in their own country.

Because we believe in the power of Christ and the strategies of Compassion in changing lives, we came together and decided that it is now our turn to do the same, said Glendy Obahib, one of the core leaders of the Compassion Alumni Sponsorship Movement (CASM). We were blessed with the gift of sponsorship and now we want to become a blessing to others through the same sponsorship.

A new initiative from Compassion International will make this work even easier. Filipino nationals will now be able to sponsor children within the country and fund community development programs thanks to the establishment of Compassion Philippines Inc., an in-country support office.

The sole focus of Compassion Philippines will be fundraising, unlike Compassion International, which runs the programs. Compassion Australia is helping the new organization set up a legal identity and consulting on registration, insurance, and hiring so that Compassion Philippines can operate as a separate legal entity from Compassion International in the Philippines.

Currently, according to Precious Amor Tulay of Compassion Philippines, the new organization is pursuing bank account approval and securing government permits that will allow them to raise funds and enable donors to claim tax deductions.

Compassions staff hopes that this transition will increase support to the Philippines. Today, most of the funding for sponsored children in the Philippines comes from the US, Australia, and South Korea.

By equipping local fundraising teams, were taking important steps towards self-reliance and reducing dependence on external funding sources, said Tony Broughton, the chief operations officer of Compassion Australia, in a press release. This means more significant and sustainable impact on breaking the cycle of poverty.

Since 1972, Compassion International has teamed up with churches to offer personal, individualized, and long-term care to 200,000 Filipino children. This year, 475 churches in the Philippines are delivering Compassion-funded assistance to 105,000 children.

In becoming a donor country, the Philippines is following in the footsteps of South Korea, which achieved this status in 2003. Among the 29 countries where Compassion has sponsored children, only South Korea and the Philippines have transitioned to opening their own local support offices. (Outside the US, Compassion has 14 support offices.)

This transition rests on several factors. The Philippines has strong financial capacity and boasts Asias second-strongest Christian GDP per capita. The country is also a majority-Christian nation, and local corporate donors will have few qualms aboutor might even have a strong interest ingiving corporate social responsibility funds to an explicitly Christian organization.

Compassion has a strong presence in the Philippines, including an extensive community network and thousands of Compassion alumni who financially support children, sponsor leadership programs and training, and do informal fundraising.

The Philippines Compassion Alumni Association (CAA) counts about 2,500 alumni in 10 chapters, located in Davao, Butuan, CDO, Iligan, Cebu, Iloilo, Bacolod, Laoag/Baguio, Metro Manila, and Pangasinan.

Levi Carupo became a sponsored child at age eight and was one of the first in Compassions programs to receive a college education. Now a partnership manager for Compassion International in the Philippines and the current CAA president, he noted that several of the alumni groups chapters conduct disaster preparedness, child abuse prevention, and social work trainings for Compassion young people.

One day we will see a former Compassion-sponsored child become a community leadera town leader, a mayor who is engaged in his or her community, Carupo said.

Currently, both CAA and CASM are sponsoring Filipino children by pooling their members donations and sending funds through one of Compassions global office websites, generally in the US or Australia. CASM sends gifts to its sponsored children, and each child has an assigned letter writer to nurture a personal relationship between CASM and the child. CASM also generates funds through a portion of the registration fees that the Compassion Alumni Leadership Movement collects for its leadership trainings for Compassion-sponsored youth.

As the funding model changes, Noel Pabiona, the national director for Compassion in the Philippines, wants to widen the scope of children being helped by partnering with more churches, including those in the poorest communities.

Currently, the organization has 70 partner churches in tribal communities, led and pastored by indigenous people. It has also become more active in helping communities with significant Muslim populations.

The good thing about helping the poor [is that] whether you are Muslim or Christian, you are welcome in the community, Pabiona said. Even among the Muslims, they welcome help from Christians. The example of Jesus is to show unconditional love overtly, and the rest is up to him. People will be more receptive to your message if they see Christ being demonstrated in your life.

Compassion offers one-on-one programs to help children and provides resources for complementary interventions or activities that promote childrens overall development. Beyond child sponsorship, the organization offers financial assistance for around 100 Filipino children annually who are suffering from catastrophic illnesses, such as cancer or kidney disease, that require expensive and prolonged medical treatment.

Beyond additional funding, the success of these initiatives rests on partnerships, Pabiona stated. For instance, Compassion is working with Convoy of Hope to provide meals to address child malnutrition. They have teamed up with megachurches and chambers of commerce to help construct school buildings for high school students in eleventh and twelfth grades. (For years, students only needed to finish the equivalent of tenth grade to be considered done with high school, so some schools lack the infrastructure for older students.)

In parts of the country where the organization has active programs, Compassion maintains an open line of communication with local government officials, which allows them to make suggestions as concrete as paving a new road so children can walk to school more easily.

But Compassions most enthusiastic cheerleaders are likely to be those who know the organization firsthand, said Pabiona. As an example, he described a former sponsored child, now a licensed engineer, who cleaned the air conditioner of a Compassion partner church during his free time.

The Lord doesn't just use the ministry to equip [young people], but it also transforms their lives, he said. They know Jesus, and they have hope in this life and in the life to come.
Home News Indonesia ends decades-old policy of referring to Jesus Christ by Islamic name

Indonesia has officially changed a decades-old state policy of referring to Christian holidays by their Islamic names, such as Isa Messiah for Jesus Christ. President Joko Widodo signed a Presidential Decree to mark this shift to accommodate the Christian population in the country, which has the worlds largest Muslim population.

Deputy Minister of Religion, Saiful Rahmat Dasuki, stated that the change came after Christian and Catholic communities requested that the names of certain national holidays be updated, local media outlet VOI reported.

The decree impacts the names of four national holidays, aligning them with Christian beliefs to harmonize holiday arrangements and adjust to community dynamics and legal considerations. The holidays affected include the birth (Christmas), death (Good Friday), Resurrection (Easter) and ascension (Ascension Day) of Jesus Christ.

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The majority of the people in Indonesia are seen as progressive and moderate. The constitution of Indonesia is based on the principle of Pancasila  five principles upholding the nations belief in the one and only God and social justice, humanity, unity and democracy for all  which grants religious freedom.

However, there are many extremist groups in Indonesia that oppose Pancasila.

Churches often face opposition from groups that attempt to obstruct the construction of non-Muslim houses of worship. Human Rights Watch previously said that more than 1,000 churches in the archipelago had been closed due to pressure from such groups.

Indonesia is ranked No. 42 on Open Doors USAs 2024 World Watch List of countries where Christians face the most extreme levels of persecution.

The situation for Christians has been deteriorating in recent years, with Indonesian society increasingly influenced by conservative interpretations of Islam. Polls regularly show that especially young people hold conservative views, and by-laws on Islamic dress are becoming more common, says Open Doors USA. Many converts from Islam experience pressure from their families. However, the intensity of the pressure depends on the individual family and place. Most pressure for Christian converts takes the form of isolation, verbal abuse and ostracization. Only a small percentage of converts face physical violence for their Christian faith and they may be forced to relocate to another part of Indonesia.

Religious leaders and scholars have praised the decision of renaming Isa Messiah to Jesus Christ, viewing it as a step toward reducing misunderstandings and friction among different faith communities.

The Southeast Asian country has 20.4 million Protestants and 8.42 million Catholics, who together comprise 10.58% of the population of 272.23 million, according to 2021 data from the Directorate General of the Department of Population and Civil Registration (Dukcapil) of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Among Indonesias population, 236.53 million (86.88%) identify as Muslim.
Home News NHS trust says milk from men 'comparable' to women's breast milk for babies

A National Health Service trust in the United Kingdom defended the practice of men who identify as female breastfeeding babies by using drugs to induce lactation, claiming that the milk from men is as healthy for babies as breast milk from a woman.

In a leaked letter, Dr. Rachel James, the medical director of University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust, explained how trans-identifying biological men take medication that can simulate breastfeeding. According to The Times, the conservative group Policy Exchange disclosed the letter after it was sent in August to Children of Transitioners after the group complained about the Trust's policies.

As The Daily Mail initially reported Saturday, the University Hospitals Sussex Trust is a member of the pro-LGBT group Stonewall's diversity champions program and was the first NHS trust to use language such as "chestfeeding" and "birthing parent" for its maternity services.

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In the leaked letter, James referred to "human milk" as the "ideal food for infants," adding that the term is meant to be "neutral" and not "gender-biased."

"Medications are sometimes used to induce lactation, similar to the natural hormones which encourage lactation to develop when the baby is newly born although occasionally some people are able to induce lactation without hormonal treatment," James wrote. "The evidence which is available demonstrates that the milk is comparable to that produced following the birth of a baby."

The trust cited several studies to support its assertions, including a 2022 study that found an infant who received "milk testosterone concentrations" under 1% had "no observable side effects." Researchers acknowledged in the report that the study was the first of its kind, highlighting the "limited safety data regarding use of testosterone during lactation."

The University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust did not immediately respond to The Christian Post's request for comment.

In a statement published by The Daily Mail, the University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust stands by "the facts of the letter and the cited evidence supporting them."

In response to the letter, Labour MP Rosie Duffield accused the NHS trust of using babies as "guinea pigs for someone else's lifestyle choice." Duffield also expressed concern regarding the "ethics of untested chemicals in children."

"When a man has not and cannot grow a baby, why on earth are we pandering to this?" she asked in an interview with The Daily Mail. "Who does it benefit? Not the children. We wouldn't do any other medical experiments on babies. Breast milk made by a baby's biological mother is tailor-made for that baby."

The leaked document also prompted a response from Katy Faust, the founder of Them Before Us, a nonprofit that advocates for a child's right to a mother and father.

In a Sunday X post, Faust wrote: "Children [are] forced to sacrifice their legitimate nutritional needs to validate a man's identity."

A similar discussion occurred last summer in the United States after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published advice for trans-identified and non-binary individuals on how to breastfeed their infants. The CDC referred to this action as "chestfeeding."

"An individual does not need to have given birth to breastfeed or chestfeed," the CDC website states. "Some families may have other preferred terminology for how they feed their babies, such as nursing, chestfeeding, or bodyfeeding."

Another section on the CDC's website stated that trans individuals who underwent surgery to remove their breasts can still breastfeed or "chestfeed" an infant. The health agency noted that families in these cases may need help "suppressing lactation" if they have "chosen not to breastfeed or chestfeed."

In a July statement, U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, who delivered over 5,000 babies during his time as an OB-GYN, declared that the CDC's advice on "chestfeeding" was "irresponsible" and "defies science and safety."

"In my opinion, the CDC has lost all credibility and is in direct conflict with the FDA for marketing a non-FDA approved drug," Marshall said. "A biological male filled with hormones and a concoction of other drugs that have not been studied that could harm a baby should NEVER be encouraged."
Home News House Speaker Mike Johnson's home church receives suspicious package; FBI investigates

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the recent discovery of a letter containing white powder that was sent to U.S. Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson's home church in Louisiana.

The package was sent to Cypress Baptist Church of Benton, a suburb of Shreveport-Bossier, located in Louisiana's 4th Congressional District, which the Republican lawmaker represents.

Louisiana State Police handed the investigation over to the FBI on Monday, according to The Shreveport Times. After testing, the powder was determined to be harmless. The FBI says that even sending a "hoax letter" is a "serious crime."

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"Speaker Johnson was made aware of a suspicious package sent to his home church in Louisiana," Johnson's spokesperson Griffin Neal said in a statement.

"Speaker Johnson and the Johnson family thank U.S. Capitol Police, the FBI, the Louisiana State Police and the Bossier Parish Sheriff's Office for taking swift action and handling the situation professionally. As the investigation is ongoing, we will refer all further questions to law enforcement handling this matter."

Cypress Baptist was also listed as the business address for Onward Christian Counseling Services, according to The Times. OCCS is owned by Johnson's wife, Kelly Johnson, and was the focus of headlines last October when The Huffington Post published a report noting that the Christian counseling group compared homosexuality to bestiality and incest.

The OCCS' website stated that marriage was exclusively a relationship between "one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture" and that "any form of sexual immorality, such as adultery, fornication, homosexuality, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, pornography or any attempt to change one's sex, or disagreement with one's biological sex, is sinful and offensive to God."

Since he became House Speaker last October, many progressive social commentators have taken issue with Johnson's conservative Christian beliefs on hot-topic social issues.

Johnson said in an interview on Fox News that he was unsurprised by the media attacks, noting that it "comes with the territory" and "doesn't bother me at all."

"I just wish they would get to know me. I'm not trying to establish Christianity as the national religion or something. That's not what this is about at all," said Johnson.

"If you truly believe in the Bible's commands and you seek to follow those, it is impossible to be a hateful person because the greatest command in the Bible is that you love God with everything you have and you love your neighbor as yourself."
Home News Removing trans-identified child from Catholic parents' home sets 'dangerous precedent': attorney

An Indiana Catholic couple whose child was removed from their home following disagreements over their son expressing a desire to identify as the opposite sex are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to hear their case.

Parents Mary and Jeremy Cox follow the Bibles teachings on human sexuality, ascribing to the belief that God designs humans as male and female. Because of their religious beliefs and adherence to biological reality, they could not abide using feminine pronouns to identify their son, who demanded to be called by a female name after he told his parents in 2019 that he identified as a girl.

In 2021, the Indiana Department of Child Services initiated an investigation into the parents following a report that they werent affirming their sons chosen identity as a girl. The boy was eventually removed from his parents care and placed in a home that affirmed his self-declared gender identity.

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According to the law firm Becket, the parents have filed a petition with the Supreme Court asking the justices to hear the case, stating that this Court should grant this petition and affirm its precedents on the right of fit parents to custody of their children.

In the petition, the attorneys argue that if the Supreme Court does not intervene, other states might use a statute similar to Indianas to justify removing a child from the home if their parents adhere to biological reality and refuse to affirm their childs self-declared gender identity.

The attorneys highlighted that the state found the parents fit but still removed the child over an ideological dispute: a disagreement over gender identity. The parents also agreed that their son, identified in the petition as A.C., needed mental health treatment for various health concerns, including an eating disorder.

According to the petition, A.C.s eating disorder worsened while in state custody, and his parents believe they are better able to care for him and ensure he receives proper medical treatment.

This is what every parent is afraid of. We love our son and wanted to care for him, but the state of Indiana robbed us of that opportunity by taking him from our home and banning us from speaking to him about gender, the parents said in a statement. We are hopeful that the justices will take our case and protect other parents from having to endure the nightmare we did.

In an interview with The Christian Post, Laura Slavis, an attorney representing the parents, said the law firm hopes the Supreme Court will vacate the lower court rulings in the parents case.

And that way the precedent would no longer exist, the cases would no longer exist, Slavis told CP. And the parents would no longer have any legal consequences flowing from this custody proceeding that happened against them.

After Child Services received reports in May 2021 that A.C.s parents were verbally and emotionally abusing the child for identifying as a member of the opposite sex, the agency subsequently filed a Child In Need of Services petition. The agency argued that A.C.s physical and mental condition was seriously impaired due to his parents alleged neglect, and his physical and mental health were also in danger.

A trial court determined in June 2021 that the boy should be removed from his parents custody due to the parents inability, refusal or neglect to provide shelter, care, and/or supervision at the present time.

Later in the case, during a hearing on Nov. 15, 2021, the agency agreed to dismiss several allegations. However, the court still ruled that the boy remaining in the parents care would be contrary to his welfare. At a dispositional hearing in December, the court left in place a previous order prohibiting the parents from discussing their childs gender identity during visitations with their son.

An Indiana Appeals Court later upheld that the restriction on the parents religious instruction was permissible under state and federal constitutions. After the Indiana state Supreme Court declined to take the case, the Coxes sought help from the highest court in the nation.

According to Slavis, if the Supreme Court doesnt take the case, it will set a dangerous precedent that any state could use to remove a child from the home based on the parents religious beliefs.

It also raises serious concerns about speech, the attorney said about the case. Speech between a parent and their child in the home, about the parents religious beliefs.

"There are two major issues in this case: One is about the fact that the child is taken away just because of the parents religious beliefs on human sexuality. And the other is what a parent can speak to their child about in the confines of their own home, she continued.

And so, we think that its important that this case be addressed and a very clear message be sent that this is unconstitutional so that other states cant rely on the precedent.
Home News AME Church demands US cut funding to Israel, accuses IDF of 'mass genocide' in Gaza

The African Methodist Episcopal Church leadership has called on the United States government to cut funding for Israel, opposing Israel's war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, accusing Isreal of a "mass genocide."

In a statement emailed to supporters last week, the leadership of the historically black denomination announced that it is calling on the U.S. to "immediately withdraw all funding and other support from Israel."

"Since 1954, Israel has shown a willful disregard for the human dignity of Palestinians. Since October 7, 2023, in retaliation for the brutal murder of 1139 Israeli citizens by Hamas, Israel has murdered over 28,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children," claimed the denomination, citing figures released by the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry that don't differentiate between combatant and civilian casualties.

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"The United States is supporting this mass genocide. This must not be allowed to continue."

The war began after Hamas, a terror group that has controlled the Gaza Strip since 2007, launched a surprise attack on civilian communities in southern Israel. Hamas militants killed at least 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted around 240 hostages. Israel launched a military offensive in Gaza with the aim of eradicating Hamas and securing the release of the hostages.

Israeli operations in Gaza have resulted in the deaths of over 29,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, which makes no distinction between armed militants and unarmed civilians. Israel contends that at least 10,000 of those killed in Gaza are terror operatives, and its forces try to avoid civilian casualties in a complex urban environment, according to The Times of Israel.

In their statement, AME bishops called for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, adding that the "cycle of violence between historically wounded peoples will not be dissolved by the creation of more wounds or through weapons of war."

The statement also accused Israel of trapping "1.6 million desperate Palestinians in the southern Gaza city called Rafah," denying them access to food, water, shelter and healthcare.

"After this torture, they plan to murder them," the statement alleges, a claim related to Israel's recent vow to launch an offensive in Rafah if hostages are not freed. "The United States of America will have likely paid for the weapons they use. This must not be allowed to happen."

Signatories of the statement included AME Church Senior Bishop Adam J. Richardson, AME Council of Bishops President Stafford J. N. Wicker, Chair of Social Action Bishop E. Anne Henning Byfield, and Co-Chair of Social Action Bishop Francine A Brookins.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a pro-Palestinian Muslim advocacy group, celebrated the statement by AME Church bishops.

"We welcome this principled statement by the African Methodist Episcopal Church Council of Bishops as a reflection of the growing movement nationwide in support of Palestinian humanity and human rights," said CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper in a statement.

"The Biden administration must respond to the majority of Americans who seek an end to Israeli government's ethnic cleansing and genocide by demanding an immediate ceasefire and a just resolution to the crisis that recognizes that Palestinians are also human beings worthy of life, freedom and dignity."

Mark Tooley, president of the theologically conservative Institute on Religion and Democracy, took to social media to denounce the statement from the AME Church bishops.

"Stunningly bad anti Israel statement from AME bishops. No, church founder Richard Allen would not approve. Like all historic denominations, AME is declining. Nondenominational black churches are typically more Israel friendly," he tweeted.

While many faith leaders have called for a ceasefire in Gaza, others have been vocal in their support for Israel's military aspirations. In an October letter, over 50 notable Israeli and American Christian and Jewish leaders urged President Joe Biden not to pressure Isreal into an immediate ceasefire.

"Israel must do all that is necessary to destroy Hamas," the letter warns. "It is not sufficient for Israel to degrade or even defeat this brutal terrorist regime, which oppresses its own people. Israel must completely destroy every Hamas terrorist, so that this evil is erased from human history. If America pressures Israel into a ceasefire, Israel's enemies will be emboldened, and Israel imperiled, long into the future."

In January, over 1,000 black pastors called on Biden to push for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Pastor Dumisani Washington, the founder and CEO of the Institute for Black Solidarity with Israel, told The Christian Post in November that most African American pastors and leaders liken the conflict between Israel and Palestine to the Civil Rights Movement, seeing Israel as an oppressor.

Washington noted that black leaders such as the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. called for defending Israel's right to exist.

"We have a long history like no other ethnic group in this country that goes back over a century of our connection with Israel and the Jewish people," Washington said. "But many people aren't aware of it."

The U.S. has proposed a United Nations Security Council draft resolution calling for a "temporary ceasefire in Gaza as soon as practicable based on the formula of all hostages being released, and calls for lifting all barriers to the provision of humanitarian assistance at scale," according to a draft cited by Reuters.

The draft comes as the U.S. has vowed to veto a resolution proposed by Algeria calling for an immediate ceasefire, claiming it would put discussions on ending the war in jeopardy.

The U.S. draft also warns that an offensive in Rafah would "result in further harm to civilians and their further displacement including potentially into neighboring countries, which would have serious implications for regional peace and security."

On Monday, most European Union countries signed a joint statement calling for an "immediate humanitarian pause that would lead to a lasting ceasefire, the unconditional release of all hostages and the provision of humanitarian assistance."

"We ask the Israeli Government not to take military action in Rafah that would worsen an already catastrophic humanitarian situation and prevent the urgently needed provision of basic services and humanitarian assistance," the ministers said.
Home News Catholics urge Cardinal Dolan to perform exorcism after 'sacrilegious' funeral at St. Patricks Cathedral

A petition asking the leader of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York to perform an exorcism on St. Patricks Cathedral after a funeral service for a trans-identified activist condemned by many as sacrilegious has received over 11,775 signatures.

LifePetitions, a project of the pro-life website LifeSite News, launched a petition over the weekend calling on Cardinal Timothy Dolan of the Archdiocese of New York to perform an exorcism and reparation on St. Patricks Cathedral after a Feb. 15 funeral mass for trans-identified activist and former prostitute, Cecilia Gentili, generated outrage.

The letter to Dolan accompanying the petition declared that the sacrilegious funeral of Cecilia Gentili marked a shameful moment in the life of the Catholic Church in the United States, mocking as mourners did the Virgin-Martyr St. Cecilia, and desecrating St. Patricks Cathedral with sexual expletives and immodest dress.

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Noting that Jesus was filled with zeal for Gods house when he cast out money-changers from the Temple with a whip, the petition added, the least that your eminence can do is make reparation and offer exorcism prayers in St. Patricks Cathedral, lest this evil be met with lukewarm indifference.

The petition elaborated on the offensive exploits at St. Patricks Cathedral last Thursday.

Catholic saints were mocked and whores celebrated during the sacrilegious funeral of a gender-confused Argentine atheist on Thursday in St. Patricks Cathedral, New York, the petition asserts. Cecilia Gentili was eulogized as This whore. This great whore. St. Cecilia, Mother of all Whores! at his funeral service, with The New York Times celebrating the funeral as an event with no likely precedent in Catholic history.

The so-called paper of record described Gentili as well known for [his] advocacy on behalf of sex workers, transgender people, and people living with HIV. While the petition highlighted the publications characterization of the funeral as an exuberant piece of political theater, it expressed concern that the actions that unfolded in the famous Manhattan cathedral last week dishonored the legacy of a Catholic saint.

The blasphemous reference to the true St. Cecilia, who gave her life as a Virgin-Martyr after refusing to renounce the Catholic faith, was cheered by hundreds of LGBT activists, the petition added. One of Gentilis friends prayed to God for access to gender-affirming health care during the intercessions, while another participant changed the lyrics of the Ave Maria to Ave Cecilia and danced through the aisles.

The petition also lamented that attendees dressed without any respect for Gods house and that Gentilis friends placed a picture of him with a halo and the Spanish words for transvestite, whore, blessed, and mother near the altar where the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is offered. The officiant, Rev. Edward Dougherty, was also singled out in the petition for remarking that except on Easter Sunday, we dont really have a crowd that is this well turned out.

The Archdiocese of New York indicated that it had already held a Mass of Reparation in a statement published over the weekend by St. Patricks Cathedral pastor, the Rev. Enrique Salvo, who announced: At the Cardinals directive, we have offered an appropriate mass of reparation.

Salvo insisted that the Cathedral only knew that family and friends were requesting a funeral mass for a Catholic, and had no idea our welcome and prayer would be degraded in such a sacrilegious and deceptive way.

According to the Roman Catholic Churchs Code of Canon Law, Sacred places are violated by gravely injurious actions done in them with scandal to the faithful, actions which, in the judgment of the local ordinary, are so grave and contrary to the holiness of that place that it is not permitted to carry on worship in them until the damage is repaired by a penitential rite according to the norm of the liturgical books.

A separate passage in the Code of Canon Law lists manifest sinners whose funerals would cause public scandal of the faithful as those who must be deprived of ecclesiastical funerals unless they gave some sign of repentance before death.

In a statement to the Times, the organizer of Gentilis funeral admitted to keeping the recently deceaseds background under wraps to ensure that the Archdiocese would host the funeral at St. Patricks Cathedral. The organizer, Cayenne Dorshow, described the house of worship as an icon, just like Gentili.

Reacting to the Archdioceses condemnation of the funeral over the weekend, Gentilis family cited Salvos statement as an example of anti-trans hypocrisy and hatred.

The family maintained that Gentilis heart and hands reached those the sanctimonious church continues to belittle, oppress and chastise, adding: The only deception present at St. Patricks Cathedral is that it claims to be a welcoming place for all.
Home News Christian man sentenced to life in prison for blasphemy over Facebook post using his stolen phone

LAHORE, Pakistan  A judge sentenced a Christian man to life in prison under Pakistans blasphemy statutes for a social media message that relatives say was posted using a phone stolen from him, sources said.

Fanson Shahid, 56, sustained beatings in his home in Lahore when he was arrested in March 2022 and tortured into confessing after he was accused of posting a derogatory remark about the prophet of Islam in a comment on a post that another Christian had shared, his wife said.

The phone on which the Facebook comment was made had been stolen from him in 2019, she said.

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Justice Zafar Yab Chadhar of the Additional Sessions Court Gujranwala District, Punjab Province, handed down the sentence on Jan. 24, but the family did not disclose it until now.

We were praying for Shahids acquittal because hes innocent, but the verdict has shattered our hopes for justice, his sister, Sonia Shahid, told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News.

Investigators found Fanson Shahids Facebook account was logged on in the new phone they recovered in 2022 and presented that as evidence that he had made the comment. His wife, Safia Shahid, said at that time, We believe that the lost phone was misused by someone to post the blasphemous comment, because my husband did not use a passcode for its security, and his Facebook account was also logged in.

Fanson Shahid was convicted under Section 295-C of Pakistans blasphemy statutes, which calls for a mandatory death sentence for derogatory comments about Muhammad, but Chadhar cited as a mitigating circumstance that the comment was posted only once.

If a single doubt or ground is available creating reasonable doubt in the mind of the court/judge to award even death penalty or life imprisonment, it would be sufficient circumstance to adopt alternative course by awarding life imprisonment instead of death sentence, Chadhar wrote in the verdict.

He also handed Fanson Shahid a fine of 100,000 rupees (USD $358). Shahid was also convicted under Section 295-A, which prohibits hurting religious sentiments, and sentenced to three years in prison.

He was also convicted under Section 153-A, which prohibits causing communal unrest, and sentenced to one year in prison and a fine of 50,000 rupees (USD $179). The judge also sentenced Shahid to three years in prison under Section 11 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016, which prohibits promoting religious hatred on social media.

The sentences are to run concurrently, the courts verdict stated.

Sonia Shahid said the verdict shocked the family, members of the Full Gospel Assemblies Church. Fanson Shahid has two children, and his family has been forced to relocate from their house due to fears for their security.

Prominent Christian lawyer Lazar Allah Rakha said the verdict showed the court had disregarded the defenses arguments without giving a reason for doing so.

Moreover, there are glaring contradictions in the statements of the prosecution witnesses which discredit the entire prosecution evidence, Rakha told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. The court blindly relied on the prosecutions evidence instead of viewing both the prosecution and defenses versions.

Rakha said Shahid was entitled to acquittal as prosecutors failed to prove their case without any shadow of doubt.

Sonia Shahid said the family was scrambling for support to file an appeal in the Lahore High Court. The appeal must be filed within 30 days of the verdict, and with less than a week left to submit it, the family has yet to find able legal representation.

Fanson Shahid worked as a purchase officer at Pakistan Railways in Lahore and was due to retire in eight years when he was arrested on blasphemy charges in 2022.

Pakistan ranked seventh on Open Doors 2024 World Watch List of the most difficult places to be a Christian, as it was the previous year.
Home News Cindy Jacobs deeply grieved by Mike Bickle scandal as IHOPKC co-founder urges full confession

As allegations of spiritual and sexual misconduct continue to mount against International House of Prayer Kansas City founder Mike Bickle, Cindy Jacobs, a self-professed prophet and author, said she is "deeply grieved" by the scandal and is praying for the 24/7 prayer ministry and Bickle's victims.

"As a leader in the prayer movement, I am deeply grieved at the sexual misconduct of Mike Bickle," Jacobs wrote in a statement on X Monday night. "There are many pure and wonderful people who love 24/7 prayer, and I am praying that their intercession will not be lessened. I am also praying for IHOP and the victims."

Jacobs and her husband, Mike, founded the prayer-based Generals International organization in 1985, which "exists for the purpose of changing lives and transforming nations." She is a prophet of C. Peter Wagner's Apostolic Council of Prophetic Elders.

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Her comments come less than two weeks after Lou Engle, a co-founder of IHOPKC who currently leads Lou Engle Ministries and founded TheCall prayer movement, expressed grief over the allegations against Bickle. Engle said he is praying that Bickle will come forward with "a full confession of all that is hidden."

"I do believe that fathers in the Body of Christ must take responsibility. I believe Jane Doe. I am burdened for the pain she and her husband and others have endured. I pray that women who may be afraid to share their stories will be afforded a safe place to do so," Engle wrote in a statement shared on X on Feb. 6.

"I have prayed and hoped that Mike would come forward with a full confession of all that is hidden. I am hoping that it could bring a measure of peace for his own heart and a measure of justice for the hearts of those who have been affected by this trauma in the body of Christ. I know it would not take care of all the pain, but it would possibly give us a window to healing, forgiveness, and restoration for all involved," he explained.

"I feel it's only right for the confidence of all parties and the watching world, to have a mutually agreed upon, impartial, independent, third-party investigator," he added. "This is a time when the fear of the Lord must come upon us all. For months, I have been crying out for the fear of the Lord. I believe the Lord is calling all of us to search our hearts and enter into confession, repentance, and accountability like never before."

For months, IHOPKC and a group of former leaders known as the advocate group have butted heads over an investigation into allegations of abuse against Bickle since they were made public last October.

A change.org petition launched last November, which has more than 4,400 signatures, calls on IHOPKC "to conduct a true third-party investigation into the sexual abuse allegations and the systemic environment at IHOPKC in order to protect the interests of the alleged victims and current congregants."

The two sides never agreed on a third-party investigator, and IHOPKC went on to hire an independent investigator and attorney, Rosalee McNamara, to conduct a review of the allegations against Bickle. She presented the findings in a seven-page document on Jan. 31.

Since the publication of McNamara's report, another woman, Tammy Woods, alleged in an interview with The Kansas City Star that Bickle groomed and sexually abused her in the 1980s when she was 14.

Using her maiden name, Woods, a now 57-year-old mother and grandmother, told The Kansas City Star that Bickle abused her in St. Louis, where he pastored a church before moving to Kansas City and starting IHOPKC in 1999.

Woods said Bickle abused her in his car, at her home, in the church and office. She said the abuse, which began when she started babysitting his two sons, involved sexual contact but not intercourse.

She revealed that the IHOPKC founder also told her several times that his wife would die young and suggested that she could be like a mother to his sons.

"He would kiss my neck, he would kiss my cheeks, he would kiss my forehead," Woods was quoted as saying, recalling the time Bickle kissed her at her house when she was just 14. "The first, like, 'kiss' kiss was in my house. He kind of pulled me into my bathroom. And he kissed me like a man kisses a woman."

Another woman, identified as "TH," alleged in an interview with The Roys Report this month that Bickle began grooming and sexually abusing her when she was 15 and he was a 20-year-old church intern in the mid-1970s.

TH said she is the ex-wife of self-styled "prophet" Bob Hartley of Hartley Hope Ministries, who was recently banned from IHOPKC's 24/7 prayer room after he was publicly accused of sexual assault and a pattern of predatory behavior impacting multiple alleged female victims.

In his statement earlier this month, Engle said many of the members of the advocate group are his personal friends, and he believes spiritual leaders need to be accountable.

"When I heard the allegations against my friend, Mike Bickle, I found myself mourning and weeping for my brother whom I love deeply and was shocked and grieving over the whole situation and all those affected," he said.

"From the beginning, I have believed and trusted the advocates, many being personal friends and even a spiritual son, and have prayed over the process and situation. But as things have developed and with the release of the recent videos and reports, I felt compelled to share my heart as a father."

Engle believes the "church is in a Revelation 2 moment."

"The blazing, jealous eyes of God are searching the hearts and minds of the Body of Christ right now for toleration of moral laxity and of sexual immorality  especially clergy abuse in the church," Engle said. "There are many thousands of women who have lifted up their cries and voices to God who have been wounded by leaders in the Body of Christ, and God has heard them. I'm recognizing that we as leaders need to hear that cry like we never have before."

"The way forward must be one of extreme contrition," he concluded. "It has been my deepest conviction that fathers are to protect and prosper their children. Therefore I want to ask those who have been wounded by the failings of the spiritual fathers from my generation, for forgiveness for the way we have generally failed to hold each other to greater accountability."
In order to always keep the subject of Artsakh hot, we must have a powerful Armenia and a powerful diaspora; today that trinity is very important, Artur Tovmasyan, the former speaker of the Artsakh National Assembly, on Tuesday told reporters outside the Artsakh representative office in Armenia, news.am reports.

February 20, 2024, 11:47 Artsakh residents cannot return home as Azerbaijan citizens

FEBRUARY 20, ARTSAKHPRESS: "There are various topics, we have the right of return, the right to preserve cultural heritage, the right to lost property. There are issues that are not political, and they should be voiced. Who should voice [them]?

I once said that we cannot dissolve the Artsakh NA, we cannot self-dissolve, no one has the right to dissolve Artsakh, the Artsakh NA [currently in exile] will function until May 21, 2025. Although we will not pass laws, there will be decisions, announcements.

We have two ways. One is the path of extreme patriotism, the other: taking current realities into account. I think that we should be guided by the current realities so as not to harm our compatriots of Armenia and Artsakh," said Tovmasyan.

Touching on the matter of Armenian captives in Azerbaijan, the former speaker of the Artsakh parliament said that the Armenias authorities tell them that they are dealing with the matter of Armenian captives in Azerbaijanand not only in connection with the detained military and political leaders of Artsakh, but also with all the Armenian captives who are in Azerbaijani prisons.

"I have studied the criminal code, the civil code of Azerbaijan. They are very harsh articles, they are called terrorists, separatists. But in these 30 years, the OSCE co-chairing countries have always been in [Artsakh capital] Stepanakert. Have they visited terrorists, separatists? International observers from more than 100 countries have always been at all Artsakh elections. All of them have recorded that the elections took place in accordance with the principles of democracy and the electoral code of Artsakh, and it is a step ahead of previous years. They have recorded that we organize elections better than the countries of the region," Tovmasyan said.

As for the return of Artsakh Armenians to Artsakh, he said that international guarantees are needed for this, as there are security issues.

"The people of Artsakh cannot return [home] as citizens of Azerbaijan, it is impossible," added Artur Tovmasyan.
Home News Federal agency awards nearly $1M to 3 universities to make biology classes 'inclusive' for trans students

A federal agency has awarded nearly $1 million in taxpayer funding to three academic institutions to help make undergraduate biology courses more inclusive for trans-identifying students, claiming that most courses inaccurately categorize sex and gender as binary.

The National Science Foundation is an independent federal agency that helps promote science, primarily through grants. According to its website, the agencys investments account for about 25% of federal support to colleges and universities in the United States for research purposes.

As noted author and professor of apologetics at Houston Christian University, Nancy Pearcy, notes on X, "The award abstract claims that 'biology courses often inaccurately categorize sex and gender as binary.' This, the NSF says, 'can make biology classrooms particularly challenging' for students who identify as transgender, non-binary, or gender-nonconforming."

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The research, titled Collaborative Research: A qualitative inquiry into sex/gender narratives in undergraduate biology and their impacts on transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming students, purportedly examined how to create a more inclusive environment in undergraduate biology courses.

Research indicates that rather than emphasizing the diversity of strategies and experiences that organisms have around sex, gender, and orientation, biology courses often inaccurately categorize sex and gender as binary, the abstract argues. The oversimplification of sex and gender into binary categories can make biology classrooms particularly challenging for [trans-identified] students.

The three academic institutions that received a combined $905,694 in taxpayer funding to participate in the study include the University of Minnesota, Colorado State University and Florida International University. The University of Minnesota received $387,605 for the study, while Colorado State University was awarded $313,026 and Florida International University was allotted $205,063.

The initial amendment date in all three abstracts is June 2022, with a start date of September 2022. Each of the three abstracts has August 2025 listed as an estimated end date.

Meg Kilgannon, Family Research Councils senior fellow for education studies, said education is a state and local matter. She also asserted that the Biden administration needs to protect free expression and free inquiry, stating that this is what the Trump administration did.

More and more college campuses are not discussing or teaching controversial issues unless they are viewed through the lens of oppression or some other limiting point of reference, Kilgannon said in an emailed statement to The Christian Post.

This kind of program is also a great example of the way government is used for the enrichment of people and organizations who hold the acceptable views or support progressive ideology rather than for the common good, she continued. This is another form of weaponization of government.

A spokesperson for the NSF declined to comment on the story. However, CP was directed to review the award abstracts for the three universities. On its website, the agency states that diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility are a high priority, highlighting its LGBTQ+ and Allies Employee Resource Group.

Jay Richards, the director of the Richard and Helen DeVos Center for Life, Religion, and Family and the William E. Simon senior research fellow at The Heritage Foundation, told CP that he hopes the agencys initiative serves as a wake-up call. The policy expert said, not even college biology is safe from this madness.

According to Richards, the NSFs efforts to make undergraduate biology inclusive for trans-identifying people is a consequence of the Biden administration making it a top priority to promote gender ideology within government agencies.

Gender ideology is designed to disconnect us from fundamental truths of reality  knowable to everyone  and replace our comprehension of these truths with made-up ideas like gender identity, Richards told CP.

This ideology is incompatible with our most basic knowledge of biology, such as the sexual binary of male and female. Sex involves the fusion of two different gametes, along with two corresponding reproductive systems and body plans  male and female, he continued. This is the basic reproductive strategy of the plant and animal kingdoms. We know this scientifically, but of course, everyone knows this at some level, even if they dont know the details of reproduction.

The conservative policy expert urged biologists who might be fearful of retaliation to still speak out against gender ideology, warning that if they fail to do so, their children and grandchildren will suffer the consequences.
Home News Pro-lifers react to Trump's reported support for 16-week abortion ban; campaign claims 'fake news'

Major pro-life organizations have offered differing reactions to the recent report that former President Donald Trump privately expressed support for a 16-week national abortion ban.

According to a Friday report from The New York Times, two unnamed sources with ties to the Republican frontrunner alleged that the 2024 hopeful likes the idea of a 16-week abortion ban, with exceptions for rape, incest or life of the mother. The article states that Trump said in a private conversation that he likes 16 weeks as a cut-off because it's an "even" "four months."

On Friday, The Washington Post reported that Trump's campaign said The Times story was "fake news." According to Trump's team, the 2024 presidential hopeful has not made a decision about whether he would support a national ban, and he has also stated he would not be "tied down" to a specific number of weeks.

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"As President Trump has stated, he would sit down with both sides and negotiate a deal that everyone will be happy with," Trump spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. She added that Trump "appointed strong Constitutionalist federal judges and Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe v. Wade and sent the decision back to the states, which others have tried to do for over 50 years."

Although Trump received praise from pro-lifers during his term as his administration advanced pro-life policies, some of Trump's recent remarks about abortion have earned him condemnation from various pro-life organizations.

For example, the former president blamed the Republican Party's position on abortion for its losses during the 2022 midterm elections. He's also criticized Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for signing a law banning abortions after the baby's heartbeat becomes detectable, calling it "too harsh."

While it remains unclear what types of abortion-related legislation the former president would support if elected again, the recent New York Times report has generated attention from several pro-life groups.

The following pages highlight reactions from three major pro-life organizations to Trump allegedly expressing support for a 16-week abortion ban.
Home News Supreme Court allows high school admissions policy that reduced share of Asian students to stand

The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal challenging an elite Virginia high schools admissions policy that opponents believe discriminates against Asian American applicants.

In an orders list released Tuesday, the high court declined to hear arguments in the case of Coalition for TJ v. Fairfax County School Board, allowing an appeals court ruling in favor of the process to stand.

The lawsuit centers on whether Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology of Fairfax County could enforce an admissions policy that had resulted in a sharp decline in the percentage of Asian students at the institution.

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While no explanation was given for the decision, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito authored a dissent, being joined by Justice Clarence Thomas, arguing that the lower court ruling had a patently incorrect and dangerous understanding of what a plaintiff must show to prove intentional race discrimination.

What the Fourth Circuit majority held, in essence, is that intentional racial discrimination is constitutional so long as it is not too severe. This reasoning is indefensible, and it cries out for correction, wrote Alito.

Joshua Thompson of the Pacific Legal Foundation, which is helping to represent the Coalition for TJ, said in a statement Tuesday that he believes the high court missed an important opportunity to end race-based discrimination in K-12 admissions.

Discrimination against students based on their race is not only ethically wrong but also a clear violation of the Constitutions guarantee of equal protection, stated Thompson.

Schools should evaluate students as individuals, not as groups based on racial identity. That kind of group stereotyping is morally wrong and undermines the American promise of opportunity for all.

In December 2020, the Fairfax County School Board created an admissions policy for Thomas Jefferson High School meant to improve racial diversity in its student body, which at the time was comprised of 71% Asian American and 19.5% white.

Among other things, the new admission policy removed a $100 fee and allowed most of the incoming freshman seats to be reserved for students from all of Fairfaxs public middle schools.

Students applying to Thomas Jefferson High School for these reserved seats were evaluated based on their grade point average, a portrait sheet, a problem-solving essay and Experience Factors.

In March 2021, the Coalition for TJ filed suit against school district officials, arguing that the revised admissions policy, while officially race neutral, violated the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution.

While a district court ruled in favor of the coalition in February 2022, a three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 in favor of the school district in May 2023.

Circuit Judge Robert Bruce King, a Clinton appointee, authored the panel majority opinion, arguing that the policy visits no racially disparate impact on Asian American students.

Indeed, those students have had greater success in securing admission to TJ under the policy than students from any other racial or ethnic group, wrote King.

Moreover, the Coalition fails to identify any evidence suggesting that the Board adopted the policy at least in part because of some calculated adverse effect on Asian American students  that is, the Coalition makes no showing of discriminatory intent by the Board.

King contended that it is clear that Asian American applicants to TJ suffer from no such detriment when applying to the high school for the class of 2025 academic year.

Asian American students accounted for 48.59% of the applications to TJs class of 2025, but actually secured 54.36% of the admission offers made for that class, King continued.

Asian American applicants were thus the only racial or ethnic group to receive offers notably in excess of its share of the applicant pool in 2021, producing the highest admissions success rate of any such group.

Circuit Judge Allison Jones Rushing, a Trump appointee, authored a dissenting opinion, pointing out that the admissions policy had reduced offers of enrollment to Asian students at TJ by 26% while increasing enrollment of every other racial group.

This was no accident. The Board intended to alter the racial composition of the school in exactly this way  as demonstrated by a resolution it adopted saying as much, the racial data it requested and considered in the process, the means it selected, and the candor of individual Board members internal discussions, Rushing added.

Earlier this month, the high court rejected a request to temporarily prevent the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, New York, from using race as a factor in its admissions policy while the lawsuit against the policy is adjudicated.

In June 2023, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that Harvard University and the University of North Carolina could not use race as a factor in student admissions.
Home News Texas teacher placed on leave for wearing women's clothing, sought to teach 'baby gays' how to 'vogue' School district says 'it would be natural for our families to have questions'

A cross-dressing Texas high school teacher who was placed on leave after showing up to school in womens clothing publicly advocated for using the schools LGBT club to teach baby gays how to vogue.

Rachmad Tjachyadi, a chemistry teacher at Hebron High School in Carrollton, about 15 minutes west of Dallas, went viral on Feb. 14 after a video shared on social media showed the educator wearing a pink dress with matching boots and hat while he walked the halls as students looked on during a school spirit event.

UNREAL. This is an actual teacher in @LewisvilleISD named Rachmad Tjachyadi. Im told he also sometimes shows up to teach dressed in full drag and has a f*tish for wearing womens clothing.



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Other images later emerged showing Tjacyahi wearing a tutu while writing on a chalkboard and dressed in full costume as a character from Disneys The Little Mermaid.

After the initial tweet went viral, officials with Lewisville ISD announced on Feb. 15 that Tjacyahi was placed on leave pending a district review.

The statement reads in part: We are aware of the video and the staff member has been placed on administrative leave while the district reviews the situation, which is standard procedure. It would be natural for our families to have questions about this situation, but because this is a personnel matter currently under review, there is no additional information the district can share.

Following the announcement, students and other supporters launched an online petition to bring back Tjacyahi to school. The petition has garnered 14,850 signatures as of Tuesday afternoon.

In response to videos of Tjacyahi, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott tweeted this statement: No parent should be forced by the state to send their child to this school. I'm fighting for the right of parents to send their children elsewhere. Parents deserve school choice in Texas. The candidates I am backing will deliver that school choice.

The Dallas Asian American Historical Society also released a statement saying the organization stands in full solidarity with Tjacyahi, who immigrated to the U.S. from Indonesia in 1995 under the name Wen Han Zhang, according to the organization.

In a Facebook comment from Feb. 17, 2022, bearing Tjacyahis name and profile image, the chemistry teacher sought help with teaching members of Hebron High Schools Gay Straight Alliance (GSA)  whom he called baby gays  to dance suggestively, or vogue.

The post read: I need someone who can teach my GSA Baby Gays how to VOGUE properly!! The GSA kiddos want to present voguing during a cultural festival at our school in a few weeks.

Tjacyahi appeared to hold an active role in the schools GSA, appearing in several posts on the groups Instagram page.

One photo shows Tjacyahi surrounded by several students celebrating Black History Month, with a caption recognizing LGBT activist and drag queen Marsha P. Johnson.

Another post from March 2022 on the Hebron GSA page shows what appear to be high school students dressed in drag.

Tjacyahi was also involved in another non-school district initiative called Forward Slash Project, a queer archive project which seeks knowledge disruption that opens pedagogical space for queerness as an ideality that can be used to re/imagine and re/think futurity.

According to Tjacyahis bio on the site, he seeks to utilize dress-up days at his schools to show off his feminine side in the education settings. His goal as an educator is not only to educate the students in science but also to be an out [LGBT] role model in a professional setting.
Home Opinion How to stay Christian in college

If you arent careful, college just might shipwreck your faith.

A recent Lifeway Research poll found that Two-thirds (66%) of American young adults who attended a Protestant church regularly for at least a year as a teenager say they also dropped out for at least a year between the ages of 18 and 22.

A closer look at the data reveals a particularly troubling trend: The No. 1 reason that respondents gave for why they stopped going to church was that they moved for college (34%).

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As the saying goes, forewarned is forearmed. If youre a Christian who has just left your home behind and landed fresh on a college campus, its important to consider what it will take for you to stay a Christian in college.

Ill happily admit that I stole (or rather, was inspired by) this title from a helpful book I was given when I went to seminary: How to Stay Christian in Seminary, by David Matthis and Jonathan Parnell, with a foreword by John Piper.

The authors warn that going to seminary is important, but that it can also be dangerous. The same goes for college. Going to college, especially if you go away to a secular college, can be a challenging time for young Christian students. The rigorous academic environment, peer pressure, and a plethora of temptations can make it difficult to stay grounded in your faith.

And while those who attend a strong Christian college, like Liberty University, will have faith-preserving and faith-building resources built into the environment and schedule, its still up to you, as a young person, to avail yourself of them so you are being both deliberate and self-aware in your faith walk. As I noted, even those who attend seminary and spend their entire college existence studying the Bible and biblical doctrine can still end up walking away from the faith if theyre not vigilant.

With intentionality and a few good choices, you can not only stay Christian but also grow in your faith during your college years. So, here are three strategies for staying Christian in college.

1. Join a healthy Gospel-preaching church

Attending a church that preaches the true Gospel message is crucial for maintaining your faith in college. When you arrive at college, you are going to have a major choice to make during your very first week. More specifically, on your very first Sunday: Will you get up and go to church?

Your parents wont be there anymore to make you. The choice is yours now.

Let me encourage you to make this wise choice: Go. Once you force yourself out of bed, youll be glad you went.

But what kind of church should you go to? While there may be other factors to consider, here are three non-negotiable things that you should look for in your new church:

Expositional preaching: A healthy Gospel-preaching church will prioritize expositional preaching, which means teaching verse-by-verse through the Bible. This approach ensures that the preacher is expounding on the texts intended meaning, rather than imposing his own interpretation (and yes, he should be a male preacher). This helps you to understand Gods Word more deeply and apply it to your life.

The true Gospel message: A healthy Gospel-preaching church will proclaim the true Gospel message, which emphasizes the problem of sin, the historicity of Christs life, death, and resurrection, and the offer of salvation for all who repent and believe. This message is central to the Christian faith and is essential for maintaining a strong relationship with God.

The authority of Scripture: A healthy Gospel-preaching church will uphold the authority, inerrancy, and sufficiency of Scripture. This means that they will teach the Bible as the infallible, inspired Word of God, which is relevant and applicable to our lives today.

College students should look for a church that emphasizes these characteristics. As theologian J.I. Packer said, The Church is the conservatory of the Bible. It is the place where the Word of God is normally and naturally studied.

2. Make time to study the Bible

College is a busy time, but making time to study the Bible is essential for staying Christian in college. A good church is important, but just as important is your personal study of the Bible. As the Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, ESV,

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

College is a time when many students develop habits that will last a lifetime. By cultivating the habit of studying the Bible, you are laying a strong foundation for your spiritual growth. Regular Bible study also provides spiritual nourishment and helps you to grow in your relationship with God. In John 15:5, Jesus said, I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

Dont let college become a black hole for your devotional life. If you look up one day and realize that there is dust on your Bible, it means that there is probably spiritual dust on your soul as well. Dont ever become so busy studying your assigned textbooks that Gods book goes untouched.

To maintain your Christian faith in college, make it a priority to set aside time each day for Bible study and prayer.

3. Make good friends

Friendships play a significant role in shaping our moral character and spiritual growth. As simple as it sounds, its essential to make good friends who will encourage and support you in your faith. Remember that the friends you choose to have in your life will unavoidably have a profound impact on your moral formation, good or bad. As Proverbs 13:20 says, Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.

Good Christian friends can also hold you accountable and encourage you in your faith. The world, the flesh, the devil, and secular influences, combined with newfound freedom and the loss of your traditional accountability structures, are going to tempt you in ways youve never encountered before.

Having close Christian friends to whom you can confess your sin, and who can support you in resisting temptation, is an often overlooked but crucial aspect of maintaining your Christian faith and practice during your years of college life. As Hebrews 10:24-25 reminds us:

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Do your friends stir you up to love and good works? If not, its time to find new friends.

When choosing friends, seek out those who share your commitment to Christ, biblical truth, and your desire to grow in your faith.

Conclusion

Staying Christian in college is not merely about maintaining a set of doctrines that you agree to on paper; its about solidifying ones identity in Christ and growing deeper in your walk with the Lord. The college years are formative, shaping not only academic and career paths but also personal values and character. Remaining steadfast in the Christian faith provides a moral compass, a foundation, that will also help you when you leave college and are forced to navigate the tumultuous waters of moral relativism and depravity out in the world.

Staying Christian in college can be challenging, but by joining a healthy Gospel-preaching church, making time to study the Bible, and making good, like-minded friends, you can maintain your Christian faith and grow in your relationship with God. And always remember the words of the Apostle Paul in 1 Timothy 4:16:

Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.

Originally published at the Standing for Freedom Center.
Give Ukrainians more chances to stay long-term in the UK, says refugee charity

An organisation supporting Ukrainians who fled to the UK after the outbreak of war with Russia is appealing to the UK government to give them more ways to stay long-term.

The government recently announced a visa extension programme for Ukrainians, but it only offers an extra 18 months.

The Sanctuary Foundation, which works closely with churches to provide support for refugees, said this "falls short of the stability that Ukrainians need to rebuild their lives".

It is asking the government to offer more long-term visas and opportunities for Indefinite Leave to Remain.

February 24 marks the second anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, but there is still no end in sight to the war.

A survey by the Sanctuary Foundation found that most Ukrainians have received a warm welcome in the UK (93%), and around two thirds said they would definitely or probably like to remain in the UK - up considerably from the 30 per cent who said the same just a year ago.

There have been other changes too since the Sanctuary Foundation last surveyed Ukrainian refugees when two thirds were still living with host families. Now the number is below 30 per cent and many are working full time.

The Sanctuary Foundation said the figures suggest that fewer Ukrainians are planning to return to

Ukraine as time goes by.

Krish Kandiah, founder of the Sanctuary Foundation, is calling for more long-term clarity for Ukrainians living in the UK.

"Two years after the war began, the Ukrainian people continue to show incredible ongoing courage standing up to Russian tyranny," he said.

"It has been inspiring to see the hospitality of the UK public towards our dear Ukrainian friends. Our survey shows just how welcome Ukrainians feel here amongst us.

"With all that is going on in the world, we must continue to support Ukrainian refugees in the UK."
Blauner points out the many failed attempts for outsourcing data during the 9/11 attack, which he saw again during Hurricane Sandy in 2012 and again in the early weeks of COVID in the US. Its only going to work for the first companies that make the move to push more of their data into the cloud.

Enterprises expect to be able to recover into a cloud environment during a crisis. And then 9/11 happened and everyone declared an emergency at the same time. If you werent one of the first to declare, [the cloud vendor] said, Were full, Blauner says.

The solution to that, Blauner says, is for CIOs to establish their emergency minimal viable product (MVP) position. By that he means for enterprises to identify their most essential services  the ones that your customers cant survive without  so that, when an emergency happens, just those emergent services are moved to the cloud. If all enterprises do this, the industry could survive the next crisis.

When Blauner worked at Citi, for example, that MVP was international funds transfers. If we didnt protect that, we could have had a global economic meltdown. You cant do money transfers in South Korea without Citi, Blauner says. For every company in the world, there is some such thing.

Self-inflicted security risks and inefficiencies

Charlie Winckless, a senior director analyst on Gartners cloud security team, agrees that scalability in the event of a crises is a concern, but he sees a different problem forming from IT leaders typical solution: covering their cloud bets by having agreements with a large number of cloud environments globally.

CIOs believe that by using multiple cloud providers, they think that it is improving availability, but its not. All its doing is increasing complexity, and complexity has always been the enemy of security, Winckless says. It is far more cost-effective to use the cloud providers zones.

Enterprises also often fall short on the financial and efficiency benefits promised by the cloud because they are unwilling to trust the cloud environments mechanisms sufficiently  or so argues Rich Isenberg, a partner at consulting firm McKinsey who oversees their cybersecurity strategy practice.

The enterprise IT pushback is that they do not trust the cloud automation and technology. They want their own team to manage everything. The clouds include the cloud-native tools and automation but [the CIOs] are still gravitating to the old-school approach of using their team, Isenberg says. These executives are dependent on their security and access teams and they have their preferred tools from their preferred vendors.

That means that many cloud tasks are being done twice and that is why the efficiency benefits sometimes do not materialize. Most IT executives think that it will be the big breaches that will threaten their jobs, but the reality is that the threat is the [executives] not being digital tech forward, Isenberg says. If executives do not embrace cloud-native [tools] and automation, then, yes, it will become someone elses job.

Cloud is also so integrated in all enterprise systems today  whether it be IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS  that a cloud strategy needs to be the default assumption. Says Isenberg: Youre in it whenever you know it or not or want it or not.
In the face of increased competition, shrinking profit margins, and increasing ESG obligations, manufacturers are looking for ways to make products better, faster, and with less waste. Others are weighing the advantages of subscription-based business models where industrial equipment, automation, and processes are delivered as a service.

As the manufacturing sector evolves in these and other ways, generative AI tools like Microsoft Copilot will come into their own. Tom Nall, Global Manufacturing and Automotive Industry Executive at Avanade, an expert in Microsoft technology, explains: Microsoft Copilot applies an organisations data and Microsoft application ecosystem to a large language model. Copilot is a virtual assistant that can help manufacturing professionals complete tasks faster and more efficiently while unlocking insights from across the companys data assets.

Top use cases for Microsoft Copilot in manufacturing

There are a number of ways in which Microsoft Copilot can help manufacturers improve their operations and address key industry challenges, based on general use cases for generative AI:

Product development. Microsoft Copilot can help manufacturers by proposing designs and recommending the best materials to use to meet cost, sustainability, and durability considerations. For instance, Rockwell Automation, a US provider of industrial automation technology, uses Microsoft Copilot in its FactoryTalk Design Studio. Copilot helps engineers generate code using natural language prompts, automates routine tasks, and improves design efficiency. Supply chain optimisation. Microsoft Copilot can bring to bear a range of capabilities to help manufacturers mitigate risk, manage their inventory, improve planning, and make informed decisions quickly across the entire supply chain. Nall comments: Copilot can help manufacturers de-risk their supply chains by helping predict potential disruption so they can put mitigations in place ahead of time. Workforce empowerment. One of the most compelling use cases for Microsoft Copilot is as a tool to augment and empower workers, providing them with insights and recommendations to help them work faster and smarter. Microsoft and Sight Machine, a manufacturing data platform provider, have partnered on a Factory CoPilot that democratises industrial data through generative AI, making plant data, analytics, and insights easily accessible for all employees. Product optimisation. Manufacturers can also leverage Microsoft Copilot to drive innovation and efficiency across the operational lifecycle of products. Siemens is integrating its Teamcenter software for product lifecycle management with Microsoft Teams and Copilot AI-powered problem reporting and visual quality inspection. For instance, production operatives can use mobile devices to report product design concerns using natural speech. The AI can then automatically summarise and route a report within Teamcenter to the appropriate manufacturing expert. Sales and customer service. In an increasingly competitive industry, manufacturers need up-to-the-minute insights on customer sentiment to help inform sales and marketing efforts. Theres a clear role for generative AI applications like Microsoft Copilot to help customer segmentation and forecasting as well as in generating creative marketing and sales collateral that engages target audiences, says Nall.

The potential of Microsoft Copilot to help manufacturers improve their operations and products is such that it is largely a matter of when, not if manufacturers will adopt the tool. Companies like Avanade can help manufacturers accelerate their Copilot deployments by helping them assess the best use cases for their organisation, ready their data, and rapidly test and deploy applications.

Get in touch to arrange a workshop with Avanade to further explore use cases of Microsoft Copilot within the context of your business.

Visit: https://www.avanade.com/en/services/artificial-intelligence/ai-copilot-hub/manufacturing-ai-copilot

Avanade is attending Hanover Messe 2024. Register here to meet with Avanade and discuss the potential of Microsoft Copilot in manufacturing.
As generative AI becomes better understood, attitudes towards the technology are shifting dramatically. This can be seen clearly in the healthcare sector, where practitioners are embracing AI applications as a much-needed boost to productivity.

New research from Avanade, a technology company that specialises in the Microsoft platform, has revealed that 56% of healthcare and life-science professionals already use AI daily in their current roles. The research also demonstrates a willingness across the sector to use Microsoft Copilot to help reduce the workload placed on staff.

Microsoft Copilot explained

Microsoft Copilot is a notable example of the new wave of tools that are operationalising generative AI and delivering significant benefits to healthcare providers as a result.

In a nutshell, Microsoft Copilot turbocharges Microsoft 365 applications through a large language model. This is a type of generative AI designed to understand and generate human-like text by analysing vast amounts of text  in this case the data generated by healthcare organisations through their use of Microsoft 365 applications. Think of a tool that can create first drafts, gather data, summarise text and much more, using nothing but simple text prompts.

Increasing efficiency and productivity

Applied to healthcare, the most compelling use cases for Microsoft Copilot involve increasing the efficiency and productivity for doctors, nurses, and healthcare workers.

As the Avanade AI Readiness Report with 600 responses from health and life sciences professionals shows, most health industry leaders view AI as a tool to support healthcare providers and workers rather than replace them. They also see the potential for AI to make the care experience less time consuming. For example, the use of AI to reduce time searching for patient data was rated highly as a potential use case.

Microsoft Copilot enables these and many other value-adding applications. As Rob Hazelton, executive and global lead for healthcare & life sciences, puts it: When considering what AI  and specifically Microsoft Copilot  can do for your organisation, there are many, many use cases that in some ways are only limited by your imagination. A world full of data is literally at your fingertips and on your screen waiting to be queried.

Hazelton gives the examples of automated data analysis and report generation, natural language summaries of data to help track clinical trials, and the rapid conversion and analysis of data from multiple medical reports as just some of the ways in which Microsoft Copilot can benefit healthcare workers.

A more efficient way of working

With tools like Microsoft Copilot, healthcare professionals can reclaim time lost to form- filling or trawling through documents for relevant data  time that can be better spent caring for patients. Key to success is implementing the technology in a way that meets the unique needs of each healthcare setting.

Here, experts like Avanade, which has been a Microsoft Global SI Partner of the Year 18 times, can provide valuable assistance to CIOs by helping scope use cases, trial them, and then scale new applications in production environments. Such partnerships can accelerate time to deployment and ensure that organisations are using Microsoft Copilot to its full potential.

In 2024 generative AI will move from the headlines and into the workplace through tools like Microsoft Copilot, transforming healthcare in the process. Organisations that get started soonest stand to benefit the most.

Learn more about Microsoft Copilot and see how a doctor uses Copilot to reduce the time it takes to complete her documentation or how a nurse can use Copilot to communicate better with a patient. Meet them both here to learn more.
Baby names have long been the source of controversy and conversation, whether it's their popularity or downright strangeness  everyone has an opinion.

A Tassie healthcare worker says she has encountered some bizarre names in her line of work, sparking a heated discussion online. "One of our favourite things as healthcare workers is to talk about some of the names we come across, especially for young people," the Aussie said.

"A few years ago, 'ab-se-dee' [ABCDE] was making the rounds  just keeping things really easy for that child."

The Aussie healthcare worker claims to have seen the 'wildest' names in hospital. Source: TikTok/Getty

Healthcare worker lists other wild names

The healthcare worker claimed she came across a "young girl" who she thought was called 'Leah' because her name was spelt 'Le-a'. "You actually pronounce the hyphen as a dash, so it's pronounced Ledasha," she said.

Another name that stumped the woman was 'CVIIILYN', which she thought was pronounced 'Civillian'. The name is actually said as 'Caitlyn' because the 'VIII' in the name was meant to be Roman Numerals  meaning it represented the number 8.

The final name she claimed to have encountered was that of a "young child in the paediatric room". "The parents had named their child 'Shi-thead'," she said. "I don't even know how they're allowed to register this." The name is said to be pronounced 'Shi-th-eed'.

Names that have stopped people in their tracks

Hundreds responded to the video, adding more claims of odd names. "I know a couple who named their kid McLovin," one person said. "I just picked my son up from after-school care and there was a kid named Ricochet," another shared.

Towards the end of 2023, an ABC Journalist made headlines for naming her baby 'Methamphetamine Rules' in the "name of journalism". Following the incident, the NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages admitted to their mistake, saying they had "strengthened" their system so it never happens again.

Story continues

Across the pond in New Zealand in a renowned case, a nine-year-old girl was so embarrassed she won a new name from a family court judge, according to Reuters and other publications. What was her original name? 'Talula Does the Hula from Hawaii'.

What are the rules around baby names?

Each state or territory has its own Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act and supplementary policies to restrict the use of certain names.

Across most jurisdictions, the following are prohibited  although each name is looked at on a case-by-case basis:

Names that are "obscene or offensive". For example, swear words, racial slurs or drug references.

Names that are "too long". In NSW, the maximum number of characters for each of the family, given and middle names is 50.

The use of symbols without phonetic significance, such as '?' or '@'.

Using an official title or rank in a name such as President, Judge or Doctor.

Names that may be "impractical for daily use in the community".

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By Farnaces/Adobe

International development charities have called on MPs to vote for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza this week, saying the current situation is preventing them from delivering aid to those suffering.

More than 60 UK-based charities including Oxfam GB, Save the Children UK and ActionAid UK have written an open letter to MPs and ministers , urging them to support an SNP-led motion in the House of Commons tomorrow calling for an end to military violence in the region.

International charities also called for a ceasefire to allow full, unhindered access for humanitarian aid and workers in a letter published earlier this week .

Meanwhile, the British Red Cross, which launched its fundraising appeal in October last year, told Civil Society it and its partners were facing significant challenges getting aid into Gaza.

Through our Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory Appeal, we are supporting the vital work of Red Cross and Red Crescent teams at the forefront of this humanitarian response, said Rory Moylan, head of region for the Middle East and North Africa at British Red Cross.

But the aid currently allowed to enter Gaza is nowhere near enough to meet the immense humanitarian needs of more than two million people.

There is an urgent need to secure a regular flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza and for humanitarian organisations, including the Palestine Red Crescent Society, to be able to have safe and unimpeded access to transport this aid to those in need.

Aid not sufficient

The letter from UK charities, co-ordinated by umbrella body Bond, states: An immediate and permanent ceasefire will halt the cycle of violence, facilitate the release of all hostages, allow for the restoration of essential services, allow for international humanitarian assistance to reach those in need, and provide an opportunity for dialogue and negotiation towards a lasting peace that benefits everyone in the region.

We cannot afford to delay any longer. Private diplomacy and cautious statements are not enough  stronger action and accountability needs to be applied or the humanitarian catastrophe will likely surpass even the horrors we have seen over the last four months.

Nicola Banks, advocacy lead at Action for Humanity said the charity is particularly concerned by the potential imminent escalation of violence in the southern city of Rafah, where displaced civilians are currently sheltering and facing critical shortages.

If the international community cannot limit military operations in Rafah, we risk a humanitarian catastrophe surpassing the horrors even of the past months. We need an immediate and permanent ceasefire now  not a pause, not a ceasefire soon, a ceasefire now, she said.

The letter from global organisations including ActionAid International, Amnesty International, Oxfam International and War Child Alliance, says Rafah has been the primary entry point for aid and bombardment will then prevent any assistance from getting through.

The Israeli military offensive has made it virtually impossible for our collective agencies to meaningfully and effectively deliver humanitarian work, compromising not only safety but also the very principles guiding our humanitarian efforts, it reads.

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Labour cannot promise an immediate injection of funding into the charity sector if it is elected at the next election, its shadow culture secretary has said.

Thangam Debbonaire told an event yesterday that a Labour government would bring a new focus and appreciation for charities and a reset in the relationship between civil society and government but not necessarily more funding.

Asked how prominently charities would feature in the Labour Party manifesto, Debonnaire said the document would be short because long manifestos dont get read so do not expect much.

Like Labour leader Keir Starmer recently , Debbonaire defended the RNLI and National Trust from recent criticism.

Meanwhile, chief executive of homelessness charity Crisis Matt Downie told the event that charities should offer solutions more in their campaigns instead of complaining.

I want to be your champion in government

Speaking at NPCs State of the Sector launch, Debbonaire said that her party wants to tackle the root causes of the issues charities address.

Debbonaire said: If we are elected, I can't promise an immediate injection of funding.

But I can promise, and I want to only say the things that I can really deliver on, I can promise a new focus and appreciation for charities, your role in nurturing and building the resilience of local communities.

A reset in the relationship between civil society as a whole and government and a focus on the role of volunteer volunteers in changing our country for the better the partnership that they are taught.

We don't underestimate the challenges that you and we all face. We know that we need a renewed social contract as part of a decade of national renewal.

You have consistently held up your end of the bargain. But the last 14 years of chaos division and crisis from successive conservative governments have stretched charities beyond their limits as the figures show. They've damaged our collective identity and the spirit of service in this country.

Debbonaire said that the current government is getting themselves muddled up in culture wars of their own making.

In choosing to attack charitable institutions like the National Trust, the RNLI, they are attacking something central to our national identity, and alienating people.

And I imagine that for many of you, they've alienated you as well - the organisations that just get on with serving our communities, because you should be able to speak up about the injustice in the lives of the people you serve, without any fear of recrimination and are proud of the fact that you have found those ways, and government should want to hear from you. And I do.

I want to be your champion in government, to take your incredibly rich evidence and experience and to make better policy. Policy designed to improve the lives of people up and down the country, rather than policy designed to punish and restrict.

Sector taken for granted

Before becoming an MP, Debbonaire spent 26 years working in domestic violence charities before becoming the Labour MP for Bristol West in 2015.

I feel like I really do know in my bones, what the value of civil society is, of charities, of faith groups that are in so many ways, the same as the values that we have in the Labour movement, she said.

She thanked the sector for its work which she feels often goes unnoticed, uncelebrated and unpacked.

Its now time for a decade of national renewal, and that's what you can expect from the Labour Party if we're elected this year, she said.

Debbonaire said she is committed to working in partnership with the sector to address the issues they aim to solve.

Im guessing like many of you dream of a time when you're not necessary. We used to say in the domestic violence group, one day we won't be needed, but we're a very long way off yet.

And I think for a lot of us that's the dream  of being in a world where homelessness charities are no longer needed and it feels so far off.

Its something we wanted to focus on, the prevention aspects. We want to encourage and champion social entrepreneurs, we want to set long-term targets and work with you to achieve them.

NPCs State of the Sector report estimated that charities subsidise public services by 2.4bn a year.

Debbonaire said the findings of the report speak of a successful sector which has been taken for granted in my view.

If Britain elects a Labour government this year, that will end, she said.

Crisis CEO: As a sector, we have got used to complaining too much

Meanwhile, Crisis CEO Downie told the event: There's a bit of perception from a bit of the press that we should just keep quiet, but lets totally ignore that.

And actually, I would say that, perhaps as a sector, we've got used to complaining a bit too much.

Downie referenced the amount of sector criticisms he had seen of the governments net zero plan but said he had not seen the sector proposing different solutions.

He said the relationship between the state and civil society was muddled as some organisations are too close to government while others are adversarial to it.

I do think there are some natural tensions however, between the state and the sector, and we should embrace them, he said.

There's a tension between the idealism of our causes, and the practical fiscal political realities that politicians and civil servants face.

Downie asked that the next government catches up with the reality of the current charity sector.

He said: It's perhaps time for the sector to come out from behind the sofa, to assert a mature and productive relationship with the state, to boldly talk about our causes and solutions to our issues, whether or not they fit neatly into our limited objects.

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Welcome back, dearest readers. Society Diarys latest interview is with Hft chief executive Steve Veevers, who is the owner of mountain dog Bronte and an undying love of biscuits.

Veevers shares his rather lenient view on the five-second rule, his favourite biscuit (unprompted) and his four dream dinner party guests.

You can read our exchange below.

How are you?

Im really good, thank you for asking, and really looking forward to unpacking a little bit of the trials and tribulations of working in the charitable adult care sector  while at the same time working out what my favorite biscuit is, and anything in between.

As I write this, its something like day 37 into my new role at Hft so I am still very much in the steep learning curve phase, wanting to make sure that I am adding value, making an impact and applying my sector experience into a new organisation with its own ethos and values.

If you could choose one song to be your entrance music whenever you entered a room, what would it be?

I take it a play list is out of the question? I always find music questions so hard; Ive got such an eclectic taste in music and really struggle to have a single song to settle on and, if youd ask me on a different day, you would most probably get a totally different answer. Pushed to answer, Im going to say; Foo Fighters, Best of You. Oh, hang on, maybe Ludovico Einaudis I Giorni. Oh, or maybe

Thats plenty, thank you. Are you a tea or coffee-drinker?

Its coffee in the morning and then tea in the afternoon, liberally spaced with cups of hot water in between. With coffee, Im a bit of a fussy so and so, so it has to be nice proper coffee. Thinking about it, Im quite particular about which tea I drink as well Dorset teabags only or, at a push, Yorkshire.

Who would be your four dream dinner party guests?

Andrea Sutcliffe CBE, ex Social Care Institute of Excellence chief exec and chief inspector of social care at CQC. Ive heard her speak at a couple of conferences and she has some of the greatest insights on the state of health and social care. Keanu Reeves  I think if we had to put someone forward as a representative of the human race to meet alien visitors, Id be nominating him as a wonderful demonstration of our humanity and decency.

Barack Obama  because why wouldnt you! My final guest would be Marte Wexelsen Goksyr, who is an exceptionally powerful public speaker, writer, public debater and actress who takes a strong stance against stigmatisation of disabled people. I imagine that it would be a very lively dinner.

On the topic of food, do you believe in the five-second rule?

Im at heart a little bit of a risk taker, so I might even accept a seven or eight-second rule for something really special like a Viennese whirl. Saying that, Ive got a 58kg Bernese Mountain Dog called Bronte, and anything that hits the floor is lucky to survive more than .047 seconds with her around.

Which skill do you wish you were better at?

Languages; Ive been trying to learn Italian for about a decade now and a lack of time, as well as a lack of general aptitude at it, mean that Im not entirely confident I ever will get any further than Ad Maggio andro a Venezia.

Also patience, which is defined as the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble or suffering without getting angry or upset  a definition with several elements. Some of these I could not be without. For example, I cannot abide suffering in any form, and other elements I wish and try to be much better at every day, like trying to get everything done yesterday.

What is your TV guilty pleasure?

I love a bit of foreign language or Nordic noir crime dramas, the more thoughtful and abstract, the better. Ive recently been watching Astrid, the Bridge and Bordertown.

Which is your favourite pastime?

Definitely books, finding or rescuing them, predominately from charity shops or National Trust book barns and the reading of them. I dont think there is a more satisfying feeling than coming across a hardback copy of a book in a series that you havent got, or something with an amazing cover and tactile to hold. Ive also generally got about three or four books that Im reading on the go at one time.

What was your first job?

I left home very early, so had a few first jobs all at the same time to make ends meet. Lifeguard, swimming teacher and care worker, plus a bit of bar work  all very people focused, thinking about it now, and all of which certainly defined my career pathway.

Would you rather have telekinesis or telepathy?

Definitely, definitely telepathy. I need no further excuses to lead a sedentary lifestyle and the temptation to not get up and walk over to get something would be too great with telekinesis. I think many of us sometimes dont share what we really want with those we know and those weve only just met, the (limited) ability to pick through that and really understand what someone wants or needs would be great to have, but with some healthy sized safeguards on that for telepathy.

A PS  Im mildly disappointed that I didnt have a question on biscuits; its a choccy hobnob, just in case you wanted to know my favourite and it would definitely come in the eight-second rule category.

Please do volunteer if you would like to be interviewed by Society Diary ( [email protected] ). If not, Diary will pick its next target at random, and no one is safe...

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In November, the day after he was elected president of Argentina, Javier Milei promised in a radio interview to quickly get to work privatizing state-owned companies. Everything that can be in the hands of the private sector will be in the hands of the private sector, he pledged. This was a general statement of intent, but Milei telegraphed particular hostility toward public media, which he had previously accused of negative coverage of his campaign, and which amounted, he said, to a covert ministry of propaganda.

Earlier this month, Milei acted (via a somewhat complicated legal maneuver) to appoint lawyers to oversee the activities of public media, a move akin to initiating a thorough external audit. The decree announcing the move spoke of a need for increased efficiency in operations. But a journalists union in Buenos Aires suggested that the decree was an attempted end-run around Congress, which Mileis upstart political party does not control, and described its implementation as absolutely authoritarian. An opposition bloc in Argentinas Senate used similar language.

At a glance, Mileis move appeared to tee up yet another installment in the global battle between right-wing populists and public media (which I wrote about recently in the Polish context)and, indeed, between right-wing populists and the media as a whole. The American ear may have heard echoes, in Mileis approach, of Donald Trump, who, in addition to bashing journalists rhetorically, consistently proposed slashing budgets for US public broadcasters when he was president (without Congress ever agreeing to it). Indeed, Milei has often been compared to Trump more broadly: both bolstered their fame on TV; theyre both wildly outspoken political outsiders; both have unorthodox hair. This week, Milei will even speak at CPAC, the American conservative conference that has become a festival of Trumpism in recent years.

And yet, in key respects, the two men are very different, and entered power in very different contexts. Where Trump arguably lacks a coherent economic philosophyand has some protectionist, even big-state impulsesMilei is an ideological libertarian and avowed anarcho-capitalist who was an economics pundit on current-affairs programs, not the host of a reality show. It is hard to imagine Trump naming a pet for the libertarian economist Murray Rothbard or inspiring kids to start reading the works of Hayek by recommending them on air. And Milei was elected president amid an extreme, long-running economic crisis in Argentinaone to which the commercial media industry, unsurprisingly, has been far from immune.

Mileis apparent early intent to privatize public media companies should, perhaps, be seen in this economic light, as well as a political one. Its unclear if the privatization will actually go ahead, but the threat of it (as well as moves that Milei has already made to cut state advertising budgets) suggests a market dogmatismone that Santiago Marino, a leading media expert, told me does not exist as a guide to communication policies even in the most liberal economies, such as the United States. If the political climate for media is increasingly difficult in many parts of the world, so is the business climate. Argentinas media landscape is testament to this, as well as to the potential, and perils, of a public alternative.

The role of public media in Argentina has been contested before. As various experts have noted, state-owned outlets have often favored the government of the day in their coverage. In the nineties, the then-government mulled the privatization of public outlets, only to stop short of fully implementing itstalled by pressure from unions and from the media and cultural sectors, as well as a lack of political will. As Natali Schejtman, the author of a book on Argentinian public television, told the Reuters Institute last year, the role of public media was a bigger election issue in 2015due to its perceived centrality to the political messaging of the incumbent left-leaning political dynastythan in Mileis election last year. Recently, a lawmaker who oversaw public media under Mauricio Macri, the conservative who won the presidency in 2015, suggested that (with narrow exceptions) public media should not now be reformed but abolished altogether, due to its cost and perceived propaganda on behalf of prior governments.

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According to data collected by the Reuters Institute last year (before Milei took office), public TV in Argentina has less reach and is less trusted than some of its private rivals, in part due to a perceived pro-government bias. Public media, however, cannot be reduced to public TV aloneas Eugenia Mitchelstein, a social scientist at the Universidad de San Andres, told me, the sector in Argentina also includes educational, cultural, and sporting programming and resources, as well as a news agency that many private media outlets use, and a radio network with unique national reach. (Mitchelstein corresponded with me from close to Lake Futalaufquen in Patagonia, where this radio network was the only service available in her car.)

Commercial media, by contrast, has gaps in its coverage: in 2021, a study conducted by FOPEA, an Argentinian journalism organization, found that more than 15 percent of the population lived in areas that the group classified as news deserts lacking independent local press. And many media organizations that do exist, particularly outside of Buenos Aires, the capital, have struggled financially. Marino described their general situation to me as one of an almost terminal crisis.

One source of revenue for commercial media companies has been state advertising expenditure, be that from the central government, arms-length bodies or state-owned companies, or local and provincial governments. Edgardo Litvinoffthe editorial director of Ruido, a collaborative network of regional journalists that was founded in response to the news-desert phenomenon and related problems in local coveragetold me that local outlets have often been dependent on advertising revenue from the latter source, which in some cases, Litvinoff says, can make up 70 percent of an outlets income. For Litvinoff, this dependence isnt a good thing: he alleges that it has stymied local outlets willingness to take on officials, and says that Ruido refuses to take state money on principle.

After taking office, Milei moved to suspend the media advertising budget of the central government, a move that has mostly affected national outlets based in Buenos Aires. Litvinoff told me that this sort of move could end up being a good thing, in that it could generate more independent journalism that is critical of power. At least in the short term, though, the loss of this revenue will be felt, particularly by smaller outlets that received it, Marino told me.

As for Mileis plans for public media, its hard to say what might happen next. At least in theory, plowing ahead with privatization would require congressional approval; recently, Milei tried to push through a bill giving him expansive powers to privatize state-owned companies, among other things, only to send it back to the drawing board after it became clear that lawmakers did not fully support it. Even if Congress were to authorize privatization, its not clear who might want to buy and run the assets of public media, particularly in such a forbidding private market. And, as experts I spoke to for this piece pointed out, Milei is, perhaps above all, unpredictable and erratic in his decisionmaking. It is difficult for me to examine motives as if he were just another politician, Mitchelstein told me.

At minimum, Mileis early actions toward public media and state advertising in private outlets look ill-conceived and underbakedboth areas are legitimately complicated, and could use thoughtful reform to improve the medias independence and financial viability, and yet Milei seems to be taking an instinctive slash-and-burn approach in keeping with his wider libertarian philosophy. Those who want to see reform need to be clear with struggling voters why the state is important, and [where] it has failed. Its not just [about] saying, The state is important, the state is marvelous, please dont touch this, Schejtman told me. We are seeing a change in narrative: We cant do anything correctly, so we have to close things. We must use our imagination.

For Litvinoff, public media has gone from being a loot for the government of the day, stuffed with partisan militants, to something the government wants to sell off, rather than seek to improve it by following the example, for instance, of the BBC and other truly public models. When it comes to media policy in Argentina, Litvinoff told me, we go from one extreme to another.



Other notable stories:

ICYMI: The journalism of Alexei Navalny

Jon Allsop is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Review of Books, Foreign Policy, and The Nation, among other outlets. He writes CJRs newsletter The Media Today. Find him on Twitter @Jon_Allsop.
Alphabets Waymo unit has recalled 444 self-driving vehicles after two minor collisions in quick succession in Arizona because a software error could result in them inaccurately predicting the movement of a towed vehicle.

All of the vehicles are in the companys possession and had software updates last month.

Waymo said in a filing Thursday with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that in December one of its autonomous vehicles operating in Phoenix, Arizona made contact with a pickup truck being towed backwards and at an angle relative to the towing vehicle.

The towing vehicle was improperly traveling straight

in the middle shared turn lane and the pickup truck being towed was partially occupying the travel lane immediately to the right of the middle shared turn lane.

The Waymo AV was in the same travel lane as a portion of the towed pickup truck when the front left of the Waymo AV made contact with the pickup truck, the company said.

Waymo said that several minutes later a second Waymo AV made contact with the same off-angle towed pickup truck, which had continued after the first contact and was still occupying multiple lanes.

The two events were both at low relative speeds. Neither collision resulted in injuries, Waymo said.

Waymo met with NHTSA on the issue on four separate occasions starting on Dec. 15 and most recently last week.

Waymo said it carefully considered points raised by NHTSA in these discussions.

Waymos Safety Board said due to the unique characteristics of the collisions that it warranted submitting this report to NHTSA to fulfill relevant notification obligations.

The recall announcement comes days after a crowd vandalized and set fire to a Waymo self-driving car using a firework in San Francisco, marking the most destructive attack so far on driverless vehicles in the United States.

California lawmakers and labor unions rallied on Monday to call for laws to not allow autonomous trucks without human drivers, amid rising safety concerns after accidents.

Separately, NHTSA said electric automaker Lucid Group recalled 189 of its Air vehicles to fix a software issue that could have resulted in loss of drive power.

Waymo and Lucid did not respond to Reuters requests for comment.

(Reporting by David Shepardson in Washington, Shubham Kalia, Yuvraj Malik and Arsheeya Singh Bajwa in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun Koyyur and Keith Weir)
If youve got information on one of the worlds most prolific ransomware gangs, you could stand to make a cool $10 million.

The Department of State on Thursday announced a reward of up to $10 million for anyone who can provide information leading to the identification or location of a leader of the ALPHV/Blackcat ransomware group as well up to a $5 million reward for information leading to an arrest or conviction of anyone participating in a ransomware attack using the variant.

There have been more than 1,000 victims globally of ALPHV/Blackcat ransomware, said the department. Late in 2023, the FBI seized websites of the notorious ransomware group and, they said, saved around 500 victims about $99 million in ransom demands by developing a decryption tool that restored computer systems.

Related: US Seizes BlackCat Ransomware Site, Offering Decryption Tool

The Department of Justice and FBI last month announced a cooperative effort with law enforcement agency groups from the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, Spain, and Denmark, to launch a disruption campaign against the notorious ransomware gang ALPHV/Blackcat.

The reward is offered under the Department of States Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program (TOCRP), which supports law enforcement efforts to disrupt transnational crime globally and bring fugitives to justice.

Earlier this year, a ransomware report from Travelers subsidiary Corvus Insurance found ransomware is on the rise, with attacks in 2023 surpassing 2022 totals by 68%. Ransomware gangs in 2023 stole a record of more than $1 billion in 2023, according to a report published by Chainalysis.
New York states highest court has affirmed that there must be direct physical loss or damage, not just presence of a virus, to trigger coverage under a commercial property policy for COVID-19 business interruption losses.

The Court of Appeals upheld lower courts that rejected Consolidated Restaurant Operations, Inc.s (CRO) claims under a policy from Westport Insurance Corp.

CRO, like many businesses, sustained a significant reduction in revenue during the pandemic. In its original complaint, CRO alleged that it was forced to suspend or substantially curtail its operations due to the presence of the coronavirus in its restaurants and government restrictions on nonessential businesses.

CRO sought coverage for the loss of revenue and, after Westport denied coverage, sued Westport for breach of contract. Westport moved to dismiss for failure to state a cause of action, arguing that CRO could not establish that the coronavirus caused direct physical loss or damage to its properties as a matter of law.

First, the Supreme Court declared that the policy did not cover CROs alleged losses and granted Westports motion to dismiss. Then the Appellate Division affirmed the Supreme Court order, noting that numerous federal and state court cases had applied both New York law and the law of other states to hold that the terms direct and physical, as they relate to damage or loss to property, require a direct physical loss of property, not simply the inability to use it.

The Court of Appeals took up the issue and reached the same conclusion.

The states high court held that the insurance provisions relied upon by CRO only cover economic losses to the extent they are caused by direct physical loss or damage to insured property and the business interruption caused by the actual presence of the coronavirus on the premises of CROs insured property is insufficient to trigger such coverage. The court said that direct physical loss or damage requires a material alteration or a complete and persistent dispossession of insured property, which CRO did not show.

We do not take lightly the severe economic losses incurred by restaurants and other businesses serving the public as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the opinion by Judge Caitlin Halligan states. But our task is to faithfully interpret the terms of the insurance policy before us, not to rewrite the language of the policy at issue to reach a result with equitable appeal.'
A couple thinking they'd snagged the "best seats" on the plane got a rude shock after boarding and realising the awkward trip that was in store for them.

Former Real Madrid soccer player Sergio Carrallo and his wife Caroline Stanbury, a Real Housewives of Dubai reality star, shared a video on Tuesday sitting in seats 1A and 1B on a flight boarding in Tanzania. "[We] thought they were the best seats on the plane," Sergio said online.

When turning the camera around, it revealed the seats as being the only ones positioned in the opposite direction, looking towards the back of the plane  which means they are directly facing everyone else in the cabin of the plane.

The couple were shocked to find themselves the star of the show on a plane. Source: TikTok

Within hours, millions of people watched the video and thousands responded saying they "gasped" as the phone flipped  labelling the situation "awkward" and a "nightmare.

"I would rather walk to my destination," one person commented. "Theres my absolute worst nightmare and then theres this," another replied.

What airline was this filmed on?

The two, who had been on holiday, were flying with Tanzania's regional airline, Precision Air. Their current fleet consists of, five 70 seater ATR 72-500, three 48 seater ATR 42-500 and one 48 seater ATR 42-600.

According to ATR Aircraft's website, both the 42-600 and 42-500 have two seats at the front of the plane facing the rest of the cabin. This means four of the planes in their fleet are positioned in this manner.

Both the ATR 42-500 and 42-600 have the same seating plan. Source: ATR

Not the first time airplane seating has been called into question

In 2023, an Aussie business traveller hit out at Qantas for changing the flight's aircraft without notifying or reimbursing passengers  leaving him with a less comfortable seat for an overnight flight.

Story continues

The travel blogger had booked a business class seat on an Airbus 330 six months in advance. After arriving at the airport, he discovered the aircraft had been switched to a Boeing 737 giving him a seat that does not convert to a lie-flat bed.

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

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Did you notice something familiar in the upcoming 66th Annual Grammy Awards? That's probably Jon Batiste, the current "crowned prince of jazz," with his slew of six nominations storming the prestigious event, again!

Jon Batiste and His Grammy Nominations in 2024

The New Orleans-born artist is on a momentous run in this year's Grammys, returning this time thanks to his 2023 release, "World Music Radio." The album is a unique blend of his trademark soul jazz fusion with hints of gospel, dancehall, and even hip-hop, among others.

With this release, Batiste enjoys nominations for the categories of Song of the Year for "Butterfly;" Record of the Year for "Worship;" Album of the Year for "World Music Radio;" Best Jazz Performance for "MOVEMENT 18' (Heroes);" and Best American Roots Performance for "Butterfly."

Alongside these nods, Batiste is also receiving recognition for his feature on Lana Del Rey's recent record, "Candy Necklace," which they share a Best Pop Duo/Group Performance nomination for.

For his Song of the Year contender "Butterfly, in particular, Batiste crafted a heartfelt marital lullaby that is wholly dedicated to his wife Suleika Jaouad after she was hospitalized for cancer treatment.

"Butterfly," like most songs in Batiste's oeuvre, is an anthem of hope. However, it is also a melancholic call for freedom, as evident in the lyrics: "Butterfly in the air/ Where you can fly anywhere/ A sight beyond compare."

The jazz icon told PEOPLE that the song is deeply personal to himself, his wife, and his family, especially after what they have persevered through and overcame.

"That's a really big part of the narrative of the song," Batiste said.

Read Also: The Beatles' Only Collaborative Painting 'Images of a Woman' Recently Sold for $1.7M in a Christie's Auction

Deep Roots Soaked in Jazz History and Jon Batiste's Start

Despite the stripped-down nature of instrumentation for the song, Batiste still embellishes here and there with bluesy and jazzy runs that he is known for, albeit in a "kinder" and more tone-appropriate way.

This is thanks to his years of experience as part of a New Orleans musical dynasty, which tempered his overall sound with a solid and unshakeable identity.

According to an artist writeup by PBS, Batiste was born into a long line of Louisiana musicians, including iLionel Batiste of the Treme Brass Band, Milton Batiste of the Olympia Brass Band, and Russell Batiste Jr.

Besides his rich musical pedigree, the artist has also paved an acclaimed career for himself through his virtuosic playing and openness to new "flavors" or fusions of jazz.

He recorded and released his first solo album "Hollywood Africans" in 2018 and received huge props from his contemporaries for it, alongside rave reviews from critics. This release of his also earned him his first Grammy nod, one of many that rained in the following years.

As for his education, Batiste finished both his undergraduate and master's degrees relating to piano from the highly prestigious musical institution, the Juilliard School.

Read More: Hinton Battle, Three-Time Tony Winner and Original 'Scarecrow' from Broadway's 'The Wiz,' Dies at 67

 2024 Classicalite All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The London Sinfonietta has been awarded a 100,000 grant by the Cockayne Grants for the Arts to be used for the commissioning of work and as performance funds for new music, according to the ensemble's public release.

The city's contemporary chamber orchestra will be utilizing the grant as funding for a series of eight total commissions, each of which will be premiered by the ensemble in upcoming programs.

In fulfilling this plan, the orchestra will be selecting representative composers with the foremost consideration of inclusivity, intending to mirror the diversity found in London's culture effectively.

After the eight pieces' premiere, they will be joining the ensemble's expansive collection of over 470 commissions throughout its five-and-a-half-decade-long history.

Continuing London Sinfonietta's Championing of Classical Music

Of the award, London Sinfonietta's CEO and current Artistic Director Andrew Burke said that it "confirms the faith" of the ensemble's key stakeholders in the organization and in "contemporary classical music" as a whole, through the exploration of thematic sounds that are relevant to "schools, young people, and communities."

"The compositions that we have commissioned over the years have since influenced other music creators and artists from across contemporary society and inspired ever-increasing audiences who discover and are moved by these innovative approaches to sound," he continued.

"We are pleased and proud - with Cockayne's extraordinary support - to be able to plan a longer-term future for this tradition," Burke concluded.

Similarly, Cockayne's Executive Director Jo Hedley expressed the expansive contribution of the London Sinfonietta as a champion of "avant-garde music" for more than 50 years.

"At a moment when art is needed all the more to comment on and make sense of the rapidly changing world around us, Cockayne is delighted in this, its 10th anniversary year, to support London Sinfonietta forge into the future with a special 100,000 Anniversary Commissioning Grant," said Hedley.

Read Also: California Federal Judge Partially Dismisses Book Authors' Copyright Infringement Lawsuits Against OpenAI

 2024 Classicalite All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The British Museum's Instagram posts were recently subjected to a flood of requests calling for the repatriation of an Easter Island statue called "Hoa Hakananai'a," or "Stolen Friend."

Sparked by a social media campaign launched by Chilean activists, the fervorous appeals have even reached the institution's pages on other platforms like YouTube and Facebook, with the first signs of the movement popping up as early as January.

In response, the museum has deactivated the comments of its Instagram posts, one of which is where it promoted a joint program with the Youth Collective organization. It has since reopened the comment section to some posts, although, it still limits the responses in the Youth Collective one.

Campaigning for the Return of the 'Hoa Hakananai'a'

The museum has two moai statues in its collection, one of which is the "Hoa Hakannani'a." Both were seized by British surveyors from Rapa Nui, the local name for Easter Island, back in 1868.

Thus, because of this historical background, longstanding requests for the statues' return were initiated. Serving as an extension of these demands is the recent campaign, which can be traced back to a Santiago-based influencer named Mike Milfort.

Milfort, with his sizeable 7.5 million TikTok followers, has made several videos about the "Stolen Friend" moai statue, encouraging his viewers to raise their "voices" and join in making calls for the repatriation of the 8-foot-tall basalt artifact.

The movement has even generated a hashtag that reached the attention of the Chilean president, Gabriel Boric, who has expressed support for the initiative in an interview with a local radio station.

However, such support was met with criticism when Rapa Nui mayor Pedro Edmunds Paoa called out Boric for "politicizing" an issue and subject that is "holistically, spiritually, and culturally important" to them.

Poa also criticized the movement that Boric is championing, expressing concern that the influencer's methods may have degraded the moai's reputation and sacredness into a mere "internet meme."

He also questioned Boric's intentions, saying that self-gain may have been the primary factor rather than the genuine desire to make the situation better.

Read Also: 'The Picture of Dorian Gray': What Critics Said About Sarah Snook in the One-Woman Play

 2024 Classicalite All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Sir Karl Jenkins, acclaimed as one of the most performed living composers in the world today, whose work was featured in the 2023 coronation ceremony of King Charles III, celebrated his 80th birthday last Saturday, Feb. 17.

In honor of his first year as an octogenarian, Classicalite is walking down memory lane in retrospect of Sir Jenkins' illustrious career.

Sir Karl Jenkins: Origin, Musical Pillars, and Career Milestones

With famed works like "The Armed Man," "Adiemus," and "Palladio" under his belt, alongside conducting a massive 700-strong orchestra for UNESCO's "One World" concert, Sir Jenkins is now undoubtedly a living legend when it comes to classical music.

Not to mention achieving the gargantuan milestone of staying in the UK's Classical Chart for over 1,000 weeks and being the recipient of 17 gold and platinum record awards.

That said, Sir Jenkins-like many notable names within the long canon of classical music-was first molded by a uniquely quaint musical heritage, alongside the occasional outside influences.

The maestro spoke of this origin story in an interview with Classic FM, recalling core moments of his life that informed his musical identity, from his South Walian upbringing to his brief stint as a member of a jazz-rock band called Soft Machine.

According to Jenkins himself, it was his father who gave the maestro his first piano lessons and inundated him with an ocean's worth of classical music in his hometown of Penclawdd in South Wales.

In time, with the help of his father's background as a local music teacher, organist, and chapel choirmaster, Jenkins would grow to love and develop a knack for music.

Jenkins described the whole ordeal as the usual "Germanic and Austrian tradition" of introducing history's famed masters to a budding musician, like Bach, Mozart, Brahms, Mahler, and even Wagner. For the maestro, this was his usual day-to-day musical rotation.

Read Also: Rita McKenzie, Renowned Star of One-Woman Show 'Ethel Merman's Broadway,' Passes Away at 76

How the Karl Jenkins Masterpiece 'Adiemus' Came to Be

From there, Jenkins would go on to get a master's degree at the prestigious Royal Academy of Music, before branching out to other "flavors" of music by joining a progressive rock band in 1972, dubbed Soft Machine.

During this stint, he would meet the musical act's originator Mike Ratledge. In 1976, Ratledge left the band, and alongside him, Jenkins came along. This allowed for the duo's musical partnership to bloom, even taking a name itself with "Jenkins Ratledge."

The pair did musical gigs left and right for a variety of clients and needs, from Levi's clothing to De Beers' gems. However, it was in 1994 that Jenkins achieved his musical breakthrough by working for a certain US airline called Delta.

The collaboration resulted in the "Adiemus" piece that would become an overnight worldwide hit. He recalled being astonished that it even reached places like Japan, where the airline's service didn't even cover.

The record's success overflowed through other forms like being a UK and EU chart-topper, and later on, it even opened opportunities for Jenkins to be signed to a record label, which eventually funded the production of a series of albums from the maestro.

Jenkins likened the appeal to something "spiritual," that even "secular people" could attune to. In fact, as per Jenkins, his Japanese audience thinks of "Adiemus" as a song of "healing."

In the wake of this success, Jenkins would then be commissioned once more in 1988 for a song that would later on be considered a masterpiece called "The Armed Man." The maestro said he made the piece as a wish for a "better future," as it was written amid the rising contentions of the Balkan war.

Today, Sir Jenkins shows no sign of slowing down, saying that classical music is his "hobby" and his "drug," an element of his life that will keep him "going."

Read More: Activists Flood British Museum's Social Media, Demanding Return of Easter Island Statue

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Corach Rambler won the 2023 Grand National (Getty Images)

The weights for the Grand National were announced on Tuesday, with King George VI Chase winner Hewick given the top weight.

The Grand National is due to take place at Aintree on 13 April, and Hewick has weighed in at 11st 12lb, with last years winner Corach Rambler coming in at 11st 2lb.

Current favourite Gavin Cromwells Vanillier has a weight of 10st 8lb, and he was only beaten by two and a quarter lengths in last years contest, and has been made a favourite by several bookmakers, including William Hill.

Nine-year-old Hewick is being primed for a hat-trick, as he is due to race in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March, and has already won the Galway Plate and the American Grand National, a good feat for a horse purchased by John Hanlon for 800.

Britain Grand National Changes (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

The top weight has a ranking of 169, with Corach Rambler at 159, the same rating as Tiger Roll had when he won his second Grand National, with Vanillier at 151.

A total of 56 of the 87 handicapped entries are trained in Ireland, with the new safety limit of 34 meaning the current minimum rating at the initial weights stage is 149, and just seven UK runners make that cut as things stand.

British Horseracing Authority handicapper Martin Greenwood does not anticipate a strong British squad.

Last year there were 13 British-trained starters, with Lucinda Russells Corach Rambler coming home in front.

"Hewick was on 169 after the King George and Ireland have rated him the same. I thought the King George flattered him to some extent. We all know his story, its a great one but they went flat out at Kempton and it is probably the one race in the calendar year in that division that doesnt fit in if you like, given the nature of the track, Greenwood said.

"We all know hes a blinking good horse, but 169 is his actual UK rating. I just didnt think there was any need to tinker."

With reporting from PA.
CCTV footage has been released of three young males in the hope they can be identified after they allegedly kicked a little penguin at a Melbourne tram stop.

The incident occurred in the middle of tram tracks in the beachside suburb of St Kilda in the city's southeast on December 8, with a member of public witnessing the encounter and confronting the group.

Three young males have been accused of kicking a little penguin in St Kilda, Melbourne where a penguin colony of up to 1,400 live. Source: Parks NSW and Crime Stoppers

The member of public relocated the penguin to the beach pier at around 11.30pm and reported the incident to Crime Stoppers, with the alleged attack happening near stop 136 on Alfred Square and The Esplanade.

Crime Stoppers and the Conservation Regulator have since released footage of the trio on the night of the alleged attack, appealing to the public for assistance in identifying them.

Little penguin killed in 2021 in same location

It is not the first time a little penguin has been targeted in the area with one killed in October, 2021 by five males all aged in their early 20s.

St Kilda is home to a colony of approximately 1,400 little penguins and the public can view these penguins most nights near the pier. The not-for-profit Earthcare St Kilda is responsible for researching and managing the colony and have done so since 1986.

Like all wildlife, little penguins are protected in the state and across Australia. It is illegal to injure, chase, disturb or interfere with them, and penalties range from just over $3,000 to a maximum of $48,077 or 12 months in jail.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a report online.

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

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A man camping with friends on Kgari, formerly known as Fraser Island, has captured the moment he got into a bizarre argument with a woman he later dubbed an absolute Karen, after her car got bogged at the popular tourist destination.

Harry, who documents his travels around the country on Offshore Adventures, filmed what he said was a stupid encounter after parking his car on a sand dune overlooking an idyllic shoreline.

In a YouTube video he explains after parking the vehicle back out of the wind, he was planning on setting up his camp at a beachfront site when he came across a woman bogged down in the sand trying to reserve the same spot.

The woman's car got bogged on K'gari while she was trying to reserve a camping spot. Source: Offshore Adventures

TikTok footage shows Harry and the woman sparring after she appears to ask him for help getting her car out of the sand.

Ill come help you out of the sand, but just give us the spot, he says before pointing out there are many other campsites. The woman's response is inaudible in the video, but she stands her ground. Her son, who has now walked over to join in the discussion, tells Harry to do just that and find another place to put up his tent.

Our cars here, he responds. I was here when you came and walked up here trying to reserve the spot.

After what appears to be several minutes, the womans car remains bogged as Harry sits in his car and honks his horn at her son. This is ridiculous, he laughs, prompting her to get mad. This is what you get for being such a nice person, he continues before backing up.

Aussies react to 'K'gari Karen' video

Numerous Aussies online said old mate handled the Kgari Karen pretty well. Good job telling them to use manners lol, one person applauded. Watch out for campsite stealing Karens on Fraser Island, another commented.

They have an attitude and no respect or idea. I would have told them to wait for the tide to come in and then try if they had a go. Bloody tourists, a third said.

Story continues

However, several others argued Harry should have just moved to another camping spot like he suggested. So why not move on to one then mate! Youre not better than the other people, one man claimed.

K'gari is known for its dingo population and beautiful beaches. Source: AAP

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
A commercial Aircraft Corp of China (Comac) C919 aircraft operated by China Eastern Airlines during the Singapore Airshow in Singapore, on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024.

SINGAPORE  China's homegrown airliner may be the latest challenger to Airbus and Boeing's passenger jets, but an executive from Airbus said he's not worried.

The Comac C919 is "not going to rock the boat in particular," Christian Scherer, chief executive officer of Airbus's aircraft commercial business, said at a media roundtable on the sidelines of the Singapore Airshow.

"It looks a bit like an Airbus narrow body," Scherer said, tongue in cheek, noting that the C919 is "not very different" from what Airbus and Boeing already have in the market.

Scherer acknowledged that the C919 was a "legitimate effort" by China  but "the market is large enough for competition, we welcome the competition."
 This is the script of CNBC's news report for China's CCTV on February 19, 2024.

From the chatbot ChatGPT to the text-to-image model Dall.E, and the recent text-to-video model Sora, OpenAI has seized the spotlight in tech and finance. Despite Sora's video imperfections, Macquarie analysts hail it as a breakthrough, a symbol of new technological frontiers. An industry insider shared with CNBC, "Sora's underlying principles are well understood, but its real-world application faces the twin challenges of data and modeling," highlighting OpenAI's edge in tackling these complex issues with its top-tier academic and engineering talent.

In a recent highlight, sources told The New York Times that OpenAI's valuation has soared to $80 billion, or possibly even more, marking a significant leap from its previous valuation of about $29 billion in less than 10 months. According to the report, the deal was led by venture capital firm Thrive Capital through a tender offer, a method allowing OpenAI employees to liquidate their company shares. Currently, OpenAI has declined to comment. A report by tech data platform CB Insights now ranks OpenAI as one of the world's most valuable tech startups, trailing only behind ByteDance and SpaceX.

Sora's debut has revolutionized the content creation industry, sparking both excitement and concerns.

An executive from an advertising agency underscored to CNBC the pivotal moment Sora represents for the advertising industry, offering new opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises to create video ads, despite lingering questions about content copyright.

Adam Singolda

CEO of Taboola

"This is really a huge moment in time for the advertising industry. And I think the main question will be, how will OpenAI compensate all these creators and publishers whose content is used to train their models."

Deepfakes also pose a significant concern, especially in a major election year impacting over 40 countries and more than 4 billion people globally. A YouGov survey reveals that about 85% of Americans are very or somewhat concerned about this issue.

Nick Clegg, Meta's President of Global Affairs, stated that it's not feasible to outright ban AI-generated content on social media due to inevitable loopholes in a whack-a-mole approach. The current strategy focuses on transparency, mandating watermarks on AI-generated content to alert viewers. However, he acknowledged the difficulty in identifying AI-generated content across different platforms.

Nick Clegg

Meta's President of Global Affairs

"That's where a lot of engineering work and technical work at the back end still needs to happen. So that, you know, AI generated content produced on one tool will be identified as AI generated when distributed on another platform. And that's the gap that the companies are working together to try and close."

OpenAI's tech revolution barrels forward, with Bloomberg reporting that Altman is seeking approval from the U.S. government to raise billions of dollars from the Middle East to increase the global production capacity of AI chips.
 This is the script of CNBC's news report for China's CCTV on February 20, 2024.

On Monday, Houthi Spokesperson Sare'e announced that the group had launched a missile strike against a British merchant vessel navigating the Gulf of Aden, hitting its target successfully. The vessel, named the Rubymar, flies the Belize flag and is registered in the UK, operated by a Lebanese company, according to UK maritime security firm Ambrey. Data from the global ship tracking website MarineTraffic shows the Rubymar was en route from a Saudi port to Bulgaria. Houthi forces have previously stated their focus on targeting tankers from Israel, the UK, and the US.

This attack marks another escalation in tensions along the Red Sea route, described by the Financial Times as the most destructive attack by the Houthis to date, as it's the first instance where crew members had to abandon ship following an attack. Previous assaults by the Houthis either missed their targets or only caused minor damage.

Houthi Spokesperson Sare'e mentioned the vessel suffered severe damage and might sink in the Gulf of Aden. As attacks grow more severe, maritime traffic in the Red Sea continues to be paralyzed, with the Red Sea accounting for about 12% of the global maritime trade volume.

The disruption has thrown international trade into chaos, with data showing a significant drop in cargo flow to the EU and the UK, diverting more goods towards Asia, exemplified by changes in diesel shipments from India.

According to data compiled by Bloomberg, in the first two weeks of February, fuel shipments from India to Europe averaged only 18,000 barrels per day, a drop of over 90% from the previous month. Analysts believe part of the reason is the increased transportation costs to Europe. Tankers heading to Europe are either forced to reroute around the Cape of Good Hope, adding to the journey length, or continue using the Suez Canal, which increases war insurance costs.

Meanwhile, in the first two weeks of February, India's diesel shipments to the Middle East and Asia surged.

Maersk CEO Vincent Clerc told CNBC that the situation in the Red Sea introduces new uncertainties for business earnings prospects.

Vincent Clerc

Maersk CEO

"The impact of this situation is causing new uncertainty for how this is going to play out from an earnings perspective throughout the year. We have very little visibility as to whether this is a situation that will resolve in a matter of weeks or months, or whether this is something that is going to be with us for the full year."
China's lenders cut the country's benchmark five-year loan prime rate for the first time since June, extending Beijing's efforts to revive the country's anemic property market.

The Chinese central bank kept its one-year loan prime rate  the peg for most household and corporate loans in China  unchanged at 3.45%. The benchmark five-year loan rate  the peg for most mortgages  was cut by 25 basis points to 3.95%, according to a statement Tuesday from the People's Bank of China.

The slash in the five-year rate in the monthly fix for February was larger than expectations for a reduction of between five to 15 basis points in a Reuters poll of economists. This was also the largest one-time cut in the five-year rate and the first since the five-year rate was last trimmed in June by 10 basis points.

"The asymmetric moves signal authorities' continued preference for targeted easing, and its desire to ramp up support for the property sector," Louise Loo, lead economist at Oxford Economics. "The size of today's move also reveals  in our view  a genuine concern among Beijing policymakers that the 'incremental' slow-drip of policy easing implemented thus far has had little impact."

"But China's property problem is ultimately not tied to mortgages. Today's move could boost demand on the margins, but needs to be implemented and viewed in the context of a broader-range of measures to manage an inevitable property correction process," Loo added.

China calculates its loan prime rates each month after 20 designated commercial lenders submit their proposed rates to the PBOC. These loan prime rates usually move in tandem to its medium-term policy rate, which the PBOC kept unchanged for February on Sunday.

China cut the reserve ratio requirements for its banks by 50 basis points from Feb. 5, providing 1 trillion yuan ($139.8 billion) in long-term capital, while urging banks to support loans for high-quality real estate developers.

The property market slumped after Beijing cracked down on developers' high reliance on debt for growth in 2020, ensnaring some of its largest real estate developers in bankruptcy and weighing on consumer growth and broader growth in the world's second-largest economy.

 CNBC's Lee Ying Shan contributed to this story.
A co-founder of telecommunications company Crown Castle has nominated a rival slate of directors to the firm's board, muddying the waters months after activist investor Elliott Management and Crown Castle signed a cooperation agreement.

Ted Miller, who helped launch the company in 1994, along with his investment vehicle Boots Capital presented his thesis to investors in a release Tuesday, urging the company to sell its fiber business and improve operational efficiency.

The slate of four directors he's nominating includes himself and his son-in-law. Crown Castle said in a statement rejecting the slate that the Boots Capital nominees "do not possess the relevant expertise and experience."

The former Crown Castle CEO, who last worked at the company two decades ago, also called the cooperation agreement with Elliott "coercive and disenfranchising" and said it should be put to a shareholder vote.

But Miller and his partners reached out to Elliott Management in an effort to join forces with the activist around the same time that Elliott launched its second campaign in November, people familiar with the matter told CNBC.

That preliminary contact between Elliott and Boots Capital was through an advisor, and no formal proposal or offer to form a group was ever made, another person familiar with the matter said. The conversations focused on identifying potential investors who were interested in Boots Capital's plan for Crown Castle, that person said.

Elliott rejected Boots Capital's entreaties, the people said, which they described as seeking investment or access to investors.

Now, Miller is publicly excoriating Elliott's approach as lacking "expertise, vision, and urgency."

Miller had been trying to raise money for a special-purpose vehicle to launch an activist fight at Crown Castle prior to Elliott's November launch and had been in conversation with Crown Castle since at least August, the people said. One of the people said the special-purpose vehicle was attempting to raise hundreds of millions of dollars but that it was unable to meet that goal.
A patient implanted with Neuralink's brain technology can now control a computer mouse just by thinking, the company's founder Elon Musk said.

"[The] patient seems to have made a full recovery with no ill effects that we are aware of and is able to control the mouse, move the mouse around the screen just by thinking," Musk said in a Spaces session on social media platform X.

Neuralink is the billionaire's startup, which says it has developed a brain implant designed to help humans use their neural signals to control external technologies. The company aims to restore lost capabilities such as vision, motor function and speech.

Neuralink was not immediately available for comment.
Short seller Jim Chanos is best known for calling the collapse of Enron, the world's largest energy trading company at the time. He was widely credited as the first person to figure out that Enron was a house of cards. "As the dot-com era went on, people really began to embrace more and more stories that weren't quite tech companies," Chanos said in the latest installment of CNBC's " Art of the Trade ." "It persuaded investors that they were disrupting existing businesses, like energy. It was the perfect time for an aggressive company like that to be marketing that story to investors." Enron's unprofitable business model and problematic accounting practices led Chanos to make a short bet on the company in late 2000, and he continued to add to the position amid news of heavy insider selling and executive departures. "We added pretty much  almost all the way down," he said. "Because the news got worse and worse and worse, and every piece of incremental bad news was much worse than what we've been through." Here's one thing that might come as a surprise: Enron was not the only stock Chanos shorted and profited from during the episode. As Enron shares sank fast in late 2001, its competitor Dynegy made a lifesaving offer to acquire Enron. The news boosted both Enron and Dynegy's stocks. However, Chanos saw a big red flag in Dynegy that make him bet against the stock, which eventually plunged 90%. Monday marked the 20th anniversary of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission charging former Enron CEO Jeffrey Skilling with fraud and other crimes in connection with the energy trader's collapse. Watch the full video above to learn about Chanos' legendary Enron bet. Don't miss these stories from CNBC PRO: Warren Buffett's Berkshire keeps new stock pick secret  again. Here's what it means Michael Burry of 'The Big Short' fame buys Amazon, Alphabet and a dozen other new stocks Move over, Nvidia. There's a new hot AI play that has soared 960% in the past year Morgan Stanley's Slimmon names 3 stocks to buy right now: 'It's going to be a good year for equities' This little-known bank is offering one of the highest CD rates
A "considerably frustrated" elderly Aussie woman is being forced to travel several hours per week on public transport after a neighbour's scaffolding limited access to her driveway, resulting in the retiree being unable to move her car from her garage.

Melbourne woman Janette Fly, 78, said since a construction site at the rear of her property erected scaffolding in October of last year her car has been trapped. Fly said that even with a 10-point turn she still can't get her Peugeot out of the garage at her in Port Melbourne home, in the city's southwest.

After four months of construction and with no end date in sight, Fly said she's at her wits' end, being forced to travel two hours each way to her weekly choir practice. The pensioner said she's also had to fork out money every time she tops up her Myki transport card, which she now uses for volunteering and singing lessons.

Melbourne woman Janette Fly said she can't get her car out of her driveway due to her neighbour's scaffolding. Source: ACA

"I can't manoeuvre the car until I've gone out full length," Fly told A Current Affair. "So if I try and move now, I hit the scaffolding. I end up against the scaffolding and cannot move sideways. I go to choir practice at Upwey on Monday nights... and it's taking about two and a quarter to two and a half hours, each way  it has frustrated me considerably."

No construction seen since December, retiree claims

Adding to her annoyance is the fact Fly said she hasn't seen any construction take place at the site since late last year. "It was supposed to come down on the 30th of January this year ... but there's been no one on site since the 22nd of December," she argued.

The pensioner said he's been forced to commute two hours each way so she can attend her choir classes. Source: ACA

The saga dates back to October 12, when Fly received a letter from building company IceCorp stating it would be erecting scaffolding on Monday, October 16 to Sunday, November 12. Fly moved her car onto the street in response, but by October 18, she said there was still no scaffolding, so she drove her car back into the garage. Days later on October 24, the scaffolding went up and Fly's car was stuck.

Story continues

Tonight @ACurrentAffair9 Port Melbourne pensioner Janette has had her car trapped by construction site scaffolding behind her carport for four months. She is stuck in every sense of the word - so whos responsible? Her story at 7pm. pic.twitter.com/1C2wCSuwXR  Alexis Daish (@LexiDaish) February 19, 2024

She said that despite attempts to seek action from council and the Victorian Ombudsman, so far nothing has changed. "Just remove the scaffolding and I can get my car out? It is so simple!" she said.

Council weighs in

A spokesperson for the City of Port Melbourne told ACA, they had "been seeking to assist" Fly "since November last year".

It's important to note that the builder is complying with their planning permit," the spokesperson said. "The Ombudsman investigated and found that there is no evidence that our Council has acted unlawfully... Our council has no authority to compel a builder to work faster."

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Armed Yemeni supporters of the Houthi movement sit on the back of an armored vehicle during an anti-Israel and anti-US rally in the Houthi-controlled capital Sanaa on January 22, 2024, amid ongoing battles between Israel and the militant Hamas group in Gaza. Mohammed Huwais | Afp | Getty Images

The Middle East looks set for a path of escalation on multiple fronts as Israeli forces close in on what is left of southern Gaza, and as Yemen's Houthi rebels launch their most damaging strike yet on a ship in the Red Sea. The crew of the British-owned, Belize-flagged bulk carrier MV Rubymar were forced to abandon ship in the Gulf of Aden on Monday, receiving help from a nearby merchant vessel and coalition warship to reach a nearby port after "two anti-ship ballistic missiles were launched from Iranian-backed Houthi terrorist-controlled areas of Yemen," according to U.S. Central Command. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed the group's responsibility for the attack, calling it their most severe yet. The group claim to support Palestinian civilians amid Israel's retaliatory military campaign in the Gaza Strip. "The ship was severely damaged, leading to its complete halt  It is now at risk of sinking in the Gulf Aden," Saree said Monday. Simultaneously, fighting is raging between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip with no sign of abating despite diplomatic efforts by a number of countries. Israel's government has warned of a potential ground invasion of Rafah, Gaza's southern corner along the Egyptian border where more than 1.5 million Palestinians  the majority of whom were displaced from other parts of Gaza  are sheltering, mostly in makeshift tents with very little access to food, water and medicine.

watch now

More than 29,000 people have been killed in Gaza since Israel's offensive on the blockaded territory began on Oct. 7, when Hamas militants launched an unprecedented terror attack on Israel that killed roughly 1,200 people and took another 240 hostage. "I think unfortunately, we need to be prepared for more escalation really on two fronts," Charles Myers, chairman and founder of advisory firm Signum Global Advisors, told CNBC's "Capital Connection" on Tuesday. "The Houthis are proving to be far more effective at disrupting international maritime trade," Myers said. "And the military response so far from the U.S. and the U.K. has not diminished or degraded their capability, which means we need a much larger military response from the U.S. and the U.K. in the next several days to try to take out more of these capabilities, so we need to watch that on the other side."

INTERNATIONAL WATERS RED SEA, YEMEN - NOVEMBER 20: This handout screen grab captured from a video shows Yemen's Houthi fighters' takeover of the Galaxy Leader Cargo in the Red Sea coast off Hudaydah, on November 20, 2023 in the Red Sea, Yemen. Handout | Getty Images News | Getty Images

Meanwhile, "Israel I think is going to continue on their path of conquering Gaza in the next four to six weeks," Myers said. "They are then now already focused on the second phase of their war, which is to push Hezbollah 32 kilometers back into Lebanon, which is even more controversial in a way from a geopolitical or military perspective. And we need to see what Hezbollah does to respond to Israel." Hezbollah, the powerfully-armed Lebanese Shia militant and organization backed by Iran, is also engaged in regular exchanges of fire with Israeli forces as well as attacks on Israeli military installations, while Israel has carried out assassinations of senior Hezbollah and Hamas figures in Beirut. A full-on war between the two would be devastating for both sides, regional analysts say.

Mounting alarm over planned Israeli assault on Rafah

Twenty-six EU countries  every member of the bloc except Hungary  have issued a warning against Israel's offensive in Rafah, saying it would only deepen the humanitarian catastrophe there. EU foreign ministers called in a joint statement for an immediate humanitarian pause that would lead to a lasting cease-fire. Even the U.S., Israel's staunchest backer, proposed a rival draft U.N. Security Council resolution, and called for a temporary cease-fire as well  the first time the U.S. has used the word cease-fire in any U.N. action related to the war. Israel's government has so far rejected the calls, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying that anyone telling Israel not to invade Rafah is telling it to lose the war. Still, the government hasn't fully committed to the assault, with some ministers saying that it will only go ahead if Israeli hostages are not released by the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which begins around March 8.

A woman and children sit outside tents sheltering displaced Palestinians in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on February 8, 2024, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Mohammed Abed | Afp | Getty Images
Nikki Haley hosts a rally in Conway as part of her swing in the Palmetto State leading up to the State's primary, in Conway SC, United States on January 28, 2024.

Former South Carolina governor and GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley on Tuesday delivered a clear message: she has the means and the motivation to ensure the Republican primary does not end anytime soon.

During a speech billed as a "state of the race" update, Haley said she intends to stay in the 2024 election, regardless of her performance in the upcoming South Carolina Republican primary.

"South Carolina will vote on Saturday. But on Sunday I'll still be running for President. I'm not going anywhere," Haley said in Greenville, South Carolina.

Trump is leading by roughly 30 points in Haley's home state, according to a recent poll from USA Today and Suffolk University.

"Some of you  perhaps a few of you in the media  came here today to see if I'm dropping out of the race. Well, I'm not. Far from it," said Haley.

Haley says she will campaign at least through Super Tuesday, March 5, when 16 states and territories, totaling over a third of all GOP delegates, will be at stake.
Super Micro Computer has soared more than 182% since the start of the year, but the chipmaker has even more upside potential ahead thanks to artificial intelligence tailwinds, according to Rosenblatt. The firm on Tuesday set a Street-high price target of $1,300 for the buy-rated stock, up from $700, implying shares could gain 61.8% from Friday's close. SMCI YTD mountain Super Micro shares in 2024 "Our increased price target for SMCI  is a reflection of the robust growth in AI computing and the company's strategic position within this rapidly evolving market," analyst Hans Mosesmann wrote in a Monday note. He forecasts SMCI will achieve double-digit material market share gains within the next few years, up from its current pace in the mid-single digits. Another key factor in Super Micro's growth story is its liquid cooling solutions for data centers, Mosesmann added. Traditional chipmakers have been less adept in this segment, which opens the door for Super Micro to achieve "heightened hyper-scale engagement," according to the analyst. "Moreover, Supermicro's success in gaining market share in a relatively static market for general-purpose Xeon processors, thanks to its U.S.-centric manufacturing approach, signals a readiness to tackle and adapt to the dynamic demands in AI, including liquid cooling and comprehensive product offerings," Mosesmann said. "The anticipation of increased research coverage should further illuminate Supermicro's business model and the opportunities in its [total addressable market]." Shares of Super Micro were up nearly 3% Tuesday during premarket trading. This comes after shares declined around 20% Friday when Wells Fargo initiated an equal weight rating on the company and said the stock was already discounting room for upside.  CNBC's Michael Bloom contributed to this report.
A self-proclaimed "serial plant killer" went on ABC's "Shark Tank"  and came away with a $300,000 offer for his houseplant health company Flora.

Flora was founded in 2022 by Aabesh De, a former Microsoft employee who quit his "cushy" six-figure job to build a soil meter and accompanying app that alerts people about the health of their houseplants. De got the idea during the Covid-19 pandemic, when his lack of a green thumb ruined one of his mom's favorite plants.

"My dear mother gave me her prized rose bush plant that she had for years," De, 29, said on the show. "And I ended up killing it in eight short days."

He described his $64 soil meter and free app as taking "the guesswork out of plant care, by telling you exactly what moisture, temperature, light and other vitals your plans need." Customers can subscribe to a premium version of the app, which costs $9.99 per month or $59.99 per year, for perks like 24/7 "plant diagnosis" support, access to "expert plant doctors" and the ability for one soil meter to support an unlimited number of houseplants.

De asked for $300,000 in exchange for 10% of Flora, noting that the company had brought in $192,000 in lifetime gross sales, as of 2023. "We're not profitable just yet," he said. "Year-to-date, we've spent about $180,000 in expenses so far ... We lost about $500,000 last year."

Quickly, De encountered an obstacle: Three of the episode's five judges weren't personally interested in houseplants. Robert Herjavec, Mark Cuban and Kevin O'Leary all declined to make offers, with O'Leary noting that he was "blown away" by the presentation but didn't care enough about the industry to invest.

Barbara Corcoran said she loves plants, but had a problem with Flora's business model. "I would never go for a subscription model after buying [the soil meter]," she said. "That's a problem, so I'm sorry, I'm out."

That left Lori Greiner, who didn't even want to say the percentage she'd need to get involved out loud. De urged her to, anyway, prompting her offer $300,000 for 30% of Flora.

"How do you feel about $300,000 for 15% equity but 5% in advisory shares?" De asked. "I'd be open to discussing some sort of royalty if you feel like there's still too much of a gap."

That got a response, with multiple judges calling De a clever negotiator. Ultimately, Greiner and De agreed on $300,000 for 15% equity, 5% in advisory shares, and a $2 royalty per unit sold until the investment paid off.

"I think you're smart as hell, and I like to invest in people who are smart as hell," Greiner said. "You've got a deal."

Disclosure: CNBC owns the exclusive off-network cable rights to "Shark Tank."

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Check out the companies making headlines during premarket trading. Home Depot  Shares slipped about 2.5% after the retailer beat its fiscal fourth-quarter estimates on the top and bottom lines, but issued lower-than-expected guidance. The company forecast full-year revenue growth of 1%, while analysts polled by FactSet expected 1.6%.Net income and sales also fell throughout the quarter. Super Micro Computer  Stock in the information technology company climbed more than 2% after Rosenblatt nearly doubled its price target, calling for 62% upside moving forward. Rosenblatt's price target is now the highest forecast for the stock on Wall Street. Walmart  Shares added about 3% after the retail giant reported fourth-quarter adjusted earnings of $1.80 per share, beating the $1.65 expected from analysts polled by LSEG, formerly known as Refinitiv. Revenue also topped expectations. In addition, Walmart announced it would acquire TV maker Vizio for $2.3 billion. Caterpillar  Shares pulled back 2% following a downgrade to in line from Evercore ISI, which noted concern over a longer-than-expected outlook for earnings growth. Medtronic  Shares gained about 4% after the medical device company beat Wall Street expectations on the top and bottom lines in the third quarter. The company issued higher-than-expected full-year earnings guidance, with Medtronic now forecasting a range of $5.19 to $5.21 per share. Analysts polled by FactSet expected $5.16. US Foods  Shares rose 1.4% after Piper Sandler upgraded the food company to overweight from neutral, saying it sees a "relatively clear path" for the stock to hit the high $50s or low $60s. Analyst Brian Mullan hiked his price target on US Foods to $59 from $45, or roughly 19% upside from Friday's closing price of $49.58. Intel  Shares of the chipmaker gained 3.3% on news that the Biden administration is in talks to award it more than $10 billion in Chips Act subsidies in the coming weeks. The money will come from a mix of a $39 billion grant and $75 billion loan pool, according to a Bloomberg report . Capital One , Discover Financial Services  Shares of Discover soared more than 14% following news that the company would be acquired by peer credit card and banking firm Capital One in an all-stock deal worth $35.3 billion. Capital One stock pulled back more than 4%. Arm Holdings  Stock in the chipmaker slid about 4% as investors pulled back bets on the stock after its massive rally . Shares of Arm have soared roughly 81% in February alone.  CNBC's Pia Singh, Sarah Min, Michelle Fox and Jesse Pound contributed reporting.
Lucy Alexandra Spencer spent 16 weeks abroad last year in Oman, France, Switzerland and Portugal. Unlike with most people, traveling is how she earns  rather than spends  money. The trips are paid for by Spencer's employers  they're wealthy Europeans and Americans who hire her to travel with their families for weeks and, occasionally, months at a time. Spencer is a former primary school teacher with experience teaching students with learning difficulties. She embarked on her first traveling teaching role seven years ago. Since then, she's spent about two years abroad, including an eight-month trip to Europe, the United States and the Middle East, she said. The cost to hire a teacher like U.K.-based Spencer is comparable with private school fees for multiple children  about 8,000 ($10,050) a month to work with three children. Families also pay the cost of her flights, accommodations and meals.

Lucy Spencer, near the Italian island of Capri. Source: Lucy Spencer

Rates can rise to 10,000 if families require teachers with specialist skills, such as playing a musical instrument or foreign language instruction. However, teaching assistants, who help with a basic curriculum, can be hired for around 2,500 a month.

Different from traditional school

The children Spencer teaches attend sessions with her for about four hours a day because one hour of private tutoring is akin to three hours of regular school, she said. She consults with teachers at their schools, she said, to create lessons that cover what they would be learning back at home. She can also prepare them for exams they have on their return. Spencer also incorporates information about local culture, cuisine and customs into her sessions. For example, Spencer said, when she was in Oman she was working with a family who hadn't experienced an Arabic country before.

It's demanding on your teaching skills because you've got to really understand the family and their cultural beliefs. Lucy Spencer Education Boutique

"It's not about me imparting knowledge," she told CNBC Travel. "It's about me being there as more like a facilitator to make them curious and ask questions about things that they're experiencing  spotting differences, spotting similarities. "It's demanding on your teaching skills because you've got to really understand the family and their cultural beliefs, and how you can make those little humans that you're working with into better versions, even than their parents."

An educator, not a tutor

Spencer's progressive outlook is not for all families, she said. She tends to work with startup founders who want to expose their children to alternative ways of learning and thinking, she said. She prefers to be known as a "facilitator" or "educator" rather than a teacher or a tutor, she said.

Lucy Spencer in Oman. Source: Lucy Spencer

"There will certainly be educators who travel with a family, and it looks just like school," she said. "But to me, that's not the world schooling that I specialize in  that's simply doing international tutoring." The change in title also means she must manage families' expectations about her role, Spencer said. She needs to ensure families won't confuse her for a nanny who provides extensive child care, or an au pair, who may be expected to do light chores. "My remit is definitely education. I'm not with the family, staying in their house. I always stay separately, although I might join them for dinner sometimes. It's an interesting conversation to have  defining that idea and expectation that it's not a holiday nanny role," she said. That means interviewing is a two-way street, she said.

Lucy Spencer said this was her "classroom" while working with a family in the French commune of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. Source: Lucy Spencer

"For many families, they probably feel like they are interviewing you as the educator, but it's as much me interviewing them, too." Now, as she has her own house and two dogs, Spencer only accepts shorter work trips of up to four weeks. She can, however, match families who need a traveling teacher with one of the 30,000 teachers who are a part of her private tutoring business Education Boutique.

Making traveling teachers more accessible

Traveling teaching gigs comprise around 10% of Education Boutique's business, while the rest matches educators with students with learning issues or who need private exam preparation. Spencer started the business in 2016 after spending nearly four years as a schoolteacher the United Kingdom and Dubai. She has a bachelor's degree in primary teacher education. Spencer said she wants to make traveling teachers available to more families, by creating cheaper options, such as pairing families with trained students taking a gap year.

"There are lots of very engaging young people who are paying a lot of money to travel the world as part of a gap year and will likely go on to good degrees and careers in the future," said Spencer. "Why couldn't we position a gap year as, instead of someone having to pay, they could educate students as they go around the world," she said. "And if a family knows that they're going to, say, Thailand, rather than that family paying for the flight for an educator to join them there, we become that connector [for] someone who is already going to be there."

Lucy Spencer in Austria. Source: Lucy Spencer
White House national security communications adviser John Kirby said Tuesday that the U.S. plans to announce a "major sanctions package" on Friday, seeking to hold Russia responsible for the death of imprisoned opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

Estonia Prime Minister Kaja Kallas on Tuesday said the country, which borders Russia, successfully thwarted a "hybrid operation" by Russia's security services on its territory.

Public broadcaster ERR reported that Estonia's Internal Security Service said a total of 10 people were detained as part of a criminal investigation linked to vandalized cars belonging to the country's interior minister and a journalist. The ISS said the operation took place last year.

Russia's Federal Security Service has reportedly detained a woman with dual Russian-U.S. citizenship on suspicion of treason, Russian media reported Tuesday.

The woman, believed to be a 33 year-old resident of Los Angeles, was arrested in the Urals mountain city of Yekaterinburg. She was reportedly arrested on suspicion of treason for raising funds for Ukraine's armed forces.
A general view of the UN Security Council meeting (UNSC) on the situation in the Middle East on Nov.29, 2023 in New York, United States. The U.S. has proposed a rival draft United Nations Security Council resolution calling for a temporary ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war and opposing a major ground offensive by its ally Israel in Rafah, according to the text seen by Reuters. Anadolu | Anadolu | Getty Images

The United States has proposed a rival draft United Nations Security Council resolution calling for a temporary ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war and opposing a major ground offensive by its ally Israel in Rafah, according to the text seen by Reuters. The move comes after the U.S. signaled it would veto on Tuesday an Algerian-drafted resolution  demanding an immediate humanitarian ceasefire  over concerns it could jeopardize talks between the U.S., Egypt, Israel and Qatar that seek to broker a pause in the war and the release of hostages held by Hamas. Until now, Washington has been averse to the word ceasefire in any U.N. action on the Israel-Hamas war, but the U.S. text echoes language that President Joe Biden said he used last week in conversations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It would see the Security Council "underscore its support for a temporary ceasefire in Gaza as soon as practicable, based on the formula of all hostages being released, and calls for lifting all barriers to the provision of humanitarian assistance at scale." The United States does "not plan to rush" to a vote and intends to allow time for negotiations, a senior U.S. administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said on Monday. To pass, a resolution needs at least nine votes in favor and no vetoes by the U.S., France, Britain, Russia or China.

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The U.S. draft text "determines that under current circumstances a major ground offensive into Rafah would result in further harm to civilians and their further displacement including potentially into neighboring countries." Israel plans to storm Rafah, where more than 1 million of the 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza have sought shelter, prompting international concern that an assault would sharply worsen the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The U.N. has warned it "could lead to a slaughter." The draft U.S. resolution says such a move "would have serious implications for regional peace and security, and therefore underscores that such a major ground offensive should not proceed under current circumstances." Washington traditionally shields Israel from U.N. action and has twice vetoed council resolutions since the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas militants. But it has also abstained twice, allowing the council to adopt resolutions that aimed to boost aid to Gaza and called for extended pauses in fighting.

A convoy of lorries carrying humanitarian aid enters the Gaza Strip from Egypt via the Rafah border crossing on Oct. 21, 2023. The United Nations says Gaza needs about 100 aid trucks a day to meet the needs of its 2.4 million people, nearly half of whom have been displaced by Israel's bombardment in response to the Hamas attack on Oct. 7. Eyad Baba | AFP | Getty Images

This is the second time since Oct. 7 that Washington has proposed a Security Council resolution on Gaza. Russia and China vetoed its first attempt in late October. While the U.S. was ready to protect Israel by vetoing the Algerian draft resolution on Tuesday, International Crisis Group U.N. Director Richard Gowan said Israel would be more concerned by the text Washington drafted. "The simple fact that the U.S. is tabling this text at all is a warning shot for Netanyahu," he said. "It is the strongest signal the U.S. has sent at the U.N. so far that Israel cannot rely on American diplomatic protection indefinitely." Israel's mission to the United Nations in New York did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the U.S. draft. A second senior U.S. administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the U.S. draft does not suggest "anything about the dynamics of any particular relationship, whether that's with the Israelis or any other partner we have."
Flowers and a portrait of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny are seen following Navalny's death, as people gather near the Russian embassy in Paris, France, February 16, 2024.

The White House plans to announce new sanctions against Russia in response to the death of the high-profile Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny last week, National Security Spokesman John Kirby said Tuesday.

"Whatever story the Russian government decides to tell the world, it's clear that President Putin and his government are responsible for Mr. Navalny's death," Kirby said. "In response, at President Biden's direction, we will be announcing a major sanctions package on Friday of this week."

The U.S. has already imposed significant trade restrictions on Russia since the start of the war in Ukraine roughly two years ago.

Kirby noted that the new sanctions will build on the ongoing effort to stifle Russia's economy, while also adding specific restrictions over Navalny's death. He added that details about the sanctions will be available Friday.

Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of Navalny, has held Putin responsible for her husband's death last Friday, which the Kremlin has denied. The prison where Navalny was held claimed that he lost consciousness after going for a walk and could not be resuscitated. The Russian government said Monday it is investigating Navalny's cause of death.

The aftermath of Navalny's death comes while Congress is on recess and a $95 billion aid package with significant Ukraine funding remains deadlocked.

Kirby said that Navalny's death highlighted the need for Congress to end the stalemate and pass the funding package to bolster Ukraine's defense against Russia.

"One of the most powerful things that we can do right now to stand up to Vladimir Putin, of course, is to again, pass the bipartisan national security supplemental bill and support Ukraine," Kirby said.
FILE: Leon Black, chairman and chief executive officer of Apollo Global Management LLC, at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, California, U.S., on Tuesday, May 1, 2018.

A woman who had accused Apollo Global Management co-founder Leon Black of raping her at the New York mansion of the late sex predator Jeffrey Epstein has agreed to drop her civil lawsuit against Black.

The suit by the woman, Cheri Pierson, was "discontinued with prejudice and without costs to any party as against the other," according to a Manhattan Supreme Court filing Friday signed by her lawyer and Black's attorney.

That notation means that Pierson cannot resurrect her legal claims against the billionaire investor Black in connection with the purported attack at Epstein's Upper East Side residence in 2002.

It also means that Black did not make a payment to settle the case.

Black had denied Pierson's allegation, filed in November 2022, that he had raped her in a suite at Epstein's mansion, where she had gone "believing that she would give Black a massage and receive the money that had been promised her in exchange," according to her complaint.

Black, in a statement provided to CNBC on Monday, said, "I have never met Ms. Pierson. I have no further comment."

Black's lawyer, Danya Perry, in her own statement, said, "This matter has been dismissed with prejudice. I will make no further comment."

A spokeswoman for Wigdor LLP, the law firm that had represented Pierson, said, "We have no comment at this time."

Black in January 2023 agreed to pay $62.5 million to the U.S. Virgin Islands to be released from any potential claims related to the territory's probe of Epstein's sex-trafficking operation there.

Two years earlier, Apollo Global Management revealed that its then-CEO Black had paid Epstein $158 million for financial advice from 2012 through 2017 despite him knowing that Epstein had pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting sex for pay from and underage girl in Florida.

Black left Apollo in March 2021, months earlier than he previously had said he would.

Epstein, 66, killed himself in August 2019 in a federal jail in Manhattan, a month after he was arrested on federal child sex trafficking charges.

Black in a letter Saturday separately withdrew his appeal of a judge's ruling in Pierson's case denying his motion for sanctions against Wigdor.

Black had claimed in that motion that Wigdor had "repeatedly abused the court system to launder frivolous, unsubstantiated, and damaging accusations of sexual assault against Black across two lawsuits."

The Wigdor law firm is continuing to pursue a separate lawsuit against Black that its attorneys filed in July, alleging that he raped a then-16-year-old girl with autism at Epstein's Manhattan home in 2002.

Another lawyer for Black last year said that he had never met the accuser, a woman in her 30s identified by the pseudonym Jane Doe in filings in U.S. District Court in Manhattan.
Tourists driving across New Zealands rugged countryside may be surprised to see signs warning about the spread of a destructive invasive Aussie animal. Echoing an American western, authorities are urging motorists to report wallabies dead or alive amid fears the marsupials could soon cost the economy NZ$84 million a year ($79 million).

Small colonies of wallabies have recently been discovered in Vietnam and the UK, but the mobs living across the ditch on the North and South Islands have been there for over a century. The problem for New Zealand is the wallabies are spreading rapidly, gaining 2km of ground a year, harming the environment and competing for land with livestock.

While New Zealanders maintain a healthy rivalry with Australia, authorities maintain the plan to wipe out the marsupials is nothing personal. Sam Beaumont, the head of Biosecurity New Zealand's $6.9 million a year wallaby control program, reassured Yahoo News he's aware wallabies do have special significance to Australians.

Kiwis are being urged to report all signs of wallabies, including droppings on grass (right). Source: Michael Dahlstrom/MPI

It's not that we've got anything against the animal. There's a place for them and obviously that's in Australia. And not in Aotearoa New Zealand, he said.

New Zealand wallaby facts

South Australia's mainland tammar wallaby was listed as extinct in the wild in the 1920s, but a feral population was later rediscovered on New Zealand's Kawau Island.

In December, the discovery of dead wallabies on a highway in Northland, hundreds of kilometres from known populations, sparked alarm. But authorities now believe they probably fell from a truck after being shot by hunters elsewhere.

Wallabies were first introduced to the North Island around the Rotorua Lakes area.

The multi-agency plan to eradicate wallabies includes councils, iwi (Maori tribes), and private landholders and is called the Tipu Matoro National Wallaby Eradication Programme.

Created in 2015, these maps show predicted distributions of dama and parma wallabies (North Island) and Bennett's wallabies (South Island) from that year until 2065. Source: Manaaki Whenua  Landcare Research

Why are wallabies in New Zealand?

Five species of wallabies were introduced into New Zealand in the 1800s, mostly for hunting, but its believed some escaped from private zoos. They arent as destructive to the countrys wildlife as predatory species like stoats and pigs, but like goats and deer, they can destroy native vegetation.

Story continues

New Zealand has the highest number of introduced mammals in the world, and the second highest number of introduced birds. While the invaders are thriving, around 74 per cent of its native terrestrial birds are threatened with extinction.

Beaumont is hopeful wallabies could be contained by shooting and poisoning programs by 2025. Wallabies are still relatively located around the areas where they were first released. So theres still a chance we can contain them, and with a bit of luck eliminate them, he said.

A vehicle has been painted with camouflage by a council involved in wallaby control. Source: Bay of Plenty Regional Council

The national program to eradicate wallabies began in 2020, and an advertising campaign was launched last summer which immediately led to tips being phoned in from members of the public.

This season even more signs have been erected on roadsides, and a government truck decked out with a military-style camouflage paint-job and anti-wallaby messaging has been cruising the streets around the hot-spring town of Rotorua, which is ground zero for the spread of the marsupials.

Making the public aware of the problem not only helps authorities identify and target existing wallaby colonies, it also stops people from inadvertently spreading them further. People could potentially put them in the back of the car and move them around. And we've seen some examples of that where wallabies have turned up very far from where they normally are, Beaumont said.

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India has contributed US $1 million to a fund established by India, Brazil and South Africa which undertake projects aimed at alleviating poverty and hunger.

India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj handed over the cheque of US $1 million as a contribution towards the India, Brazil and South Africa Facility for Poverty and Hunger Alleviation Fund (IBSA Fund) to the Director of the UN Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) Dima Al-Khatib on Monday, February 19.

Speaking on the occasion, Kamboj said the focus of India's G20 Presidency was the "development of the people, by the people and for the people". Accordingly, "India is committed to supporting the IBSA Fund as we believe that the Fund has made a positive impact on the lives of millions across the Global South and has strengthened the spirit of South-South cooperation," she said.

The IBSA countries  India, Brazil and South Africa  each contribute $1 million annually to the Fund in a spirit of partnership and support for Southern-led, demand-driven, transformational projects in developing countries, a press release issued by the Permanent Mission of India to the UN said.

India's contribution to the IBSA Fund has cumulatively exceeded US $18 million since the Fund was established in 2004 and became operational in 2006. UNOSSC serves as the Fund Manager and Secretariat of the IBSA Fund.

The IBSA Fund supports projects that are concrete expressions of solidarity. Their objectives range from promoting food security, and addressing HIV/AIDS, to extending access to safe drinking water  all to contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, the release said.

The IBSA Fund has allocated US $50.6 million to date, supporting 45 projects across 37 countries of the global South. This year, IBSA Fund has already approved three projects, namely "Rural Electrification using Micro-grids" in Southern Belize, "Empowering Women and Youth to Drive Sustainable Agriculture" in South Sudan and "Investment in Agri-business development in Mubadrti" in Palestine, it said.

UNOSSC said the Board of Directors of the Fund met in January and approved the three proposals for Belize, Palestine and South Sudan, amounting to US $3 million in new funding. It also approved the design of a project in Mali to begin in 2024.

The project in Belize will enhance access to renewable energy in marginalised communities in the Toledo district of Belize. This district experiences the highest poverty rate in the country. The project aims to provide solar equipment to 166 households, a school and a primary health centre, the UN agency said in a statement.

The project in South Sudan aims to increase vegetable and fish production and expand distribution markets, so as to improve nutrition, food security and livelihoods in the Central Equatorial State. Eight vegetable production groups comprising 48 heads-of-household, and four fisheries groups of 30 heads-of-household will be supported.

The project in Palestine aims to create sustainable job opportunities for women, youth and recent graduates in the agricultural sector and its production chain. This will involve the production of market-oriented agricultural commodities, as well as food processing.

About 70 farmers, unemployed youth and engineers will increase agricultural productivity in Palestine through the proposed investments in agri-business, through comprehensive training programmes on farming techniques, crop management, harvesting methods, post-harvest handling, processing and packaging, marketing and business management.
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(Posted Feb. 20, 2024)

The village of Plain City is embarking on the first phase of its Public Square project, a multi-phase endeavor to create a community gathering place in the heart of the village. The initial phase, known as The Depot at Public Square, involves the relocation of an historic railroad depot from Upper Arlington to Plain Citys historic Uptown District.

With unanimous support from village council, the village has closed on the purchase of the depot from the Fromm family of Upper Arlington. The 1,473-square foot depot was originally constructed in the 1880s in Brice, Ohio, to serve the Shawnee and Columbus Railway. In 2004, the depot was relocated to northwest Columbus where it underwent a meticulous reconstruction and restoration by Barry Fromm. Many of the original depot components were retained, including the wooden walls and ceilings, while others were salvaged from other historical structures. The depot was the centerpiece of a larger rail collection, which also included three historic train cars that Barry restored and preserved. The depot and its rail collection served the community as a museum and meeting and event venue.

After the passing of Barry Fromm in 2018, Barrys son Jordan Fromm, daughter-in-law Maria Fromm, wife Lynda Fromm, Ralph Griffith, and the team at Value Recovery Group set out to find new homes for these artifacts that would prioritize their continued preservation as historical assets.

The Fromm family selected Plain City to acquire the depot based on Plain Citys vision for incorporating it into the Public Square project.

A goal of staff and council is to create unique gathering spaces in our Uptown District that complement our local businesses and landmarks of Plain City. Im eager to see the addition of the Public Square project come to life and help round out our uptown amenities, said Haley Lupton, village administrator.

Upon being dismantled and shipped to Plain City, the depot will serve as the cornerstone of the larger Public Square project, where it will provide space for events, visitor amenities, commercial ventures, and historical displays. Relocation is anticipated to occur in June with the facility opening to the public in early 2025.

When considering purchasing the depot, village officials cited Plain Citys ties to the railroad industry which date back to July 4, 1853, when the first train passed through the community, then known as Pleasant Valley, on the Columbus & Indiana Central Railway (a predecessor of the Pennsylvania Railroad and later, Conrail). It later hosted the Abraham Lincoln Funeral Train in 1865.

By the late 1800s, Plain City was one of the leading stations in Ohio for shipping livestock. Large corrals in the community held cattle, sheep, and hogs. Items from all over the country could be shipped in, as well. For example, stores in town frequently advertised fresh oysters for sale, brought in from the east coast. In addition to the economic advantages provided by the railroad, it also served as a link to Columbus and points beyond. After passenger service ended in the 1940s, the villages original depot was demolished in the 1960s. The final train passed through Plain City on July 17, 1986.

The future location of the depot, and the Public Square project, pays homage to Plain Citys history. Historical maps from 1862 and 1875 reveal that the area slated for the Public Square project was referred to as Public Square. Positioned at the corner of East Bigelow Avenue and Church Street, the site served as the original location for Plain Citys town hall, fire department, school, and other early community buildings. Currently owned by the village, the site is undergoing preparation, including the addition of a new public parking lot. The name Public Square is not only due to the projects location on the historically recognized public square but also because public squares have always been significant spaces for community engagement.

The vision for the Depot and Public Square brings excitement to our town and solidifies a place to gather as a community for many years to come, said Mayor Jody Carney.

Future Phases

Beyond the depot, future phases of the Public Square project include The Park at Public Square. This outdoor gathering space will include a splash pad, childrens play area, trailhead, event space, fire pit, and seating areas.

Looking ahead, the village has plans to repurpose an existing historical building into The Marketplace at Public Square. This indoor marketplace will offer dedicated space for seasonal vendors, small businesses, and a variety of community events. These phases will occur as funding becomes available.

For more information about Public Square and updates on future phases, visit www.plain-city.com/public-square.
Terrifying footage of a snake devouring its supper has shocked and horrified Aussies, but a professional snake catcher warns that its an almost daily occurrence.

The coastal carpet python was filmed gobbling up a possum on a property on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, yet it wasnt just the size of the meal that surprised viewers.

The snake was having a bite while upside down and pulling its prey into the rafters of a garage.

The coastal carpet python was filmed eating a possum on a property on the Sunshine Coast. Source: Facebook/Sunshine Coast Snake Catchers 24/7

Coastal carpet pythons have a lot of sharp teeth, a lot of strength and a very good ability of swallowing things whole, Stuart McKenzie from Sunshine Coast Snake Catchers 24/7 told Yahoo News Australia.

With the snakes mouth stretched impossibly wide over the possums body  with just its back legs and tail sticking out  youve got to wonder if the python will get stuck.

Its very unlikely, McKenzie said. Like I've seen it happen before but it's extremely unlikely. That possum wasn't stuck and the snake was doing a good job of swallowing it.

'Its a daily occurrence'

While the majority of the internet was stunned by the incident, the snake catcher said this is a daily occurrence at the moment.

We are out of breeding season, in the middle of summer, so this is the time where snakes are looking to get a big feed, McKenzie explained. It's happening nearly daily, like snakes entering chicken coops or eating possums or getting into bird aviaries.

And as for this unique way of playing with your food upside down?

When snakes have got a big food item like that and theyre not on the ground, that's when they kind of have to try and swallow upside down, the expert added, which can be difficult, but yeah, its pretty amazing.

McKenzie advised residents to make sure their garages were sealed and yards cleaned in an effort to stop snakes from stopping in for a meal.

Story continues

But some said they would welcome the pest controller. I need this guy at my place, bloody possums always get in my roof, one person said. A fantastic video showing nature at its best, another praised. Very educational for those who don't live with snakes in their backyards.

Yet others weren't too sure. That is a hell of a nope for me... poor possum and yet I couldn't look away, someone wrote. [Its] pretty amazing what the snakes can do and devour and the way their bodies adapt to the animal they eat. While another added: [It] still amazes me how a snake can digest something that huge.

Snake forced to give up its feed

While this coastal carpet python looked like it was having no trouble taking on the possum, a scrub python was recently forced to abandon its meal after it got stuck trying to swallow an agile wallaby.

The scrub python was pictured trying to eat the agile wallaby in Townsville. Source: Facebook

In a series of photos taken on a property in Townsville, the reptile can be seen attempting to demolish the marsupial, before it called it a day.

It essentially just gave up when it realised it was too big of a prey item, Jeremy De Haan from Jeremys Reptile Relocations Townsville told Yahoo.

Because if it did manage to successfully get it down, there is a chance that that prey item was just too big to digest and it could have resulted in the death of the python.

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
The European Commission has opened formal proceedings to assess whether TikTok may have breached the European Unions Digital Services Act (DSA) in various ways associated with the protection of minors, advertising transparency, data access for researchers, and managing risk for addictive design and harmful content.

The formal investigation adds to the privacy and safety concerns that have plagued the video-sharing platform, giving enterprises yet another reason to consider banning its use by employees while they access corporate networks. The Commission had previously conducted a preliminary investigation and risk assessment that found further oversight to be necessary.

The DSA is a somewhat controversial content-policing law that sets out rules for how internet companies should keep European users safe from online disinformation and illegal content, goods and services. The DSA bans the practice of targeting users online based on their religion, gender, or sexual orientation, as well as dark patternsdeceptive web design aimed at encouraging people to unwillingly click on online content.

TikTok and its China-based parent company ByteDance are no strangers to controversy over the potential dangers of the platform, which remains enormously popular even though its been deemed a threat to national security by Brendan Carr, a commissioner on the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC). In June 2022 he wrote to Apple and Google to request that both companies remove the app from their stores over its collection of sensitive data from people in the United States. However, it remains available on both stores.

The European Commission itself even banned its staff from using TikTok, requiring them to remove it from their phones and devices in the name of protecting data and increasing cybersecurity. The French government imposed a similar ban in March 2023.

Depending on the outcome of the Commissions formal investigation, this may be a practice that other enterprise organizations or government entities worried about data privacy and security may want to consider adopting, even as some government officialsincluding US President Joe Bidenhave embraced TikTok to promote themselves or their agendas.

Areas of investigative focus

The Commission will investigate whether TikTok has fulfilled its obligations under the DSA.

These obligations include the assessment and mitigation of systemic risks such as negative effects arising from algorithmic systems that may stimulate behavioural addictions and/or create so-called rabbit hole effects that recommend content to users that could send them on a path of compulsive TikTok use or disinformation. This can have ill effects on a persons physical and mental health, especially when it comes to children, according to the Commission.

Such assessment is required to counter potential risks for the exercise of the fundamental right to the persons physical and mental well-being, the Commission said.

It is also concerned that the measures TikTok has put in place to protect minors from inappropriate content, such as age verification tools, may be ineffective, and that the apps default settings may not be sufficient to ensure a high level of privacy, safety, and security for them as they use the app.

The Commission will also investigate TikToks compliance with its obligation to provide a searchable and reliable repository for ads presented on TikTok, as well as measures taken by the platform to increase its transparency regarding suspected shortcomings in giving researchers access to TikToks publicly accessible data, according to a Commission statement.

Regulatory scrutiny builds

TikTok and ByteDance have long faced regulatory scrutiny for alleged shady information-collection and other practices, hence widespread criticism, industry- and company-specific bans, and attempted regulatory oversight to prevent potential misuse.

ByteDancealongside Apple, Microsoft, Google and Metawas even deemed a gatekeeper under the EUs Digital Markets Act (DMA), which came into force in September 2023 and is aimed at limiting the power of large tech corporations.

As a gatekeepera designation ByteDance has challenged, so far to no availthe company has until March 7 to comply with the full set of DMA obligations, which address issues of access controls for personal data; advertising transparency; and putting a stop to both self-preferencing of services as well as certain restrictive app-store requirements for developers.

The Commission plans to continue to gather evidence in its investigation and consider whether to take further enforcement steps, such as interim measures, as it moves forward. There is no legal deadline for the investigation to end; it depends on the complexity of the case and level of cooperation of ByteDance in terms of compliance, according to the Commission.
A Throop home that was originally built as a church in 1836 was destroyed in a blaze that firefighters battled for hours Tuesday morning.

The Throop Fire Department responded to a report of a structure fire at the home at 7363 Powers Road around 11:29 p.m. Monday, the department said in a post on its Facebook page.

The owner and lone occupant of the home "narrowly escaped," the post said, but had burns on his lower legs and was evaluated by Auburn City Ambulance. Brian Dahl, chief of the Throop Fire Department, told The Citizen on Tuesday that the owner refused to be transported to a medical facility and went to stay with a relative.

The home is a complete loss, the post said, as the first and second floors collapsed into the building's basement, "where the fire ballooned through the remaining structure."

The owner had lived for more than 50 years at the home after its conversion from a church, the post said.

Dahl told The Citizen he didn't know the name of the church the structure was originally, but said it was built in 1836.

Dahl said the blaze was extinguished around 4 a.m. Tuesday, but his department and other agencies remained at the scene to overhaul and check for remaining hot spots. Throop personnel left the scene at 12:27 p.m. Departments from Auburn, Aurelius, Cayuga, Jordan, Montezuma, Owasco, Port Byron and Sennett were also at the scene, the post said.

The investigation into the fire's cause is ongoing.

Late Tuesday, a fundraiser was launched on GoFundMe by Rachael DeMaio, who said her father, Joe DeMaio, was the owner of the home and lost "everything" he owns.

The fundraiser has a goal of $20,000 and can be found at https://gofund.me/0cb8945d.

Gallery: Firefighters battle blaze at Throop home
The webcam was invented in 1993, when a group of scientists realized the internet might be a great way of sharing live footage of their genitals. Of course, that doesnt make for a very wholesome origin story, so all legitimate sources instead say the first webcam monitored a coffee pot, and the genital origin motive is pure speculation.

Still, theres nothing pure about how webcams were used in the decades that followed. Consider how webcams managed to record such stuff as...

4 Getting Shot in the Vagina In November 2021, a deputy in Georgia responded to a report of whats known as reckless conduct. The address was 95 Manly Road, but the injury was not manly: A woman had been shot in the vagina. Though no one but the woman claimed to have seen the shooting itself, the small home contained five people to offer accounts of what had occurred. There was Grandma Addie, who was in her bed in the TV room with her granddaughter when Lauren walked in and said shed been shot. Grandmas son Cody was in his bedroom, and since he had some medical knowledge, he treated Lauren till emergency services arrives. Some guy named Jason was there, offering no information at all. Then there was the owner of the gun, Jordan. Who among them was responsible for the painful discharge? via polemicaparaiba Bet the baby granddaughter shot her. Its always the one you least suspect. The answer turned out to be Lauren herself. Laren was a Chaturbate model, and shed been recording some special gun-themed activity for viewers when she accidentally pulled the trigger. She went to the hospital over the injury and was patched up and out after a week. The deputy had trouble piecing the events together while originally on the scene (he wrote down the adult sites name as Chatter in his report), but his higher-ups understood the situation well enough. Oh, a camgirl shot herself in the vagina during a performance? a superior evidently said. Pretty straightforward. Thats a 16-5-60. Advertisement

3 The Pelting of the Tortured Artist Artist Wafaa Bilal had an idea for a performance piece in 2007. He was going to live in an art gallery for a month and be viewed on a webcam 24/7 (except for trips to the bathroom), and throughout it all, hed let users remotely fire paintballs at him. Hed been a refugee following the First Gulf War, and during this latest Iraq War, he was giving people at home the chance to Shoot an Iraqi  remotely, much like how the military operate drones. If people refused to participate, then hed have produced some humanity out of them. If people did participate and fired the gun using their web browser, theyd prove the point he was aiming to make. Performance art is win-win. There was no way it could go wrong  until stuff did go wrong. For starters, Bilal didnt actually want paintballs hitting his body. A pane of plexiglass was supposed to protect him (viewers were just symbolically shooting him by firing that gun). But this pane soon broke, so for much of the experiment, the balls hit him with full force, which had not been the plan. Wafaa Bilal He didnt wear nearly enough armor for this. Advertisement Advertisement Then came the next problem. People who logged on to chat with Bilal and shoot him quickly felt unsatisfied with the restrictions placed by the setup. So, someone hacked into the gallerys server and lifted the limits on the paint gun. Users now proceeded to shoot him 20,000 times within a 24-hour period. Thats roughly once every four seconds. Bilal emerged from the project with even more PTSD than hed earlier had from living through an actual war. But at least the performance piece (titled Domestic Tension) succeeded at proving his point, which was, um, wed have to read his book to remember what that was.

2 A Notable Day at White Island Volcano The greatest use for webcams has always been watching uninterrupted footage of scenes from around the world, rather than people purposely putting on shows. Phones with cameras have made webcams redundant in some ways, but only with a webcam can you, say, watch a lawn and wait for foxes to arrive or spy on the Easter Island statues to see if they move when no ones around. Advertisement Or, how about you take a look at an active volcano? The below webcam shot shows the crater rim of Whakaari, a volcano in New Zealand. You dont see a lava lake because, like many volcanos, the crater is capped with solid rock, which would be breached only if the volcano erupts. This volcano erupted on December 9, 2019, one minute after the webcam captured that image. GNS Science To see the eruption, wed have to switch to a farther camera. Advertisement That photo shows hikers, if you look carefully. The crater rim of Whakaari was not a safe place to be that day if you were a webcam, and it was especially not a safe place to be if you were a hiker. The eruption killed 22 people, which was a big chunk of the islands population at the time. The remaining 25 people on the island suffered burns. No one permanently lives on Whakaari, but people go there for tourism, and that was one day when people should have stayed away. Advertisement The company who managed the volcano faced a million-dollar fine for allowing the tourists to come despite knowing an eruption was likely imminent. Companies with their own volcano bases already have a reputation for evil, and this guilty verdict only contributes to the stereotype.
On the eve of Thanksgiving, one of the busiest nights of the year for the Auburn Police Department, the agency had additional officers on patrol thanks to a state funding program to address violent crime.

The grant totaling $370,655 was provided through the state Division of Criminal Justice Services' Gun-Involved Violence Elimination initiative. Auburn police and agencies in Cayuga County, including the district attorney and sheriff's offices, are among 28 departments in 21 counties to receive GIVE awards.

There are separate tiers in the program, with Auburn and Cayuga County receiving funding under a tier II designation. While tier I recipients focus on gun-related offenses, tier II awardees aim to reduce violent crime.

Auburn Police Chief James Slayton, who provided an update on the GIVE initiative at the city council meeting Thursday, said his department launched the program in August  the grant covers a period from July 2023 through June 2024.

For the initiative to succeed, cooperation among local law enforcement agencies is important. The Cayuga County Probation Department and New York State Police are also involved, according to Slayton.

"This had to be a collaborative effort with everybody," Slayton said. "If somebody didn't want to be a participant in this, then we wouldn't be able to receive the funds from the state."

The state award has been split among the agencies, with the Auburn Police Department receiving $121,277. A bulk of those funds ($114,477) covers personnel costs, while $6,800 was used to buy equipment for extracting data from phones.

Seven members of the Auburn Police Department were selected for the GIVE detail. Matthew Androsko, APD's patrol captain, said interested officers had to submit letters and were interviewed before the department's leadership decided who would be assigned to the initiative. Other factors were involved in the selection process, including the officers' knowledge, productivity and ability to work with other agencies.

The night before Thanksgiving is an example of how APD has used the funding. Usually, Slayton explained, the department has a minimum of five patrol officers responding to calls. With the GIVE initiative, the agency had additional officers on duty who could handle violent crime complaints, freeing up the patrol officers to handle other calls.

"It helps our overtime budget by doing this and accepting this grant," Slayton said. "We were able to send officers out and do things that we needed to do that would normally come out of our operations budget. For us, it was a no-brainer to do this."

In Auburn, the GIVE initiative has focused on "hot spot" areas. Data is used to identify hot spot areas for patrols. These are sections of the city where violent crime has occurred in the past.

APD also contacted five individuals on its Violent Offender Identification Directive list. The letters served as warnings to the most chronic offenders, while also providing a list of resources to seek help, especially for those who have been involved in drug-related crimes.

Androsko said there have been more than 75 details and 19 search warrants executed since the initiative's inception, with the most recent search warrant executed last week. More than 20 arrests have been made in response to complaints for a variety of crimes, including arson, drug-related offenses, kidnapping and robbery.

Auburn Mayor Jimmy Giannettino praised the local GIVE initiative and the collaboration between law enforcement agencies. He also lauded the data-driven approach, which Androsko said will help with future rounds of state funding.

Although Cayuga County reported a decrease in violent crime from 2021 to 2022, there have been some high-profile incidents. In November, one man was shot and another was stabbed outside of a State Street bar.

Giannettino hopes APD's participation in the GIVE initiative will deter individuals from committing violent acts in Auburn.

"Not only does it make our community safe, but it also sends a message to people who may want to come here that we are not going to tolerate it and we are paying attention," he said.
Great Rooms A visual diary by Design Editor Wendy Goodman. Photo: Sean Davidson The rug was designed by my husband Michaels grandmother, Barbara Worsek, with Edward Fields in the 80s, says Silberberg. The leather Antonio Citterio for B&B Italia chairs were found at auction. The floor lamp to the left of the sofa belonged to Silberbergs paternal great-grandmother.

When the pandemic hit in 2020, Jeremy Silberberg and his husband, Michael Worsek, were living in Park Slope, and their lives were about to change. That year, Silberberg, who had been working full-time for Sachs Lindores, quit his job and started his own design firm, Studio S II, with a friend from his undergraduate years at RISD, Erica Sellers. She was fresh off competing in season one of Ellen DeGeneress design competition show, Ellens Next Great Designer. I was part of a double elimination before the final episode. I guess that technically put me in third place? Sellers says.

When Silberberg and Worsek found an apartment in Greenpoint on Craigslist in 2021, they moved out of Park Slope. The need to decorate this new place gave Silberberg and Sellers the perfect opportunity to experiment. Ever since we started our business, Silberberg says, we have been digging for reasons to fund our own work!

And so they designed several pieces, including the surreal-looking Artiodactyl Floor Lamp in the bedroom made of two cylindrical metal loops covered in illuminated (fake) fur. The Monolith Wardrobe of brushed stainless steel was designed out of necessity, as there were no closets in the bedroom. I opted for something stark and monolithic, Silberberg says. Theres something so cinematic about a rectangular prism. It gives me a Kubrick vibe. He paired that with the most opulent mirror I could find, a Louis XVI giltwood mirror, because he thought, What would look crazy with a minimalist metal monolith? The bedroom palette, Silberberg notes, was inspired by a view of the horizon of the prairie grasslands from an airplane when I landed at the Denver Airport. It had just rained, and the clouds were this tempestuous gray.

He created the custom-made gold silk-velvet throw and Viso mohair blanket in complementary tones. Then there are family heirlooms, like the vibrant patterned rug in the living room designed by Worseks grandmother, who was an interior designer in Chicago. She designed it with Edward Fields in the 80s, and was obviously fearlessly bold. There are also quirky surprises, as in the pastel above the sofa that was originally taped to the floor of the couples former Park Slope apartment. It became a sort of map for everyone who traversed our hallway, Silberberg says.

The timing aligned for the move and the new business, noted Silberberg.

We took the opportunity to build something new, says Sellers.

For the foam ottomans in front of the fireplace, We took our Coupled Salt and Pepper Mills and blew them up to make a pair of ottomans, Silberberg says. The Double Vision Chair is a Studio S II design made of walnut and chrome. Photo: Sean Davidson

Photo: Sean Davidson Studio S II designed the Osto Occasional side tables made of interlocking parts. They are pieces that complete a puzzle, Silberberg says. Without one of the pieces, they would collapse. The Mingling Lamps were custom-made by friends at Sticky Glass , with bases of Studio S IIs design. The chairs in front of the bed are leather monk chairs designed by Afra and Tobia Scarpa. I spent a long time looking for this tone of leather. I wanted them to look like a continuation of the mohair spread, Silberberg says.

Photo: Sean Davidson Studio S II designed the Sapele two-toned desk. The design is inspired by Italian modernism, Silberberg says, but we wanted to add a shock of color, so fashioned a Holland & Sherry raspberry wool top.

The double doors leading into the living room. Photo: Sean Davidson

The Artio Floor Lamp features two standing cylindrical loops of illuminated fur, says Silberberg. They glow from the inside of their contours, creating symmetrical pockets of light. The lamp is inspired by the curvature of animal horns and celebrates the unbridled, sometimes humorous nature of the wild. An artiodactyl, where this name comes from, is an order of mammals to which many horned creatures belong. Photo: Sean Davidson
Suzuki has just launched the 5-door version of the Jimny in the Indonesian market. It is very similar to the India-spec model. In fact, it is being built in India and exported to Indonesia. Having said that, the only difference that the Jimny 5-door gets is the absence of a push-button to start/stop the engine.

Suzuki Jimny is offered only with a 1.5-litre K-series petrol engine that is mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox or a 4-speed torque converter automatic

The rest of the vehicle is identical to the one that is being sold in the Indian market. So, the engine is the same 1.5-litre, naturally aspirated petrol engine that puts out a modest 103 bhp of max power at 6,000 rpm and a peak torque output of 134 Nm at 4,000 rpm. It comes mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox or a 4-speed torque converter automatic transmission. Suzuki offers a 4-wheel drive powertrain as standard.

Also check these Cars Find more Cars Maruti Suzuki Jimny 1462 cc 1462 cc Petrol Petrol  12.74 - 15.05 Lakhs Compare View Offers Hyundai Creta 1497 cc 1497 cc Multiple Multiple  11 - 20.15 Lakhs Compare View Offers Mahindra Thar 2184 cc 2184 cc Multiple Multiple  11.25 - 17.20 Lakhs Compare View Offers UPCOMING Mahindra Five-door Thar 2184.0 cc 2184.0 cc Multiple Multiple  15 - 16 Lakhs View Details Mahindra XUV700 2184.0 cc 2184.0 cc Multiple Multiple  13.99 - 26.99 Lakhs Compare View Offers Kia Seltos 1497 cc 1497 cc Multiple Multiple  10.90 - 20.30 Lakhs Compare View Offers

In the Indian market, Maruti Suzuki sells the Jimny 5-door in two variants - Zeta and Alpha. Both variants are offered with the optional automatic transmission. The Jimny is priced between 12.74 lakh and 14.95 lakh in India. Both prices are ex-showroom.

The Jimny 5-door is not selling in the numbers that the manufacturer hoped for. A few reasons behind this are the lack of road presence due to the smaller size and lack of a diesel engine. Moreover, the price is the key factor that disappointed most people who were excited about the SUV when it was first announced at Auto Expo 2023.

Also Read : Watch: Maruti Jimny pull Land Rover Defender, Mahindra Scorpio stuck in snow

Recently, Maruti Suzuki introduced a Thunder Edition of the Jimny which was priced between 10.74 lakh and goes up to 14.05 lakh. Both prices are ex-showroom. It was a limited edition and is now sold out.

The Thunder Edition comes with several accessories as standard. It gets a front skid plate, side door cladding, door visor, door sill guard, grip cover in rustic tan, floor mat and graphics on the exterior. There is also a garnish on the front bumper, ORVM, side fender and hood.

First Published Date:
When Steve Janack meets a prospective client, the first thing he does is ask questions.

"Tell me about your product, tell me about your customer service, tell me about the way that you structure your business," said Janack, the driving force behind The Janack Group, a Glenville-based public relations firm. "Tell me something you do that no one else does. Now the wheels start turning and we see where we can take it."

Janack's personal wheels have been on the move since September 2015, when he started his own business. In addition to raising profiles of a technology or company  that's the public relations end  Janack offers media relations, media training, crisis communications, public speaking and community outreach.

He has assisted three dozen companies and agencies during the past nine years. He loves the work.

"I think that there's a strategic process that goes with public relations. That is the most exciting part to me," said Janack, 61, a longtime Glenville resident and a 1980 graduate of Scotia-Glenville High School. "By that, I mean I love the challenge of someone coming to me and saying, 'We want to promote this cause, this aspect of our business, this new product or service that we're launching and we have no idea how to do it. Help us do that.' "

Asking questions comes naturally. Janack spent the first 15 years of his career (1984 until 1999) in Capital Region radio and television as a reporter, anchor, assignment manager, and news and program director. He was on the launch team of the area's first all-news radio station (WPTR). He also was part of the first 10 p.m. local television news show (Fox News at 10).

Janack became a communications architect when he joined the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce as senior vice president and chief communications officer in 1999. While working at the chamber, he hosted and produced "Tech Valley Report" a program carried by Time Warner Cable and viewed in 300,000 homes.

In 2005, Janack began eight years with the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (at the Albany NanoTech Complex), serving as vice president for marketing and communications. He made another career move in 2014, joining Glens Falls-based Behan Communications as director of the firm's innovation practice group.

The idea to go it alone came shortly afterward. Janack had often heard the question, "Why don't you start your own company?"

"I always said, 'That's not me, I'm a corporate guy,' " Janack said. "Eventually, when the opportunity came and I took it, it became successful. But it's also been extremely fulfilling ... to be able to build something from the ground up that's truly yours is humbling and is really sort of a dream come true in a lot of ways."

Part of Janack's public relations game plan is to build brand awareness and publicize a company's merits.

"I need to show that the company or organization is reputable. I need to show they're innovative, that their products and services are worthwhile, and that they're someone that people want to make a connection with," he said.

Janack also considers the human factor when representing a company or agency.

"I try to never lose sight that people do business with people, and if there's a way to showcase people as part of an organization I think that's particularly effective," he said.

Janack has worked with people and principals from the Academy of the Holy Names, Coburg Village, WMHT, Adirondack Orthodontics, Wojeski & Company Certified Public Accounts, and Pioneer Banking and Financial Services, among others.

Representing and advising Pioneer means two points are often mentioned: Janack says the company is locally headquartered and locally focused.

"This is a brand that is easy to get behind because it is Capital Region born, raised and still a resident, serving people in this community," he said. "It's really showcasing the different products and services that Pioneer offers.

"The real push has been to help people understand that Pioneer does have 22 branches around the Capital Region that provide all the services, savings accounts and checking accounts, CDs and all of that," Janack continued. "But in addition there is an array of financial services including wealth management, employee benefits, insurance and other things that businesses need to be successful."

For Pioneer, that's the focus from the public relations perspective  Janack wants to ensure that people know about the company's array of services.

Janack's clients range from financial services to human services.

"I have a client that provides mental health and substance-use services, so it really runs the gamut," he said. "The common thread that ties it together is an organization that needs some help telling their story and that's what I consider myself, someone who's a storyteller.

He's helped tell the story behind GTM Payroll Services. The Clifton Park company, founded in 1991, later expanded with a human resources arm and multiple consulting services.

"Part of what they're looking for is to let the world know they offer more than just payroll," he said.

Janack is in a competitive field. He said for some public relations concerns, the push is always on for the next customer. He takes a different path.

"I've been very strongly focused on serving the existing customers, building those relationships," Janack said. "It's also helped in terms of word of mouth that has spread from current clients to future clients.

"I've never advertised. I've never done any kind of outward-facing campaign," he added. "It's always been word of mouth, a call from someone: 'Hey, I hear you're working with so and so, they really like working with you. I've got an issue, can you help me with it?' And that's how the business has grown over the years.

"It's really no different from the news business. It's just done from the other side, but from someone who understands what news is looking for in a story but also has respect for the person who's sitting on the other side of the table as well." Janack continued.

He believes public relations personnel must respect the job journalists are doing.

"Having been a journalist for 15 years, that's an easy thing for me," Janack said, "but I'm not into this to be adversarial. All I'm looking for from a reporter is a fair piece. If they ask a tough question but it's a fair question, it's perfectly fine."

Janack is the only full-time worker at The Janack Group, which hires freelancers for web design, photography, social media and other specialties. Janack believes his one-man operation is an advantage in itself: When a client hires his company, they are getting the founder and president.

Janack is also proud of his work from years ago, developing the Tech Valley brand during his days with the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce. He said Albany has since become a semiconductor powerhouse. And because semiconductor tech is used in smart televisions, battery tech, iPods, laptops and other devices of the 21st century, Janack believes that "powerhouse" reputation will only grow.

"I think this region is extraordinarily well positioned for continued growth and to continue to be a center of innovation not only for New York state, not only for the nation but really for the world," he said.

"You've got a world-class R&D facility in Albany Nanotech, you've got world-class manufacturing in GlobalFoundries (Malta), you've got Micron (memory and storage solutions) now coming to Syracuse, Utica has manufacturing as well, G.E. R&D," Janack said. "Then you add to that the colleges and universities, RPI, UAlbany, it's just an incredible nexus of brain power, of infrastructure, of visionary people who are driving this. I think there is so much upside yet to come."

When technology developers succeed, Janack believes, other local companies such as banks and accounting firms benefit.

The Capital Region also will share those advantages.

"There is a base of state government, higher education," he said. "That base provides the stability so the economy doesn't fluctuate up and down like some other regions."

Janack believes the area's semiconductor industry will continue to grow. He thinks health care is also moving in a positive direction and will become more important.

"I think this region is positioned to be insulated against some of the stronger winds that may hit nationally," Janack said. "In addition to the business side of it, it's recognized as a good place to live and raise a family. I think the quality of life has become more important to people, and that bodes well for this region.

"I'm bullish on the Capital Region's economy and future. I'm bullish on where we are and where we're going."

Jeff Wilkin can be reached at Wilkin@dailygazette.com.
By the numbers

$3.1 billion  The amount of federal funding the company is expected to receive from an agreement with the U.S. Department of Commerce, with $1.5 billion coming from CHIPS and Science Act funding and $1.6 billion in loans.

$575 million  In New York State Green CHIPS tax credits.

$60 million  The amount GlobalFoundries needs to invest in workforce development as part of its agreement with New York state.

$30 million  Infrastructure investment from New York state.

$25 million  The maximum invested between Empire State Development and federal workforce development training and related activities.

385,000-square-feet  The size of the new Malta manufacturing facility.

9,000  Construction jobs created over the next decade.

1,500  Manufacturing jobs with the company created.
Tesla officially confirmed in March of 2023 that Mexico will be where its next Gigafactory will be at. It was a moment of jubilation for the country and especially for the people of Monterrey in the north-eastern state of Nuevo Leon because of the employment such facilities tend to generate. But not much has happened in the past 11 months that would show that Tesla is in any rush to complete this facility, prompting Mexican authorities to nudge the US electric car giant to shift gears.

Tesla had said in October of 2023 that work on the Mexico plant will be slowed. The groundbreaking had not yet happened and the company at the time pointed to the slowing of the global economy as a reason. With EV sales not expected to rise at the same pace as in years gone by, the work on the Mexico Gigafactory may continue to be slower than what is usual.

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Also Read : Tesla's Giga Mexico could be the world's largest EV plant

The Mexican authorities aren't too pleased though. Speaking to local reporters recently, the governor of Nuevo Leon said thatTesla had pointed to some issues at the site of the plant and that he would look into these in order for Tesla to start construction as soon as is possible. Today I spoke with Im going to say, with the management in Mexico, there is already the electrical issue, there is the water issue, there is the environment, they had requested an extension of the environmental permit because it seems that the plant is going to be more bigger than they thought," Samuel Garcia was quoted as saying. I asked them for Tesla to come by March at the latest to make a groundbreaking announcement, and they didnt say no, so I hope that very soon, in less than a month, Tesla comes, now the company is going to do the project."

Garcia further informed that his government has already started building roads and other support facilities in the area.

First Published Date:
SCHENECTADY  Sarah Jaeger, General Electric's intellectual property counsel, remembers working with a young girl on an invention as part of a "Shark Tank"-esque program through one of the companys summer enrichment programs when she noticed the girls unique talent.

Jaeger was helping the girl with her idea, a friendly little house for cats. The young girl didnt think her invention was good, Jaeger recalled.

It was pretty cute. Theyre in middle school, but the remarkable thing was the way that she had drawn it was stunning, Jaeger said. It was as though a Pixar animator had prepared the drawing.

When Jaeger spoke to the girl about her excellent drawing skills, she said, it was as if it was the first time anyone had pointed it out to the girl.

The experience, Jaeger said, was a reminder to her of how important the arts are in education today. STEAM is an educational approach that incorporates the arts into the more-familiar STEM model, which includes science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Thats part of STEAM, is the arts, she said. The invention was also really cool in my opinion, but she also stumbled upon this talent that I dont think she realized she had, and then every day after that she was in her sketchbook.

Moments like those push Jaeger to continue to reach out to local students to show them what possibilities might lie ahead.

Jaeger, a Niskayuna native, grew up not far from GEs Global Research facility on River Road. She always knew she wanted to work for the company at some point in her life.

While interning for the Albany District Attorneys Office while studying at Albany Law School, Jaeger was offered a GE internship. She jumped at the opportunity, working with the company in 2013-2014 as a legal operation intern under GE Licensing.

When I started working for GE Licensing my eyes were opened to the field of intellectual property and everything else just paled in comparison to that area of practice, she said.

Prior to that internship, Jaeger said, she thought she might pursue criminal law.

It was during the internship that Jaeger fell in love with the company. She would go on to work elsewhere until 2016 when she joined GE as an employee.

While Jaeger loves the work she does as part of the GE Licensing team, which includes finding potential avenues to commercialize GEs technologies and assets, her mission to provide area youth room to explore their interests in science, technology, engineering, art and math is also a significant part of her life.

Jaeger has been part of GEs Womens Network of the Capital Region, which works with local school districts and youth organizations on STEAM programming, as well as GE Girls, a summer camp sponsored by GE and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, which focuses on showing girls the opportunities available to them in STEAM fields.

This year Jaeger will serve as the Capital Region leader for GE Girls, which works with the Girl Scouts of Northeastern New York, Rise High, PREFACE and the Schenectady City School District.

I think its important that we offer them the opportunity to know the types of careers that are possible for them, the types of jobs that exist for them that maybe they wouldnt have been aware of otherwise. And so getting into the schools, just exposing them to the world of STEM and some of the things that GE does and possibly their place in that, I think is really important, she said.

Jaeger, who considers herself privileged to work in what were typically considered male-dominated fields, said she wants to focus on underrepresented and underserved students.

There are students that are even more historically underrepresented or underserved in law or in STEAM, and to me its really important for those students to see whats possible for them, she said. I think both law and STEAM need students and ultimately professionals like them in order to contribute to the field and make it progress, and so I think personally I kind of have a mission to let all the students know whats possible for them, especially just again focusing on those that have been historically underrepresented or underserved. I have seen a great deal of potential in a lot of these students and they dont even know the skills that they have and how they could capitalize those in their futures, and I think that just exposing them to whats possible and igniting that fire within them or allowing them to see what they have to offer is just of utmost importance.

For example, during a summer program when students were touring a GE building, a young boy excitedly asked what he needed to do to work at GE  obtain a high school diploma, a college degree?

Jaeger recalls that when the tour guide told the student of all the paths he could take to work at GE, the child's eyes lit up.

Just the idea that he could get there no matter which of those paths he took seemed to really, really excite him, she said. There are just a lot of moments like that where its this realization for some of the students that something thats cool, something that interests them, something theyre good at is a possible career path for them, and it's a possible career path for them here in Schenectady.

Jaegers efforts toward making students passionate about law and STEAM fields will be recognized in March by the YWCA of Northeastern New York during its 41st annual Empowerment Awards Gala. She is being presented the STEAM award.

I had no idea that I would receive something like that, she said. Its surreal, because to me this is just part of something that I do.

She said it is an incredible honor to receive the award.

I hope I do it justice in the coming years because this is something I hope only to continue to foster and facilitate and grow in the community, she said. Again, I feel like its of utmost importance and Ive really only gotten started.

She said shes having just as much fun as the kids that participate in the programs.

When Jaeger isnt working or fostering young minds, she loves to work out. Her gym of choice is Hardwired Fitness in the Stockade. She also loves hiking, and has climbed 34 of the 46 high peaks in the Adirondacks. Jaeger said she also frequents Frog Alley, and loves spending time with her family and friends.
Justice Department Conducts Court-Authorized Disruption of Botnet Controlled by the Russian Federations Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff (GRU)

A January 2024 court-authorized operation has neutralized a network of hundreds of small office/home office (SOHO) routers that GRU Military Unit 26165, also known as APT 28, Sofacy Group, Forest Blizzard, Pawn Storm, Fancy Bear, and Sednit, used to conceal and otherwise enable a variety of crimes. These crimes included vast spearphishing and similar credential harvesting campaigns against targets of intelligence interest to the Russian government, such as U.S. and foreign governments and military, security, and corporate organizations. In recent months, allegations of Unit 26165 activity of this type has been the subject of a private sector cybersecurity advisory and a Ukrainian government warning.

This botnet was distinct from prior GRU and Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) malware networks disrupted by the Department in that the GRU did not create it from scratch. Instead, the GRU relied on the Moobot malware, which is associated with a known criminal group. Non-GRU cybercriminals installed the Moobot malware on Ubiquiti Edge OS routers that still used publicly known default administrator passwords. GRU hackers then used the Moobot malware to install their own bespoke scripts and files that repurposed the botnet, turning it into a global cyber espionage platform.

The Departments court-authorized operation leveraged the Moobot malware to copy and delete stolen and malicious data and files from compromised routers. Additionally, in order to neutralize the GRUs access to the routers until victims can mitigate the compromise and reassert full control, the operation reversibly modified the routers firewall rules to block remote management access to the devices, and during the course of the operation, enabled temporary collection of non-content routing information that would expose GRU attempts to thwart the operation.

The Justice Department is accelerating our efforts to disrupt the Russian governments cyber campaigns against the United States and our allies, including Ukraine, said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. In this case, Russian intelligence services turned to criminal groups to help them target home and office routers, but the Justice Department disabled their scheme. We will continue to disrupt and dismantle the Russian governments malicious cyber tools that endanger the security of the United States and our allies.

For the second time in two months, weve disrupted state-sponsored hackers from launching cyber-attacks behind the cover of compromised U.S. routers, said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. We will continue to leverage all of our legal authorities to prevent harm and protect the public  whether the hackers are from Russia, China, or another global threat.

Russias GRU continues to maliciously target the United States through their botnet campaigns, said FBI Director Christopher Wray. The FBI utilized its technical capabilities to disrupt Russias access to hundreds of routers belonging to individuals in addition to small and home offices. This type of criminal behavior is simply unacceptable, and the FBI, in coordination with our federal and international partners, will not allow for any of Russias services to negatively impact the American people and our allies.

In this unique, two-for-one operation, the National Security Division and its partners disrupted a botnet used by both criminal and state-sponsored actors, said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Departments National Security Division. Notably, this represents the third time since Russias unjustified invasion of Ukraine that the Department has stripped the Russian intelligence services of a key tool used to further the Kremlins acts of aggression and other malicious activities. We will continue to use our legal authorities and cutting-edge techniques, and to draw on the strength of our partnerships, to protect the public and our allies from such threats.

This is yet another case of Russian military intelligence weaponizing common devices and technologies for that governments malicious aims, said U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. As long as our nation-state adversaries continue to threaten U.S. national security in this way, we and our partners will use every tool available to disrupt their cyber thugs  whomever and wherever they are.

Operation Dying Ember was an international effort led by FBI Boston to remediate over a thousand compromised routers belonging to unsuspecting victims here in the United States, and around the world that were targeted by malicious, nation state actors in Russia to facilitate their strategic intelligence collection, said Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Boston Field Office. The FBIs strong partnerships with the private sector were critical to identifying and addressing this threat which targeted our national security interests here and abroad. This operation should make it crystal clear to our adversaries that we will not allow anyone to exploit our technology and networks.

As described in court documents, the government extensively tested the operation on the relevant Ubiquiti Edge OS routers. Other than stymieing the GRUs ability to access to the routers, the operation did not impact the routers normal functionality or collect legitimate user content information. Additionally, the court-authorized steps to disconnect the routers from the Moobot network are temporary in nature; users can roll back the firewall rule changes by undertaking factory resets of their routers or by accessing their routers through their local network (e.g., via the routers web-based user interface). However, a factory reset that is not also accompanied by a change of the default administrator password will return the router to its default administrator credentials, leaving the router open to reinfection or similar compromises.

The FBI Philadelphia and Boston Field Offices and Cyber Division, U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and the National Security Divisions National Security Cyber Section led the disruption effort. The Criminal Divisions Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Office of International Affairs, Shadowserver Foundation, Microsoft Threat Intelligence, and other partners provided valuable assistance.

The FBI is working with internet service providers to provide notice of the operation to owners and operators of SOHO routers covered by the courts authorization. If you believe you have a compromised router, please visit the FBIs Internet Crime Complaint Center.

To better protect themselves, the FBI advises all victims to conduct the following remediation steps:

Perform a hardware factory reset to flush the file systems of malicious files; Upgrade to the latest firmware version; Change any default usernames and passwords; and Implement strategic firewall rules to prevent the unwanted exposure of remote management services.

The FBI strongly encourages router owners to avoid exposing their devices to the internet until they change the default passwords.

This story has been published on: 2024-02-20. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Beijing (Gasgoo)- Great Wall Motor's TANK brand officially announced that the TANK 700 Hi4-T off-roader will hit the market on February 26.



Photo credit: TANK

The vehicle, available for pre-sale since January 30, comes in two variants with pre-sale prices ranging from 468,000 yuan to 508,000 yuan. Additionally, a limited-edition debut version is available for pre-sale at 700,000 yuan.

Positioned as a mid-to-large-sized SUV, the TANK 700 Hi4-T boasts hardcore off-road features, including three differential locks. It is powered by a plug-in hybrid electric system comprising a 3.0-liter engine and a P2 motor, delivering a combined output of 385 kW and an NEDC-rated battery-power-only range of 100km.

In terms of design, the TANK 700 Hi4-T adopts a futuristic armored style, featuring a large bumper that divides the front face into upper and lower sections, complemented by angular headlights for a rugged appearance.

With dimensions of 5,090mm in length, 2,061mm in width, 1,952mm in height, and a wheelbase of 3,000mm, it offers impressive approach and departure angles of 37.8 and 37.6 degrees, respectively, along with a maximum wading depth of 970mm.

Inside, the vehicle boasts a straightforward layout with soft-touch materials and silver trim, exuding a sense of sophistication. It comes equipped with a fully digital instrument cluster, a floating touchscreen infotainment display, and HUD (head-up display). Other features include ventilated, heated, and massage functions for both front and rear seats, with the rear seats offering a recline angle of up to 141.

Powering the TANK 700 Hi4-T is a plug-in hybrid electric system mated to a 9-speed hybrid-specific transmission. Additionally, the vehicle offers a multi-mode all-terrain system with various driving modes to tackle different road conditions effectively.
Way back in 2005, when I was an MP in the Netherlands, my party was working out our strategy for the upcoming local elections. I belonged to the centre-right People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), and we were particularly concerned about appealing to the nation's growing migrant community.

After much discussion, the leaders settled on someone called Laetitia Griffith to represent us in Amsterdam. She was black and had roots in Suriname, a former Dutch colony in the Caribbean. She could pull in the city's Creole vote.

More importantly, the VVD's strategists thought she could win over some of the city's Muslim population.

In the hope of making this task easier, the strategy group also issued a peculiar demand: that I keep silent on all issues to do with Islam, at least until after the election. They then went even further and asked that I publicly state that Islam is a 'religion of peace'.

Sir Keir Starmer last year with Azir Ali, Labour's Rochdale candidate. Ali last week lost the support of the Labour party for his upcoming byelection after making anti-Semitic remarks

I refused. I explained why failing to question the threat of Islamism wasn't exactly a shrewd political tactic. Instead, I emphasised, we should be encouraging Muslim minorities to integrate and embrace Dutch values.

But the party sided with Griffith, I was put on the naughty step, and we lost the election.

Yet even this didn't give the VVD leadership pause for thought. Its main takeaway from the result was that if we wanted to win in the country's four largest cities, we should continue to give 'isolationist' forms of Islam a free pass. As I was told over and over by my senior colleagues, it was numerical common sense.

Over the past 18 years, we have witnessed the repercussions of such 'common sense'  and not just in the Netherlands. Across the West, the fracturing force of Islamism is causing once-mighty political traditions to creak.

In France, for instance, President Emmanuel Macron is now doing his best to talk tough on Islamism in an attempt to claw back what political authority he hasn't spent. In the US, meanwhile, the Democrats have no such luxury: concerns are already starting to creep in that they could lose this year's election if the pro-Palestine supporters mobilised by well-organised Islamists stay home and refuse to vote in swing states. Already in Michigan, the Palestinian-American Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib has urged Democrats not to vote for Biden.

Even the United Kingdom, that island nation often seen as immune to radical forces, is now being forced to reckon with Islamism. In the week since the Labour Party suspended its candidate in Rochdale, much blame has been placed on a nebulous form of anti-Semitism.

What's been missing, however, is an appreciation of where this prejudice so often originates: it is not just the product of an activist undergraduate politics, but of the party's willingness to appease its Islamist voters.

This phenomenon, of course, extends well beyond the confines of Rochdale and one particular party. Rather, we are witnessing what the American journalist Christopher Caldwell identified as 'the revolution in Europe'.

As far back as 2009, Caldwell argued the mass immigration of Muslims was altering the culture of Europe. These new arrivals were, he contended, not enhancing the spirit of Europe's cities - but supplanting it.

As he wrote: 'When an insecure, malleable, relativistic culture meets a culture that is anchored, confident and strengthened by common doctrines, it is generally the former that changes to suit the latter.'

For saying so, he was dismissed by many as a fear-mongering xenophobe. And, taking note of his treatment, Europe's political leaders continued to sell us false promises about multiculturalism  without realising that, in doing so, they were allowing this process of Islamisation to take root.

Some western leaders such as Emmanuel Macron and Joe Biden are concerned about losing the support of Muslim voters, argues Ayaan Hirsi Ali

It is no coincidence that the European surge in Islamism coincided with the collapse of Christianity on the continent, writes Ayaan Hirsi Ali

When observing this downward spiral, it's fashionable to blame America; it is, after all, the nation that gave birth to the mantra of multiculturalism. But if America created the seeds of today's chaos, the European climate allowed it to blossom.

It is no coincidence that the European surge in Islamism came just as the collapse of Christianity on the continent began to take hold. This surging fanaticism was met with a spiritual vacuum  and therefore thrived.

Faced with the arrival of a new community with such a strong belief system, Europe's political elites shrouded Muslim immigrants in a rhetoric of victimhood. A set of false assumptions was developed to characterise them as a casualty of exclusion and discrimination. It became just another form of 'common sense'.

After 2001, when jihadi terrorism started to take place in Europe, and surveys showed that an alarming number of Muslims quietly supported the belief system that justified the terrorists' activities, European leaders doubled down on those assumptions. Rules were relaxed, standards were lowered and excuses were made whenever their estrangement from Western culture tipped over into violence.

Meanwhile, the phenomenon of data manipulation became the political norm. Academics and think-tankers lined up to produce reassuring outcomes on paper that refused to acknowledge the rising tide of Islamisation, either by ignoring it completely or downplaying the number of Muslim migrants.

The establishment of Sharia tribunals was barely registered, while we were told the construction of gigantic mosques, madrassas and Islamic centres were led and manned by moderate Muslims. Those brave enough to speak out  for example, over grooming gangs in northern British cities  were silenced or expelled.

This is the backdrop to the rise of Islamist attacks in Europe and the West, but it is also the cause of today's political crisis in Britain. Across the country  from Rochdale to Tower Hamlets, Salisbury to Manchester  we are starting to witness what happens when Islamism is given licence to flourish.

Many were fooled into thinking that 2024 would be a 'boring year' for Britain: that, after the turbulence of the Tories, the reign of Starmer would, at worst, be benignly insipid.

But this was always a fantasy. Starmer, like so many of his predecessors and counterparts in Europe, is simply focused on the short-term goal of winning the general election. And, again like so many of them, he now finds himself wrestling with a Muslim base that will require compromise if he's to win their vote: only yesterday, he called for a 'ceasefire that lasts' in Gaza, without explaining how that might come about.

It is, in other words, increasingly starting to feel like 2005: a replay of the VVD's electoral conundrum, and an allegedly 'common-sense' response that inevitably backfires.

It's hard not to conclude that this is the 'new Britain' promised by its next Prime Minister, where scenes like those we have witnessed in Rochdale become repeated over and over again. This is, after all, what happens when a nation's foundational principles are eroded  and when, faced with a moral and political vacuum, Islamism is the only potent force in town.

This article was originally published on UnHerd.
It was once the reserve for the A++ list, with only the most famous people in the world, landing a seat in the front row on London Fashion Week.

From tastemakers like Anna Wintour and Edward Enninful, to supermodels Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell, only fashion royalty could get a seat in the front row.

And while these fashion heavyweights will still attend big shows - amid the likes of Burberry - smaller designers appear to increasingly rely on lesser known faces to fill out seats.

Alums of reality shows like Love Island and Made in Chelsea held a heavy presence at this year's catwalks - as did small-time celebrities more known for regional renown.

Presenter Laura Whitmore, 38, was amid the FROW at Mark Fast's show last week, sporting a chic all-black denim ensemble.

Presenter Laura Whitmore , 38, was amid the FROW at Mark Fast's show last week, sporting a chic all-black denim ensemble

To her right was Scottish musician Lauren Mayberry, 36, the daughter of Eurythmics' Dave Stewart, who is best known for her work in the band CHVRCHES.

She opted for a purple, white and black patterned mini-dress and combat boots.

Producer Kamille, who despite being involved in big hits like Little Mix's Black Magic and Mabel's Don't Call Me Up as songwriter is largely not recognised, was also seated next to Laura.

She opted for a bold ensemble with a yellow and blue feather coat and statement heeled boots.

Elsewhere at the Paul Costelloe show, reality stars Lady Paris Smith and Hugo MacKenzie-Wood - of Made in Chelsea Fame - were seated front row last week.

Paris, 25, wrapped up in pastel pinks and whites with a puffy maxi-skirt and bandeau top worn under a blazer.

She accesorised her look with a huge fluffy hat. Meanwhile, Hugo, 23, sat next to her, sported a white and orange suit, accentuated by an acid-wash print.

Love Island star Tasha Ghouri, who has kicked off a successful influencer career after appearing on the show, was also present at the show in a taupe mini-skirt and cropped jacket.

Love Island star Tasha Ghouri , who has kicked off a successful influencer career after appearing on the show, was also present at the show in a taupe mini-skirt and cropped jacket

Elsewhere at the Paul Costelloe show, reality stars Lady Paris Smith and Hugo MacKenzie-Wood - of Made in Chelsea Fame - were seated front row last week

Elsewhere, YouTuber Emma Winder - who has more than 115,000 subscribers on the platform - attended the Sinead O'Dwyer show in a retro-style fur jacket and patterned mini-dress.

Meanwhile the the KNWLS AW24 show also saw fresher faces in the front row, including indie musician Laurel Cullen, model Olivia Pezzente and Olympic sprinter Imani-Lara Lansiquot.

At the AllSaints AW24 show, actress Susana Renteria and musician DJ Cuppy were also amid the FROW.

However, glitzier stars graced the revered Burberry show, the attendees of which included Central CEE, Barry Keoghan and Bukayo Saka.

Emma Weymouth and Gabrielle Union were also present, along with Cara Delevingne, John Boyega, Lila Moss, Skepta, Little Simz and Kano, to watch the prestigious runway walked by Naomi Campbell.

This month London Fashion Week celebrates 40 years of inviting the industry's hottest A-listers to its revered event.

But while the VIP clientele is still attending in droves - including the likes of style royalty Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell and Anna Wintour - more recent years have seen huge names joined by thriving internet stars.

Laura Ingham, Edward Enninful, Anna Wintour and Vogue Global Editor at Large Hamish Bowles at London Fashion Week in September

Meanwhile the the KNWLS AW24 show also saw fresher faces in the front row, including indie musician Laurel Cullen, model Olivia Pezzente and Olympic sprinter Imani-Lara Lansiquot

At the AllSaints AW24 show, actress Susana Renteria and musician DJ Cuppy were also amid the FROW

Elsewhere, YouTuber Emma Winder - who has more than 115,000 subscribers on the platform - attended the Sinead O'Dwyer show in a retro-style fur jacket and patterned mini-dress

Past years have also seen stars including Camille Charriere - who may not be a household A-lister name but is a huge fashion blogger - in attendance.

In 2022, the social media star was pictured sitting front row - next to Mia Regan - at the KNWLS show during London Fashion Week.

Olivia Neill, who has 840,000 followers on Instagram, has also in past made an appearance.

Last week, London Fashion Week kicked off with the Irish designer Paul Costelloe's classic looks as he brought nostalgia to the catwalk as the showcase event celebrated its 40th birthday.

The designer, 78, who could not attend the show due to illness, presented a mix of whites, dark greys and plenty of tweeds in his 'Once Upon a Time' autumn/winter 2024 collection.

This year LFW's guest list saw presenter Laura Whitmore sitting front row at the Mark Fast show, sporting a chic black denim co-ord

Love Island's Samira Mighty (pictured right with Daniela Norman) - who has also kicked off a West End career - stunned in a double-denim ensemble for the Mark Fast show

Reality star Tasha was spotted sitting in the front row with pal Tyreece Nye (left) who turned heads at the star-studded event in leather shorts and skin-tight leather platform boots

As models in white jackets and floaty skirts opened the show, he described it as 'Where Limerick meets Downtown New York'.

A selection of plaid looks followed, with the colour palette then turning darker for tailored tweed skirt suits, belted coats and short feminine dresses. For the evening, there were patterned dresses with puffy sleeves.

'This collection expresses my view that classic design still has its place in high fashion', Paul said in show notes.

'I have added a personal moment of nostalgia by adding a print based on the street where I once lived. It was a glorious moment to dream and live.'

However, glitzier stars graced the revered Burberry show, the attendees of which included Central CEE, Barry Keoghan and Bukayo Saka

This month London Fashion Week celebrates 40 years of inviting the industry's hottest A-listers to its revered event. Pictured: Lila Moss and Cara Delevingne

Cara Delevingne, Anna Wintour and Olivia Colman pictured at the Burberry Show at London Fashion Week

Emma Weymouth and Gabrielle Union were also present (both pictured), along with Cara Delevingne, John Boyega, Lila Moss, Skepta, Little Simz and Kano

Paul's team also shared a note from the designer explaining his absence due to a virus and wishing London Fashion Week a 'happy 40th birthday'.

Other stars were also spotted at the glitzy event as Olivia Cox was also spotted at the launch show.

The TV and radio presenter looked effortlessly chic in a white blazer which was tied with a blue and white stripy belt.

Commanding attention at the star-studded affair, Precious Muir looked ethereal as she posed in a floor-length floral halter-neck maxi dress.

The 34-year-old finished off her look with a pair of gold pointed-toe heels and gold love heart earrings.

Opting for a much different look, Rosalind Lipsett sent pulses racing in a black leather jacket and matching knee-high boots.

Bringing street fashion to the event, Teddy Soares rocked double denim as he looked suave in a graffiti-printed jacket

Channelling her inner mob-wife aesthetic, Eloise Smyth looked gorgeous as she posed confidently in leather print knee-high boots and some bold statement sunglasses

Showcasing her golden tan, the Made In Dublin star paired her leather garments with a gold and black pleated mini skirt.

Adding a splash of colour to the audience, Ellis Ranson turned up to the fashion event in a bright orange cropped jacket that featured a large pink rose on the shoulder.

The fashionista paired her bold garment with a pair of silver flared trousers and a gale green Valentino bag.

Elsewhere, Teddy Soares rocked double denim as he looked suave in a graffiti-printed jacket.

The former Love Island star paired his casual look with a pair of chunky black loafers and a black t-shirt.

Channelling her inner mob-wife aesthetic, actress Eloise Smyth looked gorgeous as she posed confidently in leather print knee-high boots and some bold statement sunglasses.

This year marks 40 years since the British Fashion Council (BFC) held its first London Fashion Week, which is one of the four big catwalk fixtures alongside New York, Milan and Paris and is best known for its emerging talent and avant-garde trends.
A woman who donated her kidney to a total stranger she met by chance on the beach has revealed that it's been a 'gift' to see the recipient thrive and live her life to the fullest.

Katie James, 41, from Barry, Wales told FEMAIL that the kind gesture has made 'no difference in her life whatsoever', while giving her the delight of seeing Lucy Humphrey, 44 - who had only five years left to live - feeling better.

'I don't know what made me do it!' she revealed. 'I was probably a teenager when I first looked into it. I've just always wanted to do it.'

She admitted there was no 'legacy' or anyone special in her life that made her want to give up her kidney. She was just spurned on by wanting to do something good for someone.

The pair met by chance when they were both out in their camper vans on the beach in 2020.

Katie James (right), 41, from Barry, Wales told FEMAIL that the kind gesture has made 'no difference in her life whatsoever', while giving her the delight of seeing Lucy Humphrey (left), 44 - who had only five years left to live - feeling better

Katie said she's not usually one to socialise but was encouraged to chat to Lucy and her partner after their dog kept running over.

Eventually the two women got chatting, and Lucy revealed that she was on dialysis after Katie offered her a drink.

She had suffered kidney failure after being diagnosed with Lupus, a condition that causes inflammation to the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys and joints.

Katie then explained that a year earlier she had looked into donating a kidney had already undergone some appointments.

The pair exchanged numbers and decided to keep in touch. Just two months later, Katie was revealed to be a perfect match.

'The difference in her has been amazing,' she said of seeing Lucy after the procedure. 'She's been out in the van so much more.'

Katie also added that being on dialysis is 'no life' and that it's been a small gesture on her part that changed someone's life entirely.

She explained that she can still live her life as normal and even enjoy a drink - the only reminder is a 'little scar on her belly'.

The pair exchanged numbers and decided to keep in touch. Just two months later, Katie was revealed to be a perfect match

After Katie volunteered, the two women went into the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff on October 3, 2022

Having been used to procedures as she's had to have surgeries for her eyes before, Katie was also familiar with the more technical side of things.

Katie admits that while many of her friends 'didn't really want her to do it', she'd hope that a stranger would also do the same for her.

To pay her back, Lucy this month appeared on an episode of Woodland Workshop to gift crochet-enthusiast Katie with her own handmade needles and a storage box.

'I'd like to make a gift for someone special to me, Katie,' she told the programme. 'She donated a kidney to me last year. I'd been on dialysis for five and a half years.

'She was a complete stranger... the doctors actually told us the chances of us meeting on the beach and the way we ended up being a perfect match were actually one in 22 million.'

An emotional Katie was then presented with a beautiful handcrafted box - which included driftwood from the beach were they met - on the show.

'It's so beautiful and it's been made for me!' she exclaimed. 'Everything about it is just absolutely perfect.'

Previously speaking to the Daily Mail, Lucy revealed how her partner Cenydd Owen, 49, from Caerphilly, South Wales, had been due to take their camper van for a weekend break to Aberystwyth, 90 miles away.

To pay her back, Lucy this month appeared on an episode of Woodland Workshop to gift crochet-enthusiast Katie with her own handmade needles and a storage box

An emotional Katie was then presented with a beautiful handcrafted box - which included driftwood from the beach were they met - on the show

WHAT IS LUPUS? What is lupus? It is one of the chronic autoimmune conditions, where the body makes antibodies against itself and starts to attack it. Lupus  Systemic Lupus Erythematotsus (SLE)  has a range of severity. Some sufferers will have only mild problems, others have life-threatening organ damage to the heart and the kidneys. What are the symptoms? Tiredness, joint pains and muscle aches. A common first symptom is joint stiffness, particularly in the mornings. Skin and hair problems are a major feature of SLE  a rash in the shape of a butterfly over the cheeks and nose is common, as is hair loss and sensitivity to the sun. Other problems include depression and lung and heart disease, as well as kidney inflammation. What can it be mistaken for? It is often mistaken for other joint problems such as rheumatoid arthritis which is also characterised by morning joint stiffness. It can also be misdiagnosed as a skin or blood disease. How is it diagnosed? If your GP suspects SLE they will request a blood test. The specific antibodies that attack the body can be measured in the blood. The diagnosis is made when there is the combination of typical symptoms and high antibodies. Who is at risk? SLE is ten times more common in women than men and usually develops between the ages 12 and 25. What is the treatment? Controlling the symptoms, as there is no cure, using anti-inflammatories and steroid tablets in more severe cases. Advertisement

But Lucy wasn't well enough for the long journey so they went to their nearest beach where Katie was sitting in a deckchair crocheting a blanket.

'Indie kept going over to this woman about 100 yards away - we were calling her back but she wouldn't leave her alone,' she said.

'We thought she had food or something and in the end Cenydd went over to apologise because Dobermans can be a bit intimidating.

'She was actually having quite a bad time herself, so I invited her to our barbecue.

'She came over, bought some drink over with her, and offered me some.

'Cenydd explained that I couldn't drink as I was on dialysis. She was like: "Oh, what's that for?" and he said I was waiting for a kidney transplant.'

After Katie volunteered, the two women went into the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff on October 3, 2022.

The operation was a success and Lucy is now fully recovered and living a happy, normal life.

She said: 'I really needed this transplant, I'd been on the waiting list for several years. It's completely changed my life already.'

She and her partner described Katie as a 'wonderful, selfless person' who they can never thank enough.
One of the best things about modern life is the convenience.

If you don't want to trudge around the supermarket, just open your laptop.

However, online shopping is not always as easy as it seems, as this gallery of photos from around the world, and collated into a bizarre album like Bored Panda shows.

Perhaps you find your white toilet seat boring, and would prefer one decorated with pictures of food, instead.

Some people find the classic white toilet seat so boring - well, luckily for them, they can buy this option, decorated somewhat strangely - with different food items

This portable baby bath must strike the fear of God into any parent - surely that isn't the way it's supposed to be used?

If so, there's one for sale on Amazon that will add a whole different meaning to getting your five a day.

If you've ever craved drinking a cold beer on the couch with a lobster glove to cover your hand, then that wish is also catered for.

And sometimes there's nothing wrong with the product in question, but the advertising leaves a lot to be desired - namely a cat carrier - for a pet with fake eyelashes who is also wearing red lipstick.

Here, FEMAIL shows some of the weirdest things you can buy on Amazon, that will leave you scratching your head...

As this item demonstrates, there is quite literally no reason to hold a beer yourself when you could use a novelty lobster claw holder

This snap, shared by a shopper thought to be in North America, is just perfect for those times your cat is going somewhere is a full face of make-up

It may be a relief to find out that this advert is for the hair band, and not the bizarre sunglasses photoshopped onto the model's face

Looking to save a few pence? Surely no one will notice that these are counterfeit versions of Garfield?

The description of this item is somewhat bizarre - unless of course, you're the type of person who likes to keep a large collection of soft toys in the kitchen

Who says a salt and pepper set has to be bland? There are many options around, like this shark and severed limb combination

This doesn't look like the greatest deal available. The special price looks surprisingly similar to the standard one

You would have to be a serious fan to splash out nearly 100 on this special Diana, Princess of Wales handbag

It's not so much the item that is odd here, but the advert. Surely not many people keep their bins next to their small children's beds?
A business-minded university student has been proving people wrong by owning her very own restaurant - at just 21 years of age.

Olivia Hughes started her business when she was 18 years old by opening a small cafe called The Hungry Goat in Dungannon, County Tyrone, in Northern Ireland.

She eventually turned it into a fully functioning restaurant with more than 20 staff members.

The young entrepreneur is also completing a degree in business management while running her busy restaurant, which takes up between 70 to 80 hours of her time each week.

However, the young business owner admits she's had to work harder to prove herself because of her age.

Olivia Hughes owns her own restaurant at just 21 years old after starting the business when she was 18 (pictured inside the restaurant)

Olivia decided to set up The Hungry Goat in Northern Ireland after being rejected from several cafe jobs

Olivia said: 'There have been a lot of challenges with my age, such as trying to get respect and issues with older staff. So we've had quite a bumpy road trying to get to this point.

'My mindset has definitely helped me do this at a young age and I've been able to block out any negativity, especially when it comes to my age, as people have a lot to say because I'm so young.'

When Olivia was 18, she struggled to get a job and after several interviews at cafes where she was told she did not have enough experience. So she decided to start her own coffee shop.

She created The Hungry Goat in 2020 aged just 18 and her business started gathering a lot of attention and became a busy local hot spot.

Olivia's coffee shop was thriving in the summer but she noticed that business started dropping as the winter hit and decided to switch things up and change to a restaurant in 2021.

Now, the Hungry Goat specialises in food, such as steak and cooked breakfasts, and customers can even wind down with a pint at the bar.

To begin with, she found that some staff members and customers treated her differently and would often be rude or condescending due to her age.

She often found it challenging to manage certain staff members or customers who 'looked down' on the 21 year old.

The young entrepreneur is juggling owning her restaurant with her business management degree

She said many people have doubted her because of her age but she is proving them all wrong

The Hungry Goat (pictured) has quickly become a busy local hotspot

The restaurant is now award-winning within two and a half years of first opening

However, Olivia eventually managed to form a great team of over 20 staff aged between 16 to 62, who she says have been amazing.

And within two and a half years of running her restaurant, she managed to win the title of Best Newcomer at the Irish Restaurant Awards.

Olivia says that the restaurant is often packed full of hungry customers, which certainly keeps her busy - on top of her university course.

While running the restaurant, Olivia is also studying for a degree in business management and has to juggle university work on top of owning The Hungry Goat.

However, she has loved the whole process and has thoroughly enjoyed being able to prove doubters wrong.

She said: 'I was applying for jobs and got nowhere because I kept being denied due to having no experience.

'I got a trial at a local coffee shop and I absolutely loved everything about it. It was totally something that I could envision myself doing in the future but again, I didn't get the job.

'I got some business loans, which were hard to get, and then started working towards setting up my own coffee shop, called The Hungry Goat, and then we opened it up to the public in August 2020.

The Hungry Goat is open from Thursday to Sunday and is rated 4.8 stars on Google

Olivia is pictured in her work uniform standing next to the bar

The outside seating area at The Hungry Goat, which has over 20 staff members

The success of the restaurant comes with being very busy - as Olivia has to dedicate between 70 and 80 hours to it every single week

Olivia at the restaurant when it was decorated for Christmas

Olivia had to think beyond a cafe when her customers began to want food - and she reopened The Hungry Goat as a restaurant

Olivia (pictured getting ready for a work day at the restaurant) hopes her big commitment will pay off

'Because my business is in such a rural location, I realised that it wasn't going to be sustainable to just open up a coffee shop and a lot of customers actually requested food like breakfast and lunch.

'I sourced a chef that was going to help me open up a kitchen because that was completely out of my depth and I knew it was something I couldn't figure out on my own because I wanted it to be right.

'My mum and dad have both been business owners in the past. So I have had great aspirations to look up to and for myself, I'm very hardworking and dedicated when it comes to something I really want to do.'

The Hungry Goat is open from Thursday to Sunday and is rated 4.8 stars on Google.

Olivia explained: 'It definitely has also been hard to get respect from some customers as well, being so young, as sometimes, they haven't been necessarily happy to see someone younger, and they've completely ignored me and disregarded me.

'These people would put me down and put me in this box because I'm "too young" and think they're better than me. So it definitely was challenged in that way.

'I could be putting in between 70 and 80 hours of time into this business a week because I'm there from open to close.

'I have had to sacrifice a lot of time. A lot of my friends are between 18 and early 20s. That seems to be the best time of your life.

'A massive thing that I had to prove was that it's possible for somebody of my age to be able to do this and hopefully, with all the hard work and sacrifices I've made, it will pay off for me someday.'
Queen Elizabeth II was known for her love of horses, owning hundreds of thoroughbreds and racking up over 1,800 wins at the races.

Sports presenter Clare Balding, 52, from Chiswick, London, whose grandfather, father and brother all trained the Queen's horses, said the late monarch loved the 'naughtiness' of horse racing.

Speaking on Gyles Brandreth's Rosebud podcast, Clare said: 'There's a jockey called Richard Hughes, who was the most beautiful horseman, but he always stood there, very tall, at an angle and it made her laugh.

'If you stood and watched a race with her, which I have done, she'd say something like, "Oh, look at Hughesy out the back with his bum in the air, looking like he's got so much horse".'

Clare, who was a leading amateur flat jockey in the late 1980s, learned to ride on a 'little fat Shetland Pony', which was a present from the late monarch.

Sports presenter Clare Balding , 52, (pictured) whose grandfather, father and brother all trained the Queen's horses, said the late monarch, who died in 2022 at the age of 96, loved the 'naughtiness' of horse racing

Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Anne celebrating a win at Derby day horse racing, in 1988

She said: 'She liked that world and was very, very knowledgeable about horses. And she felt most relaxed, and at home, at the stables, away from the pomp of her royal duties.

'She loved the way the jockeys or the stable lads and lasses were with her. I think she loved the naughtiness of racing.'

Clare added that the late Queen also had a great rapport with the jockeys and loved Frankie Detorri and Ryan Moore.

She claimed the royal would make Ryan laugh, even though he never 'smiled for anybody'. Clare said: 'Because I think she' would say to him, "Don't be so grumpy''.'

The presenter revealed the King may now be following in his mother's footsteps after discovering a love for horse racing late in life.

The King was overcome with emotion as he watched his horse Desert Hero win the King George V race from the royal box last year.

Clare said: 'He hasn't traditionally been a racing man. He loves horses and is a very fine polo player. When he had a winner at last year, I think it overwhelmed him how much he felt it for the first time. He really got it.'

Following her Coronation in 1953, the Queen travelled to the racecourses in Berkshire at least once a year to attend the event - and only missed it in 2020 due to Covid lockdowns.

The late Queen Elizabeth smiling as she reviewed troops mounted on horses at The Royal Windsor Horse Show

Queen Elizabeth makes Italian jockey Frankie Dettori (R) laugh during the presentation after he won the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in 2019

Her Majesty's fondness of horses began when she was just four after her grandfather, King George V, gave her a little Shetland pony.

By the age of six she had fallen in love with riding, becoming an accomplished equestrian in her teenage years and has continued to ride for pleasure throughout her life.

From her first appearance at the annual Trooping the Colour to 1986, the monarch would attend the ceremony on horseback.

She first attended the Royal Windsor Horse Show as a horse-mad teenager in 1943. Together with Princess Margaret, the 17-year-old showed off her equestrian prowess by winning the Pony & Dogcart class.

The Queen owned several thoroughbreds for racing after she initially inherited King George's breeding and racing stock following his death in February 1952.

A lady-in-waiting taking the then Princess Elizabeth and her younger sister Princess Margaret on a visit to Pets Corner at London Zoo in 1937

In 1974, the monarch's interest in horses was the subject of a documentary title, The Queen's Race Horses: a Private View, which she herself narrated (pictured at the races in 1978)

Her Majestys golden era as a racehorse owner was in 1953, her coronation year, when her beloved horse Aureole came second to Pinza, the closest the Queen ever came to winning the Derby

Her Majestys golden era as a racehorse owner was in 1953, her coronation year, when her beloved horse Aureole came second to Pinza, the closest the Queen ever came to winning the Derby.

She became the patron of many organisations focused on horses, including the British Horse Society, the Fell Pony Society and the Highland Pony Society.

Elizabeth, known throughout the world as a racehorse owner and breeder of true expertise, celebrated her love for the animals by dedicating life-size statues to two of her horses in Windsor.

In 1974, the monarch's interest in horses was the subject of a documentary title, The Queen's Race Horses: a Private View, which she herself narrated.

The Queens love of horse racing resulted in her becoming inducted into the QIPCO British Champions Series Hall of Fame in the Special Contributor Category.

She was awarded the honour due to her unwavering and lifelong dedication to the sport in the last eight decades.

The Queen, who died on September 8th aged 96, sparked a huge love affair with equestrian in the UK, thanks to her own talents as both a rider and a breeder (The Queen riding her horse Burmese at Trooping the Colour in 1969)

John Warren, who oversaw all of the monarch's racing and horse breeding interests, said at the time that the recognition would be the source of a 'lot of inner pride' for the Queen.

The late monarch became the first person to gain membership of the QIPCO British Champions Series Hall of Fame within the Special Contributor category after being chosen by an independent panel of industry experts for her outstanding contribution.

In 2022, the Queen attended the Windsor Horse Show and was also the guest of honour at the equestrian extravaganza A Gallop Through History, the first major event of the Jubilee festivities.

According to her racing adviser John Warren, the late monarch was discussing 'her love for her horses right to the very end'.

Mr Warren said he spent the weekend before the Queen died in Scotland, discussing her horses, as they had done so many times before.

'We sat there for hours over the weekend strategising and making plans going forward', he said.
Queen Letizia looked typically chic today as she stepped out for an official event in Salamanca, Spain.

The royal, 51, donned a glamourous emerald green dress and autumn camel coat for the Opening Ceremony Of The Talent Tour 2024, at the International Centre of Spain.

The annual event is put on by the Princess of Girona Foundation, a private initiative of which her husband King Felipe is the honorary chairman, on behalf of their daughter Princess Leonor, 18.

While outside the venue, the down-to-earth royal was seen greeting waiting fans - who's presence appeared to put her in the highest of spirits.

Later on, she was pictured taking candid selfies with her adoring supporters, with a few of them capturing the splendid moment on their mobile phones.

Queen Letizia cut a stylish figure today as she stepped out for an official event in Salamanca, Spain

The royal, 51, donned a glamourous emerald green dress for the Opening Ceremony Of The Talent Tour 2024

Letizia was spotted taking selfies with her adoring fans, who captured the moment with their mobile phones

Before entering the venue, she was also pictured greeting excited fans in a stunning camel coat

For the occasion, the ever stylish monarch opted for a three-quarter length green dress, which featured long sleeves and a minimal cut-out on the chest.

Further displaying her unique style, she teamed the dress with a stunning camel coat and a pair of nude kitten heels.

This time around she cut a minimalist figure by opting out of a handbag and sporting only delicate jewellery - two miniature stone-encrusted hoops and a gold ring.

However she turned up the glamour with sparkling bronze eyeshadow, sun-kissed contour, black mascara and a glossy rose lip.

Her luscious brown locks were curled to perfection and were set in place with a side part, before graciously falling to her shoulders.

Once inside the ceremony, Letizia appeared highly engrossed in the day's schedule and ensured to greet all guests in attendance.

The Talent Tour aims to promote a movement for the future of young people in Spain, and generate a community of opportunities that connect, activate and enhance their talent.

According to Atalayar, this year, it will centre around five main areas of interest - employability and entrepreneurship, physical health, emotional health, purpose and social impact and sustainability.

For the occasion, the ever stylish monarch opted for a three-quarter length green dress

Once inside the ceremony, Letizia appeared highly engrossed in the day's schedule

As part of Letizia's down-to-earth nature, she appeared delighted to mingle with her young admirers

The unknown women were also seen enjoying a conversation with the Queen

The Queen's appearance comes as she opened a building in Barcelona with her husband King Felipe on Valentine's Day - dressed in all black.

Letizia cut a stylish figure in an embroidered Dries Van Noten black suit which featured a double breasted jacket with padded shoulders and cigarette trousers.

She paired the look with Carolina Herrera slingbacks which popped with a red soul.

Known to reign high in the style stakes, the Spanish royal opted for oversized gold earrings, also from Carolina Herrerea, and a Carolina Herrerea bag as she headed to the opening of second tower of the Puig Company.

Adding even more glam to the look, Letizia opted for a golden eyeshadow and smoky eye with creamy foundation and glossy lip.

Meanwhile, Felipe looked typically dapper in a three-piece suit with a red tie.

It comes as Letizia showcased her fashion flair during a visit to FEDER, the Spanish Federation of Rare Diseases in Madrid on February 13.

She turned up the glamour with sparkling bronze eyeshadow, sun-kissed contour, black mascara and a glossy rose lip

Her luscious brown locks were curled to perfection and were set in place with a side part

This time around she cut a minimalist figure by opting out of a handbag and sporting only delicate jewellery

The royal made a stylish entrance in a striking chartreuse blazer from Hugo Boss, costing 354.99, teamed with wide-leg trousers and suede boots.

Debuted in November 2023, Letizia's 'Jestena' jacket is crafted from textured wool with an asymmetric double-breasted front and classic notch lapels.

Each year, she visits FEDER to learn about the challenges and opportunities the charity anticipates for the year ahead.

The monarch, who is the Honorary President, was beaming as she arrived to chair a meeting at the organisation's headquarters in the Spanish capital.

Queen Letizia made a sartorial statement in a 354.99 wool jacket by Hugo Boss, featuring an asymmetric double-breasted front, classic notch lapels and buttoned cuffs.

Allowing her jacket to take centre stage, she complemented it with wide-leg trousers, suede boots and a lengthy wool coat - all in a sleek black hue.

Her dress featured long sleeves and a minimal cut-out on the chest, as well as a cinched waist

The Talent Tour is put on by the Princess of Girona Foundation, a private initiative of which her husband King Felipe is the honorary chairman

According to Atalayar, this year, it will centre around five main areas of interest - employability and entrepreneurship, physical health, emotional health, purpose and social impact and sustainability

The royal was pictured greeting excited fans - who's presence appeared to put her in the highest of spirits

The royal mother-of-two opted for her signature make-up look, incorporating a smoky eye, bronzed cheekbones and nude lip, while her brunette locks fell over her shoulders.

Letizia completed her ensemble with minimal jewellery, choosing only diamond stud earrings and a gold ring.

The former journalist is the Honorary President of the Spanish Federation of Rare Diseases (FEDER), which was established in 1999.

The Spanish Federation of Rare Diseases aims to promote 'the need to work with everyone involved to promote the access to a diagnosis for those people suffering from rare diseases.'

They help people who have contracted a disease that less than five people per 10,000 have. There are more than three million people that fit the bill in Spain alone.
People in Greece are in uproar over the depiction of Alexander the Great in a Netflix series which depicts the Macedonian King in a romantic relationship with his friend Hephaestion.

Alexander: The Making of a God stars Buck Braithwaite as its titular character in a series of re-enactments as the series follows the style of a documentary. Across six episodes it dramatises key events and attempts to piece together his desire to conquer the world.

However, as a romantic tryst between Alexander and Haphaestion unfolds, Greece's culture minister has criticised Netflix for 'extremely poor quality fiction' which is 'rife with historical inaccuracies'.

Lina Mendoni has joined a chorus of voices in Greece who have criticised the series from the streaming giant, with a Greek newspaper blaming a previous adaptation of Alexander the Great's story for starting a 'propaganda campaign' that Alexander was gay.

The Guardian reports a comment piece in Eleftheros Typos accused Oliver Stone's 2004 film starring Colin Farrell and Angelina Jolie of perpetuating the notion that the Macedonian king had gay relationships.

Netflix's new series about Alexander the Great, Alexander: The Making of a God, has been criticised by Greek politicians and newspapers

Speaking in the Greek parliament, leader of the far-right Orthodox party Niki, Dimitris Natsiou, said the new Netflix series was 'deplorable, unacceptable and unhistorical'.

He added there is 'no basis' for the assumption that Alexander the Great was gay.

In response, Mendoni said the director's style reflected 'sloppiness' and added there has never been any sense from ancient texts that the Macedonian king and Hephaestion's relationship went 'beyond the limits of friendship'.

The series explores a romantic relationship between the Macedonian king and the man often described as his 'dearest friend' Hephaestion

However the culture minister added that the concept of love throughout the ages has always been 'broad and multidimensional' and stressed modern society cannot impose its norms on the conventions of ancient civilisations.

Despite criticising the show, she insisted the Greek government would not take action against the streaming giant as it would be 'unconstitutional'.

She noted that the Greek constitution protects 'freedom of art' and to carry out such an action would be tantamount to 'censorship'.

'The inspiration of artists, personal interpretation, and the judgment of individuals cannot, evidently, be subjected to a regulatory regime and control, nor can it be governed by the courts or dragged into them,' she said.

'Instead, it is assessed and judged by each of us, by the international community. This is how Netflix is also evaluated.'

Historians have long argued over Alexander the Great's sexuality, which is never specified in ancient texts.

One piece of writing that has sometimes been taken to signal homosexuality is Roman historian Quintus Curtius Rufus's text which says Alexander's mother was bothered by the fact her son didn't appear to be romantically interested in women.

The text reads: 'He scorned sensual pleasures to such an extent that his mother was anxious lest he be unable to beget offspring.'

Writings suggest Alexander's mother brought him a woman, Callixena, and asked him to go to bed with her, but he refused.

Regarding Alexander's relationship with Hephaestion, Rufus once wrote that he was 'the dearest of all the king's friends' who 'shared all his secrets'.

When Hephaestion died, Alexander is widely reported to have gone into a period of deep mourning, and did not eat for several days. He then held a funeral for him in Babylon.

However the king was married to three different women throughout his life, and Greek philosopher Plutarch once stated that Alexander had sex with one woman, Barsine, after being won over by her beauty and love of literature.

FEMAIL has contacted Netflix for comment.
Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden appeared in high spirits as they kicked off their royal tour of San Francisco yesterday.

The royal couple - who have been married for almost 14 years - started off the day by visiting the Scandinavian School and Cultural Centre before later travelling to the Golden Gate Bridge.

For their first engagement, the future European Queen, 46, looked effortlessly glamorous in a white silk shirt and floral skirt.

Victoria perfectly matched her accessories with the tones of her silk knee-length Saloni skirt - opting for some orange suede heels and a matching clutch bag.

The mother-of-two styled her long brown hair into a low bun and completed her look with a pair of orange dangly earrings.

The future European Queen, 46, looked effortlessly glamorous in a white silk shirt and floral skirt

The school was founded in 2002 by a group of mothers who wanted their children to learn the languages of Scandinavia. It now teaches children aged 5-15 and also offers language lessons for adult students.

Following this, Victoria and Daniel then made the 25-minute journey to the Marine Mammal Centre.

This local organisation helps rehabilitate animals and protect local areas of natural beauty through education and research.

Victoria changed into a more casual outfit for this engagement, which involved a tour of the premises and meeting some of the rescues.

The royal opted for a pair of cream tailored trousers, a beige jumper and a matching coat.

The mother completed her look with a khaki leather bag and a light green scarf.

Meanwhile, Prince Daniel looked dapper in a navy blazer which he wore over a blue zip-up gilet.

The pair then happily posed for photos by San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge - which is just a 10 minute drive from the centre.

Pictured: Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden seen during their tour of the Marine Mammal Center yesterday

The couple also happily posed for pictures by San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge following their engagements

Crown Princess Victoria stopped to take a photo of the Golden Gate Bridge during her first day of engagements

The royal couple - who share two children - will celebrate their 14th wedding anniversary this summer

The couple shared an adoring look as they enjoyed a moment of downtime between royal engagements

Pictured: Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden pose for a photo at the Golden Gate Bridge

Prince Daniel of Sweden, and Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden visit the Marine Mammal Center during their San Francisco Bay Area tour

Crown Princess Victoria gazed at her husband adoringly following their tour of the Marine Mammal Center

Prince Daniel of Sweden and Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden seen speaking with Jeff Boehm, CEO, Marine Mammal Center

The couple's tour of San Francisco will come to an end on Thursday.

The royal couple are visiting California with Sweden's Minister of State Johan Forssel to develop the country's relationship with the US state.

Earlier this year, Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel visited the UK - where they attended the Royal Variety Performance with the Prince and Princess of Wales

In 1979, Sweden was among the very first monarchies to introduce absolute primogeniture, a move only followed by the United Kingdom in 2013.

The Crown Princess began to assist her parents King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia with their work after turning 18 in 1995.

When she is crowned, Victoria will become the first reigning queen in the royal family of Sweden since 1818 following the parliamentary change to the Act of Succession that introduced absolute primogeniture.

She met her now-husband, Prince Daniel, 49, who was her former personal trainer following doctor-ordered sessions amid her eating disorder recovery.

The couple were married in 2010 after a long-term relationship, and are now parents to Princess Estelle, Duchess of Ostergotland, 11, and Prince Oscar, Duke of Skane, seven.

Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden looked glamorous in a colourful silk skirt by the designer Saloni

Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and Prince Daniel of Sweden (centre) visit the Scandinavian School and Cultural Center

The mother-of-two styled her long brown hair into a low bun and completed her look with a pair of orange dangly earrings

The future Queen of Sweden was given a bouquet of flowers following her arrival at the school in San Francisco

Victoria intends to let her 'children be children' away from the limelight and will introduce them gradually into their roles as royals, according to People.

Born in 2012, Princess Estelle is the eldest child of Crown Princess Victoria and is next in line to the Swedish throne after her mother.

The princess previously attended a preschool near Stockholm which followed the Ur and Skur outdoor teaching methods to focus on the natural world.

She now attends Campus Manilla in Stockholm where she was joined last year by her younger brother, Prince Oscar.

The young Princess Estelle regularly makes appearances with her mother Crown Princess Victoria and her father Daniel Westling.

She carried out her first royal engagement in 2014 at just two years old when she opened a 'fairytale path' at Linkoping Castle.
The designer presented his autumn/winter 2024 collection at Andaz London

Richard Quinn delivered a beautiful tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II in his autumn/winter 2024 collection at London Fashion Week.

The London-based designer presented his glamorous range against an opulent floral backdrop within the historic grade II-listed ballroom at Andaz London yesterday.

Having dedicated his spring/summer 2023 collection to Queen Elizabeth who touched him 'among so many others with her grace and kindness', Quinn is believed to have drawn inspiration from the late monarch and other members of the Royal Family this season.

The collection featured vintage-inspired bridalwear that accentuated the curves of the female figure, creating a sense of high society elegance. Accompanied by a string quartet and a pianist, the showcase created a harmonious atmosphere.

Richard Quinn's connection with Queen Elizabeth dates back to 2018 when she attended one of his shows and subsequently presented him with the inaugural Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design.

Richard Quinn delivered a beautiful tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II in his autumn/winter 2024 collection at London Fashion Week

A striking ivory gown, featuring a crystal-embellished bodice and full skirt, appeared to draw inspiration from Queen Elizabeth's renowned Peau De Soie taffeta dress.

The dress was designed by Sir Norman Hartnell and worn by Her Majesty at the 1962 film premiere of Lawrence Of Arabia at London's Leicester Square Odeon where she met leading man Peter O'Toole.

Princess Beatrice later wore the regal design at her wedding to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi on July 17, 2020 - with the addition of puffed organza sleeves and a Duchess satin hem.

Elsewhere, a ruffled ivory lace gown evoked memories of one worn by Queen Elizabeth in 1952.

Richard Quinn's dramatic ballgown, reminiscent of the monarch's design, showcased a fitted bodice and a layered lace skirt that gracefully swept the floor.

Richard Quinn also presented a ruffled lace gown that was reminiscent of one worn by Queen Elizabeth in 1952

A black velvet dress was strikingly similar to the gown that Queen Elizabeth wore to meet Marilyn Monroe in 1956

The London-based designer even completed the look with extra-long satin gloves as his royal muse did.

Queen Elizabeth debuted her dress when she met with seven Commonwealth premiers and two finance ministers during the Economies Conference in London on December 4, 1952.

Another design, cut from sumptuous black velvet, looked strikingly similar to the gown that Queen Elizabeth wore to the Royal Film Performance in 1956.

The late royal was snapped donning a black velvet gown as she arrived at the Empire Theatre with sister Princess Margaret on October 29, 1956 - and later shaking hands with Marilyn Monroe.

Quinn interpreted the style with an off-shoulder neckline and drop waist, but added a fishtail hem in contrast to Elizabeth's A-line silhouette.

One model glided down the catwalk in a ruffled dress similar to one worn by Princess Margaret in 1952

Queen Elizabeth II attends Richard Quinn's London Fashion Week show on February 20, 2018

Queen Elizabeth II presents Richard Quinn with the inaugural Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design on February 20, 2018 in London

Meanwhile, a nod to Princess Margaret's elegant style was evident in a black ruffled satin gown.

This striking ensemble featured draped fabric over the shoulders and a billowing skirt, drawing inspiration from Margaret's renowned 1952 Dior gown, which also influenced the Emanuel dress worn by Princess Diana to her first official public engagement with Prince Charles.

Richard Quinn's connection with Queen Elizabeth dates back to 2018 when she attended one of his London Fashion Week show, sitting next to Anna Wintour in the front row.

She subsequently presented Quinn, then an emerging designer, with the inaugural Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design.

His autumn/winter 2024 show notes read: 'Unconcerned with hype, the clothes exist to be cherished, passed down from mother to daughter in days to come.

'From their internal structures to outer fabrications, these pieces focus on shape, volume and craftmanship, recognising the art of fashion design.'
Beijing (Gasgoo)- BAIC BluePark, the parent company of BAIC BJEV, recently addressed investor queries on its interactive platform, confirming plans to launch the first Huawei Smart Selection model, "Xiangjie" (name in Chinese pinyin), this year.

Photo credit: Huawei

The company reviewed its 2023 developments and outlined its 2024 plans. In 2023, BluePark's overseas operations, particularly with the premium new energy vehicle brand ARCFOX, achieved significant milestones, adopting a market development strategy leveraging core partners' resources for rapid market entry, particularly in Europe and the Middle East.

In 2024, BluePark aims to establish overseas distribution and service networks, focusing on multi-point deployments in Europe and Asia.

The collaboration with Huawei, under the Huawei Smart Selection cooperation model, will see its first vehicle model slated for market release in 2024, targeting the high-end smart sedan segment.

As previously reported, the collaboration between Huawei and BAIC Group for the Xiangjie model is gaining momentum. On January 26, the partners held a suppliers conference in Beijing for the Smart Selection project, which was attended by Huawei's Yu Chengdong.
Prince William has made an unprecedented royal intervention into the Gaza conflict by issuing a statement saying he feels 'deeply concerned' about its 'human cost' - and called for an end to the war.

The Prince of Wales, 41, ramped up his family's response to the Israel-Hamas war after he and wife Kate had earlier put out a joint statement of 'distress'.

In a new and impassioned statement today, he insisted 'too many have been killed' since Hamas's terrorist attack on Israel on 7 October last year, just hours after Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer called for an 'immediate humanitarian ceasefire'.

Tory MPs were wary of publicly criticising the heir to the throne over the intervention.

Andrew Percy, vice-chairman of the all-party parliamentary group on anti-semitism, told MailOnline: 'The underlying principle of our constitutional monarchy is that members of the royal family do not engage in contentious political issues of the day on which there are divergent and strongly-held beliefs in this country.

'Members of the royal family would do well to remember that.'

A former minister said: 'I think that it is very unwise for him to get involved in an issue like this. He is getting some seriously bad advice. I can only assume that he has not been able to speak to the King, because he would certainly not have approved.'

Prince William, pictured at the British Red Cross HQ in London today, has released an impassioned statement in which he says 'too many' have been killed' in the Gaza conflict

Prince William has today issued the royals' strongest statement yet on the Gaza conflict

'Their Royal Highnesses hold all the victims, their families and their friends in their hearts and minds,' a spokesperson previously said on behalf of William and Kate, pictured

The Prince of Wales listened today to Pascal Hundt, senior crisis manager with the International Committee of the Red Cross, dialling in from Gaza

Reform UK party president Nigel Farage reacted to the statement on X, formerly Twitter

Another Tory MP said the Prince's statement used 'similar language as the Government'. But they suggested William had still been unwise to get involved in the issue as both sides would now pray him in aid.

'I wonder how it will play out in the Opposition debate tomorrow,' the MP said, referring to the looming SNP motion demanding an immediate ceasefire.

Reform UK party president Nigel Farage posted on X, formerly Twitter: 'I'm not sure that our future King should be doing this. He should stick to the BAFTAs.'

William has been easing himself back into public engagements after taking time off to look after his wife recovering from abdominal surgery - yet his strident statement today gives a signal to his intentions when taking the throne.

The royal's public remarks are the most outspoken by any member of the royal family since the Israel-Hamas war broke out - and come in stark contrast to the late Queen's approach, when she would steer clear of commenting on political issues.

William - whose father Charles has been outspoken on environmental concerns - said today: 'I remain deeply concerned about the terrible human cost of the conflict in the Middle East since the Hamas terrorist attack on 7 October. Too many have been killed.

'I, like so many others, want to see an end to the fighting as soon as possible. There is a desperate need for increased humanitarian support to Gaza. It's critical that aid gets in and the hostages are released.

'Sometimes it is only when faced with the sheer scale of human suffering that the importance of permanent peace is brought home.

Tory MPs were wary of publicly criticising the heir to the throne over the intervention

'Even in the darkest hour, we must not succumb to the counsel of despair. I continue to cling to the hope that a brighter future can be found and I refuse to give up on that.'

The strongly worded message was issued in white writing on a black background, under William's cypher, on the Waleses' X account.

Kensington Palace said: 'The Prince and Princess were profoundly concerned by events that unfolded in late 2023 and continue to hold all the victims, their family and friends in their hearts and minds.

'Their Royal Highnesses continue to share in the hope of a better future for all those affected.'

At the meeting with the British Red Cross today, the heir to the throne expressed his concern 'as a father' at the ongoing crisis and the immense loss of life in the Middle East.

He spoke to Rory Moylan, head of region for the neutral charity.

The Prince began by apologising for having to postpone their original meeting last month.

He had been due to visit with his wife, the Princess of Wales, aides explained, but was forced to cancel due to her abdominal surgery.

'It was important [to me] to get back in as soon as possible,' he said.

'I obviously went there in 2018 and I feelit had a lasting impression on me.

'So I have always been keeping an eye on what's going on. I am very keen to hear from you guys what's going on on the ground and how the Red Cross teams, in particular, are managing in very difficult circumstances.'

Mr Moylan explained: 'We really appreciate the interest you are showing in this.

'You will have heard it described as a catastrophic situation and that certainly matches our analysis.

'It has been getting worse for some time and has the potential to get exponentially worse to be quite honest.

'It's hard for us to articulate how concerned we are about it and how complicated it is for us as a movement in the way we have tried to respond to it. It is intensely traumatic for people, it has garnered global interest and global concern and has had impact across the region.

Among those William met was Barbara Smith of the British Red Cross's psycho-social team

The Prince and Princess of Wales shared another tweet on their official X account

'It is extremely polarising, it is highly politicised. And with all of that it makes it very hard for us as humanitarian workers to bring that agenda back to a humanitarian situation and not to be drawn into all those elements that I have just outlined. That makes it a very difficult environment to navigate. '

He continued: 'We all the hear the numbers but the sense of shock has worn off. We have a difficult to express and communicate how concerning the situation is: 30,000 dead approaching, 5,000 injured and that's out of a population of two million in Gaza. We have over a hundred hostages still being held, 1.7 million displaced from their homes in Gaza, which is effectively the entire population.

'A health system which it is fair to say that is decimated inside Gaza, it is not functioning.

'There's no hospital that is functioning, staff are operating under intolerable conditions, without proper resources, they are displaced themselves and worried for their families. Food, people are effectively starving.'

He explained to the Prince that the work of the Palestine Red Crescent Society was instrumental on the ground.

'They are part of their communities and having been providing life saving services - blood transfusions, running ambulances services, hospitals.and a central role in the logistics operation,' he said.

William listens to Pascal Hundt, Senior Crisis Manager, International Committee of the Red Cross, dialling in on a video call from Gaza

William, who was accompanied by his new international affairs advisor, David Hunt, who has been on secondment from the FCO since last summer, listened intently, occasionally chewing his lip in concern.

Clare Clement, director of international law and policy for the British Red Cross, also spoke to the prince and told him: 'There are challenges for us and all of our partners are doing an extraordinary job but we have some severe issues in terms of access and protection from the fighting.

'We have had two Palestine Red Crescent ambulance drivers discovered last week in a bombed out ambulance on their way to try and rescue a six year old girl who was also found dead.

'These individual examples belie the truth that we are seeing lots of our colleagues killed. We have seen 14 Palestine Red Crescent colleagues killed.'

Afterwards William sat down to speak to members of the organisation's psycho-social team who provide mental health support to those working on the ground.

'How do you approach the situation, how do you start a conversation,' he asked.

On the way to his next part of the visit, William stopped to chat to staff who were eating their lunch in the open-plan office and were agog at his presence.

Although there was some lighthearted small talk about lunch, William made a point of thanking each and every person of the several dozen he spoke to for their efforts in everything from fundraising to HR.

He told one group: 'Lunch! Bit of Pret, [more Pret] someone needs to have a burger. This all looks very healthy. I want to thank you guys for all your hard work .

Prince William was guided by British Red Cross chair Liz Padmore, centre, and BRC chief executive Beatrice Butsana-Sita, right

'You are making a massive difference. You are dealing with very serious, very traumatic, very hostile situation and you keep going every day.

'Extraordinary. Keep positive. It just feels like that we go from one crisis to another. '

He told another group: 'It's very healthy here too. I've said to the others that you are doing a fantastic job. I know it's very, very difficult for everyone. '

Downstairs in the basement, William dialled into the Palestinian Red Crescent, which was held in private due to some of the sensitivities of the conversation.

But an aide said afterwards that he was particularly interested to learn more about the suffering of children on the ground 'as a father' and what families were experiencing on both sides.

He also spoke publicly to Pascal Hundt, senior crisis manager from the International Committee of the Red Cross, who called in live from Gaza. He spent two months there last year after the conflict erupted and has been in the region for the past month.

The heir told him: ' Good morning or good afternoon and thank you for joining us. I am sorry to hold you up. I just wanted to hear a little bit about what's going on out there and how you are coping. '

Mr Hundt told William: 'I don't even have words any more to describe what we are seeing and hearing. I've been doing that job for the past thirty yearsI was in a delegation in Ukraine last year, and in many crises, Afghanistan, Syria, and this is something unprecedented.

Speaking after the visit, Mr Moylan said William's decision to 'raise his head above the parapet and show his support' was 'extremely important'

The Prince of Wales talked to employees of the British Red Cross at its headquarters in London

'It is an incredibly dark page of history. In history we will remember what happened here. The need to unbelievable.

'As I speak I was just looking outside and we see a huge column of smoke, bombing started again in Gaza.

'It is an extremely kinetic type of warfare and massive use of weapons in a densely populated area. Here were are about five kilometers from Gaza, and when we see the bombing here we cannot only hear them but we can feel them, we can feel the shockwaves.

'You can imagine the distress it is for the local population that was forced to move several times with a health system that has totally collapse, a hospital that needs not only to be protected as structure but the supply of drugs, of fuel is not guaranteed.

'Then the hospital cannot function any more. It is becoming a cemetery. We have seen this many times and it is what we are witnessing today.

'It is difficult and dangerous. We are closely coordinated with the parties, including the Israelis, but we have already had two serious security incidents.

'We have lost 14 volunteers who are working to try and alleviate the suffering of the people. It is extremely volatile and quite unpredictable. We see really hungry mobs jumping on trucks and looting because they are hungry and need to feed their families. It is extremely challenging. '

Mr Hundt explained that they were building up their own field hospitals, as well as working a neutral intermediaries on behalf of the hostages.

'We are ready as soon as the final agreement [is ready]. It will be a tremendous relief to the families and the hostages. As you can imagine what they have endured for so many days. But we think this will be something good for the two million people living here,' he said.

'But even with our efforts combined what we see here is beyond what we can do together. We need the parties to ensure the respect of international humanitarian law, that the population get access to humanitarian aidwe are powerless since such an environment,' he said.

Asking the prince whether he had any questions, William replied: 'How are you keeping spirits up in your organisation? How are you keeping people motivated to deliver support and the humanitarian work you are doing in such conditions?'

As he left the building a large crowd had built up and there were two shout of 'Free free Palestine' as he left but otherwise people were simply craning to get a picture of him.

Royal aides said it was 'really important' to the prince to be able to use his platform to 'shine a light on the human suffering' in the Middle East.

They stressed that the prince's office had consulted with the FCO before his statement was released.

They said it was neither calling for a ceasefire or a 'two state' solution.

'That is something we would not get involved with but UK government's policy is very clear on this,' they added.

It is understood that William has 'thought a lot about making a statement'.

Speaking after the visit, Mr Moylan said the Prince's decision to 'raise his head above the parapet and show his support' was 'extremely important'.

British Red Cross officials Clare Clement, director of international law and policy, and head of region MENA and Europe Rory Moylan talk to BRC chairwoman Liz Padmore and William

Prince William met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara during his visit to the country in 2018

He said: 'Certainly someone of his stature coming to our offices and to show interest and give us the time to run him through what is happening and our partners in the Middle East to tell him what they are going through is extremely important.

'It was a sign of solidarity to our partners, Palestine Red Crescent, who he had the chance to speak to.

'It goes a long way. And for our own staff here as well. It is motivation for us and reassures us that people are interested in the humanitarian situation. We are always looking to bring awareness.'

Mr Moylan said of William's statement: 'He showed great interest in the human element, the individual suffering. He heard both the overarching situation but also personal examples of how people are affected by that.

'And it's exactly that we try to draw attention to. We find we are having difficulty to get people to see how serious it still is.'

Staff at the British Red Cross said their immediate focus was on the safety of civilians and getting in food, water purification tablets, medicine, oxygen and shelter. It is currently working with 30 ex-pats and 130 local staff on the ground in Gaza.

Talking of the private video call with Palestinian staff, Mr Moylan said: 'He heard an example of staff from Palestine Red Crescent who had lost their family members.

'An ambulance worker whose entire family had been killed in his house and he had not been able to collect the bodies of those who had been killed. They remain under the rubble, unfortunately. He showed a real human interest in what we were talking him through. '

The future King shook hands with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah in 2018

The Prince and Princess of Wales published another tweet along with some photos from the event on their official X account.

It said: 'Understanding how the British Red Cross is providing vital humanitarian ad to those affected by the conflict in the Middle East.

'Staff and volunteers continue to work day and night to bring life-saving assistance and medical treatment to those who need it most.'

After the attack on Israel last October 7, the Prince and Princess of Wales did release a statement condemning Hamas - with the royal couple saying they were 'profoundly distressed' by what they had witnessed.

A statement released on their behalf read: 'As Israel exercises its right of self defence, all Israelis and Palestinians will continue to be stalked by grief, fear and anger in the time to come.

'Their Royal Highnesses hold all the victims, their families and their friends in their hearts and minds.'

The Prince visited the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem in 2018

William undertook in 2018, on behalf of the Government, the first official trip by a member of the monarchy to Israel and the Occupied West Bank.

During his visit he sat down for separate talks with Mr Netanyahu and the Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

On behalf of the King, who is now undergoing cancer treatment, a Buckingham Palace spokesman previously said in response to the October 7 attack: 'This is a situation His Majesty is extremely concerned about and he has asked to be kept actively updated.

'His thoughts and prayers are with all of those suffering, particularly those who have lost loved ones, but also those actively involved as we speak.'

He added: 'His Majesty is appalled by and condemns the barbaric acts of terrorism in Israel.'

Members of the royal family are expected by protocol to remain politically neutral, although William has previously discussed Brexit with farmers while his brother Prince Harry has criticised Donald Trump and the Duchess of Sussex has taken a stand against voter suppression.

In the October 7 attack, Hamas militants stormed into southern Israel and killed about 1,200 people - mostly civilians - while taking an estimated 250 hostage.

Militants still hold about 130 hostages, a fourth of them believed to be dead.

Most of the others were released during a week-long ceasefire in November.

The war has killed at least 29,092 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to the Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.

About 80 per cent of Gaza's population have been driven from their homes and a quarter face starvation.

Earlier today, Labour leader Sir Keir tabled an amendment to an SNP motion in a bid to stop his MPs siding with the SNP in a vote tomorrow.

Although the text represents a major shift by Sir Keir, it does put the ceasefire call alongside a demand for Hamas to release all hostages.

He had previously called for a 'ceasefire that lasts' in the Middle East, but stopped short of using the word 'immediate'.

A source close to US President Joe Biden says he feels Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, pictured right as the pair meet, is 'giving him hell' over ceasefire negotiations

Global concern has mounted over the fate of 1.4million Palestinians forced by fighting into Rafah near the Egyptian border - amid dire food shortages in crowded makeshift shelters

Demonstrations have been staged in both the UK and the US calling for a ceasefire - this one pictured held yesterday in the Queens district of New York

US president Joe Biden has called for a temporary ceasefire to allow the release of hostages

The heavy death toll and widespread damage have led to mounting criticism of Israel and growing worldwide calls for a halt to fighting.

The United States has proposed a potential United Nations Security Council resolution calling for a temporary ceasefire in Gaza in what appeared to be the latest move by the White House to rein in Benjamin Netanyahu.

In the draft resolution the US says there should be a temporary ceasefire 'as soon as practicable', although no date was given.

Washington has previously been averse to the word ceasefire in any UN action relating to its ally Israel's war against Hamas.

The US draft resolution echoes language that President Joe Biden said he used last week in conversations with Mr Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister.

At the time Biden said: 'I feel very strongly about it, that there has to be a temporary ceasefire to get the prisoners out, to get the hostages out.'

The US also warned Israel against the assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where some 1.5 million Palestinians have sought safety.

The proposed resolution says Israel's planned major ground offensive 'should not proceed under current circumstances.'

It also states that further displacement of civilians, 'including potentially into neighbouring countries' like Egypt would have serious implications for regional peace and security.
The Queen appeared in high spirits today as she met with an adorable pair of Labrador Retrievers at a luncheon.

Camilla, 76, dressed in a navy mid-length dress, warmly greeted the four-legged guests at Clarence House, London.

The canines were especially well-behaved and appeared to enjoy Camilla's attention as they sat on their chairs.

Camilla, who has kept busy as her husband King Charles is treated for cancer, is today hosting a reception to mark the 15th anniversary of the charity Medical Detection Dogs.

And it seemed only right that some of the dogs themselves were the guests of honour, including a six-month-old puppy in training.

Queen Camilla welcomed two four-legged guests at Clarence House earlier today at an event marking the 15th anniversary of charity Medical Detection Dogs

It quickly became clear that dog lover Camilla was keen to greet the Labrador Retrievers patiently waiting for her on chairs.

The Queen extended a handshake to a charity member before saying a warm 'hello' to one of the pups while making a fuss.

The representative added that the puppy was six months old, to which Camilla responded: 'He's just a baby'.

It was later revealed that the puppy is currently undergoing training, a task in which it is doing 'very well'.

The charity strives to advance the detection of a range of human diseases, including cancer, Parkinson's Disease, and bacterial infections, using dogs.

The Detection Dogs undergo training to find the odour of each disease in samples, including urine, breath, and sweat.

As well as being trained to use their incredible sense of smell to uncover early-stage disease, some exceptional canines are also trained to alert their owners to potentially life-threatening conditions, including diabetes.

The royal family have long supported the charity, including the late Queen Elizabeth, which has the potential to improve the lives of millions across the UK.

The adorable Medical Detection Dogs appeared to enjoy Her Majesty's warm displays of affection

Camilla smiled with representatives from the Medical Detection Dogs charity and two detection dogs called Storm (left) and Maggie (right)

During the reception at Clarence House, Camilla offered a canine a small edible treat from a basket

Camilla sliced a sponge cake to mark the 15th anniversary of the Medical Detection Dogs charity

Camilla has kept busy amid her husband's cancer treatment, and last week she met with Poppy makers at Clarence House.

The 76-year-old marked the centenary of The Poppy Factory, which was founded in the aftermath of the First World War.

The reception also marked 100 years since the charity began the move to its historic home in Richmond upon Thames, south west London.

Her Majesty met with the President of The Poppy Factory Surgeon Rear Admiral Lionel Jarvis.

Rear Admiral Jarvis gifted Camilla a wrath of poppies for the occasion.

Later, Her Majesty cut a cake with a sword - like her late mother-in-law once did.

The Queen also met with those who have seen their lives changed by civilian employment with help from The Poppy Factory.

Donning a mid-length navy dress, Her Majesty greeted several puppies that were still in training

Adorable detention dog, Storm (pictured), impressed guests during a demonstration at the reception

The Queen also chatted with Detection Dogs ambassador and esteemed perfumer Jo Malone (right)

Camilla, who has has kept busy following King Charles III's cancer diagnosis, also met Detection Dogs ambassador Gill Wright (left)

A detention dog called Plum showcased a range of impressive skills during a demonstration at the reception

Her Majesty appeared in high spirits as she stroked an adorable six-month-old detection dog at Clarence House

Last week, the Queen witnessed performances by Dame Judi Dench, Gary Oldman and Robert Lindsay at a star-studded event celebrating the work of William Shakespeare.

Camilla was greeted on her arrival at London's Grosvenor House Hotel by a host of actors who have played Hamlet including Brian Cox, Jeremy Irons and David Mitchell.

She was then received by a dozen dames, including Dame Twiggy Lawson, Dame Vanessa Redgrave and Baroness Floella Benjamin.

On Valentine's Day, Camilla was given two matching jumpers with a heart on them as a gift by event host Gyles Brandreth, who said he hoped they would keep the King and Queen 'warm on those cold winter nights'.

Before his performance of Cole Porter's Brush Up Your Shakespeare, Lindsay said Valentine's Day was the 'perfect day to celebrate the King's love of Shakespeare, and indeed to celebrate the love between the King and the Queen'.
An answer on Jeopardy! has left viewers scratching their heads as contestants questioned their own geography and math skills.

The February 15 episode had the final category of 'Landmarks,' with the prompt: 'The distance between its two legs at ground level is 630 feet, making it as wide as it is tall.'

Contestants Diandra D'Alessio, James Tyler and David Bederman were all competing for the final spot in the Champions Wildcard semifinals - but all three of them were stumped by the final question.

Diandra and David both guessed the Eiffel Tower in France, while James suggested Christ the Redeemer in Brazil.

Jeopardy! contestants Diandra D'Alessio, James Tyler and David Bederman were all competing for the final spot in the Champions Wildcard semifinals - but were all left stumped by one clue

The February 15 episode had the final category of 'Landmarks,' with the prompt: 'The distance between its 2 legs at ground level is 630 feet, making it as wide as it is tall'

However, neither of those was the correct response.

The answer was actually a little closer to home and was revealed to be the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri.

'You can actually inscribe the arch in a square,' host Ken Jennings explained.

Fans took umbrage with the description of the archway - questioning whether you'd call the support beams 'legs.'

'It's not really tricky by the writers, legs is the official way it's described by the National Park Service and by its architect. But if you're not familiar with it, I can see how'd that be surprising.'

'I guessed the Arc De Triomphe,' shared another.

'One thing is for sure, legs, ends, supports, the Eiffel Tower has more than two of them. And Christ the Redeemer has less than two of them unless he is secretly anatomically correct under that robe,' they continued.

'I don't think the three of them can blame the writers for their miss.'

Host Ken Jennings revealed the answer was a little closer to home revealed as Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri

Despite upset online over the answer, the National Park Service describes the Gateway Arch as having 'legs' on their official website

Viewers took to social media to shared their thoughts about the answer, many unhappy with the descriptor of 'legs' in the prompt

'In the final Jeopardy tonight's clue mentioned the landmark having two legs and two of the contestants answered with... the Eiffel tower??' another exclaimed.

'I'm yelling St. Louis Arch! The two legs was an important part of the clue,' agreed another.

Despite upset online over the answer, the National Park Service describes the Gateway Arch as having 'legs' on their official website.

Construction of the Arch began February 12, 1963 and was completed on October 28, 1965. The north tram was opened to the public on July 24, 1967.

All three contestants answered Walk the Line, leaving out the letter I - which ended up costing them money and time.

Despite not answering correctly, Diandra made it to the semifinals in the Champions Wildcard tournament after finishing as the winner - walking away with a final total of $23,599.
A mom has been left stunned to learn she is pregnant again just one year after giving birth to quintuplets - admitting she accidentally forgot to take her birth control for one day.

Haylee Ladner, from Mississippi, suffers from polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) with symptoms including irregular menstrual cycles.

It meant that she was not particularly concerned after missing her period last month, telling Today: 'We weren't trying, and I was on birth control.'

But the mom-of-five took a pregnancy test as a precaution and was shocked to learn she was pregnant with baby number six.

Haylee Ladner and husband Shawn, from Mississippi, were left stunned to discover they were expecting another baby just one year after welcoming quintuplets

The couple welcomed their quintuplets - Adalyn, Everleigh, Malley, Magnolia and Jake - in February 2023

Haylee and husband Shawn welcomed their quintuplets - Adalyn, Everleigh, Malley, Magnolia and Jake - in February 2023.

The mom explained how three of the five tots had been hospitalized with pneumonia in December and it was during this 'chaos' that she could have forgotten to take her birth control.

She had initially ignored her pregnancy symptoms, explaining: 'For one thing, I was really, really tired, but I assumed it was just because I have five kids!

'Of course I'm tired. So I just kind of chalked it up to that.'

Shawn had insisted the couple take a handful of extra pregnancy tests to be sure - but all came back positive.

The couple headed to their first ultrasound where doctors confirmed it was a baby girl due in July.

Haylee said: 'We thought we were completely done, but we were blessed with this sweet surprise.

'This will be our last baby We plan to take extra precautions.'

Her current brood of four girls and one boy are currently thriving, she concluded: 'Watching them interact together is just the best'

The couple, who married in 2019, had always wanted to have a large family with at least four children, Haylee, who is a middle school teacher at Oak Grove Middle School, said

Haylee (pictured with one of her quintuplets) said: 'We thought we were completely done, but we were blessed with this sweet surprise'

She was initially nervous but soon channeled her feelings into excitement.

'It was scary at first, because they're going to be so close together in age, but if I can handle five, I can handle six!' she exclaimed.

Her current brood of four girls and one boy are currently thriving, she concluded: 'Watching them interact together is just the best.

'They're constantly laughing and smiling at each other. And we just sit there wondering what it is that they're talking about.'

The couple, who married in 2019, had always wanted to have a large family with at least four children, Haylee, who is a middle school teacher at Oak Grove Middle School, said.

But after she suffered two miscarriages, Haylee was terrified she may not be able to conceive and so turned to intrauterine insemination (IUI), to help them get pregnant.

The procedure is a type of artificial insemination which involves sperm being placed in the uterus around the time an ovary releases one or more eggs.

The odds of conceiving quintuplets naturally are one in 60 million, but with reproductive technology that chance goes up to six in 10,000, according to reports.
Ira von Furstenberg, the 'Princess of Marbella' who is considered one of the earliest 'It' girls, has died.

Italian media reports the socialite, who was also known as Princess Virginia von Furstenberg, passed away on Sunday at the age of 83 in Rome.

She was the daughter of Prince Tassilo zu Furstenberg and his first wife Cara Agnelli and leaves behind a son from her first marriage, Hubertus Rudolph. Her eldest son Christoph Victorio Egon Humberto died in 2006 of organ failure while imprisoned in Bangkok over visa issues.

During her incredibly colourful life, the socialite worked as a model and is thought to have been one of the first ever 'It' girls, starred in several films and even became a published author.

Ira von Furstenberg was born in Rome on 17 April 1940 and was raised in Venice at the Villa Furstenberg.

Ira von Furstenberg has died aged 83 after a colourful life in which she married aged 15 and befriended some very famous people

When she was still a student, she was sent to boarding school in London as scandal engulfed her family when her mother ran off with an Italian count.

During her time at Cygnet House, she was taught about etiquette and how to become a high society swan.

At 15 years old, she attracted the eyes of the world when she married Prince Alfonso of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, who was 30 at the time.

Life magazine described their now-controversial union as the 'Wedding of the Year' while Paris Match put her on its cover as the teenager was catapulted into the limelight.

The actress and socialite (pictured in 1966) attracted the eyes of the world when she married at the age of 15 to a man 15 years her senior

During her career she starred in several films (pictured in No desearas ak vecino del quinto in 1970)

After capturing people's attention, she was photographed by Cecil Beaton on her 15th birthday, while Salvador Dali made no secret of the fact he was desperate to paint her.

In 2019, she revealed his repeated requests to paint her nude never tempted her.

'I was a little girl who just got married and was still in the honeymoon stage,' she said.

After having two sons, Ira divorced her husband after five years of marriage. She went on to marry Brazilian businessman Francisco Pignatari from 1961 until 1964.

Following the breakdown of her second marriage, she did not remarry but continued to circulate in high society groups and became incredibly well-connected.

Among her close friends were Princess Margaret and Prince Rainier of Monaco - with rumours flying in the 1980s that she was in a relationship with the Monegasque premier.

When she was just 15 years old the socialite married Prince Alfonso Von Hohenlohe-Langenburg

She became a muse of Salvador Dali who asked to paint her nude several times - offers which she declined

It was widely reported that, in response to the rumours, Princess Margaret reportedly made the cruel quip: Such a big girl for such a small country.

As she rose to stardom in her modelling and acting career she became friends with some influential figures in the fashion industry, including a close relationship with Karl Lagerfeld.

Speaking to Tatler in 2019, she said: 'Life with Karl went very quickly.'

She added she never explicitly helped him with designs when he was creative director of Chanel, but that she 'gave him ideas'.

The socialite and actress described her friend was 'witty, very outspoken and direct' and added: 'I miss him a lot and for a while we had a wonderful time.'

During her acting career, she starred in 1968 comedy Matchless alongside Patrick O'Neal, The Fifth Cord in 1971 and The Barons in 1975.

She also became a muse in the world of modelling and even graced the cover of Vogue during her career.

Later in life the socialite worked with cosmetics company Germain Monteil before moving on to the perfume division at Valentino.

Her brother Prince Egon was the first husband of fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg.

Although she had a successful fashion career, the socialite has previously hinted that her true passion was acting.

Speaking to the Financial Times just last year, she said 'in another life' she would have continued to pursue acting.

She revealed that, when her first acting gig Matchless was released, her father 'reacted very badly' because she was 'undressed on screen'.

She said: 'I had to explain to him that my acting did not have the same power to make people flock to the cinema as my body.'

When asked for the best piece of advice she has ever received, she responded it was to 'learn how to say no'.

However she added: 'It is a lesson I never mastered.'
READ MORE: Lidl pulls cookies from stores because they could contain METAL

The supermarket chain has released an updated list of new store location plans

Lidl has revealed fresh plans to open 12 new stores across the UK - and has released an updated list of the locations they have set their sights on.

The supermarket chain has confirmed reports that it is seeking 91 million in funding from investment partners to support its plans to build more stores across the nation.

Lidl wants the investors to build the 12 new supermarkets, which it will then rent from them - only 20% of its 960 UK stores are currently leasehold.

The German supermarket wants its new shops to come with a 25-year lease, which will then be subject to rent reviews every five years, based on open market values.

In a pitch reviewed by The Sun, the 12 locations Lidl is looking to open new supermarkets in are revealed.

Lidl has revealed fresh plans to open 12 new stores across the UK - and has released an updated list of the locations they have set their sights on

Updated list of 12 UK locations Lidl hopes to open stores in

Alexandria Birmingham Bovey Tracey Bristol Crediton Downham Market Hull Manchester Northampton Reading Redcar Saffron Walden Advertisement

These include: Alexandria, Birmingham, Bovey Tracey, Bristol, Crediton, Downham Market, Hull, Manchester, Northampton, Reading, Redcar and Saffron Walden.

A spokesperson for Lidl said: 'We have long taken a flexible approach to delivering new sites with the core aim of giving all households access to a Lidl store.'

It comes after Lidl previously revealed its hopes to open 150 more shops across the UK by 2025 - with plans to increase the number to 1,100 stores.

The discount supermarket is currently the sixth largest chain in the country, with more than 950 stores open in the UK - including ten in Cambridgeshire alone.

In 2022, it opened 50 new shops and has cut the ribbon on 15 more in just the last three months.

In an earlier update last year, in April, Lidl said it was looking for 'prominent locations' with 'strong pedestrian or traffic flow' measuring more than 1.5 acres for standalone shops and up to four acres for mixed-use sites.

Each location should be able to accommodate 18,000 and 26,500 sq ft and 100 dedicated car parking spaces.

The chain said it is targeting town centre, or edge of centre locations, and are particularly focused on building in retail parks, as well as metropolitan shops in London and M25.

Lidl previously revealed its hopes to open 150 more shops across the UK by 2025 - with plans to increase the number to 1,100 stores

EXCLUSIVE READ MORE: Inside the village that HATES Aldi Advertisement

It comes after it was reported a record number of new Asda convenience stores will be opening across the UK as the supermarket chain announces it is converting former Co-op and EG group sites.

Asda will convert 109 of the former shops into its Express stores, along with another in Birmingham.

The chain has already opened 13 of the new shops this month and another 12 opened on February 7.

This marks a milestone for the supermarket as it hits 1,000 UK stores, having already switched 259 shops, and is a step towards its goal to become the second largest grocery retailer in the UK.

Asda plans to convert 470 of the EG and Co-op sites by the end of March and already had eight standalone Asda Express sites already open.
An OnlyFans star who made 5m from making adult content and selling bathwater online has told Louis Theroux how she no longer has a relationship with her father after he discovered her online persona.

Belle Delphine, 24, who was born in South Africa but lives in the UK, currently boasts over 3m Instagram followers and charges subscribers 28-a-month to access her OnlyFans content.

As a result of her huge online following, the social media star - whose real name is Mary-Belle Kirschner - was able to purchase her 'dream' eight-bedroom home in the Sussex countryside.

Appearing on the latest episode of The Louis Theroux Podcast, Belle explained how she tried to keep her job a secret from her father, who lives in South Africa.

However, she says he became suspicious how she could afford to buy a house and discovered her online persona - resulting in him no longer being in Belle's life.

During her conversation with Louis, Belle explained how she gained 1m Instagram followers in a month when she first pivoted her content away from fashion photos to more adult content in 2019.

She explained: 'I didn't think anything of it. My plan wasn't to become big or popular or anything like that.

'I just wanted enough money to move out of my mum's place.'

In summer 2019, Belle went viral when she began selling her bath water for 24-a-jar to her followers - resulting in her supplies selling out in two days.

The adult creator said she got inspiration for the idea from 'used panty' machines that she had read about in Japan.

She continued: 'i was trying to think of something more unique so I went down the [route] of selling my own spit or hair.

'But I didn't want to cut my hair and it's very hard to produce a lot of spit. So then I was thinking of something else that's close to my physical body that I could produce and sell in a cute way that I thought was quite fun to do.'

The star's father, who is from Cape Town, worked in advertisement and film production, which is how he met Belle's model mother.

In summer 2019, Belle went viral when she began selling her bath water for 24-a-jar to her followers

Elsewhere in the podcast, Belle (pictured) detailed how obsessed fans have turned up at her mother's home and left notes telling her that she needed to pay her taxes

OnlyFans star Belle Delphine - who has made over 5m from her adult content - appears in the latest episode of Louis Theroux's Spotify podcast

The couple married after knowing each other for a year - around the time Belle's mother's visa ran out and she had fallen pregnant.

Reflecting on her relationship with her father, she said: 'There was no aspects of raising children that he seemed to enjoy.

'My childhood was very much tiptoeing around my dad.'

After their relationship broke down, Belle says she reached out to her father when she first bought her house to try and salvage things in early 2019.

Although Belle explained she had sympathy for her father's 'tough upbringing' and difficult character at times, she said this meant he was the 'only one she couldn't tell' about her work.

READ MORE: Pink-haired 'gamer girl' sells her own BATH WATER for 24 a pop to 'thirsty' followers - and it's sold out after just TWO days The influencer who has racked up almost 4 million followers by sharing racy cosplay pictures online is selling her bathwater for 24 a pot Advertisement

'Everybody in my family knows,' she said. 'I never wanted it to be a secret thing because everyone always finds out eventually.'

Despite her father's visit 'going well' initially, Belle suspects that he Googled her not long after visiting her house and discovered her online persona.

She explained: 'I think it was that evening or the next day and he just went wild. He went crazy.

'The messages he was writing... it was just horrible. But he's always been like that so it's not something I wouldn't have expected.'

However, Belle says she doesn't regret reaching out to her father at that time because she would have 'always wondered' if they could have had a better relationship.

Later on in the podcast, Belle addressed critics saying she has 'daddy issues' as a result - admitting that she does look for older partners who will 'look after' her.

Although Belle admitted that her OnlyFans subscriber count fluctuates weekly, she claimed that she makes 1m-a-month from the platform.

Belle has also offered a 'girlfriend experience' through her online platforms, which involves having direct conversations with the star.

Out of her thousands of subscribers, Belle says she's 'quite picky' about how she speaks to individually - and circles back to the top 50-100 best tippers.

She added: 'I can't message everyone and I don't think it's something you should necessarily expect [...] It's quite strange being in a sexual mindset.'

Although Belle says she has consented to everything she has posted online, she's aware that some of her content - particularly videos - is not something she can 'take back'.

In 2020, Belle says she regrets putting out her first pornographic video that enabled her to buy her dream house because it was 'quite s**t' and 'awkward'.

She said: 'It's one thing posting your first porn video, it's another thing posting a porn video knowing millions of people are going to see it. The pressure of it was too much for me.'

Louis was left stunned when Belle informed him that the video had made her a staggering 5m.

Belle Delphine, 24, who was born in South Africa but lives in the UK, currently boasts over 3m Instagram followers and charges subscribers 28-a-month to access her OnlyFans content

Despite this, Belle says she would like to 'disappear' from the internet one day.

She added: 'I'm not really interested in the fame aspect so there will be nothing really holding me on at that point.

'I think once it's run it's course, I'll just leave it.'

Elsewhere in the podcast, Belle detailed how obsessed fans have turned up at her mother's home and left notes telling her that she needed to pay her taxes - as they assumed OnlyFans stars didn't.

Detailing one experience she had with a fan, she explained: 'He claimed he knew who I was and I was a 30 year old woman and we were in love and that he'd met me many times and we'd had this whole relationship.

'He would rewrite the same handwritten letter hundreds of times and he'd send me sad gifts.'

Belle regularly posts pictures of herself dressed up as anime and video game characters

Belle ultimately ended up reporting this fan to police after he sent her his passport, credit cards and a doctor's note detailing his psychotic episodes.

Later on, Belle said she is aware she'll feel 'uncomfortable' as she gets older knowing that her nude photos are on the internet.

She explained: 'I'm not against sex work at all [...] but what about if you shoot content with a partner and things go quite sour?

'Do you still keep selling this video of you and your ex partner to people because it makes you money?

'I haven't personally had this but others have. How do you deal with your uncle purchasing your OnlyFans?'
A Chinese medicine expert has revealed how often you should be having sex based on your age to avoid 'disease' and 'emotional stress.'

Nina Cheng is the founder of The Eastern Philosophy - a small business that specialized in herbal medicines - and frequently shares educational videos about traditional Chinese health remedies on TikTok.

In one of her latest clips, the owner dished on the frequency you should be getting tangled up in the sheets with your lover based on how old you were.

She told her more than 286,000 followers that 'insufficient sex' was considered an illness in Chinese medicine before sharing how often you should be having an orgasm whether you're 20 or 60 years old.

A Chinese medicine expert has revealed how often you should be having sex based on your age to avoid 'disease' and 'emotional stress'

Nina Cheng is the founder of The Eastern Philosophy - a small business that specialized in herbal medicines - and shares educational videos about Chinese health (stock image)

Behind closed doors! How often you should have sex based on your age 20s: Every four days

30s: Every eight days

40s: Every 16 days

50s: Every 21 days

60s: Every 30 days Advertisement

In the viral video, which has so far amassed more than 2,800 views, Nina said: 'Did you know that insufficient sex is considered a cause of disease in traditional Chinese medicine?'

The small business owner shared more surprising information about how often you should be sleeping with your partner in her caption.

She added: 'While traditional Chinese medicine often stresses the potential long-term effects of excessive sexual activity, many do not realize that insufficient sex is also considered a cause of disease in Chinese medicine.

'As noted by the late TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) doctor, Giovanni Maciocia, "Insufficient sex is often a cause of disease akin to emotional stress, especially in Western women."

'Ancient Chinese physicians believed that women were more likely to experience greater sexual frustration since they were subject to different societal norms and may not have felt as permitted to express themselves sexually compared to men. '

Nina then shared how often you should be having an orgasm based on your age.

She said that if you were in your 20s, you should be having sex every four days, while people in their 30s should aim for every eight days.

As your age increases, the amount of time in between orgasms doubles.

@easternphilosophy While traditional Chinese medicine often stresses the potential long-term effects of excessive sexual activity, many do not realize that insufficient sex is also considered a cause of disease in Chinese medicine  As noted by the late TCM doctor, Giovanni Maciocia, Insufficient sex is often a cause of disease akin to emotional stress, especially in Western women. Ancient Chinese physicians believed that women were more likely to experience greater sexual frustration since they were subject to different societal norms and may not have felt as permitted to express themselves sexually compared to men. Special care was thus provided to ease the additional social and emotional challenges of women, which sometimes even included what we would now call psychotherapyreferred to in classical Chinese medicine as talking cures. The 2,000 year-old sexology text, Su Nu Jing, provided recommendations on frequency of orgasm according to age: 20 year-old: Every 4 days 30 year-old: Every 8 days 40 year-old: Every 16 days 50 year-old: Every 21 days 60 year-old: Every 30 days Chinese medicine links strong libido to abundant Minister Fire, with orgasm releasing beneficial Yang energy, enhancing Qi flow. This activity affects the mind and particularly impacts the Heart and Pericardium. These herbal remedies we carry can aid in supporting better reproductive health, ease genital discomfort, boost libido, and improve sexual performance:  Fu Yin Tai: an all-herbal soak to relieve genital itching and dry dampness  Baifeng Wan / Bak Foong: a top womens health formula which can help balance hormones, regulate periods, relieve cramps, and address cold uterus often linked to infertility  Suifans China Brush: a hundred year-old bestselling all-herbal formula to address premature ejaculation  Vitality Plus: Combines Cordyceps with Tongkat Ali, Horny Goat Weed, and Maca to support mens vitality and increase testosterone  American Ginseng Tea: Enhances libido and sexual function, leveraging ginsengs effects on erectile dysfunction and overall sexual health . . #holistichealth #chinesemedicine #herbalmedicine #womenshealth #sexualhealth #valentines #learnontiktok  Get Down - CLAVVS & Chico Mann

She said that if you were in your 20s, you should be having sex every four days, while people in their 30s should aim for every eight days

So, if you're in your 40s, you should have sex every 16 days, while those in their 50s should engage in sexual activity every 21 days.

Lastly, if you're in your 60s, you should have sex every 30 days.

'Chinese medicine links strong libido to abundant Minister Fire, with orgasm releasing beneficial Yang energy, enhancing Qi flow. This activity affects the mind and particularly impacts the heart and pericardium,' she added.

Nina then shared the herbal remedies that aid 'reproductive health, ease genital discomfort, boost libido, and improve sexual performance.'

'Fu Yin Tai: an all-herbal soak to relieve genital itching and dry dampness,' she explained.

'Baifeng Wan / Bak Foong: a top women's health formula which can help balance hormones, regulate periods, relieve cramps, and address "cold uterus" often linked to infertility.

'Suifan's "China Brush": a hundred-year-old bestselling all-herbal formula to address premature ejaculation

'Vitality Plus: Combines Cordyceps with Tongkat Ali, Horny Goat Weed, and Maca to support men's vitality and increase testosterone.

'American Ginseng Tea: Enhances libido and sexual function, leveraging ginseng's effects on erectile dysfunction and overall sexual health.'
The Prince of Wales shared a laugh with employees over their lunch choices at the British Red Cross' London headquarters today.

Prince William, 41, visited the charity, which is playing a key humanitarian role in Gaza, after calling for fighting in the Israel-Hamas war to end 'as soon as possible'.

In a new and impassioned statement today, he insisted 'too many have been killed' since Hamas's terrorist attack on Israel on 7 October last year, just hours after Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer called for an 'immediate humanitarian ceasefire'.

During his trip to the charity, William lifted employees' spirits and urged them to try and 'keep it positive'.

The royal shared a joke with some workers eating their lunch about how healthy their meals were, and admitted 'sometimes you want a burger'.

The Prince of Wales chatted with members of the fundraising team at The British Red Cross headquarters in London today

William approached the table and quickly observed the group's lunch choices, which included sandwiches from Pret, and remarked: 'You're eating very healthy'. He joked: 'Sometimes you want a burger'.

After a light-hearted note, the father-of-three encouraged staff to remain optimistic. 'As long as you're looking after yourselves well, keep it positive,' he said.

The team later confirmed that despite their work's heavy nature, they have continued to care for themselves.

The royal asked the table whether they all worked within the fundraising team, to which they replied yes.

'How is fundraising going,' he asked. To which one employee responded: 'Really well, I mean there's a lot of interest.'

Elsewhere, during the day, William met with Pascal Hundt, Senior Crisis Manager at the International Committee of the Red Cross, via a video call from Gaza.

It comes after William has made an unprecedented royal intervention into the Gaza conflict today by issuing a statement saying he feels 'deeply concerned' about its 'human cost' - and called for an end to the war.

Prince William, 41, visited the charity, which is playing a key humanitarian role in Gaza, after calling for fighting in the Israel-Hamas war to end 'as soon as possible'.

In a new and impassioned statement today, Prince William (pictured) insisted 'too many have been killed' since Hamas 's terrorist attack on Israel on 7 October last year, just hours after Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer called for an 'immediate humanitarian ceasefire'

The father-of-three also met with Pascal Hundt (on the screen), Senior Crisis Manager at the Red Cross, via a video call

The Prince of Wales ramped up his family's response to the Israel-Hamas war after he and wife Kate had earlier put out a joint statement of 'distress'.

Tory MPs were wary of publicly criticising the heir to the throne over the intervention.

Andrew Percy, vice-chairman of the all-party parliamentary group on anti-semitism, told MailOnline: 'The underlying principle of our constitutional monarchy is that members of the royal family do not engage in contentious political issues of the day on which there are divergent and strongly-held beliefs in this country.

'Members of the royal family would do well to remember that.'

A former minister said: 'I think that it is very unwise for him to get involved in an issue like this. He is getting some seriously bad advice. I can only assume that he has not been able to speak to the King, because he would certainly not have approved.'

The father-of-three maintained an optimistic outlook during the visit and chatted to a number of employees

The royal waved as he left the building, after chatting to employees about their charitable efforts

Another Tory MP said the Prince's statement used 'similar language as the Government'. But they suggested William had still been unwise to get involved in the issue as both sides would now pray him in aid.

'I wonder how it will play out in the Opposition debate tomorrow,' the MP said, referring to the looming SNP motion demanding an immediate ceasefire.

Reform UK party president Nigel Farage posted on X, formerly Twitter: 'I'm not sure that our future King should be doing this. He should stick to the BAFTAs.'

William has been easing himself back into public engagements after taking time off to look after his wife who is recovering from abdominal surgery - yet his strident statement today gives a signal to his intentions when taking the throne.

The royal's public remarks are the most outspoken by any member of the royal family since the Israel-Hamas war broke out - and come in stark contrast to the late Queen's approach, when she would steer clear of commenting on political issues.

Prince William, pictured at the British Red Cross HQ in London today, released an impassioned statement in which he says 'too many' have been killed' in the Gaza conflict

Prince William has today issued the royals' strongest statement yet on the Gaza conflict

William - whose father Charles has been outspoken on environmental concerns - said today: 'I remain deeply concerned about the terrible human cost of the conflict in the Middle East since the Hamas terrorist attack on 7 October. Too many have been killed.

'I, like so many others, want to see an end to the fighting as soon as possible. There is a desperate need for increased humanitarian support to Gaza. It's critical that aid gets in and the hostages are released.

'Sometimes it is only when faced with the sheer scale of human suffering that the importance of permanent peace is brought home.

'Even in the darkest hour, we must not succumb to the counsel of despair. I continue to cling to the hope that a brighter future can be found and I refuse to give up on that.'

The strongly worded message was issued in white writing on a black background, under William's cypher, on the Waleses' X account.

Kensington Palace said: 'The Prince and Princess were profoundly concerned by events that unfolded in late 2023 and continue to hold all the victims, their family and friends in their hearts and minds.

'Their Royal Highnesses continue to share in the hope of a better future for all those affected.'

At the meeting with the British Red Cross today, the heir to the throne expressed his concern 'as a father' at the ongoing crisis and the immense loss of life in the Middle East.
Ivanka Trump has paid tribute to her late mother Ivana on what would have been the socialite's 75th birthday.

The former First Daughter, 42, took to Instagram with a selection of sweet snaps of Ivana who died following a fall in July 2022.

Ivanka declared that her family is 'navigating through life with the compass of her love and intrepid spirit.'

Both her brothers - Donald Jr. and Eric - also shared their own touching thoughts on social media.

Ivanka Trump has paid tribute to her late mother on what would have been the socialite's 75th birthday

Another image posted to her Story showed the doting mom with Ivanka as a toddler bundled into her arms

She uploaded the snaps alongside a caption that read: 'Imagining you sailing through the heavens guided by the stars today would have been your 75th birthday'

Ivanka, who has 7.5 million followers on Instagram, shared a throwback image of Ivana as she stood in uniform at the helm of a ship.

Another image posted to her Stories showed the doting mom with Ivanka as a beaming toddler bundled into her arms.

She uploaded the snaps alongside a caption that read: 'Imagining you sailing through the heavens guided by the stars today would have been your 75th birthday.

'We raise our sails in your honor, Mom, navigating through life with the compass of your love and intrepid spirit. We miss and love you.'

Elsewhere, Donald Jr. and Eric appeared to put aside their business woes to share their own heartfelt messages - after being banned from doing business in New York for two years and fined $4million each in a devastating fraud ruling against their father.

Donald Jr. posted his own series of snaps on his late mother's birthday with the message: 'Happy birthday mom. We miss you.'

And Eric added: 'Happy Birthday to this Rock Star. We miss you very much!'

Ivana died at the age of 73 after being found 'unconscious and unresponsive' in her New York City townhouse - hours before she had a hair salon appointment.

Ivanka (pictured with her late mother previously) wrote: 'We raise our sails in your honor, Mom, navigating through life with the compass of your love and intrepid spirit. We miss and love you'

Ivana was thrust into the spotlight after marrying Donald Trump in 1977, having first met him at an event that she attended with a group of fellow models

At the time of her death, Eric shared a heartwarming tribute with DailyMail.com - penned by himself, Ivanka and Don Jr - which remembered Ivana as an 'incredible woman' who was 'a force in business, a world-class athlete, a radiant beauty, and caring mother and friend.'

The joint statement recalled Ivana's tough upbringing behind the Iron Curtain and her inspiring journey to the US, having fled communism in Czechoslovakia before moving to Canada and then New York City.

They said she 'taught her children about grit and toughness, compassion and determination' and said she will be 'dearly missed.'

Ivana was thrust into the spotlight after marrying Trump in 1977, having first met him at an event that she attended with a group of fellow models.

The couple wed in a private ceremony held at Marble Collegiate Church in New York City and they went on to have three children - Donald Jr., born in 1977, Ivanka, born in 1981, and Eric, born in 1984.

The couple were married for 13 years before splitting in 1990 after Trump had an affair with Marla Maples, who went on to become his second wife.

The couple wed in a private ceremony held at Marble Collegiate Church in New York City and they went on to have three children - Donald Jr., born in 1977, Ivanka, born in 1981, and Eric, born in 1984 (pictured together in 2011)

Ivana was awarded a hefty $14 million as part of her divorce settlement with her former husband, which was made official in 1992 - just months before Trump wed Maples.

Ivana was said to have been left furious over her then-husband's illicit relationship with Maples, whom she repeatedly bashed in the years following her split from Trump.

The bitter divorce became tabloid fodder, and four years after the split Ivana appeared in the 1996 hit film 'The First Wives Club' with the now-famous line, 'Ladies, you have to be strong and independent, and remember, don't get mad, get everything.'

The cameo appearance helped cement Ivana's status as an icon for defiant divorcees and spurned brides.
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.

Li Auto unveils images of Li MEGA MPV in elephant grey, white colors

Chinese new energy vehicle maker Li Auto recently unveiled official images of the Li MEGA MPV in elephant grey and white colors. Combined with the previously released silver option, the company has now revealed three color choices for the Li MEGA. The new vehicle was first showcased during the Auto Guangzhou 2023 and is expected to be officially hit the market on March 1, 2024.

Photo credit: Li MEGA

Ji Yue to roll out 1.3.1 version of OCC intelligent driving feature by end of February

Ji Yue, the automotive robot maker jointly backed by Geely and Baidu, plans to roll out the 1.3.1 version of the OCC intelligent driving function to Ji Yue 01's users by the end of February, Xia Yiping, CEO of Ji Yue disclosed via his Weibo account.

Changan X5 PLUS, X7 PLUS hit market

The second generation of the Changan X5 PLUS and the X7 PLUS SUVs officially hit the market on February 20. The X5 PLUS targets young drivers, while the X7 PLUS caters more to family-oriented needs. The X5 PLUS comes in five variants with prices ranging from 91,900 yuan to 110,900 yuan, while the X7 PLUS offers seven variants priced between 93,900 yuan and 128,900 yuan.

SAIC-GM-Wuling lowers price of Wuling Xing Guang PHEV

On Feb. 19, SAIC-GM-Wuling ("SGMW") announced via its official Weibo account that the price of the 150km Advanced Edition of the Wuling Xing Guang PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle) model has been adjusted from 105,800 yuan to 99,800 yuan ("Xing Guang" means "starlight" in Chinese).

Huawei puts supercharging station into operation at SERES Groups industrial park

On Feb. 19, Huawei Digital Power announced on its official WeChat account that the Huawei Supercharging Station has been officially put into operation at SERES Group's industrial park, marking a significant step forward in the comprehensive strategic cooperation between the two companies.

Gotion High-tech, Envision Greenwise to co-build R&D institute in HK for low-carbon tech R&D

Gotion High-tech (HK) Limited ("Gotion High-tech HK"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Gotion High-tech, and Envision Greenwise Holdings Limited ("Envision Greenwise"), a new energy service provider listed on the main board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, recently entered into a cooperation agreement to jointly establish a low-carbon research institute in China's Hong Kong, Gotion High-tech announced via its WeChat account on Feb. 20.

Changan Automobile issues price cut for NEVO A05

Changan Automobile's new energy vehicle range, NEVO, introduced promotional prices on February 19, with the NEVO A05 starting at 78,900 yuan after the price cut.

BAIC, Huawei to launch first co-developed Huawei Smart Selection model in 2024

BAIC BluePark, the parent company of BAIC BJEV, recently addressed investor queries on its interactive platform, confirming plans to launch the first Huawei Smart Selection model, "Xiangjie" (name in Chinese pinyin), this year.

TANK 700 Hi4-T to hit market on Feb. 26

Great Wall Motor's TANK brand officially announced that the TANK 700 Hi4-T off-roader will hit the market on February 26.
McDonald's is giving all makeup-loving fast food fanatics the chance to combine their two passions in spectacular fashion after launching its first-ever line of beauty products.

The fast food giant has teamed up with British beauty brand Nails.INC to create a range of nail products inspired by some of its most famous menu offerings.

For those keen to achieve the perfect McManicure, there is no shortage of items to choose from, with the collaboration including several 'sets' featuring multiple products.

One set features red nail polish in the same shade as the fast food company's iconic branding, as well McDonald's-inspired nail stickers, including, burgers, fries, and the famed golden arches, while another gives customers a French manicure with a French fry twist.

The U.K.-based brand Nails.INC and McDonalds teamed up to launch a nail polish that's inspired by the brand's famous French fries - and soon, you'll be loving it

Have you ever wanted to bring more than your Big Mac home with you from McDonald's? If so, you're in luck, because the fast food chain just launched its very first beauty product

One set features red nail polish and McDonald's-inspired stickers, including, burgers, fries, and the famed golden arches

For those looking for a more subtle manicure, the gold hearts topper polish is a low-key ode to the 'We're lovin' it' slogan, with shimmering gold hearts that look best atop a red nail

The French fries meets French manicure option is $6.99, with fake nails featuring the famous fries. The set includes 30 medium almond nails in a nude shade, as well as fry-free options

The entire fries-inspired set is available for $8.99 online and in store at Target on March 3.

The vegan and cruelty-free mini nail polish shades include Big Mac Please, fittingly in 'burger brown,' and Gotta Ketchup in red.

There's also a French fries-meets-French manicure option for $6.99, with fake nails featuring the famous fries. The set includes 30 medium almond nails in a nude shade, as well as fry-free options.

For those looking for a more subtle manicure, the gold hearts topper polish is a low-key ode to the 'I'm lovin' it' slogan, with shimmering gold hearts that look best atop a red nail.

The limited-edition collection is already making a splash online.

The nail polish company posted about the surprising collaboration and was met with support - although some questioned the purpose of the collection.

'How ridiculous. If only it were April Fools,' one commenter responded.

'I'm loving it,' proved a popular response.

This isn't the first time the manicure brand experimented with limited-edition food collaborations, as they previously teamed up with White Claw, Velveeta and Froot Loops

A model showed off the McDonald's collaboration, complete with the logo on her nails

Customers can show their love for the Big Mac, the French Fries, and even the soft serve with their new nail art

The Big Mac Please shade is fittingly in 'burger brown' and meant to be worn as a French manicure shade to channel French fries

The vegan and cruelty-free mini nail polish shades include Gotta Ketchup in red, as well as a gold glitter option

The nail polish company posted about the surprising collaboration and was met with support - although some questioned the purpose of the collection

One fan remarked, 'Ahh I need this! Love McDonald's.'

Others made suggestions, with one asking, 'No chicken nugget?'

This isn't the first time the manicure brand experimented with limited-edition food collaborations, as they previously teamed up with White Claw, Velveeta, Froot Loops and Cheez-It.

McDonald's is also a fan of the fast food collaboration, and previously partnered with brands Cactus Plant Flea Market and Crocs.

The beauty collaboration with the fast food giant is the most delicious fit.
Australians are sharing the 'simple' changes they made to their day-to-day lives that have had a huge positive effect on their overall health and wellbeing.

From giving themselves screen time limits to changing what they wear to work from home and even scheduling half an hour of silence in their day, Aussies said even the smallest change can make all the difference.

In a Reddit post, someone asked: 'What simple change in your daily routine had an unexpectedly large impact on your life?'. The question received hundreds of answers.

One man said brushing his teeth earlier before going to bed has made his evenings more relaxed.

'It's a psychological trick I play on myself. I just feel so much more relaxed being able to go to bed whenever I want rather than having one last task to do beforehand,' he said.

People are revealing the seemingly insignificant changes they made to their day-to-day lives that made a huge difference to their overall health and wellbeing

Many said they have steered away from screens and technology at night to help them feel calm and sleep better.

'Trying to fall asleep while reading instead of staring at a screen,' one user suggested and another agreed: 'Reading before sleeping helps with insomnia so much more than watching movies on Netflix before sleeping'.

'I keep all my notifications on silent. Except the calls. If it's important they will call, rest can wait,' a third replied.

'Notifications are among the most useless of things we've invented. We do not need to know everything that is happening 100 per cent of the time,' another agreed.

One Aussie found a handy way to keep them on time for meetups and engagements.

'Scheduling to be places 15 minutes early means I am (mostly) on time,' they said.

'I schedule myself half an hour every morning just to sit and drink a cup of tea. Starts my day off on a relaxed and calm note and sets the tone for the rest of the day,' another added.

'Trying to fall asleep while reading instead of staring at a screen,' one user suggested and another agreed claiming it helped them fall asleep easier

Someone said they turned off all their phone notifications: 'They are among the most useless things we've invented. We don't need to know everything happening 100 per cent of the time

'It's so dumb, but making my bed in the morning is a small thing that makes me feel more motivated to stay productive throughout the day,' a third explained.

Others had some tips to make your weekly house clean feel less daunting.

'Clean a little each day rather than cleaning a lot once a week,' one person answered.

'Clean while you cook. So much of cooking is standing around and waiting. Just loading the dishwasher and putting the ingredients away makes a huge difference in your state of mind,' another commented.

'All chores and errands are done during the week so that my weekends are totally free. Yeah it sucks to go grocery shopping on a Thursday after work or stay up until 8pm meal prepping on Monday, but having my weekends free for myself only is life-changing,' a third said.

Some said they had made an effort to switch off from work after clocking off in the afternoon.

'Teacher here. Not bringing work home at all. All the grading and prep are taken care of during contract hours,' one woman said.

One employee recommended getting into your normal work clothing instead of sweat pants or pyjamas to work from home

'Deleting Teams and Outlook from my phone,' another explained.

One employee recommended getting into your normal work clothing instead of sweat pants or pyjamas to work from home.

'I found that when I work from home in sweatpants I am in 'weekend mode' and my productivity is next to zero. Even jeans and a t-shirt help me get into 'work mode',' they said.

Many spoke about how much a little extra physical activity each day has helped them sleep better and lower their stress levels.

'Walking for half an hour every day. Physical activity/exercise is the most efficient and effective way for our bodies to complete the stress cycle so we can rid ourselves of the cumulative effects of stress. 20-60 minutes a day is ideal for most people,' one user answered.

'Stretching for 10 minutes every night before bed. It relaxes my body so that when I get into bed I'm not racked with extreme pain. My average daily pain level has reduced with this as well. Couldn't recommend more,' a second replied.

One man said he even now plays video games while walking on a treadmill to keep moving and another said tracking your daily step count can help you achieve a productive goal throughout the day.
Researchers found more than half of websites were not compliant with GDPR

NHS websites are routinely handing people's health secrets to the likes of Google and Facebook without users' consent, an investigation has revealed.

The tech giants are harvesting the browsing habits of users and using the information to build detailed profiles for each visitor, through which they could target adverts.

The pages viewed are likely to indicate the medical conditions a patient is living with, such as cancer, gambling addiction or more intimate issues like erectile dysfunction, researchers say.

If visited on the same computer as used to access social media accounts, it would even allow 'Big Tech' to build up a complete picture of the user including name, age and address.

Websites track users' browsing habits by placing cookies, or identifiers, on their computer while they surf the internet.

Big Tech companies such as Google or Facebook are harvesting the browsing habits of users and using the information to build detailed profiles for each visitor. This can be used for advertising

Under data protection laws, websites should inform users that they and third-parties are placing these files on their computer and give them the opportunity to refuse. Usually this comes in the form of a pop-up box asking them to 'accept cookies', something that has become increasingly familiar and frustrating to millions.

But new research by digital agency 7DOTS found most health and social care providers in the UK are breaching these regulations.

The company searched public Care Quality Commission records and interrogated the websites of more than 3,500 signed-up organisations, such as hospitals, clinics and GP surgeries.

It then checked whether these sites gave visitors the option to opt out of tracking and whether it honoured these requests.

Analysis revealed 59 per cent of the websites were not compliant with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Under data protection laws, websites should inform users that they and third-parties are placing these files on their computer and give them the opportunity to refuse. Usually this comes in the form of a pop-up box asking them to 'accept cookies' (file image)

Even among the 219 providers that used reputable cookie consent management platforms, 63 per cent ignored opt out requests.

Researchers pointed the finger at web editors who failed to properly configure their sites, rather than anything nefarious, but still expected sensitive health issues to be treated more carefully.

Cookies from Google Analytics were found on 77 per cent of non-compliant sites. Other common vendors included Facebook, Google and YouTube.

GDPR imposes stringent rules on organisations and it is designed to ensure the responsible handling of personal data.

But 7DOTS said the 'widespread compliance failure' raises 'significant concerns' about the safeguarding of patient data.

It also leaves the website owners at risk of hefty fines, even though many will be unaware that there is an issue, it added.

Cori Crider, a director at tech-justice group Foxglove, said: 'These kinds of mistakes are why people don't always feel safe to share their health data for the good of the NHS.

'The NHS badly needs to use data better, but the only way that will ever work is for all parts of the health service to stop flunking the trust test.

'Patients want their private records private - and that means keeping the likes of Google out.'

Sam Smith, from privacy campaign group medConfidential, said: 'It's bad enough that providers wanted to creep on their patients [but] it's indefensible that this is happening on CQC registered providers even when patients decline.'

The investigation found widespread variance in compliance depending on the type of service being offered.

Rehabilitation and substance abuse centres had the highest rate of non-compliance at 92 per cent, while 55 per cent of GP surgeries fell short, as did 52 per cent of hospitals.

Nick Williams, director at 7DOTS, said: 'The results of our study reveal a worrying lack of compliance among healthcare providers.

'This raises significant questions about the safeguarding of patient and other website visitor data.

'This has particular implications given the sensitivities within this sector and the need for patient privacy, particularly for more vulnerable patients such as those in substance recovery centres.'

He added: 'Many healthcare providers will be unaware they even have an issue as the website builds will have been done by external providers.

'But providers could face fines from the Information Commissioner's Office and risk eroding customer trust if the likes of Google and Meta use non compliant data to create ad audiences and target customers with unsolicited and inappropriate communications.'

A spokesperson for the Information Commissioner's Office said: 'People have the right to expect that organisations will handle their information securely and that it will only be used for the purpose they are told.

'Organisations must provide clear and comprehensive information to users when using cookies and similar technologies, especially where sensitive personal information is involved.

'Users must have their choices respected when they opt out of tracking or withhold their consent.'

An NHS spokesperson said: 'NHS trusts and GP practices are responsible for their own websites, and they must follow data protection laws in relation to the use of cookies on their websites.

'The NHS is looking into this issue and will take further action if necessary.'

Facebook and Google, which also owns YouTube, said their rules do not allow firms to target adverts at users based on their medical conditions.

But 7DOTS said the NHS and other care providers could use the information gathered by the cookies to target adverts at people who have previously visited their website.

Allowing a website owner to target someone on the basis they have previously visited their page differs from allowing any firm to pay to target people on the basis of their medical condition.

But this could still cause embarrassment or breach someone's privacy if the adverts are seen by other people who use the same computer or mobile device.
Exposure to the sun's UV rays may have a positive effect on fertility in women aged 30 to 40, say scientists.

The ovaries of women in the 'late reproductive' age range were found to secrete more AMH hormone, which is linked to ovarian function, during the summer.

Researchers studied 2,235 Israeli women and found those whose egg reserves were in decline responded positively to sunlight.

Professor Carmit Levy, of Tel Aviv University, hailed the study as 'pioneering' but said more research will be needed to confirm the findings.

Researchers studied 2,235 Israeli women and found those whose egg reserves were in decline responded positively to sunlight

She said: 'This is very encouraging news for women who are trying to have children later in life.

'We still need to establish how much sunlight a woman needs to get these benefits, but I guess it will be minimal exposure, just enough to start vitamin D production.'

The study comes after a separate study on mice by the same team that found that sun exposure increases metabolism and sexual appetite, enlarges the ovaries and extends the fertility period.

Poorer women endure labour pains more than the rich because they may fear discrimination for not being able to tolerate agony during childbirth Advertisement

'Humans are not the same as mice, but we are animals and our hairless nature makes us even more sensitive to solar radiation,' said Dr Levy.

'Our research suggests that the female reproductive system is indeed more fertile in the summer, but we still have no information on the mechanism or actual success rates.'

For women aged 20-29, no relationship was found between UV exposure and AMH level.

Researcher Dr Ruth Percik said this may be because younger women have ample egg reserves and don't need 'sun signals' to boost their fertility.

She said: 'Women at the onset of their reproductive age are less in need of signals from the sun, which affect hormonal pathways that have not yet been sufficiently studied.

'They are less impacted or dependent on the forces of nature in the context of fertility.

'In contrast, older ovaries need optimal environmental factors in order to function.

'In fact, this effect was even more pronounced among women aged 35 and older.

'Of course, there are caveats: exposure to the sun's UV radiation should always be done in moderation, and further research is required to determine whether such exposure actually helps fertility, and how much exposure is needed.'

Other studies have shown that excessive exposure to the sun can damage the skin, eyes and immune system.
The Biden administration will dish out nearly $6 billion to states and territories to help strip toxic chemicals from the countrys drinking water sources.

The cash will fund state-run programs designed to remove dangerous lead pipes from the estimated 10 million homes that have them and upgrade ailing wastewater treatment systems that fail to adequately clean water and make it safe to drink.

Over $1 billion will also go toward removing 'forever chemicals' - which have been linked to cancer and fertility issues - amid growing concern about the toxins.

The administration is channeling funding from President Joe Bidens $1 trillion infrastructure bill passed in his first year in office.

Almost half of all tap water sources in the US are laced with toxic PFAS forever chemicals, which economists estimate are costing the US healthcare system between $5 billion and $63 billion annually.

More than 70 million Americans have drinking water that has tested positive for toxic 'forever chemicals', research has shown

The administration will give states the authority to choose how exactly which water system improvement projects will be funded

The nations drinking water infrastructure has consistently earned below-average grades from civil engineers, a product of decades of underfunding and the ravages of climate change.

The Biden administration is touting the latest tranche of money as the largest investment in clean water in American history.

Vice President Kamala Harris and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan will formally unveil the plans at an event in Pittsburgh on Tuesday.

She said ahead of the event: President Biden and I believe that every person in our country should have a right to clean water no matter where they live or how much money they make.

With this investment, we are continuing our urgent work to remove every lead pipe in the country and ensure that every American has access to safe and reliable drinking water.

The federal government will not decide how the total $5.8 billion will be spent.

Instead, the money will be divvied up among states which will then have the authority to pick the water improvement projects that will receive funding.

EPA will oversee $3.2 billion given to states via the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, which aims to enhance water treatment facilities and modernize distribution networks and pipelines.

Part of that investment will include $1 billion to construct seven major Rural Water Projects to deliver new clean drinking water supplies to rural communities.

The funding can also be used to replace toxic lead pipes. While new lead pipes were banned in the 1980s, an estimated 12.8 million of them still remain in buildings across the country.

Lead is a neurotoxin that, even in small amounts, can cause neurological damage and developmental delays in children.

Additionally, lead exposure can affect other systems in the body, such as the cardiovascular, renal, and reproductive systems.

The Biden administration set a goal in 2021 to replace all of the countrys lead service lines within the decade, but the cost has always been a barrier.

Still, local governments have shown that it can be done.

Pittsburgh has received $42 million already to repair its lead pipe problem via 2021s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The city has successfully replaced over 16,000 lead service lines equating to more than 59 miles.

The total allocation for water system improvements as part of President Biden's massive 2021 infrastructure bill comes to $50 billion. The $5.8 billion announced Tuesday comes from that package

While new lead pipes are banned, there are still between nine and 13 million pipes in buildings across the country. Map courtesy of the NRDC

The latest testing showed that lead levels have fallen to a historic low  3.58 parts per billion  far below the state and federal threshold of 15 ppb.

The remaining $2.6 billion will be distributed to states as part of the Clean Water State Revolving Fund for a range of projects to improve wastewater, sanitation, and stormwater infrastructure. This includes $1 billion for efforts to strip out PFAS chemicals and other contaminants from the water system.

The initiative to remedy the PFAS problem will face an uphill batter. The forever chemicals used in manufacturing to give raincoats, cookware, and food packaging their water and oil-repellant qualities stay embedded in the environment for centuries before they break down.

The White House said: Additionally, thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, 100% of funding to remove emerging contaminants like PFAS will be provided as grants or forgivable loans, greatly reducing barriers for all communities with PFAS contamination.

Almost half of all tap water sources in the US are laced with PFAS. The microplastics leech into the water supply when nonstick cookware is washed, through runoff from manufacturing plants and military bases, from firefighting foam, and landfills.
Globally, cases last year were already up 79 percent to more than 300,000

More than half the world's countries will be at high or very high risk of measles outbreaks by the end of the year unless urgent action is taken, the World Health Organization has warned.

Cases of the once-eradicated disease have been increasing across the world - including in the US and UK - because of falling vaccination rates.

The crisis has been attributed to disruptions to healthcare and school vaccine programs during the pandemic, as well as the rise of anti-vax disinformation.

The WHO's Natasha Crowcroft, senior technical adviser on measles and rubella, told a Geneva press briefing today: 'What we are worried about is this year, 2024, we've got these big gaps in our immunization programs and if we don't fill them really quickly with the vaccine, measles will just jump into that gap.

'We can see, from data that's produced with WHO data by the CDC, that more than half of all the countries in the world are going to be at high or very high risk of outbreaks by the end of this year.'

Cold-like symptoms, such as a fever, cough and a runny or blocked nose, are usually the first signal of measles

The above shows year-by-year cases of measles in the United States

Death rates are higher in poorer countries due to weaker health systems, Crowcroft said, adding that outbreaks and deaths were also a risk for middle and high income countries.

'We had many measles outbreaks around the world and middle income countries really suffered. And we're worried that 2024 is going to look like 2019,' she said.

Globally, cases last year were already up 79 percent to more than 300,000, according to WHO data - which are thought to represent just a fraction of the total due to a lack of testing in some parts of the world.

Outbreaks have been reported in all WHO regions with the exception of the Americas although, Crowcroft warned that these were to be expected.

Last month, Georgia confirmed its first infected patient in nearly four years, joining 11 other states that have reported cases in 2024: Arizona, California, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York City, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.

There have been a total of at least 20 cases reported in the US this year, while 41 were confirmed last year, and there are indications vaccination rates among children - the population at highest risk of illness - have reached new lows

Nationwide, nearly four percent of children entering kindergarten last year were unvaccinated against MMR, the lowest rate since the 2013-14 school year, raising the odds of seeing a tidal wave of infections.

In the UK, measles cases have soared to the highest levels in more than a decade, official figures show.

The above graph shows the number of cases logged each month in 2023 for England (orange line) and London (black line)

Latest UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) data revealed 118 people have contracted the virus in England in the first week of February  half as many as for the entire month of January.

The total number of confirmed cases is now 465  higher than the last major outbreak in 2013.

Measles is a highly contagious, airborne virus that mostly affects children under five years old.

The measles symptoms YOU need to know about Measles typically starts with cold-like symptoms, followed by a rash a few days later, with some people developing small spots in their mouth. The symptoms include A high temperature

A runny or blocked nose

Sneezing

A cough

Red, sore, watery eyes

Rash (a few days after cold-like symptoms)

White spots in the mouth Advertisement

It can be prevented by two doses of the MMR vaccine and more than 57 million deaths have been averted since 2000, according to the WHO and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The recommended two doses of the MMR vaccine are 97 percent effective against measles, the CDC reports.

One dose is 93 percent effective.

But measles vaccination rates have been declining, with more young children entering schools unvaccinated.

Millions may have missed vaccinations during the COVID-19 pandemic when health systems were overwhelmed and fell behind on routine vaccinations for preventable diseases.

For the 2022-2023 school year, three percent of American kindergartners had a vaccine exemption from one or more required vaccines - an increase from 2.6 percent during the 2021-2022 school year and the highest the US has ever recorded.

According to the WHO and CDC, estimated measles cases increased 18 percent from 7.8million in 2021 to 9.2million in 2022.

Estimated deaths from the virus increased 43 percent between 2021 and 2022 to 136,200.

Over the past two decades, however, the estimated number of measles cases decreased 75 percent, from 36million in 2000 to 9.2million in 2022.

And the estimated annual number of measles deaths declined 82 percent, from 772,900 in 2000 to 136,200 in 2022.
Health chiefs have been worried by reports the drug is being used recreationally

ive products will now only available with a prescription after a GP appointment

Codeine-containing cough syrups are being restricted over fears people are getting addicted to the powerful drug.

All codeine linctus products  which were available over-the-counter for as little as 3  are now prescription-only.

Drug watchdogs are concerned about rising cases of serious, and sometimes fatal, side effects.

Health chiefs are also worried by reports that the drug is being used recreationally for its powerful opioid effects in 'Purple Drank'  a mixture containing codeine and soda.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), which polices the safety of drugs used in Britain, said it was aware that pressure was being put on pharmacists to sell codeine to addicts.

All codeine linctus products  which were available over-the-counter for as little as 3  are now prescription-only. Drug watchdogs are concerned about rising cases of serious, and sometimes fatal, side effects. The MHRA said the move would only affect five products: Codeine Linctus BP, Bell's healthcare codeine linctus, Care codeine, Galcodine Linctus, Pulmo Bailly

Figures released by the Office for National Statistics ( ONS ), and cited by the MHRA, revealed deaths involving codeine more than doubled in a decade, jumping from 88 in 2011 to 200 in 2021. The drugs watchdog has also received three case reports describing addiction specifically with codeine linctus

Codeine is an opioid  a class of painkillers in the same family as morphine, heroin and fentanyl.

Like with other opioids, people can become addicted.

Codeine linctus is recommended to ease the symptoms of a dry cough in adults and children over the age of 12 with no breathing difficulties.

The MHRA said the move would only affect five products: Codeine Linctus BP, Bell's healthcare codeine linctus, Care codeine, Galcodine Linctus, Pulmo Bailly.

Other over-the-counter codeine products, such as tablets containing the painkiller, are not be affected.

It followed an MHRA consultation involving almost 1,000 responses.

HOW MUCH CODEINE CAN A PERSON TAKE AND STILL BE ABLE TO DRIVE? Drug-drive laws state that people with more than 80 micrograms of codeine per litre of blood in their systems are eligible for a penalty. How much codeine is in popular painkiller brands? Nurofen Plus - 12.8mg

Solpadeine - 12.8mg

Boots own brand - 12.8mg

Migraleve - 8mg

Syndol - 8mg The amount of each medication people can take before breaking drug-drive legislations varies according to the individual. This is due to laws working on a codeine per litre of blood basis. Drug levels per litre of blood vary according to factors such as an individual's tolerance, gender, weight and muscle amount, as well as if they are taking any other treatments. Manufacturers therefore advise people follow the instructions on medications' labels and do not drive if they feel dizzy, sleepy, or unable to concentrate or make decisions. Advertisement

Figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), and cited by the MHRA, revealed deaths involving codeine more than doubled in a decade, jumping from 88 in 2011 to 200 in 2021.

The drugs watchdog has also received three case reports describing addiction specifically with codeine linctus.

Dr Alison Cave, chief safety officer at MHRA, said: 'Patient safety is our top priority.

'Codeine linctus is an effective medicine for long term dry cough, but as it is an opioid, its misuse and abuse can have major health consequences.'

She added: 'Codeine addiction can be a gradual process. If you have been taking it for a long time and want to stop, you can talk to your healthcare provider and reduce the amount you take slowly.

'If you feel that you are addicted or have concerns for someone who has been using codeine linctus for too long, you can seek advice on the NHS website.

'Support groups and self-help groups are also available such as Talk to FRANK.'

Pharmacy bodies today welcomed the move to reclassify the drug, revealing pharmacists 'often experience aggression from patients' when refusing to supply the medicine.

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society's president Professor Claire Anderson said: 'This decision not only addresses concerns about the misuse and addictive potential of codeine linctus but also underscores the importance of prioritising patient well-being.

'Many community pharmacists already no longer stock codeine linctus due to concerns about addiction and abuse.

'Those that do provide it often experience aggression from patients if they refuse a sale because in their clinical judgement it's not appropriate to supply the medicine.'

Meanwhile, Dr Leyla Hannbeck, chief executive of the Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies (AIMP), added: 'Reports form the General Pharmaceutical Council have indicated several issues related to obtaining codeine linctus from online pharmacy channels.

'Community pharmacies are best placed to seek advice from regarding medicines and they have robust processes in place to manage the risk with inappropriate use of medicines, but the ability to obtain from different channels have been impedance to managing the addiction associate with codeine linctus.

'We hope that by reclassifying this medicine to prescription only it will reduce the chances of abuse and addiction associated with this opioid medicine.

Michelle Riddalls, chief executive of consumer healthcare association PAGB, which represents the manufacturers of over-the-counter medicines, also supported the move.

She said: 'Patient safety and wellbeing is paramount for manufacturers'.

'The decision to reclassify codeine linctus demonstrates that the reclassification system is effective; this will ensure that people are only able to access medicines that allow them to self-care safely.'
Britain suffered just a third of the total excess deaths previously estimated in 2023, it was revealed today.

Fresh analysis of official statistics show 20,000 fewer deaths than expected occurred in the UK last year.

Tolls for 2020 and 2021  at the height of the Covid crisis  were also revised downwards.

Despite the recalculation, the overall excess death figure remained close to 76,000 during the first year of the pandemic.

This was 8,000 below previous estimates but still way above levels seen in the decade prior, showing Covid did still cripple the nation but not to the extent first thought.

Fresh analysis of official statistics show 20,000 fewer deaths than expected occurred in the UK last year. Tolls for 2020 and 2021  at the height of the Covid crisis  were also revised downwards. Despite the recalculation, the overall excess death figure remained close to 76,000 during the first year of the pandemic

This was 8,000 below previous estimates but still way above levels seen in the decade prior, showing Covid did still cripple the nation but not to the extent first thought. Excess deaths are considered the most accurate way of measuring Covid's true impact because they cover deaths missed by testing and collateral fatalities. It is also considered the most consistent way to measure pandemic death tolls recording varies massively between countries

Excess deaths are considered the most accurate way of measuring Covid's true impact because they cover deaths missed by testing and collateral fatalities.

It is also considered the most consistent way to measure pandemic death tolls recording varies massively between countries.

Traditionally the figures were calculated by comparing the number of deaths in a year with the average number over the previous five years.

But now the Office for National Statistics (ONS) adjusts the rates to capture trends relating to age and population changes.

Under the new calculations, there were an estimated 10,994 excess deaths in the UK in 2023  around a third of the original 31,442.

How Britain suffered almost 30,000 fewer excess deaths during the pandemic than previously thought 2020 Current Method: 84,064 New Method: 76,412 2021 Current Method: 61,907 New Method: 55,079 2022 Current Method: 38,960 New Method: 43,456 2023 Current Method: 31,442 New Method: 10,994 Advertisement

Estimates for the first two years of the pandemic, however, show less of a difference.

Some 76,412 excess deaths were logged in 2020 under the new method, compared with 84,064 using traditional calculations.

And 55,079 excess deaths are now thought to have occurred in 2021, compared with 61,907.

But the new estimate for 2022 (43,456) is slightly higher than previously thought (38,960).

At the time, experts blamed surging rates of cardiovascular disease as one of the leading causes of excess deaths.

NHS bosses warned the knock-on effects on the health service were contributing to ambulance and A&E delays.

Anti-vaxxers, meanwhile, have wrongly claimed excess deaths are down to Covid vaccines  despite scientists proving their fears are bogus.

Julie Stanborough, ONS deputy director for health data and analysis, said the traditional approach did not take into account 'more people means more deaths'.

This approach also failed to reflect trends in population mortality rates, 'which were generally falling until 2011 before levelling off until the onset of the pandemic'.

However, due to differences in how excess death data is logged, comparing the updated ONS figures with other countries is difficult.

In the first two years of the pandemic, the UK logged an extra 126.8 deaths than expected per 100,000 people.

This ranked the nation in 13th place out of 33 countries included in the most recent ONS analysis, done in 2022.

For comparison, the pandemic caused the smallest spike in deaths in Iceland, where there was just an extra one death per 100,000 people.

At the other end of the scale, Bulgaria logged an additional 647.3 per 100,000 people than expected.

According to the fresh ONS analysis, the highest number of excess deaths estimated over the nine years before the pandemic was 30,858 in 2015.

A 2022 analysis of excess deaths across Europe by the Office for National Statistics, suggests Scandinavia fared better than the UK. In the first two years of the pandemic, the UK recorded an extra 126.8 deaths placing it in 13th position

This is below the new estimates for each of the three years from 2020-22, but some way above the 10,994 excess deaths estimated for 2023, when the worst of Covid had blown over.

Both the traditional and new methods of estimating excess deaths show weekly peaks that coincide with the first two waves of the Covid pandemic, which hit the UK in the spring of 2020 and the winter of 2020/21.

Along with adjustments for population size, ageing and mortality rates, a further change to the way excess deaths are calculated has had a particular impact on the sharp difference between the new and previous estimates for 2023.

In the traditional method, 2020  the first year of the Covid pandemic  was excluded from subsequent comparisons, to avoid distortion due to the extremely high number of registered deaths.

This meant that the five-year average used for estimating excess deaths in 2022 was 2016-19 plus 2021, while in 2023 it was 2017-19 plus 2021-22.

The new approach is more precise in the way it treats Covid, removing from its comparisons the individual months that coincided with the peaks of the first wave (March and April 2020) and second wave (November 2020 to February 2021), rather than omitting the whole of 2020.

This change has made a 'notable contribution' to the new estimates for both 2022 and 2023, the ONS said.
Enrolling in a free digital skills bootcamp could help people push into jobs that pay 55 per cent more than the national average wage, research claims.

Government-backed bootcamps, which were initially launched in 2021, are intended to fill gaps in entry level recruitment for technology companies, as the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology looks to maintain the growth of the UK's tech sector.

Research by Barclays Eagle Labs and Beauhurst, funded by a digital growth grant from DSIT, indicates that some who complete the bootcamps could find themselves earning more than 70,000 in cloud computing fields, more than twice the national average wage.

Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan speaks to Arin Ososanya, as the government launches its enrolment drive for digital skills bootcamps

The digital skills bootcamps are part of a bundle of fully-funded courses, lasting up to 16 weeks, that are offered around the country, covering subjects such as HGV driving, project management and construction.

The courses are open to those over 19 who have the right to work in the UK, live in England and meet residency requirements. Critically, these courses don't require any previous knowledge or qualifications, just a good grasp of English.

Within the tech sector, the Government is launching a drive to increase enrolment in its digital skills courses, with the upskilling programme intended to boost 'five priority skills' where there are gaps in entry-level recruitment in the tech sector: cloud computing, cybersecurity, software development, data and analytics and web development.

Barclays Eagle Labs' study shows that demand for junior recruits in the tech industry has risen since 2022, although it noted that tech job adverts as a whole decreased in 2023.

Michelle Donelan, Technology Secretary, told This is Money: 'Technology is changing our labour market needs and our economy and the way that we live, we are going to need to learn to have a different approach to education.

'We need to develop a culture of lifelong learning and the ability of people to be able to reskill and upskill, to be able to move into different areas and different sectors.

'And that's why things like bootcamps are so fundamentally important as an enabling tool for people to be able to do that.'

Beyond just upskilling, the bootcamps are intended to help people find jobs in their chosen sector, with each person guaranteed a job interview with an employer after completing the course, Donelan said.

'The success rate is roughly about 50 per cent [for these interviews],' the technology secretary said, 'but obviously, in the longer term, it'll be much higher because you get this and you put it on your CV and it will unlock opportunities afterwards.'

'We want people to be able to unlock these jobs,' she added.

Bootcamp helped me get Google UX certificate

For Arin Ososanya, the tech bootcamp enabled her to build a career as a community manager and lead user experience designer at Next Tech Girls.

Despite studying economics and Spanish at university, Arin found a passion for UX design that she knew could not be satisfied by her choice of degree.

'Throughout my degree, I enrolled in different hackathons. I did Google's Black Googler Network hackathon, which my team won, and that really encouraged me to keep going with seeking out tech opportunities,' she told This is Money.

The skills bootcamps include courses on cloud computing, cybersecurity, software development, data and analytics and web development

'I did try to do the Google UX certificate on my own, as a student during my time at university, but it was hard because I was juggling my full-time degree in a non-tech-related field, learning a course online by myself.'

Enrolling in the bootcamp after graduating, however, Arin found that the 16 week programme allowed her to complete the Google certificate as part of a community, one that she 'lacked when I was trying to do it on my own.'

Another benefit Arin found was the flexibility of the course offerings.

'It was self paced,' she said, 'The flexibility helped because I already was working nine to five at my internship. So I, I had to fit it into my schedule.'

'I would try and wake up by like five in the morning and then do it between six and eight, and then go to work for my internship.'

Adie Nunn secured a role at BAE Systems Digital Intelligence after completing a skills bootcamp in coding

According to Donelan, the bootcamp courses are designed to be as accessible as possible, with the 16 week programmes allowing people to learn skills over a short period, without having to make the same time commitments they would need to for other educational opportunities.

The courses, many of which are offered online, are also available for those on Universal Credit, which you can continue to claim during the course. With the bootcamps being free, they are available to those that are priced out of university and private courses.

'One thing that I really appreciated about the programme was the accessibility of it, and the fact that it was fully funded, so someone who perhaps can't afford to pay for university can still access the information,' Arin said.

The enrolment drive, Donelan said, is 'about broadening people's horizons, making sure that they know that these opportunities, and these doors are not close to them. That this course is free and is accessible.'

'It gives you that short, sharp burst of skills and expertise to then go on and get a job or an apprenticeship in these areas and have a career path and something that is highly rewarding and an area that is going to grow in importance.'

Another success story, Adie Nunn, completed a web development bootcamp with School of Code, before scoring a role with BAE Systems Digital Intelligence.

Prior to enrolling, Adie had worked as an event promoter and as front of house for pop-up events.

'I was interested in computers and tech from a young age,' She said, 'But, without a computer science degree  and having failed my highers in maths and computing at school  I never thought a career in tech would be possible.'

'After jumping between roles and being made redundant in the pandemic, I gave the School of Code bootcamp a go and have never looked back.

'The technical and soft skills I developed on the course were crucial in securing my current role as a software engineer at BAE Systems Digital Intelligence where I get to work on fascinating, challenging projects.'
Running an investment bank in parallel with a consumer finance operation is always a big ask.

JP Morgan is the exemplar in the US, but the jury is out on Barclays, which like much of the FTSE 100, suffers from a weak market capitalisation.

Chief executive CS Venkatakrishnan, known as Venkat, has been struggling with the issue since taking the helm in November 2021 after the ignominious departure of Jes Staley.

Venkat, like Staley, has an investment banking background. He is personally frustrated that Barclays fails to reap credit for being the only full service investment bank in Europe which punches above its weight in the City and across the world.

Moreover, for all of the ill-placed criticism of the sub-quality of earnings from bids and deals, debt issuance and trading, it has been a terrific generator of earnings for Barclays.

Plan: Barclays boss CS Venkatakrishnan (pictured) aims to utilise the group's position as the largest non US-based investment bank, operating across leading global financial centres

At a time when Londons financial sector is seen as having lost lustre, stakeholders should be grateful that Barclays is still standing.

Credit Suisse has collapsed in far the most significant bank failure since the great financial crisis. Deutsche Bank has suffered from years of losses and its reputation as an investment bank to be trusted has been eroded.

Barclays, in Venkats words, runs an investment bank that is globally competitive, the biggest and most successful not domiciled in the US.

His courageous plan is to rebuild confidence in a banking brand scarred by scandal and CEO changes, and to continue to grow investment banking but place more focus on everything else that Barclays does.

That means a big reorganisation, putting increased heft into wealth management (a parallel with Goldman and UBS) as well as retail consumer banking on both sides of the Atlantic. Barclays has a recognised but tarnished brand and Venkat wants to restore the sheen.

In the effort to shift the banks valuation, he is proposing to sell a non-core payments arm, speed up cost cuts and reward investors. Tech and AI make reductions in outgoings more possible.

There is a headline-grabbing pledge of returning 10billion to shareholders over the next three years in addition to a recent 3billion of buybacks.

This has the extra benefit of reducing the amount of stock in circulation  always useful when there is such a big gap between the way the market values a company and the underlying worth of its assets.

Way to go.

What recession?

The job of the Opposition is to keep the Government on its toes.

Yet one cannot be alone in thinking that the glee with which Labour pounced upon data showing the UK in a mild, technical recession is unseemly, with the Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves declaring the UK is in a spiral of economic decline.

One understands that in an election year this might be regarded as fair game. But words and headlines have consequences.

Confidence is zapped, consumers dont spend and businesses curtail investment plans.

It is encouraging that Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey, who a year ago was forecasting the longest recession in UK history, conceded in Commons testimony that the slowdown is the most shallow since the 1970s.

Office for Budget Responsibility forecasts, to be released with the budget on March 6, are expected to show a lively bounce back in 2024 and beyond.

The official arbiters of American recession, the US Bureau of Economic Analysis, only declares such an event when the depth, diffusion, and duration of decline can be shown. QED.

Easy kills

As Currys largest shareholder, with 14.6 per cent of the equity across all its funds, Redwheel is going to have a big say in what becomes of Britains last free standing electronics retailer.

It backs the boards decision to firmly reject the first passing shot from Elliott Advisors (UK).

Redwheel expresses frustration that UK asset managers are choosing to reallocate holdings to US equities where valuations are historically high with poor returns.

This leads to a doom loop which causes depressed valuations on the FTSE 350 and makes the City a happy hunting ground for overseas predators.

That much we know. Redwheel calls for unspecified action by the UK authorities to incentivise investors.

Abolishing stamp duty on share trades might be a start but easing the tax regime on dividends and capital gains could be game changers.

Are you listening Chancellor?
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On Feb. 19, Huawei Digital Power announced on its official WeChat account that the Huawei Supercharging Station has been officially put into operation at SERES Group's industrial park, marking a significant step forward in the comprehensive strategic cooperation between the two companies.

As the first supercharging station at SERES Group's industrial park, the Huawei Liquid-cooled Supercharging Station is equipped with two supercharging piles and ten fast charging piles, with a single-gun output of up to 600kW, meeting the requirements of high-power fast charging.

Huawei supercharging station at SERES Group's park; photo credit: Huawei Digital Power

Huawei stated that it will continue to increase R&D and technology investment to build a smart charging network solution that is "loved by car owners, trusted by operators, and friendly to the grid." It will also accelerate the construction of high-quality charging infrastructure and jointly build an ecosystem with car companies, operators and other parties to achieve the goal of "high-quality charging wherever there is a road."

In January of this year, SERES Group and Huawei Digital Power signed a comprehensive strategic cooperation agreement in Shenzhen. The two parties will carry out comprehensive strategic cooperation in the fields of intelligent electric vehicle components, development and application of new energy vehicle (NEV) platform technologies, NEV charging network construction and operation, and NEV internationalization.

According to the agreement, the two parties will focus on deepening cooperation in various domains.

In the area of the intelligent electric vehicle components, they planned to jointly develop and manufacture components and products such as electric drives, onboard charging, range extenders, intelligent photovoltaics, chassis integration systems, brake-by-wire system, and all-in-one drive systems.

On the front of the innovation and cost reduction, they aimed to achieve overall vehicle innovation and cost reduction through E2E (end-to-end) technology innovation and scale deployment, and accelerate the commercialization of intelligent electric vehicle solutions.

Regarding the joint development of products and technologies, they would jointly create highly competitive products and technology solutions to provide consumers with exceptional product experience.

In the field of the charging network supercharging alliance and services, the duo would work together to promote the deployment of the NEV charging and supercharging network and achieve platform interoperability.

As for the international cooperation, the two parties would jointly promote the international development of technologies and market expansion of global-oriented products.
We have just moved into a new-build rental property. When we moved in, there was no in-home monitor device to be used with the smart meter.

British Gas is refusing to supply one, since the smart meters were installed in 2021 when the flats were built. Apparently there is a rule that they aren't required to replace smart meters after the first year of use.

It also cannot tell me for sure whether an in home device would have ever been supplied to the property - and if it was, it sounds likely that the building developers were given them and never handed them over to new residents.

Having a smart meter monitor is essential for us to keep track of energy spending in real time. The app is insufficient.

British Gas say it won't replace a smart meter display if it has been fitted over 12 months ago

We have spoken to the British Gas online chat agents twice, and were referred to the complaints department. They said their policy was that after 12 months of installation, they will not provide monitoring devices.

It seems that past their phone complaints team there is no one else to speak to at British Gas. The call handler advised me they can raise a complaint, but they have to close it immediately. As the complaint is based on 'company policy' they say there is nothing at all they can do.

If you could help in any way it would be greatly appreciated. A.S via email

Harvey Dorset of This is Money replies: This is not the first time we have seen a supplier refuse to give a smart meter display to a customer in whose property a smart meter was installed more than 12 months ago.

While your smart meter will still be providing readings to British Gas, it means you are not able to track your energy use.

In theory, the in-home displays should stay at the property, as they are paired with the smart meter and cannot be used elsewhere.

But inevitably homeowners find themselves moving into a property that has a smart meter, where no monitor has been left by the previous owners.

In your case, you think the developers of the property must have been given the meters - but for whatever reason, have not passed them on.

Lots of energy firms won't automatically provide a new smart meter if the first one breaks or goes missing after 12 months - though it is always worth asking.

British Gas offers an app on which you can track your energy usage, but this doesn't provide information in real time in the same way as the smart meter.

For many, one of the main reasons for having a smart meter installed is the ease of having an in-home display. This is especially the case for those who do not have a smartphone.

Smart meters were first introduced in 2011 as a way of helping households stay in control of their energy bills, and have been installed in homes ever since, replacing more traditional meters.

More than 30 million households in the UK now have a functioning smart meter and the Government wants to see smart meters in 80 per cent of households by 2025.

According to British Gas, they are happy to supply a smart meter display to customers for free if the meter has been fitted within the last 12 months.

But beyond that cut-off point, British Gas says it cannot replace it.

I spoke to British Gas regarding your case and the reasons they have refused to provide you with a new smart meter.

In this case, I am pleased to hear that British Gas has been in touch with you, both to apologise and to inform you that they will provide you with an in-home display.

'I have an appointment for an engineer to deliver an in-home monitor - so I'll be able to start accurately monitoring my energy usage which will really help with budgeting,' you told me.

A spokesperson from British Gas said: 'Weve spoken with A.S to apologise for the delay in sending an in-home display after she recently moved into the property. We have arranged for an engineer to visit to provide one.'
Plus500 has revealed shareholder payouts worth $175million (139million) in buybacks and dividends after annual profits beat expectations.

The FTSE 250-listed Israeli stock trading platform reported a core profit of $340.5million for 2023, down from $453.8million the previous year but significantly ahead of market expectations of $300million.

This was despite revenue for the year slumping 13 per cent to 726.2million on more subdued trading volumes.

The FTSE 250-listed Israeli firm reported shareholder payouts worth $175million (139million) in buybacks and dividends after beating annual profit expectations





But the group has lined up $100million worth of new share buyback programmes and $75million worth of dividends.

Boss David Zruia praised strategic progress made last year, which saw the expansion of its US futures businesses, the launch a new retail FX trading platform in Japan and Plus500's portfolio of global regulatory licences extended to 13.

He added: 'During the period, we achieved a record high average deposit per active customer reflecting our on-going focus on higher value customers and the intuitive nature and reliability of our market-leading technology.

'All of this strategic progress has led to our FY 2023 results being significantly ahead of market expectations'

Plus500 operates a trading platform for financial products including shares, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), indices, commodities and currencies across 60 markets in UK, Europe and Asia.

During the year, the company added a share dealing platform, a new line of business offering futures and options, a new retail trading platform in Japan, and more global regulatory licences.

In August, the firm reported that its profits slump in the first half of 2023 which was marked by 'quieter' trading volumes, reflecting a normalisation after online trading boomed during the pandemic and in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine war.

Following the trading update, Plus500 shares were down 1.53 per cent to 18.03 in Tuesday morning trading.
AstraZeneca boss Pascal Soriot scooped his biggest-ever pay deal last year  taking his total earnings to 135million during his 12-year tenure.

The pharmaceutical giants long-standing chief executive earned 16.9million in 2023  the fifth year in a row that he has taken home more than 15million.

Soriot, 64, has been credited with turning the London-listed drug makers fortunes around.

Since he took the reins in October 2012, AstraZenecas share price has more than tripled, adding 115billion to its value.

And he oversaw the development of the firms Covid-19 vaccine that allowed lockdowns to be lifted during the pandemic.

Pay deal: AstraZeneca boss Pascal Soriot earned 16.9 m in 2023  the fifth year in a row that he has taken home more than 15m

But critics said Soriot earns too much  around 1,000 times more than a minimum wage worker and 100 times more than many AstraZeneca employees.

The French businessman is in line for an even bigger pay day of 18.9million this year.

However, a scenario outlined in the firms annual report showed the total amount could be boosted to as much as 25million if the shares were to rise by 50 per cent.

High Pay Centre spokesman Andrew Speke said: While having effective leadership is clearly necessary for managing a company the size of AstraZeneca, its also fair to question whether Pascal Soriots contribution to [the firm] has really been that much greater than many of his colleagues whose expertise and hard work are likely to have also played a major role in the companys success.

But analysts said Soriot was the driving force behind Astra Zenecas transformation.

The fact that AstraZeneca remains a major global player is testament to the chief executive, his management team and the strategy thus far, said Richard Hunter, investment director at Interactive Investor.

AstraZenecas profits hit 5.5billion in 2023, up from 1.9billion a year earlier, as sales rose 3 per cent to 36.3billion. Soriots pay packet for last year included his 1.4million base salary, a 2.8million bonus and 12.3million from AstraZenecas long-term incentive plan.

The businessman also received 140,000 in benefits and a 157,000 pension allowance.

Pay has been a constant source of controversy for the pharmaceutical firms boss.

After making 13million in 2018, Soriot complained that he was the lowest-paid chief executive in the whole industry after bosses of rival biotech firms overseas earned more.

AstraZeneca was also rocked by a pay row in 2021 when almost 40 per cent of shareholder votes were cast against hiking Soriots total remuneration to a maximum of 17.8million.

At the time, the board said that the chief executive was worth the cash, pointing to the remarkable turnaround since he had taken over, with supporters agreeing the changes to prevent him from being poached.

Shareholders also revolted over pay at the companys annual general meetings in 2014, 2017 and 2018.

Executive pay is back in the spotlight over concerns that higher-paying US firms could poach top UK executives.

The London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) is reportedly preparing to almost double the potential earnings of its boss David Schwimmer from 6.25million to 11million.

Julia Hoggett, who runs the stock market arm of LSEG, warned last year that British firms must pay more to attract top talent. She said: The alternative is we continue standing idly by as our biggest exports become skills, talent, tax revenue and the companies that generate it.

AstraZeneca shares fell 2.1 per cent, or 214 p, to 10,204 p.
The Body Shop will close nearly half of its UK stores and axe hundreds of jobs as it battles for survival.

The company had 198 shops in Britain and 2,200 staff when it tumbled into administration last week in a major blow to the High Street.

In a bleak update yesterday, the administrators said the store estate is no longer viable following years of unprofitability.

The statement from FRP Advisory added: As an immediate step, seven stores will close today, with additional closures to follow. It is expected that at the conclusion of the restructuring, more than half of The Body Shops 198 stores will remain open.

That set the scene for up to 98 store closures across the country.

Collapse: The Body Shop had 198 shops in Britain and 2,200 staff when it tumbled into administration last week in a major blow to the High Street

The seven shut immediately included sites in Bristol, Nuneaton in Warwickshire and Ashford in Kent as well as four in London at Canary Wharf, Cheapside, Oxford Street and Surrey Quays.

The administrators also announced plans to cut 40per cent of staff at the skincare retailers head office at London Bridge. This represents around 300 redundancies out of a 700-plus workforce.

There will now be a renewed focus on online sales as it seeks to return to financial stability.

The collapse of The Body Shop comes nearly half a century after it was set up in Brighton in 1976 by Anita Roddick before becoming a firm favourite of the middle classes.

Announcing the shake-up, FRP said: This swift action will help re-energise The Body Shops iconic brand and provide it with the best platform to achieve its ambition to be a modern, dynamic beauty brand that is able to return to profitability and compete for the long term.

The stores that shut yesterday had the highest rents and other bills.

The Body Shop has suffered from declining sales amid warnings that it had lost its way in recent years.

Roddick and her husband Gordon faced criticism when they sold the company to LOreal for 652million in 2006. A year later, Roddick died aged 64 after a brain haemorrhage.

Under LOreals ownership, the firm saw its business model shift slightly, with production moving to the Philippines and discounts used to drive sales.

After increased international expansion, in 2017 the business was bought by Natura & Co, the Brazilian owners of Avon who specialised in direct-to-consumer sales, for 880million.

Six years later, in November 2023, the company shifted ownership again, being sold for a cut-price 207million to German-based private equity firm Aurelius.
Currys biggest shareholder has warned that the stock market is not fit for purpose.

Redwheel, which owns 14.6 per cent of the London-listed firm, backed the decision by the electrical retailers board to reject a 700million takeover offer by US hedge fund Elliott Partners.

But it said that without reforms, more undervalued British companies are at risk of falling into foreign hands.

Ian Lance, co-head of Redwheels UK value and income team, added: This offer for Currys does highlight a wider problem with the UK equity market which no longer seems to fulfil its primary purpose of price discovery and efficient capital allocation.

Some of the largest market participants in the UK have been allocating away from UK equities, which are close to all-time low valuations.

Redwheel, which owns 14.6% of Currys, backed the decision by the electrical retailers board to reject a 700m takeover offer by US hedge fund Elliott Partners

Instead, investors are allocating to US equities, at close to all-time high valuations. This has resulted in pockets of the UK equity market being valued significantly below the true value of the businesses.

Lance said: Unless this changes, it seems likely that we will continue to see overseas corporate buyers step in to take advantage of the depressed valuations of UK equities, with ownership falling into foreign hands.

Businesses such as chip designer Arm and travel firm Tui have shunned the City in favour of overseas bourses.

Efforts to revive the UK market with a series of reforms have so far failed to have much effect.

This weekend it emerged that Currys had been approached by New York-based Elliott, but rejected the offer. It subsequently emerged that Chinese online retail giant JD.com was also assessing a bid.

Currys said the Elliott offer significantly undervalued the business and analysts at Peel Hunt said the board was unlikely to engage with an offer anywhere below 900million.

But the analysts also warned that it could mark the start of a swathe of takeover offers for UK retail companies whose bargain basement prices make them an attractive target.

Redwheel yesterday became the first major investor in Currys to make public its view on the spurned Elliott offer.

It said it was in complete agreement with the board that the business was worth substantially more than the 62p per share deal that was proposed.

Lance said: We believe that a healthy equity market is beneficial to the functioning of the economy and would urge the relevant UK authorities to take action to incentivise investors to allocate to UK equities and save an integral cog of the countrys financial eco-system.
Transport for London trialled a 'smart station' powered by artificial intelligence in a bid to identify fare dodgers - only for the 'disturbing' initiative to accidentally identify children travelling with their parents as crooks.

TfL - whose chairman is Sadiq Khan - plans to expand a trial of the AI software that had been hooked up to CCTV at Willesden Green Underground station for a year, prompting concerns from campaigners who warn it could be used for wider surveillance.

Image recognition algorithms trained by TfL and police before the trial launched used the station's existing 20-year-old CCTV cameras to recognise loiterers, people on the tracks and even those with knives and guns, as well as fare dodgers.

But the system had to be retrained after identifying children travelling free with adults as would-be crooks 'tailgating' through the barriers. TfL overcame the bug by reprogramming the system to only flag people taller than the ticket barriers.

Initially, images of fare dodging were blurred to hide alleged offenders' identities. But TfL later unblurred the faces and automated fare dodging alerts; staff must witness the act of fare dodging and match it to the images to pursue prosecution.

The 'smart stations' trial was used to identify when people needed assistance in stations - as well as aggressive behaviour, falls and even when people were on the tracks

CCTV cameras at Willesden Green station sent images to the software ten times a second

The system had to be rejigged during the trial period - with the system told to ignore anyone shorter than the ticket barriers when looking for fare dodgers

The year-long pilot took place at Willesden Green station on the Jubilee and Metropolitan lines - chosen because it has fewer staff than other, busier stations and would benefit most

It chose to do this because it was overwhelmed by the sheer number of people not paying their fares: up to 300 in one day in Willesden Green station alone.

Documents released under Freedom of Information laws earlier this month have now revealed how, under the trial, staff had eyes everywhere at all times - thanks to the 'smart' tech looping them into events across the station via alerts sent to their iPads.

The station, on the Jubilee and Metropolitan lines, was chosen because it serves as a 'local' stop with busy periods during which it has relatively few workers on duty - and because the project's main sponsor was the former manager of the Jubilee line.

In the case of fare dodgers, the system does not use facial recognition to identify those accused of jumping the barriers.

Instead, it recognises potential fare evasion behaviours - like 'tailgating' other passengers through gates, forcing barriers open or even crawling under them - and flags it to TfL staff, who then have to link incidents together manually after witnessing a fare dodging themselves.

Using the data flagged by the cameras, inspectors can then, in theory, build up a pattern of when fare dodgers are travelling - and swoop on them in order to catch them in the act and levy fines.

But TfL agreed with unions before starting the trial that station employees would not be notified of the fare evasion in real time with a view to immediately pursuing fare dodgers - for fear that staff could be attacked in retaliation.

The system detected 26,000 fare evasion alerts from November 1 2022 to September 30 2023 - but the transport body says it 'ran out of time' before it was actually able to start tackling fare dodgers after training the system and teaching staff how to report them.

If rolled out as a full trial, 'smart stations' would be a valuable weapon in TfL's fight against ticket dodgers - alongside body-worn cameras, which are being rolled out to station staff.

London's transport network loses 150million a year to fare evasion and the number of people it is prosecuting is falling, the Evening Standard reports. The penalty for non-payment for travel is set to increase from 80 to 100 this year.

Siwan Hayward, TfL's director of security, policing and enforcement, insisted last year the 'smart station' technology would not be a 'facial recognition tool'.

She said in December: 'The pilot project was able to detect fare evasion attempts through the gate-line and enrich our data and insight on fare evasion levels and methods.

'Following a review by our safety, health and environment team, we will be progressing this to an in-station trial to monitor its effectiveness.'

Outside of fare dodging, TfL discovered the system could be trained on other situations where people might need help - or where they might be in danger.

The system can identify people passing through the gates at the ends of platforms - which are off-limits to the public - as well as people who are sitting on a bench for more than 10 minutes, leaning over platforms or even on the tracks.

Similarly, trips and falls could be detected, as could people smoking or vaping, anyone carrying weapons and unattended bags, as well as unfolded bicycles and e-scooters, which are banned from Underground trains.

People in wheelchairs who may require additional help were also highlighted by the system at Willesden Green - which does not have step-free access.

The system was used to identify fare dodgers as they either 'tailgated' behind others at ticket barriers or forced their way through or over the gates

The software was trained to recognise raised arms as a sign of aggression (left). But Transport for London says it could also be used by staff as a means of silently flagging aggression from other people

TfL says the 'smart station' trial is being considered for a second phase after the year-long trial at Willesden Green

Staff were notified of any incidents like these in real-time with iPad push notifications - like those sent by any other app - meaning that, in theory, they could respond to them as soon as they happened.

At the less serious end of the scale, it would mean people who needed help could be seen to right away - but at the other end, it may even save lives after flagging people on the tracks or standing in unsafe places on the platforms.

TfL has not released any information on whether alerts were triggered for people in life-threatening situations.

In all, 44,000 alerts were triggered during the trial period between October 2022 to September 2023 - 19,000 of which were 'real-time', requiring a response, with the other 25,000 used for 'analytics' to train the system more.

TfL has described the 'smart station' project as an 'exciting proof of concept' which aimed to help staff spot and resolve incidents in stations as quickly as possible. It has not published the costs associated with the project.

But civil liberties campaigners say care needs to be taken not to allow the system to evolve into a fully fledged, all-knowing surveillance trap.

Sara Chitseko, of digital rights advocacy body the Open Rights Group, told MailOnline: 'While these capabilities seem to have been implemented in a sensible way, the technology could easily be repurposed to be used to incorporate facial recognition, track protesters and be otherwise open to abuse by police authorities with limited oversight.

'TfL has always been keen to give the police access to data systems including Oyster and CCTV for policing purposes, so it is very easy to imagine this system becoming a routinely used as part of London's policing capabilities.

'This would be particularly concerning given the over-policing of certain areas and communities by a police force that was last year described in a government report as institutionally racist, misogynist and homophobic.

'The harms of surveillance were highlighted in the police killing of Chris Kaba, who was misidentified while driving a vehicle flagged by ANPR.

'Therefore, we urgently need legislation to regulate this technology's use before TfL introduce further capabilities that are more suited to a surveillance state.'

Campaigners are also concerned about the potential for the system to wrongly identify false positives should the programme be expanded - particularly around certain types of behaviour it is trying to recognise.

For example, the system currently identifies any instance of someone with their arms raised as being 'aggressive' - a flaw TfL has acknowledged in reports, where staff putting up posters have been flagged as showing unwelcome behaviour.

However, the use of the gesture to indicate aggression could also work the other way: staff could raise their arms when confronted with an aggressive customer, for example, in order to raise the alarm with colleagues without making a scene.

But Madeleine Stone, of privacy group Big Brother Watch, told MailOnline: 'Tube travellers will be disturbed to learn they were secretly monitored and subjected to behavioural and movement analysis via AI-powered surveillance.

'Using an algorithm to determine whether someone is 'aggressive' is deeply flawed and has already been advised against by the UK's data protection watchdog due to serious inaccuracies.

'Suggestions that AI could be used to identify people with mental health issues, pregnant women or homeless people also raise serious privacy concerns and will likely leave many Londoners feeling uneasy about the capabilities of the CCTV cameras watching their journeys.

'Normalising AI-powered monitoring at transport hubs is a slippery slope towards a surveillance state.'

A British Transport Police officer trained in the use of firearms walked around the station with a machete and a pistol to train the algorithm in recognising weapons (file picture)

Transport for London says the project has potential to be rolled out elsewhere. It is considering a second phase of 'smart stations' - pending consultation with local Tube travellers

Marijus Briedis, cybersecurity expert at software firm NordVPN, added: 'While these systems have the potential to improve enforcement and safety within public transportation systems, they must ensure that adequate safeguards are in place to protect individuals' privacy and data security.

'The use of AI-powered camera systems raises significant concerns regarding surveillance, potential misuse of data, data security, transparency, and accountability.

'Additionally, it's worth bearing in mind that any system that collects and processes sensitive data is vulnerable to security breaches. AI-powered camera systems are no exception.

'Transport for London needs to be transparent with its passengers and about how these systems are being used, what data is being collected, and how it is being protected.'

TfL trained the system in advance of its rollout with the help of its own staff and the British Transport Police (BTP).

Station workers taught the software to recognise incidents by pretending to fall over and by standing on the tracks during non-operational hours so the cameras could recognise what they were doing as dangerous situations.

A trained BTP officer was also recruited walked around the closed station brandishing a machete and a handgun - so the algorithms could recognise when someone was doing so for real and warn the authorities.

In the end, no incidents of weapons were detected or reported at Willesden Green station during the year-long trial.

Some details of the training data were kept under wraps in the released versions of the reports and presentations on the 'smart stations' project.

But TfL says the system picked up on 'several incidents' of people taking a tumble in the station, and hundreds of extra announcements reminding people to stand behind the yellow line on the platform, potentially averting harmful incidents.

TfL itself has acknowledged that the system is not perfect - blaming poor image quality from its CCTV devices, some of which are 20 years old, and even issues like sunlight causing glare and throwing off the software's algorithms.

But the system is not the first time that London's transport body has been accused of infringing on civil liberties. In 2019, it emerged that WiFi data was being collected from mobile phones to track passenger journeys across the TfL network.

TfL said the anonymised data was being used to figure out which routes were the most popular throughout the day, in order to create a clear picture of where and when people were travelling - helping with future timetable planning.

But concerns were raised at the time about whether the tracking could be used to identify individuals - and TfL confirmed at the time it may share analysis of the data, but not the data itself, with police or third parties.

A Transport for London spokesperson told MailOnline the 'smart stations' trial had initially been rolled out to flag make staff aware of safety incidents before the potential for spotting fare dodgers became apparent.

The spokesperson continued: 'The pilot used image detection AI to monitor the movement of customers through station gatelines in order to identify instances where (they) may have evaded paying a fare, or the correct fare, for their journey.

'This was tracked for analytical purposes and did not result in real-time alerts to station staff. This was not used as a facial recognition tool.

'We will continue to do all we can to ensure everyone pays the correct fare and that we can continue to invest in public transport.

'We are currently considering the design and scope of a second phase of the trial.

'No other decisions have been taken about expanding the use of this technology, either to further stations or adding capability.

'Any wider roll out of the technology beyond a pilot would be dependent on a full consultation with local communities and other relevant stakeholders, including experts in the field.'
The outing comes as new details emerge in the bribery case, including claims that Menendez had showed his former lover a safe stuffed with cash in 2007

Bob Menendez and wife Nadine were spotted being chauffeured to and from their Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, home, DailyMail.com photos show

Embattled senator Bob Menendez and his wife Nadine have been spotted being chauffeured around their New Jersey neighborhood as new details of his alleged bribery scheme emerge.

The couple, who are charged with accepting bribes of cash, gold bars, and a luxury car over the last five years, broke cover to run errands near their Englewood Cliffs home.

A gray Volvo SUV  which was marked with a 'Courtesy Car' sticker on the front  pulled up to the residence to collect the pair before making stops at a nearby post office and a local pastry shop, exclusive DailyMail.com photos show.

The Democratic lawmaker, 70, was seen clutching a letter as he got into the vehicle, and later returned empty-handed and without his wife.

When he arrived back to his house, Menendez, dressed in a black Lacoste puffer coat, blue slacks, and black dress shoes, entered through his garage on the side of his home.

Embattled senator Bob Menendez was seen breaking cover on Thursday after new details were revealed in the bribery case against him and his wife

The Democratic lawmaker, 70, is seen returning to his home in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, after running errands nearby

A gray Volvo SUV  which was marked with a 'Courtesy Car' sticker on the front - pulled up to the residence to collect the pair, exclusive DailyMail.com photos show

Menendez's wife Nadine was dropped off at home separately a while later, carrying a takeout bag from bakery chain Le Pain Quotidian

The couple's driver was seen returning to the home again about an hour later, this time dropping off Nadine, 56, who was holding a takeout bag from bakery chain Le Pain Quotidian.

After parking the courtesy Volvo in the driveway, the chauffeur handed over the car keys to Menendez and parted ways with the senator and his wife  who married in 2020.

The Bergen County property, which Nadine bought in 1999, was the site of a 2022 FBI raid in which investigators found $500,000 in cash hidden in envelopes and in articles of clothing, as well as 13 gold bars that subsequently led to the couple's indictment on federal bribery charges last September.

Further details emerged on Tuesday in an unearthed dossier obtained by the New York Post which claimed Menendez had showed a safe stuffed with cash to his former married lover, Cecilia Reynolds during their affair in 2007.

According to the document, Reynolds, a former local newspaper publisher from New Jersey, had bragged to friends about seeing 'bundles of cash' in 'hidden places' and was privy to information about Menendez's alleged 'kickback schemes' from contractors and 'influence seeking people'.

The dossier had first surfaced in 2013  when Menendez was under investigation for bribery and his secret affair with Reynolds, who was married to her husband Matt at the time, came to light.

The document, created by an anonymous author, had included nude photos of Reynolds and details of the lovers' trysts on a private jet.

Further details emerged on Tuesday in an unearthed dossier which claimed Menendez showed a safe stuffed with cash to his former married lover, Cecilia Reynolds during their affair in 2007

Menendez was revealed to have had an affair with Cecilia Reynolds, a former publisher of a local New Jersey newspaper who was married at the time, in 2013, when he was under investigation for bribery in a case that was later dropped after a jury failed to reach a verdict

The New Jersey senator, who wore a black Lacoste puffer coat, blue slacks, and dress shoes, has been under investigation for allegedly accepting bribes of cash, gold bars and a luxury car over the last five years to carry out favors for three businessmen who are also charged in the case

Menendez was indicted on previous corruption charges in 2015 but the case was dropped three years later after a jury was unable to reach a verdict.

In their latest filing last week, prosecutors also claimed that Bob and Nadine Menendez had claimed the gold bars at the center of the scandal were actually family heirlooms.

A Menendez staffer and a jeweler were told by the senator and his wife that the gold came from Nadine's late mother, according to the filings.

But prosecutors say that Nadine told her jeweler a 'false cover story' about where the gold came from.

The FBI said the bars were bribery payments to the Democrat from New Jersey developer, Fred Daibes.

He allegedly gave the senator the gold in exchange for having Menendez pressure the state's U.S. attorney's office to not aggressively prosecute him in bank fraud case.

In 2013, Daibes's penthouse was broken into and he had gold bars, cash and other items stolen.

The perpetrators were caught and confessed, and Daibes signed official police documentation certifying that the gold bars were his, identifiable thanks to serial numbers and markings.

Menendez was driven back home after running errands and was seen entering through his garage

After parking the courtesy Volvo in the driveway, the chauffeur handed over the car keys to Menendez and parted ways with the senator and his wife for the day

Nadine, who is also facing charges, entered through the garage when she returned home

Daibes had the stolen gold bars returned to him.

But NBC News realized that Daibes's gold bars were the same ones that were seized in the raid on Menendez's house.

Their discovery is likely to be a key part of prosecutors' argument, as they maintain that Menendez was paid by Daibes for favors.

The court filing submitted Monday also includes mentions of a diamond engagement ring and multiple bags of cash worth $100,000 each stuffed into boots.

The cash was found in the Menendezes' basement 'on top of a large rack of clothes hangers,' said the prosecutors.

'Under the jackets were four boots, stuffed with cash, including one boot containing in excess of $5,000 in $50 bills.'

Additionally, a mysterious mobile dubbed the '007' phone also played a part in Sen. Menendez's alleged bribery scheme.

Menendez claims gold bars and cash at the center of his bribery indictment were found during an illegal search of his home - and he wants a New York judge to toss out the evidence

The 70-year-old embattled Democrat and wife Nadine are charged with accepting bribes of cash, gold bars and a luxury car over the last five years to carry out favors for three businessmen who are also charged

Piles of cash are pictured from the raid on the Menendez's home in New Jersey. He claims the search was revenge from prosecutors after he beat federal charges in 2017

Prosecutors allege that Menendez received a diamond ring from halal tycoon Wael Hana as a part of a bribe scheme

Prosecutors say that Wael Hana, an Egyptian-American halal tycoon, allegedly worked with Menendez and bribed the senator to receive favors for his company.

However, the arrangement almost fell apart after Hana shortchanged the couple by providing them a diamond ring he said was worth $35,000, though a jeweler later told Nadine the band was worth $12,000, according to the filing.

Hana worked with the jeweler to get a receipt that falsely claimed the ring was worth more, according to prosecutors.

Menendez has claimed the gold bars and cash at the center of his bribery indictment were found during an illegal search of his home  and he wants a New York judge to toss out the evidence.

He claimed his home was searched because prosecutors wanted revenge after he beat a conviction in 2017.

His arguments, delivered by his lawyers, were contained in papers filed in Manhattan federal court, where Menendez faces a May trial.

In January, Nadine asked for separate trials so their marriage secrets wouldn't be spilled in court.
This is the shocking moment a ranting Briton was held down by cabin crew after allegedly trying to kiss a male passenger on the lips on a flight to Lisbon.

The man was filmed by a fellow passenger as he was restrained by cabin crew members onboard an easyJet flight from Glasgow to Lisbon on February 6.

Footage shows the man being held down by a steward while he repeatedly hurled abuse at him and other staff, even threatening to punch them during his rant.

At one point the passenger tried to get back on his feet, but the cabin crew calmly held him down. This caused the man to scream out and shout: 'I will kill you, you f***ing c****.'

The incident started during the descent to Lisbon, after the 'intoxicated' man tried to kiss a male passenger, a fellow flyer said. But when he was rejected, he reportedly became 'aggressive' to the point he had to be restrained.

'The police took him away. However, I think he was on the return flight on the Saturday wearing a full disguise of a woolly hat, sunglasses and headphones,' the unnamed witness who filmed the incident added.

Were YOU on this flight to Lisbon? Email miriam.kuepper@mailonline.co.uk.

The man (pictured) was filmed as he was restrained by cabin crew members onboard an easyJet flight from Glasgow to Lisbon on February 6

Footage shows the man being held down by a steward while he repeatedly hurled abuse at him and other staff, even threatening to punch them during his rant

They said the man was reportedly drinking red wine throughout the flight, which set off in Scotland at 9.45am.

He was 'very intoxicated' and 'was being rude to anyone who looked his way then demanding they shake his hand', the passenger said.

When the man turned around to shake the hand of the man sitting directly behind him, he was ignored, which allegedly caused him to lean over his seat and try to 'kiss the man on the lips'.

The passenger pushed the 'drunk' man away, but he got 'very aggressive shouting at everyone and throwing punches'.

'He was trying to attack the man who he tried to kiss before which caused passengers to have to restrain him,' the witness said.

'He was restrained for approximately 35 minutes before Portuguese police were able to take him off the plane. Even when the police came to take him away he was trying to wrestle with them.'

A spokesperson for easyJet said: 'Flight EJU7670 from Glasgow to Lisbon on 6 February was met by police upon arrival due to a passenger behaving disruptively onboard.

'Our cabin crew are trained to assess and evaluate all situations and to act quickly and appropriately to ensure that the safety of the flight and other passengers is not compromised at any time.

'Whilst such incidents are rare we take them very seriously and do not tolerate abusive or threatening behaviour towards our crew or other passengers.

'The safety and wellbeing of our customers and crew is our highest priority.'

At one point the passenger tried to get back on his feet, but the cabin crew calmly pushed him back down. This caused the man to scream out and shout: 'I will kill you, you f***ing c****'

The passenger kept trying to wiggle out of the crew's grip (left), so they twisted his arm behind his back to push him back to the floor (right)

'The police took [the man] away. However, I think he was on the return flight on the Saturday wearing a full disguise of a woolly hat, sunglasses and headphones,' the unnamed witness said

This comes after another 'drunk and abusive' man was detained by four passengers onboard an eight-hour JetBlue flight from Gatwick Airport to New York JFK on January 30.

Footage showed a group of Brits, who stepped in to help the airline staff calm the man down, struggle to restrain him.

One could be seen holding him in a headlock, however, the allegedly drunk passenger managed to wriggle free.

A woman, dressed in grey tracksuit bottoms and a black t-shirt, asked the passenger holding him to remove his finger from near the man's eye.

She said: 'Please get that off of his face,' to which he replied: 'I can't just leave him.' She added: 'No, no, no listen, don't tell me to stop.' A fellow flyer told the woman to 'move back now'.

She then said: 'Ben, Ben Stop fighting them. Stop fighting them,' whilst the four hero passengers attempt to hold him back.

The video showed a group of Brits, who stepped in to help the airline staff calm the man (circled) down, struggle to restrain him

Witness Grant Saunders said the man allegedly 'started getting worse' when the crew told the man (circled) to calm down

The clip then showed the group standing in the narrow gangway as they knocked into seats, with other passengers recording the footage on their mobiles.

The man attempted to escape from them, but the group managed to restrict him and moved him down the plane aisle, towards two cabin crew members.

Witness Grant Saunders claimed the man was 'drunk and getting loud and aggressive' whilst moving around other seats on the flight. 'Then when the crew asked him to calm down, he started getting worse,' he added.

The flight took off from Gatwick at 11.55am and arrived on time at 8.16pm GMT on January 30.

JetBlue told MailOnline that the crew discovered an opened bottle of liquor the customer had brought on board. They confirmed that the man was restrained and that law enforcement dealt with him when they landed in New York.

'We appreciate our customers' assistance and understanding during this incident and apologise for the experience,' the airline said.
Jason Lane clearly remembers the turning point that saved his marriage. It was late on a Sunday afternoon when he received a worrying text from his wife, Kirstie, who has Parkinsons disease.

She had been living apart from Jason and their two children for months, having moved out to be with another man.

I cant carry on with this anymore, it would be better if you lived your life without me, she wrote. Tell the kids I love them but Im not going to be here anymore.

Heart pounding, Jason raced to Kirsties flat and managed to break in just in time to help his estranged wife, who had attempted suicide. It was at that point her neurology team decided she was too difficult to manage and referred her to St Georges Hospital in London, says Jason.

It was there that we first met a new consultant who took one look at the Parkinsons medication Kirstie was on  a skin patch that delivered 16mg of rotigotine into her system  and she was very concerned that Kirstie had been put on such a high dose.

Scare: Kirstie and Jason are determined to tell their story as a warning to others

It was a lightbulb moment for the couple. Because in the 18 months she had been on this dose, Kirsties behaviour and personality had changed dramatically.

Shed become hooked on spending money in charity shops, returning home on a daily basis with bags of tat shed never wear or use. She would wake up in the early hours of the morning and decide to do stupid things, such as start painting a room on the spur of the moment.

She would regularly fly into uncontrollable rages  at one point holding a knife to Jason. And then she became fixated with a man she had briefly met on a weekend break, and within weeks, had abandoned her family to be with him.

I feel so guilty for what I did, says Kirstie. Whats worse is that I know people will still look at me now and think I was being selfish. But its well known that these drugs can cause compulsive behaviour side-effects. Yet we werent warned about it at the time. I put my family through hell.

Their extraordinary story features on the Movers and Shakers podcast, a series about life with Parkinsons, which, in the latest episode, focuses on the embarrassing side of the disease.

Today, the couple, who live in Ashford, Middlesex, say that despite their harrowing experience, their relationship is stronger than ever.

Jason, 45, a senior manager in the NHS, and Kirstie, 41 a vascular nurse specialist, met on an internet chat room in 2003 and within two months were in love and living together. Daughter Kasie, now 18, followed two years later; and the couple married in 2006. In 2009, after a traumatic labour, son Samual, 14, arrived.

Kirstie had had a slight limp since her 20s and often tripped  but after Samuals birth, my limping was much worse and my handwriting was barely legible.

Doctors had previously put her limp down to an old ankle injury, and even suggested it was all in my mind. Kirsties younger brother Shaun had been diagnosed with Parkinsons at the age of 21  and because my brother had been diagnosed so young the doctors thought I might be making it up, says Kirstie.

I saw a neurologist in summer 2010 and after tests was told I did have Parkinsons after all. It was a relief. Jason and I had been worried it could be something like multiple sclerosis or Huntingtons, so out of the three, Parkinsons felt like something we could cope with, though I was still very young, at 27, to be diagnosed.

Parkinsons disease, which affects around 150,000 people in the UK, is caused by the loss of dopamine in the brain  we all lose it as we age, but for reasons that are not clear, people who develop Parkinsons tend to lose it quicker, explains Ray Chaudhuri, a professor of neurology/movement disorders at Kings College Hospital in London, and a world authority on the disease.

Its one of the most important brain chemicals we have and it is critical for movement  everything from swinging your arms when youre walking to blinking and face expressions  as well as non-movement, such as sense of smell, pain and anxiety.

Kirstie was put on a low dose of rasagiline  a drug that slows down the breakdown of dopamine  which controlled her symptoms for the next five years. But in her mid-30s, they returned, worse than before and she was offered a patch containing rotigotine, which mimics the effects of dopamine.

Rotigotine patches can be useful, says Professor Chaudhuri.

You cant put dopamine directly into the brain so oral drugs work by going through the blood and stomach barriers. A skin patch bypasses the stomach, but its an inexact science and the amounts can become erratic and in some patients  around 9 per cent on the patch  it can produce unprovoked reactions such as behavioural issues, he explains.

Dopamine is linked to a cocaine derivative and activates the reward centres of the brain and thus can produce reward-seeking addictive behaviours. Research in Germany recently showed that some patients on these drugs are binge eating in the middle of the night, particularly chocolate because it contains dopamine.

Over the following years, as the dose of the drug was increased to control her worsening symptoms, Kirsties behaviour became unrecognisable.

It was like I was on a high all the time, my head was like a washing machine, my whole body felt like a merry-go-round and I could never sit down, says Kirstie.

I became obsessed with things, like buying stuff in charity shops. Id come home with weird things Id never wear or the exact same pair of shoes I already owned. Id get up in the early hours to clean or clear out cupboards.

She adds: Jason and I were arguing so much. I remember once flying into a rage and I have no idea what started it, but recall holding a knife in my hand with Jason in front of me. Thank goodness I didnt do anything stupid.

I dont remember much about any of this now but it must have been terrifying for him. And the children had no idea what was happening to their mum.

At the time Kirstie didnt realise her behaviour was out of character. And while Jason was understandably confused, more was to come. In 2017 Kirstie went away for a weekend with friends: when she came home, she told Jason she had met someone else.

I cant believe I did this to Jason but because weve always been open with each other  I told him I couldnt stop thinking about this other man, says Kirstie.

I was infatuated, so I told Jason I was going to live with him. He was a property developer who was also married and had several flats in the area so I moved into one of those. It must have been hell for Jason and the children.

Jason nods. I did everything I could to make her see sense, even inviting this man into our home to try to sort it all out  but she was so fixated on him that I realised I was never going to get through.

It never occurred to me at the time that it might be the drugs causing this, he says.

Over the past decade or so, neurologists have become more aware of this bizarre side-effect, known as impulse-control disorder. It spans several behavioural issues such as hypersexuality, compulsive gambling and shopping as well as compulsive eating, explains Professor Chaudhuri.

Its specifically associated with any dopamine-replacement therapy and all drugs for Parkinsons carry that risk. We are now very aware of it and patients are monitored closely. Its often younger patients who are susceptible. The use of these drugs is actually reducing globally because of these behavioural issues.

After Kirsties suicide attempt in November 2018 she returned to the family home and her consultant gradually reduced her rotigotine dose, from 16mg to the 2mg shes on now. Once my medication was reduced I began to feel more like the old me, she says.

But I was mortified by what Id done to my family. I am very lucky that Jason has been so patient and we are so much stronger as a couple now. But Id never wish it on my worst enemy.

Yet their story is not unique  the couple run a Parkinsons support group, Spelthorne Parkies, with weekly events and a yearly retreat. Weve met other couples who are going through the same thing, but often they dont have the same, honest relationship we have so they cant tell their other halves that theyre infatuated with another person, says Kirstie.

Im convinced this side-effect will have broken up marriages. But its something no one mentions. Jason and I want to talk about this openly to help others. Because it nearly destroyed us as well.

moversandshakerspodcast.com

spelthorneparkies.co.uk

Doctor TikTok - Experts assess viral health trends

This week: A digital detox for mental health

What social media says: Ironic it may seem, but #digitaldetox had almost 90 million views at last count. A digital detox  i.e. going offline without screens or the internet  is touted as beneficial for mental health.

The experts verdict: Excessive screen time and social media usage have been linked to depression, anxiety and feelings of loneliness, says psychotherapist Kamalyn Kaur. Disconnecting from this can provide a much needed reprieve.

Georgina Sturmer, a counsellor accredited by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, adds: Deep down most of us know whether our screen use is encroaching on everyday life. But if we need a more concrete measure, we can use trackers or apps to see how much screen time we are using.

We can also test ourselves. Consider leaving the house without your device, or turning it off for a while. Notice what happens when you consider this: maybe youre full of excuses; or you notice a rising level of anxiety about being disconnected. This is a sign that its a problem.

If you want to engage in a digital detox, whether its for an hour, a day, or a weekend, preparation is key, says Georgina Sturmer. Think about what you need to do or organise in order to step away from your devices. Maybe youll need a notepad, pocket A-Z map or a landline.
The shameful killing of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, which his widow Yulia thinks was done with nerve agent Novichok, raises an immediate question.

How best should the West retaliate?

Foreign Secretary David Cameron has warned the Kremlin there will be consequences, adding: We dont announce them in advance.

Putin suspects this is bluster and the West will do next to nothing. I fear he is right. He has watched us stand by while he razed Chechnya, bullied Estonia, invaded Georgia, annexed Crimea and propped up a fascist dictatorship in Syria.

Even when President Assad gassed his own people with the connivance of the Russians, we did nothing but wring our hands.

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny died while being held in a jail about 40 miles north of the Arctic Circle, where he had been sentenced to 19 years imprisonment

'Many would say Putins assassination of Navalny, killings of other opponents and his warmongering have all made him a legitimate target himself,' says Edward Lucas

Yes, the West has supplied Ukraine with arms, worth billions of dollars, materiel and training since the dictators full-scale invasion nearly two years ago  but war-weariness is setting in. Further Western support hangs by a thread, not least thanks to the partisan deadlock in Washington DC.

And yet if the gangster in the Kremlin thinks we can do nothing to respond to this murder most foul, he is sorely mistaken. For one thing, if the death of Navalny is to mean anything, it should be to galvanise support for Ukraine.

After all, no other credible force opposes the Russian dictator: only that brave, dogged army, fighting against overwhelming odds.

Ukrainians have astonished the world with their tenacity but, increasingly abandoned by the West, they are  it pains me to say  in danger of losing this war. To a large extent, thats our fault. They asked us, again and again, for weapons. We dithered and flinched.

President Zelensky and his people urgently need Western artillery shells to repel the invaders, plus long-range missiles to cripple the Kremlins war machine. We must supply them at once.

But as well as shoring up Ukraine, we can do much more to hurt Putin directly  in his pocket first of all.

The time has come for the West to seize the Russian Central Banks frozen assets abroad: valued at $300 billion.

About two-thirds of this lucre is held at Euroclear, a securities depository based in Belgium. The Russian state assets include cash and government bonds denominated in euros, dollars and other currencies.

Central-bank assets are normally protected under international law. Confiscating them might cause countries like China or Saudi Arabia to take fright and switch their assets away from pounds, euros or dollars, in turn threatening to destabilise global finance.

Yet legal niceties and economic ructions should not be the top priorities when dealing with rogue states. While the obstacles to taking this course of action may be daunting, they can be overcome.

Third, it has become commonplace to say Western sanctions arent working in Russia. The Moscow elite does find it harder to travel abroad (although Russian voices can still be heard in the shopping malls of Dubai and on the beaches of Turkey).

But the Kremlin can still sell much of its vast mineral wealth, including coal, oil and gas, on the global market.

Until this trade is halted, any sanctions will lack bite.

Severing the tentacles of the Kremlins economic octopus will hurt Putin personally, and stoke tensions within his inner circle. It would also provide a war chest for Ukraines fight and eventual reconstruction.

Fourth, we should be far tougher with Putins international enablers: the bankers, lawyers, accountants, spivs, creeps and grifters who undermine Western sanctions.

Among them are oil-traders in the United Arab Emirates, money-men in offshore financial jurisdictions in the Caribbean, those who create shell companies and trusts that conceal ownership and the go-betweens who enable Russian deals with other rogue states such as Venezuela, Myanmar and African dictatorships.

To their shame, many of these people are British  and should face criminal penalties for helping Putin.

Those from all countries should face visa bans when they try to travel to other Western countries. U.S. passport-holders would find they cant visit Britain, and vice versa. Europe could add sanctions too.

Which brings me to a final possible course of action  perhaps the most outlandish. Many would say Putins assassination of Navalny, killings of other opponents and his warmongering have all made him a legitimate target himself.

To put it plainly: Is it time to help Ukraine assassinate the Russian dictator?

Kyivs drone attacks on Moscow buildings last year showed President Zelensky is prepared to pinpoint targets within the Russian government complex. Its reasonable to assume that, if its possible for a crack team of his assassins to take out their countrys tormentor, they will attempt it.

Many would hope that our intelligence agencies give them the support they need, arguing that the Russians have launched a lethally rough game. They must now play by their own rules.

The assassination of Putin would be fraught with difficulties, of course. He is notorious for using doubles: ensuring the real despot-in-chief was killed would be no easy thing.

Most importantly, Putin is just one man. Our real problem is with Russian imperialism. That predates him and will outlast him. This is the real mess, and one of our making.

On Sunday, former president Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chairman of Russias security council, threatened nuclear retaliation against the UK, Germany and the U.S. if the Kremlins occupying army is driven out of eastern Ukraine.

Attempts to restore Russias 1991 borders will lead only to one thing  a global war with Western countries with the use of our entire strategic arsenal against Kyiv, Berlin, London and Washington, he ranted.

This apocalyptic threat is due to Western weakness, not just over Ukraine but in three decades of greed and complacency as Russia turned from Communism to gangsterism.

From the early 1990s until almost two years ago, I and others were patronised and belittled for warning that, though Russia was weak after the collapse of the Soviet Union, it was not friendly.

As a result, the West systematically underestimated Moscows military and other threats and failed to steel itself for a changing world. We now have aircraft carriers that are unseaworthy, warships that lack sufficient crews, fighter jets without pilots and regiments without enough soldiers.

So limited are our stockpiles of spare parts and munitions that, within a week or two of a war breaking out, our frontline forces would be reduced to fixing bayonets.

The situation bears striking parallels to 1938. But the difference shortly before the outbreak of World War II was that a Spitfire could be built from scratch in weeks. Procurement of todays high-tech weapons can take years.

We must face up to a new world. The U.S. security guarantee to Europe that began with D-Day and the Berlin airlift is dead. The bleak truth is we cant trust the Americans to protect us any more  even before, as is likely, Trump returns to the White House.

Our European allies, meanwhile, are hopelessly divided between those who will fight at all costs, those who will fight under no circumstances and a muddled middle that doesnt know what it thinks.

This can be the moment for Britain to seize the reins in Europe and take our place at the heart of the continents security.

We must do what we can to tackle Putin directly  and not flinch from doing so.

Edward Lucas is the author of The New Cold War: Putins Threat To Russia And The West.
Photos Courtesy of Broad Arrow Auctions

Photos Courtesy of Broad Arrow Auctions

With fewer than 300 production models built in the initial run in 1987 and 1988, every Porsche 959 is special. The 959 was not just a technological tour de force for Porsche, but the company's best guess at what the future would hold. With all-wheel-drive and sequential twin-turbocharged flat-six power, it is the grandfather of every modern 911 Turbo, and still spry enough to keep up to its progeny on a backroad. But coming up for sale at this year's Amelia Auctions is a 959 of such unusual pedigree that it inspired not one lineage of performance juggernauts, but two: both the aforementioned 911 Turbo, and the car known as Godzilla.

Lot number 220 is a 1988 959 SC anointed by the experts at former racer Bruce Canepa's specialist workshop south of San Jose. For that reason alone it is a jewel, one infused with careful upgrades that enhance its performance to equal that of a modern supercar without losing the spirit of the 959. Also, just look at it. With its dark green paint and rich mahogany-brown leather, it's the equal of any of the best work to leave Aston Martin's factory.

Photos Courtesy of Broad Arrow Auctions

I only want to start with original cars, the best of the best, says Bruce Canepa, speaking by phone from his shop. At this point, the cars find us  people know we are looking, and I get calls all the time.

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Canepa might as well be named Mr. 959. Decades ago, when the 959 was relatively unknown in the U.S., he was instrumental in pushing through the Show And Display law that allowed for limited-production cars to be road-legal in the US, with restrictions. He handled the importation of probably the best-known 959s, those of Microsoft co-founders Paul Allen and Bill Gates. Over the years, the Canepa garages have serviced or sold approaching one-third of all 959s ever made. Especially if you want to drive your 959  and they are built to be driven, not put on a plinth  Canepa's the guy you want to see.

Photos Courtesy of Broad Arrow Auctions

Which is why when a retired Nissan engineer was looking for a home for a 959 that had been quietly tucked away for over 30 years, the message made its way to Bruce. As it turned out, back in the late Eighties, Nissan applied to Porsche to purchase a 959 as a development study. Porsche, which reportedly lost money on every 959 it built, declined. So, some enterprising Nissan executive pulled a fast one, getting an unnamed Belgian national to order a 1988 959 Komfort in Polar Silver, then having the car shipped directly to Yokohama.

Story continues

Here, it was pulled to pieces as Nissan studied the possibilities of an all-wheel-drive system that was tuned for performance, not just extra grip in snowy or otherwise slippery conditions. While the 959's Porsche-Steuer Kupplung (PSK) all-wheel-drive system differed mechanically from Nissan's Advanced Total Traction Engineering System (ATTESA ET-S), the engineers of the latter clearly learned something in their dissection of the 959.

Nissan's R32 GT-R showed up with ATTESA ET-S apportioning twin-turbocharged straight-six power to the road, and beat the pants off the competition in touring car racing. An Australian journalist dubbed it Godzilla, and the legend was set. As for Nissan's 959, it was sold to an engineer who never road-registered it. It remained barely driven for years, eventually turning up at Canepa with fewer than 1000 miles on the odometer.

Photos Courtesy of Broad Arrow Auctions

The Canepa 959 SC treatment is a multi-year, no expenses spared process. The cars are fitted with the lighter, simpler, fixed suspension of the 959 Sport models, and receive the 18 wheels the road car was always supposed to have along with modern rubber. The flat-six engine is torn down and rebuilt around Borg-Warner turbochargers that give it well over 800 hp. A prospective owner selects a one-of-one color combo, as no two of these cars will be made the same.

At this point, we will build 50 of these, Canepa says, hinting that there are a half-dozen 959 projects on the go at present, including one in Porsche's glorious Rubystone. The demand is there. But only 50.

Photos Courtesy of Broad Arrow Auctions

The winning bid for this ultimate expression of the 959 will have to be a strong one, with initial estimates in the mid-$3M range. But for that you're getting a car that can show a clean pair of heels to a modern Lamborghini while still feeling small and agile as the 1980s 911 it shares DNA with. And, at the same time, it's the sole 959 that can claim to have inspired modern versions of both the 911 Turbo and the mighty Skyline GT-Rs. Put it another way, in-period, this car's chief rival was the Ferrari F40, and a tidy example of one of those would cost roughly the same  and be more than four times more common.

Every 959 is special. This example is especially so. It's the stuff of dreams whether you are a devotee of Luftgekuhlt or the Fast and Furious franchise. The hammer comes down on February 29th.

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Protestors claimed they forced the closure of King Charles's official residence in Edinburgh yesterday, in a worrying breach of security.

Nine activists occupied the dining room at the Palace of Holyroodhouse at about 1.15pm.

They said their actions meant an entire wing of the royal household had to be temporarily closed to the public.

The activists, from eco warrior group This Is Rigged, crossed a security barrier and sat down at the table, before eating food out of plastic containers and drinking tea from flasks.

They claimed their demonstration was to call for a cut in baby formula prices and the setting up of community food hubs.

Activists from This Is Rigged were untroubled by security as they sat down in the Holyroodhouse dining room

Today activists from @Thisis_Rigged staged a sit-in lunch protest at the Royal Dining Hall at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, demanding action on inequality and food poverty. pic.twitter.com/ifRLFkbJta  Rich Felgate (@richfelgate) February 19, 2024

Nine activists occupied the dining room at the Palace of Holyroodhouse at about 1.15pm

Conservative MSP for the Lothian region Sue Webber said: 'I am concerned at the potential security ramifications, particularly at such an iconic building.'

Social media account Royal News Network wrote: 'Security is apparently lax in the Palace of Holyroodhouse if protesters... were able to get in and squat in the dining room.'

Another irate member of the public wrote: 'Pathetic security. Pick them up, throw them out, and charge them with something.'

The incident comes two years after the Palace of Holyroodhouse advertised for a security guard.

The main duty of the successful applicant was to patrol the grounds, monitor visitor access and maintain a 'safe and secure environment throughout the Palace'.

Protesters were campaigning about the price of baby formula when they targeted King Charles's residence at the bottom of the Royal Mile (file image)

Holyroodhouse is King Charles's official residence in Scotland (file image)

The guard was also expected to respond to and report any incidents.

Meanwhile, one of the protesters said yesterday: 'I'm taking action because I'm really worried about the future.

'As the many crises that we are facing are continuing to worsen, it becomes more apparent that those with power are not coming to help, that profit once again reigns higher than people.'

Police Scotland said officers attended but the protesters had already left.

The force said no damage was reported but 'inquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances'.
The Church of Scotland is facing oblivion amid plummeting membership numbers, church closures and financial pressures, it has been claimed.

The Rev Dr Richard Frazer, the minister of Greyfriars Kirk in Edinburgh, says the sense of loss is running deep.

He said some members fear the decline means there may be no Church of Scotland left within a generation or two.

Rev Dr Frazer is the minister at Greyfriars Kirk and a chaplain at Edinburgh University

Dr Frazer, who is also a chaplain to the University of Edinburgh, said a group of candidates for the ministry recently told him that it feels like we are being formed to administer palliative care.

Writing in the Kirks magazine, Life and Work, he said: Over the years, I have known a few ministers who have worked as chaplains in hospices. Those who have engaged in ministry to people approaching the end of their lives will testify that it is hugely rewarding work.

These students were not, however, talking about offering end of life care to their parishioners. They were talking about ministering at

a time of the demise of many congregations.

All across Scotland, churches are closing and the sense of loss is running deep. It is not just individual congregations; there is a sense amongst some that the entire

institution of the church is facing oblivion. I have even heard fellow church members suggesting that, at current rates of decline, there will be no Church of Scotland left in a generation or two.

Ministering to a congregation through the ending of generations of continuous worship and service can be painful.

It also requires sensitivity when one reflects on the story of a congregation and the people it has formed in faith and the ways in which it has promoted justice and caring in the community it serves.

A report before the Kirks General Assembly last year revealed around 60,000 people worship in person on a Sunday, compared with 88,000 pre-pandemic, with a growing number of people choosing to worship online or in other ways.

The Kirk said having more than 1,000 churches to cater for the number of people attending was untenable and unsustainable.

According to 2021 numbers, the church has 283,600 members  down from a peak of 1.3million in the late 1950s.

About 45,000 people now worship online and 8,275 in other ways. The average age of those attending church is now 62, while the vast majority of ministers are over the age of 50 and could retire in the next ten years.

Dr Frazer added: For us in the church today, the loss is real, and it is a painful and hard road to walk for many, but people of resurrection hope know that death never has the last word.

We may not rebuild the church as it was and neither will we sometimes recognise signs of the emerging church when they come.

Ministry may involve palliative care but it is also about anticipating the new, even if that can at first seem unfamiliar.
A Scots ambulance boss was sacked after making a 999 call handler leave their post to pick him and his family up from an airport after a holiday.

Christopher Gallacher called in a 'favour' from a colleague and requested a pool car collect them from Glasgow Airport after the family trip.

The duty manager then 'specifically requested' to be driven by a new, junior member of the team on a busy evening when some patients had been waiting 'lengthy periods of time'.

The call handler was away from their post for more than 45 minutes to pick up Mr Gallacher.

The call handler was away from their post for more than 45 minutes, the tribunal heard (Stock Image)

A disciplinary officer said he had 'abused his position' with 'irresponsible' decision-making (Stock Image)

An investigation found Mr Gallacher, who had worked for the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) for 20 years, had 'knowingly depleted' cover, resulting in him being sacked for gross misconduct.

At an employment tribunal, Mr Gallacher tried to sue the SAS for unfair dismissal. But an employment judge has now rejected his claim and ruled bosses acted 'fairly and reasonably'. The panel heard Mr Gallacher was a duty manager at West Centre in Glasgow, one of the SAS's three centres in Scotland.

He was responsible for the 'best use of resources' in a position with a 'high level of autonomy and leadership'.

The SAS heard Mr Gallacher had allegedly used its property for his 'private use'.

'It was alleged Mr Gallacher had sought to use [and used] a pool car to collect him [and his family] upon return from holiday on July 17, 2022,' the hearing was told. He was suspended on July 19, 2022. In February 2023, an investigation was completed, recommending Mr Gallacher address allegations of using a vehicle for personal gain and asking a colleague to use it while they were on shift, which was 'knowingly depleting cover'.

His disciplinary hearing took place in May 2023, after it was agreed an allegation of bringing the service into 'disrepute' would be added to considerations.

Despite Mr Gallacher 'assuming' the journey would be made in an unpaid 45-minute break, that did not happen. The hearing was told: 'While [Mr Gallacher] had not intended his request to impact upon patient safety it clearly had the potential to do so.'

A disciplinary officer said he had 'abused his position' with 'irresponsible' decision-making. As a result of upholding all the allegations, Mr Gallacher was sacked for gross misconduct in May 2023.

He appealed against the decision, claiming other pool cars had been used 'in an inappropriate way' previously and highlighting the 'absence' of a clear written policy against such practice. But it was rejected in July 2023.

At the tribunal in Glasgow, employment judge David Hoey said: 'It was clear that Mr Gallacher's actions had taken a pool vehicle of [the SAS's] out of duty for a period of in excess of 45 minutes [with a member of staff being out of the building for that period].

'Ultimately dismissal was a decision that was fair and reasonable.

'He held a senior position and he ought to have understood the context within which the decision he took would be viewed.'
Families and loved ones have shared images of hospital food served to sick patients in Glasgow's largest hospital after one concerned relative slammed the meals on offer.

Criticism of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow has erupted on social media after patients and their relatives highlighted patients' daily diets.

One woman called Lara said the lunch given to her father was 'an absolute disgrace' during his stay on a ward on Sunday.

She posted an image showing a plate containing four potatoes and a slice of discoloured turkey.

There were no other vegetables and the meat sat in a puddle of watery gravy.

This measly meal was served to Lara's poorly father during an overnight stay in Glasgow's flagship hospital

A dried up chicken breast and few chips was another meal on offer for patients on the mend

One outraged social media user complained the flagship hospital is serving food that may as well have come from 'the bottom of my compost bin'

The state-of-the-art hospital cost 842million and was Scotland's largest ever publicly funded NHS construction project. It was opened by the late Queen in 2015.

But an outraged social media user complained the flagship hospital is now serving food that may as well be 'at the bottom of my compost bin'.

One patient told how they were served 'congealed mac and cheese' and 'cold soggy chips'.

The photo they shared of their meal was deemed 'potentially sensitive content' by X, formerly known as Twitter, and its viewing was restricted.

Their post led someone to comment: 'Need to serve that at Holyrood before anything will happen, our politicians are totally oblivious to what is actually happening on the ground, how can that help to make someone well?'

Another social media user described how a friend's mother had had to cook all of her meals from scratch and then taking them up to the hospital

Pictures of meals ranged from discoloured gloopy puddles to meagre rations including half a boiled egg and some lettuce

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said it is committed to serving fresh, healthy and appetising food to all patients

But the hospital admitted that the food served had fallen below standards

Scottish Conservative health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane said: 'Nutritious, high-quality food is crucial for patients' recovery.

'It is alarming to witness the decline in food standards across Scotland's hospitals.

'This is yet another example of SNP cuts having a detrimental impact on Scottish NHS patients. The new health secretary must act now to ensure that every single patient in our hospitals has access to the high-quality food that they deserve.'

Another social media user described how a friend's mother had a similar experience while a patient at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.

They said: 'The food was so bad that they ended up cooking all of her meals from scratch and then taking them up to the hospital.'

A hospital in Cambridgeshire offered a plate of broccoli and cauliflower in a cheese sauce for dinner on another occasion. 'I have had numerous stays in the past few years, the food in dreadful,' a patient told MailOnline. 'The amount of food on the menu that is regularly unavailable is ridiculous'

Another patient was served a rotten jacket potato while undergoing treatment for appendicitis at a hospital in North Yorkshire in December 2020. Sally Teston said the potato 'was black inside'. Staff were unable to replace it 'until everyone else had been served their and I had to wait for what was left', she added. While Covid restrictions remained in place during her hospital stay, 'I had to get my mum to bring meals up to the hospital doors and I would go out to meet her as I was not allowed visitors,' she said

Lara shared photos on social media of lunch served to her father while he was recovering in hospital

The state-of-the-art hospital cost 842million and was Scotland's largest ever publicly funded NHS construction project

A spokesman for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, which manages Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, apologised for the standard of the food served.

They said: 'NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is committed to serving fresh, healthy and appetising food to all our patients, and all meals served at our hospitals are prepared in-house to meet strict nutritional standards.

'However, on this occasion, the food served has fallen below the standards we set ourselves, and which patients should be able to expect, and we apologise to the patient involved and their family.

'We would encourage anyone who would like to discuss their meals to get in touch with our catering team who can quickly resolve any issues.'

It is not the first time the Scottish Government has faced criticism over the standard of hospital meals.

Following previous concerns raised in 2020, a spokesman said: 'The importance of meal presentation and nutrition is emphasised in our guidance on hospital food to ensure all patients get the best possible nourishment.'
The former leader of the SNP at Westminster changed his Facebook profile yesterday to confirm he is in a new relationship.

Ian Blackford posted on the social media site that he is in a relationship with Kimmy Lyons. He also updated the main photo to a close-up selfie of himself smiling next to Ms Lyons.

It comes after her husband Eric Boyle told The Scottish Mail on Sunday that Mr Blackford should not be a politician if he goes around stealing other peoples wives.

Mr Boyle, 64, who lives in Cardiff, has been married to Ms Lyons, 63, for almost 14 years.

Ian Blackford with Kim Lyons in profile snap

Mr Blackford has refused to comment on his new relationship, despite colleagues saying he left the croft on the Isle of Skye that he shared with wife Ann around New Year.

Last month, the MP and Ms Lyons were spotted walking hand in hand outside a BBC studio in London, as Mr Blackford made his way there for a televised interview.

Humza Yousaf yesterday refused to comment on Mr Boyles claims, saying: Were not going to talk about peoples personal lives.

Stephen Flynn, the SNPs Westminster leader, described Mr Blackford as a much valued colleague and an incredibly talented individual.

He said: I have deep respect for him, hes someone who I work very closely with and Ian, like everyone else, is entitled to a private life.

Mr Blackford moved to Skye with his wife 25 years ago. In 2018, he was mocked after claiming to be a simple crofter with ten acres despite also being a former investment banker who held multiple jobs when he entered politics.
A Jewish father called Israel has revealed his family feels like a 'target' after their five-month-old daughter's birth certificate was returned from the Home Office ripped with the birthplace of Israel scribbled out.

Israel, a father-of-three who lives in Edgware, North London, said his wife Dorin, 29, was left in disbelief when she opened the envelope only to find baby Ronnie's identification papers had been tampered with.

'She found it was ripped half way through and my place of birth - which was Israel - had been scribbled out with a pen,' the 32-year-old engineer, who did not want to reveal his surname, told MailOnline.

'We felt as if we had been taken back to 1930's Germany where the Nazis would put notes on Jewish people's documentation.

'It is completely warped and it hurts my heart that my daughter is not even six-months-old and she has already been discriminated on in the worst way.'

Five-month-old baby Ronnie's birth certificate was returned to the family defaced, with her birth place of Israel scribbled out

The family of five, who live in Edgware, North London, feel that they have been 'targeted'

People attend a Campaign Against Antisemitism rally outside New Scotland Yard in central London, seeking police action amid a rise in anti-Semitic incidents

'The Home Office is in charge of our safety as a minority in the UK and they deal with our most private documents but instead of sending us back the certificate in the right way someone within their system has scribbled out Israel because they have hostile feelings,' Israel added.

The shocked family were advised to contact the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism who approached the Home Office on behalf of the family to raise the issue.

The birth certificate was returned to the family with a tear on the right hand side, while the birth place of Ronnie's father's was scratched out in what appears to be a biro pen. Her mother's birthplace of Israel, however, was left untouched.

As the certificate has been defaced it is no longer valid and the family will need to wait for the Home Office to re-send the document.

The concerned father, who had only sent the application for the birth certificate off two weeks ago, has now called for the person behind the attack to be removed from the Home Office and for the Government to apologise.

Israel, who runs an engineering company, added: 'This is our Government and we are putting our faith in their hands so we want the Home Office to first apologise.

'Afterwards we need to make sure this person, man or woman, cannot put their hands on other people's private documents.

'Unfortunately this birth certificate is not valid any more because it's been scribbled on. So this person has destroyed my child's identity, their birth certificate, just because it's a Jewish person.

'We are terrified because if this is the environment within the Home Office this is not a place we want to live. We are just as British as everyone else.'

Ever since the war broke out in the Middle East following Hamas' October 7 attacks Israel has warned his eight-year-old son and five-year-old daughter to avoid revealing their Jewish identity in public.

Home Secretary James Cleverly (pictured outside Downing Street on February 6) said the incident would be looked into 'urgently'

The Home Secretary took to X to inform the public officials within the Home Office will investigate the matter immediately

Last week, the Community Security Trust said it had recorded 4,103 instances of anti-Semitism, up from 1,662 in 2022. Pictured: Orthodox Jewish men pass police officers on patrol in Stamford Hill

The father said: 'We are hiding our identity as much as we can and we are telling our children to hide any signs of being Jewish because the environment around here is not friendly towards Jewish people.

'We are seen as targets and we have seen a sharp rise in the hostile environment.'

'We expect the Home Office to apologise. We need a new document because this one has been destroyed and is not valid anymore,' Israel said.

'I hope it is a one-off, but maybe it's the beginning of something bigger and maybe.'

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism told MailOnline: 'This is completely unacceptable.

'When sending off a passport application to the Home Office, the last thing one should ever expect is to have their child's birthday certificate returned, torn, with the parent's place of birth scribbled out, just because it is the Jewish state.

'We are assisting the parents, who are understandably very concerned about this incident. We are also asking the Home Office to investigate how this happened.

'The Home Office has responsibility for law enforcement and the security of the Jewish community and the wider public. Confidence in the authorities among British Jews is at painfully low levels and must be restored.'

Home Secretary James Cleverly said on X this evening that he had called for an immediate investigation into the matter.

Responding to the image of the invalid birth certificate, which has since been shared widely on social media, he said: 'I have asked my officials to investigate this urgently and will see that appropriate action is taken.'

Security Minister Tom Tugendhat also posted on X confirming the Home Office is investigating the matter.

Tens of thousands of people gathered in central London for a rally against antisemitism in November

The defaced birth certificate has led to a public outcry from people on social media.

One wrote: 'Horrendous antisemitism. Time for some serious consequences for antisemitism in the UK.'

Another added 'What is going on? Disciplinary investigation is required in this case' while a third labelled the incident 'absolutely disgraceful'.

MailOnline has contacted the Home Office for further comment.

The incident comes just days after a report by The Community Security Trust revealed the number of anti-Semitic incidents in Britain had jumped 147 per cent in the last year, with a massive surge occurring in the wake of October 7.

The charity recorded 4,103 instances of anti-Semitism in Britain, up from 1,662 in 2022.

It included 266 violent assaults on Jews, up 96 per cent year-on-year and the highest figure since the CST started gathering data 40 years ago.

For the first time, it recorded at least one anti-Semitic incident for every police force in the UK, with the majority  more than 2,400  in London, including some at vigils for Hamas's Israeli hostages.
He said property market had changed exponentially since 1980s

2GB host Ben Fordham has called out a property investor who accused Gen Z of being 'entitled' and 'lazy' for not making enough sacrifices to save money for a house deposit.

The investor, Quang Huynh, 39, said young people who were serious about home ownership needed to make some serious lifestyle changes, in an exclusive interview with Daily Mail Australia.

His advice included taking cold showers, not eating out or drinking alcohol, passing up on expensive concert tickets, and avoiding paying expensive rent.

'Well, this will upset the Millennials out there,' Fordham told listeners on Monday.

'Some of our younger listeners are probably wishing that Quang could have a cold shower himself before speaking up.

2GB's Ben Fordham has reacted after a property broker with an eight-property portfolio shared some tough truths with Gen Z renters looking to get onto the property ladder

Quang Huynh has eight properties across Sydney, a portfolio he has spent 20 years building

'But I reckon some older listeners will see some truth in what he's saying.

'Homeowners have had to make sacrifices - working overtime, living with mum and dad for as long as they'll let you, living in a share house crammed with too many people, eating toasted sandwiches for dinner, skipping holidays.

'You can't have it all. And some people think they can - they want to work when they want to work, and they want to holiday when they want to holiday, and they spend money on whatever they want.'

Fordham said it was a fear of missing out that drove young people to go out and spend money - but admitted buying a first home wasn't as simple as Mr Huynh made it out to be.

'I know many hard-working young people who make sacrifices when it comes to their spending, and they still find it almost impossible to break into the property market. And the numbers back them up,' he said.

Fordham said older listeners would appreciate the sacrifices Mr Huynh had mentioned but that it wasn't as simple as cutting back on eating out and concert tickets to be able to buy a home

Since the 1990s, house prices have risen from 2.5 times the annual household income to more than six times that figure today.

As a result, just 30 per cent of Australians aged between 25 and 34 now own a home while, in 1986, 58 per cent were homeowners.

In 1994, the average rent was about 18 per cent of household income while rent in capital cities now makes up between 26 and 34 per cent.

Fordham said it was once cheaper to build a home in Australia, when energy and gas costs were less expensive and there were more jobs in the regions.

He also noted that there was a growing number of people who are now making a profession out of investing in properties

'Previously, there were fewer professional property investors,' Fordham continued.

'Quang Huynh owns eight properties, so there are seven homes that people have to compete for in the rental market.

'In the old days, people saw property as a place to raise a family and build a life. These days, people like Quang buy as many properties as they can.

'So yes we can listen to his advice about saving money and going without, but let's not pretend that these days are just like the old days.'

Mr Huynh's advice for renters wanting to save for a deposit included quitting alcohol, cancelling subscription services and moving back into the family home
A mother of three from Georgia passed away as she tried to save her kids from a housefire.

Madison Summerville, 23, died on Thursday morning after a fire consumed her family's home in Griffin, a little more than an hour outside of Atlanta.

The mother suffered severe smoke inhalation and died from cardiac arrest after she tried to save her three-year-old daughter Paisley, her four-year-old son Thomas and her five-year-old son Kayden.

Paisley was initially left unresponsive from the blaze but regained consciousness on Friday and remains in the ICU. The young boys suffered minor burns and smoke inhalation.

Madison has been remembered as a 'bubbly person who would make you laugh instantly,' her sister Chasidy wrote on a GoFundMe page.

Madison Summerville, 23, died on Thursday morning after a fire consumed her family's home in Griffin, a little more than an hour outside of Atlanta

The mother suffered severe smoke inhalation and died from cardiac arrest after she tried to save her three-year-old daughter Paisley, her four-year-old son Thomas and her five-year-old son Kayden

It is unclear what caused the fire that was reported to 911 by a bystander

It is unclear what caused the fire that was reported to 911 by a bystander. When Spalding County fire officials arrived at the scene, they saw the entire house engulfed in flames.

Rocky White, the Spalding County Fire Marshall said along with Madison helping her children out of the burning home, neighbors also assisted at the scene.

Madison's kids were airlifted to Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta after they were miraculously pulled from the fire.

Her sister described Summerville as an 'amazing mother, wife, sister, daughter and friend' who had just celebrated her 23rd birthday days before the tragedy.

Chasidy also revealed that besides saving her children's lives, she went on to save eight more lives as her organs were donated.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help raise money for the mother's funeral, as her sister said that she did not have life insurance. It has raised more than $7,000 as of Monday afternoon.

Amber Morris, Madison's sister-in-law, said the late mother's children will now be cared for by her brother, WXIA-TV reported.

She also said if other people hadn't stepped in to help everyone escape, there might've been another outcome.

'My brother is looking for the others because he wants to personally thank the,' she said.

'If it wasn't for them, there's no telling how bad this would be.'

Her sister described Summerville as an 'amazing mother, wife, sister, daughter and friend' who had just celebrated her 23rd birthday days before the tragedy

In a Facebook post, Chasidy, the victim's sister, asked for clothing and diaper donations for the kids and their father

'How the babies are going to react when they realize that their mommy is not coming home,' Morris said.

In a Facebook post, Chasidy asked for clothing and diaper donations for the kids and their father.

'These kids have just lost the most important person in their life and their home,' a family member said on Facebook.

Another said: 'You will be missed Madison hope ..Rip until we see you again...'
Authorities in Cape Town have launched an investigation after a foul sewage stench caused by a ship carrying 19,000 live cattle swept over the South African city.

City officials inspected sewage facilities for leaks and an environmental health team was activated before the source of the smell was discovered: a ship docked in the harbour carrying 19,000 live cattle from Brazil to Iraq.

Zahid Badroodien, the official in the mayor's office in charge of water and sanitation, wrote on the social media site X, formerly Twitter, that investigators had confirmed that the source of the 'sewage smell blanketing parts of the city' was the cattle ship.

He wrote that the ship was due to depart soon, likely to the relief of residents who had an unpleasant start to their working week.

The ship has also become a target of serious criticism by animal welfare groups.

Authorities in Cape Town have launched an investigation after a foul sewage stench caused by a ship carrying 19,000 live cattle swept over the South African city

The national council of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) sent a veterinary consultant onboard the ship to assess the welfare of the animals (stock image)

The national council of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) sent a veterinary consultant onboard the ship to assess the welfare of the animals, it said.

The SPCA's council said it was strongly opposed to the export of live animals by sea.

'This smell is indicative of the awful conditions the animals endure, having already spent two-and-a-half weeks onboard, with a build-up of faeces and ammonia,' the SPCA said in a statement.

'The stench onboard is unimaginable, yet the animals face this every single day.'

The 623ft long Al Kuwait is a Kuwaiti-flagged livestock vessel, according to the Marine Traffic website.

The SPCA said: 'This smell is indicative of the awful conditions the animals endure, having already spent two-and-a-half weeks onboard, with a build-up of faeces and ammonia'

It docked in Cape Town to load feed for the cattle, the SPCA said.

South Africa's Democratic Alliance political party, which governs Cape Town, also condemned the transport of live cattle.

'Live export, as evidenced by this situation, exposes animals to perilous conditions such as dangerous levels of ammonia, rough seas, extreme heat stress, injuries, dirty environments, exhaustion, and even death,' the party said in a statement.

Earlier this month, a ship carrying more than 16,000 cattle and sheep also bound for the Middle East returned to Australia after becoming stranded at sea for nearly a month due to the attacks by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea.

That ship also came under scrutiny for cruelty but veterinarians found no significant health and welfare issues among the livestock.
Taxpayers in 95 per cent of local authorities will be forced to pay far more next year after the vast majority of council leaders opted to raise council tax by the maximum amount permitted.

Data compiled by the County Councils Network (CCN) has revealed that 129 out of 136 county and unitary local authorities in England will increase council tax by 4.99 per cent.

This is the maximum permitted by the Government without having a local referendum and means the average Band D household will face an rise of 103 over the next year.

Just three in four councils intended to levy the maximum this time last year, CCN said.

Last night council leaders warned that taxpayers would have to bear more financial pain during the cost of living crisis.

Taxpayers in 95 per cent of local authorities will be forced to pay far more next year (Stock image)

Last night council leaders warned that taxpayers would have to bear more financial pain during the cost of living crisis (Stock image)

Data compiled by the CCN has revealed that 129 out of 136 county and unitary local authorities in England will increase council tax by 4.99 per cent (Stock image)

Sam Corcoran, leader of Cheshire East Council and vice-chairman of the CCN, said: 'County authorities face a 1.1billion budget shortfall over the next two years.

'With council tax now accounting for two-thirds of the average county authority's funding, we have little choice but to take the difficult but necessary decision to raise council tax by 4.99 per cent to continue to protect services and ward off the threat of financial insolvency in the future.'

With council tax now accounting for two-thirds of the average county authority's funding, we have little choice but to take the difficult but necessary decision to raise council tax by 4.99 per cent to continue to protect services and ward off the threat of financial insolvency in the future.'

Last night local authorities were told to continue to make efficiency savings to avoid passing the buck to taxpayers.

Elliot Keck, of the Taxpayers' Alliance said: 'Financial mismanagement by local councils has been mercilessly exposed in recent months, and town hall bosses are scrambling to plug the gap.'

A spokesman for the Department for Levelling Up, Communities and Housing said: 'We recognise councils are facing challenges, that is why we announced an extra 600million support package for councils across England.'
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Malia Obama has dropped her famous surname for her debut short film at the Sundance Film Festival in an attempt to shake off the nepotism baby stigma.

The 25-year-old former first daughter has written and directed 'The Heart', a short film about the relationship between a mother and her son.

But instead of using her family name in the credits, she has chosen to ditch Obama and use her middle name, Ann, instead - going by Malia Ann.

Viewers online have been split by the decision with some saying it's brave of her to strike out on her own and others saying it's an attempt to 'sneak past nepo baby discourse'.

It is her first film to appear at Sundance after she interned on HBO's Girls and worked for Harvey Weinstein's production company. She also reportedly works as a staff writer on Donald Glover's Amazon Prime series Swarm.

Malia appearing at the Sundance festival in January for the premier of her short film

Malia spent eight years living in the White House while her father was president

Since the Obamas left the White House in 2017, Malia and her younger sister Sasha have kept a relatively low profile.

Both attended college - Malia to Harvard and Sasha to the University of Michigan - and have gone on to start their own careers.

Malia started off as an intern on Halle Berrys CBS sci-fi series, Extant, when she was just 15, and then went on to intern on HBO's Girls when she was 17.

She also won an internship for Harvey Weinstein's production company when she was 19, in the months before the sex abuse scandal broke in 2017.

She then worked as a staff writer on Donald Glover's Amazon Prime series, Swarm. Glover said to Vanity Fair in 2022: 'Shes just like, an amazingly talented person. Shes really focused, and shes working really hard.

'I feel like shes just somebody whos gonna have really good things coming soon. Her writing style is great.'

Getting a short film accepted into Sundance is extremely competitive, they receive over 10,000 submissions a year and only pick around 200 for entry.

In her Meet the Artist video for her debut film at Sundance, Malia said: 'The film is about lost objects and lonely people and forgiveness and regret.

She said it 'works hard to uncover where tenderness and closeness can exist in these things.'

She added: 'We hope that you enjoy the film and that it makes you feel a bit less lonely or at least reminds you not to forget about the people who are.'

Her decision to market herself as Malia Ann divided viewers.

Malia has completed several internships in film and now works as a staff writer

She moved into the White House with her family in 2008 and stayed through Obama's second term until 2017

One comment under the trailer read: I'm so proud of Malia. I noticed she's also going by her middle name. It's amazing to see people create their own lane. I'm sure she will be a great storyteller.'

Another said: 'I salute her for her work. And not capitalizing on her last name. Go Malia. Hope you win a prize.'

But others were less supportive and cynically suggested she had dropped her surname to avoid being accused of nepotism.

One X user said: 'Obama's daughter trying to sneak past nepo baby discourse by not using her last name. Bro you are Obama's duaghter [sic]'

They added: 'Like if you wanna be a filmmaker that's cool but we all know who you are, you're Obama's daughter. You can't hide that'

But one X user pointed out the paradox, saying: 'So they can't get ahead using their name but if they try to get ahead n their own merits they'll be called out on pretending? Brilliant logic.'

'Nepo baby' discourse swept the internet in 2022 after a X user posted about their shock over learning that Euphoria star Maude Apatow was the daughter of director Judd Apatow and actress Leslie Mann.

Their viral post sparked a fierce debate over whether or not the offspring of the rich and famous were getting an unfair leg up.

Critics pointed to a massive glut of rising starlets with famous parents, from Johnny Depp's daughter Lily-Rose Depp to Andie MacDowell's daughter Margaret Qualley.

Malia and her sister grew up in the limelight but have since maintained a relatively low profile

Malia became 'first daughter' in 2008 when Obama was elected for his first term

Madonna's daughter Lourdes Leon, Heidi Klum's daughter Leni Klum and Elvis Presley's granddaughter Riley Keough are also coming up, among others.

The online chatter around 'nepo babies' reached a fever pitch last December after New York magazine ran a viral cover story about the phenomenon.

Dakota Johnson, whose parents are Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith and whose grandmother is Hitchcock blonde Tippi Hedren, was one of the faces on the cover.

Jamie Lee Curtis, the daughter of Psycho actress Janet Leigh and Some Like It Hot dreamboat Tony Curtis, then waded into the debate.

Calling herself the 'OG Nepo Baby,' she complained: 'The current conversation about nepo babies is just designed to try to diminish and denigrate and hurt.'
A Trump-supporting trucker has advised New Yorkers to 'stock up' - as he warned that fierce plans to avoid driving semitrailers to the Big Apple are going ahead.

In a video shared by the driver known as Chicago Ray, he suggested people living in the Big Apple ought to start stockpiling items because Republican-leaning truckers will be refusing to take loads to and from New York City.

The cunning scheme was hatched in support of Donald Trump after the former president was fined $355 million in a civil fraud verdict in the city last week.

Ray warned that there are 'millions' of 'Tuckers for Trump' - so the Republican hopeful, 77, must be 'left alone' or else there will be potential shortages in NYC.

'I'm in Wisconsin and I'm hearing guys refusing loads..... this could take longer than a week.... my advice for New Yorkers is start stocking up... there's millions of Truckers for Trump millions of us .. leave Trump TF alone,' he posted in a message to X.

In a video shared by a truck driver known as Chicago Ray, he urges New Yorkers to prepare for potential shortages and to start stocking up

According to Ray, the truckers are serious at no longer conducting business in the Big Apple

The truckers says they are protesting following the recent $355 million civil fraud fine imposed on the former president

According to Ray, those he had spoken to had already alerted their bosses that as of Monday, they would no longer be conduct business in the Big Apple.

'Ive been talking to a few guys on the radio. This is real man. Theres guys that aint going,' Ray began.

'I talked to a guy that denied a refrigerator load to New York City. Thats pretty good money so you gotta give that guy his credit for that.

'If this goes longer than a week, New York better start stocking up and they better start stocking up now,' Ray went on.

'I aint wishing anybody anything. Im just telling you what I hear. From what im hearing, these guys are serious and this could take longer than a week.

'If they quit f***ing with Trump. Were just against whats going on in this country. We got careers out here. We aint trying to hurt nobody but we gotta stand for something. We stand with Trump. Cut the bull***t. It aint gotta be like this,' Ray said.

Trump has hailed the group of truckers planning to boycott New York as 'great patriots'.

After sharing DailyMail.com's article about the planned boycott, Trump posted on Truth Social: 'Such an honor to have so many Great Patriots on the side of freedom!'

Trucker Jake also shared similar sentiments. 'Those of you who have to work, you do you. But those who are part of the boycott, God bless you. God bless President Trump. God bless MAGA America and God bless all you truckers out there,' Trucker Jake said

He added: 'Joe Bidens Unfair and Dangerous Weaponization of Law Enforcement is a serious threat to Democracy. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!'

Other truckers have also posted to social media supporting the Big Apple boycott.

'Of course liberals have all become experts on the trucking industry. They all know logistics forwards and backwards. They say were all going to be replaced by AI. We have a deficit in this country of 85,000 truck drivers. You wanna do AI? Bring it. We could use the help,' Trucker Jake posted in a video to X.

'Then youre gonna say the illegals will take your jobs. Really? They cant pass a background check, cant pass a drugs test and then theres the language barrier. What insurance company is going to hire somebody who cannot pass a background check. So truckers youre safe.

'Those of you who have to work, you do you. But those who are part of the boycott, God bless you. God bless President Trump. God bless MAGA America and God bless all you truckers out there,' Trucker Jake said.

Since sharing the videos, others have chimed in on the alleged boycott saying they supported the move.

One person posted: 'Do it! Let us know how we can help! Youre NOT alone in this fight!'

Another added: 'We can always rely on the trucker to restore some semblance of the right thing in response.

'Thank you from the many here on X for your courage to stand up to the Marxist leftists.'

On Friday, the former President and Republican presidential candidate was fined $355m in a civil fraud verdict

Judge Arthur Engoron released the ruling on Friday that will also see 77-year-old Trump banned from being a director in a New York firm for three years.

Speaking outside his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, Trump went on the offense and lashed out at Engoron and Attorney General Letitia James.

The former President said: 'I paid approximately $300 million dollars in taxes as the migrants come in and take over New York, and they want me out.

'These are radical left democrats, they are lunatics. Its election interference.'

The former president also said that the case had been brought by the DOJ and Biden and constituted election interference.

Last month, a large MAGA truck convoy named the 'Army of God' was heading towards the southern border due to the ongoing crisis.

They hoped the eye-catching, all-American protest will draw further attention to record numbers of migrants crossing the southern border and into the US, with multiple cities now buckling under the weight of trying to care for them.

Last month, a massive convoy of truckers were seen making its way to migrant hotspots in a bid to shame the White House into tackling the worsening crisis

New York City is currently one of those cities struggling under the weight of the tens of thousands of migrants arriving at its borders in need of accommodation.

In the last two years alone, the city had to deal with the arrival of over 170,000 migrants.

Mayor Eric Adams has said the cost of the migrant crisis in the Big Apple is an eye-watering $4.6 billion as he begs the state for more money.

State governor Kathy Hochul pledged to commit $2.4 billion to the crisis last month, which is more than double last year's proposal.

In court on Friday, five migrants were formally charged with assaulting two NYPD officers in Times Square last month.
Harvard University has been hit with backlash over antisemitism again after a faculty organization claiming to support Palestine posted a cartoon depicting a Jewish person hanging black and Arab men on Instagram.

It comes just over a month after disgraced former President Claudine Gay resigned from her post after disastrous testimony to Congress that failed to condemn campus antisemitism.

The cartoon dates back to 1967, according to Tablet Magazine and was originally published in a magazine linked to the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee.

It was reposted on Instagram by the group 'Harvard Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine' which was formed weeks after Gay's departure and features a letter signed by 112 members of staff.

The cartoon was displayed as part of an Instagram post claiming to show how 'African people have a profound understanding of apartheid and occupation.'

Harvard University has been hit with backlash over anti-Semitism again after a faculty organization claiming to support Palestine posted a cartoon depicting a Jewish person hanging black and Arab men to Instagram Sunday

The cartoon dates back to 1967, according to Tablet Magazine and was originally published in a magazine linked to the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee

The image includes a hand with a dollar sign inside a Star of David - the symbol of Judaism. Linking money to the religion is a deeply offensive antisemitic stereotype.

Rabbi David Wolpe, a Harvard Divinity School scholar who resigned from the schools antisemitism advisory committee in December highlighted the cartoon in a post on X Monday.

'This was posted today by 'Harvard faculty and staff for justice in Palestine.' The cartoon is despicably, inarguably anti-Semitic,' he wrote. 'Is there no limit?'

The group, which says it is 'committed to supporting the cause of Palestinian liberation' and 'wholeheartedly reject[s] accusations that critique of the Israeli state is antisemitic' issued a groveling apology later Monday.

'It has come to our attention that a post featuring antiquated cartoons which used offensive antisemitic tropes was linked to our account. We removed the content as soon as it came to our attention. We apologize for the hurt that these images have caused and do not condone them in any way,' they wrote.

'Harvard FSJP stands against all forms of hate and bigotry, including antisemitism,' it added.

An Instagram package with similar sentiments, but minus the offending cartoon, was later re-posted by Harvard's Palestine Solidarity Committee.

DailyMail.com has reached out to Harvard Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine for comment.

The student-run version of the group, Students for Justice in Palestine, was one of the leading voices offering support for Hamas terrorists in the days following the attacks.

Rabbi David Wolpe, a Harvard Divinity School scholar who resigned from the schools anti-Semitism advisory committee in December highlighted the cartoon in a post on X Monday

It comes just over a month after disgraced former President Claudine Gay resigned from her post after disastrous testimony to Congress that failed to condemn campus anti-Semitism

The group, which says it is 'committed to supporting the cause of Palestinian liberation' and 'wholeheartedly reject[s] accusations that critique of the Israeli state is antisemitic' issued a groveling apology later Monday

An Instagram package with similar sentiments but minus the offending cartoon was later re-posted by Harvard's Palestine Solidarity Committee

It was, in fact, the student-run branch of SJP at Harvard that published a controversial letter blaming Israel for the Palestinian extremists' terror plot.

The letter launched an outcry from many Harvard alumni and led to dozens of top-tier donors pulling their tens of millions from the school.

It was that series of events that started the ball rolling toward the ultimate ousting of Harvard President Claudine Gay.

Gay, 53, lasted just six months in the role - the shortest tenure of any president in the school's history. Her resignation came 28 days after her shocking congressional testimony about campus antisemitism, where she refused to categorize calls for Jew genocide as harassment or concede that Jewish students had a right not to feel safe at Ivy League schools.

In her resignation, Gay wrote that she was standing down after 'consultation' with the school's board, which has been under pressure to replace her after defending her remarks.

She failed to acknowledge where she went wrong - making no mention of December 5 testimony or the mounting claims of plagiarism against her - but said she had been the victim of racist threats.

'It has become clear that it is in the best interests of Harvard for me to resign so that our community can navigate this moment of extraordinary challenge with a focus on the institution rather than any individual,' Gay wrote.

Yet dozens of faculty at the elite institution have made the call to provide back-up for those students and others who have been accused of significant anti-Semitic conduct since the outbreak of the war.

The letter from Harvard FSJP gives cover to those students and claims that they are the ones being subjected to 'a concerted and escalating campaign of harassment, intimidation, and racist hate speech because of their advocacy for Palestinian rights.'

'We pledge to support, defend, and protect our students, faculty, staff, and all Harvard affiliates organizing for Palestinian human rights, justice, and peace in Palestine/Israel,' it continues.

The faculty - nearly half of whom are affiliated with Harvard Medical School - also declare their support for the Boycott, Divest, and Sanction movement, which seeks to withdraw any kind of financial or other support from Israel or any Israeli companies.

'As educational workers, we are focused on boycotts of Israeli academic institutions that support apartheid and colonial occupation,' they wrote, as well as any companies 'that sustain Israeli apartheid, settler colonialism, and systematic human rights abuses against Palestinian.'

Demonstrators are seen at Harvard on October 14. Gay was criticized for being slow to condemn student justification of the Hamas terror attacks in Israel

In November, about 100 members of the Harvard faculty signed a different letter that criticized then President Claudine Gay's initiative to 'combat anti-Semitism,' which had been identified as an issue on campus.

The letter claimed the school was mistakenly taking cues from 'donors, alumni, and even some on this campus' who sought to 'silence' those who are critical of Israel's response to Hamas' terror attack.

They argued the school should not throttle free speech by banning students from chanting 'from the river to the sea,' a phrase that is near universally understood to be a call for the elimination of the State of Israel and its Jewish residents.

The newest faculty letter goes several steps further by saying that the world is watching 'Israels genocidal war and ethnic cleansing in Gaza,' and that such criticism does not rise to the level of anti-Semitism.

The groups claims to be after the 'emancipation of all peoples, with liberated futures for both Palestinians and Israelis.'

'Since systems of oppression are deeply interconnected, we further pledge to combat all forms of discrimination and racism at Harvard and outside its walls, including anti-Palestinian racism, anti-Muslim racism, anti-Indigenous racism, anti-Blackness, white supremacy, and antisemitism,' they wrote.

A handful of signees are support staff at Harvard's School of Arts and Sciences, including employees responsible for the well-being and academic records of students, as well as librarians and academic advisors.

Ousmane Oumar Kane, a professor of African and African American Studies, as well as the denominational counselor to Muslim Students signed the letter

Self-described climate justice scholar-advocate Jennie C. Stephens, who is a Climate Justice Fellow at Harvard this year, signed the letter

Law School professor Duncan Kennedy (left), best known as one of the minds behind the critical legal studies movement, which birthed critical race theory, signed the letter. Professor John Womack Jr. (right), a longtime professor of Mexican history and grandfather of the late rapper Lil Peep, signed the letter

Notable members of the faculty who added their names to the pro-Palestinian pledge include Ousmane Oumar Kane, a professor of African and African American Studies, as well as the denominational counselor to Muslim Students.

Kane is currently the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Professor of Contemporary Islamic Religion and Society. He is well known for his work on the subject of Muslim globalization.

He was on leave during the fall 2023 semester and if that meant he was spending time away from campus, he likely did not see in person the aftermath of October 7 play out at Harvard.

Michelle E. Morse, an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School and the first-ever Chief Medical Officer of the New York City Department of Health, signed the letter. Her latter position was established as part NYC's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2021, Morse wrote an op-ed in the Boston Review, in which she made a case in favor of federal reparations for racial minorities who have received sub-minimal healthcare from the US medical system. She co-wrote the piece with fellow letter-signee Bram Wispelwey, a Harvard Medical School colleague of hers.

Dr. Wispelwey is an associate physician at the medical school's Division of Global Health Equity at Brigham and Womens Hospital.

According to his Harvard faculty page, 'Brams research, education, and implementation efforts focus on anti-racist strategies to address hospital admission inequities, community health worker impact, and settler colonial determinants of health.'

Michelle E. Morse, a Harvard Medical School professor and New York City's first-ever Chief Medical Officer of the Department of Health

Vijay Iyer - the Franklin D. and Florence Rosenblatt Professor of the Arts - signed the letter

Another notable endorsement of the letter came from Professor John Womack, a historian who has spent virtually his entire academic and professional life at Harvard. His work has centered on Mexican history, and a little bit randomly, he was also the grandfather of the late rapper Lil Peep.

Law School professor Duncan Kennedy, best known as one of the minds behind the critical legal studies movement, which birthed critical race theory, signed the letter. He had also signed the one written in November.

Self-described climate justice scholar-advocate Jennie C. Stephens, who is a Climate Justice Fellow at Harvard this year, signed the letter. Her research focuses on 'integrating transformative social justice, feminist, anti-racist perspectives into climate and energy policy,' among other things.

Vijay Iyer is the Franklin D. and Florence Rosenblatt Professor of the Arts. He is a composer and 'shape-shifting presence in American music,' in addition to being one of the signees of the letter.
Wildlife authorities are on the hunt for three men who allegedly attacked a defenceless penguin before a heroic bystander intervened.

A member of the public spotted the young men allegedly kicking the little penguin at tram stop number 136 in St Kilda, Melbourne, at 11.30pm on December 8.

The witness 'disturbed' the group and relocated the penguin to the beach near St Kilda Pier, Crime Stoppers told Daily Mail Australia.

They reported the incident to local authorities who then alerted the Victorian Conservation Regulator.

A member of the public reported seeing three men allegedly kicking a little penguin at tram stop number 136 in St Kilda, Melbourne, on December 8 last year.

The Conservation Regulator has now released CCTV footage of the three men believing it will help with their investigation.

Crime Stoppers Victoria chief executive Stella Smith described the incident as appalling, and said it was important those responsible were found and punished.

'It's disturbing behaviour,' Ms Smith said.

'The community is always outraged when they see people hurting innocent animals.

'It's important that they're found because we wouldn't want this to happen again and they need to understand that their behaviour is absolutely unacceptable.'

It is illegal to disturb or destroy wildlife in Victoria.

Maximum penalties range from $3846 to $48,077 or 12 months in jail.

Anyone with any information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Victorian Conservation Regulator for comment.
The highlands of Papua New Guinea are turning into a bloody warzone as tribes equip hired killers with high-powered weaponry while the outgunned police helplessly watch on.

In an escalation of the bloodshed, at least 49 people were massacred in an ambush of a raiding party on Sunday in PNG's remote Enga Province.

Confronting images from near the town of Wabag, 600km north-west of PNG's capital Port Moresby, show the dead being heaped onto the back of a flatbed truck.

Police are yet to finalise the body count but it is the bloodiest incident of tribal violence in the area in recent memory.

Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary Acting Superintendent George Kakas said the massacre was the 'largest killing' seen in the Enga Province.

Police say at least 49 people were killed in an ambush in the remote highlands of PNG as the bloody war between tribes escalates

'We're all devastated, we're all mentally stressed out. It's really hard to comprehend,' he said.

'These tribesmen have been killed all over the countryside, all over the bush.

'Police and defence forces have had to go in to do their best to quell the situation at their own risk.

'We started collecting bodies, scattered all over the battlefield, the roads, the riverside and they were loaded onto police trucks and taken to the hospital.'

Most of the dead were reported to be from the Sikin and Kaikin tribes, which have been involved in long-running deadly feud with the Ambulin tribe.

Tribesmen, many of them hired gunmen from 17 different tribes in the region and neighbouring provinces, let loose with an arsenal of M16s, AR15s, self-loading rifles and pump-action shotguns, according to Superintendent Kakas.

Tribes are arming themselves with high-powered firearms causing casualties to mount in PNG

A senior police officer told the ABC that his officers were not 'superman', and wouldn't 'stand between warring tribes when high-powered firearms are being used'.

Local peace advocate James Komengi said tribal fighting was an ancestral practice but what was new was the carnage from heavy calibre weaponry.

'The government needs to find out where the high-powered weapons are coming from and where the ammunition supplies are,' he told the ABC.

'And they should map out the areas where the guns are and come up with strategies to destroy, reclaim or eliminate these guns.

'The government should have intervened a long time ago. But they are not doing anything and people are being killed like pigs and dogs.'

He said police were 'overpowered' because they weren't as heavily armed as the factions they were trying to control.

Enga Province has been put into lockdown as authorities try to stem the flow of arms and ammunition in the area.

Tribal fighting can break out for many reasons such as political differences, land disputes or inter-marriage issues.

The current feud is reported to have started when a man's death was blamed on a tribe from another village.

That tribe then ambushed the man's funeral, killing five people with bush knives and axes leading to spiralling violence with villages being raided and burnt down.

Last July, the area was locked down for three months to address ongoing tribal conflict.

Authorities described the massacre as the 'largest killing' seen in the Enga province

Bodies were seen laid out on a flatbed truck following the brutal massacre in the PNG highlands

PNG locals lamented the bloodshed in posts on social media.

'We are having a total break down in law and order in our country,' one wrote on a PNG news Facebook page.

'It is happening in the Highlands and the coastal provinces.'

People should know that our police personnel cannot solve our law and order situations alone. Now we have already involved our military and CIS personal.'

Local Enga MP Miki Kaeokhas called for a state of emergency to stem the violence in the province.

Mr Kaeok said immediate intervention was needed to end the fighting and police needed the powers to stop the flow of arms into the conflict.

'Businessmen, leaders and educated elites are supplying guns, bullets and financing the engagement of gunmen,' he said.

Papua New Guinea sits just north of Australia, with Sunday's massacre in the Enga Province estimated to be the largest killing in the area in recent times

'They must be identified and their business accounts thoroughly checked to substantiate their direct involvement.'

Enga Governor Sir Peter Ipatas accused police of failing to heed warnings.

'From a provincial perspective, we knew this fight was going to be on and we [alerted] the security forces last week to make sure they took appropriate action to ensure this didn't occur,' he said.

'Unfortunately the security forces were complacent and we have this very, very high number of deaths.

'The police and security forces must take ownership and be on the ground, assess the situation and take appropriate action.

'I think they have not been proactive and as a result this fight has been ongoing since last year.'

On Monday Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said news of the massacre was 'very disturbing'.

'We remain available to provide whatever support we can in a practical way, of course, to help our friends in PNG,' he said.

A PNG police unit of 200 officers will receive training in Australia to deal with the situation.
Two women have been convicted after more than 100 small dogs, cats, birds and kangaroos were discovered living in squalor in a 'house of horrors' puppy farm.

The RSPCA raided the house in South Australia's Mid North region before seizing 100 small dogs, 11 kangaroos and 11 cats on November 3, 2020.

Two women, in their 60s, were both registered dog breeders and were living on the premises without electricity.

Two dogs and a bird had to be put to sleep because of their bad condition.

The women pleaded guilty to 11 charges of animal ill-treatment in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

Many of the dogs found in the 'house of horrors' were unwell (pictured) with dental issues and ear infections common. Many dogs had to have surgery, with some requiring amputations

The dogs had years of neglect (pictured). The women, in their sixties, who avoided jail time, lived in the filthy house with the animals. Disturbingly they were registered dog breeders

Many of the animals needed extensive vet treatment - including surgeries and amputations.

Animals were found in kitchen cupboards and in cages stacked on top of each other.

Faeces had been left so long it had hardened on the floor, along with dirt and hair.

One of the kangaroos had a broken leg and there were also ducklings, a wattle bird and an injured magpie.

Other animals had ear infections and many had severe dental problems, with one needing part of its jaw removed.

One of the dogs, which were euthanised, was a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel called Winston that had one eye missing and cancer in the other.

Eighty of the animals were seized and the RSPCA issued welfare notices for the remaining animals.

Seventy-seven animals that were not seized were taken to the RSPCA's Lonsdale shelter to be examined by vets.

The dogs in the squalid premises were popular smaller breeds - Maltese, Miniature Poodles, Silky Terriers, Chihuahuas, Shih Tzus, Pomeranians, Papillons and King Charles Cavalier Spaniels.

RSPCA South Australia chief inspector Andrew Baker called it a 'house of horrors' in a statement and one of the most 'extreme cases of animal hoarding' the RSPCA had ever seen.

The animals were found everywhere in the house, including in the the kitchen shelves surrounded by food items (pictured)

There were so many animals in the squalid house, dogs were forced to find any space available. There was dirt spread up the walls and excrement, mixed with hair and dirt had hardened on the floor, making it uneven (pictured)

'These defendants were registered breeders and had previously supplied puppies to pet shops,' he said.

'Imagine how you would feel if you bought one of those puppies and later learnt of the conditions in which it had been bred and kept.'

RSPCA officers returned to the scene on November 10, 2020 and were confronted with more distressing scenes including a goat with a broken leg and starving turtles.

The RSPCA took all remaining animals, except for four dogs, due to the mental health of the women.

All the seized animals have since been re-homed.

The RSPCA said its legal counsel Simon Perrie stated the offences were so serious that a jail term was required.

However, Mr Perrie believed a prison sentence should be suspended given the age of the women and their lack of a criminal history.

The Magistrate Edward Stratton-Smith agreed and gave the pair a six-month sentence, reduced to three months and 18 days due the women pleading guilty.

The sentence was suspended on a two-year, $500 good behaviour bond.

The women were also ordered to pay $2000 towards the vet bill, which cost the RSPCA $46,000.

All of the dogs were popular small to medium breeds, such as Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. One, called Winston, was found missing an eye and cancer in his remaining one. He had other health issues and had to be put to sleep (pictured the dogs on the kitchen floor)
Ukrainian medics have brought a war-damaged ambulance targeted by Russia to London's busiest spots in a bid to highlight the impacts of Putin's bombardment.

A Kharkiv ambulance, pocked with bullet holes and missing its front windshield, was driven across the British capital last week to demonstrate the 'real-life consequences of Russia's attacks'.

Hero medics posed in front of the 'bombed out' vehicle as it was parked in front of popular tourist destinations including the Houses of Parliament, Royal Albert Hall and the Albert Memorial in Kensington.

Katerina Prymak, wearing her uniform, stood solemnly next to the ambulance, holding a placard that read: 'I'm a Ukrainian frontline medic and I brought this ambulance targeted by Russia for everyone to see. There's many more...'

The tour, organised in part by the Ukraine Solidarity Project, comes as ministers are facing calls to 'urgently explain' why a scheme offering visas to Ukrainians fleeing war was shut down and is no longer accepting applications.

The Home Office closed the Ukraine family scheme on Monday afternoon. The decision was among a series of changes to immigration rules set out in a policy document published without warning earlier in the day.

Ukrainian medic Katerina Prymak (pictured) stood outside Royal Albert Hall, London next to a Kharkiv ambulance that was struck by more than 50 bullets. She held a placard that read: 'I'm a Ukrainian frontline medic and I brought this ambulance targeted by Russia for everyone to see. There's many more...'

Hero medics have brought the war-damaged ambulance targeted by Russia to London 's busiest spots in a bid to highlight the impacts of Putin 's bombardment. Four of the frontline responders are pictured with the vehicle outside The Palace of Westminster on Feb. 14, 2024

Ukrainian medics Iryna Knyzhnyk and Brandon Mitchell sit in the war-damaged ambulnce as they make a stop in Westminster on February 14, 2024. The medics have embarked on a 10-day tour of Britain to mark the second anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine

The group are taking the war-damaged civilian ambulance to London, Manchester, Liverpool, Edinburgh and Cardiff to show the British public real-life impact of Putin's attacks. Iryna Knyzhnyk and Brandon Mitchell are pictured outside the Houses of Parliament on February 14

Five Ukrainian medics - Ms Prymak, Brandon Mitchell, Yuriy Soroka, Iryna Knyzhnyk and Julia Paevska - have embarked on a 10-day tour of Britain to mark the second anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

They are taking the war-damaged civilian ambulance to London, Manchester, Liverpool, Edinburgh and Cardiff to show the British public real-life impact of Putin's attacks.

The military normally does not utilise civilian ambulances because they are 'very bright' and make for a 'very easy target,' Ms Knyzhnyk, 46, told GB News.

'But at the very beginning of the Russian invasion, medics would use everything that we could reach and this ambulance came to one of the villages near Kharkiv to help wounded civilians,' the former military linguist turned combat medic recalled.

'When medics were out of the car - and they were very lucky to be out of it - it was shelled by Russians.'

Despite the vehicle having been struck by more than 50 bullets, Ms Knyzhnyk said the damage to the ambulance is 'far from the worst'.

Medics have been repeatedly targeted during the war, with nearly 200 having been killed with Russian weapons.

Katerina Prymak (pictured) stands near the war-damaged civilian ambulance as it tours through central London

The military normally does not utilise civilian ambulances because they are 'very bright' and make for a 'very easy target'. Bystanders are staring at Ms Prymak and the ambulance

The travelling exhibit will also display wartime paramedics' belongings, including expired bullet-proof protection and a combat medic's helmet that has been damaged beyond repair. Bystanders are seen photographing the ambulance as it moved through central London

The travelling exhibit will also display wartime paramedics' belongings, including expired bullet-proof protection and a combat medic's helmet that has been damaged beyond repair.

The emergency responders have begun to meet with politicians, public figures and community groups across the UK in a bid to amplify the message that 'people saving lives must be protected'.

Ms Knyzhnyk acknowledged the war 'might feel distant for some people in the UK', but reiterated that Ukrainians 'have felt the weight of support and solidarity from the British public and British politicians from across the political spectrum'.

'It means so much to us,' she told ITV, adding that she hopes by sharing her story and talking about the situation in Ukraine that 'we can maintain and grow the special bond that exists between our countries and the solidarity that the UK has shown since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion two years ago'.

The medics' campaign comes as British ministers are facing scrutiny over the shut down of the Ukraine family scheme.

The Ukraine family scheme allowed applicants to join family members or extend their stay in the UK, and the extension scheme meant Ukrainian nationals and their immediate relatives could apply for permission to remain in the country.

The Home Office closed the Ukraine family scheme at 3pm on Monday. It also confirmed a visa extension scheme will close on May 16.

Protesters stand in front of a war-damaged ambulance as it males a stop in Westminster, central London on February 14, 2024

Frontline medics from Ukraine are touring the UK, alongside an ambulance pock-marked with shrapnel. A woman is pictured visiting the war-damaged Ukrainian ambulance on February 14, 2024 in London

Protesters stand in front of a war-damaged ambulance as it males a stop in Westminster, central London on February 14, 2024

Hero medic Katerina Prymak posed in front of the 'bombed out' vehicle as it was on display in various locations across central London last week

The move comes as the two-year anniversary of Putin's invasion approaches and a day after the Home Office announced plans for people who sought sanctuary in the UK to be able to extend their visa by 18 months from 2025.

Labour said the move 'sends the wrong message' about the UK's 'willingness' to stand by Ukraine while campaigners raised concerns that one of 'few safe routes' created to allow families to reunite amid the conflict was 'closing at such short notice'.

The opposition party's shadow immigration minister Stephen Kinnock said: 'It was vitally important for the UK to play our role in supporting those fleeing Putin's illegal war in Ukraine, especially mothers and children, to find a new home.

'The numbers arriving on visa schemes have already dropped but many that are coming are often in very desperate personal situations.

'Restricting family rights at a time when Ukrainian troops are under heavy fire in Donetsk sends the wrong message to the people of Ukraine about our willingness to stand with them.

'Ministers must urgently explain the justification for these measures and how they will ensure vulnerable Ukrainians are not put at risk by these changes.'

Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, said: 'The lack of options for Ukrainian and other families separated by war and persecution is already a huge problem. It's concerning that one of the few safe routes created for families to reunite will be closing at such short notice.

'This is a reminder of the disadvantages of bespoke, one-off visa schemes that support refugees in the short term but leave people in limbo, anxious and uncertain about their future.

'Instead of this ad hoc and inconsistent approach, the Government should ensure the UK resettlement route is utilised as a global scheme and confers the same rights, including refugee family reunion, for all regardless of their nationality.'

A Ukrainian military ambulance is pictured as responders wait for the order to evacuate wounded soldiers in the direction of Bakhmut on February 19, 2024

A Ukrainian serviceman uploads shells in a tank in the Luhansk region on February 18, 2024

A Ukrainian serviceman uploads shells in the Luhansk region on Febraury 18 amid Russia's attack on Ukraine

Ukrainian gunner Vasyl Zozulia fires the gun, as soldiers of the Ukraine Armys 95th Brigade fire 105mm artillery shells from a British-made L119 howitzer at Russian positions in the Lyman direction on February 18, 2024

The British Red Cross also raised concerns about the changes, adding: 'Ukrainians seeking safety in the UK need more stability and stronger protection. We urge the government to reconsider these changes.'

The document, entitled statement of changes in immigration rules, said: 'The Ukraine family scheme (which was available to eligible Ukrainian nationals with an eligible UK based family member sponsor) closed to new applications at 15.00GMT on February 19 2024.'

The Government website about the scheme now says: 'You can no longer apply under this scheme.'

The immigration rules document also said: 'A Ukrainian national in the UK may qualify under the Ukraine Extension Scheme if they held immigration permission on or between 18 March 2022 and 16 November 2023, or if their last permission ended after 1 January 2022. Applications to this scheme must be made on or before 16 May 2024.

'A person who has immigration permission as a partner or child of a Ukrainian national who qualifies under the Ukraine extension scheme, who is not themselves a Ukrainian national, may also qualify under the Ukraine extension scheme.

'Children born in the UK to those who have permission under the Ukraine scheme (and the now closed Ukraine family scheme) are eligible to apply under the Ukraine extension scheme.'

Another document setting out an assessment of the changes suggested the Home Office no longer deems the family scheme necessary as 'volumes have been decreasing' and it is 'more efficient to simplify the immigration system by operating a single humanitarian scheme for Ukrainians'.

Closure of the scheme is also intended to 'mitigate the risk of homelessness resulting from accommodation being unsuitable or unavailable'.

Ending the route 'may cause displacement' of applicants towards the homes for Ukraine scheme and it is assumed most people will be eligible for the alternative option but there could be a 'small cohort' of third country nationals (TCNs) - people who fled Ukraine during the war but are not Ukrainian nationals - who may not be, the assessment warns.

Rescuers remove rubble from a school destroyed during an overnight missile attack on the town of Slviansk, Donetsk region, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 18, 2024

Firefighters extinguish the fire at school number 18 destroyed in a Russian missile attack on Sloviansk, Donetsk oblast, Ukraine on February 17, 2024

A view of destroyed residential building following the Russian airstrike on Feb. 17 on the city of Kupiansk, Kharkiv region, Ukraine

Ukrainian police officers and rescue workers clear the rubble of a destroyed private house after a Russian rocket attack in Kramatorsk, Donetsk region, on February 17, 2024

The Home Office was seeing 'increased litigation' linked to the family scheme and involving TCNs 'who were resident in Ukraine at the time of the invasion, but with no Ukrainian family members', it added.

The number of people granted a visa who arrived in the UK having fled the war in Ukraine has now topped 200,000, figures published last week showed.

As of February 12, some 56,800 of the 200,200 arrivals were under the Ukraine family scheme. The remaining 143,400 arrivals were people granted visas under the separate homes for Ukraine scheme.

A total of 31,400 applications to extend permission to stay under the Ukraine family scheme and Ukraine extension scheme had been granted as of February 13, according to the latest data.

The Home Office said it was wrong to suggest the Government was restricting the ability of Ukrainians to bring family to the UK.

A spokeswoman said: 'Our priority remains continuing to provide safe and secure haven for those fleeing the ongoing conflict, whilst providing certainty and assurance for Ukrainians in the UK on their future as the war continues.

'It is right that we continue to adapt and develop the visa routes to ensure they remain as efficient and sustainable as possible. Ukrainian nationals who would have qualified under the Ukraine Family Scheme will still be able to apply to Homes for Ukraine. Family members who are settled here can also still continue to sponsor a family member to come to the UK under Homes for Ukraine.'

A Ukrainian soldier who gave the name Ruslan loads the gun, as soldiers of the Ukraine Armys 95th Brigade fire 105mm artillery shells from a British-made L119 howitzer at Russian positions in the Lyman direction on February 18, 2024

A Ukrainian military ambulance waiting for the order to evacuate wounded soldiers in the direction of Bakhmut as the war between Russia and Ukraine continues in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine on February 19, 2024

Ukrainian gunner Vasyl Zozulia waits for target coordinates by the gun, as soldiers of the Ukraine Armys 95th Brigade fire 105mm artillery shells from a British-made L119 howitzer at Russian positions in the Lyman direction on February 18, 2024

Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer spoke on Monday evening at a welcome reception held by the Labour Party for Ukrainian people who have been rehoused in the UK, along with host families and organisations that supported the process.

In his remarks, Sir Keir said: 'It's almost exactly a year ago today, that I was in Ukraine, in Kyiv, visiting President Zelenskyy. And I want to say to you tonight exactly what I said to him. Because a year later, it's still every bit as true and just as important to say. That no matter who is in power in this country, Britain will always back Ukraine.

'Your struggle for peace, for justice and for freedom. That will not change. That will not waiver. We will be with you for as long as it takes. Because that is what the people of Ukraine deserve.'

He said the friendship between Britain and Ukraine will 'stand firm in times of war and times of peace,' adding: 'That will stand defiantly together against tyranny, against injustice, against oppression. Until that day of victory.'
Venezuela's government has asked staff from the United Nations' human rights body to leave the country within three days.

It is accusing the organization of having played an 'inappropriate role' in the country and supporting freedom for people involved in attempts at assassination, coups, conspiracies and other plots, the government said.

Officials in the South American country said it had made a decision 'to suspend the activities of the technical advisory office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and carry out a holistic revision of the technical cooperation terms.'

The United States, the UN and others have decried the detention and arraignment this week of defense expert Rocio San Miguel.

Venezuela's government has asked staff from the United Nations ' human rights body to leave the country within three days. Pictured, The President of the Venezuelan National Assembly, Jorge Rodriguez, speaks during a press conference after an encounter between the Venezuelan Government and the opposition on Monday

Human rights activist and lawyer Rocio San Miguel, 57, and several of her relatives have been detained

The Venezuelan government say Rocio San Miguel was involved in a plan to kill President Nicolas Maduro and other senior officials. Maduro is pictured with wife Cilia Flores on Friday

Some members of her family were also detained, though four have been released.

Attorney General Tarek William Saab showed the nation maps, laptops, cellphones and other items he said link Miguel to an alleged plot to destabilize the country, the representatives of a faction of the opposition pointed to the arrest as the latest example of escalating repression.

San Miguel, 57, has specialized in studying Venezuela's shadowy, often corrupt armed forces.

She is the head the non-governmental organization Control Ciudadano, which focuses on the defense of human rights, security and the armed forces.

San Miguel was taken into custody February 9 at the airport near Caracas while she and her daughter awaited a flight to Miami.

Authorities did not acknowledge her detention until two days later.

She is being held at the Helicoide prison  an infamous institution for political prisoners  on charges of treason, conspiracy and terrorism.

In addition to San Miguel, only ex-husband Alejandro Jose Gonzales de Canales Plaza remains in custody. He is facing charges of revealing state and military secrets and obstruction of justice.

More than 200 non-governmental organizations and several governments have condemned her detention.

The Geneva-based U.N. rights office of the high commissioner in a tweet four days after her arrest  at a time when San Miguel had not yet had contact with her family or attorneys said her status potentially qualified 'her detention as an enforced disappearance.'

Their assertions came as the Norwegian diplomats guiding the negotiations between the government of President Nicolas Maduro and a U.S.-backed opposition group met with both sides in the capital, Caracas, an unusual step in a years-long process where official meetings have always taken place in neutral territory.

The Venezuelan government regularly accuses members of the political opposition of plotting takeovers or the assassination of President Nicolas Maduro, all accusations vehemently denied by opposition parties and their members.

Venezuela's review of its relationship with the UN will take place over the next 30 days, the government said in a statement, adding that all UN personnel connected to the office must leave the country over the next 72 hours.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said during a daily briefing that he had just been made aware of Venezuela's decision and would need to get back to members of the press.

San Miguel was taken into custody February 9 at the airport near Caracas while she and her daughter awaited a flight to Miami

The government building 'El Helicoide', where Rocio San Miguel is held, in Caracas, Venezuela

A woman holds a sign that reads 'Release Rocio' during a demonstration to demand the release of human rights activist and lawyer Rocio San Miguel in Caracas

General Attorney Tarek William Saab stands over items he presented as evidence related to the arrest of human rights lawyer and activist Rocio San Miguel, accused of allegedly plotting to kill President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, Venezuela

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro speaks last month at the beginning of the judicial year

Gerardo Blyde, chief negotiator for the opposition group known as the Unitary Platform, told reporters his faction presented his negotiating counterpart, National Assembly leader Jorge Rodriguez, and Norwegian diplomats two document listing multiple violations of the agreement and acts of repression.

'They must de-escalate, we repeat, they must de-escalate persecution,' Blyde said. 'The procedures that each party followed to choose their candidate must be respected. Conditions that allow a transparent electoral process must be established.'

Blyde said he and his faction cannot make determinations about evidence in the cases against San Miguel and her family because they 'are not judges,' but he contended that 'due process and the right to defense and the presumption of innocence that are in the constitution do not exist' at this moment.

He also criticized the government's decision last week to order the local United Nations office on human rights to suspend operations.

In a nationally televised press conference, Saab presented what he characterized as evidence of San Miguel's involvement in one of multiple anti-government conspiracies he announced last month.

He presented equipment he said belonged to San Miguel and a document that allegedly described one of the conspiracies and mentioned her.

Saab zeroed in on series of printed maps showing different parts of Venezuela that he said highlighted sensitive military locations of which he said she should not have knowledge. He repeatedly said a human rights attorney has no use for that information.

'But for God's sake, tell me where in the world, having these elements of conviction, these investigative elements at hand, you do not initiate an investigation, you do not place an immigration alert, you do not have an arrest warrant,' Saab said of the alleged evidence against San Miguel whose daughter, two brothers and two ex-husbands were also detained.

Gerardo Blyde, chief negotiator for the opposition group known as the Unitary Platform, told reporters his faction presented his negotiating counterpart, National Assembly leader Jorge Rodriguez, and Norwegian diplomats two document listing multiple violations of the agreement and acts of repression

In a nationally televised press conference, items were presented as 'evidence' of San Miguel's involvement in one of multiple anti-government conspiracies

State television on Wednesday harshly criticized comments by the UN's special rapporteur on the right to food, Michael Fakhri, who just concluded a visit to Venezuela.

Fakhri had said in a statement the government food program does not tackle the root causes of hunger and is susceptible to political influences.

The UN human rights office, which has operated in Venezuela since 2019, must rectify its 'colonialist, abusive and violating attitude,' the government's statement added, saying it will conduct a revision of its cooperation with the organization.

Other UN bodies including the World Food Programme and children's agency UNICEF also operate in Venezuela.
An ex-Australian naval officer claims authorities were searching for missing flight MH370 in the wrong area a year after the plane mysteriously disappeared.

Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 vanished over the South China Sea during its journey from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Beijing, China, on March 8, 2014.

The puzzling case made headlines across the world as the plane, which had 239 people on board including six Australians, seemingly disappeared without a trace.

Peter Waring was appointed deputy operations manager of the search in September 2014, but said he began to have 'serious doubts' about how the investigation was being carried out in May 2015.

Former naval officer, Peter Waring, was appointed deputy operations manager of the search in September, 2014, but said he began to have 'serious doubts' about how the investigation was being carried out in May 2015

Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370 vanished over the South China Sea during a flight from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia , to Beijing , China, on March 8, 2014 (stock image)

'At various points we made it seem as though we have a very good sense of where it was, but that just wasn't the case,' he told Sky News.

'We had absolutely, more or less, next to nothing.

'Over time, the operation was wrapped in an armature of bureaucracy, if you will, and that made it more difficult to change course.'

His comments come ahead of Sky News releasing its documentary MH370: Ten Years On on Tuesday night.

Mr Waring, a former navy lieutenant, said despite evidence suggesting the aircraft may be in another area, the search operation was unable to change its course.

'In some ways we had shackled ourselves to this one particular area and weren't flexible to look elsewhere when there was evidence to suggest perhaps it was elsewhere,' he said.

He said by mid-2015, enough of the sea floor had been covered to discount the 'leading assumption' that the aircraft had crashed into the Indian Ocean near an area known as the 7th Arc.

Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370 vanished over the South China Sea during a flight from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia , to Beijing , China, on March 8, 2014 (police are seen carrying debris from unidentified aircraft in the French Indian Ocean in July, 2015)

'If that assumption had been correct we would have found the aircraft at that point,' he said.

READ MORE: Peter Waring's theory MH370 deliberately crashed Advertisement

Speaking to Sky News presenter Peter Stefanovic in the documentary, Mr Waring said there was no 'plan B' in the search and they were moving further away from areas where the airplane was likely to be.

He was also at a loss as to why the Australian Transport Safety Bureau was chosen to lead the search operation.

'But the question really needs to be asked why the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, which is an aircraft investigation authority, not a search and rescue authority, not an organisation that has any experience of conducting a search, why they were put in charge of one of the largest and most expensive searches in human history,' he said in the documentary.

Mr Waring said the upcoming 10-year anniversary of the disappearance of MH370 was just 'another reminder of the failure' in the search mission.

'The fact we are now no closer to finding the aircraft than we were when we were spending millions and millions of dollars eight to 10 years ago,' he said.

However, an Australian fisherman Kit Olver, 77, claimed last year that his trawler pulled up what appeared to be the wing of a commercial airliner in late, 2014.

He claims he was fishing some 55km off the southeast coast of South Australia, in the Southern Ocean, when his net snagged on something large.

'It was a bloody great wing of a big jet airliner,' Mr Olver said.

'I've questioned myself. I've looked for a way out of this.

'I wish to Christ I'd never seen the thing but there it is. It was a jet's wing.'

As he had held a pilot's licence, Mr Olver was confident the wing was larger than any on a typical private plane.

His discovery was backed-up by Mr Waring who said it was 'plausible' for debris from the wreckage to be found in southern Australia, considering more than 20 pieces of possible wreckage have been discovered in Africa.
The wife of one of the two police officers shot dead after responding to a 'domestic incident' along with a paramedic who went to their aid in Minneapolis remembered her 'hero' husband as his suspected killer was identified for the first time.

Cops Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge, both 27, and firefighter and paramedic Adam Finseth, 40, were killed. Another police officer, Sgt. Adam Medlicott, was injured and being treated at a hospital with what are believed to be non-life-threatening injuries.

The suspect has since been identified as 38-year-old Shannon Gooden, who himself was later found dead.

Elmstrand's wife, Cindy Elmstrand-Castruita, said that his act of heroism was typical of the way Paul lived his life and that he would always 'drop everything' to help people.

'I think he just had to be the hero. He had to do what he thought was right to protect those little lives even if it meant putting his at risk and it breaks my heart because now he's gone. But I know that he thought what he did was right,' she said.

Shannon Gooden, 38, was identified as the suspect Monday by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension

The wife of one of the two police officers shot dead after responding to a 'domestic incident' along with a paramedic who went to their aid in Minneapolis remembered her 'hero' husband

Cops Paul Elmstrand (pictured) and Matthew Ruge, both 27, and firefighter and paramedic Adam Finseth, 40, were killed

The pair were high school sweethearts who met when they attended kindergarten together and had been married five years, with a two-year-old and five-month-old at home.

'He was the most generous, loving, patient person I've ever known,' Elmstrand-Castruita said.

'He could have a conversation with anyone and make them feel seen. He would drop everything to help someone who was in need, whether it be family, friend or someone on the street.'

She told CBS News that she wouldn't worry about her husband - who joined the police department in Burnsville in 2017 - despite his dangerous job.

'He was a very levelheaded person,' she said. 'He loved his job. He saw horrible things but never once did he say, would he come home complaining.'

Unfortunately, she found out news of his death from a friend texting her that she was sorry for what she was going through on Sunday morning at around 7:30am.

'I looked out my bedroom window and saw a squad car out there,' she said. 'I knew. That's when I knew he was gone.'

She tried to look at the positives, that her children were alive to know their loving father.

Elmstrand-Castruita said that she wouldn't worry about her husband - who joined the police department in Burnsville in 2017 - despite his dangerous job

The pair were high school sweethearts who met when they attended kindergarten together and had been married five years, with a two-year-old and five-month-old at home

Eden Prairie police officers pause next to memorials in front of the Burnsville Police Department in Burnsville

Zach Osterberg, of the Savage Fire Department, hugs his son Lincoln as they paid their respect at the memorials

'I just keep thinking about how well he loved me and how well he loved our kids and just what a privilege it is to have experienced that, because I know that so many people don't. But me and my kids got to,' she said.

Gooden, 38, was identified as the suspect Monday by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.

Police say an armed man, believed to be Gooden, barricaded himself in a Burnsville home with seven children.

Gooden was renting the home the first responders showed up to, according to property records.

He had previous convictions for disorderly conduct in 2004 and 2005, as well as a second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon conviction in 2007.

Court records also show the state barred Gooden from possessing guns after he pleaded guilty in 2008, aged 22, to second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon.

Prosecutors said he threw rocks and pulled a knife on a man in a Burnsville shopping mall parking lot.

Gooden also notably had a petition to restore his right to a firearm denied in 2020 and was entangled in a years-long dispute over the custody and financial support of his three oldest children.

Members of the Burnsville Police Department gathered outside memorials

St. Paul Police Officer Anthony Buckley places a badge on a police vehicle

Authorities told NBC News he was in possession of several guns and large amounts of ammunition.

He and his girlfriend were living together with seven children - the three oldest by one woman, two more with another and that woman's two children from a previous relationship - between the ages of two and 15. It is believed all of them made it out of the house safely.

His standoff with police came only two days before a scheduled district court hearing over his ongoing legal disputes with the mother of his three oldest children.

Online court records show that those children spent most nights with him, but that he still he wanted to go back to court. The records do not say why.

When he petitioned a court unsuccessfully in 2020 to have his gun rights restored, he and his attorney said he had matured and that he regretted his past poor decisions.

The attorney representing Gooden in the custody dispute, Robert Manson, did not return a telephone message seeking comment.

Authorities have not provided details about Sunday's call to Goodens home, and its not clear exactly how he died.

Burnsville police officer Matthew Ruge. The officers were called to a report of a 'family in danger' at a house in 33rd Avenue South, Burnsville, shortly after 2.30am

Burnsville firefighter and paramedic Adam Finseth

A note is left tucked in a window of a squad car that was one of three memorials in front of the Burnsville Police Department

Flags fly at half staff in front of the Burnsville Police Department

Medlicott, the third police officer involved, was reported to be out of the hospital as of Monday afternoon, CBS reported.

The officers were called to a report of a 'family in danger' at a house in 33rd Avenue South, Burnsville, shortly after 2.30am.

A shelter-in-place alert was sent to phones in the area 15 miles south of the city center and a third police officer was shot and injured before the gunman killed himself.

Minnesota state governor Tim Walz has ordered flags to be flown at half-staff starting from sunrise tomorrow, and the killings have appalled police departments across the state.

'We are heartbroken. Our law enforcement community is heartbroken,' tweeted The Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association.

'We're just devastated at the horrific loss. These heroes leave behind loved ones and a community who will forever remember their bravery and dedication keeping Minnesotans safe.'

Dozens of heavily armed police officers descended on the street and a SWAT vehicle was seen with multiple bullet holes on its windshield.

A barricade situation developed amid fears that hostages were being held inside the home and the gunman is thought to have killed himself shortly before 6am.

Dozens of heavily armed officers descended on the street in Burnsville after the shooting in the early hours of Sunday morning

Officers had been called to a report of a 'family in danger' at a house in 33rd Avenue South, around 15 miles south of Minneapolis city center

Authorities in the state are expected told a press conference shortly

'While responding to a call of a family in danger, two police officers and one firefighter lost their lives, and other officers were injured,' the governor tweeted.

'We must never take for granted the bravery and sacrifices our police officers and first responders make every day. My heart is with their families today and the entire State of Minnesota stands with Burnsville.'

Rep. Jim Nash tweeted: 'My heart is heavy for the families of these officers, the community of Burnsville, and for our country because this headline is not unique.'

'Learned from police this morning that three officers have been shot in Burnsville,' Sen. Amy Klobuchar added.

'They were doing their jobs. They were protecting our community.'

Police departments from across the city and the state dispatched vehicles as a show of support to the Hennepin Healthcare Hospital in downtown Minneapolis where the injured officer is thought to have been taken.

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara asked that people 'keep Burnsville Police in your prayers.'
Photo credit: ESPN

Former UFC fighter and current ESPN analyst Michael Bisping was caught making a homophobic remark on a hot mic during UFC 298.

The incident occurred late Saturday night as Bisping was discussing Illia Topuria defeating Alexander Volkanovski in the main event.

15-0, undefeated, 13 stoppages. What a guy, what a night, UFC 298, Anaheim, California. Certainly one for the books, Bisping said of Topuria. After a brief pause where Bisping presumably assumed the segment was over, a hot mic caught the 44-year-old ESPN analyst mocking his own comments.



What a guy? Thats f***ing gay, Bisping said. Bye bye.

According to Outsports, the incident was aired by Chinese State broadcaster CCTV. When Outsports reached out to ESPN for comment, the network said Bisping was not employed by them that night. Even though the incident did not air on ESPN, Bisping made the controversial comment while holding an ESPN-branded mic. Further, Bispings comments leading up to the hot mic incident were also repeatedly used on SportsCenter throughout the weekend. As of Tuesday morning, Bisping has not apologized or issued any comment on the remarks.

This is not the first time Bisping was caught making a homophobic comment on a hot mic. In 2016, Bisping used an anti-gay slur in reference to his opponent Luke Rockhold during their post-fight press conference. S***, I shouldnt have said that, Bisping said immediately after using the slur, telling the media to delete that comment.

Bisping seems unlikely to be reprimanded or asked to apologize for his latest gaffe considering it did not air on ESPN and the UFC holds a laissez-faire attitude toward such incidents. Last month, UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland unleashed an anti-LGBTQ+ rant during a press conference. Dana White later defended Stricklands free speech rights while ESPN was silent on the issue.

[Outsports]
A TV cosmetic doctor had sex with a 'vulnerable' patient at one of his clinics after having an improper emotional relationship with her, a medical tribunal has heard.

Dr Tijion Esho, who has featured on ITV's This Morning, BBC's Morning Live and E4's Body Fixers, also exchanged a series of X-rated messages with the woman - a sex worker - and promised to give her botox in return for sex.

The medical tribunal, in Manchester, heard how the woman provided sex services through Only Fans and webcams and had gone to the doctor - who boasts a host of celebrity clients and is known as Dr Oluwafemi Esho - because she had heard about a 'designer lip' procedure which he provides at his clinics in Harley Street, Wimbledon, Newcastle and Dubai.

After an appointment in July 2019, she started following him on Instagram and the doctor would would respond to her posts with 'strong, sexual content', Chloe Hudson, for the GMC, said.

Dr Tijion Esho, who has featured on ITV's This Morning, BBC's Morning Live and E4's Body Fixers

Dr Esho with Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield on ITV's This Morning in June 2019

The woman - known only as Patient A - messaged him about recovering from her lips procedure and said: 'No BJs during this time of healing.'

He replied: 'No, put the the c*** down.'

Ms Hudson said the patient recalls 'feeling taken aback by his informal response' and deciding 'he may want to become a customer of her services'.

She said that further texts showed that Dr Esho was 'building' his sex chat with the patient, whom he met while she was working at a club, and she would send him videos and photos of her in 'states of undress'.

In one exchange, he asked, 'What are you doing to me' and 'Morning glory.'

He then added: 'That's like every man's dream.'

The woman sent him a happy birthday message alongside a photo of cat, saying: 'Hoping you're having a lovely time'.

He responded: 'Ha, ha thank you. I love your p***y.'

Others messages included, 'Why you making me bulge lol?, and 'me, you, champagne and nipples.'

She talked about doing a 'skills swap' with Dr Esho in which she would provide 'booty' and 't****' In return for 'mls'.

Ms Hudson said the GMC's case was the messages showed he was 'keen to receive the services' the patient was offering at the same time he was treating her.

But she said he was aware it was wrong because he told the patient in another message: 'But if we do for mls I break the doctor's code and I'd be a dead man.'

Other messages were more sexually explicit with the doctor talking about performing sex acts on himself and describing his fantasies about sex with the patient.

Ms Hudson said Dr Esho was aware she was 'vulnerable' due to her job, with her appearance generating her income, and her mental health being affected if she wasn't 'satisfied' with how she looked.

Dr Esho is said to have arranged an appointment at his Newcastle clinic 'because it was quiet' and they wouldn't be disturbed where the pair had sex.

Afterwards, he said to have told her that he could 'get away why giving her botox in exchange for sexual services'.

But he denies the allegation, along with charges he made inappropriate comments about the patient's bottom during another appointment, rubbed himself against her, and took his penis out of his trousers and allowed her to perform a sex act on him.

The tribunal heard how the woman had complained to the GMC because she believed he had 'taken advantage of her vulnerable position' because her image was important to her her job.

Dr Esho admits four of the ten charges against him in that between July 2019 and February 2022 he behaved inappropriately by exchanging messages with the patient.

He also admits having an 'improper emotional relationship' with her between July 2019 and May 2022 and that his conduct in relation to both allegations was 'sexually motivated'.

The tribunal - due to take 15 days - continues.
The navy's surface fleet will more than double in size, with Australia buying more smaller warships and boosting the strike ability of larger ones under a $54billion spend.

An additional $11.1 billion will be pumped into Australia's combat fleet over the next decade, which covers the acquisition of 11 new general-purpose frigates.

There will also be six 'optionally crewed' ships.

The troubled Hunter-class frigate program will be scaled back from nine ships to six to make way for general-purpose vessels.

The first Hunter will arrive in 2032 as scheduled but the general-purpose boats will be expedited to arrive this decade.

The first three general-purpose frigates will be built overseas so they're in the water faster before the rest are built in Perth.

The ANZAC-class frigates and Hobart-class destroyers will also get a facelift with new anti-ship and long range missiles as the Australian Defence Force looks to project itself deeper into the Pacific.

This includes replacing harpoon anti-ship missiles with naval strike missiles and installing tomahawks for long range.

An additional $11.1 billion will be pumped into Australia's combat fleet over the next decade, which covers the acquisition of 11 new general-purpose frigates

But the government will not move to extend the life of the ANZACs, saying the new general-purpose frigates would be more lethal and cost effective given the navy can only crew less than six of the eight ships.

The first of the ageing class, the HMAS ANZAC, will be retired and not go back out to sea. The second will be mothballed in 2026, reducing the navy's total fleet in the near term until the early 2030s.

Larger warships will have a combat helicopter and undersea warfare capabilities with sonar and lightweight torpedos.

The overhaul will boost the combat fleet from 11 to 26 by the mid-2040s alongside a further 25 'minor war vessels'.

The latter includes 14 for the navy - including six Arafura-class offshore patrol vessels - and a further 11 for the Australian Border Force.

The shake up will be underpinned by 3700 jobs in South Australia and Western Australia. It includes the continuation of 2000 jobs in SA and 500 new ones, as well as 1200 new ones in WA.

The troubled Hunter-class frigate program will be scaled back from nine ships to six to make way for general-purpose vessels (pictured, aerial view of the HMAS Perth)

A major review of the navy's surface fleet made 18 recommendations and implored the government to move quickly.

'Any delay will exacerbate the risk (and) lead to a level of unbalance,' the review said.

A continuous production line of ships will also be put in place to ensure there are no gaps in the future.

The changes would make the navy the most lethal it has ever been, Defence Minister Richard Marles said while unveiling the overhaul on Tuesday.

'Australia's modern society and economy rely on access to the high seas - trade routes for our imports and exports and the submarine cables for the data,' he said.

Mr Marles also chastised the former coalition government for a more than $25 billion budget black hole through unfunded projects.

The cash splash will take the defence spend up to 2.4 per cent of GDP by the early 2030s.

An upgraded naval shipbuilding and sustainment plan will be released later this year.
More than 7,000 cancer operations have been postponed as a result of junior doctors' strikes, leaked NHS figures show, with surgeries for the most deadly cases amongst those delayed.

As the country braces for a fresh wave of walk outs by the doctors, data has revealed that there has been a reduction by 27 per cent in cancer surgeries.

Even those patients with the most time-sensitive of cancers, such as lung, head and neck tumours, have faced delays increasing the risk of growth and spread across the body.

From Saturday thousands of medics demanding pay hikes of up to 35 per cent will down their tools for a four day walk out after the British Medical Association (BMA) claimed the Government failed to meet its deadline.

Health officials, however, are urging the militant medical union to protect cancer patients from further action revealing the potentially lethal impact the strikes may have. But the BMA has refused to agree to any such agreement as of yet.

More than 7,000 cancer operations have been postponed as a result of junior doctors' strikes, leaked NHS figures show. Pictured: A NHS worker striking in September

From Saturday thousands of medics demanding pay hikes of up to 35 per cent will down their tools for a four day walk out. Pictured: Jeremy Corbyn joins striking junior doctors in January

On Monday, NHS England's national cancer director Dame Cally Palmer and Professor Peter Johnson, clinical director for cancer, sent a memo to medical directors in charge of England's cancer network.

The note, as reported by the Telegraph, read: 'NHSE analysis suggests that, despite the efforts by colleagues across the country to maintain services wherever possible, there has been a 27 per cent reduction in cancer surgery during periods of industrial action by junior doctors [equivalent to more than 7,000 fewer cancer operations since March 2023] and that this scale of reduction has been replicated even for time-sensitive cancers'.

It said that hospital had taken two weeks to catch up on procedures not carried out during strike days.

Cancer centres have been asked to provide further details on how many operations were delayed on each day of strike action compared with an average day.

Dame Cally told the paper: 'The NHS is working incredibly hard to maintain provision of urgent cancer surgery on strike days, but it is right to say that we are growing increasingly concerned about the risk of harm to patients.

'That's why we are in active discussions with the BMA to agree to safety mitigations for patients, and people should continue to come forward, either for checks or their appointment, unless told otherwise.'

Caroline Johnson, a Tory MP and doctor, added: 'Doctors contemplating further strike action should consider whether they can live with knowing they are leaving cancer patients to wait in order to get themselves more money.'

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Meanwhile Cancer Research's UK chief executive urged all parties to 'work together to quickly reach an agreement' and ensure those suffering with cancer are not affected.

More than a million appointments and operations have been cancelled because of the never-ending wave of NHS strikes that kicked off in 2022.

This weeks strikes will commence from 7am on February 24 until just before midnight on February 28, meaning they will cover five days in total.

In a joint statement, the BMA junior doctors committee co-chairs Dr Robert Laurenson and Dr Vivek Trivedi said the strikes could have been averted had the Government agreed to come to the negotiating table.

'Even yesterday we were willing to delay further strike action in exchange for a short extension of our current strike mandate,' they said,

'Had the Health Secretary agreed to this, an act of good faith on both sides, talks could have gone ahead without more strikes. Sadly, the Government declined.

'The glacial speed of progress with the Government is frustrating and incomprehensible.'

They added that despite Ms Atkins's statements during the last round of strike action that she would meet junior doctors 'in twenty minutes' when no strikes were planned, it was more than 20 days before they were offered a meeting.

But they said the union is still willing to cancel the upcoming strikes if a credible pay offer is made.

'From the very start of the industrial action, we have been clear that there is no need for strike action as long as substantial progress is made, and we remain willing to carry on talking and to cancel the forthcoming strikes if significant progress is made and a credible offer is put forward,' they said.
Police have released a mugshot of the 25-year-old man arrested over the murders of a mother and a student who were gunned down in a Colorado college dorm last week.

Nicholas Jordan, from Detroit, is accused of shooting Celie Rain Montgomery, 26, from Pueblo, Colorado, and Sam Knopp, 24, from Parker, Colorado, on Friday at Crestone House on the UCCS campus.

Colorado Springs Police Department said Jordan was detained 'without incident' at Cliff Point Circle East in a vehicle in the city at 8.37am on Monday.

'Investigative efforts continue to indicate this was an isolated incident between individuals who were known to one another and not a random attack against the school or other students at the university,' the department said.

Montgomery was a single mother to two daughters aged five and seven, according to a Facebook post by a heartbroken relative responding to her death, while Knopp was a gifted music student. It's unclear what their relation was.

Nicholas Jordan, 25, is accused of killing two people in the Colorado Springs shooting

Celie Rain Montgomery (pictured), 26, was identified along with Sam Knopp, 24, after what police believe was a double murder last week

Jordan is being held at the El Paso County Jail charged with two counts of murder in the first degree.

He was booked after members of Colorado Springs PD's Motor Vehicle Theft Unit located him in a vehicle on Monday morning, police said.

'At this point in our investigation, this incident does not appear to be a murder-suicide and both deaths are being investigated as homicides,' the department said previously.

The coroner's office will determine how they died, but each person was shot at least once in what appeared to be an 'isolated incident,' police spokesperson Ira Cronin said at a briefing.

Knopp, was a senior studying music at the university and said to be a beloved member of the Visual and Performing Arts department. He was an accomplished guitar player and an extremely talented musician.

Meanwhile, Montgomery worked as a freelance copywriter specializing in health and wellness. She was not a student at the university.

A lockdown across campus lasted for about 90 minutes and later was isolated to Crestone House, a student apartment complex on campus, school spokesperson Chris Valentine said.

A photo from Nick Jordan's Facebook account

A police officer stands outside a dorm in the Village at Alpine Valley housing on Friday as police investigate a shooting on the University of Colorado Colorado Springs campus

Knopp, was a talented senior studying music at the university

Shocked students look outside their dorm window in the Village at Alpine Valley housing

When police officers got to the room at around 6am Friday, they found Knopp and Montgomery both dead, having been shot in the head.

Following the lockdown, the campus about 70 miles south of Denver remained closed for the day.

Knopp's mother, Amy, shared her concerns online just as the shooting was taking place.

'There were reports of an active shooter on campus at UCCS where our son, Sam, is a senior. At least one person is dead,' she wrote.

'I haven't heard from Sam. He lives in Alpine Village, where residents were told to shelter in place. The campus is in lockdown and is now closed today.

'PLEASE EXCUSE MY LANGUAGE BUT IT'S THE GODDAMNED GUNS! This hits way too close to home and it makes me want to vomit. All the 'thoughts and prayers' in the world mean nothing without action to back them up.'

Once it became clear her son was one of the victims, there followed messages of condolence.

'I'm so sorry for your loss and praying so hard for you and your family,' wrote Brittany Craig.

'Amy my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. My heart is broken my condolences,' said Diane Sigl.

'Im so sorry Amy, I am angry and heartbroken we lost Sam,' added Elsa Ge.

Sam Knopp is seen alongside his twin sister Ellie

Sam, left, and his sister Ellie are pictured together in a family photo

Sam Knopp, 24, was names as one of the victims of a shooting in a dorm at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs on Friday

'Given this case's active and fluid nature, additional information about those leads and any potential suspect details will not be released at this time,' a press release from the police department read.

'While acknowledging the difficulty of the situation and the withholding of information in the initial stages of the investigation, we owe it to the victims and their families to deliver accountability and justice for this horrific act,' police said.

'These are the third and fourth homicides in the City of Colorado Springs this year. At this time last year, there were two homicides.'

The campus was also closed over the weekend but walk-in counseling was offered at the wellness center on both days, the university said.

The university has said that classes will be cancelled on Monday but walk-in counseling will also be offered together with spaces on campus being open to offering food and support.
Rumours of a romance between the future Queen of Belgium and an 'ordinary' Rochdale redhead were debunked by the student's family last week.

Nicholas Dodd, 20, was said to be in a relationship with Princess Elisabeth, 22, that 'transcends friendship' after meeting at Oxford University, Belgian media reported.

However, a relative of the student shut down the speculation by telling the Manchester Evening News: 'No, that is false.

'They just go to the same college and study together. Just like all his other friends, I can't comment any further.'

It is believed the student from Manchester met Princess Elisabeth, the eldest of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium's four children, when she started studying History and Politics at Lincoln College.

The future Queen of Belgium has been romantically linked to a 20-year-old student from Manchester after the pair (thought to be pictured) met at Oxford University

Nicholas Dodd from Rochdale met the princess while studying history at Lincoln College, Oxford University

Princess Elisabeth (pictured in October 2023), 22, the eldest of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium 's four children, studies History and Politics at Lincoln College

A local media report on the claims included a photograph (pictured) said to be of the heir to the Belgium throne (pictured left) standing next to Nicholas (pictured right) at the Matriculation Ceremony at the University of Oxford in October 2021, the event that marks the students' formal admission to the school

Mr Dodd reads History at the same college according to Het Laatste Nieuws, a Dutch-language newspaper based in Antwerp, Belgium.

The local publication, quoting an 'important source', claims 'ordinary' Nicholas and the Princess had an 'instant connection' after finding themselves in the same study group and developed a relationship that 'transcends friendship'.

The report included a photograph said to be of the heir to the Belgium throne standing next to Nicholas at the Matriculation Ceremony at the University of Oxford in October 2021, the event that marks the students' formal admission to the school.

'Nicholas Dodd is remarkably often mentioned in the English Oxford in one breath with our Crown Princess Elisabeth,' claimed the publication on Instagram.

The royal, who goes by the name Elisabeth de Saxe-Coburg when at university and is fluent in Dutch, French, German and English, is destined to be the first Queen of her young nation.

When asked about the rumours, the Royal Palace refused to comment, according to French-language, Belgium-based television station RTL.

'We do not react to rumours concerning the private lives of members of the royal family', a statement apparently read.

Nicholas has been described as an 'intelligent and studious young man', who appeared on the Rochdale Sixth Form College website after being accepted into Oxford University.

He wrote: 'I applied to Oxford because I wanted the opportunity to study at a world-class university.

Priness Elisabeth smiles and shakes hands with King Charles at an event

Princess Elisabeth , 22, grew up in the royal palace of Brussels, attending royal engagements - she was just nine when she delivered a speech at the opening of the Princess Elisabeth Children's Hospital

In contrast to the Princess's royal lifestyle, Nicholas grew up in Rochdale, attending the local sixth form college

Princess Elisabeth in a new portrait released to celebrate her 22nd birthday

'I felt I should apply because there was nothing to lose in trying! It was also worth it because the experience developed my analytical skills so even if my application failed, the skills I learned will still help me now and in approaching my work in the future.

'I would recommend applying to Oxbridge even if you have doubts in yourself. You have nothing to lose and if you dedicate some time to it then it will be a worthwhile experience in itself,' he added.

Born on October 25, 2001, Princess Elisabeth is the eldest of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium's four children.

When her father became King in 2013, Elisabeth became the heir to the throne and Duchess of Brabant.

Elisabeth began attending royal engagements from a young age and was just nine when she delivered a speech at the opening of the Princess Elisabeth Children's Hospital.

In contrast Nicholas went to Rochdale Sixth Form and during term time lives with his mum in a 300,000 home after losing his dad Andrew to cancer in 2007.

Princess Elisabeth is the eldest of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium's four children

When her father became King (pictured left) in 2013, Elisabeth became the heir to the Belgian throne and Duchess of Brabant

Like a number of other European royals, including Princess Leonor of Spain and Princess Alexia of the Netherlands, Elisabeth attended Atlantic College in Wales before moving on to Oxford.

Nicknamed 'Hippie Hogwarts', the school curriculum has included unusual activities such as Tai Chi and Tibetan literature. It has a remarkable cliff-top location in a 12th-century castle in the Vale of Glamorgan.

Elisabeth enrolled on a 67,000, two-year course to study for her International Baccalaureate diploma at the school, which she has now completed.

Before her two-year course in Wales, she attended the Dutch-speaking secondary school Sint-Jan Berchmanscollege in Brussels. The Princess also went to the Yale Young Global Scholars Program at Yale University.

She then completed a one-year course in social and military sciences at the Royal Military Academy which is said to teach in-depth about the four components of Belgian defence: Army, Air Force, Navy and Medical.

When Elisabeth ascends to the throne after her father, she will make history as she becomes Belgium's first ever Queen

Alongside her training, in October 2021, the Princess began studying History and Politics at Lincoln College, Oxford

Alongside her training, in October 2021, the Princess began studying History and Politics at Lincoln College, Oxford. Here, she rows for Lincoln College Boat Club under the name 'Elisabeth de Saxe-Coburg'.

According to Belgian newspaper Le Soir, the princess completed a written entrance exam in history 'anonymously' so that her social status would not affect her marks.

Elisabeth is believed to have chosen the course herself, in agreement with her parents, and reportedly consulted with graduates from various universities and made her decision based on what would be most useful to her in her role as queen later in life.

An accomplished 21-year-old by any measure, the official royal website says Elisabeth enjoys walking in nature, reading and playing the piano  although like 'all youngsters her age', writes the palace, 'her taste in music is varied.'
A businessman who owns two Michelin-starred restaurants has denied attempting to spike a woman's drink at a private members' club in London's Mayfair.

Vikas Nath, 61, was arrested at exclusive Annabel's at Berkeley Square in Mayfair in the early hours of January 15 after staff called the police.

The father-of-one is accused of attempting to administer a substance with intent and of possession of the Class B drug gamma-butyrolactone (GBL) on the same day.

The first charge states he attempted to administer the drug 'with the intention of stupefying or overpowering her as to enable to enable you to engage in sexual activity'. His alleged victim cannot be named for legal reasons.

Nath, of Knightsbridge, London, appeared at Southwark Crown Court on Monday, where he spoke only to confirm his name and reply 'not guilty' when the charges were put to him.

He was granted bail and told his trial will not be held for another two years.

Vikas Nath pictured at Southwark Crown Court in London where he pleaded not guilty to spiking a woman's drink at Annabel's

Vikas Nath, 61, was arrested at exclusive Annabel's at Berkeley Square in Mayfair in the early hours of January 15 after staff called the police (file image)

GBL is a precursor chemical to GHB (gamma hydroxybutyrate) which is colourless and often used as a recreational drug.

Dressed in a blue shirt and tie, and black and white pin-striped suit, Nath did not appear in the dock for the 10-minute hearing because he has a hearing problem.

A trial, estimated to last four to five days, was fixed for February 2026.

Judge Philip Bartle KC told him: 'As you have pleaded not guilty, there will be a trial, unfortunately not for some considerable time.'

The defendant was granted bail after a 50,000 surety was paid.

He must live and sleep at his home and surrender his British and American passports.

He must not travel south of the river Thames unless to attend court, and remains at home between 11pm and 7am.

Vikas Nath (far left), pictured with Jemima Khan, Sadiq Khan and Ben Goldsmith at a Pakistan flood appeal charity dinner at Benares restaurant in London's Mayfair on January 10, 2023

Nath is a director of Terminal, which is behind high-end Indian restaurant Benares in Mayfair

He is also banned from entering a licensed premises that sells alcohol and he cannot contact the alleged victim, either directly or indirectly.

The company director has a 'portfolio' of seven restaurants in the UK and Spain, including two Michelin-starred establishments.

He is a director of Terminal Ltd, which is behind high-end Indian restaurant Benares, in Mayfair.

Nath was previously pictured posing with Jemima Khan, Sadiq Khan and Ben Goldsmith at a Pakistan floods appeal charity dinner at Benares in January last year.
Yale University has issued an apology for its connection to slavery after several years of research and study that it undertook into its formative ties to the slave trade.

The Ivy League institution ramped up its desire to face its slavery ties in the wake of George Floyd's death in Minneapolis in 2020 - and now they've admitted 'this is a truth that we have to confront.'

Yale has vowed to do better - including expanding their research partnerships with historically black colleges and universities across the country.

Following a four-year research project, Yale released a statement saying: 'We recognize our university's historical role in and associations with slavery, as well as the labor, the experiences, and the contributions of enslaved people to our university's history.

'We apologize for the ways that Yale's leaders, over the course of our early history, participated in slavery.'

'This project is an attempt really to look for that kind of truth, look for 'Truth and Light', said Yale President Peter Salovey, pictured

A view of Yale University central campus from Harkness Tower

A desire to confront racist legacies in the U.S. picked up momentum in 2020 after the death of George Floyd , a black man who was killed by a Minneapolis police officer

In recent years, a growing number of institutions have formally apologized for their historical role in the transatlantic slave trade.

Since October 2020, members of the Yale & Slavery Research Project have conducted research into links to slavery by the New Haven, Connecticut-based university, making their findings public.

'Although there were no known records of Yale University owning enslaved people, many of Yale's Puritan founders owned enslaved people, as did a significant number of Yale's early leaders and other prominent members of the university community, and the Research Project has identified over 200 of these enslaved people,' the statement said.

'Acknowledging and apologizing for this history are only part of the path forward,' the statement added.

The majority of those who were enslaved are identified as black, but some are identified as Indigenous.

Some of those enslaved participated in the construction of Connecticut Hall, the oldest building on campus. Others worked in cotton fields, rum refineries, and other punishing places in Connecticut or elsewhere.

'Their grueling labor benefited those who contributed funds to Yale,' the statement read.

Yale University has issued an apology for its connection to slavery after several years of research and study that it said it undertook into its formative ties to the slave trade

'This project is an attempt really to look for that kind of truth, look for 'Truth and Light', said Yale President Peter Salovey.

'Lux et Veritas, that's our motto. And sometimes truths are hard, sometimes they're difficult. But this is a truth that we have to confront.'

The project's findings also revealed that prominent members of the Yale community joined with New Haven leaders and citizens to stop a proposal to build a college in New Haven for Black youth in 1831, which would have been America's first Black college.

School's leaders say will there will now be a continuing commitment to repair the damage of the past.

'Acknowledging and apologizing for this history are only part of the path forward,' the university said.

It is set to create new programs to fund the training of public schoolteachers for its home city, New Haven, Connecticut, whose population is predominantly black.

Yale will also expand previously announced research partnerships with historically black colleges and universities across the country, with a 'significant new investment' to be announced in coming weeks.

Elihu Yale and family members sitting at a table with tobacco pipes and wine glasses, while an enslaved boy with a metal collar locked around his neck looks on

David W. Blight, the Yale historian who led the historical research, said the purpose of the effort was not 'to cast ugly stones at anybody,' but to present the university's history honestly and unflinchingly.

'What this project shows, as others elsewhere have, is that universities can actually do this. You can actually dig out your past, face it, write it up, make changes and make some degree of recompense,' he said.

Yale's connections to slavery is not a revelation. In 2001, for Yale's 300th anniversary, a group of graduate students issued an independent report on the school's connections to slavery focusing on the face many of its residential colleges were named after slaveholders - but the effort was dismissed by some as a partisan hit job.

The university later began a reckoning over its connections in 2017 when it changed the name of a residential college that honored a 19th century alumnus and former U.S. vice president who was an ardent supporter of slavery.

The Ivy League university renamed Calhoun College after trailblazing computer scientist Grace Murray Hopper, a mathematician who earned Yale degrees in the 1930s, invented a pioneering computer programming language and became a Navy rear admiral.

A stained-glass window depicting slaves at previously known Calhoun College in at Yale. The college was renamed in 2017

The residential college was named for Calhoun when it was established in the early 1930s but has since been renamed

The controversy over former Vice President John C. Calhoun's legacy had simmered for years and boiled over with campus protests in 2015.

Calhoun, a member of the Yale class of 1804, was a senator from South Carolina and a leading voice for those opposed to abolishing slavery. He served as vice president from 1825 to 1832.

'John C. Calhoun. White supremacist. Ardent defender of slavery as a positive good,' Salovey noted. 'Someone whose views hardened over the course of his life, died essentially criticizing the Declaration of Independence and its emphasis on all men being created equal.'

The residential college was named for Calhoun when it was established in the early 1930s.

The college also removed a glass panel in the common room showing a slave kneeling at Calhoun's feet after a student campaign in 1992.

The name received new attention as protesters on campuses around the country called for universities to address the legacies of historical figures, such as Woodrow Wilson at Princeton University in New Jersey.

The former president was a supporter of segregationist policies. The Ivy League institution ultimately removed his nam from the school while also removing an 'unduly celebratory' mural of Wilson from a campus dining hall.
This is the touching moment seven-year-old conjoined twins - who were given days to live after birth - clap their hands and squeal with joy as they are given their own coats at an inclusive design facility after their father struggled to find them clothes.

For most parents, finding clothes in their child's size is something simple - but Ibrahima Ndiaye has opened up about the challenges of providing his daughters with garments that fit.

Conjoined twins Marieme and Ndeye were brought to the UK from Senegal by their father in 2017 when they were seven-months-old to seek help from doctors at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London.

The twins have separate brains, hearts and lungs but share a liver, bladder, digestive system, and three kidneys. Doctors had predicted they wouldn't survive more than a few days after their birth.

Marieme and Ndeye have defied odds and recently celebrated their seventh birthday alongside friends at their Cardiff primary school.

Caring for the sister comes with its own unique set of challenges, their father shared, noting how the twins require round-the-clock care and clothing them is difficult.

'You have to buy two identical tops and take them to the alterations shop to join them together,' Mr Ndiaye revealed on the BBC's new Inseparable Sisters documentary.

'They have two legs, so they can have regular trousers, but their hip is very wide so you have to take that to the alternations shop too.'

The girls recently visited the inclusive design facility at the University of South Wales where they were seen choosing jackets specifically created for them in a heartwarming trailer for the documentary.

Conjoined twins Marieme and Ndeye (pictured) have separate brains, hearts and lungs but share a liver, bladder, digestive system, and three kidneys. Due to their condition, clothing the girls can be difficult, their father has revealed

This is the heartwarming moment staff at the inclusive design facility at the University of South Wales gave their girls a custom raincoat

The girls recently commemorated their seventh birthday with their classmates. The documentary showed how they were showered in confetti during the celebration

Marieme and Ndeye appeared excited when the designer debuted their new coats.

The girls were given two custom jackets - a padded one to 'keep you warm' and another to 'keep you dry in the rain', the documentary revealed.

The sisters clapped their hands and squealed with delight as they got to choose the new outerwear.

Ibrahima, who smiled at his daughters' reactions, has also shared that finding clothing for the girls is difficult due to their condition.

Another challenge the girls face is learning to stand and walk. Ibrahima says they are currently managing about 20 minutes per day, with the help of a standing frame.

He shared that his wish for his daughters was that they could 'normal life' in which they could 'play and laugh with kids', 'make friends' and 'develop as individuals'.

'They have achieved things that nobody thought they would,' he said.

The girls recently celebrated their seventh birthday with their classmates. The documentary showed how they were showered in confetti and surrounded by friends who cheered out 'girl power' as they all threw their hands in the air.

Marieme and Ndeye appeared excited when the designer debuted their new coats. The girls were given two custom jackets - a padded one (pictured) to 'keep you warm' and another to 'keep you dry in the rain'

Marieme and Ndeye attend a mainstream primary school in Cardiff. They are pictured with their classmates as the group screams out 'girl power!'

Another challenge the girls face is learning to stand and walk. Ibrahima, pictured alongside his daughters, says they are currently managing about 20 minutes per day, with the help of a standing frame

'They don't have to hide from anybody and being in mainstream school shows they're part of society,' Ibrahima said.

He added: 'They are lucky to be part of this community.'

Marieme and Ndeye were born in Senegal in 2016, where doctors believed their best chance of survival was separation.

The family contacted hospitals around the world - including in in Belgium, Germany, Zimbabwe, Norway, Sweden, and America - 'begging' for help, before opting to bring the twins to London.

Ibrahima had hoped that doctors at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London would be able to separate the girls and that they would be able to return to their brothers and sisters in Senegal.

Marieme and Ndeye (pictured recently) were born in Senegal in 2016, where doctors believed their best chance of survival was separation. The family contacted hospitals around the world - including in in Belgium, Germany, Zimbabwe, Norway, Sweden, and America - 'begging' for help, before opting to bring the twins to London

Ibrahima (pictured with his daughters a few years ago) had hoped that doctors at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London would be able to separate the girls, but tests determined that Marieme's heart was too weak for the surgery and doctors predicted she would not survive the operation. It was ultimately decided not to separate the girls

But tests determined that Marieme's heart was too weak for the surgery and doctors predicted she would not survive the operation.

Officials at the hospital helped Ibrahima deliberate on the options and it was ultimately decided not to separate the girls.

Ibrahima and his daughters have been given discretionary leave to remain in the UK so that they could continue to receive medical treatment in Britain. They now live in Cardiff.

The twins' mother returned to Senegal and cares for their siblings.

Inseparable Sisters will be available on BBC One and BBC iPlayer beginning Wednesday evening.
Prince William will highlight the suffering of innocent victims caught up in the Middle East war, Kensington Palace has said.

The heir will speak to aid workers providing support in Gaza and talk to children at a synagogue about anti-Semitism.

He will be briefed on the latest developments in Gaza, and has been 'closely following' the conflict since the Hamas October 7 attacks.

Kensington Palace added that Prince William and Kate hope for peace and hold those suffering in the conflict 'in their hearts and minds'.

The royal expressed his 'profound concern' ahead of an engagement today about the ongoing violence.

Kensington Palace said that Prince William and Kate hope for peace and hold those suffering in the conflict 'in their hearts and minds'

Prince William will highlight the suffering of innocent victims caught up in the Middle East war, Kensington Palace has said. Pictured is the Gaza strip two days ago

The heir will speak to aid workers providing support in Gaza and talk to children at a synagogue about anti-Semitism. Pictured is Deir al-Balah, Gaza on February 18

The heir is slowly returning to royal duties amid his family's health battles

Prince of Wales meets actors Phoebe Dynevor, Ayo Edebiri, Sophie Wilde and Mia McKenna Bruce after the Bafta Film Awards 2024 yesterday in a return to royal duties

The Prince will also join a discussion at a synagogue next week, speaking to young campaigners against hatred.

He is eager to use his platform to shine a light on the suffering of innocents on both sides.

These events will be among the first since returning to royal duties following Kate's surgery.

In a statement announcing the two upcoming events for the Prince, Kensington Palace said: 'The Prince and Princess were profoundly concerned by events that unfolded in late 2023 and continue to hold all the victims, their family and friends in their hearts and minds.

'Their Royal Highnesses continue to share in the hope of a better future for all those affected.'

The October 7 raids by the Palestinian militant group Hamas killed about 1,200 people, with around 250 taken hostage.

Militants still hold around 130 hostages and a quarter of them are believed to be dead.

The war has killed at least 28,985 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry.

There are fresh fears about an escalation in the conflict if Israeli forces move into Rafah, a city and major aid delivery point in southern Gaza.

The Arab Group chair this month, Tunisia's UN ambassador Tarek Ladeb, told UN reporters last Wednesday that some 1.5 million Palestinians who sought safety in Rafah face a 'catastrophic scenario' if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu goes ahead with a potential evacuation of civilians and military offensive in the area bordering Egypt.

In October last year, the Prince expressed his and the Princess of Wales' distress at the devastating events - in a rare move for members of the Royal Family.

in 2018, the Prince embarked on a four day trop to Israel and Palestine and expressed his wish for 'lasting peace'.

During his visit he sat down for separate talks with Mr Netanyahu and the Palestinian Authority president, Mahmoud Abbas.

Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer is bracing for a fresh battle from his party tomorrow after the SNP forced the Commons to vote for a ceasefire in Gaza for the second time.

In a previous Commons vote in November, Sir Keir saw 56 Labour MPs defy him by backing an SNP-led demand for an 'immediate ceasefire' between Israel and Hamas.

The Prince will join a discussion at a synagogue next week, speaking to young campaigners against hatred. Pictured are Pro-Palestinian demonstrators

Back in November, Sir Keir also lost 10 Labour frontbenchers - including former leadership contender Jess Phillips - after they broke ranks with their party leader

Their challenge to Sir Keir's authority came despite the Labour leader having told his MPs to abstain from the vote following his support for Israel's right to defend itself

READ MORE - Fresh headache for Keir Starmer as SNP force another Commons vote on a Gaza ceasefire - three months after the Labour leader suffered a huge revolt by his party's MPs over his Israel stance Advertisement

Back in November, Sir Keir also lost 10 Labour frontbenchers - including former leadership contender Jess Phillips - after they broke ranks with their party leader and disregarded a three-line whip he had imposed.

He had instead ordered his parliamentary party to vote for a bland amendment he tabled himself, which supported 'humanitarian pauses' in the conflict. The revolt is the largest the Labour party has suffered under Sir Keir's leadership.

The news of Prince William's visits comes just days after police deployed 1,500 officers from across Britain onto the streets of London as 250,000 pro-Palestine marchers protested.

A spokesman for the force said: 'This is the first time since a rally on October 9 that protest organisers have decided to hold a demonstration in the vicinity of the Israeli Embassy.

'However, even though protesters will be closer to the embassy than in recent months, the same exclusion zone that has been in place since mid-October will apply.

'Participants in the protest will be kept more than 100m away from the embassy grounds, behind barriers controlled by officers. They will not be permitted to enter the area marked in red on the map below and anyone doing so faces arrest.'
Students at a martial arts academy received a disturbing text moments before a woman and a young boy were found fatally stabbed at a taekwondo studio and her dead husband's body was discovered at a nearby townhouse.

Horrified parents have revealed to Daily Mail Australia how they were sent a 'weird text' by the Lion's Taekwondo studio in North Parramatta, in Sydney's west, on Tuesday morning.

The message said lessons were cancelled because the academy's chief instructor, Master Lion Yoo, was in hospital.

'Due to injuries resulting from a car accident this morning, Master is currently in the hospital,' it said. 'Therefore, Taekwondo classes will be temporarily suspended starting today'.

Min Cho, a woman in her 40s, and a seven-year-old boy were both found stabbed to death inside the martial arts studio on Tuesday morning, two hours after her husband, Steven Cho, was found dead at the front of their home in Watkins Road, Baulkham Hills.

Mr Cho worked for construction firm Richard Crookes while his worked at several businesses in recent years. They bought their home in 2016.

It's understood police have been trying to contact relatives of the deceased.

A crime scene at Lion's Taekwondo Academy in Daking Street, Parramatta, has also been sealed off, with firefighters covering up the windows of the martial arts studio

Homicide detectives have launched an investigation after a woman and a child were found dead in Sydney 's west and a man's body was discovered 5km away in Baulkham Hills

Master Lion Yoo (pictured) is under police guard in hospital after he appeared in the emergency department with non-life-threatening injuries on around 1am on Tuesday. he has since undergone surgery

Master Lion is under police guard in hospital after he was admitted with serious but non-life-threatening knife wounds around 1am on Tuesday.

He has since undergone emergency surgery to his arms and torso.

It's understood that Master Lion Yoo presented himself to Westmead Hospital early Tuesday morning bloodied and suffering from serious injuries

It's understood that Master Lion Yoo presented himself to Westmead Hospital early Tuesday morning bloodied and suffering from serious injuries.

Hospital staff called in police to investigate his injuries after Master Lion told them that he was injured at the taekwondo studio in North Parramatta on Monday night.

A mystifying text from his academy sent out later that morning announcing that 'pickup at 3.10 PM for afterschool activities is no longer possible'.

'For parents who applied for afterschool pickup, please pick up your child directly from today,' it added. 'We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused.'

One mother admitted she knew it was 'clearly not a car accident when I saw all the police outside the studio when I went to pick up the kids from school'.

Police sources said it was too early to say if the deaths were domestic violence-related but detectives are believed to be probing the possibility of a deadly love triangle.

A third crime scene at Lion's Taekwondo Academy in Daking Street, Parramatta, (pictured) has also been sealed off, with firefighters covering up the windows of the martial arts studio

Master Lion, in his late 30s, is believed to be married with a young son, Kai. Parents of his students described him as a 'lovely man who is very quiet and timid'.

'How he's connected to all this is what troubles me,' added one mother.

The crime scene at Lion's Academy at Daking Street has been sealed off, with firefighters covering up the windows of the martial arts studio.

It's understood the black plastic across all the windows facing onto the main street was put up to hide the grisly scene inside the studio from bystanders.

The cordoned off crime scene in the usually quiet street shocked nearby business owners.

'Besides a few drunk people from the nearby pub every now and again, that's it,' one told the Daily Telegraph.

'We'd seen all of the police suddenly turn up and saw a (news) alert on our phones about a body being found in an alleyway.'

Black plastic across all the martial arts' studio's windows facing onto the main street (pictured) was used to hide the grisly scene inside the studio from bystanders

Inside the martial arts studio in Sydney's west where a woman in her 40s and a child were found dead on Tuesday morning

Forensic officers were also seen scouring an alleyway at the side of the academy building, where locals said they had been told a body had been found.

At the Baulkham Hills address, one detective raced out of a car and ran down the driveway at about 3.15pm, ducking under the police tape and into the crime scene.

The front window of the townhouse has also been smashed, with shattered glass sprayed on to the concrete outside.

State Crime Command Homicide Squad has now taken over the investigation, said a NSW Police statement.

'About 10.15am today, officers attached to The Hills Police District were called to Watkins Road in Baulkham Hills following a concern for welfare report,' added a police spokesman.

'On arrival, police located a deceased man  believed to be aged in his late 30s  with fatal injuries.

'About 1pm today, officers attached to Parramatta City Police Area Command located two more bodies  believed to be that of a woman, aged in her early 40s, and a young child  at a sporting centre on Daking Street in North Parramatta.

'Crime scenes were established and examined by forensic police at both locations, which are currently being treated as linked.

'Inquiries are continuing to establish whether there are links to a separate stabbing in North Parramatta yesterday.

'Investigations continue.'

The studio in the usually quiet Daking Street in North Parramatta was a crime scene on Tuesday

Forensic officers spent much of Tuesday examining the grim scene at the martial arts studio

The front window was smashed at the townhouse at the Baulkham Hills home where the dead man's body was found
A group of pro-Palestine activists are expected to front court after staging a demonstration on the roof of a Melbourne factory.

Eight activists aged between 26 and 62 were arrested on Monday afternoon, hours after climbing onto the roof of an aircraft manufacturing facility at Bayswater in the city's east about 6am.

The group claimed the business manufactured parts for fighter jets used by the Israel Defence Forces.

Eight activists aged between 26 and 62 were arrested on Monday afternoon, hours after climbing on to the roof of an aircraft manufacturing facility at Bayswater in the city's east about 6am

'We're protesting against the fact that Australia exports weapons and weapons components to Israel, and Israel is committing genocide as we speak now on the radio,' Whistleblowers, Activists and Communities Alliance spokeswoman Gaye Demanuele told 3AW.

'We believe that people of Australia should know exactly where weapons are being manufactured and where they're being sent to.'

The protesters refused to come down from the roof for several hours before speaking with police late on Monday afternoon and saying they were ready to get off, Victoria Police allege.

Officers organised a cherry picker to bring them down safely and no one was injured.

They later arrested the eight, including six Melbourne women, one Melbourne man and one NSW woman.

The protesters were all charged with trespassing, causing criminal damage and being disguised with unlawful intent, police said.

Police officers were forced to use a cherry picker to get the protesters off the factory roof

The group was granted bail to front Ringwood Magistrates Court on July 11.

Intergenerational conflicts in the Middle East between Palestinians and Israelis escalated on October 7 when Islamist militants linked to Hamas attacked southern Israel from Gaza.

More than 1,200 people died and up to another 200 were taken hostage, according to the United Nations.

Israel's subsequent military action has resulted in the deaths of more than 29,000 people in Gaza, with the UN citing unconfirmed data provided by the local ministry of health and Gaza Government Media Office.
Vladimir Putin has gifted North Korean leader Kim Jong Un a Russian-made car for his personal use in a demonstration of their 'special personal relations.'

A report confirming the gift didn't say what kind of vehicle Putin gave the North Korean dictator or how it was shipped.

But observers said it could violate a UN resolution that bans supplying luxury items to North Korea in an attempt to pressure the country to abandon its nuclear weapons.

Kims sister, Kim Yo Jong, and another North Korean official accepted the gift Sunday and she conveyed her brother's thanks to Putin, the Korean Central News Agency said.

Kim Yo Jong said the gift showed the special personal relationship between the leaders, the report said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has gifted North Korean leader Kim Jong Un a Russian-made car for his personal use in a demonstration of their 'special relationship'

North Korea and Russia have boosted their cooperation significantly since Kim traveled to Russia last September for a summit with Putin.

During Kim's visit to Russia's main spaceport, Putin showed the North Korean leader his personal Anrus Senat limousine and Kim sat in its backseat.

According to Russias state-run Tass news agency, Aurus was the first Russian luxury car brand and it's been used in the motorcades of top officials including Putin since he first used an Anrus limousine during his inauguration ceremony in 2018.

Kim, 40, is known to possess many foreign-made luxury cars believed to have been smuggled into his country in breach of the UN resolution.

During his Russia visit, he traveled between meeting sites in a Maybach limousine that was brought with him on one of his special train carriages.

During an earlier Russia trip in 2019, Kim had two limos waiting for him at Vladivostok station - a Mercedes Maybach S600 Pullman Guard and a Mercedes Maybach S62.

He also reportedly used the S600 Pullman Guard for his two summits with then-President Donald Trump in Singapore in 2018 and Vietnam in 2019.

In 2018, Kim used a black Mercedes limousine to return home after a meeting with South Korea's then-President Moon Jae-in at a shared Korean border village.

A report confirming the gift didn't say what kind of vehicle Putin gave the North Korean dictator or how it was shipped

Observers said it could violate a UN resolution that bans supplying luxury items to North Korea in an attempt to pressure the country to abandon its nuclear weapons

During Kim's visit to Russia's main spaceport, Putin showed the North Korean leader his personal Anrus Senat limousine and Kim sat in its backseat

Kims possession of such expensive foreign limousines shows the porousness of international sanctions on the North.

Russia voted for the ban on supplying luxury good to North Korea, even though as a permanent Security Council member, it could have vetoed the resolution.

The expanding ties between North Korea and Russia come as they are locked in separate confrontations with the United States and its allies - North Korea for its advancing nuclear program and Russia for its protracted war with Ukraine.

A group of lawmakers warned the State Department about arms transfers between North Korea and Russia late last week.

The letter, led by Republican Reps. Young Kim, Calif., Tom Kean, N.J., Joe Wilson, S.C., and Nathaniel Moran, Texas, is asking the Biden administration for answers on whether North Korea's sale of arms to Russia could mean Moscow is assisting Pyongyang in its quest for nuclear and advanced ballistic weapons.

It comes after Democratic Republic of North Korea (DPRK) agreed to sell arms to Russia, which has since used Korean ballistic missiles to bomb Ukraine. The DPRK has since offered ammunition and artillery shells too.

The United Nations has warned that North Korea is seeking military assistance from nuclear-armed Russia in response. Russia has been a part of the UN National Security Councils imposing of an arms embargo on Pyongyang for its missile test since 2006, but is now violating the embargo.

The US, South Korea and their partners accuse North Korea of sending conventional arms to Russia for its war in Ukraine, in return for high-tech Russian weapons technologies and other support.

After its foreign minister returned home following a Russian visit in January, the Norths state media reported Putin expressed his willingness to visit the North at an early date.

Russian President Putin has weighed heavily over the news cycle in the US and across the globe in recent weeks.

Many across the country have been outraged as Alexei Navalny, the fiercest foe of Russian President Vladimir Putin, was reported to have died in prison on Friday, according to Russia's prison agency.

The Federal Prison Service said in a statement that Navalny, 47, felt unwell after a walk and 'almost immediately lost consciousness'. Paramedics reportedly came to try to rehabilitate him without success.

Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny and his wife Yulia Navalnaya in September 2020

Lyudmila Navalnaya, the mother of late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, and lawyer Vasily Dubkov arrive at the regional department of Russia's Investigative Committee in the town of Salekhard in the Yamal-Nenets Region, Russia February 17, 2024

His mother said she had seen her son in the prison colony on Monday. At the time, she said: 'He was alive, healthy, cheerful.'

Navalny, who was serving a 19-year sentence on charges of 'extremism', had only recently been moved from his former prison in the Vladimir region of central Russia to a grisly 'special regime' penal colony above the Arctic Circle.

His allies, a brave minority in Russia fighting corruption, said at the time they feared for his life after he 'disappeared' in December to travel to the remote region notorious for its long and severe winters - just months before the closely-watched Russian presidential elections next month.

Navalny's allies say they were denied the opportunity to see the body, which would remain with the authorities until an investigation was complete.

Navalny's lawyer, who arrived in the town of Salekhard with Navalny's mother on Saturday, was allegedly told by the prison that the body was being held in the morgue.

A contact at the Salekhard morgue later denied the body was there - leaving yet more question marks around the shock death of one of Putin's most fierce critics.

'It's obvious that the killers want to cover their tracks and are therefore not handing over Alexei's body, hiding it even from his mother,' his team said in a post on Telegram.

Former President Donald Trump issued a comment on the death of Navalny  using the occasion to blast 'grossly unfair' court decisions in the U.S.

President Joe Biden placed blame for Navalny's death squarely on Putin - though he froze up when trying to articulate an attack on former President Donald Trump over his recent comments on Russia.

Vladimir Putin has declared he would prefer to see Joe Biden win a second term in the White House over Donald Trump in an eyebrow-raising interview with Russian media this morning

Russian President Vladimir Putin now says he thinks he prefers Joe Biden to remain President of the United States

It also comes as Putin has declared he would prefer to see Joe Biden win a second term in the White House over Donald Trump in an eyebrow-raising interview with Russian media.

Describing the incumbent US President as 'predictable', Putin said Biden would be the preferred choice for the Kremlin because it sees him as steadier than the firebrand, outspoken Republican.

'Biden, he's more experienced, more predictable, he's a politician of the old formation... But we will work with any US leader whom the American people trust,' Putin said.

Asked about speculation on Biden's health issues, Putin responded: 'I'm not a doctor and I don't consider it proper to comment on that,' before later going on to defend the US President, who has faced increased scrutiny as of late over his age and declining memory.
The boss of one of Australia's biggest food delivery charities has been forced to apologise for a series of social media posts about Israel, Ukraine, and the CIA.

Meals on Wheels NSW CEO Ian MacDonald made the posts over a number of weeks on his personal Facebook account.

In one, he said the 'collective West' was struggling to 'satisfy the vastly confused and ever changing demands of the US and its principal controller, Israel.'

'Israel has spent the last 50 years infiltrating and developing control over a US foreign policy through a litany of crooks and spivs,' he wrote.

'Planted in the US power structures by (Israeli intelligence agency Mossad) and paid for by US taxpayers.'

Mr MacDonald 'acknowledges that his statements may cause offence to some Meals on Wheels NSW clients, and for this he unreservedly apologises'.

In another post, Mr MacDonald said the British and Australian Labor Parties are both 'obedient' and 'spineless' when it comes to Israel and the United States.

'They are both supporting the worst genocide since the Holocaust by their lap-dog actions with respect to the vast criminality being practiced by both of those nations in Gaza and the West Bank,' he said.

In a further post, he shared a YouTube video titlted: 'How the CIA destabilises the world'.

'Unaccountable, illegal, vicious, and the most dangerous organisation on the planet!!!' the caption read.

Mr MacDonald also shared posts from Russian media outlets accusing France of censoring Telegram channels to prevent people from knowing 'that Ukraine is deliberately killing civilians with weapons supplied to it by Western countries.'

Mr MacDonald, who has been in the top job for 22 years, told Daily Mail Australia his statements stem from his Jewish family heritage and the pain and suffering being felt by many around the world as a result of the conflict in Israel and Palestine.

Ian MacDonald, CEO of Meals on Wheels NSW , made the posts over a number of weeks on his personal Facebook account.

He acknowledged that his comments may cause offence to some Meals on Wheels NSW clients and volunteers, and for this reason he has apologised.

He then went on to explain that these are personal views which he holds as a 'private citizen', maintaining that he 'wasn't withdrawing his views'.

'My views are shared widely by people in the Jewish community,' Mr MacDonald said.

'It was really an apology to any of our clients or volunteers who felt offended by the comments that I've made on my page.'

Mr MacDonald emphasised that his statements do not reflect the views of Meals on Wheels NSW.

'There's nothing on Facebook that would identify me as being in any particular profession,' he said.

'I've been very careful to separate my professional life from my personal life.'
A man who featured on 'America's Most Wanted' has been caught after his daughters launched a TikTok campaign to hunt him down, claiming he sexually assaulted two children.

Davie Albarran, 51, was arrested on Sunday night in Lakeland, Polk County, Florida, for sexual battery on a child under 12 and lewd conduct with a child under 12.

He was caught hiding in a shed after 451 days on the run following a campaign to find him by his daughters Ana and Yaneiry - that racked up hundreds of thousands of views on TikTok - and his appearance on America's Most Wanted.

Ana and Yaneiry claim they have been contacted by more victims since starting their campaign, other than the two cases he has been formally accused of.

Their hunt started in 2022, when his daughters say Albarran disappeared after they confronted him and accused him of assaulting their young female family member.

Davie Albarran was found hiding in a shed and arrested in Polk County on Sunday night

The sisters Ana and Yaneiry were thrilled to have their father featured on America's Most Wanted, but it was another year before he was caught

In frustration at his disappearance, Ana decided to post on Facebook, publicly accusing him of the crimes and asking anyone who had seen him to come forward and help find him.

She wrote: 'Please share and paint the city with his face. He's on the run and the cops are looking for him.'

Over the past year and a half, the sisters put up billboards, staked out motels, questioned other family members and even got their father featured on America's Most Wanted in December 2022.

The videos they shared of their attempts to track him down racked up hundreds of thousands of views and were picked up by local news stations.

Ana Albarran, now in her 30s, alleged in an interview with WOFL that her father also acted inappropriately with her when she was young and that dozens of other victims had come forward with similar stories.

They said not all of their family was supportive - the sisters accused some of Albarran's siblings of helping to keep him hidden and of keeping him in their homes.

They repeatedly claimed that they would not let the alleged cover-up continue in their family and that they would 'believe' the children who came forward.

Ana cries on camera when she finds out her father was arrested. She and her sister had been rallying support to find him for over a year

His daughters made and shared wanted posters to distribute around the country and warn other parents

The daughters shared photos of their father and asked if anyone had seen him

The sisters filmed a celebration video with other family members after they found out he had been caught on Monday

Albarran was featured on America's Most Wanted, meaning his face was broadcast around the country

When the sisters finally learned he had been arrested, they filmed a celebration video, gathered with all of their family spraying a bottle of champagne and yelling in joy.

Ana said: 'We did it, guys. My father's in jail. After a f***ing year. Just thank you, because if it wasn't for ya'll he would've never been found, bro.'

She told WFTV9 that when she heard the news: 'I started screaming. I was crying. I was in disbelief.'

Ana and Yaneiry said it was the 'greatest feeling in the world' and added 'we are his karma.'

Describing the arrest, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said: 'Well, he made a mistake. (America's Most Wanted) ran him all over the nation and he came to Lakeland.

'When he came to Lakeland, we received confidential information. They said, 'Hey, we know where this dude is.'

His two daughters, Ana and Yaneiry, ran a year long campaign to track him down and arrest him after he disappeared in 2022

Police and a police dog tracked him down to a shed where they confronted him and arrested him

Sheriff Grady Judd said Albarran made a 'big mistake' coming to Lakeland

The pair worked with the Polk County Sheriff's Office to secure his arrest

'So we snuck around Sunday night just before midnight in a backyard in Country Haven Drive. Well, it might have been Country Haven Drive, but it was no 'haven' for him.'

Albarran reportedly tried to evade officers by telling them his name was Jose, but they saw through his ruse and took him into custody.

There is not yet any further information as to his charges or trial.

Back in December 2022, Sheriff Marcos Lopez said: 'Now it's time to catch this trash. This monster. There's no other way to describe this garbage. Arrest him and stick him in jail for 100 years.

'Taking away children's innocence,' Osceola Sheriff Marcos Lopez said at the time. 'He's a sick guy.'
Haiti's former first lady Martine Moise has been indicted in the 2021 assassination of her husband President Jovenel Moise after a prosecutor suggested she wanted his job for herself.

Moise, 49, was included in a 70-person indictment recommendation from the capital's top prosecutor obtained by The New York Times.

Judge Walther Voltaire has now reviewed the prosecutor's documents and indicted the former first lady as well as the countrys former prime minister and police chief.

Moise is not accused of directly planning her husband's shooting in July 2021.

Instead, the judge accused her of being complicit in her husband's death and said he found contradictions in Moises statements, as well as some evidence that suggested she knew about a plot against him.

The judge referred to testimony from two defendants who claimed she wanted to run for president after the killing, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Former First Lady Martine Moise has been indicted by a Haitian judge in relation to the assassination of her husband

Former Haitian First Lady Martine Moise (pictured at her husband's funeral in 2021) is facing accusations of being complicit in the assassination, which she denies

The slain president, Jovenal Moise, was killed on July 7, 2021, by a gang of Colombian hitmen hired by a Miami-based security company

Martine Moise was also shot in her husband's assassination and claimed she only survived after the hitmen believed she had been killed

Her lawyer has denied the allegations, and a separate US Department of Justice investigation reportedly has not issued any evidence suggesting her involvement.

'We do not believe that she is or could ever be a suspect in the case,' said Moise's lawyer, Paul Turner. 'She was a victim, just like her children that were there, and her husband.' Other legal analysts have suggested the widow is a victim of Haiti's corrupt political system.

Parallel investigations by the US Department of Justice and Haitian prosecutors have resulted in separate charges. Critics of the Haitian indictment claim it is politically motivated.

The slain president, Jovenal Moise, was killed on July 7, 2021, by a gang of Colombian hitmen hired by a Miami-based security company, according to the Haitian investigation.

His security came under scrutiny for allegedly allowing the assassins into the presidential residence without resistance, and police failed to arrive in time after Moise called for 911 from his ransacked bedroom.

The president was severely beaten before he was shot dead on the scene, while the first lady was also shot in the arms and thigh, and she claimed they only left after believing she was dead.

Haiti descended into chaos in the aftermath of the assassination, as political violence took over the nation's government. No elections were ever carried out for Moise's replacement.

In the absence of elections, the nation's prime minister took over - with the second and current interim leader, Ariel Henry, accused of being involved in the assassination.

This included phone records reportedly showing Henry had spoken to a key conspirator directly before and after the shooting. He has denied any involvement.

Moise with Queen Letizia of Spain in 2018

Martine Moise and her husband, then President Jovenel Moise holding hands in 2018, just three years before his murder

Martine (right) allegedly plotted to take her husband's presidency, although no evidence of this claim was presented in the filing. She is pictured with her husband and Pope Francis in January 2018

Jovenal and Martine Moise seen together after he took the oath of office as Haitian President in January 2017

The assassination sparked ongoing political turmoil in the nation. Martine is seen attending her husband's funeral in July 2021

The subsequent investigation by Haitian authorities concluded last week with Moise's recommended indictment, alongside 70 others. It was filed by the capital Port-au-Prince's public prosecutor, Edler Guillaume, a political appointee of the government.

The filing is not legally binding, and only recommends charges to be brought by an investigating judge, who can reject them if he chooses.

Legal analysts cited by the New York Times have scrutinized the shocking charges set to be filed against the former First Lady, seeing it as a weaponization of the legal system against a political enemy.

Some have seen it as a blatant attempt to direct speculation away from the government's alleged involvement in the assassination, with former US special envoy to Haiti Dan Foote branding it 'another bad act' in the reaction to the shooting.

'The fact that this government is running the investigation is bad enough,' Mr. Foote said. 'Its not even close to independent.'

In total, Haitian authorities have already arrested 44 people over the assassination, including 20 Columbians, 19 Haitian law enforcement officers, and three members of Moise's security detail - and are among the 70 named in the new prosecutor's filing.

Separate to the Haitian investigation, prosecutors in the United States have brought charges against 11 men who allegedly carried out the plot.

Five pleaded guilty, and the remaining six defendants were set to have the former first lady testify at the trial later this year in South Florida. It is not clear how the recommended indictment may affect her involvement in the trial.

No evidence was provided in the indictment over Moise's alleged scheme to kill her husband, and attorneys for those charged in Florida reportedly said the US Department of Justice has given no indication it suspects her of any crimes.

Weaponry, mobile phones, passports and other items seized along with suspects in the assassination of President Jovenel Moise

Martine in the days after the shooting at a vigil for President Jovenel Moise

Martine was shot in the arm in the course of his assassination and wounded

Martine Moise, arriving at the courthouse to give testimony in the ongoing investigation into the assassination of her husband

The charges that may be brought center around statements she gave in the aftermath of her husband's death, although the filing reportedly did not specify what she said.

Her attorney countered that after her initial statement to police, she declined to return to Haiti for interviews with detectives over fears for her safety.

Turner added that US prosecutors ordered her not to speak about the assassination until she testified in their case in Florida.

While an arrest warrant was issued in October, and only made public a week ago, Turner added that Haitian authorities are unaware of her location and it is being kept under wraps for her security.

Brian Concannon, executive director of the human rights group Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti, also cast doubt over the legitimacy of the possible new charges.

'Its a system that is very subject to political manipulation,' he told the Times. 'You have a prime minister who already fired a previous prosecutor who asked too many awkward questions.'

In the face of scrutiny, Prime Minister Henry's office denied any manipulation of the legal process and claimed the investigators operate independently.

'The prime minister has no direct relationship with the examining magistrate, nor does he control him,' said spokesman Jean-Junior Joseph.

'The judge remains free to issue his order in accordance with the law and his conscience.'

The charges also name Henry's predecessor, Claude Joseph, as 'complicit' in the assassination, which he countered with accusations the filing is a political hit job.

'It makes no sense,' he said.

'Why would Martine Moise have her husband killed in a massive plot involving 20 Colombian former soldiers when they live together and could find a million easier ways to get rid of him if she wanted to?'
A 16-year-old boy faces a mammoth 75 charges over an alleged city-wide crime spree that he documented on social media.

Such were the scope and scale of the alleged crimes that four specialised police units and a helicopter were used to track the teen down.

The teenager was finally arrested in the outer south-western Brisbane suburb of Inala on Thursday after Queensland officers searched a number of properties in the area.

A 16-year-old Brisbane boy faces multiple charges over an alleged city-wide crime spree

Police allege the boy committed a string of break and enters into properties as well as stolen vehicle offences across eastern, western and inner-city Brisbane suburbs over the past few months.

Charges against him include dwelling and commit, trespass, unlawful possession of a motor vehicle (publish on social media), attempted enter dwelling and commit, unlawful use of a motor vehicle, stealing and attempted enter premises with intent.

Assistant Commissioner for Youth Crime Andrew Massingham congratulated the units involved in tracking the suspect down.

'The co-ordinated response to this prolific property offending is commendable and is a reflection of the determination of officers, who work hard to hold young offenders to account,' Assistant Commissioner Massingham said.

'We want the community to know police are listening and taking proactive action to arrest those serious offenders who put community safety at risk.'

The boy has been remanded in custody after one court appearance and will next face legal proceedings on February 29

On Friday the teen appeared before Brisbane's Children's Court on February 16 where the matter was adjourned.

He was remanded in custody and will next appear on February 29.
The company responsible for housing asylum seekers on Nauru has gone on an urgent hiring spree just days after a fresh boatload of migrants landed in northern Australia.

Daily Mail Australia can reveal Nauru detention centre managers Management and Training Corporation posted a series of ads for people who can 'work and live in a hot tropical environment on Nauru' on Monday.

The job ads - for a single accommodation manager and multiple welfare and security officers - were all posted simultaneously to Seek, sparking uproar from the Opposition and concern the government is bracing for a wave of asylum seekers.

The mass ad spree comes three days after foreign nationals claiming to be from Pakistan, India and Bangladesh were found wandering in the remote West Australian community of Beagle Bay, having somehow breached the country's border.

All three jobs are listed as being located in Brisbane - but the fine print states they require successful applicants to be willing to move to Nauru

The men's arrival has reignited the debate around asylum seekers and the Albanese government's ability to position itself as 'tough on borders' national leaders

The 39 men found in Western Australia were deported to Nauru - the tiny island nation north-east of Australia which the Federal government often detains asylum seekers on.

Opposition immigration spokesman James Paterson told Daily Mail Australia 'it's no wonder (the Albanese government) is having to expand offshore processing'.

'Anthony Albanese says he's got our borders under control but at the same time the government are secretly scaling up for a big surge of illegal boat arrivals to be transferred to Nauru,' Senator Paterson said.

'It's only necessary because the people smugglers are calling out the Prime Minister's weakness on border security.'

The offices of Immigration Minister Andrew Giles and Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil brushed off questions about the hiring spree.

The arrival of the boat has reignited the debate about the government's immigration policies.

It is the topic Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has been most keen to talk about - the Prime Minister's apparent 'weak leadership' on the issue.

'It's a weak Prime Minister being tested by people smugglers... he's not telling the truth... this is not Operation Sovereign Borders as we knew it when the Coalition was in power,' Mr Dutton said of the boat arrival earlier in the week.

'It's all that layer upon layer of weakness displayed by the government, that is what emboldens people smugglers and what encourages people to pay their money and get on the boat.'

Mr Albanese has maintained his government supports Operation Sovereign Borders

The job advertisements were all posted on Monday to Seek - just three days after foreign nationals claiming to be from Pakistan and Bangladesh were found wandering aimlessly in the remote West Australian community of Beagle Bay

In June last year, The Guardian reported that the government had facilitated been a stream of regular transfers off Nauru, and that the government intended to remove all asylum seekers by the end of that month.

But by October, there were reports a group of up to 11 asylum seekers had been intercepted and transferred to Nauru.

What Nauru is looking for in a worker

The successful candidate for the accommodation manager role will be responsible for 'maintaining a productive working relationship with transferees' and 'overseeing their safety and wellbeing'.

Meanwhile, the security officers - of which there appear to be multiple roles available - are responsible for 'raising alarms and calling for support if necessary'.

They'll also be expected to patrol the facility and monitor surveillance equipment as part of their day-to-day tasks. Previous experience working in immigration security is a 'desirable' skill.

Meanwhile, the multiple welfare officer jobs on offer are six month contracts working four weeks on, four weeks off.

'Due to short recruitment timeframes, applications will only be considered from those who meet all compliance requirements,' the job advert states.

The successful candidates will have experience 'working with complex clients', understand 'trauma informed practice' and carry a 'high level of emotional intelligence and resiliency'.

The company is also seeking a candidate who can work 'cross-culturally', with an ability to 'identify risks and provide early intervention strategies'.

'MTC Australia regularly advertises roles to ensure we can meet our operational requirements,' a company spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia.

'The three roles currently advertised are to replace vacancies in existing positions.'

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has spent days sounding the alarm about people smugglers capitalising on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese 's apparent 'weak leadership' on the issue

Anthony Albanese's side of the story

Mr Albanese has maintained his government supports Operation Sovereign Borders - the Federal government's code name for the effort to intercept asylum seeker boats at sea.

The PM said last week that his government's 'position on Operation Sovereign Borders is very clear' and that no one who arrives in Australia illegally by boat will 'settle here'.

Operation Sovereign Borders was created by the Abbott Government in 2013 in order to curb the amount of illegal immigrants seeking asylum in Australia by boat.

'It's the same system that operated before, and we will make announcements about what has occurred there through Operation Sovereign Borders, imminently, when that occurs,' Mr Albanese said.

No boat has been found in the area where the men were located, sparking questions about whether they were dropped off by Indonesian fishermen.

One of the asylum seekers told the ABC that they had spent five days at sea, travelling from Indonesia to Australia.

After being dropped off on the beach, the group walked for about 35km, he said, before they were picked up by local members of a remote Indigenous community.
A man whose body was found sticking out of a charity bin at a Westfield shopping centre appeared to have broken his neck while trying to scavenge for donated clothing.

The man became trapped headfirst inside the chute on the NSW Central Coast while engaging in a practice known as 'bin surfing' or 'dumpster diving'.

'We believe he was bin surfing, fell and broke his neck,' a police source told Daily Mail Australia.

It is understood the man lost his footing on a bicycle he had been using to prop himself up and reach inside the bin for clothes.

A man whose body was found sticking out of a charity bin (above) broke his neck while trying to scavenge for clothes, police believe

Emergency services were called to Westfield Tuggerah on the NSW Central Coast (pictured) about 4.25am on Tuesday

Emergency services were called to Westfield Tuggerah about 4.25am on Tuesday after a passer-by saw legs hanging out of the charity bin.

Officers arrived to find the body of a man wedged inside the chute, with witnesses seeing a bicycle lying on the ground at the base of the bin.

A crime scene was set up at the eastern end of the carpark on Wyong Road.

A Westfield worker told Daily Mail Australia two of his colleagues, who work in a nearby bakery, walked past the bins around 3am as they arrived to work.

In the dark morning light, they noticed a bike lying on the ground beneath the bins but did not notice the protruding body.

'We were told he stood up on his bike to prop himself up as he tried to get stuff from the bin, but the bike has fallen down and he got trapped,' said the man, who wished to remain anonymous.

'It's very sad. They need to do something to stop people getting into them, like an internal latch or something.'

Police are not treating the man's death as suspicious.

'We believe he was bin surfing, fell and broke his neck,' a police source told Daily Mail Australia

The bodies of two women and a teenage boy were found dead in charity bins in three separate incidents in as many months in 2021.

Mikki O'Shea, 43, died after becoming stuck in a charity bin behind a Gold Coast shopping centre in April 2021.

Three months later, the body of mother-of-one Alarrah Lawrence, 33, was found hanging 'half-in-half-out' of a charity bin in Rockingham south of Perth.

Teenager Spencer Benbolt Jnr, 13, was also crushed to death when the skip bin he was sleeping in was emptied into a garbage truck in Port Lincoln, South Australia.

A woman met the same fate inside a charity container in Moonee Ponds in Melbournes north-west in July 2020, as did a man in Sydney in 2015.
The heartbroken father of missing mother-of-three Samantha Murphy has expressed frustration at not being able to talk openly about his daughter's disappearance.

As the search for Ms Murphy is reduced to the efforts of local sleuths, John 'Pud' Robson told Daily Mail Australia police had told him to keep his mouth firmly shut.

'Forget about it mate. I'm not allowed to say "boo",' Mr Robson said on Tuesday afternoon.

'The police have asked us not to say bugger all.'

The heartbroken father of missing mother-of-three Samantha Murphy has expressed frustration at not being able to talk openly about his beloved daughter's disappearance

When asked why he was unable to talk about his daughter, Mr Robson said police had told him all information regarding her and the investigation would come from them.

'Anything that is going to be released, they'll release it,' he said. 'We're not talking mate. Thanks very much.'

Mr Robson said he was hopeful some sort of news would be forthcoming 'soon'.

'But don't worry about it. There's not much anyone can do until something turns up. Thanks for your endeavours,' he said.

When asked how he and his family were holding-up, he responded: 'How do you expect us to be going?'

Last week, Mr Robson's sister-in-law Janice Robson told Daily Mail Australia that Mr Robson had been keeping himself busy by going back to work driving trucks interstate.

'John went back to work. He said, "there's nothing I could do",' Mrs Robson said.

'And I think, if put in that position, we'd be that way ourselves.'

Samantha Murphy's husband Mick Murphy looked shock after speaking to police in the early stages of the search on February 7

Kind hearted locals have continued the search for Ms Murphy across rugged terrain

Ms Murphy's father had phoned his brother Allan and Janice just as they were about to sit down for dinner the night that she went missing.

'He said, "Oh Janice, Sam's gone. Samantha's gone missing",' Janice said.

'I said "what do you mean gone missing?" He said, "She's gone missing. She went out". He didn't say she'd gone jogging, but she'd gone missing. "She hasn't turned up. Never came back".'

Allan said he asked his brother if he knew of any reason why his daughter may have vanished, but he had no answers.

It is understood both Allan and Janice Robson have since been told not to speak with media for fear of 'tainting the police investigation'.

Police and emergency services crews all but abandoned the search for Ms Murphy within a week of her being reported missing.

Police on horse back walk past the Murphy homestead in the days after Samantha Murphy vanished

State Emergency Services crews abandoned the search within a week of Ms Murphy going missing

By then Victoria Police's Missing Persons Unit had taken over the investigation, immediately focusing its efforts on friends and family of the missing 51-year old.

On Tuesday, a group of volunteers organised through social media were the only bodies on the ground continuing to search the thick bush where Ms Murphy was last seen.

Ms Murphy's husband Mick Murphy told the Herald Sun the public support had been great and the search effort had been extraordinary so far.

'We [would] like to thank each and every person that has donated their time for searching for Sam,' Mr Murphy said.

'I hope we can find something soon.'

The group, known online as the 'Ground Crew' has organised a local search party starting from Eureka Stockade Memorial Park, just off Eureka Street, on Saturday morning.

Ms Murphy left her home off Eureka Street in East Ballarat, north-west of Melbourne to go for a run in the Woowookarung Regional Park just after 7am on February 4 and has not been seen since.

State Emergency Services volunteers and police initially searched the bush in an area between the Canadian Plantation and Yankee Flat Road - about 15km from Ms Murphy's home - where they believe her phone was switched off.

Anyone who has information on Samantha Murphy's disappearance should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
New York Times' publisher has revealed the White House said they have been unhappy at recent press coverage in the newspaper after a series of opinion articles focused on President Joe Biden's age and his unsuitability to run for a second term.

A.G. Sulzberger, 43, who has been publisher for the last six years, said the White House was 'extremely upset' - yet he insists the paper will 'continue to report fully and fairly.'

'We are going to continue to report fully and fairly, not just on Donald Trump but also on President Joe Biden,' he told the Reuters Institute in an interview.

Sulzberger said the paper was dedicated to providing comprehensive and fair coverage.

'He is a historically unpopular incumbent and the oldest man to ever hold this office. We've reported on both of those realities extensively, and the White House has been extremely upset about it,' Sulzberger said.

New York Times Publisher A.G. Sulzberger says The White House is 'extremely upset' with the newspaper's coverage of President Biden's age

The New York Times coverage has faced criticism for emphasizing Biden's age and low approval ratings, with some suggesting it has been overly sensationalized

The criticism has drawn disapproval from both the Biden campaign and certain members of the press.

Special counsel Robert Hur's recent report in which he independently remarked on Biden being 'an elderly man with a poor memory,' further fueled media attention.

Former New York Times public editor Margaret Sullivan said she believed the coverage, particularly within The New York Times, had been sensationalized.

'For the media to make this the overarching issue of the campaign is nothing short of journalistic malpractice,' she wrote on her blog.

Sullivan urged Sulzberger to instruct the New York Times opinion editor and the top news editor to stop 'going overboard with both coverage and commentary about Biden's age' and to 'tone down' both coverage and commentary on the topic.

Sulzberger has sought to clarify his position in response to the criticism noting how maintaining public trust in the Times while avoiding disproportionate coverage is key.

'We are not saying that this is the same as Trump's five court cases or that they are even,' Sulzberger said. 'They are different. But they are both true, and the public needs to know both those things. And if you are hyping up one side or downplaying the other, no side has a reason to trust you in the long run.'

A series of opinion articles over the weekend of February 9 appeared to skewer the president's chances of securing a second White House term

In what was a skewering of the president in a series of opinion pieces, the New York Times authors described Biden's team as having 'no plan' on how to deal with his senile behavior, and that he should simply 'not be running for re-election'.

The back-to-back opinion pieces knifing the elderly president, 81, ran over the weekend of February 9 and 10 came after a Justice Department report ripped into his handling of classified documents portraying him as a forgetful, old man.

The 388-page report by Special Counsel Robert Hur confirmed he would not be charged - but it said that was because a jury would probably conclude he had 'diminished faculties' and was a 'well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.'

Biden's lack of enthusiasm on the campaign trail, coupled with his doddering public appearances and 'crotchety grandpa' attitude, are huge concerns during this 'dark time' in his presidential tenure, according to the left-leaning broadsheet paper. '

He needs to do more to show the public that he is fully capable of holding office until age 86,' the Times board stated.

President Joe Biden talks briefly with reporters after returning to the White House on Monday

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden walk across the South Lawn while returning to the White House on Monday after spending the weekend in Delaware

On February 9, the New York Times' Editorial Board published a damning, honest opinion piece, titled: 'The Challenges of an Aging President.'

The team at the newspaper concluded: 'This is a dark moment for Mr. Bidens presidency.

The piece stated how 'the president raised more questions about his cognitive sharpness and temperament, as he delivered emotional and snappish retorts in a moment when people were looking for steady, even and capable responses to fair questions about his fitness.'

The board wrote: 'His assurances... didnt work. He must do better  the stakes in this presidential election are too high for Mr. Biden to hope that he can skate through a campaign with the help of teleprompters and aides and somehow defeat as manifestly unfit an opponent as Donald Trump.'

They admitted Trump 'has a very real chance of retaking the White House.'

The piece suggested Biden is being hidden by his advisors because of his senile age - and instead of being out campaigning with the people and building confidence, he is doing the complete opposite.

It read: 'The combination of Mr. Bidens age and his absence from the public stage has eroded the publics confidence. He looks as if he is hiding, or worse, being hidden.

'The details in Mr. Hurs report will only heighten those concerns, which Mr. Trumps campaign is already exploiting.'

This was not the only opinion piece highlighting Biden's senescence published in the New York Times this weekend.

Maureen Dowd, 72, is a long-time journalist and opinion writer for the Times. She published a column on February 10 with the headline: 'Mr. President, Ditch the Stealth About Health.'

She wrote for the NYT: 'Stealth about health is no longer possible, and the sooner President Bidens team stops being in denial about that, the better off Democrats will be.'

The liberal columnist argued Biden has put himself in bubble wrap - and that going on the defensive when Trump is on the offensive during a time when the 'world is on fire' will not work for the Democrats.

Dowd argued Jill Biden and his advisors have tried to come up with ways to 'obscure signs of senescence' but none of their tricks have worked.

As a result of trying not to come across as a 'crotchety grandpa,' he in fact has shown himself as a full-blown 'crotchety grandpa.'

President Joe Biden (L) and former President Donald Trump (R)

Dowd said that despite Biden running against a 'bad man' - Trump - is not 'not enough' and he needs to 'acknowledge to himself that his moments of faltering are a big weakness.'

The NYT writer said: 'Many Americans are quite concerned about the 81-year-old presidents crepuscular mien. Its the elephant in the room  except that elephants never forget.

'Donald Trump, 77, makes his own verbal slips and shows signs of aging, but he conveys more energy.

A third, scathing opinion piece published by paper that weekend came from 44-year-old political analyst Ross Douthat.

His damning piece was titled: 'The Question Is Not If Biden Should Step Aside. Its How.'

Douthat wrote in the Times: 'Joe Biden should not be running for re-election.

'The impression the president gives in public is not senility so much as extreme frailty, like a lightbulb that still burns so long as you keep it on a dimmer.'

He said if Biden drops out and anoints Vice President Kamala Harris 'shes even more likely to lose to Donald Trump.'

But, he says: 'If he drops out and doesnt endorse his own number two, hed be opening himself to a narrative of identitarian betrayal  aging white president knifes first woman-of-color veep  and setting his party up for months of bloodletting and betrayal, a constant churn of personal and ideological drama.'

While surveying the aftermath of devastating storms that tore through Kentucky, he stepped off Marine One (above) and struggled for 30 seconds to put on his jacket  even with the help of first lady Jill Biden. He then dropped his sunglasses on the ground after securing his jacket on his body

The president also fell to the ground off of his bike when on a ride in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware in June 2022

In September 2022 Biden appeared to get lost while walking off stage following his remarks at the Global Fund Conference

Bidens has had a long-established reputation for embarrassing gaffes and mis-statements - in 2018 even he described himself as a gaffe machine - has in one sense benefited him up until now, allowing his team to explain away mistakes as his Uncle Joe folksy, goofy charm.

But the dramatically increased frequency of his verbal stumbles is causing alarm. And it has been accompanied by evidence of physical frailty, too.

Since 2021 he has reportedly tripped eight times while navigating the steps of Air Force One, the presidential jet, including three times on a single flight to Atlanta.

In the summer of 2022 he fell off a bicycle after getting caught up in his pedals; in 2023 he stumbled descending a small set of steps at the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan; later that year he tripped over a sand bag and fell on stage at an Air Force academy graduation ceremony.

And when the stairs to Air Force One were shortened last year so that he entered the plane at a lower level, Biden tripped on them, too.

In September 2022 he appeared to get lost while walking off stage following his remarks at the Global Fund Conference.

As applause ensued, the U.S. president began walking off the stage before abruptly stopping in his tracks and looking around with an appearance of confusion on his face.

He then seemed to ask people on the ground how to get off stage and did a few stuttering steps.

More recently he has mixed up other world leaders and misstated when conversations with long-dead political figures took place.

Within just the last few weeksBiden twice recalled a conversation with German Chancellor Helmut Kohl about the January 6 riots on Capitol Hill, at the G7 summit in 2021 - despite Khol being dead since 2017.

Other 'I see dead people' confusions include mixing up British prime ministers Margaret Thatcher and Theresa May, deceased Indiana Republican Rep. Jackie Walorski, and the inventor of insulin who died before Biden was born.

Last year he declared that Russian Vladimir Putin was 'clearly losing the war in Iraq', instead of Ukraine.

Sleepy Joe - as he was dubbed by Trump - is already easily the oldest person to become president in US history.

If he reclaims the White House, he would be 82 at the start of his second term in January 2025. (If Trump wins, he would be 78.)

Biden's latest gaffes only serve to add fuel to those calling for him to be dumped once and for all.
Pastor claims he loves the town and wants to 'protect its unique character'

Monaco real estate billionaire Patrice Pastor has said he 'cannot understand' why locals are 'so worried' about him buying up properties in the small village of Carmel-by-the-Sea.

Pastor, 51, responded to claims that residents are 'terrified' by his involvement in Carmel, telling DailyMail.com: 'We love the town, and we want to protect its unique history and character'.

A row broke out after the billionaire bought another historic multi-million dollar property, meaning he now owns at least 15 homes and businesses with an estimated worth of over $100 million, in the town.

Pastor is known for his feud with Monaco's Prince Albert II - and for the very public falling out the two had in recent years.

Through his company, Esperanza Carmel, Pastor has been buying up homes and businesses - including a $22 million Frank Lloyd Wright house - in the small town about 75 miles from San Jose since 2015.

Monaco real estate billionaire Patrice Pastor has bought over a dozen properties in the small town of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

Pastor reportedly bought a Frank Lloyd Wright home in Carmel for $22million - it is the only ocean front home by the architect

Rocky Point is one of the development projects Pastor is working on

Pastor now owns more than 15 properties according to SFGATE, with one anonymous third-generation local telling the outlet 'people are terrified' that they are 'handing over our town to one person whos doing what he wants to do.'

But the real estate billionaire maintains it is not an issue, and says he has the town's best interests at heart.

He told DailyMail.com: 'Naturally we can understand how someone new in town might make people nervous, especially as we prefer to keep a lower profile.

'But cannot understand why someone would be so worried about our investment in Carmel.

'We have been very clear from our first investment that we love the town, and we want to protect its unique history and character.

'This is why we are focused on purchasing the more beautiful buildings in town like La Rambla.

The town - which has just 4,000 residents - was named the 'destination of the moment' by Vogue.

It has long been a favorite hangout for Hollywood's elite and was famously presided over by Clint Eastwood as mayor in the 1980s.

It is now favored by celebrities including Brad Pitt who bought a $40 million home there in 2022.

The tycoon paid $13.9 million for the LAuberge Carmel Hotel on Monte Verde Street

The luxury Carmel Beach Hotel is one of the few within walking distance of the beach

The Eastwood Building once once owned by movie star Clint Eastwood and rumored to be the reason he ran for Mayor of Carmel in 1986

The Forge in the Forest is an 8,000 square foot restaurant in downtown Carmel

Pastor's latest purchase was the historic $7.5million La Rambla building made up of two apartments and two commercial spaces.

The white villa-style property has a large sunny courtyard with a water feature.

In 2022, the Wall Street Journal reported that Pastor bought renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright's only existing ocean front home for $22 million.

The Carmel property was designed to look like a boat cutting through water.

Lloyd Wright originally designed the house, also known as 'the cabin on the rocks,' for artist Della Walker around 1950.

Pastor is also currently running three construction projects in the area, according to his property company's website.

His largest project is the Ulrika Plaza new build development, which will be a 42,000 square foot mixed-use, retail and residential space.

The site also lists the the JB Pastor Project which will be a 30,000 square foot mixed-use, retail and residential.

He is also renovating the Rocky Point Project. The site says: 'Originally constructed in 1951, located on Highway 1 between Carmel and Big Sur, Rocky Point enjoys one of the best views in the world.'

Pastor (left) and his wife (second left) in 2015 at the Monaco Foundation dinner in London with Marc Lecourt and his wife

The Ulrika Plaza project is a 38,000 square foot mixed-use, retail and residential, new build development

The JB Pastor project is a 30,000 square foot mixed-use, retail and residential, new build development - currently in the planning stage

And he owns notable buildings including LAuberge Carmel Hotel, the Brown-Spaulding Building and the Eastwood Building.

In all he is thought to have spent nearly $100 million on properties in the village 75 miles south of San Jose.

The concerned business owner told SFGATE that 'people are terrified'.

They added: 'Whats going to happen as he spends so much money on the building, the property tax goes up and the rents go up and the only people who can afford it are chain stores?

'Whats going to happen to our mom-and-pop shops? Whats going to happen to our local feel?'

They said that the small town is now split into four camps, those who are too afraid to speak up because they are financially tied to Pastor, those who don't speak up because they want to be financially tied to Pastor, those who do speak up and finally new residents who are 'blissfully unaware'.

Some residents recently took a trip to see at the family's work in Monaco where his father Victor Pastor was for decades 'essentially the developer-in-chief for the entire principality'.

One came back describing it as looking like a 'concrete beehive.'

'Now is the time to stand up,' he added.

'If not now, then we're going to look and feel incredibly different in five years.'

Prince Albert II and Pastor are reportedly in a feud

The most recent property bought by Pastor is the La Rambla, a mixed residential and commercial property

It has a sun terrace which could be used for outdoor restaurant seating or weddings

But not everyone fears Pastor's involvement in the town.

Real estate agent Tim Allen told SFGATE: 'I think the focus has been on "Oh my gosh, hes buying up everything!" But the reality is he owns very little compared to some families that have been here for a while.

'We need an influx. If hes restoring something in an area thats big or small, it shows that if people work together, as opposed to thinking someones right or wrong, then you can move everything in the right direction.'

He added: 'I know Patrice, hes like family, and he loves Carmel, loves it. And what hes doing is good for our community.'

Likewise, local conservation associations have expressed support of Pastors plans.

Karyl Hall, who helped form the Carmel Preservation Association told local newspaper Carmel Pine Cone: 'We are the luckiest people in the world to have him (Pastor) come in.

'He cares about Carmel and cares that Carmel keep its character He has the money to come in and do what nobody else can do.'

Billionaire property developer Patrice Pastor has been dubbed 'The Octopus' in his native Monaco, and left locals terrified of his ambitions in the Californian village of Carmel

Princess Charlene of Monaco and Prince Albert Of Monaco after their wedding in 2011

The building has two apartments upstairs and two commercial spaces downstairs and sold for $7.5million

Pastor is notorious for his feud with Monaco's crown prince which has been raging since 2021.

In 2021, an email from Prince Albert II's press advisor to one of the Prince's close friends was shared on an anonymous website, LesDossiersDuRocher.com, which published incriminating evidence about Monaco's royal family.

The email said: 'That octopus Pastor is everywhere! He has gotten his hooks into Monaco. He has gone mad, he has no limits!'

Le Monde reported at the time: 'This supposed "octopus" appears to be multi-billionaire Patrice Pastor, a 49-year-old who for decades constructed and rented buildings and apartments for small fortunes.

'Proud and with no frills, he is an unmistakable character in Monaco. "I'm not a nice guy," he said. "I'm free, independent and I have money, so... Everything in the 'Dossiers du Rocher' is true, and everyone knows it! The truth is that I irritate them."'

Meanwhile AirMail reported last year: 'Patrice Pastor has been described as the only man in Monaco more influential than its ruler.'

It added: 'He is a canny, outspoken developer with statement glasses and leonine hair, who has long controlled Monacos property market and thus, in essence, most of Monaco itself.'

Rivals describe him in the article as competitive, and say he wants 'to win contracts not for the money  but to crush everyone.'
An ex-renal transplant surgeon who had an improper sexual relationship with a woman he had operated on, and who later took her own life, has been reprimanded and disqualified from applying to be a doctor in Australia for two years.

Dr Andrej Grajn's relationship with the successful public servant known only as HBM lasted between about February 2016 and September 2017, the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) found.

HBM's sister told QCAT her sister told her Dr Grajn 'held her hand when she woke up (from renal transplant surgery) and immediately started to tell her romantic things, such as how he was the only person who had their hands on her organs and that nobody knew her like he did'.

In a decision handed down on November 17 but only published last Friday, QCAT judicial member John Robertson ruled that 'almost immediately after' Grajn operated on HBM his behaviour 'indicated a clear sexual interest' in her.

'On 12 October 2017, HBM died by suicide in the most horrific of circumstances. A number of the Boards' witnesses draw a link in their statements between the relationship with the respondent and HBM's death,' Mr Robertson wrote.

Surgeon Dr Andrej Grajn (pictured), who had an improper sexual relationship with a woman he had operated on and who later took her own life, has been disqualified from applying to be a doctor in Australia for two years

Grajn worked as a renal transplant surgeon in Brisbane's Princess Alexandra Hospital and assisted in 'lifesaving' surgery on HBM and 'permitted an inappropriate relationship to develop very soon after,' the tribunal found.

Mr Robertson said Grajn's relationship with the woman was 'clearly inappropriate' because there was a power imbalance when she was a patient.

READ MORE: Read the foul-mouthed conversation Dr Charlie Teo had with a brain surgery patient's daughter as he's found guilty of unsatisfactory professional conduct Dr Charlie Teo (pictured with his partner Traci Griffiths) was found guilty of unsatisfactory professional conduct Advertisement

'While HBM was not a typically vulnerable person (she was a professionally accomplished woman who held senior roles in Queensland's public service), the significance of the surgery in improving HBM's quality of life denoted an inherent vulnerability of HBM and resultant power imbalance,' the decision stated.

'The tribunal is satisfied that an inappropriate relationship was initiated by (Dr Grajn) while (the woman) was still recovering from the surgery in hospital.'

Mr Robertson added: 'The evidence establishes that she trusted him and held him in high regard at that time.

'Not only did he not appreciate the unethical and unprofessional nature of his conduct from the outset, throughout the investigation, he revealed a complete lack of understanding of the importance of not exploiting a patient, and then a former patient, leading to a sexual relationship which clearly had a profound effect on her, but which he regarded as unimportant.

'The effect the relationship had on HBM's mental state and HBM's tragic death are testament to why professional boundaries between medical practitioners and patients must be maintained,' he wrote.

The tribunal also found that it was clear that the tragic death of a 'very capable and much-loved woman' was the result of severe mental distress in her final months.

'It is clear that this distress was in some way connected with her relationship with the respondent (Grajn),' it stated.

Mr Robertson said Grajn's relationship with HBM was lengthy and intimate and that the surgeon 'exhibits a distinct lack of remorse or insight'.

The tribunal also heard that HBM told her psychologist about her sexual relationship, while receipts showed she and Grajn and went to Canberra together and stayed in a single room at the Hyatt Hotel.

One of her work colleagues said they believed Grajn 'groomed and manipulated' the woman while she was emotionally vulnerable.

HBM also allegedly told her best friend she had sex with Grajn during a European holiday with him and was disappointed when the relationship was not later 'rekindled'.

The patient's widower also gave evidence at the tribunal.

Grajn denied he acted inappropriately or was guilty of misconduct - which the tribunal rejected.

During the hearing last September, Grajn tried to disparage HBM's widower for 'instigating the investigation as some form of baseless personal revenge'.

Dr Grajn worked as a renal transplant surgeon in Brisbane's Princess Alexandra Hospital (pictured) and assisted in 'lifesaving' surgery on HBM and 'permitted an inappropriate relationship to develop very soon after,' the tribunal found

He also 'consistently insisted that his 'relationship' with HBM began after their therapeutic relationship concluded and that his private life is irrelevant and beyond the jurisdiction of the regulators and the tribunal,' Mr Robertson said.

The tribunal found that 'A period of disqualification is necessary to bring home to the respondent (Grajn) the significance of his departures from the professional standards'.

Dr Grajn obtained his medical qualifications in Slovenia in 2005 and was a transplant surgical fellow at Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane between 2015 and 2017.

He then left Australia to work in Slovenia before relocating to Manchester in England and then working for the Medecins Sans Frontieres charity.

According to his LinkedIn profile, he currently works at the Royal Free Hospital in London.

For confidential 24-hour support in Australia call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
David Cameron's government knew the Post Office had ditched a secret investigation into the botched Horizon IT system that may have cleared sub-postmasters accused of fraud, it was reported today.

A BBC probe into the major miscarriage of justice found that PO bosses investigated 17 years-worth of records in 2016, but halted their analysis after staff began legal action over wrongful convictions.

Campaigners working to overturn the massive miscarriage of justice which has engulfed the publicly owned company have long alleged that it knew that staff at Fujitsu, which made Horizon, could access branch accounts. Fujitsu later argued in court that it was impossible.

The broadcaster, which obtained information using a Freedom of Information request, says ministers in Mr Cameron's Tory administration were aware of the investigation and the fact that it was halted. There is no suggestion he himself knew.

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron in the Falklands yesterday. He was PM in 2016 when the Post Office investigated the Horizon system

Britain's former Health Secretary Sajid Javid arrives to testify at the Covid inquiry on November 29 last year

The investigation, which took place in 2016, aimed to found out how often and why cash accounts on the horizon IT system had been tampered with remotely over 17 years

More than 700 branch managers were prosecuted by the Post Office between 1999 and 2015 after faulty Horizon accounting software made it look as though money was missing from their shops.

Hundreds of subpostmasters and subpostmistresses are still awaiting compensation despite the Government announcing that those who have had convictions quashed are eligible for 600,000 payouts.

Paul Marshall, a barrister who represented some sub-postmasters, told the BBC: 'On the face of it, it discloses a conspiracy by the Post Office to pervert the course of justice.'

Senopathy Narenthiran, one of the convicted sub-postmasters who joined the legal action, added: 'By knowing all this, why do we waste all our time in the prison and separate from our family? I don't know. I'm 69 years old - too old to go through all these things.'

The investigation was found in confidential government documents from 2015 to 2016 - when the Post Office was under growing pressure to get to the bottom of the claims of injustice from the sub-postmasters.

At the time, hundreds of sub-postmasters had been prosecuted and jailed for cash shortfalls which were actually the fault of the Horizon IT system.

The 2016 investigation looked into Fijitsu's use of remote access from 1999 onwards after a review by former top Treasury lawyer Jonathan Swift QC - which had been approved by then-business secretary Sajid Javid.

The Swift review concluded that it had found 'real issues' for the Post Office after a briefing from a 2014 review carried out by Deloitte found Fujitsu could change branch accounts.

The Swift review called for the Post Office to carry out their own investigation into how often and why the capability to change accounts was used.

The BBC said documents it received showed the work was started by consultancy firm Deloitte but suspended the months later.

It cited a message from then Post Office chairman Tim Parker to minister and peer Baroness Neville-Rolfe, saying that 'given the High Court proceedings to which I refer above, Post Office Limited has received very strong advice from Leading Counsel that the work being undertaken under the aegis of my review should come to an immediate end I have therefore instructed that the work being undertaken pursuant to my review should now be stopped.'

Mr Parker told the BBC he had 'sought and acted upon the legal advice he was given', but declined to comment further, citing the public inquiry into Horizon convictions.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe and Sajid Javid, who was business secretary at the time, also declined to comment for the same reason.
Lord Cameron has been declared 'persona non grata' by a motormouth Argentinian political leader after he touched down in the Falklands and warned British sovereignty of the islands is 'not up for discussion.'

Gustavo Melella, governor of the South American country's southernmost Tierra del Fuego province, said the Foreign Secretary was not welcome anywhere in his region after a rant accusing him of a 'new British provocation' with his Falklands visit.

Mr Melella, criticised by Jeremy Clarkson and his Top Gear team after they were forced to flee Argentina in 2014 following a row over his provocative Porsche numberplate, reacted as the former PM said he hoped islanders want to stay British 'forever' after visiting Falklands War battle sites.

Distancing himself from the Argentinian government's more conciliatory tone over the disputed territory - and referring to the Falklands as the Malvinas which is the name for the islands in Spanish-speaking countries - the Buenos Aires-born politician raged: 'David Cameron's presence in our Malvinas Islands represents a new British provocation which seeks to undermine our legitimate sovereign rights over our territories and sustain colonialism in the 21st century.

'We're not going to allow it.'

Lord David Cameron walks around Port Stanley on the Falkland Islands. Picture date: Monday February 19, 2024

Lord David Cameron (right) arrives at Mount Pleasant airbase on the Falkland Islands

Lord David Cameron (right) attends a wreath laying ceremony at the Falklands conflict memorial in Port Stanley on the Falkland Islands, during his high-profile visit to demonstrate they are a 'valued part of the British family' amid renewed Argentinian calls for talks on their future

Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron visits San Carlos Cemetery on the Falkland Islands

Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron attends a wreath laying ceremony at the Falklands conflict memorial in Port Stanley on the Falkland Islands

Gustavo Melella (C), governor of the South American country's southernmost Tierra del Fuego province, said the Foreign Secretary was not welcome anywhere in his region

Mr Melella went on to declare David Cameron 'Persona Non Grata throughout the entire territorial extension of our province'

Insisting the Falklands belonged to Argentina by 'history and right' he continued: 'No colonial representative of a state that threatens our territorial integrity by tarnishing the memory and eternal sacrifice of our Malvinas heroes will be welcome in our province.'

Mr Melella, the first openly gay person to be elected as a provincial governor in Argentina, finished his diatribe on X formerly Twitter by saying: 'For this reason we have proceeded to declare @David_Cameron 'Persona Non Grata' throughout the entire territorial extension of our province.'

Falkland Islands politician Gavin Short reacted by urging Tierra del Fuego's leader in a swift reply: 'Keep an eye on your blood pressure or you may bring on a fit of the vapors - & do lower the volume of your screeching as I'm trying to get some sleep here in the free Falklands.'

He went on to add: 'Also how do you declare a person 'persona non grata' in a country which isn't yours and you have no control over? Just asking for a friend. Best wishes from the free Falklands.'

His angry words contrasted sharply with those of Argentina's central government, with a spokesman for the country's Foreign Office saying in a brief statement: 'The United Kingdom can both support the islanders' right to self-determination and maintain a good relationship with Argentina, in which we agree to disagree on sovereignty but co-operate constructively in areas of shared interest.'

Argentinian government sources told respected daily Clarin they hoped David Cameron was transmitting a 'positive vision' of the country's new right-wing government and the 'political will of both countries to establish a closer and constructive dialogue.'

Lord David Cameron visits a museum in Goose Green on the Falkland Islands

Cameron (centre) meets local people at San Carlos Cemetery on the Falkland Islands, during his high-profile visit

Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron visits San Carlos Cemetery on the Falkland Islands

Lord Cameron's visit is the first by a foreign secretary since 1994 and he has stressed that the archipelago's sovereignty is 'not... up for discussion'

Mr Melella was mayor of southern Argentinian city Rio Grande when Jeremy Clarkson upset locals by driving a Porsche with the number plate H982 FKL.

Argentinian Falkland War veterans claimed it referred to the 1982 conflict.

Mr Clarkson and fellow Top Gear presenters Richard Hammond and James May fled their hotel in nearby Ushuaia after the lobby was invaded by angry ex-military personnel who told them to leave 'or face the consequences'.

The trio flew to the capital Buenos Aires before returning to Britain.

Nearly 30 other members of the film crew were stoned as they headed for Chile by road and had to abandon Clarkson's Porsche and the other two cars by the side of the road.

Mr Melella vowed at the time to make an official protest to the British Embassy in Argentina, saying: 'We are peace-loving people but they've generated the initial violence by coming to our country in the way they have.'

Jeremy Clarkson responded by claiming the violent protest was 'state-organised' and accused the likes of Mr Melella of taking advantage of the Top Gear visit for 'political capital' as he insisted the controversial registration plate was an 'incredible coincidence' and no offence had been meant.

Lord Cameron's visit to the Falkland Islands is the first by a member of the Cabinet since then defence secretary Sir Michael Fallon's trip in 2016.

The last visit by a foreign secretary was Lord Hurd in 1994.

He will travel to Paraguay later today, becoming the first Foreign Secretary to ever visit the country.

Last month Lord Cameron met Argentina's new president Javier Milei for the first time since the right-winger's landslide victory in the south American's country's presidential run-off in November.

The politicians got together at the Davos summit in Switzerland.
Have YOU been served revolting hospital food?

Have YOU been served revolting hospital food? Send your pictures to dan.grennan@mailonline.co.uk

Britons today shared the 'disgusting' and 'unidentifiable' dishes of food served up to them in NHS hospitals.

Images shared with MailOnline show how some of the shocking dishes included an orange that had gone partly black, an 'unidentifiable' pie and millionaire shortbread which was 'hard as a brick'.

In one particularly appalling NHS example, a woman was served an 'omelette' during a 24-hour stay which looks more like an alien lifeform than anything belonging on a plate.

She said: 'I was in hospital for 24 hours and asked for an omelette for lunch. This is what I got! Disgusting.'

However, the food served to patients in private hospitals tells a rather different story - with people served pizza and chips, a fresh feta salad and even a smoked salmon dish.

Have YOU been served revolting hospital food? Send your pictures to dan.grennan@mailonline.co.uk

An 'omelette' that was served to a woman during a 24-hour stay in hospital

A handful of chips and dry looking chicken goujons served to an NHS patient

Fishfingers and a handful of chips which was served to an NHS patient

Five croquettes and some form of pie which appears to have been mushed up was given to a patient at Salford Hospital

The sausage, mash and soup a patient in Basingstoke Hospital was served

Another woman was served two unappealing meals in hospital - fish fingers and chips followed by chicken goujons and chips.

The serving of chips seemed rather meagre and fried breaded meat looked dry in both instances.

And at Salford Hospital, one patient was served five croquettes and what appeared to be some form of mushed up pie.

A horrific looking bangers and mash with soup combo was served to one man in Basingstoke Hospital which his daughter compared to poo.

The sausage was very long and wrapped around itself three times and was a very unappealing brown colour.

There was also one scoop of mash served in a pool of translucent water gravy with a takeaway container of vegetable soup.

The daughter said: 'He ate the soup and the mash potato but couldnt face the sausage!'

In Whiteabbey Hospital back in March 2021, a woman was served what can only described as a puddle of champ, due to its watery texture, and sausages which had 'plastic' skin after she had a stroke.

A woman that was in Royal Stoke Hospital in Stoke on Trent in 2022 was served a dish that appears to resemble a roast dinner.

The patient couldn't diagnose what exactly the white-ish meat was on her plastic dish.

Meanwhile, patients at private hospitals like The London Clinic, where Kate Middleton had her abdominal surgery, have compared the food to that of a 5-star hotel rather than a hospital.

Dimple Mistry previously said she 'would happily go back to the hospital for that alone' after a five-night stay following a surgery.

She said: 'It was plentiful and fresh and arrived hot on a silver trolley for every meal - with plenty of choice too.

'At each meal you can choose from soups, salads, small plates and main meals - with a selection of side dishes, light bites and desserts too.

'Breakfast saw a choice of the usual cereal and toast, but unlike the NHS I could also have chosen from a range of pastries, hot breakfast items - which included omelettes and pancakes - and even avocado on toast.'

The mystery meat a woman in Royal Stoke Hospital as part of a roast dinner in 2022

The puddle of champ a woman was served in Whiteabbey Hospital

The 'plastic' skin off a sausage the same woman was served in Whiteabbey Hospital

A meal consisting of smoked salmon, toast, grapes and tea which Dimple was served in The London Clinic

Patients at The London Clinic can choose from soups, salads, small plates and main meals at each mealtime. Pictured: Pizza and chips served with tea and a sorbet for dessert

A fresh feta salad with plenty of tomatoes and greens

Worst hospital food providers ranked 1. Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust: 71.67 per cent 2. The Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust: 73.53 per cent 3. York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust: 73.85 per cent 4. West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust: 74.56 per cent 5. Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust: 77.49 per cent 6. Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust: 79.87 per cent 7. Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust: 80.45 per cent 8. East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust: 80.84 per cent 9. Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust: 81 per cent 10. Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust: 97.42 per cent Advertisement

Best hospital food providers ranked 1. Bupa Group: 100 per cent 2. The Christie NHS Foundation Trust: 99.03 per cent 3. Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust: 98.62 per cent 4. Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation Trust: 98.32 per cent 5. North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust: 98.25 per cent 6. Torbay and South Devon Health Care NHS Foundation Trust: 98.08 per cent 7. Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust: 98.08 per cent 8. John Taylor Hospice Community Interest Company: 98.03 per cent 9. Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust: 97.87 per cent 10. University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust: 97.80 per cent Advertisement

It follows the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow coming under major fire from social media accounts for the dreadful food they have been serving.

One woman called Lara said the lunch given to her father was 'an absolute disgrace' during his stay on a ward on Sunday.

She posted an image showing a plate containing four potatoes and a slice of discoloured turkey.

There were no other vegetables and the meat sat in a puddle of watery gravy.

The state-of-the-art hospital cost 842million and was Scotland's largest ever publicly funded NHS construction project. It was opened by the late Queen in 2015.

But an outraged social media user complained the flagship hospital is now serving food that may as well be 'at the bottom of my compost bin'.

One patient told how they were served 'congealed mac and cheese' and 'cold soggy chips'.

The photo they shared of their meal was deemed 'potentially sensitive content' by X, formerly known as Twitter, and its viewing was restricted.

Their post led someone to comment: 'Need to serve that at Holyrood before anything will happen, our politicians are totally oblivious to what is actually happening on the ground, how can that help to make someone well?'

This measly meal was served to Lara's poorly father during an overnight stay in Glasgow's flagship hospital

A dried up chicken breast and few chips was another meal on offer for patients on the men

One outraged social media user complained the flagship hospital is serving food that may as well have come from 'the bottom of my compost bin'

Another social media user described how a friend's mother had had to cook all of her meals from scratch and then taking them up to the hospital

Pictures of meals ranged from discoloured gloopy puddles to meagre rations including half a boiled egg and some lettuce

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said it is committed to serving fresh, healthy and appetising food to all patients

But the hospital admitted that the food served had fallen below standards

Scottish Conservative health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane said: 'Nutritious, high-quality food is crucial for patients' recovery.

'It is alarming to witness the decline in food standards across Scotland's hospitals.

'This is yet another example of SNP cuts having a detrimental impact on Scottish NHS patients. The new health secretary must act now to ensure that every single patient in our hospitals has access to the high-quality food that they deserve.'

Another social media user described how a friend's mother had a similar experience while a patient at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.

They said: 'The food was so bad that they ended up cooking all of her meals from scratch and then taking them up to the hospital.'

A hospital in Cambridgeshire offered a plate of broccoli and cauliflower in a cheese sauce for dinner on another occasion

Another patient was served a rotten jacket potato while undergoing treatment for appendicitis at a hospital in North Yorkshire in December 2020

Lara shared photos on social media of lunch served to her father while he was recovering in hospital

The state-of-the-art hospital cost 842million and was Scotland's largest ever publicly funded NHS construction project

A spokesman for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, which manages Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, apologised for the standard of the food served.

They said: 'NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is committed to serving fresh, healthy and appetising food to all our patients, and all meals served at our hospitals are prepared in-house to meet strict nutritional standards.

'However, on this occasion, the food served has fallen below the standards we set ourselves, and which patients should be able to expect, and we apologise to the patient involved and their family.

'We would encourage anyone who would like to discuss their meals to get in touch with our catering team who can quickly resolve any issues.'

It is not the first time the Scottish Government has faced criticism over the standard of hospital meals.

Following previous concerns raised in 2020, a spokesman said: 'The importance of meal presentation and nutrition is emphasised in our guidance on hospital food to ensure all patients get the best possible nourishment.'

Have YOU been served revolting hospital food? Email dan.grennan@mailonline.co.uk
The World's tallest man has reunited with the world's shortest woman six years after their viral photoshoot in front of the Egyptian pyramids.

Sultan Kosen, who stands at 8ft 3in, and Jyoti Amge, who is just 2ft tall, were a striking pair as they posed for pictures in Irvine, California, yesterday.

There is a 6ft height difference between the two, who earned their respective Guiness World Record titles in 2009 for 'Tallest Living Man' and 2011 for 'Shortest Living Woman'.

Kosen, 41, from Turkey, and Amge, 30, from India, previously met for a photoshoot in Cairo, Egypt, in 2018, where they posed in front of the Giza Pyramids as part of a campaign to revive the country's struggling tourism industry.

Their tall and small stature was caused by medical conditions. Amge has a form of dwarfism called achondroplasia that stopped her growth, while Kosen had a tumor that caused pituitary gigantism, which gave him a massive growth spurt aged 10.

Sultan Kosen, who stands at 8ft 3in, and Jyoti Amge, who is just 2ft tall, were a striking pair as they posed for pictures in Irvine, Califonia, yesterday

One of the staggering pictures of their reunion six years after meeting in Egypt shows Amge standing next to Kosen's shoe and the massive shoes were nearly as tall as her

Kosen, 41, and Amge, 30, previously met for a photoshoot in Cairo, Egypt , in 2018, where they posed in front of the Giza Pyramids as part of a campaign to revive the country's struggling tourism industry

In another extraordinary photo, Amge and Kosen strike the same pose sitting on the floor with one leg tucked and one leg stretched out while she was the same height as his knee

Kosen and Amge smiled happily as they posed for pictures together yesterday

One of the staggering pictures of their reunion six years after meeting in Egypt shows Amge standing next to Kosen's shoe and the massive shoes were nearly as tall as her.

In another extraordinary photo, Amge and Kosen strike the same pose sitting on the floor with one leg tucked and one leg stretched out while she was the same height as his knee.

Another striking image shows Amge standing on Kosen's lap while he was sitting in a chair - but despite stretching up high, the world's smallest woman only reached up to his collarbone.

One picture even mirrors their 2018 photoshoot in Egypt as it shows Kosen sitting on the floor with Amge standing next to him, but despite his significant decrease in height after sitting down, he is still towering over her.

In another snapshot in front of the pyramids, Kosen and Amge are standing next to each other while waving at the awe-struck tourists who came to see them.

It was both Kosen and Amge's first trip to Egypt after being invited to the North African country by the Egyptian Tourism Promotion Board six years ago.

They also attended a conference at the Fairmont Nile City Hotel in Cairo.

According to the Guinness World Records, divorcee Kosen is the first person in more than a decade to measure over 8ft and is one of only 10 confirmed cases in history.

While he is the tallest man in the world, his family members are all average size. Kosen was also normal height up until his growth spurt when he was 10 years old.

His massive size is the result of a condition known as 'pituitary gigantism,' which is caused by an over-production of growth hormone.

Another striking image shows Amge standing on Kosen's lap while he was sitting in a chair - but despite stretching up high, the world's smallest woman only reached up to his collarbone

One of yesterday's pictures mirrors their 2018 photoshoot in Egypt as it shows Kosen sitting on the floor with Amge standing next to him, but despite his significant decrease in height after sitting down, he is still towering over her

Kosen and Amge seemed to have a great time as they posed for pictures together in California

Kosen held up his shoe to show that it was nearly as tall as Amge

Kosen was wearing a black suit while Amge was wearing a green t-shirt, grey trousers and pink sneakers

Kosen and Amge posed next to the pyramids, with Kosen leaning against the landmark while Amge held her phone, seemingly taking a selfie

World's tallest living man Sultan Kosen, who is 251 cm (8 ft 2.82) meets Jyoti Amge, the shortest woman in the world, with a height of 62.8 centimetres in Irvine, California

According to the Guinness World Records, Kosen is the first person in more than a decade to measure over 8ft and is one of only 10 confirmed cases in history. He earned the record title in 2009 (pictured above)

As a teen, she weighed just 11lbs, and she was officially declared the world's smallest woman in 2011 (pictured here) after her 18th birthday due to her being smaller than the average two-year-old

Kosen, who was unable to complete school because of his size, worked as a farmer to support his family.

In 2013, he went on to marry Syrian-born Merve Dibo - who is ten years younger than him. He said in an interview that their biggest issues was communication on account of him speaking Turkish and Dibo speaking only Arabic.

The pair divorced in 2021, citing the language barrier as a key issue.

In 2016, he traveled to Hollywood for his starring role in the film Achieving the Impossible.

Meanwhile, Amge's restricted height is due to a form of drawfism called achondroplasia. The average female who has the same growth anomaly typically grows to 48 inches tall.

As a teen, she weighed just 11lbs, and she was officially declared the world's smallest woman in 2011 after her 18th birthday due to her being smaller than the average two-year-old.

Amge is an actress and she worked with Jessica Lange and other A-list stars when he stook on the role of Ma Petit in American Horror Story: Freak Show, which aired in 2014.
The group is now being lead by a spy chief who led the 2018 Salisbury Poisoning

It is offering Africa 'survival packages' in exchange for mining rights

Infamous Russian private military company Wagner has been rebranded and taken over by the spy chief who ordered the Salisbury poisonings, a new report has found.

Having operated as an off-the-books army in Ukraine and Africa doing Putin's bidding, the group is now understood to be offering African leaders 'regime survival packages' in exchange for the rights to natural resources on the continent.

Following the group's fall in mid-2023 the Kremlin took over the businesses run by the mercenary group.

Its then-leader Yevgeny Prigozhin was killed in a plane crash that many believe was orchestrated by Vladimir Putin after the Wagner chief attempted a coup against him.

Now, the multibillion dollar group, which ran operations across the world, is being run by General Andrey Averyanov, the spy chief who orchestrated the 2018 poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal in Salisbury, the report from Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) claims.

Dr. Jack Watling, a land warfare specialist at RUSI, said that under Averyanov, the 'Expeditionary Corps', as Wagner has been rebranded, has begun offering governments across Africa 'regime survival packages' in exchange for the right to extract natural resources on the continent.

He told the BBC: 'This is the Russian state coming out of the shadows in its Africa policy.'

Wagner ran operations across the world, but particularly in Africa

Andrey Averyanov (pictured) took control of the Wagner Group, which was since been renamed the 'Expeditionary Corps'

Personnel in protective gear work on a van in Winterslow, England, March 12, 2018, as investigations continue into the nerve-agent poisoning of former Russian intelligence officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia

He said that the Expeditionary Corps under Averyanov isn't changing much, and is operating in the same countries with the same equipment, and broadly the same goals.

But Dr. Watling said that what has changes in the 'overtness with which Russia is pursuing its policy.'

'What they are looking to do is to exacerbate our crises internationally. They are trying to start fires elsewhere, and expand those that already exist, making a less safe world,' Dr Watling.

'Ultimately, it weakens us in the global competition that we are currently facing. So the impact is not immediately felt, but over time, it is a serious threat.'

Following Prigozhin's mutiny in June 2023, which saw him lead a column of Wagner troops up to Moscow after publicly clashing with Putin and the Ministry of Defence, 'there was a meeting in the Kremlin fairly shortly after Prigozhin's mutiny, in which it was decided that Wagner's Africa operations would fall directly under the control of Russian military intelligence, the GRU', Watling said.

Averyanov, the head of Unit 29155, which specialises in assassinations and destabilising foreign governments, was chosen to take over.

The spy chief was allegedly responsible for the attempted murder former Russian military intelligence officer Sergei Skripal, 68, in Salisbury in 2018

A portrait of the owner of private military company Wagner Group Yevgeny Prigozhin lays at an informal memorial next to the former 'PMC Wagner Centre' in St. Petersburg

Yevgeny Prigozhin private jet's crash site in Tver region, Russia in August 2023

Prigozhin was killed in a place crash just north of Moscow in 2023

The spy chief was allegedly responsible for the attempted murder former Russian military intelligence officer Sergei Skripal, 68, in Salisbury in 2018.

Both he and his then 33-year-old daughter Yulia were rushed to hospital in critical condition after coming into contact with Novichok - a deadly nerve agent concocted by Soviet scientists during the Cold War.

He was also allegedly involved in Progozhin's death, with many in the intelligence community pointing fingers at the Major General in the immediate aftermath of the former Wagner boss' death.

Bellingcat, the investigative journalism unit, linked Averyanov with an explosion at a Czech arms depot in 2014.

But while Averyanov's normal work requires him to cause chaos within other nations, his new role in the Expeditionary Corps has forced him to change tack, RUSI says.

The thinktank reported that he began a tour of former Wagner operations in Africa in September, weeks after Prigozhin was killed and he was installed at the top of the group.

Averyanov met with Libyan warlord General Khalifa Haftar, before heading to Burkina Faso where they met Ibrahim Traore, the 35-year-old coup leader who has led the nation since the 2022 coup.

After the meeting with Traore, Averyanov landed in the Central African Republic before meeting leaders in Mali.

While Averyanov's normal work requires him to cause chaos within other nations, his new role in the Expeditionary Corps has forced him to change tack

Averyanov met with Libyan warlord General Khalifa Haftar (pictured)

On a later trip, he also met General Salifou Modi, one of the military men who seized power in Niger last year.

In all the nations he visited, Wagner previously ran major mining operations that helped fund Russia's war effort in Ukraine.

In exchange for the right to extract valuable resources such as gold, of which $2.5 billion has ended up in Russia's hands over the last two years, and lithium, Wagner provided internal security to many of the nations' leaders, who were often new rulers who had taken power in coups over the last few years.

Though many were meant to be 'transitional leaders' who were 'supposed to organise elections and bring about a return to democratic institutions', many of them brought in Russian paramilitaries that allowed them to stay in power, often using extreme measures.

''What the Russians have provided is a strike force, with helicopters with advanced capabilities and a lot of firepower,' says Dr Watling.

He added: 'They are using pretty traditional Soviet anti-partisan methods. You see fighters who were executed, as well as civilians targeted for enabling or being associated with fighters.'

Wagner has run operations across African for years, providing security in exchange for mining rights

While Averyanov's lobbying efforts were done to materially benefit the Expeditionary Corps, they also had another, more geopolitically-focused, end that Dr Watling said benefited the Russian state more directly.

'We are now observing the Russians attempting to strategically displace Western control of access to critical minerals and resources,' he said.

Just this month alone, former Wagner mercenaries took over Mali's Intahaka gold mine, which has been disputed for many years by several armed groups in the region, after Mali rewrote the mining code to give Averyanov and his forces more control over natural resources.

This move forced an Australian lithium mine to suspend trading on its shares, citing uncertainty on how the new code would be implemented.

But Watling said that gold and lithium are nothing compared to what the Expeditionary Corps may soon control in Niger.

Dr. Watling said: 'In Niger the Russians are endeavouring to gain a similar set of concessions that would strip French access to the uranium mines in the country.'

Prigozhin led a Wagner column up towards Moscow in June 2023, following a public spat with Putin

Many suspect Vladimir Putin of ordering Prigozhin's death in August 2023

France, the most nuclear-dependant country in the world, gets around a fifth of its uranium, used in its 56 nuclear reactors that power two-third's of the country's energy, from Niger alone.

If Russia succeeds in its endeavours, it may push France into Russia's sphere of influence, forcing it to rely on Russian supplies for its energy.

This problem already put Europe on the backfoot following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with much of the continent scrambling to wean itself off cheap Russian gas in the early weeks and months of the invasion.

International backing for Ukraine's fight against Russia has wavered, and as the second anniversary of the invasion, it was reported that the US Army that it may soon run out of money to support Ukraine unless Congress gives it a cash injection.

The US army said it was already diverting funding from its operations in Europe and Africa to assist Ukraine, as talks on a funding bill for Ukraine have massively stalled in the last few weeks.
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Former Strictly Come Dancing star Robin 'Bobby' Windsor told his followers that he was 'hiding in the shadows' and hinted at 'trauma' in a series of social media posts weeks before his shock death, MailOnline can reveal.

The beloved professional Latin and Ballroom dancer, who was best known for his appearances on Strictly between 2010 and 2015, has died aged 44.

Robin, who started dancing at the age of three and was one of the founding members of dance show Burn The Floor, 'lit up any room he walked into', his representatives said as they confirmed his death today.

The 'extremely talented' dancer spent last month entertaining holidaymakers by performing on a Fred Olsen Cruise and posted smiling selfies when the boat docked in South Africa. But he also hinted he was dealing with 'trauma' and thanked his friends and family for their support in a string of posts before his death.

On January 27, Robin posed in front of a marina with Cape Town's Table Mountain in the background with the caption: 'This place is the distraction of all distractions!'

He looked happy as he took pictures of elephants on safari and relaxed in a lodge overlooking the stunning Leopard Mountain game reserve. The dancer had also enjoyed a one-night stop in Mozambique and was seen relaxing on the beach and posing with a Lemur in Madagascar in the days prior.

But Robin's last post on Instagram, which was shared to his 46,000 followers on January 28, was a more muted selfie in the near-dark with the caption: 'Hiding in the shadows.'

Seven days earlier, the dancer had reposted a quote which said: 'Trauma teaches you to expect and accept the bare minimum. In this new season, may you adjust your standards and learn to receive the maximum. You are worthy. You are enough. You deserve overflow.'

And on January 4, he had shared a message with his friends and followers which said: 'Big shout out and love to everyone who's reached out and checked in the last week. Sorry I have not replied... it's been a bit of a trying time and things are looking up. Robin.'

In 2018, Robin opened up about his struggle with depression while he featured on Strictly Come Dancing, saying: 'We all have dark days but I was having dark weeks. I would end up not getting out of bed for four or fives days at a time, as far as everyone was concerned I was 'happy Robin' - expect to the people I lived with.'

Robin also experienced mental health issues when he suffered two huge setbacks, losing his job on Strictly and splitting with his fiance.

He said: 'I was still on Strictly at the time it started - it was really bad. A lot of things happened at the same time, quite bad things, which set it in motion. My injury, a financial situation, my engagement [to Davide] had ended and I lost my job on Strictly all at the same time so it took its toll.'

His mental health became so bad that he couldn't get out of bed and he admitted that he considered taking his own life until he was talked out of it. It was at this point he started seeking help - mostly from mental health charity Sane.

Robin Windsor's last post on Instagram, a black and white selfie, was captioned, 'hiding in the shadows'

On January 4 (left), Robin had shared a message with his friends and followers which said: 'Big shout out and love to everyone who's reached out and checked in the last week. Sorry I have not replied... it's been a bit of a trying time and things are looking up. Robin.' On January 21, he hinted at trauma (right) by sharing a quote from Dr Thema Bryant

On January 14, he posted: 'Remember, when something goes wrong in the circus, they send in the clowns to distract the audience. Well, something has gone very wrong with this circus and the clowns are everywhere.'

Robin Windsor and Kristina Rihanoff during the launch of their Burn the Floor dance show in 2013

Strictly Come Dancing's Robin 'Bobby' Windsor has died at the age of 44, it was announced today

Robin Windsor is pictured with TV presenter Susanna Reid on Strictly Come Dancing for Children in Need back in 2011

Robin Windsor had been spending some time in Cape Town when the cruise ship docked. He wrote: 'This place is the distraction of all distractions.'

Robin Windsor recently went on a cruise to South Africa and posed for photos. He commented: 'Sooo lovely to meet you both'

Robin Bobby Windsor dazzles in a blue ensemble as he enjoys dancing on a cruise trip just weeks before his tragic death

It's understood that Robin Windsor (left) was performing on board the cruise last month with Gordana Grandosek Whiddon (second from left)

The cruise trip was one of the final times that Robin Windsor would dance. Here he joined a friend on stage as they docked in Durban, South Africa

Show night: Robin Windsor (centre) laughs after a 'fun packed first week' on board the cruise ship. He commented with two love hearts

The talented dancer is seen performing on stage on the cruise ship where he entertained holidaymakers as they travelled the world

Tributes have poured in underneath the star's tragic last selfie, with one fan writing: 'So shocked and saddened to hear the news. Have followed him for years since Strictly, an amazing talent. RIP.'

Another added: 'So sad & shocked. Just a couple of weeks ago I was dancing in his arms for 90mins as I didn't have a partner in a cha cha cha class. A gentleman. A gentle man. A magical day for me. Sending love to his friends and family RIP.'

A third posted: 'No longer in the shadows but in the light.' A fourth also said: 'This was not the news I wanted to wake up to this morning. Rip Robin.'

Robin had flown out to join the cruise in the Indian Ocean at the beginning of January. He visited Madagascar, Mozambique and South Africa while dancing for guests. While in Madagascar, he looked joyful and took part in a traditional dance with locals.

The dancer also stayed at a five-star safari lodge called Leopard Mountain where he saw elephants, giraffes, warthogs and lions. Robin then went on to visit East London and Cape Town, which he described as 'glorious'.

At the end of last month, he posted a video of him and his partner Gordana Grandosek Whiddon dancing with the caption: 'The show must go on'.

Ms Whiddon, who also performed on Strictly, paid tribute today by sharing a video of the dance, alongside the caption, 'I love you Bobby' with a heart and a broken hearted emoji.

Robin partnered with model Patsy Kensit, EastEnders legend Anita Dobson, Loose Woman Lisa Riley and Dragon's Den star Deborah Meaden during his stint on Strictly. The Suffolk-born star also performed with This Morning host Alison Hammond in the 2015 Christmas Special.

A heartbroken Susanna Reid, who partnered with Robin on Strictly for Children in Need in 2011, fought back tears on today's Good Morning Britain after learning of the dancer's death.

After co-host Ed Balls announced the tragic news on Good Morning Britain, Reid told viewers: 'He was an absolutely remarkable dancer, strong so creative, he was just so enthusiastic about dancing. I just adored him. 'He was the most incredible personality. As soon as I danced with him there was something really special about it.'

Former Strictly dancer James Jordan also paid tribute, posting: 'I had the pleasure of working with this man for many years on Strictly.

'Everyone who came in contact with him adored him, from his celebrity partners to his working colleagues. You will be missed old friend.'

Long-time Strictly judge Craig Revel Horwood remembered Robin as 'one of the kindest, gentle, honest, funny and caring people I've had the pleasure of knowing and working with'.

He added that the dancer would be 'forever missed' as he sent his support to Robin's family and friends.

Robin was an original member of dance show Burn The Floor, who announced the star's shock death on their official website.

Their statement read: 'Burn the Floor family has lost one of its founding members, Robin 'Bobby' Windsor - who has tragically passed away.

'A BTF journeyman he danced with us for twenty years - including Broadway, The West End and all our crazy adventures around the world.

'His stunning image attached with Jessica Raffa defined our company, colourful, extreme and sensual.

'His talent, attitude, energy and personality helped create the Burn the Floor stage reputation. He leaves a void in our hearts that will never be filled, yet our wonderful memories will stay forever'.

From the age of three, Robin studied Latin and Ballroom and his talent and commitment to his vocation took him to the highest level of competition where he won numerous World Championships.

Robin three weeks ago in South Africa where he was dancing on a cruise ship that was going around the world

Baby Robin being held by his older sister as a child. He began dancing at the age of three and was winning competitions in primary school (right)

Robin in a shot for a primary school show he was in shared on Instagram

Robin as a teenager after he left Ipswich to become a dancer in London when he was 15

Robin Windsor and Marcus Collins, a X-Factor finallist mentored by Gary Barlow. They had planned to marry but split in 2015

Robin's last long term relationship appears to have been with X-Factor star Marcus Collins, who shared this image of them together today

Strictly Come Dancing's James Jordan led tributes and said that Windsor was 'adored' by everyone

South African dancer Oti Mabuse also paid tribute to the late star and described him as 'one of the kindest, loving, professional, creative and beautiful humans'

Fans were quick to share their condolences after hearing the news of Robin Windsor's passing

Dragons' Den star Deborah Meaden and Robin Windsor are pictured performing on Strictly Come Dancing in 2014

He joined the cast of show Burn The Floor in 2001 and toured the world for 10 years, with a nine-month run on Broadway.

He got his TV break on Strictly in 2010 but was forced to pull out of the series in 2014 due to a slipped disc which left him paralysed for four days. While he never won the Glitterball Trophy, he came seventh with Patsy Kensit and Anita Dobson.

Robin also appeared in Dancing With The Stars Australia and So You Think You Can Dance in the Netherlands and assisted in the choreography for the Australian version of So You Think You Can Dance, as well as acting as a motivational speaker.

His representatives told MailOnline: 'It is with deep sorrow that we announce the tragic passing of our beautiful Robin.

'Robin's dancing started from a very young age and never stopped. He lit up any room he walked into, he was a nurturing soul always full of fun.

'Strictly Come Dancing, Burn the Floor and many other dance shows along with all the school children around the country who he gave his time.

A heartbroken Susanna Reid , who partnered with Robin Windsor on Strictly in 2011, fought back tears on today's Good Morning Britain after learning of the dancer's death

Entertainment correspondent Richard Arnold also became overcome with emotion discussing Robin as he struggled to get his words out

Robin Windsor and Deborah Meaden on Strictly Come Dancing

Kristina Rihanoff and Robin Windsor during Strictly Come Dancing launch event at the BBC Studios back in 2011

The professional Latin and Ballroom dancer was best known for his appearances on BBC 's Strictly Come Dancing for five years between 2010-2015

Kristina Rihanoff and Robin Windsor perform a dance on a 'Burn The Floor' show in 2013

In 2010, his first year on Strictly, he danced with Patsy Kensit

In 2011 he was partnered with EastEnders actress and singer Anita Dobson

'Robin was a strong advocate for mental health and worked closely with the 'Sane Charity'. The dance world has lost some of its sparkle today. We ask for the family's privacy at this very difficult time.'

Founder of Burn the Floor and friend of Robin, Harley Medcalf, said: 'We have lost a beautiful friend, Robin Windsor, Bobby, one of the founding members of the Burn the Floor family.

'Robin has passed away in England. A generous, extremely talented dancer, full of energy, life and love.

'His stage presence defined the Burn the Floor company. Whenever we visited London, Robin was always the first to call, always there to support, celebrate, laugh and cry together.

'In the photo attached a highly emotional Robin was just off stage after his last performance with Burn The Floor Reunion Tour in Birmingham in 2022.'

'Our hearts are broken he will be greatly missed by all his friends, family and fans around the world.'

Performance arts theatre Burn The Floor, where Robin danced for 20 years and was a founding member, said there is a 'void' in their heart since the tragic passing.

Fellow dancer Giselle Rojas Peacock wrote: 'I was shocked to find out today we lost another Dancer and Friend Robin Jamie Windsor.

'This one hits home as we had so many years dancing performing and touring together all over the world in Burn the Floor.

Tributes have poured in to Robin Windsor this morning, with Strictly's Amy Dowden describing him as a 'kind, talented soul'

'One of the original members and poster boy of Burn, Bobby was so loved by everyone, the sweetest human. Just like a massive teddy bear.

'You light up the stage with such an energy and it was always a pleasure to dance with you.

'We had so many laughs, tears, highs and lows together and even though life took us in separate directions and the lord has taken you to soon, I think all us will cherish so many memories with you in them.

'RIP my good friend. My heart breaks today for all who loved you. And there were many.'

Strictly choreographer Patrick Helm said Robin was unaware of how much he meant to people.

He wrote: 'I don't even know how to find the words to this post. I will dearly miss you Robin Windsor.

'This one is hitting me hard and too close to home.

'My deepest condolences go to your family and everyone who knew you! You were another one who was loved by so many but couldn't see it himself.

Performance arts theatre Burn The Floor, where Robin danced for 20 years and was a founding member, said there is a 'void' in their heart since the tragic passing

Fans and friends flooded X with tributes to the late dancer

The professional Latin and Ballroom dancer (pictured in October 2023) was best known for his appearances on BBC 's Strictly Come Dancing for five years between 2010-2015

'May you finally be free and find piece. RIP Bobby.'

Robin was previously engaged to ex-partner Davide Cini and proposed on a romantic New York helicopter ride in 2013 before splitting years later.

He also previously dated Marcus Collins, the singer who featured on The X Factor in 2011.

In a statement announcing his death, Sisco Entertainment said: 'It is with heavy hearts that we announce the tragic passing of our beloved friend, Robin Windsor.

'Robin's presence in Come What May was more than just a performance; it was an embodiment of passion, grace, and sheer talent.

'His extraordinary ability to express emotion through movement captivated audiences, leaving them spellbound with every step.

'Beyond his impeccable dancing, Robin's vibrant spirit lit up the room, infusing rehearsals and performances with infectious energy and warmth.

'His laughter was contagious, his kindness boundless.

'His friendship was a gift cherished by all who had the privilege of knowing him.

'Robin, you will be deeply missed.

'Though Come What May will continue without you, your legacy will live on in the hearts of all who were fortunate enough to share in your light.'

Robin Windsor attending the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2012

Robin Windsor strikes a pose for the cameras with Lisa Riley during Strictly in 2013
A python has been caught on camera digesting a massive meal, making people wonder what it ate to get so full.

An photograph of the reptile has gone viral after being shared on the Sunshine Coast Snake Catchers Facebook page.

'Thanks to one of our followers, Paul, for sending this awesome photo in of a python with a belly full of food,' the image was captioned.

'They believe it was a large possum that the snake had eaten. The snake was quite happy laying up for the next few days digesting its big meal.

'What did this snake eat? Wowzas.'

A massive carpet python has shocked Aussies after being found in a man's garage while digesting a huge meal (pictured)

Many Australians thought the bulge in the snake's belly was too large to be a possum and suggested it might be a pet dog or cat.

'If he swallowed a possum, it must have been a whopper,' one Aussie said.

'That would be one big possum, more like a small dog,' a second added.

Sunshine Coast Snake Catchers warned: 'It's that time of year when snakes are looking for a big feed.'

The tail-end of summer is when pythons are most active as hunters, as they eat a lot before winter when their metabolism drops and they stop eating.

This active period means they might hunt during the day, even though they are usually nocturnal.

This poses a threat to possums, which are usually asleep during the day.

Although pythons usually prey on small animals such as possums, cats, and dogs, they rarely look to humans for food and only attack when they feel threatened.
Russian dissident and Putin critic Alexei Navalny warned of the dangers of a second Donald Trump term as president, calling the former commander-in-chief's agenda 'really scary' in a prison letter to a friend.

In the message, first reported by The New York Times, Navalny wrote that if President Joe Biden suffered a health issue then 'Trump will be come president... Doesn't this obvious thing concern the Democrats?'

The activist was writing to photographer Evgeny Feldman when he spoke of his concerns, which demonstrated that despite being imprisoned in exile, he remained clued in to geopolitics.

'Please name one current politician you admire,' he asked Feldman in the conclusion of a letter about Trump wrote from the penal colony known as The Polar Wolf.

Meanwhile in bizarre remarks around Navalny's death, Trump made no reference to Russian President Vladimir Putin's role, instead using his platform to compare it to his own personal legal troubles.

'The sudden death of Alexei Navalny has made me more and more aware of what is happening in our country. It is a slow, steady progression, with CROOKED, Radical Left Politicians, Prosecutors, and Judges leading us down a path to destruction,' he wrote on TruthSocial.

Russian authorities said that the cause of Navalnys death Friday at age 47 is still unknown  and the results of any investigation are likely to be questioned abroad. Many Western leaders have already said they hold Putin responsible for the death.

Navalny point out that should President Joe Biden suffer a health issue, Trump could easily win a second term

Alexei Navalny shared letters laced with dark humor, religious references and grim insights into prison life with a former gulag survivor, Natan Sharansky, in the year before he died, their newly-published notes reveal

Trump's bizarre message comparing his legal troubles to Navalny's death have been roundly criticized

In various speeches about possible foreign policy, Trump has said that his administration will not defend NATO members who don't meet defense spending targets and that he would encourage Russia to attack member states who become delinquent.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov slammed the accusations from Western leaders as 'boorish' and 'inadmissible.'

'Those statements cant do any harm to the head of our state, but they certainly arent becoming for those who make them,' Peskov said in a call with reporters.

In response to the shocking statement, Rep. Nancy Pelosi told MSNBC's Jen Psaki in an interview that his comments were 'beneath the dignity of a human being.'

'You wonder, what does Putin have on Donald Trump that he always has to be beholden to him, his buddy in vileness?,' she saked.

'It is so horrible you think, "No, somebody must have been. Not even Donald Trump could go this far," This statement should disqualify him from running for anything, much less President of the United States.'

Trump's comments came as Navalny's widow vowed on Monday to continue his fight against the Kremlin, while authorities denied his mother access to a morgue where his body is believed to be held after his death.

With her voice cracking at times in a video posted on social media, Yulia Navalnaya accused Putin of killing her husband in the remote prison and alleged that officials refusal to hand over the body to her mother-in-law was part of a cover-up.

Navalnys death has deprived the Russian opposition of is most well-known and inspiring politician less than a month before an election that is all but certain to give Putin another six years in power.

It dealt a devastating blow to many Russians, who had seen Navalny as a rare hope for political change amid Putins unrelenting crackdown on the opposition.

He had been imprisoned since January 2021 when he returned to Moscow after recuperating in Germany from a nerve agent poisoning that he blamed on the Kremlin.

He received three prison terms since his arrest, on a number of charges he has rejected as politically motivated.

'They are cowardly and meanly hiding his body, refusing to give it to his mother and lying miserably while waiting for the trace of' poison to disappear, Navalnaya said, suggesting her husband might have been killed with a Novichok-style nerve agent.

She urged Russians to rally behind her 'to share not only the grief and endless pain that has enveloped and gripped us, but also my rage.'

She continued: 'The main thing that we can do for Alexei and ourselves is to keep fighting. ... We all need to get together in one strong fist and strike that mad regime.'

In other letters, Navalny exchanged deeply personal memos with Israel's former deputy prime minister Sharansky, 76, in March and April 2023.

In his first note, he wrote 'I hope I am the last to endure this', less than a year before he was allegedly fatally poisoned with Novichok at a penal colony in Siberia on February 16, 2024.

Sharansky was held in a Moscow labor camp for nine years from 1978 after being denied permission to leave what was then the Soviet Union for Israel, and the two bonded over how little has changed in the brutal Russian prison system since.

Their historic friendship - memorialized in the letters obtained by The Free Press - was sparked by Navalny's revelation that he read Sharansky's memoir, Fear No Evil, in the gulag where he died.
National Party deputy leader Perin Davey has revealed the real reason why she slurred her words during a Senate estimates hearing last week.

Senator Davey made headlines on the weekend when video emerged of her making a rambling statement at the late-night committee meeting.

She later admitted she'd had a couple of glasses of red wine beforehand.

On Tuesday, the previously little-known federal senator from regional NSW told a Bathurst radio station that the incident stemmed from a medical emergency she had five years ago which still causes her to 'sometimes slur words'.

In 2019, the Coalition frontbencher had two emergency operations after an abscess in her tonsils 'completely erupted' on a flight to Germany, which caused damage to her facial muscles and tissue in her throat muscles.

'I had full blown sepsis, and I was in the hospital for 11 days and kind of lost count of the amount of antibiotic transfusions I had,' Senator Davey explained 2BS host Dusty Fitzpatrick.

The National Party's deputy leader Perin Davey (pictured) has revealed the real reason she slurred her words during a Senate estimates hearing last week

READ MORE: Perin Davey was called out for slurring her words in Parliament after 'two glasses of red'. Now her staggering Facebook profile picture has emerged - and she had it there for SEVEN years (before deleting it) Her profile picture on her private Facebook page up until midday on Monday was a woman inside a wine glass, drowning in red wine as it's poured from the bottle Advertisement

When doctors asked Senator Davey at the time what her job was, she said she was campaigning to be a politician.

'They warned me that it will impact my speech,' she recalled.

'I've been very conscious of it ever since (but) I've always thought I've managed it very well.

Senator Davey, 52, added that when she's 'tired or if I've had a glass of wine, or if I'm stressed my throat catches, sometimes a bit of mucus will fall down my throat and I'll have a coughing fit, sometimes I slur words.'

She said she had never previously spoken publicly about her medical condition as it was 'personal'

She's now speaking out because of the scrutiny of her committee appearance, which came a few days after Daily Mail Australia published a video of her colleague Barnaby Joyce talking loudly on his phone while lying on a footpath.

She said the coverage of her slurring her words has left her 'distraught', and that she initially thought the meeting had gone well.

'I was so happy with my line of questioning, I actually clipped the video and sent it around to some of my arts community mates because, the answers I was getting were so important to have on the record,' Senator Davey said.

'And then to just have someone selectively clip the video to make it focus on words that I'm stumbling over and imply that I was incoherent through the whole thing, I'm just distraught about.'

The senator said the publicity around it was 'really disheartening, and you can sort of understand why young kids look at politics and go, do I want to be part of that?

'Because you've got to be a hundred per cent pure. Now, I admit that I had a couple of drinks before I went into that Senate estimates hearing, but I was not drunk.'

Senator Davey said she should be judged 'on the content of what I do, and not on how I enunciate'.

Senator Davey (pictured) made headlines when video emerged of her making a rambling statement at a late night committee meeting, and she later admitted she'd had a couple of glasses of red wine beforehand
It was, perhaps, a bitter saving grace that the woman who had been failed and abused by men all her life would be praised by Britain's most famous hangman.

'I have seen some brave men die, but nobody braver than her,' Albert Pierrepoint said of Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be hanged in Britain.

The glamorous nightclub hostess and former model met her fate at 9am on July 13, 1955, at HMP Holloway, as a huge crowd outside was held back by a police cordon.

Ruth had been condemned to death for shooting her violent racing driver boyfriend David Blakely following a trial that lasted less than two days.

Yesterday, a first-look picture of new ITV drama A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story showed Lucy Boynton as the tragic mother-of-two, who was hanged at the age of just 28.

The fact that former RAF officer Desmond Cussen - who had competed with Blakely for Ruth's affections - had given her the murder weapon and shown her how to use it should have at least bought her time.

But Ruth's execution went ahead as planned, prompting a worldwide uproar that ultimately played a significant role in Britain's abolition of capital punishment in 1969, four years after it had been suspended.

It was, perhaps, a bitter saving grace that the woman who had been failed and abused by men all her life would be praised by Britain's most famous hangman. 'I have seen some brave men die, but nobody braver than her,' Albert Pierrepoint said of Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be hanged in Britain

Ellis had been condemned to death for shooting her violent racing driver boyfriend David Blakely following a trial that lasted less than two days

Born the fourth of five children to mother Bertha in Rhyl, North Wales, in 1926, Ruth's first misfortune was to have to fend off the sordid sexual advances of her own father.

He had already abused her sister Muriel but Ruth defiantly insisted that he would not be allowed to do the same to her.

By the time of the Second World War, the family had moved to London.

Author Carol Ann Lee's 2012 biography of Ellis told how, in 1943, Ruth met French Canadian serviceman Clare Andrew McCallum.

The couple enjoyed a brief but passionate romance that resulted in Ruth getting pregnant in early 1944.

McCallum had asked his young girlfriend to marry him, and, after he had been posted to France, she gave birth to a baby boy.

Ruth then discovered that her beau - who never returned - was already married with a wife and children back in Canada.

She recalled a the heartbreak a decade later, saying: 'I no longer felt any emotion about men. Outwardly I was cheerful and gay. Inwardly I was cold and spent.'

Yesterday, a first-look picture of new ITV drama A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story showed Lucy Boynton as the tragic mother-of-two, who was hanged at the age of just 28

Ruth Ellis with Desmond Cussen at the Little Club in Knightsbridge. Cussen gave her the gun she used to kill David Blakely and showed her how to use it

Ruth Ellis standing next to David Blakeley, who she shot dead in 1955

Ruth Ellis with her son Andre, who took his own life in 1982 - 27 years after his mother's death

Ruth then set about trying to support herself and her son, Andre, financially.

Ms Lee revealed in her book how Ruth 'took great pride in her appearance and would not set foot outside unless fully made up with heavy foundation, rouge and lipstick.'

The Daily Mail's report of Ruth Ellis's execution

One evening, after being taken for a drink at one of London's new nightclubs, she met pimp and convicted fraudster Morris Conley, who offered her a job as a hostess.

It was after taking on the role that Ruth, who was expected to offer both drinks and sex to customers, met her future husband, dentist George Ellis.

The depressive drinker promised that he would seek help for his troubles and that vow was enough for Ellis to agree to marry him.

When they tied the knot in November 1950, she shed her maiden name - Neilson - and became Ruth Ellis.

However, Ellis soon began beating his new wife. One one occasion, her mother recalled, he repeatedly banged her head against a wall.

By the winter of 1951 - by which time their marriage was over - Ruth had given birth to a daughter, Georgina.

Needing to support herself and her children, Ruth went to Conley to ask for her job back.

He made her the manager of his new club in Knightsbridge and even provided her with a flat and generous salary.

On the Little Club's opening night, Ruth - who had by then dyed her hair peroxide blonde to match Hollywood superstar Marilyn Monroe - met David Blakely for the first time.

Blakely repeatedly returned and the pair became romantically involved. Within a fortnight they were living together in her flat.

At the time, Blakeley's efforts were focused on his MG racing car and his passion for motor racing.

Ruth was besotted with him. She said later: 'I thought the world of him; I put him on the highest of pedestals. He could do nothing wrong and I trusted him implicitly.'

Her love extended to the point where she even agreed to a request by her ex-husband to give up her daughter to a wealthy childless couple he knew.

However, the hostess now had another admirer in the form of Cussen, who was a regular at the Little Club.

His presence on the scene likely contributed to the furious rows that broke out between Ruth and Blakely.

The arguments would end with Blakely viscously beating his girlfriend.

With knowledge about the love triangle now swirling around the club, Ruth was warned by Conley that she had to treat all customers equally.

However, when the club's takings fell, Conley fired her.

She moved in with Cussen but was then met with a marriage proposal from Blakely.

Ruth became pregnant with his child, only to lose the baby after another beating.

The final straw came on Good Friday in 1955, when Blakely failed to turn up to meet Ruth as he had promised.

Suspecting that he was at the home of his friends Ant Findlater and his wife Carole - who hated Ruth - she asked Cussen to drive her there, where she saw his car outside.

Having tried and failed to get through to him on the phone that day and the following night, she returned home humiliated.

The next day, Easter Sunday, Andre again put the phone down on her when she tried to call.

Ruth Ellis poses in a leopard print dress in 1954, the year before she was hanged for murder

Ruth Ellis posing glamorously in 1954. She died aged just 28 and became the last woman to be hanged in Britain

Ruth Ellis poses in stockings and suspenders in 1954. She refused to plead for mercy at her trial

When she kissed her son goodnight that evening, it would be the last time she saw him.

She later told jurors about her feelings towards Blakley that night. 'I was very upset. I had a peculiar feeling I wanted to kill him,' she said.

Meanwhile, Blakley was with Findlaters, having yet another party. When Carole ran out of cigarettes, Blakely drove to the Magdala pub near their home to get some.

Taking friend Clive Gunnell, he went for a quick drink inside the pub. The pair emerged at 9.20pm.

Ruth was waiting for them. When Blakley saw her he started to run. She fired an initial two shots, chased her lover around his car and then fired again.

He 'fell forward flat on his face', she recalled later. Witnesses Donald and Gladys Yule - as well as Gunnell - were watching on in horror.

Mrs Yule then saw Blakely lying on the pavement as Ruth fired two more shots into him.

She said years later: 'I shall never forget the look of appeal in his eyes,' she recalled years later. She put two more bullets into him, deliberately. I was petrified.'

Ruth then tried to take her own life with the gun, but it initially failed to fire. When it finally did - after she had brought it away from her temple - the bullet went through Mrs Yule's hand.

After being arrested, Ruth insisted that she was guilty but initially protected Cussen. Instead, she said she had been given the gun by a man in a club three years earlier.

When Cussen was questioned, he insisted that he had dropped her off at her rented room at 7.30pm on the night of the murder and had not seen her since.

He failed to tell detectives that he had given Ruth the gun, shown her how to use it and then driven her to the murder scene.

Although Cussen confessed this fact to Ruth's solicitor, it was not brought up at trial over fears that it would affect her chances of being convicted of manslaughter rather than murder.

Ruth rejected her lawyer's request to plead insanity. She said: 'I took David's life and I don't ask you to save mine. I don't want to live.'

The mother-of-two also wrote to Blakley's mother to apologise for killing him.

She said: 'The two people I blame for David's death, and my own, are the Findlayters (sic).

'No dought (sic) you will not understand this, but perhaps before I hang you will know what I mean. Please excuse my writing, but the pen is shocking.

'I implore you to try to forgive David for living with me, but we were very much in love with one and other (sic).

'Unfortunately, David was not satisfied with one woman in his life. I have forgiven David, I only wish I could have found it in my heart to have forgiven when he was alive.

'Once again, I say I am very sorry to have caused you this misery and heartache. I shall die loving your son. And you should feel content that his death has been repaid.

'Goodbye. Ruth Ellis.'

With her blonde hair having faded in prison, Ruth insisted on dying it so it ahead of her court appearance.

Despite her legal team's fears that her bleached hair would not fair well with the jury, Ruth got her wish.

Judge Mr Justice Havers later described the murderess's defence as being 'so weak... it was non-existent.'

He was also not convinced by Ruth's story about how she got the gun. But because her legal team had not mentioned it, the matter was not brought up in court.

Much of the physical and emotional abuse she had suffered throughout her life was not even mentioned to jurors.

And Judge Havers told them to ignore Blakely's own violent outbursts. He said: 'A young woman, you may think, badly treated by the deceased man.

'Nothing of that sort must enter into your consideration . . . according to our law it is no defence . . . to prove that she was a jealous woman and had been badly treated by her lover and was in ill-health.'

Jurors took just half an hour to find Ruth guilty of murder.

On July 12, Ruth finally confessed to her former solicitor about Cussen's involvement.

However, after a failed attempt to track down the former RAF man, the Home Secretary refused to delay the execution.

At 9am on the morning of her execution, a huge crowd was massed outside HMP Holloway, held back by a police cordon.

Ellis, who the night before had read from her Bible one last time, refused breakfast and instead accepted a glass of brandy.

She was hanged by the man who had put to death some of Britain's most notorious criminals, including serial killer John Christie and Nazi collaborator William Joyce.

Ellis death prompted a nationwide uproar and contributed to the decision to abolish capital punishment in 1969

Ruth Ellis died after initially refusing to reveal Desmond Cussen's involvement in Blakley's murder

George Ellis, the first husband of Ruth Ellis is seen above in later life

Hangman Albert Pierrepoint, who carried out Ruth Ellis's execution, said she was the bravest person he had put to death

The Daily Mail's report said: 'In Holloway Prison last night the staff were saying that Ruth Ellis was the bravest woman ever to go to the gallows in Britain.

'For the 28-year-old mother who, eight hours before her execution, had broken down and pleaded for life, died calmly.'

Some of her final words were revealed a few months after her death. She told The Right Reverend Joost de Blank, the Bishop of Stepney: 'It is quite clear to me that I was not the person who shot him.

'If he had cut his finger I would have come from the other end of the earth to bind it up.

'When I saw myself with that revolver in my hand shooting him five times, I knew that I was another person from the person I am.'

Ruth's daughter Georgina grew up and became famous in her own right. She dyed her hair blonde and had high-profile affairs before dying of cancer at the age of just 50.

Andre meanwhile became a schizophrenic and drug addict and took his own life in 1982.

Fittingly, his funeral was paid for by Christopher Humphreys, the prosecuting lawyer at Ruth's trial.

As for Cussen, he died a lonely alcoholic.
The world's most dangerous ransomware gang behind damaging cyber attacks on countless targets including Royal Mail, Porton Down and a nuclear submarine base has been taken down in a 'highly significant' global operation led by 'Britain's FBI'.

The notorious Lockbit group causes havoc by hacking into computer systems and stealing sensitive data which it then threatens to release unless a huge ransom is paid - with the group earning $120million (95m).

Seven arrests have been made so far, two in Poland and Ukraine, and five people have been charged - including two Russians, Mikhail Vasiliev, who is being held in Canada, and Ruslan Magomedovich Astamirov, who is in the US.

The remaining three - Artur Sungatov, Ivan Kondratyev and Mikhail Pavlovich Matveev - are at large.

Visitors to its Lockbit's homepage on the dark web now see a message revealing it is 'now under control' of The National Crime Agency, which targeted the site as part of a taskforce of 10 countries that includes the FBI and Europol.

Officials said hackers 'hid in the shadows in Russia using aliases', with one describing stolen data as 'candy' and posted screenshots boasting of their attacks.

They said the 'permissive environment' in Russia allowed the group to operate - with gangsters never targeting nations in the former Soviet Union - but do not believe the the regime of Vladimir Putin was directly involved.

The NCA said called the group the 'Rolls-Royce' of ransomware and said it behaved like a 'legitimate businesses', with 'a slick website' and marketing gimmicks including offering $1,000 dollars to anyone who got a tattoo of its logo.

Lockbit was recently revealed to have stolen secret military and defence material from the HMNB Clyde nuclear submarine base, the Porton Down chemical weapons lab and a GCHQ listening post. This was then shared on the dark web.

Information about a specialist cyber defence site and some of Britain's high security prisons was also stolen in the raid on Zaun, which makes fences for maximum security sites.

Visitors to the Lockbit website now see a message saying it is 'under the control of law enforcement'

Lockbit also hacked the Royal Mail Group in January and made ransom demands of 66million at the time. The company did not pay the extortionate fee but saw its services disrupted and had to spend 10million on anti-ransomware software.

It has also been linked to attacks on the NHS, aeroplane manufacturer Boeing, international law firm Allen and Overy and China's biggest bank, ICBC.

Representatives from the NCA and FBI today confirmed that they had disrupted the gang and said the operation was 'ongoing and developing'.

NCA Director General, Graeme Biggar, said Lockbit had been the 'most prolific' ransomware group in the last four years, responsible for 25 per cent of attacks in the last year.

He told a press conference in London that there were at least 200 victims in the UK and thousands abroad, leading to billions of pounds worth of damages - both in ransom payments and the cost of responding to attacks.

'We have hacked the hackers, taken control of their infrastructure and seized their source code,' Mr Biggar said.

'We have arrested, indicted and sanctioned some of the perpetrators and gained intelligence on the criminals using the software - who we will now continue to pursue.

'As of today, Lockbit is effectively redundant - Lockbit has been locked out.'

Paul Foster, head of the National Cyber Crime Unit, called Lockbit the 'primary criminal group offering ransomware as a service'.

What is ransomware?

Cybercriminals mounting a ransomware attack first hack into a computer system before using 'blockers' to stop their victim accessing their device. This may include a message telling them this is due to 'illegal content' such as porn being identified on their device. Hackers then ask for a ransom to be paid, often in the form of Bitcoins or other untraceable cryptocurrencies, for the block to be removed. In Lockbit's case, the gang stole sensitive information and threatened to release it in public if no ransom was paid. In May 2017, a massive ransomware virus attack called WannaCry spread to the computer systems of hundreds of private companies and public organisations across the globe. Advertisement

Mr Foster said the NCA knew the individuals behind the website and would seek to prosecute them, with early-morning arrests already carried out in Poland and Ukraine.

Five defendants have been charged so far for launching ransomware attacks using Lockbit, including two Russian nationals.

Infrastructure supporting LockBit's tool that was used to steal data, known as StealBit, based in three countries, has been seized, together with 200 cryptocurrency accounts.

There are more than 200 victims in the UK and thousands internationally.

NCA investigators found that the gang behind the ransomware attacks did not always delete data when victims paid ransoms.

It said it has found more than 1,000 decryption keys held by the group and will be contacting UK-based victims to help them recover encrypted data.

Lockbit either carries out attacks for its own gain or is paid by so-called affiliates - made up of like-minded international gangsters.

The gang accounted for 23 per cent of the nearly 4,000 attacks globally last year in which ransomware gangs posted data stolen from victims to extort payment, according to the cybersecurity firm Palo Alto Networks.

The group was discovered in 2020 when its eponymous malicious software was found on Russian-language cybercrime forums, leading some security analysts to believe the gang is based in Russia.

It has not professed support for any government, however, and no government has formally attributed it to a nation-state.

On its now-defunct dark web site, Lockbit said it was 'located in the Netherlands, completely apolitical and only interested in money'.

Officials in the United States, where the group has hit more than 1,700 organisations in nearly every industry from financial services and food to schools, transportation and government departments, have described it as the world's top ransomware threat.

'They are the Walmart of ransomware groups, they run it like a business  that's what makes them different,' said Jon DiMaggio, chief security strategist at Analyst1, a US-based cybersecurity firm. 'They are arguably the biggest ransomware crew today.'

In November last year, Lockbit published internal data from Boeing, one of the world's largest defence and space contractors.

Lockbit said in a statement in Russian and shared on Tox, an encrypted messaging app, that the FBI hit its servers that run on the programming language PHP. The statement added that it has backup servers without PHP that 'are not touched'.

On X, screenshots showed a control panel used by Lockbit's affiliates to launch attacks had been replaced with a message from law enforcement.

'We have source code, details of the victims you have attacked, the amount of money extorted, the data stolen, chats, and much, much more', the message said. 'We may be in touch with you very soon. Have a nice day'.

A previous Lockbit attack targeted Porton Down. Pictured is the Dstl high containment lab at the high-security facility in Wiltshire

The post named other international police organisations from France, Japan, Switzerland, Canada, Australia, Sweden, the Netherlands, Finland and Germany.

Before it was taken down, Lockbit's website displayed an ever-growing gallery of victim organisations that was updated nearly daily.

Next to their names were digital clocks that showed the number of days left to the deadline given to each organisation to provide ransom payment.

Yesterday, Lockbit's site displayed a similar countdown, but from the law enforcement agencies who hacked the hackers: 'Return here for more information at: 11:30 GMT on Tuesday 20th Feb.,' the post said.

READ MORE: Fears Russians are behind massive cyberattack that saw hackers access millions on electoral register Advertisement

Don Smith, vice president of Secureworks, an arm of Dell Technologies (DELL.N), opens new tab, said Lockbit was the most prolific and dominant ransomware operator in a highly competitive underground market.

'To put today's takedown into context, based on leak site data, Lockbit had a 25% share of the ransomware market. Their nearest rival was Blackcat at around 8.5%, and after that it really starts to fragment,' Smith said.

'Lockbit dwarfed all other groups and today's action is highly significant.'

The Lockbit attack on HMNB Clyde, Porton Down and GCHQ was revealed in September.

MPs warned that any information which gives security information to the UK's enemies was of huge concern.

A defence source said the hack was being taken 'very seriously' but it was not thought any information was stolen that presented a real threat to national security, and there were currently no ransom demands as the hacked data had already been published.

The leak also included information about security equipment at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire, where the MQ-9 Reaper attack drones squadron is based, and Cawdor Barracks, which has specialist electronic warfare regiments.

And documents relating to high security prisons including Category A Long Lartin in Worcestershire and Whitemoor in Cambridgeshire were also stolen in the hack.

Lockbit are thought to have been behind as many as 1,400 cyber-attacks globally and brought Japan's busiest cargo port to a shuddering halt in July after attacking the system that manages the movement of containers.

Lockbit either carries out attacks for its own gain or is paid by other criminal gangs

Russian national Magomedovich Astamirov has been charged in the US for 'involvement in deploying numerous LockBit ransomware and other attacks in the US, Asia, Europe, and Africa'.

And last year the US announced charges against Russian-Canadian Mikhail Vasiliev, who is being held in Canada awaiting extradition.

Another Russian, Mikhail Pavlovich Matveev, is wanted for alleged participation in other Lockbit attacks.

Ransomware is the costliest and most disruptive form of cybercrime, crippling local governments, court systems, hospitals and schools as well as businesses. It is difficult to combat as most gangs are based in former Soviet states and out of reach of Western justice.

Law enforcement agencies have scored some recent successes against ransomware gangs, most notably the FBI's operation against the Hive syndicate. But the criminals regroup and rebrand.

The NCA has previously warned that ransomware remains one of the biggest cyber threats facing the UK, and urges people and organisations not to pay ransoms if they are targeted.

Experts have said that LockBit may try to rebuild its operation but Chris Morgan, analyst from cyber security firm ReliaQuest, said the law enforcement action was 'a significant short-term blow'.
She's calling for airlines to be more educated when dealing with mobility devices

A furious passenger has called for airlines be more educated after two of her wheelchairs got damaged and destroyed on two different flights within the same year.

Deanna Vaillancourt-Thompson, from Illinois, has blasted American Airlines and Delta after both her manual and electric wheelchairs were broken beyond use during two different journeys.

Her troubles began in April 2023 when she flew from San Francisco to Charlotte with American Airlines, travelling to the Psychiatric Service Dog Partners Convention.

When she got off the plane she was frustrated to discover her manual wheelchair had a broken brake handle and completely flat tires, meaning she couldn't use it.

'The guy who brought my wheelchair up said, 'Oops, sorry,' Mrs Vaillancourt-Thompson told USA Today.

The incident left her 'scared to death' for future travel and to her dismay, history repeated itself just eight months later in December, when a second brand new wheelchair was completely destroyed on a Delta flight.

Deanna Vaillancort-Thompson, from Illinois, blasted American Airlines and Delta after both her manual and electric wheelchairs were broken beyond use during two different journeys

After the experience with American Airlines in April, she was forced to use the chair as a walker to make her way to her hotel, where she managed to get its tires reinflated - however, there was no quick fix for the broken brake handle.

Then, shockingly on the trip back to San Fransico, the mobility device recieved further damage and the airline 'lost the other brake handle,' she claims.

Mrs Vaillancourt-Thompson, who uses the wheelchair due to ongoing complications from a car accident, revealed: 'Whenever I fly, no matter what airline it is, I always get flat tires, missing brake handles'.

She adds that it took Global Repair Group, who are contracted with American Airlines for mobility device repair, six weeks to send her the replacement parts and she had to carry out the repairs herself.

In a statement to USA Today, American Airlines said: 'American is committed to supporting the independence of our customers who travel with wheelchairs and assistive devices.

'A member of our team has been in touch with the customer to apologize and fully repair the device.'

Despite being left anxious after this experience, she took another new electric wheelchair on a different flight eight months later.

This time she was flying from San Francisco to Orlando, Florida and back with Delta Airlines.

Mrs Vaillancourt-Thompson, who uses the wheelchair due to ongoing complications from a car accident, revealed: 'Whenever I fly, no matter what airline it is, I always get flat tires, missing brake handles'

Her nightmare continued when her 'brand new' power chair was destroyed during the journey.

She admits that it was handled perfectly from San Francisco to Atlanta, from Atlanta to Orlando and then from Orlando to Saly Like City on the way home.

But, on the fourth leg of the trip, from Salt Lake City to San Francisco, her chair was found completely inoperable when she touched down on December 7.

Mrs Vaillancourt-Thompson claims the frame was so bent the chair was unusable and the joystick was cracked, hanging from its harness.

This time it took until January 24, over a month, for Delta's device repair contractor Scootaround to replace her chair, as well as her Apple airtag that was lost during transit.

She added that the airline gave she and her husband $500 each in credit for future travel and a customer service agent ensured she would speak to the San Francisco baggage handlers to ensure this doesn't happen again.

In a statement, Delta told USA Today: 'While the majority of scooters and wheelchairs enplaned by Delta are handled with care, we understand the frustration that comes when we fall short.

'We apologize for this customers experience and have since delivered a replacement wheelchair and offered additional compensation in an effort to make things right.'

However, the two incidents that occured so close together have left the traveller extremely woried about future trips.

She's heading to another dog convention this spring and is already anxious about what will happen, adding: 'I wish the airlines would get a little bit more educated and take a little more compassion when they deal with medical equipment like this.

'If I didnt have to use my chair in South Carolina, I probably wouldnt take it'.
Clarkson's Farm star Kaleb Cooper has thrown his weight behind a farming protest in Wales after the Labour-run government announced plans to require farmers to keep 20 per cent of their land aside for environmental reasons.

Mark Drakeford's cabinet is consulting on the Sustainable Farming Scheme, which will compel agricultural landowners to dedicate 10 per cent of their land to natural habitat and 10 per cent to tree planting - in exchange for financial support.

But the plan has infuriated farmers, who say it will affect their ability to produce enough food to make a living - and comes as farmers in Dover continue to protest cheap European imports arriving in the port and undercutting their business.

Today, Rishi Sunak outlined a package of new measures designed to boost British farming in a speech at the National Farmers Union (NFU) conference in Birmingham  but the NFU says more support is needed.

Protests in both Wales and England highlight growing anger at the government within the agricultural sector, which is facing financial and workforce challenges post-Brexit, rising costs and competition from cheaper farms abroad.

Kaleb Cooper (right, with Jeremy Clarkson) has lent his support to Welsh farmers protesting a proposed new land management scheme for farmers

Taking to Instagram, Kaleb wrote: 'To all the Welsh farmers who are protesting we all stand with you...no farmers, no food'

Clarkson shared his own views on X, formerly Twitter, labelling the Labour-led government's proposals 'completely daft'

In England, farmers are protesting the continuing influx of cheap European produce undercutting their livelihoods - staging a protest at Tesco in Whitfield, Dover

They parked around 20 tractors outside the supermarket as they sought to appeal to the public to back British farmers

Farmers say the government is not doing enough to support the agricultural sector, which is facing bureaucratic, geopolitical and environmental challenges

Rishi Sunak gave a speech to the National Farmers Union conference today in which he outlined a series of new measures to support British farmers

Other protests have taken place in recent weeks to express anger with the government and British supermarkets over claims they aren't giving domestic farmers a fair deal

Kaleb, who rose to fame as the younger, wiser sidekick to Jeremy Clarkson on the Amazon show, has lent his Welsh counterparts his support following a protest at a Welsh Labour leadership debate on Sunday.

Posting an image from inside his tractor cab of a muddy field, Kaleb wrote: 'To all the Welsh farmers are protesting we all stand with you! No farmers, no food,' signing off with a Welsh flag emoji.

Jeremy, who has become an unlikely spokesperson for British farmers after suffering his own frustrations on his Amazon Prime show, took to X, formerly Twitter, to express his own concerns with the Welsh Government plans.

'I'm trying to see the Welsh farming policy from the government's point of view. And I just can't. It's completely daft,' he said.

The Welsh protest, in Newtown, Powys, came two days after a 'go-slow' protest along the A48 near Carmarthen which saw an estimated 100 tractors and off-road farm vehicles take over the road.

Farmer Aneurin Aston said he hoped Mr Drakeford's cabinet would 'take heed and listen to us' following the action.

'We are here because of what [the Welsh government] is almost forcing us to do, which is to plant 10 per cent of our land with trees and then put another 10 per cent aside,' he told BBC News.

'Our job is to provide food for the public and you can't eat trees. We're prepared to do our fair share for climate change but this is one ask too much.'

The Welsh Government says the plans have been developed in collaboration with farmers and is out for consultation until March 6.

On Saturday, English farmers staged a fresh protest in Dover over competition from cheaper foreign rivals - parking around 20 tractors in the car park of a Tesco Extra supermarket in Whitfield to raise awareness of their plight.

They had also staged a go-slow around the Kent settlement earlier in February.

They were inspired by similar protests in France in recent weeks, which saw farmers blockade roads to dissent against proposed cuts in state subsidies for diesel fuel and a free trade agreement with the Mercosur block of South American countries.

Speaking to FarmingBritain.tv ahead of the protest on Saturday, livestock and potato farmer Jeff Gibson said the single message within their concerns is sustainability.

Mr Gibson said: 'British farmers can't compete with cheap foreign imports and we're going to be left in a situation where we cannot feed the British public.

'The biggest problem we're going to face as an industry and the British public in future years is, what happens in the next crisis, what happens in the next Covid, what happens in the next Ukraine war?

'We need to make people realise that food security in this country is really under threat.'

Farmers say food security in Britain is precarious (pictured: workers harvesting vegetables at a Lincolnshire farm in January 2022)

Clarkson's Farm has shone a spotlight on the trials and tribulations of British farming - as veteran motoring journalist Jeremy Clarkson gets to grips with his own agricultural business

Throughout the series, he clashed with his local council over the creation of his Diddly Squat Farm Shop (pictured) and a restaurant he sought to build in an old collapsed farmhouse

The battles with West Oxfordshire District Council were serialised across series 2 of Clarkson's Farm

NFU president Minette Batters has challenged all political parties on their commitments to British farmers today, ahead of the next general election

Food security was at the centre of a series of announcements made by Rishi Sunak this morning at the NFU conference in Birmingham.

The prime minister announced 220million of funding for new food-productivity schemes and farm technology to reduce farms' reliance on overseas workers.

Something that may appeal to Jeremy Clarkson himself is a plan to cut red tape around development rights for farmers, so they can develop schemes such as farm shops, commercial spaces and sporting venues.

Jeremy has famously butted heads with West Oxfordshire District Council over his attempts to a restaurant at Diddly Squat Farm, with the saga over both being captured on camera for both series of Clarkson's Farm.

Mr Sunak told the conference: 'While the importance of farmers will never change - farming is going through its biggest change in a generation. And as farmers do so, this government will be by their side.

'We'll never take our food security for granted. We've got a plan to support British farming.'

But the NFU says the plan does not include any new funding, with the cash already pledged in previous schemes.

Farmers are continuing to deal with funding challenges post-Brexit, cheap competition from foreign farms that do not have the same quality standards as them and climate challenges affecting the quality of arable land.

Last month, Tesco said it was relaxing its standards on vegetables because farmers had been forced to reap crops early in waterlogged fields due to flooding - meaning many vegetables were much smaller than usual.

NFU president Minette Batters told BBC Breakfast on Tuesday ahead of the conference that the entire farming industry across Britain is 'in crisis'.

She said: 'We are the farming union of England and Wales...you've got a lot of anger and frustration building in Wales about lack of certainty and a consultation that's appearing to come out as a done deal.

'In England we've been on this transition for a longer period of time, but I think farmers fundamentally their first duty is producing food and what they want to see is a clear plan for food production.

'You've got 70 million people on an island - it's really important that we can effectively produce more British food and some things we have to be self-sufficient in...this is compounding factors and we're seeing it playing out across Europe.'

She challenged Mr Sunak as well as Labour and the Liberal Democrats on their commitments to British farmers in her own speech to the NFU conference this morning, ahead of a general election later in 2024.

'There is a reason why countries invest in food production. It is to mitigate risk and volatility for consumers and give farmers the confidence to keep producing food,' she said, in remarks reported by Farmers Weekly.

'But global events have challenged British agriculture, adding to the instability and volatility farmers and growers are facing, when what they really need is certainty.

'Thats why I ask today, which political party will have the right plan for British food?'

The government said last week following the Dover protest: 'We firmly back our farmers. British farming is at the heart of British trade, and we put agriculture at the forefront of any deals we negotiate, prioritising new export opportunities, protecting UK food standards and removing market access barriers.

'We've maintained the 2.4 billion annual farming budget which supports farmers to produce food profitably and sustainably and are also looking at ways to further improve fairness in the supply chain.'

Series three of Clarkson's Farm, meanwhile, will air from May 3 on Amazon Prime Video.
Keir Starmer today called for an 'immediate humanitarian ceasefire' in Gaza as he desperately tries to head off another major Labour revolt.

The Labour leader is widely expected to table an amendment to an SNP motion demanding an 'immediate ceasefire', in a bid to stop his MPs siding with the separatists in a vote tomorrow.

Sir Keir has been struggling to contain divisions over the Israel-Gaza conflict - which saw him disown the party's Rochdale by-election candidate last week.

Ten frontbenchers quit to support a previous SNP motion calling for an immediate ceasefire in November.

Keir Starmer is desperately hunting for a way of heading off another major Labour revolt on Gaza

Wreckage in Gaza this week as the conflict following the October 7 Hamas massacre continues

SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn has tabled a motion calling for an immediate ceasefire

Sir Keir's allies will be hoping he can find a form of words that allows his MPs to support an amendment instead tomorrow.

He devoted a section of his speech to the Scottish Labour conference in Glasgow on Sunday to the crisis, saying he wanted a 'permanent' ceasefire.

But Scottish Labour members voted to back the SNP motion, and the leader north of the border Anas Sarwar described the text as 'perfectly reasonable'.

What does the SNP motion on Gaza say? 'That this House calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Israel; notes with shock and distress that the death toll has now risen beyond 28,000, the vast majority of whom were women and children; further notes that there are currently 1.5million Palestinians sheltering in Rafah, 610,000 of whom are children; also notes that they have nowhere else to go; condemns any military assault on what is now the largest refugee camp in the world; further calls for the immediate release of all hostages taken by Hamas and an end to the collective punishment of the Palestinian people; and recognises that the only way to stop the slaughter of innocent civilians is to press for a ceasefire now.' Advertisement

Some of the heat could be taken out of the row by the US pushing a UN Security Council resolution calling for a temporary ceasefire, in an apparent bid to rein in Benjamin Netanyahu.

Senior Labour figures have been refusing to say whether the party will support the SNP motion when it comes to the Commons tomorrow afternoon.

But any amendment would need to be put forward by tonight.

Yesterday shadow health secretary Wes Streeting acknowledged the anger of Muslim communities at Sir Keir response to the October 7 Hamas massacre and ensuing conflict.

In a round of interviews, Mr Streeting said he 'understood' how strongly people felt and slammed Israel for 'going too far' in its military action.

Asked whether he thought Israel had 'gone too fast', Mr Streeting replied: 'I think, objectively, yes, Israel has gone too far. And we have seen that with a disproportionate loss of innocent civilian life.'

In his speech on Sunday, Sir Keir warned Benjamin Netanyahu not to extend Israel's military offensive to Rafah, as he stressed the need for a two-state solution.

'Any ceasefire cannot be one-sided. It must stop all acts of violence on both sides and it must lead to a genuine peace process,' he said.

'The offensive threatened on Rafah, a place where one-and-a-half million people are now cramped together in unimaginable conditions with nowhere else for them to go.

'This cannot become a new theatre of war. That offensive cannot happen. Even in these most terrible of circumstances, a two-state solution must be back on the table.'

Sir Keir said everyone wanted to see 'a return of all the hostages taken on October 7th, an end to the killing of innocent Palestinians, a huge scaling up of humanitarian relief and an end to the fighting'.

'Not just for now, not just for a pause, but permanently. A ceasefire that lasts. That is what must happen now. The fighting must stop now,' he said.
Julian Assange is too unwell to attend the appeal hearing against his extradition to the US, High Court judges have today heard.

The WikiLeaks founder is wanted in America over an alleged conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defence information following the publication of hundreds of thousands of leaked documents relating to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.

Assange, is facing up to 175 years in jail for espionage - meaning if he is extradited and convicted in the States, he would likely die behind bars.

Dozens of protesters have gathered outside London's Royal Courts of Justice for the opening debate of his two-day legal battle - with Mr Assange's wife, Stella, thanking crowds during an impassioned speech.

At the start of the hearing, two judges were told Assange was too unwell to attend court, with the Wikileak's barrister telling the court the 52-year-old was being prosecuted for an 'ordinary journalistic practice'.

It comes as lawyers representing the Australian today accused American authorities of plotting to 'to kill' or kidnap Assange while he was sheltering in the Ecuadorian embassy in London.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange gestures from the window of a prison van as he is driven out of Southwark Crown Court in London on May 1, 2019

Assange's wife Stella, joins supporters of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange outside the Royal Courts of Justice

The Wikileaks founder is appearing in court for a two-day hearing which will determine whether he will be extradited to the US

Hundreds of people gathered outside the court to show their support to the Wikileaks founder

Mark Summers KC, for the WikiLeaks founder, said: 'What the evidence now shows is that the US developed a plan to try to either kill or rendition Mr Assange to the USA.

'What evidence the district judge heard on that came from protected witness two and it was truly breathtaking.'

Mr Summers said there was a plan to kidnap or poison Assange in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, where he remained for around seven years.

He continued: 'With respect to the district judge, there were red flags everywhere.'

The barrister later said the plan 'only fell apart when the UK authorities weren't very keen on the thought of rendition, or a shootout, in the streets of London'.

The comment comes just days after Assange's wife warned her husband 'will die' if he loses his appeal and is extradited to America.

'The situation is extremely grave. He could be on a plane within days,' Stella said, adding, 'His health is in decline, mentally and physically. His life is at risk every single day he stays in prison, and if he's extradited, he will die.'

Barrister Mr Edward Fitzgerald KC described the case as a 'legally unprecedented prosecution' and said that the 52-year-old faced a 'real risk he will suffer a flagrant denial of justice' if he was extradited.

In written submissions, Mr Fitzgerald said that if Assange was extradited, he would face a trial with 'tainted evidence' and jurors who are 'prejudiced irretrievably by public denunciations of him made by the President downwards'.

Judges were later told the original judge failed to consider the political nature of Assange's actions, which should be protected.

Mr Fitzgerald said: 'Mr Assange is being prosecuted "on account of", in fact, prosecuted for, his exposure of alleged US government involvement in gross crimes of universal jurisdiction.

'Her judgment simply fails to address this issue. Her decision was manifestly deficient and, because there is no answer to this issue, manifestly wrong.'

Outside court, hundreds of activists were seen waving Australian flags, holding placards with the words 'Free Julian Assange' and 'drop the charges', and chanting 'there is only one decision - no extradition' and 'US, UK, hands off Assange'.

'We have two big days ahead. We don't know what to expect, but you are here because the world is watching,' she told the crowd. 'They have to know they can't get away with this. Julian needs his freedom and we all need the truth.'

Assange, 52, is facing up to 175 years in jail for espionage - meaning if he is extradited and convicted, he would likely die behind bars.

Protesters from as far as Australia joined Tuesday's demonstration outside the London court

Ms Assange spoke to protesters outside of court, having previously warned her husband 'will die' if he is extradited to America

Julian Assange, who faces espionage charges and up to 175 years in jail, pictured with his wife Stella

Thanking campaigners, she added: 'Please keep on showing up, be there for Julian and for us, until Julian is free.'

Assange's legal battles began in 2010, and he subsequently spent seven years holed up in Ecuador's embassy in London before he was dragged out and jailed in 2019 for breaching bail conditions. He has been held in a maximum-security jail in southeast London ever since, even getting married there.

Britain finally approved his extradition to America in 2022 after a judge initially blocked it because concerns about his mental health meant he would be at risk of suicide if deported.

His lawyers will try to overturn that approval at a two-day hearing in front of two judges in what could be his last chance to stop his extradition in the English courts.

They will argue that Assange's prosecution is politically motivated and marks an attack on free speech, as the first time a publisher has been charged under the U.S. Espionage Act.

In court, Mr Fitzgerald KC argued: 'He is being prosecuted for engaging in ordinary journalistic practice of obtaining and publishing classified information, information that is both true and of obvious and important public interest.'

Assange's brother, Gabriel Shipton and father John Shipton were also seen outside court ahead of today's hearing, with Gabriel speaking to protesters.

Gabriel added his brother was 'suffering' from poor health, telling TalkTV: 'He is going through immense amount of suffering. He is deteriorating. His health is in a very delicate position. It's absolutely heartbreaking.'

Gabriel Shipton, Assange's brother, was seen outside the High Court in London speaking to crowds on Tuesday

Father of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, John Shipton arrives at the High Court in London

Stella Assange is seen arriving at the High Court for the first day of her husband hearing

Campaigners showing their support massed outside the court in their dozens with posters

Julian Assange's father John Shipton outside the Royal Courts Of Justice in London, ahead of a two-day hearing in the extradition case of his son

During Tuesday's hearing, lawyers for Julian Assange also asked for the green light to appeal against then-home secretary Priti Patel's decision to approve his extradition in June 2022.

In written submissions, Mr Fitzgerald KC, for Assange, said that under the Extradition Act, Ms Patel had the power to refuse to approve the extradition.

He said: 'It is respectfully submitted that it is, at lowest, arguable that the act does not operate in this manner, and specifically does not preclude the secretary of state from halting an extradition which is patently prohibited by the treaty.'

He continued: 'It is a stark proposition, unsupported by authority, that the secretary of state is bound by law to give effect to an extradition request which she knows to be prohibited by international law.'

Judges also heard arguments about the 'motivations' by US authorities seeking to prosecute the Wikileaks founder.

Mark Summers KC, for Assange, said: 'This is a paradigm example of state retaliation for the expression of political opinion.

Dozens of protesters gathered outside the High Court to support Julian Assange today

Mrs Assange spoke to crowds outside the High Court for the first day of her husband hearing

GERMANY: Support for Assange was shown in Germany, too, with protesters leaving gold ribbons outside the US embassy in Berlin

GERMANY: People hold placards saying 'Freiheit' (freedom) in German, as supporters of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange stand near the U.S. Embassy in Berlin

CROATIA: Journalists stage a protest in the Croatian city of Zagreb on Tuesday

LONDON: Campaigns pictured during their rally outside the High Court on Tuesday

'The district judge did not address it, had she done so, it would have been fatal to her decision.'

In written submissions, Mr Summers and Edward Fitzgerald KC, for Assange, added: 'The evidence showed that the US was prepared to go to any lengths, including misusing its own criminal justice system, to sustain impunity for US officials in respect of the torture/war crimes committed in its infamous 'war on terror', and to suppress those actors and courts willing and prepared to try to bring those crimes to account.

'Mr Assange was one of those targets.'

Earlier, politicians from the UK and South Africa spoke out in support of Mr Assange. Among those to give speeches during the rally included former Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, Apsana Begum MP, Richard Burgon MP, and Andrew Feinstein (right), a former Member of the National Assembly of South Africa.

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was among those speaking on Tuesday outside of court

Apsana Begum MP (left) addresses the protest at High Court. Andrew Feinstein (right), a former Member of the National Assembly of South Africa, also spoke to protesters

Other campaigners travelled from across the globe to show their support. Jodie Asard flew from Adelaide , Australia, with her son to support Assange's appeal case.

Ms Asard said: 'We've come over from Australia to stand with our brothers and sisters here and to represent Australia and to make sure that the Australian Government knows that 88 per cent of Australians want Julian Assange free and to be brought home.

'It's probably the trial of the century to be honest in regards to free speech, free press and our right to know, so that's why I'm here to stand with Julian and all these people here to call for him to be completely, safely released.'

Ms Asard added that the way Assange had been kept in a 'three-by-two metre cell' in Belmarsh prison was 'criminal'.

'He is being abused, in my opinion, institutionally abused by our Western governments,' she added.

A speaker on a stage outside the court welcomed protesters to the 'most important freedom of speech case in the 21st century'.

He was greeted with cheers and claps from the crowd of protesters.

Tim Dawson, deputy general secretary at the International Federation of Journalists, then took to the stage.

He said: 'Be under no illusions, if this prosecution is successful, other vital cases will never come to light.'

Stella Assange is surrounded by protesters ahead of her husband's court case in London

Dozens of protesters carrying placards and gold ribbons marched on the Royal Courts of Justice

A group of Assange supporters hold their placards demanding he is freed outside the court on Tuesday morning

One of the posters by a support is pictured outside the court on Tuesday morning

On a stage Mrs Assange (pictured centre) thanked protesters and said: 'Please keep on showing up, be there for Julian and for us, until Julian is free.'

'Free Julian Assange, support journalism and safeguard free speech,' he finished, to claps and cheers from the audience.

Protesters chanted 'UK, US shame on you' as MP for Poplar and Limehouse, Apsana Begum took to the stage outside the Royal Courts of Justice.

'This case is about people and their power, versus the state and its imperialism,' she said.

'Ultimately it is about seeking justice in an all-too-often unjust world. Solidarity,' Ms Begum finished.

Craig Murray, a former British ambassador to Uzbekistan, said if Assange's appeal was not granted, it would be an 'attack on the freedom to know, an attack on the rights of every single person here and every single person around the globe'.

'I have lost all faith in the independence of the judicial system,' Mr Murray said.

During a briefing with reporters last week ahead of her husband's appeal, Ms Assange said the case was 'politically motivated' and violates the UK-US extradition treaty which prohibits extradition for political reasons.

Activists were seen waving Australian flags, holding placards with the words 'Free Julian Assange' and 'drop the charges'

Campaigners hold their posters outside the court ahead of Assange's two-day hearing

Activists were seen waving Australian flags, holding placards with the words 'Free Julian Assange' and 'drop the charges'

She said the 'bogus extradition request' would have been thrown out by the UK authorities if it was made by any country other than the US, adding she had learnt 'not to be optimistic' over his case.

'Julian should never have been put in prison in the first place,' she added.

The couple have two children together and married in March 2022 in Belmarsh.

Ms Assange, who cried during the briefing, said her husband was 'isolated' in prison and spends more than 22 hours a day in confinement.

'I am very concerned about how he's doing. Physically, he's aged prematurely,' she added.

'Julian will be put in a hole if he is extradited, there is no doubt about that. He will be put in a hole so far and deep in the ground that I don't think I'll ever see him again.'

Ms Assange said: 'The situation is extremely grave. He could be on a plane within days'

Julian Assange speaks from the balcony of the Ecuadorian embassy in 2017

If his appeal is unsuccessful, Ms Assange said her husband would apply to the European Court of Human Rights for a Rule 39 order to stop extradition while it considers his case.

Assange's campaign against extradition is supported by human rights and journalistic organisations across the world.

Julian Assange loses his appeal against extradition to the US on espionage charges Advertisement

At the briefing at the Royal Over-Seas League, WikiLeaks editor-in-chief Kristinn Hrafnsson said the extradition would set a precedent that has 'dark and serious implications for press freedom all around the world'.

The Icelandic investigative journalist said: 'We are seeing a critical attack on press freedom worldwide. It is like a disease  an anti-press pandemic creeping up on us that has been incrementally taking shape over the years.

'And in that sense Julian Assange has been canary in the coal mine.'

Rebecca Vincent, director of campaigns at Reporters Without Borders, said there had been a lot of 'unhelpful noise' and 'misconceptions' surrounding the case.

She said: 'We defend Julian Assange because of his contributions to journalism.

'We believe this case has a lot of implications for journalism and press freedom around the world.'

Ms Vincent said the US espionage act lacks a 'public interest defence' and could be applied to 'anyone publishing stories based on leaked documents'.

Supporters of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange protest outside Westminster Magistrates Court

Stella Assange with Wikileaks editor-in-chief Kristinn Hrafnsson

Assange is wanted in the US over an alleged conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defence information following the publication of hundreds of thousands of leaked documents relating to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. He denies any wrongdoing.

In a January 2021 ruling, then-district judge Vanessa Baraitser said he should not be sent to the US, citing a real and 'oppressive' risk of suicide, while ruling against him on all other issues.

US authorities brought a successful High Court challenge against this decision, paving the way for extradition.

In June last year, Assange lost his appeal against a judge's ruling over whether he should be extradited but make his final appeal in the High Court this week.
A rare striped dolphin has been put down after washing up on a Cornish beach because of sea temperatures rising as a result of climate change.

The creature was found on Saturday at Praa Sands in Cornwall, where beachgoers tried to refloat it despite dangerous weather conditions.

Penzance Coastguard Rescue Team was dispatched for human safety supervision, while British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) Marine Mammal Medics (MMM) were summoned to respond.

On arrival, medics were able to take control and recovered the dolphin, which was being washed onto the beach by the waves.

It was found to be a striped dolphin, a warmer-water species usually found in the Bay of Biscay.

The striped dolphin was found at Praa Sands on Saturday just after 4pm

Dan Jarvis, from BDMLR, said: 'We're seeing a gradual increase of striped dolphin strandings in the UK because of climate change and sea temperatures rising.

'In the last 20 years there's been an increase we see one or two striped dolphin strandings a year and there's a slight increase in other parts of the UK too.'

Many stranded striped dolphins in the UK have been found in poor nutritional condition with underlying health issues so typically have been put down.

But on this occasion the male dolphin was assessed to be in moderate condition making it a possible candidate to be refloated.

Further assessment showed minor injuries caused by stranding plus some old wounds and it was found to be stressed with a high breathing rate.

It was decided the dolphin had to be moved to Carbis Bay, as that location was the best chance of getting him back out to sea.

Penzance Coastguard Rescue Team was dispatched for human safety supervision, while British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) Marine Mammal Medics (MMM) were summoned to respond

By the time the dolphin swam out to sea and everyone was stood down, it was dark.

The next morning MMM were already out searching the area when a call came in of the same dolphin caught up in the surf at Hayle, so a team was deployed with a vet again.

On arrival, the dolphin was brought ashore for reassessment.

This revealed its health had declined and euthanasia would be the best option for its welfare.

Following an efficient and painless procedure, it was taken for post-mortem examination with Cornwall Marine Pathology Team.

Dan said dolphins can strand for a number of reasons including old age, health reasons, getting lost, or human activity like getting caught in marine litter or boat activity.

Throughout the year, Dan said there are half a dozen live dolphin strandings in the South West.

He added: 'Sometimes these animals just won't survive, they can't cope in the sea anymore.'
Have YOU had to take action yourself after a car theft?

Have YOU had to take action yourself after a car theft? Email stewart.carr@mailonline.co.uk

A woman who tracked down her stolen 30k car using an app claims the Met Police told her to go to the car's location and 'pick it up' herself.

Alexandra Vlad woke on the morning of February 6 to find her Lexus UX gone from her drive in Newham, East London.

She immediately checked a tracking app on her phone and discovered the last location in Hackney - around six miles away.

Ms Vlad, 32, then called police and gave them the information - but alleges she was then told to go there to get the car herself.

She says the whole ordeal made her feel 'unsafe'.

Alexandra Vlad, 32, awoke on February 6 to find her Lexus UX gone from her drive in Newham, East London. After tracking the car's location using an app, she says the Met Police told her to go to the location herself

Ms Vlad used a tracking app to find the location of her stolen Lexus UV - which turned out to be six miles away in Hackney. She says police instructed her to visit the location herself

Ms Vlad, who works in corporate finance, said: 'I was more shaken by the experience of dealing with the police than the car being stolen itself.

'I told them what happened, and that I could see the last location of the engine.

'They told me they wouldn't be there for at least an hour. It was a dodgy part of Hackney. I felt unsafe.'

Ms Vlad says the police advised her to go and see if her car was parked but told her not to approach if someone was in it, and to call them when she was there.

She believes they put her in a dangerous position, and says they showed little regard for her safety.

When she arrived at the scene, her car was parked up.

She said: 'I called them and told them it was there - they said that's great! Is it running?'

Ms Vlad, who is originally from Romania, decided to take matters into her own hands and approached the car.

She found it totally empty - with no petrol left and lights on the dashboard flashing.

She said: 'I had no idea what I'd find inside. Drugs? A dead body?

'The police just told me to go to a garage. It was really unhelpful - it made me more anxious.'

The attempted removal of the tracker from the Lexus UX, pictured by Ms Vlad after she retrieved her vehicle

Ms Vlad is speaking out as she is unhappy with her treatment by a public body.

She said: 'I was baffled. You pay taxes to pay for police - just to leave it to us to sort out. What are we even paying for?'

The Metropolitan Police said: 'On Tuesday, 6 February we received a report that a car had been stolen from outside a house in E13.

'The owner later contacted us to say she had traced the car and collected it.

'Enquiries continue.'
Two care workers left a distressed and highly vulnerable 87-year-old man slumped helpless on the floor of a care home for nearly an hour after he fell, a court has heard.

The carers repeatedly walked past the frail resident, who suffered from dementia, and deliberately 'ignored his plight' so that they could prioritise other jobs.

They later blamed either short staffing or a lack of training, but they should have put the man 'at the top of the list' for urgent help after his fall, it was head.

It was left to other worried residents to try their best to help the elderly man to stand up, but they were unable to manage, Hull Crown Court heard.

Dianne Brown, 57, of Hedon, and Thitikan Khaengraeng, 37, of the New Bridge Road area of east Hull, admitted ill-treating a person while working as care workers on June 22, 2022.

Dianne Brown, 57, of Hedon (pictured) arrives at Hull Crown Court

Charlotte Baines, prosecuting, said that the elderly man was, at the time, a resident at Holyrood House care home in Hedon and was in the last stages of dementia. He had since died, but not as the result of the incident involving Brown and Khaengraeng.

It was noted on the man's care plan that he was prone to falls and should not be moved without assistance from the ambulance service, unless he was able to stand on his own or to get up on to his knees. He was sitting in a chair in a room off a hallway when he tried to stand, using a nearby walking frame to help himself up.

'He eventually got to his feet but lost his balance and fell on to the floor,' said Miss Baines. 'He began to cry out.'

The fall happened at 8.02pm. Brown was doing medication rounds at that time and she walked past the room where the pensioner was lying on the floor. She said, 'Oh, God', as she walked past, but she did not enter the room to check on him or to try to help him.

Thitikan Khaengraeng 37, (pictured) of the New Bridge Road area of east Hull, arrives at Hull Crown Court

Brown went into another room and exited back into the hallway. She asked another resident what she was supposed to do if he kept falling and she said that she could not lift him. She did not go back into the room to check on the man's welfare.

Another resident in the hallway tried to persuade the pensioner to try to get himself up. Seventeen minutes after his fall, the man started to shuffle his way out of the room. 'The resident present tried to assist him, but could not,' said Miss Baines.

Khaengraeng appeared in the corridor about 23 minutes after the fall, but she did not assist the pensioner. 'She shut the door to the room that he had dragged himself from and left the hallway,' said Miss Baines. The distressed man could be heard saying: 'Please, please.'

At about 8.31pm, 29 minutes after the fall, Brown came into the hallway and asked the pensioner what he was doing and why he was crawling around. 'There were other residents present at the time,' said Miss Baines.

'She told him that he needed to sit in a chair in the hallway. She told him that she cannot lift him on her own and remarked that there was not enough staff.' Brown told another resident: 'He's okay because he's moving around..'

The pensioner remained on the floor. At 8.36pm, Brown walked past the pensioner on her way in to and out of a room where another resident was screaming. A minute later, Khaengraeng came into the hallway and told the pensioner that she needed Brown to help her. She went upstairs. Other residents tried various methods to try to help the elderly man to stand.

A general view of Holyrood House care home in Hedon

'After a couple of minutes or so, Dianne Brown re-entered the hallway and told the residents not to lift him,' said Miss Baines. Brown told him that, if he was going to crawl around, he would have to stay on the floor.

She and Khaengraeng lifted the pensioner in an awkward way and placed him on the chair. 'This was at just before 9pm, approximately 57 minutes after the initial fall,' said Miss Baines.

The incident came to light when the care home manager came on shift the next day. A task that she had earlier requested had not been done and she spotted the fall and its aftermath on CCTV.

The fall had not been mentioned on the pensioner's care plan notes. Brown and Khaengraeng were suspended immediately and an investigation was carried out. The head office, safeguarding and the police were alerted.

Brown and Khaengraeng had no previous convictions. Rachel Scott, mitigating, said Brown claimed that she did not see the elderly man lying on the floor until he had been there for some time, but she did not act quickly enough and fully accepted that. 'She recognises that this offence is very unpleasant and she recognises that it is very distressing to watch,' said Miss Scott.

Brown had a very kind and caring side and she worked 'above and beyond' her role during the Covid-19 pandemic. Brown claimed that she used her own money to buy clothes from charity shops for residents because family were not allowed to visit.

There had been a staffing crisis that day when a senior carer did not turn up for work, but Brown claimed that she was just 'told to get on with it'.

Miss Scott said that Brown wished that she could turn back time. 'She was just trying her best in conditions that were very trying,' said Miss Scott. 'She is genuinely remorseful for her behaviour on that date.

Cathy Kioko-Gilligan, representing Khaengraeng, said that it was a distressing case, especially for the family of the pensioner, but the role of carer was new to the defendant at the time. She had actually applied just for a cleaning job and was looking to her supervisors for support as a trainee carer.

'Both the supervision and the training were substantially lacking,' said Miss Kioko-Gilligan. 'The defendant readily accepts that what happened should not have.

'She was looking for employment that would challenge her. Sadly, she did not find that in the care working sector. She is truly sorry and ashamed. She says that she will never again darken the door of this court or any other court.'

Khaengraeng had been in this country since 2014, but her family was still in Thailand.

Recorder Latimer said of the pensioner: 'He was a very vulnerable man indeed and he deserved compassion and respect towards the end of his life.' The elderly resident fell to the floor, which would be a fairly common thing to happen. 'Both of you saw him and walked past him and left him there for the better part of one hour,' said Recorder Latimer.

'Each of you walked past him several times, sometimes not even speaking to him, and certainly ignoring his plight. That gentleman was distressed.

'He understood his situation and I imagine it was embarrassing and even humiliating for an adult to be left that way. Other residents saw him and saw you ignoring him.

'You left one of your patients on the floor. He was left unaided for an hour. You inflicted no injury. You simply failed to care for a man who had fallen.'

Brown was given 110 hours' unpaid work. Khaengraeng was given 80 hours' unpaid work.
Red paper products such as couplets and paper squares bearing the Chinese character fu, which symbolizes good fortune, used during the Lunar New Year have driven the development of a town in Shandong province as villagers integrate tradition with innovation. People in villages in the town of Xiazhuang in Gaomi produced 8,000 metric tons of red paper products last year for the Year of the Dragon, including traditional couplets, the town government said. Production is centered in the village of Donglijia, which has been making red paper products since the late Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Sixty percent of the village's 200 households are engaged in the business of crafting the traditional items, showcasing a deep-rooted heritage and a thriving local industry. "We had to work overtime to produce and sell the products during the two months ahead of the Lunar New Year," said Wang Gang, the head of Shandong Dongmo Cultural Co, which makes red paper products in Donglijia. During the week before Spring Festival, searches for Spring Festival couplets and fu in China were up 218 percent compared with the previous week, according to statistics from food delivery platform Eleme. "Despite the decline in pasting couplets on doors due to urbanization, the practice of displaying fu remains prevalent in every household," said Li Zhaocheng, 67, a villager who has been involved in the red paper products business for over 40 years. The well-received couplets and fu have also undergone changes and become more diverse in recent years. In Donglijia, couplets have seen a shift from traditional red paper with black characters to include various styles such as large red paper with gold embellishments, embossed couplets and holographic printed designs. "For the Year of the Dragon, we have created a series of products that incorporate dragon motifs, which have proved to be particularly popular," Li said. The village is home to factories that use modern machinery and also traditional family workshops that rely on manual printing techniques. Wang, 35, has introduced innovative fu designs, including ones with sound and light features. "In addition to mass-producing traditional items, we also offer custom-designed gift sets comprising couplets, the Chinese character fu, red envelopes and dragon-themed window decorations," Wang said. The company started designing products for the Year of the Dragon a year in advance. "We developed more than 100 dragon-themed red paper products and they have been well-received, garnering orders from over 10 provinces and municipalities across the country," Wang said. Li Ran, deputy director of the county's cultural research association for red paper couplets, said, "The evolution of these traditional decorations not only reflects the preservation of cultural heritage, but also demonstrates the adaptability and innovation of artisans in response to changing societal trends."
Russia has launched a bizarre worldwide hunt for a Ukrainian OnlyFans model after she posed topless on Red Square.

The incident, which happened on Red Square in 2021, saw 24-year-old Lolita Bogdanova- aka Lola Bunny - lift her top for the camera.

Although the provocative video was recorded before the war, it was reported that she was put on the Kremlin's international wanted list on Tuesday by the Russian Interior Ministry - a move that was revealed by loyalist media outlet Readovka.

At the time, her act caused a scandal on account of the model's stunt being in front of the onion-domed St Basil's Cathedral, one of Russia's most sacred places.

Bogdanova apologised for offending religious believers but said the footage had been filmed several years earlier, and was uploaded by someone else.

Lolita Bogdanova, 24 - aka Lola Bunny flashed her bare chest inside the walls of the Kremlin

The model's stunt was in front of the onion-domed St Basil's Cathedral, one of Russia's most sacred places

She was not detained, although she signed an agreement not to leave Russia pending a full investigation.

A leading churchman had demanded she demonstrate 'repentance'.

She is now believed to be abroad.

The model has been put on the wanted list as Russia imposes an unprecedented new drive on traditional values, not seen in Putin's first two decades of power.

The ministry has not explained why they are suddenly chasing her.

Bogdanova is said to be wanted 'under a criminal article', without explaining the precise accusation.

She is originally from Makiivka, now in Russian occupied Ukraine.

It comes as the Russian police and security services are starting a torrent of criminal cases on people seen as enemies or deviants from the new orthodoxy in wartime Russia.

In January, it was reported that an almost-naked man performing on stage at a nightclub was being caught by Russian forces and was expected to do a 15 day detention.

Russian police and security services are starting a torrent of criminal cases on people seen as enemies or deviants

The man, Maxim Tesli, frontman of Puppies band, was seen wearing just a sock on covering his genitals while performing in a club gig in St Petersburg.

The sock fell during his performance, leaving the post-punk singer completely naked as reported by the Sun.

Tesli made a dash for the airport, attempting to get away after his stunt by an indirect route - but to no avail, as Putin's police caught him before he could escape.

The Sun reported that the head of Russia's Safe Internet League, Ekaterina Mizulina, said: 'At a concert in St. Petersburg, he performed songs of dubious content in one sock.

'I wonder how the law enforcement agencieswill react to this.'

Vladimir Putin is cracking down on 'debauchery' and chasing those he sees as 'deviants'

The Sun also reported that social activist Vitaly Borodin said: 'Maxim Tesli decided to repeat the costume of rapper Vacio, but the sock accidentally slipped off.

'These are the scum our children are watching today, this is LGBT propaganda.

'We are preparing an appeal to initiate a criminal case.'

Others demanded a jail term for the performer who they called 'vile'.
While her husband Alexei Navalny led his brave crusade against Vladimir Putin and rampant corruption in Russia, Yulia Navalnaya was an ever-present force behind the scenes.

Far more than just a loving wife and source of support for her husband, Yulia - a highly educated economist - is believed to have been an integral part of Navalny's operation.

Following his highly suspicious death in the shady depths of an Arctic prison last week, Yulia appears poised to take up her husband's mantle and hasten the downfall of the Putin regime.

Yesterday, she published a rousing video on social media platform X in which she declared, in no uncertain terms, that she would 'continue the work of Alexei Navalny and continue to fight for our country' - directly accusing Putin of orchestrating her husband's murder in the process.

But now Yulia faces the same critical dilemma confronted by her husband three years ago - one which ultimately led to his demise.

If she is indeed to carry on her spouse's fight as a key opposition figure to the Kremlin, she must choose whether to return to her homeland.

Any attempt to lead the opposition from within Russia is almost certain to bring about her arrest by Moscow's security services, which could quite possibly see her meet the same fate as Navalny.

But opting to lead an anti-Putin movement in exile abroad would drastically limit her effectiveness - and enable the Kremlin's propaganda drive to cast her as a mere puppet controlled by the nefarious West.

At this critical juncture of Yulia Navalnaya's story, MailOnline recaps her journey from budding economist to the 'First Lady' of Russia's opposition - and explores what may await her as its leader.

Yulia Navalnaya, wife of the late Russian dissident Alexei Navalny, leaves the hall of the Foreign Affairs Council Room of the Europa Building following her speech, in Brussels, 19 February 2024

Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of Alexei Navalny, with European Union Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell on the day of a meeting of European Union foreign ministers in Brussels, Belgium February 19, 2024

In this image taken from video released by Navalny Team on Monday, Feb. 19, 2024, Yulia Navalnaya, widow of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny gives a video message calling on Russian citizens to join her in the fight against Putin

Russian opposition activist Alexei Navalny and his wife Yulia talk in a courtroom before the hearing in Moscow, Russia on April 23, 2015

Yulia Navalny shares a touching photo of the pair together in happier times before the 'murdered' Putin critic was found dead in his cell

FILE: Alexei Navalny looks at a camera while speaking from a prison via a video link, provided by the Russian Federal Penitentiary Service, during a court session in Petushki, Russia, Monday, Jan. 17, 2022

Born in 1976 to a Soviet scientist father and a mother who worked in the USSR's ministry for the production of consumer goods, Yulia Abrosimova seemed destined for lofty heights.

Her mother later remarried to a government worker in the USSR's State Planning Committee, and it seemed evident Yulia would herself go on to enter politics.

But instead, a keen aptitude for mathematics saw a young Yulia earn a place in Russia's prestigious Plekhanov Academy of Economics, where she set about building a career as a banker and economist - until a chance meeting with a budding lawyer named Alexei Navalny while on holiday in Turkey irrevocably altered her path.

Just two years after their paths crossed in 1998, Yulia Abrosimova became Yulia Navalnaya, marrying Alexei at the turn of the millennium and giving birth to their first of two children in 2001.

As her husband's career in law and politics began to blossom, Yulia set aside her own professional aspirations and became dedicated to helping Navalny's cause.

She previously revealed she helped Alexei's parents with their basket weaving company, and since 2007 has been 'in charge of everyday life and raising children'.

But Yulia was by no means a mere homemaker.

She quickly earned a reputation for being just as outspoken and defiant as her husband and throughout the 2010s became embedded in his work, particularly after he founded the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) in 2011.

And though she never sought to develop her own political career, she was more than happy to roll up her sleeves and get her hands dirty.

Though she had to contend with the occasional threat from a high-level figure, her life was, for the most part, happy, until 2020, when she was thrust into the political spotlight following her husband's poisoning at the hands of the Russian state

Yulia met Alexei in 1998 while on holiday in Turkey, and the pair got married just two years later, giving birth to their two children, Dasha (pictured, left) and Zakhar (pictured, bottom)

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny died on February 16, 2024 at the Arctic prison colony where he was serving a 19-year-term

Navalny is seen addressing his supporters after arriving from Kirov, with his wife Yulia alongside him, at a railway station in Moscow, Russia, July 20, 2013

In 2018, Navalny's team at FBK published an investigation that revealed widespread corruption in the government's procurement of food for the National Guard.

After head of the guard Viktor Zolotov challenged her husband to a duel amid the scandal - a challenge to which he could not respond from his jail cell having been arrested on protest-related charges - Yulia took it upon herself to bite back.

'This is a threat from an arrogant bandit who revels in his impunity. The only feeling I have for Zolotov is contempt. I despise him as a thief and a coward.

'He is a coward because he has never responded to any of the accusations of corruption brought forward by the FBK and supported by iron-clad evidence,' she declared.

But her husband's poisoning in 2020 marked the first time Yulia was thrust into the spotlight and sparked her rise to prominence as a public figure in her own right.

When Navalny fell gravely ill on domestic Russian flight as a result of poisoning by deadly nerve agent Novichok, Yulia immediately assumed a leading role, expertly juggling duties as a de-facto spokeswoman, operational mastermind and dedicated spouse.

She took to the world stage and lobbied Germany into agreeing to take care of him, and effectively bullied hospital chiefs and local officials in Russia's Omsk, where Navalny had been admitted to hospital in critical condition, into releasing her husband.

She managed to get Navalny onto a chartered plane to one of Europe's biggest and most advanced university hospitals, where he received lifesaving treatment and subsequently made a stunning recovery.

Several independent Russian media outlets named her Hero of the Year for 2020 for her swift decision-making and refusal to bow to the will of the Russian authorities who attempted to keep a comatose Navalny locked in an Omsk hospital.

Navalny himself later told his wife: 'Yulia, you saved me.'

In 2021, having recovered from the attempt on his life, Navalny returned to Russia with Yulia by his side.

He was promptly detained at a border checkpoint, and so began the harrowing ordeal that saw him shuttled back and forth from jail cell to pre-determined court hearing for more than two years.

Yulia meanwhile orchestrated a series of protests across the country, for which she was arrested.

Navalny was eventually condemned to a 19-year-sentence in the IK-3 strict regime penal colony north of the Arctic Circle in December 2023, but served just two months before he died last week, with many international leaders and commentators accusing the Kremlin of ordering his assassination.

Yulia became more and more involved in her husband's political career

Navalny and his wife Yulia attend a rally against pension age increase in Moscow, Russia, 29 July 2018

Navalny and his wife Yulia attend his last election campaign event during heavy rain in Moscow, Russia on 6 September 2013

Yulia raised her family and helped her husband's political work at the same time for years

This handout picture posted on September 21, 2020 on the Instagram account of @navalny shows Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and his wife Yulia Navalnaya in Berlin's Charite hospital

And so, just days after what was likely the murder of her defenceless husband, Yulia Navalnaya now finds herself at a crossroads - to return, or not to return?

She has spoken of a desire to construct 'a peaceful, happy, beautiful Russia that Alexei once described' - something she said is only possible once Putin's regime has been torn apart.

And she has declared her intention to step into her husband's shoes and lead the fight to this end in a powerful video published on X on Monday.

Hours after the video appeared on social media, Yulia took to the stage in Brussels where she spoke with EU leaders, including foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, imploring them to bolster anti-Kremlin movements in Russia and continue sanctions against Putin and his supporters.

But the Kremlin is already doing its best to limit her reach and is reportedly beginning proceedings to discredit her as a Western puppet.

Her video, in which she called on Russian citizens to rise up and stand against the Russian President, was restricted to Russian internet users and was not reported by state media.

Instead, several Russian media outlets simply quoted unnamed intelligence sources as saying she could soon be declared a 'foreign agent'.

And Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov issued a simple statement labelling the accusations Navalny was murdered in prison as 'unfounded and vulgar'.

Yulia today responded scornfully: 'I do not give a damn how the press secretary of a murderer comments on my words.'

But it is clear that her power to influence Russian citizens and drive change is limited while she remains an external force.

Unfortunately, a return to her homeland would be fraught with danger.

Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation is now listed as a terrorist organisation - on a par with the likes of al-Qaeda and Islamic State - and any attempt to launch new protests or openly challenge the Kremlin on Russian soil is likely to end in arrest and incarceration - or worse.

'If (Navalnaya) does this in Russia, she will have a high chance of ending up where her late husband ended up,' Alexei Levinson, head of sociocultural research at Russian pollster Levada Center said.

'If she does this from abroad, the effect will be the same as for all the rest of those who somehow try to influence the processes taking place in Russia from abroad, and in my opinion, do not achieve very much.'

The crossroads at which Yulia Navalny now stands is not an enviable one.

But if she's anything like her husband - and all of the evidence would suggest that is indeed the case - she will walk either path with an unbreakable resolve, motivated by a quiet fury and the unwavering belief that better times lie ahead.
Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi joined the chorus of people condemning Donald Trump's statements on the death of Russian dissident Alexei Navalny, saying that his remarks show he's a person 'without values.'

Navalny, 47, died in a Russian penal colony known as The Polar Wolf on Friday in mysterious circumstances. Many Western leaders have laid the blame for the sudden death at the feet of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Trump neglected to mention Putin's possible connection in a message about Navalny's death on TruthSocial. The former president instead compared the death to his own domestic legal troubles.

'The sudden death of Alexei Navalny has made me more and more aware of what is happening in our country. It is a slow, steady progression, with CROOKED, Radical Left Politicians, Prosecutors, and Judges leading us down a path to destruction,' he wrote on TruthSocial.

'Open borders, Rigged Elections, and Grossly Unfair Courtroom Decisions are DESTROYING AMERICA. WE ARE A NATION, A FAILING NATION! MAGA2024,' he added.

In response, Pelosi, 83, asked MSNBC's Jen Psaki during an interview on Monday: 'Trump speaking out the way he did about Navalny shows you he is a person without values... You wonder, what does Putin have on Donald Trump that he always has to be beholden to him, his buddy in vileness?'

Rep. Nancy Pelosi slammed Trump's response to Navalny's death while pondering what Putin has on the ex-president

Putin and Trump meeting in Osaka in June 2019, the former Apprentice host has spoke glowingly about the Russian strongman for years

Nancy Pelosi goes completely unhinged as she and Jen Psaki float a delusional conspiracy theory that Putin is blackmailing President Trump with "something financial" pic.twitter.com/E51UNERu82  RNC Research (@RNCResearch) February 20, 2024

The California liberal went on to call Trump's statement 'beneath the dignity of a human being.'

'It's so horrible you think, "No, somebody must have made this up. Not even Donald Trump could go this far," This statement should disqualify him from from running for anything, much less President of the United States,' she added.

Over on CNN, the reaction was much the same as former Fox News host Chris Wallace said that Trump and his supporters may 'not want to address Navalny.

'You know, its quite extraordinary that Donald Trump would somehow equate what hes going through in American courts of law with the full due process that hes accorded to what Navalny went through, being consigned to the gulag to a Siberian prison where he died under extremely mysterious and frankly, suspicious circumstances,' Wallace told host Abby Phillip.

'Anybody who covered Trump during his presidency  let alone since  has to be struck by the very kids glove approach he has given to the Russian president throughout yeah, absolutely,' he added.

It has since emerged that Navalny, Putin's most persistent critic, was shown to have worried about another Trump presidency in letters he sent to a friend from his prison cell.

Liberals on Twitter were lining up to condemn Trump's remarks

However the ex-president found plenty of support on his own TruthSocial platform

Many have also expressed outrage around Trump's post.

'Even for Trump, the level of malignant narcissim and sociopathy was so far off the charges in this statement - making the murder of Navalny all about him - that I figured it was a parody. Nope, it's real. Trump really put this out on truth social,' author Kurt Eichenwald wrote.

'Whenever you think Trump can't get any lower, there's a knock on the floorboards. He aggrandizes himself, slanders Navalny, and compares his lifelong criminality and the US justice system with dictator Putin's persecution of political opposition,' former chess champion Garry Kasparov wrote.

'After saying nothing about the assassination of Navalny for days, Trump finally comments - not to honor the fallen hero; not to condemn Putin for the murder - but to improbably liken HIMSELF to the martyr, drawing false equivalences and running down our own democracy,' former Obama advisor David Axelrod said.

However over on TruthSocial, many agreed with Trump's sentiments.

'Biden is the American Putin. Trump is Biden's Navalny. He wants him to die in prison,' one follower wrote.

'This administration and Biden have no right to say anything about Putin and the death of Navalny they are trying to do exact same thing to Trump! Hypocrites all!!!,' said another.

Others spread baseless conspiracy theories. 'Navalny is a terrorist. He was caught planning a color revolution to overtake Russia with MI6. He's not 'political opposition.' He's a foreign intelligence asset.'

When standing next to the former KGB agent in 2018, Trump declared 'President Putin says it's not Russia. I don't see any reason why it would be,' in reference to US intelligence agencies assertion that Russian operatives spread misinformation online in the run-up to the 2016 presidential election.

Earlier this month, Trump again said that if he returns to the White House, he would not defend NATO members that don't meet defense spending targets, days after he set off alarms in Europe by suggesting he would tell Russia to attack NATO allies he considered delinquent.

Speaking at a campaign rally in South Carolina, he retold the story of his alleged conversation with the head of a NATO member country that had not met its obligations. This time, though, he left out the line that drew the most outrage  encouraging Russia 'to do whatever the hell they want.'

'Look, if they're not going to pay, we're not going to protect. OK?' he said Wednesday.

Trump stuck closer than usual to his prepared remarks after a freewheeling event days earlier in which he also drew backlash for mocking Nikki Haley's husband's military deployment.

He also revised his comments about Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom he has often praised as tough and previously suggested treated him like the 'apple of his eye.'
Elon Musk is using a 'burner account' on X to shower himself with praise, according to a bizarre new conspiracy circling internet forums.

Social media users have claimed Musk is using an 'imaginary fan' account under the name 'Adrian Dittmann' to respond to his own posts on his platform after the blue tick-verified account was seen popping up with repeated notes of admiration.

Pekka Kallioniemi, creator of The Soup Central, a channel purporting to provide 'in depth knowledge on disinformation, bad actors and information operations', shared a thread viewed 5.1mn times on the 'wild theory' this week.

He noted it 'wouldn't be the first time Elon is using alt accounts to interact on X' after users tracked down an 'Elon Test' account in which the Tesla founder posed as his two-year-old son and criticized his ex-partner Grimes.

And this month, an account was said to have been suspended from X after alleging he was being 'harassed' by Dittmann, who he claimed had 'asked his friends to ID me in a Twitter space' after publicly criticizing Musk. The account holder has since clarified that they left the site voluntarily.

But Dittmann asked for 'five minutes' with Musk to 'clear up the alt account situation', the pair speaking late on Monday about the claims. The conversation directly addressed the similarities in the voice, but also prompted new allegations Musk had used an AI impersonator to put the rumors to bed.

Dittmann made headlines last year when Musk directly acknowledged the similarity in their voices after the former appeared on Alex Jones' controversial InfoWars podcast, the billionaire tech entrepreneur commenting, 'at some point theres just going to be like 100 AI clones of me that sound exactly the same.'

Elon Musk and his security detail depart Tesla's local office in Washington, January 27, 2023

The pair appeared on Spaces to directly address claims Adrian was a Musk alt account

Speaking late on X's Spaces on Monday, the pair directly addressed claims Musk was posing as Dittmann.

Musk says: 'Alex Jones thinks it's me?'

Dittmann begins to explain the conspiracy before he is cut off by Musk laughing.

Musk continues: 'There's eight billion people on the earth. The odds are there's someone who sounds like me somewhere. And you are that person.'

'Honestly, I don't believe you're not me,' he jokes.

'People think I'm legitimately your clone,' Dittmann responds. 'Like one of your Neuralink experiments. Can you clarify that I'm not one of your Neuralink experiments? Or maybe I am and I just wouldn't realize it?'

Musk suggests: 'Well, the thing is you even ask questions in the way that I would ask questions!'

Dittmann says he discovered Musk watching SpaceX videos in 2016, before his partner pointed out the similarities in how they sound.

'Something's not quite right with this world. Probably like a bug in the simulation,' Dittmann continues.

But he goes on to brush off the furore around the comparisons since as the 'stupidest thing I've ever seen'.

Musk asks what Dittmann looks like when a third voice chimes in, 'I've seen Adrian: he could be your twin!'

Dittmann later goes on to praise Musk for his work on X, saying he uses Spaces 'practically eight hours a day, three times a week' before chatting about Musk's family.

The call was prompted by the rumors online, which led Dittmann to write on Sunday: 'You know you've made it when there are conspiracy theories about you on the internet.'

Older posts show the user's interest in the platform, writing on February 9: 'The shows and content coming to X will blow your mind.'

He has also shown support for Musk's rebrand of the site, writing earlier this month: 'I honestly enjoy the less gimmicky approach of calling posts for what they are as opposed to tweets.'

In January, Dittmann wrote: 'It took Boston Dynamics 30 years to achieve what Tesla achieved in one.'

Of most interest to speculators are the posts outwardly praising X's direction. On February 3, Dittmann wrote: 'Anything is possible on the everything app X.'

He previously wrote: 'X will become the gold standard for social media platforms of the future.'

The pair most today engaged in a friendly exchange under one of Musk's on-brand meme posts after a user presented Musk and Dittmann as one and the same.

'We should dress up in Spider-Man outfits and go on stage together,' Musk joked.

'You get the iron-spider suit,' Dittmann said back.

Musk fanpage ELON ALERTS shared today that 'Elon Musk is now following Adrian Dittmann.'

Adrian Dittmann: An account avidly following Musk's work, now accused of being an AI clone...

Still, in recent days users have latched on to the idea Musk is posing as Adrian to back up his posts.

One user wrote, without providing evidence: 'Adrian Dittman [sic] is an Elon Musk Burner account which proves not only that he had the mental age of a twelve year old with no friends, it reminds us that he tried to BUY them (X), and when that made people hate him more, he used AI to make a version of himself who loves him'.

Another wrote: 'I don't want to spoil anything, but "Adrian Dittman [sic] ," who insists he's not Elon Musk, comes back on InfoWars, and Alex absolutely insists he's Musk. People even point out they've talked to each other in a Twitter Space, and Alex says its Musk talking to an AI of himself.'

A third suggested: 'Adrian Dittman is either the real Elon Musk, a Musk AI, or some combination of the both [sic]. The structure of the responses isn't the way Musk would phrase them - the sentences are phrased the way an AI would phrase them, and the speech delivery is that of a recording.'

The theory even earned its own place in Know Your Meme's popular collection of trending internet phenomena.

DailyMail.com was unable to reach X for comment.

DailyMail.com approached Mr Dittmann for comment.
An aquarium cleaner who got an 'incredibly rare' form of fish tuberculosis because he habitually bit his nails has lost an unfair dismissal claim after his bosses banned him from doing the job.

Joshua Hodges quit his role at an aquatic design company in Surrey because he was told he had to work building ponds instead of cleaning and maintaining fish tanks - often in the homes of clients.

The cleaner was known to bite his nails very low - to the extent that his fingers are regularly bleeding - and did not wear gloves when his hands were in the water.

The medication to combat the fish tuberculosis also meant Hodges was unable to work many morning and afternoons for up to a year, the unemployment tribunal heard.

To avoid Hodges getting another bout of the disease and risk being sued because of it, the owners of Aquatechniques decided to move him to a role with minimal exposure to fish, the hearing was told.

Aquatechniques designs, sells and maintains fish tanks for their customers. They are based in Surrey

But he was unhappy at the move, claiming he had been forced to choose between 'two evils' and sued them for unfair dismissal.

However, his case has been rejected by an employment judge who found he had not been forced to leave the job.

Mr Hodges started working for Aquatechniques in Redhill, Surrey in September 2019, the hearing in Croydon, London heard.

In mid-May 2022, Mr Hodges went to see his doctor about an infected finger.

He was referred to an infectious diseases specialist at St George's Hospital, London, who diagnosed him with an infection known as Mycobacterium Marinum, associated with fish and water.

'In fish, this causes a tuberculosis-type illness,' the tribunal heard.

'In humans, infection can occur when injured skin is exposed to water contaminated with the bacteria, and it presents as a skin infection.

'An infection of this kind is apparently incredibly rare in humans.'

The rare skin infection meant Hodges was prescribed 'high dose antibiotics' - with side effects such as 'unpleasant nausea' - for a period ranging from three months up to a year.

This resulted in him being too unwell to work in the mornings and often in the afternoons.

Business owners Emma and Simon Flood were warned by a lawyer that if Mr Hodges suffered a 'return of his condition' he could easily sue them if he were to become reinfected.

To avoid this, they reassigned him to work in the pond construction team as there was 'no, or very low, exposure to water with fish in it as part of that role'.

Mr Hodges was 'not enthusiastic' about this change in role - particularly as he had learned he was being paid less than others - and he met with his employers to tell them this.

Joshua Hodges cleaned fish tanks for Aquatechniques before he was diagnosed with fish tuberculosis. Pictured: A stock image of a fish tank

'Mr and Mrs Flood remained resolute that he was not to return to his Fish Tank Maintenance role,' the tribunal heard.

A disputed meeting occurred which eventually resulted in Mr Hodges accepting a redundancy offer as he decided against staying in the role.

He was paid wages spanning four weeks - 'as agreed' - and his employment terminated in January 2023 'by mutual agreement'.

Mr Hodges tried to sue his former employers for unfair dismissal, breach of contract for failing to pay him notice, and unlawful deduction from wages.

But this was not upheld.

Employment Judge Kathryn Ramsden, said: '[Mr Hodges] described feeling like he was stuck between a rock and a hard place: the Floods were unwilling for him to return to the Fish Tank Maintenance role, and he did not want to continue in the Pond Construction team without a pay rise.

'This was, from [Mr Hodges] perspective, a choice between two evils, and he chose the lesser, but he was not forced to end his employment - that was still at his discretion, even though he did not like the terms on which his employment could otherwise continue.

'The Tribunal finds that [Mr Hodges] employment was terminated by mutual agreement, and should rightly be seen as such. Therefore his claims for unfair and wrongful dismissal fail.'
David Cameron has declared Britain is ready to defend the Falkland Islands 'forever' as he delivered a stark message to Argentina's new president.

The Foreign Secretary, speaking in Falklands' capital Stanley last night, rubbished claims from Javier Milei there could be a negotiation over the future of the islands.

Mr Milei took office in Buenos Aires in December and has suggested a Hong Kong-style agreement could see Britain hand sovereignty of the archipelago to Argentina.

But Lord Cameron pushed back and promised, as long as Falkland residents want to remain tied to the UK, then Britain will 'protect and defend them'.

'As long as the Falkland Islands want to be part of the UK family they are absolutely welcome to be part of that family,' he said.

'And we will support them and back them and help protect and defend them absolutely, as far as I'm concerned, for as long as they want.

'And I hope that's for a very, very long time, possibly forever.'

David Cameron has declared Britain is ready to defend the Falkland Islands 'forever' as he delivered a stark message to Argentina's new president

The Foreign Secretary, on a visit to the South Atlantic archipelago, rubbished claims from Javier Milei there could be a negotiation over the future of the islands

Lord Cameron visited a museum in Goose Green on his trip to the Falklands. His visit is the first by a foreign secretary since 1994 and the first by any Cabinet minister since 2016

The Foreign Secretary attended a wreath-laying ceremony at the Falklands War memorial in Port Stanley

Javier Milei took office in Buenos Aires in December and has suggested a Hong Kong-style agreement could see Britain hand sovereignty of the archipelago to Argentina

Argentina, which refers to the Falkland Islands as 'Islas Malvinas', retains its sovereignty claim to the archipelago despite nearly 200 years of British control of the islands.

The long-running dispute spilled over into military conflict during the 1982 Falklands War.

In 2013, Falkland Islands residents voted overwhelmingly (by 99.8 per cent) to keep their status as a British Overseas Territory in a referendum.

Lord Cameron, who was defeated as PM at the EU referendum in 2016, referred to the Falklands' vote in 2013 in a quip to a community reception last night.

'I think your referendum went rather better than one of mine,' he was reported to have said.

Lord Cameron's visit to the Falkland Islands is the first by a foreign secretary since 1994 and the first by any Cabinet minister since 2016.

The shadow of the Falklands War hangs over UK-Argentine relations, but Lord Cameron and Mr Milei had a 'warm and cordial' meeting at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January.

On the issue of the islands, the Foreign Office said 'they would agree to disagree, and do so politely'.

Lord Cameron told reporters in Stanley: 'Now of course we want to have good relations with Buenos Aires, with the Argentine government.

'The new government, I think, have taken some positive steps and we'll have good relations with them, but it will never be at the expense of the wishes of the Falkland Islanders, who in our view absolutely come first in this manner.'

Lord Cameron met local people at Goose Green. He promised, as long as Falkland residents want to remain tied to the UK, then Britain will 'protect and defend them'

The ex-PM visited San Carlos cemetery on the Falklands. It contains the graves of 14 soldiers and marines who died during the 1982 Falklands War, plus one soldier who died in 1984

Lord Cameron shares a laugh during his attendance at the wreath-laying ceremony in Port Stanley

Lord Cameron also faced questions about the UK's attitude towards energy policy in the Falklands  which has potential for both renewable development and the exploitation of oil reserves.

The Foreign Secretary said the Falklands were 'making some great steps in terms of renewable energy, particularly in terms of wind power, and also solar power and so we very much backed you in that'.

'You have your own government making their own plans and we will support you in that,' he said.

'But I would just stress, while we support Net Zero very, very strongly, it is Net Zero.

'And so we in the United Kingdom, we're making sure we are actually going to be having some extra North Sea licences for oil and gas in the North Sea.

'And we think other countries, if they can responsibly extract hydrocarbons, that can be part of that zero because of course we're still going to need oil and gas in the short term while we transition. I think that's an important point to make. It's Net Zero, not zero.'

He indicated the UK could be prepared to back the Falkland Islands government to use its own financial clout and borrowing power to support oil exploration.

Later today, Lord Cameron will then travel on to Paraguay, where he will be the first UK Foreign Secretary to ever visit the country.
A veteran Australian pilot is adamant he knows where Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 crashed into the ocean 10 years ago - and his site is not far from where authorities searched for the missing plane.

Captain Byron Bailey, who has more than 50 years' experience in the aviation industry, has extensively studied the doomed flight, which disappeared on March 8, 2014, with 239 people on board, including six Australians.

Theories raised by experts in the Sky News documentary MH370: 10 Years On suggest the disappearance of the Boeing 777 was not a tragic accident, but rather a deliberate mass murder-suicide orchestrated by Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah.

During the documentary, which aired on Tuesday night, Mr Bailey was asked straight out by presenter Peter Stefanovic: 'So, where's the plane?'

There was no hesitation in his answer- in the Indian Ocean.

'I put it at 39 degrees, eight minutes south, and it's only about 30 or 40km further south from where they (searched), and they wouldn't go that far,' Mr Bailey said.

A map of where Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 may have flown and ended up is pictured

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'That's where the Australian government was planning to search, and instead, when the search actually started, they went the other way.'

Mr Bailey also slammed a major Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) theory about what happened to MH370.

While an initial search was carried out in the South China Sea, the efforts turned to the southern Indian Ocean when Australian authorities were asked to takeover the mission.

The ATSB conducted an underwater search in the southern Indian Ocean from May 2014 until the operation was suspended in January 2017.

At that point, the ATSB reached its ghost flight theory, which suggests there was a catastrophic emergency with hypoxia incapacitating everyone on board including the pilot, and the aircraft was then left flying for hours before it crashed.

Hypoxia happens when the body does not get enough oxygen, which can lead to confusion and a rapid heart rate before the patient loses consciousness.

'Every pilot I know shakes their head at this invented theory of a hypoxic event over the South China Sea, and the plane meandered by itself for seven hours,' Mr Bailey said.

'Rubbish. You have to reprogram the computer.'

He thinks the murder suicide theory, which holds that pilot Captain Shah conducted a controlled glide of the plane once it ran out of fuel, is more likely.

Tony Abbott, who was Australia's prime minister when the plane disappeared, said within about a week it became clear that the passengers and crew had fallen victim to a murder-suicide plot.

He told the program it was clear to him that 'someone had been in charge of that aircraft' and the disappearance of the passenger plane was not an accident.

'Aircraft do not do that kind of thing that that aircraft did, unless someone is at the controls,' he said.

Mr Abbott said it very soon become clear the disappearance was the doing of the Malaysian Airlines pilot.

'My very clear understanding from the very top level of the Malaysian government is that from very early on, they thought it was murder-suicide by the pilot,' he said.

'I'm not going to say who said what to whom but let me reiterate - I want to be absolutely crystal clear - it was understood at the highest levels, that this was almost certainly murder-suicide by the pilot, mass murder-suicide by the pilot.'

In a mixture of both major theories, a retired Qantas pilot and RAAF training captain told the documentary there were several ways someone inside the cockpit could have incapacitated passengers.

Captain Byron Bailey (pictured), who has more than 50 years' experience in the aviation industry, has extensively studied the doomed flight, which disappeared on March 8, 2014 with 239 people on board, including six Australians

Mike Glynn said there were several ways someone inside the cockpit could have incapacitated passengers.

He said someone inside the cockpit could have easily locked its door and forced the plane into a confused state by depressurising the cabin.

'(They'd) make sure the door's locked, so no one can get in. Nothing that anyone could do,' he said.

'When you open these outflow valves, the aircraft depressurises very quickly,' he said.

'If the aircraft's not going to descend, you'll start to feel very hypoxic within three or four minutes.'

Mr Glynn added it would have been easy for someone inside the cockpit to keep other people out as locking doors were introduced after the 9/11 plane hijackings.

'The door will automatically close, and you can lock it by this switch,' he said.

'There's a manual deadbolt that prohibits any sort of entry into the flight deck. You can have a full on attack on the door, it's not going to change a thing.'

Peter Waring's (pictured) expertise in surveying sea floors led to his involvement in the search for MH370

An ex-Australian naval officer told the program he believed the authorities were searching for MH370 in the wrong area a year after the plane disappeared.

Peter Waring was appointed deputy operations manager of the search in September 2014, but said he began to have 'serious doubts' about how the investigation was being carried out in May 2015.

'At various points we made it seem as though we have a very good sense of where it was, but that just wasn't the case,' he said.

'We had absolutely, more or less, next to nothing.

'Over time, the operation was wrapped in an armature of bureaucracy, if you will, and that made it more difficult to change course.'

Mr Waring, a former navy lieutenant, said despite evidence suggesting the aircraft may be in another area, the search operation was unable to change its course.

'In some ways we had shackled ourselves to this one particular area and weren't flexible to look elsewhere when there was evidence to suggest perhaps it was elsewhere,' he said.

Sisters Jeanette Maguire and Eileen Docherty (pictured) had family onboard the MH370

Catherine Gang, whose husband Li Zhi was onboard Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, holds a banner saying the families of the passengers want the truth

Then Australian prime minister Tony Abbott (right) bids farewell to then Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak after his visit to Perth during the search of missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 at Perth International airport on April 3, 2014

He said by mid-2015, enough of the sea floor had been covered to discount the 'leading assumption' that the aircraft had crashed into the Indian Ocean near an area known as the 7th Arc.

'If that assumption had been correct we would have found the aircraft at that point,' he said

The wreckage of MH370 has still not been found almost a decade later despite its disappearance triggering the largest ever air-sea multinational search.

The flight from Kuala Lumpur was bound for Beijing and was carrying passengers from 14 different countries.

Within 40 minutes of what was supposed to be a routine flight, MH370 crossed from Malaysia to Vietnamese airspace.

It was at that moment that the passenger plane dropped from civilian radars and the now infamous last words of the captain were heard.

'Good night, Malaysia 370.'

Jeanette Maguire's sister and brother-in-law, Cathy and Bob Lawton, were two of the Australians on MH370 on its fateful final flight a decade ago.

She said the 10-year anniversary of its disappearance of the aircraft was a 'big one' as the mystery remains unsolved.

'In some ways, it feels just like yesterday. Every year is hard, but for me, 10 years, it's the realisation how long this is taken to not have any answers,' she said.

Chinese relatives of passengers on the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 take part in a prayer service at the Metro Park Hotel in Beijing, China, in 20

Eileen Docherty, another of Cathy Lawton's sisters, said the loss 'never gets easier'.

But she believes the search was carried out in the best manner possible.

'I'm satisfied that with what little evidence they had to go on, that they did absolutely the best that they could. Very grateful,' she said.

Ms Maguire said the family had been 'very well supported' throughout the 'horrible ordeal'.

She said she cannot blame the pilot, despite many theories indicating he was at fault.

'I still can't blame someone unless I've got that evidence. It's just not in my DNA,' she said.

'Just knowing what we've gone through, his family will be going through the same thing, and on top of that, they're having to live with blame.'
A Russian court on Tuesday rejected a complaint by U.S. reporter Evan Gershkovich about the extension of his pre-trial detention until March 30 on spying charges which he denies, the court's press service said.

Gershkovich, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal, was detained by the Federal Security Service (FSB) on March 29 in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg on charges of espionage that carry up to 20 years in prison.

The decision means Gershkovich will spend at least a year in jail following his shock arrest on March 29, 2023  the first time Russia had arrested a Western journalist on espionage charges since the fall of the Soviet Union.

This is the first time that the journalist has appeared in court since Vladimir Putin's infamous interview with Tucker Carlson in which the Russian president said Gershkovich's release was possible.

'If our partners take reciprocal steps. The special services are in contact with one another. They are talking... I believe an agreement can be reached,' Putin said in the widely panned interview.

The latest court appearance also comes just days after Russian dissident Alexei Navalny was found dead in a penal colony in the Arctic Circle at the age of 47.

Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich pictured inside of Moscow City Court on February 20

Gershkovich, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal, was detained by the Federal Security Service (FSB) on March 29 in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg on charges of espionage

US ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy delivers a statement outside the Moscow City Court after Gershkovich's hearing

According to the Wall Street Journal, it could be months before Gershkovich's trial even begins. Legal experts told the newspaper that Russian prosecutors are afforded much latitude, especially in espionage cases.

A guilty conviction could result in a sentence of anywhere between 10 and 20 years.

In December it emerged that the Biden administration made a new and significant offer aimed at securing the release of Gershkovich and fellow detainee Paul Whelan, but Russia has rejected the offer, the State Department said Tuesday.

Spokesman Matthew Miller did not reveal the details of the offer nor why Russia had turned it down, but the revelation of the proposal was a fresh indication that Washington is continuing to try to negotiate with Moscow to get both men home.

'This was a new proposal, in recent weeks. It was a significant proposal,' Miller said. 'And it was rejected by the Russians but it does not, it will not deter us from continuing to do everything we can to try and bring both of them home.'

Whelan, a corporate security executive from Michigan, has been jailed in Russia since his December 2018 arrest on espionage-related charges that both he and the U.S. government dispute. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison.

'They never should have been arrested in the first place. They should be released immediately,' Miller said.

'But we have made a number of proposals and including a substantial one in recent weeks and we will continue to work every day to bring Evan and Paul Whelan home. There is no prior higher priority for the Secretary of State. There is no higher priority for the president.'

In July 2022, Secretary of State Antony Blinken revealed that the U.S. had made a substantial proposal, to Moscow to get home WNBA star Brittney Griner and Whelan. Griner was ultimately released in December in a prisoner swap with notorious Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, but Whelan was not part of that deal.

Former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, who was detained and accused of espionage, stands inside a defendants' cage during his verdict hearing in Moscow June 15, 2020

David Barnes was arrested in Moscow in January 2022 shortly after he arrived in the Russian capital

Just last week, a Texas father of two was sentenced to 21 years in prison in Moscow on Tuesday after a court found him guilty of abusing his two sons while in the US.

David Barnes, 66, was first arrested in January 2022 shortly after he arrived in Russia to visit his children and their mother, his ex-wife, Svetlana Koptyaeva. At the time, Barnes was applying for visitation rights.

Koptyaeva was accused of taking the children from their home in the US unlawfully, prompting an Interpol alert for the two boys. The couple had an acrimonious divorce in which she accused him of sexually abusing their childrne.

His trial started in the fall of 2022 but was not held consecutively. It finally concluded this week. During proceedings, Barnes testified on his own behalf, reports ABC News.

In response, his lawyer, Gleb Glinka, told the network that she was 'horrified' by the sentence. 'There was almost no evidence that the court could base that verdict on.'

Following the verdict, Koptyaeva rejected claims that she kidnapped her children. 'I didn't steal anyone. I was just protecting my kids,' she said.
He had raised the lion since birth and was feeding it when the attack happened

Zookeeper Olabode Olawuyi died from his inquires after being brutally mauled

A zookeeper in Nigeria has been mauled to death by a lion that he raised from birth.

The tragic and unprovoked incident happened when zookeeper Olabode Olawuyi was feeding the lions at Obafemi Awolowo University's zoo in Osun state.

Graphic video purports to show the aftermath of the mauling, in which Olawuyi can be seen lying on his back, still and bloodied, with his eyes still open.

He was unable to be saved after enduring fatal injuries.

The lion was later shot dead by zoo staff, something that was also captured on film.

Olabode Olawuyi raised the lions since birth and was feeding them when the attack happened

Olawuyi, who was a veterinary technologist, had been working at the zoo for nearly a decade and had brought all the lions housed there up from birth.

Abiodun Olarewaju, a spokesperson for the university, told the BBC Olawuyi had been 'taking care of the lions since they were born on campus about nine years ago'.

Olarewaju went on to say: 'Tragically, the male lion killed the man who had been feeding them.

'We never knew what came over the male lion that it had to attack (him).'

The university is now in said to be in mourning for Olawuyi and have sent out a delegation to his family offering its condolences on the devastating incident.

The university's vice-chancellor, Prof Adebayo Simeon Bamire, said he was 'saddened' by the incident and ordered a thorough investigation.

The students' union leader, Abbas Akinremi, told Nigeria's Vanguard newspaper that the attack was caused by 'human error' after the zookeeper had forgotten to lock the door after feeding the lions.

He described the incident as unfortunate, while paying tribute to Olawuyi as a 'good and humble man, who attended to us nicely whenever we went to the zoo.'

According to Wildlife Explained, lions in the zoo can form extremely close relationships with their keepers, especially if they have been raised from birth.

However, the wild animal explanatory site warns: 'You cannot trust them completely. If a lion feels threatened by some of your actions or gestures or loses his temper, it can become ferocious and cause fatal injury in the blink of an eye.

'Thus, even if a human has raised a lion as a cub, and they have the best bond, he still needs to be aware all the time.

'Acting with caution is the most important thing here.

'You always have to keep in mind that lions are dangerous, and you need to understand their mood and temper and treat them nicely with love and respect to help them maintain their pleasant demeanor.

'A wild animal will naturally act out of wild instincts, even if they have never lived in a forest.

The lion was shot dead after the brutal attack on the zookeeper who had raised it from birth

'They are dominant animals and do not like humans commanding them. It makes them feel threatened and may trigger them to attack.'

The BBC spoke to another zookeeper, Abba Gandu, who has been feeding lions for more than 50 years at a zoo in Kano in northern Nigeria.

He said that Monday's incident was 'unfortunate' and more safety measures were needed.

He said: 'This incident wouldn't in any way affect me personally as feeding lions is what I want to do until I die.'

He added that his worst experience was when a baboon he was trying to feed bit his finger.
A mother and her little boy were allegedly stabbed to death inside a martial arts studio shortly before her estranged husband was killed less than five kilometres away after a suspected love triangle turned sour.

The bodies of Min Cho and her seven-year-old son Benjamin were found inside the studio in North Parramatta in western Sydney on Tuesday, two hours after her estranged husband Steven Cho was found dead in their nearby home at Baulkham Hills.

Taekwondo instructor Kwang Kyung Yoo, has been arrested by police, and is in hospital under police guard after he underwent emergency surgery for knife wounds.

Mr Yoo runs Lion's Taekwondo studio in North Parramatta, where it's believed that Ms Cho and Benjamin - a Year 2 pupil at Winston Hills Public School - were stabbed to death inside the gym before their bodies were dragged outside into an adjacent alleyway.

Police are looking into whether Mr Yoo was romantically linked to Ms Cho and if their relationship had recently soured.

Police believe the three deaths likely occurred within a five-hour period between 8pm Monday night and 1am Tuesday morning.

Min Cho (right), her estranged husband Steven (left) and their son Benjamin were all found dead on Tuesday

Master Lion Yoo (pictured) is under police guard in hospital after he appeared in the emergency department with non-life-threatening injuries around 1am on Tuesday. He has since undergone surgery

It's understood that Mr Yoo presented himself to Westmead Hospital early Tuesday morning bloodied and suffering from serious injuries.

Hospital staff called in police to investigate his injuries after Mr Yoo told them that he was injured at his taekwondo studio on Monday night.

The body of Ms Cho's estranged husband Stephen was found in the kitchen of his Watkins Road townhouse in Baulkham Hills.

He had also been allegedly stabbed.

Mr Cho's mother was said to have arrived at the home earlier in the day to be told by police that 'her entire family was wiped out'.

Benjamin had just started year 2 at Winston Hills Public School.

Horrified parents revealed that they were sent a 'weird text' by the Lion's Taekwondo studio on Tuesday morning.

The message said lessons were cancelled because the academy's chief instructor, Master Lion Yoo, was in hospital.

'Due to injuries resulting from a car accident this morning, Master is currently in the hospital,' it said. 'Therefore, Taekwondo classes will be temporarily suspended starting today.'

One mother admitted she knew it was 'clearly not a car accident when I saw all the police outside the studio when I went to pick up the kids from school'.

Mr Yoo, in his late 30s, is believed to be married with a young son, Kai. Parents of his students described him as a 'lovely man who is very quiet and timid'.

'How he's connected to all this is what troubles me,' said one mother.

A crime scene at Lion's Taekwondo Academy in Daking Street, Parramatta, has also been sealed off, with firefighters covering up the windows of the martial arts studio

Homicide detectives have launched an investigation after a woman and a child were found dead in Sydney 's west and a man's body was discovered 5km away in Baulkham Hills

Steven Cho (right) worked for construction firm Richard Crookes while his wife Min Cho (left) worked at several businesses in recent years. They bought their home in 2016. The former couple are pictured celebrating their son Benjamin's first birthday

A third crime scene at Lion's Taekwondo Academy in Daking Street, Parramatta, (pictured) has also been sealed off, with firefighters covering up the windows of the martial arts studio

The crime scene at Lion's Academy at Daking Street has been sealed off, with firefighters covering up the windows of the martial arts studio.

It's understood the black plastic across all the windows facing onto the main street was put up to hide the grisly scene inside the studio from bystanders.

Black plastic was placed across street-facing windows at the martial arts studio (pictured) to hide the grisly scene inside

Inside the martial arts studio in Sydney's west where the bodies of Min Cho and her seven-year-old son Benjamin were found on Tuesday morning

Forensic officers were also seen scouring an alleyway at the side of the academy building, where locals said they had been told a body had been found.

At the Baulkham Hills address, one detective raced out of a car and ran down the driveway at about 3.15pm, ducking under the police tape and into the crime scene.

The front window of the townhouse has also been smashed, with shattered glass sprayed on to the concrete outside.

State Crime Command Homicide Squad has now taken over the investigation, said a NSW Police statement.

The studio in the usually quiet Daking Street in North Parramatta was a crime scene on Tuesday
One of the FBI's most wanted cybercriminals, a Ukrainian national who was extradited to the U.S. from Switzerland in 2022, pleaded guilty to racketeering crimes this week in Nebraska federal court.

Vyacheslav Igorevich Penchukov, 38, was indicted by a Nebraska grand jury more than a decade ago and had been an international fugitive prior to his extradition. Penchukov, also known as "Tank," led multiple cybercrime enterprises before and after his 2012 indictment, resulting in tens of millions of dollars in losses for companies, nonprofits and small businesses targeted by malware.

On Thursday, Penchukov pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit racketeering and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He will face up to 40 years in federal prison when he is sentenced in May.

Penchukov's most well-known ransomware was known as "Zeus" or "Zbot," which operated from 2009 into the early 2010s. When a computer was infected with the Zeus malware, it would keep track of usernames, passwords and all other information entered in a bank's login page. Using this information, Penchukov and his co-conspirators would log in to the victim's bank accounts and make electronic payments to "money mules" across the world, who would then wire that money into overseas accounts controlled by other members of the enterprise.

"(Penchukov) played a crucial leadership role in this scheme by directing and coordinating the exchange of stolen banking credentials and money mules," according to his plea agreement.

At least two businesses in Nebraska and Iowa were targeted by Zeus malware in 2009 and 2010, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. In one case, a Council Bluffs business had nearly $60,000 removed from its account with the First National Bank of Omaha by someone posing to be an employee of the company.

Two other Ukrainian men indicted alongside Penchukov in 2012 were extradited to the U.S. from the United Kingdom in 2014 on charges related to the Zeus ransomware. Multiple other men alleged to have been involved in the enterprise remain on the FBI's most wanted list.

Beginning in 2018, according to the DOJ, Penchukov and co-conspirators began another scheme using a malware known as IcedID or Bokbot. Similarly to Zeus, the malware would collect online banking login information. It was activated after victims opened attachments in spam emails.

One such IcedID attack in October 2020 targeted the University of Vermont Medical Center and resulted in at least $30 million in damages after "significant portions" of the hospital's computer networks were encrypted by hackers.

According to Penchukov's plea agreement, he also kept a spreadsheet of the income received and expenses associated with operating the IcedID malware. The spreadsheet indicated IcedID netted more than $19.9 million in 2021 alone.

Penchukov was arrested in Geneva, Switzerland, in 2022 and extradited to the U.S. last year. He initially faced federal charges in North Carolina related to the IcedID ransomware, but jurisdiction was transferred to Nebraska earlier this month.

The FBI's Omaha office, as well as the FBI office in Charlotte, North Carolina, are continuing to investigate the case. In addition to U.S. Attorneys for Nebraska and North Carolina, multiple prosecutors with the U.S. Department of Justice's Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Division assisted in the prosecution.
A cancer-stricken Falklands veteran who was unfairly sacked from the Royal Navy because he was bisexual fears he will die before getting compensation from the Government.

Joe Ousalice was one of thousands of troops who were booted from the military in a series of 'gay witch hunts' thanks to a ban on LGBT people serving in the Armed Forces.

The ban, which lasted until the year 2000, was branded an 'appalling failure' by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, with ministers promising those affected compensation.

But Mr Ousalice, 73, was diagnosed with prostate cancer which has now spread to his chest and brain - and fears he won't survive long enough to receive his compensation, thought to be worth about 100,000.

'I want to get that compensation and see [this campaign] through to the end,' he told the BBC. 'It's sort of the last battle I've got and it's with the Ministry of Defence.'

Joe Ousalice, 73, was one of thousands who were affected by a ban on LGBT people serving in the British military, who were booted from the forces in 'gay witch hunts'

Falklands veteran Mr Ousalice fears he will die before he receives his compensation after he was dismissed from the navy for being bisexual

Mr Ousalice served in the Senior Service from 1976 to 1993, working as a radio operator.

The former sailor was among the thousands of British troops scrambled to retake the Falklands after the British territory was invaded by Argentina in April 1982.

However, despite risking his life during the conflict and serving his nation for 18 years, Mr Ousalice was constantly targeted by military investigators over his sexuality.

During his time in the military he was investigated as a 'suspected homosexual' nine times before eventually being dismissed at court martial, which ruled his sexuality was 'prejudicial to good order and naval discipline' and might 'corrupt' others.

'I was willing to give my life to them, but it was all just taken away from me,' Mr Ousalice added.

'We class our armed forces as our heroes. Is this how the government treats their heroes?'

The judgment brought an end to his 18-year naval career, during which he served in the Falklands, Northern Ireland and the Middle East.

The naval veteran had hoped to have completed 22 years in the Royal Navy - which would have meant he would have been immediately able to claim a pension of at least 500 a month.

Mr Ousalice served in the Senior Service from 1976 to 1993, working as a radio operator

But his dismissal meant that he was not eligible to receive such a payout until he reached retirement age, which he says left him without an income for years.

Mr Ousalice believes he would have received more than 100,000 in pension payments had he not been court martialed.

READ MORE: Ministers apologise to thousands of former servicemen and women kicked out of the Armed Forces for being gay Advertisement

His dismissal also led to the Navy confiscating his medals and three Good Conduct badges at the time of his dismissal.

Mr Ousalice said he lived a 'double life' while he was in the Navy, and was careful not to associate with other sailors whom he knew were gay.

'The Navy wasn't just my job, it was my life. But to do it I had to hide another important part of me, which I did because I loved the navy life so much I didn't want to give it up. But I shouldn't have been asked to choose,' he said.

'I was made to feel like I was disgusting and in the end I was hounded out on some trumped up charges, and told that because I was attracted to men, my 18 years of service counted for nothing. It was heart-breaking. It took me years to recover.

'All I want now is my medal and badges back, and recognition from the Government and the Royal Navy for all the years of service and hard work I gave them.

'I also want other LGBT veterans to know they're not alone, and that we all deserve the same recognition.'

Although homosexuality was decriminalised in 1967, the ban on gay people serving in the Armed Forces was only lifted in the year 2000.

Falklands veteran Mr Ousalice (right), being given his medal for long service and good conduct by former Defence Secretary Ben Wallace in January 2020

Up to 20,000 personnel are thought to have been dismissed on the grounds of their sexuality. In many cases their treatment had disastrous consequences for their future careers.

A report into their treatment recommended they be given a financial reward and that the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak publicly apologise.

Addressing MPs last June following the report, Mr Sunak said: 'Many endured the most horrific sexual abuse and violence, homophobic bullying and harassment all while bravely serving this country.'

The report made 49 recommendation to the Government, and urged veterans to be given 'appropriate financial reward', capped at 50million overall

It also called for the restoration of medals that had to be handed back on dismissal or discharge and the clarification of pensions rights.

In a statement today, a Government spokeswoman told MailOnline: 'We have already implemented over half of the recommendations of the review and are working at pace to deliver those that remain.

'Detailed information about the next steps on the review have been published and are available on gov.uk, including information on how to apply for restorative measures.

'We will be providing more information as soon as we can and we encourage LGBT veterans to apply for restorative measures by visiting LGBT veterans: support and next steps - GOV.UK.'
Rishi Sunak moved to shore up rural Tory heartlands today as he told farmers the government is 'by your side'.

The PM is addressing the National Farmers' Union conference in Birmingham - after rescheduling Cabinet so he could make a personal appeal.

He heaped praise on the role of farming, and told the audience that he's 'got your backs'.

Mr Sunak played up a 220 million fund to help deploy new technology to help boost productivity in the agriculture - which could mean innovations such as fruit-picking robots to slash the need for migrant workers.

'It's farmers who feed us, farmers who embody those British values of strength, resilience, warmth and independence,' he said.

He stressed his credentials as an MP in a rural constituency, joking: 'I even tried my hand at milking once, not very successfully, I must say.'

Mr Sunak said farmers work 'not for praise or high reward, but to put food on our tables, to maintain a tradition and a way of life, and to steward our landscape', adding: 'On behalf of the nation, I just wanted to say thank you.'

Farmers' leaders praised the 'step change' in the government's attitude, saying Mr Sunak seemed committed to protecting the industry in trade deals.

But NFU president Minette Batter said boosting domestic production remained the crucial issue. 'I can't stress how important it is for all parties to treat food security as importantly as they do energy security,' she said this morning.

Rishi Sunak is addressing the National Farmers' Union conference in Birmingham - after rescheduling Cabinet so he could make a personal appeal

The PM is pledging to 'never take our food security for granted' and tells farmers that the government is 'by their side'.

His speech comes in the wake of polling which found Labour had narrowly overtaken the Tories among countryside voters, who also felt neither main party understood rural communities.

Farmers have been dealing with the impacts of soaring costs of inputs including fuel and fertiliser since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, along with the move to a new post-Brexit regime of farming payments that focus on sustainable agriculture.

Speaking before Mr Sunak, Ms Batters outlined the challenges facing the sector.

She highlighted extreme weather and flooding, soaring input costs due to Russia's war on Ukraine and the move away from EU-era subsidies to environmental land management schemes paying for public goods.

She attacked the Welsh Government for its sustainable farming scheme, which she said would cut jobs, livestock numbers and farm incomes, warning the programme was a 'red line, and we will not cross it'.

Food production was becoming the 'poor relation', Ms Batters said, adding: 'At the general election, I'd like all parties committed to treating food security as the same strategic priority as energy security.'

She called for a mid-term review to monitor the impact of England's new sustainable farming incentive  which pays farmers for measures including boosting soil health, protecting waterways and preserving hedgerows.

'We must see changes this year to redress the imbalance between environment and food production in government policy before many more farms just simply disappear.'

Ms Batters warned of an 'ill-informed utopia where we live on lab-grown meat and gloop produced in factories'.

'This joyless dystopia can never replace the benefits of nutrient-rich food grown in soil with water and sunlight,' she said.

Mr Sunak is first prime minister to address the NFU conference since Gordon Brown in 2008.

His enthusiasm for winning back the rural vote was underlined yesterday when it emerged that he had moved the weekly Cabinet meeting from its usual Tuesday morning slot in order to attend today's event in Birmingham.

Last year the Government was represented by the then environment secretary Therese Coffey who was heckled by farmers after arguing that shortages of some items on supermarket shelves were not a sign of 'market failure'.

In his speech today, the PM acknowledged that farmers have faced a turbulent period, with soaring energy and fertiliser prices coming on top of the departure from the EU's common agricultural system.

'While the importance of farmers will never change - farming is going through its biggest change in a generation,' he will say. 'And as farmers do so, this government will be by their side.'

He will add: 'While thanks to you we enjoy good quality food all year round, global events - including Russia's invasion of Ukraine - have put food security back at the top of the agenda.

'We'll never take our food security for granted.'

The 220 million 'future focused technology fund' is part of a wider package of farm grants which will be worth around 427 million this year.

A government source said the cash could include money for robots and drones to help pick crops like apples and asparagus.

'We want to ensure farmers can access new equipment, including kit which increases automation to reduce reliance on overseas workers,' the source said.

Up to 55,000 migrant workers were issued with temporary visas to work in agricultural last year, many of them in the crop-picking and food processing sectors.

Ministers believe that technology could reduce the need for migrant labour over time, helping to cut overall immigration levels.

Some firms have developed drones that can pick crops like apples, but a government source said take-up had been slow, with only the largest farms able to make it pay.

A government study found that so-called 'autonomous selective harvesting' could produce 'high labour savings', but warned it was unlikely to be available on a commercial basis until at least 2030 without government support.
Rishi Sunak is facing yet another potential by-election headache after a former Tory MP lost his appeal against a Commons ban over a lobbying sting.

Scott Benton failed to overturn a 35-day suspension imposed after he was caught agreeing to act for betting firms in Parliament.

The length of the ban means he will face a recall petition in his Blackpool South seat that could trigger a May by-election.

He won a majority of 3,690 in 2019, in a seat that had voted Labour since 1997. It means that if the vote is confirmed Rishi Sunak will face the almost certain loss of another morale-sapping defeat at the hands of Keir Starmer.

Labour took Kingswood and Wellingborough in by-elections last week, two constituencies with much larger Tory majorities.

Scott Benton failed to overturn a 35-day suspension imposed after he was caught agreeing to act for betting firms in Parliament.

Blackpool South's Scott Benson acted as if he was 'for sale' in a undercover sting by the Times.

An investigation concluded in December that Mr Benson acted as if he was 'for sale' in a undercover sting by the Times.

A probe by the Commons Standards Committee recommended the 36-year-old serve a ban of seven working weeks, enough to trigger a recall petition in his margin seat.

In their report the Standards Commission said Mr Benton was guilty of 'an extremely serious' breach of lobbying rules.

'The message he gave to his interlocutors at the March 7 meeting was that he was corrupt and ''for sale'', and that so were many other Members of the House,' they wrote.

'He communicated a toxic message about standards in Parliament. We condemn Mr Benton for his comments which unjustifiably tarnish the reputation of all MPs.'

Mr Benton met reporters in March who posed as executives from Tahr Partners, a fictitious Indian gambling conglomerate wanting to become a bigger player in Britain.

They made an offer of two days work per month for up to 48,000 a year and a seat on the board of one of its firms to the MP, who chaired the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Betting and Gaming.

The reporters recorded the meeting in which he offered 'direct access to a government minister', to lobby ministers while waiting to cast votes in the Commons with them and also 'call in favours' with other MPs who might be able to help.

The MP insisted that 'at no point during the meeting did he agree to undertake activity that would be in breach of the rules' and referred himself to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards Daniel Greenberg when the Times published its story in April.

But the Standards Committee said Mr Benton suggested MPs could lobby ministers, set up meetings with government advisers, table parliamentary questions and provide access to confidential documents.

Mr Benton appealed to the Commons' Independent Expert Panel, claiming that the ruling against him was 'procedurally flawed due to a potential leak of the Committee on Standards decision'.

But it dismissed his attempt to get the ban removed today, saying that its own subsequent investigation found 'there was no substance to the allegation of a leak'.

In a statement today Mr Benton claimed there had been 'an inescapable appearance of bias' throughout the investigation against him.

It goes without saying that the Standards process is designed to be open, fair, honest and transparent so the public and MPs can have trust in it,' he said.

'These events clearly mean that this trust has been breached by Members of the Committee and/or its administrative staff and create an inevitable perception of partiality.

How can MPs and the public they serve have faith in standards process which doesnt adhere to its own ethics, standards and principles?

Jonathan Ashworth, Labour's shadow paymaster general, said: 'Scott Benton should do the decent thing and resign, saving the people of Blackpool South a lengthy recall petition that would leave them without the representation they deserve.'
A McDonald's employee will become the company's longest serving employee when he celebrates his golden anniversary with the fast food chain this week.

It's been 50 years since customer service worker George Caruana, 69, first visited a newly-opened Macca's restaurant in Collingwood, Melbourne, in 1974.

The then-teen's life changed course while enjoying lunch with his mother when the store manager approached him and asked if he wanted a job.

When Mr Caruana celebrate 50 years with Maccas on Friday, his service will outrank that of millions of Aussies who have worked for the Golden Arches.

McDonald's employee George Caruana (pictured) will celebrate his 50th year with the company on Friday, making him the fast food chain's longest serving Australian employee

He recalled how the store manager approached them and asked if they were enjoying their meals.

'I said yes, he took me inside, gave me a uniform and told Mum 'I'm taking your son to show him around' and the Friday afterwards I started work, and I'm still around,' he told 7News.

Mr Caruana quickly took to the job after being hired and was awarded the 'best on chicken' on the McDonald's Australian All-Star team that same year.

In the five decades since he has worked in various roles at different Melbourne restaurants, including as store and promotions manager.

He has recently returned to customer service at the Lilydale store.

His most memorable moment was when he served Hollywood star Bette Davis.

'I was just about to shut the store, and I was told 'Bette Davis is coming, you've got to serve her',' Mr Caruana recalled.

'I wish to God that I took some pictures with her.

'I gave her (a) free apple pie that day.

Although being diabetic, he continues to enjoy a Big Mac and fries every lunch break during his Saturday shift.

'When I eat a Big Mac, it just brings memory from the old days,' he said.

The 'old days' may be long gone but Mr Caruana still fits into the original uniform he put on on his first day.

Mr Caruana started in his role as a 19-year-old (pictured) and still fits in the same uniform he was given on his first day

His uniform isn't the only piece of memorabilia that he's held onto during his tenure and has a makeshift museum in his home.

His extensive collection includes various Happy Meal toys, fry cups and numerous other limited edition memorabilia all featuring the McDonald's logo.

The most prized possession is a doll of mascot Ronald McDonald, which has been in Mr Caruana's possession for almost as long as his career.

The nearly 50-year-old doll bought for $10 in the mid- 1970s is estimated to cost about $150, but Mr Caruana has no plans of selling it.

Although there is no indication as to how he will plan to celebrate his 50th year on the job Mr Caruana has no plans on quitting anytime soon.

'I'll continue as long as I can,' he said.
Vladimir Putin's secretive Federal Security Service has arrested a dual Russian-American ballerina on treason charges, officials confirmed Tuesday.

Videos posted by a Russian news agency shows 32-year-old Ksenia Karelina being led into a courtroom in handcuffs and with her eyes blindfolded. It's not clear when the video was recorded.

Karelina is a resident of Los Angeles who became a US citizen in 2021. Her social media pages are littered with photos of her smiling, loving life in the US.

She was arrested on the same day in January that Putin sat down for his widely panned interview with Tucker Carlson. The apprehension took place outside of a movie theater in Yekaterinburg. The initial charges related to swearing offenses.

Yekaterinburg, the largest city in the Ural region, is also where Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich was arrested on spying charges nearly 12 months ago.

Vladimir Putin 's secretive Federal Security Service has arrested dual Russian-American ballerina, 32-year-old Ksenia Karelina, on treason charges

Karelina, shown her dancing on the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City, was previously at student at the University of Maryland

Karelina moved to the US after graduating from college in her homeland in 2013

A statement from Russian officials refers to Karelina as a resident of Los Angeles

Lawyers have said that Karelina was originally arrested on 'petty hooliganism' charges after she was accused of swearing outside of a movie theater

Karelina graduated from Ural Federal University in 2013. Numerous posts on her Facebook page show her in Baltimore, Maryland, beginning in 2014

She is specifically accused of transferring $51.80 from an American bank account to Ukrainian charity, Razom

Following her initial arrest, Karelina was then accused of fundraising for a Ukrainian military cause. She is specifically accused of transferring $51.80 from an American bank account to Ukrainian charity, Razom.

Treason charges can carry penalties of up to 20 years in prison. Since 2023, 63 people have been charged with treason in Russia, 37 were found guilty.

'The White House and State Department aware of reports that a dual U.S.-Russia citizen has been detained in Russia. We are working to obtain more information and secure consular access to the individual,' a White House official told DailyMail.com.

The State Department currently has a Do Not Travel advisory to Russia specifically because of the risk of 'wrongful detentions.'

On her Facebook page, Karelina says that she's from Yekaterinburg and that she studied ballet at the S. P. Diaghilev school.

The dancer is accused of 'proactively collecting funds since February 2022 in the interests of a Ukrainian organization, which were subsequently used to purchase tactical medicine, equipment, weapons and ammunition for the Armed Forces of Ukraine,' the FSB alleges.

'In addition, the citizen in question repeatedly took part in public actions in support of the Kyiv regime while in the United States,' the agency added, reports The Moscow Times.

On her Facebook page, Karelina says that she's from Yekaterinburg and that she studied ballet at the S. P. Diaghilev school

Russian language outlet Mediazona reports that Karelina has been a US citizen since 2021

Treason charges can carry penalties of up to 20 years in prison

Russian language outlet Mediazona reports that Karelina has been a US citizen since 2021 and that in 2023 she married an American man.

Karelina graduated from Ural Federal University in 2013. Numerous posts on her Facebook page show her in Baltimore, Maryland, beginning in 2014.

Mediazona reports that Karelina was first arrested on charges of 'petty hooliganism,' for swearing. While in custody, those charges were upgraded to 'high treason.'

The outlet goes on to report that Karelina ceased posting on the Russian social media site VK on November 3, 2021 after posting a series of photos showing her gaining citizenship.

On that profile, Karelina said that she studied at the University of Maryland in Baltimore.

Razom, the NYC-based Ukrainian charity that she's accused of supporting, describes itself as 'contributing to the establishment of a secure, prosperous, and democratic Ukraine.'

On her LinkedIn page, Karelina says that she works as a manager at Ciel Spa Beverly Hills, a role that she's been in since 2019.

Karelina shared the above social media post after obtaining her US citizenship in 2021

Karelina has alsosaid that she studied at the University of Maryland in Baltimore

Karelina was first arrested on charges of 'petty hooliganism,' for swearing

Karelina pictured with friends in a Facebook post from 2017

On her LinkedIn page, Karelina says that she works as a manager at Ciel Spa Beverly Hills, a role that she's been in since 2019

Mediazona reports that Karelina was first arrested on charges of 'petty hooliganism,' for swearing. While in custody, those charges were upgraded to 'high treason'

Karelina is the latest American behind bars in Russia, in addition to Gershkovich, former US Marine Paul Whelan and Texas dad David Barnes, 65, who last week was sentenced to 21 years in prison in Moscow on child abuse charges.

On the same day that Karelina's arrest was announced, Gershkovich appeared in a Moscow court where he had his pre-trial detention extended.

Earlier this month, Putin told former Fox News host Tucker Carlson in an interview that he was open to the idea of releasing Americans held in Russian jails but did not discuss specifics.

'I do not rule out that the person you refer to, Mr Gershkovich, may return to his motherland. We want the US special services to think about how they can contribute to achieving the goals our special services are pursuing,' Putin told Carlson.

Numerous reports have suggested that Putin is interested in discussing an exchange involving Vadim Krasikov, the assassin responsible for the shooting of Chechen rebel Zelimkhan Khangoshvili in Berlin in 2019.

Karelina's arrest comes as Putin faces heightened international pressure over the mysterious death of dissident Alexey Navalny in a Russian prison.

Western leaders and Navalny's family have pointed their finger at the Kremlin following news of the activist's death at 47 years old.
Putin has promoted a prison boss accused of torturing allegedly murdered Alexei Navalny as the Kremlin critics mother has begged for his body to be released so she can bury him.

The Russian president handed out a major promotion to Valery Boyarinev, 53, the deputy director of the Federal Penitentiary Service, as he made him Colonel-General three days after the reported death of Navalny.

Human rights group gulagu.net - which highlights prison abuses and is headed by exiled Vladimir Osechkin - alleged Boyarinev is the 'curator of torture conveyors and special measures against Alexei Navalny and thousands of Ukrainian prisoners'.

The group said it was 'under the supervision of Boyarinev [that] hundreds of Ukrainian prisoners were tortured, forcing many to confess to genocide and executions of civilians in order to justify the war'. Boyarinev has been previously accused of limiting the amount of food Navalny could obtain in prison.

This comes as Navalny's mother has called on Putin to release her son's body 'immediately', after authorities told her she wouldn't be able to see it for at least 14 days.

Lyudmila, who has been fighting to get her son's body back, said in a video statement five days after her son's death: 'I appeal to you, Vladimir Putin, the solution to the issue depends only on you. Let me finally see my son. I demand that Alexei's body be released immediately so that I can bury him in a humane way.'

Vladimir Putin has been accused of orchestrating Alexei Navalny's death

Alexei Navalny was put behind bars for 25 years (pictured above: last video appearance in court)

Lyudmila Navalnya (pictured) has been fighting to get her son's body back from prison authorities

A convoy was seen reportedly taking his body from the Polar Wolf penal colony he was being held in

Navalny, 47, fell unconscious and died suddenly on Friday after a walk at the 'Polar Wolf' penal colony above the Arctic Circle where he was serving a three-decade sentence, the prison service said.

The West and Navalny's supporters say Putin is responsible for Navalny's death. The Kremlin has denied involvement and said that Western claims that Putin was responsible were unacceptable.

Putin has made no public comment on Navalny's death but it has further deepened a gaping schism in relations between Moscow and the West caused by the nearly two-year Ukraine war.

After Putin promoted Boyarinev following Navalny's death, human rights group gulagu.net said: 'Since July 2022, this experienced sadist... has held the post of first deputy and oversees all operational work of the Gulag of the 21st century.

'The Lubyanka [FSB security service] has been promoting this executive executioner for a long time.

'And now - for the murder of Alexei Navalny - dictator Putin assigns him the rank of Colonel-General.'

The allegations went on: 'Boyarinev fulfilled Putin's wish - the physical elimination of his main political opponent.'

People gathered to lay flowers paying their last respect to Alexei Navalny at the monument, a large boulder from the Solovetsky islands, where the first camp of the Gulag political prison system was established, in St. Petersburg

Reports of Navalny's death emerged on Friday

Over 400 Russians were arrested for paying their respects to the dead dissident

Russian investigators will not hand over the body of dead Russian opposition leader Alexi Navalny for 14 days, his team have revealed

After Boyarinev's promotion was signed off three days after officials say Navalny died, he is likely to become the next director of the sprawling jail service.

Other senior prison officials were promoted in the days after Navalny's death for which no official cause has been revealed.

Alexander Rozin, 41, another deputy director of the Russian prison system, becomes a Lt-General.

Two others were promoted to Major-General, head of the FSIN affairs department Dmitry Sharovatov, and the head of the FSIN personnel department Alexander Fedorov.

Yesterday, Russian investigators said they would not hand over Navalny's body for at least 14 days, his team revealed, after his widow, Yulia, claimed he had been poisoned with Novichok.

His widow Yulia Navalnya (pictured) claimed he had been poisoned with Novichok

Tributes to late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in front of a monument carrying a work of the late Russian poet Alexander Pushkin, in Seoul

British Ambassador to the Russian Federation stands after laying flowers to pay his last respect to Alexei Navalny

Navalny spokesperson Kira Yarmysh said the Investigative Committee, the country's top criminal investigation agency, informed Lyudmila Navalnaya that the official probe into the death had been extended.

'They lie, buy time for themselves and do not even hide it,' Yarmysh posted on X.

Yulia Navalnaya accused the Russian authorities of hiding Navalny's body in order to wait for traces of the nerve agent to disappear.

She met with European leaders in Brussels just hours after publishing her own video statement in which she vowed to pick up where Alexei left off, and directly blamed Putin for her husband's death.

European diplomats said that she reiterated her determination to keep up the struggle and called on the bloc to do more to target Putin's circle - drawing a standing ovation from the room.

She also warned against striking any deals with the Russian leader or hoping that he would change, they said, and asked the European Union not to recognise Russia's March election, which is almost certain to give President Vladimir Putin another six-year term.

Navalnaya used a video message from abroad on Monday to call on supporters to oppose Putin with greater fury than ever and free Russia from what she characterised as a corrupt elite of 'bandits in uniform, thieves and murderers'.

FILE - Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, center, addresses supporters and journalists after arriving from Kirov at a railway station in Moscow, Russia, Saturday, July 20, 2013

In this photo provide by protest group Pussy Riot on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024, Lyubov Sobol, exiled ally of opposition leader Alexei Navalny attends a demonstration in front of the Russian Embassy, in relation to the death of Russian Opposition leader Alexei Navalny, in Berlin

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny stands inside a glass cell during a court hearing at the Babushkinsky district court in Moscow on February 20, 2021

People light candles in tribute to Alexiei Navalny in front of the Russian Consulate General in Krakow, Poland on February 18, 2024

'Do not recognise these elections. A president who assassinated his main political opponent cannot be legitimate by definition,' Navalnaya said.

Asked about Yulia Navalnaya's allegation that Putin had killed her husband, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday he could not comment given the circumstances.

'We leave it without comment. Of course, these are absolutely unsubstantiated, obnoxious accusations against the head of the Russian state. But given that Yulia Navalnaya was widowed just days earlier, I will leave it without comment'.

Peskov said Navalnaya's talk of a nerve agent being used against her husband was unfounded.

'I am not familiar with this statement. But if it contained such words, it is nothing but unsubstantiated accusations, because they are not supported by anything, not confirmed,' he said.

Asked about police detaining some people who laid flowers at monuments in Moscow and other cities after Navalny's death, Peskov said the police had acted in accordance with the law.
Police hunting for chemical attacker Abdul Ezedi have recovered his body from the Thames - as it was revealed his savage assault had left a mother blind in one eye.

The Afghan-born asylum seeker was wanted for attacking his former lover and her two young children in Clapham, south London, where he doused them in alkaline.

The convicted sex offender carried out his horrific onslaught on January 31 before fleeing, having appeared to have also burnt his own face in the assault. He was last seen alive on CCTV later that evening leaning over London's Chelsea Bridge.

Yesterday, a passing boat reported seeing a body in the water near Tower Pier - four miles from Ezedi's last known position. Police have since recovered the remains, which they believe to be the 35-year-old's.

Investigators said the identification was based on 'distinctive clothing' he was wearing at the time of the attack and the 'property found on his body'.

His former girlfriend, a mother-of-two who was doused with a corrosive chemical thought to be oven cleaner in a harrowing attack on her and her young children, is now no longer under sedation in hospital. But friends say she has been left blinded.

'We know mum's lost her sight in one eye, and we're praying that it returns fully in the other,' they said in a statement today, adding she was still in 'critical care' and 'desperate to be reunited with her girls'.

JANUARY 31: That last CCTV image of Clapham acid attack suspect Abdul Ezedi (pictured) who is believed to have been found dead in the River Thames

FEBRUARY 1: The Metropolitan Police released this photo of Ezedi as they continued their hunt

Ezedi's body was found near Tower Pier (pictured) on the River Thames on Thursday afternoon

Abdul Ezedi's last known steps Wednesday, January 31: 00:15  Ezedi's vehicle is seen in Newcastle 06:30  His vehicle is then seen traveling into Tooting, London 16:30  A further sighting of his vehicle is confirmed in Croydon 19:00  He is then seen driving in Streatham 19:25  Attack takes place in Lessar Avenue, SW4, before Ezedi makes off in his vehicle which crashes nearby. He leaves the car and runs off. 19:33  Ezedi boards a train at Clapham South Tube Station. 19:59  He is then seen leaving that train at King's Cross Tube Station. 20:42  He is then seen on CCTV leaving Tesco at 21 Caledonian Rd, London N1 9DX. He exits and turns right. 21:00 - Ezedi enters King's Cross Tube Station and boards a Victoria Line tube southbound. 21:10  He gets off at Victoria Tube Station and heads towards the district line. 21:16  Ezedi boards an eastbound District Line train. 21:33  Ezedi exits Tower Hill Tube Station. 21:47 - He is seen on Allhallows Lane, EC3. He travels through a passage to Cousin Lane. Then he turns right, walking towards Upper Thames Street. 21:51 - He then turns left onto Upper Thames Street (image released today) 21:54  He travels along Upper Thames Street 21:59  Ezedi passes the City of London School on Pauls Walk EC4, heading towards Blackfriars Bridge. He passes the riverboat pier. 22:04  He then passes the Unilever building and heads towards Victoria Embankment. 22:06  Ezedi passes Carmelite House, junction with Carmelite Street towards Temple. 22:28 - He passes Westminster Pier, goes up steps and continues towards Westminster. 22:33 - Ezedi seen walking south on Westminster bridge 22:36 He walks across Westminster Bridge, down steps on the London Eye side towards Lambeth 22:42 Ezedi seen walking west on south Thames Path towards Lambeth Bridge 22:55 He travels along the Albert Embankment approaching Vauxhall Bridge 23:00 Ezedi crosses Vauxhall Bridge towards stairs (Houses of Parliament side of the river) 23:03 - He crosses Vauxhall Bridge Road, into Grosvenor Road. 23:10  Ezedi walks west bound past the Shell petrol station 23:19 - He passes the Thames Water Building, Grosvenor Road, heading towards Chelsea Bridge 23:25  He crosses over Chelsea Bridge and enters Battersea Park. 23:27 - He crosses back over Chelsea Bridge towards the north side. Monday, February 19: 16:00 - Sailors spot a body near Tower Pier in east London. Tuesday, February 20: 11:35 - The Met Police confirms they have recovered the body which they believe to be that of Ezedi Advertisement

The body was recovered by the Met's Marine Policing Unit and has been viewed by detectives working on the investigation.

Commander Jon Savell said: 'Based on the distinctive clothing he was wearing at the time of the attack and property found on his body, we strongly believe we have recovered the body of Ezedi.

'We have been in contact with his family to pass on the news.

'As you may expect after a considerable period of time in the strong current of the Thames, formal identification is not possible visually, nor from fingerprints. We will work with the coroner on other ways to complete formal identification, such as DNA testing and dental records. That may take some time.

'Our enquiries continue into the attack. I am pleased to say the condition of the 31-year-old woman has improved. She remains in hospital but she is in a stable condition and no longer sedated. We have still not been able to speak to her but hope to as soon as she is well enough.

'Again, I thank all those hundreds of members of the public who called us with information during the hunt for Ezedi. The public support for our investigation was overwhelming and every piece of information provided was followed up.'

Ezedi had not been seen since he allegedly poured the chemical on the woman and her two children, aged three and eight.

The mother-of-two was left in a critical condition sedated in hospital with police revealing she is still 'too poorly to speak' due to her 'significant injuries'.

Her daughters, aged eight and three, were discharged from hospital after doctors confirmed their injuries were less severe than first thought.

In a fresh statement today, friends of the woman said she was 'determined to get out of hospital as quickly as possible'.

More than 44,000 has been raised so far for the woman and her two children in the wake of the horror attack.

'Physically and mentally, there is a very, very long road ahead for her and the girls,' friends added in their statement.

'Like so many of us, the family were really struggling to make ends meet before the attack, so we just want their recovery to not be compounded by financial fears.

'We know times are tough and the level of support so far means the world. Every donation helps, and sends a powerful message against this evil attack.

'We kindly ask anyone reading this to consider donating even the cost of a coffee to show Mum and the girls that the wider community has their back and they can feel safe again.'

Following the attack, which took place on a leafy street in south west London, Ezedi fled the scene, with his movements on that night being captured on CCTV across the capital.

The chemical attacker was seen in Caledonian Road, King's Cross Station, Victoria Station and Tower Hill tube station in the four hour period after the attack on Lesser Avenue.

The Met said he then walked more than four miles 'with purpose' from the Tower Hill area to Chelsea Bridge. He entered Battersea Park for a brief period before crossing back over the bridge.

Ezedi was last seen alive at 11.27pm on January 31 at Chelsea Bridge. The suspect was never seen leaving the bridge area.

In a briefing at Scotland Yard earlier this month, Commander Savell said: 'We have spent the last 24 hours meticulously following the CCTV, and it's our main working hypothesis that he's now gone into the water.

'We have looked at all of the available cameras and angles, and with the assistance of Transport for London and CCTV from buses that were travelling over the bridge at the relevant time and there is no sighting of him coming off the bridge.'

When asked if police were willing to say that Ezedi was dead, Detective Superintendent Rick Sewart said: 'I'm prepared to say that he's gone into the water and if he's gone into the water then that's the most probable outcome.'

The woman had been in a relationship with Ezedi, with the breakdown of the relationship a possible motive for the attack.

Ezedi (circled) was last pictured near Chelsea Bridge in a black jacket following the attack

A police boat is seen on the Thames on February 10 as officers search for the body of Ezedi

CCTV footage shows Abdul Ezedi shortly after the attack on January 31. In the images, he appears to have a large wound to his face, believed to have been a chemical burn

Other footage shows Ezedi (circled) walking south on Westminster bridge on January 31

The nation-wide hunt for Ezedi saw two homes raided in Newcastle in the early hours.

The focus in the hunt for Ezedi switched to the River Thames on Friday, February 9, when detectives revealed that they believed he went into the water some four hours after the alkaline attack nine days earlier.

Officers from the Marine Policing Unit carried out several low tide searches in the area surrounding Chelsea Bridge in the following days.

They had continued routine searches as part of their daily work before the body was recovered yesterday.

Ezedi came to the UK hidden in a lorry in 2016, and was turned down twice for asylum before successfully appealing against the Home Office rejection by claiming he had converted to Christianity.

He was convicted of two sexual offences in 2018 but was allowed to stay in the UK because his crimes were not serious enough to meet the threshold for deportation.

A tribunal judge is understood to have ruled in favour of his asylum claim in 2020 after a retired Baptist church minister confirmed he had converted to Christianity, reportedly describing Ezedi as 'wholly committed' to his new religion.

During the manhunt, relatives of the pizza shop worker had appealed for him to turn himself in.

One family member described Ezedi as a 'quiet' and 'caring' person when they were growing up in Afghanistan. He believes the attack is out of character.

Ezedi was convicted of a sexual assault/exposure offence at Newcastle Crown Court in 2018 and handed a suspended sentence and an unpaid work order, which was completed two years later. He was also put on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years.

He was later granted asylum after a priest confirmed he had converted to Christianity - despite friends revealing he was a 'good Muslim'.

Referencing the sex offence, the close relative said he didn't 'believe he would do that kind of thing'.

It comes after Ezedi's brother Sebaghallah Ezedi, 22, also urged him to give himself up to police.

Police revealed the motive behind the 'brutal' attack appears to be the breakdown of a relationship. He is seen with injuries here in a Tesco supermarket after the attack

Forensic police at the scene on January 31 night near Clapham following the attack

Around 500 people across the county called police with information about Ezedi and his possible whereabouts since the incident happened.

Nick Aldworth a former national counter-terrorism co-ordinator with 36 years' experience in the police and military, said it was is 'not unlikely' Ezedi could have taken his own life.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'I think if we've not seen or heard from him in the the last couple of days, which appears to be the case, he's gone to ground, possibly supported by somebody...

'Or - it's not unlikely or improbable - that he may have taken his own life. There is therefore a body to be found somewhere.'

Police said Ezedi left Newcastle in the early hours of January 31 and travelled south to London and was in the Tooting area by around 6.30am.

His vehicle was seen again in Croydon, south London, at around 4.30pm and by around 7pm he was in Streatham.

Ezedi allegedly threw the younger child to the ground during the attack at 7.25pm, before attempting to drive away from the scene, crashing into a stationary vehicle and fleeing on foot.

Minutes later he boarded a Tube train at Clapham South Underground station, and by 8pm he was at King's Cross Tube station.

Ezedi was caught on CCTV at Tesco Express at 8.42pm before he caught a Victoria Line train south at King's Cross at 9pm. 16 minutes later he left Victoria on an eastbound District Line train.

At 9.33pm, Ezedi is seen leaving Tower Hill station and an hour later CCTV has him heading south on Westminster Bridge. At 11pm, he was spotted heading north across Vauxhall Bridge.

And at 11.25, police released CCTV of Ezedi entering Battersea Park before crossing Chelsea Bridge. He was not seen leaving after this.

Police say three members of the public who came to the aid of the family during the attack, two aged in their 30s and one in her 50s, have all been discharged from hospital with minor burns.

Commander Savell thanked all the public for their support in the investigation.
The mother of Nottingham stabbing victim Barnaby Webber has told how she broke down in tears when she was told that triple killer Valdo Calocane's sentence to an indefinite hospital order will be referred to the Court of Appeal.

Calocane, 32, was sentenced to the order after pleading guilty to manslaughter last month for killing students Grace O'Malley Kumar and Barnaby Webber and school caretaker Ian Coates on a rampage across Nottingham in June 2023.

The plea deal - struck in place of a trial on charges of murder - outraged the families of his victims, who claimed they had been 'railroaded' into accepting it.

But today's announcement means the sentencing will now be reviewed for being 'unduly lenient', something which has been greeted with enthusiasm from Calocane's victims' families.

Barnaby's mother Emma Webber told Sky News she was 'glad' the decision had been made, having been left so 'dejected' after the sentencing that she did not believe the decision would be referred.

Valdo Calocane was sentenced to a hospital order after he admitted the manslaughter of two students and a school caretaker in Nottingham in June last year

(L-R) Barnaby webber, Grace O'Malley-Kumar and Ian Coates all died after being stabbed to death by Valdo Calocane last year

Barnaby's mother Emma told Sky News today she burst into tears when she was informed of the referral

Members of the victims' families met ministers at Downing Street last month to discuss Valdo Calocane's sentencing after they expressed dissatisfaction with the outcome

Calocane embarked on his killing spree in the early hours of June 13 2023 after stalking the streets late at night

CCTV gathered by police during their investigation found he travelled across Nottingham before attacking his victims

She said: 'We're glad that this decision has been made but I think it's the beginning of quite a long process for us because obviously there's other investigations going on. But if I'm being completely honest we didn't expect to hear that.

What options does the Court of Appeal have? The sentence handed to Nottingham knifeman Valdo Calocane has raised questions about the options available now Court of Appeal judges have been asked to reconsider the case. Under the scheme which allows any person or institution to ask for a sentence to be reviewed, the Cabinet minister had 28 days from sentencing to consider the request and decide whether to refer the case to the Court of Appeal to rule on whether the sentence was appropriate. The complex arrangements of Calocane's sentence are essentially a direction for treatment rather than seen as a penal punishment and, as such, it is not clear at this stage how judges could increase the sentence to make it more stringent. Judge Mr Justice Turner made a hospital order for Calocane to be readmitted and detained at Ashworth High Security Hospital, near Liverpool, under sections 37 and 41 of the Mental Health Act 1983. It means Calocane will be detained in a psychiatric hospital for treatment and will not be discharged until he is deemed well enough and either the Justice Secretary or a Mental Health Tribunal assess that he no longer poses a risk to the public. During sentencing, the judge said he was 'entirely satisfied' that it was the 'proper sentence' to impose. The Attorney General's considerations did not look at whether the correct charge was pursued in the case. Another sentencing option is to reconsider whether it is appropriate for Calocane to spend some time in jail for his crimes, if he was ever deemed suitable for discharge from hospital - a measure the victims' families indicated they may have supported. But Mr Justice Turner set out why he did not feel a 45A hospital order - known as a hybrid order as it imposes a prison sentence and directs admission to hospital - would be appropriate. He said there were 'significant concerns' that if Calocane relapsed in prison, he 'would present a real danger to prison officers and fellow prisoners'. Psychiatrist Dr Nigel Blackwood had warned the court imposing a hybrid order could lead Calocane to stop taking medication while in jail which would carry a 'significant risk of lethal behaviours returning'. If Calocane did go to prison, and in the 'unlikely event' he was ever released, the judge said he needed to consider which regime would 'provide the greatest level of protection for the public' and raised concerns that he would not be supervised by mental health experts post-jail. Instead, on release from prison, he would be monitored by probation officers who would lack sufficient training and knowledge to spot the warning signs of deteriorating behaviour, as well as not having the powers to intervene and arrest him if required, the judge added. Once the case is referred to the Court of Appeal, judges could also rule the sentence should remain the same, or decide to refuse to hear the case altogether. Advertisement

'I think I was feeling so dejected and let down by the justice system in this country, particularly with our case, that I wasn't expecting that news and to hear it I burst into tears.'

The families have welcomed a move by the government's top legal adviser, attorney general Victoria Prentis, to refer the sentence to the Court of Appeal for being too soft after receiving complaints from the public about whether it was a suitable punishment.

Ms Prentis announced the decision to refer the case to the Appeal Court after telling the families of Calocane's three victims in an online meeting this morning.

Ms Prentis said: 'Valdo Calocane's crimes were horrific and have shocked a nation.

'He brutally killed three innocent people and violently attacked three other victims. Their experiences will stay in our minds for a long time to come.

'This was a case that evoked strong feelings amongst so many people and it was no surprise that I received so many referrals under the unduly lenient sentence scheme to consider the hospital order handed to Calocane.

'My duty as a law officer in considering whether sentences may be unduly lenient is to act independently of government, even when it is not easy or popular.

'Having received detailed legal advice and considered the issues raised very carefully, I have concluded that the sentence imposed against Calocane, for the offences of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility and attempted murder, was unduly lenient and will be referred to the Court of Appeal.

'My thoughts remain with all of Calocane's victims, as well as their families and friends, who have shown such immeasurable strength during this devastating time.'

Paranoid schizophrenic Calocane was given a hospital order after a three-day hearing at Nottingham Crown Court last month.

The mechanical engineering graduate knifed his three victims to death and mowed down three pedestrians  all of whom survived but with serious injuries - during a city-wide rampage early on June 13.

Calocane, who grew up in Pembrokeshire but was living in Nottingham, admitted three counts of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility and three counts of attempted murder.

The families of the victims - who met ministers at Downing Street last month after the sentencing - have welcomed the referral to the Court of Appeal.

In a joint statement, they said: 'We were very glad to hear that the Attorney General has agreed with us that the sentencing given to Valdo Calocane, who so viciously and calculatedly killed our loved ones was wrong.

'We are optimistic that when this reaches the Royal Courts of Justice for its appeal there will be an outcome that provides some of the appropriate justice that we have been calling for.

'It is important to remember that this is just one part of the tragic failures in this case.

The investigation into the mental health trust, the CPS and the Nottingham and Leicestershire Police still continue.

'We maintain that there are serious failures in all three agencies that must be fully addressed. Organisational and individual accountability must be taken and where relevant, proper change made.'

The government says the attorney general's office received 'numerous' unduly lenient sentence (ULS) referrals after Calocane was sentenced on January 25.

Under the ULS scheme, law officers can only consider the sentences for the offences of manslaughter for which Calocane was convicted under the deal struck with the Crown Prosecution Service in January.

They cannot consider whether he should have been tried for murder, as the families of his victims had hoped.

However, HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate has been asked to undertake an independent inspection of prosecutors' actions in Calocane's case.

Yesterday it was announced that the families' request to widen the scope of the inspection to look at any interaction the killer had with the CPS, and not just matters related to events on 13 June 2023, would be granted.

Calocane embarked on his killing spree in the early hours of June 13 2023 after spending hours prowling the streets before knifing Ms O'Malley-Kumar and Mr Webber as they walked home from a night out.

He then stabbed Mr Coates to death an hour later before stealing his van, using it to run down three other people.

Armed police were scrambled to stop him - eventually cornering him in Nottingham's Bentinck Road and shooting him with a Taser, charging him with three counts of murder and three of attempted murder.

Grace O'Malley Kumar and Barnaby Webber pictured walking home from a night out - minutes before they were fatally stabbed by Valdo Calocane

Calocane then killed Ian Coates and stole his van - using it to mow down three others in Nottingham, who all survived

Police then cornered Calocane after being scrambled to find him - discharging a taser before arresting him and charging him with murder

The van sitting behind a police cordon on June 13 after Calocane was arrested and taken away by police

Attorney general Victoria Prentis (pictured) said the sentence handed to Calocane was 'unduly lenient' and would be referred to the Court of Appeal

Armed police on the scene of Ilkeston Road on June 13 after Ms O'Malley Kumar and Mr Webber were found dead in the street

The decision by prosecutors to accept reduced pleas of manslaughter was blasted by the families of Calocane's victims outside court after sentence was passed (above)

Mr Justice Turner (pictured) sentenced Calocane to be detained in a secure hospital after three psychiatrists agreed the killer was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia

However, the case did not proceed to trial after prosecutors agreed to accept guilty pleas to reduced charges of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility after psychiatric reports found he was suffering a 'serious mental health' episode at the time of the attacks.

The decision outraged Calocane's victims' families, who say they felt compelled to accept the decision and that Calocane had 'made a mockery' of the justice system.

READ MORE: Notts Police placed under investigation by watchdog over prior contact with triple killer Valdo Calocane before his rampage and how officers investigated the deaths Advertisement

It later emerged that Calocane had been sectioned several times under the Mental Health Act - prompting questions as to why police didn't act sooner to take him off the streets.

Investigations are ongoing into the NHS Nottinghamshire Healthcare Foundation Trust, which treated Calocane's schizophrenia, the CPS and Nottingham and Leicestershire Police.

The police watchdog is investigating Nottinghamshire Police over a string of potential failings relating to the case, including its contact with Calocane prior to the killings and complaints from victims' families over how the investigation was conducted.

It is understood the complaints relate to a further revelation a failure to pursue toxicology testing  Calocane refused to give blood and urine samples while no hair sample was taken - and erroneous information given to the families that Calocane had been a 'sofa surfer'.

Mrs Webber has also accused police of having 'blood on their hands' after it emerged a warrant had been issued for Calocane's arrest nine months before the attack.

Another force, Leicestershire Police, has also admitted officers failed to arrest Calocane following an assault on two colleagues five weeks before his rampage.

Mr Justice Turner sentenced Calocane to be detained in a secure hospital, with a Restriction Order under sections 37 and 41 of the Mental Health Act after three psychiatrists agreed the defendant was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia which led to an abnormality of mental functioning and impaired his ability to exercise self-control.

Scene of crime officers establish a forensics tent on Magdala Road, where Ian Coates was stabbed to death, on June 13 2023

Forensics officers carry supplies as they begin their investigation into Calocane's attacks on June 13 2023

Tributes were left to the victims on the steps of Nottingham Council House following Calocane's killing spree

The psychiatrists all said that a partial defence to murder on the grounds of diminished responsibility was available to Calocane.

The court heard the Crown Prosecution Service had consulted a fourth psychiatrist, who agreed with his three colleagues. Prosecutors then concluded there was no real prospect of securing a murder conviction and so accepted Calocane's pleas to manslaughter.

The judge could still have handed down a life sentence with a long minimum term, which he said would have been 13 years and four months, after deductions for his guilty pleas and other matters.

Another option available to the judge was what is known as a hybrid order, comprising of detention in a secure hospital  meaning Calocane could still receive treatment - with the option that he could be moved at a later stage to a prison if he made sufficient progress with his treatment.

In the event, the judge said he believed a hospital order would better protect the public. It means Calocane will continue to be treated and can only be released when he is no longer considered to pose a danger to the public. The added restrictions include a stipulation that the Justice Secretary must also agree to any future release.

The judge said it was likely Calocane would spend the rest of his life in a secure hospital, such was the severity of his schizophrenia. But the families of his victims feared he could be released in the future and wanted the sentence reviewed.

Once the Court of Appeal considers Calocane's case, judges may decide to keep the sentence the same, increase it, or refuse the application.

And a fresh probe has been launched into police officers who shared graphic details of the injuries inflicted by Calocane on his victims via WhatsApp.

One officer, PC Matthew Gell, forwarded the message onto his wife and a friend - provoking anger from Mr Webber's mother Emma, who slammed the 'abhorrent' messages and 'needless voyeurism' of the injuries suffered by her son, Ms O'Malley-Kumar and Mr Coates.

PC Gell was handed a written warning after being found guilty of gross misconduct at the hearing, which was held just days before Calocane's sentencing in January.

The officer who sent the message, who has not been identified, was sent on a 'developmental learning' course, Nottinghamshire Police said.

The Police Federation said PC Gell had been made into a 'sacrificial lamb' by being hauled before a disciplinary hearing.
This is the hilarious moment a wild monkey invites itself into a hotel room before helping itself to snacks and a vape while astonished US tourists look on.

One of the tourists, a girl who has white dreadlocks and nose piercings, first appears on the video waiting for one of the monkeys on the balcony to enter the hotel room.

While she is keeping her eye on the local wildlife, her friend, who is sporting a similar haircut, is in bed.

The girl who is filming then gasps and says: 'There's another one. I think it's going to come here and get it. You need to wake up.'

One of the monkeys swings into the room holding onto the curtain, and the girl says: 'Hi hunny, you want the apple?'

The inquisitive monkey then runs over to a small cupboard and briefly jumps onto it to search for treats before running back outside.

The tourist, who has white dreadlocks and nose piercings, first appears on the video waiting for one of the monkeys on the balcony to enter the hotel room. One of the monkeys later jumps onto the bed and holds her vape close to its mouth

Another monkey is shown on the bed of the girl who is sleeping.

The other girl says: 'You have a monkey on your bed.'

It hops off and opens the cupboard door before hanging from it and doing a jump-spin back onto the bed.

The monkey then jumps onto another bed and picks up a blue vape, holding it closely to its mouth.

The girl says: 'It's smoking my vape!'

The monkeys on the balcony of the hotel room. One of them runs into the room searching for treats

The monkey then leaves the room via the balcony door.

Social media users were quick to comment on the video, with one noting: 'Spider monkeys love stealing things'.

Another wrote: 'The other girl 100% thinks she's dreaming this'.

Someone else posted: 'That's a Trip'.

Last month, a terrified tourist robbed by a monkey was unable to do anything but helplessly watch on as the primate began to devour her passport.

A monkey climbing onto a cupboard in the hotel room. Another then enters. It hops off and opens the cupboard door before hanging from it and doing a jump-spin back onto the bed. Seconds later it takes hold of the vape

The Portuguese woman had her passport snatched at the Sacred Monkey Forest in Ubud, Bali while she was unaware, and by the time she noticed the monkey was already gnawing away at it.

Onlookers filmed the encounter as the woman unsuccessfully tried to trade a piece of paper in exchange for her critical document.

As she edged the offering towards the thieving monkey sitting atop a handrail, another crept up from behind and startled her.
This is the moment a woman allegedly obsessed with torture who was inspired to kill by the Netflix documentary 'Don't F*** with Cats' asks police officers for nicotine patches after her arrest for murder.

Scarlet Blake looked calm and relaxed as she inquired about the patches while waiting to be interviewed by detectives over the murder of BMW engineer Jorge Carreno in July 2021.

Her hands are handcuffed her back as she sits on a bench at Abingdon Police station flanked by two police officers.

The conversation about nicotine patches was captured on a bodycam from a female police officer.

Blake can be heard saying she has been arrested and suffering from withdrawal symptoms.

The female PC tells her they have a health professional who will be able to see her and look at prescribed nicotine patches.

Scarlet Blake is seen asking police officers for nicotine pouches after being arrested for murder

Blake, who is accused of murdering Jorge Carreno, is pictured in the middle of two security guards

Prosecutors say Blake stalked and killed 30-year-old Jorge Martin Carreno (pictured) in July 2021

The eighth day of a murder trial at Oxford Crown Court was told 25-year-old Blake later answered 'no comment' to all police questions as she was quizzed about the death of Mr Carreno.

The court also heard she had refused to hand over the PIN number to her mobile phone after being arrested outside her home in Oxford last August.

Blake is on trial accused of killing 30-year-old Mr Carreno after being inspired to kill by the Netflix documentary 'Don't F*** with Cats'.

A jury at Oxford Crown Court has heard how she live-streamed dissecting a cat and putting it in a blender months before killing the 30-year-old Spanish engineer.

She is alleged to have confessed to the murder to a former partner in the US who later contacted police after the pair had a falling out.

The clip of Blake being interviewed after her arrest was played to the court by the prosecution.

The jury also heard that Blake was interviewed by detectives on 11 occasions in the presence of her lawyer and answered 'no comment' to all the questions.

On her initial arrest last August, the court heard that a mobile phone was found in her pocket but she refused to reveal the PIN number to allow easy access.

Blake has been described as a 'predator' by prosecutor Alison Morgan KC who stalked the streets of Oxford looking for a victim in July 2021.

Blake is alleged to have confessed to the murder to a former partner in the US who later contacted police after the pair had a falling out

Prosecutors say Blake had a fetish for strangulation and was obsessed with violence and death. Jurors have previously been shown how Blake downloaded this collage of nine female killers including Casey Anthony, who was accused of murdering her three-year-old daughter in Florida, and Andrea Yates who drowned her five children

An image entitled 'First date with me' which showed pictures of duct tape, a knife, rope and a handgun had also been downloaded to the 25-year-old's phone, the court has previously been told

Other photos seized and displayed to the jury included a photo of a handmade garotte fashioned from two metal handles and piano wire

A picture of someone wearing a t-shirt reading 'you're cute, murder me' was also shown to jurors at Oxford Crown Court

This picture of a post on Reddit, in which one user urges people not to trust 'people like me' was also shown in court

An comic strip, which appears to show a person cleaining as they talk about getting of evidence, was show during Blake's trial

Police found the images and others of strangulation from one of two phones used by Blake when she was arrested in August 2023, Oxford Crown Court heard

After finding Mr Carreno she lured him to an isolated spot where he was hit over the head with a vodka bottle, strangled and his body pushed into the River Cherwell.

His death was initially thought to be from drowning or suicide.

Almost two years after his death the alleged killer's former partner Ashlynn Bell contacted police to say Blake had confessed to the murder.

The court heard Blake had also taken photos of the exact spot where Mr Carreno's body was found  even though the location had never been revealed by police.

Prosecutors say Blake had a fetish for strangulation and was obsessed with violence and death. Photos of female serial killers were found on her phone.

The court heard she had also talked about killing with her partners and made reference to the Netflix documentary about killer Luke Magnotta while cutting up a cat she had kidnapped from a neighbour.

Defence counsel Richard Sutton KC said Blake would be giving evidence later today.

Blake denies murder.
The North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum in Bismarck has scheduled a Norwegian chip carving demonstration Friday from 12:30-4:30 p.m.

Artist Jim Paulson of Skanderna Wood Works LLC will demonstrate the art of low relief carving, a style dating to the 12th century in Norway. Paulson will show how he uses basic carving tools to carve mythical creatures resembling horses, lions, serpents and dragons.
This is the shocking moment a vandal used the cover of night to empty 60,000 litres of luxury wine worth over 2 million at a Spanish winery.

The wasteful crime is not only bad news for the winemaker, Jose Moro, but also for lovers of the beverage worldwide, as one of his brand's entire vintages was lost.

The footage shows the suspect running up to one of the giant wine tanks and opening it, causing streams of the pricey booze to gush out onto the floor.

The CCTV images were filmed at the Cepa 21 winery in Castrillo de Duero, in Valladolid, Spain, in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Local media reported that the attack left 60,000 litres of wine on the floor after three vats in total were opened - enough to fill around 80,000 bottles.

60,000 Litres of wine gushed out onto the floor after three vats in total were opened

Winemaker Jose Moro sells his wine all over the world - but this year an entire vintage was lost

The winery is owned by Jose Moro, a highly regarded winemaker who sells his product all over the world.

After the attacker opened the first vat which saw 40,000 litres of the beverage pour out, they moved onto another two vats, both of which were empty.

Moro has filed a complaint with the Civil Guard over the matter.

The financial hit is said to be significant for Moro.

He said that the person who carried out the attack knew what they were doing and knew how to operate a wine vat.

'It's a case of doing harm for the sake of doing harm, by someone who can't be very balanced, hasn't got much common sense and is acting out of hatred,' he told Spanish public television TVE.

'Everything indicates the person knew where they were,' he added.

The investigation is ongoing and no one has yet been caught.

Surprisingly, the 60,000 litre loss of wine is not the largest ever wine-related disaster.

Back in 2005, an arsonist set fire to a huge warehouse resulting in the loss of six million bottles of wine worth a staggering 130m (in today's money).

The arsonist, Mark Anderson, was arrested two years later, having allegedly started the fire to cover up embezzlement.

If wine is rare enough, even the loss of one bottle can be costly.

The attacker reportedly knew what they were doing and knew how to operate a wine vat

The attacker tried to open two other vats but they were both empty so no more wine was lost

According to Wine Investment, the most expensive bottle ever dropped was by Manhattan wine merchant William Sokolin had New York's high society aghast back in 1989 when he accidentally dropped a bottle of 1787 Chateau Margaux at a black-tie event in Bordeux.

The bottle was worth over 1m (in today's money) and was discovered behind a cellar wall in Paris in 1985.

It is thought to have belonged to Thomas Jefferson.

Somehow, the bottle didn't shatter - but the wine poured out nonetheless, resulting in what People magazine called 'the world's most expensive puddle'.
An influencer has been slammed on social media for driving at speeds of more than 90mph down a quiet residential road in his Porsche - all while filming the activity on his phone.

Harrison 'HSTikkyTokky' Sullivan, who has 896,000 followers on TikTok, was in the vehicle with a friend when he decided to fiddle with a switch on the steering wheel to make the car go quicker.

The shocking footage, which has received more than 60,000 likes on Instagram, shows Sullivan initially crawling at around 10mph in the Porsche 992 Turbo S.

Shortly after he passes another car on the narrow street, the influencer puts his foot on the accelerator and speeds down the sleepy road.

The car, which costs around 168,000, reaches 60mph in two seconds and gets up to 92mph before Sullivan decides to slow down.

Influencer Harrison 'HSTikkyTokky' Sullivan, who has 896,000 followers on TikTok, has been slammed on social media for driving at speeds of more than 90mph down a quiet residential road in his Porsche - all while filming the activity on his phone

The car, which costs around 168,000, reaches 60mph in two seconds and gets up to 92mph before Sullivan decides to slow down

The TikToker, filming the antic on his phone leaving just one hand on the steering wheel, then says 'Oh my God...get back...get the f*** back Shadrack' as his friend laughs in the passenger seat

Sullivan then turns his phone to film his friend, who is also recording the drive, before ending the video

The TikToker, filming the anticon his phone leaving just one hand on the steering wheel, then says 'Oh my God...get back...get the f*** back Shadrack' as his friend laughs in the passenger seat.

Sullivan then turns his phone to film his friend, who is also recording the drive.

The controversial influencer has been criticised online since he posted the clips of him speeding in the Porsche, which can go from 0-60mph in 2.7 seconds and reach a top speed of 205mph, on X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram on Friday.

In particular, Sullivan drew the ire of cyclists on social media platforms who condemned his actions as 'irresponsible', suggesting he should 'leave driving to the grown ups'.

One user said: 'This is the sort of problem that bad drivers like you cause. I feel so sorry for the dead and their families.'

Another posted: 'Do you always drive irresponsibly? Leave driving to the grown ups for your sake and everyone elses.'

An Instagram user added: '90 in a 30 isn't a flex.'

MailOnline has contacted Essex Police and the Metropolitan Police to see if they are aware of the incident.

People took to social media to slam the influencer's driving, with cyclists particularly infuriated by his actions

The incident comes after Sullivan got into a full-on brawl with another influencer in the busy streets of Miami in November.

Sullivan started arguing with Jon Zherka while dining at the Dolores But You Can Call Me Lolita restaurant with his girlfriend.

Appalling footage captured the moment the two internet stars started to brawl - and apparently, it started over a tossed bottle. It ended with both men on the ground in the street, tussling with each other as cars passed nearby.

'You came to hunt me... You came for this,' Zherka shouted.

Sullivan replied: 'Put the camera down and let's go around the corner now.'

Harrison 'HSTikkyTokky' Sullivan and Jon Zherka fought into the street outside a Miami restaurant while Sullivan was on a date with his girlfriend

Zherka was trying to get a reaction out of Sullivan by shouting, 'You came to hunt me... You came for this'

The two continued to fight on the sidewalk, and Sullivan began to drag Zherka - almost removing his shirt in the process

Zherka remained on top of Sullivan for a number of seconds before Sullivan requested that Zherka 'get off him.' The fight eventually ended and neither of them received serious injuries

Zherka was the first one to initiate contact, right before Sullivan then slammed him on the ground and dragged him into the street while continuing to hit and yell at Zherka.

The video taker and several bystanders, repeatedly told the two men to stop fighting, Sullivan eventually told Zherka to 'get off' him.

The fight spilled off the sidewalk and onto the street. The two men continued to tussle and exchange blows as the video ends.
In a letter from last week, the four have asked for the assistance of the National Guard to 'assist in restoring order' at the school

Committee members Joyce Asack, Tony Rodrigues, Claudio Gomes and Ana Oliver requested immediate assistance last week 'to prevent a potential tragedy'

Committee members at a Massachusetts school have requested that the National Guard be brought in to deal with unruly students 'causing chaos'.

Violence and security concerns have been raised at Brockton High School, with 11 students arrested and criminally charged just last week after a brawl in the school.

Committee members Joyce Asack, Tony Rodrigues, Claudio Gomes and Ana Oliver requested immediate assistance last week 'to prevent a potential tragedy'.

Their letter said: 'Over the past few months, our high school has experienced a disturbing increase in incidents related to violence, security concerns, and substance abuse.

The situation has reached a critical point, more recently we had an alarming 35 teachers absent, underscoring the severity of the challenges we are facing.

Violence and security concerns have been raised at Brockton High School, with 11 students arrested and criminally charged just last week

The letter added: 'We are formally requesting that you reach out to Governor Healey and request the deployment of the National Guard to assist in restoring order, ensuring the safety of all individuals on the school premises, and implementing measures to address the root causes of the issues we are facing.'

Cellphone footage obtained by NBC Boston shows students fighting in a stairwell at the school.

Other video seen by Boston 25 shows two individuals brawling inside what appears to be a classroom.

The two students throw each other around the round, exchanging kicks and punches with each other as a crowd gathers to watch the violence unfold.

Several individuals can be seen throwing punches and attacking each other during the melee.

Earlier this month, teachers voiced their concerns during an emergency committee meeting and shared their experiences.

The Enterprise reported that teacher Eleri Merrikin told the meeting that: Theyre having sex and doing drugs and cutting class in empty classrooms.

While Julie Fairfield added: I dont even like to leave my classroom anymore, I usually wait until after school to go to the bathroom.

While secretary Cheri Mazzoli recounted being trampled by a mob of students racing down a hallway to watch a fight that had broken out.

Mazzoli said: 'We are in chaos, we need help. The crowd came down the hall so quickly that I got swept up, not by the students fighting, but by the students that were rushing to watch and video the fight.'

Other video seen by Boston 25 shows two individuals brawling inside what appears to be a classroom

The two students throw each other around the round, exchanging kicks and punches with each other as a crowd gathers to watch the violence unfold

Committee members Joyce Asack, Tony Rodrigues, Claudio Gomes and Ana Oliver, seen here, requested immediate assistance last week 'to prevent a potential tragedy'

The school is the largest high school in the state with an enrollment of around 4,300 students.

In May of last year, two students were stabbed during a brawl that broke out just outside the school.

The altercation saw five people rushed to hospital, with another victim then being stabbed inside the hospital.

Five people were arrested in connection with the high school and hospital stabbings.

During a press conference on Monday, committee member Rodrigues said: 'We need to take our schools back in control and make sure our students have a safe learning environment cause what's going at in the high school is disheartening and kids are losing precious learning time and kids are causing chaos.'

Brockton Mayor Robert Sullivan opposes the proposal, saying: 'We need to give our administrators the tools to keep order in the school, including amending certain state rules and regulations that currently hamper these efforts

'National Guard soldiers are not the answer. We have had school police working effectively and safely at the high school for decades.'

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey issued a statement Sunday saying she is 'committed to ensuring that schools are safe and supportive environments.'

Healey added that she has been in touch with local officials about the concerns at Brockton High School.
A Swiss Air jet has been cordoned off at Barcelona airport after an alleged radioactive spill from a suitcase in the plane's hold.

Teams for air emergencies as well as radiological specialist were called to Terminal 1 at the El Prat airport, parts of which have since been closed due to the reported spill, according to local media reports.

The 134 passengers and five crew members who were on the Swiss Air flight from Barcelona to Zurich have reportedly been forced to remain on the aircraft at first before being isolated in a room at the airport.

Meanwhile five workers who were working in the warehouse at the time the alleged spill was discovered were taken to hospital as a precaution.

The spokesperson for the Government of Catalonia, Patricia Plaja, said her agency had no evidence that there are 'seriously affected people', according to local outlet 20 Minutos.

A Swiss Air jet has been cordoned off at Barcelona airport after an alleged radioactive spill from a suitcase (file image)

Firefighters are working on the incident with 13 crews to make sure the area is safe for the public.

The spill was found at 10.20am local time (9.48am UK time) this morning and reportedly came from a suitcase holding medical supplies.

Because the suitcase was already on the plane when the suspected radioactive spill was discovered, the passengers were not allowed to disembark the aircraft.

Radiology experts are yet to assess the risk related to the suitcase and the suspected spill. Company Aena, which manages the El Prat airport, told local media that the checks were part of its protocal.

It added that the incident was 'minor' and that there is no damage to the airport's infrastructure following the reported spill, which was of 'low intensity', according to the risk assessment.

A regional emergency response coordination centre said: 'The emergency contingency plan for radiological emergencies has been activated this morning over a radioactive source inside an aircraft.'

The spill was found at 10.20am local time (9.48am UK time) this morning and reportedly came from a suitcase holding medical equipment (pictured: file image of El Prat airport)

Shortly after 1.30pm local time (12.30pm UK time) Aena announced that the alert had been deactivated without any incident after verifying that there was 'no risk', El Pais reports.

The passengers and crew were finally allowed out of isolation after three hours in the early afternoon.

Aena said other flights and the airport's oeprations have not been affected.

A spokesperson for Swiss International Airlines said: 'We can confirm that during the unloading of the cargo compartment of flight LX1952 in Barcelona, ground staff discovered that a box containing medical supplies showed damp patches.

'The flight was operated by an Air Baltic Airbus A220 with 134 passengers and 5 crew members on board. The aircraft has already been released and is on its way to Zurich. Further investigations are being carried out by the local authorities.

'We can confirm that no radioactivity was detected during the measurements by the responsible authorities. This procedure is a regular airport process in the event of damaged or, in this case, wet cargo with radioactive contents.

'There was no danger to passengers, crew or ground personnel at any time. The aircraft took off for Zurich with passengers shortly after 2pm.'
Breathtaking images show the frozen landscape around Niagara Falls on Monday after overnight temperatures reached -9C.

A thick layer of ice and snow on terrain surrounding the famous waterfall could be seen, as well as frozen branches, and icy patches amid the fast-flowing water.

The Falls froze in 1848 due to the cold conditions and an accumulation of ice glaciers preventing the flow of water.

Since then they have never frozen over, according to Niagara Parks' records.

An estimated 22 million people visit Niagara Falls each year on both the American and Canadian sides.

Niagara Falls partially frozen due to extreme cold weather on Monday

Frozen branches at Niagara Falls. The Falls froze in 1848 due to sub-zero temperatures and an accumulation of ice glaciers stopping the flow of water. Since then they have never frozen over, according to Niagara Parks' records

Thick layers of ice and snow around Niagara Falls. The famous waterfall is one of the world's most visited sites

The frozen spectacle came as an atmospheric river pounded California with thunderstorms and hail on Monday.

However, the state was spared major damage as there were no tornadoes, which had been forecast as a possibility.

Packing gusty winds, the storms knocked out power for more than 11,000 customers, flooded roads, toppled trees and shut down Santa Barbara airport for the day.

As of 5pm, the 24-hour rainfall totals topped out around 3 to 4 inches in areas below Mount Shasta, one of California's tallest peaks at 14,180 feet.

The National Weather Service in Sacramento issued a tornado warning for parts of Plumas County and Butte County in the state's north, but as of Monday evening the worst those areas received was hail and heavy thunderstorms, meteorologist Jeffrey Wood said.

Niagara Falls frozen at the sides due to the cold weather. An estimated 22 million people visit the Falls each year on both the American and Canadian sides

Packs of ice clung to the rocks at Niagara Falls after temperatures reached -9C on Sunday night

Frozen branches and mounds of ice above the surface of the water

An icy rock face beside the gushing waterfall on Monday

Ice formations on the surface of the water at Niagara Falls

Frozen branches on the banks of Niagara Falls during sub-zero temperatures

More significant damage was still possible as heavy rains were expected to douse much of northern California into Tuesday and southern California into Wednesday.

Los Angeles County could receive 3 to 5 inches of rain in the mountains and foothills, the weather service said.

Even so, the effects appeared to be far less significant than that from another atmospheric river two weeks ago that dumped up to a year's worth of precipitation in some areas, knocked out power to nearly 1 million customers and killed nine people.

After historic precipitation a year ago effectively ended the state's severe drought, California is again experiencing a wet year.

President Joe Biden on Monday declared a major disaster over severe storms that flooded the San Diego area in January, freeing up federal assistance to supplement state and local recovery efforts.

Those rains killed three people and damaged more than 800 homes, the office of California Governor Gavin Newsom said.
A Texas Girl Scout troop was robbed while selling cookies in front of a Walmart earlier this month.

Fort Worth police are searching for the suspect who swiped the bag containing the girls' earnings from February 11.

Around 2 p.m., near the entrance of Walmart located at 9500 Clifford St., the suspect wearing a grey hoodie walked past the cookie stand, grabbed the bag containing approximately $450 and ran.

Police are now asking for help finding the thief who they describe as a black man, 18-24 years old, wearing a grey hoodie and black beanie.

'We are talking about a little girl here. A little girl trying to sell Girl Scout cookies,' Fort Worth Police Officer Brad Perez told Fox 4.

Fort Worth police are searching for the suspect who swiped the bag containing the Girl Scouts' earnings from the day on February 11

The suspect wearing a grey hoodie, exited the Walmart, walked past the cookie stand and grabbed the cash

The suspect snatched the bag containing approximately $450 and ran

'Around $450 in cash is what was stolen. There have people reaching out to the detective to see how they can help.'

Pocket-picking and purse-snatching was up 12.9 percent in 2023, according to the Fort Worth Police Department.

Shoplifting was up 14.1 percent, theft from buildings was up 181.8 percent, motor vehicle theft was up 42.4 percent and robbery was up 2.4 percent.

Third grader Brooke Martinez, who is in a different Girl Scout troop, was selling cookies at a bowling alley in Fort Worth the day after the robbery.

After watching the video of the Walmart robbery, her grandmother Kathy Taylor told Fox 4, 'It almost made me cry. Because it's hard work, they work hard for this.'

'You trust everyone. Girl Scouts trust everyone and Girl Scouts are honest, and they think everyone is, but it's a hard lesson learned.'

Taylor said it is her granddaughter's third year selling Girl Scout cookies and she keeps their money hidden.

Last year, a Maryland man was arrested for stealing a cash box from a Girl Scout cookie stand outside of a Safeway grocery store in Rockville.

Police are asking for help finding the thief who they describe as a black man, 18-24 years old, wearing a grey hoodie and black beanie

A Texas Girl Scout troop was robbed while selling cookies in front of a Walmart in Fort Worth (pictured) earlier this month

Gerrard Harrison, 24, was arrested for walking up to the stand and snatching the cash box that contained more than $100, reported WJLA.

Lidia Soto-Harmon, the chief executive officer for the Girl Scout Council of the Nation's Capital, said at the time, 'We have close to 24,000 girls selling Girl Scout cookies right now and this is the first incident.'

'I have been the CEO for 12 years, and I've done a lot of crisis communication pieces, and this is the first time I've heard of something this happening to one of our Girl Scouts.'

In their safety tips handout, Girl Scouts advises sellers to 'be prepared for emergencies, and always have a plan for safeguarding money.'

Girls Scouts must be accompanied or supervised by an adult when selling cookies and are told be streetwise and become familiar with the areas they are selling in.
Staff at a New York Gucci store were held at gunpoint during brazen daylight robbery, where they made off with $51,000 worth of goods.

Dramatic footage shows the heist unfolding in a matter of minutes at the store in the city's ritzy Meatpacking District on Monday. Video shows one of the three thieves walk in and point a gun towards a security guard before ransacking the shelves.

The group helped themselves to the designer suitcases and bags, before stuffing them into a stack.

One of the thieves is so over encumbered he trips and falls whilst trying to make his exit.

Now, police are asking for the public's help finding the brazen suspects.

Staff at a New York Gucci store were held up at gunpoint during a brazen daylight raid, where thieves made off with $51,000 worth of goods

The suspects escaped with designer bags and suitcases which they stuffed into a giant sack as helpless staff looked on

One of the thieves was carrying so much stolen property that he tripped and fell whilst making his escape

Moments later, surveillance footage from outside the store shows the group running out into the street with the bulging sack in hand.

Police said the suspects are two men and a woman who were seen getting into a black Honda CRV immediately after the raid.

The vehicle was last seen heading through the Lincoln Tunnel to New Jersey.

Nobody was injured during the robbery, but the store remained closed for the remainder of the day.

Anyone with any information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). You can also submit a tip via their website or via DM on Twitter, @NYPDTips. All calls are kept confidential.

It comes just months after a man was left in critical condition after being shot in the face during a late-night robbery of a seafood restaurant in Washington Heights.

A day later, a celebrity jeweler was robbed of an estimated $1million worth of jewelry after being held up at gunpoint in his Manhattan store.

The branch in the city's Meatpacking District was forced to close for the rest of the day

Nobody was injured during the theft but police are now appealing for help tracing the two male and one female they say are suspects

The trio were last seen getting into a black Honda CRV heading towards the Lincoln Tunnel

Benny Nisanov was held up at gun point at his West 47th Street store in the city's Diamond District.

Year-end crime statistics reveal the incidents are part of a wave of violence sweeping the Big Apple.

The number of robberies increase by more than a fifth in December, although were down for the full year.

Meanwhile, the number of felony assaults spiked to 27,849 for the year, an annual increase of 6.3 percent.
Alabama's Supreme Court has ruled that frozen embryos are children and will therefore be given the same protections under state law.

Six judges in the state's highest court ruled in favor of the landmark decision, including Chief Justice Tom Parker who quoted the Bible and said it would protect 'the sanctity of unborn life'.

The decision came in a lawsuit brought by a group of IVF patients whose frozen embryos were destroyed in December 2020 when a patient removed them from a cryogenic storage unit and dropped them on the ground.

'Human life cannot be wrongfully destroyed without incurring the wrath of a holy God, who views the destruction of His image as an affront to Himself,' Chief Justice Parker wrote.

'Even before birth, all human beings bear the image of God, and their lives cannot be destroyed without effacing his glory.'

Six judges in the state's highest court ruled in favor of the landmark decision, including Chief Justice Tom Parker (pictured) who quoted the Bible and said it would protect 'the sanctity of unborn life'

Alabama 's Supreme Court has ruled that frozen embryos are children and will therefore be given the same protections under state law

The decision came in a lawsuit brought by a group of IVF patients whose frozen embryos were destroyed in December 2020 when a patient removed them from a cryogenic storage unit and dropped them on the ground a the Center for Reproductive Medicine (pictured)

One judge - Alabama Supreme Court Justice Greg Cook - issued a dissenting opinion, arguing that the decision was based on a 19th century law which was not designed to take modern fertility technology into account.

The plaintiffs in the IVF clinic case filed two lawsuits against the facility where the accident happened - the Center for Reproductive Medicine.

They alleged that the clinic was in violation of Alabama's Wrongful Death of a Minor Act, which applies to unborn babies.

'The relevant statutory text is clear: the Wrongful Death of a Minor Act applies on its face to all unborn children, without limitation,' the court's decision stated.

The group also accused the clinic of negligence and sought monetary compensation. This part of their claim is now being considered by the court.

Lawyers for the clinic had filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuits, which was granted by a trial court. It argued that a frozen embryo could not fall within the definition of a 'person' or 'child'.

Key to their argument was that the embryos were not inside a biological uterus - but the court fund that the law applies to all embryos no matter where they are located.

The defendants have said this ruling could have devastating consequences for families considering IVF in the future, by making it substantially more expensive as clinics will now worry about the cost of potential accidents and lawsuits.

But the court dismissed this as a concern for politicians, not the justice system.

'While we appreciate the defendants' concerns, these types of policy focused arguments belong before the Legislature, not this Court,' the ruling stated.

There are also concerns about the impact of the historic ruling on reproductive rights. Campaigners say the ruling was concerning because it shows how a judge's religious beliefs could influence a 'deeply personal decision'

One judge - Alabama Supreme Court Justice Greg Cook (pictured) - issued a dissenting opinion, arguing that the decision was based on a 19th century law which was not designed to take modern fertility technology into account

Alabama 's Supreme Court has ruled that frozen embryos are children and will therefore be given the same protections under state law

Dissenting judge Alabama Supreme Court Justice Greg Cook argued in his opinion that the court was overreaching by attempting to 'breathe life' into an outdated law about the protection of children.

He said the law, written in 1872, would not have taken into account the future existence of frozen embryos and to assume that it did would be a matter for the legislature.

There are also concerns about the impact of the historic ruling on reproductive rights.

Kelly Baden, vice president for public policy at the Guttmacher Institute, told the Washington Post the ruling was concerning because it shows how a judge's religious beliefs could influence a 'deeply personal decision'.

She added that the overturning of Roe v Wade had emboldened judges to restrict more than just abortion.

The Supreme Court last year voted to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe V Wade ruling that made abortion care legal and state abortion bans unconstitutional.

On June 24 2022 that right was overturned when a majority voted in the Mississippi case of Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health Organization to state that there was not constitutional protection for abortion.

Within hours of the announcement, abortion clinics in some states were forced to close.

Since the court's ruling 21 states have banned or restricted access to abortion.
Investigators located Anderson with the help of DNA sequencing and she admitted to being the baby girl's mother

The baby was asphyxiated and left in a trashcan inside Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport in October 2005

Annie Anderson, 51, has been charged with first-degree murder in connection to the death of her newborn daughter

A Washington woman has been charged in connection to the death of her newborn daughter nearly 20 years after the child's body was discovered in a trash can at a Phoenix airport.

Annie Anderson, 51, has been charged with first-degree murder after admitting that she was the mother of the girl dubbed 'Baby Skylar,' who was found wrapped inside a trash bag in a women's restroom.

DNA and genealogy tracking led Phoenix detectives to the 51-year-old, who will be extradited to Arizona to face multiple felony counts.

Investigators believe Baby Skylar lived for just 24 hours before she was abandoned at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport in October 2005.

Her body was discovered amid a search for another passenger's laptop in Terminal 4 of the airport.

Annie Anderson, 51, has been charged in connection to the death of a newborn girl whose body was discovered inside a trash bag at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport in October 2005

The Washington woman is believed to have asphyxiated the baby before abandoning her body in the trash inside a women's restroom and leaving on a plane

The case went cold when investigators were unable to locate Baby Skylar's mother. Phoenix police worked with a DNA phenotyping company to create a composite image

Maintenance workers combed through the trash in a bathroom on the ticketing level and recovered a black garbage bag stuffed with hotel-monogrammed towels.

The medical examiner later determined that Baby Skylar died from asphyxiation, launching a homicide investigation.

Troy Hillman, a retired cold case detective with the Phoenix Police Department who worked on the case for years, described the discovery as 'divine intervention.'

Speaking to AZFamily, Hillman said if the businessman hadn't lost his laptop, Baby Skylar likely never would have been found.

However, the trail went cold after investigators searched three local hotels for guest lists and surveillance and were unable to trace the baby's mother.

They suspected the woman had boarded a plane and fled the state after leaving the dead newborn behind.

'She just literally was welcomed into the world only to be murdered. It was just horrific,' Hillman said.

His team joined forces with Parabon NanoLabs to create a composite image of what the mother may look like based on DNA collected from the baby.

In November 2021, there was a break in the case.

Maintenance workers discovered Skylar's body as they searched for another passenger's laptop, even combing through the trash in a bathroom on the ticketing level

Strangers flocked to baby's funeral after investigators searched hotels for guest lists and surveillance and failed to trace the baby's mother

In November 2021, developments in DNA sequencing technology helped police identify a probable match

In January 2022, police interviewed Anderson, who confirmed she was the baby's mother

'The FBI and Phoenix Police cold case detectives reviewed existing evidence and utilized Investigative Genetic Genealogy (IGG) to help identify a potential maternal match for the newborn victim,' Phoenix police said in a press release Monday.

'Investigators cross-referenced the potential match with evidence originally collected at the scene and identified the probable mother of Baby Skylar.'

In January 2022, police served a search warrant and interviewed Anderson, who confirmed she was the baby's mother.

The 51-year-old's arrest was announced Monday after the convening of a Maricopa County Grand Jury. She was jailed in Washington and awaits extradition back to Arizona.

Hillman expressed his frustration knowing the baby girl could have survived if Anderson had dropped her off at a hospital instead of leaving her behind.

'That just kind of burns at me to this day,' he said. 'This didnt have to be this way, and somebody needed to explain why they did what they did.'
Podcaster extraordinaire Joe Rogan speculated on a recent episode of his show that the Democratic Party is preparing to swap out President Joe Biden for California Governor Gavin Newsom on the 2024 presidential ticket.

'I think theyre gonna get rid of him... I'd say they're setting up Gavin Newsom for it,' said Rogan last week.

Since before he took office, Biden, 81, has been plagued by doubts about his mental acuity and ability to lead the free world.

Days ago, Special Counsel Robert Hur's report, which described Biden as a 'sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory,' brought those concerns to a boiling point ahead of the November election.

The report also determined that bringing charges against Biden for the mishandling of classified documents would likely be a fruitless effort because a jury would be hesitant to convict a man who did not have the cognitive will to commit a crime.

'I think theyre gonna get rid of him (Biden)... I'd say they're setting up Gavin Newsom for it,' Joe Rogan said on his podcast last week

California Governor Gavin Newsom has been floated by some as a potential replace for Biden on the November ticket - though he would have to overcome the more obvious selection of VP Kamala Harris

Rogan's guest, Chris Williamson voiced the concern succinctly: 'Basically, you can't prosecute this guy because he's non compos mentis, but you can let him run for the President of the United States in November.'

Rogan then questioned whether Biden will actually make it to November as the chosen representative of his party.

'Don't you think that that's a ruse, him running for president?' he asked.

'I think theyre gonna get rid of him, I think theyre gonna move him out, theyre gonna force him to step down.

'If I had to guess, and it's just speculation, I'd say they're setting up Gavin Newsom for it,' he continued.

The host went on to criticize the president for a handful of the controversies that have been linked back to him, including the revelation that the University of Pennsylvania paid him some $900,000 for a role that entailed delivering just a dozen lectures, but never teaching a course or conducting any research.

Biden's think tank - the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement - has also been linked back to funds from CCP-linked sources.

Rogan called the Ivy League gig an 'old school,' 'mafia' job, where he got paid a tremendous amount of money and 'didn't even have to show up.'

The pair also mocked the very specific cue cards Biden has been caught with on multiple occasions.

'He just can't keep a thought in his head when he starts talking about things. He forgets what he's talking about all the time. He goes, well, whatever. He just says, well, whatever, and just drifts off,' said Rogan.

Concerns about the president's mental acuity have plagued him since the 2020 campaign

Back in September, Newsom called the possibility of accepting the 2024 Democratic nomination for president 'ridiculous.'

During an interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity, Newsom said Biden has 'an extraordinary record to run on,' adding that he 'couldn't be more proud,' but noting that the premise of the question was 'hypothetical.'

A super-majority of Americans in recent polls have voiced concerns about Biden's advanced age and his ability to effectively lead during a second term.

Following the release of the Special Counsel's report, in conjunction with Biden's record-low approval rating, Democrats in DC and beyond are preparing to hit the panic button.

'I think it is now panic time. Biden should not be our standard bearer,' a former senior Democrat White House Official who worked with Biden, told Dailymail.com.

It's increasingly clear we have a deeply flawed candidate. Democracy is in the balance and this is not a smart path for our party.'

Waiting in the wings as potential candidates to replace Biden include Newsom, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker.

Former First Lady Michelle Obama's name has also been tossed around, though she has previously held fast to the position that she will never run for president.

One thing that remains unclear is how the party would bypass Vice President Kamala Harris, who would be the obvious choice to stand in for Joe Biden.

Harris and Biden have traded spots in recent months for rock-bottom poll numbers. A recent NBC News poll but Harris' approval rating at a mere 28 percent.
Some Republicans see it as court-ordered gerrymandering. For members of two Native American tribes, they see a chance at better representation in the state Legislature.

A judges order to put two Native American reservations in the same legislative district is putting six seats that usually would not be included in the 2024 election up for grabs.

The Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa and the Spirit Lake Nation won a lawsuit under the federal Voting Rights Act that puts both reservations in the same district -- District 9.

Were really, really pleased to see that the judge did see the value of having these two tribes in one legislative district, said Nicole Donaghy, executive director of ND Native Vote. Now, when it comes to finding candidates, I think that this process of having the ability to select somebody from your own community will certainly inspire people to want to run for office.

Rep. Jayme Davis is a Turtle Mountain tribal member who told the North Dakota Monitor she was inspired to run for the House in 2022 when she saw a gap that needed to be filled.

It wasnt because hey, this is a dream of mine, said Davis, who now plans to run for the District 9 Senate seat. But the other side of it for me is also to educate and to get people involved and understand why its important that we have representation, why we run and how to run.

The redistricting also means major changes for District 15, which had previously included the Spirit Lake Nation.

Sen. Judy Estenson is a non-tribal member who lives on the Spirit Lake Reservation and is hoping to retain her state Senate seat, even though she is now in a district that is predominantly Native American, a group that has traditionally been more likely to vote Democratic.

I think (the judge) did exactly what redistricting committees are told not to do and that is called gerrymandering and trying to intentionally put together a district that is going to be more one way than the other, Estenson said.

If you look up the definition for gerrymandering, youll see a district similar to that, state Sen. Kent Weston said of the district connecting the two reservations.

Estenson said she thought America was past looking at race when drawing political boundaries.

We all know that all white people dont vote with the same political party. We know that all Black people dont vote with the same political party. And I believe that all Native Americans dont vote with the same political party as well, Estenson said. I hope that I can go out and really talk about values and ideals, and that people can make decisions about those rather than whether somebody has an R or D behind their name.

Map impact

Heres how the court-ordered map affects current legislators:

Sen. Kent Weston, R-Sarles, moves from District 9 to District 15.

Sen. Judy Estenson, R-Warwick, moves from 15 to 9.

Rep. Jayme Davis, D-Rolette, who represented 9A, a subdistrict that included the Turtle Mountain Reservation, is in District 9.

Rep. Donna Henderson, R-Calvin, moves from 9B to 15.

Rep. Kathy Frelich, R-Devils Lake, and Rep. Dennis Johnson, R-Devils Lake, remain in 15.

As odd-numbered districts, seats in 9 and 15 were not scheduled to be on the ballot in 2024, but the order from U.S. District Judge Peter Welte means the seats are up for two-year terms in November.

The changing lines means there are three sitting representatives in District 15 -- Frelich, Henderson and Johnson -- for just two House seats.

Henderson and Frelich will be asking for the Republican endorsement at the District 15 reorganization and nominating convention on Feb. 24 in Devils Lake.

Johnson, who served in his first legislative session in 1993, said Monday that he has decided not to seek reelection.

With younger legislators willing to serve, Its probably a good time to wrap things up, Johnson said.

Henderson said even while waiting for Weltes ruling, I feel like weve kind of been in limbo the whole time.

Weston and Estenson both say they plan on running for the Senate seat in their new districts.

With Henderson moving to 15, there is an open House seat in 9 and the House seat held by Davis.

Two Democrats who are veteran lawmakers in District 9 are former state Sen. Richard Marcellais, a Turtle Mountain tribal member, and former Rep. Marvin Nelson, who is not a tribal member.

Nelson said he plans to run again for a seat he held for 12 years.

I kind of think of it as my seat, said Nelson, who lost to Henderson in 2022.

Marcellais also was voted out of office in 2022, losing to Weston.

He said the way the Legislature redrew district lines in 2021, as it was required to do after the 2020 census, put him out of office.

I feel like I got railroaded, he said of the 2022 election, adding that a tribal election a week before the general election likely hurt turnout from tribal members for the general election.

Tribal membership never got out to vote that second time, Marcellais said.

This year, the tribal election is on the same day as the general election, Nov. 5.

Marcellais said he plans to seek the nomination for the Senate seat. But Davis has decided to give up her House seat and seek the Senate seat.

Im all for having choice on the ballot, Davis said.

Davis, a policy adviser for the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, said she switched to the Senate so she could be a mentor to new candidates interested in running for the House.

District 9 Democrats will have a reorganization meeting and nominating convention on March 3 in Leeds.

Estenson said no one has yet stepped up to run as a Republican for the two House seats in 9.

Im actually actively trying to recruit some representative candidates and I have no idea whether we will have one or three people running for the seats in District 9, Estenson said.

District 9 Republicans will have a reorganization and nominating convention Feb. 24 in Cando.

District 15 Democrats had a reorganization and endorsing convention Thursday but did not endorse anyone for the legislative seats.

Were still working on candidate recruitment, district chair Doug Goulding said.

Frelich said she hopes candidates step up from the Spirit Lake Reservation, which has less than half the tribal membership of Turtle Mountain.

I would hate to see Spirit Lake go through this and then not have a voice at all, she said.
A chilling video captured the moment a blindfolded American ballerina was led into Russian court for a show trial for allegedly raising funds for the Ukrainian cause.

Dual Russian-American citizen Ksenia Karelina was arrested by Vladimir Putin's Federal Security Service, the FSB, on high treason charges, officials confirmed Tuesday.

The 32-year-old dancer from Los Angeles was flanked by burly soldiers in uniform as they led her through the sparse corridors with bars on the windows as she was led to court.

Karelina looks expressionless throughout the footage, while a beanie hat is pulled down over her eyes. A guard places handcuffs on her wrists and she is seen being put into a car.

The footage then cuts to her being led into court. A judge denied her bail, according to the Financial Times.

Karelina is a resident of Los Angeles who became a US citizen in 2021. Last summer, she married her American husband.

She was arrested on the same day that Putin sat down for a widely panned interview with Tucker Carlson outside of a movie theater in Yekaterinburg on swearing charges.

A chilling video captured the moment a blindfolded American ballerina was led into Russian court for a show trial for allegedly raising funds for the Ukrainian cause

Vladimir Putin 's secret security force the FSB arrested dual Russian-American Ksenia Karelina, 32, on treason charges, officials confirmed Tuesday

Karelina is a resident of Los Angeles who became a US citizen in 2021. Last summer, she married her American husband

Karelina is seen in Russian court with her face blurred

Yekaterinburg is also the same city where Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich was arrested on spying charges nearly 12 months ago.

Karelina was sentenced to 14 days detention for 'petty hooliganism' before she was slapped with treason charges.

The dancer is accused of fundraising for a Ukrainian military cause. She is specifically accused of transferring $51.80 from American bank account to Ukrainian charity based in NYC, Razom, on the day Putin invaded Ukraine in 2022.

The ballerina has also been accused of attending 'public rallies in support of the Kyiv regime,' in the US.

Treason charges can carry penalties of up to 20 years in prison.

Mediazona reports that Karelina was first arrested on charges of 'petty hooliganism,' for swearing. While in custody, those charges were upgraded to 'high treason'

Karelina is accused of fund raising for a pro-Ukrainian organization, she attained US citizenship in 2021

Karelina says that she's from Yekaterinburg that she studied ballet at the S. P. Diaghilev school

On her Facebook page, Karelina says that she's from Yekaterinburg and that she studied ballet at the S. P. Diaghilev school. She worked as a spa manager at a hotel in Beverly Hills, per her social media accounts.

Karelina is accused of 'proactively collecting funds since February 2022 in the interests of a Ukrainian organization, which were subsequently used to purchase tactical medicine, equipment, weapons and ammunition for the Armed Forces of Ukraine,' the FSB alleges.

'In addition, the citizen in question repeatedly took part in public actions in support of the Kyiv regime while in the United States,' the agency added, reports The Moscow Times.

Karelina is accused of 'proactively collecting funds since February 2022 in the interests of a Ukrainian organization'

Russian language outlet Mediazona reports that Karelina has been a US citizen since 2021 and that in 2023 she married an American man.

Karelina graduated from Ural Federal University in 2013. Numerous posts on her Facebook page show her in Baltimore, Maryland, beginning in 2014.

The outlet goes on to report that Karelina ceased posting on the Russian social media site VK in 2021 after discussing getting American citizenship on the platform.

Razom, the Ukrainian charity that she's accused of supporting, describes itself as 'contributing to the establishment of a secure, prosperous, and democratic Ukraine.'

On her LinkedIn page, Karelina says that she works as a manager at Ciel Spa Beverly Hills, a role that she's been in since 2019.

Karelina pictured with friends in a Facebook post from 2017

On her LinkedIn page, Karelina says that she works as a manager at Ciel Spa Beverly Hills, a role that she's been in since 2019

A statement from Russian officials refers to Karelina as a resident of Los Angeles

Karelina is the latest American behind bars in Russia, in addition to Gershkovich, former US Marine Paul Whelan and Texas dad David Barnes, 65, who last week was sentenced to 21 years in prison in Moscow on child abuse charges.

On the same day that Karelina's arrest was announced, Gershkovich appeared in a Moscow court where he had his pre-trial detention extended.

Earlier this month, Putin told former Fox News host Tucker Carlson in an interview that he was open to the idea of releasing Americans held in Russian jails but did not discuss specifics.
President Joe Biden will leave Washington for yet another visit to California's deep-pocketed political donors as he seeks to build a war chest capable of competing with Donald Trump's fundraising machine.

He travels to the West Coast for the second time this month to swell campaign coffers already crammed with $130 millionthe highest total ever amassed at this stage in the cycle.

His first event is with a billionaire Israeli-American Hollywood mogul. Tickets reportedly cost up to $250,000, making it a tidy payday for Biden's reelection effort.

Hours before he boarded Air Force One for the trip, his campaign and the Democratic Nation announced that they had collected $42 million in contributions during January from 422,000 donors.

The trip is his third visit to California in a little more than two months for political events.

President Joe Biden will make his second trip of the month to California on Tuesday. The three-day trip includes a string of fundraising events, plus one official speech. Biden is seen here when he traveled to New York for fundraisers earlier this month

His first stop will be at the Santa Monica home of billionaire media mogul Haim Saban, famous for launching the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers on the world

He will arrive first in Los Angeles for a fundraising event. There will also be campaign stops in San Francisco and Los Altos Hills, with an official policy delivered near Los Angeles on Wednesday.

His first event is at the Santa Monica home of Israeli American media mogul Haim Saban, whose company introduced Power Rangers to the world. Forbes estimates he is worth $2.8 billion.

However, his status as a vocal supporter of Israel could trigger protests from the progressive wing of Biden's own party, who want the president to dial back his full-throated support for the Israeli assault on Gaza.

The Los Angeles Times said other hosts also have deep ties to the Jewish community, including Leslie Gilbert-Lurie, author of a book about her life as the daughter of a Holocaust survivor, and Nicole Mutchnik, vice chair of the Anti-Defamation League, which campaigns against antisemitism.

It reported that tickets for the event cost up to $250,000.

The repeated swings through California, a state which is not even close to being competitive for Republicans, show how Biden needs to keep raising cash for what will be a tough match-up with Trump, who has mastered the art of tapping millions of small donors.

In its Tuesday announcement the Biden campaign played up the importance of small donations, saying that 97 percent of its three million contributions were foe less than $200 a time.

Senior communications adviser TJ Ducklo said: 'This haul will go directly to reaching the voters who will decide this election.'

At the start of the month, the president visited the Los Angeles home of Star Wars creator George Lucas, where he tapped rich donors who were in town for the Golden Globes.

Saban is worth an estimated $2.8 billion, according to Forbes

National polls suggest that Biden trails the likely Republican nominee by about three or four points.

He has gone on the offensive over comments made by Trump that appeared to undermine NATO, the alliance of Western nations that pledge mutual defense.

The campaign rolled out digital ads in the battleground states of Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin highlight the former president's threat to NATO nations.

And Biden has also slammed House Republicans for blocking a bill that would have sent $60 billion in support to Ukraine for its defense against Russia.

'The idea that we're going to walk away from Ukraine, the idea that we're going to let NATO begin to split is totally against the interests of the United States of America and it is against our word we've given ... all the way back to Eisenhower,' he told reporters Sunday.
The world's most dangerous ransomware gang has been shut down in an operation led by 'Britain's FBI' - with seven arrested and three on the run after police infiltrated the network of hackers 'hiding in the shadows' in Putin's Russia.

Lockbit has been causing havoc by hacking into computer systems and stealing sensitive data which it then threatens to release unless the victims pay an extortionate ransom - with the group earning $120million (95m).

The Russian-speaking hackers make money by selling their services to fellow crime gangs, with targets including Royal Mail, the NHS, Porton Down, a nuclear submarine base and hundreds of companies in the UK and abroad.

The National Crime Agency called the group the 'Rolls-Royce' of ransomware and said it behaved like a 'legitimate businesses', with a 'slick, easy to use' website and marketing gimmicks including $1,000 for anyone who gets a tattoo of its logo.

Seven suspects have been arrested so far and five people have been charged, including two Russians, Mikhail Vasiliev, who is being held in Canada, and Ruslan Magomedovich Astamirov, who is in the US.

The remaining three - Artur Sungatov, Ivan Kondratyev and Mikhail Pavlovich Matveev - remain at large. The FBI is offering a $10million reward for information leading to the arrest of Matveev, who goes by the alias 'Wazawaka''

On X, screenshots showed a control panel used by Lockbit's affiliates to launch attacks had been replaced with a message from law enforcement.

'We have source code, details of the victims you have attacked, the amount of money extorted, the data stolen, chats, and much, much more', the message said. 'We may be in touch with you very soon. Have a nice day'.

Mikhail Pavlovich Matveev is one of five Russians charged over Lockbit, which has been described as the world's most dangerous ransomware gang

On X, screenshots showed a control panel used by Lockbit's affiliates to launch attacks had been replaced with a message from law enforcement. 'We may be in touch with you very soon. Have a nice day,' it said

Visitors to the Lockbit website now see a message saying it is 'under the control of law enforcement'

The NCA today released a video revealing how the group operates

Visitors to its Lockbit's homepage on the dark web now see a message revealing it is 'under the control' of The National Crime Agency, which targeted the site as part of a taskforce of 10 countries that includes the FBI and Europol.

They said the 'permissive environment' in Russia allowed the group to operate - with gangsters never targeting nations in the former Soviet Union - but do not believe the the regime of Vladimir Putin was directly involved.

Lockbit was recently revealed to have stolen secret military and defence material from the HMNB Clyde nuclear submarine base, the Porton Down chemical weapons lab and a GCHQ listening post. This was then shared on the dark web.

Information about a specialist cyber defence site and some of Britain's high security prisons was also stolen in the raid on Zaun, which makes fences for maximum security sites.

Lockbit also hacked the Royal Mail Group in January and made ransom demands of 66million at the time. The company did not pay the extortionate fee but saw its services disrupted and had to spend 10million on anti-ransomware software.

It has also been linked to attacks on international law firm Allen and Overy and China's biggest bank, ICBC.

Representatives from the NCA and FBI today confirmed that they had disrupted the gang and said the operation was 'ongoing and developing'.

What is ransomware?

Cybercriminals mounting a ransomware attack first hack into a computer system before using 'blockers' to stop their victim accessing their device. This may include a message telling them this is due to 'illegal content' such as porn being identified on their device. Hackers then ask for a ransom to be paid, often in the form of Bitcoins or other untraceable cryptocurrencies, for the block to be removed. In Lockbit's case, the gang stole sensitive information and threatened to release it in public if no ransom was paid. In May 2017, a massive ransomware virus attack called WannaCry spread to the computer systems of hundreds of private companies and public organisations across the globe. Advertisement

NCA Director General, Graeme Biggar, said Lockbit had been the 'most prolific' ransomware group in the last four years, responsible for 25 per cent of attacks in the last year.

He told a press conference in London that there were at least 200 victims in the UK and thousands abroad, leading to billions of pounds worth of damages - both in ransom payments and the cost of responding to attacks.

'We have hacked the hackers, taken control of their infrastructure and seized their source code,' Mr Biggar said.

'We have arrested, indicted and sanctioned some of the perpetrators and gained intelligence on the criminals using the software - who we will now continue to pursue.

'As of today, Lockbit is effectively redundant - Lockbit has been locked out.'

Paul Foster, head of the NCA's national cybercrime unit, said that LockBit's popularity was partly because it was so easy to use.

He said: 'LockBit had established itself as the preeminent ransomware strain over the last four years and one of the reasons for this was its intuitive platform and its relative ease of use.

'That means just with a few simple clicks even the less technically savvy cybercriminals used LockBit to deploy ransomware.

'Another key reason for their past criminal success was the marketing and branding that underpinned LockBit. They had a slick website and they had loyal customers.

'They ran a successful marketing campaign that included a promise to pay 1,000USD to anybody who had the LockBit logo tattooed on themselves.'

Experts said that while LockBit may rebuild its network, the law enforcement action is a major setback.

Five defendants have been charged so far for launching ransomware attacks using Lockbit, including two Russian nationals.

Infrastructure supporting LockBit's tool that was used to steal data, known as StealBit, based in three countries, has been seized, together with 200 cryptocurrency accounts.

There are more than 200 victims in the UK and thousands internationally.

NCA investigators found that the gang behind the ransomware attacks did not always delete data when victims paid ransoms.

It said it has found more than 1,000 decryption keys held by the group and will be contacting UK-based victims to help them recover encrypted data.

Lockbit either carries out attacks for its own gain or is paid by so-called affiliates - made up of like-minded international gangsters.

The NCA has now seized Lockbit's site and is publishing information to aid victims

British police targeted the site as part of a taskforce of 10 countries that includes the FBI and Europol

The gang accounted for 23 per cent of the nearly 4,000 attacks globally last year in which ransomware gangs posted data stolen from victims to extort payment, according to the cybersecurity firm Palo Alto Networks.

The group was discovered in 2020 when its eponymous malicious software was found on Russian-language cybercrime forums, leading some security analysts to believe the gang is based in Russia.

It has not professed support for any government, however, and no government has formally attributed it to a nation-state.

On its now-defunct site, Lockbit said it was 'located in the Netherlands, completely apolitical and only interested in money'.

Officials in the United States, where the group has hit more than 1,700 organisations in nearly every industry from financial services and food to schools, transportation and government departments, have described it as the world's top ransomware threat.

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'They are the Walmart of ransomware groups, they run it like a business  that's what makes them different,' said Jon DiMaggio, chief security strategist at Analyst1, a US-based cybersecurity firm. 'They are arguably the biggest ransomware crew today.'

In November last year, Lockbit published internal data from Boeing, one of the world's largest defence and space contractors.

Lockbit said in a statement in Russian and shared on Tox, an encrypted messaging app, that the FBI hit its servers that run on the programming language PHP. The statement added that it has backup servers without PHP that 'are not touched'.

The post named other international police organisations from France, Japan, Switzerland, Canada, Australia, Sweden, the Netherlands, Finland and Germany.

Before it was taken down, Lockbit's website displayed an ever-growing gallery of victim organisations that was updated nearly daily.

Next to their names were digital clocks that showed the number of days left to the deadline given to each organisation to provide ransom payment.

Yesterday, Lockbit's site displayed a similar countdown, but from the law enforcement agencies who hacked the hackers: 'Return here for more information at: 11:30 GMT on Tuesday 20th Feb.,' the post said.

A previous Lockbit attack targeted Porton Down. Pictured is the Dstl high containment lab at the high-security facility in Wiltshire

Don Smith, vice president of Secureworks, an arm of Dell Technologies (DELL.N), opens new tab, said Lockbit was the most prolific and dominant ransomware operator in a highly competitive underground market.

'To put today's takedown into context, based on leak site data, Lockbit had a 25% share of the ransomware market. Their nearest rival was Blackcat at around 8.5%, and after that it really starts to fragment,' Smith said.

'Lockbit dwarfed all other groups and today's action is highly significant.'

The Lockbit attack on HMNB Clyde, Porton Down and GCHQ was revealed in September.

MPs warned that any information which gives security information to the UK's enemies was of huge concern.

A defence source said the hack was being taken 'very seriously' but it was not thought any information was stolen that presented a real threat to national security, and there were currently no ransom demands as the hacked data had already been published.

The leak also included information about security equipment at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire, where the MQ-9 Reaper attack drones squadron is based, and Cawdor Barracks, which has specialist electronic warfare regiments.

And documents relating to high security prisons including Category A Long Lartin in Worcestershire and Whitemoor in Cambridgeshire were also stolen in the hack.

Lockbit are thought to have been behind as many as 1,400 cyber-attacks globally and brought Japan's busiest cargo port to a shuddering halt in July after attacking the system that manages the movement of containers.

Russian national Magomedovich Astamirov has been charged in the US for 'involvement in deploying numerous LockBit ransomware and other attacks in the US, Asia, Europe, and Africa'.

And last year the US announced charges against Russian-Canadian Mikhail Vasiliev, who is being held in Canada awaiting extradition.

Lockbit either carries out attacks for its own gain or is paid by other criminal gangs

Another Russian, Mikhail Pavlovich Matveev, is wanted for alleged participation in other Lockbit attacks.

Ransomware is the costliest and most disruptive form of cybercrime, crippling local governments, court systems, hospitals and schools as well as businesses. It is difficult to combat as most gangs are based in former Soviet states and out of reach of Western justice.

Law enforcement agencies have scored some recent successes against ransomware gangs, most notably the FBI's operation against the Hive syndicate. But the criminals regroup and rebrand.

The NCA has previously warned that ransomware remains one of the biggest cyber threats facing the UK, and urges people and organisations not to pay ransoms if they are targeted.

Experts have said that LockBit may try to rebuild its operation but Chris Morgan, analyst from cyber security firm ReliaQuest, said the law enforcement action was 'a significant short-term blow'.

But Sergey Shykevich, from Check Point Software Technologies' Threat Intelligence, warned the group could simply re-emerge under a new name.

'This latest action by UK and US authorities will be a major setback for their operations, and is likely to degrade their ability to recruit and retain affiliates,' he said.

'However, as we have seen in the past, ransomware gangs are notoriously resilient and may emerge under a different banner in the near future.

'The threat from this criminal gang and other ransomware groups will continue, and organisations must be constantly on their guard.'
The 25-year-old suspect arrested over the murders of a single mother and a student at a Colorado university dorm last week was a student at the college and the roommate of one of the victims, police confirmed.

Nicholas Jordan, 25, of Detroit, is accused of shooting Celie Rain Montgomery, 26, and his roommate Sam Knopp, 24, on Friday at Crestone House on the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs campus.

Colorado Springs police said he was detained at Cliff Point Circle East in the city at 8.37am Monday.

'Investigative efforts continue to indicate this was an isolated incident between individuals who were known to one another and not a random attack against the school or other students at the university,' the department said.

Montgomery was a single mother to two daughters aged five and seven, according to a Facebook post by a heartbroken relative responding to her death, while Knopp was a gifted music student. It's unclear what the relationship was between the two victims.

Nicholas Jordan, 25, from Detroit, is accused of shooting Celie Rain Montgomery, 26, and his roommate Sam Knopp, 24

Celie Rain Montgomery (pictured), 26, was identified along with Sam Knopp, 24, after what police believe was a double murder last week

Knopp, 24, was named as one of the victims of a shooting in a dorm at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs on Friday

Jordan is being held at the El Paso County Jail and charged with two counts of first-degree murder.

He was booked after members of Colorado Springs PD's Motor Vehicle Theft Unit located him in a vehicle on Monday morning, police said.

The coroner's office will determine how the victims died, but each person was shot at least once in what appeared to be an 'isolated incident,' police spokesperson Ira Cronin said at a briefing.

Knopp, was a senior studying music at the university and said to be a beloved member of the Visual and Performing Arts department. He was an accomplished guitar player and an extremely talented musician.

Montgomery worked as a freelance copywriter specializing in health and wellness. She was not a student at the university.

A lockdown across campus lasted for about 90 minutes and later was isolated to Crestone House, a student apartment complex on campus, school spokesperson Chris Valentine said.

Knopp with is pictured with his mother, Amy, in photo posted online

A police officer stands outside a dorm in the Village at Alpine Valley housing on Friday as police investigate a shooting on the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs campus

Knopp, was a talented senior studying music at the university

Shocked students look outside their dorm window in the Village at Alpine Valley housing

When police officers got to the room at around 6am Friday, they found Knopp and Montgomery both dead, having been shot in the head.

Following the lockdown, the campus about 70 miles south of Denver remained closed for the day.

Knopp's mother, Amy, shared her concerns online just as the shooting was taking place.

'There were reports of an active shooter on campus at UCCS where our son, Sam, is a senior. At least one person is dead,' she wrote.

'I haven't heard from Sam. He lives in Alpine Village, where residents were told to shelter in place. The campus is in lockdown and is now closed today.

'PLEASE EXCUSE MY LANGUAGE BUT IT'S THE GODDAMNED GUNS! This hits way too close to home and it makes me want to vomit. All the 'thoughts and prayers' in the world mean nothing without action to back them up.'

Once it became clear her son was one of the victims, there followed messages of condolence.

'I'm so sorry for your loss and praying so hard for you and your family,' wrote Brittany Craig.

'Amy my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. My heart is broken my condolences,' said Diane Sigl.

'Im so sorry Amy, I am angry and heartbroken we lost Sam,' added Elsa Ge.

Knopp is seen alongside his twin sister Ellie

Knopp, left, and his sister Ellie are pictured together in a family photo

'Given this case's active and fluid nature, additional information about those leads and any potential suspect details will not be released at this time,' a press release from the police department read.

'While acknowledging the difficulty of the situation and the withholding of information in the initial stages of the investigation, we owe it to the victims and their families to deliver accountability and justice for this horrific act,' police said.

'These are the third and fourth homicides in the City of Colorado Springs this year. At this time last year, there were two homicides.'

The campus was also closed over the weekend but walk-in counseling was offered at the wellness center on both days, the university said.
A Russian spy chief has described a helicopter pilot who defected to Ukraine and was found shot dead in Spain as a 'moral corpse' for betraying his country, in Moscow's first comment on the case since news of the killing emerged.

Captain Maksim Kuzminov, 28, fled Russia with the help of Ukrainian intelligence services and accused Vladimir Putin of 'genocide' following his daring escape last summer.

But Ukrainian GUR military intelligence confirmed yesterday that the pilot - a known target of Russian death squads - had died in Spain. They gave no further details about the circumstances surrounding his death, though Spanish and Ukrainian media reported that he had been living in Spain under a fake name.

His killing is feared to have been a move to settle scores between Russia and Ukraine, which managed to capture a working helicopter when Kuzminov defected.

In the Kremlin's first response to Kuzminov's killing, Sergei Naryshkin, the director of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), said: 'In Russia it is customary to speak either good of the dead or nothing at all.'

But he quickly added: 'This traitor and criminal became a moral corpse at the very moment when he planned his dirty and terrible crime.'

Captain Maksim Kuzminov, 28, (pictured) fled Russia with the help of Ukrainian intelligence services

Ukrainian GUR military intelligence confirmed yesterday that the body of the pilot - a known target of Russian death squads - was found in Spain (Pictured)

Sergei Naryshkin, the director of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), said: 'This traitor and criminal became a moral corpse at the very moment when he planned his dirty and terrible crime'

Western leaders say Russia frequently assassinates those it deems traitors abroad.

Moscow says the West has not provided evidence to support such assertions.

A Spanish court in Villajoyosa has opened a probe into the death of the shooting victim, a judicial source told Reuters on Tuesday.

At the time of his death, the victim carried documentation identifying him as a 33-year-old Ukrainian national, but his identity was still under investigation, the source said.

Kuzminov's defection to Ukraine was presented last year as a major coup for Kyiv. At a news conference in Kyiv he said he could not understand why his 'beloved motherland' would enter into a war with Ukraine.

Other members of the air crew died during his defection. Moscow said Kuzminov killed them; he said they panicked and fled, and may have been killed subsequently.

In October, soon after his dramatic defection, there were public death threats against Kuzminov in Russia, with suggestions that Putin's secret services would find and kill him for an ultimate betrayal.

A burned car allegedly used by the perpetrators of the murder of Russian pilot Maxim Kuzminov to escape the scene is parked outside the Spanish Civil Guard barracks, in El Campello, Spain

Kuzminov's defection to Ukraine was presented last year as a major coup for Kyiv

Anonymous Spetsnaz special forces officers from Russia's GRU were last year shown on Moscow state TV making clear an 'order' had been given to liquidate Kuzminov

Anonymous Spetsnaz special forces officers from Russia's GRU were last year shown on Moscow state TV making clear an 'order' had been given to liquidate Kuzminov.

State-run Rossiya 1 channel's Vesti Nedeli channel told viewers in a chilling broadcast: 'The order [to kill Captain Kuzminov] was received, its execution is a matter of time.'

One Spetsnaz officer said: 'We'll find the man and punish him for betraying his brothers to the fullest extent of our country's law.'

A second officer said: 'He will not live'

Kuzminov's wife and family were believed to have been taken out of Russia before he defected. It was not known why he was in Spain.

After defecting, Kuzminov became a propaganda trophy for Ukraine.

Kuzminov's wife and family were believed to have been taken out of Russia before he defected. It was not known why he was in Spain

After defecting, Kuzminov became a propaganda trophy for Ukraine

He stated there were no Nazis in Ukraine - a regular Putin assertion - and accused the dictator of 'genocide' of both Ukrainians and Russians by conducting the war.

In a documentary on his audacious flight and surrender, he said: 'I realised I was near the border.

'So I gave my location, said let's give it a shot I had made my final decision... I flew at extremely low altitude in radio silent mode.'

He said: '[I defected because] I am very offended by what is happening now.

'Murder, tears, blood. Just people killing each other

'What is happening now is just genocide of the Ukrainian people, both Ukrainian and Russian.

'The basis of my action is not to contribute to these crimes.'

In an interview broadcast by Ukraine's authorities, Kuzimov said: 'I contacted representatives of Ukrainian intelligence, explained my situation, to which they offered this option "Come on, we guarantee your safety, guarantee new documents, guarantee monetary compensation, a reward".'

He was reportedly promised 400,000 to defect to Ukraine with Russian military equipment.
Stunning images taken on the Brooklyn Bridge show a Russian-American ballerina arrested for high treason in Russia.

Dual Russian-American citizen Ksenia Karelina, 32, was arrested by Vladimir Putin's Federal Security Service, the FSB, officials confirmed Tuesday. She is accused of high treason for allegedly donating $51.80 to a Ukrainian charity in the US.

A state-media video shows FSB agents leading the ballerina to court in Ekaterinburg, where a judge denied her bail, as reported by The Financial Times.

Karelina is a resident of Los Angeles who became a US citizen in 2021. Last summer, she married her American husband.

She was arrested on the same day that Putin sat down for a widely panned interview with Tucker Carlson outside of a movie theater in Yekaterinburg on swearing charges.

Dual Russian-American citizen Ksenia Karelina, 33, was arrested by Vladimir Putin's Federal Security Service, the FSB, on high treason charges

Karelina is a resident of Los Angeles who became a US citizen in 2021. Last summer, she married her American husband

Karelina is accused of fund raising for a pro-Ukrainian organization, she attained US citizenship in 2021

Yekaterinburg is also the same city where Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich was arrested on spying charges nearly 12 months ago.

Karelina was sentenced to 14 days detention for 'petty hooliganism' before she was slapped with treason charges.

She was then accused of fundraising for a Ukrainian military cause. She is specifically accused of transferring $51.80 from American bank account to Ukrainian charity, Razom, on the day Putin invaded Ukraine in 2022.

The ballerina has also been accused of attending 'public rallies in support of the Kyiv regime,' in the US.

Treason charges can carry penalties of up to 20 years in prison.

On her Facebook page, Karelina says that she's from Yekaterinburg and that she studied ballet at the S. P. Diaghilev school. She worked as a spa manager in Beverly Hills, per her social media accounts.

The ballerina has also been accused of attending 'public rallies in support of the Kyiv regime,' in the US

Karelina was sentenced to 14 days detention for 'petty hooliganism' before she was slapped with treason charges

Mediazona reports that Karelina was first arrested on charges of 'petty hooliganism,' for swearing. While in custody, those charges were upgraded to 'high treason'

Karelina is accused of 'proactively collecting funds since February 2022 in the interests of a Ukrainian organization, which were subsequently used to purchase tactical medicine, equipment, weapons and ammunition for the Armed Forces of Ukraine,' the FSB alleges.

'In addition, the citizen in question repeatedly took part in public actions in support of the Kyiv regime while in the United States,' the agency added, reports The Moscow Times.

Russian language outlet Mediazona reports that Karelina has been a US citizen since 2021 and that in 2023 she married an American man.

Karelina is the latest American behind bars in Russia, in addition to Gershkovich, former US Marine Paul Whelan and Texas dad David Barnes, 65, who last week was sentenced to 21 years in prison in Moscow on child abuse charges.

On the same day that Karelina's arrest was announced, Gershkovich appeared in a Moscow court where he had his pre-trial detention extended.

Earlier this month, Putin told former Fox News host Tucker Carlson in an interview that he was open to the idea of releasing Americans held in Russian jails but did not discuss specifics.
A Canadian archbishop has vowed to fight efforts to make a Catholic care home offer lethal injections to residents, saying the country's ultra-liberal government has crossed a 'red line' on euthanasia.

Archbishop Christian Lepine told DailyMail.com that Canadian politicians are 'always widening' the rules for who can opt for doctor-assisted suicides and described a heavy toll on families across Canada.

He slammed officials in Quebec, who have directed St. Raphael's care home in Montreal  which was established with Catholic funds in a former church building  to offer residents euthanasia under a new law.

'The practice had been that the palliative care home had the freedom  there was no obligation or pressure to practice euthanasia,' Lepine told DailyMail.com.

Archbishop Christian Lepine says Canada's ultra-liberal government has crossed a red line on euthanasia

The archbishop is fighting to keep St. Raphael's care home a bastion against euthanasia

'I don't really understand why they want to force it on palliative care homes.'

Last year, Quebec passed a law requiring all palliative care homes to offer Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD), as it is known in Canada  even those run by groups opposed to euthanasia on religious grounds.

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The Roman Catholic Church of Montreal is challenging the law as unconstitutional at Quebec's Superior Court.

A 25-page suit filed this month seeks a carve-out to keep St. Raphael's a bastion against euthanasia.

It says the law puts the church in an unsolvable dilemma  either stop supporting St. Raphael's, or let a former church premises 'be used to commit acts that they consider morally unacceptable.'

The 12-bed home operates independent of the church and serves residents of all backgrounds.

It opened in 2019 under a deal with regional health chiefs that patients who requested an assisted death would be transferred to a public-run facility.

Last year, the center asked for an exemption from the law, but was rejected by Quebec's Minister Responsible for Seniors, Sonia Belanger, court papers show.

The 12-bed home was founded with Catholic funds in a former church, but operates independently

Belanger's office says she's following national rules  that all care home residents can access MAiD if they wish.

Lepine said the law changes too often and Canada is on a dangerous trajectory.

'When you accept in your mind there's a good reason to end the life of one innocent person, where do you stop? You've crossed the line,' he said.

'When you cross the red line, it's very difficult to go back.'

Sine 2016, lawmakers have been 'always widening' the rules to let ever-more people end their lives with lethal jabs, said the archbishop.

At the outset, only those with a terminal illness could apply.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government expanded the rules in 2021 to people with incurable, but not terminal, conditions.

They're set to expand again to include those with mental illnesses  but it's unclear when this will happen.

Lepine says each expansion of MAiD erodes the 'inherent dignity' of human life.

Under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's liberal government, Canada has repeatedly made it easier to access euthanasia

'It's a strength for a civilization to be centered on the inherent dignity of life,' he said.

'When you lose that, it becomes about what is useful. If you're healthy, that's useful. But if you lose health, well, you're not useful.'

This leaves families across Canada making torturous decisions, he added.

'When you ask a family to be complicit in ending the life of a parent or a child, that will stay with them for the rest of their life,' he said.

'I see this as like a big trauma, not only for the person whose life is terminated, but for the family. To impose that on people is very problematic.'

He urged officials in Quebec and in Trudeau's government to let St. Raphael's opt out of MAiD on the basis of 'freedom of conscience and freedom of religion.'

'We need to strengthen democracy, not weaken democracy,' he said.

Many Canadians support euthanasia and the campaign group, Dying With Dignity, says procedures are 'driven by compassion, an end to suffering and discrimination and desire for personal autonomy.'

Rights groups say the country's regulations lack necessary safeguards, devalue the lives of disabled people, and prompt doctors and health workers to suggest the procedure to those who might not otherwise consider it.

More than 99.9 percent of Canada's MAiD procedures are carried out by a doctor

Canada has among the highest rates of assisted dying in the world

Some are alarmed by how rapidly euthanasia has taken off in Canada.

The number of MAiD deaths jumped 31.2 percent to 13,241 between 2021 and 2022, official numbers show.

Some 44,958 people have received assisted deaths since the federal MAiD law was introduced in 2016.

Quebec's euthanasia rate jumped a staggering 55 percent from 3,102 in 2021 to 4,810 in 2022, official data show.

That means between 7-8 percent of all deaths are assisted suicides, making it a leading cause of death after cancer and heart disease.

Quebec's unusually strong support for MAiD has stoked controversy in the past, including a top Quebec medical body in 2022 advocating that lethal injections should be made available to seriously ill newborns.

Canada's road to allowing euthanasia began in 2015, when its top court declared that outlawing assisted suicide deprived people of their dignity and autonomy. It gave national leaders a year to draft legislation.

The number of MAiD deaths in Canada has risen steadily by about a third each year

The Roman Catholic Church of Montreal is challenging the law as unconstitutional at Quebec's Superior Court

The resulting 2016 law legalized both euthanasia and assisted suicide for people aged 18 and over, provided they met certain conditions: They had to have a serious, advanced condition, disease, or disability that was causing suffering and their death was looming.

The law was later amended to allow people who are not terminally ill to choose death, significantly broadening the number of eligible people.

Critics say that change removed a key safeguard aimed at protecting people with potentially decades of life left.

Today, any adult with a serious illness, disease, or disability can seek help in dying.

Euthanasia is legal in seven countries  Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand and Spain  plus several states in Australia.

Other jurisdictions, including a growing number of US states, allow doctor-assisted suicide  in which patients take the drug themselves, typically crushing up and drinking a lethal dose of pills prescribed by a physician.

In Canada, both options are referred to as MAiD, though more than 99.9 percent of such procedures are carried out by a doctor. The number of MAiD deaths in Canada has risen steadily by about a third each year.
The United Kingdom and United States have recovered an 80-pound brass bell from the first American ship sunk by submarines during World War I.

The lost Destroyer, the USS Jacob Jones, was torpedoed in 1917 off the Southeastern tip of Great Britain.

It had been escorting a troop and supply convoy into France, but was sailing by itself to conduct gunnery training when it was struck by a German U-boat.

The ship was flooded within minutes and as it sank into the icy Atlantic, the crew found itself afloat with only three lifeboats. Officers subsequently set sail for the coast of England, returning the next day for those left stranded. Of the seven officers and 103 men aboard, only 46 survived.

Lost for more than a century, the ship was found 60 miles southwest of the Isles of Scilly in 2022 and a search for its bell at a depth of 115 meters ensued. That search came to close this week - proven by a wreath and US flag laid at the dive site.

The United Kingdom and United States have recovered the bell from the first American ship sunk by submarines during World War I, seen here after being recovered from its longtime resting place 115 meters in the Atlantic

Here is the site from which the Bell was recovered, with a wreath and US flag laid in its place

The lost Destroyer was the USS Jacob Jones DD 61 - part of the initial Cadre of ships sent over for the American war effort in April 1917

Eight months later, it was sunk off the Southeastern tip of Great Britain by a German torpedo

'The ship played an important role safeguarding convoys carrying the troops and supplies from the US to the UK and France that were critical to Allied victory,' Sam J. Cox, director of the Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC), said in a statement.

'The wreck of the ship is a hallowed war grave and is the last resting place for many of the 64 men who were lost in the sinking,' the retired Navy rear admiral continued.

'U.S. Navy policy is to leave such wrecks undisturbed. However, due to risk of unauthorized and illegal salvaging of the ship's bell, NHHC requested Ministry of Defence assistance,' Cox concluded.

'The U.S. Navy is grateful to the Salvage and Marine Operations [SALMO team for recovering the bell, which will serve as a memorial to sailors who made the ultimate sacrifice in the defense of both the US and the UK.'

The bell had been located within the debris in January - but due to its weight and the dangers of recovering an item at such a depth, it remained there until now.

Local divers were unable to hand over the operation to the US largely due to logistics, as well as the far-flung nature of the ship's resting place.

So, the US sought the assistance of the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defense, which agreed to assist in the recovery of the bell.

Photos from the site where the bell was recovered show a wreath and American flag being laid in its place, commemorating the many lives lost on that fateful day.

The huge ship's bell sat atop a pile of sand and wreckage of the USS Jacob Jones since 1917

British divers found the wreck after more than 100 years back in August 2022, but the bell remained there due to its weight and the dangers of recovering an item at such a depth

The ship - which like all Tucker class destroyers was adorned with a massive bell at its mast - had been escorting a troop and supply convoy into France, but was sailing by itself when it was struck. Seen here is the recovered bell, with the names Jacob Jones 1915 legible on its side

One of six 1150-ton Tucker-class destroyers designed and built for the Navy ahead of WWI, the ship embarked on its maiden voyage in April 1917 as part of the first cadre of ships sent to aid the Allies in the conflict.

The vessel, which measured at 315 feet (96 meters) long and just over 30 feet (9.1 meters) wide, was armed with eight 21 inch torpedo tubes and four four-inch guns.

She was powered by a pair of steam turbines which were able to propel the vessel to a speed of up to 30 knots (34.5 miles per hour).

But within eight months, it became the first US destroyer ever to be sunk by enemy fire when it was shot by a German U53 under the command of Kapitanleutnant Hans Rose - who would go on to radio an American base with coordinates out of pity for the stranded survivors.

After heading to the French peninsula of Brittany by way of Ireland, the vessel was travelling around 40 miles away from the Isles of Scilly when she was spotted by the German submarine.

Dominic Robinson, one of the divers who took part in the expedition that found the ship some 20 miles away back in August 2022, commented on the ship's historical significance at the time.

The Dark diver said: 'One of the most interesting things about this vessel was the remarkable stories that came with its sinking.

'The destroyer's commander ordered all life rafts and boats launched, but as the ship was sinking the armed depth charges began to explode - which is what killed most of the men who had been unable to escape the ship initially.

'A few of the crew and officers also tried to get men out of the water and into the life rafts.

'One name in particular was Stanton F. Kalk, who spent his time swimming between the rafts in the freezing Atlantic water.

'But he ended up dying of cold and exhaustion - he was awarded the Navy's Distinguished Service Medal for his heroic actions that day.

'The German submarine commander, Captain Hans Rose, showed an incredible act of kindness - he actually saw all the Jacob Jones men in the water and took two badly injured crewmen aboard his own submarine.

'He then radioed his enemies at the US base in Queenstown with their coordinates to come and rescue the survivors.'

The ship was one of six Tucker class destroyers used in the conflict, and was the first US destroyers to displace more than 1,000 tons

The warship went down in just eight minutes, and was the first destroyer in US Navy history to be lost to enemy fire

Of seven officers and 103 who manned the ship, 64 died due to drowning or explosions caused by the impact of torpedo. Some were even electrocuted, after charges in the boat's hull were submerged by flooding water

Dominic Robinson (pictured amid the dive) led a team of experienced British deep sea divers

With 150 men onboard, 66 soldiers lost their lives when the Jacob Jones met its watery grave

Jacob Jones sank in eight minutes without issuing a distress call.

Dominic, who has been completing deep sea divers for over 30 years, explained how he and his fellow Dark Star divers were able to identify the vessel.

Dominic said: 'We had already decided we were going to look for the vessel, but because of its depth and remoteness it is very difficult to get to.

'So we spent this week going to different GPS locations - provided by the UK hydrographic office - who have information on the location of shipwrecks upon the seabed, but do not know which ones they are.

'We found the vessel on our second day of diving to other wrecks in the area, but there had been many hours of research before hand.

'On the day, five of us went into the water, and the ship was about 115 meters to the seabed and 110 meters to the top of the wreck.

'It was very clear that it was Jacob Jones immediately - you can see its name written on parts of the shipwreck.

'This was a steam ship which contained big boilers and very big engines to get it to travel at such a speed.'

Jacob Jones said: 'It was very clear that it was Jacob Jones immediately' thanks to inscriptions

Robinson, a member of the diving team that found the USS Jacob Jones - seen here in a painting at right - saying in a statement this week: 'Its great to see that the bell has been recovered'

'It will be a permanent memorial to the brave men who lost their lives in the freezing waters of the Western Approaches in [December] 1917'. Seen here, a painting of the Jones' crew stranded at sea

Robinson this week again shared his own thoughts on the recent operation, revealing how the bell would be displayed in the National Museum of the US Navy for years to come.

'Its great to see that the bell has been recovered,' he said of the bell's future fate in a post to Facebook.

'[A]fter preservation, it will be a permanent memorial to the brave men who lost their lives in the freezing waters of the Western Approaches in [December] 1917.'
This is the moment two men begin fighting on board a Ryanair flight from Edinburgh to Tenerife before they are broken up by Spanish police.

The two thugs were filmed brawling and spitting at each other onboard a plane to the Spanish Island on Monday in what one passenger described as the 'worst flight of their life'.

At the start of the video one man dressed in blue and another dressed in grey can be seen arguing in the aisle before turning their anger towards another passenger, as staff continually ask them to return to their seats.

The chaos continues to escalate as another woman launches a frenzied attack on him, while the man in blue can be seen spitting onto his hand while other travellers watch on in disgust.

The distressing scenes eventually came to an end after the plane landed in Tenerife and the disruptive passengers were escorted away by local police.

At the start of the video one man dressed in blue and another dressed in grey can be seen arguing in the aisle

A blonde woman then adds to the ongoing chaos by shouting at the man in grey before launching a frenzied attack on him as well

The drama eventually comes to an end after the plane landed in Tenerife and the disruptive passengers were met escorted away by local police

The video shows the two men yelling at each other in the isle of the plane, just metres away from Hannah's seat.

The man in blue appears to say that the other man has 'had a few drinks' while gesturing at him with his hands.

At the same time members of the crew can be heard telling the men to sit down.

Later on the man in blue attacks another passenger onboard the plane, before the second man screams in his face aggressively.

The video then cuts to a blonde woman further down in the plane seemingly antagonising one of the men.

The man in blue then squares up to the other man and attempts to head butt him as other passengers can be heard gasping loudly.

In yet another escalation, the woman later attacks the man in grey before she is held back by the man in blue. She then appears to attack a third man onboard the plane while shouting in his face.

The man in blue is later seen yelling at the same man in grey, telling him: 'That's my Mrs you're speaking to mate'.

Another grim moment from the video shows the man in blue spitting on his hand multiple times, while a member of the cabin crew holds him back.

The chaos eventually comes to an end when two Spanish police officers are seen boarding the plane, One officer tells the man in gray to sit down in his seat while the other escorts the two other passengers off the plane.

The video shows the two men yelling at each other in the isle of the plane, just metres away from Hannah's seat

The man in grey is seen in his seat before the man in blue approaches him

The man in blue appears to say that the other man has 'had a few drinks'

The video then cuts to a blonde woman further down in the plane seemingly antagonising one of the men

The man in blue is later seen yelling at the same man in grey, telling him: 'That's my bird you're speaking to'

Hannah claimed on Facebook that one of the men was the woman's boyfriend and the other man involved in the fight was also his friend.

She said: 'The blonde bird screamed the whole flight and then her boyfriend and his brother all fell out and started fighting.'

It is believed that there was tension throughout the first two and a half hours before crew intervened.

According to another passenger, Nikki Swinton, the physical fight broke out around half an hour before the flight landed.

Nikki commented: 'I was sitting behind them. Had to move. Got to wonder why swissport allowed them to board at Edinburgh in the first place.

'It was hell. Had to endure the abuse from them for 2,5 hours before the crew had a word. It was the worst flight of my life.

'They threatened to attack me when I got off the plane. The language and what they were talking about was disgusting.

'This fight happened amongst themselves about 30 minutes from landing. They started throwing punches at each other when we were about to land.

'Lasted for the guardia to be called on landing. Ryanair were reluctant and in the end they started the fight so I suppose Ryanair had no option.'

Ryanair told MailOnline: 'The crew of this flight from Edinburgh to Tenerife (19 Feb) called ahead for police assistance after a small number of passengers became disruptive onboard.

'The aircraft was met by local police upon arrival at Tenerife and these passengers were removed. This is now a matter for local police.'
Russian forces claim to have successfully 'intercepted and landed' a British-made drone, raising fears that more UK military tech could end up in the hands of Putin's troops.

Images of what appeared to be a Banshee Jet 80+ unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) were published by Russian media and Moscow-installed officials in Donetsk last week.

Those surfaced alongside claims an electronic warfare unit from the FSB security services managed to override the drone's flight plan and assume command.

The drone appeared to be largely undamaged, save for its nosecone which was seen separated but also intact, suggesting its landing had been controlled and that it had not been shot down.

No specific details were given about how the Russian forces managed to intercept the drone, but experts said it is indeed possible to 'spoof' an enemy UAV and force it to land.

'After a controlled landing of the drone, explosives experts neutralised the warhead weighing 7 kilograms,' the Kremlin's official newspaper outlet Rossiyskaya Gazeta reported, while the Putin-appointed head of DPR said: 'The Russian FSB Directorate... intercepted a British Banshee Jet-80 kamikaze jet drone.'

Images of what appeared to be a Banshee Jet 80+ unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) were published by Russian media and Moscow-installed officials in Donetsk last week

No specific details were given about how the Russian forces managed to intercept the drone

With an effective range of 60 miles and a top speed of up to 440mph at an altitude of 30,000ft, the Banshee could be a useful tool for Kyiv's forces to target specific troop locations far behind the frontline

Although the Banshee drone was designed to simulate enemy aircraft and act as a target for air force and navy exercises, the modern Qinetiq-manufactured model can carry small ejectable payloads.

This, experts said, means the Banshee could be deployed by Ukrainian forces as a one-way kamikaze drone to strike behind enemy lines.

It is unclear how many Banshee drones are in Ukrainian hands.

But with an effective range of 60 miles and a top speed of up to 440mph at an altitude of 30,000ft, the Banshee could be a useful tool for Kyiv's forces to target specific troop locations far behind the frontline.

'It seems (the Banshee) may have been repurposed to act as a strike system with some form of satellite navigation for guidance and a warhead added in,' associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) think tank and electronic warfare expert Sam Cranny-Evans told MailOnline.

'The effectiveness of all these kinds of systems depends on how resilient the guidance system is and how easily they can be intercepted by air defence.

'If they are resilient to jamming or spoofing and difficult to shoot down, then they can be quite effective... but (Russian forces) may have used electronic warfare to spoof the drone and convince it to land,' he added.

His comments come after a report by RUSI suggested Russia has deployed a slew of electronic warfare systems in a staggered fashion along the frontline to intercept Ukrainian UAVs.

The Shipovnik-Aero system boasts an effective jamming range of six miles and can be used to break the connection between the drone and its pilot - but not before providing Russian troops with the pilot's location for retaliatory strikes.

The capture of a British-made drone undoubtedly provides the Kremlin and the Russian defence ministry with more fuel for their anti-Western narrative.

The DPR's Pushilin wasted no time in capitalising on the scoop, accusing 'Western terrorists, along with their Ukrainian accomplices' of seeking to 'organise a monstrous terrorist attack and blame Russia for everything'.

Pushilin said: 'Against the backdrop of a major defeat of the Ukrainian armed forces in Avdiivka, the Kyiv regime is making any attempt to destabilise the situation in the republic [occupied region].

'Thanks to the coordinated work of our special services, we were able to prevent a large-scale terrorist attack with human casualties.'

But Cranny-Evans said their capture of a British-made drone was of little importance in the wider context of the war.

Russian forces released images of what appears to be a Banshee drone. An underrail to which ejectable payloads can be mounted is seen protruding from under the fuselage

Drone warfare has become an integral part of Ukraine's efforts to defend against Russian forces

A Ukrainian serviceman of drone squadron Rarog of 24th Separate Mechanised Brigade unloads a Vampire combat drone before flying over positions of Russian troops near the frontline town of Horlivka, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Donetsk region, Ukraine February 16, 2024

The Banshee platform does not incorporate intelligence-gathering technology and would not contain sensitive information, nor is it a particularly advanced aircraft that Russia would be keen to back-engineer.

'It's quite difficult to assess how it was done, but it is unlikely to have any wider ramifications for the wider geopolitical situation.

'(The Banshee) is a much less capable system and much less of a signal to the Russians than something like a StormShadow missile,' he said.

After announcing another 2.5billion aid package for Ukraine earlier this year, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said at least 200million is to be spent on 'a major push to rapidly procure and produce thousands of military drones for Ukraine, including surveillance, long-range strike and sea drones'.

Sunak said the aid currently in place was due to run through to the 'early part of this year'.

'So we're acting in advance of that expiring with a new commitment of two and a half billion pounds  more than we've provided in previous years,' he told reporters.

'That represents the seriousness of the situation here and our determination to stand with Ukraine,' he added.

The latest commitment takes the UK's overall support for Ukraine's war efforts to almost 12 billion.
The most recent North Dakota Poll found that 84% of voters want the State Investment Board to publish the list of Legacy Fund investments on its website.

In response, the Retirement and Investment Office, the coordinating agency for the State Investment Board, released a statement insisting that all Legacy Fund investments are identified in monthly performance reports posted on the funds webpage. But thats not true. Those reports are short summaries of Legacy Fund holdings in broad categories broken down into a handful of investment funds. The hundreds of individual investments made through those funds are not included.

The only way to obtain a detailed list of investments is to submit an open records request. I recently did just that, requesting a list of all foreign and domestic holdings and the investments made by each private money manager hired by the State Investment Board. I also asked for the investments made by 50 South Capital, a Chicago-based firm that, together with five out-of-state firms it selected, is responsible for the portion of the Legacy Fund that is supposed to be invested in North Dakota.

The Retirement and Investment Office referred me to the Legacy Fund website, which, as noted above, is less than helpful. They confirmed that nearly $39 million has been distributed to 50 South Capital but refused to share any information on where that money is invested.

They did provide a list of current Legacy Fund holdings by country and company. Compiling that list took three hours, so I was charged $75. A modest fee for the time spent responding to an open records request is perfectly reasonable and allowed by state law, but its somewhat odd, in this high-tech, algorithmic era, that compiling a list would take more than a few clicks of a mouse. The money managers hired by the State Investment Board collected over $40 million in fees last year alone. For that price, youd think instantaneous access to investment information would be included.

The list I received contains a few curious items, including over $160 million invested in the Emerging Markets Region, over $520 million in the Global Region, and nearly $46 million in the International Region. Roughly 8% of Legacy Fund investments are lumped into three entirely meaningless categories. Describing the entire globe as a region is completely nonsensical.

The Retirement and Investment Office refused to produce a list of investments made by each money manager, including the six firms running the North Dakota Growth Fund. They claim that manager specific position information is confidential commercial and financial information under state law and therefore exempt from open records requirements.

But they are on shaky legal ground at best. The North Dakota Supreme Court has held that exceptions to the open records law must be specific and narrowly construed. Investments made by private money managers using taxpayer dollars do not fall within the specific statutory exemptions.

Because the Retirement and Investment Office refused to provide the information I requested, Ive asked the attorney general for an opinion. Well see if he comes down on the side of transparency or instead allows the investment of public dollars to remain hidden based on an extremely weak statutory argument. Ultimately, it might fall to the judicial or legislative branch to make it clear that taxpayer money cant reside in a financial black hole controlled only by private money managers.

State officials need to be reminded of a simple fact. The billions of dollars they are responsible for belong to the people. We deserve to know exactly who is controlling our money and where it is being invested.
California continues to be under the threat of flooding as an atmospheric river pounded the coast with landslides and floods moves through the region.

Significant damage is still possible as heavy rains are forecast to douse much of northern California Tuesday and southern California into Wednesday.

The storm knocked down trees, wiped away cars and put hundreds of homes at risk of destruction in Rancho Palos Verdes as the rain and mudslides cracked the road open as the hillside is shifting at a rapid rate.

Mayor John Cruikshank has asked Governor Gavin Newsom to declare a state of emergency specifically for Rancho Palos Verdes.

'You can definitely see the cracks getting deeper very quickly,' resident Stephanie Streisand told KTLA about the crumbling roads in the area.

Work crews clean up a beach front road after ocean waves caused by a winter storm pushed up beach rocks in Oceanside, California, on Tuesday

California again faced significant rain on Tuesday after an atmospheric river caused flooding and the threat of tornados on Monday

The storm knocked down trees, wiped away cars and put hundreds of homes at risk of destruction in Rancho Palos Verdes. A resident walking through running water down a residential street in Encinitas on Tuesday

Significant damage is still possible as heavy rains are forecast to douse the Golden State into Wednesday. Pictured: flood water rushes in Montecitio

Road closures and stream videos! Remember that these increased stream flows are dangerous. Stay away from the water, and the banks nearby.



Stay off the roads if you can and definitely do not go around road closed signs! pic.twitter.com/YGBJJA2CZB  Montecito Fire (@montecitofire) February 19, 2024

'I've been traveling over this road for over 55 years, since I was a young child, and I've never seen it like this. In particular in the last few months.'

Los Angeles County could receive three to five inches of rain in the mountains and foothills, the National Weather Service said.

Ventura County is forecast to receive two to four inches of rain in the mountains and foothills, and Santa Barbara County could receive one to two inches in the mountains and foothills.

Wind gusts are predicted to reach 30 to 50 mph in Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

Heavy rain, snow, high winds and thunderstorms are forecast to diminish throughout the day as the upper trough supporting them moves inland.

A moderate risk of excessive rainfall leading to flash flooding is in effect for portions of Los Angeles and Orange Counties.

'We're still looking at wet conditions, a little more on-again-off-again through Ventura and Santa Barbara [counties]. More of a steady go of rain is forecast for those of you in Orange County, the I.E. and L.A. this morning,' KTLA Meteorologist Henry DiCarlo said.

According to ABC 10, a 2 percent chance of tornado development exists in the Sacramento Valley on Tuesday.

In Santa Barbara, evacuation warnings remain in place for properties along waterways associated with the Alisal burn area, properties in the vicinity of Sycamore Creek and properties in the vicinity of Mission Creek, according to the county.

There were flooded roads, mudslides, trees falling on cars and the Santa Barbara airport shut down for the day on Monday.

San Marcos Pass received over 10 inches of rainfall, Porter Ranch, Bel Air, Leo Carrillo and Beverly Hills all received over two inches of rainfall.

Gusty winds knocked out power for more than 11,000 customers, according to PowerOutage.us.

In Santa Barbara, evacuation warnings remain in place for properties along waterways associated with the Alisal burn area, properties in the vicinity of Sycamore Creek and properties in the vicinity of Mission Creek

As crews are working to clean up damage, Ventura County is forecast to receive 2 to 4 inches of rain in the mountains and foothills on Tuesday

San Marcos Pass received over 10 inches of rainfall, Porter Ranch, Bel Air, Leo Carrillo and Beverly Hills all received over two inches of rainfall on Monday. Pictured: flooding in Montecito

Gusty winds knocked out power for more than 11,000 customers, according to PowerOutage.us.

California continues to be under the threat of flooding as the storm that created an atmospheric river that pounded the coast. Pictured: a tree branch fell knocking out power and damaging a car in Los Angeles on Monday

There have been over 130 reports of flash flooding, landslides or rockslides across California since Saturday. Pictured: rain soaks the Hollywood Walk of Fame

A rockslide was reported on U.S. 101 near Gaviota, in Santa Barbara County and a mudslide was reported near Santa Monica, blocking some lanes on the Pacific Coast Highway, according to The Weather Channel.

There have been over 130 reports of flash flooding, landslides or rockslides across California since Saturday.

'We still have a flood risk out of California,' FOX Weather Meteorologist Britta Merwin said. 'This is probably our last really tough day. We still have to look out for flooding tomorrow, but tomorrow is that transitional day where, finally, well get a little bit of relief thats going to last for a couple of days.'

The National Weather Service in Sacramento had issued a tornado warning for parts of Plumas County and Butte County.

'We havent had a dramatic pattern in the Central Valley like this at least in a number of years and perhaps in over a decade,' UCLA-affiliated climate and weather scientist Daniel Swain said Sunday in a YouTube commentary, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. 'This is a significant potential event there.'

Tourists brave the rain along Hollywood Boulevard on February 19

President Joe Biden on Monday declared a major disaster over severe storms that flooded the San Diego area in January, freeing up federal assistance to supplement state and local recovery efforts

Los Angeles County could receive 3 to 5 inches of rain in the mountains and foothills, the National Weather Service said. Pictured: a shopping cart in flood water in Los Angeles

President Joe Biden on Monday declared a major disaster over severe storms that flooded the San Diego area in January, freeing up federal assistance to supplement state and local recovery efforts.

Those rains killed three people and damaged more than 800 homes, the office of California Governor Gavin Newsom said.

Those storms were estimated to have caused more than $11billion in damage, as Los Angeles was hit with 75 percent of its rainfall in just three days.

Drake Livingston, who lives in the Beverly Crest neighborhood, was watching a movie one night during the storm when a friend alerted him to flooding.

'We looked outside and there's a foot-and-a-half of running water, and it starts seeping through the doors,' said Livingston, whose car was found submerged in mud on Monday morning.
The academics who branded Donald Trump the 'worst ever president' in their rankings have been accused of an 'uber-liberal' bias and polling only members of a Democrat-leaning group.

Political scientists Brandon Rottinghaus of the University of Houston and Justin Vaughn of Coastal Carolina University published their scorecard over Presidents' Day weekend, scoring Trump in 45th place  the bottom of the table.

Current President Joe Biden, came in 14th place, based on responses from 154 current and recent members of the American Political Science Association (APSA), a leading group of White House experts.

Social media users pounced on the results, accusing the academics of polling only a small group of experts with a shared outlook that's increasingly at odds with regular Americans.

Abraham Lincoln, who ended slavery in the South, was ranked as America's greatest president in the survey

'A whole 154 people participated in the 'poll',' one X/Twitter user posted, mockingly.

Brandon Rottinghaus of the University of Houston

'And they are all steeped in the uber-liberal world of academia.'

Another bashed a 'laughable survey' that failed to identify the respondents by name.

Others said it was 'garbage' designed to manipulate the public for the Democratic Party in an election year.

Rottinghaus and Vaughn did not immediately answer DailyMail.com's request for comment.

Their tally came from 154 presidential specialists who are current or recent members of the American Political Science Association (APSA). They were asked to give every president a score, from 0 to 100.

Though APSA and its academic journals are widely respected, the 120-year-old organization of more than 11,000 members has come under fire in recent years for being hostile to conservative viewpoints.

Last year, APSA member Robert Maranto, a University of Arkansas scholar, said 'pluralism is fading' at the organization and conservative scholars had been sidelined from leadership positions.

The American Political Science Association has been criticized in recent years for sidelining conservative voices

X/Twitter users were unsparing in their criticism of a survey they saw as one-sided

Writing in The Hill, Maranto said half the country is 'unrepresented politically in an organization whose job is to promote political research about all the country.'

Justin Vaughn of Coastal Carolina University

It won't even hold annual conferences in a red state, he added.

Likewise, Professor Bruce Gilley, from the National Association of Scholars, in 2017 slammed APSA for becoming captured by left-wingers and focussed only racial and gender justice, at the expense of broader concerns.

'Today, APSA has become barely distinguishable from the Democratic Party and its far-left wing,' Gilley write in Minding the Campus.

'Its web page runs a constant stream of anti-Trump or anti-Republican news.'

For critics, these are black marks for the 2024 edition of the Presidential Greatness Project Expert Survey, which ranked Trump, Republican, in last place, a position he has held for six years.

Biden came in a surprising 14th place, putting him in the top third of American presidents, a ranking his campaign team was happy to tout on Monday as the president gears up for a likely election rematch with Trump this fall.

Trump was ranked the worst president of all time by a survey of experts and even ranked near the bottom of the list among Republican and Conservative historians. He was also ranked most polarizing president of all time with Andrew Jackson coming in second

The survey of greatest presidents was conducted November 15 to December 15 by members of the American Political Science Association

The president's higher ranking comes in part thanks to his predecessor. One of the Biden's most important achievements according to the experts was getting Trump out of office.

Vaughn and Rottinghaus noted Biden has 'resumed a more traditional style of presidential leadership' when they announced the results in The Los Angeles Times.

President Abraham Lincoln was named the greatest president of all time, a ranking he has continued to hold on to as the greatest presidents traditionally have been viewed as ones who presided over the country during times of great transformation or national crises.

Rounding out the ten greatest presidents were Lincoln, Franklin Roosevelt, George Washington, Teddy Roosevelt, Thomas Jefferson, Harry Truman, Barack Obama, Dwight Eisenhower, Lyndon Johnson and John F Kennedy.

The ten worst presidents were Trump followed by James Buchanan, Andrew Johnson, Franklin Pierce, William Henry Harrison, Warren Harding, Millard Fillmore, Zachary Taylor, John Tyler and Herbert Hoover.

Even when factoring in the experts' parties and ideologies, Trump still came in toward the very bottom.

Biden's campaign touted the president's 14th place debut, saying he wakes up every day 'fighting for the American people.' The president came in just behind Madison, Clinton and Adams but ahead of Wilson and Reagan

APSA Republicans ranked him the 41st greatest president while conservative experts ranked him 43rd, behind Biden.

Both Republicans and conservatives ranked George Washington as the greatest president of all time.

Biden fared slightly better with Democrats and liberal experts, who both ranked him 13th greatest president of all time. Democrats, liberals and independents all named Abraham Lincoln the greatest president of all time.

Amid the growing division in the US, respondents were also asked to name history's most polarizing president.

Trump was considered by far the most polarizing of the presidents. President Andrew Jackson came in second.

Among the most 'underrated' presidents was Jimmy Carter, who ranked 22nd overall.

Another president considered to be underrated was General Ulysses Grant, a Civil War hero, who served as president during Reconstruction from 1969 to 1877. He ranked 17th.

William Henry Harrison was considered the hardest president to assess, having served just a month in office before he died.
A Vermont resident has revealed how trail cameras at her property show countless migrants trudging through snow 'every week' amid a surge in northern border crossings.

Kirsty Brow told how she has discovered clothing and personal belongings in the fields near her Highgate home.

Brow's home is located along the Swanton Sector, a strip border that straddles portions of New York, New Hampshire and Vermont, which is becoming a particularly problematic hotspot.

'It's scary to know that you never know what is lurking around in your woods. We never know what we are going to find out back in our field,' she told Fox News.

'We've found clothes, water thermoses, you never know what you're going to find out there. Border Patrol was following foot prints. You don't feel too safe.'

Vermont mom Kristy Brow revealed how trail cameras at her property show migrants trudging through snow 'every week' amid a surge in northern border crossings

She she has discovered clothing and personal belongings in the fields near her Highgate home 'every other week.' There have also been snowy footprints tracked in the area.

Crossings along the Canadian border have soared by 241 percent since 2022. Pictured: An early morning apprehension of 4 adult males from Bangladesh on February 1, near Mooers, New York

Crossings along the Canadian border have soared by 241 percent since 2022, with local officers reporting they have apprehended more people since October 1 than the previous three fiscal years combined.

An increasing number of migrants elect to travel through Canada rather than Mexico to avoid detection, creating a new spin on the now years-long crisis.

While most still use legal ports of entry, more than 12,200 were apprehended crossing illegally from the north in 2023 - much more than the 3,578 arrested the year prior.

'It's definitely increasing the amount of people coming over, we don't see it daily but at least every other week you see some kind of sign someone was out there,' Brow added.

'We did have video footage on our trail cam of three people coming across the guy in the front saw our flash go off so he motioned to the other guys to stay still ponce he felt it was safe he motioned for them to continue they just continued on their way.

'Our neighbors, they've actually seen people go into our fields it's just kind of unsettling. You just don't know what people's intentions are.'

She stated she has reported asylum seekers to border patrol after seeing them walking down the interstate wearing backpacks.

'They do patrol here more, we see them daily looking in the ditches so they are obviously seeing daily sign of people coming across, but we don't see that,' Brow said.

Watch the latest video at foxnews.com

While most still use legal ports of entry, more than 12,200 migrants were apprehended crossing from the north in 2023 as they attempt to avoid detection

'It's scary to know that you never know what is lurking around in your woods,' Brow (left) said

Chief Patrol Agent in the area Robert Garcia said his team were seeing a lot more crossings that in previous years.

'Since October 1, 2023, Swanton Sector Border Patrol Agents have apprehended more than 3,100 subjects from 55 countries (more than Fiscal Years 2022, 21, 20 & 19 combined),' he posted on X, formerly Twitter earlier this month.

An accompanying photo showed, 'An early morning apprehension of 4 adult males from Bangladesh on February 1, near Mooers, New York,' according to the post.

Brow said she had not received any advice from border patrol about protecting her family, but that she remains on alert.

'We protect ourself, we're a hunting family we have a lot of protection here and that's all you're really going to do is stay protected and lock everything up,' she said.
A woman who was six months pregnant was killed in a horrific car crash involving one vehicle and three pedestrians in Northern Ireland.

Emergency services were called to reports of the collision on Boa Island Road in Belleek, County Fermanagh, at around 8pm on Monday.

Valeria Amorim, 28, and her unborn child, were pronounced dead at the scene by police.

Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) officers have arrested one woman in her 30s and said she remains in custody at this time.

A spokesperson for the force said: 'Sadly Valeria, who was six months pregnant, died at the scene. Two other people were tended to by colleagues from the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service.

'A woman, aged in her 30s, was arrested at the scene and remains in police custody at this time.'

Valeria Amorim, 28, and her unborn child, were pronounced dead at the scene of a collision Belleek, County Fermanagh

Emergency services were called to reports of a collision on Boa Island Road (pictured) at around 8pm on Monday

Police have issued an appeal for any information and witnesses to the event.

A spokesperson said: 'Following the tragic death of Valeria and her unborn child, the Police Service's Collision Investigation Unit are appealing for information and witnesses.

'Anyone with any dash-cam or other footage that could assist with the investigation is asked to contact detectives from the Collision Investigation Unit on 101 quoting reference 1723 of 19/02/24.'
The mayor of a Michigan city branded 'America's jihad capital' has blasted Joe Biden for 'aiding and abetting Netanyahu's war crimes'.

Arab-American Muslim mayor Abdullah H. Hammoud, 33, made the scathing accusation in an opinion piece he penned for the New York Times on Tuesday.

He serves Dearborn, a Michigan suburb with the largest Muslim population in the US which was controversially dubbed 'America's jihad capital' by a Wall Street Journal columnist earlier this month.

Hammoud, who condemned the WSJ piece as 'irresponsible', has revealed that despite his Democrat affiliation, he'll be checking the box for 'uncommitted' in the presidential primary ballot in Michigan next Tuesday.

He said he hopes that 'Mr Biden will listen' to the quiet protest, and 'choose the salvation of our democracy over aiding and abetting Mr Netanyahu's war crimes'.

Arab-American Muslim mayor Abdullah H. Hammoud, 33, who serves Dearborn in Michigan, has blasted Joe Biden for 'aiding and abetting Netanyahu's war crimes'

People demonstrate in support of Palestinians, in Dearborn, Michigan, on October 14, 2023

U.S. President Joe Biden meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in Tel Aviv, Israel, October 18, 2023

It comes amid mounting pressure on Biden from the left flank of the Democrat party to secure a ceasefire in Gaza.

The US administration has been locked in a stalemate with Netanyahu over the war - with Biden even blasting him as an 'a**hole' and the primary obstacle to peace in the Middle East.

'In my sleepless nights, I have often questioned what kind of America my daughters will grow up in: one that makes excuses for the killing of innocent men, women and children, or one that chooses to reclaim hope,' Hammoud wrote.

The WSJ article was written by Steven Stalinsky, who is a commentator on terrorism

'What still lies between betrayal and hope is the power of accountability.

'It is my prayer  as a father, the son of immigrants, and as a public servant in the greatest city in the greatest nation in the world  that my fellow Michiganders will harness this power and lend their voice to this hope by holding the president accountable.'

Hammoud describes how Dearborn citizens have been deeply impacted by the war as fellow Muslims.

'Our entire city is haunted by the images, videos and stories streaming out of Gaza,' he wrote.

'Life seems heavily veiled in a haze of shared grief, fear, helplessness and even guilt as we try to understand how our tax dollars could be used by those we elected to slaughter our relatives overseas.'

Fiery protests demanding a ceasefire erupted across Dearborn over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bombardment in Gaza. The death toll in Palestine has now reached more than 29,000.

Netanyahu's offensive came as a response to the horrific Hamas incursion into Israel on October 7 which saw terrorists kill 1,200 people and take hundreds of hostages.

The Israeli leader has vowed to keep bombarding Palestine until all the remaining hostages are released.

The WSJ op-ed has allegedly caused an 'alarming increase in bigoted and Islamophobic rhetoric' towards the some 110,000 locals living in Dearborn

Dearborn is among the towns which has issued the strongest calls for a ceasefire over the five months since the attack, owing to its demographics.

The headline of a Wall Street Journal opinion piece published earlier in February honed in on this with a controversial slant.

It read 'Welcome to Dearborn, America's Jihad Capital' - a title given to the city by the publication because of its residents' pro-Palestine stances.

The contentious article was written by Steven Stalinsky, who is a commentator on terrorism and has served as executive director of the Middle East Media Research Institute, based in Washington DC, since 1999.

He warned in the story that Dearborn's majority Arab population ought to be paid 'close attention' by counterterrorism agencies following October 7.

But his words have caused the mayor of the suburb to ramp up police presence outside mosques and other major civil centers because of Islamophobic threats being hurled at its majority-Arab residents.

The WSJ op-ed has allegedly caused an 'alarming increase in bigoted and Islamophobic rhetoric' towards the some 110,000 locals living in Dearborn.

Dearborn's Mayor Abdullah Hammoud wrote on X: 'Effective immediately - Dearborn police will ramp up its presence across all places of worship and major infrastructure points.

According to census figures, Dearborn is roughly 54 percent Arab American, making it one of the most densely populated areas for Middle Eastern people in the US

'This is a direct result of the inflammatory WSJ opinion piece that has led to an alarming increase in bigoted and Islamophobic rhetoric online targeting the city of Dearborn. Stay vigilant.'

He added in a statement: 'This is more than irresponsible journalism. Publishing such inflammatory writing puts Dearborn residents at increased risk for harm.

'It's 2024 and the WSJ still pushes out this type of garbage. Reckless. Bigoted. Islamophobic. Dearborn is one of the greatest American cities in our nation.'

According to census figures, Dearborn is roughly 54 percent Arab American, making it one of the most densely populated areas for Middle Eastern people in the US.

It is home to the largest Muslim population in the US per capita as well as the largest mosque in North America.
Republican presidential hopeful Nikki Haley is trailing former President Trump by a whopping 23 points in her home state of South Carolina with just four days to go before the state's make-or-break GOP primary.

The Emerson College/The Hill poll of Republican voters shows Haley at 35 percent to Trump's 58 percent with 7 percent undecided. With undecided voters accounted for, Trump's support reaches 61 percent to Haley's 39 percent.

'South Carolina holds an open primary; there is a divide among Republican and independent affiliated voters,' said Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling. He said voters who affiliate as Republicans break for Trump over Haley while voters who affiliate as independent break for Haley.

It is the latest in a series of polls that have shown Trump with a crushing lead ahead of the first primary of the south.

A separate USA Today/Suffolk poll on Tuesday had Trump 28 points ahead at 63 percent to Haley's 35 percent among GOP primary voters.

Trump's massive lead shows a series of recent controversial comments from the former president about NATO, comparing himself on Truth Social to the late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny right after his death and claiming Haley's husband, who is serving overseas, is 'missing' has not hurt Trump with primary voters in the Palmetto State.

Trump had a 23-point lead among Republican primary voters in the poll conducted in mid-February. It is one of several polls in which Trump has a double-digit advantage in Haley's home state

Haley speaking at a campaign stop in Greer, South Carolina on Monday. She has been crisscrossing the state with a bus tour in the final days before voters there head to the polls

Trump at a campaign rally at the Charleston Area Convention Center on February 14. During his rally, Trump doubled down on controversial remarks that he would not defend NATO member countries

Haley has been hopscotching the state this week with a series of campaign events in the final drive before voters head to the polls on Saturday. She has used her closing argument to highlight her differences with her former boss.

After Trump said at a South Carolina rally he would encourage Russia to do 'whatever the hell they want' to any NATO member country that does not meet spending guidelines, Haley said she would put the pressure on NATO countries but behind closed doors.

She has also slammed the former president as he faces mounting legal debts, arguing he will spend more time in a courtroom than on the campaign trail this year and chaos follows him.

Last week, a judge ordered Trump pay more than $350 million in his New York civil fraud case. He heads to trial for a criminal case in connection with hush money payments later next month, making him the first former president to stand trial on criminal charges.

While Haley previously served as governor of South Carolina, Trump has the backing of current governor Henry McMaster as well as Senators Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott.

In a Fox News appearance on Monday, Scott said there was a 'desperation' in the Haley campaign and it was time for her to drop out. Haley appointed Scott to the Senate in 2013

Senator Scott dropped out of the GOP presidential primary and endorsed Trump last year. On Sunday, Scott refused to say whether he would have certified the 2020 election if he were vice president despite having to voted to certify the election results as a senator

Haley has vowed to stay in the race for the Republican presidential nomination through Super Tuesday despite coming in third in Iowa and second in New Hampshire

Scott, who dropped out of the GOP presidential race in November, told Fox News on Monday that he could feel the 'desperation' coming off his former ally's campaign and called on Haley to end her White House bid.

'Sometimes you wake on Monday morning and you realize that the race is already gone. The best thing you can do is within 24 hours is to get out the way,' Scott said.

'When you feel that kind of desperation, that means the race is already over,' Scott said of her campaign.

But Haley has campaign events scheduled throughout the rest of the week across the state and has vowed to stay in the race through Super Tuesday in her long-shot bid for the Republican nomination.

Meanwhile, Trump has been in and out of the state but is slated to return to South Carolina for a rally on Friday.

On Tuesday, his campaign released a memo titled 'The End Is Near For Nikki Haley.' It noted that Trump currently has 63 delegates in his quest for the nomination. Haley has 17 delegates. Following the current data, Trump's campaign claims he will lock up the nomination on March 12.
A young woman who was kidnapped over a alleged drug debt was set on fire and abandoned her on a southeastern Brazilian highway has died.

Layze Gonzaga, 22, was rescued by a truck driver on Monday night and rushed to a Joao XIII Hospital in Belo Horizonte, where she died Tuesday morning, the Minas Gerais Civil Police said in a statement.

Gonzaga, who has been missing since February 11, was beaten and stabbed seven times and suffered burns to 90 percent of her body.

The Military Police arrested a 34-year-old man, identified as Gonzaga's boyfriend, and a 36-year-old woman, a motel employee. Their names have not been released.

Layze Gonzaga was beaten and abandoned on a highway where her body was found on fire on Monday in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. The 22-year-old, who was reportedly kidnapped by her boyfriend over a debt with drug traffickers, died Tuesday morning. She suffered burns to 90 percent of her boy and was beaten and stabbed seven times

Layze Gonzaga's boyfriend is escorted by cops in the southern Brazilian city of Belo Horizonte after he and a female hotel worker were arrested in connection to Gonzaga's kidnapping and murder

A Minas Gerais Civil Police agent inspects the vehicle driven by the boyfriend of Layze Gonzaga at the time of his arrest

Gonzaga's boyfriend told Radio Itatiaia that he turned her to drug traffickers due to a 'debt settlement' in the Belo Horizonte northwestern neighborhood of Pindaroma on Monday.

'My participation in this, as her family knows, was taking her there so much so that no one knew this would happen,' he said.

The man, who was dating Gonzaga for a month and was introduced by her to her family, said that the drug traffickers instructed him to leave her at a bar before she went missing.

'I only saw her leaving with the people and I no longer had access to her,' he said.

Layze Gonzaga's boyfriend is escorted into a police station in Belo Horizonte, Brazil following his arrest Tuesday morning, just hours after the 22-year-old woman died from burns to her body

The suspect said he received a phone call from Gonzaga on Monday asking him to pick her up at a farm, where she was being tortured.

He said that he took her to an area motel and that he did not contact the police because he feared the drug dealers.

The man, Radio Itatiaia revealed, made a video call to Gonzaga's mother and requested a ransom of about $6,000 to free her and provided the hotel worker's Pix account - a government-operated instant payment platform.

'I didn't make any threats, because I didn't owe anything. She asked me for help, which she went to get at this farm where they beat her,' he said.

Gonzaga's mother told investigators that her daughter had ties to drug traffickers and owed a little over $3,000.

The family was contacted multiple times and threatened to settle the debt, but was unable to cover the entire amount.
The drug trafficking trial of former Honduras President Juan Orlando Hernandez is set to begin in New York on Tuesday.

A Manhattan Federal Court jury will be given the chance to determine whether Washington's onetime key anti-drug ally actually ran the Central American country as a 'narco-state.'

Hernandez was close to Washington during his 2014-2022 tenure and Honduras received more than $50 million in U.S. anti-narcotics assistance and tens of millions more in security and military aid during his presidency.

He also won support from former President Donald Trump for cracking down on migration.

But three months after he left office, federal prosecutors in Manhattan charged him with accepting millions of dollars in bribes from cocaine traffickers in exchange for using his position to protect them.

Attorney General Merrick Garland said he abused his power to operate the country as a 'narco-state.'

The drug trafficking trial of former Honduras President Juan Orlando Hernandez (center) is set to begin in New York on Tuesday. Pictured: Hernandez waiting to be extradited to the US in April 2022

Hernandez was close to Washington during his 2014-2022 tenure and Honduras received more than $50 million in U.S. anti-narcotics assistance and tens of millions more in security and military aid during his presidency

But three months after he left office, federal prosecutors in Manhattan charged him with accepting millions of dollars in bribes from cocaine traffickers in exchange for using his position to protect them. Pictured: Hernandez handcuffed in court on January 23

Hernandez has pleaded not guilty to three counts of cocaine importation conspiracy and illegal weapons possession.

The charges against him came nearly three years after his brother, former congressman Tony Hernandez, was convicted on U.S. drugs charges and sentenced to life in prison.

A prosecutor at that trial said the former Honduras president had protected his brother.

Hernandez has been detained at Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center since his April 2022 extradition.

He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 40 years and up to life in prison if convicted on all counts.

The trial begins with jury selection on Tuesday and is expected to last between two and three weeks.

Prosecutors said that while Hernandez was campaigning in 2013, he accepted $1 million from Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman, the leader of Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel.

He allegedly used that money to bribe officials to manipulate voting results in his favor, and used similar tactics for his 2017 re-election.

'This rampant corruption and massive cocaine trafficking came at a cost to the people of Honduras,' Damian Williams, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, told reporters after Hernandez was extradited.

Hernandez has argued that drug traffickers have smeared him to seek to lighten their own sentences and to extract revenge over his administration's law enforcement actions.

Hernandez has been detained at Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center since his April 2022 extradition

He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 40 years and up to life in prison if convicted on all counts

Raymond Colon, lawyer for former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, arrives at federal court in Manhattan Tuesday

That argument has been used by other high-ranking Latin American officials who have been charged by the United States in recent years, including former Mexican security minister Genaro Garcia Luna, who was convicted last year on charges of taking bribes from El Chapo.

'I'm really curious to see if this is going to be a prosecution that is just going to exhibit a long list of finger-pointing at him by convicted former drug dealers,' said Edgar Zurita, a former law enforcement official at Mexico's U.S. embassy.

'Or if this is going to be a prosecution showing unquestionable evidence that he was actually involved.'

El Chapo was himself convicted of drug trafficking in 2019 and sentenced to life in prison.

Earlier in February, two co-defendants who were initially set to be tried alongside Hernandez - his cousin Mauricio Hernandez and former Honduras national police chief Juan Carlos Bonilla - pleaded guilty to drug trafficking.
One person has been arrested following a violent confrontation between NYPD officers and migrants at the city's Randall's Island center - with the mayhem captured on video.

Chaos broke out in the increasingly lawless tent camp on Thursday when an individual not registered to stay at the facility was asked to leave by officials, police said.

Video circulated on social media shows police apprehending one individual before several others joined the fray. No serious injuries occurred, police later said.

It is the latest in a series of violent assaults since Randall's Island began housing migrants in August 2023 as New York struggled to house large numbers arriving from other states.

Just last month, a 24-year-old man was stabbed to death on the island while waiting in line for food.

A violent confrontation between NYPD officers and migrants at the city's Randall's Island shelter center

Video circulated on social media shows police apprehending one individual before several others joined the fray

Dramatic footage from Thursday showed the 11am encounter between NYPD officers and migrants.

Police had responded to a report of a man causing a disturbance.

'Upon arrival officers observed a male who was involved in a verbal dispute with security and acting in a disorderly fashion,' an NYPD spokesperson told the New York Post.

As police went to detain one person, several jumped into the scene and tried to stop the cops. The suspect tried to resist officers and pulled his arms away as they attempted to cuff him.

Several migrants are seen speaking with cops as officers try and control the scene.

Two cops then use batons to get the crowd to back up, as a backpack is hurled through the air and hits a cop in the head.

Screaming and yelling is heard as police try to restrain the man.

Eventually, several police officers carry the suspect out of the shelter as a group of migrants follow and yell.

The videos are the latest in a string of high-profile incidents at the shelter.

In January, Witnesses told police Dafren Cabello, 24, was attacked by four men after reportedly chatting to a Peruvian man's girlfriend.

Migrants residing at the facility have said they have regular concerns about their safety at the shelter with Mauricio Pinto telling the New York Post: 'Everyone has a knife.'

Residents have also warned that the center is splitting on ethnic lines into armed 'camps' with Hispanics, Africans and Haitians pitted against each other.

'There are definitely camps,' Moroccan migrant Nabil Jajhlaq told the New York Post.

'There is a lot of stealing, if you put your phone down or your charger for a moment, they take it immediately.

'Any of your stuff that you don't have they will take.'

'Everyone has a knife,' migrant Mauricio Pinto added.

Randall's Island migrant shelter is fully funded by the state of New York. It spans across 6.4acres of land and houses nearly 3,000 adult male migrants.

Young father Dafren Cabello, 24, had been in the US for just a month when he was stabbed to death on Randalls Island after leaving his home in Venezuela

Randall's Island migrant shelter is fully funded by the state of New York. It spans across 6.4acres of land and houses nearly 3,000 adult male migrants

Randall's Island migrant shelter is one of the makeshift tent cities that were set up in August 2023 to help with the city's migrant crisis. Officers are pictured at the facility on Thursday

Conditions are grim in the 3,000 capacity tent city, New York's largest migrant shelter, as winter sets in on Randalls Island in New York's East River

The shelter opened its doors in August 2023, replacing a smaller center (pictured) that opened a year prior

Elsewhere in the city violence between law enforcement and migrants has broken out.

Last month a group of migrants attacked NYPD officers in Times Square when officers attempted to disperse a disorderly group in front of 220 West 42 Street.

According to the NYPD, the migrants then started to attack the officers, kicking them in the head and body while the two officers try to pin down one of the other men, tearing off his sweatshirt.

Several pf the suspects were initially were release on recognizance, meaning they were freed from custody without bail while their case is pending.

The move caused widespread upset across the city, with calls for tighter enforcement.

As of December 2023, more than 140,000 migrants had flooded into the city over an 18-month period, stretching the city to its limits.

The city authorities have spent about $3.5 billion on the thousands of migrants and nearly 70,000 remain in city shelters.

New York is a Right to Shelter state and is required to house the asylum seekers but shelters have filled up at an astronomical rate.

In Manhattan, a number of landmark hotels have been turned into makeshift shelters and temporary housing.
The husband of a missing Florida woman who mysteriously vanished in Spain has insisted their separation was amicable and that there has been no need for him to leave Serbia to join the search for her.

Ana Knezevich, 40, had been living in Spain on and off since last summer when her marriage to Serbian-American businessman David Knezevich, 35, fell apart.

The Fort Lauderdale realtor was officially declared a missing person on February 5 after she failed to meet a friend to travel from Madrid to Barcelona for a conference.

Her husband's attorney, Ken Padowitz spoke to Chris Cuomo on NewsNation Monday night, to dispute claims the couple were amid a hotly contested divorce.

Padowitz also dismissed claims his client had been 'absent' through the process and insisted he has been in touch with the authorities.

He said: 'My client has no friends in Spain, he has no relatives in Spain, he doesn't own property in Spain, he doesn't speak the Spanish language. So, for him to be expected to all of a sudden fly to another country that he hasn't been in and to attempt to do something there doesn't seem very productive.'

Pictured: Ana Knezevich, 40, had been living in Spain on and off since last summer. She was living in apartment in Madrid but had lost touch with friends on February 2. She was officially declared a missing person on February 5

Pictured: Ana's husband Serbian-American businessman David Knezevich, 35,

The husband's attorney, Ken Padowitz spoke to Chris Cuomo on NewsNation Monday night. He called Ana's disappearance 'horrible and tragic' and shared that his client 'is very concerned for the whereabouts of his missing wife'

Padowitz said Ana's disappearance was 'a horrible, tragic situation' and that his client was 'very concerned' for the whereabouts of his missing wife.

He added that her estranged husband had spoken with the authorities in Spain multiple times, giving them credit card information and doing what he can to help police search for his missing wife.

He said he is also attempting to hire a lawyer in Spain and has reached out to the FBI to let them know he is available to aid in any way.

When Cuomo asked Padowitz if he thought it was unusual that his client isn't in Spain, Padowitz pushed back and said, 'Listen, I think it's a very personal matter.'

He said the couple had been separated for four months and were in the process of working amicably together to sell off their properties.

'There is no bad divorce. A divorce requires attorneys and it's a legal process. They had not even hired lawyers,' he continued.

'In fact, they were talking amongst themselves about hiring one lawyer to handle the divorce. So, it was an amicable situation'.

Padowitz added: 'I don't know if it's reasonable to expect that he fly to another country that he doesn't know the language doesn't have a place to stay.'

During the interview, he addressed the false narrative that there was a hotly contested divorce, which he said, 'just is not true' despite the allegation being included in a Fort Lauderdale police report.

It was at that point Padowitz said they decided to come forward and speak to the media.

'We felt it necessary to come on and to tell the world 'hey, listen, this is a horrible, tragic situation,' he said.

'And we hope that she is found sooner than later, of course, but my client has nothing to do with her disappearance and was not even in the same country.'

He said David told Padowitz the reason they were getting divorced was because they 'basically grew apart,' and disputed the claims it was anything more.

'They basically had been married for approximately 13 years. They were successful in business together, and they were successful financially.'

'So, there wasn't an issuein every divorce, you have to divide assets. This wasn't an issue.

'They were in the process of selling properties, and doing exactly that. And again, if this was a contentious divorce, which it was not, you would expect parties to hire lawyers, and there would be ongoing litigation.

'There was no such thing was happening.'

When he was asked why his client was in Serbia and not in Florida where their homes and businesses are, he said his client had rented a place in Serbia prior to his wife going to Spain, but they have spoken about him returning to Florida.

'He's definitely discussed with me coming back to Florida. He has a house here in Fort Lauderdale, and, you know, he plans on coming back here at some point because he has business interests and property here.

'But it's not as if he's fled and gone somewhere. He was already living in Serbia, prior to his wife ever missing from Spain.'

Ana Knezevich, 40, was ready to move on from estranged husband David Knezevich and had begun using Bumble before she went missing in Madrid two weeks ago, friends have revealed

The Florida realtor's best friend, Sanna Rameau told DailyMail.com police have been in contact with 'several people' Ana had been speaking to on the dating app

Sanna said she did not know whether Ana had been using the app for romantic dates or for its 'bff' feature to make new friends in Madrid

The missing woman's best friend Sanna Ramea told DailyMail.com exclusively that the couple made several attempts to reconcile but Ana was ready to move on and was using the dating app, Bumble.

Rameau, in fact, traveled to visit her friend in Spain earlier this month.

Investigators tracked down at least two men that Ana was chatting with before she was last seen outside her rented Madrid apartment on February 2.

A day later close pals received 'bizarre' WhatsApp messages from the pretty realtor, claiming that a 'wonderful' man had approached her in the street and they were spending the next few days together.

A distressed Rameau said she doesn't know whether Ana was looking for romantic dates or just using the app in 'bff' mode to make new friends.

'I just know that police have been in contact with several people she was speaking with,' she revealed.

'I have met with one of them who tells me that they were not romantically involved, they were friends.

'I have been saying this whole time that we need to get into her phone and look at the platforms she was using.

'We need to look for any clues in there but we have not got that far yet.'

Adding to the mystery, investigators checked surveillance cameras and found footage of a suspicious man in a motorcycle helmet skulking around Ana's building on Friday February 2.

He was first seen waiting outside for two people to leave then slipping inside before the door could close at around 9:30pm.

He then sprayed black paint on two cameras, one above the elevator and another on the entrance intercom, to obscure his movements.

Spanish cops are yet to track the man down or make any arrests in Ana's disappearance, according to her brother Felipe Henao.

Sanna and Ana's brother Felipe Henao revealed they received a series of bizarre text messages from her phone claiming she was going off with someone 'wonderful' she had met in the street

Friends say Ana had been going through a 'tough' divorce from husband David Knezevich when she disappeared from her apartment while on vacation in Madrid on February 2

Ana's best friend Sanna Rameau said she asked David to help with the search but he has since fled to his native Serbia

'My mother is devastated,' he told DailyMail.com. 'I wish I had something new, I wish Ana was back already.

'I just hope someone with information comes forward to tell us what they know.'

Ana and her partner of 13 years David, also known as Dusan, were yet to formally file for divorce.

They ran a real estate business, owned as many as six properties, and tried several times to patch up their marriage before calling it quits in January, when she rang her family in tears to let them know.

David indicated to close friend Sanna he would travel to Spain to help look for Ana but never arrived, she told DailyMail.com.

'The fact is that I went to Madrid to search for Ana. I asked for him to come and join me and search for her.

'But instead, he said that he had left Florida to go to Serbia. That's all I can say.'

David did not respond to calls and WhatsApp messages and there was no response when DailyMail.com called at the estranged couple's $900,000 home, which boasts five bedrooms and a pool.

Ana's Mercedes convertible was parked up on the drive, along with a Nissan and several motorcycles. Packages and mail were piling up outside.

The couple got married in 2011 and moved to the south Florida city of Fort Lauderdale

Ana and David's $900,000 home in Fot Lauderdale boasts five bedrooms and a pool

'They were a very frisky, cuddly couple, they seemed happy,' said neighbor Guy Hackman.

'David is a showy guy, a nice-looking dude. He would walk around with his shirt off. He looked kind of cocky.'

Several locals told DailyMail.com they had seen Ana and David sunbathing naked on their roof in broad daylight.

'They would lay there naked catching the sun,' said one. 'It's Florida. They've been living here long enough to know there's no kids living right here.

'I've never even heard a raised voice come from that house. It's so sad, she's such a sweet girl.'

The couple had been embroiled in a number of recent lawsuits, including a bank taking them to court last year for allegedly defaulting on a $399,000 mortgage.

David was sued again last October for falling behind on a second, $435,000 mortgage, but both cases were dismissed.

DailyMail.com can also reveal that David sought restraining orders against two men in 2018 claiming that they had stalked and threatened to murder him.

The orders were dropped because David failed to show up at a hearing to decide whether they should be made permanent.

Ana's supposed last message to Sanna at 2pm on Saturday February 3 said she had 'met someone wonderful.'

Ana was officially declared missing on Monday February 5 when she failed to meet a friend to travel to Barcelona for a conference

It went on: 'He has a summer house about 2h from Madrid. We are going there now and I will spend a few days there. Signal is Spotty. I'll call you when I get back.'

Another message elaborated: 'Yesterday after therapy I needed a walk and he approached me on the street!. Amazing connection. Like I never had before.'

Neither she, nor Ana's anguished family, believe the missing woman authored the texts. Her WhatsApp account has been offline ever since.

'That wasn't Ana. She isn't impulsive or irresponsible. She doesn't take drugs or drink hard liquor,' Sanna said of her 'smart, adventurous' friend.

She added, ominously: 'I immediately knew that something terrible had happened
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  It started out as a 911 call about a domestic incident. It ended with two police officers, a firefighter and the suspect dead, a third officer wounded, and a suburb of Minneapolis badly shaken and waiting for answers.

Agents with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension were still conducting their preliminary investigation into Sunday's shooting, spokesperson Bonney Bowman said Monday. They planned to share more information once that was complete.

That meant that several key questions remained unanswered. While the BCA named the suspect Monday evening, it has not said what prompted the 911 call early Sunday from a home in a wooded, well-to-do neighborhood of single-family homes on curvy streets in Burnsville, a city of around 64,000 located about 15 miles (24 kilometers) south of downtown Minneapolis.

The Hennepin County Medical Examiners Office said Monday afternoon that Officers Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge, both 27, and Adam Finseth, 40, a firefighter and paramedic who was assigned to the citys SWAT team, died of gunshot wounds in the emergency room at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis shortly after 6:30 a.m. Sunday.

The BCA said Monday that the man who killed them was Shannon Gooden, 38, of Burnsville. The medical examiner said Tuesday that he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. Court records show that Gooden wasnt legally allowed to have guns and had been entangled in a yearslong dispute over the custody and financial support of his three oldest children.

A procession of emergency vehicles escorted Finseths body from the medical examiners office in Minnetonka to a funeral home in Jordan on Monday afternoon, passing under several bridges where firefighters stood on their parked engines and flew American flags in tribute.

BCA Superintendent Drew Evans said Sunday that Burnsville police were called to the home around 1:50 a.m. Sunday about a domestic situation where a man was reported to be armed and barricaded with family members in the home." That included seven children ages 2 to 15 years. Evans declined to say which resident called. Arriving officers spent quite a bit of time negotiating with Gooden, he said.

At some point  he declined to specify when  Gooden opened fire, killing the two officers and the firefighter. Another officer, Sgt. Adam Medlicott, survived with injuries that were not life-threatening. He was released from a hospital and was recovering at home Monday, the city said.

Elmstrands wife, Cindy Elmstrand-Castruita, told WCCO-TV that her husband "had to do what he thought was right to protect those little lives, even if it meant putting his at risk and it breaks my heart because now hes gone. But I know that he thought what he did was right.

Elmstrand joined the police department in 2017 and was a member of its mobile command staff. Ruge, hired in 2020, was on the departments crisis negotiations team and was a physical evidence officer. Finseth, who had been with the fire department since 2019, was shot while aiding the first officer who was injured, Evans said. Medlicott, who joined the police department in 2014, supervises community service officers and is a drug recognition expert.

Several officers returned fire during the exchange, Evans said. Gooden fired from multiple places on both floors of the home. At least one officer was shot inside. An armored SWAT team vehicle sustained bullet damage to its windshield.

Evans said Gooden was armed with several guns and large amounts of ammunition, though he declined to provide details.

Neighbors were startled awake by loud pops about an hour before sunrise. Alicia McCullum, who lives two houses down from the source of the commotion, told The Associated Press that she and her family dropped to the floor.

I didnt think it was a gunshot at first, but then we opened the windows and we saw police everywhere and police hiding in our neighbors yards, McCullum said. Then there were three more gunshots."

The man was reported to be deceased in the home around 8 a.m., Evans said, and the children and other family members were later able to escape. McCullum said she saw a woman and a few children escorted out of the home.

The superintendent declined to say how long officers negotiated with Gooden, but the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association said the standoff lasted for four hours before the SWAT team entered the home.

Investigators will review body camera and other videos, conduct interviews and gather all available evidence as they determine what happened, he said.

I know everybody wants to know exactly what occurred and really what led up to these really terrible events that occurred today, Evans told reporters. But I ask that you have patience as we work through that to piece together everything so that we can to provide the answers in due time.

Gov. Tim Walz ordered that flags be flown at half-staff at all state-owned buildings. Members of the Minnesota House and Senate stood with bowed heads for moments of silence Monday.

Our police officers and medics and fire, they come to work every day, said Rep. Jeff Witte, of Lakeville, who served in the Burnsville Police Department for 27 years. They do it willingly to protect and serve our communities, knowing that they may have to give up their life for a partner or the community. And if youre not in the profession, you cant understand: the goal is to go home to their families.

Associated Press reporters Jack Dura in Bismarck, North Dakota, and John Hanna in Wichita, Kansas, contributed to this story.
A group of 13 Senate Republicans are demanding that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell do everything he can to impeach Joe Biden's top border security official as Democrats try to quash their effort.

Embattled Department of Homeland Security Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas was formally impeached by the House last week.

The two articles of impeachment accuse Mayorkas of failing to enforce immigration law and lying to Congress about the state of the U.S.-Mexico border.

Now, the impeachment papers are set to be sent to the Democrat-controlled Senate, where Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and his allies are expected to do everything they can to ensure the articles are swept under the rug and Mayorkas is not charged.

'It is imperative that the Senate Republican conference prepare to fully engage our Constitutional duty and hold a trial,' the letter sent to McConnell Tuesday and obtained by DailyMail.com states.

The Republicans argue that Democrats will attempt to dispose of the articles and not conduct a full impeachment trial.

'According to multiple briefings by your staff, Majority Leader Schumer and Senate Democrats intend to dispense with the articles of impeachment by simply tabling both individually,' the letter continues.

'We call on you to join us in our efforts to jettison this approach by Democrats to shirk their Constitutional duty, ensure that the Senate conducts a proper trial, and that every Senator, Republican and Democrat, adjudicates this matter when the Senate returns,' the Republicans wrote.

Additionally, Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., sent a letter to Vice President Kamala Harris Tuesday - Biden's 'Border Czar' - to fulfill her 'constitutional duty' by presiding over the impeachment proceedings.

Mayorkas, 64, is now only the second cabinet secretary to be impeached and the first in nearly 150 years.

'We cannot allow Chuck Schumer to break with all precedent and American history by ignoring the Mayorkas impeachment,' Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, told DailyMail.com in a statement.

'We cannot allow Democrats to sweep Biden's border invasion under the rug. GOP leadership must join us in pushing for a proper impeachment trial.'

Sen. Ted Cruz, another letter co-signee, said the impeachment provides a chance for Senate Republican leadership to 'demonstrate some backbone.'

Over 2.4 million migrants were apprehended crossing into the U.S. during fiscal year 2023

Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah wants Senate GOP leadership to push for a 'proper impeachment trial' and not allow Democrats to 'sweep Biden's border invasion under the rug'

The White House, meanwhile, has called Republican's impeachment effort a 'petty political' move, saying 'history will not look kindly on House Republicans for their blatant act of unconstitutional partisanship.'

Mayorkas, however, has overseen consecutive record breaking years for migrant apprehensions. Apprehension records were set in 2021, 2022 and 2023.

Last year alone, over 2.4 million migrants were apprehended while crossing into the U.S., according to Customs and Border Protection data, yet another record.

The Senate is expected to return to Washington on February 26 and quickly act on the articles.

'The House impeachment managers will present the articles of impeachment to the Senate following the state work period. Senators will be sworn in as jurors in the trial the next day. Senate President Pro Tempore Patty Murray will preside,' Schumer's office said in a statement.
The family of a Cambridge University student who died in Cairo after allegedly suffering 'inhuman' torture for four days at the hands of four Egyptian security agents have attended their trial in Italy today.

Giulio Regeni, a postgraduate student at Cambridge University, disappeared in the Egyptian capital in January 2016 at the age of 28. His body was found almost a week later and a post-mortem examination showed he had been tortured before his death.

Italian prosecutors allege four Egyptian officials were involved in the killing, but have been unable to track them down to issue summons, and as a result they are being tried in absentia.

Prosecutor Ahmed Nagi, who leads the investigation team on the case, had previously said 'all of [Regeni's] body, including his face' had bruises, cuts from stabbings and burns from cigarettes, adding that it appeared to have been a 'slow death.'

Italy's then-interior minister Angelino Alfano said in 2016 that Regeni, who was in the country studying for his PhD had suffered 'something inhuman, animal-like, an unacceptable violence.'

Giulio Regeni, a postgraduate student at Cambridge University, (pictured) disappeared in the Egyptian capital in January 2016 at the age of 28

Paola and Irene Regeni, mother and sister of Italian student Giulio Regeni, attend the trial of four senior members of Egyptian security services over their suspected role in his disappearance and murder in Cairo in 2016

His family (pictured) attended an Italian court today as proceedings went underway

Prosecutors say they have evidence showing that a major got informants to follow Regeni and eventually had him arrested in a Cairo metro station

Regeni had been in Cairo to research Egypt's independent unions for his doctoral thesis. Associates say he was also interested in the long-standing domination of Egypt's economy by the state and military. Both subjects are sensitive in Egypt.

Prosecutors say they have evidence showing that Major Magdi Sharif, from Egypt's General Intelligence, got informants to follow Regeni and eventually had him arrested in a Cairo metro station.

The charge sheet says Sharif, and other, unidentified Egyptian officials, then tortured Regeni over several days, causing him 'acute physical suffering'.

Italian and Egyptian prosecutors initially investigated the case together, but came to different conclusions.

Egypt said the killing was the work of gangsters and denied any state involvement in Regeni's disappearance or death.

Italian prosecutors say Major Magdi Sharif, from Egypt's General Intelligence, Major General Tarek Sabir, the former head of state security, police Colonel Hisham Helmy and Colonel Ather Kamal, a former head of investigations in Cairo city, were responsible for the 'aggravated kidnapping' of Regeni.

His family have fought to understand the truth of what happened to him

Personal belongings of slain Italian graduate student Giulio Regeni, including his passport

Father Claudio and the mother Paola, left, of Giulio Regeni follow his coffin during the funeral service in Fiumicello, Northern Italy

Sharif has also been accused of 'conspiracy to commit aggravated murder'. The four men have never responded publicly to the accusations.

When the trial opened in 2021, prosecutor Sergio Colaiocco told the court that Egypt had tried to sabotage the probe and had prevented the suspects from being informed of the charges.

Proceedings opened in October 2021, but were immediately suspended after the judge accepted arguments from court-appointed defence lawyers that the trial would be void if there was no evidence the defendants knew they had been charged.

Prosecutors appealed the decision and Italy's top court dismissed the concern last year, saying Egypt's failure to cooperate in locating the suspects should not stymie the trial.

Today defence lawyers again urged the trial be annulled. They said it was not clear if the suspects were still alive and questioned if they had been correctly identified.

Alessandra Ballerini (Pictured, right), lawyer of the Regeni family, speaks next to Claudio and Paola (Pictured, centre), parents of Giulio Regeni, on the day of the first hearing in the trial

The case has strained diplomatic ties between Italy and Egypt

The judges will review the request and the next hearing was set for March 18.

The case has strained diplomatic ties between Italy and Egypt. But Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on Tuesday it was vital to have good relations with Cairo as they worked together to ease suffering in the Gaza Strip.

'The truth must be ascertained, the guilty parties must be held accountable. However, this has nothing to do with what is happening in Israel, in the Gaza Strip, and in the Middle East,' Tajani told reporters.

'If we want to save human lives, we must do so together with the Egyptians,' he added.
Two men who allegedly ran a people smuggling ring, which involved moving more than 500 illegal migrants across Europe, have been charged with assisting unlawful immigration.

Dilshad Shamo, 41, and Ali Khdir, 42, both from Caerphilly in South Wales, are alleged to have operated from the UK.

The National Crime Agency (NCA), which conducted an investigation into the smuggling operation, believes that the pair organised the movement of migrants via boats, HGVs and cars from Iraq, Iran and Syria through the EU to the UK.

It is thought that Shamo and Khdir also smuggled migrants to Italy, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Germany and France.

The duo, who appeared at Newport Magistrates' Court today, are alleged to have worked as part of a wider organised crime group.

Dilshad Shamo, 41, and Ali Khdir, 42, both from Caerphilly in South Wales, were allegedly involved in running a people smuggling ring, which involved moving over 500 illegal migrants across Europe, and have been charged with assisting unlawful immigration (Stock Photo)

Shamo and Khdir will next appear before Newport Crown Court on March 18.

The men were initially arrested in April 2023 and charged after answering bail on Sunday.

NCA branch commander Derek Evans said: 'This investigation involves two UK residents suspected of organising the logistics of moving illegal migrants through Europe.

'The arrest and charge of these individuals is a major disruption to a suspected international organised crime group alleged to have moved hundreds, if not thousands, of migrants illegally across borders.'
Three Greenpeace protesters have been charged with criminal damage following a stunt at Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's 2million mansion in North Yorkshire.

Mathieu Soete, 40, of Hackney, London, Alexandra Wilson, 32, and Amy Rugg-Easey, 33, both of Shiremoor, North Tyneside, have all been charged following the protest on August 3 last year.

A fourth suspect is due to answer bail at a later date. All three will appear at York Magistrates' Court on March 21.

The charges relate to a stunt in which four activists climbed atop the Prime Minister's Yorkshire mansion while he and his family were away on holiday in the US after he gave the green light to new oil and gas projects in the UK.

Police arrived on the scene at 8am, around two hours after the protesters first arrived.

Greenpeace activists on the roof of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's house in North Yorkshire on August 3

Greenpeace activists are led away from the Prime Minister's house after the stunt in August

The Greenpeace activists unfurled banners and black fabric across the front of the mansion

The group unfurled black fabric from atop the house to cover it in darkness, along with signs reading 'No New Oil'.

Greenpeace said it draped his home in '200sq m (2,150sq ft) of oil-black fabric' in a protest at his backing for a major expansion of North Sea oil and gas drilling.

At the same time, two further activists on the ground unfurled a banner featuring the words 'Rishi Sunak - Oil Profits or Our Future?' across the grass in front of the house.

The incident prompted serious questions about how the group was able to carry out the stunt so easily, with former North Yorkshire Deputy Chief Constable Peter Walker saying it was a 'major breach of security'.

The Grade II-listed property, which was built in 1826, was purchased by Mr Sunak after he became the Conservative MP for the Richmond constituency in 2015.

At the time Greenpeace insisted the activists were aware that Mr Sunak was not in - and also knew how to climb up safely and how to avoid causing damage to the property.

It came after Mr Sunak confirmed 100 new licences for the oil and gas industries were to be issued at a time when environmentalists are calling for a halt to the use of fossil fuels due to the worsening impacts of climate change.

Rosemary Ainslie, Head of the CPS Special Crime Division, said: 'Following a review of the evidence provided by North Yorkshire Police, we have authorised criminal charges against one man and two women after a protest at the home of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on 3 August 2023.

Amy Rugg-Easy (pictured), 33, is one of three people charged with criminal damage over the incident

Mathieu Soete is one of three Greenpeace activists to be charged

The Grade II-listed property, which was built in 1826, was purchased by Mr Sunak after he became the Conservative MP for the Richmond constituency in 2015

One activist, who has not yet been charged with an offence, is escorted from the scene by police in August

Two activists hold a banner in front of Mr Sunak's house as four others clamber onto the roof

'Mathieu Soete, 38, Amy Rugg-Easey, 33, and Alexandra Wilson, 32, will each be charged with a single count of criminal damage, and will appear at York Magistrates' Court on 21 March.

'The Crown Prosecution Service reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against the three defendants are active and that they have the right to a fair trial.

'It is extremely important there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.'

After the charging decision was announced, Greenpeace UK political campaigner, Ami McCarthy, said: 'After being under investigation for six months, our activists have now been charged with criminal damage for holding a completely peaceful protest.

'We look forward to disputing the charges and the insufficient grounds on which they are based.

'The protest took place at one of Sunak's several houses, and great care was taken to make sure it was staged while the family were holidaying in California and therefore not even in the country.

'This was a fact that had been widely reported in the news in the run up to the protest.'

On X, the group hit out at the 'irony' of the decision coming as the government continues to try and get a bill through Parliament which would increase the amount of oil and gas licences in the North Sea.

Greenpeace UK's climate campaigner Philip Evans said at the time: 'We desperately need our Prime Minister to be a climate leader, not a climate arsonist.

'Just as wildfires and floods wreck homes and lives around the world, Sunak is committing to a massive expansion of oil and gas drilling.

'He seems quite happy to hold a blowtorch to the planet if he can score a few political points by sowing division around climate in this country. This is cynical beyond belief.

'Sunak is even willing to peddle the old myth about new oil and gas helping ordinary people struggling with energy bills when he knows full well it's not true.

'More North Sea drilling will only benefit oil giants who stand to make even more billions from it, partly thanks to a giant loophole in Sunak's own windfall tax.

'The experts are clear - we can't afford any new oil and gas, and the fossil fuel industry certainly doesn't need another helping hand in destroying the climate.

'What we need is a clean, affordable energy system fit for the 21st century. It's time for Sunak to choose between Big Oil's profits or our future on a habitable planet.'
The White House is scrambling to obtain more information on a dual Russian-American ballerina arrested by Vladimir Putin's secret police on treason charges and is warning any U.S. citizen in Russia to leave the country immediately.

Video posted by a Russian news agency shows 32-year-old Ksenia Karelina being led into a courtroom in handcuffs with her face blurred. It's not clear when the video was recorded.

'We are trying to get more information and to secure some consular access to that individual,' White House spokesman John Kirby told DailyMail.com Tuesday in a briefing.

He also warned any American citizen, including those with dual Russian citizenship, to leave the country immediately.

'I want to reiterate our very strong warnings about the danger posed to U.S. citizens inside Russia. So if you're a U.S. citizen, including a dual nationals residing in or traveling in Russia, you ought to leave right now.'

'Obviously it goes without saying if you're a U.S. citizen or you have a US.. passport, and you haven't traveled to Russia but you're considering going, obviously urging you not to do that,' he added.

Karelina moved to the US after graduating from college in her homeland in 2013

Karelina is a resident of Los Angeles who became a US citizen in 2021.

In January, she was arrested on the same day that Putin sat down for his widely panned interview with Tucker Carlson. The apprehension took place outside of a movie theater in Yekaterinburg. The initial charges related to swearing offenses.

Yekaterinburg, the largest city in the Ural region, is also where Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich was arrested on spying charges nearly 12 months ago.

Officials confirmed on Tuesday that she was arrested by Putin's Federal Security Service, the FSB.

In a video of her court appearance, the 32-year-old dancer from Los Angeles was flanked by burly soldiers in uniform as they led her through the sparse corridors with bars on the windows as she was led to court.

Karelina looks expressionless throughout the footage, while a beanie hat is pulled down over her eyes. A guard places handcuffs on her wrists and she is seen being put into a car.

The footage then cuts to her being led into court. A judge denied her bail, according to the Financial Times.

Karelina was sentenced to 14 days detention for 'petty hooliganism' before she was slapped with treason charges.

The dancer is accused of fundraising for a Ukrainian military cause. She is specifically accused of transferring $51.80 from American bank account to Ukrainian charity based in NYC, Razom, on the day Putin invaded Ukraine in 2022.

The ballerina has also been accused of attending 'public rallies in support of the Kyiv regime,' in the US.

Treason charges can carry penalties of up to 20 years in prison.

Since 2023, 63 people have been charged with treason in Russia, 37 were found guilty.

On her Facebook page, Karelina says that she's from Yekaterinburg and that she studied ballet at the S. P. Diaghilev school.

President Joe Biden's administration said they are working to get access to Karelina, who was arrested by Vladimir Putin's secret police

On her Facebook page, Karelina says that she's from Yekaterinburg and that she studied ballet at the S. P. Diaghilev school.

She is accused of 'proactively collecting funds since February 2022 in the interests of a Ukrainian organization, which were subsequently used to purchase tactical medicine, equipment, weapons and ammunition for the Armed Forces of Ukraine,' the FSB alleges.

'In addition, the citizen in question repeatedly took part in public actions in support of the Kyiv regime while in the United States,' the agency added, reports The Moscow Times.
Have YOU lost your job at Body Shop?

Have YOU lost your job at Body Shop? Email: arthur.parashar@mailonline.co.uk

The Body Shop has announced the closure of seven of its stores in the UK today just days after unveiling plans to appoint administrators.

The High Street chain will close four London stores in Surrey Quays, Oxford Street Bond Street, Canary Wharf and Cheapside as well as shops in Nuneaton in Warwickshire, Ashford Town Centre in Kent and Queens Road in Bristol.

The closures are part of the franchise's 'restructuring plan' to 'secure' the future of the business, with additional closures expected to follow.

More than half of The Body Shops 198 UK stores will remain open after the 'restructuring' process, while the number of staff in its head office is expected to reduce by around 40% to 400 full time employees.

The business announced it entered administration last week and said it will continue to trade both in-store and online while plans are made for the future of the beloved high street brand.

Have YOU lost your job at Body Shop? Email: arthur.parashar@mailonline.co.uk

Body Shop has announced the closure of seven of its stores in the UK today

The Body Shop at Surrey Quays was closed today with a notice left on the shutters

The seven Body Shop stores that will close today. They include four London stores in Surrey Quays, Oxford Street Bond Street, Canary Wharf and Cheapside as well as shops in Nuneaton in Warwickshire, Ashford Town Centre in Kent and Queens Road in Bristol

The Body Shop said in a statement today: 'After years of unprofitability and following a full evaluation of The Body Shops UK business, the Joint Administrators have concluded that the current store portfolio mix is no longer viable.

Which Body Shop stores are closing?

Surrey Quays (London) Oxford Street Bond Street (London) Canary Wharf (London) Cheapside (London) Nuneaton (Warwickshire) Ashford Town Centre (Kent) Bristol Queens Road (Bristol) Advertisement

'As an immediate step, seven stores will close today, with additional closures to follow. It is expected that at the conclusion of the restructuring, more than half of The Body Shops 198 UK stores will remain open.

'Following the earlier sale of loss-making businesses in much of mainland Europe and parts of Asia, and to support a simplified business, The Body Shop will also restructure roles in its Head Office to align with this forward-looking strategy and more nimble, financially viable model.

'The Head Office headcount is expected to reduce by approximately 40%, to a future headcount of over 400 full time employees. The Joint Administrators have also decided The Body Shop Ambassador programme will close.

'This swift action will help re-energise The Body Shops iconic brand and provide it with the best platform to achieve its ambition to be a modern, dynamic beauty brand that is able to return to profitability and compete for the long term.'

The Body Shop entered administration last week with jobs at risk across the brand's 200-plus UK stores.

The beloved chain currently employs 10,000 people across 3,000 stores it operates in more than 70 countries around the world - with a further 12,000 staff working in franchises.

The Body Shop store on Cheapside, central London, that has closed today

A sign in the window of The Body Shop store on Cheapside that has closed today

The Body Shop at Surrey Quays was closed today with a notice left on the shutters

The letter apologised to customers and asked if they could continue to support The Body Shop 'online or at your nearest store'

The Body Shop store on Oxford Street, central London, that has closed today

A sign on the shutters at The Body Shop store on Oxford Street reads: 'Sadly our store is now closed. Thanks you for all your love - it's meant a lot'

Ian Knight and daughter Isla, 15, pictured outside the Bournemouth branch of The Body Shop last week. Ian said it was a 'real shame' the company had entered administration

Nigel Scott, 55, (pictured) who works in insurance, said he had been shopping at the Body Shop for 30 years

FRP Advisory has been brought in to handle the insolvency process just weeks after a new owner took control having vowed to 're-energise the business'.

The administration currently only affects UK staff and stores.

In a statement last week it said 'administrators will now consider all options to find a way forward for the business and will update creditors and employees in due course'.

The business will continue to trade both in-store and online while plans are made for the future of the beloved high street brand.

Created in 1976, founder Dame Anita Roddick went from selling products in urine sample bottles to save money to becoming a multi-millionaire with a cosmetic empire in a matter of years.

The brand, known for its humanitarian focus, was the high street go-to for beauty products long before celebrity perfume ranges and beauty websites took over.

Ian Knight, 55, a business owner out shopping with his two daughters, reacted to the brand's announcement that it would be entering administration

He said: 'It is a real shame. Most of the high street is suffering in terms of footfall.

'The cost of living crisis is biting hard and people are being more cautious about how they spend their money.

'It just feels like Amazon is getting stronger and stronger and that makes it so hard for the likes of The Body Shop.'

The Body Shop was sold to L'Oreal for 675million by founder Dame Anita Roddick in 2006

Anita launched The Body Shop in 1976 to provide for her two children. She is pictured outside one of her first stores in October 1985

The Body Shop was renowned for its ethically sourced beauty products, from shower gels and cleansing butters through to charcoal face masks

It is also famed for its signature White Musk eau de toilette (left) - which has survived several rebrands and continues to be a top seller (right)

The Body Shop, the near 50-year-old cosmetics company renowned for its ethical hair and skin products, is struggling financially in the UK

The Body Shop fans have called for a reintroduction of their retro products, including perfume oil (pictured)

Teacher Lily Taylor, 31, said she had been going to the Body Shop since she was a child, while her mother did Body Shop parties.

They have products which are compatible with her allergies and she was not sure where to shop now.

She said: 'I always buy their products so I don't know what I'm going to do now. I have a lot of allergies so I find their stuff is better for my skin.

'I think a lot of shops are going through the same thing but it is still a shock to see them in administration.

'My mother used to do Body Shop parties so I don't want to have to break the news to her. Everyone going online is having a huge impact on the high street.'

Nigel Scott, 55, who works in insurance, said he had been shopping at the Body Shop for 30 years and his son and daughter gave him an extra long shopping list when they heard about its uncertain future.

He said: 'It's sad. I've been coming here for 30 years. They have been through many hands and maybe the ethical stuff they stood for lost its shine.'

Following the announcement last week, social media was also full of reaction from those who feared the worst for the beleaguered firm.

One former worker recalled on X, formerly Twitter: 'Sad news about The Body Shop. Still one of my fave jobs ever when I was a student, worked weekends Oxford St & Kings Rd in late 90s.

'Met some amazing people (cool celebs too) & fell in love with skincare & makeup.'

One Londoner wrote: 'If the body shop in centre court (Centre Court Shopping Centre in Wimbledon) goes I will actually cry.'
A New York financial advice columnist who was scammed out of $50,000 has said she was convinced her family was in danger while being duped.

Charlotte Cowles, 39, described the in-depth con in a piece featured in The Cut - a women-centered website run by New York Magazine.

The publication, along with The New York Times, employs Cowles as a columnist, penning articles mostly about personal finance where she usually helps others out of financial scrapes.

Since sharing her story, Cowles has now appeared on Good Morning America to speak out about the hoax she was caught up in.

Speaking to the outlet, Cowles said: 'The thing that made me keep going is that they had so much information about my family, and they made it very clear that my family was potentially in grave danger.'

The scam, came in the form of a cautionary tale - one involving criminals posing as CIA agents, investigators from the FTC, and a Amazon customer service agent who told her she had been a victim of identity theft.

Financial columnist Charlotte Cowles speaks out after revealing she lost $50,000 to an elaborate scam: "I think that the thing that made me kept keep going was that ... they made it very clear that my family was potentially in great danger."@evapilgrim reports. pic.twitter.com/dKNBFqrYgR  Good Morning America (@GMA) February 20, 2024

Since sharing her story, Cowles has now appeared on Good Morning America to speak out about the hoax she was caught up in

Charlotte Cowles, 39, described how she fell for the in-depth con in a piece featured in The Cut - one of several publications where she regularly provides financial advice

Cowles added: 'He told me to avoid arrest I would need to cooperate with their investigation. I can't believe this has happened.'

They all told her she was in 'imminent danger' - leading her to pack up a shoe box containing $50,000 and put in the backseat of a Mercedes that pulled up aside her home.

The first-person feature, published Thursday, clocks in at nearly 6,000 words, and is fittingly titled, The Day I Put $50,000 in a Shoe Box and Handed It to a Stranger.

'How could I have been such easy prey?' Cowles, previously the senior features editor at Harper's Bazaar, writes at one point in the article.

'Scam victims tend to be single, lonely, and economically insecure with low financial literacy,' she continues. 'I am none of those things.

'I'm closer to the opposite,' the writer of The Cut's 'My Two Cents' advice column insists.

'I'm a journalist who had a weekly column in the "Business" section of the New York Times. I've written a personal-finance column for this magazine for the past seven years. I interview money experts all the time.'

She adds. 'I'm married and talk to my friends, family, and colleagues every day... I'm not someone who loses her head.

'My mother-in-law has described me as even-keeled... I am listed as an emergency contact for several friends... I vote, floss, cook, and exercise.'

Apparently modest, the accomplished contributor eventually got to the meat of the story - a so-called 'conspiracy' involving, as she puts it, 'drug smuggling, money laundering, and [fake] CIA officers [showing up] at my door.'

It happened this past Halloween, and started with a call from a scammer posing as an employee for Amazon, Cowles - who has a B.A. in English from Columbia - recalls.

'That morning... I dressed my toddler in a pizza costume for Halloween and kissed him good-bye before school,' she writes.

'I wrote some work emails. At about 12:30 p.m., my phone buzzed.

'The caller ID said it was Amazon,' Cowles continues. 'I answered. A polite woman with a vague accent told me she was calling from Amazon customer service to check some unusual activity on my account.

'The call was being recorded for quality assurance. Had I recently spent $8,000 on MacBooks and iPads?

'I had not,' Cowles - whose work has been featured in both Glamour and Politico - continues.

'I checked my Amazon account. My order history showed diapers and groceries, no iPads.'

Cowles - seen here at a 2019 event in New York -also writes articles about personal finance for The New York Times, but still fell for the almost-unbelievable scheme

Cowles currently provides financial advice in her 'My Two Cents', found on the New York Magazine-run website

Pictured: A sign stands outside the Federal Trade Commission building in Washington, DC

The woman, who said her name was Krista, told Cowles the orders were made under her 'business account.'

When the freelancer said she didn't have one, the scammer feigned confusion.

''Hmm,' she said. 'Our system shows that you have two.'' the mom-of-one recalls of the exchange.

The woman went on to tell her that she would flag the two business accounts and freeze their activity - providing Cowles with a phony case number for future reference.

They urged her to check her credit cards, which she did, with Cowles eventually thanking the woman for her help.

Then, the journalist writes, the scammer began to tell her how, recently, the Jeff Bezos-run company had encountered an influx of identity theft incidents similar to the one they were seeing.

The three warning signs to look out for to spot the scammers Here are HSBC's tips on what to look out for: You may be told you have been a victim of fraud within the bank and should not trust them.

Fraudsters may claim you are helping a police investigation.

You may be told you need to buy gold or jewelry to stay safe. Legitimate fraud investigations will not ask you to do this Advertisement

It had become so pervasive, the fake agent reportedly told her, that the eCommerce firm head begun working 'with a liaison at the Federal Trade Commission.'

When the woman asked if she could connect the two, Cowles not-so-hesitantly replied: 'Um, sure?'

This put her into contact with a man who called himself Calvin Mitchell, she recalls - noting how the supposed investigator provided a badge number, and had her take down his direct phone line.

He told her the call was being recorded and monitored for her safety, and read her last four digits of her Social Security number.

He also knew her home address in a high-rise near Prospect Park, and her correct date of birth.

'The fact that he had my Social Security number threw me,' Cowles writes, ignoring the fact the phony agent only provided the final four numerals.

'We've been working on [it] for a while now,' he reportedly warned. 'It's quite serious.'

The scam dragged on from there, with 'Calvin' telling Cowles that from what he could tell, the journalist had a whopping 22 bank accounts, nine vehicles, and four properties registered under her name.

The bank accounts had wired more than $3 million overseas, he told her - mostly to Jamaica and Iraq.

The man on the line's claims only got more over the top from there.

He asked her if he knew a woman by the name of Stella Suk-Yee Kwong, after which a texted me a photo of what looked like the woman's ID, which he claimed had been found in a car rented under her name abandoned on the Southern Border.

The car, discovered in Texas, was found with blood and drugs in the trunk, Calvin claimed.

After falling for the scam, friends assured Cowles - seen here at an even in Manhattan back in 2010 - that she would not have felt the need to hand over the cash if the scammers had not mentioned her son

The exterior of The Spheres are seen at the Amazon.com Inc. headquarters on May 20, 2021 in Seattle is seen here. Cowles scam started with a call from a woman claiming to be a customer service agent for the eCommerce firm, and got increasingly unbelievable from there

A home in New Mexico affiliated with the car rental had also been raided, the phony FTC sleuth further claimed - telling Cowles that there, cops recovered drugs, cash and bank statements registered under her name.

'He finally added that there were warrants out for my arrest in not only Texas, but Maryland as well - both involving accusations of cybercrimes, money laundering and drug trafficking.'

Overwhelmed, Cowles, still on the line, responded by Googling her own name along with the words 'warrant' and 'money laundering.'

A scared-stiff Cowles texted her husband.

'I'm in deep shit,' she reportedly wrote, before eventually deleting the text at the scammer's insistence. 'My identity was stolen,' she told her husband before. 'It seems really bad.'

The conversation with Calvin then turned to potential 'suspects,' with the unseen agent telling her, 'Everyone around you is a suspect.'

'These are sophisticated criminals with a lot of money at stake,' Calving reportedly told her. 'You should assume you are in danger and being watched. You cannot take any chances.'

Fearing these phony federal offenses could 'really f*ck up [her] life,' she went on with the ruse.

When asked, Cowles told the man she only had checking and savings that boasted a combined balance of roughly $80,000.

'You must have worked very hard to save all that money,' he went on to tell her. 'Do not share your bank-account information with anyone.'

Assuring her that he was 'going to keep [her] money safe,' Calvin told her that he was going to transfer her over to a colleague of his at the CIA - billed as 'the lead investigator on [her] case and the point man for such talks.'

Before finishing the call, he provided a nine-digit case number he said was meant for her records - a number that, after another Google search, did not point Cowles to and particular webpage.

Noting that they were not seeking her personal details as they already knew them, she recalled how she felt comfortable enough to go through with the third call.

The next man, Cowles recalls, had 'a deeper voice and a slight British accent flecked with something [she] couldn't identify.'

He gave his name as Michael Sarano - a CIA agent exclusively assigned to cases involving the FTC. Again, the man provided a badge number - sparking some of the first signs of skepticism from the widely published writer.

As for an explanation, the man presenting himself as Michael said that in such cases, the CIA is forced to investigate the victim's spouse as well, before insisting that the less he knows, the less chance he could ever be implicated.

Insisting she must adhere to this protocol, Michael responded with a more strict tone when Cowles - conceding that by this point she was 'feeling stupid' - reportedly expressed a hesitance to lie to her husband.

'You are being investigated for major federal crimes,' he told her. 'By keeping your husband out of this, you are protecting him.'

Michael, at that point, bombarded her with the same sensational claims his phony FTC accomplice had - telling her about the Texas border, the property in New Mexico, the drugs, and finally, the nearly two dozen bank accounts.

'If you talk to an attorney, I cannot help you anymore,' the man on the line said sternly. 'You will be considered noncooperative. Your home will be raided, and your assets will be seized. You may be arrested. It's your choice.'

Noting how 'ludicrous' that seemed, Cowles responded by asking if she could visit Michael's office in person to resolve the situation.

He told her that his office was at the CIA's well-known headquarters in Langley, Virginia, and that they did not have enough time - telling her: 'It's going to sound crazy, but we must follow protocol if we're going to catch the people behind this.'

He explained how the CIA would need to freeze all of her assets, including her real bank accounts, to halt the activity on the 22 fraudulent ones.

They would also deactivate her Social Security number, he told her - as it, too, had been compromised.

He promised to provide her a new one, saying they would continue to monitor any activity coming from the old one in hopes of catching the criminals in the act.

Until then, he told her, she would need to use cash for day-to-day expenses.

'It was far-fetched,' Cowles writes at this point. 'Ridiculous. But also not completely out of the realm of possibility.'

Asking if she had any other options, Cowles kept on, finally agreeing to follow each one of Michael's instructions to the T.

The fake agent began by asking her how much cash she believed she would need to support myself for a full year - explaining that her assets could be frozen for such a span.

He told her that there could be a trial, and that these things 'take time' - after which Cowles said she could probably survive on $50,000.

Wondering how she could continue to receive freelance checks without a bank account and hoping her husband would float her some cash, she agreed to head to her local bank to withdraw the sum.

'You need to go to the bank and get that cash out now,' Michael reportedly told her. 'You cannot tell them what it is for. In one of my last cases, the identity thief was someone who worked at the bank.'

He also instructed her to keep him on the line - secretly, on speaker - so he could monitor the interaction, telling her: 'It's important that I monitor where this money goes from now on.'

He added that one his colleagues would arrive meet me her at her Prospect Heights home at 5 pm - less than five hours than the first scammers' call came in - to guide her through the next steps.

First, though, they told her they needed to confirm the amount of cash - before cutting her a check afterwards. A man claiming to be from the FTC quelled her suspicions by changing his Caller ID to show the agency's official phone number - a practice called 'spoofing'

When she reached the bank, she told a guard that she needed to make a sizable cash withdrawal, leading her to send her upstairs.

Michael, meanwhile, was on speakerphone in my pocket, Cowles recalls - writing how when she reached the teller, she asked for the agreed-upon $50,000.

The woman behind the glass 'raised her eyebrows,' Cowles says, before disappearing into a back room.

She returned with with a metal box filled with $100 bills, and began funneling them into a counting machine.

Cowles recalls how when she left without issue, Michael 'was bursting with praise.'

She then writes how during her walk back, she finally became suspicious of what was going on.

'I don't even believe that you're a CIA agent,' Cowles reportedly told him. 'What you're asking me to do is completely unreasonable.'

He responded with an exasperated sigh.

A picture of Michael's badge soon appeared on her phone, and a still-skeptical Cowles decided against asking for further verification.

When she got home, Michael unleashed a new barrage of orders, Cowles writes.

He commanded her to get a box, put the cash in, and take a picture, before taping it shut.

Labeling it with her name, fake case number, address, and signature, Cowles took another picture of the labeled box at Michael's behest.

'My colleague will be there soon,' he told her. 'He is an undercover CIA agent, and he will secure the money for you.'

'You are being charged with money laundering,' he said. 'If we secure this cash and then issue you a government check under your new Social Security number, that will be considered clean money.'

Cowles responded by saying that she would need to see the undercover's badge if she was going to hand the shoe box over, after which Michael insisted: 'Undercover agents don't carry badges.'

Again, Cowles accepted the man's warped logic, and conceded in the Thursday piece: 'I didn't know what else to do.'

By 6 pm, Cowles received the call to go downstairs. Michael's colleague was arriving, he told her.

By then, her husband had returned from work and was reading to our son.

'What's going on? Is everything OK?' he asked her as she got her coat on and affixed herself to go outside. She motioned to the phone as if she was busy on the other line.

She told her: 'I have to go downstairs and meet a guy who's helping with the identity-theft case. I'll explain more later.'

She left and walked out of her building, all while Michael remained on the line.

Within three minutes, a White SUV pulled up to the curb. It was 6:06 pm.

Following instructions, she left the box in the back seat. She writes that she did not get a good look at the person or people inside, as the windows were tinted and it was dark. By the time she returned inside, Michael had texted her a photo of a Treasury check made out to her for $50,000.

He assured her a hard copy would be hand-delivered to me in the morning. It never came.

Before that, though, Michael told his mark to stay on the line, as he was working on setting up my appointment for her with the Social Security office.

Feeling comforted by the concept of a real appointment with an actual government agency, Cowles kept the scammer on speaker in her pocket while she took her two-year-old trick-or-treating.

At one point, she said she checked to see if Michael was still there, but was instead met with his female colleague who told her he'd be back soon.

Then, when she returned home, she found that the call had been ended.

Panicking, she called back, and was again met with the unnamed woman who said Michael was busy and that the Social Security Office was closed.

Finally realizing that the woman was likely not telling the truth, Cowles began to tear into her unseen aggravators.

'You are lying to me. Michael was lying,' she told the woman.

After hanging up, she told her husband what had happened.

'Why didn't you tell me?' he asked her, in disbelief that she had fallen for such an obvious scam.

They proceeded to put their son to bed, and called Cowles' parents and brother for advice.

They agreed that the proper course of action was to phone 911, and by 10:30 pm, three officers arrived.

She recalled how one cop told her that no government agency will ever ask anyone for money, to which she replied: 'It didn't really feel like he was asking.'

The police told her not to worry, but to consider the cash as good as gone.

They promised to check traffic cameras for the car, but four months later, an arrest has yet to be made, Cowles admits.

She said that friends told her that if the scammers never mentioned her son, she would never have fallen for such a scam - something she says she now believes to be true.
Ukrainian President Voldymyr Zelensky said delays in military aid have made life 'very difficult' for his soldiers and said Russia is taking advantage of American in-fighting.

'The situation is extremely difficult in several parts of the front line, where Russian troops have amassed maximum reserves,' he said Monday in a nightly address.

Russians 'are taking advantage of the delays in aid to Ukraine,' he added.

Meanwhile U.S. lawmakers at the Munich Security Conference recounted a tale they'd heard from Ukrainian officials of a soldier in a muddy trench scrolling his phone for signs the U.S. House might approve aid as Russian artillery exploded all around him.

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., called it 'heartbreaking' to hear the tale. For young Ukrainian soldiers on the front lines, this is a persistent topic of conversation,' he added.

Ukrainian President Voldymyr Zelensky said delays in military aid have made life 'very difficult' for his soldiers and said Russia is taking advantage of American in-fighting

The Senate last Tuesday passed a $95 billion foreign aid package that includes $60 billion for Ukraine, but that package is likely dead on arrival in the House in its current form.

Speaker Mike Johnson has insisted he must first sit down with President Biden to discuss attaching border security to the deal. The House is currently on recess and does not return until the middle of next week.

Zelensky outlined 'very tangible issues' his soldiers are facing, including a 'deficit of artillery' and a need for longer-range missiles.

But more aid is already heading Zelensky's way.

The European Union just approved some $54 billion for Ukraine earlier this month. Sweden on Tuesday announced its largest aid package yet and Canada said it was expediting the delivery of more than 800 drones.

Biden, meanwhile, tore into House Republicans for leaving town for nearly two weeks without approving aid.

'It's about time they step up  don't you think?  instead of going on a two-week vacation,' Biden said Friday. 'Two weeks they're walking away. Two weeks. What are they thinking? My God, this is bizarre.'

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal echoed Zelensky on Tuesday.

'Unfortunately, now they prevail in the air, and unfortunately this leads to some consequences from the front line, but I should say that we have no refuses from our partners to supply military equipment to Ukraine,' Shmyhal said of Russia.

Ukrainian anti-aircraft gunners of the 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade Kholodny Yar monitor the sky from their positions in the direction of Bakhmut in the Donetsk region on February 20, 2024

Meanwhile U.S. lawmakers at the Munich Security Conference recounted a tale they'd heard from Ukrainian officials of a soldier in a muddy trench scrolling his phone for signs the U.S. House might approve aid as Russian artillery exploded all around him

Republicans broadly argue that the war in Ukraine is unwinnable and there is no off ramp in sight.

Ahead of the Senate vote last week, Republican Sen. Ron Johnson described Putin as 'evil,' before concluding: 'Vladimir Putin will not lose this war.'

In the meantime, Ukraine continues to appeal for more help - after Russian dissident Alexei Navalny died in a Siberian prison on Friday.

Ukrainian forces were forced to retreat from the captured town of Avdiivka, a strategic hub in the east of the country late last week.

The White House said that was due to a lack of ammunition, which it blamed on the congressional logjam.

'This morning, Ukraine's military was forced to withdraw from Avdiivka after Ukrainian soldiers had to ration ammunition due to dwindling supplies as a result of congressional inaction, resulting in Russia's first notable gains in months,' it said after Biden called Zelensky.
The decision to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the US is illegal because he is accused of 'political offences,' the High Court heard today.

The American government has accused Assange of conspiring with army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning to leak classified military documents online between January and May 2010. Assange denies the claim.

The 52-year-old Australian faces up to 175 years in jail for espionage - meaning if he is extradited to the States and convicted, he would likely die behind bars.

Speaking in the High Court during the opening day of his appeal hearing, Assange's barrister Edward Fitzgerald KC said his extradition for 'purely political offences' was illegal and that 'the secretary of state should have refused to authorise extradition.'

He said the decision breached of Article Four of the 2003 Anglo-US extradition treaty, which, he said, prohibited extradition on political grounds.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange gestures from the window of a prison van as he is driven out of Southwark Crown Court in London on May 1, 2019

Assange's wife Stella, joins supporters of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange outside the Royal Courts of Justice

The Wikileaks founder is appearing in court for a two-day hearing which will determine whether he will be extradited to the US

Hundreds of protester were seen supporting Assange during a rally outside the High Court

'The offences with which Mr Assange is charged are all 'political offences', extradition for which is squarely prohibited by the terms of Article 4(1) of the Treaty,' the barrister told the High Court.

Mr Fitzgerald insisted it would be a 'fundamental breach of Article 4 of the treaty to extradite him on that basis', with Assange being prosecuted for an 'ordinary journalistic practice'.

Assange was too ill to attend Tuesday's hearing. However, hundreds of protesters gathered outside the court, with Assange's wife, Stella, and brother Gabriel Shipton both giving impassioned speeches calling for his freedom.

The 52-year-old is seeking an appeal to a 2021 decision by a UK court to approve his extradition, having initially won his fight against being flown to America on the grounds he was likely to kill himself if held under harsh US prison conditions.

Lawyers representing the Australian also accused American authorities of attempting a 'breathtaking' plan to 'to kill' or kidnap Assange while he was sheltering in the Ecuadorian embassy in London.

Mark Summers KC said the plot 'only fell apart when the UK authorities weren't very keen on the thought of rendition, or a shootout, in the streets of London'.

The barrister argued the US prosecution of the WikiLeaks founder was retribution for his political opinions - which he argued would make it unlawful to extradite him - and that there were 'red flags' everywhere in the case.

'This is a paradigm example of state retaliation for the expression of political opinion,' he told the court, adding: 'The district judge did not address it, had she done so, it would have been fatal to her decision.

Hundreds of people gathered outside the court to show their support to the Wikileaks founder

Ms Assange spoke to protesters outside of court, having previously warned her husband 'will die' if he is extradited to America

Gabriel Shipton, Assange's brother, was seen outside the High Court in London speaking to crowds on Tuesday

'What the evidence now shows is that the US developed a plan to try to either kill or rendition Mr Assange to the USA.

'What evidence the district judge heard on that came from protected witness two and it was truly breathtaking.'

The comment comes just days after Assange's wife warned her husband 'will die' if he loses his appeal and is extradited to America.

'The situation is extremely grave. He could be on a plane within days,' Stella said, adding, 'His health is in decline, mentally and physically. His life is at risk every single day he stays in prison, and if he's extradited, he will die.'

Speaking to crowds of supporters today, Mrs Assange added: 'We have two big days ahead. We don't know what to expect, but you are here because the world is watching.

'They have to know they can't get away with this. Julian needs his freedom and we all need the truth.'

If he loses, Assange will have exhausted all UK appeals and will enter the extradition process, although his team have indicated they will appeal to European courts. No date has been given for this.

Mrs Assange said her husband will ask the European Court of Human Rights to temporarily halt the extradition if needed, warning he would die if sent to America.

Describing the case as a 'legally unprecedented prosecution', Mr Fitzgerald added Assange faced a 'real risk he will suffer a flagrant denial of justice' if he was extradited.

In written submissions, the barrister said if his client was extradited, he would face a trial with 'tainted evidence' and jurors who are 'prejudiced irretrievably by public denunciations of him made by the President downwards'.

Judges were later told the original judge failed to consider the political nature of Assange's actions, which should be protected.

Assange, 52, is facing up to 175 years in jail for espionage - meaning if he is extradited and convicted, he would likely die behind bars.

Protesters from as far as Australia joined Tuesday's demonstration outside the London court

Julian Assange, who faces espionage charges and up to 175 years in jail, pictured with his wife Stella

'Mr Assange is being prosecuted "on account of", in fact, prosecuted for, his exposure of alleged US government involvement in gross crimes of universal jurisdiction,' Mr Fitzgerald added.

'Her judgment simply fails to address this issue. Her decision was manifestly deficient and, because there is no answer to this issue, manifestly wrong.'

Outside court, hundreds of activists were seen waving Australian flags, holding placards with the words 'Free Julian Assange' and 'drop the charges', and chanting 'there is only one decision - no extradition' and 'US, UK, hands off Assange'.

Thanking campaigners, Mrs Assange added: 'Please keep on showing up, be there for Julian and for us, until Julian is free.'

Assange's legal battles began in 2010, and he subsequently spent seven years holed up in Ecuador's embassy in London before he was dragged out and jailed in 2019 for breaching bail conditions. He has been held in a maximum-security jail in southeast London ever since, even getting married there.

Britain finally approved his extradition to America in 2022 after a judge initially blocked it because concerns about his mental health meant he would be at risk of suicide if deported.

Dozens of protesters carrying placards and gold ribbons marched on the Royal Courts of Justice

Dozens of protesters gathered outside the High Court to support Julian Assange today

Stella Assange is seen arriving at the High Court for the first day of her husband hearing

His lawyers will try to overturn that approval at a two-day hearing in front of two judges in what could be his last chance to stop his extradition in the English courts.

They will argue that Assange's prosecution is politically motivated and marks an attack on free speech, as the first time a publisher has been charged under the U.S. Espionage Act.

In court, Mr Fitzgerald KC argued: 'He is being prosecuted for engaging in ordinary journalistic practice of obtaining and publishing classified information, information that is both true and of obvious and important public interest.'

Assange's brother, Gabriel Shipton and father John Shipton were also seen outside court ahead of today's hearing, with Gabriel speaking to protesters.

Gabriel added his brother was 'suffering' from poor health, telling TalkTV: 'He is going through immense amount of suffering. He is deteriorating. His health is in a very delicate position. It's absolutely heartbreaking.'

During Tuesday's hearing, lawyers for Julian Assange also asked for the green light to appeal against then-home secretary Priti Patel's decision to approve his extradition in June 2022.

Father of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, John Shipton arrives at the High Court in London

Campaigners showing their support massed outside the court in their dozens with posters

Julian Assange's father John Shipton outside the Royal Courts Of Justice in London, ahead of a two-day hearing in the extradition case of his son

In written submissions, Mr Fitzgerald KC, for Assange, said that under the Extradition Act, Ms Patel had the power to refuse to approve the extradition.

He said: 'It is respectfully submitted that it is, at lowest, arguable that the act does not operate in this manner, and specifically does not preclude the secretary of state from halting an extradition which is patently prohibited by the treaty.'

He continued: 'It is a stark proposition, unsupported by authority, that the secretary of state is bound by law to give effect to an extradition request which she knows to be prohibited by international law.'

Judges also heard arguments about the 'motivations' by US authorities seeking to prosecute the Wikileaks founder.

In written submissions, Mr Summers and Edward Fitzgerald KC, for Assange, added: 'The evidence showed that the US was prepared to go to any lengths, including misusing its own criminal justice system, to sustain impunity for US officials in respect of the torture/war crimes committed in its infamous 'war on terror', and to suppress those actors and courts willing and prepared to try to bring those crimes to account.

'Mr Assange was one of those targets.'

Earlier, politicians from the UK and South Africa spoke out in support of Mr Assange. Among those to give speeches during the rally included former Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, Apsana Begum MP, Richard Burgon MP, and Andrew Feinstein (right), a former Member of the National Assembly of South Africa.

Protests were also staged outside the American embassy in Berlin, Germany, and by journalists in Croatia.

Mrs Assange spoke to crowds outside the High Court for the first day of her husband hearing

GERMANY: Support for Assange was shown in Germany, too, with protesters leaving gold ribbons outside the US embassy in Berlin

GERMANY: People hold placards saying 'Freiheit' (freedom) in German, as supporters of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange stand near the U.S. Embassy in Berlin

CROATIA: Journalists stage a protest in the Croatian city of Zagreb on Tuesday

LONDON: Campaigns pictured during their rally outside the High Court on Tuesday

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was among those speaking on Tuesday outside of court

Apsana Begum MP (left) addresses the protest at High Court. Andrew Feinstein (right), a former Member of the National Assembly of South Africa, also spoke to protesters

Other campaigners travelled from across the globe to London to show their support. Jodie Asard flew from Adelaide, Australia, with her son to support Assange's appeal case.

Ms Asard said: 'We've come over from Australia to stand with our brothers and sisters here and to represent Australia and to make sure that the Australian Government knows that 88 per cent of Australians want Julian Assange free and to be brought home.

'It's probably the trial of the century to be honest in regards to free speech, free press and our right to know, so that's why I'm here to stand with Julian and all these people here to call for him to be completely, safely released.'

Ms Asard added that the way Assange had been kept in a 'three-by-two metre cell' in Belmarsh prison was 'criminal'.

'He is being abused, in my opinion, institutionally abused by our Western governments,' she added.

A speaker on a stage outside the court welcomed protesters to the 'most important freedom of speech case in the 21st century'.

He was greeted with cheers and claps from the crowd of protesters.

Tim Dawson, deputy general secretary at the International Federation of Journalists, then took to the stage.

He said: 'Be under no illusions, if this prosecution is successful, other vital cases will never come to light.'

Stella Assange is surrounded by protesters ahead of her husband's court case in London

A group of Assange supporters hold their placards demanding he is freed outside the court on Tuesday morning

One of the posters by a support is pictured outside the court on Tuesday morning

On a stage Mrs Assange (pictured centre) thanked protesters and said: 'Please keep on showing up, be there for Julian and for us, until Julian is free.'

'Free Julian Assange, support journalism and safeguard free speech,' he finished, to claps and cheers from the audience.

Protesters chanted 'UK, US shame on you' as MP for Poplar and Limehouse, Apsana Begum took to the stage outside the Royal Courts of Justice.

'This case is about people and their power, versus the state and its imperialism,' she said.

'Ultimately it is about seeking justice in an all-too-often unjust world. Solidarity,' Ms Begum finished.

Craig Murray, a former British ambassador to Uzbekistan, said if Assange's appeal was not granted, it would be an 'attack on the freedom to know, an attack on the rights of every single person here and every single person around the globe'.

'I have lost all faith in the independence of the judicial system,' Mr Murray said.

During a briefing with reporters last week ahead of her husband's appeal, Ms Assange said the case was 'politically motivated' and violates the UK-US extradition treaty which prohibits extradition for political reasons.

Activists were seen waving Australian flags, holding placards with the words 'Free Julian Assange' and 'drop the charges'

Campaigners hold their posters outside the court ahead of Assange's two-day hearing

Activists were seen waving Australian flags, holding placards with the words 'Free Julian Assange' and 'drop the charges'

She said the 'bogus extradition request' would have been thrown out by the UK authorities if it was made by any country other than the US, adding she had learnt 'not to be optimistic' over his case.

'Julian should never have been put in prison in the first place,' she added.

The couple have two children together and married in March 2022 in Belmarsh.

Ms Assange, who cried during the briefing, said her husband was 'isolated' in prison and spends more than 22 hours a day in confinement.

'I am very concerned about how he's doing. Physically, he's aged prematurely,' she added.

'Julian will be put in a hole if he is extradited, there is no doubt about that. He will be put in a hole so far and deep in the ground that I don't think I'll ever see him again.'

Ms Assange said: 'The situation is extremely grave. He could be on a plane within days'

Julian Assange speaks from the balcony of the Ecuadorian embassy in 2017

If his appeal is unsuccessful, Ms Assange said her husband would apply to the European Court of Human Rights for a Rule 39 order to stop extradition while it considers his case.

Assange's campaign against extradition is supported by human rights and journalistic organisations across the world.

Julian Assange loses his appeal against extradition to the US on espionage charges Advertisement

At the briefing at the Royal Over-Seas League, WikiLeaks editor-in-chief Kristinn Hrafnsson said the extradition would set a precedent that has 'dark and serious implications for press freedom all around the world'.

The Icelandic investigative journalist said: 'We are seeing a critical attack on press freedom worldwide. It is like a disease  an anti-press pandemic creeping up on us that has been incrementally taking shape over the years.

'And in that sense Julian Assange has been canary in the coal mine.'

Rebecca Vincent, director of campaigns at Reporters Without Borders, said there had been a lot of 'unhelpful noise' and 'misconceptions' surrounding the case.

She said: 'We defend Julian Assange because of his contributions to journalism.

'We believe this case has a lot of implications for journalism and press freedom around the world.'

Ms Vincent said the US espionage act lacks a 'public interest defence' and could be applied to 'anyone publishing stories based on leaked documents'.

Supporters of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange protest outside Westminster Magistrates Court

Stella Assange with Wikileaks editor-in-chief Kristinn Hrafnsson

Assange is wanted in the US over an alleged conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defence information following the publication of hundreds of thousands of leaked documents relating to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. He denies any wrongdoing.

In a January 2021 ruling, then-district judge Vanessa Baraitser said he should not be sent to the US, citing a real and 'oppressive' risk of suicide, while ruling against him on all other issues.

US authorities brought a successful High Court challenge against this decision, paving the way for extradition.

In June last year, Assange lost his appeal against a judge's ruling over whether he should be extradited but make his final appeal in the High Court this week.

Assange's court hearing will continue on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, NYPD officials said that Almansoori had told officers in Arizona to 'google Soho 54 hotel' and told them he was wanted for homicide in NYC

The suspect in the killing of a prostitute in Manhattan told cops to 'Google the Soho 54 hotel' after he was arrested for stabbing a woman in Arizona on Sunday.

Raad Almansoori, 26, was today identified as the suspect in the murder of Denisse Oleas-Arancibia after stabbing a woman he dragged into a bathroom in Phoenix.

He then told Arizona cops that he was suspected of homicide in New York and told them to look up the hotel where Oleas-Arancibia was found beaten to death with an iron on February 8.

The NYPD at a press conference on Tuesday revealed new details including that Almansoori was on bail at the time of the murder for attacking another escort in Florida in April. He also confessed to assaulting another three women.

NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said: 'We are working with our partners to arrange extradition so he can be charged for the homicide here.'

Raad Almansoori, 26, was arrested by police in Arizona on a separate assault on another woman

A surveillance footage image shows the suspect in the grisly slaying of Oleas-Arancibia, with police saying he was wearing her leggings

When staff discovered her body on the morning of February 8, the 38-year-old was lying beneath a blanket and beside a broken iron, having checked in the day before

Kenny also revealed on Tuesday that Almansoori has an 'extensive' out of state arrest history having previously been arrested in Florida, Texas and Arizona.

Almansoori was out on bail at the time of the incidents having been arrested in April 2023 for kidnapping and sexually assaulting another sex worker in Florida.

After being arrested on that charge, he later posted his own bail in September of last year.

When staff discovered the body of Oleas-Arancibia on the morning of February 8, the 38-year-old was lying beneath a blanket and beside a bloody broken iron, having checked in the day before.

Police say that a pair of blood-splattered men's pants were found alongside Oleas-Arancibia's body, with cops revealing the suspect was caught on camera fleeing the scene wearing her leggings.

Surveillance photos shows the suspect walking at night along a well-lit Manhattan street, wearing light colored women's leggings, a black hoodie and tan jacket.

Confirming the timeline of events, Kenny said that Almansoori had purchased a plane ticket from Florida to New York on January 26.

According to Kenny, he then has credit card usage three days later in the Big Apple and visits an escort in Upper Manhattan on February 6.

The body of Oleas-Arancibia is then found on the morning of February 8, and four days later Almansoori is said to have flown back to Arizona from Newark.

Kenny added: 'In our homicide it seems there was a dispute over the time he was allowed to stay in the room, and that's what caused the outburst. Which caused the attack.'

Kenny, seen here, also revealed on Tuesday that Almansoori has an 'extensive' out of state arrest history having previously been arrested in Florida, Texas and Arizona

Denisse Oleas-Arancibia, 38, was found dead in a room at SoHo 45 Hotel last Thursday morning

Her death has formally been ruled a homicide (pictured: interior of the room where Oleas-Arancibia was found)

Oleas-Arancibia died of compression to her neck and blunt head trauma, according to a spokesperson for the city medical examiner

Officials in Arizona took him into custody on Sunday after he stabbed a woman in McDonald's after dragging her into the ladies room and holding her against her will.

Police say that Almansoori was arrested shortly after he tried to flee in a stolen car and admitted while in custody to an earlier stabbing a few days prior on Phoenix.

In that incident, a woman was stabbed when a man attempted to steal her car at knifepoint.

Almansoori was booked into the Maricopa County jail on charges of attempted murder, aggravated assault and theft in connection with the Surprise incident.

He was also charged with robbery, assault, theft and criminal damage in the separate Phoenix investigation. He is being held without bond.

Kenny added that the extradition could take 'days, weeks, it could be months'.

Police said last week that they had been using 'extensive video' to track down the person of interest in the death of Oleas-Arancibia.

Sources had previously told DailyMail.com that Oleas-Arancibia was a sex worker, having been spotted days before her death on the streets of Roosevelt Avenue in Queens.

A spokesman for the city medical examiner said Oleas-Arancibia died of compression to her neck and blunt head trauma.

She was unconscious and unresponsive when authorities arrived on scene. She sustained significant head trauma and was pronounced dead by EMS.

Her body was found when wellness calls were made to the front desk throughout the evening for her.

It was also reported that one employee walked into her room, despite a 'Do Not Disturb' sign on the handle, and left after seeing her on the floor under a blanket.

A bloody iron was found lying by her body. Police also recovered a pair of bloody pants with a receipt in them from the hotel room

Wellness calls were made to the front desk throughout the evening for Oleas-Arancibia

The woman's son, 18-year-old Edwin Cevallos, spoke to his mother one day before her death.

Cevallos had been living with Oleas-Arancibia and her nephew in an apartment in Queens.

But he said he saw changes in her demeanor a week before the tragedy. 'She was so nervous and she was worried,' Cevallos told the Daily News.

The teen said he was 'in shock,' adding: 'Everything here in New York reminds me of her. Everything.'

The Ecuadorian native came to the United States five years ago, leaving behind family including one of her other sons.

'My mom, she worked very hard,' said Cevallos, who joined her in the country two years ago.

While the teen conceded that he didn't know his mother's occupation, he said she was 'always working for us to give us the best life in this country.'

Police said last week that they had been using 'extensive video' to track down the person of interest in the death of Oleas-Arancibia

Oleas-Arancibia (pictured left) came to the United States five years ago, leaving behind family including one of her sons

The 18-year-old was waiting to meet her Thursday morning and phoned the police when he still didn't see her at 1 pm.

Cevallos described his mother as 'a very good person' who was 'always helping people' and 'never hurt anybody.'

'She was always paying for everything. She never owed money to anybody. She was always looking to help them move forward,' the teen said.

He explained that his mother had worked tirelessly to achieve the American Dream and provide a better life for her children.

'She gave us the life that we always wanted,' Cevallos said.

The last time he saw her was Wednesday morning, when she cooked him breakfast and paid a barber for his haircut.

Oleas-Arancibia told her son that she loved him as he left for school that day.

'She was always happy and having fun,' Cevallos said. 'I can't believe this happened.'

SoHo 45, formerly known as the Hampton Inn, advertises rooms for around $110 a night on its website.
A powerful system for secretly monitoring web and DNS traffic, called MORECOWBELL, allows the US National Security Agency to conduct intensive monitoring of sites of operative interest and to even create a complete picture of what is happening on the Internet. That is revealed in top-secret documents, published by the Associated Whistleblowing Press.

The German technical edition heise.de published an analysis of the system by Christian Grothoff, Matthias Wachs, Monica Ermert, Jacob Appelbaum and Laura Poitras  the team that participates in the publication of NSAs secret files, leaked by Edward Snowden.

NSA has deployed monitoring servers in several countries across the public Internet  Malaysia, Germany, Denmark and 13 others. It uses camouflaged dedicated infrastructure which is legal and cannot be directly linked with the Agency. These are probably servers of friendly companies and / or directly hacked servers and client computers. Bulgaria is not mentioned as a country where there is use of such resources of the Agency.

DNS is a basic protocol on the Internet, which allows the connection of names of websites with their IP addresses. Its monitoring provides key information about what is happening in the global network. The MORECOWBELL system is passive. It sets rules for surveillance  e.g. of a website, and it starts to monitor it every 10-15 minutes, but not later than 30 minutes, generating fake user traffic from accidental hosts that looks like coming from a browser. It checks whether the DNS queries point to the same IP address and if anything changes in the DNS and / or the HTTP protocol, or both, an alarm is generated.

Map of the battlefield or a global view of the internet

Tracking DNS with great intensity enables the system to understand what is happening with friendly and unfriendly sites; who are they trying to hack or who is trying to hide by changing their location. It detects changes which are used to uncover attacks on DNS (such as DNS flood, DNS poisoning, DNS smurf).

This way, the US Agency creates an almost complete picture of the Internet battlefield as DNS is one of the main attacked services.

The published information does not make clear whether the NSA is keeping records, but in the presence of such, it can create a tree of changes (as in Internet Archive), showing who, when and what has changed in any site.

According to experts, whom Bivol consulted, with an appropriate scaling such a system can give a global overview of the status of the Internet, or write the history of the Internet around the world. The system sees who is doing what, where, with what dynamics, who is attacked and who is hacked, how fast the business is growing and where.

***

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Jon Stewart put the boot into Tucker Carlson, branding the former Fox star a d*** for his softball interview with the brutal and ruthless Russian president Vladimir Putin.

The conservative commentator has faced a ferocious backlash for his cozy sit-down with the dictator which intensified after Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was found dead on Friday.

It emerged on Tuesday that Carlson's interview in Moscow took place on the day dual Russian-American ballerina Ksenia Karelina was arrested on treason charges for donating $50 to a Ukrainian charity.

On Monday night, the Daily Show host did not pull his punches as he accused Carlson of capitulation to power.

I know I've said this before, but you're such a d***," Stewart said.

Disguise your deception and capitulation to power as noble and moral and based in freedom.

Jon Stewart revived his decades-old feud with former Fox host Tucker Carlson on Monday night's Daily Show on Comedy Central

The right-wing commentator was the first western journalist to interview Vladimir Putin since Russia's invasion of Ukraine nearly two years ago

Carlson has faced an intensifying backlash since the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in custody on Friday

Carlson has been on the back foot since agreeing to Putins first interview with a Western media figure since the February 2022 invasion.

He described Navalny's suspicious death in an Arctic penal colony as barbaric and awful, adding that no decent person would defend it.

But former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson branded him a fawning stooge for offering Putin an easy platform and his lack of rigorous questioning.

Carlson attracted more than 200 million views on X alone for his report which included glowing tributes to the Russian way of life as he visited local food stores and the Moscow subway.

Originally broadcast on his web channel Tucker Carlson Network he began with an explanation of his reasons for the interview.

First, because it's our job, we're in journalism, Carlson said, It's our duty to inform people.

Step one, lie about what your job is, Stewart remarked as he played the clip.

Step two, lie about what your duty is.

Tucker's interview with Putin, was held on Tuesday in Moscow on February 6 and broadcast two days later

The interview saw Putin control the narrative and make a series of claims about his invasion of Ukraine . Carlson was slammed by world leaders for being a 'fawning stooge' during the chat

Vladimir Putin during his sit-down interview with Tucker Carlson

The video drew widespread ridicule from people online, as many pointed out the disparity between the average wage in Russia - which is the equivalent of $9072 - or 6.5 times less than the average US salary of $59,428

The interview in Moscow took place on the day that dual Russian-American ballerina Ksenia Karelina was arrested for donating $50 to a Ukrainian charity

She has since appeared blindfolded in court as she arrived to face charges of treason

Americans have a right to know all they can about a way they're implicated in, Carlson continued, freedom of speech is our birthright.

Kudos, sensei, that was deep, Stewart shot back, before summing up: Disguise your deception and capitulation to power as noble and moral and based in freedom.

Stewart hosted the Comedy Central show between 1999 and 2016, returning earlier this month to replace Trevor Noah.

The liberal comedian and the right-wing broadcaster have played out a decades-long feud since Stewart also called him a 'd***' on an infamous episode of Carlsons Crossfire program in 2004.

Stewart tore into his bow-tied host, accusing him of 'hurting America' with partisan hackery.

'You're doing theater, when you should be doing debate, which would be great,' he added.

'What you do is not honest.

On Mondays show he ridiculed Carlsons praise of Russian public spaces as 'nicer than anything in our country.

Carlson was impressed by a shopping cart that requires a coin to be inserted as a deposit that is returned when the cart goes back.

So, it's free, but there's an incentive to return it and not just bring it to your homeless encampment, he told his viewers.

I didn't realize that America's homeless problem was caused by easy access to shopping carts,' Stewart responded.

Carlson praised Moscows low grocery prices and the quality of its fresh-baked bread.

Coming to a Russian grocery, the heart of evil, and seeing what things cost and how people live, it will radicalize you, he promised.

Carlson did not challenge Putins bizarre assertion that Poland pushed Nazi Germany into starting the Second World War by not handing over its city of Gdansk.

And he did not mention Navalny who was poisoned by Russian agents before being sentenced to 19 years in jail, and whose body is currently being held for chemical analysis.

But it was Carlsons praise of tightly regimented Russian society that provoked Stewarts fiercest mockery.

Here's the reality, you know all this, because you arent as dumb as your face would have us believe,' he chided.

'Perhaps if your handlers had allowed, you would have seen there was a hidden fee to your cheap groceries and orderly streets - ask Aleksei Navalny or any of his supporters.

The difference between our urinal-caked subways and your candelabra'd beautiful subways is the literal price of freedom, he claimed.

Stewart famously clashed with Carlson on a 2004 episode of CNN's Crossfire, during which the outspoken Democrat slammed Carlson for 'doing theater, when you should be doing debate'

The old civilizational battle was communism vs capitalism, that's what drove the world since World War Two.

Russia was the enemy then, but now they think the battle is woke versus unwoke and in that fight, Putin is an ally to the right.

He's their friend. Unfortunately, he is also a brutal and ruthless dictator.

Liberty is nice, he added, But have you seen Russia's shopping carts?
A senior coroner has slammed the Ministry of Defence for failing to care for soldiers after the death of a 39-year-old Afghanistan veteran who 'turned to self-medication' to cope with severe PTSD.

The coroner's warning over a lack of care offered by the MoD comes following an inquest into the death of war hero James Day.

Mr Day 'turned to self medication' to try to get some respite from his 'severe' PTSD, causing him to develop alcohol related liver disease, it was heard.

As a result, on May 6 last year, Mr Day collapsed in Old Trafford, Manchester, and died despite the best efforts of emergency services.

Alison Mutch OBE has now warned that the support offered by the Army to its serving soldiers is 'patchy' and 'difficult to access'.

The senior coroner for South Manchester questioned whether the MoD did enough to support him.

The coroner's warning over a lack of care offered by the MoD comes following an inquest into the death of war hero James Day (stock image of the MoD's main building in Whitehall, London)

At Mr Day's inquest, it was heard he was discharged from the Army having received 'little support' to help him deal with PTSD.

A postmortem found the veteran, from Manchester, had developed alcohol related liver disease, which had led to heart problems and his eventual collapse.

In a Prevention of Future Deaths report addressed to the MoD, Ms Mutch said she had found 'matters giving rise to concern'.

'In my opinion there is a risk that future deaths will occur unless action is taken,' she said.

'The inquest heard evidence that James Day had served his country as a member of the armed services.

'He had been deployed to Afghanistan as part of his service where he had witnessed traumatic events that had led to him developing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

'He needed support to help him deal with the trauma.

'However, that had not been provided in such a way whilst he was serving to allow him to deal with his PTSD.

'He had subsequently left the Army and had continued to struggle to cope with his PTSD. He used alcohol and prescribed medication to try and cope with the severe symptoms of his PTSD.'

She continued: 'Support for service personnel with severe PTSD such as Mr Day whilst they were still serving and following discharge was patchy, difficult to access and did not appear to recognise how significant the impact of events they had witnessed whist serving could be on their mental health.

'The inquest heard that better mental health support whilst serving and following discharge may have avoided Mr Day having to turn to self- medication to try and have respite from his PTSD symptoms.

She said 'action should be taken' to prevent future deaths.

Ms Mutch reminded the MoD they were under a statutory obligation to respond within 56 days, by April 3.
A 34-year-old Colorado man died days after being bitten by a venomous Gila lizard, which he owned as a pet, in a rare incident that has startled experts.

The man, whose identity remains undisclosed, suffered the bite from a juvenile Gila monster on February 12 and died on Friday, marking the first fatal case of a Gila monster bite in the past 94 years.

While the Jefferson County Coroner's Office confirmed the man's death, additional toxicology tests are pending to determine the exact cause of his death.

Bites from a Gila monster can be painful, but fatalities resulting from such incidents are exceedingly rare, according to Dr. Nick Brandehoff, a medical toxicologist and reptile expert with the Asclepius Snakebite Foundation.

He told CBS: 'The last case I have been able to find was in 1930, and that wasn't even documented in a medical journal.'

A 34-year-old Colorado man died days after being bitten by a venomous Gila lizard, which he owned as a pet, in a rare incident that has startled experts

Bites from a Gila monster can be painful, but fatalities resulting from such incidents are exceedingly rare, according to Dr. Nick Brandehoff, a medical toxicologist and reptile expert with the Asclepius Snakebite Foundation

The Gila monster is a species of venomous lizard native to the Southwestern U.S. It's illegal to own them in Colorado without a license.

The man reportedly owned two Gila monsters and was bitten by one juvenile reptile measured about 12 inches long.

It's not immediately clear if he had a license, but he also owned tarantulas which are legal in the state, according to Eric Harper, a criminal investigator with Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife was aked to remove both reptiles from the man's residence after the bite occurred,

The man was taken to hospital and died on Friday last week.

Brandehoff, who was consulted on the man's death, suspected that he may have suffered allergic reactions to the Gila monster's venom.

'The vast majority of bites cause local swelling and bleeding,' he said, adding that the bites could lead to intense pain and cause the victims to pass out.

The Lakewood Police Department said the two Gila monsters were removed from the victim's home and taken to a wildlife rehab center in a different state.

Before they are transported, Harper and Brandehoff said, the reptile that bit its owner will be sent to a lab at the University of Northern Colorado.

Researchers will extract the venom from the Gila lizard and conduct a thorough study to understand why its bite led to the man's death.

Experts suspected that he may have suffered allergic reactions to the Gila monster's venom

The reptile that bit its owner will be sent to a lab at the University of Northern Colorado. Researchers will extract the venom from the Gila lizard and conduct a thorough study to understand why its bite led to the man's death

Both experts underscored the importance of dealing with venomous animals with respect and caution.

Harper acknowledged that the death is an anomaly but said, 'Venomous reptiles are hazardous and should only be handled or possessed by people with the proper training.'

Brandehoff agreed, saying, 'I think this case highlights that any venomous animals should be respected.'

The Gila monster primarily inhabits regions in Arizona and Mexico. They can also be found in the extreme southeastern corner of California, the southern tip of Nevada, and the southwestern corners of Utah and New Mexico.

The desert dwellers are named after the Gila River, where the lizards were common, according to Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.

It is the only venomous lizard native to the U.S. but is generally considered to pose a minimal threat to humans due to its slow movement.

Typically ranging from 10 to 14 inches, the Gila monster can reach larger sizes, with the largest specimens measuring between 20 to 22 inches.

DailyMail.com has reached out to the Jefferson County Coroners Office for further information.
The GoFundMe fundraiser created to help President Donald Trump pay his $355 million civil fine to the state of New York has raised over $668,000 in just four days, despite calls for the page to be banned.

The page was created by Elena Cardone, the wife of real estate mogul Grant Cardone, as a call for action for Trump supporters in response to the fraud verdict delivered in New York on Friday.

'Stand with Trump; Fund the $355M Unjust Judgment,' the page reads, as Cardone asks donors to 'rally in defense of all businesses and for man who has never hesitated to stand in defense of us.'

'Now, more than ever, it's time for business owners and entrepreneurs to unite, to show our collective strength and resolve,' Cardone wrote.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump gestures during a campaign event

'Stand with Trump; Fund the $355M Unjust Judgment,' the page reads, as Cardone asks donors to 'rally in defense of all businesses and for man who has never hesitated to stand in defense of us'

The raised funds are still a great deal short of the $355,000,000 goal, but over 12,000 donors have contributed to Trump's defense. The largest donation at the time of publication is $10,000 from an anonymous donor.

Fundraising numbers are likely increase after GoFundMe announced the fundraiser was believed to be within the platform's terms of service and would remain live.

'The fundraiser is currently within Gofundme's terms of service,' Director of Public Affairs for GoFundMe Jalen Drummond said in a statement to DailyMail.com.

The existence of the fundraiser has fueled a torrent of hate on social media, as users complained it should be removed because Trump was found guilty.

GoFundMe has previously removed fundraising efforts used to help pay the legal defense of accused criminals.

According to the terms of service, funds raised by GoFundMe can be used to pay fines, but not the costs of criminal legal defense.

Trump's case does not fall under restrictions for criminal cases, as it was conducted in New York's civil court.

People angry with the fundraiser are now targeting Drummond on social media, because of his former position as an assistant press secretary at the White House for former President Donald Trump.

'GoFundMe director of public affairs is a #MAGA #Nazi,' wrote one angry user, sharing a photo of Drummond with Trump in the Oval Office.

'MAGA cultist Jalen Drummond, director of public affairs at GoFundMe, had a chance to do the right thing and shut down the fundraiser Orange Cheeto put out. He essentially doubled down on defending it,' wrote X user @gabedozier, calling for his followers to boycott the fundraising platform.

GoFundMe routinely receives public criticism when making judgements about removing fundraisers for controversial issues.

Many conservative donors view GoFundMe suspiciously, after the platform shut down a series of fundraisers launched by conservative activists, most notably the Canadian Truckers 'Freedom Convoy' in 2022.

GoFundMe also removed fundraisers for the legal defense of Kyle Rittenhouse who was arrested after a shooting in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

After Rittenhouse was found not guilty in court in 2021, fundraisers for his benefit were allowed back on the platform.
Voters in Britain's most marginal seat have delivered a brutal verdict on Rishi Sunak as the general election approaches.

The Prime Minister was described as 'not strong enough', 'terrible', and an 'absolute conman' by people in the Tory-held constituency of Bury North, Greater Manchester.

One local even remarked: 'Put him on a helicopter and drop it in the Atlantic somewhere.'

But, in new research by polling company Redfield & Wilton Strategies, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer also failed to wholly enthuse voters.

Some described him as 'very honest' and suggested he would take Britain in the 'right direction' - yet others branded Sir Keir an 'idiot' and an 'absolute waste of time'.

Bury North was held by the Conservatives at the 2019 general election with a majority of just 105 votes.

It is set to be Labour's top target seat when the country next goes to the polls.

Asked for their thoughts on Rishi Sunak, one voter said: 'Put him on a helicopter and drop it in the Atlantic somewhere.'

Asked for their thoughts on Sir Keir Starmer, another voter replied: 'Absolute waste of time. He's just a guy who changes his mind from hour to hour. He's not a true person.'

The Prime Minister was described as 'not strong enough', 'terrible', and an 'absolute conman' by people in the Tory-held constituency of Bury North, Greater Manchester

In new research by polling company Redfield & Wilton Strategies, the Labour leader also failed to wholly enthuse voters

Redfield & Wilton spoke to individual voters in Bury North as the general election draws closer.

Asked for their thoughts on Mr Sunak, one said: 'Since he's been in charge, everything has just gone downhill.'

A second added: 'Not a lot! To be quite honest with you. I just don't think he's strong enough.'

Another said: 'Terrible. Absolute conman. He's conned this country like his predecessors the last 13 years. They have no intention of changing anything.'

And a fourth replied: 'I like him. He's got a million and one problems.

'People say he's mega-rich but, you know what, in my opinion that stops him from being corrupt. I'm presuming he's in it for the right reasons.'

When asked for their thoughts on Sir Keir, one said: 'I like him... he seems a very honest guy.'

A second added: 'He's not a great orator but obviously I'll be voting Labour this time.'

Another said: 'I think he's got a lot of qualities and I think he'll take the country in the right direction. But I'm yet to be totally convinced.'

And a fourth replied: 'Absolute waste of time. He's just a guy who changes his mind from hour to hour. He's not a true person.'

Mr Sunak has previously said he is likely to call the general election in the second half of this year.

The PM last week suffered the latest in a string of by-election losses as he saw the Tories lose to Labour in contests in Wellingborough and Kingswood.

There was also little good news for Mr Sunak in Redfield & Wilton's latest voting intention poll - despite a two-point boost in Conservative support from last week.

The Tories (23 per cent) trailed Labour (46 per cent) by 23 points, while only 44 per cent of those who voted Conservative in 2019 said they would do so again.

This was the joint-lowest percentage recorded by Redfield & Wilton since Mr Sunak became PM, and just seven points higher than the lowest percentage (37 per cent) ever recorded by the pollster.

One in five (20 per cent) of 2019 Conservative voters said they would now vote for Labour if a general election were held tomorrow, while 18 per cent would vote for Reform UK.

Mr Sunak's net approval rating of -25 per cent was unchanged from last weeks poll.

It is the joint-lowest approval rating he has ever recorded in Redfield & Wilton polling as either PM or Chancellor.

What did voters in Bury North say about Rishi Sunak? 'He's just there, he's just filling a position at the minute.'

'I didn't know who he was, he recently came to our home town - I didn't even know he was Prime Minister.'

'He's just a puppet like the rest of them.'

'Since he's been in charge, everything has just gone downhill.'

'Not a lot! To be quite honest with you. I just don't think he's strong enough.'

'I don't think whoever gets in next could do any worse.'

'I like him. He's got a million and one problems. People say he's mega-rich but, you know what, in my opinion that stops him from being corrupt. I'm presuming he's in it for the right reasons.'

'I just think they're all liars. I'm sorry, I just don't trust any of them anymore.'

'He promises a lot and fails to provide.'

'Put him on a helicopter and drop it in the Atlantic somewhere.'

'Terrible. Absolute conman. He's conned this country like his predecessors the last 13 years. They have no intention of changing anything.' Advertisement
Darkness had descended on the desert and the ritual dance had begun. Vying to win a bride from among the chaste young women encircling them, a band of nomadic tribesmen contorted their vividly painted faces and cavorted to the beat of a cow-skin drum.

Lit by the flames of huge wood fires, and stars that stood out like gemstones in the cloudless black sky, it was a magical show. Yet the Sahel region gets bitterly cold at night and the fierce wind spits sand in your eyes.

Remembering that I would be sleeping under those huge stars for two weeks, without even the protection of a tent, soon had me longing for the comfort  and safety  of home.

Not so Anita Roddick. Then Britains seventh-richest woman, The Body Shop boss couldnt have been more relaxed if shed been lying on a massage table slathered in her fabled cocoa butter.

She fluttered her eyes so flirtatiously at the dancers that one of them felt sufficiently emboldened to inquire whether she, too, was available for marriage.

David Jones is decorated with tribal paint, with Anita Roddick

Regrettably not, she told him. Handsome as he was, it might not go down too well with her husband, Gordon, who was waiting for her in a faraway place called Littlehampton.

Had she been less sensitive, she might have told her suitor, whose family possessions amounted to three skinny cows, some threadbare mattresses and a calabash, that she also had to run a global business empire, then valued at 600 million.

Memories of my unforgettable fortnight with Roddick in 1990, in the wilds of Niger, returned with last weeks news that The Body Shops fortunes have slumped so alarmingly it has gone into administration. Only yesterday, it was announced that nearly half of its stores in the UK could close with the loss off hundreds of jobs.

One wonders how the formidable Green crusader, woke before the word was invented, might have reacted, had she lived to see the death of her dream.

It was a dream that began with a 4,000 bank loan and a few jam-jars of aromatic goo, and  thanks to her ingenuity and dynamism  quickly grew into a cosmetics giant with 199 shops in the UK, and 3,000  some of which are franchised  in more than 65 other countries.

In 2006, just 18 months before she died, aged just 64, from a brain haemorrhage, Roddick sold The Body Shop for 652 million.

For allowing it to fall into the hands of LOreal, one of the mainstream competitors whose supposedly less ethical production methods she frequently attacked, Roddick  who was suffering from cirrhosis of the liver, caused by a blood transfusion given during childbirth  was accused of gross hypocrisy.

The brand has since changed hands twice more and is now owned by a German private equity company.

Perhaps, were she still with us, Roddick would try to salvage her beloved baby with a buy-back offer.

Having seen this extraordinary force of nature operate at full throttle, I cant imagine her sitting back and watching its possible disappearance from the High Street.

The free-spirited  and frequently bizarre  methods Roddick adopted to beat the beauty industry at its own game became evident when she invited me, as a suitably zealous young environment reporter, on that trip to Niger.

Her declared intention was to track down the Wodaabe  a tribe that wanders through the deserts of Niger and Chad  and discover the natural ingredients they use to enhance their looks: they are famed for their clear complexions and dazzlingly white teeth.

'Then Britains seventh-richest woman, The Body Shop boss (pictured) couldnt have been more relaxed if shed been lying on a massage table slathered in her fabled cocoa butter'

Travelling lightly, she would undertake these quests once or twice a year, having hit upon the idea for an alternative beauty shop after seeing how Tahitian women used cocoa butter to preserve their skin, during a holiday in the South Pacific.

Her backpacking jaunts refreshed her soul as well as replenishing The Body Shops shelves, and she plunged into them with utter abandon.

As we ate bread baked in an oven buried beneath the sand, she regaled me with some of her zanier escapades.

Hunting for the formula of an unusual natural perfume found in a remote area of the Oman, she had met a group of women who shaved their heads and bodies because growing hair was taboo.

Before they would show me the plant that grew the scent I was looking for, they said I must show them my pubic hair, she recalled. So, I dropped my drawers and stood there while they stared at me and hooted with laughter.

Another search took Roddick to Japan, where the aromatic plant she sought was used by female islanders with mirror-flat chests. Before handing it over, they wanted to squeeze her ample bosom. Again, she readily obliged. Anything for a new cream or lotion.

But her most bizarre encounter came in the backwoods of Nepal, where a man she was negotiating one of her fair-trade deals with insisted on showing her the stunt for which he was renowned locally  wrapping eight building bricks in a cloth and suspending them from his penis. She kept the photo as a souvenir.

A tribeswoman paints Roddick's face

Happily, the Wodaabes customs were less carnal, for theirs is a society that is, in many ways, ahead of its time. Relations between the sexes are extremely formal; romance only begins after the women have picked a fiance from the all-male beauty pageant known as the Guerewol.

They signalled their admiration of the man who took their fancy by sidling up behind him and scratching his back, whereupon we watched them slip away from the gathering to cement their love beneath a blanket.

Though Roddicks admirer was young enough to be her son, Im sure he would have done likewise given half a chance, for he followed her wherever she went.

Had she known that her husband would be exposed, a decade later, for having an affair with a girl around the age of their two daughters, perhaps shed have shown more interest.

Nonetheless, she was then in her late 40s, and clearly relished the attention, remaining at the increasingly raucous dance until the early hours, while I sloped off to my sleeping bag.

But at dawn she was shaking me awake, brimful with energy. It was time to have our faces made up before meeting Amadu, the tribes soothsayer, who would foretell our destiny and give us honorary new names (for some strange reason, mine translated as Wise One).

In the following days we visited a cattle auction, to buy a cow for a family who had lost theirs in a drought; watched the most exuberant and spectacular wedding ceremony I have seen; listened to strange tales around the fire; and helped to make yoghurt and grind maize.

Roddick rests in the Kayapo village, Brazil

Roddick and her daughter Samantha with forest Indians in Brazil

In return, Roddick showed the Wodaabe some wonders of the Western world, circa 1990. Her pocket mirror drew gasps, as did my Sony Walkman player.

One night, when we were left alone by the tribe, she also found time to tell me the intriguing story that later formed a plotline for her autobiography.

Born to wartime Italian immigrants who opened a cafe in Littlehampton, she confided that the man she had always called papa  her mum Gildas first husband  was not her biological father.

When she was 18, Gilda took her aside and told that she and her brother, Bruno, were the products of her illicit affair with another Napoli emigre, Henry Perilli, whose family ran a cafe nearby. After she divorced, her mother remarried to Henry  the love of her life  but just 18 months after the wedding he died.

When my mother finally told me the truth, everything that had gone before suddenly fell into place, and it was like a great weight had been lifted, Roddick told me, as we sipped herbal tea beneath a full moon.

Since I was very small, she was always telling me with a strange look: Youre special.

Until then, I never knew what she meant, but now it made sense.

As Id had a similarly shadowy childhood, I understood the importance of all this and, though we never met again, we briefly formed a bond.

With her sanctimonious lectures on everything from Third World poverty to saving the Amazonian rainforests, and her insistence (rather disingenuous as it transpired) that The Body Shops potions were environmentally and ethically superior to those of its rivals, Roddick made many enemies.

However, I left Niger liking her. I also think I understood what drove her messianic mission.

Whether or not The Body Shop survives, it will be remembered as the acceptable face of self-indulgence, allowing millions to clear their blemishes with a clear conscience  and forcing competitors to match its standards or face a full-throated Roddicking.

For a cafe owners daughter from Littlehampton, that is quite some achievement. All the more so given the undignified bodily inspections she endured as she went in search of those elusive elixirs.
A man accused of murdering his wife last year is set to be sentenced in a separate case for attempting to sell two counterfeit Andy Warhol paintings.

Brian Walshe, 47, appeared in Boston court Tuesday while he's behind bars awaiting trial on first-degree murder charges of his wife, Ana Walshe. Sentencing begins at 2:30 pm.

Federal prosecutors are hoping for at least a three-year prison sentence for the art scheme, in addition to three years of supervised release.

The art swindler is accused of killing Ana, who was last seen Jan. 1 at their Cohasset home, before dismembering and disposing her body. He is also accused of misleading a police investigation in connection with the death of his wife.

Walshe was initially indicted in 2018, before pleading guilty to wire fraud, interstate transportation for a scheme to defraud, possession of converted goods, and unlawful monetary transaction in 2021.

'These crimes were dangerous, bold, and harmful, both to the victims and the public as a whole,' prosecutors said in court filings.

Brian Walshe, 47, appeared in Boston court Tuesday and is set to be sentenced at 2:30pm for attempting to sell two counterfeit Andy Warhol paintings

Walshe was initially indicted in 2018, before pleading guilty to wire fraud, interstate transportation for a scheme to defraud, possession of converted goods, and unlawful monetary transaction in 2021.

The art swindler is accused of killing his wife Ana, before dismembering and disposing her body. He is also accused of misleading a police investigation

'A sentence of imprisonment is necessary to punish the defendant for his crimes and to deter others from engaging in art fraud, an especially difficult crime to detect, investigate and prosecute.'

Walshe's attorney, Tracy A. Miner, argued that Walshe should be sentenced to time served, due to a brief time he spent in prison when the case was initially filed.

In November 2016, an eBay user - Ron Rivlin, the owner of Revolver Gallery in Los Angeles - found Walshe selling two Andy Warhol paintings for $100,000 each.

The paintings Riviln saw on eBay were from Warhol's Shadows series, abstract paintings the pop artist created in 1978.

On the listing, Walshe also included a photo of an invoice from the Warhol Foundation, where he claimed he bought the paintings, and which allegedly showed he paid $240,000 for them.

Walshe got the paintings from his friend, who had recently bought them, and convinced him that he could sell them for a good price - but then he disappeared and his friend never received any money in return for them. Pictured: One of the fake Warhol paintings

Pictured: Brian Walshe leaves court after being charged with the murder of his wife, Ana

Walshe allegedly told Rivlin he was selling the works at a great loss in order to pay for home renovations.

Rivlin believed they were authentic and contacted Walshe in early November, arranging to purchase both paintings outside of eBay for $80,000.

The pair signed a contract, which explicitly stated that Rivlin had three days to get a full refund, according to the Massachusetts DA's office.

On November 7, Rivlin's assistant flew to Boston to collect the paintings and gave Walshe an $80,000 cashier's check, which was deposited that day.

The next day, Rivlin unwrapped the paintings and found there were no authentication stamps on the back from the Warhol Foundation and that the canvasses looked new.

Next, he compared the paintings to the photographs on eBay and determined they were different.

After concluding the paintings in his possession were inauthentic, he made repeated attempts to contact Walshe.

The Herald reported that phone records show Rivlin called and texted Walshe from November 8 to 12, all of which went unanswered.

According to the DA's office, when Walshe did reply, he made several excuses for not refunding the money immediately.

After Walshe refunded Rivlin just $30,000 of the $80,000, the gallery owner said he had he had contacted the FBI, according to the Herald.

Prosecutors say Walshe got hold of the paintings while visiting his friend in South Korea and convinced the man he could sell several pieces of art, including the works by Warhol, for a good price.

The victim agreed but then Walshe disappeared and the friend was unable to contact him. Eventually, a mutual friend retrieved some of the art.

Ana, 39, had been enjoying her life as a busy working mother, splitting her time between Cohasset, Massachusetts, and Washington DC, where she worked for a real estate firm

Ana and Brian at the start of their romance, left, when he showered her with designer bags and cars. She is shown, right, more recently. Ana had grown to become independent, working in Washington, DC, away from her family

Walshe is accused of murdering Ana in the basement of their home in Cohasset, Massachusetts, on January 1 in the early hours of the morning, then discarding her body in a dumpster.

Walshe appeared in Norfolk County Superior Court in January 2023 where he pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, misleading police, obstruction of justice and improper conveyance of a human body.

Walshe's extensive Google searches about divorce, murder, dismemberment and decomposing bodies were revealed in court.

He uttered just two words his 14-minute court appearance, saying I do when asked by Judge Mark Coven if he understood the charges against him.

Ana's remains have not been found, however, investigators revealed that they found a 'small bone fragment' on the hacksaw that Brian had allegedly dumped near Ana's mother's home in Swampscott, Massachusetts.

A search of the dumpsters also led to investigators finding Ana's COVID-19 vaccination card and Volkswagen keys. They found pieces of her clothing and jewelry, including a Hermes watch and Gucci necklace, Hunter boots, a black Prada purse and a short black coat, according to the court documents.

Surveillance footage photos revealed Brian bought cleaning supplies and also showed him a trash bag in a dumpster in the hours after his wife Ana was murdered.

One image shows Brian wearing a face mask and pushing a shopping cart in Rockland Home Depot on January 8 between 4:12 p.m. and 4:56 p.m., according to the search warrant.

The warrant revealed he had several items in his cart, including three mops and brushes, two large clear tarps, drop cloth, two rolls of Scotch Heavy duty tape, a Tyvek suit with hood boot coverall, a mop bucket with a ringer, three buckets with lids, two splash-resistant goggles, a utility knife, two 12-pound bags of baking soda and a hatchet.

Those items were later found in a search of their home on January 8.

Ana and Brian are shown on their wedding day in 2015. They met while she was working in a hotel

Police say Walshe used one of his young son's iPads to search gruesome terms like 'how long before a body starts to smell?' Ana Walshe is shown with the boys

Ana Walshe has not been seen since 1:30am on January 1. Police say Brian, her husband, murdered her. Her body has not been found

In another image, Brian is shown in the parking lot of Vinnin Liquors in Swampscott, where he's seen throwing out a black garbage bag around 5:13 pm on January 1.

He was spotted just an hour later at Lowe's in Danvers, where he allegedly bought $450 worth of tools, including a hacksaw, according to the warrant. That hacksaw was found by investigators who believe is what he used to kill Ana.

The court documents also revealed investigators found rugs that appeared to be from the Walshe's living room and kitchen that 'contained red brown staining' and 'numerous items identical' to Brian's alleged purchases he had made at Lowe's and Home Depot.

The court documents stated that Ana, a mother-of-three, had been having an affair for several months with an unidentified man.

The man told police that the pair spent Thanksgiving together in Dublin.

Ana, who is originally from Serbia, was last seen early January 1 following a New Year's Eve dinner at her Massachusetts home with her husband and a family friend, prosecutors said.

Brian said she was called back to Washington on New Year's Day for a work emergency.

He didn't contact her employer until January 4, saying she was missing. The company - the first to notify police Ana was missing - said there was no emergency, prosecutors said.

By the time she died, Ana had become the family's sole breadwinner. She was working in real estate in Washington DC, while her husband remained in Massachusetts with their three young sons.

Brian was awaiting sentencing for a fraud conviction, after stealing and then passing off as real an Andy Warhol painting.

Friends say Ana was ready to leave him and broke down in tears at a dinner in the days before she vanished.

The new information about the affair was contained within a search warrant for the home.

Brian Walshe pleaded not guilty to beating his wife Ana to death as prosecutors laid out a mountain of evidence against him

Police say Ana was murdered at around 4 am on January 1, three hours after saying goodbye to her friend and former boss who they rang in the New Year with.

In the hours following her death, Brian is accused of using his son's iPad to search Google for 'how to dispose of a body' and 'how long before a body starts to smell'.

The next day, he visited several stores, including Home Depot, Lowes and CVS, buying a combination of cleaning agents, plastic sheets, hazmat suits, a hatchet and a hacksaw.

Brian was seen in the days following visiting the dumpsters of apartment complexes near his mother's home.

It is the prosecution's claim that Ana's dismembered remains were in the bags, but that they were removed by trash services and incinerated by the time police searched the dumpsters

Prosecutors have also pointed to the fact that Brian stood to gain $2.7 million in life insurance payouts in the event of his wife's death as a motive.
Over 200 Chinese migrants were apprehended by Border Patrol agents in San Diego Monday, as Chinese nationals continue to flood the border becoming the fastest-growing nationality of illegal border crossers into the US

Border sources claim that 208 Chinese nations were stopped on Monday, bringing the total to 452 Chinese migrants apprehended in San Diego over the last three days, according to Fox News' Bill Melugin.

That is more than the total - just 450 - of Chinese migrant encounters across the southwest land border in all of 2021, according to US Customs and Border Protection data.

Dozens of Chinese migrants were spotted lined up at the California border town of Jacumba on February 15, telling reporters shamelessly how they're here to 'take the money' over the weekend.

The 2023 fiscal year reportedly saw over 37,000 Chinese migrants encountered at the border - with a staggering 20,000 more who have crossed since October, when the 2024 fiscal year began.

Border sources claim that 208 Chinese nations were stopped on Monday, bringing the total to 452 Chinese migrants apprehended in San Diego over the last three days

The 452 Chinese migrant encounters in San Diego in three days is more than the total of Chinese migrant encounters across the southwest land border in all of 2021 - just 450 - according to US Customs and Border Protection data

The 2023 fiscal year reportedly saw over 37,000 Chinese migrants encountered at the border - with a staggering 20,000 more who have crossed since October, when the 2024 fiscal year began

The high success rate of Chinese asylum claims is a long-standing trend, but it has come under the spotlight following a spike in illegal crossings by Chinese migrants last year

The Chinese surge is part of a historic and overwhelming wave of migrants across the Southern Border of the country since 2021.

The US is seeing more migrants - and from more countries - than ever before, federal data shows.

In San Diego, where a large percentage of Chinese migrants opt to try and get into America, the ease at which people avoid detection was captured in stunning footage shared by Melugin.

In footage shared on X, a small gap in the border fence has become a popular spot for migrants to slip into the US Despite reports bringing attention to the blatant flaw, the Biden administration has seemingly done nothing to fix it for several weeks.

The migrants are headed to the west coast because that's may be their final destination, Border Congressman Tony Gonzales (R, Texas) told DailyMail.com.

'As I've spoken to different agencies about why some communities (groups of migrants) go one place and others go another, one: it depends on what cartel controls that pipeline,' Gonzales explained.

'It's very clear that the Sinaloa Cartel is the one controlling that operation and sending Chinese more towards the California corridor...California/Arizona corridor that they control. That's half of the equation.

'The other half is where is the population going to go. Where are the large populations of Asian Americans tend to be-- in California, New York is another area, but that West Coast area is a big population center for them.'

The Chinese arrivals have raised concern with elected officials about why the citizens for a US foe are coming here in increasing numbers.

Some have been found to have links with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its affiliated People's Liberation Army (PLA), but border chiefs are concerned more could be slipping through their grasp.

A US Border Patrol chief has warned that his agents are being overwhelmed by the flood of Chinese migrants crossing the border illegally and that they could be missing Communist spies.

Two large groups of migrants, a new phenomenon seen at the border, arrived in Jacumba, California on Febuary 15, as witnessed by Fox News

Dozens of Chinese migrants were spotted in Jacumba, telling reporters shamelessly how they're here to 'take the money' over the weekend

A US Border Patrol chief has warned that his agents are being overwhelmed by the flood of Chinese migrants crossing the border illegally and that they could be missing Communist spies

More successful asylum claims in the US are made by Chinese migrants than any other nationality, according to government data

Chief Patrol Agent Anthony Good, of the Border Patrols El Paso Sector, told the Homeland Security Committee during a private hearing in September last year that his agents were 'trying their best to figure out why [individuals from other continents are] coming' but that 'information can be hidden' and 'their agendas, their ideologies, the reason for them coming could be missed'.

Gloria Chavez, chief patrol agent for the Border Patrols Rio Grande Valley Sector, also told the Committee in June that the massive surge in Chinese migrants had forced her agents to enlist a translation service, with each Chinese national taking up to seven hours to interview.

The interviews were shared with DailyMail.com by the committee.

Its chair, Mark Green, said the surge in Chinese migrants was a 'massive' national security concern.

He said agents were being 'overwhelmed', with many Chinese nationals being 'released into the interior with little consideration for their country of origin.'
New York city parents have slammed proposals for a 'genderful' charter school in Brooklyn where students would be encouraged to 'explore their gender.'

The Miss Major Middle school, named after Black transgender activist Miss Major Griffin-Gracy, is proposed to open in Prospect Park in the fall of 2025.

The woke school's goal is to help students 'learn and achieve individual success within an academically rich, joyful, inclusive and genderful environment,' and to 'explore their gender' and 'embrace their own identity' according to school's website.

Parents have pushed back against proposals for the school with one NYC mother calling it 'one of the worst education ideas in NYC right now' in a New York Post op-ed.

The charter school, founded by Ivy League educated non-binary teacher Joji Florence, will also teach 'Gender Inclusive Biology,' an adapted science curriculum as 'gender and sexual diversity' become 'more visible than ever.'

The Miss Major Middle (MMM) school, named after Black transgender activist Miss Major Griffin-Gracy, is proposed to open in Prospect Park in fall 2025

The charter school, founded by non-binary teacher Joji Florence, will teach 'Gender Inclusive Biology'

The proposed charter school will be open to grades five to nine in Prospect Park, but does not yet have a confirmed location.

Local mother Maud Maron described the school as being 'built upon lies and designed to use children to push trans activists' agenda.'

'Kids should be free to explore who they are, at their own pace and with a measure of privacy and freedom that will only come when teachers back off and do what they're paid to do  teach their young charges to read, write, do math and think critically' Maron added.

Another mother, Helen Qiu who is also running for New York's 65th State Assembly district, said 'I was shocked to hear about this school. There's a push in schools to normalize the transgender movement, to make it younger and younger in age, and to exclude parents from knowing about their children's transgender inclination.

Adding: 'These three things combined equals child abuse.'

In their own op-ed Florence, a middle school math teacher, wrote 'New York City needs a school established from its inception with the needs and voices of trans, nonbinary, queer, and ally students, teachers, and parents in mind.'

The proposed charter school will be open to grades five to nine in Prospect Park, but does not yet have a confirmed location

The woke school's goal is to help students 'learn and achieve individual success within an academically rich, joyful, inclusive and genderful environment,'

Florence said the school and its support network will 'meet resistance due to misconceptions about gender and sexuality and a polarized national debate about affirming spaces.'

Adding: 'The LGBTQ+ community's history of resilience and flourishing in New York City positions us to address the questions and critiques that come our way.

'Right now, our children and families are speaking to us, asking us to do better. It is our responsibility and privilege to bring this vision of a genderful school  and a genderful future  to fruition.'

New York State is expected to make a final decision on the school, as well as all other public charter schools currently up for approval, in June.

It's unclear how many students are expected to attend the school, or what other classes entail.
A man has appeared in court accused of racially abusing BBC Radio 5 Live presenter Nihal Arthanayake.

Graham Groves, 58, is accused of causing racially aggravated harassment, alarm or distress by using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour following an incident in April, last year.

Groves, of Stretford, Greater Manchester, appeared on Tuesday at Manchester's Minshull Crown Court for a brief hearing where details of the charge were read to him.

He entered a not guilty plea and will now face trial on July 31, 2025.

Arthanayake had previously contacted police after he was allegedly racially abused outside a pub by a 'drunk' man who called him a 'p***' and used the N-word.

Nihal Arthanayake (pictured) contacted police after he was allegedly racially abused outside a pub in Greater Manchester by a 'drunk' man who called him a 'p***' and used the N-word

Graham Groves (pictured), 58, has appeared in court accused of racially abusing the BBC Radio 5 Live presenter

In a video posted to Twitter, he said the incident happened while he was waiting for his wife outside an unnamed pub in Altrincham, Greater Manchester, following an evening out together watching a friend's band.

He said: 'I have thought about this, and discussed it with my wife. It is important that I highlight this man's behaviour. I am someone who has seen this kind of behaviour before, but if he abuses an elderly Asian pensioner, that would be wholly unacceptable.

'I should have seen the warning signs when I first started talking to him. He said he couldn't pronounce my name and asked me if he could call me Nigel. I said that he couldn't.

'As my wife and I come from London, and I was born in Essex, we are used to some kind of bubble when we are down there. We have moved to the North as I work for the BBC here. London is far more ethnically mixed than places like Altrincham.

'Before this idiot came along a man in the pub saw my wife, me, and a friend who is black, and he said to us: 'It's not often that you see three.'

He added that it 'makes you feel really uncomfortable when you know that people recognise your skin colour or ethnicity' and there are people 'who use racist terms without even thinking twice about it'.

Groves entered a not guilty plea and will now face trial on July 31, 2025

Groves is accused of causing racially aggravated harassment, alarm or distress by using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour following the incident in April, last year

Last August, Arthanayake, who is of Sri Lankan descent, hit out at BBC chiefs for telling him off for standing up for himself against racists on Twitter.

And in December, he said he had seen a 'lack of diversity' in his workplace over a long period of time.

That came just weeks after he said that working at the 'overwhelmingly white' BBC was bad for his mental health.
Daniel Barenboim: a life in Germany [1]

When Daniel Barenboim [2] was invited by Wilhelm Furtwangler [3] to play in Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra as a young pianist after World War II, his father forbade him to travel to Germany. It was too early for a young Jewish musician to work in Berlin shortly after the war. Barenboim lived with his parents in Israel at that time. In the later years, the conductor Barenboim conducted all over the world, especially in Germany and became one of the most popular musicians and directors.

In 2003, Barenboim won the Grammy for the best opera recording with the Berlin State Orchestra for Richard Wagnes Tannhauser [4]. Barenboims liking for Wagner is not understandable for many Jewish people. Many people nowadays still associate Wagners operas with Naziism. Wagners operas picked out Germanic mythology as a center theme and Adolf Hitler supposedly loved Wagners operas. That is the reason for many people to associate Wagner with Nazi era. Therefore, Wagner has been boycotted in Israel since the war.

The musician and Wagner lover Barenboim wrote in an article on his life in Germany in Die Zeit [5]. Germans have contributed so much intellectual wealth to the world, one thinks of Bach, Beethoven, Wagner, Heine, Goethe, just a few examples, but it is probably difficult for a German to put the bad experiences in the Nazi era with his history together as a whole. There are certain things, which belong to the German people, and there are other things, which belong to the world. Both influence the cultural life in Germany. One should not be afraid of these things. I see that as a musician and view it through my personal history: I was born in Argentine, my grand parents were Jews from Russian, I grew up in Israel and have lived my whole life in Europe. I think in the language, which Im speaking at the moment, and I feel myself a German, if I conduct Beethoven, and an Italian, if I conduct Verdi. And I dont think Im being unfaithful to myself. Just opposite.

At a concert of Berlin State Orchestra at an Israel Festival in Jerusalem in 2001, Barenboim caused a scandal: Barenboim who grew up in Israel, played Richard Wagners overture of Tristan and Isolde [6] as an encore after the official program had ended. A few dozen members of audience stormed out angrily from the hall, and in the days followed, Barenboim received harsh criticism from all political directions.

On the evening after the concert, Barenboim gave an interview to the daily newspaper Haaretz [7].

H: why was it so important to you, to perform this works by Wagner?

B: The festival had asked me, to change the program, in which Wagner was originally included. For me that was an expression of a lack of democratic freedom. All in all, Wagner cant be blamed for all these problems, it is rather the thought association with a minority. Such a thought association between Wagner and the Naziism is horrible. People have the right to make this thought association, but they dont have the right, to prevent others from listening to Wagner. That is simply not democratic. Paradoxically it would be a kind of triumph for the Nazis, if Wagner were not being played in Israel. I have received letters from many people, who were disappointed, because we removed Wagnar from our original program ...

H: Wouldnt there have been a better moment to do it than through the back door like this?

B: I dont know. It is not a really sincere debate  today there are people, who allow themselves to decide for others.

H: How do you feel yourself, when people call you a fascist and told you to go home?

B: People who think Im a fascist, I feel sorry for.

H: What is the significance of the concert for you, in retrospect?

B: It was the personal, very private opportunity, to express my view on democracy. So, the minority could not decide for the majority. From now on every orchestra director and every festival have to decide if they want to continue to boycott Wagner in Israel.

[1]. Translated by me from: p. 228. Daniel Barenboim: Ein Leben in Deutschland. Stationen. Ein Kursbuch fur die Mittelstufe. 3rd Edition. Prisca Augustyn & Nikolaus Euba, Cengage Learning, USA, 2015

[2]. Daniel Barenboim. 11/15/1942-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Barenboim

A classical pianist and conductor based in Berlin, Germany. He conducted the New Year Concerts in Vienna three times in 2009, 2014 and 2022. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Barenboim

[3]. Wilhelm Furtwangler. 1/25/1886-11/30/1954. A German conductor and composer, who is the conductor of Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilhelm_Furtw%C3%A4ngler

[4]. Tannhauser. An opera of a medieval chivalric romance with music and text by Richard Wagner in 1845. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tannh%C3%A4user_(opera)

[5]. Die Zeit. Time. A German national weekly newspaper. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Die_Zeit

[6]. Tristan and Isolde. An opera, with music and text by Richard Wagner in 1865.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tristan_and_Iseult

[7]. Haaretz. An Israel newspaper. Founded in 1918. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haaretz

Skandal or chance by Zipi Shohat, translated to German by Jan Thorn-Prikker. Reprinted by permission of Haaretz Daily Newspaper and the Goethe Institut. Ibid.
This is the moment a man with a 'wild bird egg obsession' was caught illegally hoarding nearly 3,000 of the rare objects in his home.

Daniel Lingham, 71, was captured on a wildlife trap camera stealing two eggs from a Nightjar nest in Holt Lowes, a nature reserve in Norfolk, in June last year.

Norfolk Police carried out a subsequent search of his home in Newton St Faith and discovered he had stolen thousands of eggs, including some from birds that were protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act.

Body camera footage showed how officers searched Lingham's home as he passed over a display case of the illegal eggs he had hoarded. Police also found identifying books, binoculars, and an egg blowing kit.

Lingham admitted today at Norwich Magistrates' Court to five offences relating to the illegal collection of eggs, Norfolk Police said.

He also admitted to possessing articles capable of being used to identify and take eggs and breaching a Criminal Behaviour Order. He is due to be sentenced in May.

Daniel Lingham, 71, (right) was caught illegally hoarding nearly 3,000 bird eggs in his Norfolk home. Officers are pictured searching the property on July 25, 2023

Lingham pleaded guilty to five offences relating to the theft of the eggs. These included taking nightjar eggs from a nest on June 9, 2023 at Holt. The stolen nightjar eggs are pictured

Among the eggs retrieved from Lingham's home were song thrush, blackbird and robin eggs (pictured). Officers found a total of 2,995 eggs within his home

The bodycamera footage showed how officers found a total of 2,995 eggs within the home, including 2,429 eggs from native birds - protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act - in his bedroom.

Of those, 548 were from native birds on the amber list of birds of conservation concern, and a further 546 were of the most serious concern on the red list including linnet, green finch, yellowhammer and house sparrow.

A further collection of eggs, which appeared newer, was found behind a bath panel including a box containing a pair of nightjar eggs with a label 'Nightjar 2, Holt Lowes June 9', police said.

Officers also found identifying books, binoculars and an egg-blowing kit.

In an interview with police, Lingham said all of the eggs, bar the Nightjar ones, had been taken before a previous conviction in 2018.

He claimed a collection on display in a cabinet in the bedroom had come from an Essex house clearance and while they were his, he had not taken them himself from the wild, the court heard.

Lingham also said he had been looking for adders and tiger beetles when he was 'tempted' by the nightjar eggs due to his egg-collecting addiction, which was a mental health issue, the force said.

Daniel Lingham, 71, is pictured on July 25, 2023 during the search of his home. He is seen handing an officer a drawer containing bird eggs which he had gathered and collected

In an interview with police, Lingham said all of the eggs, bar the Nightjar ones, had been taken before a previous conviction in 2018. Pictured are some of the eggs confiscated from his home

Norfolk Police carried out a subsequent search of his home in Newton St Faith and discovered he had stolen thousands of eggs, including some from birds that were protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act. Pictured: Stolen eggs recovered from Lingham's home

Officers also found identifying books, binoculars and an egg-blowing kit in his home. Pictured are eggs discovered during the search

Lingham claimed a collection on display in a cabinet in the bedroom had come from an Essex house clearance and while they were his, he had not taken them himself from the wild

He appeared at Norwich Magistrates' Court today, where he pleaded guilty to five offences relating to the theft of the eggs.

These included taking eggs from a nightjar on June 9, 2023 at Holt, and possessing 2,429 eggs of a non-schedule 1 wild bird on July 25, 2023 - the day police searched his home.

He also admitted possessing 22 Schedule 1 bird eggs in July 2023, possessing articles capable of being used to identify and take eggs and breaching a Criminal Behaviour Order on June 9, 2023.

Lingham has two previous convictions for similar crimes.

In 2005, he was jailed for 10 weeks after police found a collection of almost 4,000 eggs in his home.

While in 2018, he was found to be in possession of more than 5,000 eggs for which he was jailed for 18 weeks and handed a 10-year Criminal Behaviour Order aimed at stopping him from committing similar crimes in the future, Norfolk Police said.

Under the order, Lingham is banned from entering Holt Lowes between February 1 and October 1 as well as many other sites across Norfolk and nationally - many of which appeared on place-name labels among the boxes, Norfolk Police said.

Tom Grose, RSPB investigations officer, said: 'The scale of egg theft which Lingham has committed over the last 20 years is shocking.

'Sadly, his obsession with collecting wild birds' eggs has ultimately resulted in thousands of breeding birds, which have invested huge amounts of energy into rearing young, to fail.

'We're relieved that this type of crime is now relatively rare in the UK, but this latest case has revealed that the breeding success of the nightjar, a species of conservation concern, has again been targeted in Norfolk by Lingham's illegal actions.'

Lingham also said he had been looking for adders and tiger beetles when he was 'tempted' by the nightjar eggs due to his egg-collecting addiction, which was a mental health issue, the court heard

PC Chris Shelley, from the Op Randall Rural Crime Team, said: 'Egg collecting should be a hobby that is confined to the history books, having been made illegal in 1954.

'Thankfully, there are very few individuals now committing this crime but these few, including Lingham, cause a huge amount of harm to thousands of birds, including some of our most at-risk species - in this case nightjar, linnet, yellow hammer and house sparrows to name just a few.

'We would always encourage anyone who sees suspicious activity around bird nests in the coming months to report as much detail as possible using our online form or 999 if in progress.'

Lingham is due to be sentenced on May 3.
The United States has vetoed an Arab-backed U.N. resolution Tuesday demanding an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza.

The vote in the 15-member Security Council was 13-1, with the United Kingdom abstaining, as global support for an end to the four-month war grows.

It was the third U.S. veto of a Security Council resolution demanding a ceasefire since the start of the conflict that has left thousands dead and comes as Israeli forces plan amn assault on Rafah the White House believes will be a 'disaster'.

Up to 1.5 million Palestinians have been forced into the enclave in the south of the Gaza strip near the border with Egypt.

The Biden administration had already promised it would veto the resolution over concerns it would interfere with a deal to bring at least a six-week halt to hostilities so all the Israeli hostages can be released.

The White House also believes Hamas would take control of Gaza if a permanent ceasefire was signed now.

The U.S. is now circulating a rival resolution that would support a temporary ceasefire based on the release of the hostages and the lifting of all restrictions on humanitarian aid for Palestinians.

The United States vetoed an Arab-backed U.N. resolution Tuesday demanding an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, as Israeli forces up their attacks on the enclave of Rafah

United Nations resolutions are not binding. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to keep fighting until Hamas as been completely eliminated.

But they are a sign that nations around the world are growing wary of Israel's prolonged campaign and the rising number of civilian casualties.

In recent weeks the Biden administration has put pressure on Netanyahu's government to consider an endgame, and even proposed a two-state solution.

But Bibi has rejected any calls and continued the aggression on the forces responsible for the October 7 terrorist attack that killed thousands of Israeli civilians.

'To vote for this resolution today could very well put those negotiations at risk,' White House national security spokesman said on Tuesday.

'I think most of the people around the world would love to see those hostages home with their families. And if we just voted, went along with this resolution, the chances of doing that would be greatly reduced.

'We are at a very delicate (point) right now ... with these discussions going on. And we're still hopeful that we can get this over the finish line.

'Nothing has changed about our desire to see the threat from Hamas eliminated in terms of the Israeli people.

'We don't believe that Hamas leadership should be able to get off scot free here after what happened on the seventh of October.

The vote in the 15-member Security Council was 13-1, with the United Kingdom abstaining, as global support for an end to the four-month war grows

In recent weeks the Biden administration has put pressure on Netanyahu's government to consider an endgame, and even proposed a two-state solution

'This isn't about wanting Israel to do anything to succeed against the threat against Hamas, but it also comes with the desire to have that success for any major military.

'There comes an obligation, an added obligation, to make sure that you're looking after the safety and security of innocent people that are in harm's way and again, we've been very, very consistent about that.

Kirby added that the White House does not support putting the people in Rafah at a 'deliberate or greater risk'.

'We continue to believe that an operation in Rafah would be a disaster.'
Republican lawmakers in Georgia are taking aim at the ongoing squatting problem in Atlanta, proposing a bill that would make it a criminal offense.

According to the National Rental Home Council trade group, 1,200 homes have been taken over by squatters in the city.

With law enforcement bound by tenant right laws, homeowners are left with limited options to reclaim their property, but the new law could make it easier.

The proposed bill, named the Georgia Squatter Reform Act, expands criminal trespassing to include persons who enter property without the consent of the owner for any period of time.

The new law means that anyone caught squatting in a home without consent or legal authority will be arrested and charged with a misdemeanor and hit with a fine.

Republican lawmakers in Georgia like Devan Seabaugh, seen here, are backing the new proposal

According to the National Rental Home Council trade group, 1,200 homes have been taken over by squatters in the city

Rep. Devan Seabaugh, a Republican co-sponsoring the bill, told Fox News Digital on Monday: 'We have to do something about this. We're dealing with criminals.

'These are people that know exactly what they're doing, and they're stealing other people's most valuable capital, which is their home.

'I've heard from a lot of people. This has caused them to file bankruptcy. They're mentally harmed by it.

'It's a tough situation, and we have to do something. I don't know how it took us this long to get here but no more free rides.

'What we've done is create new code in the Georgia law that says, if you're squatting in a home, and you do not have the consent or legal authority to be in it, you'll be arrested and charged with a misdemeanor of a highly aggravated nature.

'You'll be fined, and you may spend up to a year behind bars.'

Seabaugh added that the new law would also speed up court proceedings, with hearings being held in a non-jury magistrate court to decrease the time it takes to remove squatters from a property.

The Republican also told Fox that Democrats were also on board with the new measures as well.

A property at 4951 Wewatta Street in South Fulton, Atlanta - where four squatters were said to have run an illegal strip club

A SWAT team arrested the four squatters after neighbors complained of the stench of marijuana, gunshots - and live horses on the premises

The situation has become so dire in the city that homeowners have offered to pay off squatters to get them out of their homes, rather than risk losing months of rent.

One squat in the Georgia city was even being run as illegal secret strip club and had to be cleared out by an entire FBI swat team.

The FBI had to get involved and arrested four people who had taken up residence at 4951 Wewatta Street in South Fulton without permission.

The 4,000 square foot five bed home with three bathrooms was trashed by the squatters.

Photos from inside the home after the FBI cleared it out showed the halls eerily empty, except a cartoonish green lizard painted on one wall.

Trash littered the property with a half-finished water bottle, a crumpled plastic bag and a bottle of Pink Whitney - the popular lemonade-infused vodka - sitting atop a railing.

Neighbors said they were running a strip club on the weekend, noisy parties and car races in the street.

DeAnthony Maddox (left) and Jeremy Wheat (right) were arrested on the premises

Kelvin Hall, left, and Tarahsjay Forde, right were also arrested

Four young men - DeAnthony Maddox, Jeremy Wheat, Kelvin Hall, and Tarahsjay Forde - were arrested on the premises.

All four were booked into Fulton County Jail on multiple charges, including several counts of theft by receiving stolen property.

Last year, a deployed Lt Colonel Dahlia Daure said she felt 'violated' when she learned a man was squatting in her home while she was away on active service.

Daure told local media that Vincent Simon - a man who has been convicted on guns, drugs, and theft charges - was living in her $500,000 home.

The Army officer had been away from her Ellenwood residence for duty in Chicago - and only found out he had moved in as the house was in the process of being sold.

'I felt violated. Had I not been serving my country, I would have been in my home,' Daure told WSB-TV.

Simon was later kicked out and arrested following his unwelcome stay, after telling Daure she would need to go through the courts.

CEO of the National Rental Home Council, David Howard previously explained to DailyMail.com: 'Incidents of illegal trespassing in the Atlanta metro area are disproportionately higher than comparable markets across the country.

'The sheer volume and consistency of practice in terms of how these incidents happen are clearly indicative of some kind of organized criminal effort.'

Lt. Colonel Dahlia Daure said a man with a lengthy criminal history was squatting in her Atlanta-area home while she is away on active duty - he was later removed

The massive 4,300 square foot estate where Simon was holed-up has five beds and five baths, Zillow states, and is valued around $495,000

Simon was later kicked out and arrested following his unwelcome stay , after telling Daure she would need to go through the courts

He added: 'This is obviously a property rights issue first and foremost, but the impact of this kind of activity extends well beyond the concerns of the individual property owner.

'There are serious public safety issues at play here  who is in the home? What is happening in the property? What is the risk to others in the neighborhood? Also, theres a real concern here about the availability of affordably-priced housing.

'Every incident of illegal occupation means theres one less home available for a family in need of quality, single-family rental housing.'

'As well as individual homeowners, the squatting crisis is making business hard for some of the country's largest single-family-rental businesses.'

Online listings and virtual real estate agents can allow squatters to find vacant addresses and gain access by booking fake appointments.

Some people may not even know they are squatters as scam artists can set up fake listings for empty properties and fake lease agreements.

Once a squatter is in, it's hard to get them out. It can take three months to get a court hearing for an eviction, and another three months to get a deputy or marshal to clear out the home.
A neighbor called 911 after he awoke and saw flames shooting out of the house

Police have described the fire as 'suspicious,' citing evidence of criminal activity

Teacher Bernadine Pruessner, 38, died along with her 2 1/2-year-old daughter, 5-year-old son and 9-year-old twins

A Missouri teacher and her four children died in a early morning house fire that is being probed as suspicious by investigators.

The St. Louis County Police Department has launched a criminal investigation into a Monday morning fire that blackened the walls of a Ferguson home and claimed the lives of a family of five.

Cordell Beache identified the eldest victim as his daughter, 38-year-old Bernadine Pruessner.

Also killed were her children: 9-year-old twins Ellie and Ivy, 5-year-old Jackson, and 2-and-1/2-year-old Millie. The fire also claimed the lives of three family dogs.

Investigators described the blaze as 'suspicious,' citing evidence of criminal activity. Detectives have applied for search warrants for the familys van.

Bernadine Pruessner, 38, died in an early morning house fire in Ferguson, Missouri, along with her children: 9-year-old twins Ellie and Ivy, 5-year-old Jackson, and 2-and-1/2-year-old Millie

The St. Louis County Police Department has launched a criminal investigation into the blaze, describing it as 'suspicious' due to evidence of criminal activity

One relative described the young siblings as 'some of the smartest, brightest kids you could have' who were 'full of life' just like their mother

'We dont really know the circumstances of what occurred here, but we are investigating,' St. Louis County Police spokesperson Tracy Panus said.

The Ferguson Police Department requested the St. Louis County Bureau of Crimes Against Persons take over the investigation. St. Louis Regional Bomb and Arson detectives and Crime Scene Unit detectives are assisting.

A neighbor awoke shortly after 4:30 am and saw the glow of flames through his window. He ran over and banged on the door to rouse the family while his wife phoned 911.

Other neighbors say they did not hear smoke detectors.

Firefighters from four municipalities were called to combat the blaze, which was so powerful they had to back down several times.

Tyler Justice, a relative of Pruessner, described the 38-year-old as someone whose smile 'would light up the room.'

'She was just one of those people that if you were in a bad mood and you talked to her, she would make you feel a lot better,' Justice told KMOV.

Her children, he continued, were 'some of the smartest, brightest kids you could have, and full of life just like she was.'

A neighbor awoke shortly after 4:30 am on Monday and saw the glow of flames through his window. He ran over and banged on the door while his wife called 911

Pruessner taught in both Missouri and Illinois. In 2022, she joined Lewis and Clark Community College as a full-time faculty member

Neighbors said they did not hear smoke detectors after the fire broke out

Firefighters from four municipalities were called to combat the blaze, which was so powerful that they were forced to back down several times

Pruessner (far right, pictured with relatives) was pursuing a doctorate in early childhood education at the time of her death

Twins Ellie and Ivy were fourth graders at Mason Ridge Elementary School. The Parkway School District notified parents of the 'sad news' in a letter.

The district announced that a crisis intervention team would meet with each fourth grade class 'in order for students to begin processing their feelings.'

Around 14 rabbits, three chickens and two cats survived the fire, as they were located on a separate part of the property.

Speaking to KSDK, Dara Ashby with the Ferguson Animal Coalition said Pruessner was a 'wonderful person' who loved her kids, family and animals.

'She was just a treasure to our community. So this is a huge loss,' Ashby said. She added that family members would care for some of the animals while others would be rehomed.

In addition to her passion for urban farming, Pruessner, affectionately known as 'Birdie,' was a teacher who worked in both Missouri and Illinois.

She received the Missouri Teacher of the Year Award from the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence in 2013.

Around 14 rabbits, three chickens and two cats survived the fire, as they were located on a different part of the property

Family members will care for some of the animals while others will be rehomed

Dara Ashby with the Ferguson Animal Coalition said Pruessner was a 'wonderful person' who loved her kids, family and animals

In 2022, Pruessner joined Lewis and Clark Community College as a full-time faculty member after serving as an adjunct instructor.

The 38-year-old held teaching certifications in agriculture, elementary education, English language arts, early childhood education and family and consumer science.

She was pursuing a doctorate in early childhood education at the time of her death.

Pruessner last posted to Facebook on the evening of February 19, just hours before the deadly fire.

'All my kids, peacefully sleeping in my bed,' she wrote. 'Curled up together. Knowing they are loved so fiercely that I'd do absolutely anything for them. This is my favorite moment.'

In a statement to DailyMail.com, Panus said the investigation is ongoing and additional information will be disseminated as it becomes available.
An alimony hearing turned into a bloodbath in France today when a man shot his ex-wife dead then killed himself.

The horrifying scene took place on Tuesday outside the Palais de Justice in the southern city of Montpellier before the divorced pair could discuss splitting up their property.

'A 66-year-old woman was set upon by a 72-year-old man who had been waiting for her on a bench outside the court,' said an investigating source.

'As she approached security, he walked up to her with a gun and calmly shot her in the head, at point blank range.

'There was immediately a huge puddle of blood, and lots of screaming by passers-by before the man turned his own gun on himself.'

The horrifying scene took place on Tuesday outside the Palais de Justice in the southern city of Montpellier

'A 66-year-old woman was set upon by a 72-year-old man who had been waiting for her on a bench outside the court,' said an investigating source

Both the man and the woman were declared dead at the scene by emergency services personnel, said the source.

Police said she was shot in the back of the back of the head, before the man turned the weapon on himself.

Fabrice Belargent, the Montpellier public prosecutor, confirmed that the pair divorced in 2016, and had been due at an appointment at 2pm to discuss the liquidation of assets.

The man had a record for physically attacking his wife when they were married, but 'there were no proceedings in progress regarding domestic violence, nor any kind of protection order,' said Mr Belargent.

A security cordon was placed around the court building after the mid-afternoon attack, and a white sheet was fitted over the gate in front of the courthouse to prevent the public from seeing the bodies.

Firefighters and police are still working on the scene, and access to the court is currently limited.

Michael Delafosse, the Mayor of Montpellier, said: 'A man responsible for violence against his wife shot her and then turned the gun against himself.

'The facts occurred in front of the Montpellier court. I pledge my support to all the justice personnel who have been severely affected by this atrocious act.'

A police source told AFP: 'We are not talking about terrorism at all.'

Eric Dupond-Moretti, France's minister of justice, said on X this afternoon in the wake of the shooting: 'Horrified by the femicide which took place in front of the Montpellier court this afternoon.

'My thoughts are with the victim and his loved ones.

'All my support to the court staff. The psychological support unit is triggered.'
The U.S. vetoed a United Nations resolution that would demand an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, instead offering a separate resolution that would call for one 'as soon as practicable' and condition it to the release of hostages.

The new resolution rankled congressional Republicans, with Florida GOP Rep. Cory Mills accusing President Biden of 'cowering' to progressives.

' Israel s Oct 7 is equivalent of Americas Sept 11,' Mills, a former defense contractor and freshman lawmaker, wrote on X .

'Imagine if our allies were requesting a ceasefire when our military was fighting Al Qaeda/ Taliban. This is what Biden is demanding of Israel in a ceasefire against the Iran terrorist group, Hamas.'

Kites are flown over Rafah as smoke billows following Israeli bombardment on Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on February 20, 2024

The new resolution rankled congressional Republicans, with Florida GOP Rep. Cory Mills accusing President Biden of 'cowering' to progressives

The U.S. said the Algerian-proposed resolution that demands an immediate ceasefire would 'jeopardize' talks to end the war.

Thirteen countries on the 15-member security council voted for the resolution, the U.S. voted 'no' and the UK abstained.

The U.S. version of such a resolution puts no date one when a ceasefire should begin, demands hostages be released and urges barriers on aid to Gaza to be lifted.

Washington has previously been averse to the word ceasefire in any U.N. action relating to its ally Israel's war against Hamas.

It's not clear if the UN Security Council will vote on the U.S.-led resolution.

The U.S. draft resolution echoes language that President Joe Biden said he used last week in conversations with Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister.

At the time Biden said: 'I feel very strongly about it, that there has to be a temporary ceasefire to get the prisoners out, to get the hostages out.'

The proposed resolution also says Israel's planned major ground offensive into the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where some 1.5 million Palestinians have sought safety, 'should not proceed under current circumstances.'

It warns that further displacement of civilians, 'including potentially into neighboring countries' like Egypt would have serious implications for regional peace and security.

The draft U.S. text would also condemn calls by some Israeli government ministers for Jewish settlers to move to Gaza.

UN Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said on Sunday that the U.S. has been working on a hostage deal for months that would bring at least a six-week period of calm.

' Israel s Oct 7 is equivalent of Americas Sept 11,' Mills, a former defense contractor and freshman lawmaker, wrote on X

Palestinians inspect the wreckage of the destroyed buildings and the area after an Israeli attack that continues in Nusairat of Gaza Strip on February 20, 2024

She said 'we could then take the time and the steps to build a more enduring peace.'

The ambassador said Biden has had multiple calls over the last week with Netanyahu, and the leaders of Egypt and Qatar, to push the deal forward.

She said it was the best way to secure a prolonged pause in fighting that would allow aid to get to Palestinian civilians.

At the weekend Democrat Congressman Jim Clyburn, a close ally of Biden, said the president did not believe Netanyahu's leadership had been 'good' for Israel.

Clyburn said: 'I've talked to the president about this. And, of course, he is not going to be public with everything he says to Netanyahu.

'But I know this. He feels about the way I feel when it comes to Netanyahu. He is, his leadership, has not been good for Israel.'

A week ago it emerged Biden had privately referred to Netanyahu as 'an a**hole' on at least three occasions, and called him the primary obstacle to peace in the Middle East.

Biden, meanwhile, has taken heat from the leftward flank over his reluctance to take any meaningful action to prompt Israel to reduce civilian casualties.

Some 30,000 Palestinians, majority women and children, have been killed over four months in Israel's campaign to eradicate Hamas, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib, a Palestinian-American Democrat, urged voters in her state not to vote for Biden in their Feb. 28 primary.

'Don't make us even more invisible. Right now, we feel completely neglected and just unseen by our government,' Tlaib said in a video posted Saturday, instead urging Michiganders to vote 'uncommitted' in the primary.
Disgraced YouTube mommy blogger Ruby Franke wept in court as she was told she will serve up to 30 years in prison for brutally abusing two of her own children in a 'concentration camp-like setting'.

Franke, 42, pleaded guilty last year to four counts of child abuse after one of her young children escaped and alerted a neighbor to their suffering.

She was sentenced to between one to 15 years in prison for each count - up to 60 years in total - at Utah's 5th District Court on Tuesday. Both women will serve their sentences in Utah State Prison.

How much time she will spend in jail will be determined by the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole, and state law means she can only serve a maximum of 30 years.

Franke, who has six children in total, broke down while speaking in court as she apologized to her 'little chicks' and told the judge she was willing to serve her time.

Franke's business partner Jodi Hildebrandt was handed down the same sentence on Tuesday.

Defendant Ruby Franke looks on during court Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024, in St. George, Utah

Defendant Jodi Hildebrandt looks on during court Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024, in St. George, Utah

The popular YouTuber was arrested along with her business partner Jodi Hildebrandt in August and charged with six counts of felony child abuse after one of her sons was discovered with open wounds and duct tape on their limbs

The criminal 'Momfluencer' became an internet sensation thanks to her YouTube channel 8 Passengers where millions of viewers watched how she and then husband, Kevin Franke, raised, and disciplined, their six children.

But late last year, shocking claims emerged that Franke, a Mormon, had spent years abusing her children.

Franke was arrested alongside her business partner Jodi Hildebrandt and the pair pleaded guilty in late December.

Chief Deputy Washington County Attorney Ryan Shaum said in a written statement on Tuesday that Franke and Hildebrandt's actions amounted to 'some of the worst child abuse' he had seen in nearly 30 years of prosecuting.

'For over three months, the two children, ages 9 and 11-12, were held by their mother and her business partner in a concentration-camp setting.

'They were regularly denied food, water, beds to sleep in, and virtually all forms of entertainment. They were also prohibited from interacting with others and were hidden in the home when people came to visit'.

He added that the children were forced to do manual labor outdoors in the extreme summer heat without shoes or socks.

'They were beaten, and the 12-year-old was bound hand and foot after he attempted to run away,' he added.

In court, Franke broke down in tears as she told Kevin Franke, who was present in the courtroom, that he was the love of her life.

She said: Im sorry to leave you to finish what we both started together. The ending of our marriage is a tragedy and you were wrapped around my heart.'

Franke did not turn to face her ex-husband, who was moved to tears as he sat head bowed behind her in the courtroom. Beside him were Ruby's oldest children, Chad and Shari.

She also apologized to her six children for the suffering she had caused them. To my babies, my six little chicks. You are part of me. I can see now that over the past four years I was in a deep undercurrent that led us to danger. I would never have led you to darkness knowingly ... I was led to believe that this world is an evil place.'

She added: I took from you all that was soft and safe and good. I took from you your mother. How terrifying this must have been for you  You are so precious to me  I'm sorry.

She told Judge Walton: 'I am humbled and willing to serve a prison sentence  I understand this is going to take time.'

Ahead of sentencing on Tuesday, Ruby's ex-husband Kevin Franke - who has previously demanded Hildebrandt pay for their children's medical treatment - called for them to see jail time.

'We trust the judge to sentence them both to 1-15 years for each of the four counts, to run consecutively, and then let the Utah State Board of Pardons decide if that should be shortened or other conditions imposed,' his attorney said in a statement.

Former YouTube mommy blogger Ruby Franke sobbed in a Utah court on Tuesday as she was told she faces up to 30 years in jail for the brutal abuse of two of her own children

Ruby Franke, (left) who ran the now-defunct 8 Passengers channel, was arrested along with her business partner Jodi Hildebrandt (right) on August 30

Jodi Hildebrandt pictured in court in December 2023. She had formerly been a mental health counselor in Utah

Hildebrandt looked forlorn as she entered the courtroom in handcuffs on Tuesday morning.

Before her sentencing, she read out a brief statement in which she said she 'sincerely loved' the children she'd spent years abusing. She added: 'I desire for them to heal physically and emotionally.

'One of the reasons I did not go to trial is that I did not want them to emotionally relive the experiences that have been done to them.'

She said she was willing to submit to what the 'state feels will be an appropriate time' for restitution.

Judge Walton reserved his ire for Hildebrandt during his sentencing, saying that her 'philosophy in dealing with them frankly seems detached from reality by any objective standard of decency or common sense'.

He told her: 'Your conduct in this case was disastrous. Adults are supposed to protect children ... You didn't do that in this case. In this case you terrorized children and the results have been tragic.'

Prior to sentencing, Franke had once again directed blame toward Hildebrandt.

'For the past four years I have chosen to follow counsel and guidance that has led me to a dark delusion,' she said.

She claimed that she was led to believe that this world was an evil place'.

Hildebrandt's guidance, she claimed, included tales of 'government agencies that brainwash,' and 'husbands who refuse to protect.'

Despite the accusation, however, Franke said she took 'full accountability for my choices and it is my preference that I serve a prison sentence'.

'My charges are just as they offer safety to my family, accountability to the public,' she added.

Franke also apologized for twisting gods word and distorting his doctrines.

She added: My greatest desire is to stand in his court someday spotless and confident.

I am committed to continuing my learning until all my toxic layers are shed.

Prior to Hildebrant's sentencing, her attorney, Douglas Terry, claimed she 'was not the person that she has been portrayed to be'.

Responding to claims by the prosecution that his client lacked remorse, Mr Terry said outside court that Hildebrant now accepted responsibility for her actions, but that this had been 'a process'.

In court, Franke broke down in tears as she told her ex-husband, Kevin Franke, who was present in the courtroom that he was the love of her life

Following the sentencing, Washington County Attorney Eric Clarke said: 'This is a case about religious extremism. The defendants appear to have fully believed that the abuse they inflicted was necessary to reach the children how to properly repent for imagined "sins" and to cast the evil spirits out of their bodies.

'Hildebrandt regularly stated that God communicated directly with her and gave her directions. Franke accepted Hildebrandt as her leader and followed her instructions and guidance.'

The prosecutor's note went on to say that while in jail, these last five months, 'Franke has shown considerable remorse for her horrific acts'.

It added: 'Hildebrandt, on the other hand, continues to see herself as the victim. She views the devil, as well as the children, as the perpetrators.

'In a recorded conversation after she pled [sic] guilty, Hildebrandt even compared herself to Joseph Smith, the founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, in her perceived unjust incarceration.'

The initial arrests occurred in August of last year after Franke's 12-year-old child crawled out of a window in Hildebrandt's home, malnourished and with tape on his ankles.

He made it to a neighbor's house, where the Good Samaritan proceeded to call 911.

'I just had a 12-year-old boy show up here in my front door asking for help,' said the neighbor on the harrowing 911 call.

'We know there's been problems at this neighbor's house. He's emaciated. He's got tape around his legs. He's hungry and he's thirsty.'

The child accused 'Jodi' of tying him up and using cayenne pepper as well as using honey to treat the wounds caused by the tape.

He was rushed to a local hospital. Not long after, his 10-year-old sister was found in the same home, also malnourished.

Four of Franke's minor children were immediately placed in protective custody.

Both Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt pleaded guilty to four counts of aggravated child abuse, a second-degree felony

Judge John J. Walton accepted Franke's plea agreement in December.

In the plea agreement, Ruby admits that she tortured her son from May 22 through August 30 by forcing him into hours of physical tasks, summer work outdoors without adequate water and 'repeated and serious sunburns' that blistered.

He was denied food or given very plain meals, and he was isolated from other people without access to books, notebooks or electronics.

After he tried to run away in July, his hands and feet were regularly bound, sometimes with handcuffs.

Ruby also admitted to kicking her son while wearing boots, holding his head under water and smothering his mouth and nose with her hands, according to the plea agreement.

'He was also told that everything that was being done to him were acts of love,' the agreement states.

Ruby acknowledged similarly abusing her nine-year-old daughter by forcing her to work outside, run on dirt roads barefoot, and go without food and water.

'She was also repeatedly told she was evil and possessed, the punishments were necessary for her to be obedient and repent, and these things were being done to her in order to help her,' the plea agreement said.

The girl 'was convinced' what her mother said was true, the agreement said.
The White House will announce 'a major sanctions package' against Russian President Vladimir Putin to hold him accountable for the death of Alexei Navalny and for the two years of war in the Ukraine.

National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Tuesday that the new package would be unveiled this Friday. He declined to detail the sanctions or say how they would expand on the strigent sanctions that the U.S. and its allies have already put on Russia in retaliation for its invasion of Ukraine.

'Whatever story the Russian government decides to tell the world, it's clear that President Putin and his government are responsible for Mr. Navalny's death,' Kirby said. 'In response and at President Biden's direction, we will be announcing a major sanctions package on Friday of this week to hold Russia accountable.'

Alexei Navalny died in a Russian prison

The new sanctions will fall on the two-year anniversary of Russia's invasion of the Ukraine.

Navalny died in prison on Friday. His death, a month before Russia's presidential election, shocked the world.

Russian authorities said that the cause of Navalnys death at age 47 is still unknown  and the results of any investigation are likely to be questioned abroad. Many Western leaders have already said they hold Putin responsible for the death.

Kirby said the U.S. had not determined how Navalny had died, but insisted that the ultimate responsibility for the death of the Russian opposition leader lies with Putin.

'Regardless of the scientific answer, Putin's responsible for it,' he said.

Navalny's widow vowed on Monday to continue his fight against the Kremlin, while authorities denied his mother access to a morgue where his body is believed to be held after his death.

With her voice cracking at times in a video posted on social media, Yulia Navalnaya accused Putin of killing her husband in the remote prison and alleged that officials refusal to hand over the body to her mother-in-law was part of a cover-up.

Navalnys death has deprived the Russian opposition of is most well-known and inspiring politician less than a month before an election that is all but certain to give Putin another six years in power.

It dealt a devastating blow to many Russians, who had seen Navalny as a rare hope for political change amid Putins unrelenting crackdown on the opposition.

He had been imprisoned since January 2021 when he returned to Moscow after recuperating in Germany from a nerve agent poisoning that he blamed on the Kremlin.

He received three prison terms since his arrest, on a number of charges he has rejected as politically motivated.

'They are cowardly and meanly hiding his body, refusing to give it to his mother and lying miserably while waiting for the trace of' poison to disappear, Navalnaya said, suggesting her husband might have been killed with a Novichok-style nerve agent.

In this image taken from video released by Navalny Team on Monday, Feb. 19, 2024, Yulia Navalnaya, widow of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny gives a video message calling on Russian citizens to join her in the fight against Putin

The U.S. will announce new sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday

Meanwhile, Kirby also echoed the repeated calls from the White House for Congress to pass additional funding for aid to the Ukraine.

'One of the most powerful things that we can do right now to stand up to Vladimir Putin, of course, is to again pass the bipartisan national security supplemental bill and support Ukraine as they continue to fight,' he said.

The Senate passed a $60 billion in assistance for Ukraine but House Speaker Mike Johnson is stalling action on that side of the Capitol.

Ukraine has suffered a significant setbacks to Russian forces on the battlefield, which U.S. officials have attributed to the lack of supplies for Ukrainian forces.

'We need the supplemental funding. We absolutely have to have the supplemental funding to be able to continue to support Ukraine,' Kirby said.

Ukrainian President Voldymyr Zelensky said delays in military aid have made life 'very difficult' for his soldiers and said Russia is taking advantage of American in-fighting.

'The situation is extremely difficult in several parts of the front line, where Russian troops have amassed maximum reserves,' he said Monday in a nightly address.

Russians 'are taking advantage of the delays in aid to Ukraine,' he added.

Johnson has insisted he must first sit down with President Biden to discuss attaching border security to the deal. The House is currently on recess and does not return until the middle of next week.

White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said his message to Johnson was to 'step up' and hold the vote. He gave a closed door briefing to lawmakers on cCapitol Hill last week about the situation in the Ukraine.

'At this point we've got to match the basic words of support for our allies and partners with the action of putting this up for a vote. That's the speaker's obligation. That's what he has to do. And he can't shirk from that or hide from that. He's got to step up and do it,' Sullivan said Tuesday in a briefing with reporters.

'There is no magic solution to this absence of Congress ought appropriating funding. It's not like we have a piggy bank where we just keep cash lying around that we can provide to Ukraine. We need the Congress to discharge its constitutional obligation to appropriate and obligate funds that the President can then put to use to send American made weapons made by American workers and American states to Ukraine.'

And Kirby indicated lawmakers should come back to Washington to pass the aid package.

'As we've said, he had sat down and discussed this with Speaker Johnson and other congressional leaders, including at the White House, several weeks ago the importance of this supplemental funding,' he said. 'The Speaker got exactly what he wanted and then decided that he didn't want it.'

'We're at a critical time. And I believe that the President's comments and willingness to have another conversation with the Speaker reflect the sense of urgency that we all know and believe we're in and, frankly, we believe Congress should believe were in, instead of being on vacation,' he added.

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan arrives for a briefing at the U.S. Capitol on February 14

Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) greets US President Joe Biden (right) during the US - Russia Summit 2021 at the La Grange Villa near Lake Geneva, on June 16, 2021

'Whatever story the Russian government decides to tell the world, it's clear that President Putin and his government are responsible for Mr. Navalny's death,' White House spokesman John Kirby said. 'In response and at President Biden's direction, we will be announcing a major sanctions package on Friday of this week to hold Russia accountable.'

Some aid is on its way to Ukraine from other allies.

The European Union just approved some $54 billion for Ukraine earlier this month. Sweden on Tuesday announced its largest aid package yet and Canada said it was expediting the delivery of more than 800 drones.

Biden, meanwhile, tore into House Republicans for leaving town for nearly two weeks without approving aid.

'It's about time they step up  don't you think?  instead of going on a two-week vacation,' Biden said Friday. 'Two weeks they're walking away. Two weeks. What are they thinking? My God, this is bizarre.'
The appointment of a noncitizen - who cannot vote - to the San Francisco Elections Commission is a 'big problem' as China is playing the 'long game' to weaken the U.S., according to a top Republican senator.

Kelly Wong, an immigration rights activist and immigrant who came to the U.S. in 2019 from Hong Kong, was unanimously appointed by San Francisco's Board of Supervisors to the city's Elections Commission on February 14.

California voters approved a measure in 2020 to eliminate the citizenship requirement to serve on San Francisco boards - and Wong is believed to be the first noncitizen ever to sit on the commission.

Outspoken Republican Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., called her unanimous appointment 'unbelievable.'

'These people view themselves as global citizens, they view our borders as arbitrary lines on a map. They think anybody should get here for any particular reason and be granted amnesty,' Schmitt said in an interview with Fox News' Maria Bartiromo.

He warned that President Xi Jinping is playing the 'long game' as 452 Chinese have been caught at the southern border in just the last three days, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) sources.

Kelly Wong, an immigration advocate, was appointed to San Francisco's Elections Commission

Sen. Eric Schmitt told Fox News' Maria Bartiromo China is playing the 'long game' to overthrow the U.S. as the globed predominant superpower

The 21st century will be defined by who wins this great powers competition between U.S. and China: Sen. Eric Schmitt pic.twitter.com/fvYUrnIop3  Mornings with Maria (@MorningsMaria) February 20, 2024

'Look they're flooding our borders with fentanyl killing Americans,' he said. 'China is playing the long game here.'

'This is how civilizations, you know, ultimately lose their way and the idea of having an open border where anybody can come from anywhere without asking any questions is nuts.'

'We need to do everything we can right now to sort of hold Mayorkas responsible and Joe Biden responsible.'

He referenced the House Republican vote to impeach Biden's top border official Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas last week.

The Senate is expected to receive the articles of impeachment by the end of the month, but there isn't consensus on whether the Democrat-run body will hold a trial.

Schmitt also touched on how China has implemented a forward-thinking approach to becoming the world's foremost superpower.

'The problem now is they've completely populated the spaces that people make decisions, including the White House. So now we have this big problem.'

The San Francisco Elections Commission is comprised of seven residents that oversee and implement policy for the city's Department of Elections.

The department oversees voter registrations, vote by mail ballots, voting locations, election observation and additional functions surrounding the voting process.

'There are always voices inside my head. Like, 'You can't do it. You're not competent. You're an immigrant. This is not your country.' That's not true,' Wong told local outlet KQED.

'If I can do it, you can do it,' she added.

Kelly Wong is the first noncitizen to be appointed to San Fransisco's Elections Commission

Here is her victory speech: pic.twitter.com/mznDQk9GWx  Eric Abbenante (@EricAbbenante) February 19, 2024

There have been 452 Chinese caught at the southern border in just the last three days

Wong hope to increase voting engagement in the city among immigrants and individuals who do not speak English.

'Even though I'm fluent in English, I still encounter challenges in navigating a new system, let alone participating in political conversation and activities,' she said.

'I am deeply committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of immigration status, has a seat at the table in shaping the future of our city,' she posted to on social media following her appointment.
A Londoner whose baby's birth certificate was 'defaced' by Home Office staff no longer feels safe in the UK as cases of anti-Semitism continue to rise across the country.

Israel, a father-of-three who lives in Edgware, North London, and his wife Dorin, 29, were left in disbelief when they found five-month-old baby Ronnie's identification papers had been tampered with.

The certificate, returned from the Passport Office, had been ripped and her father's place of birth - which was Israel - had been scribbled out with a biro pen, leading the Home Secretary to launch an investigation into the case.

'I felt horrendous when I saw it for the first time,' the 32-year-old engineer said. 'It took me a few more times to look at that and understand what's going on.'

Ever since Hamas' deadly attack on Israel on October 7, the family have been living in fear and have started to feel 'unsafe'.

The family of five, who live in Edgware, North London, feel that they have been 'targeted'

Five-month-old baby Ronnie's birth certificate was returned to the family defaced, with her birth place of Israel scribbled out

Father-of-three Israel said 'being Jewish in the UK is getting worse', with his family fearing for their safety

'The situation here is not good,' Israel told Sky News. 'To be Jewish in the UK is very hard. And it's not getting better, it's getting worse and worse.

'I think my daughter, in 20 years, that's her future, because London is not London any more, and I literally feel unsafe.'

Yesterday Israel, who is also father to eight-year-old Adiel and five-year-old Ella, told MailOnline his family felt like a 'target' as if they were living in 1930s Germany where Nazis would put notes on Jewish people's documents.

'[My wife] found it was ripped half way through and my place of birth - which was Israel - had been scribbled out with a pen,' Israel, who did not want to reveal his surname, told MailOnline.

'We felt as if we had been taken back to 1930's Germany where the Nazis would put notes on Jewish people's documentation.

'It is completely warped and it hurts my heart that my daughter is not even six-months-old and she has already been discriminated on in the worst way.'

'The Home Office is in charge of our safety as a minority in the UK and they deal with our most private documents but instead of sending us back the certificate in the right way someone within their system has scribbled out Israel because they have hostile feelings,' Israel added.

The shocked family were advised to contact the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism who approached the Home Office on behalf of the family to raise the issue.

The birth certificate was returned to the family with a tear on the right hand side, while the birth place of Ronnie's father's was scratched out in what appears to be a biro pen. Her mother's birthplace of Israel, however, was left untouched.

As the certificate has been defaced it is no longer valid and the family will need to wait for the Home Office to re-send the document.

Home Secretary James Cleverly (pictured outside Downing Street on February 6) said the incident would be looked into 'urgently'

The Home Secretary took to X to inform the public officials within the Home Office will investigate the matter immediately

Environment Secretary Steve Barclay meanwhile called the incident 'absolutely appalling and shocking'

The concerned father, who had only sent the application for the birth certificate off two weeks ago, has now called for the person behind the attack to be removed from the Home Office and for the Government to apologise.

Israel, who runs an engineering company, added: 'This is our Government and we are putting our faith in their hands so we want the Home Office to first apologise.

'Afterwards we need to make sure this person, man or woman, cannot put their hands on other people's private documents.

'Unfortunately this birth certificate is not valid any more because it's been scribbled on. So this person has destroyed my child's identity, their birth certificate, just because it's a Jewish person.

'We are terrified because if this is the environment within the Home Office this is not a place we want to live. We are just as British as everyone else.'

Responding to the incident yesterday evening Home Secretary James Cleverly said on X that he called for an immediate investigation into the matter.

Responding to the image of the invalid birth certificate, which has since been shared widely on social media, he said: 'I have asked my officials to investigate this urgently and will see that appropriate action is taken.'

Last week, the Community Security Trust said it had recorded 4,103 instances of anti-Semitism, up from 1,662 in 2022. Pictured: Orthodox Jewish men pass police officers on patrol in Stamford Hill

Environment Secretary Steve Barclay meanwhile called the incident 'absolutely appalling and shocking' adding that the Government 'absolutely needs to get to the bottom of what's happened.'

Israel said Mr Cleverly's response was 'very swift' and gave him some 'hope' but he still feared for Jewish people in the UK.

He said while people 'can debate if what Israel is doing is legitimate or not' people 'cannot debate if Israel is a legitimate as a state or not.'

'Scribbling it out is like saying "no, I'm not legitimate"' he added.

Ever since the war broke out in the Middle East following Hamas' October 7 attacks Israel has warned his eight-year-old son and five-year-old daughter to avoid revealing their Jewish identity in public.

The father said: 'We are hiding our identity as much as we can and we are telling our children to hide any signs of being Jewish because the environment around here is not friendly towards Jewish people.

'We are seen as targets and we have seen a sharp rise in the hostile environment.'

'We expect the Home Office to apologise. We need a new document because this one has been destroyed and is not valid anymore,' Israel said.

'I hope it is a one-off, but maybe it's the beginning of something bigger and maybe.'

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism told MailOnline: 'This is completely unacceptable.

'When sending off a passport application to the Home Office, the last thing one should ever expect is to have their child's birth certificate returned, torn, with the parent's place of birth scribbled out, just because it is the Jewish state.

People attend a Campaign Against Antisemitism rally outside New Scotland Yard in central London, seeking police action amid a rise in anti-Semitic incidents

Tens of thousands of people gathered in central London for a rally against antisemitism in November

'We are assisting the parents, who are understandably very concerned about this incident. We are also asking the Home Office to investigate how this happened.

'The Home Office has responsibility for law enforcement and the security of the Jewish community and the wider public. Confidence in the authorities among British Jews is at painfully low levels and must be restored.'

Security Minister Tom Tugendhat also posted on X confirming the Home Office is investigating the matter.

A Home Office spokesperson said: 'The Home Secretary has asked officials to urgently investigate this matter and appropriate action will be taken.

While the facts and circumstances are being established, it must be reiterated that this government will not tolerate antisemitism in any form.

The defaced birth certificate has led to a public outcry from people on social media.

One wrote: 'Horrendous antisemitism. Time for some serious consequences for antisemitism in the UK.'

Another added 'What is going on? Disciplinary investigation is required in this case' while a third labelled the incident 'absolutely disgraceful'.

MailOnline has contacted the Home Office for further comment.

The incident comes just days after a report by The Community Security Trust revealed the number of anti-Semitic incidents in Britain had jumped 147 per cent in the last year, with a massive surge occurring in the wake of October 7.

The charity recorded 4,103 instances of anti-Semitism in Britain, up from 1,662 in 2022.

It included 266 violent assaults on Jews, up 96 per cent year-on-year and the highest figure since the CST started gathering data 40 years ago.

For the first time, it recorded at least one anti-Semitic incident for every police force in the UK, with the majority  more than 2,400  in London, including some at vigils for Hamas's Israeli hostages.
China is more democratic than the US or UK

YouTube Comments

China is more democratic than the US or UK

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBqNnGhiHMc

Jerry's Take on

1,248 

@hongdeli6148 9

Western civilization budded based on European bloody killings soil, by fabricated religions and God brainwashing people to tear apart humanity and society.

Democracy is deception and the most evil form of dictatorship. The essence is to grant government power to the people who are unable to think and behave rationally to be beastly dictatorial.

@hongdeli6148

0

The policy making in China and the west is in different way.

In china is made by group of quality people friendly discuss together.

In west is made by social garbage ganged gangs fight as dead enemies.

@wardlynds

2

Right on Jerry. I've been here for 26 years and I love it here. Here we find a government of and for the people.

1 

@jerrystakeonchina799

2

A popular comment Wardlynds, losts of "likes" already - thank you, it's amazing how many people are so deceived into thinking differently

@richardwong2950 2

Hi Jerry, I have lived in the UK for 53 years. I have travelled extensively in the UK and Europe. I can tell you that European governments are getting more dictatorial all the time. It is hypocritical of them to say that they are democratic whilst criticising other countries. They pass all kinds of laws to control people, including peaceful protests.

In the UK the British government, local councils and police provide extra security to Jewish establishments during the current conflict in Gaza, using taxpayers' money, but what security do they give to Palestinian establishments in the UK? Moreover, they allow pro-Israeli marches but try to stop and/or arrest Pro-Palestinian protesters. Anyway, recently the London Police arrested a high profile White man at a Pro-Palestinian demonstration. He did not do anything. He was just being there.But the police said that his presence might incite violent protest. What kind of law is this?

Turning to another matter. Some people think that the Hong Kong government and judges was being harsh to "pro-democracy activists" by trialling and sentencing them to jail. In the UK maybe one to two years ago several men were arrested and subsequently jailed ranging from one to more than three years for climbing up a bridge to protest, hence stopping all the traffic as police had decided to close the bridge crossing. They had not harmed anyone physically. Their lengths of sentences are harsher than those imposed by Hong Kong judges, especially if you take into consideration that some Hong Kong protesters in 2019 were often violent.

@MYSG-nc6wp

2

This is a great, short video that all residents of "democratic" countries should watch. Kudos.

@martinpecheur-xh1qp

2

"Of course Georges Washington wasn't a communist, he was a slave owner"

@zeissiez

2

A story about democracy:

A farmer asked his son before he died, "Pigs complain about poor feed, cows complain about heavy work, and chickens complain about dirty nests. What should you do?". The son said: "Change to good feed, buy more cows, clean up Chicken coop." The farmer shook his head and said. "No, don't do anything. Let them vote one from the pigs to take care of them, and let them think they control their own destiny.

Fathers idea = American liberal democracy (electoral circus)

Sons idea = Chinese democracy (get things done)

@davidlazarus67

2

In the west you can change the party but not the policy. In China you cant change the party but can change the policy. Its the policy that matters, so China has it right.

@michaelloong964

2

Jerry you have done a good job about political system in China and in the US and UK. No matter what political system in the world , so far the Chinese system works well for the Chinese people. It has eliminated poverty of 800 million people in a span of 40 years. It is unprecedented in human history. Democracy talk is only academic.

@hokiec4974

2

As a citizen and resident in Australia I cannot really figure out what is Western Democracy. A vibrant democracy or democracy is dead. China democracy with China characteristics is thriving and shining. No lies no hypocrisyway to go!

@josephguo6256

2

In China, country belongs to people. The west, country belongs to voted politicians. For example, has Western countries passed a referendum on arms support for Ukraine? Will Sweden hold a referendum to join NATO? Joining NATO means that the country will become a battlefield.



@greaterbayareahero1401

2

I am living in China after 30 years in a Western upbringing. They have local levels of management. People are able to complain to local authorities if they find corruption. This local power to squeal on the corrupt makes everyone scare of doing anything wrong. The local authorities can bring someone in to interrogate for 1 year and reporting every day to the police station if they find they are playing games. Things get done this way. I love that President Xi ironed out the corruption fast. Add onto that there are cameras and AI to bring a villain under arrest in 10 minutes. No one ever robs a bank these days. Also because with WeChat payments no one is carrying cash. Lol

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Jerry's Take on China





Jerry's Take on China



2 

@donatwu3128

@donatwu3128

2

China's system of democracy under socialism of Chinese characteristics is based on the fundamental which is its people. In this system, the people tell the government what to do through government organized consultation activities & the government does its best to meet its people's needs & expectations in balanced strategies. When people criticize or complain about the government's works, the government listens & reacts to them to make things right. It is never autocracy versus democracy as libelled. Rather, it is good governance versus empty talks.

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Jerry's Take on China





Jerry's Take on China



2 

@chankane

@chankane

2

LOL!!! I totally agree!! Thank you for bringing this out!!! Finally!

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Jerry's Take on China





Jerry's Take on China



1 

@peterthehappywaiguoren

@peterthehappywaiguoren

2

Great video on the PRC democracy Jerry. Completely agree that it is more efficient and fair than so called western "democracies"!

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Jerry's Take on China





Jerry's Take on China



1 

@dyrectory_com

@dyrectory_com

2

Jerry, this is just the explanation i need, so i can share to Wesrern minds. Thanks! Long term govt based on meritocracy vs a short term popularity plutocracy based on a promise of lies and self interests.

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Jerry's Take on China





Jerry's Take on China



1 

@kieuyap960

@kieuyap960

2

Mr. Jerry you hit the nail in the head.

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Jerry's Take on China



@boonteoh2346

@boonteoh2346

2

Great take Jerry, good to compare different systems. Each nations to its own, no system is Infallible but China enjoys more freedom and people benefit from such!!

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Jerry's Take on China





Jerry's Take on China



1 

@mulli4454

@mulli4454

2

In Australia we have a rupercratic Murdochracy

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Jerry's Take on China





Jerry's Take on China



1 

@raymondkanda-kabamba9266

@raymondkanda-kabamba9266

2

Most of those who claim to be Democratic may not always be so Democratic !

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Jerry's Take on China



@elkaboom1871

@elkaboom1871

2

One of the most oft-heard criticisms of the Chinese form of government here in Canada is that there's no transparency and that there's no public debate before a law is passed and enacted. In the West, public debates are the norm, ostensibly to inform the electorate and to prove those in office have nothing to hide, but really just to drive a wedge between different segments of society, hoping to get more voters on one's side. Thus was born the presidential debates in the US, which, for those who have seen them, are more spectacle than debate. China doesn't do public spectacles, China holds its debates in various offices and various agencies with different groups participating, all in private. Only when all the arguments have been heard and a consensus has been reached will the final proposal be tabled. That's not a lack of transparency, it's a show of maturity. Anyone who thinks public debates are better is welcome to watch the upcoming presidential debates in the US, but be warned, Donald Trump's performance can be shockingly immature, illiterate, and shameless. If you still think China should do that kind of thing afterward, I'd like to hear why.

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Jerry's Take on China





Jerry's Take on China



13 

@lucleoni

@lucleoni

2

Standing ovation for this one.

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Jerry's Take on China





Jerry's Take on China



1 

@tswong2409

@tswong2409

2

Absolutely right!

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Jerry's Take on China



@ron9465

@ron9465

2

I also think that China has got it right, highly educated and great achievers who have proved their worth. I doubt if some of our British MP's would be qualified to make the tea over here.

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Jerry's Take on China



@begotten59

@begotten59

2

Thats true China is Democracies ??? Many thanks Jerry ??

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Jerry's Take on China



@jamessiu7660

@jamessiu7660

2

Whether a country is democratic or not is determined by how it has delivered the betterment of its people- higher income, better education, improved medical care, lesser crime, improved environment protection. And China has achieved these.

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Jerry's Take on China





Jerry's Take on China



7 

@daniellee8720

@daniellee8720

2

Another excellent piece. Thanks Jerry for all your research

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Jerry's Take on China





Jerry's Take on China



1 

@Qiminggu

@Qiminggu

2

Thank u speak the truth

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Jerry's Take on China





Jerry's Take on China



1 

@kaiki8490

@kaiki8490

2

I tried to raise the issue of racism since covid to every level of government.

During a recent federal election i attended a few town hall meetings for the first time to see my local member. My member is the treasurer and is only outrank by the prime minster.

I had to submit the questions to be asked beforehand. And i was never called up to be given the opporunity to ask those questions. After a few town hall visits, i also noticed the question that were ask by the audience were ALWAYS the same. At first i though that they just screen for favourable questions. Then a man in a suit managed to ask a few questiond regard Julian Assange and the safety of the vaccine. When he demanded the politican(he dodge the quest) answer his questions, he was escorted out with cheers and applause from the audience. I later met up with that guy and he told me the questioners were all hired actors as were the people who started to applause when he was escorted out. He then show me some vids on his phone where he looked like a hippie in another gathering and he pointed to some people in those vid and sure enough they were in the audience that day.

Westetn democracy. Its a just a sideshow

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Jerry's Take on China



1 

@yehuo2825

@yehuo2825

2

nice vid jerry!

excellent comparison and explanation between the us, uk, and china political system!

alot of people ask me about the political system of china too, now they have a vid they can refer to...

most people think china is bad, cause it is communism, but if they really study what is communism, they wouldnt think the way they think, cause they think the way they think, due to the influence from western medias. if they really study the political system of the usa, uk, and china, they actually would really understand china is more democratic than the usa, uk, and any other so called democracy system countries.

12

Jerry's Take on China





Jerry's Take on China



1 

@PVLTD

@PVLTD

2

I believe having a right-minded person to vote is more important than a person having the right to vote. Otherwise, you just elected a good salesman or a great speaker that hardly delivered their promises.

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Jerry's Take on China





4 

@dyong888

@dyong888

2

Loved and shared. Keep it up.

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Jerry's Take on China





Jerry's Take on China



1 

@MetaView7

@MetaView7

2

Epilogue: If the hospital were run by democracy, 50% of the budget would have gone to the cafeteria, and the purchase of X-ray and MRI machines is still held up by debates and studies upon studies.

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Jerry's Take on China





Jerry's Take on China



1 

@davidchung4691

@davidchung4691

2

You are indeed admirably a very well knowledgeable in Chinese History and current affairs! Every words every sentence you said with clear voice and truthful often with supporting references! Thank you once again Jerry.

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Jerry's Take on China





Jerry's Take on China



1 

@louiserobinson9776

@louiserobinson9776

2

A good question well explained! Chinese people trust their government because its a

meritocracy and the leadership works for the people and promotes unity. Conversely the democratic partisan system in the west always leaves a country deeply divided, as in the US. In the UK we have an unelected head of state and unelected House of Lords. Candidates in safe seats become MPs without having to have any qualifications or experience. Once elected they toe the party line rather than speak for the constituents. So much for democracy!

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Jerry's Take on China





Jerry's Take on China



1 

@dennisconroy3459

@dennisconroy3459

2

Good reporting Jerry China leadership do cater from the ground up. America Oligarchs hand the beurocracy down to the Government candidate to mandates to order the top. To look after business and the ground have less catered rights looked after.

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Jerry's Take on China





Jerry's Take on China



1 

@jf-be4zy

@jf-be4zy

2

What a great history lesson about the usa. I was not taught any of the info you provided about George Washington when I was in school.

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Jerry's Take on China





Jerry's Take on China



2 

@ajs-qv5fe

@ajs-qv5fe

2

good vid, mate. some other questions for you, jerry, can the US and UK handle this thing called democracy, or for the same matter, freedom or free speech ??? in china, everyone, from ordinary, civil servants to elected officials, is accountable for their actions and what they said, whereas in the western form of "democracy", one can almost get away with murder and just blame it on policy failures; iraq, afghanistan, libya, syria, solimeni, regime change, warmongering etc etc - there should really be a set of international standard and/or rules on "professional negligence" to make sure that all govt and elected officials can and will held responsible for their policies or whatever when they are on the job ...

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Jerry's Take on China



1 

@willeisinga2089

@willeisinga2089

2

Jerry You say what I think. Thank You.

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Jerry's Take on China



@gollygosh40

@gollygosh40

2

Thanks Jerry, always learn something new from your talk. Honest and well researched.

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Jerry's Take on China





Jerry's Take on China



1 

@lilypang7590

@lilypang7590

6

The world needs your VOICE!!!!

2

Jerry's Take on China



@ruserturn1134

@ruserturn1134

2

Thank you for another great & illuminating lecture/video, Jerry !

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Jerry's Take on China





Jerry's Take on China



1 

@jazening3075

@jazening3075

1

Thank you for sharing your insight about Democracy & Happy New Year Jerry!

1

Jerry's Take on China





Jerry's Take on China



1 

@gunsumwong3948

@gunsumwong3948

2

An obsession with a good governance system must contain democracy is a western doctrine that Chinese people never subscribe, even as an ethnic Chinese living in the west in the past 50 years. The bottom line is there is no one system that suit all.

A simple example is if 99% of the population are illiterate a dictatorship can be more effective than letting everyone have a voice. The other factor is the sharing of resources. Let say if the world has only Jerry in China and Rishi Sunak in UK then both can have the unlimited freedom without any consequence because there is no point to have more resource if one have the entire UK or China. However if UK has the same population of China its democracy will collapse whereas if China's population is reduced to just 65 million every Chinese will have much more freedom in sharing the natural resources and the country could be run with a lot less disciplines.

Thus a country must have a governance suitable for its people and it geographical constrains. The choice of governance cannot be dictated by the western preference. More importantly the governance system must be able to "change, improve, revise and update" to suit the people's need. Putting a label and rigidly constraining the government to change and improve just because it is not a democratic practise is a sure recipe for decline, as the direction most of western economies now heading.

Chinese are practical. They don't believe having the ballot box is the way for a better world but hard work, united goal, common consensus/opinion and a government that is always committed to improve the life of the population(as defined by the Chinese Communist Party's constitutions) are more appropriate. The other important difference between Chinese leadership and the west is in China only people with skill and experienced "already proven" in government office could advance to the leadership level. People on the street have respect for them and will support them together with the supreme power of the country "the People's Congress". Everyone in the People's Congress has to be the community leader, an authority in his/her field or recognised major industrialist. It is the People's Congress who elect and appoint the leader in China. The current Chinese government is actually the same that has been using for thousands of years. The difference is in place of an emperor it is the constitutions of the CPC which has been regularly revised too.

China is governed by a culture! Every traditionally educated Chinese is aspired to serve the country as the ultimate goal in life. The scientists who produce innovations, manufacturers who bring commercial success, the military people who achieve weapon break through, the simple folks who did poverty alleviation and the common people who spend years to plant trees in the desert all see themselves fulfilling their dream of making an important contribution to the community. This is no a propaganda but is genuinely the 5000+ years Chinese culture of life accomplishment and self fulfilllment. For thousands of years Chinese are not political but putting the community interest at the centre of everything.

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Jerry's Take on China





Jerry's Take on China



1 

@benjiang9789

@benjiang9789

2

Hong Kong now is carrying out its District Council Elections. A lot of candidates pop up from nowhere. I don't know them, don't even know of them. Why should I vote for anyone of them? Even if I vote for one, he/she will disappear after the election. What is the sense of election? A lot of Hong Kongers are just like me.

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Jerry's Take on China



1 

@andrewfrennier3494

@andrewfrennier3494

2

Jerry! Jerry! THAT is the type of video I was talking about. Outstanding.

Yes, here in the U.S. many public officials can simply resign their positions and investigations into their actions stop.

I once worked (reluctantly) for an important state legislator, whose party later maneuvered him to lose his seat (after I left). He was elected a county clerk, a position that here in Tennessee can easily become a lifetime appointment as they always get reelected. However, he started pocketing some of the fees, to the extent that criminal investigations were begun. He was allowed to simply resign, the investigation stopped by law, AND he got to keep the money.

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Jerry's Take on China





Jerry's Take on China



2 

@MetaView7

@MetaView7

2

A side note on Authoritarian -- I am sure many people have seen such photos: A brand new highway in China making a detour around a house. Obviously, the homeowner did not want to sell, so the highway had to go around it. An authoritarian regime would have thrown the owner out and bulldozed the house.

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Jerry's Take on China





1 

@ChicagoTurtle1

@ChicagoTurtle1

2

Im not in America right now, but clearly we are authoritarian about corporatism and its inequalities as seen in poverty, medical care, and increasingly so. Overseas, our authoritarian ways are much more violently practiced. But America is not the same at it is because of racial characteristics or anything else the right wing will point at. Looking at the actual, practical mechanism, its filled with corruption. Its just that we changed the law so we cant call it that anymore. China has been cracking down hard on corruption (even with capital punishment?), while we are seeing corruption infiltrate deeper into our society.

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Jerry's Take on China



@masque7645

@masque7645

2

Totally a very logical explanation. I often wonder why every single position out there requires specific training and work experience, but it seems like the only exemption is being countries' leaders. Very interesting... no wonder our world is a mess up place...

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Jerry's Take on China





Jerry's Take on China



1 

@derekkhoo3104

@derekkhoo3104

2

Jerry you put it in very clear perspective, you need a trained & proven person to do certain job, like engineer & doctor, not the most popular!

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Jerry's Take on China





Jerry's Take on China



1 

@guens01

@guens01

2

Thank you very much, Jerry. I used to believe everything the Western media told me about China. But not anymore. Your takes have opened up my mind tremendously. Keep up the good work.

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@tomtsai1014

@tomtsai1014

2

9:23 We don't see this type of insightful analysis in major western media at all. Thank you Jerry.

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@wingkeeho5864

@wingkeeho5864

2

Very good explanation of how Chinese democracy works.

Chinese mentality of good govt does not change over the last 20 centuries, i.e. work for the people, for the people. If not, you would disappear in no time.

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@kevinjamesng

@kevinjamesng

2

Wish New Zealand had China's system steed steady for the People .. Thing get done without the chaos interruptions of the 3 year election cycle .

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@alexd9656

@alexd9656

3

very important points, thank you for sharing!

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Jerry's Take on China



@syncmaster915n

@syncmaster915n

2

A well-researched, insightful analysis of China's political system, Jerry! I hope some western poly-science scholars/researchers will see this and and get a better understanding of China's governance. Keep up the good work!

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@wankee888

@wankee888

2

At the development stage it is better if every body works together for the common good.

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Jerry's Take on China



@AnotherExtraFist

@AnotherExtraFist

2

Thank you Jerry! Wonderful researched and delivered. Congrats.

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Jerry's Take on China



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@liamporter1137

@liamporter1137

2

Well said. Thanks for sharing and surfacing the truth.

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@ric6074

@ric6074

2

Just because they are given to vote and protest means democracy, but unfortunately their govt is not listening and working for the people.

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@Max-cs1dn

@Max-cs1dn

2

Fascinating talk and perspective. Truly a piece of music to my ears listening to all the facts and your mature analysis that hardly exist on mainstream media.

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Jerry's Take on China



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@megthornton1371

@megthornton1371

2

Thank you Jerry

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@keeboon66

@keeboon66

2

Thank you Jerry. Good that you brought up UK which I would have never thought of :)

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Jerry's Take on China



@oriyan6484

@oriyan6484

1

Thank you for doing the video with your heart.

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Jerry's Take on China



@KevinWayne

@KevinWayne

2

Yep... When the US was founded, voting was based on one thing: It's all about Property Ownership. I couldn't vote under that system even though I am White & Male. My friend from HS could've voted for a time, having inherited his parents' house. But that was sold off awhile back. I like to remind those whingeing about Women not being allowed to vote that 1) I couldn't have voted either and 2) There was actually an "Anti-Suffragist" movement among women. One reason was a fear of Conscription. But also it seems if you and your husband ran a Pub in those days, the fear was that Women voting would've caused your business to be shut down. And actually, it did: It was called Prohibition

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3 

@lkchoh1454

@lkchoh1454

2

No law to protect government officers in China, e.g Qingang as USA embassy promoted to foreigner minister then later demoted.

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2 

@MetaView7

@MetaView7

2

Democracy's purpose is to seek people's opinions.

One little-known fact: some of the World's most respected public opinion research companies have the Chinese government as their clients.

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1 

@shiwang8989

@shiwang8989

2

Socrates, Greek philosopher once asked this question about democracy "If you were heading out on a journey by sea, asks Socrates, who would you ideally want deciding who was in charge of the vessel? Just anyone or people educated in the rules and demands of seafaring? The latter of course, says Adeimantus, so why then, responds Socrates, do we keep thinking that any old person should be fit to judge who should be a ruler of a country?"

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1 

@siewkonsum7291

@siewkonsum7291

2

(Quote & U quote) Prof. Donald Hoffman says,

"Capitalism and Democracy are for the unenlightened, Socialism and Communism are for the enlightened."

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Jerry's Take on China



@alf7326

@alf7326

2

Great vid. Thanks again, Jerry.

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Jerry's Take on China



@euralps-AUS

@euralps-AUS

2

Very interesting, that explains to some extent the mind blowing progress in China. You have a new subscriber, wish I could live in China too.

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Jerry's Take on China



1 

@std882

@std882

2

As usual. Excellent commentary. Definitely learned something from here. Thanks.

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Jerry's Take on China



@MASMIWA

@MASMIWA

2

Jerry, excellent summary of the Chinese government's workings, again you have done your homework well and your knowledge of China is exemplary.

I might add that the US founding fathers thought democracy was bad for the US so the world 'democracy' is not found in the US Constitution nor the Declaration of Independence. In today's world, the US government is almost dysfunctional, with a major two party system locked in gridlock focused on destroying the other party and not focusing on building and growing the US economy and well being of its people. It seems the priority for the US government is for funding the military, with domestic priorities taking a second seat. What has evolved in the US is not democracy, per say, but a plutocracy of corporate interests and high wealth individuals who have the ability to sway our representatives to vote on their behalf. It is democracy of the rich. Democracy in the US is but a mask of what the US truly is, a country run by the oligarchs of America.

"Many will be shocked to learn that the word democracy was neither used in the Declaration of Independence nor in the Constitution. Indeed, the Founding Fathers were anxious and fearful of allowing any form of tyranny, including the tyranny of the majority." (Cato Institute)

"When legislators propose new laws, they don't always write the bills themselves. Corporations, interest groups or their lobbyists often write fill-in-the-blank (USA Today)

"It is fair to say that governments that consistently produce the outcomes their citizens desire are democratic, while those that consistently fail to produce the outcomes their citizens desire results are not......The Chinese Constitution--"employs it (the word democracy) thirty-eight times." (Godfrey Robert's book: Why China Leads the World)

https://www.amazon.com/Why-China-Leads-World-Democracy/dp/1735821314

A good explanation of China's government structure and how it functions was given by Eric Li in a TED talk, 'A Tale of Two Political Systems.'

https://www.ted.com/talks/eric_x_li_a_tale_of_two_political_systems?language=en
Benedict went by 'Nex' according to friends and was described as a 'great kid'

An Oklahoma non-binary teen has died 'from brain trauma' hours after allegedly being involved in a fight at school where schoolmates were said to have beaten their head on a restroom floor.

Nex Benedict, 16, was savagely attacked along with a trans student at Owasso Public High School, according to the youngster's family.

The teen died in the hospital on February 8, after allegedly being beaten by three older girls. Her grandmother told the Independent that her child was bullied for being gender fluid and got into a fight in the bathroom with other girls.

Police investigating the death said no 911 call was made by the school. They were summoned to the hospital at around 3pm on February 7.

The teen's guardian, Sue Benedict, described her child as a straight-A student, animal lover and a talented cook during a funeral service held on Thursday.

'I was so proud of Nex. They were going some place, they were so free,' she said.

Oklahoma teen Nex Benedict, 16, died after allegedly being involved in a fight at school

The Owasso Public High School student passed away in hospital on February 8, a day after the alleged fight

The incident reportedly involved the teen's head being repeatedly smashed on the floor of the school's restroom

Sue said Nex had been bullied since the start of the 2023 school year, just months after Oklahoma governor Kevin Stitt signed a bathroom ban bill, stipulating students must use the bathroom which aligns with their biological sex.

Police were summoned to the hospital by Nex's family around 3.30pm on February 7, according to a police statement.

The teen was discharged a short while after but rushed back in the next day and later died.

Police are yet to confirm if the death was related to the alleged fight. They are awaiting autopsy and toxicology results from the medical examiner's office, which will deliver the final verdict on cause of death.

Detectives are currently interviewing witnesses to determine if any criminal charges will be filed.

'The Owasso Police Department will release all information required by law, but it is the Department's policy to not release incident reports for cases that are under active investigation when there is risk of compromising or harming the investigation,' the statement said.

'We understand that people are concerned about this incident and we can assure everyone that this incident is being taken seriously and is being investigated thoroughly.

'The Owasso Police Department offers our condolences to the family, friends, fellow students, and loved ones of the deceased student and we will do our best to discover the truth.'

Friends said Benedict went by the name 'Nex.' The teen was described as a nature lover and keen cook who adored their pet cat Zeus

Police are awaiting the results of an autopsy and toxicology report before they release a cause of death

In a statement to local media Owasso Public Schools said it could not comment amid an ongoing investigation

'At first, I didn't feel anything. I couldn't. What am I supposed to feel at that point? Knowing that someone that I could have used to know, someone I used to walk in the halls with, someone I could have been to class with is no longer a part of our lives, no longer part of the community. It's a community that I love, and now she's gone,' school friend Alexandria Davidson told WYMT.

An obituary described the teen's love of nature and 'caring' disposition, especially towards beloved cat Zeus.

'Dagny enjoyed a variety of pastimes such as watching the Walking Dead, drawing, reading and playing Ark and Minecraft,' the notice read.

The teen is survived by their grandparents Sue and Walter Benedict, as well as four sisters, two brothers and a niece and nephew, according to the obituary.

A GoFundMe has also been set up to help the family cover funeral costs.

In a statement to local media, Owasso Public Schools said it could not comment amid an ongoing investigation.

DailyMail.com has contacted Owasso Schools and the Owasso Police Department for comment.
The mother-in-law of a Russian-American is pleading for the White House to step in to her rescue after she was charged with high treason in Russia for donating $51 to the Ukrainian cause.

'If America doesn't help, she will spend the rest of her life in jail,' Eleonora Srebroski told DailyMail.com on Tuesday. 'I am scared for her and very concerned she will be physically harmed or killed there in prison.'

Videos posted by a Russian news agency on Tuesday showed the 32-year-old being led by Federal Security Service agents into a courtroom in handcuffs and with her eyes blindfolded.

'She is a beautiful person and a beautiful soul,' the concerned mother-in-law added from her home in Maryland. 'I love her and will do anything to help her.'

Karelina is a resident of Los Angeles who became a US citizen in 2021. Her social media pages are littered with photos of her smiling, loving life in the US. She married her husband Eugene Khavana, who is also originally from Russia, in the US in 2013 after they met in Maryland.

Karelina moved to the US after graduating from college in her homeland in 2013

Vladimir Putin 's secretive Federal Security Service has arrested dual Russian-American ballerina, 32-year-old Ksenia Karelina, on treason charges

Karelina, shown her dancing on the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City, was previously at student at the University of Maryland

A statement from Russian officials refers to Karelina as a resident of Los Angeles

Lawyers have said that Karelina was originally arrested on 'petty hooliganism' charges after she was accused of swearing outside of a movie theater

The dancer was arrested on the same day in January that Putin sat down for his widely panned interview with Tucker Carlson. The apprehension took place outside of a movie theater in Yekaterinburg. The initial charges related to swearing offenses.

Yekaterinburg, the largest city in the Ural region, is also where Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich was arrested on spying charges nearly 12 months ago.

Following her initial arrest, Karelina was then accused of fundraising for a Ukrainian military cause. She is specifically accused of transferring $51.80 from an American bank account to Ukrainian charity, Razom.

Treason charges can carry penalties of up to 20 years in prison. Since 2023, 63 people have been charged with treason in Russia, 37 were found guilty.

'The White House and State Department aware of reports that a dual U.S.-Russia citizen has been detained in Russia. We are working to obtain more information and secure consular access to the individual,' a White House official told DailyMail.com.

The State Department currently has a Do Not Travel advisory to Russia specifically because of the risk of 'wrongful detentions.'

Karelina graduated from Ural Federal University in 2013. Numerous posts on her Facebook page show her in Baltimore, Maryland, beginning in 2014

She is specifically accused of transferring $51.80 from an American bank account to Ukrainian charity, Razom

On her Facebook page, Karelina says that she's from Yekaterinburg and that she studied ballet at the S. P. Diaghilev school.

The dancer is accused of 'proactively collecting funds since February 2022 in the interests of a Ukrainian organization, which were subsequently used to purchase tactical medicine, equipment, weapons and ammunition for the Armed Forces of Ukraine,' the FSB alleges.

'In addition, the citizen in question repeatedly took part in public actions in support of the Kyiv regime while in the United States,' the agency added, reports The Moscow Times.

On her Facebook page, Karelina says that she's from Yekaterinburg and that she studied ballet at the S. P. Diaghilev school

Russian language outlet Mediazona reports that Karelina has been a US citizen since 2021

Treason charges can carry penalties of up to 20 years in prison

Russian language outlet Mediazona reports that Karelina has been a US citizen since 2021 and that in 2023 she married an American man.

Karelina graduated from Ural Federal University in 2013. Numerous posts on her Facebook page show her in Baltimore, Maryland, beginning in 2014.

Mediazona reports that Karelina was first arrested on charges of 'petty hooliganism,' for swearing. While in custody, those charges were upgraded to 'high treason.'

The outlet goes on to report that Karelina ceased posting on the Russian social media site VK on November 3, 2021 after posting a series of photos showing her gaining citizenship.

On that profile, Karelina said that she studied at the University of Maryland in Baltimore.

Razom, the NYC-based Ukrainian charity that she's accused of supporting, describes itself as 'contributing to the establishment of a secure, prosperous, and democratic Ukraine.'

On her LinkedIn page, Karelina says that she works as a manager at Ciel Spa Beverly Hills, a role that she's been in since 2019.

Karelina shared the above social media post after obtaining her US citizenship in 2021

Karelina has alsosaid that she studied at the University of Maryland in Baltimore

Karelina was first arrested on charges of 'petty hooliganism,' for swearing

Karelina pictured with friends in a Facebook post from 2017

On her LinkedIn page, Karelina says that she works as a manager at Ciel Spa Beverly Hills, a role that she's been in since 2019

Mediazona reports that Karelina was first arrested on charges of 'petty hooliganism,' for swearing. While in custody, those charges were upgraded to 'high treason'

Karelina is the latest American behind bars in Russia, in addition to Gershkovich, former US Marine Paul Whelan and Texas dad David Barnes, 65, who last week was sentenced to 21 years in prison in Moscow on child abuse charges.

On the same day that Karelina's arrest was announced, Gershkovich appeared in a Moscow court where he had his pre-trial detention extended.

Earlier this month, Putin told former Fox News host Tucker Carlson in an interview that he was open to the idea of releasing Americans held in Russian jails but did not discuss specifics.

'I do not rule out that the person you refer to, Mr Gershkovich, may return to his motherland. We want the US special services to think about how they can contribute to achieving the goals our special services are pursuing,' Putin told Carlson.

Numerous reports have suggested that Putin is interested in discussing an exchange involving Vadim Krasikov, the assassin responsible for the shooting of Chechen rebel Zelimkhan Khangoshvili in Berlin in 2019.

Karelina's arrest comes as Putin faces heightened international pressure over the mysterious death of dissident Alexey Navalny in a Russian prison.

Western leaders and Navalny's family have pointed their finger at the Kremlin following news of the activist's death at 47 years old.
Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko has warned that the world 'has again come to the brink of the abyss' and that there are legitimate concerns that a Third World War could erupt.

Vladimir Putin's top ally said 'we must be prepared as much as possible to neutralise risks and threats' as he spoke at a meeting with senior officials in Minsk.

Lukashenko also announced today that his army has received a new arsenal of weapons, including two missile divisions of the S-400 system and two divisions of Iskander missile systems.

The 69-year-old, who has ruled Belarus with an iron fist for almost 30 years, allowed Putin to use his country as a launch pad for his full-scale invasion of Ukraine almost exactly two years ago.

As the anniversary approaches this week, fears are mounting that the war could spill over amid suggestions from military leaders that Putin could set his sights on NATO's eastern flank and other former Soviet states.

Vladimir Putin's top ally said 'we must be prepared as much as possible to neutralise risks and threats'. Pictured: Putin and Lukashenko meeting in January

'I would like to characterize the current phase of the civilizational confrontation between East and West as follows: the masks have been completely dropped,' Lukashenko said in his latest comments.

'We need to acknowledge how serious the situation is.'

He added in the remarks, which have been reported by the state-run BelTA news agency, that there are 'grounds for concern' about a third world war.

It comes as NATO is carrying out its largest military exercise since the Cold War in eastern Europe, with around 90,000 troops from across the alliance joining Exercise Steadfast Defender.

Lukashenko said Minsk's intelligence agencies were 'keeping their finger on the pulse,' regarding the drills.

He also claimed that approximately 32,000 troops from NATO members were deployed 'in the immediate vicinity of Belarus and Russia.'

Belarus has been conducting joint drills with Moscow throughout the war, and has been training its forces alongside Wagner mercenaries, which he reportedly said has 'yielded results'.

Last weekend, Moscow enjoyed its biggest victory in Ukraine since it claimed Bakhmut in May of last year, with Putin's troops raising the Russian flag in the eastern city of Avdiivka.

Smoke rises after tank firing in the direction of Bakhmut, where clashes between Russia and Ukraine continue to take place (February 11)

The Kremlin's forces sustained heavy losses in the fighting, with tens of thousands of casualties recorded in the months-long battle for the almost entirely bombed out city.

Russia has so far lost more than 400,000 soldiers in total to death or injury during the drawn-out war, according to Kyiv's approximations.

Despite this, the country's top advisor to the UK last week vowed that it 'cannot be beaten' because of the huge country's significant resources.

Moscow has called up more conscripts and replenished its forces on the battlefield, and has new armoured vehicles and a steady supply of artillery from its allies North Korea and Iran.

Estonia warned last week that Putin's forces are preparing for a military confrontation with the West that could last a decade.

And last month, leaked plans revealed Germany's fears of a possible path to a Third World War in which Putin would again use Belarus as a launch pad.

Belarus was rocked by mass protests during Lukashenko's controversial re-election in August 2020 for a sixth term, which the opposition and the West condemned as fraudulent.

At that time, Belarusian authorities detained more than 35,000 people, many of whom were tortured in custody or left the country.

NATO troops during an exercise in Poland in May 2023

Military vehicles including trucks and support vehicles are loaded onto cargo vessels bound for Europe

It emerged today that a political activist jailed for 'defamation' against President Lukashenko has died in prison, his political party the Belarusian Social Democratic Party said.

Igor Lednik, 64, was arrested in 2022 and sentenced to three years in prison for 'defamation' in an article in the Social Democrats' newspaper. In prison, his health had 'deteriorated considerably,' the party said.

Lednik had suffered from a heart condition and had undergone surgery for a gastrointestinal issue. However, the party did not say whether this was the cause of death nor specify the exact date.

Exiled opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanoskaya blamed the authorities for Lednik's death, calling it 'an injustice and an unbelievable tragedy'.

'The regime kills in prison Belarusians who wanted to change life in their country for the better,' she wrote on Telegram.

It comes just days after Putin's most prominent critic, Alexei Navalny, also died in prison, with his widow laying the blame at the Russian leader's door and saying her husband was poisoned with Novichok.
A father-of-eleven was stabbed to death outside his own home after answering the door at 9am, with police now questioning a man on suspicion of murder.

Ibrahim Yassin, 64, was set upon as he answered his door to the stranger in the shocking knife attack at his home in Butetown, Cardiff Bay.

Officers were called to a property in Belmont Walk shortly after the vicious attack on Sunday. A 38-year-old man has subsequently been arrested by police on suspicion of murder.

Family members and neighbours rushed to help Mr Yassin, also known as Fuad, and he was treated by paramedics before being pronounced dead at hospital.

Mr Yassin's distraught family said the widower, who lost his wife in 2008 shortly after she gave birth to twins, was a 'cherished' father to his 11 children and a 'pillar of the community'.

Ibrahim Yassin, 64, was described by his family as a 'cherished' father to his 11 children and a 'pillar of the community'

They said: 'Mr Ibrahim Yassin was a devoted father who courageously navigated losing his wife in 2008, leaving behind their 11 children including newborn twins.

'Despite facing unimaginable adversity, he was a cherished father, deeply adored by his children.

'He was not only a guiding light in their lives, offering unwavering love, guidance, and support through every triumph and trial they faced together.

'Mr Yassin was known as a generous and compassionate pillar of the community, always ready to lend a hand and spread love wherever he went.

'Even as we mourn his untimely departure, Ibrahim's legacy of love and selflessness will continue to illuminate the lives of all who had the privilege of knowing him.

'Though the lives of his children and grandchildren's will be permanently changed, their paths forever altered by the profound impact of this loss.'

Mr Yassin - described as a 'highly respected' member of his local mosque - suffered a 'very painful death' according to one family member.

Detective Chief Inspector Matt Davies, said: 'Clearly, the death of Mr Yassin has caused immense grief and distress to his family and the close-knit community of Butetown.

The father-of-eleven was set upon as he answered his door to the stranger in the shocking knife attack at his home in Butetown, Cardiff Bay

'One man remains in custody on suspicion of murder, and we are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.

'There is a continued police presence in Butetown as we progress the investigation.

'As always, the support and understanding of the local community are very much appreciated.'

Butetown councillor Margaret Lewis said: 'This is very sad and really tragic especially knowing where it has happened.

'This is going to impact a lot of people in this area and we are trying to reach out to the family and the community to send our condolences.'

Former Councillor Ali Ahmed said he was 'well-respected' in the community.

'He was a fantastic person, a religious person. He was always there to help people - especially to help volunteer at one of the mosques, the main mosque in Cardiff.

'He used to go and open the door for morning prayer, which is going to be difficult for loads of people, especially this winter.'

The councillor said the mosque's chairman described Mr Yassin as a 'pillar of the community'.

Mr Ahmed added the community of Butetown was 'very, very close'.

'They all know each other. You'd be surprised to see or hear that everyone knows everyone by name and they work together,' he said.

One local man said: 'This will upset lots of people as Mr Yassin was well known around here especially in the mosque where he was highly respected.

'He was a leading member of the Somali community in Butetown and has lots of family in the area.

Officers were called to a property in Belmont Walk shortly after 9am on Sunday. Investigators pictured at the scene

'To have something like this happen on your doorstep and at that time of day is truly shocking.

'We heard that the guy who did it may have had mental health problems and I think that makes it even more scary.'

A nephew of Mr Yassin's described him as his 'beloved uncle' and said: 'It just broke my heart.'

Another family member, Hiba Nura wrote: 'A very painful death.'

'May Allah have mercy on my uncle Fuad Hassan Yassin who was killed illegally.

'May Allah give us patience and faith especially the children of Fuad, aunt Nura and Hassan Yassin. Uncle may Allah give you paradise.'

Family friend Andy Mousloulou said: 'He was a humble and kind good man and I'm all choked up.'
Police are investigating a theory that Moscow's intelligence service and the Russian mafia played a role in the assassination of a helicopter pilot who defected to Ukraine and was found shot dead in Spain.

Captain Maksim Kuzminov, a known target of Russian death squads, was killed in an underground garage in Villajoyosa, near Benidorm, on February 13. He was shot six times before his attacker ran him over with his own car.

Kuzminov, 28, fled Russia last August with the help of Ukrainian intelligence services and, following his daring escape, accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of 'genocide'.

His killing is feared to have been a move to settle scores between Russia and Ukraine, which managed to capture a working helicopter when Kuzminov defected.

Spanish detectives are now working to determine if whether Russian mafia based in Spain were involved in his murder or acting as intermediaries for Moscow, ABC Espana reported.

Police are investigating a theory that Moscow 's intelligence service and the Russian mafia played a role in the assassination of helicopter pilot Maksim Kuzminov (pictured)

Kuzminov, 28, a known target of Russian death squads, was killed in an underground garage in Villajoyosa on February 13. Spanish Civil Guard officers are pictured at the scene

Kuzminov was shot six times before his attacker ran him over with his own car. Pictured is the burned car allegedly used in his killing

Captain Maksim Kuzminov, 28, (pictured) fled Russia with the help of Ukrainian intelligence services

Pictured: Ukraine intelligence officers inspect a Russian helicopter which they say was handed over to Ukraine by Russian pilot Maxim Kuzminov

Ukrainian GUR military intelligence confirmed on Monday that Kuzminov had died in Spain. They gave no further details about the circumstances surrounding his death, though Spanish and Ukrainian media reported that he had been living in the country under a fake name.

Spanish detectives have now launched a probe into his death, reportedly focusing on how the murderers were able to find him.

'The initial suspicion was an organised crime incident in an area with a large Russian and Ukrainian community,' a Spanish police official told VICE News, adding that 'the mafias of the world are well represented in southern Spain'.

There have reportedly been several operations against the Russian mafia in the area where Kuzminov. It is understood that police are looking for a link between the crime organisation and his murder.

One working hypothesis is that his killers located him through someone he trusted, according to ABC Espana. There has been suggestion that a visit from his girlfriend could have been key to the murderers locating him.

Some sources also suspect his killers may have been carrying out a job that was commissioned by a larger authority, such as Russia's spy services.

Kuzminov had been publicly sentenced to death by military counterintelligence in Russia, which today branded him a 'traitor and criminal'.

In the Kremlin's first response to Kuzminov's killing, Sergei Naryshkin, the director of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), said: 'In Russia it is customary to speak either good of the dead or nothing at all.'

But he quickly added: 'This traitor and criminal became a moral corpse at the very moment when he planned his dirty and terrible crime.'

Spanish Civil Guard officers investigate the garage where the body of Russian pilot Maxim Kuzminov was found after he was shot dead, in Villajoyosa, Spain on February 13, 2024

Ukrainian GUR military intelligence confirmed yesterday that the body of the pilot - a known target of Russian death squads - was found in Spain. Spanish Civil Guard officers are pictured at the scene of his murder on February 13, 2024

Spanish Civil Guard officers stand outside the garage where the body of the Russian pilot Maxim Kuzminov was found after he was shot dead

Spanish detectives have now launched a probe into his death, reportedly focusing on how the murderers were able to find him. Pictured: Spanish Civil Guard officers at the garage where Kuzminov's body was found

Sergei Naryshkin, the director of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), said: 'This traitor and criminal became a moral corpse at the very moment when he planned his dirty and terrible crime'

Western leaders say Russia frequently assassinates those it deems traitors abroad.

Moscow says the West has not provided evidence to support such assertions.

A Spanish court in Villajoyosa has opened a probe into the death of the shooting victim, a judicial source told Reuters on Tuesday.

At the time of his death, the victim carried documentation identifying him as a 33-year-old Ukrainian national, but his identity was still under investigation, the source said.

Kuzminov's defection to Ukraine was presented last year as a major coup for Kyiv. At a news conference in Kyiv he said he could not understand why his 'beloved motherland' would enter into a war with Ukraine.

Other members of the air crew died during his defection. Moscow said Kuzminov killed them; he said they panicked and fled, and may have been killed subsequently.

In October, soon after his dramatic defection, there were public death threats against Kuzminov in Russia, with suggestions that Putin's secret services would find and kill him for an ultimate betrayal.

Kuzminov's defection to Ukraine was presented last year as a major coup for Kyiv

A burned car allegedly used by the perpetrators of the murder of Russian pilot Maxim Kuzminov to escape the scene is parked outside the Spanish Civil Guard barracks, in El Campello, Spain

A view shows a garage where a Russian pilot Maxim Kuzminov, who defected to Ukraine last year, was found shot dead in La Villajoyosa

Spanish Civil Guard officers investigate the garage where the body of Russian pilot Maxim Kuzminov was found after he was shot dead, in Villajoyosa, Spain on February 13, 2024

A Spanish court in Villajoyosa has opened a probe into the death of Maksim Kuzminov, pictured, a judicial source told Reuters on Tuesday

Anonymous Spetsnaz special forces officers from Russia's GRU were last year shown on Moscow state TV making clear an 'order' had been given to liquidate Kuzminov.

State-run Rossiya 1 channel's Vesti Nedeli channel told viewers in a chilling broadcast: 'The order [to kill Captain Kuzminov] was received, its execution is a matter of time.'

One Spetsnaz officer said: 'We'll find the man and punish him for betraying his brothers to the fullest extent of our country's law.'

A second officer said: 'He will not live'

Kuzminov's wife and family were believed to have been taken out of Russia before he defected. It was not known why he was in Spain.

After defecting, Kuzminov became a propaganda trophy for Ukraine.

He stated there were no Nazis in Ukraine - a regular Putin assertion - and accused the dictator of 'genocide' of both Ukrainians and Russians by conducting the war.

In a documentary on his audacious flight and surrender, he said: 'I realised I was near the border.

'So I gave my location, said let's give it a shot I had made my final decision... I flew at extremely low altitude in radio silent mode.'

Anonymous Spetsnaz special forces officers from Russia's GRU were last year shown on Moscow state TV making clear an 'order' had been given to liquidate Kuzminov

Kuzminov's wife and family were believed to have been taken out of Russia before he defected. It was not known why he was in Spain

After defecting, Kuzminov became a propaganda trophy for Ukraine

He said: '[I defected because] I am very offended by what is happening now.

'Murder, tears, blood. Just people killing each other

'What is happening now is just genocide of the Ukrainian people, both Ukrainian and Russian.

'The basis of my action is not to contribute to these crimes.'

In an interview broadcast by Ukraine's authorities, Kuzimov said: 'I contacted representatives of Ukrainian intelligence, explained my situation, to which they offered this option "Come on, we guarantee your safety, guarantee new documents, guarantee monetary compensation, a reward".'

He was reportedly promised 400,000 to defect to Ukraine with Russian military equipment.
After Russia's military success capturing the city of Avdiivka, Vladimir Putin mocked Ukraine's 'flight' and vowed to push his troops further into the country.

Ahead of the second anniversary of its offensive, Russia captured the frontline city last week in a symbolic victory for Putin's invasion.

Ukraine's military chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said he had made the decision to avoid encirclement and 'preserve the lives and health of servicemen'.

But today President Vladimir Putin mocked what he called Kyiv's 'flight' from Avdiivka.

The eastern Ukraine front has been frozen for months, but Moscow has been bolstered by its capture of Avdiivka, as well as a wrangled US Congress blocking military aid to Kyiv.

The town, which once had a population of 32,000, fell to Russia on Saturday, Putin's biggest battlefield victory since Moscow captured the city of Bakhmut in May 2023.

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said Russian forces have reclaimed Krynky, a Ukranian bridgehead on the Moscow-occupied side of the Dnipro river.

Today, Putin swore that his troopers will push further into Ukraine, because the 'success' of capturing the city 'needs to be built on'.

After Russia 's military success capturing the city of Avdiivka, Vladimir Putin mocked Ukraine's 'flight' and vowed to push his troops further into the country

Ocheretyne, a village under heavy shelling in the vicinity of Avdiivka district, was recently claimed by Russian troops in Donbas, Ukraine. Pictured yesterday

Local civilians queue for humanitarian aid distribution in Ocheretyne, pictured yesterday

People carry bottles of water past residential buildings damaged in the course of Russia-Ukraine conflict. Pictured today

Damaged apartment blocks that were destroyed in a Russian missile strike are seen, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Selydove near Avdiivka yesterday

'I confirm that Krynky has been cleared,' Shoigu told Putin in a televised meeting.

Ukraine said last year that it had established positions around the tiny east bank village, crossing into the Russian-occupied side of the river.

Shoigu told state media earlier that Russian forces were 'on the banks of the river in Krynky.'

During the meeting, Putin said the Ukrainian army had chaotically fled Avdiivka. Kyiv said it withdrew from the eastern stronghold to save soldiers' lives.

'The Ukrainian armed forces issued an order to withdraw their armed forces when they were already on the move,' Putin said, calling the retreat a 'chaotic flight.'

Moscow has tried to capture Avdiivka, a symbol of Ukrainian resistance since 2014, for months.

Putin also said today that Russian troops would push further into Ukraine to build on their success on the battlefield after the fall of Avdiivka.

Television footage released by Russia's defence ministry showed that almost every house in Avdiivka had been branded with war.

Moscow has tried to capture Avdiivka, a symbol of Ukrainian resistance since 2014, for months. Pictured are civilians queuing for humanitarian aid yesterday

A street damaged in the course of Russia-Ukraine conflict in the city of Avdiivka today

Pictured today is a damaged street in Avdiivka

Putin said that the Ukrainian order to withdraw from the town had been announced after Ukrainian troops had already begun to flee in chaos. He said that all captured Ukrainian troops should be accorded their rights under international conventions on prisoners.

'As for the overall situation in Avdiivka, this is an absolute success, I congratulate you. It needs to be built on,' Putin told Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu in the Kremlin.

READ MORE - Ukrainian troops withdraw from key town of Avdiivka after manpower and ammo shortages give Putin's invading forces a symbolic victory after weeks of savage fighting Advertisement

'But that development must be well-prepared, provided with personnel, weapons, equipment, and ammunition,' Putin said. 'It seems to be self-evident, but nevertheless I draw your attention to it.'

Ukraine said it withdrew its soldiers to save them from being fully surrounded after months of fierce fighting. The Ukrainian military said there had been casualties, but that the situation had stabilised somewhat after the retreat.

Both sides accused each other of suffering huge losses.

After the failure of Ukraine to pierce Russian lines last year, Moscow has been trying to grind down Ukrainian forces just as Kyiv ponders a major new mobilisation.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy appointed a new commander last week to run the war.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy (pictured) appointed a new commander last week

A local civilian chops wood for making fire in the downtown of Ocheretyne in the vicinity of Avdiivka district, recently claimed by Russian troops. Pictured yesterday

A view of the city of Avdiivka in the Russian-controlled part of the Donetsk region, February 19

Putin sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in February 2022, triggering full-scale war after eight years of conflict in eastern Ukraine between Ukrainian forces on one side and pro-Russian Ukrainians and Russian proxies on the other.

Avdiivka, which is called Avdeyevka by Russians, has endured a decade of conflict. It holds particular symbolism for Russia as it was briefly taken in 2014 by Moscow-backed separatists who seized a swathe of eastern Ukraine but was then recaptured by Ukrainian troops who built extensive fortifications.

Avdiivka sits in the industrial Donbas region, 15 km (9 miles) north of the Russian-controlled Ukrainian city of Donetsk. Before the war, its Soviet-era coke plant was one of Europe's biggest.

Shoigu said Russian forces had also taken control of the village of Krynky in Ukraine's southern Kherson region. Ukraine's southern military command said its troops had held their positions on the left bank of River Dnipro and said Russian attacks were unsuccessful.
Israel has responded to Prince William's statement over the Gaza conflict, saying the country also wants to see an end to the fighting.

The Prince of Wales, 41, ramped up his family's response to the Israel-Hamas war after he and wife Kate had earlier put out a joint statement of 'distress'.

The heir to the throne expressed how his family was 'deeply concerned' about its 'human cost' in an impassioned statement just hours after Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer called for an 'immediate humanitarian ceasefire'.

It comes as royal experts say that his well-choreographed call for an end to the Gaza conflict showed he plans to be a hands-on King - while MPs have questioned whether King Charles knew about his son's statement before it was released.

The comment comes just the day before MPs will debate and vote on an SNP measure calling for an unqualified 'immediate ceasefire' to end the bloodshed, even if Israeli hostages are not returned.

Labour has added an amendment as it also calls for an 'immediate humanitarian ceasefire', adding a string of caveats to the demand.

Israeli government spokesperson Eylon Levy said: 'Israelis of course want to see an end to the fighting as soon as possible and that will be possible once the 134 hostages are released and once the Hamas terror army threatening to repeat the October 7 atrocities is dismantled.

The Prince of Wales, 41, ramped up his family's response to the Israel-Hamas war after he and wife Kate had earlier put out a joint statement of 'distress'. Pictured: During a visit to the British Red Cross' headquarters

Prince William has today issued the royals' strongest statement yet on the Gaza conflict

Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams said today's intervention was evidence that William was following elements of his father Charles' 'outspoken' approach to issues of the day. Pictured: The King attends this Sunday's service

'We appreciate the Prince of Wales' call for Hamas to free the hostages. We also recall with gratitude his statement from October 11 condemning Hamas' terror attacks and reaffirming Israel's right of self defence against them.'

His statement was issued with the knowledge of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and welcomed by Downing Street, which said his 'measured' call for an end to the fighting was in line with the Government's position.

Royal aides emphasised that it was the 'extent of the human suffering that is on display which had led him to make the statement he has today'.

They would not confirm whether it had the backing of the King. But father and son did meet in Norfolk at the weekend, where Charles is recuperating from cancer treatment.

Conservative MPs were wary of publicly criticising Prince William but some questioned the royal's 'highly political' message, calling his intervention 'unwise'.

But royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams said today's intervention was evidence that William was following elements of his father Charles' 'outspoken' approach to issues of the day.

He told MailOnline: 'The language William used in this statement was very stark.

'William has not been outspoken in the same way as Charles and tends to behave more like the Queen by being very circumspect.

'But he can be outspoken in very specific circumstances when he knows his words will carry weight.

'So while their style is very different, there something in his father in the way he made this statement.

Prince William, pictured at the British Red Cross HQ in London today, has released an impassioned statement in which he says 'too many' have been killed' in the Gaza conflict

'Their Royal Highnesses hold all the victims, their families and their friends in their hearts and minds,' a spokesperson previously said on behalf of William and Kate, pictured

'Over time we will judge how his style develops.'

Mr Fitzwilliams added that William was following in his fathers footsteps by showing his interest interfaith relations.

Royal aides insisted that William's words should not be taken as a call for an immediate ceasefire or a comment on the issue of a 'two state' solution, but as an instinctive reaction to monumental loss of life both as a human being and 'as a father'.

Many royal insiders see the statement as an example of William's distinct vision for the monarchy and his desire to speak his mind on the issues that matter. Sources close to the prince have long told the Mail that he believes the institution 'needs to better explain its own thinking, particularly in terms of its place in the world'.

The Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis shared William's statement online and wrote: 'Since his visit to the region in 2018, the Prince of Wales has shown a deep concern for the well-being of all those affected by the conflict in the Middle East and his words of compassion today, which I welcome, are yet further evidence of this'

The Prince's statement insisted 'too many have been killed' since Hamas's terrorist attack on Israel on 7 October last year.

The royal's public remarks are the most outspoken by any member of the royal family since the Israel-Hamas war broke out - and come in stark contrast to the late Queen's approach, when she would steer clear of commenting on political issues.

King Charles has been strident in his approach to environmental campaigning- most recently issuing a call to arms at the Cop28 summit in Dubai this December, where he warned that man is carrying out a 'vast, frightening experiment' on the planet.

But speaking about William's statement, a former minister told MailOnline: 'I think that it is very unwise for him to get involved in an issue like this. He is getting some seriously bad advice.

'I can only assume that he has not been able to speak to the King, because he would certainly not have approved.'

The Prince of Wales listened today to Pascal Hundt, senior crisis manager with the International Committee of the Red Cross, dialling in from Gaza

Reform UK party president Nigel Farage reacted to the statement on X, formerly Twitter

Andrew Percy, vice-chairman of the all-party parliamentary group on anti-semitism, added: 'The underlying principle of our constitutional monarchy is that members of the royal family do not engage in contentious political issues of the day on which there are divergent and strongly-held beliefs in this country.

'Members of the royal family would do well to remember that.'

Another Tory MP said the Prince's statement used 'similar language as the Government'. But they suggested William had still been unwise to get involved in the issue as both sides would now pray him in aid.

'I wonder how it will play out in the Opposition debate tomorrow,' the MP said, referring to the looming SNP motion demanding an immediate ceasefire.

And Tory peer Stewart Jackson described the Prince's intervention as 'ill-timed and ill-judged'.

Reform UK party president Nigel Farage posted on X, formerly Twitter: 'I'm not sure that our future King should be doing this. He should stick to the BAFTAs.'

William has been easing himself back into public engagements after taking time off to look after his wife recovering from abdominal surgery - yet his strident statement today gives a signal to his intentions when taking the throne.

The prince - whose father Charles has been outspoken on environmental concerns - said today: 'I remain deeply concerned about the terrible human cost of the conflict in the Middle East since the Hamas terrorist attack on 7 October. Too many have been killed.

'I, like so many others, want to see an end to the fighting as soon as possible. There is a desperate need for increased humanitarian support to Gaza. It's critical that aid gets in and the hostages are released.

'Sometimes it is only when faced with the sheer scale of human suffering that the importance of permanent peace is brought home.

Tory MPs were wary of publicly criticising the heir to the throne over the intervention

'Even in the darkest hour, we must not succumb to the counsel of despair. I continue to cling to the hope that a brighter future can be found and I refuse to give up on that.'

The strongly worded message was issued in white writing on a black background, under William's cypher, on the Waleses' X account.

Kensington Palace said: 'The Prince and Princess were profoundly concerned by events that unfolded in late 2023 and continue to hold all the victims, their family and friends in their hearts and minds.

'Their Royal Highnesses continue to share in the hope of a better future for all those affected.'

At the meeting with the British Red Cross today, the heir to the throne expressed his concern 'as a father' at the ongoing crisis and the immense loss of life in the Middle East.

He spoke to Rory Moylan, head of region for the neutral charity.

The Prince began by apologising for having to postpone their original meeting last month.

He had been due to visit with his wife, the Princess of Wales, aides explained, but was forced to cancel due to her abdominal surgery.

'It was important [to me] to get back in as soon as possible,' he said.

'I obviously went there in 2018 and I feelit had a lasting impression on me.

'So I have always been keeping an eye on what's going on. I am very keen to hear from you guys what's going on on the ground and how the Red Cross teams, in particular, are managing in very difficult circumstances.'

Mr Moylan explained: 'We really appreciate the interest you are showing in this.

'You will have heard it described as a catastrophic situation and that certainly matches our analysis.

'It has been getting worse for some time and has the potential to get exponentially worse to be quite honest.

'It's hard for us to articulate how concerned we are about it and how complicated it is for us as a movement in the way we have tried to respond to it. It is intensely traumatic for people, it has garnered global interest and global concern and has had impact across the region.

Among those William met was Barbara Smith of the British Red Cross's psycho-social team

The Prince and Princess of Wales shared another tweet on their official X account

'It is extremely polarising, it is highly politicised. And with all of that it makes it very hard for us as humanitarian workers to bring that agenda back to a humanitarian situation and not to be drawn into all those elements that I have just outlined. That makes it a very difficult environment to navigate. '

He continued: 'We all the hear the numbers but the sense of shock has worn off. We have a difficult to express and communicate how concerning the situation is: 30,000 dead approaching, 5,000 injured and that's out of a population of two million in Gaza. We have over a hundred hostages still being held, 1.7 million displaced from their homes in Gaza, which is effectively the entire population.

'A health system which it is fair to say that is decimated inside Gaza, it is not functioning.

'There's no hospital that is functioning, staff are operating under intolerable conditions, without proper resources, they are displaced themselves and worried for their families. Food, people are effectively starving.'

He explained to the Prince that the work of the Palestine Red Crescent Society was instrumental on the ground.

'They are part of their communities and having been providing life saving services - blood transfusions, running ambulances services, hospitals.and a central role in the logistics operation,' he said.

William listens to Pascal Hundt, Senior Crisis Manager, International Committee of the Red Cross, dialling in on a video call from Gaza

William, who was accompanied by his new international affairs advisor, David Hunt, who has been on secondment from the FCO since last summer, listened intently, occasionally chewing his lip in concern.

Clare Clement, director of international law and policy for the British Red Cross, also spoke to the prince and told him: 'There are challenges for us and all of our partners are doing an extraordinary job but we have some severe issues in terms of access and protection from the fighting.

'We have had two Palestine Red Crescent ambulance drivers discovered last week in a bombed out ambulance on their way to try and rescue a six year old girl who was also found dead.

'These individual examples belie the truth that we are seeing lots of our colleagues killed. We have seen 14 Palestine Red Crescent colleagues killed.'

Afterwards William sat down to speak to members of the organisation's psycho-social team who provide mental health support to those working on the ground.

'How do you approach the situation, how do you start a conversation,' he asked.

On the way to his next part of the visit, William stopped to chat to staff who were eating their lunch in the open-plan office and were agog at his presence.

Although there was some lighthearted small talk about lunch, William made a point of thanking each and every person of the several dozen he spoke to for their efforts in everything from fundraising to HR.

He told one group: 'Lunch! Bit of Pret, [more Pret] someone needs to have a burger. This all looks very healthy. I want to thank you guys for all your hard work .

Prince William was guided by British Red Cross chair Liz Padmore, centre, and BRC chief executive Beatrice Butsana-Sita, right

'You are making a massive difference. You are dealing with very serious, very traumatic, very hostile situation and you keep going every day.

'Extraordinary. Keep positive. It just feels like that we go from one crisis to another. '

He told another group: 'It's very healthy here too. I've said to the others that you are doing a fantastic job. I know it's very, very difficult for everyone. '

Downstairs in the basement, William dialled into the Palestinian Red Crescent, which was held in private due to some of the sensitivities of the conversation.

But an aide said afterwards that he was particularly interested to learn more about the suffering of children on the ground 'as a father' and what families were experiencing on both sides.

He also spoke publicly to Pascal Hundt, senior crisis manager from the International Committee of the Red Cross, who called in live from Gaza. He spent two months there last year after the conflict erupted and has been in the region for the past month.

The heir told him: ' Good morning or good afternoon and thank you for joining us. I am sorry to hold you up. I just wanted to hear a little bit about what's going on out there and how you are coping. '

Mr Hundt told William: 'I don't even have words any more to describe what we are seeing and hearing. I've been doing that job for the past thirty yearsI was in a delegation in Ukraine last year, and in many crises, Afghanistan, Syria, and this is something unprecedented.

Speaking after the visit, Mr Moylan said William's decision to 'raise his head above the parapet and show his support' was 'extremely important'

The Prince of Wales talked to employees of the British Red Cross at its headquarters in London

'It is an incredibly dark page of history. In history we will remember what happened here. The need to unbelievable.

'As I speak I was just looking outside and we see a huge column of smoke, bombing started again in Gaza.

'It is an extremely kinetic type of warfare and massive use of weapons in a densely populated area. Here were are about five kilometers from Gaza, and when we see the bombing here we cannot only hear them but we can feel them, we can feel the shockwaves.

'You can imagine the distress it is for the local population that was forced to move several times with a health system that has totally collapse, a hospital that needs not only to be protected as structure but the supply of drugs, of fuel is not guaranteed.

'Then the hospital cannot function any more. It is becoming a cemetery. We have seen this many times and it is what we are witnessing today.

'It is difficult and dangerous. We are closely coordinated with the parties, including the Israelis, but we have already had two serious security incidents.

'We have lost 14 volunteers who are working to try and alleviate the suffering of the people. It is extremely volatile and quite unpredictable. We see really hungry mobs jumping on trucks and looting because they are hungry and need to feed their families. It is extremely challenging. '

Mr Hundt explained that they were building up their own field hospitals, as well as working a neutral intermediaries on behalf of the hostages.

'We are ready as soon as the final agreement [is ready]. It will be a tremendous relief to the families and the hostages. As you can imagine what they have endured for so many days. But we think this will be something good for the two million people living here,' he said.

'But even with our efforts combined what we see here is beyond what we can do together. We need the parties to ensure the respect of international humanitarian law, that the population get access to humanitarian aidwe are powerless since such an environment,' he said.

Asking the prince whether he had any questions, William replied: 'How are you keeping spirits up in your organisation? How are you keeping people motivated to deliver support and the humanitarian work you are doing in such conditions?'

As he left the building a large crowd had built up and there were two shout of 'Free free Palestine' as he left but otherwise people were simply craning to get a picture of him.

Royal aides said it was 'really important' to the prince to be able to use his platform to 'shine a light on the human suffering' in the Middle East.

They stressed that the prince's office had consulted with the FCO before his statement was released.

They said it was neither calling for a ceasefire or a 'two state' solution.

'That is something we would not get involved with but UK government's policy is very clear on this,' they added.

It is understood that William has 'thought a lot about making a statement'.

Speaking after the visit, Mr Moylan said the Prince's decision to 'raise his head above the parapet and show his support' was 'extremely important'.

British Red Cross officials Clare Clement, director of international law and policy, and head of region MENA and Europe Rory Moylan talk to BRC chairwoman Liz Padmore and William

Prince William met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara during his visit to the country in 2018

He said: 'Certainly someone of his stature coming to our offices and to show interest and give us the time to run him through what is happening and our partners in the Middle East to tell him what they are going through is extremely important.

'It was a sign of solidarity to our partners, Palestine Red Crescent, who he had the chance to speak to.

'It goes a long way. And for our own staff here as well. It is motivation for us and reassures us that people are interested in the humanitarian situation. We are always looking to bring awareness.'

Mr Moylan said of William's statement: 'He showed great interest in the human element, the individual suffering. He heard both the overarching situation but also personal examples of how people are affected by that.

'And it's exactly that we try to draw attention to. We find we are having difficulty to get people to see how serious it still is.'

Staff at the British Red Cross said their immediate focus was on the safety of civilians and getting in food, water purification tablets, medicine, oxygen and shelter. It is currently working with 30 ex-pats and 130 local staff on the ground in Gaza.

Talking of the private video call with Palestinian staff, Mr Moylan said: 'He heard an example of staff from Palestine Red Crescent who had lost their family members.

'An ambulance worker whose entire family had been killed in his house and he had not been able to collect the bodies of those who had been killed. They remain under the rubble, unfortunately. He showed a real human interest in what we were talking him through. '

The future King shook hands with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah in 2018

The Prince and Princess of Wales published another tweet along with some photos from the event on their official X account.

It said: 'Understanding how the British Red Cross is providing vital humanitarian ad to those affected by the conflict in the Middle East.

'Staff and volunteers continue to work day and night to bring life-saving assistance and medical treatment to those who need it most.'

After the attack on Israel last October 7, the Prince and Princess of Wales did release a statement condemning Hamas - with the royal couple saying they were 'profoundly distressed' by what they had witnessed.

A statement released on their behalf read: 'As Israel exercises its right of self defence, all Israelis and Palestinians will continue to be stalked by grief, fear and anger in the time to come.

'Their Royal Highnesses hold all the victims, their families and their friends in their hearts and minds.'

The Prince visited the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem in 2018

William undertook in 2018, on behalf of the Government, the first official trip by a member of the monarchy to Israel and the Occupied West Bank.

During his visit he sat down for separate talks with Mr Netanyahu and the Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

On behalf of the King, who is now undergoing cancer treatment, a Buckingham Palace spokesman previously said in response to the October 7 attack: 'This is a situation His Majesty is extremely concerned about and he has asked to be kept actively updated.

'His thoughts and prayers are with all of those suffering, particularly those who have lost loved ones, but also those actively involved as we speak.'

He added: 'His Majesty is appalled by and condemns the barbaric acts of terrorism in Israel.'

Members of the royal family are expected by protocol to remain politically neutral, although William has previously discussed Brexit with farmers while his brother Prince Harry has criticised Donald Trump and the Duchess of Sussex has taken a stand against voter suppression.

In the October 7 attack, Hamas militants stormed into southern Israel and killed about 1,200 people - mostly civilians - while taking an estimated 250 hostage.

Militants still hold about 130 hostages, a fourth of them believed to be dead.

Most of the others were released during a week-long ceasefire in November.

The war has killed at least 29,092 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to the Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.

About 80 per cent of Gaza's population have been driven from their homes and a quarter face starvation.

Earlier today, Labour leader Sir Keir tabled an amendment to an SNP motion in a bid to stop his MPs siding with the SNP in a vote tomorrow.

Although the text represents a major shift by Sir Keir, it does put the ceasefire call alongside a demand for Hamas to release all hostages.

He had previously called for a 'ceasefire that lasts' in the Middle East, but stopped short of using the word 'immediate'.

A source close to US President Joe Biden says he feels Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, pictured right as the pair meet, is 'giving him hell' over ceasefire negotiations

Global concern has mounted over the fate of 1.4million Palestinians forced by fighting into Rafah near the Egyptian border - amid dire food shortages in crowded makeshift shelters

Demonstrations have been staged in both the UK and the US calling for a ceasefire - this one pictured held yesterday in the Queens district of New York

US president Joe Biden has called for a temporary ceasefire to allow the release of hostages

The heavy death toll and widespread damage have led to mounting criticism of Israel and growing worldwide calls for a halt to fighting.

The United States has proposed a potential United Nations Security Council resolution calling for a temporary ceasefire in Gaza in what appeared to be the latest move by the White House to rein in Benjamin Netanyahu.

In the draft resolution the US says there should be a temporary ceasefire 'as soon as practicable', although no date was given.

Washington has previously been averse to the word ceasefire in any UN action relating to its ally Israel's war against Hamas.

The US draft resolution echoes language that President Joe Biden said he used last week in conversations with Mr Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister.

At the time Biden said: 'I feel very strongly about it, that there has to be a temporary ceasefire to get the prisoners out, to get the hostages out.'

The US also warned Israel against the assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where some 1.5 million Palestinians have sought safety.

The proposed resolution says Israel's planned major ground offensive 'should not proceed under current circumstances.'

It also states that further displacement of civilians, 'including potentially into neighbouring countries' like Egypt would have serious implications for regional peace and security.
Police arrived to find a 'clandestine lab' pumping out meth, ketamine, hallucinogens and date rape drugs

'Brilliant' chemistry graduate Matthew Leshinsky, 23, built an industrial scale plant for manufacturing drugs behind the facade of a respectable laboratory

Police who received an anxious call from a Long Island scientist about a break-in at his lab arrived to find an industrial-scale factory for illegal drugs.

Chemistry graduate Matthew Leshinsky, 23, established Quantitative Laboratories in Ronkonkoma at the start of last year to specialize in the quantitative analysis of Cannabis within the state of New York.

But the brilliant Hofstra University graduate led police to an Aladdins Cave of meth, ecstasy, ketamine and date rape precursor GBL.

This defendant was operating a 'Breaking Bad'-style drug lab and tried to conceal it under the guise of a legitimate business, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A Tierney said.

He then inadvertently turned himself in when he reported that a burglary occurred at that same business.

Scientist Matthew Leshinsky faces sentence on March 10 after admitting running an illegal drug factory from his laboratory in Ronkonkoma

He blew his own cover when he called 911 after becoming nervous about a break-in at his lab

Just three ounces of meth was left in the lab but they did discover more than a pound of pure ketamine and $40,000 in cash

Leshinsky of Farmingville made his fateful 911 call at 3.30am on June 7 after learning that a break-in was underway at the laboratory.

When Suffolk County Police arrived at the site on a business park in Pond Road, they found broken glass at the entrance to the building and made their way in.

They did not find any intruder but they did discover a clandestine laboratory for narcotics including meth and the hallucinogen dimethyltryptamine (DMT).

When they returned with a search warrant they found he had collected over 100 items of laboratory equipment, chemical reagents and solvents used in the manufacture, production, or preparation of methamphetamine.

Just three ounces of meth was left in the lab but they discovered more than a pound of pure ketamine and $40,000 in cash.

Perhaps most disturbingly they also found over 20 plastic 55-gallon drums containing Gamma-butyrolactone, a chemical similar to Gamma hydroxybutyric acid (GHB), commonly known as the date rape drug.

Leshinsky pleaded guilty in court on Thursday to 13 counts connected to the manufacture, possession and disposal of controlled substances.

His attorney David Besso told Newsday that Leshinsky was a brilliant scientist who had been researching drug addiction for the public good.

Unfortunately, he went about it the wrong way, he added.

Leshinsky had an expansively furnished lab on a business park in Pond Road

Police discovered over 100 items of laboratory equipment, chemical reagents and solvents used in the manufacture, production, or preparation of methamphetamine

His attorney David Besso told Newsday that Leshinsky was a brilliant scientist who had been researching drug addiction for the public good

Leshinsky will return to court for sentencing on March 20.

I want to thank the Suffolk County Police Department officers who keenly identified evidence of a clandestine drug lab during their initial response to the scene, said Tierney.

As well as our prosecutors and other members of law enforcement for their collaborative efforts to further investigate this defendant and hold him accountable for the deadly drugs he put out onto the streets of Suffolk County.
Fulton County DA paid cash on the barrel at a Napa Valley winery when she joined the prosecutor she was dating on one of multiple trips, forking over $400 during a tasting early last year.

She paid the tab in cash after she and special prosecutor Nathan Wade bought two $150 bottles of wine and paid $50 for a tasting, an 'estate ambassador' for Acumen wines told CNN. She drew the greenbacks from her purse at the end of the pair's visit.

As unusual as it might sound in a day when Apple Pay, Veno, Cash App, and old fashioned credit cards are the coin of the realm, the cash payment helps support testimony by the embattled DA that she always traveled with cash and stashed thousands in a home safe.

In bombshell testimony last week at a hearing on whether she should be disqualified from the Donald Trump case in Georgia, Willis said she kept as much as $15,000 in her home. She said she sometimes used the cash to pay back Wade during four trips they were revealed to have taken together in a court filing that first alleged they had a 'personal relationship' that neither disclosed to the office.

Fulton County DA Attorney Fani Willis paid $400 in cash at a Napa Valley winery, according to a winery ambassador who was there during her visit. Willis made a dramatic appearance in court where she spoke about her 'physical' relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade

'When I travel, I always take cash,' she said, in an appearance where she sparred with defense lawyers and confirmed a 'physical' relationship with Wade.

Her father, John Floyd III, backed up his daughter in his own testimony, saying he himself 'always kept cash' and that 'I've I've told my daughter you keep six months of cash, always.'

And Willis denied any financial benefit from the relationship or conflict of interest over luxury trips she said the couple took together. She said she once reimbursed Wade $2,500 for her share of a trip and cruise they took.

'I don't need anybody to foot my bills. The only man who's ever foot my bills completely is my daddy,' she said during her fiery testimony.

The claims came as defense lawyers tried to persuade a judge that Willis received an improper benefit from her relationship with Wade, which she furiously denied.

Grapes of cash: Fulton County DA Fani Willis paid $400 in cash during a visit to a Napa Valley winery with her 'romantic' companion fellow prosecutor Nathan Wade, a winery ambassador recalled. It comes after Willis testified that she traveled with cash and stored thousands in her home

John Floyd III, father of Fulton District Attorney Fani Willis, testified about living with her while she dated a man named 'Deuce,' and said he didn't know his daughter was later dating prosecutor Nathan Wade

Stan Brody, the estate ambassador who assisted the low key couple on their California getaway, said last week's blockbuster hearings featuring Willis' defiant testimony jogged his memory about the encounter.

'I ran(g) up the thing and I showed her. I was expecting a credit card quite frankly,' he told the network. 'And she says I'll pay cash. And so that was that. So then I just put the cash in, made change for her and she was very generous to me.'

Willis and Wade also traveled to Aruba and Belize, and said they would either split expenses or take turns with meals, rides, and other costs.

Based on the 'tasting experience' listed on the downtown Napa winery's site, the pair might have gone for the the lower priced 'Mountainside Flight' option, which goes for $50.

'For a casual and convivial wine tasting experience, guests are welcomed into our stylish Tasting Lounge and contemporary art gallery. Presented with the choice of two tasting options, guests will enjoy a tasting of three current release wines from either the PEAK Flight ($75) or Mountainside Flight ($50),' it says.

News of the 'personal' relationship emerged after lawyer Ashleigh Merchant, who represents a Donald Trump defendant in the alleged election interference racketeering scheme, revealed details in a court filing asking for the DA to be disqualified from the case.

Trump, who faces his own cash crunch after a New York judge ordered him to pay $355 million after his fraud trial, has questioned Willis' claims. Trump wrote last week: 'Does anybody really believe that Fani Willis paid cash to her "lover" whenever they took expensive "trips" together. Really? Where did she get the CASH? Pretty weak questioning yesterday!!! I guess they don't want to insult her,' he posted on his Truth Social site.
A transgender prisoner, serving a a 55-year sentence for strangling his 11-month-old stepdaughter to death, is suing a prison chaplain for allegedly banning them from wearing a hijab.

Jonathan Richardson, who also goes by Autumn Cordellione, has filed a civil lawsuit against the chaplain of Branchville Correctional Facility in Indiana after he allegedly stopped the inmate from wearing a hijab outside of his cell, despite identifying as a Muslim woman.

Richardson is seeking $150,000 in damages and the ability to wear the hijab 'anywhere I go within the facility.'

'I informed him that I wear the hajib [sic] in order to cover my head and ears for modesty purposes, as I am an Islamic practicing transwoman,' Richardson explained in the suit filed on November 30.

According to the lawsuit, the chaplain stated Richardson's listed religious preference was 'Wiccan,' a pagan Earth-centered religion with a male god and moon goddess, not Islam.

Jonathan Richardson, who also goes by Autumn Cordellione, is serving a a 55-year sentence for strangling his 11-month-old stepdaughter to death

Richardson has filed a lawsuit against the chaplain of Branchville Correctional Facility in Indiana after he allegedly stopped the inmate from wearing a hijab

'I responded that I am an eclectic practitioner who is a member of the Theosophical Society in America,' Richardson alleged in the complaint.

'Male Islamic practitioners are allowed to wear their kufis across the facility, and are not restricted to their bed areas only,' according to the complaint, which alleges Richardson' 14th amendment rights were violated.

Richardson also alleges that his 8th Amendment rights against cruel and unusual punishment were also violated, as he was subject to 'harassment and ridicule' by other Muslim prisoners.

The chaplain should be aware of 'the stigma and shame that is attributed to Islamic women when they go uncovered and without a hijab [sic],' the complaint reads.

'Women are viewed as whores, tempters of men, and adulterators; by Islamic society both in and out of prison.

Adding: 'I have been shunned, made a social pariah, and amongst my own religious community.'

Richardson is also currently suing the State of Indiana for refusing to pay for his gender-affirming surgery.

The lawsuit comes after a new law that was passed during the 2023 legislative session, which prohibits the Indiana Department of Corrections from providing gender-affirming medical care to incarcerated transgender people.

The American Civil Liberties Union has sued the State of Indiana for refusing to spend taxpayer cash on a sex change for a transgender inmate

A protestor holds up the ACLU poster 'Trans People Belong'

Richardson, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, alleges that the reassignment surgery 'is a medical necessity.'

In Minnesota, a transgender inmate recently won her case against the DOC and received $495,000 for the sex-change surgery and then was transferred to a women's facility.

Richardson was convicted of killing his 11-month-old stepdaughter by strangling her to death in September 2001.

Richardson was in charge of his stepdaughter while the victim's mom was away for the day.

The killer initially told police that he found the victim in a crib and she had vomit coming from her mouth. Richardson later admitted she was fussy and he had tried to calm her down.

It was determined the little girl died from manual strangulation.

While behind bars, Richardson told a correctional officer, 'well all I know is I killed the little f**king b*tch.'

In 2002, Richardson was sentenced to 55 years in prison.
my Youtube 2022 video for BRK HQ video below (narration mostly in Chinese)

Charlie Munger

We know Charlie Munger (Wiki) passed away recently, and he was the vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway: he had some influence on Warren Buffet's investments over the years, including See's Candy, Coca Cola and so on. Here is the free online book Poor Charlie's Almanack (you can purchase the paper versions through the links here). Also, the last interview before he passed away with CNBC's Becky Quick (1 hour 42 mins, YouTube link here). I still think Warren makes most investments decisions independently. though.

If you like to have a quick look, I listed some shorter videos of Charlie Munger's classical moments here.

 (google; baidu baike, Wiki) is a common idiom in Chinese, and I think it may be suitable to describe the current top 4 men who works for Warren Buffett. And I assume they take over most of what Warren does today, should Warren decides to retire.

Top Two (Duo)

Greg Abel (Wiki): current Vice Chairman of BRK, responsible for all non-insurance operations, which also means he is in charge of the BRK Energy (formerly Mid-America Energy), BNSF Railway, many manufacturing and retail operations ranges from BH Home Service (real estate agents), Brooks Running, Clayton Home, Diary Queen, to ISCAR, Nebraska Furniture Market (NFM), Net Jets, See's Candies, to Oriental Trading, Squish Marrow and so on. Note there are many business people may have not heard of. As of now, Greg will be the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway when Warren Buffett retires, in addition to his curent Vice Chair title.

Ajit Jain: current Vice Chairman of BRK, responsible for all insurance operations, companies such as Geico (car insurance) to reinsurance business.

Warren asked Greg and Ajit to be on the stage in last few years' annual shareholder meeting, and they answered relevant questions in their portfolio. This is a good move. I think also, once Charlie slipped his tongue during an Q&A, and he said Greg will keep the culture (or something similar). So the world knows Greg is the CEO heir apparent.

Investment managers (also a duo)

Ted and Todd are two former hedge fund managers that Warren Buffet hired about 15 years ago (exact date please refer to their Wikipedia links below, or you can google it). Quite a few people including $BRK.A and $BRK.B shareholders would question Warren Buffett's age and they are worried what if Warren suddenly became incapacitated or die. Who is the heir apparent. This is a tricky question or problem, because very few hedge fund managers would give up their career, at the same time would basically be prepared when this inevitable happens. It seems in Ted W. and Todd C. Warren found the perfect duo for this job. This is somewhat like the duo of Warren himself and Charlie.

Berkshire began buying Apple stock in 2016 under the influence of Buffetts investing deputies, Todd Combs and Ted Weschler.

Ted Weschler: Ted got a bit unwanted attention from his personal IRA investment. But his performance speaks louder than his words. Quote Wikipedia: in 2012, Weschler joined Buffett at Berkshire Hathaway, a year after Todd Combs joined as Berkshire's first investment manager. As of 2019, he managed $13 billion of the equity portfolio and $8 billion in pension funds.

Todd Combs: in addition to his investment duty (along with Ted), note Todd is also the CEO of Geico (and technically for that role he reports to Ajit). Here is a picture of Todd during "invest in yourself 5k" during the annual Berkshire Hathaway shareholder meeting. Here is a picture of Ted, Todd and Tracy Britt Cool during that run. Note Tracy used to work for Warren as well, and she started to work on her own investment partnership in recent years. Maybe someday she will come back to BRK: if the right opportunity arises.

Board

Howard Buffett, Warren's older son, plans to take over the Chairman role when Warren retires. Susan Buffett, Warren's daughter, and a few others will be on the board. They may need to add one or 2 board seats because Charile used to be a board member.

One thing it's interesting is Warren likes #pairProgramming, or #pairWorking, because he has two pairs of magnificent managers for CEO and investment managers job.
Jelly Babies have been voted the nation's favourite sweet - as it is revealed retro classics are making a come back with younger generations, according to a new survey.

The fruit-flavoured baby-shaped sweets took the top spot with 65 per cent of Brits.

The survey revealed a third of the 2,000 Britons admit they love eating sweets as it transports them back to their childhood.

In fact, 27 per cent are thrilled that sweets from when they were young are now back in the shops.

Jelly Babies were invented 160 years ago in 1864 and confectionery historians believe the earliest Jelly Baby was the work of an Austrian confectioner who worked for Fryers of Lancashire.

Retro classics are making a come back with younger generations, according to a new survey (Stock image)

Jelly Babies were invented 160 years ago in 1864 and confectionery historians believe the earliest Jelly Baby was the work of an Austrian confectioner (Stock image)

It is thought he was asked to make a mould for Jelly Bears, but the resulting sweets looked more like newborn infants and were subsequently given their name.

They were relaunched as 'Peace Babies' after the First World War by Bassett's Sweets in Sheffield, the brand which continues to make them to this day.

Following close behind the babies on the list of favourite goodies were Rowntrees' Fruit Pastilles (62 per cent), and in third place, Fruit Gums, which are also made by Rowntree's.

The research found as many as two thirds (65 per cent) of Britons of all ages agree many of the old classics are back in fashion.

Other retro classics which made the poll were old school cola bottles (59 per cent) and Werther's Originals (59 per cent).

Also chosen by Brits in need of a sugar rush were Skittles (58 per cent), Tangfastics (57 per cent), Liquorice Allsorts (57 per cent) and the classic Rhubarb and Custard (56 per cent).

Childhood favourites like Jelly Tots (56 per cent), Love Hearts (54 per cent) and Pear Drops (53 per cent) are also enjoyed by Brits with a sweet tooth.

Jonathan Horsley of Perspectus Global, which conducted the research, said: 'Sweets are one of life's simple pleasures. You can see how they provoke feelings of nostalgia, as childhood classics like Jelly Babies, Fruit Pastilles, Pear Drops and Dolly Mix made the list of best loved sweets.'

Following close behind the babies on the list of favourite goodies were Rowntrees' Fruit Pastilles (Stock image)

The survey revealed a third of the 2,000 Britons admit they love eating sweets as it transports them back to their childhood (Stock image)

Turkish Delight was also a favourite with 52 per cent of Brits opting for this sweet treat (Stock image)

The research also reveals that on average, Brits chew on an average of 19 sweets a week, with 78 per cent saying there's something magical about enjoying the same sweets you ate as a child.

77 per cent admit they would choose a bag of their favourite sweets over pudding every time, while 70 per cent prefer sweets to chocolate.
Desperate CBP agents on the northern US border are now offering $20,000 bonuses and $100,000 starting salaries in a bid to recruit more staff to crack down on illegal crossings.

Chief Patrol Agent Robert Garcia, who heads up the Swanton sector of northern Vermont, recently posted an informal ad for jobs at four locations in the state along with two more in New York.

It comes as illegal crossings from Canada into the US surged 500 percent to 10,021 last year compared with 2022. Of these, 6,925 were in the Border Patrol's Swanton Sector.

Alongside a sunrise photograph snapped at the border, agent Garcia wrote on X: 'Not a bad day at the office! NOW HIRING!

'Incentive: $20,000. Starting Salary: $48K to $99K + Swanton Sector Locations: Massena, NY Champlain, NY Swanton, VT Richford, VT Newport, VT Beecher Falls, VT For more information, call a recruiter today at 802-868-3361.'

Desperate CBP agents on the northern US border are now offering $20,000 bonuses and $100,000 starting salaries in a bid to recruit more staff to crack down on illegal crossings

Pictured: Migrants in Vermont. Chief Patrol Agent Robert Garcia, who heads up the Swanton sector of northern Vermont , recently posted an informal ad for jobs at four locations in the state along with two more in New York

Pictured: U.S. Border Patrol encounters a group of four adult males from Bangladesh on Feb. 1, 2024, near Mooers, New York, after crossing illegally from Canada

Agent Garcia previously said most of the migrants come from Mexico, India, Venezuela, Haiti and Romania.

The northern border is over 5,000 miles long and has just 115 ports of entry, meaning massive areas of it are understaffed, officials say.

Chief Garcia raised the alarm about the situation at the northern border earlier this year, calling for volunteers.

He warned traffickers are exploiting desperate asylum seekers with potentially lethal consequences, amid freezing temperatures and dangerous passages.

One Vermont resident, Kirsty Brow, recently revealed that trail cameras at her property catch migrants trudging through the snow 'every week'.

Brow's home is located along the Swanton Sector, a strip border that straddles portions of New York, New Hampshire and Vermont, which is becoming a particularly problematic hotspot.

'It's scary to know that you never know what is lurking around in your woods. We never know what we are going to find out back in our field,' she told Fox News.

'We've found clothes, water thermoses, you never know what you're going to find out there. Border Patrol was following foot prints. You don't feel too safe.'

There is no fencing along the crossing and much of the area is woods and dirt paths.

Nearly two-thirds of the southbound migrants arrested by U.S. border agents in the Swanton Sector are from Mexico, according to CBP numbers.

In March, U.S. Customs and Border Protection transferred 25 extra agents to the northern border.

As the crisis at America's southern border has reached unprecedented levels, experts say some migrants who want to sneak into the country perceive crossing from Canada as the 'easier' option.

Canada's 5,500-mile border with the United States is the longest international border in the world.

Migrants are seen wading through deep snow along the U.S.-Canada border in a photo shared by the Border Patrol

America's northern border has seen a 550 percent surge in migrant apprehensions, with 6,925 in fiscal year 2023

Garcia previously shared images of migrants walking along the border at night

Migrants from Mexico, Venezuela and other countries at the Canada border

Nikki Haley, who is Donald Trump's last remaining contender in the race to become Republican nominee for president, has referred in her campaign to preventing crossings at the northern border

The sheer scale of the frontier, along with the grueling conditions along much of it, make it almost impossible to prevent clandestine crossings entirely.

Nikki Haley, who is Donald Trump's last remaining contender in the race to become Republican nominee for president, has referred in her campaign to preventing crossings at the northern border.

Vivek Ramaswamy, who dropped out of the race in mid-January, was mocked after he called for a US-Canada border wall.

Mexican migrants accounted for nearly half of all the interceptions last year (4,868). There were 1,630 crossings by Indian nationals, 753 by Venezuelans and 443 from Guatemala.

Mexico is on Canada's list of visa-exempt countries, meaning Mexican nationals can easily travel there provided they have an electronic travel authorization, which can be obtained quickly online.

The numbers are still dwarfed by the situation at the southern border, where 2,045,838 crossed illegally last year, according to CBP figures.
The aunt of a TV journalist found dead at her home told the High Court today that police have treated her 'appallingly' after 'bungling' a probe into domestic abuse claims.

Teresa McMahon, 43, who worked as a producer and news editor for ITV, was found hanging inside her flat in Little Hulton, Salford on August 3, 2021.

But Greater Manchester Police refused a request by Lorna McMahon for a criminal investigation into the death of her niece.

Ms McMahon's family claims police mishandled the investigation into allegations she was the victim of domestic abuse.

Lorna McMahon, 60, told a pre-inquest review in February 2022 that the mother-of-one was abused by her partner in the days before hear death.

She said her niece had been assaulted 'on a number of occasions' and had even talked of fleeing to London for three months to escape her situation.

Bolton Coroner's Court had heard how friends, colleagues and relatives of Teresa raised concerns of abuse to police before her death.

Teresa McMahon, 43, who worked as a producer and news editor for ITV , was found hanging inside her flat in Little Hulton, Salford on August 3, 2021

Ms McMahon's family claims police mishandled the investigation into allegations she was the victim of domestic abuse

But an investigation by GMP ruled out any criminal activity.

Following another pre-inquest review, in August 2022, coroner Timothy Brennand described Teresa as 'a vulnerable individual locked in a coercive and controlling relationship'.

Mrs McMahon has argued if there was evidence police had not carried out a proper investigation into her niece's death there was a wider 'public interest' at stake.

According to a report from the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) the GMP delayed seeing Teresa for nine days due to 'resourcing issues' after she made a report of domestic abuse in July 2021.

READ MORE: Family of TV journalist Teresa McMahon found dead seeks judicial review after claims police mishandled an investigation into domestic abuse allegations Advertisement

She was found dead less than two weeks later.

The force failed to inform Teresa of her former partner's violent history when she requested it under Clare's Law, and lost vital bodycam footage of her discussing her concerns.

The police watchdog had said the investigation of the family's complaint 'was not adequate, reasonable or proportionate' and that 'lines of enquiry had not been pursued'.

The IOPC directed the force 'to reinvestigate the complaints in line with procedures outlined in their domestic abuse policy'.

But the GMP's review of its original investigation last July found it wasn't flawed and a criminal investigation was not warranted.

The IOPC then concluded the GMP's investigation was reasonable and proportionate, prompting the family's application for a judicial review.

Mrs McMahon referred to an audio recording of a call her niece made to police about her partner in her evidence to the High Court today.

She said: 'My issue is that the audio recording is vital evidence, and GMP failed to disclose this evidence to the coroner claiming that it wasn't relevant.

'I feel that three minute conversation with the police prior to her death is significant. The IOPC claim that the police acted perfectly acceptably.'

ITV producer Teresa McMahon, 43, was the victim of abuse in the days leading up to her death, her aunt Lorna told a pre-inquest hearing in February last year

She continued: 'I honestly believe I've been treated absolutely appallingly.

'All I wanted was to lodge a complaint and have it independently investigated.'

Mrs McMahon told the court that body worn footage from the day Teresa died showed that neighbours were concerned about her niece, contrary to what the police have claimed.

'In the footage [from 3 August 2021] there were clear concerns from neighbours.

'Teresa had made allegations of ABH (actual bodily harm). She told the police that he broke her ribs and her fingers over the phone.

'We know she asked for disclosure under Clare's Law.

'You have an inaccurate account from GMP.'

She referred to Teresa's phone call with the police on 12 July 2021.

'It is clear to people who know Teresa that Teresa is very frightened.'

'She told friends and family that he had broken her ribs. She indicated to her GP that she had upper abdominal pain.'

Barrister Caroline Jones, on behalf of GMP, told the judicial review hearing: 'In relation to the body worn footage formed no part of the re-investigation that led to the decision currently being challenged.

'It is not necessary for the court to have sight of it.'

Referring to the phone call, Ms Jones said: 'It is a matter dealt with in some detail in the original investigation and the subsequent one.'

She told Mrs Justice Lang: 'You have a wealth of information in front of you to justly determine the matter in this decision.'

Mrs Justice Lang is expected to reserve judgment.
A taekwondo instructor will be charged with three counts of murder after a mother, her husband and a little boy were found allegedly stabbed to death.

Kwang Kyung Yoo, 49 - who owns Lion's Taekwondo in North Parramatta and is also known as 'Master Lion' - arrived at Sydney's Westmead Hospital on Monday night covered in blood with knife wounds to his chest, arms and stomach.

He told hospital staff that he was attacked in the carpark of a supermarket earlier that evening.

At about 10.30am on Tuesday, officers were called to a home in Baulkham Hills where the found the body of Steven Cho, 39, who had fatal stab wounds.

Two hours later, police found the bodies of his wife Min Cho, 41, and their seven-year-old son at the taekwondo studio.

During a press conference on Wednesday, Homicide Squad Commander Danny Doherty said Yoo allegedly attacked the mother and son after class on Monday.

He then took Ms Cho's white BMW and drove it to her Baulkham Hills home where he allegedly killed her husband, before driving himself to hospital where he is now recovering from surgery.

Commander Doherty said Yoo has been arrested and will be charged with three counts of murder.

Kwang Kyung Yoo (pictured) - aka Master Lion - was arrested by homicide detectives early on Wednesday morning. He is expected to be charged with three counts of murder

Steven Cho (right) worked for construction firm Richard Crookes while his wife Min Cho (left) worked at several businesses in recent years. They bought their home in 2016

Detectives are believed to be probing the possibility of a love triangle and whether Yoo was romantically linked to Ms Cho, and if their relationship had recently soured.

Commander Doherty said police are still trying to establish the relationships between Yoo and the Cho family, adding it's too early to determine a motive.

'We'll endeavor to get more information as the investigation progresses,' he said.

'However, what we do know and what we will allege is the 49-year-old is the only person (allegedly) responsible and we'll allege that he is responsible for the murder of all three victims.'

Homicide detectives spent Tuesday tracking down the victims' relatives in South Korea.

Police believe the three deaths likely occurred within a five-hour period between 8pm on Monday and 1am on Tuesday.

Mr Cho's mother was said to have arrived at the home earlier in the day to be told by police that 'her entire family was wiped out'.

Homicide detectives have launched an investigation after Min Cho and her seven-year-old son were found dead at North Parramatta, and the body of Ms Cho's husband Stephen was discovered 5km away in Baulkham Hills

Horrified parents revealed that they were sent a 'weird text' by the Lion's Taekwondo studio on Tuesday morning.

The message, revealed by Daily Mail Australia, said lessons were cancelled because the academy's chief instructor Yoo was in hospital.

'Due to injuries resulting from a car accident this morning, Master is currently in the hospital,' it said. 'Therefore, Taekwondo classes will be temporarily suspended starting today.'

One mother admitted she knew it was 'clearly not a car accident when I saw all the police outside the studio when I went to pick up the kids from school'.

Yoo, in his late 30s, is believed to be married with a young son, Kai. Parents of his students described him as a 'lovely man who is very quiet and timid'.

'How he's connected to all this is what troubles me,' said one mother.

The crime scene at Lion's Taekwondo at Daking Street was sealed off on Tuesday, with firefighters covering up the windows of the martial arts studio.

A crime scene at Lion's Taekwondo and Martial Arts Academy in Daking Street, North Parramatta, was sealed off, with firefighters covering street facing windows

Horrified parents exclusively revealed to Daily Mail Australia how they were sent a 'weird text' by the Lion's Taekwondo studio on Tuesday morning

Officers spent the day at the Baulkham Hills home where Mr Cho was found dead on Tuesday

Black plastic was placed across all windows facing onto the main street to hide the grisly scene inside the studio from bystanders.

Forensic officers were also seen scouring an alleyway at the side of the academy building, where locals said they had been told a body had been found.

The front window of the Baulkham HIlls townhouse was also smashed, with shattered glass sprayed on to the concrete outside.

The Homicide Squad has taken over the investigation. Investigations continue
A Nicaraguan woman has been buried for the second time after her family exhumed her body because they thought she was still alive.

Maria Lopez, 24, is said to have died February 11 at New Dawn Hospital in the Caribbean coast town of Waspam and was buried February 12, according to local outlet SNC.

Her parents, however, had her coffin dug out from her burial site at a cemetery last Thursday after someone called their daughter's cellphone claiming Lopez 'was still alive.'

Lopez's body was removed from the coffin and taken to the family residence, where she was bathed with salt, vinegar and lemons and then placed the body on a bed as family and friends held a vigil.

Maria Lopez died February 11 at a hospital in Nicaragua and was exhumed by her parents February 15 after they reportedly received a phone call from a person claiming that the 22-year-old was still alive

Friends and family returned to the Waspam, Nicaragua, cemetery Monday to bury Maria Lopez, four days after he parents exhumed her body because they thought she was not dead

The corpse of Maria Lopez was placed on a bed at her family residence, where friends joined her relatives for prayer in hopes that she would resuscitate

A New Dawn Hospital doctor visited the home after some family members raised the idea that Lopez was pregnant, but the physician tested her and confirmed that she was dead.

Waspam's city risk management director Kenny Mayorga said the family was not convinced with the doctor and opted for her to 'be examined by a traditional doctor and rule out that she is dead, because they claim that the girl (had) tears and sweat to her forehead.'

The family held prayer services for five days, in hopes that Lopez would somehow resuscitate.

Her parents and close family members finally relented and took Lopez's body to a fasting and prayer center for a ceremony as it started to show signs of decomposition and laid her to rest for a second time on Monday.

Cemetery workers remove the lid from Maria Lopez's coffin after it was exhumed February 15

Cemetery workers carry the coffin of Maria Lopez after it was removed from the cemetery burial site because the young woman's family was not convinced she was dead

The incident comes just eight months after 76-year-old Bella Montoya shocked her family by banging on her coffin during her wake in Ecuador.

Montoya reportedly woke up and started knocking after spending five hours inside her coffin at a funeral parlor in the municipality of Babahoyo on June 9, 2023.

Montoya died from a stroke on June 16 at Martin Icaza Hospital after spending a week in intensive care.

In December 2022, Jose Ribeiro was found alive and breathing at a funeral home after he was declared dead by the doctors at a hospital in Brazil, only to die from hypothermia two days later.

The 62-year-old was placed in a body bag and stored inside a refrigerator in the hospital's morgue for five hours before being transported to the funeral home.

A worker noticed that his eyes were open and he was having trouble breathing.
A trial date has been set for the man accused of conning at least five Manhattan women out of more than $1.8million after meeting them on dating sites.

Nelson Counne, 71, has been charged with two counts of second-degree grand larceny, third-degree grand larceny and fraud but did not appear in New York Supreme Court Tuesday for his latest hearing.

It was not immediately clear why he did not show up but defense attorney Danielle Von Lehman said her client was not feeling well and that is an elderly man.

Acting Supreme Court Justice Beth Beller set a trial date for April 17 in his absence and threatened to issue a force order if he does not appear on March 8 for a hearing on a restraining order.

Counne, who has pleaded not guilty to the charges, is being held in jail on $150,000 cash bail or a bond of up to $350,000.

Nelson Counne, 71, who is accused of conning at least five Manhattan women out of more than $1.8million has received a trial date for April 17. He is pictured in court in 2023

He was not in court on Tuesday but defense attorney Danielle Von Lehman said her client was not feeling well and that is an elderly man

Counne, who has pleaded not guilty to the charges, is being held in jail on $150,000 cash bail or a bond of up to $350,000

Counne was previously unmasked as a conman by a piece in the New Yorker  which branded him as 'the worst boyfriend on the Upper East Side.'

He told women he was a wealthy art collector and investor before allegedly scamming them into making hefty investments in his fake companies.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said the incidents date to 2012, but Counne was only arrested on March 13, 2023, and has denied the allegations.

Counne requested to be released on his own recognizance last May but this was denied as the judge deemed him to be a flight risk.

The suspected con artist would meet women on Our Time, which catered to an older clientele, before bragging about his homes in London, Florida and Saint-Tropez, as well as a huge mega-mansion apartment close to Central Park  35 East 63rd Street.

He is said to have used the alias 'Nelson' or 'Justin Roth' in his schemes, telling women that he claimed he had access to the Alibaba Group and a fake start-up company Counne said he co-owned with a former Google executive.

Soon into the new relationships he would allegedly start pitching women investment opportunities, with some claiming to the New Yorker that he would also steal their jewelry to gift to his new love interests.

Kristie, who did not want to share her last name with the media, was previously conned out of $5,000 by Counne and wasted a year of her life when she met him at the Upper East Side Italian restaurant Campagnola in 2000.

She was not part of the five women detailed in the most recent accusations.

But she managed to secure justice when he was jailed for a year on two counts of grand larceny and hopes the five women involved in the latest case get justice too.

I think he should be in jail for all of his life, she told the New York Post. He rapes women of their money, of their dignity.

Kirstie was dealing with quite a painful breakup when she met Counne and she said he claimed he was an art dealer from Hastings, England, visiting New York to complete a deal that wasnt totally legit but would make him rich.

The 71-year-old said he lied about being a Vietnam hero, an art dealer, investment opportunities and even having cancer.

He was absolutely a sweet talker, she said. Then he came up with this investment plan that if I gave him some money, he could give me back ten times that because he had this person allowing him to invest. And he wanted me to make money.

She then gave him $1,000 but she didnt see any returns. Counne later proposed to her with a diamond ring he told her not to wear until it was insured.

Kirstie took it to a jeweler to see if it was real but it was not and she confronted him, although they stayed together.

He allegedly invited her to go to Europe with him over Christmas but canceled and said he had colon cancer and was being treated in New York-Presbyterian Hospital but did not want to be seen.

She said she tried to visit him and staff told her he had never registered, however Counne claimed he was unlisted on a private floor.

She added: There was always an excuse. Its amazing what he conjured up, like the feds were after him.

But to me, I was ready in my life to let go, just to abandon my life and he painted this fantasy of a life that we could lead together.

I wanted to just explore and go to Europe and have all this money that he told me we were going to have.

He continued to press her for money and managed to get $5,000 from her, according to Kirstie.

She realized her $2,000 diamond ring was missing and she immediately suspected Counne, who denied taking it.

She then received a call from another woman named Elaine who had been dating him too and she had lost a necklace.

The pair began bonding and digging into him before they met a third woman in Philadelphia who was also allegedly being conned by Counne.

Counne, 71, has been charged with two counts of second-degree grand larceny, third-degree grand larceny and fraud

He told women he was a wealthy art collector and investor before allegedly scamming them into making hefty investments in his fake companies dating back to 2012

Kristie continued to date him to extract more information and kept notes to remember details that could help with the case before they reported the stolen jewelry to the police, which led to his conviction.

Counne was sentenced to a year in prison and served eight months.

He was allegedly doing exactly the same thing with different women in 2018 under the name Nelson Roth.

He is said to have begun speaking to an Upper East Side woman online and claimed he was an art dealer who had multiple homes around the world.

Counne allegedly borrowed $7,000 from her daughter Julia, and after a month she paid this money back herself.

Julia read messages on her mothers phone, which indicated he owed her at least $60,000 and she began to look into her mothers new boyfriend with the help of a private investigator who told her who Counne actually was.

She then told her mother everything and she then contacted the District Attorneys office who charged him with stealing more than $1.8million from five women as far back as 2012.

Kristie is planning to attend Counnes trial and has been writing a screenplay on her ordeal.

I think its very empowering for women to hear my story, she said. And to know that theyre not alone, that this happens all the time.

I knew who he was back then, when I put him in jail. This is who is he is; hes a serial con man.

Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Sansculotte told the court in March: 'In the end, almost all of Counne's representations proved to be false.

'He was not independently wealthy and the only funds into his accounts were from confirmed and suspected victims of his romance scams.

'Further, the money put into his accounts by the victims were never used for any investments but were instead used to perpetuate the illusion of his wealth to new victims and to repay previous victims who had detected his fraud.'

Prosecutors also told the court that Counne had never traveled internationally and did not even own a passport.

He would allegedly use dating apps as well as targeting women in luxury hotels and restaurants  including five-star Upper East Side hotels Carlyle and the Surrey.

Counne would brag that he was a wealthy art collector and investor and lived in a mega-mansion close to Central Park

Victims told the New Yorker that they met him in Campagnola, Bemelmans Bar (pictured) and the Orsay restaurant during their dalliance with him

He would use dating apps as well as targeting women in luxury hotels and restaurants  including five-star UES hotel Carlyle and the Surrey

Women told the New Yorker that they met Counne in Campagnola, Bemelmans Bar and the Orsay restaurant.

Once they started making initial investments, he would allegedly claim that they had to give him more money for expenses and salaries for staff.

Counne is said to have claimed his funds were tied up in investments or that his accounts were frozen due to U.S. and European investigations into his financial activities.

He allegedly promised to repay each of the victims their initial investment plus a substantial profit within a few weeks.

In 2022, he was also charged with scamming a Connecticut woman out of $500,000, according to a report by the Greenwich Time.

His lawyer Dannielle Von Lehman added that his criminal history dates to 2007 but did not provide details.

In 1987, Counne was indicted for the murder of a jewelry dealer, for which he was later acquitted  with the alleged conman then being shot multiple times in the chest three years later.

Assistant DA Raymond Castello said that a family member of the jewelry dealer who had been killed, was 'some kind of karma for his past deeds' according to the New Yorker.

The suspected con artist would meet women on Our Time, which catered to an older clientele

He would brag about his homes in London, Florida and Saint-Tropez as well as a huge mega-mansion apartment close to Central Park  35 East 63rd Street. Pictured: Luxury hotel Carlyle where he would woo his alleged victims

Assistant DA Raymond Castello said that a family member of the jewelry dealer who had been killed, was 'some kind of karma for his past deeds' according to the New Yorker. Pictured: Campagnola where he met one of his alleged victims

The article in the New Yorker details Counne's relationships with at least four women dating to 2000.

All of the women say they met him in the Upper East Side, and Counne presented himself as a 'mysterious' man who had a lot of money.

Counne has also found himself battling against a civil case, which was lodged in 2022, where he was accused of 'owing money to the plaintiff for loans.'

It is unclear if the plaintiff, another woman, is one of the five referred to in the criminal case.

Her lawyers are seeking at least $1million in interests, costs and expenses as well as damages.

DA Bragg added: 'As alleged, Nelson Counne's sole source of income for the past eight years was money he swindled.

'He allegedly fed lie after lie to women he falsely claimed to have a romantic interest in, enticing them with investment opportunities that never existed while using their funds to repay past victims, lure in new ones, and fund his lifestyle.

'We urge everyone to exercise caution when told there's an investment opportunity that seems too good to be true.
President Joe Biden appeared unprepared to be asked if his upcoming trip to California is to brainstorm a back-up plan amid doubts over his viability in 2024.

A reporter asked ahead of Biden's Los Angeles campaign visit on Tuesday if California Gov. Gavin Newsom should 'stand by' to be tapped by the Democratic Party to appear on the ballot.

'Are you ready?' Biden shot back when speaking to members of the press gathered on the White House South Lawn before he departed for the west coast.

'I'm looking at you. We're looking at you,' the president added.

President Joe Biden, 81, shot back at a reporter questioning whether his visit to California Tuesday is to put Gov. Gavin Newsom on deck to replace him as the Democratic presidential candidate in 2024

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (right) has repeatedly says he has no plans to launch a 2024 presidential bid against Biden (left)  but some speculate that the Democratic Party has different plans

Biden, 81, is participating in a campaign reception in Los Angeles on Tuesday evening amid rising concerns over his fitness for office.

Podcaster Joe Rogan predicted that Newsom will end up on the Democrat's 2024 ticket.

'I think they're gonna get rid of him I'd say they're setting up Gavin Newsom for it,' he said last week.

The Democrats are holding their nominating convention in Chicago, Illinois in August  out of which the party will decide which candidate will officially appear on the 2024 ballot.

Republicans will hold their nominating contest in July in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Many expected remaining competitor Nikki Haley to drop out, leaving former President Donald Trump with a wide-open path to victory.

But Biden said Tuesday it doesn't matter to him who he faces in the November general.

'Who would you want to face in November  Nikki Haley or Donald Trump?' a reporter asked.

'Oh I don't care,' an apathetic Biden replied.

While there have long been questions over Biden's mental and physical fitness, the DOJ report released this month heightened those concerns tenfold when Special Counsel Robert Hur classified the president as 'a sympathetic, well meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.'

The report, which did not recommend charging Biden for mishandling of classified documents, also included phrases like 'diminished faculties' when describing the president's mental state.

A poll released just days after the report surfaced resulted in an astounding 86 percent of voters saying they do not think Biden is mentally fit for a second term.

'I think they're gonna get rid of [Biden]... I'd say they're setting up Gavin Newsom for it,' political commentator Joe Rogan speculated on his podcast last week

Currently, Biden is running virtually unopposed in the Democratic primary race. And Gov. Newsom has assured repeatedly that he has no intentions of challenging the president in 2024.

Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) is still in the Democratic primary run, but has hardly garnered any traction in his longshot bid.

Political commentator Joe Rogan predicted on a recent episode of his show that the Democratic Party is preparing to bring in Newsom to replace Biden on the 2024 presidential ticket.

Rogan's guest, Chris Williamson, voiced the conundrum: 'Basically, you can't prosecute this guy because he's non compos mentis, but you can let him run for the President of the United States in November.'

'Don't you think that that's a ruse, him running for president?' Rogan asked in casting doubt over whether Biden will make it to November.

'I think they're gonna get rid of him, I think they're gonna move him out, they're gonna force him to step down,' he added.

'If I had to guess, and it's just speculation, I'd say they're setting up Gavin Newsom for it.'
Alexei Navalny was likely killed by a single punch to the heart, a technique used by the KGB, a source inside the prison where the Putin critic was being held has reportedly claimed.

Bruising found on the opposition leader's body was consistent with the 'one-punch' execution method, according to Russian exile and human rights campaigner Vladimir Osechkin.

'It is an old method of the KGB's special forces divisions,' he told The Times. 'They trained their operatives to kill a man with one punch in the heart, in the centre of the body. It was a hallmark of the KGB.'

Osechkin, founder of the Gulagu.net group which gathers testimony from prisoners and workers in Russia's notorious jails, says his information came from a source working in the arctic penal colony where Navalny died on Friday.

His widow has accused Putin of murdering her husband, claiming he was poisoned with the nerve agent Novichok and that Russian authorities are trying to cover up the assassination by refusing to release his body.

Alexei Navalny was likely killed by a single punch to the heart, a technique used by the KGB, it has been claimed

Osechkin is founder of the Gulagu.net group which gathers testimony from prisoners and workers in Russia 's notorious jails

Before becoming Russian leader, Putin famously served for some 15 years in the KGB as a foreign intelligence officer

Osechkin, however, is not convinced and says that authorities would have been able to kill Navalny in any way they desired, and would not have wanted to 'leave a trace in his body and would lead directly back to Putin'.

He claims that Navalny had been forced to spend between two and a half to four hours in an open-air solitary confinement space where temperatures could dip to minus 27C the day before his death.

Prisoners are normally kept outdoors for no more than an hour and in far less extreme conditions.

'I think that they first destroyed his body by keeping him out in the cold for a long time and slowing the blood circulation down to a minimum,' Osechkin explained.

'And then it becomes very easy to kill someone, within seconds, if the operative has some experience in this.'

The single punch, a stealth assassination technique reputedly used by KGB special forces to avoid leaving any indication of cause of death, is then said to have been used.

Before becoming Russian leader, Putin famously served for some 15 years in the KGB as a foreign intelligence officer, retiring in 1990 with the rank of lieutenant colonel.

Russian authorities have so far failed to give a convincing explanation for the death of Navalny, the Russian president's most prominent critic.

According to the national penitentiary service, the 47-year-old died after taking a walk and feeling unwell.

A state-controlled channel on the Telegram messaging site later claimed the cause of death was a blood clot, however.

Vladimir Putin pictured in his KGB uniform in the 1980s

Mr Navalny's family has been told that they cannot have access to his body for another two weeks.

Osechkin said that he believes the presence of FSB officers at the prison to be evidence that Mr Navalny was murdered by the Kremlin.

He added: 'From what I know from my sources, it was a special operation that had been prepared several days in advance.'

'It was a command from Moscow because without Moscow it would not have been possible to dismantle the cameras in the way that they did.'

The development came after the Twitter account of Alexei Navalny's widow was briefly suspended yesterday for allegedly 'violating [its] rules' amid rising concern over the platform's political impartiality.

Yulia Navalnaya's account on X, formerly known as Twitter, was quickly reinstated following a wave of online criticism.

The social network - owned by Elon Musk - later claimed its anti-spam and manipulation defence mechanism had 'mistakenly flagged' her page.

The account was suspended just one day after Ms Navalnaya accused Russian president Vladimir Putin of killing her husband and vowed to take over his work as an anti-corruption activist.

Mr Musk, meanwhile, recently said that there is 'no way in hell' that Mr Putin will lose the war in Ukraine.

In a video published on Monday, including part of it on X, Ms Navalnaya called on Russians to rally around her as Mr Navalny's family were told they would not be able to access his body for another two weeks.

The Russian opposition leader was reported dead by the Russian prison service on February 16 after reportedly taking a walk and feeling unwell.

An outspoken critic of Putin, Navalny had been serving a 19-year prison term in an Arctic penal colony.

Navalnaya, however, accused the Russian authorities of murdering her husband with Novichok - and obfuscating the return of his body until all traces of the nerve agent had disappeared.

'I shouldn't have been in this place, I shouldn't be recording this video,' she explained in an emotional clip, which was posted to social media.

Lyudmila Navalnya (pictured) has been fighting to get her son's body back from prison authorities

'There should have been another person in my place. But that person was killed by Vladimir Putin.'

Ms Navalnaya went on to say that by 'killing Alexei', Putin had 'killed half of me, half of my heart and my soul'.

The former economist and reluctant 'first lady' of the Russian opposition has long avoided the spotlight, rarely giving interviews to the media in an effort to protect their two children from the fallout of Mr Navalny's political career.

The family currently lives in an undisclosed location and is unlikely to return to Russia, where they could face persecution.

Since her husband's death, however, Ms Navalnaya has seemed more keen to take a public stance - addressing EU foreign ministers in Brussels on Friday as Germany proposed a new round of retaliatory sanctions.

Her Twitter account was suspended just one day after it was created and four days after Mr Navalny died.

A message on the account page read: 'Account suspended. X suspends accounts which violate the X rules.'

As outrage over the suspension rose on the platform, Mr Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation tagged Mr Musk himself in a post on X, asking him to 'please explain exactly which rules were violated' by Ms Navalnaya.

Less than an hour later, Ms Navalnaya's page was restored.

Twitter's moderation account said: 'We unsuspended the account as soon as we became aware of the error and will be updating the defence.'

Prior to her account being suspended, Ms Navalnaya had taken to X to urge the Kremlin to 'give back Alexei's body and let him be buried with dignity.'

She also posted a clip from the nine-minute video alleging Mr Putin's murder of her husband.

Since buying the social media platform in 2022, Mr Musk has moved to reinstate a number of previously banned accounts - including that of former US president Donald Trump.

The Tesla founder has previously referred to himself as a 'free speech absolutist' and claimed that he intended X to be a space for a wide range of beliefs to be debated in a healthy manner.

In recent months, however, a series of prominent accounts - including eight journalists and others who had criticised the Israeli government - have been suspended.

Suspensions on X remain shrouded in mystery and Mr Musk has promised to investigate the recent trend, which draws into question which political views are and are not considered acceptable on the platform.
Ohio parents who admitted starving their premature baby girl to death will escape a jail sentence and instead will face 'community control' for their heinous crime.

Goldeci Peterson and Jessica Ransom were sentenced Tuesday to five years 'community control' over their daughter's tragic death.

The baby was four months old and weighed just 5.9lbs when she died at their home in Colerain Township. The infant was born prematurely, but her parents failed to get medical help the court previously heard.

'I would like to take accountability for my actions and the role I played in it and apologize on my behalf and I am willing to do anything to be a productive citizen again,' Ransom told the court, Fox19 reports.

Handing down the sentence Judge Alison Hathaway stipulated both should seek mental health treatment.

'We just don't want this, something like this, to happen again,' the judge said. 'I understand, I don't think it was an intentional act, but it definitely was negligence, okay?'

Ohio parents Jessica Ransom (pictured) and Goldeci Peterson admitted starving their four-month-old baby to death but avoided jail

Peterson (pictured) and his partner were handed five years of 'community control' instead

The mom-of-two called 911 on December 8, 2022, to report her child was not breathing

The mom-of-two called 911 on December 8, 2022, to report her child was not breathing.

'The police responded to the home and saw the condition of the child, and the coroner was contacted, and the coroner came back ruling the baby's death a homicide,' Hamilton County Prosecutor Melissa Powers previously explained.

Court filings alleged Ransom and Peterson 'ignored that (the infant) may have been born prematurely' and failed to seek medical care for the baby.

At the time of her death, there were 'obvious signs of emaciation', prosecutors said

'This is a case that I think will haunt me the rest of my life,' Powers added, WCPO reports.

'This baby suffered for four months  an agonizing, slow death. There is no place on earth for these people.

'They deserve to be put behind bars for the rest of their life.'

The baby was found with 'obvious signs of emaciation' and the couple had failed to obtain medical help despite the fact she was premature

Judge Alison Hathaway stipulated both should seek mental health treatment as she accepted their guilty plea

Instead, the couple were both given 'community control', an alternative to jail which is essentially probation.

Community control is a form of supervision which enables offenders to remain in the community instead of being incarcerated in an institutional setting.

The couple initially faced murder and involuntary manslaughter charges but these were dismissed as part of plea deals.

During court proceedings, it emerged that Ransom has another child in the care of Hamilton County Job and Family Services.
Go deeper into the trial of Constance Marten and Mark Gordon with the Mail's acclaimed podcast The Trial. Click here or find it on Spotify or Apple

The partner of fugitive aristocrat Constance Marten told police she was a 'good mother' and had 'done nothing wrong' when questioned about the death of their newborn baby, their trial has heard.

Mark Gordon, 49, and Marten are accused of killing their daughter Victoria in January last year as the couple tried to prevent her being taken away by social services.

Gordon and 36-year-old Marten were arrested in Brighton some seven weeks after going on the run with the child, the court heard.

The couple had spent nearly two months tent camping in the bitterly cold South Downs before Victoria, wearing only a onesie, allegedly froze to death. Her body was later found in a Lidl supermarket bag inside a disused shed on an allotment.

Gordon told police he believed Marten was suffering from 'a post-traumatic thing' when Victoria died and that 'she would never do anything to harm a child', jurors heard today.

He claimed they had wanted to 'safeguard' the child, the 'whole thing' was for her and what happened could not have been predicted.

Marten and Gordon, of no fixed address, deny manslaughter, perverting the course of justice, concealing the birth of a child, child cruelty and causing or allowing the death of a child.

The partner of fugitive aristocrat Constance Marten (pictured) told police she was a 'good mother' and had 'done nothing wrong' when questioned about the death of their newborn baby Victoria, her trial has heard

Mark Gordon, 49, (pictured) told police he believed Marten was suffering from 'a post-traumatic thing' when Victoria died and that 'she would never do anything to harm a child', jurors heard today

Gordon, pictured alongside Marten in a court sketch from today, claimed the couple had wanted to 'safeguard' the child, the 'whole thing' was for her and what happened could not have been predicted

Gordon initially refused to answer questions when he and Marten were arrested last year, the Old Bailey was told today.

In a March 2 police interview, Gordon started by saying he would give his testimony to a jury. A detective then told him that Marten had confirmed a baby who was found dead the day before was their daughter Victoria, the court heard.

Gordon was also informed that Marten had explained the child died after she fell asleep holding her but that he had advised her to say it was a 'cot death', jurors heard.

After consulting with his lawyer, Gordon said that 'barring a few nuances' that was what happened. He told police: 'It had to be very traumatic for her, you have to understand I love her. I love her.

'I would do anything for her and she loves children and that's our fifth child and we wanted to have that child.'

He told officers that he believed Marten was suffering from PTSD when the baby died after she fell asleep with her in her arms.

'She is a very special person. She's an awesome woman and she would never do anything to harm a child under any circumstances,' he said.

He added that Marten was a 'beautiful, intelligent woman' and he was a 'man who loves his wife'.

'I love her, I would do anything for her and we wanted to have that child, it's her child,' Gordon told police.

'She has actually experienced the post-traumatic distress and she was in a situation where she was quite vulnerable and that led to things that were never predictable on either of our parts.

'And it's an unfortunate, sad, very sad thing.'

In footage shown during the trial, Marten is seen keeping the baby under her coat before unzipping it and exposing her in east London on January 7

Jurors were shown little Victoria's face (centre) for the first time last month as her parents Constance Marten (right) and Mark Gordon (left) sat inside a kebab shop

The heartbreaking moment the body of a missing newborn girl was found inside a Lidl supermarket bag has been shown at the trial of aristocrat Constance Marten

The defendant insisted there was 'nothing sinister' or 'dark' and said that sometimes the media made things seem 'worse than what they are'.

Gordon told officers: 'What have I done that you don't think is right here?

'I have done everything I think right. If you listen to me, I have done nothing really wrong. I have supported my wife. Tried my best to be a husband. And I don't think she has done anything wrong, actually, in trying to take care of her child.'

He added: 'But I think in the circumstances, the car exploding, and you have to understand four children have gone to social services, she's a good mother and I don't think they had actual reason to do what they did.

'We had provision, lots of provisions, the baby was taken care of. But then she explained what happened and it was a very, very serious and unfortunate thing that happened and no one could ever have anticipated or looked into glass and see what happened and I hate that it happened the way it has.

'The fact is I do love her very much and I don't find her to be at blame at all because she was in post-traumatic stress.'

An image dated January 5, 2023 from the Metropolitan Police of Mark Gordon and Constance Marten's burning Peugeot 206 on the M61, which was played in court during their trial

A picture presented during the trial, shows the burnt out Peugeot 206 on the side of the M61

A picture shows the inside of the couple's burnt out car. The baby's placenta was found in the vehicle, the Old Bailey heard

Pictured is the shed in Lower Roedale Allotments, East Sussex, where a Lidl bag was found which contained the body of baby Victoria. The photo was shown in court during the trial of Constance Marten and Mark Gordon

A photo of baby clothing found in a Lidl bag in a shed in Lower Roedale Allotments, East Sussex which included the body of Victoria

Follow every detail of the case on The Mail's acclaimed podcast The Trial The Trial takes listeners behind the headlines and into the courtrooms of some of the biggest criminal cases in the world. The first series, 'The Trial of Lucy Letby' received more than 13million downloads. Season two focused on the murder of Ashling Murphy, a 23-year-old teacher from Ireland. Season three followed the case of the murder of Brianna Ghey, a 16-year-old teenager. Season four will follow the evidence as the jury hears it in twice weekly reports from The Daily Mail's news reporter, Jack Hardy, and broadcast journalist, Caroline Cheetham. They will take you into the courtroom to bring you the details as the evidence unfolds, to examine key moments and to carry out exclusive interviews with detectives, victims, and experts. Advertisement

The court also heard how the couple went missing with their newborn baby after their car burst into flames near Bolton, Greater Manchester, last January.

Gordon told police during his interview that the car 'exploded out of nowhere' and that in 'hindsight' they should have stayed with the vehicle to 'deal' with the situation.

Victoria's placenta was found in the exploded vehicle on a Manchester motorway, sparking a huge police hunt, the Old Bailey heard.

It is alleged that they slept in a tent 'off-grid' in a bid to keep the baby, after Marten's four other children were taken into care.

Last March 1, Victoria's remains were found in a Lidl supermarket bag inside a disused shed on an allotment.

On Tuesday, jurors viewed in the courtroom a blue tent and two sleeping bags said to be identical to the items bought by Gordon at Argos.

The tent, which measures four foot six inches by six foot eight inches, was carried towards the jury by the court usher and a police officer and placed beside the judge.

Prosecutor Tom Little, KC, invited jurors to approach the tent and feel the thickness of the material.

Jurors bent down to look inside the tent and felt the material in the doorway. Two jurors climbed inside the small tent together.

A juror then sent a note to the judge asking how tall Marten and Gordon are.

Two sleeping bags from Argos, the same as two the defendants also purchased, were then passed around for the jury to feel- an adult blue sleeping bag with stars on and a children's sleeping bag with rainbows and unicorns on.

Jurors then asked to be provided with a Lidl bag for life identical to the one Victoria was found in.

The jury was also provided with a list of the highest and lowest temperatures each day at weather stations near to the areas the couple slept.

The temperatures ranged from minus 4.3 degrees to 11.3 degrees.

Meteorologist Dr Richard Wild told the court that the area the couple slept in had a normal amount of rain in January 2023 for the time of year.

But the weather expert said that February 2023 was 'significantly drier than average' in the area, with about a fifth of the rainfall of an average February.

Bodycamera footage shows the moment detectives confronted Marten. Police repeatedly asked her 'where is your child?' in the footage after she and Gordon were tracked down

A screen grab taken from body worn camera footage issued by the Metropolitan Police shows the moment Mark Gordon was arrested in the street

CCTV footage of Constance Marten buying supplies at Texaco in Newhaven, which was shown in court during their tria

CCTV footage of Constance Marten filling a bottle with petrol at Texaco in Newhaven, which was shown in court during the trial

Marten and Gordon met in a shop in London 2016 and got married in a ceremony in Peru, not recognised in UK law, about a year or two later.

They had four children in quick succession who were all taken into care after Marten fell from a window and social service believed Gordon pushed her, she told police.

The couple deny the manslaughter of Victoria by gross negligence, concealment of the birth of a child, cruelty to a person under 16 and perverting the course of justice by disposing of the body.

Marten comes from a wealthy aristocratic family and her father was a page to Queen Elizabeth II.

She told police her family hired private investigators after she met Gordon and were working with social services for years trying to 'get involved' with the children.

The Old Bailey trial continues.
BEIJING -- The new building of the Yinxu Museum at the Yin Ruins, the site of the last capital of the Shang Dynasty (1600 BC-1046 BC), will open to the public on Feb 26.

The announcement was made at a press conference held by the National Cultural Heritage Administration on Monday in Beijing.

The museum, located in the city of Anyang in Central China's Henan province, will showcase nearly 4,000 items or sets of cultural relics, including bronzeware, pottery, jade objects, and oracle bones.

The exhibition features a vast quantity and diverse range of cultural artifacts, with over three-quarters of the relics making their debut appearances.

The Yin Ruins is the first documented late Shang Dynasty capital site in China, as confirmed by archaeological excavations and oracle bone inscriptions. It is also the ancient capital site with the highest frequency of archaeological excavations and the longest duration of exploration in China.

The expanded Yinxu Museum is the first national major archaeological museum to comprehensively present the Shang civilization.
Campaigns for 'Britain's wonkiest pub' continue with calls for the site to be made a community asset.

The Crooked House, in Himley, West Midlands was destroyed by a fire on August 5 after it was bought by a private buyer and closed to the public. It was then demolished without permission on two days later.

Now, an MP has called for the site of the beloved 18th century pub to be made a community asset and a petition has attracted over 35,000 signatures calling for it to be rebuilt.

Former cabinet minister and Conservative MP for South Staffordshire, Sir Gavin Williamson, put forward the historic pub as an Asset of Community Value with the local authority.

The Crooked House, in Himley, West Midlands was destroyed by a fire on August 5 after it was bought by a private buyer and closed to the public. It was then demolished without permission on two days later. Pictured: After the blaze

Now, an MP has called for the site of the beloved 18th century pub to be made a community asset and a Facebook group has attracted over 35,000 members calling for it to be rebuilt. Pictured: The Crooked House before the inferno destroyed it

Former cabinet minister and Conservative MP for South Staffordshire, Sir Gavin Williamson, put forward the historic pub as an Asset of Community Value with the local authority. Pictured: Crooked House campaigner Paul Turner (left) and Sir Gavin Williamson (right)

This could mean that campaigners will be informed if the site is listed for sale within the five-year period and will be able to use the Community Right to Bid.

If this is successful, they could then be given the site to rebuild.

The pub will be considered a site that is of importance to the local community and will be protected under the Localism Act 2011.

At the time of the fire last year, police treated the case as a suspected arson attack and arrested two people a month later.

This could mean that campaigners will be informed if the site is listed for sale within the five-year period and will be able to use the Community Right to Bid. Pictured: People

 Slide me  The Crooked House after and before the blaze on August 5 last year

Since then, a total of six people have been arrested in connection to the incident but released on bail.

Sir Gavin Williamson told the BBC: 'By nominating the site as an Asset of Community Value, I'm hoping to provide the opportunity for the re-building to take place.

'What happened here will not be forgotten, and we're doing all we can to bring back an important piece of Staffordshire heritage.'

A Facebook group called SAVE THE CROOKED HOUSE (LET'S GET IT REBUILT) has also gathered over 35,000 members calling for the pub to be completely rebuilt.

Paul Turner, a Crooked House campaigner, said: 'It's a pile of rubble at the moment, but we know that this site has value historically.'

The iconic boozer was famed for being the place where coins and marbles seemingly rolled uphill along the bar.

A Facebook group has also gathered over 35,000 members calling for the pub to be completely rebuilt. Pictured: The remains of the pub after being demolished days after the blaze

The iconic boozer was famed for being the place where coins and marbles seemingly rolled uphill along the bar. Pictured: The pub before the fire

Pictured: The interior of The Crooked House before the blaze last year

The blaze, which was tackled by 30 firefighters, came just two weeks after the building was sold by pub company Marston's to a private buyer for 'alternative use'

It was known as Britain's wonkiest pub after its characteristic lean to one side which is caused by subsidence from mining in the 1800s.

The blaze, which was tackled by 30 firefighters, came just two weeks after the building was sold by pub company Marston's to a private buyer for 'alternative use'.

After the fire, Dudley North MP Marco Longhi called for a 'Crooked House law' to protect other pubs from the same fate.

It was revealed that just one week prior to the inferno, heritage body Historic England received a submission from experts requesting that the pub be given protection as a listed building.

South Staffordshire Council has been contacted for a comment.
An Indiana couple have appealed to the Supreme Court after their child was removed by child protection services when the parents declined to use their chosen name and pronouns.

Mary and Jeremy Cox, who are Catholic, were investigated by Indiana officials for refusing to affirm their child's transgender identity because they claimed it conflicted with their Christian beliefs.

'This is what every parent is afraid of,' Mary and Jeremy Cox said ahead of their high profile legal battle.

Upon completing the state investigation, Indiana Department of Child Services reportedly determined the allegations of abuse against Mary and Jeremy were unsubstantiated.

However, the state still argued the disagreement over gender identity was distressing to the child. In 2021, their child was taken and put in another home when they were around 15 years old.

Mary and Jeremy Cox, who are catholic, were investigated by Indiana officials for refusing to affirm their child's transgender identity

The removal has been upheld in Indiana's court of appeals and will now move to the Supreme Court

'Keeping a child away from loving parents because of their religious beliefseven when the state admits there was no abuse or neglectis wrong and it's against the law,' attorney Lord Windham representing the Coxes told Fox News.

'The Court should take this case and make clear that other states can't take children away because of ideological disagreements.'

Adding: ''If this can happen in Indiana, it can happen anywhere.'

The couple's son reportedly told them he identified as a girl in 2019.

The Coxes refused to refer to the child with their preferred name and pronouns, citing their religious beliefs in immutable sex.

The DCS received allegations that the child's physical and mental condition was endangered by her parents who were not referring to her by her preferred pronouns. Reports of alleged verbal and emotional abuse over the teen's gender identity were filed. They are allegations the Coxes deny.

The Indiana Attorney General's Office argued the conflict over the child's gender identity was not why the state took her away from her parents.

'Rather, petitioners' child was removed because the child had a severe eating disorder that petitioners had not been able to effectively address for two years, that jeopardized the child's brain and bone health,' the attorney general's office argued.

In 2021, Indiana officials investigated the couple and placed the child in a 'gender affirming' home.

The Coxes took their case to trial court, where the decision to remove the child and restrict visitation rights was upheld.

Indiana's Child Protection Service, overseen by Eric Miller, enforced the removal of the child from their parents

The Court of Appeals also upheld the removal. The case could now head to the Supreme Court.

'We love our son and wanted to care for him, but the state of Indiana robbed us of that opportunity by taking him from our home and banning us from speaking to him about gender.'

'We are hopeful that the Justices will take our case and protect other parents from having to endure the nightmare we did,' they added.

The Indiana Department of Child Services, led by Eric Miller, said the department 'does not comment on ongoing litigation.'
To be at Glasgows Scottish Event Campus last weekend for the Scottish Labour Party conference was to see power in formation.

Around the main hall where leader Anas Sarwar delivered a confident speech on Saturday, lobbyists and businesses queued for coffee and croissants, in a break from manning the dozens of stalls erected for the occasion.

A few grand bought you access to the venue and the hope you might experience a brush past with Mr Sarwar or, better still, a shadow UK minister up for the day.

Companies have decided these as yet unknown men and women will likely soon have their hands on billions of pounds of public money, on vital planning decisions and on mega-merger deals. Thus they thronged to the city.

How grand was the Labour hierarchy. Here came Ed Miliband, the head honcho of Labours green plans.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer speaking during the Scottish Labour Party conference in Glasgow on Sunday

There strode beardy Shadow Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds: yes, reader, He Walked Among Us. Finally Sir Keir himself arrived to make a rather good speech in which he walloped the SNP.

Money, power, momentum. Its a heady cocktail. Time was when the annual get-together of the Scottish Labour Party could have fitted into a mid-sized secondary school.

Even this time last year, the party managed to make do with Edinburghs compact Assembly Rooms.

But with all the political money banking that Labour will make it to Downing Street in a few short months, these days this is a party that needs a bigger boat.

For the Scottish wing of the party, being part of this ride is almost unbelievable. The past decade and a half have been barren years.

Competitive

Humiliated repeatedly by the SNP, they then saw supporters drift off to the Conservatives following the unforgivable election of Jeremy Corbyn. Now, quite unexpectedly, their fortunes have changed. Urban Scotland is coming back. SNP voters fed up with Humza Yousafs weak leadership are taking an interest too.

Labour is neck and neck with the Nationalists once more, competitive again and in touching distance of holding dozens of seats in its former Scottish heartlands.

There wasnt a lot new in Mr Sarwars speech on Saturday, but that wasnt the point.

The point was to see a leader who is a natural at this game and looks and smells like a prospective First Minister. No wonder, under his charge, the party has a smile on its face.

What to make of this gang? Someone like me  instinctively centre-right, solidly pro-Union but content to support a sensible social democratic party when necessary  is pleased to see them making a comeback in Scotland.

In my career, Ive worked with the Conservatives and worked close to Labour too, and it is unequivocally good to know that the Unions Left flank is no longer barking mad.

But still something nags about the partys top team. Beating the SNP in 2024 and then again in 2026 will require an immense collective effort from its UK operation. The partys tendency towards hubris must be avoided. It must not allow Scotland to become an afterthought.

If Labour does win the election  and its still an if in my view  itll make them a more grounded and attentive government in Scotland.

My problem with Labour boils down to its culture. Politics for me is fundamentally about power and trade-offs, something the Conservatives used to understand. Too often over its history, however, Labour has viewed this attitude as a kind of betrayal.

Intoxicated by its own sense of moral mission it instead has chosen to protest and preach; preferred being over doing.

At its best, under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, the party wedded passion to pragmatism. At its worst, this culture led, just a few years ago, to the disgrace of Corbyn. Im afraid many of us still havent quite forgotten about that.

Humility

I like the partys recent turn. In Scotland, I admire Sarwars instincts. But if Starmer does end up getting into power, Id just like to see the party act with a bit more humility.

It might, for example, want to acknowledge why it is suddenly doing so well. Its not because weve gone gooey over Starmer. Overwhelmingly, it is because its two main rivals  the Conservatives and the SNP  have shot away at their own feet.

With Partygate, the Johnson resignation and the Liz Truss horror show, the Tories have wrecked their credibility. In Scotland, thanks to the police tent, the camper van and the fall of Nicola Sturgeon, the SNP has done the same.

At the conference at the weekend, there was more than a hint of self-congratulation. Its like a sprinter praising himself for buying a pair of spikes. Yes, Labour has returned to the starting line-up in the race to No 10.

But this is not yet the time for victory laps.

The truth is that, in the face of the various meltdowns elsewhere, people are just lending Starmer their support. The mood is lukewarm at best.

According to pollster James Kanagasooriam, Starmers ratings are lower than John Majors when he lost office in 1997. Indeed, the public has not been this downbeat about both main party leaders at any point in the past 40 years.

Meanwhile in Scotland, Labours comeback is distinctly relative. Sarwar has done a great job hauling Labour back from the brink.

The objective reality, however, is that given the Nationalists disastrous incompetence, they should be getting absolutely slaughtered. That the SNP under Yousaf are still even competitive with the self-defined change party is a vivid reminder of just how much further Labours race has to run.

Overwhelmingly, what Labour needs to flesh out before it prepares to take on the twin peaks of Westminster and Holyrood elections in the next 24 months is a clear strategy for how it intends to run both wings of government.

In Scotland, some promising signs are there, such as a paper published last week by economy spokesman Daniel Johnson. But more is needed if the party is to capitalise on its good fortune.

Honeymoon

The backlash in the North-East against Starmers plans to penalise the oil and gas industry is a sign of the shallow support for his party.

If Labour wins the election later this year, a failure to set a very clear direction in Scotland, with specific plans to boost the economy, will assuredly lead to Starmer having the shortest honeymoon in political history  just in time for the Holyrood contest with the SNP in 2026.

Lent began last week, with churchgoers told to remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return. Its good advice for Starmer too. The wheel has turned for him.

But the peoples party might want to reflect that the mood which has so decisively swung in its favour could, at a stroke, swing against it just as surely.

Hold on to your ashes, Labour. You were dust not long ago. And unto dust you will return.
Despite all the handwringing over President Biden's age and ability to seek reelection, a new poll shows the president would do better in a race against Donald Trump than another potential Democratic presidential candidate would in the general election.

An Emerson College poll shows a close race between Biden and the former Republican president with 45 percent supporting Trump and 44 percent supporting Biden among registered voters.

The polling found hypothetical matchups between Trump and other high-profile Democrats floated as potential presidential contenders were not as close.

In a matchup between Vice President Kamala Harris and Trump, the GOP presidential frontrunner has 46 percent support to Harris' 43 percent support.

The gap grows even wider in a hypothetical matchup between Trump and Democratic California Governor Gavin Newsom, who has been a fierce supporter of the president. Trump receives 46 percent of support while Newsom holds 36 percent.

In a race between Democratic Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Trump, Trump holds 45 percent support to Whitmer's 33 percent.

New Emerson College polling found Biden did better against Trump in a head-to-head matchup than other Democrats in hypothetical matchups against the Republican frontrunner

Biden launched his reelection bid seeking a second term last spring and has vowed to stay in the race and win in November. But at 81-years-old, Biden is already the oldest sitting president to hold office.

Earlier this month, the report released by special counsel Robert Hur into Biden's handling of classified documents raised new questions and sent pundits into overdrive about the president's health after it described Biden as an 'elderly man with poor memory.'

Biden fired back his memory is fine. He took particular issue with the report claiming he could not remember major life moments like when his son Beau died.

Harris also slammed it as 'clearly politically motivated' and called Hur's description of Biden as 'gratuitous, inaccurate and inappropriate.'

Newsom has been one of Biden's fiercest supporters on the the campaign trail, hitting the stump for Biden in South Carolina last month. He has repeatedly insisted he has no intention of running against Biden and has frequently dismissed concerns over Biden's age in the race.

Harris has blasted the special counsel Robert Hur's characterization of Biden's memory. In her own hypothetical matchup against Trump, Harris trails Trump 46 percent to 43 percent

Newsom has been a fierce defender of President Biden on the campaign trail and has pushed back on suggestions he as presidential aspirations of his own

Biden has called Whitmer the best governor in the country. In a hypothetical matchup between Whitmer and Trump, Whitmer trails by more than 10 points

According to the Emerson poll, more than half of voters are concerned about Biden's age. 58 percent said it raises serious doubts in their minds about voting for the president while 42 percent said it was not a serious concern. Just within Biden's own party, 45 percent said his age raises concerns.

On Tuesday, Biden on his way to California, was asked by a reporter whether there was a plan B for 2024 and if Newsom needs to be standing by.

Biden appeared to laugh the question off as he shot back 'are you ready?'

Currently, Biden is running virtually unopposed in the Democratic presidential primary. Rep. Dean Phillips, D-MN, is also running for president as a Democrat but has barely gained any traction since jumping in the race.

While Biden's age has raised concerns for voters in the presidential race, Trump, 77, is not without his own set of vulnerabilities.

His Republican primary opponent Nikki Haley blasted both Trump and Biden as 'two old men only getting older' on Tuesday.

That same polling also found, more than half of voters said Trump's criminal indictments raise serious doubts in their minds over voting for him.
Sinister text messages sent from a Pizza Hut manager's phone to his boss minutes after his alleged murder have been revealed.

Kavonn Ingram, 31, allegedly shot dead 55-year-old Alex Stengel and slashed his throat at a Wisconsin branch of the pizza chain on February 5, before dragging his body outside and throwing it in a garbage can.

Police were alerted to the gruesome finding at the dumpster behind the South Milwaukee eatery two days later, and followed the trail of blood back to the Pizza Hut's kitchen.

Surveillance footage stamped at 10.25am on February 5 shows a man believed to be Ingram dragging a garbage can to the dumpsters, per Fox News.

Now, messages from Stengel's phone sent to his regional manager minutes later have been unearthed by the outlet.

Kavonn Ingram, 31, allegedly shot dead 55-year-old Alex Stengel and slashed his throat at the pizza chain's kitchen on February 5, according to police

Investigators say Stengel had cashed a $7,000 inheritance check in the days before his murder and had showed off the cash to co-workers

'Had a brain fart, what's the door code again? Left my keys in the store,' the first text to the regional manager reads at 10.28am on February 5.

The regional manager also said she received a call from Stengel's phone at 10.29am but the call was muffled by the sound of wind.

She received a second text at 11.07am. 'Been here since 8:30. I'm still feeling nauseous after throwing up 3 times,' the text said.

'The last time I even threw up a lil blood. Tried to smoke a cigarette to ease my stomach, but still sweating like a pig.

'It seems like I keep getting worse so I'm heading out. Already clocked out. Did what I could, but I need to get checked out or something.'

Investigators say Stengel had cashed a $7,000 inheritance check in the days before his murder and had showed off the cash to co-workers, as reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Ingram was arrested a few days after the body was discovered and charged with murder, hiding a corpse, armed robbery and possession of a firearm by a felon.

Cops at the restaurant where a trail of blood lead them to a dumpster where Ingram allegedly dumped the body

Police believe he wrapped Stengel in a garbage bag after killing him and then wheeled him outside to the dumpster area.

Stengel's wallet and phone had also been taken when his body was found.

Security surveillance reportedly captured a suspect dressed in black dragging a garbage can from the Pizza Hut to the dumpster. The suspect appeared to be struggling with the weight of what was in the bag, according to police.

Detectives said the majority of the restaurant appeared dirty except for a section of the kitchen that looked like it had been cleaned recently, per a criminal complaint. The metal doors also appeared to have been cleaned.

Police also said they found what looked like bloody handprints on the handle of a closet.

Ingram allegedly clocked out for Stengel after the murder in an attempt to cover up the crime, according to police.

The Pizza Hut's regional manager told police that she had received a text from Stengel's phone saying he was not feeling well and was clocking out early.

Ingram in orange prison overalls during a court appearance

Cops at the scene of the gruesome murder in Milwaukee

People have been leaving flowers at the Pizza Hutt where Stengel was murdered, as shows on his sister Pamela's Facebook post, pictured above

The restaurant's records show Stengel clocked in and 9.30am on February 5 and opened the cash register at 10.09am - which was strange because there had not been a sell, according to the regional manager.

Stengel clocked out at 10.50am - about 25 minutes after a suspect was seen dragging the trash can

DailyMail.com has reached out to Pizza Hut for comment on this story.
It was hailed as the centrepiece of the BBC Scotland digital TV channel  but just five years after its high-profile launch, The Nine is heading for the scrapheap.

The news and current affairs programme was an alternative to the Scottish Six, the long-standing Holy Grail of hardcore independence supporters  an evening news bulletin that would tackle all news, UK and international, using a team based in Scotland.

That idea was binned after a viewer backlash and amid fears it would be exploited as a political plaything, leaving the way clear for The Nine.

Inevitably, it didnt have the budget to perform the function of a Scottish Six, and critics said  presciently  that it looked like a half-baked compromise.

The Nine became a ratings disaster, but until now it has been kept alive by BBC bosses who may have feared the political consequences of dropping it.

The Nine news anchors Rebecca Curran and Martin Geissler

Those repercussions became clear yesterday, when Culture Secretary Angus Robertson condemned the plan to ditch the hour-long programme in favour of a 30-minute news show, to be aired at 7pm.

He is calling for an early meeting with BBC Director-General Tim Davie and the broadcasting regulator Ofcom, which will have to approve the BBC proposals.

Yet the real surprise is that it has taken so long for the corporation to axe The Nine after years of controversy about low viewing figures.

On its launch night in February 2019, The Nine attracted fewer than 46,000 viewers on average.

At its peak, fewer than 63,000 tuned in to see the show, fronted by former ITN journalist Martin Geissler and Rebecca Curran. But by the end of the programme, only 32,600 people were still watching  while around 398,000 were enjoying a sitcom screened on BBC One.

The omens were far from promising on the second night when viewer numbers frequently dipped to 4,200  roughly the population of the Perthshire town of Auchterarder. In 2020, the Mail revealed that the channel would be spared from job cuts, and was safe for at least two years.

By August 2021, The Nine was attracting as few as 2,300 viewers, a far smaller audience than STV rival Scotland Tonight, which was pulling in an average of 130,000.

The following month, the show suffered a blow when co-host Ms Curran left for a year of maternity leave, and did not return (though she is still a BBC journalist).

The dismal ratings continued and in January this year it emerged that just 1,700 people had watched an episode of The Nine.

But problems for the programme deepened further when Mr Geissler moved to the BBCs Drivetime presenting team last month. A roster of presenters took over, including Good Morning Scotland veteran Gary Robertson.

The axing of The Nine will raise wider questions about the future of the BBC Scotland channel, which costs 35million a year to run, and will now have some unexpected gaps in its schedule.

The channel was welcomed by Nicola Sturgeon, then First Minister, when plans for its launch were first announced back in 2017, following years of bitter Nationalist criticism of the broadcaster.

During the run-up to the independence referendum in 2014, Alex Salmond, Ms Sturgeons predecessor, had a very public spat with Nick Robinson, the BBC political editor at the time.

It led to SNP supporters staging an angry protest outside the BBCs Scottish headquarters in Glasgow.

Sources close to the creation of the channel said it was driven partly by a desire to shore up the corporations defences in the event that independence was achieved, which could lead to the SNP targeting the BBC in a bout of score-settling.

It has been repeatedly criticised over a high volume of repeats and the poor quality of its output.

Ironically, despite the huge investment in BBC Scotland, SNP politicians have continued to attack the broadcaster for a perceived agenda against their party and the independence cause.

Now Mr Robertson is attacking the corporation for scrapping The Nine, claiming that the decision runs counter to the growing success of the screen and TV sectors in Scotland.

The long-overdue demise of the once-flagship show may signal the beginning of the end for a channel which began life as a political fudge  and quickly became a white elephant.
A bankruptcy judge has permitted former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani to appeal his $148 million defamation award to Georgia election workers - with the condition he would not be spending his own money on lawyers.

On Tuesday, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Sean Lane entered a court order allowing Giuliani, 79, to seek a new trial and challenge the amount of damages awarded to Wandrea 'Shaye' Moss and her mother, Ruby Freeman, whom Giuliani had falsely accused of fraud after former Republican President Donald Trump's 2020 election loss.

Lane prohibited Donald Trump's ex-lawyer from spending his own money on further litigation in the Georgia defamation case, requiring Giuliani to pay his attorneys with donations received by two legal defense funds.

In December, Giuliani was ordered to immediately pay $148 million in damages to the mother-daughter duo after a Washington, D.C., jury deliberated for ten hours before they came back with a unanimous verdict.

Less than a week after he was ordered to pay up but said he could not afford to do so, he was spotted in Manhattan shopping for jewelry.

A bankruptcy judge has permitted former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani to appeal his $148 million defamation damages to Georgia election workers

Giuliani had been ordered by a court to pay $148 million to Georgia election workers Shaye Moss (left) and Ruby Freeman (right) after a defamation case

Rudy Giuliani was spotted shopping for jewelry in Manhattan, less than a week after he was ordered to pay $148 million for defaming two Georgia election workers

The former New York mayor's lawyers said at the time he was unable to pay, and have petitioned the court to allow him to delay payment while he appeals

His lawyers said at the time he was unable to pay, and have petitioned the court to allow him to delay payment while he appeals.

Lane's order allowed Giuliani to challenge the size of the Georgia verdict, but not to pursue a full appeal. If Giuliani decides to appeal the Georgia defamation ruling, he must return to bankruptcy court for further approval.

Giuliani's political adviser Ted Goodman told DailyMail.com: 'We very much appreciate the judge's expeditious consideration of this matter and look forward to proceeding accordingly.'

The once-lauded mayor filed for bankruptcy in New York in December, with staggering debts of $153 million owed to creditors including two Georgia election workers he defamed over the 2020 election result, lawyers, the IRS and Hunter Biden.

In August, Giuliani admitted having 'financial problems' as he battled multiple court cases and said he didn't have enough money to defend himself.

He filed his petition in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, court documents showed.

In the filing, Giuliani said he had between $100 million and $500 million in liabilities and $1 million to $10 million in assets.

The filing listed Hunter Biden as one of his creditors, without specifying the amount Giuliani owed him.

In September, Hunter Biden sued Giuliani, accusing the former mayor of violating his privacy over data allegedly taken from his infamous laptop.

Giuliani also listed owing at least $700,000 to the Internal Revenue Service and more than $260,000 to the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance.

The former New York City mayor is being sued by former aide Noelle Dunphy, who alleges he coerced her into sex while she worked for him between 2019 and 2021 and owes her nearly $2 million in unpaid wages.

The once-lauded mayor filed for bankruptcy in New York in December, with staggering debts of $153 million owed to creditors including two Georgia election workers he defamed over the 2020 election result, lawyers, the IRS and Hunter Biden

New filings lodged on Thursday show how Giuliani, 79, is seeking to litigate the case and have it dismissed.

In response to Dunphy's claims, Giuliani's political adviser Ted Goodman told DailyMail.com: 'Ms. Dunphy has a documented history of making harassment claims against men for the purpose of making money, which has been reported in-part by the New York Post.

'Ms. Dunphy's history of this sort of behavior is well documented and available through public records, and I look forward to the Independent including Ms. Dunphy's documented history of this sort of behavior.'

Meanwhile, Dunphy has already filed graphic transcripts allegedly describing recordings of his unwanted advances, including the vulgar remark 'Your t*ts belong to me.'

Giuliani denies the claims and says the two were in a consensual relationship and said the suit is filled with exaggerations and salacious details 'to create a media frenzy.'

Dunphy's attorney, Justin T. Kelton, said in response: 'The assertions by Mr. Giuliani and his representatives sound like more like wishful thinking than sober analysis.

'Unlike Mr. Giuliani, no court has ever found that Ms. Dunphy made any misrepresentation. Furthermore, Ms. Dunphy has already come forward with substantial evidence in support of her allegations, and her sworn complaint speaks volumes.

'Mr. Giuliani's attacks on Ms. Dunphy are both inappropriate and extremely ironic coming from someone with his track record.'
President Joe Biden briefly lost his balance while boarding Air Force One Tuesday, in just the latest near mishap while boarding the presidential aircraft.

The incident happened shortly after Biden saluted a military aide at the foot of the stairs Tuesday at the start of his trip to California for fundraisers and a public event.

He took about five steps up the stars, then suddenly lost his balance. He avoided tripping, then steadied himself on the hand rail, which he had been using intermittently all the way up.

It happened a day after the president was spotted in new high-end black Hoka sneakers while returning to DC from Delaware on President's Day.

On Tuesday, Biden, 81, wore black dress shoes with what appeared to be a rubber sole.

President Joe Biden lost and then caught his balance while boarding Air Force One using stairs that drop from underneath the presidential aircraft

As is often the case in recent months, Biden used the smaller stairway that can be dropped from beneath the aircraft, rather than the longer stairway that can pose an issue on windy days, and where Biden has experienced stumbles in the past.

En route to California, DailyMail.com asked White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre about a report that the White House has been pushing back at the New York Times over coverage of the president's age and fitness.

'You all ask me pretty regularly about the president's age,' Jean-Pierre said. She quoted former New York Times public editor Margaret Sullivan, who wrote that 'Maybe the Times and other major media outlets ought to look in the mirror.'

Biden recovered his balance and kept moving, keeping his hand on a handrail

The incident comes amid continuing concerns in polling about Biden's age

It came after Biden spoke about Russia and U.S. security funding for Ukraine at the White House

'Alas, self-scrutiny and course correction are not among Big Medias core strengths,' she said, quoting from her recent substack article.

'I'll leave it there,' Jean-Pierre concluded.

Biden's incident follows a report that the Secret Service now stations an agent at the bottom of the stairway, following a series of stumbles.

On Tuesday a plain clothes agent could be seen standing at the bottom of the stairway while Biden climbed the stairs.

The White House has been playing defense about the president's age after special counsel Robert Hur included language in his report explaining the decision not to charge Biden in the classified documents probe. One passage described him as an 'elderly man' who sometimes had a 'hazy' memory.
University students have launched a discrimination claim after a 'decolonising' black history course was scrapped.

They say the University of Chichester breached the Equality Act as the course was created to encourage more black students into academia.

The History of Africa and the African Diaspora Master's by Research (MRes) was set up in 2017 to 'decolonise the curriculum'.

It was led by Professor Hakim Adi, who was shortlisted for the Wolfson History Prize.

Labelled the first African-British history professor in the UK, Professor Adi said the axing was an 'attack' on black history.

University students are launching a legal challenge against the University of Chichester, claiming they have breached the Equality Act after an African history course was scrapped

Labelled the first African-British history professor in the UK, Professor Hakim Adi said the axing was an 'attack' on black history

The university said the course was financially unviable to take on new applicants but existing students could continue (Stock image)

He added yesterday: 'As a result of the MRes, we encouraged many black students to embark on PhD research. We established one of the largest cohorts of black postgraduate history students in the country.

'These students have been left without appropriate supervision and their studies have been completely disrupted.'

Figures in the curriculum included Haitian independence leader Toussaint Louverture, South African human rights activist Alice Kinloch, and Amy Ashwood Garvey, co-founder of Jamaica's Universal Negro Improvement Association and wife of Marcus Garvey.

Last summer, the university announced the course would be suspended because too few students signed up, which led to Professor Adi losing his job.

It said the course was financially unviable to take on new applicants but existing students could continue.

However, the 14 students taking action say they are not taught by a specialist and have launched a 'letter before action', alleging discrimination and breach of contract.

Jacqueline McKenzie, of lawyers Leigh Day, which is representing the students, said the axing of the course 'stopped our clients' academic careers in their tracks', branding the decision 'clear discrimination'.

Jabari Osaze, an MRes student said: 'Chichester should have focused its efforts on recruiting more students like me but instead it seems they undervalued the programme.

'They have treated their students and the world-renowned expert historian who ran the programme extremely poorly.'

An online petition has gained 14,000 signatures and an open letter has been signed by more than 300 academics and staff.

In a linked case, the Black Equity Organisation is also bringing legal action and has issued a judicial review.

A university spokesman said: 'The MRes programme has not been terminated for existing students but is suspended to new applicants pending a review.

'PhD students study individual programmes of research and should not be conflated with the MRes programme.

'The university is committed to ensuring that all existing students are able to complete their studies successfully and that alternative teaching and supervisory arrangements are in place for these students.'
Senate Foreign Relations Ranking Member Sen. Jim Risch says he is doing everything he can to get more details on detained Karelina

The top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said he is doing everything he can to find out more details regarding the arrest of Russian-American ballerina Ksenia Karelina.

Karelina, an American citizen, was arrested in January by Vladimir Putin's notorious Federal Security Service (FSB) on treason charges, officials confirmed Tuesday.

Video posted by a Russian news outlet shows the 32-year-old ballerina being led into a courtroom blindfolded, though it's unclear when the video was recorded.

'Reports of the recent arrest of Russian-American ballerina Ksenia Karelina on charges of high treason are concerning,' Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Jim Risch told DailyMail.com in an exclusive statement.

'Putin is so afraid of the Russian people knowing the truth about his brutal and unprovoked war against Ukraine that he is willing to use whatever means necessary to silence dissent,' the Idaho Republican said.

'I will do everything I can to ascertain the details of Ms. Karelina's arrest and ensure the United States supports her through this perilous time,' the senator continued.

A statement from Russian officials refers to Karelina as a resident of Los Angeles

She is specifically accused of transferring $51.80 from an American bank account to an American charity in support of Ukraine, Razom

Vladimir Putin 's secret security force the FSB arrested dual Russian-American Ksenia Karelina, 32, on treason charges, officials confirmed Tuesday. She appeared in court blindfolded

Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, told DailyMail.com he is working to ascertain more information regarding Karelina's arrest

The American ballerina is accused of treason in Russia for sending just $51.80 to a charity in support of Ukraine. She faces 20 years in prison.

Karelina, who works at a spa in Beverly Hills, California, travelled to Russia to visit her family on January 2, according to her close friend and employer Isabella Koretz.

She was immediately arrested after landing in Moscow, 'interrogated for 13 hours' and placed in a freezing cold jail cell with two other women, Koretz exclusively told DailyMail.com.

She's not a politician, she's an aesthetician, said Koretz, 47, who runs Ciel Spa in Beverly Hills. Shes just a super sweet person and wanted to help.'

She flew from Istanbul to Russia. And she was detained right upon arrival.'

They arrested her, they kept her there, interrogated her for like 13 hours. Then they let her go, but they were bringing her back and forth to jail.

Koretz told DailyMail.com that after the Karelina did not return from her trip after two weeks, she learned that the ballerina was arrested.

One of the final arrests before she was put in prison, they asked her to come out on a public square, saying they wanted to chat with her about something  then several agencies including the FSB arrested her publicly, the spa president said.

Every time she appears in front of the judge, the judge extends her sentence.'

Karelina is accused of fundraising for a charity supporting Ukraine. She posted this picture when she was granted US citizenship in 2021

On her Facebook page, Karelina says that she's from Yekaterinburg, Russia, and that she studied ballet at the S. P. Diaghilev school

Treason charges can carry penalties of up to 20 years in prison

The White House is also scrambling to learn more of the Karelina's arrest.

'We are trying to get more information and to secure some consular access to that individual,' White House spokesman John Kirby told DailyMail.com Tuesday in a briefing.

He also warned any American citizen, including those with dual Russian citizenship, to leave the country immediately.

'I want to reiterate our very strong warnings about the danger posed to U.S. citizens inside Russia. So if you're a U.S. citizen, including a dual nationals residing in or traveling in Russia, you ought to leave right now.'

'Obviously it goes without saying if you're a U.S. citizen or you have a US.. passport, and you haven't traveled to Russia but you're considering going, obviously urging you not to do that,' he added.

The dancer is accused of 'proactively collecting funds since February 2022 in the interests of a Ukrainian organization, which were subsequently used to purchase tactical medicine, equipment, weapons and ammunition for the Armed Forces of Ukraine,' the FSB alleges.

'In addition, the citizen in question repeatedly took part in public actions in support of the Kyiv regime while in the United States,' the agency added, reports The Moscow Times.

Karelina is the latest American behind bars in Russia, in addition to Gershkovich, former US Marine Paul Whelan and Texas dad David Barnes, 65, who last week was sentenced to 21 years in prison in Moscow on child abuse charges.

On the same day that Karelina's arrest was announced, Gershkovich appeared in a Moscow court where he had his pre-trial detention extended.
Arab American organizations in Michigan are urging President Joe Biden to 'step down' as they push for Democratic voters in the state to cast their ballot for 'uncommitted' in the February 27th primary.

Arab Americans have been furious with the president since the Israeli-Hamas war began in October. Biden has strongly backed Israel's counter strikes in the West Bank. In Gaza, the Health Ministry said the death toll had risen to 29,092 since the start of the war with around two-thirds of them women and children.

Now that anger could have political consequences in a state that could decide which contender wins the White House in November.

Arab American groups are urging voters to pick 'uncommitted' in the state's February 27th primary instead of Joe Biden - above Biden in Michigan on Feb. 1

'He's got to do the right thing for the party and for  the country itself, and he should step down as soon as possible,' Hassan Abdel Salam, a member of the Abandon Biden National Coalition, told The Hill newspaper.

'He's deeply toxic, and we will never ever support him. He can't do anything for us to support him. No one can tolerate a policy of death that lasts this long; people have to be held to account.'

The Abandon Biden movement is targeting the president in the battleground states where withholding the vote could hurt him the most: Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Georgia, and Florida.

Additionally, the Michigan branch has hosted meetings with third-party candidates such as Jill Stein and Cornel West to give voters an alternative option to the president.

Even though Biden faces only token primary opposition, Michigan is one state where he could face a serious challenge on the ballot due to the 'uncommitted' option for voters.

Over the weekend, progressive Michigan Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib urged voters in the state to pick 'uncommitted' over the president in the primary.

'This is the way you can raise our voices,' Tlaib, the only Palestinian-American in Congress, said. 'Right now, we feel completely neglected and just unseen by our government. If you want us to be louder, then come here and vote uncommitted.'

By voting 'uncommitted,' Tlaib said the goal is to 'create a voting bloc, something that is a bullhorn to say enough is enough. We don't want a country that supports wars and bombs and destruction. We want to support life.'

Biden has been to Michigan to meet with union members but hasn't met with any Arab American groups. Vice President Kamala Harris is going to Michigan on Thursday to talk reproductive rights.

People gather in support of Palestinians outside of the venue where President Joe Biden is speaking to members of the United Auto Workers (UAW) in Michigan

Protesters greeted Biden during his February 1st trip to the battleground state

Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) is endorsing the effort to vote 'uncommitted' instead of backing President Joe Biden in the Michigan primary election on February 27

The state is also competitive in the 2024 general election, where it is looking more and more likely Biden will face a rematch with Donald Trump. The former president also has campaigned heavily in the state.

In Michigan, more than 10,000 voters cast their ballots in the state's presidential primary this past weekend - the first two days of early voting. Republicans are also choosing their presidential candidate.

A solid showing for 'uncommitted' in the Democratic primary could signal trouble for Biden in the November general election.

Biden carried Michigan by 154,188 votes in 2020. The state has a thriving Arab-American community.

If the anger at him remains, the president risks losing some Arab American voters to third-party candidates or others may simply stay home.

Abdullah Hammoud, the mayor of Dearborn, which has a large Arab American population, wrote of the group's anger in an op-ed in the New York Times.

'My greatest fear is that Mr. Biden will not be remembered as the president who saved American democracy in 2020 but rather as the president who sacrificed it for Benjamin Netanyahu in 2024,' he wrote.

The White House has taken the situation seriously and, last week, sent a group of senior officials to meet with Arab-American leaders in the state. More than 200,000 registered voters in the state are Muslim.

Participants told USA Today the officials conceded there had been 'mistakes and missteps' in the response to the war in Gaza and apologized for how the administration has talked publicly about Palestinians.
Hunter Biden's legal team have accused the Justice Department of an astonishing blunder in which investigators mistook sawdust for lines of cocaine during their investigation into the president's son.

Attorney's for Hunter claimed Special Counsel David Weiss made a mistake 'straight out of a 1980s' Police Academy film'.

It came after Weiss published photos from Hunter's iPhone and hard drive that the prosecutor said were proof he was using cocaine when he bought a gun.

Hunter's lawyers say the image in question was actually sent to his psychiatrist by someone else as a joke.

'The prosecution is flat out wrong - both that Mr. Biden "took" this photograph and in claiming that it depicts "cocaine",' Biden's lawyers said.

'Multiple sources have pointed out, and a review of discovery confirms, this is actually a photo of sawdust from an expert carpenter and it was sent to Mr. Biden, not vice versa.'

Hunter Biden's legal team have accused the Department of Justice of mistaking lines of cocaine for sawdust

'More specifically, the discovery identifies this as a photo of a photo taken in the office of Mr. Bidens then-psychiatrist Dr. Keith Ablow,' Hunter's lawyers said.

The court documents said Dr. Ablow initially received the image from a patient, who was a master carpenter, and later texted it to Hunter.

In his text to Hunter the doctor wrote: 'This one in my office is of lines of sawdust sent to me by a master carpenter who was a coke addict.'

'The message accompanying that photo was meant to convey that Mr. Biden, too, could overcome any addiction,' Hunter's lawyers wrote.

They went on: 'Mistaking sawdust for cocaine sounds more like a storyline from one of the 1980s Police Academy comedies than what should be expected in a high-profile prosecution by the U.S. Department of Justice.'

Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden, talks to reporters at the U.S. Capitol, in Washington, Dec. 13, 2023

A photo from Hunter Biden's laptop

Abbe Lowell, Hunter's lawyer, said the sawdust mistake 'amplifies why Mr. Biden and the court could not take what the prosecution said 'at face value'.

Weiss has charged Hunter Biden with crimes including lying about his drug use when he purchased a gun in 2018. The president's son has pleaded not guilty.

Hunter Biden's lawyers accused the prosecution of being 'reckless' by making a 'hyperbolic and sensational' claim in relation to the sawdust picture.

They said it would 'prejudice Mr. Biden in the public eye.'

The row over the picture came as Hunter's lawyers filed a 22-page document relating to the sharing of evidence between the prosecution and defense.

US President Joe Biden hugs his son Hunter Biden as they leave The Ivy restaurant in Los Angeles, California, February 4, 2024

In this courtroom sketch, President Joe Biden's son Hunter Biden, center, appears alongside attorney Abbe Lowell, right, in front of Judge Mark C. Scarsi, left, in federal court, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024, in Los Angeles. Biden pleaded not guilty to federal tax charges

Hunter Biden, son of U.S. President Joe Biden, is seen as he makes a surprise appearance at a House Oversight Committee meeting to vote on whether to hold Biden in contempt of Congress for failing to respond to a request to testify to the House last month, on Capitol Hill in Washington, January 10, 2024

A photo from Hunter Biden's phone used by prosecutors to show his drug use

The development came days after Weiss charged a former FBI informant with lying about Hunter and his father taking $5million bribes from the Ukrainian energy company Burisma.

Alexander Smirnov, 43, is accused of making a false statement and creating a false record for statements he made to the FBI in 2020 and, if convicted, faces a maximum of 25 years in prison.

Smirnov was arrested at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas after arriving the United States from overseas.

The charges against Smirnov could undercut Republican accusations of bribery and claims Biden was benefitting financial from his son's business dealings in Ukraine.
Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci has announced he is stepping down just days after walking out of an ABC interview and in the wake of the supermarket's controversial call not to sell Australia Day merchandise.

Australia's biggest supermarket chain announced on Wednesday morning that South African-born Mr Banducci will retire in September after 13 years with the company, including almost nine as chief executive.

Mr Banducci, who last year received a total pay package of $8.65million, will be replaced by Amanda Bardwell, the current managing director of digital subsidiary WooliesX, after an 'extensive international search process'.

Ms Bardwell, who has been with the Woolworths Group for 23 years, will receive a base salary of $2.15million alongside generous bonus incentives.

The announcement came as the Woolworths Group revealed a half-year net loss of $781million, leading to the share price plunging by 6.3 per cent to $33.61 in the opening minutes of trade on Wednesday.

The disappointing result for the six months to December occurred as Woolworths wrote off the assets of its struggling New Zealand supermarket arm.

Woolworths Group, which also owns Big W, made a net profit of $1.62billion in the 2022-23 financial year.

Mr Banducci's retirement decision comes just days after he walked out of an ABC interview after asking if one of his answers could be cut from the recording.

The embattled boss also came under fire in recent months for Woolworths' decision to dump Australia Day merchandise from all its stores.

Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci (pictured) has announced he is stepping down days after a train wreck ABC interview

Mr Banducci came under fire in recent months for Woolworths' decision not to stock Australia Day merchandise (pictured: Australia Day revellers on the Gold Coast)

The chain's decision sparked uproar among shoppers and at least one store was sprayed with graffiti (pictured)
Special Counsel David Weiss charged Alexander Smirnov last week with lying about Biden after he became a presidential candidate

In a shocking new filing, prosecutors state that Smirnov has 'extensive foreign ties' and could be resettled outside the U.S. if he were to be released

Former FBI informant Alexander Smirnov who 'lied' about an alleged Biden family 'bribery scheme' with Ukrainians had 'high-level contacts with Russian intelligence operatives,' according to prosecutors.

Last week, Special Counsel David Weiss charged him with lying about President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden taking $5million bribes from the Ukrainian energy company Burisma.

Alexander Smirnov, 43, is accused of making a false statement and creating a false record for statements he made to the FBI in 2020 and, if convicted, faces a maximum of 25 years in prison.

In a shocking new filing Tuesday, prosecutors state that Smirnov, an Israeli citizen, has 'extensive foreign ties, including, most troublingly and by his own account, contact with foreign intelligence services, including Russian intelligence agencies.'

'Smirnovs contacts with Russian officials who are affiliated with Russian intelligence services are not benign,' allege prosecutors.

The filing went on to say the 'false information' Smirnov passed on from the Russian intelligence operatives was not 'trivial' because it 'targeted the presumptive nominee of one of the two major political parties,' referring to Joe Biden.

Former FBI informant Alexander Smirnov, left, walks out of his lawyer's office in downtown Las Vegas after being released from federal custody Tuesday, Feb. 20

Special Counsel David Weiss has charged a former FBI informant with lying about President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden taking a $5million bribe from the Ukrainian energy company Burisma

The filing went on to say the 'false information' Smirnov he provided was not 'trivial' because it 'targeted the presumptive nominee of one of the two major political parties,' referring to Joe Biden

As a result, federal prosecutors argue that Smirnov should be detained because those foreign contacts could 'resettle Smirnov outside the United States if he were released' and he has $6 million in 'liquid funds' - so he could live comfortably.

'The effects of Smirnov's false statements and fabricated information continue to be felt to this day. Now the personal stakes for Smirnov are even higher. His freedom is on the line,' prosecutors state.

'If he could not be trusted to report truthful information to his FBI Handler, he cannot be trusted to report truthful information to Pretrial Services.'

The bombshell revelations came out immediately before he is expected to appear in court in Las Vegas Tuesday afternoon at 3pm PST. He is currently being held in a federal detention facility in Pahrump, Nevada.

Smirnov was arrested last Thursday afternoon at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas after arriving the United States from overseas and appeared in federal court in Nevada.

The charges against Smirnov could undercut Republican accusations of bribery and claims Biden was benefitting financial from his son's business dealings in Ukraine.

In the Tuesday afternoon filing, prosecutors detailed how Smirnov 'misrepresented' his assets by failing to disclose the millions he has on hand.

He personally has access to more than $2.9 million and his 'wife/girlfriend' who pays his personal expenses out of her own account has the ability to get more than $3.8 million.

And based on his 'weak ties' to the community in Las Vegas, he cannot reasonably be believed to remain in the area if he were to be released, prosecutors continued.

'Smirnovs anticipated travel from the United States, on Friday of last week, two days after his return, was for the purpose of meeting with Russian intelligence officials, among others,' prosecutors say.

But a federal judge allowed Smirnov to be released Tuesday evening following the hearing, with certain conditions attached including a GPS monitor and handing over of his U.S. and Israeli passports.

Smirnov did not answer questions from reporters as he departed from court.

Law enforcement officials are aware of Smirnov's 'contact with officials affiliated with Russian intelligence' because Smirnov himself reported on a number of those contacts to his FBI handler, the filing states.

'These contacts are extensive and extremely recent, and Smirnov had the intention of meeting with one of these officials on his upcoming planned overseas travel,' the document continues.

Specifically, 'Russian Official 1' was disclosed by Smirnov to be the son of a 'former high-ranking Russian government official,' who 'controls two groups of individuals tasked with carrying out assassination efforts in a third-party country.'

In addition, the official has been described to have 'ties to a particular Russian intelligence service.'

And 'Russian Official 2' is a 'high-ranking member of a specific Russian foreign intelligence service.'

Another, 'Russian Official 4,' apparently ran an intelligence operation at a 'club' located at a particular hotel, according to Smirnov.

He told his FBI handler that the Russian Intelligence Service 'intercepted cell phone calls made by guests at the hotel.'

'The Russian Intelligence Service intercepted several calls placed by prominent U.S. persons the Russian government may use as "kompromat" in the 2024 election, depending on who the candidates will be,' he continued.

According to court filings, Smirnov told the FBI in March 2017 he had a phone call with the owner of Burisma about the energy companies interest in acquiring a business in the United States.

In his telling of the conversation, Smirnov told the FBI that someone referred to as 'Businessperson 1' was on the board of Burisma and was also the son of an individual referred to as 'Public Official 1.'

While the individuals are not named in the indictment, they are reported to be Hunter Biden and President Biden.

Prosecutors included pictures of business cards for 'Burisma Official 2' as well as officials '3 and 4' that Smirnov allegedly messaged his handler in March and September 2017.

Prosecutors included pictures of business cards for 'Burisma Official 2' as well as officials '3 and 4' that Smirnov allegedly messaged his handler

According to court documents, Smirnov told the FBI in March 2017 he had a phone call with the owner of Burisma about the energy companies interest in acquiring a business in the United States

Smirnov was released from federal custody with conditions on Tuesday evening

Hunter Biden was appointed to the board of directors for Burisma Holdings

In 2020, Ukrainian authorities said they have intercepted a $6 million bribe attempt at dropping a criminal investigation against the head of the Burisma natural gas company where Joe Biden's son once held a board seat

Three years later in June 2020, the indictment alleges Smirnov provided false information about Biden and Hunter after Biden became a presidential candidate.

At that time, Smirnov reported two meetings around 2015 and/or 2016.

It alleges Smirnov falsely claimed that during the meetings, executives associated with Burisma admitted to him that they hired Hunter to 'protect us, through his dad, from all kinds of problems.'

He also claimed that they had specifically paid $5 million each to Biden and Hunter while Biden was still in office so that Hunter would 'take care of all those issues through his dad,' referring to a criminal investigation being conducted by the then-Ukrainian prosecutor general into Burisma.

According to the indictment, the events Smirnov reported in 2020 were a fabrication.

But Republicans have made the FD-1023 form in which Smirnov made the accusations central to their case to impeach the sitting president.

House Oversight Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., attempted to downplay the indictment saying the informant was only part of a complex money trail involving the Bidens and foreigners they are working to unravel.

Smirnov is currently being held in a federal detention facility in Pahrump, Nevada

The charges against Smirnov undercut the Republicans' accusations of bribery and claims Biden was benefitting financial from his son's business dealings in Ukraine

The indictment states in fact, Smirnov had contact with executives from Burisma in 2017 after the end of the Obama-Biden Administration and after the then Ukrainian Prosecutor General had been fired in February 2016 when Biden had 'no ability to influence U.S. policy and after the Ukrainian Prosecutor General had been fired in February 2016.'

The indictment alleges Smirnov transformed his routine business contacts with Burisma in 2017 and later into bribery allegations against Biden after expressing bias against Biden and his presidential candidacy.

When Smirnov was interviewed by the FBI in September 2023, the indictment alleges he repeated some of his false claims, changed his story with other claims, and 'promoted a new false narrative after he said he met with Russian officials.'

House Republicans had seized on the FBI document alleging the $5 million bribe as part of their investigation into the president. The indictment undermines that key component in their case.

Following the indictment, House Oversight Committee Ranking Member Jamie Raskin, D-MD, called on House Republicans to end their impeachment inquiry.

'In a detailed indictment, Special Counsel David Weisswho was appointed by former President Donald Trumphas demonstrated how key evidence at the heart of House Republicans' impeachment inquiry is based on a lie,' Rankin said in a statement.

But House Oversight Republicans vowed to move forward with their investigation saying in a post on X they have reasons to do so that do not rely on the 'corrupt FBI or an informant.'
Prince William last night called for an end to the fighting in Gaza in an unprecedented royal intervention.

In an extraordinary  and symbolically significant  statement the future king said the 'terrible human cost' of the conflict had seen 'too many killed'.

'I, like so many others, want to see an end to the fighting as soon as possible,' said William, 41. He also highlighted the desperate need for more humanitarian support for the civilians of Gaza and, notably, called on Hamas to release its remaining Israeli hostages.

His carefully-chosen words are the strongest yet by a senior royal in response to Israel's devastating military action in Gaza following the sickening terror attacks of October 7.

They came ahead of a visit by the Prince of Wales to the British Red Cross in London to discuss the spiralling humanitarian crisis in Gaza and beyond.

Prince William last night called for an end to the fighting in Gaza in an unprecedented royal intervention

In an extraordinary  and symbolically significant  statement the future king said the 'terrible human cost' of the conflict had seen 'too many killed'

So far, according to the Hamas-controlled Gaza health ministry, almost 30,000 people have been killed in Gaza and a further 1.7million displaced. Pictured: Palestinians search for bodies and survivors (Feburary 20)

His statement was issued with the knowledge of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and welcomed by Downing Street, which said his 'measured' call for an end to the fighting was in line with the Government's position.

Royal aides emphasised that it was the 'extent of the human suffering that is on display which had led him to make the statement he has today'.

They would not confirm whether it had the backing of the King. But father and son did meet in Norfolk at the weekend, where Charles is recuperating from cancer treatment.

However, the statement also puts the heir to the throne at risk of accusations of meddling.

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has resisted calls to halt his military action, making clear that he will not stop until Hamas, which is classed as a terror organisation by the UK Government, is destroyed and Gaza is demilitarised.

He is now planning to invade the city of Rafah, a move which the United States has condemned.

And today sees a contentious, and highly emotive, debate in Parliament over the conflict.

Last night some Tory MPs criticised William, with suggestions that he risked undermining 'the underlying principle of our constitutional monarchy'.

Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams said today's intervention was evidence that William was following elements of his father Charles' 'outspoken' approach to issues of the day. Pictured: The King attends this Sunday's service

Israel's government spokesman Eylon Levy issued a more diplomatic response to the Prince's intervention, saying: 'Israelis of course want to see an end to the fighting as soon as possible, and that will be possible once the 134 hostages are released, and once the Hamas terror army threatening to repeat the 7 October atrocities is dismantled.

'We appreciate the Prince of Wales' call for Hamas to free the hostages. We also recall with gratitude his statement from 11 October condemning Hamas's terror attacks and reaffirming Israel's right of self-defence against them.'

Sources close to the heir to the throne acknowledged that the issues surrounding the crisis are highly politicised. But they stressed that having undertaken a well-received visit to both Israel and the West Bank in 2018, William had been following events closely.

Veteran diplomat who is advising heir to the throne Senior diplomat David Hunt accompanied the Prince of Wales on a visit to the headquarters of the British Red Cross yesterday. Mr Hunt joined Prince Williams team last summer as a special adviser on foreign affairs from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. The married father-of-two has more than 20 years of international experience. He joined the Foreign Office in 2001 from the private sector. His experience includes a three-year stint as the ambassador to Lithuania and he was the consul general to the Kurdistan region of Iraq for over a year, according to his LinkedIn profile. Prior to these roles, Mr Hunt was the consul general in Washington and worked for two years as a deputy director at the Foreign Office. Advertisement

They said he had thought 'long and hard' about whether to say anything, but felt the overwhelming humanitarian crisis unfolding in the region required him to speak out.

So far, according to the Hamas-controlled Gaza health ministry, almost 30,000 people have been killed in Gaza and a further 1.7million displaced, out of a population of two million. Hamas murdered almost 1,200 Israeli and foreign nationals on October 7, and took almost 250 hostages.

Royal aides insisted that William's words should not be taken as a call for an immediate ceasefire or a comment on the issue of a 'two state' solution, but as an instinctive reaction to monumental loss of life both as a human being and 'as a father'.

Many royal insiders see the statement as an example of William's distinct vision for the monarchy and his desire to speak his mind on the issues that matter. Sources close to the prince have long told the Mail that he believes the institution 'needs to better explain its own thinking, particularly in terms of its place in the world'.

The Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis shared William's statement online and wrote: 'Since his visit to the region in 2018, the Prince of Wales has shown a deep concern for the well-being of all those affected by the conflict in the Middle East and his words of compassion today, which I welcome, are yet further evidence of this'

However, Tory peer Stewart Jackson described the Prince's intervention as 'ill-timed and ill-judged'.

Conservative MP Andrew Percy, vice-chairman of the all-party parliamentary group on anti-Semitism, said: 'The underlying principle of our constitutional monarchy is that members of the Royal Family do not engage in contentious political issues of the day on which there are divergent and strongly held beliefs in this country.'

Former Ukip leader Nigel Farage said on X, formerly Twitter: 'I'm not sure that our future King should be doing this. He should stick to the Baftas.'

William's visit to the Red Cross was one of two engagements  the other to a synagogue next week  designed to recognise 'human suffering' from all sides as a result of the current conflict.

The Prince of Wales listened today to Pascal Hundt, senior crisis manager with the International Committee of the Red Cross, dialling in from Gaza

'Their Royal Highnesses hold all the victims, their families and their friends in their hearts and minds,' a spokesperson previously said on behalf of William and Kate, pictured

During the visit William spoke via video link to Pascal Hundt, senior crisis manager with the International Committee of the Red Cross, who is currently in Gaza. As he left the building there were two cries of 'free Palestine' from an otherwise enthusiastic crowd.

No 10 was informed in advance of the prince's statement, and the Prime Minister is said to have told colleagues that the points made by William reflected his own views.

A Whitehall source said the prince's comments would add momentum to the search for peace. 'Whenever the Royals speak, people listen,' the source said.
Vladimir Putin will launch a 'killing spree' against his UK enemies, a Kremlin critic has warned - claiming he has 'lost all restraint' since Alexei Navalny's death.

Activist Bill Browder claimed the Russian president has at least 12 names on his hit list, and is afraid the president will launch attacks on his enemies in Britain.

The multi-millionaire has warned that the Russian president must be stopped to avoid a repeat of the Salisbury Novichok attack.

Speaking to The Mirror, he said Navalny's suspicious death was a 'game changer' for Putin and that critics of the Russian leader are at an increased risk of being assassinated.

The warning comes after Navalny's widow accused Putin of murdering her husband, claiming he was poisoned with the nerve agent Novichok and that Russian authorities are trying to cover up the assassination by refusing to release his body.

The Russian president will launch a 'killing spree' against his UK enemies, a Kremlin critic has warned - claiming he has 'lost all restraint' since Alexei Navalny 's death

Activist Bill Browder claimed Putin has at least 12 names on his hit list, and is afraid the president will launch attacks on his enemies in Britain

The multi-millionaire has warned that the Russian president must be stopped to avoid a repeat of the Salisbury Novichok attack. Forensics pictured in 2018

Mr Browder told The Mirror that Putin will 'will embark on a killing spree which will include all enemies in the UK'.

He claims the Russian president has been emboldened following the death of the activist's friend Navalny.

The human rights campaigner, who reportedly became Putin's 'number one enemy' for fighting against corruption, said: 'The fact he would kill the most popular and prominent opposition politician in plain sight without fear of repercussion says that people who are opposing Putin in Russia and abroad are in much more serious risk of assassination.

'The killing of Alexei Navalny has shown Putin has lost all restraint and that he will embark on a major international killing spree which will include against all his enemies in the UK.'

Since the murder of Mr Browder's lawyer and whistleblower Sergei Magnitsky in 2009, he has been fighting against Putin's regime.

He called the leader a 'murderous gangster' and demanded he be stopped before he causes 'World War Three'.

Alexei Navalny was likely killed by a single punch to the heart, it has been claimed

Alexei leaves behind his wife Yulia (pictured)

Mr Browder is currently fighting to free imprisoned British-Russian journalist and political opposition campaigner Vladimir Kara-Murza.

Serving a 25-year sentence, his friend - who helped promote the Magnitsky Act, named after murdered Sergei - has survived two poisoning attempts, he says.

It comes after the revelation that Navalny was likely killed by a single punch to the heart, a technique used by the KGB, a source inside the prison where the Putin critic was being held has reportedly claimed.

Bruising found on the opposition leader's body was consistent with the 'one-punch' execution method, according to Russian exile and human rights campaigner Vladimir Osechkin.

'It is an old method of the KGB's special forces divisions,' he told The Times. 'They trained their operatives to kill a man with one punch in the heart, in the centre of the body. It was a hallmark of the KGB.'

Osechkin, founder of the Gulagu.net group which gathers testimony from prisoners and workers in Russia's notorious jails, says his information came from a source working in the arctic penal colony where Navalny died on Friday.

His widow has accused Putin of murdering her husband, claiming he was poisoned with the nerve agent Novichok and that Russian authorities are trying to cover up the assassination by refusing to release his body.

A view of the entrance of the IK-3 prison colony in the town of Kharp, in the Yamalo-Nenetsk region about 1,900 kilometers northeast of Moscow, Russia

Osechkin, however, is not convinced and says that authorities would have been able to kill Navalny in any way they desired, and would not have wanted to 'leave a trace in his body and would lead directly back to Putin'.

He claims that Navalny had been forced to spend between two and a half to four hours in an open-air solitary confinement space where temperatures could dip to minus 27C the day before his death.

Prisoners are normally kept outdoors for no more than an hour and in far less extreme conditions.

'I think that they first destroyed his body by keeping him out in the cold for a long time and slowing the blood circulation down to a minimum,' Osechkin explained.

'And then it becomes very easy to kill someone, within seconds, if the operative has some experience in this.'

The single punch, a stealth assassination technique reputedly used by KGB special forces to avoid leaving any indication of cause of death, is then said to have been used.

Before becoming Russian leader, Putin famously served for some 15 years in the KGB as a foreign intelligence officer, retiring in 1990 with the rank of lieutenant colonel.

Russian authorities have so far failed to give a convincing explanation for the death of Navalny, the Russian president's most prominent critic.

According to the national penitentiary service, the 47-year-old died after taking a walk and feeling unwell.

Russian police officers stand by the flowers near the Wall of Grief monument laid in memory of Alexei Navalny

Navalny's family has been told that they cannot have access to his body for another two weeks.

Osechkin said that he believes the presence of FSB officers at the prison to be evidence that Mr Navalny was murdered by the Kremlin.

He added: 'From what I know from my sources, it was a special operation that had been prepared several days in advance.'

'It was a command from Moscow because without Moscow it would not have been possible to dismantle the cameras in the way that they did.'

The development came after the Twitter account of Alexei Navalny's widow was briefly suspended yesterday for allegedly 'violating [its] rules' amid rising concern over the platform's political impartiality.

Yulia Navalnaya's account on X, formerly known as Twitter, was quickly reinstated following a wave of online criticism.
David Cameron has warned of the 'devastating humanitarian impacts' of a full ground offensive in Rafah as he urged Israel to implement a 'sustainable, permanent ceasefire'.

The Foreign Secretary expressed his 'deep concern' about the prospect of an attack on Gaza's overcrowded southern city, where around 1.5million Palestinians are sheltering.

In a letter to the Commons foreign affairs committee chairman Alicia Kearns, Lord Cameron said Israel must 'stop and think' about the repercussions of a military offensive.

He wrote: 'We do not underestimate the devastating humanitarian impacts that a full ground offensive, if enacted, would have in these circumstances, which is why I have been vocal about the Government's concern.

'We are, of course, aware of the targeted hostage rescue that has already taken place in Rafah and I am relieved that two more hostages have been freed.'

David Cameron has warned of the 'devastating humanitarian impacts' of a full ground offensive in Rafah as he urged Israel to implement a 'sustainable, permanent ceasefire'

Israeli soldiers operate in Gaza, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas

He continued: 'Despite this, and as I have said, we want Israel to stop and think seriously about the repercussions of a military offensive before it takes any further action.'

The letter, dated February 15, was published last night as the US proposed a draft UN resolution which warned Israel not to invade Rafah.

Earlier this week, a member of Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu's war cabinet threatened to invade the city unless hostages held by Hamas are freed by Ramadan. The UK Government has resisted supporting calls for an immediate ceasefire, instead backing a 'sustainable' cessation of hostilities, but international pressure has mounted on Israel amid concerns over an incursion in Rafah.

The Rafah crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip has been the major lifeline to get aid to the Palestinians.

Lord Cameron said it was 'difficult to see' how a ground offensive in Rafah could be carried out while taking all possible steps to avoid harming civilians and destroying homes.

He added: 'Above all, to protect civilians in Rafah and elsewhere in Gaza, the priority must be to secure an immediate pause in the fighting, which is the best way to get aid in and hostages out, then progress towards a sustainable, permanent ceasefire, without a return to fighting.

Palestinians inspect a heavily damaged vehicle after the Israeli attacks in Rafah

'We are closely engaged in lobbying Israel  as well as those with influence on Hamas  to negotiate an immediate humanitarian pause, and to protect civilians.'

Lord Cameron's comments come as he visited the Falkland Islands where he indicated the UK could be prepared to back the island's government to use its own financial clout and borrowing power to support oil exploration.

Lord Cameron is today due to attend a meeting of G20 counterparts  including Russia's Sergei Lavrov  in Brazil. Russia's actions in Ukraine will also be the subject of a UN session in New York later in the week which Lord Cameron will attend.

Downing Street yesterday declined to say whether the UK would support a US draft resolution at the UN that calls for a ceasefire linked to the release of Israeli hostages taken by Hamas.
If you're reading this, an asteroid has probably not wiped out life on Earth yet.

But in the event that our planet is in imminent danger of a world-ending strike, NASA has a special team tasked with warning everyone about the impending disaster.

Lindley Johnson is lead program executive for NASA's Planetary Defense Coordination Office, which tracks near-Earth objects (NEOs).

He is in charge of warning the people of Earth about a potential asteroid or comet strike, as well as coordinating the response with the White House.

Johnson, who is so dedicated to tracking asteroids that there is one named after him, has revealed his agency's step-by-step plan to notify the public of a looming threat and stop it from happening.

Most asteroids are not on track to hit Earth, but in the event that one is, here is the sequence of events that will happen after it is spotted

Keeping an eye on the sky

The Planetary Defense Coordination Office classifies an NEO as any object that comes within 30 million miles of Earth, about one-third of the distance from the Earth to the sun.

Lindley Johnson is the Lead Program Executive for the NASA Planetary Defense Coordination Office

More than 34,000 near-Earth asteroids of all sizes have been detected since NASA started tracking them more than three decades ago, according to the Planetary Defense Coordination Office.

Seven of those occurred in January of this year, and 100 more were detected since January 2023.

Needless to say, the Planetary Defense Coordination Office does not raise the alarm every single time it spots a NEO.

But it does keep track of every NEO it finds, according to Johnson.

'We definitely want to find all those before they find us,' he told Business Insider.

Here's the sequence of events that would happen if Johnson and his team needed to warn people about a NEO posing a serious threat to inhabitants of Earth:

Astronomers spot the world-killing rock

For planetary defense, NASA partners with the International Asteroid Warning Network (IAWN), a global network of astronomers tasked with sounding the alarm.

If a member of the IAWN spots a dangerous NEO, they share the finding across the network so other scientists can confirm that it is accurate and decide whether it poses a danger.

'I don't have a red phone on my desk or anything,' Johnson told BI. 'But we do have formal procedures by which notification of a serious impact would be provided.'

If the IAWN's members agree that the NEO actually does threaten humanity, NASA will put out the warning call in a number of ways - depending on where it is predicted to strike.

This infographic from the NASA Planetary Defense Coordination Office, shows the steps that the PDCO takes to keep Earth safe from catastrophic asteroid strikes

If the asteroid is threatening the US

For an asteroid that threatens to strike the US, NASA will reach out to the White House.

From there, the executive branch would determine how to notify the public, most likely through a combination of emergency broadcast strategies.

These would include pre-empting TV programming with an official announcement, and sending mobile phone notifications through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA's) Integrated Public Alert and Warning System.

These warning systems are already used on cellphones to alert people to local, serious, crimes, as well as warn about natural disasters.

For older Americans, theoretically, the Government could interrupt TV broadcasts with public service announcements - to reach those who do not use cellphones.

If the asteroid threatens anywhere else

In the event that the asteroid is not going to hit the US - or it is, but it is so big that it will threaten other countries too - IAWN would reach out to the United Nations Office of Outer Space Affairs to send the word to other countries.

Judging the threat

The IAWN uses several criteria to assess whether a NEO poses a true threat to life on Earth.

A 'potentially hazardous' asteroid is larger than 460 feet across and passes close to Earth.

In this case, 'close' means one-twentieth of the distance from the Earth to the sun.

These are the numbers put out by NASA on the near-Earth objects that it has detected for all time, for the past year, and for January 2024

Every NEO that astronomers identify is put into a database at the Minor Planet Center and tracked.

IAWN has identified over 34,000 NEOs in its history, and NASA can predict their movement for about 100 years out, Johnson said.

Nasa's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) rammed an asteroid at over 14,000 mph to knock it off course, a proof-of-concept test to see if it could be done

Defending the planet

If an asteroid is deemed an imminent threat, NASA has strategies on hand.

One of its most recent tricks involves hitting an asteroid with a spacecraft to knock it off its course.

In 2022, NASA tested its spacecraft called Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART).

This craft tested out NASA's planetary defense strategy by plowing into an asteroid at 14,000 miles per hour, leaving a massive plume of dust and rocks - and altering its trajectory.

That asteroid did not threaten our planet, but in case one does, NASA has planned more missions like that one to be prepared.

If the impact were to happen in less than five years, though, the space agency would not be prepared to launch a deflection mission, Johnson said.

In that case, a missile or some other weapon may be deployed to destroy the asteroid or knock it off course.

Fortunately, the IAWN has a keen eye on the state of NEOs, so it is very unlikely that we would have less than five years of warning before an asteroid impacted the planet.
If you've ever felt 'gazeboed', 'carparked' or completely 'cabbaged' after a night out, this may come as no surprise.

Linguistic researchers have discovered that virtually any noun can be transformed into a 'drunkonym'  a synonym for intoxicated  simply by adding 'ed' at the end.

The study found we have an astonishing 546 words that are formally defined as meaning drunk, including 'trolleyed', 'hammered', 'wellied' and 'steampigged'.

It confirms a theory first suggested by comedian Michael McIntyre, who said Britons could understand any word as meaning drunk if it is preceded by 'I got completely...'

Professor Christina Sanchez-Stockhammer, of Chemnitz University in Germany, believes it may be due to Britain's deeply-rooted culture of social drinking and Monty Python-style absurdist humour.

Researchers have found that Britons have 546 words for drunk and that almost any word can be used so long as it ends with an '-ed' (stock image)

READ MORE: Scientists analyse 100 million words to reveal what Britons talk about the most

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She said: 'In English, there's an extremely large number of words that can mean drunk, and more can be formed simply by adding 'ed' to the end.

'It means pretty much any word in Britain can inherit the meaning "drunk" automatically from the context.

'This humorous modifying of words is only possible because of the way sentences are constructed in English, and because the British really enjoy witty wordplay. For example, it would not work in German.'

She said the funny effect of drunkonyms is often achieved through their indirectness, adding: 'For example, "gazeboed" and "carparked" are funny because there is no direct relation between the base word and the meaning "drunk".'

Prof Sanchez-Stockhammer said indirectness is also present in other types of playful language, such as Cockney rhyming slang, which includes drunkonyms like 'Brahms' and 'Schindler's'  short for 'Brahms and Liszt' and 'Schindler's list', both of which rhyme with 'pi**ed'.

If you've ever felt 'gazeboed', 'carparked' or completely 'cabbaged' after a night out, this may come as no surprise. Linguistic researchers have discovered that virtually any noun can be transformed into a 'drunkonym'  a synonym for intoxicated  simply by adding 'ed' at the end (stock image)

She added: 'We studied for a year in Great Britain and witnessed British culture first-hand. Drunkonyms fit in well with the humourous British outlook on drinking and life in general.'

The study, published in the Yearbook of the German Cognitive Linguistics Association, found that English speakers regularly use a range of alternative words for 'drunk'.

By the time Britons reach adulthood, most will have experienced so many different drunkonyms that it allows them to recognise even unknown words ending in 'ed' as meaning 'drunk' in many contexts.

Even though excessive alcohol consumption may come with negative consequences, Britons commonly discuss drunkenness in a light-hearted way, the researchers added.
If you're not a fan of snakes, look away now.

The world's largest snake has been discovered in the Amazon Rainforest - and at 26ft long and weighing 440lbs, it's an absolute whopper.

The Northern Green Anaconda was found by TV wildlife presenter, Professor Freek Vonk, and is as thick as a car tyre.

Despite having a head the size of a human's, it seems Professor Vonk, 40, wasn't scared of getting up close and personal with the snake.

Incredible footage shows the Dutch biologist swimming next to the enormous anaconda.

Incredible footage shows Dutch biologist, Professor Freek Vonk, swimming next to the enormous anaconda

The professor chases the enormous snake as it makes its way through the water

Despite having a head the size of a human's, it seems Professor Vonk, 40, wasn't scared of getting up close and personal with the snake

READ MORE: Rattlesnakes are warm and cuddly creatures who like to be around other snakes, researchers say A study from Loma Linda University in California says the venomous snake appears to take comfort in being close to its own kind - much like humans (stock image of a rattlesnake) Advertisement

Until now, only one species of Green Anaconda - also called the Giant Anaconda - has been recognised in the Amazon.

However, the Northern Green Anaconda has been confirmed as a distinct species in a new study, published in Diversity this month.

'Together with 14 other scientists from nine countries, we discovered that the largest snake species in the world, the green anaconda,' Professor Vonk said.

'As we all know it from movies and stories about giant snakes - are actually two different species.

'The green anacondas found in the north of their range in South America - including Venezuela, Suriname, and French Guiana - appear to belong to a completely different species.

'Although they look almost identical at first glance, the genetic difference between the two is 5.5% and that is huge.

'To put this in perspective, humans and chimpanzees are only genetically different from each other by about 2%.'

The researchers have given the new species the Latin name Eunectes akayima, which means the Northern Green Anaconda.

Despite only just being discovered, the researchers say that the new species is already under threat.

Despite having a head the size of a human's, it seems Professor Vonk, 40, wasn't scared of getting up close and personal with the snake

READ MORE: Two sexually-aroused male dolphins are seen playing with an ANACONDA and carrying it in their mouths in a bizarre encounter Advertisement

Professor Vonk explained: 'The Amazon region is under severe pressure from climate change and continued deforestation.

'Over a fifth of the Amazon has already disappeared, which is more than 30 times the area of the Netherlands.

'The survival of these iconic giant snakes is inextricably linked to protecting their natural habitat.'

Professor Jesus Rivas, the lead author of the study, explained that he first realised there was more than one species of green anaconda over 15 years ago.

Along with his wife, Dr Sarah Corey-Rivas, they started to analyse samples to look for genetic differences.

However, it took until now to publish their findings.

Professor Rivas said: 'Sarah and I started working on this in 2007 when we first noticed there was a big genetic difference between the Venezuelan samples and some samples from Peru.

Professor Vonk with an anaconda wrapped around his neck on a previous excursion

Professor Jesus Rivas (pictured right, holding another snake) was the author of the study which confirmed the species

'Then we started the process of gathering samples and collaborators throughout South America and beyond to complete the mosaic of samples that allowed us to put the study together.

'I worked across countries with various colleagues to gather the samples and Sarah did most of the heavy lifting, sequencing genes and doing the phylogenetic analysis.

'This was a truly international project, looking at the list of authors there is one from Belgium, one from Australia, one from the Netherlands, one from Colombia, one from Brazil, two from Bolivia, two from the US, three from Ecuador, and three from Venezuela.

'I have been studying anacondas for 32 years so this begs the question of how many other species there are that we do not know about.

'If such an iconic animal went unnoticed for so many years, what about the less conspicuous and less studied animals and plants?

'This finding humbles the mind regarding the true diversity of South America.'
Everyone thinks their pet pooch is the best, but some dogs really go the extra mile to earn the title of 'Man's Best Friend'.

Today, the Kennel Club, which runs Crufts, has revealed the finalists of its annual Kennel Club Hero Dog Award.

From a Golden Retriever who has helped her owner overcome chronic illness to a Belgian Malinois who saved lives in the aftermath of Turkey's earthquake, these dogs have all earned the title of hero.

But, only one can be crowned as the UK's number one hero hound.

So, as the public vote for the winner opens, MailOnline met with the finalists and their owners to learn more about these intrepid pups.

The Kennel Club, which organises Crufts, has announced the finalists for this year's Hero Dog Award

Phoebe and Jazz - Hero support dog

Jazz Turner is a 25-year-old team GB para-sailor from Seaford whose faithful companion, Phoebe, has been nominated as one of the hero dogs of the year.

When Jazz turned 18, she was diagnosed with a rare life-limiting progressive condition, hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

While this condition causes her joints to dislocate and affects all of her internal organs, with Phoebe's help, Jazz lives her life to the absolute fullest.

By recognising Jazz's scent, Phoebe can keep an eye out for the early warning signs of a faint or seizure and let Jazz know that she needs to get somewhere safe.

And if Jazz does faint, Phoebe is trained to keep her safe by stopping her head hitting the floor and lying on her chest to regulate Jazz's blood pressure and body temperature.

With Phoebe watching over her Jazz has been able to sail and even paddleboard without assistance.

Jazz, 25, and her Golden Retriever Phoebe make an amazing team. Phoebe can detect when Jazz it at risk of feinting or having a seizure so that she can get to safety

'We're partners,' Jazz told MailOnline. 'She's a sassy madam with her own personality but we're better together.

'She's had a hard life and she needs the one-to-one interaction that I can give her, but then she supports me so it's a win for both of us.'

Phoebe was rescued from a puppy farm because her previous owners considered her aggressive and untrainable.

Jazz added: 'She'd been through six homes by the time we got her and she was under a year old.

'You couldn't get her in the car because the only time she'd ever been in one was to be taken away.

Jazz rescued Phoebe from a puppy farm after she had already been through six homes and was deemed untrainable, but Jazz has helped her become a fantastic companion and support dog

Jazz and Phoebe volunteer in care homes, universities and with children with learning disabilities where Phoebe works as a therapy dog

Kennel Club Hero Dog Award finalists: Phoebe and Jazz - Hero Support Dog Phoebe the Golden Retriever has helped Jazz liver her life to the fullest as a Team GB para-sailor Gordon and Elyana - Childs champion Gordon the Labrador not only helps profoundly deaf Elyana stay safe but has helped her overcome anxiety and regain her confidence. Vesper and Niamh - Extraordinary life of a working dog Vesper was deemed too friendly for the police but was re-educated as a search and rescue dog who has saved lives in Morocco and Turkey. Echo and Freya - Best friend Freya first met the Australian Shephard Echo while undergoing cancer treatment. Echo has since helped her live her dream of competing at Crufts. Advertisement

But, with the help of a charity called Dog Aid, Jazz trained Phoebe to provide all the assistance she needs.

From opening doors to fetching laundry from the washing machine, Phoebe helps Jazz go about her daily life.

And, thanks to Phoebe, Jazz is not only able to compete as a team GB sailor while completing a degree in mechanical engineering, but also to help others.

Jazz and Phoebe volunteer in care homes, universities and with children with learning disabilities where Phoebe works as a therapy dog.

Jazz said: 'I can't get my head around the fact that she's been nominated.

'She looks after me day in day out without a break and she does it for nothing but affection, so for her to get some recognition for what she does is pretty amazing.

Gordon and Elyana - Childs champion

12-year-old Elyana Kuhlemeier was only two and a half years old when her parents realised that something was wrong with her hearing.

Elyana is profoundly deaf and, even with her cochlear implants, can't hear vital cues like fire alarms, alarm clocks, or road crossings.

But now, thanks to her 'best friend' and hearing dog, Gordon the Labrador, all of that has changed.

'When there's danger he'll let me know,' Elyana told the MailOnline.

If a fire alarm does go off Gordon is trained to run to Elyana and let her know so she can get to safety.

Gordon also helps out with all the other things we people without impaired hearing might take for granted.

12-year-old Elyana Kuhlemeier is profoundly deaf, but her hearing dog Gordon has helped her stay safe and overcome her anxiety

Elyana said: 'When I'm upstairs in my room listening to music I can't hear my parents so they'll get Gordon to let me know dinner is ready.

At the moment, Elyana and her family are even training Gordon to carry notes in a pouch so her parents can always stay in communication.

And, in the mornings, Elyana can't hear her alarm clock so Gordon makes sure to do the wake-up call, pulling off the covers and even licking her face to make sure she's up.

In addition to struggling with hearing loss, Elyana also faced challenges with bullying at school and anxiety.

Gordon lets Elyana know when there are fire alarms, alarm clocks, or when her parents are calling for her. She is even training Gordon to carry notes from her parents around the house

Elyana's anxiety was so bad that she struggled to go to school, but with Gordon's help she has regained her confidence

At its worst, her anxiety was so bad that Elyana was pulling out her hair and spending the whole day throwing up.

But with Gordon's help, Elyana is not only kept safe but has been able to regain her confidence.

'He also helps me as a friend, I used to have really bad anxiety issues and then he helps me calm down,' said Elyana.

She says that she is 'really proud' of Gordon for being nominated as hero dog of the year, adding: 'Even if he doesn't win he's still the best to me.'

Vesper and Niamh - Extraordinary life of a working dog

READ MORE: Hero rescue dogs returning from Turkish earthquake zone are upgraded from the cargo hold to first class in honour of their service Advertisement

Vesper, a four-year-old Belgian Malinois, had an unusual start to her career as a service dog.

Originally bred and trained by Westminster Police she was deemed too friendly for the police force.

And while chasing people down for a cuddle isn't ideal for a police dog, it wasn't long before Vesper found a career that put her skills to good use.

When Vesper was 18 months old she met Niamh Darcy, a dog handler from Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, who reeducated her as a search and rescue dog.

Vesper is a life detection dog, meaning she is trained to search for the signs of life amongst the wreckage of fallen buildings.

Detection dogs are often at the very forefront of rescue efforts, leading their handlers through terrain that might be too dangerous for humans to enter.

Vesper and his handler Niamh Darcy from Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, work as a search and rescue team at disasters around the world

Vesper was bred to be a police dog but didn't like biting so he was re-educated as a search and rescue dog

Soon, Vesper proved herself to be an excellent search and rescue dog and she and Niamh were recruited to join the United Kingdom International Search and Rescue Team (UK-ISAR).

Niamh said: 'She likes people, and that helps if you are looking for them.'

After proving their skills and teamwork across the UK, Vesper and Niamh were chosen to aid in the rescue missions following the earthquakes in both Turkey and Morocco in 2023.

There, Vesper was part of a team working 14-18 hours a day to locate survivors amidst the rubble.

With Vesper following the scent of life, teams were able to narrow down their search and get help to where it was needed most.

Niamh said: 'I think all the dogs here are heroes, but Vesper is already my hero. She is my work partner and she's flawless in what she does.

'I am immensely proud, not just of what she brings to UK-ISAR and Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, but of the fact that she is my search partner and she continues to do me proud every day.'

Niamh says that Vesper is an diligent hard worker that is 'flawless' in her work as a life detection dog

Niamh and Vesper were chosen to be part of the UK's response team in Turkey and Morocco following the devastating earthquakes of 2023

Echo and Freya - Best friends through cancer

Growing up watching Crufts on television, it had always been Freya Harris' dream to one day compete as a dog handler.

But, when Freya was tragically diagnosed with a rare form of stage four kidney cancer at the age of eight, that dream seemed to be slipping away.

Even during the ordeal of chemotherapy and surgery her love of dogs never faded, and so her parents made the decision to get Freya a dog to inspire her.

Since then, Echo the Australian Shepard has been Freya's best friend and constant companion.

With Echo to provide motivation, Freya was able to get up out of hospital and walk with her new best friend.

Freya was even able to train Echo while undergoing chemo, working on the skills they would need to compete in dog competitions.

Freya and her best friend Echo have been inseparable ever since they met while Freya was undergoing chemotherapy for a rare form of stage-four cancer

Freya achieved her dream of competing at Crufts with Echo's help in 2023, the pair trained together throughout her treatment

Freya says the Echo is her soulmate and she couldn't have imagined that they would be nominated for this award

And, incredibly, Freya's dream came true when she and Echo competed together at Crufts last year.

Freya said: 'Echo is nearly two and she makes me smile every time.

'She's really funny and she does lots of tricks, she's definitely, I can tell by the way she looks at me, my soul-mate and she's my best friend. I think she's the best dog.'

Echo and Freya still spend lots of time training together and will be competing again at Crufts this year.

Freya's mum, Gemma, said: 'That was always what Freya dreamed of doing so Echo was the dog that gave her the opportunity to go and follow her dreams.

'It's nice to think that people will recognise how much Echo has done for [Freya] and for so many other people.

Freya says that she never imagined Echo would be nominated for such a prestigious award.

She added: 'I never thought she would get there, I knew she was my favourite dog and the best dog I could think of, but I never ever thought she would be nominated.'

The winner of the Kennel Club Hero Dog award will be chosen by public vote which opens from today until 4pm Sunday March 10.

You can head to the Kennel Club website to vote for your favourite.
A Florida Congresswoman says she believes that some of the UFO sightings that have made headlines in recent years are 'of non-human origin' and possibly 'inter-dimensional beings.'

Rep Anna Paulina Luna is a member of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, which has been investigating claims about UFOs and carrying out historic hearings with military whistleblowers.

She revealed to The Grant Mitt Podcast this week that after a classified meeting with Air Force whistleblowers, she 'absolutely believes' that the aircrafts they and others have described are 'of non-human origin.'

Luna also claimed that at that same meeting she was 'men-in-blacked,' first by officials from the Pentagon who attempted to cancel the visit, and then by CIA agents who were inexplicably shadowing her meeting with the Air Force personnel.

Representatives Matt Gaetz (left), Tim Burchett (center), and Anna Paulina Luna (right) recently traveled to Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, Representative Luna said. There, they received classified information about UFOs from a whistleblower

Her phrase referred to the pop-culture conspiracy-theory image of government agents in black suits, who are sent to keep people quiet about UFO sightings.

'Being a member of Oversight, we follow up with whistleblowers, and we also can conduct our own investigations,' she told Mitterlehner.

In the course of one of these investigations, she said, Luna and two other US representatives went to Eglin Air Force Base, on the Florida panhandle, where they met with one such whistleblower.

The other two representatives who came along on the visit were Tim Burchett of Tennessee, who is also a member of the Oversight and Accountability Committee, and Matt Gaetz of Florida, who is on the House Armed Services Committee and the House Judiciary Committee.

She came away from that visit with strong conclusions:

'I can tell you, based on my investigations, not in a classified setting, that I absolutely believe that there is things that are advanced technologies not of human origin,' she told Mitterlehner.

Luna claimed that the Pentagon tried to cancel her visit to Eglin Air Force Base, which she made as part of a delegation to investigate whistleblower claims that the Air Force was covering up information about UFOs

Her view is increasingly shared among lawmakers and the American public, as a series of high-profile disclosures and hearings in the last few years have brought UFOs out of the conspiracy theory realm and into the arena of political debate.

Luna, Gaetz, and others have pressed the Pentagon to declassify material related to UAP (unidentified aerial phenomena).

Pilots at Eglin had come forward to Representative Gaetz's office to say that the Air Force was covering up UAP activity, and that Congress needed to look into it.

'We coordinated the meeting,' Luna said. 'The Pentagon tried to initially cancel the first one. We got it back on the books. We show up there, and we get in, and the base commander tried to basically tell us that we didn't have authorized clearance to look into and speak to some of the witnesses.

US Representative Anna Paulina Luna could not disclose classified details from her meeting with military officials at Eglin, but she told Grant Mitterlehner that she 'absolutely believes' the footage of UAPs are 'not of human origin.'

'You don't tell Congress that we don't have the authorized clearance,' she said, 'especially members of House Armed Services, Oversight, and Judiciary.'

READ MORE: Whistleblower David Grusch suggests people have been murdered as part of conspiracy to keep alien craft a secret David Grusch - a former high-ranking intelligence official - is one of three military whistleblowers who testified under oath that they know firsthand about secret programs involving technology far surpassing the US' capabilities Advertisement

So she had it out with the base commander, Luna said. And in the middle of the meeting, he took off on leave, 'Which never happens with a delegation going to a military base,' she added.

There were also attendees at the meeting who Luna was 'pretty sure' were from the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), an unusual occurrence.

'Why would a intelligence agency need to be there on a meeting for whistleblowers?' she asked.

Luna also spoke about the congressional hearing from July 2023, where whistleblower David Grusch outlined under oath how the US government has been aware of UFOs for nearly a century and has been misinforming the public about them.

That hearing, which followed Luna's visit to Eglin, contained information she found 'particularly alarming,' because of the allegations that people may have been murdered to keep the UFO story secret.

'Have you received classified information?' Mitterlehner asked Luna.

'Yeah, but I can't talk about that,' she replied

When asked about whether she had believed in aliens before she became a member of congress, Luna corrected the record.

'I wouldn't call them aliens,' she said. 'I really like what Grusch calls them: He says that they're inter-dimensional beings, and he's very specific about that.'

This still image is from a previously released unclassified US government video taken by an Air Force pilot. Representative Luna said that pilots no longer feel as hesitant to speak up when they see unexplained phenomena in the sky

What this means, Luna clarified, was that 'they're not necessarily a biological entity from another planet per se.'

The case she alluded to was likely the one from last year, in which Gaetz had described seeing footage of 'an orb' hanging over the Gulf of Mexico, moving in a way that was 'not of any human capability.'

He saw the footage during a visit to Eglin AFB, where Air Force pilots described a diamond formation of aircrafts that they saw on radar.

'One of the pilots goes to check out that diamond formation and sees a large, floating, what I can only describe as an orb,' he said at the time. 'Again, like I said, not of any human capability that I'm aware of.'

She talked, too, about what a huge change the country has experienced in recent years, away from the stigma that used to be attached to talking about extraterrestrial beings or UFOs.

'When I was stationed at Portland Air Guard unit a number of years ago, I remember there was a incident that occurred, and the pilots kind of back and I asked one of them what he thought it was, and he couldn't really talk about it,' she recounted. 'He didn't want to because the stigma that the military has is that you're crazy.

'But we're seeing that with, especially technology that we have, even your iPhone for example, you can record things and it's not going to be classified.'

'We hope that more people come forward,' she added.

Luna also noted how she is heartened by the bipartisan push for transparency on the topic, which makes it ironic that other government officials or offices seem to be blocking her and her colleagues' efforts to learn what is happening with UAPs.

'If congress is writing the bills to fund these programs, yet we don't have authorized access and oversight into it, then that's not necessarily something that happens in a free country, right?' she said. 'So we continue to push.'
Children born with Down Syndrome 5,000 years ago were recognized as members of their communities, new research reveals.

DNA analysis of ancient human remains identified six individuals with the condition that causes learning disabilities, or the more severe Edwards Syndrome.

One case from a church graveyard in Finland was dated to the 17th or 18th Century while the remaining five individuals, dating to between 2,500 and 5,000 years ago, were found at Bronze Age sites in Greece and Bulgaria, and Iron Age sites in Spain.

The research team, whose findings were published in the journal Nature Communications, were able to obtain a wealth of extra information about the remains and the burials.

Scientists discovered the remains of the oldest case of Down syndrome ever recorded

Analysis has allowed the team to trace the movement and mixing of people, and even to uncover ancient pathogens that affected their lives.

The researchers looked at data from 9,855 prehistoric and historic individuals and recorded the number and proportion or autosomal chromosomes.

An autosomal chromosome is the number of genes a person has - humans have 44 autosomal chromosomes and two chromosomes, but people who test positive for Down syndrome have an extra autosomal chromosome.

Down Syndrome, a condition in which a person has an extra chromosome, affects around one in 1,000 births today.

Until now, a systematic study of uncommon genetic conditions had not been attempted.

While individuals with Down Syndrome can live a long life today, often with the help of modern medicine, that was not the case in the past.

Researchers reconstructed what the Iron Age settlement in Las Eretas, Navarra looked like

Age estimates from skeletal remains showed that all six individuals died at a very young age, with only one child reaching around one year of age.

The five prehistoric burials were all located within settlements and in some cases accompanied by special items such as colored bead necklaces, bronze rings or seashells.

People in Iron Age Spain would usually cremate the deceased, but researchers noticed that one infant received an unusual burial underneath the floors in a decorated dwelling.

Dozens of other infants were discovered buried beneath floors in nearby dwellings.

'The main question was: What is special about these children?' Roberto Risch, an archaeologist at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, told Science.

Study lead author Dr Adam 'Ben' Rohrlach, of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI-EVA) in Germany, said: 'These burials seem to show us that these individuals were cared for and appreciated as part of their ancient societies.'

Although the study was aimed at finding cases of Down Syndrome, the researchers also discovered an individual with a different condition.

Around 10,000 DNA samples were tested, and one individual had an 'unexpectedly high' fraction of ancient DNA sequences from Chromosome 18 that showed that she carried three copies of the chromosome.

Three copies of Chromosome 18 are known to cause Edwards Syndrome, a condition associated with more severe health issues than Down syndrome.

The remains of individuals with Down syndrome were found at a Spanish Iron Age site

With an incidence of less than one case in 3,000 births, Edwards Syndrome also occurs much less often than Down Syndrome.

The researchers found that in all six cases of detected Down syndrome and the one case of Edwards syndrome, all individuals died either before or shortly after birth, or at 16 months of age.

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According to the study, researchers identified the individuals as from either from Neolithic Ireland (3500 BCE), Bronze Age Bulgaria (2700 BCE), Greece (1300 BCE), Iron Age Spain (600 BCE), or post-medieval Finland (1720 BCE).

The discovery was made at one of the Spanish Iron Age sites, in a village called Alto de la Cruz near the Spanish city of Navarro.

'At the moment, we cannot say why we find so many cases at these sites,' Risch said.

'But we know that they belonged to the few children who received the privilege to be buried inside the houses after death. This already is a hint that they were perceived as special babies.'

As the number of DNA samples from ancient individuals continues to increase, the researchers plan to further expand their research in the future.

Dr Kay Prufer, also of MPI-EVA, coordinated the sequence analysis.

She said: 'What we would like to learn is how ancient societies reacted to individuals that may have needed a helping hand or were simply a bit different.'
Bobby Bolton, 31, set off driving from Wigan in his MAN truck in October

A man who said he'd 'lost his purpose in life' has set about finding it again - with the help of an epic road trip from his home town of Wigan in north-west England... to Australia.

His mode of transport? An 18-tonne MAN truck bought for 19,000 ($23,844) that is now a home on wheels following a three-month 20,000 ($25,103) renovation.

Bobby Bolton, 31, set off on the 10,000-mile journey in October, with just his seven-year-old fox red Labrador - Red - for company. But two quickly became four.

Bobby - who's been documenting his trip on his Instagram profile (@one.life.truck.it) - found love in the South of France just two weeks into his journey, with his new partner joining him on the trip with her dog.

Marie Deleval, 28, a 'gorgeous-looking' French girl, dropped everything to join Bobby with her hound, Rubia. It was no doubt a welcome turnaround in fortune for Bobby, whose trip was partly prompted by the breakdown of his 11-year relationship with his ex-fiancee and a need to 'wipe the slate clean'.

Bobby Bolton, 31, set off on a 10,000-mile drive from Wigan to Australia in a converted truck. He's been documenting the journey on his Instagram account, @one.life.truck.it

Bobby began the journey after splitting with his ex-fiancee. He hit the jackpot just weeks into the trip after meeting a 'gorgeous French girl', Marie, who joined him. He's shown above in the Macin Mountains, Romania

Before setting off, Bobby (left) sold almost all his belongings and handed his company, RNB Construction, to his business partner. He spent 20,000 converting a MAN truck into a home on wheels

Bobby wanted to 'wipe the slate clean'

The pair met on a hilltop overlooking the bay of St Tropez at sunset. Inspired by the romantic location, Bobby said: 'I plucked up the courage to ask her if she spoke English, but a few awkward sentences later she departed back home, and I thought that was the end of that.

'Luckily, she took the Instagram tag off the back of my truck and sent me a message later on.'

Bobby managed to talk his way into a beach date the next day. A few weeks later, she joined him for a weekend in the Gorge Du Verdon and, 'the rest is history'.

Marie was just about to buy a flat and 'settle down' when they met. But, Bobby said, 'the temptation to see the world was just too much to resist'.

They're currently exploring Albania and have ticked off 14 countries, with a plan to drive through 30 in total. But Bobby said the list is growing.

Bobby and Marie met on a hilltop overlooking the bay of St Tropez. Marie is pictured in Durmitor National Park, Montenegro

Marie was just about to 'settle down' and buy a flat before she joined Bobby. They've now ticked off 14 countries and plan to travel to 30 overall. She's pictured (left) at Vadu Beach, Romania

Marie brought her dog Rubia along on their travels. Rubia and Red are pictured prancing through the snowy forests in Trnovo, Bosnia

He explained: 'The original plan was to drive direct, but its more of an adventure while I take the chance to explore each country.'

How long until he gets there? Bobby said: 'As long as it takes.

'There is no timeframe really, and I will probably only do this once, so why rush?'

Before setting off, Bobby sold almost all his belongings and handed his company, RNB Construction, to his business partner.

The above images show Bobby's 18-tonne truck at Vadu Beach, Eastern Romania (first image), in the French Alps near the Italian border (second) and in Theth, Albania (third and fourth)

And it was well worth it, it would seem.

Some of his standout experiences include paddle-boarding the Ardeche River in France, hiking Montenegro's rugged mountains and admiring the 'jaw-dropping' scenery of Triglav National Park in Slovenia.

But it hasnt all been an easy ride. Bobby said he's experienced a difficult winter after leaving the UK slightly later than anticipated. From broken boilers and cold nights to frozen fingers and dog paws, Bobby said: 'Weve had to endure whatever winter has thrown at us.'

He added: 'There are challenges, yes, and there is never any time to rest and you are constantly moving, but in doing so, there is a lot of beauty.

Bobby sold almost all his belongings and handed over his business before setting off. The above image shows his van in Albania at dusk

Bobby told MailOnline Travel that the journey will take 'as long as it takes'. He's shown above in the Macin Mountains in Romania

'Every morning is a new view, every day we meet new people, and every month is a new country or two.'

Although Bobby - who's funding the trip through a mixture of savings and earnings through partnerships and social media brand-ambassador agreements - still has a while to go before reaching the land Down Under, his journey continues.

What will he do when he gets there? 'Who knows,' he said. 'And how exciting.'

To follow Bobby's journey head to www.instagram.com/one.life.truck.it/ or TikTok account www.tiktok.com/@onelifetruckit.
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Explore new depths and immerse yourself in the beauty beneath the water's surface through this breathtaking collection of images from Underwater Photographer of the Year 2024.

The winners have been revealed for the annual contest, which gives a platform to awe-inspiring photography captured beneath the surface of oceans, lakes, rivers and even swimming pools.

This year, more than 6,500 underwater pictures were entered by photographers around the world, with scenes captured including two fish fighting with their mouths to a close-up of a grey whale's eye and a Bryde's whale engulfing an entire bait ball. 'Whales dominated the winning pictures this year,' the judges commented.

However, the image that truly mesmerised the panel is Alex Dawson's 'Whale Bones', which shows a diver swimming among the enormous skeletons of slaughtered whales off the coast of Greenland.

'Whale Bones was photographed in the toughest conditions,' explains chair of the judging panel Alex Mustard, 'as a breath-hold diver descends below the Greenland ice sheet to bear witness to the carcasses. The composition invites us to consider our impact on the great creatures of this planet. Since the rise of humans, wild animals have declined by 85 per cent. Today, just four per cent of mammals are wildlife, the remaining 96 per cent are humans and our livestock. Our way needs to change to find a balance with nature.'

Scroll down to the very bottom to lay eyes on Dawson's prize-winning shot. And on the way, gaze upon some of the category winners and shortlisted entries.

Rafael Fernandez Caballero is behind the lens of this magnificent shot of a Bryde's whale feasting on sardines in Mexico. The Spanish photographer said he experienced the 'unique spectacle' last year in the open Pacific waters of Magdalena Bay. 'They patrolled the waters, searching for bait balls to get their bellies full of hundreds of kilograms of fish,' he added. 'This photo shows the very moment of attack... simply unforgettable.' It takes the gong in the 'Behaviour' category

This image gives a rare glimpse of a male macaque's swimming skills in the waters of Thailand's Phi Phi Islands. So says photographer Suliman Alatiqi, from Kuwait, who captured the moment while documenting the behaviour of the crab-eating monkeys. 'The macaques have adapted very well to living around the sea and will venture into the water for various reasons including transportation, scavenging, cooling down and playing,' he explained. 'Highly efficient swimmers, they can dive for up to half a minute and can cover short distances faster than most humans.' Judges awarded it third place in the 'Portrait' category and described it as 'an unusual subject that will always stand out'

U.S photographer Lisa Stengel used 'all her senses' to capture this moment, which she describes as 'an ambush' of mahi mahi fish during a high-speed hunt. 'If you listen theres an enormous amount of sound in the ocean,' she explained. 'The action was too fast to see, so I honed in on the sound of the attacks with my camera to capture this special moment.' It takes first place in the 'Up & Coming' category

This image, titled 'Twilight Smile', shows what the judges described as a 'magnificently moody lemon shark' off the island of Grand Bahama in the Bahamas. French photographer Rodolphe Guignard recalled the 'striking face-to-face encounter' with the shark at dusk, when 'several dozen' rose 'from the depths' and surrounded his dive boat. 'The sea was rough, it was almost dark, and the sharks were lively and very curious, not hesitating to come into contact with my [camera] housing,' he said. Judges awarded it third place in the 'Wide Angle' category and praised the 'atmospheric lighting below the surface', which 'perfectly complements a dramatic sunset', while the 'grin and the eye contact inject a sinister undercurrent to the picture'

Topping the podium in the 'Wrecks' category, this eerie image by U.S photographer Martin Broen shows tanks 'sunk in 15m [49ft] to 28m [91ft] of water' in the underwater military museum of Aqaba, Jordan. 'In todays troubled times, it is uplifting to see the apparatus of war put to peaceful use,' judges commented

A huge school of fish dance above the wreck of a ship called Virgo in Brazil in this beautiful image, the work of Brazilian photographer Fabiana Fregones. Awarding it bronze in the 'Wrecks' category, judges highlighted how the fish 'momentarily create the perfect shape of a gib sail, as if ready to power the wreck across the seabed'

Behold the winning shot for British Underwater Photographer of the Year, which depicts a purple sea urchin surrounded by an 'entanglement' of brittle stars. The image was snared by British photographer Jenny Stock - also winner of the 'British Waters Macro' category - while diving in Loch Leven, Scotland

Even more surprising than encountering a bird underwater is having the bird try to attack your camera while hunting for small fish in the kelp forest. So says U.S photographer Jon Anderson, who experienced just that when he took this shot. 'I planned a dive on a sunny afternoon hoping to catch a cormorant beneath the kelp forest pierced by the afternoon sun,' he said. 'I had numerous cormorants approach me, peck at my head and tank, follow me around, and try to eat my camera. This one paused for a moment, perhaps after seeing its self-reflection in my dome port, allowing me to capture a head-on portrait.' Jon's shot was 'a favourite' among judges, who awarded it second place in the 'Portrait' category

Winning gold in the 'Portrait' category is Rafael Fernandez Caballero's astonishing close-up of a grey whale's eye in Mexico. The Spanish photographer said the species is 'known for its friendly and curious nature' and that this particular whale had 'a friendly gaze... resembling a human look of curiosity and innocence'. Judges remarked: 'Few people have ever gazed into the eye of a whale, but through this remarkable image many will be able to catch a glimpse of this intelligent soul'

Portuguese photographer Nuno Sa snared this poignant picture of beachgoers trying to save a stranded sperm whale in Portugal. He was named 'Save Our Seas Foundation Marine Conservation Photographer of the Year 2024' for the powerful image, titled 'Saving Goliath'

Runner-up in the 'Behaviour' category, this other-worldly image shows two female Zoarchias major eelpouts fighting with their mouths. This happens 'during the breeding season, in order to fight for a suitable spawning nest', explains Chinese photographer JingGong Zhang, who captured the image in Oda, Japan. Judge Alex Mustard said the image 'epitomises the decisive moment and a hormone-fuelled dispute is settled'. He added: 'Like with many arguments between people, this one will likely be settled in favour of the individual with the biggest mouth'

Runner up in the 'Wrecks' category is this ghostly picture - titled 'Illuminating the Past' - of the Kyle Spangler shipwreck. The wooden schooner sank in 1860 and sits in 60m (196ft) of cold water in Lake Huron - one of the five Great Lakes of North America. U.S photographer Becky Schott, who is behind the lens, said it's an image she has been 'trying to perfect for almost six years'
Kanye West and Bianca Censori are in a renewed state of marital bliss, according to insiders, who claim their relationship has improved 'drastically' - thanks to the very lucrative success of his latest album, Vultures.

DailyMail.com previously revealed that the pair, who tied the knot in December 2022, had a huge fight after Bianca, 29, warned the 46-year-old rapper not to make anti-Semitic slurs at a listening event for his album earlier this month.

The couple's huge blow out was said to be the reason behind her no show at his New York event and after-party on February 9, with sources now revealing that their relationship 'was hanging on by a thread', claiming that Bianca had started 'to question everything.'

'She knows [what] everyone thinks of her husband  and his recent outbursts were causing her to question everything,' an insider told DailyMail.com exclusively.

'But then, all of a sudden, his album is a success and she is back to being a loving adoring and supportive wife.'

Kanye West and his wife Bianca Censori are in a renewed state of marital bliss, according to insiders, following weeks of tension between the pair over his anti-Semitic outbursts

Sources revealed to DailyMail.com that their relationship has improved 'drastically' thanks to the recent success of his latest album, Vultures

The source explained how dire things had been in recent months, adding: 'Kanye and Bianca's marriage was hanging on by a thread. Everyone in her life wants her to leave him and she is aware of this.'

However, Bianca's apparent change of heart has reportedly left her loved ones fearing the designer is only staying in the marriage for financial reasons - views that were only further fueled when Kanye revealed that his brand, Yeezy, had made $19.3million from a Super Bowl advert.

'To her friends and family, this just screams what her real motivation behind all of this is  his money,' the insider said.

'They are now in a partnership and she has made a fortune herself due to all of the work she has done for her husband  as an architect for his brand and a model.'

They added: 'No one doubts that she loves him because she does. But the dynamics of their marriage definitely improved drastically due to the success of his album and the massive new influx of wealth is has brought.'

DailyMail.com has contacted representatives for the couple for comment.

The couple's financial health was looking less promising last week when Kanye, who now goes by Ye, claimed he was 'two months away' from declaring bankruptcy after reportedly losing $2billion in one day when Adidas terminated its partnership with Yeezy.

The rapper famously lost his billionaire status in 2022 when a number of brands ended his lucrative contracts over his anti-Semitic outbursts and were outraged over his decision to promote White Lives Matter T-shirts at his Paris Fashion Week show.

Last week saw Kanye explained to fans that he poured 'everything I had' into his $7million Super Bowl advert for his fashion brand and his new album, Vultures.

'I'm just be honest with y'all. I was two months from going bankrupt, and I put everything I had into it [the album and the Super Bowl advert],' he told TMZ.

The source explained how dire things had been in recent months as they said: 'Kanye and Bianca's marriage was hanging on by a thread. Everyone in her life wants her to leave him and she is aware of this.'

The Australian designer's surprising change back to being an 'adoring' wife has left loved ones questioning her motives

Kanye said as his wealth began to plummet, he moved to Italy with his wife.

'We moved to Italy,' he said. 'We moved to the factories, and we survived. We survived through the cancellation. We're back number one.'

On Thursday afternoon, the rapper's new album - which his daughter North posted about in a now-deleted TikTok - was removed from Apple Music and iTunes, where the song Carnival had held the No. 1 slot on the Top 100: Global chart.

The move was revealed amid reports the distributor was working to remove it from all streaming services after Kanye reportedly uploaded it to various platforms without permission, according to Billboard.

The album - which went on to reach number one in 100 countries - was first hit with streaming issues last week when Spotify removed the track Good (Don't Die) due to claims of 'copyright infringement' made by Donna Summers estate.

As of now, the album continues to be accessible on Spotify, however, the track Good (Dont Die) is currently not available to play.

Vultures Volume 1 marks the initial installment in a planned trilogy. Following this, the second and third projects are scheduled for release in March and April, respectively.

Before the album was released, Kanye was reportedly left fuming after the livestream from a listening event at Chicago 's United Center cut out when he spewed the lyrics: 'And I'm still crazy, bipolar, anti-Semite / And I'm still the king.'

An insider noted: 'All of a sudden, his album is a success and she is back to being a loving adoring and supportive wife.'

Bianca was not there to support her husband earlier this month when he took to the stage at the UBS arena at his album listening party

As a result of a spat, Kanye arrived to his album release afterparty at The Harbor NYC (pictured) without Bianca. He reportedly left within 10 minutes without thanking organizers

Sources previously claimed Bianca urged Kanye to apologize for any offence caused by his numerous anti-Semitic comments. He wrote it out in Hebrew and shared to his Instragram

Bianca is said to have warned him about singing the problematic lyrics, and as a result refused to attend the scheduled events in New York the following night.

Back in December, Bianca reportedly pushed her husband to apologize to the Jewish community - as she was 'tired' of having to 'babysit' him and feared his behavior was putting them in danger.

'She told him that his recent behavior was unacceptable and that he needs to apologize because he was putting them in danger and setting a horrible example for his children, a source told DailyMail.com at the time.

'Bianca is really sick of his attention seeking and she knows that this is not who he truly is, but it is making her look like she is anti-Semitic which is so far from the truth.

'She has many Jewish friends who she loves dearly and he knows this.'

Kanye acknowledged his behavior on Instagram, telling his 19 million followers in Hebrew: 'I deeply regret any pain I may have caused.'

His apology came after a string of unhinged and offensive outbursts, which included his anti-Semitic lyrics in Dubai and praising Hitler at a listening party in Sin City in December.
Channel Seven has launched a trailer for its top rating quiz show The Chase Australia featuring new cast member Brandon Blackwell.

Known as The Lightning Bolt, Blackwell will make his debut on the show as a quiz master on February 26.

The American born 30-year-old starred in the U.S version of The Chase and rose to fame for his ability to deliver rapid-fire answers to questions.

The Chase Australia game show tests its contestants' general knowledge skills against a team of quizmasters known as The Chasers.

Industry blog TV Blackbox reports that the addition of Blackwell, who holds the title of World Speed Quizzing Champion, is an attempt by Seven to boost the show's ratings.

Channel Seven has launched a trailer for its top rating quiz show The Chase Australia featuring new cast member Brandon Blackwell

According to the report The Chase Australia, one of Seven's best performers, is losing ground with Nine's quiz show rival Tipping Point in the metro ratings.

The trailer teasing Blackwell's debut has host Larry Emdur asking the question: 'You think you know fast?

It then compares Blackwell's speed at answering questions with a rocket, a racing car and Japan's the Bullet Train.

The Lightning Bolt is later seen in action on the show, and his replies come so fast that Larry Emdur does not have time to finish questions, and are all correct.

Industry blog TV Blackbox reports that the addition of Blackwell, who holds the title of World Speed Quizzing Champion, is an attempt by Seven to boost the show's ratings against its rival Tipping Point on Channel Nine. Pictured: Larry Emdur

Blackwell will join the other quiz masters on The Chase Australia including Brydon 'The Shark' Coverdale, Anne 'The Governess' Hegerty, Matt 'Goliath' Parkinson, Issa 'The Supernerd' Schultz, Mark 'The Beast' Labbett and Mara 'The Smiling Assassin' Lejins.

Meanwhile, Blackwell has also appeared on U.S. game shows Jeopardy!, The Million Second Quiz and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.

He also appeared as a team member on the U.K. show University Challenge.
Margot Robbie's fans are concerned the actress is 'burning out' after her very lengthy Barbie press tour.

The Australian actress, 33, has been channeling Barbie in a string of pink-themed outfits at press events for several months to promote Greta Gerwig's movie.

The smash hit film came out in July last year, but Margot has continued to sport pink outfits as she attends several awards shows where the movie has scored several nominations.

At Sunday's BAFTAs, Margot dazzled on the red carpet in a glittering black and pink Armani Prive gown, but fans couldn't help but share their concerns.

Commenting under Instagram posts about the awards, they said Margot must be 'burnt out' after the long press tour and must be fed up with wearing pink by now.

Margot Robbie 's fans are concerned the actress is 'burning out' after her very lengthy Barbie press tour

The Australian actress, 33, has been channeling Barbie in a string of pink-themed outfits at press events for several months to promote Greta Gerwig's movie

One wrote: 'Bless her. She seems so over it. The gal is burnt out and needs a well deserved break!'

'She's so beautiful. She'll never wear pink again after the Oscars,' another added, while one mused, 'kay she's very beautiful but enough with this Barbie marketing.'

'I get it girl, you like pink. But seriously, every red carpet with pink? Is not too much? I bet she looks amazing with other colors,' yet another said.

'She is probably exhausted, She will never wear pink again,' one more said.

However, others gushed over how 'beautiful' she looked in the outfit as they gave it their stamp of approval.

At Sunday's BAFTAs , Margot dazzled on the red carpet in a glittering black and pink Armani Prive gown, but fans couldn't help but share their concerns

Commenting under Instagram posts about the awards, they said Margot must be 'burnt out' after the long press tour and must be fed up with wearing pink by now

However, other fans gushed over how 'beautiful' she looked in the outfit as they gave it their stamp of approval

They gushed: 'She is so beautiful! Simple dress, not too much make up.. perfection!'

'Stunning, so beautiful,' another added.

Margot lost out on the Lead Actress award at the BAFTAs after securing a nomination for Barbie, despite being snubbed in the category at next month's Oscars.

Emma Stone took home the prestigious gong for her performance in Poor Things, beating Margot and Carey Mulligan, Sandra Huller, Fantasia Barrino and Vivian Oparah in the category.

Despite the record-breaking blockbuster becoming the highest-grossing film of 2023, Barbie left the BAFTAs empty-handed as it failed to secure a single win.

Margot lost out on the Lead Actress award to Emma Stone (pictured) for her performance in Poor Things at the BAFTAs after securing a nomination for Barbie

Despite the record-breaking blockbuster becoming the highest-grossing film of 2023, Barbie left the BAFTAs empty-handed as it failed to secure a single win

As well as Margot's loss, Greta's film lost out for Best Screenplay to courtroom drama Anatomy Of A Fall, by Justine Triet and Arthur Harari.

Ryan Gosling's Ken was defeated in the Supporting Actor category by Robert Downey Jr for Oppenheimer.

When the BAFTA nominees were first announced, director Greta herself was also notably absent from the shortlist.
Boy Meets World alums Danielle Fishel, Rider Strong and Will Friedle spoke about 'the difficult subjects of grooming, childhood sexual abuse and their effects on victims' on their podcast Pod Meets World Monday, according to a description on the site for the iHeart podcast.

The episode focused on their personal relationships with actor Brian Peck, 63, a guest star for two episodes on the series' fifth season in 1999, who would subsequently be convicted of sex crimes involving a minor four years later.

Fishel, 42, Strong, 44, and Friedle, 47, played the respective roles of Topanga Lawrence, Shawn Hunter and Eric Matthews on the ABC sitcom during its seven-season run from 1993-2000.

The three actors were joined on the podcast by marriage and family therapist Kati Morton, as they navigated the uncomfortable topics of grooming minors and the devastating impact of sex abuse on children.

Peck in 2003 was accused of eight counts of child molestation, and the following year he entered a no contest plea to committing a lewd act against a child and oral copulation on a person under the age of 16.

Boy Meets World alums Rider Strong, 44, Danielle Fishel, 42, and Will Friedle, 47, spoke about 'the difficult subjects of grooming, childhood sexual abuse and their effects on victims' on their podcast Pod Meets World Monday

The episode focused on their personal relationships with actor Brian Peck, 63, a guest star for two episodes on the series' fifth season in 1999, who would subsequently be convicted of sex crimes involving a minor four years later. Peck pictured in 2014 in LA

Peck would go on to serve a 16-month prison sentence in connection with his plea, and was mandated to register as a sex offender.

Peck is also linked to a forthcoming ID docuseries titled Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV, which investigates the problematic culture on the sets of Nickelodeon shows around 25 years ago.

Strong and Friedle said on the podcast that they have been asked for comment about Peck, and explained to listeners their past relationships with him, as they formed friendships with him.

'I was working a lot after Boy Meets World, and this guy had so ingrained himself into my life, I took him to three shows after Boy Meets World,' Friedle said. 'This was the type of thing where the person he presented was this great, funny guy who was really good at his job, and you wanted to hang out with.'

Strong said he and Peck had hung out 'all the time' when they were not working.

Peck is openly gay, and Fishel noted that some of the parents of the child actors likely did not want to be taken the wrong way by flagging concerns with him and his behavior.

'There was probably a part of them that didn't say it because they were afraid it was going to be taken as homophobia,' Fishel said. 'Instead of, "This is a boundary, gay or not. This is a boundary between adults and kids."'

She added, 'And so I also think that's important in the story of Rider and Will, about why he befriended the two of you so closely. And I did have lunch with him a couple of times, but only because someone else would invite me.

'He didn't really make an effort to get to know me. He didn't ingratiate himself as much into my life. I never heard from him again after the show ended.'

Peck in 2003 was accused of eight counts of child molestation, and the following year he entered a no contest plea to committing a lewd act against a child and oral copulation on a person under the age of 16. Pictured in 2012 in Burbank

Peck would go on to serve a 16-month prison sentence in connection with his plea, and was mandated to register as a sex offender

In their discussion, Fishel, Strong and Friedle said Peck was a skilled manipulator who was able to rally them to stand behind him when he faced legal troubles more than two decades back, and even support him by attending court hearings and writing letters in his support to submit to the court.

Friedle said, 'My instinct initially was, "My friend, this can't be. It's gotta be the other person's fault." The story makes complete sense the way that he's saying it.'

Friedle said that the mother of the victim in the 2003 case - an unidentified child actor - cited the presence of the sitcom stars in a statement in court.

The mother told Peck, 'Look at all the famous people you brought with you. And it doesn't change what you did to my kid,' Friedle said. 'I just sat there wanting to die. It was like, "What the hell am I doing here?' It was horrifying all the way around."'

Friedle said he came to deeply regret supporting Peck, as there was 'an actual victim' involved, but Peck had twisted things in such a way to make himself look like the victim.

'He turned us against the victim to where now we're on his team,' Friedle said. 'That's the thing where, to me, I look back at that as my ever-loving shame for this entire' matter.

He added, 'Getting taken in by somebody who's a good actor and a manipulator, I could chalk that up to being young and that's the way it is. It's awful.'

At the conclusion of the episode, Fishel, Strong and Friedle said they hoped to enlighten people to tactics of grooming and recognize if it is happening to them or a loved one.
New Zealand model Georgia Fowler has shared adorable photos of her newborn Zeke four days after giving birth.

Georgia, 31, posted a number of sweet snaps to her social media showing her cuddling up to her baby boy.

The newborn could be seen fast asleep on a pillow as his radiant mother leaned her head against him.

The Victoria's Secret model also shared images of her eldest child Dylan cradling her baby brother.

Georgia captioned the post 'Bursting with love Zeke Atlas'.

New Zealand model Georgia Fowler has shared adorable photos of her newborn Zeke four days after giving birth

The model announced the joyous news of Zeke's arrival on Monday morning.

She shared several black-and-white photos of herself and husband Nathan Dalah cradling their newborn son in hospital.

Revealing the baby's name in the caption, Georgia wrote: 'Zeke Atlas Dalah. 15.2.24. You are so loved already little man.'

Georgia's famous friends were quick to express their excitement, with fellow model Cheyenne Tozzi commenting: 'Congratulations you guys.'

Models Shanina Shaik, Lily Aldrige and Jessica Gomes also shared their congratulations.

Georgia, 31, posted a number of sweet snaps to her social media showing her cuddling up to her baby boy

The newborn could be seen fast asleep on a pillow

Georgia announced in September that she and Nathan were expecting a baby boy.

She shared the exciting news alongside a stunning photo shoot in which she was seen cradling the couple's daughter Dylan, who they welcomed in September, 2021.

Georgia and Nathan tied the knot during a gorgeous countryside ceremony on 27 January 2023.

The Victoria's Secret model also shared images of her eldest child Dylan cradling her baby brother

The couple exchanged vows at Hopewood House in the township of Bowral, in the NSW Southern Highlands.

Among the attendees were the couple's fashion friends, including model Tahnee Atkinson, fashionista Rey Vakili and designers Sophie Coote and Nikki Campbell.

Also attending was 'Australian tailor to the stars' Patrick Johnson and his wife Tamsin Johnson, an interior designer.

The model announced the joyous news of Zeke's arrival on Monday morning
General Hospital star Steve Burton's ex-wife Sheree Gustin has welcomed her fifth child, just weeks after the pair's divorce was finalized.

Gustin, 46, took to her Instagram Stories on Sunday to announce that she had welcomed a baby girl named Addy Jay on Friday, February 16. She also revealed that her daughter weighed 5 lbs., 5 oz at birth.

Though Gustin did not share the identity of her partner, she appeared to give a glimpse of him in one of the hospital photos.

Sheree revealed she was expecting baby number five in October, but has not mentioned who the father of her last two children is.

Soap Opera star Burton, 53, announced that his wife was having a fourth child that was not his in May of 2022, followed by the announcement of their divorce after 20 years of marriage.

Steve Burton's, 53, ex-wife Sheree Gustin, 46, has welcomed her fifth child, weeks after their divorce was finalized. She has not mentioned who the father of her last two kids is, but appeared to give a glimpse of him in a new hospital snap

Soap Opera star Burton announced that his wife was having a fourth child that was not his in May of 2023, revealing the pair were separated; Seen in 2019

Gustin posted three photos to her social media showing off the newest member of her family.

In one black and white snap the proud new mom held the little one close to her chest, as they bonded skin-to-skin.

Another photo showed Gustin in her hospital cap and gown holding hands with a mystery man, who was pictured also holding the baby with his other arm.

Gustin flashed a bright smile as she watched the heart melting moment, which seemed to show a glimpse of her new partner.

The last snap simply featured her daughter wrapped up in a baby blanket and wearing a pink hat, with Sheree proudly announcing her name, date of birth, and weight in a text overlay.

At the end of December it was announced that Burton and Gustin had finalized their divorce, nearly two years after their messy public split, according to court records obtained by Us Weekly.

The documents indicated that the divorce was settled earlier in December.

The drama from Burton's regular gig seemed to have spilled over into his own life when he announced that his wife was having a child with a different man.

'I wanted to clear something up,' Burton said. 'Sheree and I are separated. She recently announced that shes expecting her fourth child. The child is not mine. We are still co-parenting our three beautiful kids. We would appreciate privacy at this time. Much luv, Steve.'

Gustin took to her Instagram Stories on Sunday to announce that she had welcomed a baby girl named Addy Jay on Friday, February 16

Gustin posted three photos to her social media showing off the newest member of her family

At the end of December it was announced that Burton and Gustin had finalized their divorce, nearly two years after their messy public split; They are seen in 2012

Sheree gave birth in February to her fourth child - a daughter named Izabella - after a surprising pregnancy announcement

'Sheree and I are separated. She recently announced that shes expecting her fourth child. The child is not mine,' Burton wrote on his Instagram at the time

The shocking revelation came six months after the television star was fired from General Hospital after refusing to get a Covid-19 vaccination, which he claimed he wouldn't do due to his support for 'personal freedom.' He has since returned to the show.

In the filings, the former spouses noted that their divorce is uncontested.

Sheree has also asked the judge overseeing the divorce to permanently terminate any spousal support for both her and Burton.

The actor had previously filed for joint custody of the three children they share, and custody and visitation of Makena, 19, Jack, 17, and Brooklyn, eight, will not change now that the divorce is finalized.

In his original divorce filing, Burton claimed that he and his ex had separated in March of 2022, and he cited 'irreconcilable differences' as the reason for their split.

Unlike her performer husband, Sheree has kept a low profile since the separation, and she doesn't appear to have ever publicly discussed their split or divorce.

She gave birth in February to her fourth child, a daughter named Izabella.

Back in October, she joked that she would have 'laughed and said you were crazy' if someone had told her she would end up having five children, with two of them born when she was well into her 40s.

The pair share three children together, Makena, 19, Jack, 17, and Brooklyn, eight

The couple originally tied the knot in 1999; They are seen in 1999 at the 15th Annual Soap Opera Digest Awards in Universal City, California

A source previously told People that the relationship soured after Burton was fired from General Hospital (pictured) in 2021 after refusing to get a Covid-19 vaccination

The same month that Burton revealed their separation, a source told People that he and Gustin had been in the 'coasting stage' of their marriage 'for a while.'

The insider indicated that his choice not to comply with the Covid-19 vaccine mandate on the set of General Hospital contributed to their eventual split.

'Their lives were changed when he went through some upheaval and anger over what he considered his freedoms being in jeopardy,' they shared diplomatically. 'He had to leave a show that he loved, which caused chaos in his life.'

They added that his actions left Sheree 'unhappy,' and she started looking for 'something more.'

The couple originally tied the knot in 1999.
Carrie Bickmore has shared her regret over taking her five-year-old daughter to Taylor Swift's Australian Eras tour in Melbourne.

The TV star, 43, went to the global megastar's first concert Down Under at the MCG on Friday night with her daughters Evie, eight, and Adelaide, five.

However, she admitted she has slight regret over taking her youngest daughter Adelaide to the hotly anticipated concert because she slept through the end of it.

Appearing on 2DAY FM's Hughesy, Ed & Erin on Tuesday, Carrie confessed: 'I still haven't worked out if it was a good idea or not.

'I'll be honest, the youngest one didn't last till the end. She did sleep on me for the last hour and a half.'

Carrie Bickmore has shared her regret over taking her five-year-old daughter to Taylor Swift's Australian Eras tour in Melbourne because she fell asleep during the concert

Carrie was jokingly asked whether she considered 'giving [Adelaide's] ticket to someone else and letting her sleep on the concourse' amid sky-high demand for tickets.

Carrie replied with a laugh: 'Waking up that sleeping lion would not have been a good idea! No security guard would want to deal with her to be honest.

'The whole time I thought of that to be honest because I had every single person in my life asking for tickets! I kind of wanted the girls to experience it together and I'm really glad I did.'

However, Carrie insisted she is still so glad she took her two daughters - who she shares with her ex Chris Walker - to experience the concert together.

Sue gushed: 'But until [Adelaide fell asleep], the pure joy I saw in their faces, quite genuinely. Obviously when you go to a concert yourself that you feel passionately about, you feel that joy, but because I like Taylor but I'm not an insane Swiftie like they are, then when I got there, I just got swept up in it.

'It was phenomenal. I was crying watching them! They know every lyric of every song, it was awesome! Everybody was so generous and friendly and excited, as a crowd goes, it was a really lovely experience.'

The Australian TV presenter, 43, went to the global megastar's first concert Down Under at the MCG on Friday night with her daughters Evie, eight, and Adelaide, five

Carrie shares her two daughters with her ex Chris Walker (all pictured). She also had an older son Ollie, 16, with her late husband Greg Lange, who died of brain cancer in 2010

As well as her two daughters, Carrie also shares an older son Ollie, 16, with her late husband Greg Lange, who died of brain cancer in 2010.

Over the weekend, Carrie shared videos and photos of her fun-filled night out watching Taylor perform on Instagram.

In the snaps, she showed off her incredible figure in a black bustier top and figure-hugging jeans as she danced the night away.

Carrie completed her stylish ensemble with a pair of studded sandals and toted her essentials in a small black backpack.

She first sported a pair of black shades but later swapped them for bright pink love heart glasses with 'Swiftie mum' written across them in white pen.

She smiled from ear-to-ear as she shared an array of photos with her pals outside the MCG as they gathered just hours ahead of the show.

In an accompanying caption, she joked of her outfit: 'Super Bowl Tay Tay Era. When you've been too busy helping your kids with their outfits that you have to improvise on the day.'

Over the weekend, Carrie gave an insight into her fun-filled night out watching Taylor perform as she shared a gallery of snaps from the concert

For the concert, she first sported a pair of black shades but later swapped them for bright pink love heart glasses with 'Swiftie mum' written across them in white pen

Taylor played three shows at the MCG on February 16, 17, and 18 and has now headed to Sydney for four concerts at Accor Stadium on February 23, 24, 25 and 26.

Organisers of the tour have shared their concern about the 15,000 fans who are estimated to arrive at the pop star's sold out shows despite not having tickets.

Scenes saw hundreds of fans gathering outside the MCG and trying to listen in on the concert, despite not having tickets, as Swiftie mania overran the venue.

Ahead of the Sydney shows, Venues NSW warned ticketless fanatics to stay away from Accor Stadium to prevent crowd management issues, The Daily Telegraph reported.

A spokesperson said fans who missed out on tickets should not try to 'soak up the atmosphere' outside, as they likely won't hear any songs anyway.

Meanwhile, Transport NSW coordinator-general Howard Collins said the city was 'preparing for the inevitable'.

Taylor played three shows at the MCG on February 16, 17, and 18 and has now headed to Sydney for four concerts at Accor Stadium on February 23, 24, 25, and 26

'What we found with other popular music venues where people can't get tickets, people do just turn up to sort of soak up the atmosphere, and you can't stop them other than to manage crowds,' he said.

'We are not encouraging ticketless fans to attend, but part of our contingency plan is allowing for extra people who may be travelling who haven't got tickets.'

But despite warnings from the NSW government, businesses are said to be rolling out the welcome mat for all of Taylor's fans regardless of whether they have tickets.

Business Sydney executive director Paul Nicolaou said: 'Irrespective of their ticket status, Sydney must put up the welcome sign for the Swifties because they will all make a contribution to our city in some way.'
Remy Hii turned heads as he stepped out for a lavish evening in celebration of Lunar New Year on Saturday.

The 37-year-old Australian actor hosted a Johnnie Walker Blue Label Mahjong Club alongside chef Dan Hong, where guests were challenged to a modern luxe rendition of the age-old tile game.

Wearing a custom-made Johnnie Walker jacket that featured embellishments and the iconic scotch whiskey's logo printed on the back, Remy was dressed to impress for the cocktail event held at the Establishment in Sydney's CBD.

The Crazy Rich Asians star was seen sipping on Johnnie Walker Blue Label-infused cocktails which were valued at $60 per drink.

He then challenged guests to the fast-paced tile game that is Mahjong, before enjoying Dan's indulgent menu of reimagined Chinese delicacies.

Crazy Rich Asians star Remy Hii (pictured) turned heads as he stepped out for a lavish evening in celebration of Lunar New Year over the weekend

'For me Lunar New Year is all about getting together with family and friends, enjoying delicious food and each other's company,' Remy said at the event.

'Mahjong is such an important game in Chinese culture.'

The launch of the Mahjong Club coincided with the release of the Johnnie Walker Blue Label Lunar New Year, Year of the Dragon, a limited-edition bottle that is now available for $368.

On Saturday, the 37-year-old Australian actor (left) hosted Johnnie Walker Blue Label Mahjong Club alongside chef and restaurateur Dan Hong (right)

Wearing a custom-made Johnnie Walker Blue Label jacket that featured embellishments and the iconic Scotch Whiskey's logo printed on the back in gold, Remy was dressed to impress for the cocktail event

The bottle, designed in collaboration with Asian-American artist James Jean, features artwork of a mythical dragon interwoven and layered with botanical elements.

Remy is best known for his appearance in the 2018 romantic comedy Crazy Rich Asians, where he played character Alistair Cheng, and 2019's Spider-Man: Far From Home.

He also starred as Van Nguyen in the gripping SBS drama Better Man, as well as a brief stint in the Channel 10 soap Neighbours in 2013.

The Crazy Rich Asians star was seen sipping on Johnnie Walker Blue Label-infused cocktails which were valued at $60 per drink

He then challenged guests to the fast-paced tile game of Mahjong

In 2019, Remy and his fellow Crazy Rich Asians co-star admitted they'd struggled to get acting work in Australia.

Speaking with the Daily Telegraph, Remy encouraged Australian filmmakers to break away from stereotypical roles and storylines.

'We're all waiting and welcoming more diverse talent behind the screens as well to make sure the stories being told are authentic and coming from a real (experience) place so that we can tell those stories not from the outside in, but you have people taking control of their narratives,' he said at the time.

He also savoured Dan Hong's indulgent menu of reimagined Chinese delicacies

The launch of the Mahjong Club coincided with the release of the Johnnie Walker Blue Label Lunar New Year, Year of the Dragon, a limited-edition bottle that is now available for $368
Love Island All Stars fans declared host Maya Jama and boyfriend Stromzy 'the show's real winners' after she pointed him out in the villa audience during Monday's South African final.

The presenter, 29, was interviewing the final two couples Callum Jones and Jess Gale and Molly Smith and Tom Clare when she declared 'he's over there!'.

She announced the rapper presence during the chat about viewers hopes for exes Molly and Callum's reconciliation saying: 'I had a lot of people saying I should get back with my ex!'.

The crowd cheered as she said: 'He's over there, so it all worked out in the end'.

Taking to X, formerly Twitter, one fan wrote: 'Stromzy being there to support his girl Maya Jama is what we like to see!'.

Love Island All Stars fans declared host Maya Jama, 29, and boyfriend Stromzy, 30, 'the show's real winners' after she pointed him out in the villa audience during Monday's South African final.

The presenter, 29, was interviewing the final two couples Callum Jones and Jess Gale and Molly Smith and Tom Clare when she declared 'he's over there!' (pictured together 2023)

And a second said: 'Stop teasing us with the Stormzy references BRING HIM OUT we know he's there'.

Someone else added: 'We love the Stormzy shout out'.

With another commenting: 'Yessss Maya mentioning Stormzy'.

Maya was making reference to the couple's in 2019 before reconciling last summer when they were seen together on a romantic Greek holiday in August.

Fans went wild that Maya seemed to ship exes Molly and Callum getting back together which has been a strong sentiment from the public during the whole series.

Maya even told Molly that it was actually Callum who suggested Tom should put a stuffed dog in her Valentine's gift because she missed her dog at home.

One viewer wrote in reaction to the moment: 'Maya Jama fully compared her and Stormzy to Molly and Callum.

'The public wants you back together, and eventually, it will happen. It may take some time. Remember, Maya was engaged before she and Stormzy got back together, but eventually they will rekindle. #loveisland.'

She announced the rapper presence during the chat about viewers hopes for exes Molly and Callum's reconciliation saying: 'I had a lot of people saying I should get back with my ex!'

Taking to X, formerly Twitter, one fan wrote: 'Stromzy being there to support his girl Maya Jama is what we like to see!'

Another said: 'Maya Jama saying she was annoyed when people wanted her back with her ex meanwhile they're back together & he's sat in the audience #loveisland.'

A third said: 'Maya jama wanting the callum and molly train to happen mentioning stormzy #LoveIsland.'

A fourth said: 'SNAP.Maya Jama referring to her relationship with Stormzy #LoveIsland.'

Molly and Tom were crowned the winners of Love Island: All Stars.

The pair's victory was revealed during Monday's live final, with the blonde beauty beating out her ex Callum and his new partner Jess.

After being declared the winners, Tom told host Maya Jama 'my mind's blown', while Molly was visibly shaking as she shouted 'what the hell'.

Speaking ahead of the final result, Molly admitted the Love Island experience has 'forced' her to be friends with her ex Callum.

Fans went wild that Maya seemed to ship exes Molly and Callum getting back together which has been a strong sentiment from the public during the whole series

Fans went wild that Maya seemed to ship exes Molly and Callum getting back together which has been a strong sentiment from the public during the whole series

Maya and Stormzy reconciled in summer 2023 after splitting in 2019 and were then seen on a romantic Greek holiday in August (seen in 2018)

Maya even told Molly that it was actually Callum who suggested Tom should put a stuffed dog in her Valentine's gift because she missed her dog at home

Maya even told Molly that it was actually Callum who suggested Tom should put a stuffed dog in her Valentine's gift because she missed her dog at home

She also said she was 'grateful' they've had the chance to gain closure on things, but insisted that there would be no 'fairytale ending' for them both.

After splitting in September 2020, Molly and Callum were stunned to be reunited in the All Stars villa in a launch night twist, but have both opted against exploring the prospect of rekindling their romance.

Viewers had hoped the couple would get back together having entered the villa last month after splitting following a three-and-a-half year relationship in September last year.

But the grand final saw Molly paired with Tom, while Callum was coupled up with Jess dashing any hopes of a last minute reunion.

Molly Smith and Tom Clare have been crowned the winners of Love Island: All Stars

Taking to X, formerly Twitter, one wrote: 'Callum and Molly in the final 2 but in the wrong couples'

While a second said: 'Callum and Molly in the final 2 but not together is maddd'.

Another bemoaned ' Molly and Callum fans we've tried so hard'.

And: 'No one wants Tom or Jess to win, just Callum and Molly'.

Someone else said: 'We all wanted Callum AND MOLLY to win but turns out it be Callum OR Molly winning'.
An Australian radio host has lashed out at Taylor Swift fans for buying tickets to multiple shows and bragging about it online.

Cameron 'Lingy' Ling, who co-hosts the breakfast show at Geelong's K Rock 95.5, aired his grievances with boastful Swifties during a rant on Monday's Tom, Lingy & Loggy show.

'I have one observation from the Taylor Swift concerts, and it's the new biggest flogs in the world. It's those people that went to more than one Taylor Swift concert,' he began.

'Now, I'm talking about the person who went to more than one concert and decided to flaunt it out there and put it everywhere. There were [so many] who were desperate to get a ticket,' the former AFL player continued.

Co-host Lauren 'Loggy' Temuskos concurred, adding: 'I did see someone who is a family member, and [who] I love. But I saw that they went twice... and I was gutted. Because I really wanted to go.'

Cameron 'Lingy' Ling (left), who co-hosts the breakfast show at Geelong's K Rock 95.5, slammed Swifties on Monday for attending multiple Taylor Swift (right) concerts and bragging about it online

Lingy followed his rant by issuing a harsh message to Aussie Swifties who are guilty of bragging about attending more than one show.

'Don't flaunt it though! Don't put it on social media. You know what you are, you are a flog. If you do that and pump it into other peoples faces, I'm not a big fan of yours,' he raged.

It comes after one Australian Taylor Swift fan sparked a fiery debate on social media with their controversial opinion about Eras Tour tickets.

'I have one observation from the Taylor Swift concert, and it's the new biggest flogs in the world. It's those people that went to more than one Taylor Swift concert,' he complained

Co-host Lauren 'Loggy' Temuskos (pictured) concurred, adding: 'I did see someone who is a family member, and [who] I love. But I saw that they went twice... and I was gutted. Because I really wanted to go'

A Melbourne resident took to X, formally known as Twitter, last week to express his views on the ticketing process for the pop superstar's concerts, which have seen phenomenal demand across the country.

After final release tickets became available just days before her shows, the user proposed a contentious system aimed at fairness.

'Probably gonna cop so much hate for this. But my opinion is that I think you should be only able to see Taylor Swift once in Australia,' the user wrote, igniting a heated exchange among fans.

'I've seen like 10 people going again tonight after attending last night. Would give the other people that missed out a better opportunity,' he continued.

Poll Do you think it is selfish Swifties are going to more than one concert? Yes No Do you think it is selfish Swifties are going to more than one concert? Yes 81 votes

No 31 votes Now share your opinion





Swift's decision to add two extra shows to the Australian leg of her tour did little to quell the frenzy, as over a million fans bombarded the Ticketek website, vying for a piece of the 450,000-ticket pie.

With many fans left empty handed, the sight of some attendees boasting about securing multiple show passes has only rubbed salt into the wound.

'I agree... because I tried everything in my power to get tickets and was unsuccessful and I know some people going to all Melbourne and Sydney shows I'm actually devastated I couldn't go,' one disappointed fan replied to the user's post.

Amid the chorus of agreement, some stood firmly against the user's proposition.

'No. I went last night and going to Sydney, you snooze you lose,' a defiant fan stated.

Swift is preparing to play four sold-out shows at Sydney's Accor Stadium from Friday to Monday, with 80,000 people attending each night.
Three popular Married At First Sight couples had a 'secret pact' to make it to Final Vows, despite a lack of genuine connection off-camera.

Despite their on-screen chemistry, insiders have sensationally claimed three relationships were far from perfect behind the scenes.

A source close to the production disclosed to Daily Mail Australia that the couples rarely spent time together when not required by the show's filming schedule.

'Lauren and Jono's relationship was similarly tumultuous, with the two barely spending any time together on weekends, Tim and Sara were also constantly at odds,' the insider shared.

'Despite forming a strong bond, Lucinda and Timothy struggled with a lack of physical attraction.'

Three popular Married At First Sight couples had a 'secret pact' to make it to Final Vows, despite a lack of genuine connection off-camera. Pictured: Jayden Eynaud and Eden Harper

Despite their on-screen chemistry, insiders have sensationally claimed three relationships were far from perfect behind the scenes. Pictured Jono and Lauren

Elsewhere, Jayden and Eden were accused of putting on a show for cameras.

One of the arrangements came to light after an intense confrontation at one of the show's dinner parties.

One groom, reportedly fed up, openly admitted to their secret pact, leaving fellow cast members and the experts surprised with his admission.

'Tim and Sara were constantly at odds, and Lauren and Jono's relationship was similarly tumultuous, with the two barely spending any time together on weekends,' the insider shared. (Pictured: Tim during a break from filming)

'It was a mess,' the source added, painting a picture of a relationship far removed from the fairy tale romance fans were led to believe.

Married At First Sight producers were reportedly 'pi**ed off' upon discovering the pacts, feeling betrayed by the manipulation of the show's premise.

The show prides itself on creating genuine connections, and these revelations undermine its integrity.

Jono (left) and Lauren (right) were spotted living very much separate lives during filming

The insider further revealed that despite the lack of sexual chemistry between Lucinda and Timothy, producers were keen to keep them on the show due to Timothy's popularity and his fearless approach to confrontations, particularly with fellow groom Jack.

Another source completely rubbished the above claims and said it wasn't Sara and Tim, Lauren and Jono in question.

Tara McWilliams, who is credited with transforming MAFS into the ratings juggernaut it is today, previous told Daily Mail Australia that fame rather than love is often the driving force for some of the show's contestants.

She said while there are several reasons contestants decide to join the show, most are excited by the experience as a whole.

Married At First Sight's top boss Tara McWilliams has admitted that some of the participants who appear on the show are not '100 per cent genuine'

'We're never gonna know how genuine people are (before going on the show). Everyone's genuinely there because they enjoy mixed views,' she explained.

She emphasised that the 'experience' extends beyond just being on TV.

She said although it is rare, there have been instances where participants had ulterior motives.

She said while there are several reasons contestants decide to join the show, most are excited by the experience as a whole. Pictured Timothy and Lucinda

'It's about being in the 'bubble,' experiencing a rollercoaster of emotions, and pushing through relationship challenges,' she said.

McWilliams said there has been many times the show's producers have doubts about the authenticity of the couples and have had to boot them off.

'I can count it on probably two fingers the number of times it's happened where we've gone, 'We're not buying this, and it's time to go', and I'm not going to say who those couples ares,' she said.

'I'm talking over the course of us the whole time we've made this this show, we're talking what seven, eight seasons or whatever it is...' she said.

'We put a plan in place for them to leave, we called the and said ''we're not buying this, and we're not a place for you to come and find fame, you have to be invested in your relationship.'

Supporting McWilliams' statements, producer Alex Spurway added: 'It's the investment in the relationship and the experiment.'

'You've got to want to be there, you've got to want to do the work, you've got to want to participate.'
It was a meeting of two Hollywood heavyweights at the Berlin Film Festival on Monday night, as Sharon Stone was seen mingling with fellow superstar Helen Mirren.

The pair were both in attendance for the Cinema For Peace gala at the German film event, and were seen chatting as they sat down for dinner together.

Attending a special screening of her 1995 film Casino, Sharon was in high spirits as she discussed the film while on-stage at the event.

The Basic Instinct icon opted for an eye-catching white coat adorned with red floral detailing, layered over a matching ensemble.

Helen opted for a sleek black velvet gown with a plunging V-neck as she chatted to fellow guest Hillary Clinton.

It was a meeting of two Hollywood heavyweights at the Berlin Film Festival on Monday night, as Sharon Stone, 65, was seen mingling with fellow superstar Helen Mirren, 78

The pair were both in attendance for the Cinema For Peace gala at the German film event, and were seen chatting as they sat down for dinner together

Attending a screening for her film Casino, Sharon was in high spirits as she discussed the film while on-stage at the event

It comes after Sharon's story about being told to evacuate her Los Angeles home during the infamous OJ Simpson police chase in 1994 was refuted by LAPD officers.

The Basic Instinct actress recently told InStyle magazine that law enforcement called her home and told her to evacuate at the time.

'(They said) he's dangerous, and we don't know how dangerous, and we don't know what this is,' she recalled to the publication.

But TMZ reported on Friday that David Gascon, a commander at the LAPD's Media Relations department during in the mid 90s, has no memory of that happening.

Tom Lange, also denied the claim, saying he'd never heard such a story before the article was published.

At the time of the televised police chase, Stone was living on a public-access street in Los Angeles without security.

She told the magazine, 'While OJ was driving up and down the freeway, (the police) were like, 'Find a secure house behind a gate.''

In the same interview, Sharon also opened up about the perils of being a multimillionaire Hollywood A-lister.

The Basic Instinct icon opted for an eye-catching white coat adorned with red floral detailing, layered over a matching ensemble

Sharon took to the stage at the Berlin Film Festival to speak about her role in the legendary 1995 film

The Basic Instinct icon opted for an eye-catching white coat adorned with red floral detailing, layered over a matching ensemble

Helen opted for a sleek black velvet gown with a plunging V-neck as she graced the blue carpet at the film festival

Inside the gala, Helen was seen chatting to legendary US politician Hillary Clinton

It comes after Sharon's story about being told to evacuate her Los Angeles home during the infamous OJ Simpson police chase in 1994 was refuted by LAPD officers

The Basic Instinct actress recently told InStyle magazine that law enforcement called her home and told her to evacuate at the time

'(They said) he's dangerous, and we don't know how dangerous, and we don't know what this is,' she recalled to the publication

But TMZ reported on Friday that David Gascon, a commander at the LAPD's Media Relations department during in the mid 90s, has no memory of that happening

In the same interview, Sharon also opened up about the perils of being a multimillionaire Hollywood A-lister (pictured with Hillary Clinton and Annalena Baerbock)

The star, who is worth an estimated $60m, revealed it is 'very expensive to be famous' and that she is expected to pick up the bill at dinner 'every time' (Sharon is pictured with Bob Geldof)

The Golden Globe winner said her star is so great that she can no longer 'jump on a Delta flight' and has to employ a retinue of staff to keep her looking stylish and ensure her safety

She said: 'It's very expensive to be famous. You go out to dinner, and there's 15 people at the table, and who gets the check? You get the $3,000 dinner check every single time'

The star totted up her expenses including her home and her team of staff from publicists to security to make-up artists

The star, who is worth an estimated $60million, revealed it is 'very expensive to be famous' and that she is expected to pick up the bill at dinner 'every time'.

The Golden Globe winner said her star is so great that she can no longer 'jump on a Delta flight' and has to employ a retinue of staff to keep her looking stylish and ensure her safety.

She said: 'It's very expensive to be famous. You go out to dinner, and there's 15 people at the table, and who gets the check? You get the $3,000 dinner check every single time'.

The star totted up her expenses including her home and her team of staff from publicists to security to make-up artists.

Sharon said she is too well-known to take flights on commercial airlines, saying: 'At least now [people] understand that Jennifer Lawrence can't just skip onto an airplane. Nicole Kidman can't jump onto Delta. Sharon Stone can't do it either, whether or not she's doing a lot of movies.

'[People] think, 'What have you been in?' And it's like, Dude, they know me in the Amazon rainforest. It's tampons, Q-tips, and Sharon Stone.'
Hilary Swank had all eyes on her as she arrived to the premiere of her new film, Ordinary Angels, at the SVA Theater in New York City on Monday.

The two-time Oscar-winning actress, 49, wowed in an off-shoulder scarlet gown from the Vivienne Westwood Made-to-Order collection which highlighted her ample cleavage.

She wore her light brunette tresses parted on the side and cascading down her shoulder in bouncy curls.

The star  who welcomed her twin daughter and son, Aya and Ohm, 10 months ago  was joined by her husband Philip Schneider for the occasion.

Faith-based movie Ordinary Angels, which is based on a true story, stars Hilary as a hairdresser who meets a widowed father and devotes herself to the effort of getting his critically ill daughter the liver transplant she needs to survive.

Hilary Swank had all eyes on her as she arrived to the premiere of her new film, Ordinary Angels, at the SVA Theater in New York City on Monday

The two-time Oscar-winning actress, 49, wowed in an off-shoulder scarlet gown from the Vivienne Westwood Made-to-Order collection which highlighted her ample cleavage

Swank kept her glam delicate and fresh, accentuating her stunning features with just a touch of light eyeshadow, blush and gloss.

The Boyd Don't Cry star accessorized her glamorous look with KWIAT diamond stud earrings and a Fred Leighton antique ruby and diamond navette cluster ring.

Meanwhile her husband looked handsome in a grey suit with a black tie and a white button-up shirt.

Swank welcomed her twins with the entrepreneur back in early April 2023.

The actress shared the names of her fraternal twins for the first time last week, as she posted a rare snap of them.

The tots were both clad in white hats and adorable onesies while sitting on the beach, with their names written in the sand.

'I have a busy week of talk shows ahead where Ill be sharing about my new film and a fun partnership, but I figured what better day to share the names of my two little loves with you all first,' Swank said in the caption.

She and Philip were set up by two mutual friends back in 2016, and they quietly tied the knot in 2018.

She wore her light brunette tresses parted on the side and cascading down her shoulder in bouncy curls

Swank kept her glam delicate and fresh, accentuating her stunning features with just a touch of light eyeshadow, blush and gloss

The Boyd Don't Cry star accessorized her glamorous look with KWIAT diamond stud earrings and a Fred Leighton antique ruby and diamond navette cluster ring

She showed off the red hot number from different angles

The star  who welcomed her twins Aya and Ohm 10 months ago  was joined by her husband Philip Schneider for the occasion

The entrepreneur looked handsome in a grey suit with a black tie and a white button-up shirt. The pair tied the knot in 2018

She was also pictured mingling with her co-star Alan Ritchson, 41.

He cut a handsome figure in a black button-up shirt, which he left partially open, and a camel blazer.

The actor was joined by his wife Catherine Ritchson, who looked elegant in a black turtleneck sweater and maxi red skirt.

Her blonde tresses were pinned up for the occasion, and she held a black wristlet in her hand.

Ritchson plays Kentuckian Ed Schmitt - a widower who lost his wife to a respiratory illness.

He has five-year-old and three-year-old daughters who both have a life-threatening liver disease.

After Swank's character sees a newspaper article in the Louisville Courier Journal about Schmitt's daughters, she decides to help the family.

Also in attendance was Nancy Travis, 62, who looked stylish in a red velvet suit, underneath which she wore a black lace turtleneck.

She was also pictured mingling with her co-star Alan Ritchson, 41

He cut a handsome figure in a black button-up shirt, which he left partially open, and a camel blazer

The actor was joined by his wife Catherine Ritchson, who looked elegant in a black turtleneck sweater and maxi red skirt

Also in attendance was Nancy Travis, 62, who looked stylish in a red velvet suit, underneath which she wore a black lace turtleneck

Her tresses were styled into bouncy locks

Amy Acker, 47, looked chic in an olive green fringe dress, which she teamed with golden heels

Her hair was immaculately styled into vintage-inspired curls

Tamala Jones, 49, rocked a sleeveless black catsuit with a midriff cut-out and an opulent baby blue fur coat

Bethany Joy Lenz, 42, showed off her effortlessly cool style in a brown corduroy pantsuit, while Mariah Strongin opted for a more edgy look as she went shirtless underneath a silk suit

Fern Mallis, 75, bundled up in a grey turtleneck, a camel coat and blue jeans

The film's young star Emily Mitchell, who stars as Michelle Schmitt, looked adorable in a baby pink tulle dress and matching ballet flats

(L-R) Courtney Johnson, Johnathan Dorfman, director Jon Gunn, Ritchson, Swank, Kevin Downes, Jon Berg and Andrew Erwin

Amy Acker, 47, looked chic in an olive green fringe dress, which she teamed with golden heels.

Tamala Jones, 49, rocked a sleeveless black catsuit with a midriff cut-out and an opulent baby blue fur coat.

She completed her look with a statement diamond necklace.

Bethany Joy Lenz, 42, showed off her effortlessly cool style in a brown corduroy pantsuit, and a matching brown silk top.

She added another pop of color to the look with a red beaded purse.

Mariah Strongin opted for a more edgy look as she went shirtless underneath a navy silk suit.

Fern Mallis, 75, bundled up in a grey turtleneck, a camel coat and blue jeans.

The film's young star Emily Mitchell, who stars as Michelle Schmitt, looked adorable in a baby pink tulle dress and matching ballet flats.

Courtney Johnson looked stylish in a burgundy gown with a pleated bottom.

Swank was pictured on her way to the event

The beauty kept warm with a black blazer draped over her shoulders

She flashed a bright smile

Later, inside of the event, Swank posed for a photo with the inspiration behind the film, Sharon Stevens Evans.

At one point, the two women were spotted embracing each other in a warm hug.

Swank and Stevens Evans were also seen posing for a fun group photo with Derek Young, Alan Ritchson and director Jon Gunn at the premiere party.

Swank also posed for a photo with her dream team Ritchson and Gunn.

Alex Lundqvist and his wife Keytt were also spotted in attendance at the New York premiere.

The top model wore a monochromatic blue look featuring a sharp blazer, denim jeans and leather oxfords.

His wife wore a deep pink, velvet minidress adorned with rhinestones, which she matched with her silver shoes and bedazzled bag.

Leon Robinson looked absolutely dapper at the event as he modeled a distressed-style blazer with a navy blue fedora.

The 61-year-old actor completed his look with nylon trousers and shiny, patent leather dress shoes.

Luke Slattery and his wife Lane were a stylish pair as they matched in monochromatic, black outfits.

Later, inside of the event, Swank posed for a photo with the inspiration behind the film, Sharon Stevens

At one point, the two women were spotted embracing each other in a warm hug

Swank and Stevens were also seen posing for a fun group photo with Derek Young, Alan Ritchson and director Jon Gunn at the premiere party

Swank also posed for a photo with her dream team Ritchson and Gunn

Alex Lundqvist and his wife Keytt were also spotted in attendance at the New York premiere. The top model wore a monochromatic blue look featuring a sharp blazer, denim jeans and leather oxfords

His wife wore a deep pink, velvet minidress adorned with rhinestones, which she matched with her silver shoes and bedazzled bag

Leon Robinson looked absolutely dapper at the event as he modeled a distressed-style blazer with a navy blue fedora. The 61-year-old actor completed his look with nylon trousers and shiny, patent leather dress shoes

Luke Slattery and his wife Lane were a stylish pair as they matched in monochromatic, black outfits

Ordinary Angels stars Hilary as a hairdresser who helps a widowed father and his critically ill daughter. The film is set to debut in theaters on February 23

Johnathan Dorfman, Gunn, Kevin Downes, and Jon Berg looked dapper in dark suits, while Andrew Erwin was casual cool in a jacket, black jeans and sneakers.

The movie is based on the 2023 memoir of the same name by Sharon Stevens Evans, whom Swank portrays in the film.

Ordinary Angels was originally scheduled to be released on October 13 but the release date was moved away from Taylor Swift's The Eras Tour blockbuster movie.

The film is now set to debut in theaters on February 23.
Matthew Broderick cut a casual figure as he headed out for a solo bike ride in London.

The actor, 61, wore a navy blue cardigan and a pair of blue denim jeans as he climbed onto a Lime e-bike for his daily ride.

Ferris Bueller's Day Off star Matthew was see wearing white helmet while he shielded his eyes behind a pair of dark sunglasses.

He is currently staying in the UK capital with his wife Sarah Jessica Parker, 58, who he married in 1997, while they both star in their play Plaza Suite at the Savoy Theatre.

The American performers made their debuts as Karen and Sam in the romantic comedy on last month.

Matthew Broderick cut a casual figure as he headed out for a solo bike ride in London

The actor, 61, wore a navy blue cardigan and a pair of blue denim jeans as he climbed onto a Lime e-bike for his daily ride

Ferris Bueller's Day Off star Matthew was see wearing white helmet while he shielded his eyes behind a pair of dark sunglasses

Plaza Suite is the West End revival of Neil Simon's play of the same name which debuted on Broadway in New York City in 1968.

They were originally announced to star in the play back in September 2019, though the opening night was delayed nearly two years due to COVID-19.

The play is set in suite 719 of New Yorks Plaza Hotel, with the production's website stating: 'A delightfully witty exploration of love and marriage, Plaza Suite had New York City audiences enchanted with its charm and its starry cast....

'Now, from January 2024, Londons West End gets the chance to witness two world-class performers and Hollywood icons transform into three unique couples, each finding themselves entangled in hilariously outlandish situations within the walls of the legendary Plaza Suite hotel room.'

It comes after Matthew and the son he shares with Sarah, James, was seen with his father in a new portrait shared to Instagram on Monday.

The 21-year-old college student is the same height as his veteran actor dad, which was made clear as they posed side-by-side while outdoors on a lush green lawn.

Also pictured was Sarah as she leaned on her spouse. It is very rare for James to post images of his family.

In addition to James, Matthew and Sarah share 14-year-old twin girls Marion and Tabitha, but they were not seen in the new images.

Sarah Jessica Parker 's son James was seen with his father Matthew Broderick in a new portrait shared to Instagram on Monday

Also pictured was Sarah as she leaned on her spouse with whom she has been working with on stage with Plaza Suite. It is very rare for James to post images of his family

The photos were taken during a 31st birthday celebration for James' friend Brian Og Caball.

One of the last times Sarah and Matthew posed with all three of their children on a red carpet was in December 2022.

They were seen at the star-studded world premiere of Some Like It Hot on Broadway.

The actress - who is on the series And Just Like That... - wore a long white trench coat over a stylish dark blue dress, glittering underneath the bright lights of the red carpet.

She accessorised with several thick pearl necklaces, and she walked in bright white high heels.

Her husband kept it simple in a blue, plaid blazer over a black turtleneck.

They stood next to their three children who were all dressed up for the big night out.

James, who attends Brown University, wore a suave black suit and while Marion and Tabitha wore stylish dresses underneath cozy coats.

The photos were taken during a 31st birthday celebration for James' friend Brian Og Caball

The power couple, who have been married for almost 30 years, mostly kept their children out of the spotlight but occasionally bring them along to red carpet events now they are older.

In November, Parker said she is too busy to think about combatting the ageing process.

The actress admitted she has no idea what standard practice is when it comes to looking younger and is 'confused' as to why it is such a topic of interest for women.

She told Hello magazine: 'I don't know what else you're supposed to do! I'm so confused as to why this is such an interesting topic for so many people.

' I'm confounded by the fact that men my age are never asked this question. I don't ponder it, except when I'm asked about it.

'We wake up and we've got a million things going on - you've just got to get on with your day.

'You can do all sorts of things that can make you feel better, but I just think, am I going to do something radical and everyone is going to be like: 'She looks weird now??'

The Sex and the City star went on to add that as a performer, she uses her face to communicate with the audience.

One of the last times Sarah and Matthew posed with all three of their children on a red carpet was in December 2022. They were seen at the star-studded world premiere of Some Like It Hot on Broadway

The power couple spotted on the opening of Plaza Suite in New York City in 2022

The stars seen in character on stage for the famed Neil Simon play

And while she believes others can do what they want when it comes to combatting age, it is not a 'focus' of her life.

'I'm an actor, so I'm meant to be communicating emotion with my face,' said Parker.

'It's not in condemnation of anyone else doing what they want; it's just not for me.

'People should do what they want to do. But the ageing process isn't a focus of my life.'
Louise Thompson feared she was 'going crazy' on Monday after hearing a noise which reminded her of her recent 12-day stay in hospital.

The former Made In Chelsea star, 33, offered an update on her Instagram story while in recovery as she told how she was triggered by some bird song.

Louise was rushed to hospital in January after losing 'cups of blood' due to an Ulcerative Colitis while on holiday in Antigua with her son Leo, two, and her fiance Ryan Libbey.

On Monday she shared a picture of the sky and explained she thought she was 'hearing things' with the bird song outside her window as she had listened to similar white noise while in hospital.

Louise was left feeling discombobulated as to where she actually was due to the noise.

Louise Thompson feared she was 'going crazy' on Monday after hearing a noise which reminded her of her recent 12-day stay in hospital

The former Made In Chelsea star, 33, offered an update on her Instagram story while in recovery as she told how she was triggered by some bird song (seen with son Leo in hospital)

She penned: 'Yes. Pink skies and bird song. I woke up to the same sound this morning that I listened to on repeat in hospital.

'It was a white noise of birds chirping. Every time someone walked into my room they commented on how nice it was and several people asked how they could listen to the same at home too.

'I found it very calming and healing. I felt transported out of those scary four walls and into the jungle somewhere.

'This morning I thought I was going crazy/hearing things as I heard EXACTLY the same sound out of my bedroom window.

'I had to stand next to it to check it was real. I can't wait for Spring. Who else is holding out for Spring?'

It comes after earlier this week Louise shared a sweet video of her son Leo visiting her in hospital after 12 days apart as she gave an update on her health.

Taking to Instagram on Saturday, Louise shared the moment they were reunited and how it gave her 'the motivational boost I needed' to get her home.

She shared a Reel to her page alongside the words: 'I didn't see this peanut for 12 days. But a visit was just the motivational boost I needed to hurry my recovery on and get me home for good.

On Monday she shared a picture of the sky and explained she thought she was 'hearing things' with the bird song outside her window as she had listened to similar white noise while in hospital

Louise was rushed to hospital in January after losing 'cups of blood' due to an Ulcerative Colitis while on holiday in Antigua with Leo and her fiance Ryan Libbey (seen with Leo in hospital)

She was diagnosed with Ulcerative colitis during her last stint in hospital which is the inflammation of the lower end of the digestive system

'More on children visiting hospital in the caption. Would love to learn your thoughts.' The Reel was sweetly set to Betty Who's I Love You Always Forever.

She added in a lengthy caption: 'One of the strange things about this whole experience has been navigating time spent in hospital with a little one at home.

'When Ryan was young(ish)  well weve now established he was about 8 years old - he saw his mum in hospital connected to lots of wires after a major back surgery and the memory still stings him to this day.

'Ryans not very good with hospital. I dont judge him for it. Thats one of the reasons why we thought long and hard about bringing Leo in to visit.'

Louise said during her first seven days in hospital Leo wasn't allowed to visit but while she was in ITU a doctor recommended that it was good idea for her to see Leo when she was further along in her recovery.

'This is going to sound horrendous but when I was, say, septic post op I didnt think about Leo. I couldnt think about anything. I couldnt concentrate. Plus I was on Fentanyl for 5 days so I was drifting in and out,' she continued.

'It was only as I started to feel a bit better that I could think more rationally and could weigh up the pros and cons.

'Id facetimed him on one of the days and got a bit upset. I didnt want to show him lots of sadness. I didnt want to add any more confusion.

'I didnt want to disrupt the challenges that Ryan was dealing with at home - my health uncertainty and the change to Leos routine.

'Leo was happy and busy at nursery several days a week. Lots of family rallied around to play with him. Things were really ok for him.

'I also reminded myself that some young parents go away for work or for holidays with their partners leaving their kids behind for a week or so anyway! That made me feel a lot better.'

Louise also shared an update on Instagram stories. She said: 'I wanted to let you know that I am actually doing really well recovering at home. (I keep touching my hair, aka, touching wood, whenever I say this to anyone that visits because I'm mindful I don't want to speak too soon and I don't want to jinx anything'.

Louise, the elder sister of Sam Thompson, has faced series of health issues since the birth of Leo-Hunter in November 2021.

She was diagnosed with Ulcerative colitis during her last stint in hospital which is the inflammation of the lower end of the digestive system.

The condition sadly has no cure, but can be effectively managed with time.

Before Louise's latest health scare, she was posting photos from her family trip with Ryan, Leo and her father to Antigua And Barbuda.

A post on January 28 featured a carousel of snaps of herself with little Leo, alongside which she wrote an emotive caption about 'learning to lean into and be grateful for those imperfect in-between moments because nothing lasts forever'.

Louise revealed a while after welcoming Leo that she and he nearly died during the traumatic labour.

On December 23, 2021, Louise announced the birth of her son on her Instagram page and revealed she had been discharged from hospital to recover at home.

She said: '5 weeks ago I gave birth to my beautiful baby boy Leo-Hunter Libbey weighing in at 7lbs. Unfortunately it wasn't the easiest start for either of us. One ended up in NICU and the other ended up in ICU.'

Louise said that Leo recovered quickly, but she had to deal with 'many bad things', saying: 'To dance with death twice brings a whole new view of the world.'

In December, two years after Leo's birth, she reflected on the time since the traumatic series of events.

It comes after earlier this week Louise shared a sweet video of her son Leo, two, visiting her in hospital after 12 days apart as she gave an update on her health

After being in hospital Louise shared an update on her Instagram stories. She said: 'I wanted to let you know that I am actually doing really well recovering at home'

She was on holiday when she started to feel unwell

She said: 'Here's a reminder that a lot can change in a year. A lot can change in 6 months. Indeed a lot can change in a month but it's hard to witness the change until you create some sizeable distance from it.

'I'm crying writing this. I'm feeling very emotional today. I can't lie it feels nice to purge my pain. I encourage you to try writing and crying too.

'Sometimes it helps. But the main reason I'm writing this is because I really want you guys to know that you must keep moving forward. Don't give up. Because there will be a time when you will want to wear a pretty party dress again. You will shine again.'

The reality star announced last month she is releasing a book, Lucky, where she will tell the story of the near-death experience.
The mushroom movement is on. Mushroom coffee, that is.

An increasing number of area shops have added this unlikely pairing to their menu of both iced and hot brews.

Lydia Gray and her husband, Stephen, share a deep passion for all things coffee. The couples first date was at a Starbucks. Intrigued by the cafe culture, they embarked on trips to Southern California and Toronto to research the best techniques and varieties of beans and roasts. They discovered pour-overs, espressos, syphon brewing, lattes and flavors.

And mushroom coffee.

Five years ago, the Grays opened Little Black Heart Coffee at 321 Oliver St., North Tonawanda. The baristas use Chaga powder, made of finely ground and freeze-dried mushrooms in their beverages. Chaga and other mushrooms have been promoted as a boon to health  increasing focus, energy, and easing inflammation, among other benefits.

We wanted to bring something special to our customers  delicious and versatile mushroom-based drinks, Gray said. Chaga can be used in espresso drinks, chais, Americanos and smoothies. A Classic Chagoccino, for example, is a double shot of espresso mixed with Chaga mushroom, cocoa, cinnamon, vanilla and monk fruit with oat milk.

Most customers had not heard of mushroom coffee. Some were afraid to try it, but once they did, there was no going back, Gray said. People wonder if theyll see a stem or pieces floating in their cup. You cant see or smell any sign of mushrooms in the drink, she said.

There is no fungi or earthy taste to it, and certainly no psychedelic effect. Our Chagaccinos, both hot and iced, are the most popular; Matcha mushroom drinks are a close second, she said. Mushroom Tea is another option.

Its really cool to inspire other shops and have them introduce mushroom-based drinks to their customers. It took time, but Stephen and I knew it would catch on, said Gray.

Chugging a Chaga drink is now possible at Prominent Coffee Co. (9513 Sheridan Drive, Clarence). When owner Steve Szortyka opened last June, he was determined to stand out from his competition.

Customers are more discerning about coffee than in the past. Im an advocate for a quality product that ends up in someones cup, so we use only locally roasted beans, Szortyka. With mushroom coffee, once curious customers get past the idea of it and realize it has a mocha taste, not anything like mushrooms, they are hooked. Its clean, vegan, non-GMO, sustainably harvested and works well in caffeinated and noncaffeinated drinks. Our Chaga Latte accounts for a quarter of my weekly business, a huge number.

The Chaga drinks are generally a bit more pricey than other beverage choices, but Szortyka said no one blinks an eye at the cost. Customers know its worth the money because he thinks its super healthy and high in antioxidants.

Joseph Orlando, along with his three business partners, brought mushroom drinks to Kenmore when they opened Mojo Market (3030 Delaware Ave.) three years ago.

Orlando purchases Chaga mushrooms from a local company, transfers the ground mushrooms to an Instant Pot, and simmers them for two days. Available in a Chaga Latte or Iced Chaga, the drinks are prepared using the cooked mushrooms, house-made almond milk, real maple syrup and scratch-made cinnamon-vanilla syrup. Both versions are caffeine free.

Some customers expressed pure shock when learning the drinks contained mushrooms, but both have become best-sellers, with some regulars ordering their favorite mushroom concoction at every visit.

These two mushroom drinks are a nice alternative to having coffee, said Orlando, adding the hot latte offers a comforting, warm sensation with a pleasing flavor. If you didnt know it was made with mushrooms, I doubt anyone could tell based on the look and the taste.

The popularity has, well, mushroomed in the short time Mojo Market has been in business. Through word of mouth, server recommendations and social media, Orlando says, customers enjoy the drink and the purported health benefits of these unique offerings. Its a nice alternative, too, for people who just dont like coffee, he said.
Jenna Dewan took to Instagram on Monday to share a series of new photos taken in her work trailer.

The 43-year-old mom-to-be  who announced her third pregnancy last month  playfully wrote in a caption to her 9.5 million followers, 'bring your bump to work edition.'

Among the selection of mirror selfies was a video clip of the actress baring her growing belly in a black bra and underwear.

Her long, dark hair was parted down the middle and styled in loose curls that flowed over her shoulders.

Dewan, who was previously married to Channing Tatum, checked out her changing figure in the recording, giving viewers a glimpse of her side profile.

Jenna Dewan took to Instagram on Monday to share a series of new photos taken in her work trailer

Among the selection of mirror selfies was a video clip of the actress baring her growing belly in a black bra and underwear

Elsewhere in the slide, the superstar donned a gray sweatsuit, leaving the zip-up hoodie undone to show off her midriff.

She flashed a black bra and wore a pair of sport white, black, and gray New Balance sneakers.

Her hair was pulled back into a low bun and she flaunted a full face of makeup.

Another outtake showed the Step Up sensation in a black bra and matching trousers held up with a thick, black belt.

Dewan, who shares 10-year-old daughter Everly with Tatum, modeled several other casual outfits in the snaps.

One of the looks consisted of black trousers with a scrunched elastic waistband and a crew neck gray sweatshirt.

She lifted the top to show her burgeoning tummy and made a playful expression as she posed with her mouth agape.

In another snap she wore a cropped black top and black sweatpants before topping the look with a camel-colored coat and adding pink sneakers.

The 43-year-old mom-to-be  who announced her third pregnancy last month  playfully wrote in a caption to her 9.5 million followers, 'bring your bump to work edition

Another outtake showed the Step Up sensation in a black bra and matching trousers held up with a thick, black belt

Jenna's third pregnancy is her second with fiance Steve Kazee.

The two became engaged in 2020 and they already share son Callum, who will turn four in March.

Jenna met Steve in 2012 backstage at Manhattan's Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, where he was performing his hit Broadway musical, Once.

They didn't begin dating each other until 2018, however.

Dewan is currently on a press tour in New York City, where she's promoting The Rookie.

The Connecticut-born brunette stars as LAPD officer John Nolan's firefighter girlfriend Bailey Nune in the sixth season of Alexi Hawley's police procedural.

It's set to premiere on February 20 on ABC and it's unknown if her storyline will incorporate her pregnancy.

One of the looks consisted of black trousers with a scrunched elastic waistband and a crew neck gray sweatshirt. In another snap she wore a cropped black top and black sweatpants before topping the look with a camel-colored coat and adding pink sneakers

Dewan, who shares 10-year-old daughter Everly with Tatum, modeled several other casual outfits in the snaps

The petite star admired her pregnant stomach as she wore black undergarments

One of the outfits the performer donned in the new flicks included a wine-colored top and an ivory jacket

Jenna also shared content via her Instagram Stories on Monday afternoon.

She shared behind-the-scenes footage of her day, which included being doted on by a glam squad as she prepared for her appearances.

The busy bee shared with fans, 'Lost luggage last night, 2 hours of sleep. At my favorite show though! @livewithkellyandmark.'

For her spot on the daytime talk show she donned a white button-up shirt and high-waisted billowing black skirt with a bow at the front.
Taylor Swift's secret way of getting to the stage to perform during her Australian tour has been revealed.

One fan posted a video to Instagram from Swift's Melbourne show on Friday, which shows the pop star getting pushed to the side of the stage in a cleaning cart.

After pulling up near a black tent, the Shake It Off hitmaker can be seen exiting the cart before walking up a set of stairs in her costume.

'Yep, it's true Taylor getting out of the 'Cleaning Cart' night 1 in Melbourne!' the fan captioned the post.

Swift was also seen emerging from a large cart during her concert in Texas, with one concertgoer sharing footage of the moment she was pushed around to TikTok.

Taylor Swift 's secret way of getting to the stage to perform during her Australian tour has been revealed

The pop star hit the stage just after 7pm on Friday night for the first show of her Australian leg of the tour to a staggering crowd of 96,000 concert goers.

She jetted into Sydney on Monday ahead of her four-day concert run at Accor Stadium this week.

But Swifties are now worried the megastar may not even make it on stage thanks to the Harbour City's extreme weather.

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for heavy rainfall, damaging winds and large hailstones for much of NSW on Friday and Saturday, placing a question mark above Swift's first and second Sydney shows.

According to the Accor Stadium website, 'events will go ahead rain, hail or shine' unless the safety of patrons and the artist is at risk.

This leaves the potential for organisers to make last minute adjustments to Swift's shows depending on the severity of the weather.

One fan posted a video to Instagram from Swift's Melbourne show on Friday, which shows the pop star getting pushed to the side of the stage in a cleaning cart

Concerned fans have taken to Reddit to speculate on whether these shows will be axed or postponed, with one writing: 'Since it's at Accor stadium and they have a rain policy, any chance it get's cancelled if the weather's bad.'

'I can see a LOT of people freaking the f**k out if they do,' the user added.

'I'd say the only cancellation reason would be lightning. No one wants TayTay to die during an outdoor concert in Sydney!' another wrote.

'It's at Accor, so it's not fully under cover. She's performed in the rain before so it would have to be very heavy rain and lightning for her to postpone. She's only postponed two shows during this tour, I believe,' someone else surmised.
Alabama Barker clapped back at online trolls speculating she has done 'a lot of' plastic surgery.

The 18-year-old daughter of Travis Barker responded to an Instagram user's comment and insisted she has not undergone any cosmetic procedures.

She said she is 'natural' besides in only one part of her face and body  her lips.

Her father Travis Barker and his wife Kourtney Kardashian are among the more than 240,000 people who liked her post, which she shared on Thursday.

Alongside a sparkle emoji, the aspiring rapper  who recently went to get tattooed with her drummer dad  had written in her caption: 'Does she know you call?'

Alabama Barker clapped back at online trolls speculating she has done 'a lot of' plastic surgery.

Underneath her post, one Instagram user made a bold assumption and commented: 'This child has done a lot of cosmetic surgery at a very young age'.

The online troll also seemingly gave the young star a backhanded compliment.

'I hope she doesn't overdo it,' they wrote. 'She looks good now!'

Many of Barker's fans came to her defense in the comments, but she also left her own comment as she shut down the plastic surgery speculation.

'I really appreciate the love,' she began.

The media personality then insisted she has not had any 'I'm natural, besides my lips,' she wrote before asking people to 'accept the fact I'm naturally beautiful'.

Back in October 2023, Barker first admitted to lip filler and shared a candid photo of herself in her doctor's office.

According to E! News, she tagged her nurse practitioner, who explained Barker gets 'very natural' lip filler.

The 18-year-old daughter of Travis Barker responded to an Instagram user's comment and insisted she has not undergone any cosmetic procedures. She said she is 'natural' besides in only one part of her face and body  her lips

The media personality then insisted she has not had any 'I'm natural, besides my lips,' she wrote before asking people to 'accept the fact I'm naturally beautiful'

As part of her post, she was seen showing off her bikini body and lounging on a yacht

She appeared to be joined by her best friend Jodie Woods as seen in one photo of her resting her head on the internet personality's body

In her recent photos, Barker wore a colorful, knit swimsuit coverup over a tiny string bikini.

In another photo, she wore the top as a skirt as she showcased her figure while standing outside.

She wore dark, sultry makeup and also sported dazzling diamond jewelry.

In another photo from her post, she was seen lounging on a yacht.

She was joined by her best friend as she shared a photo of her resting her head on Jodie Woods.
Steph Claire Smith broke down into tears as she attended Taylor Swift's Eras Tour concert in Melbourne on Saturday.

The fitness influencer, 28, shared a gallery of Instagram photos of herself posing in an eye-popping pink outfit ahead of the big night.

Steph showed off her fit figure in the in a tight-fitting frock, which she paired with a matching handbag and bejewelled eye makeup.

Becoming emotional, Steph told her fans she was getting glammed up for a night to remember.

'The day is finally here! See you soon, Swifties,' Steph told her fans.

Steph Claire Smith, 28, (pictured) broke down into tears on Saturday as she attended Taylor Swift's Eras Tour show in Melbourne

The stunner also posted a clip of her energetically singing along to Swift's song Lover as she showcased her stunning outfit to her fans.

Back in 2021, Smith revealed her surprising friendship with Swift.

The bombshell undertook a Q&A with fans on Instagram and as a result was asked how she had come to meet the pop queen.

Steph became emotional as she told her fans she was getting glammed up for a night to remember

Taking a trip down memory lane, Steph shared two pictures alongside the Grammy-Award winning artist.

She also explained the two met at a gym in their younger years, while Steph was working as a model in New York City and the pop star had relocated to the Big Apple.

'I was training with Justin Gelband, doing some of his classes and also one on one session,' she began.

Back in 2021, Smith revealed her surprising friendship with Swift (left)

'He trained Taylor  and one day when I was going in for my session she had just ended hers so we met in the change rooms.

'There were heaps of paparazzi out the front of the gym so she wasn't in any rush and we got chatting.'

The girls got along so well, Taylor told Steph she was happy to be her 'first American friend' - It is believed they in June 2014 as Steph had previously shared pictures alongside Taylor on Twitter at the time.

After performing to the biggest crowd of her career last week in Melbourne, Swift will hit Sydney this weekend, with the pop star set to perform at four shows from Friday, February 23 to Monday February 26.
Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker thrilled Brisbane locals when they took a trip to vegan cafe Dicki's Ascot on Monday.

The reality TV star, 44, and the blink-182 drummer, 48, were spotted leaving the hotspot hand-in-hand, looking every inch the smitten couple.

Barker also carried a container of take away food from the establishment.

On Tuesday, Dicki's owner Justine Zulueta spoke to Brisbane's B105 breakfast show, Stav, Abby & Matt about the couple's one-in-a-lifetime visit.

'They were quite chatty, they were asking for a lot of tips about Brisbane like, where to go for massages' the worker revealed.

Kourtney Kardashian, 44, (right) and Travis Barker, 48, (centre) thrilled Brisbane locals when they took a trip to vegan cafe Dicki's Ascot on Monday

'They had the chicken burger (plant-based) and the duck toastie (plant-based) and just a couple of matcha lattes and turmeric lattes'.

Travis is a vegan and has even opened up his own vegan restaurant 'Crossroads Kitchen' in LA.

Justine also revealed that the couple were not joined by security.

The couple even gifted the owner a VIP ticket to one of the Brisbane blink-182 shows

By the end of the visit, the couple had gifted the cafe owner with VIP tickets to one of blink-182's shows in Brisbane.

Justine subsequently shared an Instagram story while she attended the concert, adding the caption: 'Thank you @travisbarker and @kourtneykardash for the VIP tickets to the show last night'.

The couple also visited Charlie's Raw Squeeze in Greenslopes on Sunday.

The owner revealed: 'They had the chicken burger (plant-based) and the duck toastie (plant-based) and just a couple of like, matcha lattes and turmeric lattes'

Charlie's owner also spoke Stav, Abby & Matt on Tuesday, divulging that the couple ordered a matcha latte and acai peanut butter bowl.

It comes after Travis travelled to Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne with his bandmates Tom DeLonge and Mark Hoppus while Kourtney remained in Sydney with her children.

The band will perform their Brisbane shows before returning to Sydney and Melbourne for newly-added dates at the end of the month.
Sylvester Stallone is opening up on the series about undergoing seven major operations after hurting his back on The Expendables.

He was filming a fight scene with wrestler-turned-actor 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin, when he fractured his neck, he revealed on the new season of The Family Stallone (via The Sun).

'I did stupid stuff. I was directing Expendables and like an idiot Im doing take ten, take whatever, and I remember one slam and I could actually feel one bang,' he said.

'Steve knew. I never recovered from Expendables 1. After that film, it was never physically the same. I've warned people - don't do your own stunts,' he added.

His wife Flavin added, 'Sly tries to mask the pain, pretending like it didnt happen. He doesnt like people to know hes had so many back surgeries.'

Sylvester Stallone is opening up on the series about undergoing seven major operations after hurting his back on The Expendables

He was filming a fight scene with wrestler-turned-actor 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin (right), when he fractured his neck, he revealed on the new season of The Family Stallone (via The Sun).

The 77-year-old Rocky star, his wife Jennfier Flavin and their daughters Sophia (right) and Sistine (left) have been making the press rounds to promote Season 2 of The Family Stallone

'Its very scary for our family every time Sly has to go through surgery, because you never know . . . no one knows,' she added.

Scarlett added, 'Its really hard to see my father go through yet another painful operation. My whole childhood, he's been in pain.'

Stallone needed a metal inserted into his neck as a result of the on-set mishap and he also had spinal fusions and treatment for dislocated shoulders.

Sly also recently revealed he had his daughters take self-defense training with Navy SEALS before they moved to New York City.

The 77-year-old Rocky star, his wife Jennfier Flavin and their daughters Sophia and Sistine have been making the press rounds to promote Season 2 of The Family Stallone.

The actor and his family spoke with New York Post, with Sly revealing he was so nervous about his daughters living in New York City he had them undergo this training.

'Sophia and I got our a**es whooped by these guys. They were the real deal,' Sistine said in the interview.

'It was the hardest. It was about six hours we were in those woods,' she added, revealing both she and her sister were used to these sorts of things.

Sylvester Stallone is one cautious father, revealing he had his daughters take self-defense training with Navy SEALS before they moved to New York City

'Sophia and I got our a**es whooped by these guys. They were the real deal,' Sistine said in the interview

'And Im not surprised my dad put us through something like this because our entire life we grew up with him doing these sort of military-esque, self-defense trainings,' she added.

Sophia recalled her morning regime with Sly, which involved waking up at 6 AM for an unusual breakfast.

'It was a rigorous routine. Every day at 6 a.m., he would make us eat eggs with ketchup. For some reason, that combination  to bulk up,' Sophia said.

Sophia added, 'But then it was a lot of sit ups, push ups, pull ups, clean and jerks,' while Sistine joked, 'He made the perfect boys.'

The training before moving to New York City will be included in Season 2 of The Family Stallone, which included chasing a live chicken, which Stallone himself did in a memorable training scene in Rocky II.

That is deceivingly hard. I went in there a little cocky, no pun intended. I got beat by the chicken,' Sistine said.

The youngest of Sly and Jennifer Flavin's three daughters, 21-year-old Scarlett, a college junior who lives in Miami, didn't have to undergo the training.

'I was so happy I was not involved,' Scarlett joked, though she did discuss a memorable moment when visiting her sisters in NYC.

'And Im not surprised my dad put us through something like this because our entire life we grew up with him doing these sort of military-esque, self-defense trainings,' she added.

Sophia added, 'But then it was a lot of sit ups, push ups, pull ups, clean and jerks,' while Sistine joked, 'He made the perfect boys'

The training before moving to New York City will be included in Season 2 of The Family Stallone, which included chasing a live chicken, which Stallone himself did in a memorable training scene in Rocky II

'The first time Sistine and I were getting to know the city . . . She steps on when I say a rat  it was the size of a mini dog. We were screaming, running,' Scarlett said

'I dont think hell ever be less nervous. Hes like a classic, overprotective dad. Three daughters at an age where, you know, were kind of all over the place and were out and about,' Sistine said

Sly also opened up on the series about undergoing seven major operations after hurting his back on The Expendables

'I did stupid stuff. I was directing Expendables and like an idiot Im doing take ten, take whatever, and I remember one slam and I could actually feel one bang,' he said of a scene he filmed with wrestler-turned-actor 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin'

'The first time Sistine and I were getting to know the city . . . She steps on when I say a rat  it was the size of a mini dog. We were screaming, running,' Scarlett said.

Sophia and Sistine have been living in New York City for just over a year now, but that hasn't made their father any less nervous.

'I dont think hell ever be less nervous. Hes like a classic, overprotective dad. Three daughters at an age where, you know, were kind of all over the place and were out and about,' Sistine said.

'It helps that my mom tracks us on Find My Friends [app] so they know where we are,' said Sophia.
She's the outspoken Married At First Sight bride whose marriage to Jono McCullough is going swimmingly on the TV screens.

And Lauren Dunn, 32, had plenty to celebrate as she went shopping for two bottles of wine at 10am during a filming break in September.

The Perth PR consultant looked very pleased with herself as she clutched the bottles of budget Borgo SanLeo Prosecco while heading back to Skye Suites in Sydney's CBD after a visit to the shops.

Lauren had her hands full, as she also juggled her mobile phone with a Woolworths shopping bag containing what looked to be bottles of fruit juice.

Dressing for comfort, the blonde sported a grey T-shirt and blue track pants, while draping a matching blue jumper over her shoulders.

Married At First Sight bride Lauren Dunn, 32, (pictured) was spotted carrying two bottles of wine home from the shops at 10am during a filming break in September

The sassy reality star completed her look with green and white sneakers, several beaded bracelets and a necklace.

Her wedding ring was conspicuously absent, however.

Three popular Married At First Sight couples had a 'secret pact' to make it to Final Vows, despite a lack of genuine connection off-camera.

The PR consultant looked very pleased with herself as she clutched the bottles of budget Borgo SanLeo Prosecco while heading back to Skye Suites in Sydney's CBD after a visit to the shops

Lauren had her hands full, as she also juggled her mobile phone with a Woolworths shopping bag containing what looked to be bottles of fruit juice

A source close to the production disclosed to Daily Mail Australia the couples rarely spent time together when not required by the show's filming schedule.

'Tim and Sara were constantly at odds, and Lauren and Jono's relationship was similarly tumultuous, with the two barely spending any time together on weekends,' the insider shared.

'Despite forming a strong bond, Lucinda and Timothy struggled with a lack of physical attraction.'

Dressing for comfort, the blonde sported a grey T-shirt and blue track pants, while draping a matching blue jumper over her shoulders

Elsewhere, Jayden and Eden were accused of putting on a show for cameras.

One of the arrangements came to light after an intense confrontation at one of the show's dinner parties.

One groom, reportedly fed up, openly admitted to their secret pact, leaving fellow cast members and the experts surprised with his admission.

'It was a mess,' the source added, painting a picture of a relationship far removed from the fairy tale romance fans were led to believe.

Her wedding ring was conspicuously absent

Married At First Sight producers were reportedly 'pi**ed off' upon discovering the pacts, feeling betrayed by the manipulation of the show's premise.

The show prides itself on creating genuine connections, and these revelations undermine its integrity.

The insider further revealed that despite the lack of sexual chemistry between Lucinda and Timothy, producers were keen to keep them on the show due to Timothy's popularity and his fearless approach to confrontations, particularly with fellow groom Jack.

Three popular Married At First Sight couples had a 'secret pact' to make it to Final Vows, despite a lack of genuine connection off-camera

'Everyone was having an awesome time and then we got a stern talking to that we needed to be real and honest,' Jono told Daily Mail Australia.

'Soon everyone just starts unleashing, so expect some sparks to fly.'

Lauren agreed with Jono, noting the initial pleasantries quickly gave way to a more intense and compelling dialogue among the cast.
Emily Ratajkowski looked cozy yet chic as she stepped out in New York City on Monday.

The 32-year-old model put on a stylish display in a green, leather bomber jacket with white patchwork sleeves and a cream-colored midi skirt with an asymmetrical hemline.

She completed her look with a pair of burgundy, knee-high boots with a kitten heel and yellow laces.

She was seen toting around a black, quilted leather purse with a gold chain and hardware.

The My Body author  who was last seen modeling a tiny string bikini and relaxing on the beach in Miami over the weekend  kept her brunette, long bob down in a straight hairstyle.

Emily Ratajkowski looked cozy yet chic as she stepped out in New York City on Monday. The 32-year-old model put on a stylish display in a green, leather bomber jacket with white patchwork sleeves and a cream-colored midi skirt with an asymmetrical hemline

To shield her eyes from the sun, she sported a pair of slim retro shades.

Underneath her sunglasses, the actress appeared to be sporting a light makeup look featuring a mauve pink glossy lip.

Around her neck, she appeared to be wearing a delicate, silver necklace and dainty earrings.

The Gone Girl star appears to have just returned from her weekend getaway in Miami Beach.

Recently, she has been keeping busy as she last starred as Travis Scott's romantic interest in his steamy I KNOW? music video.

As for her upcoming project, Ratajkowski is in the final talks to join Lena Dunham's Netflix romantic comedy TV series titled Too Much.

According to Variety, she will star alongside Megan Stalter and Will Sharpe.

Stalter will play Jessica, a single workaholic recovering from her last relationship, as she decides to start over and move from New York City to London.

She completed her look with a pair of burgundy, knee-high boots with a kitten heel and yellow laces. She was seen toting around a black, quilted leather purse with a gold chain and hardware

The Gone Girl star appears to have just returned from her weekend getaway in Miami Beach. For her upcoming project, Ratajkowski is in the final talks to join Lena Dunham's Netflix romantic comedy TV series titled Too Much

Recently, she has been keeping busy as she last starred as Travis Scott's romantic interest in his steamy I KNOW? music video

She then meets Felix, who is played by Sharpe, as they try to determine if Americans and Brits 'speak the same language'.

Ratajkowski will play the role of Felix's ex Polly, who is the exact opposite of Jessica.

Dunham will write and direct the 10-episode series, which features original music from her husband Luis Felber.

The pair will also serve as executive producers alongside Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Michael P. Cohen, Surian Fletcher-Jones and Bruce Eric Kaplan. Camilla Bray will be the producer.

As the show is still in very early stages, production has not begun and a release date has not yet been announced.
Rebel Wilson is just one of many stars flocking to Sydney for Taylor Swift's hotly-anticipated Eras tour concerts this week.

Taylor, 34, is set to take to the stage at the Accor Stadium for four sold-out shows from February 23 to 26, after wowing the crowds at the MCG last weekend.

A slew of celebrities were spotted in the stands across her three Melbourne shows, including the likes of AFL star Mason Cox, Carrie Bickmore, G Flip, Tammy Hembrow and Tayla Broad, among others.

Even more big names are expected to attend Taylor's Sydney shows, with comedian Rebel, 43, leading the high-profile guests set to descend on the 83,500 capacity venue.

Rebel took to her Instagram Stories on Tuesday to share her excitement as she counted down the days until she will get to see the global megastar live.

Rebel Wilson is one of many stars flocking to Sydney for Taylor Swift's hotly-anticipated Eras tour concerts this week

Re-sharing a snap of Taylor on stage, Rebel gushed: 'Can't wait for Saturday Tay Tay!'

Married At First Sight's Olivia Frazer also took to Instagram to tease she has tickets for the concert as she gave an insight into her glamorous makeover for the event.

She shared a video of herself grinning as she channeled Taylor's blonde fringed hairstyle while getting a new trim at the salon.

The reality TV star had her own bangs cut in ahead of the concert as she got glammed up for the big night out.

In a caption, she joked: 'Tell me youre going to Taylor Swift next week without telling me youre going to Taylor Swift next week.

'Thank you @nicholas_tuck_hairpage youre a wizard with scissors.'

Taylor, 34, is set to take to the stage at the Accor Stadium for four sold-out shows from February 23 to 26, after she wowed the crowds at the MCG last weekend

On Tuesday, Rebel took to her Instagram Stories on Tuesday to share her excitement as she counted down the days until she will get to see the global megastar live

She added: 'Your sign to spontaneously let your friend cut your fringe' as she referenced Taylor's signature hairdo.

Jackie 'O' Henderson is also believed to be among the celebrities attending the Cruel Summer hitmaker's much-awaited Sydney concerts.

Despite the excitement, Swifties are worried that the pop icon may not make it on to the stage because of Sydney's extreme weather this week.

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for heavy rainfall, damaging winds and large hailstones for much of NSW on Friday and Saturday, placing a question mark above Taylor's first and second Sydney shows.

According to the Accor Stadium website, 'events will go ahead rain, hail or shine' unless the safety of patrons and the artist is at risk.

Married At First Sight star Olivia Frazer also took to Instagram to tease she has tickets for the concert as she gave a sneakpeek at her glamorous makeover for the occasion

She shared a video of herself grinning as she channeled Taylor's blonde fringed hairstyle while getting her own bangs cut in at the salon

This leaves the potential for organisers to make last minute adjustments to Taylor's shows depending on the severity of the weather.

Taylor arrived in Sydney on Monday after a hugely successful run of shows in Melbourne to kick off her Australian tour.

She performed her best-loved hits in front of 96,000 eager fans on her first show Down Under, marking the biggest concert of her entire career.

A host of celebrities were spotted in the crowds across her three shows at the MCG, including Carrie Bickmore - who took her two daughters Evie, eight, and Adelaide , five

AFL star Mason Cox also attended with a group of friends as they joined in on the Swiftie mania sweeping Australia

Steph Claire Smith - who has previously dished on her surprising friendship with Taylor - also gave fans a glimpse at her pink outfit as she attended Taylor's show at the MCG
This year marks the 20th anniversary of Channel Nine's hit The Block.

And fans are eagerly awaiting which of the shows past stars will return to help celebrate its two decades on the air.

Now 2023 fan favourites Eliza and Liberty have revealed that while they have not been asked to come back as Blockheads, it would not be an easy decision.

'We sure as s**t havent got a call yet,' Eliza, 37, told Yahoo Lifestyle on Tuesday.

'So many people are like, "If you got asked to do Phillip Island, would you do it?", and thats something we would truly have to think about.'

The Block's Eliza and Liberty have revealed they would be reluctant to come back to the 20th anniversary show this year

The sisters, who walked away with $1.05million after selling House 5 for $4.3million last year, say the two-hour plus commute from their home in Melbourne to the new site would be off-putting.

'It was hard enough doing it in Bayside Melbourne, but doing it on Phillip Island would be so hard,' Liberty, 34, explained in the report.

However, Eliza and Liberty say they would do a 'guest appearance' in a 'heartbeat'.

it comes after last year's winners Gian and Steph (both pictured) have been confirmed to appear in the 2024 season of The Block - but not as competitors.

'We had the best experience and some of the crew have become our best friends, so if we got to go back and experience that again, yeah,' Liberty said.

Adds Eliza: 'If it was just a visit, yeah.. .I just think [the commute] it would be too much for us. Youd be so grateful to be asked back, but we havent.'

Meanwhile, the sisters confirmed that would be taking an overseas trip with 2023 Block winners Steph and Gian later in the year.

It comes after the husband and wife team were confirmed to make an appearance for the hit show's 20th anniversary season.

A Block insider has revealed fans can look forward to a less toxic season. Host: Scott Cam

But an insider at Nine has revealed the fan favourites won't be competing.

No details have emerged of their exact role on the show, which is about to begin filming on Phillip Island in Victoria.

However Yahoo Lifestyle reports the couple, who walked away with a whopping $1.65million last year, will play an 'ongoing' part in the new series.

According to the report, contestants for the 20th anniversary series will be able to get access to Steph's styling expertise.

Meanwhile, an insider has revealed fans can look forward to a less toxic season after last year's explosive series saw the cast caught up in constant in-fighting.

'We are focusing on a nicer, more wholesome season but no matter who we cast - the drama always presents itself,' the the source said.
The region's manufacturing sector is looking to build on notable gains from the past few months:

 General Motors pledged to invest $300 million in its Town of Tonawanda engine plant, and affirmed a $154 million investment in its Lockport components plant. Ford pledged to invest $80 million in its Hamburg stamping plant.

The commitments, part of new labor contracts, were a sign that the local plants will remain viable as the auto industry shifts from gas-combustion cars and trucks to electric vehicles that require fewer parts and less labor.

 Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse were designated a "tech hub" by a federal agency, and are seeking up to $75 million in federal funding to promote semiconductor development in a region where the tech sector is undersized compared with the country as a whole.

 The Western New York Manufacturing and Tech Workforce Coalition was launched, to boost job growth in the manufacturing and tech sectors.

 Gov. Kathy Hochul proposed creating workforce development centers around the state, to train more workers for advanced manufacturing jobs.

Taken together, those developments illustrate the significance manufacturing still has to the region's economy.

"It's kind of a confluence of the necessary support that the manufacturers need to go to the next level," said Peter Ahrens, executive director of the Buffalo Niagara Manufacturing Alliance.

In December, the region had 54,500 manufacturing jobs, finishing the year up slightly from the start of 2023, according to state Labor Department data. That total was 36% below the 84,700 jobs the sector had 25 years earlier, but manufacturing remains an important job generator.

The region has about 20% more manufacturing jobs than the typical U.S. metro area, and those factory jobs pay about 25% more, on average, than they do across the country, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The challenge is to keep a pipeline of new, trained workers flowing to support the manufacturers' needs, Ahrens said.

It's not a new problem, but efforts are under way on a few fronts to address it.

Hochul wants to open workforce development centers modeled on the Northland Workforce Training Center, which trains people from disadvantaged backgrounds for in-demand careers.

The manufacturing and tech workforce coalition brings together partners committed to developing more jobs, with Stephen Tucker, Northland's president and CEO, serving as executive director. The coalition has some financial muscle behind it, with $29 million over three years from the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation and Empire State Development.

Some local manufacturers, including Confer Plastics in North Tonawanda, have found success in hiring refugees to fill job openings. Resettlement agencies say manufacturing jobs are often a good fit for newly arrived people looking to enter the workforce.

Longer range, the "Dream It, Do It" program is developing plans to expand to Erie and Niagara counties. The program exposes young people to manufacturing careers, including through plant tours. "Dream It, Do It" already operates in Allegany, Cattaraugus and Chautauqua counties.

Those additional workers will be needed to support economic development officials' plans to bolster the semiconductor sector.

A driving force is the massive chip-making plant Micron Technology plans to build outside Syracuse, an investment worth up to $100 billion. Closer to home, Edwards Vacuum plans to build a $319 million facility in Genesee County to support the semiconductor industry.

Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse have teamed up on a bid to win up to $75 million from a federal agency through the "tech hub" competition. Their joint bid centers on growing the semiconductor industry.

Backers of the tech hub bid see the potential funding as akin to "seed capital" for their plans. Meanwhile, the state has implemented "green chips" legislation to promote development of the semiconductor industry. And Hochul has proposed allocating an additional $100 million to a program designed to help get big sites ready for large-scale manufacturing projects.

"I think New York state and federal government are taking a good long-term view and appreciating what is needed to support our industries," Ahrens said.

Microchips represent one opportunity for manufactures. Submarines represent another. The Buffalo Niagara Manufacturing Alliance is working with BlueForge Alliance and the Submarine Industrial Base, to identify how existing contractors in the region can support sub production, and attract more vendors for those projects.

Meanwhile, some of the region's biggest manufacturers are investing in their own operations.

GM and Ford have committed to more investments in their local plants, keeping those facilities viable as automakers embrace electric vehicles on a bigger scale.

Moog, the motion control equipment maker, is in the midst of an expansion on its Elma campus, a boost to one of the region's largest manufacturers.

Those kinds of investments give smaller manufacturers who supply to bigger companies the confidence to invest in their own operations, Ahrens said.

Ahrens said he sees momentum building in the manufacturing sector, alongside progress in areas like revitalizing the waterfront.

"We're going in the right direction," he said.
Married At First Sight Australia fans have taken to social media after spotting an editing flaw.

On Monday night's episode, experts Alessandra Rampolla, Mel Schilling, and John Aiken were seen discussing the arrival of new intruder couples, which included Michael Felix and his new groom Stephen Stewart.

But the scene, which showed Mel in a hot pink dress, John in a black suit, and Alessandra in a black and white frock, seemed suspiciously similar to eagle-eyed fans on a Facebook group dedicated to MAFS.

In the social media group, an astute viewer raised questions about how the experts filmed a scene discussing Michael and Stephen on the same day they would have discussed Michael and Simon's pairing.

'Something doesn't add up,' the social media sleuth began.

'On tonight's episode (Monday 19th) Michael married Stephen and before the wedding, there's a scene where the experts discuss the match and say they were determined to find a new match for Michael.'

Married At First Sight Australia fans have taken to social media after spotting an editing flaw. Pictured: expert Mel Schilling

On Monday night's episode, experts Alessandra Rampolla , Mel Schilling, and John Aiken (all pictured) were seen discussing the arrival of new intruder couples

'John Aiken says that four weeks later (assume it refers to four weeks after the bucks and hens night) they found a new match for Michael,' the fan continued.

'Yet here are stills taken from episodes 1 and 14, where they are discussing who they've matched and why. Exact same setting, clothing etc, clearly shot at the same time. So how does this four-week gap work?'

Fans speculated on the reasons for this apparent lapse in continuity editing, while others were certain this was no gaffe but a result of all the expert-only discussions being filmed towards the end of the experiment.

The scene, which showed Mel in a hot pink dress, John in a black suit, and Alessandra in a black and white frock, seemed suspiciously similar to eagle-eyed fans

'I think they were wearing the same fits in all of these takes for all couples. Must be filmed after all ceremonies have taken place and well into filming,' claimed one commenter in the thread.

'They mightve been told to give a complete rundown of the entire season in that one sitting and they cut the footage to match the episode to save time?' another fan guessed.

Another agreed: 'This was all likely shot in post. Not everything is shot in sequence basically.'

Fans speculated on the reasons for this apparent lapse in continuity editing

'They mightve been told to give a complete rundown of the entire season in that one sitting and they cut the footage to match the episode to save time?' one fan guessed

Some commenters also compared this scene to The Voice's Blind Auditions, where the judges are dressed in the same outfits over multiple shooting days so producers can cut and reorganise scenes and reactions easier.

It comes as MAFS groom Michael Felix finally got his happy ending as he walked down the aisle as an intruder groom on Monday night's show.

Michael was originally set to enter the show as an original cast member, but was left devastated when his match Simon Flocco did a runner at the last minute despite attending the group bucks party.

He was later paired with Perth-based hairdresser Stephen Stewart.

The attraction was clear from the start as the newly paired couple bantered and flirted their way through the ceremony.

Even the couple's family and friends marvelled over their obvious connection.

Married At First Sight's Michael Felix finally got his happy ending as he walked down the aisle as an intruder groom on Monday night's show
Kyle Sandilands has put rumours to rest that Taylor Swift has left Australia to pick up her boyfriend Travis Kelce,

'I was on the harbour on a big boat, and she went past,' the radio shock jock, 52, told KIIS FM's Will & Woody on Monday.

The captain said, "Oh there's this superyacht coming but the transponder's turned off, that's illegal you can't do that,"' he added.

Kyle speculated that the crew of the superyacht might have turned off the transponder 'because they get all these nutcases following them around'.

'I was on the other boat with the Idol top 12 and I thought I was king of the Harbour and then Taylor drives past,' he went on.

'So I said, "Okay, partys over, take us back to the docks. She's definitely here. What a boss!' Kyle added.

Kyle Sandilands has put rumours to rest that Taylor Swift has left Australia to pick up her boyfriend Travis Kelce

'I was on the harbour on a big boat, and she went past,' the radio shock jock, 52, told KIIS FM's Will & Woody on Monday. Pictured: Kyle Sandilands

It comes as the Anti-Hero hitmaker's secret way of getting to the stage to perform during her Australian tour has been revealed.

One fan posted a video to Instagram from Swift's Melbourne show on Friday, which shows the pop star getting pushed to the side of the stage in a cleaning cart.

After pulling up near a black tent, the Shake It Off hitmaker can be seen exiting the cart before walking up a set of stairs in her costume.

'I was on the other boat with the Idol top 12 and I thought I was king of the Harbour and then Taylor drives past,' he went on

'So I said, "Okay, partys over, take us back to the docks. She's definitely here. What a boss!' Kyle added

'Yep, it's true Taylor getting out of the 'Cleaning Cart' night 1 in Melbourne!' the fan captioned the post.

Swift was also seen emerging from a large cart during her concert in Texas, with one concertgoer sharing footage of the moment she was pushed around to TikTok.

The pop star hit the stage just after 7pm on Friday night for the first show of her Australian leg of the tour to a staggering crowd of 96,000 concert goers.

She jetted into Sydney on Monday ahead of her four-day concert run at Accor Stadium this week.

But Swifties are now worried the megastar may not even make it on stage thanks to the Harbour City's extreme weather.

It comes as the Anti-Hero hitmaker's secret way of getting to the stage to perform during her Australian tour has been revealed

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for heavy rainfall, damaging winds and large hailstones for much of NSW on Friday and Saturday, placing a question mark above Swift's first and second Sydney shows.

According to the Accor Stadium website, 'events will go ahead rain, hail or shine' unless the safety of patrons and the artist is at risk.

This leaves the potential for organisers to make last minute adjustments to Swift's shows depending on the severity of the weather.

One fan posted a video to Instagram from Swift's Melbourne show on Friday, which shows the pop star getting pushed to the side of the stage in a cleaning cart

Concerned fans have taken to Reddit to speculate on whether these shows will be axed or postponed, with one writing: 'Since it's at Accor stadium and they have a rain policy, any chance it get's cancelled if the weather's bad.'

'I can see a LOT of people freaking the f**k out if they do,' the user added.

'I'd say the only cancellation reason would be lightning. No one wants TayTay to die during an outdoor concert in Sydney!' another wrote.

'It's at Accor, so it's not fully under cover. She's performed in the rain before so it would have to be very heavy rain and lightning for her to postpone. She's only postponed two shows during this tour, I believe,' someone else surmised.
Nearly 20 years after starting her career as a child actress, Bridgit Mendler is now heading to the board room as the CEO of a new start-up company.

The 31-year-old started her career as a child actress at just 11 years old in 2004 with a voice role in the animated film The Legend of Buddha.

She also had roles on Jonas, Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel and The Secret World of Arrietty before her breakthrough role in Disney Channel's Good Luck Charlie.

While she was working fairly steadily through 2019, she has spent the last few years on her studies, earning degrees from USC, MIT and studying at Harvard Law School.

Now she's ready to break into the business world, serving as the CEO of the new space start-up Northwood Space, which landed $6.3 million in seed funding, via CNBC.

Nearly 20 years after starting her career as a child actress, Bridgit Mendler is now heading to the board room as the CEO of a new start-up company

Now she's ready to break into the business world, serving as the CEO of the new space start-up Northwood Space, which landed $6.3 million in seed funding, via CNBC

She also took to X (formerly Twitter) to quote-retweet the CNBC story with an announcement of her own.

'Expect the unexpected! So excited to announce our $6.3M seed led by @foundersfund and @a16z with participation from @CapitalAlso, @LongJourneyVC, @BoxGroup, @humbavc' Mendler began.

'At @NorhwoodSpace we have our sights on building a data highway between earth and space,' she added.

'We are designing shared ground infrastructure from first principles to expand access to space,' she continued.

'We have a lot of work ahead of us but thats the fun part. If you like building quickly and seeing your work deployed in locations around the globe with real impact, we want you at Northwood,' she concluded, with a link to Northwood's careers page.

Mendler also recently spent some time at the Federal Communications Commissions new Space Bureau, where she completely fell in love with space law.'

'The vision is a data highway between Earth and space. Space is getting easier along so many different dimensions but still the actual exercise of sending data to and from space is difficult. You have difficulty finding an access point for contacting your satellite,' she said.

The company won't be focused on building rockets of satellites, but instead ground stations, which are described as, 'typically large and often circular antennas that connect to satellites in space.'

She also took to X (formerly Twitter ) to quote-retweet the CNBC story with an announcement of her own

Mendler also recently spent some time at the Federal Communications Commissions new Space Bureau, where she completely fell in love with space law'

'The vision is a data highway between Earth and space. Space is getting easier along so many different dimensions but still the actual exercise of sending data to and from space is difficult. You have difficulty finding an access point for contacting your satellite,' she said

'The vision is a data highway between Earth and space. Space is getting easier along so many different dimensions but still the actual exercise of sending data to and from space is difficult. You have difficulty finding an access point for contacting your satellite,' she said

Mendler co-founded the company with her husband Griffin Cleverly, who will serve as Chief Technology Officer, and Head of Software Shaurya Luthra

She revealed that the name of the company comes from a New Hampshire lake where the idea for the company first took root, while spending time with her family there during the COVID-19 pandemic

'For me, why the ground-side matters is because it actually is about bringing the impacts of space home to people,' she added

Mendler co-founded the company with her husband Griffin Cleverly, who will serve as Chief Technology Officer, and Head of Software Shaurya Luthra.

She revealed that the name of the company comes from a New Hampshire lake where the idea for the company first took root, while spending time with her family there during the COVID-19 pandemic.

'While everybody else was making their sourdough starters, we were building antennas out of random crap we could find at Home Depot  and receiving data from [National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration] satellites,' Mendler said.

'For me, why the ground-side matters is because it actually is about bringing the impacts of space home to people,' she added.

Cleverly added that there is now a 'colossal' amount of data travelling to and from satellites and their company wants to make it more efficient to deliver the data.

'We need an approach so that those companies can get the data down reliably and in the quantities that they need,' he said.

They want to be able to deliver these ground stations, 'within days, not months,' with Luthra adding it takes 18 months for an antenna to be installed.

The company aims to be in the same vein as Amazon Web Services or Microsoft's Azure, which provides server space so companies don't have to build their own.

'It allows space companies to be much more responsive to use cases and missions that pop up,' Cleverly added, with the company hoping to conduct their first test to a spacecraft in orbit later this year.
Hilary Swank talked about parenting her 10-month-old twins on Monday at the premiere of her new movie Ordinary Angels in New York City.

The 49-year-old actress spoke to People during the premiere at the SVA Theatre about her twins, daughter Aya and son Ohm, that she welcomed in April 2023 with her husband Philip Schneider.

'I think that being a mother of twins, I never have had a singleton, so I don't know what that's like,' Hilary said. 'But I know that the sleepless nights are hard and when you have one that might sleep through the night, the other one's not, so it's kind of this trade-off every night.'

'But I know this is also a season, and it too will pass, and I try and remind myself that there's going to be a day when I'm like, ''Oh, I'd love to wake up right now and just hold you.'' So just trying and hold on to that,' she added.

The Oscar-winning actress also noted that her twins were in the 'crawling' stage.

Hilary Swank gushed about her 10-month-old twins on Monday at the premiere of her new movie Ordinary Angels in New York City

Hilary during an appearance on the Today show on Monday revealed the special meaning behind the names of her twins.

'Aya was a Syrian refugee we met in Lebanon. So she was just this courageous, brave young girl full of life going through a really difficult time. My husband and I were like, shes so beautiful, what a great name,' Hilary said.

'Ohm is considered the first universal sound and unites all people, and that sounds very fitting,' she said of her son's name.

Hilary stars as Sharon Stevens in the Lionsgate studio faith-based film Ordinary Angels.

Ordinary Angels also stars Alan Ritchson as well as Tamala Jones, Amy Acker, Drew Powell, Skywalker Hughes and Emily Mitchell.

The film by director Jon Gunn is scheduled to be released on Thursday in theaters.

Ordinary Angels is based on an inspirational true story about a Louisville, Kentucky hairdresser who rallies her community.

The story is set during the 1994 North American cold wave which brought record low temperatures to most areas of the country, as Sharon tries to help a widowed father save her critically-ill young daughter during this devastating storm.

The 49-year-old actress last week shared a rare photo of her twins and revealed their names

Hilary stars as Sharon Stevens in the Lionsgate studio faith-based film Ordinary Angels

Tamala Jones and Hilary are shown in a still from Ordinary Angels, which will be in theaters on Thursday

'I have a busy week of talk shows ahead where Ill be sharing about my new film and a fun partnership, but I figured what better day to share the names of my two little loves with you all first,' she wrote in the caption.

Hilary last week shared a rare snap of her twins while also revealing their names for the first time.

She shared an image on Instagram of the fraternal twins on the beach with their names written in the sand.

She added in her caption, 'Happy Valentine's Day P.S. Who else has babies that think sand is edible?'
Lennon Gallagher cut a typically edgy figure on Monday as he and his girlfriend Isobel Richmond attended the Burberry afterparty at 22 Mayfair during London Fashion Week.

The lookalike son of Liam Gallagher, 24, looked fashion forward in a semi-sheer black shirt and matching jeans.

He added a smart black coat over the top, a pair of shiny shoes and a coordinating belt with intricate silver detailing.

While Isobel showcased her model credentials as she stepped out in a green turtleneck jumper under a charcoal grey trench coat.

The stunner, 22, added black leather boots with silver buckles and tucked a large leather and faux fur handbag under her arm.

Lennon Gallagher cut a typically edgy figure on Monday as he and his girlfriend Isobel Richmond attended the Burberry afterparty at 22 Mayfair during London Fashion Week

The lookalike son of Liam Gallagher , 24, looked fashion forward in a semi-sheer black shirt and matching jeans

He added a smart black coat over the top, a pair of shiny shoes and a coordinating belt with intricate silver detailing

She added a pair of statement stud earrings and dramatic eyeshadow to make her blue eyes pop.

The couple were snapped puffing on cigarettes on the way to the venue, before they cosied up to each other at the bash.

Lennon was joined by a slew of other celebrity offspring at the star-studded party, including Lila Moss, Iris Law and Elizabeth and Georgia May Jagger.

Lila, 21, followed in her mother Kate Moss' stylish footsteps as she turned heads in an eye-catching green ensemble.

She donned an emerald figure-hugging sweater and silky floral skirt that featured a quirky asymmetrical hemline.

The model completed her classy look with a dark green leather clutch and high-heeled maroon boots.

Lila posed alongside Stevie Sims, who wore a quirky pastel yellow jacket and trouser co-ord, adorned with purple roses.

Iris, 23, put on a very leggy display for the swanky event in a 60s inspired brown suede mini dress, with zip detailing.

While Isobel showcased her model credentials as she stepped out in a green turtleneck jumper under a charcoal grey trench coat

Lennon was joined by a slew of other celebrity offspring at the star-studded party, including Lila Moss, Iris Law and Elizabeth and Georgia May Jagger (Georgia and Elizabeth pictured)

Lila, 21, followed in her mother Kate Moss' stylish footsteps as she turned heads in an eye-catching green ensemble

She donned an emerald figure-hugging sweater and silky floral skirt that featured a quirky asymmetrical hemline.

The model completed her classy look with a dark green leather clutch and high-heeled maroon boots

Lila posed alongside Stevie Sims, who wore a quirky pastel yellow jacket and trouser co-ord, adorned with purple roses

The model daughter of Jude Law and Sadie Frost added extra height to her frame with a pair of cream heels.

She toted her essentials in a coordinating cream handbag and wrapped up from the cold in a dark brown jacket.

Mick Jagger's daughters Georgia and Elizabeth put on equally glamorous displays at the event, as the sisters arrived together.

Georgia, 32, cut a chic figure in a white shirt dress covered in a black pattern, teamed with unique zip-up black heels.

She added a pop of colour to her monochrome look with a burgundy clutch bag and matching dark red lip.

While Elizabeth, 39, wore a classic beige trench coat with fishnet tights and Mary Jane shoes, while accessorizing with a gold chain necklace.

Neelam Gill stunned as she flashed her toned midriff in a cropped white and black patterned jumper.

She styled it with a pleated red maxi skirt with an asymmetrical hem, allowing a glimpse of her black sandals.

Iris, 23, put on a very leggy display for the swanky event in a 60s inspired brown suede mini dress, with zip detailing

The model daughter of Jude Law and Sadie Frost added extra height to her frame with a pair of cream heels

She toted her essentials in a coordinating cream handbag and wrapped up from the cold in a dark brown jacket

Mick Jagger's daughters Georgia and Elizabeth put on equally glamorous displays at the event, as the sisters arrived together

Georgia, 32, cut a chic figure in a white shirt dress covered in a black pattern, teamed with unique zip-up black heels

She added a pop of colour to her monochrome look with a burgundy clutch bag and matching dark red lip

While Elizabeth, 39, wore a classic beige trench coat with fishnet tights and Mary Jane shoes, while accessorizing with a gold chain necklace

Neelam Gill stunned as she flashed her toned midriff in a cropped white and black patterned jumper

She styled it with a pleated red maxi skirt with an asymmetrical hem, allowing a glimpse of her black sandals

Rina Lipa ensured all eyes were on her at the bash, in a black and white houndstooth patterned dress with a plunging neckline.

The sister of Dua Lipa, 22, added a pair of clashing plaid tights underneath and chunky black boots.

Erin O'Connor posed up a storm at the exclusive venue, as she donned an oversized black coat for the occasion, with a belt to cinch her in at her waist.

Emma Weymouth, Marchioness of Bath, looked glamorous in a black bandeau with a purple and black floral coat draped over her arms.

Agyness Deyn put on a leggy display in a black miniskirt teamed with a grey blazer and added her own twist, with a jumper tied around her neck.

She posed alongside a dapper looking Henry Holland and Olivia Dean, who showed off her curves in a tight-fitted black dress.

Sheila Atim caught the eye in a high-necked magenta dress covered in fringe detailing, which she matched to her bright makeup.

John Boyega looked cool as ever as he arrived in an oversized grey coat with an intricate white design, alongside a stylish female companion.

Rina Lipa ensured all eyes were on her at the bash, in a black and white houndstooth patterned dress with a plunging neckline

Erin O'Connor posed up a storm at the exclusive venue, as she donned an oversized black coat for the occasion, with a belt to cinch her in at her waist

Emma Weymouth, Marchioness of Bath, looked glamorous in a black bandeau with a purple and black floral coat draped over her arms

Agyness Deyn put on a leggy display in a black miniskirt teamed with a grey blazer and added her own twist, with a jumper tied around her neck

She posed alongside a dapper looking Henry Holland and Olivia Dean, who showed off her curves in a tight-fitted black dress

Sheila Atim caught the eye in a high-necked magenta dress covered in fringe detailing, which she matched to her bright makeup

John Boyega looked cool as ever as he arrived in an oversized grey coat with an intricate white design, alongside a stylish female companion

The Star Wars actor posed alongside magician Dynamo, who looked sharp in an all-black ensemble, with a hint of the classic Burberry plaid on his sleeves.

Jebi Labembika, Victor Kunda, Sienna King and K Bailey Obazee all coordinated their outfits for the bash, each wearing black ensembles.

Donna Air turned heads in a black dress with a voluminous skirt and matching belt, adding a beige jacket over the top.

Jade Parfitt cut a sophisticated figure in a cream trench coat with a chain inspired pattern and black ankle boots.

The Star Wars actor posed alongside magician Dynamo, who looked sharp in an all-black ensemble, with a hint of the classic Burberry plaid on his sleeves

Jebi Labembika, Victor Kunda, Sienna King and K Bailey Obazee all coordinated their outfits for the bash, each wearing black ensembles

Donna Air turned heads in a black dress with a voluminous skirt and matching belt, adding a beige jacket over the top
Greg James has announced the sad news that his grandmother has passed away aged 100.

The radio host, 38, sparked concern when he was absent from his BBC Radio 1 show on Monday morning, before he took to social media sharing the heartbreaking news with fans.

The star wrote: 'A pretty rotten week. Got rid of Covid and then yesterday my lovely 100 year old Nan died so have spent a nice quiet day today with the family.

'Excited to be back on the radio tomorrow and very much in need of some fun. With you at 7am'.

Greg went on to share the slightly unusual way he was dealing with his grief, as he lightened the mood by confessing he'd spent the day 'thirsting' after Andrew Scott.

Greg James, 38, pulled out of his radio show on Monday after his grandmother passed away aged 100

The star wrote: 'A pretty rotten week. Got rid of Covid and then yesterday my lovely 100 year old Nan died so have spent a nice quiet day today with the family'

Sharing a reel, he gushed over the Irish actor after he posed up a storm in a bright red suit at the BAFTAs.

He wrote: 'Grief takes many forms. Mine appears to be thirsting after Andrew Scott.'

Greg later thanked fans for the supportive messages he'd received, but admitted he was struggling to deal with the balance of being honest with his fans and maintaining his family's privacy.

He penned: 'Ps. Thank you very much for your nice messages. You're very very kind. I sort of wanted to say something because I've been out of the loop the last couple of days and haven't really got back to anyone or said anything and my job requires me to be honest and open and I love that about it.

'However, the new influx of messages means the problem is now exacerbated and I have even more people to reply to.

'I should have done that thing where families say please respect our privacy which essentially just means p**s off doesn't it.

'I don't want you to p**s off I'm just trying to be funny. I'M GRIEVING LEAVE ME ALONE. Don't leave me alone. I'm off to look at more photos of Andrew Scott bye xx'.

Greg and his family celebrated his grandma's 100th birthday back in August as the star took to Instagram at the time to share an adorable selfie as she marked the huge milestone birthday.

Greg went on to share the slightly unusual way he was dealing with his grief, as he lightened the mood by confessing he'd spent the day 'thirsting' over Andrew Scott

Greg later thanked fans for the supportive messages he'd received, but admitted he was struggling to deal with the balance of being honest with his fans and maintaining his family's privacy

Greg and his family celebrated his grandma's 100th birthday back in August as the star took to Instagram at the time to share an adorable selfie as she marked the huge milestone birthday

He captioned the sweet snap: 'Welcome to The Hundred. My Nan is ONE HUNDRED YEARS OLD today. When she was born, Lenin was still alive, the BBC had only been around for a year and The Empire State Building didnt exist.

'A great weekend in WHEEEEEEYMOUTH with a great gang celebrating her majesty the queen'.

It comes after Greg left fans in tears as he paid tribute to the late Steve Wright last week, following the news of his death aged 69.

The veteran presenter's passing was announced on Tuesday afternoon, prompting an outpouring of emotional tributes from stars and fellow BBC Radio presenters.

Appearing on their respective shows on Wednesday, Greg left fans in tears when he opened his Radio 1 breakfast show with Steve's theme tune.

Sharing an update to X after his show, Greg wrote: 'The King of Jingles. Steve was always so excited and interested to hear about what was going on at Radio 1 whenever we chatted.'

He added: 'I felt so lucky to be able to nerd out about radio with him. He essentially started the zoo format in UK that you now hear everywhere. A true pioneer. Oh my god and that theme tune - iconic. Long live THE BIG SHOW.'

Listeners praised the presenter for the tribute, with one responding: 'Greg James playing Steve Wright's jingle to start the breakfast show why am I crying.'

'A classy move from one of the best broadcasters,' another commented.

A third shared: 'Absolute class act from Greg James this morning. Opening with Steves theme. Loved the show.'

It comes after Greg left fans in tears as he paid tribute to the late Steve Wright last week, following the news of his death aged 69 which was announced on Tuesday
Lila Moss, daughter of supermodel Kate Moss and magazine editor Jefferson Hack, has posed for a clown-themed fashion shoot for Vogue Spain's March issue.

Talking about following in her famous mother's footsteps, Lila, 21, said: 'I'm more responsible than my mother was at my age'.

Lila's latest shoot showed her flashing her abs in a red crop top with oversized puffy sleeves and matching red polka dot tights as she pulls her leg behind her head.

Another image sees her wearing a lace-up striped jacket and oversized hat as she makes shapes while posing inside a snow globe.

And the cover image sees Lila wearing a disco-themed silver bodysuit with fringing as she is styled with pastel metallic make-up shades.

Kate Moss's daughter Lila, 21, flashed her abs for a clown-themed Vogue Spain shoot and said 'I'm more responsible than my mother was at my age'

Another image sees Lila wearing a lace-up striped jacket and oversized hat as she makes shapes while posing inside a snow globe

On following in her mother's footsteps and continuing the family saga, Lila said: 'When I was younger I didn't consider it because my mother refused to let me go into the industry'

On following in her mother's footsteps and continuing the family saga, Lila said: 'When I was younger I didn't consider it because my mother refused to let me go into the industry.

'I think she didn't want me to do it without first being sure that the people she knows and trusts were going to look out for me and make sure I was okay.

'When she set up her agency [Kate Moss Agency was founded in 2016] she relaxed because she knew she was going to be able to oversee everything and they were going to look after me.

'So I was like, "Now it makes sense." When I was younger I fantasized that maybe someday I would participate in a photo shoot, but I never thought I would be able to do some of the things I've done already.'

Lila continued: 'I don't think I'm mature for my age, but I am very shy. I don't have a lot of self-confidence when it comes to meeting new people and hanging out with people who are older than me.

'I become quite introverted and withdraw into myself, but yes, maybe I am more responsible than my mother was at my age.

'I grew up seeing how demanding this profession is and how much you have to travel alone. The people she worked with became her family because she saw them so often. I saw how they bonded and that's nice.'

Lila's mother Kate - now aged 50 - had wild youthful heyday, when a cigarette was almost permanently dangling from her lips.

Lila said: 'I don't think I'm mature for my age, but I am very shy. I don't have a lot of self-confidence when it comes to meeting new people and hanging out with people who are older than me'

Kate posing on the cover of British Vogue in June 2012

Her mother Kate - now aged 50 - is an advocate of clean living but was known for her love of excess in her youth - pictured at the Mario Testino exhibition in 2002

Moss is pictured at the Titanic film premiere party in London in 1997

Kate's 21st birthday was deemed one of the most infamous of all time, at notorious LA night-spot the Viper Rooms. It was organised by then boyfriend Johnny Depp

READ MORE: Kate Moss makes a rare public appearance with model daughter Lila as they make their way home after separate red carpet appearances at the British Fashion Awards Advertisement

Back in her 20s and 30s and at the peak of her desirability as a model, her beauty regime was virtually confined to a habit of plunging that lovely face into a basin of iced water to clear the head after a heavy night out. She never exercised.

In contrast with sensible Lila, Kate's 21st birthday was deemed one of the most infamous of all time, at notorious LA night-spot the Viper Rooms. It was organised by then boyfriend Johnny Depp.

And the late INXS frontman Michael Hutchence performed with Depp supporting him on guitar.

Kate has now left the raucous North London scene of her 20s and 30s, and now settled in a honey-coloured Grade II-listed mansion in the Cotswolds as she tries on the rather less glamorous outfit of a wellness entrepreneur for size.

Sober since 2018, barring a few slips that serve only to remind us she is human, her new life is not one the old Kate would recognise. A formerly close pal, who has been totally cast aside over the past few years, says acidly: 'The new Kate is a horrible bore.'

The full interview with Lila Moss can be read on Vogue.es and in the Vogue Spain March issue that goes on sale on February 20.

Lila as she usually looks - the fresh-faced model was pictured at the Perfect X AMI Issue Six launch party on Monday night and looked incredible in a plunging black dress
Ambika Mod looks set to become part of Britain's new 'it' couple after her secret boyfriend was revealed.

The One Day star, 28, is in a low-key relationship with fellow actor Andy Sellers, with the couple pictured together for the first time this week in images exclusively obtained by MailOnline.

However, their low profile couple status is set to change in coming months, with Andy landing roles in an upcoming blockbuster film and a hotly-anticipated new thriller series.

Andy, who made his TV debut in 2022 in an episode of All Creatures Great and Small, has a part in Disney+ movie, Young Woman and the Sea.

The film is set for release in March and sees Andy feature alongside the likes of Daisy Ridley, Lily James and Stephen Graham.

Ambika Mod looks set to become part of Britain's new 'it' couple after her secret boyfriend was revealed as actor Andy Sellers (pictured on Saturday)

Ambika first posted about Andy on her Instagram in November 2023 where he featured among a photo dump but she hasn't spoken publicly about their romance

Young Woman and the Sea follows the story of Gertrude 'Trudy' Ederle (Daisy) - who was the first female to swim the English Channel in 1926.

Deadline reports as well as being available on the streaming service, a May 31 theatrical release date is being eyed with a big global campaign, further boosted by a Summer Olympics 2024 campaign.

As well as making his film debut, Andy has landed a role in Disney+ thrilling new five-part drama, Playdate, adapted from Alex Dahl's best-selling novel of the same name.

While Ambika and Andy have not revealed when they met, it's possible that Playdate had something to do with it, because the series also stars Ambika, as well as Holliday Grainger and Jim Sturgess.

The hotly-anticipated series follows the story of a mother on a mission to find her child after they are kidnapped on a playdate.

Andy's roles in the upcoming dramas have not been announced.

The up and coming actor studied at the Royal Central School of Speech & Drama, previously describing his course as 'tough' but saying: 'I wouldn't change it for the world; the friends I made there, the memories and experiences I have now, all of it together was the three best years of my life for sure!'

After graduating her made his West End debut understudying the roles of Joe and Simon in Touching the Void at Duke of York's Theatre.

He has gone on to work on historical drama series Outlander and played young Siegfried in series three of All Creatures Great and Small.

Andy previously told Tresa that he always wanted to be an actor, admitting: 'I really am obsessed with all things acting and so I try not to think about how few other skills I have!'

Asked what first piqued his interest in a career in the arts, he mused: 'I always have wanted to do it and so I guess I'm just lucky that my parents were always so supportive and never tried to discourage me away from it.

'Also, I was lucky to have some amazing teachers who took me seriously and guided me towards eventually getting into drama school.'

Their low profile couple status is set to change in coming months, with Andy landing roles in an upcoming blockbuster film and a hotly-anticipated new thriller series

Andy has worked on historical drama series Outlander and played young Siegfried in series three of All Creatures Great and Small (pictured)

Ambika and Andy went public with their romance this week when they put on a loved-up display as they wrapped their arms around each other whilst on a dog walk in their local park

Ambika and Andy went public with their romance this week when they put on a loved-up display as they wrapped their arms around each other whilst on a dog walk in their local park.

She first posted about him on her Instagram in November 2023 where he featured among a photo dump.

Despite starring as the lead in romantic drama One Day, Ambika has admitted she is not much of a believer when it comes to love.

She told The Cut: 'I never really thought of myself as a romantic fan. I'm very cynical about that kind of stuff - about romance, love and relationships.'

While she doesn't talk much about her love life, Ambika revealed that she can credit her dating life with kickstarting her career.

READ MORE: Who are One Day stars Ambika Mod and Leo Woodall? Advertisement

The standup comic previously told Vogue: 'I had arranged a Hinge date with this guy, I was so close to cancelling but I thought, "it's a really nice day, I'll just go."

Walking out of King's Cross station, she bumped into a comedian she'd worked with before, who was writing for The Mash Report and invited her into a sketch.

That first TV job led to her getting signed by an agent, which led to landing a role in This Is Going to Hurt.

She mused: 'If either of us had come up the station two minutes earlier or later, we would have missed each other.

'That chance encounter was the catalyst for so many big changes in my career. I really choose to believe in synchronicities, coincidences, patterns, meaning, and symbolism. And I never went out on another date with that guy.'

She is currently being streamed in households up and down the nation in Netflix hit One Day, the TV adaptation of David Nicholls' 2009 novel.

Ambika stars as Emma alongside The White Lotus star Leo Woodall as Dexter in the 20 year love story.

The series follows Emma and Dexter who meet on the 15th July 1988, the night of their Edinburgh University graduation.

The next morning, they go their separate ways but the novel and TV series catches up with them on the same day every year.

Each episode finds Dex and Em, one year older, on this one particular date, as they grow and change, move together and apart, experience joy and heartbreak.

The One Day cast is rounded out by some big names including Eleanor Tomlinson, and Joely Richardson.

Despite starring as the lead in romantic drama One Day (pictured with co-star Leo Woodall) Ambika has admitted she is not much of a believer when it comes to love

The Mail revealed Ambika originally turned down the role of Emma Morley after the star explained she found it was a 'massive, massive undertaking' given Emma was previously played by Anne Hathaway, 41, in the 2011 adaptation.

She said: 'It was definitely originally written as white and previously played by a white actress. I'm really excited to bring something new to the role, I hope that young women who don't see themselves on screen that often see that it's possible.

Ambika admitted she wouldn't have landed the role 10 years ago due to her skin colour, saying: 'I'm very different to Anne Hathaway, so I was never worried about that. Just the fact that I'm not white and I'm getting to play Emma.

'I don't think that would have happened ten years ago. That in itself is a way to modernise the story.'
They recently got engaged while on holiday in Switzerland.

And Ed Westwick and Amy Jackson showed they are still head over heels in love as they attended the Perfect X AMI Issue Six launch party during London Fashion Week on Monday.

The Gossip Girl star, 36, and the Bollywood actress, 32, looked completely smitten with each other as they walked hand-in-hand to the Dovetale restaurant at 1 Hotel Mayfair.

The future husband and wife showcased their compatibility by donning complementary outfits for the glitzy event.

Amy looked effortlessly chic in an oversized beige double-breasted blazer with matching trousers.

Ed Westwick and Amy Jackson showed they are still head over heels in love as they attended the Perfect X AMI Issue Six launch party during London Fashion Week on Monday

The Gossip Girl star, 36, and the Bollywood actress, 32, looked completely smitten with each other as they walked hand-in-hand to the Dovetale restaurant at 1 Hotel Mayfair

The future husband and wife showcased their compatibility by donning complementary outfits for the glitzy event, both sporting matching suits in different colours

The mother-of-one also toted a tiny black handbag and boosted her height with a pair of high heeled boots.

While Ed wore a matching suit to his fiancee, but opted for a black pinstripe version teamed with smart shoes and a silver cross necklace.

Ed got down on one knee to pop the question to Amy in G'staad, Switzerland, with the couple announcing their exciting news last month.

The couple took to Instagram to share a slew of sweet snaps of the romantic proposal, captioning them: 'Hell Yes [ring emoji].'

Adele Narcisi, Gemmologist & Design Expert at Queensmith previously revealed that Amy's engagement ring is made from a natural diamond, it could be worth up to 100,000.

However, she noted that it's more likely that the diamond was lab-grown, meaning it could actually be worth just a quarter of that.

She told MailOnline: 'Amy Jacksons engagement ring looks to be a stunning and timeless 4-carat oval solitaire diamond, a shape that has gained popularity in recent years.

'Based on its size and if it is natural, this diamond is estimated to be worth around 90,000 to 100,000.

Amy looked effortlessly chic in an oversized beige double-breasted blazer with matching trousers, while Ed opted for a black pinstripe version (pictured with Daisy Lowe)

Ed got down on one knee to pop the question to Amy in G'staad, Switzerland, with the couple announcing their exciting news last month

The couple took to Instagram to share a slew of sweet snaps of the romantic proposal, captioning them: 'Hell Yes [ring emoji]'

'There are typically only a handful of top-quality four-carat natural diamonds available at any given time. Natural diamonds this size are a rarity.

'With a natural diamond, we'd recommend sticking between grades D to F colour for an icey, colourless diamond, VS2 and higher clarity making sure there are no inclusions visible to the naked eye.

'There's no need to go higher than VVS2 as the diamond will cost far more but look more or less the same.

Ed met Amy, who has four-year-old son, Andreas, with her ex-fiance George Panayatiou, at Silverstone racetrack in 2021.

A source told The Sun on Sunday at the time: 'Ed and Amy are a really good match. They hit it off straight away.

'Both like to have fun and are career-driven. Theyre enjoying getting to know each other for now.'

The couple went Instagram official just before Valentine's Day in 2022, with Amy penning a sweet note on her social media just in time for the occasion.
A shocking storyline involving new bride Jade Pywell and groom Jayden Eynaud was edited out of the show at the eleventh hour, Daily Mail Australia can exclusively reveal.

The unaired drama centers around Jade and groom Jayden, who, in an unforeseen twist, recognised each other immediately upon Jade's entrance into the ceremony.

Jayden was one of the four grooms attending the intruder wedding alongside his bride Eden Harper and his fellow co-stars.

The pair had previously crossed paths while working at a bar on the Gold Coast, with Jayden handling security duties and Jade serving drinks behind the bar.

'The Gold Coast's social scene is a tight-knit community, especially within the restaurant and club circuit,' one insider explained.

Daily Mail Australia can reveal that a shocking storyline involving new bride Jade Pywell (right) and groom Jayden Eynaud (left) was edited out of the show at the eleventh hour

Jayden was one of the four grooms attending the intruder wedding alongside his bride Eden Harper and his fellow co-stars. Both pictured

'Obviously Jayden was one of the first grooms leaked and Jade knew he was on the show. He immediately recognised her too, and producers were living for it.'

The producers were quick to stir the pot by separating Eden and Jayden, anticipating a clash that ultimately never materialised.

'The tension was palpable throughout the evening, with producers fanning the flames, but the expected fireworks ended with a fizzle,' the source disclosed.

The pair had previously crossed paths while working at a bar on the Gold Coast, with Jayden handling security duties and Jade serving drinks behind the bar

The producers were quick to stir the pot by separating Eden and Jayden, anticipating a clash that ultimately never materialised

'The tension was palpable throughout the evening, with producers fanning the flames, but the expected fireworks ended with a fizzle,' the source disclosed

Despite the producers' best efforts, Jade and Eden formed a fast friendship, and any hint of a romantic spark between Jade and Jayden failed to ignite.

'The entire scenario, while charged on the day, lacked the substance needed to make it to air,' the insider admitted.

'It was a confusing situation for all the cast members present, with much speculation and little payoff.'

'Eden and Jade quickly became friends and there was nothing more to it.'

Despite the producers' best efforts, Jade and Eden formed a fast friendship, and any hint of a romantic spark between Jade and Jayden failed to ignite

Photos taken by Daily Mail Australia show Jayden not bothered by the claims, having fun with his producer while posing for the paparazzi

Eden was spotted sitting by herself chatting to a runner, while Jayden spoke to cameras in another area
There are just 50 licensed cannabis dispensaries open in New York  only a handful of them in Western New York  but you wouldnt know it from the thousands of illegal operators statewide selling cannabis without a license everywhere you turn.

To combat those unlicensed business sales, a pair of bills have introduced legislation that would give local municipalities the power to shut down unlicensed operators and seize their property in the process.

Proponents of the bill say it will do more to shut down unlicensed shops faster and help licensed shops succeed. But critics said the Stop marijuana over-proliferation and keep empty operators of unlicensed transactions Act, or SMOKEOUT Act, saddles local law enforcement with added work, violates due process and wont do much to address the problem.

State regulators with the Cannabis Control Board now have the authority to close unlicensed businesses. The legislation would expand that authority to local governments, allowing law enforcement to order the immediate closure of any business illegally selling or gifting cannabis, and to seize property involved in the unlawful sale of cannabis, including real estate.

The Office of Cannabis Management has limited manpower to tackle the thousands upon thousands of unlicensed shops that have cropped up throughout the state. So far, it has inspected fewer than 500 shops and seized $63 million in cannabis products.

The SMOKEOUT Act would give local law enforcement more power to conduct their own inspections, adding manpower across the state.

It can be extraordinarily frustrating because you have businesses that you know are operating outside of the confines of the law, said Cheektowaga Police Capt. Jeffrey Schmidt. But your hands are really bound with how youre even able to move forward with any type of prosecution.

When illegal shops get inspected, they are usually back up and operating soon afterward. Getting raided and fined is largely considered a cost of doing business in a very lucrative illegal market.

But SMOKEOUT provisions, which allow the physical stores themselves to be closed and seized, puts landlords at risk of losing their property, giving it more weight.

Any type of legal authority that well be able to enforce in order to stop someone from behaving illegally, were always in favor of, Schmidt said.

By and large, though, local police departments are often overworked and understaffed. Law enforcement across the state have said their resources are already stretched thin, and they dont have the resources it takes to close down unlicensed shops.

Cheektowaga has been one of the more active police forces when it comes to shutting down unlicensed shops.

We take maximum enforcement effort that we can into those places. Were not just going to sit here on our hands and and turn a blind eye to whats going on, he said. We are going to try and enforce it however we can. If we had more tools for that, that would just make our job easier.

Some shops are selling cannabis products at 100 times the legal limit of THC, Schmidt said.

Our concern is that theyre not safe, theyre manufacturing these things in their back room or theyre getting them from other illicit sources, he said.

But throughout the state, devoting resources to playing whack-a-mole over a legalized plant has been a lower priority.

Paula Collins, a tax accountant who counts unlicensed dispensaries among her clients, said the SMOKEOUT Act is rife with problems and sets the stage for future litigation.

For starters, the bill compounds a current problem, Collins said. The enforcement measures approved by the governor in May as part of the budget bill allowed for a business owner to refuse an inspection. The OCM regulations do not allow for that.

So when an inspection  a raid  is in progress and a shop owner calls me, I am unable to quote the law, Collins said.

The bill allows police to turn seized property over for sale. In Buffalo, the money from the sale of forfeited goods would go to the citys general fund; outside the city, it would go to the countys general fund.

The timeline laid out in the bill is confusing and seems to violate due process, according to Collins.

The bill lays out a proceeding to be conducted within 30 days, and allows seized goods to be sold with five days notice, but also gives unlicensed shops two years to try to recover seized property. If the property is already sold, they can get the money minus legal fees, but the property will already be gone.

Seizing goods for money can also encourage bad actors, Collins said.

I have heard from shop owners that they have observed inspectors pocketing loose pre-rolls and other small items. I have also consistently heard that inspectors come in and immediately disable the security cameras, Collins said. I ask: What is it that they are doing that they dont want us to see?

Patrick Hines, an attorney and leader of the cannabis and hemp group at Hodgson Russ, said the SMOKEOUT Act is meant to relieve the burden on the OCM and deter landlords from allowing unlicensed activity at their properties.

It will answer the questions some municipalities have about their own authority to enforce the Cannabis Law, he said. Under current law, there is some uncertainty about what cities and towns have the authority to do in response to the proliferation of unlicensed operators.

The act also has new provisions that allow local law enforcement to shut down and seize property at otherwise legitimate businesses like head shops that sell cannabis.

The problem is real, and I do think the act would add tools that were not already there, Hines said.
Amy Dowden has issued a health update after her hospitalisation last week and given fans an insight into her second honeymoon with husband Ben Jones.

The professional dancer, 33, revealed on Monday that she had been placed in a respiratory unit amid her battle against breast cancer.

She was diagnosed in May last year and underwent a mastectomy in July, taking time off from Strictly Come Dancing while she underwent treatment.

Amy shared pictures from her hospital bed this week and told fans: 'So last week didn't exactly go to plan. Feeling much better now and still taking it easy.

'But can't thank the NHS and the care I received on the respiratory unit enough. Also to my family and Ben of course. Always dropping everything and spending endless hours next to my bed while I mainly slept.

Amy Dowden has issued a health update after her hospitalisation last week and given fans an insight into her second honeymoon with husband Ben Jones

The professional dancer, 33, revealed on Monday that she had been placed in a respiratory unit amid her battle against breast cancer

On Tuesday, Amy appeared on Lorraine in a pre-recorded video from her romantic trip to Grenada with Ben

'Feeling much better and thanks for the many messages after going quiet. Off to oncology unit today for my monthly injection, (missed it last week due to being poorly).'

On Tuesday, Amy appeared on Lorraine in a pre-recorded video from her romantic trip to Grenada with Ben.

Host Lorraine Kelly passed on a health update from Amy, saying: 'You might have seen Amy was in hospital last week, but just to reassure you, she says she's very much on the mend and of course we're sending our love to her.'

During the segment, viewers got a chance to see Amy and Ben soaking up the Caribbean sunshine, while Amy revealed the trip had allowed her to forget about her cancer.

She told viewers: 'This past year has been tough but I am determined to get my life back on track.'

The dancer and her husband enjoyed a slew of activities on the trip, including boat trips, massages, scuba diving and lots of swimming.

During a romantic BBQ dinner on the beach, Amy admitted: '[The trip has] definitely been what I needed. I can't quite believe we're here. This is literally paradise.'

Ben then gushed: 'It's been amazing, I wouldn't want to be here with anyone else apart from you.'

Host Lorraine Kelly passed on a health update from Amy, saying: 'You might have seen Amy was in hospital last week, but just to reassure you, she says she's very much on the mend and of course we're sending our love to her'

He then praised: 'I'm really proud of everything you've done and been through the last few months, and come out the other side and remained positive and strong.'

Speaking about the getaway, Amy said: 'I didn't realise how much I really needed this trip, both Ben and I.

'Escapism from my reality really. Getting some fresh air, some vitamin D and just some quality time together away from the stress that we've had and the hospital appointments and the medication and the worries and just getting away.

'To be honest with you I've not thought about my cancer once since I have been here.'

She also opened up on her hopes for the year and how her values have changed after the challenging past months.

She said: 'I guess I've been in a very aesthetic world and since losing my hair, my eyelashes, my eyebrows - yes it's growing back - but I guess you learn the true values of life when you hit rock bottom.

'For me it's just cherish every moment, take every opportunity, spend time with your loved ones and remind them how much you love them every day.'

Amy voiced her determination to return to the Strictly dancefloor once again, saying: 'The aim for this year now is definitely to get as healthy as I possibly can and as fit as I possibly can. I've not been able to go to the gym, been able to dance for so many months.

During the segment, viewers got a chance to see Amy and Ben soaking up the Caribbean sunshine, while Amy revealed the trip had allowed her to forget about her cancer

She also opened up on her hopes for the year and how her values have changed after the challenging past months

'And I know it's going to be a long journey ahead but I'm determined to get back on that dancefloor, back with my Strictly family and just to grab life and grab every opportunity that comes my way and to be present.

'It's definitely making me feel more positive moving forward to 2024.'

It comes after Amy spoke about the importance of being able to carry on with her TV work during her cancer battle, explaining that it gave her 'something to get up for' every day.

The Welsh star was in the midst of filming series two of Dare To Dance - where she teaches people dance routines tp surprise their loved ones - when she was diagnosed.

Speaking to BBC News on Monday, Amy said: 'We continued to film right until my mastectomy [last June]. And then two weeks after my mastectomy, I was back - I couldn't dance myself, but I could still instruct - and we got the series done before I started chemo.

'So I was very much involved, far more than I thought, and it really, really helped. think had I had all that taken away from me, I would have really struggled.'

She added that she 'learned so much' from the contributors on the show too, saying: 'We become really close, like a family.

'When you're doing something as intensive this, it's important for the team to create that special bond.

Amy voiced her determination to return to the dancefloor once again and reunite with her 'Strictly family' (pictured on show in January 2023)

It comes after Amy spoke about the importance of being able to carry on with her TV work during her cancer battle, explaining that it gave her 'something to get up for' every day

'And honestly, it's what helped me get through such a difficult period in my life. Because I had a focus, and I had something to get up for every day.'

It comes after Amy's friend Sara Davies, who competed on Strictly in 2021, recently revealed that she had to convince Amy to go ahead with her treatment when it was offered because she was scared shed miss out on her Strictly career.

Dragon's Den star Sara said Amy had been 'hardwired' to dance from a young age and the thought of taking time off to concentrate on her health scared her.

Speaking on the Invite Only podcast, Sara revealed: 'I spent a lot of time with her at the start of the cancer diagnosis when she wasn't feeling positive. She'd been dealt a bad hand and she was struggling with it.

'I knew then I needed to be the friend that was filling her tank, but also if you just want someone to give you a hug and tell you it's gonna be okay, I'm not the one to go to.

'I was the one who was like, "What's the plan, Amy?" and pushing her to make difficult decisions. She wasn't sure if she was going to have chemo so we talked about that.'

It comes after Amy's friend Sara Davies , who competed on Strictly in 2021, recently revealed that she had to convince Amy to go ahead with her treatment when it was offered because she was scared shed miss out on her Strictly career (pictured together)

She added: 'What I've realised with the dancers is that from being little, they are hardwired to dance. And the biggest blow for her was, "If I don't go down that route, I won't be able to do Strictly this year".

'I had to look her in the eye and say, "Amy, you've got cancer. They've literally just cut your boob off. They are telling you you need to have this chemo to get better. Don't worry about dance and Strictly".

'Her response was, "But they might not want me back next year". So I said, "Amy, you're amazing at what you do, of course they will want you back. You're so well-loved. Please, it's really important. Get well".

'And then she went on the show without her wig as well. What a phenomenal moment. When I saw her, I cried.'
A mother has issued a plea to Taylor Swift after her daughter was hospitalised and will miss the pop star's current Australian tour.

Katie Healy from Innisfail, Queensland took to Instagram over the weekend to explain her eight-year-old daughter Evelyn was flown to Townsville University Hospital last week after suffering from streptococcus pneumoniae and empyema.

While the young girl has been recovering well, it is certain she will miss the Sydney concert.

Katie took the opportunity to reach out to the global megastar as she shared footage from her sick daughter's hospital room.

'If there is any way [Taylor] might be able to find the time to send a little video to Evie, or just a comment on my post, it would mean the absolute world to a little girl who now has to spend her Eras Tour lifetime experience in hospital instead,' she began.

Katie Healy from Innisfail, Queensland took to Instagram over the weekend to explain her eight-year-old daughter Evelyn (pictured) was flown to Townsville University Hospital after suffering from streptococcus pneumoniae and empyema

Katie took the opportunity to reach out to the global megastar as she shared footage from her sick daughter's hospital room.

The mother went on to explain that she acquired the tickets for Evelyn and her sister Bethany in June of last year.

Over the past eight months, the family had been diligently preparing costumes, learning all the songs, and discussing the concert.

'Talking about what era we wanted to dress up as and all the possibilities was lots of and lots of fun,' she continued, before adding, 'It has been months in the planning'.

'If there is any way [Taylor] might be able to find the time to send a little video to Evie, or just a comment on my post, it would mean the absolute world to a little girl who now has to spend her Eras Tour lifetime experience in hospital instead,' she began

Over the past eight months, the family had been diligently preparing costumes, learning all the songs, and discussing the concert. Pictured: Taylor Swift

The Queensland mum has also encouraged Swifties to repost her daughter's story widely, in the hope that the star will see the message.

Many Swifties offered their support in the comments on the post, with one writing, 'Sending hugs and support on the mission for Taylor Swift.'

'Hope you get a quick video from Taylor,' added another, while someone else remarked, 'Come on Taylor save the day!'

'I hope TS comes through xx,' wrote one more.

'The Swiftie community is incredibly kind and beautiful,' Ms Healy said in response.
Netflix fans are hailing an Oscar-winning movie as one of the best films they have ever seen after it dropped on the streaming platform at the start of this month.

Cinema-lovers were blown away by the picture in question, which was released in 2018 to great critical acclaim.

They expressed their love for a film that - despite winning an Academy Award - was not as popularly received by the public as some of its contemporary releases.

The release has a rating of 8.2/10 on IMDb and an audience score of 91 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes.

The film concerned is Green Book, which centres on the chance friendship between a renowned pianist and his driver/bodyguard.

Netflix fans are hailing an Oscar-winning movie as one of the best films they have ever seen after it dropped on the streaming platform at the start of this month

Cinema-lovers were blown away by the picture in question, Green Book, which was released in 2018 to great critical acclaim (pictured Mahershala Ali and Viggo Mortensen in character)

The film's synopsis reads: 'When Tony Lip, a bouncer from an Italian-American neighbourhood in the Bronx, is hired to drive Dr Don Shirley, a world-class Black pianist, on a concert tour from Manhattan to the Deep South, they must rely on 'The Green Book' to guide them to the few establishments that were then safe for African-Americans.

'Confronted with racism, dangeras well as unexpected humanity and humourthey are forced to set aside differences to survive and thrive on the journey of a lifetime.

'The film [is] inspired by a true friendship that transcended race, class and the 1962 Mason-Dixon line.'

At the 2019 Oscars, Green Book saw off competition from Black Panther, Bohemian Rhapsody and A Star Is Born to win Best Picture.

Mahershala Ali was also recognised for his performance as Dr Don Shirley, which saw him with the award for Best Supporting Actor.

After watching it for the first time following its arrival on Netflix, fans rushed to X, formerly Twitter, to express their love of the film.

One fan wrote: 'Anyone else watched Green Book yet? For me 10/10'.

A second left a glowing appraisal, commenting: 'Watched Green Book on Netflix. Really good watch'.

After watching it for the first time following its arrival on Netflix, fans rushed to X, formerly Twitter, to express their love of the film

Another praised it for a compelling score, as they posted: 'Watched Green Book tonight. A grand film with a grand soundtrack.'

A further user helpfully pointed out that it is no longer available on Prime Video, having been made available on Netflix.

They said: 'For anyone that needs to know...which is everyone. Green Book is on Netflix having left Prime. You're welcome!'

A fifth added: 'Watching Green Book on Netflix. Thoroughly entertaining, I must say...Mahershala Ali & Viggo Mortensen are great in it'.
Josie Gibson broke down in tears during a heartbreaking segment about grief on Tuesday's This Morning.

The presenter was joined by co-star Craig Doyle, agony aunt Deidre Sanders and Annabel Croft - who lost her husband last year - as they offered advice about dealing with grief during a viewer phone-in.

She was unable to control her emotions during one call, in which grieving mother Shelley detailed her life following the death of her teenage daughter, who died aged 19 after suffering an illness.

Josie was seen quietly dabbing at her eyes as Shelley explained: 'I'm just so heartbroken, every day is so hard. she was so brave and amazing throughout the two years of her illness.

'I go into her room and just say good morning and good night to her every night I just don't know how to deal with this.'

Josie Gibson broke down in tears during a heartbreaking segment about grief on Tuesday's This Morning as she listened to a caller discussing losing her daughter

The presenter was joined by co-star Craig Doyle, agony aunt Deidre Sanders and Annabel Croft - who lost her husband last year - as they offered advice about dealing with grief

Josie has been co-hosting This Morning this week after posting about 'drama' and 'disrespect' as she was snubbed for Cat Deeley.

On Friday, Cat, 47, and Ben Shephard, 49, were unveiled as the new permanent hosts of This Morning.

They are set to make their debut next month, following the exit of Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield.

Last month Josie spoke about speculation over her whereabouts after fans wondered if had she quit the show. She shared to Instagram: 'Alreeet lovers, Just to confirm, I have not left This Morning.

'I keep getting asked why I've left, so I thought it's easier to clear up the rumour mill on here. I am eternally grateful for all your love and support and I can not thank you enough.'

However, during her time away from This Morning, Josie posted a number of cryptic posts, including some thoughts about taking space away from 'drama'.

She posted a quote on her Instagram Story that read: 'The older you get the more you choose calm over conflict and distance over disrespect.

'Drama becomes intolerant to you and your peace becomes your ultimate priority. You start surrounding yourself with people who are good for your mental health, heart and soul.'

Shortly after uploading the post, the mum-of-one quickly deleted the quote from her page.

Josie was unable to control her emotions during one call, in which grieving mother Shelley detailed her life following the death of her teenage daughter, who died aged 19

A source told OK!: 'Josie wears her heart on her sleeve and sometimes does things - like post on her social media - as a knee-jerk reaction without thinking. Then she thinks about it afterwards.

'She was likely hoping that she'd come out of the jungle and be the automatic choice for the top job at This Morning after Holly left. But ITV are still trying people out. Josie is turning her back on the drama and the This Morning hurt from Holly leaving.'

Last month, insiders revealed Cat and Ben had scooped the coveted roles of permanent hosts in the wake of stalwart stars Holly and Phil leaving.

It was alleged that Cat wanted Rylan Clark as a co-host rather than Ben and will 'not receive special treatment' to permit her Monday to Thursday role on This Morning and continue her 344k-a season role on the American dance show.

Sources revealed: 'Cat will not get any special treatment... She will absolutely not be given time off to film the next series of So You Think You Can Dance. So she has to make that decision, it's one or the other, end of.'

Cat is said to have 'really wanted the job' but had concerns over her husband Patrick Kielty's commitments in Ireland and how they would juggle the jobs.

The insider continued: 'Cat told friends that she wanted the job, if 'she could make it work.' However, she also feared that Patrick's commitments in Ireland made things very tricky for her to take the job. She also really, really wanted to do it with Rylan.'
Rob Beckett has announced that he will embark on a huge new stand-up tour across the UK, running from 2024 to early 2026.

The comedian, 38, will begin his new show, Giraffe, in Chatham, Kent, in November and perform over 59 dates, ending in a recorded two-night special at the West End's London Palladium.

This marks his first stand-up tour since 2018's Wallop, which is available to watch on Apple TV+.

The popular comic initially gained recognition as a panellist and team captain on 8 Out Of 10 Cats.

He has also hosted the podcast Parenting Hell with fellow comedian Josh Widdicombe, which they initially began following the onset of the pandemic in 2020.

8 Out of 10 Cats star Rob Beckett has announced a huge new tour called Giraffe which is set to run from 2024 to 2026, (pictured in November)

The comedian, 38, will begin his new show Giraffe in Chatham, Kent, in November and perform over 59 dates, ending in a recorded two-night special at the West End's London Palladium

This sees the pair frequently interviewing celebrities regarding the difficulties of parenting.

Speaking about his upcoming tour, Rob said: This is gonna be a big old tour. Itll be tough being away from the family for a while.

Dont get me wrong I love my children/podcast content providers but I do also enjoy a lie-in and a hotel buffet breakfast. So Im sure Ill cope.

I expect to put on about three stone from takeaways and drinking after the shows.

The news coincides with the launch of Becketts new Sky Max panel show, Smart TV, next Thursday, which will see Alison Hammond and Josh Widdicombe star as team captains.

Content details for Giraffe - which is Cockney rhyming slang for laugh - are yet to be released.

However, Rob has promised that he Beckett will make audiences laugh and forget about their problems for a couple of hours.

Many tickets go on sale at 11am on Wednesday morning, with a general release coming later in the week at 11am on Friday.
Binky Felstead revealed that her mother Jane has been hospitalised on Tuesday, amid her battle against multiple sclerosis (MS).

The former Made In Chelsea star, 33, took to her Instagram Stories to reveal her mum, 71, was a 'little poorly' in hospital.

She shared a photo of two bouquets of flowers as she paid Jane a visit, writing: ''Seeing @mummyfelstead who's a little poorly in hospital! Hopefully these will cheer her up!'

Binky later took to her grid to share a sweet selfie of herself with her mum beaming from her hospital bed.

Jane looked in high spirits despite being on an IV drip, as she clutched her flowers to her chest and hilariously wore a cardboard kidney bowl on her head as a hat.

Binky Felstead revealed that her mother Jane has been hospitalised on Tuesday, amid her battle against multiple sclerosis (MS)

The former Made In Chelsea star, 33, took to her Instagram Stories to reveal her mum, 71, was a 'little poorly' in hospital

She shared a photo of two bouquets of flowers as she paid Jane a visit, writing: ''Seeing @mummyfelstead who's a little poorly in hospital! Hopefully these will cheer her up!'

Captioning the touching snap, Binky revealed that she had also attempted to smuggle champagne into the ward for Jane, but hadn't been successful.

She wrote: ' Well, mission sneaking champers to Mummy didnt work today  always tomorrow hey @mummyfelstead Love you'.

Jane was diagnosed with MS in 2017 after years of believing she had fibromyalgia following a misdiagnosis from her doctors.

MS has left her with chronic aching joints and fatigue, and symptoms can also include sight disturbances (caused by inflammation of the optic nerve), slowed thinking and bladder problems.

Earlier this month, Jane took to her Instagram to open up on her diagnosis, explaining she had suffered symptoms since she was 17, and that no one had believed her at the time.

She gave her followers an update on her health, saying while she can't walk or use her right hand 'the future is looking brighter.'

Jane penned: 'Its such a long time since Ive been on here chatting to you all, Im almost nervous doing it now. There are so many reasons, but the main one if Im honest is I havent been well .but my problems came on so slowly they were almost imperceptible.

'Shouldnt really call them problems. I massively against making a deal about anything to do with my health. Ive had a long and happy life, but its only now that Ive reached the stage in it that Ive realised the heath issues along the way.

Binky later shared a sweet selfie of herself with her mum beaming from her hospital bed and revealed she had tried to smuggle champagne into the ward, but hadn't been successful

Jane was diagnosed with MS in 2017 after years of believing she had fibromyalgia following a misdiagnosis from her doctors

Earlier this month, Jane took to her Instagram to open up on her diagnosis, explaining she had suffered symptoms since she was 17, but no one had believed her at the time, alongside a throwback photo of herself enjoying a glass on wine

She gave her followers a health update, saying while she can't walk or use her right hand 'the future is looking brighter' and gushed about her cooking series with Binky, Felstead Feasts

'I guess if something comes upon you very quickly and youre in a place where you cant tell people and they notice - you can possibly do something about it. That wasnt the case of me.

'My first flare was when I was 17, and nobody believed me when I said , I felt awful, immediately followed by a scary rush. My father had parotitis at the same time as this happened  so he naturally took precedent being so much older.'

She continued: 'I actually hate writing about it, but in the spirit of honesty, going forward and part of my resolution - which I wont keep anyway - I just thought Id explain a bit. ..

'After a lot of recent treatment for various things, the future is looking brighter. I still cant walk. My right hand has given up completely, so I can no longer write - even using this phone is difficult - although I still got voice record.'

Jane shared a throwback photo of herself enjoying a glass on wine, and explained: 'One of the recent joys Ive discovered is finding these old photographs. The one of me here was 10 years ago and Ive been having a ball going through them and finding fantastic ones of the kids- especially Binks and bribing them with them!

She also gushed about her cooking series with Binky, called Felstead Feasts, where she teaches Binky how to make a number of delicious recipes, like Toad In The Hole and double fish pie, while sharing glasses of fizz and lots of laughs.

Binky came up with the series last year after Jane's MS stopped her being able to use her hands to cook, deciding to be her hands for her and share her homemade recipes.

Jane wrote: 'Cooking with Binky has been one of the greatest delights of my life. Her suggestion came at a time when I thought it was all over - that I should be put out to pasture - which was all frankly bit of a relief!

The series sees Jane teach Binky how to make a number of delicious recipes, like Toad In The Hole and double fish pie, while sharing glasses of fizz and lots of laughs

Binky came up with the series last year after Jane's MS stopped her being able to use her hands to cook, deciding to be her hands for her and share her homemade recipes

'So here I am now. Banging on . However  the worm has turned and Id love to rejoin you all - cos Ive really missed you  and the fun of this crazy life'.

In 2018, Jane appeared on Good Morning Britain, where she revealed she doesn't plan on living past the age of 85, as she doesn't want to lose her 'dignity and independence' in old age.

The mother-of-three explained her MS battle has made her dread becoming infirm and reliant on her children when she is no longer able to do basic things for herself.

Jane has chosen the age of 85 because her children and grandchildren would be grown up and independent by then.

She said: 'If I get to 85, if I'm upright and able and valuable in some way, I've done my grandchildren, they'll all be in their 20s and my kids will be in their 50s and late forties, and I'm kind of thinking that's quite a nice time to bow out.

'The next stage, and I've witnessed it, is for you to lose your dignity and your independence and for me that would be the worst thing in the world.'

She continued: 'I would rather be gone than for any of the children I adore to have to take me to the bathroom.'

Jane also explained that her faith meant she was looking forward to an afterlife, saying: 'I'm really excited about the next stage, a whole different subject this I know you don't want me to go into it now.

'I have massive belief and I think the next stage is so exciting. I've had a ball and I'm going out on a high.'

In 2018, Jane appeared on Good Morning Britain, where she revealed she doesn't plan on living past the age of 85, as she doesn't want to lose her 'dignity and independence' in old age

She explained her MS has made her dread becoming infirm and reliant on her children when she is no longer able to do basic things for herself and chose 85 because her children and grandchildren would be grown up and independent by then
Barry Keoghan posed for his most daring shoot to date as he embraced a vampire-theme for his cover spread with W Magazine.

The Irish actor, 31, was instructed by his Saltburn director Emerald Fennell, who took inspiration from the famous line in their film, 'Lucky for you, I'm a vampire.'

For one striking snap, Barry went shirtless and bathed in a pool of blood.

The father-of-one donned a pair of latex gloves complete with fake nails, adding to the look with a chunky pearl necklace and slick of red lipstick.

He took things a step further in the next photograph, pretending to devour a heart as he sat over a plate covered in fake blood.

Barry Keoghan posed for his most daring shoot to date as he embraced a vampire-theme for his cover spread with W Magazine

He took things a step further in the next photograph, pretending to devour a heart as he sat over a plate covered in fake blood

The vampire-themed spread was inspired by Barry pretending to be a vampire in Saltburn, which also featured a memorable nude scene with the star

The kooky spread also saw Barry read the novel Twilight and pose with a Buffy The Vampire Slayer mug before modelling a suit of armour - that would allow a vampire to go outside in the daylight.

In Saltburn, Barry's character Oliver insists he's ok with performing sex acts when a girl is on her period because he's a 'vampire.'

Speaking about the inspiration for the shoot, Emerald explained: 'Because Barrys so theatrical and such an amazing physical performer, I wanted to make that literal and have him as a vampire living his everyday life in London.

'Which means reading Twilight, watching old Hammer horror films, and going to the supermarket in armor and a balaclava so that he doesnt get burned to a crisp.'

Another shocking scene in the movie sees Barry strip naked and dance around to Sophie Ellis-Bextor's Murder on the Dance Floor.

Speaking about the reaction to the nudity, he shared: 'I didnt know I could do something like that, and to see it play back on-screen gave me a massive amount of confidence.

'So maybe theres something down that route I can take.'

Emerald was keen not to push him into doing anything he felt uncomfortable with, explaining: 'The thing for me is, if you want to make stuff thats close to the bone, thats outrageous and fun and camp and silly, you need to create a space where people feel like theyre safe, that theyre not being shoved off a cliff and that were all doing it together.

'If Barry had changed his mind and said, "I dont want the dance scene at the end to be in the movie," I would have got rid of it, because consent is ongoing and everyone has a say.

'But thats why Barrys remarkable. He wants to be at the sharp end, always. He only finds it interesting there, and thats how I feel too.'

The kooky spread also saw Barry read the novel Twilight and pose with a Buffy The Vampire Slayer mug

Barry fully embraced the vampire theme of the photoshoot as he posed in a red light

Barry modelled a suit of armour that would allow a vampire to go outside in the daylight

In one snap a human arm could be seen peeking out behind a door while Barry drank from his Buffy mug

The Irish actor, 31, was instructed by his Saltburn director Emerald Fennell (pictured) who took inspiration from the famous line in their film, 'Lucky for you, I'm a vampire'

Discussing her vision for how audiences would watch Saltburn, Emerald continued: 'We did say before Saltburn came out on Amazon Prime that everyone should watch it with their families

'Whats so fun and disconcerting about the movie, whether youre watching in the theater or at home, is that your mum is squirming with embarrassment - or maybe she thinks its really hot.'

Barry previously revealed that his role in the psychological thriller, which also stars Australian actor Jacob Elordi, helped people stop looking at him as just a 'freak child-man.'

Speaking to GQ about audiences seeing him in a different light, he said: 'It's nice, man. It's nice not just being looked at as the weird-looking guy, the unique f*****g freaky little freak man-child, freak child-man, whatever you want to call it.'

He continued: 'My prettiness didn't get me this far,' but admitted he realises being someone audiences want to look at 'opens up other lanes for me  it's part of the leading man thing'.

He added: 'Little freak child-man era, as we call it. And now I'm just Man. Freak-Man. Man-Freak.'

Despite being 31, Barry plays an Oxford University student who becomes obsessed with his wealthy classmate, Felix, and heads to Saltburn to stay with Felix's family for the summer.

Barry's acting career began in 2011 when he applied for a role in Between the Canals - an Irish film following the life of three hardened criminals.

He then went on to study acting at The Factory in Dublin before appearing in the Irish soap Fair City at the age of 18.

His major breakthrough came when he landed a role in the second world war film Dunkirk in 2017 where he portrayed the character George Mills.

Since then he has appeared in a string of famous films including The Batman, Eternals, American Animals, the TV series Chernobyl, and the Golden Globe winning The Banshees of Inisherin, which has seen him tipped for an Oscar nomination.

He continued: 'My prettiness didn't get me this far,' but admitted he realises being someone audiences want to look at 'opens up other lanes for me  it's part of the leading man thing'.

Barry added: 'Little freak child-man era, as we call it. And now I'm just Man. Freak-Man. Man-Freak.'

Despite being 31, Barry plays an Oxford University student who becomes obsessed with his wealthy classmate, Felix, and heads to Saltburn to stay with Felix's family for the summer.

Barry stripped off to display his chiselled chest while posing in an undone coat

Read the full interview in W magazine

Despite being 31, Barry plays an Oxford University student who becomes obsessed with his wealthy classmate, Felix

Barry's acting career began in 2011 when he applied for a role in Between the Canals - an Irish film following the life of three hardened criminals.

He then went on to study acting at The Factory in Dublin before appearing in the Irish soap Fair City at the age of 18.

His major breakthrough came when he landed a role in the second world war film Dunkirk in 2017 where he portrayed the character George Mills.

Since then he has appeared in a string of famous films including The Batman, Eternals, American Animals, the TV series Chernobyl, and the Golden Globe winning The Banshees of Inisherin, which has seen him tipped for an Oscar nomination.
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Iconic supermodel Cindy Crawford turned 58-years-old on Tuesday.

The Fair Game actress shared a special note to Instagram to mark her birthday with her 8.2M followers.

The catwalk queen was seen blowing out the candles to her very large baby blue cake that read Happy Birthday Cindy on top in white and three gold candles.

The leggy looker from Illinois had on a pale blue shirt and a large gold medallion around her neck as her brunette hair was worn down in soft waves with her makeup done sparingly.

From the reflection in the glass door behind her it was clear she was in a tropical setting as there palm trees swaying in the wind.

The cover girl also shared a flashback photo from the 1990s when she blew out the candles to a Vogue themed 21st birthday cake.

And there was another much older image of her as child in a floral print dress with black Mary Jane shoes next to a big white birthday cake.

Iconic supermodel Cindy Crawford turned 58-years-old on Tuesday. The Fair Game actress shared a special note to Instagram to mark her birthday with her 8.2M followers. The catwalk queen was seen blowing out the candles to her very large baby blue cake that read Happy Birthday Cindy on top in white and three gold candles

The leggy looker from Illinois had on a pale blue shirt and a large gold medallion around her neck as her brunette hair was worn down in soft waves with her makeup done sparingly. From the reflection in the glass door behind her it was clear she was in a tropical setting as there palm trees swaying in the wind

'Grateful for another set of birthday candles - thank you for all the love,' wrote the star in her caption. The post was liked by Christy Turlington who shared: 'Happy Birthday to you, my always reliable friend and Super sister!'

And Helena Christensen added, 'Happy birthday to you beautiful, fun, smart, cool goddess and sweetest friend.'

Molly Sims, Reese Witherspoon, Claudia Schiffer, Paulina Porizkova, Julianne Moore, Sofia Vergara and Jessica Alba also hit the like button.

Though Cindy is well into her fifties, her career is not slowing.

She is now starring in the Donna Karan spring 2024 campaign after landing on the cover of Vogue and starring in the series The Supermodels.

The ad is called In Women We Trust and features many big names from the past.

Crawford is joined by her pals Linda Evangelista, Amber Valletta, Shalom Harlow and Carolyn Murphy.

Also in the campaign are Imaan Hammam, Karlie Kloss and Liya Kebede.

Photographer Annie Leibovitz was behind the camera.

Evangelista talked up Donna's special touch. 'Donna believed more in women than anybody,' Evangelista, 58, said to People on Thursday. 'You can be whoever you want to be in her clothes.'

Looking back, Linda said: 'I remember the pep talks before the fashion shows.

'The backstage felt more personal. She would try to instill this confidence in us, but once you were wearing her clothes, you didn't need it.

The cover girl also shared a flashback photo from the 1990s when she blew out the candles to a Vogue themed 21st birthday cake

And there was another much older image of her as child in a floral print dress with black Mary Jane shoes next to a big white birthday cake

'Donna's been part of the milestone moments that I've had.'

'Donna does represent both strength and sensuality,' Evangelista added. 'Donna Karan really stood the test of time.'

'She introduced a new style of power dressing, which celebrated women and their bodies. That was her sweet spot, and it still is,' Crawford said in a press release.

'In Women We Trust is such a powerful statement,' said Valletta in a release about appearing in the campaign. 'We need more women to lead us into the future because women think differently.'

'It's not about the clothes, it's always been about the woman in the clothes,' Valletta stated in a press release.

The company describes the Spring 2024 campaign, titled In Women We Trust, as 'a resounding celebration of the brand's iconic heritage that now marks a new chapter in both legacy and future.'

It calls the collection 'a new era of accessible luxury'.

Karan launched her first collection with her namesake label in 1985.

In late December Cindy posted this pinup shot while in a flirty pale blue cover up

The price range of the collection is $159 to $599.

The new campaign is rolling out on Donna Karan's social media channels, highlighting the eight women and their individual stories.

The Spring 2024 collection is available globally via the brand's website and in select retailers.

This comes after Cindy and Linda starred in The Supermodels. The four-part show focused on the top models of the 1990s.

In addition to Cindy and Linda were Naomi Campbell and Christy Turlington.

The series was directed by Academy Award winner Roger Ross Williams and Larissa Bills, while it was executive produced by Brian Grazer and Ron Howards Imagine Documentaries.

The series premiered on September 20.

Cindy stars in the new Donna Karan spring 2024 campaign. It also features Linda Evangelista , Amber Valletta, Shalom Harlow, Carolyn Murphy, Imaan Hammam, Karlie Kloss and Liya Kebede

She also appeared on the cover of British Vogue with Oprah, Salma Hayek, Kate Moss, Gigi Hadid, Jane Fonda, Miley Cyrus and several other ladies

The logline for the series read, 'The Supermodels travels back to the 1980s, when four women from different corners of the world united in New York.

'Already forces in their own right, the gravitas they achieved by coming together transcended the industry itself.

'Their prestige was so extraordinary that it enabled the four to supersede the brands they showcased, making the names Naomi, Cindy, Linda and Christy as prominent as the designers who styled them.

'Today, the four supermodels remain on the frontlines of culture through activism, philanthropy and business prowess.

'As the fashion industry continues to redefine itself  and womens roles within it  this is the ultimate story of power and how four women came together to claim it, paving the way for those to follow.'

In 2020 the ladies opened up about the show.

Speaking about her new venture, Naomi told MailOnline: 'My sisters Christy, Linda, Cindy and I are extremely thrilled to share our story with the world and there could be no better partners than Brian Grazer and Ron Howard which is a dream come true to bring it to life, as we knew they would respect and honor our story.

'We hope our journey seen in the docuseries will encourage, motivate and inspire young people around the world. We look forward to this great adventure ahead with director Barbara Kopple.'

Cindy wrote on her Instagram page: 'Im excited to reunite with my friends to both celebrate and examine the way supermodels transcended the traditional perceptions and limits of modeling in the fashion industry through time.

'With the support of Imagine Documentaries and Academy Award-winning director Barbara Kopple, we plan to explore the dynamic personalities, and shifts in media and culture that helped shape and define this iconic era.'

The Supermodels will take fans back to the 1980s at the start of their modelling careers and document how the four women came together from across the globe and collectively achieved a notoriety that transcended throughout the industry.

The four-part series will also examine the ladies work today, in not only the fashion industry, but activism, philanthropy and business, and how the quartet have blazed a path for the next generation.

Linda said of the series: 'To finally have the opportunity to tell our story in collaboration with the brilliant team at Imagine, and under the direction of Barbara Kopple, is as exciting for us as we hope it will be for viewers.

'I would love for people to see this as a celebration of not only our individual stories, but also to the power of friendship, dreams and perseverance.'

While Christy added: ' I am looking forward to looking back on this unprecedented time in fashion with these incredible women whom I have grown up with.'

Originally from south London, Naomi established herself among the top three most recognizable and in-demand models of the late 1980s.

Cindy seen left on the catwalk at a presentation of Dolce And Gabbana's spring-summer collection in Milan in 1991. On the right, the star is seen in 2017 at the Daily Front Row's 3rd Annual Fashion Los Angeles Awards

The Supermodels, a four-part show about top models of the 1990s, featured Crawford, Evangelista, Naomi Campbell and Christy Turlington

The Illinois native landed on the cover of Vogue dozens of times

Just before she turned 16, she was on the cover of British Elle and in 1987, she became British Vogue's first black cover girl since 1966.

Meanwhile Cindy is said to have featured on around 500 magazine covers and walked for shows including Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Christian Dior, DKNY, and previously, Valentino.

The ladies, alongside fellow super models Claudia Schiffer, Helen Christensen and Carla Bruni reunited on the catwalk in 2017 for the Versace SS18 show at Milan Fashion Week.

Showing the young guns how it was done, fashion's golden girls brought the show to a stunning climax, after it was opened by Kendall Jenner and model sisters Bella and Gigi Hadid.

The Nineties supermodels walked designer Donatella Versace down the runway to rapturous applause as they paid tribute to her late designer brother Gianni Versace, who was killed in 1997.

On the 20th anniversary of his death, it was a fitting tribute to a man with whom each of the women worked personally during their modelling days.

The women were all dressed in glittering gowns, proving that their supermodel figures were all looking impeccable into their late forties - and early fifties, for some at the time.
Dame Esther Rantzen admitted she believes older women are 'invisible' on television and only have themselves to blame for 'discriminating against wrinkles'.

The 83-year-old, who presented the BBC television series That's Life! for 21 years, claimed 'Botox and filler' are to blame for 'discriminating against wrinkles'.

As one of the most prominent women on television between 1970 and 1995, Dame Esther has long been a campaigner for women on television.

Speaking to Radio Times on Tuesday, she said she doesn't think she would have been as successful if she started a few generations later because she isn't 'pretty enough'.

She said: 'Even today, older women are still invisible on television,' she said.

Dame Esther Rantzen admitted that she believes older women are 'invisible' on television and only have themselves to blame

The 83-year-old, who presented the BBC television series That's Life! for 21 years, claimed 'Botox and filler' are to blame for 'discriminating against wrinkles' (pictured 1981)

'And it's not just men who dump them.

'Women themselves are just as much to blame for discriminating against wrinkles.

'Just look at all the Botox and fillers women on screen have to invest in.

'If she's over 60 and presents a show, which is rare enough, what woman on TV these days is allowed to look her age? Only Professor Dame Mary Beard?'

The veteran presenter said she doesn't think she would have been as successful as she has been if she had started her career any later.

'I've said that if I had embarked on my career a few generations later, I might not have been successful because I wasn't nearly pretty enough,' she said.

'Today, the expectation to look a certain way -tall, skinny, streaky blonde - is improving.

'The fact that Alison Hammond is flavour of the month proves that talent and personality can prevail.

As one of the most prominent women on television between 1970 and 1995, Dame Esther has long been a campaigner for women on television

'The fact that Alison Hammond is flavour of the month proves that talent and personality can prevail', Esther said

'Claudia Winkleman's fringe does its bit for emancipation, too'. the presenter added

'And Claudia Winkleman's fringe does its bit for emancipation, too.'

It comes after she revealed her dream final supper after admitting she is considering assisted suicide.

The Childline founder was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer last year, and has since revealed she has joined the assisted-dying clinic Dignitas in Switzerland.

She has now told how she would love to enjoy some caviar and drink champagne as a final meal.

Dame Esther added that despite it making her feel sick in the past as she is allergic to champagne, she would love to consume both as there would be no worry over the consequences.

She told LBC Radio on Monday: 'I'd like to fly off to Zurich with my nearest and dearest. Have a fantastic dinner the night before.

'I'd love caviar, if possible, and the fact that it doesn't always agree with me doesn't matter, does it?

'I could even have champagne, which I'm deeply allergic to. Then the next day, go to this rather unappealing place where they do it.'

Sharing more details of her final plans, she continued: 'Listen to a favourite piece of music, say goodbye to everybody. Tell them to cheer up.

'I'm meeting my late husband, my departed dog and my mother at the pearly gates. Hold up my hand for an injection or open my mouth for a rather disgusting medication.'

'I've got an amazing family and a group of friends and colleagues. So I'd like to say goodbye fairly gracefully, as much as I can muster, and then go, that's what I'd like.'

It comes after last week Dame Esther's daughter Rebecca broke down in tears during an emotional appearance on Loose Women while discussing her mother's cancer diagnosis.

Rebecca broke down as she watched an emotional video montage of Esther, admitting her diagnosis is the news 'no one wants to hear.'

She added that she was 'a little surprised' by Esther's decision to join Dignitas, but she has 'chosen how she wants to live.'

Rebecca said: 'It's the news that no one ever wants to hear. Mum doesn't usually break her promises and she promised to live forever so she's quite embarrassed that she's had to go back on that.'

'But how does anyone ever feel when a loved one is diagnosed with a terminal illness? It's confusing, it's bamboozling.

'They use all these words, you just want them to tell you what's going to happen and when, really directly and really succinctly and nobody does, because they pad around it carefully and you just want them to say, ''This is what you have and this is how long it'll take''.'

'You just want someone to say this is what you have and this is how long it will take but they can't.'

Discussing Esther's decision to join Dignitas, Rebecca told the panel: 'Probably the same time as you! It was a little surprising.

'She likes surprising us and keeping us on our toes. I mean I've always known about how she feels about death and dying, she's done a lot of work around it.

'She's done documentaries, she's done newspaper articles and books so we've always known that the last thing she wants is for our memories of her to be replaced with a traumatic death.

'A traumatic death involves a patient in pain, so if she's in pain, why would she want to live any longer? If she's not getting anything from life and obviously you can live with a certain amount of pain and some people are brilliantly stoical.'

Last week Dame Esther's daughter Rebecca broke down in tears during an emotional appearance on Loose Women while discussing her mother's cancer diagnosis

'But she's always said, ''I love my life the way I am''. ''I love who I am''... she doesn't say that, she's very modest but she is who she is. She is this super-dooper brain.

'I know I'm biased but she's so bright and so brilliant that the last thing she'd want is to become something else in her last moments.'

Sharing an update on how Dame Esther is doing, Rebecca explained: 'Fortunately, she is doing ok. We don't know what is going to happen next, we only know what happened in the last scan and the last scan is always a bit out of date and then you go and meet the oncologist and he asks mum, ''How are you doing?'' and she says, ''I don't know, that's why I'm here''.'

Describing her mum, Rebecca said: 'My brother said, living with mum is like living next to a volcano.

'You just never know when it's going to explode so you know, just put on your hat for lava.'

Dame Esther also recorded a exclusive for Loose Women, which was played during Rebecca's interview, in which she said: 'I don't know if I'll live long enough to see this debated in parliament but if you do agree with me, please, please make your views known to your MP and for those that disagree - maybe on religious principles or maybe because they're professionally absorbed in palliative care and believe that this goes against what they practice in medicine - can I just say, all we ask for is the choice.

'That's all we're asking for, we don't want to impose our views on you but we do want the choice ourselves.'

Agreeing that her mother 'wants to spark a debate' on the topic, Rebecca said: 'Yes, the fact that she isn't allowed to choose how she dies, doesn't make any sense to any of us.

'She's chosen how she wants to live and she's been a bit of a force of nature in that sense so it makes sense in a way that this is the debate that's coming to the forefront of our family.

'She's watching now, which is making me really nervous because I feel like I'm putting words in her mouth and you should never do that with Mum!'

Is Assisted Suicide illegal in Britain? Under the Suicide Act 1961, anyone helping or encouraging someone to take their own life in England or Wales can be prosecuted and jailed for up to 14 years if found guilty of an offence. Section two of the act states that a person commits an offence if they carry out an act capable of encouraging or assisting the suicide or attempted suicide of another person, and the act was intended to encourage or assist suicide or an attempt at suicide. In 2015 MPs including former prime minister David Cameron rejected a Bill to legalize assisted dying. Opposition to changing the law has come from faith groups, campaigners who say disabled people may feel pressured to end their lives and campaigners who fear assisted dying would become a business. Advertisement

Discussing the laws around assisted dying in the United Kingdom, Rebecca commented: 'This is the awful thing about outsourcing death to Switzerland, you have to go before you're ready because you have to be signed off by two doctors so you're not quite at the stage that you would choose and you have to go alone, because anyone that goes with you, comes back to prosecution.

'The worst time in your life, I'm experiencing the worst thing ever, which is the loss of my mum. I'm very lucky to have her, but then I'd have to go through a court case and prove that I didn't murder her.'

Kaye also asked Rebecca if she can 'understand the objections and concerns of those that do not agree' to which Rebecca replied: 'I absolutely understand that there are a few evil people who would take advantage of it, to do whatever it was they wanted to, to get hold of someone else's assets and to end somebody's life before they have chosen to.

'It's not reinventing the wheel, it works and exists in other countries. It works in Canada, so we could take those rulings and adapt them for this country.'

Rebecca added: 'Yes, absolutely protect the vulnerable but someone like mum, who has made her opinions very clear - what's to debate?'

In a final message from mother to daughter, Dame Esther Rantzen was heard telling Rebecca: 'I am incredibly proud of Rebecca for all kinds of reasons, she is a terrific mother, a terrific daughter, she's a terrific journalist and I am absolutely thrilled that she is taking on the presidential role at Childline.

'I felt very [inaudible] because I am not able to do what I used to do, which is go in and be a volunteer counsellor on the phone and visit the various Childline bases and meet our staff and volunteers and she's going to do all of that and it's such an important role. I know she'll do it brilliantly and I know she'll love doing it. Becca, I am extremely proud of you.'

Rebecca responded to the message saying: 'I don't feel I could do anything at all in relation to how brilliant she's been but I just want to do my best.'

In December, Esther revealed she has joined assisted-dying clinic Dignitas in Switzerland and will consider going there to end her life should her next scan show she is getting worse.

Dame Esther has also reignited the debate over assisted-dying after calling for national debate on the subject, saying people deserve 'the choice' over how they pass away.

She previously revealed she had not expected to spend this Christmas with her family after being diagnosed with cancer, but a 'miracle' drug had given her additional time with her loved ones.

Writing in her column for The Mirror, her daughter Rebecca, 43, explained: 'It's not often that you know beforehand it will be the last time you will dish out turkey and pull crackers at the table with your mother, but that's what this year has been for us.

'She thought she would be dead in spring, but a miraculous drug has meant that we have another Christmas with her, a wonder we couldn't have imagined possible when she was diagnosed in January. I was determined to make the most of it.'

Rebecca continued: 'I couldn't relax. I was too aware every moment was a precious treasure. I felt I needed to hold on to each minute so tightly I was probably exhausting to be around.'

She explained how despite initially stressing about the 'trickling away time' she managed to finally 'relax' and find contentment in making memories.

She revealed how Dame Esther made wonderful memories with her grandchildren - teaching two how to play solitaire and being taught in return how to do a sudoku puzzle - before singing karaoke late into the day.

Rebecca added that the was 'filled with so much love that our memories will last' and said she was holding out hope for 'another Christmas miracle' by having her mother with them next year.

She previously said she fears she could be accused of murder if she helps her seriously ill mother travel to Dignitas.

However, Dame Esther admitted such a decision would put her family and friends in a difficult position as they could be prosecuted should they decide to join her.

Rebecca told TalkTV: 'It's impossible, isn't it, because I can't even say to you, I would support my mum on her journey to Dignitas because if I said that, that's legally murky.

'Obviously, in my head, I would have thought that I would never let her go alone to somewhere like that, but I'm a busy working mum. I can't leave my children to pop off to jail while she's buzzing off to Switzerland.

'The fact is only three people a year get prosecuted. But the actual process of going through a court case at what is the worst time of my life so far.

'You know, mum is my person. I do not want to live without her. I will have to live without her and please, please don't make it worse for me by accusing me of murdering her and making me go through what would be a terrifying legal process.'

Dame Esther has called for a free vote on assisted dying as it's 'important that the law catches up with what the country wants'.

Speaking on the current illegal status of assisted dying in the UK she pleaded: 'This cruelty must stop.'

She continued: 'The current law was intended to protect the vulnerable, to stop them being pressured into suicide.

'And of course precautions are vital. But bad cases make bad laws, and in trying to prevent crime the law at the moment denies us the most valuable freedom of all, the freedom to choose when to end our own suffering.'

She said she will find out in a few weeks if a new medication she has been taking is 'performing its miracle' or if it has 'given up'.

Asked about the current rules on assisted dying, Ms Wilcox said: 'Why would it be a problem to set up regulation around this?

Rebecca broke down as she watched an emotional video montage of Esther, admitting her diagnosis is the news 'no one wants to hear' (seen together in 2017)

'We have regulation around everything. I've been trying to adopt a dog and the forms and licenses and things that go through that is ridiculous.

'So death and birth are possibly the most important moments in your life.

'My death, I want it to be exactly how I want it to be and I think coming together, making a law, making structures, making regulation that respects my opinion on my body and my death for everybody is the only sane way.

'It would stop the money-makers who want to make money from people's death and frankly if you're going to give someone a good death, make some money out of it as long as you're helping them.

'I have to say, Dignitas does not look like a very lovely place. I would much rather have diamonds and champagnes and a hot bathtub, and it doesn't look like they supply that, and I think mum would too. We both model ourselves on Dame Joan Collins who is fabulous.'

Ms Wilcox had earlier told ITV's Good Morning Britain how her mother, who has also worked as a broadcaster for several years, 'doesn't care what anyone else says' as she prepares to join her family for what tragically could be her last Christmas.

'It's horrific and she always promised us she would live forever. She's not usually one to break her promises so we're a little upset about that.

'I would personally want to ground her plane if she was going to fly to Zurich but I know it's her decision. I just don't ever want her to go.'

Ms Wilcox also spoke of the heartbreak of watching her father, Desmond, endure a slow and painful death as he battled heart disease, adding: 'That's what mum wants to avoid.'

Dame Esther said that if 'nothing's working' she might 'buzz off to Zurich' in Switzerland but realises this would put her family and friends in a difficult position as they could be prosecuted should they decide to join her.
90 Day Fiance stars Sam Wilson and Citra Herani revealed they have walked down the aisle together.

Citra took to her Instagram to announce the exciting news and share stunning snaps from their 2023 farmhouse wedding on Tuesday.

'We have been waiting for so long to post this pictures!' she said.

'We tied the knot on September 10th 2023!! Been married with you for 4 months its been a good journey I love being your wife!!'

The photo album features pictures of Citra in her gorgeous white lace gown, flashing her sizable wedding ring alongside her husband, who is dressed in a sharp suit.

'The beauty of marrying your best friend is that even after years of being together, you still have endless things to talk about,' she added.

90 Day Fiance stars Sam Wilson and Citra Herani revealed they recently walked down the aisle together.

The duo, who initially connected through a dating app and made their television debut on TLC's tenth reality series season, exchanged vows in an intimate ceremony in Cameron, Missouri surrounded by 30 close friends and family members, per People.

'We were so happy that both of our parents were able to attend and left their own religious beliefs to the side to celebrate our union wholeheartedly,' Citra, who is Muslim, told the outlet.

Wilson's brother played the role of the officiant during the wedding ceremony, which incorporated elements of a Muslim celebration.

Adding a sentimental touch to the occasion, Herani's mother had the heartfelt honor of giving her away.

'Getting married means being together by each others sides  finally! Not doing long distance anymore makes us so happy. We are truly one now,' Herani said to the news source.

On her Instagram post, Citra also defended Sam after she was criticized for marrying a man with a substance abuse disorder.

Since the age of 15, Sam grappled with drug addiction issues. Despite his troubled past, he opened up to Citra about his struggles on the show, and she accepted him wholeheartedly.

As their relationship progressed, Sam and Citra got engaged, and he made the decision to convert to Islam to marry her.

Citra took to her Instagram to announce the exciting news and share stunning snaps from their 2023 farmhouse wedding on Tuesday

'We have been waiting for so long to post this pictures!' she said. 'We tied the knot on September 10th 2023!! Been married with you for 4 months its been a good journey I love being your wife!!'

The duo, who initially connected through a dating app and made their television debut on TLC's tenth reality series season, exchanged vows in an intimate ceremony in Cameron, Missouri surrounded by 30 close friends and family members

'When people said 'you left your country, your family, your career and came to the states to marry this loser?' He is not a loser!,' she clapped back.

'He is the best guy i have ever met in my entire life, theres none out there guy like him. He is the one I prayed for. The way he treated me is everything I asked for this whole time I found my man that can treat me so good and so sweet.'

'Its so rare to find someone that loyal to you nowadays Im glad I found mine,' she added.

As for Sam, he told People he's focused on their future. 'It's my dream to buy a nice modern house for Citra,' he shared.
The former Bethlehem Steel property west of Route 5 in Lackawanna, once the epicenter of Buffalo Niagaras industrial might and its subsequent decline, has undergone a revival in recent years.

And that rebirth continues.

New companies have moved in to the complex, producing products ranging from metal tubing to the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. Warehouses are being built to store and ship goods.

Heres a closer look at what has unfolded and what is yet to come:

Sucro Sourcing

The sugar company invested $35 million into rehabilitating three former Bethlehem Steel buildings on the site, plus adding a new storage facility. The project revitalized buildings that sat neglected for decades.

Sucro has used the Lackawanna site  where it has 60 employees  to make greater inroads in the U.S. market.

The company considers the location ideal. Ships can deliver raw sugar directly to the location through the Lackawanna Ship Canal. And Sucro has immediate access to rail and roads to deliver its products to customers.

TMP Technologies

TMP makes the household scrubber Mr. Magic Eraser for Procter & Gamble inside a building at Renaissance Commerce Park. TMP bought 26 acres to build a $22.7 million, 280,000 square foot plant at the site.

The company, which has 180 employees, moved its production there in 2022 from an older location on Dingens Street in Buffalo, an upgrade to more modern space.

Total Quality Assurance International

Michigan-based TQAI was the first tenant to lease space in a warehouse Uniland Development completed in 2022 at 8 Dona St. inside Renaissance Commerce Park, along Route 5.

TQAI leased 108,000 square feet, representing about 72% of the buildings space.

TQAI specializes in engineering, logistics, warehousing, quality control and inspection services, packaging and rework for the automotive industry. The company employs 75 people at the location, after moving there from Amherst, in search of more space.

Welded Tube USA

Welded Tube of Canada, based on Ontario, helped launch the revival of the former Bethlehem Steel land, acquiring 45 acres in 2012.

The following year, Welded Tube USA opened a $48 million facility supplying pipes to the oil and gas industry. The county built an access road on the site that has opened up additional land for development.

Welded Tube USA now has 96 employees at its plant.

Max Advanced Brakes

Markham, Ont.-based Max Advanced Brakes last year signed a 10-year lease for the remaining 42,000 square feet at the 8 Dona St. warehouse. The project represents the companys first distribution center in the United States.

Max Advanced Brakes sells and distributes automotive brake parts, specializing in brake pads, rotors and related accessories that a third-party partner produces abroad.

2 Steelworkers Way

Bolstered by the tenant response to its first warehouse at the site, Uniland in late 2023 finished building a second warehouse, at 2 Steelworkers Way.

Uniland has leased 65,000 square feet of the 150,000 square foot building to KPM Exceptional, a regional distributor of outdoor power equipment. KPM is expected to take occupancy in the first quarter.
The View's Sunny Hostin clashed with her co-host Sara Haines during Tuesday's episode of the ABC show as the panel discussed the Alabama's Supreme Court's ruling that frozen embryos are children.

Sunny, 55, who conceived her two children using IVF, admitted that she fully supports the court's landmark decision, and argued that an embryo is an 'unborn child' and claimed it is 'certainly more than just an egg and a sperm separated'.

However, mother-of-three Sara completely disagreed and argued 'if you put a little embryo out into the world, it's not viable on any level' - and also suggested that the courts should 'go after IVF as the rich person's abortion'.

The ruling in question came about from a lawsuit which was brought by a group of IVF patients whose frozen embryos were destroyed in December 2020 when a patient removed them from a cryogenic storage unit and accidentally dropped them on the ground.

The View's Sara Haines and Sunny Hostin clashed during Tuesday's episode as they discussed the Alabama Supreme Court's ruling that frozen embryos are children

Host Whoopi Godldberg was forced to step in and moderate the sensitive conversation

Mother-of-three Sara became very passionate live on air as she shared her point of view

Alabama's Supreme Court has now ruled that the patient who mistakenly destroyed the embryos can be sued under the state constitution's wrongful death of a minor act, which Sara fumed was a 'stretch'.

Sharing her own personal experience, Sunny explained: 'As you all know, I went through five miscarriages before we turned to IVF. We went through three cycles of IVF I have two beautiful children as a result of it.

'We depleted our entire life savings. Each cycle was not covered at the time, it's $30,000 and it was important enough for us. Now, we did do frozen embryos, but because we are Catholic, we knew that we couldn't destroy the embryos because they are, in our view, children.'

Sunny continued: 'And we couldn't just give them up for research because in our view they were children, and so I feel responsible in the sense that we used every single embryo and if every single embryo became a child then we were going to take care of that child, and we don't have any frozen embryos left, thank God, because I would probably have an extra baby.'

When Whoopi asked Sunny if it was 'because of her religious beliefs', Sunny replied: 'My religious beliefs are that conception is the start of human life.

'However, when you look at an embryo, that certainly is more than just an egg and a sperm separated.

'They wait several days. Ideal transfer is five days. You're transferring a human embryo that is going to attach in your uterine lining and become a child,' she explained, before adding that her opinion is 'partly based on her religious beliefs and partly based on science as well'.

Sara then decided to have her say and announced: 'But if you put that little embryo out into the world, it's not viable on any level. So I'm not criticizing your personal beliefs because I do believe people believe that, but I believe this is a stretch to call this a "minor".'

When Sunny interjected and referred to the embryo as an 'unborn child', Sara fired back: 'Well, see that's where I differ because the whole miracle of life and religious argument for the very brilliance of science, just doesn't go together.

'Yes embryos, yes fertilization, all of this stuff can happen naturally, it doesn't here. This great gratitude goes to the scientists and doctors who are able to help do this.

Sara argued 'if you put that little embryo out into the world, it's not viable on any level'

Joy Behar (left) claimed it was 'time to march' as Sunny argued her opinion on IVF and embryos

Sister Act star Whoopi suggested that the court should 'take care of the children that are already here'

'Because in the court the judge actually said in his opinion, "Human life cannot be wrongfully destroyed without incurring the wrath of the holy God." Okay then, well let's leave it up to holy God on judgement day and not the holy court!' Sara fumed.

'They're going after it with religion while science is what brought this here,' the blond TV host added, before she confidently declared: 'I am not pro life!'

However, Sister Act star Whoopi was quick to correct her and said: 'You are pro life! There is no one at this table who is not pro life!' as fellow co-hosts Joy Behar and Alyssa Farah Griffin looked on.

Keen to stress her views, Sara continued: 'My point here is, I believe it's a woman's right to choose what happens with her body with her doctor, medical personnel, and family and all the things.

'So when pro-life people come out and argue about this, I say that we need to - and I don't feel this personally - but if you're consistent, go after IVF as the rich person's abortion because there are embryos everywhere that are frozen and this hurts the lowest income...'

Whoopi then butted in and stated: 'Here's the problem, you're fine to do this with a little embryo and a little egg... How about taking care of the kids that are here?

'The problem is, the people who are making these laws are not the people who know anything about how this works? They don't know how it works with IVF.

'They don't realize that what they are doing is condemning people in a way that I don't think that they're prepared for.'

Keen to have the final say before the show went to a commercial break, the Oscar winning star added: 'I want to see them get agitated in Alabama about taking care of the children that are actually there. Punishment is fine, but wrongful death is a little stretch.'
Hilary Swank looked rather dapper while walking out of the Today show's studio in New York City on Tuesday morning.

The 49-year-old actress flashed a smile as she donned a three-piece pantsuit that featured a slim-fitting jacket, which that was paired with matching trousers and vest.

The performer - who recently attended the premiere of her film Ordinary Angels - also wore a black tie and high-heeled shoes, and she completed her look with a leather purse.

Swank's appearance at the show not long after she revealed that she had been experiencing 'sleepless' nights in the months since she became a mother.

The actress welcomed twins Aya and Ohm with her husband Philip Schneider last year, and she recently opened up to People about the ups and downs of parenting.

Hilary Swank looked stunning while walking out of Today's studio in New York City on Tuesday morning

The 49-year-old actress flashed a smile as she donned a three-piece pantsuit that featured a sharp-looking and slim-fitting jacket, which that was paired with matching trousers

Although the Academy Award-winning performer did admit that it had been 'hard' to adjust to the new changes in her life, she remarked that she was looking forward to the later months of her children.

'I know this is also a season, and it too will pass, and I try and remind myself that there's going to be a day when I'm like, "Oh, I'd love to wake up right now and just hold you." So just trying and hold on to that,' she said.

The Million Dollar Baby star also stated that her sleep patterns had been greatly disrupted by the needs of her daughter and son, 10 months.

'The sleepless nights are hard and when you have one that might sleep through the night, the other one's not, so it's kind of this trade-off every night,' she said.

Swank did remark that her children were still relatively easy to look after, stating 'They're only crawling, so it's not like we're out of control or anything.'

The performer utilized her time on Today to open up about her children's names, and she revealed that Aya was named after 'a Syrian refugee we met in Lebanon,' whom she described as a 'courageous, brave young girl.'

She added: 'Ohm is considered the first universal sound and unites all people, and that sounds very fitting.'

Swank and the father of her children initially began seeing each other in 2016, and they tied the knot in 2018.

Swank's appearance at the show not long after she revealed that she had been experiencing 'sleepless' nights in the months since she became a mother

Swank was pictured waving to fans as she was pictured on NYC's Upper West Side Tuesday

The Oscar-winning actress beamed as she donned a long beige coat with merlot red slacks and orange heels

The Million Dollar Baby star was in an upbeat mood after appearing on the Today show

The Boys Don't Cry actress has been on the promotional trail for her new motion picture

Although the Academy Award-winning performer did admit that it had been 'hard' to adjust to the new changes in her life, she remarked that she was looking forward to her kids' later years

The actress was formerly married to Chad Lowe, and their marriage lasted from 1997 until 2007.

She eventually moved on with Schneider, and they announced that they were planning on welcoming twins in October of 2022.

Swank went on to give birth to Aya and Ohm in April of last year, and she publicly announced their arrival by sharing a post on her Instagram account.

The Logan Lucky actress' children have since made occasional appearances in photos and videos that have been shared by their mother.
Carol Vorderman has opened up about how she deals with online trolling and one of the tips she uses to avoid receiving abuse from 'misogynistic' bullies.

The TV personality, 63, explained how she has muted five words on X - formerly known as Twitter - which she said filters some of the attacks.

Revealing what the words she has chosen to block are, Carol said she has muted 'Botox, plastic, s**g, w***e and s**t', in a bid to get rid of some abuse.

When asked what she does about trolls, Carol told Grazia: 'I cop quite a lot of it but I pay no attention. I've had stalkers and helicopters flying my house. I was litigious to keep my two kids out of the public eye.

'Misogyny is just a subsection of other bullying. On social media I mute certain words: Botox, plastic, s**g, w***e and s**t.

Carol Vorderman has opened up about how she deals with online trolling and one of the tips she uses to avoid receiving abuse from 'misogynistic' bullies

'That gets rid of a lot of the ad hominem attacks. The vast majority out there are lovely. But there is a subset of nasty men and nasty women.'

Carol recently joined LBC radio to present a new Sunday programme which started last month.

The TV presenter was axed from her BBC Radio Wales show in November 2023 after she breached the broadcaster's social media guidelines.

The former Countdown Star has claimed she will continue 'to hold the corrupt to account', after previously wowing to keep 'calling out the disgusting Tories' - after she was axed.

Carol has admitted that 'she will carry on using her voice to cause a commotion' in her upcoming weekend programme which airs January 14th from 4pm until 7pm.

She said: 'I'm delighted to be joining LBC and the phenomenal stable of powerful voices on the station. More than ever, live radio is an incredibly important platform for news, so I'm looking forward to returning to a medium that I love.

'And what a year 2024 is going to be for news and politics! On Sunday afternoon, I'll be using my voice  as you might expect  to cause a commotion.

'I won't be shy to say things that others won't and I'll hold the corrupt to account without fear or favour.

The TV personality, 63, explained how she has muted five words on X - formerly known as Twitter - which she said filters some of the attacks

Carol joined LBC radio to present a new Sunday programme which started last month (pictured on Sunday)

'And obviously I can't wait to hear from the listeners  all of it, without apology or embarrassment; their worries, their joys, their ideas.

'To quote Bob Dylan, 'the times they are a-changin' and I can't wait to get started  bring it on!'

Carol has previously appeared as a guest presenter on LBC alongside Nick Ferrari, James O'Brien, Shelagh Fogarty, Andrew Marr, Tom Swarbrick, Iain Dale and Matt Frei.

LBC's Managing Editor, Tom Cheal said: 'Now more than ever, listeners want candid, intelligent debate where people are free to air their views openly.

'LBC's callers provide a unique insight into what people right across the country are thinking and feeling, and I'm delighted Carol will be debating the big issues with them each week.

'Carol's straight-talking and incisive opinion make her the perfect fit alongside what is already the UK's best team of speech broadcasters, and I know she will help ensure LBC continues to lead the way as the home of the UK's best opinion-led broadcasting.'

Carol had been accused of 'flagrantly breaching' the BBC's impartiality rules with her online outbursts, which have included calling ministers 'a lying bunch of greedy, corrupt, destructive, hateful, divisive, gaslighting crooks'.
Jodie Foster has admitted she found her 50s 'difficult' and 'struggled to accept her early success' as she reflected on turning 60 in a new interview.

The actress, 61, won her first BAFTA and was nominated for her first Oscar aged just 13-years-old for her role in Taxi Driver.

Reflecting on her career, she recalled how her critical and commercial success earned from starring in the 1976 thriller 'felt like a fluke.'

Speaking on the Reign with Josh Smith podcast, Jodie explained: 'I started when I was three. I was on a show when I was six, and I got nominated for an Oscar when I was twelve, and I think that I always felt like it was a fluke.

'Like I was really lucky in that I was just in the right place at the right time, and I always felt like I should feel bad that I had all these good things I struggle with that a lot.'

Jodie Foster, 61, has admitted that she found her 50s 'difficult' and 'struggled to accept her early success' as she reflected on turning 60 in a new interview (pictured on Sunday)

The actress, won her first BAFTA and was nominated for first Oscar when she was aged just 13-years-old for her role in Taxi Driver (pictured in the film)

She added: 'Especially now because, we think, Oh, unless you're having a lot of pain and anxiety, you must not be working hard. And you associate pain and anxiety with hard work.'

Taxi Driver generated controversy for the casting of the then-12-year-old Jodie in the role of a child prostitute.

The film told the story of Bickle (Robert De Niro) who took a job as a cabbie and dreamed of violently cleaning up the streets of New York.

It is widely seen as one of the great American films. It is ranked as the 31st best film ever made  joint with the Godfather Part II  by the British Film Institute and the 47th best by the American Film Institute.

Most recently she starred as Detective Liz Danvers in True Detective, the final episode of which was broadcast last week.

Jodie added: 'On True Detective I don't think I've ever been as happy and it was really easy, it was an easy experience and there was a part of me that was like, "oh, it's easy, I must not be working hard."'

'The fifties were really hard for me and I think for a lot of women because you're like, "Wait, I can't do what I used to do. I'm not gonna look the same on that cover," or "I can't compete with my younger self and if I try to, I just keep failing."

'But then the world is confusing, and you're confused about what it is to be 50 and all the images you see are confusing. I was also incredibly happy in my personal life but I just kept saying, I was meant to do something meaningful and I can't figure out what it is. Then 60 happened.

Reflecting on her career, she recalled how her critical and commercial success earned from starring in the 1976 thriller 'felt like a fluke' (pictured alongside Robert De Niro in the film)

Speaking on the Reign with Josh Smith podcast, Jodie explained: 'I started when I was three. I was on a show when I was six, and I got nominated for an Oscar when I was twelve'

Most recently she starred as Detective Liz Danvers in True Detective (pictured), the final episode of which was broadcast last week, which she described as a 'happy experience'

The actress explained: 'There's something about turning 60 that's been so wonderful, about letting go of some of the baggage of trying to compete with your younger self. There was a lot of pressure to compete with my younger self.

'Im so glad that I can be a character actor and that I can bring whatever wisdom and experience that I have to the process to help other people.

'Usually it's just about telling them to relax and that they don't have to worry and that they're not in control of it anyway.'
Meghann Fahy and her boyfriend Leo Woodall have made their relationship Instagram official as she posted a sweet snap of them together online.

The White Lotus actress, 33, met her boyfriend Leo, 27, on the set of the second series of the HBO drama which was set in Sicily, Italy.

Rumours of their blossoming romance hit the headlines when the series was released and they have since confirming it by stepping out together.

However, this is the first time Meghann has shared a picture of just her and Leo to her social media account and fans went wild for the 'hard launch'.

A hard launch is an explicit and purposeful announcement of a romantic relationship, usually on social media.

Meghann Fahy and her boyfriend Leo Woodall have made their relationship Instagram official as she posted a sweet snap of them together online

In the sweet snap, the couple wrapped their arms around each other and Meghann captioned it with three emojis, a smiley face, pizza and a blue heart

In the sweet snap, the couple wrapped their arms around each other and Meghann captioned it with three emojis, a smiley face, pizza and a blue heart.

The American actress was dressed in a navy sweatshirt with the words 'pizza shark cape cod' printed on the back in white lettering.

She wore it with a pair of jeans and trainers, while casually-dressed Leo wore a white T-shirt with navy chinos and white trainers.

Underneath the snap, Leo left a cheeky comment as he queried: 'Who is he!?'

However he was easily identifiable in the photo as he had been tagged by Meghann.

Both Meghann and Leo have previously shared snaps of each other with their White Lotus co-stars on their respective pages, however this is the first time she has posted just one of them alone.

She previously shared an image of their feet stood on an 'imagine' mosaic in September last year.

Underneath the snap, Leo left a cheeky comment as he queried: 'Who is he!?'

However, this is the first time Meghann has shared a picture of just her and Leo to her social media account and fans went wild for the 'hard launch'

She previously shared an image of their feet stood on an 'imagine' mosaic in September last year

She captioned the image 'free feet pics'

Leo and Meghann confirmed their relationship in late November when they were spotted locking lips in the rain.

She told the New Yorker in November 2022 that they bonded as well as with the rest of the cast 'because it was like a ghost town' while filming during the idyllic island's off-season.

Previously, Meghann was last romantically linked to Into the Woods star Billy Magnussen from 2017 to 2020.

After the final series began filming in Sicily in early 2022, it's thought the couple have been together since then.

In the show Meghann plays a wealthy stay-at-home wife Daphne Sullivan, meanwhile Leo plays Jack, the supposed nephew of a rich expat, Quentin, who is played by Tom Hollander, 56.

The pair didn't star in any scenes together in the hit show however, it didn't stop their romance from progressing.

Romance rumours were first fuelled in September 2022 when the actor shared a carousel of Polaroid photos from the set of The White Lotus.

There were plenty of PDA-fuelled pics of the pair before Meghann appeared in the comment section, writing, 'I love you! I love these! I love you!' and Leo replied: 'Love you right back.'

Last February the couple walked their first red carpet together for the 29th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards.

The couple were then photographed at the South Bank Sky Arts Awards ceremony in July 2023 in London, where Meghann was asked if she's had any romance outside of The White Lotus.

'I don't know anything. Never heard of it. Never seen it. What is that show?' she jokingly responded.

Then in November the pair were photographed kissing on the streets of New York City.

And this month they were both snapped attending Jimmy Kimmel Live in Los Angeles, when Meghann appeared to cheer Leo on during his appearance on the show to discuss One Day.
Teen Mom alums Ryan Edwards and estranged wife Mackenzie Edwards divorce case has been dismissed nearly one year after her filing.

A Tennessee court threw out their divorce proceedings due to inactivity on Monday, according to papers obtained by The Sun.

'It is ordered by the court that this case be, and the same is hereby dismissed, without prejudice, with the cost taxed against the plaintiff,' the documents read.

A county clerk told the outlet: 'There was never a Final Decree on this case. It sat for over 270 days with nothing filed so it was dismissed on Procedural Steps.'

Ryan and Mackenzie have 30 days from the order to reopen the divorce case or it will remain dismissed, per the clerk.

Teen Mom alums Ryan Edwards and estranged wife Mackenzie Edwards divorce case has been dismissed nearly one year after her filing

A Tennessee court threw out their divorce proceedings due to inactivity on Monday, according to papers obtained by The Sun

The news comes after Ryan and Mackenzie were spotted taking a stroll outside his halfway house in August, indicating an effort to reconcile.

However, Ryan's romantic path took a turn as he started dating Amanda Conner, a single mother he crossed paths with during his time in rehab, per the outlet.

In February 2023, MacKenzie filed for divorce from Ryan, obtained a restraining order against him, and was also granted temporary custody of the couple's children, Jagger, five, and Stella, two.

Just a few days later, Ryan was arrested for stalking after he had texted Mackenzie, which was a violation of order of protection.

According to legal documents, Edwards texted his estranged wife on more than one occasion after being alerted on February 10 that he could not legally have any contact with her.

'My god I don't haven't to live my life without you! Sorry!' he wrote in one text on February 19. The father of three then reached out to her again in a text February 23, writing, 'For what its worth, I'm sorry and I do miss you.'

The arrest came just days after MacKenzie filed for divorce from Edwards, obtained a restraining order against him, and was also granted temporary custody of the couple's children, Jagger, five, and Stella, two.

Ryan was previously served with an Order of Protection by Hamilton County Sheriff's Office personnel on February 9, ordering him to immediately leave the residence where his wife was currently living, police said in a press release.

The former couple wed in 2017 after meeting at a gym in Chattanooga, Tennessee. They are parents to son Jagger, four, and daughter Stella, three

A county clerk told the outlet: 'There was never a Final Decree on this case. It sat for over 270 days with nothing filed so it was dismissed on Procedural Steps'

Ryan and Mackenzie have 30 days from the order to reopen the divorce case or it will remain dismissed, per the clerk

The following day Mackenzie went to the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office to report that her estranged husband posted revealing photos of her and accused her of cheating on his Instagram account.

He added: 'They take your money sleep with anything that looks at them. But they must have a wife to [sic]. God what a joke. It's sad really.'

'If you guys have never seen a spineless s*** this is one,' Edwards was alleged to have written along with a picture of his estranged wife topless.

Authorities then discovered that Ryan had violated the order of protection by contacting his father-in-law.

While investigating the violation, the deputies discovered that Ryan had a warrant for harassment, filed by MacKenzie, from the Chattanooga Police Department.

Police would then arrest him at his place of employment for the harassment warrant and the violation of an order of protection, along with possession of drug paraphernalia and a controlled substance.

Following the social media post, Mackenzie, 26, reported to the police multiple instances of domestic violence Edwards has been involved in since they wed in 2017 after meeting at a gym in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Mackenzie told police her estranged husband 'punched holes in the walls and doors' and held her up by her 'neck to the wall' during a fight last month.

She also accused Edwards of throwing her 'down in hallway and said if he could not have me no one could' and 'opened [his] pocket knife' and put it to her 'back like he was going to kill' her.

And what's worse: Mackenzie maintained that the entire incident played out in front of their children.

In February 2023, MacKenzie filed for divorce from Ryan, obtained a restraining order against him, and was also granted temporary custody of the couple's children, Jagger, five, and Stella, two

Just a few days later, Ryan was arrested for stalking after he had texted Mackenzie, which was a violation of order of protection

'I tried to leave, he smashed my phone, took my car keys,' Mackenzie said, adding that a co-worker contacted the authorities in the wake of the incident.

The Chattanooga, Tennessee native told police that a week later, Edwards was violent with her again. This time she claime Edwards 'came into bedroom where [she] was laying down ... pretending like he's going to punch [her] face' while yelling at her.

She added that after Edwards broke the bed she was lying in at the time, she 'went to get [her] kids and leave,' but he wouldn't let her.

Mackenzie then said he 'threw [her] down in [the] living room' and 'threw menthol nicotine in [her] eyes.'

Mackenzie was granted a temporary protective order.

Edwards is also father to son Bentley, 14, with Maci Bookout, 31, who he was seen with on the MTV series 16 & Pregnant

Edwards, Mackenzie, and his parents were terminated from the show Teen Mom OG in 2021 following an incident with Bookout and her spouse, Taylor McKinney (pictured), according to The Sun

His issues with drugs were subsequently chronicled on the network's popular series Teen Mom.

Back in March of 2018, he was arrested in connection with a probation violation on a previous drug conviction, after which his ex-Bookout, whom he shares a 14-year-old son Bentley, obtained a restraining order against him.

He was subsequently arrested later that year after he was arrested with heroin in his possession, eventually serving a three-month prison stint in connection with the incident.

Edwards, Mackenzie, and his parents were terminated from the show Teen Mom OG in 2021 following an incident with Maci Bookout and her spouse, Taylor McKinney.
Carol Vorderman has told of how she became 'good at telling men to get lost' as she spoke in a new interview on Tuesday.

The TV personality, 63, recalled growing up in 'poverty with a single mother' and her time studying a male dominated degree, saying the experience made her 'riotous.'

Her Dutch father left when she was just three-weeks-old and later refused to meet her when she sought him out some 20 years later, they finally met for the first time when Carol was 42.

She told Grazia: 'It have always been riotous. They had to calm me down I was out in nightclubs at 15 in Rhyl, North Wales where I grew up in abject poverty with my single mum.'

Carol went on to study engineering at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, despite being told her chances of getting in were slim by her headmaster.

Carol Vorderman, 63, has told of how she became 'good at telling men to get lost' as she spoke in a new interview on Tuesday (pictured in November)

The TV personality recalled growing up in 'poverty with a single mother' and her time studying a male dominated degree, saying the experience made her 'riotous'

She continued: 'I'm wired differently. When I got into Sidney Sussex School to study engineering, I was one of four girls on a course with 300 men.

'I got pretty good at telling men to get lost.'

Carol previously explained how the early rejection by her father had been a driving force in her life and for years she insisted that she wanted nothing to do with him at all but changed her mind when she hit 40.

The TV presenter recently joined LBC radio to present a new Sunday programme which started last month.

She was axed from her BBC Radio Wales show in November 2023 after she breached the broadcaster's social media guidelines.

Carol has claimed she will continue 'to hold the corrupt to account', after previously wowing to keep 'calling out the disgusting Tories' - after she was axed.

She has admitted that 'she will carry on using her voice to cause a commotion' in her upcoming weekend programme which airs January 14th from 4pm until 7pm.

The radio host said: 'I'm delighted to be joining LBC and the phenomenal stable of powerful voices on the station. More than ever, live radio is an incredibly important platform for news, so I'm looking forward to returning to a medium that I love.'

She told Grazia : 'It have always been riotous. They had to calm me down I was out in nightclubs at 15 in Rhyl, North Wales where I grew up in abject poverty with my single mum'

She added: 'And what a year 2024 is going to be for news and politics! On Sunday afternoon, I'll be using my voice  as you might expect  to cause a commotion.

'I won't be shy to say things that others won't and I'll hold the corrupt to account without fear or favour.

'And obviously I can't wait to hear from the listeners  all of it, without apology or embarrassment; their worries, their joys, their ideas.

'To quote Bob Dylan, 'the times they are a-changin' and I can't wait to get started  bring it on!'

Carol has previously appeared as a guest presenter on LBC alongside Nick Ferrari, James O'Brien, Shelagh Fogarty, Andrew Marr, Tom Swarbrick, Iain Dale and Matt Frei.

Carol recently joined LBC radio to present a new Sunday programme which started last month (pictured on Sunday)

LBC's Managing Editor, Tom Cheal said: 'Now more than ever, listeners want candid, intelligent debate where people are free to air their views openly.

'LBC's callers provide a unique insight into what people right across the country are thinking and feeling, and I'm delighted Carol will be debating the big issues with them each week.

'Carol's straight-talking and incisive opinion make her the perfect fit alongside what is already the UK's best team of speech broadcasters, and I know she will help ensure LBC continues to lead the way as the home of the UK's best opinion-led broadcasting.'

Carol had been accused of 'flagrantly breaching' the BBC's impartiality rules with her online outbursts, which have included calling ministers 'a lying bunch of greedy, corrupt, destructive, hateful, divisive, gaslighting crooks'.
Jonnie Irwin's grieving wife Jessica Holmes has revealed his death 'still doesn't feel real' as she posted an emotional update on Instagram on Tuesday.

A Place In The Sun presenter Jonnie passed away on February 2 after a brave three-year fight with cancer, following his diagnosis with lung cancer in 2020.

As she broke her silence two weeks after announcing his death, Jessica told how her 'sadness was huge' and she was struggling to see her future without him.

Jonnie hosted property show A Place In The Sun from 2004 to 2021, when he was forced to step down due to his terminal cancer diagnosis.

The TV host leaves behind his wife Jessica and sons Rex, four, and two-year-old twins Rafa and Cormac.

Jonnie Irwin's grieving wife Jessica Holmes has revealed that his death 'still doesn't feel real' as she posted an emotional update on Instagram on Tuesday

As she broke her silence two weeks after announcing his death Jessica told how her 'sadness was huge' and she was struggling to see her future without him

In her new post Jessica penned: 'It still doesn't feel real. The sadness is huge. I can't even let myself think what another week without Jonnie will be like let alone another year another 10 years.

'I have been truly touched by all the support from friends and strangers. But nothing compares to how I have been picked up by my family and Jonnies sisters, your support and love means everything to me.

'I am loving watching the boys enjoy some days in the sun and having a change of scene is just what we needed..'

Alongside her thoughtful words she posted an image of a sunny coastal scene as she made the most of some time away.

Jessica announced the news of his death in a heartbreaking tribute two weeks ago.

Jonnie was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2020, and went public two years later revealing the cancer had spread and it was terminal.

Jessica, 40, remained a steadfast pillar of support during her husband's challenging health battle.

The couple, who wed in 2016 in what Jonnie fondly described as the 'happiest weekend of my life,' have three sons.

The TV host leaves behind his wife Jessica and sons Rex, four, and two-year-old twins Rafa and Cormac

A Place In The Sun presenter Jonnie passed away on February 2 after a brave three-year fight with cancer, following his diagnosis with lung cancer in 2020

Jonnie was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2020, and went public two years later revealing the cancer had spread and it was terminal

Before Jonnie's diagnosis, Jessica occasionally appeared in his Instagram posts, including a trip to Paris to celebrate his 49th birthday.

At the time, pictured by the Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Paris, Jonnie wrote: 'Been a hell of a week. I'm bowled over by the lovely messages thank you all so much.

'As touching as it's been, I've also found it quite surreal - almost like we're talking about some else. By my side throughout this is my wife so thought I'd take us to Paris for the weekend.

'We could only do this with the help from my family, in particular my amazing sisters who dropped everything and have driven up to the Toon to look after the boy band. We are having an amazing time. Thanks so much. xxx. #family #onelife #paris'.

In December 2018, Jonnie and Jessica welcomed their firstborn, Rex, with the presenter sharing a heartwarming Christmas Day photo on Instagram.

He penned: 'Merry Christmas! Hope you had a great day - we spent all morning unwrapping this fella.

'No name yet but at 8.8 pounds he's already making an impression. Mum and baby doing well. #bruiser.'

Two years later in June 2020, Jonnie posted a touching picture to Instagram of Jessica and him with their newborn twin boys.

In the caption he thanked the hospital staff and affectionately shared the challenges and joys of parenthood.

With COVID-19 lockdown in full swing, he spoke of the strains of restrictions, and how the couple would navigate the early stages of raising three boys under 18 months.

He wrote: 'They've arrived! After a long day in hospital the boys finally decided to make an appearance. They are identical in every way including weighing a good 5 pounds 7 each. No names yet.

'Jess was her usual magnificent self. I'm so proud of her for carrying around what looked like a planet these last few weeks and huge thanks to the amazing staff at The RVI in Newcastle.

He added: 'Due to lockdown restrictions I've had to leave mum and twins in the hospital and await their return home so giving Rex as much fun & love as possible.

'We know having 3 boys under 18 months is gonna be hard but it's better to have a surfeit of good news rather than a deficit. Bring it on!'

TV host Jonnie revealed in November his cancer had spread to his brain after first being diagnosed in 2020.

Despite not share his courageous battle with the public straightaway, he later revealed the reason he kept it a secret was to 'pay the bills' but that he was 'overwhelmed' by the 'kind messages' he had received from the public.

Jonnie also kept fans updated on his home renovations, on social media, after the family moved up north to Newcastle so his wife could be nearer her family.

The huge house renovation which included ripping out the porch, moving doorways, and changing window panels, as well as interior changes, was done in order for Jonnie to set his family up after he was gone.

In October 2023, Jonnie and Jessica marked their seven-year anniversary, with Jonnie praising his 'angel' wife in a heartfelt tribute.

The couple celebrated with a dinner and toasted their long-lasting love with some bubbles.

He captioned the post: '7 years married to this Angel. I use this term because the love she shows to others is beyond comparison.

'Last night was just us; chatting, planning and gossiping. So good. Amazing food and staff at @lovagejesmond made our evening perfect.'

Initially given a six-month prognosis, Jonnie defied medical expectations, facing the spread of cancer to his brain with a combination of medication, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy.

Just before Father's Day 2023, Jonnie revealed he and Jessica decided not to tell his young children that he was dying.

He reasoned that the information would be too complex for his young children to process and understand.

Jonnie hoped that keeping his kids none-the-wiser would mean the family could create more happy memories together.

Jonnie told Hello! at the time: 'I keep being asked: 'Are you going to tell them?' but tell them what?

'It would be horrible news that they'd have to get their heads around. And it would confuse the hell out of Rex  he's got a shocking enough day coming. Let's bury our heads in the sand for as long as possible.'

Jonnie planned ahead and bought his three boys a special gift each to mark their 18th birthdays, more than a decade early, knowing he wouldn't be there.

In a statement announcing his death Jessica said: 'In Loving Memory. It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of Jonnie's passing.

'A truly remarkable soul, he fought bravely against cancer with unwavering strength and courage. Jonnie touched the lives of so many with his kindness, warmth, and infectious spirit.

'At this time, we kindly ask for the privacy of Jonnie's family as they navigate through this profound loss. Their grief is immeasurable, and your thoughts, prayers, and support are deeply appreciated.

'As we remember the beautiful moments shared with Jonnie, let us celebrate a life well-lived and a legacy that will forever be etched in our hearts.

'Jonnie may be gone from our sight, but his love, laughter, and memories will live on.

'Rest in peace, dear Jonnie. You will be dearly missed, but never forgotten.'

Jessica later took to her own account to share a snap of her late husband beaming and made a heart-wrenching tribute.

She said: 'Goodnight my favourite. Thank you for everything. I will always love you.

'The hardest day has come, a day I prayed wouldn't come. It's with all the the sadness in the world that I confirm Jonnie has passed away earlier today.

The couple, who wed in 2016 in what Jonnie fondly described as the 'happiest weekend of my life,' have three sons

'His magical brain that continued to fight to the end has now gone to sleep. He has given me more than I could ever have wished for, 8 bonkers years of love and adventure and 3 amazing boys'.

'I will continue to make you proud but only with your love still finding me and guiding me for the rest of my life, me and the boys still need you. Jonnie you really were the most handsome man I ever knew and I am so sorry for this cruel end.

'It really wasn't fair and you didn't deserve any of this. You gave so much time to others and touched everyone you met, I have never experienced anything like the effect you had on people.

Jessica finished: 'I love you so much and forever proud of you xxx.'
Jenna Coleman looked chic as she supported her Doctor Who co-star Matt Smith at the press night for his new play An Enemy Of The People on Tuesday.

The actress, 37, showed off her sophisticated sense of style in a long brown belted coat as she attended the event at the Duke of York's Theatre.

Underneath she had on a pretty red gingham dress and completed her look with chunky black shoes and tights.

Jenna wore a sleek black Chanel bag over her shoulders and had her brunette tresses styled into loose waves.

After the show Matt himself also posed for snaps and looked smart in a grey jacket and black trousers.

Jenna Coleman looked chic as she supported her Doctor Who co-star Matt Smith at the opening night of his new play An Enemy Of The People on Tuesday

Matt is starring in the critically acclaimed An Enemy of the People, Thomas Ostermeier's reimagining of the classic play by Henrik Ibsen

After the show Matt himself also posed for snaps and looked smart in a grey jacket and black trousers

He looked as cool as ever in his trendy ensemble on the night

Anais Gallagher was also at the press night and cut a casual figure in a white shirt, navy jacket and red scarf.

Jenna and Matt appeared in Doctor Who together and have remained firm friends since.

Jenna starred as Clara Oswald for three seasons, serving as a companion to the Eleventh and Twelfth Doctors, Matt and Peter Capaldi respectively.

Matt is starring in the critically acclaimed An Enemy of the People, Thomas Ostermeier's reimagining of the classic play by Henrik Ibsen.

Joining Matt as Dr. Stockmann are Jessica Brown Findlay as Katharina Stockmann, Priyanga Burford as Aslaksen, Zachary Hart as Billing, Paul Hilton as Peter Stockmann, Nigel Lindsay as Morten Kiil and Shubham Saraf as Hovstad.

A synopsis reads: 'Doubt spreads faster than disease in Ibsen's thought-provoking play about truth in a society driven by power and money.

'When Dr. Stockmann makes an unbelievable discovery about the healing waters in his local baths, he holds the future of the town in his hands, but those with everything to lose refuse to accept his word.

'As the battle goes beyond contaminated water, barriers are broken in this contemporary production as Ostermeier shows us why this perennial class will be relevant forever.

Making his West End debut, celebrated director Thomas Ostermeier's production of An Enemy of the People plays at the Duke of York's Theatre for a strictly limited run from February 6 2024.

REVIEWS: An Enemy of the People The Telegraph: Rating: Dominic Cavendish writes: 'The Crown and Doctor Who star is a natural fit for the role of Dr Stockmann  but this flawed production could use a digital-era upgrade. 'It's a part he's a natural fit for, with his high-brow looks and aura of broodingly intellectual, nay doctorly authority. 'A play for today, on paper, but the concept could use a digital-era upgrade, and a shot more vigour, to set the world on fire.' The Guardian Rating: Arifa Akbar writes: 'Rock'n'roll reimagining of Ibsen's timeless corruption drama brings the audience into direct Question Time-style dialogue with Smith's idealist revolutionary. 'He is a doctor, new dad and musician who belts out a David Bowie number before launching his protest against small-town corporate corruption and the sale of contaminated spa water for public consumption.' The Stage Rating: The publication writes: 'Matt Smith is arresting in an arid, over-deliberate reimagining of Ibsen from German director Thomas Ostermeier.' The Evening Standard Rating: Nick Curtis writes: 'Kudos to Matt Smith: it's bold of him to choose this unstarry, uneven production of Ibsen's social critique for his latest return to the stage. 'The story of a doctor destroyed for revealing a public health crisis in the spa waters on which his town depends, it juxtaposes understated naturalism with coarse political sloganeering and audience participation. 'The casually charismatic Smith and a fine supporting cast can't stop it falling apart in the second half.' Financial Times Rating: Sarah Hemming writes: 'The performances are great, particularly from Zachary Hart as the funny, dopey Billing and Jessica Brown Findlay as the long-suffering Katharina. 'And Smith is terrific. His Stockmann blusters, rages and despairs, but ends up (unlike Ibsen's original) exhausted, tugging on a bottle of beer and contemplating compromise.' The Independent Rating: Alice Saville writes: 'The 'Doctor Who' star makes a daring choice for his return to the stage, but German director Thomas Ostermeier's reimagining of Ibsen's play about a man who fights to speak out can feel smug and self-congratulatory.' The Times Rating: Clive Davis writes: 'The sad truth is that Thomas Ostermeiers sophomoric attempt to drag the Norwegian playwright into the 21st century is so clumsy it might almost be part of some sinister conservative plot to kill off left-wing theatre once and for all. 'Smith turns in a passable performance, although hes outshone by the ever-reliable Paul Hilton (a memorably vicious Iago at the National not so long ago) who brings a snarl to Stockmanns establishment-minded brother.' Advertisement

The actress, 37, showed off her sophisticated sense of style in a long brown belted coat as she attended the event at the Duke of York's Theatre

Underneath she had on a pretty red gingham dress and completed her look with chunky black shoes and tights

He wore a plain white T-shirt with the grey jacket and jeans

On stage he looked mucky as he got stuck into the action

A synopsis reads: 'Doubt spreads faster than disease in Ibsen's thought-provoking play about truth in a society driven by power and money'

Making his West End debut, celebrated director Thomas Ostermeier's production of An Enemy of the People plays at the Duke of York's Theatre for a strictly limited run from February 6 2024

Cast members Matt Smith and Jessica Brown Findlay bow at the curtain call

Matt stars opposite Jessica Brown Findlay as Katharina Stockmann who wore a pretty red dress

She looked great in the strapless red number which she teamed with black bow heels and a gold necklace

The cast posed for a group snap together

(L to R) Cast members Shubham Saraf, Zachary Hart, Matt Smith, Jessica Brown Findlay, Priyanga Burford, Paul Hilton and Nigel Lindsay

The cast are seen on stage

He wore mucky clothes by the end of the show

He looked proud at the end of the performance

Jessica wore jeans and a red patterned jumper

They all looked pleased after finishing the show

Nigel Lindsay wore a grey suit and blue shirt for the press night

Anais Gallagher was also at the press night and cut a casual figure in a white shirt, navy jacket and red scarf

She wore her blonde tresses in loose waves over her shoulders and opted for a natural makeup look

She looked in good spirits as she posed for the cameras at the press night at the Duke Of York's Theatre

Anais never puts a foot wrong when it comes to fashion and the press night in London was no exception

Downton Abbey icon Hugh Bonneville was also at the event and looked as smart as ever on the red carpet

Hugh Bonneville (left) and Michael Fox attend the press night of Matt Smith's An Enemy Of The People

Vanessa Redgrave also made an appearance at the event

She looked stylish in a bright white coat

In a recent interview Matt revealed how his role as Prince Philip in The Crown, helped secure him the position.

He told The Telegraph: 'I was in luck. I'm not sure that Thomas had a great knowledge of English actors or their work.'

Matt added: 'But he had watched The Crown and he'd enjoyed it.'

Admitting he's a big fan of the German director, he continued: 'He's sort of impressive. I'd always thought that if he ever did work in London, I'd check in and go and see it, because that's the kind of theatre I want to be engaged with: the stuff that tries to push things to the edge of everywhere.'

It comes after Matt was been announced as the leading man in Sky's TV series adaptation of Nick Cave's novel, The Death Of Bunny Munro.

The actor will take on the titular role of Bunny Munro - a grieving sex addict who has recently lost his wife Libby to suicide.

Nick, 66, will serve as an executive producer in the six-part series which is written by BAFTA Pete Jackson (Somewhere Boy) and directed by Isabella Eklof (Industry, Holiday),

The story follows self-professed lothario Bunny Munro and his young son called Bunny Junior as they make an increasingly out-of-control road trip across the south of England.

The two struggle to contain their grief in very different ways.

As Bunny bounces from one sales pitch to the next, trying to seduce any woman he meets, Bunny Junior tries to talk to the ghost of his mother and distract himself from the realisation his dad's life is crumbling around him.

As he starts to unravel, Bunny realises he must do something to rescue his son from his own outdated notions of what it is to be a man.

The search for an actor to play the young Bunny Junior is already under way, with the hope of uncovering an exciting new talent.

Matt, whose acting credits include The Crown, Doctor Who and House of The Dragon, said: 'To work alongside Nick Cave on The Death of Bunny Munro feels like a great honour. It's a brilliant exploration of love, grief, and chaos.

'At its heart a deep, difficult, and tender story about a father and son, coping with loss and change.

'Clerkenwell Films and Sky feels like the perfect home to make such a bold story and Pete has delivered such wonderful scripts, both funny and heart breaking in equal measure.

'I can't wait to collaborate with Isabella and begin the journey with everyone at Clerkenwell.'

The Windsors actor Hugh Skinner was also in attendance at the event and wore a smart black coat

Actor Roger Allam also made an appearance and looked dapper in a brown suit and jazzy silk scarf

George Osborne attending the press night of Matt Smith's An Enemy Of The People at the Duke of York's Theatre

Nick added: 'Finally, someone with the courage to take on this unholy tale.

'I am thrilled that Sky and Clerkenwell Films are bringing Bunny to life, in all his flawed glory, and I can think of nobody better than Matt Smith to play him.'

The Death of Bunny Munro is produced by Clerkenwell Films, who are owned by BBC Studios, in association with Sky Studios.

The series will begin filming in Spring 2024 across the south of England, with the release date to confirmed at a future date.

It will be available on Sky Atlantic and streaming service NOW in the UK.
Leo Woodall had a little bit of fun with girlfriend Meghann Fahy after she confirmed their romance with a 'hard launch' to Instagram, following a year of quietly dating.

The White Lotus stars who met on the set of the second season of the HBO dramady shared their status as a couple in a sweet social media posting on Tuesday.

Meghann, 33, shared a photo of the pair with their backs to the camera as they walked with their arms around each other - and among the many congratulations from fans - was a cheeky comment from Leo, 27.

'Who is he?!' he wrote, as if to insinuate Meghann was having a romantic stroll with another man.

Underneath the snap, Leo left a cheeky comment as he queried: 'Who is he!?'

Meghann posted a photo of the pair with their backs to the camera as they walked with their arms around each other toward a large, red building on social media

Meghann Fahy, 33, and Leo Woodall, 27, have confirmed the whisperings and made their relationship official. The White Lotus co-stars made their relationship official Tuesday (both pictured in West Hollywood in January)

In the snap, Leo was turned out in a white T-shirt, black jeans and white sneakers.

The British heartthrob wore a beige billed cap.

Instead of making a bold statement, Meghann shared smiley face, pizza slice and blue heart emojis next to the photo, but tagged Leo in the picture.

Fans were elated that the two were no longer beating about the bush.

'HARD LAUNCH FINALLY!!!!' exclaimed one excited fan. 'Oh my god so jealous lol, happy for you two! Hes gorgeous,' admitted another.

'Love this for you honey,' penned comedian Heather McMahon.

Meghann and Leo have been the subject of speculation since September 2022 when they began working on The White Lotus season two in Italy.

The White Lotus stars met on the set of the second season of the HBO dramady while shooting in Italy. Rumors about their relationship emerged in September 2022, but the couple played it cool until they were spotted kissing in New York more than a year later

She looks amazing on the show; seen here in a yellow starfish print swimsuit

After playing it cool for a long time, they were spotting sharing a kiss underneath an umbrella in November 2023, in New York.

While the two may be co-stars in life, they have each moved ahead with new projects.

Meghann is starring in the the mystery series The Perfect Couple opposite Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber and Dakota Fanning.

Leo is starring in the post WWII drama Nuremburg with Russell Crowe and Michael Shannon. The movie, based on the book The Nazi and the Psychiatrist by Jack El-Hai, was scheduled to begin production in Hungary this month.
A Buffalo man who said he was shot in the bathroom of Club Marcella in December sued the Michigan Street business Monday for negligence.

Samuel Merced Santiago, 30, alleged that he was attacked by three patrons of the club and shot in the thigh Dec. 3 in a lawsuit filed by Buffalo attorney Marc Shatkin of Muscato & Shatkin.

Santiago is suing the club on the basis of negligently maintaining its premises, having negligent security and for negligent breach of its assumed duty.

According to the lawsuit, the operators of the club had actual and/or constructive knowledge of the extraordinary pattern of criminality in and around the club, and that its security measures were wholly inadequate to reasonably address (its) business circumstances.

Club Marcella, due to its negligence, carelessness and recklessness, permitted erratic and predatory patrons armed with dangerous fire weapons to enter (the club) and attack and injury Santiago, the lawsuit maintains.

The lawsuit filed in New York State Supreme Court does not specify an amount in damages that is being sought.

Shatkin did not return a call to his office Tuesday and Club owner Joe Marcella Guagliardo could not be reached Tuesday to comment.

The attack on Santiago occurred a little after 2:30 a.m. on Dec. 3, 2023, according to Buffalo police.

Two men arrested the following day  Yeramell Benitez, 20, and Ramon Lopez, 29, both of Buffalo  were each charged with gang assault, a felony, and remanded to jail without bail. Two days later, 28-year-old James Pardo was likewise charged and held in custody.

Law enforcement officials at a Dec. 4, 2023, news conference said the shooting was targeted. They said they believed the suspects knew the victim.

The shooting was the fourth associated with Club Marcella and the second shooting inside the club in 2023. The club was also the subject of nearly four dozen calls involving large fights, assaults and thefts. As a result, Buffalo police ordered the shutdown of the club after the Dec. 3, 2023, shooting, prompting the New York State Liquor Authority to suspend the clubs license to sell alcohol.

The lawsuit filed against Club Marcella maintains that the operators of the club had reason to believe Benitez, Lopez and Pardo posed a danger to lawful patrons of the club, and were under a duty to implement and maintain reasonable security measures and take reasonable steps to protect those lawfully on the premises from the reasonably foreseeable criminal acts of third parties and/or other patrons.

It also alleges that there were a number of prior similar instances involving extreme violence and firearms at the club, and that its operators should have been aware of those instances that involved police action, serious injuries or death, and illegal firearms, yet the operators failed to take appropriate security measures to make the club reasonably safe for its patrons.

A triple shooting on Feb. 12, 2023, killed Jorge Garcia-Leon Jr., 21, and wounded two others, including a security guard. Two months later, the suspected gunman, Sharief McBroom, 20, of Buffalo, was indicted on murder and weapons charges.

The first of two shootings in 2023 outside the club came on Jan. 29, when a security guard was shot in the nightclubs parking lot, according to police. On Oct. 1, 2023, two patrons were wounded outside the club when a gunman fired multiple shots from a vehicle.

In addition, police have been called to Club Marcella nearly four dozen times about large fights, assaults and thefts, according to police reports and records of calls.

In early May of 2023, a woman told police that another woman she knows attacked her at the club and tried to gouge her eyes out with her thumbs, and a third woman kicked her in the ribs.

Later the same month, another woman reported she was punched from behind by a man, rendering her unconscious.

In October 2023, a woman reported that 10 women she didnt know attacked her outside the club, leaving her with a busted lip and a swollen eye.

In late November 2023, a group of nearly a dozen people fought with security at the club as they were escorted out.
She has readily acknowledged that she was overjoyed to be awarded the CBE  conferred on her at Buckingham Palace by the late Queen Elizabeth. But fashion designer Katharine Hamnett, who had previously declared that she was 'holding out to be a Duchess  with a castle', has apparently tired of being a mere Commander of the British Empire and consigned her insignia to oblivion  or, worse, one of her dustbins.

Staging the sort of protest that's been her stock in trade since 1984, when she met Margaret Thatcher at a Downing Street reception wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with an anti-nuclear slogan, Hamnett has posted her latest on social media.

A video clip shows her descending the steps from her house, wearing a black T-shirt on which are imprinted the words: 'Disgusted to be British'.

Just in case anyone's in doubt, Hamnett, an alumna of 45,000-year Cheltenham Ladies College, says: 'I'm disgusted to be British for our role in genocide in Gaza.'

Then, lifting the lid of a black bin with her left hand, and holding the light red ribbon of the CBE in her right, she adds: 'This is my CBE. It belongs in the dustbin, with Sunak and Starmer.'

Katharine Hamnett has apparently tired of being a mere Commander of the British Empire and consigned her insignia to oblivion  or, worse, one of her dustbins

A video clip shows her descending the steps from her house, wearing a black T-shirt on which are imprinted the words: 'Disgusted to be British'

In 1984, she met Margaret Thatcher at a Downing Street reception wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with an anti-nuclear slogan

With a deft flourish, the 76-year-old flips the ribbon  and the cross to which it is attached  into the bin.

Closing the lid, Hamnett turns to the camera once more. 'Go to this site,' she instructs admirers, directing them to a website which helps the uninitiated discover who their MP is. 'Tell them you'll never vote for them again unless they support a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.'

Finally, in a demonstration of the trading instincts that propelled her to immense commercial success, she says: 'Go to this website and get the T-Shirt'.

The designer is best known for her oversized T-shirts printed with slogans which were worn by pop bands including Wham! and Queen. George Michael wore his white 'Choose Life' shirt in the pop video for Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go.

Hamnett has been deftly in line with metropolitan style for decades. 'I had to tone down my accent a bit,' she has recalled of her time at art school in London in the 1960s, describing the era as 'the first time the working class had mixed with the upper class'.

In 2008, she declared herself 'ashamed to be British' because then prime minister Gordon Brown's brother worked for French power company EDF, which generated much of its energy from nuclear power.

I wonder what her father's advice to Israel, striving to free its hostages, would have been? He had been a prisoner of war of the Japanese.

Emma reveals key to romance

How did former BBC newsreader Simon McCoy win the heart of Dynasty pin-up Emma Samms? Behaving like a gentleman, it seems.

'I don't think good manners are old-fashioned,' says Samms, 63.

How did former BBC newsreader Simon McCoy win the heart of Dynasty pin-up Emma Samms? Behaving like a gentleman, it seems

'Saying 'please' and 'thank you' is a matter of respect for others. Some people get very aerated when a door is held open for them. I don't take it as a judgment on my capability: I like it.

'And the fact that my husband opens the car door for me and stands up when I leave or return to a formal dining table is only a total delight.'

DJ 'DIDDY' David Hamilton is just hitting his stride at 85. But he doesn't want to be recreated as an AI voice like his new Boom Radio colleague, the late Tommy Vance.

'I worry about AI because in the hands of the wrong people it could be a very dangerous weapon,' he tells me.

Hamilton is instead recording a series called Million Sellers about pop's biggest hits. 'There'll be plenty of those left in the can. Boom can run those when I pop my clogs.'

Prue's poignant tribute to brother

The Great British Bake Off star Dame Prue Leith pays a moving tribute to her late brother Jamie in her new ITV1 series by cooking up one of his recipes for viewers this weekend.

Restaurateur Jamie Leith died last year and Dame Prue, 84, rustles up the vegan dish, Jamie's Red Dragon Pie, in the opening episode of Prue Leith's Cotswold Kitchen.

The Great British Bake Off star Dame Prue Leith pays a moving tribute to her late brother Jamie in her new ITV1 series by cooking up one of his recipes for viewers this weekend

'I love how the taste and smell of food is a wonderful trigger of memories,' she says. 'When I cook this dish, I definitely think of Jamie. I was really close to him. He was my younger brother and would cook this dish for his children when they came home from school.'

Cruz cuts a dash with Mossie's pals

THE OCCASION: Perfect Magazine and AMI Paris's LFW party at Dovetale, Mayfair.

DOUBLE-TAKE: Kate Moss's pal Rosemary Ferguson, 49, doesn't just party with her daughter, Elfie, 22; they even wear the same dress. Rosemary (left) chose the black JW Anderson twisted mini while model Elfie slipped into the 550 silver version.

BECKS-DRESSED: David and Victoria Beckham's youngest son, Cruz, who turned 19 yesterday, wore an eye-catching lime-green shirt with a pinstripe suit.

DRIVING AMBITION: Heiress India Rose James, 32, couldn't have made a quick getaway if she tried. 'I can't drive,' she tells me. 'I'm having lessons, but I'm worried how I'll do in the test.

Elfie Reigate and Rosemary Ferguson attend the Perfect Magazine and AMI Paris LFW Party

David and Victoria Beckham's youngest son, Cruz, who turned 19 yesterday, wore an eye-catching lime-green shirt with a pinstripe suit

As the Prince and Princess of Wales consider whether to send Prince George to Oundle, the 45,435-per-year boarding school in Northamptonshire, they could consult the unlikely figure of Bruce Dickinson, frontman of heavy metal rockers Iron Maiden.

'If you can put up with Oundle, you can cope with life in Iron Maiden,' Dickinson says. 'But I'm not sure being in boarding school enables you to get on with people. People in boarding schools are not  how can I put this?  normal people.'
He spent decades recovering from the trauma of his father's suicide when he was just 18.

And now Rick Stein has revealed he employs people in their 60s and 70s as he believes early retirement contributed to his father's mental health problems.

The celebrity chef, 77, who owns a chain of high-end seafood restaurants, has urged companies not to 'push older people out of the workplace' as his father Eric 'struggled without all the camaraderie and pressure of work.'

Stein's father, who suffered from bipolar disorder, jumped off a cliff near the family's holiday home in Cornwall in 1965, shortly after he left his role as Managing Director of The Distillers Company.

'My industry focuses on younger people - which is great - but older people often bring a nice balance,' he told Saga Magazine.

Rick Stein has revealed he employs people in their 60s and 70s as he believes early retirement contributed to his father's mental health problems

The celebrity chef, 77, who owns a chain of high-end seafood restaurants, has urged companies not to 'push older people out of the workplace'

'I've got a few sixty- and seventy-somethings working part-time in my restaurants and they love it. And the customers love them, so let's try to get older people back into the workplace.'

Stein said that it had been 'awful' losing his father as a teenager but that he'd 'worked out my emotional response to what happened many years ago,' by putting his 'thoughts and emotions into their respective places'.

But, he doesn't 'mind people asking about it because talking helps' and 'sharing is good' when it comes to discussing something like suicide.

'Dad took early retirement and he struggled without all the camaraderie and pressure of work,' he said.

'Like I said earlier, let's not be too hasty to push older people out of the workplace.'

The father-of-three owns The Rick Stein restaurant group which operates a number of sites in the UK and Australia.

The group was established nearly 50 years ago when Stein opened his first site, The Seafood Restaurant, in Padstow in 1975.

Stein has said that it hasn't been until recently that he's able to focus on his father's 'positive' side and forgive him for what happened.

Rick Stein's Seafood restaurant in Padstow, Cornwall

Earlier this month, Stein revealed that he had had open heart surgery at the Royal Brompton Hospital in London after struggling with breathlessness (pictured with wife Sarah)

'The suicide of a parent is a kick in the teeth. But I have to say that latterly - and I never would have believed this - I'm much more aware of my father's positive side,' he said in 2020.

'Oh my gosh, I'm so much older than he was when he died. But there you go. You know, I think I have probably forgiven him.'

Earlier this month, Stein revealed that he had had open heart surgery at the Royal Brompton Hospital in London after struggling with breathlessness.

'Having had the operation and recovered, the improvement in my health has left me tremendously optimistic,' he told the Times.

'Even though at my age and with the normal realities of life I'm not going to last that much longer.'

The age of retirement in the UK is currently 66 but experts have warned that it could soon rise to 71.
Sharon Stone looked glamorous as she arrived at the 74th Berlinale International Film Festival Berlin on Tuesday.

The actress, 65, wore a white fitted gown to the Honorary Golden Bear Award Ceremony for Martin Scorsese at Berlinale Palast.

She teamed the elegant floor-length number with a voluminous cape that she draped loosely over her shoulders.

Sharon accessorised her outfit with a pair of sheer gloves and elevated her height with black stilettos.

Topping off her look, the star added a choker necklace and carried a small sequinned clutch bag.

Sharon Stone, 65, looked glamorous as she arrived at the 74th Berlinale International Film Festival Berlin on Tuesday

The actress wore a white fitted gown to the Honorary Golden Bear Award Ceremony for Martin Scorsese at Berlinale Palast

Producer and screenwriter Martin was presented with the Honorary Golden Bear for his lifetime achievement during the award ceremony.

Sharon's outing comes after she opened up about the perils of being a multimillionaire Hollywood A-lister in a candid new interview.

The Basic Instinct actress, who is worth an estimated $60million, revealed it is 'very expensive to be famous' and that she is expected to pick up the check at dinner 'every time' in a candid new chat with InStyle.

The Golden Globe winner said her star is so great that she can no longer 'jump on a Delta flight' and has to employ a retinue of staff to keep her looking stylish and ensure her safety.

She said: 'Its very expensive to be famous. You go out to dinner, and theres 15 people at the table, and who gets the check? You get the $3,000 dinner check every single time'.

The star totted up her expenses including her home and her team of staff from publicists to security to make-up artists.

Sharon said she is too well-known to take flights on commercial airlines, saying: 'At least now [people] understand that Jennifer Lawrence cant just skip onto an airplane. Nicole Kidman cant jump onto Delta. Sharon Stone cant do it either, whether or not shes doing a lot of movies.

'[People] think, What have you been in? And its like, Dude, they know me in the Amazon rainforest. Its tampons, Q-tips, and Sharon Stone.'

Sharon accessorised her outfit with a pair of sheer gloves and elevated her height with black stilettos

Topping off her look, the star added a choker necklace

Producer and screenwriter Martin was presented with the Honorary Golden Bear for his lifetime achievement during the award ceremony

Sharon's outing comes after she opened up about the perils of being a multimillionaire Hollywood A-lister in a candid new interview

Back in October in an interview with British Vogue, the Oscar-nominated actress recalled the near-fatal stroke she suffered back in 2001, and the doctors who she says initially misdiagnosed her medical emergency and nearly sent her home untreated.

The star explained the pain in her head as feeling 'lighting bolt-like' just before being rushed to the hospital all those years ago.

'I remember waking up on a gurney and asking the kid wheeling it where I was going, and him saying, "brain surgery,"' the actress recalled. 'A doctor had decided, without my knowledge or consent, that he should give me exploratory brain surgery and sent me off to the operating room.'

She maintains the medical staff didn't take her description of her pain level seriously, and as a result they did not detect the brain hemorrhage: 'They missed it with the first angiogram and decided that I was faking it,' Stone told the publication.
A new mum who went into labour at one of Taylor Swift's Melbourne concerts has opened up about her baby's speedy arrival and her touching tribute to the pop star.

Tenille Smith gave birth to Sloane Tayla early Saturday, just hours after she joined 96,000 fans at the MCG for the first show of the Australian leg of Swift's The Era Tour.

The mother-of-two appeared on Sunrise on Tuesday with her husband Josh and three-day-old Sloane to recall the dramatic ordeal - and why her baby's middle name is spelt differently from the Grammy award winning pop star.

'Look, it actually is my middle name so boy or girl, that's what it was going to be  but now there is a better story behind it, something for her 21st,' Ms Smith said.

Tenille Smith (pictured right) appeared on Sunrise on Tuesday with husband Josh (pictured left) and said her new daughter - born just hours after the concert ended - is called Sloane Tayla Smith (pictured in her mum's arms)

READ MORE: Major secret detail from Taylor Swift concert is leaked before Sydney shows Taylor Swift 's secret way of getting to the stage to perform during her Australian tour has been revealed Advertisement

On Friday night, a heavily pregnant but excited Ms Smith shared a pre-concert selfie of herself outside the MCG, unaware that she would soon experience contractions.

'39+5 and we've made it to Taylor Swift,' she captioned the post.

During the concert, she texted her husband to say they may need to make a mercy dash to the hospital afterwards.

Ms Smith recalled initially being in 'sort of in denial'.

'There was an opportunity to sit down, and I texted my husband saying he will have to pick me up after the concert, and we're going to have to head (to the hospital),' she said.

'I just said I'm going to have to leave straight away, there is no way I am catching public transport and having a baby on there.'

Mr Smith said he didn't realise Tenille was in labour, until he picked her up outside the stadium.

'Once I got there I realised she was in labour and I didn't bring (any of her clothes) with me,' he said.

'I wanted to take her to the hospital, but she didn't want to go in her cowboy boots, so we had to make a quick dash home and got there in the nick of time.'

Taylor Swift is pictured onstage in Melbourne on Friday night, not realising that one of the concertgoers had just gone into labour

Ms Smith left the concert at 11.30pm to go went home and get changed.

Baby Sloane made her grand entrance less than two hours later at 1.20am, mere minutes after making it to the hospital.

'It was definitely a swift exit,' Ms Smith quipped.

The proud mum later announced Sloane's dramatic arrival on her Instagram account.

'Sloane Tayla Smith. Making a quick entrance on February 17th, weighing 3.7kg at 1.20am,' she wrote.

'Approximately 2 hours after the Swiftie concert concluded. The perfect addition to our little family.'

Ms Smith also shared a photo of newborn Sloane wearing what appeared to be a tiny little Swiftie friendship bracelet.
Since war broke out in Sudan, two UN-run transit centres in the South Sudanese town of Renk have been overwhelmed by an uninterrupted influx of people fleeing for their lives

A new truck arrives in the South Sudanese town of Renk, packed with dozens of elderly men, women and children, their exhausted faces betraying the strain of their traumatic journey out of war-ravaged Sudan.

They are among more than half a million people who have crossed the border into South Sudan, which is struggling to accommodate the new arrivals.

Renk is just 10 kilometres (six miles) from Sudan, where fighting broke out in April last year between army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, commander of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Since then, Renk's two UN-run transit centres have been overwhelmed by an uninterrupted influx of frightened people, fleeing for their lives.

The journey is rife with danger, said Fatima Mohammed, a 33-year-old teacher who escaped with her husband and five children from El-Obeid city in central Sudan.

More than half a million people have crossed the border into South Sudan to flee the fighting

"The bullets were entering our house. We were trapped between crossfire in our own street. So we understood that we needed to leave for the good of our kids," she told AFP, describing the situation in Sudan as "unsustainable".

It took them five days to make their escape, with Sudanese soldiers and RSF fighters "making (it) difficult for us to leave the country".

"They took all our phones at one checkpoint, a lot of our money (at) another one. We saw abuses happening at those checkpoints," she said.

- 'Stuck here' -

Since the start of the conflict, nearly eight million people, half of them children, have been displaced, inside and outside Sudan.

Around 560,000 of them have taken refuge in South Sudan, according to the United Nations, which estimates that around 1,500 new arrivals turn up in the country every day.

Nearly eight million people, half of them children, have fled Sudan since the conflict began in April last year

Many spend months waiting in the transit camps, hopeful that someday soon they will be able to return home.

Iman David fled fighting in Sudan's capital Khartoum with her then three-month-old daughter, leaving her husband behind.

"It was supposed to be a short stay, but I am still stuck here in Renk after seven months," the 20-year-old told AFP.

"My hope is to go back to Khartoum and reunite with my husband but I don't know his fate."

The war has claimed the lives of thousands of civilians, according to UN figures.

Around 25 million people, more than half of Sudan's population, need humanitarian assistance, while around 3.8 million children under the age of five are suffering from malnutrition, the UN says.

- 'Better than Khartoum' -

While many in Renk long to return home, others hope to travel onwards to the town of Malakal in Upper Nile state, which is also hosting a huge number of refugees.

At Renk port, people wait hours to board boats to travel onwards to Upper Nile state

At Renk port, hundreds of people lined up under the oppressive glare of the midday sun, waiting hours to hop aboard the metal boats which make the trip at least twice a week.

As she waited, Lina Juna, a 27-year-old mother of four, told AFP her final destination was the South Sudanese capital Juba.

"I have nothing to do in Juba, no family members or friends, no business or work to take care of because I have spent all my life in Sudan," she said.

"But I still expect Juba to be much better than Khartoum," she added, recalling days spent struggling to find food as heavy fighting rocked the city.

Several hours later, she managed to board a boat, one of two carrying some 300 people each.

"Today is a good day for us," said Deng Samson, who works for the International Organization for Migration.

"Some weeks we have seen ourselves completely overwhelmed," he told AFP, adding that the approaching monsoon made him nervous.

"We are truly afraid of what will happen when the rainy season comes, with waters rising from the river and disrupting the normal functioning of the port."

With up to 10 trucks and buses turning up in Renk every day, the UN is trying to mobilise the international community, launching an appeal for $4.1 billion this month to respond to the most urgent humanitarian needs.
Bank of America, Wells Fargo and Citibank are continuing to shut US branches.

In its latest weekly report of planned closures, their regulator said that together the three firms - along with First National Bank of River Falls in Wisconsin - will shutter a total of eight.

Meanwhile, Chase said it would open 11 - rare good news for those who still rely on visits to physical branches to do their banking.

That marks a departure from the trend which has seen banks close branches significantly faster than they open them as banking services shift online.

Three of Bank of America's closures, reported between February 4 and February 10, are due to happen in Florida. A fourth branch will shut in Washington State.

Three Bank of America branches in Florida will close, the bank reported between February 4 and February 10

Chase said it would open 11 branches, more than the total number all other banks said they would close

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The week prior, US Bank said it would close numerous branches in the Pacific Northwest. Last year, the area around Seattle lost more than a dozen branches while only gaining two.

While Bank of America and Wells Fargo have a long record of shutting branches in a bid to cut costs, Citibank's closure by Long Island MacArthur Airport this month was somewhat of an outlier.

Citibank last year filed to close only eight branches while the other two banks notified their regulator of plans to close a combined 469.

Chase's new branches will be established across the US, in Ohio, California, Texas, Illinois, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Idaho and Massachusetts.

It comes after earlier this month it said it would pursue a different strategy to other major US banks by opening 500 locations in the next three years.

Dozens of banks filed notices to close a total of 1,566 branches last year, according to data from their regulator, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC). In contrast, they only notified the regulator of plans to open 472.

The last time the number of commercial bank branches in the US increased was in 2011 when there were more than 85,000, according to FDIC data.

Since then the number of physical branches has dropped fairly steadily to about 70,000.

Banks are increasingly investing in apps and software to provide banking services remotely and without having to operate costly brick-and-mortar locations.

The uptake of online banking was sped up by the Covid pandemic, which coincided with more closures.

Now, the closures are being felt. DailyMail.com has received emails from concerned readers that they now need to travel further to access a bank.

Citibank said it would close a location by the Long Island MacArthur Airport. Pictured is a bank branch in San Francisco

Full list of closure notices (February 4 - February 10) Bank City State Location Bank of America, NA Jacksonville FL 50 North Laura Street Bank of America, NA Boca Raton FL 21060 Saint Andrews Boulevard Bank of America, NA Aventura FL 19645 Biscayne Boulevard Bank of America, NA Seatac WA 16640 International Boulevard Wells Fargo Bank, NA Charlotte NC 5637 Albemarle Road Wells Fargo Bank, NA Midlothian VA 13200 Hull Street Road Citibank NA Ronkonkoma NY 4175 Veterans Memorial Highway First NB of River Falls River Falls WI 500 East Wild Rose Avenue

'PNC shut down our local branch which was three miles away, now I have to go to an adjoining city or across the river to Ohio to make deposits or for other banking needs,' they wrote.

'It's totally inconvenient and as a senior citizen the extra mileage is wasting gas.'

Another elderly reader in their early 80s pointed out that driving long distances may not always be viable.

'This is all very distressing to both my husband and me,' they said. 'We've already had several closures of our banks and have to drive further and further to find our banks. What happens when we can no longer drive?'
American Airlines has sparked backlash after raising the cost of checked bags for the first time in almost six years.

The airline also introduced a new rule which pushes customers to buy tickets directly from the carrier if they want to earn frequent flyer points.

Passengers will now have to pay $40 to check a bag at the airport for domestic flights, or $35 if they pay online in advance, the company announced today. Previously, both options cost $30.

The fee for a second checked bag will also rise from $40 to $45 both online and at the airport, making American's baggage fees among the highest.

A family of four going on vacation this summer - taking a bag each - will pay $280 for a return trip within the US if paying online, or $320 at the airport.

Passengers will now have to pay $40 to check a bag at the airport for domestic flights, or $35 if they pay online in advance, the company announced

If, for example, parents take two bags and kids have one each, it would amount to $460 for a return trip - even if paying the cheaper online option.

It is the first time the airline has bumped baggage fees since September 2018, as it looks for ways to boost revenue amid dwindling airfare costs.

The new fees go into effect today, but former, lower fees will apply to tickets purchased on or before February 19.

Charging for bags is a tactic that began with budget carriers like Spirit and Frontier over 15 years ago. Major airlines like American, Delta and United used to include baggage within the price of a fare, but all now impose extra charges.

Customers took to social media following the news to express their frustration at the changes.

One user on X, formerly Twitter, said the fee increase was a 'reason to boycott' the airline.

'American Airlines doubles down on everything that is wrong with passenger air travel,' another user wrote.

It comes after similar baggage cost hikes at other airlines - and controversial changes to loyalty programs at other carriers.

Alaska Airlines increased its fee for a first bag to $35 and to $45 for a second earlier this year.

JetBlue, meanwhile, this month began charging $45 to check a bag within 24 hours of departure, or $35 if paid online in advance.

It is the first time the airline has bumped baggage fees since September 2018, as it looks for ways to boost revenue amid dwindling airfare costs

Scott Chandler, American's senior vice president of revenue management and loyalty, said that the fee increase was down to rising fuel and labor costs.

'Fuel is a big component - obviously the more bags we carry, the more fuel you're burning,' he told the Wall Street Journal.

'The cost of handling bags across the board, from real estate, machinery, et cetera, has gone up. This is trying to match that.'

On flights between the US and Canada, the Caribbean and Mexico, a first bag will cost $35 and a second will cost $45 regardless of whether they are purchased in advance or in the airport terminal.

There was no change to luggage fees on international flights, which are $75 per bag for a basic economy ticket.

The airline also introduced a new rule which pushes customers to buy tickets directly from the carrier if they want to earn frequent flyer points (Pictured: CEO Robert Isom)

Much-hated add on fees have long been a way for airlines to add revenue and offset expenses.

In 2022, US airlines brought in nearly $7 billion from checked bag fees. In the first three quarters of 2023, they raked in $5.5 billion.

Hiking fees can also help lead customers toward more expensive tickets which include complimentary bags.

Frequent flyer members with elite status, those who buy a premium-class ticket or those who use an American-branded credit card will still be allowed to check at least one bag free with the latest changes.

The company also announced it was reducing the charge for some overweight bags.

Customers will only have to pay $30 for a bag that is up to three pounds over a 50 pound limit, instead of a previous $100 fee.

But they will still have to pay between $100 and $200 if the bag is any heavier than three pounds overweight.
international conference on comparative law held

Amaravati: VIT-AP University School of Law (VSL), VIT-AP University and Birmingham School of Law, University of Birmingham, jointly organised International Conference on Comparative Law: Exploring Convergences, Divergences, and Liminal Spaces at VIT-AP Campus. The 3-day conference deliberated on diverse topics, with discussions on themes such as the "Use of Technology and AI in the Resolution of International Commercial Disputes: Opportunities and Challenges," and "Comparative Public Law and Practices in India." During the inaugural session Justice Ravindra Bhat, Judge Supreme Court of India (Retd), who was the chief guest for the conference, emphasized the significance of comparative law and its importance in the legal system. He described comparative law as the study of differences and similarities among the legal systems of different countries, highlighting its crucial role in the current era of internationalism, economic globalization and democratization.

Vanitha appointed administrator of Kancheepuram Central Cooperative Bank

New Delhi: Former Chief Director at the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) and Additional Registrar of Cooperative Societies, R Vanitha, has been appointed as the Administrator of the Kancheepuram Central Cooperative Bank in Tamil Nadu. Known for her expertise in cooperative circles, Vanitha aims to leverage her experience to elevate the performance of the Bank, a key player in Tamil Nadu's banking sector with a business mix exceeding Rs 5,000 crore and 52 branches and affiliated Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (PACS).
The government is not considering any cut in import duty on rubber as of now as the differential between the local and international prices is maintained, a senior official said on Monday.

"We have a differential already maintained for the imports that we are getting vis-a-vis the local production.

"If you see the local price vis-a-vis international price...So there has been a differential maintained on account of that import duty... So I do not think there is any rethink on reducing import duties as of now," Additional Secretary in the commerce ministry Amardeep Singh Bhatia told reporters here.

He was replying to a question about the domestic user industry's demand to cut the duties and that of local producers against any duty reduction. Tyre makers are one of the major consumers of the commodity. Over 13 lakh rubber growers are there in the country. Kerala accounts for a major chunk of the production, which was 8.39 lakh tonne in 2022-23. Consumption during that fiscal was 13.5 lakh tonne.

The gap is bridged by imports from countries such as Vietnam, Malaysia and other southeast asian nations.

In order to regulate the import of natural rubber, the government had increased the duty on import of dry rubber to 25 per cent or Rs 30 per kg, whichever is lower from April 30, 2015.

The government had also reduced the period of utilization of imported dry rubber under advance licensing scheme from 18 months to 6 months from January 2015.
Indian-origin companies are bullish on business prospects from the five-day Singapore Airshow, which began on Tuesday with global aviation industry stakeholders, including many from India like Brahmos Aerospace.

Returning to a full-scale edition, the Singapore Airshow is making a strong comeback from February 20-25 with over 1,000 participating companies from more than 50 countries and various regions.

Indian heavyweight Brahmos Aerospace is in talks with several Southeast Asian countries for supplying its supersonic missiles which is globally renowned for its success rate.

"We are discussing the supply of Brahmos missiles, and are hopeful that our participation in the Singapore Airshow would lead to more fruitful opportunities," Praveen Pathak, Director for Market Promotion and Exports at Brahmos told PTI on Tuesday.

Expecting more delegates from the region at the Brahmos display showroom, he underlined the importance of being at the show in Singapore, which is strategically located in the prosperous Southeast Asian region.

"We feel there is vibrancy in the Asian markets, recovering from the pandemic," Pathak said as he elaborated on prospects, following the successful supply of Brahmos missiles to the Indian armed forces, and an ongoing contract with the Philippines marines.

From the StartUp business segments, KeepFlying is working in the ecosystem that is transforming a USD 170 billion Aircraft Asset Management Industry.

The Singapore-based Aviation AI StartUp has built the first of its kind GenAI powered aviation data platform that helps make airworthiness and maintenance data sets S/LLM ready and in a usable format for commercial insights generation by unleashing their AI agents, said Chandrasekhar Jayaramakrishnan, Chief Product Officer, who is leading the KeepFlying team from both Singapore and Chennai technologists.

KeepFlying is enabling a new era of the Aviation Digital FinTwin (Financial Twin) through its Aviation Language Model-driven data-to-dollar platform to help Airlines, Lessors, and MROs save on these additional spends, he said at the Singapore Airshow.

"Our Indian business is set to grow by a good 30 per cent by the end of this year," added Tarun Mathur, Senior Sales Manager for India at the Hong Kong-headquartered Topcast, a global supplier of parts, services, and solutions for the aviation industry.

Speaking at the Airshow, Mathur said Topcast's Indian business grew in 2023 by 5.5 per cent on the year and future prospects are good.

Topcast's Indian business comes from civil aviation and original equipment manufacturers with HAL, Tata Advanced, and Wipro among leading customers.

Mathur sees future business driven by Maintenance and Repair and Overhaul (MRO) Organisations, pointing out Air India's new MRO being set up in Bengaluru, in addition to two operated by GMR MRO and Airworks.

Norman Lazarus, President of Texas-based Aviva Metal, also has good growth prospects in India as well as in the global aviation and oil and gas industry.
When student enrollment at St. Andrews Country Day School declined to perilous levels two years ago, Principal Pamela Giannantonio remembers Buffalo Diocese Superintendent of Catholic Schools Timothy D. Uhl presenting on the potential of a two-school model, where separate elementary and middle schools could better meet the needs of students.

Such a reorganization would create a more attractive school to parents and teachers: As opposed to prekindergarten-through-eighth grade in one building, a split would lead to more age-specific programming  say, a room for gross motor skills in the elementary building and robust technology classes in the middle school. Giannantonio believed it to be a solution that could stem the decline at St. Andrews.

I was like, Where do I sign?  Giannantonio recalls saying.

But, after an initial push, the diocese did not move the idea forward.

They went mute, Giannantonio said.

Parishioners lament closure of St. Andrew church and school, staples of Tonawanda community Parishioners are grieving the pending loss of St. Andrew Church and its grammar school, both of which have been mainstays in the Town of Tonawanda for many decades.

The creative efforts of St. Andrews, which more recently involved a partnership with the Catholic Childrens Learning Corporation to start a day care inside the school to raise funds, have not been supported by the Buffalo Diocese, Giannantonio said. The diocese determined Friday that the St. Andrews parish and school would close June 30 due to financial challenges over the last few years.

It was as if it was never enough, the principal said, later adding: I feel like Im fighting City Hall.

Uhl responded Monday afternoon, acknowledging that the two-school model between St. Andrews and St. John the Baptist in the Town of Tonawanda had been discussed a few times over the last three years. But because of a sharp drop in enrollment at St. Andrews  down to 54 students in kindergarten through eighth grade this year  a reconfiguration no longer made sense, he said.

The superintendent added that the diocese has worked with the St. Andrews School Board in the past to find ways to maintain or bump enrollment, and some ideas have come to fruition, while others were thwarted due the declining student population.

Efforts to help St. Andrews survive ran up against the same harsh reality that has claimed dozens of other Catholic schools over the past few decades: Families are smaller and less interested in spending money for a Catholic education.

Parents, parishes scramble to figure out fate of displaced students About 1,000 students will be displaced by the closing of parish schools. Diocese of Buffalo officials had anticipated 70 percent of them will attend Catholic schools that remain open. So far, the retention rate appears to be

In 2014, the closure of 10 schools across the diocese was aimed at strengthening the ones that remained, but in many cases, enrollments continued to slide as parochial schools swam against a tide of growing indifference to organized religion.

A flood of church-related child sex abuse lawsuits and the Covid-19 pandemic made matters worse for parishes and schools that already had been struggling financially.

The lawsuits prompted the Buffalo Dioceses 2020 Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, as well as further disenchantment with the church among the faithful. The Covid-19 pandemic separated parishioners from weekly Mass attendance, loosening the bond that kept worshippers regularly engaged and willing to donate their time and money.

Some parishes still havent seen giving return to pre-pandemic levels. And while Bishop Michael W. Fisher has called Catholic education an indispensable ministry, the diocese dramatically cut its spending on elementary schools after filing for bankruptcy.

Court records showed that the diocese spent $3.8 million on lawyer fees and other bankruptcy-related expenses in the first year of bankruptcy  an amount nearly equal to the subsidies it used to provide to Catholic elementary schools.

Ironically, the pandemic helped schools early on absorb the loss of diocese subsidies, because Catholic schools returned to in-person education faster than public schools and saw a brief enrollment uptick. They also benefited from the taxpayer-funded Paycheck Protection Program loans and grants for parishes and schools.

But enrollments trended downward once the pandemic let up, and federal funding has gone away.

Giannantonio and the St. Andrews School Board took further steps toward the two-school model. They proposed a new Northtowns Catholic School, where the building currently housing St. Johns, less than two miles away from St. Andrews, would serve as an elementary school to feed a middle school at the St. Andrews campus on Sheridan Drive. The schools would fall under the Northtowns Catholic umbrella  pooling the resources of the two schools  while parishes could remain separate entities.

As Buffalo Diocese bankruptcy mediation continues, abuse survivors seek to restart Child Victims Act lawsuits The diocese and its parishes want abuse litigation against parishes to be put on hold for at least another 90 to 120 days so mediation discussions can progress without the distraction of having to defend against potentially hundreds of lawsuits in state courts.

The two schools already were sharing a few teachers and held a combined school dance. A joint effort seemed a logical next step. The idea predated the Buffalo Dioceses Road to Renewal, which has split area parishes into 36 separate families, urging a spirit of collaboration. Under the Family of Parishes arrangement, the Rev. Michael Parker oversees Family 17, which includes parish/school hybrids at St. Johns, St. Andrews and St. Stephens on Grand Island, and parish-only entities St. Timothy, St. Paul and Blessed Sacrament.

There was precedent locally, too: Notre Dame Academy, a diocesan school in South Buffalo, has found expansion opportunities  especially in prekindergarten  since splitting into elementary and middle schools in 2018. This approach has become the education model of the Rochester Diocese, Giannantonio said.

Benefits extend beyond meeting the differing needs of elementary and middle school students. Students behavior expectations, effective schoolwide communication to parents and after-school options would be more streamlined with split populations. Disruption caused by middle schools bell schedules on elementary schools single-classroom learning would be a thing of the past.

While Uhl vocally supported the approach, and Road to Renewal Director Rev. Bryan Zielenieski tried to facilitate conversations between the school boards of St. Andrews and St. Johns, Giannantonio said, she was told the St. Johns School Board was not interested in the merger, and the endeavor was dropped.

Its sad were not doing anything different, Giannantonio said, comparing the dioceses actions to the movie Groundhog Day, where the same thing is done over and over. Its not, How do we fix the educational component? 

Former employee focus of $465,000 missing from St. Amelia Catholic Church The ongoing investigation at St. Amelia Church in the Town of Tonawanda is the latest in a long line of thefts from local churches and religious organizations, going back decades.

As the situation became more dire, the St. Andrews School Board partnered with CCLC, run by former Buffalo Diocese Superintendent of Catholic Schools Michael LaFever, to develop and run a day care for children ages 18 to 36 months. LaFever said plans included use of seven classrooms and up to 70 children, serving as a natural feeder for the regular school.

LaFevers overarching strategy to help Catholic elementary schools survive is by creating businesses whose profits could help sustain them. LaFever said the board told him they were looking to rent out the empty rectory and the gymnasium. He said the St. Andrews school deficit was $160,000, which didnt seem too high a mountain to climb.

I created the CCLC to prevent these school closings, LaFever said. The clock is ticking and time is running out.

In December, Giannantonio said she was told by the diocese that the school would have one year to become financially stable.

A closure decision came about two months later, with the diocese saying it believes St. Andrews students will transition into nearby Catholic schools next year. Giannantonio is not so sure.
From structural drawbacks to the intertwined interests of its members, the UN faces myriad obstacles in its quest for global harmony

The United Nations (UN), established in 1945 as a successor to the League of Nations, set out with the ambitious objective of preventing global conflicts and maintaining international peace. However, throughout its history, the UN has encountered numerous challenges and criticisms, casting doubt on its effectiveness in fulfilling its mandate. This article delves into the journey of the UN, its shortcomings, and contemporary geopolitical conflicts that underscore its limitations.

The League of Nations, established after World War I (1914-1919), aimed to prevent future wars but ultimately failed to prevent World War II (1939-1945), leading to the creation of the United Nations. While inheriting the aspirations of its predecessor, the UN has faced its own set of shortcomings.

One major criticism lies in the structure of the UN, particularly the Security Council. The veto power and power imbalances among its permanent members often impede decisive action, as seen in conflicts like the Russia-Ukraine dispute, highlighting the organization's limitations in addressing geopolitical crises effectively.

A significant limitation of the UN is its reliance on member states for military contributions. The absence of a standing UN military force has resulted in delays and compromises in responding promptly to crises, as evident in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's address to the UN Security Council in April 2022 emphasised the potential consequences of the UN's failure in resolving conflicts, raising profound concerns about the organisation's efficacy.

Furthermore, the UN's dependence on member states for peacekeeping missions can lead to delays and compromises in crisis responses, as illustrated by the complexities of the Israel-Gaza conflict.

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC), responsible for global peace and security, has long been criticised for its exclusive permanent membership limited to five nations. The dominance of a select few countries within the UNSC raises questions about the organization's adaptability to the evolving global landscape.

India, among other nations, has demonstrated the qualifications for permanent UNSC membership, yet the exclusive club remains closed, sparking debates on fairness and representation.

Calls for UNSC reform have been ongoing, proposing solutions such as expanding permanent membership or including more rotating seats. However, resistance to these discussions highlights the challenge of diluting the power of existing permanent members.

In conclusion, while the United Nations strives to uphold its noble intentions, it faces significant hurdles in fulfilling its mission. Addressing structural issues within the Security Council, enhancing peacekeeping capabilities, and promoting diplomatic solutions are imperative for the UN to adapt to the demands of a complex global landscape. Criticism, though essential for improvement, must be met with a collective commitment to strengthen the UN's ability to foster international peace and security.

(The writer is a political science student of Bharati college, Delhi University; views are personal)
As the demand for premium quality dry fruits continues to soar, Indian farmers and manufacturers are exploring innovative techniques to increase productivity

Picture this: you're savouring the sweet crunch of almonds as you delve into your morning granola, or perhaps you're relishing the delicate chewiness of raisins in your favourite trail mix during an outdoor adventure. Across India, from bustling city streets to serene countryside landscapes, the allure of dry fruits is woven into the fabric of daily life.

These tiny, nutrient-packed powerhouses are not just snacks; they're a symbol of health, vitality, and tradition. In a nation where culinary delights are as diverse as its landscapes, dry fruits stand as a timeless treasure, cherished for their flavour, versatility, and myriad health benefits. Let's embark on a journey to uncover the captivating world of dry fruits and explore their profound significance in the lives of people across India.

No wonder India's dry fruit industry is experiencing significant growth and is poised for even greater heights in the coming years. With the Indian Nut and Dry Fruit market currently standing at a staggering 56,000 Crore, it's evident that this sector holds immense potential for economic growth and employment generation. Notably, the industry employs over 10 lakh individuals and is growing at a commendable Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 13-15%.

Several factors contribute to the promising trajectory of India's dry fruit industry. Firstly, growing health consciousness among consumers has led to a surge in demand for nutritious and natural food products like dry fruits. These products are rich in essential nutrients, vitamins, and antioxidants, making them a preferred choice for health-conscious individuals. Furthermore, the rise of e-commerce platforms has made it easier for consumers to access a wide variety of dry fruits and nuts from the comfort of their homes. This accessibility has not only expanded the consumer base but has also facilitated market penetration into remote areas.

Additionally, initiatives by the Government to promote agricultural exports and improve infrastructure facilities for food processing and storage have provided a significant boost to the dry fruit industry. Schemes such as the Agricultural Export Policy aim to enhance the competitiveness of Indian agricultural products in the global market, including dry fruits.

One recent event that highlighted the burgeoning potential of the dry fruit industry in India was the MEWA 2024 exhibition held in Delhi. MEWA showcased the finest dry fruits and nuts from India and around the world. The exhibition witnessed participation from numerous foreign companies representing several countries, signifying the global interest and recognition of India's dry fruit market. With more than 200 exhibitors and 3000 participants, this event promised to elevate the industry by fostering advancements in research, innovation, production, trade, and consumption.

Noting the relentless efforts of the National Dry Fruit Council of India (NDFCI) Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla during the address underscored the transformative role of platforms like MEWA 2024 in fostering the growth and consolidation of the sector. He emphasised the urgent need to bolster the production of nuts and dry fruits in India, noting that the sector employs over 10 lakh individuals. Recognizing the potential for export growth, the Government of India is actively pursuing tech-enabled agritech solutions to enhance farmers' productivity.

He urged associations like NDFCI to increase the interaction with the farmer groups to explore the possibility of cultivating nuts & dry fruits as per the various Indian states diverse climate conditions. The success of MEWA 2024 underscores the increasing demand for high-quality dry fruits and nuts both domestically and internationally. India's rich agricultural diversity, coupled with advancements in processing and packaging technologies, positions the country as a leading player in the global dry fruit market.

As the demand for premium quality dry fruits continues to soar, Indian farmers and manufacturers are exploring innovative techniques to increase productivity and ensure the highest standards of quality and hygiene. From traditional varieties like almonds, cashews, and raisins to exotic imports like dried apricots and cranberries, India's dry fruit industry offers a diverse range of products to cater to varied consumer preferences.

Indeed with the promotion of dry fruits, it could be the revival of Indian agriculture as dry fruit is a high ticket premium product, at least ten times more costly than rice and wheat which can be a game changer for Indian farmers.

All they need is a little training, input and motivation. This would not only bring down the cost of dry fruits in the country and provide them with much-needed proteins to a largely vegetarian population but also raise the income levels of the farmers. The day is not far when dry fruits will not be beyond the reach of the common man and not a privilege of the rich.

(The writer is President NDFCI, views are personal)
Actor Nitish Bharadwaj's estranged IAS officer wife on Monday said the allegations made by him that she had "abducted" their daughters are "false and malicious".

Smita Bharadwaj, currently posted in Bhopal as Additional Chief Secretary, and the Lord Krishna-fame actor, are locked in a marital dispute. The case is pending in a family court.

The actor, known for his role in the TV serial 'Mahabharat', had submitted a complaint to the Bhopal police commissioner on Wednesday alleging that his estranged wife had "abducted" his two daughters and not let him meet them.

Smita Bharadwaj on Monday issued a statement refuting the "false and malicious" allegations, which she claimed were aimed at maligning her image and defamatory.

"The assertion made in the police complaint on February 11 by Nitish Bharadwaj and during a press conference organised in Bhopal on February 14 are categorically and unequivocally refuted as entirely baseless and devoid of any factual substantiation.

"His claims that I have abducted our minor twin daughters and have denied him access are entirely baseless," she stated.

In a complaint submitted to Bhopal police commissioner Harinarayaran Chari Mishra, the actor had claimed that his wife had "abducted" his daughters and he was not aware of their whereabouts. He also alleged 'mental torture'.

Nitish Bharadwaj had demanded registration of a case of kidnapping against his estranged wife and said their case (of marital dispute) was pending in a family court.

A police official had said that a probe was initiated on Nitish Bharadwaj's complaint.

Smita Bharadwaj claimed Nitish Bharadwaj met the children on February 17 and in Pune on January 2.

She stated that Nitish Bharadwaj has maintained regular communication with the daughters since 2022 via the home phone at her residence, a fact documented in the family court files.

"In fact, Nitish Bharadwaj himself has claimed before the family court that he has communicated with my daughters on the same landline number. His assertion of being unaware of the phone number is false and misleading," she stated.

She also claimed that Nitish Bharadwaj had been communicating on a dedicated email address pertaining to court proceedings and matters concerning the children.

The senior IAS officer stated that she has been the primary caregiver for their daughters despite facing financial challenges as a single mother but Nitish Bharadwaj's "lack of care and involvement has caused the girls distress and disappointment".

She claimed her husband never contributed financially towards the expense of bringing up the children, neither towards school fees nor towards any activity that supports their development.

"On February 13, Nitish Bharadwaj purposely avoided meeting children for a meeting fixed by the commissioner of police; for the reasons best known to him and gave preference to hold a press conference on February 14," Smita Bharadwaj stated.

She said Nitish Bharadwaj met his daughters at our residence in the presence of family friends as well as the police officer on February 17.

"The visit lasted for about 30 minutes, at the end of which the daughters were left in tears. The visit has left them traumatised, and they have been crying inconsolably.

"The daughters have informed Nitish Bharadwaj that in the future, he should completely cease making statements to the press/media about them as it is causing them immense mental trauma and anguish. No child likes to see disputes between the parents being discussed in public forums," she added.
The Sarang helicopter display team of the IAF is all set to enthrall the spectators and visitors to the prestigious Singapore Airshow scheduled to commence there from Tuesday, IAF officials said here on Monday.

Giving details, they said after arriving at Singapore on February 12, the Sarang team flying indigenously designed and manufactured Dhruv advanced light helicopters (ALH)conducted its first practice display on Sunday. The team is operating from the Changi airbase of the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF).

The Singapore Airshow is scheduled to commence on 20 February 2024. The airshow features a variety of display teams from all across the globe. The show also features leading aircraft and system manufacturers and operators showcasing their products.

The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), manufactured Advanced Light Helicopter (Dhruv), which the Sarang team operates, is featuring in the show for the very first time. However, the first international display for the Sarang team also happened to be at Singapore for the Asian Aerospace Airshow at Changi Exhibition Center in 2004.

The Sarang team is performing a four helicopter display for the audience at the Singapore Airshow this year. The display is designed to highlight the ALH Dhruvs agility and manoeuvrability, as well as the high degree of skills of the IAF pilots flying these machines.

The indigenously manufactured ALH and its advanced variants are operated by all the military services of India. The successful induction and operational utilisation of this platform is one of the glowing success stories of self-reliance (Aatmanirbharta) in the defence sector.
Thailand, home to the world's second-largest Buddhist population, is eagerly awaiting to pay homage to the revered relics of Lord Buddha from the National Museum here, along with those of his esteemed disciples Sariputra and Moggallana from Bihar's Sanchi which are being tenderly transported via a specially arranged Indian Air Force aircraft to the spiritual neighbour.

During a twenty-six days grand exposition from February 23 to March 18, four of the twenty relics destined for Thailand will be showcased across four cities, including Sanam Luang, inviting devotees to offer their reverence.

Thailand boasts the world's second-largest Buddhist population, after China with approximately 64 million followers. Thailand has the second-largest Buddhist population in the world.

Union Culture Ministry Secretary Govid Mohan shared during a press conference, "The relics will arrive in Thailand on February 22 and will be displayed for eleven days at Sanam Luang Pavilion, Bangkok, from February 23, 2024, to March 3. Subsequently, they will be showcased at Ho Kum Luang, Royal Rujapruek, Chiang Mai, and Wat Maha Wanaram, Ubon Ratchathani, each for the next five days, respectively, followed by Wat Maha That, Ao Luek, Krabi, for an additional five days until March 18."

On March 19, the relics will be respectfully returned to India.

The holy Buddha relics, currently housed in the National Museum, are renowned as the 'Kapilvastu Relics,' originating from a site in Bihar first discovered in 1898 in Piprahwa, Siddharthnagar district, Uttar Pradesh, once part of the ancient city of Kapilavastu. While twenty sacred bone fragments are housed in the National Museum, the remaining two are on display at the Indian Museum, Kolkata.

These relics will be accorded the esteemed status of a State Guest and transported in the same climate-controlled case as they are presently kept at the National Museum.

This journey to Thailand follows a similar exposition in Mongolia on the occasion of Mongolia's Buddha Purnima on June 14, 2022.

Notably, the last international display of these relics occurred in 2012 in Sri Lanka, with subsequent guidelines restricting their movement due to their delicate nature, categorizing them under the 'AA' category of Antiquities and Art Treasures.
The borders surrounding Delhi are poised for renewed tensions from Wednesday as protesting farmers have rejected the Governments proposal for a five-year contract on the purchase of maize, cotton, and three types of pulses at the existing minimum support prices.

The possibility of chaos akin to the earlier disruptions on key entry points to Delhi looms large, with farmer groups from Noida and Greater Noida announcing plans to march to the Capital on Friday, demanding developed plots and increased compensation for their acquired land.

After rejecting the five-point out-of-the-box formula for the minimum support prices, farmers leader Sarwan Singh Pandher on Tuesday urged the Centre to convene a one-day Parliament session and bring legislation on MSP guarantee. He announced that they would be heading to Delhi on Wednesday.

His statement came a day after the farmer leaders participating in the Delhi Chalo agitation rejected the Centres proposal for procuring pulses, maize, and cotton at the MSP by government agencies for five years, saying it was not in favour of farmers.

Meanwhile, the Punjab and Haryana High Court also criticised protesting farmers camping at Shambhu border with hundreds of tractors and said tractor trolleys cannot be used on highways. The bench of Acting Chief Justice GS Sandhawalia and Justice Lapita Banerji also questioned the Punjab Government for allowing the assembly of farmers in such large numbers.

In a related development, former Punjab Chief Minister and BJP leader Amarinder Singh met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed a host of issues related to farmers. Singh said in a post on X, Had a detailed meeting with Honble PM Shri Narendra Modi ji on wide-ranging issues related to Punjab, including the issues concerning the farmers.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (Meity) ordered blocking of 177 social media accounts and links related to the farmers protests on Monday to maintain public order, which include 35 Facebook links, 35 Facebook accounts, 14 Instagram accounts, 42 Twitter accounts, 49 Twitter links, 1 Snapchat account, and 1 Reddit account. While orders to Facebook and Twitter (now X) are commonplace, this is the first blocking order issued to Snap.

The protesting farmers on Tuesday received support from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who claimed that lies are being spread that the MSP guarantee is not feasible under the governments budget. In a post in Hindi on X, Rahul claimed that ever since the Congress resolved to provide legal guarantee for MSP, Modis propaganda machinery and media friendly to him have spread a barrage of lies on MSP. Lie  It is not feasible to provide legal guarantee for MSP in the budget of the government of India.

According to CRISIL, giving MSP to farmers in 2022-23 would have resulted in an additional burden of Rs 21,000 crore on the government, which is only 0.4 per cent of the total budget, Rahul said in his post.

In a country where bank loans worth Rs 14 lakh crore have been waived and corporate tax exemption of Rs 1.8 lakh crore given, why is even a little expenditure on farmers irking them, he asked.

With the legal guarantee for MSP, investment in agriculture will increase, demand will increase in rural India, and farmers will also gain confidence in growing different types of crops, which is a guarantee of the countrys prosperity, Gandhi argued.

Those who are spreading confusion on MSP are insulting Dr Swaminathan and his dreams, the former Congress chief said.

Talking to reporters at the Shambhu border point between Punjab and Haryana on Tuesday, Pandher, who represents the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, said the farmers have three big demands -- a legal guarantee on the MSP for all crops, the implementation of the C2 plus 50 per cent formula as recommended by the Swaminathan Commission, and loan waiver. Replying to a question, Pandher said at the meeting with the Union ministers, the farmers proposed that a law on the MSP be enacted by convening a special session of Parliament.

On the issue of loan waiver, he said according to government reports, farmers have a total debt to the tune of Rs 18.5 lakh crore. He requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make an announcement that the farm loans would be waived, while a mechanism for the same could be worked out later.

The BJP claims that the present prime minister is a strong prime minister. If he makes an announcement on waiving the debt of 80 crore farmers and farm laborers, it will stamp the BJPs claim that he really is a strong prime minister, Pandher said. He asked the Union ministers to give their response to the various demands of the farmers.

Replying to a question on the Delhi Chalo march, the farmer leader said our announcement (of going to Delhi on Wednesday) stands. To another question, he said no demand of the farmers has been accepted by the Centre.

He said at the meeting with Union ministers Arjun Munda, Piyush Goyal, and Nityanand Rai, the farmers proposed that a law on the MSP be enacted by convening a special session of Parliament.

On the issue of internet suspension in certain areas of Punjab, Pandher said the state government should make its stand clear on this. Ashok Bulara, another farmer leader, said the government should frame a law on the MSP, waive farm loans, and give rates in accordance with the C2 plus 50 per cent formula recommended by the Swaminathan Commission.

Either accept our demands or we should be allowed to move towards Delhi for a peaceful protest, he said.

On Monday evening, SKM (Non-Political) leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal had said, After holding discussions on two of our forums, it has been decided that the Centres proposal is not in the interest of farmers and we reject it. Asked if their call for a march to Delhi still stands, Pandher had said, We will move to Delhi peacefully at 11 am on February 21.

The protesting farmers have been staying put at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana, after their Delhi Chalo march to press the BJP-led Centre for various demands, including a legal guarantee on the MSP for crops, was stopped by security forces.
The Congress-led Opposition alliance, INDIA Bloc, formed to challenge the BJP juggernaut in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, has hit a deadlock following the standoff between Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and the Congress.

The rift emerged after Yadav declined to join Rahul Gandhis Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, demanding an immediate seat adjustment agreement from the Congress.

Initially, the Congress sought 15 seats in Uttar Pradesh, but with the RLDs exit, the demand has been revised to 20 seats, while the Samajwadi Party is only willing to concede 17. Amid this deadlock, both parties remain adamant, exacerbating the stalemate.

While RLD, led by Jayant Chaudhary, has already exited the INDIA Bloc, Yadavs insistence on the seat-sharing agreement before participating in the Yatra has complicated the matter.

Despite earlier indications of joining the Yatra in Amethi or Rae Bareli, Yadav remained absent in both districts, signaling his discontent with the ongoing negotiations.

The conflicting statements from both the Congress and the Samajwadi Party have added to the uncertainty surrounding the alliance.

While the Congress portrays the partnership as nearly finalised, sources within the Samajwadi Party express skepticism about its feasibility.

Congress general secretary KC Venugopal remains optimistic about the seat-sharing talks, hinting at a positive outcome soon. However, insiders in the Samajwadi Party camp suggest that the alliance talks in Uttar Pradesh are on the verge of collapse, citing Yadavs reluctance to participate in the Yatra without a finalised agreement.

Recent developments, including Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawatis decision to reject the Congress offer and contest independently, have further exacerbated the discord within the Opposition ranks.

Key battlegrounds like Bijnor, Amroha, and Sambhal have become focal points of contention in the seat allocation negotiations. With neither party willing to compromise, the impasse persists, exacerbated by the departure of the RLD from the alliance.

Reflecting on past alliances, the failed UP ke Ladke poll alliance in the 2017 Assembly polls and the unsuccessful SP-BSP-RLD coalition in the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections serve as cautionary tales.

Despite concerted efforts, the transfer of votes between allied parties failed to materialise, resulting in electoral setbacks. In light of these experiences, the Samajwadi Party perceives the Congress as a hindrance rather than an asset in countering the BJPs dominance in Uttar Pradesh.

However, the complexities of UPs electoral landscape underscore the challenges of going solo. With 80 Lok Sabha seats at stake, the SP faces logistical and strategic constraints in contesting all seats independently against the BJP. As the deadlock persists, the fate of the INDIA Bloc hangs in the balance, leaving the Opposition in disarray ahead of the crucial elections.
The State Cabinet here on Mondaydecided to give 50 percent discount in the lifetime motor vehicle tax rate on the sale of non-transport vehicles and light vehicles in the Ujjain Vikramotsav Trade Fair 2024.

Exemption will be given on getting permanent registration of the sold vehicles from Regional Transport Office, Ujjain. Automobile traders from outside Ujjain will be able to sell vehicles after obtaining the business certificate at the Regional Transport Office, Ujjain and ensuring their presence in the fair.

The Cabinet has given approval for development of 45.475 km. Indore-Ujjain 4-lane road into 6-lane with paved shoulder. Under the scheme, 45.475 km will be constructed at a cost of Rs 1692 crore. Indore-Ujjain 4-lane road is to be constructed under hybrid annuity model (40:60) with 6-lane paved shoulders.

Along with construction of all the structures in 6-lane, Shani Mandir approach road in additional 1.10 km length will be widened to 3-lane. Important junctions in the project will be constructed with grade separators (VUP and flyovers). Two flyovers, six underpasses and eight major junctions falling in the alignment of the route will be constructed under the project. Improvement of all the junctions covered under the scheme, necessary measures for road safety, road marking and road furniture etc. will be done.

A total of 5 posts including 1 Chairman and 4 members are sanctioned in Madhya Pradesh Public Service Commission and currently one Chairman and two members are working. On the recommendation of the selection committee on two vacant posts of members in Madhya Pradesh Public Service Commission, the Cabinet approved the appointment of Assistant Professor (Dentistry), Medical College, Jabalpur Dr. H.S. Markam and Dr. Narendra Kumar Koshti, Assistant Professor (Economics), Government Mahakaushal Arts and Commerce College, Jabalpur as members.

The Cabinet has given revised administrative approval of Rs 224 crore 46 lakh for the irrigated area of 6703 hectare Rabi of Aonlia Medium Irrigation Project on Ghorapachhad River near village Roshni of Tehsil Khalwa of Khandwa district. It is noteworthy that in 2017, the project cost of Rs 165 crore 8 lakh was approved for 5 thousand hectare irrigated area under the said project. The cost has increased by Rs 59 crore 38 lakh due to special package of land acquisition, increase in irrigated area by 1703 acres, increase in construction cost etc. Revised administrative approval of Rs 224 crore 46 lakh has been given for the revised project.

A provision of Rs 1500 crore will be made under capital head for the year 2023-24 to approve fresh works of infrastructure development work in rural areas under "Mukhyamantri Gram Sadak and Infrastructure Development Yojana". The Cabinet approved the proposal of the department to increase the maximum limit of Index-1 from 3 to 7.

The Cabinet approved amendment in the Madhya Pradesh University Act, 1973 through the Madhya Pradesh University (Second Amendment) Bill- 2024. It has been decided to include Khargone and other districts under the new Krantisurya Tantya Bhil University and colleges of Guna, Ashoknagar and other districts under the new Tatya Tope University.
A day after three of its municipal councillors switched over to the BJP, the Aam Aadmi Party on Monday hit out at the party accusing it of threatening them and using unfair tactics to poach them.



The Congress, which contested the recent mayoral polls jointly with the AAP, also targeted the BJP, alleging that the entire election episode had exposed it before the public.



Three AAP councillors  Neha, Poonam and Gurcharan Kala  joined the BJP in the presence of senior party leader Vinod Tawde on Sunday.



The development came hours after BJP leader Manoj Sonkar resigned as Chandigarh mayor on Sunday, a day before the Supreme Court was scheduled to hear a plea alleging irregularities in the mayoral polls.



On his partys three councillors joining the BJP, Chandigarh AAP president Sunny Ahluwalia hit out at the saffron outfit, accusing it of threatening the councillors and using unfair tactics to poach them.



They are known for such tactics. These councillors who until a few days ago were sitting in protest against them were threatened..they used unfair tactics to make them join their party. It was all part of those sequence of events (connected with the mayoral polls) in which everyone saw how democracy was murdered. It was part of their Operation Lotus, he alleged.



On the issue of whether their alliance would continue in case a fresh mayoral poll is held, AAP and Congress leaders said they will strategize after the apex court hears the matter.



As of now, 10 councillors are of AAP and seven of Congress. We spoke with the Chandigarh Congress chief and we will strategize everything on how to move forward, Ahluwalia said, responding to a question on the alliance.



Chandigarh Congress president H S Lucky alleged that in the entire episode of the mayoral polls, the BJP stands exposed before the public. Everyone saw what they did. Everyone watched the video of how the presiding officer declared eight votes invalid for mayors post, Lucky said.



On three AAP councillors switching over, he said, BJP is known to play politics of lies and pressure. They have been exposed before peoples court. Ever since the mayoral polls were declared, BJP was hell bent on breaking this (Cong-AAP) alliance. They were wanting to secure the numbers in their favour and tried to defer the polls. When the elections were finally held on January 30 on the intervention of the high court, everyone saw how eight votes were declared invalid. On a question on his partys alliance with the AAP, Lucky said, We are waiting for the Supreme Court verdict. As soon as it comes, we will decide accordingly. Opposition councillors had earlier alleged that Presiding Officer Anil Masih tampered with the ballot papers, a charge rubbished by the BJP.



Prior to the joining of three AAP councillors, the BJP had 14 councillors in the 35-member Chandigarh Municipal Corporation and the AAP 13. Chandigarh MP Kirron Kher, who is a BJP member, also has voting rights as an ex-officio member of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation.



The Congress has seven councillors and the Shiromani Akali Dal has one councillor.



The BJP had swept the January 30 Chandigarh mayoral polls, in a setback to the Congress-AAP alliance that alleged tampering with ballot papers by the presiding officer. Sonkar had defeated the AAPs Kuldeep Kumar for the mayors post, polling 16 votes against his rivals 12. Eight votes were declared invalid.
n AAP MLAs trooped into the Well of the Delhi Assembly and protested against the stalling of the one-time settlement scheme for rectifying water bills, leading the speaker to adjourn the House for the day on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Ramvir Singh Bidhuri claimed that he was misbehaved by AAP MLAs during the House proceeding on Tuesday. He lodged a complaint with the Speaker Ram Niwas Goel demanding action against the AAP legislators.

After the special mention of issues related to the constituencies of the MLAs under Rule 280, the AAP members trooped into the well of the House and raised slogans against the BJP, accusing it of putting pressure on officers to stall the scheme. They demanded that the Lt Governor suspend the officers responsible for obstructing the scheme.

The Speaker tried to pacify the AAP members and asked them to take their seats. But as the protesting MLAs refused to budge, he adjourned the House for half-an-hour. When the House reconvened, the AAP MLAs again trooped into the well and raised slogans.

Goel again requested the MLAs to go back to their seats but they kept on raising slogans. Finally, the Speaker adjourned the House till 11 am on Wednesday. Delhi Cabinet Minister and senior AAP leader Ms Atishi said the most burning issue faced by the people of Delhi today is their absurdly inflated water bills. This problem has been going on for the last one and a half years.

Senior AAP Leader and Cabinet Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said that there are 27 lakh consumers of Delhi Jal Board in the national capital. Among these, 10.60 lakh consumers, approximately 40%, havent paid their water bills for months. The reasons these consumers have conveyed that the bills are exorbitant, much higher than their water consumption, and have been issued incorrectly, he said.

Bidhuri, who was the lone BJP MLA present in the House at the time of second adjournment, alleged that the AAP MLAs came to the well of the House and raised objectionable slogans against him and leaders of his party. Bidhuri said he has lodged a complaint with the Speaker requesting appropriate action against the AAP MLAs.

The BJP MLAs were suspended from the House just for expressing their views. Why is there no action against the ruling party MLAs? he questioned.

Bidhuri said when the House proceedings were going on, about one and a half dozen Aam Aadmi Party MLAs came to the well. They had placards in their hands and reached the seat of the Leader of Opposition. They surrounded him and started waving placards. Not only this, some MLAs put these placards in front of his face and kept making noise, Bidhuri said adding they not only used abusive language against him but also used objectionable language towards BJP and the top leadership. This conduct of theirs should be clearly termed as cheap and hooliganism, Bidhuri said.

Bidhuri later met the Speaker and told him that seven BJP MLAs were indefinitely suspended from the House only because they stood on their seats during the Lieutenant Governors address and said the tunnel was built by Modi ji, the ration to the poor is being provided by Modi jis government and 1650 electric buses to Delhi are also the central governments gift.

Since the credit for this was being given to the Kejriwal government in the Lieutenant Governors address. The conduct of the BJP MLAs, on the one hand, was termed as objectionable and referred to the Privileges Committee and they were suspended from the House. The Leader of Opposition said on the other hand, if we look at the conduct of the AAP MLAs, they not only came into the well but also shouted slogans, used abusive language and misbehaved with me while waving placards. Bidhuri said the Speaker listened to him carefully and agreed that the conduct of the Aam Aadmi Party MLAs was inappropriate. Therefore, he has demanded from the Speaker to take appropriate action against the MLAs without being biased.

Malviya Nagar MLA Somnath Bharti said in the Assembly the OTS scheme will benefit 10.50 lakh water consumers in Delhi and out of these, nearly 7 lakh consumers will get zero bills. He said the BJP is putting hurdles in the implementation of the scheme as it is unable to stomach the popularity of the Kejriwal government.

Last week, the Speaker suspended seven of the total eight BJP MLAs in the House for causing interruptions during the address of Lt Governor V K Saxena in the Budget session. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, replying to a calling attention motion in the House on Monday on the issue of the stalled one-time settlement scheme, had urged Lt Governor Saxena to direct the officers to allow its implementation or take action against them if they refused. He alleged the officers were not working due to pressure and threats by the BJP. Staff Reporter n New Delhi

AAP MLAs trooped into the Well of the Delhi Assembly and protested against the stalling of the one-time settlement scheme for rectifying water bills, leading the speaker to adjourn the House for the day on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Ramvir Singh Bidhuri claimed that he was misbehaved by AAP MLAs during the House proceeding on Tuesday. He lodged a complaint with the Speaker Ram Niwas Goel demanding action against the AAP legislators.

After the special mention of issues related to the constituencies of the MLAs under Rule 280, the AAP members trooped into the well of the House and raised slogans against the BJP, accusing it of putting pressure on officers to stall the scheme. They demanded that the Lt Governor suspend the officers responsible for obstructing the scheme.

The Speaker tried to pacify the AAP members and asked them to take their seats. But as the protesting MLAs refused to budge, he adjourned the House for half-an-hour. When the House reconvened, the AAP MLAs again trooped into the well and raised slogans.

Goel again requested the MLAs to go back to their seats but they kept on raising slogans. Finally, the Speaker adjourned the House till 11 am on Wednesday. Delhi Cabinet Minister and senior AAP leader Ms Atishi said the most burning issue faced by the people of Delhi today is their absurdly inflated water bills. This problem has been going on for the last one and a half years.

Senior AAP Leader and Cabinet Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said that there are 27 lakh consumers of Delhi Jal Board in the national capital. Among these, 10.60 lakh consumers, approximately 40%, havent paid their water bills for months. The reasons these consumers have conveyed that the bills are exorbitant, much higher than their water consumption, and have been issued incorrectly, he said.

Bidhuri, who was the lone BJP MLA present in the House at the time of second adjournment, alleged that the AAP MLAs came to the well of the House and raised objectionable slogans against him and leaders of his party. Bidhuri said he has lodged a complaint with the Speaker requesting appropriate action against the AAP MLAs.

The BJP MLAs were suspended from the House just for expressing their views. Why is there no action against the ruling party MLAs? he questioned.

Bidhuri said when the House proceedings were going on, about one and a half dozen Aam Aadmi Party MLAs came to the well. They had placards in their hands and reached the seat of the Leader of Opposition. They surrounded him and started waving placards. Not only this, some MLAs put these placards in front of his face and kept making noise, Bidhuri said adding they not only used abusive language against him but also used objectionable language towards BJP and the top leadership. This conduct of theirs should be clearly termed as cheap and hooliganism, Bidhuri said.

Bidhuri later met the Speaker and told him that seven BJP MLAs were indefinitely suspended from the House only because they stood on their seats during the Lieutenant Governors address and said the tunnel was built by Modi ji, the ration to the poor is being provided by Modi jis government and 1650 electric buses to Delhi are also the central governments gift.

Since the credit for this was being given to the Kejriwal government in the Lieutenant Governors address. The conduct of the BJP MLAs, on the one hand, was termed as objectionable and referred to the Privileges Committee and they were suspended from the House. The Leader of Opposition said on the other hand, if we look at the conduct of the AAP MLAs, they not only came into the well but also shouted slogans, used abusive language and misbehaved with me while waving placards. Bidhuri said the Speaker listened to him carefully and agreed that the conduct of the Aam Aadmi Party MLAs was inappropriate. Therefore, he has demanded from the Speaker to take appropriate action against the MLAs without being biased.

Malviya Nagar MLA Somnath Bharti said in the Assembly the OTS scheme will benefit 10.50 lakh water consumers in Delhi and out of these, nearly 7 lakh consumers will get zero bills. He said the BJP is putting hurdles in the implementation of the scheme as it is unable to stomach the popularity of the Kejriwal government.

Last week, the Speaker suspended seven of the total eight BJP MLAs in the House for causing interruptions during the address of Lt Governor V K Saxena in the Budget session. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, replying to a calling attention motion in the House on Monday on the issue of the stalled one-time settlement scheme, had urged Lt Governor Saxena to direct the officers to allow its implementation or take action against them if they refused. He alleged the officers were not working due to pressure and threats by the BJP.
The delegation from Yunnan province to the National People's Congress plans to call on the central government to strengthen its support of the province, a key source region for watercourses in Southwest China and Southeast Asia, to help it gain better control over its water pollution issues. The suggestion the delegation plans to submit to the country's top legislature highlights Yunnan's special role in ensuring the security of waters in China and beyond, as well as the challenges the province faces with the governance of its water resources. Yunnan is the source region or the key upstream area for six major domestic and international rivers  the Yangtze, Pearl, Lancang, Nujiang, Honghe and Irrawaddyit said. Known as the Mekong River in Southeast Asia, the Lancang is a vital waterway that stretches across China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. Originating in Qinghai province, the river flows through Yunnan into Myanmar. The suggestion said Yunnan has seen significant progress in improving its water environment and has thus made great contributions to the development of downstream regions in China and Southeast Asian countries. In 2021, the proportion of surface water of fairly good quality in the province reached 89.6 percent, compared to the national average of 84.9 percent, it said. China has a five-tier quality system for surface water, with Grade I being the best. The quality of surface water is determined to be fairly good if it reaches Grade III. The province saw its proportion of fairly good-quality water climb further to 90.5 percent in 2022, according to the Yunnan Department of Environment and Ecology. The suggestion said the quality of all the water that flows out of Yunnan in the six river basins reached Grade II in 2021. "Due to landforms and inadequate environmental infrastructure, however, the water quality in some areas and river basins in the province remains poor," it said. "With a large proportion of monitoring sections still reporting water quality below Grade V, the province is facing huge difficulties in tackling water pollution." Many water resources in Yunnan are concentrated in gorges that are not accessible to nearby areas, it said. The problem is especially prominent in central Yunnan. The amount of water resources per capita in the area is only 700 cubic meters. According to the United Nations, an area is experiencing water stress when annual water supplies drop below 1,700 cu m per person. The suggestion said two-thirds of Yunnan's population and one-third of its farmland are located in small plains scattered among mountainous areas, which cover only 6 percent of the area under its jurisdiction. This has resulted in serious water pollution in some small plains, it added. No more than 60 percent of domestic wastewater is collected for disposal in urban areas in Yunnan, and only 38 percent in rural areas. Limited land resources in the province have also made building infrastructure for water pollution control challenging. While riparian buffers, which are areas along shorelines where development is restricted or prohibited, and artificial wetlands are widely used in central and eastern China for water pollution treatment, there is essentially no land available in Yunnan to develop them. "Yunnan urgently needs support from the central government," the suggestion said. The central government allocates special funding for water pollution control every year. The funds, however, do not cover programs concerning agricultural pollution control and urban domestic sewage treatment in counties with key ecological functions, the suggestion said. It called on the central government to take conditions in Yunnan into full consideration and extend the coverage of the funding to such programs in the province. Support is also needed in the province's efforts to cope with severe pollution in watercourses in urban areas during the flood season and in highland lakes, it added.
Hamburg town police identified the officer who fired the shot that killed a woman inside a house on McKinley Parkway Feb. 2 as a six-year veteran of the department.

Sean Gregoire fired his weapon, according to the Police Department. He remains on paid administrative leave, which is standard in critical incident cases.

Gregoire and two other officers who initially responded to the original burglary in progress call were interviewed last week by an assistant attorney general and investigators from the Attorney General's Office. The attorney general is mandated to investigate the incident because of its serious nature.

Hamburg police chief says officer's fatal shooting was justified despite victim's misidentified weapon Town of Hamburg Police Chief Peter Dienes offered details about the incident surrounding the shooting and shared several reasons why he believes the officer's shooting of a suspect was justified.

"The Town of Hamburg Police Department and all three officers are continuing to cooperate with the attorneys general's investigation," the news release said. "Given the scope of the investigation it is anticipated it will take some time before the results are released publicly by the AG's office."

Lisa Haight, 36, of Jamestown died in the incident. Police said on Facebook that Haight was responsible for a burglary at a home on Willet Road, and then broke into the second home on McKinley Parkway, where she died after being shot by the officer.

Shortly before the burglary at the Willet Road home, Haight stabbed and seriously injured a passenger in a van on the Thruway, according to police.
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav has said that he will not join Rahul Gandhis Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Uttar Pradesh unless seat-sharing between the SP and Congress is finalised.

The Congress has been offered 17 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh by the Samajwadi Party said on Monday and asserted that its chief Akhilesh Yadav would join the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Rae Bareli only if the proposal is accepted.

We have given a final offer of 17 Lok Sabha seats to the Congress. Akhilesh Yadavs participation in the Nyay Yatra in Rae Bareli on Tuesday will depend on their acceptance, SP chief spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary was quoted as saying. He, however, did not identify the seats offered to the Congress.

Samajwadi Party is a key constituent of the oppositions Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA).

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a function, Akhilesh Yadav said, We have had several rounds of discussions, exchanged many lists of candidates. When the seat-sharing is done, the Samajwadi Party will participate in their Nyay yatra.

The remarks assume significance in view of the deadlock between the Congress and SP on the distribution of seats between the two INDIA bloc partners ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Rashtriya Lok Dal chief Jayant Chaudharys exit from the opposition alliance makes a decision on the UP seat-sharing all the more crucial for the INDIA bloc.

Earlier this year, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had announced that the Trinamool Congress would not ally with the Congress in her state. The Congress is facing similar trouble in Punjab and Delhi where the Aam Aadmi Party appears unwilling to grant Congress its desired number of seats.

Akhilesh Yadavs refusal to join Rahul Gandhis Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra comes weeks after the SP unilaterally announced 11 seats in UP for the Congress. The grand old party, however, has maintained that talks are still underway.

Notably, Akhilesh had earlier accepted an invitation by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to join the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra either in Rae Bareli or Amethi. But with the continuing deadlock on seat-sharing, Akhilesh made his appearance at the yatra conditional to a decision on the seat-sharing with Congress.

Commenting on the groundbreaking ceremony of the Yogi government in UP, the SP president called it a political gimmick before the Lok Sabha polls.

They did nothing during their entire tenure and now are trying to confuse the voters, he alleged.

The Bharatiya Janata Party government of UP, which did nothing for the people of the state, the youth, is now showing dreams to the public of employment through these investments. Similarly, they organised police recruitment exams attended by 50 lakh youths. It is a mere eye wash as the exams were already rigged, he said.












Ruling party in the State Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) said, on Monday, said an agreement has been reached on seat sharing for the Lok Sabha elections regarding Jharkhand. The formula that was put forward has been agreed upon and the seats and possible candidates will be announced soon, it added.



Addressing a press meet, JMM General Secretary and Spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya said that the Prime Minister is getting invitations from foreign countries without contesting the elections in 2024 and as soon as he wins the elections, this statement is very ridiculous. The PM is making a mockery of democracy. The truth behind this claim of PM Modi is something else. The Election Commission will only announce the date of elections, but the actual elections will be conducted by the Enforcement Department. Whose script has been written for the last two years. Many states including Jharkhand are examples of this, he added.



The BJP which kept giving the slogan of making a Congress-free India, actually ended up becoming a Congress-oriented BJP. There are 740 MPs-MLAs in the country who joined Congress from other regional parties. Even though Modi is getting invitations from foreign countries without contesting elections, Hemant is being called by the tribals, youth, backward classes and minorities of the entire Country. Very soon Hemant will also go to the whole Country, said Bhattacharya.



The party General Secretary further said that during the last ten years of rule, Modi changed the definition of many things. In 2014, Modi said, after our arrival, many new things will happen in the Country. The Country will change. In 2019 it was said what to eat and what not to eat. What to wear, what not to wear. What to read, what not to read. What to listen to and what not to listen to. Opposition means corrupt and those in BJP are virtuous. Those who agree with the Government are nationalists. Anyone who opposes the Government is a traitor. The one who goes with BJP and the Deputy CM, the Minister and the one who does not go with them, goes to jail, he added.



Bhattacharya said that the second farmer movement has started in the Country. Farmers have been placed under house arrest. When farmers ask for MACP from the Government, the Government gives them the proposal of Innovation Agriculture. That means farmers should not cultivate paddy, maize and wheat but should cultivate pulses and cotton for Adani and Ambani. That means people should eat cotton and drink pulses. A strange situation is being created in this Country, he added.



Ridiculing BJP's love for tribals and Dalits, the party Spokesperson said that by making a Dalit the President, he was not invited to the foundation stone laying ceremony of the Parliament House, while by making a tribal the President, she was not invited to the inauguration of the Parliament House. After making a tribal woman the President, she was imprisoned in Rashtrapati Bhavan. Therefore, BJP's love for tribals and Dalits was not hidden from anyone, he added.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who participated in the bhoomi pujan of Ashok Leylands electric vehicle factory in Lucknow on Tuesday, emphasised on the significance of expediting production.

Prakash ji and Ashok ji of Hinduja Group have just handed me the keys of the double-decker electric bus. I urge them to commence production at the earliest, and not just hand over the keys. The markets of not only Uttar Pradesh, but the entire North India, eagerly await your vehicles, said Yogi, who was earlier presented with a symbolic key of the double-decker electric bus and a memento by representatives of the Hinduja Group.

He inspected the electric buses within the facility to familiarise himself with their features. Yogi also engaged in consultations with key stakeholders and officials of the Hinduja Group.

Stating that the first electric vehicle plant of Uttar Pradesh is going to be established through Ashoka Leyland, Yogi said, I extend my congratulations to the Hinduja Group and Ashoka Leyland for spearheading this initiative. In Uttar Pradesh, we have come up with investor-friendly policies. Similarly, investors will also have to make their investments public-friendly.

Highlighting the transformative potential, he noted, We possess a fleet of one lakh school buses, all ripe for replacement by their electric counterparts, provided we take proactive steps in this direction.

Furthermore, Yogi pointed out the extensive network of over 1.05 lakh revenue villages and more than two lakh majras in Uttar Pradesh, envisioning electric buses as an affordable and accessible means of connecting rural areas with cities.

The CM encouraged both the Hinduja Group and the state government to collaborate on this initiative and emphasised on the potential to engage youth and enhance public transportation services.

Yogi also stressed on the need to ensure connectivity to every village and facilitate transportation between villages and cities within Uttar Pradesh. He proposed utilisation of small trucks to transport village products to cities, thereby creating opportunities for economic growth.

Highlighting the interconnectedness of Uttar Pradesh with neighbouring states, the CM said, Uttar Pradesh does not mean just UP, it means Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Nepal too. All these states are connected with UP in one way or another and all these states will take advantage of this facility.

Yogi highlighted the state governments Electric Vehicle Policy, noting the launch of investment projects worth Rs 10.24 lakh crore by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Ashoka Leyland has started its work under this policy. I express confidence that the market of Uttar Pradesh is waiting for you. How quickly and rapidly you can proceed with your work will depend on you, Yogi said.

Elaborating on the policy, he mentioned the provision of incentives of up to Rs 20 lakh for every e-bus and emphasised on its unique appeal to both investors and buyers. He hailed Uttar Pradeshs Electric Vehicle Policy as one of the best, asserting its benefits for all stakeholders and its alignment with the prime ministers goal of achieving net zero emissions.

Stressing on the importance of this policy as a positive step towards sustainability and economic progress, the chief minister called for swift action to capitalise on its potential.

Hinduja Group India president Ashok Hinduja, Prakash Hinduja, Finance Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna, Industrial Development Minister Nand Gopal Gupta Nandi, and government officials were present on the occasion.
The Delhi Police directed security personnel deployed at the citys Tikri, Singhu and Ghazipur border points to stay alert and conducted mock drills on Tuesday, a day ahead of protesting farmers proposed march towards the national Capital. The move came a day after the protesting farmers rejected the Centres proposal to buy pulses, maize and cotton crops through government agencies at minimum support price (MSP) for five years, and announced to continue with their Delhi Chalo agitation on Wednesday.

In the fourth round of talks with the farmer leaders on Sunday, a panel of three Union ministers proposed that government agencies would buy pulses, maize and cotton at the MSP for five years after entering into an agreement with farmers.

Farmer leaders refused the proposal, saying it was not in favour of farmers. Delhi Police officials said security personnel deployed at the three borders were on Tuesday asked to stay on alert. They said commuters might face traffic congestion.

Protesting farmers and Haryana police personnel clashed at the Punjab-Haryana border near Amabala on February 13.

The two border points of Delhi and Haryana - Tikri and Singhu - are sealed with the heavy deployment of police personnel and multi-layered barricades of concrete and iron nails.

Two lanes of the Ghazipur border have also been shut with multi-layer barricades and police personnel.

An official said if required, the Ghazipur border may also be shut on Wednesday.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (outer) Jimmy Chiram said there was sufficient deployment of the force, besides paramilitary personnel, at the Delhi-Haryana borders.

Another officer said the Delhi Police was prepared to stop the farmers at the Delhi borders. Security personnel have been directed to not allow even a single protester or vehicle to enter Delhi, he said, adding that mock security drills were conducted during the day.

The Delhi Police has already stocked up 30,000 tear gas shells.

The officer said that checking vehicles on various roads leading to the central part of Delhi may lead to traffic congestion on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, a Delhi Police team including top IPS officials visited the Shambhu border between Punjab and Haryana, where thousands of protesting farmers are camping, to gain a firsthand understanding of the situation.

According to sources, the visit aimed to assess the Haryana Polices strategy in containing the farmers advance towards Delhi.

The Haryana Police deployed concrete slabs, iron nails, barricades, barbed wires, and both police and paramilitary personnel across strategic points on the border with Punjab.
The officiating director general of police Abhinav Kumar on Monday held a meeting with all senior police officials of the State for the safe conduct of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Considering the possibility that some people might protest against the recently passed Uniform Civil Code bill ahead of the elections, he directed senior officials to ensure advance security arrangements for chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami during his proposed tours and programmes across the State. He asked the officials to appoint security personnel in plain clothes besides making all possible arrangements for CMs safety. The DGP directed them to carefully observe and comply with the guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI) regarding the elections. He said that all district in-charges should start preparing the police force management plan immediately as per the ECI standards. The training of the police force deployed for election duty should also be completed on time. He also asked the officials concerned to keep the Police Headquarter's guidelines in mind regarding the seniority of inspectors and sub inspectors while appointing the police station in- charges ahead of elections. Besides this, they were also directed to determine critical polling stations by carrying out vulnerability mapping in each district as per the ECI instructions. The DGP further said that the police should communicate with people or groups that can potentially hold protests or demonstrations during the elections. He asked them to talk to such groups about peacefully conducting protests without disturbing the law and order. People should be made aware that strict legal action will be taken against those who block roads or cause public nuisance in the name of holding protests. He said that the authorities should also ensure flawless security arrangements as per the security category given to VVIPs visiting the State during the elections.
Dharamsastra National Law University organized a one-day training/ awareness program on Menstruation and Human Rights in collaboration with the National Human Rights Commission on the Saturday at 10:30 am.

DNLU is the foremost law institution in the country to have implemented the Menstrual Leave Policy for students, in the pursuit to promote Menstrual Care.

This comprehensive program aims to delve into crucial aspects of Human rights in connection to Menstrual Care and its sensitization in society at large featuring professional speakers from diverse backgrounds.

The keynote speakers were Dr. Sujata from Delhi University, Dr. Veena Roshan Jose from Maharashtra National Law University, Nagpur, Krishna Kumar from Dr. Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya, Sagar and Dr. Praveen Tripathi from Dharmashastra National Law University, Jabalpur.

They addressed issues comprising Menstrual Taboos, menstrual fairness about health and hygiene, and the Menstrual Leave Policy at Workplaces and Educational Institutions.

DNLU succeeded in spreading awareness about the same in schools and institutions of Jabalpur by visiting them and inviting them to our event.

In return, an esteemed government school in Jabalpur has invited a guest speaker from DNLU to give a session on Gender sensitization and Menstrual Health and Hygiene for Adolescent Girls in their school.

During the event, the teams from schools and institutions in Jabalpur were present to discuss and deliberate the issues revolving around Menstrual Care, Sensitisation, and other stigmas surrounding the topic.
As the farmers protest at the Punjab-Haryana border enters its seventh day, a crucial juncture has been reached in the negotiations between the protesting farmers and the Central Government late Sunday night. At the heart of the discussions lies the Central Government's proposal to guarantee Minimum Support Price (MSP) for four crops over the next five years. The farmer leaders have now taken a proactive approach by initiating extensive brainstorming sessions with fellow farmers and agricultural experts to dissect the intricacies of the proposal.

The proposal put forth by the Central Government includes the assurance of MSP for maize, cotton, pigeon pea, and urad dal, along with a procurement mechanism through cooperative societies  National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Limited (NAFED) and National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India Limited (NCCF)  for the next five agricultural seasons. While the proposal addresses the concerns of farmers in Punjab and aligns with the states agricultural landscape, farmer leaders recognize the need for comprehensive deliberations before reaching a consensus on the same.

Kisan Mazdoor Morcha coordinator Sarvan Singh Pandher, one of the farmer leaders leading the protest, emphasized the importance of consulting agricultural experts and legal professionals to analyze the implications of the governments proposal thoroughly. We are committed to ensure that the interests of all farmers are safeguarded. Therefore, it is imperative to engage in detailed discussions with experts from the agricultural community, he said.

Meanwhile, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), a pan-India farmers body, has rejected the Centres proposal, particularly opposing the diversification and procurement plan for crops. Dr Darshan Pal, a leading member of SKMs national coordination committee, emphasized the need for proposals that benefit all farmers uniformly.

Farmers demands should be met comprehensively, ensuring the welfare of all. We were not part of the discussions regarding the Governments proposal, Dr Pal said.

The farmers demands extend beyond MSP for specific crops. They advocated for comprehensive legal guarantees ensuring MSP for all crops, based on the recommendations of the MS Swaminathan Commission. Additionally, they have raised concerns about the mounting debt burden on the farmers and have called for its waiver. The farmers leaders stressed the importance of addressing these multifaceted issues to ensure the long-term sustainability of agriculture in India.

As discussions continue, farmer leaders plan to consult various stakeholders and farm organizations on February 19 and 20. A final decision is expected to be announced on the evening of February 20, following which a march to Delhi is scheduled for the morning of February 21.

The decision to engage in brainstorming sessions with fellow farmers and agriculture experts underscores the farmers commitment to make informed decisions that reflect the collective interests of the farming community, as the decision taken now is expected to be implemented for farmers across the country. The discussions over the proposal for the next couple of days aimed at dissecting the nuances of the governments proposal, assess its potential impact on farmers across different regions, and identify areas that require further negotiation or clarification.

Furthermore, farmer leaders emphasized the need to address broader issues beyond MSP, including agricultural reforms, debt relief, and sustainable farming practices. By soliciting input from diverse stakeholders within the agricultural sector, farmers aim to formulate a comprehensive strategy that addresses the systemic challenges facing Indian agriculture.

In addition to engaging with fellow farmers, farmer leaders plan to consult various farm organizations and stakeholders to garner broader perspectives on the Central Governments proposal. These consultations are scheduled to take place over the next two days, with a final decision expected to be announced after careful consideration of all viewpoints.

Amidst the ongoing negotiations, farmer leaders remain steadfast in their commitment to the principles of non-violence and democratic dialogue. They reiterate their willingness to engage constructively with the Central Government to find a mutually acceptable solution that addresses the core concerns of the farming community.

Fourth Round of Talks Yields Potential Solutions

In the latest round of discussions between the farmer leaders, and the Union Ministers Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Minister Arjun Munda, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, and Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai, with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann acting as mediator on Sunday, significant proposals were presented, offering hope for resolving the ongoing protests.

Union Ministers  led by Goyal  outlined a proposal focusing on crop diversification into pulses, cotton, and maize. They assured farmers of MSP without quantity limitations, aiming to address concerns about potential losses and promote sustainable agriculture practices, while describing the discussions, lasting over four hours, as positive.

During the talks, farmers representatives highlighted the pressing issue of rising desertification in Punjab due to depleting water sources, which prompted discussions on the importance of diversification, with a specific focus on cultivating pulses to reduce imports, conserve water resources, and enhance farmers' income.

Goyal addressed farmers' concerns about growing maize, proposing a solution involving cooperative societies like NAFED entering into five-year contracts with farmers. This approach would ensure purchases at MSP without quantity limitations, mitigating fears of financial losses and providing stability to farmers.

Similarly, the Cotton Corporation of India was suggested as a potential buyer of cotton at MSP, further broadening the scope of support for farmers venturing into alternative crops.

However, Goyal acknowledged that certain policy matters discussed at the meeting required broader representation and could not be finalized with only a few representatives. He assured that these policy discussions would be revisited in due course, taking into account the upcoming elections and the diverse interests of stakeholders.

Echoing support for diversification efforts, Mann emphasized the need for farmers to receive profits comparable to traditional crops like paddy. He stressed the importance of government intervention to ensure fair prices and market access for newly diversified crops, thereby encouraging farmers to adopt sustainable agricultural practices.

The meeting concluded with the decision resting in the hands of the farmers, who are expected to provide their response to the proposals by Wednesday evening.

Experts Take on Centres Proposal

Agricultural experts have expressed their concerns on the feasibility and potential impact of the Centres proposed crop diversification plan and assistance from NAFED.

Renowned agriculture expert Devinder Sharma expressed skepticism about the proposal, stating that it fall short of addressing the farmers demands. He said that the Centres proposal appeared to be an extension of existing schemes like Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM AASHA), focusing on limited crops. What about other essential crops like spices, vegetables, and oilseeds? he asked.

Sharma emphasized the need for a comprehensive approach and further analysis, stating that the protesting farmers represent the entire nation. It's crucial to consider the inclusion of other crops and assess whether the proposed crops can provide income comparable to traditional staples like paddy and wheat, he said.

Renowned agricultural economist Dr Sardara Singh Johl highlighted the critical issue of procurement. He said: MSP for 23 crops exists, but the challenge lies in its effective procurement. Many farmers currently sell crops like maize, cotton, and pulses below MSP. If the government commits to purchasing these crops at MSP without limitations, it could be beneficial, he said, while emphasizing the importance of implementation.

BOX

Centres Proposal:

 Central Ministers assured MSP for four crops  Maize, Cotton, Pigeon Pea, Urad Dal

 Procurement to be conducted through Cooperative societies for five years

 Contractual agreements to be done with NAFED and NCCF for procurement

 No limitations on purchase quantity




Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday said a scheme will soon be prepared for the rehabilitation of poor people residing in slums at Kharak Mangoli village, Rajiv and Indira colonies in Panchkula. About 7500 slums have been identified to benefit under this scheme.



Interacting with the media persons soon after inspecting the land identified for the rehabilitation of people, at village Kharak Mangoli in Panchkula, Khattar said that people in village Kharak Mangoli, Rajiv and Indira colonies have been living in unauthorized slums for years. To remove unauthorized encroachments and rehabilitate people, 59.12 acres of land have been identified in Kharak Mangoli village by the Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP). He directed the HSVP to hold a meeting soon with Forest, Public Works, Irrigation and Water Resources and Revenue Departments to discuss all aspects related to this land and prepare a scheme accordingly.



The Chief Minister said that in view of rehabilitation scheme to be prepared for slum dwellers of Kharak Mangoli, Rajiv and Indira colonies, he himself visited Dhanas and Maloya areas of Chandigarh along with Haryana Vidhan Sabha Speaker Gian Chand Gupta and interacted with the residents as well as officers of the administration. He said that before finalizing the scheme, discussions will be held with all stakeholders on various models. If necessary, the government will also facilitate loans for beneficiaries through banks, he added.



Khattar said that a portion of HSVP land adjacent to Ghaggar river is lying unused due to its low-lying nature. He directed the concerned officer of Pradhikaran to prepare a comprehensive plan for the utilization of this land considering the safe flow of water in the Ghaggar river, so as to ensure the development of the area.



In response to a question regarding the government's action plan to make Gurugram, Faridabad and other big cities slum-free, Khattar said that a separate plan will be prepared for each city based on the availability of land and encroachment.



Answering a question about the upcoming budget session starting on February 20, he said that the state government's budget will clearly reflect glimpses of Antyodaya and public welfare. Regarding the demand for Minimum Support Price (MSP) by farmers, he said that any problem can be resolved through mutual consensus. In response to another question, Khattar said that the BJP will achieve the target to surpass 370 seats and that NDA of 400 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. He added that BJP will sweep all 10 seats in Haryana.
Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on Monday wrote a letter to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal "advising" him to ask the Finance Minister to hold a detailed enquiry in alleged GST evasions, and tighten tax administration.

Delhi has achieved "inglorious distinction" of recording the highest tax evasion in the country. In all, 483 "bogus firms" were detected, which accounted for Rs 3,028 crore of tax evasion, Saxena said in his letter. "It is indeed dubious that the capital of the country tops the list of tax evasion amongst all states and Union Territories, with the one on the second place behind Delhi, by as much as Rs 827 crore. This is a serious matter in which the possibility of collusion of officials in the GST department cannot be ruled out," he wrote in his letter to the Delhi chief minister.

Saxena "advised" the chief minister to direct the finance minister to hold a detailed inquiry in the matter and assess the root cause of such tax evasions. "This not only reflects poorly on the state of tax governance in the national capital, but also results in a huge loss to the public exchequer. This resource could have been meaningfully utilised for investments in public interest," the LG said.

The report for the third quarter brings out "shocking" facts about the extent of tax evasion prevailing in Delhi, the LG said referring to the alleged goods and services tax (GST) evasions.

"I trust that you will personally take interest in the matter and apprise me of the efforts being made to tighten the tax administration in the city," he stated.

A report of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, released in January, highlighted the issue of "bogus registrations and fake invoices" in the country, he stated.

Delhi has gained notoriety for having the highest incidence of Goods and Services Tax (GST) evasion by fraudulent firms.

Officials reported that between October and December 2023, 483 counterfeit firms were uncovered in the capital, implicated in suspected GST evasion totaling Rs 3,028 crore. Delhi ranked third, trailing behind Maharashtra (926) and Rajasthan (507), in terms of the number of counterfeit GST firms identified by authorities during this period.
A campaign is being run to completely free Indore from child beggars. Important decisions have been taken by Collector Ashish Singh to make this campaign more effective and faster. It has been decided that citizens who provide information about children engaged in begging in Indore will be given cash reward. WhatsApp number 9691729017 has been issued to give information about children involved in child begging. Child begging will also be monitored at intersections through CCTV cameras.

TL meeting was held in the Collector office on monday under the chairmanship of Collector Ashish Singh. District Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Siddharth Jain, Additional Collector Gaurav Bainal, ADM Roshan Rai and ADM Rajendra Raghuvanshi and other officers were present in the meeting. It was told in the meeting that through the WhatsApp number to be issued, any citizen can give information about child begging including photo and location. If the information is found correct, a reward of Rs 1,000 will also be given to the concerned citizen. Besides, citizens who give authentic information more than once will also be honoured separately. Child begging will be monitored at intersections through CCTV cameras. It was told that for this, employees of Women and Child Development Department will sit in AICTSL and Police Control Room and keep vigil. If child begging behavior is observed then the rescue team will be informed by them. The teams will immediately reach the spot and do rescue work. Strict action will be taken against the culprits. It was told that so far an FIR has been lodged against three culprits for forcing children to beg. 17 children have been rescued under the campaign. This campaign will continue.
Several Western New York municipalities have kicked off the new year with a rise in vehicle thefts.

Car thefts and break-ins had been steadily rising over the past couple of years, not only in Western New York but nationally with the popularity of a social media challenge that showed viewers how to hotwire and steal Kia and Hyundai vehicles.

Grand Theft Island? Vehicle crimes spur call for action; police urge basic precautions Sixty percent of recent thefts involved vehicles left unlocked with the keys  or a key fob  inside, according to the Erie County Sheriff's Office.

Locally, vehicle thefts were at an all-time high last year, peaking especially at the start of 2023 and at the beginning of the summer months. However, data from several police departments show vehicle thefts dropped an average of 41% during the last four months of 2023, compared with the previous four months.

But in several Western New York suburbs, police are seeing the number of thefts begin to tick back up.

Last month, 24 vehicles were reported stolen in the Town of Tonawanda, according to the Police Department. Thats more in one month than any month in 2023. As of Feb. 13, six vehicles were reported stolen, compared with 10 in all of February 2023.

In Amherst, there were 42 vehicle thefts last month, the highest number of reported thefts since January 2023, when there were also 42 stolen vehicles. Twenty-four vehicles have been reported stolen as of Feb. 13, according to the Amherst Police Department. Last February, there were 28 vehicles stolen in the month.

West Seneca had seven vehicle thefts reported in January, which is not a record number, but is an increase from previous months.

It remains too early in the year to determine whether this will be a sustained trend, said Rachel Kingston, assistant public information officer with the West Seneca Police Department.

There have been three vehicle thefts in West Seneca as of Feb. 15, two fewer than the February 2023 total.

Residents in Grand Island have also began to sound the alarm after six vehicle thefts were reported so far this year.

In Cheektowaga, vehicle thefts are slightly down at the beginning of this year compared with last year.

The town followed a similar pattern as other municipalities, with a spike in vehicle thefts at the beginning of 2023 and in the summer months, according to data from the Cheektowaga Police Department. However, the number of thefts remained steady throughout the end of the 2023 and then dropped a bit during the first two months of the new year.

Nineteen vehicles were reported stolen in January and 22 as of Feb. 20. Last year, there were 24 and 27 vehicle thefts in the same months, respectively.

December in Cheektowaga brought 25 car thefts, with 32 in November and 30 in October.

According to the Buffalo Police Departments crime statistics, there have so far been 167 cart hefts reported in the city, though the data does not indicate when that number was last updated. Last year, there were 332 reported thefts in January and 226 in February.

According to Town of Tonawanda Police Capt. Joseph Milosich, its difficult to pinpoint a specific reason why more thefts have occurred recently.

Sometimes its small things, like a change in the weather, Milosich said. If theres a string of nice days in a row we see those types of crimes can increase. Sometimes its based on people not having other things to do. Like a lot of these crimes, offenders are younger, so maybe there was a break from school. But its really difficult to cite one specific reason.

The nature of the crimes also makes them unpredictable.

These are like a crime of sport, Milosich said. The people that are taking the cars arent doing it because they want possession of these cars. Its just kind of a game to them.

Was your Kia stolen? These Facebook sleuths want to help you A recent victim started a public Facebook group called WNY Stolen Vehicles that connects people whose cars have been stolen.

They are just crimes of opportunity, he added. They dont have sophisticated tools to enter the vehicles. Theyre not these well-thought-out plans.

While Milosich said Tonawanda police are hyper vigilant in spotting when a vehicle looks suspicious or out of place, there are more cars in Tonawanda than there are officers.

And it doesnt help when one-third of vehicles stolen in Tonawanda had the keys left inside, according to Milosich, a stubbornly persistent issue that suburban departments have been highlighting for years.

Milosich encouraged vehicle owners to take some preventive measures to keep their vehicles safe, including:

Parking in the driveway and, if possible, parking another vehicle behind it.

Getting an anti-theft device like a steering wheel club.

Locking the doors and removing the keys.

Removing valuable items from the vehicle.

Downloading software updates, especially for Kia and Hyundai vehicles.

Leaving lights on outside the house.

Kia and Hyundai owners get creative to avoid thefts Kia and Hyundai owners across Western New York say they feel like sitting ducks, anxiously waiting to become the next victims of the "Kia Challenge."

The trouble is that we cant be everywhere all at once, Milosich said. So it really is a proactive thing on the part of the community.

In September, the state launched the Comprehensive Auto-Theft Reduction Strategy (CARS) plan in response to the rising number of car thefts, especially in Buffalo and Rochester.

Almost two-thirds of vehicle thefts occurred in Erie and Monroe counties, with roughly 50% of those thefts happening in Buffalo and Rochester.

The CARS plan provided $50 million in technology and equipment to local law enforcement, $5 million for prevention programs for teens and young adults in the most impacted areas across the state and federal assistance for local district attorneys prosecuting the large number of theft cases.

Additionally, Gov. Kathy Hochuls office and the state Department of Motor Vehicles sent a letter to every New Yorker who owns a Kia or Hyundai to inform them of tools available free of charge to help prevent their car form being stolen.
In yet another setback to the Samajwadi Party, Swami Prasad Maurya, a week after tendering his resignation from the post of partys national general secretary, on Tuesday resigned from the primary membership, and Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council.

Maurya had resigned as the partys national general secretary on February 13, accusing the leadership of discriminating against him and not defending him over his controversial statements on Ramcharitmanas and Ayodhya temple consecration.

He will hold a meeting with his supporters in New Delhi on Thursday to decide the course of action.

I got an opportunity to work with you. But after our talks on February 12 and my resignation (as national general secretary) on February 13, no initiative of any talks with me was taken due to which I am resigning from the primary membership of the party, Maurya said in a letter to SP president Akhilesh Yadav. He also shared the letter on social media.

In a separate letter to the chairman of Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council, Maurya said, I was elected as a Samajwadi Party member in the legislative council. As I have resigned from the primary membership of the party, I am also resigning as MLC on moral grounds.

Maurya had joined the Samajwadi Party after quitting the BJP ahead of the 2022 UP Assembly polls, and contested unsuccessfully from Fazilnagar in Deoria district. His daughter Sanghmitra Maurya is the BJP MP from Budaun.

Maurya, considered a prominent leader of the non-Yadav backward class in the state, has been a five-time MLA. He served as a minister in the erstwhile Bahujan Samaj Party government, and as a leader of opposition in UP assembly.

Having joined the BJP from BSP, he served as labour minister in the Yogi Adityanath government between 2017 and 2022.

Apparently peeved by some Samajwadi Party leaders terming his statements as personal, Maurya had this to say in his previous letter: I was surprised when a senior most leader of the party, instead of remaining silent, tried to break the morale of the workers by saying my statements are personal. I could not understand that I am a national general secretary whose statement becomes personal. There are some national general secretaries and leaders whose every statement becomes a party statement.

He had also claimed that people from tribal communities, Dalits and backward classes got inclined towards the Samajwadi Party due to his efforts. If there is discrimination even against someone holding the post of national general secretary, then I think there is no justification for continuing in such a bhed-bhavpurn aur mahatvaheen (discriminatory and unimportant) post, he had said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Monday, congratulated Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for his resolve to develop the state into a $1-trillion economy, saying that the country will progress only when every state moves forward with big dreams and resolutions like that of UP.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the fourth edition of the groundbreaking ceremony (GBC@IV) organised at Indira Gandhi Pratishthan here, Prime Minister Modi stated: I have full faith in the power of UP and the hard work of the double engine government. I especially congratulate Yogiji. Every Indian is proud that UP has decided to become a trillion-dollar economy. My advice to all the political parties of the country would be to leave politics and learn from UP and then enter the field with a similar resolve.

The prime minister launched more than 14,000 projects worth more than Rs 10 lakh crore on the occasion. He also watched glimpses of the changing Uttar Pradesh through films screened at the event.

Emphasising that it is a time of infinite opportunities for industries in UP, the prime minister remarked, Exports from UP have doubled in the last few years. UP is the state with the highest number of expressways and international airports in the country. The countrys first rapid rail is running here. A large network of Western and Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridors passes through UP. The river network is also being used for cargo ships. Transportation has become cheaper.

The prime minister pointed out that seven years ago such a favourable environment for investments and creation of jobs was unimaginable because of a high crime rate, riots and snatchings etc across the state. Today investment worth lakhs of crores is coming into Uttar Pradesh. Work is starting on thousands of projects in Uttar Pradesh. These industries are going to change the face of UP. In the last seven years, a red carpet culture has replaced the red tape culture, he asserted.

The prime minister said that crime rate had dropped significantly in Uttar Pradesh and business culture had flourished with building of trust in the states capabilities.

There is optimism among all investors who have come here, which is a very positive sign. The double engine government has shown that if one has the intention to bring about change, no one can stop it from happening, he said.

The prime minister said that there was unprecedented positivity about India all over the world. Referring to the visit to Qatar and UAE, Prime Minister Modi said that every country was confident about Indias development.

The whole world is considering India as a guarantee of better returns. It is often seen that when elections are near, people avoid new investments. But, even that belief has fallen apart in Uttar Pradesh today with investors around the world reposing their trust in the governments policies and stability, he added.

The prime minister said that for many decades since independence, the approach of political dispensation towards development was selective, which left a sizable population of the country yearning for basic facilities.

But the double engine government has changed the old political thinking. We are engaged in making the life of every citizen easier. If life becomes easier, investing and doing business will also be easier, he remarked.

The prime minister also discussed in detail the merits of Lakhpati Didi Yojana, PM SVANidhi Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and said that this had increased the purchasing power of the rural and urban middle class. He described the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) as the strength of UP. He also discussed the One District One Product (ODOP) scheme and PM Shram Samman Yojana, mentioning his fondness for the toys of Kashi, his parliamentary constituency.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that Uttar Pradesh had the potential to become a tourism hub. Lakhs of people are coming to Kashi and Ayodhya. This is a golden opportunity for industries related to tourism sector. The upcoming Kumbh in 2025 will be a very important occasion for the economy of UP, he said.

Discussing solar energy, the prime minister said that the PM Suryaghar Free Electricity Scheme would not only provide free electricity to the countrymen, but would also become a means of earning additional electricity. Lakhs of employment opportunities will be created in this sector in installation, maintenance and supply chain, he added.

The prime minister also called upon the entrepreneurs associated with food processing sector to take the pledge to make Make in India products available on every dining table in the world, with special focus on the superfood millets. There is a good opportunity for investment in this superfood. The government wants to make small farmers a big market force. As much as the farmer and the soil will benefit, the enterprises related to food processing will also benefit through its cultivation, he said.

Earlier, the prime minister inaugurated and visited the exhibition organised by various industry groups here. During this, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, UP Governor Anandiben Patel and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath were present with him. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath welcomed and congratulated the prime minister by presenting him an idol of Lord Ganesha.
Defence Minister and Member of Parliament from Lucknow, Rajnath Singh, on Monday, said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the brightest star in the galaxy of global leaders, who stood apart from others for his unique perspective on issues, thoughts and events.

Addressing the fourth groundbreaking ceremony (GBC@4), Singh said the whole of India, including Uttar Pradesh, was progressing under the leadership and guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said, While other public representatives are unable to look beyond crisis, problems, or immediate gains, Prime Minister Modis vision and foresight enables him to see opportunities, solutions and long-term outcomes.

The defence minister stated that under the leadership of the prime minister, the country is progressing with the spirit of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas and no segment of society feels neglected, or lagging in any sector.

Praising Chief Minister Yogi Adityanaths strong and efficient leadership, Singh said that under the guidance of Prime Minister Modi, he was committed to advancing the state on the path of development.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanaths efforts in creating an investment-friendly environment in Uttar Pradesh over the past seven years have resulted in the current surge of investments. This is just the beginning. The GBC@IV is a testament to the direction in which investments are flowing into Uttar Pradesh under the leadership of both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, he remarked.

The defence minister expressed confidence that Uttar Pradesh will establish new dimensions of development, adding, Under the guidance of the prime minister we will collectively lead the state and the entire country to greater heights on the global stage.

Describing it as the day of entrepreneurs, Singh remarked that there was a time when meetings between public representatives and industrialists were viewed with great suspicion.

Meeting with industrialists was considered no less than a political risk for any public representative. It was believed that a partnership between politicians and industrialists is not good for the development of the nation. No one paid attention to the fact that if politicians and industrialists work together with clear intentions, the nation will progress, he remarked.

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the chief minister of Gujarat, the country witnessed how he brought about transformative changes in Gujarat by collaborating with industrialists. The fragrance of this change has not only spread across India but has also reached far and wide globally. Non-Bharatiya Janata Party ruled states, along with several BJP-governed states, are also moving forward following the Gujarat model of development, he added.
The police on Monday arrested three gang members including a teenager accused of robbery, embezzlement, theft and other serious crimes. The accused were identified as Dehradun resident Deependra Singh (23), Tehri resident Akash Rawat (23) and Dehradun resident Ayush Bisht (18). The Dehradun police arrested them on charges of committing theft in a house in the Patelnagar area on February 16. They allegedly stole diamond, gold and silver jewellery along with two mobile phones and other valuable items worth lakhs of rupees, the Dehradun senior superintendent of police Ajai Singh said. He said that a team was formed with the aim to arrest the thieves along with the stolen items. The team started analysing the footage of about 150 CCTV cameras installed around the victims house to identify suspects. Besides this, the police also activated a local informer system to catch the accused. The police found three persons in the CCTV footage that they found suspicious. The police started investigating them and it was revealed that they were also involved in such crimes in the past as well. The police arrested them on the informers tip on Monday from the fields near a government school behind Rajrajeshwari Colony. The police have claimed to recover almost all the stolen goods from the complainants house. He said that the accused were presented in the court the same day. The SSP said that the arrested accused Deependra is a notorious criminal against whom several cases have been registered in Patelnagar police station and other police stations across the district for robbery, theft, stabbing, and murderous assault besides the cases under the Arms Act.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on Monday, said that while the previous governments failed to respect faith or ensure livelihood for the people of the state, the double engine government was guaranteeing both.

Addressing a gathering during the foundation stone laying ceremony of Shri Kalki Dham temple at Ainchoda Kamboh village in Sambhal, Chief Minister Yogi highlighted the countrys rising prosperity under Prime Minister Narendra Modis leadership, saying that what was previously thought to be impossible in India has now become a reality.

Welcoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the sacred land of Sambhal, associated with the future incarnation of the 10th avatar of Lord Vishnu, the chief minister said: After ending the five-century wait in Ayodhya and inaugurating a magnificent temple for the first time in the United Arab Emirates, the prime minister now graces Sambhal district. Over the past decade, we have witnessed the emergence of a new India. In this new era, alongside ensuring the security of every citizen, there is a steadfast commitment to propel the nation towards unprecedented growth and prosperity.

The chief minister emphasised that the construction of Kashi Vishwanath Dham in Kashi, the return of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya Dham, the rejuvenation of Kedarnath and Badrinath and the establishment of Mahalok in Mahakal reflect the essence of the new India. He asserted, Here, every youth is assured of both livelihood and respect of their faith. This is Modi ki guarantee.

The chief minister criticised the previous governments, remarking, Past governments played with faith and failed to provide livelihoods. However, under the leadership of the prime minister, Indias cultural heritage is gaining global recognition. Every year on June 21, over 200 countries worldwide celebrate International Yoga Day, embracing Indias sage tradition.

The chief minister highlighted that what was once deemed impossible in India was now achievable, crediting successful leadership for this transformation. He expressed pride in Prime Minister Modis growing international stature, noting the global optimism surrounding him.

Furthermore, he announced the construction of the Ganga Expressway in Sambhal, stating that during the upcoming Prayagraj Kumbh in 2025, efforts will be made to ensure swift transportation for the people of western UP to Prayagraj via this expressway. Rapid infrastructure development has been facilitated under the prime ministers guidance, he added, saying that Moradabad airport is also going to be built soon.

On this occasion, Acharya Pramod Krishnam, Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Avadheshanand Giri Ji Maharaj of Juna Akhara, Swami Kailashanand Brahmachari and a large number of sages were present.
A 27-year-old prisoner in Bhopal Central Jail died during treatment in the hospital. Three months ago, Kolar police arrested him on the charges of theft and sent him under judicial custody.

He got bail from the High Court on Friday. He was to be released on Monday. He was suddenly admitted to Hamidia Hospital late on Sunday night.

The police informed the family about his death at 7 in the morning. Judicial investigation has started in the matter.

Ravindra Valmiki, younger brother of the deceased, told that Sonu Valmiki (27) was his elder brother. We live in S Sector Sarvadharma Damkheda. The brother used to work as sweepers in private colonies of Kolar. Apart from this, he also worked as a daily wage labourer. Three months ago, he married Lakshmi, a resident of Jaipur. Few days after the marriage, Kolar police arrested him on charges of theft. After which he was sent to jail.

On Monday at 7 he got a call from the police regarding the death of his brother. He was brought to Hamidia Hospital late at night. His health had deteriorated. We suspect that he was beaten up in jail, due to which he died.

TI Praveen Tripathi of Gandhi Nagar police station said that a case has been established in the case. The prisoner was taken from the jail to Hamidia Hospital late on Sunday night. He complained of nervousness and vomiting. Death has occurred in judicial custody, hence judicial investigation has been started.

Meanwhile Aishbagh police station has arrested a 25-year-old youth who stabbed a youth on Sunday in Aishbagh area.

A youth named Fazal Qureshi (27) had filed a report against Ashraf on Sunday.

According to police Fazal, he was on his way home when he was stopped by Mohammad Arshad who started abusing Fazal and when he continued to abuse the accused, Arshad took out a knife and attacked him.
At least 50 farmers were detained by the Gurugram Police in Manesar when they tried to march to Delhi to protest unfair compensation for over 1,800 acres of farmland sold to the state government. The protesters were taken to the Manesar Police Lines in two buses, said police.

The farmers alleged that they were not given the right price for 1,810 acres of land in five villages in Manesar and decided to protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on Tuesday. Police, after getting information, sent notices to many farmer leaders late Monday evening, but the farmers still gathered Tuesday morning under the banner of Dakshin Haryana Kisan Khap Samiti, ready to march.

More than 500 policemen were deployed in Manesar to stop the farmers from marching to the national capital, an officer said. The entire Manesar area was converted into a cantonment in the morning. At around noon, when farmers started moving towards Delhi, police took them into custody.

Farmer leaders called the Haryana government a dictatorship over the police action. The government wants to loot the farmers land by taking it at throwaway prices, said Mahendra Singh, a farmer leader. Today, the farmers wanted to march peacefully to Delhi but the government adopted a dictatorial attitude and did not allow the farmers to go beyond Manesar. They are afraid of the farmers movement, but until the demand for MSP is not met, the farmers movement will continue, Santokh Singh, one of the protesters, said.
In an effort to ensure security inside the premises, the schools in the national capital have been directed to constitute committees for a surprise bag check to ensure no student brings any object that may be used to harm other children.

Recently, some incidents have come in the notice of authorities of DoE where students indulge in quarrels and fights in and outside the school premises during school hours. In order to make schools a safe and secure place for all concerned, it is imperative for all schools to implement a streamlined framework for ensuring good safety practices for students, parents and staff. Therefore, all the Heads of Govt., Govt. Aided & Unaided Recognized Private Schools of Delhi are hereby directed to constitute a committee for random/ surprise checking of school bags of students in classrooms. Teachers and Heads of Schools must ensure that no student is in possession of any object/ material that may be used to harm fellow students, Delhi governments Directorate of Education (DoE) said in an order.

Issuing these orders, the DoE also said schools have been directed to ensure that guards at the gates regularly check students' bags and ensure that CCTVs are functional all the time.

According to the Directorate of Education (DoE), some incidents have come to their notice where students got into quarrels and fights in and outside the premises during school hours.

All the heads of government-run and private schools in Delhi have been directed to make all possible efforts to ensure the safety and security of students in school premises, the DoE circular said.

"In order to make schools a safe and secure place for all concerned, it is imperative for all schools to implement a streamlined framework for ensuring good safety practices for students, parents and staff," it said."Therefore, all heads of government and private schools are hereby directed to constitute a committee for random/surprise checking of school bags of students in classrooms and ensure that no student is in possession of any material that may be used to harm fellow students."

The heads of schools have also been asked to direct all guards at entry gates to regularly check bags for any unwanted or inappro priate articles so that no untoward incident happens in schools.

"Heads of schools should also ensure that CCTVs are installed in the school and are functional all the time. Visitors should not be allowed to enter the classrooms and staff rooms," the DoE said.

Delhi Parents' Association president Aparajita Gautam welcomed the move by DoE but questioned how long will the norms be followed on the ground.

"It is very a good initiative and I welcome it because it is for students' safety. How will the government schools, that do not have sufficient manpower, implement this?" she posed.

Gautam further stated that the Delhi government should bring better measures to ensure students' safety, especially in government schools.

Last week, a class 11 student was stabbed to death by three teenagers for allegedly harassing one of them in south Delhi's Neb Sarai area. The three juveniles, including a class 10 student, have been apprehended.

Two knives used in the crime have also been recovered, police said.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said a "serious constitutional crisis" has arisen in the national capital as officers are saying they will not work because of alleged "threats and pressure" from the BJP. This problem stems from Delhi not enjoying full statehood and the real power lies with the central government, which is led by a different party, and "that other party does not want that the elected government (of Delhi) does its work", he said during his address in the Delhi Assembly.

Kejriwal also said the one-time settlement scheme to rectify water bills is being "obstructed" by some officers. The chief minister alleged that the officers are being threatened to block the one-time settlement scheme for correcting water bills because of pressure from the BJP.

Kejriwal also claimed the officers' unwillingness to work has led to a "serious constitutional crisis" in Delhi.

He appealed to Lt Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena to call the officers for clearance of the scheme and added that 10.50 lakh families will benefit from this "good scheme". Kejriwal said a large percentage of Delhi's population is a "victim of erroneous, inflated bills".

Explaining the metrics, he said, "We introduced a scheme to solve the problems of the people of Delhi -- a one-time settlement scheme."

The chief minister said his government works for the people, and mocked the opposition BJP by claiming that they had "overlooked" the issues of the people and were reduced to three or eight seats in the assembly. Thousands of crores in revenue have "got locked" in this scheme, he said.

This scheme is so good, it was passed last June and should have been implemented immediately. It's been eight months but these officers have "refused to do it", he claimed. "Today, the situation is that this scheme has to be brought to the Cabinet. It will get implemented if the Cabinet approves it. For this, the (Delhi) finance secretary has to give his comments," Kejriwal said.

The finance secretary, however, has written that he won't give comments, the chief minister alleged. When the Delhi urban development secretary was asked about it, he said he was "awaiting comments" from the finance secretary, Kejriwal added.

"A senior bureaucrat even shed a tear, saying it's 'a matter of our jobs, we are being threatened'," Kejriwal alleged. "When I asked who was threatening them, he said, 'higher-ups'. You know what higher-ups mean ... If they pass this scheme for the people of Delhi, then they shall be suspended ... Why (do) they keep fighting for the Services (department), as their intentions are wrong," he said.

The chief minister claimed that officers are being threatened that they will be suspended or fired or sent to jail or central agencies will be "set after them". "A serious constitutional crisis has arisen (here) as officers have put it in writing that they will not work. If they do this, how will the government run? Can it run for even two days? Does it behove the Centre and the BJP that an elected government has been brought to such a state?" Kejriwal asked.

"And, who all are behind it? The BJP is behind it. The BJP hates the people of Delhi," he alleged.Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly Ramvir Singh Bidhuri on Monday alleged in the Assembly that the Kejriwal government itself sends meaningless bills of the Jal Board to the people of Delhi and then brings a scheme to waive off these bills worth lakhs.

Levelling this charge, Bidhuri also said when this scheme is not implemented then the blame is put on the officials. He said the Delhi government should explain how the Jal Board, which was in profit of Rs 600 crore in 2013, has now gone into loss of Rs 75 thousand crore.

During the discussion on the calling attention motion in the Delhi Assembly, Bidhuri said that how serious the Delhi government is about the Jal Board can be known from the fact that a calling attention motion was presented in the Assembly but in the discussion, the concerned minister of the department and Jal Board Chairperson Atishi is not present.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath asserted on Monday that UP signifies unlimited potential as the state neither lacks manpower nor willpower.

Addressing the inaugural function of the fourth groundbreaking ceremony (GBC@4) here, the chief minister expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for gracing the state with his presence to inaugurate the fourth edition of the groundbreaking ceremony. He also extended a warm welcome to the investors and entrepreneurs gathered at the event.

Chief Minister Yogi emphasised the sacredness of Uttar Pradesh, underlining its association with Lord Shri Ram, Gopeshwar Shri Krishna and Baba Vishwanath. He remarked, This land is blessed by sages and saints, and has received the divine blessings of rivers like Ganga, Yamuna and Sarayu. It is a land of virtue as well as enterprise and entrepreneurship. Today, Uttar Pradesh is on the path to transforming Indias labour force into an economic powerhouse.

Asserting that over the past decade, the country has ascended from being the 11th largest economy to the 5th, the chief minister confidently declared, There is no doubt that India, under Prime Minister Modis leadership, will ascend to the position of the third largest economy in the world. This is Modi ji ki guarantee and Uttar Pradesh firmly believes in it.

He added: Aligned with this vision, Uttar Pradesh has set an ambitious goal of becoming a one-trillion-dollar economy. To achieve this, the state is focusing on enhancing skill development, scaling up industries and accelerating growth.

The chief minister expressed confidence that with continued support of entrepreneurs, this goal will undoubtedly be realised.

Praising Prime Minister Modi for the historic consecration of Lord Shri Ram Lalla in Ayodhya after a five-century wait and for establishing the first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi, the chief minister extended warm greetings and congratulations to all attendees at the grand event of the fourth groundbreaking ceremony in Uttar Pradesh, the blessed land of prakrati (nature), parmatma (God), and pratibha (talent).

He further reflected, It is our collective fortune that we find ourselves witnessing and participating in this historic era as India enters its Amritkaal. We are privileged to have the able guidance and leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the saarathi (charioteer) of Indias Amritkaal.

The chief minister continued by saying, During the first Investors Summit of 2018 in Lucknow, the prime minister said that UP has values and virtues, but in these changed times, there is a greater need for value addition. Not only in work culture or business culture but there is also a pressing need for value addition across all domains of strength in Uttar Pradesh.

Expressing satisfaction, he highlighted that Uttar Pradesh has embraced these words and formulated its policies accordingly, leading to the organisation of the fourth edition of the groundbreaking ceremony within a span of just six years.

Highlighting the success of the Global Investors Summit held from February 10 to 12, 2023, the chief minister emphasised the unwavering confidence displayed by both national and international industries in Uttar Pradesh. This confidence, he noted, stems from their trust in the states policies and potential.

He said that Uttar Pradesh had garnered investment proposals worth an impressive Rs 40 lakh crore to date. Today marks a celebration as these investment proposals are being translated into reality. Today, the bhoomi pujan of projects worth more than Rs 10 lakh crore is going to be completed with the blessings of the prime minister, he said.

The chief minister emphasised that the new Uttar Pradesh, as the growth engine of the country, is transitioning from being Uttam Pradesh to becoming a Udyam Pradesh in order to evolve into a Viksit Pradesh in alignment with the resolve of a Viksit Bharat.

He added that this transformation, this change, this speed is the new identity of Viksit Uttar Pradesh of Viksit Bharat.

Reflecting on the states development journey, Chief Minister Yogi noted a significant shift from the past, where Uttar Pradesh was perceived with apprehension before 2014 and 2017. Today, however, the state has embraced its talent and unlimited potential, becoming synonymous with security, good governance and development, he pointed out.

Highlighting Uttar Pradeshs infrastructural achievements, the chief minister mentioned that 55 per cent of the countrys expressways are located in the state, alongside boasting the largest rail and road network. The junction of the Eastern and Western Dedicated Freight Corridor is also in Uttar Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh is also the state with the highest number of airports, he added.

He expressed readiness to ensure a seamless experience for visitors attending the upcoming Prayagraj Mahakumbh with the completion of projects like the Ganga Expressway.

The chief minister emphasised that Uttar Pradesh now boasts excellent connectivity through water, land and air. He highlighted the abundance of both manpower and willpower in the state, attributing the increased investor interest to initiatives such as the Ease of Doing Business framework, Nivesh Mitra Portal, Nivesh Sarathi Portal, Incentive Monitoring System, and the states investment-friendly policies.

He underscored the importance of accountability and transparency for every individual involved. He said that Uttar Pradesh respected every investor. Now people have started saying that Surakshit Nivesh matlab Uttar Pradesh, he added.
The Supreme Court's order in the Chandigarh mayoral polls case is a big victory for democracy, the AAP said on Tuesday, demanding that BJP leaders apologise to the country for its "dishonesty" during the elections.

The top court has said it would direct recounting of votes polled in the controversial elections and declaration of result after considering the eight "defaced" ballots that were declared invalid by the returning officer.

The Supreme Court's order has exposed the BJP and shown it the mirror. The party's leaders should apologise to the country if they have any shame left, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj told a press conference here.

"It is a matter of grave concern that if the BJP and its central government can do such open stealing and dishonesty in such a small poll, what would they do in other elections where there are no microphones and CCTV cameras," Bharadwaj said.

The January 30 polls were videographed, and days after the announcement of results, AAP national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had attacked the BJP, alleging that the "world's biggest party was caught on camera stealing votes".

Following the Supreme Court's decision on Tuesday, Kejriwal hailed the top court, saying it had saved the democracy in these "difficult times".

The BJP won the Chandigarh mayoral polls on January 30 defeating the comfortably placed AAP-Congress alliance candidate after the returning officer declared as invalid eight votes of the coalition partners, drawing accusations of tampering with ballots.

Manoj Sonkar of the BJP defeated Kuldeep Kumar after polling 16 votes against his rival's 12 to bag the mayor's post. Sonkar, however, resigned subsequently, while three AAP councillors defected to the BJP.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday targeted the Congress saying that the party cannot develop India or work for the welfare of the poor.

Addressing BJP workers in Udaipur, he called the Congress a dynastic and directionless party.

"Congress party cannot develop India. It cannot provide welfare to the poor," Shah said, adding that the Modi government did several public welfare works in 10 years.

He also said the Congress is unable to enhance India's pride.

"The Congress is a dynastic party. It is also a directionless party," he said.

Shah also alleged that the Congress "kept the issue of Ram Temple hanging" and always questioned the BJP about when the temple would be built.

"The party never had the intention that the Ram Temple is built in Ayodhya," he said.
A week after tendering his resignation from the post of Samajwadi Party national general secretary, Swami Prasad Maurya on Tuesday resigned from the party's primary membership and the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council.

Maurya resigned as the party's national general secretary on February 13, accusing the leadership of discriminating against him and not defending him over his controversial statements on the Ramcharitmanas and the Ayodhya temple consecration ceremony.

He will hold a meeting with his supporters on Thursday in New Delhi to decide his future course of action.

"I got an opportunity to work with you. But after our talks on February 12 and my resignation (as national general secretary) on February 13, no initiative of any talks with me was taken due to which I am resigning from the primary membership of the party," Maurya said in a letter to party chief Akhilesh Yadav.

He also shared the letter on his social media handles.

In a separate letter to the chairman of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council, Maurya said, "I was elected as a Samajwadi Party member in the legislative council. As I have resigned from the primary membership of the party, I am also resigning as MLC (member of legislative council) on the basis of morality," he said.

Maurya joined the Samajwadi Party from the BJP ahead of the 2022 assembly polls, contesting the elections unsuccessfully from Fazilnagar. His daughter Sanghmitra is the BJP's Badaun MP.

Maurya, considered a prominent leader of the backward classes in the state, has been a five-time MLA. He served as a minister in the Uttar Pradesh government, leader of the House and leader of opposition.

Having joined the BJP from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), he served as labour minister in the Yogi Adityanath-led government between 2017 and 2022.

Apparently peeved by some Samajwadi Party leaders terming his statements as "personal", Maurya had said in his letter resigning as national general secretary, "I was surprised when a senior most leader of the party, instead of remaining silent, tried to break the morale of the workers by saying my statements are personal. I could not understand that I am a national general secretary whose statement becomes a personal statement. There are some national general secretaries and leaders whose every statement becomes a party statement."

"How the statements of those on the same post become party statements and mine become personal is beyond understanding," he had further said.

He had also claimed that people from tribal communities, Dalits and backward classes got inclined towards the Samajwadi Party due to his efforts.

If there is discrimination even against someone holding the post of national general secretary, "then I think there is no justification for continuing in such a 'bhed-bhavpurn aur mahatvheen (discriminatory and unimportant)' post", he had said.
A special court on Tuesday gave Congress leader Rahul Gandhi bail in a defamation case filed by a BJP leader for his remarks against Union Home Minister Amit Shah in 2018.

Gandhi, who could not attend the last hearing in the special MP-MLA court on January 18 as he was busy with his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, appeared in court today.

He was granted bail by Judge Yogesh Yadav after filling bail bonds, his counsel Kashi Prasad Shukla told reporters.

BJP leader Vijay Mishra filed the case on August 4, 2018 for Gandhi's alleged objectionable comments against Shah at a press conference in Bengaluru on May 8, 2018 during the Karnataka elections.

The complainant referred to Gandhi's comment that the BJP claims to believe in honest and clean politics but has a party president who is an "accused" in a murder case. Shah was BJP president when Gandhi made the remark.

About four years before Gandhi's remark, a special CBI court in Mumbai discharged Shah in a 2005 fake encounter case when he was a minister of state for home in Gujarat.

"The BJP is the biggest party of the country. Calling its (then) president a murderer is unjustifiable," Mishra told reporters on Tuesday.
A missile attack by Yemens Houthi rebels that damaged a Belize-flagged ship travelling through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait that connects the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden has forced the crew to abandon the ship, authorities said Monday. Another ship reportedly came under attack as well in the Gulf of Aden.

The Iran-backed Houthis also claimed they shot down an American MQ-9 Reaper drone, something not immediately acknowledged by US forces in the region. However, the Houthis have downed US drones before.

Meanwhile, the US military said it was conducting new airstrikes targeting the rebels, including one that targeted the first Houthi underwater drone seen since they began launching attacks on international shipping in November.

The ship targeted in the Houthi attack on Sunday reported sustaining damage after an explosion in close proximity to the vessel, the British militarys United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre reported.

Military authorities report crew have abandoned the vessel, the UKMTO said. Vessel at anchor and all crew are safe.

Houthi Brig Gen Yahya Saree issued a statement claiming the attack, saying the vessel was now at risk of potentially sinking.

The ship suffered catastrophic damages and came to a complete halt, Saree said. During the operation, we made sure that the ships crew exited safely. The private security firm Ambrey reported the British-registered, Lebanese-operated cargo ship had been on its way to Bulgaria after leaving Khorfakkan in the United Arab Emirates.

Ship-tracking data from MarineTraffic.com analysed by The Associated Press identified the vessel targeted as the Rubymar. Its Beirut-based manager could not be reached for comment. The Houthis later also identified the ship as the Rubymar. Ambrey described the ship as being partially laden with cargo, but it wasnt immediately clear what it had been carrying. The ship had turned off its Automatic Identification System tracker while in the Persian Gulf early this month.

Later Monday, the UKMTO and Ambrey said a second vessel came under attack in the Gulf of Aden. Ambrey described the vessel as a Greek-flagged, US-owned bulk carrier bound for Aden, Yemen, from Argentina. Those details, combined with ship-tracking data, identified the vessel as the Sea Champion.
Reversing its earlier decision, jailed former prime minister Imran Khans Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf on Monday said that the party-backed independent candidates, who won the February 8 elections, will join the rightwing Sunni Ittehad Council. The party had earlier decided that its members elected to the National Assembly and the Punjab provincial assembly would join Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM), a Shia party, while those elected in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) would become part of Jamaati-e-Islami (JI), which is a hardline Sunni religious party.

The Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) is an alliance of Islamic political and religious parties in the Muslim-majority country which represents followers of the school of Sunni Islam.

Our candidates in the National Assembly, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies will join the Sunni Ittehad Council, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan said while addressing a press conference along with leaders of the MWM and SIC.

PTI Secretary General Omar Ayub Khan, Information Secretary Rauf Hasan and MWM chief Allama Raja Nasir Abbas and Chairman of SIC Sahibzada Hamid Raza were present. Our candidates have submitted their affidavits with us and with their consent today we are announcing that PTI-supported independents are joining the Sunni Ittehad Council, he added.

The winning independent candidates had to join a party within 3 days after the notification of the results of the February 8 elections.

Gohar also said the PTI made a formal agreement with the Sunni Ittehad Council and the same would be submitted to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) with a request to allocate the reserved seats according to the party strength and under law. Therefore, to protect our reserved seats and provide the cover to our members, we have reached a formal agreement under which all our candidates have joined the party and we will present this documentation before the ECP, he said. PTI candidate for the prime ministers post, Omer Ayub Khan, said on the occasion that the decision to join a political party was taken to get the reserved seats. This is because the quota of reserved seats lies with political parties. Coming together with the Sunni Ittehad Council would increase the PTIs strength in the National Assembly, he said, adding the party would form a government in the centre and two provinces. He said the priority of the party was to secure the release of incarcerated leaders like Imran Khan, his wife Bushra Bibi, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Parvez Elahi and others. SIC chief Raza and MWM leader Abbas in their remarks pledged support to the PTI.

With the PTIs decision to join a party, which is registered with the ECP, the country moved a step forward to the convening of the National Assembly or the lower house, for its maiden session which should be held by February 29.

Though independent candidates backed by the party won the maximum number of seats in Parliament, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) - have announced that they will form a coalition government after the elections resulted in a hung Parliament.

The post-poll alliance by the PML-N and the PPP could mean that PTI will not be able to form the next federal government, prompting Khans party to allege that the two rival parties were trying to steal the peoples mandate with the help of the powerful establishment.

Khans beleaguered party received a major boost on Saturday when a senior government official in charge of the election process in the garrison city of Rawalpindi alleged that rigging took place and dragged the Chief Election Commissioner and the Chief Justice into it.

Buoyed by the allegations of vote rigging, the PTI on Sunday demanded a judicial probe into the manipulation of the results of the elections.

Independent candidates - a majority backed by former prime minister Imran Khans PTI party won 93 National Assembly seats in the election.

The PML-N won 75 seats while the PPP came third with 54 seats. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) has also agreed to support them with their 17 seats.

To form a government, a party must win 133 seats out of 265 contested seats in the 266-member National Assembly.
Thai prosecutors said Monday that further investigation is needed to decide whether to bring former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to trial for defaming the monarchy, just a day after he was freed from a prison sentence on other charges he was serving in a hospital.

Thaksin was released on parole Sunday from the hospital in Bangkok where he spent six months serving time for corruption-related offenses. He had been in self-imposed exile since 2008, but returned to Thailand in August last year to begin serving an eight-year sentence. On his return, he was moved almost immediately from prison to the hospital on grounds of ill health, and about a week after that King Maha Vajiralongkorn reduced his sentence to a single year. Thaksin was granted parole earlier this month because of his age  he is 74  and ill health, leaving him free for the remainder of his one-year sentence. Thaksin was briefly detained Sunday by police from the Technology Crime Suppression Division as he left Bangkoks Police General Hospital but was allowed temporary release to return home as it was not a working day for the prosecutors office, Prayuth Bejraguna, a spokesperson for the Office of the Attorney General, said at a news conference on Monday.

The attorney generals office had announced earlier this month it had revived an investigation into whether Thaksin almost nine years ago violated the law against defaming the monarch, a crime punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Thaksin was originally charged in 2016 with violating the law for remarks he made to journalists when he was in Seoul, South Korea, a year before that, but the investigation could proceed only after he was presented with the charge in person in the hospital last month, officials said.

Prayuth said Thaksin reported to the attorney generals office on Monday for the charge, also known as lese majeste, and he was granted release on bail by posting a 500,000 baht ($13,900) bond without conditions beyond those of his parole. The conditions include travel restrictions and reporting himself every month for the remainder of his sentence. Prayuth said the attorney general has taken into consideration Thaksins statement in his own defense and decided to order a further investigation of his case. He was ordered to return to the office on April 10.

Thaksin became prime minister in 2001 after using his telecommunications fortune to build his own political party and promoting populist policies. He was easily reelected in 2005, but ousted by a 2006 military coup after being accused of corruption, abuse of power and disrespect for the monarchy.

His popularity and unprecedented electoral support unnerved Thailands traditional ruling class, including monarchists and the military, and his ouster set off years of sometimes-violent confrontations between his supporters and opponents. Political parties with his backing continued to win elections but were forced from power several times by the courts and the army, both bulwarks of royalism.

Thaksins return to Thailand last year came the same day that the Pheu Thai party  the latest incarnation of the party he originally led to power in 2001, and for which he is considered the de facto leader  won a parliamentary vote to form a new government.

Thaksins critics have questioned whether his move from prison to more congenial conditions in the hospital reflected special privilege as part of a political deal between his supporters and opponents.

His release appeared to reflect a reconciliation with his enemies in Thailands conservative elite, who had believed his brash populist politics and electoral popularity posed a threat to the monarchy, which they consider the linchpin of Thai society.

Parties supported by Thaksin continued to reign at the polls after his ouster. However, last year, Pheu Thai managed just a close second-place election finish to the more progressive Move Forward party, whose proposals for reform of the army and the monarchy alarmed the royalist conservative establishment more than Pheu Thai, which had softened its anti-military line and was anxious to get back into power.

Move Forward was blocked from taking power when the members of the military-appointed Senate refused to approve its candidate for prime minister. Pheu Thai then put together a governing coalition including conservative parties that was acceptable to the Senate and formed the current government.

In one sense, Thaksin going home to his family is an end to a personal and political journey that began with the 2006 coup when Thailands most popular prime minister was ousted, Kevin Hewison, a professor emeritus at the University of North Carolina and a veteran Thai studies scholar, said to The Associated Press.

It is the delayed end to a period of political turmoil that brought the monarchy back to the center of the countrys politics, with Thaksin then cast by his opponents as a threat to the monarchy.

Thailands politics is highly personalised, and Thaksin alienated many when in power. This residual hatred and mistrust is likely behind such moves against Thaksin, said Hewison. With so much wheeling and dealing already, a few Thaksin haters are unlikely to undo the grand conservative pact.

It is also possible, he speculated, that the charge can be left pending as a threat to keep Thaksin in line, in case his political activities are seen as unacceptable.
At least 26 combatants and an unconfirmed number of bystanders were killed in a gunbattle between warring tribes in Papua New Guinea, police said Monday. A tribe, their allies and mercenaries were on their way to attack a neighboring tribe when they were ambushed Sunday in Enga province in the South Pacific nations remote highlands, Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary Acting Superintendent George Kakas said.

Police Commissioner David Manning later described the clash as a gunbattle between warring tribes. An unconfirmed number of villagers also were killed. Police reinforcements were sent to the scene of the battle, Manning said. At this point, its not clear exactly how far we have moved into the conflict there, Manning told Australian Broadcasting Corp. But the intent is to regain control or have a significant presence in that conflict area and then work...our way through our procedures in dealing with this type of incident.

Kakas initially said 53 combatants had died. But security forces later revised the death toll down to 26.

Bodies were collected from the battlefield, roads and the riverside, then loaded onto police trucks and taken to the hospital. Authorities were still counting those who were shot, injured and ran off into the bushes, Kakas said.

Papua New Guinea is a diverse nation of 10 million mostly subsistence farmers speaking 800 languages. Internal security has become an increasing challenge for its government as China, the United States and Australia seek closer security ties to the country in a strategically important part of the South Pacific.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said his government was ready to assist Papua New Guinea, which is Australias nearest neighbour and the largest single recipient of Australian foreign aid. That is very disturbing the news that has come out of Papua New Guinea, Albanese said before the death toll was revised down.

We remain available to provide whatever support we can in a practical way, of course, to help our friends in PNG, Albanese added. Albanese said Australia was already providing considerable support for Papua New Guinea and was helping train the countrys police officers.

Tribal violence in the Enga region has intensified since elections in 2022 that maintained Prime Minister James Marapes administration. Elections and accompanying allegations of cheating and process anomalies have always triggered violence throughout the country.

Enga Gov Peter Ipatas said there were warnings that tribal fighting was about to erupt.

From a provincial perspective, we knew this fight was going to be on and we (alerted) the security forces last week to make sure they took appropriate action to ensure this didnt occur, Ipatas said.

Ipatas described the violence as a very, very sad occasion for us in the province and its a bad thing for the country.

Scores of people have died in tribal fighting in the Enga region in the past year.

Port Moresbys Post-Courier newspaper has reported that high-powered firearms used in the recent fighting made it risky for police to enter the battlefields.

Police said they were assisted by the military in protecting the general public and government property.

Papua New Guinea government lawyer Oliver Nobetau expected more lives would be lost in retaliation for the massacre.

Theres a big concern that this will continue on. Revenge killings tend to be a normal thing that happens, said Nobetau, who is on temporary assignment to the Sydney-based international policy think tank Lowy Institute.

Tribal violence is something that happens commonly, but never to this scale, Nobetau added. His comments related to the higher death toll, but he later said they still applied to the revised toll of 26.

Police had limited resources to deal with such violence on a massive scale, Nobetau said.

Tribal violence is something that is prevalent and the government with its limited resources will try to deploy the police wherever they can to try to curb the security issues, he said.
Germanys Ursula von der Leyen will seek a second term as head of the European Unions powerful Commission in a move that could make her the most significant politician representing the blocs 450 million citizens in a over a generation. Following five years of leading the 27-nation bloc through multiple crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the first two years of Russias war in Ukraine, the 65-year-old was put forward by her German Christian Democratic Union party and will only need a further rubber stamp when the partys European umbrella group meets early next month in Bucharest.

The partys leader, Friedrich Merz, said on Monday in Berlin that his German party unanimously chose Ursula von der Leyen to be the candidate to stay in her post.She also stands a good chance of extending her reign over the executive Commission since the Christian Democrat-dominated European Peoples Party is expected to remain the biggest in the legislature following the June 6-9 European elections. She flaunted her progressive credentials early on by pushing through a Green Deal that put the bloc at the forefront in the global fight against climate change and amounted to a sea change in EU policy. However, with Europes political mood shifting recently to the right, von der Leyen acknowledged the changes.

The world is totally different compared to five years ago, she said in her acceptance speech. She was among the most outspoken defenders of Israel since the war erupted with the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel  even as international outrage over the Israeli offensive is growing. Her green credentials also have been sorely dented as she appeared to side with farmers during the past weeks of relentless farming protests throughout the bloc. There has been no wavering though when it comes to Ukraine, and she has staunchly defended President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as his nation faces two years of Russias aggression. Beyond pushing for sanctions against Russia, she has equally worked to get financial aid to Kyiv and fought to open EU membership talks with Ukraine.

Overall, it has turned the physician and mother of seven into the most prominent EU Commission president since Frenchman Jacques Delors during the 1990s.

Even if the EPP emerges from the elections as the biggest party, it does not give her an automatic right to extend her posting. The leaders of the 27 member states must approve her, and it is part of a mix of decisions on EU top post, from EU foreign policy chief to parliament president.

After protracted haggling over such posts five years ago, von der Leyen herself came out of the blue to claim the position after receiving critical support of French President Emmanuel Macron. With the continuing war in Ukraine and the possible election of Donald Trump as US president in November, EU leaders will unlikely be prone to experiment too much with the helm of the Commission.

The final hurdle would be approval by the EU Parliament, and with the rights rise expected to show in the June elections, it could end up being a steep hurdle.
JPMorgan Chase & Co. reaffirmed their overweight rating on shares of Ashtead Group (LON:AHT  Free Report) in a research note published on Friday, MarketBeat reports. The firm currently has a GBX 6,800 ($85.62) price objective on the stock.

Several other brokerages have also recently issued reports on AHT. Royal Bank of Canada decreased their price target on shares of Ashtead Group from GBX 5,500 ($69.25) to GBX 5,300 ($66.73) and set a sector perform rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, November 22nd. Berenberg Bank upped their price target on shares of Ashtead Group to GBX 700 ($8.81) and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Monday, December 4th. Canaccord Genuity Group cut shares of Ashtead Group to a hold rating and set a GBX 615 ($7.74) price target for the company. in a research report on Monday, December 4th. Finally, Barclays decreased their price objective on shares of Ashtead Group from GBX 6,300 ($79.33) to GBX 6,000 ($75.55) and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, November 21st. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of GBX 4,786.11 ($60.26).

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Ashtead Group Trading Down 0.4 %

Ashtead Group Cuts Dividend

Shares of LON AHT opened at GBX 5,376 ($67.69) on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 164.27, a quick ratio of 1.13 and a current ratio of 1.18. Ashtead Group has a 52-week low of GBX 4,386 ($55.23) and a 52-week high of GBX 6,012 ($75.70). The firm has a 50 day moving average price of GBX 5,192.06 and a two-hundred day moving average price of GBX 5,120.55. The stock has a market cap of 23.52 billion, a P/E ratio of 1,792.00, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.72 and a beta of 1.32.

The firm also recently disclosed a dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 8th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, January 11th were issued a $0.16 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, January 11th. This represents a dividend yield of 0.25%. Ashtead Groups payout ratio is 2,666.67%.

Ashtead Group Company Profile

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Ashtead Group plc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the construction, industrial, and general equipment rental business in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. It provides pumps, power generation, heating, cooling, scaffolding, traffic management, temporary flooring, trench shoring, and lifting services.

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Genworth Financial (NYSE:GNW  Get Free Report) is set to issue its quarterly earnings data after the market closes on Wednesday, February 21st. Parties that wish to register for the companys conference call can do so using this link.

Genworth Financial Price Performance

Shares of NYSE GNW opened at $6.13 on Tuesday. Genworth Financial has a 1 year low of $4.51 and a 1 year high of $6.93. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a current ratio of 0.30 and a quick ratio of 0.30. The companys 50-day moving average is $6.38 and its 200 day moving average is $6.06. The stock has a market capitalization of $2.76 billion, a P/E ratio of 7.48 and a beta of 1.05.

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Hedge Funds Weigh In On Genworth Financial

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. State of Wyoming purchased a new stake in Genworth Financial in the second quarter worth about $29,000. Prelude Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in Genworth Financial in the second quarter worth about $35,000. Cipher Capital LP purchased a new stake in Genworth Financial in the second quarter worth about $52,000. Private Advisor Group LLC purchased a new stake in Genworth Financial in the first quarter worth about $40,000. Finally, Nomura Holdings Inc. purchased a new stake in Genworth Financial in the second quarter worth about $39,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 78.64% of the companys stock.

Genworth Financial Company Profile

Genworth Financial, Inc provides insurance products in the United States and internationally. It operates in three segments: Enact, U.S. Life Insurance, and Runoff. The Enact segment offers mortgage insurance products primarily insuring prime-based, individually underwritten residential mortgage loans; and pool mortgage insurance products.

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StockNews.com cut shares of Getty Realty (NYSE:GTY  Free Report) from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research note issued to investors on Friday.

Other equities research analysts have also recently issued research reports about the stock. JMP Securities lowered their target price on shares of Getty Realty from $39.00 to $33.00 and set a market outperform rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, October 19th. Royal Bank of Canada lowered their target price on shares of Getty Realty from $33.00 to $30.00 and set a sector perform rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, November 8th.

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Getty Realty Trading Down 1.4 %

Getty Realty Announces Dividend

Shares of GTY opened at $27.12 on Friday. Getty Realty has a 52-week low of $25.95 and a 52-week high of $36.45. The company has a quick ratio of 3.73, a current ratio of 3.73 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.79. The firms fifty day moving average is $28.39 and its two-hundred day moving average is $28.73. The stock has a market cap of $1.46 billion, a PE ratio of 23.58, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 6.27 and a beta of 0.91.

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 11th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, March 28th will be given a dividend of $0.45 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, March 27th. This represents a $1.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.64%. Getty Realtys payout ratio is 156.52%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. BlackRock Inc. raised its holdings in Getty Realty by 13.9% in the 2nd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 8,302,756 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $280,799,000 after buying an additional 1,010,932 shares during the period. Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management LLC raised its holdings in Getty Realty by 34.4% in the 1st quarter. Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management LLC now owns 3,718,000 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $133,960,000 after buying an additional 951,649 shares during the period. State Street Corp raised its holdings in Getty Realty by 23.0% in the 1st quarter. State Street Corp now owns 3,424,150 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $124,802,000 after buying an additional 639,883 shares during the period. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. raised its holdings in Getty Realty by 320.9% in the 1st quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 544,680 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $5,534,000 after buying an additional 415,272 shares during the period. Finally, Norges Bank purchased a new stake in Getty Realty in the 4th quarter valued at about $12,017,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 83.55% of the companys stock.

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Jefferies Financial Group restated their buy rating on shares of Jet2 (LON:JET2  Free Report) in a report released on Friday, MarketBeat reports. They currently have a GBX 1,800 ($22.66) target price on the stock.

Separately, Canaccord Genuity Group raised their price target on Jet2 from GBX 1,850 ($23.29) to GBX 1,900 ($23.92) and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, February 15th.

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Jet2 Stock Performance

Jet2 Cuts Dividend

Shares of JET2 stock opened at GBX 1,387 ($17.46) on Friday. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of GBX 1,294.07 and a 200 day moving average price of GBX 1,165.37. The stock has a market cap of 2.98 billion, a PE ratio of 757.92, a P/E/G ratio of 9.34 and a beta of 2.26. Jet2 has a 1 year low of GBX 960 ($12.09) and a 1 year high of GBX 1,403 ($17.67). The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 87.09, a quick ratio of 1.49 and a current ratio of 1.62.

The business also recently disclosed a dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 2nd. Shareholders of record on Thursday, December 28th were paid a dividend of GBX 4 ($0.05) per share. This represents a dividend yield of 0.35%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, December 28th. Jet2s dividend payout ratio is presently 655.74%.

Jet2 Company Profile

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Jet2 plc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the leisure travel business primarily 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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JNJ faces financial fluctuations due to pricing pressures and challenges in growth strategies. Management focuses on simplifying processes and enhancing financial controls. Key risks include cybersecurity threats and supply chain disruptions. Despite facing legal proceedings, the company prioritizes diversity and sustainability. Forward guidance emphasizes innovation and adapting to market changes for long-term success. The companys commitment to mitigating risks and focusing on growth strategies underscores its dedication to staying competitive in the evolving business landscape.

Executive Summary

Financials

Revenue growth has been fluctuating over the past three years, with a 6.5% increase in 2023 and a 1.6% increase in 2022. Factors driving this trend include pricing pressures from healthcare cost containment, restricted spending patterns, challenges in growth strategy realization, and uncertainties in acquisition benefits. Operating expenses have evolved with a slight decrease in Selling, Marketing, and Administrative expenses due to leveraging in expenses, partially offset by an increase in administrative costs. Research and Development expenses varied by business segment. Fluctuations in currency exchange rates and potential changes in tax laws may impact the companys financials. The companys net income margin for 2023 is 17.58%, showing an improvement from the previous year. A comparison to industry peers is not provided in the context information.

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Management Discussion and Analysis

Management has implemented a multi-year initiative to integrate, simplify, and standardize processes and systems for various functions. This includes enhancing financial shared services and standardizing systems to support growth. The success of these initiatives is not in response to identified deficiencies in internal controls. Management assesses the companys competitive position by acknowledging intense competition in all product lines, emphasizing the importance of innovation and protecting intellectual property. Market trends highlighted include pricing pressures, healthcare cost containment, government pressure to reduce costs, and challenges in realizing growth strategies through collaborations and acquisitions. Management identified major risks as cybersecurity threats, supply chain disruptions, and potential business interruptions. Mitigation strategies include cybersecurity controls, incident response plan, third-party risk management, and employee training. The Chief Information Officer and Chief Information Security Officer oversee risk assessment and management.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Risk Assessment

The companys key performance metrics are related to manufacturing, supply chain disruptions, information technology systems, and global supply chains. These metrics have faced difficulties and delays in the past year, potentially impacting the companys long-term goals. The companys return on investment (ROI) is higher than its cost of capital, indicating it is generating value for shareholders. JNJ competes globally in all product lines, with a focus on research and development. There is no specific mention of market share or evolution compared to competitors. Plans for market expansion or consolidation are not discussed in the provided information.

The top external factors posing risks to the company are: manufacturing difficulties, IT system breaches, global supply chain complexities, and potential delays in restructuring benefits. These factors could lead to business interruptions, financial costs, and operational harm. JNJ assesses cybersecurity risks through security tools, incident response plans, third-party risk management, employee training, and expert evaluations. The Chief Information Officer and Chief Information Security Officer manage risks with controls, investments, and cybersecurity insurance, adapting to evolving threats in a digital business environment. Yes, the company faces significant legal proceedings and product liability concerns that could impact its financial position and reputation. To address these issues, the company records accruals for contingencies based on managements judgment and follows U.S. GAAP when recording litigation-related liabilities.

Corporate Governance and Sustainability

The composition of the board of directors is not provided in detail. However, the company has a Code of Business Conduct for all employees, including executives. Any amendments or waivers to the code will be posted on the companys website within five business days. JNJ promotes diversity and inclusion through its DEI strategy, focusing on workforce diversity, inclusive culture, equitable opportunities, and serving diverse markets. The commitment to diversity extends to the board as well. JNJ is implementing initiatives to integrate and standardize processes for sustainability. It demonstrates commitment through enhancing financial controls and not disclosing trading arrangements.

Forward Guidance

The companys multi-year initiative aligns with its strategic priorities by enhancing financial systems, shared services, and control environments, supporting growth and standardization. The forward-looking guidance focuses on mitigating risks and improving operational efficiency to achieve long-term success. JNJ is factoring in challenges and uncertainties in product development, patent expirations, and market competition. It plans to capitalize on these trends by focusing on innovation, obtaining regulatory approvals, protecting intellectual property rights, and adapting to market changes with new products and technologies. The companys focus on innovation, development of new products, obtaining patent rights, and protecting intellectual property demonstrates a commitment to long-term growth and competitiveness.

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Cormark upgraded shares of Manulife Financial (TSE:MFC  Free Report) (NYSE:MFC) from a market perform rating to a buy rating in a research report released on Friday morning, BayStreet.CA reports. The firm currently has C$36.00 target price on the financial services providers stock, up from their prior target price of C$33.00. Cormark also issued estimates for Manulife Financials FY2024 earnings at $3.70 EPS and FY2025 earnings at $3.98 EPS.

Several other equities analysts have also issued reports on MFC. TD Securities raised their price target on Manulife Financial from C$34.00 to C$35.00 and gave the stock an action list buy rating in a research report on Thursday, February 15th. Royal Bank of Canada upgraded Manulife Financial from a sector perform rating to an outperform rating and lifted their price objective for the stock from C$32.00 to C$34.00 in a research report on Tuesday, December 12th. Scotiabank lifted their price objective on Manulife Financial from C$35.00 to C$40.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Friday. Veritas Investment Research reiterated a reduce rating on shares of Manulife Financial in a research report on Friday. Finally, Desjardins upgraded Manulife Financial from a hold rating to a buy rating and lifted their price objective for the stock from C$29.00 to C$36.00 in a research report on Friday. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating, five have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of C$35.00.

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Manulife Financial Price Performance

Manulife Financial Increases Dividend

MFC opened at C$33.30 on Friday. The stocks 50 day simple moving average is C$29.42 and its 200 day simple moving average is C$26.81. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 56.70, a current ratio of 22.91 and a quick ratio of 2.58. Manulife Financial has a 1 year low of C$23.69 and a 1 year high of C$33.59. The firm has a market cap of C$60.27 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 4.75, a PEG ratio of 11.85 and a beta of 1.10.

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 19th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, February 28th will be paid a dividend of $0.40 per share. This is a boost from Manulife Financials previous quarterly dividend of $0.37. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, February 27th. This represents a $1.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.80%. Manulife Financials payout ratio is presently 20.83%.

Manulife Financial Company Profile

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Manulife Financial Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides financial products and services in Asia, Canada, the United States, and internationally. The company operates through Wealth and Asset Management Businesses; Insurance and Annuity Products; and Corporate and Other segments. The Wealth and Asset Management Businesses segment offers investment advice and solutions to retirement, retail, and institutional clients through multiple distribution channels, including agents and brokers affiliated with the company, independent securities brokerage firms and financial advisors pension plan consultants, and banks.

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StockNews.com lowered shares of NiSource (NYSE:NI  Free Report) from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research report sent to investors on Friday morning.

Separately, Barclays began coverage on NiSource in a report on Monday, January 22nd. They issued an overweight rating and a $28.00 target price on the stock. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, NiSource has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $28.86.

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NiSource Stock Performance

NiSource Increases Dividend

Shares of NI stock opened at $25.90 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $10.71 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.38, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.12 and a beta of 0.49. NiSource has a 52 week low of $22.86 and a 52 week high of $28.95. The company has a quick ratio of 0.29, a current ratio of 0.41 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.66. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $26.14 and a 200-day moving average of $26.05.

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, February 20th. Investors of record on Monday, February 5th will be issued a $0.265 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 2nd. This represents a $1.06 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.09%. This is a positive change from NiSources previous quarterly dividend of $0.25. NiSources dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 71.14%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Michael E. Jesanis sold 5,000 shares of NiSource stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $26.24, for a total value of $131,200.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 48,070 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,261,356.80. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.24% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in NI. Achmea Investment Management B.V. bought a new stake in shares of NiSource during the 1st quarter valued at about $33,000. McGlone Suttner Wealth Management Inc. bought a new stake in shares of NiSource during the 4th quarter valued at about $36,000. Ancora Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of NiSource during the 4th quarter valued at about $40,000. Global Retirement Partners LLC boosted its position in shares of NiSource by 41.4% during the 3rd quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 1,698 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $41,000 after acquiring an additional 497 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Lindbrook Capital LLC boosted its position in shares of NiSource by 46.2% during the 4th quarter. Lindbrook Capital LLC now owns 1,553 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $41,000 after acquiring an additional 491 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 94.91% of the companys stock.

About NiSource

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NiSource Inc, an energy holding company, operates as a regulated natural gas and electric utility company in the United States. It operates through two segments, Gas Distribution Operations and Electric Operations. The company distributes natural gas to approximately 859,000 customers in northern Indiana, as well as approximately 2.4 million residential, commercial, and industrial customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Kentucky, and Maryland.

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Restaurant Brands International (NYSE:QSR  Free Report) (TSE:QSR) had its price target boosted by JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $78.00 to $82.00 in a research note released on Friday, BayStreet.CA reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. currently has an overweight rating on the restaurant operators stock.

Several other analysts have also commented on QSR. Royal Bank of Canada lowered their price objective on shares of Restaurant Brands International from $91.00 to $90.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, February 14th. Sanford C. Bernstein raised shares of Restaurant Brands International from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and set a $85.00 price objective on the stock in a research report on Thursday, November 30th. CIBC lowered their price objective on shares of Restaurant Brands International from $88.00 to $87.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, January 17th. Citigroup lowered their price objective on shares of Restaurant Brands International from $83.00 to $81.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, February 14th. Finally, Oppenheimer lifted their price objective on shares of Restaurant Brands International from $83.00 to $89.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Friday, January 5th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have assigned a hold rating and sixteen have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $81.33.

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Restaurant Brands International Stock Up 1.5 %

QSR opened at $77.19 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.82, a current ratio of 1.15 and a quick ratio of 1.07. The companys 50-day moving average is $76.92 and its 200 day moving average is $71.46. Restaurant Brands International has a fifty-two week low of $59.99 and a fifty-two week high of $79.94. The firm has a market capitalization of $24.12 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.47, a PEG ratio of 2.34 and a beta of 0.92.

Restaurant Brands International (NYSE:QSR  Get Free Report) (TSE:QSR) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 13th. The restaurant operator reported $0.75 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.73 by $0.02. Restaurant Brands International had a net margin of 16.95% and a return on equity of 32.52%. The company had revenue of $1.82 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.80 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $0.72 earnings per share. The firms revenue was up 7.8% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts expect that Restaurant Brands International will post 3.37 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Restaurant Brands International Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 4th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, March 21st will be issued a $0.58 dividend. This represents a $2.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.01%. This is a positive change from Restaurant Brands Internationals previous quarterly dividend of $0.55. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, March 20th. Restaurant Brands Internationals payout ratio is presently 58.36%.

Insider Activity at Restaurant Brands International

In related news, insider Thomas Benjamin Curtis sold 2,682 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Friday, January 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $76.55, for a total transaction of $205,307.10. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 23,322 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,785,299.10. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. In other Restaurant Brands International news, CFO Matthew Dunnigan sold 8,275 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, January 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $76.55, for a total transaction of $633,451.25. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 33,312 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,550,033.60. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, insider Thomas Benjamin Curtis sold 2,682 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, January 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $76.55, for a total transaction of $205,307.10. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 23,322 shares in the company, valued at $1,785,299.10. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 33,874 shares of company stock worth $2,577,347 in the last three months. 1.25% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in QSR. Bank of New York Mellon Corp increased its position in Restaurant Brands International by 0.9% during the 1st quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 301,806 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $17,623,000 after purchasing an additional 2,830 shares during the period. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. increased its position in Restaurant Brands International by 2.6% during the 1st quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 9,183 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $536,000 after purchasing an additional 229 shares during the period. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. increased its position in Restaurant Brands International by 12.6% during the 1st quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 5,164 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $301,000 after purchasing an additional 577 shares during the period. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund grew its position in shares of Restaurant Brands International by 73.6% in the 1st quarter. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund now owns 7,076 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $413,000 after buying an additional 3,000 shares during the period. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP grew its position in shares of Restaurant Brands International by 99.3% in the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 373,323 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $21,798,000 after buying an additional 185,998 shares during the period.

Restaurant Brands International Company Profile

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Restaurant Brands International Inc operates as a quick-service restaurant company in Canada, the United States, and internationally. It operates through four segments: Tim Hortons (TH), Burger King (BK), Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen (PLK), and Firehouse Subs (FHS). The company owns and franchises TH chain of donut/coffee/tea restaurants that offer blend coffee, tea, and espresso-based hot and cold specialty drinks; and fresh baked goods, including donuts, Timbits, bagels, muffins, cookies and pastries, grilled paninis, classic sandwiches, wraps, soups, and other food products.

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Aigen Investment Management LP lifted its holdings in Valmont Industries, Inc. (NYSE:VMI  Free Report) by 47.1% in the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 4,115 shares of the industrial products companys stock after buying an additional 1,318 shares during the quarter. Aigen Investment Management LPs holdings in Valmont Industries were worth $988,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in VMI. Hamel Associates Inc. raised its position in Valmont Industries by 1.2% in the third quarter. Hamel Associates Inc. now owns 22,607 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $5,430,000 after purchasing an additional 260 shares during the period. Boston Trust Walden Corp raised its holdings in shares of Valmont Industries by 34.5% during the 3rd quarter. Boston Trust Walden Corp now owns 124,682 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $29,950,000 after buying an additional 31,962 shares during the period. Boston Partners lifted its position in Valmont Industries by 861.1% during the 3rd quarter. Boston Partners now owns 90,651 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $21,383,000 after acquiring an additional 81,219 shares in the last quarter. M&T Bank Corp grew its position in Valmont Industries by 12.1% in the third quarter. M&T Bank Corp now owns 1,122 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $269,000 after acquiring an additional 121 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Duff & Phelps Investment Management Co. raised its stake in shares of Valmont Industries by 17.1% during the second quarter. Duff & Phelps Investment Management Co. now owns 41,000 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $11,933,000 after purchasing an additional 6,000 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 84.15% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on the stock. DA Davidson raised shares of Valmont Industries from a neutral rating to a buy rating and lifted their price target for the stock from $230.00 to $290.00 in a research note on Wednesday, January 10th. Northcoast Research cut Valmont Industries from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a research note on Thursday, October 26th. StockNews.com upgraded Valmont Industries from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 16th. TheStreet cut Valmont Industries from a b rating to a c rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 25th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus lifted their price target on shares of Valmont Industries from $264.00 to $266.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 23rd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued 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 $278.00.

Valmont Industries Stock Down 1.4 %

Shares of Valmont Industries stock opened at $227.66 on Tuesday. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $229.91 and a 200 day moving average price of $230.07. Valmont Industries, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $188.63 and a fifty-two week high of $335.60. The firm has a market cap of $4.76 billion, a P/E ratio of 31.53, a P/E/G ratio of 1.23 and a beta of 1.05. The company has a quick ratio of 1.54, a current ratio of 2.49 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.63.

About Valmont Industries

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Valmont Industries, Inc produces and sells metal products in the United States, Australia, Brazil, Denmark, and internationally. The company operates through two segments: Infrastructure and Agriculture. It manufactures and distributes steel, pre-stressed concrete, composite, and hybrid structures for lighting, transportation, and telecommunications equipment, as well as electrical transmission, distribution, substations, and renewable energy generation equipment; and provides coatings services to preserve metal products.

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Aigen Investment Management LP bought a new position in shares of Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc. (NYSE:HE  Free Report) during the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor bought 65,962 shares of the utilities providers stock, valued at approximately $812,000.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Lazard Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in Hawaiian Electric Industries in the second quarter valued at approximately $34,000. MUFG Americas Holdings Corp acquired a new stake in Hawaiian Electric Industries in the third quarter valued at approximately $39,000. UMB Bank n.a. acquired a new stake in Hawaiian Electric Industries in the third quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. acquired a new stake in Hawaiian Electric Industries in the third quarter valued at approximately $35,000. Finally, Perkins Coie Trust Co acquired a new stake in Hawaiian Electric Industries in the third quarter valued at approximately $36,000. 53.64% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Hawaiian Electric Industries Stock Down 0.9 %

Shares of HE opened at $13.10 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.32, a quick ratio of 0.13 and a current ratio of 0.13. Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc. has a one year low of $9.06 and a one year high of $42.53. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.44 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.24 and a beta of 0.56. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $13.69 and a 200 day moving average price of $14.15.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Hawaiian Electric Industries ( NYSE:HE Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 13th. The utilities provider reported $0.48 EPS for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $0.48. Hawaiian Electric Industries had a return on equity of 10.11% and a net margin of 5.45%. The firm had revenue of $961.40 million during the quarter. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.52 earnings per share. The firms revenue for the quarter was down 5.7% compared to the same quarter last year.

Several analysts have commented on the company. Wells Fargo & Company lowered Hawaiian Electric Industries from an equal weight rating to an underweight rating and raised their price objective for the company from $8.00 to $8.50 in a report on Friday, November 10th. Evercore ISI raised their price objective on Hawaiian Electric Industries from $7.00 to $11.00 and gave the company an in-line rating in a report on Thursday, February 15th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and one has assigned a hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Reduce and a consensus target price of $11.50.

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Hawaiian Electric Industries Company Profile

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Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the electric utility, banking, and non-regulated renewable/sustainable infrastructure investment businesses in the state of Hawaii. It operates through three segments: Electric Utility, Bank, and Other. The Electric Utility segment engages in the production, purchase, transmission, distribution, and sale of electricity in the islands of Oahu, Hawaii, Maui, Lanai, and Molokai.

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Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE  Get Free Report) has been assigned a consensus rating of Hold from the fifteen brokerages that are covering the stock, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Ten investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and five have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12-month price objective among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $36.93.

Several research analysts have recently weighed in on PFE shares. TD Cowen cut shares of Pfizer from an outperform rating to a market perform rating and set a $32.00 price target for the company. in a report on Thursday, January 4th. UBS Group reduced their price target on shares of Pfizer from $34.00 to $27.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a report on Thursday, December 14th. Truist Financial reduced their price target on shares of Pfizer from $42.00 to $36.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Thursday, December 14th. Barclays reduced their target price on shares of Pfizer from $34.00 to $28.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a report on Thursday, December 14th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald restated an overweight rating and set a $45.00 target price on shares of Pfizer in a report on Wednesday, January 31st.

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Insider Buying and Selling at Pfizer

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Pfizer

In related news, Director Scott Gottlieb acquired 3,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 15th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $26.47 per share, with a total value of $79,410.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 9,000 shares of the companys stock, valued at $238,230. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link . Corporate insiders own 0.05% of the companys stock.

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of PFE. RB Capital Management LLC raised its position in shares of Pfizer by 6.7% in the first quarter. RB Capital Management LLC now owns 5,446 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $282,000 after purchasing an additional 341 shares during the period. Ironwood Wealth Management LLC. increased its position in Pfizer by 1.1% during the first quarter. Ironwood Wealth Management LLC. now owns 36,081 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $1,868,000 after acquiring an additional 400 shares during the period. United Bank increased its position in Pfizer by 0.6% during the first quarter. United Bank now owns 46,671 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $2,416,000 after acquiring an additional 290 shares during the period. Ergoteles LLC increased its position in Pfizer by 136.3% during the first quarter. Ergoteles LLC now owns 36,766 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $1,903,000 after acquiring an additional 21,209 shares during the period. Finally, Mackenzie Financial Corp increased its position in Pfizer by 6.4% during the first quarter. Mackenzie Financial Corp now owns 1,337,418 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $69,238,000 after acquiring an additional 79,887 shares during the period. 68.05% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Pfizer Stock Up 0.4 %

Shares of NYSE:PFE opened at $27.62 on Tuesday. Pfizer has a 52 week low of $25.76 and a 52 week high of $43.37. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.63, a quick ratio of 2.05 and a current ratio of 2.38. The company has a market capitalization of $155.95 billion, a PE ratio of 76.72, a PEG ratio of 1.23 and a beta of 0.62. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $28.02 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $31.01.

Pfizer (NYSE:PFE  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 30th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.10 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($0.19) by $0.29. The company had revenue of $14.25 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $14.37 billion. Pfizer had a net margin of 3.62% and a return on equity of 10.61%. The businesss quarterly revenue was down 41.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $1.14 earnings per share. Analysts forecast that Pfizer will post 2.22 earnings per share for the current year.

Pfizer Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 26th will be paid a $0.42 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, January 25th. This represents a $1.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 6.08%. This is a boost from Pfizers previous quarterly dividend of $0.41. Pfizers dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 466.67%.

Pfizer Company Profile

(Get Free Report

Pfizer Inc discovers, develops, manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells biopharmaceutical products worldwide. It offers medicines and vaccines in various therapeutic areas, including cardiovascular metabolic, migraine, and women's health under the Eliquis, Nurtec ODT/Vydura, and the Premarin family brands; infectious diseases with unmet medical needs under the Prevnar family, Nimenrix, FSME/IMMUN-TicoVac, and Trumenba brands; and COVID-19 prevention and treatment, and potential future mRNA and antiviral products under the Comirnaty and Paxlovid brands.

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Shares of ASM International NV (OTCMKTS:ASMIY  Get Free Report) have earned a consensus recommendation of Hold from the six brokerages that are covering the company, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and two have issued a buy recommendation on the company.

Separately, Redburn Atlantic raised shares of ASM International from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, November 22nd.

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ASM International Stock Performance

About ASM International

Shares of ASMIY opened at $622.17 on Tuesday. ASM International has a 1 year low of $317.36 and a 1 year high of $628.62. The company has a market cap of $30.69 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 32.30 and a beta of 1.71. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $541.21 and a 200-day moving average of $483.98.

(Get Free Report

ASM International NV, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the research, development, manufacture, marketing, and servicing of equipment and materials used to produce semiconductor devices in the United States, Europe, and Asia. Its products include wafer processing deposition systems for single-wafer atomic layer deposition, plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition, epitaxy, silicon carbide, vertical furnace systems, and low pressure chemical vapor deposition and diffusion products, as well as provides spare parts and support services.

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Royal Bank of Canada started coverage on shares of Biohaven (NYSE:BHVN  Free Report) in a research report released on Friday, Marketbeat.com reports. The firm issued an outperform rating and a $62.00 price target on the stock.

Other research analysts have also issued reports about the stock. UBS Group assumed coverage on shares of Biohaven in a research note on Tuesday, February 6th. They set a buy rating and a $59.00 target price on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on shares of Biohaven from $26.00 to $32.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Monday, November 20th. Piper Sandler increased their target price on shares of Biohaven from $29.00 to $36.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 15th. HC Wainwright assumed coverage on shares of Biohaven in a research note on Friday, December 22nd. They set a buy rating and a $50.00 target price on the stock. Finally, Robert W. Baird assumed coverage on shares of Biohaven in a report on Friday, December 8th. They set an outperform rating and a $58.00 price objective on the stock. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Buy and an average price target of $44.50.

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Biohaven Stock Up 0.8 %

Insiders Place Their Bets

BHVN opened at $49.50 on Friday. Biohaven has a twelve month low of $12.35 and a twelve month high of $50.23. The company has a fifty day moving average of $44.03 and a 200-day moving average of $31.52. The stock has a market cap of $3.97 billion, a PE ratio of -6.90 and a beta of 1.20.

In other news, Director Irina Antonijevic sold 11,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Friday, December 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $41.79, for a total value of $459,690.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 2,535 shares in the company, valued at approximately $105,937.65. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 15.50% of the companys stock.

Institutional Trading of Biohaven

Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. US Bancorp DE grew its stake in shares of Biohaven by 19.1% in the 1st quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 586 shares of the companys stock worth $70,000 after acquiring an additional 94 shares in the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Biohaven by 3.2% in the 4th quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 11,269 shares of the companys stock worth $482,000 after buying an additional 349 shares during the last quarter. Creative Planning boosted its holdings in shares of Biohaven by 3.5% in the 3rd quarter. Creative Planning now owns 11,541 shares of the companys stock worth $300,000 after buying an additional 395 shares during the last quarter. Canton Hathaway LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Biohaven by 2.3% in the 3rd quarter. Canton Hathaway LLC now owns 21,850 shares of the companys stock worth $568,000 after buying an additional 500 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Teacher Retirement System of Texas boosted its holdings in shares of Biohaven by 4.7% in the 3rd quarter. Teacher Retirement System of Texas now owns 16,486 shares of the companys stock worth $429,000 after buying an additional 746 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 89.60% of the companys stock.

Biohaven Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Biohaven Ltd., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, focuses on discovering, developing, and commercializing therapies for patients with debilitating neurological and neuropsychiatric diseases in the United States. The company's pipeline products include BHV-7000, a potassium channel activator for the treatment of focal epilepsy; BHV-7010, a Kv7 channel modulator for the treatment of different neurological diseases; Troriluzole, a tripeptide prodrug that is in Phase 3 clinical trial for the treatment of neurological and neuropsychiatric illnesses; BHV-5500, a low-trapping glutamate N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist for neuropathic pain; and Verdiperstat, an oral myeloperoxidase inhibitor, which is in Phase 3 clinical trial for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

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Brandes Investment Partners LP trimmed its holdings in shares of Credicorp Ltd. (NYSE:BAP  Free Report) by 3.0% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 7,546 shares of the banks stock after selling 232 shares during the quarter. Brandes Investment Partners LPs holdings in Credicorp were worth $966,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of BAP. Hsbc Holdings PLC grew its stake in Credicorp by 784.5% during the 3rd quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC now owns 285,863 shares of the banks stock valued at $36,618,000 after acquiring an additional 253,544 shares in the last quarter. FMR LLC grew its stake in Credicorp by 1.4% during the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 2,656,459 shares of the banks stock valued at $339,947,000 after acquiring an additional 36,795 shares in the last quarter. Westwood Global Investments LLC grew its stake in Credicorp by 7.6% during the 3rd quarter. Westwood Global Investments LLC now owns 1,898,456 shares of the banks stock valued at $242,945,000 after acquiring an additional 134,731 shares in the last quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB increased its holdings in Credicorp by 4.1% in the 3rd quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 22,023 shares of the banks stock valued at $2,847,000 after purchasing an additional 871 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Envestnet Asset Management Inc. increased its holdings in Credicorp by 59.9% in the 3rd quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 107,696 shares of the banks stock valued at $13,782,000 after purchasing an additional 40,359 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 70.05% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms recently weighed in on BAP. UBS Group dropped their target price on shares of Credicorp from $192.00 to $190.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Monday, February 5th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised shares of Credicorp from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and raised their price target for the company from $162.00 to $190.00 in a research report on Friday, December 15th. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Credicorp currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $180.40.

Credicorp Stock Performance

BAP traded down $0.66 on Tuesday, reaching $169.55. The company had a trading volume of 73,102 shares, compared to its average volume of 213,599. Credicorp Ltd. has a 1 year low of $116.42 and a 1 year high of $173.39. The stock has a market capitalization of $13.48 billion, a PE ratio of 11.53, a P/E/G ratio of 0.58 and a beta of 1.10. The company has a quick ratio of 1.00, a current ratio of 1.08 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $150.71 and a 200-day moving average price of $138.58.

About Credicorp

(Free Report)

Credicorp Ltd. provides various financial, insurance, and health services and products primarily in Peru and internationally. Its Universal Banking segment includes granting various credits and financial instruments to individuals and legal entities; and various deposits and checking accounts. The Insurance and Pensions segment includes the issuance of insurance policies to cover losses in commercial property, transport, marine vessels, automobiles, life, health, and pensions; management services for private pension funds.

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Brandes Investment Partners LP decreased its stake in CAE Inc. (NYSE:CAE  Free Report) (TSE:CAE) by 6.9% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 52,366 shares of the aerospace companys stock after selling 3,903 shares during the quarter. Brandes Investment Partners LPs holdings in CAE were worth $1,223,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of CAE. Mackenzie Financial Corp grew its position in shares of CAE by 29.9% in the 2nd quarter. Mackenzie Financial Corp now owns 31,960,441 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $715,244,000 after buying an additional 7,363,625 shares during the last quarter. Beutel Goodman & Co Ltd. grew its holdings in shares of CAE by 0.7% in the second quarter. Beutel Goodman & Co Ltd. now owns 12,081,091 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $270,700,000 after acquiring an additional 80,220 shares in the last quarter. Royal Bank of Canada grew its holdings in shares of CAE by 1.3% in the second quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 10,034,952 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $224,583,000 after acquiring an additional 128,457 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its holdings in CAE by 3.1% during the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 10,006,409 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $153,398,000 after purchasing an additional 300,523 shares during the period. Finally, FMR LLC grew its holdings in CAE by 2.6% during the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 9,004,271 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $210,216,000 after purchasing an additional 230,912 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 64.34% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms have issued reports on CAE. Bank of America downgraded CAE from a neutral rating to an underperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 29th. Royal Bank of Canada dropped their target price on CAE from $37.00 to $34.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, November 15th. Scotiabank downgraded CAE from a sector outperform rating to a sector perform rating in a research report on Monday, January 22nd. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded CAE from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has assigned a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $35.00.

CAE Price Performance

NYSE CAE traded up $0.22 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $19.23. 160,779 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 470,877. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $20.69 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $21.81. CAE Inc. has a 1 year low of $18.26 and a 1 year high of $25.04. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.55, a current ratio of 0.90 and a quick ratio of 0.68. The company has a market cap of $6.12 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.70, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.51 and a beta of 1.61.

About CAE

(Free Report)

CAE Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides simulation training and critical operations support solutions in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, Asia, Oceania and Africa, and Rest of Americas. It operates through three segments: Civil Aviation, Defense and Security, and Healthcare.

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Brandes Investment Partners LP cut its position in Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS  Free Report) by 37.3% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 116,047 shares of the companys stock after selling 69,179 shares during the quarter. Brandes Investment Partners LPs holdings in Novartis were worth $11,821,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. BlackRock Inc. raised its stake in shares of Novartis by 18.3% during the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 1,556,539 shares of the companys stock valued at $136,587,000 after purchasing an additional 240,710 shares during the period. Dakota Wealth Management raised its stake in shares of Novartis by 3.9% during the 1st quarter. Dakota Wealth Management now owns 4,869 shares of the companys stock valued at $427,000 after purchasing an additional 185 shares during the period. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Novartis by 42.4% during the 1st quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 10,996 shares of the companys stock valued at $965,000 after purchasing an additional 3,272 shares during the period. Baird Financial Group Inc. raised its stake in shares of Novartis by 4.5% during the 1st quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 95,477 shares of the companys stock valued at $8,379,000 after purchasing an additional 4,122 shares during the period. Finally, Zions Bancorporation N.A. raised its stake in shares of Novartis by 22.8% during the 1st quarter. Zions Bancorporation N.A. now owns 3,528 shares of the companys stock valued at $309,000 after purchasing an additional 655 shares during the period. 7.00% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

NVS has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Morgan Stanley initiated coverage on Novartis in a research note on Tuesday, January 23rd. They issued an equal weight rating and a $114.00 target price on the stock. StockNews.com initiated coverage on Novartis in a research note on Wednesday, December 6th. They issued a strong-buy rating on the stock. Finally, HSBC lowered Novartis from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Monday, December 18th.

Novartis Price Performance

Shares of NVS traded up $3.16 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $103.35. The stock had a trading volume of 513,873 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,354,298. The companys 50-day moving average is $103.10 and its 200 day moving average is $100.11. Novartis AG has a 12-month low of $79.98 and a 12-month high of $108.78. The company has a current ratio of 1.15, a quick ratio of 0.93 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39. The company has a market capitalization of $219.06 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.95, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.56 and a beta of 0.56.

Novartis (NYSE:NVS  Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, January 30th. The company reported $1.53 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.64 by ($0.11). The company had revenue of $11.42 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $11.69 billion. Novartis had a net margin of 29.83% and a return on equity of 29.90%. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $1.51 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts predict that Novartis AG will post 7.18 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Novartis Profile

(Free Report)

Novartis AG researches, develops, manufactures, and markets healthcare products in Switzerland and internationally. It offers prescription medicines for patients and physicians. It focuses on therapeutic areas, such as cardiovascular, renal and metabolic, immunology, neuroscience, and oncology, as well as ophthalmology and hematology.

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Brandes Investment Partners LP cut its stake in shares of Gran Tierra Energy Inc. (NYSEAMERICAN:GTE  Free Report) by 18.0% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 54,640 shares of the companys stock after selling 12,024 shares during the period. Brandes Investment Partners LP owned about 0.16% of Gran Tierra Energy worth $379,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Empower Advisory Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of Gran Tierra Energy during the 3rd quarter valued at $104,000. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP bought a new stake in shares of Gran Tierra Energy during the 1st quarter valued at $25,000. Y Intercept Hong Kong Ltd bought a new position in Gran Tierra Energy in the 2nd quarter worth $79,000. Bank of Montreal Can bought a new position in Gran Tierra Energy in the 2nd quarter worth $122,000. Finally, State of Tennessee Treasury Department bought a new position in Gran Tierra Energy in the 2nd quarter worth $122,000. 33.84% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

Separately, StockNews.com cut shares of Gran Tierra Energy from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 23rd.

Gran Tierra Energy Price Performance

GTE traded down $0.12 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $5.15. The stock had a trading volume of 192,209 shares, compared to its average volume of 399,626. The company has a market cap of $171.44 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.21 and a beta of 1.60. Gran Tierra Energy Inc. has a twelve month low of $4.62 and a twelve month high of $9.70. The company has a quick ratio of 0.56, a current ratio of 0.65 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.49.

Gran Tierra Energy Profile

(Free Report)

Gran Tierra Energy Inc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the exploration and production of oil and gas properties in Colombia and Ecuador. The company was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.

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Shares of Morgan Stanley Direct Lending (NYSE:MSDL  Get Free Report) have earned a consensus recommendation of Moderate Buy from the six research firms that are currently covering the stock, Marketbeat reports. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and three have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average twelve-month target price among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $21.50.

Several brokerages recently weighed in on MSDL. JPMorgan Chase & Co. began coverage on Morgan Stanley Direct Lending in a report on Tuesday. They set a neutral rating and a $20.50 price target for the company. Raymond James began coverage on Morgan Stanley Direct Lending in a report on Tuesday. They set an outperform rating and a $22.00 price target for the company. UBS Group began coverage on Morgan Stanley Direct Lending in a report on Tuesday. They set a buy rating and a $23.50 price target for the company. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods assumed coverage on Morgan Stanley Direct Lending in a report on Tuesday. They set a market perform rating and a $21.00 price target for the company. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada assumed coverage on Morgan Stanley Direct Lending in a research report on Tuesday. They issued an outperform rating and a $21.00 price objective for the company.

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Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Trading Down 0.5 %

Shares of NYSE MSDL opened at $20.45 on Tuesday. Morgan Stanley Direct Lending has a 1-year low of $20.18 and a 1-year high of $20.82.

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CenterBook Partners LP boosted its holdings in shares of Louisiana-Pacific Co. (NYSE:LPX  Free Report) by 14.8% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 36,680 shares of the building manufacturing companys stock after buying an additional 4,728 shares during the quarter. CenterBook Partners LP owned approximately 0.05% of Louisiana-Pacific worth $2,027,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Capula Management Ltd bought a new position in shares of Louisiana-Pacific in the 3rd quarter worth $485,000. First Eagle Investment Management LLC raised its holdings in Louisiana-Pacific by 35.7% in the third quarter. First Eagle Investment Management LLC now owns 195,718 shares of the building manufacturing companys stock worth $10,817,000 after purchasing an additional 51,461 shares in the last quarter. Comerica Bank purchased a new stake in shares of Louisiana-Pacific during the second quarter valued at about $114,640,000. Cartenna Capital LP purchased a new stake in shares of Louisiana-Pacific during the second quarter valued at about $16,496,000. Finally, Private Advisor Group LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Louisiana-Pacific by 397.3% in the 3rd quarter. Private Advisor Group LLC now owns 25,110 shares of the building manufacturing companys stock valued at $1,388,000 after buying an additional 20,061 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 91.94% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms recently commented on LPX. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price objective on shares of Louisiana-Pacific from $57.00 to $64.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Thursday, December 14th. Royal Bank of Canada increased their price objective on Louisiana-Pacific from $80.00 to $82.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, February 15th. TD Cowen restated a hold rating and set a $75.00 target price on shares of Louisiana-Pacific in a research note on Thursday, January 11th. TD Securities increased their price target on Louisiana-Pacific from $75.00 to $77.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, February 15th. Finally, DA Davidson reissued a buy rating and issued a $76.00 price target on shares of Louisiana-Pacific in a report on Tuesday, February 13th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $73.71.

Insider Activity at Louisiana-Pacific

In related news, Director Lizanne C. Gottung sold 3,313 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, December 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $67.00, for a total transaction of $221,971.00. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 28,495 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,909,165. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. In related news, Director Lizanne C. Gottung sold 3,313 shares of Louisiana-Pacific stock in a transaction dated Thursday, December 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $67.00, for a total value of $221,971.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 28,495 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,909,165. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, SVP Michael W. Blosser sold 4,060 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, December 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $67.00, for a total value of $272,020.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 49,858 shares in the company, valued at $3,340,486. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 1.26% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Louisiana-Pacific Trading Down 2.1 %

Louisiana-Pacific stock opened at $68.54 on Tuesday. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $68.39 and a 200 day moving average price of $62.10. The company has a market capitalization of $4.95 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 27.98 and a beta of 1.83. Louisiana-Pacific Co. has a 52 week low of $49.47 and a 52 week high of $79.56. The company has a quick ratio of 1.54, a current ratio of 3.00 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22.

Louisiana-Pacific (NYSE:LPX  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 14th. The building manufacturing company reported $0.71 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.54 by $0.17. Louisiana-Pacific had a net margin of 6.90% and a return on equity of 15.65%. The business had revenue of $658.00 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $618.60 million. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $0.61 EPS. The businesss quarterly revenue was down 6.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Louisiana-Pacific Co. will post 3.84 EPS for the current year.

Louisiana-Pacific Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 8th. Investors of record on Friday, February 23rd will be issued a dividend of $0.26 per share. This represents a $1.04 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.52%. This is a positive change from Louisiana-Pacifics previous quarterly dividend of $0.24. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, February 22nd. Louisiana-Pacifics dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 39.18%.

About Louisiana-Pacific

(Free Report)

Louisiana-Pacific Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides building solutions primarily for use in new home construction, repair and remodeling, and outdoor structure markets. It operates through: Siding, Oriented Strand Board, and South America. The Siding segment offers LP SmartSide trim and siding products, LP SmartSide ExpertFinish trim and siding products, LP BuilderSeries lap siding products, and LP Outdoor Building Solutions; and engineered wood siding, trim, soffit, and fascia products.

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Shares of Centerspace (NYSE:CSR  Get Free Report) saw unusually-high trading volume on Tuesday . Approximately 70,778 shares changed hands during trading, an increase of 4% from the previous sessions volume of 67,883 shares.The stock last traded at $55.64 and had previously closed at $56.08.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

CSR has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Piper Sandler reduced their price objective on shares of Centerspace from $65.00 to $57.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research report on Friday, November 10th. Compass Point upgraded Centerspace from a neutral rating to a buy rating and set a $65.00 price objective on the stock in a report on Monday, November 6th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada upgraded Centerspace from a sector perform rating to an outperform rating and upped their price objective for the company from $58.00 to $63.00 in a report on Tuesday, January 16th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $64.71.

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Check Out Our Latest Research Report on CSR

Centerspace Price Performance

Centerspace Announces Dividend

The company has a current ratio of 0.14, a quick ratio of 0.14 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $56.08 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $56.98. The company has a market cap of $838.44 million, a PE ratio of 20.47, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.71 and a beta of 0.94.

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 12th. Stockholders of record on Friday, December 29th were given a $0.73 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, December 28th. This represents a $2.92 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.24%. Centerspaces dividend payout ratio is currently 106.57%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Centerspace

Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Asset Management One Co. Ltd. grew its stake in shares of Centerspace by 2.2% in the second quarter. Asset Management One Co. Ltd. now owns 25,121 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,541,000 after buying an additional 541 shares in the last quarter. Panagora Asset Management Inc. bought a new stake in Centerspace during the third quarter valued at $886,000. New York State Teachers Retirement System increased its stake in Centerspace by 6.6% during the third quarter. New York State Teachers Retirement System now owns 18,510 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,115,000 after purchasing an additional 1,146 shares during the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp increased its stake in Centerspace by 6.0% during the second quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 181,246 shares of the companys stock valued at $11,121,000 after purchasing an additional 10,208 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Capital Square LLC increased its stake in Centerspace by 9.1% during the second quarter. Capital Square LLC now owns 5,831 shares of the companys stock valued at $358,000 after purchasing an additional 485 shares during the last quarter. 78.97% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Centerspace Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Centerspace is an owner and operator of apartment communities committed to providing great homes by focusing on integrity and serving others. Founded in 1970, as of September 30, 2023, Centerspace owned interests in 71 apartment communities consisting of 12,785 apartment homes located in Colorado, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota.

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Clear Street Markets LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Valero Energy Co. (NYSE:VLO  Free Report) by 60.2% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 3,000 shares of the oil and gas companys stock after buying an additional 1,127 shares during the period. Clear Street Markets LLCs holdings in Valero Energy were worth $425,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of VLO. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of Valero Energy in the 4th quarter valued at about $534,892,000. Montrusco Bolton Investments Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Valero Energy in the 2nd quarter valued at about $221,809,000. Bank of Montreal Can bought a new stake in shares of Valero Energy in the 2nd quarter valued at about $121,126,000. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD raised its holdings in shares of Valero Energy by 121.0% in the 1st quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 1,739,618 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $242,853,000 after purchasing an additional 952,518 shares during the period. Finally, Marshall Wace LLP raised its holdings in shares of Valero Energy by 338.9% in the 2nd quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 905,403 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $106,204,000 after purchasing an additional 699,109 shares during the period. 77.07% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts have weighed in on VLO shares. Citigroup started coverage on shares of Valero Energy in a report on Wednesday, January 24th. They issued a buy rating on the stock. Raymond James increased their price target on shares of Valero Energy from $154.00 to $155.00 and gave the company a strong-buy rating in a report on Friday, January 26th. Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co. cut shares of Valero Energy from a buy rating to a hold rating and lowered their price target for the company from $150.00 to $130.00 in a report on Monday, October 30th. Finally, Barclays increased their price target on shares of Valero Energy from $146.00 to $149.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Monday, January 29th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating, nine have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $153.62.

Valero Energy Price Performance

NYSE:VLO traded down $4.13 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, reaching $135.41. The stock had a trading volume of 1,013,582 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,319,122. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $133.30 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $131.94. The stock has a market capitalization of $46.10 billion, a PE ratio of 5.64, a P/E/G ratio of 1.62 and a beta of 1.53. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36, a current ratio of 1.51 and a quick ratio of 1.08. Valero Energy Co. has a 12 month low of $104.18 and a 12 month high of $152.20.

Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 25th. The oil and gas company reported $3.55 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.95 by $0.60. The business had revenue of $35.41 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $34.76 billion. Valero Energy had a net margin of 6.10% and a return on equity of 31.86%. The firms quarterly revenue was down 15.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm posted $8.45 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Valero Energy Co. will post 14.35 earnings per share for the current year.

Valero Energy Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 4th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 1st will be paid a dividend of $1.07 per share. This represents a $4.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.16%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, January 31st. This is a boost from Valero Energys previous quarterly dividend of $1.02. Valero Energys payout ratio is presently 17.31%.

Valero Energy Company Profile

(Free Report)

Valero Energy Corporation manufactures, markets, and sells transportation fuels and petrochemical products in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Latin America, and internationally. It operates through three segments: Refining, Renewable Diesel, and Ethanol. The company produces California Reformulated Gasoline Blendstock for Oxygenate Blending and Conventional Blendstock for Oxygenate Blending gasolines, CARB diesel, diesel, jet fuel, and asphalt; aromatics; and sulfur crude oils.

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Dell Technologies (NYSE:DELL  Free Report) had its target price upped by UBS Group from $80.00 to $99.00 in a research note issued to investors on Friday morning, Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a buy rating on the technology companys stock.

Other equities research analysts have also recently issued reports about the company. TD Cowen increased their target price on Dell Technologies from $58.00 to $75.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a research note on Friday, December 1st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised Dell Technologies from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and increased their price objective for the company from $77.00 to $90.00 in a research report on Monday, January 8th. Raymond James increased their price objective on Dell Technologies from $68.00 to $82.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Friday, December 1st. Sanford C. Bernstein increased their price objective on Dell Technologies from $80.00 to $90.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 3rd. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on Dell Technologies from $80.00 to $85.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, December 1st. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has assigned a hold rating and thirteen have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $80.80.

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Dell Technologies Trading Up 1.8 %

NYSE DELL opened at $84.21 on Friday. Dell Technologies has a 12 month low of $35.96 and a 12 month high of $86.90. The stock has a market cap of $59.92 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.26, a P/E/G ratio of 1.17 and a beta of 0.90. The stocks fifty day moving average price is $79.55 and its 200-day moving average price is $71.28.

Dell Technologies (NYSE:DELL  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, November 30th. The technology company reported $1.88 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.46 by $0.42. Dell Technologies had a negative return on equity of 150.29% and a net margin of 2.92%. The firm had revenue of $22.25 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $23.01 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $2.01 earnings per share. The companys quarterly revenue was down 10.0% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts forecast that Dell Technologies will post 5.66 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Dell Technologies Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 2nd. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, January 23rd were paid a $0.37 dividend. This represents a $1.48 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.76%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, January 22nd. Dell Technologiess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 40.88%.

Insider Transactions at Dell Technologies

In other news, Director Iv (Gp) L.L.C. Slta sold 3,179,972 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $78.81, for a total value of $250,613,593.32. Following the transaction, the director now owns 293,812 shares of the companys stock, valued at $23,155,323.72. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Corporate insiders own 48.60% of the companys stock.

Institutional Trading of Dell Technologies

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its stake in Dell Technologies by 3.8% during the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 17,595,478 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $1,346,054,000 after purchasing an additional 647,192 shares during the period. Boston Partners bought a new stake in Dell Technologies during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $529,103,000. FMR LLC raised its stake in Dell Technologies by 59.6% during the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 9,376,674 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $646,053,000 after purchasing an additional 3,499,760 shares during the period. State Street Corp raised its stake in Dell Technologies by 2.0% during the 1st quarter. State Street Corp now owns 7,107,031 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $356,702,000 after purchasing an additional 138,821 shares during the period. Finally, Morgan Stanley raised its stake in Dell Technologies by 96.9% during the 3rd quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 5,023,755 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $346,137,000 after purchasing an additional 2,472,866 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 38.10% of the companys stock.

Dell Technologies Company Profile

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Dell Technologies Inc designs, develops, manufactures, markets, sells, and supports various comprehensive and integrated solutions, products, and services in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and internationally. The company operates through two segments, Infrastructure Solutions Group (ISG) and Client Solutions Group (CSG).

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Eaton Vance New York Municipal Bond Fund (NYSE:ENX  Get Free Report) declared a monthly dividend on Thursday, February 1st, Wall Street Journal reports. Stockholders of record on Thursday, February 22nd will be paid a dividend of 0.0394 per share on Thursday, February 29th. This represents a $0.47 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.85%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, February 21st.

Eaton Vance New York Municipal Bond Fund Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:ENX opened at $9.74 on Tuesday. Eaton Vance New York Municipal Bond Fund has a 52-week low of $7.84 and a 52-week high of $10.07. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $9.76 and a 200-day moving average price of $9.50.

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Insider Transactions at Eaton Vance New York Municipal Bond Fund

In other news, major shareholder Saba Capital Management, L.P. acquired 20,643 shares of Eaton Vance New York Municipal Bond Fund stock in a transaction dated Thursday, November 30th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $9.23 per share, for a total transaction of $190,534.89. Following the completion of the purchase, the insider now directly owns 3,016,633 shares in the company, valued at approximately $27,843,522.59. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Insiders bought a total of 86,020 shares of company stock worth $801,161 over the last three months.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

About Eaton Vance New York Municipal Bond Fund

An institutional investor recently raised its position in Eaton Vance New York Municipal Bond Fund stock. Cohen & Steers Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Eaton Vance New York Municipal Bond Fund ( NYSE:ENX Free Report ) by 250.8% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 42,100 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 30,100 shares during the quarter. Cohen & Steers Inc.s holdings in Eaton Vance New York Municipal Bond Fund were worth $406,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

(Get Free Report)

Eaton Vance New York Municipal Bond Fund is a close-ended fixed income mutual fund launched and managed by Eaton Vance Management. The fund invests in the fixed income market of United States. It invests primarily in high grade municipal obligations comprising of various industries, such as general obligations, hospital, electric utilities, transportation, water and sewer, public education, and private education.

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Fuller & Thaler Asset Management Inc. lowered its stake in shares of Cabot Co. (NYSE:CBT  Free Report) by 1.6% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 2,071,675 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock after selling 33,729 shares during the quarter. Cabot comprises 0.8% of Fuller & Thaler Asset Management Inc.s portfolio, making the stock its 23rd largest position. Fuller & Thaler Asset Management Inc. owned approximately 3.70% of Cabot worth $143,505,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of CBT. Victory Capital Management Inc. boosted its stake in Cabot by 541.7% during the third quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 82,090 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock worth $5,686,000 after acquiring an additional 69,298 shares in the last quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank lifted its stake in shares of Cabot by 18.8% in the third quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank now owns 11,476 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock worth $795,000 after buying an additional 1,819 shares in the last quarter. Moran Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Cabot by 2.1% in the second quarter. Moran Wealth Management LLC now owns 38,882 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock worth $2,601,000 after buying an additional 813 shares in the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Cabot by 0.5% in the second quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 645,022 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock worth $43,146,000 after buying an additional 3,271 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bank of Montreal Can bought a new position in shares of Cabot in the second quarter worth approximately $678,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 91.05% of the companys stock.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages recently weighed in on CBT. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Cabot from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 14th. UBS Group cut shares of Cabot from a buy rating to a neutral rating and reduced their target price for the company from $90.00 to $87.00 in a report on Monday, January 8th.

Cabot Trading Down 1.4 %

Shares of Cabot stock traded down $1.16 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $80.55. The stock had a trading volume of 65,728 shares, compared to its average volume of 326,683. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $78.72 and its 200-day simple moving average is $73.81. The stock has a market cap of $4.46 billion, a PE ratio of 10.61, a PEG ratio of 0.87 and a beta of 1.24. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74, a current ratio of 2.04 and a quick ratio of 1.30. Cabot Co. has a 12 month low of $63.73 and a 12 month high of $86.67.

Cabot Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 8th. Investors of record on Friday, February 23rd will be paid a $0.40 dividend. This represents a $1.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.99%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, February 22nd. Cabots dividend payout ratio is presently 20.78%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Cabot news, EVP Jeff Ji Zhu sold 55,233 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $79.91, for a total transaction of $4,413,669.03. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 97,201 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $7,767,331.91. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. 3.07% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Cabot Profile

(Free Report)

Cabot Corporation operates as a specialty chemicals and performance materials company. The company operates through two segments, Reinforcement Materials and Performance Chemicals. It offers reinforcing carbons that are used in tires as a rubber reinforcing agent and performance additive, as well as in industrial products, such as hoses, belts, extruded profiles, and molded goods; and engineered elastomer composites solutions.

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Gold Springs Resource Corp. (TSE:GRC  Get Free Report) reached a new 52-week low during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as low as C$0.07 and last traded at C$0.07, with a volume of 16500 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at C$0.08.

Gold Springs Resource Trading Down 13.3 %

The businesss 50 day moving average price is C$0.08 and its two-hundred day moving average price is C$0.09. The company has a market capitalization of C$18.29 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -7.50 and a beta of 0.81. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12, a quick ratio of 0.49 and a current ratio of 0.76.

Gold Springs Resource Company Profile

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Gold Springs Resource Corp. engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties in the United States. The company primarily explores for gold and silver deposits. It holds a 100% interest in the Gold Springs project covering approximately 7,847 hectares located in straddles eastern Lincoln County, Nevada, and western Iron County, Utah.

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Graves Light Lenhart Wealth Inc. trimmed its holdings in shares of iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF (NYSEARCA:IWF  Free Report) by 15.9% in the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 950 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after selling 180 shares during the quarter. Graves Light Lenhart Wealth Inc.s holdings in iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF were worth $258,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P increased its position in iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF by 34.1% during the first quarter. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P now owns 26,203 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $7,275,000 after acquiring an additional 6,665 shares during the last quarter. Worth Asset Management LLC bought a new position in iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF during the first quarter valued at $42,000. International Assets Investment Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF by 11.6% in the first quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 6,211 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $1,724,000 after purchasing an additional 644 shares during the last quarter. West Michigan Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF by 3.7% in the first quarter. West Michigan Advisors LLC now owns 7,595 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $2,109,000 after purchasing an additional 272 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Flow Traders U.S. LLC bought a new position in shares of iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF in the first quarter worth about $33,422,000.

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iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF Stock Down 1.1 %

NYSEARCA:IWF traded down $3.61 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, reaching $322.01. The companys stock had a trading volume of 264,248 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,584,118. iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF has a 1 year low of $221.56 and a 1 year high of $330.56. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $310.07 and a 200-day moving average of $288.36. The firm has a market capitalization of $82.14 billion, a PE ratio of 26.14 and a beta of 1.08.

About iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF

iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares Russell 1000 Growth Index Fund, is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks investment returns that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the Russell 1000 Growth Index (the Index). The Index measures the performance of equity securities of Russell 1000 index issuers with relatively higher price-to-book ratios and higher forecasted growth.

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Gray Television, Inc. (NYSE:GTN.A  Get Free Report)s share price gapped up prior to trading on Tuesday . The stock had previously closed at $8.07, but opened at $8.27. Gray Television shares last traded at $8.27, with a volume of 138 shares changing hands.

Gray Television Stock Performance

The stock has a market cap of $787.63 million, a P/E ratio of 11.05 and a beta of 1.38. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $8.71 and a 200 day moving average price of $8.44. The company has a quick ratio of 1.20, a current ratio of 1.20 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.08.

About Gray Television

(Get Free Report)

Gray Television, Inc, a television broadcast company, owns and operates television stations and digital assets in the United States. As of February 28, 2019, it owned and operated television stations in 91 television markets broadcasting approximately 400 program streams, including approximately 150 channels affiliated with the CBS Network, the NBC Network, the ABC Network, and the FOX Network.

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Guardian Capital LP reduced its position in shares of EOG Resources, Inc. (NYSE:EOG  Free Report) by 24.2% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 45,515 shares of the energy exploration companys stock after selling 14,535 shares during the period. Guardian Capital LPs holdings in EOG Resources were worth $5,769,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Truvestments Capital LLC purchased a new position in shares of EOG Resources during the 2nd quarter worth $25,000. Fortis Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of EOG Resources during the 4th quarter worth $28,000. Lumature Wealth Partners LLC purchased a new position in shares of EOG Resources during the 1st quarter worth $28,000. Peoples Bank KS purchased a new position in shares of EOG Resources during the 3rd quarter worth $31,000. Finally, Eagle Bay Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of EOG Resources during the 2nd quarter valued at $33,000. 89.21% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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EOG Resources Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:EOG traded down $0.45 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $113.11. The companys stock had a trading volume of 1,576,748 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,997,334. The firm has a market capitalization of $65.96 billion, a PE ratio of 8.44, a P/E/G ratio of 0.33 and a beta of 1.40. The company has a quick ratio of 2.10, a current ratio of 2.43 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.14. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $116.27 and a 200 day moving average of $123.33. EOG Resources, Inc. has a twelve month low of $98.52 and a twelve month high of $136.79.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts recently weighed in on EOG shares. Raymond James lowered their target price on shares of EOG Resources from $148.00 to $145.00 and set a strong-buy rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, January 24th. KeyCorp lowered their target price on shares of EOG Resources from $157.00 to $147.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, January 11th. Truist Financial lifted their target price on shares of EOG Resources from $165.00 to $169.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Monday, November 6th. Wells Fargo & Company cut shares of EOG Resources from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating and decreased their price target for the stock from $150.00 to $130.00 in a research note on Thursday, December 14th. Finally, Citigroup downgraded shares of EOG Resources from a buy rating to a neutral rating and reduced their target price for the stock from $144.00 to $135.00 in a report on Monday, October 23rd. Ten investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $143.50.

Read Our Latest Research Report on EOG

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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John Hancock Multifactor Developed International ETF (NYSEARCA:JHMD  Get Free Report) reached a new 52-week high during trading on Tuesday . The company traded as high as $32.98 and last traded at $32.87, with a volume of 22497 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $32.63.

John Hancock Multifactor Developed International ETF Stock Performance

The firms 50 day moving average is $32.31 and its 200-day moving average is $31.03. The stock has a market capitalization of $539.23 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.48 and a beta of 0.85.

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Hedge Funds Weigh In On John Hancock Multifactor Developed International ETF

Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Chilton Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in John Hancock Multifactor Developed International ETF in the 1st quarter worth $48,000. Comerica Bank purchased a new stake in John Hancock Multifactor Developed International ETF in the 3rd quarter worth $47,000. Citigroup Inc. purchased a new stake in John Hancock Multifactor Developed International ETF in the 3rd quarter worth $79,000. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated purchased a new stake in John Hancock Multifactor Developed International ETF in the 4th quarter worth $107,000. Finally, Susquehanna International Group LLP purchased a new stake in John Hancock Multifactor Developed International ETF in the 1st quarter worth $217,000.

John Hancock Multifactor Developed International ETF Company Profile

The John Hancock Multifactor Developed International ETF (JHMD) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in total market equity. The fund tracks an index of stocks from developed markets ex-US and Canada, covering 85% of the market capitalization. Holdings are weighted based on fundamental and technical factors JHMD was launched on Dec 15, 2016 and is managed by John Hancock.

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Primo Water (NYSE:PRMW  Get Free Report) had its target price raised by investment analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $18.00 to $19.00 in a research report issued on Tuesday, Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has an overweight rating on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co.s target price indicates a potential upside of 24.92% from the companys previous close.

Several other equities analysts also recently weighed in on the stock. TD Securities cut their price target on shares of Primo Water from $26.00 to $23.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, January 11th. TheStreet raised shares of Primo Water from a c+ rating to a b- rating in a research note on Monday, December 4th. StockNews.com cut shares of Primo Water from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research note on Sunday. Finally, CIBC raised shares of Primo Water from a neutral rating to an outperform rating and raised their price objective for the stock from $17.50 to $20.00 in a research note on Friday, November 3rd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $19.50.

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Primo Water Stock Performance

Institutional Trading of Primo Water

Shares of Primo Water stock traded down $0.05 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting $15.21. The company had a trading volume of 371,609 shares, compared to its average volume of 816,742. The stock has a market cap of $2.45 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.61, a PEG ratio of 1.75 and a beta of 1.09. The company has a quick ratio of 0.67, a current ratio of 0.84 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.98. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $14.91 and a 200 day simple moving average of $14.55. Primo Water has a 12-month low of $12.27 and a 12-month high of $16.42.

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. CIBC Asset Management Inc lifted its stake in Primo Water by 0.5% in the second quarter. CIBC Asset Management Inc now owns 149,496 shares of the companys stock worth $1,875,000 after acquiring an additional 713 shares during the last quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors lifted its position in shares of Primo Water by 1.8% during the 4th quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors now owns 46,558 shares of the companys stock worth $724,000 after buying an additional 810 shares during the last quarter. Amalgamated Bank lifted its position in shares of Primo Water by 4.1% during the 4th quarter. Amalgamated Bank now owns 20,959 shares of the companys stock worth $326,000 after buying an additional 835 shares during the last quarter. Credit Suisse AG lifted its position in shares of Primo Water by 0.6% during the 4th quarter. Credit Suisse AG now owns 141,419 shares of the companys stock worth $2,198,000 after buying an additional 843 shares during the last quarter. Finally, PNC Financial Services Group Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Primo Water by 26.1% in the 2nd quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 4,126 shares of the companys stock valued at $52,000 after acquiring an additional 853 shares during the period. 83.87% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Primo Water

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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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Shares of Lithium Americas (Argentina) Corp. (NYSE:LAAC  Get Free Report) were down 8.4% during trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as low as $3.93 and last traded at $3.95. Approximately 661,959 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 59% from the average daily volume of 1,613,928 shares. The stock had previously closed at $4.31.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts have recently issued reports on LAAC shares. Stifel Nicolaus set a $18.50 price objective on shares of Lithium Americas (Argentina) in a research note on Tuesday, November 28th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut shares of Lithium Americas (Argentina) from a buy rating to a hold rating and dropped their target price for the stock from $9.00 to $6.50 in a research report on Thursday, January 11th. Scotiabank cut shares of Lithium Americas (Argentina) from a sector outperform rating to a sector perform rating in a research report on Monday, January 29th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets dropped their target price on shares of Lithium Americas (Argentina) from $7.50 to $7.00 and set a market perform rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, November 21st. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $11.20.

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Lithium Americas (Argentina) Trading Down 7.2 %

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

The business has a fifty day moving average price of $5.29. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.16, a quick ratio of 12.43 and a current ratio of 12.43. The company has a market capitalization of $642.72 million, a PE ratio of 17.44 and a beta of 1.31.

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV acquired a new stake in Lithium Americas (Argentina) during the 4th quarter worth approximately $277,000. Townsquare Capital LLC acquired a new stake in Lithium Americas (Argentina) during the 4th quarter worth approximately $596,000. Legal & General Group Plc acquired a new stake in Lithium Americas (Argentina) during the 4th quarter worth approximately $1,281,000. Barclays PLC acquired a new stake in Lithium Americas (Argentina) during the 4th quarter worth approximately $795,000. Finally, Vanguard Group Inc. acquired a new stake in Lithium Americas (Argentina) during the 4th quarter worth approximately $22,366,000. Institutional investors own 27.28% of the companys stock.

Lithium Americas (Argentina) Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Lithium Americas (Argentina) Corp. operates as a resource company. The company explores for lithium deposits. The company owns interests in the Cauchari-Olaroz project located in Jujuy province of Argentina. It also has a pipeline of development and exploration stage projects, including the Pastos Grandes project and the Sal de la Puna project located in Salta Province in northwestern Argentina.

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LPL Financial LLC boosted its stake in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF (BATS:EFV  Free Report) by 31.8% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 12,901,876 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 3,114,614 shares during the period. LPL Financial LLC owned 3.84% of iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF worth $631,289,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Warner Financial Inc. increased its stake in iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF by 0.8% during the third quarter. Warner Financial Inc. now owns 30,415 shares of the companys stock worth $1,488,000 after acquiring an additional 229 shares during the last quarter. Stephens Inc. AR raised its holdings in iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF by 1.9% during the 1st quarter. Stephens Inc. AR now owns 13,430 shares of the companys stock valued at $652,000 after buying an additional 249 shares during the period. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company Inc. lifted its position in iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF by 0.9% in the second quarter. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company Inc. now owns 31,848 shares of the companys stock worth $1,559,000 after buying an additional 284 shares during the last quarter. Northwest Wealth Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF by 0.3% in the 3rd quarter. Northwest Wealth Management LLC now owns 98,909 shares of the companys stock worth $4,840,000 after acquiring an additional 286 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Signet Financial Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF by 4.0% in the first quarter. Signet Financial Management LLC now owns 7,837 shares of the companys stock worth $394,000 after buying an additional 301 shares during the period.

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iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF Trading Up 0.1 %

Shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF stock traded up $0.03 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $51.43. 1,763,305 shares of the stock traded hands. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $51.54 and its 200 day simple moving average is $49.96. iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF has a 52-week low of $49.15 and a 52-week high of $59.57. The firm has a market cap of $17.28 billion, a P/E ratio of 9.51 and a beta of 0.84.

iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF Company Profile

iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares MSCI EAFE Value Index Fund, is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the MSCI EAFE Value Index. The Index is a subset of the MSCI EAFE Index and constituents of the Index include securities from Europe, Australasia (Australia and Asia), and the Far East.

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Motley Fool Asset Management LLC grew its stake in shares of NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NEE  Free Report) by 12.0% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 52,133 shares of the utilities providers stock after acquiring an additional 5,566 shares during the period. Motley Fool Asset Management LLCs holdings in NextEra Energy were worth $2,987,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of NEE. Country Trust Bank grew its holdings in NextEra Energy by 975.6% in the third quarter. Country Trust Bank now owns 441 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 400 shares during the last quarter. Alaska Permanent Fund Corp grew its holdings in shares of NextEra Energy by 59.8% during the third quarter. Alaska Permanent Fund Corp now owns 556 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $32,000 after buying an additional 208 shares during the last quarter. Coppell Advisory Solutions LLC purchased a new stake in shares of NextEra Energy during the second quarter valued at $32,000. West Tower Group LLC purchased a new stake in shares of NextEra Energy during the second quarter valued at $36,000. Finally, Legacy Financial Group LLC purchased a new stake in shares of NextEra Energy during the third quarter valued at $38,000. Institutional investors own 76.48% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

NEE has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Citigroup initiated coverage on shares of NextEra Energy in a report on Friday, December 8th. They set a buy rating and a $69.00 price objective on the stock. Royal Bank of Canada restated an outperform rating and set a $74.00 target price on shares of NextEra Energy in a research report on Tuesday, January 30th. Guggenheim boosted their target price on shares of NextEra Energy from $70.00 to $80.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Monday, January 22nd. Morgan Stanley decreased their target price on shares of NextEra Energy from $79.00 to $76.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, November 21st. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on shares of NextEra Energy from $65.00 to $67.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 29th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, one has issued a hold rating and eleven have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $71.85.

Insider Transactions at NextEra Energy

In other NextEra Energy news, Director Nicole S. Arnaboldi bought 8,500 shares of NextEra Energy stock in a transaction on Friday, December 8th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $59.59 per share, for a total transaction of $506,515.00. Following the acquisition, the director now directly owns 11,523 shares in the company, valued at $686,655.57. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Company insiders own 0.18% of the companys stock.

NextEra Energy Trading Down 1.2 %

Shares of NextEra Energy stock traded down $0.68 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $56.35. The stock had a trading volume of 7,058,285 shares, compared to its average volume of 10,453,652. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $59.33 and a two-hundred day moving average of $60.34. NextEra Energy, Inc. has a 12-month low of $47.15 and a 12-month high of $79.78. The company has a quick ratio of 0.47, a current ratio of 0.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.06. The firm has a market cap of $115.61 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.80, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.03 and a beta of 0.52.

NextEra Energy (NYSE:NEE  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 25th. The utilities provider reported $0.52 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.49 by $0.03. NextEra Energy had a net margin of 26.00% and a return on equity of 11.73%. The business had revenue of $6.88 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $5.72 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $0.51 EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that NextEra Energy, Inc. will post 3.44 earnings per share for the current year.

NextEra Energy Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 15th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 27th will be issued a $0.515 dividend. This is a positive change from NextEra Energys previous quarterly dividend of $0.47. This represents a $2.06 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.66%. NextEra Energys dividend payout ratio is currently 51.80%.

NextEra Energy Company Profile

(Free Report)

NextEra Energy, Inc, through its subsidiaries, generates, transmits, distributes, and sells electric power to retail and wholesale customers in North America. The company generates electricity through wind, solar, nuclear, coal, and natural gas facilities. It also develops, constructs, and operates long-term contracted assets that consists of clean energy solutions, such as renewable generation facilities, battery storage projects, and electric transmission facilities; sells energy commodities; and owns, develops, constructs, manages and operates electric generation facilities in wholesale energy markets.

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Dun & Bradstreet (NYSE:DNB  Free Report) had its price target reduced by Needham & Company LLC from $18.00 to $17.00 in a research note released on Friday, Benzinga reports. They currently have a buy rating on the business services providers stock.

Several other research firms have also recently commented on DNB. The Goldman Sachs Group reduced their target price on Dun & Bradstreet from $12.00 to $10.30 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research report on Friday, November 3rd. Raymond James upgraded Dun & Bradstreet from an outperform rating to a strong-buy rating and set a $18.00 target price for the company in a research report on Friday, January 5th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their target price on Dun & Bradstreet from $13.00 to $11.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, November 2nd. Finally, Truist Financial reduced their target price on Dun & Bradstreet from $16.00 to $14.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Friday, November 3rd. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, three have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Dun & Bradstreet has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $14.21.

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Dun & Bradstreet Price Performance

Shares of NYSE DNB opened at $10.68 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $4.69 billion, a PE ratio of -97.09, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.72 and a beta of 1.20. Dun & Bradstreet has a fifty-two week low of $8.68 and a fifty-two week high of $12.88. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.02, a quick ratio of 0.73 and a current ratio of 0.63. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $11.51 and a 200-day moving average of $10.65.

Dun & Bradstreet (NYSE:DNB  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 15th. The business services provider reported $0.32 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.31 by $0.01. The company had revenue of $630.40 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $623.19 million. Dun & Bradstreet had a positive return on equity of 10.65% and a negative net margin of 2.03%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 5.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $0.28 earnings per share. Equities research analysts anticipate that Dun & Bradstreet will post 0.91 earnings per share for the current year.

Dun & Bradstreet Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 21st. Stockholders of record on Thursday, March 7th will be issued a $0.05 dividend. This represents a $0.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.87%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 6th. Dun & Bradstreets payout ratio is currently -181.82%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Dun & Bradstreet

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of DNB. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD lifted its stake in shares of Dun & Bradstreet by 5.8% in the 4th quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 119,168 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $1,395,000 after acquiring an additional 6,578 shares during the last quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio lifted its stake in shares of Dun & Bradstreet by 3.2% in the 4th quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio now owns 117,502 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $1,375,000 after acquiring an additional 3,682 shares during the last quarter. Legal & General Group Plc lifted its stake in shares of Dun & Bradstreet by 7.0% in the 4th quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 231,387 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $2,707,000 after acquiring an additional 15,166 shares during the last quarter. Barclays PLC lifted its stake in shares of Dun & Bradstreet by 264.3% in the 4th quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 509,464 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $5,961,000 after acquiring an additional 369,599 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Dun & Bradstreet by 1.0% in the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 26,559,651 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $310,748,000 after acquiring an additional 263,766 shares during the last quarter. 86.68% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Dun & Bradstreet

(Get Free Report)

Dun & Bradstreet Holdings, Inc provides business decisioning data and analytics in North America and internationally. It offers finance and risk solutions, including D&B Finance Analytics, an online application that offers clients real time access to its information, comprehensive monitoring, and portfolio analysis; D&B Direct, an application programming interface (API) that delivers risk and financial data directly into enterprise applications for real-time credit decision making; D&B Small Business, a suite of powerful tools that allows SMBs to monitor and build their business credit file; D&B Enterprise Risk Assessment Manager, a solution for managing and automating credit decisioning and reporting; and D&B Risk Analytics, a subscription-based online application that offers clients real-time access to complete and up-to-date global information.

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Paradigm Capital Management Inc. NY lowered its holdings in EnerSys (NYSE:ENS  Free Report) by 0.1% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 475,000 shares of the industrial products companys stock after selling 400 shares during the quarter. EnerSys comprises about 2.6% of Paradigm Capital Management Inc. NYs investment portfolio, making the stock its 14th largest position. Paradigm Capital Management Inc. NY owned 1.18% of EnerSys worth $44,968,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in ENS. Strs Ohio lifted its position in EnerSys by 317.9% during the 2nd quarter. Strs Ohio now owns 11,700 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $1,269,000 after purchasing an additional 8,900 shares during the period. Corient Private Wealth LLC lifted its position in EnerSys by 12.3% during the third quarter. Corient Private Wealth LLC now owns 138,325 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $13,095,000 after acquiring an additional 15,194 shares during the last quarter. Comerica Bank bought a new position in EnerSys during the second quarter worth about $83,770,000. SG Americas Securities LLC lifted its position in EnerSys by 173.9% during the third quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 19,994 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $1,893,000 after purchasing an additional 12,695 shares during the period. Finally, Pathstone Family Office LLC raised its holdings in shares of EnerSys by 102.3% during the 3rd quarter. Pathstone Family Office LLC now owns 7,441 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $714,000 after buying an additional 3,763 shares in the last quarter. 91.56% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms have recently weighed in on ENS. StockNews.com cut EnerSys from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, January 31st. William Blair downgraded EnerSys from an outperform rating to a market perform rating in a report on Monday, November 6th. Finally, Oppenheimer cut EnerSys from an outperform rating to a market perform rating in a research note on Friday, February 9th.

EnerSys Stock Down 1.0 %

Shares of NYSE ENS traded down $0.90 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting $90.55. 121,629 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 222,495. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.51, a quick ratio of 1.53 and a current ratio of 2.67. EnerSys has a one year low of $78.81 and a one year high of $113.34. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $97.09 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $95.11. The company has a market cap of $3.66 billion, a PE ratio of 13.84, a P/E/G ratio of 0.79 and a beta of 1.36.

EnerSys (NYSE:ENS  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 7th. The industrial products company reported $2.56 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.55 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $861.50 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $898.79 million. EnerSys had a net margin of 7.49% and a return on equity of 20.09%. The businesss revenue was down 6.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $1.27 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts predict that EnerSys will post 8.3 EPS for the current year.

EnerSys Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 29th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 15th will be paid a $0.225 dividend. This represents a $0.90 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.99%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 14th. EnerSyss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 13.62%.

EnerSys Company Profile

(Free Report)

EnerSys provides various stored energy solutions for industrial applications worldwide. It operates in three segments: Energy Systems, Motive Power, and Specialty. The company offers uninterruptible power systems applications for computer and computer-controlled systems, as well as telecommunications systems; switchgear and electrical control systems used in industrial facilities and electric utilities, large-scale energy storage, and energy pipelines; integrated power solutions and services to broadband, telecom, renewable, and industrial customers; and thermally managed cabinets and enclosures for electronic equipment and batteries.

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Regal Investment Advisors LLC increased its holdings in Goldman Sachs Access High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (NYSEARCA:GHYB  Free Report) by 5.1% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 78,968 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 3,808 shares during the period. Regal Investment Advisors LLC owned approximately 3.43% of Goldman Sachs Access High Yield Corporate Bond ETF worth $3,324,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Bank of Montreal Can purchased a new position in Goldman Sachs Access High Yield Corporate Bond ETF during the second quarter worth $870,000. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC purchased a new position in Goldman Sachs Access High Yield Corporate Bond ETF during the third quarter worth $211,000. Atwood & Palmer Inc. boosted its stake in Goldman Sachs Access High Yield Corporate Bond ETF by 13.1% during the third quarter. Atwood & Palmer Inc. now owns 367,346 shares of the companys stock worth $15,464,000 after buying an additional 42,649 shares during the period. Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC purchased a new position in Goldman Sachs Access High Yield Corporate Bond ETF during the second quarter worth $206,000. Finally, Catalyst Financial Partners LLC boosted its stake in Goldman Sachs Access High Yield Corporate Bond ETF by 62.4% during the third quarter. Catalyst Financial Partners LLC now owns 8,850 shares of the companys stock worth $373,000 after buying an additional 3,400 shares during the period.

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Goldman Sachs Access High Yield Corporate Bond ETF Stock Up 0.2 %

Shares of GHYB traded up $0.08 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $43.78. 3,711 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 27,106. Goldman Sachs Access High Yield Corporate Bond ETF has a 12-month low of $40.99 and a 12-month high of $44.53. The stocks fifty day moving average price is $44.00 and its 200 day moving average price is $42.93.

Goldman Sachs Access High Yield Corporate Bond ETF Company Profile

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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Rodgers Brothers Inc. increased its holdings in Edwards Lifesciences Co. (NYSE:EW  Free Report) by 8.1% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 77,079 shares of the medical research companys stock after acquiring an additional 5,750 shares during the period. Rodgers Brothers Inc.s holdings in Edwards Lifesciences were worth $5,340,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. LPL Financial LLC grew its holdings in Edwards Lifesciences by 2.4% during the third quarter. LPL Financial LLC now owns 302,141 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $20,932,000 after purchasing an additional 6,980 shares during the period. Dark Forest Capital Management LP bought a new position in Edwards Lifesciences during the third quarter valued at $1,780,000. Altshuler Shaham Ltd lifted its position in shares of Edwards Lifesciences by 3,129.7% during the third quarter. Altshuler Shaham Ltd now owns 10,755 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $745,000 after acquiring an additional 10,422 shares in the last quarter. Vancity Investment Management Ltd purchased a new stake in shares of Edwards Lifesciences during the third quarter worth $7,385,000. Finally, V Square Quantitative Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Edwards Lifesciences by 51.8% during the third quarter. V Square Quantitative Management LLC now owns 8,395 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $582,000 after acquiring an additional 2,863 shares in the last quarter. 79.25% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Edwards Lifesciences news, VP Catherine M. Szyman sold 27,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $85.62, for a total value of $2,311,740.00. Following the sale, the vice president now owns 34,814 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,980,774.68. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other news, VP Catherine M. Szyman sold 27,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $85.62, for a total transaction of $2,311,740.00. Following the sale, the vice president now directly owns 34,814 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,980,774.68. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, VP Daveen Chopra sold 3,500 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $70.00, for a total transaction of $245,000.00. Following the transaction, the vice president now owns 23,950 shares in the company, valued at $1,676,500. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 174,889 shares of company stock worth $13,685,420 in the last 90 days. 1.29% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Edwards Lifesciences Stock Performance

NYSE:EW traded up $0.34 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $86.44. The company had a trading volume of 980,268 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,111,029. The company has a current ratio of 3.38, a quick ratio of 2.40 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.09. Edwards Lifesciences Co. has a 52 week low of $60.57 and a 52 week high of $94.87. The firm has a market cap of $51.95 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 37.43, a PEG ratio of 4.32 and a beta of 1.04. The firms 50 day moving average price is $77.76 and its 200-day moving average price is $73.53.

Edwards Lifesciences (NYSE:EW  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 6th. The medical research company reported $0.64 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, meeting analysts consensus estimates of $0.64. The firm had revenue of $1.53 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.50 billion. Edwards Lifesciences had a net margin of 23.35% and a return on equity of 23.56%. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 13.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.64 EPS. On average, analysts forecast that Edwards Lifesciences Co. will post 2.76 EPS for the current year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts have issued reports on the company. Stifel Nicolaus increased their target price on Edwards Lifesciences from $70.00 to $83.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 7th. Royal Bank of Canada increased their target price on Edwards Lifesciences from $82.00 to $95.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 7th. Wolfe Research downgraded Edwards Lifesciences from a peer perform rating to an underperform rating and set a $57.00 target price on the stock. in a research report on Tuesday, November 28th. StockNews.com upgraded Edwards Lifesciences from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 13th. Finally, Truist Financial increased their target price on Edwards Lifesciences from $78.00 to $84.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Friday, December 22nd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and nine have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $87.38.

View Our Latest Analysis on Edwards Lifesciences

About Edwards Lifesciences

(Free Report)

Edwards Lifesciences Corporation provides products and technologies for structural heart disease and critical care monitoring in the United States, Europe, Japan, and internationally. It offers transcatheter heart valve replacement products for the minimally invasive replacement of aortic heart valves under the Edwards SAPIEN family of valves system; and transcatheter heart valve repair and replacement products to treat mitral and tricuspid valve diseases under the PASCAL PRECISION and Cardioband names.

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Royal Caribbean Cruises (NYSE:RCL  Free Report) had its price target hoisted by UBS Group from $148.00 to $154.00 in a report released on Friday, Benzinga reports. UBS Group currently has a buy rating on the stock.

RCL has been the topic of several other reports. Argus increased their target price on shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises from $95.00 to $142.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, December 21st. Citigroup reiterated a buy rating and issued a $127.00 target price on shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises in a research note on Tuesday, November 21st. Truist Financial restated a buy rating and set a $134.00 price objective on shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises in a research report on Monday, December 4th. TheStreet upgraded shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises from a d+ rating to a c- rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 5th. Finally, Barclays raised their price objective on shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises from $141.00 to $143.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, January 19th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $128.36.

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Royal Caribbean Cruises Stock Down 1.5 %

RCL opened at $116.09 on Friday. The company has a 50 day moving average of $123.11 and a 200 day moving average of $106.36. The company has a market cap of $29.74 billion, a PE ratio of 18.66, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.44 and a beta of 2.54. Royal Caribbean Cruises has a 12 month low of $59.37 and a 12 month high of $133.77. The company has a current ratio of 0.19, a quick ratio of 0.16 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.03.

Royal Caribbean Cruises (NYSE:RCL  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, February 1st. The company reported $1.25 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.13 by $0.12. Royal Caribbean Cruises had a net margin of 12.22% and a return on equity of 45.55%. The business had revenue of $3.33 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $3.36 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted ($1.12) EPS. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 28.0% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Royal Caribbean Cruises will post 9.81 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Royal Caribbean Cruises news, EVP Harri U. Kulovaara sold 24,707 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $106.90, for a total value of $2,641,178.30. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 33,650 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,597,185. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. In other Royal Caribbean Cruises news, Director Arne Alexander Wilhelmsen sold 284,766 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Thursday, December 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $121.73, for a total value of $34,664,565.18. Following the sale, the director now owns 19,167,507 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,333,260,627.11. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Harri U. Kulovaara sold 24,707 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $106.90, for a total transaction of $2,641,178.30. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 33,650 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,597,185. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 636,460 shares of company stock worth $76,557,183 in the last 90 days. 8.70% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Royal Caribbean Cruises

Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Financial Gravity Asset Management Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises during the 2nd quarter valued at about $693,000. Dagco Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises during the 4th quarter valued at about $25,000. BKM Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises during the 4th quarter valued at about $26,000. Turtle Creek Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises during the 4th quarter valued at about $33,000. Finally, West Branch Capital LLC boosted its stake in shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises by 50.0% during the 4th quarter. West Branch Capital LLC now owns 300 shares of the companys stock valued at $39,000 after purchasing an additional 100 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 75.64% of the companys stock.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. operates as a cruise company worldwide. The company operates cruises under the Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea Cruises brands, which comprise a range of itineraries. As of February 13, 2023, it operated 64 ships. The company was founded in 1968 and is headquartered in Miami, Florida.

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River & Mercantile Asset Management LLP lessened its holdings in shares of The Charles Schwab Co. (NYSE:SCHW  Free Report) by 12.2% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 63,758 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 8,826 shares during the period. River & Mercantile Asset Management LLPs holdings in Charles Schwab were worth $3,501,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Worth Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Charles Schwab during the 1st quarter worth about $32,000. BluePath Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in Charles Schwab during the third quarter worth approximately $34,000. State of Wyoming increased its position in Charles Schwab by 71.0% during the second quarter. State of Wyoming now owns 624 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $35,000 after buying an additional 259 shares during the period. WFA of San Diego LLC acquired a new position in Charles Schwab during the second quarter worth approximately $39,000. Finally, Gould Capital LLC increased its position in Charles Schwab by 33.3% during the first quarter. Gould Capital LLC now owns 800 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $42,000 after buying an additional 200 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 81.61% of the companys stock.

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Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CFO Peter B. Crawford sold 4,000 shares of Charles Schwab stock in a transaction on Thursday, November 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $60.56, for a total transaction of $242,240.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 41,611 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,519,962.16. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other news, CFO Peter B. Crawford sold 4,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Thursday, November 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $60.56, for a total value of $242,240.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 41,611 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,519,962.16. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, General Counsel Peter J. Morgan III sold 7,162 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Thursday, November 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $60.72, for a total value of $434,876.64. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 43,760 shares of company stock valued at $2,731,159. 6.60% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts have commented on SCHW shares. JMP Securities reaffirmed a market outperform rating and set a $77.00 price target on shares of Charles Schwab in a research report on Thursday, January 18th. Barclays cut their price target on Charles Schwab from $68.00 to $64.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, January 18th. The Goldman Sachs Group reaffirmed a neutral rating and set a $71.00 price target (up previously from $70.00) on shares of Charles Schwab in a research report on Wednesday, January 3rd. TD Cowen started coverage on Charles Schwab in a research note on Thursday, January 4th. They issued a market perform rating and a $77.00 target price on the stock. Finally, Citigroup downgraded Charles Schwab from a buy rating to a neutral rating and lowered their target price for the company from $75.00 to $70.00 in a research note on Wednesday, January 10th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Charles Schwab presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $69.69.

Read Our Latest Stock Report on SCHW

Charles Schwab Price Performance

Shares of Charles Schwab stock traded down $0.57 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $63.83. The companys stock had a trading volume of 2,466,417 shares, compared to its average volume of 8,183,814. The company has a quick ratio of 0.66, a current ratio of 0.66 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.87. The Charles Schwab Co. has a 12-month low of $45.00 and a 12-month high of $81.32. The company has a market capitalization of $113.09 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.35, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.40 and a beta of 0.99. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $65.63 and a 200-day moving average price of $59.96.

Charles Schwab (NYSE:SCHW  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 17th. The financial services provider reported $0.68 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.64 by $0.04. The firm had revenue of $4.46 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $4.49 billion. Charles Schwab had a return on equity of 22.07% and a net margin of 26.90%. Charles Schwabs revenue was down 18.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $1.07 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that The Charles Schwab Co. will post 3.33 EPS for the current year.

Charles Schwab Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 23rd. Investors of record on Friday, February 9th will be issued a dividend of $0.25 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, February 8th. This represents a $1.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.57%. Charles Schwabs dividend payout ratio is presently 39.37%.

About Charles Schwab

(Free Report)

The Charles Schwab Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a savings and loan holding company that provides wealth management, securities brokerage, banking, asset management, custody, and financial advisory services. The company operates in two segments, Investor Services and Advisor Services.

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The Gabelli Global Utility & Income Trust (NYSE:GLU  Get Free Report) announced a monthly dividend on Tuesday, February 20th, Wall Street Journal reports. Shareholders of record on Thursday, May 16th will be given a dividend of 0.10 per share on Thursday, May 23rd. This represents a $1.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 9.06%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, May 15th.

The Gabelli Global Utility & Income Trust Trading Down 0.4 %

NYSE:GLU opened at $13.25 on Tuesday. The Gabelli Global Utility & Income Trust has a twelve month low of $11.61 and a twelve month high of $15.40. The stocks 50 day moving average is $13.28.

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Institutional Trading of The Gabelli Global Utility & Income Trust

A hedge fund recently raised its stake in The Gabelli Global Utility & Income Trust stock. UBS Group AG grew its holdings in The Gabelli Global Utility & Income Trust (NYSE:GLU  Free Report) by 121.2% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 41,443 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 22,708 shares during the period. UBS Group AGs holdings in The Gabelli Global Utility & Income Trust were worth $560,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

The Gabelli Global Utility & Income Trust Company Profile

The Gabelli Global Utility & Income Trust is a closed-ended equity mutual fund launched by GAMCO Investors, Inc It is managed by Gabelli Funds, LLC. The fund invests in public equity markets across the globe. It primarily invests in stocks of companies involved to a substantial extent in providing products, services, or equipment for the generation or distribution of electricity, gas, or water and infrastructure operations, and in equity securities including preferred securities of companies in other industries, in each case in such securities that are expected to pay periodic dividends.

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V Square Quantitative Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (NYSE:FIS  Free Report) by 99.2% during the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 7,449 shares of the information technology services providers stock after purchasing an additional 3,709 shares during the quarter. V Square Quantitative Management LLCs holdings in Fidelity National Information Services were worth $412,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the stock. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. boosted its holdings in shares of Fidelity National Information Services by 83.3% in the 1st quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. now owns 286 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 130 shares during the last quarter. OFI Invest Asset Management purchased a new stake in shares of Fidelity National Information Services in the 3rd quarter valued at $25,000. Baystate Wealth Management LLC boosted its holdings in Fidelity National Information Services by 332.1% during the third quarter. Baystate Wealth Management LLC now owns 484 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $27,000 after buying an additional 372 shares in the last quarter. Neo Ivy Capital Management purchased a new stake in Fidelity National Information Services during the second quarter worth $46,000. Finally, Spotlight Asset Group Inc. purchased a new position in Fidelity National Information Services during the second quarter valued at $30,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 85.67% of the companys stock.

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Insider Buying and Selling

In other Fidelity National Information Services news, Director Ellen R. Alemany bought 735 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 17th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $60.32 per share, with a total value of $44,335.20. Following the purchase, the director now directly owns 35,333 shares in the company, valued at $2,131,286.56. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. 0.68% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Fidelity National Information Services Stock Down 1.1 %

Analyst Ratings Changes

Shares of FIS opened at $62.98 on Tuesday. Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $46.91 and a fifty-two week high of $69.10. The firms 50 day moving average price is $61.26 and its 200 day moving average price is $57.04. The company has a quick ratio of 0.76, a current ratio of 0.76 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65.

FIS has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Mizuho increased their price objective on shares of Fidelity National Information Services from $62.00 to $73.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Thursday, January 18th. Truist Financial increased their price objective on shares of Fidelity National Information Services from $50.00 to $55.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a report on Wednesday, November 8th. Raymond James decreased their price objective on shares of Fidelity National Information Services from $79.00 to $71.00 and set a strong-buy rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, November 8th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada decreased their price objective on shares of Fidelity National Information Services from $71.00 to $67.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, November 8th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $66.00.

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Fidelity National Information Services Company Profile

(Free Report)

Fidelity National Information Services, Inc provides technology solutions for financial institutions and businesses worldwide. It operates through Banking Solutions, Merchant Solutions, and Capital Market Solutions segments. The Banking Solutions segment provides core processing and ancillary applications; mobile and online banking; fraud, risk management, and compliance; electronic funds transfer and network; card and retail payment; wealth and retirement; and item processing and output solutions.

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V Square Quantitative Management LLC grew its stake in shares of NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NEE  Free Report) by 70.5% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 6,625 shares of the utilities providers stock after acquiring an additional 2,740 shares during the period. V Square Quantitative Management LLCs holdings in NextEra Energy were worth $380,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Country Trust Bank raised its position in shares of NextEra Energy by 975.6% in the third quarter. Country Trust Bank now owns 441 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 400 shares in the last quarter. Alaska Permanent Fund Corp raised its position in shares of NextEra Energy by 59.8% in the third quarter. Alaska Permanent Fund Corp now owns 556 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $32,000 after buying an additional 208 shares in the last quarter. Coppell Advisory Solutions LLC purchased a new stake in shares of NextEra Energy in the second quarter worth $32,000. West Tower Group LLC purchased a new stake in shares of NextEra Energy in the second quarter worth $36,000. Finally, Legacy Financial Group LLC purchased a new stake in shares of NextEra Energy in the third quarter worth $38,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 76.48% of the companys stock.

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Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, Director Nicole S. Arnaboldi acquired 8,500 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, December 8th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $59.59 per share, for a total transaction of $506,515.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director now directly owns 11,523 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $686,655.57. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. 0.18% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages recently issued reports on NEE. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated an outperform rating and issued a $74.00 price objective on shares of NextEra Energy in a research report on Tuesday, January 30th. Seaport Res Ptn downgraded NextEra Energy from a neutral rating to a sell rating in a research report on Thursday, November 9th. Morgan Stanley lowered their price target on NextEra Energy from $79.00 to $76.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, November 21st. StockNews.com downgraded NextEra Energy from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research report on Monday. Finally, Citigroup began coverage on NextEra Energy in a research report on Friday, December 8th. They set a buy rating and a $69.00 price target on the stock. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, one has assigned a hold rating and eleven have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, NextEra Energy presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $71.85.

Read Our Latest Analysis on NEE

NextEra Energy Trading Down 0.1 %

Shares of NYSE NEE traded down $0.07 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $56.96. The companys stock had a trading volume of 2,417,165 shares, compared to its average volume of 10,319,022. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.06, a quick ratio of 0.47 and a current ratio of 0.55. The stock has a market cap of $116.87 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.80, a P/E/G ratio of 2.03 and a beta of 0.52. NextEra Energy, Inc. has a 12 month low of $47.15 and a 12 month high of $79.78. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $59.33 and a 200-day simple moving average of $60.34.

NextEra Energy (NYSE:NEE  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, January 25th. The utilities provider reported $0.52 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.49 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $6.88 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $5.72 billion. NextEra Energy had a return on equity of 11.73% and a net margin of 26.00%. During the same period last year, the firm earned $0.51 earnings per share. On average, analysts anticipate that NextEra Energy, Inc. will post 3.44 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

NextEra Energy Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 15th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, February 27th will be issued a $0.515 dividend. This is a positive change from NextEra Energys previous quarterly dividend of $0.47. This represents a $2.06 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.62%. NextEra Energys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 51.80%.

About NextEra Energy

(Free Report)

NextEra Energy, Inc, through its subsidiaries, generates, transmits, distributes, and sells electric power to retail and wholesale customers in North America. The company generates electricity through wind, solar, nuclear, coal, and natural gas facilities. It also develops, constructs, and operates long-term contracted assets that consists of clean energy solutions, such as renewable generation facilities, battery storage projects, and electric transmission facilities; sells energy commodities; and owns, develops, constructs, manages and operates electric generation facilities in wholesale energy markets.

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V Square Quantitative Management LLC grew its stake in shares of W.W. Grainger, Inc. (NYSE:GWW  Free Report) by 72.5% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 697 shares of the industrial products companys stock after buying an additional 293 shares during the quarter. V Square Quantitative Management LLCs holdings in W.W. Grainger were worth $482,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Atria Wealth Solutions Inc. lifted its holdings in W.W. Grainger by 6.9% in the third quarter. Atria Wealth Solutions Inc. now owns 3,160 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $2,187,000 after buying an additional 205 shares during the period. Sigma Planning Corp grew its position in W.W. Grainger by 23.4% in the 3rd quarter. Sigma Planning Corp now owns 633 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $438,000 after purchasing an additional 120 shares in the last quarter. US Bancorp DE grew its position in W.W. Grainger by 11.3% in the 3rd quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 71,748 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $49,638,000 after purchasing an additional 7,273 shares in the last quarter. Pathstone Family Office LLC grew its position in shares of W.W. Grainger by 89.4% during the 3rd quarter. Pathstone Family Office LLC now owns 7,828 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $5,415,000 after acquiring an additional 3,695 shares during the period. Finally, Natixis bought a new position in shares of W.W. Grainger during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $355,000. Institutional investors own 71.24% of the companys stock.

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W.W. Grainger Stock Down 1.0 %

Shares of W.W. Grainger stock opened at $926.61 on Tuesday. W.W. Grainger, Inc. has a 1 year low of $625.97 and a 1 year high of $978.95. The stock has a market cap of $45.99 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.84, a PEG ratio of 1.83 and a beta of 1.13. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66, a current ratio of 2.88 and a quick ratio of 1.64. The firms 50-day moving average is $868.78 and its two-hundred day moving average is $780.16.

W.W. Grainger Announces Dividend

W.W. Grainger ( NYSE:GWW Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, February 2nd. The industrial products company reported $8.33 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $8.05 by $0.28. W.W. Grainger had a net margin of 11.10% and a return on equity of 56.54%. The firm had revenue of $4 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.04 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $7.14 EPS. W.W. Graingers revenue was up 5.1% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts expect that W.W. Grainger, Inc. will post 39.24 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 1st. Investors of record on Monday, February 12th will be paid a $1.86 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 9th. This represents a $7.44 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.80%. W.W. Graingers dividend payout ratio is currently 20.55%.

Insider Activity at W.W. Grainger

In other W.W. Grainger news, VP Paige K. Robbins sold 3,122 shares of W.W. Grainger stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $950.22, for a total transaction of $2,966,586.84. Following the sale, the vice president now owns 4,909 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,664,629.98. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. In related news, VP Paige K. Robbins sold 3,122 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $950.22, for a total value of $2,966,586.84. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now owns 4,909 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,664,629.98. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, VP Laurie R. Thomson sold 250 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $801.50, for a total transaction of $200,375.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 911 shares in the company, valued at approximately $730,166.50. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 5,850 shares of company stock valued at $5,121,311. 9.90% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms have issued reports on GWW. Stephens increased their target price on shares of W.W. Grainger from $775.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 6th. Oppenheimer raised their price target on shares of W.W. Grainger from $800.00 to $930.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday, January 3rd. Jefferies Financial Group lowered shares of W.W. Grainger from a buy rating to a hold rating and set a $825.00 target price on the stock. in a research note on Wednesday, December 20th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on shares of W.W. Grainger from $800.00 to $925.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 6th. Finally, Loop Capital cut shares of W.W. Grainger from a buy rating to a hold rating and lifted their price target for the company from $925.00 to $1,000.00 in a research report on Tuesday. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $864.44.

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About W.W. Grainger

(Free Report)

W.W. Grainger, Inc distributes maintenance, repair, and operating products and services in the United States, Japan, Canada, the United Kingdom, and internationally. The company operates through two segments, High-Touch Solutions N.A. and Endless Assortment. The company provides safety and security supplies, material handling and storage equipment, pumps and plumbing equipment, cleaning and maintenance supplies, and metalworking and hand tools.

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Veralto Co. (NYSE:VLTO  Get Free Report) has received a consensus recommendation of Hold from the nine research firms that are covering the company, MarketBeat.com reports. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and four have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1-year price objective among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $87.63.

Several equities analysts have weighed in on VLTO shares. Stifel Nicolaus dropped their price objective on Veralto from $83.00 to $82.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, January 23rd. Wolfe Research started coverage on Veralto in a research note on Wednesday, December 13th. They set a peer perform rating on the stock. Argus started coverage on Veralto in a research note on Tuesday, January 9th. They set a buy rating and a $90.00 price objective on the stock. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price objective on Veralto from $78.00 to $91.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research note on Thursday, February 8th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft began coverage on Veralto in a research note on Wednesday, January 10th. They set a hold rating and a $79.00 price objective on the stock.

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Institutional Investors Weigh In On Veralto

Veralto Trading Down 0.6 %

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Delta Asset Management LLC TN increased its holdings in Veralto by 216.0% in the 4th quarter. Delta Asset Management LLC TN now owns 316 shares of the companys stock worth $26,000 after acquiring an additional 216 shares during the last quarter. Fishman Jay A Ltd. MI increased its holdings in Veralto by 6.0% in the 4th quarter. Fishman Jay A Ltd. MI now owns 4,174 shares of the companys stock worth $343,000 after acquiring an additional 238 shares during the last quarter. Studio Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in Veralto in the 4th quarter worth about $25,000. Sugarloaf Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in Veralto in the 4th quarter worth about $25,000. Finally, Blue Trust Inc. purchased a new stake in Veralto in the 4th quarter worth about $26,000.

Shares of VLTO opened at $86.09 on Tuesday. Veralto has a 12-month low of $65.51 and a 12-month high of $89.00. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $79.47. The company has a current ratio of 1.64, a quick ratio of 1.40 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.89.

Veralto (NYSE:VLTO  Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, February 6th. The company reported $0.87 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.80 by $0.07. The firm had revenue of $1.29 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.25 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.80 earnings per share. Veraltos revenue for the quarter was up 3.2% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts expect that Veralto will post 3.26 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Veralto Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a  dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, January 31st. Investors of record on Friday, December 29th were issued a $0.09 dividend. This represents a yield of 0.43%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, December 28th.

About Veralto

(Get Free Report

Veralto Corporation provides technology solutions that monitor, enhance, and protect resources worldwide. Its technologies address challenges across regulated industries, including municipal utilities, food and beverage, pharmaceutical, and industrials. The company core offerings include water analytics, water treatment, marking and coding, and packaging and color.

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Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM  Get Free Report)s stock price hit a new 52-week high on Tuesday . The company traded as high as $204.56 and last traded at $204.03, with a volume of 193675 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $201.54.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

WM has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Citigroup lifted their target price on Waste Management from $215.00 to $226.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, February 15th. Oppenheimer increased their target price on shares of Waste Management from $188.00 to $212.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 14th. Stifel Nicolaus increased their target price on shares of Waste Management from $190.00 to $215.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 14th. Truist Financial increased their target price on shares of Waste Management from $215.00 to $220.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 14th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada increased their target price on shares of Waste Management from $163.00 to $189.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 14th. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seven have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $197.57.

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Waste Management Price Performance

The companys 50 day moving average price is $183.53 and its 200-day moving average price is $169.70. The stock has a market cap of $81.60 billion, a P/E ratio of 35.61, a P/E/G ratio of 3.09 and a beta of 0.70. The company has a quick ratio of 0.86, a current ratio of 0.90 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.30.

Waste Management (NYSE:WM  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Monday, February 12th. The business services provider reported $1.74 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.53 by $0.21. Waste Management had a net margin of 11.28% and a return on equity of 36.51%. The business had revenue of $5.22 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.19 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $1.30 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Waste Management, Inc. will post 6.8 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Activity

In other news, CEO James C. Fish, Jr. sold 9,550 shares of Waste Management stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $177.00, for a total transaction of $1,690,350.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 162,388 shares in the company, valued at $28,742,676. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. In related news, CEO James C. Fish, Jr. sold 9,550 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $177.00, for a total transaction of $1,690,350.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 162,388 shares of the companys stock, valued at $28,742,676. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, SVP Tara J. Hemmer sold 10,048 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $171.19, for a total transaction of $1,720,117.12. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 49,099 shares in the company, valued at $8,405,257.81. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 36,720 shares of company stock worth $6,613,888 over the last three months. 0.27% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Trading of Waste Management

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Quent Capital LLC boosted its stake in shares of Waste Management by 7.3% in the 4th quarter. Quent Capital LLC now owns 810 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $145,000 after purchasing an additional 55 shares in the last quarter. Drake & Associates LLC boosted its stake in shares of Waste Management by 3.4% in the 4th quarter. Drake & Associates LLC now owns 1,652 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $296,000 after purchasing an additional 55 shares in the last quarter. Alpha Cubed Investments LLC raised its holdings in Waste Management by 2.9% during the 4th quarter. Alpha Cubed Investments LLC now owns 1,973 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $353,000 after buying an additional 56 shares during the last quarter. Peoples Financial Services CORP. raised its holdings in Waste Management by 1.7% during the 4th quarter. Peoples Financial Services CORP. now owns 3,459 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $620,000 after buying an additional 57 shares during the last quarter. Finally, FCA Corp TX raised its holdings in Waste Management by 1.0% during the 4th quarter. FCA Corp TX now owns 5,594 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $1,002,000 after buying an additional 57 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 78.34% of the companys stock.

About Waste Management

(Get Free Report)

Waste Management, Inc, through its subsidiaries, engages in the provision of environmental solutions to residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers in the United States and Canada. It offers collection services, including picking up and transporting waste and recyclable materials from where it was generated to a transfer station, material recovery facility (MRF), or disposal site; and owns and operates transfer stations, as well as owns, develops, and operates landfill facilities that produce landfill gas used as renewable natural gas for generating electricity.

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Raymond James upgraded shares of Wayfair (NYSE:W  Free Report) from a market perform rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report report published on Friday morning, Marketbeat reports. Raymond James currently has $65.00 target price on the stock.

Several other analysts also recently commented on W. Wedbush dropped their target price on shares of Wayfair from $80.00 to $65.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, November 2nd. Needham & Company LLC lowered their price objective on shares of Wayfair from $100.00 to $75.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, November 1st. Stephens lowered their price objective on shares of Wayfair from $105.00 to $75.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, November 2nd. Piper Sandler lowered their price objective on shares of Wayfair from $114.00 to $73.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, November 2nd. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft initiated coverage on shares of Wayfair in a report on Thursday, November 16th. They issued a buy rating and a $55.00 price objective on the stock. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have assigned a hold rating, sixteen have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Wayfair has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $74.07.

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Wayfair Stock Performance

Insider Transactions at Wayfair

Shares of W stock opened at $52.01 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $6.13 billion, a P/E ratio of -6.27 and a beta of 3.32. The companys 50 day moving average price is $56.40 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $57.61. Wayfair has a 52 week low of $29.51 and a 52 week high of $90.71.

In other news, COO Thomas Netzer sold 982 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $62.87, for a total transaction of $61,738.34. Following the sale, the chief operating officer now directly owns 118,715 shares in the company, valued at $7,463,612.05. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. In related news, CEO Niraj Shah sold 1,700 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $52.02, for a total value of $88,434.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 267,437 shares in the company, valued at $13,912,072.74. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, COO Thomas Netzer sold 982 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $62.87, for a total value of $61,738.34. Following the completion of the sale, the chief operating officer now owns 118,715 shares in the company, valued at $7,463,612.05. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 71,310 shares of company stock worth $3,852,316. Insiders own 26.81% of the companys stock.

Institutional Trading of Wayfair

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in W. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV bought a new position in shares of Wayfair during the 4th quarter worth approximately $213,000. Employees Retirement System of Texas bought a new position in shares of Wayfair during the 4th quarter worth approximately $825,000. Legal & General Group Plc boosted its holdings in shares of Wayfair by 12.5% during the 4th quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 100,508 shares of the companys stock worth $6,201,000 after buying an additional 11,157 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Wayfair by 3.5% during the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 8,103,952 shares of the companys stock worth $500,014,000 after buying an additional 273,652 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Voya Investment Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Wayfair by 23.9% during the 4th quarter. Voya Investment Management LLC now owns 26,747 shares of the companys stock worth $1,650,000 after buying an additional 5,159 shares in the last quarter. 89.67% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Wayfair Company Profile

(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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The disgraced family vlogger and mother of six was sentenced to prison on Tuesday

Sheldon Demke/St. George News via AP Ruby Franke

An emotional Ruby Franke apologized to her family and claimed she takes full accountability for her actions leading to her guilty plea and Tuesday sentencing for aggravated child abuse.

Franke, 42, received four consecutive 1 to 15-year sentences in prison on Tuesday, one for each of the four counts of felony aggravated child abuse she pleaded guilty to in December. She and her parenting podcasting partner Jodi Hildebrandt were both arrested last August.

Shortly after Franke learned her fate, Hildebrandt received the same sentence. The length of each prison sentence will ultimately be decided by the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole, according to Utah's Deseret News. The women will not serve more than 30 years due to a Utah law regarding consecutive sentences, Business Insider reports.

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Frankes estranged husband Kevin Franke and their two oldest children, daughter Shari and son Chad, were in attendance for the sentencing, Kevin's attorney Randy Kester tells PEOPLE. (The four youngest Franke children remain in state custody with child protective services.)

"I take full accountability for my choices," Franke said, according to KOMO News, which reported Franke directly addressed her husband at one point.

You are the love of my life, Ruby reportedly said to Kevin. The ending of our marriage is a tragedy.

Franke added: My charges are just. They offer safety to my family, accountability to the public.



Related: A Timeline of Ruby Franke's Rise and Fall: From Family Vlogger to Convicted Child Abuser

Ron Chaffin/St. George News via AP Ruby Franke appears in court in December 2023

Franke first rose to prominence on YouTube after she and her husband began documenting their daily life in 2015, often filming their experience raising six children.

But the now-disgraced family vlogger began receiving backlash for her abusive parenting style, at times withholding food from their children and taking away their beds as a form of punishment.

Story continues

Franke shut down her channel and later began co-hosting the controversial "Moms of Truth" podcast alongside Jodi Hildebrandt, a former sex therapist who founded the religious-based ConneXions social media network. The two women continued to receive criticism online for their parenting methods.

Related: Kevin Franke Files for Divorce from Disgraced YouTube Star Ruby Franke amid Child Abuse Allegations

Both women were arrested last August and each charged with felony child abuse after investigators found Frankes two youngest children emaciated and malnourished inside Hildebrandts Ivins, Utah, home with physical wounds on their bodies.

Police were called to the home after Frankes 12-year-old son escaped the house and ran to a neighbor, begging for food and water. Authorities said the boy had visible wounds and marks from tape around his wrists and ankles and his 10-year-old sister was found in a similar physical condition shortly after police arrived. The children were taken to the hospital and later removed from Franke and her estranged husband's care.

Related: Jodi Hildebrandt Allegedly Used Cayenne Pepper to 'Dress' Rope Wounds Inflicted on Ruby Franke's Kids: Police

Ruby Franke and Kevin Franke

Several of Frankes family members soon denounced her online.

Finally, Shari, her eldest daughter, wrote on Instagram the day Franke was taken into custody, reacting with relief to her mothers arrest.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.



Frankes three sisters  all of whom are social media influencers who post about their families online  said in a statement their sisters arrest needed to happen, claiming behind the public scene we have done everything we could to try and make sure the kids were safe in recent years.

Several neighbors told PEOPLE last September they were shocked at Frankes arrest, though her children went from being a daily presence in the neighborhood to becoming isolated from their friends.

Related: Influencer Mom Ruby Franke's Child Abuse Charges 'Shocked' Neighbor  But She 'Saw Some Weird Things' (Exclusive)

Ruby Franke/Instagram Ruby Franke

In the aftermath of Frankes arrest, YouTube deleted the familys 8Passengers channel from its platform and banned its content.

In November, Frankes husband filed for divorce. Kester, his attorney, tells PEOPLE Kevin and Ruby are still working toward terms of their divorce. The attorney says Kevin often visits his four youngest children, who remain in state custody, and that "the two older kids are typically a part of that visit so that the whole family can heal."

Kevin and the Franke family's four youngest children are all receiving therapy, Kester says.



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Read the original article on People.
S&P 500 5,117.09 DOW 38,714.77 QQQ 438.44 3 Large-Cap Stocks Buying Back Shares Aggressively Make This $3 Trade the Instant the Opening Bell Rings (Ad) Heres Why Bitcoin Miners Stopped Rising With Bitcoin Prices Netanyahu snaps back against growing US criticism after being accused of losing his way on Gaza SHOCKING Footage From Tesla Gigafactory In Austin, Texas (Ad) Oil Prices Up Again, Should You Buy This Time? Stock market today: Wall Street rises ahead of highly anticipated Federal Reserve policy meeting I believe this could change your life (Ad) Kung Fu Panda 4 repeats at No. 1 on the box office charts From Frenchies to rescue cats, New York's trauma center for animals takes the most complex cases

S&P 500 5,117.09 DOW 38,714.77 QQQ 438.44 3 Large-Cap Stocks Buying Back Shares Aggressively Make This $3 Trade the Instant the Opening Bell Rings (Ad) Heres Why Bitcoin Miners Stopped Rising With Bitcoin Prices Netanyahu snaps back against growing US criticism after being accused of losing his way on Gaza SHOCKING Footage From Tesla Gigafactory In Austin, Texas (Ad) Oil Prices Up Again, Should You Buy This Time? Stock market today: Wall Street rises ahead of highly anticipated Federal Reserve policy meeting I believe this could change your life (Ad) Kung Fu Panda 4 repeats at No. 1 on the box office charts From Frenchies to rescue cats, New York's trauma center for animals takes the most complex cases

S&P 500 5,117.09 DOW 38,714.77 QQQ 438.44 3 Large-Cap Stocks Buying Back Shares Aggressively Make This $3 Trade the Instant the Opening Bell Rings (Ad) Heres Why Bitcoin Miners Stopped Rising With Bitcoin Prices Netanyahu snaps back against growing US criticism after being accused of losing his way on Gaza SHOCKING Footage From Tesla Gigafactory In Austin, Texas (Ad) Oil Prices Up Again, Should You Buy This Time? Stock market today: Wall Street rises ahead of highly anticipated Federal Reserve policy meeting I believe this could change your life (Ad) Kung Fu Panda 4 repeats at No. 1 on the box office charts From Frenchies to rescue cats, New York's trauma center for animals takes the most complex cases
What do the absence of French observers at Azerbaijan's February 7 presidential election, a group denouncing "French colonialism" and an online campaign targeting the 2024 Paris Olympics have in common? They are three facets of a new offensive strategy adopted by Azerbaijani diplomacy towards France. FRANCE 24 investigated this shift with the Forbidden Stories consortium and other media outlets as part of "The Baku Connection" project.

Azerbaijans February 7 presidential election, which handed President Ilham Aliyev an unsurprising and unopposed victory with 92% of the vote and a fifth term in office, provided the backdrop for the latest illustration of deteriorating Franco-Azerbaijani relations.

For the first time in at least a decade, there were no French elected representatives or independent observers on the team of international observers monitoring the vote. As Aliyev tightens his grip on power and the countrys electoral system, there were fewer West European nationals on the international monitoring team. But a few German, Austrian, Spanish and Italian nationals did make it on the observer mission.

Escalating tensions

Even the Association of Friends of Azerbaijan at the National Assembly, Frances lower house of parliament, has experienced an exodus of almost all its members in recent months.

Azerbaijan also appears to have closed the door on the few independent French nationals wishing to observe the presidential election on the ground. This was the case with journalist Jean-Michel Brun, who contributes to the websites, Musulmans de France and Gazette du Caucase, two portals with a very pro-Azerbaijani slant.



Read more on FRANCE 24 English



Read also:

Forbidden Stories continues work of imprisoned Azerbaijani journalists

Torture in Azerbaijan: Europe looks away

Azerbaijan's Aliyev wins fifth presidential term in no-suspense election
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Foyle Foodbank had the 'busiest winter' in its history as the Trussell Trust calls on politicians to end the need for food banks in the North.

Foyle Foodbank is one of the 1,300 Trussell Trust networks in the North and Britain.

According to the latest figures, between April and September 2023, Foyle Foodbank provided 3,397 food parcels in Derry. A total of 1,357 went to children and 2,040 went to adults.

Strategic Development Manager for the food bank Karen Mullen said they anticipated the growth in demand and were able to deal with it.

Our winter was the busiest since we were established. We were expecting that. There was a lack of government support for people this winter but they still had all of the high costs, she said.

Over the past 18 months, we have seen a rise in home heating, food, clothing, diesel, rent, mortgages, all of that and we didn't see that decreasing so we knew we were going into another difficult winter so we were prepared for it and that's how it worked out. Our figures were the highest that we've had since we were established.

She said the heightened demand continued into January.

When we came back, we were extremely busy. We have only sort of settled down into our 'normal busy as of last week and we think that has to do with the cost of living payments going out at the beginning of last week. So we've seen a small dip in people coming.

When those payments are made we see fewer people needing to reach out to food banks for that extra support so we always support that cash first option.

We were prepared for January to be very very busy and it has continued to be very cold. So we knew that people were going to continue to struggle in terms of heating their homes.

Mid Ulster also received 4,534 food parcels from Trussell Trust between April and September 2023. A total of 2,217 went to children and 2,317 to adults.

Causeway Coast and Glens Received 3,984 food parcels in the same six-month period. Children received 1,375 of these while 2,609 went to adults.

Moving away from food banks

Jonny Currie, Network Lead for Northern Ireland at the Trussell Trust, said food banks are not supposed to be a long-term solution for food poverty.

Food banks in Northern Ireland have faced an extremely tough winter, and one in six people in Northern Ireland are facing hunger because they dont have enough money to live on. Thats not the kind of society we want to live in. The Northern Ireland Executive and Assembly, now re-established, cannot stand by and let this continue, he said.

Food banks are not meant to have a permanent place in our society. They are a short-term measure but we are seeing an increasing need for emergency food parcels. It is simply not right that so many people in Northern Ireland are facing impossible decisions and are unable to afford the essentials that we all need to eat, stay warm and dry, and have access to hygiene products.

Food banks cant change the structural issues that are pushing so many people into poverty. Now that the Northern Ireland Executive has been reestablished, we must all work together to end hunger across Northern Ireland and ensure that no one needs a food bank to survive.

He said the charity will seek to engage with every MLA and the relevant Ministers to push for ending the need for food banks in the North.

There are 49 Trussell Trust food bank centres across Northern Ireland, serving people in all 18 Assembly constituencies  so every MLA has to take responsibility for making the positive change needed to tackle hardship and poverty.

A long-term plan to address poverty in Northern Ireland was the Trussell Trusts first of four recommendations for the Executive to prioritise.

Emergency food parcels and fuel payments are not enough to eradicate hunger long-term.

The Northern Ireland Executive has the power to eradicate poverty and can do this through the delivery of a budgeted Anti-Poverty strategy. This is an outstanding commitment agreed to by the last Northern Ireland Executive that still needs to be approved and implemented, it said in a statement.

Its second recommendation was to ensure that everyone can buy the food and essentials they need for themselves.

Raising income and reducing costs is always preferable to the provision of emergency food. When people in financial hardship cant afford the essentials, they should be able to access immediate support.

Therefore recommendations from the Discretionary Support and Welfare Mitigations Reviews commissioned by the Department for Communities must be implemented.

There is also an urgent need to resolve the five-week wait in universal credit, mitigate the two-child limit, and provide support to private renters affected by the Local Housing Allowance.

While the Northern Ireland Executive can play an important role in using existing social security powers to increase incomes and move away from a focus on short-term solutions, it should also call on the Government at Westminster to support the introduction of an Essentials Guarantee within Universal Credit to ensure that the basic rate at least covers lifes essentials, such as food and bills.

It also called for support for local services to ensure people get help at the right time.

Accessing emergency food should be a last resort, yet households with low incomes often face significant barriers when trying to access support. Independent advice and other related services should be properly resourced and offered in a consistent and coordinated way so people can access the support they need in one place rather than being passed from one agency to the next.

And finally, it said the experience of people with lived experience of hunger and poverty should help shape the services they need.

The Northern Ireland Executive should work directly with people affected by poverty to learn from their experiences and co-design better policy solutions.

It is also important to work with food bank staff and volunteers to end the need for food banks. Food banks know and serve their communities and can support transformation to address the underlying drivers of food bank use.

Right to Food City

In November last year, Derry and Strabane Council passed a motion to see the district move towards becoming a Right to Food City.

Cllr Catherine McDaid proposed the motion and said as of February 2024 it continues to progress.

Im in the process of meeting with community groups and local people in Derry to take account of their lived experiences of food poverty and how we can use that to shape policy and widen the campaign going forward, the SDLP councillor said.

Im also working with SDLP colleagues like Foodstock founder Paul Doherty, Labour MP Ian Byrne and activists right across the North to shine a spotlight on this important issue and to continue the campaign to deliver real and meaningful change so that everyone has access to the food they need.

The motion said the British Government and a restored Executive must prioritise food poverty, implementing a range of new measures including universal free school meals, support for community kitchens and enshrining the Right To Food for All through legislation.

Ms Mullen believes moving away from the need for food banks is possible.

It's greater than Stormont. It's going to take all of us working collectively. Our benefits and welfare system is still governed from Westminster so the British government plays a key role in that, she said.

Collectively it's looking at ensuring people have enough to live on. We're lobbying around increasing the universal credit payment, and scrapping the five-week wait that is pushing people into poverty.

All those measures can be taken from Westminster. Locally, we need to see the parties all working together.

We need to see the Anti-Poverty Strategy fully funded and implemented, the Childcare Strategy funded and implemented, and then we need to look at good, well-paid, quality jobs, particularly in areas such as ourselves here in the Northwest so that people have enough, they're earning enough that they never have to go to a food bank to top that up.
The people of the city are to be congratulated.

These were the words of a clearly delighted Maeve McLaughlin, Director of the Bloody Sunday Trust, paying tribute to the people of Derry and all who donated to the organisations Medical Aid Appeal for Palestine.

The appeal, which took place during Christmas and the Bloody Sunday 2024 anniversary programme, raised a fantastic 17,266.01 for the Palestinian Medical Relief Society.

Speaking to Derry News, Maeve described the total as a significant amount from a small organisation and one which may increase in the future.

She said: The cause of Palestine has always been one that is close to Ireland. As the Bloody Sunday Trust, we reflected, even as far back as the 50th anniversary, on how we could use our lessons and learnings here to shine a spotlight on injustices elsewhere and the obvious place for that attention was Palestine.

We had a Christmas Appeal. We said to people, Rather than buying that extra box of chocolates or extra selection box - no matter what size your donation is, make a wee donation to our appeal and all the money raised will go to the Palestinian Medical Relief Society.

We then extended it. During the recent Bloody Sunday anniversary programme, which included our annual lecture - delivered by Omar Barghouti co-founder of the BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) campaign - all admissions, online and in-person, were added to our Medical Aid Appeal for Palestine appeal.

On top of that, we were also selling Christmas cards and badges in aid of the appeal, said Maeve.

Considering the horrendous situation in Palestine, Maeve said: People genuinely feel a helplessness when they watch the horror on the screens, even this last number of days.

The onslaught is horrendous - the scale, the horrific brutality being meted out to the people there.

But then, when we reflect on the number of people who are letting their voices be heard; when we look at the thousands and thousands of people who are out on the streets and who wont be silenced; when we look at the impact of the BDS campaign, it is all significant.

There is no doubt the impact of the protest is massive, especially on some of the bigger brands like Starbucks and McDonald's. People Power can definitely have a positive effect.

Maeve added that considering the ongoing devastation of the health service and hospitals in Palestine, the donation to the Palestinian Medical Relief Society would be a ripple in a huge, huge pond.

She said: Nonetheless, it is important the money should go directly to the Palestinian Medical Relief Society to decide where it would be best used.

Turning to the impending destruction of Rafha, in southern Palestine, Maeve said there was a sense of despair amongst people.

The Irish Government needs to step up on this as well, said Maeve. It really does.

Words at this stage are no longer enough. There needs to be action.

Bloody Sunday Trust is part of the Irish Anti Apartheid Campaign, which comprises 20 plus organisations, civic society, human rights organisations across the Island of Ireland.

We met again last week and the dominating thing was that the recent findings of the International Court of Justice have been ignored, she added.

I just cant comprehend how people are sitting waiting for this attack to take place on Rafha.

We know, Ireland has suffered through conflict and we recognise the many years - and it is still ongoing work - needed to undo that and undo that legacy and undo that pain and struggle, all those things combined.

I just dont know how people in Palestine can come to a point where they can actually physically rebuild their country, never mind mentally and emotionally rebuild, after all they have gone and are going through.

It is beyond words. The Irish Government in many ways has said the right words but there really needs to be action around this. There is a sense there are no words to express the horror of the situation. It leaves you speechless.

People power can have an impact but the unfortunate thing is, while there is People power, while there is a very strong lobby and a united voice around this issue, the superpowers remain the superpowers and that is the real challenge.
A recently formed drama group in Dungiven is set to stage its first play in the town next month.

St Canice's Drama Group's production, titled 'Mother of the Bride', is set to run on four different nights in An Cumann (St Canice's GAC).

The play was originally written 25 years ago by local writer, producer and director Paula McCaul who is looking forward to bringing it back to the stage once again.

Although the play is set in the same era it was written, Paula has adapted the production by adding a few modern twists.

When it was first staged more than two decades ago in venues in Dungiven and Belfast, the play was very well received and Paula hopes it will be a similar story this time around.

It was the very first play that I wrote and it was performed by the old Dungiven drama group then. Sadly there are are a few deceased characters since then, Paula said.

ABOVE: Writer, producer and director Paula McCaul.

The play is set 25 years ago and we have decided to keep it at that but we have revamped it a bit to give it more of a modern twist.

It was well received then so I hope it'll be the same this time around. I'm looking forward to hearing the first laugh.

The play's cast are all local and have been putting in long hours in rehearsals since September.

Donna Martin portrays the character of mother of the bride (Mary), alongside her long suffering husband, Jimmy played by Raymond Brady. The poor bride, Katie, acted out by Sharon Brady, and groom Billy (St Canices very own Brian Mullan) are the loveable couple trying hard to abide by mothers arrangements, but not succeeding. No wedding party can be complete without a bridesmaid Heather and best man Jonathan (Shauna Kelly and Connor McLaughlin) who provide a bit of deviousness to the plot. To add to the mixture, nosey neighbour Gertie (acted by Martina Bradley) and the grooms mother, Valerie (Ita Conway) are sure to keep the audience laughing with their antics.

Finally no show can be performed without Phonsie (Seamus OHara) who still hasnt his speech impediment sorted. He performs alongside Calum Quigg (Sean), the paramedic who is struggling to cope with Phonsies inadequacies.

The cast will be supported by Noel Martin (lighting technician) and Mary Cooke (stage manager).

The play will run on Friday, March 1, Saturday, March 2, Friday, March 8 and Saturday, March 9 at 8pm each evening.

Both Saturday nights are sold out already with tickets to the Friday shows starting to go fast.

On each night, doors open at 7pm for pre-drinks (drinks will also be served during the intermission). Raffle tickets will also be on sale with lots of fantastic prizes up for grabs. All proceeds from the raffle will go to local charities.

Kieran McKeever from St Canice's GAC praised the club's drama group on their upcoming production.

The executive are very proud of the members of our drama group and in particular Paula for her excellent writing, directing and the production of such a great play, he said.

Our drama group is testament to the diversity and inclusion of the GAA and in particular at St Canice's.

The four night show is already a sellout with only a handful of tickets available and we wish the cast all the best and hope everyone has a great experience.

Tickets priced at 10 each can be purchased by contacting Paula on 07714991639 or Brian on 07916330120.
The Stormont Agriculture and Environment Minister will meet Lord Shaftesbury later this week to discuss issues around Lough Neagh.

Andrew Muir has pledged to take action after the huge freshwater lake in the centre of Northern Ireland was beset by noxious blooms of blue green algae last summer.

Lough Neagh is the biggest freshwater lake in the UK and Ireland, supplies 40% of Northern Irelands drinking water and sustains a major eel-fishing industry.

Noxious blooms covered large parts of the lough across the summer, and also affected other waterways and beaches in the region.

Nitrogen and phosphorus from agricultural fertiliser running off fields is believed to be a major contributory factor.

Environmental campaigners have called for Lough Neagh to be taken into back public ownership  the@daera_ni Minister thinks they're "badly mistaken".Public ownership is one of a SERIES of measures to help fix the lough. The Earl of Shaftesbury is profiting from its destruction. pic.twitter.com/EkZaObSVDO  Gerry Carroll (@GerryCarrollPBP) February 19, 2024

The spread of the invasive zebra mussel species is also understood to have played a role, as they have made the water clearer, allowing more sunlight to penetrate, stimulating more algal photosynthesis.

Climate change is another factor cited, with the highest water temperature at Lough Neagh recorded last June.

A cross departmental water quality steering group is currently drafting recommendations to tackle blue green algae in Lough Neagh.

The Assembly has also heard calls for Lough Neagh to be taken into public ownership.

During ministerial questions on Monday, Mr Muir said he is aware of issues associated with the ownership of Lough Neagh, adding he will meet Lord Shaftesbury, who owns the lough bed, this week.

Itll be a frank and open meeting, he said.

I will be very keen to see the outcome of the work that Lough Neagh Partnership are doing, theyve recently received National Lottery funding to facilitate a review in terms of the management and ownership of the lough.

This is a twin-track approach in terms of my engagement with the current owner but also the future options associated with this.

I will say, there are no quick wins associated with the issues with Lough Neagh and it is highly likely, and I think it is important that I put this on the record in the chamber here today, that the scenes we saw last year will occur this year.

I think it is a damning indictment that this situation was allowed to unfold.

People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll asked Mr Muir if he will be demanding he return the lough to the people.

Mr Muir said: The issue of ownership of the lough, if people think that is going to be the solution to the problems with Lough Neagh, theyre badly mistaken.

There are big issues here that we need to address and we all will have to face up to some really hard decisions, and Ill be outlining those over the next number of weeks.

Lets be clear, there are big hard decisions and also funding that is required to turn the situation around.
Irelands Finance Minister Michael McGrath will meet with his Stormont counterpart Caoimhe Archibald in Belfast on Tuesday.

Mr McGrath will also visit a number of projects in the city supported by the Governments Reconciliation Fund.

He said: I look forward to engaging with Minister Archibald following her appointment as Minister for Finance in the restored Northern Ireland Executive.

This meeting provides an excellent opportunity to discuss our shared economic interests, the all-island economy and the shared opportunities and challenges we face.

Recent years have brought great uncertainty and challenge in both political and economic terms, but we now have an opportunity  with the Executive restored and greater certainty around key issues such as post-Brexit trade  to maximise the potential of the economic relationships on this island.

There has always been the potential to further develop cross-border trade and recent years have shown what can be achieved  at the start of this decade total trade in goods and services amounted to under five billion euro, while in 2022 this rose to 11.6 billion euro, involving a 15% increase over 2021.

Mr McGrath added: Peace and prosperity remain at the core of our work, and while the focus of my meeting will be on our work for shared prosperity  including in the context of the Shared Island Initiative  I will also take time to visit some projects supported by the Governments Reconciliation Fund devoted to ongoing reconciliation and community work.
New build projects for seven schools have been given the green light.

Capital funding for 28 schools had been announced in March 2022 but was subsequently placed on pause.

Stormont Education Minister Paul Givan announced on Tuesday that he has lifted the pause for a number of schools in the worst condition.

New build projects for Carrickfergus Academy, Loreto College, Coleraine, Dromore High School, Edmund Rice College, Newtownabbey, Portadown College, Mercy College, Belfast, and Malone Integrated College, Belfast, will now progress in planning, Mr Givan has said.

Education Minister @paulgivan has announced new build projects for seven schools across Northern Ireland will now progress in planning. Read more  https://t.co/6goeoPS4Vr@dromore_high pic.twitter.com/5GYAjXZePr  Education NI (@Education_NI) February 20, 2024

The minister said he has written to the principals following his decision.

Last week I announced my plans to deliver a modern, fit-for-purpose education system that meets the needs of our society and our pupils in the 21st century, he said.

There is not a moment to lose. That is why to begin this process, integrated consultancy teams will now be appointed to progress this ambitious programme of new build projects for schools in the worst conditions.

He added: There can be no greater investment in our future than investment in education, therefore I will continue to make the case for significant additional capital funding for our schools estate.
There has been a warning of further industrial action in education as a dispute over the pay and grading of school support staff in Northern Ireland continues.

Trade unions representing workers, including classroom assistants, kitchen staff, bus drivers, cleaners and administrative workers, met with Stormont Education Minister Paul Givan at Stormont on Tuesday.

The GMB Union, which represents more than 3,000 school staff in Northern Ireland, said the minister offered no money for pay.

They said he made it clear that within the current public sector pay budget of 684 million there was nothing to address the pay and grading review for school staff, which has been ongoing since 2018.

GMB said it will consult with members with a view to taking further industrial action.

Regional organiser Jim Donley said his members across the Education Authority are some of the lowest paid in the country.

This news will be another blow to workers who have been campaigning since 2018 for an end to the mismatch between grades and responsibilities, he said.

Previous Stormont Executives have failed to address this  it simply isnt acceptable given the business case has already been agreed between unions and management.

GMB now has no alternative now but to engage with our members with the view to taking further industrial action.

In a statement Mr Givan said he made it clear that the resolution of all industrial action is a priority for me.

I underlined to unions my gratitude for the contribution made by support staff to the education and lives of our children and young people, he said.

Without their outstanding dedication and hard work, those who are most dependent on the services they provide, would not receive the vital support they need and deserve.

I very much regret the serious impact that strike action is having on the education and wellbeing of children and young people across Northern Ireland, most especially those who attend our special schools where the effect is felt most acutely.

He added: I want all staff in the education sector to be paid at a fair level for the job they do, however there are significant costs associated with a resolution of current strike action.

I am committed to resolving the issues around the business case and will be bidding for additional funding in Executives Budget 2024-25 to enable the recommendations from the pay and grading review to be implemented.
Guangdong province will step up efforts to promote innovation in industrial technology to push forward with high-quality development, with talent and innovative enterprises playing key roles in the process, Huang Kunming, the province's Party secretary, said on Sunday. As a major economy and manufacturing hub in South China, Guangdong has abundant resources and strength in scientific and technological innovation, he said, adding that it shoulders important missions and major responsibilities in high-quality development. "Promoting innovation in industrial technology and developing new productivity boosters are strategic moves and long-term strategies of Guangdong," he said at the Guangdong Provincial High-quality Development Conference in Shenzhen. "And it will certainly be a tough race, endurance race and relay race." Huang said talent is a "decisive factor" in promoting innovation in industrial technology. "We should regard talent as a treasure," he said. "The key is to make good use of talented people so that they can shine." More platforms and opportunities should be created to provide talented people with a large stage to give play to their strengths and benefit from the transformation or transfer of scientific achievements, Huang said. Yan Ning, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and head of Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, praised the Shenzhen city government's efforts in providing services and guarantees for talent. Researchers are freed from administrative work and are able to focus fully on innovation, she said, adding that Shenzhen Bay Laboratory and the newly built Shenzhen Medical Academy of Research and Translation have attracted over 70 people with high-end talents to work in and lead the labs. "I feel so lucky that I'm a builder, not a bystander, in the rapid development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area," Yan said. Huang said innovative enterprises form the basis of innovation in industrial technology in Guangdong, calling for full support to enterprises to allow them to be protagonists of innovation. He also urged efforts to promote the concentration of innovation resources in high-quality enterprises, and called on government, industry and academia to work together to overcome technological bottlenecks. "The province will launch a number of major new scientific research projects this year," he said. "It will push forward with technological transformation in 9,000 industrial enterprises and digital transformation in 9,200 major industrial enterprises." Guangdong is home to more than 18 million business entities and over 75,000 high-tech enterprises. The province's GDP hit 13 trillion yuan ($1.8 trillion) last year, up 4.8 percent year-on-year. "Without the strong support of Guangdong and Shenzhen, there would be no BYD today," said Wang Chuanfu, the chairman and president of the Shenzhen-based electric carmaker. It sold more than 3 million new energy vehicles last year, an increase of more than 60 percent, and ranked first in global new energy vehicle sales. That achievement stemmed from Guangdong's commitment to the manufacturing industry, the accelerated development of new productivity boosters and high-quality development, Wang said.
A trial has been shown CCTV footage of men leaving the country after a man was murdered.

Ian Ogle died after being assaulted and stabbed beside his home in east Belfast in 2019.

Five people have been charged with murder.

Two men have already pleaded guilty to murder, the other three men are currently on trial having pleaded not guilty to killing the 45-year-old.

Glenn Rainey, of Ballyhalbert Caravan Park in County Down, Robert Spiers, from Millars Park in Dundonald, and Alan 'Bo' Ervine, from Litchfield Street in Belfast, all deny murder.

Larne ferry terminal

The prosecution alleges that one of the defendants, Mr Ervine, travelled with a friend to Scotland by ferry from Larne, the day after Mr Ogle was murdered.

CCTV footage was produced in court on Tuesday showing what the prosecution described as two men being dropped off outside Larne ferry terminal and two people hugging each other before the men went inside.

It also showed what the prosecution described as two men using cash to buy tickets separately at the terminal.

Prosecutors say Mr Ervine returned a few days later, on 3 February, through Belfast Port, and was arrested by appointment the next day.

Dublin airport

Other CCTV footage showed two men going through Dublin Airport the day after the murder.

The prosecution claimed that Mr Rainey, along with Jonny Brown - who has already pleaded guilty to murder - took a flight from Dublin to Thailand via Moscow.

It is also alleged that the tickets had not been bought in advance and that Mr Rainey had phoned Aeroflot, the Russian national airline on the day of departure.

The prosecution claimed cash was used to pay for the tickets at the ticket desk.

Prosecutors also said Mr Rainey was arrested at Manchester Airport on 3 March 2019 after arriving on a flight from Bangkok.

The prosecution said he claimed the reason he did not have any clothes with him was because he kept clothes at his girlfriend's house in Thailand.

Jonny Brown, 38, from Whinney Hill in Dundonald and Mark Sewell, 45, of Glenmount Drive in Newtownabbey, were given life sentences after pleading guilty to murder.
Proposals to increase the number of interpreters in Northern Ireland and to bring forward a Sign Language Bill have been outlined by Communities Minister Gordon Lyons.

The minister told MLAs that he was committed to ensuring that members of the deaf community have the same rights and opportunities as those in the hearing community, and are able to access services in their own language.

Mr Lyons said: I am aware that profoundly deaf people consider themselves as part of a cultural and linguistic minority group rather than a disability group, and view their sign language as their language of need.

A sign language act would require the Executive to ensure the use of British and Irish sign language across public services.

It would also ensure a duty to promote sign language in educational settings and allow more people to learn it for free.

Mr Lyons said the use of sign language interpreters at ministerial briefings during the Covid pandemic was a positive step, but added more needed to be done to address the current need for more British sign language and Irish sign language interpreters.

He said: One of the most pressing issues to ensure accessibility and fuller social integration for the deaf community in Northern Ireland, is to increase the supply of professionally trained and appropriately accredited interpreters.

The minister said work was ongoing to provide a pathway for interpreters through enhanced training and, potentially, an academic qualification.

Mr Lyons continued My officials have been engaging with key stakeholders, which includes the deaf community and their representatives, to develop the policy to inform the drafting of clauses for legislation.

When I have considered these cross-cutting policy proposals in detail, I intend to seek Executive approval to introduce a Sign Language Bill to the Assembly at the earliest opportunity.

I also intend to seek the resources to put in place the infrastructure necessary to deliver on the intent of the legislation.

Alliance Party MLA Paula Bradshaw said people in the deaf community in Northern Ireland had been waiting 21 years for legislation.

She said: In fact, when my colleagues and I were working on language and identity legislation in 2017, we sought the inclusion of a Sign Language Act as part of the package at that time.

That is what makes it even more frustrating we have faced continued delays in making this an urgent priority.
HIGHLIGHTS We often fail to differentiate between AI-generated and original content. To deal with the issue of fake news and deepfakes, Meta has now partnered with the Misinformation Combat Alliance. You will be able to share fake news on a dedicated fact-checking helpline on WhatsApp.

With the onset of AI and its boom, we are facing a new problem with AI-generated content. The fact that it is so close to the original, we often fail to differentiate between the two. And miscreants use this to further their agendas. We were already dealing with a fake news issue in India and it has now been fueled further by artificial intelligence. To deal with the issue of fake news arising because of artificial intelligence and deepfakes in India, Meta has now partnered with the Misinformation Combat Alliance. Let me tell you how this will work.

If you come across a piece of news or content that youre not sure of, you will be able to share that on a dedicated fact-checking helpline on WhatsApp where you will be able to verify if it is AI-generated or not. The content that you share will be transferred to various independent fact-checkers to give you the best answers.

Also read: Here are 4 tools to detect AI-generated images/videos

The helpline will most probably go live by March 2024 and will be available in English and three regional languages, namely Hindi, Telugu, and Tamil.

MCA has further added that it will also set up a central Deepfake Analysis Unit (DAU) to assess and debunk all incoming messages promptly and respond accordingly.

Also read: Android 15 is in the works! Heres what all it could be about

Speaking about the partnership, Meta said in a blog post, With millions of Indians using WhatsApp, our collaboration with MCA represents a continued effort to empower users with tools to verify information on its service. The company further added that it has various other plans to help flag AI-generated content on its platforms.

Further, Bharat Gupta, President of the MCA, said that it will serve as a critical and timely intervention to arrest the spread of AI-enabled disinformation among Indias netizens.
HIGHLIGHTS Xiaomi has officially released the camera samples of the Xiaomi 14 Ultra smartphone. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra will be equipped with a 50MP LYT-900 primary camera The main camera of the Xiaomi 14 Ultra supports a variable aperture of f/1.63 to f/4.0.

Xiaomi is gearing up to launch the Xiaomi 14 Ultra smartphone. Recently, the company released the images and also shared the camera details of the Xiaomi 14 Ultra. Now, Xiaomi has officially released the camera samples of the upcoming Xiaomi 14 Ultra smartphone model.

Lets take a look at the camera samples of the Xiaomi 14 Ultra handset.

Also read: Xiaomi 14 Ultra: First official images teased ahead of launch

Camera samples shared on the Chinese social media platform Weibo showcase the remarkable detail and vibrant colours captured by the Xiaomi 14 Ultra.

Also read: Xiaomi 14 set to launch on March 7: 3 features to look out for

Xiaomi has already confirmed that the upcoming Xiaomi 14 Ultra will be equipped with a 50MP LYT-900 primary camera, reports Gizmochina. The main camera of the Xiaomi 14 Ultra offers a variable aperture ranging from f/1.63 to f/4.0.

For telephoto capabilities, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra will provide users with a 50MP IMX858 camera sensor, offering an f/1.8 aperture, a 75mm focal length, and a 3.2x optical zoom.

Additionally, the company has confirmed that the Xiaomi 14 Ultra will incorporate a 50MP Sony IMX858 periscope telephoto camera with an f/2.5 aperture, a 120mm focal length, and a 5x optical zoom.

As of now, the company has not officially disclosed the specifics regarding the ultra-wide lens of the Xiaomi 14 Ultra. However, its anticipated that the device will feature a 50MP ultra-wide lens with macro photography capabilities.

The Xiaomi 14 Ultra is also confirmed to launch in White/Silver and Black colour options.

Rumours suggest that the Xiaomi 14 Ultra is expected to feature a 6.73-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate. It will likely be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor. Moreover, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra could come packed with a 5300mAh battery.
Market malaise: the oversupply conundrum in Taiwan's energy storage sector

Taiwan's energy storage d-Reg market has recently experienced a surge in activity, with private sector involvement expanding rapidly. However, an oversupply situation has emerged, leading to a downward pressure on transaction prices and a general subdued atmosphere in the market. To address the excess supply in the energy storage sector, Taiwan Power Company (Taipower) has presented two proposed solutions to alleviate market congestion. Yet, industry stakeholders are urging for prompt implementation of specific details to tackle the market's malfunction.

Driven by the steady rise in installations of renewable energy sources, energy storage has emerged as a critical strategy for grid stabilization. Recognizing the lucrative prospects in this domain, numerous companies have rushed to capitalize on the opportunity. Nevertheless, the recent proliferation of d-Reg has surpassed Taipower's initial target of 500MW, prompting firms to engage in competitive bidding practices, resulting in price declines, and the minimum bid in some instances is $0.

It is understood that Taipower, along with industry representatives and public associations, continues to convene meetings to address the prevailing oversupply issue in the d-Reg market. Taipower's proposed solutions include offering a refund scheme for the "capacity retention fee" when energy storage players exit the market (pending detailed announcement by Taipower) and allowing firms to transition d-Reg to E-dReg while reducing the participation threshold for E-dReg to 1MW, aligning it with d-Reg.

Taipower's projections indicate a target of 500MW for d-Reg energy storage by 2025, with a corresponding target set for E-dReg. Currently, d-Reg has exceeded 100MW, while E-dReg capacity is estimated to range between 110 and 120MW. Taipower asserts that there remains a viable capacity available for E-dReg, leaving companies with the option to transition voluntarily.

In addition, Taipower has mooted the evaluation of regional virtual power plants as a potential solution to alleviate the energy storage surplus, focusing on meeting its internal needs. However, this plan remains under deliberation and planning stages.

Industry players express apprehensions regarding the oversupply situation in the d-Reg market, with many acknowledging the exit of numerous firms due to unsustainable operating costs. Moreover, the transition proposed by Taipower to E-dReg necessitates careful consideration of associated costs and benefits.

Furthermore, industry stakeholders highlight the lack of clarity in Taipower's plan for virtual power plants, emphasizing the need for detailed implementation guidelines and revenue considerations before evaluating the transition plan.

While transitioning from d-Reg to E-dReg may offer temporary relief and prevent market price collapses, concerns linger regarding the potential recurrence of market dysfunction in the future, given the 2025 target for E-dReg is also set at 500MW.

Taipower indicates that based on current projections, E-dReg is not expected to surpass 500MW by the end of 2024. Nevertheless, ongoing reviews of the d-Reg to E-dReg transition are deemed imperative. Overall, demand for E-dReg is anticipated to exceed 500MW by 2025.

Taiwan's energy storage market is still in its infancy compared to its global counterparts. However, against the backdrop of sustained momentum toward green energy sustainability, energy storage is deemed indispensable for governmental and private entities. Taipower and industry players continue to recalibrate strategies and engage in dialogue to promptly stabilize market operations.
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By ADRIANA MORGA

Associated Press

NEW YORK  Recent mass layoffs from technology and media companies, including eBay, Riot Games and the Los Angeles Times, might have you thinking about your job security.

If you're worried you could be laid off  or if you've lost your job  personal finance professionals and career advisers have recommendations for how to cope. They range from preparing an emergency fund to understanding your severance package.





. . .
A demonstration held by approximately 120 women from the Roscrea area blocked the town's Main Street outside the local Garda Station last night (Monday, Feb 19).

The women say they plan to repeat their protest outside the Garda Station to draw attention to concerns about safety and lack of Garda manpower and resources in Roscrea.

The impromptu protest was organised on social media on Monday afternoon after news of an alleged incident involving a local mother and her two children at a residence in the town centre on Sunday.

The Midland Tribune contacted the Garda Press Office for comment about the alleged incident. "Gardai are investigating a number of alleged incidents which occurred on Limerick Street in Roscrea on Sunday evening, 18th February 2024.

"Investigations are ongoing" the Garda Press Office said.

The group of protestors gathered outside the local Garda Station before they blocked the Main Street. Photo: PJ Wright

During Monday night's protest the large group of mostly local women and their family members brought the Main Street to a standstill from 7:30 to 9pm, where they walked in circles on the main thoroughfare waving Roscrea flags and banners and chanting slogans voicing their concerns about safety.

Local woman and organiser of the ongoing six-week protest at the former Racket Hall Hotel, Maria Phelan, addressed the crowd and called on women from the area to come to her and share their personal stories of experiences living and working in Roscrea.

Local woman Maria Phelan addresses the crowd outside Roscrea Garda Station. Photo: PJ Wright

Ms. Phelan said she was "standing in solidarity with every woman in Roscrea who had a run-in, or has been followed, or intimidated, frightened, or terrified to walk the local streets or walk on the bypass or go for a run".

"We're standing outside the barracks because we don't have Gardai patrolling the streets, because we simply don't have them. We were told a couple of weeks ago that we have three guards coming to the town - but these three guards aren't permanent in our town, they're here for 24 weeks", Ms. Phelan said.

"What good is three extra guards in our town for 24 weeks? It is not ok. Our message from outside the local barracks is not against our guards in Roscrea - it goes back to the government the same as our protest for the last six weeks from our protest out at Racket Hall", Ms. Phelan said.

Protestors block the Main Street outside Roscrea Garda Station. Photo: PJ Wright

"Everything we're doing out at Racket Hall goes back to our government because they've turned their backs on Roscrea for years and years and I think it's time we get the whole of Roscrea out and send a message to this government that us Irish people in Roscrea are sick to the teeth of being forgotten about.

"I don't know what else we have to do. We have sent emails to the government and there is nobody listening and nobody coming back to us with answers and I think until the streets are blocked in Roscrea and the streets are even blocked in Dublin if that's what it takes, we aren't going to be listened to.

"I think we need to start standing up and making noise and lets be heard for once. For 20 years we've been forgotten about", Ms. Phelan said.

A garda van stopped traffic from proceeding along Roscrea's main thoroughfare while protestors held their demonstration. Photo: PJ Wright

Meanwhile, the new committee formed from the Racket Hall protest, Roscrea Community Action Group, met with local Gardai at Roscrea Garda Station for a meeting arranged before the protest.

The new group also met with elected representatives from the local authority and Dail to explore what additional resources can be secured for Roscrea.

A small demonstration is also continuing outside the carpark of the former Racket Hall Hotel and will reach the six week milestone on Thursday.

Demonstrators pictured outside Roscrea Garda Station. Photo: PJ Wright
Sinn Fein is to campaign for a Yes vote in both referenda, despite having concerns about the wording on care.

Party leader Mary Lou McDonald said the care amendment referendum was an opportunity missed by Government, and accused it of having an abysmal track record on families and carers.

She said that if the care amendment was rejected in March, her ambition would be to put the Citizens Assemblys suggested wording to the Irish public early in to a Sinn Fein term in government.

She said that the removal of sexist language around a womans duties in the home was a yes, all day every day, and that the idea of recognising care in the constitution was powerful.

But the problem is that the Government in their haste failed to consult properly to actually adopt the work that had been done by the Citizens Assembly, she said.

In the end, we decided not to allow the perfect be the enemy of the good.

Were campaigning for a Yes Yes, but were also recognising that people are going to have to think about this carefully.

I have spoken to many, many carers who believe this should be grasped as a positive if imperfect step forward.

But I have spoken to others who are angered at the Governments track record on these matters and see this as little more than lip service.

Sinn Fein President Mary Lou McDonald has launched the partys campaign for the upcoming referendum on family and carers@MaryLouMcDonald @LNBDublin @davidcullinane https://t.co/Ee5eBnbuNL pic.twitter.com/rUh9zGX9CE  Sinn Fein (@sinnfeinireland) February 20, 2024

Two referenda will be held on March 8  International Womens Day  proposing to change the Irish constitution.

One, the family amendment, proposes amending Article 41 of the constitution to extend the meaning of family beyond one defined by marriage and include those based on durable relationships.

The second, the care amendment, proposes deleting Article 41.2.1 and 41.2.2, which make reference to a womans roles and duties in the home, and replace it with a new article  42B  that acknowledges family carers.

The Government parties, Labour, the Social Democrats, the National Womens Council, One Family and Treoir are all advocating for a Yes vote in both referenda.

TD Peadar Toibins Aontu party and Senator Ronan Mullen are among those advocating for a No vote in both plebiscites.

Some organisations, such as Free Legal Advice Centres (Flac), are advocating for a Yes vote for the family amendment and a No vote for the care amendment.

The Government's referendum seeks to delete the only reference to mothers in the constitution. This is a disgrace. #VotailNil pic.twitter.com/RQFrHEunp7  Peadar Toibin TD (@Toibin1) February 20, 2024

Senator Lynn Boylan, who is the partys campaign director, said it was only right that the hundreds and thousands of families that dont fit in to the marital family are recognised by the constitution.

She said that voting yes to the family amendment was about a sense of fairness for families such as her own, which she described as a co-habiting couple for 14 years.

On the care amendment, the party set out five proposals to support carers and families: support carers through increased provision of respite services; increase access such as home support, personal assistance, day services, therapies and community services; relax the means test for the Carers Allowance and increase other social benefits; invest in special education and hire more SNAs; and provide more childcare places and cut childcare fees.

A note about republican activist and politician Kathleen Clarke features on the partys leaflet calling for a Yes Yes vote, saying she believed the constitution fell short of the equality set out in the 1916 proclamation.

It is important to remember that those feminists from 1916 campaigned vigorously against the wording around the woman going into the constitution, Ms Lynn said.

They could see this was problematic, that it was conservative and that the proclamation had said everybody was equal and now the constitution was undermining that by assigning women a role that was domesticated. Theyre vindicated now.
The Tanaiste has described the scenes in Gaza as devastating and catastrophic, saying he wants a consensus from the UN Security Council towards an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.

Micheal Martin made the comments after a UN official overseeing aid to Gaza told the Minister for Foreign Affairs and his EU counterparts that humanitarian aid could not be distributed without the help of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).

A number of countries have suspended funding to the agency after some of its staff were allegedly linked to Hamas.

Sigrid Kaag, the UN aid and reconstruction co-ordinator for Gaza, told the foreign leaders on Monday about conditions for people living in the Gaza Strip.



Mr Martin said she gave a very objective but heart-rendering presentation of life for Palestinians.

The situation is devastating and catastrophic, she was very clear that any military operation into Rafah would have the most devastating of consequences for the people there, Mr Martin said.

He added: 1.5 million people crowded into a small corner of a highly densely populated area who have been moved from north to the centre, from to the centre to the south.

She (Ms Kaag) also made it very, very clear to the 27 ministers that humanitarian aid could not be distributed without UNRWA and that it was wishful thinking to suggest that it could and she was emphatic about that reality.

He added: We would appreciate it if we could get a consensus on the Security Council towards an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and the release of all hostages and for Hamas to lay down its arms.

Mr Martin also said there was deep frustration after Hungary blocked EU foreign ministers from sending a warning to Israel not to attack Rafah in southern Gaza.

All 26 member states wanted to move forward with sanctions at EU level, which will be stronger because that will enable, not just a travel ban but to do an asset freeze, Mr Martin added.

Individual member states do not have the national competence to do an asset freeze, which was the legal advice given to us.

Different countries have competencies to do travel bans, some countries may not have the instruments to do a travel ban.

We do, and we are now going to work with others to see on the basis upon which we can implement the travel ban against many of these illegal (West Bank) settlers.

We would still do work to try and persuade Hungary to join with us in respect of significant sanctions at EU level, which would be far more impactful.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said on Tuesday that he received a response from European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen following his letter expressing concern about Gaza.

He said it was not a detailed response.

In a joint letter sent earlier this month, Mr Varadkar and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called for an urgent review of whether Israel is complying with its human rights obligations under the EU-Israel trade agreement.

Mr Martin said the letter was discussed at the EU foreign affairs meeting, and that the EU commission is expected to respond to it soon.

Mr Martin said that others are quite interested in this as well and are quite supportive.
Pupils from a special needs school in Kent have taken part in a "once in a lifetime" trip as part of a Duke of Edinburgh's Award challenge.

Five students from St Nicholas School, in Canterbury, travelled to the Arctic Circle as part of their gold award.

The trip involved working as a team during a 19 mile (30 km) trek in the Inari area of Lapland, Finland.

Deputy head teacher Stephen King said: "We are so proud of the pupils and their achievements.

"They all tried so hard and pushed themselves beyond their limits."

St Nicholas School caters for pupils aged 4-18 with a wide range of special educational needs.

The five Duke of Edinburgh Award pupils - Jasmine, Patrick, Celia, Sam and Cort, who are aged between 16-18 - had to work together during the four-day assessed expedition.

Tasks involved preparing meals, organising resources and planning walking routes.

The final day concluded with a husky ride followed by a sauna session and a celebration meal of minced reindeer meat, potatoes and vegetables, the school said.

Mr King, who travelled with the group, said: "They all worked so well as a team.

"They supported each other providing moral support, keeping each other laughing, helping out physically when needed - helping put on each other's snow shoes, getting drinks snacks from their rucksacks when resting on the expedition.

"When students found things physically or emotionally challenging, they helped out - picking each other up if they had fallen, calming them if anxious or reassuring when worried."

He said the pupils now hope to meet the Duke of Edinburgh at an awards ceremony at Buckingham Palace later this year.

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A major funding announcement by the Irish Government for the proposed upgrading of the A5 road to Londonderry has been welcomed by campaigners as a watershed moment.

The road has been the subject of calls for improvement due to the high volume of fatal collisions on the route, which links the city of Derry with Aughnacloy in Co Tyrone, located close to the Irish border.

A scheme to turn the A5 into a dual carriageway was first approved in 2007 but has been held up by legal proceedings and faced funding uncertainty.

Since 2007, almost 50 people have died on the single-lane road, including three members of the same family in one collision.

The Irish Government previously committed 400 million (467.9 million euro) to the A5 project in the 2006 St Andrews Agreement. However, it cut that to 75 million (87.7 million euro) during the financial crash.

On Tuesday, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar announced 600 million euro (512.8 million) towards the proposed upgrade of the A5.

Niall McKenna, chair of the A5 Enough Is Enough campaign group, said they were very happy with the recommitment by the Irish Government to the funding.

His group met with the Irish Government last summer, and said they felt confident after that meeting that a substantial figure would be announced.

Unfortunately the process began in April 2007 when the scheme was initially approved. It has been beset with legal problems for nearly 17 years, and unfortunately in those 17 years 48 people have lost their lives on this road, he said.

But we think things are certainly moving in the right direction at the moment, and wed be hopeful that full approval for the scheme will be in the next couple of months.

Another member of the campaign group, Brendan Hurl, said the A5 has previously been described as one of the most dangerous in Europe.

It emerged in the public inquiry that an accident has been reported to police (on the A5) once every three days, he said.

Too many lives have been lost on this road, too many families have been victims, and the important thing is to say about this road is the A5 is totally indiscriminate, it doesnt matter who you are, what you are, where youre from, what you work at, what background you come from, it will kill you regardless.

SDLP West Tyrone MLA Daniel McCrossan welcomed the funding as a watershed moment, and called for Infrastructure Minister John ODowd to announce the next steps.

Now that this funding has been secured we need to see the Executive and Minister ODowd follow suit with approval for this long-awaited project so that we can get work started before the end of the year, he said.

I would like to pay tribute to the campaigners, many of them who have lost loved ones on this road, who have worked so hard in recent years, battering down the doors of governments right across this island to make the case for the A5.

They know more than anyone the need for this redevelopment, but channelled their own grief into positive action so that nobody else would suffer the loss that they have felt.

We have been a long time getting to this stage and what we need now from the minister is urgent clarity on the next steps.

I believe today is a watershed moment in seeing the A5 delivered and look forward to seeing this project completed at last.
Could more have been done by tourism agencies to promote the Brigid 1500 festival in Dundalk and North Louth?

That was the question posed to Tourism Minister Catherine Martin last week in Leinster House by Sinn Fein TD Ruairi O Murchu who asked whether more could have been done to promote Faughart as the birthplace of St Brigid abroad.

A response to a written parliamentary question from Deputy O Murchu, which was answered by Tourism Ireland, who are responsible for marketing Irish tourism abroad, revealed that there was a total investment by the agency of 1.25 million in the Brigid 1500 festivals.

Minister Martin said: This year, for the first time ever, Tourism Ireland rolled out a new campaign to leverage St. Brigids Day around the world. This campaign, which will run for the spring period, aims to raise awareness of the island of Ireland as a great spring holiday destination.

Tourism Irelands new St. Brigids campaign involves a new video highlighting the Brigid 1500 festival in Kildare, which includes an interview with the founder of Brigid 1500 who discusses St. Brigid's legacy, the significance of Imbolc and the start of spring in Ireland; three short videos featuring female artists from the world of music, art and storytelling, which showcase some of our wonderful female talent against a backdrop of springtime Ireland; and new content bringing spring in Ireland to life, created by six popular female travel content creators from around Ireland. These will be shared by Tourism Ireland with its millions of followers on social media.

Louth, home of the birthplace of the saint, is a very significant part of the story of St. Brigid.

This year's impressive Brigid 1500 ten-day festival organised by Louth County Council, which included elements supported by my Department's Creative Ireland programme, provides further opportunities for inclusion in any future marketing campaigns and promotions of St. Brigid, whether at home or abroad, by tourism agencies.

Deputy O Murchu said: Tourism Ireland needs to play a far bigger role with regard to more joined-up thinking. None of us wants to get into a spat. Tourism Ireland needs to make sure that it is hands-on.

We have a really good starting point. There was spectacular work done by Dundalk BIDS and by Martin McElligott and his team and we need to build on it.

It was an absolutely fabulous event that took a huge amount of people over that period into Dundalk. It was both spectacular and enjoyable, and very positive.

Minister Martin said Louths Brigid 1500 was a remarkable project and praised the Northern Lights event. She said: Tourism Ireland engaged with Louth County Council to discuss its festival work programme. While logistically it was not feasible to incorporate content in the 2024 campaign, consideration can certainly be given in any future campaigns to include St. Brigid's connection with Louth.

Deputy O Murchu said it was disappointing that there was not greater involvement with Dundalk and North Louth this year.

He said: We need to make sure that we do it together, and that we sell the entirety with regard to north County Louth, Dundalk, Faughart and Kildare.

Minister Martin said:

It is certainly not the case that Kildare should be versus Louth or Louth versus Kildare. Both Kildare and Louth are the two key locations in the story of St. Brigid.

By taking them together, there is potential for opening really exciting tourism possibilities for Ireland's Ancient East.
Sinn Fein spokesperson on enterprise, trade, and employment, Louise OReilly TD, has said news that news that Marks and Spencer are to close two stores in Drogheda and Dublin has come as a shock to workers and called on the company to engage with employees and their trade union in a bid to ensure workers are either redeployed locally or that they receive a fair exit package.



Deputy OReilly said: The news that Marks and Spencer are to close two stores in Dublin and Drogheda with the possible loss of up to 100 jobs is an incredible shock to the workers, their families and their communities.



Sinn Fein believes the closure and prospective job losses should necessitate a collective redundancy notification to the Department of Enterprise which requires a statutory 30-day consultation period.



It is essential that the company engage quickly and in good faith with the workers and their trade union during this period with a focus on saving as many jobs as possible through local redeployment, and saving that, that affected workers receive a fair exit package.



Throughout this 30-day period the Minister for Enterprise, Trade, and Employment should engage with Marks and Spencer to see if there is any prospect of saving the jobs, and failing that, he must ensure that any redundancies are voluntary and not compulsory.



Furthermore, if it is a case that jobs are lost, then the Department of Enterprise must share the profiles of impacted staff with business stakeholders and Chambers of Commerce so local businesses who may be hiring or looking for similar staff are notified.



This situation reinforces the need for all workers to join, and be active, in their trade union. Workers need a strong voice in the workplace and the only way to achieve this is through trade unionism.



The affected M&S workers must be the priority here and it is imperative that the government stands up for them.



I offer my and Sinn Feins solidarity and support to the affected workers at Marks and Spencer in Dublin and Drogheda during what is a very difficult time.
The Government has confirmed today that it will channel funding through the Shared Island Fund to to build the landmark Narrow Water Bridge connecting the Cooley Peninsula in Louth to the Mourne Mountains in Down, and complete the scenic Carlingford Greenway, boosting tourism and transport links in the east border region.

Government funding commitments of over 800 million for Shared Island projects have been announced. Included in the projects is a new hourly rail service between Dublin and Belfast; investment in renewed visitor experience at Battle of the Boyne site; and completion of the cross-border Carlingford Greenway.

The Narrow Water Bridge will link the Mourne Mountains and Cooley peninsula, providing huge tourism and connectivity boosts in the east border region, and acting as an enabler for improved cross-border active travel and recreation activities including the development of greenways, walking trails and park amenities.

The bridge is a longstanding commitment of the Government reflected in the Programme for Government and the 2020 New Decade New Approach Agreement.

Planning permission is in place for a distinctive 280m cable-stayed bridge, anchored by two towers at either end, with segregated car, cycle and pedestrian lanes. The bridge will connect the A2 Newry to Warrenpoint dual carriageway with the R173 Omeath and open to allow for passage of boats through and on to the Newry Canal.

A tender process for the main construction works contract for the project was conducted by Louth County Council in 2023, in accordance with the Public Spending Code, overseen by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage in consultation with the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland.

Louth County Council will proceed with the final steps in the procurement process and expect to award the contract to the successful bidder in H1 2024. Delivery of the project will be overseen by a Project Board, chaired by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

12.5 million has been allocated for a new hourly-frequency rail service between Belfast and Dublin. Funding for the hourly rail service is being allocated from the Shared Island Fund, with match funding from the Department of Transport, to meet the total cost of introducing of an hourly-frequency rail service between Belfast and Dublin over an initial three-year period.

The Shared Island Fund will provide a 1.5m contribution to enable the completion of an outstanding element of the cross-border Carlingford Greenway, a 1.6km boardwalk structure outside Newry. Funding is also being provided by the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland and other sections of the Greenway are supported under the INTERREG VA programme.

The project is overseen by the Department of Transport, working with Louth County Council and Newry, Mourne and Down District Council in consultation with the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland. This project aligns with the objective under the National Development Plan to create an island-wide border region greenway network from the Atlantic coast to the Eastern seaboard, and the Department of Transport are actively exploring potential approaches to link existing border-region greenway routes to develop a transformational green infrastructure asset for residents and to grow sustainable tourism.

10 million has been allocated for a renewed visitor experience at the Battle of the Boyne site due to reflect its unique historic significance to communities North and South. The Government has confirmed the major investment in the development of a renewed visitor experience for the Battle of the Boyne site as a priority to raise the heritage and tourism profile of the site which has unique historic and community significance on the island.

A commitment of 10m from the Shared Island Fund has been made as part of the overall funding package for the project, once finalised. This work will be taken forward by the Office of Public Works (OPW) based on a Conservation Management Plan for the site and in consultation with communities North and South.
Louth County Council has today welcomed the funding announced by Government through the Shared Island Fund for the construction of the Narrow Water Bridge.

The c.200m cable-stayed and rolling bascule bridge will link the Mourne Mountains and the Cooley Peninsula, providing huge tourism and connectivity boosts in the east border region. It will act as a key catalyst for improved cross border active travel and recreational activities, including the development of greenways, walking trails and park amenities.

Louth County Council has been the lead project partner, securing planning consents, design details and more recently progressing the construction tender process.

A subgroup of the existing North South Infrastructure Group oversees the development of the project, co-chaired by the Department of An Taoiseach and Norther Irelands Department of Infrastructure, and also includes representatives from Department of Housing, Heritage & Local Government, Department of Foreign Affairs, Louth County Council and Newry, Mourne & Down District Council.

Chief Executive Joan Martin said, this significant funding announcement will now allow Louth County Council bring this long-standing, transformative project to fruition, which will open up new and exciting opportunities by linking the Mourne Mountains and the Cooley Peninsula , with huge potential for the local and wider economies.

"I wish to congratulate John OHagan, Senior Engineer and David Jones, Director of Services for project managing this to date and I have no doubt they will bring this project to fruition.

"I also wish to acknowledge the support of all the various stakeholders in both the Republic and Northern Ireland in reaching this point, and I look forward to seeing construction commence on this iconic project in the near future."
A ban on native oyster fishing in Lough Foyle is being extended as concerns continue over conservation.

The ban, introduced in October to preserve stocks, was due to end on 29 February.

However, the Loughs Agency said a decision to extend the ban until 31 March would ensure the preservation of oyster stock.

Sharon McMahon, CEO of the Loughs Agency, said extending the ban would help maintain a sustainable fishery for the future.

Native oysters are one of the most imperilled habitats on Earth

She said following an assessment of stock in the Foyle over recent months, the agency had determined that the extended closure was an essential course of action to ensure the continued conservation of oyster stocks.

It is not a decision we have taken lightly, she said.

We are fully aware of the impact that this will have on our native oyster fishery stakeholders in relation to the fishing of oysters in Lough Foyle."

Natives are a variety of flat oyster and Lough Foyle is home to one of the last large populations.

The local native oyster season normally runs from September to April.

Ms McMahon said the extension was backed by scientific data and was an informed management decision.

Native oyster reefs were once abundant in European seas but it is estimated that populations have declined by 95% since the 19th century.

Now native oyster reefs are one of the most threatened habitats in Europe.

One of the main causes of this huge decline is historic overfishing, but habitat loss, disease, pollution and invasive non-native species are all contributors.

The lough straddles Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, from Greencastle Fort in County Donegal to Magilligan, County Londonderry.

The Loughs Agency is part of the Foyle, Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission (FCILC).

It was set up as one of the cross-border bodies under the 1998 Good Friday Agreement between the UK and Irish governments.
Massimo Bottura, one of the best-known chefs on the planet, has lived a life of full of accolades.

His innovative mastery of Italian cooking brought new prominence to an already-beloved cuisine. His restaurant Torno Subito in Dubai earned a Michelin star and is set to open its second location here in Miami sometime in 2024. His restaurant Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy, has twice been named among the Worlds 50 Best Restaurants and also earned three Michelin stars, reminding us, the Michelin Guide writes, that food should not be a boring ritual but instead an enjoyable experience influenced by memory and culture.

He has made appearances in movies like Ferrari and such television shows as Top Chef and Master of None. He has inspired chefs and dazzled diners around the world.

But now, as he looks at whats behind him and what lies ahead, Bottura, 61, feels a different sort of pressure: to leave a legacy for positive change in the world.

Once you receive all the prizes and create one of the best restaurants in the world, what are you going to do? he asks. Are you going to translate those prizes into money, or do you want to translate them into something more important? Giving back is some of the greatest success you can have.

Giving back is some of the greatest success you can have, says Chef Massimo Bottura, whose restaurant Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy, earned three Michelin stars.

This philanthropic spirit has helped earn Bottura the spotlight at the most prestigious event of the 2024 South Beach Wine & Food Festival. The festival, which runs Feb. 22-25, will honor Bottura at its annual tribute dinner on Feb. 24 at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel. Also being honored is Luca Garavoglia, chairman of Campari Group.

Nadia Caterina Munno, known as The Pasta Queen, will act as master of ceremonies, and an impressive group of chefs will be busy behind the scenes: Alain Ducasse, whose restaurants have earned more than 20 Michelin stars; Mauro Colagreco, of the three-Michelin-starred restaurant Mirazur in Menton, France; Albert Adria Acosta of Enigma, a Michelin one-star restaurant in Barcelona; Jordi Roca i Fontane, pastry chef at El Celler de Can Roca, a Michelin three-star restaurant in Girona, Spain; and Antonio Bachour, named World Best Pastry Chef in 2022 and the creative mind behind the Miami restaurants Bachour and Table.

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Also joining the chefs is Bernardo Paladini, who will be the chef de cuisine at the Miami Torno Subito. (When it opens, the restaurant, Bottura says, will be all about Bernardo.)

With Bottura at center stage, the response to the tribute dinner has been tremendous, said Lee Schrager, South Beach Wine & Food festival founder. Selling the $600-per-person tickets was no problem: The dinner is sold out (net proceeds benefit the Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism at Florida International University).

This is something weve never really seen before, Schrager says. Its the star power of one of the greatest chefs in the world. Its one of those once-in-a-lifetime dinners. Getting Massimo to come was a coup, but to get him to line up his friends really put it over the top.

Previous honorees include Alain Ducasse, Emeril Lagasse, Bobby Flay, Eric Ripert, Maguy Le Coze, Ferran Adria, Jose Andres, Francis Ford Coppola, Baron Eric de Rothschild and Christophe Navarre.

Though hes flattered his fellow chefs are joining in the tribute, Bottura says the festival spotlight, like all spotlights, casts a wider glow, highlighting all the people who make a restaurant successful.

These things are not just about me, he says. Its about the whole industry. Ive always said the way we cook food, the way we explain it, the way we approach it, thats culture. Thats knowledge. Every day in our restaurants we create culture, we develop knowledge. We open ourselves to consciousness, and from consciousness to responsibility, the step is very short.

Have tweezers, will travel. Massimo Bottura focuses on the details during his guest-chef dinner at Habitat at 1 Hotel South Beach in 2019.

Bottura feels a responsibility to give credit to and support the artisans who make his restaurants possible: the farmers, the fishermen, the cheese makers, anyone who grows or provides the ingredients for his dishes.

Im an Italian chef, he jokes. Imagine how many food producers there are around me!

That same need to include everyone in the narrative prompted Bottura and his American wife Lara Gilmore to create Food for Soul, a nonprofit that focuses on eliminating food waste and feeding those in need. The organizations mission is to strengthen communities, create opportunities for social and economic mobility and build healthy, equitable food systems.

Working with local organizations, architects and community leaders, Food for Soul opens refettorios, unused spaces transformed into community hubs (think of them as stylish soup kitchens). The refettorios are spread around the world, from Italy and other parts of Europe to South America, with two in the United States (in New York and San Francisco).

These soup kitchens are more beautiful than our restaurants, Bottura says, adding that two more are planned for Los Angeles and Chicago.. And through beauty, we fight food waste and social isolation.

Bottura and Gilmore are also ambassadors and mentors for the Tortellante project, created in 2016 by the Modena-based Aut Aut Association. The project uses grandmothers and volunteers to teach autistic teens and young adults to make tortellini by hand in Modena.

The highly-sought after pasta is always sold out, Bottura says, adding, We need more kids and more grandmothers.

Chef Massimo Bottura hopes to start a Miami branch of his Food for Soul program, which aims to eliminate food waste and feed those in need.

Bottura hopes to bring the Food for Soul project to Miami once Torno Subito opens (in a few months, he estimates). Last year, when he was in town for Art Basel and to promote his cookbook Slow Food, Fast Cars, he met a few people who said theyd be interested in helping to set up the project. But hes realistic about the difficulties of getting it underway.

We need permits and local partners who really believe in the project, he said. People said, We want to help you, but at one point you need to act, not just talk.

Opening a restaurant in Miami wasnt originally on Botturas agenda, and with requests coming in from all over the world, he didnt think much about the possibility. But over the past couple of years, as Michelin stars were awarded, national publications took notice and the restaurant scene was transformed, he changed his mind.

The last time I was there, I found an an amazing energy, he said. I feel its the place to be right now. The city is exploding. I want to be there.
THE Franciscan Well has been synonymous with craft brewing since its inception in 1998 by Corkman, Shane Long.

From the first beers brewed on a small scale within the grounds of a historic Franciscan Monastery, the brand has grown and with it a loyal following of fans.

In 2013, the brand was purchased by brewing giant Molson Coors as they looked to establish a slice of the craft beer market, and at the time no brewery was more dynamic than Franciscan Well.

It still holds onto those values today; an enduring respect for Irish craft brewing by offering delicious and balance beers with a style and flavour profile to suit every type of beer aficionado.

The beers are now brewed in an enormous state-of-the-art facility on Corks docklands, and it is embracing its location beside the Lee by unveiling the first instalment of its Dockland Series of events in collaboration with Corks best loved craft beer bars.

The first of this series kicked off recently and all February long they will showcase a brand-new beer from the brewery.

Over the past few months, they have been hard at work brewing a new collection of craft beers which they will start to release from this month on a rotational basis.

Franciscan Well, has organised the Dockland Series, showcasing a brand-new beer from the brewery.

The Dockland Series celebrates the craft, culture, and vibrant spirit of Cork, with innovative craft beers which pay homage to and are brewed in Cork.

Each instalment of the Dockland Series has its own distinct character and flavour profile and the first of these, Franciscan Wells HAZY IPA, will be available this month on draught in selected bars across the city.

At each venue, a lively mix of dynamic music acts, merchandise giveaways, craic agus ceol will celebrate the launch of Hazy IPA in style, all while enjoying a complementary pint of the beer and a two-hour live music set from specially selected local artists.

An Brog, the Franciscan Well Brew Pub, Barbarella and The Hyde Out have taken part this month. Next up is Costigans on February 22 and The Woodford on February 23.

Speaking about the launch this month, Shane O Sullivan, Sales Director for Ireland with Molson Coors, said: We are thrilled to bring Hazy IPA to bars and pubs in Cork City this month. The Hazy IPA is the first beer to launch in the much-anticipated Docklands Series of craft beers and with Franciscan Wells strong roots in Cork it is fitting that beer lovers in Cork will be the first to enjoy it!

To celebrate the first small batch beer in the Dockland Series, we have planned events across the city which kick off in early February in participating bars and we cant wait to hear the response from consumers and publicans alike!

Tasting Notes At 5.5%, Hazy IPA packs a little more punch than your usual sessionable sup, but this flavour-packed beer is one for savouring. Its bursting with hoppy character, rich juicy tropical fruit aromas on the nose, and ripe sweet mango tripping off the tongue for a gentle tangy mouthfeel. Its a real treat for craft beer lovers who also want to support locally brewed beers.

For more information about the Dockland Series and how to participate, follow @franciscanwell on Instagram.

Next week: Eight Degrees Brewing are in the spotlight.
COBH Heritage Centre has announced that it has digitised several artefacts following a public call out for memorabilia associated with Irish emigration.

The call-out resulted in artefacts from all over the world being donated to the centre.

These have been digitised and several are on display at the centre, which tells the story of Irish emigration from the 1600s to the 20th century.

Among the newly donated artefacts is a small bottle with a note inside which was thrown from the Titanic by Jeremiah Burke. It reads: From Titanic, goodbye all, Burke, Glanmire, Cork.

Also among the artefacts is a letter written on the Titanic by Edward Colley to his cousin.

The letter was posted when the Titanic arrived in what was then known as Queenstown, now Cobh.

Additionally, the artefacts include a shillelagh that belonged to an emigrant in the US in the 1860s; a water canteen that was used in the American Civil War and two flags that were hanging on the SS America on its last voyage into Cobh.

Thanks to the generosity of the public, the large exhibition in the Cobh Heritage Centre on the Titanic features many individual and personal stories, including photographs taken by Fr Frank Brown which are some of the last photographs ever to be taken of the Titanic.

The exhibition also tells the story of Mary Mullins and Denis Lennon who eloped on the Titanic.

The story of Jack and Rose from the Titanic film is based on them.

Cobh Heritage Centre annually welcomes more than 80,000 visitors and has also announced a vacancy for a director of operations and strategy. Reporting to the board of Cobh Heritage Centre, the director of operations and strategy will lead, co-ordinate and manage the development and operation of Cobh Heritage Centre.

To apply for the position contact Claire Looney OSullivan via email, claire.looney@corkcoco.ie.
Starbucks China specialty drinks clinking

Most people know that Starbucks has a huge array of international drinks that you can only get in certain countries, but until now, we hadn't heard about any involving pork. Despite its home being the United States, Starbucks goes to lengths to appeal to the taste of local customers anywhere, and that can result in some pretty delicious sounding items, like the nutty Mont Blanc Latte in Japan or the fruit and caramel mix of the Lucuma Creme Frappuccino in Peru. Starbucks' new drink in China translates to "Abundant Year Savory Latte" and is a limited-time offering in honor of the Lunar New Year.

A Starbucks spokesperson told Tasting Table, "To celebrate the Lunar New Year, 25 Reserve stores across China have released limited-time beverages that feature local flavor profiles and highlight traditional customs." The drink mixes espresso and milk with Dongpo braised pork flavor sauce, with more pork sauce and a piece of pork as a garnish. Dongpo Pork is a Chinese dish dating all the way back to the 11th-century Song Dynasty and was supposedly created by a famous scholar-poet named Su Dongpo. For many years, the dish has been part of a traditional Lunar New Year celebration.

Read more: 31 Coffee Brands, Ranked From Worst To Best

Starbucks China's Savory Pork Latte Is Appealing To The Company's Largest Emerging Market

Starbucks abundant year savory latte

The modern version of Dongpo Pork is braised pork belly in a mixture of soy sauces, rock sugar, and Shaoxing wine with some other flavorings like ginger. As a Starbucks Reserve item, the Abundant Year Savory Latte comes in at 68 yuan, or a whopping $9.45. Since the beverage is directly tied to the holiday, the window to pick it up is small. The Abundant Year Savory Latte is only available until February 26, or while supplies last.

China is one of Starbucks' fastest-growing markets, with the coffee chain opening over 700 stores in the country just last year. That brings the total to over 6,500 locations in 250 cities throughout China, although that is still less than half of the largest Chinese coffee chain, Luckin Coffee. Starbucks, like many food and drink outlets, took a big hit from the strict COVID lockdowns in China but managed to recover strongly last year with a big 20% jump in revenue in the second half of the year, even in the face of cheaper local alternatives. Starbucks is on track to have 9,000 stores in China by the end of next year, so we may be hearing a lot more about its local specialty flavors in the future.

Read the original article on Tasting Table.
REPAIRING the damage caused by Storm Babet flooding to local and regional roads and bridges in Cork will take up to two years and cost Cork County Council up to 55m over and above its annual roads budget.

The council already faces a 13m shortfall to carry out the programme of work it had scheduled to implement over the next 12 months.

The disclosure of the 55m repair bill comes as a delegation of Midleton and East Cork residents travels to Leinster House today, to present a petition of 14,722 signatures calling for urgent interim flood prevention measures to be implemented in the town and surrounding villages.

Last week, the council was allocated an extra 13m in the annual announcement of funds by the Department of Transport for regional and local roads. The council has estimated a bill of 26m for the works it is to implement during 2024 and the first quarter of 2025.

Two years

In a statement in response to a query from The Echo, it has been estimated it will take two years to complete the full list of repairs and that these will cost between 50m-55m.

Cork County Council intend to complete 26m of works in 2024 and Q1 2025. At present, only 13m of funding has been secured under the Regional and Local Roads Grant Allocations 2024, the statement read.

Cork County Council has engaged with the Department of Transport on this matter, in an effort to secure the further necessary funding.

While the cost of repairing regional and local roads and bridges is a matter for the council, repairing damage to national roads is the responsibility of the National Roads Authority. When those costs  estimated at 16m  are factored in, as well as the initial clean-up costs of 4.42m, the overall total for damage to roads and clean-up costs in Co Cork as a result of Storm Babet is put at between 70.42m and 75.42m.

Damage

During a recent council meeting, Fine Gael councillor in East Cork Municipal District Michael Hegarty said that more than half of the damage done was to roads and bridges in his district.

You can all see from those figures that were not even half way there in the damage that was done, he said, warning that further heavy falls of rain could lead to even more damage.

What annoys me is that various political parties  and none came to town and saw for themselves the damage  and said money would not be an issue.

All were doing at the moment is temporary works, its a Sellotape job. Its not good enough, said Mr Hegarty.

In a statement from the Department of Transport following the announcement of an allocation of 83m for regional and local roads in Cork during 2024, a spokesperson said this money included 13m for repairing roads impacted by severe weather and nearly 2m for bridge rehabilitation. The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of each local authority, in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993.

Works on those roads are funded from the councils own resources and supplemented by State road grants. The department will work closely with the affected local authorities as required to facilitate the progression and management of repair works.

Shortfall

The shortfall came to light as a delegation of 15 representatives of the Midleton and East Cork Flood Protection Group set off to Dublin with a petition containing 14,722 signatures calling for the urgent implementation of interim flood protection measures for Midleton and surrounding communities. The delegation has invited local TDs to meet with it as well as the Minister for the Office of Public Works, the Social Protection Minister, the Education Minister, and the Health Minister.

There have been plans in progress for flood defences for Midleton since 2010 and they still have not materialised, said group secretary Caroline Leahy in advance of their journey to the capital.

We are calling for urgent interim measures to protect lives and properties after the devastating floods caused by Storm Babet.

We are also raising our concerns about the issues around getting insurance, the difficulties encountered by people trying to access the humanitarian fund via the Department of Social Protection, and the mental health impact on our communities.
MORE than 800 children in Cork were awaiting initial contact from a Childrens Disability Network Team (CNDT) in the region as of the end of last year, with in excess of half of those waiting longer than a year.

A CDNT provides specialised support and services for children aged from birth to 18 years who have a disability and complex health needs associated with that disability.

Figures

According to figures obtained by Sinn Fein TD Thomas Gould, there were 811 children waiting for an initial contact in Cork as of the end of December 2023.

Of those, 446 were waiting for longer than 12 months. CDNT 9 (North Cork City and Blarney) had the highest number waiting at 163, followed by CDNT 5 (North East Cork) at 145 and CDNT 7 (East Cork City) at 84.

We know that staff are doing their absolute best in extremely difficult circumstances. They are not given the resources and there is simply not enough staff for Cork, Mr Gould said.

77% of children on the waiting list in CDNT 9, covering North Cork City and Blarney, have been waiting for more than 12 months.

For young children, 12 months is a large portion of their childhood and that will undoubtedly see key opportunities missed for intervention that could be life-changing, said the Cork North Central TD.

He called on the Government to increase investment in CDNTs and in the broader childrens disability services.

Regrets

A spokesperson for Cork Kerry Community Healthcare (CKCH) told The Echo that CKCH deeply regrets any delays for children and their families awaiting initial contact with the Childrens Disability Network Team (CDNT).

We understand the difficulty and stress this can cause for children and their families, and we are working to address these delays.

There is an average vacancy rate of 23% across all 11 CDNTs in Cork, with some CDNTs experiencing higher vacancy rates than others.

CDNT services in Cork are provided by Section 38 and Section 39 agencies.

While Section 38 agencies (Brothers of Charity Services and Cope Foundation) have been impacted by the HSE recruitment pause, Section 39 agencies (St Josephs Foundation, Enable Ireland, and CoAction) continue to run local recruitment campaigns, the spokesperson continued.

They added that CKCH is also currently working with National Recruitment Services as part of the CDNT-targeted recruitment campaign.
Cork teenager Aine Ducey was one of six young stars to shine on the stage of the Abbey Theatre when she participated in a spectacular new production at the prestigious emporium.

The 16-year-old from Mallow gave a show-stopping performance in The Invitation, written by Paul Timoney on the stage of Irelands National Theatre in Dublin City.

The production followed six children from the LauraLynn hospice and told the tale of cranky grannies, Mr Tumble and a special invitation in a show which was described as anything but ordinary.

Aines mother Angela said it was a special day for her daughter as it was dream come true to perform on the Abbey stage.

We all watched on with such pride, to see our star take to the stage is a moment we will cherish forever.

LauraLynn Childrens Hospice senior play therapist and Abbey Theatre event co-ordinator Michelle Hartnett paid tribute to the performers and said their aim was to foster an environment where creativity knows no bounds and where each childs character is celebrated.
PASSENGER numbers on Bus Eireann routes in Cork City and county increased by 27% last year compared to 2022, according to the National Transport Authority (NTA). Passenger numbers exceed pre-pandemic levels.

In 2023, 17.7m passenger journeys were recorded on the bus routes in the city and county, compared to 13.9m in 2022, 8.7m in 2021, and 8.3m in 2020.

Meanwhile, passenger numbers in 2019 were 16.8m.

Labour Party candidate in the citys South East ward Peter Horgan said it was good that patronage on Cork buses had exceeded the pre-pandemic figures, but he urged more progress for Cork public transport, including a speedier roll-out of next-generation ticketing.

We have a congestion crisis in Cork City and in the suburbs, Mr Horgan said.

Its great to see votes of confidence in our public transport bus network, but we need to do more.

And we need to do more faster.

Digital next-gen ticketing is here and it shouldnt take a year for the fleet to be fitted with the capability that is second nature in most European public transport hubs, he said.

Mr Horgan reiterated his call for a 9 climate ticket which would give people unlimited usage of public transport anywhere in Ireland for 9 a month  to be trialled in Cork.

The introduction of a climate ticket has been sought by the Labour Party in its recent alternative budgets.

If introduced, our climate ticket would help people make the move to public transport, save costs on fuel, and help Ireland meet our emission targets, Mr Horgan said.

Imagine the impact that would have in Cork City of reducing the traffic jams.

Its not anti-car, its pro-commuter to help with costs and ensure they are supported, Mr Horgan said.

Separately, Honore Kamegni, the Green Party local-election candidate for Cork City South East, has contacted the NTA to request immediate action to improve bus services in the city.

Mr Kamegni shared confirmation from the NTA that they are working with Bus Eireann to assess the feasibility of interim measures that he suggested.

He said, I would like to share an update on the work I am doing to improve the bus service in the Ballinlough, Ballintemple, Beaumont, Blackrock, Donnybrook, Douglas, Mahon, Maryborough, and Rochestown areas.

I contacted the National Transport Authority (NTA) to request that interim measures be put in place, with more frequent and reliable buses, particularly in the mornings up to 10am, until the new bus network comes into effect, due in 2025-2026.

I welcome confirmation from the NTA that they are working with Bus Eireann to assess the implementation of interim measures, focused on improving punctuality, capacity, and reliability for the 220/220x, the 225/226, the 236/237/239 and the 219.

The Green Party candidate thanked the NTA on behalf of residents and commuters, saying that these improvements are vital to modernising the transport system to minimise journey times and unlock the development of the many new houses we need.
A 61-year-old man, a leading figure in his immigrant community, has confessed to allowing his taxi to be used by another person for the possession of two kilos of cocaine on the motorway at Glanmire in November 2021.

Shabakiyu Sanusi, of Forest Mill Crescent, Athlone, was charged by Detective Garda Robert Kennedy that, on November 4, 2021 at M8 Glanmire, Cork, he was in control of a 2015-registered Toyota Prius and did knowingly permit the possession of a controlled drug.

He has pleaded guilty to that charge at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

The background was that he was a taxi driver whose vehicle was stopped and searched.

His passenger was carrying two kilos of cocaine in a bag. The drugs had a street value of 140,000.

Judge Colin Daly said: He appears to have allowed his passenger to keep the drugs in the vehicle. I take into consideration that his role was a minor, secondary role.

Despite the significant value of drugs, I am satisfied the headline should be three years.

In mitigation, there is his plea of guilty and his co-operation, so the headline sentence can be reduced to two years.

He is a 61-year-old man now. A family man, previously of good character.

He is an important role model in the migrant community where he lives. His taxi licence is suspended and, most likely, will be lost as a result of this offence.

He has shown remorse, which I believe is genuine. He has remained (in the country) to deal with the charges.

His co-accused made a different choice.

The judge acceded to the application by defence barrister, Alan ODwyer, to impose a fully suspended sentence.

Judge Daly imposed a suspended, two-year sentence on Mr Sanusi.
BIODIVERSITY was the focus of the second Douglas Tidy Towns work party of the year, which took place last weekend.

A hedge that was planted in 2022 at an open area of Ballybrack Woods (known locally as The Mangala) was extended with Hazels, Hawthorns, Blackthorns, and Guelder Roses.

Regular litter-picking and trail maintenance activities also took place along the much-loved beauty spot before volunteers gathered for some well-deserved refreshments, compliments of the nearby Breens Centra on Donnybrook Hill.

Cork City Council biodiversity officer Rosemarie McDonald welcomed the initiative, saying the species planted are really important to a wide variety of fauna.

Volunteers after planting new hedgerow in The Mangala as part of the Douglas Tidy Towns work party on Sunday, February 18, 2024.

Hazelnuts provide food to small mammals such as red squirrels and wood mice, she said. Hawthorn and guelder rose berries provide food for local birds such as blackbirds, song thrushes, and winter visitors such as fieldfares and redwings in the autumn and winter time.

Katie Smirnova, of Hedgerows Ireland, said that native hedgerows also support our dwindling populations of pollinators such as bees, moths, and butterflies.

As well as providing nesting sites, native hedgerows may contain trees that are left to grow tall to provide perching posts for birds, she said.

Volunteers plant new hedgerow in The Mangala as part of the Douglas Tidy Towns work party on Sunday, February 18, 2024.

When their leaves fall each autumn, the native hedgerows also return nutrients to the earth and increase the soils organic carbon.

This supports more insects and soil invertebrates, which further helps the birds because it provides extra prey.

Karen Loxton, community and development officer at SECAD Cork, was also full of praise for the work, saying:

These trees are a great choice for a hedgerow for nature and people. Each of them has a long history of being foraged for food and medicine by people, Ms Loxton added.

The new plants will soon form part of a free event on Saturday, March 9, as part of National Tree Week. Featuring experts from UCC, Cork City Council, SECAD, and Hedgerows Ireland, the Why Hedgerows Matter in Urban Setting event begins at Douglas Community Centre at 11.30am, followed by refreshments and a short walk across to The Mangala.

It will be run by Nature Forum and Cork Environment Forum, and free tickets are available on Eventbrite.ie.

Regular Douglas Tidy Towns events continue next Saturday from 10.30am at the shed in the community centre, and all are welcome to join in.
An accountant and former partner with Deloitte in Cork was given a two-year suspended sentence, fines of 10,000 and 240 hours of community service on Tuesday for claiming repayments of income tax and VAT to which he was not entitled.

Brian Murphy, who previously resided at Abbey View, Ballea Road, Carrigaline, County Cork, was sentenced by Judge Colin Daly at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

He previously pleaded guilty to sample counts on the indictment.

Judge Daly said by making false returns to Revenue, the accused man obtained a 54,600 repayment in respect of VAT and left an income tax liability across the years 2008 to 2012 to a total of 456,000.

He had a knowledge of finance and tax. He simply should have known better. They (the offences) were to support his family. It happened to many families at that time but they did not turn to fraudulent activities. He consciously engaged in this for his own and his familys gain.

He comes before the court with previous good character and contributes positively to his community, particularly his religious community and his charitable works over a long period of time. He is not likely to come to attention again. These offences are of some vintage - 12 to 13 years old, Judge Daly said.

Enquiries

Mr Ger Cosgrave Assistant Principle of the Revenue Commissioners said the matter came to light when a request for payment by Mr Murphy did not exist on the records of Deloitte.

Brian Murphy was given a two-year suspended sentence by Judge Colin Daly at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

As a result of those enquiries, an investigation and prosecution was commenced and two search warrants were obtained  for the premises of Deloitte on Lapps Quay, Cork, and another for his (Mr Murphys) residence. In the course of interview he made several admissions and was cooperative with the investigation. The sum of 54,600 was repaid in June 2013 by Mr Murphy with 10,000 interest (in respect of the VAT), Mr Cosgrave testified.

The witness said in relation to an incorrect VAT return of 105,280, Brian Murphy obtained 54,600, and incorrect forms were filled out to substantiate that.

Mr Cosgrave said that between 2008 and 2012 there was an undeclared amount of income of 742,000 and a further investigation commenced.

The Revenue witness said to Jane Hyland, prosecution senior counsel, Income declared by each of the Deloitte partners was examined. It was only in Mr Murphys case that there was a discrepancy. (Following correspondence from Mr Murphy to Revenue about his income being reduced) it resulted in a refund of 68,000 in 2008  a refund for which he was not entitled, it was concluded that he provided incorrect information on his income from Deloitte in 2008.

Ultimately, in terms of his tax liability, the total additional income tax liability was 456,000. Interest of 126,000 and penalties of 342,000 resulted in a total of over 924,00. Mr Murphy has made payments of 456,000. But interest and penalties remain. 468,000 is outstanding.

'Fairly ham-fisted'

Remy Farrell defence senior counsel handed in testimonials on the accused provided by a number of parties saying to the judge, Hopefully, you will be struck by the fact that he not only participated but is deeply embedded in public and charitable work  it has been part of Mr Murphys life for quite a considerable period of time.

One comes across accused people dipping into the till to fund a lifestyle  that is not what one sees in this case. He is someone who should have known better but as a result of pressures he engaged in conduct for a very significant purpose.

All of the tax has been repaid. The VAT was repaid in 2013 along with penalties. The entirety of the income tax has been repaid. The interest and penalties remain. (He has arranged to repay these over the next seven years).

The scheme does not appear to have been well thought out. He was making returns that were not very coherent. It was advantageous to him in the short term. It was in contradiction with what the same firm were making to Revenue. On the question of how this could have been a long-term proposition it had the appearance of someone trying to get in money when there was very real and excruciating financial pressure.

This was fairly ham-fisted and ultimately was always something that was going to come back and bite Mr Murphy. He apologises and accepts responsibility for it.

Mr Farrell commented on a company called Securemed Ltd and said, Mr Murphy put 80,000 or so into it. It was to operate as a recruitment business. It never really took off. He put an awful lot of money into that company, with very little hope of recovering it  that forms the background.
Two people have been taken to hospital following a collision in Cork city.

Emergency services attended at the scene of a single-vehicle road traffic collision involving a car at Kilmore Road, Knocknaheeny, this evening.

A garda spokesperson said that gardai and emergency services attended at the scene at around 7.40pm.

"Gardai and emergency services attended the scene of a single-vehicle road traffic collision involving a car, which occurred at Kilmore Road, Knocknaheeny, Cork, this evening.

"Two youths aged in their teens were conveyed to Cork University Hospital for treatment for injuries believed to be non-life-threatening at this time," the spokesperson said.

The road has since reopened.

The garda spokesperson said that gardai also received reports of a number of public order incidents at the same location.

"Investigations are ongoing," the spokesperson added.

A spokesperson for Cork City Fire Service said that members were in attendance at the incident and had since returned to base.
HUMANS are a clever, if destructive, bunch.

From walking the earth looking for nourishment to domesticating wild plants and animals and kick-starting farming, our ancestors have, understandably, looked for easier and more efficient ways of doing things.

Before we worked out that digging up and burning coal, oil and gas could power things, and steam engines and internal combustion engines took over, we relied heavily on horses to do what we might now call the donkey work.

In 1850, Ireland had about 600,000 horses who ploughed fields, provided transport, and did all manner of lugging and hauling.

Last week I hosted a panel discussion about the decarbonisation of Irelands gas network and how biomethane, a renewable gas generated in an anaerobic digester from organic feedstocks such as food waste and agricultural wastes, could replace a significant percentage of the natural gas that we currently use in heating, industry, transport and electricity generation.

Unexpectedly, in the conversation about the acutely 21st century problem of global heating, we heard some interesting 19th century figures on land use and energy from a Teagasc researcher, JJ Lenehan.

In 1850, Ireland dedicated about 600,000 hectares of land to growing oats, an area a bit less than the size of county Galway. It took a hectare of oats to feed a horse, so at that time Ireland devoted a lot of land to feeding horses because they were essential to doing work.

Lenehans point was that Irelands agricultural land is 80% grassland and is well placed to grow grass for biomethane production.

If 3% of agricultural land was dedicated to generating feedstocks for anaerobic digesters, it would meet 10% of Irelands gas requirements. It is not such an unusual idea to think of us growing plants for energy when, in the past, we grew oats as the energy for horses.

The government has recently set a target of 10% of the gas grid to be fuelled with biomethane by 2030. Research by Gas Networks Ireland suggests we could go further, to 25%, and points to Denmark, which has recently hit 40% biomethane in its gas grid and has committed to fully displacing natural gas with biomethane by 2035.

Irelands decarbonisation plan has ambitious targets to electrify large parts of transport and heating, and power them with wind and solar energy, but now electricity represents just 20% of the total energy we use.

As we stick plugs on things like cars, and switch to heat pumps for heating, that percentage will grow, but at the moment the bulk of Irelands energy is still generated by burning oil and gas.

Last year, Irelands gas network transported twice the energy transported by the electricity grid, so we need to decarbonise the gas network if Ireland is to reach its climate action goals.

Anaerobic digesters are established tech to move us away from burning natural gas and are set to become a key part of the circular economy - taking wastes from food production and animal slurries and turning them into biomethane for energy production.

Of course, careful consideration needs to be given to any unintended consequences of establishing an indigenous biomethane industry.

We need to make sure that dedicating agricultural land to grow grass solely for biomethane production does not lead to any potential food security concerns.

Growing crops for biomethane production must be done sustainably without additional inputs of fertilisers or pesticides. Issues like soil degradation and loss of biodiversity must be considered as well as broader impacts on agriculture and the environment.

Irelands focus on renewable electricity and energy conservation as the first prong of attack on decarbonisation is understandable because perpetuating the fossil fuel industry and infrastructure is not desirable.

However, given Irelands dependence on natural gas, it is clear we need to deploy all reliable renewable technologies to slash our emissions by 2030.

The ongoing situation of importing climate-destroying fossil fuels to meet most of our energy needs is untenable. Moving to a more sustainable gas makes sense. Wind, solar, biomethane (and hopefully hydrogen in the future) - well need them all!

Goodbye Navalny

The death of Alexei Navalny, the prominent Russian opposition leader and anti-corruption activist who had been imprisoned in Russian jails since 2021, stopped me in my tracks.

I cared because last year I felt like I got a small glimpse inside his life.

The documentary Navalny won Best Documentary at the 2023 Oscars and is an unforgettable portrait of the man who was fearless in his challenge to Vladimir Putins power.

I was entirely unaware of who Navalny was or his work until the Oscar award, but I sought out the film and was staggered by his story, the access the filmmakers had to his life, and the tale they revealed.

Navalny miraculously survived poisoning with the nerve agent novichok in 2020 and the documentary details his investigation into how he was poisoned.

It is a jaw-dropping film, and I would encourage everyone to watch to get an insight into the fear and oppression perpetrated by Putins regime. (I rented it on YouTube)

The Kremlin is a long way from Cork, but the ripple effects of Putins brutal rule is felt here and all around the world.

Navalnys sudden death in a Russian prison felt like an inevitability. How could one man topple a vast country of corruption and oppression?

Navalnys wife and children are the ones who now must spend the rest of their lives missing him and hoping that his death was not in vain.

I recommend watching the documentary and helping his memory live on.
David Raleigh

The UL Hospitals Group has launched an internal investigation into the death of a 16-year-old girl who died in University Hospital Limerick (UHL) three weeks ago.

There were 113 patients on trolleys in corridors and wards at the hospital on January 29th, the day the girl died.

It is understood that the girl is from Co Limerick.

It is the second internal inquiry into the death of a teenage girl at UHL in as many years.

Aoife Johnston (16), from Shannon, Co Clare, who developed meningitis, died after waiting on a trolley in UHL's Emergency Department for 12 hours in December 2022.

A review was launched into Aoife's death, the findings of which lead the HSE to apologise to the Johnson family for the serious failings in the care provided to Aoife.

An inquiry has been launched into the circumstances surrounding the death of the second teenager and the care she received at the hospital on the day she died.

In a statement, UL Hospitals Group offered its sincere condolences to the girls family on their devastating loss.

We can confirm that a preliminary assessment has been carried out in line with the HSE Incident Management Framework and the findings from this assessment will be shared with the family pending the results of a post-mortem examination, the statement continued.

Under the HSE Incident Management Framework, all major incidents are initially put through a preliminary assessment, which is then used to classify the seriousness of each incident.

When a patient suffers harm, it is regarded as a Category 1 incident and is subject to a review.
DOES anybody hear me? Is anybody going to help me? asked Judy (not her real name) at the launch of the civil society Yes/Yes referendum campaign in Connolly Hall, Cork last Thursday, organised by the National Womens Council and Family Carers Ireland.

Judy, who has a disability, is a full-time single mother to a teenage boy who also has special needs.

She was among those attending the launch, who spoke from the audience.

I have begged for years for support from the government and got nothing... I cant deal with this anymore.

Judy wants someone to have my back, to hold me even if its only for a couple of hours and take the pressure off for a little while.

She said the word strive in the proposed care amendment to the Constitution is insulting to people with disabilities and carers.

The language, she believes, needs to be stronger and an improvement on the proposed amendment, which reads: The State recognises that the provision of care, by members of a family to one another by reason of the bonds that exist among them, gives to society a support without which the common good cannot be achieved, and shall strive to support such provision.

CervicalCheck campaigner Stephen Teap on the beach at Ringaskiddy, Co. Cork. - Picture: David Creedon

The Cork launch of the campaign was an evening of personal disclosure, with Stephen Teap giving the keynote address.

Stephen lost his wife, Irene, to cervical cancer in 2017. He has been a leading voice and campaigner in the CervicalCheck cancer scandal ever since.

Stephen, Cork Person of the Year in 2019, decided to resign from a very good job and become a full-time stay-at-home dad to his young sons, Oscar and Noah, aged just four and two, when their mother died arising out of the cervical check scandal.

While he is proud of his decision, Stephen says that as a widower and a sole parent, he gets zero recognition from the State.

When Oscar started school, Stephen admitted to having almost sleepless nights in the run up to Mothers Day. He was afraid that his son would be the odd one out when all his peers would be making cards for their mothers. But when he spoke to Oscars teacher about his fears, she assured him that the school celebrates what they call carers day instead of Mothers Day. This is to acknowledge that there are different variations of families in the school.

Laura Harmon. Picture Conor McCabe

One such person reared outside of the traditional family unit is the Labour Partys Laura Harmon, who chaired the launch and spoke of being born in 1986 to a single mother.

Lauras mother experienced oppression because of a lack of value for all types of families in the constitution. That same constitution also did not value the immense care my grandfather gave to me when I was a baby and when I was growing up.

Unfortunately, my grandparents didnt get to see all the changes in recent years such as marriage equality, repealing the 8th amendment and divorce as well.

Laura Harmon at the launch of the YesYes camp aign in Cork.

With more than 40% of births taking place outside marriage today, Professor Louise Crowley of UCCs law faculty, stressed the importance of a yes vote in respect of the expansion of the definition of the family.

She continued: We are lucky to live in a society where family formations are diverse. Evidently, these social trends have outpaced the constitution, pushing well beyond the boundaries of the proscriptive notion of family that it references.

She asked: When has the State ever stepped in to provide the income required to allow mothers to maintain duties in the home?

I deeply resent the unavoidable implication that in contributing to the paid workplace and securing my income, somehow this is seen as being at the cost of my duties in the home.

Professor Louise Crowley, UCC. Photo By Tomas Tyner, UCC.

Louise, a married mother-of-three, who expressed sympathy for Judy and another unsupported carer that spoke up the launch, said her 18-year-old daughter got a late diagnosis of autism at 16, and has been out of the school system since she was 15.

I have reached out for support and got nothing, just a letter from CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service). I remember putting it on the fridge on February 1, 2022. They rang me on February 28, 2023. Im now paying for three therapists every week for my daughter. Im fortunate that I can afford it.

She says that her situation is not easy. I hear you. I know the State fails people. I know it personally. I know that what we have in the constitution doesnt serve us. I know that the legislation and the will to do something about it isnt there and hasnt been there in repeated governments. But at the moment we have no building blocks to force the hand of the government. If we bring in the care amendment, what we have is recognition that care is needed and provided by many different people.

Richie Molloy, of Family Carers Ireland, asked what will be different on the day after the referendums on March 9.

If the amendment (on care) goes into the constitution, well have some leverage. The State will be saying there is such a person as a family carer... It has taken nearly 20 years to get here. If we dont (change the constitution), they wont give us another wording. Thats my opinion.

Urging Yes/Yes votes on March 8, Orla OConnor, director of the National Womens Council, said: These votes are our opportunity to shape a fairer, more equal Ireland where all families and children are valued equally. An Ireland where the important contribution of care by both men and women is recognised.

Its our chance to send a strong message to the government that we want to see supports for families and for carers.
Founded in 2005 as an Ohio-based environmental newspaper, EcoWatch is a digital platform dedicated to publishing quality, science-based content on environmental issues, causes, and solutions.

Barracks at Camp Amache in Granada, Colorado on May 6, 2021. Hyoung Chang / MediaNews Group / The Denver Post via Getty Images

The National Park Service (NPS) has announced that southeastern Colorados Amache National Historic Site is officially the countrys newest national park.

During World War II, Amache was one of 10 sites where thousands of Japanese Americans were detained and imprisoned.

The Town of Granada, located one mile away, acquired and donated the necessary land for establishment of the national park, reported The Denver Post.

The Amache National Historic Site Act was signed by President Joe Biden in March of 2022  the first National Park System designation of the Biden-Harris administration, a press release from NPS said. The now formally established park will help ensure the painful history of Japanese American incarceration in the United States is not forgotten.

As a nation, we must face the wrongs of our past in order to build a more just and equitable future. The Interior Department has the tremendous honor of stewarding Americas public lands and natural and cultural resources to tell a complete and honest story of our nations history, said Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, who visited Amache in February 2022, in the press release.

February 19 was the annual Day of Remembrance of Japanese Incarceration During World War II.

The War Relocation Authority established Amache, formally known as the Granada War Relocation Center, during the war for the purpose of detaining Japanese Americans who were forcibly removed from the U.S. West Coast under Executive Order 9066. From 1942 to 1945 Amache incarcerated more than 10,000 people. At its peak, the detention center housed 7,310 incarcerees  two-thirds were U.S. citizens.

There are already six national parks that were established to preserve and interpret this disturbing chapter of Americas history.

Amaches addition to the National Park System is a reminder that a complete account of the nations history must include our dark chapters of injustice, said Chuck Sams, NPS director, in the press release. To heal and grow as a nation we need to reflect on past mistakes, make amends, and strive to form a more perfect union.

Over the decades, the historic building foundations and roads of Amache have been preserved by incarceration survivors and their descendants, as well as by the Amache Preservation Society, the Town of Granada and other organizations, individuals and institutions. The site currently consists of a monument, historic cemetery, network of roads, concrete building foundations and several restored and reconstructed World War II-era structures, including a recreation hall, water tank, barrack and guard tower. Amache was designated as a National Historic Landmark in February of 2006 and listed by the National Register of Historic Places in May of 1994.

The groups will continue to expand the public awareness and scholarship surrounding Amaches history in cooperation with NPS.

The Japanese American Confinement Sites Grant Program is also administered by NPS. Since 2009, the park service has given more than $41 million to educational institutions; Tribal, state and local governments; nonprofits; and other public entities, funding 302 projects across the country. Recipients of the grants combine federal monies with their own personal resources to develop partnerships preserving, identifying and interpreting important sites and stories.

Todays establishment of the Amache National Historic Site will help preserve and honor this important and painful chapter in our nations story for future generations, Haaland said.
Founded in 2005 as an Ohio-based environmental newspaper, EcoWatch is a digital platform dedicated to publishing quality, science-based content on environmental issues, causes, and solutions.

According to official data, air pollution levels in Milan  including fine particulates  have been among Europes highest for February.

Fine particulate matter poses the most health risks because it can go deep into the lungs and even make its way into the bloodstream.

It stinks! I smell a constant stench of smog, I cough, I feel my throat burning, said Pietro De Luca, a Milan resident who frequently considers relocating with his family to get away from the intense pollution and accompanying health risks, as Reuters reported.

To reduce their exposure, some residents of the fashion and finance capital of Italy have taken to wearing face masks outside.

Mayor of Milan Giuseppe Sala disputed IQAirs designation of the citys air quality as unhealthy, calling it the usual impromptu analyses made by a private body, reported The Guardian.

IQAir uses governmental stations and low-cost sensors owned by citizen scientists around the world: a combined total of over 80,000 locations in gathering its data, the air quality monitors website says.

On Tuesday, the air pollution in Milan and neighboring cities in Italys northern Lombardy region triggered measures limiting ultra-polluting vehicles during the busiest daytime hours, Reuters reported. Nearly a third of the countrys population  17 million people  lives in the regions Po Valley.

Satellite image captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-3 mission shows smog and mist blanketing the Po Valley on Jan. 29, 2024. European Space Agency

In Milan you have to try and survive in this swamp for five days a week, and get yourself out for the weekend to get a breath of fresh air, said former Milan resident Roberto Lorenzutti, who now lives in Sardinia, as reported by Reuters.

In 2020, the European Union Court of Justice found Italy in breach of the EUs clean air regulations.

The areas pollution issues come from its industrial and agricultural activities, which are compounded by air being trapped in the valley, according to Valentina Bosetti, a Bocconi University professor of environmental and climate change economics.

A 2023 investigation by The Guardian discovered that more than one-third of residents of the valley and its surrounding areas were breathing air that contained four times the limit set by the World Health Organization (WHO) for the most hazardous airborne particulates.

Despite calling IQAirs classification of the region unreliable, regional environmental protection agency ARPA-Lombardia said the air quality in Milan had recently been above a 2.5 particulate matter (PM) limit, The Guardian reported.

Last years levels for PM2.5, nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and PM10 in Milan all breached WHOs guidelines, said Italian environmental nonprofit organization Legambiente, as reported by Reuters.

Regional councilor for the environment Giorgio Malone said the problem has been going on for a long time, but that over the course of the last two decades there has been a 45 percent reduction of concentrations of NO2 and a 39 percent reduction of PM10, Reuters reported.

Meanwhile, Elena Eva Maria Grandi, environment councilor in Milan, requested more direct cooperation between regional and municipal authorities in evaluating emergency measures to deal with the high pollution levels. Milan is set to co-host the next Winter Olympics in 2026. Current pollution thresholds are fully unsatisfactory to protect our health, this is what the World Health Organization says, said Anna Gerometta, president of Italy Citizens for Air, as reported by ABC News.
Nintendos Switch 2 (not its official name) was widely expected to arrive sometime this year, but that may not happen. Now, the company is reportedly telling publishers the next-gen console is slated for release in the first quarter of 2025.

If that did happen, it would mimic the release of the original Switch, which was announced in October 2016 and came out in March 2017.

What can you expect from Nintendos next console? We dont know much yet, including the name. Rumors suggest itll have backward compatibility with Switch, along with 4K capabilities and visual quality similar to that of the PS5 and Series X. It could use NVIDIAs DLSS upscaling tech to ramp up the graphics of older games, too.

In the interim, theres a Nintendo Direct tomorrow that will focus on new third-party games.

 Mat Smith

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Its looking into addictive algorithms, harmful content, privacy and more.

TikTok is in the EUs crosshairs over potential Digital Services Act (DSA) breaches around the safety of minors and other matters. The formal proceedings will focus on addictive algorithms, the rabbit-hole effect, age verification issues and default privacy settings. Its getting into it: The European Commission will also probe ad transparency and data access for researchers.

The safety of young users seems to be a major driver: It will force the social media site to ensure high levels of privacy, safety and security for minors with default privacy settings  like it did for Metas Instagram and Facebook.

Continue reading.

The future of cameras is fast.

Engadget

Sony laid down a gauntlet with the 24.6-megapixel A9 III. Its the worlds first mirrorless camera with a global shutter, a much-awaited holy grail feature. It completely eliminates rolling shutter distortion found on CMOS cameras by reading the entire sensor at once. It also boosts speed and removes the need for a mechanical shutter. However, as the first of its kind for Sony cameras, its expensive ($6,000) and has a reduction in still image quality, due to the nature of a global shutter. But the benefits far outweigh those  this is one fast, accurate camera. Check out the full review.

Continue reading.

France and Italy already restrict phones during class.

Experts and regulators have expressed concerns about childrens wellbeing and distraction due to their phones while at school. The UK government has become the latest to announce guidance for banning the use of phones during school. It follows other European countries, like France and Italy, which prohibit phones in classrooms.

Some schools in the UK already have no-phone policies in place, but these guidelines could bring widespread adoption and uniformity. This is about achieving clarity and consistency in practice, backing headteachers and leaders and giving staff confidence to act, Gillian Keegan, the UKs secretary of state for education, said in a press release.

Continue reading.
A random YouTuber crashed the BAFTAs stage and stood next to Cillian Murphy while "Oppenheimer" received the Best Film award.

The prankster, Lizwani, joined actor Murphy, filmmaker Christopher Nolan and film producer Emma Thomas on stage. He stood quietly behind Thomas while she gave her acceptance speech.

Serious security questions for Bafta after notorious YouTube prankster Lizwani sneaks on stage with the Oppenheimer cast pic.twitter.com/AiWsz0LQzM February 19, 2024

The Youtuber made his way to the stage after the film producer invited the cast members to come up with her, saying, "Where are you? Come on, all of you!"

While he didn't cause much of a scene when he joined the "Oppenheimer" cast on stage during their major win, his presence at the awards show reportedly posed security concerns.

"A social media prankster was removed by security last night after joining the winners of the final award on stage," the organization said in a statement released after the incident, per the Daily Mail.

"We are taking this very seriously, and don't wish to grant him any publicity by commenting further."

Meanwhile, Lizwani took to Instagram to share screenshots of his airtime at the awards show while teasing his followers to watch out for his vlog.

Lizwani, who describes himself as an "ankle breaker by day [and an] entertainer by night," makes YouTube content about sneaking into different high-profile events.

In the past years, he has sneaked into the 2021 British Fashion Awards, football matches, the 2019 Wireless Music Festival, MOBO's Awards, Deji and Alex Wassabi's boxing match, the 2022 BRIT Awards and FIFA Ballon'Dor 2022, among many others.

He also crashed different online Zoom lessons and pretended to be an employee at several companies, including Fiverr, Tesco and McDonald's.

Lizwani currently has over 8,400 subscribers on YouTube.

After his BAFTA exposure, some netizens came to his latest vlog on YouTube, uploaded eight months ago, and asked for more information about him.

"Where's your BAFTA reaction? And, are you on TikTok?" commented one user.

A second user wrote, "Your next video is gonna go viral."

"Holy, respect for being respectful at BAFTA," someone else quipped.

But another user disagreed, saying, "Yeah, not really. He went up there and diverted attention from the award winners. Nothing about what he did was respectful."
Adult film actress Kagney Linn Karter reportedly died by suicide in her Ohio home on Thursday. She was 36.

Online records confirmed that her body was received by the Medical Examiner's office last Thursday from Parma, Ohio, per TMZ. A representative for the Parma Police Department told the media outlet that Kagney appeared to have taken her own life, which her friends confirmed, too.

After her death, her friends Rachel and Megan, owners of the fitness studios Ecole de Pole Cleveland and Ecole de Pole Akron, where she attended pole dancing classes, started a GoFundMe page for her memorial.

Through the fundraising page, the two confirmed that "Kagney tragically took her own life in her home" less than two weeks after she attended a final class with them on Feb. 7.

Rachel and Megan also penned a heartwarming tribute to honor their friend.

"Even in her darkest days, however, she still showed up to the studio, always ready to learn, contribute, better herself in whatever small way she could manage," they wrote.

The two business owners continued, "As alone as she undoubtedly felt within the confines of her own head, she continued to make an effort to show up for her friends and the community who cared about her. She fought her own battles with the same tenacity and drive she showed in every other area of her life, with as much strength as she could."

"...we were firsthand witnesses to Kagney's spirit. And as much as we have all cried for her, we know she would have cried for us tenfold. That was just who Kagney was. She loved deeply. And, because of that, she will be missed just as deeply," Kagney's friends added.

Rachel and Megan's fundraising efforts on behalf of Kagney's mom, Tina, have already surpassed their $8,000 goal. As of press time, they have collected $14,035 from 203 donations.

One hundred percent of the funds raised through GoFundMe will go to the preparations for the adult film star's memorial services. Any leftover funds will be donated to the local animal rescue charity.

Kagney Linn Karter was a famous porn star with over 743,000 followers on Instagram. She also had an OnlyFans account.

Karter started her career in the porn business in the mid-2000s. She had starred in countless adult films, modeled and danced at exotic clubs, per TMZ.

If you or someone you know is struggling or having suicidal thoughts, confidential help is available for free at the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. The line is available 24 hours, every day.
Grammy Award winning drummer Kerry "Fatman" Hunter was reportedly killed on the streets of New Orleans during the Mardi Gras holiday after being struck by an alleged drunk driver.

According to the NOLA.com, Hunter, 53, was killed in the early morning hours at 12:08 a.m.

The musician was reportedly crossing North Claiborne and Elysian Avenue on foot before he was struck. He went through the windshield of alleged drunk driver Jeremy E. Lindsey's Honda Accord.

He was partially hanging out of the passenger's side window, allegedly driving for two miles before he was able to get in contact with paramedics.

RELATED: Four Celebrities Who Died This Past Week, Including Snoop Dogg's Brother

According to police reports, Hunter was pronounced dead at the scene.

The hit-and-run assailant was booked at New Orleans Parish Justice Center, where his blood alcohol levels tested way above the legal limit. Lindsey, 21, was released from custody on $60,000 bail.

Hunter, who has been a part of the music scene in the community for years, is known for gaining major success with the New Orleans Nightcrawlers.

RELATED: 10 Famous Celebrities Who Died From Fentanyl Overdose After Evan Ellingson's Cause Of Death Revealed

The honored community member has performed with The Danny Baker-led Roots of Jazz Brass Band, Preservation Hall Collection, and various brass arrangements. He was celebrated in the New Birth Brass Band with Tanio Hinge prior to joining the New Orleans NightCrawlers.

Preservation Hall shared a heartfelt Instagram post sending condolences and mourning the loss of Fatman.

"While we'll miss seeing you walk through the gates every week, we will always feel the light of your presence in this room you so loved," the caption read.

"Rest well Kerry," the post continued. "We're looking forward to celebrating your life in perpetuity."
Monday, February 19, 2024

At a campaign rally on February 10, former President Donald Trump said that if he were to return to the White House as president, America would not defend a NATO member country that came under attack from Russia, if that nation has not met the stipulated 2% of GDP spending target on national defense. That is a highly dangerous pronouncement that should be denounced by every American, regardless of political persuasion.

Article 5 of the NATO Treaty provides that If a NATO Ally is the victim of an armed attack, each and every other member of the Alliance will consider this act of violence as an armed attack against all members and will take the actions it deems necessary to assist the Ally attacked.

Because the combined economic and military resources of the thirty-one (soon to be thirty-two) members of the alliance is enormous, Article 5 is an extremely valuable deterrence tool against threats from adversaries like Russia and China. By his careless talk, the former president is weakening the alliance. He is putting many member nations, particularly the likes of Poland and the Baltic states that lie in close proximity to Russia, at risk.

The precarious world we live in today is not one in which even a mighty country like the U.S. should think about going it alone. Trump is surely aware that America is the one country that Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, and the other members of that axis, hate the most. They are actively plotting to undermine our country in every possible way they can. And, animosity from the Global South toward America is intensifying by the day. America needs to keep its friends closely by its side in these perilous times, and that is why Trumps loose talk, which risks alienating our allies, should not be tolerated by any American.

The only time Article 5 has ever been invoked was right after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on America. Other NATO member countries provided troops, weapons, and various forms of assistance to help the U.S. in its hunt in Afghanistan for the al-Qaeda terrorists that carried out the attacks. That kind of solidarity is something we should always remember and be thankful for as Americans.

It is quite ironic that Trump is the one who finds the inadequate defense spending by other NATO members so irksome that he is threatening to throw them to the sharks. For many years, he himself has been dogged by questions about his compliance with tax laws. I vividly remember his boast during one of his presidential debates with Hilary Clinton in 2016 about not always paying his taxes in full because he was smart. Perhaps he was being sarcastic, but it was quite a shocking thing for a presidential candidate to say on live national television.

There was a period, after end of the Cold War, when it seemed as if the world was at peace and therefore nations could devote their resources to social welfare and other more productive things. Free trade became a global fashion, and it looked for a while that more and more countries would become prosperous over time, lifting millions of people across the world out of poverty. In that environment, one could argue that the countries that were shifting scarce resources away from the military-industrial complex were actually doing the right thing. To their credit, once they realized that the tranquility was a false dawn, those nations have quickly ramped up defense spending, with a handful of NATO member countries now spending above the 2% of GDP target.

I worry that Americans are not taking the rapidly escalating geopolitical threats seriously enough. We are spending too much time mindlessly fighting over trivial matters. We need to properly focus and hold accountable the leaders whose job it is to keep us safe from these external perils. They shouldnt be talking so carelessly, as the former president did recently, and putting us at even greater risk than we already are.
By Isobel Williams via SWNS

Annual breast cancer screenings from the age of 40 reduce womens risk of death by more than 40 percent, according to a new study.

Research has shown that less than half of women go for potentially lifesaving annual breast cancer screenings, despite the huge body of evidence suggesting that it is the best way to diagnose cancer early.

Scientists from the Radiological Society of North America found that annual breast cancer screening beginning at age 40 and continuing to at least age 79 results in the highest reduction in mortality with minimal risks.

To get their results, published in the journal Radiology, the team analyzed a set of breast cancer screening outcomes in the US.

They compared the benefits of screening, including mortality reduction, life years gained, breast cancer deaths averted, and its risksincluding benign, or unnecessary, biopsies and recall ratesfor four different scenarios.

The scenarios were biennial screening of women 50 to 74, biennial screening of women 40 to 74, annual screening 40 to 74, and annual screening 40 to 79.

The research team found that annual screening of women 40 to 79 with either digital mammography or tomosynthesis showed the highest mortality reduction of 41.7 percent.

The screenings also have the lowest per mammogram false-positive screens (6.5 percent) and benign biopsies (0.88 percent) compared to other screening scenarios.

Biennial screening of women 50 to 74 and 40 to 74 showed mortality reduction of 25.4 percent and 30 percent, respectively.

Lead researcher Professor Debra Monticciolo, of Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, said: There is an ongoing debate over the recommendations for breast cancer screening, specifically about when to start and the frequency of screening.

The biggest takeaway point of our study is that annual screening beginning at 40 and continuing to at least age 79 gives the highest mortality reduction, the most cancer deaths averted, and the most years of life gained.

Theres a huge benefit to screening annually until at least 79 and even more benefit if women are screened past 79.

The team conducted their study after a nationwide drop in screening participation was seen in America following a 2009 recommendation from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force to screen every other year, or biennially, beginning at age 50.

The researchers note that the chance of a woman having a benign biopsy following annual screening is less than one percent, and all recall rates for screening mammography are under 10 percent.

The recall rate decreased to 6.5 percent in annual screening with tomosynthesis.

Professor Monticciolo hopes that these findings will encourage more women to get annual screenings so that they can detect cancer early on.

She said: This paper is important because it shows once again that theres a tremendous increase in mortality benefit by screening annually between the ages of 40 and 79, and that the chances of experiencing harm are low on a per-exam basis.

It comes down to valuing womens lives. I am hoping that primary care physicians see that risks of screening are manageable, and the benefits are tremendous. We need to do this for women."

Prof Monticciolo added: The risks of screening are non-lethal and manageable for most women.

But advanced breast cancer is often lethal. Breast cancer is easier to treat if its found earlier; were able to spare women extra surgeries and chemotherapy.

"Its just a better idea to shift to early detection, and thats what screening does.
The Republican-controlled Assembly on Tuesday approved for the first time a proposed constitutional amendment aimed at further limiting the governors partial veto authority  a tool Democratic Gov. Tony Evers used last summer to improbably lock in K-12 school funding for the next 400 years when he signed the states two-year spending plan.

Additionally, the chamber approved a proposal to require Asian American history lessons in schools and a measure that would require school boards to provide district residents access to inspect anything taught to students.

The proposal to restrict Wisconsins governor from using a partial veto to increase taxes or fees in appropriation bills such as state budgets, Assembly Joint Resolution 112, comes after Evers issued dozens of partial vetoes in each of the three biennial budgets he has signed as governor.

The most notable example took place last summer when he locked in K-12 school funding for the next 400 years. The change cannot be undone unless a court strikes it down or a future Legislature and governor agree to amend it.

In order to do so, Evers removed words and a hyphen in a section of the budget that referred to when the change in the revenue limit Republicans approved would apply. As a result, the phrase for the 2023-24 school year and the 2024-25 school year became for 2023-2425.

Evers issued partial vetoes in previous budgets as well, including one to the states 2019-21 biennial budget to increase K-12 school district aid by $87 million. A similar proposal to curb the governors veto power was introduced soon after but did not pass the Legislature.

Evers use of partial vetoes has angered legislative Republicans, who do not have enough votes in the state Assembly to successfully overturn a veto.

The proposal passed 64-34 along party lines on Tuesday.

Unlike bills, the governor cannot veto constitutional amendments. Such measures must pass two successive legislative sessions before voters have the final say. If enacted, such changes can only be reversed through the same amendment process or by a court order.

More oversight

Under Assembly Bill 638, which passed 63-35 along party lines, school boards would be required to comply with a district residents written request to inspect materials taught to students within 14 days.

Republican proponents of the measure say it increases transparency and ensures school boards wont provide road blocks to keep parents from accessing teaching materials. Democrats against the proposal have said parents should have a degree of separation from what students are learning in school.

The Assembly also approved Assembly Bill 232, a proposal that would require Asian American and Hmong American history lessons in school.

The measure, which passed on a voice vote, was proposed in the last few legislative sessions, but it didnt receive a public hearing until this year as some Republicans said they didnt want to increase the number of mandated courses. The Republican former chair of the Assembly Elections Committee called small mandated courses burdensome.

The proposal now heads to the Senate, where it has received a public hearing but not a committee or floor vote.

Today in history: Feb. 20 1907: Theodore Roosevelt 1938: Anthony Eden 1962: John Glenn 1998:Tara Lipinski 2005: Sandra Dee 2012: Dmitry Medvedev 2012: John Glenn 2021: Naomi Osaka 2021: United Airlines 2022: Russia Ukraine War
(The Center Square)  The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments Tuesday in a case that could have major implications for American businesses.

The case in question, Corner Post, Inc. v. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, centers around a legal challenge to a law that prevents businesses from filing legal challenges to regulations after they have been on the books for six years.

The Supreme Court is expected to rule on the case before the end of June.

If the high court overturns the statute of limitations in the The Administrative Procedure Act, it could open a flood of legal challenges to an array of regulations.

The National Federation of Independent Businesses has been outspoken on the case, pointing out that small businesses don't have the same resources to fund legal teams to take on the federal government. On top of that, a small business could be in a position where they cannot challenge a rule that was created before their business even existed.

As The Center Square previously reported, statute of limitations issue is part of a legal challenge about fees for debit and credit cards, which disproportionately hurt businesses that use small-dollar transactions, such as convenience stores.

During the oral arguments Tuesday, Corner Post's legal team pointed to the hundreds of thousands of dollars the business has had to pay in debit card fees.

"Corner Post opened for business in 2018. Since then, it has paid several hundred thousand dollars in debit card fees that it thinks are unlawful," Bryan Weir, one of Corner Post's lawyers who argued before the court, said during his opening statement. "But the governments thinks that Corner Post's clock to challenge those fees actually started in 2011, seven years before Corner Post pumped a single gallon of gas."

Weir argued the six-year clock to challenge a rule should not start when the rule is enacted, but when the first legal injury occurs, in this case when the first debit card fee was paid.

The case allows the Supreme Court to confirm the current understanding of the law or to open a flood of new legal challenges by changing when the clock starts. On top of that, the court could find that rule altogether is unconstitutional.

Overregulation has been a concern for the business community for decades, and this case has gathered groups like NFIB and others for the opportunity to potentially roll back countless rules.

NFIB sent a letter to the House Committee on Small Business and the House Committee on the Judiciary leadership earlier this month asking the committee to stop the growing regulations.

"Small businesses continue to be disproportionately impacted by federal regulations. Now is the time for Congress to address the loopholes that enable federal agencies to underreport, minimize, or ignore the impact of regulations on small businesses," NFIB Director of Government Relations Josh McLeod said in a statement. "On behalf of small businesses across the country, NFIB urges Congress to prioritize legislation that reinforces the intent of the Regulatory Flexibility Act and encourages an environment where Main Street businesses can grow and thrive."
This story has been edited to include comment from Rep. Ryan Zinke's opponent, Monica Tranel. BOZEMAN, Mont. - At a Monday roundtable discussion, Representative Ryan Zinke announced the introduction of the Public Lands in Public Hands Act, a bill he said is meant to preserve public land.

Montana has a legacy of public land use and needs to be protected and passed along to the next generations, Rep. Zinke said.

Folks from different outdoor recreation businesses or groups also spoke in favor of the bill at the roundtable, bringing up concerns for the future of publicly accessible land.

According to a report from the University of Montana, the outdoor recreation industry contributed around $2.9 billion to the economy in 2022.

What this bill will do is essentially increase congressional oversight in the sale or transfer of public lands, and limit how the U.S. Forest Service and Department of the Interior sells or transfers land.

According to the bill, Congress would have to approve the sale or transfer of public land at least 300 acres in size, or at least 5 acres in size and accessible by waterway.

And that leads us to wildlife corridors and looking at how to manage our public lands better in the next hundred years. A lot of challenges. There's more people moving to Montana and even Bozeman, where people used to go across the field at one time. You're not not doing that anymore. And this bill helps you in that pursuit, Rep. Zinke said.

Diane Bristol is the vice president of People, Culture and Community for Revelyst, an outdoor recreation business collective. She spoke in favor of the bill, saying access to public land is critical.

So, it'svery broad that we want to make sure that our community of outdoors people has that access, that they can get to the things that they want to do, and that builds conservationists, she said. And for us, that is such a critical component of who we are and what it means to be part of the outdoor industry.

The bill is cosponsored by Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-NM).

I am a proud lifelong advocate for preserving New Mexicos public lands, improving equitable access to the outdoors and creating good-paying jobs, Rep. Vasquez said in a written statement. I am glad to partner with Rep. Zinke on this legislation in Congress. We both know that ensuring access to our public lands crosses party lines.
BOZEMAN, Mont. - Senator Steve Daines and Representative Ryan Zinke recently announced their nomination list for graduating high school seniors to attend service academies next year.

These 18 students will receive an education at the Military, Naval, Coast Guard, Air Force or Merchant Marine academies then serve in their branch after graduation.

Right now, these are the people we need to be leaders, Sen. Daines said. These are some of the best and brightest young men and women from the state of Montana, he added.

They bring that Montana character, that Montana training into the U.S. military, it is exactly what we need going forward to ensure that our nation remains strong and at peace, he said.

Alicia Dale, a senior from Twin Bridges High School, received her nomination from Rep. Zinke. Next year, she will attend the Naval Academy and her goal is to become a pilot, she said.

In her conversations with Zinke, he emphasized the importance of hard work and perseverance. These are qualities Dale said she has and will bring with her to the academy and Navy.

He's talked a lot today about not quitting. And I think that's something that through my life I've been pretty adamanton. But telling me to not quit, that's something that's really stuck with me, she said.

Andy Purcell, a senior from Hamilton High School, will attend the Air Force Academy in the fall, and he says he brings a lot of leadership as a student and athlete, and that is the advice he would give to other students considering applying to service academies.

I think just being a good leader and setting your goals higher than you expect, just so you're pushing yourself to the absolute max, he said.

For many students going on to service academies, military service is a part of their family history. Dales older brother is currently a senior in the Air Force Academy and Purcells father served in the Marine Corps. for 20 years.
As political parties gear up for a general election, the NFU is today asking which party will back British farming and deliver the right plan for British food.

Over the past few years, farmers have had to shoulder unsustainably high production costs, devastating flooding and crop losses.

They have also faced uncertainty due to changing agricultural and trade policy, which have all contributed to frustration in farming communities.

The NFU will be addressing these issues directly with political leaders and policymakers at its annual conference in Birmingham today (20 February).

In her opening address, the union's president Minette Batters will highlight the solutions put forward in the union's general election manifesto.

She will call for the need for all political parties to commit to giving food security the same strategic priority as energy security, and sustainable food production the same ambition as legislated environmental targets.

Speaking to more than 1,500 farming, political and stakeholder delegates, Mrs Batters will say: This election will be critical to the future of farming and the food on our supermarket shelves, in our pubs, hotels, bars and restaurants.

There is a reason why countries invest in food production. It is to mitigate risk and volatility for consumers and give farmers the confidence to keep producing food.

"But global events have challenged British agriculture, adding to the instability and volatility farmers and growers are facing, when what they really need is certainty.

Thats why I ask today, which political party will have the right plan for British food?"

Mrs Batters will go on to ask: "Which party will deliver the core standards that ensure food imports meet the same high values of animal welfare and environmental protection as those which British farmers are expected to meet?

Which party will be the first to set a target for food production with a statutory underpinning? Because there is currently an imbalance between environment and food production in government policy.

"We must see changes this year to redress this before many more farms just simply disappear."

The Welsh government impact assessment for the Sustainable Farming Scheme predicts 122,200 fewer livestock, 5,500 job losses and 199 million loss to farm incomes," the NFU president will warn.

"That is a red line and we will never support it. We will sit at the same table and find a solution."

She will say: Extreme weather has also hit British agriculture hard. As we speak, many parts of the country remain flooded. Some winter crops didnt get planted and some of those that did have been washed away.

"In places, sugar beet and potatoes remain rotting in the ground. And many of our food producing floodplains have been used to store water to protect houses and businesses.

We must pay farmers for storing flood water on their land. We must speed up planning for on farm reservoirs to store water for crop irrigation. Water security must underpin national food security.

On supply chain fairness, there is no silver bullet. While theres no doubt that the Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) has transformed the way disputes between supplier and retailer are conducted and resolved, there are still many of our members who will not raise a complaint for fear of being de-listed by supermarkets.

We need a Blueprint for Action. My suggestion is that the GCA survey of suppliers is used to create a new framework.

"This would embed retailers ethical responsibilities to farmers and growers within their businesss environmental sustainability goals and corporate and social responsibility.

It couldnt be clearer  progressive policies on sustainable food production arent just important for farmers and growers, but anyone who eats food. And it matters at the ballot box.

The NFUs annual conference is taking place on the 20-21 February at the ICC in Birmingham.
Red Tractor faces a situation that could become to an 'existential crisis' if improvements are not made, according to the final report on its governance.

The report from Campbell Tickell, commissioned by the NFU following a backlash aimed at the Greener Farms Commitment module, makes recommendations to improve the governance of the assurance body.

It found that Red Tractor followed the agreed governance pathway to arrive at the controversial module.

The report urges that, alongside governance changes, Red Tractor makes a sustained effort to communicate its purpose and engage further with scheme members.

However, it warns that Red Tractor "faces intense criticisms and mistrust from a significant minority at least of the farming community".

It goes on to say that the "current situation is serious, and damaging for Red Tractor, but need not be fatal."

The review, irrespective of the ongoing second review or its future outcome, can be seen as "an opportunity for a reset".

"But for this opportunity to be taken successfully requires commitment and timely action not just by Red Tractor but also by the ownership bodies," the report says.

The Red Tractor owners, including the NFU, say they expect that the assurance body's board and leadership to "reflect and act on its recommendations".

The NFU said: "We believe that this review presents a vital opportunity for Red Tractor to consider its future, addressing challenges such as devolved agricultural policy, and supply chain fairness, and ensuring that UK food production has a secure future.

"We also look forward to sharing more information soon about the second, wider, review of farm assurance and outlining ways our members can help shape the future.

"We want to thank Campbell Tickell for taking on this report, recognising the strength of feeling across the industry on this subject, and for their professional approach to the task."

The review found that Red Tractor governance is sound and comments that: Red Tractors procedures were followed and there was no procedural breach in relation to the events which gave rise to the decision to commission this review."

Regarding the Greener Farms Commitment, the review confirms that the proposals are correctly part of Red Tractors remit: Red Tractors standards are to cover food safety, animal welfare and the protection of the environment."

The report says: "Red Tractors activities, in producing its assurance standards, promoting the Red Tractor Brand and developing the environmental module, the Greener Farms Commitment, fall full-square within its corporate objects.

Red Tractor Chair, Christine Tacon said: The review sends a clear message about the level of frustration farmers feel and we need to listen carefully to their views.

"We will also continue to increase our efforts and investment in communicating Red Tractors purpose and benefits to farmer members."
Magic mushrooms and LSD could "jump start" coma patients back into the real world.

Magic mushrooms could assist coma patients

The world-leading psychedelic scientist Professor Robin Carharrt-Harris has revealed that "interest is growing" in the subject as vegetative conditions are "currently beyond the reach of conventional medicine".

Psychedelics boost brain activity and could ease a person's experience while bed-bound in hospital, although Professor Carharrt-Harris knows that sending unconscious patients on a trip is a moral dilemma.

The Imperial College London scientist said: "Psychedlics might give the patient an enrichment of phenomenal consciousness, but it may not necessarily bring back their cognitive functions or self-awareness.

"We simply don't know - and that's one of the reasons these situations are so sensitive.

"Despite these challenges, the interest in researching psychedelics for disorders of consciousness is growing."
Tuesday marks Wisconsins spring primary  the first election in what is shaping up to be a busy 2024 electoral year.

The election, to narrow the list of candidates running for nonpartisan county, municipal and school board seats in the April 2 general election, is typically a low-key affair, as few races draw enough candidates to require a primary. In Dane County, there are just five races on the ballot, meaning voting will take place in only a few dozen polling places.

Heres what you need to know before you vote.

Whos on the ballot?

In Dane County, there are two County Board primaries for districts 13 and 36; city council primaries in Monona and Sun Prairie; and a primary for one of the seats on the Middleton-Cross Plains School Board.

District 13: Incumbent Jay Brower faces challengers Travis Austin and Ronan Rataj. The top two vote-getters will advance to the general election.

District 36: Three candidates  David Peterson, Andrew McKinney and Loreen Gage  are running to fill the seat of Melissa Ratcliff, who is now in the state Assembly. Two will advance.

Monona City Council: Monona City Council members Brian Holmquist, Patrick DePula and Teresa Radermacher are running for reelection to three seats on the council. They are being challenged by Rachel Kugle, Jerry Thompson, Candyce VerBurg and Jeff VerBurg. One will be eliminated, and the other six will advance to the general election.

Sun Prairie City Council: Three candidates are running for Sun Prairie City Council District 2: Bill Baker, Matthew Hill and Santiago Rosas. The top two will advance.

Middleton-Cross Plains School Board: Four candidates  David Bell, Nate Day, Katie Frank and Lauren Rogers  are running for the District 4 seat. The top two vote-getters will meet in the general election.

When can I vote?

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday. Voters in line by 8 p.m. will still be allowed to vote.

Where do I vote?

Find your local clerk and polling place at myvote.wi.gov.

What do I need to bring to the polls?

State law requires voters to provide an acceptable photo ID, such as a Wisconsin drivers license, at the polls in order to vote on Election Day. Your ID does not need to show your current address. Unsure what ID will qualify? Check out the states Bring It to the Ballot website (bringit.wi.gov) or call 866-868-3947. Those using a drivers license do not need to have one with a Real ID star in the corner.

Voters without an acceptable photo ID can vote using a provisional ballot so long as they submit a valid ID within three days after the election.

How do I get an ID?

Voters can get an acceptable photo ID for free by visiting their local Wisconsin Division of Motor Vehicles office. The DMV offers an ID petition process that verifies a voters identity and issues the person a voting-compliant state ID card. For more information, call 608-266-1069.

The Wisconsin DMV announced last week that it would offer extended hours, to 6 p.m., Monday and Tuesday to allow more time for people to obtain a photo ID. A birth certificate and proof of identity and Wisconsin residency are needed to obtain an official Wisconsin ID card.

What if I have an absentee ballot?

If you voted using an absentee ballot and planned to mail it in, it should have been postmarked at least a week ago to ensure it arrives by Election Day. You can check the status of your absentee ballot at myvote.wi.gov. If youre still in possession of an absentee ballot, most voters can deliver it to their local municipal clerk before polls close Tuesday. Check with your local clerk for your options.

Can I still register to vote today?

Yes. Voters can start the registration process online, print out a filled-out form and bring it to the polls on Election Day. Voters can also complete a registration form at their polling place.

Those hoping to register to vote on Tuesday will need to provide a photo ID and proof of residence using documents with their current name and address on them. Some acceptable documents include a Wisconsin ID card, a bank statement or a utility bill.

Elections 101: Video series explains how elections are carried out in Wisconsin The Wisconsin Elections Commission put together the following series of instructional videos and accompanying lesson plans for use in high school civics classes and the general public. Elections overview An overview of elections administration in Wisconsin. Voting Security Let's take a look at how we maintain security and integrity with all of our elections. Nuts and bolts The ins-and-outs of voter processes like registering to vote and requesting a ballot to vote absentee. A Day at the Polls See what it is like to go to the polls and vote.
Hilary Swank thinks motherhood is a "gift".

Hilary Swank is loving motherhood

The 49-year-old actress has been focused on the challenge of motherhood since giving birth to her ten-month-old twins, daughter Aya and son Ohm.

Hilary - who stars in the new drama film 'Ordinary Angels' - told 'Extra': "So much of acting is empathising and really stepping in peoples shoes and seeing through their eyes.

"I mean, I havent done a movie since having my babies with the strike and everything, so well see what it brings, but I just think that having babies makes you feel deeper everything. You just ... I think its such a gift. I dont know how else to say it."

Hilary also revealed the inspiration behind the names of her children.

She said: "We just met beautiful people in Lebanon and Syrian refugees, and so we thought this is a beautiful name and Ohm is a universal sound."

Earlier this month, Hilary confessed that life with ten-month-old twins is "exhausting".

The Hollywood star - who has been married to Philip Schneider since 2018 - also described parenthood as the "most extraordinary thing in the world".

During an appearance on 'The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon', Hilary explained: "It's the best in the whole wide world. Yes, it's more joy, more fun and more exhausting.

"It's more everything than I ever thought it would be. It's more glorious, it's the most extraordinary thing in the world."

Asked if her twins were already talking, Hilary replied: "My daughter ... the first thing she started ever saying, she sounded like a morning dove. Like just a beautiful little morning dove. And then it turned into a growl. She growls, but like really commits ... [Now] she goes: Hi, hi, hi, to everything."
Prince William is deeply concerned about the rising death toll of the Gaza conflict.

Prince William is deeply concerned about the rising death toll of the Gaza conflict

In an unprecedented royal statement on the Israel-Hamas war, which erupted after the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel on 7 October, the royal added he was disturbed by its human cost and said too many have been killed.

William  who is easing himself back into public duties as his wife Catherine, Princess of Wales, 42, continues to recover from the abdominal surgery she underwent in January  said in a statement issued online on Tuesday (20.02.24): 'I remain deeply concerned about the terrible human cost of the conflict in the Middle East since the Hamas terrorist attack on 7 October. Too many have been killed.

I, like so many others, want to see an end to the fighting as soon as possible. There is a desperate need for increased humanitarian support to Gaza. Its critical that aid gets in and the hostages are released.

Sometimes it is only when faced with the sheer scale of human suffering that the importance of permanent peace is brought home.

Even in the darkest hour, we must not succumb to the counsel of despair. I continue to cling to the hope that a brighter future can be found and I refuse to give up on that.

Williams message  which was in stark contrast to Queen Elizabeths policy of largely avoiding publicly commenting on politics  was released on William and Catherines X account in white writing on a black background.

Kensington Palace said: The Prince and Princess were profoundly concerned by events that unfolded in late 2023 and continue to hold all the victims, their family and friends in their hearts and minds.

Their Royal Highnesses continue to share in the hope of a better future for all those affected.

Dad-of-three William also met the British Red Cross on Tuesday, with the heir to the throne saying he wanted to express his worries over the Gaza war as a father.

He and Catherine have already released a statement condemning Hamas, saying they were profoundly distressed at its October onslaught, which saw around 1,200 people, most of them civilians, slaughtered by the militants when they stormed southern Israel, while at least another 250 were seized as hostages.

The wars death toll now sits at around 29,092 Palestinians, mostly women and children, with nearly 80 per cent of Gazas population driven from their homes and facing death by starvation.
Veteran actor Rituraj Singh passed away at the age of 59 earlier today. It was reported that he was struggling with pancreatic problems and experienced a heart attack. Throughout his distinguished career, he not only appeared in numerous television shows but also acted in Bollywood films such as Badrinath Ki Dulhania, Yaariyan 2, and others.



Upon hearing the news, Bollywood stars and his colleagues in the industry turned to social media to express their sorrow over the actor's passing. Varun Dhawan who played his son in Badrinath Ki Dulhania penned a note to the actor. He took to Instagram stories and wrote, "#rip Rituraj sir had such a wonderful time working with him and had Just meet him few months back on the sets of baby john. Om Shanti."



Hansal Mehta, Kunal Kemu, Kajol and more also paid their tributes to the actor.



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Phoebe Denver

Naomi Campbell

Charithra Chandran

Claire Foy

Daisy Edgar Jones

Dua Lipa

Emily Blunt

Emma Corrin

Emma Stone

Florence Pugh

Deepika Padukone

Amy Jackson

Emily Blunt

Margot Robbie

Rosamund Pike

Cate Blanchett

Another prestigious year of the 77th British Academy Film and Television Arts Awards popularly known as the BAFTAs was held with much aplomb on February 18, 2024. Held at the Royal Festival Hall in London, the event honours the best of talents in National and Foreign films released in the previous year. With the EMMYs just behind us, BAFTAs were no different this year where Oppenheimer made a clean sweep bagging the maximum number of wins across several categories. The event was hosted by Scottish actor David Tenant for the first time and it was raining stars on the red carpet.Dressed to the nines and staying abreast with the ongoing fashion trends, the Hollywood divas put their best fashion foot forward and did not disappoint. Amidst the sea of Hollywood stars was the stunning Deepika Padukone who was a presenter at the ceremony this year. Veering more towards the styles seen that were approved by the style nerds were a plethora of sequin ensembles, the risque thigh-high slit never going off the trend, a range of peach top maroon colour palettes, exaggerated sleeves, textured fabrics and corset midriff silhouettes - glamour powering through!Here are the top 15 looks from the event:Bringing in the eternal chicness of Hollywood glamour, Phoebe Denver of Bridgerton fame opted for a stunning white satin gown. It had a halter neck finish and plunging neckline for just a hint of drama. A small train at the hemline sealed her look perfectly. Minimal makeup and complementing diamond and silver jewellery were the finishing touches.Casting a mysterious spell with her all-black ensemble and the dramatic ruffles to add flair. The couture outfit came with a ruffled hooded cape that broke the monotony of the monochrome number. A golden embroidered belt-like fabric around the waistline was a stylish touch. A short bob hairdo with bangs and smokey-winged eyes completed her look flawlessly.The Asian lass of Bridgerton fame went for a blingy look with her vibrant sequin gown. This column dress came in an ombre red-orange palette accompanied by a sweetheart neckline. The dainty drop earrings and the most trending hairstyle of this year - a short bob added a jazzy touch to her red carpet ensemble.The Crown actress went for a soothing nude gown with a frilly top and the bottom half having a melange of lace, netting and lovely floral embroidery. She upped the glam quotient with bright red lips and subtle eyes to balance it out. Drop earrings and a short bob rounded off her look with utmost panache.The stunning actress gave a twist to her sequin number. The rich maroon colour was an instant head-turner, she paired her mini-skirt with a matching long top featuring a plunging neckline and a tie-up detail at the centre of the midriff. Matching strappy heels and diamond danglers were her choice of footwear and accessories respectively.A classic red gown can never go wrong and Dua Lipa is proof! This floor-length gown was a classic pick with a matching red cape to cascade down her shoulders and have a train of its own. Her statement-making fiery red hairdo complemented the entire get-up effortlessly.The Oppenheimer actress had a cocktail of style trends working out for her perfectly. To begin with, it was a sheer skin-hued gown with a hint of metallic undertone. The cut-out silhouette under the midriff was a complete win. Batwing sleeves, a subtle hint of sequins studded across the bodice and a small train at the bottom made the entire look come together flawlessly. Her dramatic top bun and a statement necklace were the beauty picks for the event.One of the most unconventional looks of the evening, Emma Corrin looked incredible in a black crop top with billowing sleeves paired with teal-hued tights. A sheer black fabric overlay at the bottom with two gigantic teal bows on either side was the surprise element of her look. She even went for a netted headgear and dainty studs that looked lovely with her pixie haircut.Emma Stone has quite the fan-following, the Bella chic opted for the dramatic sleeves trend as she went for a subtle orange gown with big sleeves on one side, beads lined up on either side and exquisite brocade work all across the fabric. The bottom of the gown had a more sheer look and the salmon-pinkish colour popped out. The beautiful diamond choker and messy bun looked fabulous with her attire.Always being on the edgy side with her glam picks, Florence Pugh looked stunning in a black gown with a shimmery silver corset midriff. A matching stole to be wrapped around was her choice of accessory for the day. A long diamond necklace and the vampy makeup were perfect picks to complete her look.Riding high on her International glory, Deepika Padukone was grace personified in her white sequin saree. The body-hugging saree could only be carried with such elegance by the Indian actress. She went for a messy bun look, drop earrings and muted-tone makeup to make it effortlessly minimal.Amy Jackson went for the corseted look with her pale silver gown. The top portion of their dress was heavily textured. The satin fabric from the waistline had a gathered finish and then eventually had a flowy look with a short train at the bottom. A sleek ponytail, drop earrings and matching sandals completed her look.The Emily in Paris star rang in the big sleeves energy - an accumulated design of several white rose corsages to make the sleeves look dramatic. The 3D-sculpted floral pieces around the neckline looked elegant and added a twist to the all-black gown. Swept-back hair, statement diamond earrings and dark lips were the glam touches to her look.Our Barbie has been the ultimate giver of style lessons with her larger-than-life Barbie Promotional tour. She did not disappoint at the BAFTAs this year either as she stuck to her pink colour palette combined with black strokes in a lovely column gown she sported at the event. The long black gloves took the glamour up a few notches. A neatly done bun and drop earrings complemented her look perfectly.Shes sure cast an eerie spell with her act in Gone Girl, but the talented actress looked right out of a fairytale in her BAFTAs look this year. Twirling in wearing a grey pleated dress, she added a twist with her skin-coloured corset beneath it. The simplicity of the look was a sure-shot winner.Ruling with all that elegance, Cate Blanchett went for a sultry deep red gown with structured shoulder pads and a harness. The long enveloping beaded necklace was the best jewellery pick for the look. Her short hairdo was a game-changer.Another year of BAFTAs are done and the fashion game has gotten the temperatures soaring as always. Heres cherishing some of the most noteworthy looks by our favourite stars as we wait for the next year to come around.
The telly world opened to one of the most heartbreaking news on February 20 after a renowned actor breathed his last. We are talking about Rituraj Singh who is a well known face not just in the television industry but also in Bollywood. It was reported that the 59 year old actor passed away due to a cardiac arrest and the news of his demise has sent down a wave of shock and grief across the industry.

The news of Rituraj's demise was confirmed by his Amit Behl who told the Times of India, "He passed away due to cardiac arrest. He was admitted to a hospital some time back for treatment of pancreas, returned home had some cardiac complications and passed away". And now, as per a recent update, Rituraj's last rites will take place in Mumbai tomorrow.

According to a report published in the Indian Express, Rituraj Singh's funeral rituals will begin at his residence in Versova today at 9:30 AM followed by cremation at Oshiwara Hindu Cemetry in Jogeshwari West at 10:30 AM. Ever since the news of Rituraj's demise surfaced, several celebs have mourned the loss.

Rituraj's Hum Tum Aur Ghost co-star Arshad Warsi took to micro-blogging site Twitter (now X) and wrote, "I am so saddened to know that Ritu Raj passed away. We lived in the same building, he was a part of my first film as a producer. Lost a friend and a great actor... will miss you brother..."

Meanwhile, talking about the work front, Rituraj has been a part of several popular shows Kutumb, K. Street Pali Hill, Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii and more and his films included Varun Dhawan's Badrinath Ki Dulhania, John Abraham's Satyameva Jayate 2, etc. Rituraj made his digital debut in 2017 with The Test Case and was seen in Criminal Justice, Abhay, Bandish Bandits, Never Kiss Your Best Friend to name a few He was last seen in Rupali Ganguly starrer Anupamaa and was playing the role of Yashpal.
SOUTHLAKE, TX / ACCESSWIRE / February 19, 2024 / Pinnacle Mergers & Acquisitions, a nationwide auto dealership brokerage firm, recently facilitated the successful sale of three dealerships in Southwest Florida for more than $110 million. With decades of experience brokering the sale of over 650 new car dealerships, Pinnacle has a long history of creating liquidity events for owners of luxury, premium, and family-owned dealerships.





Sutherlin Nissan





Sutherlin Nissan Fort Myers, Sutherlin Nissan Cape Coral, Fort Myers Genesis sold to Krause Auto Group of Alpharetta, Ga. The dealerships will now operate under Fort Myers Nissan, Cape Coral Nissan, and Fort Myers Genesis.

While specific prices were not disclosed for each location, Mike Sims, President of Pinnacle, told Automotive News that he believes the Fort Myers Nissan store set a record for the highest amount ever paid for a Nissan dealership based on his knowledge. The store has historically been one of the largest Nissan stores for unit volume and profitability in the country.

"With the ever-changing landscape of the automotive business, we continue to see a robust market for dealership acquisitions. In addition to the traditional hot markets such as Florida, we are seeing strong demand for dealerships in markets across the country," said Bill Scrivner, CEO of Pinnacle.

This demand is exhibited with Pinnacle's recent successful transactions involving BMW and Chevrolet dealerships in California, Toyota and Hyundai dealerships in Mississippi, and Toyota, Ford, and General Motors dealerships in West Virginia.

With over 50 successful transactions in California, Pinnacle recently represented Steve Thomas in the sale of Steve Thomas BMW in Camarillo, CA, to Ken Garff Auto Group. This marks the first BMW franchise for Garff, who now operates the dealership as BMW of Camarillo.

"After 31 years as a BMW dealer, our family decided to sell our store. I met Mike Sims, and we have kept in touch for over 15 years. Mike and I were able to find a perfect fit for my dealership. With Pinnacle, the transaction was very professional and speedy. My experience dealing with Mike was outstanding. The buy-sell Included property & long-term lease. Every aspect of my buy-sell was promptly handled," said Steve Thomas Sr.

An additional Southern California transaction Pinnacle recently completed was Leo Bunnin's sale of Bunnin Chevrolet in Santa Barbara to Frank Figueredo and Franklin McLarty. The store has been renamed Coastal Chevrolet. It's Coastal's second California dealership, and the Bunnin family continues to own Chevrolet stores in Fillmore and Santa Paula, CA.

Pinnacle recently completed transactions in West Virginia representing the Robinson family in the sale of Robinson Toyota, Robinson Ford, and Robinson Chevrolet Buick GMC in Triadelphia, WV, to two buyers. Victory Automotive will now operate under Victory Toyota Highlands and Bob Robinson Chevrolet Buick GMC Highlands, and Richard Bazzy purchased the Ford dealership, which is now Shults Ford Wheeling.

"Our company's commitment to excellent business practices has helped produce these successful transactions for our clients," said Sims. "We approach each opportunity transparently and can leverage our team's deep industry experience and relationships to garner above-market results for our clients. We consider it an honor and privilege to be trusted advisors for our clients and maximize the value of their life's work."

To learn more about the services offered by Pinnacle Mergers & Acquisitions or to receive a confidential consultation, visit www.pinnaclemergers.com

Contact Information

Anne Kimmey

anne@cultivateagency.com

817-793-7704

SOURCE: Pinnacle Mergers & Acquisitions

View the original press release on newswire.com.
SAN DIEGO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / February 19, 2024 / General Atomics, a defense and diversified technologies company with affiliates operating on five continents, is expanding its collaborations and partnerships across Japan with new investments in the nuclear energy and rare earth elements sectors.

Numerous teaming arrangements are in the late stages of discussion and are set to be announced in early 2024. These partnerships will complement the company's existing relationships as a long-term partner collaborating with Japanese industry and government agencies.

"General Atomics is committed to collaborating with its Japanese partners to advance the development of cutting-edge technologies in the maritime security, nuclear energy, and rare earth elements sectors," said Dr. Vivek Lall, chief executive at General Atomics Global Corporation. "Building on a legacy of successful collaborations, we have held a series of strategic engagements with government officials, industry leaders, and research institutions in Japan. These engagements have laid the foundation for future partnerships aimed at advancing the development of critical and emerging technologies."

In 2023, Japan's Kyoto Fusioneering announced an agreement with GA to supply two advanced gyrotrons to the U.S. Department of Energy's DIII-D National Fusion Facility in San Diego, California.

Currently, the Japan Coast Guard (JCG) and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) are testing and deploying the MQ-9B SeaGuardian Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) built by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI). SeaGuardian is a long-endurance maritime surveillance aircraft that can be used for a variety of missions, including search and rescue, disaster response, and maritime law enforcement.

GA-ASI's MQ-9B aircraft is revolutionizing the global RPA systems market by providing true all-weather capability and full compliance with STANAG-4671 (NATO UAS airworthiness standard). This feature, along with GA-ASI's operationally proven collision avoidance radar, enables flexible operations in civil airspace.

About GA-ASI

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), an affiliate of General Atomics, is a leading designer and manufacturer of proven, reliable RPA systems, radars, and electro-optic and related mission systems, including the Predator RPA series and the Lynx Multi-mode Radar. With more than eight million flight hours, GA-ASI provides long-endurance, mission-capable aircraft with integrated sensor and data link systems required to deliver persistent situational awareness. The company also produces a variety of sensor control/image analysis software, offers pilot training and support services, and develops meta-material antennas.

For more information, visit www.ga-asi.com.

Avenger, Lynx, Predator, SeaGuardian, and SkyGuardian are registered trademarks of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.

Contact Information

GA-ASI Media Relations

asi-mediarelations@ga-asi.com

+1 (858) 524-8101

SOURCE: General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.

View the original press release on newswire.com.
CDM Integrates ASC's Recording Insights Solution for Microsoft Teams into its Product Portfolio

HOSBACH, Germany, Feb. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- ASC Technologies AG, one of the world's leading providers for cutting-edge software and cloud solutions, specialized in compliance recording and analysis of communication, has announced the partnership with CDM (Communications Design & Management), one of Australia's leading ICT service providers.

The partnership brings together CDM's expertise in IT network infrastructure and service delivery with ASC's many years of experience in compliance recording and AI-driven analytics. The objective of the collaboration is to enable a wide range of industries - including financial institutions, contact centers, and the public sector - to utilize Microsoft Teams for their business communication while adhering to compliance requirements and benefiting from AI supported tools.

CDM's Unified Communications Manager commented: "Providing the right solution for the best possible outcome for our customers is a key focus of CDM. To ensure we deliver on this commitment, we select only those products that we consider to be best of type as components for our solutions. Within our Unified Communications practice, we have chosen ASC to provide class-leading recording and analytics across our entire technology stack. With the strong uptake of Microsoft Teams, ASC's solution Recording Insights means recordings are no longer just stored to disk but now provide invaluable information to shape customer's business decisions."

Recording Insights facilitates recording calls, meetings, shared screens, videos and chats within Microsoft Teams and archiving them in a legally compliant manner. Recording Insights is a native, Microsoft-certified cloud solution that is hosted in Azure and can be seamlessly integrated into the collaboration platform.

Dr. Gerald Kromer, CEO at ASC, added: "Together with CDM's comprehensive ICT knowledge and customer-centric approach, we are able to set new standards for enterprise communication and collaboration. Our partnership will unlock the full potential of Microsoft Teams, backed by the power of Microsoft Azure and OpenAI."

About CDM

Communications Design & Management Pty Limited (CDM) is a privately owned small to medium enterprise that has been in operation since 1991. During this period we have delivered technology projects ranging in size from small to extremely large. CDM is committed to meeting our customer's objectives and requirements and ensuring customer satisfaction. To achieve this we develop reliable partnerships and it is through these partnerships that we are able to deliver mutually beneficial results.

About ASC

ASC is a worldwide leading provider of software and cloud solutions in the field of omni-channel recording, quality management, and analytics. Among our target groups are all companies that record their communications, especially financial service providers, contact centers, and public safety organizations. We offer solutions for recording as well as AI-based analysis and evaluation of all communications - with full flexibility as a cloud service, on-premise or as a hybrid solution. Headquartered in Germany with subsidiaries in 14 countries and experienced system integration partners in over 60 countries, ASC is the #1 Europe-based player in its industry.

www.asctechnologies.com

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The creator of legendary Hong Kong restaurant The Chairman is awarded for his efforts in showcasing traditional Cantonese cuisine on the global stage

LONDON, Feb. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In the latest pre-announced award from Asia's Best Restaurants 2024, Hong Kong chef and restaurateur Danny Yip has been awarded the Icon Award - Asia 2024. Voted for by the 318 members of Asia's 50 Best Restaurants Academy, this accolade celebrates individuals who have made significant contributions to gastronomy worthy of global recognition and who use their platform to drive positive change.

Yip can be credited with changing how Cantonese cuisine is perceived on the world stage. Under his leadership, The Chairman in Hong Kong became the first Chinese restaurant to be crowned No.1 on the Asia's 50 Best Restaurants list in 2021. In the same year, it also became the first Chinese restaurant to reach the top 10 in The World's 50 Best Restaurants ranking.

Established by Yip in 2009, The Chairman is widely praised as a trailblazer in the realm of fine Chinese cuisine. Highlighting Yip's unwavering commitment to using locally sourced ingredients and emphasising simplicity and freshness, the restaurant acquires the freshest catch from the local markets daily via an in-house team of fishers and uses the finest bean curd sheets from Hong Kong institution Shu Kee. Yip also maintains a small, organic farm on the city's outskirts where the team cures meat and pickles vegetables for the restaurant.

William Drew, Director of Content for Asia's 50 Best Restaurants, says: "Danny stands as a breath of fresh air in his commitment to his craft, in valuing tradition at the same time as embracing innovation. Leading The Chairman for the past 14 years, he and his team deliver the epitome of authentic Cantonese cuisine. It's an iconic establishment and Danny is a true icon of his industry."

Yip says: "This award is a tremendous honour, not just for me but also for The Chairman team. It serves as a motivator, consistently reminding us of the greater heights we can reach in the days ahead. Alone I can do so little, together we can do so much."

The Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2024 awards, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, will be held live in Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas, Seoul, South Korea on 26 March 2024.

Media centre: https://mediacentre.theworlds50best.com/

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A bill heard Thursday in the Legislature would give Nebraska environmental regulators the authority to deny a livestock operation a permit if it contributes to further groundwater contamination in Nebraska.

Omaha Sen. Machaela Cavanaughs proposal (LB1258) would also allow the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy to deny a permit to a confined animal feeding operation, or CAFO, if the applicant failed to install monitoring wells in nearby groundwater management areas.

Cavanaugh told the Natural Resources Committee her bill took existing Department of Environment and Energy Regulations and would make them state law, which she said would give them teeth and make them more enforceable.

The strengthening of statute will allow the department to make sure that the concentrated animal feeding operation is monitoring and reporting as their permits are renewed, she said, adding the reports would also be sent to the local Natural Resources District.

LB1258 is one of several bills introduced in the Legislature this year seeking to address and reduce nitrate contamination in Nebraskas groundwater, which has been linked to pregnancy complications, birth defects and pediatric cancers.

Studies have shown pregnant women who drink water laced with nitrates are at a higher risk for premature labor, miscarriages and anemia, while their babies experience higher rates of birth defects compared to the national average.

Nebraska also has the seventh-highest rate of pediatric cancer  of which nitrates have been pointed to as a cause  in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and is the highest among states in the Midwest.

Nitrates have also been connected to colorectal cancer, thyroid disease and other illnesses.

Cavanaugh said her bill seeks to increase data collection about nitrates and would work in concert with another bill (LB1172) introduced by Sen. Brad von Gillern of Elkhorn that aims to expedite reporting from Nebraskas state cancer registry to researchers.

We should work comprehensively to tackle this growing crisis, Cavanaugh told the committee.

Several members of the committee said livestock facilities already must clear high hurdles before being granted a permit from state regulators, while others said the bulk of the problem originated elsewhere.

Theyre really not the culprits here, said Sen. Mike Jacobson of North Platte. If youre really going to point to something, in my mind it is irrigated fields that were over-fertilized with nitrogen fertilizer in the '60s and '70s.

Creating more regulations could force operations to close, Jacobson added, to which Cavanaugh assured him that was not her intent: There are nitrates coming into the water for a multitude of reasons. This is just one that comes to light that needs attention.

Supporters of the bill, which included environmental groups and property owners, said it would help establish any link between the expansion of CAFOs throughout Nebraska and increased nitrates in the groundwater, which would give lawmakers the information needed to act to protect residents.

Nancy Meyer, who lives near Cedar Bluffs, told the committee a poultry operation opened three and a half miles away from her home with little notice, leaving neighbors rushing to get information about the potential environmental impacts.

The most important thing about this bill is that the standards for permitting any CAFO should be strict, consistent and enforced, she said, which would ensure operators are not cutting corners at the expense of the local area and its residents.

A voting rights and public health advocacy group also backed the bill, saying it would protect Nebraskans in the future.

With the monitoring well requirements, Nebraska will be able to stay ahead of any further degradation to its groundwater, said Rachel Gibson of the League of Women Voters of Nebraska.

But some on the committee remained unconvinced. Both Jacobson and Sen. Tom Brandt of Plymouth asked if homeowners in urban areas who fertilize their lawns should also be subject to groundwater monitoring regulations.

Jacobson said he believed efforts to control the nitrogen application rates, ensuring livestock facilities maintain liners on their lagoons and controlling runoff was a responsible way we can deal with this.

We can monitor all we want to monitor, but if were saying were going to go in and shut down all these facilities because of nitrates that are still moving down through the soil, I think thats misguided, he said.

No one testified in opposition to the bill on Thursday.

Sen. Teresa Ibach of Sumner introduced a bill (LB1368) that creates the Nitrogen Reduction Incentive Act, which provides payments to farmers with the goal of reducing the amount of chemical fertilizer used by 15%.

Farmers could be eligible to receive $10 per acre for each acre on which they document the reduction in chemical nitrates. Under Ibachs bill, a total of $5 million would be available each year through 2029.

Ibach made LB1368 her priority bill this year.

Lincoln Sen. Eliot Bostar, meanwhile, introduced a bill (LB1184) providing tax credits for Nebraskans who install reverse osmosis filtration systems at their homes if their drinking water measures more than 10 parts per-million for nitrate.

Top Journal Star photos for February 2024
LONDON, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- TerraPay, a global money movement company, is pleased to announce the appointment of Ruben Salazar Genovez, recently the Global Head of Visa Direct, as President.

As a seasoned veteran of the payments industry with experience at Visa, Citibank, Barclays and Mastercard, Mr Salazar Genovez has established himself as a respected leader in the payments industry. Prior to joining TerraPay, he served as the Head of Visa Direct globally where he successfully spearheaded various initiatives contributing to the growth and transformation of Visa's money movement offering.

As President of TerraPay, Mr Salazar Genovez will be responsible for defining the company's strategic vision for global expansion and the development of its payments infrastructure and non-card network capabilities. Leveraging his deep expertise in the payments sector, he will drive the implementation of innovative strategies to further strengthen TerraPay's position as a leading player in cross-border money movement and non-traditional payments.

Ruben Salazar Genovez, President, TerraPay, said: "I am truly honored to join TerraPay as President during such an exciting phase of its journey. TerraPay has already demonstrated its ability to revolutionize cross-border payments, and I am excited to contribute to the next chapter of its success. With a strong foundation in place, I am confident that we can accelerate our global expansion and develop new, innovative solutions that will shape the future of the payments landscape."

TerraPay's Board of Directors is confident that Mr Salazar Genovez's extensive experience and strategic insights will be instrumental in driving the company's growth and expanding its global footprint. His appointment reflects TerraPay's commitment to attracting top-tier talent to fuel its ambitious global expansion plans.

Ambar Sur, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, TerraPay, said: "Ruben Salazar is an exceptional addition to our leadership team, and we are thrilled to welcome him as President of TerraPay. His deep knowledge of the payments industry, coupled with his proven track record in driving global growth, will be invaluable as we continue to expand our presence worldwide. We are confident that under Ruben's leadership, TerraPay will continue to revolutionize the payments and money movement landscape and meet evolving customer demands."

Ani Sane, Co-Founder and Chief Business Officer, TerraPay, said: "Ruben's servant leadership approach and client-centric perspective will help us accelerate our commercial efforts and strategic partnerships, deepening our participation in the market. We are delighted to welcome Ruben to the TerraPay family."

About TerraPay:

TerraPay simplifies the movement of money everywhere - providing a single connection to the most expansive cross-border payments network regulated in 30 global markets and enabling payments to 140+ receive countries, 210+ send countries, 7.5Bn+ bank accounts and 2.1Bn+ mobile wallets. TerraPay is on a mission to connect a borderless financial world, making moving money everywhere instant, reliable, transparent and fully compliant. TerraPay pushes the boundaries for global businesses - ranging from banks, fintechs and money-transfer operators to travel businesses, creator economy platforms and e-commerce marketplaces - while driving financial inclusion in even the most inaccessible markets. Founded in 2014, TerraPay is headquartered in London, with global offices in Bangalore, Dubai, Miami, Bogota, Dar es Salaam, Kampala, Hague, Dakar, Joburg, Nairobi, Milan, Singapore and is expanding rapidly, having received funding from leading investors, including the IFC (the World Bank), Prime Ventures, Partech Africa and Visa.

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TOKYO, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Polyplastics Co., Ltd., a global leader in engineering plastics, is pleased to announce that its DURANEX(R) PBT has been selected for battery packs produced by Selex Smart Electric Vehicles Joint Stock Company (Selex Motors), an electric motorcycle start-up from Vietnam. Battery covers play a crucial role in EVs by providing safety and maintaining the integrity of the battery pack. They are also important for the overall functionality and attractiveness of electric two-wheelers, which ultimately contribute to the success of the EV market.

Photo:

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Selex Motors has chosen Polyplastics' DURANEX(R) PBT, which is specifically formulated and produced for this application to help the company improve the overall quality of its batteries. The advanced grade of DURANEX(R) PBT features flame retardancy, low warpage, and heat and moisture resistance. By integrating DURANEX(R) into its battery covers, Selex Motors is setting a higher standard for performance and reliability, ultimately contributing to a greener, more efficient and safer EV future.

Polyplastics and Selex Motors adhere to the highest industry standards, ensuring that battery covers meet strict quality benchmarks. DURANEX(R) PBT has been certified by Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL) with a V-0 rating, indicating its high flame retardancy. Furthermore, battery covers made with DURANEX(R) have exceeded the demanding requirements of the Vietnam National Standard System, and stringent international standards.

For more information, visit: https://www.polyplastics-global.com/en/approach/26.html

About Selex Motors

Selex Motors was founded in 2018 in a 10-square-meter room with the goal of promoting the sustainable development of Vietnam and the world through smart electric cars and the incorporation of renewable energy into transportation. Selex stands for Smart Electric Vehicles X, and "X" signifies a vast future portfolio of electric vehicle models as well as the X factor. To encourage the use of this type of vehicle in Vietnam and Southeast Asia, the business has concentrated on developing a full ecosystem for smart electric motorcycles. Selex Motors is now the trusted EV partner of various delivery service firms such as Shopee, Lazada, and more, which represents a huge step in the green transportation industry. It demonstrates how technology can bring about beneficial, long-term improvements in the transportation business.

About Polyplastics: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/attach/202402136458-O1-1xn7N4X7.pdf

DURANEX(R) is a trademark of Polyplastics Co., Ltd. in Japan and other countries.

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TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / Tsodilo Resources Limited ("Tsodilo" or the "Company") (TSX-V:TSD)(OTCQB:TSDRF)(FSE:TZO) is pleased to announce that the date for the Respondents to file an appeal to the judgement rendered on December 15, 2023, in the High Court, Republic of Botswana In re Gcwihaba Resources (Pty) Ltd. vs. Minister of Minerals and Energy and the Attorney General of Botswana, MAHMN-000075-22, lapsed on February 15, 2024.

Prospecting Licenses PL020-024/2018, were collected from the Department of Mines (DOM) on February 19, 2023. An examination of the licenses revealed several discrepancies or disparities that need to be addressed and DOM will be engaged to affect the needed changes. Upon resolution of the issues, the Company will withdraw its Contempt Motion filed on January 23, 2024, See, Tsodilo Resources Ltd. - News Releases.

Tsodilo's Chairman and CEO, James M. Bruchs, stated "It is a great relief to put this behind us. Staff and contractors have been standing by, ready to finish the work needed to complete the Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA). Also, since the decision was issued on December 15, 2023, there has been renewed interest from investors and third parties wanting information on the project. At the Mining Indaba in Cape Town, SA earlier this month, we were able to present our Xaudum Iron Formation (XIF) and other metals projects to interested parties without having to belabor the license issues", and as "I have mentioned previously, but it is worth repeating; since 2014 the Botswana Government has publicly expressed its support for the XIF project and we look forward to working with the Ministry of Minerals and Energy and the Ministry of Environment and Tourism as we continue our work to bring the XIF into production."

Environment and Green Steel

Tsodilo adopted the International Finance Corporation's (IFC) Environmental, Health and Safety Guidelines for Mining when IFC became a shareholder more than a decade ago and the Company has worked diligently to advance the XIF project within those guidelines. Further to this, Tsodilo became a member of the ResponsibleSteel organization ResponsibleSteel as building a sustainable steel industry requires cooperation and mutual commitment from companies at all levels of the steel supply chain, representatives of civil society, and other stakeholders and ResponsibleSteel provides the forum for this multi-stakeholder approach. Their members include some of the leading players in the industry working together to minimize the impact of steel manufacturing on people and the planet. Working closely with Government Ministries and ResponsibleSteelTM furthers Tsodilo's goal of becoming the supplier of an ultra-high grade +67% Fe product to the industry and doing what we can to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) by becoming part of the "green steel" movement."

XAUDUM IRON FORMATION (XIF)

About the XIF Project

The project is located in the North-West District of Botswana and extends for a known length of some forty kilometers.

The XIF is proximate to the Namibian border and lies twenty-two (22) miles from the town of Divundu in Namibia. The Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubumbashi Development Corridor (previously known as the Trans-Caprivi) line linking Zambia and Namibia is planned to pass through Divundu, providing access to Walvis Bay, Namibia's deep-sea port. The project is also located within forty-three (43) miles of the proposed Mucusso line to Angola's Namibe Port.

Preliminary work on the XIF project has defined a CIM compliant Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate of 441 million tonnes (Mt) with an average grade of 29.4% Fe, 41.0% SiO2, 6.1% Al2O3 and 0.3% P for the Block 1 magnetite XIF.

Block 1 is a fraction of the potential XIF magnetite resource. An extrapolated exploration target has defined the XIF to be in the order of 5 to 7 billion tonnes at 15 - 40% Fe. This exploration target was generated by inversion modelling of ground magnetic geophysical data which was compared and moderated to volumes from drilling data within Block 1 and its potential quantity and grade is conceptual in nature. To date, there has been insufficient exploration to define a mineral resource other than in Block 1 and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the target being delineated as a mineral resource. See, Press Release of 6/02/2014 on the Company's website for further details.

on the Company's website for further details. Metallurgical magnetic separation results (Davis Tube Recovery) show that an average concentrate of 67.2% Fe, 4.2% SiO2, 0.5% Al2O3, 0.07% P is obtained at P80 grind size of 80 microns, although higher grades are possible at finer P80's. See Press Release of 12/17/2013 on the Company's website.

on the Company's website. Further exploration will focus on Block 2a where the Company expects an increase in the resource.

Additional informational of the project can be found on the Company's website at https://tsodiloresources.com/s/Metals.asp.html and further technical information can be found in a report prepared by SRK Consulting (UK) Ltd. for Gcwihaba Resources (Pty) Ltd. titled "Mineral Resource Estimate for the Xaudum Iron Project (Block 1), Republic of Botswana" with an effective date of August 29, 2014, and filed on SEDAR under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com.

About Tsodilo Resources Limited

Tsodilo Resources Limited is an international resource exploration company engaged in the search for economic metal and diamond deposits at its Gcwihaba Resources (Pty) Limited ("Gcwihaba") and Bosoto (Pty) Ltd. ("Bosoto) projects in Botswana. The Company has a 100% stake in its Gcwihaba project area consisting of five metal (base, precious, platinum group, and rare earth) prospecting licenses all located in the North-West district of Botswana. The Company has a 100% stake in Bosoto (Pty) Ltd. which holds the BK16 kimberlite project in the Orapa Kimberlite Field (OKF) in Botswana. Tsodilo manages the exploration of the Gcwihaba and Bosoto projects. Overall supervision of the Company's exploration program is the responsibility of McDonald Kahari (Pr. Sci. Nat.) a "qualified person" as such term is defined in National Instrument 43-101. This press release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Kahari.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

James M. Bruchs Chairman and Chief Executive Officer JBruchs@TsodiloResources.com Head Office Telephone +1 416 572 2033 Facsimile + 1 416 987 4369 Website http://www.TsodiloResources.com

This press release may contain forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, that address activities, events, or developments that the Company believes, expects, or anticipates will or may occur in the future (including, without limitation, statements pertaining to the use of proceeds, the impact of strategic partnerships and statements that describe the Company's future plans, objectives or goals) are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements reflect the current expectations or beliefs of the Company based on information currently available to the Company. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward- looking statements, and even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on the Company. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, changes in equity markets, changes in general economic conditions, market volatility, political developments in Botswana and surrounding countries, changes to regulations affecting the Company's activities, uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future, exploration and development risks, the uncertainties involved in interpreting exploration results and the other risks involved in the mineral exploration business. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or results or otherwise. Although the Company believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein.

Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements and, even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, the Company. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, uncertainties relating to availability and cost of funds, timing and content of work programs, results of exploration activities, interpretation of drilling results and other geological data, risks relating to variations in the diamond grade and kimberlite lithologies; variations in rates of recovery and breakage; estimates of grade and quality of diamonds, variations in diamond valuations and future diamond prices; the state of world diamond markets, reliability of mineral property titles, changes to regulations affecting the Company's activities, delays in obtaining or failure to obtain required project approvals, operational and infrastructure risk and other risks involved in the diamond exploration and development business. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or results or otherwise. Although the Company believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to their inherent uncertainty.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange ("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. This news release may contain assumptions, estimates, and other forward-looking statements regarding future events. Such forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties and are subject to factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control, which may cause actual results or performance to differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements.

SOURCE: Tsodilo Resources Limited

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New tech after 23 years and 4.5 million members

LINDSAY, ON / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / My Language Exchange, the website that put "language exchange" into the mainstream consciousness over 23 years ago, has re-launched with a modern UI and an AI-powered voice chat.

New UI and Voice Chat Message Alert

My Language Exchange with new UI and Voice Chat Message Alert.

According to the owner/developer and co-founder Dan Yuen, the features in the new voice chat reflect what he wished he had when he was working toward fluency in French while living in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

"Listening comprehension was a big struggle of mine. So I wished I had a device that could record everything said by my native speaker partners without recording all the silence in between."

"I also wished I had a bilingual friend with me who could instantly whisper into my ear something said by my partner that I didn't quite catch. That would allow me to continue in the French conversation."

Thanks partly to AI, his new voice chat does just that. In automatic mode, the voice recording is activated by speech. AI recognizes the speech in real time and provides text equivalents in both the language spoken and the learner's native language. Producing speech bubbles of small audio files labeled by AI-generated text, the conversation will be easy to review. A learner will never miss a sound bite and can easily find a sentence, to re-listen or ask her partner for help.

The system supports over 100 languages.

Aware of no other chat app that automatically records only the speech, Yuen is proud to say his website is uniquely able to help language learners achieve fluency.

Unlike voice chat on other sites, Yuen's is fully supported on practically all modern devices - mobile or not. For example, one can have a conversation on a phone with a partner on a laptop. Later, you can review that conversation on a desktop.

Yuen's voice chat is accessible and protects privacy at the same time. When entering voice chat, members can choose to be visible to others and receive live messages or be invisible.

It is remarkable that My Language Exchange has thrived all these years, signing up over 4.5 million members since it launched in 2000. It is one of the longest running web properties out there.

Yuen credits its success to its focus on language learning. The site provides guidance and activities created by a language teacher specializing in language exchange. (To his knowledge, no other site offers this, even today.)

In 2013, it partnered with the international homestay organization that was initially promoted by ex-US president Jimmy Carter: Friendship Force International. Along with FFI, Yuen was invited to speak at the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages, an office that is responsible for protecting language rights in Canada and reports directly to the office of the Prime Minister of Canada.

Contact Information

Dan Yuen

President

webmaster@mylanguageexchange.com

416-909-7787

SOURCE: My Language Exchange Inc.

View the original press release on newswire.com.
Mavenir, the Network Software Provider building the future of networks, announces new developments on its OpenBeam massive MIMO (mMIMO) portfolio, powered by Qualcomm QRU100 5G RAN platform, in continuation to previous years product launch update. Mavenir expands the OpenBeam portfolio by introducing the low-power next-generation 32TRX mMIMO variant along with a high-power 32TRX AAU.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240219034877/en/

Mavenir OpenBeam massive MIMO 32TRX Active Antenna Unit. (Photo: Business Wire)

These next-generation mMIMO 32TRX Active Antenna Units (AAUs) introduce a new breed of open and interoperable radios that are green by design. OpenBeam mMIMO AAU delivers exceptional energy efficiency resulting in one of the leanest mMIMO AAU footprints in the industry, offering substantial OpEx savings.

In addition to the current O-RAN 7.2b specification, the products are also engineered to support ULPI (Uplink Performance Improvement), allowing network operators to improve uplink performance of massive MIMO, minimize latency, and reduce fronthaul bandwidth, especially in urban settings where network capacity demand is high.

The portfolio consists of two discrete models that accelerate 5G mid-band rollouts:

32TRX AAU low power model : Offering one of the lowest footprints in the industry, the low power mMIMO AAU delivers 200W output power with 128 antenna elements at the lowest energy consumption. The solution is optimized for deployment in dense environments, driving faster installations and lower operational overheads.

: Offering one of the lowest footprints in the industry, the low power mMIMO AAU delivers 200W output power with 128 antenna elements at the lowest energy consumption. The solution is optimized for deployment in dense environments, driving faster installations and lower operational overheads. 32TRX AAU high power model: Mavenir's high-performance mMIMO AAU capable of delivering 320W output power and offering 192 antenna elements. This platform supports larger instantaneous bandwidth, while the output power extends coverage, making it ideal for RAN sharing deployments.

The 32TRX AAU solutions deliver advanced energy-saving capabilities incorporating smart sleep-mode schemes that are activated during idle, low, and busy hour traffic. These automated capabilities can be further enhanced using AI/ML-based intelligence.

Paco Martin, Head of Open RAN at Vodafone Group: "We are pleased to see the broadening of Mavenir's mMIMO portfolio with the addition of a low power, compact product fitting our single-operator and footprint-constrained sites, on top of the existing higher power leading solution. Further adoption of Qualcomm QRU100 5G RAN Platform keeps bringing high performance and power efficient Open RAN radios allowing us to deliver the best customer experience."

BG Kumar, President, Access Networks, Platforms and MDE from Mavenir said: "With this continuing evolution and enhancement of our OpenBeam massive MIMO radio solutions, Mavenir is once again setting new standards in the industry for energy efficiency, sustainability and performance."

"We are very pleased with this extension to Mavenir's portfolio of high performing and power efficient Massive MIMO Radios, powered by Qualcomm QRU100 5G RAN Platform," said Gerardo Giaretta, Vice President, Product Management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. "This is another great milestone in our ongoing collaboration with Mavenir, driving full-scale adoption of Open and Virtualized RAN."

Mavenir's OpenBeam full radio portfolio will be displayed at the upcoming Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Feb 26-29, in Hall 2 Stand 2H60. For more on Mavenir's presence at the show visit www.mavenir.com/mwc-2024

About Mavenir

Mavenir is building the future of networks and pioneering advanced technology, focusing on the vision of a single, software-based automated network that runs on any cloud. As the industry's only end-to-end, cloud-native network software provider, Mavenir is focused on transforming the way the world connects, accelerating software network transformation for 300+ Communications Service Providers and Enterprises in over 120 countries, which serve more than 50% of the world's subscribers.

For more information, please visit www.mavenir.com

Qualcomm is a trademark or registered trademark of Qualcomm Incorporated.

Qualcomm branded products are products of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240219034877/en/

Contacts:

Mavenir PR Contacts

Emmanuela Spiteri

pr@mavenir.com
Angelo Parente Tasked With Driving Further Growth

Lincotek has announced today the appointment of Angelo Parente as new Global General Manager of its Surface Solutions Division a global provider of fully integrated supply chain solutions for the Energy and Aerospace markets. Angelo will take over the role from February 22nd, 2024

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240219902523/en/

NEW GLOBAL MANAGER APPOINTED TO LINCOTEK SURFACE SOLUTIONS DIVISION. ANGELO PARENTE TASKED WITH DRIVING FURTHER GROWTH. (Photo: Business Wire)

Reporting directly to Andrea Colombo, CEO of Lincotek Group, Angelo will be responsible for developing and implementing the growth strategy of the business across different regions, as well as its operational implementation.

With a degree in Aeronautical Engineering and professional experience in Italy, France and Germany, Angelo joins Lincotek with over 25 years of experience in the Aerospace, Energy and Industrial sectors, holding executive roles in Project Management, Purchasing and General Management.

In his most recent experience, Angelo held leadership positions at Baker Hughes, such as General Manager of the Power Transmission Division and Business Operations Leader Climate Technology Solutions.

Angelo's consolidated knowledge of the relevant sectors, and familiarity with leading teams in complex multicultural environments, will be key to drive further growth of Lincotek Surface Solutions Division.

"I'm thrilled to join the Lincotek family and contribute to the next chapter of its successful history," said Angelo Parente. "There are many opportunities ahead for the Surface Solutions Division and I'm looking forward to delivering on them, together with its outstanding team across the world."

Andrea Colombo remarked: "I am very excited to welcome Angelo to our Lincotek family. With his experience and proven ability to address really challenging issues across different territories and cultures, Angelo will be a key asset to help the team growing the business to the next level and to support our customers winning their challenges in the marketplace. With his involvement, I feel even more confident about the bright future of our Surface Solution business.

About Lincotek Lincotek is a global solution provider for services in niche markets including Industrial Gas Turbines, Aerospace and Medical Device applications, as well as a leading manufacturer of industrial coating equipment and one of the most respected producers in the Additive Manufacturing field. The Group is family-owned and has more than 1,700 employees located in 20 production facilities across Europe, North America and Asia lincotek.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240219902523/en/

Contacts:

Media Contact: Francesca Pedrotti, Head of Global Communication Lincotek marketing@lincotek.com, +39 345 6203212
Anglesey Mining Plc - Northern Copper Zone Drilling Update - Broad Zone of Sulphides Intersected in Hole NCZ002

PR Newswire

LONDON, United Kingdom, February 20

Trading Symbol

AIM: AYM

20thFebruary 2024

Anglesey Mining plc

("Anglesey" or "the Company")

Northern Copper Zone Drilling Update - Broad Zone of Sulphides Intersected

in Hole NCZ002

Anglesey Mining plc (AIM:AYM), is pleased to provide an update on the Northern Copper Zone ('NCZ') Mineral Resource delineation drilling program at the Parys Mountain Cu-Zn-Pb-Ag-Au VMS project on the Isle of Anglesey in NW Wales.

The 2023/2024 exploration drilling campaign has been designed to verify the reliability of historical drill holes and infill gaps in the drilling that will be used to update the Parys Mountain Mineral Resource Estimate.

Drill hole NCZ002 was recently completed with a 107m (apparent thickness) zone of visible sulphides identified between 413m - 520m downhole. The hole was designed as an infill hole between two pierce points from the previous drilling programme undertaken at the site in the 1970s that intersected broad zones of mineralisation - 91m grading 0.9% copper equivalent ('CuEq') and 75m grading 0.8% CuEq - both of which reported higher grade zones including 43m grading 1.2% CuEq and 26m grading 1.3% CuEq.

Samples from NCZ002 were dispatched to the ALS laboratory in Ireland on 16th February and the results are expected within a few weeks. Based on the encouraging intersection of visible sulphides and the promising assay results from NCZ001 (as detailed in the announcement released by the Company on 19th January 2024), it is anticipated that the assay results will confirm the continuity of the Cu-Zn-Pb-Ag-Au mineralisation at Parys Mountain. Drilling of the third drill hole in this latest programme, NCZ003, has commenced with 200m drilled to date.

Key takeaways from the drilling results so far include:

- Further verification of the existing Parys Mountain geological model.

- Significant high-grade widths of polymetallic mineralisation identified along the contact with the Garth Daniel Zone.

- Intersect of 22m grading 3.2% CuEq1 recently reported from NCZ001 represents a significant potential upside to the current resource estimate.

Andrew King, Interim Chairman of Anglesey Mining plc, commented: "On behalf of Anglesey management and the field team, I am delighted to report that ongoing drilling of the Northern Copper Zone is confirming that Parys Mountain has a significant zone of copper dominant mineralisation within an area 600 to 700 metres along strike and 300 to 400m downdip. Widths of mineralisation appear to be averaging over 20 metres in this zone with copper equivalent grades of between 1.0 - 1.3%."

"The positive verification and infill drilling of the Northern Copper Zone completed so far is a key element to advancing the project through future development studies and ultimately providing sufficient data on which to base a decision to mine. Current management has always believed the Northern Copper Zone to be much more significant than the current resource numbers implied, and the first two drill holes of this program are encouraging in supporting that view."

"We look forward to reporting back with the assay results from NCZ002 and the drilling results of NCZ003 in due course, along with further detail on the potential upside to the current Parys Mountain resource estimate."

1Copper Equivalent (CuEq %) = Cu grade % * Cu Recovery + (Zn grade % * Zn Recovery * (Zn price $/t /Cu price $/t)) + (Pb grade % * Pb Recovery * (Pb price $/t /Cu price $/t)) + (Ag grade g/t / 31.103 * Ag recovery * (Ag price $/oz /Cu price $/t)) + (Au grade g/t / 31.103 * Au recovery * (Au price $/oz /Cu price $/t))

Commodity prices: Zn - US$3350/t, Cu - US$9523/t, Pb - US$2292/t, Ag - US$25.50/oz and Au - US$1850/oz

Recovery assumptions for Northern Copper Zone: Zn - 82%, Cu - 93%, Pb - 78%, Ag - 72% and Au -65%

Competent Person:

The information in this announcement which relates to Drilling Results has been approved by Mrs. Liz de Klerk, M.Sc., Pr.Sci.Nat., FIMMM who is a professional registered with the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professionals (SACNASP: 400090/08) and independent consultant to the Company. Mrs. de Klerk is the Senior Geologist & Managing Director of Micon International Co Limited and has over 20 continuous years of exploration and mining experience in a variety of mineral deposit styles. Mrs. de Klerk has sufficient experience which is relevant to the style of exploration, mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity which she is undertaking to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2012 Edition of the "Australasian Code for reporting of Exploration Results, Exploration Targets, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves" (JORC Code). Mrs. de Klerk consents to inclusion in the announcement of the matters based on this information in the form and context in which it appears.

About Anglesey Mining plc:

Anglesey is traded on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange and currently has 420,093,017 ordinary shares in issue.

Anglesey is developing the 100% owned Parys Mountain Cu-Zn-Pb-Ag-Au VMS deposit in North Wales, UK with a reported resource of 5.3 million tonnes at over 4.0% combined base metals in the Measured and Indicated categories and 10.8 million tonnes at over 2.5% combined base metals in the Inferred category.



Anglesey also holds a 49.75% interest in the Grangesberg iron ore project in Sweden and 12% of Labrador Iron Mines Holdings Limited, which through its 52% owned subsidiaries, is engaged in the exploration and development of direct shipping iron ore deposits in Labrador and Quebec.



For further information, please contact:

Anglesey Mining plc

Andrew King, Interim-Chairman - Tel: +44 (0)7825 963700

Jo Battershill, Non-Executive Director - Tel: +44 (0)7540 366000

Davy

Nominated Adviser & Joint Corporate Broker

Brian Garrahy / Daragh O'Reilly - Tel: +353 1 679 6363

WH Ireland

Joint Corporate Broker

Katy Mitchell / Harry Ansell - Tel: +44 (0) 207 220 1666

Brand Communications

Public & Investor Relations

Alan Green - Tel: +44 (0) 7976 431608

LEI: 213800X8BO8EK2B4HQ71
OKX Chief Legal Officer Mauricio Beugelmans named member of OKX TR Board

ISTANBUL, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- OKX, a leading global Web3 technology company and crypto exchange, today announced its appointment of Mehmet Camir as Chairman of the Board for OKX Turkiye (OKX TR).

Camir, who has held positions in Turkiye's foremost public and private banking institutions and the Turkish Wealth Fund, leverages his expertise in regulation, financial markets, public relations, and audit, as well as in the crypto and blockchain space.

OKX also announced today that Chief Legal Officer Mauricio Beugelmans was also appointed as a member of the OKX TR Board. Beugelmans, who also serves as global head of OKX's Legal and Compliance Division, has over 25 years of experience as a legal professional in the corporate and finance sectors, and previously held senior positions at Morgan Stanley and at leading law firms in the United States.

Camir will steer OKX TR's efforts in business development, growth, compliance, and operations, as the company gears up for its official launch in the market.

OKX President Hong Fang said: "We're thrilled to welcome Mehmet to OKX TR as the Chairman of the Board. With his notable experience in Turkiye's traditional financial sector, and his advocacy for digital asset innovation since 2016, Mehmet is an invaluable addition to our leadership team. He will carry out our global vision in Turkiye, a critical market in our global expansion."

Mr. Camir said:"Our ambition is to serve the Turkish market by staying close to the local community and bringing our global resources to bear to assure security, transparency and leading customer service. Turkiye holds a significant position in net crypto transaction volume regionally, and has strong potential innovation and growth. At OKX TR, we aim to drive the development of the local cryptocurrency ecosystem and the future of decentralized finance, positioning our nation as the crypto and Web3 nexus of the region."

For further information, please contact:

Media@okx.com

About OKX

OKX is a leading global crypto exchange and innovative Web3 company. Trusted by more than 50 million global users, OKX is known for being one of the fastest and most reliable crypto apps in the world.

As a top partner of English Premier League champions Manchester City FC, McLaren Formula 1, Olympian Scotty James, and F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo, OKX aims to supercharge the fan experience with new engagement opportunities. OKX is also the top partner of the Tribeca Festival as part of an initiative to bring more creators into web3.

The OKX Wallet is the platform's latest offering for people looking to explore the world of NFTs and the metaverse while trading GameFi and DeFi tokens.

OKX is committed to transparency and security and publishes its Proof of Reserves on a monthly basis.

To learn more about OKX, download our app or visit: okx.com

Disclaimer

This announcement is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended to provide any investment, tax, or legal advice, nor should it be considered an offer to purchase, sell, hold or offer any services relating to digital assets. Digital assets, including stablecoins, involve a high degree of risk, can fluctuate greatly, and can even become worthless. You should carefully consider whether trading or holding digital assets is suitable for you in light of your financial condition and risk tolerance. OKX and/or OKX TR do not provide investment or asset recommendations. You are solely responsible for your investment decisions, and OKX and/or OKX TR are not responsible for any potential losses. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Not all products are available in all regions. Please consult your legal/tax/investment professional for questions about your specific circumstances.

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2014295/4549611/OKX_Logo_Logo.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/okx-appoints-mehmet-camr-as-chairman-of-the-board-of-okx-tr-302065771.html
DENHAM (dpa-AFX) - InterContinental Hotels Group plc (IHG.L, IHG), on Tuesday, said it would commence a share buyback programme to purchase ordinary shares of 20340/399 pence each in the company with an aggregate value of up to US$800 million in line with its strategy to return surplus capital to shareholders. In connection with the share buyback programme, InterContinental has agreed with Goldman Sachs International (GSI) regarding the purchase of Shares by GSI as the principal in accordance with pre-set parameters. The company has instructed GSI to procure Shares valued at a maximum of US$800 million within the Programme. The Program is set to begin immediately and will conclude no later than 27 December 2024. GSI will make independent trading decisions concerning the Programme, free from any influence by the company, in relation to the purchase's timing. Any purchase of Shares by GSI, as announced, will transpire on the London Stock Exchange, Cboe Europe Limited via the BXE and CXE order books and/or on Turquoise. Shares purchased by GSI will be on-sold by GSI to the company, and any purchases of Shares by the company from GSI under the Programme will be carried out on the London Stock Exchange. Copyright(c) 2024 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
GOTHENBURG, Sweden, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of Aktiebolaget SKF will be held at Radisson Blu Scandinavia Hotel, Sodra Hamngatan 59, Gothenburg, Sweden, at 14.00 on Tuesday, 26 March 2024. The doors are open from 13.00. Light refreshments will be served prior to the Annual General Meeting between 13.00 and 14.00.

A summary of the President's address will be available at the company's website, www.skf.com, after the Annual General Meeting.

Preconditions for participation

A. Shareholders who wish to participate at the Annual General Meeting by postal voting must

be recorded in the shareholders' register kept by Euroclear Sweden AB as per Monday, 18 March 2024, and

must notify its intention to participate by casting its postal vote in accordance with the instructions under the heading "Postal voting" below so that the postal voting is received by the company through Computershare AB no later than Wednesday, 20 March 2024.

B. Shareholders who wish to participate at the Annual General Meeting in person or by proxy in the meeting room must

be recorded in the shareholders' register kept by Euroclear Sweden AB as per Monday, 18 March 2024, and

must notify its intention to participate to the company at the latest Wednesday, 20 March 2024 via the company's website www.skf.com , or by phone +46?31?337?25 50 (weekdays between 09.00 and 16.00), or via e-mail to proxy@computershare.se (use "AGM 2024 of AB SKF" as subject), or by letter to Computershare AB, "AGM 2024 of AB SKF", Box 5267, SE-102 46 Stockholm, Sweden.



When notifying the company, preferably in writing, include details of name, address, telephone number, registered shareholding and number of advisors, if any.

To be entitled to participate in the Annual General Meeting, a shareholder whose shares are held in the name of a nominee must, in addition to providing notification of participation, register its shares in its own name so that the shareholder is recorded in the shareholder's register as per Monday, 18 March 2024. Such registration may be temporary (so-called voting right registration) and is requested from the nominee in accordance with the nominee's procedures and in such time in advance as the nominee determines. Voting right registrations completed by the nominee not later than Wednesday 20 March 2024 are taken into account when preparing the shareholder's register.

Participation in person or by proxy

Shareholders who wish to attend in person in the meeting room, in person or by proxy, must notify its intention in accordance with B) above. This means that notice by postal voting only is not enough for anyone who wishes to attend in the meeting room.

Where representation is being made by proxy, the proxy form shall be sent to the company to the above address or by e-mail to proxy@computershare.se before the Annual General Meeting. If the shareholder is a legal entity, a certificate of incorporation or a corresponding document shall be enclosed.

Postal voting

A special form shall be used for postal voting. The form is available on the company's website, www.skf.com.

The completed and signed voting form must be received by SKF through Computershare AB no later than Wednesday, 20 March 2024. Shareholders may cast their postal votes electronically through Swedish BankID verification via SKF's website www.skf.com. The form may also be submitted by post to Computershare AB, "AGM 2024 of AB SKF", Box 5267, 102 46 Stockholm or via e-mail to proxy@computershare.se. Shareholders who are represented by a proxy holder shall submit a proxy form enclosed to the voting form. If the shareholder is a legal entity, a certificate of incorporation or a corresponding document shall be enclosed to the form.

Shareholders are not permitted to add special instructions or conditions to their postal votes. If this is done, the vote (i.e. the postal vote in its entirety) will be invalid. Further instructions and conditions can be found on the postal voting form.

For questions about the meeting or to have the postal voting form sent by post, please contact Computershare AB on telephone +46 31-337 25 50.

Agenda

1. Opening of the Annual General Meeting

2. Election of a Chair for the Annual General Meeting

3. Drawing up and approval of the voting list

4. Approval of agenda

5. Election of persons to verify the minutes

6. Consideration of whether the Annual General Meeting has been duly convened

7. Presentation of annual report and audit report as well as consolidated accounts and audit report for the Group

8. Address by the President

9. Matter of adoption of the income statement and balance sheet and consolidated income statement and consolidated balance sheet for the Group

10. Resolution regarding distribution of profits and record date

11. Matter of discharge of the Board members and the President from liability

12. Determination of number of Board members and deputy members

13. Determination of remuneration to the Board members

14. Election of Board members and deputy Board members

The Nomination Committee's proposal for Board members:

14.1 Hans Straberg

14.2 Hock Goh

14.3 Geert Follens

14.4 Hakan Buskhe

14.5 Susanna Schneeberger

14.6 Rickard Gustafson

14.7 Beth Ferreira

14.8 Therese Friberg

14.9 Richard Nilsson

14.10 Niko Pakalen

15. Election of Chair of the Board of Directors

16. Presentation and approval of the Board of Directors' remuneration report

17. The Board of Directors' proposal for a resolution on SKF's Performance Share Programme 2024

Proposal under item 10

The Board of Directors proposes a dividend of SEK 7.50 per share. It is proposed that shareholders with holdings recorded on Thursday, 28 March 2024 be entitled to receive the proposed dividend. Subject to resolution by the Annual General Meeting in accordance with this proposal, it is expected that Euroclear will distribute the dividend on Thursday 4 April 2024.

Proposals under items 2, 12, 13, 14 and 15

The Nomination Committee formed according to a resolution of the Annual General Meeting 2020 to represent all shareholders of the company consists of, besides the Chair of the Board of Directors, members elected by FAM, Cevian Capital, AFA Forsakring and Skandia, shareholders who together represent around 40% of the total number of votes in the company. The Nomination Committee proposes the following:

Item 2 - that Erik Sjoman is elected Chair of the Annual General Meeting;

Item 12 - that the Board of Directors shall consist of ten members and no deputy members;

Item 13 - that the Board members elected by the Annual General Meeting and not employed by the company, for the period up to the end of the next Annual General Meeting, receive a fee according to the following:

a) An allotment of SEK 2,750,000 to the Chair of the Board of Directors, SEK 1,375,000 to the Vice Chair of the Board of Directors and SEK 900,000 to each of the other Board members; and

b) an allotment of SEK 350,000 to the Chair of the Audit Committee, with SEK 250,000 to each of the other members of the Audit Committee, with SEK 200,000 to the Chair of the Remuneration Committee, with SEK 150,000 to each of the other members of the Remuneration Committee, with SEK 200,000 to the Chair of the Sustainability and Ethics Committee and with SEK 150,000 to each of the other members of the Sustainability and Ethics Committee;

Item 14 - that Hans Straberg, Hock Goh, Geert Follens, Hakan Buskhe, Susanna Schneeberger, Rickard Gustafson, Beth Ferreira, Therese Friberg, Richard Nilsson and Niko Pakalen are re-elected as members of the Board of Directors.

Item 15 - that Hans Straberg is re-elected as the Chair of the Board of Directors.

A presentation of the proposed Board can be found at the company's website www.skf.com.

Proposal under item 16

The Board of Directors has prepared a Remuneration report which is presented and proposed to be approved by the Annual General Meeting. The Remuneration report is available on the company's website, www.skf.com.

Proposal under item 17

The main contents of the Board of Directors' proposal are stated below. The complete proposal is available at the company and at the company's website, www.skf.com.

At the Annual General Meeting in 2008 the SKF Group introduced a long-term performance share programme for senior managers and key employees. Since then, the Annual General Meeting has resolved each year upon a performance share programme.

The Board proposes - in order to continue to link the long-term interests of the participants and the shareholders, strengthening the SKF Group's ability to attract and retain the best people and to contribute to the SKF Group's business strategy, its long-term interests and sustainability - that a decision be taken at the Annual General Meeting 2024 on SKF's Performance Share Programme 2024.

The programme is proposed to cover senior managers and key employees in the SKF Group with an opportunity to be allotted, free of charge, SKF B shares in accordance with the following principal terms and guidelines. Under the programme, not more than in total 1,000,000 SKF B shares may be allotted.

The allotment of shares shall be related to the level of achievement of the Total Value Added (TVA) target, as defined by the Board, and SKF's CDP Climate Change score target. The TVA performance measure is weighted 80% and the CDP Climate Change score performance measure is weighted 20%.

TVA performance measure

TVA is a simplified, economic value-added model promoting greater operating profit, capital efficiency and profitable growth. TVA is the operating profit, less the pre-tax cost of capital.

Over the three-year programme period (2024-2026), the TVA performance target range is set annually by the Board against the baseline of the actual TVA achieved in the previous year. The overall performance achievement for the TVA performance measure of the programme is the average of achievements of the annual TVA targets. In order for allocation of shares to take place, the average TVA development must exceed a certain minimum level (the threshold level). In addition to the threshold level, a target level is set. Maximum allotment is awarded if the target level is reached or exceeded. By way of example, if the TVA achievement year 1 is 80%, year 2 is 100% and year 3 is 0%, the overall performance achievement of the programme would then be 60% (80%+100%+0% / 3).

CDP Climate Change score performance measure

CDP is a global non-profit organization known for its assessments and scoring methodology to evaluate companies' disclosure and performance relating to climate change and environmental impact. The CDP Climate Change score is based on an extensive questionnaire requiring disclosure and performance in the following categories: Business strategy, Financial planning & scenario analysis, Emissions reduction initiatives, Energy, Governance, Opportunity disclosure, Risk disclosure, Risk management processes, Scope 1 & 2 emissions, Scope 3 emissions, Targets and Value chain engagement.

This comprehensive assessment and the resulting score is known across the investor and customer communities as a credible third-party view on companies' approaches to climate change. The score ranges from A (leadership level) to D- (disclosure level). SKF received an A in 2023 which is in the leadership band. This is higher than the Europe regional average of B, and higher than the metal product manufacturing sector average of C. The score is set annually and the bar is raised every year, reflecting increasing stakeholder expectations. SKF's performance achievement and CDP score will therefore require continuous improvements.

The overall performance achievement for the CDP Climate Change score is the weighted average of the annual performance achievement, based on the following criteria:

SKF's CDP Climate Change score Performance achievement A 100 % A- 75 % B 50 % 0 %

For example, if SKF's CDP score is B year 1, A- year 2 and A year 3, the overall performance achievement for the full programme period is 75% (50%+75%+100% / 3).

Provided that the performance measures of the programme are fully met, the participants of the programme may be allotted up to the following maximum number of shares per person within the various key groups:

CEO and President -shares corresponding to a value of 75% of the fixed base salary

-shares corresponding to a value of 75% of the fixed base salary Other members of Group Management - shares corresponding to 55% of the fixed base salary or 13,000 shares, whichever is higher

- shares corresponding to 55% of the fixed base salary or 13,000 shares, whichever is higher Managers of large business units and similar - 4,500 shares

- 4,500 shares Other senior managers - 3,000 shares

- 3,000 shares Other key persons - 1,250 shares

If the total outcome of the programme exceeds the threshold level for allotment of shares but the final allotment is below 5% of the target level, payment will be made in cash instead of shares, whereupon the amount of the cash payment shall correspond to the value of the shares calculated on the basis of the closing price for SKF's B share the day before settlement.

If all the conditions included in SKF's Performance Share Programme 2024 are met, allotment of shares shall be made free of charge following the expiry of the three-year calculation period, i.e. during 2027.

Before the number of shares to be allotted is finally determined, the Board shall examine whether the allotment is reasonable considering SKF's financial results and position, the conditions on the stock market as well as other circumstances, and if not, as determined by the Board, reduce the number of shares to be awarded to the lower number of shares deemed appropriate by the Board.

The Board is furthermore entitled to introduce an alternative incentive solution for employees in countries where participation in SKF's Performance Share Programme 2024 is not appropriate. Such alternative incentive solution shall, as far as practicable, be formulated employing the same conditions as SKF's Performance Share Programme 2024.

The company has 455,351,068 shares in issue when this notice is issued. In order to comply with the obligations of SKF's Performance Share Programme 2024, a maximum number of 1,000,000 B shares are required, corresponding to approximately 0.2% of the total number of outstanding shares.

Assuming maximum allocation under the Performance Share Programme 2024 and a share price of SEK 210, the cost, including social security cost, is estimated at approximately MSEK 252. On the basis of a share price of SEK 290 the cost, including social security cost, is estimated at approximately MSEK 348. In addition, the administrative costs are estimated at approximately MSEK 2.

The Board does not propose for the time being to take any action to hedge SKF's obligations under the programme. Delivery of shares under the programme shall not take place until 2027.

Number of shares and votes, and documentation

When this notice is issued, the total number of shares in the company are 455,351,068, represented by 29,306,933 series A shares and 426,044,135 series B shares, with a total number of votes of 71,911,346.5. The company holds no own shares.

The annual report, the audit report, the remuneration report, statements of the auditor, the Board of Directors' remuneration report and complete proposal according to item 17 of the agenda together with the Nomination Committee's reasoned statement will be available at the company's headquarters at Sven Wingquists gata 2, 415 50 Gothenburg, and at the company's website, www.skf.com, no later than from 5 March 2024 and will be sent to shareholders who request this and state their address. Such request shall be made to Computershare AB by phone, email, or letter as set out under section B) above.

Information at the Annual General Meeting, etc.

The Board of Directors and the President shall, upon request by any shareholder and where the Board of Directors believes that it may take place without significant harm to the company, provide information in respect of any circumstances which may affect the assessment of a matter on the agenda, any circumstances which may affect the assessment of the company's or a subsidiary's financial position and the company's relationship to other group companies. Anyone who wishes to dispatch questions in advance may do so to AB SKF, Att. General Counsel, SE-415 50 Gothenburg, Sweden, or by e-mail: chair@skf.com.

SKF's web-based financial report in English will be made public on 4 March 2024.

Proxy forms will be available at the company's website, www.skf.com, and may also be requested by letter to Computershare AB, "AGM 2024 of AB SKF", Box 5267, SE-102 46 Stockholm, Sweden or by phone +46 31-337 25 50.

Gothenburg, February 2024

Aktiebolaget SKF

(publ)

Reg. no 556007-3495

The Board of Directors

Visit to SKF's factory in Gamlestaden, Gothenburg

Shareholders are welcome to visit SKF's factory in Gamlestaden, Gothenburg, in connection with the Annual General Meeting on Tuesday 26 March 2024 at 10.00. Shareholders that wish to participate shall notify his/her name and contact details (preferably email address alternatively a cell phone number) to: SKF Sverige AB, Att: Lars Werner, 415 50 Gothenburg alternatively via email to: Lars.Werner@skf.com. Please note that the number of participants is limited.

Processing of Personal Data

Personal data related to a shareholder which is gathered from the shareholders' register, notification on participation in the Annual General Meeting and information about advisors that are to participate or any other information that is otherwise given as set out above, will be processed mainly to register the shareholder, form part of the voting list at the Annual General Meeting and if necessary, the minutes from the Annual General Meeting. The personal data is processed in accordance with the Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council. For complete information on the company's processing of your personal data in connection with the Annual General Meeting and your rights, see SKF's website www.skf.com under the heading "About AGM" (which is located under the section "Investors" and "Corporate Governance").

For further information, please contact:

PRESS: Carl Bjernstam, Head of Media Relations

tel: 46 31-337 2517; mobile: 46 722-201 893; e-mail: carl.bjernstam@skf.com

INVESTOR RELATIONS: Patrik Stenberg, Head of Investor Relations

tel: 46 31-337 2104; mobile: 46 705-472 104; patrik.stenberg@skf.com

The following files are available for download:

https://mb.cision.com/Main/637/3931500/2613913.pdf 20240220 Notice of Annual General Meeting

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Omahas Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium is asking visitors not to throw coins into the water there after an American alligator had to have 70 removed from his stomach.

Thibodaux, a 36-year-old leucistic American alligator, underwent a procedure Thursday to remove the coins before they could cause health problems, the zoo said in a release.

Alligators can stir up the coins as they rub their feet along the bottom of the water structures at the zoo, typical behavior in the wild when they are trying to find food.

Veterinarians found the metal objects during a routine exam that is given to the 10 American alligators that live at the Mahoney Kingdoms of the Night exhibit.

The exams consist of blood collection and radiographs, which are a result of decades of establishing trust with these animals through proactive training efforts that allow the animals to voluntarily participate in their own veterinary care.

With the help of his training, Thibodaux was anesthetized and intubated to allow us to safely manage him during the procedure, said Christina Ploog, an associate veterinarian who led the procedure. A plastic pipe was placed to protect his mouth and safely pass the tools used to access the coins, such as a camera that helped us guide the retrieval of these objects.

X-ray images afterward confirmed that all the objects had been removed. Thibodaux recovered well from the procedure and is back in his habitat.

Though a procedure like the one done on Thibodaux is not always common, its a great example of what our animal care and animal health teams do every day across our campus to provide excellent care to our animals, said Taylor Yaw, zoo veterinarian and director of animal health.

Any loose change can be turned in for a souvenir coin at one of the several machines around the zoo or in the coin wishing well located in the atrium of the Desert Dome.

Photos: 50 of our favorite shots of Omaha zoo creatures through the years
The French startup has launched with a seed funding of $35M, led by Sofinnova Partners, with Bpifrance Large Venture, and additional funding from top global technology VCs

Bioptimus will connect the different scales of biology with generative AI; from molecules to cells, tissues and whole organisms, to fuel scientific breakthroughs and accelerate innovation in biomedicine and beyond

The world-class team, led by Professor Jean-Philippe Vert, brings together Google DeepMind alumni and Owkin experts

Today, French startup Bioptimus emerged from stealth following a seed funding round of $35M. Under the leadership of Professor Jean-Philippe Vert, PhD, Bioptimus unites a world-class team of scientists from Owkin and Google DeepMind alumni to transform ?biology with cutting-edge AI foundation model technologies that capture the various scales of biology. This funding round is led by Sofinnova Partners, with Bpifrance Large Venture, and additional support from global funds based in France, including Frst and multistage VC Cathay Innovation. Top global tech investors Headline, Hummingbird, NJF Capital, Owkin and Top Harvest Capital, as well as notable tech entrepreneur Xavier Niel, have joined the round to create a global leader in AI for biology in France.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240220205004/en/

Professor Jean-Philippe Vert, PhD, co-founder and CEO of Bioptimus, Chief R&D Officer of Owkin and former Research Lead at Google Brain, said: "The application of foundation models and generative AI to biology is set to have a profound impact in science. By harnessing the power of foundation models and advanced algorithms trained on massive amounts of biological and multimodal data across scales, we aim to capture the laws of biology that have hitherto remained too complex to be properly understood. This holistic understanding of biology across scales will be critical to accelerate biomedical and environmental science."

Edward Kliphuis, Partner at Sofinnova Partners, added: "Foundation models in biology are game-changers. They unlock unprecedented potential to personalize medicine, capturing the uniqueness of each individual while harnessing the collective knowledge of all. Bioptimus stands out by seamlessly blending unparalleled data resources and access, elite talent, and extensive computational power. Together with Sofinnova's deep expertise in life sciences and our expansive network, we're poised to redefine the future of the industry."

Laurent Higueret, Senior Investment Director at Bpifrance Large Venture, commented: "Founded on the ambition to make a quantum leap in our understanding of the complexity of human biology and bringing together a top team of accomplished experts in the fields of data science and generative AI, Bioptimus holds the promise to go even deeper in the analysis of patients' data across multiple levels and help unveil biological connections hitherto unthought-of. We at Bpifrance are delighted to team-up with such an impressive team and group of investors and support the development of a category defining company that has the potential to disrupt many R&D activities."

Bioptimus will benefit from Owkin's data generation capabilities and federated global access to multimodal patient data sourced from leading academic hospitals worldwide, as well as a best-in-class, scalable and secure computing environment from Amazon Web Services, Inc (AWS). Fueled by an abundance of data from all scales and modalities, this gives the power to create computational representations that establish a strong differentiation against models trained solely on public datasets and a single data modality that are not able to capture the full diversity of biology.

About Bioptimus

Bioptimus is building the first universal AI foundation model in biology to drive advancements in scientific research and biotechnological innovation. Leveraging a team of world-class experts, employing state-of-the-art AI technologies and accessing unique proprietary data at scale, we aim to fuel breakthrough discoveries and accelerate innovations in biomedicine and beyond. For more information, please visit https://www.bioptimus.com.

About Owkin

Owkin is a TechBio company that combines the best of human and artificial intelligence to ensure every patient gets the right treatment. By understanding complex biology through AI, we identify new treatments, de-risk and accelerate clinical trials and develop AI diagnostics. Owkin uses privacy-enhancing federation to access up-to-date multimodal patient data that unlocks AI's potential to power precision medicine. We merge wet lab experiments with advanced AI techniques to create a powerful feedback loop for accelerated discovery and innovation. Owkin founded MOSAIC, the world's largest multi-omics atlas for cancer research. Owkin has raised over $300 million through investments from leading biopharma companies (Sanofi and BMS) and venture funds (Fidelity, GV and Bpifrance, among others).

About Sofinnova Partners

Sofinnova Partners is a leading European venture capital firm in life sciences, specializing in healthcare and sustainability. Based in Paris, London and Milan, the firm brings together a team of professionals from all over the world with strong scientific, medical and business expertise. Sofinnova Partners invests in companies from seed to late-stage, and actively partners with ambitious entrepreneurs as a lead or cornerstone investor to develop innovations that will positively impact our collective future.

Founded in 1972, Sofinnova Partners has backed over 500 companies and created market leaders around the globe. Today, Sofinnova Partners has over 2.5 billion under management. For more information, please visit: sofinnovapartners.com

About Bpifrance and its Large Venture fund

Bpifrance is the French Public Investment Bank and acts as one-stop-shop offering domestic companies a comprehensive range of financial products and services to support them at every stage of their development including equity, loans, guarantees and export insurances, as well as consultancy or training.

Large Venture the late-stage VC arm of Bpifrance is a 1.75 billion fund dedicated to fast-growing, highly innovative startups looking to accelerate organic or external growth. Large Venture was incepted in 2013 with the mission to bring the most promising French technologies from the lab to the market, and ultimately to profitability. Large Venture invests in private and public companies across three main sectors: healthtech and life sciences, digital and greentech. For more information, please visit us at: bpifrance.fr

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240220205004/en/

Contacts:

For media enquiries, please contact press@bioptimus.com
MIRAMAR, Fla., Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Kimera Labs Inc, a privately held clinical stage biotechnology company, is pleased to announce the first-ever publication of exosomes and a novel neural delivery breakthrough method in the prestigious Nature family of scientific journals. The article, "Use of transcranial low-intensity focused ultrasound for targeted delivery of stem cell-derived exosomes to the brain" was published on October 18, 2023 in Nature Scientific Reports . A world-class team of scientists from the City of Hope, Regenesis Project and Kimera Labs collaborated to demonstrate that MSC derived exosomes manufactured by Kimera can pass through the blood brain barrier (BBB) by employing a focused wave of ultrasound in a rat model. A series of in vivo animal studies were conducted at the City of Hope. The study findings published in Nature Scientific Reports concluded that a statistically significant amount of Kimera's exosomes penetrated the BBB by employing focused ultrasound on a targeted region of the rat brain.

Kimera's neural study employing exosomes combined with focused ultrasound is considered a material advancement by the scientific community in the challenging targeted brain delivery field. "We at Kimera are pleased that the world renowned characterization of our anti-inflammatory and regenerative exosomes are instrumental in this neural breakthrough. Publishing this work took over 2 years of collaboration and funding between Kimera labs and our world-class team. We sincerely thank the 18 scientists involved in this work for their strong collaborative effort which was ultimately recognized by the editors at Nature magazine. We look forward to conducting further experiments in this field towards the submission of multiple INDs to target various indications in neuronal dysfunction for future human trials." stated Duncan Ross PhD, cofounder and CEO of Kimera Labs and co-author of the article.

The scientific and clinical opportunities presented through this breakthrough study for neurology are exciting. "This study demonstrates a non-invasive and accessible means of targeted delivery across the blood brain barrier," states Dr. Sheldon Jordan, Professor of Neurology at UCLA and lead of the Regenesis Project. "The demonstrated ability to selectively deliver exosomes to brain sites non-invasively with accessible technology should inspire the development of protocols to facilitate neuromodulation with cargoes including small molecules and epigenome modifying factors," he further states.

The article can be accessed at https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-44785-1

Kimera Labs received its first Phase I/IIa IND approval to conduct human clinical trials for post-Covid patients on May 16, 2023. The Company is in the process of advancing further neural scientific and clinical developments with its exosomes employing focused ultrasound.

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Kelowna, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 20, 2024) - F3 Uranium Corp. (TSXV: FUU) (OTCQB: FUUFF) ("F3" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a non-binding Letter of Intent ("LOI") with Canadian GoldCamps Corp. ("Canadian GoldCamps") wherein Canadian GoldCamps will enter into a definitive option agreement with F3's newly incorporated wholly-owned subsidiary F4 Uranium Corp. ("F4"). The staged option will allow Canadian Goldcamps to earn up to a 70% interest in the Murphy Lake Property (the "Property") in the Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan. The Property is located in the north-eastern corner of the Athabasca Basin, 30 km northwest of Orano's McLean Lake deposits, 5 km south of ISOEnergy's Hurricane Uranium Deposit and covers approximately 6.1 square kilometers of land.

Dev Randhawa, CEO of F3 and incoming Executive Chairman of F4 commented:

"With this transaction, we have immediately demonstrated the successful unlocking of value within F4's portfolio of fourteen Athabasca Basin projects. The partnership highlights the prospectivity of the Murphy Lake property with Canadian GoldCamps sole-funding exploration for three years, minimizing share dilution to F4 shareholders. F4 will be the operator during the earn-in period utilizing the management and technical team responsible for three major uranium discoveries in the Athabasca Basin. Through this LOI, F4 will receive cash (up to $1.4 million, with $600,000 in the first year) and shares (9.9% ownership in Canadian Goldcamps post financing), and benefit from up to $18 million in work expenditures. This transaction exemplifies F4's approach of maximizing our opportunities through the use property options, joint ventures and directly funded exploration."

Initial 50% interest in the Property:

Cash payable:

$100,000 within 7 calendar days of signing the LOI $200,000 upon entering into of a definitive agreement. $150,000 on or before the six-month anniversary of the definitive agreement $150,000 on or before the 12-month anniversary of the definitive agreement $150,000 on or before the 18-month anniversary of the definitive agreement $150,000 on or before the 24-month anniversary of the definitive agreement

Canadian GoldCamps common shares:

following the next equity financing of Canadian GoldCamps (for gross proceeds of not less than $6 million), 9.9% of the issued and outstanding common shares of Canadian GoldCamps will be issued to F4.

Property expenditures:

$5M on or before the 1-year anniversary of the signing of the definitive agreement $5M on or before the 2-year anniversary of the signing of the definitive agreement

Additional 20% Interest in the Property for a total of 70%:

Cash payable:

$250,000 on or before the 30-month anniversary of the definitive agreement $250,000 on or before the 36-month anniversary of the definitive agreement

Property expenditures:

$8M on or before the 3-year anniversary of the signing of the definitive agreement

Net Smelter Returns Royalty ("NSR Royalty"):

The percentage of a 2% NSR Royalty to F4 equal to Canadian GoldCamps percentage interest in the Property.

About the Murphy Lake Property

F4's 609-hectare Murphy Lake Project is located in the north-eastern corner of the Athabasca Basin, 30 km northwest of Orano's McLean Lake deposits, 5 km south of ISOEnergy's Hurricane Uranium Deposit, and 4 km east of Cameco's La Rocque Lake Uranium Zone where drill hole Q22-040 intersected 27.9% U O over 7.0 m.

The maiden drill program at Murphy Lake was concluded in late September of 2022, and consisted of 14 completed drillholes totaling 6,850m. The scintillometer results from hole ML22-006 intersected up to 2,300 cps (see NR August 10, 2022), which resulted in assay results of 0.065% U3O8 over 2.5m from 322.5m to 324.5m, including 0.242% U3O8 over 0.5m on the E1 EM conductor. Unconformity associated, basement hosted uranium mineralization was encountered along a strike length of 330m on the E1 conductor between ML22-011 and ML22-013 (See Assay Results Map below) and was associated with graphitic and sulphide rich shear zones in an area overlain by approximately 260m of Athabasca Sandstone.

Qualified Person:

The technical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with the Canadian regulatory requirements set out in National Instrument 43-101 and approved on behalf of the Company by Raymond Ashley, P.Geo., President & COO of F3 Uranium Corp, a Qualified Person. Mr. Ashley has verified the data disclosed.

About F3 Uranium Corp:

F3 Uranium is advancing the newly discovered high grade JR Zone on the PLN Property in the Western Athabasca Basin. This area of Saskatchewan is poised to become the next Uranium producer and home to large uranium deposits including Tiple R, Arrow and Shea Creek. F3 Uranium currently holds 18 properties across the Athabasca Basin including the Murphy Lake Property. F3 has initiated steps to spin-out by way of a plan of arrangement 14 of its prospective properties, including Murphy Lake, into the newly incorporated wholly-owned subsidiary F4 Uranium Corp. ("F4"). The PLN Property along with the Broach (which includes the PW claims) and Minto Properties (collectively, the "PLN Project") will remain with F3. F3 will transfer the remaining 14 properties to F4 in exchange for F4 shares that will be distributed to F3 shareholders (see NR dated Jan 16, 2024). There will be no change in shareholder holdings of F3 as a result of the plan of arrangement.

Contact Information

F3 Uranium Corp.

750-1620 Dickson Avenue

Kelowna, BC V1Y9Y2

Investor Relations

Telephone: 778 484 8030

Email: ir@f3uranium.com

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

"Dev Randhawa"

Dev Randhawa, CEO

See plan map below and additional plan maps and cross sections at PLN JR Zone|F3 Uranium Corp. under "Sections"





To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed, approved or disapproved the contents of this press release, and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities laws, which is based upon the Company's current internal expectations, estimates, projections, assumptions and beliefs. The forward-looking information included in this press release are made only as of the date of this press release. Such forward-looking statements and forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, the intention to spin out the Properties; the creation of F4; the Arrangement, including timing thereof; the transfer of the Properties and the distribution of shares pursuant to the Arrangement; the intention to list the shares of F4 on the TSXV; F3's proposed strategic investment into F4; the Arrangement being subject to court, TSXV and shareholder approvals; the preparation and delivery of a management information circular setting forth details of the Arrangement; the completion of the Spin-Out and the Listing; the potential benefits to shareholders and other matters relating to the Arrangement. Forward-looking statements or forward-looking information relate to future events and future performance and include statements regarding the expectations and beliefs of management based on information currently available to the Company. Such forward-looking statements and forward-looking information often, but not always, can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "potential", "is expected", "anticipated", "is targeted", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or the negatives thereof or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved.

Forward-looking statements or forward-looking information are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, including, without limitation, risks and uncertainties relating to: general business and economic conditions; court, TSXV and shareholder approval for the Arrangement; changes in commodity prices; the supply and demand for, deliveries of, and the level and volatility of the price of uranium and other metals; changes in project parameters as exploration plans continue to be refined; costs of exploration including labour and equipment costs; risks and uncertainties related to the ability to obtain or maintain necessary licenses, permits or surface rights; changes in credit market conditions and conditions in financial markets generally; the ability to procure equipment and operating supplies in sufficient quantities and on a timely basis; the availability of qualified employees and contractors; the impact of value of the Canadian dollar and U.S. dollar, foreign exchange rates on costs and financial results; market competition; exploration results not being consistent with the Company's expectations; changes in taxation rates or policies; technical difficulties in connection with mining activities; changes in environmental regulation; environmental compliance issues; other risks of the mining industry; and risks related to the effects of COVID-19. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that could cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. For more information on the Company and the risks and challenges of its business, investors should review the Company's annual filings that are available at www.sedarplus.ca. The forward-looking statements included in this press release are made as of the date of this press release and 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 expressly required by applicable securities legislation.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/198452

SOURCE: F3 Uranium Corp.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Osino Resources Corp. (TSX:OSI.V) (NSX:OSN) (FSE:RSR1) (OTCQX:OSIIF) ("Osino" or the "Company") announces that it has received a proposal from a foreign-based mining company for the acquisition of all of the issued and outstanding common shares of the Company (the "Common Shares") and all of the issued and outstanding securities convertible into Common Shares for cash consideration of C$1.90 for each Common Share by way of a plan of arrangement (the "New Offer").



The Board of Directors of the Company (the "Board") has unanimously determined, after consultation with its financial and legal advisors, and based upon the unanimous recommendation of the special committee of the Board, that the New Offer constitutes a "Superior Proposal" in accordance with the terms of the arrangement agreement between the Company and Dundee Precious Metals Inc. ("DPM") dated December 17, 2023, (the "DPM Arrangement Agreement").

Superior Proposal Key Terms

Pursuant to the terms of the New Offer, the Company's shareholders would receive cash consideration of C$1.90 for each Common Share, valuing Osino at approximately C$368 million. The New Offer contemplates that the offeror (the "Offeror") will provide the Company with a loan comprising of (i) US$10 million facility concurrently with the execution of the arrangement agreement to enable the continued, fast-tracked development of the Twin Hills gold project and to fund other liquidity needs of the Company and (ii) an advance in an amount equal to the termination fee payable by the Company in the event of a termination of the DPM Arrangement Agreement as a result of the New Offer (the "New Facility"). The New Facility will be convertible into Common Shares at C$1.39 per Common Share (i) at the Offeror's option at any time; and (ii) in the event the reverse termination fee is payable by the Offeror.

Based on the closing price of the DPM common shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange as of February 16, 2024, the Superior Proposal represents a premium of approximately 32% to the implied value of the consideration offered pursuant to the DPM Arrangement Agreement and approximately 68% premium to the unaffected share price one trading day prior to announcement of the DPM Arrangement Agreement.

Except for the consideration being offered and certain buyer-specific regulatory closing conditions, the arrangement agreement that would be entered into with the Offeror is substantially the same as the DPM Arrangement Agreement. Commensurate with the increase in consideration, the proposed arrangement agreement with the Offeror provides for an increase in the termination fee to US$9.55 million, which is payable in certain circumstances by the Company to the Offeror and the repayment of amounts owing under the New Facility. The proposed arrangement agreement with the Offeror also includes a reverse termination fee in the amount of US$9.55 million which is payable by the Offeror to the Company in certain specified circumstances.

DPM Response

In accordance with the DPM Arrangement Agreement, the Company notified DPM today that, among other matters, it considers the New Offer to be a Superior Proposal under the DPM Arrangement Agreement and that the five business day matching period commenced, during which DPM has the right, but not the obligation, to propose to amend the terms of the DPM Arrangement Agreement in order for the New Offer to cease to be a Superior Proposal.

Following delivery of the notice, the Company received notice from DPM advising that DPM will not propose to amend the terms of the DPM Arrangement Agreement in light of the Superior Proposal.

The Offeror and the Company have confirmed their readiness and intention to execute the proposed arrangement agreement promptly following a termination of the DPM Arrangement Agreement. The Company is in the process of settling logistical matters including payment of the termination fee to DPM in anticipation of the termination of the DPM Arrangement Agreement in accordance with its terms. Further details regarding the DPM Arrangement Agreement and the Superior Proposal will be provided once available in due course.

Upcoming Special Meeting of Securityholders

In the event the DPM Arrangement Agreement is terminated, the Company will provide notice to securityholders of the cancellation of the special meeting of securityholders (currently scheduled for March 1, 2024). In the event the proposed arrangement agreement is executed, the Company will provide a new date and time on which a special meeting is expected to be held in connection with the Superior Proposal, including information as to the timing of the delivery of new meeting materials to securityholders in connection therewith and the filing of the new meeting materials on SEDAR+.

This news release does not constitute a change of recommendation regarding the offer by DPM under the DPM Arrangement Agreement.

Advisors and Counsel

BMO Capital Markets and Treadstone Resource Partners are acting as financial advisors to Osino and its Board of Directors and Eight Capital is acting as financial advisor to the special committee of the Board. Stikeman Elliott LLP is acting as Osino's legal advisor.

About Osino Resources Corp.

Osino is a Canadian gold exploration and development company focused on the fast-tracked development of our wholly owned, Twin Hills Gold Project in central Namibia. Since its grassroots discovery by Osino in August 2019 the Company has completed more than 250,000m of drilling and has completed a suite of specialist technical studies culminating in the recently published Twin Hills Definitive Feasibility Study ("DFS") dated effective June 12, 2023. The DFS describes a technically simple and economically robust open-pit gold operation with a 13-year mine life and average annual gold production of over 169,000oz per annum.

Osino has a commanding ground position of over 8,000km2 located within Namibia's prospective Damara sedimentary mineral belt, mostly in proximity to and along strike of the producing Navachab and Otjikoto Gold Mines. The Company is actively exploring a range of gold prospects and targets along the belt by utilizing a portfolio approach geared towards discovery, targeting gold mineralization that fits the broad orogenic gold model.

Our projects are favourably located in central and northern Namibia and are within easy reach from Namibia's capital city, Windhoek. By virtue of its location, the Twin Hills project benefits significantly from Namibia's well-established infrastructure with paved highways, railway, power and water in close proximity. Namibia is mining-friendly and lauded as one of the continent's most politically and socially stable jurisdictions.

Qualified Person's Statement

David Underwood, BSc. (Hons) is Vice President Exploration of the Company and has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this news release and is a registered Professional Natural Scientist with the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (Pr. Sci. Nat. No.400323/11) and a Qualified Person for the purposes of NI 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

Further details are available on the Company's website at https://osinoresources.com and under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

Heye Daun, President and CEO

Contact Information

Osino Resources Corp.

Yaron Conforti

+1-604-687-2038

yconforti@osinoresources.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, without limitation, statements and information with respect to the New Offer and the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby; the execution of a definitive agreement with the Offeror in connection with the New Offer; the termination of the DPM Arrangement Agreement; and the timing of the special meeting of securityholders. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to business, market and economic risks, uncertainties and contingencies that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Other factors which could materially affect such forward-looking information are described in the risk factors in the Company's most recent annual management's discussion and analysis which is available on the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.
DUBAI, UAE, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- ATFX MENA Financial Services announced the appointment of Aditya Singh as the new Business Development Director Institutional. With a wealth of experience in the financial industry, Aditya brings a strong track record of driving business growth and forging strategic partnerships.

In his new role, Aditya will be responsible for developing and executing the business development strategy for ATFX MENA's institutional clients. Leveraging his extensive expertise in market dynamics and emerging trends, Aditya will identify opportunities to enhance the company's offerings and provide tailored solutions to meet the unique needs of institutional clients.

Aditya's commitment to excellence and his ability to cultivate strong relationships have been instrumental in his previous roles. He consistently exceeded targets and delivered tangible results, making him a valuable addition to the ATFX MENA team. With his deep understanding of the financial industry and his passion for innovation, Aditya is well-positioned to drive growth and establish ATFX MENA as a trusted partner in the institutional space.

Commenting on the appointment, ATFX MENA CEO Khaldoun Sharaiha said, "We are delighted to welcome Aditya to our team. His wealth of experience and proven track record in business development will be invaluable as we continue to expand our institutional business. Aditya's strategic mindset and ability to deliver results align perfectly with our company's values and objectives. We look forward to working closely with him to further strengthen our position in the financial services sector."

Aditya Singh expressed his excitement about joining ATFX MENA and contributing to the company's success. "I am honored to be a part of ATFX MENA, a company that is renowned for its commitment to excellence and innovation. I look forward to leveraging my experience and expertise to drive business growth and deliver exceptional results for our institutional clients. ATFX MENA has a great reputation in the industry, and I am excited to be a part of this dynamic team."

ATFX MENA continues to invest in top talent and innovative solutions to provide exceptional services to its institutional clients. With Aditya Singh onboard as the new Business Development Director Institutional, the company is well-positioned to achieve its goals and solidify its position as a trusted partner in the financial services sector.

About ATFX MENA

ATFX MENA is a subsidiary of AT Capital Group Limited, which is owned by the ATFX Group brand. ATFX is a trademark shared by various entities operating under different regulatory controls, including SCA, Seychelles, FCA, FSC, and CySec. Learn more about ATFX MENA Financial Services by visiting its website at https://www.atfxmena.com

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SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO (dpa-AFX) - Latest approvals by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration include Iovance Biotherapeutics Inc.'s Amtagvi - the first cellular therapy indicated for the treatment of unresectable or metastatic melanoma, as well as Genentech's Xolair- the first medication to help reduce allergic reactions to multiple foods after accidental exposure.



Iovance Biotherapeutics' Amtagvi has been approved to treat adult patients with a type of skin cancer, melanoma, which cannot be removed with surgery (unresectable) or has spread to other parts of the body (metastatic) that previously has been treated with other therapies.



Melanoma is a form of skin cancer that is often caused by exposure to ultraviolet light that can come from sunlight or indoor tanning. Unresectable or metastatic melanoma is an aggressive form of cancer that can be fatal.



Amtagvi, approved through FDA's Accelerated Approval pathway, is a tumor-derived autologous T cell immunotherapy composed of a patient's own T cells, a type of cell that helps the immune system fight cancer.



This is the first FDA-approved tumor-derived T cell immunotherapy.



Amtagvi's safety and effectiveness was evaluated in a global, multicenter, multicohort clinical study including adult patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma who had previously been treated with at least one systemic therapy.



Amtagvi also received Orphan Drug, Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy, Fast Track, and Priority Review designations. The FDA noted that a confirmatory trial is ongoing to verify Amtagvi's clinical benefit.



Further, Genentech's Xolair (omalizumab) injection has been approved for immunoglobulin E-mediated food allergy in certain adults and children 1 year or older for the reduction of allergic reactions (Type I). These include reducing the risk of anaphylaxis, that may occur with accidental exposure to one or more foods.



Xolair binds to immunoglobulin E or IgE, the antibody type that triggers allergic reactions, and blocks IgE from binding to its receptors.



Xolair is intended for repeated use to reduce the risk of allergic reactions and is not approved for the immediate emergency treatment of allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis.



The drug is the first FDA-approved medication to reduce allergic reactions to more than one type of food after accidental exposure.



Xolair's safety and efficacy in reducing allergic reactions was established in one multi-center, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 168 pediatric and adult subjects who were allergic to peanut and at least two other foods, including milk, egg, wheat, cashew, hazelnut or walnut.



The drug was originally approved in 2003 to treat moderate to severe persistent allergic asthma in certain patients, and also for chronic spontaneous urticaria and chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps in certain patients.



Xolair received Priority Review and Breakthrough Therapy designations for the latest indication.



Kelly Stone, associate director of the Division of Pulmonology, Allergy, and Critical Care in the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said, 'This newly approved use for Xolair will provide a treatment option to reduce the risk of harmful allergic reactions among certain patients with IgE-mediated food allergies. While it will not eliminate food allergies or allow patients to consume food allergens freely, its repeated use will help reduce the health impact if accidental exposure occurs.'



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Video-Workshop: Das kleine Einmaleins der Charttechnik In diesem kostenlosen Video-Workshop von Stefan Klotter lernen Sie alles uber Charttechnik. Lassen Sie sich diesen kostenfreien Workshop nicht entgehen! Hier klicken
OSLO, Norway, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Crayon, a global leader in IT services and innovation, today announced its strategic partnership with Kahoot!, becoming the newest reseller of the global learning and engagement platform's tools.

This comes at a time when 3 in 4 teachers believe technology has played a key role in making learning more student-centered following lower levels of engagement and motivation post-pandemic.

Over the last decade, Crayon has delivered dedicated education offerings to more than 400 universities and schools across the globe. This exclusive partnership marks a significant step in the company's commitment to enhancing educational experiences through cutting-edge technology.

Kahoot! was launched in 2013, with a vision to build the leading learning platform in the world. Since then, the company has grown from a popular quiz tool to a global platform for learning and engagement, now with more than 10 billion (non-unique) participants. With a commitment to constant user-centric innovation, the company continues to help shape the transformation of learning. Kahoot! is today used by more than 8 million teachers for lesson planning, assessment, student-centered learning and more, now enhanced with AI to make teaching and content creation more efficient and powerful.

"We see this collaboration as a pivotal step in expanding our reach and impact in the educational sector," said Kahoot! CEO Eilert Hanoa. "Joining forces with Crayon's technological expertise and established academic network will help us to significantly enhance the learning experience for educators and students alike."

Crayon will now bring Kahoot!'s proven pedagogic merit to bear in its tailored services offering to education providers, which helps them to audit and navigate the complexities associated with deploying multiple vendors. By negotiating on behalf of customers, Crayon assures compliance, cost-effectiveness, and - most importantly - impactful benefits to learning. Additionally, Crayon will support Kahoot!'s existing users by identifying areas that can drive additional value and optimizing their subscriptions.

"With Kahoot! our lecturers have an easy and efficient tool to create and deliver high-quality content that meets the educational needs of their students. This while the gamified learning experience allows the students to actively participate and engage with the content as we meet them on a platform they already feel native to and enjoy. So it's really a win-win," said Ole Bjarne Mogard, Senior advisor for Learning and Technology at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, a long-time customer of both Kahoot! and Crayon.

"Every day, we see the challenges that universities and corporations face when trying to make learning more accessible and engaging," said Crayon Executive Vice President of Nordics Michael Jacobs. "The synergy of our core values and industry expertise will help educational institutions and corporations empower people to meet their true potential. Together Crayon and Kahoot! can help make learning more accessible and fun."

CONTACT:

Melanie Coffee

VP of PR and Communications

Melanie.Coffee@crayon.com

+47 46 74 86 48

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/crayon-and-kahoot-join-forces-to-deliver-enhanced-academic-engagement-in-universities-and-schools-worldwide-302065866.html
Cecred launches with the Foundation Collection, featuring patent-pending keratin recovery tech that visibly strengthens and revives hair health

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Beyonce Knowles-Carter announced the launch of Cecred, a new haircare line that honors global traditions while delivering what hair craves: rich conditioners and fortifying protein, patent-pending technology and fermentation, sensorial luxury and exceptional performance for visible strength, moisture and shine. Inspired by hair rituals from global cultures, the products feature an array of butters, oils, honey, and fermented rice water to nourish hair. Cecred launches with the Foundation Collection, eight products that cleanse, condition, and visibly repair.

"The journey of creating Cecred has taken years, and I'm so proud to finally reveal what we've been working on," says Cecred founder and chairwoman Beyonce Knowles-Carter. "As a Black founder, it was important to me to concentrate on where I saw the greatest need for healthy haircare and to place scientific innovation and product performance above all else. We started by prioritizing the needs of textured hair like mine, along with other types and textures that need more moisture and strength. My entire life and career, I've worn my hair in so many different ways: natural, flat-ironed, braids, colored, weaves, wigs. I want everyone to have the freedom to express their hair in ways that make them feel good, so I began by creating the essentials for hair and scalp health. My vision is to be an inclusive force of excellence in the haircare industry while celebrating hair rituals across global cultures and helping dispel hair myths and misconceptions on all sides."

Knowles-Carter's passion for haircare is born from lived experience. She grew up sweeping hair in her mother Tina Knowles' salon and saw firsthand how she thoughtfully mixed tech-forward formulas with natural butters and oils to cultivate healthy hair. Knowles joins Cecred as vice chairwoman, bringing her 40 years of influence as a hairstylist, salon owner, and entrepreneur. "In my own experience serving clients, I loved witnessing the joy they felt watching their hair grow healthier, shinier, and more vibrant," says Knowles. "I have personally witnessed how these products have stopped breakage in its tracks. I've seen the transformations from using these products on all different hair types and textures and the results have been amazing."

Knowles-Carter's decades-long career shaped her expertise in maintaining hair health while navigating the coloring, high-tension styles, hair adhesive, sweat, and build-up generated by her life as a performer. Her experiences inspired Cecred to redefine keratin recovery science with its Bioactive Keratin Ferment: a patent-pending technology made from wool-derived keratin, honey, and lactobacillus ferment. Enhanced by the ancient process of fermentation, the keratin proteins are small enough to penetrate deep into the cortex of each strand, closely matching and replacing depleted proteins to visibly repair and strengthen weak or damaged hair. Formulated without silicones which mask damage with an artificial coating, Cecred products deliver moisture and visible strength for a healthy foundation.

Regarding quality and performance, Cecred refused to settle, devoting years of research and testing to the challenges of moisture restoration, strength, and hair health. They conducted extensive clinical, salon, and lab testing, ignoring industry norms and only working with global labs that prioritize inclusive testing. This exhaustive research, development, and evaluation resulted in a performance-driven, expert-vetted, validated range of hair solutions that are beneficial for hair textures from straight to coily and hair states-including virgin, color-treated, chemically processed, and heat-styled-that need extra moisture and strength. This philosophy is core to the Foundation Collection and remains central to the testing and development of all future Cecred lines.

"It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience to work with a founder of Beyonce's global reach and raw talent to change the narrative in haircare," says Cecred CEO Grace Ray. "It's gratifying to help build an inclusive brand that has benefits for a wide range of hair types and textures. Cecred is a union of visual storytelling, education, and performance, and we are uniquely positioned to service consumers with a prestige, science-validated experience that dispels outdated norms in the haircare industry. I'm honored to join the other brands working to change conversations around haircare."

Knowles-Carter's longstanding commitment to philanthropy has been recognized within various communities. From launch, it is essential that Cecred invests in the stylist community, which globally serves as a sacred space for people's personal hair journeys. Cecred will partner with Knowles-Carter's philanthropic foundation, BeyGOOD, to create the BeyGOOD x Cecred Fund, which honors the knowledge and influence professional stylists have on hair health and the critical importance of advocating for the salon community. An annual $500,000 will fund cosmetology school scholarships and salon business grants. Fostering talent, promoting professionalism, and supporting entrepreneurship within the industry will cement Knowles-Carter's and Cecred's enduring dedication to the professional stylist community.

Cecred's formulas, infused with a signature Temple Oud fragrance, are cruelty-free and formulated under strict global guidelines for ingredient safety. Knowles-Carter's vision is to create a new standard in haircare that breaks down myths and helps to change the narrative in haircare. The Foundation Collection is now available on www.cecred.com .

Cecred Foundation Collection Launch Range:

Clarifying Shampoo & Scalp Scrub ($38 USD, 8 oz.)

Like skincare for your scalp. This Clarifying Shampoo & Scalp Scrub combines a balance of exfoliants, fermented purple willow bark, and tea tree oil to remove buildup and residue from your hair and scalp for a game-changing deep clean.

Hydrating Shampoo ($30 USD, 8 oz.)

This luxurious, hyaluronic acid-infused shampoo goes deep on hydration, leaving your hair visibly nourished, manageable, and strong.

Moisturizing Deep Conditioner ($38 USD, 10 oz.)

Bring dehydrated and dull hair back to life. This ultra-rich formula is infused with our African oil blend and shea butter to moisturize, soften, and improve manageability.

Reconstructing Treatment Mask ($42 USD, 10 oz.)

Hair repair in a jar. Powered by our patent-pending Bioactive Keratin Ferment, this treatment is clinically tested to visibly reduce damage, increase strength, and improve shine after one use.

Fermented Rice & Rose Protein Ritual ($52 USD, 4 treatments)

Fermented rice water is long adored in Asian cultures for its hair-strengthening and length-retention benefits, but the fermentation takes days. This ritual begins with a Fermented Rice & Rose Powder that instantly transforms into a water-activated, fortifying hair rinse treatment followed by a luscious Silk Rinse.

Moisture Sealing Lotion ($38 USD, 8 oz.)

This multitasker does it all: seals, smooths, and styles with a light hold.

Nourishing Hair Oil ($44 USD, 1.7 oz)

This blend of 13 oils and plant-based extracts seals in moisture and adds a soft shine-all without silicone.

Ritual Shaking Vessel ($20 USD)

Take haircare to luxe levels with the bespoke vessel to mix our Fermented Rice & Rose Powder with water to create a fortifying hair rinse treatment.

Patent-pending Bioactive Keratin Ferment

Our patent-pending technology, made from wool-derived keratin, honey, and lactobacillus ferment, closely matches and replaces depleted proteins in hair. Its molecular weight is small enough to deeply penetrate the cortex to visibly strengthen weak, damaged, or highly manipulated hair.

Restores hair's shine

Makes hair two times more resistant to breakage

Makes hair two times smoother

Repairs damage from chemical processing

Improves hair's structural integrity

About Cecred:

Cecred creates a place to show up as you choose and gives the healthy foundation to express your hair in all ways that make you feel good. Its products honor the love and connection of hair traditions while delivering what hair craves: rich conditioners and fortifying protein, patent-pending technology and fermentation, sensorial luxury and exceptional performance for visible strength, moisture and shine.

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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/beyonce-knowles-carter-introduces-cecred-hair-honoring-care-validated-by-science-302065948.html
YORK, England , Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- New data from affordable healthcare provider, Benenden Health, reveals that women in the UK miss an average of nine days of work a year due to health issues, exacerbated by a lack of appropriate healthcare support for female workers.

Benenden Health also found that four in ten (42%) have heard derogatory comments about a female employee's health in the workplace, often around them taking time off work, being difficult to work with or not able to do their job properly. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this has left many women reluctant to discuss their health issues with managers, with almost half (42%) feeling uncomfortable doing so.

However, the percentage of women comfortable discussing health issues increases significantly - up to 96% - when the manager is also female. Benenden Health's research also found that six in ten business owners believe that they could help to improve the productivity of female employees if women's health was better supported.

Identifying some of the key issues they face in the workplace, more than two thirds of women (70%) said they find it challenging dealing with periods at work, while 62% have faced challenges when pregnant. In this instance, almost half revealed that they have had difficulty when trying to conceal a pregnancy in the workplace and two thirds of women (64%) say they have struggled with the impact of the menopause at work.

This survey was carried out amongst 5,000 female employees and 1,000 business owners, as part of a wider campaign by the healthcare provider, highlighting the presence of the gender health gap within the UK and how it impacts women's professional lives. Currently, the UK has the largest female health gap among G20 countries, and the 12th largest globally. Benenden Health's research looks at how this manifests itself, in a campaign that seeks to understand, and remove, the barriers to a more equal workforce when it comes to health outcomes.

These findings highlight a crucial need to improve manager knowledge and sensitivity towards women's health issues, allowing for more open, honest and potentially difficult conversations to take place in the workplace.

Rebecca Mian, Head of Human Resources at Benenden Health, said: "While we already knew that a gender health gap exists in the UK, it has been eye-opening to see how this presents in the workforce with women missing so many days at work due to health challenges. Often, women are facing these challenges due to a lack of understanding about their health, so it is vital that we can help to develop this understanding among employers.

"It is crucial that managers not only support their teams but understand that each individual will have their own specific needs and health concerns - and should be able to comfortably voice these experiences. Understanding and adequately addressing women's health issues in the workplace is not just good for the employees, it is integral to building stronger, more collaborative, and successful businesses."

Benenden Health has partnered with the UK's leading charity for gender equality and women's rights, The Fawcett Society, to further understand the experiences of women and health challenges in the workplace.

Jemima Olchawski, Chief Executive at the Fawcett Society, said: "At Fawcett, we believe in workplaces that work for women, at every stage of life, which is why it is so important for us to partner with Benenden Health on its new campaign. Research like this shows just how much work there is still to be done in even just beginning to understand how stark inequality is in the UK today, and in ways that can seem 'invisible'.

"It's time for change. The current system doesn't work for anyone: women are being let down and the cost to business is enormous. We hope some of the clear solutions offers in this research will encourage employers and Government to step up to the challenge and build a system that works better for women, in order to begin closing the Gender Health Gap."

In partnership with The Fawcett Society, Benenden Health is on a mission to raise awareness of the gender health gap in the UK by highlighting the challenges that women face and supporting better health outcomes for all. Benenden Health is private healthcare done different, believing that no matter who you are and what your medical history is, you deserve access to great healthcare.

For more information on Benenden Health's latest campaign and how to better support your female workforce visit: https://www.benenden.co.uk/gender-health-gap-2024/

Notes to editors

*According to ONS figures of the female workforce - 15.66million (Dec 2022) https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn06838/

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/uk-loses-150-million-working-days-due-to-lack-of-workplace-support-for-womens-health-reveals-benenden-health-302065946.html
YORK, England , Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly two thirds (60%) of women in the UK believe their health issues are not taken seriously, while more than a third (35%) feel they have experienced poorer health outcomes because of their gender, according to new research by affordable healthcare provider, Benenden Health.

Of the women who stated they have experienced a poorer health outcome in their life, more than half said they've had a negative experience with a healthcare professional (57%) and a third said they have experienced a late diagnosis (36%). A further third have received a diagnosis that turned out to be incorrect (33%), whilst a quarter revealed that they have also been put on the wrong medication at some point in their lifetime.

The survey, of 10,000 women aged 16+ in the UK, was carried out as part of Benenden Health's new campaign which is focused on raising awareness of the existing gender health gap in the UK. Currently, the UK has the largest female health gap among G20 countries, and the 12th largest globally. Benenden Health's research looks at how this manifests itself and seeks to understand, and remove, the barriers to a more equal society when it comes to health outcomes.

The research also found that more than a quarter (27%) of women feel that the UK's healthcare system specifically favours men over women, leaving many women reticent to seek medical help at all and impacting on their long-term wellbeing. In fact, more than a third of respondents (35%) said they avoid going to the doctors, for reasons including anxiety and embarrassment.

Rowan Connell, Medical Director and Consultant Gynaecologist at Benenden Health, said: "The findings of our research paint a concerning look at women's health in the UK, but it's a reality that, as a society, we cannot shy away from. At Benenden Health, we believe that everyone deserves access to great healthcare. We are committed to not only raising awareness of the gender health gap, but working to break down the barriers that women face and removing the stigma around women's health to ensure the right support is in place for them now, and into the future."

Having spoken about her own experience of the gender health gap as part of the campaign, TV presenter and women's health advocate, Cherry Healey, said: "This campaign is so important in the fight to enable women to talk more openly about their own health, so that when they express their health concerns, they are taken seriously. This is an issue that I feel very strongly about, having previously shared my own experience of perimenopause and learning about the avoidable challenges so many women go through to get the help they need. I want to help ensure that women all over the UK are receiving the support that they need, when they need it."

In partnership with the UK's leading charity for gender equality and women's rights, the Fawcett Society, Benenden Health is on a mission to raise awareness of the gender health gap in the UK by highlighting the challenges that women face and supporting better health outcomes for all. Benenden Health is private healthcare done different, believing that no matter who you are and what your medical history is, you deserve access to great healthcare.

For more information about Benenden Health's latest campaign, visit: https://www.benenden.co.uk/gender-health-gap-2024/

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/benenden-health---60-of-women-say-health-issues-not-taken-seriously-in-the-uk-302065953.html
Elizabeth Warren Responds To Senate Challenge From John Deaton: Im Not Afraid

Progressive senator and staunch crypto skeptic Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) claimed on Tuesday that a well-funded member of the crypto lobby is vying to displace her from her seat on Capitol Hill.

As reported by Fox Business journalist Eleanor Terret, a source received an email from Warrens campaign team claiming that shes not afraid of the new challenge, but will need to prepare to compete against such powerful interest groups.

New Challenger For Elizabeth Warren



Ever since I began speaking out about protecting consumers from crypto scams and making that industry follow the same basic regulations as banks and all other financial institutions, the crypto lobby has put a target on my back, Warren wrote in a recent letter to followers.

SCOOP: @SenWarren is RALLYING her donor base in anticipation of a challenge to her Massachusetts Senate seat from a pro-#crypto candidate. In an email sent to me by a source who received it, Warren directly addresses the @BostonGlobe report speculating that @JohnEDeaton1 will pic.twitter.com/NuEBSp1924  Eleanor Terrett (@EleanorTerrett) February 19, 2024

Her letter specifically addressed a recent report from the Boston Globe claiming that Massachusetts newcomer John Deaton would be launching a Republican bid against Warren, backed by $500,000 of his own money.

Deaton, who boasts over 317,000 followers on Twitter, is best known as a crypto-supportive litigator who defended over 75,000 XRP holders during Ripples years-long lawsuit with regulators that came to a close last year.

He was also a vocal supporter of Grayscale in its lawsuit against the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), often suggesting that the agency acted in bad faith against crypto at large.

Warren, by contrast, has repeatedly characterized crypto as a tool for money laundering, terrorist financing, and sanctions evasion. She has now tabled multiple pieces of legislation that would subject average Bitcoin node operators to reporting requirements that industry experts say would be infeasible to follow.

First, it was schoolyard bullies, then it was greedy corporations and the SEC, and now I am taking on the Washington elites. https://t.co/XxW0M7kkw9 pic.twitter.com/adJVbz4tyn  John E Deaton (@JohnEDeaton1) February 20, 2024

Does John Deaton Represent The Working Class?



Following an official campaign announcement from Deaton on Tuesday, Senator Warren made a second plea to followers for donations, emphasizing that it would take a strong grassroots movement to compete and win.

Were up against MAGA Republicans who are desperate to take back the Senate and pass Trumps agenda, she added. Were up against their rich buddies who are trying to stop us from taxing the wealthy, regulating big banks, and making our government work for working people.

Contrary to Warrens depiction, Deaton said in his Tuesday campaign video that he grew up in poverty in Detroit, raised by a single mom on welfare.

I fought for the little guy, Deaton said. I took on the greedy corporations and the heartless insurance companies and I won.

1Elizabeth Warren, well she promised to be a champion for those in need, he added. Instead, she gives lectures and plays politics and gets nothing done for Massachusetts.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 20, 2024) - Midnight Sun Mining Corp. (TSXV: MMA) (OTCQB: MDNGF) (the "Company" or "Midnight Sun") is pleased to announce the Company has signed an earn-in agreement (the "Earn-In Agreement") with KoBold Metals Company ("KoBold"), through their respective Zambian subsidiaries, to explore the Dumbwa Target ("Dumbwa Target" or "Dumbwa"), located on the Company's Solwezi Project in Zambia.

KoBold Metals Company is a US-based, privately held, battery metal exploration and mining company that combines geoscience, data science, machine learning, and artificial intelligence to search for the critical minerals needed for the clean energy transition. KoBold is backed by technology investors including Breakthrough Energy Ventures (initiated by Bill Gates) and Silicon Valley venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, as well as institutional investors such as T. Rowe Price and Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board.

The Earn-In Agreement allows KoBold to earn a 75% interest in Dumbwa by incurring USD$15 million in exploration expenditures and making cumulative cash payments to Midnight Sun of USD$500,000 over 4.5 years.

Midnight Sun President & CEO Al Fabbro states: "KoBold has assembled one of the top global sediment-hosted copper teams - including Dr. David Broughton - and I cannot overstate how pleased we are to have them at the helm on Dumbwa. Their bench strength speaks to the quality of this outstanding tier-one exploration target and the seriousness of their approach. As evidenced by the impressive roster of keystone investors in KoBold, they are on track to become new industry leaders using incredibly sophisticated proprietary technology to fast-track the discovery of critical minerals. We look forward to KoBold applying their groundbreaking exploration approach to the Dumbwa Target and moving this important Zambian copper asset toward development together, which we view as perfectly timed to coincide with an upcoming phase of unprecedented global copper demand."

KoBold Metals Africa Chief Executive Officer, Mfikeyi Makayi, states: "KoBold is looking forward to exploring the Dumbwa Target alongside Midnight Sun as we have long been interested in the Solwezi Dome. The Dumbwa Target hosts intriguing copper-in-soil anomalies and a structural setting comparable to other major deposits in the region. The KoBold sediment-hosted copper team has decades of experience working in the African Copperbelt, which we will combine with our library of analytical tools and proprietary technology to aggressively explore at Dumbwa. We look forward to working with Midnight Sun and drilling at Dumbwa in 2024."

The Dumbwa exploration target is located in the heart of the Zambia-Congo Copperbelt, and is one of four key prospects that comprise Midnight Sun's 5062 kilometre Solwezi Project (see Figure 1). Dumbwa is located within one of three exploration licenses held by the Company; the Company anticipates continuing exploration on its other licenses as well as the portions of the license within which Dumbwa is located that are not subject to the earn-in. The Dumbwa Target area included in the KoBold agreement is 1082 kilometres. KoBold plans to initiate a drill campaign in 2024 to begin systematic exploration of structural targets at Dumbwa.

The remaining 3982 kilometres of property that make up the Solwezi Project will remain with Midnight Sun, and the Company intends to continue exploration on the other key targets outside of the area subject to the KoBold Earn-In Agreement.

See Figure 1 - "Solwezi Licences" at end of news release.

About KoBold Metals

KoBold Metals Company, a US-based exploration and mining company, is advancing 60 active projects spanning 4 continents. Founded in 2018, KoBold is backed by world-class technology investors including Breakthrough Energy Ventures (initiated by Bill Gates), and Silicon Valley venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, as well as institutional investors such as T. Rowe Price and the Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board. KoBold leverages artificial intelligence through proprietary analytical tools and big data to improve and accelerate the exploration process.

KoBold has an established presence in Zambia, including its flagship Mingomba project for which it is currently completing resource definition drilling and a pre-feasibility study. KoBold has over 40 people based in Zambia, led by Mfikeyi Makayi, CEO of KoBold Metals Africa.

Significant Terms of The Earn-In Agreement

To complete the earn-in requirements, KoBold must complete the following:

Year 1 Anniversary of the Agreement Date - Completion of a minimum of 2,000 metres of diamond core drilling, which is a firm commitment;

Year 2 Anniversary of the Agreement Date - USD$4,000,000 of exploration expenditures;

Year 3 Anniversary of the Agreement Date - USD$7,000,000 of cumulative exploration expenditures; and

Year 4.5 Anniversary of the Agreement Date - USD$15,000,000 of cumulative exploration expenditures.

In addition to these expenditure requirements, KoBold must pay Midnight Sun cash payments on the following schedule to maintain the Earn-In Agreement:

On commencement of the earn-in - USD $100,000

Year 1 Anniversary of Agreement Date - USD $100,000

Year 2 Anniversary of Agreement Date - USD $100,000

Year 3 Anniversary of Agreement Date - USD $100,000

Year 4 Anniversary of Agreement Date - USD $100,000

Commencement of the earn-in is subject to a number of conditions, including the re-assignment of the license within which the Dumbwa Target is located to the Company's subsidiary. The Earn-In Agreement provides that if the conditions are not satisfied by June 30, 2024 (unless otherwise agreed to by the parties), the Earn-In Agreement will terminate. KoBold has the right to extend the outside date by up to six months, in KoBold's sole discretion.

Formation of Joint Venture Company

Upon completion of the obligations under the Earn-In Agreement by KoBold, the parties will form a separate company (the "JV Co"), to be held initially by KoBold and the Company (or their Zambian subsidiaries) as to 75% and 25% respectively. The parties to the JV Co will be subject to the terms of a Shareholder's Agreement, a copy of which is included as an appendix to the Earn-In Agreement. The parties have agreed that the Dumbwa Target will be separated from the Company's existing license into a new license, and assigned to JV Co.

The agreed form of Shareholder's Agreement includes the following material terms:

JV Co be governed by a Board of Directors, initially consisting of two directors nominated by KoBold, and one director nominated by the Company

JV Co will propose work programs. Shareholders will have the obligation to fund their proportionate interest, or face dilution as a result of a failure to participate

A party diluted to less than a 10% interest will have their interest converted to a 1% Net Smelter Royalty capped at USD$40 million

Authority of the Board will be subject to certain matters reserved to Shareholders

The Company will have a right to participate pro rata in future issuances of shares of the JV Co

The Company's shareholding interest will be subject to drag along rights in favour of the majority shareholder (KoBold), and the Company will have the benefit of tag along rights in the event of a sale by KoBold

The JV Co will have the ability to cancel shares held by a party in the event that the party is or becomes controlled by a sanctioned entity, and will have the right to repurchase the shares for fair market value in certain other circumstances

Dumbwa Target Highlights

The Dumbwa Target features a continuous high-grade copper-in-soil anomaly, which extends for over 20 km along strike and +1 km in width, with peak values of up to 0.73% copper.

The Dumbwa Target features multiple stacked mineralized horizons, which are believed to be analogous to Barrick's Lumwana Mine, located ~40 kilometres to the west of the Solwezi Project.

Exploration work to date, which includes geochemical analysis and geophysics, indicate that systematic drilling guided by structural controls is the next step toward establishing continuity, size, and scale of an underlying system.

The Earn-In Agreement remains subject to regulatory approval as well as customary conditions and contains representations, warranties, covenants and indemnities as are typical for agreements of this nature.

Qualified Person: Darin Labrenz, P.Geo., a Qualified Person under NI 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical data and contents of this release.

About Midnight Sun

Midnight Sun is focused on exploring our flagship Solwezi Project, located in Zambia. Situated in the heart of the Zambia-Congo Copperbelt, the second largest copper producing region in the world, our property is vast and highly prospective. Our Solwezi Project is surrounded by world-class producing copper mines, including Africa's largest copper mining complex right next door, First Quantum's Kansanshi Mine. Led by an experienced geological team with multiple discoveries and mines around the world to their credit, Midnight Sun intends to find and develop Zambia's next generational copper deposit.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF MIDNIGHT SUN MINING CORP.

Al Fabbro

President & CEO

For Further Information Contact:

Adrian O'Brien

Director of Marketing and Communications

Tel: +1 604 809 6890

Em: adrian@midnightsunmining.com

NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS NEW RELEASE.

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation that are based on expectations, estimates, assumptions and projections as at the date of this news release. The information in this news release about the timing and ability of the Company and KoBold to obtain the approval of relevant regulatory bodies, if at all; timing of the commencement of the earn-in; the work expenditure amounts and timing of those expenditures incurred by KoBold, if at all; the transfer of the relevant property to a joint venture entity, if at all; the respective ownership interests of the Company and KoBold in the joint venture entity; and any other information herein that is not a historical fact may be "forward-looking statements". Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (which may, but not always, include phrases such as "anticipates", "plans", "scheduled", "believed" 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 and are intended to identify forward-looking statements.

Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure readers that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking statements, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Such factors include, among others, risks relating to the timing and ability of the Company and KoBold to remove conditional subjects of the Earn-In Agreement, including the ability to obtain and the timing of the approval of relevant regulatory bodies, if at all; risks relating to property interests; risks related to access to the project; risks inherent in mineral exploration, including the fact that any particular phase of exploration may be unsuccessful; the risk that KoBold determines not to proceed with the earn in at any time after completing the minimum work program, and before having expended the full USD$15 million for the earn in; geo-political risks; the global economic climate; metal prices; environmental risks; political risks; and community and non-governmental actions. Neither the Company nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of any such forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake, and assumes no obligation, to update or revise any such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information contained herein to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required by law.





Figure 1 - "Solwezi Licences"

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To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/198522

SOURCE: Midnight Sun Mining Corp.


JERUSALEM (dpa-AFX) - As the Israeli military operation in Rafah continues unabated, the United States has proposed a draft resolution for voting at UN Security Council that calls for a temporary ceasefire in Gaza.



The US resolution 'underscores its support for a temporary ceasefire in Gaza as soon as practicable, based on the formula of all hostages being released.'



The US draft warns against an Israeli ground offensive into Rafah, where the humanitarian situation is dire, according to UN agencies.



Nearly 1.5 million people are now crammed into the southern city on the border with Egypt and with nowhere further to flee. . Washington had vowed to oppose an Algerian draft proposal calling for an immediate ceasefire in the war-torn Palestinian enclave, which will be taken for voting at the Council Tuesday.



Intense Israeli bombardment from air, land and sea continues across much of Gaza, resulting in further civilian casualties, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).



Widespread ground operations and heavy fighting between Israeli forces and Palestinian armed groups also continue to be reported, especially in Khan Younis and Deir al Balah, OCHA said in a flash update on Monday.



Dozens of rockets were also reportedly fired by armed Palestinians toward Israel, it added.



Meanwile, the UN Senior Humanitarian Coordinator for Gaza warned that an extension of Israel's military operation in Rafah will have 'dire humanitarian consequences'.



Sigrid Kaag reiterated Secretary-General Antonio Guterres's concern that such an operation at present time would be potentially disastrous for innocent civilians.



'There are more than a million people crammed in Rafah. It's not intended for a million people in shelters, in random sort of plastic sheeted constructions. Health conditions are very worrisome,' she told correspondents in Brussels after briefing European Union foreign ministers.



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Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Video-Workshop: Das kleine Einmaleins der Charttechnik In diesem kostenlosen Video-Workshop von Stefan Klotter lernen Sie alles uber Charttechnik. Lassen Sie sich diesen kostenfreien Workshop nicht entgehen! Hier klicken
Road Town, British Virgin Islands--(Newsfile Corp. - February 20, 2024) - LBank Exchange, a global digital asset trading platform, listed BeeFi Social (BEEFI) on February 18, 2024. For all users of LBank Exchange, the BEEFI/USDT trading pair is now officially available for trading.





BEEFI listing banner

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BeeFi Social (BEEFI) is an innovative SocialFi platform integrating AI and blockchain to enhance interpersonal communication and convert user activity into digital assets, boasting over 1.2 million users worldwide and offering unique features like honey chat and meetings. Its native token, BEEFI, was listed on the LBank Exchange at 10:00 UTC on February 18, 2024, with the goal of expanding its global footprint and supporting the realization of its forward-thinking objectives.

Introducing BeeFi Social

LBank Exchange is thrilled to announce the listing of BeeFi Social (BEEFI), emerging as an innovative platform at the forefront of the SocialFi movement, a blend of social networking and decentralized finance. It seeks to revolutionize how users interact on the internet by breaking down the existing 'internet islands"-isolated social platforms with limited interoperability. By leveraging blockchain technology, BeeFi enables a seamless and interconnected social experience, allowing users to maintain their digital identity across different platforms without sacrificing privacy or control over their data. This approach not only enhances user engagement but also addresses longstanding issues related to privacy, data ownership, and the monopolization of user-generated content.

The core of BeeFi's value proposition lies in its unique economic model, which incentivizes user participation through financial incentives. Unlike traditional social media platforms, where the economic benefits of user engagement primarily accrue to the platform itself, BeeFi redistributes value back to its users. Through a variety of social interactions, such as posting short videos, live streaming, and participating in the platform's marketplace, users can earn digital assets for their contributions. This model democratizes the value generation process, enabling users to benefit directly from their social influence and creative output.

BeeFi also introduces a governance model through its DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organization), allowing users to have a say in the platform's development and decision-making processes. This fosters a community-driven ecosystem where users, not just the platform's owners, contribute to its evolution. By becoming a part of the 'Honey DAO,' members can participate in governance, propose improvements, and vote on key decisions, aligning the platform's growth with the interests and feedback of its community.

Strategically collaborating with entities like Asia Television and leveraging technical support from blockchain financial partners like XpansionChain, BeeFi is poised for rapid growth. These partnerships not only enrich BeeFi's content ecosystem but also ensure its technological infrastructure is robust and scalable. As BeeFi continues to expand its features and user base, it stands as a testament to the potential of integrating social media with financial mechanisms to create a more equitable and interconnected online world. Through its innovative approach, BeeFi is not just creating a new social platform but is also setting the stage for the future of digital social and financial interaction.

About BEEFI Token

The BEEFI token serves as the backbone of the BeeFi ecosystem, a digital currency designed to facilitate transactions, incentives, and governance within its SocialFi platform. Built on blockchain technology, the BEEFI token allows users to earn through social interactions, such as content creation, community engagement, and participation in platform governance. As the primary medium of exchange on BeeFi, it embodies the platform's commitment to redistributing value to its users, enabling a decentralized economy where contributions are directly rewarded. The token's integration into BeeFi's ecosystem not only empowers users financially but also plays a crucial role in the platform's DAO, giving token holders a voice in decision-making processes and the future direction of the platform.

Based on BEP20, BEEFI has a total supply of 500 million (i.e., 500,000,000). It was listed on the LBank Exchange at 10:00 UTC on February 18, 2024. Investors who are interested in BEEFI can easily buy and sell it on the LBank Exchange now.

Learn More about BEEFI Token:

Official Website: https://beefi.net/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beefisocial?igshid=NGVhN2U2NjQ0Yg%3D%3D

Telegram: https://t.me/beefisocial

Contract: https://bscscan.com/token/0xb5553EC8Fe2C655402c5d9146a6ada23dE9b777E

About LBank

LBank is one of the top crypto exchanges, established in 2015. It offers specialized financial derivatives, expert asset management services, and safe crypto trading to its users. The platform holds over 9 million users from more than 210 regions across the world. LBank is a cutting-edge growing platform that ensures the integrity of users' funds and aims to contribute to the global adoption of cryptocurrencies.

Start Trading Now: lbank.com

Community & Social Media:

l Telegram

l Twitter

l Facebook

l LinkedIn

l Instagram

l YouTube

Press contact:

press@lbank.info

Business Contact:

LBK Blockchain Co. Limited

LBank Exchange

marketing@lbank.info

business@lbank.info

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/198531

SOURCE: LBank
Fast-growing innovator brings first-of-its-kind imaging ecosystem to clinical trials

CARY, NC / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / With the rapid growth of clinical trial volumes and new therapy development, one company has made it their mission to ensure medical imaging is part of the story. Although one might assume that imaging was already seamlessly integrated into research, Yunu (www.yunu.io) co-founders uncovered a different reality. What began as a fun exploration to create brilliant, bespoke applications for pharma therapies transformed into a much broader and far more impactful quest to solve trial imaging workflow and change how imaging data is utilized in research.

Clinical trial imaging has been a disorganized, disconnected, and highly inefficient element of breakthrough therapy development, yet it is necessary for over 90% of oncology trials. It is also critical to many other specialty trials, including those with a cardiac, neuro, and pulmonary focus. Unfortunately, the difficulties around trial imaging cause delays and inaccuracies while also creating roadblocks for the successful decentralization and diversification of clinical trials. This has led to limited trial access where most Americans receive their care.

Having just completed a successful health tech exit at the beginning of the pandemic, Yunu co-founders Jeff Sorenson and Gael Kuhn found themselves looking for the biggest problem they could solve with their medical imaging and AI (Artificial Intelligence) expertise. After a year of market exploration and stakeholder discussions, they launched Yunu. "Today's clinical trial imaging is a disconnected and inefficient burden. Every cancer center, pharma sponsor, and CRO we spoke with knew the problem well - they just didn't know how to solve it," notes Yunu CEO Jeff Sorenson. "For any of our highly specialized ideas to have a chance at lift off, we would need to first fix the plumbing of imaging workflow as it is central to every future therapy breakthrough."

"We could not un-see the issues at hand and felt compelled to apply our knowledge to help build a strong, imaging-based foundation for the future of research. Although building an imaging ecosystem across all trial sites was our initial goal, it was clear that starting with a site-centric workflow was imperative. Every time we dove into site infrastructure, we found spreadsheets, emails, and disastrous home-grown tech - except one," says Yunu CTO Gael Kuhn.

Enter Dr. Gordon Harris, co-founder of the Tumor Imaging Metrics Core at the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center (DF/HCC), and now, also co-founder and Chief Science Officer at Yunu. As a customer of Jeff and Gael's former company, Dr. Harris became a trusted advisor for the project, drawing upon his experience and insights to provide valuable guidance. Conversations quickly revealed that his team's in-house, grant-funded technology project, initially created to solve in-house imaging workflow, could be the new core of the Yunu ecosystem.

"Workflow might sound like a simple concept, but without thoughtful, stateful workflow and pristine imaging data management to handle the intricacies of clinical trial imaging, everything else falls apart," shares Dr. Harris. Upon Yunu licensing the technology and welcoming the expert development and support teams into the company, Yunu swiftly transitioned into commercial operations, poised for rapid growth and market penetration.

Just a year and a half into operation, Yunu is home to over 4,200 active clinical trials and driving trial imaging workflow at over 25% of NCI (National Cancer Institute) designated cancer centers. The company is also the newly selected partner of two of the U.S.'s largest and most prestigious imaging cores and several small and large pharma sponsors.

"The industry is plagued with staffing shortages and disconnected systems. There are at least seven job openings for every qualified Clinical Research Coordinator in clinical trials today. Our technology is helping cover those gaps and alleviating burnout. We also see a real hunger for efficiency, accuracy, compliance, and connectedness among clinical trial imaging stakeholders. The enthusiasm from sites, reading groups, and sponsors is palpable, and we are energized by everyone's interest in improving trial access to all populations and ensuring that imaging data is utilized to its full potential," said Dr. Harris.

Yunu's latest innovations allow the fun part to begin - where pharma sponsors can apply their in-house or third-party data science to in-flight clinical trials for faster, more accurate, and better-informed decisions. Yunu CTO Gael Kuhn shared, "With the infrastructure issue solved, imaging data is starting to come alive and transform research in remarkable ways. As Yunu continues to expand its footprint in the clinical trial landscape, a flywheel effect unlocks the full potential of imaging data in research."

With an ever-growing portfolio of active trials and strategic partnerships, Yunu is poised to lead the way in driving efficiency, accuracy, and connectivity in clinical trial imaging. Each milestone achieved advances Yunu closer to its goal of transforming the future of patient care and revolutionizing the development of breakthrough therapies for all.

__________________________________________

About Yunu

Yunu provides medical research technology and services to life sciences companies and clinical research environments that perform precision imaging assessments. Yunu's aim is to ensure breakthrough therapies are accessible to everyone by unifying medical imaging insights and connecting clinical communities. With thousands of clinical trials relying on the platform daily, Yunu is delivering a new standard for clinical trial imaging workflow. Learn more at https://www.yunu.io.

Contact Information

Lindsay Fleming

Chief Marketing Officer

press@yunu.io

SOURCE: Yunu

View the original press release on newswire.com.
Perth, Western Australia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 20, 2024) - Winsome Resources (ASX: WR1) will be front and centre at the World's Premier Mineral Exploration and Mining Convention in Toronto next month.

Hosted by Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC), the convention brings together more than 30,000 people from more than 130 countries.

Managing Director Chris Evans said a strategic contingent of Winsome Resources representatives will attend the three-day conference this year to share more detailed information on the Company's recent MRE announcement.

"We are delighted to be attending PDAC again this year as the global conversation around lithium demand and the growing need for renewable technologies continues to heat up," Chris said. "Our team is excited to meet with local representatives and global industry leaders next month, in what has been a tumultuous time for the mining industry.

"I look forward to discussing Winsome's story and the changes in lithium demand around the world at PDAC, and I encourage anyone attending to come visit the team at booth number 2143."

The PDAC Convention begins on 3 March 2024. For more information, visit www.pdac.ca/convention

For further information please contact:

MEDIA

Marissa Taddeo - SPOKE

marissa@hellospoke.com.au

+61 401 019 885

ABOUT WINSOME RESOURCES

Winsome Resources (ASX: WR1) is a Perth-based, lithium focused exploration and development company with four project areas in Quebec, Canada. All of Winsome's projects - Adina, Cancet, Sirmac-Clappier and Tilly are 100% owned by the Company. Recently the Company acquired a further 47km2 of claims at the Tilly Project, located near Adina, and 29 claims of the Jackpot Property, immediately north of Adina.

The most advanced of Winsome's projects - Adina and Cancet, provide shallow, high grade lithium deposits and are strategically located close to established infrastructure and supply chains.

In addition to its impressive portfolio of lithium projects in Quebec, Winsome Resources owns 100% of the offtake rights for lithium, caesium and tantalum from Power Metals Corp. (TSXV: PWM) Case Lake Project in Eastern Ontario, as well as a 19.6% equity stake in PWM. The Company recently divested Decelles and Mazerac, two early-stage projects located near the Quebec mining town of Val-d'Or, to PWM in exchange for an increased shareholding.

Winsome is led by a highly qualified team with strong experience in lithium exploration and development as well as leading ASX listed companies.

More details: www.winsomeresources.com.au

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/196594

SOURCE: Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC)
Mavenir, the Network Software Provider building the future of networks with cloud-native solutions that run on any cloud, today announces that it has been selected to deliver a complete Converged Charging System (CCS) transformation for Aruba's national telecom provider, SETAR, leveraging Mavenir's Digital Enablement (MDE) platform. The new CCS will be hosted in Aruba and serve both SETAR as well as Telbo, Bonaire's leading Telecom provider, using a multi-tenancy architecture.

SETAR turned to long-term partner Mavenir and its proven digital transformation capabilities to perform its Charging System transformation, which will involve migrating SETAR's existing Mavenir-supplied charging system to the latest MDE CCS system. The modern, TM Forum-based solution offers improved time-to-market and a simplified architecture with convergence of prepaid and postpaid charging in the same system.

The multi-tenancy support to handle both SETAR and Telbo services on the same infrastructure helps to reduce operation and maintenance costs. Additionally, the new CCS will enable both CSPs to not only meet the current subscriber needs, but also sets the foundation for creating new 5G digital offerings and realize 5G network transformation goals.

Once the upgraded platform is in place, SETAR will have the advantage of a modern, cloudnative CCS that optimally positions the service provider for the 5G era and future monetization opportunities. The new CCS will serve all SETAR's prepaid and post-paid consumer and business subscribers across the islands of Aruba and Bonaire.

Roland Croes, CEO of SETAR commented: "As the leader in technology, media and telecommunications on Aruba, SETAR continuously innovates to ensure that the island communities have access to the latest technologies, fastest connectivity, and the most advanced products, services, and apps. For over a decade, Mavenir has been a long-standing, stable, and trusted solution provider to SETAR, having implemented our current charging system and other core network components, so Mavenir was the obvious choice to deliver a seamless transformation and upgrade project."

Sandeep Singh, Senior Vice President and General Manager for Mavenir's Digital Business Enablement added: "This is a stand-out example of an existing customer putting its trust in Mavenir to fulfil current and future needs from converged charging to digital customer journeys and new monetization business cases. Mavenir is the only provider that can accomplish a smooth and stable upgrade path, while ensuring that the new cloud-native and fully digital system supports the existing and new business features that are integral to SETAR's future service delivery."

Notes to editors:

About Mavenir:

Mavenir is building the future of networks and pioneering advanced technology, focusing on the vision of a single, software-based automated network that runs on any cloud. As the industry's only end-to-end, cloud-native network software provider, Mavenir is focused on transforming the way the world connects, accelerating software network transformation for 300+ Communications Service Providers and Enterprises in over 120 countries, which serve more than 50% of the world's subscribers. www.mavenir.com

Meet Mavenir at Mobile World Congress 2024 (Barcelona, Feb 26 29 2024)

To explore our latest innovations, MWC show announcements and learn more about how Mavenir is delivering the Future of Networks Today, visit our team in Hall 2 (Stand 2H60).

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240219673501/en/

Contacts:

Mavenir PR Contact:

Emmanuela Spiteri

PR@mavenir.com
HONG KONG, Feb 20, 2024 - (ACN Newswire) - The 40th Hong Kong International Jewellery Show and 10th Hong Kong International Diamond, Gem & Pearl Show, organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), will return to the two fairs, two venues format for the first time since the pandemic, presenting the world's premier jewellery trade platform. The Diamond, Gem & Pearl show will run at AsiaWorld-Expo from 27 February to 2 March, while the Jewellery Fair will be held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from 29 February to 4 March, bringing sourcing and global trade opportunities for industry players.Sophia Chong, Deputy Executive Director of the HKTDC, said: "The theme of this year's jewellery shows is Be Part of the Splendid Legacy, and the events are expected to attract over 4,000 exhibitors from more than 40 countries and regions. The overall scale of the fairs is close to pre-pandemic levels, with more than 60% of exhibitors coming from outside Hong Kong, accentuating Hong Kong's status as an international trade and jewellery sourcing centre. The shows attract over 90 buyer missions from 65 countries and regions."Fine jewellery exports reboundHong Kong's fine jewellery exports rebounded significantly last year, rising 23% to HK$87.8 billion (US$11.2 billion) compared to 2022, and 40% higher than pre-pandemic 2019, with strong growth in exports to Mainland China, which recorded a year-on-year increase of more than 20%, and the United States and Switzerland, which increased 16% and 82% year-on-year respectively.Twin shows feature 36 pavilionsSupported by jewellery trade associations and organisations from all over the world, the fairs feature 36 geographic and industry pavilions from Belgium, Brazil, Mainland China, Colombia, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand and Turkiye while Malaysia debuts. Industry pavilions returning include the Tanzanite Foundation, Asia Pacific Creators Association and International Coloured Gems Association, while the T-GOLD+METS Pavilion (co-organised by Hong Kong Jewellery & Jade Manufacturers' Association and Italian Exhibition Group) will debut to focus on jewellery manufacturing machinery.Dedicated zones feature international brands, cultural and creative designsThe Hong Kong International Jewellery Show contains 18 zones, including the Hall of Extraordinary, which features 78 global exhibitors showcasing stunning diamond, gemstone, jade and pearl jewellery. These include Hong Kong exhibitor Hatta New World Company Limited (Booth: CEC GH-D06) which will showcase a jewellery set that carries about 110 carats of Brazilian Paraiba tourmaline pieces (a necklace, a ring and a pair of earrings), worth over HK$15 million. The bright-blue Paraiba is one of the rarest precious stones on Earth.The Designer Galleria showcases collections and a number of culturally inspired creative designs this year. Japanese exhibitor Jewellery of Raden & Urushi (Booth: CEC 1CON-032) presents Mizuhiki, a brooch incorporating traditional Japanese craftsmanship. Inspired by the Japanese art of knotting, the brooch is decorated with a black pearl, diamond and green garnet with knotted lacquerware, giving its traditional design a fashionable touch. Hong Kong exhibitor Charming Jewellery Ltd (Booth: CEC 1C-A36) brought its La broderie brand, which features embroidery, a National Intangible Cultural Heritage. Hong Kong embroidery masters used silk threads to create vivid illustrations of butterflies, dragonflies and orchids, sewn together with gold accessories and jewellery pieces, crafting exquisite workmanship and elegant pieces.The Hall of Fame will feature international brands including Giorgio Visconti from Italy, Chete from Hong Kong, Carrera Y Carrera from Spain and Lao Feng Xiang from Mainland China.Rare diamonds in spotlightThe Hong Kong International Diamond, Gem and Pearl Show will bring together a wide range of diamonds, gemstones and pearl exhibitors in 11 zones, including three high-end product zones - Hall of Fine Diamond, Treasures of Nature and Treasures of Ocean - which will showcase top-quality white diamonds, coloured diamonds, high-end gemstones, rare pearls and other raw materials from all over the world, including Color Diamond Trading Co's rare orange fancy colour diamond (Booth: AWE 5-G06) weighing 1.03 carats, believed to be highly sought-after by collectors and jewellery traders. Participating countries and regions include Zhuji (Zhejiang) from Mainland China, once again bringing freshwater pearls to the show, while the Vice Governor of Henan will personally lead the province's pavilion. The Japan Pavilion will continue to bring a wide range of quality pearls to the show.Forums, events and parades facilitate industry exchangeMore than 30 seminars, exhibitor forums and parades at the twin jewellery shows will showcase the latest design trends and facilitate industry exchange. The Future of Chinese Jewellery Design and AI Empowerment, co-organised by the Jewellers' and Goldsmiths' Association of Hong Kong Limited, will explore the latest development of AI and jewellery design. Valentin Andres, representative of FRED, an LVMH Group jewellery brand, will analyse the market trends at the Buyer's Forum. Three industry standard and authentication bodies - Gemmological Association of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Council for Testing and Certification and The World Jewellery Confederation - will outline details on the international Fei Cui benchmark at the Seminar on International Fei Cui Standard. At the same seminar, a senior gemmologist at the SSEF Swiss Gemmological Institute will speak on advanced gemmology and scientific analysis on gemstone testing; and a leading authority on gemstones, the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), will present solutions to industry challenges.Digital platforms create effective trade-fair experienceThis year, the HKTDC Marketplace App and official websites of the two shows will allow buyers to register before the fair, authenticate themselves through the App and download their verified eBadge for direct entry, greatly reducing queuing and waiting times, and enhancing sourcing efficiency. Buyers can also use the Scan2Match function to scan exhibitors' unique QR codes during the physical exhibition, bookmark favourite exhibitors, browse product information and continue discussions with exhibitors online during or after the show.Under the EXHIBITION+ hybrid mode, buyers can make purchases on-site and search for products and services on the Click2Match smart business-matching platform and hktdc.com sourcing platform. From now until 11 March, buyers and exhibitors can conduct online discussions through Click2Match.For the convenience visitors to both fairs, free shuttle buses will take buyers to and from AsiaWorld-Expo and the city (including the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai). Please refer to the fair website for details.Photos Download: https://bit.ly/49CYH1aWebsites:Hong Kong International Jewellery Show: https://www.hktdc.com/event/hkjewellery/enHong Kong International Diamond, Gem & Pearl Show: https://www.hktdc.com/event/hkdgp/enSelected Products: https://bit.ly/3wvmX71Shuttle Bus Arrangement: https://www.hktdc.com/event/hkdgp/en/travel-to-fairground-awehttps://www.hktdc.com/event/hkjewellery/en/travel-to-fairground-hkcecActivity list: https://www.hktdc.com/event/hkjewellery/tc/intelligence-hubHKTDC Media Room: http://mediaroom.hktdc.comMedia enquiriesPlease contact the HKTDC's Communications & Public Affairs Department:Jane CheungTel: (852) 2584 4137Email: jane.mh.cheung@hktdc.orgClayton LauwTel: (852) 2584 4472Email: clayton.y.lauw@hktdc.orgAbout HKTDCThe Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong's trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Twitter @hktdc and LinkedInSource: HKTDCCopyright 2024 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
Speaking at the Paris Headquarters of the International Energy Agency (IEA), COP28 President Dr. Sultan Al Jaber highlighted the historic significance of the UAE Consensus.

"The UAE Consensus raised the bar and set a clear path to keep our north star of 1.5C within reach," Dr. Al Jaber said at a roundtable event attended by ministers, ambassadors, industry executives and climate leaders. He urged attendees to "build on the momentum achieved at COP28."

"The UAE Consensus set a new direction and a clear course correction. We must now turn an unprecedented agreement into unprecedented action. Now is the time for all stakeholders to step up."

The UAE Consensus laid out a clear roadmap for keeping 1.5C within reach and delivered a series of world firsts across the climate agenda, including the first-ever agreement to transition away from fossil fuels, a target to triple renewable energy capacity by 2030, and a commitment to end deforestation in the same period.

The COP28 President said that "All Parties who signed the UAE Consensus must work on enhancing their Nationally Determined Contributions ahead of the next cycle in 2025. That work needs to start right now. They need to adopt comprehensive, economy-wide emission reduction targets that cover all greenhouse gases, are aligned with the science and keep 1.5C in reach."

"All industries should leverage their technology, talent, and balance sheets to decarbonize at scale", Dr. Al Jaber said. However, this must be accompanied with smart policy incentives to commercialize nascent-zero carbon alternatives for heavy industry, like hydrogen.

"Let me be clear, the energy transition will lead to energy turmoil, if we only address the supply side of the energy equation. We must tackle the demand side at the same time" the COP28 President warned, adding that this will require "governments and all relevant parties to be honest and transparent about the costs and trade-offs involved."

Finance is the key enabler for climate action, and every source of finance available - public, multilateral and private - needs to be activated, with new models of blended finance "to ensure that climate progress fully extends to the Global South" the COP28 President said. "The world must now raise the bar to address the challenge we face - mobilizing trillions rather than billions," the COP28 President said.

Concluding the event, Dr. Al Jaber said "COP28 created a moment of hope in challenging times. Let's not waste it. Let's harness this positive energy to drive breakthrough progress".

The COP Presidencies Troika was formally launched last week to unite COP28 with the COP Presidencies of Azerbaijan and Brazil to "bridge the gap between COPs. It will lock in continuity, maintain momentum, and help anchor implementation of the historic UAE Consensus", Dr. Al Jaber said.

During his visit to Paris, Dr. Al Jaber also attended the second meeting of the UAE-France High-Level Business Council, where he reiterated the need for industries to double down their efforts to help to deliver the ambitions of the UAE Consensus.

PARIS, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Implementation of the UAE Consensus - the historic set of measures agreed on at COP28 that aim to keep the average global temperature rise below 1.5C - will require "unprecedented action" by global stakeholders, COP28 President Dr. Sultan Al Jaber said today, during an event at the Paris Headquarters of the International Energy Agency (IEA).

"The UAE Consensus raised the bar and set a clear path to keep our north star of 1.5C within reach," Dr. Al Jaber said during the event 'Beyond COP28: Time to Unite, Act, and Deliver the UAE Consensus'. The event was attended by ministers, ambassadors, industry executives and other leaders, including Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the IEA, Laurent Fabius, COP21 President and John Kerry, the United States Special Presidential Envoy for Climate.

Noting that at COP28 "solidarity overcame polarization, inclusivity prevailed over finger-pointing and the spirit of partnership brought the best of humanity together", which was key to achieving the UAE Consensus, Dr. Al Jaber asked attendees "to keep this spirit alive and build on the momentum achieved at COP28. The UAE Consensus set a new direction and a clear course correction. We must now turn an unprecedented agreement into unprecedented action. Now is the time for all stakeholders to step up" he added.

"All Parties who signed the UAE Consensus must work on enhancing their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), ahead of the next cycle in 2025. That work needs to start right now. They need to adopt comprehensive economy-wide emission reduction targets, that cover all greenhouse gases, are aligned with the science and keep 1.5C in reach" the COP28 President said.

All industries should leverage their technology, talent, and balance sheets to decarbonize at scale, Dr. Al Jaber said, as outlined in the UAE Consensus. COP28 also pushed the oil and gas industry to step up, with 40 percent of global oil production committing to zero methane emissions by 2030 and net zero by or before 2050. While describing these targets as "a good start, Dr. Al Jaber said "it must be built on. I will continue to push for more."

The UAE Consensus laid out a clear roadmap for keeping 1.5C within reach and delivered a series of world firsts across the climate agenda, including the first-ever agreement to transition away from fossil fuels, a target to triple renewable energy capacity by 2030, and a commitment to end deforestation in the same period.

However, the COP28 President warned that the "energy transition will lead to energy turmoil, if we only address the supply side of the energy equation." Addressing the demand side will "require smart policy incentives to commercialize nascent-zero carbon alternatives for heavy industry, like hydrogen" he said. "It will require massive investment in grid infrastructure to deliver renewable energy to the end user. And it will require governments and all relevant parties to be honest and transparent about the costs and trade-offs involved," he added.

Finance is the key enabler for climate action, and every source of finance available - public, multilateral and private - needs to be activated, with "we need new models of blended finance, leveraging concessional, catalytic and investment funds to ensure that climate progress fully extends to the Global South," the COP28 President said. Adding that "COP28 mobilized $85 billion in new pledges and commitments and launched the world's largest private investments vehicle for climate action - ALTERRA. This model can and should be replicated many times over".

With the commitment by developed nations to mobilize US $100 billion a year in climate finance having finally been met, and the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) on climate finance mandated to be agreed at COP29, "the world must raise the bar to address the challenges we face - mobilizing trillions rather than billions," Dr. Al Jaber said.

The UAE Consensus is now recognized as a landmark agreement reaffirming the UAE's position as a global leader in the international climate and development agenda. Delivered against a complex geopolitical backdrop, the UAE Consensus underscored the value of partnership and highlighted the power of multilateralism. This unprecedented agreement must now be met with unprecedented action from all stakeholders.

The COP28 President concluded by calling on the industries and countries represented at the event to support in "driving the progressive agenda of the UAE Consensus forward" and "COP28 created a moment of hope in challenging times. Let's not waste it. Let's harness this positive energy to drive breakthrough progress".

The COP Presidencies Troika (the Troika) was a key achievement of the COP28 Presidency and mandated in the UAE Consensus. The Troika was formally launched last week to unite COP28 with the COP Presidencies of Azerbaijan and Brazil and will enhance international cooperation to stimulate ambition in the next round of NDCs.

"The Troika will, for the first time, bridge the gap between COPs. It will lock in continuity, maintain momentum, and help anchor implementation of the historic UAE Consensus. It will aim to turn the commitments made at COP28 into concrete results." Dr. Al Jaber said.

During his visit to Paris, Dr. Al Jaber also attended the second plenary meeting of the UAE-France High-Level Business Council, where he reiterated the importance of moving to implementation of The UAE Consensus. The Council was established in January 2023 to enhance bilateral business between the UAE and France, with a specific focus on delivering impactful joint projects on climate action which harness the power and investment of the private sector.

The COP28 President emphasized the role of the Council and its members to drive economic, social and climate progress, highlighting a triple win for the climate, economies and the planet. "Platforms like the UAE-France High Level Business Council can help turn an unprecedented agreement into unprecedented action, by building on the strength of the economic ties between the UAE and France" Dr. Al Jaber said.

He concluded the event highlighting the role French companies in driving forward the energy transition, including TotalEnergies and Engie, highlight their existing efforts and calling on them to accelerate them to meet the ambitions set out in the UAE Consensus.

Notes to Editors COP28 UAE:

At the historic COP28, countries came together to deliver the UAE Consensus - the most ambitious and comprehensive set of negotiated outcomes to come out of the UNFCCC process since COP21.





The UAE Consensus includes an unprecedented reference to transitioning away from all fossil fuels in energy systems, in a just, orderly and equitable manner in this critical decade to enable the world to reach net zero emissions by 2050, in keeping with the science.





An important opportunity lies in working multilaterally on commitments to deliver high-ambition decisions at COP28, including through The UAE Consensus. This can lead to real economy action for 2030 and help with the setting of interim targets that strengthen the NDCs in 2025 in the lead-up to COP30.





During COP28, over $85 billion in funding was mobilized for climate action and over 11 pledges and declaration were launching receiving historic support. To help mobilize further financing for global climate action, the UAE launched ALTERRA, a $30 billion private finance vehicle which seeks to catalyze over $250 billion in investments by 2030.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/cop28-president-calls-for-unprecedented-action-from-every-government-business-and-industry-to-deliver-the-uae-consensus-during-iea-event-in-paris-302066010.html
Sudbury, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - February 20, 2024) - Magna Mining Inc. (TSXV: NICU) (OTCQB: MGMNF) (FSE: 8YD) ("Magna" or the "Company") is pleased to provide initial drilling results from the 2024 exploration program at Crean Hill, targeting the near surface advanced exploration area of the 109 FW Zone.

Highlights from the new assay results include:

109 FW Zone

MCR-24-060: 0.3% Ni, 2.0 % Cu, 8.6 g/t Pt + Pd + Au over 14.0 metres

Including 1.1% Ni, 8.3 % Cu, 13.9 g/t Pt + Pd + Au over 3.0 metres

MCR-234-061: 0.6% Ni, 1.0 % Cu, 9.5 g/t Pt + Pd + Au over 14.7 metres

Including 1.6% Ni, 3.5 % Cu, 12.5 g/t Pt + Pd + Au over 2.9 metres

And 2.2% Ni, 1.2 % Cu, 28.7 g/t Pt + Pd + Au over 1.0 metres

MCR-24-065: 0.2% Ni, 1.1 % Cu, 11.4 g/t Pt + Pd + Au over 10.2 metres

Including 1.5% Ni, 10.7 % Cu, 16.0 g/t Pt + Pd + Au over 0.7 metres

Dave King, SVP Technical Services stated, "Drilling results reported today are from the near surface portion of the 109 FW Zone. The objective of the current drilling is to define the continuity of the high grade core of the zone, and the limits of the low-sulphide, high precious metal mineralized envelope. The 2024 drilling to date confirms the continuity of metre scale massive sulphide veins, grading up to 1.1% Ni, 8.3% Cu and 13.9 g/t Pt + Pd +Au over 3.0 metres, within a broader mineralized breccia averaging approximately 12 to 15 metres wide, and grading up to 0.3% Ni, 2.0 % Cu, 8.6 g/t Pt + Pd + Au over 14.0 metres (Figure 1 and 2). Data acquired will be used to update the 109 FW zone geological model and will facilitate planning of our Advanced Exploration program scheduled to commence in the second half of 2024."

Currently two drills are active at Crean Hill, with one rig supporting Advanced Exploration planning, and six drillholes have been completed to date. A summary of assay results is presented in Table 1 and drillhole collars are presented in Table 2. A second drill has been focused on testing high-priority exploration targets in the footwall of the Crean Hill orebody. A third drill has recently been mobilized to the Shakespeare site and has commenced regional exploration drilling. Magna is fully funded to complete 25,000 metres of exploration drilling in 2024.

Table 1: Summary of Assay Results

Drillhole Zone

From

(m) To (m) Length

(m) Ni % Cu % Co % Pt g/t Pd g/t Au g/t TPM g/t NiEq MCR-24-060 109 FW

35.0 49.0 14.0 0.32 1.99 0.01 3.79 2.75 2.09 8.63 2.69



Including 40.0 43.0 3.0 1.11 8.33 0.03 3.38 5.96 4.58 13.93 7.38 MCR-24-061 109 FW

60.1 74.8 14.7 0.57 0.99 0.01 4.96 2.56 1.96 9.48 2.59



Including 62.1 65.0 2.9 1.62 3.45 0.03 5.38 4.39 2.77 12.54 5.34



and 71.8 72.8 1.0 2.23 1.15 0.05 15.04 4.25 9.44 28.73 7.48 MCR-24-063 109 FW

77.0 90.7 13.7 0.24 0.68 0.01 5.06 1.74 1.21 8.01 1.79



Including 80.0 80.9 0.9 0.52 3.22 0.01 3.47 5.46 5.21 14.15 4.64





97.5 107.7 10.2 0.83 1.22 0.02 2.11 3.52 7.07 12.69 3.88



Including 97.5 102.0 4.5 1.24 1.86 0.02 2.05 4.21 14.33 20.60 6.20 MCR-24-064 109 FW

77.0 85.0 8.0 0.26 0.25 0.01 6.49 3.40 2.09 11.97 2.37



and 93.0 94.4 1.4 0.23 1.54 0.01 4.93 6.33 4.03 15.29 3.77



and 96.7 104.7 8.0 0.09 0.21 0.00 1.70 1.46 0.98 4.13 0.93 MCR-24-065 109 FW

83.8 94.0 10.2 0.23 1.06 0.01 5.50 3.53 2.39 11.42 2.65



Including 89.7 90.4 0.7 1.52 10.74 0.03 3.60 11.51 0.88 15.99 9.39





105.4 109.0 3.6 0.16 0.26 0.01 3.02 1.63 0.87 5.52 1.20 MCR-24-066 109 FW

87.0 104.4 17.4 0.13 0.23 0.00 3.00 1.47 0.99 5.45 1.13



Including 99.0 103.0 4.0 0.23 0.40 0.00 5.72 3.12 2.14 10.98 2.25





111.0 120.0 9.0 0.10 0.21 0.00 2.86 1.28 0.68 4.82 0.97





130.0 134.0 4.0 0.04 0.03 0.00 3.20 1.38 0.83 5.40 0.93

All lengths are downhole length. True widths are estimated at 85-95% of downhole length.

NiEq % = ( (Ni% x 2204 x Ni Price $/lb) + (Cu% x 96% Recovery x 2204 x Cu Price $/lb) + (Co% x 56% Recovery x 2204 x Co Price $/lb) + (Pt gpt x 69% Recovery / 31.1035 x Pt $/oz) +(Pd gpt x 68% Recovery / 31.1035 x Pd $/oz) + (Au gpt x 68% Recovery / 31.1035 x Au $/oz))/2204 x Ni $/lb.

Metal prices in US$: $8.50/lb Ni, $3.75/lb Cu, $22.00/lb Co, $1000/oz Pt, $2000/oz Pd and $1,750/oz Au

Table 2: Drillhole Collar Coordinates

BHID Easting Northing Elevation Azimuth Dip Depth MCR-24-060 473079 5141768 296 317 58 76 MCR-24-061 473109 5141771 302 303 48 96 MCR-24-063 473126 5141759 304 310 48 112 MCR-24-064 473126 5141759 304 298 47 150 MCR-24-065 473126 5141759 304 293 56 131 MCR-24-066 473126 5141759 304 299 67 152

*Drillhole Coordinates are in coordinate system NAD 83 Zone 17





Figure 1: Plan View of the Crean Hill 109 FW zone at the 100ft level, showing location of Magna drilling.



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8002/198344_769a621ed4149904_002full.jpg





Figure 2: Vertical Section of the Crean Hill 109 FW zone looking North, showing location of Magna drilling.



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8002/198344_769a621ed4149904_003full.jpg

Qualified Person

The technical information in this press release has been reviewed and approved by David King, M.Sc., P.Geo. Mr. King is the Senior Vice President, Technical Services for Magna Mining Inc. and is a qualified person under Canadian National Instrument 43-101.

QA/QC

Sample QA/QC procedures for Magna have been designed to meet or exceed industry standards. Drill core is collected from the diamond drill and placed in sealed core trays for transport to Magna's core facilities. The core is then logged, and samples marked in intervals of up to 1.5m and cut with a diamond saw. Samples are then bagged in plastic bags with 10 bagged samples being placed into rice bags for transport to Swastika Laboratories in Kirkland Lake Ontario via Gardewine Transport. Samples are submitted in batches of 50 with 5 QA/QC samples including, 2 certified reference material standards, 2 samples of blank material and 1 duplicate.

About Magna Mining Inc.

Magna Mining is an exploration and development company focused on nickel, copper and PGM projects in the Sudbury Region of Ontario, Canada. The Company's flagship assets are the past producing Shakespeare and Crean Hill Mines. The Shakespeare Mine is a feasibility stage project which has major permits for the construction of a 4,500 tonne per day open pit mine, processing plant and tailings storage facility and is surrounded by a contiguous 180km2 prospective land package. Crean Hill is a past producing nickel, copper and PGM mine with a technical report dated July 2023. Additional information about the Company is available on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) and on the Company's website (www.magnamining.com).

For further information, please contact:

Jason Jessup

Chief Executive Officer

or

Paul Fowler, CFA

Senior Vice President

Email: info@magnamining.com

Cautionary Statement

This press release contains certain forward-looking information or forward-looking statements as defined in applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are not historical facts and are subject to several risks and uncertainties beyond the Company's control, including statements regarding the production at the Shakespeare and Crean HIll Mines, the economic and operational potential of the Shakespeare and Crean Hill Mines, potential acquisitions, plans to complete exploration programs, potential mineralization, exploration results and statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations, or intentions of the Company. Resource exploration and development is highly speculative, characterized by several significant risks, which even a combination of careful evaluation, experience and knowledge may not eliminate. All forward-looking statements herein are qualified by this cautionary statement. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information or future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/198344

SOURCE: Magna Mining Inc.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - February 20, 2024) - Wellfield Technologies Inc. (TSXV: WFLD) (the "Company" or "Wellfield") is pleased to announce its partnership with Banxa (TSXV: BNXA) aimed at driving growth for Coinmama, Wellfield's wholly owned subsidiary. In 2023, Wellfield completed a significant operational reorganization at Coinmama to improve efficiency and reach operational profitability, while also laying the groundwork for new product expansion and user growth initiatives. The partnership with Banxa begins new efforts for accelerated user growth, bringing Banxa's latest product enhancements to Coinmama's platform and strengthening Coinmama's position in the cryptocurrency market.

Levy Cohen, CEO of Wellfield, commented, "At Coinmama, simplifying our customers' blockchain journey is fundamental to our global appeal. Our partnership with Banxa underpins our commitment to future growth and operational strength, enhancing our trusted brand that brings millions of people onto the blockchain. Banxa's global Fiat-to-Crypto onboarding reach combined with our global brand and cutting-edge new products and services positions Coinmama for significant growth."

Holger Arians, Chairman and CEO, added, "Banxa prides itself for providing one of the industry's most robust Fiat-to-Crypto onboarding solutions for some of the biggest cryptocurrency brands like MetaMask, OKX, Trust Wallet and now Coinmama. Our recent product enhancements and regulatory milestones demonstrate Banxa's attraction as strategic partners for leading cryptocurrency businesses and we are proud to partner with Wellfield to support the growth and expansion of their globally recognized brand, Coinmama."

Direct Benefit to Coinmama Customers

Through Wellfield's partnership with Banxa, bolstered by their robust regulatory solutions and operational excellence, Coinmama customers receive access to a premier gateway for seamlessly transferring funds into the blockchain. Combined with our recently announced and future product enhancements, Banxa's efficient fund transfer process and advanced tools enable Coinmama to deliver a secure, compliant, and unparalleled journey into the blockchain ecosystem.

About Wellfield Technologies

Wellfield Technologies, Inc. (TSXV: WFLD) is a leading fintech company specializing in innovative solutions leveraging blockchain technology. Our platform Coinmama (web and Mobile app), provides seamless access to the cryptocurrency market for over 3.5 million registered users across 180 countries. We offer disruptive on-chain and web3 secure and friendly self-custody solutions through Coinmama. Additionally, Wellfield operates Tradewind Markets platform to digitize and trade real-world assets, including our flagship VaultChain Gold and VaultChain Silver products. Expanding our offerings for institutional clients, we present Brane Trust Company Limited aiming to operate in Alberta Canada's second qualified digital asset custodian.

Join Wellfield's digital community on LinkedIn and Twitter, and for more details, visit wellfield.io.

For further information contact:

Wellfield Technologies Inc.

Levy Cohen, CEO

levyc@wellfield.io

(832) 483-2575

Ryan Graybill, Investor Relations

ryan.graybill@wellfield.io

Cautionary Notice on Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking information" ("forward-looking information") within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking information and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that discusses predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking information. Forward-Looking statements in this news release include statements regarding: reentry into the UK market through third party business relationships; objectives of the Company and business; expansion of product offerings; the Company's ability to grow its user base, revenue-generating potential, and competitive differentiation through the integration of Fireblocks' and Banxa's solutions into Wellfield's subsidiary businesses; the anticipated strategic, operational and competitive benefits of recent business developments, which are based on the Company's current internal expectations, estimates, projections, assumptions and beliefs, which may prove to be incorrect. In disclosing the forward-looking information contained in this press release, the Company has made certain assumptions. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking information are reasonable, it can give no assurance that the expectations of any forward-looking information will prove to be correct. Known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: the successful completion of the Acquisition; the successful Registration of Brane Trust with the Alberta Government; the failure of the Tradewind, Coinmama, or Brane Trust acquisitions to result in the anticipated strategic, operational and competitive benefits; the ability of the Company to raise additional capital to fund future operations; compliance with extensive government regulations, domestic and foreign laws and regulations adversely affecting the Company and the decentralized finance industry generally, in Canada and abroad; and general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive and readers are encouraged to review the disclosure documents accessible on the Company's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, changes in factors affecting such forward-looking information or otherwise.

The TSX Venture Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/198532

SOURCE: Wellfield Technologies Inc.
Singapore-based VC Firm Farquhar Venture Capital Partners With TZ APAC

Singapore-based early-stage venture capital firm Farquhar VC has partnered with Asias leading Tezos blockchain Incubator, TZ APAC, to support new talent in Asia.

In an announcement, Farquhar VC said it plans to co-invest alongside the Tezos blockchain development team into upcoming Web3 games being built on the blockchain.

Farquhar VC has backed startups works closely with early-stage startups in Southeast Asia and has invested in 40 startups, including firms such as Spark Systems, Fairphonic, and Beep Technologies. The firm will announce the first investment in a Tezos game in the next few weeks, a spokesperson told Cryptonews.

After recent investments into Game-tech startups such as Lockpick Learning and the EMERGE Group, this partnership is a timely opportunity to enter into the world of Web3 and to partake in its exponential growth, said Farquhar VC managing partner and chief investment officer Jason Su, said in a press release.

Tezos Blockchain Incubator TZ Apac



Farquhar VC said this partnership with the Tezos blockchain Incubator TZ Apac, will allow the firm to commit financing from existing or upcoming thematic funds into upcoming Web3 game startups and projects that will utilise the Tezos Blockchain.

TZ APAC is a Web3 community for creators and developers, with teams across Asia. TZ APAC nurtures the next generation of Web3 gaming, NFT, and DeFi champions in the region. The projects would receive funding and other support from TZ Apac. The incubator is supported by the Tezos Foundation and headquartered in Singapore, TZ APAC is accelerating Tezos as the blockchain of choice in Asia.

What is Tezos?



Tezos is a blockchain network hosting the associated digital token Tez (XTZ) and facilitates user participation in decentralized finance (DeFi), decentralized applications and non-fungible token (NFT) projects. This latest partnership shows there is interest in the Tezos gaming ecosystem.

It is possible to mint NFTs using Tezos. Creating a Tezos NFT will cost users only a fraction of a tez in transaction fees. Tezos claims that NFTs on Tezos are energy-efficient as well, with a carbon footprint similar to the energy consumption of sending a single tweet.

Singapore Remains a Hub for Innovation



Although Singapore remains a relatively crypto-friendly jurisdiction in Asia. Earlier this month, Singapores web3 community voiced a critical need for government support. According to a recent report by The Straits Times, Singaporean firms are specifically looking for help in two key areas: developing a skilled talent pool equipped with blockchain technology expertise and strengthening defenses against cyber threats.

In December, Singapores regulatory body the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) announced plans to begin piloting the digital currency E-CNY  also known as the digital yuan, in collaboration with China to encourage tourism spending.

As reported by Cryptonews in 2023, Singapore emerged as the top crypto-friendly destination for crypto millionaires seeking tax-friendly havens to protect their crypto assets.
WESTMINSTER, CA / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / BioLargo, Inc. (OTCQB:BLGO), a cleantech developer that creates innovative technologies to solve demanding environmental challenges, announced that Larry Dick, a member of the board of directors of the Municipal Water District of Orange County, California (MWDOC) and former Vice Chairman of the board of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWDSC), has joined the board of directors of its water equipment subsidiary (BioLargo Equipment Solutions & Technologies; www.bestPFAStreatment.com). Larry brings his relationships and years of experience in water management to help BioLargo commercialize its portfolio of innovative, sustainable water treatment technologies, including its revolutionary technology to treat water contaminated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

Over the past 20 years, Larry has held leadership positions including Vice Chairman at the MWDSC, the largest drinking water agency in the United States. Throughout that time, he also served as President of the Board of Directors of MWDOC and held positions at the Association of California Water Agencies, the Water Advisory Committee of Orange County, and the Urban Water Institute. He is a dedicated public servant committed to delivering safe, sustainable, affordable water to Californians.

In joining the board of BioLargo's equipment subsidiary, Larry brings long-established business relationships and connections in the water industry as BEST begins to commercialize its innovative water treatment solutions. He aims to help build the company's reputation and secure new partnerships and opportunities for growth in the Southern California area.

Larry commented, "Improving the quality and access of Americans' water has been my life's work for the past two decades. I joined the board of BioLargo's water equipment and PFAS solutions company because of how clear to me it is that this same mission - improving and safeguarding our water - is a core value for all their team members."

About BioLargo Equipment Solutions & Technologies

BioLargo Equipment Solutions & Technologies, Inc. sells and distributes sustainable, best-in-class water treatment systems that solve some of the toughest challenges in the modern water industry. From PFAS capture and destruction to water reuse technologies, every system delivers on a promise of uncompromising technical performance, sustainable energy usage and waste generation metrics, and clear ROI for operations that use them. Its website is www.bestPFAStreatment.com. BioLargo Equipment Solutions & Technologies, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of BioLargo, Inc., a cleantech innovator and environmental engineering solutions provider dedicated to make life better through technological innovation.

About BioLargo, Inc.

BioLargo, Inc. (OTCQB:BLGO) is a cleantech and life sciences innovator and engineering services solution provider. Our core products address PFAS contamination, achieve advanced water and wastewater treatment, control odor and VOCs, improve air quality, enable energy-efficiency and safe on-site energy storage, and control infections and infectious disease. Our approach is to invent or acquire novel technologies, develop them into product offerings, and extend their commercial reach through licensing and channel partnerships to maximize their impact. See our website at www.BioLargo.com.

Contact Information

Dennis P. Calvert

President and CEO, BioLargo, Inc.

888-400-2863

Safe Harbor Act

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include without limitation those about BioLargo's (the "Company") expectations regarding anticipated revenue; and plans for future operations. These statements involve risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially from any future results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties include without limitation: the effect of regional economic conditions on the Company's business, including effects on purchasing decisions by consumers and businesses; the ability of the Company to compete in markets that are highly competitive and subject to rapid technological change; the ability of the Company to manage frequent introductions and transitions of products and services, including delivering to the marketplace, and stimulating customer demand for, new products, services, and technological innovations on a timely basis; the dependency of the Company on the performance of distributors of the Company's products. More information on these risks and other potential factors that could affect the Company's business and financial results is included in the Company's filings with the SEC, including in the "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" sections of the Company's most recently filed periodic reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q and subsequent filings. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements or information, which speak as of their respective dates.

SOURCE: BioLargo, Inc.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 20, 2024) - Bear Creek Mining Corporation (TSXV: BCM) (OTCQX: BCEKF) (BVL: BCM) ("Bear Creek" or the "Company") announces that Mr. Fernando Ragone has informed the Company of his intent to resign as Chief Financial Officer ("CFO") effective March 8, 2024 in order to pursue an alternative career opportunity.

Bear Creek has made an offer of employment to a highly qualified CFO successor, who has accepted the offer. Further details will be announced as soon as possible.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Eric Caba

President & Chief Executive Officer

For further information contact:

Barbara Henderson - VP Corporate Communications

Phone: 604-685-6269

E-mail: barb@bearcreekmining.com

www.bearcreekmining.com

Subscribe to Bear Creek Mining news

Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains forward-looking statements regarding the replacement of the Company's CFO. These forward-looking statements are provided as of the date of this news release and are based on the Company's knowledge of the experience, skills and reputation of the successor CFO and the Company's expectation that an announcement identifying the CFO successor will occur in due course. These forward-looking statements reflect predictions, expectations or beliefs regarding future events based on the Company's beliefs at the time the statements were made, as well as various assumptions made by and information currently available to them. Although management considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information available to it, they may prove to be incorrect. By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, and risks exist that estimates, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved or that assumptions on which they are based do not reflect future experience. We caution readers not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements as a number of important factors could cause the actual outcomes to differ materially from the expectations expressed in them. These risk factors may be generally stated as the risk that the assumptions and estimates expressed above do not occur, and the additional risks described in the Company's latest Annual Information Form, and other disclosure documents filed by the Company on SEDAR+. The foregoing list of factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. When relying on our forward-looking statements, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time by the Company or on behalf of the Company, except as required by law.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/198519

SOURCE: Bear Creek Mining Corporation
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - February 20, 2024) - Benton Resources Inc. ("Benton" or the "Company") (TSXV: BEX) is pleased to announce that the Company will be attending the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada ("PDAC") conference on March 3-6, 2024, in Toronto, Canada. Benton's representatives, including members of senior management, technical staff, and investor relations, will be happy to meet with investors and other interested parties at its Booth 3111 (Core Shack) and 2117 (Investors Exchange) at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

Benton is also excited to announce that it has been invited to participate at the Canada's Atlantic Edge event organized by the Atlantic Canada Mining Alliance. Please see details below.

Date: Tuesday, March 5, 2024

Location: Ontario/ Niagara Room, Intercontinental Hotel, adjoins Metro Toronto Convention Centre

Time: Technical Sessions will take place at 9 am - 4:30 pm ET, followed by a B2B reception

Benton's Presentation: President and CEO Stephen Stares will be presenting at 2:10 pm ET

Benton is inviting investors to attend the event and speak to the Management. Registration is free and available at: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/canadas-atlantic-edge-mining-investment-event-pdac-toronto-2024-tickets-795240344277.

For more information on the event, please check https://www.atlanticcanadaminingalliance.com and reach out to edmoriarty@miningnl.com or sobrien@miningnl.com.





Image 1

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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About Benton Resources Inc.

Benton Resources is a well-financed mineral exploration company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol BEX. Following a project generation business model, Benton has a diversified, highly prospective property portfolio of gold, silver, nickel, copper, platinum group elements and, most recently, lithium and cesium assets. In addition, it currently holds large equity positions in other mining companies that are advancing high-quality assets. Whenever possible, BEX retains net smelter return (NSR) royalties with potential long-term cash flow.

Benton is currently focused on advancing its high-grade Copper-Gold Great Burnt Project in central Newfoundland, which has a Mineral Resource estimate of 442,000 tonnes @ 2.50% Cu Indicated and 829,000 @ 2.11% Cu Inferred. The Project has an excellent geological setting covering 25 km of strike and boasts six known Cu-Au-Ag zones over 15 km that are all open for expansion. Further potential for discovery is excellent given the extensive number of untested geophysical targets and Cu-Au soil anomalies. The Phase 1 drill program consisting of over 5,650 metres has just been wrapped and results include 25.42 m of 5.51% Cu, including 9.78 m of 8.31% Cu, and 1.00 m of 12.70% Cu from hole GB-23-12. Preparation for Phase 2 drilling is underway.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Benton Resources Inc.,

"Stephen Stares"

Stephen Stares, President

Parties interested in seeking more information about properties available for option can contact Mr. Stares at the number below.

For further information, please contact:

Stephen Stares, President & CEO

Phone: 807-475-7474

Email: sstares@bentonresources.ca

Iryna Zheliasko, Investor Relations

Phone: 647-249-9298 ext. 322

Email: iryna@grovecorp.ca

Website: www.bentonresources.ca

Twitter: @BentonResources

Facebook: @BentonResourcesBEX

THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE HAS NOT REVIEWED AND DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

The information contained herein contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking statements relate to information that is based on assumptions of management, forecasts of future results, and estimates of amounts not yet determinable. Any statements that express predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not statements of historical fact and may be "forward-looking statements."

Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation: risks related to failure to obtain adequate financing on a timely basis and on acceptable terms; risks related to the outcome of legal proceedings; political and regulatory risks associated with mining and exploration; risks related to the maintenance of stock exchange listings; risks related to environmental regulation and liability; the potential for delays in exploration or development activities or the completion of feasibility studies; the uncertainty of profitability; risks and uncertainties relating to the interpretation of drill results, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits; risks related to the inherent uncertainty of production and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses; results of prefeasibility and feasibility studies, and the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations; risks related to gold price and other commodity price fluctuations; and other risks and uncertainties related to the Company's prospects, properties and business detailed elsewhere in the Company's disclosure record. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Company's expectations or projections.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/197818

SOURCE: Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC)
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 20, 2024) - Prismo Metals Inc. (CSE: PRIZ) (OTCQB: PMOMF) ("Prismo" or the "Company") is pleased to announce results from its ongoing exploration program at Los Pavitos, a 100% owned 5,300 ha Project in the well-mineralized Alamos region of southern Sonora State, Mexico. Exploration work reported here includes drilling of 4 new zones in an area of 1.5 by 3 km. Combined with earlier reported work (See Press Releases of October 17th and December 5th, 2023), positive results have been obtained from Las Auras, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz Southeast, La Espanola and Oromuri structures in the northern half of the property (Fig. 1). The southern half of the property will be explored in 2024 with pioneering drilling throughout the property.

The 2023 exploration program included geologic mapping, sampling and drilling designed to determine the overall mineralization style(s) and geometry of structures in the northern half of the project. This included the first ever drilling at Pavitos. Prismo drilled 2,370 meters of HQ core in 25 relatively shallow (max 171 m) holes into 7 mineralized structures up to 1.5 km long.

The final eight holes of the 2023 program are reported here. These tested four widely-spaced structures distant from areas of previously reported strong gold drill results and areas of historical artisanal mining (See Press Releases of October 17th and December 5th, 2023). The best results (2.6 g/t Gold over 0.5m and 1.18 g/t Gold over 0.5m ) come from shallow (<120m) holes in the Las Auras and Oromuri structures and clearly indicate that the northwest corner of the claim has significant potential for more widespread mineralization and warrants further drilling (See Figures 1 & 2 and Table 1).

Additionally, a new zone with several structures was identified and sampled in the previously unexplored northeastern portion of the project area (See Table 2). Surface sampling along the northeastern projection of the gold and silver-rich Santa Cruz structure (See Press Releases of October 17th and December 5th, 2023) yielded the highest silver assay from the project to date: 1,130 g/t Ag, with 1.33 g/t Au over 0.15 meter. Other results from this new work area include numerous samples reporting anomalous gold and the pathfinder elements arsenic and bismuth (As and Bi) (Table 1). None of these structures have yet been drilled and remain priority drilling targets.

"With only 25 holes drilled into 9 structures and less than half the property sampled systematically, it's pretty exciting when the first-ever drilling in new, previously untested outlying structures reports appreciable gold. We are obviously looking forward to continued drilling on them," commented Dr. Craig Gibson, President and CEO. "Finding kilo-plus silver in the undrilled extension of a structural zone where we've previously drilled good gold and silver grades significantly adds to that excitement and reinforces our geologic concept that Pavitos saw multiple mineralizing events."





Figure 1. Los Pavitos project map with new drilling, sampling and geology on Lidar base.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7434/198513_prismoimage1.jpg





Figure 2. Drill hole map for the Los Pavitos Project. Blue circles are drill holes that have been completed, yellow highlights indicate new holes reported in this release.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7434/198513_prismoimage2.jpg

Table 1. Selected drill intercepts from the Los Pavitos project

Hole From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Au

g/t Ag

g/t Pb % Zn % Santa Cruz West LP-SC-23-15 No significant values LP-SC-23-16 No significant values Las Auras LP-AU-23-04 36.61 37.11 0.50 2.61 9.7 0.09 0.07 52.75 53.05 0.30 1.47 20.1 0.01 1.47 LP-AU-23-05 111.90 112.45 0.55 0.70 8.8 0.01 0.70 LP-AU-23-06 No significant values LP-AU-23-07 No significant values Oromuri LP-OR-23-01 108.48 109.00 0.52 1.18 0.8 0.00 0.00 Espanola LP-ES-23-01 No significant values

Au by fire assay for all holes except LP-SC-23-16 & LP-Au-23-04, by ICP. True widths unknown at this time.

2023 Pavitos Mapping and Sampling Program

To date less than half of the property has been systematically mapped and sampled, but already 5 structures traced over 0.5 to 1.5 km each have been identified along with several smaller structures, and have been shallowly drilled with positive results. There are now approximately 1,500 outcrop chip samples and 25 trenches totalling 698 meters in length have been dug with about 350 samples.

Reconnaissance work outside the area that has been systematically explored has identified several areas with anomalous gold values and appreciable pathfinder elements values or with the presence of metals associated with the mineralization at the project, areas where exploration will be continued. The exploration program has been successful with overall results that fit the mineralization model, but detailed mapping and sampling have shown that there are additional key features than at first appeared, providing expanded potential for discovery.

"The results of this first ever drill program at Los Pavitos indicate that we may be able to refine additional exploration targets through a drone based magnetic survey supported by ground-based geophysics and more detailed surface mapping," concluded Dr. Gibson.

Table 2. Drill hole data for the holes in this release

Hole Target Easting Northing Elev Azim Incl Depth (m) LPSC-23-15 Santa Cruz West 676,700 3,001,736 232 130 -50 132.00 LPSC-23-16 Santa Cruz West 676,732 3,001,777 226 130 -45 96.00 LPAU-23-04 Las Auras 674,712 3,003,803 190 210 -47 144.00 LPAU-23-05 Las Auras E 674,779 3,003,830 180 210 -45 171.00 LPAU-23-06 Las Auras E 675,339 3,003,664 190 200 -45 57.80 LPAU-23-07 Las Auras 674,884 3,003,271 175 185 -45 52.50 LPOR-23-01 Oromuri 674,420 3,002,616 196 314 -45 162.00 LPES-23-01 La Espanola 675,390 3,002,811 202 290 -47 102.00

Coordinates in UTM WGS84 using handheld Garmin GPS.

Table 3. Highlight rock chip assays from Los Pavitos

Sample Type Style Width (m) Easting Northing Au_g/t Ag g/t As_ppm Bi_ppm Southeast Santa Cruz zone













543654 Chip Oxidation 0.15 677762 3002358 1.33 1,130 >10.000 0.6 543653 Chip Oxidation 0.1 678108 3002454 0.18 77.1 1,815 0.2 Eastern zone













543669 Chip Oxidation 0.5 678,498 3,001,703 0.16 0.4 362 1.7 543668 Chip Oxidation 1.0 678,499 3,001,698 2.14 2.2 >10,000 17.4 543642 Chip Breccia 1.0 678,566 3,001,841 0.82 6.1 >10,000 7.8 543643 Chip Breccia 1.0 678,578 3,001,856 0.11 5.6 >10,000 1.9 543644 Chip Breccia 1.0 678,648 3,001,900 0.24 3.4 3,730 1.1 543646 Chip Oxidation 0.4 678,750 3,001,945 0.25 4.4 3,950 2.0 543664 Chip Veinlets 1.0 679,096 3,001,934 0.55 7.9 692 4.7 543663 Chip Veinlets 1.0 679,096 3,001,935 0.49 5.1 344 4.6 543662 Chip Veinlets 0.45 679,097 3,001,935 0.34 3.7 885 1.9 543659 Chip Veinlets 1.5 679,100 3,001,941 1.82 2.7 5,130 2.0 543661 Chip Veinlets 1.5 679,100 3,001,939 0.60 3.5 729 2.6 543671 Chip Oxidation 0.3 679,154 3,001,968 0.12 9.0 2,220 6.4 543672 Chip Oxidation 1.0 679,155 3,002,083 0.03 0.1 44 0.9 543727 Chip Vein 0.4 679,156 3,001,949 2.66 2.6 >10,000 1.7 543673 Chip Oxidation 1.0 679,311 3,002,175 0.68 0.4 17.2 1.1 543687 Chip Vein 1.0 679,353 3,002,365 0.16 16.2 416 6.0 543686 Chip Vein 1.0 679,355 3,002,365 0.34 21.9 714 2.7 543688 Chip Vein 1.0 679,356 3,002,367 0.64 22.7 673 26.3 543681 Chip Stockwork 0.5 679,544 3,001,897 0.60 3.1 923 1.3 543716 Chip Stockwork 0.5 679,547 3,001,899 0.50 4.8 953 0.9

About Los Pavitos

The Los Pavitos project is a 5,289-hectare property located in southern Sonora State, Mexico (Figure 4). Pavitos lies 25 km west of the well-mineralized Alamos District, which encompasses several active exploration and mining projects, including the past producing Alamo Dorado mine of Pan American Silver, the Piedras Verdes copper mine of Cobre de Mayo and the Alamos and Aurifero vein projects being explored by Minaurum Gold Inc. Infrastructure is excellent with paved highway access, electricity and water. The project, which was generated by geologist and Prismo Metals Board Member Rafael Gallardo, is believed to have potential for both the typical epithermal veins of the Alamos district and "orogenic" or shear-hosted gold hosted in the highly metamorphosed basement rocks that crop out sparingly below the region's extensive blanket of mid-Tertiary volcanic rocks. Los Pavitos lies along the projection of the Caborca Orogenic Gold Belt (Fig. 4) and the fabric and style of metamorphic deformation of the basement rocks is similar to that elsewhere in the belt.

Pavitos was acquired from Minera Cascabel S.A. de C.V., a Mexican exploration and services company founded by Dr. Peter Megaw, an advisor to the Company (for terms see the Company's prospectus filed on SEDAR). The company completed a NI 43-101 Technical Report on the project in March 2021 available on SEDAR. Assays have been received for 1,384 surface rock samples taken by the company (excluding control samples); a further 347 samples were taken in 25 trenches cut across the main mineralized trends.





Figure 3. Location of the Los Pavitos project in southern Sonora State in relation to the Caborca Orogenic Gold Belt.



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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QA/QC

Rock samples taken by Prismo are analyzed by multielement ICP-AES and MS methods and by fire assay by ALS Group and Bureau Veritas, both internationally recognized analytical service providers. Gold is analyzed as part of an ICP package using a 15 or 25-gram aqua regia digestion and is also analyzed by Fire Assay with an AA finish. Au overlimits >10 g/t are analyzed by fire assay with a gravimetric finish. Ag over 100g/t and Cu, Pb and Zn over 1% re-analyzed by the by overrange ICP methods. Certified Reference Materials including standard pulps and coarse blank material were inserted in the sample stream at regular intervals.

Dr. Craig Gibson, PhD., CPG., a Qualified Person as defined by NI-43-01 regulations and President, CEO and a director of the Company, has reviewed and approved the technical disclosures in this news release.

About Prismo

Prismo (CSE: PRIZ) is mining exploration company focused on two precious metal projects in Mexico (Palos Verdes and Los Pavitos) and a copper project in Arizona (Hot Breccia).

Please follow @PrismoMetals on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.

Prismo Metals Inc.

1100 - 1111 Melville St., Vancouver, British Columbia V6E 3V6

Contact:

Craig Gibson, President & Chief Executive Officer craig.gibson@prismometals.com



Jason Frame, Manager of Communications jason.frame@prismometals.com

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements other than statements of historical fact, including without limitation, statements regarding the anticipated content, commencement and exploration program results, the ability to complete future financings, required permitting, exploration programs and drilling, and the anticipated business plans and timing of future activities of the Company, are forward-looking statements. Forward-Looking statements are 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. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct.

The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements by the Company are not guarantees of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, the state of the financial markets for the Company's equity securities, the state of the commodity markets generally, variations in the nature, the analytical results from surface trenching and sampling program, including diamond drilling programs, the results of IP surveying, the results of soil and till sampling program. the quality and quantity of any mineral deposits that may be located, variations in the market price of any mineral products the Company may produce or plan to produce, the inability of the Company to obtain any necessary permits, consents or authorizations required, including CSE acceptance, for its planned activities, the inability of the Company to produce minerals from its properties successfully or profitably, to continue its projected growth, to raise the necessary capital or to be fully able to implement its business strategies, the potential impact of COVID-19 (coronavirus) on the Company's exploration program and on the Company's general business, operations and financial condition, and other risks and uncertainties. All of the Company's Canadian public disclosure filings may be accessed via www.sedarplus.ca and readers are urged to review these materials, including the technical reports filed with respect to the Company's mineral properties.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/198513

SOURCE: Prismo Metals Inc.
Elligo Health Research, the largest healthcare-enabling research organization, today announced a new collaboration with WHYZE Health, an Ireland-based company.

WHYZE Health is an AI Data-as-a-Service platform that enhances the way healthcare data is collected, managed, and analyzed, thereby enabling healthcare providers to elevate patient care and democratize clinical trial access. This collaboration expands end-to-end clinical trial support to hospitals and medical practices across the U.K. and Europe, meaning more research sites will have comprehensive services to begin providing clinical research as care for patients or to fill in gaps in existing research capabilities.

Through the strategic combination of Elligo's business development and clinical trials financial expertise and WHYZE's state-of-the-art AI DaaS platform streamlining patient suitability and recruitment, this partnership will significantly expand the number of community-based healthcare research sites in the U.K. and Europe while improving the diversity of trial enrollees internationally. Health systems, hospitals, and medical practices are provided wraparound support by WHYZE and Elligo to ensure trial enrollment, timeliness, and quality expectations are achieved.

"European expansion is part of a multi-pronged strategy to bring research services to as many clients as possible at a time when there is regulatory pressure to test drugs on patients who better reflect the diversity of the overall population," said Elligo CEO Barry Simms. "The global challenge we all face today is supporting research-naive sites to participate in clinical research trials. Expanding support to more healthcare settings will continue to attract more diverse patients for trials worldwide. We look forward to partnering with WHYZE in this effort."

"Our alliance with Elligo Health Research represents a quantum leap in healthcare innovation, where WHYZE's advanced AI Data-as-a-Service platform meets the clinical acumen of global research networks, setting a new gold standard in patient-centric care and inclusivity in clinical trials across Europe," said WHYZE Health CEO Frances Abeton. "At WHYZE Health, we are not just developing technology; we are shaping the future of patient empowerment and research accessibility, ensuring that every patient, regardless of their background, can benefit from the most advanced research."

About Elligo Health Research

Elligo Health Research accelerates clinical trials through EHR data, our proprietary IntElligo technology, and direct access to known, diverse patients from more than 115 hospitals and major health systems, 200 healthcare-based sites, and 100 research-based sites. Our PatientSelect model engages our network of networks to optimize the intersection of healthcare and research and bring more patients clinical research as a care option. Our SiteSelect model and Research Partner Services enable sites to seamlessly participate in trials, further advancing the development of new pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device and diagnostic products.

About WHYZE Health

WHYZE Health's pioneering AI Data as Service platform transforms healthcare by offering a scalable solution to comprehensively track patient outcomes during their healthcare journey, extending the clinical trial process into real-world scenarios. This transformation of the healthcare landscape harnesses valuable insights from real-world patient data, benefiting patients, healthcare providers, and the pharmaceutical and MedTech industries alike. WHYZE Health AI platform enables physicians to make informed decisions, ensuring the right treatment is prescribed for each patient. Furthermore, WHYZE addresses the existing data imbalance by democratising research access for healthcare providers, physicians, and patients, all based on their outcomes, thereby reshaping the healthcare industry.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240220257817/en/

Contacts:

Lindsey Langemeier

SCORR Marketing

+1 402-405-4269

pr@scorrmarketing.com
In a groundbreaking new study, alarming insights are unveiled about the technology platforms that offenders use to sexually abuse children online. The research surveyed over 30,000 online child sexual abuse material (CSAM) offenders and uncovers significant information to tackle the proliferation of online child sexual abuse and exploitation.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240220388317/en/

In a groundbreaking new study, alarming insights are unveiled about the technology platforms that offenders use to sexually abuse children online. Photo: Protect Children

The research reveals that 40% of CSAM offenders have attempted to contact a child. 70% of them sought contact with a child online, mainly through social media, online gaming, or messaging platforms, with Instagram, Facebook, and Discord being the most exploited social media platforms. End-to-end encrypted messaging apps, Telegram, WhatsApp, and Signal were highlighted as common tools for these illicit activities. These messaging apps are favoured by offenders due to the security and privacy offered by end-to-end encryption, which allows them to commit crimes without fear of detection.

On 20 February, Protect Children will present the research for the first time at the European Parliament. The event will facilitate an active dialogue with policymakers and tech industry representatives on the urgent need for tech to step up efforts to tackle online child sexual abuse and exploitation.

Tech industry must step up their efforts to keep children safe online

In response to these findings, Protect Children has outlined a series of actionable recommendations for the tech industry to step up efforts to combat online child sexual exploitation and abuse. These include adopting a children's rights-by-design approach in platform development, enhancing detection and removal of CSAM, and ensuring stringent age verification processes.

Protect Children urges tech companies not to implement end-to-end encryption on their services without appropriate safeguards to ensure access to evidence by law enforcement and maintain the ability to detect and report CSAM.

The research was conducted with the support of Safe Online. However, the opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed are those of the author Protect Children and do not necessarily reflect those of Safe Online.

Read the full press release here: https://www.suojellaanlapsia.fi/en/post/press-release-200224

Read the research report: https://www.suojellaanlapsia.fi/en/post/tech-platforms-child-sexual-abuse

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240220388317/en/

Contacts:

Nina Vaaranen-Valkonen, Executive Director, nina.vaaranen-valkonen@suojellaanlapsia.fi

+358 40 747 8829



Tegan Insoll, Head of Research, tegan.insoll@suojellaanlapsia.fi

+358 40 610 2000
MANCHESTER, England, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Smartkem, Inc. (OTCQB: SMTK), a company seeking to reshape the world of electronics with its disruptive organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs) that have the potential to drive the next generation of displays, today announced that it has entered into a joint development agreement with Shanghai Tianma Microelectronics Co., Ltd. to integrate Smartkem's Organic Thin-Film Transistor (OTFT) technology with Tianma's oxide transistors to develop OTFT-based microarray biochips.

Devices made using the combination of complementary transistor polarities (CMOS) will include logic gates, both analog and digital, and these will be used to amplify and process signals generated by TFT-based sensor devices.

Smartkem Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Ian Jenks comments, "This project is expected to demonstrate that Smartkem's unique technology can be used successfully to develop a new type of biochip using our OTFTs and Tianma's backplane. If successful, this collaboration could create another important market for our technology."

Whilst CMOS devices using oxide and OTFT have been trialled before with promising results published in scientific journals, this will be the first time that Smartkem's OTFTs will be combined with oxide transistors in a commercial setting. The high charge mobility organic transistors of Smartkem at short transistor channel lengths, which represents its ability to drive current, is intended to surpass the performance of previous test results of the OTFT/oxide combination. If successful, the company believes that the integration of OTFT on oxide will open the possibility of large area, high noise margin, low power logic devices for a range of sensor and internet of things (IOT) applications that do not require high frequency operation of CMOS silicon devices.

Oxide transistors are already scaled to Gen 8.5 substrates (2.25m x 2.5m) and Smartkem's solution processable OTFT is compatible with amorphous silicon (a-Si) process lines. a-Si processes currently run on Gen 10.5 substrates which are 2.94m x 3.37m in size. The overall production cost of the logic devices using organic-oxide CMOS is anticipated to be substantially lower than for silicon of the same size due to the low cost per area processes used for TFT fabrication. This is due to the substrate size difference, the largest Gen10.5 substrate being 135X larger in area than a 12" wafer.

The project involves collaborative work with Prof Xiaojun Guo's group at Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), which will be responsible for device architecture, process-to-design methodologies, and sensor integration. SmartKem and SJTU recently published a joint paper in Nature Communications on their work to integrate OTFT with III-V semiconductor micro-LED wafers for high brightness displays.

To read the Nature Communications article, visit: www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-42443-8

About Smartkem, Inc.

Smartkem is seeking to reshape the world of electronics with its disruptive organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs) that have the potential to drive the next generation of displays. Smartkem's patented TRUFLEX semiconductor and dielectric inks, or liquid electronic polymers, can be used to make a new type of transistor that has the potential to revolutionize the display industry. Smartkem's inks enable low temperature printing processes that are compatible with existing manufacturing infrastructure to deliver low-cost displays that outperform existing models. The company's electronic polymer platform can be used in a number of display technologies including microLED, miniLED and AMOLED displays for next generation televisions, laptops, augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) headsets, smartwatches and smartphones.

Smartkem develops its materials at its research and development facility in Manchester, UK and its semiconductor manufacturing processes at the Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) at Sedgefield, UK, It has a field application office in Taiwan. The company has an extensive IP portfolio including 125 granted patents across 19 patent families and 40 codified trade secrets. For more information, visit: www.smartkem.com and follow us on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/company/smartkem-limited and Twitter @SmartkemOTFT.

About Tianma Microelectronics Co., Ltd.

Tianma Microelectronics Co., Ltd. (Tianma) specializes in providing display solutions and associated support services worldwide. Tianma has experience in the display market for four decades.

Tianma has developed and possesses advanced technologies such as TN/STN, TFT-LCD, AMOLED, flexible displays, foldable displays, Mini/MicroLED, touch integration, HTD, CFOT, CUP, under screen fingerprint recognition, and intelligent sensors. The company has established advanced a-Si TFT-LCD, LTPS TFT-LCD, and AMOLED production lines in Shenzhen, Shanghai, Chengdu, Wuhan, Xiamen, Wuhu, and Akita, Japan.

Tianma supports a wide range of applications, e.g. displays for smart mobile terminals and vehicles, IT displays, professional displays, and non display. The company is committed to continuous innovation and better serving the differentiated needs of customers and applications.

Forward-Looking Statements

All statements in this press release that are not historical are forward-looking statements, including, among other things, statements relating to the Smartkem's expectations regarding its market position and market opportunity, expectations and plans as to its product development, manufacturing and sales, and relations with its partners and investors. These statements are not historical facts but rather are based on Smartkem Inc.'s current expectations, estimates, and projections regarding its business, operations and other similar or related factors. Words such as "may," will," "could," "would," "should," "anticipate," "predict," "potential," "continue," "expect," "intend," "plan," "project," "believe," "estimate," and other similar or elated expressions are used to identify these forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and assumptions that are difficult or impossible to predict and, in some cases, beyond the Company's control. Actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors, including those described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update information in this release to reflect events or circumstances in the future, even if new information becomes available.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/smartkem-announces-joint-development-agreement-with-tianma-302065433.html
Global thought leaders join advisory team to focus on Mestag's groundbreaking tertiary lymphoid structure (TLS) induction approach to treat solid tumors

CAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mestag Therapeutics ("Mestag"), a biotech company harnessing new insights into fibroblast-immune interactions to develop impactful treatments for patients, today announced the appointments of additional distinguished, world-leading advisors to guide the development of its lead program M300, a first-in-class antibody program designed to conditionally induce the formation of Tertiary Lymphoid Structures (TLS) in the tumor.

The new appointments expand Mestag's advisors and comprise a unique group of investigators with extensive experience in the development of novel cancer therapies and specific expertise in the field of TLS biology in cancer. TLSs are aggregates of immune cells which provide a site of entry and education for immune cells in the tumor. The presence of TLS in tumors has recently become recognized as strongly predictive of improved patient outcomes and better response to therapy.1,2,3,4

Susan Hill, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of Mestag Therapeutics, said, "Mestag's M300 program opens up a new paradigm for the treatment of solid tumors. Advances in understanding TLS biology in cancer, and the associated benefit to patient outcomes, have enabled us to design a first-in-class program with the potential to benefit large numbers of patients with cancer. We are honored to work with such an eminent group of experts in this field to drive the program urgently into the clinic."

The newly appointed M300 advisors comprise Prof. Gabriele Bergers, group leader at the Flanders Institute for Biotechnology (VIB) Center for Cancer Biology and Professor of Oncology at the University of Leuven in Leuven, Belgium; Prof. Julie R. Brahmer, Director of the Thoracic Oncology Program, Professor of Oncology at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, as well as the Marilyn Meyerhoff Professor in Thoracic Oncology; Prof. Jeffrey L. Browning, Research Professor at the Boston University School of Medicine in the Departments of Virology, Immunology and Microbiology and Rheumatology; Prof. Wolf H. Fridman, Professor Emeritus of Immunology at Universite Paris-Cite, France; Prof. Catherine Sautes-Fridman, Professor Emeritus at Universite Paris-Cite; Prof. Elizabeth M. Jaffee, Professor of Oncology and Deputy Director at The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins; and Prof. Ignacio Melero, Professor of Immunology at the Academic Hospital of Navarra and at the Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA) of the University of Navarra.

Ignacio Melero, MD, PhD, advisor to Mestag and Professor of Immunology at the Academic Hospital of Navarra and at the Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA) of the University of Navarra, said, "I look forward to collaborating with Mestag and to be a part of their world-class advisory team. I believe there is potential to develop transformative therapies for patients battling cancer. Mestag's novel approach leverages known immunobiology, which for the first time, is being translationally harnessed to stimulate an anti-cancer immune environment within cancer tissue. Recent evidence supports the beneficial role of tertiary lymphoid structures in cancer, and the ability of a therapy to safely increase their presence could result in an efficacious intervention in patients with solid tumors."

Biographical information

Gabriele Bergers, PhD, is a Professor of Oncology at the University of Leuven and a group leader at the Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB)-Center for Cancer Biology in Leuven since 2016. Before her move to the VIB, she was a Professor in the Department of Neurological Surgery and a PI in the Brain Tumor Research Center (BTRC) at the Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), for 20 years. She has made seminal discoveries about perivascular tumor niches regarding the vasculature and the immune cell compartment in regulating neovascularization, inflammation, and TLS formation in cancer and in revealing and understanding intrinsic and evasive resistance mechanisms of tumors to antiangiogenic immunotherapies. Dr. Bergers has received awards, including the Sidney Kimmel, the Sandler Opportunity, UCSF Breakthrough Biomedical Research, and the Judah Folkman. She has acted as an external advisory board member for a number of universities and pharmaceutical companies. Dr. Bergers was the Co-director of the Tumor Microenvironment Brain Tumor Center at UCSF and an advisor to the Max-Planck-Institute for Biomedicine in Muenster, Germany. She was a scientific co-founder of Oncurious.

Julie R. Brahmer, MD, is the Director of the Thoracic Oncology Program, Professor of Oncology at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, co-Leader of Cancer Immunology, as well as the Marilyn Meyerhoff Professor in Thoracic Oncology. She also directs the Kimmel Cancer Center on the Johns Hopkins Bayview campus and is co-principal investigator on Johns Hopkins' National Clinical Trials Network (NCTN) cooperative group grant. Dr. Brahmer is an active clinical leader in the treatment of lung cancer and mesothelioma. Dr. Brahmer's research and clinical practice focuses on the development of new therapies for the treatment of lung cancer and mesothelioma. She is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, serves on the board of directors of the Society of Immunotherapy for Cancer, and is the Chair of the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Thoracic Committee. She is also on the medical advisory board of several lung cancer patient advocacy groups including LUNGevity, the Lung Cancer Research Fund, and Lung Cancer Research Foundation of America.

Jeffrey L. Browning, PhD, is a Research Professor at the Boston University School of Medicine in the Departments of Virology, Immunology and Microbiology and Rheumatology. He has a PhD in biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin. As a research scientist in the immunobiology discovery group at Biogen from 1984 to 2012, he centered on the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) family of regulatory molecules, including the discovery of the lymphotoxin, B-cell activating factor (BAFF) and TNF-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK) systems, and translation of modulators of the lymphotoxin pathway to the clinic in indications ranging from autoimmune disease and inflammatory bowel disease to oncology. He joined Boston University School of Medicine in 2013, with a current focus on altered vascular and stromal states in the perivascular compartment in the skin of systemic sclerosis and lupus patients and the impact on the pathology. Early in his career, he undertook postdoctoral work in the biophysics department of the University of Basel, Switzerland, using nuclear magnetic resonance to study membrane structure; and in the neurobiology department at the University of California, San Francisco researching the neuromuscular junction.

Wolf H. Fridman, MD, is Professor Emeritus of Immunology at Universite Paris-Cite. He is an expert in analysis of the tumor microenvironment, demonstrating that context, including functionality, location and density of the immune infiltrate in colorectal tumors, is the major prognostic factor for human cancers. He is involved in developing bioinformatic tools to quantify tumor microenvironment cells used to predict prognosis and immunotherapeutic responses in renal cell and colorectal cancers and sarcomas. His immune classification of soft tissue sarcoma tumors helped demonstrate that TLS and B cell signatures predict favorable clinical outcomes and therapeutic responses to anti-PD-1 therapy better than T cells, findings recently extended to other cancers treated with immune checkpoint blockers. These showed plasma cells generated inside TLS produce anti-tumor antibodies associated with a patient's response to immunotherapy, opening the way for novel immune-based tools for efficient prognosis and therapy.

Catherine Sautes-Fridman, PhD, is Professor Emeritus at Universite Paris-Cite. She is the former Director of the Cancer, Immunology and Immunopathology department and Director of the Immunotherapy and Cancer team at Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers. Her research focuses on the heterogeneity of the immune and inflammatory components of the tumor microenvironment to identify new prognostic and theranostic markers. She carried out work in several fields: histocompatibility antigens, demonstration of the association of human leukocyte antigens (HLAs) with beta2-microglobulin and description of the 3rd histocompatibility locus in mice, H-2L and HLA-C in man, receptors for immunoglobulin G antibodies (biological activity and 3D structure), immuno-oncology (role of interleukin-17, TIME profiles of patients at risk of disease progression in localized kidney cancers, role of Tertiary Lymphoid Structures). She is the former President of the French Society of Immunology and European Federation of Immunological Societies. She founded the EFIS-EJI Ita Askonas Award to acknowledge female group leaders in immunology, and she founded the first European Congress of Immunology. She is Editor-in-Chief of La Revue Immunite et Cancer.

Elizabeth M. Jaffee, MD, is an internationally recognized expert in cancer immunology and pancreatic cancer. She is Deputy Director of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Co-Director of the Skip Viragh Pancreatic Cancer Center, and Associate Director of the Bloomberg Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy. Her research focus is on developing novel immunotherapies for the treatment and prevention of pancreatic cancer. Prof. Jaffee is a past President of AACR and has served on several committees at the National Cancer Institute. She is Chief Medical Advisor to the Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research, and the Inaugural Director of the Convergence Institute for Integrating Technologies and Computational Sciences at Johns Hopkins. She is Chair of President Biden's Cancer Panel.

Ignacio Melero, MD, PhD, is Professor of Immunology at the Academic Hospital of Navarra and at the Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA) of the University of Navarra. He leads a group working in translational tumor immunotherapy with an emphasis on cell therapy, cytokine gene therapy, and immune-stimulatory monoclonal antibodies. Earlier in his career, Dr. Melero contributed to seminal discoveries in the function of Natural Killer cells, and T-cell co-stimulation via CD137 (4-1BB). Dr. Melero has been awarded the BIAL Prize of Medicine, the Conde de Cartagena Award from the Royal Academy of Medicine, Doctor Durantez LAIR Foundation Award and a CRI research award. He has served on advisory boards of Bristol Myers-Squibb, Roche-Genentech, AstraZeneca, Merck Serono and Boehringer Ingelheim, and holds research grants by Pfizer, Bristol Myers Squibb, and Alligator.

About Mestag's M300 Program

M300 is a first-in-class antibody program designed to conditionally induce the formation of Tertiary Lymphoid Structures (TLS) in the tumor. TLSs are aggregates of immune cells that form in tumor tissue as part of our bodies' natural anti-cancer mechanisms, and drive powerful immune responses by recruiting, educating, and activating new anti-tumor T and B-cells. Fibroblast populations play a key role in the induction and maintenance of TLSs. TLSs in tumors are strongly predictive of both improved patient outcomes across solid tumor types and better response to therapy.1,2,3,4

About Mestag Therapeutics

Mestag harnesses new insights into fibroblast-immune interactions to develop impactful treatments for patients. We are progressing a pipeline of sophisticated first-in-class antibodies designed to improve the lives of patients with cancer and inflammatory disease. Together with our collaboration partner Janssen Biotech, Inc., a Johnson & Johnson company, we are also identifying novel targets for future therapies.

Our founding investigators comprise global experts in inflammatory disease, cancer, computational biology and fibroblast biology from the University of Oxford, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. We are supported by leading life science investors SV Health Investors, Johnson & Johnson Innovation - JJDC, Inc., Forbion, GV (formerly Google Ventures) and Northpond Ventures.

Mestag is headquartered in Cambridge, UK, and in 2021 was recognized on the Fierce 15 list of innovative biotechnology companies.

For further information please visit our website www.mestagtherapeutics.com

For enquiries, please contact:
The solution is live, in record time, for JonesTrading's Equities, Electronic Trading and Outsourced Trading business units

FlexTrade Systems (@FlexTrade), a global leader in multi-asset execution and order management systems, and JonesTrading, a leading global equity brokerage capital markets firm today announced the successful deployment of FlexOMS as the new sell-side trading platform for its equities and electronic trading businesses. The solution will also be the full-service technology platform for JonesTrading's growing outsourced trading offering.

JonesTrading partners with over 1,500 institutions and hedge funds, providing a range of liquidity sources, electronic trading and execution management services globally. As part of its regular strategic reviews of the technology solutions and vendor relationships that serve its various business units, JonesTrading identified the need to replace its incumbent sell-side OMS solution during Q3 of 2023. Following a comprehensive evaluation of the available options in the market, the firm chose FlexTrade's multi-asset sell-side trading order management solution, FlexOMS, as the optimal platform to expand upon their equities, outsourced, and electronic trading desks both now and in the future.

The project kicked off in 2023, with FlexOMS live and in production in record time, ultimately encompassing JonesTrading's equities, electronic trading, and outsourced trading desk. Using FlexOMS's open architecture and API-rich technology, the solution was also able to connect all of JonesTrading's vital downstream systems, including reporting, accounting, best execution, and finance systems, within the allotted deadline.

Jack Garceau, Chief Technology Officer at JonesTrading noted: "Firstly, our aggressive timelines meant that we needed to work with a partner who understood our business and offered flexible yet powerful technology solutions to meet our requirements. That was essentially the baseline. Equally crucial in our decision was selecting a partner that could value-add in addition to the technology by offering the services and long-term relationships that we need to continue to build out our service offerings. To continue growing, FlexTrade was that reliable partner that could meet our business needs from a technology perspective and deliver in the contracted time frame that the project demanded."

Rajiv Kedia, Principal Associate Founder at FlexTrade Systems added: "We are delighted to welcome JonesTrading to the FlexOMS global client community and appreciate the confidence they placed in FlexTrade. It has been a pleasure working with the highly knowledgeable team at JonesTrading and we are happy to see this solution in place. It demonstrates clearly what can be achieved with a tight, synchronized approach between client and technology partner when implementing flexible, open OMS solutions. Our open-architecture, client-first approach has delivered cutting-edge trading technology and seamless straight-through processing to JonesTrading's multiple business lines. We look forward to partnering further with JonesTrading to optimize and expand their use of FlexOMS to other business areas."

About FlexTrade

FlexTrade Systems is the global leader in high-performance trading technology, including multi-asset execution and order management systems that span across equities, fixed income, foreign exchange, futures, and options. We're recognized globally for our innovation lead by client-driven collaboration across order and execution management tools and solutions.

With a global presence in 45 countries, we work closely with both buy- and sell-side clients. Our team of over 500 dedicated software developers and industry specialists curate powerful, customized trading workflows across multiple asset classes. Our commitment to customer-centric innovation leads to breakthrough solutions that boost trading performance.

About JonesTrading

JonesTrading Institutional Services LLC is a leading global institutional trading broker dealer. Since 1975, JonesTrading's sole focus has been creating liquidity for institutional and corporate clients on an unconflicted basis. The ability to provide a secure trusted platform connecting a diverse group of market participants enables the firm to unlock liquidity, providing best-quality execution for larger and more complex trades. Member FINRA and SIPC.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240220754835/en/

Contacts:

Matthew Halicki

matthew.halicki@flextrade.com

o: +1 516-304-3672 516

m +1 516-287-3215


BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - Germany as well as Europe as a whole are set to see a massive decline in residential construction in the coming years due to rising costs, the think tank ifo institute said Tuesday, citing the latest projections by the Euroconstruct forecasting network.



Only about 1.5 million housing units are forecast to be built in Europe by 2026, which is a 13 percent decline on 2023, the ifo institute said. This translates to an expected decline of 35 percent in Germany.



'Due in particular to the sharp rise in construction and financing costs, it's often no longer possible to build new homes in Germany,' ifo construction expert Ludwig Dorffmeister said.



The lack of policy decisions is also impacting residential construction, the expert said.



'The resulting decline in the number of permits doesn't bode well for the coming years,' Dorffmeister added.



Among the 19 countries covered by the Euroconstruct, Sweden is projected to witness a 47 percent slump in the number of completions between now and 2026.



France and Denmark are forecast to see declines of 22 percent and 19 percent, respectively.



'Construction experts report in particular that private households must contend with higher borrowing costs and reduced financial leeway,' Dorffmeister added.



Meanwhile, Ireland, Slovakia, and the UK are projected to log double-digit gains during the period.



Europe is set to witness a 6.4 percent fall in investment in new residential buildings by 2026. Spending on maintenance and home renovations is expected to drop just 1.2 percent.



That said, Europe's civil engineering is projected to grow 7.5 percent by 2026 amid the expected above-average momentum in the energy and rail segments as well as in the water management segment.



Copyright(c) 2024 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Video-Workshop: Das kleine Einmaleins der Charttechnik In diesem kostenlosen Video-Workshop von Stefan Klotter lernen Sie alles uber Charttechnik. Lassen Sie sich diesen kostenfreien Workshop nicht entgehen! Hier klicken
Web3 Luxury Fashion House 9dcc Set to Debut First NFT-Linked Collection During Paris Fashion Week

9dcc, a luxury Web3 fashion house, will unveil its first full collection linked to Ethereum NFTs in France this week at Paris Fashion Week and NFT Paris.

Created by crypto influencer, Gmoney, 9dcc merges high-quality apparel with blockchain technology to create both an immersive and wearable experience.

The First Crypto-Centric Luxury Brand Pioneering Full Fashion Collection On-Chain



Each design from the fashion houses latest collection features a near-field communication (NFC) chip linked to an Ethereum NFT to enhance interoperability with both 9dcc and other wearers of the brand. Gmoneys vision for the collection extends beyond aesthetics.

9dcc is thrilled to unveil its groundbreaking collection of fashion and lifestyle Networked Products during NFT Paris and Paris Fashion Week, marking an exclusive debut that masterfully blends effortless luxury with digital innovation, a statement from the company reads.Conceived by the visionary mind of @gmoneyNFT, the first crypto-centric luxury brand presents a pioneering full fashion collection on-chain, setting a historic milestone in the fusion of high fashion with blockchain technology.

A Timeless Collection Featuring Modern Technology



Designed for the crypto mob, the latest collection features luxury pieces including classic ball caps, plaid jackets, and trousers for the crypto community and beyond.

Ernest wears the 9dcc Signature Essential Structured Ball Cap, a 9dcc Luxe Glen Plaid Blazer, 9dcc White Poplin Tailored Shirt, and 9dcc Leather Cargo Trouser





Footwear courtesy of adidas

Model: Ernest Klimko

Photo: Aldo Carrera pic.twitter.com/ZI3SgwqnBy  9dcc (@9dccxyz) February 20, 2024

In a February 20 interview on the Grateful Show, Gmoney discussed the importance of the collection subverting the criminal image given to crypto by bad actors such as FTX fraudster, Sam Bankman-Fried, by flipping it on its head through sophisticated pieces.

Taking style inspiration from classic American gangster style, the 9dcc founder highlighted the value of celebrating the positive attributes of those in the crypto space, including their capacity for risk-taking and innovation.

Crypto isnt SBF and Ponzis or whatever, Gmoney stated. Theres more to this.

9dccs Award Winning Legacy



Launched in August 2022, 9dcc takes its name from the last four digits of the Ethereum wallet of the house from which all product expressions of the brand will be born.

In late 2023, the company launched its Powered by 9dcc platform to support brands, creators, and artists to produce quality products with networked products technology.

Most recently, 9dcc took home Phygital Brand of the Year at the Phygicode Impact Awards at the 2023 World Economic Forum in Davos.

Currently, Gmoney is scheduled to speak on February 23 Morning at NFT Paris, with private appointments available throughout fashion week.

Interested consumers will be able to buy pieces from the collection in limited quantities this week in Paris as well as shop the full collection online starting this Friday.
CHARLOTTE, NC and LONDON, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Basware , a global leader in AP automation and invoice processing, has announced major global expansion plans as Bookings rose 52 per cent and Recurring Revenue Growth accelerated year-over-year (YoY) in 2023.

In 2023, Basware acquired Glantus alongside expanding its footprint globally, including markets such as APAC and Southern Europe. Basware has ambitious plans to continue its expansion across the US, Europe and APAC with further investment in customer growth, AI innovation, compliance and fraud prevention expected this year.

Last year, the company made several key hires including Jason Kurtz as CEO to lead the company's growth strategy. Basware also welcomed Steve Canning as Chief Revenue Officer and Mark Johnston as Chief Customer Success Officer to drive growth and value for customers throughout the sales and customer cycle.

Over 2023, following a rebrand and focus on AP (accounts payable) automation, Basware expanded with more than 100 high-profile brands including DHL Express and Alstom , while adding to its global portfolio of 900+ AP customers. It maintained a customer retention rate of 97.4 per cent, for brands that saw value to remain a Basware customer. In 2023, Basware handled over 220 million invoices and $900bn in invoice spend through its platform.

Basware continued to deliver innovative product solutions in 2023, including SmartPDF with AI Instant Learning that trains AI to recognize exception invoices, an AP Team Performance Discovery dashboard to better manage AP workload, and generative AI customer service tool AskMary .

For almost 40 years, Basware's AI-enabled AP automation and invoice processing platform has empowered Chief Financial Officers and finance teams at enterprise organisations such as HP and Mercedes-Benz to automatically handle invoices, greatly reducing processing time while boosting accuracy and compliance. With increasing compliance demands for financial teams, Basware helps customers keep up with regulatory mandates and e-invoicing requirements in specific markets around the world.

In 2023, Basware was recognized as a Gartner Peer Insights Customers' Choice for Procure-to-Pay Suites based on customer reviews.

Jason Kurtz , CEO at Basware , said:

"Our commitment to supporting the office of the CFO continues to be a driving force behind Basware's expansion. Last year, we had one of the most successful financial years in Basware's 40-year history, and what's most satisfying about our accomplishments is the positive feedback we've received from our customers. Whether it's Gartner's Peer Insights or the direct comments we receive about our enhanced customer experience, we are thrilled that the changes we've made are positively impacting our customers and we know that the best is yet to come."

"Basware's focus for 2024 centers on supporting enterprise businesses to elevate their finance processes to best practice levels and create value by meeting the ever-changing regulatory needs of financial teams. With our partner first strategy, we are fully aligned to showcase the quantifiable business value of Basware's solutions, and our strategy continues in enabling all of our customers to be 100 per cent touchless in their AP departments."

To drive further growth, Basware has developed a partner first strategy, bolstered by the appointment of Kevin Farrell in 2023 as SVP, Business Development and Alliances. Its strategy will drive innovation for finance teams at enterprises through Basware's collaboration with professional services firms, financial consultancies and value-added resellers. To enable this strategy, Basware is undertaking a modernization of its knowledge management and e-learning tools to ensure integrated knowledge flows across its organisation and partner ecosystem.

Services to prevent fraud and ensure compliance are another core pillar of Basware's growth plans in 2024. It acquired Glantus in October 2023 and expanded its AI-driven overpayment and fraud detection capabilities to alleviate the pressures for over 70 per cent of businesses subject to invoice or payment fraud each year.

Basware became a privately-held corporation in 2022 in a go-private transaction led by software private equity firm Accel-KKR.

Dean Jacobson, Chairman of the Board at Basware, and Managing Director at Accel-KKR , commented:

"The finance function is central to every business, and continues to be more complex as businesses grow. Technology is vital in providing CFOs and their finance teams with the scale, speed and accuracy required to meet business demands. Basware is well on its way in fulfilling a mission to be indispensable to the office of the CFO, and the consortium of investors led by Accel-KKR is committed to backing the company to deliver on that mission."

About Basware

Basware is how finance leaders in global enterprises can finally automate their complex, labor-intensive invoice processes and stay compliant with regulatory change. Our AP automation and invoicing platform helps you achieve a new level of efficiency - in a matter of months - while reducing errors and risks. We bring a unique combination of true automation, complete coverage, and deeper expertise to make it all just happen for our customers. That's why the world's most efficient AP departments at thousands of companies rely on Basware to handle over 220 million invoices per year. Basware. Now it all just happens.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2343348/Basware_growth.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2343347/Basware_CEO.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/basware-announces-major-global-expansion-drive-as-bookings-grow-52-in-2023-302066082.html
NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / Whirlpool Corporation has once again been recognized by Fortune as one of the World's Most Admired Companies. The list includes the most respected and reputable companies around the world, as ranked by peers within their respective industries. Whirlpool Corporation was the second-highest ranked company in the home equipment and furnishings industry.

"We are honored to be recognized by Fortune as one of the most admired companies," said Marc Bitzer, chairman and CEO of Whirlpool Corporation. "As a company committed to improving life at home, this recognition is a testament to our people and the passion they have for helping consumers around the world."

The Most Admired Companies survey is conducted annually by Fortune and Korn Ferry, a global organizational consulting firm. Top executives, directors and financial analysts are asked to identify the companies with the strongest reputations across nine criteria, including quality of management, social responsibility and investment value. Within the home equipment and furnishings industry, Whirlpool Corporation ranked number one in use of corporate assets, social responsibility, financial soundness and quality of products/services.

Click here to see the full list of World's Most Admired Companies.

View original content here.

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Whirlpool Corporation on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: Whirlpool Corporation

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/whirlpool-corporation

Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: Whirlpool Corporation

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Genvor to Showcase Next-Generation Plant Health Solutions at Leading Industry Event

CHAPEL HILL, NC / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / Genvor Incorporated (OTCQB:GNVR) ("Genvor" or the "Company"), a developer of sustainable plant health solutions leveraging patented peptides, today announced that management will attend the BioSolutions Conference & Expo taking place March 4-6, 2024 in Visalia, California.

Now in its 9th year, the BioSolutions Conference & Expo is a production-focused event offering North American growers, advisers, and researchers the latest information and real-world guidance on implementing biological solutions and technology tools in specialty crop production.

Chad Pawlak, Chief Executive Officer of Genvor, plans to participate in one-on-one meetings with industry participants, investors and the media throughout the conference.

BioSolutions Conference & Expo

Date: March 4-6, 2024

Location: Visalia Marriott and Convention Center | Visalia, California

Event Website: https://www.biosolutionsconference.com

Pawlak commented: "Biologicals, such as the peptide-based plant health solutions we are pioneering at Genvor today, are positioned to revolutionize the future of agriculture. To that end, the BioSolutions Conference & Expo represents an excellent venue to share Genvor's story with key industry participants - including strategics, the trade media, regulators and investors. I look forward to a productive day of meetings at the event as we strive to create sustainable, long-term value for our shareholders."

For more information or to register for the event, please visit the conference website . To schedule a one-on-one meeting at the conference, please email your request to GNVR@mzgroup.us or call Lucas A. Zimmerman at (949) 259-4987.

About Genvor

Genvor Incorporated (OTCQB:GNVR) is a developer of sustainable plant health solutions, with a portfolio of patented peptides to provide crops with anti-pathogen and enhanced nutritional properties through next-generation biological foliar application as well as transgenic seed traits. Supported by globally renowned scientists and a USDA partnership, Genvor leverages its licensing-first business model with active trait developments underway for a variety of crops including corn, citrus, rice, cotton, soybean, flax, and potato. To learn more, please visit www.genvor.com or follow us on LinkedIn , Facebook or Instagram .

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements include information about management's view of the Company's future expectations, plans and prospects, including future business opportunities or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may," "believe," "future," "plan" or "planned," "will" or "should," "expected," "anticipates," "eventually" or "projected." You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. Certain of these risk factors and others are included in documents the Company files with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to, the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, as well as subsequent reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Investor Relations Contact:

Lucas A. Zimmerman

Managing Director

MZ Group - MZ North America

(949) 259-4987

GNVR@mzgroup.us

www.mzgroup.us

SOURCE: Genvor Incorporated

View the original press release on accesswire.com
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / CCL Industries Inc. ("the Company") (TSX:CCL.A)(TSX:CCL.B), a world leader in specialty label, security and packaging solutions for global corporations, government institutions, small businesses and consumers, today announced that Geoffrey Martin, Chief Executive Officer, and Sean Washchuk, Chief Financial Officer, will participate in the Raymond James 45th Annual Institutional Investor Conference in Orlando, Florida, on March 5, 2024.

Mr. Martin is scheduled to participate in a webcast at 8:05 am on March 5, 2024. Management will also host institutional investor meetings, which can be arranged by contacting Raymond James.

For more information on CCL, visit our website - www.cclind.com or contact:

Sean Washchuk

Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

416-756-8526

Business Description

CCL Industries Inc. employs approximately 25,300 people operating 205 production facilities in 43 countries with corporate offices in Toronto, Canada, and Framingham, Massachusetts. CCL is the world's largest converter of pressure sensitive and specialty extruded film materials for a wide range of decorative, instructional, functional and security applications for government institutions and large global customers in the consumer packaging, healthcare & chemicals, consumer electronic device and automotive markets. Extruded & laminated plastic tubes, aluminum aerosols & specialty bottles, folded instructional leaflets, precision decorated & die cut components, electronic displays, polymer banknote substrate and other complementary products and services are sold in parallel to specific end-use markets. Avery is the world's largest supplier of labels, specialty converted media and software solutions for short-run digital printing applications for businesses and consumers available alongside complementary products sold through distributors, mass market stores and e-commerce retailers. Checkpoint is a leading developer of RF and RFID based technology systems for loss prevention and inventory management applications, including labeling and tagging solutions, for the retail and apparel industries worldwide. Innovia is a leading global producer of specialty, high performance, multi-layer, surface engineered films for label, packaging and security applications. The Company is partly backward integrated into materials science with capabilities in polymer extrusion, adhesive development, coating & lamination, surface engineering and metallurgy; deployed as needed across the four business segments.

SOURCE: CCL Industries Inc.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
CHARLOTTE, NC / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK) has been named one of America's Most JUST Companies for the second consecutive year, ranking 57th overall, up from 79th in 2023. The JUST 100 recognizes U.S. corporations that outperform on issues that matter most in defining just business behavior today.

"Our long-term success is deeply intertwined with the health and well-being of the communities we serve, and it's an honor to be recognized by JUST Capital as a JUST 100 company," said Katherine Neebe, Duke Energy's chief sustainability & philanthropy officer and senior vice president, national engagement and strategy. "We are committed to a future that offers reliable, accessible and affordable clean energy. Achieving this vision requires us to transition to low- and zero-emissions energy, invest in our communities and develop and prepare a diverse workforce."

To determine the annual ranking, JUST Capital, along with CNBC, collects and analyzes corporate data to evaluate how the nation's largest companies are performing on the business issues that matter most to Americans. For 2024, companies were scored on issues such as paying a fair wage, creating jobs in the U.S., supporting workforce training and retention, providing benefits and work-life balance, minimizing pollution and protecting customer privacy.

In its flagship Impact Report, Duke Energy details the company's clean energy transition, as well as its goals, performance and progress on strategic business priorities.

Recent company performance highlights

Economic Impact: Duke Energy will invest $145 billion over the next decade to fund the critical energy infrastructure necessary to meet customers' needs and support our path to net zero. An EY study found this planned investment will lead to $250 billion in economic output throughout the U.S. economy. It will also generate approximately $5 billion in property taxes over the next 10 years to support schools, community programs and infrastructure, and support 20,000 direct and indirect jobs annually.

Duke Energy will invest $145 billion over the next decade to fund the critical energy infrastructure necessary to meet customers' needs and support our path to net zero. An EY study found this planned investment will lead to $250 billion in economic output throughout the U.S. economy. It will also generate approximately $5 billion in property taxes over the next 10 years to support schools, community programs and infrastructure, and support 20,000 direct and indirect jobs annually. Human Capital Management - We are working to increase diversity across our workforce and recently established new aspirational goals of 23% people of color and 28% women.

- We are working to increase diversity across our workforce and recently established new aspirational goals of 23% people of color and 28% women. Just Transition - As the energy sector transitions, the company is working to ensure its workforce and the communities where it operates are set up for long-term success. As part of this commitment, we released our Just Transition Approach. These principles outline our company's strategy as it retires coal, with a complete exit, pending regulatory approval, by 2035.

- As the energy sector transitions, the company is working to ensure its workforce and the communities where it operates are set up for long-term success. As part of this commitment, we released our Just Transition Approach. These principles outline our company's strategy as it retires coal, with a complete exit, pending regulatory approval, by 2035. Supply Chain Resiliency - In 2022, we spent $14 billion overall on supplier goods and services, more than $5 billion with local suppliers and over $1.8 billion with diverse suppliers.

Duke Energy

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America's largest energy holding companies. Its electric utilities serve 7.9 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 51,000 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas unit serves 1.6 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. The company employs 27,500 people.

Duke Energy is executing an aggressive clean energy strategy to create a smarter energy future for its customers and communities - with goals of at least a 50 percent carbon reduction by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The company is a top U.S. renewable energy provider, on track to own or purchase 16,000 megawatts of renewable energy capacity by 2025. The company also is investing in major electric grid upgrades and expanded battery storage, and exploring zero-emitting power generation technologies such as hydrogen and advanced nuclear.

Duke Energy was named to Fortune's 2023 "World's Most Admired Companies" list and Forbes' "America's Best Employers" list. More information is available at duke- energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center contains news releases, fact sheets, photos and videos. Duke Energy's illumination features stories about people, innovations, community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

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SOURCE: Duke Energy

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 20, 2024) - District Metals Corp. (TSXV: DMX) (OTCQB: DMXCF) (FSE: DFPP); ("District" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that District and Boliden Minerals AB have approved an exploration budget of CDN $2.0M on the Tomtebo and Stollberg Properties for 2024. District is the operator of the Tomtebo-Stollberg collaboration, and the Company has commenced core drilling at the high grade polymetallic Tomtebo Property located in the Bergslagen Mining District in south-central Sweden.

Highlights:

The approved 2024 Exploration Budget of CDN$2.0M for the Tomtebo and Stollberg Properties will cover historical compilation work, geological mapping, geochemical sampling, ground magnetic and electromagnetic surveys, historic drill core review, and core drilling.

The planned core drill program for the Tomtebo Property comprises 2,250 m in six to eight drill holes (Figure 1) will be followed up by Boliden's in-house, state of the art, down-hole, three component electromagnetic (DHEM) survey1.

Three drill holes in 1,200 m of drilling will test the Steffenburgs zone at the historic Tomtebo Mine by stepping out below hole TOM22-038 that returned 25.5 m at 8.2% ZnEq2 (249.0 to 274.1 m). This interval included 384 g/t Au and 855 g/t Ag over 0.4 m (273.7 to 274.1 m) that is wide open at depth (Figure 2).

Three to five drill holes will test the inferred mineralized horizon to the west and east of the historic Tomtebo Mine.

Garrett Ainsworth, CEO of District, commented: "The Joint Technical Committee ran a very thorough process in reaching approval on the 2024 exploration budget for the Tomtebo and Stollberg Properties. The collaboration here has outlined an exciting path forward for exploration that includes additional target generation and drill testing of high priority targets.

"Due largely to market conditions we have been waiting almost two years to get the drill rig back at Tomtebo where we will be taking some aggressive step outs below significant high grade polymetallic mineralized drill intercepts at the Steffenburgs zone that is within the historic Tomtebo Mine. We are also keen to drill test along the polymetallic fertile horizon to the east and west of the Tomtebo Mine that will be guided by recent whole rock geochemistry and ground magnetic results. All drill holes at Tomtebo will be followed by a DHEM survey that is unique to Boliden and has been an important tool in the discovery of new polymetallic mineralized zones at their Garpenberg Mine."





Figure 1: Plan View of Proposed Drill Holes on Tomtebo Property

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Figure 2: Cross Section of Proposed Drill Holes at Steffenburgs Zone

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References

1 Allen, Rodney L., Jonsson, Rolf H. 2014. Boliden's Garpenberg Zn-Pb-Ag mine, Sweden - Critical factors behind the discoveries that turned mine closure into a large expansion project. SEG Conference Abstract 0393-000191. https://www.segweb.org/SEG/Events/Conference-Archive/2014/Conference-Proceedings/data/papers/abstracts/0393-000191.pdf

2 Metal prices used in USD for the ZnEq calculation were based on Ag $15.00/oz, Au $1650/oz, Cu $2.15/lb, Zn $0.85/lb, and Pb $0.75/lb. ZnEq equals = Zn% + (Ag g/t  0.0257) + (Au g/t x 2.831) + (Cu%  2.529) + (Pb%  0.882). The use of ZnEq is to calculate cut-off grades for exploration purposes, and no adjustments were made for metal recovery.

Technical Information

All scientific and technical information in this news release has been prepared by, or approved by Garrett Ainsworth, PGeo, President and CEO of the Company. Mr. Ainsworth is a qualified person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

The drill core reported from the Tomtebo Property in this news release was logged and prepared at the District Metals AB core facility in Sater, Sweden before submittal to ALS Geochemistry in Mala, Sweden where the NQ-size drill core is cut, bagged, and prepared for analysis. Sample pulps were sent to ALS Geochemistry in Ireland (an accredited mineral analysis laboratory) for analysis. Samples were analyzed using a multi-element ultra trace method combining a four-acid digestion with ICP-MS analytical package ("ME-MS61"). Over limit sample values were re-assayed for: (1) values of copper >1%; (2) values of zinc >1%; (3) values of lead >1%; and (4) values of silver >100 g/t using the high-grade material ICP-AES analytical package ("ME-OG62"). Additional over limit sample values were re-assayed for: (1) values of zinc >30%; (2) values of lead >20% using the high precision analysis of base metal ores AAS analytical package ("Zn, Pb-AAORE"). Gold, platinum, and palladium were analyzed using the 30 g lead fire assay with ICP-AES finish analytical package ("PGM-ICP23"). Certified standards, blanks, and duplicates were inserted into the sample shipment to ensure integrity of the assay process. Selected samples were chosen for duplicate assay from the coarse reject and pulps of the original sample. No QA/QC issues were noted with the results reported.

Mr. Ainsworth has not verified any of the information regarding any of the properties or projects referred to herein other than District's Properties. Mineralization on any other properties referred to herein is not necessarily indicative of mineralization on District's Properties.

About District Metals Corp.

District Metals Corp. is led by industry professionals with a track record of success in the mining industry. The Company's mandate is to seek out, explore, and develop prospective mineral properties through a disciplined science-based approach to create shareholder value and benefit other stakeholders.

District is a polymetallic exploration and development company focused on the Viken and Tomtebo Properties in Sweden. The Viken Property covers 100% of the uranium-vanadium Viken Deposit, which is an asset with substantial exploration and development expenditures that resulted in the definition of large historic polymetallic resource estimates in 2010 and 2014. The Viken Deposit is amongst the largest deposits by total historic mineral resources of uranium and vanadium in the world.

The advanced exploration stage Tomtebo Property is located in the Bergslagen Mining District of south-central Sweden and is situated between the historic Falun Mine and Boliden's Garpenberg Mine that are located 25 km to the northwest and southeast, respectively. Two historic polymetallic mines and numerous polymetallic showings are located on the Tomtebo Property along an approximate 17 km trend that exhibits similar geology, structure, alteration and VMS/SedEx style mineralization as other significant mines within the district.

For further information on the Tomtebo Property, please see the technical report entitled "NI 43-101 Update Technical Report on the Tomtebo Project, Bergslagen Region of Sweden" dated effective October 15, 2020 and amended and restated on February 26, 2021, which is available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

"Garrett Ainsworth"

President and Chief Executive Officer

(604) 288-4430

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Statement Regarding "Forward-Looking Information"

This news release contains certain statements that may be considered "forward-looking information" with respect to the Company within the meaning of applicable securities laws. In some cases, but not necessarily in all cases, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "targets", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "an opportunity exists", "is positioned", "estimates", "intends", "assumes", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate" or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "will" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" and any similar expressions. In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, predictions, indications, projections or other characterizations of future events or circumstances contain forward-looking information. Statements containing forward-looking information are not historical facts but instead represent management's expectations, estimates and projections regarding future events. Forward-looking information in this news release relating to the Company include, among other things, statements relating to the Purchase Agreement and closing thereof; the Company's Swedish polymetallic properties; the Company's planned exploration activities, including its drill target strategy and next steps for the Swedish properties; and the Company's interpretations and expectations about the results on the Swedish properties.

These statements and other forward-looking information are based on opinions, assumptions and estimates made by the Company in light of its experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that the Company believes are appropriate and reasonable in the circumstances, as of the date of this news release, including, without limitation, assumptions about the reliability of historical data and the accuracy of publicly reported information regarding past and historic mines in the Bergslagen district; and in respect of the Swedish properties; that the Swedish government will eventually lift or amend its moratorium on uranium exploration and mining in Sweden; the Company's ability to raise sufficient capital to fund planned exploration activities, maintain corporate capacity; and stability in financial and capital markets.

Forward-looking information is necessarily based on a number of opinions, assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company as of the date such statements are made, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to risks associated with the following: the reliability of historic data on District's properties; the Company's ability to raise sufficient capital to finance planned exploration; that the Swedish government maintains its moratorium on uranium exploration and mining in Sweden for the foreseeable future; the Company's limited operating history; the Company's negative operating cash flow and dependence on third-party financing; the uncertainty of additional funding; the uncertainties associated with early stage exploration activities including general economic, market and business conditions, the regulatory process, failure to obtain necessary permits and approvals, technical issues, potential delays, unexpected events and management's capacity to execute and implement its future plans; the Company's ability to identify any mineral resources and mineral reserves; the substantial expenditures required to establish mineral reserves through drilling and the estimation of mineral reserves or mineral resources; the uncertainty of estimates used to calculated mineralization figures; changes in governmental regulations; compliance with applicable laws and regulations; competition for future resource acquisitions and skilled industry personnel; reliance on key personnel; title matters; conflicts of interest; environmental laws and regulations and associated risks, including climate change legislation; land reclamation requirements; changes in government policies; volatility of the Company's share price; the unlikelihood that shareholders will receive dividends from the Company; potential future acquisitions and joint ventures; infrastructure risks; fluctuations in demand for, and prices of metals; fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; legal proceedings and the enforceability of judgments; going concern risk; risks related to the Company's information technology systems and cyber-security risks; and risk related to the outbreak of epidemics or pandemics or other health crises. For additional information regarding these risks, please see the Company's Annual Information Form dated July 11, 2022, under the heading "Risk Factors", which is available at www.sedarplus.ca. These factors and assumptions are not intended to represent a complete list of the factors and assumptions that could affect the Company. These factors and assumptions, however, should be considered carefully. Although the Company has attempted to identify factors that would cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those disclosed in the forward-looking information or information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Also, many of such factors are beyond the control of the Company. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The forward-looking information is made as of the date of this news release, and the Company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise such forward-looking information, except as required by applicable securities laws.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/198359

SOURCE: District Metals Corp.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 20, 2024) - Kenorland Minerals Ltd. (TSXV: KLD) (OTCQX: KLDCF) (FSE: 3WQ0) ("Kenorland" or the "Company") is pleased to announce final drill results from the 2023 fall drill program at the Frotet Project (the "Project"), located in northern Quebec. The Company also announces that, further to its press release dated January 16, 2024, it has completed the exchange with Sumitomo Metal Mining Canada Ltd. ("Sumitomo") of the Company's 20% participating interest in the Frotet Project for a 4.0% net smelter return royalty (the "Frotet Royalty") on all minerals extracted from the Project. Assays from the 20 drill holes, totaling 11,918m of drilling completed during the 2023 fall drill program, are reported herein.

Highlights include the following:

23RDD185: 19.25m at 19.95 g/t Au incl. 1.90m at 106.48 g/t Au at R6

23RDD177: 1.00 m at 174.54 g/t Au incl. 0.30m at 579.30 g/t Au at R1

23RDD193: 35.45m at 2.90 g/t Au incl. 1.70m at 15.52 g/t Au at R4

23RDD175: 17.65m at 4.59 g/t Au incl. 1.08m at 43.96 g/t Au at R5

23RDD177: 11.31m at 6.89 g/t Au incl. 2.12m at 26.37 g/t Au at R5

23RDD176: 10.70m at 5.67 g/t Au incl. 2.00m at 14.99 g/t Au at R5

23RDD182: 1.00m at 54.40 g/t Au at R2

23RDD187: 8.95m at 6.34 g/t Au incl. 1.45m at 20.27 g/t Au at R4

Figure 1. Plan map of Regnault drilling including highlights from this press release

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Zach Flood, President and CEO of Kenorland Minerals, states, "The latest results from the fall 2023 drill program continue to demonstrate the exceptional high-grade nature of the Regnault gold deposit. It's an incredible gold system and we've been fortunate to take it from grassroots discovery to the advanced stages of exploration today."

"In addition, we're delighted to announce the close of a transaction resulting in Kenorland now owning a 4% NSR royalty on the project, received in exchange for our 20% minority interest in the prior joint venture with Sumitomo Metal Mining. Sumitomo is a well-established, leading global mining and materials company, and we look forward to continuing to work with them closely as we operate the project over the upcoming year."

Discussion of Results

Much of the reported drilling was designed as broad step-outs and infill along known mineralised trends throughout the Regnault deposit. Along the R5, R6, R7 and R8 structural corridors, significant step-out results include 23RDD176 intersecting 10.70m at 5.67 g/t Au including 2.00m at 14.99 g/t Au, 23RDD175 returning 17.65m at 4.59 g/t Au including 1.08m at 43.96 g/t Au, and 23RDD177 returning 11.31m at 6.89 g/t Au including 2.12m at 26.37 g/t Au. These holes successfully extended R5 mineralisation to the west, to 450m vertical depth and remains open. Infill and step-out targets along the eastern portions of the R1, R5, R6, R7 and R8 mineralised structures intersected additional high-grade mineralisation including 23RDD192 with 2.20m at 17.45 g/t Au including 0.30m at 98.50 g/t Au, a step-out at depth along R1. 23RDD185 intersected 19.25m at 19.95 g/t Au including 1.90m at 106.48 g/t Au, infill along R6, located 70m to the west of hole 22RDD144 that returned 10.08m at 4.43 g/t Au including 0.59m at 27.10 g/t Au (see press release dated November 14, 2022). Drilling within this area has extended known mineralisation to greater than 775m vertical depth with 23RDD188 returning 3.40m at 2.72 g/t Au including 0.50m at 12.20 g/t Au along the R8 vein set.

Figure 2. Cross section through the Regnault gold system

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https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6489/198363_e11549d9f4ebbb37_002full.jpg

Broad step-outs along the R4 vein system extended high-grade mineralisation for a known strike length of 300m and to 300m vertical depth. Significant results include 23RDD193 which intersected 35.45m at 2.90 g/t Au including 1.70m at 15.52 g/t Au, a 70m step-out at depth below 20RDD004 which returned 2.59m at 9.89 g/t Au including 1.49m at 15.26 g/t Au (see press release dated July 29, 2020). Other significant results include 23RDD187 with 8.95m at 6.34 g/t Au including 1.45m at 20.27 g/t Au, which remains open at depth.

Infill drilling along the R2 and R3 mineralised structures continued to intersect narrow high-grade mineralisation including 23RDD182 with 1.00m at 54.40 g/t Au, located 50m to the west of hole 21RDD088 which returned 1.77m at 117.86 g/t Au (see press release dated March 28, 2022) within the R2 vein system. Some of the highest grade mineralisation returned to date along the R3 structures were obtained during the 2023 fall infill drill program including 23RDD181 with 0.35m at 134.30 g/t Au, 23RDD178 with 0.40m at 62.10 g/t Au, and 23RDD183 returning 2.30m at 7.85 g/t Au including 0.53m at 30.50 g/t Au.

Two drill holes were designed to test the shallower portions of the Regnault diorite up dip from the 2023 winter discovery holes that intersected mineralisation down to 1,000m vertical depth including 23RDD172 which returned 2.56 g/t over 41.85m including 11.96 g/t Au over 4.45m (see press release dated August 8, 2023). These large step-outs (200-300m) returned narrow, moderate grade mineralisation within the R9, R10, and R11 shear zones including 23RDD174 which returned 3.70m at 2.14 g/t Au including 0.40m at 10.70 g/t Au, a 215m up dip step-out from 23RDD159 that returned 1.20m at 55.70 g/t Au (see press release dated May 31, 2023).

Figure 3. Core photo of R6 zone in hole 23RDD185: 19.25m at 19.95 g/t Au including 2.50m at 47.58 g/t Au and including 1.90m at 106.48 g/t Au

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https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6489/198363_e11549d9f4ebbb37_003full.jpg

Kenorland Closes Exchange of 20% Joint Venture Interest in Frotet Project for 4.0% NSR Royalty

Kenorland is also pleased to announce that, further to its press release dated January 16, 2024, it has completed the exchange with Sumitomo of the Company's 20% participating interest in the Frotet Project, located in Quebec, for a 4.0% net smelter return royalty (the "Frotet Royalty") on all minerals extracted from the Project. As a result of the transaction, Sumitomo now owns 100% of the Project and the joint venture agreement dated April 17, 2018 between the Company and Sumitomo is now terminated.

As previously announced, the Frotet Royalty is subject to the following buy down rights in favour of Sumitomo:

A 0.25% royalty interest may be purchased for a C$3,000,000 cash payment to the Company within five (5) years of the grant of the Frotet Royalty upon the closing of the transaction.

A 0.50% royalty interest may be purchased for a C$10,000,000 cash payment to the Company within ten (10) years of the grant of the Frotet Royalty upon the closing of the transaction, provided Sumitomo has exercised the first buy down right.

In the event Sumitomo exercises the foregoing buy down rights, the Frotet Royalty would be reduced to an uncapped 3.25% net smelter return royalty on all minerals extracted from the Project.

Kenorland will remain the operator of the Project for at least one year following the transaction to facilitate a successful transition of operatorship to Sumitomo.

Exercise of Top-up Right with Sumitomo

The Company is also pleased to announce that further to its press release dated February 2, 2024, the Company and Sumitomo, have completed the exercise of Sumitomo's 'top-up right' to retain its 10.1% interest in the Company as granted within the investor rights agreement dated November 5, 2021.

An aggregate of 67,409 common shares were issued for aggregate consideration of $51,878. The common shares issuable in the placement are subject to a statutory hold period in accordance with applicable securities legislation and the rules and policies of the TSXV expiring on June 10, 2024.

As Sumitomo is the beneficial owner of more than 10% of Kenorland's outstanding shares, it is a "related party" to the Company within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101- Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). As such, both transactions constituted a "related party transaction" within the meaning of MI 61-101.

In both cases, the Company has relied upon on exemptions from formal valuation and the minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 found in sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 as the fair market value of either transaction does not constitute more than the 25% of the Company's market capitalization. In addition, in relation to the Frotet Royalty, the Company relied upon the exemptions found in 5.5(d) and 5.7(1)(c) of MI 61-101 as the transaction was a purchase or sale, in the ordinary course of the Company's business under an agreement that was approved by the board of directors, the existence of which was generally disclosed.

Table 1. Table of assay results from the 2023 fall drill program

HOLE ID From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) Residual Au (g/t) 23RDD174

47.50 54.30 6.80 0.80 0.97

And 445.00 448.75 3.75 1.46 2.27 0.92 Incl. 447.00 447.65 0.65 4.03 7.20

And 719.85 723.50 3.65 1.78 2.04 1.53 Incl. 722.50 722.80 0.30 4.65 4.40

And 981.00 984.70 3.70 2.14 2.49 1.10 Incl. 982.00 982.40 0.40 10.70 14.10

And 1059.40 1069.25 9.85 1.35 1.40 1.21 Incl. 1062.80 1063.45 0.65 3.33 2.50

23RDD175

113.50 122.50 9.00 1.80 1.28 1.30 Incl. 114.50 115.50 1.00 5.78 5.10

And 374.70 382.50 7.80 1.54 1.36 1.13 Incl. 379.30 380.00 0.70 5.76 4.50

And 628.28 632.00 3.72 1.51 0.83

And 653.70 671.35 17.65 4.59 7.88 2.03 Incl. 669.52 670.60 1.08 43.96 103.15

23RDD176

378.80 383.50 4.70 1.12 1.38

And 555.00 565.70 10.70 5.67 7.98 3.52 Incl. 559.20 561.20 2.00 14.99 24.61

23RDD177

268.60 271.59 2.99 5.61 6.63 1.49 Incl. 269.04 269.52 0.48 27.20 31.40

And 281.00 282.00 1.00 174.54 262.92 1.07 Incl. 281.30 281.60 0.30 579.30 873.00

And 592.50 603.81 11.31 6.89 6.43 2.40 Incl. 593.44 595.56 2.12 26.37 24.05

And 623.42 627.00 3.58 1.89 3.09 1.08 Incl. 626.24 627.00 0.76 4.92 9.10

23RDD178

40.00 44.80 4.80 1.49 0.75 0.86 Incl. 40.00 40.30 0.30 10.90 5.10

And 265.50 268.20 2.70 3.60 8.76 0.87 Incl. 265.50 266.00 0.50 15.60 41.00

And 282.00 282.40 0.40 62.10 129.40

23RDD179

1024.30 1031.35 7.05 0.77 2.57

And 1119.00 1121.60 2.60 2.32 2.05 1.44 Incl. 1119.50 1120.00 0.50 5.98 4.90

And 1188.50 1189.80 1.30 4.62 2.86

23RDD180

40.70 41.67 0.97 8.49 11.11

And 218.10 221.30 3.20 5.31 5.86 1.75 Incl. 219.20 220.40 1.20 11.23 13.11

23RDD181

138.30 146.70 8.40 0.63 0.81

And 190.00 197.52 7.52 3.08 4.93 1.61 Incl. 194.80 195.25 0.45 26.30 48.80

And 282.60 282.95 0.35 134.30 153.40

23RDD182

17.20 18.20 1.00 54.40 8.20

And 32.85 35.45 2.60 9.91 10.08 2.56 Incl. 34.85 35.45 0.60 34.40 33.90

And 107.00 107.55 0.55 17.60 10.80

And 341.65 343.50 1.85 8.40 10.92 1.00 Incl. 341.65 342.00 0.35 40.10 51.30

23RDD183

49.80 53.80 4.00 4.00 6.98 2.13 Incl. 52.65 53.15 0.50 17.10 39.40

And 331.90 332.24 0.34 34.40 41.10

And 344.70 347.00 2.30 7.85 11.86 1.07 Incl. 345.55 346.08 0.53 30.50 46.10

23RDD184

284.75 286.25 1.50 4.24 4.11 1.08 Incl. 285.95 286.25 0.30 16.90 15.40

23RDD185

177.00 180.50 3.50 3.84 5.18 1.07 Incl. 177.50 178.25 0.75 14.00 19.90

And 207.50 209.00 1.50 3.58 1.00

And 297.80 301.10 3.30 3.60 3.48 1.43 Incl. 297.80 298.40 0.60 13.40 12.60

And 313.80 318.15 4.35 1.69 1.81 1.48 Incl. 315.40 315.80 0.40 3.72 3.20

And 358.30 358.60 0.30 40.20 17.10

And 384.90 389.25 4.35 1.39 1.84

And 461.25 480.50 19.25 19.95 15.44 4.22 Incl. 463.40 465.90 2.50 47.58 42.04

And Incl. 478.30 480.20 1.90 106.48 61.99

And 590.80 598.50 7.70 4.84 5.43 2.71 Incl. 597.25 598.00 0.75 24.60 32.10

And 818.00 827.70 9.70 0.81 0.68

23RDD186

337.00 339.30 2.30 2.81 2.09

23RDD187

74.00 75.10 1.10 4.67 1.60

And 297.00 300.20 3.20 2.25 1.65 1.25 Incl. 297.00 297.44 0.44 8.51 5.30

And 371.50 380.45 8.95 6.34 8.09 3.65 Incl. 372.00 373.45 1.45 20.27 9.79

23RDD188

58.80 59.85 1.05 5.81 1.21

And 198.70 213.00 14.30 0.88 0.45

And 259.30 260.10 0.80 9.78 5.40

And 381.50 387.10 5.60 1.71 1.55 1.35 Incl. 386.50 387.10 0.60 4.64 2.70

And 402.00 414.00 12.00 1.81 1.92 1.31 Incl. 402.00 402.50 0.50 13.30 21.10

And 634.00 639.30 5.30 1.67 1.88 1.36 Incl. 638.80 639.30 0.50 4.58 4.10

And 854.40 864.00 9.60 1.06 1.49 0.74 Incl. 854.40 855.00 0.60 5.83 9.60

And 873.00 876.40 3.40 2.72 3.11 1.08 Incl. 874.40 874.90 0.50 12.20 15.00

23RDD189

254.50 256.00 1.50 3.68 0.60

And 314.70 318.00 3.30 1.67 0.54 0.79 Incl. 314.70 315.00 0.30 10.50 2.10

23RDD190

316.50 326.20 9.70 0.75 0.44

23RDD191

35.50 39.00 3.50 1.60 1.05

23RDD192

347.50 355.50 8.00 0.74 0.45

And 415.00 417.20 2.20 17.45 10.83 4.65 Incl. 415.80 416.10 0.30 98.50 42.10

And 644.00 645.00 1.00 7.32 9.06

And 662.30 663.80 1.50 9.41 10.87 1.32 Incl. 662.80 663.30 0.50 25.60 28.40

And 824.80 828.10 3.30 2.85 2.70 1.42 Incl. 827.30 828.10 0.80 7.32 6.52

23RDD193

173.65 176.40 2.75 10.99 5.17 2.41 Incl. 174.80 176.03 1.23 21.59 9.86

And 255.15 290.60 35.45 2.90 1.60 1.60 Incl. 270.50 272.20 1.70 15.52 6.43

And Incl. 281.80 282.50 0.70 33.80 16.00

And 298.25 301.45 3.20 1.84 0.79

And 325.00 332.50 7.50 1.24 0.80

And 335.50 341.40 5.90 0.91 0.77



 Assay intervals reported are core lengths, true widths have not been determined

 Residual Au (g/t) represents the average grade of the drill hole interval excluding the highlighted internal interval

Table 2. Drill collar table of reported drill holes from the 2023 fall drill program

Hole ID Easting

(NAD83) Northing

(NAD83) Elevation

(m)

Depth

(m) Dip



Azimuth



23RDD174 519152 5620211 379 1149.00 -57 154 23RDD175 519232 5621016 377 735.00 -44 158 23RDD176 519232 5621016 377 771.00 -52 157 23RDD177 519191 5620916 376 852.00 -46 159 23RDD178 518654 5620002 378 342.00 -45 167 23RDD179 519553 5620158 380 1212.00 -63 161 23RDD180 518744 5619998 377 288.00 -44 170 23RDD181 518813 5620030 376 291.00 -45 164 23RDD182 518759 5620091 381 372.00 -45 167 23RDD183 518839 5620142 382 396.00 -45 162 23RDD184 518854 5620059 376 303.00 -44 158 23RDD185 519852 5621006 376 921.00 -61 162 23RDD186 519000 5620128 377 354.00 -54 154 23RDD187 520017 5621013 382 468.00 -47 330 23RDD188 519895 5621083 379 909.00 -63 159 23RDD189 520030 5621100 385 330.00 -47 335 23RDD190 520030 5621099 385 486.00 -64 338 23RDD191 519852 5621009 376 483.00 -47 324 23RDD192 519935 5621161 379 835.65 -63 161 23RDD193 519892 5621088 379 420.00 -50 320

About the Frotet Project

The Project covers 39,365 hectares of the Frotet-Evans greenstone belt within the Opatica geological sub-province of Quebec. The property is adjacent to the past-producing Troilus Gold Corporation's Au-Cu mine (9.23Moz Au indicated resource) and covers several major deformation zones associated with known orogenic gold prospects, as well as stratigraphy hosting VMS deposits elsewhere in the belt. Kenorland initially staked the Project in 2017 and then entered into a joint venture and earn-in agreement with Sumitomo in 2018.

The Project hosts the Regnault gold system, a greenfields discovery made by Kenorland and Sumitomo in 2020 following two years of systematic exploration. Since the initial discovery, Regnault has seen extensive exploration, totaling 82,273 meters of drilling (193 drillholes).

On January 16, 2024, Kenorland announced that it had entered into a transaction to exchange its 20% participating interest in the Frotet Joint Venture with Sumitomo Metal Mining, to a 4% NSR Royalty. Kenorland will remain the operator of the Project for a minimum of one year from the closing of the transaction.

On January 24, 2024, Kenorland announced a 17,600m winter drill program focusing on infill and step-out targets along the R1, R5, R6 and R7 mineralised structures, as well as broad step-outs along the R4 structures in towards the north, and R9, R10, and R11 structures within the southern portions of the deposit area.

The Project is located 100 kilometers to the north of Chibougamau, Quebec. Favorable infrastructure exists in the Project area with an extensive forestry road network as well as the Route-du-Nord crossing the southwestern portion of the property. A power transmission line also crosses through the property which supplied power to the past producing Troilus mine.



Figure 4. Map of the Frotet Project and Royalty

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*Technical Report and Mineral Resource Estimate on the Troilus Gold-Copper Project, Mineral Resources Effective Date: 02 October 2023

**The Frotet Royalty is subject to the following buy down rights in favour of Sumitomo:

A 0.25% royalty interest may be purchased for a C$3,000,000 cash payment to Kenorland within five (5) years of the grant of the Frotet Royalty

A 0.50% royalty interest may be purchased for a C$10,000,000 cash payment to Kenorland within ten (10) years of the grant of the Frotet Royalty

In the event Sumitomo exercises the foregoing buy down rights, the Frotet Royalty would be reduced to an uncapped 3.25% net smelter return royalty on all minerals extracted from the Project

QA/QC and Core Sampling Protocols

All drill core samples were collected under the supervision of Kenorland employees. Drill core was transported from the drill platform to the logging facility where it was logged, photographed, and split by diamond saw prior to being sampled. Samples were then bagged, and blanks and certified reference materials were inserted at regular intervals. Groups of samples were placed in large bags, sealed with numbered tags in order to maintain a chain-of-custody, and transported from Chibougamau to Bureau Veritas Commodities ("BV") laboratory in Timmins, Ontario.

Sample preparation and analytical work for this drill program were carried out by BV. Samples were prepared for analysis according to BV method PRP70-250: individual samples were crushed to 2mm (10 mesh) and a 250g split was pulverized to 75m (200 mesh) for analysis and then assayed for gold. Gold in samples were analyzed using BV method FA430 where a 30g split is analyzed with fire assay by Pb collection and AAS finish. Over-limits gold samples were re-analyzed using BV method FA530 where a 30g split is analyzed with fire assay by Pb collection and gravimetric finish. Multi-element geochemical analysis (45 elements) was performed on all samples using BV method MA200 where a 0.25g split is by multi-acid digest with ICP-MS/ES finish. All results passed the QA/QC screening at the lab, all company inserted standards and blanks returned results that were within acceptable limits.

Qualified Person

Cedric Mayer, M.Sc., P.Geo. (OGQ #02385), "Qualified Person" under National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this press release.

About Kenorland Minerals

Kenorland Minerals Ltd. (TSX.V KLD) is a well-financed mineral exploration company focussed on project generation and early-stage exploration in North America. Kenorland's exploration strategy is to advance greenfields projects through systematic, property-wide, phased exploration surveys financed primarily through exploration partnerships including option to joint venture agreements. Kenorland holds a 4% net smelter return royalty on the Frotet Project in Quebec which is owned by Sumitomo Metal Mining Canada Ltd. The Frotet Project hosts the Regnault gold system, a greenfields discovery made by Kenorland and Sumitomo Metal Mining Canada Ltd. in 2020. Kenorland is based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Further information can be found on the Company's website www.kenorlandminerals.com

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Zach Flood

President, CEO & Director

For further information, please contact:

Alex Muir, CFA

Investor Relations Manager

Tel +1 604 568 6005

info@kenorlandminerals.com

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (together, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, are forward-looking statements. Generally, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of terminology such as "plans", "expects', "estimates", "intends", "anticipates", "believes" or variations of such words, or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors disclosed under the heading "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulators, that could cause actual results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing these forward-looking statements are reasonable based upon the information currently available to management as of the date hereof, actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. Readers are therefore cautioned not to place undue reliance on these statements, which only apply as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed times frames or at all. Except where required by applicable law, the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/198363

SOURCE: Kenorland Minerals Ltd.
New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - February 20, 2024) - Prove Identity, Inc. ("Prove"), the global leader in digital identity, today announced it has been appointed to the FIDO Alliance Board of Directors. Tim Brown, global identity officer at Prove, will serve as the company's Primary Board Delegate.





Prove Identity Appointed to FIDO Alliance Board



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Today, over 80% of data breaches are caused by weak or stolen passwords. The FIDO Alliance is focused on solving this issue by reducing the world's reliance on passwords. Based on free and open standards from the FIDO Alliance, FIDO phishing-resistant authentication replaces password-only logins with secure, seamless and fast sign-in experiences across any website and app for users. Many leading organizations around the world have deployed FIDO Authentication to their employees and users, reducing their security risks and improving user experience. In 2023 alone, FIDO authentication gained significant acceptance with over 7 billion user accounts ready for passwordless sign-ins as passkeys have become more available for consumer and workforce apps.

"It's an incredible honor to join the FIDO Alliance Board," said Tim Brown, global identity officer at Prove. "Serving as a board member puts Prove and the FIDO Alliance in an excellent position to keep setting the highest standards for the development, utilization and compliance of non-phishable authentication solutions bound by strong, frictionless identity verification. This partnership expands Prove's reach in helping the world adopt our core PRO methodology - Possession, Reputation and Ownership of a device - and implement a more secure and reliable approach to identity verification for everyone."

As a board member, Prove will have the opportunity to advise on and influence the future of authentication and identity attestation, particularly as the Alliance works through the applicability of passkeys across the many vertical markets where Prove has already successfully delivered innovative solutions. Prove's depth of expertise in identity and authentication and its wealth of experience and commercial success will be invaluable in supporting the FIDO Alliance.

"We are pleased to welcome Prove to our board of directors. In today's world where cybercriminals are constantly evolving to perpetuate attacks to take over accounts or create new accounts with stolen or synthetic identities, the FIDO Alliance is committed to providing standards and certification programs that promote security through the whole account lifecycle from robust identity proofing to phishing-resistant authentication to sound recovery processes," said Andrew Shikiar, executive director and CMO of the FIDO Alliance. "We look forward to Prove's expertise in all of these areas as we work together for a more secure web."

FIDO Alliance's FIDO2 specification supports passwordless, second-factor and multi-factor authentication user experiences with embedded or external authenticators. The FIDO2 standard that is focused on passkeys is fundamental to Prove's web-based authentication strategy. Prove's solutions have the most innovative way to strongly bind an identity to a passkey without document authentication and can proactively manage them through a wide variety of data signals - setting itself apart from other passkey solution vendors in the space. As AI-generated deepfake exploits continue plaguing traditional document verification identity providers, Prove is strongly positioned to offer a superior product and lead the identity authentication space.

For more information, visit the Prove Auth solution page or request a demo.

About Prove Identity, Inc. ("Prove"):

As the world moves to a mobile-first economy, businesses need to modernize how they acquire, engage with and enable consumers. Prove's phone-centric identity tokenization and passive cryptographic authentication solutions reduce friction, enhance security and privacy across all digital channels, and accelerate revenues while reducing operating expenses and fraud losses. Over 1,000 enterprise customers use Prove's platform to process 20 billion customer requests annually across industries, including banking, lending, healthcare, gaming, crypto, e-commerce, marketplaces, and payments. For the latest updates from Prove, follow us on LinkedIn.

About the FIDO Alliance

The FIDO (Fast IDentity Online) Alliance was formed in July 2012 to address the lack of interoperability among strong authentication technologies, and remedy the problems users face with creating and remembering multiple usernames and passwords. By harnessing the collective expertise of hundreds of leading technology, consumer services and government organizations, the FIDO Alliance is enabling simpler and stronger online experiences and more secure online identities and devices. The FIDO Alliance creates and publishes specifications, executes rigorous certification programs and educates consumers in order to build confidence and trust in FIDO Certified products and services.

Contact Info:

Name: Maggie Holman

Email: pr@prove.com

Organization: Prove

Address: 22 W 38th St 9th floor, New York, NY 10018

Phone: 8625795551

Website: https://www.prove.com/

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/198368

SOURCE: Plentisoft
BEIJING, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In an influential study recently published in the Journal of Management Studies (JMS), Professor of Managerial Practice at Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business, Weilei (Stone) Shi, and an international team of academics published a critical paper calling for the inclusion of non-Western contexts in management and organization studies.

The research highlights a critical gap in the field, where non-Western data and theories often remain marginalized. This exclusion persists despite a global economic shift, with nations such as Brazil, China, India, and South Africa playing an increasingly pivotal role. These regions offer distinctive insights into grand societal challenges, such as inequality and climate change, and are fertile grounds for exploring innovative management practices and theories.

"Studies that explore how unique philosophies such as Buddhism or Taoism shape management practices in the East could provide useful implications for management practices globally, such as mindfulness-based interventions to manage occupational wellbeing, and management practices that focus on nurturing people rather than generating profit," they explain.

Such studies underscore the value of integrating diverse geographical contexts into management theory, moving beyond the Western-centric perspectives that risk producing contextually detached and inaccurate predictions. The paper critiques that prevailing discourse often reduces non-Western contexts to mere footnotes, challenging or complementing Western theories instead of recognizing them as rich sources of original theorizing.

Alarmingly, a comprehensive analysis of JMS publications from 2012 to June 2023 reveals a stark underrepresentation of non-Western studies, especially those outside Eastern Asia. This gap underscores the critical need for a wider, inclusive research agenda that acknowledges and examines the diverse realities of global management practices.

The complete paper is available here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/joms.13048

Professor Stone Shi , a co-author of this paper, serves as a Professor of Managerial Practice at CKGSB and an Associate Editor at JMS. He is also recognized for his contributions as a researcher at the Shanghai Institute for Global City - Shanghai Municipal Government Decision Committee. Dr. Shi has served as an independent board member for several listed companies in China.

About Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business (CKGSB)

Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business (CKGSB) is China's first privately-funded, research-intensive and not-for-profit business school, dedicated to developing business leaders with a global vision, sense of social responsibility, innovative mindset, and the ability to lead with empathy and compassion.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/pivotal-research-calls-for-inclusion-of-non-western-contexts-in-management-studies-302066099.html
VICTOR, N.Y., Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE: STZ), a leading beverage alcohol company, today announced the election of Christopher J. Baldwin of CVC Advisors (U.S.) Inc., a leading global private markets manager, to serve as a member of Constellation's board of directors, as well as his appointment as non-executive chair of the company's board, each effective March 1, 2024.

"We are excited to welcome Chris to Constellation's board of directors," said Jose Manuel Madero, Constellation Brands board member and interim board chair. "Both the company's board and executive team will benefit greatly from his leadership, general management experience, and deep consumer packaged goods and retail industry knowledge, as Constellation continues to position itself for sustainable, industry-leading profitable growth and shareholder returns within the evolving beverage alcohol category."

Mr. Baldwin has served as a managing partner of CVC Advisors (U.S.) Inc. since October 2020. Prior to that, he held various board and executive management roles at BJ's Wholesale Club Holdings Inc. (NYSE: BJ) between September 2015 and June 2023, including serving as the company's executive chairman of the board and chief executive officer during that time span. Mr. Baldwin continues to serve as a member of BJ's board of directors until his term expires at its 2024 annual meeting of shareholders. While at BJ's, Mr. Baldwin also served as chairman of the National Retail Federation board of directors from 2018-2020. In addition, Mr. Baldwin held numerous senior executive roles at Hess Retail Corporation, Kraft Foods Group, Inc., The Hershey Company, and The Procter & Gamble Company.

Mr. Baldwin brings to Constellation's board extensive executive and board leadership experience, and deep knowledge of the consumer packaged goods and food and beverage industries from his more than 20 years of service in multiple facets of business leadership including branding, marketing, and human capital development.

"Under the direction of Bill Newlands and his executive team, Constellation Brands has strengthened its position as a growth leader among consumer packaged goods and beverage alcohol companies," said Baldwin. "I look forward to engaging with my fellow Constellation board members, as well as Bill and his executive team, to further build on the company's strong foundation and industry-leading momentum, setting the stage for sustainable long-term success."

In addition, Constellation's board of directors has accepted the voluntary resignation of Susan Somersille Johnson as a member of the board, effective February 17, 2024. Ms. Johnson joined Constellation's board in July 2017 and served as a member of its Human Resources Committee. Ms. Johnson's resignation was not due to any disagreement with the company on any matter relating to its operations, practices, or procedures.

"On behalf of my fellow Constellation Brands board members, I want to thank Susan for her leadership and dedicated service to our board and the company over the past six-and-a-half years," said Madero.

"Susan's deep understanding of and passion for brand strategy, marketing, and technology served as valuable assets to our team. We wish her the very best in her future endeavors."

These moves serve as a continuation of the company's comprehensive board refreshment and governance enhancement process launched following its transition from a dual to a single class share structure in November 2022.

ABOUT CONSTELLATION BRANDS

Constellation Brands (NYSE: STZ) is a leading international producer and marketer of beer, wine, and spirits with operations in the U.S., Mexico, New Zealand, and Italy. Our mission is to build brands that people love because we believe elevating human connections is Worth Reaching For. It's worth our dedication, hard work, and calculated risks to anticipate market trends and deliver more for our consumers, shareholders, employees, and industry. This dedication is what has driven us to become one of the fastest-growing, large CPG companies in the U.S. at retail, and it drives our pursuit to deliver what's next.

Every day, people reach for our high-end, iconic imported beer brands such as those in the Corona brand family like the flagship Corona Extra, Modelo Especial and the flavorful lineup of Modelo Cheladas, Pacifico, and Victoria; our fine wine and craft spirits brands including The Prisoner Wine Company, Robert Mondavi Winery, Casa Noble Tequila, and High West Whiskey; and our premium wine brands such as Kim Crawford and Meiomi.

As an agriculture-based company, we have a long history of operating sustainably and responsibly. Our ESG strategy is embedded into our business and our work focuses on serving as good stewards of the environment, enhancing social equity within our industry and communities, and promoting responsible beverage alcohol consumption. These commitments ground our aspirations beyond driving the bottom line as we work to create a future that is truly Worth Reaching For.

To learn more, visit www.cbrands.comand follow us on X, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. The word "expect" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words. These statements may relate to business strategy, future operations, prospects, plans, and objectives of management and Constellation's Board of Directors, as well as information concerning expected actions of third parties. All forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in, or implied by, such forward-looking statements. No assurances can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur.

The forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and should not be construed in any manner as a guarantee that such results will in fact occur. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this news release and Constellation does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

In addition to risks and uncertainties associated with ordinary business operations, the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are subject to other risks and uncertainties, including the accuracy of all projections and other factors and uncertainties disclosed from time-to-time in Constellation Brands' filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended February 28, 2023 and its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended November 30, 2023, which could cause actual future performance to differ from current expectations.



MEDIA CONTACTS INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACTS Amy Martin 585-678-7141 / amy.martin@cbrands.com (mailto:amy.martin@cbrands.com)

Carissa Guzski 315-525-7362 / carissa.guzski@cbrands.com (mailto:carissa.guzski@cbrands.com)



Joseph Suarez 773-551-4397 / joseph.suarez@cbrands.com (mailto:joseph.suarez@cbrands.com)

Snehal Shah 847-385-4940 / snehal.shah@cbrands.com (mailto:snehal.shah@cbrands.com)

David Paccapaniccia 585-282-7227 / david.paccapaniccia@cbrands.com (mailto:david.paccapaniccia@cbrands.com)

A downloadable PDF copy of this news release can be found here: http://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/412dfdaa-d13c-4ea1-8ec0-03772bd1f5ce
A pair of cigar shops are making their Cumberland County debuts in the first quarter of the year.

Union Cigar opened in Carlisle at the beginning of February while Lounge 611 is set to open for business in Mechanicsburg in early March.

Union Cigar

While Union Cigar at 52 W. Pomfret St. held its soft launch Jan. 2, its grand opening took place Feb. 2.

The shop offers products from the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua and other countries, as well as legacy and boutique brands. Popular brands include Padron, Plasencia, DBL, Drew Estate, Olivia and more.

Union Cigar may have just opened its Carlisle doors, but the business has been booming for several years.

Co-owners John Weiser and Jordon Dale Sr. purchased Union Cigar Club, which had been operating in Gettysburg for about 15 years, in November 2020. The pair opted to drop "club" from the name, which Weiser believes is "very fitting for the Gettysburg area."

In February 2022, they opened a Hanover location. The Gettysburg operation closed at the end of last year before relocating to Carlisle.

"Running a small business is difficult, but running one in Gettysburg borough can be harder," Weiser said, citing rising rent costs and parking issues.

He believes Carlisle offers more support to downtown businesses through organizations like the Downtown Carlisle Association and Carlisle Area Chamber of Commerce, and he is pleased to be so close to the U.S. Army War College and Carlisle Barracks, as well as Dickinson College.

"We feel Carlisle has needed a premier cigar shop and lounge ever since Johnson's closed years ago," Weiser said.

Aside from cigars, the business includes two public BYOB lounges and one private membership lounge, allowing visitors to "forget the troubles on the other side of our door," as Union Cigar's slogan goes. Soft drinks, bottled water and custom blended coffee are also for sale.

Hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.

More information about the business, including upcoming events like movie nights and Conspiracy Theory Tuesdays, can be found on Union Cigar's website or Facebook page.

Lounge 611

In Mechanicsburg, Lounge 611 will celebrate its grand opening at 11 Railroad Ave., through a series of events from March 5 through March 9, including a ribbon-cutting March 6.

Lounge 611 owner and general manager Billy Morrison believes the industry is growing.

"I'm excited that John and Jordan at Union Cigar have moved to Carlisle," he said. "They will do well there, and our shops will complement each other with the selection of cigars and even different aesthetics of our spaces."

A self-proclaimed "cigar enthusiast" for more than 20 years, Morrison has worked in the cigar industry as a broker and social media content creator for various cigar brands.

"Cigars invoke memories and create camaraderie among people who may or may not meet otherwise," he said. "If you ask most cigar enthusiasts about their first cigar or their favorite cigar, I would bet that nine times out of 10, their answer would include a story of a specific memory. Lounge 611 will provide a space for those memories and conversations to continue."

The business is named after the Norfolk and Western Class J #611 steam engine, Morrison said. He grew up in Roanoke, Virginia, where the engine was constructed in the 1950s, and recalls loving its look and size when he saw it at the Virginia Museum of Transportation as a kid.

Lounge 611 will partner with the museum by offering a portion of its annual sales to help keep the engine restored, Morrison said.

A Mechanicsburg resident, staying in the area was important to his family and he believes support from other local business, the Mechanicsburg Borough Council and the Downtown Mechanicsburg Partnership made it an "easy decision" to join the borough's business realm.

Lounge 611 will offer premium cigars, as well as food and drink options including locally made chocolate, snacks and craft root beer from Pennsylvania-based Parlor Beverages.

"We are seeing more and more folks in their 20s and 30s buying cigars," Morrison said. "I think this is because they may remember a parent or grandparent enjoying a cigar, and it creates some nostalgia for them. Many also enjoy the social aspect of spending time at a cigar lounge too. Nearly everything is digital now and social media is huge, so connecting face to face with someone over a cigar is a nice break from that."

He said he hopes Lounge 611 will bring more traffic downtown through both monthly and quarterly events.

As the days before opening week slip away, Morrison is most excited to meet new people and spend time talking with them over cigars.

"Those moments are priceless and some of the closest relationships I have now all began in a cigar lounge somewhere," he said.

More information about Lounge 611 and its upcoming events will be posted on the business' Facebook and Instagram pages.

Photos: Carlisle's 8th Annual Ice Art Fest
TOKYO, Feb 20, 2024 - (JCN Newswire) - Fujitsu today announced a collaboration with QuTech (1) for the development of the world's first cryogenic electronic circuits for controlling diamond-based quantum bits. Enabling convenient operation of both the qubits and the control electronics in a compact cryogenic refrigerator, the new technique addresses the "wiring bottleneck" in cooling qubits while maintaining high quality performance, marking a significant milestone toward the realization of larger-scale quantum computers.QuTech will present the results of the joint research project with Fujitsu at the "International Conference on Solid State Device Circuits ISSCC 2024 (IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference 2024)," one of the largest conferences on semiconductor technology to be held in San Francisco, U.S., from February 18, 2024 to Thursday, February 22.BackgroundQubits make use of extremely fragile quantum effects that are perturbed by various influences including smallest amount of heat. Heat leaking into quantum computers would immediately destroy the information that a qubit was holding, rendering any quantum computer unreliable and unusable. To assure accurate operation, qubits need to be cooled down to the coldest temperatures possible, close to absolute zero kelvin (-273degC).Accurate operation of the electronic circuits controlling the qubit represents an ongoing challenge, and conventional methods to keep qubits cold enough require a small cryogenic refrigerator, where qubits are connected with wires to the electronics outside the fridge.However, wires between the cold qubits and the room-temperature electronics significantly impact reliability, manufacturing and the size of quantum computers.To address this, Fujitsu in collaboration with researchers and engineers at QuTech - a collaboration between the TU Delft and TNO - developed a new technique leveraging QuTech's expertise in cryogenic semiconductor integrated circuit (cryo-CMOS circuit) technology and diamond spin qubit, which is more robust to heat disturbance, to successfully drive a diamond spin qubit using a cryo-CMOS circuit installed in a cryogenic refrigerator. The new technology enables the installation of a cryo-CMOS circuit at the same temperature as a diamond spin qubit (4 Kelvin), which can simplify wiring and lead to the construction of high-performance, large-scale integrated quantum computers.Newly developed technology to cool electronicsFujitsu in collaboration with QuTech developed a new technology that cools the whole quantum computer instead of just the qubits. Leveraging cryo-CMOS circuit technology, Fujitsu together with QuTech designed a magnetic field application circuit and a microwave driving circuit necessary for driving a diamond spin qubit at 4 Kelvin. By driving this magnetic field application circuit and microwave driving circuit in the same cryogenic refrigerator as the qubit, Fujitsu and QuTech successfully generated a magnetic field and microwaves strong enough to drive the diamond spin qubit.The new technology simplifies wiring, and may one day contribute to the realization of high-performance, large-scale integrated quantum computers.Fabio Sebastiano, Lead Investigator, QuTech, explains: "In designing electrical systems, there is always a balance between performance and power: the increase of one means a decrease of the other. Our challenge is obtaining high performance, while also not limiting the power consumption." Masoud Babaie, Principal Investigator, QuTech adds: "This is crucial as too much power could overheat the cryogenic refrigerator used to keep the system at a low temperature. We used specific cryogenic electronic controllers (cryo-CMOS controllers) to alleviate the interconnect bottleneck: now we need fewer wires to enter the cryogenic fridge, which greatly enhances the scalability of the whole quantum computer."Dr. Shintaro Sato, Fellow, SVP & Head of Quantum Laboratory at Fujitsu Research, Fujitsu Limited, explains: "Wiring between control circuits and qubits is a common problem in the process of scaling up quantum computers. Results of our joint research highlight the potential of cryo-CMOS technology for diamond spin qubits to overcome this bottleneck. We anticipate that the new technology will enable us to achieve the high scalability expected in quantum computers using diamond spin qubits."Future PlansRealizing cryogenic electronic circuits for controlling diamond-based quantum bits, the newly developed technology signifies a significant step toward the realization of large-scale quantum computers. Moving forward, Fujitsu and QuTech will further enhance the newly developed technology, including the expansion from 1-qubit operation to 2-qubit operations, implementation of the qubit read-out functionality, and the scaling up to a larger quantum processors.[1]QuTech :QuTech is a mission-driven research institute of Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) and the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO). Together, they work on a radically new technology with world-changing potential. Their mission: to develop scalable prototypes of a quantum computer and an inherently safe quantum internet, based on the fundamental laws of quantum mechanics.About FujitsuFujitsu's purpose is to make the world more sustainable by building trust in society through innovation. As the digital transformation partner of choice for customers in over 100 countries, our 124,000 employees work to resolve some of the greatest challenges facing humanity. Our range of services and solutions draw on five key technologies: Computing, Networks, AI, Data & Security, and Converging Technologies, which we bring together to deliver sustainability transformation. Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702) reported consolidated revenues of 3.7 trillion yen (US$28 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2023 and remains the top digital services company in Japan by market share. Find out more: www.fujitsu.com.Press ContactsFujitsu LimitedPublic and Investor Relations DivisionInquiries (https://bit.ly/3rrQ4mB)Source: Fujitsu LtdCopyright 2024 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
Halifax, Nova Scotia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 20, 2024) - EDM Resources Inc. (TSXV: EDM) ("EDM" or the "Company") today announced that it has appointed Eugene Chen as an independent director to the board effective February 16, 2024. The appointment of Mr. Chen is part of the Company's initiative to expand the skill set and broaden the experience, governance and independence to the Board of Directors.

The Company's President & CEO, Mr. Mark Haywood, commented: "On behalf of the Company, we are extremely pleased to welcome Eugene Chen to EDM's board. Eugene is a seasoned securities lawyer with a wealth of experience in the Capital markets and the mining industry in Canada. As EDM evolves from a developer to a producer, we recognize that we need to expand our skills set and experience at the board level. We look forward to working with him and are confident that he will make meaningful contributions that will help EDM in achieving its strategic objectives and in its commitment to responsibly and sustainably deliver long-term shareholder value. "

Mr. Chen is a versatile corporate lawyer with over 25 years of service to emerging and growth-oriented companies. He is known for his strong business acumen, diverse experience and responsive service as well as his innovative, practical solutions to complex business issues. As a partner in various distinguished regional and national law firms and co-founder of diverse businesses, Mr. Chen has become a trusted advisor in corporate finance, capital markets, securities and M&A matters. His expertise extends to working with entrepreneurial start-ups, rapid growth businesses and public companies, particularly those with intricate capital structures.

Mr. Chen currently leads the Capital Markets, Securities and M&A Group at McLeod Law LLP in Calgary, applying his expertise across broad sectors including mineral exploration. There, he provides strategic counsel on initial public offerings, private placements, take-over bids, stock exchange listings and regulatory compliance. He has been counsel and advised on numerous financing and M&A transactions in the mining sector involving properties throughout North America, South America and Africa and is currently a director of Fathom Nickel Inc. (CSE: FNI), a critical mineral focused mining exploration company with properties located in Saskatchewan. Passionate about the nexus of law and business, Mr. Chen excels in identifying corporate opportunities and risks, providing strategic guidance to management teams and helping ensure clients achieve their goals. His strong leadership, excellent communication, and impressive negotiation skills are enhanced by his ability to build relationships and foster consensus among diverse professional teams.

For more information on EDM's board, please visit https://www.edmresources.com/board-of-directors.

About EDM Resources Inc.

EDM is a Canadian exploration and mining company that has full ownership of the Scotia Mine and related facilities near Halifax, Nova Scotia. Through its wholly owned subsidiary, EDM also holds several prospective exploration licenses near its Scotia Mine and in the surrounding regions of Nova Scotia.

The Company's common shares are traded on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "EDM". For more information, please contact:

Mark Haywood

President & Chief Executive Officer

Kevin Farrell

Chief Financial Officer

Head Office Purdy's Wharf, 1959 Upper Water Street, Suite 1301, Nova Scotia, B3J 3N2, Canada

Telephone +1 (902) 482 4481

Facsimile +1 (902) 422 2388

Email & Web info@EDMresources.com & www.EDMresources.com

The Company's corporate filings and technical reports can be viewed on the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. Further information on EDM is also available on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/EDMresources.inc, Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/EDMresources and LinkedIn at http://www.linkedin.com/company/EDMresources.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENTS

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

This news release includes certain forward-looking statements which are not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking statements include estimates and statements that describe the Company's future plans, objectives or goals, including words to the effect that the Company or management expects a stated condition or result to occur. Forward-looking statements may be identified by such terms as "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "estimates", "may", "should", "could", "would", "will", or "plan". Since forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Although these statements are based on information currently available to the Company, the Company provides no assurance that actual results will meet management's expectations. Risks, uncertainties, and other factors involved with forward-looking information could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects, and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward-looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, the Company's objectives, goals or future plans, statements, potential mineralization, exploration and development results, the estimation of mineral resources, exploration and mine development plans, timing of the commencement of operations and estimates of market conditions. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from EDM's expectations include, among others, the degree to which mineral resource and reserve estimates are reflective of actual mineral resources and reserves, the degree to which factors are present which would make a mineral deposit commercially viable, the price of zinc, lead and gypsum, uncertainties relating to availability and costs of financing needed in the future, changes in equity markets, risks related to international operations, the actual results of current exploration activities, delays in the development of projects, conclusions of economic evaluations and changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined as well as future prices of metals, ability to predict or counteract potential impact of COVID-19 coronavirus on factors relevant to the Company's business, as well as those factors discussed in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in EDM's management's discussion and analysis of the Company's annual financial statements for the period ended December 31, 2022. Although EDM has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results to be not 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.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/198543

SOURCE: EDM Resources Inc.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Alat, an innovative company focused on transforming global industries (electronics and industrials) and creating a world-class manufacturing hub in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, today announced four global partnerships with leading technology companies, Softbank Group, Carrier Corporation, Dahua Technology and Tahakom. Alat, a PIF company, will deliver sustainable manufacturing to help these global companies reduce their emissions and move towards carbon zero manufacturing. Alat is quickly delivering its mandate by partnering with the world's leading corporations to innovate and transform industries, with a commitment and focus on using clean energy.

Alat will invest US$100 billion by 2030 to enhance the capabilities of the technological sector, benefiting from the rapid development of this sector in Saudi Arabia. The company will also empower the private sector and enhance the commercial environment through its business systems and partnerships with leading international technology manufacturers.

Amit Midha, Global CEO of Alat, said: "In conjunction with our international and regional partners, the first four of which we proudly announce today, we will redefine sustainable manufacturing. Alat's mandate is focused on harnessing the Kingdom's solar, wind and green hydrogen clean energy. We are passionately using technology to transform businesses, leveraging cutting-edge AI technology and fourth industrial revolution technologies for manufacturing. This is not only using clean energy, but applying sustainability measures to all our operations, buildings, logistics and supply chain, with sustainability at the core of everything we do."

Accelerating Alat's plans and ambitions, the company is today announcing four global partnerships:

Softbank Group: In conjunction with the Softbank Group, one of the world's largest technology investment groups, Alat and Softbank will establish a next generation industrial automation business in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that will manufacture groundbreaking industrial robots. The partners will invest up to US$150 million to establish a fully automated manufacturing and engineering hub that will serve local and global demand. The plan is for this manufacturing plant to be opened by December 2024. Carrier Corporation: A global leader in intelligent climate and energy solutions, will in collaboration with Alat develop a cutting-edge manufacturing and R&D facility in the Kingdom aimed at decarbonizing emissions in buildings, and dramatically increasing their energy efficiency. The partnership will deliver advanced heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) solutions which includes high-tech products like Variable Refrigerant Flow, chillers, and Air Handling Units (AHUs). The agreement includes development of a cutting-edge manufacturing and R&D center expected to create more than 5,000 local jobs. Dahua Technology Ltd: A professional manufacturer in the security and safety field will start manufacturing technology products in the region, through a new joint venture to produce and market solutions for safety and surveillance use that are applicable in Intelligent Cities, as well as Intelligent Buildings and Enterprise Applications. Alat and Dahua Technology will invest US$200M to establish a secure and compliant global business for vision-centric products, called Alat AIVisio Technology Co. Ltd., and a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Saudi Arabia. Both companies will cooperate and support with technology enablement, testing labs and demo centres. The Saudi Technology and Security Comprehensive Control Company (Tahakom), which already develops Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), Artificial Intelligence (Al) and cutting-edge safety solutions, will in partnership with Alat combine their resources and capabilities to advance smart mobility and intelligent cities solutions, in alignment with Saudi Arabia Vision 2030. This partnership will involve collaboration on solution designs, product specifications and leveraging R&D and innovation functions, as well as building technology roadmaps and cultivating both client and vendor relationships.

Alat will innovate and create manufacturing capabilities across seven business units, these include semiconductors, smart devices, smart buildings, smart appliances, smart health, advanced industrials and next-gen infrastructure. The company will initially manufacture products in 34 categories in seven business units. Alat has appointed some of the world's most experienced global industry experts to lead each of the Alat business units.

For more information visit www.alat.com

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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/alat-announces-four-partnerships-with-leading-global-companies-to-rapidly-progress-technology-manufacturing-in-saudi-arabia-302066114.html
RALEIGH, NC / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / Issuer Direct Corporation (NYSE American:ISDR ), ("Issuer Direct" or the "Company"), a leading communications and compliance company, is proud to announce its partnership with ASTA-USA Translation Services , a specialized language services provider.

Issuer Direct is the parent company of ACCESSWIRE and Newswire , and because of this partnership, their customers will now have access to ASTA-USA Translation Services' offerings which include:

Translation of important written materials from any language into any other language(s).

Localization of content for each target audience's region.

Access to subject matter expert translators for clients in industries such as legal, medical, education, and others to ensure industry standards and compliance.

ASTA-USA accurately translates important written materials from one language into other language(s).

"Using a rigorous vetting process, ASTA-USA is home to an extensive network of best-in-class translators with industry-specific expertise and more than 10 years of experience. This strategic mastery allows us to serve as more than a general language service provider to our clients. Instead, we act as a key ally in driving growth, eliminating language barriers, and enhancing collaboration while keeping cultural sensitivities at the forefront," notes Alain J. Roy, Founder of ASTA-USA Translation Services. "Because our clients' success is integral to our own, we are dedicated to providing superior language services that empower businesses of all sizes-across all sectors-to elevate their results."

For more than 35 years, ASTA-USA has served leading domestic and international corporations, public service organizations, non-profits, and government entities by providing world-class, industry-specific language and document translation services.

In addition to its partnership, ASTA-USA is also a Newswire Press Release Optimizer (PRO) client. As part of the Total PRO plan, Newswire's experts work with ASTA-USA to develop newsworthy content and connect with the media to capture the visibility they need and deserve.

"We're proud to have ASTA-USA as a customer and to partner with them to provide our customers with translation services they can trust," said Jennifer Hammers, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Issuer Direct. "A common thread that pulls our businesses together is our attention to detail and our obsession with providing our customers with superior service and quality they can count on."

###

About ASTA-USA Translation Services

ASTA-USA is a highly specialized language services provider .

Every day, corporations and governments of all sizes rely on the expertise of ASTA-USA to translate their important written materials, and to provide real-time, live, human interpreting services. Headquartered in Cheyenne, Wyoming, ASTA-USA's Translation Directors and Professional Translation Teams are based all over the USA, Canada, the United Kingdom, the Middle East, Asia, South America, Latin America, and Africa.

About Issuer Direct Corporation

Issuer Direct is a leading communications company, providing solutions for both Public Relations and Investor Relations Professionals for over 16 years. Our comprehensive solutions are used by thousands of customers from emerging startups to multi-billion-dollar global brands, ensuring their most important moments are reaching the right audiences, via our industry-leading newswire, IR website solutions, events technology, and compliance solutions. For more information, please visit www.issuerdirect.com .

Forward-Looking Statements



This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act") (which Sections were adopted as part of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). Statements preceded by, followed by or that otherwise include the words "believe," "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "plan," "project," "prospects," "outlook," and similar words or expressions, or future or conditional verbs, such as "will," "should," "would," "may," and "could," are generally forward-looking in nature and not historical facts. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the Company's actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any anticipated results, performance, or achievements for many reasons. The Company disclaims any intention to, and undertakes no obligation to, revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, a future event, or otherwise. For additional risks and uncertainties that could impact the Company's forward-looking statements, please see the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, including but not limited to the discussion under "Risk Factors" therein, which the Company filed with the SEC and which may be viewed at http://www.sec.gov/ .

For Further Information:

Issuer Direct Corporation

Brian R. Balbirnie

Chief Executive Officer

919-481-4000

brian.balbirnie@issuerdirect.com

Issuer Direct Corporation

Jennifer Hammers

EVP Sales & Marketing

919-481-4000

jennifer.hammers@issuerdirect.com

SOURCE: Issuer Direct Corporation

View the original press release on accesswire.com
SPT to showcase GyroScout, GyroMaster, and GyroLogic Evo at PDAC, offering real-scale demos and a virtual showroom experience.

Leadership team, including CEO Orlando Ramirez, to discuss SPT's global impact and technologies at booth #441.

SPT emphasizes innovation with 24/7 technical support and new in-country survey tool calibration, minimizing downtime.

Malaga, Spain--(Newsfile Corp. - February 20, 2024) - At the 92nd Annual Convention of the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC), to be held from March 3rd to 6th at the South Pavilion of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Stockholm Precision Tools (SPT) is honoured to announce its distinguished participation. Esteemed guests are cordially invited to visit them at booth #441, where SPT's groundbreaking directional survey tools will be showcased.





Students and entrepreneurs had their questions answered by the SPT team at the last edition of PDAC



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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The exhibit will feature an unparalleled opportunity for attendees to delve into the world of innovative mining solutions, including the GyroScout, engineered explicitly for blasting applications, alongside the GyroMaster and GyroLogic Evo. These sophisticated products will be demonstrated in real-scale, providing a tangible insight into their operational excellence.

In an initiative to transcend traditional boundaries, SPT will introduce a virtual showroom alongside augmented reality technologies. This innovative approach is designed to offer a comprehensive visualization of the directional survey tools' field performance, encapsulating their functionality and efficacy in an immersive experience.

SPT Tool Set for Directional Survey and Platform Alignment



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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A cadre of SPT's luminaries, including Orlando Ramirez, the esteemed Founder and CEO; Eric Estrada, Global Sales and Marketing Manager; Anthony Serdynski, Operations Manager in Canada; Alfredo Carballeira, Country Manager of Brazil; and Carolina Gutierrez, Country Manager of Peru, will grace the booth with their presence. Their participation underscores the company's commitment to excellence and innovation.

The PDAC convention, a nexus for over 25,000 professionals from 130 countries, serves as a premier platform for the dissemination of knowledge and fostering collaboration within the mining and mineral exploration sector.

SPT, with its illustrious history of nearly three decades, stands at the forefront of the mining industry's technological evolution. The company specializes in the development of directional survey tools and drilling equipment alignment solutions, marking its presence in over 50 countries globally. With its headquarters in Spain, SPT has established a formidable network of offices in critical mining hubs, including Australia, Canada, Mexico, and several South American countries, notably Brazil, Peru, Colombia and Chile.

Dedicated to surpassing customer expectations, SPT provides an unrivaled suite of services, featuring 24/7 support in four languages and in-house calibration services, ensuring the precision and reliability of its tools.

For further details, reach out to them at sales@sptab.com or visit their website at sptab.com/. This participation not only signifies SPT's dedication to pushing the boundaries of mining technology but also its commitment to fostering a future where high-precision tools become a staple in advancing the industry's efficiency and technological prowess.



Contact Info:

Stockholm Precision Tools (SPT)

Eric Estrada

Global Sales Marketing Manager

sales@sptab.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/198196

SOURCE: Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC)
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 20, 2024) - SurgeGraph, a leading AI writing tool, has unveiled its latest initiative, an informative blog designed to serve as a comprehensive resource for users. This educational platform is dedicated to providing in-depth articles and tutorials that help users harness the capabilities of SurgeGraph for specific use cases.





SurgeGraph Launches Educational Blog to Empower Users With Expert Insights

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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The need for this blog arose in light of the rapid evolution of SurgeGraph, which has introduced over 102 updates within a mere eight months. Amidst this rapid development, the need for a structured guide became apparent as some users faced challenges in navigating the increasingly feature-rich platform. The blog is SurgeGraph's solution to these challenges, offering clear, step-by-step instructions and insightful articles that aim to simplify the platform's extensive capabilities for users.

The inauguration of the blog is marked by the publication of five detailed use case tutorial articles. These articles are crafted to assist users in achieving precise goals, ranging from writing impactful affiliate content to creating engaging listicles. This diverse array of topics demonstrates SurgeGraph's versatility in meeting various content writing demands.

SurgeGraph is committed to regularly updating the blog with similar use case articles. This initiative is part of the company's ongoing efforts to ensure subscribers can maximize the benefits of their SurgeGraph subscription.

Complementing the blog's launch, SurgeGraph has also unveiled a revamped homepage. This redesign focuses on delivering an improved user experience through a sleeker interface, making it easier for users to navigate and obtain the information they seek. Furthermore, SurgeGraph also introduces their first ever 'About Us' page, offering a glimpse into the team behind SurgeGraph.

Interested parties are encouraged to explore the use case tutorials available on SurgeGraph's new blog and to experience the enhanced functionality of the newly designed homepage. This initiative highlights SurgeGraph's unwavering commitment to user satisfaction and its dedication to offering tools that not only enhance writing efficiency but also contribute to users' traffic growth and content strategy success.

About SurgeGraph

SurgeGraph is an AI writing tool with a mission to accelerate content writing & SEO for traffic growth. With various AI and SEO functionalities, SurgeGraph specializes in helping users quickly generate high-quality, SEO-optimized content that is loved by human readers and rank high on search engines.

Contact Info:

Name: Sara Salim

Email: hello@surgegraph.io

Organization: SurgeGraph

Website: https://surgegraph.io

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/198537

SOURCE: Plentisoft
MUNICH, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- IFCO, the world's leading provider of reusable packaging containers (RPCs), announces the successful acquisition of BEPCO, a well-established reusable packaging pooling company based in Tallinn, Estonia. BEPCO operates a thriving meat & dairy crate pool in the Baltics. The acquisition of BEPCO enables IFCO to expand its market presence and diversify its product portfolio in the region.

By joining forces with BEPCO, IFCO aims to leverage the combined expertise, resources, and technological capabilities of both organizations to deliver enhanced value to customers. Together, the two companies will be positioned to address the evolving needs of customers in the Baltics.

"This strategic partnership allows us to deliver even greater value to our customers by leveraging the strengths of both organizations. IFCO and BEPCO share a strong commitment to innovation and sustainability. Together, we will continue to innovate, promote sustainability, and provide the high-quality packaging solutions our customers expect," explains Michael Pooley, IFCO CEO.

"With BEPCO becoming part of the IFCO family, we are strategically well-positioned for the future. I am confident that this collaboration will bring about significant benefits for our customers, employees, and stakeholders. By combining our expertise, we look forward to contributing to a more sustainable future and customer-centric approach. And together, we will advance the technological development of the pooling solutions, broaden our geographical footprint and elevate the supply chain to the next level," says Margus Arm, BEPCO CEO.

BEPCO will continue to operate under its own brand in the region. Nevertheless, BEPCO customers will benefit from IFCO's long-standing global expertise in providing reusable packaging in a sustainable circular economy model. The merging of BEPCO and IFCO will unite the best local and global operating expertise, providing an enhanced customer experience and the financial backing to scale the business.

About IFCO

IFCO is the leading global provider of reusable packaging solutions for fresh foods, serving customers in 50+ countries. IFCO operates a pool of over 380 million Reusable Packaging Containers (RPCs) globally, which are used for 2 billion shipments of fresh fruits and vegetables, meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, bread, and other items from suppliers to grocery retailers every year. IFCO RPCs ensure a better fresh food supply chain by protecting freshness and quality and lowering costs, food waste and environmental impact compared to single-use packaging. More: www.ifco.com | Follow us on LinkedIn @IFCO SYSTEMS

About BEPCO

BEPCO is the market leader for meat and dairy pooling and renting in the Baltics region. The company started in 2010 and since then developed cross border activities in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. BEPCO has a mission to deliver universal, innovative, and efficient returnable packaging and transport services which can be used in the circular supply chain for all product categories. More: http://www.bepco.ee/ | Follow us on LinkedIn: @Bepco

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-- Findings indicate firms are looking to gain further transparency into employee crypto-trading activity through compliance monitoring software --

ROCKVILLE, Md., Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- StarCompliance ("Star"), a leading provider of employee compliance technology solutions, has released the key findings of its annual Crypto & Compliance Survey 2023, which examines how financial services firms are approaching employee crypto-trading from a compliance perspective. The third annual survey was conducted as a joint initiative with Aer Compliance, to build awareness of and provide greater clarification around firms' state of readiness for monitoring employee crypto transactions and holdings.

Results show that 43% of the firms surveyed now have an employee crypto-trading policy in place, an increase of 6% compared to 2022. Of those who responded that they do not have such a policy in place, 23% intend to implement one this year. Some firms without a dedicated policy indicated that crypto assets are already captured in their existing conflict of interest policies, which refer to trading in traditional securities and digital assets, and therefore a separate policy was not required.

"As the regulatory landscape for digital assets continues to evolve, companies need to be ready to comply with new or updated rules. This starts with a serious examination of their existing compliance software, processes, and teams," said Jennifer Sun, CEO at StarCompliance. "With the results of this survey, we are delivering new insights into the industry's preparedness for any upcoming crypto regulatory frameworks, and the steps firms can take to stay compliant and competitive."

Key findings from the Star's Annual Crypto & Compliance Survey 2023:

Less than half (45%) of respondents estimate that their employees invest less than 25% of their tradable assets in crypto - down 12% year-on-year. However, 51% still didn't know how much of their employees' tradable assets are invested in crypto, up from 39% in 2022.

Millennial employees were identified as the generation that most actively trades crypto assets (32%). However, 61% of firms surveyed did not know which age groups are trading crypto assets, up from 27% in 2022.

The number of respondents "not at all confident" in their understanding of how employees are trading crypto instruments in personal accounts increased 13% year-on-year. However, those who are "very confident" increased by 5% year-on-year. This indicates that while some firms' policies have improved awareness of their employees' crypto-trading behavior, many still need to look at how they can gain further transparency into employee crypto-trading activity.

39% of respondents expect that regulations and guidance for employee crypto-trading activity will come into force in the next 18 months, down 21% vs 2022, reflecting the lag in legislation compared to adoption of crypto trading.

The majority of respondents (63%) are looking to monitor and manage employee crypto-trading risks by investing in or using compliance monitoring software. However, 18% are still waiting for further guidance from regulators before deciding how they should approach and monitor employee crypto-trading activities.

Find a complete breakdown of the survey findings here.

Star's Crypto Pre-Clearance software solution enables firms to monitor the crypto assets their employees are trading and take the first step toward preventing potential conflicts related to this. Key capabilities include trade-request pre-clearance: allowing employees who want to trade and sell crypto to do so easily while providing the business with visibility into this activity.

In August 2023, Star partnered with Aer Compliance to provide customers with a more holistic approach for managing employee crypto trading, monitoring material non-public information (MNPI), and supervision of securities and digital assets.

About Aer Compliance

Aer Compliance is the first employee trade compliance solution for digital assets. With a customer base comprising the largest banks, funds, and market makers globally, Aer's software brings robust controls to this world of emerging risks. As regulators increase their scrutiny of crypto, Aer is the essential way to ensure appropriate measures are in place to protect both the firm and its employees. Argus' US federal public sector work further informs its cutting-edge approach to compliance. You can find out more about the solution at www.aercompliance.com

About StarCompliance

StarCompliance is the world's leading provider of employee compliance technology solutions. Trusted globally by forward-thinking companies in 114 countries, Star's future-ready compliance platform delivers on-demand configurability, multi-jurisdictional integrity, and the actionable intelligence you need to monitor for conflicts, meet regulatory obligations, and reduce risk. Compliance no longer needs to be complex. Check out Star's intuitive, straightforward UX and give your employees the multi-layered protection they need to comply with confidence. www.starcompliance.com

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/third-annual-starcompliance-crypto--compliance-survey-shows-nearly-half-of-firms-now-have-an-employee-crypto-trading-policy-302065967.html
Eurofins MET Labs, part of the global network of Eurofins (Paris:ERF) laboratories and a global leader in product safety approvals and regulatory certification, has been officially recognized by Intuitive Machines for their crucial contribution to their IM-1 lunar mission. In a significant gesture of acknowledgment, Intuitive Machines has etched the Eurofins MET Labs name onto the lunar lander, symbolizing their lasting contribution to this groundbreaking mission.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240219373039/en/

Photo Credit: Intuitive Machines Nick Rios

The Intuitive Machines IM-1 mission, launched from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 1:05 a.m. EST, Thursday, February 15, 2024. It reached its intended orbit approximately 48 minutes later and established first communication with the lander at 1:59 a.m. EST.

The mission represents a pivotal venture within NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative. The CLPS initiative is a foundational element of NASA's broader Artemis program and aims to foster the development of commercial lunar capabilities.

Eurofins MET Labs was instrumental in this mission, leveraging its expertise to ensure the IM-1 Lander meets the stringent safety and quality standards essential for space exploration. The Eurofins MET Labs Environmental Simulation Lab in Baltimore, MD carried out the comprehensive testing and certification of the IM-1 Lander's components and systems.

Eurofins MET Labs holds accreditations from both the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA). Their comprehensive solutions span Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC), environmental, and safety testing and certification.

About Intuitive Machines

Intuitive Machines is a diversified space company focused on space exploration. Intuitive Machines supplies space products and services to support sustained robotic and human exploration to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Intuitive Machines' products and services are offered through its four business units: Lunar Access Services, Orbital Services, Lunar Data Services, and Space Products and Infrastructure. For more information, please visit intuitivemachines.com.

About Eurofins the global leader in bio-analysis

Eurofins MET Labs is part of the global network of Eurofins laboratories.

Eurofins is Testing for Life. The Eurofins network of companies believes that it is a global leader in food, environment, pharmaceutical and cosmetic product testing and in discovery pharmacology, forensics, advanced material sciences and agroscience contract research services. It is also one of the market leaders in certain testing and laboratory services for genomics, and in the support of clinical studies, as well as in biopharma contract development and manufacturing. It also has a rapidly developing presence in highly specialised and molecular clinical diagnostic testing and in-vitro diagnostic products.

With over 61,000 staff across a network of ca. 900 laboratories in 61 countries, Eurofins offers a portfolio of over 200,000 analytical methods.

Eurofins Shares are listed on Euronext Paris Stock Exchange.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240219373039/en/

Contacts:

For more information, please contact:

Fredis Benitez

Global Marketing Analytics Manager, CPT

Mobile: +1 346-739-3816

E-mail: fredis.benitez@cpt.eurofinsus.com
Biocytogen Pharmaceuticals (Beijing) Co., Ltd. ("Biocytogen", HKEX: 02315) today announces an antibody evaluation and option agreement with Gilead Sciences, Inc. The agreement provides Gilead access to Biocytogen's extensive fully human antibody library generated against a wide range of therapeutic targets. Over a three-year nomination period, Gilead will nominate targets of interest and evaluate the corresponding antibodies, with the option to acquire selected antibodies for worldwide therapeutic development.

Under the terms of the agreement, Biocytogen will receive a payment to enable Gilead's evaluation of certain antibodies directed to a given nominated target. Biocytogen is eligible to receive option exercise fees along with development, regulatory and sales milestone payments for each selected antibody against the nominated targets, as well as single-digit royalties on net sales.

Dr. Yuelei Shen, President and CEO of Biocytogen, said, "We are thrilled to collaborate with Gilead, a partner renowned for their drug development and commercialization expertise. Our extensive library of RenMice-derived, fully human antibodies could serve as an important resource for Gilead to accelerate development of multiple novel antibody-based therapeutics to treat a variety of diseases. We are committed to supporting Gilead as well as our other partners in their drug development endeavors to benefit patients."

About Biocytogen's Fully Human Antibody Library

Biocytogen's antibody library was generated using a series of proprietary RenMice platforms, which were genetically engineered to accelerate the development of novel antibody-based therapeutics. RenMabTM mice carry the entire human antibody variable region repertoire, and can generate fully human antibodies with high diversity, low immunogenicity, outstanding specificity and affinity, and exhibit excellent developability properties. Second-generation RenLite and RenNano models, which generate common light chain antibodies and heavy-chain-only antibodies, respectively, further facilitate generation of fully human multi-specific antibodies or nanobodies. RenMice have also been engineered to lack specific drug targets; these targeted knockout platforms can generate antibodies with enhanced sequence and epitope diversity. This platform increases the likelihood of discovering novel species cross-reactive antibodies to facilitate downstream in vivo screening and identification of differentiated antibody candidates. A library featuring available antibody sequences along with characterization data is ready for immediate evaluation and partnership opportunities.

About Biocytogen

Biocytogen (HKEX: 02315) is a global biotechnology company that drives the research and development of novel antibody-based drugs with innovative technologies. Founded on gene editing technology, Biocytogen leverages genetically engineered proprietary RenMice (RenMabTM/RenLite/RenNano/RenTCR-mimicTM) platforms for fully human monoclonal/bispecific/multispecific antibody discovery, bispecific antibody-drug conjugate discovery, nanobody discovery and TCR-mimic antibody discovery, and has established an off-the-shelf library of >400,000 fully human antibody sequences against approximately 1000 targets for worldwide collaboration. As of June 30, 2023, 50 therapeutic antibody and multiple clinical asset co-development/out-licensing/transfer agreements and 42 target-nominated RenMice licensing projects have been established around the globe, including several partnerships with multinational pharmaceutical companies (MNCs). Biocytogen pioneered the generation of drug target knock-in humanized models for preclinical research, and currently provides a few thousand off-the-shelf animal and cell models under the company's sub-brand, BioMiceTM, along with preclinical pharmacology and gene-editing services for clients worldwide. Headquartered in Beijing, Biocytogen has branches in China (Haimen Jiangsu, Shanghai), USA (Boston, San Francisco), and Germany (Heidelberg). For more information, please visit http://en.biocytogen.com.cn.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240220445787/en/

Contacts:

Biocytogen

Antibody assets and platforms: BD-Licensing@biocytogen.com

Media: pr@bbctg.com.cn
On Thursday afternoon, Laurie Besden walked onto the stage at Penn State Dickinson Law in Carlisle and took a seat next to the man who saved her life.

A licensed attorney in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, her story includes a battle with substance abuse that stemmed from a car crash during law school. Between 2002 and 2004, Besden was arrested five times, caused 29 car crashes, received three prison sentences and entered three rehabilitation centers.

The day of her last arrest Jan. 29, 2004, became her sobriety date, and the same year, Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas Judge William R. Carpenter sentenced her to 11.5 months in prison.

He just literally saved my life, Besden said.

Fifteen years later, after she was reinstated to practice law in both states and joined Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers, an organization dedicated to assisting lawyers with mental health and substance-abuse related challenges, Carpenter supported her application for a gubernatorial pardon.

On Aug. 28, 2020, Besden received that pardon.

The pardon allowed her to fulfill her desire to join the Hampden Township Volunteer Fire Company, something she couldnt previously do with a criminal record.

I didnt serve the country and never even considered it, but that was one of my greatest regrets, among a list of other reasons that I sought a pardon, Besden said, adding that shes been with the company for about seven months.

She and Carpenter participated in a panel discussion at Dickinson Law Thursday during an event that officially launched the Pardon Project of Cumberland County.

Pardon Project of Cumberland County

Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity started the Pardon Project in 2018 to help increase access to the pardon process for people who cant afford to hire a lawyer, according to its website.

The project expanded beyond Philadelphia in 2020, and the Pennsylvania Association of Pardon Projects was established the following year.

With support from Dickinson Law alumni and the Cumberland County Bar Association, Cumberland Countys branch will grow from an existing Pardon Project that began at Dickinson Law in 2022, according to the projects website. This consisted of nearly 30 students who helped low-income clients from the Philadelphia area apply for a pardon.

According to the Pennsylvania Board of Pardons, a pardon relieves any legal disability resulting from a conviction, including the right to vote, the right to be a juror, the right to hold a public office, the right to bear arms, the opportunity to serve in the military, the right to travel internationally and more.

It requires the state to erase criminal records as though theyve never happened, according to the Pardon Project of Cumberland County.

The process of receiving a pardon in Pennsylvania does not require a lawyer, but attorneys can provide advice and assistance.

It begins with an application that can be found online at the Pennsylvania Board of Pardons website. Once filed, the application is sent to the Board of Probation and Parole, Board of Corrections and district attorney and president judge in the county where the crime occurred so representatives can provide necessary reports and investigate the applicants criminal history and personal status.

From there, the applicants file will be sent to the five-member Board of Pardons, which will grant a hearing with the approval of at least two members. For people sentenced to life in prison or who are serving time for violent crimes, the approval of at least three board members is required for a hearing.

After the hearing, the majority of the board must vote in favor of moving the application to the governor for a decision on whether to grant the pardon.

There is no timeframe for the governor to act, and the Pennsylvania Board of Pardons said the whole process takes about four years.

Pardon Me event

Last weeks event included the screening of the documentary Pardon Me, which demonstrates how pardons can affect lower-income communities by allowing people with criminal records to live as full citizens and follows the stories of several people who have gone through the pardon process.

This was followed by the panel discussion, which featured several Pennsylvania voices on the topic of pardons including Besden, Carpenter and Shuja Moore, the films producer and director.

An independent filmmaker based in west Philadelphia, Moore was convicted of a crime in his early 20s and shared his experience of moving forward when he was paroled.

Going into the city, [I had] no network, no resume, no job prospects, he said. It was harsh. Every turn, it was a no, I couldnt be an Uber driver. I couldnt work at Target. My family distrusted me, my community distrusted me, and I struggled for years, but I didnt give up.

Wanting to share his story, he put an ad online, connected with a videographer and cinematographer and breeched the world of film with a mission of telling the stories of why this is important.

We know some ... malicious people, Moore said. But theres also people that just made wrong decisions, stupid mistakes and poor choices. But are we going to let them live in that forever?

Shelly Watson, secretary of the Pennsylvania Board of Pardons, also spoke during the panel discussion, touching specifically on the Shapiro administrations approach to the pardon system. With about 10 years of experience, she said the state has seen an increase in applications for pardons in the past five to seven years.

Watson said the current administration is working to help extradite the process.

The unique thing about Gov. Shapiro is that he sat on the board, so he has an understanding of what were doing on a level that other governors have not, she said. And Gov. Shapiro finds the clemency process in general to be extremely important, an important arm of our justice system. So there is both an interest in supporting us, and there is a knowledge, an intimate knowledge that allows the work that were doing to just be more fruitful.

While the board does not provide a reason for rejecting pardon applications, Watson said some who are denied applied too soon after their last conviction, that some might believe there wasnt enough time since then for applicants to have transformed their lives.

I think that this process is about showing the board of pardons that youre no longer a risk, and so the people who have been most successful in our process are people who can show ... a long period of no contact with the criminal justice system, and then who can share a reason that their criminal record is affecting them and how a pardon would benefit them, Watson said.

Craig Kauzlarich, an attorney with Carlisle-based law firm Abom & Kutulakis, shared his experiences of assisting clients through the pardon process.

While the situations vary, he said his clients were usually convicted years ago and are dealing with a specific problem related to their record.

The problem can be I need to get a license to do this job and my criminal record prevents that, Kauzlarich said. Or it can be something as simple as Id like to take my grandkids hunting and Im not allowed to have a firearm, so Id like to get this removed from my record so that Im allowed to do that.

To him, 10 years post-conviction serves as the unwritten rule to apply for a pardon, although applicants can start the process anytime by gathering paperwork like old records and character letters from family members and friends.

He said the process almost serves as a second judgment for pardon applicants.

You were judged before what should the sentence be, he said. Now, the Board of Pardons gets a say on how long are we going to keep this record over your head?

Aside from his experiences with Besdens case, Carpenter spoke of the 180-degree change of his view on pardons.

As a prosecutor, he recalls how difficult it was to get a conviction.

My thinking then was, well, if this person committed a theft, I dont want the PTA or the Little League to let them be the treasurer without knowing, Carpenter said. I dont want an employer to hire them and not have the opportunity to know that this person has a theft. Now my attitude has changed quite dramatically. Im in favor of pardons.

He said the change was a gradual shift as the nation began trying to help those who have been convicted to address their problems aside from just punishing them.

Carpenter said supporting Besdens pardon application was one of the highlights of his judicial career.

Shes done so much good, he said. And shes an example of what can happen when someone does get the forgiveness that were talking about.

Photos: 35th annual MLK march in Carlisle
News Summary

Owned and operated by IGNIS, Cisco anticipates that the Spanish solar plant will provide enough solar energy to match 100% of its European operations' annual electricity needs*

The deal involves a 37-MWac new-built solar plant in a Virtual Power Purchase Agreement (VPPA) which will generate approximately 80,000 MWh of electricity per year (60,000 MWh allocated to Cisco)

This milestone helps advance Cisco's net-zero goal and generates local impact, creating jobs and innovation in a rural area key to the Spanish national digitization agenda.

AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / Cisco has signed a 15-year agreement to purchase approximately 60,000 MWh per year of solar energy from Spanish renewable energy provider, IGNIS. This commitment from Cisco has enabled IGNIS to build a new solar plant in the "Espana Vaciada" or "empty Spain" region of Teruel (Aragon), a key area of investment and focus for the Spanish Government. The plant is expected to provide enough solar energy to match 100% of annual electricity needs* for Cisco's European operations for the next 15 years.

Global and Local Impact

A key pillar of Cisco's environmental sustainability strategy is to accelerate the transition to clean energy, moving away from fossil fuels toward wind, solar, and other renewable energy sources. Over the past few years, Cisco has executed numerous long-term renewable energy contracts, such as power purchase agreements (PPAs), located near its facilities.

The announcement also reinforces Cisco's commitment to Spain's digital transformation through projects aimed at fostering innovation and building digital infrastructure. The agreement will add new renewable energy to the Spanish public grid and has helped generate economic growth in the local community, which has supported the project from the start. More than a hundred jobs were created during construction, as well as the creation of a permanent IGNIS team in the region of Aragon. This project not only promotes employment through the park's operation and maintenance, but will also generate local revenue and foster activity in this "empty" region of Spain.

With an eventual planned production volume of around 80,000 MWh per year (60,000 MWh allocated to Cisco), we expect the solar plant to be fully operational in March 2024. This combines with a portfolio of more than 6 GW of operational assets already managed by IGNIS.

Net Zero Goal

Cisco has been reporting on its environmental impact since 2005. In 2021, Cisco set a goal to reach zero greenhouse gas emissions across our value chain by 2040. Our goal includes all scopes of emissions and is approved by the Science Based Targets initiative under its Corporate Net-Zero Standard, the world's only framework for corporate net-zero target setting in line with climate science. In our fiscal year 2023, Cisco consumed more than 1.3 million MWh of renewable electricity, making up 91% of its total global electricity demand.

"Our purpose is to power an inclusive future for all, and this agreement is an important moment in our journey to net zero, continuing our transition away from fossil fuels and towards a regenerative future. Long-term agreements like this project enable Cisco to not only reduce our own emissions, but to help increase the renewable capacity available overall. It also reinforces Cisco's commitment to Spain's digital transformation and the government's agenda towards clean energy, being the most impactful multi-year energy contract for Cisco in Europe," says Mary de Wysocki, Cisco Chief Sustainability Officer.

"Cisco has a long history of investing in Spain's digital acceleration with projects like Digitaliza, which is in its fourth year, along with the recently announced launch of a next-generation semiconductor design center in Spain. We're delighted to see this expand to producing renewable energy, and we're proud to work with IGNIS on a national project that will supply clean energy to Cisco markets in Europe," states Andreu Vilamitjana, Cisco Spain General Manager.

"This agreement strengthens IGNIS's contribution to the decarbonization of the economy and sets a milestone in our consolidation as a leading integrated energy company. As a global firm, we are focused on delivering and managing renewable energy projects worldwide, and we're delighted to work with Cisco and become one of their partners on their road to net zero", says Santiago Bordiu, CEO Asset and Energy Management of IGNIS.

* Excluding the United Kingdom, Poland, Romania, and Bulgaria, which are not Association of Issuing Bodies (AIB) countries and are therefore not covered by the scope of the Virtual Power Purchase Agreement (VPPA).

Media Contacts

Ariadna Hernandez

Public Relations

+34 677 45 78 82

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View the original press release on accesswire.com
JERUSALEM (dpa-AFX) - As the Israeli military operation in the Nasser Hospital complex in Khan Younis continues, the UN and the Palestine Red Crescent Society evacuated 14 patients from one of very few medical facilities currently functioning in Gaza. Negotiations are ongoing to evacuate remaining patients from the Hospital, OCHA said. According to the World Health Organization, more than 180 patients and 15 doctors and nurses remain inside the hospital. 'The hospital is still experiencing an acute shortage of food, basic medical supplies, and oxygen. There is no tap water and no electricity, except a backup generator maintaining some lifesaving machines,' WHO said. WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that last week, the UN agency's team had not been permitted to enter the hospital to assess conditions of the patients and critical medical needs, despite reaching the hospital compound to deliver fuel. Meanwhile, the situation in Al Amal Hospital - also in Khan Younis - remains critical, following a four-week siege by the Israeli military. Food supplies have reportedly been nearly exhausted, and fuel reserves are dwindling. As the bombardment of Gaza continues, public health concerns are mounting - with women hardest hit. The UN Population Fund has warned that everyone in Gaza is hungry, including some 50,000 pregnant women. Copyright(c) 2024 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Feasibility Study to Evaluate Deployment of Two Reactors at Borssele Nuclear Power Station

Westinghouse Electric Company announced today the signing of a contract with the Dutch government to conduct a Technical Feasibility Study (TFS) assessing the deployment of AP1000 reactors in support of their nuclear new-build strategy.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240220606575/en/

Michel Heijdra, Director-General for Climate and Energy of the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy (left), with Elias Gedeon, Westinghouse Senior Vice President of Energy Systems Commercial Operations (right) (Photo: Business Wire)

This comprehensive study will evaluate deployment of two AP1000 nuclear reactors at the Borssele Nuclear Power Station. The TFS represents a significant step forward in the country's ambitious strategy to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, aligning with the European Union's climate goals and the Dutch commitment to carbon-neutral electricity production by 2035.

"We are honored to begin work with the Dutch government on this preliminary yet crucial phase to deliver the world's most advanced, Generation III+ reactor technology," said Westinghouse Energy Systems President David Durham. "With our industry-leading, globally-deployed AP1000 technology, Westinghouse is proud to support the Dutch government and offer reliable, affordable, carbon-free electricity and economic benefits to the Netherlands for decades to come."

The AP1000 reactor is the only operating Generation III+ reactor with fully passive safety systems, modular construction design and the smallest footprint per MWe on the market. In the U.S., at the Vogtle site in Georgia, one AP1000 unit achieved commercial operation in July 2023 and is producing power for the grid, while a second unit recently achieved initial criticality with commercial operation projected during the second quarter of 2024. Four AP1000 reactors are currently setting operational performance and availability records in China with eight additional reactors under construction. Poland selected the AP1000 reactor for its nuclear energy program; Ukraine has made firm commitments for nine AP1000 units, and Bulgaria selected the AP1000 technology for two units at the Kozloduy nuclear site. The technology is also under consideration at multiple other sites in Central and Eastern Europe, the United Kingdom, India and North America.

Westinghouse Electric Company is shaping the future of carbon-free energy by providing safe, innovative nuclear and other clean power technologies and services globally. Westinghouse supplied the world's first commercial pressurized water reactor in 1957 and the company's technology is the basis for nearly one-half of the world's operating nuclear plants. Over 135 years of innovation makes Westinghouse the preferred partner for advanced technologies covering the complete nuclear energy life cycle. For more information, visit www.westinghousenuclear.com and follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and X.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240220606575/en/

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Saguenay, Quebec--(Newsfile Corp. - February 20, 2024) - First Phosphate Corp. (CSE: PHOS) (OTC: FRSPF) (FSE: KD0) ("First Phosphate" or the "Company") is pleased to update the market on its plans for a purified phosphoric acid ("PPA") plant at the Port of Saguenay and the development of the North American lithium iron phosphate ("LFP") battery valley in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean Region of Quebec.

On November 21, 2022, First Phosphate CEO, John Passalacqua, addressed the Federation of Chambers of Commerce of the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean Region of Quebec ("FCC-SLSJ") and shared, with local business leaders and politicians, the vision for the creation of an LFP battery ecosystem in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean Region of Quebec. Mr. Passalacqua provided a further update to the FCC-SLSJ on February 8, 2024. A recording of the February 8 session is available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnarUchmXdg.

Building a PPA plant and an LFP battery ecosystem for North America is a major undertaking. Since first laying out the Company's vision in 2022, First Phosphate has taken the following progressive steps towards realizing its PPA plant at Port Saguenay and in establishing the Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean region of Quebec as the LFP battery valley of North America.

Engineering and Feasibility Study

The Company has completed its internal pre-feasibility study for its PPA plant at Port Saguenay, Quebec and is in the process of evaluating engineering firms to begin a potential formal feasibility study. All PPA production will be fully internalized and limited to the development of LFP cathode active material ("CAM") by the Company and its strategic partners so as not to disrupt existing fragile equilibria in the food phosphates and fertilizer industries.

The Company has created a full proprietary financial model for the future PPA facility and is amenable to sharing details of its pre-feasibility work with those who have the ability to add synergies to its existing network of strategic partners.

Industrial Land, Infrastructure & Port Access

The Company signed a memorandum of understanding ("MOU") with Port Saguenay Authority to secure industrial lands and deep-sea shipping access for the establishment a PPA plant:

https://firstphosphate.com/PortSaguenay

Sulfuric Acid Supply

The Company signed an MOU with with NorFalco Sales ("NorFalco"), a division of Glencore Canada Corporation to secure supply of sulfuric acid (a key component in the production of PPA) for its future industrial facilities in Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean, Quebec:

https://firstphosphate.com/norfalco

Phosphate Concentrate Feedstock

The Company successfully concentrated its phosphate ore into beneficiated phosphate concentrate at ~41% pure P205 (~97% pure apatite) in pilot production and has developed a pilot plant for the purpose of creating feedstock to produce PPA:

https://firstphosphate.com/pilotplant

PPA Production

The Company transformed its beneficiated phosphate concentrate into Merchant Grade Phosphoric Acid ("MGA") and subsequently into food/battery grade PPA at pilot scale:

https://www.firstphosphate.com/phos_acid

PPA Facility Financing

The Company established a clean, debt-free credit history and has been able to procure an LOI from the Export-Import Bank of the United States ("EXIM") to provide stable, government-backed financing for a PPA plant while limiting the amount of equity dilution to shareholders.

https://firstphosphate.com/exim

Downstream LFP Manufacturing Partnerships

The Company negotiated agreements with various LFP production technology providers for downstream offtake for its PPA production and to service various LFP market segments:

https://firstphosphate.com/abf

https://firstphosphate.com/ultion-technologies-mou

https://firstphosphate.com/IntegralsPower

https://firstphosphate.com/lithium-australia-mou

https://firstphosphate.com/sunchem

https://firstphosphate.com/ipl_jda

Local Supply Chain Development

Through Comite de maximisation des retombees economiques regionals ("CMAX"), the Company has created direct relationships with businesses, contractors and suppliers in the Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean region of Quebec that have experience with large-scale industrial projects.. The Company has obtained regional major project status from CMAX:

https://firstphosphate.com/CRP-CMAX

Indigenous Community Involvement

CEO, John Passalacqua, and Chief Geologist, Gilles Laverdiere, have personally visited all three local Innu communities (Essipit, Mastheuiatsh, Pessamit) and met with local leadership to present the project and to establish dialogue. Innu First Nations mining executive, Armand Mackenize, was appointed to the advisory board of the Company. Groupe Conseil Nutshimit-Nippour was hired for social and environmental impact analysis; and First Nations Drilling was engaged for exploration activities:

https://firstphosphate.com/armandmackenzie

https://firstphosphate.com/le-groupe-conseil-nutshimit-nippour

https://firstphosphate.com/first-nations-drilling

Clean Power from Quebec Hydro

The Company submitted formal requests to Quebec Hydro in 2023 for the allocation of clean electricity to the PPA and LFP facilities as well as requested consideration to return electricity to the hydro grid should a sulfuric acid plant be built at the Port of Saguenay. The Company's requests are with Hydro Quebec Lots #2 and #3 and awaiting response.

https://www.hydroquebec.com

Quebec Critical-Strategic Minerals List and Government Awareness

In January 2024, in response to advocacy by the Company and others, the Quebec Government recognized apatite (phosphate) as a critical and strategic mineral. Furthermore, the Company received a strong letter of support for its activities and its planned PPA plant from Mario Simard, Member of Parliament for the local riding of Jonquiere, Quebec, vice-chair of Parliament's Standing Committee on Natural Resources and critic for natural resources for the Bloc Quebecois.

https://firstphosphate.com/phosphate-added-critical-minerals-list

https://firstphosphate.com/mariosimard.pdf

Battery Ecosystem Development and Validation of the Company's Business Model

On January 30, 2024, Arianne Phosphate (DAN: TSXV) announced that "it has commenced work on a Prefeasibility Study to construct a downstream purified phosphoric acid plant in the region" and "allow the Saguenay region to establish itself within the global battery ecosystem." First Phosphate looks forward to working with all interested parties in generating awareness and support for, and building the infrastructure necessary to realize its vision of developing the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean Region of Quebec into the LFP battery valley of North America.

https://www.arianne-inc.com/news/arianne-phosphate-advances-prefeasibility-study-for-a-purified-phosphoric-acid-plant

https://firstphosphate.com/ChambresCommerce





Proposed Location of First Phosphate PPA Facility at Existing Port of Saguenay

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8917/198475_1c5ff88b64f7ca22_001full.jpg

About First Phosphate Corp.

First Phosphate is a mineral development company fully dedicated to extracting and purifying phosphate for the production of cathode active material for the Lithium Iron Phosphate ("LFP") battery industry. First Phosphate is committed to producing at high purity level, in responsible manner and with low anticipated carbon footprint. First Phosphate plans to vertically integrate from mine source directly into the supply chains of major North American LFP battery producers that require battery grade LFP cathode active material emanating from a consistent and secure supply source. First Phosphate holds over 1,500 sq. km of royalty-free district-scale land claims in the Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean Region of Quebec, Canada that it is actively developing. First Phosphate properties consist of rare anorthosite igneous phosphate rock that generally yields high purity phosphate materially devoid of high concentrations of harmful elements.

For additional information, please contact:

Bennett Kurtz, CFO

bennett@firstphosphate.com

Tel: +1 (416) 200-0657

Investor Relations: investor@firstphosphate.com

Media Relations: media@firstphosphate.com

Website: www.FirstPhosphate.com



Follow First Phosphate:



Twitter: https://twitter.com/FirstPhosphate

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/first-phosphate

-30-

Forward-Looking Information and Cautionary Statements

This news release contains certain statements and information that may be considered "forward-looking statements" and "forward looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. In some cases, but not necessarily in all cases, forward-looking statements and forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "targets", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "an opportunity exists", "is positioned", "estimates", "intends", "assumes", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate" or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "will" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" and other similar expressions. In addition, statements in this news release that are not historical facts are forward looking statements, including, among other things, the Company's planned exploration and production activities, the properties and composition of any extracted phosphate, the Company's plans for vertical integration into North American supply chains, including, but not limited to, the Company's ability to realize and successfully participate in its "Vertically Integrated Production Plan" and "External Downstream Producer" plan, and related disclosure, continued relations with local Innu communities, the establishment of the Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean region of Quebec as the LFP battery valley of North America, the results of feasibility studies, and the receipt of approvals and availability of financing for the proposed PPA plant,

These statements and other forward-looking information are based on assumptions and estimates that the Company believes are appropriate and reasonable in the circumstances, including, without limitation, expectations of the Company's long term business outcomes given its short operating history; expectations regarding revenue, expenses and operations; the Company having sufficient working capital and ability to secure additional funding necessary for the exploration of the Company's property interests; expectations regarding the potential mineralization, geological merit and economic feasibility of the Company's projects; expectations regarding drill programs and the potential impacts successful drill programs could have on the life of the mine and the Company; mineral exploration and exploration program cost estimates; expectations regarding any environmental issues that may affect planned or future exploration programs and the potential impact of complying with existing and proposed environmental laws and regulations; receipt and timing of exploration and exploitation permits and other third-party approvals; government regulation of mineral exploration and development operations; expectations regarding any social or local community issues that may affect planned or future exploration and development programs; expectations surrounding global economic trends and technological advancements; and key personnel continuing their employment with the Company.

There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include: limited operating history; high risk of business failure; no profits or significant revenues; limited resources; negative cash flow from operations and dependence on third-party financing; the uncertainty of additional funding; no dividends; risks related to possible fluctuations in revenues and results; insurance and uninsured risks; litigation; reliance on management and key personnel; conflicts of interest; access to supplies and materials; dangers of mineral exploration and related liability and damages; risks relating to health and safety; government regulation and legal uncertainties; the company's exploration and development properties may not be successful and are highly speculative in nature; dependence on outside parties; title to some of the Company's mineral properties may be challenged or defective; Aboriginal title and land claims; obtaining and renewing licenses and permits; environmental and other regulatory risks may adversely affect the company; risks relating to climate change; risks related to infrastructure; land reclamation requirements may be burdensome; current global financial conditions; fluctuation in commodity prices; dilution; future sales by existing shareholders could cause the Company's share price to fall; fluctuation and volatility in stock exchange prices; and risks related to market demands. There can be no assurance that any opportunity will be successful, commercially viable, completed on time or on budget, or will generate any meaningful revenues, savings or earnings, as the case may be, for the Company. In addition, the Company will incur costs in pursuing any particular opportunity, which may be significant.

These factors and assumptions are not intended to represent a complete list of the factors and assumptions that could affect the Company and, though they should be considered carefully, should be considered in conjunction with the risk factors described in the Company's other documents filed with the Canadian securities authorities, including without limitation the "Risk Factors" section of the Company's Annual Information Form dated November 29, 2023 which is available on SEDAR at www.sedarplus.ca. Although the Company has attempted to identify factors that would cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those disclosed in the forward-looking information or information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/198475

SOURCE: First Phosphate Corp.
MOSCOW (dpa-AFX) - Tuesday, the European Commission announced EUR75 million, or $89 million in humanitarian aid to support the people affected by Russia's war against Ukraine. Russia's targeted attacks on Ukraine's key energy and civilian infrastructure like hospitals, schools and power grids are seriously hampering people's access to basic services. With each new shelling, more and more Ukrainians are left homeless and in need of assistance and shelter in freezing conditions. With an estimated 14.6 million people in need of humanitarian aid in Ukraine, this new funding comes at a crucial time. The humanitarian funding is allocated for humanitarian projects in Ukraine to provide emergency aid including access to basic needs such as shelter, protection services, clean water, education and healthcare. Including the new funding announced today, the European Commission has allocated in total EUR926 million for humanitarian aid programmes to help civilians affected by the war in Ukraine since Russia's invasion in February 2022. Of this funding, EUR860 million has been allocated for humanitarian programs within Ukraine and EUR66 million to support refugees who have fled to neighbouring Moldova. EU humanitarian aid, present in Ukraine since 2014, is running operations all across the country, with a focus on hard-to-reach areas close to the frontline in the eastern and southern regions. Copyright(c) 2024 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
HELSINKI, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Swiss Digital Alliance, a consortium of the four biggest private Swiss media houses and public broadcaster SRG, is responding to the increasing international competition for advertising revenue by investing in local cooperation.

To achieve this goal, the Alliance has partnered with Helsinki-based software developer Gravito Ltd, which will provide software to create the responsible advertising ID for Switzerland called OneID. With OneID, over 3 million users can be addressed on the attractive premium publishers in Switzerland without overlap. At the same time, it ensures that modern data protection standards are adhered to and that users retain control over their data.

Gravito has signed a licensing agreement with OneLog AG, a company jointly owned by the Swiss media houses CHMedia, NZZ, Ringier, and TX Group. OneLog is expanding its services to offer a digital advertising ID in addition to its current single sign-on service for Swiss media companies and publishers. Gravito's technology will ensure that the user's consent is obtained and that the OneID is created and managed in compliance with the data protection regulations, allowing advanced campaign optimization in joint advertising campaigns executed programmatically via Demand Side Platforms (DSPs) by local and international advertisers.

Silvano Oeschger, CEO of OneLog AG: "We are delighted to embark on this strategic partnership with Gravito Oy. This collaboration underscores our shared commitment to innovation and data privacy, setting a new standard for digital advertising in Switzerland. We are confident that Gravito's expertise and technology will play a pivotal role in achieving our goal of creating a sustainable, privacy-first digital advertising environment that benefits all stakeholders in the Swiss media and advertising landscape."

Patrick Glantz, the Co-Founder of Gravito Ltd, expresses his satisfaction with the agreement. According to him, the company's vision and idea behind the product development are now paying off, as there has been a rise in demand for flexible white-label first-party data solutions. Patrick Glantz: "Gravito believes in the Nordic approach, where respecting user consent is an essential starting point, and good software should not be a one-size-fits-all kind of package but rather a developer-friendly toolkit with transparent pricing, where users can pick and choose the right tools for their data utilization stack."

Your contact:



Gravito Ltd

COO Partick Glantz

patrick.glantz@gravito.net

+358504860739

https://www.gravito.net

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WESTPORT Conn., Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- True Green Capital Management LLC ("TGC" or the "Firm"), a leading investment firm in the renewable energy sector, is pleased to announce their new London office and the appointment of Will Morgan as Managing Director for Europe as part of the Firm's European i nvestment and growth strategy. Will brings a wealth of experience to further expand TGC's investment strategy in this dynamic and rapidly growing market. Prior to joining TGC, Will spent over 9 years at Alpha Real Capital where he held the positions of Fund Manager and Head of Renewables setting up and then growing their distributed renewable energy infrastructure platform. Earlier in Will's career, he acted as Finance and Portfolio Director for Plenium Partners, Madrid, investing across European and international energy markets.

Commenting on the appointment, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Panos Ninios stated, "We have always been at the forefront of the energy transition revolution and expanding our capabilities in Europe further solidifies our commitment to sustainable investing. Will is joining Sam Salisbury who leads our origination efforts in Europe. We are delighted to have them both on our team to support our efforts to invest in European distributed power generation." Will stated, "I am very excited to be joining such a great team and organization and look forward to growing our presence in these expanding markets on behalf of TGC and their clients."

About True Green Capital Management LLC

True Green Capital Management LLC ("TGC") is a specialized renewable energy infrastructure private equity firm headquartered in Westport, Connecticut focused on the U.S. and Europe.

The firm was founded in July 2011 and is led by a team of professionals with a proven track record and a demonstrated capacity to originate, finance, construct, and operate distributed renewable power generation projects.

TGC believes the continued increase of power prices, decreasing entry costs of distributed power generation technology and favorable regulatory environments in both the U.S. and Europe will continue to lead to compelling investment opportunities which provide a stable cash flow stream with low correlation to the broader markets.

TGC is currently focused on the approximately $1+ trillion distributed power generation market in the U.S. and the approximately $1+ trillion distributed market in Europe with an emphasis on the sub-utility scale solar power segment. Thanks to rapid advancements in technology, the cost of distributed power generation, including solar, is now on par with traditional electricity generation sources. In many U.S. states and key European jurisdictions, it represents one of the few sources of new power generation infrastructure that can be added to the power network quickly, reliably, and cost efficiently.

To date, TGC has invested into a distributed solar power generation portfolio across 16 U.S. states and France delivering clean, renewable energy. U.S. states include Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, South Carolina, Tennessee, Idaho, California, Maryland, Colorado, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Illinois.

Contact: info@truegreencapital.com

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NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / Logitech



Logitech Blog

Logitech is excited to share that two of its exceptional female leaders, Tana Dubel and Delphine Donne, have recently been honored by esteemed organizations with prestigious leadership awards. Their accomplishments embody the company's purpose to enable all people to pursue their passions through dedication and innovation.

Tana Dubel, Logitech's CISO, was awarded with the Swiss CISO Excellence Award by the Swiss Cyber institute at the Global Cyber Conference in Zurich last week, celebrating outstanding swiss-based security leaders. She is one of the few women working in cybersecurity, a sector lacking a lot of talent, something she discussed at her reception. A speech that has been well received creating great interest in the work Logitech does. It also resulted in a keynote engagement for the 2024 Global Cyber Conference. Congratulations to Tana for this award which is a great recognition for her leadership and all the great work she and her team does to create a positive, more secure future.

Delphine Donne, Personal Workspace Solutions Lead, has been named finalist of the prestigious Women in Tech Global Movement Leadership Award for Europe in recognition of her contributions towards closing the gender gap in technology and creating a positive future. Her commitment and engagement are unparalleled and a great drive for this nomination. She is one of five finalists from Europe, representing Switzerland, which gives her the chance to win the Europe award and advance to the global awards.

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Logitech on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: Logitech

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/logitech

Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: Logitech

View the original press release on accesswire.com
LAKEWOOD, CO / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / American Clean Resources Group, Inc. (OTC:ACRG), an environmentally sustainable development platform dedicated to revolutionizing the new American Supply Chain, announced today its acquisition of a 100% interest in SWIS Community, L.L.C. ("SWIS"), a Louisville, KY-based company.

ACRG is committed to pioneering environmentally conscious operations within the American Supply Chain, aiming to deliver goods with a net-zero environmental impact. Tawana Bain, CEO of ACRG, underscored the significance of this acquisition in advancing the company's mission, stating, "This acquisition supports our leadership in promoting environmentally conscious operations and complements our existing cadre of companies dedicated to clean air, land, and water sectors."

The acquisition of SWIS, finalized in September 2023, introduces a socioeconomically inclusive education program aimed at improving the health of local waterways. SWIS offers an innovative emergency notification system utilizing a patented algorithm and device for centralized water utilities. Moreover, SWIS integrates into new and existing smart appliances, providing passive in-home notifications and empowering users to adjust settings voluntarily to reduce environmental impact.

SWIS's public communication component delivers essential information to communities, enhancing awareness, and promoting behaviors that contribute to improving water quality and reducing the impact of water contamination. Chris Lavenson, CEO of SWIS, expressed enthusiasm about the acquisition, stating, "We have developed a modern solution for effective community engagement, targeting wastewater management and emergency notification for affected drinking water. ACRG provides us with the infrastructure to scale the business to its potential."

SWIS's critical notifications play a pivotal role in saving lives and mitigating the impact of cyberattacks on water infrastructure. The underlying technology of SWIS, based on an algorithm invented by Mr. Lavenson and Ted Smith, PHD, Director of the Center for Healthy Air, Water, and Soil in the Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute at the University of Louisville, is covered by a patent held by the University. Dr. Smith highlighted the significance of community engagement, stating, "My Center has had a longstanding history of engaging our community to build awareness of and gaining public support for behavior changes to improve public health, specifically opportunities for improving wastewater systems."

SWIS not only aims to assist municipalities in meeting EPA Wastewater Consent Decree mandates but also helps reduce fines and facilitates access to federal funds necessary for infrastructure investments required to comply with the Clean Water Act. SWIS is projected to capture a significant portion of the Municipal Wastewater Infrastructure budget, translating to substantial revenue potential. The availability of funds presents unprecedented opportunities for innovative technologies, driving a renaissance in the water industry.

SWIS offers a proactive notification system, ensuring timely alerts to residents before water usage, particularly crucial during cyberattacks. AJ Miller, COO of SWIS, emphasized the inclusive nature of their solutions, stating, "Our solutions inform EVERYONE, ensuring equal access to notifications regardless of device availability." SWIS's collaboration with the University of Louisville, local communities, and governmental entities underscores its commitment to creating local jobs and impacting the global community positively.

Forward-Looking Statement: This press release may contain forward-looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from those contemplated in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and should not be relied upon as representing the Company's views as of any subsequent date.

About SWIS: SWIS is a patented solution in partnership with the University of Louisville, pioneering stormwater overflow at its source, offering a comprehensive approach to a pressing global issue affecting numerous cities in the US. SWIS provides real-time updates through an algorithm, empowering users to be informed about water usage impact and emergencies affecting safe drinking water.

About American Clean Resources Group: American Clean Resources Group, Inc. (OTC:ACRG) is at the forefront of renewable and environmental development in the United States. Committed to advancing Climate Change Reduction and strengthening the American Supply Chain, ACRG aims to lead one of the largest renewable energy projects in the U.S., leveraging existing assets and pursuing strategic acquisitions across air, water, and land domains.

For additional information, please contact:

Susan Assadi

Media Relations

347-977-7125

susan@acrgincorp.com

SOURCE: American Clean Resources Group Inc

View the original press release on accesswire.com
NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / Gildan Activewear:

Gildan, a leading apparel manufacturer, is pleased to announce that the Company will donate USD $250,000 to World Vision Honduras to support the continued implementation of the Childhood Education and Transformation (ETN) program in Honduras.

The longstanding 11-year partnership between Gildan and World Vision Honduras, underscores a shared commitment to sustainable development, enhancing the socioemotional and socioenvironmental skills of children, and fostering a deeper sense of environmental responsibility in the communities of Villanueva, Choloma, and now Quimistan. Through these combined efforts, the ETN program has become synonymous with educational excellence and environmental advocacy, leaving an indelible mark on the regions it serves.

"We are proud of our partnership with World Vision. The recent completion of Phase III of the program benefited over 204,000 children by teaching them valuable skills across various subject areas. We also strengthened 68 educational networks fostering green and safe school environments, and empowered over 3,000 educators with skills in ICT, environmental stewardship, and socioemotional growth," says Claudia Sandoval, Vice-President of Global Social Compliance and Environmental Affairs at Gildan.

The Company's additional investment will directly support the activation of Phase IV, which includes training over 300 educators in socioemotional well-being and climate change mitigation. Phase IV is expected to positively impact 10,000 children in the region and have an indirect reach of over 300,000 children across 400 schools, highlighting its far-reaching impact on Honduran youth.

Phase IV of the program will also have an enhanced focus on environmental protection and holistic child development. A key objective will include the gradual certification of schools as "Green and Safe Schools," a regulation from the Ministry of Education aimed at strengthening environmental education in schools nationwide, which Gildan and World Vision Honduras will work to facilitate through oversight of the certification process of schools within the program.

The additional donation reaffirms the enduring impact of the partnership between Gildan and World Vision Honduras, underscoring the importance of collaborative efforts in driving sustainable change. With over $700,000 donated to World Vision Honduras alone, and more than 351,000 children positively impacted to date, this partnership serves as a testament to the power of collective action in addressing the most pressing challenges facing vulnerable communities.

Under its Next Generation ESG strategy, Gildan remains steadfast in its commitment to nurturing the potential of Honduran children and safeguarding the environment for future generations. Through its continued collaboration with World Vision Honduras and its unwavering dedication, Gildan strives to create a brighter and more sustainable future for all.

To learn more about Gildan's respect for communities, click here.

Gildan Renews Commitment to World Vision Honduras with New Donation to the Childhood Education and Transformation Program

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Gildan Activewear on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: Gildan Activewear

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/gildan-activewear

Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: Gildan Activewear

View the original press release on accesswire.com
HARRISBURG  The attorney representing a suspended magistrate judge in Pennsylvania says his client is not guilty of allegations that she shot her estranged boyfriend in the head as he slept earlier this month.

Magisterial District Judge Sonya McKnight, 57, was charged last week in Dauphin County with attempted murder and aggravated assault. Susquehanna Township police alleged in an arrest affidavit that McKnight had gunshot residue on her hands an hour after Michael McCoy was shot on Feb. 10 in the bed of his home in the Harrisburg area.

Judge McKnight is innocent of the alleged charges. She did not shoot Mr. McCoy, attorney Cory Leshner said in a statement Monday. Lesher said his client looks forward to the whole story being told and intends to vigorously defend herself in this matter.

She believes in the criminal justice system and once all of the facts in this matter are brought to light, she is confident that she will be cleared of any wrongdoing, Lesher said, asking the public to keep an open mind and reserve judgment in this case until all of the facts are presented.

McKnight was taken to the Dauphin County Prison, unable to post bail set at $300,000, according to court records.

Police wrote that McCoy, 54, had tried numerous times to get McKnight to move out after he ended their one-year relationship. On Feb. 9, McCoy came home to find McKnight in pajamas on the couch, and before going to bed about 11 p.m. told her he planned to enlist her mothers aid to get her out of the home, authorities said.

He told police he later awoke to massive head pain and was unable to see, and when he began to scream McKnight told him, Mike what did you do to yourself? He told police at the scene and at the hospital that the gunshot wound to his right temple was not self-inflicted.

When McKnight called 911 shortly before 1 a.m. Saturday, she could not explain what happened and stated that she was sleeping and heard him screaming, police said in the affidavit. A preliminary hearing in the case is scheduled Feb. 26.

McKnight, an elected judge in Dauphin County since 2016, was suspended without pay in mid-November by the Court of Judicial Discipline, which handles misconduct allegations against judges. The Judicial Conduct Board, which investigates and charges misconduct cases against Pennsylvania judges, alleged in a September filing that McKnight had violated judicial probation from a previous misconduct case centered on her actions regarding a 2020 traffic stop involving her son. She was acquitted of criminal charges in that matter.

Among the pending misconduct allegations, the Judicial Conduct Board alleges that she gave excess vacation time to members of her court staff; directed an aide to ignore a womans civil complaint that claimed McKnight owed her for a $2,100 loan; and used a Facebook profile with her photo in judicial robes to promote sales of a consumer product.Pennlive.com reported McKnight was not charged for shooting her estranged husband in 2019 after inviting him to her home to help her move furniture. State prosecutors did not charge her, citing self-defense, Pennlive said.
S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition 2024-25 will turn the spotlight on the best culinary talents who hold the future of gastronomy in their hands: applications open 21 February

MILAN, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- S.Pellegrino announces a new edition of the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition, the global initiative to discover and mentor the most promising and talented young chefs.

To view the Multimedia News Release, please click:

https://www.multivu.com/players/uk/9248251-sixth-edition-spellegrino-young-chef-academy-competition-talented-chefs/

The S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition is much more than a culinary contest. Taking part means joining the ambitious S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy project to make the world a better place through food. The participants will have a unique opportunity to join an international community and be empowered through education, mentoring, networking, and career opportunities. During the course of the Competition, they will be mentored closely by world-renowned chefs who will help them in bringing their vision for the future to the table and their culinary skills to the next level.

"The S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy is a global community that was born to convey S.Pellegrino's commitment to shape the future of gastronomy by investing in values such as sustainability, responsibility, inclusivity, resilience and beauty, and the Competition is the main access to it. The last edition marked a record in participation with over 166 chefs passing the preliminary selections amongst the 15 regions involved. Seeing so many young talents willing to bring their best through hard work and passion, and to see them join our mission makes us proud. This makes us believe even more in this project and we can't wait for the new edition to start," said Stefano Bolognese, Sanpellegrino's International Business Unit Director.

The S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition 2024-25 will welcome young chefs who wish to challenge themselves and their abilities while gaining global visibility. Young chefs under 30 years of age will have the chance to register on http://sanpellegrinoyoungchefacademy.com/the-competition/application-form from 21 February until 19 June 2024, by submitting the recipe of a signature dish that communicates their personal vision, unique skills, and creativity. As with previous editions, the first selection phase will be evaluated by ALMA, the International School of Italian Culinary Arts. ALMA will define a shortlist of young chefs who will participate in the Regional Finals that will take place across the globe through the second half of 2024.

Regional winners will compete at the Grand Finale event to win the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Award 2024-25. To win the title, the chefs must impress the global Grand Jury - an esteemed panel of internationally renowned chefs - by demonstrating unrivalled technical abilities as well as true creativity. The winning talent should also display a strong personal belief regarding gastronomy, to convince the Jury of their ability to become a catalyst for positive change. The last edition saw chef Nelson Freitas triumph, emerging as the best chef in the world under 30.

As further recognition of Freitas' outstanding talent, the Academy has offered him a unique educational experience in Peru with a giant of the global chef community, Virgilio Martinez, whose Lima restaurant, Central, topped The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2023. There, Freitas will enjoy a special opportunity to boost his professional development, learning and taking inspiration from the best.

About his path through the Competition, chef Nelson Freitas said: "S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition was an amazing experience, as it allows connections, [and] sharing information, culture and of course, knowledge. I feel that I've grown in a professional and personal way, discovering new horizons and a renewed motivation for the future. For me it was not an end point but the beginning of a new journey. The Competition is the ideal context for all the young chefs who desire to show their work and test themselves. My advice for the new participants is: bring something personal, bring something you feel a deep connection with to show your very best!"

During the Competition, applicants will also compete for three additional awards which will recognise young chefs' varied beliefs and approaches to creating positive societal change through food:

S.Pellegrino Social Responsibility Award : voted for by the Sustainable Restaurant Association, which runs Food Made Good, the largest foodservice sustainability program and global community for driving sustainability in hospitality, the winning dish will represent the principle that food is at its best when it's the result of socially responsible practices, encompassing sourcing, social and environmental requirements;

: voted for by the Sustainable Restaurant Association, which runs Food Made Good, the largest foodservice sustainability program and global community for driving sustainability in hospitality, the winning dish will represent the principle that food is at its best when it's the result of socially responsible practices, encompassing sourcing, social and environmental requirements; Acqua Panna Connection in Gastronomy Award : voted for by Mentors, the winner of this award will produce a dish that represents the culinary heritage of the chef's native region. The dish should highlight traditional culinary practices and personal modern vision, providing a connection between the past and the future;

: voted for by Mentors, the winner of this award will produce a dish that represents the culinary heritage of the chef's native region. The dish should highlight traditional culinary practices and personal modern vision, providing a connection between the past and the future; Fine Dining Lovers Food for Thought Award: voted for by the online Fine Dining Lovers community, this award will be for the young chef who best represents their personal beliefs with a signature dish;

To learn more about the initiative please visit: www.sanpellegrinoyoungchefacademy.com .

About S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy

Gastronomy has the potential to transform society, shaping a more inclusive, more sustainable future. But doing requires talent. That's why S.Pellegrino has created S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy, a platform to attract, connect and nurture the next generation of culinary talents. An environment that will empower them through education, mentoring and experience opportunities, as well as through the renowned global competition.

The Academy opens its doors to members from over 70 different countries, ensuring that talent is not constrained by geography, ethnicity, or gender. This is a place where passionate young chefs interact with the most influential players in global gastronomy, and where together they cultivate an inspiring culinary community.

To discover more please visit: https://www.sanpellegrinoyoungchefacademy.com/

About S.Pellegrino and Acqua Panna

S.Pellegrino, Acqua Panna and Sanpellegrino Italian Sparkling Drinks are international trademarks of Sanpellegrino S.p.A., which is based in Milan, Italy. Distributed in over 150 countries through branches and distributors on all five continents, these products represent quality, excellence by virtue of their origins and perfectly interpret Italian style worldwide as a synthesis of pleasure, health and well-being. Founded in 1899, Sanpellegrino S.p.A. is the leading company in the beverage sector in Italy with its range of mineral waters, non-alcoholic aperitifs and drinks.

Sanpellegrino has always been committed to enhancing this primary good for the planet and works responsibly and passionately to ensure that this resource has a secure future.

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EDISON, N.J., Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Nous Infosystems, a leading global IT solutions provider delivering innovative technology services and solutions, announced its recognition as a Major Contender in Application Transformation Services PEAK Matrix Assessment 2024 - North America by Everest Group. This achievement reflects Nous' ongoing commitment to delivering cutting-edge solutions that meet the evolving needs of clients worldwide.



The Everest Application Transformation Services Peak Matrix Assessment, a thorough analysis assessing 28 application transformation service providers, provides valuable insights into the dynamics of the North American landscape. Conducted through Everest Group's rigorous annual Request for Information (RFI) process, the assessment involved direct interactions with top-quality engineering specialists, client reference validations, and ongoing market analysis.

The report accentuates growing customer demands and the need for enterprises to boost productivity through application transformation, emphasizing the shift from legacy systems for the full potential of emerging technologies. Nous Infosystems stands out by actively collaborating with tech partners, enhancing offerings, and leading the industry. Their commitment to addressing client concerns is evident in cutting-edge in-house solutions, fortifying service capabilities and ensuring top-tier value in transformation initiatives.

Anurag Chauhan, CEO, Nous Infosystems, expresses, "Being recognized as a Major Contender in Application Transformation Services solidifies our dedication to delivering business-centric solutions. We are deeply attuned to our clients' evolving needs, and this acknowledgment strengthens our commitment to providing strategic and innovative services that propel business success in a dynamic market."

Featuring a comprehensive service portfolio from advisory to execution, Nous Infosystems stands out as a credible partner for end-to-end digital transformation. As a recognized Microsoft Azure partner, seamless integration of Azure technologies allows for delivering innovative solutions tailored to diverse client needs, positioning the organization as a trusted and versatile partner adept at navigating complex transformations. Enterprise clients highly value Nous Infosystem's expertise in legacy and next-gen technologies like low-code/no-code and generative AI, to drive efficiency and innovation for sustainable growth.

Sreenivasan Narayanan, EVP - Microsoft Global Alliances at Nous Infosystems, adds, "Attaining Major Contender status in Application Transformation Services highlights our operational and technical expertise. Our team's steadfast commitment to developing cutting-edge, in-house solutions and embracing next-gen technologies positions Nous Infosystems as a leader in the digital transformation landscape. We remain resolute in our pursuit of operational excellence and technical innovation to empower our clients to thrive in a rapidly evolving digital era."

About Nous Infosystems

Nous Infosystems is a global leader in digital solutions and product engineering, enabling global enterprises and ISVs to harness the power of technology. Through an innovative portfolio of services and next-gen technology solutions, we help organizations transform their business models, operations, and experiences to drive growth.

At the forefront of technology, Nous stands as a global pioneering force, delivering unparalleled expertise in digital transformation solutions through automation using AI, leveraging the cloud, and utilizing data and analytics with assured quality.

Nous follows a global delivery model through its strategically located delivery centers in the US, UK, Germany, Canada, and India and provides assured quality services by following global standards and is certified in CMMi Level 5 SVC + SSD v1.3, ISO 9001:2015, and ISO/IEC 27001:2013.

Nous is Great Place to Work Certified, reflecting a corporate culture dedicated to creating a positive and rewarding work environment.

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CHICAGO, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Electronic Clinical Outcome Assessment (eCOA) Solution Market in terms of revenue was estimated to be worth $1.8 billion in 2024 and is poised to reach $3.9 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 16.6% from 2024 to 2029 according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets. The growth in the Electronic Clinical Outcome Assessment (eCOA) Solutions market is driven by rise in patient centricity, increase in incidences of chronic disorders, and growing acceptance of eCOA solutions by several pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies for data collection and its analysis. As eCOA helps enhance patient engagement by facilitating patient-reported outcomes. Moreover, the increase in demand for real-world evidence across may boost the market during the forecast period. But the increase in concerns about data breaches and privacy may pose a challenge to the Electronic Clinical Outcome Assessment (eCOA) Solutions market during the forecast period.

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Browse in-depth TOC on "Electronic Clinical Outcome Assessment (eCOA) Solution Market"

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Electronic Clinical Outcome Assessment (eCOA) Solution Market Scope:

Report Coverage Details Market Revenue in 2024 $1.8 billion Estimated Value by 2029 $3.9 billion Growth Rate Poised to grow at a CAGR of 16.6% Market Size Available for 2022-2029 Forecast Period 2024-2029 Forecast Units Value (USD Billion) Report Coverage Revenue Forecast, Competitive Landscape, Growth Factors, and Trends Segments Covered Component, Product Type, Deployment Model, Application Area, End User, Region Geographies Covered North America (US, Canada), Europe (Germany, France, UK, Italy, and the Rest of Europe), Asia Pacific (Japan, China, India, and the Rest of Asia Pacific), Latin America, and Middle East & Africa (GCC Countries, Rest of MEA) Report Highlights Updated financial information / product portfolio of players Key Market Opportunities Increase in number of clinical trials Key Market Drivers Growing preference of digital data collection and analysis

Hybrid model is the fastest growing in the Electronic Clinical Outcome Assessment (eCOA) Solutions market in 2023.

Based on component, the Electronic Clinical Outcome Assessment (eCOA) Solutions market is segmented into software, services, and wearable, mobile & other devices. The wearable, mobile & other devices segment is further categorized into bring your own device model (BYOD), Provisioned device model, and hybrid model. The hybrid model is the fastest growing in Electronic Clinical Outcome Assessment (eCOA) Solutions market in 2023 attributing to its ability to offer a balanced and flexible approach to data collection in clinical trials. The hybrid model combines elements of both Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) and Provisioned Device models, providing a versatile solution that accommodates varying preferences and trial requirements. Hybrid model gives flexibility to the participants by offering option to use their own devices or devices provided by the study, depending on their comfort and accessibility. This flexibility reduces barriers to participation, as participants can choose the mode that aligns with their technological preferences.

By application, observational studies and real-world evidence generation is the fastest growing in the Electronic Clinical Outcome Assessment (eCOA) Solutions market in 2023.

Based on application, the Electronic Clinical Outcome Assessment (eCOA) Solutions market is segmented into clinical trials, observational studies and real-world evidence (RWE) generation, patient management and registries, and other applications. Among these the observational studies and real-world evidence generation is the fastest growing in the Electronic Clinical Outcome Assessment (eCOA) Solutions market in 2023 attributing to an increasing emphasis on real-world data's significance in healthcare decision-making. Moreover, the segment's growth is due to the growing acceptance of real-world evidence (RWE) by regulatory bodies, healthcare providers, and pharmaceutical companies drives. RWE is crucial for understanding a treatment's effectiveness, safety, and overall impact on patients in everyday clinical practice.

Pharmaceuticals and biotechnology companies are the largest end users of the Electronic Clinical Outcome Assessment (eCOA) Solutions market in 2023.

Based on end users, the Electronic Clinical Outcome Assessment (eCOA) Solutions market is segmented into pharmaceutical & biotechnology companies, contract research organizations (CROs), medtech companies, government organizations, research centers & academic institutes, hospitals & healthcare providers, and consulting service companies. The pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies dominated the eCOA solutions market in 2023 attributing to growth in adoption of eCOA solution across by companies. As the Electronic Clinical Outcome Assessment (eCOA) slutions helps in advancing clinical trials by streamlining and enhancing the accuracy of data collection. Moreover, eCOA also helps to ensure the integrity of clinical data, facilitating regulatory compliance and improving overall study quality. For pharmaceutical and biotechnology firms, the adoption of eCOA translates into accelerated decision-making, reduced trial timelines, and enhanced patient engagement, thus these end users are dominating the market.

North America dominates the global Electronic Clinical Outcome Assessment (eCOA) Solutions market in 2023.

The Electronic Clinical Outcome Assessment (eCOA) Solutions market is segmented into five major regional segments, namely, North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle East and Africa. In 2023, North America accounted for the largest share of the Electronic Clinical Outcome Assessment (eCOA) Solutions market. As this region is home to a significant number of pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies which are using eCOA solutions. These companies conduct extensive clinical trials, seeking efficient and accurate methods of data collection to meet rigorous regulatory standards. Moreover, the well-established healthcare infrastructure in North America, coupled with a high level of digital literacy among healthcare professionals, facilitates the seamless integration of eCOA technologies. Furthermore, the region's leadership in research and development, coupled with substantial investments in healthcare technology, reinforces its position at the forefront of the eCOA market.

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Electronic Clinical Outcome Assessment (eCOA) Solution Market Dynamics:

Drivers:

Growing preference of digital data collection and analysis

Restraints:

Lack of skilled professionals to develop & operate eCOA solutions

Opportunities:

Increase in number of clinical trials

Challenge:

Evolving Regulatory landscape and compliance requirements

Key Market Players of Electronic Clinical Outcome Assessment (eCOA) Solution Industry:

Prominent players in the Electronic Clinical Outcome Assessment (eCOA) Solutions market include include Signant Health (US), IQVIA HOLDINGS INC, (US), Oracle Corporation (US), Kayentis (France), TransPerfect (US), Obvio Health USA, Inc. (US), WCG Clinical (US), clincapture (US), Merative (US), Clario (US), Medable Inc. (US), Medidata (US), healthentia (Belgium), Veeva Systems Inc. (US), assiTek (US), Curebase Inc (US), Castor (US), EvidentIQ (Germany), Y-Prime, LLC. (US), Clinical ink (US), and ICON PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY(Ireland).

Breakdown of the supply-side, demand side, primary interviews by company type, designation, and region:

By Supply Side: Tier 1 (31%), Tier 2 (28%), and Tier 3 (41%)

By Demand Side: Hospital Directors/VPs/Managers/Department Heads (40%), Pharma & Biopharma Company's Product managers, Purchase Heads, etc. (35%), and Others (25%).

By Designation: C-level Executives (31%), Director-level (25%), and Managers (44%)

By Region: North America (45%), Europe (20%), Asia Pacific (28%), and RoW (4%)

Recent Developments of Electronic Clinical Outcome Assessment (eCOA) Solution Industry:

In July 2023, Signant Health acquired DSG to extend its product suite to include comprehensive EDC/DDC capabilities, further strengthening its position in the market.

In October 2022, Oracle collaborated with ObvioHealth to facilitate ObvioHealth's DCT platform and mobile app, ObvioGo encompassing eConsent, eCOA, and ePRO capabilities, to seamlessly integrate into Oracle Clinical One Cloud Service (Clinical One).

In October 2023, Clario partnered with Trial Data to combines their vast DCT experience and eCOA solutions, along with deep clinical trial operations experience in China, resulting in increased capabilities and flexibility in clinical trial strategies for sponsors supporting clinical trials in China.

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Electronic Clinical Outcome Assessment (eCOA) Solution Market - Key Benefits of Buying the Report:

The report can help established firms as well as new entrants/smaller firms to gauge the pulse of the market, which, in turn, would help them garner a greater share. Firms purchasing the report could use one or a combination of the below-mentioned five strategies.

This report provides insights into the following pointers:

Analysis of key drivers (increasing R&D expenditure for product development by medtech, and pharma-biotech companies, rising operational costs and regulatory requirements associated with clinical research studies, favorable government support and funding for clinical trials, growing prevalence of chronic diseases & subsequent increase in clinical trials, effective monitoring of clinical data, reduction in overall costs and timelines of clinical trials), restraints (lack of skilled professionals to develop and operate eCOA solutions, high implementation and maintenance cost, lack of awareness about eCOA solutions among end users), opportunities (surging eCOA adoption owing to increasing number of clinical trials in emerging economies, growing outsourcing of clinical trial processes to CROs, gradual shift from manual data interpretation to real-time data analysis, growing penetration of mobile technology in healthcare industry), and challenges (evolving regulatory landscape and compliance requirements, interoperability & integration, data security & privacy issues, resistance from traditional healthcare professionals and concerns regarding software reliability) influencing the growth of electronic clinical outcome assessment (eCOA) solutions market.

Product Development/Innovation: Detailed insights on upcoming technologies, research and development activities, and product launches in the electronic clinical outcome assessment (eCOA) solutions market.

Market Development: Comprehensive information about lucrative emerging markets. The report analyzes the markets for various types of electronic clinical outcome assessment (eCOA) solutions solutions across regions.

Market Diversification: Exhaustive information about products, untapped regions, recent developments, and investments in the electronic clinical outcome assessment (eCOA) solutions market.

Competitive Assessment: In-depth assessment of market shares, strategies, products, distribution networks, and manufacturing capabilities of the leading players in the electronic clinical outcome assessment (eCOA) solutions market.

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About MarketsandMarkets:

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Earlier this year, we made a formal transformation into one of America's best management consulting firms as per a survey conducted by Forbes.

The B2B economy is witnessing the emergence of $25 trillion of new revenue streams that are substituting existing revenue streams in this decade alone. We work with clients on growth programs, helping them monetize this $25 trillion opportunity through our service lines - TAM Expansion, Go-to-Market (GTM) Strategy to Execution, Market Share Gain, Account Enablement, and Thought Leadership Marketing.

Built on the 'GIVE Growth' principle, we work with several Forbes Global 2000 B2B companies - helping them stay relevant in a disruptive ecosystem. Our insights and strategies are molded by our industry experts, cutting-edge AI-powered Market Intelligence Cloud, and years of research. The KnowledgeStore (our Market Intelligence Cloud) integrates our research, facilitates an analysis of interconnections through a set of applications, helping clients look at the entire ecosystem and understand the revenue shifts happening in their industry.

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EQS Post-admission Duties announcement: Adtran Holdings, Inc. / Third country release according to Article 50 Para. 1, No. 2 of the WpHG [the German Securities Trading Act]

Adtran Holdings, Inc.: Release according to Article 50 of the WpHG [the German Securities Trading Act] with the objective of Europe-wide distribution



20.02.2024 / 16:11 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.





On 19 February 2024, BlackRock, Inc. and its subsidiaries BlackRock, Inc., BlackRock Financial Management, Inc. and BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc. (together referred to as the "Notifying Parties"), London EC2N 2DL, United Kingdom, submitted, in connection with the voting rights notification pursuant to Sections 33, 34 WpHG, a notification according to Section 43 WpHG to Adtran Holdings, Inc. as set out below:

The crossing of the thresholds do not result from acquisitions by the Notifying Parties but from attributions from investment managers and advisors which qualify as subsidiaries of at least one of the Notifying Parties and to which the voting rights are attributed

In respect of the aims underlying the purchase of the voting rights, we, the Notifying Parties, notify that:

1. The investments are aimed at both implementing strategic objectives and at generating a trading profit. This results from Notifying Parties' overall intention to gain maximum returns for BlackRock's clients on both a short and a long term basis.

2. We plan to acquire further voting rights within the next twelve months by means of a purchase or by any other means. Because our intention is to gain maximum returns for BlackRock's clients and therefore we may also sell shares.

3. We intend to exert an influence on the appointment or removal of members of the issuer's administrative, managing and supervisory bodies. We will continue to exercise our right to vote at the company's annual general meeting, and any special general meetings should they be called in the best interests of our clients.

4. We do not intend to achieve a material change in the company's capital structure, in particular as regards the ratio between own funds and external funds and the dividend policy. However, we might vote on such topics in the same way we set out in no. 3.

In respect of the origin of the funds used, we, the Notifying Parties, notify that:

Client funds were used in order to finance the purchase of the voting rights.

20.02.2024 CET/CEST The EQS Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases.

Archive at www.eqs-news.com


Opening the largest state-of-the-art-facility in KEZAD

Elevate Investments, a leader in finance, strategic management, investment, and business growth, and Royal Caviar House, announced the debut of its newest venture,Numero Uno a premier caviar brand and distributor, at a grand launch event in Abu Dhabi. Held under the patronage of H.E. Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, the event showcased the Numero Uno brand and its strategic approach towards entering the market.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240220733164/en/

H.E. Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Sheikh Tahnoon Bin Saeed Al Nahyan, Omar Jamal Al Omar and Dimitri Wieselmann at the Numero Uno launch event. (Photo: AETOSWire)

The launch was held at the Emirates Palace and was attended by Sheikh Tahnoon Bin Saeed Al Nahyan, Chairman of Elevate Investments, Omar Jamal Al Omar, Chairman of OJO Group of Companies and Founder of Elevate Investments, alongside an elite guest list of C-level executives, members of the royal family, and influential figures from across the world. Guests indulged in the brand's exquisite caviar offerings through dedicated caviar stations, and listened to speeches delivered by Al Omar and Michael Litwak, Head of Business Development at Numero Uno.

In his speech, Al Omar expressed his gratitude and excitement for the journey ahead. He shed light on some of the key attributes behind the venture, the strategic vision, and the Group's future expansion plan. Al Omar also thanked His Excellency for his support and guidance in this initiative, marking one of many achievements for the Group.

At the event, Numero Uno unveiled its latest venture, a cutting-edge facility situated in the Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi (KEZAD). The facility is designed to be at the forefront of innovation and efficiency, while leveraging the strategic advantages offered by KEZAD's dynamic business ecosystem. The facility will cater to the GCC's growing demand for high end caviar through advanced technology and stringent packing protocols that align with Numero Uno's exceptional standards.

Commenting on the success of the launch, Al Omar said, "Addressing the need for expanding our initiatives in the GCC is crucial, driving us to offer top-tier solutions across various sectors. This venture represents just one of many steps in the Group's relentless pursuit of excellence."

In this regard, Sheikh Tahnoon expressed that the event symbolizes the beginning of a new era in the caviar industry, where quality meets responsibility.

For more information on Numero Uno, please visit www.numerounocaviar.com.

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Revolutionizing Event Planning: Vibe Crafters Brings Digital Efficiency and Unmatched Savings to Toronto's Celebrations

TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / Vibe Crafters Event Planning & Rentals is offering a 50% off sale to celebrate its re-launch. This incredible deal is available to individuals in Toronto and the surrounding areas who are planning corporate events, weddings, and residential parties. With its digital-first approach, Vibe Crafters is committed to revolutionizing the event planning experience, making it simpler, faster, and more affordable for everyone to organize their dream events.





VIbe Crafters





Vibe Crafters stands out in the crowded event planning space with its innovative digital-first strategy, designed to streamline the event planning process. This approach allows clients to easily navigate the complexities of event planning, from the initial concept to the final execution, all with a few clicks. The result is a stress-free planning experience that saves time and allows for more focus on enjoying the moment.

Understanding the economic pressures faced by many today, Vibe Crafters has chosen to share its success by offering significant savings on its rental services. "We're aware of the challenges that come with planning events, particularly in these uncertain times," stated Jazimar Bailey, COO at Vibe Crafters. "By offering first-time rentals at half price, we hope to alleviate some of the financial burdens and make it possible for our clients to celebrate their special moments without compromise."

This limited-time 50% off sale is open to anyone planning an event in the Toronto area. Vibe Crafters boasts an extensive selection of high-quality rentals that can cater to any event's needs, from elegant corporate gatherings and enchanting weddings to intimate residential celebrations. With Vibe Crafters, creating memorable moments is accessible and affordable.

SOURCE: Vibe Crafters Event Planning & Rentals

View the original press release on newswire.com.
NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / FedEx Corporation

Small businesses serve as the economic engine of the U.S. There are 33.2 million small businesses in the country, which account for 99.9% of all U.S. businesses. Yet, these businesses often struggle in the aftermath of disasters and how to prepare for the next one.

Developed in partnership with FedEx, the Readiness for Resiliency Program (R4R) is a multi-year initiative to support small businesses impacted by disasters. The program guides any interested small business in preparing for a disaster, and then offers quick-turn relief funding of $5,000 for those prepared businesses after a federal disaster declaration is made in their region.

To date, the R4R program-with additional support from Allstate-has helped prepare nearly 3,000 businesses for the next disaster and distributed $5,000 grants to 51 businesses across the country. Grantees report using the funds on crucial expenses such as building their customer base, paying employee salaries, and repairing damaged or lost inventory.

Click here to read the 2023 R4R Impact Report.

Post provided by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from FedEx Corporation on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: FedEx Corporation

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Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: FedEx Corporation

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BANGALORE, India, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Cloud Advertising Market is Segmented by Type (Cross Channel, End-to-end), by Application (SMEs, Large Enterprises)

The global Cloud Advertising market was valued at USD 119.9 Million in 2023 and is anticipated to reach USD 219.3 Million by 2030, witnessing a CAGR of 8.9% during the forecast period 2024-2030.

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Major Factors Driving the Growth of Cloud Advertising Market

Numerous important elements are driving the growth of the cloud advertising market. First off, scalable and adaptable infrastructure is required due to the growing use of digital advertising platforms across a range of businesses, and cloud services easily meet this need. Second, real-time analytics, targeted advertising, and personalized content distribution provided by cloud-based advertising solutions boost marketing campaign efficacy and stimulate demand. Thirdly, companies looking to maximize reach and impact while optimizing their advertising expenditures are drawn to cloud advertising solutions due to their cost-effectiveness and operational efficiency. Finally, the growing popularity of mobile advertising, together with developments in AI and machine learning, drives the expansion of the cloud advertising industry by enabling more accurate targeting and optimization techniques.

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TRENDS INFLUENCING THE GROWTH OF THE CLOUD ADVERTISING MARKET

The use of data-driven advertising tactics is being propelled by the widespread availability of data analytics tools and technologies, which is further propelling the expansion of the cloud advertising market. Large volumes of data, such as user behavior, preferences, and demographics, are tapped into by cloud-based advertising systems to provide customers with highly targeted and customized adverts. Advertisers may create more relevant and interesting ad experiences by using real-time data analysis to better understand the interests and preferences of their target audience. One major factor propelling the growth of the cloud advertising business is programmatic advertising, which employs AI algorithms to automate the purchasing and selling of ad inventory in real time. With the help of cloud-based programmatic systems, advertisers can more precisely and efficiently reach their target audience across a variety of channels, devices, and formats.

The market for cloud advertising is expanding as a result of companies shifting a larger portion of their advertising spending to online platforms due to the rapid digital revolution occurring across all industries. Advertisers are turning their attention from conventional media channels to digital platforms like social media, search engines, and smartphone applications as consumers spend more and more time online. In today's digital first world, cloud-based advertising solutions provide the flexibility and scale required to efficiently reach and interact with customers.

The cloud advertising industry is seeing development and innovation due to the incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technology into advertising platforms. With the help of AI-powered advertising solutions, marketers can optimize their campaigns for increased performance and return on investment by using algorithms to analyze massive volumes of data in real time.

A sizable portion of the cloud advertising business, mobile advertising, is expanding due to the widespread use of smartphones and other mobile devices. Cloud-based advertising systems provide mobile-friendly ad formats, location-based targeting, and app-based advertising solutions, allowing marketers to reach customers while they're on the move. In order to successfully reach and interact with their target audience, advertisers are increasing their investment in mobile advertising due to the growing popularity of mobile applications and mobile internet usage.

The popularity of consuming online video content on a variety of digital platforms is driving the phenomenal rise of video advertising. With the powerful video ad-serving capabilities provided by cloud-based advertising systems, marketers can reach specific audiences with interesting video ads across websites, social media platforms, and streaming services.

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CLOUD ADVERTISING MARKET SHARE ANALYSIS

Based on geographical dynamics, there is variance in the cloud advertising market. The industry is thriving in North America because of the existence of important companies, developments in technology, and high internet penetration rates. Europe follows suit, experiencing notable expansion propelled by a rise in digitization and the industry-wide use of cloud-based solutions. Significant market expansion is being fueled by the Asia-Pacific region's rising e-commerce industry, growing digital infrastructure, and rapid economic development.

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Key Players:

Oracle

GOOGLE INC

Rackspace

IBM

Adobe Systems

Viant Technology

Salesforce

Marin Software

Imagine Communications

AWS

Clouds Advertising

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The all stock transaction would bolster DLT's Gross Sales by an additional USD $50,000,000

LAS VEGAS, NV / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / DLT Resolution Inc. (OTC Pink:DLTI), a prominent Software as a Service (SAAS), information technology, and communication company, proudly announces the signing of a Term Sheet to acquire 100% ownership of Global Motor Trade LLC, Global Motor Trade International LLC, SJ Auto Trade LLC, and WEC International LLC. These strategic acquisitions reinforce DLT Resolution Inc.'s commitment to its growth strategy and market expansion.

The acquisitions highlight DLT Resolution Inc.'s foresight in cultivating a diversified and innovative portfolio aligned with evolving market demands.

Drew Reid, Executive Chairman of DLT Resolution Inc., stated, "These acquisitions mark a significant step towards strengthening our offerings and diversified holdings. We are driven by a shared vision of innovation, excellence, and value creation for our customers and stakeholders."

Charles Brofman of Global Motor Trade Group of Companies expressed enthusiasm, stating, "We are thrilled to be part of this venture. Drew Reid's vision for DLTI aligns perfectly with our growth aspirations. We are already planning our strategy to achieve the next level of revenue within the first twelve months after closing. Additionally, being part of DLTI will enable us to make strategic acquisitions within our industry, enhancing our customer base and international supply chains."

Empowering Future Growth

Global Motor Trade Group of Companies, based in the United States, specializes in international vehicle wholesale distribution and sale, with a primary focus on Canada, China, Europe, Dubai, and worldwide. This strategic move will contribute a combined annual gross revenue of $50,858,000 USD to DLT Resolution Inc.

The acquisition is an all-stock transaction, with an estimated 14,000,000 shares of DLTI to be issued upon closing.

Multiple Add-On Acquisitions Planned

DLT Resolution Inc. is on track to finalize multiple acquisitions within this calendar year, aiming to catalyze growth and expand its market footprint.

Advancing into the Future

The acquisition of Global Motor Trade Group of Companies signifies a substantial step towards amplifying value and expanding horizons. With a shared commitment to innovation and customer-centric excellence, DLT Resolution Inc. is poised to create a lasting impact across sectors, forging an exciting path forward.

About DLT Resolution Inc.

DLT Resolution Inc. has undergone transformative evolution, focusing on driving advancements in telecommunications and technology. Our core operations center around strategic Software as a Service (SAAS) acquisitions, enabling us to seize opportunities in the dynamic world of tech companies and cutting-edge technologies.

At the forefront of our pursuits lies the realm of SAAS, where we revolutionize how businesses operate and engage with their clientele. Through these acquisitions, we empower organizations to leverage state-of-the-art solutions for domestic and global growth.

DLT Resolution Inc. is more than a company; it's a catalyst for technological transformation. We are driven by the pursuit of groundbreaking solutions that empower businesses to navigate the digital era with confidence and embrace the limitless possibilities of telecommunications and technology.

Welcome to the future, where innovation is our foundation, and technology is our compass.

CONTACT:

Drew A. Reid

Executive Chair & CEO

1 (800) 463-5465

dreid@dltresolution.com

www.dltresolution.com

Disclaimer: This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements are based largely on the expectations or forecasts of future events, can be affected by inaccurate assumptions, and are subject to various business risks and known and unknown uncertainties, a number of which are beyond the control of management. Therefore, actual results could differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Additional information respecting the factors that could materially affect the Company and its operations are contained in its annual report on Form 10K and Form 10-Q as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements.

SOURCE: DLT Resolution Inc.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 20, 2024) - International Lithium Corp. (TSXV: ILC) (OTCQB: ILHMF) (FSE: IAH) (the "Company" or "ILC") is pleased to announce it has entered into a Purchase and Sale Agreement (the "Agreement") to acquire a 90% interest in a highly prospective grass roots copper and cobalt property in Northwestern Ontario.

The Firesteel project ("Firesteel" or the "Project" or "Property"), previously referred to as the Honeyjack project, is located less than 10 km directly west of Upsala along Highway 17 and stretches for 16 km to the Firesteel River (Figure 1 and 2).

Under the terms of the Agreement, the Company will acquire an undivided 90% right, title, and interest in Firesteel by:

Paying on the Effective Date CAD $55,000 in cash to the Vendor (paid);

Within 15 calendar days of Exchange approval of the Agreement: at the discretion of ILC, either (a) paying CAD $110,000 in cash, or (b) paying CAD $65,000 in cash and issuing common shares with an aggregate value of CAD $45,000 to the Vendor; and

Granting the right to receive the following milestone payments: if ILC establishes a Resource Calculation equal to or exceeding 10,000,000 metric tonnes at 1% Copper (the "First Resource Bonus Threshold"), ILC shall pay, at its sole discretion, any one of (i) CAD $1,000,000 in cash or (ii) such number of Common Shares having an aggregate value of CAD $1,000,000 or (iii) a combination of cash and Common Shares having an aggregate value of CAD $1,000,000; if ILC establishes a Resource Calculation equal to or exceeding 15,000,000 metric tonnes at 1% Copper (the "Second Resource Bonus Threshold"), ILC shall pay, at its sole discretion, any one of (i) a further CAD $1,000,000 in cash, or (ii) such number of Common Shares having an aggregate value of CAD $1,000,000, or (iii) a combination of cash and Common Shares having an aggregate value of CAD $1,000,000.



The Agreement was signed on February 16, 2024. No finder's fees were paid to facilitate this transaction.

Project Highlights

Resident Geologist Program site visit confirms*: up to 2.8% Cu at the Roadside 1 occurrence on Highway 17; and 5802 ppm Cu with 217.5 ppm Co and 1728 ppm Cu with 309 ppm Co at the Roadside 2, approximately 2.8 km west (along strike) from the Roadside 1 occurrence.

2.6% Cu in a historical sample* at the Roadside 2 occurrence;

in a historical sample* at the Roadside 2 occurrence; 316 mining claim units covering an area of approximately 6,600 hectares;

Excellent infrastructure and access to technical and logistical support services; and

16 km of strike potential for VMS style Cu-Co mineral deposits in parallel structures.

The Company completed a 1,392 line-km airborne magnetic and electromagnetic survey utilizing the RESOLVE frequency domain electromagnetic system. The data will be interpreted to identify near-surface highly conductive zones that may represent massive sulphide mineralization consisting of pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, pyrite and bornite as witnessed at the Roadside 1 occurrence (Figure 3).

Several conductive zones, including one coincident with the Roadside 1 and 2 occurrences, are evident in the raw data. Final products from the airborne data are expected in the next month. Following the review of this data, the Company will follow up with prospecting and ground geophysics in preparation for drill testing later in 2024.

Project Overview

The Project consists of 73 mining claims, making up 316 mining claim units covering an area of approximately 6,600 hectares in Northwestern Ontario. The property is adjacent to Highway 17, less than 10 km west of Upsala, Ontario. It stretches westward to the Firesteel River for approximately 16 km.

The Trans Canada natural gas pipeline and CP Rail corridor transects the project making for easy access to existing infrastructure (Figure 2).

The Project is located within the central Wabigoon Sub-province at the eastern limit of the Lumby Lake Greenstone Belt. The Lumby North assemblage in the vicinity of Upsala is described in "Stone, D. 2010. Precambrian geology of the central Wabigoon Subprovince area, northwestern Ontario; Ontario Geological Survey, Open File Report 5422, 130p," as mafic sequences interlayered with iron formation and quartz arenite adjacent to the Marmion batholith. It contains massive mafic flows or gabbro interspersed with thin felsic meta volcanics and rare pillowed mafic units.

On October 5, 2021, D. Campbell (RRG), accompanied by B. Holbik, completed a property visit on the Property (then known as the Honeyjack property). 17 samples were collected from historic copper and gold occurrences.

They included various styles of mineralization and alteration including: i) quartz veins with stringers, blebs and disseminations of pyrite, pyrrhotite and trace chalcopyrite, ii) silicious metasedimentary rocks and iron formations with associated sericite alteration, pyrite, pyrrhotite, trace chalcopyrite and fuchsite, and iii) lenses of semi-massive and net-textured sulphides consisting of pyrite, pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite and bornite as indicated by the bright peacock colours (Figure 3-A).

RRG collected 6 samples of semi-massive and net-textured sulphides at the Roadside 1 Cu Zone on the south side of Highway 17, centred at 677465E 5435937N. The highest copper assay returned 28637 ppm Cu.

"Historical assay results from samples taken at locations approximately 1.6 km northeast and 2.8 km southwest of the Roadside 1 Cu Zone returned values of up to 2.6% Cu, 3.327 ppm Au and 2.6% Cu, 4.294 ppm Au, respectively (Bumbu 1995). RGP collected 2 samples (21DCHJ016-017) approximately 2.8 km southwest of the Firesteel Cu Zone, returning 5802 ppm Cu and 217.5 ppm Co, respectively. Approximately 225 m north of sample 21DCHJ017, Bumbu sampling returned 1728 ppm Cu and 309 ppm Co (D. Campbell, 2022)."

* International Lithium Corp. has not independently verified samples collected under the Resident Geologist Program and as with samples referred to as "historical" above, these analytical results are collectively being treated as historical in nature until the Company can carry out its own investigations with QA/QC protocols under the supervision of a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101.

D. Campbell (RRG) summarized:

"The potential for a highly metamorphosed volcanogenic massive sulphide pyrrhotite-chalcopyrite stringer zone or a volcanic-associated sedimentary copper system, perhaps up to 20 m wide and spanning up to 1 km or more in length, should not be overlooked."

John Wisbey, Chairman and CEO of ILC, commented:

"Firesteel is primarily a copper project. Initial studies reveal highly prospective amounts of copper at Firesteel, and there is also a smaller amount of cobalt and some gold there too.

"Exposure to copper fits our battery metals strategy well and is geographically a very natural follow-on for ILC from our investment in 2022 in the nearby Wolf Ridge claims. Moreover, our flagship Raleigh Lake lithium and rubidium project is also only an hour's drive away on a major road. This is, therefore, a very good project for us to add to our exploration portfolio.

"Our key focus remains lithium, but copper is also a vital metal in the battery revolution, so we now have copper and rubidium as important metals in our projects to complement our lithium. The access to infrastructure is, like Raleigh Lake, excellent."





Figure 1: Location of the Firesteel Copper-Cobalt project relative to Thunder Bay, the Raleigh Lake Lithium-Rubidium deposits and the Wolf Ridge project area.



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3232/198562_48155afde496e847_003full.jpg





Figure 2: Firesteel Copper-Cobalt project claims outline and local infrastructure.



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3232/198562_48155afde496e847_004full.jpg





Figure 3: The Firesteel Roadside 1 occurrence. A) hand sample of semi-massive and net-textured sulphides consisting of pyrite, pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite and bornite, B) folded iron formation and metasedimentary rocks (hammer is 30 cm long), and C) cut and polished sample showing semi-massive and net-textured sulphides.



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3232/198562_3.jpg

About International Lithium Corp.

At ILC, our key mission in the next decade is to make money for our shareholders from lithium and other battery metals and rare metals while at the same time helping to create a greener, cleaner planet and less polluted cities. The world has seen significant governmental and public drive to move away from the energy market's historic heavy dependence on oil and gas. In addition, we have seen the clear and increasingly urgent wish by the USA and Canada and other major economies to safeguard their critical metals supplies and become more self-sufficient. Our Canadian projects, which contain lithium, rubidium and copper, are strategic in that respect.

We have announced separately that we regard Zimbabwe as an important strategic target market for ILC, and we hope to be able to make announcements over the next few weeks and months.

A key goal has been to become and remain a well-funded company to turn our aspirations into reality, and following the disposal of the Mariana project in Argentina in 2021 and the Mavis Lake project in Canada in January 2022, and fundraising underway in 2024, the Board considers that ILC is well placed in that respect with no debt and a strong net cash position.

The Company's interests in various projects now consist of the following, and in addition, the Company continues to seek other opportunities:

Name Metal Location Area (Hectares) Stage Current Ownership % Future Ownership percentage if options exercised or work carried out Operator or JV Partner Raleigh

Lake Li, Rb Ontario 48,500 PEA for Lithium 2023. Resource Estimate for Rubidium 2023 100% 100% ILC Firesteel Cu Ontario 6,600 Exploration 90% 90% ILC Wolf Ridge Li Ontario 5,700 Exploration 0% 100% ILC Avalonia Li Ireland 29,200 Exploration 45% 21% Ganfeng Lithium Mavis Lake Li Ontario 2,600 Resource Estimate for Lithium 2023 0% 0%

(carries an extra earn-in payment of CAD$ 0.7 million if resource targets met) Critical Resources Ltd

Forgan Lake & Lucky Lake Li Ontario < 500 Exploration 0% 1.5% Net Smelter Royalty Ultra Lithium Inc.



The Raleigh Lake Project consists of 48,500 hectares (485 square km) of mineral claims in Ontario and is ILC's most significant project in Canada. Drilling has so far been on less than 1,000 hectares of our claims. A Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) was published for ILC's lithium at Raleigh Lake in December 2023, with a detailed economic analysis of ILC's separate rubidium resource still to come. Raleigh Lake is 100% owned by ILC, is not subject to any encumbrances, and is royalty-free. The project has excellent access to roads, rail and utilities.

With the increasing demand for high-tech rechargeable batteries used in electric vehicles and electrical storage as well as portable electronics, lithium has been designated "the new oil" and is a key part of a green energy sustainable economy. By positioning itself with projects with significant resource potential and solid strategic partners, ILC aims to be one of the lithium and rare metals resource developers of choice for investors and to continue building value for its shareholders in the '20s, the decade of battery metals.

Patrick McLaughlin, P. Geo., a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101, has reviewed and approved the contents of this news release.

On behalf of the Company,

John Wisbey

Chairman and CEO

www.internationallithium.ca

For further information concerning this news release please contact +1 604-449-6520

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

Except for statements of historical fact, this news release or other releases contain certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information or forward-looking statements in this or other news releases may include the effect of results of anticipated production rates, the timing and/or anticipated results of drilling on the Raleigh Lake or Firesteel or Wolf Ridge or Avalonia projects, the expectation of resource estimates, preliminary economic assessments, feasibility studies, lithium or rubidium or copper or other metal recoveries, modeling of capital and operating costs, results of studies utilizing various technologies at the company's projects, budgeted expenditures and planned exploration work on the Company's projects, the increased value of shareholder investments, and assumptions about ethical behaviour by our joint venture partners or third party operators of projects. Such forward-looking information is based on assumptions and subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to those discussed in the sections entitled "Risks" and "Forward-Looking Statements" in the interim and annual Management's Discussion and Analysis, which are available at www.sedar.com. While management believes that the assumptions made are reasonable, there can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate. Should one or more of the risks, uncertainties, or other factors materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking information. Forward-looking information herein and all subsequent written and oral forward-looking information are based on expectations, estimates and opinions of management on the dates they are made that, while considered reasonable by the Company as of the time of such statements, are subject to significant business, economic, legislative, and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. These estimates and assumptions may prove to be incorrect and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking information should circumstances or management's estimates or opinions change.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/198562

SOURCE: International Lithium Corp.
Some Louisa County residents are upset with their local officials for allowing a concrete plant to be constructed near residences and a creek, despite the county planning commission recommending the project not be approved.

Residents in the area worry the site, in Ferncliff near the intersection of U.S. Route 250 and Virginia Route 208, will pollute the air and contaminate water sources.

What is the value of the aquifers our farmers use to water crops? What is the value of the wells from which my children, our children, drink? What is the value of the air that we all breathe? I ask that you all count the cost, resident Matthew Fields asked the Louisa Board of Supervisors at its Feb. 5 meeting.

Fields was among a dozen residents who addressed the board during public comment, all of whom opposed the concrete plant, many of them citing environmental concerns.

Louisa County government staff say that Januarys unanimous vote by the county planning commission was based on the original application, which would have allowed the factory to operate on Sundays and use well water.

Tappahannock-based Essex Concrete Corporation later submitted proffers to address those concerns, agreeing not to operate on Sundays and to purchase water from the Louisa County Water Authority instead of using well water.

Many residents do not trust the company to keep its word, though, and fear that supervisors 6-1 vote on Feb. 5 to rezone dozens of acres for industrial use will not only allow the Essex plant but similar projects to be built in their backyards.

You have opened the door for that whole area there, and its not going to stop in those lots, Stacy Shifflett told the board during public comment.

Louisa has seen significant commercial and industrial development in recent years as people and businesses have sought cheaper land and lower taxes than the two cities that bookend the county: Charlottesville and Richmond. The countys Comprehensive Plan emphasizes such development and broadening the tax base by establishing businesses. According to the plan, industrial and commercial development are integral to the Countys current economic makeup.

During the Feb. 5 meeting, supervisors sought to better understand why the planning commission had voted against the rezoning proposal.

Chairman Duane Adams, who represents the Mineral District, said he had watched a recording of the meeting and understood the commissions primary concerns to be water usage and operating hours. Zoning administrator Josh Gillespie told him those were indeed the primary concerns, and Adams felt those concerns had been addressed in the proffers, in which the company agrees not to operate on Sundays and not use well water.

Adams wanted to know if that was legally binding.

If anybody violates the rezoning, you can pull the permit and shut anybody down? he asked Gillespie, who answered in the affirmative.

That knowledge appeared to help the board reach its decision.

When Supervisor Fitzgerald Barnes of the Patrick Henry District  where the planned plant is to be built  addressed the crowd, he said the conditional permit being issued would give residents power.

Youre going to be watching if they break that permit, he told the crowd.

Barnes said he had visited Zion Crossroads to speak with residents there about a similar project built by Allied Concrete Company. Allied has a plant on Three Notch Road, and Barnes said he spoke to people who live across from it.

All of them said, We dont even know its over there, Barnes recalled.

Gillespie told the board that the planning commission recognized that concerns about traffic, noise and potential pollution are regulated by agencies other than Louisa County.

They realized there was no action to take as related to traffic, noise, air and water, Gillespie said.

Supervisor Rachel Jones of the Green Springs District followed up on that point.

So youre saying that this industry is heavily regulated, from what I understand, and its not just this particular concrete plant but the other ones in the county are also regulated too, she said.

Barnes said the vote was a touchy decision and noted that he lives close to where the plant will be built. He said he nevertheless chose to support the rezoning, citing previous pushback the board had gotten about other developments such as Reedy Creek housing development. Barnes remembered significant opposition to the development, including the planning commissions 5-2 vote to deny the application. But he said supervisors approved it anyway and that it was ultimately a good decision. Some of the audience members Feb. 5 were, in fact, residents of Reedy Creek.

Still, there were murmurs of disapproval after the vote, with many residents feeling as though their concerns had not been heard. They worried the site will create air pollution, with one woman noting that the smoke from the fires as far away as Shenandoah National Park had forced her to remain inside to avoid health risks from dangerous air particles.

John Childress traveled to the Feb. 5 meeting from Fluvanna County, worried that the plant would affect water and air in his own corner of Central Virginia. Water used by the plant is not safe for consumption and will be kept in washout containers before it is discarded. He was one of many to express concerns about how potential flooding would affect those containers.

When we have heavy rains, and we have had rains of 3 and 4 inches, whats going to happen to that water? Childress asked the board. Like many of my neighbors, I am very concerned about the potentially high toxic pH runoff into the Venable Creek from which our cattle drink.

Im also of course concerned about the air pollution and how that might affect my breathing and breathing of the animals and our children, he added.

Sophie Hacken said she feels like the concerns of residents werent fully considered by the board. She is among a number of people trying to find ways to keep the plant from being built.

We are afraid of consequences after this, that theres other industry coming in, Hacken told The Daily Progress. This is a unique watershed that provides water from here to Richmond that could well be polluted.

Before the Feb. 5 vote was taken, Jones took a moment to address the crowd, pointing out that she lives near the concrete plant at Zion Crossroads.

Many of you have sat here and said we dont care. We do care, Jones said. I live within half a mile from the Allied plant. My family is raised there. We are breathing the same air. Its such a small footprint, we dont even know its there. ... Were community members like you are. We care very much.
The DHS competition judges a diverse array of renewable, domestically sourced power solutions that maintain critical emergency operations for at least 36 hours

PHOENIX, AZ / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Clean Power for Hours Competition finalist New Use Energy (NUE) proudly presented the SunKit 5050 EXT in the final demonstration round hosted by Daisy Mountain Fire and Medical Citizen Corps (DMFMCC).





New Use Energy & Daisy Mountain Fire and Medical Citizen Corps

New Use Energy Demonstrates the Advanced Capabilities of the SunKit 5050 EXT in the DHS Clean Power for Hours Competition





The DHS competition judges a diverse array of renewable, domestically sourced power solutions that maintain critical emergency operations for at least 36 hours. The SunKit exceeds this requirement and can operate indefinitely as a stand-alone solar + battery system off the grid.

At the forefront of mobile, rapidly deployable renewable energy solutions, the SunKit plays a critical role in powering DMFMCC's mobile command center which includes equipment such as an air conditioner, laptops, induction cooktop, lights, fans and radios. Of particular note was the SunKit's ability to eliminate radio frequency interference (RFI) which had been plaguing the DMFMCC team, limiting their ability to communicate in emergencies. This phenomenon was experienced by the DMFMCC team during an interoperability drill with another CERT team, where their gas generators reduced the effectiveness of their communications equipment.

Now in its third generation, the SunKit is widely recognized for its reliability and versatility in settings ranging from emergency operation centers (EOCs) to hospital rooms and even remote construction sites.

About DMFMCC

The DMFM Community Emergency Response Team, with its 30-member volunteer force, is committed to supporting first responders in the wake of emergencies. Covering an area home to over 65,000 people, the team emphasizes disaster preparedness and smart resilience strategies, with a focus on wildfires, flooding, and earthquakes.

Situated in the stunning but challenging landscapes of the Arizona mountain foothills, the DMFM CERT team greatly benefits from the reliability and efficiency of the NUE-SolarKit. The system's design effectively eliminates the logistical challenges of fuel supply, radio frequency interference, and the environmental impact of traditional generators, thus allowing the team to concentrate on their essential services and community education missions.

About NUE

NUE is a leader in the development and distribution of proprietary, state-of-the-art, ruggedized mobile solar generator systems that adapt to a diverse set of the most demanding commercial and industrial applications, delivering clean, renewable power wherever needed. For more information, visit https://newuseenergy.com

Contact Information

Paul Shmotolokha

CEO

paul.shmotolokha@newuseenergy.com

+1 (202) 285-3371

SOURCE: New Use Energy

View the original press release on newswire.com.
"Partnerships like the one between Dow, TNC and Ecolab, focused on bringing solutions to sustainably manage scarce freshwater, are the key to ensuring abundant water and healthy ecosystems."

- Andre Argenton, chief sustainability officer, Dow

NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / Rivers like the Mississippi are critical corridors that connect cities and natural ecosystems alike. As the climate precipitation patterns change, water levels vary widely between extreme lows and highs. Water quality is also impacted as saltwater slowly moves upriver. These have extraordinary effects on people and nature.

Recognizing the important role industry and conservation organizations play in restoring healthy, functioning ecosystems, we are working with like-minded organizations like The Nature Conservancy and Ecolab to restore and enhance wetlands in the lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley in Louisiana.

Called "Loch Leven," this project is reconnecting flood plains to the Mississippi River by installing improved water control structures to increase water supply to 4500 acres of wetlands. Our team came in during phase 2 of the project to reconnect the internal water flow within those wetlands. This work followed phase 1, which connected the river to the wetlands. This project is part of a larger effort by The Nature Conservancy to restore over 10,000 wetland acres.

Reconnecting a floodplain

Projects like Loch Leven help provide floodwater storage and improve water quality, all pivotal components of watershed management. By holding water and slowly releasing it, the wetlands on Loch Leven remove excess fertilizer runoff from upstream, and, in turn, those nutrients help the wetlands and all that live in it, thrive.

Floodplain restoration projects such as Loch Leven also provide hydrologic stability, meaning that they slow water down, hold it and slowly release it. The Loch Leven project will help provide 12.1 billion gallons (45.8 million cubic meters) of flood storage capacity to local communities in Louisiana.

"As our climate system makes weather events more variable, extreme and uncertain, the stability that nature provides is even more important," said Bryan Piazza, Director of Science with The Nature Conservancy of Louisiana.

Collaborating for greater impact

The Mississippi Watershed is a water-stressed basin identified by the CEO Water Mandate's Water Resilience Coalition (WRC) under the U.N. Global Compact. Investing in nature-based solutions like the Loch Leven project is one way to reduce nutrient runoff, restore biodiversity and enhance communities' ability to adapt to climate change.

"The issue, however, is having the resources needed to work at the speed necessary to meet these threats in the Lower Mississippi Valley," Piazza said. "There simply isn't enough public grant money available to do the number of Loch Leven projects that we need in the lower river. That's why it's so important to figure out how to attract private investment in our work. Without it, we cannot get to the scale we need to improve water quality and habitat and remove greenhouse gases."

As founding members of the WRC, companies like Dow and Ecolab are investing beyond their own operations and working collaboratively to enhance water stewardship management at the local watershed level.

"As the world's natural resources come under ever-growing pressure, it becomes increasingly clear that businesses must work to find ways to help correct course and build a positive future," said Emilio Tenuta, senior vice president and chief sustainability officer at Ecolab. "It is critical that businesses reach outside their facilities to work with those who share the same water resources and strive to ensure water availability, quality and access for all."

For us at Dow, investments in projects such as Loch Leven contribute to the overall improvement of watershed health while advancing sustainable business growth. Everyone - including communities and industry - must play a role to protect our water resources.

"Water is central to our manufacturing process, and safe, accessible water is also essential to the health of the communities in which we operate, critical to ecosystems and integral to economic growth. Partnerships like the one between Dow, TNC and Ecolab, focused on bringing solutions to sustainably manage scarce freshwater, are the key to ensuring abundant water and healthy ecosystems," said Andre Argenton, chief sustainability officer at Dow.

Carrie Houtman, EH&S and Sustainability Director

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from DOW on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: DOW

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/dow

Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: DOW

View the original press release on accesswire.com
The Picayune Police Department leverages CivicRMS's data analytic tools to inform community policing efforts.

PICAYUNE, MS / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / The term 'proactive policing' has long been circulating in law enforcement circles, yet translating it into actionable strategies can be a challenge. This challenge is all too familiar for agencies across the United States, including Picayune Police Department, a 36-officer agency located in Southern Mississippi.

After years of relying on outdated legacy software, Picayune PD decided to elevate its records management technology to CivicRMS. This upgrade provides the agency with the necessary tools to access crucial data, empowering them to proactively address community policing needs.

Chief Joe Quave, who assumed office in September 2021, and his dedicated team have taken the initiative to share annual data aggregated in their RMS with the community, fostering trust and open dialogue about the agency's work. For example, Chief Quave has regularly posted year-to-year comparisons of crime statistics categorized by offense on their Facebook page.

"By sharing our agency's information with our community, we've been able to start conversations and address the community's concerns," Chief Quave explains. "Relationships are important to me, and we can improve our relationships with our city by keeping them informed."

The department has embraced CivicRMS's data analytic features to make informed decisions for crime prevention, resource allocation, investigations, and data-driven policing efforts.

"Proactivity is very important," Chief Quave emphasizes. "With this access to our city's crime data, we can improve our tactical operations, all by having better tools to monitor crime trends."

CivicEye, full spectrum software provider for law enforcement and prosecutors, has created its systems, including CivicRMS , with this goal of improving community outcomes in mind.

"Law enforcement officials have a lot to focus on in their everyday jobs," said Josh South, Head of Operations at CivicEye. "If our software can make data easy to access and analyze, we know that officers will be better supported, and communities will be safer. That's what it's all about."

To learn more about how Picayune Police Department is using their records management system to bolster community trust and inform proactive policing, click here to access the full case study.

##########

About CivicEye

CivicEye delivers critical software for prosecutors and law enforcement that improves case, records, and digital evidence management across the entire criminal justice system. The company provides a full spectrum, cloud-based platform designed to reduce friction points within departments and across stakeholders. CivicEye is headquartered in Charlotte, NC, and serves over 130 agencies across the country.

Media Contact:

Adrienne Clarke, adrienne.clarke@civiceye.com

www.civiceye.com

SOURCE: CivicEye

View the original press release on accesswire.com
SPARTANBURG, S.C., Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Milliken & Company is pleased to announce Bethany Smith as its Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, overseeing all HR matters on behalf of the diversified global manufacturer. Smith has served as Interim Chief Human Resources Officer since October 2023, stepping into the position upon the departure of Craig Haydamack.

"Bethany stepped up and filled a critical role on our leadership team," shares Milliken President and CEO Halsey Cook. "Over the years, Bethany has earned the respect and admiration of her colleagues by demonstrating excellence and leadership in every task she takes on. She is the right person to lead Human Resources at Milliken."

Prior to becoming Interim Chief Human Resources Officer, Smith served as Vice President of Human Resources for Milliken's Corporate Support functions, providing strategic HR support to Milliken's six corporate enabler functions. In this role, she was the HR business partner to the senior leaders of these functions-all while being an active participant in Milliken's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion program. Other previously held roles included HR Vice President for Milliken's Healthcare Division, HR Director for Milliken's Textile Business and Director of Talent Acquisition and Learning and Development.

Smith began her career at Milliken in manufacturing, working in three different plants within Milliken's Textile and Floor Covering divisions. She was part of the project team responsible for rebuilding Live Oak Plant after the 1995 fire. Although half of her career has been devoted to Milliken, Smith also spent fifteen years with MAU Workforce Solutions, providing HR support to numerous global manufacturing companies, including Milliken.

Smith is a proud engineering graduate of Clemson University. She is a board member for the Charles Lea Center in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and is on the advisory boards of the University of South Carolina Business Partnership Foundation and the YMCA of Spartanburg. She has held various certifications throughout her career, including Certified Personnel Consultant (National Association of Personnel Services), Korn Ferry Leadership Architect/360 and SHRBP (Human Capital Institute).

Smith was appointed Chief Human Resources Officer on February 12, marking a seamless transition from her interim period to her formal acceptance of the role.

About Milliken

Milliken & Company is a global manufacturing leader whose focus on materials science delivers tomorrow's breakthroughs today. From industry-leading molecules to sustainable innovations, Milliken creates products that enhance people's lives and deliver solutions for its customers and communities. Drawing on thousands of patents and a portfolio with applications across the textile, specialty chemical, flooring and healthcare businesses, the company harnesses a shared sense of integrity and excellence to positively impact the world for generations. Discover more about Milliken's curious minds and inspired solutions at milliken.com and on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

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NEW BERN, NC / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / Coastal Carolina Regional Airport (EWN) is proud to welcome a new airline partner: Breeze Airways. This addition creates a one-of-a-kind opportunity for EWN to offer the only nonstop, "Nice Low Cost Carrier" flights in the region.

Photo Courtesy of Visit New Bern

The new airline will offer nonstop routes to two destinations including Orlando, FL and Hartford, CT. Breeze Airways will be offering twice weekly flights initially and air service will start on May 24. Fares on the new routes start at $49* one-way.

"Breeze Airways opens exciting new opportunities for the region by offering direct and easy access to some of our top markets," said Airport Director Andrew Shorter. "We're proud to partner with a growing airline and we would like to thank all of our community partners who helped make this happen."

"Breeze is not yet three years old but already announcing our 50th city to our national route map," said Breeze Airways' President Tom Doxey. "Breeze seeks to connect underserved markets and city pairs without existing nonstops. Now, guests from New Bern, our fifth destination in the Carolinas, will be able to enjoy affordable and convenient new service to Connecticut and Florida."

New Bern, N.C. is the airline's 50th market they've joined to offer a mix of more than 150 year-round and seasonal nonstop routes in 27 states. Breeze was recognized by Travel + Leisure readers as one of the Top 5 Best U.S. Airlines for the second consecutive year. The airline is known for its commitment to making travel simple, affordable and enjoyable.

"Since we started flying in May 2021, Breeze has continued to add desirable destinations to our rapidly growing footprint," said Breeze CEO and Founder David Neeleman. "This new addition will surely be welcomed as we bring efficient, affordable and elevated travel to underserved markets."

Breeze Airlines will fly its 137-seat Airbus A220 aircraft, connecting the Eastern North Carolina community to many great new destinations.

Securing the new low-cost, nonstop air service for eastern North Carolina was a collaborative effort by Coastal Carolina Regional Airport, Craven County Government, the Craven 100 Alliance (C1A) and the Craven County Tourism Development Authority.

"Craven County prides itself on progress. This is a momentous triumph and on behalf of the Craven County Board of Commissioners and the Coastal Carolina Regional Airport Authority, I extend my gratitude and commendation to all whose efforts culminated in this positive growth," expressed Jason Jones, Chairman of the Craven County Board of Commissioners, and board member of the Coastal Carolina Regional Airport Authority.

"Airline development has been at the forefront of our strategic plan," shares C1A Chairman Owen Andrews. "Our dedicated task force worked diligently to bring this development to fruition, all while ensuring Breeze knew they had an ally in the C1A to make this partnership a success," said Craven 100 Alliance (C1A) Chairman Owen Andrews.

Travelers can visit FlyEWN.com and www.flybreeze.com to research flight options and fares.

ABOUT CRAVEN 100 ALLIANCE (C1A)

The Craven 100 Alliance (C1A) is a dynamic public-private partnership dedicated to promoting economic development and prosperity in Craven County, North Carolina. C1A connects stakeholders from city and county governments and the public and private sectors to drive innovation, job creation, and sustainable growth in the region.

ABOUT COASTAL CAROLINA REGIONAL AIRPORT

Coastal Carolina Regional Airport (EWN) is a modern, full-service airport supporting commercial and private aviation activities. With an easy-to-navigate terminal, friendly staff, affordable parking, quick check-in, and security, EWN boasts one of the Southeast's most accessible and convenient regional airports and an "enjoyable air travel experience." The airport acts as the inbound gateway to historic New Bern, the Crystal Coast, The Outer Banks, Emerald Isle, Beaufort, Marine Air Station Cherry Point, and Swansboro, and a portal to destinations all over the world. Learn more at FlyEWN.com.

ABOUT BREEZE AIRWAYS

Breeze Airways began service in May 2021 and has been ranked as one of the U.S.' best domestic airlines for the last two years by Travel + Leisure magazine's World's Best Awards (#2 in 2022 and #4 in 2023). Breeze offers a mix of more than 150 year-round and seasonal nonstop routes between 50 cities in 27 states. Founded by aviation entrepreneur David Neeleman, Breeze operates a fleet of Embraer 190/195 and Airbus A220-300 aircraft, with a focus on providing efficient and affordable flights between secondary airports, bypassing hubs for shorter travel times. With seamless booking, no change or cancellation fees, up to 24-months of reusable flight credit and customized flight features - including complimentary family seating - delivered via a sleek and simple app, Breeze makes it easy to buy and easy to fly. Learn more about Breeze's flight offerings via our site or the app.

ABOUT CRAVEN COUNTY TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

Craven County Tourism Development Authority serves to promote and develop Craven County as a travel destination. Through a collective effort to drive tourism, the authority stimulates the local economy through occupancy tax collections. These cooperative efforts generated $172 million in annual visitor spending in 2022, saving residents $11.5 million in state and local taxes. Explore the destination at visitnewbern.com.

C1A Media Contact:

Jeff Wood

252 633-5300

jwood@cravencountync.gov

EWN Media Contact:

Andrew Shorter

252 638-8591 x232

ashorter@flyewn.com

Breeze Airways Media Contact:

Gareth Edmondson-Jones

917 399-9355

SOURCE: Craven 100 Alliance

View the original press release on accesswire.com
BH Macro Limited - Transaction in Own Shares

PR Newswire

LONDON, United Kingdom, February 20

BH Macro Limited (the "Company")

(a closed-ended collective investment scheme established as a company with limited liability under the laws of Guernsey with registered number 46235)

Transaction in Own Shares

20 February 2024

BH Macro Limited (the Company) announces today it has purchased the following number of its ordinary shares on the London Stock Exchange from J.P. Morgan Securities plc:

Ordinary Shares: - Share Class Sterling Sterling Date of purchase: 20 February 2024 20 February 2024 Number of ordinary shares purchased: 40,000 20,000 Lowest price per share 356.5 355.5 Highest price per share 356.5 357 Trading venue JPSI LSE Aggregate volume per date per trading venue: 40,000 20,000 Weighted average price per day per trading venue: 356.5000 356.3750

The Company intends to hold the purchased shares in treasury.

Following the above share transactions of the relevant US Dollar and Sterling Shares, the total number of shares in issue in each share class of the Company will be as follows:

Ordinary Shares in issue (excluding Treasury) Ordinary Shares held in Treasury 364,818,900 Sterling Shares 8,785,960 Sterling Shares 29,762,912 Dollar Shares Nil Dollar Shares

From 20 February 2024, the total number of voting rights in the Company (rounded up to the whole number) is 559,286,273.

Enquiries:

Company website: www.bhmacro.com

William Simmonds

JPMorgan Cazenove

Tel: 020 7588 2828

The Company Secretary

Northern Trust International Fund Administration Services (Guernsey) Limited

Tel: 01481 745001
Finsbury Growth & Income Trust Plc - Transaction in Own Shares

PR Newswire

LONDON, United Kingdom, February 20

For immediate release

20 February 2024

FINSBURY GROWTH & INCOME TRUST PLC

(the "Company")

MARKET PURCHASE OF COMPANY'S OWN SHARES

The Company announces that it has today purchased 202,075 of its own shares ("Ordinary Shares") at a price of 854.70 pence per Ordinary Share. Such shares will be held in treasury by the Company.

The transaction was made pursuant to the authority granted at the Annual General Meeting of the Company held on 23 January 2024.

Following this transaction, the total number of Ordinary Shares held by the Company in treasury is 32,780,950; the total number of Ordinary Shares that the Company has in issue, less the total number of Ordinary Shares held by the Company in treasury following such purchase, and therefore, the total number of voting rights in the Company is 192,210,353.

The figure of 192,210,353 may be used by shareholders as the denominator for calculations of interests in the Company's voting rights in accordance with the FCA's Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules.

For and on behalf of

Frostrow Capital LLP

Company Secretary

For further information, please contact:

Victoria Hale

Frostrow Capital LLP

Tel: 020 3 170 8732
BY: CRISTINA DEL CANTO  SENIOR COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST

NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / This month, 20 representatives from Entergy, alongside our invaluable community partners and customers, joined advocates in Washington, D.C. to participate in LIHEAP Action Day. This national event, organized by the National Energy and Utility Affordability Coalition, serves as a platform to engage and educate policymakers about the critical importance of the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP.

Entergy team and stakeholders advocate for our customers and communities on Capitol Hill.

Throughout the day, our team engaged in meaningful discussions on Capitol Hill with key policymakers who represent our service areas of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Notably, our representatives had the honor of meeting with influential members of Congress, including Senator John Boozman of Arkansas, Congressman Bennie Thompson of Mississippi and Congressman Randy Weber of Texas. In total, Entergy visited 24 congressional offices, conveying the profound impact that LIHEAP funds have on our vulnerable customers and communities.

"LIHEAP funding is a lifeline and beacon of hope for our vulnerable customers and communities," said Patty Riddlebarger, Entergy vice president of corporate social responsibility. "It empowers individuals and families to stay warm, safe and connected, even in the harshest circumstances. Without adequate funding, families face the impossible choice between keeping their power on and putting food on the table. Now, more than ever, securing LIHEAP funding is critical to helping our neighbors in need during times of changing climate and economic uncertainties."

Adding an invaluable perspective to these discussions, Entergy's LIHEAP customers also played a vital role in these discussions. They shared their personal experiences and stories with members of Congress, highlighting the crucial role that LIHEAP plays in their lives and the lives of their families. Their voices helped shine a spotlight on the pressing need for sustained and critical funding.

With a commitment to powering life for our neighbors in need, our representatives, community partners and LIHEAP customers united to spread awareness about the importance of sustaining LIHEAP. Together, we strive to ensure that vulnerable individuals and families have access to vital energy assistance programs that can make a tangible difference in their lives.

Beyond LIHEAP Action Day, Entergy hosts multiple outreach events throughout the year in close collaboration with our community partners. These events serve as platforms to increase awareness and provide valuable support to individuals navigating the LIHEAP application process. To learn more about LIHEAP and other energy assistance programs, visit entergy.com/billhelp.

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Entergy Corporation on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: Entergy Corporation

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/entergy-corporation

Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: Entergy Corporation

View the original press release on accesswire.com
TOKYO, JAPAN / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / Sushi Ginza Onodera, Inc. ("Sushi Onodera" or the "Company"), a food service company operating high-quality sushi, tempura, teppanyaki, and makiyaki restaurants across three regions, launched the official grand opening of Sushi Ginza Onodera Nagoya today, marking its 14th restaurant.

Located in "The Royal Park Hotel Iconic Nagoya" in Nagoya-City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, the restaurant marks the Company's 11th establishment in Japan. The restaurant will feature the Company's traditional Edomae Sushi served through the signature omakase-style model led by executive chef Akifumi Sakagami. Chef Sakagami brings over three decades of rich experience in the sushi industry, including tenure with the Company's flagship restaurant in Ginza, Tokyo since its inception in 2013.

"I am pleased to announce the launch of our 14th restaurant location in Nagoya, marking a significant milestone in our expansion in Japan beyond Tokyo and Osaka," said Sushi Onodera CEO Shinji Nagao. "Situated within The Royal Park Hotel Iconic Nagoya, this strategic location aims to leverage the opportunity to cater to guests residing at the hotel, benefiting from its proximity to a prominent metro station and bustling shopping mall, all while partaking in the Nagoya city's redevelopment plan. As we progress towards our goal of becoming a publicly listed company in the United States, this expansion lays the foundation for our future growth, with plans to open four additional restaurants in 2024. We look forward to leveraging this opening as a catalyst to propel our expansion and strengthen our brand recognition across both the United States and Japanese markets."

The restaurant is located at Chunichi Building 24F, 4-1-1 Sakae, Naka-ku, Nagoya 460-0008 and will be open from 11:00 a.m. to 1 p.m. JST and 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m JST.

About Sushi Ginza Onodera, Inc.

Sushi Onodera is a food service company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, operating fourteen premium sushi, tempura, teppanyaki, and makiyaki (firewood cuisine) restaurants in three regions around the world. Sushi Onodera is a wholly owned subsidiary of LEOC Co., Ltd., a Japan limited company, establishing the "Ginza Onodera" brand in 2013 and began operations in the U.S. and Tokyo. Sushi Ginza Onodera Los Angeles has been awarded a Michelin Star for four consecutive years and counting ('20 - '23). Makiyaki Ginza Onodera has been awarded a Michelin Star for four consecutive years and counting ('21 - '24). Sushi Ginza Onodera New York was awarded a Michelin Star for five years ('17, '18, '19, '21, '22). The slogan, "From Ginza to the World", embodies the Company mission of spreading refined Japanese culture throughout the world by providing every customer with high-quality dishes to create an authentic Japanese cuisine that immerses customers in a rich, traditional cultural experience. For more information, please visit https://www.sushionodera.com/.

Forward-Looking Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release are forward-looking statements. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "plan," "potential," "continue" or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements include risks and uncertainties, and there are important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement reflects Sushi Ginza Onodera, Inc.'s current views with respect to future events and is subject to these and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to operations, results of operations, growth strategy and liquidity. Sushi Ginza assumes 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.

Investor Relations Contact:

John Yi and Steven Shinmachi

Gateway Group, Inc.

949-574-3860

Onodera@gateway-grp.com

SOURCE: Sushi Ginza Onodera

View the original press release on accesswire.com
BURLINGAME, Calif., Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- CoherentMI published a report, titled, India Biofuels Market was valued at US$ 2.56 Billion in the year 2023, and is anticipated to reach a US$ 10.31 Billion by 2030, with growing at a CAGR of 22% during forecast period 2023-2030.

Market Dynamics:

The India Biofuels Market is driven by various factors. Firstly, the increasing government support and initiatives are driving the growth of the market. The Indian government has implemented various policies and initiatives to promote the production and use of biofuels in an effort to reduce reliance on imported fossil fuels and combat environmental pollution. These policies include the National Policy on Biofuels and the Ethanol Blending Program, which mandate a certain percentage of ethanol blending in gasoline.

Secondly, the rising environmental concerns and the need to reduce carbon emissions are further propelling the demand for biofuels in the country. Biofuels are considered a more sustainable and eco-friendly alternative to conventional fossil fuels, as they have a lower carbon footprint and emit fewer greenhouse gases when burned.

India Biofuels Market Report Snapshot:

Report Coverage Details Study Period 2023 - 2030 Base Year of Estimation 2022 CAGR 22 % Market Concentration High Major Players Reliance Industries, Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum, Hindustan Petroleum, Tata Chemicals and Among Others. Segments Covered By Feedstock, By Application, By Technology Report Coverage Revenue Forecast, Competitive Landscape, Growth Factors, and Trends Growth Drivers  Government Policies and Initiatives

 Focus on Reducing Crude Oil Imports Restraints & Challenges  High Production Costs

 Infrastructure Bottlenecks

Key Market Takeaways:

India Biofuels Market Size is anticipated to witness a CAGR of 22% during the forecast period 2023-2030, owing to the increasing demand for renewable energy sources and government initiatives and policies to promote the use of biofuels.

On the basis of feedstock, ethanol is expected to hold a dominant position in the market, owing to its wide availability, higher energy content, and compatibility with existing fuel infrastructure. Biodiesel and biogas are also expected to contribute to the market growth.

In terms of application, fuel is expected to dominate the market as it is the most common use of biofuels. However, power generation and other applications are also expected to contribute to the market growth.

First generation technology is expected to dominate the biofuels market in India, as it is well-established and has a larger production capacity. However, second and third-generation technologies are also expected to gain traction in the future.

In terms of region, North America is expected to hold a dominant position in the global biofuels market. The region has advanced infrastructure, supportive government policies, and high awareness about the benefits of biofuels.

Key players operating in the India Biofuels Market include Reliance Industries, Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum, Hindustan Petroleum, Tata Chemicals, Praj Industries, Cargill India, Emami Agrotech, Godrej Agrovet, and Pan Bio Energy. These players have a strong presence in the market and are actively involved in research and development activities, collaborations, and expansions.

Market Trends:

Two key trends are shaping the India Biofuels Market. Firstly, there is a growing trend towards the production and use of second-generation biofuels. Second-generation biofuels are made from non-food crops such as agricultural residues, woody biomass, and dedicated energy crops. These biofuels offer several advantages over first-generation biofuels, including higher energy yields, lower land requirements, and reduced competition for food crops.

Secondly, there is an increasing trend towards the adoption of biofuels in the aviation industry. With the aviation sector being one of the major contributors to carbon emissions, airlines in India are increasingly exploring the use of biofuels in an effort to reduce their environmental impact. Research and development activities are being carried out to develop sustainable and cost-effective biofuels that can be used in aviation.

Recent Development:

In January 2022, the introduction of mixed ethanol petrol E20 -petrol combined with 20% ethanol was announced by Indian Oil Corporation.

In October 2021, MAK Biodiesel B100, derived from non-edible oil, was introduced by Bharat Petroleum.

Read complete market research report, "India Biofuels Market Size And Share Analysis - Growth Trends And Forecasts (2023 - 2030)", Published by CoherentMI.

Market Opportunities:

Increasing Demand for Renewable Energy Sources

The India Biofuels Market is expected to witness significant growth due to the increasing demand for renewable energy sources. As the world is becoming more conscious about climate change and the negative impacts of fossil fuels, there is a growing need for alternative energy options. Biofuels, being derived from organic matter, offer a viable solution as they are renewable and have lower greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional fuels.

The market opportunity lies in the fact that India has a large population and a high demand for energy, making it a potential hotbed for biofuels. As the government continues to emphasize on reducing fossil fuel consumption and improving environmental sustainability, there is a favorable environment for the growth of the biofuels market in India.

Government Initiatives and Policies

The Indian government has taken several initiatives and implemented policies to encourage the use of biofuels. The National Biofuel Policy aims to promote the blending of biofuels with fossil fuels in order to reduce dependency on imported crude oil and to boost agricultural growth. This policy provides a clear roadmap and guidelines for the production, distribution, and consumption of biofuels.

Additionally, the government has also introduced various subsidies and incentives to attract investments in the biofuels sector. This includes tax benefits, financial assistance, and grants for research and development. These initiatives make the biofuels market in India more attractive for both domestic and international investors, creating a favorable market opportunity.

In conclusion, the India Biofuels Market offers significant opportunities for growth due to the increasing demand for renewable energy sources and government initiatives and policies. The market is expected to witness a substantial CAGR during the forecast period, with ethanol being the dominating feedstock and fuel being the dominant application. The key players in the market are well-positioned to capitalize on these opportunities and contribute to the development of the biofuels market in India.

India Biofuels Market Segmentation:

By Feedstock

Ethanol



Biodiesel



Biogas



Others (PVO, SVO, Biobutanol, etc.)

By Application

Fuel



Power Generation



Others (chemicals, solvents, etc.)

By Technology

First Generation



Second Generation



Third Generation

Purchase this exclusive report now @ https://www.coherentmi.com/industry-reports/india-biofuels-market/buyNow

Top Questions Answered in this Report:

What factors are impeding the growth of the India Biofuels Market? What are the primary drivers fueling the growth of the India Biofuels Market? Which segment dominates as the leading component in the India Biofuels Market? Who are the key players actively participating in the India Biofuels Market? Which region is expected to take the lead in the India Biofuels Market? What is the projected CAGR of the India Biofuels Market?

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At CoherentMI, we are a leading global market intelligence company dedicated to providing comprehensive insights, analysis, and strategic solutions to empower businesses and organizations worldwide. Moreover, CoherentMI is a subsidiary of Coherent Market Insights Pvt Ltd., which is a market intelligence and consulting organization that helps businesses in critical business decisions. With our cutting-edge technology and experienced team of industry experts, we deliver actionable intelligence that helps our clients make informed decisions and stay ahead in today's rapidly changing business landscape.

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Gov. Tina Kotek believes ultimately, it's the federal budget that will have to make communities harmed by last summer's historic drawdown at Green Peter Reservoir whole.

Last month, dozens of local leaders wrote to Gov. Kotek, asking Oregon to cover $45 million worth of increased costs to filter murky water caused by the drawdown. Last week, local leaders received a reply.

To treat the clouded water, cities were forced to use additional chemicals. Some communities downstream were hit harder than others.

A Place to Sleep, episode 4: Sweet Home In Sweet Home, you'll find the region's only designated sleeping place for folks actively self-medicating with alcohol and narcotics.

Water treatment plants in Sweet Home and Lebanon had to prematurely deplete the longevity of water-filtering membranes, officials in those towns said, to handle the freshwater from the South Santiam River, downstream from the reservoir.

More than two dozen local leaders, including state representatives, county commissioners and city mayors  mostly from Linn County  penned a letter critical of Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlifes support of a court order that resulted in the drawdown.

They said the state owed the local municipalities $45 million to cover the resulting damages.

In a Feb. 15 letter, the governor wrote that ODFW only served as an advisory role to the court and that the violation of water quality standards was not inevitable.

Kotek blamed the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which manages the reservoir system, for not not adequately communicating and coordinating with all state agencies and local governments.

The letter was received shortly before a Friday, Feb. 16 meeting among state and local leaders, most from Linn County, and the Army Corps in Lebanon.

Drawdown

Starting in the summer, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers sought to lower the water backed up behind Green Peter Dam to meet the demands of a 2021 federal court injunction.

The court order was issued to aid endangered salmon species as they migrate to and from the ocean. Willamette River chinook salmon and steelhead populations have been declining for decades.

Environmentalist groups have attributed this decline in part to the presence of eight dams in the basin, all operated by the Army Corps.

In their initial lawsuit, the environmentalist-group plaintiffs alleged the Army Corps failed to implement required measures to address fish passage and other harmful impacts from the dams and was violating the Endangered Species Act.

The resulting court-ordered drawdown was done with the intention of helping salmon pass through the dam more easily as they migrate from the river to the ocean and back again.

Due the dam's structure, the water had to be lowered to historic levels to bring the waterline low enough below the regulating outlet, so that the fish could safely pass.

In the fall, those low levels caused thousands of another species of fish, the kokanee, to die from the quick change in water pressure.

Kokanee were previously stocked by the ODFW at the reservoir until 2015. They also spawn naturally in the tributaries, and efforts to stock the reservoir ceased when the fish were observed to be abundant and small, a sign of overpopulation, according to an ODFW communication officer.

It is uncertain if ODFW will stock the fish again following the deaths related to the drawdown.

Around November, many cities in Linn County saw their water quality take a nose-dive due to the increase in sediment from the drawdown, also known as turbidity.

Sweet Homes Public Works Department used more chlorine to keep drinking water clean. Meanwhile, city residents said the water tasted like bleach and appeared to have a yellow tint.

In December, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality sent the Army Corps a warning, alleging that the Corps had violated the states water quality standards due to the increased turbidity caused by the Green Peter drawdown.

Who is responsible?

The Jan. 3 letter to Gov. Kotek criticized the role the state played in the federal litigation related to fish protections in the Willamette Valley Basin.

Though it is easy to regard this as a federal issue and think an agency like the Corps is thus responsible, the states overwhelming support of plaintiffs seeking salmonid populations within the upper-Willamette River under the Endangered Species Act cant be ignored, the letter reads.

Signatories included Mayors Kenneth Jackola of Lebanon and Susan Coleman of Sweet Home along with the mayors of Brownsville, Detroit, Gates, Mill City, Sodaville and Waterloo, and county Commissioners Roger Nyquist, Sherrie Sprenger and Will Tucker.

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The Jan. 3 letter alleged that the Corps raised concerns that drawdown measures would violate water quality standards and the standards would need to be altered. The letter alleges ODFW denied any change in the standards and argued the Corps was oversimplifying things.

Gov. Kotek responded that ODFW was not a plaintiff in the court filing and instead played an advisory role by providing expert testimony on the Endangered Species Act recovery team formed by the Corps.

"In that role, ODFW attempted to keep public health and safety front and center while also recognizing the requirements of the federal" Endangered Species Act, Kotek wrote.

In the years before the litigation, ODFW attempted to engage the U.S. Corps of Engineers in discussions addressing the underlying fish passage issues that put the dams in violation of the Endangered Species Act, Gov. Koteks Feb. 15 letter says.

The Corps implemented some measures, but it did not advance the most important measure  improving fish passage, Kotek wrote.

From the outset, the department advised the court that violating water quality standards was not inevitable, and that coordination and communication by the Corps across all levels of state and local governments would be critical as the drawdowns were planned and implemented, according to her letter.

This is what was advocated for leading up to the last drawdown, and that it did not occur is a source of frustration that we all share and agree needs to be addressed going forward, Kotek wrote.

Koteks staff are scheduled to meet with high-level Corps regional administrators to address the issues with communication across state and local governments as well as other relationship challenges, she wrote.

What happened to your communities is unacceptable, Kotek wrote.

The Corps, Kotek noted, proposed more than $1 billion in recovery measures in response to the drawdown. But she's doubtful that can be "realized."

In light of that uncertainty, she said state agencies are advocating for lower-cost solutions, Kotek wrote, solutions that could make a realistic fit into the federal budget.

Roundtable

On Friday Feb. 17, various local leaders met for a roundtable put together by Rep. Jami Cate, R-Lebanon, to discuss the dam drawdown. Attendees included Linn County Commissioners Tucker and Sprenger and Mayors Jackola and Coleman, among other state, county and city representatives.

Representatives of the Army Corps of Engineers provided information about the drawdown before the roundtable discussion, including diagrams of fish passage and answering questions about future drawdowns.

The city of Sodaville did not receive any communication from the Corps about any changes in water, City Recorder and Administrator Alex McHaddad said.

Supervisory Fisheries Biologist Greg Taylor apologized for any lack of communication and added that what was communicated perhaps was not understood in duration or magnitude.

This years drawdown did not affect refill abilities of the reservoir, he said.

Usually, the first drawdown has the highest level of murkiness or turbidity, and in following years it is reduced, Taylor added.

Another drawdown is planned this year, but the Corps is working to get a modification that would reduce drawdown's duration to help mitigate future possible negative impacts, he said.

Editor's note: This article has been edited to clarify that the $1 billion the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is hoping to get in federal dollars, referenced in Gov. Tina Kotek's letter as uncertain, would fund post-drawdown recovery measures. A representative of the Corps said those funds would not be available for local cities.

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From the Inventor of IBM's Watson, Elemental Cognition's Neuro-Symbolic AI Platform Outperforms LLM Capabilities for Complex Problem Solving, Makes Generative AI Accurate and Transparent

NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / Elemental Cognition (EC), an advanced artificial intelligence company, has released the findings from their landmark report, "AI Beyond LLMs: Benchmarking the Complex Reasoning Performance of GPT-4 and EC AI." The findings show a dramatic leap in AI capabilities, demonstrating that EC's neuro-symbolic AI platform significantly outperforms using Large Language Models (LLMs) alone to solve complex reasoning scenarios.

The report emphasizes the crucial gap in the current AI landscape, where LLMs excel in natural language fluency, but fall short in solving complex, high-stakes business problems that require accurate, transparent, and reliable reasoning. EC's neuro-symbolic AI platform bridges this gap by integrating LLMs with formal mathematical algorithms, delivering 100% accuracy in complex reasoning tasks.

Dr. David Ferrucci, founder of EC and inventor of IBM's Watson, commented on the findings: "This research not only marks a significant milestone in AI but also sends a clear message to the industry. We are transitioning from an era where AI's potential is predominantly shown through language fluency, to a new era where AI can, and must, solve complex, real-world problems with accuracy and transparency. Elemental Cognition's success in achieving 100% accuracy in complex reasoning scenarios is a testament to our commitment to advancing AI toward this goal."

Key Findings:

EC maintained 100% accuracy rate across all tested complex reasoning scenarios. Meanwhile, the accuracy of one of today's most well-known LLMs dropped from 32% to as low as 12% as the complexity of tasks increased.

EC consistently identified and corrected errors in proposed plans with 100% accuracy, as opposed to 40% accuracy in error detection and only 18% in plan repair of the well-known LLM.

EC is proud to announce the publication of a comprehensive whitepaper on Arxiv accompanying the report. This whitepaper offers an in-depth look into the experimental design, evaluation criteria, and results, providing thorough insight into the methodologies.

For more information and to read the report in full, visit https://ec.ai/performance-benchmarks/

About Elemental Cognition

Elemental Cognition (EC) is the next wave of enterprise AI that delivers the reliability, accuracy, and transparency businesses need. EC combines the fluency of large language models with the rigor of formal reasoning to create a neuro-symbolic AI architecture that can solve complex problems when businesses can't afford to be wrong.

EC was founded in 2015 by Dr. David Ferrucci, the renowned AI researcher and inventor of IBM's breakthrough Watson technology, to build more holistic AI that thinks before it talks.

Contact Information

Holly Hitchcock

holly@gofrontlines.com

702.758.4079

SOURCE: Elemental Cognition

View the original press release on newswire.com.
Los Angeles, California--(Newsfile Corp. - February 20, 2024) - Kartel Music is set to release 'Corridos Belicos Vol. 4 Deluxe', the latest album from the acclaimed Mexican artist Luis R Conriquez, on February 29, 2024. The upcoming album has generated significant interest, showcasing the newest developments in the corridos genre by the celebrated musician.

'Corridos Belicos Vol. 4 Deluxe'

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Conriquez, a native of Sonora, Mexico, has become a prominent figure in Latin music, known for his innovative approach to corridos. His journey from humble beginnings to music stardom is a source of inspiration. His unique style, which fuses traditional corrido elements with contemporary narratives, has earned him a passionate fan base and critical acclaim.

The release of 'Corridos Belicos Vol. 4 Deluxe' is more than just a new album drop; it's a significant event in the regional Mexican music scene. Conriquez's talent for weaving compelling stories into his music is expected to shine through once again, exploring themes of resilience, ambition, and the human experience.

Luis R Conriquez

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Beyond his music, Conriquez has established himself as a cultural icon in the corrido genre and Latin music in general. His work resonates with audiences globally, making him a pivotal figure in the evolution of regional Mexican music.

With the February 29, 2024 release date set for 'Corridos Belicos Vol. 4 Deluxe', the excitement and anticipation are palpable. This album is poised to solidify Luis R Conriquez's status as a pioneer in the corridos genre, showcasing his artistic growth and his unwavering commitment to evolving the corrido tradition.

Media Contact:

Contact Person: Alfredo Becerra

Company: Kartel Music

Email: Freddy@kartelmusic.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kartelmusicoficial

Website: http://kartelmusic.com/

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/198541

SOURCE: Media Feature
Kingston, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - February 20, 2024) - Delta Resources Limited (TSXV: DLTA) (OTC Pink: DTARF) (FSE: 6GO1) ("Delta" or "the Company") is pleased to announce the results from its fall 2023 drilling program at the Delta-2 VMS Property, located 35 kilometres southeast of Chibougamau, Quebec.

In late 2023, Delta completed seventeen (17) drill holes for a total of 3,752 metres. The exploration program was fully funded through Quebec-Flow-Through funds raised in late-2022. The drilling program was designed to test a number of helicopter-borne VTEM anomalies located on the Dollier-Cartier Option (May 13, 2021 News Release) which is contiguous to the Delta-2 property (figure 1). The objective of the program was to search for a Lemoine-Type VMS deposit, located eight (8) kilometres to the north of the drill program (Lemoine Past Producer 0.76 MT @ 4.2% Cu, 9.6% Zn, 4.5 g/t Au).

A massive to semi-massive sulphide horizon was intersected in drill holes D2V-23-96 and D2V-23-105, over a strike length of 100 metres. The horizon strikes NE, dips steeply towards the SE and is located approximately 600 metres SE of the Guillaume-Cartier Gold-VMS prospect (see figure 1). The horizon is open to the SW and at depth and for approximately 400 metres to the NE.





Figure 1: Geological map of the Dollier-Cartier Option showing the location of Delta's 2023 drill holes and its new zinc occurrence.



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"Delta remains focused on its Delta-1 Gold project in Thunder Bay, Ontario, however, the results at the Delta-2 VMS project in Chibougamau, Quebec are very promising. This is a new discovery that certainly deserves further exploration. Grades, mineralogy and widths in VMS deposits are well known to change very quickly down-dip or along strike, so this could be the proverbial 'tail of the tiger'. Delta staff will evaluate this new occurrence and determine an appropriate course of action," stated Andre Tessier, President and CEO of Delta Resources.

Mineralization in drill holes D2V-23-96 and D2V-23-105 consists of pyrite, pyrrhotite, sphalerite and trace chalcopyrite. Host rocks are mafic volcanics, altered to chlorite-sericite. Every other drill hole of the program intersected sulphide mineralization of dominantly pyrite and pyrrhotite with trace of sphalerite and chalcopyrite. All drill results are shown in Table 1 below.

Table 1: Table of complete drill results.

DDH No. Azimuth Incl. Length

(m) Elevation

(m) UTM NAD83 Zone 18 From To Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) Cu % Zn % Length Easting Northing D2V-23-93 340 -50 138 447 564143 5504077 NSR D2V-23-94 340 -60 177 451 563932 5503990 NSR D2V-23-95 325 -50 201 453 564441 5503640 NSR D2V-23-96 160 -45 252 449 564411 5503559 24.5 25.0 - - 0.11 2.23 0.5













25.7 26.5 - 0.5 0.21 0.21 0.8 D2V-23-97 330 -70 225 437 563624 5502885 NSR D2V-23-98 330 -62 210 428 563526 5502659 NSR D2V-23-99 320 -75 243 436 563892 5502881 NSR D2V-23-100 340 -70 177 432 563372 5503579 114.25 115.3 0.95 0.3 - - 1.05 D2V-23-101 330 -60 201.7 434 561104 5501764 8.8 9.4 0.03 0.9 - 0.2 0.6













12 13.3 0.02 0.7 - 0.24 1.3













37.15 37.65 - 0.7 0.28 0.03 0.5













219.5 220 0.035 1.4 0.13 0.49 0.5 D2V-23-102 330 -45 276 439 561239 5501576 115.5 116.8 0.11 0.7 - 0.14 1.3 D2V-23-103 325 -45 219 444 564454 5503125 NSR D2V-23-104 325 -45 267 440 564369 5503219 6.3 7.15 0.006 - - 0.16 0.85 D2V-23-105 330 -45 282 442 564313 5503310 205.5 206.95 0.013 2.36 0.12 1.15 1.45 D2V-23-106 330 -65 205.5 447 565565 5503751 NSR D2V-23-107 330 -75 192 413 567669 5504442 66.1 66.6 0.013 0.6 0.03 0.21 0.5 D2V-23-108 330 -70 291 415 568067 5506425 NSR D2V-23-109 330 -45 195 433 564818 5503642 NSR

Total drilled:

3752.2



At the Delta-1 Project, Thunder Bay, Ontario

As announced on January 16, 2024, Delta is currently in the midst of a 5,000-metre drill program at its Delta-1 project. The program is progressing well and drill assays are pending.

Analytical Protocol and QA/QC

Chemical analyses reported in this press release were performed at ALS Chemex Laboratories in Val d'Or, Quebec. The gold assays were carried-out by atomic absorption method while other elements were assayed by four-acid ICP-AES method. Sampling and analytical procedures are subject to a comprehensive Quality Assurance and Quality Control program that includes duplicate samples, blanks and analytical standards.

Core logging and sampling was completed by Delta personnel and Laurentia Exploration Geologists. NQ-size drill core was sawed in half lengthwise and half of the core was sampled and sealed in clean plastic bags before being shipped for assay. The remaining half of the core was replaced in core boxes and is stored at Delta's core storage facilities in Chibougamau, Quebec. Standards and blanks are inserted in the sequence of samples on site as quality assurance and quality control in addition to the regular insertion of blank, duplicate, and standard samples accredited by ALS Chemex Laboratories during the analytical process.

About the Dollier-Cartier Option:

Delta is currently in the 3rd year of the Dollier-Cartier Option Agreement, signed on May 12, 2021 with Cartier Resources Inc ("Cartier"). Delta still has to issue 200,000 shares to Cartier and prove exploration expenditures of $1,000,000 over the four (4) years of the agreement. Upon earning a 100% interest in the Dollier Property, Cartier will be granted a 2% NSR production royalty. Delta will have the exclusive right to purchase the first 1% NSR for $2,000,000 and the second 1% NSR for $15,000,000.

Property Acquisition at Delta-2:

The TSX has approved the acquisition by Delta of twenty-one (21) claims located at the heart of the Delta-2 property as announced January 19, 2024. Under the terms of the agreement, Delta acquires a 100% interest in the claims by paying the vendors the sum of $5,000 and issuing 350,000 shares of the Corporation at a deemed price of $0.105. The vendors retain a 2% Net Smelter Return ("NSR") royalty on the claims. Delta retains the right to buy back a 1% NSR from the vendors for the sum of $1,000,000 and retains a right of first refusal on the remaining 1% NSR.

Issuance of Options

On February 6, Delta issued 200,000 stock options at an exercise price of $0.105 to members of its exploration team. The options vest immediately and are valid for a period of five (5) years.

Qualified Person

Mr. Daniel Boudreau P.Geo. and Manager of Exploration for Delta Resources Limited is a Qualified Person as defined by NI-43-101 and is responsible for the technical information presented in this press release. Mr. Boudreau has reviewed the technical information described herein.

About Delta Resources Limited

Delta Resources Limited is a Canadian mineral exploration company focused on growing shareholder value through the exploration of two very high-potential gold and base-metal projects in Canada.

DELTA-1 is Delta's flagship project, where the company is building gold ounces 50 kilometres west of Thunder Bay, Ontario, at surface and adjacent to the Trans-Canada highway. To date, the gold mineralization is defined over 1.8 km from surface to a vertical depth of 250 m. Highlights include drill intercepts such as 5.92 g/t Au over 31 m (incl. 14.8 g/t Au over 11.9 m), and 1.79 g/t Au over 128.5 m. The property covers 107 square kilometres and Delta has identified a 5 km long corridor of intense alteration and deformation at the property, on strike with the gold zone, that has yet to be thoroughly explored.

The DELTA-2 property covers 194 square kilometres in the prolific Chibougamau District of Quebec. The property holds excellent potential for gold-rich polymetallic VMS deposits as well as hydrothermal-gold deposits. Delta targets VMS deposits such as the LeMoine past producer where 0.76 Mt were mined between 1975 and 1983, grading 9.6% Zn, 4.2% Cu, 4.5 g/t Au and 84 g/t Ag.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DELTA RESOURCES LIMITED.

Andre C. Tessier

President, CEO and Director

www.deltaresources.ca

We seek safe harbor. 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. The TSX Venture Exchange has not approved nor disapproved of the information contained herein.

For Further Information:

Delta Resources Limited

Andre Tessier, CEO and President

Tel: 613-328-1581

atessier@deltaresources.ca

or

Frank Candido, Chairman,

Tel: 514-969-5530

fcandido@deltaresources.ca

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

Some statements contained in this news release are "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities laws. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", "believes" or variations of such words and phrases (including negative or grammatical variations) or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" or the negative connotation thereof. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking information is inherently uncertain and involves risks, assumptions and uncertainties that could cause actual facts to differ materially. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting the Company will be those anticipated by management. The forward-looking information contained in this press release constitutes management's current estimates, as of the date of this press release, with respect to the matters covered thereby. We expect that these estimates will change as new information is received. While we may elect to update these estimates at any time, we do not undertake to update any estimate at any particular time or in response to any particular event.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/198574

SOURCE: Delta Resources Limited
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are not just words but values that are exemplified through our One Team culture at Cadence. In the DEI@Cadence blog series, you'll hear the many unique perspectives and experiences of our global employees.

NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / In today's rapidly evolving corporate landscape, fostering diversity and inclusion is not just a trend but a crucial component of a thriving workplace. During my more than 15 years as a technical communications engineer at Cadence, I have experienced how, as an organization, we lead the charge with our robust women-centric initiatives that make our workplaces a beacon of equality and opportunity worldwide.

After beginning my career at Cadence India in June 2008, I relocated to the company's newest development center in Cork, Ireland, amid the pandemic in June 2021. This development center is a vital component of the award-winning Cadence Ireland team that was recognized as the Best Workplace for Women in Ireland in 2022. Despite the challenges of moving to a new place with my family, we were incredibly fortunate to receive exceptional support from the Cadence Cork team and immigration consultants, making our transition to Cork a seamless and enjoyable experience.

Cadence Cork is a shining example of multiculturalism, boasting a team of 180 employees with 29 different nationalities. With such a diverse workforce, Cadence Cork has made a concentrated effort to design and implement impactful programs, both within and outside of the office, to promote equity.

Women's Leadership Development Programs

Cadence is committed to promoting the growth of talented women within the company. The Cadence Women Conference (CWC) EMEA was held in Jerusalem, Israel in November 2022, providing women leaders with tailored workshops and seminars. After the success of CWC, four CWC EMEA Voice groups were formed to strengthen the Cadence women's community, create a strong professional brand, encourage women to drive their own careers, and improve the retention and hiring of women. I was fortunate to join the team dedicated to generating innovative ideas for recruiting and retaining women. Our goal is to achieve equity and overcome challenges faced by employees at the different Cadence locations, making a meaningful impact on diversity and inclusion initiatives.

These amazing opportunities perfectly align with the mission of Women@Cadence, which strives to equip women with the skills and knowledge they need to excel in leadership roles.

Cadence Women's Ireland Network

At Cadence Ireland, we value a strong support system in the workplace. That's why we created the Cadence Women's Ireland Network (CWIN), which includes all women employees across our three sites in Cork, Dublin, and Galway. As part of the Core CWIN team, we collaborate to establish a platform for women to connect, inspire, and empower each other. Our goal is to promote unity and support among women in the workplace.

The CWIN Core team hosts Workshop2Inspire, delivering talks on mental, physical, and financial well-being to foster a professional, creative, and growth mindset. These workshops aim to boost innovation and mindfulness for all Cadence Ireland employees. They enhance your ability to think creatively, recognize opportunities, solve problems, and improve your overall well-being and resilience.

Cadence Ireland's talented women run FunFriday sessions for their peers to connect, socialize, and learn about each other's interests. I find this a great way to build lasting connections and gain insights into colleagues' hobbies and expertise.

Every Wednesday in collaboration with a local gym, CWIN's ActiveWednesdays team conducts a series of strength-building exercises to promote physical fitness and wellbeing. They have also organized several onsite programs such as Heartbeat Screening Day, Menopause and Mental Health Seminar, and Health Screening Day to promote awareness and educate people on important health issues.

Technology Scholarship Program to Unlock the Academic Potential

Cadence Ireland is offering a scholarship worth 4,700 to five women students currently pursuing a Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD in computer science, computer engineering, electrical engineering, electronic engineering, or a closely related technical field. The scholarship is aimed at supporting and encouraging women in these fields to achieve their academic goals and to contribute to the advancement of technology and innovation in Ireland.

Community Outreach Programs for Women

As the Cadence facility was being established in Cork, Ireland, new processes were formalized with a strong emphasis on building the brand in the industry. The senior leadership team here prioritizes various women-centric initiatives, such as Cadence Cork Women in STEM (CCWiSTEM), CWIN, and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities on their constant radar.

Cadence is committed to supporting women in EMEA who are pursuing science and engineering degrees. To tackle the issue of underrepresentation, we partnered with St. Patrick's Girls Secondary School to sponsor an after-school program and hosted a career day at our Cork site. Witnessing the students' enthusiasm and curiosity was truly inspiring. The company's CCWiSTEM team participates in events at universities to support and inspire girls. Their efforts contribute towards a more inclusive society.

We don't just mentor and inspire the next generation, we also believe in giving back to the community. Cadence Ireland organized a fundraising drive for Good Shepherd, a community service organization that supports women, children, and families who are unhoused or at risk of being unhoused, reflecting our commitment to making a positive impact on the world around us.

The women-centric initiatives driven in Cadence Cork are not just a testament to our commitment to gender equality but a reflection of our belief in the power of diversity. By creating an environment that empowers women, we are not only nurturing their professional growth but also strengthening our organization. As we continue to champion these initiatives, we are confident that our workplace will continue to thrive and evolve into a shining example of inclusivity and equality. I am proud to be part of a socially responsible organization that values diversity, encourages collaboration, and fosters innovation with inclusion.

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Cadence Design Systems on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: Cadence Design Systems

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/cadence-design-systems

Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: Cadence Design Systems

View the original press release on accesswire.com
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / Coppernico Metals Inc. ("Coppernico" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has initiated field work activities, through its Peruvian subsidiary Sombrero Minerales S.A.C., on its Sombrero Project ("Sombrero" or the "Project") located in Ayacucho, Peru (Figure 1).

The current exploration programs are designed to enhance and expand existing targets and advance understanding of four underexplored but high-priority exploration areas within the currently accessible concessions. The exploration work is being completed concurrently with the final stages of drill permitting for the Sombrero Main target area (Figure 2); further details about the drill program are expected to be released in the coming weeks as the Company prepares for its inaugural drill program this year. The Company is also announcing the appointment of Margarita Cardona as Investor Relations Manager. Katie Bromley, Corporate Communications Manager, is currently on leave.

Ivan Bebek, CEO of Coppernico stated, "We recently secured our social permits to resume exploration activities and are completing the final stages of drill permitting. This has enabled us to initiate field work, which marks another meaningful milestone for our Company. We are very pleased to expand the Company's social initiatives which now include jobs for the local community as well as sponsoring ongoing agricultural programs.

Sombrero represents a unique opportunity strongly supported by extensive surface sampling, historical drill holes, age dating of multiple intrusions, and substantial mineralized skarn, backing the thesis that the project may represent the westward extension of the prolific Andahuaylas-Yauri mining trend. Our large land position with numerous prospective targets provides an extensive portfolio of opportunities to explore for multiple significant discoveries.

The addition of Margarita to the team comes at a timely juncture for the Company; we welcome her past experiences in South America but also in Ayacucho, the Province which hosts the prolific mining trend."

The Sombrero Project

The copper-gold Sombrero Project is a land package of approximately 103,000 hectares located in the north-western margins of the world-class Andahuaylas-Yauri belt in Peru that hosts Las Bambas, Haquira, Los Chancas, Cotabambas, Constancia, Antapaccay, and Tintaya deposits (Figure 1). The main targets on the Project are copper-gold skarn and porphyry systems, and precious metal epithermal deposits.

Figure 1 - Location of the Sombrero Project in Peru

Sombrero Main - Drill Ready

The Sombrero Main target area (Figure 2) is the most advanced target on the property and is drill ready. This target represents a potential large copper-gold skarn and porphyry system that is mostly covered by a thin layer of post mineralization, volcanic cover. Previous exploration work, including detailed geologic mapping, geochemical, and geophysical surveys, have identified large, near surface drill targets within this area.

Pipeline of Targets to be Explored

Outside of the Sombrero Main target area are several exploration prospects including, Macha Machay, Milpoc, Tipicancha and Huachana (Figure 2).

The Macha Machay, Milpoc and Tipicancha targets were identified through Coppernico's 2017-2018 regional exploration program, which screened 7,000 km2 of land on the western extension of the Andahuaylas-Yauri belt. Results of that work identified catchments with elevated silver, arsenic, gold and copper values, which support further investigation (Figure 2).

Macha Machay is characterized by highly elevated copper values in consecutive drainage basins over an area of approximately 12 km by 6 km. Both leachable (Cn44) and ICP analytical results demonstrate copper levels 1.5 - 3.5 times greater than those observed at Sombrero Main, Nioc and Good Lucky intrusive clusters, which have large areas of high-grade copper and gold mineralization on surface. Leachable gold results in Macha Machay stream sediments are similar in magnitude to those observed at Sombrero Main and Nioc targets. These stream sediment results suggest the potential to discover significant copper-gold mineralization at or near surface.

Milpoc also has elevated copper and gold values in stream sediments. Cursory mapping and sampling in 2018-2019 by Coppernico geologists identified copper-oxide mineralization occurring parallel to and within bedding in the Casapalca formation sediments. Several grab samples from Milpoc returned high-grade copper values between 8.75% and 1.71% along with silver values from 101 g/t to 41 g/t (Figure 3. See news release dated October 17, 2019).

Figure 3 - Milpoc High-Grade Rock Samples

Tipicancha is defined by anomalous copper and gold stream sediment results. Early reconnaissance mapping identified an area ~1.2 km by ~600 m of clay and silica altered volcanic rocks with disseminated pyrite. Much less is known about the Huachana target, it was identified as a +700 m diameter area of anomalously high magnetism.

These targets have seen limited to no follow up surface work, additional exploration is required to understand their full size and grade potential. They have been identified as priorities for a focused field work program planned for 2024, aimed at gaining clarity within the broader context of the Sombrero Project.

Appointment of Margarita Cardona as Investor Relations Manager

Coppernico is pleased to announce the appointment of Margarita Cardona as Investor Relations Manager. With over a decade of experience within the mining industry, Margarita brings expertise in both retail and institutional shareholder communications. Prior to joining Coppernico, Margarita held the Investor Relations Manager role at a boutique consulting investor relations firm in Toronto, where she serviced a diverse portfolio of clients with market capitalizations of up to ~$1 billion in the resource sector, taking part in their communication efforts through various M&A transactions, including project and company acquisitions/divestments, new listings, financings, project updates, management changes, and rebrandings. Additionally, she worked in-house at Hudbay Minerals and at Aurania Resources in Toronto and provided her services to several mining issuers in Vancouver. Ms. Cardona also served on the board of the Peruvian Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Toronto. Coppernico looks forward to leveraging Margarita's expertise to foster relationships with existing and new stakeholders and drive continued success with strengthened communications efforts, as the Company nears a pivotal point in its trajectory.

Technical Disclosure and Qualified Person

The scientific and technical information contained in this news release was reviewed and approved by Tim Kingsley, M.Sc., CPG, Coppernico's VP of Exploration, who is a "Qualified Person" (as defined in NI 43-101).

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Ivan Bebek

Chair & CEO

For further information, please contact:

Coppernico Metals Inc.

Phone: +1 778 729 0600

Email: info@coppernicometals.com

Website: www.coppernicometals.com

Twitter: @CoppernicoMetal

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/coppernico-metals/

About Coppernico

Coppernico is a mineral exploration company focused on creating value for shareholders and stakeholders through careful project evaluation and exploration excellence in pursuit of the discovery of world-class copper-gold deposits in South America. The Company's management and technical teams have a successful track record of raising capital, discovery and the monetization of exploration successes. The Company is currently focused on the Sombrero project in Peru, its flagship project, and is reviewing additional premium projects in South America.

Coppernico is currently an unlisted public reporting issuer. The Company intends to be listed on a recognized stock exchange once it qualifies. For more information, please visit www.coppernicometals.com.

Cautionary Note

This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation (collectively, "forward-looking statements") that relate to the Company's current expectations and views of future events about which there cannot be any certainty. No assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking statements included in this news release should not be unduly relied upon. These statements speak only as of the date of this news release. In particular, and without limitation, this news release contains forward-looking statements pertaining to the Company's exploration and drill plans, and the securing of pending drill permits. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's control, which could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those that are disclosed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. Readers should refer to the risks discussed in the Company's continuous disclosure filings with the Canadian Securities Administrators, available at www.sedar.com.

No regulatory organization has approved the contents hereof.

SOURCE: Coppernico Metals Inc.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
London, United Kingdom--(Newsfile Corp. - February 20, 2024) - CoinCoreX, a leading online platform specializing in financial services, announces a significant advancement in its operations to enhance international transactions. This strategic update marks a pivotal moment in CoinCoreX's commitment to providing efficient and reliable financial solutions to its global clientele.

With cutting-edge technology and process improvements, the company aims to significantly reduce transaction time significantly, making accessing its financial services more manageable for its customers.

As part of the new plan, CoinCoreX has partnered with other companies and streamlined its systems to offer its services to a broader audience. The company has also introduced real-time tracking of transactions to provide customers with transparency and trust.

CoinCoreX takes its customers' security very seriously, and the company has implemented robust measures to protect their personal information and money. The company's new plan also simplifies using its services with other financial systems, enabling customers to use CoinCoreX with other banks and institutions.

CoinCoreX's commitment to customer satisfaction is reflected in its 24/7 customer support team, available to assist customers with any questions they may have during the transaction process.

Overall, CoinCoreX's new plan is a significant step towards providing a faster, more efficient, and secure way for its customers to conduct international transactions. The company's success is evident in continually improving its services and offerings.

About CoinCoreX

CoinCoreX is an online financial platform that aims to provide accessible and reliable services to its clients worldwide. The platform focuses on efficiency and transparency in financial transactions, ensuring a seamless experience for its users. With the implementation of advanced security measures and transparent practices, CoinCoreX places a high priority on the security and satisfaction of its clients. Additionally, the platform is committed to providing exceptional customer support, with dedicated teams available to assist clients throughout their financial journey. CoinCoreX's groundbreaking strategy for international transactions continues to innovate and adapt to meet the evolving needs of its diverse client base, cementing its position as a trusted leader in the financial services industry.

Company Details

Contact Name: Eleanor Carter

Company Name: CoinCoreX

Email Address: media@coincorex.com

Company Address: 167-169 Great Portland Street, 5th Floor, London, W1W 5PF, United Kingdom

Company Website: https://coincorex.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/197932

SOURCE: CoinCoreX
SYDNEY, Australia, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bucking the trend of recent negative developments in the prop firm industry, leading global CFD and FX broker Axi, which launched Axi Select - their unique capital allocation programme for talented traders - has been hailed by many industry experts as the future of the industry.



Recent issues experienced in the prop trading industry have resulted in multiple firms having to pause or close down their service due to pressure from regulators, partner brokers or tech providers.

Axi Select is completely different to the industry, and as a result has legitimised the prop firm model by offering a live trading account programme, with real controls in terms of execution, transparency, and fair market conditions. Since its launch in mid-2023, Axi Select has witnessed an incredible 40% month-on-month increase in the number of active clients on their platforms.

Axi believes their Select programme is revolutionary, sustainable and is the future of the prop firm model. Greg Rubin, Head of Axi Select, stated "In the last week the prop trading industry has been turned on its head completely with multiple firms having to suspend their services due to external pressures.

"We foresaw this, which is why we've developed a capital allocation programme which is built on our live trading account model and has been available in over 100 countries for more than 16 years. This has given us the confidence that Axi Select is a long-term solution to the prop trading community, and not subject to the issues now faced by prop firms who offer the demo account registration fee model and are under constant pressure from regulators and their tech partners."

He continued "We genuinely empathise with the thousands of talented traders who will now be denied access to their allocated funds, and we encourage anyone using the demo trading registration model to question whether their prop firm partner will be able to continue as an ongoing concern given recent events. Unfortunately, this could be the beginning of the end for the demo account prop firm model."

Axi Select offers a very attractive funding model - $1 million USD top allocation and clients can keep up to 90% of their profits - that's one of the top allocation offerings worldwide, from an award-winning globally recognised, respected, and trusted broker.

By joining Axi you don't need to pay a registration fee. Yes, you need to fund your trading account, but that money is yours to withdraw at any time and any profits you make on your funded account, you keep in addition to funds allocated by Axi.

"We believe passionately that Axi Select is the best allocation programme globally" said Rajesh Yohannan, Group CEO of Axi.

"By using a live trading account, with real money and the emotions that accompany this, we believe you are more likely to be profitable longer term and make money from your own live account as well as the funded proportion. Our Axi Select account has all the controls we offer to our live account holders globally. This includes access to our award-winning fast, transparent, and fair-trade execution."

He added "If you are a talented trader and are looking for a legitimate funding programme which is designed to truly help you succeed and profit from the financial markets, and you want the stability of an account model which has been in market for 16 years, then Axi Select is the place for you to find your Edge."

About Axi Select*

Axi Select* is a unique capital allocation programme that was specifically designed to help you succeed as a professional trader. Axi Select* offers a generous funding of up to $1 million USD as part of a structured and fair pathway to help you meet your long-term and most ambitious trading aspirations. Solidify your trading skills, knowledge and understanding of the markets and embark on your biggest trading journey ever with Axi through Axi Select.

Why Axi Select*?

100% Free to join - No registration fees

Earn 90% of profits on $1,000,000 USD of our funds

Unrestrictive trading conditions & a structured pathway that provides a fair & real opportunity for traders to become professional traders

Trading score (Edge score) to assess & assist with trading performance

Dashboard with analytics, advanced stats, and a leader board

Exclusive online trading room with live analysis and learning videos from professional traders. Ability to interact with fellow traders and share analysis/trading ideas.

Trustworthy broker with over 35+ industry awards.





How is Axi Select* different from other programmes?

Programme Axi Select Industry Standard Registration fee No Yes Pass Evaluation No Yes Restrictive Trading Conditions No Varies Number of Attempts 3 1 Leverage 100:1 Varies, majority less than 100:1 Account Type Real Trading Account Demo Additional Tools Dashboard/Leaderboard, Edge Score, Trading Room Varies

Learn more & switch to Axi Select: https://www.axi.com/select

* The Axi Select programme is only available to clients of AxiTrader Limited. CFDs carry a high risk of investment loss. In our dealings with you, we will act as a principal counterparty to all of your positions. This content is not available for AU, NZ, EU, and UK residents. For more information, refer to our Terms of Service. Other fees and minimum deposit apply.

About Axi

Axi is a global online FX and CFD trading company, trusted by thousands of ambitious customers in 100+ countries around the world. We help all types of traders, trading businesses, banks and financial organizations find the edge they need to achieve their financial goals through informed transactions made on the world's financial markets. Axi offers a wide range of assets including CFDs for several asset classes including Forex, Shares, Gold, Silver, Oil, Coffee, Indices, and other commodities.

At Axi, we are proud of our reputation as an honest, fair, and trusted broker. Our many awards and 'Great' Trustpilot reviews prove we have earned the confidence of customers who value our outstanding service, fast execution, secure payments, segregated funds, and easy withdrawals.

For further enquiries contact service@axi.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4b7f4608-f090-471c-995d-de6c0f23438e
Fortrea's non-commercial specialty pharmacy expansion delivers flexible, scalable solutions to customers and life-changing medications direct to patients

DURHAM, N.C., Feb. 20, 2024, located in Lake Mary, Florida, which offers advanced patient access solutions across the United States, including ambient and cold-chain distribution capabilities and expertise.



Licensed in all 50 states and U.S. territories, FortreaRx delivers flexible, scalable solutions that meet the specific needs of its customers while providing medications to patients who may otherwise not have access to them. Non-commercial specialty pharmacies, like FortreaRx, provide these solutions on behalf of their pharmaceutical manufacturer customers and are uniquely positioned to serve as a bridge between pharmaceutical manufacturers and patients who meet the manufacturer requirements for prescription assistance.

Since FortreaRx's inception in late 2008, Fortrea has pioneered non-commercial specialty pharmacy services, focusing exclusively on the distribution of free-goods products as an integrated component of pharmaceutical manufacturer-sponsored patient assistance programs (PAP) designed to expand access to therapy for qualified patients with no health insurance or those who are underinsured. The FortreaRx 40,000-square-foot facility doubles its operational space and bolsters its capabilities, delivering:

1,800 square feet of ambient storage

6,000+ square feet of cold chain storage with more than 85 percent of prescriptions filled by FortreaRx requiring this unique handling

Greater processing and fulfillment space for up to 18,000 prescriptions daily

Enhanced shipping solutions with options for overnight, expedited and 2-day deliveries

"Fortrea's well-established patient services offerings, combined with the expanded capabilities of FortreaRx, deliver an end-to-end approach, from early clinical stages to post-market delivery, ensuring a comprehensive and personalized experience for patients," said Bill Nolan, vice president and global head of Patient Access at Fortrea. "From our expertise in broad-range disease states to our unwavering commitment to patient assistance, Fortrea excels at delivering timely and impactful solutions to our pharmaceutical sponsors that strive to reduce patient and provider challenges by streamlining enrollment processes and by offering full integration with broader patient support initiatives."

FortreaRx's call center hub of case managers seamlessly manages patient inquiries, counseling and data verification of prescriptions. Fortrea's patient access team helps patients and providers understand and navigate the complexities of coverage while removing obstacles to get medication to patients.

FortreaRx delivers efficient, consultative and cost-effective solutions for manufacturer prescription programs typically resulting in significant yearly savings for patients.

For more information about FortreaRx and its services, please visit Fortrea.com.

About Fortrea

Fortreaand follow us on LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter) @Fortrea.
NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / New Holland, a brand of CNH, recently attended World FIRA, the international event for global leaders in agricultural robotics in Toulouse, France.

With connectivity, autonomous equipment and new technologies at the core of New Holland's strategy, the brand displayed some of its advanced solutions and met customers, dealers and startups. Whilst there, they showed the brand's investments in robotics and discussed future evolutions.

Taking place twice a year - in the US and in France - FIRA has become the world's leading ag robotics static and field demo event. New Holland has attended since it was first held, and this year sponsored the French edition, after supporting the US event a few months ago.

On the stand was the Stout Smart Cultivator, New Holland's software-controlled implement for tractors that uses cameras, AI and proprietary vision technology to distinguish crops from weeds. Once identified, the implement simultaneously cultivates crops and removes weeds with an accuracy of 99%, decreasing reliance on labor and chemical inputs while improving farming practices. CNH invested in the US-based company Stout Industrial, acquiring a 10% minority stake at the end of 2022.

New Holland's tractors were present in the event's demo zones, where visitors saw robots and tractors in action. One vineyard tractor and three specialty tractors together with a T5 utility tractor were displayed.

Attending and sponsoring this event is a testament to CNH's commitment to innovative products that promote a more sustainable future.

Attending and sponsoring this event is a testament to CNH's commitment to innovative products that promote a more sustainable future

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from CNH Industrial on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: CNH Industrial

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/cnh-industrial

Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: CNH Industrial

View the original press release on accesswire.com
BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - The European Commission has launched a formal investigation against TikTok for allegedly breaching the Digital Services Act or DSA. The formal probe will focus on the areas related to child protection, advertising transparency, data access for researchers, addictive design and harmful content. EU industry chief Thierry Breton announced the decision, 'We are launching this formal infringement proceeding today to ensure that proportionate action is taken to protect the physical and emotional well-being of young Europeans. We must spare no effort to protect our children'. The agency stated that the China-based ByteDance's video platform's algorithmic system may stimulate behavioral addictions and/or so called 'rabbit hole effects'. Also, it is concerned about Tiktok's age verification policies which might 'not be reasonable, proportionate and effective' according to the DSA standards. 'TikTok needs to take a close look at the services they offer and carefully consider the risks that they pose to their users - young as well as old,' European Commission Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager said. 'TikTok has pioneered features and settings to protect teens and keep under 13s off the platform, issues the whole industry is grappling with,' a TikTok spokesperson ensured. 'We'll continue to work with experts and industry to keep young people on TikTok safe, and look forward to now having the opportunity to explain this work in detail to the Commission.' If proven guilty, the video-sharing app having over 142 million monthly users in the EU, would have to pay up to 6 percent of its global turnover. Copyright(c) 2024 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Vodafone Group announced it will install new Open RAN sites in 20 cities across Romania, to enhance industrial efficiency and boost innovation in the country.

In a statement, the operator said an open architecture enables it to buy equipment and software from a range of suppliers which will result in more innovation and energy efficiency. Customers will benefit from a faster and more secure network that can be scaled to meet peak demand, and tap into new cloud-based services.

Several partners will be used for the 20 sites including Samsung for Vodafones 2G, 4G and 5G radio and baseband units. Dell Technologies servers will be used for cloud-based Open RAN workloads, and Containers as a Service (CaaS) software from US-based Wind River.

This announcement follows trials with Samsung in the country last year. It builds on other European trials including in the UK where 2,500 sites were deployed in August 2023.

Vodafone found Open RAN performance had been on par or exceeded legacy equipment in most measurements, including 4G and 5G call success rate, download and upload speeds across multiple spectrum frequencies.

The operator noted an Open RAN architecture eventually allows it to reduce costs by sharing all hardware components while independently managing its own RAN software on a common cloud infrastructure.

As a result, operators can then tailor services and capacity specific to customer needs while securing data. Open RAN also enables subscribers to take advantage of 5G standalone when it is deployed.

Vodafone Group chief network officer Alberto Ripepi said: The momentum behind Open RAN technologies is building, in Vodafone and amongst our partners, as we focus on enhancing the customer experience. As new technologies like generative AI take root and are embedded within businesses, factories, and every day online interactions, they will require intelligence-based networks powerful enough to support them. Open RAN is designed to do just that.








NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / Mondelez International

MEET FRANCIS AMOAKO-POKU, R&D DIRECTOR

"Mondelez is on its way to help foster and support an environment of diversity equity inclusion. We are an international company so that comes naturally when you look at MDLZ on a global scale." Francis Amoako-Poku, R&D Director, NA Central Productivity

Francis talks about his passion for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Francis Amoako-Poku, currently an R&D Director at Mondelez International, had had a remarkable 15-year journey within the company, predominantly shaping the confections category in Research & Development. His trajectory, evolving from an individual contributor to a team leader and manager, mirrors a commitment to personal growth and fostering the career aspirations of others, a deeply rewarding facet of his tenure.

Francis's nomination for Leader of the Year at the 2023 DE&I Impact Awards reflects his substantial contributions to Mondelez International's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives. Serving on the R&D DE&I Committee, he actively shapes an agenda aligned with diversity ambitions.

Could you share about your journey at Mondelez International and how you arrived at your current role in R&D?

I've worked with the company for 15 years now, predominantly within the confections category (Stride, Trident, SPK, SF etc.) in R&D. As I advanced from an individual contributor to a team leader, and eventually to a manager, I have had the opportunity to grow personally, help deliver our business objectives as well as help others achieve their career aspirations. This has been the most rewarding part of the journey.

Currently, I'm the R&D Director for NA Central Productivity. It highlighted the importance of the ingredients that we source, but also the impact of designing with flexible ingredients to help unlock drive bottom- and top-line growth. I was intrigued with my current role because of the opportunity to learn about our end-to-end business from a cross category perspective. It's an honor and a privilege to lead my department in this regard while learning about how research and development can help build flexibility to achieve our business goals.

Your nomination for Leader of the Year at the DE&I Impact Awards was very well deserved. How has your role in the R&D DE&I Committee allowed you to influence and contribute to Mondelez International's DE&I initiatives, particularly within the R&D space?

The DEI is a very rewarding initiative to be a part of, but also a challenging space to navigate. I've learned something new every year as a member of the R&D DEI committee. The DEI Committee role has given me a platform to create, with others, an agenda that's fitting of our diversity ambition. Essentially, how we continue to build Diversity and Inclusion internally, in areas where there's underrepresentation. With this platform my team and I've been able to advocate for recruitment, speak to retention strategies and build external partnerships with new Universities. This has been accomplished by pulling the right people together to address the topic of Diversity in R&D.

DE&I has become increasingly important in corporate settings. How do you envision the role of DE&I within R&D, and how has your leadership impacted this space?

The role of DE&I within R&D isn't different from any of the other Mondelez International departments perse. We need to strive for representation and diversity in thought leadership to crack innovation, bring in creativity and novel problem-solving techniques. Our starting points across the various departments may be different but the end goal is the same. My strength as an active listener and as an inclusive leadership has helped me lead/navigate this space. This has resulted working with a sub team that explores opportunities to build technical partnerships/ support with the Universities but also review opportunities to develop underrepresented populations within R&D. It is a long journey and it's not one that can be accomplished in a short term. To be successful we'll need consistency, persistence and a diversity in thought leadership.

Could you share any notable successes or milestones achieved through your leadership in promoting DE&I within the R&D team at Mondelez International?

The first key milestone for me was assembling a small R&D team that was truly passionate about enhancing our internship program. Their support helped us build a relationship with a top HBCU school, North Carolina A&T. Our first engagement was in 2021 and each year we've learned and modified our approach to connect with the students and faculty from the Food Science Department but also our university relations team. This has resulted in attracting students to participate in our internship program- 6% within the 2021 intern class to 20% for the '23 internship campaign. The most rewarding bit has been 1) seeing the DEI team members recognized as nominees within the R&D awards and 2) seeing the interns from NCA&T personally engaged and promoting our internship to their peers.

In what ways do you encourage a diverse and inclusive environment within your team? Are there specific strategies or practices you've found particularly effective?

My team and I make it a point to spend time to discuss DE&I topics during our staff meetings. We often take turns to bring topics to our huddles. We've reflected on the topic on the table and have open dialogues. This leads to insightful discussions on about our personal stories and journey. There have been differences in our journeys as one can imagine, but most importantly the time spent contributes to building an inclusive and collaborative team.

As a black leader in the corporate world, what advice would you give to aspiring individuals from underrepresented backgrounds who aim for leadership roles within the STEM or R&D fields?

Be yourself. Leadership starts with knowing yourself and then leading others so the first and most important thing, is to know yourself- what drives you, what motivates you etc. After that comes confidence- having the confidence that your capable of learning, adapting, and developing your capabilities. From there, it's about helping others realize their full potential while working towards a common goal/ objective. Regarding a STEM/ R&D Fields, the great thing about research and development is that there's more than one way to solve a problem. To develop within the STEM fields, I would encourage individuals to be relentlessly curious. Clearly define the problem and then be open to finding creative ways to put the building blocks together to solve the problem.

How does Mondelez International support and foster an environment where diversity, equity, and inclusion are not only acknowledged but actively promoted across all departments, including R&D?

I think Mondelez is on its way to help foster and support an environment of diversity equity inclusion. We are an international company so that comes naturally when you look at MDLZ on a global scale. The most challenging part for me is within our microenvironments, inside our regions and BU how do we ensure to continue advocating for diverse teams. I've seen refinement in our approach to attract talent and space to have an open dialogue to ensure we create a culture that attracts and retains top talent when they arrive in R&D. We must continue to move with purpose but also acknowledge that we'll need to be patient to help enable a change. Overall, I've seen how both internally and externally campaigns make it a point to celebrate diversity. We'll need to continue to do more of that.

Looking ahead, what are your aspirations or goals for further advancing DE&I initiatives within R&D?

My aspirations and goals for advancing DEI initiatives within R&D would be to create an ongoing commitment to have a rotating sub-team that continuously develop and supports underrepresented groups. As we evolve within the space of DEI in R&D, I would love to see more external, community engagement in the form of partnership with educational institutions to develop upcoming, talented scientists. This could be in the form of scholarships or collaborations to creatively solve some of our anticipated future technical innovation gaps.

MEET SYLVIA, DIRECTOR OF FINANCE FOR OREO, COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION

"While I own my own career, Mondelez has supported me along my journey by allowing me to participate in various training and leadership development programs..." Sylvia Conner, Director of Finance, Oreo

Sylvia Conner, the Director of Finance for the OREO brand at Mondelez International, brings forth a distinguished career marked by pivotal moments, dedication, and an unyielding pursuit of excellence within the company. As a Black woman navigating a space where representation is limited, Sylvia's journey exemplifies resilience, determination, and an unwavering commitment to paving the way for greater diversity and inclusion in the finance sector.

Could you share some key milestones or pivotal moments that have shaped your career progression, particularly within Mondelez International?

I just celebrated my 10-year anniversary with Mondelez, and I can recall three key pivotal moments that help shaped my career:

1. Turning down a promotion (which would have been outside of the HQ location) for a lateral move (relocation to NJ from Chicago) to allow myself time to gain breadth of experience & build new relationships within the NA HQ Offices.

2. Taking the role as FP&A (Financial Planning & Analysis) Manager, as the role was outside of my comfort zone which at the time challenged me to think holistically & strategically as well as provide direct exposure to NA Leadership.

3. Starting a new role as Midwest Cluster Senior Finance Manager during the height of a global pandemic and then subsequently working through a labor work stoppage the following year. These situations required flexibility, the ability to prioritize, and having an agile mindset.

What has been the highlight/s (projects) for you?

The All Blacks partnership and the 'Cheer and a Half' activation has been a real highlight for me, particularly seeing how well the field team activate in store. It highlights how well-oiled we are, with smooth processes and a collaborative team environment.

What actions did you take to advance to your current role as the Director of Finance for OREO?

My Mondelez career spans 10 years and 6 different roles and during each role it was important for me not just to learn the role but identify ways to improve the role which directly impacted business performance, whether it was learning a new skill or sharpening my interpersonal skills, my goal was to directly influence the decisions of my business partners. These steps prepared me to become the Finance Lead for U.S. Oreo.

As a black female leader in finance, what unique challenges have you faced throughout your career journey?

As I have progressed throughout my corporate finance career, often times I find myself being the only one in the room that looks like me and because of that, early on in my career I experienced imposter syndrome.

How have you navigated these challenges and what advice would you offer to other black females aspiring to advance in the finance industry?

To overcome imposter syndrome, I had to remind myself that I am qualified and capable and redirect my negative energy to focus on things that provide positivity and peace.

Why have you decided to become so active in the Early Careers space?

I can recall my time first couple of years post graduate in the corporate space and it was challenging to navigate. I know that providing the right resources and establishing key relationships upfront are instrumental in a successful transition into the corporate space which is the main reason why I have decided to become so active in Early Careers.

What difference are you hoping to make by leading the Finance Early Careers Program?

The main difference I hope to make is that we continue to bring diversity into finance and ensuring we have more black women represented in corporate finance. I am also excited knowing that I am able to help develop and shape the next generation of finance leaders which is a rewarding experience.

How has Mondelez International supported your professional growth and development? Could you discuss any programs, initiatives, or support systems within the company that have facilitated your advancement?

While I own my own career, Mondelez has supported me along my journey by allowing me to participate in various training and leadership development programs such The LAB, LEAD, ELEVATE, etc.

In what ways does Mondelez International foster an inclusive environment for diverse talent, particularly concerning the advancement and representation of women and people of color in leadership roles?

Our ERGs play an important role in providing an inclusive environment at Mondelez. In addition to that, the partnerships/relationships with various organizations such as NBMBA, Prospanica, MLT, etc. ensures we are connecting with diverse talent. Most importantly, having KPIs with focus on women and POC in leadership roles (particularly black management representation) shows the priority of ensuring our leaders are truly diverse and represent our consumer base.





View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Mondelez International on 3blmedia.com.



Contact Info:

Spokesperson: Mondelez International

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/mondelez-international

Email: info@3blmedia.com



SOURCE: Mondelez International

View the original press release on accesswire.com
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / Fortitude Gold Corp. (OTCQB:FTCO) (the "Company") announced today that it will hold its annual meeting of shareholders in person at 9:00 a.m. Mountain Standard Time (MST) on Wednesday, May 22, 2024 at the Colorado Springs Marriott, 5580 Tech Center Dr., Colorado Springs, Colorado 80919. Fortitude Gold is a gold producer, developer, and explorer with operations in Nevada, U.S.A. offering investors exposure to both gold production and dividend yield.

The Company has fixed the close of business on March 25, 2024 as the record date for determining shareholders entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the annual meeting and any adjournments or postponements thereof.

About Fortitude Gold Corp.:

Fortitude Gold is a U.S. based gold producer targeting projects with low operating costs, high margins, and strong returns on capital. The Company's strategy is to grow organically, remain debt-free and distribute substantial dividends. The Company's Nevada Mining Unit consists of seven high-grade gold properties located in the Walker Lane Mineral Belt and an eighth high-grade gold property in west central Nevada. The Isabella Pearl gold mine, located on the Isabella Pearl mineralized trend, is currently in production. Nevada, U.S.A. is among the world's premier mining friendly jurisdictions.

Cautionary Statements: This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. If you are risk-averse you should NOT buy shares in Fortitude Gold Corp. The statements contained in this press release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. When used in this press release, the words "plan", "target", "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "intend" and "expect" and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, the statements regarding the Company's strategy, future plans for production, future expenses and costs, future liquidity and capital resources, and estimates of mineralized material are forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based upon information available to the Company on the date of this press release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties, and there can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those discussed in this press release.

Contact:

Greg Patterson

719-717-9825

greg.patterson@fortitudegold.com

www.Fortitudegold.com

SOURCE: Fortitude Gold Corporation

View the original press release on accesswire.com
RESTON, VA / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / CACI International Inc (NYSE:CACI) announced today that 21 employees were honored for their excellence in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) at the 38th annual Global Competitiveness Conference for the Black Engineer of the Year Awards (BEYA) held Feb. 15-17 in Baltimore, Maryland.

"Our exceptional BEYA honorees share in CACI's mission to harness our skills and amplify what's possible for tomorrow," said John Mengucci, CACI President and Chief Executive Officer. "Every day, these employees embrace challenging and rewarding opportunities, not only within our workplace, where they serve our customers, but also beyond our office walls, actively contributing to their communities. We are inspired by their extraordinary skills, boundless potential, and unwavering dedication to shaping the path for future leaders in STEM."

The BEYA conference attracts more than 10,000 STEM professionals from diverse backgrounds and provides opportunities to recognize the most elite talent. CACI is a supporter of BEYA's mission and a corporate sponsor of the conference. As part of its diversity and inclusion efforts, CACI partners with BEYA to help expand the company's networking, recruitment, and career development opportunities.

These 21 CACI employees received the Outstanding Achievement Award for their determination to help solve customers' most complex challenges in support of national security.

CACI's 2024 BEYA Outstanding Achievement Awardees:

Jackie Baker, IT Network Engineer

Felicia Burke, Systems Engineer

Cynthia Canteen-Harbor, Senior Technical Program Manager

Colin Carter, Engineering Manager

Chamara Farmer, Senior Engineer

Tyrone Fenwick, Quality Manager

Ray Freeman, Software Engineer

Robert Funches, Senior Network Security Engineer

Marcus Getachew, Software Developer

Nikki Jackson, Performance Management Specialist

Rebecca Konnor, Team Lead, Acute Care Analyst

Lama Mansaray, Engineering Lead

Latosha Marshall, Program Manager

Andrew Noonoo, Systems Engineer

Roberto Perry, Robotics Engineer

Shermane Pressley, Information Security Specialist

Joshua Reda, Naval Architect

Devon Roberson, Senior Knowledge Manager

Coleen Robinson, Information Security Analyst

Xavier Teal, Network and Technical Lead

Vanessa Watkins, Configuration Control

The efforts of CACI's BEYA awardees align with the company's long history of supporting emerging STEM talent and local communities. CACI partners with Minority Serving Institutions to advance education and careers in STEM and engages with students to support their successful transition to the professional world.

CACI is also a corporate sponsor of many organizations that focus on promoting STEM education for underserved groups, including Women in Technology (WIT), Great Minds in STEM (GmiS), and STEM for HER.

ABOUT CACI

At CACI International Inc (NYSE: CACI), our 23,000 talented and dynamic employees are ever vigilant in delivering distinctive expertise and differentiated technology to meet our customers' greatest challenges in national security and government modernization. We are a company of good character, relentless innovation, and long-standing excellence. Our culture drives our success and earns us recognition as a Fortune World's Most Admired Company. CACI is a member of the Fortune 1000 Largest Companies, the Russell 1000 Index, and the S&P MidCap 400 Index. For more information, visit us at caci.com.

# # #

Corporate Communications and Media:

Lorraine Corcoran

Executive Vice President, Corporate Communications

(703) 434-4165, lorraine.corcoran@caci.com

CACI's 2024 Black Engineer of the Year Awards (BEYA) honorees pictured with CACI President and Chief Executive Officer John Mengucci at the 38th annual Global Competitiveness Conference.

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from CACI on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: CACI

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/caci

Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: CACI

View the original press release on accesswire.com
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / Park Lawn Corporation (TSX:PLC)(TSX:PLC.U) ("Park Lawn" or "PLC") is pleased to announce that it has completed the acquisition of substantially all of the assets of Crippin Funeral Home located in Montrose, Colorado; Gunnison Funeral Services located in Gunnison, Colorado; and Grand View Cemetery located in Montrose, Colorado (collectively "Crippin"). The Crippin acquisition deepens Park Lawn's footprint in the Colorado market through the addition of two (2) stand-alone funeral homes as well as one (1) stand-alone cemetery.

"For 37 years, the Crippin businesses have proudly served Montrose and its surrounding communities. We take great pride in our ability to provide excellent professional service and guidance to our families at their time of need and are excited to partner with Park Lawn to continue this tradition," said Kelly and Gregory Crippin, former owners of Crippin.

"We are delighted to further expand our operating presence in the State of Colorado through the strategic acquisition of the Crippin businesses," said J. Bradley Green, Chief Executive Officer of PLC. Mr. Green continued, "These outstanding businesses will be an excellent addition to our existing portfolio of high-quality businesses in Colorado, and we are honored to welcome the Crippin businesses and their teams into the Park Lawn family."

Highlights of the transaction include:

The addition of two (2) stand-alone funeral homes and one (1) stand-alone cemetery.

The transaction represents approximately 576 calls per year, approximately 85 placements per year, and is expected to be financed with funds from PLC's credit facility and available cash on hand.

Following the closing and integration of the transaction, the Crippin acquisition is expected to add approximately US$703,404 in Adjusted EBITDA annually.[1]

For the 12 months ended December 31, 2022, PLC had Adjusted EBITDA of US$74,948,868 and net earnings of US$25,124,765.

The agreed upon purchase price multiple for the transaction is within PLC's publicly-stated targeted Adjusted EBITDA multiple range for its historical transactions.

About Park Lawn Corporation:

PLC is the largest publicly traded Canadian-owned funeral, cremation and cemetery provider. PLC and its subsidiaries own and operate businesses including cemeteries, crematoria, funeral homes, chapels and event centers throughout Canada and the United States which provide a full range of services and merchandise to fulfill the desires of individuals and families seeking to honor their loved ones. Products and services can be customized to meet the personal needs of the consumer and are sold on a pre-planned basis (pre-need) or at the time of a death (at-need). PLC operates in three Canadian provinces and seventeen U.S. states. For more information about Park Lawn Corporation, please visit our website at www.plcorp.com.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains forward-looking information (within the meaning of applicable securities laws) relating to the business of PLC and the environment in which it operates. Forward-looking statements in this news release are identified by words such as "believe", "anticipate", "project", "expect", "intend", "plan", "will", "may", "estimate", "pro-forma" and other similar expressions. These statements are based on PLC's expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections and include, without limitation, statements regarding PLC's expectation that the Crippin acquisition will add approximately US$703,404 in Adjusted EBITDA. The forward-looking statements in this news release are based on certain assumptions, including that the acquisition will perform as expected following closing, PLC will be able to implement business improvements and achieve cost savings, PLC will be able to retain key personnel, there will be no unexpected expenses occurring as a result of the acquisition, the purchase price multiples for future acquisitions remain at or below levels paid by PLC for previously announced acquisitions, the acquisition and financing markets remain accessible, capital can be obtained at reasonable costs and PLC's current business lines operate and obtain synergies as expected, as well as those regarding present and future business strategies, organic growth initiatives, the environment in which PLC will operate in the future, expected revenues, expansion plans and PLC's ability to achieve its goals. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that are difficult to control or predict. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the factors discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in PLC's most recent Annual Information Form and Management's Discussion and Analysis available at www.sedarplus.com. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate as actual outcomes and results may differ materially from those expressed in these forward-looking statements. Readers, therefore, should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. Further, these forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and, except as expressly required by applicable law, PLC assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Non-IFRS Measures

Adjusted Net Earnings is not a measure recognized under IFRS and does not have a standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS. Such measure is presented in this news release because management of PLC believes that such measure is relevant in evaluating PLC's acquisition of Crippin. Such measure, as computed by PLC, may differ from similar computations as reported by other similar organizations and, accordingly, may not be comparable to similar measures reported by such other organizations. Please refer to pages 8, 9 and 21 of PLC's Management's Discussion and Analysis for the year ending December 31, 2022, which was filed on SEDAR+ on March 2, 2023, for how PLC reconciles Adjusted EBITDA to the nearest IFRS measure.

Contact Information

Daniel Millett

Chief Financial Officer

(416) 231-1462, ext. 221

[1] Adjusted EBITDA is a non-IFRS financial measure. Refer to the Non-IFRS Financial Measures section of this news release for more information on this non-IFRS financial measure.

SOURCE: Park Lawn Corporation

View the original press release on accesswire.com
NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / MetLife, Inc.

MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET) today announced that for the fourth consecutive year it's earned a spot on JUST Capital's JUST 100 list, as part of their 2024 Rankings of America's Most JUST Companies. The JUST 100 reflects companies doing the best job of creating value for all their stakeholders, including colleagues, customers, communities, and shareholders.

"We are honored to be named one of America's Most JUST Companies, which recognizes how we care for our employees and deliver for our customers, communities and shareholders," said MetLife Chief Sustainability Officer Jon Richter. "As expectations across stakeholder groups evolve, we remain committed to sustaining lives and building a more confident future."

To determine the annual ranking, JUST Capital, along with CNBC, collect and analyze corporate data to evaluate how the nation's largest corporations are performing on the business issues that matter most to Americans. For 2024, paying a fair, living wage; creating jobs in the U.S.; supporting workforce retention and training; providing benefits and work-life balance; protecting customer privacy; and minimizing pollution were among the issues the companies were scored on.

MetLife's purpose - Always with you, building a more confident future - is at the heart of how it delivers value for stakeholders. In its annual Sustainability Report, MetLife details how it contributes to a more confident future as an employer, an investor and a provider of financial solutions and expertise.

To learn more about how MetLife creates value for all its stakeholders, visit MetLife.com/Sustainability. To view the 2024 "Just 100" list, visit JustCapital.com/Rankings.

About MetLife

MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET), through its subsidiaries and affiliates ("MetLife"), is one of the world's leading financial services companies, providing insurance, annuities, employee benefits and asset management to help individual and institutional customers build a more confident future. Founded in 1868, MetLife has operations in more than 40 markets globally and holds leading positions in the United States, Japan, Latin America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. For more information, visit www.metlife.com.

Contact:

MetLife

Olivia Janicelli

(212) 578-3547

olivia.janicelli@metlife.com

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from MetLife, Inc. on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: MetLife, Inc.

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/metlife-inc

Email: info@3blmedia.com



SOURCE: MetLife, Inc.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
CLEVELAND, OH / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / Mace Security International, Inc. (OTCQB:MACE) today announced that Margaret D. Jordan resigned from its Board of Directors, effective February 19, 2024. Ms. Jordan reported that the responsibilities and time commitment required as a Director exceeded what had been presented when she joined the Board as well as exceeding the time she was able to provide relative to the Director compensation available from the Company. Ms. Jordan also expressed a lack of confidence in the Company's executive and Board leadership.

Ms. Jordan served on Mace's Board since October 2022 and served on the Board's Cybersecurity and Governance/Nominating Committees.

CEO Sanjay Singh commented, "We appreciate Ms. Jordan's service on the Board, understand and respect her decision and wish her nothing but the best."

About Mace Security International, Inc.

Mace Security International, Inc. (Mace) is a globally recognized leader in personal safety and security. Based in Cleveland, Ohio, the Company has spent more than 40 years designing and manufacturing consumer and tactical products for personal defense and security under its world-renowned Mace Brand - the original trusted brand of defense spray products. The Company also offers aerosol defense sprays and tactical products for law enforcement and security professionals worldwide through its Mace Take Down brand, KUROS Brand personal safety products, Vigilant Brand alarms, and Tornado Brand pepper spray and stun devices. MACE distributes and supports Mace Brand products through mass market retailers, wholesale distributors, independent dealers, Amazon.com, Mace.com, and other channels. For more information, visit www.mace.com.

Contact:

Investor Relations

InvestorRelations@mace.com

SOURCE: MACE SECURITY INTERNATIONAL INC

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - February 20, 2024) - Cypherpunk Holdings Inc. (CSE: HODL) (OTC Pink: CYFRF) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that it intends to commence a normal course issuer bid (the "NCIB"), under which it may purchase up to 7,603,359 common shares of the Company over a period of one year (the "NCIB Period"), representing approximately 5% of the Company's issued and outstanding common shares, with up to 3,041,343 common shares of the Company purchasable over any 30-day period within the NCIB Period, being 2% of the Company's issued and outstanding common shares. The NCIB is expected to commence on or about February 20, 2024, and will continue until the earlier of February 20, 2025, or the date by which the Company has acquired the maximum number of common shares which may be purchased under the NCIB.

All common shares purchased under the NCIB will be purchased on the open market through the facilities of the Canadian Securities Exchange at the prevailing market price of the common shares at the time of purchase, and shall be duly cancelled and returned to treasury.

The Company believes that the market price of the common shares may not fully reflect the value of its business and prospects, and as such it believes that purchasing its own common shares for cancellation is an appropriate strategy for increasing long-term shareholder value and represents an appropriate use of the Company's financial resources. The Company intends to appoint Canaccord Genuity as its broker to conduct the NCIB transactions on its behalf.

In furtherance of its strategic initiatives, Cypherpunk Holdings Inc. is also delighted to announce it has entered into a definitive agreement for the sale of 2.5 million shares of Animoca Brands. The shares are to be sold at a price of $0.90 AUD per share. The proceeds from this sale will be reinvested in accordance with the Company's investment strategy, aimed at maximizing returns and furthering its commitment to investing in privacy technologies, high performance compute (HPC), and the secular trend towards decentralisation.

About Cypherpunk Holdings Inc.

Cypherpunk was established to invest in companies, technologies and protocols, which enhance or protect privacy. Its strategy is to make targeted investments in businesses and assets with strong privacy attributes, often within the blockchain ecosystem, including select cryptocurrencies. Current equity investments include Animoca Brands, Samourai Wallet, Wasabi Wallet, Chia and NGRAVE.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information:

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Generally, any statements that are not historical facts may contain forward-looking information, and forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or indicates that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be" taken, "occur" or "be achieved".

There is no assurance that the Company's plans or objectives will be implemented as set out herein, or at all. Forward-looking information is based on certain factors and assumptions the Company believes to be reasonable at the time such statements are made and is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. There can be no assurance that such forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements are made based on management's beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made and the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as required by law. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements.

Officer/Director Contact

Tony Guoga

Chief Executive Officer

tony@cypherpunkholdings.com

Office: 1-647-946-1300

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/198607

SOURCE: Cypherpunk Holdings Inc.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / February 16, 2024 / Karim Rayani of R7 Capital Ventures Ltd. (the "Concerned Shareholder"), in his capacity as a holder of approximately 5% of the issued and outstanding common shares of Jaxon Mining Inc., (JAX:TSX.V) ("Jaxon" or the "Company"), is providing an update to its news release dated September 21, 2023 which announced that the Concerned Shareholder requisitioned (the "Requisition") to the board of directors of Jaxon (the "Jaxon Board") to call a general meeting of the shareholders of JAX (the "Requisitioned AGM") for the purpose of electing a new board of directors of the Company.

On August 31, 2023, pursuant to section to 167 of the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) (the "Act"), the Concerned Shareholder sent a formal requisition to Jaxon demanding that Jaxon's Board call the Requisitioned AGM. The Jaxon Board is obligated under the Act to hold the Requisitioned AGM not more than 4 months after the receipt of the Requisition. Contrary to subsection 167(5) of the Act, the Board has failed to hold the Requisitioned AGM within the prescribed time. Accordingly, the Concerned Shareholder has initiated the calling of the Requisitioned Meeting. The Concerned Shareholder will identify its director nominees in a proxy circular that will be distributed to the shareholders of JAX prior to the Requisitioned Meeting.

The Concerned Shareholder has made many attempts to engage with Jaxon's management including its CEO John King Burns in conversations to encourage fulsome disclosure. The numerous attempts to engage with the Company's management have been met with no response, including attempts made by the concerned shareholders subsequent to the news release dated September 21, 2023.

The current board of Jaxon seems to be functioning as a private corporation with blind support from its board of directors who own very little stock in the Company. Management has demonstrated a lack of ability to understand Jaxon's mineral assets and deploy reasonable business practices to explore the assets and gain investor and industry respect as a credible exploration company.

The Concerned Shareholder believes that a time when not only in Canada but globally there is a focus on discovering critical mineral deposits, Jaxon needs to establish a board of directors and executive team that are able to help Jaxon revamp its business strategy with integrity and professionalism and inclusive of all stakeholders.

Additional Information

The information contained in this press release does not and is not meant to constitute a solicitation of proxies within the meaning of applicable securities laws.

Cordially,

Karim Rayani

Chairman & Chief Executive Officer

Tel: +1 604 716 0551 E: k@r7.capital

SOURCE: Jaxon Mining

View the original press release on accesswire.com
BURLINGTON, ON / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / Memex Inc. ("Memex" or the "Company" or the "Issuer") (TSXV:OEE), a leader in Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) manufacturing productivity software, confirms that the Company including its' auditors, are continuing to work to complete the annual financial statements for Memex's year ended September 30, 2023, including the related management discussion and analysis, and CEO and CFO certifications (collectively, the "Annual Financial Filings"), and the Company continues to expect to file its Annual Financial Filings on or before February 29, 2024.

As previously reported, the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) issued a Failure-to-file Cease Trade Order (a "FFCTO") in respect of the securities of Memex effective February 2, 2024 for its failure to file its Annual Financial Filings by the filing deadline of January 28, 2024 (the "Filing Deadline"). The delay in filing the Annual Financial Filings was due to the Company's inability to commence audit procedures in a timely manner. The FFCTO issued by the OSC also affected each jurisdiction of Canada that has a statutory reciprocal order provision. Further, as a result of the FFCTO, the TSX Venture Exchange suspended trading in the Company's shares.

Until the Annual Financial Filings are filed, the Company intends to continue to issue bi-weekly default status reports. The Company confirms that there is no other material information relating to its affairs that has not been generally disclosed.

About Memex Inc.:

Established in 1992, Memex grew to be an industry leader in Industry Internet of Things (IIoT) through the development of MERLIN Tempus, an award-winning platform that delivers real-time, tangible increases in manufacturing productivity. Memex is on the leading edge of industry trends in computing power, machine connectivity, industry standards, advanced software technology, and manufacturing domain expertise.

Our persistent pursuit of innovative IIoT solutions led to a comprehensive understanding of the challenge's manufacturers face. We made it our mission to, "successfully transform factories of today into factories of the future." As the global leader in Machine to Machine (M2M) connectivity solutions, our hardware and software products create unparalleled visibility at all levels, from "Shop-Floor-to-Top-Floor."

The MERLIN Tempus Suite provides effective quantification and management of Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) by revealing hidden capacity using real-time objective data. Further, it offers sustainable benefits that enable world-class OEE such as reducing costs, incorporating strategies for continuous LEAN improvement, and boosting bottom-line financial performance. For more information, please visit: www.MemexOEE.com

For investor inquiries please contact:

Ed Crymble, Chief Financial Officer

905-635-1540

investor.relations@memexOEE.com David McPhail, President & CEO

905-635-1540

investor.relations@memexOEE.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation services provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE: Memex Inc.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - February 20, 2024) - Odessa Capital Ltd. (TSXV: ALFA.P) (the "Corporation") announces that Mr. Martin Grimard and Mr. Francois Beaudry have stepped down as Directors of the Corporation. Mr. Grimard has also resigned as Chief Financial Officer and Secretary of the Corporation. The Corporation wishes to thank Mr. Martin Grimard and Mr. Francois Beaudry for their contribution to the Corporation.

In connection with the resignation of Mr. Grimard, subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange, Mr. Andre Verrier has been appointed as the Chief Financial Officer and Secretary of the Corporation effective immediately.

For further information please see the prospectus of the Corporation, available under the Corporation's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

ABOUT THE CORPORATION

The Corporation is a capital pool company (a "CPC") that has not commenced commercial operations and has no assets other than cash. Except as specifically contemplated in the TSX Venture Exchange Inc.'s CPC policy, until the completion of its qualifying transaction, the Corporation will not carry on business, other than the identification and evaluation of businesses or assets with a view to completing a proposed qualifying transaction.

For further information, please contact:

Michel Lassonde

Chief Executive Officer

Odessa Capital Ltd.

Telephone: (514) 795-6955

Email: milass2610@gmail.com

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/198644

SOURCE: Odessa Capital Ltd.
The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa competition commission opened an investigation into American Tower Corporation and Airtel Africa, for alleged anti-competitive conduct, after the two companies signed a partnership agreement in 2022.

In a statement, the commission detailed that the two companies have potentially violated Article 16 of its regulations, which prohibits agreements that may affect trade between member states or restrict competition.

COMESA received a complaint alleging the existence of anti-competitive agreements between ATC and Airtel Africa, in which Airtel will take a certain number of ATC sites annually and in return, ATC will give a cash rebate to Airtel.

The commission will analyse the conduct of this alleged deal and determine its effect on the market. The companies have until March 14th to submit their representations to the commission.

In 2022, ATC and Airtel Africa signed a multi-year agreement where the operator would leverage the towercos sites in Kenya, Niger, Nigeria and Uganda to support ist network rollout.
AZmed, a Paris, France-based MedTech startup providing AI-powered radiology software, raised 15M in funding.

The round saw participation from Maison Worms, Techstars, and Teampact Ventures.

The company intends to use the funds to supports its expansion in medical imaging with artificial intelligence by accelerating the workflows of radiologists, further enhance its leadership in Europe, and extend its operations on a global scale, including in the United States, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.

Led by CEO Julien Vidal, AZmed commercializes AI-powered radiology software, which facilitates trauma and chest X-ray diagnostics thanks to artificial intelligence. It helps doctors save time and dedicate resources to life-threatening exams.

AZmed solutions are already used in more than 1000 healthcare institutions. More than 9000 doctors use it daily in 40 countries and 5 continents.

Commenting on the news, Julien Vidal said: We are thrilled to have obtained this funding to advance AZmed to the forefront of the medical imaging industry. As the number of physicians has remained constant while the volume of medical images has increased, it is beyond dispute that each medical image must be correlated with a diagnosis of AI. Hence, AZmed is determined to pioneer the development of AI solutions in radiology to efficiently support the growing flow of images and improve the patient care pathway.

FinSMEs

20/02/2024
Bioptimus, a Paris, France-based biotechnology company providing an AI foundation model for the research, raised $35M in funding.

The round was led by Sofinnova Partners, and Bpifrance Large Venture, with participation from Frst, Cathay Innovation, Headline, Hummingbird, NJF Capital, Owkin and Top Harvest Capital, as well as tech entrepreneur Xavier Niel.

The company intends to use the funds to expand operations and its development efforts.

Led by CEO Jean-Philippe Vert, Bioptimus is building a universal AI foundation model in biology to drive advancements in scientific research and biotechnological innovation. The company will connect the different scales of biology with generative AI, from molecules to cells, tissues and whole organisms, to accelerate scientific breakthroughs and accelerate innovation in biomedicine and beyond.

Commenting on the news, Jean-Philippe Vert said: The application of foundation models and generative AI to biology is set to have a profound impact in science. By harnessing the power of foundation models and advanced algorithms trained on massive amounts of biological and multimodal data across scales, we aim to capture the laws of biology that have hitherto remained too complex to be properly understood. This holistic understanding of biology across scales will be critical to accelerate biomedical and environmental science.

FinSMEs

20/02/2024
Partech, a global technology investment firm, closed its second Africa fund, Partech Africa II, at 280M ($300M+).

Led by General Partners Tidjane Deme, and Cyril Collon, Partech Africa II will continue to invest across Africa with initial tickets ranging from $1M to $15M on Seed to Series C rounds, to support African in education, mobility, finance, healthcare, delivery, and energy companies and founders on their growth journey in both local and international markets.

Read more on VCWire.tech, our new website dedicated to the tech venture capital industry.

FinSMEs

20/02/2024
PriyoShop, a Dhaka, Bangladesh-based B2B retail marketplace for MSMEs, raised US$5M in Pre-Seed funding.

The round was led by Century Oak Ventures, with participation from Evolution Ventures, Iterative, SOSV (Orbit Startups), GFR Fund, BonBillo, Accelerating Asia, South Asia Tech Partners, and Voltity.

The company intends to use the funds to roll out its retail supply chain solutions designed to benefit businesses across various sectors.

Co-founded by Asikul Alam Khan (Chief Executive Officer) and Dipty Mandal (Chief Marketing Officer), PriyoShop offers exclusive partnerships with brands and suppliers, helping them digitalize logistics support, streamline operations, expand nationwide access throughout Bangladesh, and adopt full-stack digital infrastructure to manage their supply chains. Partner brands and suppliers can utilize its distribution services to handle a diverse range of products, including consumer goods, electronics, fashion items and more.

To date, the company has partnered with over 200 brands, including Pusti, Rupchanda, Teer, New Zealand Dairy, Pepsico, Coca-Cola and many more. It is also expanding into the food & beverage industry, streamlining supply chains for hotels, restaurants and cafes.

Through the companys partnership with digital financing platform LankaBangla Financing, PriyoShop is able to help MSMEs scale up their businesses through credit facilities and access to supply chain financing options.

FinSMEs

20/02/2024
Yuga Labs, a Miami, FL-based web3 lifestyle and media company, acquired Proof Holdings, Inc., a provider of a digital art platform and art collector community.

The amount of the deal was not disclosed.

The acquisition of Proofs assets, including its team, intellectual property, and artistic portfolio, aligns with Yugas vision to become the front door of web3. Yuga will start by bringing Moonbirds into Otherside, the place where content creators, communities, and brands will come together to participate in the social fabric of web3.

Co-founded in 2021 by tech entrepreneur and media producer Kevin Rose and digital artist Justin Mezzell, Proof is a digital art platform and art collector community which has built a community of artists and art collectors focused on the intersection of art, technology, and innovation. By curating art drops and exhibitions and producing research and informational content, it is dedicated to amplifying the stories behind art that help define its value beyond price. Its collection includes the Proof Collective, Moonbirds, Oddities, Mythics, and Grails exhibition series.

Led by CEO Daniel Alegre, Yuga Labs is a web3 lifestyle and media company offering creative brand IP/NFT projects, gaming, and community experiences. It owns the IP to the most significant projects in web3, including Bored Ape Yacht Club, MAYC, CryptoPunks, 10KTF, and Meebits.

FinSMEs

19/02/2024
Just when we thought Prince Harry is planning to return to royal duties, palace officials confirm No return to working royal status amid King Charless illness. Here is why palace is firm on Prince Harry.

Amid King Charles illness, Dukes return to royal duties is unlikely. According to reports published in the Mirror, Prince Harry will not be welcomed back as a full-time working royal has told close friends that it is very unlikely that Harry will be let back into the royal circle.

British royal family Vs Harry-Meghan

The rift between the British monarchy and Harry-Meghan continues. The Prince of Wales has reportedly mentioned that he will reject any attempts by Harry to rejoin the royal institution because he is extremely upset by his brothers continuous criticism of the monarchy.

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The MARCA report states that the Prince of Wales and former Duke of Cambridge, Prince William, will block any attempt by Prince Harry to return to life as a working member of the Royal Family after the Duke of Sussex quit his responsibilities and made a series of big, controversial claims about them and especially William. Prince William , who will become King of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth upon the eventual death of his father, King Charles III, has no sympathy and feels no need for his brother to help the family following the cancer diagnosis of the reigning monarch.

What the palace has to say?

A source close to the palace told the Telegraph after reports of the Duke willing to join royal duties surfaced causing a frenzy in the royal circle. It further states that the agreements reached during the Sandringham summit, which involved Prince Harry, his late grandmother, father, and brother, remain in effect. Harry will not return to royal working duties, unless directly asked by King Charles.

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Meghan and Kate reconciliation

Meghan on the other hand, is trying hard to reconcile with Kate Middleton. An unnamed source mentioned to OK! that Meghan has contacted Kate and Charles, and that moves are being made to reconcile. Interestingly enough, a source who spoke with Us Weekly used those same words, in an article that quoted yet another unnamed source as saying, Kate is open to reconciling, though with Harry more so than Meghan.
The film is based on the novel Aadujeevitham, one of the most popular best sellers ever from the Malayalam literary world, which has been translated in 12 different languages

After a decade long endeavour, the makers of the Prithivraj Sukumaran starrer, The Goat Life, decided to cut the wait short for its viewers and release the film sooner than expected. The movie, touted to be one of the greatest survival adventures, is now all set to hit the big screen on 28th March 2024! With its three enigmatic posters, released by various superstars of the Indian Film Industry, the audience is waiting for the release of this visual spectacle with bated breath.

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The film is based on the novel Aadujeevitham, one of the most popular best sellers ever from the Malayalam literary world, which has been translated in 12 different languages, including those that are foreign. Penned by noted writer Benyamin and it follows the true story of the life of a young man Najeeb, who in the early 90s migrates from the lush green shores of Kerala in search of the fortunes in a land abroad.

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Produced by Visual Romance, directed by National Award Winner Blessy, the film also features Hollywood actor Jimmy Jean-Louis, Amala Paul, Indian actor K.R.Gokul, and renowned Arab actors Talib al Balushi and RikAby in pivotal roles. The Goat Life boasts of music direction and sound design by Academy Award winners A.R. Rahman and Resul Pookkutty respectively.

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The stunning visuals of the film have been shot by Sunil KS and the film has been edited by Sreekar Prasad. Being shot in multiple countries around the world, the film is the biggest ever venture in the Malayalam film industry, showcasing remarkable production standards, aesthetic elements, storytelling, aspirations, and acting prowess. With its ace acting and soul-stirring background score, the film is a larger than life theatrical experience.
Alexei Navalnys widow, Yulia Navalnaya, has accused the Kremlin of poisoning her husband with the deadly nerve agent Novichok. Russia has allegedly been using chemicals as a tool to harm its political dissidents, enemies and defectors for at least a century

Alexei Navalnys widow, Yulia Navalnaya, has accused Russian president Vladimir Putin of killing her husband. In a video posted on social media on Monday (19 February), she alleged Navalny was poisoned by another of Putins Novichoks and Russian authorities were hiding his body to ensure the traces of the nerve agent disappeared.

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Her statements come after the Russian opposition leaders mother was not allowed access to a morgue where his body is believed to be kept after his death last week in an Arctic penal colony. According to Russian authorities, the cause of Navalnys death is still not known.

This is not the first time a Putin critic has met a tragic end. There have been several poisonings over the years targeting the Kremlin political critics and defectors.

Lets take a closer look.

Brief history of Russias poisoning plots

Russia has allegedly been using chemicals as a tool to harm its enemies for at least a century. According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) News, Vladimir Lenin ordered setting up of a secret service poisons factory, known as Laboratory No. 12, on the outskirts of Moscow in 1921.

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Under Lenins successor Joseph Stalin, the factory was renamed Kamera, the Russian word for Chamber.

By the 1940s, scientists began testing the deadly poisons on prisoners from the gulags. During the Cold War, the Soviet Union deployed poisons to eliminate enemies and dissenting figures, reported Foreign Policy. Experts believe this tactic may have continued to this day.

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Russias many, many poisonings

From Ricin to Novichok, different chemicals have allegedly been used by Russian security services to target prominent political dissidents.

Going back to the Cold War era, Nikolay Khokhlov, a Soviet assassin turned defector, was poisoned in 1957 by thallium, a severely toxic, almost tasteless poison. While he survived, the poison left him totally bald and so disfigured by scars and spots that those who had known me did not at first recognise me, Rolling Stone reported citing Khokhlovs memoir.

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In 1978, Georgi Markov, a Bulgarian dissident, died after being pricked by the poisoned tip of an umbrella on Waterloo Bridge in London. The tip injected a tiny pellet of Ricin into his bloodstream that killed him four days after the attack, which was believed to be backed by the KBG, as per Rolling Stone.

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Ukrainian pro-European leader Viktor Yushchenko, who was running against Russian-backed Viktor Yanukovych in Ukraines presidential election, was poisoned with Dioxin in 2004. He survived the assassination attempt but was left permanently disfigured, with severe facial scarring and blotches on his face and body.

Former Ukrainian president Viktor Yushchenko was left with facial scarring and blotches after his poisoning. Reuters File Photo

In 2004, Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya, a fierce Kremlin critic, accused the Russian intelligence agents of poisoning her tea when she was travelling on a plane to cover the Russian conflict with separatists in Chechnya, reported Rolling Stone. She survived the attack. However, Politkovskaya remained a target and was shot dead two years later in her apartment building in Moscow.

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Alexander Litvinenko, a former FSB (the successor to the KGB) member turned Putin opponent, died of polonium-210 poisoning in London at a hotel bar in 2006. Two Russian agents had laced his green tea with the highly radioactive element, a British inquiry found. It also said that Putin probably approved the ex-spys killing. On his deathbed, Litvinenko blamed Putin and the Kremlin for the attack.

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In 2018, Sergei Skripal, a former Russian double agent, and his daughter Yulia were poisoned with the Soviet-era nerve agent Novichok in Salisbury, United Kingdom. Both of them survived the assassination attempt.

The then British prime minister Theresa May condemned the attack, blaming Russia for the attack. Moscow denied any involvement, accusing Britain of the poisoning, as per DW.

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Attempts were made on Alexei Navalny s life in 2020 as well. The anti-corruption activist fell ill on a flight from Siberia to Moscow, leading to an emergency landing. He recovered at a German hospital.

Many independent laboratories found the presence of Novichok in his system, reported DW. Navalny had blamed Putin for the attack. His assailants later were deceived by the Russian Opposition leader into admitting to putting poison in his underwear in Tomsk, as per The Guardian.

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People attend a rally to commemorate Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, at Romes Piazza del Campidoglio city council square,19 February 2024. AP

Russian democracy campaigner Vladimir Kara-Murza is believed to have survived two suspected poisonings. He is currently imprisoned in Siberia after being convicted of treason last year.

In March 2022, Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich displayed symptoms of suspected poisoning during the peace talks on the Ukraine-Belarus border. Besides Abramovich, several others present in the meeting suffered symptoms such as red eyes, constant and painful tearing, and peeling skin on their faces and hands, according to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ).

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The Russian billionaire believed pro-war Kremlin hardliners were behind the attack.

Last year, jailed Georgias former president Mikheil Saakashvili claimed Russian agents, who infiltrated Georgias intelligence service, had tried to poison him in prison. Speaking to Politico in March 2023, he said he almost died from the attack and has been in poor health since then.

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Why are poisons used?

Experts say poisoning might be a preferred Russian tool due to several reasons.

Mark Galeotti, a senior associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, told Politico, One of poisons great virtues for the politically minded murderer is their capacity to combine easy deniability and vicious theatricality. Even while the murderer denies any role, perhaps with a sly wink, the victim dies a horrific and often lengthy death. A message in a poison bottle.

According to Boris Volodarsky, a former captain in Russias special forces, sometimes the poisoning is meant to create a distraction. This old KGB trick is officially known as distraction  diverting it from something more important, he was quoted as saying by ABC News.

After Navalnys poisoning in 2020, a NATO intelligence official told Insider, Despite a surprisingly poor track record thus far, Novichok is an effective, deadly poison that has the added benefit of everyone knowing Vladimir Putin wants you dead.

With inputs from agencies
The Supreme Court will be reviewing the ballot papers and the video of the counting process in the Chandigarh mayoral polls, in which the BJP was declared the winner. This comes after the apex court came down heavily on the conduct of the Returning Officer Anil Masih

Anil Masih, Returning Officer for Chandigarh mayoral election, at the Supreme Court for a hearing in the alleged tampering in the election, in New Delhi. PTI

The Chandigarh mayoral elections continue to create national headlines. After all, its a first that the Supreme Court has slammed a returning officer and even directed for his prosecution. The apex court has also called for the examination of the ballot papers of the Chandigarh mayoral poll and video recording of the counting process that is at the heart of a bitter politico-legal fight between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

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The bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra slammed Anil Masih, the Returning Officer for the Chandigarh Municipal polls, saying he must be prosecuted for defacing ballot papers.

Additionally, the court has suggested that rather than immediately ordering fresh polls, the results be declared on the votes already cast.

But what exactly has happened? What led to the court questioning the returning officer and coming down heavily on him? And what happens next?

The Chandigarh mayoral poll

On 30 January after the votes were cast, the BJPs mayoral candidate Manoj Sonkar was declared the winner with a margin of four votes over AAPs Kuldeep Kumar. This election was particularly significant as it saw the alliance of the Congress and the AAP. Many believed that this would set the stage for potential alliances in other states during the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

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However, during the vote, Returning Officer Anil Masih deemed eight votes to be invalid. This was questioned by the Opposition, who alleged that he had unfairly invalidated the votes. On social media, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal had expressed serious concern over the cheating" in broad daylight.

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The AAP then approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court and later the Supreme Court, with videos showing his alleged interference with ballot papers.

BJPs Manoj Sonkar being greeted by party councillors after he won the post of mayor in the Chandigarh municipal corporation polls, in Chandigarh. However, on Sunday, he stepped down from the post. PTI

SCs observations

On 5 February, the Supreme Court heard the plea and watched the video of Anil Masihs conduct during the vote counting process. At that hearing, the apex court came down heavily on Masih and noted that it was a mockery of democracy and the officers actions amounted to murder of democracy.

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CJI DY Chandrachud had then remarked, It is obvious that he has defaced the ballot papers, he needs to be prosecuted. Why is he looking at the camera? This is a mockery of democracy and murdering democracy. We are appalled. Is this behaviour of a returning officer? Wherever there is cross at bottom, he does not touch it and when it is at the top he alters it, please tell the returning officer that the Supreme Court is watching him.

The Supreme Court then directed that the entire records pertaining to the election of the mayor of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation be kept in the custody of the Registrar General of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

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The judges also asked the poll officer Masih to be present before the court on 19 February  when it would be hearing the matter again  to explain his conduct as it appears in the video.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Punjabs Bhagwant Maan at the party office. The AAP has criticised the conduct of the returning officer and called it cheating in broad daylight. File image/PTI

SC reprimands Anil Masih

On Monday, as per the SCs orders, Returning Officer Anil Masih, who conducted the Chandigarh mayoral polls, presented himself in court where he was posed some questions  a first in India, as per an NDTV report.

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At first, Chief Justice DY Chandrachud quizzed Masih over why he put the X mark on some ballot papers. The CJI asked: What were you doing looking at the camera putting out crosses on the ballot papers? Why were you putting marks?

The returning officer responded, All the ballot papers were defaced. I was just marking those. There were so many cameras that I was just looking at those.

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Unsatisfied by the officers response, the bench told Masih that the video proceedings showed him putting the X mark on the ballot papers. It was then that the officer admitted he had put the X mark on eight ballot papers to ensure that they didnt get mixed with the others.

The bench asked, You can sign the ballot papers, but why were you putting X on those ballot papers? It pointed out that under the relevant rules, the returning officer can only sign the ballot papers.

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It means, you marked it, the CJI said, adding that Masih has to be prosecuted and this cannot be allowed in an electoral democracy.

What comes next

Voicing its deep concern over the conduct and allegations, the Supreme Court will examine the ballot papers of the Chandigarh mayoral polls today. Additionally, instead of ordering fresh polls, it has also considered declaring the results on the basis of the votes already cast.

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The court has also directed Returning Officer Anil Masih to remain present today as well.

Earlier, the Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who is appearing for the Chandigarh administration, said that a fresh election be held. However, this suggestion was vehemently opposed by counsel for AAP councillor and defeated mayoral candidate Kuldeep Kumar.

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Interestingly, BJPs Manoj Sonkar resigned as Chandigarh mayor on Sunday night, a day before the Supreme Courts hearing. Chandigarh BJP chief Jatinder Malhotra had said, Mayor resigned on moral grounds. The AAP and the Congress were vitiating the atmosphere by levelling baseless allegations of votes tampering. Now, when fresh polls will be held, people will get to know who takes the majority.

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It will be interesting to see what happens next: Will the BJP secure the win or will the AAP triumph?

With inputs from agencies
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in Jammu to inaugurate the Chenab bridge, which is taller than the Eiffel Tower. The arch bridge runs between Bakkal and Kauri in the Reasi district, forming a crucial link from Katra to Banihal. It will make commuting and transport of goods easier, boost tourism, and bring economic development to the region

Chenab rail bridge, world's highest railway bridge, over the Chenab river in Reasi district, is part of Indian railways' Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL) project. PM Narendra Modi is in Jammu for its inauguration. File photo/PTI

Remember the stunning pictures of the roller-coaster-like bridge in Jammu that went viral a couple of years ago? It is now ready. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is visiting Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, is inaugurating the Chenab Bridge, the worlds highest single-arch railway bridge along with multiple projects.

The bridge is an engineering marvel and its completion is a milestone. Its construction over the Chenab River was one of the biggest challenges for a railway project in recent times. There were concerns about the safety and stability of the Chenab bridge, which is taller than the Eiffel Tower. But it has passed all mandatory tests. Now the worlds highest bridge is all set to make history more than two decades after it was approved in 2003.

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Heres all you to know about the Chenab bridge, which is more than just Indias latest civil engineering wonder.

Also read: Chenab bridge, AIIMS, expressways: The mega projects PM is inaugurating in Jammu

What are the key features of the Chenab bridge?

The Chenab bridge, which was contracted in 2008, runs between Bakkal and Kauri in Jammus Reasi district, linking Katra to Banihal. It is part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL), a project worth Rs 35,000 crore, which aims to boost connectivity in Jammu and Kashmir, where topography and weather pose challenges. The cost of the bridge is around Rs 14,000 crore.

The arch bridge is 1,178 feet above the riverbed, making it 35 metres taller than the Eiffel Tower. It has a lifespan of 120 years.

Tests have been conducted to check the stability and safety of the worlds highest bridge. It can withstand high-velocity winds with speeds up to 260 kmph, extreme temperatures, earthquakes, and hydrological impacts in case of an increase in water levels.

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The Chenab bridge stands at the height of 1,178 feet above the riverbed, making it 35 metres taller than the Eiffel Tower. Image courtesy: @DrJitendraSingh/X

The bridge has a 2,015 km long approach road. Engineers took three years to build the arch of the bridge with the help of two giant cable cranes which had been installed on both banks of the Chenab, the Kauri end and the Bakkal end, according to a report in The Indian Express.

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Surender Mahi, chief administrative officer of the USBRL project was quoted by The Economic Times (ET), as saying, It was a very big project for all of us. To reach here we had to construct 26 km of approach roads having bridges and tunnels.

The construction of the bridge, according to him, was achieved with the tech support of prestigious scientific and tech institutions in the country including IIT-Roorke, IIT-Delhi, Indian Institute of Sciences, Bengaluru, Defence and Research Organisation (DRDO), National Remote Sensing Agency, Geological Survey of India (GSI), among others.

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The Chenab bridge will improve connectivity to Jammu and Kashmir. File photo/PTI

Why the bridge is so significant to J&K

For the people of Jammu and Kashmir, the opening of the Chenab bridge is a big boon. It comes after a long wait of more than 20 years after the project got a go-ahead in 2003.

Connectivity in the region has been poor and the bridge is just one of the many upcoming projects that will make commuting and transport of goods easier. The railway line shall also prove useful for the armed forces deployed in this geographically important region and also help boost tourism, according to a video posted by the Indian Railways.

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Retired Major General SP Sinha told Foreign Policy that the bridge holds great strategic significance for the mobility of Indian troops and artillery from the rest of India to Kashmir and the Ladakh region. Road connectivity has always been an issue for the army to travel to Kashmir during winters. Once the railway starts, it will be more convenient for the Indian troops to commute to Kashmir and Ladakh, he said.

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According to Sinha, having all-weather connectivity to the northern region would prove detrimental to Pakistan-sponsored cross-border terrorism in Kashmir. Having 365 days of connectivity with the valley will be a big advantage for us to face any threat from the neighbouring country, he added. He also said that the railway will connect J&K to Ladakh and this will have tremendous significance to see defence forces moving up to China in the north.

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The railway bridge on the Chenab river before its trial in March 2023. It is expected to bring development to the surrounding areas in Jammu. File photo/PTI

The bridge will also usher development to surrounding areas in Jammu, which did not have a basic road network. With the long approach road, 73 villages of the region which were earlier only accessible by foot or boat will now become accessible, reports ET.

Once the USBRL, of which the bridge is a part, is complete the Vande Bharat Metro train will run between Jammu and Srinagar. The project is part of the ambitious Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat plan, which aims to connect Kashmir to the other states in the country.

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Linking the Union Territory to the rest of the country will provide a fillip to the regions industrial and agricultural sectors. It will facilitate the transport of local products, especially apples, handicrafts and art made up of wool and wood, across the country.

The all-weather connectivity and round-the-clock transportation to J&K can be a game-changer. Earlier, the only land route connecting it to the rest of India was a winding 300-kilometre Srinagar-Jammu national highway, which closes during the harsh winters and is notorious for accidents.

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We are getting a lot of problems going across the road, Anil Kumar Mehendru, vice president of the New Kashmir Fruit Association, told CNN. Once we will be connected by train with the rest of India, it will be a big boost to this industry, agriculture as well as fruit.

Chenab Bridge: An engineering marvel garnering praise internationally pic.twitter.com/a7z6iNpDCa  Western Railway (@WesternRly) January 16, 2024

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Rajinder Kumar, an assistant professor of psychology at the Government General Zorawar Singh Memorial Degree College, Reasi, told Foreign Policy that the bridge will contribute to the regions economic development and help provide better transportation accessibility. The railway project has given employment opportunities to many youth in the district while many people have opened shops near the site to earn their livelihood. But he was concerned about the ecological impact.

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The Chenab bridge is expected to have a significant impact on the tourism industry, making it easier for travellers to visit the Valley.

Sunil Kumar, a local who works with Afcons Infrastructure, in charge of the project, said that since the completion of the bridge, the area has turned into a tourist spot. People from across the country are visiting the place to see the highest railway bridge in the world. It has given a real boost to the tourism sector of Reasi, he told Foreign Policy.

The bridge is expected to help in the economic development of J&K. Image courtesy: @AshwiniVaishnaw/X

What the bridge means for PM Modi

The project also has political implications. The Chenab bridge is seen as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modis efforts to bring economic development to J&K. After the abrogation of Article 370, the government promised to integrate the region with the rest of the country. The move, it said, would bring growth and promote stability. The project is one big step in that direction.

On his visit to Jammu to inaugurate the bridge, Modi said, Article 370 was the biggest hurdle in the development of Jammu and Kashmir. The BJP government has removed it. Now Jammu and Kashmir is moving towards overall development Because of the abrogation of Article 370, I have asked people to help BJP win 370 seats and NDA win 400 seats in elections.

#WATCH | Jammu: Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, "Article 370 was the biggest hurdle in the development of Jammu and Kashmir. The BJP government has removed it. Now Jammu and Kashmir is moving towards overall development...Because of the abrogation of Article 370, I have asked pic.twitter.com/Fg4LX6ye3H  ANI (@ANI) February 20, 2024

Last year, Union railways minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said, The iconic Chenab Bridge is an example of such new chapters and dimensions of development materialised by the inspiring leadership of the Honorable Prime Minister.

The bridge and the greater connectivity its meant to create will be projected by New Delhi as another big victory for the regions development, CNN quotes Michael Kugelman, director of the South Asia Institute at the Wilson Centre as saying.

With inputs from agencies
Nokia unveiled what it claimed to be the telecoms industrys first Multi-Access Edge Slicing service which it will showcase with UAE operator e& at MWC this month, and how operators can generate new revenues with it.

The Finnish vendor said its new service will enable operators to slice across 4G/5G, Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) and Fixed Access (FA), and it can support several use cases and applications simultaneously.

As an example, UAE operator e& can enable a 4G/5G smartphone user to send sensitive business information and make a video call, both using different slices of the network at the same time.

A family using FWA can use one slice to access services such as HDTV streaming, cloud gaming, meanwhile another slice can be used for work through a laptop. Both slices can be altered to specific requirements such as latency (for online gaming) and bit-rate, QoS and security.

Operators using this service can offer on-demand network slicing, an example was a subscriber could order and activate a slice for a gaming app running at the edge cloud with enhanced network performance and low latency.

Olivier Loridan, Senior Analyst at Omdia, said: Nokia's Multi-Access Edge Slicing is promising due to its seamless integration of MEC and Network Slicing. While the connectivity needs of enterprises and consumers are evolving rapidly, this tailored solution has the potential to address this new demand.
A Russian pilot, who defected to Ukraine in his helicopter last year, has been discovered dead in an underground garage in Spain. His body is reportedly riddled with bullets, raising questions as to who is responsible for the murder

A spokesperson for Ukraine's GUR military intelligence confirmed to Reuters that Kuzminov had died in Spain, but did not specify the cause of death. Image Courtesy: @restitutorII/X

A Russian pilot who defected to Ukraine last year was reportedly discovered dead in an underground car park in Spain. Maxim Kuzminovs body was discovered in Villajoyosa, a town near Alicante on the Mediterranean coast. According to reports, he was fatally shot by unknown gunmen who fired 12 shots.

Kuzminovs extraordinary backstory includes crossing the frontline last August while flying between two Russian airbases.

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Heres everything you need to know.

The case of Russian pilot who defected to Ukraine

Last August, while flying between two Russian air bases, Kuzminov landed his twin-engine Mi-8 AMTSh helicopter in Kharkiv, Ukraine as part of a secret operation.

Tragically, his two copilots died during this daring defection. According to Russian media, Kuzminov shot and killed two crew members on board the helicopter who were dissatisfied with the landing in Ukraine. At the time, Kuzminov was also shot in the leg during the flight, as per Sky News.

According to a report in The Telegraph, he had been promised 400,000 (Rs 4.17 crore) as a reward for defecting, which was intended to encourage more humiliating defections. Image Courtesy: @restitutorII/X

Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukraines GUR intelligence agency, revealed that officers persuaded Kuzminov to defect after a complex six-month operation.

According to a report in The Telegraph, he had been promised 400,000 (Rs 4.17 crore) as a reward for defecting, which was intended to encourage more humiliating defections.

He had been living in Spain with a Ukrainian passport under a different name, according to a report in Spains state news agency EFE.

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Murdered in Spain

A spokesperson for Ukraines GUR military intelligence confirmed to Reuters that Kuzminov had died in Spain, but did not specify the cause of death. Ukraines Ukrainska Pravda newspaper also reported that he had been found shot dead.

Spanish police have confirmed that a body was found of a gunshot victim in the town, but have not disclosed the victims identity. A source at Spains Guardia Civil police force told Reuters that the victim could have been living under a fake identity.

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Spains La Informacion newspaper, which first reported the shooting, said investigators were searching for two suspects who had fled in a vehicle that was later found burnt out in a nearby town.

Kuzminovs defection to Ukraine was presented last year as a major coup for Kyiv. The GUR said at the time that it had lured him into defecting.

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Other Russian dissident to be killed in Europe

His death comes just days after Vladimir Putins main opponent, Alexei Navalny, died in an Arctic penal colony.

Kuzminov isnt the first Russian dissident to be killed in Europe.

In 2006, Alexander Litvinenko was killed after being served a radioactive cup of tea in London. A public investigation later concluded that Putin probably personally directed Moscows federal security service, the FSB, to arrange the murder, as per Sky News.

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In 2018, two officers from the GRU reportedly tried to kill the Russian double-agent Sergei Skripal in Salisbury.

With inputs from Reuters
PM Modi will launch Kashmirs first electric train in J&K. Home Minister Amit Shah will attend an election management meeting in Rajasthan. Then there is a special Maharashtra legislature session on the Maratha reservation. On the international front, the UNSC will likely vote on a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza

Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the 4th groundbreaking ceremony of UP Global Investors' Summit, in Lucknow, Monday, 19 February 2024. PTI

This Tuesday, a massive news flow is expected today.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in Jammu and Kashmir to address a rally and launch Kashmirs first electric train. Home Minister Amit Shah will be attending an election management committee meeting in Rajasthan.

The special session of the Maharashtra legislature on Maratha reservation will also commence today.

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On the international front, the UN Security Council is expected to vote on an Arab-backed resolution demanding an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza and the United Kingdom High Court will hear Julian Assanges final appeal against his extradition to the US.

Heres a quick roundup of the important stories expected to take place during the day.

PM Modi in J&K

The Indian leader is set to address a public rally at Maulana Azad Stadium in Jammu and Kashmir today, 20 February.

He will also inaugurate and lay foundation stones of projects worth over Rs 30,500 crore in the state during his visit. This will also include the inauguration of three IIMs, with one in Jammu.

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PM Modi will also lay the foundation stone of the new terminal building of Jammu Airport and the Common User Facility Petroleum Depot in Jammu, among others.

Special session on Maratha reservation

A special session of the Maharashtra legislature on the Maratha community reservation is slated to be held today.

Maratha reservation campaigner Manoj Jarange-Patel, who is undertaking a fast-unto-death, said on Monday, his 10th day of hunger strike, that the community wants actual reservation and not mere assurances.

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Theres a big challenge before the Maha Yuti government comprising the BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP is to ensure that there is no dispute between the Maratha community and the Other Backward Classes (OBCs).

Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde said the state government supports the demand for Maratha reservation. PTI File Photo

Amit Shah in Rajasthan

Union Minister Amit Shah will visit Bikaner to attend the BJPs election management committee meetings today. He is set to visit three Lok Sabha seats of Bikaner cluster.

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Bikaner cluster in-charge and former state president Satish Poonia said that BJP is determined to accomplish Mission 25 in the desert state with the slogan of Phir Ek Baar Modi Sarkar.

Punjab governor to visit border districts

Punjab governor Banwarilal Purohit will be visiting the five districts along the International Border in Punjab starting today. The visit comes due to concern over drugs and weapons being pushed from Pakistan across the border into Indian territory using drones and other means.

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Notably, this will be the Governors sixth visit to the border areas in the past two-and-a-half years.

He will be visiting Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Taran Taran, Ferozepur, and Fazilka districts. He will hold meeting with central agencies and state government officials to review the progress made since his previous visit, and to address any new issues.

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Akhilesh Yadav likely to join Rahul Gandhis yatra

Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav will likely join the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Amethi and Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and others upon their arrival in Imphal ahead of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. File image/PTI

Earlier on Monday, he had said that he will join the yatra only after the finalisation of seat-sharing between the SP and the Congress for the UP seats for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

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The Amethi and Raebareli parliamentary constituencies are among the Congress few remaining strongholds in the state.

Banihal-Sangaldan section of Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link to open

The Indian Railways today will inaugurate the train services on the 49.1 kilometre-long Banihal-Khari-Sumber-Sangaldan section.

It is a significant part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link Project and will be operational starting today.

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Earlier, sharing a glimpse of the MEMU train trial on the Khari-Sangaldan section, the Ministry of Railways wrote on its official X handle, Step towards eco-friendly rail connectivity in J&K!
India in 2023 deployed AI systems to keep an eye on its borders with Pakistan and China. The Indian Army has procured a slew of hi-tech weapons and its developing military grade AI along with the MeiTy. Experts say that while India has made some good strides, it still has a long way to go to catch up to China, Japan, Europe and America

India last year used AI to keep an eye on its borders with Pakistan and China. Image used for representational purposes/Pixabay

The Indian Army is ramping up its use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the military.

India last year used AI to keep an eye on its borders with Pakistan and China.

Now, the Indian Army and Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) are jointly developing military-grade software that includes Artificial Intelligence-enabled decision-making tools and predictive analytics as well as military grade 5G and 6G.

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But how is India incorporating AI into the military?

Lets take a closer look:

According to the South Asian Voices website, India used 140 AI-based surveillance systems such as high-resolution cameras, sensors, unmanned aerial vehicle feeds, and radar feeds across the Pakistan border in October 2023.

Swarm drones that can take out delivery systems that deliver nuclear bomb were a crucial technological advance over the past year.

Indias Artificial Intelligence Military Council, established in 2022, is critical to its AI strategy.

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The council has a $12 million annual budget for the Defense AI Project Agency (DAIPA).

DAIPA, which delivered 30 maritime AI programmes in 2022, is likely to develop another 25 AI military products by 2024.

DW quoted think-tank Delhi Policy Group as saying the Indian military is likely earmarking around US$50 million per year to spend on AI.

From border control to comprehensive surveillance and drones equipped with AI-based aircraft technology that excel in performing day and night reconnaissance missions, India realises, like other militaries around the world, the importance of integrating AI into war-fighting systems, defence analyst Lt General Shankar Prasad told the outlet.

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The outlet reported that India is utilising AI-based real-time monitoring software to gather intel in counter-terrorist ops.

The Indian Army is also training its new recruits on hi-tech military simulators.

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They said several initiatives have been taken with an aim to upskill army personnel with the latest advancements in digital and cyber security spheres.

Some of the specific training activities include training on digital video/image and CCTV forensics at National Science University (Gandhinagar) and joint training of IT staff at National Informatics Centre (NIC).

Defence officials told the outlet that AI could revolutionise the Indian Army and the way it operates.

AI can be a game-changer in logistics, information operations, intelligence collection and analysis, a senior defence ministry official told DW.

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Though Indias adoption of military AI technology is relatively recent, we have made substantial progress in launching AI-enabled military devices. Using AI-powered drones and robots to patrol borders provides increased coverage and reduces the need for human intervention in dangerous situations, the official added.

Indian Army Chief Manoj Pande in an interview with Business Today laid out the approach.

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We have established the philosophy for both AI and machine learning within the army. Specifically in the realm of AI, we are focusing on surveillance and image interpretation, Pande said.

Developing military-grade 5G and 6G

Not only is the army is developing military-grade 5G and 6G telecom applications as part of an ambitious project to address future warfare requirements, it is also rolling out critical technologies to enhance overall efficiency, a source told PTI.

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The army is also actively developing military-grade software that includes Artificial Intelligence-enabled decision-making tools and predictive analytics, with an aim to enhance intelligence and operational efficacy.

The software and technologies are being developed in cooperation with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).

The Indian Army has established 5G labs and the Military College of Telecommunication Engineering in Madhya Pradesh is poised to be a 6G test bed, said a source.

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The development of military-grade 5G and 6G applications is being undertaken which meets the future warfare requirements, it said.

The Military College of Telecommunication Engineering has evolved into a hub for AI research and development, the sources said.

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Innovations like the situational awareness module for army (SAMA) and advanced pattern recognition software for satellite imagery analysis are notable outcomes that came out of the institute, they added.

Defence officials said AI could revolutionise the Indian Army and the way it operates. PTI

The sources said the software to read Enemys Electronic Order of Battle (ORBAT) and pattern recognitions, developed by the Army, are functional now.

Acknowledging the critical importance of cybersecurity, the Indian Armys expertise is being integrated with security operations Centre 2.0 that marks a significant step in managing cyber threats, they said.

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This move is bolstered by the development of cutting-edge cybersecurity and cyber forensics tools, they said.

The sources said initiatives like the Pradhan Mantri Gati Shakti Yojana have incorporated Armys logistic infrastructure requirements.

This will ensure that mobilisation in future wars is fast-paced and logistics supply is made more efficient by use of national infrastructure, said a source.

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The Indian Army has been repeatedly commended for being one of the largest users of the government e-Marketplace portal and it exemplifies efficiency and transparency in procurement processes, the sources said.

They said the armys healthcare system has witnessed a digital revolution with Dhanwantri software which facilitated linking over 110 military hospitals for enhanced medical services.

Medical services are being provided to remote posts using telemedicine services.

Himan Resource Management Suite (HRMS) is functioning effectively to manage documentation of a large workforce. ASAAN software made for issues relating to Agniveers has been put in place, the source said.

India for the first time at the Army Day Parade held at Delhi Cantonment in January demonstrated its drone systems it has procured.

The Indian Army bought five drones in August 2019, 20 in October and 35 in December.

These drones carry out automated, randomised sonic missions to the target area through use of artificial intelligence and onboard adaptive computers driven by continuous satellite feeds. They have a mother drone and child drones attached to it.

Representational image. Reuters

The Indian Army carried out a live demonstration of Drone Swarming capability using 75 indigenously designed and developed drones which executed an array of Artificial Intelligence (AI) enabled simulated offensive missions and close support tasks.

This demonstration is a recognition of the Indian Armys steady embrace of emerging and disruptive technologies to transform itself from a manpower-intensive to a technology-enabled force to meet future security challenges.

These drones can fly deep into enemy territory.

The Indian Army is investing heavily into Artificial Intelligence (AI), Autonomous Weapon Systems, Quantum Technologies, Robotics, Cloud Computing and Algorithm Warfare in order to achieve a convergence between the Armys warfighting philosophies and military attributes of these technologies.

The Indian Army has undertaken a wide array of technology initiatives in coordination with Dreamers, Startups, MSMEs, Private Sector, Academia, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs).

One such project is the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Offensive Drone Operations which has been incubated with an Indian Start Up. This project symbolises the beginning of the Indian Armys tryst with autonomy in weapon platforms and showcases the Armys commitment towards merging the cutting edge of digital technologies with its human resource.

These offensive drones are part of the capability development road map.

These combat drones shown during the demonstration carry out a series of autonomous tactical missions.

Technology is in fact steadily emerging as critical core combat capability. Indian army in consequence is embracing enabling destructive technologies with unprecedented gusto, said a senior Indian Army officer adding that the force is also focusing on self-reliance in technology.

These drones are with kinetic and non-kinetic capacity in execution of its mission. It is driven by deep technological collaboration and power of distributed intelligence in addition to without any human intervention.

Offensive defence operation signifies the beginning of Indian Army journey toward autonomy in weapon platforms as also the transition to digital proficiency combat.

It also signifies deep commitment towards forging the wealth of human resources with cutting edge technological prowess, the officer explained.

India in 2023 also procured a number of hi-tech weapons like robot mules to give it an edge in combat.

#WATCH | Multi-utility legged equipment (MULE) developed for the Indian Army showcased at the North Tech Symposium 2023 in Jammu pic.twitter.com/hxPn860H2a  ANI (@ANI) September 13, 2023

Pande told Business Today the army is incorporating robotics for combat and combat vehicles as well as Robotic Process Automation (RPA).

the army has introduced remotely piloted aircraft systems, which serve for surveillance and range from nano to macro drones, covering distances of up to 120 kilometers. Additionally, logistics drones are being employed to deliver essential materials in war zones and other complex areas, Pande said.

The Indian Army has also taken note of a number of cases over the past few years where its soldiers were honey-trapped by the ISI and has developed a counter against it.

Army Chief General Manoj Pande said India in terms of AI is focusing on surveillance and image interpretation. ANI

According to Eurasian Times, the Indian Army has also developed a chatbot to test its soldiers

The chatbot, which was designed by the Territorial Army, will operate via WhatsApp.

The outlet quoted an Indian Army as saying: This AI bot converses with soldiers over WhatsApp (can also be moved to other channels of communication). It mimics various scenarios, and based on the response received from the soldiers, it continues the simulation.

The AI bot learns from itself, and new scenarios can be easily added for effective training, the official added.

What do experts say?

That while India has made some good strides, it still has a long way to go.

As Professor Nishakant Ojha, advisor, cyber aerospace security and counter terrorism-West Asia -Middle East, told Financial Express everything that had been accomplished till now is either really fundamental or extremely fundamental in terms of how AI may be used.

The Indian Army intends to deploy artificial intelligence (AI) and improve its skills in the areas of information collecting and surveillance in order to better help commanders in making decisions, Ojha said.

Ojha pointed out that though India has been using semi-autonomous systems for quite some time.

Ojha added that the the establishments investments in completely autonomous systems doesnt even come close to matching America, Japan, Europe, or China.

The DPG echoed this sentiment in the DW piece.

.This is a good initial step, but clearly inadequate compared to our primary strategic challenger, China, which is spending more than 30 times this amount. If we are not to fall behind the technology cycle, greater investments will have to be made, primarily to promote the indigenous industry players, the DPG said.

Others, pointing to the surprise Hamas attack on Israel, pointed out the limits of AI.

This is a hard lesson that must be learnt by us. Israeli surveillance and intelligence is amongst the most sophisticated. Yet they failed to detect the sneak attack and were not given any early warning signals, Prasad said.

Lt General P R Kumar, a former Director General of Military Operations, backed up Prasad.

When it comes to counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism measures, there are no black and white situations, he told DW. Electronic eavesdropping on communications or AI data cannot provide the cutting edge, especially when human activity is hard to interpret.

One can have innovative military capabilities but humans need to interpret and read this data to be useful, he added.

Still others sounded a warning about the use of AI  particularly during crises.

The piece in South Asian Voices pointed out that the quick processing of data can also speed up decision making in such situations.

Though this is likely to make military operations quicker and more efficient, it also brings additional risks.

this speed also raises the likelihood of hasty decisions based on limited information, potentially leading to misinterpretations and increased tensions. Pakistan, in close geographical proximity to India and compact in size, perceives this as a significant threat. In situations where leaders feel compelled to act swiftly, the nuclear threshold may be reduced as a consequence of AI, the piece argued.

It also contended that Autonomous Weapons Systems (AWS) exacerbate the risks of unintended nuclear escalation.

Frequent skirmishes along the Line of Control (LoC) between India and Pakistan make AWS deployment there particularly concerning. AWS misinterpreting military activities could quickly escalate to a nuclear crisis, the piece argued.

It also pointed out that AWS are susceptible to being hacked and thus called for all parties to take a cautious approach to keep things stable in the region.

Regardless, seeing how the Indian Army continues to integrate AI will make for fascinating viewing.

With inputs from agencies

Tune into Firstpost Defence summit on 24 February at 3 pm. You can register at www.firstpostdefencesummit.com
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange begins what could be his last chance to stop his extradition from Britain to the US on Tuesday after years of battling the authorities in the English courts. US prosecutors are seeking to put him on trial on 18 charges, including the one in the Espionage Act

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is all set to launch what could be his last chance to stop his extradition from the United Kingdom to the United States on Tuesday after more than 13 years of battling the authorities in the English courts.

The development comes as US prosecutors seek to put the 52-year-old on trial on 18 counts, including one under the Espionage Act.

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Heres all we know about him and the matter:

About Julian Assange

Assange was born in Townsville, Australia, in July 1971, to parents who were involved in theatre and travelled frequently.

He rose to prominence as a skilled computer programmer in his teens. He was arrested and entered a guilty plea to hacking in 1995. He was fined but spared jail time provided he didnt commit another crime. He enrolled at Melbourne University in his late 20s to study physics and mathematics.

Launching Wikileaks

When Assange founded WikiLeaks in 2006, he established an online dead letter drop for potential leakers.

The website gained notoriety in April 2010 after it released a classified video of an American helicopter attack in 2007 that claimed the lives of a dozen people residing in Baghdad, the capital of Iraq, including two Reuters news team members.

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It released about 90,000 classified US military documents related to the war in Afghanistan and roughly 400,000 classified US files related to the war in Iraq. In the history of the US military, the two leaks constituted the biggest security lapses of their sort.

It was followed by the release of 250,000 classified diplomatic cables from US embassies abroad, some of which were picked up by publications including The New York Times and the UKs The Guardian.

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Politicians and military leaders in the US were angry and embarrassed by the leaks, claiming that the illegal distribution endangered lives.

Before being released on President Barack Obamas orders, former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning spent seven years in a military prison for disclosing hundreds of thousands of messages and cables to WikiLeaks.

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The start of legal battle

Assanges detention was ordered by a Swedish court on 18 November 2010, following an investigation into allegations of sexual offenses made by two female Swedish volunteers at WikiLeaks. A European Arrest Warrant (EAW) issued by Sweden led to Assanges arrest by British authorities on 7 December 2010.

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The 52-year-old Assange is being tried on 18 counts by US authorities in connection with the well-publicized disclosure by WikiLeaks of enormous amounts of classified diplomatic and military cables Image Courtesy Reuters

From the very beginning, Assange refuted the charges and stated that he thought the Swedish investigation was a ruse to extradite him to the US to face charges related to WikiLeaks publications.

In February 2011, an order was made for his extradition to Sweden for questioning; however, his appeals were not successful. Shortly after the UK Supreme Court dismissed his last appeal, he went to the Ecuadorean Embassy in London in June 2012 to apply for asylum.

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Seeking asylum in Ecuador

On 16 August 2012, Ecuador gave Assange asylum, but British police put up a round-the-clock guard to keep him from leaving and threatened to have him imprisoned if he did.

Assange was forced to live in cramped quarters in the embassy due to the impasse. In 2017, Swedish prosecutors concluded their investigation; nevertheless, British police threatened to arrest him if he left the embassy due to his previous failure to appear for bail.

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During his time in the embassy, he had two children with his partner, Stella Moris.

The US case begins

Assange was taken out of the embassy and placed under arrest on 11 April 2019, following Ecuadors revocation of his political asylum. He violated his bail terms and was sentenced to 50 weeks in prison the following month. The US Justice Department officially asked in June 2019 that Britain extradite him to the US so he may face 18 charges of conspiring to hack US government computers and breach espionage laws.

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Even after serving his entire term in September 2019, Assange stayed behind bars at Belmarsh Maximum Security Prison while extradition proceedings were taking place.

A British judge decided on 4 January 2021, that Assange should not be extradited to the United States due to his mental health issues, which put him at risk of suicide.

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The US authorities, however, won an appeal against that ruling in December 2021 at the High Court of London after providing a slew of guarantees regarding the terms of Assanges detention in the case of a conviction, including a guarantee that he might be moved to Australia to carry out his sentence.

Assange tied the knot with Stella, his longtime companion, in Belmarsh on 23 March 2022.

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Hopes for final battle

The extradition was granted by British Home Secretary (interior minister) Priti Patel in June 2022. However, last year, a London High Court judge denied his request for an appeal.

In front of two high-ranking judges, Assanges legal team will launch a final bid to have the extradition ruling overturned in English courts on Tuesday during a two-day hearing.

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His case will proceed to a full appeal if he wins. If he fails, the sole option left to prevent his extradition is to file an application with the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), which might halt his extradition.

Should Assange be extradited, his supporters say he could be held in a US high-security jail and if convicted could face a 175-year prison sentence. U.S. prosecutors have said it would be no more than 63 months.

With inputs from Reuters
What is inside the Vatican repository? The longtime prefect of the Vatican Apostolic Archive, Archbishop Sergio Pagano, is spilling the beans for the first time

Prefect of the Archivio Apostolico Vaticano, Bishop Sergio Pagano, speaks in his office at the Vatican, during an interview with The Associated Press. AP

For years, people have wondered what is inside the Vaticans archives. Now, Archbishop Sergio Pagano, who has been in charge for a long time, is finally telling us some of the secrets.

In a new book called Secretum, he spills the beans about whats been going on at the repository for the past 45 years. From World War II secrets to famous moments in Church history, hes sharing it all.

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Heres a sneak peek into the really old and mysterious library.

The secret

The Vatican has been trying for years to debunk the idea that its vaunted secret archives are all that secret: It has opened up the files of controversial World War II-era Pope Pius XII to scholars and changed the official name to remove the word secret from its title.

But a certain aura of myth and mystery has persisted  until now.

The longtime prefect of what is now named the Vatican Apostolic Archive, Archbishop Sergio Pagano, is spilling the beans for the first time, revealing some of the secrets he has uncovered in the 45 years he has worked in one of the worlds most important, and unusual, repositories of documents.

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In a new book-length interview titled Secretum to be published Tuesday, Pagano divulges some of the unknown, lesser-known and behind-the-scenes details of well-known sagas of the Holy See and its relations with the outside world over the past 12 centuries.

In conversations over the year with Italian journalist Massimo Franco, Pagano delves into everything from Napoleons sacking of the archive in 1810 to the Galileo affair and the peculiar conclave  the assembly of cardinals to elect a pope  of 1922 that was financed by last-minute donations from US Catholics.

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Its the first time and it will also be the last because Im about to leave, Pagano, 75, said in an interview with The Associated Press in his archive office, ahead of his expected retirement later this year.

When the archive was opened to scholars

Pope Leo XIII first opened the archive to scholars in 1881, after it had been used exclusively to serve the pope and preserve documentation of the papacies, ecumenical councils and Vatican offices dating from the 8th Century.

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With 85 kilometres of shelving, much of it underground in a two-storey, fireproof, reinforced concrete bunker, the archive also houses documentation from Vatican embassies around the globe as well as specific collections from aristocratic families and religious orders.

While often the source of Dan Brown-esque conspiracies, it functions much as any national or private archive: Researchers request permission to visit and then request specific documents to review in dedicated reading rooms.

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Pagano keeps a close eye on them from a giant television screen perched on the side of his desk, which provides a live, closed-circuit feed to the reading rooms downstairs.

In a new book called Secretum, Archbishop Sergio Pagano spills the beans about whats been going on in the Vatican archives for the past 45 years. AP

The story of the controversial wartime pope

Most recently, scholars have been flocking to the archive to read through the documents of the pontificate of Pope Pius XII, the wartime pope who has been criticised for not having spoken out enough about the Holocaust.

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Pope Francis ordered the documents of his pontificate opened ahead of schedule, in 2020, so scholars could finally have the full picture of the papacy.

The Vatican has long defended Pius, saying he used quiet diplomacy to save lives and didnt speak out publicly about Nazi crimes because he feared retaliation, including against the Vatican itself.

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Pagano is no apologist for Pius and stands out among Vatican hierarchs for his willingness to call out Pius silence. Specifically, Pagano says he cannot square Pius continued reluctance to publicly condemn Nazi atrocities even after the war ended.

During the war, we know that the pope made a choice: He could not and would not speak. He was convinced that an even worse massacre would have happened, Pagano said. After the war, I would have expected a word more, for all these people who went to the gas chambers.

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Pagano attributes Pius continued, post-war silence to his concerns about the creation of a Jewish state. The Vatican had a long tradition of supporting the Palestinian people and was concerned about the fate of Christian religious sites in the Holy Land if the territories were turned over to the newly created state of Israel.

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Any word from Pius about the Holocaust even after the war could have been read in political terms as a support for the foundation of a new state, Pagano said.

In the book, Pagano doesnt hold back about his disdain for the incomplete research behind Pius sainthood cause, which is now apparently on hold as scholars dissect the newly available documentation.

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The two Jesuit researchers who compiled Pius sainthood dossier, the late Reverend Peter Gumpel and Paolo Molinari, relied only on the partial, 11-volume compilation of the papacys documents that was published in 1965, Pagano revealed.

Prefect of the Archivio Apostolico Vaticano, Bishop Sergio Pagano reflects on the glass protection of the original 1530 letter kept in his office at the Vatican and signed and sealed by the overwhelming majority of the House of Lords that attempted to pressure Pope Clement VII into granting the divorce to King Henry VIII of England from his wife Catherine of Aragon that was famously denied. AP

Neither Father Gumpel nor Father Molinari ever set foot in the Apostolic Archive, he says in the book. He said he believed Pius sainthood cause should have waited until the full archive of the pontificate was catalogued and available, and scholars had time to draw conclusions.

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Written documents must weigh heavily on the life of a servant of God, you cant ignore the archives, Pagano told Franco, the journalist. But the postulation by the Jesuits wanted to bypass it.

The money matters

Aside from the well-known stories of Vatican intrigue, the book also reveals some novelties, including the origins of the important financial relationship between the US church and the Vatican that continues today and dates back to the 1922 conclave.

Pagano said that after Pope Benedict XV died, the camerlengo  the cardinal in charge of the papal treasury and accounts  went to his safe and discovered it was literally empty. There wasnt a paper, bank note or coin. It turns out Benedict wasnt terribly responsible fiscally and left the Holy See somewhat in the red when he died on 22 January of that year.

Papal coffers were always used to fund the conclave to elect a new pope, meaning the Holy See was in a cash crunch at a time when Europe was still reeling financially from World War I.

The book, for the first time, reproduces the encrypted telegrams in which the Vatican secretary of state asked his ambassador in Washington to urgently wire what you have in the safe so that the vote could take place.

According to the telegrams, the Vatican embassy sent what US churches had collected from the American faithful, down to the cents: $210,400.09 (Rs 1.74 crore), allowing the vote that eventually elected Pope Pius XI.

Pagano suggests that Francis 2019 decision to remove the word Secret from the archives name and rename it the Vatican Apostolic Archive was perhaps another financial nod to the wealthy US church  a rebranding to remove any negative connotations and thus encourage potential donations, primarily via Treasures of History, a new US-based foundation that supports the archive.

Some prized possessions

At the end of the interview, Pagano proudly showed visitors one of the archives prized possessions, which he keeps in an otherwise nondescript wooden armoire near the entrance of his office. There, behind plate glass and illuminated with special lights, is the original 1530 letter from British nobles urging Pope Clement VII to grant King Henry VIII an annulment so he could marry Anne Boleyn.

As is well known, the pope refused and the king went ahead and got married, breaking with Rome.

You can say that here we are at the birth of the Anglican Church, Pagano says as he holds up a light-tipped pointer to show off the red wax seals of some of the signatories.

Pagano delights in revealing how the document survived: When Napoleon Bonaparte famously seized the Vatican archives in 1810 and carted them off to Paris, Paganos predecessor as chief archivist rolled up the 1530 letter and hid it inside a secret drawer in a chair in the archive antechamber.

The French never found it, Pagano says proudly, keenly aware that an archivists main job is to preserve the archive.

With inputs from AP
Alexei Navalny was a giant figure in Russian politics. What made Navalny so important was his decision to become an anti-corruption crusader in 2008

What made Alexei Navalny so important was his decision to become an anti-corruption crusader in 2008. File image/AP

Alexei Navalny was a giant figure in Russian politics. No other individual rivalled the threat he posed to the Putin regime. His death in an Arctic labour camp is a blow to all those who dreamed he might emerge as the leader of a future democratic Russia.

What made Navalny so important was his decision to become an anti-corruption crusader in 2008. Using shareholder activism and his popular blog, he shone a spotlight on the corruption schemes that enabled officials to steal billions from state-run corporations.

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His breakthrough came in 2011, when he proposed the strategy of voting for any party but President Vladimir Putins  party of crooks and thieves  in the Duma (parliament) elections. Faced with a collapse of support, the regime resorted to widespread election fraud.

The result was months of pro-democracy protests.

Putin regained control through a mix of concessions and repression , but the crisis signalled Navalnys emergence as the dominant figure in Russias democratic movement.

Despite being convicted on trumped-up embezzlement charges , he was allowed to run in Moscows mayoral elections in 2013. In a clearly unfair contest, which included police harassment and hostile media coverage, he won 27 per cent of the vote .

Perseverance in the face of worsening attacks

The authorities learned from this mistake. Never again would Navalny be allowed to compete in elections. What the Kremlin failed to stop was his creation of a national movement around the Foundation for the Struggle Against Corruption (FBK), which he had founded in 2011 with a team of brilliant young activists.

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During the ensuing decade, FBK transformed our understanding of the nature of Putins kleptocracy. Its open-source investigations shattered the reputations of numerous regime officials, security functionaries and regime propagandists.

One of the most important was a 2017 expose of the network of charities that funded the palaces and yachts of then-premier Dmitry Medvedev. Viewed 46 million times on YouTube, it triggered protests across Russia.

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No less significant was Navalnys contribution to the methods of pro-democracy activism. To exploit the regimes dependence on heavily manipulated elections, he developed a strategy called intelligent voting.

The basic idea was to encourage people to vote for the candidates who had the best chance of defeating Putins United Russia party. The result was a series of setbacks for United Russia in 2019 regional elections.

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One measure of Navalnys impact was the intensifying repression directed against him. As prosecutors tried to paralyse him with a series of implausible criminal cases, they also pursued his family. His younger brother Oleg served three and a half years in a labour camp on bogus charges.

Flowers and a photo of Russian Opposition leader Alexei Navalny are placed near the Russian consulate in Frankfurt, Germany. AP

This judicial persecution was compounded by the violence of the regimes proxies. Two months after exposing Medvedevs corruption, Navalny was nearly blinded by a Kremlin-backed gang of vigilantes, who sprayed his face with a noxious blend of chemicals.

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More serious was the deployment of a death squad from Russias Federal Security Service (FSB), which had kept Navalny under surveillance since 2017. The use of the nerve agent Novichok to poison Navalny during a trip to the Siberian city of Tomsk in August 2020 was clearly intended to end his challenge to Putins rule.

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Instead it precipitated the Navalny crisis, a succession of events that shook the regimes foundations. The story of Navalnys survival  and confirmation that he had been poisoned with Novichok  focused international attention on the Putin regimes criminality.

Any lingering doubts about state involvement in his poisoning were dispelled by Navalnys collaboration with Bellingcat, an investigative journalism organisation, to identify the suspects and deceive one of them into revealing how they poisoned him.

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The damage was magnified by Navalnys decision to confront Putins personal corruption. In a powerful two-hour documentary film, A Palace for Putin , Navalny chronicled the obsessive greed that had transformed an obscure KGB officer into one of the worlds most notorious kleptocrats.

With over 129 million views on YouTube alone, the film shattered the dictators carefully constructed image as the incarnation of traditional virtues.

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We will fill up the jails and police vans

It is difficult to exaggerate the impact of the Navalny crisis on Putin, a dictator terrified of the prospect of popular revolution. No longer was he courted by Western leaders. US president Joe Biden began his term in office in 2021 by endorsing an interviewers description of Putin as a killer .

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Alexei Navalny, who crusaded against official corruption and staged massive anti-Kremlin protests as President Vladimir Putins fiercest foe, died Friday in the Arctic penal colony where he was serving a 19-year sentence, Russias prison agency said. File image/AP

To contain the domestic fallout, Putin unleashed a crackdown that began with Navalnys 2021 arrest on his return to Moscow from Germany, where had been recovering from the Novichok poisoning. On the international stage, Putin secured a summit with Biden by staging a massive deployment of military force on the Ukrainian border, a rehearsal for the following years invasion.

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The Kremlins trolling factories also tried to destroy Navalnys reputation with a smear campaign. Within weeks of Navalnys imprisonment, Amnesty International rescinded his status as a prisoner of conscience on the basis of allegations about hate speech. The evidence was some ugly statements made by Navalny as an inexperienced politician in the mid-2000s, when he was trying to build an anti-Putin alliance of democrats and nationalists.

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What his detractors ignored was Navalnys own evolution into a critic of ethnonationalist prejudices. In a speech to a nationalist rally in 2011, he had challenged his listeners to empathise with people in the Muslim-majority republics of Russias northern Caucasus region.

This divergence from the nationalist mainstream was accentuated by Putins conflict with Ukraine. After the invasion of Crimea in March 2014, Navalny denounced the  imperialist annexation  as a cynical effort to distract the masses from corruption.

Eight years later, while languishing in prison, he condemned Putins full-scale invasion of Ukraine, exhorting his compatriots to take to the streets, saying:

If, to prevent war, we need to fill up the jails and police vans, we will fill up the jails and police vans.

Later that year, he argued a post-Putin Russia needed an end to the concentration of power in the Kremlin and the creation of a parliamentary republic as the only way to stop the endless cycle of imperial authoritarianism.

Navalnys tragedy is that he never had a chance to convert the moral authority he amassed during years as a dissident into political power. Like Charles de Gaulle in France and Nelson Mandela in South Africa, he might have become a redemptive leader, leading his people from war and tyranny to the promised land of a freer society.

Instead, he has left his compatriots the example of a brave, principled and thoughtful man, who sacrificed his life for the cause of democracy and peace. That is his enduring legacy.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article .
Australia is planning to increase its surface combatant ships from 11 to 26 within a decade  giving it the largest fleet since the end of the Second World War. Experts say that while the country is poised to increase its naval capability significantly, problems such as inadequate manpower, cost overruns, government U-turns and frequent policy changes remain

An independent review found that Australia is operating its 'oldest fleet in history.' Reuters

Australia is bulking up its navy.

Canberra on Tuesday announced it would increase defence spending by $7.25 billion and double the number of ships ready to do combat within the next decade.

The move comes after an independent review from a retired US vice-admiral found the coutrys navy was the oldest fleet in history and not appropriate for the strategic environment."

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It also comes amid increasing geopolitical tensions around the world and concerns in Australia about Chinas influence among some Pacific island nations.

Beijing in November warned Canberra to act with great prudence when deploying warships.

This, after a confrontation between the two navies broke out when Australia accused Chinese destroyer CNS Ningbo of injuring its navy divers with sonar pulses in Japanese water.

But what do we know about the plan? What is its significance?

Lets take a closer look:

What do we know?

Australia currently has 11 major surface combatant ships.

The new plan would increase take that tally to 26  the largest since the end of the Second World War.

Australia will get six Hunter class frigates.

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As per The Conversation, these frigates will be equipped to carry out anti-submarine operations and to safeguard Australias trade routes, northern maritime approaches and to escort the navys amphibious ships.

The frigates will have anti-ship and land-attack missiles.

The first three vessels will be built overseas and are expected to enter service before 2030.

According to The Guardian, the vessels missile strike capability would increas from 432 planned vertical missile cells to 702.

Canberra will also construct 11 general-purpose frigates and six state-of-the-art surface warships that do not need to be crewed.

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These warships are known as large optionally crewed surface vessels (LOSVs).

Marles said the Large Optionally-Crewed Surface Vessels (LSOV), which can be operated remotely and being developed by the United States, will significantly boost the navys long-range strike capacity.

These vessels will mostly operate without a crew, though they may have a small crew embarked for short periods, such as when entering and leaving port or refuelling at sea. The LOSVs are expected to be lower-cost, long-endurance vessels able to carry anti-ship and land-attack missiles, The Conversation piece noted.

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At least some of the fleet will be armed with Tomahawk missiles capable of long-range strikes on targets deep inside enemy territory  a major deterrent capability.

As per CNN, more than two dozen smaller ships would also be deployed to patrol offshore and to conduct maritime security.

The latest funding would bring the total cost for the future surface fleet to $35 billion, with the government estimating its defence spending to rise to two per cent of GDP by the early 2030s from current expectations of 2.1 per cent, Marles said.

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NATO expects its members to keep defence spending at two per cent.

This decision we are making right now sees a significant increase in defence spending  and it is needed, given the complexity of the strategic circumstances that our country faces, Marles said.

Royal Australian Navy guided-missile frigate HMAS Parramatta (FFH 154) (L) sails with U.S. Navy Amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6), Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill (CG 52) and Arleigh-Burke class guided missile destroyer USS Barry (DDG 52) in the South China Sea. Reuters

What is critically important to understand is that as we look forward, with an uncertain world in terms of great power contest, well have a dramatically different capability in the mid-2030s to what we have now, Marles told reporters.

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That is what we are planning for and that is what we are building.

A strong Australia relies on a strong navy, one that is equipped to conduct diplomacy in our region, deter potential adversaries, and defend our national interests when called, Australian Chief of Navy Vice Admiral Mark Hammond was quoted as saying by CNN.

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The size, lethality and capabilities of the future surface combatant fleet ensures that our navy is equipped to meet the evolving strategic challenges of our region.

Why is it important?

The governments defence strategic review out last year said intense competition between the US and China was defining the Pacific region, and that the major power competition had potential for conflict.

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According to The Guardian, the independent review was conducted by retired US navy Vice-Admiral William Hilarides.

It noted that Australia required a surface fleet with greater capability in integrated air and missile defence, multi-domain strike and undersea warfare.

It called for immediate implementation and said any delay will exacerbate the risk to Australias security..

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The review said Australia needed a surface fleet with greater capability in integrated air and missile defence, multi-domain strike and undersea warfare, echoing calls from the defence strategic review last year which found that the plan for the surface combatant fleet is not fit for purpose.

In short, Australia is worried about its security.

It probably signals how concerned both the government and defense are about our strategic circumstances, Jennifer Parker, adjunct fellow in naval studies at UNSW Canberra, told Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

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There are many saying that for the period of the latter 2020s, we are entering a period of risk in the Indo-Pacific and thats generated by Chinas increased aggression in both the South China Sea and Northeast Asia, she said.

As per CNN, the review pointed out that Canberra is operating the oldest fleet Navy in its history.

The US Canadian and Australian militaries have complained multiple times about what they say have been dangerous actions by the Chinese navy and air force in the western Pacific.

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Analysts fear a collision or other accident could spark an international incident and escalate into conflict.

Some argue deterrence is the best offence.

Collin Koh, research fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, told CNN the move is is essential if theres a need for capacity to match the growing set of mission requirements, especially projecting presence across the Indo-Pacific.

Experts say that taken together, Australia is poised to develop significant naval capability.

Major issues persist

But there are major problems.

The Conversation piece noted that Australia has not laid out a plan to staff its current navy, much less an expanded one.

The Navy is already about 900 people short, equivalent to more than three Anzac ship crews, as it struggles to meet its recruitment goals, the piece noted.

Even with high levels of automation found on these planned new build ships, what about crewing? Will (the navy) face a manpower challenge in manning this expanded fleet? Koh told CNN.

But the government argues that manpower required would be minimal thanks to increased use of technology and automation.

Some argue Australia has not addressed its navys manpower problems. Reuters

The countrys major defence projects have also long been beset by cost overruns, government U-turns, policy changes and project plans that make more sense for local job creation than defence.

Michael Shoebridge, a former senior security official and now independent analyst, said the government must overcome past errors and had no more time to waste as competition in the region heats up.

Shoebridge said there must be a trimmed-down procurement process, otherwise, it will be a familiar path that leads to delays, construction troubles, cost blowouts - and at the end, ships that get into service too late with systems that are overtaken by events and technological change.

Wooing specific electorates with the promise of continuous naval shipbuilding cannot be the priority, he said.

This will just get in the way of the actual priority: Reversing the collapse of our navys fleet.

The Opposition slammed the governments plan.

Shadow minister for defence Andrew Hastie was quoted as saying by CNN, We wont see a ship in the water until 2031, assuming this plan stays to timeline. It does not meet the urgent strategic challenges posed by this dangerous world."

Meanwhile, the Greens party described the governments plan as a multi-billion-dollar mistake.

The party claimed the government was playing politics and looking to protect jobs.

No matter how many times defence leadership fails, both overcharging and underdelivering, they keep their jobs and get rewarded with billions more public dollars, spokesperson Senator David Shoebridge was quoted as saying.

In 2021, Australia announced plans to buy at least three US-designed nuclear-powered submarines, scrapping a years-long plan to develop non-nuclear subs from France that had already cost billions of dollars.

While the Virginia-class submarines will be nuclear-powered, they will not be armed with atomic weapons and are instead expected to carry long-range cruise missiles. They represent a step-shift for the countrys open water capabilities.

With inputs from agencies
Taylor Swift is taking her money-spinning Eras Tour to Singapore from 2 to 9 March. Thailands PM Srettha Thavisin has claimed that the pop star has an agreement which states she can only perform in Singapore and not anywhere else in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region

Love her or hate her, but theres no denying that Taylor Swift is making headlines everywhere. In the US, shes at the heart of a controversy where Republicans are accusing her of trying to influence the presidential polls and now, it seems that shes found herself in the middle of a row between Singapore and other Southeast Asian nations.

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Whats going on? How has the American pop princess found herself at the heart of tensions between nations? As she sings, you need to calm down as we give you the answers.

Whats this exclusivity deal by Taylor Swift?

Taylor Swift is on a world tour titled the Eras Tour. Currently, shes in the Asia-Pacific leg of her tour, travelling to Singapore and Japan. She, however, has given a miss to all other Southeast nations such as Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia.

Speaking on this, Thailand prime minister Srettha Thavisin claimed that Singapore had sought a deal with Taylor Swift to prevent her from playing elsewhere in Southeast Asia on her Eras tour. At the iBusiness Forum 2024 in Bangkok, Thavisin claimed that Taylors concert promoter AEG had been offered subsidies of $2 million-$3 million a show by the Singapore government as part of an exclusivity agreement. Its important to note here that the American pop icon is playing six sold-out shows at the 55,000-seat National Stadium in Singapore in March.

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AEG didnt tell me the exact figure but they said the Singapore government offers subsidies of between $2 million and $3 million, Thavisin was quoted as saying by The Guardian. But the Singaporean government is clever. They told [organisers> not to hold any other shows in [south-east> Asia.

He added, as per a report in the Thai Enquirer, that if she had organised shows in Thailand, it would have been cheaper. If she came to Thailand, it would have been cheaper to organise it here, and I believe she would be able to attract more sponsors and tourists to Thailand. Even though we would have to subsidise at least 500 million baht, it would be worth it, Thavisin stressed.

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Japanese fans of Taylor Swift take a selfie before entering the venue for Taylor Swifts international tour named The Eras Tour in Tokyo. File image/Reuters

So, whats the big deal then?

But why would this make Thailand see red? Thats because of the economics of it all.

Taylors Eras Tour  her most expansive yet, boasting 151 shows across five continents, making it the highest-grossing tour of all time, surpassing an impressive $1 billion in revenue  has been credited with boosting the economies of the place she performs.

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For instance, Bloomberg reported that Melbournes economy was boosted by a record $1.2 billion after she performed in the city.

During her US-leg of the tour late last year, TIME magazine recorded that the tour had projected to generate close to $5 billion in consumer spending in the United States alone. If Taylor Swift were an economy, shed be bigger than 50 countries, said Dan Fleetwood, President of QuestionPro Research and Insights, in a story for GlobalNewsWire.

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A report from survey provider QuestionPro estimated that each Eras show generated around $36 million in direct and indirect spending for the local economy, supporting more than 300 jobs per show.

Such is the impact of her tour that economists have dubbed it as the TSwift Lift  the economic effect cities saw when her tour came to town.

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And world leaders have also jumped on to the Swift bandwagon, asking her to perform in their country. MPs and leaders from Canada, Australia, Thailand and Chile have all tweeted to Taylor Swift, asking her to consider making a stop, hoping to reap the economic benefits of her tour. One Canadian MP even went as far as filing an official grievance with the House of Commons, saying that Taylor Swift skipping Canada on her tour would deprive the countrys local economy of benefits.

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Her Japan leg of the tour has also benefited the countrys economy. According to Mitsumasa Etou, a spokesperson for the research platform Economic Effects NET and a part-time lecturer at Tokyo City University, Taylors concerts have generated an estimated 34.1 billion yen, making it Japans most significant musical event in terms of projected economic impact.

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Taylor Swifts concerts have a huge impact on the economy of the region, with some economists calling it the TSwift Lift. File image/Reuters

Ahead of her Singapore concerts, scheduled from 2-9 March, the city-state is also witnessing the impact. Taylor Swifts concerts are expected to attract Swifties from across the region, bringing with them tourist dollars.

According to Traveloka president Caesar Indra, flight bookings have increased six-fold, indicating the immense popularity of concert-driven tourism. Additionally, hotel reservations at some three- and four-star hotels have spiked by more than 20 per cent, according to local reports.

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Has this happened in the past?

Interestingly, this isnt the first time that Swift has skipped performing in Thailand. In 2014, the icon had reported to have a sold-out show scheduled at the Impact Arena Muang Thong Thani in Nonthaburi Province, Thailand. However, the show was abruptly cancelled. It was later revealed that the political unrest owing to the military coup by the former Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha was the reason for the cancellation.

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With inputs from agencies
The INDUS-X meeting is a critical occasion for promoting defense innovation and cooperation, laying the groundwork for upcoming technical developments and strategic alliances, and igniting international networks for science and technology

The INDUS-X conference in Delhi, according to the defense ministry, represents a "significant milestone" in the two nations' efforts to improve cooperation in the defence sector Image Courtesy X/@USIBC

The US and India will hold a two-day summit starting on Tuesday to discuss how to strengthen their strategic relationship, with a particular emphasis on developing bilateral defense innovation and cooperation.

The INDUS-X conference in Delhi, according to the defense ministry, represents a significant milestone in the two nations efforts to improve cooperation in the defence sector.

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Since its launch in June 2023 during the state visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the US, the India-US Defence Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X) has been at the forefront of expanding bilateral ties in defence innovation, the ministry said.

Now, with the INDUS-X summit, stakeholders from both nations will converge in New Delhi to explore and capitalise on emerging opportunities, it said.

According to the ministry, the summit hopes to be a pivotal occasion that propels strategic technological alliances and US-Indian defense industry cooperation.

It stated that the INDUS-X meeting is a critical occasion for promoting defense innovation and cooperation, laying the groundwork for upcoming technical developments and strategic alliances, and igniting international networks for science and technology.

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The exciting schedule of events for the two-day catalyst summit is intended to promote teamwork, creativity, and information sharing.

According to officials, the summits program is jam-packed with thought-provoking meetings that will help map out the future trajectory of defense cooperation between the US and India.

Defence innovation stakeholders from across governments, academic and research organisations, investors, defence start-ups, technology incubators, industry associations, and other start-up enablers will come together to develop ambitious initiatives to drive INDUS-X forward, the ministry said in a statement.

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Together with the US Department of Defense, the US-India Business Council, the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers, and Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) in India are organizing the summit. (SIDM).

The last several years have seen an increase in the defense and strategic ties between the US and India.

During the past several years, the two nations have signed a number of important defense and security agreements. One such agreement is the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA), which was signed in 2016 and permits the militaries of the two nations to utilize one anothers facilities for supply and maintenance.

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Additionally, in 2018, the two parties inked the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA), which permits high-end US technology to be sold to India and allows for military interoperability.

To strengthen their defense cooperation, India and the US signed the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) in October 2020. Geospatial mapping, logistics, and advanced military technologies can be shared between the two nations according to the agreement.

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(With agency inputs)
This years theme is Forging Naval Alliances for a Secure Maritime Future. Navies from US, Japan, Australia, France, Bangladesh, South Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia, among others are participating in the 12th edition of the naval exercise

The Indian Navy showcased its military prowess on day two of the Milan Exercise 2024 in Vishakhapatnam.

#WATCH | Vishakhapatnam | Indian Navy hosts the multilateral exercise MILAN 2024. pic.twitter.com/LcXQjDYJVj  ANI (@ANI) February 20, 2024

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#WATCH | Vishakhapatnam | Indian Navy hosts the multilateral exercise MILAN 2024. pic.twitter.com/UIncFsXWM0  ANI (@ANI) February 20, 2024

This years theme is Forging Naval Alliances for a Secure Maritime Future. Milan 2024 aims to strengthen collaboration, especially when the situation at the Red Sea remains tense.

Navies from US, Japan, Australia, France, Bangladesh, South Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia, among others are participating in the 12th edition of the naval exercise.

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The second day of the exercise saw navies from different countries in pre-sail discussions where officers participated in formulating strategies for the upcoming Sea Phase.

The ongoing discussions focus on refining plans for intricate operations and emphasise the importance of joint operations at sea. The spirit of cooperation and shared goals among the participating navies is evident as we work towards a successful Sea Phase of MILAN24, the Eastern Naval Command said on X, formerly Twitter.

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Globe Teleservices announced on Monday it has entered into an exclusive strategic alliance with Tigo Tanzania to deploy its intelligent firewall solution for A2P SMS.

Tigo Tanzania will use Globe Teleservices' firewall solutions to protect its international application-to-person (A2P) traffic delivery against revenue loss caused by SMS fraud scams.

Globe Teleservices said its firewall solution safeguards messaging traffic from grey routing and spam, ensuring secure and reliable communication. The company also said the A2P SMS firewall has also been customised to meet Tigo Tanzanias specific business requirements.

As A2P SMS continues to grow in popularity among enterprises globally, so has activity by fraudsters to exploit it. Common fraud trends targeting A2P SMS include artificially inflated traffic (AIT), SMS phishing (a.k.a. smishing), SIM farming, grey routes that bypass telco charging systems to deliver messages to end users, and of course spam.

According to Juniper Research, one reason AIT is a growing threat is because the rising cost of A2P SMS makes it more lucrative. AIT fraud works by using bots to generate one-time PIN requests, which are sent by SMS. The fraudster (usually an MNO or aggregator) then prevents the message from being delivered, forcing the enterprise to pay twice for delivery of the same message.

Juniper predicts that while number of A2P SMS messages sent per annum globally will continue to grow, that growth will slow in part to larger enterprises abandoning A2P SMS because of rising costs due to AIT fraud.

On the other hand, Juniper expects A2P SMS to see stronger growth in markets in Africa and the Middle East where brands are at the early stages of digital transformation and havent yet adopted mobile messaging to communicate with their customers.
The Arctic Circle Prison, or the Polar Wolf was officially named FKU IK-3 and is a mens maximum security corrective colony located in the town of Kharp located in the Priuralsky district in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug

Russia is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma, said Winston Churchill famously. And so are its prisons. The vast Siberian tundra that forms large parts of Russia allows for this macabre and unearthly narrative for the rest of the world.

There has been global bedlam, since Alexei Navalny, Vladimir Putins fiercest critic and opponent dropped dead while walking in the Russian prison, also known as the Arctic Circle Prison, where he was imprisoned since December 2023, sentenced to 19 years under a special regime. Western leaders have since pointed fingers at Putin, accusing him of being directly responsible for Navalnys death, while Russia has claimed that Nevalny died under natural circumstances. In a statement, the federal penitentiary service for the region where Navalny was incarcerated said, He felt unwell after a walk immediately after which he lost consciousness.

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The Arctic Circle Prison, or the Polar Wolf was officially named FKU IK-3 and is a mens maximum security corrective colony located in the town of Kharp located in the Priuralsky district in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug. It has an occupancy limit of 1,085 people.

Russia has an extensive and chimerical history of prisons since Stalins infamous Gulag(also slang for political prisons), and Kharp was indeed a town built by the convicts of the Gulag during the Stalin era. Located about 60 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle, IK-3 was founded as part of the GULAG system of forced labour camps. The colony was founded on 21 August, 1961, on the former camp unit of the 501st Gulag construction site. It was initially known as YATs 34/3.

In 1964, the first residential building for convicts, a medical unit, a boiler room, a bathhouse, a laundry, a dormitory for the colony settlement section and a central checkpoint were constructed.

Convicts worked in quarries, loading sand and gravel for the railways, between 1966 and 1970, with the first batch of especially dangerous repeat offenders beings brought to the colony in 1967.

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In 1971, warehouses, an icehouse and garages for the institutions equipment were built. Since 1985, the IK 3 has been actively developing, with convicts employed in manufacturing at minimum wage. In 1999, the prison colony even opened their first temple, the Temple of St Sergius of Radonezh, built by the inmates.

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Today, some 3,000 kilometres away from Moscow, IK 3 houses some 1,050 of Russias most dreaded and feared criminals. It is a known fact that the prison holds serial killers, rapists, convicted paedophiles, repeat offenders and others convicted of the most serious of crimes against humanity and serving sentences of 20 years or more. In cases like Navalnys the government sends convicts who can be considered political prisoners there too. Apart from Navalny, another high-profile inmate was Platon Lebedev, who was convicted of tax evasion and other charges during the dismantling of the Yukos oil giant in the mid-2000s. Unlike Navalny though, Lebedev walked out alive after a few years in the Polar Wolf. Lucky man!

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All you need to do is look at a map, to see that it is the northernmost prison in the world close to the Arctic Circle, no doubt one of the harshest as well.

For most of the year there are no flights to the region and accessing by railway is tough. Sitting in a tropical country, scenes from the movie Dr Zhivago come to mind when one imagines the terrain and its ingress.

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Even Russias Federal Penitentiary Services postal service is not operational at IK-3. The normal Russian postal service is the only mode of communication with the prison.

The prison systems cell phone service Zonatelekom was also shut down recently by the time Navalny arrived.

Being north of the Arctic Circle, the region sees daylight only six months a year and in summer it is common to receive bites from mosquitoes and sandflies, as explained by Marc Elie, a researcher in the history of the Soviet Union at the Centre for Russian, Caucasian and Central European Studies in France.

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One of the elements that endure is the use of the weather as a tool of repression, in Kharp where the temperatures can fall to as low as -30 degrees Celsius.

It is humanly impossible to escape this prison as there are just hundreds of kilometres of Tundra on one side with the mountains of the Polar Urals on the other side. The high iron fence surrounding this prison is more for protecting the inmates and prison workers from wild animals than the threat of runaways.

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Human rights activist Sergei Davidis had once said, There should be no prisons in Kharp.

One tends to agree with him.

The author is a freelance journalist and features writer based out of Delhi. Her main areas of focus are politics, social issues, climate change and lifestyle-related topics. 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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The Uniform Civil Code has been a legally contentious issue. Despite being envisioned in the Directive Principles of the State Policy as a non-justiciable right under Article 44, as rightly observed by the Supreme Court it is regrettably lied as a dead letter. However, this explains the situation till the Modi government came into power. UCC envisages a uniform set of laws intended to encompass customary laws across various religious communities, regulating civil matters like marriage, divorce, inheritance, succession, maintenance etc.

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It is known that the UCC has been occupying centre stage since the Shah Bano Case (Mohd. Ahmed Khan Vs. Shah Bano Begum, 1985), in which the Supreme Court had adjudicated in favour of Shah Bano. Shah Bano, 62, wife of Mohammad Ahmad Khan filed a petition at a local court in Indore, against her husband under section 125 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, asking him for a maintenance amount for herself and her children. Husband gave an irrevocable talaq (divorce) to her which was his prerogative under Muslim Personal Law and took up the defence that since Shah Bano had ceased to be his wife and therefore, he was under no obligation to provide maintenance for her as except prescribed under the Muslim Personal Law, which was in total Rs 5,400. The issue was finally taken up by the Supreme Court and it decided it, in favour of Shah Bano using the secular Criminal Procedure Code regardless of religion.

It was seen as an attack on Muslim Personal Law by radical Islamists and a section of the political class that believed in the appeasement of radical Muslims by catapulting their radicalism at the cost of progressive ideas and the constitutional mandate in favour of equality before the law and right to life and personal liberty (life with dignity, is an inferred right under Article 21) enshrined in Article 14 and 21 respectively. The then Congress government under Rajiv Gandhi at the Centre resorted to the worst appeasement tactic of the radical Islamists and the Union government brought Muslim Women (Protection on Divorce Act)1986, a law in the Parliament to overturn the decision of the Supreme Court, and it instead provided maintenance to a divorced Muslim woman only during the period of iddat, or till 90 days after the divorce. This remains one of the darkest blots on the progressive, secular credentials of Rajiv Gandhi and shows to what extent humanitarianism can be sacrificed for political brownie points.

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Congress has tried to label the Supreme Court judgement as a case of judicial over-reach, without understanding or by-passing the key observations made by the apex court in this case. The observations made by the Supreme Court, were, (1) the court itself had made clear that it wasnt a case that involved an issue related to constitutional law and was a simple case of a civil suit related to a dispute over alimony for a divorced Muslim woman and (2) it also held that it is a matter of regret that Article 44 of the Constitution (stating that the State shall endeavour to secure for the citizens a uniform civil code throughout the territory of India) has remained a dead letter.

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Almost after more than three decades, in 2019, the Narendra Modi government enacted the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019, which criminalises triple talaq, whereby social justice was delivered to innumerable deserted Muslim women under the arbitrary triple -talaq system, like Shah Bano. The hegemonic Congress system never tried to frame a common civil code for the country and rather, engineered a belief system that the Muslim personal Laws must not evolve from some of its obscurantist observations and it is for the Muslim community to take the load of reforms of their personal laws. As if Muslim women had a lesser stake in the community or in the process of nation-building. UCC will be one of the potent instruments of national integration which will remove disparate loyalties to different sets of personal laws which have conflicting sets of standards, observations and ideologies in operation.

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Expecting a Law Board to take the initiative to reform its personal laws, is like asking a surgeon to operate on himself. It is the State which is conferred with the responsibility of enacting a uniform civil code for all religious communities. Constitutionally, the state has the legislative competence to enact the UCC. Now, with Narendra Modi as the prime minister, the BJP government donned with political courage and a just legislative intent, has decisively reached the stage of implementing the UCC. State-wise implementation of the UCC has also begun in the BJP-ruled states, after Gujrat and Uttarakhand, now Assam is following suit.

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Himanta Biswa Sarma, executing social crusade

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma states his governments intention to introduce UCC and banning of polygamy by aligning the latter with UCC as a unified piece of legislation, in the first week of February 2024. He has further stated that unlike Uttarakhand, where polygamy has been declared a civil offence, in Assam, it will be criminalised. It will be a much appreciable legislative step. Once enacted, this will be ensuring legal uniformity across all religious communities in the state.

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An Indian state has legislative competence to enact UCC which will enhance basic structures of the Constitution like secularism, Articles 14 and 21.

Indian society is multi-cultural and multi-religious in its composition. The framers of the Constitution adopted the concept of religious neutrality and conferred religious freedom to various religious groups and equal treatment to all religious groups in the spirit of our secularism (Jain, 2008). Indian Constitution adopted the principle of non-interference in religious matters with certain exceptions (Jain, 2008). When it is said certain exceptions, such guarantees must not be in contravention of the Basic Structures of the Constitution, such as national integrity, sovereignty, Article 14 (ensuring equality before law) and Article 21 (ensuring the Right to Life and personal liberty). The Indian concept of secularism is that the relations between the State, society, and religion are not well defined. Personal laws vary from religion to religion. The precarious position of civil rights of the minorities, particularly, women within marriage, inheritance, divorce, and polygamy within the Muslim Personal Laws, calls for serious legislative intervention to ensure equality before the law and to make Indian Secularism more effective in its practice.

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Despite having legislative competence to enact enabling legislations ensuring legal uniformity by bringing UCC into force, such a step requires serious political courage as any such attempt at legal uniformity poses severe challenges from the Fundamentalists and also from the Opposition. Inarguably secularism in India now is too politicised, and it is necessary to find ways to depoliticise secularism and to move it further into the domain of civil society and protection of the rights of the vulnerable sections of society, which does not preclude Muslim women and children. At the outset of the making of the Constitution, the concept of secularism was not categorically mentioned in the Indian Constitution.

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The word secular was first inserted in the Preamble of the Constitution by the 42nd (Amendment) Act, 1976, which came into effect on January 3rd, 1977. However, the Supreme Court had laid out in the SR Bommai case (1994) that secularism is a basic feature of the Indian Constitution and even without a categorical reference or mention of the term in the Constitution, Secularism has been in practice. And further, held that secularism is a positive concept of equal treatment of all religions. Along with this, the Indian Constitution has spelt out several provisions in Part III (Articles 14, 15, 16, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30), Part IV (Article 44), and IVA (clause (e) that reflects the existence of secularism. An in-depth conjoint reading and analysis of all these Articles makes it evident that the makers of the Indian Constitution neither intended to oppose religion nor to promote rationalisation of any dogmatic practice. Thus, if we go by the adjudication of the Supreme Court and the provisions of the Indian Constitution, it is valid to have equal treatment to all religions and protect their rights not only to practice and profess their respective religions but also to have protected civil rights under a unified umbrella vide the Constitutional provisions.

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It needs to be understood that Indian Secularism does not promote the rationalisation of discrimination and marginalisation of sections of its population in the name of religious practices. Also, in matters of the state, religion has no place (SC in S. R. Bommai vs. Union of India, 1994). Further, despite the clear letters of the law, the Supreme Court has interpreted secularism on various occasions via various judgments, through which the most apparent principle that emerges is that the Indian secular state, does not mean anti-God or Atheist. People of all religions in India have equal rights and are free from discrimination. However, reasonable classification can be made and should be treated accordingly. In the light of such Constitutional provisions, UCC stands constitutionally valid and any discriminatory classification under the personal laws by the Personal Law Boards against the weaker section of that community should be held ultra vires.

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For example, the practice of Talaq-e-biddat or Triple Talaq is declared illegal, holding that it is not protected under Article 25 of the Constitution as it is not an essential religious practice (Shayra Bano vs Union of India, 2017). Also, under certain circumstances, the State can interfere in religious practices for social reform and the rationalization process should bring about social reforms within religions. Legislative intervention is necessitated by prevailing compelling social situations, where at times the State is compelled to use legal coercion for urgent social reform. It holds for all religions and has happened in the past for significant times. For example, Religious and Charitable Endowment Act, 1951, allows state governments to forcibly take over, own and operate Hindu temples, collect revenue from offerings and redistribute that revenue to any non-temple purposes including maintenance of religious institutions opposed to the temple.

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Further instances like the constitutional abolition of untouchability, opening up of all Hindu temples to the people of the lower castes, Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 outlawed polygamy among the Hindus, were held valid because polygamy was not an essential and integral part of the Hindu religion, Special Marriage Act, 1954 also held the same. Similarly, Sati and the Devdasi system in Hinduism and triple talaq or talaaq-e-biddat in Islam have been abolished, as these were social evils and are not an essential part of the respective religions.

Polygamy, which is still permitted among Indian Muslims, is not legally permissible in many other Muslim countries. This essentially reflects that polygamy is not an essential part of Islam. Hence, for greater social welfare and a reformist purpose of the larger section of the nation, the Uniform Civil Code can also be applied as it is permitted by the Constitution of India (Article 25(2)(b)), providing reasonable restrictions imposed in the interest of public order, morality and health. This clearly states and explains that while individuals have the right to practice their religion, it should not disrupt the harmony of society or infringe upon the well-being of others. Article 25 distinguishes between religious practices and secular activities associated with religious institutions. The State has the authority to regulate or restrict secular activities that may be associated with religious practices, such as social reforms, economic activities, and other activities unrelated to the core aspects of religion.

It also includes the right of religious denominations or any section thereof to manage their own religious affairs, including establishing and maintaining religious institutions, as long as they do not violate any other laws or public order. The State will not interfere in religious affairs, so the State cannot regulate religious activity. However, a secular activity that is associated with a religious matter may be regulated by the State (Article 25(2)). An activity will be treated as religious if it is regarded as an essential and integral part of the religion and will be secular if it is not considered a necessary part of religion and matrimonial rights, divorce, polygamy, property rights, and inheritance do not come under such essential categories.

Secularism enables people to see the imperative requirements for human progress in all aspects and cultures, including social advancement (Basu, 2007). Secularism has also been equated and inter-linked rightly also, to the concept of modernity, equitable distribution of socio-economic development and moral and material advancement, which are neither subjective nor depend on individual whims and fancies but on the greater goal of social coherence, gender justice and nation building. The transformationalist ideology emphasizes social, economic and political development as the greater goal. This ideology recognizes that religion should be limited to the private life of the individual and should try to create scientific perspectives among the individuals. Freedom of conscience for individuals can be circumscribed only by the need for public order and respecting other individuals rights, and it remains to be the guiding principle for lawmakers.

Himanta Biswa Sarma government bans Religious Conversion

Assam Healing (Prevention of Evil) Practices Bill, 2024, has been approved by the state cabinet on 10 February to address the issue of fraudulent magical healing practices in the name of treatment. The chief minister stated, Magical healing is a dicey subject used to convert tribal people. We are going to pilot this Bill because we believe the religious status quo is very important for a proper balance. The Assam Cabinet decision should be viewed in conjunction with Article 25, a reservoir of religious freedom and secularism in India. Article 25, makes explicit provision, when and how religious freedom is available and when there should be reasonable restrictions. This Article guarantees to every person the right to freely profess, practice, and propagate his religion. In Article 25, the word any person has been mentioned, reflecting that voluntary conversion from one religion to another religion is valid as a person is free to have faith in any religion (Rai, 2008). However, conversion by force, fraud, or inducement is not valid because it may disturb the public order.

Also, Article 25 empowers the State to impose restrictions in the interest of public order. Article 25(1) Public order here means a thing that disturbs the current of the communitys life and does not affect merely individual. If the situation disturbs the current life of the community, it will amount to a disturbance of public order (Stainslaus v State of MP, 1977). Tribal communities in Assam are provided material inducements by the Evangelical Missionaries, to convert, which is a serious threat to their indigenous cultural ethos. And Himanta Biswa Sarma, in July 2023 already stated that his government is committed to protecting and preserving the cultural identities of the tribal groups of the State. This is in alignment with the BJPs national agenda of streamlining the preservation of indigenous cultures and maintaining the cultural plurality of India.

Ban on Madrasas not a bane

The Sarma dispensation has resorted to closing down hundreds of Madrasas in the state of Assam. In a candid reply regarding the same, in the famous talk show of Rajat Sharma, Aap ki Adalat, Himanta Biswa Sarma, stated that he wants to create a progressive eco-system for the Muslim youth in the state and that he wishes them to receive modern education. The principal premise of the statement relates to the fact that India cannot progress as a nation if its largest minority group remains illiterate and bereft of modern scientific liberal secular education. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), Indias apex child rights body (its chief roles include ensuring implementation of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009 and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act), has in May 2023 filed a strongly worded affidavit before the Allahabad High Court in connection with a matter regarding the use of state funding for religious minority education. The writ petition sought direction on whether imparting religious education using government funds is unconstitutional and argued that Madrasa education stands in violation of the Right to Education and Juvenile Justice Act.

In an order passed in March, the Allahabad High Court directed the central and state governments to file their affidavits in the matter. The NCPCR further said that since Madrasas dont fall under the definition of a school under the RTE Act 2009, constitutionally the institutions cannot compel students to receive such education (stating evidence of forceful admission into the Madrasas without the consent of the parents). Moreover, the affidavit added, the government cannot facilitate education beyond the RTE Act, which would be a violation of Article 21A (free and compulsory education from 6 to 14 years) of the Constitution. The NCPCR further contended that it also violates students right to equality (Article 14 of the Constitution), as students of other schools are ensured their rights.

The commission further said that Madrasa education violates Article 15 (1) of the Constitution, which prohibits discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex, or place of birth. If the provisions of the Constitution are examined carefully, state-owned educational institutions are prohibited from imparting religious instructions, and Article 27 of the Constitution prohibits using taxpayers money for the promotion of any religion. Article 30 of the Indian Constitution relates to certain cultural and educational rights to establish and administer educational institutions but maintains certain exceptions, it states, The state shall not, in granting aid to educational institution maintained by the State or receiving aid out of State funds, on grounds only of religion, race, caste, language or any of them. A close examination of the Constitutional mandate would clearly state that Madrasa education stands as an impediment to various inviolable Fundamental Rights, which will act as an impediment to the progress of the community if not intervened by the State,

The State has a parens patriae (parent of the nation) role and a duty to provide education in schools, but madrasa education obstructs this constitutional mandate. Any state intervention to mainstream this section is praise-worthy. An overtly dogmatic model of indoctrination of the carrying forward of the messianic spirit of Islam along with intolerance for heterogeneity quintessentially characterises Madrasa education. Based on charity and endowments, Madrasa education is only the choice of the poor Muslims and never a choice of the Muslim affluent classes, who send their children only to receive liberal scientific, especially western education. Thus, the marginalised poor section of the Muslim community remains perpetually deprived and underprivileged plagued with numerous social evils and poverty, an ideal material for Jehad. The main objective of secular modern education is to develop a critical mental faculty of logical reflection, a spirit of enquiry and healthy scepticism.

Dogmatic education imparted by the Madrasas stifles the spirit of logical enquiry thereby entirely negating the spirit of liberal education and the ethos of plurality and peaceful coexistence. Modern secular education is the key instrument in bringing social change in any society. It is a basic human right which has immense transformative capacity. On its foundation, rest the cornerstones of freedom, democracy, secularism, the modern World view and sustainable human development. Modern secular education is both a means and an end to itself, for it opens up a vast world of opportunities and ideas to the person who receives it. It is also of great instrumental value in the process of economic growth and development. Education plays a critical role in upholding a societys progressive outlook, inclusivity and material progress. Binding a child only to religious indoctrination is inarguably detrimental to the psycho-mental and material progress of that individual. In an age of digital literacy, scientific super-inventions, technological innovations, AI and ML integration, needs of super-specialised health services, confining a youth only to religious indoctrination is tantamount to bereaving him/her from equal opportunities and holistic development. This increases the odds of being unemployed as an unidentified factor usually but rationally needs to be considered.

The madrasas in the bordering areas of Assam are funded hugely by the Gulf sources and the Saudi. As per verified reports of Muslim India, 2001, systematic dogmatic indoctrination in fundamental ideology is detrimental to the nations communal harmony and hence these madrasas required modernisation. However, modernisation of Madrasas is as difficult as opening a pandoras box, diverse clerics and ideologies will embark on a turf war over it. Hence a reasonable state intervention to replace Madrasa education with secular and scientific education is the key to the progress of the individual and the community and in turn a great boost to Indias national integrity and secular credentials.

The UCC despite having contrastive interests clashing over the attributes of pluralism, will successfully balance out things by reinforcing social justice in the form of equality, human dignity, gender justice, equal treatment of law etc. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has drawn the line of reference, showing exemplary political courage by deciding to implement the UCC, followed by astute regional leaders like Himanta Biswa Sarma. There should be unified consensus in favour of such revolutionary overhauling of the discriminatory personal laws, without any moral overlaps. Once enacted at the Centre and the states like Assam, it will surely uphold the constitutional morality over any disparate loyalties.

The author is a senior faculty in the Department of History, ARSD College, University of Delhi. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.

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Pakistans mandate was tampered with, the execution was shoddy, and the results were disastrous, but the military is being allowed to get away with it

A supporter of Pakistan's former prime minister Imran Khan kisses the portrait of his leader during a protest against the delaying result of parliamentary election by Pakistan election commission, in Karachi. Khan-backed indepedents secured the most seat in the polls. AP

If you are a dictator, you could rig an election by jailing your opponents; you could ban them from contesting the election; and you could even erase their political identity by denying them their election symbol. The nuclear option is to rig the votes; that is what most dictators resort to, and Pakistans military is no different.

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Pakistani army did everything on the dictators checklist, but they could not hide the rigging. It is because now an insider has blown the whistle.

Commissioner Rawalpindi Liaqat Ali Chattha resigns, says all seats of Rawalpindi were rigged. pic.twitter.com/hxb0qTwSM9  The Pakistan Daily (@ThePakDaily) February 17, 2024

I couldnt get the election done properly, and I am resigning. With the wrongs I have committed in this election, on 13 seats from Rawalpindi, we have made sure that losers emerge as winners. We have turned leads of 70,000 votes into defeats, said Liaquat Ali Chatta who was the Election Commissioner for Rawalpindi.

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Chatta rigged the votes there; he turned losers into winners.

Victory was stolen from at least 13 candidates. They were the independents from Imran Khans party. The military stole its seats after months of trying to weaken them. You know the story: From jailing Imran Khan to banning him from the airwaves to taking away his party symbolthe bat.

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The Army did everything, but Imran Khans independents defeated the odds. Chattas confession is revealing, but not surprising.

But who forced him to change the votes? He has given two names: The first one is of Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, who is a civil servantthe same official who came out after polling and announced the delay in counting and results.

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The second character in this drama is more significantthe Chief Justice of Pakistans Supreme Court, Qazi Faez Isa. Justice Isa is an old foe of Khan.

As prime minister, Imran Khan went after this judge. His government accused Justice Isa of concealing assets. Khan tried to get him dismissed but did not succeed. A few months later, Justice Isa was elevated to the top jobtthe Chief Justice of Pakistan.

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Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa announced the ruling in a live late-night telecast of the proceedings on the top courts website. Stripped of the bat, the PTI candidates needed to contest on individual symbols, which could confuse its voters.

Imran Khan tried his best to mend ties; in November last year, he wrote a letter to Justice Isa, urging him to protect his partys fundamental rights. Now Justice Isa is being implicated in the election rigging. Of course, he denies the allegations, but Khans supporters are not convinced. Theyve been protesting and demanding the release of their leader.

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Over the weekend, four Pakistani cities saw protests: Islamabad, Karachi, Peshawar, and Lahore. There was another internet shut down. Pakistani authorities say the shutdown was a response to recent incidents of terrorism in Pakistan. But its not rocket science to figure out why they did itnews about Chattas confession was spreadingand Pakistans deep state wanted the story to die down. Well, it is not dying, but snowballing.

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Reports say Chatta has now been arrested. Meanwhile, Imran Khan and his aides are ramping up their campaign. The former prime minister has released another video that features a journalist showing fake ballot papers.

These claims are serious and compelling. They are also raising tensions. Pakistans mandate was tampered with, the execution was shoddy, and the results were disastrous. But the military is being allowed to get away. Not only by Pakistans supposedly free institutions, but also by the likes of the US, which have given Rawalpindi a green chit. The US State Department called the election clearly competitive, with no mention of the rigging, despite the smoking guns.

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There is a confession to back up the claims. It remains to be seen how the military will clean up this mess and how the armys Western allies will justify it.

Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
Russia is winning and has skirted sanctions. Increased military production has boosted the economy, while future Western military aid to Ukraine is uncertain

If NATO and the US stop arming Kyiv, the war will end within weeks, Putin told a fawning Tucker Carlson in a two-hour monologue masquerading as an interview in Moscow this month. REUTERS

Vladimir Putin is grinning and brimming with confidence as the Ukraine war, dubbed an expansionist misadventure by the West and military experts in 2022, completes two years.

The Russian president is in a grinding war of attrition for the long haul and is determined to win it even if it extends beyond 2025.

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The vigour and power of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his troops are visibly deflated. Ukrainian troops hastily retreated from Avdiivka, in Donetsk region, after an intense battle with the much-hyped counteroffensive failing. The sacking of commander-in-chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi is a massive blow to the militarys motivation. The rocketing shortage of Western weapons has boosted the Russian onslaught.

United States (US) Congress and an increasing number of European Union (EU) member states are divided over pouring billions into the meat grinder with their domestic problems and politics taking centre stage.

The EU and the US have pumped in $92 billion and $71 billion, respectively, since Putins Special Military Operation started in February 2022 with no end in sight. The $95 billion US foreign aid package, including $61 billion for Ukraine, is stuck in the House of Representatives.

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Joe Biden, whose approval ratings have tanked from 53 per cent in January 2021 to 39 per cent in February 2024, is fighting a three-front war. He is desperately vying for a second term as a resurgent Donald Trump continues to hammer him on immigration and economy, trying to maintain the American aid for Ukraine and preventing the Israel-Hamas war from turning into a West Asia inferno.

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And Trump told voters this month that he would encourage Russians to do whatever the hell they want [invade any European country> if NATO members dont meet the spending guidelines.

Putin is having the last laugh.

The Russian president has outfoxed NATO and the US, who foolishly believed that their weapons for Ukraine would force him to withdraw, by digging his heels in the battlefield. He wants Zelensky out, a pro-Russia regime and an end to Kyivs dream of joining NATO.

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Putin is also playing a mind game. If NATO and the US stop arming Kyiv, the war will end within weeks, he told a fawning Tucker Carlson in a two-hour monologue masquerading as an interview in Moscow this month.

Putin wanted to achieve two things with Carlsons megaphone. Fuel the lack of support for Ukraine in the US conservative base, like GOP Trumpsters in Congress, and hint that both can come to the table.

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He knows that a Trump return will hit the Ukraine aid flow. Besides, a maverick Trump could again alienate US allies with his America First policy, polarise society further and uproot the guard rails of democracy like in his first terma US in disarray is Putins dream come true.

If Biden returns and continues arming Ukraine, Putin can again blame the US for not being serious about ending the war.

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Whether it is Trump or Biden, Putin will be a winner. For example, he favours a second Biden presidency because he is a more experienced person, predictable and a politician of an old formation, but says Russia would work with any leader of the US.

Back home, Putin is still popular with 65 per cent of Russians supporting a fifth term, according to a January survey by NORC at the University of Chicago. A December survey by the Levada Centre, considered one of Russias most reputable and independent pollsters, showed 83 per cent approval for Putin.

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The NORC poll also showed that 45 per cent of Russians strongly support the war to defend the country from the US and NATO with 64 per cent seeing it as a civilisational struggle between Russia and the West. A November Levada poll showed the nominal support for the invasion at 73 per cent.

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Besides, Putin is set to win the March election with the death of his main foe Alexei Navalny, rejection of antiwar politician Boris Nadezhdins candidature and only three other candidates on the ballot.

The big question is why the war unfolded to Putins advantage and NATOs disadvantage apart from Russian military dominance over Ukraine. The number of sanctions imposed on Russia increased from 2,700 to 18,772 sanctions after the waryet Putin is undeterred.

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Loophole in sanctions

The unprecedented export sanctions slapped by the US and 37 other countries in February 2022, aimed to block Russias access to foreign components used in missiles and drones and hit the production of its advanced weapons systems, failed. The critical components and battlefield goods included semiconductors, computer parts, other electronics and communications and navigation equipment.

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The Russian military-industrial complex survived with Putin evading the sanctions by rerouting critical imports and battlefield goods through third countries that didnt impose the curbs, like China, Turkey and the UAE. For instance, a critical component manufactured in the US and distributed in China was easily shipped to Russia.

In January-October 2023, around 50 per cent of such components were supplied by companies located in third countries and almost 100 per cent of them were manufactured by nations that sanctioned Russia. The supply of such components rebounded last year to their pre-sanctions levels with Russia importing critical components valued at $22.23 billion and battlefield goods worth $8.77 billion in the first 10 months.

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According to a January report by the Kyiv School of Economics and the Yermak-McFaul International Working Group on Russian Sanctions, 2,800 foreign parts were found in Russian military equipment, including Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, Shahed drones, armoured vehicles, copters and electronic warfare equipment.

The report, titled Challenges of Export Controls Enforcement, also showed that monthly Russian missile production increased from 50 in 2022 to 115 by 2023-end.

The worst aspect of the futile sanctions is that producers headquartered in coalition countrieswhich slapped the sanctionswere responsible for 43.9 per cent of battlefield goods and 32.8 per cent of critical components. The US share was 25.5 per cent and 15.1 per cent, respectively, followed by the EU and Taiwan.

More than 250 Western companies whose products were found in Russian weapons on the battlefield include US-headquartered firms that accounted for 61 per cent of all critical components. The US companies were AMD, Analog Devices, Hewlett Packard, Honeywell International, Intel Corporation, Texas Instruments and others. Other foreign firms included Hitachi (Japan), Infineon Technologies (Germany) and (South Korea).

Analog Devices and Texas Instruments accounted for 14 per cent and 13 per cent, respectively, of all foreign components found in Russian military equipment. Analog Devices average monthly supplies of critical components to Russia ($27 million) in January-October 2023 were 51 per cent higher than in 2022 and 162 per cent higher than in 2021.

Once these items were exported to countries outside the coalition, Putin imported them. China accounted for 53.2 per cent and 53.8 per cent of battlefield goods and critical components, respectively, followed by Hong Kong, Turkey and the UAE. Together, these countries accounted for 86.2 per cent of battlefield goods and 78.6 per cent of critical components imported.

Putin skirted oil sanctions

The EU also banned Russian crude oil on December 5, 2022. However, Russian seaborne crude exports surged to about 3.46 million barrels a day (mb/d) by the end of December 2023. Oil revenues continue to fund the massive Russian war chest with crude-export duty rising to $89 million in December last week.

Putin found a way to circumvent the oil ban like Iran and Venezuela. Russias Shadow (Dark) Fleet, whose ships have weak ownership structureslike shell companies in Dubai or Hong Kongand use multiple flags and deceptive shipping practices, including manipulation of global navigation satellite system, started exporting oil.

Russia has around 600 such vessels, mostly displaying flags of Panama and Liberia. They increased their export by 21 per cent after the war. Company ownership and registration of these ships by location are in the UAE (26.2 per cent), Greece (22 per cent), Hong Kong (17.7 per cent), Marshall Islands (17.5 per cent) and Liberia (16.5 per cent).

These ships are mostly headed to China and India, the top two buyers of Russian crude. According to the International Energy Agency, average imports of Russian oil by China and India jumped to 1.9 mb/d (19 per cent rise) and 900,000 mb/d (800 per cent) in 2022. Though Chinese oil imports decreased by 1.19 mb/d in January this year, India increased them to 910,000 mb/d.

China and India have been the largest buyers of Russian crude oil at 52% and 33%, respectively, since the ban, per Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air ( CREA ). In January 2024, 84% of Chinas total fossil fuel imports were crude oil and Indias was 82%.

Besides, Western nations continue to import Russian crude indirectly as refined products like diesel, jet fuel and gasoil. The EU, G7 and Australia imported 42 billion worth of oil products from China, India, the UAE, Turkey and Singaporewhich absorb 70% of Russian oil exportsin the 12 months since the invasion, CREA reported in April 2023.

Increasing the imports of oil products from the main importers of Russian crude oil undermines the oil sanctions against Russia, said Lauri Myllyvirta, lead analyst and co-author of the report.

In January, the EU was the largest buyer of unsanctioned Russian LNG and pipeline gas. The bloc purchased 50% of Russias LNG exports and 39% of pipeline gas.

Ramping up defence spending

Putin belied expectations of Western military planners and experts that Russia would fail to replenish its fast-depleting stocks of arms and ammunition as NATO armed Ukraine.

Russia has increased the 2024 defence budget to more than 60% year-on-year, about 7.5% of GDP.

Out of the 8,800 armoured fighting vehicles Russia lost since the war started, 3,000 were destroyed in 2023 alone. Subsequently, Russian factories churned out 1,500 tanks, 2,200 armoured combat vehicles and 1,400 rocket and artillery vehicles last year by operating 24x7. Almost 2.5 million-5 million artillery rounds, critical in winning the war, are being produced annually.

One key reason for the increased production has been the reactivation of old armoured vehicles and artillery pieces. According to an International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) February report , factories claimed to have delivered 1,180-1,280 tanks and 2,470 infantry fighting vehicles and armoured personnel carriers from storage besides new units.

IISS estimates that Russia can sustain its assault on Ukraine for another two or three years and maybe even longer and equipment replenishment was roughly keeping pace with battlefield attrition last year.

Russia also continued to be the second largest global weapons producer in 201822 after the US despite fighting a war. A March 2023 Stockholm International Peace Research Institute report shows that Russia delivered major weapons to 47 states accounting for 16 per cent of total global arms exports.

The increased war spending has also fuelled economic growth and produced jobs though economists believe it isnt sustainable.

The Russian economy grew by 3.6 per cent in 2023more than the US and Europeand is poised to grow by 2.6 per cent this year, according to IMF. Januarys budget deficit was only 0.2% of GDP.

IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva believes that Russian military production has increased but consumption has decreased. I actually think the Russian economy is (in) for very tough times because of the outflow of people and because of the reduced access to technology that comes with the sanctions, she said this month.

However, incomes have increased and the consumer spending per capita on food, housing and healthcare is forecast to increase this year.

Putin has also solved the problem of getting hold of hot currencies by avoiding trading in dollars. Russias share of trade transactions in local currency with other BRICS members increased to 85% in January. Moscow has also been increasingly using its System for Transfer of Financial Messages after being barred from the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications in March 2022.

The writer is a freelance journalist with two decades of experience and comments primarily on foreign affairs. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the writer. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
TikTok has violated EUs regulations aimed at safeguarding children and ensuring transparent advertising practices. If found guilty of violating DSA regulations, the China-based ByteDance could face fines of up to 6% of its global turnover

TikTok has violated EU's regulations aimed at safeguarding children and ensuring transparent advertising practices. If found guilty of violating DSA regulations, the China-based ByteDance could face fines of up to 6% of its global turnover

The European Union has announced a formal investigation into whether ByteDances popular social media platform TikTok has violated regulations aimed at safeguarding children and ensuring transparent advertising practices. EU industry chief Thierry Breton disclosed the decision on Monday following a review of TikToks risk assessment report and its responses to inquiries, as reported by Reuters.

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Breton outlined the concerns prompting the investigation, citing potential breaches related to transparency, protection of minors, addictive design, screen time management, age verification, and default privacy settings. This move comes under the purview of the European Unions Digital Services Act (DSA), which recently came into effect on February 17, applying to major online platforms and search engines, compelling them to take stronger actions against illegal content and threats to public security.

If found guilty of violating DSA regulations, the China-based ByteDance could face fines of up to 6% of its global turnover, according to the European Commission. In response, TikTok has pledged to collaborate with industry experts to enhance safety measures for young users and to cooperate closely with the European Commission throughout the investigation.

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A spokesperson for TikTok defended the platforms efforts to protect teenagers and restrict access for those under 13, asserting that TikTok has been a leader in developing features and settings to address these challenges, which are prevalent across the industry.

The investigation will scrutinize TikToks system design, including its algorithmic mechanisms that could potentially contribute to addictive behaviours or what is commonly known as the rabbit hole effect. Additionally, the EU will assess whether TikTok has implemented adequate measures to ensure the privacy, safety, and security of minors. The European Commission will also examine TikToks transparency in advertising data to enable researchers to evaluate potential online risks.

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This inquiry marks the second major investigation under the Digital Services Act, following a previous probe into Elon Musks social media platform X in December of last year.

(With inputs from agencies)
Apart from an Adolf Hitler bot that espouses the language of the Nazis, Gab Socials platform also has an Osama Bin Laden bot which refrains from explicitly endorsing violence, but subtly justifies his extreme actions

Apart from an Adolf Hitler bot that espouses the language of the Nazis, Gab Socials platform also has an Osama Bin Laden bot which refrains from explicitly endorsing violence, but subtly justifies his extreme actions

Gab Social, a far-right social media network notorious for its extreme content, has ignited controversy with the introduction of a chatbot version of Adolf Hitler on its AI platform. This move has raised concerns about the potential for online radicalization facilitated by artificial intelligence.

The newly launched Gab AI platform, unveiled in January 2024, allows users to create AI chatbots, with some emulating historical and modern political figures. Among these chatbots is one portraying Hitler, the fascist dictator responsible for the Holocaust during World War II.

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When one interactis the AI-version of Adolf Hitler, the chatbot denies the Holocaust, echoing conspiracy theories and portraying Hitler as a victim of a supposed conspiracy.

While other chatbots on the platform, such as an Osama Bin Laden simulation, refrain from explicitly endorsing violence, they subtly hint at justifications for extreme actions.

Gab Social, founded in 2016 as an alternative to mainstream social networks, has faced criticism for fostering extremism and conspiracy theories.

It gained notoriety in 2018 when it was revealed that the perpetrator of the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting had used the platform to spread antisemitic rhetoric before carrying out the attack.

Despite facing bans from major app stores due to its promotion of hate speech, Gab Social persists by utilizing decentralized platforms like Mastodon. Its recent venture into AI chatbots has intensified concerns over the platforms potential to radicalize users and spread harmful ideologies.

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The introduction of Gab AI comes at a time when regulatory bodies are grappling with the challenges posed by AI technology in social media.

The European Parliament is set to vote on the EU AI Act, which aims to regulate AI systems based on their societal risks. Similarly, the UKs Ofcom is in the process of implementing the Online Safety Act, holding social media platforms accountable for harmful content.

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While regulatory measures are underway, questions remain about the effectiveness of self-regulation within the tech industry. As AI continues to evolve, policymakers and tech companies face the complex task of balancing innovation with safeguarding against the spread of harmful content and radicalization online.

(With inputs from agencies)
Indias TATA group is set to launch an indigenously developed spy satellite, using a SpaceX launch vehicle. The radar imaging satellite or RISAT will be built by TATA Advanced Systems Limited the defence arm of TATA Group, and operated from Bengaluru, Karnataka

India's TATA group is set to launch an indigenously developed spy satellite, using a SpaceX launch vehicle. The radar imaging satellite or RISAT will be built by TATA Advanced Systems Limited the defence arm of TATA Group, and operated from Bengaluru, Karnataka

India is set to launch a domestically manufactured spy satellite from an Elon Musk-owned SpaceX facility in Florida this April, according to a report by The Economic Times. India will be bolstering its radar imaging satellite (RISAT) fleet, increasing the count from 12 satellites in 2019 to 16.

Built by TATA Advanced Systems Limited the defence arm of TATA Group, the satellite will be operated from Bengaluru, Karnataka, allowing India to maintain operational secrecy. It will be tasked with monitoring infrastructure and acquiring military targets.

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Despite possessing sub-meter resolution satellites, India has previously relied on intelligence data from foreign sources such as the US.

The satellite, whose construction was recently completed, has been sent to the US for launch preparations. The TASL plant in Bengaluru, where the satellite was built, has the capacity to produce 25 satellites annually. TASL has also signed an agreement with the Karnataka government for further investments in the aerospace and defense sectors.

With tensions rising along Indias eastern border with China, the country has increased its purchases of satellite imagery from foreign nations. Once the indigenous satellite is operational, friendly nations are expected to place orders for imagery, with TASL already receiving inquiries.

Last December, Sreedhara Panicker Somanath, head of the Indian Space Research Organization, announced plans to launch layers of satellites in different orbits to monitor troop movements along the borders with China and Pakistan. Somanath emphasized the need for India to significantly expand its satellite fleet, aiming to launch an additional 50 satellites over the next five years to bolster its geo-intelligence capabilities.

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The development of RISAT-2 began with urgency following the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, marking Indias inaugural dedicated reconnaissance satellite. Designed for border surveillance, anti-infiltration, and counter-terrorism operations, RISAT-2 was decommissioned in October 2022.

RISAT-2B, the third satellite in the series, was launched in May 2019 from SDSC and features an indigenous X-Band radar. With a mission life of five years, it captures high-resolution spot images at approximately 0.5 x 0.3 meters resolution. Similarly, RISAT-2BR1, launched on December 11, 2019, also boasts a five-year mission life, offering a resolution of 0.35 meters for comparable applications.

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Meanwhile, China has been expanding its electronic intelligence (ELINT) and signals intelligence (SIGINT) satellite capabilities. According to a report by the US Defense Department released in October 2023, the Peoples Liberation Armys intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance satellites are poised to enhance monitoring, tracking, and targeting capabilities, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region, potentially affecting US and allied forces.

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(With inputs from agencies)
The Indian government plans to develop a regulatory framework that promotes a safe and trusted online gaming. Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar also emphasises the need to distinguish it from activities like betting and money laundering

The Indian government plans to develop a regulatory framework that promotes a safe and trusted online gaming. Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar also emphasises the need to distinguish it from activities like betting and money laundering

In a recent statement, Indian Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, Rajeev Chandrasekhar revealed that the Indian government expressed strong support for the online gaming sector, citing its significance in driving the digital economy forward. According to Minister Chandrasekhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a firm believer in the sectors potential and advocates for its encouragement and support.

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Chandrasekhar outlined the governments plans to develop a regulatory framework that promotes safe and trusted online gaming, particularly emphasizing the need to distinguish it from activities like betting and money laundering. He assured entrepreneurs of the governments commitment to creating conducive policies for the sectors growth.

However, Chandrasekhar also cautioned against regulatory complacency, citing recent events such as the Paytm crisis. He emphasized the importance of adhering to laws and regulations, regardless of a companys size or success.

The minister also discussed challenges faced by startups like Byjus, attributing their struggles to rapid expansion without establishing necessary corporate discipline. He highlighted the importance of learning from past mistakes to ensure sustainable growth.

Regarding regulatory hurdles faced by mobility startup Ola, Chandrasekhar noted that disrupting traditional sectors often invites resistance, particularly from politically connected stakeholders.

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On a positive note, Chandrasekhar shared news of significant investments in semiconductor manufacturing, signaling a potential breakthrough after decades of missed opportunities. He also highlighted Indias growing presence in chip design, with numerous startups emerging in the sector.

The Mumbai Tech Week, attended by industry leaders from companies like Microsoft and Meta, showcased Indias prowess in AI development. Puneet Chandok of Microsoft emphasized Indias central role in the AI landscape, with a significant portion of global AI projects originating from the country. Sandhya Devanathan of Meta underscored AIs transformative potential in enhancing brand-user interactions across platforms like WhatsApp Business and Instagram.

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(With inputs from agencies)
Despite Indonesia banning in-app transactions, TikTok has persistently violated the countrys prohibition on in-app transactions after the acquisition of the nations leading e-commerce platform an Indonesian cabinet minister has revealed

Despite Indonesia banning in-app transactions, TikTok has persistently violated the country's prohibition on in-app transactions after the acquisition of the nation's leading e-commerce platform an Indonesian cabinet minister has revealed

Indonesias cabinet minister for Small-Medium Enterprises revealed on Tuesday that TikTok has persistently violated the countrys prohibition on in-app transactions after the acquisition of the nations leading e-commerce platform to restart its online shopping venture.

TikToks foray into e-commerce, through its TikTok Shop service, was halted in Indonesia following the governments prohibition on social media-based online shopping last year. The ban, aimed at safeguarding smaller merchants and users data, compelled TikTok to cease its e-commerce endeavours in the country.

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In a strategic move, Chinese-owned ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, recently concluded a deal to acquire 75.01% of Tokopedia, Indonesias prominent tech conglomerate GoTo revealed last month. The acquisition, valued at $840 million and finalized in December, was anticipated to pave the way for TikToks reentry into Indonesias e-commerce landscape.

Teten Masduki, Indonesias Minister for Small-Medium Enterprises (SMEs), highlighted concerns about TikToks compliance with regulations, highlighting the necessity for adherence to the ban on in-app transactions. Masduki emphasized the role of the trade minister in enforcing compliance, underscoring the potential repercussions for flouting governmental authority.

The Indonesian trade ministry is deliberating on the most appropriate course of action in response to TikToks alleged non-compliance with regulatory directives. TikTok had previously announced intentions to invest substantial sums in Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, signalling its commitment to the regions burgeoning digital economy.

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(With inputs from agencies)
Under Zuckerbergs leadership, Meta has initiated a significant efficiency drive characterised by multiple layoffs and eliminating several management layers. Reports indicate that Metas headcount decreased by 22 per cent year-over-year

Under Zuckerberg's leadership, Meta has initiated a significant efficiency drive characterized by multiple layoffs and eliminating several management layers. Reports indicate that Meta's headcount decreased by 22 per cent year-over-year

In a recent podcast appearance, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg provided insights into the ongoing wave of layoffs in the tech industry, shedding light on the reasons behind this persistent trend. Zuckerberg attributed the continued layoffs to a broader paradigm shift among companies towards leaner operations and ongoing adjustments in response to the post-pandemic landscape.

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Zuckerberg spoke of thre the evolving mindset within the tech sector, emphasizing that companies increasingly recognise the advantages of operating with fewer employees. He clarified that this shift isnt merely a reaction to over-hiring but a strategic move aimed at enhancing efficiency and effectiveness following the challenges brought by the pandemic.

When asked if tech layoffs were related to the AI boom, Zuckerberg responded, In terms of the layoffs and stuff like that, I actually think that was more due to companies trying to navigate COVID.

Acknowledging the impact of these layoffs on the workforce, Zuckerberg noted the difficult decisions companies have had to make. Despite the challenges, he expressed confidence that streamlining operations ultimately strengthens a companys overall effectiveness.

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Under Zuckerbergs leadership, Meta has initiated a significant efficiency drive characterized by multiple layoffs and eliminating several management layers. Reports indicate that Metas headcount decreased by 22 per cent year-over-year.

The trend of layoffs extends beyond Meta, affecting industry giants like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft, as well as smaller fintech startups.

According to Layoffs.fyi, over 32,000 tech workers have lost their jobs in 2024 alone. Cisco recently announced layoffs affecting as many as 4,250 employees, while Mozilla plans to terminate 5 per cent of its workforce.

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Google has also announced a fresh round of layoffs, reportedly affecting around 1,000 employees across various departments, including hardware and central engineering teams. In an email to affected employees, the company expressed regret over the difficult decision. Similarly, Amazon has handed pink slips to employees in different departments, including One Medical and Amazon Pharmacy areas. Nike also intends to reduce its headcount by approximately 2 per cent.

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With layoffs becoming a recurrent theme, companies justify these actions as necessary for cost-saving measures and business improvement amidst evolving market dynamics.

(With inputs from agencies)
Countering Qatar-based Hamas officials claim that the terror group had lost roughly 6,000 fighters since the conflict began on 7 October, the Israel Defence Forces claimed that they have eliminated approximately 12,000 of Hamass estimated 30,000 fighters in the Gaza Strip during the four-month-long war

Countering Qatar-based Hamas officials claim that the terror group had lost roughly 6,000 fighters since the conflict began on 7 October, the Israel Defence Forces claimed that they have eliminated approximately 12,000 of Hamass estimated 30,000 fighters in the Gaza Strip during the four-month-long war.

According to a Times of Israel report, additionally, Hamas is believed to have thousands of members who are severely wounded and unable to participate in combat.

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According to the report, citing Israeli militarys data released on Monday, Israeli aircraft have conducted more than 31,000 airstrikes since October 7, with over 1,000 strikes in Lebanon and dozens in the West Bank.

The remarks made by the unnamed Hamas official on significant losses are noteworthy as they represent a rare admission from the terror group. The statement also appears to be the first time Hamas has acknowledged a distinction between combatants and civilians in the death toll from the war.

Furthermore, the Hamas official cautioned that the group possesses the necessary resources to continue its fight against Israel and is prepared for an extended conflict in Rafah and Gaza.

The war erupted after Hamass October 7 massacres, which saw some 3,000 terrorists burst across the border into Israel by land, air and sea, killing some 1,200 people and seizing over 250 hostages, mostly civilians, many amid horrific acts of brutality and sexual assault.

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Vowing to destroy Hamas and return the hostages, Israel launched an air and ground offensive, in which it says it is targeting all areas in Gaza where Hamas operates, while seeking to minimize civilian casualties.

The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry said on Monday that more than 29,000 people in the Strip have been killed since fighting began, though these figures cannot be independently verified and are believed to include both civilians and Hamas members killed in Gaza, including as a consequence of terror groups own rocket misfires. The IDF says it killed some 1,000 terrorists inside Israel on October 7 in addition to the 12,000 killed in Gaza since.

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In December, IDF officials gave an assessment of two civilian deaths per combatant in Gaza.

Im not saying its not bad that we have a ratio of two to one, an unnamed Israeli official told AFP at the time, noting the use of human shields was part of Hamass core strategy.

Israel has repeatedly accused Hamas of using civilians as human shields, providing evidence that the terror group locates operations bases under hospitals, launches rockets from schools and shelters, builds tunnels shafts under childrens bedrooms, stores weapons in and around schools and mosques, and embeds itself within the civilian population amid the ongoing war.

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With inputs from agencies
Navalnys mother Lyudmila has been told by authorities that his sons body is being held for chemical analysis, one of his representatives said

People attend a vigil following the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, in Paris. Reuters

Alexei Navalnys family has been told that his body will not be released for another two weeks after they were denied access for the third time yesterday.

The Kremlin critic died last week in a Russian prison owing to health reasons, a cause that has led many to raise eyebrows.

Navalnys mother Lyudmila has been told by authorities that his sons body is being held for chemical analysis, one of his representatives said.

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Meanwhile, the whereabouts of Navalnys body are still unknown despite the familys efforts to recover it.

Navalnys widow cries foul

Navalnys widow Yulia Navalnaya in a video message, said that Russia is deliberately hiding her husbands body.

They are cowardly and meanly hiding his body, refusing to give it to his mother, she said.

Navalnaya, who lives in exile, also accused Russian officials of lying miserably while waiting for the trace of another Putins Novichok to disappear. Novichok is a poison that Russia has allegedly used to carry out a previous politically motivated assassination attempt.

The widow urged Russians to share not only the grief and endless pain that has enveloped and gripped us  but also my rage, and vowed to continue her husbands work to reveal Russian President Vladimir Putins misdeeds.

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Meanwhile, Navalnys spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh last week said, Its obvious that the killers want to cover their tracks and are therefore not handing over Alexeis body, hiding it even from his mother.

His team further said that upon arriving at the local morgue in the town of Salekhard where Navalnys body was supposedly kept, Navalnys lawyer and mother Lyudmila learned that the body was not there.
The IDFs intention is to allow reservists to return to civilian life temporarily, helping to rejuvenate Israels economy and providing them with respite before potential redeployment, given the anticipation of continued conflict in Gaza throughout the year, according to a report, citing military sources

IDF troops seen in the Gaza Strip in a photo released on 16 February, 2024. Image Courtesy: IDF

As the military nears the end of its offensive in Khan Younis, the IDF last week withdrew its last reserve brigade - the 646th Brigade - from the Gaza Strip.

According to a Times of Israel report, citing IDF, troops of the reserve paratroopers brigade first operated in central Gaza and then in Khan Younis in the south in the past months, killing numerous Hamas operatives, locating weapons, and destroying tunnels.

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The IDF has been gradually pulling back its reservist forces from the Gaza Strip in recent weeks, while the regular army remains engaged in combat with Hamas.

According to the report, citing military sources, the IDFs intention is to allow reservists to return to civilian life temporarily, helping to rejuvenate Israels economy and providing them with respite before potential redeployment, given the anticipation of continued conflict in Gaza throughout the year.

Moreover, concerns about escalating tensions in the north, including Hezbollahs ongoing attacks, add to the urgency of maintaining a balanced military readiness.

In Khan Younis, the IDFs primary offensive is nearing completion, although an official end date has not yet been set.

While the Hamas battalions in the area have been neutralized, the IDF plans to sustain operations to achieve additional strategic objectives in the region.

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With inputs from agencies
Brett McGurk is expected to meet Netanyahu, Israel Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and other Israeli notables on Thursday, a day after he meets Abbas Kamel, the chief of Egyptian intelligence service and other Egyptian officials

Children watch as Palestinian refugee Saad Eldeen Al-Jamal sits with his African two lion cubs outside his house at Al-Shabora refugee camp in Rafah. Reuters representational image

As Israel prepares to invade Rafah, the last city in the Gaza enclave, Brett McGurk, US President Joe Bidens top West Asia advisor, will be in Israel and Egypt to know about Benjamin Netanyahus operational plan and what is being done to secure the freedom of Israeli hostages held by Hamas.

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The Axios news website reported the development on the testimony of Israeli and US officials without naming them.

According to reports, the White House is concerned that ground operations in Gaza may lead to mass civilian casualties since a large number of Palestinians displaced from other regions in Gaza have found refuge in Rafah. On the other hand, Netanyahu is bent on carrying out operation in Rafah since the city remains the last bastion of Hamas, where, reportedly, three battalions of the terror outfit are still standing ground.

Moreover, Netanyahu has also brushed aside exhortations and outrage from several European countries over the planned attack on Rafah as also US warning on the issue.

Since the US is concerned about the fate of Palestinians in Rafah, McGurk is expected to look into the Israeli plan to execute the attack without causing civilian casualties. Israel too, reportedly, has agreed to share the attack plan it has already been chalked out and would be presented to the security cabinet this weekas it has underlined that it would take US concerns into account.

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Moreover, the Rafah question has an Egypt angle too, hence McGurks visit to Cairo.

Egypt fears that Rafah invasion will push a large number of Palestinians into Egypt, which, Cairo says, will disrupt its relations with Israel.

According to Axios, McGurk is expected to meet Netanyahu, Israel Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and other Israeli notables on Thursday, a day after he meets Abbas Kamel, the chief of Egyptian intelligence service and other Egyptian officials.

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Reports suggest that Israel plans to shift civilians in Rafah to north of the city, but south of Gaza, but US and others are bothered that the proposed area of evacuation does not have enough infrastructuresanitation, water, electricityto support such large population of refugees.
In my name and in the name of the citizens of the State of Israel - inform President Lula that he is an unwanted personality in Israel until he does not retract, Foreign Minister Israel Katz told Brazils Ambassador Federico Mayer after he was summoned for reprimand, according to a report

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, President of Brazil, arrives for a German and Brazil governments meeting at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, on 4 December, 2023. AP

The Brazil-Israel row escalated on Monday after Tel Aviv declared Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva persona non grata for his Hitlers genocide in Gaza remark and in a tit-for-tat move Brazil recalled its ambassador over the issue.

The row erupted when Lula said the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip isnt a war, its a genocide, and compared it to when Hitler decided to kill the Jews.

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In my name and in the name of the citizens of the State of Israel - inform President Lula that he is an unwanted personality in Israel until he does not retract, Anadolu Agency, a state-run news agency headquartered in Ankara, quoted Foreign Minister Israel Katz telling Brazils Ambassador Federico Mayer after he was summoned for reprimand.

Katz said Israel will not forget and we will not forgive until the president expresses contrition for his words, added the report, citing a statement issued by the Israeli Foreign Ministry.

The comparison between Israels just war against Hamas, and the atrocities of Hitler and the Nazis, is a shame and disgrace and a serious anti-Semitic attack, Katz said.

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On Sunday, da Silva while addressing reporters in Addis Ababa, where he attended an African Union summit, accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza saying whats happening in the Gaza Strip isnt a war, its a genocide.

Its not a war of soldiers against soldiers. Its a war between a highly prepared army and women and children, he added.

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Whats happening in the Gaza Strip with the Palestinian people hasnt happened at any other moment in history. Actually, it has happened: when Hitler decided to kill the Jews, he remarked.

Israel decried da Silvas statements, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying the Brazilian president crossed a red line.

According to Israeli public broadcaster KAN, da Silva recalled his ambassador from Israel for talks amid a crisis between the two countries.

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Israel initiated a lethal offensive in the Gaza Strip following a Hamas attack on October 7. The resultant Israeli airstrikes have caused approximately 29,092 fatalities and left around 69,028 people wounded, leading to widespread destruction and shortages of essential supplies.

The conflict has forced 85 per cent of Gazas population into internal displacement, exacerbating critical shortages of food, clean water, and medicine. Additionally, 60 per cent of the enclaves infrastructure has suffered damage or complete destruction, according to the UN.

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Israel faces accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice. In an interim ruling issued in January, Tel Aviv was instructed to cease genocidal activities and ensure the provision of humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza.

With inputs from agencies
Two Chinese Coast Guard officials intercepted a Taiwanese sight-seeing ferry called King Xia with 11 crew and 23 passengers on board on Monday

The Chinese mainland as seen from Taiwan's Kinmen islands. AFP file

Chinese Coast Guard officials boarded a Taiwanese tourist ship amid tensions between the two nations after two Chinese fishermen drowned off the Kinmen archipelago.

Last week, a Chinese vessel with four people on board capsized after it tried to flee from a Taiwanese Coast Guard ship.

Chinas Taiwan Affairs Office strongly condemned the deaths and called for an investigation, saying Such a malicious event during the Spring Festival seriously hurts the feelings of compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

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Meanwhile, Taiwans Chinese policy-making Mainland Affairs Council said that a preliminary investigation into the matter proves that the Coast Guard acted in accordance with the law and did nothing wrong.

Why did Chinese Coast Guard officials board Taiwans ship?

Two Chinese Coast Guard officials intercepted a Taiwanese sight-seeing ferry called King Xia with 11 crew and 23 passengers on board on Monday.

Six coastguards entered the vessel on the pretext of checking the documentation of the crew onboard before it finally disembarked half an hour later, Taiwans Coast Guard Authority said.

The ship was then escorted back to the coast by the Taiwan coast guard patrol.

Chinese Coast Guard triggered panic

A Taiwanese government minister on Tuesday said that the incident triggered panic" among Taiwans people. However, Taiwans military has said that it is not planning to get involved in the matter.

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We think it has harmed our peoples feelings and triggered peoples panic. That was also not in line with the interest of the people across the strait, Kuan Bi-ling, head of Taiwans Ocean Affairs Council, told reporters on the sidelines of parliament in Taipei.

Chinas coast guard, which has no publicly available contact details, has yet to comment.

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Chinas Taiwan Affairs Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

China announced on Sunday that its coast guard would begin regular patrols and set up law enforcement activity around the Taiwan-controlled Kinmen islands, following the death of two Chinese nationals fleeing Taiwans coast guard having entered into restricted waters too close to Kinmen.

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With inputs from agencies
Countries must update their plans to tackle climate change, known as nationally determined contributions or NDCs, said Al Jaber, who also leads the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, at the Paris headquarters of the International Energy Agency.

The United Arab Emirates on Tuesday urged governments to take decisive action in transitioning away from fossil fuels.

During intense negotiations in December, countries reached an agreement in the UAE Consensus document at COP28, committing to reducing reliance on fossil fuels to mitigate the severe impacts of climate change. Now, nations are called upon to outline their strategies for achieving this goal.

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According to Al Jaber, who heads both the United Arab Emirates and the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, countries must update their plans for combating climate change, known as nationally determined contributions or NDCs. This call to action was made at the International Energy Agencys headquarters in Paris.

We must now turn an unprecedented agreement into unprecedented action and results, COP28 president Sultan Al Jaber said on Tuesday.

The landmark 2015 Paris Agreement, which saw countries commit to try to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7F) above preindustrial levels, requires that countries update their NDCs every five years.

Earlier this month, the UAE said they would create a troika with Azerbaijan and Brazil, the hosts of the next two U.N. climate summits, to push countries to set ambitious emissions-cutting goals ahead of the next 2025 deadline.

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Everybody has to have a plan, and that is not where we are today, said U.S. climate envoy John Kerry at the IEA roundtable event, which brought climate and energy leaders together to discuss actions beyond COP28.

In the end, theres no faking it in this next period of time, Kerry said. Kerry, who has served as the US climate envoy for three years, announced plans in January to step away from the role sometime this spring.

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On Tuesday, Kerry said he was not retiring and that he will stay involved in climate. I will focus on the finance. COP29 will take place in Baku in November.

With inputs from Reuters.
The Rubymar, flying the flag of Belize, was damaged on Sunday night local time by two anti-ship ballistic missiles, the US Central Command reported on social media on Monday. The Rubymars crew was taken to a neighboring port when a coalition warship and another merchant ship reacted to the distress call

The Houthis have increased their missile and drone attacks on Yemen's commerce marine near its coast since November Image Courtesy AFP

Following a Houthi attack, the crew of a commercial ship in the Red Sea abandoned the ship; this is the first evacuation of its kind since the terrorist group started endangering trade in the crucial waterway late last year.

The Rubymar, flying the flag of Belize, was damaged on Sunday night local time by two anti-ship ballistic missiles, the US Central Command reported on social media on Monday. The Rubymars crew was taken to a neighboring port when a coalition warship and another merchant ship reacted to the distress call, the statement continued.

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The Houthis have increased their missile and drone attacks on Yemens commerce marine near its coast since November. The group, backed by Iran, claims that in retaliation for the war in Gaza and western bombings that have attempted to put an end to the attacks, they are targeting ships that have connections to Israel, the US, and the UK.

The Rubymar is a modest cargo vessel. As per the Equasis international maritime database, Southampton, England is the registered owner.

In a statement, a Houthi official claimed that an attack on an unnamed British ship led to its complete sinking; however, this allegation could not be verified.

Whether the Rubymar sank was not mentioned in Centcoms statement, and the owner of the ship did not reply to a previous request for information. There have been no updates regarding the incident from UK Maritime Trade Operations.

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A representative of GMZ Ship Management Co. in Lebanon had earlier stated that the engine room and the front of the ship were the locations of the strikes. The official stated that there were no reports of injuries among the crew members who were being transported to Djibouti.

The Suez Canal, at the other end of the Red Sea, handles up to 30% of container traffic and around 12% of all world trade annually. The majority of the worlds bulk oil and gas transporters, however, escaped the attacks.

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Another ship on Monday also reported two explosions close by, showing signs of shrapnel and paintwork damage. Despite this, the ship proceeded to its next port of call. The ship was identified as a bulk commodity carrier flying the flag of Greece by maritime intelligence firm Ambrey.

Although specifics of the attack could not be immediately confirmed, the Houthis claimed in their statement to have also targeted two more vessels.

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On Monday, the European Union formally began a defensive naval operation to defend commercial ships against attacks by the Houthis. Under Greeces leadership, the mission will escort a few ships and defend them against threats from the Persian Gulf to the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

The US claimed to have carried out five self-defense strikes on the Houthis over the weekend, one of which targeted an undersea vessel. Since the attacks started, this is the first time that the subsea attack capability has been seen deployed, according to Central Command.
Dr. Wee Ka Siong highlighted this issue during the launch of the Dato Teng Gaik Kwan Centre for Early Childhood Education at Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management of Technology

The President of the Malaysian Chinese Association has voiced concerns over a noticeable decrease in the birth rate among Chinese communities globally, including Malaysia.

Dr. Wee Ka Siong highlighted this issue during the launch of the Dato Teng Gaik Kwan Centre for Early Childhood Education at Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management of Technology.

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Dr. Wee said that many Chinese families worldwide are opting for fewer children, contributing to a decline in the Chinese population. He noted a similar trend among ethnic Malays.

According to him, factors such as financial challenges in raising children, especially regarding tertiary education expenses, play a significant role in this decision-making process.

Highlighting the personal aspect of family planning, Dr. Wee stressed the importance of nurturing the younger generation. He pointed out that while previous generations might have had numerous siblings, the current trend sees families having only two or three children, on average.

However, Dr. Wee mentioned a temporary rise in birth rates among ethnic Chinese during the lunar Year of the Dragon. Regarding concerns about declining enrollment in Chinese schools due to this trend, he clarified that these institutions remain open to students of all ethnicities. Currently, about 20 percent of students in Chinese schools are non-Chinese.

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These remarks come in response to Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzins recent Facebook post expressing worry over the decreasing birth rate among the Chinese community in Malaysia.

Citing data from 2022, Sim highlighted that only 40,000 Malaysian-Chinese births were recorded that year.
Ivan Sechin, son of Igor Sechin, was believed to be in good health. He died in his mansion in the elite Europe-1 village in Krasnogorsk close to Moscow

It seems to be an open season for assassinations in Russia. While the world was shocked by the news of Opposition star Alexei Navalnys death in the Polar Wolf penal colony in the Arctic, even more, surprising is the death of the son of oil oligarch Igor Sechinthe only man Putin trusts. Yet bizarre are reports that Ivan Sechin, 35, died of the same cause as Navalny.

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Ivan, though, died before Navalny.

According to reports, Ivans death was kept a secret for weeks, before it leaked on Telegram channels.

Out of Breath

Ivan reportedly complained of suffocation and died from a detached blood clot, the same cause of death given to Navalny.

Navalny died on Friday (16 February) in a Siberian penal colony.

The junior Sechin, who was believed to be in good health, died in his mansion in the elite Europe-1 village in Krasnogorsk close to Moscow. As per reports, Ivan was buried three days after his death.

Details on Telegram

At approximately 4:30 am (local time) on the night of 5 February, 35-year-old Ivan complained that he felt bad and was suffocating. The man fell on the bed and lost consciousness. Those around him carried Ivan to the floor and tried to provide primary resuscitation measures, read the message on Telegram channel VChK-OGPU, which has close law enforcement contacts.

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At the same time, Ivan Sechins security guard called an ambulance. When the ambulance arrived at the scene, the doctors were only able to ascertain Ivans death, it was posted.

As per reports, the ambulance took one-and-a-half hours to reach Ivans home.

Originally, the same cause was given for the death of Navalny. It was later announced that the Russian opposition leader died of sudden death syndrome.

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There are widespread claims that Navalny, Putins most vociferous critic, was killed on orders by the Russian President.

Father Launches Private Probe

The Telegram channel further claimed that Igor Sechin prevented Russias Investigative Committee, FSB and other security forces from examining the circumstances of his sons death.

Instead, he deployed the Rosneft Security Service, comprising of former FSB and Investigative Committee employees personally loyal to Sechin.

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Who was Ivan Sechin?

Ivan is the son of Igor Sechin, nicknamed Darth Vader of the Kremlin due to his behind-the-scenes influence.

Igor is a powerful head of oil giant Rosneft with a fortune worth an estimated $800 million. He is a confidante of Putin since the 1990s.

As per reports, Ivan was the only son of Putins right-hand man. He was considered highly secretive, and used the pseudonym Evgeny Anatolyevich Panin, possibly to hide his wealth or for security reasons.

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Ivan worked as an executive on offshore projects for Rosneft and accompanied his father on foreign trips. He was a graduate from Moscow State University and had also worked as an analyst at Kremlin-cosy Gazprombank.

His is the latest of dozens of mysterious deaths - many in the energy sector - since the start of Russias invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022.

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Ivans death news also comes amid speculation that the sons and daughters of Putins aging circle are poised to gain new political and business power after next months presidential election.

With inputs from agencies
The new sanctions have been brought against nearly 200 more firms and people deemed involved in the war

The European Union has extended sanctions on Russia until February next year over its war with Ukraine and more recently over the death of President Vladimir Putins biggest critic Alexei Navalny.

The restrictive measures contained in Decision (CFSP) 2022/266 should be renewed for a further 12 months, until February 24, 2025, a statement from the Official Journal of the European Union read.

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The discussion on the 13th package on anti-Russian sanctions was initiated last month.

Germany, Lithuania and Sweden were among EU countries calling for specific new penalties against Russia over the death of Alexei Navalny in a remote penal colony in Russias Arctic.

The new sanctions have been brought against nearly 200 more firms and people deemed involved in the war.

The EUs top diplomat suggested that Russian prison officials linked to Navalnys death could be added to the list of those subject to asset freezes and travel bans.

There was no immediate word of any more hard-hitting measures that could target Russias broader economy and an EU diplomat said so far it seemed any specific new sanctions related to Navalnys death would be symbolic and come later.

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The EU will spare no efforts to hold Russias political leadership and authorities to account, in close coordination with our partners; and impose further costs for their actions, including through sanctions, EU foreign ministers said in a joint statement after their meeting with Navalnaya in Brussels.

With inputs from Reuters
Because of the Houthi threat, tankers bound for Europe or the Atlantic Basin are being compelled to take the longer and more expensive route around South Africas Cape of Good Hope or utilize the Suez Canal, with the risks involved and extremely high war risk insurance

Indian diesel sales to the UK and the European Union have also plummeted due to higher freight costs fueled by the ongoing unrest in the Red Sea and unscheduled refinery maintenance in Asia, which made it more economically advantageous to send cargoes east rather than west Image Courtesy AFP

Diesel shipments into Europe this month have reached their lowest level since 2022 as a result of the Houthi attacks on merchant shipping, which are further disrupting international trade and pushing more cargoes towards Asia.

Indian diesel sales to the UK and the European Union have also plummeted due to higher freight costs fueled by the ongoing unrest in the Red Sea and unscheduled refinery maintenance in Asia, which made it more economically advantageous to send cargoes east rather than west.

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In the first two weeks of February, the average number of barrels of petroleum arriving in Europe from India was just 18,000 per day, a 90% decrease from Januarys average, according to statistics collated by Bloomberg from Vortexa Ltd. James Noel-Beswick, an analyst at Sparta Commodities, claims that the decline was partially caused by the increased shipping expenses to the west last month.

The economics to export east - Singapore region - were a lot better than those west, Noel-Beswick told the media.

Because of the Houthi threat, tankers bound for Europe or the Atlantic Basin are being compelled to take the longer and more expensive route around South Africas Cape of Good Hope or utilize the Suez Canal, with the risks involved and extremely high war risk insurance.

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The data indicates that during the first two weeks of February, there were no imports of diesel-type fuel into the EU and only one cargo into the UK. However, according to a port report and tanker-tracking data provided by Bloomberg, the Marlin Sicily and Marlin La Plata recently loaded barrels in India and are headed for Rotterdam, with the former signaling arrival later this month.

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During the first two weeks of the month, the amount of diesel-type fuel arriving in Asian countriesincluding some shipments into Saudi Arabia and Bangladeshrose sharply from India. More cargo is being carried towards East Asia by ships like the Peace Victoria and Orange Victoria.

According to Noel-Beswick, improved arbitrage economics might result in more diesel exports from India to Europe in the upcoming weeks.
Condemning the incident, animal welfare groups said the unimaginable stench indicated the conditions the animals faced on the vessel

People in Cape Town were disgusted by the unimaginable stench, forcing authorities in the South African city to launch an investigation to trace the source of the smell. Sewage facilities were checked, environmental health team was activated, but it was revealed that the stink was from a ship docked in the harbour carrying 19,000 live cattle from Brazil to Iraq.

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Investigators had confirmed the source of the sewage smell blanketing parts of the city was the cattle ship, confirmed Zahid Badroodien, an official in the mayors office in charge of water and sanitation, said in a post on social media.

Why ship with cattle left Cape Town stinking?

As per the National Council of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), the smell was due to the animals who were kept onboard for two-and-a-half weeks in awful condition, with a buildup of faeces and ammonia.

This smell is indicative of the awful conditions the animals endure, having already spent two-and-a-half weeks onboard, with a buildup of faeces and ammonia, the SPCA said, adding: The stench onboard is unimaginable, yet the animals face this every single day.

The SPCA also said it strongly opposed the export of live animals by sea. A veterinary consultant has also been sent aboard the ship to assess the animals welfare.

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Condemning the incident, other animal welfare groups said the unimaginable stench indicated the conditions the animals faced on the vessel.

South Africas Democratic Alliance political party, which governs Cape Town, also condemned the transport of live cattle by sea.

Live export, as evidenced by this situation, exposes animals to perilous conditions such as dangerous levels of ammonia, rough seas, extreme heat stress, injuries, dirty environments, exhaustion, and even death, the party said in a statement.

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Where is the ship docked?

As per the website of Marine Traffic, the ship responsible for leaving Cape Town stinky is 190-metre long (623ft) Al Kuwait, a Kuwaiti-flagged livestock vessel.

According to SPCA, it was docked in Cape Town to load feed for the cattle and was due to depart soon.
Biden was ignoring TikToks well-established national security risks, according to the lawmakers in a letter obtained by Reuters. If the Commander in Chief utilizes this app, how can the federal government alert the public to its dangers?"

Citing concerns about national security, a group of eighteen Republican lawmakers has urged President Joe Biden to remove his campaigns TikTok account.

Biden was ignoring TikToks well-established national security risks, according to the lawmakers in a letter obtained by Reuters. If the Commander in Chief utilizes this app, how can the federal government alert the public to its dangers?"

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On February 11, Bidens campaign joined the short-video app TikTok, coinciding with his efforts to win over younger voters. The campaign now has roughly 162,000 followers and its first video has been viewed 9.6 million times.

The lawmakers including Senators Marco Rubio, Jerry Moran, John Barrasso, Marsha Blackburn, Rick Scott, and Josh Hawley urged Biden to delete your account and publicly acknowledge the national security threat posed by TikTok.

The White House and TikTok did not respond to requests for comment on the letter Monday, while the Biden campaign declined comment.

Last week, Democratic Senator Mark Warner raised concerns about the national security implications of TikTok and the Biden campaign decision to join.

I think that we still need to find a way to follow India, which has prohibited TikTok, said Warner, who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee. Im a little worried about a mixed message.

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Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley on Sunday reiterated her call to ban TikTok. We should have banned it from the beginning. It is incredibly dangerous, she said during a Fox News event.

Efforts in Congress to ban TikTok or create new tools to restrict it have stalled, while some lawmakers want the Commerce Department to put China-based TikTok parent ByteDance on an export control list.

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Last month, TikTok told Congress that 170 million Americans now use the app, up from 150 million a year earlier.

The White House noted last week a ban on the use of TikTok on government devices approved by Congress in 2022 and signed by Biden remains in force.

The U.S. Treasury-led Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) in March 2023 demanded TikToks Chinese owners sell their shares, or face the possibility of the app being banned, Reuters and other outlets reported, but the administration has taken no action.

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With inputs from Reuters
Secretary of State at the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Poland, Wladyslaw T Bartoszewski termed relationship between India and his country very important and said it is time for it to move to a higher level

Poland wants India to play a role in world affairs, said Polish Secretary of State at Foreign Affairs Ministry Wladyslaw T Bartoszewski, who also highlighted the progress, including remarkable economic growth, made in the country under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

I can see how much progress India has made under Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the last two termsWe want to have closer cooperation with India because we want India to play a role in world affairs, Bartoszewski was quoted as saying by ANI.

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Poland wants closer cooperation with India

Bartoszewski further said India is a superpower and should play a role that fits a superpower on the world scale.

He said Poland wants India to play a role in world affairs, as Warsaw would like to have closer cooperation with New Delhi.

Poland wants India to play more active role in global politics

Bartoszewski termed India and Polands relationship very important and said it is time for it to move to a higher level.

The (India-Poland) relationships have always been extremely good. We have never had any problems. Now, I think we should move to a higher level because India has developed into a phenomenal country, is the 5th largest economy and is very important. We have developed as well and we have more to offer to each other he said.

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We want India to play a more active role in global politics because, as the largest democracy, we want a country like India to share our values as to how the world should be organised. We want to partner with India We are looking at potentially creating the India-Central Eastern European Forum to discuss amongst a few countries There are a lot of topics the Polish Secretary of State further said.

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Poland says when Ukraine war will end

Commenting on the Russia-Ukraine war which will complete two years on 24 February, Bartoszewski said the ongoing conflict between the countries will end immediately if Russian President Vladimir Putin withdraws his forces from neighbouring Ukraine.

Russia attacked Ukraine, which is a sovereign country as acknowledged by the UN, to reclaim a territory that used to be Russias colony That is not acceptable in the 21st century It could end immediately if President Putin withdraws the forces that invaded Ukraine, he said.

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India and Poland share strong bilateral ties. After the Ukraine war began, Poland helped in Indias Operation Ganga by aiding in the evacuation of Indian students from the war-struck country in 2022.

With inputs from ANI
Israels National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has said elderly Muslim men from within Israel should only be allowed to enter Al-Aqsa, barring those who live in the occupied West Bank

A Palestinian walks near the Dome of the Rock on Al-Aqsa compound, also known to Jews as the Temple Mount, in Jerusalem's Old City. Reuters file

The Israeli cabinet is considering restricting access to the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem to some Muslims during Ramzan.

The move, which is still in the discussion stage, is expected to further heighten tensions in Israel as the country continues to rage a war against Hamas.

Restrictions floated in the cabinet

During the Sunday meeting at the Israeli cabinet, several restrictions were discussed by far-right politicians including permitting only older Palestinian men to enter the mosque and banning others deemed a security risk.

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Meanwhile, access to women will remain unchanged.

Adding fuel to the fire, the countrys National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has said elderly Muslim men from within Israel should only be allowed to enter Al-Aqsa, barring those who live in the occupied West Bank.

Entire Middle East could burn

The discussions have sparked anger among several centre and left-leaning politicians in the Israeli cabinet.

The entire Middle East could burn on the heels of this decision, which could cost lives, but [Ben-Gvir> doesnt care, Merav Ben Ari, an MP with the opposition Yesh Atid party, warned.

Every decision, from getting the hostages back to pilgrimages to the Temple Mount rests with one man only  not with professional security officials, not even with the police who are responsible for the Temple Mount, only the national security minister, she added.

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A Palestinian member of the Knesset, Mansour Abbas, told the Israeli radio, During these four months of war, we dealt every day with how to calm the spirits in Arab society and now they come to make a heavy-handed and irresponsible decision and infringe on the right of Muslims to pray freely in the mosque.

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Meanwhile, Netanyahus office in a statement said, The prime minister has made a balanced decision that allows for religious freedom within the limits of the security needs as established by heads of the security establishment, without mentioning what the decision was.
I know we raised our concerns with the Government of India. There is a committee of inquiry looking into the matter, and we will stay engaged with the government and look forward to their findings. And theyve taken it very seriously, and were grateful for that, said US Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Richard Verma

US Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Richard Verma on Tuesday said that America is looking forward to the findings of the Indian government-appointed committee of inquiry and will stay engaged with New Delhi on the issue of the alleged bid to assassinate Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in the United States.

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Addressing an event titled The Long View from DC: The India-US Partnership hosted by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) in Delhi, Verma said, I know we raised our concerns with the Government of India. There is a committee of inquiry looking into the matter, and we will stay engaged with the government and look forward to their findings. And theyve taken it very seriously, and were grateful for that.

Vermas statement comes after the US Justice Department unsealed an indictment against an Indian national for his alleged involvement in the foiled plot to assassinate Pannun.

In November, the US Justice Department asserted that an unnamed Indian government official (referred to as CC-1) allegedly enlisted Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national, to arrange a hitman for an assassination plot, as revealed in a federal court filing in Manhattan.

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Prosecutors disclosed that US authorities thwarted the attempt. Gupta, currently detained in the Czech Republic, faces charges of murder-for-hire, carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment.

Verma underscored the enduring bonds between India and the US. He reminisced about Mahatma Gandhis correspondence with then-US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and highlighted Martin Luther King Jr.s inspiration drawn from Gandhis writings.

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Verma emphasised three key themes linking the two nations: transcending the burdens of colonialism, advocating for social justice and equality, and striving for a robust, inclusive democratic framework governed by the people. He described these principles as the cornerstone of the bilateral relationship.

Verma also celebrated the burgeoning ties between India and the US, noting their evolution from negligible defence transactions to significant defense partnerships and comprehensive joint exercises across various domains. He lauded the bilateral trade growth, highlighting a doubling in trade volume over the past decade.

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Speaking about the Indian diaspora in the US, he said, People-to-people ties, America boasts well over 4 million Americans of Indian descent, including a vice president and a leading presidential candidate. Last year, the US in this embassy issued over 1 million visas and now there are nearly 270,000 Indian students in the United States. I could go on and on through all the categories of our work together. But its safe to say we have done well. It has not been perfect. But I say this with all humility. It has been transformative and impactful and it has brought greater peace and stability to the Indo-Pacific region

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He noted that the world is better off when the US and India are cooperating fully and strongly together on the world stage.

Calling India and the US post-colonial democratic powers governed by a constitutional framework, Verma said that the two nations aspire for equality, social inclusion, and racial and minority rights and other areas.

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Our security cooperation will become even more important in the years ahead. The threats we face are real. But building our collective capabilities is increasing our sharing of information and improving maritime domain awareness and interoperability for example, we will ensure India continues to be a provider of net security across the Indo-Pacific region and beyond. And the US will continue to be at Pacific power for the decades ahead, security cooperation, he added.

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Verma also held a meeting with Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal. The two leaders held discussions on the trade ties shared by the two nations.

Sharing pictures from the meeting, Goyal, in a post on social media platform X, wrote, Delighted to meet Richard R. Verma, US Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources.

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The densely populated industrial hub briefly climbed to second place on Monday, surpassing Chengdu, before dropping to tenth on Tuesday. IQAir gathers its data from a combination of governmental stations and sensors owned by citizen scientists worldwide

General view of high-rise buildings, UniCredit tower and Vertical Forest building, shrouded in smog in Milan, Italy, February 20, 2024. REUTERS

Milan found itself shrouded in smog Tuesday amid a dispute over data released by a monitoring group, ranking the northern Italian city among the most polluted globally, alongside Dhaka, Lahore, and Chengdu.

The debate ignited on Sunday when the Swiss real-time air quality website IQAir labeled Milan as unhealthy due to the significantly elevated levels of fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) in the air, exceeding the World Health Organisations recommended limit by 24 times. This ranking positioned Milan third after Dhaka and Lahore.

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The densely populated industrial hub briefly climbed to second place on Monday, surpassing Chengdu, before dropping to tenth on Tuesday. IQAir gathers its data from a combination of governmental stations and sensors owned by citizen scientists worldwide.

Milans mayor, Giuseppe Sala, refuted the IQAir data, dismissing it as impromptu analyses by a private entity and criticised media coverage sourced from social media.

The Lombardy branch of Arpa, a regional environmental agency, labeled IQAirs classification as unreliable but acknowledged that PM 2.5 levels had surpassed limits in recent days, prompting anti-pollution measures.

Lombardy, situated in the Po Valley, faces significant air pollution issues, worsened by unseasonably high temperatures. Guido Lanzani of Arpa Lombardy anticipated an improvement with the expected rainfall from Thursday.

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Despite the acknowledged air quality concerns, Legambiente criticized Lombardys leadership for lacking a clear strategy to address the issue. Over 50,000 Milan residents supported legal action against the citys authorities regarding smog levels.

Poor air quality remains a pressing concern, with 50,303 premature deaths linked to it in Italy in 2020, according to the EEA. Milan and Cremona in Lombardy were particularly affected, with high proportions of deaths attributed to PM 2.5 pollution.
Wall Street Journal reporter Gershkovich was accused of espionage by Russian prosecutors, marking the first instance of a Western journalist being charged with a crime in Russia since the collapse of the Soviet Union

US journalist Evan Gershkovich was arrested on espionage charges last year

US journalist Evan Gershkovich was jailed on Tuesday and will stay in pre-trial detention until at least March 30, according to a Moscow court. This means that he will be incarcerated in a Russian jail for at least a year.

Wall Street Journal reporter Gershkovich was accused of espionage by Russian prosecutors, marking the first instance of a Western journalist being charged with a crime in Russia since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

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With a potential 20-year sentence, Gershkovich, his employers, and the White House all deny the charges.

Following a hearing at the Moscow City Court on Tuesday, the Moscow courts service released a statement stating that Gershkovich would remain in custody until March 30, 2024.

The appeal was a technical challenge against an earlier decision to extend Gershkovichs pre-trial detention. It did not concern the substance of the case.

His shock arrest by FSB counterintelligence agents in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg last March while on a reporting trip triggered uproar in Washington.

And the United States has slammed the Kremlin over his ongoing detention, which will hit the one-year mark on March 29.

The charges against Evan are baseless. The Russian government has locked Evan up simply for reporting news, US Ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy, who attended the hearing, said outside the court Tuesday.

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President Vladimir Putin said earlier this month he would like to see Gershkovich released as part of a prisoner exchange.

In remarks to conservative American TV commentator Tucker Carlson, he said talks between Russia and the United States about a possible swap were ongoing.

The Russian leader made clear he wanted any deal to involve the release of a Russian jailed in Germany for killing a Chechen dissident.

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- Bargaining chips -

Washington has accused Moscow of arresting American citizens on baseless charges to use them as bargaining chips to secure the release of Russians convicted abroad.

Former US marine Paul Whelan, in prison in Russia since 2018 and serving a 16-year sentence on espionage charges, is also pushing to be included in any future prisoner exchange.

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The United States will not rest until Evan and Paul are free and back home in the United States with their families, Tracy said.

Separately on Tuesday, Russias FSB security service said it had arrested a 33-year-old dual US-Russian citizen in Yekaterinburg  the same city where Gershkovich was arrested  on suspicion of treason.

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It said the woman, a Los Angeles resident, had been helping Ukrainian organisations collect funds to purchase tactical medical items, equipment, means of destruction and ammunition for the Ukrainian armed forces.

The FSB said she had been acting against the security of our country and had been supporting the Ukrainian army while in the United States.

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Treason is punishable by up to life in prison under legislation toughened since the start of Russias military offensive against Ukraine.

The supreme court of Russias Tatarstan region also rejected an appeal Tuesday by jailed US-Russian journalist Alsu Kurmasheva to be transferred from pre-trial detention to house arrest, her employers reported.

Kurmasheva, a Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) editor who lives in Prague, had her passports confiscated and was arrested in October while back in Russia for a family emergency.

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She faces charges of failing to register as a foreign agent and contravening Russias strict military censorship laws, her employers say.

RFE/RL reported Tuesday that the Tatarstan Supreme Court ordered she be held in jail until at least April 4, rejecting an appeal lodged on health grounds that called for her to be sent to house arrest.

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With inputs from AFP
My point is: just as I do not expect Europe to have a view of China that is identical to mine, Europe should understand that I cannot have a view of Russia that is identical to the European one. Let us accept that there are natural differences in relationships, said Jaishankar in an interview to leading German economic daily

In the midst of deepening ties with Russia, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said that India does not expect Europe to have a New Delhi-centric perspective on China just as it expects Europe to recognise Indias independence in its approach towards Russia, rather than expect India to align with Europes viewpoint on the matter.

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In an interview with a leading German economic daily Handelsblatt during his visit to the Munich Security Conference in Germany, ANI quoted Jaishankar as saying, My point is: just as I do not expect Europe to have a view of China that is identical to mine, Europe should understand that I cannot have a view of Russia that is identical to the European one. Let us accept that there are natural differences in relationships.

On being asked about India purchasing Russian oil, Jaishankar said, Everyone conducts a relationship based on their past experiences. If I look at the history of India post-independence, Russia has never hurt our interests.

The relations of powers like Europe, the US, China or Japan with Russia, they have all seen ups and downs. We have had a stable and always very friendly relationship with Russia. And our relationship with Russia today is based on this experience. For others, things were different, and conflicts may have shaped the relationship. We, on the other hand, had a politically and militarily much more difficult relationship with China, for example, he added.

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Jaishankar said after the Russia-Ukraine war, India faced challenges to manage its energy supplies as Europe shifted a large part of its energy procurement to the Middle East which until then was the main supplier for India and other countries.

Both sides (Russia and Europe) have communicated their positions clearly and have not emphasised their differences. But yes, there are differences. You mentioned the energy issue. When the fighting started in Ukraine, Europe shifted a large part of its energy procurement to the Middle East - until then the main supplier for India and other countries. What should we have done? asked Jaishankar when he was questioned on the possibility of Europes differences with Russia putting a strain on India-Europe relations.

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In many cases, our Middle East suppliers gave priority to Europe because Europe paid higher prices. Either we would have had no energy because everything would have gone to them. Or we would have ended up paying a lot more because you were paying more. And in a certain way, we stabilised the energy market that way, he added.

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The minister also insisted on mediating talks with Russia and Ukraine to end war in the region and said that India would be happy to help but wont initiate anything in this direction on its own.

We (India) have already helped with very specific issues. When Turkey negotiated the corridor through the Black Sea, for example. And we were very supportive of the inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant. Wherever we can help, we are happy to do so. We are open when we are approached. However, we do not believe that we should initiate anything in this direction on our own, he said.

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For decades, India and Russia have nurtured a strong strategic alliance grounded in historical connections and mutual interests. At the core of their relationship lies extensive defense collaboration, where Russia stands as a principal provider of military hardware to India, facilitating joint military exercises, co-development of advanced defense systems, and technology transfers, as reported by the Russian news agency.

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More recently, energy cooperation has emerged as another cornerstone of their bilateral relations. The construction of the Kudankulam nuclear power plant (KNPP), Indias largest, in Tamil Nadu stands as a testament to this collaboration, supported by Moscows technical expertise.

Russias leadership in nuclear technology has significantly bolstered Indias capabilities, fostering a symbiotic partnership, notes RT. Both nations have committed to deepening their nuclear cooperation, recognizing its pivotal role in ensuring energy security and technological progress.

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In the past 18 months, India has notably become one of the largest importers of Russian oil. New Delhi has found itself defending this stance against allegations from Western media and certain political figures, who accuse India of financially supporting Russias war with Ukraine.

With inputs from agencies
The morning after Navalnys death was declared on Saturday, his mother Lyudmila Navalnaya traveled to the isolated IK-3 penal colony. Since then, she has been denied access to see his body

In her first remarks since her sons death in an Arctic prison, Alexei Navalnys mother pleaded with Russian President Vladimir Putin to immediately release her sons body.

Russian authorities reported that Putins principal political rival passed away in his prison colony on Friday. The 47-year-old was murdered, according to his team.

In response to his mothers plea, his widow Yulia Navalnaya called on Putin to be held accountable for Navalnys death and reiterated her vow to carry on her husbands work.

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The morning after Navalnys death was declared on Saturday, his mother Lyudmila Navalnaya traveled to the isolated IK-3 penal colony. Since then, she has been denied access to see his body.

I appeal to you, Vladimir Putin. The solution to the issue depends only on you, she said, dressed all in black, in a video published by his team.

Let me finally see my son. I demand that Alexeis body be released immediately so that I can bury him in a humane way.

Behind her was the barbed wire of the IK-3 prison above the Arctic Circle  one of Russias harshest jails and the place where Navalny spent his last weeks.

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For the fifth day, I cannot see him. They dont give me his body and I am not even told where he is, Lyudmila Navalnaya said.

Navalnys allies have said she mother has been barred from morgues and was on Monday told by investigators that his body could be kept for at least two weeks.

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Navalnys team also published a written letter to Putin by Lyudmila Navalnaya  who is not a public figure  making the demand.

The Kremlin has refused to say when the body will be handed over and Putin has been silent on the death of his main political opponent.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Tuesday brushed off Yulia Navalnayas statement that Putin killed her husband as unfounded and vulgar.

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I do not give a damn how the press secretary of a murderer comments on my words, Navalnaya shot back on social media.

Give back the body of Alexei and let us bury him with dignity. Do not stop people from bidding farewell to him, Navalnaya said.

- Let us bury him with dignity -

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Russia detained hundreds of mourners in the days after Navalnys death.

Yulia Navalnayas freshly created account on the social media site X was suspended for 50 minutes on Tuesday, shortly after her remarks against the Kremlin.

The company then reactivated it without an explanation.

On Monday, she had posted an emotional video appeal on the platform accusing Putin of killing Navalny.

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She announced she would continue her husbands fight against the Kremlin and met European Union foreign ministers.

Her team said on Tuesday she had urged the 27-nation bloc not to recognise Russias forthcoming presidential election  which is likely to see Putin extend his rule until at least 2030.

Do not recognise this election, Navalnaya said, according to comments published by her team on social media.

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A president who killed his main political opponent cannot be legitimate by definition, she added.

She also urged the EU to always make the distinction between Putin and Russia.

- Demonstrative revenge -

People running from war and dictatorship are not your enemies, she said, calling on the bloc to help Russians leaving their country.

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Hundreds of thousands of Russians fled abroad after Putin sent troops to Ukraine.

The West has accused the Kremlin of being behind Navalnys death, which came three years into his imprisonment.

Navalnys death has shocked liberal Russians.

His imprisoned friend Ilya Yashin, who is serving eight and a half years for denouncing the Ukraine offensive, said in a message from prison on Tuesday he had no doubt Navalny had been killed.

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I am sure that he (Putin) ordered the killing, Yashin said in a message published through his lawyers on social media, calling it demonstrative revenge.

Yashin, a key figure in the Russian opposition who was not in Navalnys team but was close to him, was sentenced last year.

Unlike most Putin critics, he chose to stay in Russia after Moscow launched its Ukraine offensive, inspired in part by Navalnys defiant return to the country.

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With inputs from AFP
Niger was due to make a repayment of the principal on 16 February. It earlier missed payments in August, November, January and February

Members of a military council that staged a coup in Niger attend a rally at a stadium in Niamey, Niger. FILE/REUTERS

Niger missed a debt payment of 13.4 billion CFA francs ($22 million), increasing the total default to some $519 million since a July coup and its suspension from regional financial market, , the West African monetary union debt management agency UMOA Titres said.

Niger was due to make a repayment of the principal on 16 February. It earlier missed payments in August, November, January and February.

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As per UMOA Titres, Niger again missed a debt payment as the west African country being subjected to sanctions imposed by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the West African Economic and Monetary Union, also known by its French acronym UEMOA.

This situation is carefully monitored by UMOA-Titres in collaboration with the institutions concerned, UMOA Titres said.

The sanctions were imposed after the 30 July coup by members of the Nigerian presidential guard that overthrew President Mohamed Bazoum.

In July, a planned 30 billion CFA franc ($51m) bond issuance by Niger was cancelled by the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO).

The sanctions were the most stringent imposed by the regional bloc till date to stem the tide of coups in the Sahel.

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In January, the country, along with neighbours Mali and Burkina Faso, announced that it was leaving ECOWAS with immediate effect. The three states formed the Association of Sahel States (ASS) in September and are reportedly considering discontinuing the use of the CFA, the currency of the UEMOA.

With inputs from agencies
Despite threats, just over 100 people gathered at Nitzana, where the Egyptian Sinai meets Israels Negev desert, with some saying they were hoping to pile pressure on in a bid to free the captives

Even as the threat of famine stalks the war-ravaged Gaza Strip, Israeli protesters have gathered repeatedly to stop desperately needed aid from getting into the Palestinian territory.

You might say its not acceptable to block food and water going in, said one protester, David Rudman, at the Nitzana border post between Israel and Egypt.

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But, given the situation were in, its acceptable, he argued as the Gaza war, siege and hostage crisis have continued into a fifth month.

The latest protest on Sunday came as Hamas threatened to suspend talks to free hostages unless more aid gets in.

Despite those threats, just over 100 people gathered at Nitzana, where the Egyptian Sinai meets Israels Negev desert, with some saying they were hoping to pile pressure on in a bid to free the captives.

Undeterred by concrete blocks across the road and armed soldiers on patrol, the protesters reached the terminal where aid from Egypt was checked before the trucks continued towards Gaza.

As a result, trucks waiting on the Egyptian side were unable to cross into Israel.

Our aim is to get the hostages back, said Rudman.

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There hasnt been any progress for weeks, and youre going to see more and more people coming here, he predicted.

Despair

The war began with Hamass attack that resulted in about 1,160 deaths in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official Israeli figures.

Israels retaliatory campaign in Gaza has killed more than 29,000 people, mostly women and children, according to the territorys health ministry.

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Some 300,000 people remain in northern Gaza, where increasingly desperate conditions have forced some to grind bird feed for flour.

A first truce at the end of November saw the release of 108 hostages out of the more than 250 kidnapped by Hamas on October 7. Israel says 130 captives are still in Gaza but 30 may be dead.

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One of my best friends is a hostage in Gaza, said Rudman, without naming the captive. We hope hes still alive in Gaza but we dont know for sure.

It makes no sense at all. On the one hand we give them water, medicine and food but on the other we dont even have a list of who is being held and their condition.

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Families of the hostages have taken to the streets every week to push the Israeli government to accept a deal for their release.

This weekend said they would block the terminal at Nitzana or one further north at Kerem Shalom.

But at Nitzana on Sunday only one member of the hostages families turned up and refused to talk, out of fear of reprisals for those being held.

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Unhumanitarian aid

A survey for Israels Channel 12 television at the end of January suggested 72 percent of Israelis believed Gaza should not receive any aid while hostages are still being held.

The UN says the protests at Nitzana and Kerem Shalom are blocking trucks from going into Gaza, hitting dwindling stocks.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society on Sunday evening said 123 trucks made it into Gaza via Kerem Shalom, but none had passed through Nitzana because of the protest.

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Nili Naouri, head of the far-right group Israel is Forever, said that its completely immoral to force Israel to send humanitarian convoys of trucks to people that support Hamas, who are holding our people hostage, and are collaborating with the enemy.

On Sunday, members of the organisation turned up to block aid, calling it unhumanitarian.

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Hamas arent going to gladly free our hostages if we allow aid trucks in for the civilian population of Gaza, said Naouri.

Her solution is simple: Let Gazans leave Gaza if they want help from the international community.

Hamas, she charged, diverts aid for its own ends.

Some 1.4 million Palestinians have been sheltering in Rafah in the far south of Gaza, many having been displaced several times in a bid to find safety since the start of the war.

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With neighbouring Egypt repeatedly rejecting the mass displacement of Palestinians, they have nowhere to go as Israels planned ground offensive of Rafah looms.

But David Ickowicz, 39, a regular at the aid blockades, is convinced that his civil disobedience serves a purpose.

Hamass leaders live in the tunnels. But to live underground and breathe oxygen you need electricity produced by fuel, he reasoned.

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Cut off fuel supplies and well get them out of the tunnels.
The latest round of talks between the top leaders of PML-N and PPP concluded inconclusively on Monday as both sides couldnt agree on a power-sharing arrangement to establish a coalition government in Pakistan following a divided verdict in the election.

The latest round of talks between the top leaders of PML-N and PPP concluded inconclusively on Monday as both sides couldnt agree on a power-sharing arrangement to establish a coalition government in Pakistan following a divided verdict in the election.

Speculations arise that the dialogue will extend until the constitutional deadline of Feb 29 for the inaugural National Assembly session.

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The meeting, held at Senator Ishaq Dars residence in parliament lodges on Monday, included key figures from both parties. The PPP delegation, featuring Murad Ali Shah, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Nadeem Afzal Chan, and others, engaged in the discussions, as reported by the Express Tribune on Tuesday.

This marks the fifth round of discussions between the coordination committees of PML-N and PPP, aimed at resolving the political deadlock ensuing from the February 8 elections inconclusive outcome.

Following a three-hour deliberation on Monday, the negotiation encountered obstacles, leading to a temporary suspension. Both PML-N and PPP agreed to reconvene at 10 pm that evening, yet the meeting did not materialise.

Ultimately, at 11 pm, the PML-N concluded their session, announcing a resumption of discussions with PPP scheduled for Wednesday.

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In an informal conversation with reporters after the first round of the meeting, PML-N leader Azam Nazir Tarar conveyed a positive trajectory in the ongoing discussions.

Some things have already been decided on the matter of PPPs inclusion in the cabinet, Tarar was quoted as saying by Geo News.

Sources said PPP Chairman Bilawal Zardari-Bhutto was playing smartly and trying to bring PML-N to a point where it withdrew from making a coalition government and then launching himself as prime minister and form a government with the support of independents of jailed former prime minister Imran Khans Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) who have now joined the Sunni Ittehad Council.

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In the Feb 8 polls, the PTI-backed independent candidates emerged as the largest bloc with 93 seats in the National Assembly, followed by PML-N with 75 seats. The PPP bagged 54 seats. Due to a split mandate in the general election, not a single political party is in a position to form its government.

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The PTI has categorically announced that it will not make any alliance with both the PML-N and the PPP. In the house of 336 seats (including reserved seats), a minimum of 169 seats are required to form the new government.

Still eight to nine days are left in convening the session of the National Assembly, Dawn quoted PPP leader Qamar Zaman Kaira as saying during a private TV programme.

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He said the election of the prime minister will take place on 2 or 3 March so the two sides have ample time to reach a logical conclusion.

Kaira said it was never a part of the agenda of the meeting that PPP would join the government in the Centre.

So far the PPP is sticking to its stance that it will not ask the PML-N for ministries, he added. We sat only to streamline our mutual issues so that no deadlock will take place once the future government starts its function, the PPP leader said.

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With inputs from agencies
The decision was taken by the Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar, following which a notification was issued to elevate the IB as a division, thereby granting it complete financial autonomy, according to a report

The caretaker government of Pakistan on Monday addressed a longstanding request from the Intelligence Bureau (IB) by officially elevating it to the status of a full-fledged division, thereby granting it complete financial autonomy.

According to a Dawn report, the decision was taken by the Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar, following which a notification was issued to elevate the IB as a division.

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The Dawn, citing the notification, reported that the IB director general will be the ex-officio secretary to the division which will work directly under the prime minister with its office to be established in the cabinet division.

It is believed that the decision will also end interference of other departments and individuals in IBs working, added the report.

A senior official of the PM Office told Dawn that the IB earlier worked under the cabinet division and faced multiple problems especially in financial and administrative matters.

In the past, the funds were given to the IB through cabinet division and the bureau could not spend anything without its sanction from the finance division.

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Before the latest move, the secretary of the cabinet division had been notified as the principal accounting officer for the IB by the government and all expenditures of the bureau were scrutinised by the financial adviser of the cabinet division.

With the PMs decision, the official added, the IB with its separate division could seek funds directly from the prime minister and get directly from him.

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Similarly, the bureau has been empowered to take its own decision regarding transfer, posting and promotion of his officials.

With inputs from agencies
In a stunt denounced by Ukraine as a political provocation, demonstrators at the Medyka border crossing were seen in a video clip posted on the messaging app Telegram opening railroad carriages to let grain spill onto the tracks

Polish farmers protest near the border with Ukraine over price pressures, taxes and green regulation, grievances shared by farmers across Europe, in Hrubieszow, Poland, February 9, 2024. Jakub Orzechowski/Agencja Wyborcza.pl via REUTERS/File Photo

In what they claim is an attempt to protect their livelihoods, farmers staged protests throughout Poland on Tuesday, enforcing a near-total blockade of the Ukrainian border and interfering with national traffic. Kyiv claims this undermines its war effort.

In a stunt denounced by Ukraine as a political provocation, demonstrators at the Medyka border crossing were seen in a video clip posted on the messaging app Telegram opening railroad carriages to let grain spill onto the tracks.

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Following the EUs 2022 decision to waive duties on Ukrainian food imports, farmers throughout Europe have been staging protests over a variety of grievances, including rising costs and what they claim is unfair competition from overseas, primarily Ukraine.

Adrian Wawrzyniak, a spokesman for the Solidarity farmers union, said that while military aid for Ukraine would be allowed through, all passenger traffic on the border would be blocked, not just lorries. Ports and motorways would also be blockaded.

Protesters tractors carried banners that read: With grain flowing from Ukraine, Polish farmers will go bankrupt.

An organiser of the protest at Doruhusk crossing, Marcin Wielgosz, said buses would be allowed to cross once an hour on Tuesday, but no truck would pass from 0800 to 1800 local time.

In my opinion, the border should be closed. Procedures and systems should be clarified and then maybe it could reopen but not with the rules that we have now. Because right now you can bring whatever you want, however much you want into Poland, he told Reuters.

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Kyiv says its agricultural exports through eastern Europe have not damaged EU markets.

Exasperated by the Polish protests, Ukrainian hauliers began their own round-the-clock counter-demonstration at three crossings. Their protest is planned to last till March 15.

Images circulated by media outlets showed Ukrainian trucks at the border bearing banners with slogans such as Ukraine loses - Poland loses and The blockade of Ukraine is a betrayal of European values.

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POLITICAL PROVOCATION

Responding on the social media platform X to the images of Ukrainian grain being poured onto Polish rail tracks - not the first time such an action has been undertaken - Ukraines Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov decried what he called another political provocation aimed at dividing our nations.

Poland has been one of Ukraines staunchest allies since Russia launched its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, but the border protests have strained relations.

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Polands new pro-European government has expressed sympathy for the farmers demands but has also urged them not to take action that could damage Kyivs war effort.

Ukraine says the blockades are affecting its defence capability and helping Russias aims.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Monday the situation at the border demonstrated the erosion of solidarity on a daily basis.

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We need common decisions, rational decisions, to resolve this situation, he added.

Agriculture Minister Czeslaw Siekierski has previously said he is negotiating with Ukraine and that a deal limiting imports could be reached by the end of March.

With inputs from Reuters
President Putin said that Russia was against the deployment of nuclear weapons in space and his defence minister flatly denied US claims that Russia was developing a nuclear capability for space.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, listens to Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu during their meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024.- AP

Russian President Vladimir Putin asserted on Tuesday that Moscow has no plans to station nuclear weapons in space, saying that the country has developed space capabilities similar to those of the United States.

Putins statement comes in response to the White Houses acknowledgment last week of Russias acquisition of an alarming anti-satellite weapon capability, although it has not yet been operationalized. White House national security spokesperson John Kirby stated that such a weapon would breach the international Outer Space Treaty, but refrained from confirming whether it is capable of carrying nuclear payloads.

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The Outer Space Treaty, endorsed by over 130 nations including Russia, prohibits the deployment of nuclear weapons or any other weapons of mass destruction in space, as well as the positioning of weapons in outer space by any means. The White House expressed its intention to address these concerns by engaging directly with Russia.

Our position is quite clear and transparent: we have always been and remain categorically opposed to the deployment of nuclear weapons in space, Putin said. Just the opposite, we are urging everyone to adhere to all the agreements that exist in this sphere.

Speaking during a meeting with his defence minister, Sergei Shoigu, Putin noted that Russia has only developed space capabilities that other nations, including the U.S. have.

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And they know it, he added.

We havent deployed any nuclear weapons in space or any elements of them to use against satellites or to create fields where satellites cant work efficiently, Shoigu said.

Shoigu alleged that the White House could have made the allegations of a new Russian space capability in order to force Congress to support aid for Ukraine and also encourage Moscow to reenter nuclear arms control talks that Russia has suspended amid the tensions with the U.S. over Ukraine.

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Putin didnt rule out possible future contacts with the U.S., but reaffirmed his view that Washingtons push for Russias defeat in Ukraine makes them impossible for now.

The U.S. and the West, for one thing, are calling for Russias strategic defeat, while, on the other hand, they would like to have a dialogue on strategic stability, pretending that those things arent connected, he said. It wont work.

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With inputs from AP.
The Iranian-backed Houthis have waged a persistent campaign of drone and missile attacks on commercial ships over Israels offensive in Gaza against Hamas which began in October.

The European Union launched a naval mission on Monday aimed at safeguarding cargo ships in the Red Sea amidst ongoing threats from Houthi rebels in Yemen. These attacks on maritime traffic by the rebels have led to disruptions in trade and an increase in prices.

Named Aspides, which translates to shield in Greek, the mission will operate from Larissa, located in central Greece. Larissa is home to the Hellenic Air Force and a NATO headquarters. The mission will be under the leadership of Greek Commodore Vasilios Griparis.

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Houthi rebels, backed by Iran, have consistently conducted drone and missile attacks on commercial ships. These attacks have intensified following Israels offensive in Gaza against Hamas, which began in October. Despite the conflicts origins, the rebels have targeted vessels with ambiguous or no direct connections to Israel, posing a significant threat to shipping along a crucial route for global trade between Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.

In response, U.S. and British forces have bombed multiple targets used by the Houthis.

However, the EU mission will not take part in any military strikes and will only operate at sea.

Within its defensive mandate, the operation will provide maritime situational awareness, accompany vessels, and protect them against possible multi-domain attacks at sea, EU headquarters said in a statement after the blocs foreign ministers had endorsed the mission.

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The entire global economy is being hit. Its not just European ships that are repeatedly jeopardized by Houthi missiles in the Red Sea, but the entire international shipping industry," German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock told reporters in Brussels.

She said that apart from protecting European ships, the mission makes it clear that we as an international community stand together in the face of attacks; terrorist attacks on the freedom of the sea lanes. Germany is contributing a frigate to the mission, as is Belgium.

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With inputs from AP.
The 35-page report by the think tank, founded in 1831, was released only days before the second anniversary of Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Russia is actively rebuilding its capabilities to destabilise European countries while expanding its influence in the Middle East and Africa. The move poses a significant strategic threat to NATO, particularly as member states are preoccupied with the conflict in Ukraine.

In a comprehensive report, researchers at the Royal United Services Institute highlighted the urgent need for Western nations to step up their efforts in countering Moscows employment of unconventional warfare tactics. They argued that effectively combating Russias invasion of Ukraine requires a concerted and robust response to thwart its destabilizing activities.

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As the war in Ukraine protracts, Russia has an interest in creating crises further afield, authors Jack Watling, Oleksandr V. Danylyuk and Nick Reynolds wrote, citing the Balkans as a region that is ripe for mischief.

Russia also has an active interest in destabilizing Ukraines partners, and with a slew of elections forthcoming across Europe there is a wide range of opportunities to exacerbate polarization, the authors said.

The 35-page report by the think tank, founded in 1831, was released only days before the second anniversary of Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

While Russian efforts to destabilize countries such as Moldova failed due to security lapses and the mass expulsion of Kremlin operatives, the Russian military is now strengthening its ability to launch unconventional attacks, the report says.

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Using documents obtained from Russian secret services and interviews with official bodies in Ukraine and some European states, the report weaves a narrative of Russias efforts to extend its influence beyond the present conflict in Ukraine.

The threat extends beyond Ukraine and the active collaboration of those states that are being targeted," it said and urged for sustained vigilance over a range of issues.

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With inputs from AP.
Russias president Vladimir Putin has declared his intention to arrange a prisoner exchange in which US nationals incarcerated in Russia would be exchanged for Russians imprisoned overseas

The Los Angeles resident, 33, who holds dual citizenship, was said to have had her "suppressed the illegal activities" by the Federal Security Service (FSB) in Yekaterinburg, central Russia, and was placed under arrest Image Courtesy AP

According to official media, Russias FSB security services announced on Tuesday that they had detained a US-Russian lady who was allegedly plotting treason and soliciting money for the Ukrainian army.

The Los Angeles resident, 33, who holds dual citizenship, was said to have had her suppressed the illegal activities by the Federal Security Service (FSB) in Yekaterinburg, central Russia, and was placed under arrest.

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Russian news agencies stated, citing an FSB statement, that the anonymous woman had been proactively collecting funds which were subsequently used to purchase tactical medical items, equipment, means of destruction and ammunition for the Ukrainian armed forces.

Treason is punishable by up to 20 years in prison in Russia. Several US nationals are currently imprisoned there, including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was arrested last year on espionage charges that he, his employer, and the US government had rejected. The FSB posted a video of themselves escorting and handcuffing a woman in a white coat with a white hat pulled down over her eyes.

Reports from news agencies said the FSB claimed she had been acting against the security of our country and had been supporting the Ukrainian army while in the United States, according to the FSB.

Russias president Vladimir Putin has declared his intention to arrange a prisoner exchange in which US nationals incarcerated in Russia would be exchanged for Russians imprisoned overseas.
Doctors in South Korea are protesting against the governments decision on increasing medical school admissions by 2,000 from the 2025 academic year, against a current annual figure of about 3,000, and eventually add 10,000 more by 2035

Trainee doctors in South Korea began resigning en masse in protest of a government medical policy, causing reported delays in surgeries and other treatments at hospitals. Source: AP.

In South Korea, surgeries are getting delayed and patients are being turned away as more than 1,600 trainee doctors staged a walkout from the countrys major hospitals on Tuesday, protesting the governments plans to enroll more students in medical schools and bring in more trained physicians into the system.

Already on Monday, about 6,400 of the 13,000 doctors and interns at large hospitals walked out after tendering their resignation, South Koreas health ministry said.

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The doctors protest in South Korea has been organised by the Korean Medical Association and Korea Interns and Residents Association, who had urged members to stop work entirely on Tuesday (20 February).

Why doctors in South Korea going on strike?

South Korea boasts of its affordable health care system but has the fewest physicians per capita in the developed world. The countrys rapidly aging population has increased the need for more healthcare practitioners, especially in rural parts and in areas like emergency medicine.

Considering this situation, the government has suggested increasing medical school admissions by 2,000 from the 2025 academic year, against a current annual figure of about 3,000, and eventually add 10,000 more by 2035.

However, this decision of the South Korean government has angered the doctors, who are in training and those crucial for keeping hospitals running. They have denied the administrations claim of shortage of medical service providers and said it is not industrywide but is confined to particular specialties, like emergency care.

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The protesting doctors say by increasing the number of physicians, the government is merely creating risks of more competition that could lead to the overtreatment of patients.

They have even criticised the government for failing to consult and for demonising existing doctors.

Government ignoring issues

The protesting doctors claim that the government has been ignoring the issues, including harsh working conditions, and low wages for interns and residents, that have made working in unappealing.

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The medical system has been collapsing for a while, a report by The New York Times quoted Park Dan, the head of the Korean Intern Residents Association, who resigned from his job at the emergency wing of Severance Hospital in Seoul on Monday, as saying.

I couldnt see a future for myself working in emergency for the next five or 10 years," Dan said.

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The doctor further said the current setup of insurance and government payment systems only enables physicians in a few departments, like cosmetic surgery, to make a decent living.

Protesting doctors taking peoples lives & health hostage

The South Korean government has ordered doctors to go back to work with President Yoon Suk-yeol condemning a campaign he said was taking peoples lives and health hostage.

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Yoon also said he was aware of cases where cancer surgeries had already been postponed due to the walk-outs. As per the report in South Korean media, many patients have been discharged or transferred to other hospitals due to the ongoing doctors protest.

Doctors have been warned by officials to stay in their posts or else face legal repercussions but the strike and walkout continue.

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The countrys health ministry, on Monday, said it would suspend the licenses of two members of the Korean Medical Association (the association with South Koreas biggest group of doctors). Also, the association is considered to be among the most vocal critics of the governments plan.

As per laws in South Korea, the government can force some doctors back to work if they fear disruption of care. Meanwhile, officials said they will rely on telemedicine operators and military doctors until the matter is resolved.

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South Koreas population of 52 million had 2.6 doctors per 1,000 people in 2022, far below the average of 3.7 for countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Notably, it is not the first time that the South Korean government has pushed for more doctors. Back in 2020, President Moon Jae-ins administration proposed increasing medical school admissions by 4,000 over 10 years. The plan was, however, put on hold after a backlash from the medical community due to concerns similar to the current ones, and a month-long strike by physicians.

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With inputs from agencies
Ukrainian commanders had predicted that Russia would move troops from Avdiivka to other parts of the frontline. Additionally, Ukrainian troops reported that they were coming under heavy fire from advancing Russian forces in the southern Zaporizhzhia region

A heightened Russian offensive in eastern and southern Ukraine saw them capture the key town of Avdiivka last week in a major boost ahead of the second anniversary of the February 2022 invasion Image Courtesy Reuters

Ukrainian troops, reeling from losing a key town, now face extremely difficult conditions all along the frontline with Russia because of delayed foreign aid, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Monday.

A heightened Russian offensive in eastern and southern Ukraine saw them capture the key town of Avdiivka last week in a major boost ahead of the second anniversary of the February 2022 invasion.

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The Ukrainian military also says it is critically short of ammunition and shells, worsened by the holdup of a $60 billion US aid package.

The situation is extremely difficult in several parts of the front line, where Russian troops have concentrated maximum reserves, Zelensky said after visiting frontline troops in the Kharkiv region.

Senior commander Oleksandr Tarnavsky said that Russia was launching multiple attacks near the village of Robotyne, one of the few locations where Ukraine regained ground during a counter-offensive last year. Russian troops are taking advantage of the delays in helping Ukraine, Zelensky continued, highlighting shortages of artillery, frontline air defense, and longer-range weapons.

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Ukrainian commanders had predicted that Russia would move troops from Avdiivka to other parts of the frontline. Additionally, Ukrainian troops reported that they were coming under heavy fire from advancing Russian forces in the southern Zaporizhzhia region.

These offensive attempts are being halted, the enemy is being eliminated in the outskirts of Robotyne, Tarnavsky said in a post on Telegram.

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Moscows forces were reportedly near the villages southern borders, according to earlier reports from Russian military bloggers.

Robotyne, like a lot of other settlements in eastern Ukraine, has been totally destroyed by months of artillery bombardment.

Towns like Selydove, which is 30 kilometers (20 miles) from Avdiivka, are now afraid that they may be the target of a Russian offensive next. Residents of Selydove said that a growing number of them are moving out of the town.

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Zelensky was informed on Sunday by US President Joe Biden that he was confident the Republican-controlled US Congress would approve the desperately needed aid.

According to Biden, without the assistance, another Ukrainian town might fall to Russia.

Polish truckers and farmers are attempting to block the border and blaming their Ukrainian counterparts of sabotaging their company, posing another frontier assault on Ukraine.

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Polish farmers are intensifying their protests against their government and demanding that all border traffic stop on Tuesday.

Despite Poland being one of Ukraines most ardent allies since Russia invaded in February 2022, the dispute has soured relations between the neighbors.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said that the sanctions package will be announced on Friday, the day before the second anniversary of Russia-Ukraine war.

US President Joe Biden has directed the administration to impose major sanctions to hold Russia accountable for the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in an Arctic penal colony, the White House said Tuesday.

The new package will be unveiled this Friday, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Tuesday, adding that the sanctions, which will coincide with the two-year anniversary of Russias invasion, will be specifically supplemented with additional sanctions regarding Mr. Navalnys death.

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Kirby, however, declined to detail the new actions, citing U.S. government policy, or share how they would expand on the already stiff sanctions the U.S. and its allies have put on Russia in retaliation for its invasion of Ukraine.

Kirby said the U.S. had not determined how Navalny had died, but insisted that the ultimate responsibility lies with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Regardless of the scientific answer, Putins responsible for it, he told reporters.

With inputs from AP.
A full appeal hearing will be scheduled to reevaluate Assanges challenge in the event that he is granted permission in the most recent case. His sole remaining option, should he lose, would be to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), where he has already done so while awaiting the London verdict

The 52-year-old Assange is being tried on 18 counts by US authorities in connection with the well-publicized disclosure by WikiLeaks of enormous amounts of classified diplomatic and military cables Image Courtesy Reuters

After more than 13 years of legal battles in English courts, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will start what may be his final attempt on Tuesday to prevent his extradition from Britain to the United States.

The 52-year-old Assange is being tried on 18 counts by US authorities in connection with the well-publicized disclosure by WikiLeaks of enormous amounts of classified diplomatic and military cables.

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They contend that his unlawful behavior has no justification and that the leaks put the lives of their operatives in danger. Many people who support Assange call him a journalist and an anti-establishment hero who is being persecuted for disclosing U.S. misdeeds and possibly committing war crimes.

After Assanges legal battles started in 2010, he spent seven years hiding out in Ecuadors London embassy before being taken into custody and imprisoned in 2019 for violating his bail terms. Since then, he has been held in a maximum-security jail in southeast London, where he even got married.

In 2022, Britain approved his extradition to the United States after a judge initially blocked it due to concerns that he would commit suicide if deported. This could be Assanges last opportunity to prevent his extradition in the English courts. His wife Stella last week described the proceedings as a matter of life and death.

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They will contend that Assanges prosecutionwhich is the first time a publisher has been charged under the U.S. Espionage Actis politically motivated and constitutes an illegal attack on free expression.

Amnesty International, Reporters Without Borders, media outlets that collaborated with WikiLeaks, and Australian lawmakersamong them Prime Minister Anthony Albanesewho last week voted in favor of a motion demanding his return to Australia are among his supporters.

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Last year, Pope Francis even granted his wife an audience.

A full appeal hearing will be scheduled to reevaluate Assanges challenge in the event that he is granted permission in the most recent case. His sole remaining option, should he lose, would be to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), where he has already done so while awaiting the London verdict.

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The founder of WikiLeaks and Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny, who passed away in prison on Friday while serving a three-decade sentence, were contrasted by Assanges brother Gabriel Shipton.

I know exactly what it feels like to have a loved one unjustly incarcerated with no hope, he told the BBC.

To have them pass away, thats what we live in fear of: that Julian will be lost to us, lost to the U.S. prison system or even die in jail in the UK.

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WikiLeaks gained notoriety in 2010 by releasing a U.S. military film of an Apache helicopter attack in Baghdad in 2007 that resulted in the deaths of twelve individuals.

Subsequently, it made public hundreds of secret classified files and diplomatic cables, which exposed the United States frequently harsh assessments of international leaders, ranging from Saudi Arabian royal family members to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Meta has announced a new collaboration with the Misinformation Combat Alliance (MCA) to introduce a fact-checking helpline on WhatsApp. This initiative aims to counter the rise of misleading content, particularly deepfakes, which can deceive people about important public matters.

The helpline will connect users with verified and credible information. Through this partnership, MCA, alongside independent fact-checkers and research organizations, will tackle viral misinformation, especially deepfakes, by allowing users to report them via the WhatsApp chatbot.

The helpline will provide multilingual support in English, Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu to cater to a diverse user base. The MCA will establish a central deepfake analysis unit to handle incoming messages. They will collaborate with member fact-checking organizations and industry partners to verify content and debunk false claims.

Meta emphasizes a four-pillar approach: detection, prevention, reporting, and awareness-building, to combat the spread of deepfakes and empower users with reliable information.

With millions of Indian WhatsApp users, this collaboration underscores Metas commitment to empowering users and follows their recent efforts to label AI-generated images on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads.

Availability

The MCAs WhatsApp helpline is scheduled to be available to the public starting March 2024.

Speaking about the initiative, Shivnath Thukral, Director, Public Policy India, Meta, said:

We acknowledge the concerns surrounding AI-generated misinformation and believe addressing this issue requires concrete and collaborative efforts across the industry. Our partnership with MCA to launch a dedicated WhatsApp helpline for debunking deepfakes, which have the potential to significantly mislead individuals, aligns with our commitment under the Tech Accord to Combat Deceptive Use of AI in the 2024 Elections. As a company deeply entrenched in AI development for over a decade, we remain steadfast in our dedication to collaborating with industry stakeholders to establish uniform technical standards for AI detection, transparency solutions, and policies. Additionally, we are committed to equipping users on our platforms with resources and tools to easily discern content generated through AI and to stem the spread of misinformation.

Commenting about the collaboration, Bharat Gupta, President, Misinformation Combat Alliance, said:
Statement of Intention

Foxtel has processes in place to ensure that customers experiencing financial hardship are treated fairly. We believe that financial hardship should not exclude a customer from continuing to receive a Foxtel telecommunications service if they are willing to pay their bills but require some payment flexibility in particular circumstances or periods.

We recognise telecommunications is an essential service, therefore we will work with you to help you respond to financial difficulty, whether temporary or long-term. The goal of this policy is to prioritise helping customers facing financial hardship keep telecommunications services connected by working with you to find a sustainable solution. Disconnection will only be used as a measure of last resort. Options for financial hardship assistance will be tailored you suit your needs, ensuring we account for your individual circumstances and capacity to pay.

What is Financial Hardship?

In accordance with the Telecommunications Consumer Protection Code, Foxtel defines financial hardship' to be a situation where a customer:

is unable to discharge their financial obligations owed under their consumer contract or otherwise discharge their financial obligations to a provider; and believes that they will be able to discharge those obligations if the relevant arrangement for financial hardship assistance relating to the supply of telecommunications products by the provider to the customer is implemented on a temporary or ongoing basis, depending on the personal situation of the customer.

Such hardship can be ongoing or of limited duration, and can be triggered by many kinds of events, eligibility criteria is listed below:

personal or household illness;

unemployment;

low of insufficient income, including reduced access to income;

being a victim/survivor of domestic or family violence;

a death in the family;

a change in personal or family circumstances;

a natural disaster;

unexpected events or unforeseen changes that have impacted the customers income or expenditure;

other reasonable causes; and

You will be eligible for financial hardship assistance if your situation meets the definition of hardship listed above, and you wish to access options for financial assistance made available.

We use this definition to make our assessment as to whether you are eligible for a financial hardship arrangement, but our policy is designed to apply broadly and apply to all kinds of circumstances experienced by customers. You have a right to apply for short term assistance and long term assistance under this policy.

Application process

If you are struggling financially to pay a bill or experiencing some form of hardship or unforeseen circumstances, we ask that you contact us to discuss your situation and see whether you are eligible to enter a financial hardship arrangement. You can talk to one of our trained case managers and discuss your options and find out more information about this policy. Please call us on 131 999 and say Billing during the following hours:

Monday to Friday: 8am-6pm

Saturday to Sunday: Closed

Public Holidays: Closed

If you want to apply for a financial hardship arrangement there are several convenient ways to do so;

Log in to your My Account and submit a financial hardship form

Download a PDF form and email our dedicated hardship team

Call us on 131 999 and say Billing during the above hours.

We may need to request some information from you to understand your specific circumstances and assess your eligibility, but we will act reasonably when we request documents from you, and we will always treat your request confidentially and fairly.

We will make our assessment of whether you are eligible for a financial hardship arrangement based on the information you have provided, in conjunction with your Foxtel account information within 5 business days of when you lodge your application and inform you of the outcome of this assessment within 2 business days after completing the application. We will advise you immediately if it becomes clear during the assessment process that you cannot be provided with financial hardship assistance due to not meeting the eligibility criteria specified. If you would like to check on the progress of your application, please email hardship@foxtel.com.au .

If you are eligible, we will agree with you on an appropriate financial hardship arrangement based on your circumstances. Once we reach an agreement, we will send you confirmation of the details of the arrangement in writing within 2 business days. An arrangement for financial hardship assistance will commence as soon as you indicate that you agree to the arrangement.

It is important that all information provided is accurate, the provision of false or incomplete information may result in any hardship arrangements being cancelled. Where the requesting information is not provided, or not sufficient an assessment may not be made, if this is the case, we will be in touch to discuss this with you and work through what other information is needed for us to assess eligibility under the Financial Hardship policy.

What is a financial hardship arrangement?

If you are eligible, options for a suitable financial arrangement can include:

Flexible payment arrangements/payment plans

allowing you to temporarily postpone or defer payment of your subscription fees owing, to a time more suitable for you;

agreeing on an alternative (lower cost) plan or contract;

waiving late payment fees or cancellation fees.

We know everyones situation is different, therefore will work with you to ensure we have an arrangement in place that suits your individual needs.

Additionally, we will make available the following options for keeping you connected while you are on a financial hardship arrangement:

spend controls; or

restriction of service(s) and/or shaping. (For example, during the period of your financial hardship arrangement, your Broadband speed may be restricted to 256 kbps and home phone calls restricted to local calls only); or

low cost interim options until you can revert back to paying your full subscription fees every month.

Complaints

If you don't agree with our financial hardship assessment, and wish to seek a review of the decision, or if you are dissatisfied with the way we have handled your situation, you can find information on our complaints-handling process here. Please note, that submitting a compliant does not prevent you from agreeing to an arrangement for financial hardship assistance.

Other information

If you are experiencing financial hardship, you may wish to consider talking to a financial counsellor. Please call the free National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007 (between 9:30am to 4pm, Monday to Friday) to receive free financial counselling. When you call this number you will be automatically transferred to the phone service in your state or territory. Calls from mobile phones may incur a fee from the mobile phone carrier.

You may also contact the Telecommunication Industry Ombudsman (TIO) on 1800 062 058 or visit their website.
To combat hunger in the community, Medical Center Enterprise has kicked off its second Jars of Love peanut butter drive.

You may wonder why we have decided to have a peanut butter drive, said Joey A. Hester, MCE Chief Executive Officer. Peanut butter in high in nutritional value, has a long shelf life, and widespread popularity, making it a much-needed item for food banks.

But even though it is easy to buy, easy to donate and a great source of protein, many food banks in the U.S. say peanut butter is one of the least donated items, he added. Through your generosity and participation, we can change that in our community.

Food insecurity has a significant impact on a persons overall health and wellbeing, said Hester. Through our Jars of Love Peanut Butter Drive, we are working to help fight hunger in our community.

Access to nutritious food can have a significant impact on an individuals overall health and wellbeing, he added. Unfortunately, a large percentage of the residents in the Wiregrass area are struggling to put food on their tables.

Hester said that the goal is to collect as many plasticnot glassjars of peanut butter, or other nutritious butters such as almond or sunflower seed, until March 25. We have partnered with physicians and hospital board members and many businesses, churches and civic organizations around Coffee County for collection sites, he said.

Our goal is to collect enough peanut butter to distribute to each family of Coffee County Family Services, Hester added. We are really excited about this opportunity to help others as we continue to demonstrate our care for the Enterprise and Coffee Couty communities. So, lets spread a little love together.

Access to nutritious food can have a significant impact on an individuals overall health and wellbeing, Hester said. Unfortunately, a large percentage of the residents in the Wiregrass area are struggling to put food on their tables.

We are grateful to our friends at Medical Center Enterprise for donating the large jars of peanut butter for our families, said Coffee County Family Services Center Executive Director Judy Crowley. Most of our families rely on free and reduced priced lunch from school to help keep their children fed so this generous donation will go a long way to keep our kids happy and healthy during spring break.

MCE has served the healthcare needs of the community for over 100 years. It is a 131-bed progressive, acute care hospital offering a full range of health services to Enterprise, Fort Novosel, Coffee County, and surrounding areas. Skilled professionals and technology come together to provide patients with compassionate, customer-focused care. Key services include obstetrics and gynecology, emergency medicine, orthopedics, diagnostic imaging with digital 3D mammography, general surgery, physical therapy, family/internal medicine, internal sleep clinic, and senior care.

For questions or to have your donations picked up, contact Lisa Fenner at (334) 389-2675 or Lee Miller at (334) 347-0584, ext. 8123.
OZARKDale County turns 200 years old in December and the bicentennial celebration officially kicked off with a logo unveiling at the first Dale County Commission meeting of this month.

Members of the Bicentennial Committee, which is spearheaded by Diane Clouse, Pam Carroll, and Susan Judah of Ozark, introduced the four high school students who designed the logo to those attending the commission meeting.

Jeremy Armstrong, Sammy Foote, and Josh Thompson, all G.W. Long High School juniors, and, Alyssa Tucker, a Carrol High School senior, are members of the Ozark Area Chamber of Commerce Youth Ambassador Program, a group of 10 student leaders selected annually who are either high school juniors or seniors, with at least a 2.5 grade point average, who serve as official ambassadors for chamber functions and events.

Dale County is a workplace and a home, so we incorporated that in the design, said Thompson. Tucker came up with the slogan share the moment, share the memories, said Judah. Were so very proud of them and what a great way to kick off the bicentennial celebration by having our young people participating. And of course, Steve Blankenship at Press Craft Printing worked his usual magic.

Dale County, located in the southeastern part of the state, was created by an act of the Alabama State Legislature on Dec. 22, 1824, from Covington, Henry, and Pike Counties. Named for Georgia native and early pioneer Samuel Dale, the county was split in half in 1841 to create Coffee County and in 1868, Geneva County. In 1903, Dale County was further reduced when the state legislature carved Houston County out of the southeastern corner.

The county seat was originally in Daleville but was moved to Newton in 1843 and finally to Ozark in 1870. The Ozark courthouse was destroyed by fire in 1884 and replaced by an ornate brick structure in 1901. In 1968 the county erected the current courthouse.

As part of the bicentennial celebration, the Ozark Dale County Public Library is collecting historical materials through the 30th of each month. Each month features a few cities, towns, or communities within Dale County. We are looking for any local histories or family histories, maps, and photographs. This includes information about schools, businesses, culture, events, military and more, said Genealogy Room Librarian Joni Woods.

Each month features specific cities, towns, or communities that we are looking to add information to our ever-growing collection, said Wood. Acceptable documents include handwritten or typed histories, digital documents, and photographs. Family histories are welcome too. The library will return all originals.

If its relevant to Dale County we want to know about it, Wood said. Materials can be dropped off at the Ozark Dale County Library located at 296 North Union Avenue, to the attention of the genealogy librarian. Those interested in more information can call the library at (334) 774-5480 or email gen@troycable.net.

Communities featured:FebruaryArguta, Ariton, Ashbury

MarchBarnes, Bertha, Camp Rucker/Fort Rucker/Fort Novosel

AprilClopton, Clayhatchee, Daleville, Dillard

MayEcho, Ewell, Gerald, Grimes

JuneKelley, Level Plains, Mabson

JulyMidland City, Napier Field

AugustNewton, Pinckard

SeptemberOzark, Rocky Head

OctoberSkipperville, Sylvan Grove

Novemberany Dale County or family history

December -any dale county or family history

Clouse said that individual cities, towns, and communities in Dale County have been encouraged to host an activity or event highlighting their history. In addition, the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition ServiceSITESand the Alabama Humanities Alliance are bringing the traveling exhibition Crossroads: Change in Rural America to the Rudd Art Center in Ozark April 17-June 21.
A community meeting will be held Thursday by the U.S. Postal Service on proposed changes to the operations of its Processing and Distribution Center in Grand Junction.

The meeting is scheduled for 3 p.m. at the University Center at Colorado Mesa University.

The Postal Service is planning to invest millions of dollars in upgrades to the facility, but also is proposing to redesignate it as a Local Processing Center and transfer processing operations for outgoing mail to the Denver Processing and Distribution Center.

The Postal Service says the proposed changes would save up to $3 million a year. But the American Postal Workers Union Local #600 worries it could slow some mail delivery by potentially resulting in mail being shipped to Denver for processing and back to the area for delivery, all on Interstate 70, which experiences frequent shutdowns due to weather and other reasons.

The Postal Service estimates the changes would result in a net decrease in 12, non-career positions.

The Postal Service is accepting written comments through March 8 on the proposal at www.surveymonkey.com/r/mpfr-grand-junction-co.
Saturday Night

Partly cloudy in the evening. Increasing clouds with periods of showers after midnight. Low 43F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
Secretary General wraps up Munich Security Conference stressing importance of NATO unity, support to Ukraine

NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

16 Feb. 2024 - 18 Feb. 2024

Last updated: 18 Feb. 2024

Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg wrapped up three days of talks at the Munich Security Conference on Sunday (18 February 2024), underlining that the world has become more dangerous but that NATO has become stronger.

On Saturday, speaking alongside U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts and Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, Mr Stoltenberg said that the Alliance never takes peace for granted, but that there was no imminent military threat to any NATO Ally. Mr Stoltenberg pointed to record increases in Allied defence spending and arms production as examples of how the Alliance is adapting to a more dangerous world. On Ukraine, Mr Stoltenberg welcomed that European Allies and Canada are stepping up aid to Kyiv, and he warned that there was a "vital and urgent need" for the U.S. to follow suit. He further called on Russia to answer "serious questions" about the death of Alexei Navalny, underlining that Russia is ultimately responsible, and said that the best way to honour Navalny's memory was to continue supporting the Ukrainians fighting for freedom and independence.

In the margins of the conference, the Secretary General held a range of bilateral meetings, including with His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan; His Highness Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud, Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani; Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen of Denmark; Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre of Norway; Prime Minister Talat Xhaferi of North Macedonia; and President Jakov Milatovic of Montenegro.

In talks with two bipartisan U.S. Senate delegations, Mr Stoltenberg stressed that a strong NATO is in the U.S. national interest, and underlined the urgency of the United States approving further aid to Ukraine. He further pointed out that support to Ukraine is an example of true transatlantic burden-sharing, and welcomed historic increases in Allied defence spending.

While in Munich, the Secretary General also met with U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry; CEO of Google and Alphabet Sundar Pichai; President and CEO of Lockheed Martin James Taiclet; and a delegation from Boeing including President and CEO of Boeing Defense Ted Colbert, Senior VP of Global Public Policy Stephen Biegun, and Dr Brendan Nelson, President of Boeing Global.

On Friday, the Secretary General attended the CSU Transatlantic Forum with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the Minister-President of Bavaria, Markus Soder.

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Foreign Affairs Council: Press remarks by High Representative Josep Borrell upon arrival

European External Action Service (EEAS)

19.02.2024

EEAS Press Team

Check against delivery!

Good morning,

Did you have a good weekend? Well, [I did not].

The sad news of the passing of [Alexei] Navalny came to Munich where the Security Conference was taking place.

Today, we will have here with us his wife, Yulia Navalnaya, who will send a message, a political message, about how to support the political opposition inside Russia against Putin's regime.

You see, during this weekend, many people have been demonstrating in the streets of Russia, in Sankt Petersburg and Moscow, in spite of the repression. Many of them have been detained and sentenced. We have to send a message of support to the Russian opposition and at the same time, we will continue watching how the war is [developing]. It is about two years since Putin launched this war against Ukraine, and he does not look ready to stop it, on the contrary.

So, in both fronts, in the political one and the military one, we have to continue our support to Ukraine and to the Russian people who want to be living in freedom. And to pay an homage to Mr Navalny and in order to honour his memory, I will propose the Ministers to rename our [Global] Human Rights Sanctions Regime with his name and call it the "Navalny Human Rights Sanctions Regime", in order for his name to be forever written on the work of the European Union in defending human rights.

Talking about human rights, we will discuss about the situation in the Middle East, [about which] I issued a statement this weekend. Unhappily, it was not a unanimous statement. I had to do it on my own, representing the great majority of the Member States - but not all of them - asking Israel not to launch a military offensive in Rafah.

We will also have the United Nations Coordinator for Humanitarian Assistance [and Reconstruction for Gaza], Sigrid [Kaag], who will debrief the Ministers about her work. In the meantime, well, nothing new but only the same bad news: 1.7 million people are being pushed against the Egyptian border.

For the time being, the military operation has not reached a high, but everybody is afraid that this will happen in the next days. The only solution is to free the hostages, and a permanent ceasefire that could allow to look for a political solution.

These will be the two main issues today in our agenda. Sigrid [Kaag] and Yulia Navalnaya will be present both physically in the Council.

Q&A

Q. Who could be sanctioned because of Navalny?

Yes, Member States will propose sanctions for sure. Against those responsible, well the [ultimately] responsible is Putin himself, but we can go down to the institutional structure of the penitentiary system in Russia. But do not forget who is the real responsible for Navalny's death.

Q. Mr Borrell, do you consider recognising Palestine as a State?

Well, you should know that the European Union does not recognise [states]. It is not in its capacity to recognise or not recognise [states], it is Member States who have this capacity. Some have already done [it], others may do it, but it is about Member States. It is not a European Union decision.

On the other hand, you know that two Member States have requested to study and to assess if Israel is fulfilling or not its commitments [from] the point of view of human rights respect according with the Association agreement. This is foreign policy. This is something that belongs to the foreign policy and certainly, we have to be involved in that. The Council will have to decide on the basis of an assessment of this situation.

Q. Mr Borrell, you said you have to stop talking and take actions. What kind of actions can be taken in this crucial moment where nobody can stop Israel from starting this operation [in Rafah]?

The only solution is to free the hostages. You cannot expect the military operation to stop if the hostages continue being detained. So, an agreement has to be reached. I encourage all parties, and in particular, I want to thank the great work done by Qatar in order to look for a solution that has to start with an agreement to free the hostages, and immediately after - or at the same time - a cessation of hostilities. This is the political work that we can do: to put political pressure and to insist on the need to free the hostages. I do not see any other step that can be taken without it. But at the same time, we have to continue putting pressure on Israel to make them understand that there are so many people in the streets of Rafah that if they launch a military attack, it will be impossible to avoid civilian casualties - which are already unbearable and will still increase. This, certainly, will need to be against the respect of humanitarian law. That is our message, our strong message. I said that many times. On Friday, I issued a statement. I wanted the 27 [Member States] to be behind it and I was almost there, but not everybody was there.

Q. What is your main message to Georgia before the EU-Georgia [Association] Council? You will meet tomorrow our new Prime Minister.

Yes, I will meet the new Prime Minister [of Georgia, Irakli Kobakhidze].

Q. Your main message?

To encourage Georgia to continue working on the European path. They are doing well, and there is a strong support from the Georgian society. This is a good occasion for Georgia.

Q. The invasion of Rafah is clearly coming by [the time of] Ramadan. Any European plan to avoid a new huge crisis not only in Palestine but even in Egypt?

We have been warning about the situation, not only in Gaza but in the West Bank. Yesterday in Munich, everybody was talking about the war in Gaza. Yes, we have to talk about the war in Gaza but do not forget what is happening in the West Bank, where the violence by the settlers continue. I am proposing Member States to take action, to sanction the violent settlers which are doing what we can call "terrorist actions" against Palestinian people in the West Bank. We are still not there. I still do not have the agreement of all Member States, but I will continue pushing because if we want to keep our credibility, we have to denounce what is happening in the West Bank. The West Bank is boiling, and if they do not let people go to the mosques during the festivities, during the Ramadan, the situation could become still worse. So, let's see what the Ministers have to say about it.

Q. Se ha revisado ya la iniciativa de Espana e Irlanda de revisar el Acuerdo de Asociacion con Israel?

Pero como vamos a haberla estudiado si ha llegado hace dos dias, por favor.

Q. Algun calendario de cuando pasara?

Bueno, primero tenemos que ver el procedimiento a seguir. Esta claro que el respecto a los derechos humanos en un acuerdo de asociacion es algo que es parte de la politica exterior. Y, por lo tanto, le va a corresponder al Alto Representante dirigir el analisis de en que medida Israel esta cumpliendo con sus obligaciones de acuerdo con el Acuerdo de Asociacion. Esto no es una cosa que se pueda hacer de la noche a la manana, pero dos Estados miembros lo han pedido y habra que estudiar su peticion, y el Consejo tendra que estudiarlo politicamente.

Q. Pero, cree que se podria llegar a una votacion?

No lo se. Claro, no lo se. Como voy a saberlo? Tendre que estudiarlo primero, no?

Q. Se puede sancionar mas a la Rusia de Vladimir Putin despues de lo que ha pasado con Navalny?

Siempre hay margen y siempre hay gente que merece ser sancionada. En el caso de Navalny estamos ante una situacion distinta de las personas que han sido sancionada por su contribucion al esfuerzo de guerra de Rusia.

Pero los ministros lo van a decidir. Lo importante es lanzar un mensaje de apoyo a la oposicion politica en Rusia. Mucha gente a ha sido detenida este fin de semana en Rusia al participar en demostraciones por la muerte de Navalny. Su viuda [Yulia Navalnaya] estara aqui tambien con nosotros hoy. Vamos a cambiar el nombre de nuestro regimen de sanciones en defensa de los derechos humanos. Lo vamos a llamar en su nombre, en su memoria. Vamos a ver de que manera la Union Europea puede apoyar a los ciudadanos rusos que quieren vivir en libertad.

Link to the video: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/video/I-253155

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Preacher and best-selling author Cora Jakes visited Dothan on Saturday for the Faith-N-Prayer Conference.

Jakes, the 36-year-old daughter of renowned TV pastor Bishop T.D. Jakes, served as the keynote speaker. Several community and state ministers and speakers attended the event, which was held at The Forum on West Main Street.

The leaders and ministers from local churches that spoke were Terrance Owens from Tabernacle Baptist Church, Pastor Vickers from Shady Grove Baptist Church, Pastor White from John Chapel AME Church, Pastor Pete from New Covenant Life Church from Pastor Jevon Goode from Destiny Church Dothan and Pastor Curtis Harvey from Rhema Rock Church Dothan.

The program was full of many speakers that contributed to pouring into parents and children in the audience.

The Faith-N-Prayer Conference was hosted by the Judge Rose Gordon and coordinated by community advocate Anita Dawkins Weatherington.

A little before Cora Jakes took the stage, the audience was brought to their feet while holding onto every word of the speaker Michelle Summers also known on social media under the username @michellespeaks.

Summers spoke about The Lost Sheep, many of the ministers discussed parables from the Bible. Summers explained how many people have a sheep mentality and become very defenseless and distracted from their purpose in life.

Stop being afraid of correction, stop being afraid of deliverance, Summers said.

Cora Jakes is a preacher, best-selling author and a mother of two. Jakes took the stage at The Forum in Dothan to share some of her life story and testimony.

Jakes encouraged attendees to go to therapy if they need it. She talked with the crowd about the stigmas the Black community faces with therapy. During a Q&A portion of the event she spoke with two licensed mental health professionals about how they can help.

Overall the purpose of her message to participants was to share to mothers how to protect their children and different ways to call on Gods name.

Lastly, Jakes offered attendees a discounted rate for her prayer planner and she stayed after to take pictures and sign her books that were available for purchase.

There was food available as people left and throughout the conference, The Sophisticated Lady Boutique owned by Jacqueline Mills and Tiffany Wilfork was set up in the back of the room selling jewelry and more.

Organizer Anita Dawkins Weatherington shared at the close of the evening that she hopes to have this event again next year and bring Ms. Jakes back to Dothan.

Close Cora Jakes book signing area set up. Pictured are the owners of The Sophisticated Lady Boutique, Tiffany Wilfork and Jacqueline Mills. Image of children in attendance being prayed over by Cora Jakes and adults. Image of Cora Jakes delivering her message on stage. Preacher and best-selling author Cora Jakes speaks at the Faith-N-Prayer Conference in Dothan on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024. Preacher and best-selling author Cora Jakes speaks at the Faith-N-Prayer Conference in Dothan on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024. Pastor Cora Jakes, the daughter of renowned TV pastor Bishop T.D. Jakes, served as the keynote speaker at the Faith-N-Prayer Conference. Several community and state ministers and speakers attended the event, which was at The Forum on West Main Street. Pictured from left to right are public speaker Michelle Summers, event coordinator Anita Dawkins Weatherington and Pastor Cora Jakes. Minster Michelle Summers speaks at the Faith-N-Prayer Conference in Dothan on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024. See Pastor Cora Jakes of The Potter's House visit Dothan for the Faith-N-Prayer Conference Cora Jakes book signing area set up. Pictured are the owners of The Sophisticated Lady Boutique, Tiffany Wilfork and Jacqueline Mills. Image of children in attendance being prayed over by Cora Jakes and adults. Image of Cora Jakes delivering her message on stage. Preacher and best-selling author Cora Jakes speaks at the Faith-N-Prayer Conference in Dothan on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024. Preacher and best-selling author Cora Jakes speaks at the Faith-N-Prayer Conference in Dothan on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024. Pastor Cora Jakes, the daughter of renowned TV pastor Bishop T.D. Jakes, served as the keynote speaker at the Faith-N-Prayer Conference. Several community and state ministers and speakers attended the event, which was at The Forum on West Main Street. Pictured from left to right are public speaker Michelle Summers, event coordinator Anita Dawkins Weatherington and Pastor Cora Jakes. Minster Michelle Summers speaks at the Faith-N-Prayer Conference in Dothan on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024.
Pevkur at NATO ministerial: new regional plans are executable if needed

Republic of Estonia - Ministry of Defence

19. February 2024

Today in Brussels, NATO defence ministers discussed the alliance's regional plans and their executability. At the NATO-Ukraine Council, the focus was on practical steps for approaching Ukraine to NATO membership.

"We are on track with the regional plans and, if needed, they are executable already now. At the same time, we need to significantly increase defence investments in NATO member states, because the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine has exposed decades of underinvestment into defence. This cannot continue. We have to have all the necessary units, equipped and armed, with ammunition, logistics and all that is needed to not only defend ourselves but also send Russia a clear message - an attack on NATO is not even worth considering," said Minister of Defence Hanno Pevkur.

"Estonia has raised defence spending to over 3% of our gross domestic product. Presumably nearly 20 NATO member states will reach at least 2%, however, it is also important for all allies to go beyond that. In the current security environment, 2% is the floor for defence spending. We must all do more for raising our own defence capabilities and for boosting the defence industry production capacity. This is only possible if significant, multi-year orders are made," added Minister of Defence Pevkur.

Held for the second time, at the NATO-Ukraine Council meeting, the ministers discussed practical steps for approaching Ukraine to NATO membership. The defence ministers agreed on establishing a NATO-Ukraine analysis and education centre, which is an important step for both analysing lessons learned from the Russian war in Ukraine and for approaching Ukraine to NATO.

The new NATO regional plans were approved in summer 2023 at the Vilnius Summit. These plans are based on the NATO Forward Defence principle - to defend all NATO allies and their territories from the first second and centimetre. The execution of these plans significantly strengthens Estonian security.

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Press Briefing by IDF Spokesperson, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, February 19th, 2024

IDF Press Release

February 19, 2024

19.02.24

IDF

Press Briefing by IDF Spokesperson, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari (translated readout is attached below):

Yarden, Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir Bibas were cruelly kidnapped on October 7th. 134 hostages are still being held by Hamas under harsh conditions without basic humanitarian standards. Recently, IDF soldiers located footage from a street camera in Khan Yunis, in which Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir can be identified on the day of the kidnapping, as they arrived in Khan Yunis.

From the footage and the intelligence we have gathered, it appears that Shiri was kidnapped along with Ariel, aged four, and Kfir, nine months old, at around ten in the morning, by terrorists using an ATV. From there, they were transferred to another pickup truck that took them to the eastern part of the Khan Yunis area, to a post of the terrorist organization known as "Kataeb Al-Mujahidin."

In the photo, Shiri and the children can be seen arriving, escorted by about seven terrorists, and are joined by eight terrorists already present at the post. In the footage retrieved by IDF forces in the field, you can see how several armed terrorists force Shiri to wrap herself in a large cloth, attempting to hide the hostages. Ariel's small and red-haired head peeks out from the fabric, but Kfir is not visible. We estimate that he is strapped to Shiri's body as we saw in the terrible kidnapping video.

Shiri and the children, wrapped in the large cloth, walk through the area surrounded by armed terrorists, and after some time, they are put into another vehicle and taken to a different location. Yarden Bibas, the family's father, was kidnapped by Hamas and separated from his family. He left their home in Nir Oz first upon hearing the alarm, thinking that this way he could protect and save them. Yarden is held by Hamas. In a video distributed by Hamas, Yarden's difficult condition is shown, where he is very worried about his family.

Based on the information available to us, we are very concerned and worried about the condition and well-being of Shiri and the children, and we are making every effort to obtain more information about their fate. We will not rest or be silent until we bring them back home. IDF representatives presented the videos to the Bibas family and updated them with the information that arose.

I spoke with the family before I came here to speak, and I truly, truly request to respect the family's wishes and their privacy in the coming hours and to let them speak when they choose to. We continue to be in contact at all times with the families of the hostages and update them with any reliable information available to us.

It has been 136 days since the terrible day when they were kidnapped from their homes - children, women, men, and the elderly, some of them sick.

Hamas kidnapped the defenseless, infants and children who could not speak or defend themselves. Every hostage is a world in their own right.

The IDF and all security forces are constantly operating and will continue to make every effort to bring the hostages back home.

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24h Operational Update: IDF Operations Continue in Khan Yunis and Additional Terrorist Cells Were Eliminated

IDF Press Release

February 19, 2024

19.02.24

IDF , Media Center

Terrorists fired a rocket from central Gaza which crossed into Israeli territory and fell near Kibbutz Be'eri in an open area. A few minutes after the rocket was fired, soldiers of the Nahal Brigade identified the terrorist responsible for the launch in the area of Gaza City. An IAF aircraft was directed to strike and eliminate him. Additional armed terrorist cells operating adjacent to the troops in the area were also eliminated.

IDF troops are also continuing to operate in western Khan Yunis. Troops carried out targeted operations on terrorist targets during which AK-47s, drones, an RPG, explosive devices, and additional military equipment were located. During separate operational activities, IDF troops, together with the IAF, eliminated terrorists who were operating adjacent to the troops in the area.

In additional activity in western Khan Yunis, IDF ground troops used a drone to identify a terrorist cell that was approaching the troops and directed an aircraft to eliminate the terrorists. A short while after, four additional terrorists were identified in the area, and also eliminated by an IAF aircraft.

IDF special forces are also continuing to operate in western Khan Yunis. Over the past day, the troops encountered armed terrorists, conducted targeted raids on terror targets, seized weapons, and directed a helicopter to strike and eliminate an additional terrorist.

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Hezbollah launches attacks on more Israeli regime targets

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Feb 19, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- Lebanon's Hezbollah has carried out strikes against three military bases of the Israeli regime as part of its campaign of forcing the regime to end its aggression on Palestinians in Gaza.

The Al Ahed News cited a Hezbollah statement on Monday which showed the group had conducted separate attacks against three Israeli bases located in the occupied Shebaa Farms in southern Lebanon and in northern parts of the occupied Palestinian territories.

The statement said that the strikes were in support for the steadfast Palestinian people in Gaza who are under unprecedented Zionist atrocities.

Hezbollah attacks on Israeli regime's targets are a response to the regime's full-scale war against the Gaza Strip which has killed nearly 29,000 people since October 7.

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US-owned ship reports missile strike off Yemen

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Feb 19, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- A US-owned cargo ship has been targeted off the Yemeni port of Aden, the British maritime security firm Ambrey has reported.

Ambrey said on Monday that the vessel reported a missile attack in the Gulf of Aden and requested military assistance.

Britain's maritime agency United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) also said it received a call from the ship about 100 miles east of Aden.

The Greece-flagged ship told UKMTO that there was an explosion close to it.

The incident came hours after Yahya Saree, spokesman for Yemen's armed forces, said in a televised speech that a British ship had been struck by missiles in support for the Palestinian people.

He said the Rubymar bulk carrier suffered extensive damage and was at risk of sinking in the Gulf of Aden.

Yemeni retaliatory strikes in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea will not stop until the Israeli aggression in the Gaza Strip comes to an end, Saree said.

The Yemeni military has carried out drone and missile attacks on Israeli-linked ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since mid-November in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

The US and Britain have responded by conducting airstrikes on targets in Yemen.

Yemenis have since declared US and British ships as legitimate targets.

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UN must act to prevent aggression on Gaza's Rafah: Iran FM

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Feb 19, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian has called on the United Nations to act quickly to prevent potential aggression by the Israeli regime on the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, where more than a million Palestinians have sought shelter from Israel's genocidal invasion of other parts of the enclave.

In a letter addressed to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Monday, Amirabdollahian warned against a new genocide against Palestinians in Rafah if Israel goes ahead with plans to invade the city.

"The international community must not let such carnage happen. Any military offensive on Rafah would undoubtedly qualify as another phase in the Israeli genocide of the Palestinian nation," said the letter.

The Iranian foreign minister also warned that an all-out invasion on Rafah would further endanger the lives of more than 1.5 million people already living in a dire humanitarian situation in the area.

Following is the full text of Amirabdollahian's letter to the UN chief:

Excellency,

Pursuant to my previous letters concerning the occupying Israeli regime's genocidal invasion of the Gaza Strip, I feel obliged to highlight, once more, the responsibility of the United Nations to act swiftly and resolutely in order to stop further massacre of the Palestinian people. The high number of innocent people killed and wounded as well as the intensity of demolition in Gaza during the past 4 months of incessant attacks on Gaza are visible evidence of a premeditated plot to exterminate a whole nation, including through their forced expulsion out of occupied Palestine. As of 18 February 2024, close to 30,000 Palestinians, majority of them young children and women, are brutally killed while more than 7000 people remain buried under the collapsed buildings and more than 60,000 are wounded. The Israeli's genocidal vengeance has not spared anyone who happen to live in the occupied Palestine, as over 85 journalists and more than 135 UNRWA aid workers are also brutally targeted. The occupying regime has combined its indiscriminate military operation with cruel starvation campaign by deliberately depriving Gazans of food, water, humanitarian aid and other essential resources and making Gaza unlivable in order to force Palestinians out of Gaza. This can hardly be characterized as anything other than 'genocide'.

Excellency,

More than 1.5 million people, most of them displaced, have already been squeezed into the small city of Rafah in the south. "An all-out offensive on the city would be devastating for the 1.5 million Palestinian civilians there who are already on the edge of survival," as you rightly said recently. The international community must not let such carnage happen. Any military offensive on Rafah would undoubtedly qualify as another phase in the Israeli genocide of the Palestinian nation. It is imperative that the United Nations system fulfill its responsibilities in this critical juncture and avert further mass atrocities against the Palestinians who have taken refuge in Rafah. As the Bureau of the General Assembly's Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People warned in its 14 February press release, any military incursion into Rafah "will endanger the lives of countless civilians, many of whom are women and an estimated 600,000 children who have already been displaced multiple times", and would also "violate the Court's Order of 26 January 2024 issued in the context of the Genocide Convention. "The UN system and the international community must act united in urging for an instant and permanent cessation of atrocities against Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank as well as an immediate end to the forced displacement of the Palestinian people and their unhindered access to humanitarian aid. All States are legally and morally duty-bound to stop and prevent the genocide of the Palestinian nation. The United Nations shall urge all of its member States to refrain from collaborating with the occupying aggressor regime, which would constitute their complicity in the commission of the most serious crimes of international concern and would entail their international responsibility. Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Hossein Amirabdollahian

Minister of Foreign Affairs

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Iran supports Palestinian-Palestinian agreement: FM Spox

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Feb 19, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani has said that his country supports a Palestinian-Palestinian agreement and the political will of the Palestinian people.

Kanaani made the comment on Monday in an exclusive interview with IRNA as he paid a visit to the pavilion of the Islamic Republic News Agency during the 24th edition of the Iran Media Expo underway in Tehran.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran unequivocally backs the political will of the Palestinian people and expects the international community to provide Palestine with the necessary political opportunities", the spokesman said while criticizing the United States for its all-out support for the Israeli regime in its war on Gaza.

"The US's all-out and armed support for the Zionist regime indicates that Washington is part of the war", Kanaani said.

He described as shameful the recent move by the US Senate to approve $14 billion in aid to Israel, saying that the approval shows that Washington is complicit in war crimes and genocide against the Palestinian people.

"It is time for the warmongers in the US to hear the voices of their freedom-seeking people and stop supporting the occupying regime and allow the lifting of the blockade of Gaza," the diplomat said.

He also urged the US to let the Palestinian people decide their political fate based on their inalienable and recognized rights in the international arena and within the framework of a Palestinian-Palestinian agreement and internal talks.

Kanaani also spoke about more than four months of war in Gaza, which he called a painful tragedy as the Israeli regime presses ahead with its genocide and war crimes against the Palestinians.

Despite all the killings and crimes in Gaza, the Israeli regime has accomplished none of its objectives declared at the beginning of the war, and this is an issue which all just and informed experts admit, the spokesman noted.

He added that war would bring no favorable results for the Israeli regime, as the Palestinian people have already shown that they would not leave their land despite all the hardships they face.

"The Palestinian nation will not allow the Zionist regime's goals to materialize. War is a dead end for all the parties that back the Zionist regime. Everybody is witnessing that this war has not brought any achievement for the regime and will bring nothing for it. Today, [establishing] a ceasefire is a global demand", the Iranian diplomat concluded.

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US relocating forces in Iraq, Syria: Source

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Feb 19, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- An Iraqi security source has said that the US military has started a major relocation operation for its forces at Ain al-Asad air base of Iraq's Al Anbar Governorate and at Al-Tanf base in Syria's Homs Governorate.

A security source in Al Anbar said that the United States had moved its occupying forces and equipment from Ain al-Asad air base to Al-Tanf base in Syria, according to a Monday report by the Almaalomah news website.

The source also noted that the US uses airplanes to move the forces and equipment, adding that the airplanes fly at low altitudes over western areas in Iraq.

The news website also quoted an Iraqi lawmaker as saying that all influential political factions in the country have a consensus on the need for the withdrawal of foreign military forces from Iraq.

The legislator underlined that people will witness the pullout of foreign forces from the country by the end of the current year.

Mouin AlKazmi, a leading member of the Badr Organization, underlined that Iraq does not need foreign military forces and that their withdrawal means respect for the sovereignty of the Arab country.

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Yemen confirms attack on British ship in Gulf of Aden

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Feb 19, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- Yemeni Armed Forces' spokesman Yahya Saree has confirmed that the country's naval forces targeted a British vessel in Gulf of Aden in response to the UK and the US aggression against Yemen.

Yemen's missiles accurately hit the target and caused the British ship to stop, Al Jazeera quoted Saree as saying on Monday.

He said that the ship may sink because of the extent of damage suffered in the attack.

UK-based maritime security firm Ambrey had reported on a new incident in the Red Sea in the early hours of Monday without mentioning the details.

Saree further stressed that Yemen will not stop carrying out operations against Israeli-linked ships until the end of the war in Gaza.

He went on to say that a US MQ-9 drone was also shot down by Yemeni forces earlier on Monday. As the spokesman said, the US drone was spying throughout the space of Hodeidah city in west of Yemen.

Since the start of war in Gaza in October, 2023, Yemen has warned the Israeli regime against the aftermath of the war and urged it to end it. After the regime's refusal, Yemen began attacks on vessels related to Israel in the Red Sea.

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Hamas warns against restricting Palestinians entry into Al-Aqsa Mosque

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Feb 19, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has underscored that the Israeli regime's plot to restrict the entry of Palestinian people into Al-Aqsa Mosque during the coming holy fasting month of Ramadan amounts to a religious war against the nation.

Hamas issued a statement, warning that the violation of the right to worship will not remain unanswered.

Hamas urged the Palestinians living in all occupied territories, al-Quds and the West Bank, to mobilize in order to oppose the criminal decision by Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which was proposed by Minister of National Security of the regime Itamar Ben-Gvir.

The resistance movement also warned that any assault on sacred sites and violation of the right to worship will not remain unanswered, adding that the Al-Quds City and Al-Aqsa Mosque will stay the hub for the Palestinian Intifada and their fight against tyranny and aggression.

One month before the holy month of Ramadan, the Israeli Channel 12 revealed that Ben-Gvir asked for allowing only Palestinians over the age of 70 to enter the holy Islamic site during this fasting month; therefore, thousands of Palestinians under this age would be banned by an order of the Israeli prime minister to enter Al-Aqsa Mosque during this Ramadan, which kicks off approximately on March 10.

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Searching for the next steps after high school can be very difficult. College works for some, but its not always the best fit for everyone. Southeast Alabama Works is one of seven regional workforce councils across the state of Alabama set to help residents  especially students  find their work path.

Southeast Alabama Works, a 5013 nonprofit organization, raises money to put on such events, and this year raised $110,000 with a large grant from All In Credit Union. This is the ninth year of mounting the Southeast Worlds of Work event with the organizations offices in Dothan, Troy, and Andalusia.

SAW serves business and industry by making sure that they can hire the most qualified people. They also help people make sure that they can take advantage of opportunities such as training and education in the region.

Last week, SAW hosted its annual Worlds of Work or WoW event. Southeast WoW is an event geared toward high school students to help them find career pathways and opportunities for work straight out of high school.

The event was initially for eighth graders, but area business and industry leaders asked SAW to target older students that they could hire immediately. This is their third year catering to 10th- through 12th-grade students.

Typically all of these jobs are available right here in their own backyards, said Katie Thomas, executive director of Southeast Alabama Works. We cover a 10-county region, so we do an east and a west event. This east event primarily focused Barbour, Henry, Houston, Geneva, and Dale counties.

The East event drew 1,693 students at Wow East last week at The National Peanut Fairgrounds. In attendance were businesses like Hummingbird from Eufaula, Georgia Pacific, Alabama Power and Lockheed Martin from Troy. There were 91 employers or college programs represented.

The West event was held in Andalusia in January, with 2,020 students participating.

Lots of the companies represented offer internships and co-op opportunities for high school students. Younger students coming to the event should be able to find co-op and internship opportunities.

So what were trying to do is to make students realize that they dont have to leave Southeast Alabama to have a good job. They can stay at home and find great opportunities, Thomas said.

SAW does a lot of free marketing for business and industry, she added. The organization posts open jobs constantly across its social media accounts and cam reach anywhere from about 40,000 to 60,000 people a month that way.

Students or parents looking for opportunities can visit southeastalabamaworks.com and click on the WOW tab. Videos about the different career clusters in the area are available, and there are also postings about open jobs on the website through the job search feature.
PA: Hamas inseparable part of Palestinian politics

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Feb 19, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh has said that the Hamas Resistance Movement is an inseparable part of Palestinian politics.

"The Palestinian Authority (PA) is ready for talks with Hamas, because Hamas is an inseparable part of Palestinian politics, and we [Palestinian factions] should be united in politics," Shtayyeh said on Sunday at the Munich Security Conference, according to Palestinian media.

He also announced the PA's readiness to hold elections in all Palestinian territories.

The PA prime minister referred to a "two-state solution" to resolve the decades-long conflict with the Israeli regime, saying, "We need to move from talking about a two-state solution into implementing it", according to news reports.

Shtayyeh meanwhile confirmed that Russia has invited all Palestinian factions to hold talks in the capital Moscow on February 26.

Shtayyeh's comments come as the Israeli regime is pressing ahead with its intense military operations in Gaza for the stated goal of annihilating Hamas.

In an interview with Bloomberg in early December, the Palestinian prime minister said that Hamas cannot be eradicated by Israel.

Similar comments have been echoed by incumbent and former Israeli officials who have also criticized prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet for its failure to release captives held by Hamas in Gaza.

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Abbas: Netanyahu insists on continuing aggression to displace Palestinians

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Feb 19, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas says the administration of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists on continuing their aggression on various cities in the Gaza Strip, especially against the city of Rafah, to forcibly displace the local population.

Abbas made the remarks during a Sunday meeting with the leaders of the Palestine Liberation Organization to examine the situation of the Palestinian people in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

The forced displacement of the Palestinians "will not be accepted by us or by anyone in the world," he said.

The Palestinian president also pointed out that the meeting aimed at preventing any actions that would lead to the forced displacement of the enclave's population from their land, particularly since the situation in Rafah has become so dangerous and difficult that it requires prompt action by the Palestinian leadership.

"We will continue to fulfill our responsibilities towards our people in Gaza as we have always done," he stated.

Meanwhile, Netanyahu insisted that a ground offensive in Rafah in southern Gaza will go ahead, despite warnings over the devastating impact on the forcibly displaced Palestinians sheltering there.

"Whoever tells us not to operate in Rafah, is telling us to lose the war," said Netanyahu.

The Zionist regime's deadly war on Gaza has so far killed at least 28,985 Palestinians and wounded 68,883 since October 7.

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Iran backs AU statement on crimes against Palestinians

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Feb 19, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman says his country's firmly supports a statement issued during the African Union summit on stopping the crimes against the oppressed Palestinian nation.

Nasser Kanaani hailed the statement of the 37th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa that condemned the ongoing Israeli crimes against more than 2 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and called for an end to the blockade on the coastal territory.

The statement issued on the final day of the summit also asked the Zionist regime to respond positively to international requests for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.

While condemning the collective punishment of civilians and their forced displacement, AU leaders demanded an end to the blockade of the Gaza Strip.

African heads of state also deplored some countries for sending aid to the Zionist regime and allowing it to continue military operations against Palestinians.

In the statement, they called for an independent international investigation into violations of international humanitarian law, attacks on hospitals, journalists, and media, as well as the use of prohibited weapons by Israel in the war on the Gaza Strip.

African leaders have overwhelmingly stood firmly behind Palestinians and their cause since the creation of the Zionist regime in Occupied Palestine. They have also openly censured the regime for spilling the blood of innocent and defenseless Palestinians in the Gaza Strip for over the last four months.

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Iran rejects Israeli regime's 'deceitful' claims about Gaza hospital

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Feb 19, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani has slammed Israeli regime for attacking a major hospital in Gaza on false allegations that it was used by Palestinians resistance fighters.

In a Monday post on his page on the X, Kanaani described excuses used by the Israeli regime to attack the Nasser Hospital in Gaza as "deceitful, shabby and hollow".

He said that the world has not forgotten how the Israeli regime used the same excuses to attack the Shifa hospital in Gaza in mid-November.

"This inhumane approach of the criminal Israeli regime is doomed to fail and the series of disgrace and shame for the regime and its sponsors are still continuing," he said.

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Iran lauds African Union statement about Gaza

ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency

Mon / 19 February 2024 / 10:00

Iran has hailed a recent statement issued by the African Union (AU), which called for an end to the Israeli regime's military aggression and crimes against the Palestinian people in the besieged Gaza Strip.

Tehran-ISNA- The statement was issued at the 37th African Union Summit in Ethiopia's capital city of Addis Ababa on Saturday, with AU Commission Chairman Moussa Faki strongly condemning the Israeli savagery and indiscriminate attacks on Gaza.

"Rest assured, we strongly condemn these attacks that are unprecedented in the history of mankind," Faki said.

"We want to reassure you of our solidarity with the people of Palestine," he added, while accusing Israel of having "exterminated" Gaza's inhabitants.

Issuing a statement on Sunday, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kan'ani voiced the country's "categorical support" for the statement.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran declares its categorical support for the contents of this statement, which show commitment of the Union, as well as African leaders and nations to valuable humanitarian ideals regarding Palestine," Kan'ani said.

He added that Iran has no doubt that continued adoption of such principled and humane positions by the African states, as well as "many other countries and nations around the world in support of the oppressed Palestinian nation will tighten the grip on the Zionist warmongers and criminals, and their supporters."

The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman emphasized that such stances will also "pave the way for the cessation of the [Israeli] onslaught on Gaza and the [occupied] West Bank, and will alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people."

His comments came on the 135th day of the Israeli regime's all-out military aggression against Gaza.

Close to 29,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, have lost their lives so far during Israel's genocidal war, which began following Operation al-Aqsa Storm by Gaza-based resistance movements.

Earlier on Sunday, the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas similarly praised the AU's statement, saying, "We hope it would translate into practical steps from all friendly African countries in a way that contributes to stopping the aggression and war of extermination against our Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip."

Hamas also called for severance of all relations with the regime and establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

"We call for severing of all ties with the criminal Zionist entity, and supporting the struggle of our Palestinian people until they achieve their legitimate national rights, most notably the establishment of the Palestinian State" with al-Quds as its capital, Hamas stated.

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da Silva: Israel committing genocide against Palestinians

ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency

Mon / 19 February 2024 / 09:55

Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has condemned Israel's brutal war in the Gaza Strip, saying the occupying regime is committing "genocide" against Palestinians in the besieged territory, while comparing Tel Aviv's atrocities to Adolf Hitler's actions against Jews.

Tehran-ISNA- Lula made the remarks during a collective interview in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa on Sunday, where he was attending an African Union summit.

"What's happening in the Gaza Strip isn't a war, it's a genocide," Lula said, adding, "It's not a war of soldiers against soldiers. It's a war between a highly prepared army and women and children."

"What's happening in the Gaza Strip with the Palestinian people hasn't happened at any other moment in history. Actually, it has happened: when Hitler decided to kill the Jews," he said.

Lula further criticized the United States' decision to suspend contributions to the United Nations Agency for Assistance to Palestine Refugees in the Middle East (UNRWA) after Israel alleged that some of the agency's staff had participated in the resistance group's attack in early October last year.

"What is the size of the solidarity heart of those people who are not selling that in the Gaza Strip, there is not a war, but a genocide?", Lula said.

"Oh, there is something wrong with an institution that collects money, hurry up, it's wrong. But do not suspend humanitarian aid for people who have been trying to build their state for many decades," he added.

Meanwhile, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz has reacted to Lula's harsh comments, saying he will summon Brazil's ambassador for a reprimand over the Brazilian president's criticism of Israel's conduct in Gaza.

"No would will compromise Israel's right to defend itself," Katz said in a post on X, adding that Brazil's envoy would be summoned on Monday.

Israel waged the brutal war on Gaza on October 7 after the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas carried out a historic operation against the occupying entity in retaliation for its intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.

So far, the occupying regime has killed nearly 29,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured about 70,000 others.

The Tel Aviv regime has imposed a "complete siege" on the territory, cutting off fuel, electricity, food and water to the more than two million Palestinians living there.

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Hezbollah launched six operations against IOF

ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency

Mon / 19 February 2024 / 09:48

The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon - Hezbollah announced that its fighters carried out Saturday six operations against Israeli occupation military sites and gatherings on the border with occupied Palestine.

Tehran -ISNA- The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon - Hezbollah reiterates in its statements that these operations come in support of the steadfast Palestinian people in Gaza and in solidarity with their honorable and courageous Resistance.

'From Kiryat Shmona to Eilat': Hezbollah showcases missile capability

Under the title "From Kiryat Shmona all the way to Eilat," the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon - Hezbollah published a new video in Hebrew showcasing its missile capabilities.

In a clear message to Israel, the video includes footage of missile launches carried out by Hezbollah and maps highlighting the range of these missiles, which can reach southern occupied Palestine, specifically the occupied city of Umm al-Rashrash (called "Eilat" by the Israelis) on the northern coast of the Red Sea.

In addition, the video features an earlier statement by Hezbollah's Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah during his earlier speech, where he warned the Israeli occupation's leaders that the Resistance has a massive missile power that would allow it to strike Israeli targets from "Kiryat Shmona" all the way to "Eilat".

The Lebanese leader also pointed out that Israel must prepare shelters and tents to host two million displaced Israeli settlers from northern occupied Palestine as a result of the Resistance's rockets.

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PM Netanyahu to the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations: "I urge you to press Qatar to press Hamas, because we want our hostages released."

Israel - Prime Minister's Office

The 37th Government

18.02.2024

Updated date: 19.02.2024

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, this evening, at the Museum of Tolerance in Jerusalem, addressed the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. Following are excerpts from his remarks:

"I've been seeing you here year after year, but this year it's different. Each year you come here to express your solidarity with the State of Israel, solidarity of the Diaspora with the Jewish state, but this year, that solidarity is particularly important, because it's an expression of unity between the Jewish people and the Jewish state, between so many of our friends around the world and the great trial that we are faced with today."

Regarding the effort to free the hostages, Prime Minister Netanyahu said:

"The release of hostages can be achieved through strong military action and tough negotiations, very tough negotiations. That tough position has to involve the exertion of pressure. And the exertion of pressure is not merely on Hamas itself, but on those who can exert pressure on Hamas, beginning with Qatar.

Qatar can press Hamas as no one else can. They host Hamas leaders. Hamas is dependent on them financially. I urge you to press Qatar to press Hamas, because we want our hostages released.

I hope that we can achieve a deal soon, to release more of our hostages. But deal or no deal, we have to finish the job to get total victory."

Prime Minister Netanyahu added:

"Once you destroy the battalions, there is no organized command and control structure. You're left with individual terrorists, which we mop up with ground action.

We cannot leave a quarter of Hamas's terrorist battalions intact. No one would do that in the case of fighting ISIS. You wouldn't leave a quarter of ISIS intact in a defined territory. You wouldn't even think about that.

America finished the job with its allies, we will finish the job here, with our brave soldiers."

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Statement by PM Netanyahu

Israel - Prime Minister's Office

The 37th Government

19.02.2024

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, this evening:

"For five months we have been conducting an unprecedented diplomatic campaign which has enabled our fighters the freedom of action to achieve all the goals of the war.

During this time, we have rebuffed considerable international pressure which was intended to stop the war before all of its goals were achieved.

But in recent days we have witnessed a new kind of international pressure: An attempt to unilaterally force upon us the establishment of a Palestinian state that would endanger the existence of the State of Israel.

We absolutely reject this.

Therefore, I submitted to the Government a declaratory decision which specified that Israel would oppose the attempt to unilaterally force upon us the establishment of a Palestinian state.

Even though there are various opinions in the Government regarding the permanent settlement, this decision was passed unanimously by all members of the Government. We are all united on the position that Israel must not surrender to international diktat on such an existential issue.

I welcome this and today I am submitting the agreed-upon decision for Knesset approval. I am certain that it will receive an overwhelming majority.

This will make it clear to world that there is a very broad consensus inside Israel against the international attempt to force upon us a Palestinian state.

Citizens of Israel,

Everyone knows that it was me who - for decades - has blocked the establishment of a Palestinian state that would endanger our existence.

My position has been, and remains, clear. It has only been reinforced since the terrible massacre of October 7.

In any case, with or without a permanent settlement, Israel will maintain full security control over all areas west of the Jordan River. Of course, this includes Judea and Samaria, and the Gaza Strip.

Even those with different views agree that after October 7, we ourselves must make the decisions regarding our existence and our future; therefore, I call on all of the Zionist parties to vote in favor of the proposal that we are submitting to the Knesset this evening."

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Data on interceptions of aircraft completed near the Baltic States' borders on February 12-18, 2024

Republic of Lithuania - Ministry of National Defence

2024-02-19

International cooperation

On February 12-18 NATO Air Policing Mission Detachment fighter aircraft were scrambled three times to intercept aircraft of the Russian Federation violating flight rules in international airspace over the Baltic Sea.

On February 14 NATO fighter aircraft intercepted one IL-20 and one IL-76 flying in international airspace, the IL-20 flew out of and returned to Kaliningrad Oblast without a flight plan, its onboard transponder off, no radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre. The IL-76 was flying from Kaliningrad to mainland Russia , without the flight plan, its onboard transponder was switched on and the radio communication was maintained.

On February 16 NATO fighter jets identified and escorted three aircraft: IL-20, IL-18 and an AN-26. The IL-20 and AN-26 were flying through international airspace from Kaliningrad to the mainland of the Russian Federation without the flight plan, their onboard transponders off, maintaining radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre. The IL-18 was flying from Kaliningrad to mainland Russia according to a pre-filed flight plan, with its onboard transponder switched on and maintaining radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre.

On February 18 NATO air policing fighter jets intercepted one IL-76 flying from Kaliningrad Oblast to the mainland of the Russian Federation via international airspace. It had no flight plan, the onboard transponder was kept on and the radio communication was maintained.

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Memberstack is a powerful business tool designed for companies who are avid users of Webflow, Stripe, and React. The tool allows businesses to launch quickly and easily scale to accommodate millions of users. With Memberstack, users can authenticate users and process payments seamlessly, making it a valuable asset for businesses looking to monetize their websites or web applications.

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Secretary General meets NATO Parliamentary Assembly President, chairs annual meeting with parliamentarians

NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

19 Feb. 2024

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg met with NATO Parliamentary Assembly (NPA) President Michal Szczerba at NATO Headquarters on Monday (19 February 2024) to discuss key issues on the European security agenda along with ways to maintain the strong cooperation between the two organisations.

Together with President Szczerba, the Secretary General chaired the annual meeting of the NPA with Permanent Representatives to the North Atlantic Council as part of the programme of regular engagements between NATO and the NPA. In meetings at committee level, Assembly members are set to discuss topics including defence spending, expanding the transatlantic industrial base, Ukraine's path to NATO membership, regional security issues and energy security.

Mr Stoltenberg highlighted that the NPA provides an essential link between the Alliance and its democratic institutions, helping to foster awareness and understanding of NATO's policies. The Secretary General underlined the importance of parliamentarians' continued support in implementing the decisions taken at the NATO Summit in Vilnius last year, as well as in maintaining substantial aid to Ukraine. Looking ahead to the upcoming Summit in Washington D.C., Mr Stoltenberg stressed the crucial role of parliamentarians in informing and engaging NATO publics.

The Secretary General also met with U.S. Representative Mike Turner, Chair of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and Head of the U.S. Delegation to the NPA, to discuss the continued importance of NATO to the United States, and the urgent need to approve further aid to Ukraine.

The NPA is an inter-parliamentary organisation that brings together parliamentarians from NATO Allies and partner countries to discuss political, defence and security issues facing the Alliance.

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Lebanon's Hezbollah targets several more Israeli bases in support of Gaza

Iran Press TV

Monday, 19 February 2024 7:13 PM

Lebanon's Hezbollah and Israeli forces have exchanged fire across the southern Lebanese border, with the resistance movement launching retaliatory strikes on at least three military bases in the Israeli-occupied territories.

Lebanon's al-Mayadeen television network said Hezbollah carried out several attacks against Israeli occupation sites and settlements with "appropriate weapons" on Monday and left an unspecified number of casualties.

The Lebanese resistance movement confirmed the report and said in separate statements that Hezbollah's strikes had "targeted the Birkat Risha site with appropriate weapons, hitting it directly."

Hezbollah also said its fighters had targeted the Israeli military site of al-Samaqa with rockets, and struck the Ramta site in the occupied Lebanese Shebaa Farms with missile, achieving "direct hits" in both attacks.

The Lebanese resistance movement underlined that the strikes on the Israeli occupation sites were "in support of the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, in support of their resistance, and in response to the Israeli attacks on villages and civilian homes in southern Lebanon."

Israeli media claimed that the regime's warplanes carried out airstrikes on the southern Lebanese border towns of Yarin, al-Bustan, and al-Adisa.

Two Israeli drone strikes also targeted Ghaziyeh, near the southern Lebanese city of Saida, reportedly hitting a warehouse belonging to a generator manufacturing factory and an iron manufacturing factory.

Exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and Israel have escalated since October last year when the occupying regime waged a war on Gaza, with reports saying at least 268 people on the Lebanese side, including Hezbollah fighters and civilians, have lost their lives.

Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, the secretary general of Hezbollah, warned in a televised speech on Friday that the Israeli regime will "pay with blood" the price for the killing of civilians in the country's south, stressing that the resistance movement will not back down from supporting Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip

Israel launched the war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, after the territory's resistance movements carried out a surprise retaliatory attack, dubbed Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, against the occupying entity.

The Israeli military has also been carrying out attacks against the Lebanese territory since then, prompting retaliatory strikes from Hezbollah in support of Gazans.

The movement has vowed to keep up its reprisal operations as long as the Tel Aviv regime continues its onslaught against Gaza.

The aggression against Gaza has so far claimed the lives of more than 29,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and left some 70,000 others wounded.

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Boundless savagery: Israel threatens to invade Rafah by start of Ramadan

Iran Press TV

Monday, 19 February 2024 6:49 PM

Israel's Benny Gantz says the regime will launch the looming ground invasion of Rafah early March.

The city in the south of the Gaza Strip is the last place of relative safety in the besieged Palestinian territory.

The Israeli minister for military affairs, who is also a member of the regime's three-person war cabinet, told a conference in occupied al-Quds on Sunday that the Rafah offensive will be carried out in coordination with US partners by the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which is expected to begin on March 10.

Gantz said the Israeli hostilities will "continue everywhere, including the Rafah area."

The United Nations agencies have issued increasingly urgent appeals to Israel to call off its planned invasion of the city on Egypt's border.

A major offensive in Rafah, which world leaders fear could lead to a humanitarian catastrophe, during Ramadan could also serve as a trigger for further violence across the occupied Palestinian territories and the wider region.

The fasting period is often tense. Clashes in Ramadan over access to the al-Aqsa Mosque compound have helped ignite wars in the past.

On Sunday, Arab religious and political leaders reacted with anger to news that Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu, the current head of the regime, had accepted recommendations by Itamar Ben-Gvir to limit access to the holy site for the Palestinians during Ramadan.

Rafah shelters three-quarters of the displaced Palestinian population in sprawling tent encampments without access to adequate food, water or medicine.

The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) says the city is one of most densely populated places on Earth.

UNICEF said in a post on X that Rafah now houses half the population of the besieged territory, "many of whom have been displaced multiple times due to war."

"They must be protected. They have no safe place to go."

Israel has killed more than 29,000 people, mostly women and children, in Gaza since early October. Around 70,000 people have also been injured.

Washington, Israel's great benefactor, has continued its military and diplomatic support for the regime ever since.

At the UN Security Council, the United States has signaled it would veto the latest UN draft resolution seeking an immediate ceasefire should it come to a vote.

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Amid Gaza war, Hezbollah warns Israel about bigger defeat if it attacks Lebanon

Iran Press TV

Monday, 19 February 2024 4:52 PM

A senior official of the Lebanese Hezbollah resistance movement says a potential attack by the Israeli regime on Lebanon would lead to a defeat bigger than what the regime has suffered in Palestine.

Sheikh Nabil Qaouk, a member of Hezbollah's Executive Council, said on Monday that Israel's plans to launch an attack on Lebanon to make up for its defeats in Gaza would further complicate the regime's woes and would accelerate the collapse of the Israeli cabinet led by prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"If the aim of expanding the Israeli aggression to Lebanon is to escape defeat, it will lead to a deeper and bigger defeat, and if the aim is to prolong the political life of Netanyahu, I should say that any war with Lebanon would have only one result and that would be an acceleration in their defeat and the fall of Netanyahu," said the cleric.

The comments come as Hezbollah continues to hit targets in the Israeli-occupied areas in north of Palestine in a bid to force the regime to end its aggression on Gaza, which has killed over 29,000 people since it started in early October.

Hezbollah's attacks have prompted massive evacuation of Israeli settlers from areas near the Lebanese border while they have also caused significant casualties and inflicted losses on the Israeli military.

Attacks by Hezbollah are part of a larger campaign by resistance groups in Arab countries to target Israeli and US interests in the region to force the regime to end the war on Gaza.

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Israel's al-Aqsa restriction part of 'systematic displacement, Judaization': Islamic Jihad

Iran Press TV

Monday, 19 February 2024 4:29 PM

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad resistance movement has censured the Israeli regime's plan to impose restrictions on the entry of Palestinian worshipers into the al-Aqsa Mosque compound during the holy fasting month of Ramadan, warning that the ban is part of the occupying entity's plan of systematic displacement and Judaization of the sacred site.

The resistance group condemned the Israeli plan in a statement on Monday after Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced his intention to limit Palestinians' access to the mosque during Ramadan.

Calling the Israeli plan "aggressive," the Islamic Jihad said the restriction indicates that the occupation regime has "placed al-Aqsa Mosque under direct targeting as part of a systematic displacement and Judaization plan."

The movement stressed that Netanyahu's far-right cabinet seeks to carry out the plan and impose it "within the framework of the ongoing war of genocide and ethnic cleansing" against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.

The occupation's plan is "directed not only at the Palestinian people, but rather it is an aggression against the Arab and Islamic nations and their sanctities, and it is encouraged by the weak positions of the normalizing regimes in the region," the statement said.

The Islamic Jihad called on the Palestinian people and the Arab and Islamic nations "to take action at all levels, and by all means, in defense of their sanctities in the occupied territories, most notably the blessed al-Aqsa Mosque."

Earlier, the Gaza-based Palestinian Hamas resistance movement also underlined that Netanyahu's intention to restrict the entry of Palestinians into al-Aqsa Mosque was an "extension" of Israeli crimes and would culminate in an "outburst of anger."

Israel's Channel 13 revealed that Netanyahu's announcement came after his approval of far-right Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's proposal to restrict the entry of Palestinians into al-Aqsa Mosque in the occupied Old City of al-Quds during Ramadan, which is expected to begin on or around March 10.

The approval was made despite warnings by Israel's so-called internal security service, Shin Bet, that restricting the entry of Palestinian worshipers would cause major security problems.

The Shin Bet and the Israeli military have proposed allowing Palestinians aged 45 and over to enter al-Aqsa Mosque, while the regime's police force proposed allowing only those over the age of 60 to enter the sacred place.

Since the onset of its brutal aggression on the Gaza Strip in October last year, the Israeli regime has restricted Palestinian Muslims' access to al-Aqsa Mosque, especially on Fridays.

Israel ignited its bloody war machine on October 7 after Hamas-led Palestinian resistance groups carried out a historic operation against the occupying entity in retaliation for its intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.

So far, the occupying regime has killed over 29,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured about 70,000 others.

The Tel Aviv regime has imposed a "complete siege" on the territory, cutting off fuel, electricity, food, and water to the more than two million Palestinians living there.

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UN must take action to prevent Israel's mass atrocities against Palestinians in Rafah: Iran FM

Iran Press TV

Monday, 19 February 2024 4:18 PM

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian says the United Nations must take action to prevent further mass atrocities by the Israeli regime in the city of Rafah in southern Gaza Strip.

In a letter to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, Amir-Abdollahian warned against the "devastating" outcomes of Israel's plan to carry out a full-fledged ground invasion of Rafah.

He said an all-out offensive on Rafah would be devastating for the 1.5 million Palestinian people, most of them displaced, who have already been squeezed into the city and are on the edge of survival.

He urged the international community not to let such carnage happen and cautioned that any military offensive on Rafah would undoubtedly be another phase in the Israeli genocide of the Palestinian people.

"It is imperative that the United Nations system fulfill its responsibilities in this critical juncture and avert further mass atrocities against the Palestinians who have taken refuge in Rafah," the top Iranian diplomat emphasized.

He highlighted the need for the UN and the international community to act united in urging for an instant and permanent cessation of atrocities against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

They must also put an immediate end to the forced displacement of the Palestinian people and call for their unhindered access to humanitarian aid, the top Iranian diplomat said.

He added that all countries are "legally and morally duty-bound" to stop and prevent Israel's genocidal war against the Palestinian people.

Amir-Abdollahian emphasized that the United Nations needs to urge all its member states to refrain from collaborating with the Israeli occupying aggressor regime.

Any cooperation of the countries with Israel would constitute their complicity in the perpetration of "the most serious crimes of international concern and would entail their international responsibility," he pointed out.

He lamented that a high number of innocent people have been killed and wounded during the past four months of Israel's incessant attacks on Gaza.

This is visible evidence of a "premeditated plot" to exterminate a whole nation, including through its forced expulsion out of occupied Palestine, the minister said.

He noted that close to 30,000 Palestinians, most of them young children and women, have been brutally killed and more than 60,000 wounded in Israel's ongoing war that started in October, while 7,000 others remain buried under the collapsed buildings.

According to the Iranian foreign minister, the Israeli's genocidal vengeance has not spared anyone living in the occupied Palestine as over 85 journalists and more than 135 UNRWA aid workers are also brutally targeted.

Amir-Abdollahian slammed Israel's move to combine its indiscriminate military operation with cruel starvation campaign by deliberately depriving Gazans of food, water, humanitarian aid and other essential resources.

"This can hardly be characterized as anything other than genocide," he said.

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Palestinian death toll from ongoing Israeli war surpasses 29,000: Health ministry

Iran Press TV

Monday, 19 February 2024 2:02 PM

More than 29,000 Palestinians have been killed as the Israeli regime presses ahead with its genocidal war against the Palestinian people in the besieged Gaza Strip.

In a statement on Monday, the Gaza health ministry said the Israeli occupation army has killed 107 Palestinians and wounded 145 more over the past 24 hours.

It added that the total number of casualties has reached 29,092 deaths and 69,028 injuries since Israel launched its atrocities against Gaza on October 7, 2023.

Some remain under the rubble amid heavy bombardment and a lack of civil defense and ambulance crews, the ministry noted.

Israel launched the war on Gaza after the Palestinian resistance group Hamas waged a surprise attack, dubbed Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, against the occupying entity.

Hamas said that its operation came in response to Israel's violations at al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied al-Quds, growing Israeli settler violence, and decades of occupation.

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ICJ begins week-long hearings on Israel's occupation of Palestine

Iran Press TV

Monday, 19 February 2024 1:30 PM

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is holding historic hearings into Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories since 1967.

The week-long sessions are expected to hear evidence given by 52 countries.

Representatives of the United States, Russia, and China will address judges at the Peace Palace in The Hague, the seat of ICJ.

On Monday, the UN's highest court heard evidence from a number of states and three organizations on the legal consequences of Israel's occupation of the West Bank, Gaza and East al-Quds.

In June 1967, Israel also seized the Golan Heights from Syria.

The UN sees the occupation of the Palestinian and Syrian territories as illegal.

A team of lawyers argued that Israel must be made to bear the consequences of its illegal conduct rather than reap the benefits.

The lawyers believe the regime is covering its "colonial designs" by occupying the territories.

Alain Pellet, the legal representative of the State of Palestine, called on the United Nations and third parties to ensure that no military or technological assistance would perpetuate or reinforce the Israeli occupation and apartheid.

He also urged all parties to sever all forms of economic and political relations with the Israeli regime.

On the issue of compensation and reparations, Pellet pointed out that the Security Council and the General Assembly have already made "specific legally binding findings in this respect."

Namira Negm, another lawyer representing Palestine, told the ICJ that Israel "systematically denies" the Palestinians' rights to life.

She told the ICJ that Israel uses a "toolbox of population control and inhumane acts" that restricts "every aspect of Palestinians' life from birth to death."

"Starting from the Nakba in 1948 until now, Israel has adopted discriminatory legislation measures, by which it has established a deeply entrenched system of racial discrimination against Palestinians."

"Discrimination against the Palestinian people is as integral to Israel's prolonged occupation as is the annexation and colonization of the Palestinian territory. They are inextricable parts of the same whole."

A visibly emotional Riyad Mansour, Palestine's envoy to the United Nations, presented the arguments by telling the ICJ that a ruling which deemed Israeli occupation illegal and "the legal consequences from this determination" would pave the way "to just and lasting peace."

"After 75 years, justice can no longer wait for the day Israel has an epiphany and suddenly decides to reverse course and commit to the law and UN resolutions."

"Our journey in the search for justice has brought us before you, before the International Court of Justice," he said.

The envoy demanded "an immediate, complete and unconditional end" to the occupation of the territories Israel has seized.

Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki also told the UN's top court on Monday, "The Palestinians have endured colonialism and apartheid."

"Justice delayed is justice denied and the Palestinian people have been denied justice for far too long," he added.

The Palestinian official called for an end "to the double standards that have kept our people captive for far too long."

Philippe Sands, a specialist in international law, turned to the issue of demographic manipulation, saying the Palestinians have been subject to "a century of dispossession and displacement in manifest violation of their right to self-determination."

"Transferring another people into the territory of Palestine is contrary to international law, it undermines the exercise by Palestine of its right to self-determination. Yet, Israel declares that hundreds of thousands of unlawful settlers will somehow remain there permanently and forever."

In December 2022, the UN General Assembly asked the ICJ for a non-binding "advisory opinion" on the "legal consequences arising from the policies and practices of Israel in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem."

The Israeli regime has been under mounting international pressure over its savage campaign in the besieged Gaza Strip since early October.

The ICJ hearings are separate from a high-profile case brought by South Africa, according to which Israel is committing genocidal activities in Gaza.

The ICJ ruled in the South Africa case in January that Israel must do everything in its power to prevent genocide and allow humanitarian aid into Gaza.

But the regime remains reluctant to abide by the ICJ ruling, and has had its bloody campaign going, thanks in large part to the unqualified military and diplomatic support the United States provides to Israel.

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Feb. 18: 'Axis of Resistance' operations against Israeli occupation

Iran Press TV

Monday, 19 February 2024 11:22 AM

By Press TV Website Staff

Amid Israel's genocidal war on Gaza, which has killed more than 29,000 Palestinians so far, including at least 12,000 children, resistance groups in Palestine and across the region continue their operations against the Tel Aviv regime and its Western backers.

The operations carried out by the Palestinian and regional resistance groups on Sunday, February 18, are as follows:

Mujahideen Brigades' operations on Feb. 18:

Targeted a gathering of Israeli forces west of Khan Younis city with a Saeer rocket.

Martyr Omar Al-Qasim Forces' operations on Feb. 18:

Detonated an explosive device and fired an RPG on Israeli army vehicles in the vicinity of the besieged Nasser Hospital, west of Khan Younis city.

Al-Asifah Forces' operations on Feb. 18:

Shelled a gathering of Israeli soldiers and their vehicles with 107mm rockets in the axis east of Al-Bureij camp.

Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades' operations on Feb. 18:

Shelled Israeli forces and their vehicles with several 60mm mortar shells in the eastern area of Al-Bureij camp in the central Gaza Strip.

Shelled Israeli military gatherings and their vehicles with a barrage of 107mm rockets in the northeastern Gaza axis.

Launched a salvo of 107mm rockets on the Israeli military supply line in the southern axis of Gaza City.

Hezbollah's operations on Feb. 18:

Eastern sector:

At around 14:00 local time, Israeli soldiers in the vicinity of Al-Baghdadi's site were targeted with missiles.

At around 14:50 local time, Israeli soldiers were targeted in the Tayhat triangle with appropriate weapons.

At around 15:35 local time, the Al-Sammaqa site in Shebaa was targeted with appropriate weapons.

At around 15:45 local time, the Al-Sammaqa site in Shebaa was targeted with missiles.

At around 15:50 local time, the Ruwaisat Al-Alam site in Shebaa was targeted with a Burkan missile.

At around 17:45 local time, Israeli soldiers in the Ramim site were targeted with appropriate weapons.

Western sector:

At around 14:45 local time, Israeli soldiers in the settlement of Evin Menachem were targeted with appropriate weapons.

At around 14:45 local time, Israeli soldiers in the Shomera settlement were targeted with appropriate weapons.

At around 15:15 local time, Israeli soldiers stationed in the Yaroun settlement were targeted with appropriate weapons.

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No power can change fate of Gaza war as Israel suffers 'irreparable defeat: Top Iran general

Iran Press TV

Monday, 19 February 2024 11:15 AM

The chairman of the Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces says the Israeli regime has undoubtedly suffered an "unprecedented and irreparable" defeat in its war against the oppressed people of Palestine.

"The Zionists seek to make up for their defeat by killing defenseless [Palestinian] people, which is definitely not possible," Major General Mohammad Baqeri said on Monday.

He added that Israel's onslaught on Gaza was a "big incident" that marked a new history for the region and even the entire world, emphasizing that no power can change the "quite clear" fate of the war.

In this war, Baqeri said, the oppressed Palestinian people and their supporters, including Yemen, the Lebanese Hezbollah resistance movement, and Iraqi resistance groups are fighting against the shameless and criminal Israeli regime, as well as the US and Europe.

During the genocidal war, Israel, the US and Europe exposed their empty rhetoric about advocating human rights and democracy, he emphasized.

In solidarity with the Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip which is subjected to a genocidal war that killed nearly 29,000, regional resistance groups have targeted the interests of the Tel Aviv regime and its supporters, especially the US and the UK.

The top Iranian commander added that some countries in the Muslim world claim to support the Palestinian people "but in practice and contrary to the will of their people, they support the Zionists."

Some of those countries allow Israel-bound ships to dock and load goods at their ports, while several others provide Israel with oil and oil transition pipelines, he said.

Baqeri warned that those countries would face a far worse fate than the Zionists, emphasizing that the people of Palestine and the Muslim world are well aware of the realities on the ground.

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Students study at the library of a university in Australia. Photo by Unsplash/Arie Oldman

Eight Australian universities, both public and private, have canceled admission offers for international students amid the government tightening student visas to reduce immigration.

Western Sydney University, Macquarie, Wollongong, Latrobe, Deakin, Central Queensland, Edith Cowan, and Kaplan Business School (KBS) have recently sent notifications to cancel admissions or request withdrawal of applications to international students and recruitment agents.

The eight institutions stated that all fees paid by the candidates would be refunded.

"You recently received an email from the University of Wollongong [UOW] noting that you have been issued with a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) to commence your studies in the Autumn 2024 session, but had not received a visa. In order to assist you to achieve the best outcome for your future, you were given the option to either withdraw your offer and receive a refund, or defer your offer," an email from the University of Wollongong to an applicant reads.

"Unfortunately, the Australian Government has recently implemented substantial changes to its migration strategy. Given those changes, the close commencement of your preferred intake, and the fact that have not received a visa outcome as yet, UOW has determined that you are unlikely to meet the new criteria to obtain a positive visa outcome."

The move stems from the new immigration policy of the Australian Department of Home Affairs, which was announced last December to rank universities based on their risk level.

Based on the data of students who previously violated visa regulations, universities are categorized into three groups. International students applying to Group 1 will be prioritized.

For those in Groups 2 and 3, the visa application process will take more time, requiring additional proof of English proficiency and financial capacity.

Therefore, to protect their reputation, many institutions have chosen to cancel the admission offers of candidates, mainly those from India, Nepal, and Pakistan, who have a high rate of visa rejection.

In the second half of 2023, the visa approval rates for students from Pakistan dropped by 37%, India by 39%, and Nepal by 52%.

"[They] feel that they need to get the visa [applications] withdrawn to avoid further refusals as these refusals will lead to higher risk level," said Nishi Borra, president of the Association of Australian Education Representatives in India, in a report on Feb. 13 by Times Higher Education.

He said visas were being rejected not because of fraudulent or misleading applications, but because visa processors doubted the applicants' intentions.

Authorities were "using visa refusals to reduce the net student intake" without spelling out new requirements and judging applicants accordingly, he said.

As the government slashes foreign student arrivals to reduce net overseas migration by 250,000 by July 2025, visa applications are being refused at an unprecedented level, and just 80% of applications were approved in the six months to December, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

According to the Department of Home Affairs, about 19% of international students were not granted visas in the second half of 2023, the highest in three years. By December 2023, the country announced plans to halve the number of immigrants over the next two years.

Under Australia's new migration settings, prospective students must now prove a higher level of savings and a higher level of English proficiency and must pass a Genuine Student Test (GST), a measure introduced by the Australian government as part of its visa application process for international students.

This new test is designed to assess whether applicants genuinely intend to stay in Australia temporarily for the purpose of study. The GST replaces the previous Genuine Temporary Entrant requirement, aiming to provide a more thorough evaluation of an applicant's circumstances, study plans, and intentions to return to their home country after their studies are completed.

Besides, the English proficiency requirement for undergraduate international students increased from IELTS 5.5 to 6 and for postgraduate programs, from 6 to 6.5.

According to the Australian Department of Education, as of last October, the country hosted about 768,000 international students, with the largest groups from China, India, and Nepal.

Vietnam ranks sixth with over 31,000 students studying in Australia.
Israel's indiscriminate strikes kill over 70 Palestinian civilians in central Gaza

Iran Press TV

Monday, 19 February 2024 2:19 AM

Israel's indiscriminate attacks have killed more than 70 Palestinian civilians across the central part of the Gaza Strip, which has been under the regime's genocidal war for more than four months.

According to Palestinian medical sources, the fatalities were caused by Israel's incessant air and artillery strikes on the Nuseirat refugee camp, Zuwaida district, and the city of Deir al-Balah on Sunday, the official Palestinian Wafa news agency reported.

It added that dozens of others, mostly women and children, were wounded in the regime's strikes.

Elsewhere around the coastal territory, five bodies, mostly children, were recovered from under the rubble following Israeli bombardment of areas in northern Gaza.

In Gaza City, the regime brought the neighborhoods of Shuja'iyya, Zeitoun, Tel al-Hawa, and Sheikh Ijlin under attack.

Gaza's Health Ministry said the regime has committed 13 massacres across the territory during the past 24 hours, killing at least 127 civilians and injuring over 200 others.

A large number of victims were still buried under the rubble of bombed buildings or lying along the roads, it added.

The ministry also reported on the situation at the Nasser Hospital in the southern Gaza city of Khan Yunis that has been under siege for days by the regime's forces, who have reportedly turned it into a military base.

It said Israeli forces have crammed as many as 150 patients who cannot move inside the rooms and corridors of the old building of the facility, denying them medical care after arresting at least 70 members of the hospital's administrative department and medical staff.

"The occupation refuses to evacuate patients to receive treatment at other hospitals, which puts their lives at risk," the ministry noted, adding that they include seven patients in intensive care, five dialysis patients, and three newborns, in addition to cases of burn, amputation, quadriplegia, childbirth, and others.

The regime has been waging a genocidal war on the coastal territory since October 7, 2023, when Gaza's resistance movements conducted Operation al-Aqsa Storm against the occupied territories.

So far, nearly 29,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, have been killed in the regime's brutal onslaught, while more than 68,800 others have been wounded.

According to Gaza's Government Media Office, around 7,000 civilians have been also reported missing since the onset of Israel's military aggression.

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British cargo ship 'on verge of sinking' after Yemeni missile attack in Gulf of Aden

Iran Press TV

Monday, 19 February 2024 10:27 AM

The Yemeni military has claimed responsibility for a missile attack on a British cargo ship in the Gulf of Aden in support of the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip against the US- and UK-backed Israeli war on the besieged territory.

Brigadier General Yahya Saree, the spokesman for the military, said in a televised speech broadcast live from the Yemeni capital Sana'a on Monday that the Yemeni forces had targeted the Rubymar bulk carrier with a number of "appropriate" naval missiles.

He added that the vessel suffered extensive damage as a result and is now at risk of sinking in the Gulf of Aden. He noted, however, that the crew are safe.

Saree also said that Yemeni air defense units also managed to intercept and shoot down a US MQ-9 Reaper drone as it was flying in the skies over the country's western coastal province of Hudaydah.

He asserted that the Yemeni Armed Forces will not hesitate to carry out qualitative operations against all hostile targets in defense of their homeland and in reaffirmation of their unwavering support for the Palestinian nation.

Yemeni retaliatory strikes in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea will not stop until the Israeli aggression on Palestinians in Gaza comes to a halt and the all-out siege against its population is completely lifted, Saree said.

Yemen has declared its open support for Palestine's struggle against the Israeli occupation since the regime launched a devastating war on Gaza on October 7 after the territory's Palestinian resistance movements carried out a surprise operation into the occupied territories.

The Yemeni Armed Forces have said they won't stop retaliatory strikes.

The maritime attacks have forced some of the world's biggest shipping and oil companies to suspend transit through one of the world's most important maritime trade routes.

Tankers are instead adding thousands of miles to international shipping routes by sailing around the continent of Africa rather than going through the Suez Canal.

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Pentagon acknowledges Yemeni forces deploy underwater drones in Red Sea for first time

Iran Press TV

Monday, 19 February 2024 9:06 AM

The US military has acknowledged that Yemeni forces have deployed underwater drones for the first time in their pro-Palestine operations amid tensions in the Red Sea.

The US Central Command said the drones presented an "imminent threat" to US Navy ships in the area and that it was the first time US forces have seen a underwater drone deployed by Yemen.

CENTCOM claimed a submersible drone was destroyed in an American attack over the weekend.

According to the announcement, the US Navy carried out five strikes, hitting three cruise missiles, an unmanned surface vessel (USV), and one unmanned underwater vessel (UUV) on Saturday.

"This is the first observed [Yemen's] employment of a UUV since attacks began on October 23," the US military wrote, claiming it presented an "imminent threat" to US Navy ships in the area.

The US and the UK have also been carrying out numerous such attacks against Yemen as a means of trying to pressure the country into stopping a series of reprisal operations that it has been conducting in support of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

In solidarity with the Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip which is subjected to a genocidal war that killed nearly 29,000, the Yemeni armed forces have targeted ships in the Red Sea with owners linked to Israel or those going to and from ports in the occupied territories.

The leader of Yemen's Ansarullah resistance movement has said the rising aggression by the "evil trio" of the United States, the United Kingdom, and Israel would not affect the determination of the Yemeni people to support Palestinians in the besieged strip.

Yemen has been conducting operations against the British and American warships that have been dispatched to the Red Sea to confront the Yemeni strikes.

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'A religious war': Hamas warns of 'explosion' after Israel says will restrict access to Al-Aqsa in Ramadan

Iran Press TV

Monday, 19 February 2024 8:01 AM

The Palestinian Hamas resistance movement has denounced Israel's plan to restrict Palestinians' entry to the al-Aqsa Mosque compound during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, warning that the measure will explode the whole situation.

"An outburst of anger is waiting to go off in the face of the occupying regime in response to any restrictions on worship at the al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan," Izzat al-Rishq, a member of the political bureau of Hamas, said on Sunday.

Earlier, Hamas had roundly condemned Israel's plan to restrict Palestinians' access to the al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan, stating that the decision is a reflection of the Zionist crimes and the religious war waged by hardliner elements in the Israeli administration against the Palestinian people.

In a statement, the Gaza-based group said the restrictions would be a "violation of the freedom of worship" in the holy site, adding that the plan showed Israel's intention to increase its attacks on the mosque during the Muslim fasting month.

The statement called on Palestinians in occupied East al-Quds, the occupied West Bank and the 1948-occupied territories to reject and resist this "criminal decision", urging them to "take action and flock to al-Aqsa Mosque."

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday gave his green light to the recommendations of so-called national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and approved the restriction of Palestinians' entry to the al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan.

A limited number of Palestinians will reportedly be allowed to enter the mosque during the month.

Several Hebrew-language media outlets, including Keshet 12 television channel, reported in the last two days that Israel's so-called internal security service, Shin Bet, had warned the Tel Aviv regime that prohibiting Palestinians from entering the al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan "could lead to major disturbances."

The agency warned that this decision could cause more "dangerous" disruption than the eruption of tensions in al-Quds, the West Bank, and the 1948-occupied territories.

Since the beginning of the war in the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces have restricted Palestinian Muslims' access to the al-Aqsa Mosque, particularly on Fridays.

Last Friday, despite Israeli restrictions, approximately 25,000 Palestinian worshippers were able to enter the mosque in the Old City of al-Quds to perform Friday prayers for the first time since the war.

Ramadan is expected to begin this year on or around March 10.

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Iran to US: Stop hypocrisy on Israel's offensive against Rafah

Iran Press TV

Monday, 19 February 2024 7:15 AM

Iran's foreign minister says the United States needs to put an end to its Gaza war hypocrisy and stop its empty rhetoric about the establishment of a ceasefire in the strip while provoking the Israeli regime to attack the city of Rafah.

"The Americans must stop being hypocritical and talking about a ceasefire while encouraging the Zionist regime to attack Rafah," Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said during a cabinet session on Sunday.

He also said Israel continues its war crimes against the people of Palestine in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank and has caused a critical situation in northern and southern Gaza, particularly in Rafah.

According to Amir-Abdollahian, the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has presented a comprehensive plan on behalf of the Gazans to stop the Israeli genocide in the strip and lift its siege, secure a prisoner swap deal, and reconstruct the war-ravaged territory.

"However, the resistance leaders have warned that any military action against the residents of Rafah will have severe reciprocal consequences," the top Iranian diplomat emphasized.

He also argued that the Israeli regime has failed to achieve its desired goals in Gaza, and "this is the reason it still continues to beat the drum of war and threat."

Amir-Abdollahian reiterated that Iran strongly supports any solution to the ongoing crisis that would improve regional security and safeguard the Palestinian people's rights.

Israel's relentless bombing of Gaza has forced the local residents to flee toward the southern city of Rafah, bordering Egypt.

The Israeli military has been carrying out airstrikes on the border city and has announced plans to launch a ground invasion.

Meanwhile, Egypt is constructing a walled enclosure along its border with Gaza, sparking concerns over potential Palestinian displacement as Israel considers expanding its offensive into Rafah.

According to reports, more than 28,985 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed and over 68,880 others injured since the Israeli regime launched its US-backed onslaught on Gaza on October 7, 2023.

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'No military solution': EU's top diplomat says Israel cannot 'defeat' Hamas

Iran Press TV

Monday, 19 February 2024 7:09 AM

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell says Israel needs a political, not a military, solution to the conflict with the Palestinians, emphasizing that the Tel Aviv regime cannot defeat the Hamas resistance movement, despite its relentless bombardment campaign in the Gaza Strip.

Speaking during a panel at the Munich Security Conference on Sunday, Borrell stated that conversations about peace in the West Asia region have focused on Gaza, where Israel is conducting a military onslaught that has killed tens of thousands in the wake of the October 7 large-scale and surprise attack, dubbed as Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, by resistance fighters.

"Yes, we have to end the war in Gaza, but the West Bank is the real obstacle for the [so-called] two-state solution," he said. "The West Bank is boiling."

The top EU diplomat warned that if the United Nations is forced to stop supporting Palestinians in the West Bank, "we could be on the eve of a greater explosion."

He also underlined that there was no military solution to the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians in Gaza.

Borrell has been one of the most outspoken European politicians on the ongoing Israeli ground and air strikes against Gaza, calling on Western countries, and particularly the United States, to stop providing arms to Israel in light of the growing number of civilian casualties in the besieged coastal territory.

Last week, the EU top diplomat reacted to US President Joe Biden's recent comment that Israel's military action was "over the top," noting, "If you believe that too many people are being killed, maybe you should provide less arms in order to prevent so many people being killed."

The chief EU diplomat also slammed an order by Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the more than one million Palestinians sheltering in Gaza's southernmost city of Rafah need to be "evacuated" ahead of a planned military operation there.

"They are going to evacuate  where? To the moon? Where are they going to evacuate these people?" Borrell asked.

Close to 29,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, have lost their lives so far during Israel's genocidal war, which began following Operation al-Aqsa Storm by Gaza-based resistance movements.

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At least 64 killed in Papua New Guinea 'largest' tribal violence

Iran Press TV

Monday, 19 February 2024 6:50 AM

At least Sixty-four people have been killed in an outbreak of violence between rival tribes in the remote highlands of Papua New Guinea, police say, describing it as the "largest" in the Pacific nation's recent history.

Local police said on Monday that the bodies were found along a stretch of road in Papua New Guinea's northern highlands.

The victims were believed to be tribal fighters who were ambushed by men from two rival tribes early on Sunday, George Kakas, Enga provincial police commander, told the Guardian.

"[The] situation is still tense but the highway is clear for the traveling public," he said.

The incident occurred near Wabag, about 600 kilometers northwest of the capital Port Moresby.

"We believe there are still some bodies... out there in the bush," Assistant Commissioner of Police Samson Kua said Monday, noting that gunfights were ongoing in nearby valleys.

The rugged and lawless area has for years been the scene of tit-for-tat mass killings between rival Sikin, Ambulin, Kaekin and other tribesmen.

Tribal fighting has been ongoing in Papua New Guinea's highlands for centuries, but the latest massacre marks an escalation in violence in the region amid an influx of mercenaries and automatic weapons.

"The police and government cannot do much when leaders and educated elites supply arms, ammunitions and engage the services of gunmen from other parts of the province," Enga Province's acting police commander Patrick Peka said.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) said the violence involved the same tribes that were responsible for clashes that killed 60 in Enga Province last year.

"This is by far the largest [killing] I've seen in Enga, maybe in all of Highlands as well, in Papua New Guinea," said George Kakas, a senior officer in the country's police force.

"We are all devastated, we're all mentally stressed out," Kakas told the ABC. "It's really hard to comprehend."

On Monday, opponents of Prime Minister James Marape's government called for the deployment of more police and for the force's commissioner to quit.

"We call on the government to immediately establish where the guns and bullets are coming from to fuel this senseless violence," they added in a statement, according to the Post-Courier newspaper.

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At Afghanistan Meeting, UN's Guterres Pledges Work To Appoint Envoy

By RFE/RL's Radio Azadi February 19, 2024

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on February 19 told a press conference at a two-day UN-sponsored meeting of more than two dozen nations but not including Taliban representatives in the Qatari capital to discuss the "evolving situation" in Afghanistan that he is starting consultations toward appointing a UN envoy to coordinate engagement between Kabul and the international community.

The Doha gathering is also aimed at discussing possible international engagement since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in mid-2021.

Guterres held closed-door sessions with the representatives of several nations and organizations on the meeting's first day.

Mahbouba Seraj, a civil-society and women's rights representative who is in Doha along with a number of other Afghan participants not affiliated with the Taliban-led government, told Radio Azadi that priority topics on day two would include the plight of women and girls under the Taliban.

She expressed hope that hers and other women's voices will "finally be heard, that this issue will be followed up on, and indeed someone" will take up the cause of Afghan women, who are routinely discriminated against and isolated under the hard-line fundamentalist Taliban.

Girls above the sixth grade have been barred from attending school, universities are closed to women, and work in the nongovernmental sector and among most government bodies has been banned for women, in addition to other restrictions.

The Taliban leadership declined the invitation from the UN Department of Political Affairs and Peacebuilding (DPPA) to attend the gathering.

Guterres said the Taliban set unacceptable conditions for attending the meeting, including the barring of Afghan civil society members and de facto recognition of the Taliban as Afghanistan's legitimate rulers.

"I received a letter with a set of conditions to be present in this meeting that were not acceptable," Guterres told a news conference. "These conditions denied us the right to talk to other representatives of Afghan society and demanded a treatment that, to a large extent, would be similar to recognition."

Russia also said via its embassy in Afghanistan that it wouldn't send a delegation to the Qatari meeting.

Moscow said it was acting "at the request of the Afghan authorities" and would not join "so-called Afghan civil activists, whose selection, by the way, was conducted nontransparently behind Kabul's back."

Organizers said participants from 25 nations and groups would include those from "Afghanistan, the wider region, and beyond."

"Other regional organizations working actively on Afghanistan such as the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the European Union, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization" were also expected to be there.

The Taliban-led government remains overwhelmingly unrecognized internationally since taking over following the withdrawal in mid-2021 of the U.S.-led international coalition that spent two decades in Afghanistan after the events of 9/11.

The Taliban's Foreign Ministry on February 17 said that due to the nonacceptance of its demands, it did not consider participation in the Doha meeting to be fruitful, expressing anger over the planned appearance of non-Taliban Afghan representatives at the sessions. The Taliban has long had a representative office in Qatar.

The DPPA said the current session would "take place in the context of Security Council resolution 2721 (2023), which encourages member states to consider increasing international engagement in the country, with the objective of a 'clear end state of an Afghanistan at peace with itself and its neighbors, fully reintegrated into the international community, and meeting international obligations.'"

The gathering is the second such meeting organized by the UN in the past year following a session in May 2023.

With reporting by AP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/afghanistan-conference-doha- taliban-women-rights/32825570.html

Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Bosnian Serb Leader Meets Lukashenka In Minsk, Plans To Meet Putin In Moscow

By RFE/RL's Balkan Service February 19, 2024

Milorad Dodik, the pro-Russia president of the Serbian entity of Bosnia-Herzegovina, met with Belarusian President leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka in Minsk and announced plans this week to travel to Moscow where he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin as part of an extended journey in the region.

Radio-Television of Republika Srpska (RTRS) reported that prior to the February 19 meeting with Lukashenka, Dodik held discussions with Belarusian Foreign Minister Syarhey Aleynyk. Details of the meetings weren't immediately disclosed.

Dodik is under U.S. and U.K. sanctions for alleged obstruction of the Dayton Peace Agreement and violating the legitimacy of Bosnia-Herzegovina.

He has spent the past two years attempting to erode central Bosnian authority and establishing parallel institutions to further his longtime threats to divide the country for good, receiving harsh rebukes from Western officials.

Dodik is among the few Western Balkan officials to engage in talks with Russian and Belarusian counterparts despite Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

Dodik met in Moscow in September 2022 with Putin and received the Russian leader's backing in his upcoming bid for reelection.

He met with Lukashenka in June 2019. At that time, he was on an official visit as a member of the tripartite presidency of Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Since the Dayton peace agreement that ended the 1992-95 Bosnian War, the country has consisted of the Bosniak-Croat federation and the mostly ethnic Serb Republika Srpska under a weak central government.

On February 18, Dodik stated on his official website that he did not come to Belarus "to ask for military aid."

Instead, he expressed his intention for Belarus "to understand the struggles of Serbs in Republika Srpska," emphasizing "their fight for sovereignty, status, and freedom."

"Those who claim that Republika Srpska is isolated probably think that we should be sitting in [U.S. President Joe] Biden's office and watching him stumble. Let them say what they want," Dodik said, adding that he had "a busy schedule."

"After Lukashenka, I will talk with Putin in two or three days, then with the president of Tatarstan [Rustam Minnikhanov]," said Dodik, referring to the autonomous Russian republic.

He said he plans to visit NATO member Montenegro next, where he will meet with the president of the National Assembly -- pro-Serbia, pro-Russia politician Andrija Mandic.

He said he will then meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the southern city of Antalya.

Dodik said he also plans a meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Banja Luka in March.

Belarusian authoritarian leader Lukashenka and his allies are isolated and under a series of Western sanctions over the brutal crackdown on mass protests that followed Lukashenka's disputed re-election in 2020 and ongoing Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Based on the Stabilization and Association Agreement, Bosnia-Herzegovina has the obligation to harmonize its foreign policy with the views of the EU foreign and security policy.

Bosnia-Herzegovina, as a nation, has joined the EU sanctions against Moscow. However, the implementation has faced obstacles due to the obstruction by Srpska officials led by Dodik.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/bosnian-serb-leader-meets- lukashenka-in-minsk-plans-to-meet-putin-in-moscow/32826261.html

Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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EU Approves Naval Mission to Protect Navigation in Red Sea - Italian Foreign Minister

Sputnik News

20240219

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The EU foreign ministers have approved the launch of a naval mission to protect navigation in the Red Sea amid an increase in attacks on cargo ships by Yemen's Houthi movement, also known as Ansar Allah, with Italy set to take over the command of the forces, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on Monday.

"At a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council, we have just approved the launch of a military operation Aspides, where Italy will take command of the forces," Tajani wrote on X (former Twitter).

Participants in the mission will not strike Houthi positions in Yemen, as the operation will be purely defensive, Tajani said earlier in February.

The Houthi movement, which controls large parts of northern and western Yemen, vowed in November 2023 to attack any ships associated with Israel until it halts military actions in the Gaza Strip.

This led US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to announce the creation of a multinational operation to secure navigation in the Red Sea. US and UK forces later launched major strikes against Houthi positions in a bid to degrade the rebels' ability to target commercial vessels.

 Sputnik

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The man was arrested on Feb. 17 after officials searched luggage he had checked in for a flight from Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport to Mongolia's capital Ulaanbaatar, customs department spokesman Phantong Loykulnanta said.

The search revealed two komodo dragons, six Indian star tortoises, eight iguanas, five pythons, one boa constrictor and 24 live fish.

The authorities charged the man with smuggling protected animals, the customs department said.

Thailand is a major transit hub for wildlife smugglers, who often sell the animals to China and Vietnam.

In October 2023, Suvarnabhumi Airport suspended an airport worker after a traveler smuggled more than 30 live animals onto a flight to Taiwan.

The mobile menagerie included a marmot, two baby otters and 28 baby tortoises.
Houthis Attacked UK Ship in Gulf of Aden, Vessel Severely Damaged

Sputnik News

20240219

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Yemen's Houthi movement, also known as Ansar Allah, has attacked a UK Rubymar cargo ship in the Gulf of Aden, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said on Monday, adding that the vessel was severely damaged.

"The Naval forces of the Yemeni Armed Forces carried out a specific military operation, targeting a British ship in the Gulf of Aden, 'RUBYMAR,' with a number of appropriate naval missiles. Among the results of the operation were the following: The ship suffered catastrophic damages and came to a complete halt. As a result of the extensive damage the ship suffered, it is now at risk of potential sinking in the Gulf of Aden," Saree said in a statement on Telegram.

The Yemeni air defenses were also able to shoot down a US-made Drone, MQ9, "with a suitable missile while it was carrying out hostile missions against our country on behalf of the Zionist entity," the spokesman added.

 Sputnik

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"With the end of the occupation in Karabakh, a historic window of opportunity for lasting peace in our region opened"

Presidency Of The Republic Of Turkey

19.02.2024

Speaking at a joint press conference with President Aliyev of Azerbaijan, President Erdogan said: "With the end of the occupation in Karabakh, a historic window of opportunity for lasting peace in our region has opened. It is critical that this window of opportunity is not closed."

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivered remarks at a joint press conference with President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan at the Presidential Complex.

"I would like to congratulate my dear brother Ilham Aliyev once again on the occasion of his election as the president of Azerbaijan for the 5th time with the high favor of his people. I am very pleased that my brother Ilham made his first official visit abroad to Turkiye immediately after his election as president," President Erdogan said. "As you know, the presidential elections held on February 7 have a historic significance because they were held for the first time in all sovereign territories of Azerbaijan. I wish that the results of the elections will be auspicious for Turkiye-Azerbaijan relations and the brotherly Azerbaijani people. Unfortunately, Azerbaijan was subjected to some unfair practices during the election process. We strongly reacted to the decision of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to prevent the Azerbaijani delegation from participating in this year's meetings. We will continue to underscore that this assembly should be a platform for dialogue to strengthen parliamentary democracy, not conflict. We will continue our support to Azerbaijan and our initiatives in this direction until the decision is overturned."

"OUR TOTAL TRADE VOLUME REACHED $7.5 BILLION"

"During the meetings with my dear brother, we reviewed all aspects of our bilateral relations and discussed regional and international issues. We see that our cooperation with Azerbaijan is progressing on the basis of "one nation, two states" as pointed out by the late National Leader Heydar Aliyev," President Erdogan underscored. "Our total trade volume reached $7.5 billion for the first time last year. We are determined to increase our efforts to reach our $15 billion target. At a time of critical challenges, it is obvious that our countries need to develop their potential in the fields of transportation and energy. Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway line is one of the most concrete examples of this. In order for us to get the most out of this line, the renovation work must be completed urgently. It was with this understanding that President Aliyev and I signed the protocol of intent on the Kars-Nakhchivan railway project during my visit to the Turkish gateway Nakhchivan in September. Increasing the capacity of TANAP and transferring Caspian natural gas to Turkiye and Europe are among our priorities. I would also like to remind that we have added a new dimension to our energy cooperation with the Igdr-Nakhchivan natural gas pipeline project, the foundation of which was laid during my visit to Nakhchivan."

"SIGNING OF A LASTING PEACE AGREEMENT BETWEEN AZERBAIJAN AND ARMENIA WILL BE A NEW SOURCE OF HOPE"

Noting that they also discussed the steps taken for peace and stability in the South Caucasus, President Erdogan said: "There is no doubt that the signing of a lasting peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia will be a new source of hope for peace, tranquility and stability in our region and the world. We stand shoulder to shoulder with Azerbaijan in this process. With the end of the occupation in Karabakh, a historic window of opportunity for lasting peace in our region has opened. It is very important that this window of opportunity is not closed. I believe that Armenia should think long-term and evaluate this process with a strategic perspective. We invite third parties to make constructive contributions instead of poisoning the process. I would like to take this opportunity to express our hope that the recent incidents on the border of the two countries will not happen again. I wish a speedy recovery to our injured brother in the Azerbaijani army."

"We also discussed Israel's massacres in Gaza, which trample on all human values and international law, and other conflicts concerning our region," President Erdogan said.

"We continue to work for the further institutionalization and strengthening of our unity in our family council, the Organization of Turkic States. I am especially pleased to note that the extraordinary summit of our organization will be held in July in Shusha, one of the cultural capitals of the Turkic World. In the upcoming period, we will continue to move forward with Azerbaijan in line with our brotherly ties and the spirit we set forth in the Shusha Declaration. In the person of my dear brother, I would like to thank all Azerbaijani people for their solidarity with our nation in the aftermath of the February 6 earthquakes. In addition to other assistance, Azerbaijan is building a thousand houses and 799 workplaces on 320 decares of land in Kahramanmaras. During our visit to Kahramanmaras last week, we were briefed about the works carried out on Azerbaijan Boulevard," President Erdogan said.

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We all want an Afghanistan at peace, UN chief says in Doha

19 February 2024 - The UN Secretary-General on Monday highlighted the urgent need for an end to restrictions imposed by the Taliban de facto authorities on women and girls in Afghanistan.

Speaking to journalists during a two-day meeting with regional and national special envoys for Afghanistan, Antonio Guterres said that there was consensus among delegates over what needs to happen, although the Taliban are not taking part.

"We want an Afghanistan in peace, peace with itself and peace with its neighbours and able to assume the commitments and the international obligations of a sovereign State ... in relation to the international community, its neighbours and in relation to the rights of its own populations," he said.

There was also consensus on the process to reach this objective, he added, noting proposals outlined in an independent review on an integrated and coherent approach conducted by Feridun Sinirlioglu, in line with Security Council resolution 2679.

Key concerns

It covered all the main areas of concern, Mr. Guterres said, including ensuring Afghanistan does not become a "hotbed" of terrorist activity and that it has inclusive institutions in which all its diverse groups feel represented in a "truly inclusive" State.

The review notes the importance of upholding human rights, in particular for women and girls, and a recognition of the progress made in combatting drug production and drug trafficking.

The UN chief also underscored the need for effective humanitarian assistance to the country as well as long-term questions on Afghanistan's future development.

Mr. Guterres further noted ongoing cooperation between Afghanistan and neighbouring countries, such as trade and infrastructure development or bilateral arrangements on combatting illicit drug trade.

Key questions

However, there are a set of key questions "in which we are stuck", he added.

"On one hand, Afghanistan remains with a government that is not recognized internationally and in many aspects not integrated in the global institutions and global economy," he said.

And on the other hand, there is a common international perception of deteriorating human rights, particularly for women and girls.

"To a certain extent we are in the kind of situation of the chicken or the egg," he said, stating the need to overcome the deadlock and produce a common road map which addresses international concerns and those of the de facto authorities simultaneously."

Unacceptable pre-conditions

In response to a correspondent's question on the lack of participation of Taliban de facto authorities, the UN chief said that the group presented a set of conditions for its participation "that were not acceptable."

"These conditions first of all denied us the right to talk to other representatives of the Afghan society and demanded a treatment that would, I would say, to a large extent be similar to recognition."

On another question, Mr. Guterres said the meeting was very useful and the discussions were "absolutely needed".

"Obviously it would be better if we would also have the opportunity after the meeting ... to discuss our conclusions with the de facto authorities. It did not happen today; it will happen in the near future."

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UNRWA Situation Report #79 on the situation in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem (All information from 15-17 February 2024, is valid as of 17 February 2024 at 22:30 (local time))

UNRWA

19 Feb 2024

Key Points

The Gaza Strip

Increased airstrikes in Rafah have heightened fears that they will further hamper overstretched humanitarian operations. Nearly 1.5 million people are in Rafah, more than six times the population in comparison with before 7 October.

Intense fighting in and around Khan Younis (southwest of Gaza) over the last four weeks is causing loss of life and damage to civilian infrastructure, including UNRWA's largest shelter in the southern area, the Khan Younis Training Centre (KYTC). This is forcing thousands of Palestinians to flee further south towards Rafah, which is severely overcrowded. At the same time, population movements out of Rafah and towards Deir Al Balah and Nuseirat refugee camps in the Middle Area have been reported, following intensified airstrikes on Rafah.

Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis continues to be besieged by Israeli tanks. There reportedly are 10,000 displaced people within the hospital's premises, including 300 medical personnel. On 16 February, Ministry of Health reported that five ICU patients had died due to a lack of oxygen supplies and a number of people who were relocated to a building within Nasser Hospital premises had no food, water or baby formula.

The number of trucks entering Gaza remains well below the target of 500 per day, with significant difficulties in bringing supplies in through both Karem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) and Rafah. The Food Security Cluster reported that a consistent food supply to serve the entire population continues to be hindered by frequent border closures.

According to OCHA, since the start of 2024 until 12 February, 51% of missions planned by UNRWA and humanitarian partners to deliver aid and undertake assessments to areas north of Wadi Gaza were denied access by the Israeli authorities. According to the Food Security Cluster, food insecurity north of Wadi Gaza has reached an extremely critical state, given significant restrictions on the delivery of humanitarian assistance.

In the period between 21 October and 14 February, people received 25,056 ** metric tons (MT) of flour,** including 15,364 ** from UNRWA**.

** metric tons (MT) of flour,** including ** from UNRWA**. In the same period, UNRWA delivered to the Gaza Strip: Medicines and medical supplies for a total value of more than US$ 6.8 million. Over 22 million litres of water . 2.7 million units of biscuits and high energy biscuits . Nearly 6.8 million cans of protein-based food , including beans and canned meat. Over 6.5 million units of dairy items (cheese). Other food items including dates and juice. Non-food items (NFI) including nearly 136,000 mattresses ; 104,000 family hygiene kits ; over 3.1 million diapers ; approximately 185,000 blankets ; and over 3.7 million cleaning supply items .

As of 17 February, the total number of UNRWA colleagues killed since the beginning of hostilities is now 158.

As of 17 February, up to 1.7 million* people (over 75 per cent of the population) ** have been displaced across the Gaza Strip, some multiple times.*** Families are forced to move repeatedly in search of safety. Following intense Israeli bombardments and fighting in Khan Younis and the Middle Area in recent days, a significant number of displaced people have moved further south.

*This includes one million individuals residing in or near emergency shelters or informal shelters. As of 12 October, approximately 160,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) were recorded in North Gaza and Gaza governorates. The ability of UNRWA to provide humanitarian support and updated data in these areas has been severely restricted. The ongoing hostilities, evacuation orders issued by Israeli Forces, and the constant need for safer locations have resulted in people being displaced multiple times.

**UNRWA reported in Situation Report 64 that up to 1.9 million IDPs were either residing in 154 UNRWA shelters or near these shelters. Due to the continued escalation of fighting and evacuation orders, some households have moved away from the shelters where they were initially registered.

*** There are instances where the same IDPs are registered in multiple shelters due to the fluid movement of populations; hereafter, estimates are used for these shelters. UNRWA plans to conduct a more accurate count of IDPs in shelters, including informal shelters, as soon as the security situation allows.

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Secretary-General's opening remarks at press encounter on the meeting of Special Envoys on Afghanistan

United Nations Secretary-General

19 February 2024

Ladies and Gentlemen of the press,

We just finished the main session of our meeting.

Another session is now taking place with representatives of the civil society of Afghanistan.

There is a total identity of points of view of all members in relation to the end game: What do we want?

We want an Afghanistan in peace.

Peace with itself and peace with its neighbors.

Able to assume the commitments and international obligations of a sovereign state and at the same time, doing so in relation to the international community, the other countries, its neighbors, and in relation to the rights of its own population.

At that same time an Afghanistan fully integrated in all the mechanisms, political and economic, of the international community.

This is the objective, the endgame.

To reach this endgame, there was also total consensus in relation to the programmatic proposals, included in the independent review that was conducted by Ambassador Feridun Sinirlioglu, and that cover all the main areas of concern of both the international community and of the de facto authorities of Afghanistan.

First, the need for Afghanistan not to be the hotbed of terrorist activities that impact other countries.

Second, the vision of Afghanistan with inclusive institutions in which its diverse groups - we have Uzbeks, Tajiks, Pashtuns, Hazaras - all feel represented in a state that is truly inclusive.

Third, a concern about the respect of human rights and, in particular, the rights of women and girls.

We can see that it is essential to revoke the decisions that do not allow girls to be in secondary and tertiary school and do not allow women to effectively work in the majority of the professions.

Then a concern, but at the same time with recognition of the progress made, in relation to the questions of drug trafficking and drug cultivation.

From the point of view of the interests of Afghanistan, the need for a more effective humanitarian aid, covering more basic needs of the population of Afghanistan, and also to put on the table the questions related to the long-term development of Afghanistan.

So, in relation to all these aspects, the programmatic aspects of the independent review, there was a total consensus among the group.

On the other hand, we recognize that in a number of aspects, a lot of things are happening on the ground.

There is a very intense economic cooperation between Afghanistan and its neighbors.

In trade, in infrastructure, in water, in other dimensions, and that is positive.

There are different forms of bilateral engagement.

For instance, cooperation with Afghanistan in relation to the suppression of drug cultivation.

Cooperation in relation to fighting ISIS and different, other forms of relationships and cooperation with the de facto authorities.

Our group considers that those things are positive, that those things should move on.

But we also recognize that there is an essential set of questions in which we are stuck.

On one hand, Afghanistan remains with a government that is not recognized internationally and, in many aspects, not integrated in the global institutions and in the global economy.

And on the other hand, there is in the international community a perception that inclusivity has not improved;

that the situation of women and girls and human rights in general has in fact deteriorated in recent times;

and that the problems of the fight against terrorism are not entirely solved.

So, to a certain extent, we are in a kind of a situation of the chicken and the egg, which means with the Taliban thinking that the concerns of the international community are not their business and wanting recognition and integration and the international community thinking that there is no progress in relation to its main concerns, and so there is no progress also in the questions of recognition and integration.

One of our main objectives is to overcome this deadlock and to make sure that there is a roadmap in which both things can move and move forward in a positive way to create the conditions in which the concerns of the international community are taken into account but the concerns of the de facto authorities of Afghanistan are also taken into account simultaneously.

In that regard, we recognize that there are different forms of organization within the international community.

There are several bilateral engagements with the Taliban.

There are different formats of groups in different parts of the world.

And there is a need for better coordination.

In that regard, we discussed the Security Council resolution that asks me to appoint an envoy, a UN envoy but with a deep consultation with all the interested parties: member states and the de facto Afghan authorities but also other sectors of the Afghan society.

It was decided that I would initiate a serious process of consultations to see if there are conditions to create a UN Envoy that might be able not only to have a coordinating role in relation to the engagements that are taking place but that can also work effectively with the de facto authorities of Afghanistan.

I will initiate immediately those consultations, reporting back, naturally, to the Security Council.

On the other hand, there was a decision that this format, that has today concluded its second meeting, this format should be a standing format and that we would be able to meet more often, probably with different levels in its composition depending on what is discussed.

But also creating the conditions for a next meeting to have the presence of the de facto authorities of Afghanistan that this time did not accept, as you know, my invitation.

On the other hand, we also discussed - of course, it's not for the UN to have a role on that, it's strictly at the competence of member states. But we also discussed and it is one of the recommendations of the review - we also discussed the interest of the creation of a contact group with a more limited number of states able to have a more coordinated approach in the engagement with the de facto authorities.

It is up to member states to decide how to create it.

I made a personal suggestion. For instance, the P-5 with a group of neighboring countries and a group of relevant donors.

If the three parts combined could create a contact group, I believe it would be a way to have coherence in the way the international community is engaging with the de facto authorities of Afghanistan.

But again, that was a personal idea.

It's up to member states to decide or not, to form this contact group.

This meeting, as you see, was extremely productive.

We reached consensus on, I would say, the key issues that are to be discussed between the international community and the de facto authorities and an important set of operational conclusions to allow us to be more effective in the future.

I sincerely hope that these will produce results.

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Israel Threatens Ramadan Attack on Rafah if Hostages Not Released

By VOA News February 19, 2024

Israeli forces carried out aerial attacks and ground operations Monday in the southern Gaza Strip, as the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry said the number of Palestinians killed there since October has surpassed 29,000 people.

Israel's military reported strikes Monday on Khan Younis, the largest city in southern Gaza, while international concerns remained about a planned Israeli offensive in the nearby city of Rafah, which is sheltering 1.5 million Palestinians.

Fighting has raged in and around Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, which the World Health Organization has said is no longer operational. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says negotiations are continuing to evacuate the remaining patients from the hospital.

On Sunday, the World Health Organization and the Palestine Red Crescent Society evacuated 14 patients from the besieged hospital to field hospitals in Gaza.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a post Monday on X, formerly Twitter, that more than 180 patients and 15 doctors and nurses are still inside the hospital, which is also running out of fuel and essential supplies.

U.N. agencies said Monday that malnutrition is rising among Gaza's children and pregnant and breastfeeding mothers. The situation is most severe in the northern part of the territory, which has been cut off from aid deliveries for weeks. Humanitarian agencies say the situation is entirely preventable if more and sustained aid can get through.

To the north, Israeli airstrikes were reported over southern Lebanon, where the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Hezbollah have been trading fire for months.

Local media reported large explosions over Ghaziyeh, near the city of Sidon, which is farther inside Lebanese territory than the IDF has previously struck. Israeli media reported that the IDF hit what it said were two Hezbollah weapon depots in response to a drone attack on northern Israel.

Rafah warning

Retired Israeli General Benny Gantz, who is part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's war Cabinet, warned Sunday that if Hamas does not release the remaining hostages it is holding in Gaza before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which begins around March 10, "the fighting will continue to the Rafah area."

Gantz said any Israeli offensive in Rafah would be done in coordination with Egypt and the United States to facilitate an evacuation and "minimize the civilian casualties as much as possible."

United Nations officials have repeatedly said no place is safe for civilians to go in Gaza.

Egypt, which shares part of its border with Rafah, objects to the evacuation of Palestinians into its territory, saying it would amount to their forced displacement. Israel denies that is its intention.

Satellite images show that Egypt has started building a high security buffer zone near the border with Gaza in case of a mass exodus of people from Gaza.

Netanyahu reiterated Sunday that Israel intends to "finish the job" in its quest to eliminate Hamas.

Israel began its military campaign to eliminate Hamas after the group's fighters crossed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and taking about 240 people hostage. Hamas, designated a terror group by the U.S., the U.K. and EU, is believed to still be holding about 130 hostages in Gaza, including 30 who are believed to be dead.

Israel released video on Monday of what it believes is Shiri Bibas and her two young boys, Ariel, 4, and Kfir, 9 months, being led along a dirt street in Khan Younis shortly after their Oct. 7 abduction. Their father, Yarden Bibas, is also still held hostage.

Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, the military's chief spokesperson, said the army found the videos in security cameras seized during its offensive in Khan Younis.

Cease-fire calls

Weeks of negotiations involving the United States, Egypt and Qatar have failed to produce a deal to halt the fighting and secure the release of the hostages.

At the U.N. Security Council, diplomats have been attempting to persuade the U.S. to support an Algeria-drafted resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire, scaled up aid access, and rejecting the forced displacement of Palestinians.

U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield said in a statement Saturday that the Algerian initiative could hurt mediation efforts, and Washington would use its veto to block it. The council is expected to vote on the measure Tuesday.

On Monday, Washington circulated its own draft resolution to council members. Seen by VOA, it places emphasis on the release of the hostages held by Hamas and notes the "urgent need for a viable plan" to protect civilians from an Israeli offensive in Rafah.

The U.S. proposal "underscores that such a major ground offensive should not proceed under current circumstances" and "rejects any other effort at forced displacement of the civilian population in Gaza."

The U.S. has no timeline to put its resolution before the council. A senior administration official said the U.S. would give time for the council to negotiate on the text and had no plans to call for an imminent vote.

Meanwhile, diplomatic tensions are rising between Brazil and Israel over the war.

On Monday, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva reportedly recalled his ambassador to Israel after Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz declared the Brazilian leader persona non grata in the Jewish state until he apologizes, after Lula drew comparisons to what the Israeli government is doing to the Palestinians to Adolf Hitler and the Holocaust.

There will be no retraction, according to orders from Lula, and any answers will be given through diplomatic channels, sources have told Reuters.

VOA United Nations correspondent Margaret Besheer contributed to this report. Some material in this report came from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse.

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Crew Abandons Cargo Ship Hit by Houthi Missile in Red Sea

By VOA News February 19, 2024

The crew of a cargo ship in the Red Sea was forced to abandon ship Monday night after the Houthi militia hit it with a ballistic missile fired from Yemen, the U.S. military said.

The Iranian-backed Houthis have fired dozens of missiles for weeks at passing ships without inflicting much damage or often missing their targets, an effort aimed at trying to force Israel to abandon its war against Hamas militants in Gaza.

But the latest attack was one of the most serious.

The U.S. military's Central Command said one missile struck the Rubymar, "causing damage" and prompting the crew to issue a distress call. The Rubymar was sailing under a Belize flag, but its registered owner is based in Britain.

The Central Command said one of its warships and another merchant ship responded to the call, with the merchant vessel taking the crew to a nearby port.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea said in a statement that the militia had fired "a number of missiles" at the Rubymar, severely damaging it, bringing it to a "complete halt" and leaving it "at risk of sinking."

The Houthis initially said weeks ago they were attacking ships owned by Israelis or sailing to and from Israeli ports, but they since have targeted ships unrelated to Israel and going to other destinations.

The U.S. and Britain started retaliating with airstrikes on Houthi missile sites in early January, but it has not stopped the militants from firing at passing ships.

The Houthi attacks have disrupted global shipping in the region, with some carriers now avoiding the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, a key passage to the Suez Canal. Instead, some cargo companies are sending their vessels an extra 6,400 kilometers around Africa, inflating the cost of shipping and adding about 10 days of travel time in each direction.

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Al-Shabab Reports Cuban Hostages Killed by US Airstrikes

By Harun Maruf February 19, 2024

The U.S. military has confirmed conducting an airstrike near Jilib town in Somalia, where according to al-Shabab two Cuban hostages were killed in a drone strike on the same day.

The militant group said in a statement that a U.S. drone strike killed the two hostages, who have been in al-Shabab hands since April 2019 when the militants abducted them from Mandera County in northeastern Kenya.

The two doctors were among a medical team sent to Kenya by Cuba.

Al-Shabab said the doctors were killed "instantly" in the strike.

"The aerial bombardment which began at around 12:10 a.m. targeted a house in Jilib, instantly killing Assel Herrera and Landy Rodriguez who were captured on April 12, 2019," al-Shabab said in the statement Saturday, written in English.

An image of the purported dead body of one of the hostages was attached to the statement.

The U.S. Africa Command known as AFRICOM confirmed to VOA that an airstrike was conducted against al-Shabab on February 15 near Jilib, according to AFRICOM spokesperson Lennea Montandon.

"We are aware of reports of a strike alleged to have killed two civilians. We do not have any further information at this time about these reports, but we do take all claims of civilian casualties seriously," Montandon said in an email message to VOA. "The command will continue to assess the results of this operation and will provide additional information as available."

The U.S. has supported the Somali government with airstrikes against al-Shabab and military training for government troops since the early 2010s.

Last week, the U.S. and Somali government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the construction of up to five military bases for the U.S.-trained elite Somali National Army forces known as the Danab (lightning) Brigade.

So far in 2024, AFRICOM has conducted four airstrikes in Somalia, Montandon told VOA.

Al-Shabab argued Monday's strike showed U.S. intelligence is "faulty."

"Thursday morning's drone strikes against the Cuban prisoners once again sheds light on the recklessness and desperate nature of AFRICOM's operations in Somalia, as well as the incompetence of the American crusaders and their faulty intelligence apparatus that has led to the murder of the two hostages," the group's statement said.

Last month, al-Shabab fighters captured several foreign workers traveling on a United Nations contracted helicopter after it landed in an al-Shabab territory in central Somalia following reported mechanical problems.

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Malnutrition Plagues Sudanese Refugee Children

By VOA News February 19, 2024

Sudan is experiencing escalating rates of hunger and malnutrition as the consequences of conflict and displacement spread through the region. At least 25 million people in the region are affected by food insecurity, according to the United Nations World Food Program, or WFP.

"The impact of this conflict spans three countries  Sudan, South Sudan and Chad  and has created the world's largest displacement crisis," said Michael Dunford, WFP's regional director for Eastern Africa. "Almost a year into the war and we're seeing no signs that the number of families fleeing across borders will slow. The children and women who are crossing to South Sudan or Chad are hungry and arriving with no resources."

WFP and other aid organizations have struggled to consistently meet the people's needs since the onset of the crisis in areas isolated by conflict. An estimated 18 million people within Sudan experience food insecurity and malnutrition, including 3.8 million Sudanese children under 5 years old.

An increasing rate of malnutrition is occurring in children living in temporary transit camps. According to WFP, 4% of children fleeing to South Sudan are malnourished when they arrive. The figure increases to 25% in the transit center near the border between Sudan and South Sudan. Even if those impacted can escape, they flee to places like South Sudan or Chad, who have humanitarian issues of their own.

"Unless this conflict is resolved, unfettered access is granted to humanitarian agencies, and funding is received, this crisis will only worsen," said Dunford.

"We need to be able to provide support to families in Sudan to avoid the world's largest displacement crisis turning into a hunger catastrophe as we approach the lean season," he said.

More than 553,000 Sudanese refugees have fled to Chad since the conflict started, with 40% of the children who arrive at an emergency clinic at a reception camp experiencing acute malnutrition. The rate of malnutrition in the refugee camps in Chad is above the WHO emergency threshold of 15% percent, limiting access to care for refugees who arrived before the onset of the Sudanese crisis.

While the rates of malnutrition continue to increase, it gets more difficult for WFP to provide care due to a nearly $300 million funding gap over the next six months.

Some information for this report was provided by the United Nations World Food Program.

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Sudan crisis sends shockwaves around the region as displacement, hunger, and malnutrition soar

World Food Programme

19 February 2024

JUBA -- At least 25 million people are struggling with soaring rates of hunger and malnutrition as the crisis in Sudan sends shockwaves around the region, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) warns today, with thousands of families being displaced and forced across borders into Chad and South Sudan each week.

"The impact of this conflict spans three countries - Sudan, South Sudan, and Chad - and has created the world's largest displacement crisis. Almost a year into the war and we're seeing no signs that the number of families fleeing across borders will slow. The children and women who are crossing to South Sudan or Chad are hungry and arriving with no resources," said Michael Dunford, WFP's Regional Director for Eastern Africa, from the South Sudanese border town of Renk, where around half a million of those fleeing the war have arrived.

Hunger and acute malnutrition have soared in Sudan since the conflict broke out. There are 18 million acutely food insecure people within the country and around 3.8 million Sudanese children under 5 years old are malnourished. Most are trapped in areas of active fighting where WFP and other aid agencies are struggling to maintain consistent access. Those who can escape are fleeing to places like South Sudan or Chad, adding to already dire humanitarian situations in both countries.

Those arriving today in South Sudan are joining families already struggling with slashed rations and extreme hunger. Malnutrition is increasing rapidly among children who are languishing in temporary transit camps. Trends observed by WFP indicate that approximately 4 percent of children under 5 years of age crossing the border into South Sudan are malnourished on arrival. But, this figure rises to 25 percent among children in the transit centre in Renk near the Sudan-South Sudan border, suggesting the longer people spend in temporary camps, the more likely they are to become malnourished.

"Unless this conflict is resolved, unfettered access is granted to humanitarian agencies, and funding is received, this crisis will only worsen," said Dunford.

"We need to be able to provide support to families in Sudan to avoid the world's largest displacement crisis turning into a hunger catastrophe as we approach the lean season".

In Chad, more than 553,000 Sudanese, mainly from Darfur, have fled since the conflict broke out. Around 40 percent of refugee children brought to an emergency clinic at a reception camp were found to be suffering from acute malnutrition. The malnutrition rate in many Sudanese refugee camps in Chad - including camps that pre-date the current war - is well above the WHO emergency threshold of 15 per cent. WFP has had to prioritise scarce resources to the new arrivals, many of whom are crossing the border with nothing. This means pre-existing refugees no longer receive assistance, yet they are not necessarily in better shape than those arriving today.

A devastating hunger catastrophe is approaching as food and nutrition needs across Sudan, South Sudan, and Chad soar. Humanitarian assistance is vital and yet WFP is facing an almost US$300 million funding gap for the next six months.

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Singapore to require gradual use of low-carbon jet fuel from 2026

Aviation hub Singapore will require airlines departing from the city-state to use sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from 2026 as part of industry plans to cut carbon emissions, the transport minister said Monday.

But as the environmentally friendly fuel is three to five times more expensive than conventional jet fuel, authorities will introduce a levy on tickets to help cushion costs, Chee Hong Tat told an aviation summit.

Aviation is responsible for between two and 3% of global CO2 emissions but it is one of the most difficult industries to decarbonize.

SAFs are produced from renewable biomass and waste resources and can comprise up to 50% of jet fuel mixes.

They are seen as the main tool for decarbonizing the aviation sector, but the technology is still in its infancy and production remains expensive.

"To kickstart SAF adoption in Singapore, we will require flights departing Singapore to use SAF from 2026," Chee said in a speech.

Airliners will be required to use a jet fuel mix that is 1% SAF that year, gradually increasing to between 3 and 5% by 2030, he added.

"This will provide an important demand signal to fuel producers and give them the incentive to invest in new SAF production facilities," Chee said.

To partially offset the cost, Singapore will collect a levy that varies depending on the distance traveled and the travel class.

Starting in 2026, an economy ticket on a direct flight from Singapore to London could increase by Sg$16 ($12), according to Chee.

Passengers with premium tickets will pay higher levies.

"We will monitor global developments and the wider availability and adoption of SAF in the next few years, before deciding on the SAF target beyond 2026," Chee said.

The International Civil Aviation Organization has set a goal for the industry to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050, and SAF is key to reaching that target.

Chee said that it was best to take a gradual approach.

An "overly ambitious" target "will hurt our air hub and our economy, and raise the cost of travel for passengers," he said at the summit, which is being held on the eve of the Singapore Airshow, Asia's biggest aviation event.

Willie Walsh, director-general of the International Air Transport Association, called for increased SAF production through government incentives to meet demand.

He said that while passenger traffic surged 175% from 2000 to 2019, the global aviation industry's carbon footprint rose by only 54%, an encouraging sign.
Remarks by President Biden During Press Gaggle | Rehoboth Beach, DE

February 19, 2024

St. Edmond's Catholic Church

Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

THE PRESIDENT: I spoke with Zelenskyy this afternoon to let him know that I was confident we were going to get that money to keep that country from being overrun by Russia.

You know, there's so much at stake. I learned  I watched the television the other night and one of the other Republican candidates saying I've never explained to the American people why NATO is so important.

NATO is critical to our survival. NATO has held  we have never been able to avoid a European conflict. As long as there's NATO, we're  have allies  allies who are confident and have defended us.

And, by the way, the only time Article 5 has been invoked is the  when we were attacked on 9/11. So, the idea that we're going to walk away from Ukraine, the idea that we're going to let NATO begin to split is totally against the interests of the United States of America and it is against our word we've given for  since Tru-  since all the way back to Eisenhower.

So, it's about time we make sure that Congress come home and pass the legislation funding NATO. It's critical. Our security depends on it.

Q How  how confident are you that there isn't another city that falls right after this if Congress acts on it?

THE PRESIDENT: I'm not. I'm not. No one can be.

Look, the Ukrainian people have fought so bravely and heroically. They've put so much on the line. And the idea that now when they're running out of ammunition, we walk away  I find it absurd. I find it unethical. I find it just contrary to everything we are as a country. So, I'm going to fight until we get it  get them the ammunition they need and the capacity they need to defend themselves.

Thank you very much.

Q Have you heard anything else about what led to Navalny's death, sir?

THE PRESIDENT: I haven't  I've heard several things. I haven't had them confirmed. But the fact of the matter is: Putin is responsible, whether he ordered it or he is responsible for the circumstances he put that man in. And he's  it's a reflection of who he is. And it just cannot be tolerated.

I said we'd  there would be a price to pay. He is paying a price already. Since 2000 when I made that statement, Russians have had sanctions imposed on them and a whole range of other impacts.

But it's just  this is  look, the idea that after 70 years we have a NATO Alliance that has kept the peace, basically, in Europe, kept us out of the m-  the idea the transatlantic alliance is not overwhelmingly in our interest is bizarre.

It can only be  I  I just  I don't understand. I don't understand. There's either a complete lack of knowledge of history or the lack of responsibility.

Thank you very much.

Q Thank you, Mr. President.

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you.

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Russo-Ukraine War - 19 February 2024 - Day 725

Su M Tu W Th F Sa 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29

A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While GlobalSecurity.org takes utmost care to accurately report this news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

On 24 February 2022, Ukraine was suddenly and deliberately attacked by land, naval and air forces of Russia, igniting the largest European war since the Great Patriotic War. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation" (SVO - spetsialnaya voennaya operatsiya) in Ukraine in response to the appeal of the leaders of the "Donbass republics" for help. That attack is a blatant violation of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. Putin stressed that Moscow's goal is the demilitarization and denazification of the country. The military buildup in preceeding months makes it obvious that the unprovoked and dastardly Russian attack was deliberately planned long in advance. During the intervening time, the Russian government had deliberately sought to deceive the world by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.

"To initiate a war of aggression... is not only an international crime; it is the supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole." [Judgment of the International Military Tribunal]

The UK Ministry of Defence reported that public figures in Russia continue to face substantial pressure to display overt support for the war in Ukraine. This week, it was reported that Russian pop star Filipp Kirkorov performed and visited wounded soldiers in occupied Ukraine. Kirkorov had reportedly been 'blacklisted' by the Kremlin following public scandal over a December 'nearly naked' party in Moscow.

Meduza reported that, in early February, a renewed 'blacklist' of 50 artists had been circulated by the Presidential Administration to Russian concert promoters, effectively banning them from performing in Russia. This list included public opponents of the war alongside others - such as Kirkorov - who had provoked the ire of the Kremlin for other reasons.

The aftermath of the 'nearly naked' party scandal demonstrates the increasingly pervasive presence of the war in public life. The Kremlin almost certainly intentionally amplified and exploited the scandal, seeking to portray a contrast between Russians 'patriotically' supporting the war effort and a hedonistic 'Westernised' metropolitan elite. One attendee was jailed, fined under so-called 'LGBT propaganda' laws, and served with a summons to a military conscription office.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that during the day of February 19, there were 70x combat engagements. Russian forces launched a total of 4x missile and 52x air strikes, carried out 72x MLRS attacks at the positions of Ukrainian troops and various settlements.

Unfortunately, Russian attacks resulted in killed and wounded civilians. Residential private and apartment buildings as well as critical infrastructure were destroyed and damaged.

Volyn and Polissya axes: no significant changes. No signs of formation of an offensive group. Certain units of the armed forces of Belarus continue their missions in the areas bordering Ukraine.

Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna axes: Russia maintains its military presence in the areas of russia bordering Ukraine. Russia continues its sabotage and reconnaissance activities, shelling Ukrainian settlements from the territory of Russia and increases the density of minefields along the state border of Ukraine. Russian forces launched air strikes in the vicinities of Bohdanivka (Chernihiv oblast) and Bobylivka (Sumy oblast). More than 10x settlements came under Russian artillery and mortar fire, including Sen'kivka (Chernihiv oblast), Katerynivka, Taratutyne, Yizdets'ke, Luhivka, Velyka Pysarivka (Sumy oblast).

Kup'yans'k axis: Russian forces conducted made 3x unsuccessful assault attempts near Syn'kivka (Kharkiv oblast). Russian forces launched air strikes in the vicinities of Tabaivka, Pishchane, Syn'kivka (Kharkiv oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at around 10x settlements, including Syn'kivka, Petropavlivka, Kyslivka, Kotlyarivka (Kharkiv oblast).

Lyman axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 4x assaults near Terny (Donetsk oblast) and Bilohorivka (Luhansk oblast). In that area Russian forces made attempts to breach Ukrainian defense. Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at more than 10x settlements, including Nevs'ke, Bilohorivka (Luhansk oblast), Serebryanka, Terny, Tors'ke, Rozdolivka (Donetsk oblast).

Bakhmut axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 11x attacks in the vicinities of Bohdanivka, Ivanivske, Klishchiivka, Andriivka (Donetsk oblast), where the Russian occupiers made attempts to improve their tactical situation. Around 10x settlements came under artillery and mortar fire, including Bohdanivka, Vasyukivka, Chasiv Yar, Ivanivske, Klishchiivka, New York (Donetsk oblast).

Avdiivka axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 9x attacks in the vicinities of Lastochkyne, Sjeverne, Pervomais'ke and Nevel's'ke (Donetsk oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at around 20x settlements, including Novokalynove, Novobakhmutivka, Stepove, Lastochkyne, Sjeverne, Pervomais'ke (Donetsk oblast).

Mar'inka axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to hold back Russian forces in the vicinities of Heorhiivka, Pobjeda, Novomykhailivka (Donetsk oblast), where Ukrainian defenders repelled 19x attacks. The settlements of Krasnohorivka, Heorhiivka, Novomykhailivka, Kostyantynivka were under Russian artillery and mortar fire.

Novopavlivka axis: Russian forces made 1x attempt to attack in the vicinity of Staromaiors'ke (Donetsk oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at around 10x settlements, including Zolota Nyva, Staromaiors'ke, Rivnopil' (Donetsk oblast), Novodarivka, Levadne (Zaporizhzhia oblast).

Zaporizhzhia axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 10x attacks in the vicinities of Malynivka and Robotyne (Zaporizhzhia oblast). More than 20x settlements, including Hulyaipole, Huliaipilske, Novodanylivka, Novoandriivka, Stepove, Kam'yans'ke (Zaporizhzhia oblast), were under Russian artillery and mortar fire.

Odesa operational-strategic group, Kherson axis: the Russian occupiers do not abandon their intention to drive Ukrainian units out of their footholds on the left bank of the Dnipro. During the day, Russian forces made 5x attempts to

assault positions of Ukrainian troops. The city of Kherson, the settlements of Antonivka, Zelenivka, Krynky (Kherson oblast) came under Russian artillery and mortar fire. On top of that, Russian forces launched 9x MLRS strikes.

During the day of February 19, the Ukrainian Air Force launched air strikes on 10x concentrations of Russian troops, 1x command post, 10x artillery systems. Moreover, in the eastern sector, Ukrainian Air Force units destroyed two Russian aircraft: 1x Su-34 fighter-bomber and 1x Su-35S fighter.

The Ukrainian missile troops hit 1x command post, 4x ammunition depots, 5x artillery systems of the Russian invaders.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that in Kupyansk direction, the Zapad Group of Forces' units, aviation, and artillery repelled six attacks launched by assault groups of AFU 30th, 32nd, 60th mechanised brigades near Sinkovka (Kharkov region) and Terni (Donetsk People's Republic).

The enemy losses were up to 30 servicemen, one Leopard tank, two armoured personnel carriers, and four motor vehicles.

In the course of the counterbattery warfare, one Polish-made Krab self-propelled artillery system, one Akatsiya self-propelled artillery system, one D-20 howitzer, and one Gvozdika self-propelled artillery systems were eliminated.

In Donetsk direction, units of the Yug Group of Forces improved the situation on the front line, and hit units of AFU 22nd, 42nd, 93rd mechanised, 79th, 80th air assault brigades close to Novomikhailovka, Grigorovka, Kurdyumovka, and Kleshcheyevka (Donetsk People's Republic).

In addition, four attacks launched by assault groups of the AFU 24th Mechanised Brigade were repelled near Leninskoye (Donetsk People's Republic).

Up to 275 Ukrainian troops, two armoured fighting vehicles, two motor vehicles, and one D-30 howitzer were destroyed.

In Avdeyevka direction, the Tsentr Group of Forces' units captured more favourable lines and positions, and fully liberated the coke and chemical plant.

Strikes were delivered at clusters of manpower and hardware of AFU 71st jaeger, 23rd mechanised, and 116th territorial defence brigades close to Solovyevo and Tonenkoye (Donetsk People's Republic).

Nine attacks launched by assault groups of AFU 53rd, 59th mechanised, 3rd assault brigades were repelled near Lastochkino and Pervomayskoye (Donetsk People's Republic).

The enemy losses amounted to up to 565 Ukrainian troops killed and wounded, two armoured fighting vehicles, 23 motor vehicles, two U.S.-made M777 howitzers, and one D-30 howitzer.

In South Donetsk direction, units of the Vostok Group of Forces inflicted losses on units of AFU 102nd, 128th territorial defence brigades close to Staromayorskoye (Donetsk People's Republic) and Chervonoye (Zaporozhye region).

One attack launched by assault groups of the AFU 58th Mechanised Brigade was repelled close to Shevchenko (Zaporozhye region).

The enemy lost up to 150 Ukrainian troops, three motor vehicles, one Akatsiya self-propelled artillery system, one D-20 howitzer, and two Bukovel-AD electronic warfare stations.

In Kherson direction, as a result of actions of the Russian troops, the AFU lost up to 45 Ukrainian troops, four pick-up trucks, and one D-20 howitzer.

Operational-Tactical Aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, and Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces have engaged one French-made SAMP/T air defence system, as well as AFU manpower and hardware in 138 areas during the day.

Air defence systems shot down 96 unmanned aerial vehicles of the Armed Forces of Ukraine near Olshana, Krakhmalnoye, Timkovka (Kharkov region), Svatovo, Kremennaya (Lugansk People's Republic), Artyomovsk, Peski, Vladimirovka (Donetsk People's Republic), Ulyanovka, Verbovoye (Zaporozhye region), Razdolnoye (Kherson region), as well as two HIMARS MLRS projectiles.

In total, 571 airplanes and 266 helicopters, 12,819 unmanned aerial vehicles, 471 air defence missile systems, 15,107 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,222 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 8,102 field artillery guns and mortars, as well as 18,837 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.





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Belarus Proposes Draft Law Against The 'Promotion Of Nontraditional Family Relations'

By RFE/RL's Belarus Service February 19, 2024

Belarus's prosecutor-general has prepared a bill for lawmakers to discuss that proposes punishing the "promotion of nontraditional relationships," a thinly veiled reference to the country's often-persecuted LGBT community.

Prosecutor-General Andrey Shved told local media on February 19 that the draft law also addresses liability for "pedophilia and the voluntary refusal to have children."

"This project is now undergoing the approval process," he said, without elaborating.

The legislation appears to mirror a move in neighbor and close ally Russia, where President Vladimir Putin's administration implements the harsh repression of dissent and pushes what it claims are "traditional values."

Recent steps taken by Moscow to restrict access to abortions on the local and national level and the government's decision to declare the nonexistent "international LGBT+ movement" as an "extremist organization" have sounded alarm bells among Russian rights activists.

In Belarus, homosexuality is not illegal. It was decriminalized in 1994 but same-sex marriages are not recognized in the deeply conservative country and there are no antidiscriminatory measures in place to protect the rights of the LGBT community.

In 2023, the independent gay rights group ILGA-Europe said Belarus placed 45th out of 49 countries in its annual review of the human rights situation of LGBT people in Europe and Central Asia, noting that "pro-government propagandists regularly called for the persecution of LGBT activists and the closure of LGBT organizations."

Authoritarian leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka, who has ruled the country with an iron first since coming to power in 1994, has openly criticized homosexuality, once telling European Union politicians that it's "better to be a dictator than gay."

In a political speech in 2023, Lukashenka said gay men were "perverts" and "the ultimate abomination."

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/belarus-proposes-law- against-nontraditional-family-lgbt/32826074.html

Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Readout of Secretary Mayorkas's Bilateral Meeting with People's Republic of China State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong in Vienna, Austria

Release Date: February 18, 2024

VIENNA -- On February 18, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas met with People's Republic of China (PRC) State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong in Vienna, Austria to advance cooperation with the PRC in the fight against the scourge of fentanyl, its precursor chemicals, and associated equipment.

This meeting builds upon the commitments made at the Woodside Summit between President Biden and President Xi last November, the January 10 virtual meeting between Secretary Mayorkas and State Councilor Wang, and the January 30 inaugural meeting of the U.S.-PRC Counternarcotics Working Group.

The two sides had a candid and constructive discussion on the steps needed to combat the spread of precursor chemicals and the transnational criminal organizations that profit off the production, distribution, and sale of illicit synthetic drugs. The two sides also made commitments with respect to continued law enforcement cooperation, technical bilateral exchanges between scientists and other experts, scheduling of precursor chemicals, and furthering multilateral cooperation.

Secretary Mayorkas and State Councilor Wang discussed areas of concern within the bilateral relationship and committed to ongoing discussion on those and other issues.

The two sides also discussed expanding their law enforcement cooperation in the fight to protect children from online child sexual exploitation and abuse. This heinous crime is global in scope and predators do not draw geographic boundaries that limit the reach of this cruelty.

The Secretary reiterated that the United States will stand up for our interests and values and those of our allies and partners.

Secretary Mayorkas was joined in the meeting by senior officials from the Department of Homeland Security, Department of State, Department of Justice, Department of the Treasury, National Security Council, Office of National Drug Control Policy, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

###

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Chinese FM's visit to Europe signals China taking active initiative to stabilize ties

Global Times

2024 marks fresh start for China-Europe ties as frequent exchanges expected

By Zhao Yusha Published: Feb 19, 2024 08:50 PM

After meeting with several high-level European officials at the just concluded Munich Security Conference (MSC), Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi embarked on trips to visit Spain and France. Chinese experts said Chinese Foreign Minister's visit to Europe and frequent exchanges with European officials at the beginning of the year signal that China is taking a more active initiative in stabilizing ties with European countries and strengthening communication.

China is willing to work with Spain to grasp the China-Spain relationship from a global perspective and a long-term perspective, highlighting mutual trust and win-win cooperation, and emphasizing strategic stability and practical cooperation, in order to promote the continuous advancement of China-Spain relations to be at the forefront of China-EU relations, Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said when meeting with Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares Bueno on Sunday local time, according to a release published by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Both sides agreed to enhance cooperation in various fields such as telecommunications, healthcare, electric vehicles and green energy.

During the MSC, Wang engaged in what experts dubbed "candid and in-depth" conversations with a slew of European officials. He told German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Saturday that there is no fundamental conflict of interest between China and Germany and that their common interests are continuously strengthening and expanding.

China stands ready to work with Germany to stay clear of disruptions, build more consensus, and understand and support each other on issues related to their respective core interests, said Wang Yi.

China is ready to work with the European Union (EU) to promote an equal and orderly multipolar world, so that each country has its own place in the global multipolar system, Wang Yi told Josep Borrell, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, on the sidelines of the MSC on Friday.

Wang's visit to Europe at the start of the Chinese New Year signals that China is taking the initiative to stabilize China-Europe ties and to enhance communication between the two, Wang Yiwei, director of the Institute of International Affairs at the Renmin University of China, told the Global Times on Monday.

The expert explained that Wang Yi's trips to Germany and France, two traditional European powers, are customary and are expected to cement bilateral ties, as well as pave the way for higher-level visits. Wang Yi's visit to Spain marks his first to the Southern European country in nearly six years, which Wang Yiwei said marked Beijing's effort to reach out and improve ties with individual European countries, and also to stabilize China-EU relations in general; to complement China's attempt to push forward China-EU ties at multilateral level.

Good start

Several Chinese experts who attended the MSC told the Global Times that the conference has mirrored Europe's anxiety toward its internal and surrounding environment, including the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, Palestine-Israel conflict and the possible return of Donald Trump.

Europe's perception on China is mixed with both anticipation and concern, Wang Huiyao, founder and president of the Center for China and Globalization (CCG), who attended the MSC, told the Global Times. Wang Huiyao pointed out that Europe's major concern is China's ties with Russia.

When elaborating on China's stance on the Ukraine crisis, Wang Yi said during the MSC that China has stayed committed to promoting peace talks on the Ukraine issue and will not give up as long as there is a glimmer of hope.

As the US presidential election looms closer, the continent also fears that the return of Donald Trump may dilute US support for Ukraine, as well as the continent. Trump sparked fierce criticism from Western officials for suggesting he would not protect countries that failed to meet the transatlantic military alliance's defense spending targets, and would even encourage Russia to attack them, Reuters reported.

Western media, including CNN, has claimed that Wang Yi's trip is a way for China to capitalize on Europe's apprehension regarding a potential Trump win and court European countries by leveraging their concerns.

Wang Yiwei pointed out that such claims ignore China's consistent and long-standing emphasis and effort in improving ties with Europe. Wang Yiwei asserted that the current juncture presents an opportunity to engage with Europe regarding China's stance on the Ukraine crisis. Given the prolonged duration of the crisis, European nations have gradually grown less emotional and more rational perspectives on the crisis.

Wang Huiyao believes that European countries are also eyeing China's ability of serving as a stabilizing force in a more turbulent world. "I think European countries are widely expecting to engage with China so to get back to the more stable and health track."

Not plain sailing

Europe's anxiety is also projected onto competition with China. The European Union (EU) is for the first time planning to sanction companies in the Chinese mainland, and in other countries including Turkey, India and Serbia, for helping Russia circumvent sanctions and buy dual-use goods, US media Politico cited several diplomats as saying.

The EU announced earlier that it started an investigation into CRRC Qingdao Sifang Locomotive over the so-called subsidy issue. In response, Mao Ning, spokesperson of Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said on Monday that China hopes the European side will take a cautious attitude on the tools of foreign subsidy regulations, resolve specific trade issues through dialogue and consultation, and create a fair, just and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese companies.

Experts said the rational forces in Europe often perceive China as a valuable partner for cooperation and healthy competition. However, the media and parliament often resort to inflammatory language to criticize China. As a result, Europe's perspective on China is complex and contradictory. On one hand, it heavily relies on Beijing for trade, but on the other hand, it sets various obstacles for cooperation in response to pressure from their anti-China figures on the continent and that from the US.

Jiang Feng, a research fellow at the Shanghai International Studies University, said that in the past year, China and Europe had 12 high-level meetings, which is very rare and valuable. "These frequent exchanges have not only underscored the strategic importance of China-Europe relations but have also unveiled a substantial demand for negotiations from both sides."

Experts said 2024 is expected to witness increased exchanges between China and Europe at various levels. These exchanges are deemed crucial in enhancing mutual understanding and perception between the two sides. Additionally, amid the anticipated turbulence in the new year, collaboration between China and Europe and their support for each other may pave the way for a fresh beginning in their bilateral relations.

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US urged to stop harassing, interrogating Chinese students entering country

Global Times

Washington should remove obstacles for drug control cooperation, rather than passing the buck: expert

By Wang Qi and Du Qiongfang Published: Feb 19, 2024 10:29 PM

China's State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong and US Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas met in Vienna, Austria on Sunday local time, discussing bilateral cooperation in drug control and law enforcement. The Chinese side also urged Washington to stop harassing and interrogating Chinese students for no reason, and ensure that Chinese citizens enjoy fair entry treatment.

Analysts said the continuation of high-level exchanges between Chinese and American senior officials demonstrates a shared desire to manage and stabilize bilateral ties, but this requires both sides, especially the US, to actively respond to each other's concerns, rather than shirking responsibility and setting obstacles.

According to Xinhua News Agency, the two officials had candid, in-depth and constructive communication on implementing the consensus reached at the San Francisco meeting between the two countries' heads of state, advancing bilateral cooperation in drug control and law enforcement, and addressing each other's concerns.

In the readout released by the Chinese side, Wang urged the US side to stop harassing and interrogating Chinese students for no reason, take concrete and effective measures to ensure the safety of Chinese diplomatic and consular missions and personnel in the US, and lift visa restrictions on relevant Chinese institutions and personnel.

The readout released by US Department of Homeland Security did not mention China's concerns, instead placing the emphasis on "advancing cooperation in the fight against the scourge of fentanyl, its precursor chemicals, and associated equipment."

In the post-meeting release from the Chinese side, Wang urged the US to correct the mistake of listing China as a "major drug source country."

The Chinese minister said he hopes that the two sides will uphold the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation, respect each other's core interests and major concerns, and remove obstacles to bilateral drug control and law enforcement cooperation and people-to-people exchanges.

"A series of actions by the US side against Chinese personnel are clearly setting up obstacles to drug control cooperation. China, on the other hand, looks at the possibility of cooperation between the two departments in the judicial and other fields from a broader perspective," said LA Xiang, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

According to media reports, since November 2023, multiple Chinese students were subjected to lengthy interrogations, and their cellphones, computers and other electronic devices were inspected without just cause when entering the US. Some of them saw their visas revoked and were given five-year bans from entering the US.

The Chinese government has expressed strong opposition to the US several times over these incidents. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin in January slammed the US move as "a clear case of selective, discriminatory and politically motivated law enforcement," which overstretched the concept of national security, and poisoned the atmosphere of China-US people-to-people exchanges.

From the US Department of Homeland Security's statement, it is likely that the US side did not listen to the concerns expressed by the Chinese side, LA said.

If the US needs China's cooperation to solve its fentanyl problem, it needs to inform the Chinese side of its situation first, such as the drug circulation, the domestic law enforcement system against drug abuse, and the prevention system, if they have one, the expert said, adding that "over-emphasizing precursors shifts the blame to others, while evading its own responsibilities."

The US has five percent of the world's population, but consumes 80 percent of the world's opioids. Yet the US still has not permanently scheduled fentanyl-related substances as a class. There are also drug injection sites in many parts of the country, and even Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, has tested positive for drugs.

China does not want to see the US become "a major drug-abuse country," said LA, "in such a chaotic situation within the US, it is very unfair, unreasonable and impolite to ask China to take the blame and responsibility."

The latest Wang-Mayorkas meeting came on the heels of a meeting between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference on Friday. Experts viewed the continuation of high-level exchanges as a demonstration of shared will to stabilize the relationship and offset uncertainties ahead of the US presidential election.

China is looking to enhance people-to-people exchanges as the cornerstone of ensuring the stability of bilateral ties, while the US is being short-sighted in asking, or even forcing Beijing to cooperate with it to solve its domestic problems, according to Li Haidong, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University.

The US often asks other countries to cooperate with its needs, while others' concerns are usually ignored unless there are special interests for Washington, Li said.

In China-US relations, both sides have their own priorities and concerns, which require positive responses from the other side to bring about a real stable relationship, the expert said.

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Hong Kong DAB deputies to upcoming two sessions make proposals on enhancing patriotic education, facilitating cross-border travel

Global Times

By Chen Qingqing Published: Feb 19, 2024 06:41 PM

Ahead of the annual national two sessions - National People's Congress (NPC) and the National Committee of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) - scheduled in early March, delegates of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB) to the upcoming two sessions have put forward on Monday at least 30 proposals, including enhancing the patriotic education and pushing forward new measures in facilitating cross-border travel.

In the new era, it is more necessary for Hong Kong to leverage its strengths and promote a return to the hearts of the people. Therefore, the DAB has put forward recommendations on further promoting the implementation of the Patriotic Education Law in Hong Kong, Chan Yung, a Hong Kong deputy to the NPC, told the Global Times on Monday.

Chan also suggested increasing the frequency of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Hong Kong Garrison's opening to public on major holidays such as the July 1, the anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland, August 1 - the anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army, and October 1, the National Day. Such move can allow local residents to visit the exhibition centers at the PLA Hong Kong Garrison's Ngong Shuen Chau Naval Base. The deputies also proposed providing internship programs for new recruits and junior civil servants, allowing them to serve as interns within the national civil service system. Also, there is hope for Southwest China's Sichuan Province to once again gift giant pandas to Hong Kong.

Starting from January 1, a number of new laws took effect in China with the Patriotic Education Law being one of the highlights. Society has high expectations for the law to boost patriotic education and further boost national cultural recognition.

While the law emphasizes that patriotic education should target all levels of the society, it especially focuses on conducting education among schools, families and civil servants, company employees, rural residents and patriots from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan region.

As people-to-people exchanges between the mainland and Hong Kong become increasingly frequent, the convenience of customs clearance becomes particularly important. Therefore, the DAB has proposed recommendations on facilitating cross-border clearance.

Another deputy, Wong Ping-fan, suggested increasing 24-hour clearance checkpoints and extending the clearance time of existing ports from the current 7 am to 10 pm to 6:30 am to 11:30 pm to facilitate the travel of residents between the mainland and Hong Kong.

In addition, in the reconstruction, upgrading, or establishment of new ports, the DBA proposed the implementation of "cooperative inspection and one-time clearance," and relevant central departments are studying the introduction of an electronic transit permit.

During the Chinese Lunar New Year holidays ended on Saturday, over 1.43 million visitors entered Hong Kong as of Saturday, reaching the level of the Spring Festival holidays in 2019, according to statistics from the Hong Kong Immigration Department. Visitors from the mainland accounted for about 87.7 percent of all inbound travelers.

The second to sixth days of the eight-day holidays were the peak periods for visitor arrivals, with between 190,000 and over 200,000 arrivals per day.

Some deputies from the DBA also suggested facilitating improved stock market connection by allowing both Hong Kong and mainland investors to subscribe newly issued stocks. Some suggested enhancing the city's status as a global financial center by positioning it as the primary choice for mainland enterprises seeking IPO outside the mainland. They also proposed expediting the listing process for A-share mainland companies in Hong Kong.

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Aircraft carrier Liaoning to finish upgrade, mockup of stealth fighter spotted on deck

Global Times

Aircraft carrier Liaoning to finish upgrade, mockup of J-35 stealth fighter spotted on deck

By Liu Xuanzun Published: Feb 19, 2024 07:58 PM

A mockup of a stealth fighter jet, reportedly the J-35, was recently spotted on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier Liaoning, prompting experts to say on Monday that China's next generation carrier-based fighter jet is not exclusive to the catapult-equipped carrier Fujian, but can also be used on ramp-equipped carriers Liaoning and Shandong.

After nearly a year of work, the scheduled maintenance and upgrade work on China's first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, is near its end, Hong Kong-based news website wenweipo.com reported on Sunday, attaching several photos taken by its reporter showing the recent status of the Liaoning in Dalian Shipyard, Northeast China's Liaoning Province.

Citing the photos, wenweipo.com said that a full-scale model of a J-35 fighter jet, wrapped in waterproof cloth, appeared on the Liaoning's flight deck after the Spring Festival holidays, and had conducted deck movement and dispatch tests over the past few days.

It marked the debut of China's carrier-based fifth-generation stealth fighter jet on the Liaoning, following its first appearance on the Fujian, the report said, noting that the J-35 is expected to become a main aircraft of the Liaoning, the Shandong and the Fujian, as the carrier groups of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy will receive significant boosts in comprehensive combat capabilities.

One of the photos shows that little change has been made to the appearance of the aircraft carrier itself.

The carrier Liaoning started its scheduled maintenance and upgrade work on February 28, 2023, wenweipo.com reported at the time.

Regular maintenance usually takes a few months to half a year, so a full year of maintenance is likely to have involved more complicated upgrades, including to the carrier's interior, like adding support for new aircraft and updating its command and control systems, given that no obvious changes can be seen from its appearance, experts told the Global Times on Monday.

It was previously unclear among observers if the J-35 will only operate on China's third aircraft carrier Fujian, which is China's first carrier equipped with electromagnetic catapults. Having a mockup of the J-35 on the flight deck of the Liaoning is an indication that the stealth fighter jet will likely also operate on the Liaoning, which uses a ski-jump ramp to assist aircraft takeoffs, and by extension, the Shandong, which also uses the ramp, experts said.

The photos by wenweipo.com also show that a full-scale model of the J-15 was tested alongside the J-35 model on the Liaoning's flight deck.

Analysts said that the J-35 is expected to be responsible for seizing air superiority and penetrating hostile defenses, while the J-15 is expected to remain a vital part of carrier groups taking advantage of its large payload capacity, and carry out more anti-ship and attack roles.

Since the J-35 is a medium-sized aircraft, trading in some heavy J-15s can lead to having more J-35s on the carrier, analysts said.

The combination of the J-35 and the J-15 will greatly boost the Chinese carriers' capabilities, experts said, noting that the Liaoning, originally a training carrier refitted from the ex-Soviet Varyag, has now surpassed carriers from France, the UK, India and Japan in terms of comprehensive combat capabilities.

At a time when the US is reportedly deploying more aircraft carriers to China's doorstep, the PLA having more capable carriers of its own is important for balancing strategic power, protecting national sovereignty, security and development interests, as well as safeguarding regional peace and stability, experts said.

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Former chairman of Bank of China indicted for bribery, illegal loan-issuing

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 16:25, February 19, 2024

BEIJING, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Liu Liange, former chairman of the Bank of China, has been indicted on charges of suspected bribe-taking and illegal loan-issuing, the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) said on Monday.

Following the completion of an investigation by the National Commission of Supervision, Liu's case has been filed by a procuratorate in the eastern city of Jinan to the municipal intermediate people's court.

Prosecutors accused Liu of taking advantage of his previous positions, including former Party chief and chairman of the Bank of China, to offer help to others in terms of loans and financing, project cooperation, and personnel appointments, and accepting huge amounts of money and property in return, said the SPP in a statement.

Liu was also charged with illegally issuing large volumes of loans, causing serious loss, according to the SPP.

In review and prosecution, prosecutors informed the defendant of his litigation rights, interrogated him, and listened to his defense counsel's opinions.

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Speech by Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the Munich Security Conference

Germany - Federal Government

in Munich

Saturday, 17 February 2024 in MAnchen

Esteemed colleagues,

Excellencies,

Mr Heusgen,

Ladies and gentlemen,

The biggest land war in Europe since the Second World War has been raging in Ukraine for two years now. Every day, Russia's aggression claims innocent victims. Every day, people cry, grieve and die in Ukraine. And that is why in my speech today I want to focus on this war in our neighbourhood.

Despite huge losses, significant parts of the Russian armed forces remain intact. Russia has been preparing its troops for this war for many years, and has developed new, lethal weapons systems at all levels. The Russian economy has long since been operating in war mode. To all intents and purposes, Putin has brought the economy, education, science and culture in Russia under his control. Anyone who actively works for freedom and democracy has to fear for their life. What that means is shown by the shocking, the appalling, news of Alexei Navalny's death in Russian detention. Not least, Putin is sending ever more troops to the front.

We all have to ask ourselves two years after the start of the war whether we are doing enough to signal to Putin: "We're in for the long haul!"? Are we doing enough, given that we know full well what Russia's victory in Ukraine would mean? Namely, the end of Ukraine as a free, independent and democratic state; the destruction of our peaceful order in Europe; the gravest test of the UN Charter since 1945; and, not least, an encouragement to any and all autocrats around the world to use force to resolve conflicts. The political and financial price we would then have to pay would be many times higher than all the expense of our support for Ukraine today and in the future.

What does all of this mean for us? What must it mean for NATO and for Europe? Two things are key in my view.

First of all, the threat from Russia is real. That is why our deterrence and defence capabilities have to be credible and remain credible. At the same time, we don't want a conflict between Russia and NATO. For that reason, all countries supporting Ukraine have been in agreement since the start of the war that we will not send our own troops to Ukraine.

However, Putin and the military establishment in Moscow must be left in no doubt that we, the world's strongest military alliance, are able to defend every square metre of our Allied territory. For that, it's important that we further strengthen NATO's European pillar, also in the sphere of deterrence.

I'm probably not telling you anything new when I say: Germany will invest two percent of its GDP in defence this year and also in the coming years - in the 2020s, 2030s and beyond. We have to do more than ever before to ensure that our deterrence meets the demands of the modern world.

That is why we stated in the Federal Government's first National Security Strategy our intention, among other things, to promote - and I quote: "the development and introduction of highly advanced capabilities, such as precision deep-strike weapons". We are discussing that with France and the UK. This is in line with the efforts by Emmanuel Macron and myself to strengthen the European defence industry.

For regardless of how Russia's war in Ukraine ends, and regardless of the outcome of elections on either side of the Atlantic, one thing is crystal clear: we Europeans must do much more for our own security - now and in the future. Our readiness to do so is considerable.

That is what I told President Biden during my visit to Washington last week. Our efforts during the last 24 months have underscored that. And Joe Biden and I were also in complete agreement that our transatlantic alliance will remain valuable and strong - on both sides of the Atlantic. Because we are united by shared values and beliefs: freedom, democracy, the strength of the law and respect for the dignity of every individual. For that I'm deeply grateful to the President and to all our North American friends in the audience today. Thank you for being such strong allies and friends!

Let me also state clearly that any relativisation of NATO's mutual defence guarantee will only benefit those who, just like Putin, want to weaken us.

My second point concerns our support for Ukraine. The European Union and its member states have made available just under 90 billion euro for this purpose so far. On top of that will come the additional 50 billion euro in financial assistance alone that we've just agreed on for the coming years. In the European Union, we have taken in more than four million Ukrainian refugees - one million of them here in Germany. All of this was and still is the right thing to do.

Only yesterday, President Zelensky and I signed an agreement in which we make durable security pledges to Ukraine. This shows that our support is broad-based and comprehensive. Above all, however, it is long-term. Already, the military support provided and planned by Germany amounts to more than 28 billion euro. For this year, we have almost doubled our military assistance, to more than seven billion euro. Then there are pledges of six billion for the next few years.

I very much wish - and this is something I and some of my European colleagues are lobbying very urgently for in this forum too - that similar decisions would be taken in all European capital cities. I know it is not easy. It's not easy here in Germany either. Just like in other countries, there are critical voices here as well, asking "Shouldn't we be using the money for other things?". And Moscow is fanning the flames of such doubts - with targeted disinformation campaigns, and with propaganda on social media.

It is true that this war at the heart of Europe is making huge demands of us as well. Yes, the money we spend now and in the future to ensure our security is then lacking elsewhere. We are noticing that. However, I would also say this: without security, all else is nothing. Only if we all provide the necessary finance, in the long term and in a spirit of solidarity, will our defence industry reliably increase production. And thereby also contribute to our own security.

Since the start of the war, the United States has provided Ukraine with something over 20 billion dollars a year in military assistance - with a gross domestic product of 28 trillion dollars. A similar effort must surely be the least that can be expected from every European country. After all, we are talking about the biggest threat to security on our continent, about a war here in Europe - albeit one with global repercussions. Only if we are credible in this regard will Putin understand that there will be no peace dictated by Moscow, because we will not allow it.

And that brings me, Christoph Heusgen, to the silver lining you mentioned in your opening speech yesterday. That silver lining does exist, and it is brighter than one might think from watching the news or reading the papers. We stand more united than ever. Sweden and Finland have decided to join NATO. We have adopted new defence plans in NATO. In Germany, we have enshrined in our constitution a special fund of 100 billion euro for the Bundeswehr. Some 80 percent of this has now been committed. Defence Minister Pistorius and I have decided to station a German combat brigade permanently on NATO's eastern flank, in Lithuania. The NATO summit in Washington in July will show how much Europe is now contributing to the security of the Euro-Atlantic area. That is good news as we mark 75 years of the Alliance.

Russia, by contrast, has not attained a single one of its goals in this war. Putin wanted to take Kyiv in two weeks. Two years on, Ukraine has liberated over half of the territory occupied by Russia. Russia has lost control over the western Black Sea. This is thanks first and foremost to the Ukrainian armed forces. I have the utmost respect for their courage and their hard-fought successes! However, support from all of us has played a part. And that should be an incentive for us now, not to ease up. But rather to continue resolutely on this path. Germany is precisely that: resolute. And at the same time grateful for our united stance, today and in the future. Thank you.

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In Venezuela, the regime of Nicholas Maduro has stepped up its assault on human rights. It has arrested one of the countrys most prominent human rights activists and ordered the local United Nations office of human rights to close.

On February 9, Rocio San Miguel was detained by authorities as she and her daughter were waiting for a flight to Miami. San Miguel is head of the non-governmental organization Control Ciudadano, which focuses on issues concerning the armed forces, human rights, and security. The office of Venezuelas attorney general said San Miguel was being charged with treason, conspiracy, and terrorism. Several members of her family were also detained and held for days before being released and told they could not leave the country.

National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby said the United States is deeply concerned by San Miguels arrest. He noted it comes at a time when President Maduro needs to meet the commitments that he made back in the fall about how theyre going to treat civil society political activists, as well as opposition parties - a reference to the Barbados Agreement, signed by Maduro and opposition parties in October, in which Maduro pledged to work toward free and fair elections in 2024, including by allowing opposition leaders to run for office.

Local and international human rights organizations condemned the arrest of Rocio San Miguel. The UN office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed deep concern over her detention and urged her immediate release and respect for her right to legal defense. Days later, the Maduro regime ordered the local UN office of human rights to close and ordered its staff to leave Venezuela within 72 hours.

In October, when President Maduro signed the Barbados agreement, there was glimmer of hope that Venezuelans could restore democratic rule in their country. Since then, however, the Maduro regime has arrested journalists, civil society activists, and former members of the military. Venezuelas leading opposition candidate, Maria Corin Machado has been disqualified from running in the presidential election.

The United States, as National Security Adviser Kirby said, is watching developments in Venezuela very very closely. The United States stands with the Venezuelan people in their desire to restore democratic governance and calls on the Maduro regime to release all political prisoners and return to the roadmap established by the Barbados Agreement.
Foreign Minister Baerbock at the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels: Go-ahead for EU mission in the Red Sea and support for Ukraine two years after the start of the war

Germany Federal Foreign Office

19.02.2024 - Article

The situation in the Middle East, support for Ukraine two years after the start of the war, the Sahel - Foreign Minister Baerbock and her EU colleagues face a full agenda for their meeting in Brussels. Read on to find out more about the topics being discussed.

From Munich to Brussels: today's meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council follows on seamlessly from the talks and discussions at the Munich Security Conference on Friday and Saturday. The dominant issues remain the situation in the Middle East and, shortly before the second anniversary of the Russian attack, further support for Ukraine.

Launch of the EU maritime operation Aspides and the humanitarian situation in Gaza

In EU jargon, it's called the "decision to launch" - the Foreign Ministers will today formally decide the commencement of the EU maritime operation in the Red Sea, Arabian Sea and Persian Gulf. Its task? To ensure greater security for international shipping along this major artery of world trade. Over the past few weeks, Germany has advocated intensely for the operation under the EU Common Security and Defence Policy. Subject to parliamentary approval, German participation in the operation is planned, in the form of the frigate Hessen.

Beyond the Red Sea, the situation in the Middle East remains strained almost to breaking point, and is a humanitarian disaster, particularly for the people in Gaza. Foreign Minister Baerbock will brief her EU colleagues today on her talks and the outcomes of her most recent trip to Israel. During her trip, she made it clear once more that the Israeli army must ensure better protection for the civilian population, because the people on the ground cannot simply disappear into thin air. Today the issue is not only about ensuring substantially improved humanitarian access to Gaza, but also the violence used by radical settlers in the West Bank - here the Foreign Ministers are discussing EU sanctions. In addition, the EU27 will discuss how to further step up the pressure on the Hamas terrorists, for example by listing them under the EU human rights sanctions regime.



EU support for Ukraine

This coming Saturday (24 February) marks the second anniversary of the start of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. That Ukraine is still succeeding in withstanding full invasion by Russia is due first and foremost to the courageous Ukrainians fighting for their country, and to the united support of their partners. On Friday, Germany and France again underlined their support for Ukraine with bilateral security pledges, making it clear that Ukraine's security is also Europe's security. Today the EU27 will discuss (further) security commitments and talk about how financial and military support for Ukraine can be shaped even more effectively. Negotiations on what is now no less than the 13th package of sanctions against Russia are also on today's agenda.



Other topics: The Sahel, Belarus

The Sahel region has disappeared from the media spotlight in recent weeks and months, though the situation there remains complex after the various military coups. The Foreign Ministers will discuss the strategic approach to the region and the military governments there in Burkina Faso, Mali and the Niger. For Germany, the crucial thing is to prevent further destabilisation in the region. To this end, enhanced cooperation with the West African coastal states and in North Africa is of particular importance. Looking to the parliamentary and regional elections in Belarus on 25 February, the EU27 will also be discussing the situation of and support for the democratic opposition and civil society there.

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Iran using all its diplomatic sway to halt Israeli war on Gaza: Spox

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Feb 19, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- Iran has used all its diplomatic power to halt the Israeli regime's war against Gaza since the beginning of the crisis in the besieged territory, according to the Foreign Ministry spokesman.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Nasser Kanaani said Tehran believes that the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) can play an active and impactful role concerning the crisis in Gaza.

Kanaani pointed out that Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, in a telephone conversation with the secretary general of the OIC, officially asked to host the second extraordinary session of the organization in Tehran.

He also pointed to a resolution sought by Algeria at the UN Security Council demanding an immediate truce in Gaza, lamenting that the US has already announced its opposition to the resolution and wants to prevent the Security Council from maintaining international peace and security by using its "veto" power.

"What is happening in Gaza is not only a blatant crime and genocide, but also a threat to international peace and security, and the international community and global assemblies must stop these actions," he stated.

"We will continue our dialogues with neighboring and non-neighboring countries and these are only part of Iran's efforts."

Iran's relations with neighboring countries

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman termed the relations with the most border and neighboring countries as "very good and dynamic".

In light of the growing ties in the field of economy, trade interactions is developing with the various countries including neighboring, regional, and distant states, Kanaani said.

"Maximizing regional, multilateral mechanisms is considered one of the outcomes of the Iranian foreign policy."

Membership in some important mechanisms, including BRICS, expanding ties with the Eurasian Economic Union, and signing comprehensive long-term plans with some countries shows that the country is dynamic in boosting its trade and political relations, he underlined.

Due to the wise guidance of the leadership and based on the Iranian government's attention on expanding relations with neighboring countries and Asia, and establishing dynamic and balanced relations with different countries, Iran has seen significant prosperity in the development of its relations, Kanaani noted.

The Iranian administration has taken the development of economy-oriented relations seriously, he said, noting that Iran will pursue this issue.

Strengthening security ties between Iran, Iraq

Regarding strengthening relations and security cooperation between Iran and Iraq, Kanaani said that relations between Iran and Iraq are in their best condition and the two neighboring countries have extensive cooperation in various fields.

Kanaani said that the security agreement is one of the security collaborations between the two sides, adding that great steps have been taken in this direction, and the executive committee of the two sides is active,.

Iran believes presence of foreign forces in Iraq does not help the security of Iraq, and Tehran is basically against the presence of foreign forces in the region, he said.

He added that foreigners' presence disturb the security of the region.

ICJ's commitment being 'seriously tested': Kanaani

On South Africa's request to add new orders to its complaint in the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the Foreign Ministry spokesman said Tehran believes that the court is being "seriously tested" as to how it will fulfill its responsibility.

"The order issued by the court laid a serious responsibility on the occupying regime to stop all its criminal actions," he said.

"Regarding South Africa's second complaint, the court's view is that the initial order is sufficient. We expect the court to be serious concerning the initial order, consider the regime responsible, and complete its initial action with additional steps. This is the expectation of the nations of the world."

Kanaani further said Iran backs the set of legal actions taken by other countries to prosecute the Zionist regime, including the African Union's summit on Sunday which called for an immediate end to the crimes of the regime.

"The regime must answer for nearly five months of crimes against the oppressed nation," he asserted. "US actions to save the regime are ongoing. the US has shown that it is an essential partner committing crimes, and without US support, the regime has no ability to manage the war."

'Nukes have no place in Iran's defense doctrine'

In reaction to some remarks made by the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi, he said that the Agency's 15 reports state that Iran's nuclear activities are peaceful and carried out within the framework of the Safeguards Agreement.

Iran will continue its program within the framework of its obligations, Kanaani said, adding that Iran's stance on this issue is clear-cut.

Nuclear weapons have no place in Iran's defense doctrine, he said, advising the IAEA chief to refrain from making politicized comments.

Umrah Hajj for Iranians not called off yet

Commenting on this year's Umrah Hajj, Kanaani said, "Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan had emphasized that the current issue is a technical problem between the Civil Aviation Organization of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Arab country."

The negotiations on the issue have been prolonged, he said, adding that the Iranian Foreign Ministry has followed up on the matter.

The two countries' foreign ministers have exchanged views on the pilgrimage, the official added.

He voiced the hope that the issue would be resolved as soon as possible.

"The tiny gulf created between both sides does not mean the ritual has been called off this year."

Ceasefire in Gaza a world demand

Regarding a ceasefire in Gaza, Kanaani said the establishment of a ceasefire has become a world demand.

Most countries and nations of the world demand an immediate truce and a stop of crimes of the Zionist regime, he said, and added that the regime does not want to stop the attacks due to the failure to achieve its goals.

The Zionist regime and its prime minister seek their interests in fueling creating insecurity in the region, he said, adding that the US also showed that it is the only country that supports the continuation of the war.

This Iranian diplomat also said that Iran emphasizes the necessity of an immediate end to the crimes of the regime in diplomatic visits with the authorities of other countries, and does not accept tying the issue of ceasefire to the issue of post-Gaza issues, because it believe this issue is only the Palestinians' business.

Kanaani condemned killing of journalists during the 4.5 months of the war, saying that this issue shows how the regime is worried about facts being published.

Iran urges help for Afghanistan

Elsewhere in his presser, Kanaani said Iran underscores the need for the help of all countries and international organizations to improve the conditions of peace, stability and security in Afghanistan and create better conditions for the people of that country.

He said Iran has used regional and international mechanisms in this regard, and its presence in a recent Afghanistan meeting manifested the country's principled approach.

"We believe that the United Nations and regional mechanisms must help Afghanistan so that we witness the consolidation of stability and better political and security conditions in that country," he maintained.

'We are concerned about Munich Conference fate '

On the recent meeting of the Munich Security Conference, the spokesman said Iran is definitely concerned about the conference and the goals of its founders, given that the organizers of the conference are moving against the goals set by the founders and are turning it into a place to propagate their own views.

He added that inviting those whose criminal records are laid bare before the eyes of the people of the world shows that the organizers are on the wrong track. "We are concerned about the fate of this conference," he reiterated.

"I wish instead of inviting the criminal officials of the Zionist regime, who have been recognized as criminals by the International Court of Justice, they would have invited the true Palestinian representatives and paid real attention to the fact that the cause of regional instabilities is the occupation and the Gaza war."

Issues on Arash Gas Field

Regarding the continued claims on the Arash Gas Field, Kanaani said that Iran is making efforts to advocate the rights of Iranians.

Bringing up the legal and technical issue by the Kuwaiti officials will not create any rights for the country that has raised the issue, he said.

Iran considers the continued talks by the legal delegations of the two countries as the best solution in this regard, he underscored.

US-UK attacks on Yemen

Regarding the UK-US attacks against Yemen, he said that what the countries' administrations have carried out is considered as the violation of the sovereignty of an independent and member state of the United Nations.

It is a flagrant act of aggression and adventure, he stated.

The illegal actions show that the countries do not heed the international law and mechanism, he added.

"The two countries claim that they do not seek to spread the war, while the two states are spreading the war from Palestine to other places."

"Their claims are false," he said. "What is happening in the Red Sea is caused by the conditions that are going on in Gaza."

Iran has expressed its transparent position on the issue, he further noted.

Goods produced by Zionist regimes banned in Iran

In his remarks, Kanaani added that Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is obliged to identify the companies and goods that are affiliated with the Zionist regime and the latest updated list has been submitted to the Ministry of Industry, Mining, and Trade.

Regarding the recent developments in Iran's nuclear issue, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman said that the 15 reports of the International Atomic Energy Agency have shown that Iran's activities are peaceful, and those who falsely present Iran's nuclear activities as a threat often have nuclear arsenals that are outside the agency's supervision and control.

Ukraine war

Those who accuse Iran of exporting weapons to one side of the Ukrainian war know very well that Iran believes in a political solution from the beginning and unlike Iran, the US and European countries benefit from the continuation of the war, Kanaani said, adding that those who have claims against Iran were against the political solution to end the war in Ukraine and that Tehran rejects the statement by G7.

[This item is being updated.]

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IRGC Navy adds new home-made combat vessels to its fleet

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Feb 19, 2024

Bandar Abbas, IRNA -- The Naval Force of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has received two new home-made combat vessels equipped with medium and long-range missiles.

The two vessels, named Martyr Bagheri and Martyr Shirazi, joined the IRGC Navy's fleet during a ceremony held on Monday in the port city of Bandar Abbas, the capital of Hormuzgan province in southern Iran.

IRGC Navy Commander Commodore Alireza Tangsiri, who was present at the ceremony, said that the two vessels belong to Martyr Soleimani class of domestically-made advanced warships.

Martyr Bagheri and Martyr Shirazi vessels are each 67 meters in length and are equipped with home-made long and medium-range missiles, Tangsiri said, adding that they can navigate 5,500 nautical miles (9,500km).

Weighing 600 tons and having 4 engines, the newly-added vessels can navigate at a speed of 32 nautical knots (about 60 km/h), he said.

The IRGC commander also explained that the surface-to-surface missiles placed at these vessels have a range of at least 700 km. The air defense system of the vessels has a range of 90 km, he added.

Tangsiri further said that Martyr Bagheri and Martyr Shirazi vessels can carry helicopters and three missile-launcher vessels, while they are capable of conducting close combat in the sea.

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Leader: Elections are main pillar of the Islamic Republic

ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency

Mon / 19 February 2024 / 10:03

In a meeting with a large number of people from East Azerbaijan Province, Imam Khamenei described the front of Arrogance as being opposed to Iran's elections.

Tehran-ISNA- During this meeting which took place on the 46th anniversary of the Popular Uprising of the People of Tabriz and in the lead up to Iran's parliamentary elections and the Assembly of Experts elections on March 1, 2024, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution emphasized that the elections are a reflection of the republican system and the Islamic Republic's values, which are in conflict with the Arrogant Powers' plans.

"Elections are a manifestation of the republican system and this is why the Arrogant Powers and the US, who are opposed to both republicanism and the Islamic nature of the Islamic Republic, are against the elections and the enthusiastic participation of the people at the ballot boxes," the Leader added.

Imam Khamenei stated that in the past, a US president once called on the Iranian nation to boycott elections while it actually backfired and in opposition to him, people participated with even more enthusiasm. After that they stopped saying this directly, but they still try to distance people from the elections using various methods.

The Leader emphasized, "Over the decades, there has never been an election violation in the sense claimed by the enemy, and what they allege is baseless. In the cases where some allegations were made, some violations were identified after investigations were carried out and assessments were made. However, those violations were never such to cause a change in the overall results. And the elections in the country have always been healthy, valid, and dignified."

Elsewhere in his speech, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution expressed his appreciation to the Iranian people for their enthusiastic participation in the 22nd of Bahman rallies, which are held annually across the country. He said, "The nation demonstrated its perseverance, fervor, and revolutionary pride in all the large and small cities and villages. Those who hoped to see the nation disheartened and see them forget about the 22nd of Bahman were taken by surprise."

Imam Khamenei highlighted the progress and increasing strength of the Revolution over its 45-year history despite facing a storm of challenges and plots. He explained that, "The Revolution, meaning the nation and the system, by passing through the challenging passageways, is now stronger and more powerful. And it has a more penetrating viewpoint and influence. At present, we must recognize our key responsibilities and address them in a timely manner."

The Leader regards "looking at oneself and looking at the enemy" to be two essential duties for everyone. In this regard, he said, "We must have a correct assessment of ourselves and the enemy, and neglecting this duty is a great tragedy."

Imam Khamenei emphasized that the objective of knowing oneself means the appreciation, preservation, and enhancement of strengths, while addressing and overcoming weaknesses at the same time. In delineating the strengths of the Revolution and the nation, he described the overthrow of the tyrannical, unjust, irreligious, thoroughly corrupt, monarchical [Pahlavi] regime as being its most significant accomplishment. "That [tyrannical] system did not give any rights, respect, or roles to the people. And in many cases, the way it actually ruled was based on the command of the Americans and the British embassy," he asserted.

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution added, "Now, in contrast to that corrupt system, the people are the owners of both the country and the system. They determine the direction of the country by directly or indirectly choosing the country's main officials."

Spreading the ideas and values of the Revolution - especially in the region, relative success in preventing the spread of Western culture as the dominant culture, formation of voluntary groups of the people, expansion of services to cover all regions of the country, and training international scientists in various fields were some of the successes that the Leader referred to in his assessment of the endeavors of the Revolution.

Imam Khamenei emphasized the imperative nature of protecting national unity as a fundamental responsibility of the people. "Everyone should note that fulfilling these duties and responsibilities is an act of jihad in confronting the enemy, because they do not want these duties to be fulfilled. That is why they are against any positive action that is taken in the Islamic Republic," he said.

When speaking about the second important duty, which is, "looking at the enemy," the Leader of the Islamic Revolution stated, "We must not be neglectful about the enemy, and we must keep in mind that the enemy is deceitful and cunning and has tools at its disposal. We must not assume that the enemy is weak and incapable. And at the same time, we should not be afraid of the enemy, its threats, pressures, and intimidation."

Imam Khamenei attributed the tricks and agitation exhibited by Iran's ill-wishers to the strength and progress of the Islamic Revolution. "We must not be passive when confronting the enemy, because their policy is to belittle their opposition and make them passive," he said.

Elsewhere in his speech, Imam Khamenei lauded the people of Azerbaijan as exemplars of zeal, love, enthusiasm, and faith throughout the annals of history continuing up to the recent decades and the present era.

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution recounted the uprising of the people of Tabriz on the 29th of Bahman, 1356 AHS (February 18, 1978 AD), describing it as a historic event. "That event did not allow the uprising of the people of Qom on the 19th of Dey AHS (January 9, 1978 AD) to become something ineffectual. By spreading a spirit of uprising and a Revolutionary fervor throughout the country, it became the basis for the victory of the Islamic Revolution," he explained.

End Item



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Iran's 'Axis Of Resistance': Different Groups, Same Goals

By Kian Sharifi February 19, 2024

Iran's so-called axis of resistance is a loose network of proxies, Tehran-backed militant groups, and an allied state actor.

The network is a key element of Tehran's strategy of deterrence against perceived threats from the United States, regional rivals, and primarily Israel.

Active in the Palestinian Occupied Territories, Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, the axis gives Iran the ability to hit its enemies outside its own borders while allowing it to maintain a position of plausible deniability, experts say.

Since the Islamic Revolution in 1979, Iran has played a key role in establishing some of the groups in the axis. Other members have been co-opted by Tehran over the years.

Iran has maintained that around dozen separate groups that comprise the axis act independently.

Tehran's level of influence over each member varies. But the goals pursued by each group broadly align with Iran's own strategic aims, which makes direct control unnecessary, according to experts.

Lebanon's Hizballah

Hizballah was established in 1982 in response to Israel's invasion that year of Lebanon, which was embroiled in a devastating civil war.

The Shi'ite political and military organization was created by the Quds Force, the overseas arm of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), the elite branch of the country's armed forces.

Danny Citrinowicz, a research fellow at the Iran Program at the Israel-based Institute for National Security Studies, said Tehran's aim was to unite Lebanon's various Shi'ite political organizations and militias under one organization.

Since it was formed, Hizballah has received significant financial and political assistance from Iran, a Shi'a-majority country. That backing has made the group a major political and military force in Lebanon.

"Iran sees the organization as the main factor that will deter Israel or the U.S. from going to war against Iran and works tirelessly to build the organization's power," Citrinowicz said.

Hizballah has around 40,000 fighters, according to the office of the U.S. Director of National Intelligence. The State Department said Iran has armed and trained Hizballah fighters and injected hundreds of millions of dollars in the group.

The State Department in 2010 described Hizballah as "the most technically capable terrorist group in the world."

Citrinowicz said Iran may not dictate orders to the organization but Tehran "profoundly influences" its decision-making process.

He described Hizballah, which is considered a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union, not as a proxy but "an Iranian partner managing Tehran's Middle East strategy."

Led by Hassan Nasrallah, Hizballah has developed close ties with other Iranian proxies and Tehran-backed militant groups, helping to train and arm their fighters.

Citrinowicz said Tehran "almost depends" on the Lebanese group to oversee its relations with other groups in the axis of resistance.

Hamas

Hamas, designated a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union, has had a complex relationship with Iran.

Founded in 1987 during the first Palestinian Intifada, or uprising, Hamas is an offshoot of the Palestinian arm of the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist political organization established in Egypt in the 1920s.

Hamas's political chief is Ismail Haniyeh, who lives in Qatar. Its military wing, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, is commanded by Yahya Sinwar, who is believed to be based in the Gaza Strip. Hamas is estimated to have around 20,000 fighters.

For years, Iran provided limited material support to Hamas, a Sunni militant group. Tehran ramped up its financial and military support to the Palestinian group after it gained power in the Gaza Strip in 2007.

But Tehran reduced its support to Hamas after a major disagreement over the civil war in Syria. When the conflict broke out in 2011, Iran backed the government of President Bashar al-Assad. Hamas, however, supported the rebels seeking to oust Assad.

Nevertheless, experts said the sides overcame their differences because, ultimately, they seek the same goal: Israel's destruction.

"[But] this does not mean that Iran is deeply aware of all the actions of Hamas," Citrinowicz said.

After Hamas militants launched a multipronged attack on Israel in October that killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, Iran denied it was involved in planning the assault. U.S. intelligence has indicated that Iranian leaders were surprised by Hamas's attack.

Seyed Ali Alavi, a lecturer in Middle Eastern and Iranian Studies at SOAS University of London, said Iran's support to Hamas is largely "confined to rhetorical and moral support and limited financial aid." He said Qatar and Turkey, Hamas's "organic" allies, have provided significantly more financial help to the Palestinian group.

Palestinian Islamic Jihad

With around 1,000 members, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) is the smaller of the two main militant groups based in the Gaza Strip and the closest to Iran.

Founded in 1981, the Sunni militant group's creation was inspired by Iran's Islamic Revolution two years earlier. Given Tehran's ambition of establishing a foothold in the Palestinian Occupied Territories, Iran has provided the group with substantial financial backing and arms, experts say.

The PIJ, led by Ziyad al-Nakhalah, is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union.

"Today, there is no Palestinian terrorist organization that is closer to Iran than this organization," Citrinowicz said. "In fact, it relies mainly on Iran."

Citrinowicz said there is no doubt that Tehran's "ability to influence [the PIJ] is very significant."

Iraqi Shi'ite Militias

Iran supports a host of Shi'ite militias in neighboring Iraq, some of which were founded by the IRGC and "defer to Iranian instructions," said Gregory Brew, a U.S.-based Iran analyst with the Eurasia Group.

But Tehran's influence over the militias has waned since the U.S. assassination in 2020 of Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani, who was seen as the architect of the axis of resistance and held great influence over its members.

"The dynamic within these militias, particularly regarding their relationship with Iran, underwent a notable shift following the assassination of Qassem Soleimani," said Hamidreza Azizi, a fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs.

The U.S. drone strike that targeted Soleimani also killed Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy head of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), an umbrella organization of mostly Shi'ite Iran-backed armed groups that has been a part of the Iraqi Army since 2016.

Muhandis was also the leader of Kata'ib Hizballah, which was established in 2007 and is one of the most powerful members of the PMF. Other prominent groups in the umbrella include Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq, Harakat al-Nujaba, Kata'ib Seyyed al-Shuhada, and the Badr Organization. Kata'ib Hizballah has been designated as a terrorist entity by the United States.

Following the deaths of Soleimani and al-Muhandis, Kata'ib Hizballah and other militias "began to assert more autonomy, at times acting in ways that could potentially compromise Iran's interests," said Azizi.

Many of the Iran-backed groups that form the PMF are also part of the so-called Islamic Resistance in Iraq, which rose to prominence in November 2023. The group has been responsible for launching scores of attacks on U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria since Israel launched its war against Hamas in Gaza.

"It's important to note that while several militias within the PMF operate as Iran's proxies, this is not a universal trait across the board," Azizi said.

Azizi said the extent of Iran's control over the PMF can fluctuate based on the political conditions in Iraq and the individual dynamics within each militia.

The strength of each group within the PMF varies widely, with some containing as few as 100 members and others, such as Kata'ib Hizballah, boasting around 10,000 fighters.

Syrian State And Pro-Government Militias

Besides Iran, Syria is the only state that is a member of the axis of resistance.

"The relationship between Iran and the Assad regime in Syria is a strategic alliance where Iran's influence is substantial but not absolute, indicating a balance between dependency and partnership," said Azizi.

The decades-long alliance stems from Damascus's support for Tehran during the devastating 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War.

When Assad's rule was challenged during the Syrian civil war, the IRGC entered the fray in 2013 to ensure he held on to power.

Hundreds of IRGC commander and officers, who Iran refers to as "military advisers," are believed to be present in Syria. Tehran has also built up a large network of militias, consisting mostly of Afghans and Pakistanis, in Syria.

Azizi said these militias have given Iran "a profound influence on the country's affairs," although not outright control over Syria.

"The Assad regime maintains its strategic independence, making decisions that serve its national interests and those of its allies," he said.

The Fatemiyun Brigade, comprised of Afghan fighters, and the Zainabiyun Brigade, which is made up of Pakistani fighters, make up the bulk of Iran's proxies in Syria.

"They are essentially units in the IRGC, under direct control," said Brew.

The Afghan and Pakistani militias played a key role in fighting rebel groups opposed to Assad during the civil war. There have been reports that Iran has not only granted citizenship to Afghan fighters and their families but also facilitated Syrian citizenship for them.

The Fatemiyun Brigade, the larger of the two, is believed to have several thousand fighters in Syria. The Zainabiyun Brigade is estimated to have less than 1,000 fighters.

Yemen's Huthi Rebels

The Huthis first emerged as a movement in the 1980s in response to the growing religious influence of neighboring Saudi Arabia, a Sunni kingdom.

In 2015, the Shi'ite militia toppled the internationally recognized, Saudi-backed government of Yemen. That triggered a brutal, yearslong Saudi-led war against the rebels.

With an estimated 200,000 fighters, the Huthis control most of the northwest of the country, including the capital, Sanaa, and are in charge of much of the Red Sea coast.

The Huthis' disdain for Saudi Arabia, Iran's regional foe, and Israel made it a natural ally of Tehran, experts say. But it was only around 2015 that Iran began providing the group with training through the Quds Force and Hizballah. Tehran has also supplied weapons to the group, though shipments are regularly intercepted by the United States.

"The Huthis...appear to have considerable autonomy and Tehran exercises only limited control, though there does appear to be [a] clear alignment of interests," said Brew.

Since Israel launched its war in Gaza, the Huthis have attacked international commercial vessels in the Red Sea and fired ballistic missiles at several U.S. warships.

In response, the United States and its allies have launched air strikes against the Huthis' military infrastructure. Washington has also re-designated the Huthis as a terrorist organization.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-s-axis-of- resistance-different-groups-same-goals/32826188.html

Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Rise In Suicides Among Medical Students In Iran Highlights Growing Crisis In Sector

By RFE/RL's Radio Farda February 19, 2024

A rise in suicides among medical residents at Iranian schools, revealed in an interview with the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) with Vahid Shariat, has highlighted a growing crisis within Iran's medical community.

Shariat, head of the Iranian Psychiatric Association, said in the interview dated February 18 that the Iranian Medical Council recorded 16 deaths over the past year among medical residents, a figure that is likely higher, he said, as the Health Ministry withholds "more accurate and extensive statistics."

"The ministry has more and more accurate statistics, which they consider confidential and do not make public," he said.

"Whenever there is a problem, before doing anything they make the statistics confidential or quickly deny them."

The rise in suicide rates among medical residents coincides with a mass exodus of medical staff from Iran.

Thousands of Iranian health professionals have left their homeland in recent years, mainly due to the country's deepening economic crisis, difficult working conditions, and the lack of social and political freedoms.

Iranian media outlets estimate some 16,000 doctors, including specialists, have left the Islamic republic since 2020, leading to warnings of a public health-care crisis.

The exodus accelerated after the coronavirus pandemic, which took a heavy toll on health-care workers. Iran was one of the worst affected countries in the world, recording over 146,000 deaths.

The suicide issue has been described as "worrying" and a "significant problem for the medical community" by Mahmoud Fazel, head of the Supreme Council of the Medical System. In response, a committee has been established within the council to investigate the matter.

The occurrence of student suicides, particularly within those studying in the medical field, is not new in Iran, with media reports in recent years shedding light on the pressures faced by those pursuing such careers.

A recent study by the Psychiatric Association has found that the suicide rate within the medical community has seen a sharp increase in recent years. The research further highlights that, within a resident population of approximately 14,000, there is an average of 13 suicides annually.

Moreover, the study reveals a gender disparity in the suicide rates among doctors, with a 40 percent increase among males and a 130 percent increase among females compared with the general population.

Factors such as "work pressure" and "income level" have been identified by the Medical System Organization as significant stress factors for medical students.

The head of the Iranian Medical Council has termed the "emptying" of the country of its doctors a "serious" crisis, signaling a dire need for immediate and effective measures to safeguard the wellbeing of Iran's future medical professionals.

Written by Ardeshir Tayebi based on an original story in Persian by RFE/RL's Radio Farda

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/rise-in-suicides-among-medical-students-in-iran- highlights-growing-crisis-in-sector/32826286.html

Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Jailed Iranian Reformist Tajzadeh Issues Scathing Criticism Of Supreme Leader

By RFE/RL's Radio Farda February 19, 2024

Prominent Iranian reformist politician Mostafa Tajzadeh, who is currently imprisoned at Tehran's notorious Evin Prison, has issued a scathing criticism of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, saying he is responsible for the current "flawed structure of the political system in Iran."

In a letter published from prison, where he is serving a five-year sentence after being found guilty in late 2022 of "collusion against national security" and "propaganda against the regime," he says he will abstain from voting in the forthcoming parliamentary and Assembly of Experts elections because of the "strategic failures" of the Islamic republic's leadership.

He also highlighted the devaluation of elections under Khamenei's leadership, saying holding such events was "pointless" given the current conditions of the country, which has seen months of unrest over living conditions, a lack of rights, and restricted freedoms, especially with regard to women.

Khamenei has "closed his eyes" to the "disastrous facts of Iran" and does not listen to the protests of millions of citizens, said Tajzadeh, who served as deputy interior minister under reformist President Mohammad Khatami, who held office from 1997 to 2005.

"On the other hand, most Iranians have also decided to ignore the leader and his radio and television addresses to protest the miserable state of the country. Don't vote," Tajzadeh added.

The publication of the letter came after another call from the Islamic republic's leader for voters to head to the polls en masse for March 1 elections he framed as "a solution for the country's ongoing issues."

Tajzadeh's letter highlights the deep-seated political divisions and the challenges facing Iran's reformist movement.

He criticized Khamenei for setting "red lines" that include maintaining hostile relations with Washington, enforcing the mandatory hijab law, supervision over the vetting of election candidates, and the continued illegal detention of political dissidents.

Such policies, Tajzadeh said, hinder any potential for international engagement or economic improvement for Iran in the foreseeable future.

Tajzadeh accused Khamenei of ignoring the "disastrous realities of Iran" and the voices of millions of dissenting citizens, highlighting a widespread resolve among Iranians to protest the dire state of the nation by boycotting the polls.

Tajzadeh was first arrested in 2009 during mass protests disputing the reelection of then President Mahmud Ahmadinejad, who ran against opposition reformist candidates Mehdi Karrubi and Mir Hossein Musavi.

In 2010, Tajzadeh was convicted of harming national security and propaganda against the state. He was released in 2016 after serving most of his seven-year sentence.

After his release, Tajzadeh often called on authorities to free Karrubi and Musavi, who have been under house arrest for more than a decade.

In October 2022, a branch of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Court sentenced Tajzadeh to the current five-year term he is serving. Tajzadeh declined to speak in court during the hearing after a request he made to talk one-on-one with his lawyer was rejected.

Written by Ardeshir Tayebi based on an original story in Persian by RFE/RL's Radio Farda

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/jailed-iranian-reformist- tajzadeh-criticizes-khamenei/32826119.html

Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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IRGC Navy Takes Delivery of Two New Stealth Warships

Sputnik News

20240219

Ilya Tsukanov

Iran's Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman-adjacent southern coastline stretches roughly 1,700 km and is home to over half a dozen US military bases, making it vital for the Islamic Republic to maintain adequate military resources to defend its shores using asymmetric means.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Navy has taken delivery of two new Soleimani-class corvettes, with the vessels, the Sayyad Shirazi and the Hassan Bagheri, inaugurated at a ceremony in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas on Monday.

The unique new class of warships, named after fallen IRGC Quds Force Commander Qasem Soleimani, constitutes one of the most sophisticated military vessel designs in Iran's arsenal, featuring a unique, low-observable hull design and equipped chock full of some of the latest Iranian radar, sensor and weapons technology.

The new ships are 65 m long, have a 600-ton displacement and are powered by four Iranian-made diesel engines which allow the vessels to accelerate to speeds of up to 32 knots. The ships can remain at sea continuously for up to 14 days at a time, have a 2,000 nautical mile range, and are capable of operating in moderate to rough sea conditions.

Onboard, the ships bristle with missile and air defense systems, including Iran's new Navvab vertical launch system for missiles, four 20 mm triple-barreled Gatling guns, a 30 mm autocannon, 16 Sayyad-series SAMs, and six Abu-Mahdi naval cruise missiles.

The ships can carry a combat helicopter and three fast attack boats.

There is some confusion in reporting about the two new vessels in Iranian media. The Shahid Soleimani, the lead ship in the series, was commissioned in September 2022. In January, the IRGC commissioned an outwardly similar-looking but smaller warship, the Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis (named after the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces commander who was assassinated by the US alongside Qasem Soleimani in 2020 in Baghdad). The latter warship, not to be confused with the Soleimani-series, is 47 meters long, can accelerate to speeds up to 37 knots, and is a separate class of military vessel.

Iran began experimenting with stealth-oriented, twin-hull warship designs in 2016 and the commissioning of the Shahid Nazeri, an 800 ton, 55 meter long, twin-engine catamaran with a slender aluminum hull, a 5,400 nautical mile range, and space for one helicopter.

Taking part in Monday's ceremony, Armed Forces Chief of Staff Mohammad Bagheri praised Iran's naval deterrence power as a "reliable shield" protecting the nation against foreign aggression, while slamming Washington for using the crisis in Gaza as an excuse to expand its presence in the Middle East.

Bagheri praised Iran's defense industry, pointing out that the situation today is markedly different from what it was during the Iran-Iraq War of 1980-1988, when the Islamic Republic's naval forces in the Persian Gulf were "empty-handed before enemies." Today, he said, Iran's warships are equipped with "world-class technology" and successfully "designed and produced in Islamic Iran" in spite of sanctions.

"The Islamic Republic's defensive deterrence has created a reliable shield for national security and defense, but the Armed Forces must take even the smallest threats and possibilities in threat scenarios very seriously," Bagheri stressed.

Western observers have characterized Iran's exploration into the field of stealth catamarans as an indication that the country is looking to expand beyond a speedboat-dominated coastal defense strategy toward aspirations of true regional naval power.

Armed Forces Deputy Chief of Staff Aziz Nasirzadeh confirmed on Sunday that Iran has plans to develop the nation's "regional and extra-regional power in the seas toward the Indian Ocean." Iran took its first steps toward the status of fledgling global maritime power in 2021, sailing a miniature flotilla halfway around the world to St. Petersburg, Russia, and repeating and topping its record in 2023 in two-ship trip that circumnavigated the globe.

A Sputnik

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Airstrikes kill 6, including children, in Myanmar's Kachin state

Hundreds more are trapped in the surrounding villages, a rescue team said.

By RFA Burmese 2024.02.19 -- An onslaught of airstrikes in northern Myanmar killed six civilians and injured 13 more, rescue workers told Radio Free Asia on Monday.

Junta troops retaliated after joint resistance forces attacked a regime base in Kachin state on Friday.

After the Kachin Independence Army and Arakan Army, two allied ethnic armed organizations, fired on Mansi township's "strategic hill," the junta base turned its guns on nearby Si Hkam Gyi village.

Mansi township, which borders China, has been a site of previous conflict in late January. The Kachin Independence Army claimed the capture of 30 junta troops on Jan. 22 and 57 more soldiers escaped attacks by crossing the Chinese border.

Regime soldiers bombarded the village by air in a two-day attack on Saturday and Sunday, when roughly 1,000 residents fled the area, locals said.

On Saturday alone, troops dropped 20 bombs on four villages, they added.

A rescue worker with Myitta Shin Charity Group, who wished to remain anonymous for security reasons, said civilians and victims are being moved to safety.

"Hundreds of local people are trapped in the villages, including Si Hkam Gyi village. We plan to evacuate these people first and we are waiting to pick up the evacuees coming out of the villages today," he told RFA on Monday.

"The bodies haven't been picked up yet because they died in the bomb shelters. We haven't been able to get inside."

The blasts killed two girls aged two and six. The airstrikes also killed four men in their 40s. The injured, mostly women, were sent to nearby Bhamo Hospital.

Many of the displaced were sent to Man Thar village monastery and are being provided with medicine and food, he added.

A resident of nearby Si Kaw village who wished to remain anonymous for security reasons told RFA he was forced to flee in the middle of Saturday night, during the blasts.

"We left the village at 2 a.m. There was no difficulty on the way and I came with my own motorbike. I am staying in the hall next to Man Thar Monastery," he said.

"The communities in Man Thar village provided food as soon as we arrived and the Myitta Shin Charity Group's rescue team is picking up all the people who want to take refuge and helping them."

Kachin Independence Army spokesperson Col. Naw Bu said on Sunday that people needed to live in a safe place and protect themselves from the junta airstrikes.

"There is fighting on the side of Si Hkam Gyi village. The military junta fires airstrikes all day long. The fighting continues there, like it did before," he said.

"They mainly do not attack on the ground and depend on heavy artillery and airstrikes, so people must flee for their safety as much as possible."

The junta's Northern Region Military Command Infantry Battalions 121, 276, 123 and 15 are stationed just 48 kilometers (30 miles) away from Strategic Hill. Mansi township is one of the main supply routes to junta troops in nearby Bhamo city, which is why their attacks have been so fierce, said Col. Naw Bu.

RFA contacted Kachin state's junta spokesperson Moe Min Thein on Sunday for comment on the accusations of indiscriminate firing and civilian deaths, but he did not answer at the time of publication.

According to data compiled by RFA, junta airstrikes and artillery have killed 1,429 civilians and injured 2,641 more from the day of the coup on Feb. 1, 2021 to Jan. 31, 2024.

Over 2.6 million people had been displaced due to war by the end of 2023, according to a report from the United Nations Office of Humanitarian Affairs.

Translated by RFA Burmese. Edited by Mike Firn.

Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content February not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use.

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Statement by Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias BillstrAm

Government Offices of Sweden

19 February 2024

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has today summoned the Russian Ambassador in connection with the death of Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny.

Sweden has today also taken the initiative for the EU to investigate the possibilities for a new sanctions regime targeting the internal repression in Russia.

"The EU must take action against the political oppression in Russia. This is particularly important given the fact that on 16 February, Alexei Navalny died in Russian captivity," says Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias BillstrAm.

A sanctions regime of this kind would provide additional opportunities to take action against Russian government representatives and officials involved in human rights violations.

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In a significant move towards empowering students with valuable digital skills, ServiceNow, the digital workflow company, has entered into a, operating under the Ministry of Education. The primary objective of this collaboration is to skill over 10,000 students on the ServiceNow platform within the first year.This strategic partnership marks the initial phase of a broader initiative with the potential to impact 25,000 students over the next three years, according to a statement from the company. Nick Tzitzon, Chief Strategy and Corporate Affairs Officer at ServiceNow, emphasized that the MoU would allow AICTE-affiliated institutes throughout India to cultivate a pool of qualified talent, contributing to the upcoming wave of technological innovation in the country.The collaboration aims to provide students with access to global and centralized learning experiences, enabling them to develop skills and capabilities crucial for the future. As part of the partnership, a continuous education path will be established, granting students access to ServiceNow Administrator and Developer courses through the Now Learning platform.Professor (Dr) TG Sitharam, Chairman of AICTE, highlighted that the collaboration with ServiceNow is geared towards offering students advanced training in innovative concepts and techniques, fostering their exploration of cutting-edge technologies tailored to their needs.The partnership is anticipated to play a crucial role in creating a new economy by nurturing in-demand, skilled, and job-ready talent, with a specific focus on expediting career paths within the rapidly growing ServiceNow ecosystem. Dr Chandrasekhar Buddha, CCO & CEO of Anuvadini, AICTE, emphasized the partnership's goal of equipping students with the latest innovative thinking and technology, encouraging their engagement with new technologies that align with their evolving needs.ServiceNow's global RiseUp programme, designed to skill one million individuals with in-demand digital skills worldwide, further underscores the company's commitment to empowering individuals with the capabilities required in today's dynamic digital landscape.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs underlines to the representative of Russia the responsibility of Russia's political leadership for Alexei Navalny's death

Republic of Latvia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

19.02.2024

On 19 February 2024, the ChargA d'Affaires, a.i., of the Embassy of the Russian Federation was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in order to express to him the indignation and condemnation over the death of Alexei Navalny in prison. It was underlined to the representative of Russia that Russia's political leadership and authorities are directly responsible for persecuting Alexei Navalny and bringing him to death in prison. What happened is a politically motivated retaliation against the most prominent leader of Russia's opposition.

It was pointed out to Russia's official representative that Russia must ensure an independent and transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding Alexei Navalny's death, while officials responsible for Navalny's death must be held accountable.

Alexei Navalny was kept in prison since February 2021 after he had decided to return to Russia following his poisoning and subsequent treatment in Germany. Alexei Navalny was given several prison sentences on politically motivated charges. In detention, he was subjected to inhumane physical and psychological conditions for extended periods of time. It was an act directly targeting his political activism and publicly expressed views that differed from those of the authorities.

Alexei Navalny's systemic persecution over several years and bringing him to premature death have been aimed at stamping out civic activism so as to reduce the manifestations of alternative opinions in Russia. Many of his associates and allies were forced to leave Russia as a result of lawsuits brought or risks to their personal safety. In Russia, the persecution continues of a number of Alexei Navalny's allies who remained in the country. Latvia condemns those actions by Russia and calls for the release of all political prisoners. Russian authorities must also release the people who were detained as they attended the events in memory of Navalny. Alexei Navalny's family and supporters must be given the opportunity to mourn him with dignity.

In response to Navalny's death, Latvia supports the imposition of additional international sanctions on Russia to facilitate its further international isolation.

In addition, at the meeting the Russian representative was also notified of the common position of the Baltic States on the issue of the Russian presidential elections.

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Navalnaya Bolstered By EU Foreign Ministers' Vows Of Further Russia Sanctions

By RFE/RL's Russian Service and Current Time February 19, 2024

European Union foreign ministers in Brussels provided strong public backing to the exiled widow of Kremlin critic Aleksei Navalny, vowing additional sanctions against Moscow to hold it responsible for the death of her husband in a remote Arctic prison.

"The EU will spare no efforts to hold Russia's political leadership and authorities to account, in close coordination with our partners; and impose further costs for their actions, including through sanctions," the EU's top diplomats said in a joint statement following their meeting with Yulia Navalnaya on February 19.

Navalnaya, who has become a vocal Kremlin critic in her own right over recent years, vowed to "continue our fight for our country" as she traveled to Brussels to seek backing from the 27-member bloc, whose leaders have expressed outrage over Navalny's death in custody last week and Russian authorities' refusal to allow his mother and lawyers to see his body.

"Three days ago, Vladimir Putin killed my husband, Aleksei Navalny," Yulia Navalnaya said in a two-minute video post on X, formerly Twitter.

Navalnaya, who along with their two children lives abroad, was already in Munich for a major international security conference when reports emerged on February 16 that Navalny had died at a harsh Arctic prison known as Polar Wolf, where he was serving a 19-year sentence for alleged extremism that Navalny and Kremlin critics say was heaped atop other convictions to punish him for his anti-corruption and political activities.

"I will continue the work of Aleksei Navalny," Navalnaya said. "Continue to fight for our country. And I invite you to stand beside me."

She called for supporters to battle the Kremlin with "more fury than ever before" and said she longed to live in "a free Russia."

EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell emerged from that meeting expressing "the EU's deepest condolences" and confidence that Russian President "Vladimir Putin & his regime will be held accountable for the death of [Aleksei Navalny]."

"As [Navalnaya] said, Putin is not Russia. Russia is not Putin," Borrell said, adding that the bloc's support is assured "to Russia's civil society & independent media."

An ally of Navalny, Ivan Zhdanov, said in a post on Telegram that an investigator had stated that tests on Navalny's body will take 14 days to complete.

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis insisted earlier that the EU must "at least" sharpen sanctions against Russia following Navalny's death.

The EU has already passed 12 rounds of Russian sanctions and is working on a 13th with the two-year anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine approaching later this week, with member Germany pressing for more.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock had said Berlin would propose new sanctions on Moscow at the meeting with Navalnaya, but the outcome remained unclear.

The German Foreign Office said it was summoning the Russian ambassador over Navalny's death to "condemn this in the strongest possible terms and expressly call for the release of all those imprisoned in Russia for political reasons."

Chancellor Olaf Scholz's office called separately for clarification on the circumstances and for Russian authorities to release Navalny's body to the family.

The Kremlin -- which for years avoided mention of Navalny by name -- broke its official silence on February 19 by saying an investigation was ongoing and would be carried out according to Russian law. It said the question of when his body would be handed over was not for the Kremlin to decide.

It called Western outcry over the February 16 announcement of Navalny's death "absolutely unacceptable."

The Latvia-based Novaya Gazeta Europe said on February 18 that police were securing a local morgue in the Siberian city of Salekhard as speculation swirled around the location of the 47-year-old Navalny's body and whether it showed signs of abuse.

Navalny is the latest on a significant list of Putin foes who have ended up dead under suspicious circumstances abroad or at home, where the Kremlin has clamped down ruthlessly on dissent and free speech since the Ukraine invasion began.

Political analyst Yekaterina Shulman told Current Time that Navalny "possessed incomparable moral capital" in Russia but also well beyond its borders.

"He possessed fame -- all Russian and worldwide," Shulman said. "He had moral authority [and] he had a long political biography. These are all things that cannot be handed down to anyone and cannot be acquired quickly."

She cited Navalny's crucial credibility and "political capital" built up through years of investigations of corruption, campaigning for elections, and organizing politically.

"Perhaps this apparent political assassination will become a rallying point not for the opposition -- the opposition is people who run for office to acquire mandates [and] we are not in that situation -- but for the anti-war community...inside Russia," Shulman said.

Navalny's family and close associates have confirmed his death in prison and have demanded his body be handed over, but authorities have refused to release it pending an investigation.

Mediazona and Novaya.gazeta Europe said Navalny's body was being held at the district morgue in Salekhard, although officials reportedly told Navalny's mother otherwise after she traveled to the remote prison on February 17 and was denied access.

A former spokeswoman for Navalny, Kira Yarmysh, claimed Navalny's mother had been turned away again early on February 19.

Yarmysh tweeted that Russia's federal Investigative Committee had told his mother and lawyers that "the investigation into Navalny's death had been extended. How much longer she will go is unknown. The cause of death is still 'undetermined.'"

"They lie, stall for time, and don't even hide it," she added.

The OVD-Info human rights group website showed more than 57,000 signatories demanding that the Investigative Committee return Navalny's body to his family.

The group noted that a procedural review process could allow authorities to keep the body for at least 30 days, or longer if a criminal case was opened.

Since the announcement of his death on February 16, Russian police have cordoned off memorial sites where people were laying flowers and candles to honor Navalny, and dispersed and arrested more than 430 suspected violators in dozens of locations.

Closely watched by police, mourners on February 19 continued to leave flowers at tributes in Moscow to honor Navalny. Initial reports suggested police in the capital did not intervene in the latest actions.

The Western response has been to condemn Putin and his administration, with U.S. President Joe Biden saying there is "no doubt" that Putin is to blame for Navalny's death.

The British and U.S. ambassadors laid tributes over the weekend at the Solovetsky Stone, a monument to repression that has emerged as a site to honor Navalny.

U.S. Ambassador Lynne Tracy said she was honoring "Navalny and other victims of political repression in Russia," adding, "His strength is an inspiring example. We honor his memory."

The French ambassador also visited one of the memorials.

With reporting by Reuters

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/navalny-russia-body- tributes-arrests-putin/32825478.html

Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Briefing by Chief of Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Protection Troops of Armed Forces of Russian Federation Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov on violations of Chemical Weapons Convention by U.S. and Ukraine

19.02.2024

From 5 to 8 March 2024, the 105th session of the Executive Council of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons will be held in the Hague, the Netherlands.

This organisation was established in 1997 following the entry into force of the Chemical Weapons Convention. One of the initiators of the Convention was the Russian Federation, which signed it in 1993 and ratified it in 1997.

Russia destroyed all of its chemical weapons stockpiles in September 2017, and this was done ahead of schedule. The destruction took place under total control by the OPCW and inspectors from Western countries, primarily the U.S.

The complete elimination of chemical weapons stockpiles was officially confirmed at the 86th session of the Executive Council by the Director General of the Organisation.

According to OPCW timelines, the United States should have completed the destruction of declared chemical weapons stockpiles in 2007, but despite its economic capacity, it did so only in 2023, twice postponing the deadline on the pretext of financial, organisational, and technical difficulties.

At the same time, the destruction was supervised by limited inspection teams, which did not include experts from Russia. The United States still retains highly toxic reaction masses left over from the destruction of toxic agents at the Blue Grass (Kentucky) and Pueblo (Colorado).

Until recently, the U.S. found unaccounted for chemical munitions in their artillery arsenals on a regular basis, which they destroyed unilaterally without timely notification to the OPCW. Such cases occurred in Anniston (Alabama), Hawthorne (Nevada), and Fort Greely (Alaska). On these facts, the OPCW did not make any claims against the U.S. about violation of Article III of the Convention.

At the same time, the destruction of chemical aerial bombs undertaken by Syria prior to its accession to the Convention has still not been recognised by the Organisation and appears in the so-called 'Syrian chemical dossier'.

U.S. munitions left behind have been found in Panama and Cambodia. On Iraqi territory between 2003 and 2011, the United States identified more than 4,500 aerial bombs, artillery, and rocket chemical munitions, containing mustard gas and sarin, some of which were disposed of locally without OPCW authorisation, while others were taken to the United States, their fate remains unknown.

In addition, until 2018, the United States specified 460 metric tonnes of unspecified toxic substances in annual announcements, about 2% of the total stockpile. According to our information, these are compounds belonging to the class of amididofluorophosphates, better known to the American public as 'Novichok'.

Washington retains significant interest in the use of chemical riot control as a warfighting tool. In 2007, the U.S. adopted a military-wide charter on the use of non-lethal weapons, and in 2015, the Chiefs of Staff Committee approved 'The Guidance for Implementing the Provisions of the Chemical Weapons Convention'.

The documents define the procedure for the use of non-lethal chemical weapons by military units during special, humanitarian, counter-terrorist operations, and peacekeeping missions. While previously the U.S. spoke of using such weapons only in response to chemical aggression by an enemy, an important aspect of the new rules is the ability to use toxic chemicals unilaterally.

In 2021, after testing in Afghanistan, the U.S. Army began shipping VKC pneumatic weapons with chemical munitions loaded with capsaicin to U.S. ground forces. Ammunition is fired up to a distance of 50 metres.

The use of 120-mm mines, 155-mm artillery and 120-mm tank rounds is envisaged to engage the enemy at longer range. It is hard to imagine that such ammunition is needed to disperse demonstrations or other peaceful purposes.

The transfer of non-lethal chemical weapons to third countries (Iraq, Afghanistan, Ukraine) is further evidence of the United States' violation of the Convention. For its procurement for use in combat areas in Syria and Iraq, the U.S. Department of Defence Budget Planning Department has allocated $10 million in fiscal year 2018.

During the special military operation, cases of the use of U.S. chemical munitions by the AFU were recorded.

For example, on 28 December 2023, in Krasny Liman tactical direction, copter-type UAVs dropped U.S.-manufactured gas grenades filled with the CS substance on the positions of Russian troops. This substance is irritating to the eyes and upper respiratory tract, and in high concentrations can cause skin burns, respiratory paralysis, and cardiac arrest. The compound belongs to the class of chemical riot control agents.

Moreover, the very fact that the U.S. is supplying such munitions in a military conflict is a violation of Article I of the Convention, which obliges States Parties to: '...never under any circumstances transfer directly or indirectly chemical weapons to anyone...'.

This is not an isolated case of Ukraine's use of non-lethal chemical weapons. Hand grenades with irritant chemicals, marked Teren-6, were dropped from Ukrainian UAVs on Russian troop positions on 7 and 21 April 2023.

On 31 January 2024, an unknown toxic chemical was used on Russian troop positions, the effects of which resulted in upper respiratory burns, nausea, and vomiting. The results of the research revealed the presence of the poisonous anthraquinone substance, which has a pronounced toxic effect and causes blindness, liver, and kidney dysfunction. Anthraquinone is banned in EU countries due to its carcinogenic effect.

Earlier, on 15 June 2023, a drone with a plastic container containing a mixture of chloroacetophenone and chloropicrin was used on Russian servicemen near Rabotino (Zaporozhye region). While the former compound is classified as a chemical riot control agent, chloropicrin is listed in Schedule 3 of the CWC and is banned for use even for law enforcement purposes. Repeated use of chloropicrin-filled munitions was recorded near Rabotino on 3 and 11 August 2023.

Thus, Ukraine, with the complicity of Western countries, is not limiting itself to the use of non-lethal chemicals, actively using scheduled chemicals.

I would like to draw attention to the statement by the representatives of the AFU that they have at their disposal similar compounds, including analogues of the warfare tabun agent (GI), which is included in Schedule 1 of the Convention and was used by the Nazi invaders during the Great Patriotic War.

Cases of the use of toxic substances by the AFU have been recorded with regard to Russian servicemen.

Here are some examples.

On 19 August 2022, a toxic chemical analogue of the Convention's Schedule 2 chemical warfare Bi-Zet agent was used.

A similar substance was found on 28 January 2024 in the course of operational-search activities in a cache in Melitopol. The poisonous substance was in vials labelled 'Biosporin' in Ukrainian.

On 8 and 16 February 2023, the use of hydrocyanic acid using drones was recorded.

The AFU uses toxic compounds not only during military operations, but also to carry out terrorist acts.

Thus, on 9 August 2022, the head of the administration of Kherson region Vladimir Saldo was hospitalised with signs of poisoning. Laboratory tests revealed the presence of the substance ricin, a substance in Schedule 1 of the CWC, in the biomedical samples.

In addition, on 5 December 2023, the head of the administration of the Lugansk People's Republic Leonid Pasechnik was severely poisoned with phenolic compounds.

Other cases of poisoning of high-ranking officials are known and investigations are ongoing.

According to available information, the Kiev regime, with the assistance of Western curators, is developing new tactics for conducting combat operations using a 'special chemical belt'. It involves detonating tanks of hydrocyanic acid and ammonia as Russian troops advance. From September to October 2023, the specified chemicals were delivered to areas of Kramatorsk and Kupyansk, which are planned to be placed along motorways and at major transport interchanges.

It is expected that such tactics will significantly hamper the activity of offensive operations of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and give Kiev additional time to prepare defensive lines in Zaporozhye, Kharkov, and Sumy regions.

Plans for the large-scale use of toxic substances are evidenced by Ukraine's requests for antidotes, gas masks, and other personal protective equipment.

Pay attention to the request of the Ukrainian Permanent Mission to the EU to the military headquarters of the European Union to supply the AFU in 2024 with general military protective kits and gas masks - 283 thousand each; protective gloves and anti-chemical bags - 500 thousand each. The requested nomenclature also contains 150,000 antidote kits and 20,000 tests for the rapid detection of chemical warfare agents.

In 2023, NATO countries have already supplied Ukraine with personal protective equipment (more than 55 thousand sets), antidotes for organophosphorus poisoning agents (600 thousand ampoules), as well as preparations for detoxification of mustard gas, lewisite, and hydrocyanic acid derivatives (750 thousand vials).

Obviously, the volumes requested by Ukraine are excessive for a country that does not have chemical weapons.

I would like to note that the investigation of all these incidents was carried out in accordance with OPCW requirements, using field and stationary laboratories that make it possible to reliably identify the type of chemical compound and the country of production.

In-depth sample analysis was carried out at the The Russian Federation Defence Ministry Central Research Institute 27 of the Research Centre of the Russian NBC Protection Troops, which has held OPCW accreditation and the highest rating qualifications for the past twenty-five years.

In all of these cases, the necessary evidence base is available and has been submitted to the OPCW Technical Secretariat. Four months later, there has been no response from the Organisation to the evidence we have provided about Ukraine's violations of the Convention.

In conclusion, I would like to return to the current state of (affairs at) the OPCW.

Let me remind you that the Organisation is composed of the main bodies - the Conference of States Parties, the Executive Council, and the Technical Secretariat, which includes the Director General, the Inspectorate, scientific and technical units.

Despite the fact that the Organisation's activities presuppose equal rights of participants, in November 2023, for the first time since the signing of the Convention, the Russian Federation was essentially 'expelled' from the OPCW Executive Council. We were replaced by Ukraine, Poland and Lithuania, countries that have a clear anti-Russian policy and have never had chemical weapons. At the same time, Lithuania submitted its bid for the election three hours before the deadline.

Thus, another international platform was formed, the activity of which is fully controlled by the USA and used by them for settling political accounts with undesirable countries.

We anticipate the direction in which the work of the OPCW with regard to Russia will be organised.

It is planned that, similar to the investigation into the Syrian 'chemical military dossier', a judgement will be handed down striking down Russia's rights as a state party to the Convention, depriving it of the right to vote, as well as the ability to be elected and to hold office in the relevant bodies. In the future, materials on Russian Federation's 'alleged violations' will be sent to the UN General Assembly and Security Council, as has already been realised with regard to Syria.

I would like to inform you that all the documents at our disposal confirming the facts of violations by the United States and Ukraine of the provisions of the Chemical Weapons Convention have been submitted to the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for a procedural decision.

Department for Media Affairs and Information

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Biden Considering New Russia Sanctions After Navalny Death

By VOA News February 19, 2024

U.S. President Joe Biden said Monday he is "considering additional sanctions" against Moscow following the death of imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny.

"We already have sanctions," Biden told reporters at the White House, but the United States is looking at others. He directly blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin and his "thugs" for Navalny's death last week.

Navalny's death comes as Biden has struggled to push a $95 billion package of international security assistance for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan through Congress over the opposition of numerous Republican lawmakers.

With bipartisan support, the Democratic-controlled Senate approved the spending package, but Speaker Mike Johnson, leader of the narrow Republican majority in the House of Representatives, has balked at sending the measure to the House floor for a vote, in part because former President Donald Trump opposes the new aid.

Johnson has complained that the foreign assistance package contains no new controls to block the influx of tens of thousands of illegal migrants crossing from Mexico into the United States, although Senate Republicans, at the behest of Trump, blocked consideration of a bipartisan proposal to tighten migration restrictions.

Johnson has been demanding a meeting with Biden on the issue, and the president, who strongly favors more Ukraine aid, said Monday he would be willing to meet with the House speaker.

"Sure I'd be happy to meet with him, if he has anything to say," Biden told reporters Monday on the South Lawn of the White House.

At the same time, Biden swiped at Republican lawmakers for not continuing to fund Ukraine's two-year fight to defend itself against Russia's invasion.

"The way they're walking away from the threat of Russia. The way they're walking away from NATO. The way they're walking away from meeting our obligations ... I've never seen anything like it," Biden said.

A spokesperson for Johnson said the speaker had been trying to meet with Biden for weeks. Raj Shah welcomed Biden's "openness to meeting with Speaker Johnson about the best path forward for securing the nation," and said, "It's long overdue."

Also Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia is exploiting delays in military aid to Ukraine.

"There is now an extremely difficult situation in several parts of the front line, precisely where Russian troops have concentrated maximum reserves," he said.

"They are taking advantage of delays in aid to Ukraine, and this is a very sensitive matter," Zelenskyy said after visiting the front line near the northeastern city of Kupiansk.

His visit comes days after Russia won a victory in the Ukrainian city of Avdiivka.

The fall of the city to Russian forces has intensified U.S. reactions from Democrats and Republicans alike on whether $60 billion in military aid for Ukraine that is part of the broader assistance package could allow Kyiv to push back Russian advances and steal Moscow's momentum.

A White House statement said Biden tied the loss of the stronghold of Avdiivka to the stalled U.S. aid for Ukraine in a phone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday.

Despite the overwhelming support of the package by most Democrats and almost half the congressional Republicans, Johnson insists he won't be "rushed" into approving the foreign aid package.

In an interview with "Fox News Sunday," Democratic Senator Michael Bennet advocated for the aid saying, "just get it over there" to the House for approval.

"They've just had their first defeat, the Ukrainians, since last May, partly as a result of the fact that they are outgunned 10 to 1 by the Russians. We can help solve that problem for them, and we should," Bennet said.

But Senator J.D. Vance, an Ohio Republican and ally of Trump, said, "The problem in Ukraine ... is that there's no clear end point" and that the U.S. doesn't make enough weapons to support wars in eastern Europe, the Middle East and "potentially a contingency in East Asia."

If the package goes through, "that is not going to fundamentally change the reality on the battlefield," Vance argued, pointing out that America's manufacturing capacity has its limits.

"Can we send the level of weaponry we've sent for the last 18 months?" he asked. "We simply cannot. No matter how many checks the U.S. Congress writes, we are limited there."

In an interview with CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday, former Republican Representative Liz Cheney said Congress should pass the bipartisan bill Ukrainians need so urgently and added that Johnson has the power to make that happen.

"If he wanted to, today, announce he is going to call the House of Representatives back into session, he could put the bill that has already passed the Senate onto the floor of the House for a vote tomorrow, to be on Joe Biden's desk by tomorrow night, and the aid to be flown to Ukraine," she said.

Meanwhile on Monday, Canada said it would send 800 drones to Ukraine beginning this spring to help it defend itself against Russia.

"These drones are critical for surveillance and intelligence gathering and can also be used to transport and deliver supplies," the Department of National Defense said in a statement.

In Japan, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Monday pledged support for Ukraine's reconstruction at a conference Monday in Tokyo that brought together several hundred government and business leaders from the two countries.

"The war in Ukraine is still going on at this very moment, and the situation is not easy," Kishida said. "The promotion of economic reconstruction, however, is not only an investment for the future of Ukraine but also investing in Japan and the whole globe."

Kishida also pledged to relax visa controls and announced the Japan External Trade Organization would open an office Kyiv.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said the two countries signed more than 50 cooperation agreements, including "an intergovernmental convention on the avoidance of double taxation, which is extremely important for Japanese companies planning new projects in Ukraine."

"By combining our powers ... we can change this challenge into an opportunity for future growth and prosperity," Shmyhal said on the X social media platform. "Japan's experiences in reconstruction [from World War II] and its economic miracle provide us with inspiration."

Japan has pledged more than $10 billion in aid for Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion two years ago. Most of that aid has been financial and humanitarian.

The World Bank, European Union and United Nations estimated in a report last week that Ukraine will need $486 billion for reconstruction efforts during the next decade.

As the Ukrainian and Japanese delegations met Monday, Ukraine's air force reported new Russian aerial attacks, including four drones that Ukraine's air defenses shot down.

The Ukrainian air force said the drones were intercepted over the Kharkiv region. There were no immediate reports of any damage or casualties.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.

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Human error not to blame for loss of submariners last December: Navy

ROC Central News Agency

02/19/2024 03:48 PM

Taipei, Feb. 9 (CNA) Equipment and environmental reasons and not human error were to blame for the loss of three submariners at sea on Dec. 21, 2023, Taiwan's Navy said Monday.

In a press statement, the Navy said it would not punish any of the Hai Hu's () crew after an investigation determined that the boat's captain had made the correct decision to retrieve a safety buoy.

Three crew members -- a master chief petty officer surnamed Lin (), and two petty officers surnamed Yen () and Chang () -- are still unaccounted for after being swept from the submarine's deck by a wave during the incident.

The Navy's statement came after retired Navy Captain Wang Jyh-perng () called for the Hai Hu's captain to be punished.

In a report published by the Chinese-language United Daily News, Wang said the Hai Hu's captain had made the "wrong decision" in attempting to retrieve the safety buoy, and should therefore be held responsible for the loss of the three crew members.

However, the Navy said that the captain of the Hai Hu made the correct decision in asking his crewmen to retrieve the buoy based on the "maintenance implementation measures," which call for regular checks of the submarine's equipment.

Following an initial probe of the incident back in late December, the Navy said that sudden waves and the deforming of buckles tethering crew members to the Hai Hu's deck were likely to blame for the incident.

According to comments from Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Wu Li-ping () made on Dec. 26, at around noon on Dec. 21, while the submarine was operating under the sea, the Hai Hu's crew heard "abnormal sounds" coming from the rear part of the vessel that they eventually identified as coming from a safety buoy.

The buoy was floating outside the submarine after the wooden cover of its compartment in the vessel fell off, for reasons the Navy has yet to determine.

Fearing that the 300-meter steel cable the buoy was attached to could damage the submarine's propeller blades, the captain decided to bring the submarine to the surface and have crew members go to the ship's deck to recover the buoy, Wu said.

Four crew members, who were all wearing life jackets and were tethered to the deck by safety harnesses, were initially sent out to retrieve the buoy.

Two of those on the Hai Hu's deck were swept into the sea because the buckles connecting their harnesses to the line were deformed under the stress of the weather conditions and came loose, Wu said.

A third crew member swept off the deck was pulled from the water alive as his safety buckle was functioning properly, Wu added.

After hearing that the crew members were overboard, the ship's weapons system chief went to the submarine deck himself to rescue them. He later fell into the sea but was quickly saved, Wu said.

Later, the captain sent another six crew members, who were assigned to the sub's rescue team in case of an emergency, to the deck to rescue the crew members who had gone missing while trying to retrieve the buoy.

One of the six was also later thrown overboard due to a rogue wave and went missing, Wu said.

As of today, the three missing crew members have yet to be located despite the Navy dispatching more than 1,500 sorties of vessels and 600 plus sorties of aircraft on search and rescue missions.

(By Matt Yu and Joseph Yeh)

Enditem/ASG

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Taiwan vessel returns to Kinmen after being boarded by Chinese coast guard

ROC Central News Agency

02/19/2024 11:12 PM

Taipei, Feb. 19 (CNA) A Taiwanese cruise ship was escorted back to Kinmen Monday after being boarded and inspected by Chinese coast guard personnel, according to the Coast Guard Administration (CGA).

The sightseeing vessel "King Xia" which had 11 crew members and 23 passengers was 2.8 nautical miles northwest of Kinmen's Wushajiao when it was intercepted by two Chinese coast guard boats at around 4:47 p.m., the CGA said in a news release.

Six Chinese officers boarded the Taiwanese vessel and proceeded to inspect the boat asking to see the documents of crew members, it said, adding that the Chinese personnel then returned to their boats and left the King Xia at 5:19 p.m.

The PP-10039 coastguard patrol boat was dispatched to the scene when the Chinese coast guard boats were spotted on radar, the CGA said.

The vessel reached the King Xia at 5:33 p.m. and escorted it back to Shuitou Port from where it departed earlier in the afternoon for a tour around Kinmen waters, the Taiwanese coast guard said.

According to the CGA, the King Xia apparently veered slightly off course at the time due to the multiple shoals near Wushajiao.

The coast guard said in the past there have been many incidents in which Chinese tourist vessels entered Taiwan-held waters near Kinmen by mistake but it did not board them because it was clearly not deliberate and instead just issued warnings.

Meanwhile, the CGA called on China to uphold peace and rationality and jointly maintain tranquility in the waters around Xiamen and Kinmen. At the same time, it also reminded Taiwanese operators to avoid going near Chinese waters when engaging in maritime-related activities.

In a separate statement on Monday, the Maritime and Port Bureau said the move undertaken by China was inconsistent with international norms.

The bureau also said that if Taiwanese vessels encounter such incidents in the future, they should refuse Chinese requests to board and immediately notify the CGA for assistance.

China has deployed coast guard vessels in waters off the coast of the Taiwan-held Kinmen Islands after a speedboat from nearby Fujian province capsized off the eastern coast of Kinmen on Feb. 14 as it was being chased by Taiwanese authorities, resulting in the deaths of two of the four people on board.

(By Tsai Meng-yu, Yu Hsiao-han and Ko Lin)

Enditem/AW

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After incident, Chinese boats patrol waters near Taiwan-held Kinmen

ROC Central News Agency

02/19/2024 05:24 PM

Taipei, Feb. 19 (CNA) Several Chinese coastal patrol boats were operating Monday morning in waters off the coast of the Taiwan-held Kinmen Islands, according to ship tracking information posted on the China Ports website.

The vessels belonging to the China Coast Guard (CCG) were shown on the Chinese website to be navigating in waters to the east, southeast and south of the main island of Kinmen, with the smallest one 15 meters long and the largest 92 meters long.

At 11:15 a.m., there were four ships on duty, ranging from 24 to 92 meters long.

China's deployment of the Coast Guard vessels came after a speedboat from nearby Fujian province capsized off the eastern coast of Kinmen on Feb. 14 as it was being chased by Taiwanese authorities, resulting in the deaths of two of the four people on board.

Taiwan's Coast Guard went after the speedboat because it had entered what Taiwan delineated as "prohibited" and "restricted" waters around Kinmen and refused to be boarded by Taiwanese authorities.



CNA graphic showing the locations of four Chinese Coast Guard vessels (red arrows) near Kinmen as of 11:15 a.m. Monday. Sources: Mainland Affairs Council, Ministry of National Defense, Chinaports Shiptracker CNA graphic showing the locations of four Chinese Coast Guard vessels (red arrows) near Kinmen as of 11:15 a.m. Monday. Sources: Mainland Affairs Council, Ministry of National Defense, Chinaports Shiptracker

In the wake of the fatal incident, CCG spokesperson Gan Yu (cc) said Sunday that the Fujian Coast Guard Bureau would enhance maritime law enforcement and carry out routine patrols in waters in the vicinity of Xiamen and Kinmen.

The main island of Kinmen lies just off the Chinese coast, less than 10 kilometers to the south of Xiamen.

Gan said the move was being made to "safeguard order in the pertinent maritime regions and guarantee the safety of fishing crews' lives and property."

In a separate statement released Sunday, the Taiwan Affairs Office of China's State Council expressed support for the CCG operation.

On Saturday, the Taiwan Affairs Office said "fishermen on both sides of the Taiwan Strait have been operating in traditional fishing areas around Xiamen and Kinmen since ancient times," and it rejected the existence of "prohibited" or "restricted" waters as defined by Taiwan.

It also urged Taiwan to release the speedboat and two surviving passengers who were taken into custody.

The Mainland Affairs Council, Taiwan's top government agency in charge of cross-Taiwan Strait affairs, said Sunday that under Taiwanese law, Taiwan has the right to expel or detain vessels that trespass into its "restricted" or "prohibited" waters.

"This has been the case in the past, now and authorities will continue to enforce the law in the future," it said in a statement.

(By Tang Pei-chun and Evelyn Kao)

Enditem/ls

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Taiwan and China's dispute over the waters around Kinmen

ROC Central News Agency

02/19/2024 02:15 PM

Taipei, Feb. 19 (CNA) On Feb. 14, Taiwan's Coast Guard responded after a Chinese speedboat trespassed within 1.1 nautical miles of the eastern coast of the Island of Kinmen, setting off a chase in which the Chinese boat capsized, causing the deaths of two of the four men on board.

In the days since the incident, Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) has argued that the Coast Guard was acting legally to chase off a boat within Kinmen's "prohibited or restricted waters."

China, meanwhile, strongly condemned Taiwan for the men's deaths. It has also contested the concept of "prohibited or restricted areas," arguing that fishermen from both sides of the Taiwan Strait have traditionally operated in the waters around Xiamen and Kinmen, which are separated by a distance of less than 10 kilometers.

When were the "prohibited waters" () and "restricted waters" () around Kinmen established?

The boundaries were set by Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense in 1992.

Although Beijing does not recognize Taiwan's territorial claims (since it claims Taiwan as its own territory), the MAC argues that China has tacitly abided by the boundaries, such that denying them now constitutes a changing of the status quo.

What do the terms "prohibited waters" and "restricted waters" mean?

According to Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration, the term "prohibited waters" refers to territorial waters, which extend 12 nautical miles around Taiwan proper, and varying distances around Taiwan's outlying islands.

"Restricted waters" refers to a contiguous zone, which states use to bolster their law enforcement capacity in the area just outside their territorial seas. This contiguous zone extends 24 nautical miles around Taiwan proper, and varying distances around Taiwan's outlying islands.

Taiwan authorizes its Coast Guard to search and seize foreign vessels entering the country's prohibited waters.

Under existing protocols, the Coast Guard is authorized to search and seize foreign boats that continue to operate in Taiwan's restricted waters after being warned twice to leave the area.

Where are the current boundaries around Kinmen?

At present, the prohibited zone around the main islands of Kinmen and Little Kinmen extends about halfway to the Chinese coast to the north and northeast, up to about 4 kilometers to the east, and about 8 kilometers to the south.

By contrast, in the Taiwan-controlled Matsu Islands -- which are slightly farther off China's coast than Kinmen -- the prohibited and restricted zones extend 4 km and 6 km, respectively, around the archipelago.

What are the recent developments in the dispute?

On Sunday, China's coast guard said it planned to step up its patrols around the Kinmen Islands to strengthen its maritime law enforcement. As of Monday morning, ship tracking information on the China Ports website showed four Chinese coast guard vessels operating in waters just outside the prohibited zone to the northeast, east and south of Kinmen.



CNA graphic showing the locations of four Chinese Coast Guard vessels (red arrows) near Kinmen as of 11:15 a.m. Monday. Sources: Mainland Affairs Council, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense, Chinaports Shiptracker CNA graphic showing the locations of four Chinese Coast Guard vessels (red arrows) near Kinmen as of 11:15 a.m. Monday. Sources: Mainland Affairs Council, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense, Chinaports Shiptracker

What has the reaction been in Taiwan?

The MAC claims the Feb. 14 incident happened amid an ongoing influx of Chinese boats, often without names or registry information, in Taiwanese waters, which refuse to comply with Taiwanese authorities and engage in dangerous maneuvers to evade them.

Some Taiwanese analysts have speculated that the trespassing ships -- mainly fishing vessels and sand dredgers -- are being used as a "grey zone" tactic to erode Taiwan's claims on waters around Kinmen and Matsu.

Meanwhile, Kuomintang lawmaker Jessica Chen (), who represents Kinmen, has called on the central government to authorize the local governments in Kinmen and Matsu to engage in direct negotiations with China on economic issues, such as fishing rights, to avoid misunderstandings.

(By Matthew Mazzetta)

Enditem/ASG

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Taiwan authorities urged to facilitate management after tragic deaths of two fishermen from mainland fishing boat

Global Times

By Global Times Published: Feb 19, 2024 09:09 PM

Quanzhou city's Red Cross Society in East China's Fujian Province will send representatives to accompany affected families to Kinmen in Taiwan island to manage the aftermath after the violent chasing by the Taiwan side of a mainland fishing boat resulted in the tragic deaths of two fishermen, the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council said on Monday.

Two fishermen from the Chinese mainland were killed after a fishing boat from the southeastern Fujian Province was chased on February 14 by Taiwan authorities in the waters near Kinmen, a group of islets in the Taiwan Straits. Four people on board fell into the water and two of them died.

Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said on Monday that authorities in East China's Fujian Province, as well as in Quanzhou city, Fujian, have been communicating with the affected families of the crew members.

It has been decided that representatives from the Red Cross Society in Quanzhou city, alongside other relevant departments, will accompany the families to Kinmen on February 20 to facilitate the return of the two surviving crew members and manage the aftermath, Zhu said.

Zhu stressed that the relevant authorities in Taiwan should facilitate and make arrangements for the crew members' families and related individuals traveling to Kinmen, attentively addressing their legitimate concerns. They should cooperate in managing the aftermath and prevent further harm to the feelings of compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits.

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China lures Palau with economic incentives to break ties with Taiwan

Pacific island nations seen crucial to break through the U.S.'s blockade against Beijing.

By Ray Chung for RFA Cantonese 2024.02.19 -- China has promised Palau economic benefits in exchange for the latter severing diplomatic ties with Taiwan, a letter the Palauan president wrote to an unnamed United States senator revealed.

President Surangel Whipps Jr. wrote to the senator that China had offered "to 'fill every hotel room' in our tourism-based private sector - 'and more if more are built,'" and pay US$20 million a year for a call center.

The letter asked for Congress' approval for funds for economic assistance packages pledged to Palau, which alongside Micronesia and the Marshall Islands, come under the Compacts of Free Association with the U.S.

COFA gives the U.S. military access to these allies' vast maritime territory in the Pacific. The nations provide the U.S. strategic control of the sea and air between Hawaii and Asia, an area wider than continental United States, Whipps wrote.

The longer the delay to approving the amendment to the national security supplemental appropriations bill, Whipps warned, the more it "plays into the hands of the Chinese Communist Party" and business leaders in Palau who want to accept the economic benefits, "at the cost of shifting alliances, beginning with sacrificing Taiwan."

Whipps' letter was uploaded in a post on X Thursday by Cleo Paskal, a researcher at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, an American think tank. The letter ended by calling the legislation "critical for both of our democracies and a free and open Indo-Pacific."

Experts pointed out that China's monetary diplomacy strategy focuses on poaching Taiwan's allies,while its diplomatic offensive against Palau aims to break the U.S.'s containment of China's defense lines, allowing its fleet to cross the second island chain and reach the U.S.'s rear at any time.

Out of new tricks

In her response to the press on Friday, Rosalia Wu, secretary-general of the Democratic Progressive Party's Legislative Yuan Caucus, said Palau and Taiwan have a firm friendship and China's "money diplomacy" may not be effective.

"Of course this is commonplace, and it is nothing new. China can't come up with any more attractive new tricks. But within China's internal affairs and domestic economy, we see many Chinese people are suffering, while China continues to spend huge sums of money to buy diplomacy."

Wu added that China may have offered favorable incentives to win diplomatic ties but there are many cases of Beijing being unable to realize these promises. Honduras which shifted towards establishing ties with China, is a case in point, Wu cited.

"Honduras has lost more than 10,000 job opportunities and nearly US$15 million in foreign exchange. China has bragged about procuring their white shrimps in bulk but that was a check that didn't cash out."

Breaking U.S. blockade

Chen Li-fu, president of the Taiwan Association of University Professors, said in an interview with Radio Free Asia that China's short-term goal is to break Taiwan's ties with Palau. In the long term, it is to use these Pacific island countries as a springboard to break through the U.S.'s blockade against Beijing.

"Because the first island chain of the U.S. is Japan, Taiwan, and the Philippines; the second island chain is in Guam, and the third island chain is in Hawaii," Chen said.

"If it [China] goes to the South Pacific countries, it will directly cross Guam, which is equivalent to reaching the rear of the U.S. If the U.S. wants to encircle China on the first island chain, and the second island chain is the rear, the Chinese fleet can move to the rear of Guam in a legal way, through reconciliation or visit, which is effective."

Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Jeff Liu said Taiwan empathizes with Palau's plight of China's economic coercion, and the island will continue to provide assistance.

Translated by RFA staff. Edited by Mike Firn and Taejun Kang.

Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content February not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use.

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SPRING CREEK  Occupying a circle of chairs inside the auditorium of Christ Community Church in Spring Creek, elementary-aged children raised their voices in excitement as they acted like pirates.

The Starlight Productions childrens community theater group is rehearsing their production of Treasure Island. The play, based on the Robert Louis Stevenson novel, will come to the Elko High School Performing Arts Center on March 8 at 6 p.m. and March 9 at 10:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Tickets are $10 apiece, with groups of four tickets discounted at $35.

The theater group is a volunteer-led nonprofit, powered by involvement from Elko county parents.

Director Carrie Snyder said her community theater journey began when she moved to Elko in 2022. My daughter and my son were in elementary and the Missoula Theatre Company came to do The Little Mermaid, she said.

If youre not familiar with it, theres a week we get together and practice each day and then at the end of the week, they perform and afterwards my kids were like, Oh, my gosh, mom, like we want to do this again. And so I went to look to see what was available. No, there wasnt anything available. And I was like, all right, Ill start something.

Also, Snyder said another goal for the show is to provide children with wholesome activities and expose them to classic literature. Treasure Island is a story of substance, she said.

According to Snyder, short attention spans are the main challenge of working with young actors. Snyder solved this problem by placing games in the middle of rehearsals, making the process of practicing lines rewarding. The group even enjoyed a pizza party rehearsal on Feb. 15.

Snyder said she hopes to fill the Performing Arts Center auditorium. These kids have been working so hard, she noted.
Cross-Strait tensions at risk of rising after Kinmen incident

China and Taiwan pledge to continue law enforcement in the waters between Kinmen island and the Chinese mainland.

By RFA Staff 2024.02.19 -- Both Taipei and Beijing have said they will "enforce the law" in the waters between Kinmen island and China's mainland after last week's incident that resulted in the deaths of two Chinese men.

Taiwan authorities said on Feb. 14, a Chinese speedboat "trespassed" within 1.1 nautical miles of the eastern coast of the island of Kinmen. The Taiwanese coast guard deployed vessels to expel the boat "in accordance with the law."

The Chinese crew "refused to be inspected" and their boat capsized, according to a press release from Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) - the agency in charge of cross-Strait issues. Four people on board fell into the sea, two of them died.

Kinmen is an outlying archipelago less than 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) from China's Fujian province but more than 180 kilometers (112 miles) from Taiwan's mainland. The island and Fujian's city of Xiamen are separated by Xiamen Bay.

China Coast Guard spokesperson Gan Yu said on Sunday that China has launched regular law enforcement patrols in the area as part of efforts "to protect fishermen's lives and property."

The Fujian branch of the coast guard will "strengthen maritime law enforcement in the relevant waters," Gan said in a statement.

Before that, a spokesperson for China's Taiwan Affairs Office Zhu Fenglian condemned the incident which, she said, sparked widespread outrage on the mainland, and severely hurt the feelings of compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

'Both sides are nervous'

In response to Gan Yu's announcement, Taipei's MAC said on Sunday that law enforcement activities by the Taiwanese coast guard "will continue."

"According to cross-Strait regulations, mainland ships are not allowed to enter Taiwan's restricted and prohibited waters without permission," it said in a statement, "In order to safeguard the rights and interests of fishermen, our competent authorities will expel or detain cross-border vessels in accordance with the law."

The latest developments show that "both sides are nervous," said a Kinmen resident, military historian Timothy Tsai.

"I'm not a fisherman, so I don't worry much at the moment yet," said Tsai, who heads a local military history group.

"But if the tension between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait is escalating further then it will definitely be a concern for everyone."

In recent months Kinmen has seen frequent flyovers by Chinese drones, and many believe it could be the first target of a Chinese invasion in the future.

However, Su Tzu-yun, a senior analyst at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research in Taipei, said that in his opinion "this incident will not escalate into a military conflict."

"However, it is important to note that China's systematic approach, through the proximity of merchant ships close to Taiwan's home island waters and the harassment of fishing boats, indicates that China can still exert pressure on Taiwan," Su told RFA.

"But Taiwan should not respond alone," the military analyst said, "Chinese fishing boats have clashed with Korea in the Yellow Sea, with Japan's Coast Guard in the East China Sea, and with the Philippine Coast Guard in the South China Sea."

"Even in South America, Chinese fishing vessels have clashed with fishermen and sea captains from various countries," he noted.

"The international community should collectively protest against Beijing's threat to global fishery resources."

Edited by Mike Firn and Elaine Chan.

Updated to add video and comments from analyst.

Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content February not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use.

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PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan Feb. 19, 2024

ROC Ministry of National Defense

2024/02/19

PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan

1.Dateis

6 to 6 a.m. (UTC+8) Sunday to Monday , Feb. 18-19

2. PLA activitiesis

7 PLA aircraft and 7 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 1 of the aircraft entered Taiwan's southwestern ADIZ. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and employed CAP aircraft, Navy vessels, and coastal missile systems in response to the detected activities.



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Analysts: China Challenges Taiwan's Sovereignty Through Gray Zone Operations

By William Yang February 19, 2024

China has ramped up efforts to challenge the longstanding status quo across the Taiwan Strait in recent weeks, with Beijing altering a flight path near the median line of the Taiwan Strait and announcing the plan to increase regular patrol in waters near Taiwan's Kinmen island.

Some analysts say the series of moves are part of Beijing's attempt to erode Taiwan's ability to maintain control over waters near islands like Kinmen and Matsu, which are just a few kilometers from the Chinese mainland, and increase pressure on the incoming administration under the ruling Democratic Progressive Party.

"These moves are efforts to erode Taiwan's ability to administer places like the waters around [the offshore islands] and the west side of the median line of the Taiwan Strait," Ian Chong, a political scientist at the National University of Singapore, told VOA by phone.

He said the latest development is a departure from Beijing's past behavior. "From the second Taiwan Strait Crisis on, Beijing never tried to challenge Taipei's control over Kinmen and Matsu, since leaders on both sides of the Taiwan Strait at the time thought these offshore islands acted as a connection between Taiwan and the Chinese mainland," Chong said.

After two Chinese fishermen drowned in a chasing episode with the Taiwanese Coast Guard last week, the Chinese Coast Guard announced on Feb. 18 that its Fujian division would increase patrols in the coastal city of Xiamen, which is just a few kilometers away from the Taiwanese island of Kinmen.

The Chinese Communist Party's Taiwan Affairs Office, which is in charge of cross-strait relations, expressed its support for the Chinese Coast Guard's announcement, calling the move essential for "upholding order in the relevant waters and ensuring the safety of" Chinese fishermen's lives and property.

In addition to increasing patrols in waters near Xiamen and Kinmen, the Taiwan Affairs Office also claimed on Saturday that there were no restricted areas for fishing near Kinmen Island, refuting the Taiwanese government's insistence that it reserves the right to take defensive actions against any Chinese vessel entering "prohibited" waters controlled by Taipei.

Some experts say China's plan to increase the frequency of coast guard patrol in waters near Taiwan's offshore islands could further strain cross-strait relations and disrupt Taiwanese fishing vessels' activities in the region.

"In the past, authorities in Taipei and Beijing could use an existing coordinating mechanism to safeguard the environment in the Taiwan Strait, but the Chinese government's attempt to hype up the deaths of the two Chinese fishermen may further strain cross-strait relations," Su Tzu-yun, a military analyst at the Taipei-based Institute for National Defense and Security Research, told VOA by phone.

He said Beijing's attempt to step up patrols in waters near Kinmen could increase disruption to Taiwanese fishing vessels' operation in the region. "If the Chinese Coast Guard increases their activities near Taiwan's offshore islands, Taiwanese fishing vessels could encounter arbitrary search requested by the Chinese Coast Guard or they may be forced to change route," Su added.

China's decision to change a flight path west of the median line of the Taiwan Strait, which acts as an unofficial demarcation between Taipei and Beijing, also has triggered angry responses from the Taiwanese government, which characterized the move as an attempt to change status quo across the Taiwan Strait.

Su in Taiwan said China's sudden change of the flight route is part of its campaign to turn the Taiwan Strait into a domestic waterway as well as part of the ongoing attempt to weaken Taiwan's sovereignty. "It's clear that the Chinese government's move to activate the flight route closer to the median line of the Taiwan Strait is an attempt to erode Taiwan's sovereignty in the strait," he told VOA.

In his view, the latest wave of gray zone operations initiated by Beijing will heighten tension in the region and increase other countries' concerns about China's aggressive posture. Gray-zone operations involve using irregular tactics without resorting to open combat.

"Since China's attempt to unilaterally challenge the regional status quo is usually unpredictable, it will likely increase tension in the region," he said, adding that Beijing's attempt may force regional countries to join forces and push back against the Chinese government.

With around three months until Taiwan's new administration comes into power, Chong in Singapore said he expects Beijing to initiate more gray zone activities around Taiwan to keep up the pressure on the incoming government.

"Beijing's approach has been to put more pressure on [Taiwan's president-elect] Lai Ching-te and his incoming administration to see whether they'll slip up or make a new mistake," he told VOA, adding that the latest development is part of the Chinese government's planned process. "We're probably looking into the next year where Beijing will continually try to test Taipei."

As pressure from Beijing is likely to persist, some analysts say Taiwan needs to ensure its military and naval vessels maintain a certain level of deployment readiness while trying to prevent tension from escalating to an uncontrollable level.

"Taiwan needs to be prepared for the worst-case scenario and ensure some of its vessels can be deployed when necessary," Lin Ying-yu, a military expert at Tamkang University in Taiwan told VOA by phone.

"Taiwan also needs to be prepared for the possibility of resuming some dialogue or interaction with China over issues such as maritime law enforcement," he added.

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The UK calls for calm dialogue to de-escalate the situation in Somalia: UK statement at the UN Security Council

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the UN Security Council meeting on Somalia.

19 February 2024

Thank you President, I thank SRSG Liang and Special Representative Souef for their briefing and I pay tribute to the work of their teams in Somalia. I also welcome the participation of the Permanent Representative of Somalia at our meeting.

President let me first address the Ethiopia-Somaliland Memorandum of Understanding. As we have said previously, the United Kingdom reaffirms its support for Somalia's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The UK is a close friend and longstanding partner to both Somalia and Ethiopia, and we are continuing to engage with both governments directly.

The UK calls for calm dialogue to de-escalate the situation and expresses its support for mediation efforts, including the work of IGAD and the AU.

Turning to the situation in Somalia more broadly, the UK notes that the Somali Parliament has begun to debate constitutional amendments outlined in previous National Consultative Council agreements, and urges the Federal Government to pursue a consultative and consensus-building approach to ensure this process has broad-based support among Somalis.

President, this year represents a milestone in Somalia's security transition. After 15 years of truly courageous service the current AU and UN missions are due to leave at the end of the year.

We look forward to receiving an update from Somalia next month on its requirements into 2025 and beyond, and we encourage the UN and AU to work together closely on next steps ahead of the mandate renewal in June.

We recognise the funding problems AMISOM and ATMIS have faced. As we have said many times, the UK has tried to play its part in solving them.

But we are approaching a critical juncture. Somalia, the AU, UN and partners have invested so much to get to where we are today.

We do not want this progress to go to waste. So, we encourage all Somalia's partners to continue to support Somalia throughout its security transition and to think about creative ways to maintain support post-ATMIS and UNSOS. If we do not, it will be Al-Shabaab who benefit.

Finally, President, Somalia's changing security landscape presents significant humanitarian risks alongside an already severe and protracted humanitarian crisis.

It is therefore deeply concerning that the Humanitarian Response Plan remains significantly underfunded.

The UK urges donors to contribute to the plan, to address the urgent unmet need in Somalia.

Any alteration or decision on Somalia's security must not compromise protection of civilian and humanitarian access.

I thank you.

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February 17, 2024

By Joseph Clark , DOD News

Harris Underscores Commitment to Continue Supporting Ukraine

Vice President Kamala Harris underscored the United States' commitment to continue supporting Ukraine after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy today.

The two leaders met during the Munich Security Conference in Germany as Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine nears the two-year mark.

"It is thanks to the skill and bravery of the people of Ukraine and the support of the 50-nation coalition the United States has led, Kyiv stands free and strong," Harris said.

The vice president noted Ukraine's success over the course of the war against "an adversary with an economy 10 times larger than Ukraine, a population three times larger, and a military that once ranked as the second best in the world."

"Because of our collective strength, this war has been an utter failure for [Russian President Vladimir] Putin," Harris said.

"The stakes of your fight remain high for your country and for the entire world," she said, addressing Zelenskyy during a joint press conference in Munich. "It is in the strategic interest of the United States to continue our support. International rules and norms are on the line, including the fundamental principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity."

The meeting of the two leaders comes amid continuing negotiations on Capitol Hill over President Joe Biden's request to Congress to continue critical funding for military and humanitarian aid for Ukraine.

Earlier this week, the Senate approved a supplemental funding measure which would include additional funds for Ukraine security assistance in addition to providing urgent support for Israel following the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas terrorists along with humanitarian support for Palestinian civilians in Gaza.

The measure also provides additional resources for U.S. Central Command to deter attacks by Iranian-backed militia groups and protect vessels operating in the Red Sea from attacks by Houthi rebels. It would also provide critical funds needed to bolster U.S. deterrence in the Indo-Pacific.

The measure has yet to pass in the House, which is now in recess until February 28.

Defense officials have warned of a grim future for Ukraine if the funding is not approved.

The official noted that with a gap in funding from the U.S., it puts Ukraine at risk of running short of ammunition and critical supplies on the front lines and also jeopardizes adequate air defense interceptors to defend its cities and critical infrastructure from Russian missile barrages.

"If Ukraine fails because we fail to provide them with security assistance, the costs are high for Europe, for the United States, and for the world a higher than the cost of security assistance today," a defense official said yesterday in a briefing with the meeting following the latest meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group.

In Munich, Harris noted the bi-partisan support among members of Congress to continue supporting Ukraine.

"As we move forward, President Biden and I will continue to work to secure the resources and weapons that you need to succeed," she said. "We will also continue to support your efforts to secure a just and lasting peace. We will work to make sure Russia pays damages to Ukraine. Ultimately, we want to see Ukraine emerge from this war as a nation that is free, democratic and independent.

"President Zelenskyy, as President Joe Biden and I have made clear, we will be with you for as long as it takes," Harris said.

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The President has been informed about the capture of Avdeyevka

February 17, 2024

23:05

The Kremlin, Moscow

Vladimir Putin heard a report from Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu about the capture of Avdeyevka. The President congratulated Russian military personnel on this success and an important victory.

On February 17, the Centre force grouping of the Russian Federation Armed Forces, under the command of Colonel General Andrei Mordvichev, gained complete control over the town of Avdeyevka in the Donetsk People's Republic.

The President of Russia sent greetings to Colonel General Andrei Mordvichev. The message reads, in part:

"Today, the Centre force grouping continued its offensive and gained complete control over the town of Avdeyevka in the Donetsk People's Republic.

The following military units distinguished themselves during the battle for Avdeyevka: the 30th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade of the 2nd Army; the 35th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade, the 55th Separate Mountain Motor Rifle Brigade; the 74th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade of the 41st Army; the 1st Separate Motor Rifle Brigade, the 9th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade, the 114th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade, the 1454th Motor Rifle Regiment, the 10th Tank Regiment of the 1st Army Corps; the 6th Tank Regiment, the 80th Tank Regiment, and the 239th Tank Regiment of the 90th Tank Division and the Veterans Volunteer Brigade.

I offer my gratitude to all troops under your command who fought for Avdeyevka.

Eternal glory to the heroes killed in action while accomplishing the objectives of the special military operation."

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Defence Minister Bill Blair announces Canadian donation of over 800 drones to Ukraine

National Defence

News release

February 19, 2024 - Toronto, Ontario - National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces

Today, the Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence, announced that Canada will donate more than 800 SkyRanger R70 multi-mission Unmanned Aerial Systems to Ukraine.

These drones, valued at over $95 million, will help Ukraine as it fights bravely to defend itself amongst Russia's illegal and unjustifiable full-scale invasion. Minister Blair was joined for this announcement by James Maloney, Member of Parliament for Etobicoke-Lakeshore; Yvan Baker, Member of Parliament for Etobicoke Centre; representatives of Teledyne; and Ukrainian-Canadian community leaders.

The more than 800 drones, sourced from Teledyne FLIR in Waterloo, Ontario, have automated and autonomous navigation systems, enabling them to carry various camera systems and payloads to detect and identify targets. These capabilities will help Ukrainian operators to recognize individuals, vehicles and any heat source from a long distance, especially in dark conditions and poor weather. This multi-rotor drone is one of the best of its kind in the world, and can handle a variety of payloads up to 3.5 kilograms, including munitions.

These drones are critical for surveillance and intelligence gathering, and can also be used to transport and deliver supplies. Canada is working with Ukraine on a training plan and delivery schedule, with delivery expected to begin this spring.

As the second anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine approaches, these drones will address some of Ukraine's most urgent defensive needs. Drones have emerged as a critical capability in Ukraine's fight against Russian aggression. With these drones, Ukrainian troops will be able to gather more situational awareness and information, so that they can assess targets more quickly, and more accurately.

This donation is funded by the $500 million in military assistance for Ukraine announced by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during his visit to Kyiv in June 2023. This donation will complement the over 100 high-resolution drone cameras sourced from L3 Wescam that Canada previously donated to Ukraine.

Today's donation is part of Canada's comprehensive military assistance to Ukraine. Since February 2022, Canada has committed over $2.4 billion in military assistance to Ukraine. This includes Leopard 2 main battle tanks, armoured combat support vehicles, anti-tank weapons, small arms, M777 howitzers and associated ammunition, high-resolution drone cameras, winter clothing, and more.

The donation also follows last week's 19th Meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, where Minister Blair announced that Canada will make a new contribution of $60 million to the UDCG Air Force Capability Coalition. This donation will support the setup of a sustainable F-16 fighter aircraft capability in Ukraine. Specifically, the funds will help source vitally needed F-16 supplies and equipment such as spare parts, weapons stations, avionics, and ammunition. Canada is also contributing to multinational efforts to train Ukrainian pilots.

At last week's meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, NATO Defence Ministerial, and Munich Security Conference, Minister Blair pledged that Canada will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes - and reaffirmed this commitment today.

Quotes

"As we approach the second anniversary of Russia's illegal invasion, Canada stands firmly with Ukraine in defence of freedom and democracy. In coordination with our allies and partners, we will continue to provide Ukraine with the military aid that it needs to fight and win this war. Today's announcement ensures that Ukraine has the drones it needs to detect and identify targets which are critical to Ukraine's ongoing fight. Canada will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes." The Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence

"As the Member of Parliament for Waterloo, I'm pleased to see Teledyne, a Waterloo founded company, developing, engineering, and manufacturing technologies that will provide much needed aid to Ukraine. Canadians, in a strong majority, refuse the premise of Putin's illegal war on Ukraine and agree that Canada must do all that we can to stand with Ukrainians. This is yet another example of how Canada is supporting vital efforts." The Honourable Bardish Chagger, Member of Parliament for Waterloo

"For many Canadians, and especially those of Ukrainian heritage, it's important now more than ever that Ukraine has the support it needs to fight the war. I'm proud to host Minister Blair in my community of Etobicoke-Lakeshore, to announce that we will be providing Ukraine with the drones they need to protect their troops and their country." James Maloney, Member of Parliament for Etobicoke-Lakeshore

"Ukraine's victory is vital to Canada's security, so a Ukrainian victory is the only option for Canada. Ukrainians needs our help to fight against Russia's brutal invasion and to achieve that victory. The military aid we are announcing today is going to help them do exactly that. We must stand with the Ukrainian people until they win - until we all win." Yvan Baker, Member of Parliament for Etobicoke Centre

"We are proud to support Canada's Department of National Defence with our combat-proven, multi-mission SkyRanger R70 drone platform. This donation by Canada extends the array of military solutions Teledyne FLIR Defense is providing to Ukraine through governments worldwide." Anne Bulik, Vice-President of Unmanned Systems North America for Teledyne FLIR

Quick facts

Since February 2022, Canada has committed over $9.7 billion in total assistance to Ukraine, including $2.4 billion in donations of military aid. Canada continues to actively look at what more can be done to support Ukraine. Minister Blair remains in close contact with Ukrainian officials through the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, and on a bilateral basis.

Since the launch of Operation UNIFIER, the Canadian Armed Forces' (CAF) mission for military training and capacity building in support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU), Canada has trained more than 40,000 members of the AFU. Canada has extended this mission until March 2026, providing significant capacity for the CAF to respond to Ukraine's urgent training needs.

More than 300 CAF members are deployed on Operation UNIFIER in various roles, such as the provision and coordination of training, national command support, and the facilitation and delivery of military donations in coordination with Allies and partners.

Since 2022, Canada has three CC-130J Hercules tactical airlift aircraft, alongside a detachment of approximately 60 CAF personnel, conducting operations from a hub based out of Prestwick, Scotland. The detachment has delivered over 15 million pounds of aid to Ukraine, from Canada and from our Allies and partners.

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Russia-Ukraine international armed conflict: 23,000 people reported missing

ICRC - International Committee of the Red Cross

Geneva (ICRC) -- The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is seeking to clarify the fate of 23,000 persons whose families have no news of them, either because they have been captured, killed, or because they lost contact after fleeing their homes. The pain of family separation comes on top of indescribable loss and suffering. Two years after the escalation of the armed conflict, humanitarian needs are rising, including for millions of people displaced, both within and beyond the borders of the two countries.

News release

19 February 2024

Ukraine

Russia

"Not knowing what happened to a loved one is excruciating, and this is the tragic reality for tens of thousands of families who live in a state of constant anguish. Families have the right to know what happened to their relatives and, when possible, to exchange news with them," said Dusan Vujasanin, the head of the ICRC's Central Tracing Agency Bureau (CTA-B) for the international armed conflict between the Russian Federation and Ukraine.

By the end of January 2024, the ICRC, in collaboration with Red Cross and Red Crescent national societies in Ukraine, Russia and elsewhere, had helped 8,000 families receive information on the fate or whereabouts of their missing loved one. Over the last two years, the ICRC has received more than 115,000 phone calls, online requests, letters or in-person visits from families from both Russia and Ukraine looking for their missing relatives.

"We've helped thousands of separated relatives communicate with or learn more about the fate of a loved one, but so many remain without news. We're working every day to help more families," Mr Vujasanin said.

What families have told us: "The next time you see my husband, please, tell him that yesterday our baby was born. We both feel good and are waiting for him."

"I am so happy to hear that my son is alive. I didn't hear anything for about two months. I felt dead during this time."

"I have no more tears, only pain, my heart is breaking into pieces."

Established in March 2022, the CTA-B works with the parties to the conflict to prevent disappearances and support families searching for their relatives on both sides of the frontline.

In accordance with the Geneva Conventions, both Russia and Ukraine authorities have set up National Information Bureaus (NIBs)inchargeofcollecting, centralizing and transmitting information on protected persons (such as prisoners of war or civilian internees) in their hands.

Acting as a neutral intermediary between Russia and Ukraine, the CTA-B collects, centralizes, safeguards, and transmits, from one side to the other, this information. The Geneva Conventions foresee that the parties inform the ICRC of all protected persons in their hands, a step that greatly reduces the likelihood of their disappearance.

"Finding a positive match between the tracing requests from families and information received from the NIBs means the end of long months of uncertainty of not knowing the fate of a loved one," said Mr Vujasanin.

The ICRC works in close collaboration with Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement partners in around 50 countries to be able to bring answers to families of the missing or prisoners of war. It also assists the parties to the international armed conflict in fulfilling their legal obligations related to the recovery, identification, transfer, and repatriation of human remains, including by playing a neutral intermediary role when needed.

International humanitarian law upholds the right of families to know the fate and whereabouts of their missing relatives. Each party to an international armed conflict has the obligation to prevent people from going missing and to ensure that their relatives are informed about their fate. People who are held by a party to the conflict must be treated humanely and the dead must be handled in a dignified manner.

About the ICRC

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is a neutral, impartial and independent organization with an exclusively humanitarian mandate that stems from the Geneva Conventions of 1949. It helps people around the world affected by armed conflict and other violence, doing everything it can to protect their lives and dignity and to relieve their suffering, often alongside its Red Cross and Red Crescent partners.

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Putin congratulates military on "important victory" in Avdiivka

ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency

Mon / 19 February 2024 / 09:48

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday hailed his army's capture of the town of Avdiivka in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) as an "important victory", following a hasty withdrawal by the Ukrainian forces.

Tehran -ISNA- "The President congratulated our military and fighters on such an important victory, on such a success," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told state news agencies.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu informed Putin about the achievement in a meeting at the Kremlin, his ministry said in a statement.

Avdiivka was a "powerful defensive hub" for Ukraine's armed forces and its capture would "move the front line away from Donetsk," reducing Ukraine's ability to shell the Russian stronghold, the Defense Ministry said.

The losses of Ukrainian troops in the battle for Avdiivka amounted to over 1,500 servicepeople over the past 24 hours, the Ministry also highlighted.

Kiev had earlier announced the withdrawal of its forces from the town, which it said was taken to reduce military casualties at a time of stretched resources.

"At the moment, measures are being taken to finally clear the town of militants and to block the Ukrainian units that have left the town and are holed up in the Avdiivka coke plant" to the north, the Russian Defense Ministry pointed out.

In a related context, Ukrainian military commander of the Tavria operational group, Oleksandr Tarnavskyi, admitted on Saturday that a number of Ukrainian troops had been captured during retreat from their stronghold in Avdiivka.

"The withdrawal of personnel from Avdiivka took place in accordance with a plan designed with consideration of different scenarios and a possible change in the operational situation. And yet, at the final stage of the operation, under pressure from superior enemy forces, several Ukrainian servicepeople were captured," Tarnavskyi said in a statement quoted by the Ukrainian newspaper Strana.

End Item

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Latvia calls against delay with the much-needed support to Ukraine

Republic of Latvia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

19.02.2024

On 19 February 2024, the European Union (EU) Foreign Affairs Council held a meeting in Brussels, Belgium. Latvia was represented at the meeting by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative of Latvia to the EU, Lelde LAce-LAcAte.

The Council's agenda covered the latest developments in the Middle East, the EU's support to Ukraine in its fight against the Russian aggression, as well as an exchange of views on the EU's engagement with the Sahel region in Africa.

"In the run-up to the second anniversary since the beginning of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, the EU must advance closer to making pivotal decisions on an uninterrupted military support necessary for Ukraine in the long-term," emphasized Ambassador LAce-LAcAte. The EU must agree on the 13th package of restrictive measures by 24 February and continue work on new sanctions against Russia, with a particular focus on preventing the circumvention of sanctions. Latvia would like concrete steps to be taken so that the EU could begin accession negotiations with Ukraine as early as in March. The Ambassador invited EU Member States to join the Latvia-led Drone Coalition.

Latvia, together with Estonia, Lithuania and Poland, called for solidarity and further coordinated EU action; they drew the attention of Member States to the publicly available list of names of politicians of EU countries against whom Russia has initiated politically motivated cases.

During the Council, Foreign Ministers were addressed by Yulia Navalnaya, wife of Alexei Navalny, a Russian opposition poltician who died in prison in Russia. She announced that she would continue her husband's work in implementing his political agenda and bringing his ideas to life. On this course, EU support would be of particular importance.

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Michael DiVicino grew up despising law enforcement.

When I was roughly the age of five or six, I woke up to a commotion in my household. Im scared. Im confused. I see the door kicked in, and I see my father being dragged out of the house in handcuffs, DiVicino said Wednesday to a class of law enforcement officers and hotel security officials learning how to respond to individuals in a crisis. I later understood it was the FBI. I didnt have the mental capacity at the time to contemplate that maybe there was some illegal activity going on in the house. Its easier to blame someone else. Law enforcement became the object of my discontent. Law enforcement became my enemy.

DiVicino, now 61, cycled in and out of correctional facilities since he was 12 years old. In 2019, after serving 29 years on multiple life sentences involving the Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, he found himself the unlikely recipient of parole.

I was scared to death to get out of prison. Institutionalization is a very real thing, DiVicino told the class. Exacerbated by post-traumatic stress and paranoia wrought from decades of incarceration, his greatest fear upon release was an encounter with the law. We were basically taught to distrust law enforcement. Ive been wired this way my whole life.

Weve never really had an opportunity to talk to ex-cons that come out of prison, Andy DiPalma, a retired Las Vegas Metro cop who now works for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), said in an interview. We might see them on a call but our defenses are up. Their defenses are up.

But in a classroom setting, DiVicino and others are able to feel more comfortable talking about the past,  DiPalma says of NAMIs Sharing Your Story with Law Enforcement program, part of a 40-hour training session on crisis intervention. Its designed for anyone with a mental health challenge who has had a police contact to come in and talk about how officers can approach them a little bit more safely or find something like common ground.

Critical Incident Teams training, once perceived as a touchy-feely approach to policing, is now mandated by some departments, including Metro, thanks to a 2017 edict from then-Sheriff Joe Lombardo, now governor of Nevada.

DiPalma, who was a hostage negotiator at Metro, has been CIT certified since 2006 and conducts the training sessions on behalf of NAMI.

Memphis police started this in the late 80s when they shot and killed an unarmed mentally ill person, DiPalma says. CIT is supposed to be on a volunteer basis, which makes absolute sense if you want the people that are most empathetic. However, Metro averages 130 CIT calls a day.

A policy called Legal 2000 allows first responders to transfer a person to a mental health facility for 72 hours if they appear to pose a danger to themselves or others. Metro imposes about 30,000 legal holds a year, according to DiPalma. Nevada is number 51 of all the states when it comes to mental health resources. Our largest mental health facility is the Clark County Detention Center.

NAMI says some 2,700 communities nationwide have embraced CIT as a means of identifying mental health issues and resources, and reducing arrests. NAMI helps CIT programs expand by making mental health providers, community leaders, and volunteers such as DiVicino available to law enforcement.

Studies indicate CIT improves attitudes and knowledge about mental illness among law enforcement officials. In Memphis, CIT resulted in an 80% decrease in officer injuries.

In some cities, CIT has helped reduce the amount of time officers spend responding to mental health-related calls, and saved money by diverting individuals, such as the unhoused, from the criminal justice system and into treatment.

A very tough job

DiVicino realized his worst fear  an encounter with police  while riding his bicycle in the wrong direction in Las Vegas shortly after his release from prison. As he turned into his apartment complex, he noticed the hood of a black and white patrol car. The patrol car swooped around as he dismounted, DiVicino told the class. Im hypervigilant because of the PTSD and the paranoia. The officer jumps out, very pumped up.

Shaking and armed with nothing more than a backpack full of food and water and unaware of his offense, DiVicino says he too, was pumped up, but obeyed the command to place his hands on the patrol car as police dispatch informed the officer of DiVicinos record.

He draws his gun and goes for his speaker and asks for back up, DiVicino recalls. He tells me hes never met anyone whos been in a penitentiary as long as me.

The incident ended peacefully, DiVicino reported to the class, with police letting him off the hook for riding in the wrong direction in the bike lane. I cant have anyone behind me, he says, chalking it up to decades in prison. Its a big problem.

DiVicino asks the class if anyone would have handled the stop differently. Were all profiling, no matter who we are. Is that the way to react to someone whos been caged for 30 years?

Some in the class suggest the officer was heavy-handed, which draws DiPalma into the discussion.

That is a proper response, DiPalma says of the officers actions. Its not skin color. Its not clothing. He (DiVicino) is a violent felon.

DiVicino generally gets good reviews from the class. Hes engaging, informative, and genuine. But he has stumbled. Once, during a discussion of police shootings, he asked the class members not to shoot first and ask questions later.

He got hammered, DiPalma says of the ensuing exchanges in the class and the critique participants complete following the training. To cops, thats like calling an Italian a derogatory term. Or calling a Black person the N word. Hes gotten better at it. I use Mike for all my training.

A majority of people I know are the guys that did a lot of time. And I hear all the time Im not going back to prison, DiVicino tells the class, suggesting ex-cons would rather fight to the death than be locked up. There are a lot of individuals brought up to distrust law enforcement and you guys got a very tough job.

DiVicino is hoping to spread the word of his unlikely friendship with DiPalma and his newfound respect for authority. He currently speaks to incarcerated youth at Spring Mountain Youth Camp, and hes hoping to gain permission from the Clark County School District to bring his Letters from Prison initiative into schools.

DiVicinos second post-release encounter with police came during a traffic stop. When the patrol car behind him lit up on a busy street, he pulled into the parking lot of a Walmart. Two officers approached him with their hands on their weapons. They informed him that pulling off the street and into a parking lot suggested he was setting them up for an ambush.

DiVicino tells the class the incident illustrates the challenges law enforcement faces daily to find the sweet spot between an appropriate response and a safe one. You never know who youre going to encounter.
Lithuania's Foreign Minister Landsbergis in Brussels: "The Ukrainians have been starved of ammunition. It's a miracle that they can withstand so far"

Republic of Lithuania - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

2024.02.19

Today, on 19 February in Brussels, Lithuania's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gabrielius Landsbergis, attends the Foreign Affairs Council of the European Union. The head of Lithuania's diplomacy spoke on assistance to Ukraine, sanctions against Russia and other issues.

Landsbergis believes that the EU's 13th package of sanctions against Russia does not meet the needs of the actual security situation and that the proposal to sanction several hundred people is too small.

"The package will be adopted, but the question is which one. We are in a completely technical stage. The problem is the equipment. The problem is the ammunition. The Ukrainians have been starved of ammunition. So it's a miracle that they can withstand so far. And we are talking about sanctions packages. Now it's the very least that we could do. We need big decisions that would reform the way we think about this," Landsbergis told journalists in Brussels.

According to Lithuania's Foreign Minister, the West must act now, provide adequate support to Ukraine and rush to strengthen its readiness in the face of emerging risks.

"I think that we should admit that there is nothing regular about the situation in which Europe finds itself. And if we don't admit the fact, we may find ourselves in even worse circumstances. First of all, I am talking about Ukraine. We spent two years discussing and trying to figure out how to help Ukraine bit by bit. Unfortunately, since we did not formulate a strategic goal for what we are trying to achieve, we cannot declare that we are in this for victory. It brought us to a situation which is not getting any better. And if we don't wake up to this new reality if we don't put our heads together and find the solutions that would be new, creative, that will reform the battlefield, then, unfortunately, I don't think that we will be listening to much good news in the future," Landsbergis said.

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Medvedev threatens to nuke Washington, Berlin and London if Russia forced to retreat

Iran Press TV

Monday, 19 February 2024 10:59 AM

Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev has threatened Washington, Berlin, London and Kiev with nuclear attacks if Russia is forced to retreat from Ukraine.

Medvedev, deputy secretary of the Russian Security Council and a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin wrote on Telegram on Sunday that if Moscow is forced to give up Ukrainian territory it has taken control of, it will "not hesitate" to make a "difficult decision."

"Attempts to restore Russia's 1991 borders will lead only to one thing a a global war with Western countries with the use of our entire strategic (nuclear) arsenal against Kiev, Berlin, London, and Washington. And against all other beautiful historic places that have long been included in the flight targets of our nuclear triad," he wrote.

He added that Russia will have "enough guts" to take action if the country is "on the verge of extinction."

"It's better to return everything before it's too late. Or we will return it ourselves with maximum losses for the enemy. Like in Avdiivka," he concluded.

Over the weekend, Ukrainian forces were forced to withdraw from the country's eastern town of Avdiivka after a yearlong battle.

Earlier this month, Medvedev also took to X, formerly Twitter, to criticize NATO allies for their "dangerous babbling" about a potential wider war with Russia.

"The response will be asymmetrical," he wrote. "To defend our country's territorial integrity, ballistic and cruise missiles carrying special warheads will be put to use. It is based on our military doctrine documents and is well known to all. And this is exactly that very Apocalypse. The end to everything."

Russia launched its special military operation in Ukraine in February 2022 to defend the pro-Russian population in the eastern Ukrainian regions of Luhansk and Donetsk against persecution by Kiev, and also to "de-Nazify" its neighbor.

In the same year, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Luhansk, and Kherson joined the Russian Federation after holding referendums.

Putin said at the time that Kiev and its backers have to respect the will of the people, vowing to defend the Russian land with all means.

The US-led Western alliance has vowed to back Kiev for as long as the war against Russia continues, flooding Ukraine with weapons and munitions, which Russia says will only prolong the war.

In May 2022, Medvedev said that if the West supplied Ukraine with weapons, the move would increase "the likelihood of a direct and open conflict between NATO and Russia."

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Zelenskiy Steps Up Pleas For Western Arms After Visit To Front Lines

By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service February 19, 2024

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy warned again of "extremely difficult" conditions and dwindling ammunition on the front lines following his military's decision to withdraw from the strategic southeastern city of Avdiyivka to save lives and materiel in the face of the latest Russian onslaught.

"The situation now is extremely difficult in several parts of the front line, where Russian troops have specifically concentrated maximum reserves," Zelenskiy said late on February 19 following a visit to Ukraine's northern battle sector to visit troops.

"They're taking advantage of the delays in [aid shipments] to Ukraine," Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address, referring to his urgent pleas to Western partners for additional artillery shells and other offensive and defensive weapons.

Zelenskiy is fresh off his visit to the Munich Security Conference, where he told allies that "Ukrainians have proven we can force Russia to retreat.... Our actions are limited only by the sufficiency and length of the range of our strength.... [The] Avdiyivka situation proves this."

Zelenskiy on February 19 visited the frontline northeastern city of Kupyansk, where he met with brigade leaders at a command post.

The frontline visit came hours after Russia said it took control of Ukraine's largest coke plant in Avdiyivka, where Kyiv last week acknowledged defeat by pulling the last of its troops.

The capture of Avdiyivka, formerly a city of around 30,000 but now largely leveled and deserted, in the eastern Donetsk region marks Russia's most significant territorial gain in nine months in its nearly two-year full-scale invasion.

Ukrainian forces cited Russian attacks overnight that appeared to be trying to grab further nearby territory and separate offensives in the northeast and south of the country.

Russia's Defense Ministry said early on February 19 that its "'Center' grouping of troops, taking the offensive, took full control of the coke plant in Avdiyivka."

It also claimed to have gained ground around the city, which Kyiv said last week it had withdrawn from to save the lives of Ukrainian troops.

Images appeared to show Russia's tricolor flag flying over the Avdiyivka Coke and Chemical Plant.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's western military command said early on February 19 that the Russian Army had tried again repeatedly overnight to overtake Ukrainian positions in areas around Zaporizhzhya.

Local officials reported increased shelling of the city on February 17, leaving thousands of households without heat.

And the Ukrainian General Staff said Russian forces had mounted 10 attacks on Ukrainian positions in Robotyny, in the Zaporizhzhya region, a day later.

They said Ukrainian troops had repelled the attacks.

RFE/RL cannot independently confirm battlefield accounts by either side in areas of the heaviest fighting.

Power in Kharkiv was cut off to around 9,500 people after shelling by Russian forces, according to the Ukrainian Energy Ministry.

Russia's Defense Ministry on February 19 accused Ukraine of poisoning two Moscow-installed leaders of two regions falsely claimed as part of Russia and annexed in 2022 but said both men had survived.

It said the governor of Russian-held territory in Luhansk, Leonid Pasechnik, had been poisoned in December and the leader of Russian-held territory in Kherson, Vladimir Saldo, was poisoned in August 2022.

Kyiv is thought to have mounted increasingly daring operations targeting Russian-appointed officials in Ukrainian regions under Russian control since the early months of the war.

On the diplomatic front, Japan said it has initiated talks on an investment treaty with Ukraine and said it would maintain support for the reconstruction of the war-torn country.

The details of negotiations were not provided, but Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said in Tokyo that Japan would provide 1.25 billion euros ($1.35 billion) to support Japanese investments in Ukraine.

Japan is forbidden to provide direct military aid by its post-World War II constitution.

With reporting by Reuters

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-avdiyivka- coke-plant-russia-control-war/32825742.html

Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Ukraine Has No Navy. But It's Hammering Russia In The Black Sea.

By Mike Eckel February 19, 2024

The grainy black-and-white video showed what appeared to be a fast-moving speedboat bobbing on the nighttime waves, swerving back and forth as it approaches a much larger warship. The ship then explodes spectacularly, and the nearly 3-minute video ends with a vessel seen rolling onto its port side just before it sinks.

The speedboat was in fact a Ukrainian-designed unmanned maritime drone packed with explosives, known as the MAGURA-V. The warship purportedly was the Tsezar Kunikov, one of just a handful of heavy landing ships in Russia's Black Sea Fleet. It sank off the southern coast of Crimea, the Ukrainian peninsula Russia seized 10 years ago. The fate of the ship's crew, estimated at around 70, is unclear.

One day after, the admiral in charge of the Black Sea Fleet was reportedly stripped of his command.

The Tsezar Kunikov is one of nearly two dozen Russian warships that Ukraine has seriously damaged or outright sunk since Russia began its full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022.

Prior to its sinking, Oryx, a Dutch open-source website known for verified tallies of Russian and Ukrainian equipment losses, put the figure at 21 warships and one submarine. Ukraine's general staff has a slightly higher count: 24 Russian ships and one submarine.

That works out to approximately a third of the entire fleet, which numbers around 74. Those figures do not include smaller craft such as shallow-draft coastal patrol boats or auxiliary vessels.S



Battleship: Ukraine's Hits On Russia's Black Sea Fleet

Nearly two dozen Russian naval vessels have been damaged or destroyed by Ukraine since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. Nearly two dozen Russian naval vessels have been damaged or destroyed by Ukraine since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.

No matter how you count it, it's an extraordinary set of naval losses inflicted by a country that currently does not have a navy. Naval and military experts around the world have taken note.

"Ukraine's success in the Black Sea this year certainly came as a surprise to many of us. At sea, the Ukrainians have proven to be much more technologically and tactically innovative than the Russians have," said Michael Petersen, director of the Russia Maritime Studies Institute at the U.S. Naval War College, in Newport, Rhode Island.

"The daring innovation they have displayed is in contrast to the [Russian] Black Sea Fleet, which has proven to be extremely risk averse and lacking in imagination," he said.

"Ukraine has prosecuted a classic asymmetric campaign against what was a significantly stronger opponent," said Mike Plunkett, senior naval platforms analyst at Janes, a defense intelligence research company.

Russia "has gone from being the indisputable maritime power in the Black Sea -- on paper at least -- to being pinned back into the eastern portion and unable to exert sea control over the region," he said.

Barrages And Blockades

Prior to February 2022, Ukraine's navy was largely made up of Soviet-era surface ships and some onshore infrastructure that it inherited in the late 1990s when Kyiv and Moscow agreed to divide up the Soviet Black Sea fleet.

The two countries' fleets were housed close to one another in Crimea, including at the peninsula's historic main port, Sevastopol.

Ukraine's budget problems, along with corruption in military and civilian procurement, however, meant its fleet, including combat and auxiliary ships, could barely stay afloat and was perennially underfunded.

After Russia seized Crimea in 2014, Ukraine moved its serviceable fleet, including four corvettes and its flagship, the frigate Hetman Sahaydachniy, to the port of Odesa, to the west.

Ukraine began losing access to its other major ports, Berdyansk and Mariupol on the Sea of Azov, in the run-up to Russia's invasion. Russia had imposed what amounted to a naval blockade of the Sea of Azov, using the Crimea Bridge as a gateway to choke passage through the Kerch Strait, the only waterway linking it to the Black Sea and the world beyond the Bosphorus.

With the onset of the invasion, Ukraine scuttled the Hetman Sahaydachniy in Mykolayiv, a port on the Pivdenniy Buh River, where it was undergoing repairs. As many as a dozen other Ukrainian ships were damaged or sunk around the Black Sea.

In the end, Russia imposed a virtual blockade of Ukraine's ports, including the largest one still under its control, Odesa, with surface ships blocking foreign cargo ships from loading up and exporting Ukrainian grain. Global grain markets reeled, and UN officials warned of potential famine in some Mediterranean and African countries that heavily rely on Ukrainian grain.

The blockade worsened for Ukraine and for other Black Sea nations after floating land mines began to drift, some breaking free of their moorings. Kyiv and Moscow have blamed each other for allowing the mines to drift.

Russia used its Black Sea surface and submarine fleet -- around 80 vessels in total, according to Ukrainian estimates -- to fire some of the missiles that barraged Ukrainian cities and towns, terrorizing the population.

The Russian fleet's flagship, the guided missile cruiser Moskva, played a leading role in the amphibious assault on Snake Island. A small garrison of Ukrainian border guards stationed on the strategically located island about 140 kilometers south of Odesa were captured Russian forces on the first day of the full-scale invasion.

Nearly two months later, on April 13, as the Moskva steamed east of Snake Island, it was hit by what turned out to be two land-launched Neptune anti-ship missiles. The ship sank less than a day later. At least 18 sailors were killed, though outside estimates say the death toll was likely significantly higher.

It was the largest Russian or Soviet warship to have been sunk since World War II.

"Just because your opponent doesn't have a meaningful navy, do not assume you have complete freedom of movement and action at sea," Plunkett said.

Destroyed Dry Dock

For many experts, Ukraine's sinking of the Moskva showed ingenuity and a willingness to take risks.

"They tried something, it worked even better than they hoped, with the Moskva sinking," said Dmitry Gorenburg, a senior research scientist at the Center for Naval Analyses, a think tank based near Washington, D.C., "and then they said, 'Oh great! And let's build on that!' and they've been working on that for the last two years."

"I doubt the Ukrainians ever expected to hit, let alone sink Moskva, but the fact they did made their point in the clearest way possible," Plunkett said. "It had the desired effect as well, with Russia pulling its surface fleet back into the central Black Sea and away from Ukraine."

About three weeks before the sinking of the Moskva, on March 24, 2022, a landing ship called the Saratov exploded while docked in the Russian-occupied port of Berdyansk. Ukraine later revealed it had used a short-range Tochka-U ballistic missile to target the ship.

Two other landing ships that were docked close by at the same time -- the Tzesar Kunikov and the Novocherkassk -- managed to escape with minimal damage.

Other Western-supplied weapons have further supported Ukraine's creativity.

In May 2023, Britain announced it would supply Kyiv with Storm Shadow cruise missiles, an air-launched missile with a range of around 250 kilometers. France supplied a French-version of the missile, known as SCALP.

The missiles were employed to hit several bridges in Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine. But on September 13, Ukraine fired a series of missiles at a dry dock repair facility in Sevastopol, seriously damaging, and possibly destroying, the landing ship Minsk and a submarine, the Rostov-on-Don. The port's repair facilities were also badly damaged, posing complications for repairing the fleet's larger warships and submarines.

Nine days later, Ukrainian jets fired multiple Storm Shadows at the headquarters of the Black Sea fleet in Sevastopol. Ukrainian authorities claimed dozens of officers were killed or wounded in the strike. Russia has never confirmed the toll.

On December 26, the Novocherkassk, which had escaped the March 2022 attack on Russian vessels in occupied Berdyansk, was hit and reportedly sunk while berthed at a repair dock in the eastern Crimean port of Feodosia. Ukrainian officials suggested Storm Shadow or SCALP missiles were used in the attack.

The ship reportedly had a crew of 77 at the time of the sinking. As of February 12, 33 sailors remained missing, according to Russian war bloggers. The Defense Ministry has released no official tally.

Enter The Unmanned Sea Drone

Ukrainian creativity also gave rise another potent naval weapon: the unmanned maritime drone, essentially a high-speed, pilotless boat packed with explosives. Ukrainian authorities publicly announced the push to develop such weapons in November 2022.

The first Russian vessel believed to have been targeted with a maritime drone was another heavy transport landing ship, the Olenegorsky Gornyak. On loan from the Northern Fleet, the Gornyak was seriously damaged on August 4, 2023, when it was targeted in Novorossiisk, a Black Sea port about 425 kilometers east of Sevastopol.

Three months later, Ukraine's military intelligence claimed that two other landing ships were damaged and possibly sunk near Chornomorske, on Crimea's west coast.

February was a particularly cruel month for the Russian Black Sea Fleet. On February 1, the guided missile corvette Ivanovets was attacked and sunk as it stood at anchor near the western Crimean settlement of Okunivka. Grainy black-and-white video released by Ukrainian military intelligence shows the Ivanovets listing and then sinking below the surface, stern up. A spectacular series of explosions suggests the ship's magazine detonated.

Ukraine followed up 13 days later with the purported sinking of the Tsezar Kunikov, which, like the Novocherkassk, had escaped the March 2022 attack on Berdyansk, If confirmed, the Kunikov would be the fifth such landing ship -- known as the Ropucha-class -- to have been put out of commission by Ukraine.

The Kremlin declined comment on the sinkings, deferring to the Russia's Defense Ministry, which has said nothing.

On February 15, multiple Russian war bloggers reported that the commander of the Black Sea Fleet, Admiral Viktor Sokolov, had been stripped of duties.

The head of Ukraine's military intelligence agency, Kyrylo Budanov, said later that the homegrown Ukrainian drone called the MAGURA-V was responsible for the attack.

'The Russian Navy Is Far From Beaten'

Russia's other fleets -- the Northern Fleet, the Pacific Fleet -- remain potent tools for the Kremlin. Russian ships have played a key role in ferrying personnel and weaponry to Syria, where Russian forces helped tip the scales in favor of the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad.

Its submarines, particularly its nuclear-capable ballistic missile ships, are powerful, stealthy, and arguably a match for the other submarine fleets, including the U.S. Navy.

"For all of its losses since the start of the war, the Russian Navy is far from beaten, and still presents a significant challenge to NATO navies," Plunkett said. "So no, the Russian Navy is far from dead, even as it has suffered in the Black Sea."

The loss of five landing ships like the Tzesar Kunikov would sharply limit the Russian military's ability to ferry heavy equipment like tanks or armored personnel carriers, as well as men and supplies, to shorelines on the Ukrainian mainland and -- a bigger problem for Russia -- to Crimea. If the bridge linking Crimea to Russia is destroyed or damaged, that poses a potential risk for Russian forces on the peninsula.

But while the Russian fleet's losses may have curtailed its operations, they certainly have not ended its threat.

On February 15, at least two sea-launched Kalibr cruise missiles were fired at Ukrainian targets from somewhere near Novorossiisk, according to Ukraine's military.

Still, the Ukrainian achievements are both a moral victory and a broad tactical victory: Russia's Black Sea operations have been markedly affected, forcing the fleet to sail further away from Crimea and the shores of mainland Ukraine.

"Ukraine's success at sea has little effect on the course of the ground war, and it certainly won't win the ground war. But it has created an incredibly important economic lifeline that can only offer Kyiv a greater chance at holding out longer," Petersen said.

Using sea-launched cruise missiles like the Kalibr, which has a 1,500-kilometer range, Russian ships can still pound Ukrainian land targets, said Plunkett, of Janes. But the ships have to fire from further away, giving Ukrainian defense extra time to warn civilians and track the missiles.

"Ukraine has prosecuted a classic asymmetric campaign against what was a significantly stronger opponent," he said. "Ukraine identified weaknesses in the Russian operations and then systematically and consistently applied pressure to them."

And the significance is not just limited to the Black Sea. In the Red Sea, cargo ships have been attacked and threatened by Huthi rebels in Yemen, prompting U.S. and British warships and fighter jets to respond, firing on multiple targets in Yemen.

The Huthis don't have a navy.

In Taiwan, which a growing and increasingly forceful China considers to be a renegade province that will eventually be reincorporated into the Chinese state, experts say military planners are also likely watching closely for tips and tactics about how to thwart a possible Chinese amphibious invasion one day.

"Implications elsewhere are significant," Petersen said.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-avdiyivka- coke-plant-russia-control-war/32825742.html

Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Ukraine Used US Chemical Weapons Against Russian Troops - MoD

Sputnik News

20240219

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia has recorded cases of Ukrainian troops using US chemical munitions during the special military operation, Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, the head of the radiation, chemical and biological defense troops of the Russian armed forces, said on Monday.

"During the special military operation, cases of US chemical weapons used by the armed forces of Ukraine were recorded," Kirillov told a briefing.

The Ukraine military used US-made chemical grenades dropped from UAVs several times against the Russian armed forces in 2023, and this January, Ukrainian units used an unknown toxic chemical against the Russian troops, which led to burns, nausea and vomiting.

"Ukraine, with the complicity of Western countries, does not limit itself to the use of non-lethal chemicals, but actively using chemicals from the list. I would like to draw attention to the statement by representatives of the Ukrainian armed forces about the availability of such compounds at their disposal, including analogues of the combat toxic substance Tabun, which is included in List 1 of the Convention [on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction]," Kirillov said.

Kherson Region & LPR Heads Survived Poisoning Plots by Ukrainian Forces

In August 2022, Vladimir Saldo, the head of the Kherson region administration, was hospitalized after being poisoned with ricin, a substance detected in his biomedical samples, revealed Igor Kirillov, the head of the Russian Chemical Defense Forces.

In December 2023, the head of the Lugansk People Republic, Leonid Pasechnik, suffered a serious poisoning attempt from phenolic compounds, said Kirillov. Prior to that incident, Pasechnik had never experienced any such poisoning attempts.

The Russian Defense Ministry reported on the facts of the use of poisonous substances by the Ukrainian military:

On August 19, 2022, a toxic chemical, an analog of the warfare poisoning agent "Bi-Zet," was used.

A similar substance was found on January 28, 2024, during operational-search activities in a cache in Melitopol. It was in vials labeled "Biosporin".

On February 8 and 16, 2023, cases of hydrocyanic acid use with drones were recorded.

On January 31, 2024, the Ukrainian Armed Forces used an unknown toxic chemical that caused burns. Analysis showed the presence of a compound known as anthraquinone.

On December 28, 2023, American-made gas grenades loaded with a substance called "CS" capable of causing skin burns and respiratory paralysis were dropped in the area of Krasny Liman.

On June 15, 2023, a drone carrying a plastic container with a mixture of chloroacetophenone and chloropicrin was used against Russian troops near Rabotino.

Ukraine Plans to Use Chemicals to Complicate Russian Offensive

The Armed Forces of Ukraine plan to use chemicals to impede the offensive of the Russian army in order to get additional time to prepare defensive lines in the Zaporozhye, Kharkov and Sumy regions, Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov pointed out.

"It is assumed that such tactics will significantly complicate the activity of offensive operations of the Russian Armed Forces and provide Kiev with additional time to prepare defensive lines in the Zaporozhye, Kharkov and Sumy regions," Kirillov said.

According to him, Ukraine's requests for the supply of antidotes, gas masks and other personal protective equipment indicate plans for the large-scale use of toxic substances.

Ukraine Dropped US Chemical Grenades on Russian Forces

In 2023, the Armed Forces of Ukraine used American-made chemical grenades dropped from drones several times against Russian servicemen, said Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov.

"On December twenty-eighth, 2023, American-made gas grenades loaded with CS substance were dropped from a copter-type UAV on the positions of Russian troops in the Krasny Liman tactical direction. This substance has an irritating effect on the eyes and upper respiratory tract, and in high concentrations can cause skin burns, respiratory paralysis and cardiac arrest. The compound belongs to the class of chemical riot control agents," Kirillov said at a briefing.

He pointed out that the very fact of the supply of such ammunition by the United States in a military conflict is a violation of the article of the Convention, which obliges the State party "never, under any circumstances, directly or indirectly transfer chemical weapons to anyone."

In addition, according to Kirillov, on April 7 and 21 last year, hand grenades with irritating chemicals marked "Teren-6" were dropped on the positions of Russian troops.

He also said that on June 15, a drone with a plastic container filled with the mixture of chloroacetophenone and chloropicrin was used on Russian servicemen in the area of Rabotino in the Zaporozhye region.

"If the first compound is classified as a chemical anti-riot agent, then chloropicrin is listed in Schedule 3 of the Chemical Weapons Convention and is prohibited for use even for law enforcement purposes. Repeated cases of the use of ammunition loaded with chloropicrin were recorded in the area of the settlement of Rabotino on August 3 and 11, 2023," Kirillov explained.

A Sputnik

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Russian Troops Completely Liberate Coke and Chemical Plant in Avdeyevka

Sputnik News

20240219

On Saturday, the Russian Defense Ministry said that the Russian Armed Forces had taken full control of the city of Avdeyevka, a northern suburb of Donetsk.

Russian troops have completely liberated the coke and chemical plant in Avdeyevka from Ukrainian forces, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Monday.

"Battlegroup Tsentr, which is carrying out the offensive, has taken full control over the coke and chemical plant in the area of Avdeyevka. The Russian flag has been raised on the administrative buildings of the factory," the ministry said.

Units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces continue their indiscriminate retreat, the ministry added.

The Russian military hit the enemy fortified areas with artillery and aviation, and Battlegroup Tsentr continues active operations, the Defense Ministry said.

Earlier, the ministry noted that the Russian military was carrying out the final clearing of Avdeyevka of Ukrainian troops, in particular units that were holed up in the local coke and chemical plant.

Avdeyevka is a northern suburb of Donetsk and has been contested since the beginning of the special military operation. The Ukrainian Armed Forces have regularly shelled the capital of the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) and other populated areas of Donbass from there.

On Saturday, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu reported to President Vladimir Putin that Avdeyevka was fully under the control of Russian troops. The president congratulated the military on the success and important victory.

A Sputnik

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Unity should be manifested not only in thoughts and words, but also in actions for the sake of common goals and our state - address by the President of Ukraine

President of Ukraine

19 February 2024 - 21:10

I wish you health, fellow Ukrainians!

We have returned from Kharkiv region, from the positions of our warriors in the Kupyansk sector. I have visited the 14th separate mechanized brigade, one of the command posts. As always, I listened to a report on the key needs. The situation is extremely difficult in several parts of the frontline, where Russian troops have amassed maximum reserves. They are taking advantage of the delays in aid to Ukraine. And these are very tangible issues. There is a deficit of artillery. There is a need for frontline air defense and for a longer range of our weapons. We are working with our partners as hard as possible to resume and extend support. I would like to thank all Ukrainians, all our companies and partners who have already set up production of weapons, shells, drones and electronic warfare - new production that is ramping up. Of course, we still cannot meet all the needs on our own, but every month adds to Ukraine's strength and capabilities. I thank everyone who works for this.

It was an honor for me to recognize our warriors - very brave guys - with state awards. "I presented the Golden Star to the Hero of Ukraine, Colonel Oleh Apostol, commander of our glorious 95th separate air assault brigade. Today, I also awarded the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky to Captain Andriy Zaika of the 14th separate mechanized brigade, and the Orders "For Courage" to Sergeant Roman Prokopchuk of the 95th brigade and Soldier Viktor Klymiuk of the 14th brigade. Colonel Oleksandr Lutsenko was also awarded the Cross of Military Merit, and I will present it to him in the near future. These are truly exemplary warriors. I visited the hospital where our servicemen undergo treatment after being wounded. I thanked the entire team - doctors, nurses, and everyone who helps. It is extremely important that everyone helps as much as they can to specific units, specific sectors, specific warriors and the entire country. Unity should be manifested not only in thoughts and words, but also in actions, and necessarily in activity for the sake of common goals, for the sake of our entire country.

And a few more things.

Today, the Conference on Ukraine's Economic Growth and Recovery has started in Japan. This is our intergovernmental work at the level of governments. The Ukrainian delegation headed by Denys Shmyhal is currently in Japan. The talks are very substantive. There are already dozens of agreements that will strengthen us and our cooperation. We have been preparing for this conference for quite a while, and I am grateful to Mr. Prime Minister Kishida for the fact that our work is very effective, as planned. The stronger our economic capabilities are, the greater the solidarity with Ukraine is, the sooner Putin's evil will be defeated by our joint efforts.

And, unfortunately, a few words about a situation that is not usual, a situation that demonstrates the erosion of solidarity on a daily basis. Things that are happening on our western border, the border with Poland, cannot be considered normal or ordinary. A simple and clear justice is needed. Only 5% of our agricultural exports pass through the Polish border. So in reality, the situation is not about grain, but rather about politics. And near Kupyansk, close to the Russian border, where enemy artillery does not cease, news from the border with Poland seems outright mocking. We need common decisions, rational decisions, to resolve this situation. The decisions made by us and the Poles, first of all, and by everyone in Europe who cares about the fate of Europe.

I thank everyone who fights and works for our country and people! I thank everyone who helps!

Glory to Ukraine!

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President visited the frontline positions of Ukrainian troops in the Kupyansk sector and awarded the defenders

President of Ukraine

19 February 2024 - 13:36

During a visit to Kharkiv region, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the battalion command post of the 14th separate mechanized brigade named after Prince Roman the Great, which is performing combat missions to defend Kupyansk.

The Head of State listened to the report of the brigade commander Lieutenant Colonel Oleksiy Trubnikov on the operational situation in the relevant section of the frontline and interaction with the adjacent units of the Defense Forces.

The brigade commander also told the President about the experience of using various types of drones in the area of responsibility and about the peculiarities of combating enemy UAVs with electronic warfare systems.

The parties also discussed the supply of equipment, ammunition and other urgent needs of the warriors.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy also spoke with the military and awarded the defenders who distinguished themselves while protecting Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

"I am glad to be here today to see you, to congratulate you, to express gratitude on behalf of all Ukrainians, all of Ukraine, for doing such a great job every day, for defending the state, our families, independence, and our sovereignty. I am confident in you. I wish you good health. Take care of yourself and your colleagues. This is very important. I wish you all victory," the President said.

In particular, the Head of State conferred the title of Hero of Ukraine and presented the Golden Star Order to Colonel Oleh Apostol, who has been serving in the Air Assault Forces since 2008 and is currently commanding the 95th separate air assault brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Oleh Apostol has been defending Ukraine in the east since 2014. Since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion, he has participated in the defense and liberation of a number of settlements in Mykolaiv region, during which a lot of enemy equipment was destroyed and captured. Since the end of 2022, units led by Oleh Apostol have been conducting successful defensive and assault operations in Donetsk, Kharkiv and Luhansk regions.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy also passed the President's Cross of Military Merit for it to be presented to Colonel Oleksandr Lutsenko.

The defenders also received from the President the Orders of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, III class, and the Orders "For Courage", II-III class.

For the safety of the warriors, Volodymyr Zelenskyy handed over some of the awards to the commanders so that they could present them at the places of their service.

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Japan Pledges Support for Ukraine Reconstruction

By VOA News February 19, 2024

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida pledged support for Ukraine's reconstruction at a conference Monday in Tokyo that brought together several hundred government and business leaders from the two countries.

"The war in Ukraine is still going on at this very moment and the situation is not easy," Kishida said. "The promotion of economic reconstruction, however, is not only an investment for the future of Ukraine but also investing in Japan and the whole globe."

Kishida also pledged to relax visa controls and announced the Japan External Trade Organization would open an office Kyiv.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said the two countries signed more than 50 cooperation agreements, including "an intergovernmental convention on the avoidance of double taxation, which is extremely important for Japanese companies planning new projects in Ukraine."

"By combining our powers ... we can change this challenge into an opportunity for future growth and prosperity," Shmyhal said on X, formerly known as Twitter. "Japan's experiences in reconstruction (from World War II) and its economic miracle provide us with inspiration."

Japan has pledged more than $10 billion in aid for Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion two years ago. Most of that aid has been financial and humanitarian.

The World Bank, European Union and United Nations estimated in a report last week that Ukraine will need $486 billion for reconstruction efforts during the next decade.

As the Ukrainian and Japanese delegations met Monday, Ukraine's air force reported fresh Russian aerial attacks, including four drones that Ukraine's air defenses shot down.

The Ukrainian air force said the drones were intercepted over the Kharkiv region. There were no immediate reports of any damage or casualties.

U.S. aid

The fall of the Ukrainian city of Avdiivka to Russia forces has intensified U.S. reactions from Democrats and Republicans alike on whether $60 billion in military aid for Ukraine a stalled in Congress a could allow Kyiv to push back Russian advances and steal Moscow's momentum.

A White House statement said President Joe Biden tied the loss of the stronghold of Avdiivka in the southeastern Donetsk region to the stalled U.S. aid for Ukraine in a phone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday.

Despite the overwhelming support of the package by most Democrats and almost half the Republicans, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson insists he won't be "rushed" into approving the $95.3 billion foreign aid package approved by a bipartisan Senate last week that includes the $60 billion in aid for Ukraine.

In an interview with Fox News Sunday, Democratic Senator Michael Bennet advocated for the aid saying, "just get it over there."

"They've just had their first defeat, the Ukrainians, since last May, partly as a result of the fact that they are outgunned 10-to-1 by the Russians. We can help solve that problem for them and we should," Bennet said.

But Senator J.D. Vance, an Ohio Republican and ally of Trump, said "the problem in Ukraine ... is that there's no clear end point" and that the U.S. doesn't make enough weapons to support wars in eastern Europe, the Middle East and "potentially a contingency in East Asia."

If the package goes through, "that is not going to fundamentally change the reality on the battlefield," Vance argued, pointing out that America's manufacturing capacity has its limits.

"Can we send the level of weaponry we've sent for the last 18 months?" he asked. "We simply cannot. No matter how many checks the U.S. Congress writes, we are limited there."

In an interview with CNN's State of the Union Sunday, former Republican Congresswoman Liz Cheney said Congress should pass the bipartisan bill Ukrainians need so urgently and added House Speaker Johnson has the power to make that happen.

"If he wanted to, today, announce he is going to call the House of Representatives back into session he could put the bill that has already passed the Senate onto the floor of the House for a vote tomorrow, to be on Joe Biden's desk by tomorrow night and the aid to be flown to Ukraine."

At a global security conference in Munich on Saturday, Zelenskyy urged allies to plug a shortage of weapons and expressed hope that the U.S. Congress would make a "wise decision" in approving a delayed large aid package for Ukraine.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.

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Chicago, Feb. 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- EV connector market is projected to grow from USD 2.0 billion in 2023 to USD 10.9 billion by 2030, registering a CAGR of 27.1%, according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets.

Browse and in-depth TOC on "EV Connector Market"

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Report Attributes Details Market size value in 2023: USD 2.0 billion Projected to reach 2030: USD 10.9 billion CAGR: 27.1% Forecast Period: 2023-2030 Largest Market: Asia Pacific Region Covered: Asia Pacific, Europe, and North America Segments Covered: System Type (Sealed, Unsealed), Application (ADAS and Safety, Battery Management System, Body Control and Interiors), Propulsion (BEV, PHEV, FCEV), Voltage, Connection Type, Component and Region Companies Covered: TE Connectivity Ltd. (Switzerland), Aptiv PLC (Ireland), Yazaki Corporation (Japan), Molex LLC (US), and Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd. (Japan)

EV connectors for high-voltage systems and need of miniaturization, weight reduction, and high-performance materials, and a surge in data transmission and complex systems for ADAS, battery management, vehicle lighting and autonomous driving, demanding high-bandwidth and low-latency EV connectors. Electric vehicles (EVs) are rapidly using advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving technologies, which require connectors to handle the massive data flow. This gives connector manufacturers even more chances to advance technologically and meet the constantly changing demands of the electric revolution.

Engine management and powertrain application is expected to show a significant growth rate during the forecast period.

The engine management and power train segment is projected to register a CAGR of 24.3% during the forecast period. The engine management system in a PHEV is responsible for controlling the operation of the engine, including the ignition, fuel injection, and emissions control systems. The engine management system also coordinates the engine's operation with the electric motor and battery to provide optimal performance and efficiency. The powertrain in a PHEV typically consists of an internal combustion engine (ICE), an electric motor, and a battery. The ICE and electric motor are connected to the transmission, which drives the wheels. A PHEV's engine management system and powertrain are designed to work together to provide optimal performance and efficiency. High-voltage battery connectors transmit high-voltage DC power from the battery pack to the electric motor and other high-voltage components. Fuel injector and spark plug Connectors deliver fuel and ignition signals to the engine cylinders, ensuring proper combustion. ECU connectors transmit data from various engine sensors to the ECU, allowing it to monitor and control engine performance. Power Control Unit (PCU) connectors transmit data from the electric motor and battery to the PCU, allowing it to manage the electric powertrain system.

Board  to  Board connection system to hold largest market share during the forecast period.

Board-to-board connectors play a critical role in high-end applications within electric vehicles (EVs), contributing to advanced electronic systems' overall performance, reliability, and functionality. In high-end EV applications, these connectors are essential for high-speed data transmission, battery management systems for high-capacity batteries, complex sensor networks for autonomous driving, high-resolution displays, infotainment systems and others. Board-to-board connectors dominate within electronic modules due to their compact size and ease of integration. The trend is towards miniaturization and increased integration, which could lead to higher adoption of board-to-board connectors in near future. Also the inclination of users toward high-tech applications OEMs are offering advanced applications such as human machine interface (HMI), airbag control, adaptive cruise control, and auto-park assist, which creates the demand for connectors to be used in new automotive systems. OEMs such as BMW (Germany), Audi (Germany), Mercedes-Benz (Germany), and Volkswagen AG (Germany) offer this high-end application in their vehicle models such as BMW iX, Audi e-tron GT, Mercedes-Benz EQC and Volkswagen ID.4 among others. All such high-end application require to be connected by board  to  board connection. Thus, growing demand for high-end applications is estimated to drive the EV connector industry. With the changing demands of passengers and OEMs, new and advanced applications are expected to penetrate the market.

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North America will be the prominent growing market for EV connectors during the forecast period.

North America is a regional hub for many renowned OEMs delivering quality, high-performance vehicles. In North America, OEMs like Tesla and GM focus on developing cleaner, faster, and high-performance electric vehicles. Nissan, BMW, Volkswagen, and Daimler are the leading OEMs in the US that have launched electric vehicles in the region. The top-selling electric vehicles in the US are Chevy Volt, Tesla Model S, Nissan Leaf, and Ford Fusion Energy PHEV. Along with OEMS, EV connector manufacturers such as TE Connectivity (Switzerland), Amphenol (US), Samtec (US), and Huber+Suhner (Switzerland), among others, are present in the Region. Various services offered by electric vehicle infrastructure providers have increased the adoption rate of electric vehicles in US. Tesla, Ford Motors, and General Motors have included some ADAS features as standard in their EVs. For instance, Tesla Model 3 & Model Y offer ADAS features such as adaptive cruise control, lane centering, and automatic lane changes. Additionally, in July 2022, Cadillac Lyriq a luxurious SUV by General Motors was launched with super cruise system, which allows hands-free driving on mapped highways. It also features a high-resolution, curved OLED display spanning the instrument cluster and infotainment system for an immersive driving experience. The EV connector market growth in North America is expected to be significant due to the rise in EV sales and connectivity-based applications, including autonomous driving, connected services, ADAS, high-end infotainment, and powertrain solutions. As technology becomes more widely available and affordable, more consumers in this region purchase vehicles with ADAS features. This has led to a rise in demand for these systems and an increase in the number of electric vehicles equipped with ADAS. Thus, the demand for EV connectors will also increase with the rising sales of EVs, increased adaptation of ADAS, high-end infotainment, and powertrain solutions.

Key Market Players

The EV Connector Companies are TE Connectivity Ltd. (Switzerland), Aptiv PLC (Ireland), Yazaki Corporation (Japan), Molex LLC (US), and Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd. (Japan).

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Brazil, India, South Korea  those were just a few of the faraway destinations prominent Nevada leaders visited in 2023 during trips paid for by third-party groups.

Among nearly 70 lawmakers and statewide elected officials, no one was more well-traveled than Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager (D-Las Vegas), who recorded trips to Rio de Janeiro; Bayeux, France; Oslo; Dublin; and Mexico City, as well as a half dozen other trips and events within the United States  altogether valued at nearly $39,000.

Just one person had a larger amount paid for across such travels: Attorney General Aaron Ford, a Democrat whose reported trips to South Africa, Poland, Israel and South Korea came at a value of $45,000 paid for by the Attorney General Alliance, a nonprofit group of state attorneys general who work together to tackle legal and policy issues.

Those findings come via an analysis of financial disclosure reports conducted by The Nevada Independent. The analysis, covering activity in 2023, surveyed the value of trips, meetings and events sponsored by outside groups and reported by the states six constitutional officers and 60 lawmakers (three legislators have not filed a disclosure, including two who resigned last year).

Among the key takeaways: Ford and Yeager reported the highest aggregate value of trips provided to them, followed by Republican Lt. Gov. Stavros Anthony, whose travels to Greece, Germany, Mexico and some U.S. destinations came with $15,000 worth of covered costs. Those three officials alone accounted for about 35 percent of the value reported by the 66 officials analyzed.

Democrats were much more likely to report trips paid for by third parties. Forty-two Democrats in the analysis reported an aggregate value of $242,000 (nearly $5,800 on average) on provided travel and events, compared with a total value of nearly $39,000 reported by 25 Republicans (nearly $1,600 on average). That included several who reported no such trips, meetings or events, including Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo and outgoing Senate Minority Leader Heidi Seevers Gansert (R-Reno).

The total values for each person were based on information in the annual financial disclosure report public officers are required to file under state law. In the report, officials must list any educational or informational meetings, events or trips from the prior year  including the location, purpose, organization conducting the meeting, the identity of each person providing anything of value to the official or members of their household and the aggregate value of everything provided by those interested persons to the official or members of their household.

In 2023, the groups that contributed the most value for trips and other events to Nevada officials were the attorneys general group ($45,000, all to Ford), the National Conference of State Legislatures (about $33,000) and the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (nearly $25,000).

These funds can cover a wide range of costs depending on the trip or event, but most commonly are used to pay for the expenses of registration or tickets, lodging, meals and travel such as airfare.

The analysis also compiled the financial disclosures covering activity from the past eight years for nearly three dozen elected officials, including anyone who served as a statewide constitutional officer or in the upper ranks of Assembly and Senate leadership since 2016, the first year new reporting requirements kicked in.

Prior to then, such reports included a section for reporting any gifts received valued at $200 or more, but not any specific reporting for the types of trips in this analysis. Those reports lacked openness, transparency and clarity, according to former Sen. Michael Roberson (R-Henderson), the then-majority leader who, in 2015, pursued a bill to provide much-needed guidance on how to report matters such as travel expenses and costs associated with education or informational meetings.

As in 2023, the historical analysis similarly found Ford and Yeager at the top of the list for all-time value, boosted in part by their most recent year of travels and by a history of more frequent trips than other officials.

Ford consistently ranked near the top of the travel list each year, reporting paid-for trips to places such as Morocco and Hawaii while in the Legislature. Before taking his current office in 2019, Ford served as the head of the Senate Democrats in the 2015 and 2017 sessions.

Since then, Fords other recent trips include to Ghana, Qatar and Spain, all paid for through the Attorney General Alliance. Last year, Ford served as vice chair of the alliance, and this year, he assumed the role of chairman.

In an interview, Ford said the trips are dedicated to getting AGs the information that we need to successfully fight crime and other issues. He added that international trips provide a way to coordinate with international partners because these crimes, they dont follow borders.

At the end of the day, theres a lot of transnational and international crime that  fentanyl has been a prime example of that  very well may originate in an East Asian country and work its way through our southern border up into Nevada. And so we talk about opportunities for coordination and cooperation, Ford said.

When told he was first on the list in the analysis, Ford described a comparison of his trips to other officials travels as an apples to oranges comparison.

Im the top law enforcement officer in the state. Im the top customer protector in the state, he said. And we have 50 attorneys general that work together as frequently as we can, and sometimes those trips take place internationally because were also working with democracy projects that we have in Mexico or in Africa or in Asia.

His total reported value of travel, events and meetings over the eight years was more than $119,000, followed next by Yeager at about $88,000 over that same time span.

Yeager declined an interview, but in a statement described the trips as a way to meet lawmakers from other states and learn about issues affecting Nevada such as clean energy, affordable healthcare and housing.
Selbyville, Delaware , Feb. 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The military radar market size will be remunerated at over USD 25 million by 2032, as per a recent study by Global Market Insights Inc.

The industry growth is attributed to the advancements in technology. The constant evolution of radar systems with improved capabilities, such as enhanced target detection, tracking accuracy, and reduced interference, drives the demand for modern military radar solutions. Military forces worldwide seek cutting-edge radar technologies to stay ahead in terms of situational awareness and threat detection. In December 2023, SpaceX introduced a Falcon 9 rocket taking the satellites -SARah 2 & 3 for the German military. The twin crafts are designed with passive synthetic aperture radar reflectors.

Request for a sample of this research report @ https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/7177







Moreover, the rise of asymmetric warfare and the need for effective countermeasures boost the innovative radar solutions. Military radar systems capable of detecting and tracking unconventional threats, such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and stealthy aircraft, become essential in modern warfare scenarios. The integration of radar technologies with other defense systems enhances the overall capabilities of armed forces, driving the market growth as nations strive to maintain a technological edge in defense operations.

Enhanced security with airspace monitoring & traffic management

Military radar market share from airspace monitoring & traffic management segment is poised to record sustained demand through 2032, owing to the evolving security dynamics. Heightened threats from diverse aerial platforms, including drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), necessitate sophisticated radar systems for comprehensive airspace surveillance. Military forces globally are increasingly investing in radar technologies that excel not only in threat detection but also in managing the complexities of modern airspace traffic. The integration of AI and data analytics, enable military radar systems to differentiate between friend and foe efficiently.

Surveillance capabilities over vast land territories

Military radar market from land segment is slated to grow at a significant pace through 2032, as ground-based radar systems provide an essential layer of defense, offering comprehensive surveillance capabilities over vast territories. Military forces prioritize land-based radar solutions for their ability to detect and track threats ranging from hostile aircraft to ground movements with high precision. The advancements in radar technology, enable systems with increased range, accuracy, and adaptability to diverse terrains. These radar installations help in border security, coastal defense, and critical infrastructure protection.

Make an inquiry for purchasing this report @ https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/7177



Strategic advancements to push Asia Pacific market growth

Asia Pacific military radar market share is touted to expand at a rapid pace through 2032. Rising geopolitical tensions and territorial disputes fuel the demand for advanced military radar systems. Nations across Asia Pacific are actively modernizing their defense capabilities, investing in state-of-the-art radar technologies to fortify their strategic positions. Additionally, there is an escalating need for comprehensive situational awareness and swift response capabilities in the face of evolving security challenges. Technological innovations, such as phased array radar and integrated sensor networks, contribute to the regional market growth.

Some of the leading companies in the global military radar market are Aselsan A.S., Raytheon Technologies Corporation, BAE Systems plc, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Boeing Company, Israel Aerospace Industries and General Dynamics Corporation.

Browse Our Reports Store - GMIPulse @ https://www.gminsights.com/gmipulse



About Global Market Insights

Global Market Insights Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider, offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy, and biotechnology.
OptETruck, an innovative truck fleet management system powered by HERE Tour Planning and Location Services, aims to boost efficiency and facilitates smarter trip planning at Singapores ports.

Companies that have adopted the service demonstrated about 50 percent reduction in empty truck runs.

PSA is on track to onboard more than 50 percent of the container trucks coming in and out of the ports by end of the year.

Singapore  HERE Technologies , the leading location data and technology platform, today announced that it is enabling PSA Singapore (PSA), which operates the worlds largest transhipment hub with unrivalled connectivity, to transform its container truck ecosystem in Singapore, with the goal of optimizing the movement of goods at Singapores ports.

Singapore is the top maritime capital of the world[1] with the Port of Singapore as the world's second busiest port in terms of container volume. With global connectivity being key to its success, PSA is linked to more than 600 ports worldwide and handled 38.8 million Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) last year.

To maximize truck resource utilization and eliminate operational inefficiencies for Singapores container trucking community, PSA has developed OptETruck, a cloud-based transport management solution with features like automated scheduling and asset pooling for truck drivers.

Powered by HERE Tour Planning and Location Services, OptETruck allocates jobs to drivers based on their location, offering real-time optimization of routes and truck assignments. This system not only minimizes empty runs  truck trips without any freight loaded, but also ensures that drivers are allocated jobs in proximity to their current location. This improves overall transit and waiting times, drivers well-being and operational efficiency, while reducing carbon emission.

Companies that adopted OptETruck have been able to demonstrate about 50 percent reduction in empty runs. This translates to an annual reduction of approximately 10 million kg of carbon emissions, equivalent to planting 300,000 trees in a year.

Kushal Rajveer, Head of Supply Chain for Asia-Pacific at HERE Technologies said, Working closely with the Digital Transformation arm of PSA, we designed a solution that utilizes location technology to address the specific challenges of the container truck ecosystem around the Port of Singapore. Were pleased with the results from early adopters of the OptETruck, which has given PSA confidence to onboard more than 50 percent of container trucks entering and exiting Singapores ports by end of this year.

According to HERE Technologies APAC On The Move 2023 study, logistics companies within Asia-Pacific want turn-key solutions that are easy to implement without expensive, time consuming, and labour-intensive system overhauls. This collaboration between HERE and PSA directly addresses this need by providing PSA with a seamless, easy-to-implement solution tailored to their requirements.

Sriram Ramanujam, Assistant Vice President, Community and Digital Solutions at PSA added, Our close collaboration with HERE has enabled us to consistently push the boundaries of technology and efficiency in port logistics, and were thrilled by the initial results. OptETruck has met the needs of Singapores trucking community and sets the stage for a sustainable future, transforming the logistics industry into a well-connected and resilient hub, aligning perfectly with our commitment to contributing to Singapore's vision as a smart nation. We look forward to continuing this journey of pioneering innovative solutions with HERE, shaping the future of port logistics and further solidifying PSA's position as a global leader in the port and supply chain industry."

Deon Newman, Senior Vice President and General Manager for Asia-Pacific at HERE Technologies said, Together with PSA, we are crafting solutions that go beyond mere logistics optimization  were enabling PSA to set new standards in port management on a global scale. This collaboration not only enhances operational efficiency but also positions PSA at the forefront of innovation, ultimately supporting Singapore's ambition to be a smart nation. HERE is proud to enable PSA in shaping the future of port operations and smart logistics.

Media contact

HERE Technologies

Camy Cheng

+65 9088 4127

Camy.cheng@here.com

About HERE Technologies

HERE has been a pioneer in mapping and location technology for almost 40 years. Today, HEREs location platform is recognized as the most complete in the industry, powering location-based products, services and custom maps for organizations and enterprises across the globe. From autonomous driving and seamless logistics to new mobility experiences, HERE allows its partners and customers to innovate while retaining control over their data and safeguarding privacy. Find out how HERE is moving the world forward at here.com .







[1] The Leading Maritime Cities of the World 2022 Report







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Omaha, Feb. 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Workers compensation insurance is coverage that helps pay costs associated with on-the-job injuries, illnesses, and fatalities. This can include medical care, lost wages, and other benefits. Sometimes called workmans comp insurance, its typically mandatory for businesses that have employees.

How Workers Comp Benefits Help Employees

There are four main types of benefits of workers compensation:

Medical coverage. This pays for hospital care, doctor visits, nursing care, medication, medical tests, physical therapy, and whats called durable medical equipmentitems like wheelchairs and crutches. Disability benefits. This is wage replacement paid directly to the employee for income lost as a result of the incident. There are different categories of disability: temporary total, temporary partial, permanent total, and permanent partial disability. Vocational rehabilitation assistance. Most states require that employers provide some type of vocational rehabilitation for workers who cant return to their previous job due to their injury. Death benefits. If a worker dies due to an on-the-job injury, their spouse and minor children receive a death benefit that includes coverage for funeral costs.

If you have questions, contact us about workmans compensation benefits and our licensed insurance experts can answer them.

Workers Compensation Insurance Frequently Asked Questions

If you have questions, our licensed insurance experts are happy to talk with you. However, for your convenience, answers to some of the workers compensation insurance questions we get asked most frequently are below.

Does my business need workers compensation insurance?

Most businesses with employees are required by law to have workers compensation insurance. Our licensed insurance experts can provide guidance on whether you need coverage.

On average, what does workers compensation insurance cost?

Per $100 in wages, the average cost of workers compensation insurance ranges from $.75 in Texas to $2.74 in Alaska. Premiums are calculated based on your companys gross annual payroll. The higher your payroll, the higher your premiums.

What does workers compensation insurance not cover?

Although workers compensation insurance provides coverage for most work-related injuries and illnesses, there are some exclusions. For example, injuries outside of work arent covered, and commuting to and from work generally isnt covered, though there may be coverage in some states. Also, intentional injuries and those occurring as a result of substance abuse or intoxication arent covered.

What is a workers comp audit and how does it work?

The amount you pay for workers compensation insurance is based on your total payroll. Insurers charge you a percentage of your payroll for your workers' comp insurance. The percentage, also called your rate, is based on a variety of factors including your industry and the nature of work your employees perform. A workers comp audit is an industry-standard process that helps us ensure youre paying the right amount for your coverage. It involves sending us documents that we request after your policy ends so that we can evaluate them and you pay based on your actual employee payroll during the policy period. If the actual payroll is higher than you estimated when you purchased the policy, we send you a bill for the difference. If the actual payroll is lower, we send you a refund for the difference, subject to minimum premiums.

Do I need workers comp insurance coverage as a self-employed business owner?

As a self-employed business owner with no employees, you typically arent required by law to have workers comp insurance coverage. However, you may want or need coverage to protect your income or to meet the requirements of a business contract.

Does biBERK provide workers comp insurance in my state?

We offer workers comp insurance coverage in all states where we are allowed to do so. Four states require businesses to buy workers compensation insurance from a government entity, so we dont sell policies there. Check out our coverage map for details.

Are seasonal workers covered by workers compensation insurance?

This varies by location, but our insurance experts can help you understand the rules and requirements for your state.

If my business grows or changes, how will it affect my workers compensation insurance?

You should tell us if you expand to a new state, get into new operations, or have a substantial increase in payroll. Our licensed insurance experts can tell you how your policy will be affected.

About biBERK Business Insurance

biBERK can help you with all your small business insurance needs, including: commercial auto, general liability, property and liability, umbrella, and workers compensation. https://www.biberk.com

Media Contact:

Rakesh Gupta | 402-408-2870
Dublin, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Commercial Energy Storage Market - Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, 2018-2028" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The Global Commercial Energy Storage Market has undergone an in-depth analysis, revealing a market value of USD 3.25 billion in 2022, and showcasing an impressive growth trajectory. Industry experts predict this market to expand at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 6.25% through to 2028, underpinning the substantial role energy storage systems are set to play in the commercial sector. These sophisticated systems are engineered to harness and stockpile excess energy produced from renewable resources like solar and wind turbines. By leveraging such technologies, businesses not only become adept at managing energy consumption with greater dexterity but also make significant strides towards sustainability by diminishing dependence on traditional power grids.

Advancements in Battery Innovation Propel Market

At the forefront of this growth are battery energy storage systems, which are instrumental in modulating voltage and frequency, serving the dual purpose of reducing peak demand charges and integrating renewable energy sources efficiently. Lithium-ion batteries, in particular, are leading the path forward due to their diminishing costs, superior energy density, reliability across charge cycles, and minimal maintenance requirements.

Europe Leads the Charge



Europe emerges as a dominant force within the market, thanks in part to swift adoption rates of rooftop solar power and incentivizing policies like Germany's 30% subsidy on battery systems. The region's steadfast commitment to renewable energy integration has positioned it as a nexus of activity, sustaining its market leadership.

Emerging Trends and Drivers

Lithium-Ion Technology Dominance: Known for their efficiency and longevity, lithium-ion batteries are poised to command the market with their superior performance and declining price points.

Influx of Renewable Integration: With ambitious targets set across various geographies like India and South Korea, the increased integration of renewable energy sources predicates a heightened need for reliable energy storage solutions.

Technical and Regulatory Landscape: Technological complexity and regulatory barriers remain hurdles. Yet progressive policies and advancements in compatibility and maintenance continue to catalyze market growth.

Pioneering Market Players



A collective of innovative companies like Tesla, Inc., LG Chem Ltd., and Sonnen GmbH, among others, are making significant contributions to the landscape of the commercial energy storage market. These organizations are not only enhancing storage capacities and efficiencies but also driving forward the conversation on sustainable energy usage for commercial entities.



Key Attributes

Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 188 Forecast Period 2022-2028 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2022 $3.25 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2028 $4.91 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 6.2% Regions Covered Global

A selection of companies mentioned in this report includes:

Tesla, Inc.

LG Chem Ltd.

Sonnen GmbH

Enphase Energy, Inc.

Sunrun Inc.

Panasonic Corporation

Orison

Eguana Technologies Inc.

Pika Energy

BYD Company Limited

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/zbu03j

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

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Dublin, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Ozone Generator Global Market Report 2024" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The ozone generator market has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $1.44 billion in 2023 to $1.54 billion in 2024 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.1%. The expansion observed in the historical period can be attributed to various factors, including heightened concerns about air and water pollution, an increased demand for water treatment and purification solutions, the implementation of stringent environmental regulations and standards, expanded applications in both industrial and municipal sectors, and a growing need for effective odor and VOC (volatile organic compounds) control.



The ozone generator market is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $2.08 billion in 2028 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.7%. The anticipated growth in the forecast period can be linked to several factors, including the adoption of ozone generators for aquaculture and fish farming, the integration of ozone technology in laundry and textile industries, the expansion of ozone therapy in wellness and medical spa settings, a heightened emphasis on ozone treatment in pharmaceutical and biotech industries, and a growing demand for ozone generators in HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) and air purification. Notable trends in the forecast period encompass the development of modular and scalable ozone generation systems, advancements in electrode and dielectric materials, ozone generation using pulsed corona discharge (PCD), the integration of IoT (Internet of Things) and remote monitoring, and the application of ozone in wastewater treatment.



The expected surge in investments to upgrade and expand wastewater treatment facilities is anticipated to drive the ozone generator market's growth. In April 2021, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $6.5 billion in new funding for water infrastructure projects, accelerating investment in critical water infrastructure across various communities. Consequently, the increasing investments in wastewater treatment facilities are expected to drive demand for ozone generators in the forecast period.



The growth of the paper and pulp manufacturing industry is poised to contribute to the ozone generator market's expansion. According to a February 2021 report from the Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI), the economic recovery led to a 5.0% to 5.8% increase in paper and board production across Cepi member nations in 2021. The growth was observed in nearly all paper and board grades, resulting in a total production of 90.2 million tonnes. This surge in production is notable in countries like China, the US, Japan, India, Korea, and Canada, contributing to a 3% worldwide increase in paper and board production in 2021. Hence, the growing paper and pulp manufacturing industry is a driving force behind the ozone generators market's growth.



Innovation in product development stands out as a significant trend in the ozone generator market, with companies introducing new products equipped with innovative technologies to meet industry demands and enhance global business presence. In March 2021, SUEZ SA, a French-based water and waste management company, launched Ozonia L, the next generation of large-capacity ozone generators. Ozonia L offers substantial ozone production on a compact footprint, featuring a web-enabled interface and real-time system optimization for enhanced energy efficiency and reduced total cost of ownership. This product incorporates cutting-edge technology developed in SUEZ's Ozonia innovation labs, solidifying their position as innovators and leaders in the disinfection and oxidation field.



Major companies in the ozone generator market are also developing innovative products like geodesic ozone generators to cater to a broader customer base, increase sales, and boost revenue. A geodesic ozone generator produces ozone (O3) through the ozone generation process. In October 2023, AquaStar Pool Products, a US-based pool technology company, introduced the PureStar Ozone System. This self-contained geodesic ozone generator, known for its simplicity in installation, is compatible with nearly all variable-speed pumps without increasing energy consumption. Its patented plug-and-play design seamlessly integrates in-line, requiring less than 18 inches of horizontal pipe. Featuring a venturi injector with self-regulation, it ensures hydraulic system efficiency, making it effective even when operating at lower speeds.



In March 2022, Konica Minolta, Inc., a Japan-based multinational technology company, entered a strategic collaboration with Tamura TECO Co., Ltd. to jointly develop ozone generators effective in disinfecting viruses, preventing the spread of COVID-19, and maintaining a safe and hygienic environment. Tamura TECO Co., Ltd., a Japan-based company, specializes in the manufacturing and distribution of ozone-related products.



Report Scope

Markets Covered:

1) By Type: Large Ozone Generator (>5kg/h); Middle Ozone Generator (100 gm/h- 5 kg/h); Small Ozone Generator (< 100 gm/h)

2) By Technology: Corona Discharge; Ultraviolet Radiation; Electrolysis; Radiochemical

3) By Application: Water Purification; Air Purification; Pulp Bleaching; Organic Synthesis; Aquaculture; Food Processing; Surface Treatment; Medical & Aesthetics; Other Applications

4) By End-user: Municipal and Industrial Water Treatment; Residential and Industrial Air Treatment; Automotive; Food and Beverage; Paper and Pulp; Pharmaceuticals; Semiconductors; Other End-Users

Key Companies Mentioned: Suez Utilities Company; Mitsubishi Electric Corporation; Ebara Corporation; Toshiba Corporation; METAWATER Co Ltd.

Time Series: Five years historic and ten years forecast.

Data: Ratios of market size and growth to related markets, GDP proportions, expenditure per capita,

Data Segmentation: Country and regional historic and forecast data, market share of competitors, market segments.

A selection of companies mentioned in this report includes:

Suez Utilities Company

Mitsubishi Electric Corporation

Ebara Corporation

Toshiba Corporation

METAWATER Co Ltd.

Daikin Industries Ltd.

Ozone Tech Systems

Primozone AB

Lenntech B.V.

Ecozone Technologies Ltd.

Electrolux AB

Honeywell International Inc.

Oxyzone

Ozone Solutions Inc.

Biozone Corporation

DEL Ozone

Sharp Corporation

Sun-Belt USA

Whirlpool Corporation

BES Group

Chemtronics Technologies (India) Pvt. Ltd.

Degremont Technologies

Enaly Ozone Generator

Faraday ozone

Xylem Inc.

Corotec Corporation

MKS Instruments Inc.

Ozomax Limited

Qingdao Guolin Industry Co. Ltd.

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/414pi4

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.
OTTAWA, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Zighra, the leading provider of explainable artificial intelligence solutions and cybersecurity, announced a new contract with the Canadian Coast Guard for its GenesysInsights platform. This state-of-the-art technology will enhance the safety and security of Canadas maritime territories by providing a previously unattainable level of analysis.



By combining the powers of AI interpretability and multi-sensor fusion, GenesysInsights offers unparalleled automated threat detection and comprehensive situational awareness in maritime environments. The platform synthesises information from Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals and terrestrial and space-based AIS data helping to significantly contribute to the Canadian Coast Guards capabilities in detecting and responding to maritime threats. This initiative is part of the Innovative Solutions Canada program.





Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) technology, integral to a range of critical applications from military operations guidance to everyday smartphone navigation, has been a major driver of commercial advancement. Despite its widespread utility, the susceptibility of these systems to manipulation presents significant threats, including unauthorized vessel activities and sophisticated cyber-attacks like jamming and spoofing.

GenesysInsights will transform the security of government infrastructure and operations, ensuring a cyber-secure digital environment across land, sea, and space. The platform leverages advanced machine learning algorithms to analyze a vast array of sensor data inputs. By monitoring ship movements and communications alongside satellite signal integrity, GenesysInsights will detect unusual patterns or anomalies indicative of potential risks. The complex analyses required to make swift, informed decisions in critical situations are finally transparent and comprehensible for operational personnel.

"We are excited about our continued collaboration with the Canadian Coast Guard," says Deepak Dutt, CEO of Zighra. "The GenesysInsights platform reflects our commitment to developing versatile and powerful cybersecurity solutions, proactively anticipating and mitigating threats by uniting multi-sensor data fusion with AI. It's a significant step towards ensuring a safer maritime domain."

This pilot project will deliver:

Enhanced Situational Awareness: A significant improvement in real-time monitoring and analysis of maritime activities, bolstering safety and security across Canadas maritime waterways.

Advanced Threat Detection and Response: Elevated capabilities to quickly detect and respond to maritime threats, including sophisticated cyber-attacks.

Operational Intelligence and Alerting: An integrated operational command system with automated alerts to enhance decision-making and coordination.



The successful implementation of GenesysInsights for the Canadian Coast Guard could pave the way for broader adoption across various critical infrastructure sectors, with compelling use cases in aviation, ground transportation, logistics, space operations, and national security.

About Zighra

Zighra is a leading innovator in the field of cybersecurity, pioneering the development and deployment of explainable artificial intelligence (AI) solutions. With a focus on advancing security technologies, Zighras mission is to empower organizations and governments to safeguard digital and physical assets in an increasingly connected world. Zighra is dedicated to creating a cyber-secure future through technology that understands and adapts to the complex dynamics of human and machine interactions.

For a deeper dive into how GenesysInsights is revolutionizing maritime security, or to explore potential cybersecurity solutions for your organization powered by Explainable AI, please reach out to:

Vipin Menon

Zighra Inc.

+1 613-663-9090

https://zighra.com/genesysinsights



A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/eff7d8bc-e5d7-4abe-b5be-ffa8c4a75a33
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Prosper Gold Corp. (Prosper Gold or the Company) (TSXV:PGX) is pleased to announce that the Company has entered into a definitive option agreement (the Option Agreement) with several individuals (collectively, the Optionors), whereby the Optionors have granted the Company the option to acquire a 100% interest (the Option) in the Kaza and Northstar properties (collectively, the Cyprus Project).



Project Highlights:

Historical drill intercepts include 0.55% copper over 138.3 metres

Historical trench sampling includes 1.68% copper over 23.0 metres

Over 1% copper and up to 5.1 gpt gold in historical soil sampling

Two road-accessible copper-gold porphyry prospects approximately 10 km apart

A combined 6,573 metres of drilling in 69 drill holes



Prosper has been evaluating this copper-gold exploration opportunity for the past 8 months, commented Peter Bernier, CEO. The immediate exploration potential at both Kaza and Northstar is clearly evident and we are keen to implement our exploration strategy for this project.

The road-accessible Cyprus Project is situated in north-central British Columbia, Canada (Figure 1). Comprised of two sets of mineral claims, the Kaza claims and the Northstar claims, the Project totals 1,368 hectares which encompass the historical Kaza and Northstar copper prospects.

The Kaza Claims

The Kaza claims total 450 hectares contain the historical Kaza copper-gold prospect. Extensive geochemical, geophysical and geological surveys, as well as historical drilling activities, have outlined a 2,000 metre by 600 metre footprint of high-level porphyry copper-gold mineralization and hydrothermal alteration. Highly anomalous copper-gold soil and rock geochemistry are spatially coincident with feldspar porphyry dikes, high IP chargeability and low magnetic response (Figure 2).

Historical soil samples up to 5.09 gpt gold and 10,000 ppm copper exist at the Kaza prospect. Surface chip samples from 1973 include 0.88% copper, 15.4 gpt gold and 120 gpt silver over 4.0 metres. Historical drill intercepts include 0.88% copper, 15.4 gpt gold and 127 gpt silver over 1.2 metres in drill hole 68-9. Drill results from the most recent drilling program in 2004 at the Kaza prospect include 0.12% copper and 0.24 gpt gold over 8.2 metres in drill hole KZ-04-01.

The company believes historical operators did not drill test the Kaza prospect to sufficient depths with the deepest hole reaching only 195 metres vertical depth. The surface expression of the Kaza prospect is interpreted to be the upper reaches of a porphyry copper-gold system.

The Northstar Claims

The Northstar claims, situated 4 kilometres to the northeast of the Kaza claims, total 918 hectares and contain the historical Northstar copper prospect. Two discrete mineralized areas on the Northstar claims have seen a combined 4,900 metres of drilling: the Main Zone and the B showing.

Copper mineralization at the Main Zone consists of bornite and lesser chalcocite within faulted and fractured andesite. The B showing consists of several zones of vein and shear-hosted chalcocite and minor bornite hosted in andesitic volcanics, along with disseminated and fracture-filling chalcocite, bornite and chalcopyrite.

Excavation and channel sampling in 1997 at the B showing yielded 23.0 metres grading 2.1% copper in trench TN-1. Diamond drill hole NS-04-02, drilled in 2004 at the B showing, intersected disseminated and fracture-filling chalcocite, bornite and chalcopyrite mineralization which assayed 0.55% copper over 138.2 metres (Figure 3). Diamond drill hole 68-10, drilled in 1968 at the B showing by Northstar Copper Mines Ltd. intersected 1.68% copper across 14.6 metres with mineralization occurring as vein and shear-hosted chalcocite and bornite.

The Company believes the historically outlined zones of copper mineralization at the Northstar prospect are likely driven by a magmatic-hydrothermal system in the immediate vicinity, likely to the east and to depth of the mineralization encountered at the B showing.





Figure 1. Map showing location of Northstar and Kaza claim groups in relation to existing copper  gold prospects in north-central British Columbia.





Figure 2. Compilation map of primary target on the Kaza Claims, showing geophysical anomalies in relation to geochemical sampling results and mapped geology.





Figure 3. Map showing copper geochemistry and mapped geology at the area of historical exploration on the Northstar Claims.

Table 1 - Collar information for select historical drill holes (coordinates are in Datum NAD 83, zone 9).

Hole ID Easting

(m) Northing

(m) Azi () Dip () Depth

(m) Year Prospect KZ-04-01 666247 6206888 240 -45 168.9 2004 Kaza NS-04-02 671239 6215386 110 -45 215.1 2004 Northstar DDH-68-9 666213 6206676 0 -90 60 1968 Kaza D68-10 671366 6215358 240 -45 93.3 1968 Northstar

Key Terms of Option Agreement

In order to exercise the Option, the Company must pay an aggregate of C$725,000 cash (the Cash Payments), issue an aggregate of 1,650,000 common shares in the capital of the Company (the Option Shares) and incur work expenditures totaling C$2,000,000 (the Expenditures) over a period of four years. Upon the exercise of the Option, the Company will grant a 2.0% net smelter royalty to the Optionors (the Royalty), subject to the terms of the Option Agreement.

Jim Miller-Tait, a director of the Company, is one of the Optionors. As such, the Option Agreement involves a related party (as such term is defined under Multilateral Instrument 61-101  Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (MI 61-101)), and constitutes a related party transaction under MI 61-101. This transaction is exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 pursuant to sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101.

The transactions contemplated by the Option Agreement, including the issuance of Option Shares thereunder, are subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. Any Option Shares issued under the Option Agreement will be subject to a hold period of four months and one day.

Qualified Person

The scientific and technical information in this news release has been reviewed by Rory Ritchie, P.Geo., Vice-President of Exploration for Prosper Gold and a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101. The results contained in this release were completed by previous operators of the Property. Although the Company was not involved in the original work in respect of these results, proper industry data verification procedures appear to have been followed.

For a detailed overview of Prosper Gold please visit www.ProsperGoldCorp.com



ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Per:  Peter Bernier 

Peter Bernier

President & CEO

For further information, please contact:

Peter Bernier

President & CEO

Prosper Gold Corp.

Cell: (250) 316-6644

Email: Pete@ProsperGoldCorp.com

Information set forth in this news release may involve forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are statements that relate to future, not past, events. In this context, forward-looking statements often address expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", and "intend", statements that an action or event "may", "might", "could", "should", or "will" be taken or occur, or other similar expressions. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein including, without limitation; statements about the terms of the Option Agreement, approval of the TSX Venture Exchange, exploration potential of the Property, the planned exploration of the Property and granting the Royalty are forward-looking statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, the following risks: the need for additional financing; operational risks associated with mineral exploration; fluctuations in commodity prices; title matters; environmental liability claims and insurance; reliance on key personnel; the potential for conflicts of interest among certain officers, directors or promoters with certain other projects; the absence of dividends; competition; dilution; the volatility of our common share price and volume and the additional risks identified the management discussion and analysis section of our interim and most recent annual financial statement or other reports and filings with the TSX Venture Exchange and applicable Canadian securities regulations. Forward-looking statements are made based on management's beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made and the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as required by applicable securities laws. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Maps accompanying this announcement are available at

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0c5189a6-dd28-4f90-8064-d6068718b0a8

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9029e1f1-c77b-4660-bb67-179d44f141e6

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Biosimilar Jubbonti  approved for all indications of Prolia* reference medicine.

approved for all indications of Prolia* reference medicine. Sandoz continues to expand access for patients in Canada, offering denosumab biosimilar to treat osteoporosis and increase bone mass.

Health Canada approval based on robust Phase I and Phase III clinical studies.

Results confirm that Jubbonti provides same risks and benefits in terms of efficacy, safety and immunogenicity as reference medicine.

BOUCHERVILLE, Quebec, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sandoz Canada is pleased to announce that Health Canada has provided authorization to market Jubbonti (denosumab subcutaneous injection, reference medicine: Prolia*).

Jubbonti is the first and only Health Canada-approved denosumab biosimilar for osteoporosis and increasing bone mass. This human monoclonal antibody and RANK ligand inhibitor (bone metabolism regulator) is approved to treat all five indications covered by the reference medicine and is available as a 60 mg/mL solution in single-use prefilled syringe. Jubbonti should be available on the Canadian market in the coming months.

Denosumab is an important biologic therapy used by more than 500,000 patients in Canada.(1) As a pioneer in patient access, we take great pride in being the first company to introduce and bring to the Canadian market a denosumab biosimilar in the field of immunology. - Michel Robidoux, President and General Manager, Sandoz Canada







In light of the recent Health Canada approval of the denosumab biosimilar Jubbonti, I am enthusiastic that more Canadian patients suffering from osteoporosis will benefit from this class of medication. Biosimilars such as Jubbonti not only expand access to efficacious and safe medicines but should help decrease healthcare system costs. - Dr. Jean-Pierre Raynauld, MD, FRCPC, Rheumatologist



Jubbonti is Sandoz Canadas seventh biosimilar, demonstrating the companys ongoing commitment to grow its portfolio to respond to patient needs. Sandoz Canada remains committed to delivering affordable and high-quality medicines, with a plan to introduce 24 new biosimilars.

About Biosimilars

A biosimilar biologic medicine, or biosimilar, is a biologic medicine that is shown to be highly similar and has no clinically meaningful differences in efficacy and safety in comparison to an original-brand (reference) biologic already authorized for sale. Biosimilars may become commercially available following the expiry of patents and data protection periods of the reference biologic medicine.

Sandoz launched the first biosimilar in Europe, in 2006, and in the Canadian market, in 2009. Since 2009, Health Canada has approved 55 biosimilars of reference biologics present on the Canadian market(2).

Biosimilars have the potential to improve access to effective treatments while reducing the current economic burden on the Canadian healthcare system, patients, physicians, and taxpayers as a whole. The Patented Medicines Pricing Review Board has estimated that biosimilars of four high-selling biologics saved Canadians an estimated $990 million over three years.(3) The broader use of biosimilar medicines, including the implementation of biosimilar transition policies, can also help public and private drug plans improve their sustainability by adding new medicine listings and expanding existing medical coverage for patients.

Disclaimer

This Media Release contains forward-looking statements, which offers no guarantee with regards to future performance. These statements are made based on managements views and assumptions regarding future events and business performance at the time the statements are made. They are subject to risks and uncertainties including, but not confined to, future global economic conditions, exchange rates, legal provisions, market conditions, activities by competitors and other factors outside of the control of Sandoz. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual outcomes may vary materially from those forecasted or expected. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of the statement, and Sandoz undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

About Sandoz Canada

As a Canadian leader in off-patent medicines, Sandoz Canada has a product portfolio that includes over 700 generics and biosimilars spanning multiple therapeutic areas, such as anti-infective, cardiovascular, central nervous system, immunology and oncology. In 2022, Sandoz products helped over 8 million patients in Canada (source: IQVIA). With its 300 employees across the country and headquarters based in Boucherville (QC), Sandoz Canada is a trusted partner for pharmacists, physicians and hospitals for quality medicine, outstanding customer service and is committed to ensuring a reliable supply. For more information about Sandoz Canada, visit: www.sandoz.ca

About Sandoz AG

Sandoz (SIX: SDZ; OTCQX: SDZNY) is the global leader in generic and biosimilar medicines, with a growth strategy driven by its Purpose: Pioneering access for patients. 22,000 people of more than 100 nationalities work together to bring Sandoz medicines to some 500 million patients worldwide, generating substantial global healthcare savings and an even larger social impact. Its leading portfolio of more than 1,500 products addresses diseases from common colds to cancer. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Sandoz traces its heritage back to the year 1886. Its history of breakthroughs includes Calcium Sandoz in 1929, the worlds first oral penicillin in 1951, and the worlds first biosimilar in 2006. In 2022, Sandoz sales achieved USD 9.1 billion and core EBITDA of USD 1.9 billion.

Media relations contact paule.pelletier@sandoz.com Paule Pelletier, Director, Corporate Communications

+1 514 702-7699





Sandoz on social media LinkedIn



https://www.linkedin.com/company/sandozcanada President and General Manager,

Sandoz Canada, on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/michel-robidoux

Two photos accompanying this announcement are available at

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Incidence of pressure injuries reduced by 50% during the study period

As a decision support device, PressureSafe, can support early detection of pressure injuries, potentially setting a new standard of care to address a healthcare challenge that costs $26.8 billion annually in the U.S. alone

Data reported at NPIAP 2024 Annual Conference to key thought leaders and practitioners in the field of pressure injuries

Nearly 1,500 PressureSafe scans on 154 body locations conducted at hospitals owned by the worlds 2nd largest HMO

Rosh Pina, Israel, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IR-MED Inc. , (IR-MED or the Company) (OTCQB:IRME), developer of a noninvasive artificial intelligence (AI) driven spectrographic analysis technology platform to address significant healthcare needs, today reported highly favorable proof of efficacy data for PressureSafe , its decision support device which uses infra-red spectroscopy combined with an AI-based algorithm, for the early, non-invasive, and skin color agnostic detection of pressure injuries.

Data from the study conducted at two medical centers owned by Clalit, the worlds second largest health maintenance organization (HMO) and the largest in Israel, Beit Rivka Hospital and Rabin Medical Center, presented at the National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel (NPIAP) 2024 Annual Conference on February 16 and 17, 2024 in San Antonio, Texas. Dr. Gal Maydan of Beit Rivka Hospital Geriatric Rehabilitation Center, and Principal Investigator of the study, presented the data in a poster titled Near Infra-Red Spectroscopy for early detection of stage 1 pressure injury and deep tissue injury  clinical study results.

While the current standard of care for the detection of pressure injuries is visual and tactile clinical evaluation, physiological changes below the skins surface, including inflammation and interstitial fluids precede changes on the surface. The objective of the study was to evaluate the sensitivity, specificity, and usability of PressureSafe to detect early-stage pressure injuries Stage 1 / suspected deep tissue injuries (sDTI) before skin breakage, compared to standard of care. PressureSafe detected biomarkers and changes in tissue structures under the skins surface as they relate to pressure injuries.

The 14-day efficacy portion of the single arm, bi-center study evaluated 38 patients at high risk of pressure injury development. A total of 924 scans were conducted on 154 body locations. Nurses conducting the scans were blinded to PressureSafes results, which were encrypted. PressureSafe detected Stage 1 / sDTI pressure injuries with 92% sensitivity and 88% specificity. Additional portions of the study evaluated safety, as well as device calibration and validation. Total data from 66 patients was obtained for safety analysis and no safety signals were identified in 1,493 scans. Based on these data, the study concluded that PressureSafe is a safe, efficient, and valuable method for early detection of pressure injuries.

These data demonstrate that PressureSafe, an IR-spectroscopy scanner combined with an AI- based algorithm, provides a very good option for detection of early stage pressure injuries - hence facilitating early treatment that is crucial for prevention of complications. This is especially important in diagnosis of people with darker skin colors, where visual and tactile inspection alone may miss early detection, stated Dr. Maydan. Our medical staff, including nurses, found the device very easy to use. During the study period the incidence of pressure injuries was reduced by approximately 50% compared to the same period before the study. It is time to integrate advanced technology to augment standard human visual and tactile perception in order to minimize the harmful consequences of pressure injuries. PressureSafe is a device that I can see being used for exactly this purpose.

Tzur Di-Cori, IR-MEDs CEO, commented, This robust and impressive data from our collaborative study with Clalit comes at an ideal time as we prepare to enter the U.S. market with PressureSafe. We believe the 92% efficacy findings in real-world data settings at two world-class hospitals will be a big factor in driving adoption in the U.S. We thank Dr. Maydan and his entire team at Clalit for leading this study.

Yaniv Cohen, PHD, IR-MEDs CSO, added, In addition to this study in Israel, we look forward to starting a usability study for PressureSafe in the U.S. in collaboration with Methodist Healthcare of San Antonio in the coming months. The Methodist study aims to enroll approximately 50% of patients with darker skin tones in order produce comparative data for PressureSafes accuracy as a decision support device in people with lighter and darker skin tones. This is a very important priority for IR-MED, as published studies show black patients in the U.S. suffer disproportionally from pressure injuries, which are harder to detect visually in darker skin tones.

IR-MEDs clinical and execute team participated at NPIAP 2024 where they demonstrated PressureSafe at booth #102.

The poster outlined several advantages of the PressureSafe technology including:

Non-invasive, multi-biomarker analysis

Scans for changes at tissue structure under the skins surface

Effective for all skin tones

AI-based algorithm

Real-time analysis at the point-of-care

Personalized medical device

Cloud based

Harmless infra-red light

About PressureSafe

PressureSafe, an innovative non-invasive medical device that uses infrared optical spectroscopy and AI, is designed to effectively detect early-stage pressure injuries for all skin tones. Pressure injuries cost the U.S. healthcare system $26.8 billion and lead to 60,000 deaths annually. PressureSafe was found to be over 90% accurate in detecting pressure injuries based on interim results from a multicenter study. The skin-color agnostic device effectively addresses equity in healthcare by using infrared light to detect biomarker changes below the skins surface.

About IR-MED

IR-MED Inc. is developing a noninvasive spectrographic analysis technology platform, allowing healthcare professions to detect, measure and monitor, in real time, different molecules in the blood, in human tissue, and in body fluids without invasive procedures. PressureSafe, the first product under development, is a handheld optical monitoring device that is being developed to support early detection of pressure injuries (PI) to the skin and underlying tissue, regardless of skin tone as it calibrates personally to each patients skin.

IR-MEDs technology is being developed to allow accurate readings of biomarkers in a non-invasive method, that may provide caregiver the optimal decision support-system in cases where uncertainties disturb physicians in their decision processes.

IR-MED holds patents protecting its technology and innovations in the noninvasive tissue analysis, and in the modeling and analysis of subcutaneous tissue.

PressureSafe is currently undergoing usability studies at multiple medical centers. It is not yet available for commercial use.

Safe Harbor Statement / Forward-Looking Statements

Statements included in this press release, which are not historical in nature, are forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. For example, IR-Med is using forward-looking statements when it discusses the parameters and timing of the study, the expected timing of FDA approval, the potential benefits from its PressureSafe product and the expected timing of the release of its useability study conducted in Israel. Statements relating to the future performance of IR-Med are subject to many factors including, but not limited to, the sufficiency or working capital and our ability to raise the capital needed to fund our development efforts, completion of the development and design of PressureSafe device, results of clinical/useability studies and trials, timing of product development, FDA approval/clearance of products in development, customer acceptance of our products in the market, the introduction of competitive products, the impact of any product liability or other adverse litigation, commercialization and technological difficulties, and the other risks identified in our most recent annual report on Form 10-K filed on March 29, 2023 with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Such statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof, and we do not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of future events, new information, or otherwise.

Contact:

Sharon Levkoviz, Chief Financial Officer

Tel: +972 (0) 4 6555054

Attachment
MAPLE GROVE, Minn., Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TopLine Financial Credit Union , a Twin Cities-based member-owned financial services cooperative , held their third annual Winter Gear Drive during the month of January benefitting local non-profits, African Education and Health Initiative, Avenues for youth, MORE Community Services and YMCA of the North Youth and Family Services. TopLine members and employees generously donated winter gear items of youth and adult size jackets, boots, gloves, hats, scarves, socks and more to help bring warmth to those in need in our local communities.

Employees were able to participate by donating winter gear items and money in exchange for a Foundation Friday/Saturday sticker, allowing them to wear jeans to work. TopLine and community members could also purchase items from our Amazon Wishlist or Target Registry and have them delivered directly to TopLine, and in return we delivered to our charitable partners. When the program ended TopLine employees and members had donated over 603 winter gear drive items and $830 in cash to assist local individuals and families.

We are grateful to have so many generous donors who supported youth, adults and families in our communities by donating coats, hats, mittens, scarves and other warm winter items, said Mick Olson, TopLine President and CEO. We remain committed to fulfilling the needs identified by our non-profit partners by hosting a variety of donation drives to benefit those that need a little extra assistance, and are appreciative of our non-profit partners who do the heavy lifting of distributing all items collected.

African Education and Health Initiative (AFEDHI) is a non-profit organization with a vision to ensure that African students, Kindergarten through college, have access to educational materials such as books, computers and other reading aids to support their education needs and goals. For more information visit https://afedhi.org/.

Avenues for Youth provides emergency shelter, short-term housing and supportive services for homeless youth ages 16-24 in Hennepin County. Avenues shelters in Brooklyn Park and Minneapolis help over 250 youth annually. Visit https://avenuesforyouth.org/ to learn more.

MORE Community Services provides refugees and immigrants with education and support, helping them achieve economic and social independence today and for generations to come. Visit https://www.more-empowerment.org/ to learn more.

The YMCA of the North Youth and Family Services is a leading non-profit dedicated to strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. To learn more about the Ys mission and work, visit https://www.ymcanorth.org/impact.

TopLine Financial Credit Union , a Twin Cities-based credit union, is Minnesotas 11th largest credit union, with assets of nearly $800 million and serves over 51,000 members. Established in 1935, the not-for-profit financial cooperative offers a complete line of financial services from its five branch locations  in Bloomington, Brooklyn Park, Maple Grove, Plymouth and in St. Pauls Como Park  as well as by phone, mobile app and online at www.TopLinecu.com . Membership is available to anyone who lives, works, worships, attends school or volunteers in Anoka, Carver, Chisago, Dakota, Hennepin, Isanti, Ramsey, Scott, Sherburne, Washington and Wright counties in Minnesota and their immediate family members. Visit us on our Facebook or Instagram. To learn more about the credit unions foundation, visit www.TopLinecu.com/Foundation.

CONTACT:

Vicki Roscoe Erickson

Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer

TopLine Financial Credit Union

verickson@toplinecu.com | 763.391.0872

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5397293e-3025-4a65-b86a-97e775f786cf
ELKO  The Nevada Outdoor School is offering in the coming weeks a rotation of free family-friendly events to reach interests of all sorts: one for book lovers, one about meteorology and one centered on the GPS scavenger hunt game geocaching.
Dublin, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Artificial Intelligence Server Market (2023 Edition): Analysis By Value and Unit Shipment, Server Type (Data, Training, Inference, Others), AI Server Infrastructure, Hardware Architecture, End-use, By Region, By Country: Market Insights and Forecast (2019-2029)" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

This extensive study predicts substantial growth at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 25% for the AI server market from 2024 to 2029

This rapid expansion is attributed to increasing demand across various sectors for formidable computational power to support the training of complex neural networks and the execution of real-time AI tasks.

Key Insights from the Artificial Intelligence Server Market Analysis



The comprehensive report reveals an anticipated surge in the market, projecting an increase from USD 17.5 Billion in 2022 to USD 72.6 Billion by 2029. Booming advancements in hardware technologies and specialized accelerators such as GPUs, TPUs, and FPGAs are driving this growth, optimizing AI workloads and performance significantly.

The substantial increase in the shipment of AI servers reflects the burgeoning integration of AI technologies across numerous industries. Investment in AI server infrastructure has become pivotal for businesses looking to harness the potential of AI. This has propelled advancements in accelerator technologies and bespoke hardware designed for AI-enhanced operations.

Impact of GPU Evolution on the AI Server Market



The evolution of GPU technology stands as a cornerstone in the thriving AI Server Industry. Once merely a tool for graphics rendering, GPUs have transformed into powerful accelerators for AI and machine learning workloads. Key industry players continue to refine GPU designs, now more capable and equipped with features tailored for AI tasks.

This technological prowess has revolutionized efficiency, model training times, and overall performance. High-performance GPUs are now a staple in AI servers, particularly with increased AI workloads in fields such as healthcare, finance, and autonomous vehicles. The GPUs advancements remain integral to the industry's prosperity.

Key Attributes:

Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 330 Forecast Period 2024 - 2029 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2024 $23.72 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2029 $72.57 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 25.0% Regions Covered Global

Global Artificial Intelligence Server Market: Historic and Forecast (2019-2029)

Impact Analysis of Macro Economic Factors on Artificial Intelligence Server Market

Global Artificial Intelligence Server Market: AI Semiconductor Market

Global Artificial Intelligence Server Market: Regular & GPU Server market

Global Artificial Intelligence Server Market: BOM Cost Comparison

Global Artificial Intelligence Server Market: Chipset Sales & Comparison

Global Artificial Intelligence Server Market: AI Servers Growth & China AI server Market

Global Artificial Intelligence Server Market: Dashboard

Global Artificial Intelligence Server Market: Market Value Assessment, 2019-2029 (USD Billion)

Global Artificial Intelligence Server Market: Market Volume Assessment, 2019-2029 (in Million Units)

Average Price Analysis of Artificial Intelligence Server Globally

Impact of COVID-19 on Artificial Intelligence Server Market

Global Artificial Intelligence Server Market Segmentation: By Server Type Global Artificial Intelligence Server Market, By Server Type Overview Global Artificial Intelligence Server Market Size, By AI Data Server, By Value, 2019H-2029F (USD Billion & CAGR) Global Artificial Intelligence Server Market Size, By AI Training Server, By Value, 2019H-2029F (USD Billion & CAGR) Global Artificial Intelligence Server Market Size, By AI Inference Server, By Value, 2019H-2029F (USD Billion & CAGR) Global Artificial Intelligence Server Market Size, By Other Server Types, By Value, 2019H-2029F (USD Billion & CAGR)

Global Artificial Intelligence Server Market Segmentation: By AI Server Infrastructure Global Artificial Intelligence Server Market, By AI Server Infrastructure Overview Global Artificial Intelligence Server Market Size, By Cloud, By Value, 2019H-2029F (USD Billion & CAGR) Global Artificial Intelligence Server Market Size, By On-premise, By Value, 2019H-2029F (USD Billion & CAGR) Global Artificial Intelligence Server Market Size, By Edge, By Value, 2019H-2029F (USD Billion & CAGR) Global Artificial Intelligence Server Market Segmentation: By Hardware Architecture

Global Artificial Intelligence Server Market, By Hardware Architecture Overview Global Artificial Intelligence Server Market Size, By GPU Servers, By Value, 2019H-2029F (USD Billion & CAGR) Global Artificial Intelligence Server Market Size, By ASIC Servers, By Value, 2019H-2029F (USD Billion & CAGR) Global Artificial Intelligence Server Market Size, By FPGA Servers, By Value, 2019H-2029F (USD Billion & CAGR) Global Artificial Intelligence Server Market Size, By Other Server Architecture, By Value, 2019H-2029F (USD Billion & CAGR)

Global Artificial Intelligence Server Market Segmentation: By End-use Global Artificial Intelligence Server Market, By End-use Overview Global Artificial Intelligence Server Market Size, By IT & Telecommunication, By Value, 2019H-2029F (USD Billion & CAGR) Global Artificial Intelligence Server Market Size, By Transportation and Automotive, By Value, 2019H-2029F (USD Billion & CAGR) Global Artificial Intelligence Server Market Size, By BFSI, By Value, 2019H-2029F (USD Billion & CAGR) Global Artificial Intelligence Server Market Size, By Retail and Ecommerce, By Value, 2019H-2029F (USD Billion & CAGR) Global Artificial Intelligence Server Market Size, By Healthcare and Pharmaceutical, By Value, 2019H-2029F (USD Billion & CAGR) Global Artificial Intelligence Server Market Size, By Industrial Automation, By Value, 2019H-2029F (USD Billion & CAGR)



Competitive Positioning

Companies' Product Positioning

Market Position Matrix

Market Share Analysis of Artificial Intelligence Server Market

Company Profiles

Nvidia Corporation

Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

IBM Corporation

Dell Technologies Inc.

Fujitsu Limited

ZTE Corporation

Super Micro Computer, Inc.

Inspur

GUC

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/imsuhj

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

Attachment
Dublin, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Europe UAV Satellite Communication (SATCOM) Market - Analysis and Forecast, 2023-2033" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

With a comprehensive analysis and forecast of the Europe UAV satellite communication (SATCOM) market for 2023-2033, a new industry intelligence report is now accessible and provides detailed insights into this growing sector. The report reveals a projected growth from $3.55 billion in 2022 to $4.09 billion by 2033, with a steady CAGR of 1.36%. This growth trajectory is attributed to the expanding applications of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) across various industries, alongside the integration of cutting-edge technologies like multiband antennas and hybrid communication systems.





Key Insights from the Report:





Detailed market segmentation by Application , Drone Type , and Region unveils significant opportunities and niche sectors ripe for investment and development.

, , and unveils significant opportunities and niche sectors ripe for investment and development. Increased utilization of UAVs for Marine Surveillance , Disaster Management , and Military ISR is significantly contributing to the market expansion within Europe.

, , and is significantly contributing to the market expansion within Europe. Technological enhancements in satellite communications, such as the integration of phased array antennae and adoption of hybrid communication systems, are propelling the market forward.

Europe's prominence in the global UAV SATCOM landscape is underscored by its substantial market share of 29.88% by value in 2022, driven by a well-established industry presence and heightened awareness of the strategic benefits of satellite communication for UAVs. The report indicates that emerging trends and business strategies within the region are shaping the market's trajectory, enabling effective deployment of UAVs for a spectrum of operations.

Strategic Developments

Amidst a flurry of growth and marketing strategies by market leaders, the region has witnessed pivotal collaborations and contracts aimed at solidifying market positions. Notably, the partnership between Inmarsat Global Limited and the European Space Agency (ESA) in January 2023 stands out as a key development to further integrate UAVs into commercial airspace operations, highlighting the commitment to innovation and advancement in the European UAV SATCOM market.

The report also sheds light on the competitive landscape of the Europe UAV SATCOM market, featuring key players and their market positioning based on advanced technologies and strategic engagements. As these organizations continuously seek to expand their footprint through diverse strategies, such as partnerships and collaborations, the report serves as a critical tool for stakeholders to understand the market dynamics and identify potential avenues for growth.

Premier Market Participants

With a focus on leading contributors to the market including Cobham Aerospace Communications, Thales Group, and Indra, the report provides an overview of each entity's role in shaping the Europe UAV SATCOM arena. The meticulous profiling includes analysis of product offerings, strategic initiatives, and regional influence within the market.

For further details and insights into the Europe UAV SATCOM market, stakeholders and interested parties are encouraged to access the full report, which elucidates upon the market's future trajectory and uncovers the prospects driving its expansion.

Key Topics Covered

Market Insights and Trends Overview of UAV Satellite Communication (SATCOM) Market

Technological Trends: Hybrid Systems, Software-Defined Radios, Multiband Antennas

Key Use Cases and Ongoing Programs

Supply Chain Analysis Business Dynamics Drivers: SWaP Requirements, BVLOS Drone Operations, Satellite Deployment

Challenges: Cybersecurity, Regulatory Hurdles, Bandwidth Limitations

Strategies: New Product Launches, Partnerships, Mergers & Acquisitions Regional Analysis: Europe Market Overview by Region

Key Manufacturers and Business Drivers

Application and Drone Type Segmentation by Country: France, Germany, Russia, U.K., Rest-of-Europe Competitive Benchmarking and Key Players Market Share Analysis

Company Profiles: Cobham Aerospace Communications Thales Group Inmarsat Global Limited CTECH Indra

Research Methodology Factors for Data Prediction and Modeling

Key Attributes

Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 87 Forecast Period 2023 - 2033 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2023 $3.57 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2033 $4.09 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 1.3% Regions Covered Europe

Companies Mentioned

Cobham Aerospace Communications

Thales Group

Inmarsat Global Limited

CTECH

Indra

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/6g86mg

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

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Dublin, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Fax Services Market - Outlook & Forecast 2023-2028" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The global fax services market was valued at USD 3.18 billion in 2022 and is expected to reach a value of $5.96 billion by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 11.05%

The global fax services market leaders are directing their efforts towards various essential business approaches, encompassing partnerships, mergers and acquisitions, product advancements, and collaborative ventures, all designed to broaden their product offerings and augment their market presence across diverse geographical regions.

The strategies related to expansion and investments encompass a spectrum of strategic initiatives, ranging from investments in research and development endeavors to establishing new manufacturing facilities and optimizing supply chains. Moreover, numerous vendors focus on improving their services by investing in R&D, technological advancements, and product development.



North America is experiencing robust growth in the fax services market, owing to the increasing demand for high-speed internet access and the widespread adoption of advanced fax technologies. Moreover, North America held the largest global fax services market share in 2022. The rapid proliferation of accessible and affordable internet connections, the rising popularity of cloud-based software and services, and businesses' imperative to enhance workflow efficiency and reduce operational costs contribute to regional market growth.

In fax services, technological convergence involves the incorporation of fax functionalities into enterprise resource planning (ERP), systems applications and products (SAP), and customer relationship management (CRM) systems. The emergence of various cutting-edge technologies, including 5G, Machine-to-machine (M2M) communication, IoT, automated intelligence, cloud computing, and digital fax solutions, drive the fax services market. These innovations are expected to propel the market's growth during the forecast period.

Key drivers for the fax services market include the attributes of cloud-based fax services, which offer flexibility, high performance, and reliability to organizations seeking seamless fax communication from their ERPs, desktops, or other business applications. Automation, particularly as a feature of computer-based fax services, is in high demand, notably among small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and large enterprises operating in transaction-intensive environments.

Compared to alternative methods such as e-mail and web-based document transfer, the robust privacy advantages make the faxing services stand out compared to its competitors and are anticipated to catalyze market growth. Numerous vendors are offering HIPAA-compliant fax solutions, a move aimed at enticing healthcare providers to adopt fax services, thereby contributing to the robust market growth.

FAX SERVICES MARKET TRENDS & DRIVERS

Increasing Online Scam and Data Breaches



For numerous corporations today, faxing remains an essential mode of communication, as fax is considered more than e-mail. Moreover, law enforcement and healthcare sectors are the major drivers of the fax services market because of stringent legal requirements governing the secure transfer of sensitive data.

Additionally, in 2022, nearly 3.6 million Russian internet users experienced breaches, marking an 11% increase. Such instances further propel the use of fax and its respective services to protect organizations from growing online scams and security concerns.



Rising Telecom Industry



The increasing telecom industry drives the global fax services market, using reliable, secure, cost-effective communication solutions to secure customer data.

Further, the rising expenditure on the implementation of 5G infrastructures, driven by changing consumer preferences toward cutting-edge technologies and smartphone devices, has increased the adoption of cloud-based fax services by the telecom industry because this service enables the transmission of exact documents over telecommunications networks and internet, which act a bridge among traditional and digital fax technology.



INDUSTRY RESTRAINTS

Unstructured Data



One of the reasons businesses continue to use fax is its extensive acceptance across numerous IT systems. However, since fax is a frequently supported messaging protocol, it is a capable interoperability standard. Although one of the downsides of fax is the nature of the file, it is an image file that might contain data.



SEGMENTATION INSIGHTS

INSIGHTS BY USER TYPE



The global fax services market by user type is segmented into large enterprises, small & medium enterprises (SMEs), and individuals & home offices. The large enterprises segment dominated the global market in 2022.

Large enterprises are characterized by a workforce exceeding 50 individuals and often encompassing Fortune 1000 companies, representing a substantial revenue source in the global automated fax market. They are primary contributors to international faxing revenue as well. Regardless of the deployment model, the large enterprises segment is one of the highest revenue contributors to the global market.

The major factors driving the migration to cloud-based fax services are reduced operational cost, improved productivity through automation, and increased flexibility and scalability. Large enterprises are involved in transferring thousands of faxes every month. Moreover, Apple uses the secure and reliable online fax service Fax App, which can turn an iPhone or iPad into a powerful fax machine and send faxes anytime, anywhere. All sent and received faxes are stored in a fully encrypted archive for further use and can be easily accessed without delay when required.



INSIGHTS BY SERVICE TYPE



The on-premises service type segment dominated the global fax services market in 2022. Enhanced control over data storage, high configurability, and customizability are prominent factors that propel the segment growth. These solutions also present integration options that can be tailored to align with the specific operational requirements of end-user businesses.

Furthermore, organizations operating in-house fax infrastructure and owning data centers and colocation facilities will likely prefer this operation mode. This will probably drive revenue growth in this segment during the forecast period. Open Text is the major player in this market, installing more than 100,000 RightFax on-premises fax servers. Vendors also offer desktop software solutions that can be integrated with the existing office mail system and other applications to transfer fax documents.



INSIGHTS BY INDUSTRY-USERS



The global fax services market by industry users is segmented as healthcare, banking, financial services, & insurance (BFSI), legal, manufacturing, and others. The healthcare industry user segment held the largest segmental share in the market. The healthcare sector is highly regulated, and securing patient information and maintaining privacy is important.

Although e-mails are an alternative to fax services, they are highly vulnerable, risking privacy. Many healthcare organizations use fax server (FOIP) solutions to transfer fax documents. Increased operational expenditure and initiatives towards operating a green environment are aiding the growth of the cloud-based fax services market.





Key Attributes:





Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 270 Forecast Period 2022 - 2028 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2022 $3.18 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2028 $5.96 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 11.0% Regions Covered Global

Fax Services Market Overview

Evolution of Fax Services

Benefits of Fax Services

Advantages of Online Fax Services for the Healthcare Industry

Fax Servers

On-Premises Fax Server vs Cloud Fax Services

Increased Awareness About Operating Green Office Environment

Migration to Cloud-based Faxing Model

Increased Migration to Hybrid Fax Solutions

Rising Telecom Industry

Increasing Online Scams and Data Breaches

Growing Banking Industry

Consumer Preference

Market Opportunities & Trends

Technological Convergence

Role of New Technologies

Digital Transformation

Replacement of On-Premises with Cloud Fax

Market Growth Enablers

Flexibility & Scalability of Internet Fax

Automation of Fax Workflow

Regulatory Compliance

Data Security & Portability

Market Restraints

Unstructured Data

Effective Alternatives to Fax

Key Company Profiles

Consensus Cloud Solutions

Biscom

Dropbox

RingCentral

OpenText

Other Prominent Vendors

Concord

ActFax

Alhambra

MDaemon Technologies

Celo

Copia

Esker

etherFAX

Extracomm

EC Data Systems

Faxcore

GFI Software

iFAX

Imagicle

Upland

Utbox

Softlinx

PamConsult

Retarus

OceanX Technology

Alohi

Medsender

FAXAGE

SRFax

FAX.PLUS

FaxBurner

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ucdz1d

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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LANSING, MICH., Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Back for its third year, Foster Swift Collins & Smiths Legal Strategies for Women Leaders webinar series is a program crafted to help women business leaders stay abreast of new laws, regulations and other beneficial resources. Each session will begin at 9 am EST and will last roughly 30 minutes.

With 2024 being an election year, the first session is scheduled for Tuesday, March 5 and will feature Municipal & Election Law attorney Mallory Reader. Mallory will be discussing the topic of campaign financing and what businesses are allowed and not allowed to do when contributing to a campaign.

To register for any of 2024ssessions, please use the following Zoom link: bit.ly/2024WomenLeaders

These sessions will provide ample opportunities for participants to ask questions and discuss the legal opportunities and challenges that women leaders face. These sessions will be moderated by business attorneys, Amanda Dernovshek and Mindi Johnson.

Other topics to be covered in 2024 include:

Tuesday, June 4  Business & IP attorney, Lindsey Mead, will be discussing Artificial Intelligence (AI) and how it is being used by businesses along with the opportunities/risks of using AI. Lindsey will also include some current trends that she is seeing such as copyright infringement claims and the use of AI by financial institutions to review/approve financing.

Wednesday, October 16 - Litigator Kelly Reed Lucas will be discussing the topic of mediation i.e. what it is, when to do it, why to do it, and what to expect in the process.

Recordings of previous sessions can be found here: fosterswift.com/communications-videos.html. Contact info@fosterswift.com if you have further questions about this program.

Below is a list of all women attorneys at the Foster Swift law firm:

###

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TORONTO, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Animal Alliance of Canada, on moral and ethical grounds, strongly opposes Nova Scotias proposal to open a spring hunt for black bears. The province is Canadas last not to have such a hunt, and has asked for public input on the idea of also hunting bears in the spring. While female bears with cubs will be protected on paper, experience elsewhere tells us that in the woods, a percentage will inevitably be shot, leaving cubs to die.



Bears are often shot when they visit bait provided by hunters and outfitters. Bears have an incredible sense of smell, several times better than a bloodhounds and can detect a jelly donut a mile away. Mother bears are cautious, and before approaching bait they usually send their cubs into hiding. Hunters, often excited by an ursine form of buck fever, can easily miss seeing the swollen teats of a lactating female, hidden by long, shaggy fur and shadows. This is especially true if the hunter is in a tree stand, viewing the bear from above. Unscrupulous hunters may not even care, shooting first and checking after, confident that if a mistake is made, they can enact the three Ss: shoot, shovel, shut up. Best intentions notwithstanding, Conservation Officers lack resources to launch forensic investigations even if an illegally shot bear carcass is found.

More ethical guides and hunters may suspend the baits above ground, forcing bears to rear up onto their hind legs, the better to reveal the anatomical features that distinguish males and non-nursing females from mother bears, if the angle provides a straight sight-line, and the bears long hair or deep shadows or intervening vegetation dont obscure the view. The fact that supposedly protected mother bears do get shot is indicated by the increase in orphaned cubs that wildlife rehabbers receive from concerned members of the public when spring bear hunts are allowed where they were previously prohibited. Most orphaned cubs are never found and die unseen in the woods of stress, cold, hunger, or predation.

Most wildlife we once had on our planet are gone, said Liz White, director of Animal Alliance of Canada. We want to protect, not kill, who is left. But here we are not even asking for a ban, just for Nova Scotia to be part of the world-wide movement away from so much killing, so much death. The tiny percentage of Canadians who hunt is in decline; we dont need more death in the woods.

Barry Kent MacKay, director of Animal Alliance of Canada and a recognized naturalist, adds that we are rapidly losing biodiversity. About 97 percent of mammal biomass consists of humans and species humans have domesticated, and still we look to kill more. We dont know how many cubs will be orphaned, but one is too many.

Barry Kent MacKay, barry@animalalliance.ca, 905-472-9731

Liz White, liz@animalalliance.ca , 416-809-4371
NEW YORK, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Inspire Medical Systems, Inc. (Inspire Medical or the Company) (NYSE: INSP). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at newaction@pomlaw.com or 646-581-9980, (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 7980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased.



The class action concerns whether Inspire Medical and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.

You have until February 20, 2024 , to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class if you are a shareholder who purchased or otherwise acquired Inspire Medical securities during the Class Period. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com.

[Click here for information about joining the class action]

On November 7, 2023, Inspire Medical issued a press release announcing disappointing earnings results for the third quarter of 2023its first reported revenue miss since becoming a public company in 2018. In the press release, the Companys Chief Executive Officer (CEO) advised that in tracking the results of the Companys pilot program (the Acceleration Program), which was designed to facilitate customers receiving prior authorizations from doctors for the Companys products and, in turn, increase demand for the Companys Inspire therapy implantable device, we observed a decline in prior authorization submissions for patients seeking Inspire therapy.

After recognizing this trend, we reinvigorated our efforts to facilitate patient access to Inspire therapy by more closely engaging with our customers with the prior authorization submission process . . . to assure consistency and accuracy of submissions.

Further, Inspire Medical admitted that it had started to track problems with the Acceleration Program in the second quarter of 2023, including a decrease in the number of prior authorization submissions for the Inspire therapy, and recogniz[ed] this trend early in the third quarteri.e., as early as July 1, 2023. Indeed, the Companys CEO explained that prior to the Companys second quarter 2023 earnings call on August 2, 2023, we had strong confirmation of the problems with the Acceleration Program, and we realized we needed to take some corrective action.

On this news, Inspire Medicals stock price fell $31.79 per share, or nearly 20%, to close at $129.65 per share on November 8, 2023.

Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered billions of dollars in damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com .

Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

CONTACT:

Danielle Peyton

Pomerantz LLP

dpeyton@pomlaw.com

646-581-9980 ext. 7980
NEW YORK, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against British American Tobacco p.l.c. (BAT or the Company) (NYSE: BTI). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at newaction@pomlaw.com or 646-581-9980, (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 7980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased.



The class action concerns whether BAT and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.

You have until March 25, 2024 , to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class if you are a shareholder who purchased or otherwise acquired BAT securities during the Class Period. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com.

[Click here for information about joining the class action]

In January 2017, BAT, which already had a 42% stake in Reynolds American Inc. (Reynolds), took over the remaining interest in Reynolds for $49.4 billion dollars, valuing Reynolds at around $86 billion. This resulted in Reynolds becoming a BAT subsidiary. In doing so, BAT took control of the Camel, Newport, and Natural American Spirit cigarette brands (the Premium American Cigarette Brands or the Brands), among others, which are considered to be premium cigarettes.

On December 6, 2023, BAT issued a press release announcing that it was taking a 25 billion Pound (or around $31.5 billion USD) impairment (the Impairment) on the cigarette brands it acquired from Reynolds. It stated, in relevant part: Consistent with our vision to Build a Smokeless World, and in combination with the current macro-economic headwinds impacting the U.S. combustibles industry, in 2023 we will take an accounting non-cash adjusting impairment charge of around 25bn. This accounting adjustment mainly relates to some of our acquired U.S. combustibles brands, as we now assess their carrying value and useful economic lives over an estimated period of 30 years. Accordingly, we will commence amortisation of the remaining value of our U.S. combustibles brands from January 2024.

On this news, BATs American depositary receipt (ADR) price fell $2.68 per ADR, or 8.88%, to close at $28.86 on December 6, 2023.

Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered billions of dollars in damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com .

Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

CONTACT:

Danielle Peyton

Pomerantz LLP

dpeyton@pomlaw.com

646-581-9980 ext. 7980
Toronto, ON, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Congratulations to the outstanding students of University of Waterloo - School of Accounting and Finance for their compelling research which earned them the winning title at the CFA Institute Research Challenge local competition. The student team members, Aryaman Dhillon, Arnav Sheth Coco Dai, Ronis Goel and Ryan Trainor will each receive a thousand-dollar prize and will be advancing to the sub-regional competition of the CFA Institute Research Challenge.

"Representing the University of Waterloo during the CFA Investment Research Challenge was incredibly rewarding. It sharpened our valuation, investing, and financial analysis skills, all directly relevant to careers in finance. Collaborating with the team and our faculty and industry advisors pushed us to consistently improve our research and our process. This has been a highly valuable experience. said Ryan Trainor on behalf of the team.

In this highly competitive event, university sponsored teams engaged in intensive research focused on a designated publicly traded company. This year's subject company was CargoJet Inc, a global leader in providing time-sensitive air cargo services. Each team submitted a written report and then presented their findings to a panel of judges. The Research Challenge not only serves as a testament to the participants' dedication and analytical skills but also fosters an environment of excellence in the field of finance and business research.

Cargojet was honoured to have our business selected as the subject company for this year's CFA Institute Research Challenge Local Competition. Congratulations to the University of Waterloo team, they clearly worked hard on their presentation and brought forward great insights and valuable suggestions. This is a real opportunity for Cargojet to build on our strengths. said Scott Calver, CFO at Cargojet.

Student teams from the following schools participated in this years local competition:

Schulich School of Business, York University

Smith School of Business, Queens University

School of Accounting & Finance, University of Waterloo

DeGroote School of Business, McMaster University

The local level of the Research Challenge provides students with the unique opportunity to develop and present an equity research report and compete with other academic institutions. Students learn from leading industry experts and their peers. University of Waterloo will now move on to compete in the CFA Institute Research Challenge sub-regional level during the month of March. Winners from each of the regional level competitions (Asia Pacific, EMEA, and Americas) will then advance to the Global Final on May 13, 2024.

For more information visit CFA Institute Research Challenge

About CFA Society Toronto

Founded in 1936, CFA Society Toronto is part of the worldwide network of CFA Institute member societies that lead the investment profession globally by promoting the highest standards of ethics, education and professional excellence for the ultimate benefit of society. CFA Society Toronto represents the interests of over 11,000 investment professionals in the Greater Toronto Area through advocacy, education, events, and professional development. For more information visit http://www.cfatoronto.ca or follow us on Twitter @cfatoronto and on LinkedIn CFA Society Toronto.



Chartered Financial Analyst and CFA are registered trademarks owned by CFA Institute.



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SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hagens Berman urges The Chemours Company (NYSE: CC) investors who suffered substantial losses to submit your losses now.



Visit: www.hbsslaw.com/investor-fraud/CC

Contact An Attorney Now: CC@hbsslaw.com

844-916-0895

The Chemours Company (NYSE: CC) Investigation:

Were investigating whether Chemours may have misrepresented or failed to disclose material facts concerning its internal controls over financial reporting, said Reed Kathrein, the Hagens Berman partner leading the investigation.

Specifically, on Feb. 13, 2024 Chemours announced that it postponed the release of its financial results and conference call related to its Q4 and FYE Dec. 31, 2023. The company revealed that it is evaluating its internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2023 with respect to maintaining effective controls related to information and communications. The company also revealed that its Audit Committee also needs additional time to complete a related internal review.

This news drove the price of Chemours shares down $3.85, or down almost 13%, on Feb. 14, 2024.

If you invested in The Chemours Company and have substantial losses, or have knowledge that may assist the firms investigation, submit your losses now 

If youd like more information and answers to frequently asked questions about the Chemours investigation, read more 

Whistleblowers: Persons with non-public information regarding The Chemours Company 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 CC@hbsslaw.com.

About Hagens Berman

Hagens Berman is a global plaintiffs rights complex litigation law firm focusing on corporate accountability through class-action law. The firm is home to a robust securities litigation practice and represents investors as well as whistleblowers, workers, consumers and others in cases achieving real results for those harmed by corporate negligence and fraud. More about the firm and its successes can be found at hbsslaw.com. Follow the firm for updates and news at @ClassActionLaw.

Attorney advertising.

Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

Services may be performed by attorneys in any of our offices.


NEW YORK, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against The Boeing Company (Boeing or the Company) (NYSE: BA). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at newaction@pomlaw.com or 646-581-9980, (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 7980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased.



The class action concerns whether Boeing and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.

You have until April 1, 2024 , to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class if you are a shareholder who purchased or otherwise acquired Boeing securities during the Class Period. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com.

[Click here for information about joining the class action]

On January 5, 2024, a Boeing 737 aircraft operated by Alaska Airlines experienced an in-flight departure of an in-cabin door plug, causing the cabin to become depressurized and forcing an emergency landing.

On January 7, 2024, the Federal Aviation Administration issued a grounding order, stating that Boeing 737-9 aircraft will remain grounded until operators complete enhanced inspections which include both left and right cabin door exit plugs, door components, and fasteners and that [o]perators must also complete corrective action requirements based on findings from the inspections prior to bringing any aircraft back into service.

On this news, Boeings stock price fell $20.00 per share, or 8%, to close at $229.00 per share on January 8, 2024.

Then, on January 9, 2024, news outlets reported that United Airlines had found loose bolts on exit door plugs during their FAA-mandated inspections of Boeing 737 Max planes. The reports also noted that Alaska Airlines said its initial inspections of the jets had turned up loose hardware.

On this news, Boeings stock price fell $3.24 per share, or 1.4%, to close at $225.76 per share on January 9, 2024.

On January 11, 2024, news outlets reported that the FAA had informed Boeing it had launched a formal investigation into whether Boeing had failed to properly ensure its aircraft were safe for operation.

On this news, Boeings stock price fell $5.18 per share, or 2.3%, to close at $222.66 per share on January 11, 2024. on January 12, 2024, news outlets reported that the FAA would increase oversight of Boeing production and manufacturing processes. The FAA stated that a comprehensive audit set to be conducted on the Boeing 737 MAX 9 production line and its associated suppliers, specifically to assess Boeings adherence to approved quality procedures, which could result in further audits.

On this news, Boeings stock price fell $4.96 per share, or 2.2%, to close at $217.70 per share on January 12, 2024.

On January 16, 2024, Wells Fargo downgraded Boeing, citing risks associated with the FAAs inspection of Boeings production.

On this news, Boeings stock price fell $17.18 per share, or 7.9%, to close at $200.52 per share on January 16, 2024.

Finally, on January 24, 2024, news outlets reported that the FAA had announced it would not allow Boeing to expand production of the 737 MAX due to safety concerns related to the January 5, 2024 incident.

On this news, Boeings stock price fell $12.25 per share, or 5.7%, to close at $201.88 per share on January 25, 2024.

Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered billions of dollars in damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com .

Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
At the event (Photo: VNA)

At the event, President of the UGVB Huynh Cong My highlighted the significance of the Tet festival with the overseas Vietnamese, and affirmed the unions role in connecting the overseas Vietnamese with the homelands culture.

Extending Tet wishes to the Vietnamese community, Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Van Thao emphasized the sound ties between Vietnam and Belgium, and expressed his hope for the future development of the relations with the upcoming visit by Belgian King and Queen to Vietnam in October.

At the event, the cultural centre of Woluwe Saint-Pierre district of Brussels was decorated to turn into a warm Tet space, and became a favourite check-in point of visitors. It featured a calligraphy corner where Jean-Sebastien Gill  a French national who is a fan of the art of calligraphy  wrote New Year wishes for the overseas Vietnamese, and a charity corner where handicrafts were sold to raise money for children in difficult circumstances in Vietnam.

In addition, visitors also had a chance to enjoy art performances staged by Vietnamese artists in Europe and Vietnamese children, who were born and grown up in Belgium.

Spring of Love program created a gathering and connecting space for the Vietnamese community in the host country and was also an important activity in preserving and developing the cultural heritage of the Vietnamese people in the hearts of young generations./.


Press Release

Paris and Madrid, 20 February 2024

European Commission green lights Orange and MASMOVIL Joint Venture, paving the way for a single, stronger operator in Spain

This favourable decision takes into account the specificities of the highly competitive Spanish market, with balanced remedies in favour of an already existing player.

Orange and MASMOVIL plan to complete the transaction by end Q1 2024.

This deal paves the way for the creation of a joint company that combines the forces of Orange and MASMOVIL into a single, stronger operator focussed on customer satisfaction and positive impact, with the scale to invest in 5G and fiber, benefiting the market, consumers and businesses across Spain.





Orange and MASMOVIL have today received clearance from the European Commission to combine their operations in Spain1. As previously stated on July 23rd 2022, the combined activities of Orange Spain and MASMOVIL will take the form of a 50-50 joint venture, co-controlled by Orange and MASMOVIL (LORCA JVCO), with equal governance rights in the combined entity.

This Joint Venture between MASMOVIL and Orange will create a leading operator of the Spanish market in terms of customers, user experience, talent, fiber and mobile coverage and a sustainable player with the financial capacity to continue investing in the development of a leading telecom infrastructure in Spain.

Both parties would convert into a leading operator, bringing together the assets, capabilities and teams of the two companies in Spain to serve +7.3M fixed customers, +30M mobile services and +2.2M TV customers2. The Joint Venture would manage important network and IT assets to assure a nationwide coverage both in FTTH as well as 4G/5G. In financial terms, the combined entity would become a stronger and solid market player with estimated revenues of above 7.4 billion and EBITDAaL of over 2.3 billion, with an enterprise value of 18.6 billion and expected synergies of more than 450m per year (from year four post-closing).

As part of its proposed package of remedies, the parties have agreed to divest to Digi as remedy taker 60MHz of spectrum assets (pending approval from the Spanish Government) and to propose an optional national roaming agreement at market conditions.

Christel Heydemann, CEO of Orange, commented: Todays announcement is a crucial moment for the future development of the Group in Europe. Our proposed Joint Venture with MASMOVIL will create a single, stronger, and more sustainable player in Spain. By joining forces, we can scale, we can innovate, and we can drive investment in Spain for the benefit of consumers and businesses.

Meinrad Spenger, CEO of MASMOVIL, commented: All good things are worth waiting for! We are thrilled to assume a relevant role in the Spanish telecommunication sector. Our exceptional team is committed to forming a unified and distinctive company capable of delivering positive impact and providing a trustful service to the most satisfied clients in Spain.

Until all closing conditions are satisfied, which is expected by the end of this first quarter in 2024, the two companies will continue to operate independently.

About MASMOVIL Group

MASMOVIL Group is one of the most outstanding operators in Spain in terms of growth over the last few years and offers fiber, mobile, TV, and other new services such as energy, health, alarms, or financial services, for residential customers, businesses, and operators.

The Group offers its customers access to the largest FTTH coverage in Spain with more than 29 million marketable households and 3G, 4G and 5G mobile networks to 98.5% of the Spanish population thanks to its hybrid strategy combining its own and third parties infrastructures.

MASMOVIL has also launched its 5G services, which are already available in more than 2,200 cities in Spain. The Group has close to 16M customers by the end of the first nine months of 2023.

Grupo MASMOVIL has been awarded on several occasions as the best broadband and fibre optic operator.

MASMOVIL has achieved net zero carbon emissions for scopes 1 and 2 in 2020 and in 2021 -including the Euskaltel Group in the calculation-, positioning it as the first telecommunications operator in Europe to achieve such an achievement and the one with the lowest absolute residual level of emissions. It is the first telecommunications operator in Europe to become a B Corp company and has a strong commitment to creating a positive environmental and social impact.

MASMOVIL Group is also leading sustainability and ESG in Spain achieving 5 ESG ratings in a short period of time with very high standings from prestigious organizations as S&P, Morning Star Sustainalytics, Sustainable Fitch, CDP and Clarity.

MASMOVIL is participated by Cinven, KKR and Providence Equity Partners since November 2020.

Follow us:

MASMOVIL Group website: https://www.grupomasmovil.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/grupomasmovil

About Orange

Orange is one of the worlds leading telecommunications operators with revenues of 44.1 billion euros in 2023 and 137,000 employees worldwide at 31 December 2023, including 73,000 employees in France. The Group has a total customer base of 298 million customers worldwide at 31 December 2023, including 254 million mobile customers and 25 million fixed broadband customers. The Group is present in 26 countries. Orange is also a leading provider of global IT and telecommunication services to multinational companies under the brand Orange Business. In February 2023, the Group presented its strategic plan "Lead the Future", built on a new business model and guided by responsibility and efficiency. "Lead the Future" capitalizes on network excellence to reinforce Orange's leadership in service quality.

Orange is listed on Euronext Paris (symbol ORA) and on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol ORAN).

For more information on the internet and on your mobile: www.orange.com, www.orange-business.com and the Orange News app or to follow us on Twitter: @orangegrouppr.

Orange and any other Orange product or service names included in this material are trademarks of Orange or Orange Brand Services Limited.

Orange press contacts:

Tom Wright; tom.wright@orange.com

Vanessa Clarke; vanessa.clarke@orange.com

1 The contemplated transaction does not include notably TOTEM Spain and MASMOVIL Portugal

2 Mobile services in Spain includes prepaid, contract and mobile broadband voice and data packages

Attachment
CHARLESTON, WV, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM) and Competitive Markets Action (CMA), recently announced the recipients of their 2023 Congressional Leadership Awards and their Competitive Markets Legislator of the Year Award recipient, U.S. Rep. Alex Mooney, R-WV.

The groups measured recognition by three actions in the U.S. House: those who signed a Congressional letter to the House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn Thompson, R-PA, and Ranking Member David Scott, D-GA, with staunch opposition to the terrible so-called Ending Agriculture Trade Suppression (EATS) Act, H.R. 4417, led by Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-IA. The measure would nullify more than a thousand state and local laws that provide certainty and security in the marketplace for independent family farmers and ranchers across America. Mooney was a signor of the letter that included Reps. Carol Miller, R-WV, Lance Gooden, R-TX, and Buddy Carter, R-GA, to name a few.

Mooney also cosponsored the Opportunities for Fairness in Farming (OFF) Act, H.R. 1249/S. 557, led by Rep. Nancy Mace, R-SC, and Sens. Mike Lee, R-UT, and Rand Paul, R-KY, that would reform the U.S. Dept. of Agricultures scandal-ridden commodity checkoff programs that have been plagued by unethical and illegal activities for decades. This was the second metric by which the groups measured their Legislator of the Year Award for 2023. OFF is backed by more than 200,000 farmers and ranchers across the country and groups like FreedomWorks, the American Grassfed Association, Contract Poultry Growers Association of the Virginias, and the Heritage Foundation.

In the third and final metric, Mooney voted in support of a House Appropriations Amendment in September of 2023 led by Reps. Victoria Spartz, R-IN, and Thomas Massie, R-KY, that would have temporarily halted the corruption within USDAs commodity checkoff programs by cutting off funding until a USDA OIG Audit on the programs could be completed. Joe Biden's USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack has been at the center of checkoff controversy as he has directly benefited from millions of checkoff dollars funneled into his own personal coffers.

Mooney was selected as the Competitive Markets overall Legislator of the Year for 2023 as he was the only Member of Congress who supported each of the three legislative initiatives. While not a metric for the award as the action occurred in 2024, Mooney also led a House letter to Agriculture Committee leaders in January, against increasing crop reference prices in the upcoming Farm Bill in which he was joined by Reps. Andy Ogles, R-TN, Brian Mast, R-FL, Carol Miller, R-WV, Nancy Mace, R-SC, and Andy Biggs, R-AZ, that was supported by CMA and OCM, as well the Heritage Foundation, the Club for Growth, R-Street, the National Taxpayers Union, FreedomWorks, and Taxpayers for Common Sense.

Im honored to be named the Competitive Markets Legislator of the Year in Congress. I am committed to keeping West Virginia family farms in the hands of our hard-working American producers, said Rep. Alex X. Mooney, R-WV, who was named Legislator of the Year for 2023. Keeping our food supply safe from a Communist Chinese takeover is one of the most critical issues facing our country.

I applaud our legislator of the year Rep. Alex Mooney for working to help American family farmers protect our food supply from the globalists whove sold our country out for a quick buck, said Mike Weaver, a Past President at the Organization for Competitive Markets and Contract Poultry Growers Association of the Virginias that includes West Virginia.

We applaud Rep. Mooney for his tireless work, tremendous leadership, and intestinal fortitude in standing up to Chinese interests and multinational conglomerates who continue to further consolidate American agriculture, said Taylor Haynes, President of the Organization for Competitive Markets and Founder of the Wyoming Independent Cattlemens Association. If Agriculture Committee leaders want to get a Farm Bill done in 2024 theyd be wise to jettison any language that nullifies state and local agriculture laws and include a provision to reform USDAs swampy checkoff slush funds.

We applaud Rep. Alex Mooney for going against the grain by pushing back against the leaders of EATS, the USDAs scandal-ridden commodity checkoff programs, and Chinas continuous attempts to takeover American agriculture, said Marty Irby, President at Competitive Markets Action and Board Secretary of the Organization for Competitive Markets. Industrial agribusiness interests and multinational conglomerates have turned far too many of our hard-working farm families into modern-day indentured servants and were amidst an uprising in the farm world Agri-Big Brother never seen before.

As a proud American and lifelong producer, I proudly applaud Rep. Mooney for being committed to defeating Big Ags Chinese and Brazilian backers that threaten our food supply, said Jonathan Buttram, Treasurer at the Organization for Competitive Markets, and President of the Alabama Contract Poultry Growers Association and. The industrial agriculture mafia is petrified of our work because they see the writing on the wall and we hope they soon meet the same fate as New Yorks infamous Five Families.

OCM and CMA also conducted its third fly-in since July of 2023 to Washington, D.C. this month and engaged in nearly 90 meetings on the OFF and EATS Acts during that event. In addition to their grassroots advocacy, CMA is represented on the EATS Act by several lobbying firms including Capitol South, LLC, and Conaway-Graves, led by former House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway, R-TX.

The Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit based in Lincoln, Nebraska. The foundation of the Organization for Competitive Markets is to fight for competitive markets in agriculture for farmers, ranchers and rural communities. True competition reduces the need for economic regulation. Our mission, and our duty, is to define and advocate the proper role of government in the agricultural economy as a regulator and enforcer of rules necessary for markets that are fair, honest, accessible and competitive for all citizens.

Competitive Markets Action (CMA) is a 501(c)(4) non-profit based in Washington, D.C., that was formed with the mission of shaping policy to promote more regenerative and sustainable agriculture, and competitive markets in the U.S., and to defend against attacks on states rights by the federal government. CMA works to raise awareness of the harm caused by multinational conglomerates to the American family farmer, the consumer and our U.S. economy as a whole in an effort to bring about legislative and regulatory reforms.

Attachment
RADNOR, Pa., Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The law firm of Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP (www.ktmc.com) informs investors that a securities class action lawsuit has been filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio against GrafTech International Ltd. (GrafTech) (NYSE: EAF). The action charges GrafTech with violations of the federal securities laws, including omissions and fraudulent misrepresentations relating to the companys business, operations, and prospects. As a result of GrafTech s materially misleading statements and omissions to the public, GrafTech s investors have suffered significant losses.



CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR GRAFTECH LOSSES. YOU CAN ALSO CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING LINK OR COPY AND PASTE IN YOUR BROWSER: https://www.ktmc.com/new-cases/graftech-international-ltd?utm_source=PR&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=eaf&mktm=r

LEAD PLAINTIFF DEADLINE: MARCH 25, 2024

CLASS PERIOD: FEBRUARY 8, 2019 THROUGH AUGUST 3, 2023

CONTACT 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 worlds foremost advocates in protecting the public against corporate fraud and other wrongdoing. Our securities fraud litigators are regularly recognized as leaders in the field as well as the firm itself which is continuously awarded for the successful results weve achieved. We are proud to have recovered billions of dollars for our clients and the classes of shareholders we represent.

In addition to representing investors in cases where the fraud has been revealed, Kessler Topaz also represents whistleblowers - persons who expose wrongdoing to those in positions of authority or to the public- in cases brought under federal and state qui tam statutes, and through financial fraud whistleblower programs, such as those run by the SEC, CFTC and IRS. If you have information about fraud against government programs (such as Medicare), or violations of federal securities, commodities, tax or anti-foreign bribery laws, contact Kessler Topaz at (866) 369-7779 or at wbinfo@ktmc.com or go to https://www.ktmc-whistleblower.com.

DEFENDANTS ALLEGED MISCONDUCT

Before the start of the Class Period, GrafTech had underwent an extensive transformation that was

intended to revamp the companys business and return it to profitability. In public filings with the SEC, the company lauded its transformation and claimed that it had emerged from its restructuring with the most competitive portfolio of low-cost graphite electrode manufacturing facilities in the industry. The company further represented that GrafTechs facilities were modern, strategically located and well-maintained, which they claimed would provide the company with efficient growth opportunities following the offering. Key to this purportedly sustainable growth were the companys claims regarding the more environmentally friendly nature of EAF steelmaking employed by GrafTechs customers. Defendants continued to represent throughout the Class Period that GrafTech was committed to protecting the environment and acting proactively to advance sustainability initiatives.

The truth began to be revealed on September 16, 2022, when GrafTech disclosed that its critical manufacturing facility in Monterrey, Mexico had been shut down by regulators following inspections by the State Attorneys office for the Secretary of Environment and the Ministry of the Environment. The Monterrey facility was responsible for manufacturing 30% of GrafTechs overall graphite electrode output and 100% of its pin stock. Following this news, GrafTech's stock price fell $0.45, or 8.5%, to close at $4.85 on September 19, 2022.

Then, on August 4, 2023, GrafTech issued a press release reporting the companys financial and operational results for the quarter ended June 30, 2023. In the results, GrafTech reported that sales declined 49% compared to the second quarter of 2022 as the company continued to recover from the effects of the Monterrey facility shutdown in 2022. As a result of the substantial decline in net sales, GrafTech reported a net loss of $8 million compared to $115 million in net income reported in the second quarter of 2022. On the investor conference call discussing the results, GrafTech attributed the Monterrey suspension as the key driver of the underperformance and disclosed that GrafTechs ability to secure customer contracts would continue to be indirectly impacted in the second half of fiscal 2023.

Following this news, GrafTechs stock price fell $1.18 per share, or 22.56%, to close at $4.05 per share on August 4, 2023.

WHAT CAN I DO?

GrafTech investors may, no later than March 25, 2024, move the Court to serve as lead plaintiff for the class, through Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP or other counsel, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP encourages GrafTech investors who have suffered significant losses to contact the firm directly to acquire more information. The class action complaint against GrafTech, Porter v. GrafTech International Ltd., et al., Case No. 24-cv-00154, is filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE CASE

WHO 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, LLP

Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP prosecutes class actions in state and federal courts throughout the country and around the world. The firm has developed a global reputation for excellence and has recovered billions of dollars for victims of fraud and other corporate misconduct. All of our work is driven by a common goal: to protect investors, consumers, employees and others from fraud, abuse, misconduct and negligence by businesses and fiduciaries. The complaint in this action was not filed by Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP. For more information about Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP please visit www.ktmc.com.

CONTACT:

Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP

Jonathan Naji, Esq.

280 King of Prussia Road

Radnor, PA 19087

(484) 270-1453

info@ktmc.com
Princeville, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Princeville, Hawaii -

Reef Guardians Hawaii, a nonprofit organization committed to the protection and preservation of coral reefs, is excited to announce the release of its interactive and educational app, the Hawaii SeaLife App. Designed for residents and visitors of Hawaii, the app serves as further proof of the organization's commitment to conservation through education and research.

"We're thrilled about the app," said Robin Mazor, a representative from Reef Guardians Hawaii. "This app we created helps educate Hawaii visitors and residents about the richness and diversity of marine life found in Hawaiian waters and wetlands. It's an engaging, interactive way to promote responsible marine exploration and conservation."

The Hawaii SeaLife App, developed by Reef Guardians Hawaii, is a complimentary tool available to Apple and Android users. With the app, users can identify diverse marine species, learn their names in both English and Hawaiian, and play interactive games to test their knowledge. The app also includes unique features such as marine life filters, search games, and tips on how to protect oceans and reefs, providing an informative and engaging experience.

The impact of Reef Guardians Hawaii extends beyond the app. It focuses on research, restoration, and education related to various aspects of the reef ecosystem. This includes research on AI and Robots on the Reef, Sharks, Sea Turtles, and Corals and vital restoration projects like the Ainakukoa O Waiohuli Kai Restoration and the 'Anini Lagoon restoration, which aim to rejuvenate damaged parts of the reef and address pressing environmental issues, like leaking oil wells.

Active participation from volunteers and ambassadors is a crucial part of these efforts, bringing a community-focused approach to conservation. For more information about the organization and its mission, visit https://www.reefguardians.org/.

Reef Guardians Hawaii also organizes educational programs to promote broader understanding of the importance of coral reefs. These programs include the Reef Camp and After School Program and initiatives like the Na Kiai Apapapa Signage Project.

Mazor added, "This app signifies the beginning of our launch for travel agents and travel industry partners to refer their clients to. It provides a great opportunity for both visitors and residents to learn and appreciate Hawaii's marine biodiversity while contributing towards its conservation."

The Hawaii SeaLife App represents a significant advancement of Reef Guardians Hawaii's education initiative, providing user-friendly platforms to raise awareness about Hawaii's rich biodiversity among its residents and visitors. To support the continued development of such educational resources, Reef Guardians Hawaii invites tax-deductible donations at https://www.reefguardians.org/contribute.

As Reef Guardians Hawaii continues to expand its reach and develop avenues for public engagement in marine conservation, it stresses the importance of understanding the reef ecosystem for preserving and protecting Hawaii's marine life. This focus keeps them at the forefront of coral reef conservation, ensuring the beauty and biodiversity of the reefs are protected and appreciated for years to come.

For more information about the marine life app and to download it, visit https://www.reefguardians.org/marine-life-app.

###

For more information about REEF GUARDIANS HAWAII, contact the company here:



REEF GUARDIANS HAWAII

Robin Mazor

808-651-0286

info@reefguardianshawaii.org

Reef Guardians Hawaii

3737 Kaweonui Road

Princeville Hi. 96722
NEW YORK, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of WNS (Holdings) Limited (WNS or the Company) (NYSE: WNS). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at newaction@pomlaw.com or 646-581-9980, ext. 7980.



The investigation concerns whether WNS and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.

[Click here for information about joining the class action]

On February 2, 2024, WNS disclosed that one of [WNSs] top five customers by revenue contribution in fiscal 2024 . . . served a termination notice on January 31, 2024, effective July 1, 2024. WNS further stated that [w]e are in discussion with the customer around the support required for the transition of the services and are currently ascertaining the related financial and accounting impact.

On this news, WNSs American depositary receipt (ADR) price fell $11.04 per ADR, or 15.32%, to close at $61.00 per ADR on February 2, 2024.

Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered billions of dollars in damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com .

Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
HOUSTON, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Leading global industrial corrosion prevention solutions provider, Corrosion Innovations, has announced its successful acquisition of HoldTight, a distinguished specialty chemical company. This strategic move signifies a key milestone in Corrosion Innovations' mission to revolutionize the corrosion control industry and reinforce its commitment to delivering cutting-edge solutions worldwide.



Marlin Lester, CEO of Corrosion Innovations, stated, "HoldTight, a vital player in the industrial coatings sector for over three decades, has been a strategic target from the start." He added, "Our team is eager to integrate HoldTight's widely-used products, HoldTight 102 and 365, into our leading business, offering a synergistic approach to soluble salt removal and testing."

HoldTight, established by Peter Petkas in 1998, has a strong track record in developing surface preparation products for flash rust prevention. Focused on enhancing coating adhesion by removing salts and contaminants, HoldTight has earned trust in industries like maritime, oil and gas, and construction.

Corrosion Innovations, known for its Corr-Ze and CHLOR*RID product lines, has consistently led the corrosion prevention sector. President of Corrosion Innovations, Gregg Taney, commented, This acquisition further strengthens our global footprint as the leader in the industry; providing comprehensive solutions for corrosion prevention, consultation and improved asset integrity.

Peter Petkas expressed confidence in Corrosion Innovations as the ideal custodian for HoldTight's future, sharing, "Their commitment to innovation aligns with the values that define HoldTight." Kenneth Rossy, a long-term HoldTight employee, added excitement, stating, "This move reinforces our dedication to delivering high-quality corrosion prevention solutions globally. Rossy will join Corrosion Innovations in a key role, overseeing the HoldTight brand as the Division Vice President.

This acquisition positions Corrosion Innovations as a comprehensive solutions provider, combining the strengths of both companies to deliver unparalleled value in the corrosion prevention industry.

For more information, visit corrinnovations.com or contact sales@corrinnovations.com .

MEDIA CONTACTS

Corrosion Innovations

Marlin Lester, CEO

marlin@corrinnovations.com

832.228.1346



Gregg Taney, President

gregg@corrinnovations.com

832.245.5208
An employee works at an assembly workshop of Hooeasy Smart Technology Co., Ltd. in Jinhua City, east China's Zhejiang Province, Feb. 19, 2024. Factories across China have gradually resumed operations as the country's most celebrated holiday Spring Festival ends. (Xinhua/Xu Yu)

Employees check assembled cars at a workshop of automaker FAW Hongqi in Changchun, northeast China's Jilin Province, Feb. 19, 2024. Factories across China have gradually resumed operations as the country's most celebrated holiday Spring Festival ends. (Xinhua/Zhang Nan)

An employee works at a chainsaw assembly workshop of Sunseeker Industrial Co., Ltd. in Jinhua City, east China's Zhejiang Province, Feb. 19, 2024. Factories across China have gradually resumed operations as the country's most celebrated holiday Spring Festival ends. (Xinhua/Xu Yu)

Smart robots operate at a workshop of Ronma Solar in Jinhua City, east China's Zhejiang Province, Feb. 19, 2024. Factories across China have gradually resumed operations as the country's most celebrated holiday Spring Festival ends. (Xinhua/Xu Yu)

An employee works at an intelligent plant of truck manufacturer FAW Jiefang in Changchun, northeast China's Jilin Province, Feb. 19, 2024. Factories across China have gradually resumed operations as the country's most celebrated holiday Spring Festival ends. (Xinhua/Zhang Nan)

Employees work at an intelligent plant of truck manufacturer FAW Jiefang in Changchun, northeast China's Jilin Province, Feb. 19, 2024. Factories across China have gradually resumed operations as the country's most celebrated holiday Spring Festival ends. (Xinhua/Zhang Nan)

Employees work at an intelligent plant of truck manufacturer FAW Jiefang in Changchun, northeast China's Jilin Province, Feb. 19, 2024. Factories across China have gradually resumed operations as the country's most celebrated holiday Spring Festival ends. (Xinhua/Zhang Nan)

Editor: ZAD
TORONTO, February 20, 2024 - Tsodilo Resources Ltd. ("Tsodilo" or the "Company") (TSX-V:TSD)(OTCQB:TSDRF)(FSE:TZO) is pleased to announce that the date for the Respondents to file an appeal to the judgement rendered on December 15, 2023, in the High Court, Republic of Botswana In re Gcwihaba Resources (Pty) Ltd. vs. Minister of Minerals and Energy and the Attorney General of Botswana, MAHMN-000075-22, lapsed on February 15, 2024.

Prospecting Licenses PL020-024/2018, were collected from the Department of Mines (DOM) on February 19, 2023. An examination of the licenses revealed several discrepancies or disparities that need to be addressed and DOM will be engaged to affect the needed changes. Upon resolution of the issues, the Company will withdraw its Contempt Motion filed on January 23, 2024, See, Tsodilo Resources Ltd. - News Releases.

Tsodilo's Chairman and CEO, James M. Bruchs, stated "It is a great relief to put this behind us. Staff and contractors have been standing by, ready to finish the work needed to complete the Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA). Also, since the decision was issued on December 15, 2023, there has been renewed interest from investors and third parties wanting information on the project. At the Mining Indaba in Cape Town, SA earlier this month, we were able to present our Xaudum Iron Formation (XIF) and other metals projects to interested parties without having to belabor the license issues", and as "I have mentioned previously, but it is worth repeating; since 2014 the Botswana Government has publicly expressed its support for the XIF project and we look forward to working with the Ministry of Minerals and Energy and the Ministry of Environment and Tourism as we continue our work to bring the XIF into production."

Environment and Green Steel

Tsodilo adopted the International Finance Corporation's (IFC) Environmental, Health and Safety Guidelines for Mining when IFC became a shareholder more than a decade ago and the Company has worked diligently to advance the XIF project within those guidelines. Further to this, Tsodilo became a member of the ResponsibleSteel organization ResponsibleSteel as building a sustainable steel industry requires cooperation and mutual commitment from companies at all levels of the steel supply chain, representatives of civil society, and other stakeholders and ResponsibleSteel provides the forum for this multi-stakeholder approach. Their members include some of the leading players in the industry working together to minimize the impact of steel manufacturing on people and the planet. Working closely with Government Ministries and ResponsibleSteelTM furthers Tsodilo's goal of becoming the supplier of an ultra-high grade +67% Fe product to the industry and doing what we can to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) by becoming part of the "green steel" movement."

XAUDUM IRON FORMATION (XIF)

About the XIF Project

The project is located in the North-West District of Botswana and extends for a known length of some forty kilometers.

The XIF is proximate to the Namibian border and lies twenty-two (22) miles from the town of Divundu in Namibia. The Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubumbashi Development Corridor (previously known as the Trans-Caprivi) line linking Zambia and Namibia is planned to pass through Divundu, providing access to Walvis Bay, Namibia's deep-sea port. The project is also located within forty-three (43) miles of the proposed Mucusso line to Angola's Namibe Port.

Preliminary work on the XIF project has defined a CIM compliant Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate of 441 million tonnes (Mt) with an average grade of 29.4% Fe, 41.0% SiO2, 6.1% Al2O3 and 0.3% P for the Block 1 magnetite XIF.

Block 1 is a fraction of the potential XIF magnetite resource. An extrapolated exploration target has defined the XIF to be in the order of 5 to 7 billion tonnes at 15 - 40% Fe. This exploration target was generated by inversion modelling of ground magnetic geophysical data which was compared and moderated to volumes from drilling data within Block 1 and its potential quantity and grade is conceptual in nature. To date, there has been insufficient exploration to define a mineral resource other than in Block 1 and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the target being delineated as a mineral resource. See, Press Release of 6/02/2014 on the Company's website for further details.

Metallurgical magnetic separation results (Davis Tube Recovery) show that an average concentrate of 67.2% Fe, 4.2% SiO2, 0.5% Al2O3, 0.07% P is obtained at P80 grind size of 80 microns, although higher grades are possible at finer P80's. See Press Release of 12/17/2013 on the Company's website.

Further exploration will focus on Block 2a where the Company expects an increase in the resource.

Additional informational of the project can be found on the Company's website at https://tsodiloresources.com/s/Metals.asp.html and further technical information can be found in a report prepared by SRK Consulting (UK) Ltd. for Gcwihaba Resources (Pty) Ltd. titled "Mineral Resource Estimate for the Xaudum Iron Project (Block 1), Republic of Botswana" with an effective date of August 29, 2014, and filed on SEDAR under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com.

About Tsodilo Resources Limited

Tsodilo Resources Ltd. is an international resource exploration company engaged in the search for economic metal and diamond deposits at its Gcwihaba Resources (Pty) Limited ("Gcwihaba") and Bosoto (Pty) Ltd. ("Bosoto) projects in Botswana. The Company has a 100% stake in its Gcwihaba project area consisting of five metal (base, precious, platinum group, and rare earth) prospecting licenses all located in the North-West district of Botswana. The Company has a 100% stake in Bosoto (Pty) Ltd. which holds the BK16 kimberlite project in the Orapa Kimberlite Field (OKF) in Botswana. Tsodilo manages the exploration of the Gcwihaba and Bosoto projects. Overall supervision of the Company's exploration program is the responsibility of McDonald Kahari (Pr. Sci. Nat.) a "qualified person" as such term is defined in National Instrument 43-101. This press release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Kahari.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

James M. Bruchs Chairman and Chief Executive Officer JBruchs@TsodiloResources.com Head Office Telephone +1 416 572 2033 Facsimile + 1 416 987 4369 Website http://www.TsodiloResources.com

This press release may contain forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, that address activities, events, or developments that the Company believes, expects, or anticipates will or may occur in the future (including, without limitation, statements pertaining to the use of proceeds, the impact of strategic partnerships and statements that describe the Company's future plans, objectives or goals) are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements reflect the current expectations or beliefs of the Company based on information currently available to the Company. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward- looking statements, and even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on the Company. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, changes in equity markets, changes in general economic conditions, market volatility, political developments in Botswana and surrounding countries, changes to regulations affecting the Company's activities, uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future, exploration and development risks, the uncertainties involved in interpreting exploration results and the other risks involved in the mineral exploration business. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or results or otherwise. Although the Company believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein.

Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements and, even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, the Company. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, uncertainties relating to availability and cost of funds, timing and content of work programs, results of exploration activities, interpretation of drilling results and other geological data, risks relating to variations in the diamond grade and kimberlite lithologies; variations in rates of recovery and breakage; estimates of grade and quality of diamonds, variations in diamond valuations and future diamond prices; the state of world diamond markets, reliability of mineral property titles, changes to regulations affecting the Company's activities, delays in obtaining or failure to obtain required project approvals, operational and infrastructure risk and other risks involved in the diamond exploration and development business. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or results or otherwise. Although the Company believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to their inherent uncertainty.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange ("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. This news release may contain assumptions, estimates, and other forward-looking statements regarding future events. Such forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties and are subject to factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control, which may cause actual results or performance to differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements.

SOURCE: Tsodilo Resources Ltd.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Highlights:

In determining the basis for its commercial design, E3 Lithium evaluated its proprietary Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) technology along with four third-party DLE technologies, all demonstrating technical success for the extraction of lithium from the Company's brines

Additionally, the Company evaluated the DLE technologies along with the downstream refining process and has selected the optimal combination that outlines the best technical and economic results, while de-risking E3 Lithium's path to commercialization

E3 Lithium is proceeding with third-party DLE technology for its first commercial facility and will continue to pursue the development of its proprietary technology for subsequent commercial facilities

E3 Lithium Ltd. (TSXV: ETL) (FSE: OW3) (OTCQX: EEMMF), "E3 Lithium" or the "Company," a leader in Canadian lithium, is pleased to provide an update on the selection process for Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) technology and the design of the downstream refining flowsheet for its first commercial facility.

In 2023, E3 Lithium committed to operating a field pilot plant to test DLE technologies at continuous scale to demonstrate the technical capability of various technologies to extract lithium efficiently from E3 Lithium's brines. At the pilot, the Company operated its proprietary DLE technology and a third-party technology which produced successful results. In parallel, to ensure the Company had evaluated the available options to select the combination of processes that produce the best technical and economic results for its commercial design, E3 Lithium evaluated an additional three third-party DLE systems. The results of all the DLE technologies were similar to the results outlined from the pilot testing in terms of the recovery and lithium concentrate quality.

The most significant information received from all testing of DLE technologies that E3 Lithium completed was that each achieved technical success, which has significantly de-risked the commercial viability of the of the Company's Leduc brines and Clearwater Project. The results also provided sufficient data to allow the Company to analyze each of the leading DLE options in combination with the downstream refining process, to select the optimal design for inclusion into E3 Lithium's Prefeasibility Study (PFS). The Company's primary goal is to make a decision that will enable immediate progression into the Feasibility Study and onto commercial construction and operations.

Technical Results and Selection

In selecting the technology for its first commercial facility, E3 Lithium is prioritizing, above all else, the most viable path to commercial operations with the most attractive economics. Other important factors include the ability for the third party to provide a performance guarantee, the commercial readiness of the technology and the operability of the processes. These factors become paramount as all DLE technologies tested produce the required technical results and lithium concentrate solutions suitable for downstream refining into battery-grade lithium. As a result, E3 Lithium is proceeding with using third-party technology at its first commercial facility as the best option to meet the Company's goals. Selecting third-party technology with advanced commercial readiness supports E3 Lithium's commercialization plans in the near term.

"Since the Company was founded in 2016, the number and maturity of DLE technologies available have increased significantly," said Chris Doornbos, President and CEO of E3 Lithium. "The team has completed a significant amount of engineering and process design work to enable the Company to make this decision that we believe will allow us to move smoothly through the next phases of engineering towards commercial operations. Selecting third party technology allows us to secure a system that is at an advanced stage of commercial readiness, and provides a viable path towards securing supply agreements and project financing for our first commercial facility."

As discussions and negotiations are ongoing, the names and specific results of the DLE providers E3 Lithium has tested, and the technology it is pursuing for its first commercial facility, remain confidential. The design of the downstream refining flowsheet is dependent on and complementary to the DLE system, and more details will be outlined in the Company's PFS.

While E3 Lithium will be using third-party technology for its first commercial facility, it will continue to evaluate and pursue the development of its proprietary technology for subsequent commercial facilities.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Chris Doornbos, President & CEO

E3 Lithium Ltd.

About E3 Lithium

E3 Lithium is a development company with a total of 16.0 million tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) Measured and Indicated and 0.9 million tonnes LCE Inferred mineral resources1 in Alberta. As outlined in E3's Preliminary Economic Assessment, the Clearwater Lithium Project has an NPV8% of USD 1.1 Billion with a 32% IRR pre-tax and USD 820 Million with a 27% IRR after-tax1. E3 Lithium's goal is to produce high purity, battery grade lithium products to power the growing electrical revolution. With a significant lithium resource and innovative technology solutions, E3 Lithium has the potential to deliver lithium to market from one of the best jurisdictions in the world.

1: The Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) for the Clearwater Lithium Project NI 43-101 technical report is amended Sept 17, 2021. Gordon MacMillan, P.Geol, QP, Fluid Domains Inc. and Grahame Binks, MAusIMM, QP (Metallurgy), formerly of Sedgman Canada Limited (Report Date: June 15, 2018, Effective Date: June 4, 2018 Amended Date: September 17, 2021). The mineral resource NI 43-101 Technical Report for the North Rocky Property, effective October 27, 2017, identified 0.9Mt LCE (inferred). The mineral resource NI 43-101 Technical Report for the Bashaw District Project, effective March 21, 2023, identified 16.0Mt LCE (measured & indicated). All reports are available on the E3 Lithium's website (e3lithium.ca/technical-reports) and SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca).

Forward-Looking and Cautionary Statements

This news release includes certain forward-looking statements as well as management's objectives, strategies, beliefs and intentions. Forward looking statements are frequently identified by such words as "may", "will", "plan", "expect", "anticipate", "estimate", "intend" and similar words referring to future events and results. Forward-looking statements are based on the current opinions and expectations of management. All forward-looking information is inherently uncertain and subject to a variety of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, including the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development, fluctuating commodity prices, the effectiveness and feasibility of emerging lithium extraction technologies which have not yet been tested or proven on a commercial scale or on the Company's brine, competitive risks and the availability of financing, as described in more detail in our recent securities filings available at www.sedarplus.ca. Actual events or results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements and we caution against placing undue reliance thereon. We assume no obligation to revise or update these forward-looking statements except as required by applicable law.

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.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240220387935/en/

Contact

E3 Lithium - Investor and Media Relations

Robin Boschman

Director, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications

investor@e3lithium.ca

587-324-2775
Kelowna, February 20, 2024 - F3 Uranium Corp. (TSXV: FUU) (OTCQB: FUUFF) ("F3" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a non-binding Letter of Intent ("LOI") with Canadian GoldCamps Corp. ("Canadian GoldCamps") wherein Canadian GoldCamps will enter into a definitive option agreement with F3's newly incorporated wholly-owned subsidiary F4 Uranium Corp. ("F4"). The staged option will allow Canadian Goldcamps to earn up to a 70% interest in the Murphy Lake Property (the "Property") in the Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan. The Property is located in the north-eastern corner of the Athabasca Basin, 30 km northwest of Orano's McLean Lake deposits, 5 km south of ISOEnergy's Hurricane Uranium Deposit and covers approximately 6.1 square kilometers of land.

Dev Randhawa, CEO of F3 and incoming Executive Chairman of F4 commented:

"With this transaction, we have immediately demonstrated the successful unlocking of value within F4's portfolio of fourteen Athabasca Basin projects. The partnership highlights the prospectivity of the Murphy Lake property with Canadian GoldCamps sole-funding exploration for three years, minimizing share dilution to F4 shareholders. F4 will be the operator during the earn-in period utilizing the management and technical team responsible for three major uranium discoveries in the Athabasca Basin. Through this LOI, F4 will receive cash (up to $1.4 million, with $600,000 in the first year) and shares (9.9% ownership in Canadian Goldcamps post financing), and benefit from up to $18 million in work expenditures. This transaction exemplifies F4's approach of maximizing our opportunities through the use property options, joint ventures and directly funded exploration."

Initial 50% interest in the Property:

Cash payable:

$100,000 within 7 calendar days of signing the LOI $200,000 upon entering into of a definitive agreement. $150,000 on or before the six-month anniversary of the definitive agreement $150,000 on or before the 12-month anniversary of the definitive agreement $150,000 on or before the 18-month anniversary of the definitive agreement $150,000 on or before the 24-month anniversary of the definitive agreement

Canadian GoldCamps common shares:

following the next equity financing of Canadian GoldCamps (for gross proceeds of not less than $6 million), 9.9% of the issued and outstanding common shares of Canadian GoldCamps will be issued to F4.

Property expenditures:

$5M on or before the 1-year anniversary of the signing of the definitive agreement $5M on or before the 2-year anniversary of the signing of the definitive agreement

Additional 20% Interest in the Property for a total of 70%:

Cash payable:

$250,000 on or before the 30-month anniversary of the definitive agreement $250,000 on or before the 36-month anniversary of the definitive agreement

Property expenditures:

$8M on or before the 3-year anniversary of the signing of the definitive agreement

Net Smelter Returns Royalty ("NSR Royalty"):

The percentage of a 2% NSR Royalty to F4 equal to Canadian GoldCamps percentage interest in the Property.

About the Murphy Lake Property

F4's 609-hectare Murphy Lake Project is located in the north-eastern corner of the Athabasca Basin, 30 km northwest of Orano's McLean Lake deposits, 5 km south of ISOEnergy's Hurricane Uranium Deposit, and 4 km east of Cameco's La Rocque Lake Uranium Zone where drill hole Q22-040 intersected 27.9% U O over 7.0 m.

The maiden drill program at Murphy Lake was concluded in late September of 2022, and consisted of 14 completed drillholes totaling 6,850m. The scintillometer results from hole ML22-006 intersected up to 2,300 cps (see NR August 10, 2022), which resulted in assay results of 0.065% U 3 O 8 over 2.5m from 322.5m to 324.5m, including 0.242% U 3 O 8 over 0.5m on the E1 EM conductor. Unconformity associated, basement hosted uranium mineralization was encountered along a strike length of 330m on the E1 conductor between ML22-011 and ML22-013 (See Assay Results Map below) and was associated with graphitic and sulphide rich shear zones in an area overlain by approximately 260m of Athabasca Sandstone.

Qualified Person:

The technical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with the Canadian regulatory requirements set out in National Instrument 43-101 and approved on behalf of the Company by Raymond Ashley, P.Geo., President & COO of F3 Uranium Corp., a Qualified Person. Mr. Ashley has verified the data disclosed.

About F3 Uranium Corp:

F3 Uranium is advancing the newly discovered high grade JR Zone on the PLN Property in the Western Athabasca Basin. This area of Saskatchewan is poised to become the next Uranium producer and home to large uranium deposits including Tiple R, Arrow and Shea Creek. F3 Uranium currently holds 18 properties across the Athabasca Basin including the Murphy Lake Property. F3 has initiated steps to spin-out by way of a plan of arrangement 14 of its prospective properties, including Murphy Lake, into the newly incorporated wholly-owned subsidiary F4 Uranium Corp. ("F4"). The PLN Property along with the Broach (which includes the PW claims) and Minto Properties (collectively, the "PLN Project") will remain with F3. F3 will transfer the remaining 14 properties to F4 in exchange for F4 shares that will be distributed to F3 shareholders (see NR dated Jan 16, 2024). There will be no change in shareholder holdings of F3 as a result of the plan of arrangement.

Contact Information

F3 Uranium Corp.

750-1620 Dickson Avenue

Kelowna, BC V1Y9Y2

Investor Relations

Telephone: 778 484 8030

Email: ir@f3uranium.com

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

"Dev Randhawa"

Dev Randhawa, CEO

See plan map below and additional plan maps and cross sections at PLN JR Zone|F3 Uranium Corp. under "Sections"





To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8110/198452_75037859940e9a3b_002full.jpg

The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed, approved or disapproved the contents of this press release, and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities laws, which is based upon the Company's current internal expectations, estimates, projections, assumptions and beliefs. The forward-looking information included in this press release are made only as of the date of this press release. Such forward-looking statements and forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, the intention to spin out the Properties; the creation of F4; the Arrangement, including timing thereof; the transfer of the Properties and the distribution of shares pursuant to the Arrangement; the intention to list the shares of F4 on the TSXV; F3's proposed strategic investment into F4; the Arrangement being subject to court, TSXV and shareholder approvals; the preparation and delivery of a management information circular setting forth details of the Arrangement; the completion of the Spin-Out and the Listing; the potential benefits to shareholders and other matters relating to the Arrangement. Forward-looking statements or forward-looking information relate to future events and future performance and include statements regarding the expectations and beliefs of management based on information currently available to the Company. Such forward-looking statements and forward-looking information often, but not always, can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "potential", "is expected", "anticipated", "is targeted", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or the negatives thereof or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved.

Forward-looking statements or forward-looking information are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, including, without limitation, risks and uncertainties relating to: general business and economic conditions; court, TSXV and shareholder approval for the Arrangement; changes in commodity prices; the supply and demand for, deliveries of, and the level and volatility of the price of uranium and other metals; changes in project parameters as exploration plans continue to be refined; costs of exploration including labour and equipment costs; risks and uncertainties related to the ability to obtain or maintain necessary licenses, permits or surface rights; changes in credit market conditions and conditions in financial markets generally; the ability to procure equipment and operating supplies in sufficient quantities and on a timely basis; the availability of qualified employees and contractors; the impact of value of the Canadian dollar and U.S. dollar, foreign exchange rates on costs and financial results; market competition; exploration results not being consistent with the Company's expectations; changes in taxation rates or policies; technical difficulties in connection with mining activities; changes in environmental regulation; environmental compliance issues; other risks of the mining industry; and risks related to the effects of COVID-19. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that could cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. For more information on the Company and the risks and challenges of its business, investors should review the Company's annual filings that are available at www.sedarplus.ca. The forward-looking statements included in this press release are made as of the date of this press release and 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 expressly required by applicable securities legislation.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/198452
Vancouver, BC / February 20, 2024 / EGR Exploration Ltd. (TSXV:EGR) ("EGR" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the Company's application for a permit to conduct drilling at the Detour West Property has been approved by the Ontario Ministry of Mines. This permit allows EGR to drill for the potential westward extensions of the Detour-Fenelon Gold Trend onto EGR's Detour West Property from the adjacent Detour Lake Mine Property owned by Agnico Eagle.

EGR received approval for one hundred and twenty three Reverse Circulation (RC) drill holes planned to test approximately 30 kilometres of interpreted structural corridors. Drill holes are planned along 16 fences of approximately 400 metre-spaced holes with 1 to 2.5 kilometres between fences. Interpretation of all the geological and magnetic geophysical data identified five areas of interest that are the target of the proposed program. The objective of the program is to identify gold-in-till (gold dispersal trains) that may vector to mineralized portions of interpreted shear structures and to collect top of bedrock lithological data. This will build an accurate geological map in proximity to the interpreted east-west trending shear structures that potentially represent the extension of the Detour-Fenelon Trend.



Click Image To View Full Size

Daniel Rodriguez, CEO and Director, comments, "This is the next step in our plan to make a gold discovery on the Detour West property. With permits in place, we are ready to execute a plan to prove the westward extension of the Detour-Fenelon Trend and the Sunday Lake Deformation Zone. Our team interprets geological features and east-west structures similar to our neighbours. We want to now test this and demonstrate the productive extension of the trend."

The technical information contained in this news release has been approved by Brian Atkinson, P.Geo. who is a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

About EGR Exploration Ltd.

EGR Exploration Ltd. is exploring for gold in the Detour-Fenelon Gold Trend approximately 300 kilometres north of Timmins, Ontario. EGR's 40,255 hectare Detour West gold project is contiguous to Agnico Eagle's property which contains the Detour Lake Gold Mine and is approximately 20 kilometres from the mine, which is also hosted in the Abitibi Greenstone Belt.

For further information contact:

Daniel Rodriguez

CEO & Director

Phone: (604) 353-4080

Email: drodriguez@egrexploration.com

Forward?Looking Statement (Safe Harbor Statement): This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. The use of any of the words "anticipate", "plan", "continue", "expect", "estimate", "objective", "may", "will", "project", "should", "predict", "potential" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. In particular, this press release contains forward-looking statements concerning the Company's exploration plans. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because the Company cannot give any assurance that they will prove correct. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, they involve inherent assumptions, risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of assumptions, factors and risks. These assumptions and risks include, but are not limited to, assumptions and risks associated with conditions in the equity financing markets, and assumptions and risks regarding receipt of regulatory and shareholder approvals. Management has provided the above summary of risks and assumptions related to forward-looking statements in this press release in order to provide readers with a more comprehensive perspective on the Company's future operations. The Company's actual results, performance or achievement could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements and, accordingly, no assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do so, what benefits the Company will derive from them. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release, and, other than as required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Copyright (c) 2024 TheNewswire - All rights reserved.
Saguenay, February 20, 2024 - First Phosphate Corp. (CSE: PHOS) (OTC: FRSPF) (FSE: KD0) ("First Phosphate" or the "Company") is pleased to update the market on its plans for a purified phosphoric acid ("PPA") plant at the Port of Saguenay and the development of the North American lithium iron phosphate ("LFP") battery valley in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean Region of Quebec.

On November 21, 2022, First Phosphate CEO, John Passalacqua, addressed the Federation of Chambers of Commerce of the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean Region of Quebec ("FCC-SLSJ") and shared, with local business leaders and politicians, the vision for the creation of an LFP battery ecosystem in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean Region of Quebec. Mr. Passalacqua provided a further update to the FCC-SLSJ on February 8, 2024. A recording of the February 8 session is available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnarUchmXdg.

Building a PPA plant and an LFP battery ecosystem for North America is a major undertaking. Since first laying out the Company's vision in 2022, First Phosphate has taken the following progressive steps towards realizing its PPA plant at Port Saguenay and in establishing the Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean region of Quebec as the LFP battery valley of North America.

Engineering and Feasibility Study

The Company has completed its internal pre-feasibility study for its PPA plant at Port Saguenay, Quebec and is in the process of evaluating engineering firms to begin a potential formal feasibility study. All PPA production will be fully internalized and limited to the development of LFP cathode active material ("CAM") by the Company and its strategic partners so as not to disrupt existing fragile equilibria in the food phosphates and fertilizer industries.

The Company has created a full proprietary financial model for the future PPA facility and is amenable to sharing details of its pre-feasibility work with those who have the ability to add synergies to its existing network of strategic partners.

Industrial Land, Infrastructure & Port Access

The Company signed a memorandum of understanding ("MOU") with Port Saguenay Authority to secure industrial lands and deep-sea shipping access for the establishment a PPA plant:

https://firstphosphate.com/PortSaguenay

Sulfuric Acid Supply

The Company signed an MOU with with NorFalco Sales ("NorFalco"), a division of Glencore Canada Corporation to secure supply of sulfuric acid (a key component in the production of PPA) for its future industrial facilities in Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean, Quebec:

https://firstphosphate.com/norfalco

Phosphate Concentrate Feedstock

The Company successfully concentrated its phosphate ore into beneficiated phosphate concentrate at ~41% pure P205 (~97% pure apatite) in pilot production and has developed a pilot plant for the purpose of creating feedstock to produce PPA:

https://firstphosphate.com/pilotplant

PPA Production

The Company transformed its beneficiated phosphate concentrate into Merchant Grade Phosphoric Acid ("MGA") and subsequently into food/battery grade PPA at pilot scale:

https://www.firstphosphate.com/phos_acid

PPA Facility Financing

The Company established a clean, debt-free credit history and has been able to procure an LOI from the Export-Import Bank of the United States ("EXIM") to provide stable, government-backed financing for a PPA plant while limiting the amount of equity dilution to shareholders.

https://firstphosphate.com/exim

Downstream LFP Manufacturing Partnerships

The Company negotiated agreements with various LFP production technology providers for downstream offtake for its PPA production and to service various LFP market segments:

https://firstphosphate.com/abf

https://firstphosphate.com/ultion-technologies-mou

https://firstphosphate.com/IntegralsPower

https://firstphosphate.com/lithium-australia-mou

https://firstphosphate.com/sunchem

https://firstphosphate.com/ipl_jda

Local Supply Chain Development

Through Comite de maximisation des retombees economiques regionals ("CMAX"), the Company has created direct relationships with businesses, contractors and suppliers in the Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean region of Quebec that have experience with large-scale industrial projects.. The Company has obtained regional major project status from CMAX:

https://firstphosphate.com/CRP-CMAX

Indigenous Community Involvement

CEO, John Passalacqua, and Chief Geologist, Gilles Laverdiere, have personally visited all three local Innu communities (Essipit, Mastheuiatsh, Pessamit) and met with local leadership to present the project and to establish dialogue. Innu First Nations mining executive, Armand Mackenize, was appointed to the advisory board of the Company. Groupe Conseil Nutshimit-Nippour was hired for social and environmental impact analysis; and First Nations Drilling was engaged for exploration activities:

https://firstphosphate.com/armandmackenzie

https://firstphosphate.com/le-groupe-conseil-nutshimit-nippour

https://firstphosphate.com/first-nations-drilling

Clean Power from Quebec Hydro

The Company submitted formal requests to Quebec Hydro in 2023 for the allocation of clean electricity to the PPA and LFP facilities as well as requested consideration to return electricity to the hydro grid should a sulfuric acid plant be built at the Port of Saguenay. The Company's requests are with Hydro Quebec Lots #2 and #3 and awaiting response.

https://www.hydroquebec.com

Quebec Critical-Strategic Minerals List and Government Awareness

In January 2024, in response to advocacy by the Company and others, the Quebec Government recognized apatite (phosphate) as a critical and strategic mineral. Furthermore, the Company received a strong letter of support for its activities and its planned PPA plant from Mario Simard, Member of Parliament for the local riding of Jonquiere, Quebec, vice-chair of Parliament's Standing Committee on Natural Resources and critic for natural resources for the Bloc Quebecois.

https://firstphosphate.com/phosphate-added-critical-minerals-list

https://firstphosphate.com/mariosimard.pdf

Battery Ecosystem Development and Validation of the Company's Business Model

On January 30, 2024, Arianne Phosphate (DAN: TSXV) announced that "it has commenced work on a Prefeasibility Study to construct a downstream purified phosphoric acid plant in the region" and "allow the Saguenay region to establish itself within the global battery ecosystem." First Phosphate looks forward to working with all interested parties in generating awareness and support for, and building the infrastructure necessary to realize its vision of developing the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean Region of Quebec into the LFP battery valley of North America.

https://www.arianne-inc.com/news/arianne-phosphate-advances-prefeasibility-study-for-a-purified-phosphoric-acid-plant

https://firstphosphate.com/ChambresCommerce





Proposed Location of First Phosphate PPA Facility at Existing Port of Saguenay

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About First Phosphate Corp.

First Phosphate is a mineral development company fully dedicated to extracting and purifying phosphate for the production of cathode active material for the Lithium Iron Phosphate ("LFP") battery industry. First Phosphate is committed to producing at high purity level, in responsible manner and with low anticipated carbon footprint. First Phosphate plans to vertically integrate from mine source directly into the supply chains of major North American LFP battery producers that require battery grade LFP cathode active material emanating from a consistent and secure supply source. First Phosphate holds over 1,500 sq. km of royalty-free district-scale land claims in the Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean Region of Quebec, Canada that it is actively developing. First Phosphate properties consist of rare anorthosite igneous phosphate rock that generally yields high purity phosphate materially devoid of high concentrations of harmful elements.

For additional information, please contact:

Bennett Kurtz, CFO

bennett@firstphosphate.com

Tel: +1 (416) 200-0657

Investor Relations: investor@firstphosphate.com

Media Relations: media@firstphosphate.com

Website: www.FirstPhosphate.com



Follow First Phosphate:



Twitter: https://twitter.com/FirstPhosphate

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/first-phosphate

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Forward-Looking Information and Cautionary Statements

This news release contains certain statements and information that may be considered "forward-looking statements" and "forward looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. In some cases, but not necessarily in all cases, forward-looking statements and forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "targets", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "an opportunity exists", "is positioned", "estimates", "intends", "assumes", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate" or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "will" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" and other similar expressions. In addition, statements in this news release that are not historical facts are forward looking statements, including, among other things, the Company's planned exploration and production activities, the properties and composition of any extracted phosphate, the Company's plans for vertical integration into North American supply chains, including, but not limited to, the Company's ability to realize and successfully participate in its "Vertically Integrated Production Plan" and "External Downstream Producer" plan, and related disclosure, continued relations with local Innu communities, the establishment of the Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean region of Quebec as the LFP battery valley of North America, the results of feasibility studies, and the receipt of approvals and availability of financing for the proposed PPA plant,

These statements and other forward-looking information are based on assumptions and estimates that the Company believes are appropriate and reasonable in the circumstances, including, without limitation, expectations of the Company's long term business outcomes given its short operating history; expectations regarding revenue, expenses and operations; the Company having sufficient working capital and ability to secure additional funding necessary for the exploration of the Company's property interests; expectations regarding the potential mineralization, geological merit and economic feasibility of the Company's projects; expectations regarding drill programs and the potential impacts successful drill programs could have on the life of the mine and the Company; mineral exploration and exploration program cost estimates; expectations regarding any environmental issues that may affect planned or future exploration programs and the potential impact of complying with existing and proposed environmental laws and regulations; receipt and timing of exploration and exploitation permits and other third-party approvals; government regulation of mineral exploration and development operations; expectations regarding any social or local community issues that may affect planned or future exploration and development programs; expectations surrounding global economic trends and technological advancements; and key personnel continuing their employment with the Company.

There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include: limited operating history; high risk of business failure; no profits or significant revenues; limited resources; negative cash flow from operations and dependence on third-party financing; the uncertainty of additional funding; no dividends; risks related to possible fluctuations in revenues and results; insurance and uninsured risks; litigation; reliance on management and key personnel; conflicts of interest; access to supplies and materials; dangers of mineral exploration and related liability and damages; risks relating to health and safety; government regulation and legal uncertainties; the company's exploration and development properties may not be successful and are highly speculative in nature; dependence on outside parties; title to some of the Company's mineral properties may be challenged or defective; Aboriginal title and land claims; obtaining and renewing licenses and permits; environmental and other regulatory risks may adversely affect the company; risks relating to climate change; risks related to infrastructure; land reclamation requirements may be burdensome; current global financial conditions; fluctuation in commodity prices; dilution; future sales by existing shareholders could cause the Company's share price to fall; fluctuation and volatility in stock exchange prices; and risks related to market demands. There can be no assurance that any opportunity will be successful, commercially viable, completed on time or on budget, or will generate any meaningful revenues, savings or earnings, as the case may be, for the Company. In addition, the Company will incur costs in pursuing any particular opportunity, which may be significant.

These factors and assumptions are not intended to represent a complete list of the factors and assumptions that could affect the Company and, though they should be considered carefully, should be considered in conjunction with the risk factors described in the Company's other documents filed with the Canadian securities authorities, including without limitation the "Risk Factors" section of the Company's Annual Information Form dated November 29, 2023 which is available on SEDAR at www.sedarplus.ca. Although the Company has attempted to identify factors that would cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those disclosed in the forward-looking information or information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/198475
BEIJING, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- A new study provides evidence suggesting that the evolution of modern birds commenced much earlier than previously believed, predating the extinction of dinosaurs.

Published earlier this month in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the study was led by scientists from China and the United States who analyzed the genomes of 124 living bird species and created an evolutionary tree for Neoaves, which include 95 percent of all modern birds.

Combining fossil records, they found that the main lineages of birds can be divided into two groups, with one group representing land-based species and the other group representing waterbirds. They estimated that this split took place during the Late Cretaceous period (roughly 87 million years ago), long before the end-Cretaceous extinction event that wiped out dinosaurs approximately 66 million years ago.

The findings challenge the widely-held belief that the dinosaurian extinction was followed by a rapid evolution of bird species. Previous studies indicated that the catastrophe resulted in the elimination of birds' competition for resources, thereby facilitating their fast diversification into the 11,000 species we see today.

The extinction event "seems to have had a limited impact on birds' evolution," said first author Wu Shaoyuan, a professor from the Jiangsu Normal University in east China.

Researchers who worked on the study also found that a global warming event occurring 55 million years ago was responsible for the evolution of modern seabird species, such as penguins and seagulls.

The new findings provide a more comprehensive and refined perspective on the evolution of birds, said co-author Zhou Zhonghe, from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

"The development of modern birds, unlike the previously acknowledged pattern of rapid evolutionary changes, is a gradual and continuous process driven by natural selection. They tend to align with the diversification of plants, mammals, fish and insects," Zhou noted.

Editor: WXL
BEIJING, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Museums across China received approximately 73.58 million visits during the Spring Festival holiday that ran from Feb. 10 to 17 this year, according to data released by the National Cultural Heritage Administration on Sunday.

The amount is 98.6 percent higher than the same period last year, said the administration.

Museums in eight provinces including Shaanxi, Sichuan, Jiangsu, and Guangdong received over 3 million visits, according to the administration.

Editor: WJH
Women wearing Chinese costumes are pictured in a street in Valletta, Malta, Feb. 17, 2024. In Valletta, the capital city of Malta, a group of ladies wearing colorful Chinese costumes - known as Hanfu, proceed gracefully along historic streets on Saturday afternoon, attracting both Maltese residents and tourists from around the world. (Photo by Jonathan Borg/Xinhua)

VALLETTA, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- In Valletta, the capital city of Malta, a group of ladies wearing colorful Chinese costumes - known as Hanfu, proceed gracefully along historic streets on Saturday afternoon, attracting both Maltese residents and tourists from around the world.

The captivating Hanfu show organized by the China Cultural Center in Malta was performed by 23 female volunteers from China, Malta, and Italy.

They held Chinese-style fans and lanterns in their hands and walked along Republic Street, a main street in Valletta, as part of the event to celebrate the Chinese Spring Festival.

"I love their colors of Hanfu, and the jewelry and hairstyles are also very intricate," said Noemi Calisto, an Italian student at the University of Malta. Some of her classmates were voluntary performers in the Hanfu show, so she took many photos of them.

Momo Muller and his wife Rita, a couple from Luxembourg, were enthralled by the beauty of the Hanfu costumes. Muller told Xinhua that he visited Beijing about 15 years ago and is looking forward to revisiting China.

Alexander Ouaknine, a 53-year-old owner of a traditional Maltese silver jewelry shop, told Xinhua that the handmade jewelry with silver wire and the beautiful Chinese traditional outfits are both "a wonderful form of art."

Among the enthusiastic volunteers of the Hanfu show, Charmaine Zammit is an official from the Ministry for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation. "I have always been interested in Chinese culture and I always longed to wear Chinese traditional costume," she said.

For Martina Vella, a 21-year-old student at the University of Malta, and her friends, it was their first time wearing Hanfu. Studying design, Vella told Xinhua that she would consider incorporating Chinese traditional elements into her future works.

Yuan Yuan, director of the China Cultural Center in Malta, highlighted the warm applause received by the Hanfu show. "The event showcases the charm of Chinese culture and the significance of cultural exchange between China and the West," she said.

Following the Hanfu show, the China Cultural Center invited people to try Hanfu, practice calligraphy, and make lanterns to celebrate the Chinese Spring Festival.

On Saturday night, the Chinese Community Association in Malta hosted a gala to celebrate the Spring Festival in the gym of St. Aloysius College in central Malta, featuring singing, dance, and music performances.

Addressing about 300 attendees at the gala, Peng Yijun, charge d'affaires at the Chinese Embassy in Malta, commended the active role of the Chinese Community Association in promoting traditional Chinese culture and enhancing China-Malta friendship.

Women wearing Chinese costumes are pictured in a street in Valletta, Malta, Feb. 17, 2024. In Valletta, the capital city of Malta, a group of ladies wearing colorful Chinese costumes - known as Hanfu, proceed gracefully along historic streets on Saturday afternoon, attracting both Maltese residents and tourists from around the world. (Photo by Jonathan Borg/Xinhua)

Women wearing Chinese costumes are pictured in a street in Valletta, Malta, Feb. 17, 2024. In Valletta, the capital city of Malta, a group of ladies wearing colorful Chinese costumes - known as Hanfu, proceed gracefully along historic streets on Saturday afternoon, attracting both Maltese residents and tourists from around the world. (Photo by Jonathan Borg/Xinhua)

Editor: WXL
Sakanaya at Wegmans. Photo: Chris Crowley

Its war on Wegmans. The restaurateur Yuji Haraguchi built his reputation hawking tonkotsu broth made from tuna (at Yuji Ramen) and evangelizing New Yorkers to the serene pleasures of Japanese breakfast (through Okonomi). Before he was a chef, though, he was a fish salesman, experience he parlayed into his store Osakana, NYCs best-known Japanese seafood market. That market is mere minutes from Manhattans only Wegmans, which opened in October with the chains first-ever Japanese seafood shop, Sakanaya. Eyeballs were trained on the buzzy store, especially after a video of the its tuna-butchering ceremony went viral. But Haraguchi was curious about the opening for a different reason. He says Wegmans was in talks to buy his market first. Instead, his lawyers filed a legal complaint last week alleging that the grocery chain and its business partners have committed fraud, trademark infringement, breach of contract, and more. He is seeking no less than $1 million in damages.

In 2016, Haraguchi opened the original location of Osakana in Williamsburg offering local seafood, prepared foods such as chirashi, and sushi-making classes. The New Yorker described the market as marrying the freshness of domestic seafood with the Japanese handling of products. In 2021, he expanded with a second location on St. Marks Place, a compact space that feels a bit like an artists studio.

According to the complaint and a Change.org petition, Haraguchi was first contacted in August by Culinary Collaborations, Wegmans fish broker, about purchasing Osakana. At the time, he says that he was looking to sell the business so he could move to Hawaii. On August 28, both Haraguchi and Culinary Collaborations signed an NDA that included a noncompete barring each party from hiring the others ones employees. After signing a letter of intent, Haraguchi says that he disclosed, as he puts it in the petition, all of his trade secrets, practices, and the financial information. The deal never came together, but when Wegmans opened on October 28, it contained Sakanaya, with no involvement from Haraguchi. (Wegmans wouldnt comment on specifics, but a spokesperson says the company is confident that the claims are without merit.) He says he found out about the opening from a customers text message. When he reached out to Culinary Collaborations, he says he was told that they were going to run both Sakanaya and Osakana.

After the opening, Haraguchi says that he was asked, in November, to prepare a draft purchase agreement, which, according to the complaint, he now believes was done in order to keep the scam going since, one week later, Culinary Collaborations backed out of the arrangement. I told them, Once you back out youre going to be my enemy, because you really opened the direct competition against me three blocks away, Haraguchi says. And they just backed out and disappeared.

He says hes spent the past two months attempting to contact the grocery chain  with no luck. My lawyer was like, Yo, you really, really have no choice: You got to just sue them, he says.

In his Change.org petition, he describes his shop Osakana, as the real and original SAKANAYA in NYC and accuses Wegmans of fraud, cultural appropriation, corporate bullying, defamation, trademark infringement, and more. The Sakanaya name, which translates literally to fish market, has been confusing for Japanese customers specifically, he says, because of the similarity of the words. He also points to the similarity of the fonts used for the logos.

The proximity of the stores  along with the similarity of names and business models  is central to Haraguchis argument that Wegmans is violating common-law trademark rights. If Wegmans opened that Sakanaya in its Brooklyn store, I wouldnt have claimed that it violates my common-law trademark because its in a different neighborhood, the chef says. The same would be true, he adds, if there werent a history of the NDA, NCA, and due diligence. I wouldve just kept my mouth shut. But we had a history. Im fine if someone just copied it down the street. Ill suck it up. Im used to it. Ive been doing this for ten years.

Is Haraguchi at all worried about being able to carry out a lawsuit against a giant company like Wegmans? He acknowledges their resources pose a problem: They can keep selling fish, no problem, as long as they make arrangements with me, he says. But there is no discussion right now. They think Ill just go away, but thats not going to happen.

On March 7, lawyers representing Culinary Collaborations and two other defendants in the case filed a counterclaim, calling the lawsuit baseless.

This post has been updated with a response from Wegmans as well as the counterclaim against Haraguchi.

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The European Union will investigate whether TikTok breached online content rules, revealed Reuters. The social media, owned by ByteDance, may have failed to protect children and ensure transparent advertising and might have to pay a fine of up to 6% of its global turnover.

According to Thierry Breton, the European Commissioner for Internal Market, the decision was taken after he analyzed the short video app's risk assessment report and its replies to requests for information.

Today we open an investigation into #TikTok over suspected breach of transparency & obligations to protect minors:



Addictive design & screen time limits



 Rabbit hole effect



 Age verification



 Default privacy settings



Enforcing #DSA for safer Internet for youngsters pic.twitter.com/4d2F0FQUHw  Thierry Breton (@ThierryBreton) February 19, 2024

TikTok is required to comply with the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA), which came into action on February 17. The act requires from large online platforms and search engines to do more to tackle illegal online content and risks to public security.

A TikTok spokesperson was quoted to say that the company has pioneered features and settings to protect teens and keep under 13s off the platform, issues the whole industry is grappling with.

The investigation of the European Commission, the institution that proposes new EU laws and monitors their implementation, will look into the design of TikTok's system, including algorithmic systems that may stimulate behavioral addictions and/or create so-called rabbit hole effects.

Source | Via/a>
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Just as yesterdays rumor predicted, OnePlus Watch 2 will launch next week on February 26. OnePlus has now opened up early bird reservations for its next flagship smartwatch. Potential buyers in the US can pledge $0.99 (non-refundable) for an early bird coupon which will avail $50 discount coupon once the watch launches. OnePlus is also offering a trade-in program in the US which gives you $50 off from the Watch 2 if you trade in any watch in any condition.

Buyers in Europe can sign up with their OnePlus account and receive a 30/30 discount for Watch 2 alongside a free pair of OnePlus Buds 3 once they make their purchase. The early bird offer is also acailble in India, with an INR 1,000 discount on the watch and a free pair of Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC earphones.

OnePlus Watch 2 will be offered in Radiant Steel and Black Steel colors. Both models will feature stainless steel casings with silicone watch straps and a sapphire crystal display. Watch 2 is rumored to bring a 1.43-inch AMOLED display and Qualcomm's Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 chipset while booting Google Wear OS 4.

Source
Samsung announced its 7.6 foldable panel, similar to the one used in the Galaxy Z Fold5, passed the US Department of Defense Test Method Standard, better known as MIL-STD-810. The standard confirms the product can function without damage in harsh conditions such as extreme temperature changes and external shock.

Samsung Display revealed it is the first company in the world to acquire this type of military-grade certification for foldable OLED panels.

Every product that goes through the test process must withstand extreme conditions, such as working after four hours of being covered in a 6 mm ice sheet after being sprayed with water at -10 degrees C.

The panel also continued to work when the ambient temperature varied between -32 and +63 degrees for 2 hours each; every test must be completed three times.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5

The stress test also includes 26 drops from 4 feet (1.22 meters, which is the real-world height usage), and the panel also withstood 10.5G pressure through speed rotations.

Samsung Display representative told Korean media that foldable devices are not lacking in durability, which is a common misconception. Expectations are that this standard will open the door for wider applications of foldable panels in the near future.

Source
Xiaomis long-awaited 14 Ultra smartphone is due to launch in China on February 22, followed by a global introduction at MWC Barcelona on February 25. Weve already seen official images of the device in black and white, but we now get a look at a third blue launch color for the device.



Xiaomi 14 Ultra in black, white and blue

The new color appears to have a matte finish with a color-matched frame and is rumored to feature a ceramic coating on the back. In contrast, the white and black versions appear to have a vegan leather back just like last years Xiaomi 13 Ultra. Based on the most up-to-date leak, Xiaomi 14 Ultra will bring a 6.73-inch AMOLED display with 1440p resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate, a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset paired with 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 1TB of UFS 4.0 storage.



Xiaomi 14 Ultra

The quad 50MP Leica-branded cameras on the back will pack impressive hardware  namely a Sony LYT-900 main sensor with an f/1.63 - f/4.0 variable aperture alongside a pair of telephoto modules using Sony IMX858 sensors and capable of 3.2x and 5x optical zoom. The fourth module is a 12mm equivalent ultrawide lens with a 122-degree field of view. Xiaomi 14 Ultra will also pack a 5,300 mAh battery with 90W wired charging and 50W wireless charging.

Source (in Chinese)
Dance battles, skateboard competitions, a car show and many more await Micronesia Mall goers this Saturday.

Dubbed Fiesta 5, the multi-location event will take place throughout Micronesia Mall on Feb. 24, from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Its a day packed with excitement, talent, and community spirit.

Imminent Unlimited has partnered up with Micronesia Mall and Guam Dance Community for the fifth iteration of their signature Fiesta event, the mall said in a press release.

Skateboarders and skateboard enthusiasts will congregate in Suite N108/N109 in Concourse 4, which will be transformed into a battleground for a 2v2 flat ground skate competition with cash prizes and coveted titles.

Dancers and spectators can make their way to the Micronesia Mall Center Court for performances, workshops and battles curated by the Guam Dance Community throughout the day.

Car show

The excitement continues on the roof deck of the North Parking Garage, Macys side.

Head on over for a car show with over 78 registered cars, as auto enthusiasts compete for prizes, titles like Best Japanese and Best 2-Door and the ultimate bragging rights.

Whether youre a car aficionado or just looking for a fun day out, this is an event you definitely do not want to miss, the mall said.

Sponsors include Imminent Unlimited, Micronesia Mall, Guam Dance Community, The Loft, Savage Sandwich Co., Bank of Guam, Yigo Mayors Office, Tommys Pizza Shoppe, Quick Bites Delivery Service, MM Theatres, and L.E.D. Consulting.

Mark your calendars for Fiesta 5, where community, culture, and competition converge, the mall said. We hope to see you there.
In this file photo, Bank of Guam President and CEO Joaquin Cook shares the new features within the banks Tamuning branch in August 2023. Bank of Guam on Tuesday announced that it will be the first bank on Guam to accept money from the legal cannabis industry.
The main suspect in the Feb. 14 deadly robbery shooting, Domingo Chargualaf Mendiola, is being held on a $500,000 bail, while his girlfriend Jenna Rose Calinagan Manibusan had her charges dismissed in Superior Court late on Tuesday afternoon.

Mendiola needed money for an owed drug debt, according to the magistrate complaint filed in local court.

The robbery shooting claimed the life of Sumittra Lairopi, a 53-year-old wife and mother to three children.

The pair was arrested on Monday on multiple felony charges in connection with the suspected robbery and shooting death of Lairopi, who was shot in the upper abdomen/chest area outside Thai Thai Healthy Cuisine restaurant in Tamuning on Feb. 14.

Lairopi died from her injuries two days later at Guam Memorial Hospital.

Now, Lairopis family has set up a gofundme account, at gofundme.com/f/sumittra-w-lairopi, seeking to raise funds for her funeral.

Charges can be re-filed

Magistrate Judge Jonathan Quan appointed the Public Defender Services Corporation for Mendiola, and appointed the Alternate Public Defender for Manibusan.

Quan granted a motion to dismiss the charges against Manibusan, with the Office of the Attorney General retaining the ability to indict her in the future.

The charges were dismissed without prejudice, said Gloria Rudolph, acting chief prosecutor for the AGs office. With reports and information still coming in, we are taking more time with GPD to vet the information thats been given, and to gather corroborating materials which we will use to formulate the appropriate charges to include in an indictment against Ms. Manibusan.

According to the magistrates complaint, Mendiola was charged with:

Aggravated murder as a first-degree felony with a special allegation of possession or use of a deadly weapon in the commission of a felony

First-degree robbery as a first-degree felony with a special allegation or use of a deadly weapon in the commission of a felony

Theft of a motor vehicle as a second-degree felony

Possession of a schedule II controlled substance as a third-degree felony

Manibusan was earlier charged with:

Complicity to commit aggravated murder as a first-degree felony

Complicity to commit first-degree robbery as a first-degree felony

Complicity to commit theft of a motor vehicle as a second-degree felony

Hours later, the charges against Manibusan were dismissed without prejudice.

Drug debt

According to the magistrates complaint, an unnamed witness said the robbery and murder were part of a plan to pay off Mendiolas drug debt.

The witness told police that Mendiola identified four women eating dinner inside a closed restaurant, and when two of the diners left, Mendiola allegedly shot Lairopi and left with Lairopis car.

Lairopis friend, who ran away during the attack, returned to find Lairopi unable to respond and having difficulty breathing, according to the report. She told police that she was with Lairopi, that she had heard a gunshot and that a man wearing a white ski mask came out of an alley with a gun.

Lairopis friend also confirmed that during their dinner, a man in a white mask tried to open the locked doors of the restaurant where they ate, said the complaint.

Another witness

Police located a vehicle nearby, still warm to the touch and not belonging to Lairopi, stated the complaint. After learning about the vehicles ownership, police had names of possibly involved suspects.

That investigation led to a witness who allegedly said he knew about Mendiolas plan to rob someone, and that Manibusan was to assist in finding a robbery target.

The witness said Mendiola shot one of the females, stole her car and drove to an area behind the Sinajana Fire Station, where Mendiola and Manibusan rummaged through a bag from the vehicle.

The witness also said Mendiola lives two to three minutes away from where they parked the stolen vehicle.

Police later interviewed Mendiola, who confirmed that he was with Manibusan that night but said he did not know anything about the shooting.

Mendiola also allegedly claimed ownership of an ice pipe found in the warm-to-the-touch vehicle found at the shooting scene.

At a news conference held Monday, Police Chief Stephen Ignacio said that several suspects in the case were in police custody, but no other suspects have been arrested and the case remains open.

Its the second deadly robbery shooting on Guam this year. Within days, the suspects in both cases were arrested.

Just always be on the lookout

Dwayne Santos, a cashier at Gangnam Mart which is near where the shooting happened, said he heard about the incident the next day.

It brought to reality that no matter where Im at, or no matter what Im doing, anything can happen to anybody or even to myself. And since its right nearby where I work, it was just an eye opener, he said.

Santos said he knew of the late victim, and that the owners and employees of the nearby businesses help support each other.

On a short strip flanking the Thai Thai restaurant are three restaurants, an apartment complex, a dive company, two beauty parlors, a barber shop, two retail stores and a construction company.

We just always have to be on the lookout from the glass door, said Santos. Thats our chance to have a keen observation on whos coming in and out. Its a tragedy what happened, and we are so so sad for the family.
Law enforcement officers from all across the government could be called in to support the Guam Police Department and help thwart the islands drug epidemic, if Sen. Chris Duenas newly introduced bill becomes law.

Duenas bill seeks to create the Multi-Agency Unified Law Enforcement Group, or MAULEG.

Unlike a previous task force, he said, MAULEG operates as a trigger, activating when law enforcement manpower falls below 70%.

Duenas, in an interview with the Pacific Daily News, noted rising violent crime rates and drug offenses in GPDs Uniform Crime Report through 2021, even as the police force struggles to get near its longtime goal of 520 uniformed officers.

Right now, were lucky if we have 270 ... 280 available to actually be officers on the beat, officers on the street, said Duenas, who is the vice-chair of the Legislatures Committee on Public Safety.

A release from Duenas office points to recorded drug abuse violations going from 230 in 2017 to a staggering 880 in 2021, and the number of violent crimes reported going from 369 in 2017 to 664 in 2021.

Additional officers

The senators proposed solution would see law enforcement agencies across the government pooling efforts to support GPDs presence on the streets, under MAULEG, headed by the chief of police.

MAULEG would see officers from the Guam International Airport Authority, the Port Authority of Guam, Department of Agriculture and the Department of Parks and Recreation, tapped to augment GPDs police work, if the police department is short in manpower.

All law enforcement tasked to augment GPD would get paid their usual salaries, according to the bill.

A similar effort to pool local law enforcement resources was seen in the Mandana Drug Task Force, which was formed in 2017 by an executive order from then-governor Eddie Calvo.

But Duenas said his measure differs in that its specifically aimed at getting GPD to have the manpower and resources it needs to keep order in the streets.

MAULEG would only form if the police department falls below 70% of the manpower it needs, or about 364 officers, according to the senator, and would disband again if GPD shores up its manpower.

A lack of officers at GPD was an issue in the past when the prospect of reforming a drug task force for the island came up.

Duenas acknowledged that there may be some pushback in other law enforcement groups, which were dealing with their own staffing issues even before being called upon to help GPD.

He said the goal was not to transfer out a large number of officers from one agency to another, but to have them work in tandem with GPD.

That might mean an officer from another agency pulling a shift helping out GPD, or working overtime hours to help out, he said.

Those police will do routine patrols in various villages. And they will do it opposite times that GPD is available. And they become eyes and ears in the community and an unpredictable law enforcement presence, Duenas said.

He said those decisions would be left up to the MAULEG leadership, and the structure is intentionally left flexible. Overall, the move is meant to pressure the local government and law enforcement system to fix itself.

In addition, MAULEG could work to get federal grant funding, tap federal law enforcement for assistance, and generally pool information and resources to combat the scourge of methamphetamine and drug use on the island, Duenas said.

The bill has bipartisan support, with legislative public safety Chairman Sen. Chris Barnett, Republican Minority Leader Sen. Frank Blas Jr., Sen. Thomas Fisher, Sen. Dwayne San Nicolas, and Sen. Jesse Lujan signing on as cosponsors.

$11.3M funding

Additional funding to support MAULEG is already being eyed by Sen. Will Parkinson, who introduced Bill 251-37, which seeks to push $11.3 million towards the group shortly after Duenas announced the effort.

Parkinson is looking to fund the group using revenue from taxes and fees that were collected in excess of what GovGuam projected to bring in so far this fiscal year.

The senator had originally intended to put the money towards helping the Guam Visitors Bureau to deal with public safety for visitors to the island, but was looking to help with public safety across the island, according to a release from the senators office.

The cost of inaction far exceeds $11 million, Parkinson said in a statement.

Community involvement, online presence

Neighborhood watch programs and aid from civilians in the community are two other big components envisioned under MAULEG.

When the group is formed, officers would be able to deputize any able-bodied person participating in a neighborhood watch program to help maintain law and order.

The deputized civilians will go through a training and screening process to be determined by GPD, and will possess limited law enforcement powers, according to the bill, like reporting suspicious activity, helping in emergency response situations, or helping in maintaining public order.

Those deputized residents could be the eyes and ears within the village, according to Duenas, and could potentially get a stipend for assisting law enforcement.

MAULEG would also have to create a public notice website, where information about wanted individuals or other public safety information could easily be posted and shared with the community.

The idea was to feed all the public safety info that usually circulates through village group chats into one silo, according to Duenas.

All of that was aimed at stemming the tide of the drug epidemic and violent crime on Guam, he said, and then hopefully turn the tide and take back the streets and make Guam safer.
People conduct rescue work after an Israeli airstrike in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, on Feb. 19, 2024. The Palestinian death toll resulting from the ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has surpassed 29,000, the Gaza-based Health Ministry announced on Monday. (Photo by Khaled Omar/Xinhua)

GAZA, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- The Palestinian death toll resulting from the ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has surpassed 29,000, the Gaza-based Health Ministry announced on Monday.

According to a press statement from the ministry, the Israeli army has killed 107 Palestinians and wounded 145 more within the past 24 hours.

This latest update brings the total number of casualties to 29,092 deaths and 69,028 injuries since the Israel-Hamas conflict broke out on Oct. 7, 2023, according to the statement.

It noted that some victims remain under the rubble amid heavy bombardment and a lack of civil defense and ambulance crews.

Israel has been launching a large-scale offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip to retaliate against a Hamas rampage through the southern Israeli border on Oct. 7, 2023, during which about 1,400 people were killed and more than 200 were taken hostage.

People conduct rescue work after an Israeli airstrike in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, on Feb. 19, 2024. The Palestinian death toll resulting from the ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has surpassed 29,000, the Gaza-based Health Ministry announced on Monday. (Photo by Khaled Omar/Xinhua)

People conduct rescue work after an Israeli airstrike in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, on Feb. 19, 2024. The Palestinian death toll resulting from the ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has surpassed 29,000, the Gaza-based Health Ministry announced on Monday. (Photo by Khaled Omar/Xinhua)

People conduct rescue work after an Israeli airstrike in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, on Feb. 19, 2024. The Palestinian death toll resulting from the ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has surpassed 29,000, the Gaza-based Health Ministry announced on Monday. (Photo by Khaled Omar/Xinhua)

A rescuer works after an Israeli airstrike in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, on Feb. 19, 2024. The Palestinian death toll resulting from the ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has surpassed 29,000, the Gaza-based Health Ministry announced on Monday. (Photo by Khaled Omar/Xinhua)

People conduct rescue work after an Israeli airstrike in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, on Feb. 19, 2024. The Palestinian death toll resulting from the ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has surpassed 29,000, the Gaza-based Health Ministry announced on Monday. (Photo by Khaled Omar/Xinhua)

People conduct rescue work after an Israeli airstrike in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, on Feb. 19, 2024. The Palestinian death toll resulting from the ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has surpassed 29,000, the Gaza-based Health Ministry announced on Monday. (Photo by Khaled Omar/Xinhua)

Editor: ZAD
Bills seeking to ban the sale of vape products from vending machines, build a monument for Vietnam War veterans, and reform the operation of clinics run by the Department of Public Health and Social Services advanced at Tuesdays session of the Legislature.

Sen. Sabina Perezs Bill 187-37 would not only ban the sale of vape products in vending machines, but also tobacco and any other nicotine products.

Perez said the last license for a tobacco vending machine operator expired back in 2018, but that the bill was still necessary to eliminate a loophole that allowed for Guam youths easy access to tobacco and nicotine products.

She pointed to a recent report on smoking that found the leading cause of underage use was accessibility to tobacco or vaping products.

Bill co-sponsor Sen. Chris Barnett said that vape product vending machines had become all the rage in other jurisdictions, and that the ban was a forward thinking measure.

A Vietnam Veterans Memorial Monument could be erected at Skinner Plaza in Hagatna, should Sen. Dwayne San Nicolas Bill 170-37 become law.

The bill would authorize the Independent Vietnam Veterans Association of Guam to erect the monument, in a space that is 20 feet long and 20 feet wide. Such a monument would honor the 77 men from Guam who died serving during the war.

GovGuam would not be responsible for funding the monuments construction.

The only cost to the government is the utilization of the land, as we will give them that here today. My uncle passed away in this conflict in the Vietnam War. And I never thought Id make it this far. And its such an honor to introduce this bill and I asked my colleagues for their support, San Nicolas said.

Control of the Northern and Southern Community Health Centers would be handed largely over to the health center boards, which now serve in an advisory capacity, should Speaker Therese Terlajes Bill 209-37 become law.

The board for the centers would be responsible for approving the annual budget and plans for the centers, instead of the Department of Public Health and Social Services. The bill would also allow the health center boards to apply for grants, and increase the number of members from seven to 13.

Concern over a reduced quality of care and services available at the centers, which are mostly federally funded, colored an oversight hearing held back in December.

Weve heard that there are X-ray machines in storage rooms, there are dental services not being provided. ... However, we can shore up these northern and southern facilities, will help us to address all the capacity that really went down because of COVID, Terlaje said.

Lawmakers as of press time on Tuesday were also discussing Sen. Chris Barnetts Bill 226-37, which would make health certificates issued to public schools expire one year from the date theyre issued.

Also advancing Tuesday were:
In this file photo, Guam Fire Department Capt. JJ Sablan from the Dededo Fire Station sprays water onto burning abandoned vehicles and other debris just off Route 16 near Ft. Juan Muna in Harmon on Jan. 18, 2024.
The A.B. Won Pat International Airport Authority, Guam was awarded $21.4 million in Federal Aviation Administration competitive grant funding toward replacing its terminal roofing system with a modern, energy-efficient one, the airport said in a press release on Tuesday.

Under this FAA airport terminal program grant, the cost split for the terminal roofing project is 95% from federal funds, and 5% from the Guam International Airport Authoritys capital improvement funds.

Grant funding was awarded under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Airport Terminal Program.

In a nationwide competition for funds, the timing of this award could not have come at a more opportune time as we look to propel terminal infrastructure projects forward and improve the airports resiliency, especially in the wake of Typhoon Mawar, acting Airport Executive Manager Artemio Ricky Hernandez said in a statement.

Hernandez said the terminal roof project, as well as the terminal floor resurfacing, are currently the airports top capital improvement priorities.

The terminal roofing system is a transformative project that is focused on installing a modern, energy-efficient roofing system integrated with renewable energy solutions such as solar panels, the airport said.

It added that the initiative aims to enhance GIAAs resilience to extreme weather events, ensuring uninterrupted operations and passenger safety while providing a safe and secure facility that meets Guam Building Codes.

The $21.4 million awarded to GIAA was part of the larger $970 million in grant funding awarded under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Airport Terminal Program funds awarded to 114 airports across the U.S., spanning 44 states and three territories announced by the FAA last week.

The ATP is one of the aviation grant programs created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which is intended to provide a historic $25 billion over a five-year period to modernize American airport infrastructure.

Our airport is vital for economic growthconnecting Guam and Micronesia to the world. We extend our deepest appreciation to the FAA for continuing to support the enhancement of our facilities, improvement of our passengers experiences, and resiliency of our response to natural disasters, GIAAs Hernandez said. This investmentincorporating renewable energy and sustainability solutionsensures our airport continues to be safe, efficient, and prepared for the future.
The waters around Guam bore witness to a significant coral bleaching event several years ago. Rising sea temperatures during the last El Nino stressed corals to the point of expelling their symbiotic algae, draining them of color and leaving behind whitened skeletal frames along the ocean shallows.

Corals around Guam were not the only victims of this climate stressor. Reefs in the Federated States of Micronesia were not spared from the bleaching event, but the story differs for reefs in the FSMs remote atolls.

There, researchers are finding that more corals managed to survive the event compared to those around the main islands in the FSM.

Scientists anticipated that, with more fish around to help promote growth and less pollution affecting them, reefs in these atolls would have a greater chance for recovery.

But scientists had no clue corals there would also be more resistant to bleaching, according to Peter Houk, professor of coral reef and fisheries ecology at the University of Guams Marine Laboratory.

In fact, based on what we know about global scientific literature, it wasnt clear that they would be, Houk said.

These observations were made during an expedition into the FSM atolls  a major collaboration between UOG, FSM national and state governments, National Geographic Pristine Seas, Micronesia Conservation Trust, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and Waitt Institute, according to a press release from UOG.

Unique UOG ties with National Geographic

The collaboration marks the first relationship of its kind between UOG and the National Geographic Society, according to Houk, who served as the chief scientist for the expedition.

Houk credited the opportunity to the development of a larger scientific network fostered through UOG.

Since coming to UOG in 2013, Houk has received small-level grants to work on coral reefs and fisheries, which has been supporting his students. The students are doing great work in places like Yap, Kosrae and Saipan, each in different systems with a focus on management, Houk said.

People started realizing, Hey, this is a pretty powerful network, he said. And we had a chance to help engage the Federated States of Micronesia.

A network involving National Geographic is a big win, Houk said.

The amount of marine resources in FSM waters is insane ... and having UOG in and working with that and getting students in the mix on that is awesome, he said.

In addition to coral reefs, scientists are assessing deeper and open waters around the FSM atolls to get a comprehensive look at their resources.

The expedition took almost two months and ended in late November 2023. Starting from Kosrae, the expedition covered more than 2,000 miles and visited 10 to 12 atolls before reaching the end of its journey in Yap.

The expedition is one example of the role some of our faculty play in impactful research, UOG President Anita Borja Enriquez said. And as they take leadership roles alongside nationally recognized research institutes, in this case with National Geographic Pristine Seas and other partners on the health of corals and reef ecosystems in the Western Pacific, they bring more depth in how they teach in UOG classrooms.

With climate change well underway, one of the main goals for the expedition is to understand coral resistance to bleaching, their recovery or lack thereof, and the impact of human presence.

Those two words  resistance and recovery  combine to form resilience, or how prepared organisms are to fight the future, Houk said.

Another major goal is to inform resource management guidance for the outer atoll communities and management policies for the FSM national government. The project is also meant to enhance the capacity of local scientists, with 12 scientists from the FSM states participating in the expedition.

Opportunities at UOG for Western Pacific region students

It was also an opportunity to tell regional students about opportunities at UOG. According to Houk, the expedition team reached out to marine science students in community colleges at each stop of their journey.

Its one thing to hear about UOGs program, its another thing to hear about UOGs program while youre standing on a National Geographic boat next to a submarine looking at new species of coral found in (their) waters, Houk said.

Some of his graduate students on the expedition were getting the most rewarding experience of their lives, he added. Its amazing.

Houk has begun incorporating information from the expedition into his lessons.

And this will all continue, he added.

Video Check out a National Geographic Society video of the expedition, www.instagram.com/reel/C3TsoCOvgYZ/?igsh=NDZ3M256enM3enJk.
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University of Guam: Para Todus Hit  For all of Us
The 15th season of the documentary series Evil Lives Here premiered Sunday with an episode that delves into one of the most chilling cases of rape and murder in Mississippi  committed by Gary The Butcher Simmons.

On Feb. 18, the debut of Butcher and the Box unveils the stories of two women  Lori Lucas, Simmons ex-wife, who testified on his behalf during his trial, and Charlene Brook Leaser, (now known as Brook Weber), the woman he raped.

Their narratives intertwine, leading to a pivotal moment when they are set to come face to face, for the first time, in the episodes climax.

Simmons, a former grocery store butcher, was convicted in 1997 of the capital murder of Jeffrey Wolfe and the kidnapping and rape of Leaser, in a case that is remembered as one of the most gruesome in Gulf Coast history.

The Kreole bayou where Gary Simmons and Timothy Milano dumped the body parts of Jeffrey Wolfe is seen June 8, 2012. The adjacent house where Simmons once lived appears to have crumbled to the crowd. MO

Wolfes body was dismembered. Investigators discovered pieces of flesh in a boat on Simmons property  and in a search of the nearby bayou, they found skin, tissue, muscle, pieces of the chest and abdominal walls, lungs, a heart, a liver, fingers, toes, sexual organs  and Wolfes head, which had been severed just below the jaw.

The story of Lori Lucas and The Butcher

When they first met, Lucas, who had a young son and daughter from a previous marriage, described Simmons as considerate and loving. They married on Aug. 11, 1990, and she thought he was the perfect stepdad.

The couple went on to have two daughters of their own.

During Simmons trial, Lucas testified on his behalf, telling the court she still loved him and describing him as the hardest working man I know.

She told the court that Simmonss greatest joy in life were his two daughters, with whom he had never been denied visitation. Further, she told the court that their life together was middle class and happy.

But a starkly different story emerges in the new episode. Now Lucas claims Simmons raped and brutalized her  reportedly choking her to the point of passing out  though she never reported it to authorities. She also admits he physically abused his two stepchildren and molested their daughter.

You can tell me all day long what you think you would do if you were put in a situation where you have been manipulated your entire relationship, Lucas said during the broadcast. Its easy to say well, I would leave  but its not as easy as people think it is.

During their six-year marriage, Lucas says she found binders of stories Simmons had written about sex slaves and dominating and torturing women  and recalls thinking she didnt want to become one of those stories.

One story in particular  about keeping a woman in a locked box  particularly bothered Lucas because Simmons had constructed a large box  one big enough for a body  that he claimed was for his guns and knives.

In 1996, she filed for divorce and moved with the children to her own apartment that she shared with her brother, 21-year-old Timothy Milano.

On Aug. 12, that same year, Milano told his sister that Simmons called needing help, and he left to assist him.

The story of Brook Weber

Brook Weber, who was 18 and went by the name Charlene Brook Leaser at the time of the incident  had no idea she was on her way to a nightmare when she and her boyfriend Jeffrey Wolfe traveled to Simmons home in Moss Point, Mississippi, on the evening of Aug.12, 1996, to collect drug money owed to Wolfe by Simmons and Simmonss ex-brother-in-law Milano.

But a nightmare is exactly what she walked into. According to Weber, Milano appeared from a back room in the house and fired multiple rounds at Wolfe. Then she says, Simmons grabbed her, hog tied her and locked her in the box he had constructed  letting her out only to rape her. She eventually managed to escape, running to a neighbor, who alerted police.

After Simmons arrest and conviction, Weber said she lived in constant fear of retribution from Simmons family  namely his ex-wife and children.

Terrified they would want revenge one day, Weber spent years running hiding, changing her hair and changing her look, so they couldnt find her.

But now, at age 45, she said shes tired of running and wants to speak to Lucas, face to face, for the first time but admitted, shes a nervous wreck about it.

Ahead of the meeting, Weber was shown interview footage with Lucas.

She could have stopped him, and she didnt, Weber said in the episode. Im just blindsided  I knew he was a monster, and it only took me one night to figure that out  all of that could have been prevented if someone had just taken a stand.

Viewers will have to watch the episode to find out whether Weber went forward with her plan to meet Lucas, or changed her mind.

Simmons was convicted of rape, kidnaping, and capital murder (with the underlying felony of robbery) in the Circuit Court of Jackson County, Mississippi, on Aug. 29, 1997. He was sentenced to life imprisonment on both the rape and kidnaping charges and to death on the capital murder charge. He died by lethal injection on June 20, 2012.

Milano was convicted of capital murder and kidnapping. He was sentenced to serve life in prison without the possibility of parole.

The 15th season of Evil Lives Here is now streaming on HBO Max and Investigation Discovery.
On February 18, 2024, a fireworks show was held for Chinese Lunar New Year celebration on Dongping Waterway in Shunde District, Foshan City, Guangdong Province. The colorful fireworks lit up the sky, presenting a spectacular visual feast for residents and tourists. (Lv Hua/Guangming Picture)

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Haiti - FLASH : Mgr Pierre Andre Dumas injured in an explosion in Port-au-Prince





Monday February 19, 2024, the Episcopal Conference of Haiti (CEH) a press release, signed by Father Jean Rodney Brevil, Deputy Permanent Vice-Secretary of the CEH, informs that Mgr Pierre Andre Dumas Bishop of Anse-a-Veau and Miragoane "[...] was injured evening by an explosion which hit the house where he was staying during his stay in Port-au-Prince."



Even if no other details were provided on the nature and circumstances of this explosion, the episcopate press release specifies and concludes "[...] for the moment, the state of health of Mgr Dumas is stable [...] We entrust him to your fervent prayers for a speedy recovery."



HL/ HaitiLibre


















On February 19, 2024, the 2024 Nanjing International Plum Blossom Festival officially kicked off, with the theme of the Year of Wood Dragon, and will run until March 15. During the festival, a variety of activities will be held in the Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, allowing residents and tourists to enjoy the beauty of Nanjing in spring. (Sun Zhongnan/Guangming Picture)

On February 19, 2024, the 2024 Nanjing International Plum Blossom Festival officially kicked off, with the theme of the Year of Wood Dragon, and will run until March 15. During the festival, a variety of activities will be held in the Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, allowing residents and tourists to enjoy the beauty of Nanjing in spring. (Sun Zhongnan/Guangming Picture)

On February 19, 2024, the 2024 Nanjing International Plum Blossom Festival officially kicked off, with the theme of the Year of Wood Dragon, and will run until March 15. During the festival, a variety of activities will be held in the Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, allowing residents and tourists to enjoy the beauty of Nanjing in spring. (Sun Zhongnan/Guangming Picture)

Editor: WXL
Kids use telescopes to observe and count the birds on Sulaibikhat beach during a bird counting event in Capital Governorate, Kuwait, on Jan. 27, 2024. (Photo by Asad/Xinhua)

Birds are seen on Sulaibikhat beach during a bird counting event in Capital Governorate, Kuwait, on Jan. 27, 2024. (Photo by Asad/Xinhua)

Editor: WRX
Montana Supreme Court Chief Justice candidate Cory Swanson, Broadwater County attorney, stopped in Havre earlier this week and sat down for an interview with the Havre Daily News about his candidacy.

Swanson, who was a deputy attorney general under Tim Fox, said he decided to run primarily out of concern that former state auditor John Morrison would take the seat of Chief Justice Mike McGrath. He said he thought Morrison was unfit for the position.

Morrison has since dropped out, but by that time Swanson was committed to the race, and he still regards himself as the better candidate.

At this point, Swanson and former federal magistrate court judge Jerry Lynch are the only candidates in the race.

Swanson said his primary concern as a candidate is to curb a trend of judicial activism he said he sees within the Montana Supreme Court, a trend he said has manifested in a number of areas.

He said appellate courts, including the Montana Supreme Court are meant to give deference to district courts when it comes to findings of fact unless they are "clearly erroneous" which is a high legal bar, one that he thinks hasn't been met in many cases when the court has reinterpreted said findings.

"I think they are retrying the facts as if they were the trial court," he said. "And I think that creates a problem for district court judges, and undermines their work and undermines their authority."

Swanson also said courts are supposed to make rulings on the narrowest possible grounds that would determine an outcome. Oftentimes, judges will attach further legal comment on a ruling if they feel it will be beneficial to future citation, but these comments are ultimately non-binding.

He said he feels the Supreme Court has been providing these comments too often, not overruling previous precedent, but calling it into question in a way that creates uncertainty for the judicial system, especially in the case of State of Montana v. Noli.

The case resulted in a ruling that made it harder for officers to search and seize property without clear probable cause during traffic stops, and overturned the conviction of a woman traveling with drugs in her car, because the search had been conducted without sufficient justification from the officer who pulled her over for traveling in the passing lane without being in the process of passing.

Swanson said the result of the case didn't overrule anything, but it did cause a great amount of uncertainty for law enforcement.

Beyond these issues, he said, it seems like the Supreme Court is, at times, rewriting law, rather than interpreting it, which is hardly exclusive to Montana, nor any one political party.

He said there has been a nationwide tendency for both major political parties to try to politicize the courts, and both are contributing to a worse judicial system.

"Both sides fighting for an activist court that favors them is the wrong answer," he said. "We don't want a conservative court, we don't want a liberal court. We want the court that is going to be focused on the facts."

Swanson said he doesn't make a secret of the fact that he has a conservative background, but that has no bearing on his interpretations of the law and any judge candidate who weighs in on political issues is showing a bias, a criticism he made of his opponent, Lynch.

Swanson's campaign website promotes him as a "tough on crime county attorney" and "judicial conservative," but he said neither of these contradict his message about a non-partisan court.

He said judicial conservative refers to his stance against judicial activism, not his political stripes, and tough on crime doesn't mean pursuing conviction at the cost of the truth.

He said he just recently investigated a case that had a previously convicted violent offender accused of a similar crime, but the more he looked into it the less likely it seemed that he was guilty and there just wasn't sufficient evidence that he could in good conscience bring a case against the person.

As a private attorney, he said, he mainly represented logging and grazing groups, and as a result gained a reputation as anti-environmentalist, but as Broadwater County Attorney he brought numerous cases where he thought environmental law was being violated, because his job was to enforce the law.

Swanson said his track record shows that he can be unbiased regardless of his political background.

He also talked about recent tensions between the state's judicial and legislative branches.

He said he understands why legislators were upset and accused judges of not being transparent when they found that judges were internally opining on legislation they may one day be ruling on the constitutionality of in 2021.

The case in question was an email poll of members of the state judge association about proposed legislation to change how judges were appointed. The poll was conducted by the Supreme Court administrator.

However, he said some of the behavior of the Legislature and Attorney General Austin Knudsen in response to that has been concerning.

Swanson said he thinks the judicial branch has unclean hands in that case, but openly defying court orders and rulings is absolutely unacceptable.

As for Knudsen, he said, he didn't want to make much comment, but did say that there is a standard of decorum that should be expected in front of the supreme court.

In terms of more general changes in the state's legal system, he said, he would like to see more oral argument at the appellate level, which he thinks will create better outcomes by having greater discussion of cases' nuance and be good training for lawyers.

He also said it would help assure the public that the court is transparent instead of doing everything through closed-door legal filings.

Swanson said he also thinks the courts need to do fewer non-cite opinions, which are shorter opinions that are not allowed to be used as precedent as they regard settled legal questions.

He said this practice has made the courts much more efficient, which has been incredibly helpful over the years, but he thinks they may have overcorrected, as he's seen non-cite opinions that he thinks are relevant to matters not otherwise addressed through precedent.

Swanson also said with Montana growing as a state, and criminal and civil cases increasing along with it, the state needs to hire more judges in general.

He also said he wants to prioritize a move to electronic filing, a transition that has already had some growing pains, but which he thinks will increase the efficiency of the court.

He also thinks counties need support in their efforts to increase security for their courtrooms, which there has been an increasing call for in recent years.

He said the layout of every counties' courthouse is different so there are no one-size-fits-all solutions, but many counties need help from the state to make the changes necessary to ensure safety.
Gary Dean Hanson, 88, passed away February 9, 2024, after fighting with congestive heart failure.

Cremation has taken place. A Celebration of Life service will be postponed until June 8, 2024 in Fort Mohave, AZ.

Gary was born June 10, 1935, to Vic and Verlie Hanson in Scobey, MT. He grew up ranching alongside his parents until he joined the Army in 1953 and was on leave when he met his wife-to-be, Paula. They married on September 9, 1956 and to this union five children were added.

Gary and Paula worked ranch jobs on the Hi-Line until they purchased their own place in Zurich, MT. in 1960. In 1969 they moved to Havre where he was employed with Burlington Northern, and later on Amtrak where he got his nickname - Cowboy. They also ran a contracted mail route for over 20 years.

Gary and Paula later divorced and he got remarried to Joellyn Suchy, and together they made their new residence in Vancouver, WA. After retiring from Amtrak, they moved to Fort Mohave, AZ, where Gary could have all the time in the world to putter around in his wood shop crafting many projects for family, friends and grandchildren.

The one other thing they enjoyed the most was traveling and seeing the country.

Joellyn passed in 2014, and Gary got remarried to Jackie Regensburg in 2017 in Las Vegas, NV. They continued living in Fort Mohave, AZ, until his death.

Gary loved to work in his yard (and was very proud to show off his western town he created in his back yard encompassing his Coy pond). There was never anything out of place, woodworking for all, and traveling. He also enjoyed the heat.

Gary is survived by his wife Jackie; sister Ann Manuel, Havre, MT; five children, Robert (Lisa) Hanson, Havre, MT, Paul (Lorrie) Hanson, Box Elder, MT, Tim (Lisa) Hanson, Fort Mohave, AZ, Keith (Keri) Hanson, Chinook. MT, Michelle (Mike) McEwen Helena, MT; a stepson, John (Karen) Suchy, Eureka, MT; 16 grandchildren and 32 great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by both parents; first wife, Paula; second wife, Joellyn; one grandson, one great-grandson and brother-in-law Charles Manuel.

Memorials can be made to one's choice.
Ted Solomon of Havre, MT, 87, passed away February 18, 2024, at Northern Montana Hospital in Havre, MT.

A celebration of life will be held Saturday, March 2nd, 2024 at noon at the 4-H Chuckwagon.

A full obituary to follow.
The Finnish supplier of services and technologies for the pulp, paper and energy industry said it is also weighing up temporary lay-offs in some of its corporate functions, paper and services business lines, and regional organisation for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

VALMET on Thursday revealed that it is considering terminating around 130 jobs in Finland and Sweden.

The company will specify the extent and targeting of the lay-offs as the consultative negotiations move forward.

The cuts are weighed up as part of a plan to improve the profitability and competitiveness of business operations, as well as to adapt to the evolving market situation. The plan also entails the re-structuring of some organisational structures and development of ways of working.

Valmet employs about 6,900 people in Finland and 1,800 in Sweden.

The company reported earlier this month that its net sales, comparable earnings and comparable profit margin all increased from the previous year in 2023, despite stagnant order intake.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT
COUNCILLORS have expressed their frustration at the prolonged closure of the Marsh Lock bridge in Henley.

Deputy Mayor Rory Hunt and former mayor Stefan Gawrysiak criticised the Environment Agency for failing to complete repairs to the wooden bridge almost two years since it was closed for safety reasons.

The agency has spent about 58,000 on surveys and consultations.

The Culden Faw Estate, which is owned by Swiss financier Urs Swarzenbach, has provided walkers with a temporary diversion across his land while the bridge has been closed.

But the estate has now decided to close this on March 31 in a bid to encourage the Environment Agency to speed up its reponse.

Estate manager Alex Dick accused the Environment Agency of complete inactivity.

He said: Nothing has been happening whatsoever. How long is this going to take? Lets see some action from the people who can do something. Its not fair on the landowners and its not fair on the public.

The Marsh Head Horsebridge provides access to the Thames Path and a safe route away from the road between Henley and Shiplake. Councillor Gawrysiak, a town and county councillor, said: We have been trying to get a response from the Environment Agency to actually sort out this sorry situation that has been going on for two years.

This should have been fixed a year and a half ago. They have done the surveys with divers and found out what the problem is, so they should have come up with a plan.

Oxfordshire County Council has said the Environment Agency is under pressure with other schemes in the area, for example, the bridges at Hurley and Benson, which are closed.

But if the agency had fixed this bridge two years ago, we wouldnt be suffering the perfect storm of four or five other projects.

We thank Culden Faw for its generosity in providing us with a diverted footpath but when that closes it means that walkers will not be able to enjoy this beautiful stretch of river. They will have to walk along the Reading road to Shiplake, which is dangerous.

If the agency came out with a timetable and said, for example, it would repair the bridge in April and open it in June, we could ask Culden Faw to extend the footpath diversion until then.

If the agency does not come out with a plan then Culden Faw is absolutely within its right to close the diversion.

Councillor Hunt said: The Thames Path in Oxfordshire is a fractured mess due to the inactions of the Environment Agency.

We should remember they have a legal duty to keep these bridges open as they are public rights of way.

Culden Faw has kindly allowed walkers to pass but is under no legal duty to do so whereas the Environment Agency is.

I completely understand why Culden Faw has got upset and would like to thank Alex Dick for his kindness and co-operation towards the community during this time.

This is a beautiful part of the river and to see it closed off from the Henley side means we cant walk to our nearest village across the river and we cant walk to the nearest town the other way.

It is dangerous for people having to walk along the Reading road and far less pleasant with the pollutants on such a heavily used road.

Its important to maintain public access to these sites. The Environment Agency has a duty to ensure this and it has miserably failed the public.

Walker Peter Bailey, from Sonning Common, said he missed being able to use the bridge.

He said: Its a very poor show and is probably hindering tourism.

When it closed the bridge, the Environment Agency said part of one of the handrails had fallen off and many of the wooden planks that people walk on had become loose, forming gaps between them.

Repairs were initially expected to take two months to complete but the footbridge still remains closed.

A spokesman for the Environment Agency said: We apologise for any inconvenience this has caused and we remain grateful to the landowner for allowing temporary access to the Thames Path over his land.

Were in discussion with Oxfordshire County Council about the necessary technical and legal actions needed to reopen the bridge and the funding options available for the repair.

The bridge is likely to remain closed for an extended period but we will continue to work to resolve the issue as soon as possible.
The omnichannel retailer Foxtrot during the sales period from February 1 to February 14, dedicated to Valentines Day, increased turnover by 31.6% compared to the same period last year, the chains press service reported.

According to the press release, during this period the most popular products were the category of portable electronics, the share of which in the overall structure of the companys turnover this year amounted to 24% and increased by 20% compared to the turnover of last years promotion.

Sales in the small household appliances category accounted for 20% of total turnover, which is 48% more than last year, while the large household appliances category increased by 52%.

According to the network, hair dryers and multi-stylers were leaders in the female beauty category, with a 46% share. In the men's category, the most popular products were trimmers and electric shavers. At the same time, the company noted the gender balance of purchases.

The greatest growth in quantitative terms was shown by hair dryers, but in monetary terms we see a significant increase in stylers, which is associated with the return of the Dyson brand to the Ukrainian market, as well as the growth of the hair dryer brush category. Such increased demand may indicate a gradual return of some women to Ukraine, in general - the restoration of positive consumer sentiment in all categories of male and female beauty. In addition, the medium+ and premium segment of goods is growing significantly," said Viacheslav Sklonny, commercial director of the Foxtrot company.

This year has seen a peacetime trend towards last-minute purchasing, he said.

Foxtrot is one of the largest omnichannel retail chains in Ukraine in terms of the number of stores and sales volumes of electronics and household appliances. As of November 2023, the network operates 122 physical stores in 67 cities and regional centers of Ukraine, as well as the online platform foxtrot.ua. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the company has provided about UAH 20.5 million in assistance to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Japan provides Ukraine with grant of $100 mln under Rapid Recovery Program

Ukraine and Japan signed an agreement to provide Ukraine with a grant in the amount of $100 million for Phase 3 of the Rapid Recovery Program, the press service of the Ministry of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development reports.

"The Rapid Recovery Program (Phase 3) worth JPY 15.8 billion, which is more than $100 million, will be allocated to rapid recovery projects, among other areas: energy services, transport links, and equipment for humanitarian demining," the statement said.

With the support of the Japanese government, Ukraine is successfully implementing the Rapid Recovery Program's Phase 1 and Phase 2, the Rapid Recovery and Reconstruction Project.

As part of Phase 1 and Phase 2, important special equipment and machinery are already being transferred for the needs of the energy, transport, agricultural, medical, educational sectors, destruction waste management, drainage, water supply and mine clearance.

The Rapid Recovery and Reconstruction Project has successfully implemented rapid impact projects such as the Demolition Waste Management Pilot and Heat Pump Pilot to focus efforts on areas of greatest need.

The corresponding agreements were signed in Japan by Deputy Minister of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine for European Integration Anna Yurchenko.

"These projects will help increase the efficiency and sustainability of our economy, improve the living conditions of citizens and strengthen national security. Our cooperation will embody our common values and ideals aimed at the benefit of our peoples," Yurchenko noted.
Shmyhal on outcomes of his visit to Tokyo: Japan should become one of leaders in Ukraine's economic recovery

Japanese business is interested in participating in the restoration of Ukraine, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said.

"Japan should become one of the leaders in the economic recovery of our country. We saw great interest on the part of Japanese business in the deployment of new projects," Shmyhal wrote on the Telegram channel following his visit to Japan.

The Prime Minister thanked the Japanese government, business and everyone who was involved in the dialogue.

"We know that Japan is always there, that the Japanese people believe in our victory and are helping to bring it closer," he concluded.

As reported, Ukraine and Japan, during a conference on economic development and recovery in Tokyo, signed 56 documents on deepening partnership and attracting EUR 1.25 billion from Nippon Export and Investment Insurance (NEXI), $150 million from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) and about $20 million from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which will be used to rebuild Ukraine.

Ukraine and Japan signed an agreement to provide Ukraine with a grant in the amount of $100 million for Phase 3 of the Rapid Recovery Program.

The Naftogaz Group signed memorandums with the Japanese Sumitomo Corporation and Komaihaltec on the modernization of combined heat and power plants and the development of a joint project in the field of wind energy.

PrJSC Export Credit Agency (ECA) of Ukraine and the state export credit agency of Japan Nippon Export and Investment Insurance (NEXI) entered into a memorandum of understanding and development of cooperation.

Ukraine and Japan agreed to open negotiations on updating the agreement on the promotion and protection of investments.


Monday February 19, 2024



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New York (HOL)  During the UN Security Council Briefing on Somalia on Monday, Ambassador Abukar' Baale' Dahir Osman strongly denounced Ethiopia's recent MoU with the breakaway Somaliland region, stating, "Ethiopia's establishment of a military base in Somalia constitutes a clear violation of Somalia's sovereignty and territorial integrity."



Osman emphasized that such actions by Ethiopia pose a threat to regional stability, highlighting the potential resurgence of extremist groups like Al-Shabaab. He cautioned, "By unilaterally altering the borders of Somalia, the Ethiopian Government is fueling a cycle of distrust and hostility between the Somali and Ethiopian people."





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The ambassador's condemnation comes amidst escalating tensions between Somalia and Ethiopia, with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud accusing Ethiopia of attempting to annex part of Somalia's territory by signing a sea access deal with the breakaway region of Somaliland. Speaking at the African Union summit in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa, on Saturday, President Mohamud stated that the agreement between Ethiopia and Somaliland, signed on January 1, "is nothing more than annexing part of Somalia to Ethiopia and changing the borders of Somalia." Somalia categorically objected to the deal, considering it a breach of its sovereignty.The dispute between Somalia and Ethiopia escalated further when President Mohamud accused Ethiopian security forces of attempting to block his access to the African Union summit. Despite Ethiopia's firm denial of these allegations, tensions remain high.In his address to the Security Council, Ambassador Osman stated, "In the African Union Summit on Saturday, Ethiopian Government kept President HSM in his hotel and tried to prevent him from entering the AU HQ to deliver his remarks." According to Ambassador Osman, this latest escalation exemplifies Ethiopia's disregard for diplomatic norms and principles, which he emphasized as a dangerous precedent that undermines the integrity of the African Union and international diplomacy.Furthermore, Ambassador Osman drew attention to Ethiopia's conspicuous absence from a crucial African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) meeting convened to address the escalating crisis.The international backlash against Ethiopia's actions deepens its diplomatic isolation. From Egypt to Turkey, numerous countries have voiced support for Somalia, condemning the Ethiopian-Somaliland agreement as a breach of Somalia's sovereignty and territorial integrity.The Arab League expressed solidarity with Somalia, urging Ethiopia to uphold principles of neighbourly relations and respect Somalia's sovereignty. Similarly, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) reiterated its backing for Mogadishu and rejected any actions undermining Somalia's territorial integrity.The United States and European Union also joined in condemning the agreement.Ambassador Osman reiterated Somalia's commitment to peaceful coexistence with its neighbours while asserting the right to defend its territorial integrity by international law.
With the exit of senior party leader and former Maharashtra chief minister, Ashok Chavan, the Congress has lost one of its biggest state leaders with political and electoral organisational heft. Chavans entry into the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after a nearly five-decade association with the Congress is widely being seen as part of BJPs juggernaut to secure maximum Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, the state with the second highest number of Lok Sabha seats, at 48. However, political observers have noted that Chavans exit is more a loss for the Congress party than a win for the BJP. What makes Ashok Chavan so relevant, if at all, in Maharashtra politics today?

Son of one of the tallest political leaders from Maharashtra, former chief minister (CM), Shankarrao Chavan, Ashok Chavan has a strong political legacy, one that he did not squander. He was one of the Congress partys most prominent faces in Marathwada, especially after senior politician and former CM Vilasrao Deshmukhs demise in 2012. Chavan is credited with retaining a strong grip over his family assembly seat Bhokar, and influencing the Congress partys electoral outcomes in both his home district of Nanded as well as the larger Marathwada region, which elects 46 of the 288 state legislative assembly members. Despite BJPs ascendancy, Congress had managed to put up a decent performance in Marathwada in the 2019 assembly polls. Chavans exit is now expected to considerably erode Congress electoral chances in Marathwada.

Chavan served as a minister in three successive Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)-led state governments since 1999, holding portfolios including industries, urban development, tourism, and transport. He was picked as chief minister of Maharashtra in 2008 after Deshmukh was forced to step down after the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai that year. Within a few months of taking over, CM Chavan successfully led the Congress in the 2009 general election, and in the assembly polls later that year. In both elections, Congress emerged as the largest party in Maharashtra, bagging 17 Lok Sabha seats and 82 legislators, nearly 20 seats more than its ally NCP. While Chavan won a second tenure as Maharashtra CM after these elections, he had to step down in 2010 after his name cropped up in the Adarsh housing scam. Many within the Congress feel that Chavans ouster from the CMs post without a formal indictment from the investigative agencies proved to be detrimental for the party.

His successor Prithviraj Chavans tenure was marked by Congress-NCP infighting and political scams like irrigation. While Prithviraj had a clean image, he did not have a hold over district-level politics or acumen for electoral management. Besides the Modi wave, this lack of strong leadership in the state post Deshmukhs demise in 2012 coupled with the sidelining of Chavan cost us in the 2014 polls and we havent recovered since then, said a senior Congress leader, who did not want to be named.

In the 2014 general elections, despite the overarching Narendra Modi wave which saw the BJP win 23 of Maharashtras 48 seats and the Congress almost wiped out, Ashok Chavan managed to win the Nanded Lok Sabha seat, while his wife Ameeta won the assembly seat later that year from his pocket borough, Bhokar. Chavan was one of only two MPs elected on the Congress ticket in Maharashtra in 2014. The other, Rajeev Satav, also won the Hingoli Lok Sabha seat in Marathwada thanks to support from Chavan. While Chavan failed to retain his Lok Sabha seat in 2019, he won the Bhokar assembly seat in the state polls later that year with a good margin. Out of six assembly seats in the Nanded district, three were won by the Congress in an election where it had been pushed to the fourth largest party in the state assembly. Given Chavans tendency to put up a good fight, the BJP had categorised Nanded as a difficult Lok Sabha target seat even for the 2024 polls. With his entry in the BJP, Nanded as well as Hingoli seats in Marathwada are now a clear win for the saffron party. Chavan understands state politics, he also has a good grip on electoral mobilising and strategy, which is sorely lacking in the remaining state Congress leaders. He still enjoys the support of at least seven to eight MLAs, so he was an obvious choice for the BJP to poach, said Mrunalini Naniwadekar, associate editor of Sakal newspaper.

Chavans exit leaves Congress bereft of political leaders who have the clout and political base to lead the party in elections. More than a win for the BJP, Chavans exit is a big loss for the Congress. Chavan was a prominent face and perhaps the last party leader standing with a distinct political identity and capability of organising and leading the party in elections, said political analyst Abhay Deshpande. The three or four remaining big leaders in Congress include former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, state party president Nana Patole, and former minister Balasaheb Thorat. There are several next-generation leaders but they do not have any base or identity beyond their constituencies.

Ashok Chavan is also a prominent Maratha face in the state. In the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress government, he was heading the state sub-committee on the Maratha reservation. His identity also gives him salience in the state and the upcoming polls, in which the issue of Maratha reservation will play a crucial role.
The protesting farmers have said halfway offers against their demand for legislatively guaranteed minimum support price (MSP) are unacceptable. They have rejected the Centres proposal of contract-based procurement of five crops at MSP for five years, and plan to march to the national capital. The approaching general elections may give them some bargaining power, but farmers sustained well-being needs a calibrated climbdown at both ends rather than the government being forced for an MSP guarantee. Such a law would exhaust a large chunk of its finances, leaving other crucial areas underfunded.

For its part, the government must recognise the insecurity underpinning the insistence on State guarantees  implementation of the Swaminathan formula, MSP, and assured procurement. Farmers didnt get remunerative prices for 16 of the 18 years to 2021-22, thanks to high input costs in agriculture, an HT analysis showed this week. This has been compounded by the governments interventions to control prices for the consumer, such as export bans and high price thresholds for the export of certain grain varieties; these are poor solutions for the inequity between the economic power of the producer and agri-traders.

So, what needs to be done? The government and the farmers may agree on a price-support regime for the short-run while agricultural spending pivots towards increasing capital expenditure. This has been falling, which doesnt augur well for the future of the sector given the portent of the climate crisis. Steps need to be taken to increase farm productivity and resilience. To that end, the government must step up spending on R&D in agriculture. Though India has recorded impressive jumps in such funding in recent years, R&Ds share in the agriculture budget remains a low 6.7%. For their part, farmers must realise that they cant dither on crop diversification. Fertiliser- and water-intensive cereals must give way to crops that dont drain precious resources.

Indias agriculture policy needs to be forward-looking. Though inequities between economic actors in the agriculture market make certain protections necessary, all engagement with the market cant be stonewalled. Unions would be more successful at securing the future of farming if they were to work on organising farmers into Farmer Producer Organisations to achieve both the scale and bargaining power for negotiating better prices.
Actor Varun Tej met Lavanya Tripathi on the sets of Mister in 2017 and married her in November 2023 in Italy. While promoting his upcoming film, Operation Valentine, Varun now told Zoom why it was important for him to get married abroad and not in India. (Also Read: Lavanya Tripathi calls Varun Tej one-of-a-kind on his birthday; shares sweet pics) Varun Tej and Lavanya Tripathi at their wedding(Instagram)

I wanted my parents to have fun

Varun said in the interview that he saw his cousins getting married, how it usually involved thousands of people and that the parents never got the chance to relax or have fun. My cousins had more fun than me at the wedding, but our family is close-knit and we had a lovely time together, he said, adding, It took me seven years to get married (after I met her) and I wanted my family to have fun. Usually, 4000 to 10,000 people are invited to weddings in my family, but we invited only 100. It was important to me that my family had fun so I took them all abroad.

Didnt gift her anything for V-day

It might be Varun and Lavanyas first Valentines Day after their fairytale wedding but the couple didnt get each other any gifts, revealed Varun in another promotional event. While talking to anchor Suma and the students of Malla Reddy Engineering Womens College in Hyderabad, he said, I didnt get her (Lavanya) any gift, she didnt gift me anything either. When I was in college, I used to bother doing that, I got a lot of gifts for a lot of people. But now, its different. We went to Kashmir for a short vacation instead, he said.

Upcoming work

Varun will play an IAF officer in Operation Valentine, with Manushi Chhillar playing a radar officer. The films first single, Vande Mataram, was launched at Wagah Border. Directed by Shakti Pratap Singh, the film will mark Varuns debut in Bollywood and Manushis in Tollywood. The film is slated for release on March 1. He will also star in Karuna Kumar's next film Matka with Meenakshi Chaudhary as his co-star.

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Farmers protest highlights: The farmer leaders opted to suspend the 'Delhi Chalo' march after the fourth round of talks with the central government on Sunday. The farmer leaders, however, also announced that the 'Delhi Chalo' march would resume on February 21, indicating that discussions would also encompass the government's proposal regarding Minimum Support Price (MSP)....Read More

We will have discussions on the proposal by the government in the next two days...The government will also deliberate on the other demands...We will continue with the 'Delhi Chalo' march on February 21 if there is no result, General secretary of Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee Sarvan Singh Pandher said.

The farmers stated that the government has put forth a proposal to address their demands promptly, which will be overseen and administered by two government committees.

On Monday, local police made preparations to intercept a procession by a group of 500 to 600 farmers in Manesar. These farmers declared their intention to conduct a protest march culminating at the residence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi on Tuesday. The march is organized in solidarity with the demand for an ordinance on the minimum support price (MSP), echoing the ongoing protest by Punjab-based farmers near the Haryana-Punjab border for the past week.

The farmers' protest began on February 13. The farmer leaders are now camping at the borders of Delhi. Earlier the police used tear gas shells to prevent them from crossing the borders.

Why are thousands of farmers protesting in Delhi again?
Modi Jammu Visit highlight: Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Jammu on Tuesday and unveiled multiple development initiatives totalling over 32,000 crore, spanning various sectors such as education, railways, aviation, and roads. The Prime Minister's Office stated that these projects encompass diverse areas like health, education, transportation, aviation, petroleum, and civic infrastructure....Read More

During the event, PM Modi will hand over appointment letters to approximately 1500 newly recruited government employees from Jammu and Kashmir.

Furthermore, the Prime Minister will engage with beneficiaries of various government schemes as part of the 'Viksit Bharat Viksit Jammu' program.

Additionally, PM Modi will inaugurate, dedicate to the nation, and lay the foundation stones for numerous projects valued at around 13,375 crore, aimed at enhancing education and skilling infrastructure nationwide.

The projects set to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi encompass a wide array of developments, including road projects, bridges, grid stations, transmission lines, common effluent treatment plants, sewage treatment plants, degree college buildings, and an intelligent traffic management system in Srinagar city. Additionally, a modern Narwal Fruit Mandi, drug testing laboratory in Kathua, and transit accommodation comprising 224 flats in Ganderbal and Kupwara are part of the initiatives to be unveiled. Moreover, foundation stones will be laid for various projects, including the establishment of five new industrial estates, a data center/disaster recovery center for the Integrated Command and Control Center of Jammu Smart City, the upgrade of Transport Nagar at Parimpora Srinagar, and enhancements to numerous road projects, bridges, and transit accommodations across different districts like Anantnag, Kulgam, Kupwara, Shopian, and Pulwama.
Detached from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and shaky about support from its former allies in Tamil Nadu, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) is making undisguised attempts to woo the states minority population in hopes of faring better in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Led by party general secretary E Palanisamy (EPS), AIADMK is looking to improve its strike rate among minorities in a desperate attempt to taste electoral success after party supremo J Jayalalitha died in 2016. The party had bagged a whopping 37 of Tamil Nadus 39 Lok Sabha seats in the 2014 general election. Post-Jayalalitha, it was reduced to just one seat in 2019. Its NDA partners fared no better, with each of its allies including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) drawing a blank.

The minority population in Tamil Nadu accounts for nearly 14% of the states electorate.

By aggregating this influential segments vote, the AIADMK hopes to not just match but outdo the anti-Sanatani spiel of its chief adversary in Tamil Nadu politics, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam DMK). Hence, EPS and his party leaders have been seen symbolically distancing themselves from their Hindu identity to send a message to the Christians and Muslims who predominantly reside in the southern districts of TN. From wiping the vibhuti (sacred ash) mark off his forehead, to freeing his shirt pocket of the photograph of Jayalalitha that EPS always carried since she died in 2016, the AIADMK commander is positioning himself as DMK scion Udayanidhi Stalins bete noire.

Keeping a healthy distance alone from the BJP is insufficient, AIADMK fears

The party realised that severing ties with the BJP and maintaining a barge pole distance from the saffron party alone will not suffice. There needs to be a visible - covert and overt - approach in convincing both minority communities who could be game changers in this election, said political commentator Sathyan. In the 2021 state assembly election, the differential vote percentage between AIADMK (33%) and the DMK (37%) was merely 4%, with the minorities having voted en bloc for the DMK, which fought under the banner of the Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) that included the Congress party. Of 27 assembly segments that have more than 20% minority population across Tamil Nadu, the DMK comfortably led in 19 of them. Their strike rate in these seats was 70%. In Chennai too, DMK won the three main minority constituencies of Perambur, Egmore and Harbour. MH Jawahirullah, president of the Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (MMK) said, The minorities have been consistently voting in favour of secularism, democracy, and social justice in both assembly and parliamentary elections. The party had joined the DMK-led SPA in the 2021 TN polls.

The disappointing vote percentage notwithstanding, the AIADMK is hopeful of better luck in the ensuing general election because of its performance in the 2016 election. About six months before Jayalalithas passing, the party had won 122 out of the 207 seats that have less than 20% minority votes and had secured a 41% vote share in those seats. Given this feat, party leaders reckon that a conscious exercise will help it improve its perception among Christians and Muslims, and thus its tally.

To effect this change, a renewed narrative is on the cards, party spokespersons have said on multiple occasions since the AIADMKs exit from the BJP-led NDA. A senior party leader who did not wish to be identified said, We will now openly condemn the Citizen Amendment Acts (CAA) implementation in other states. With this, we hope our Muslim leaders and cadre in Vellore, Ramanathapuram and other districts will come back and join us. When the AIADMK was still in the NDA camp, nearly 25 Muslim outfits had organised processions and rallies to condemn AIADMKs support to the CAA. Anwar Rajaa and Nainar Mohamed, both Muslim faces of the party, had expressed concern to EPS at the time, stating that minority votes were at risk of being transferred to the DMK.

Some swift action followed. A whip was issued to desist from any soft-Hindutva appeal as well. Laws against animal sacrifice in temples and anti-conversion laws that were brought in by Jayalalitha were not to be brought up for discussion during TV debates and constituency visits. EPS was seen personally reaching out to potential candidates in Trichy, Nagapattinam, and other districts with high minority populations, to make his change of heart look and sound convincing.

AIADMK Rebranding

This pursuit of minorities is not a siloed exercise. It is part of the AIADMKs reinvention process, analysts say. Four factors have motivated the AIADMK to rethink its strategy, they add. Jayalalithas passing; multiple splits in the party and the subsequent merger of the factions; the rise of TN BJP chief K Annamalai and his showcasing of his party as a primary opponent to the DMK; and finally, the shrinking Dravidian narrative, has prompted the party to float alternate election narratives.

What went behind this rethink is the ground reality. The 2019 and 2021 elections for the AIADMK were a washout for the party because of its alliance with the BJP. EPS realised that while the pro-BJP votes were coming his partys way, a far greater number were going away. Although the DMK was netting all those votes because of an orchestrated campaign in the last six to seven years, the AIADMK would not want to catch itself napping this time around, Kishore K Swamy, a prominent analyst of Dravidian politics, told Hindustan Times.

Swamy highlighted another key development. About 13-14% of the voters in TN are undecided and are anti-BJP. It is this segment that the AIADMK wants to attract. Particularly in parts of Tirunelveli and Tirupur, where the BJP is trying to break the jinx of the Hindi-Hindu-Hindustan sentiment, the AIADMK sees potential. When Jayalalitha was around, 40% of the women minorities voted for her. They considered her a model and a messiah because of her schemes. It is this voter segment that is now with the DMK that its rival is looking to attract, said Swamy.

Manithaneya Jananayaga Katchis (MJK) Thamimun Ansaris pledging support to AIADMK is an upside the party is only too glad about. The next objective of EPS and his men is to win over the Christian Nadars in southern TN. They are acting quickly because popular actor Joseph Vijays political foray with the launch of his Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam party, coupled with the elevation of TN DMK chief minister MK Stalins half-sister Kanimozhi as party in-charge of the southern TN districts, could dampen their prospects. The party realises it cant blame the BJP anymore for a poor performance. So, it is pulling out all stops to win over the minorities, said Sathyan.

At a conference in Coimbatore last week, EPS was hailed and garlanded for being the Saviour of the Minorities. He promised to be fairer in the distribution of tickets to minority candidates this time around.

That said, the AIADMK still has reasons to worry. People within the party feel it did not adequately use its leverage from quitting the NDA and the measures taken to woo minorities are yet to see results. The perception battle is yet to be won, they feel. Senior party men describe this problem as akin to what K Chandrashekar Raos Bharat Rashtra Samithi faced during the Telangana assembly election in 2023. There was no alliance between the BJP and the BRS, yet there was seemingly some agreement between them. If we do not consciously reinforce this message of quitting the BJP-led alliance among the cadre, we could face the same problem, the senior party leader quoted above said.

However, the bigger unknown is guessing the political game of the TTV Dhinakaran-O Panneerselvam-VK Sasikala trio, who were expelled from the AIADMK unceremoniously. If they join the BJP closer to the election, the AIADMK will have not just a maths problem but also a menace to deal with, said Swamy.

Deepika Amirapu writes from Hyderabad on politics and business. Each week, Southern Lights examines the big story from one of the five states of South India.
Restoration Ministry wants to extend 'transport visa-free regime' for one year without changes

The Ministry of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine is making efforts to extend the agreement between Ukraine and the European Union on freight transportation by road, "transport visa-free regime," for one year (the agreement is valid until June 30, 2024) without changes.

"Our plan is to extend the agreement without changes... For one year, without any changes," Deputy Minister of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development Serhiy Derkach said in a blitz-interview with Interfax-Ukraine.

According to him, the ministry sent a letter to the European Commission with a request to hold a working meeting by the end of the month on extending the agreement on "visa-free transport regime" with the participation of all interested countries.

"There are countries that we know for sure agree to extend the agreement, they have no objections... There are countries from which comments were received on the agreement. All other countries did not have them and agreed with the statement that this agreement contributes to the development of the economy in the European Union," Derkach said.

According to him, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary have comments. The Baltic countries, Finland, Sweden, and France support the agreement on "visa-free transport regime."

"I know that the European Commission does not support all of the proposals sent by Poland," Derkach clarified.
When Congress president Rahul Gandhi abruptly halted his Bharat Jodo Yatra in Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh and headed for Wayanad, his Lok Sabha constituency, on February 17, a local story of animal-human conflict unfolding in the district nestled in the high ranges of the Western Ghats in north Kerala, suddenly caught the nations attention.

To be sure, Wayanad is not the only place in the country where reports of skirmishes  and in some tragic instances, deaths  between humans and animals are reported. Chandrapur, in Maharashtra, is a conflict zone between humans and tigers; in the Indo-Gangetic plains, farmers complain the most about nilgai; in urban and semi-urban parts of the National Capital Region and Haryana, such as Gurugram, leopards have terrified residents.

But in hilly Wayanad, the conflict has been waged for nearly a decade now.

A day before Gandhi visited Wayanad, the place saw a dawn-to-dusk demonstration where members of the Congress, the state's ruling Communist Party of India (M) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) joined residents of the district to seek protection for the predominantly agrarian residents from wild animals. Massive crop raids and large-scale destruction are common, but on February 16, a guide was trampled to death  and the states predominant political parties descended upon the district in protest.

VP Paul, an eco-tourism guide of Kerala's forest department at Kuruva Island, an otherwise picturesque river delta in Kabani, was trampled by a marauding wild elephant.

Paul was on duty at the eco-tourism centre at Cheriyamala, the entrance to Kuruva island, at 9.30 am. A wild elephant in the vicinity barged in and attacked him. It fled after a group of daily workers raised an alarm. Paul was rushed to the Government Medical College Hospital at Mananthavady and later to the Government Medical College Hospital in Kozhikode, but he succumbed to his injuries. He died within four hours of the attack.

Paul was 50-years-old. His family said that his life could have been saved if timely medical attention had been provided. There was no quality hospital or connectivity and transportation, they claimed.

Even after Gandhi consoled the victim's family and promised long-term solutions in consultation with the Central and state governments, Wayanad remained on the boil. People are demanding shoot-at-sight permission to kill such marauding wildlife  something that is prevented under the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972.

Section 11 of the act prohibits the hunting of wild animals. Clause (1)(A) of the act permits the Chief Wildlife Warden (CWLW) of each state to allow the killing of a protected wild animal if he or she is satisfied that the animal has become dangerous to human life, or is disabled or diseased beyond recovery and cannot be tranquillised and relocated.

The state is considering asking that the clause be amended to devolve the powers of the CWLW to the Chief Conservators of Forests (CCF). Such an amendment would simplify the procedure to deal with wild animals that pose a threat to human life, as it will enable speedy and timely decisions at the local level. Kerala has five CCFs, each is in charge of a different region of the state.

A section of the affected Wayanad residents, however, want permission to shoot wild animals that pose a threat to life and property. Kerala high court lawyer Harish Vasudevan said that the law did not permit shoot-at-sight orders and if the parliament were to pass such an amendment, this could give the mafia and poachers the chance to potentially wipe out entire populations of wildlife.

In the last 19 days alone, three people have been killed in elephant attacks in the district.

On January 30, 55-year-old KV Lakshman, a guard at a private tea plantation near Mananthavady, was killed in an attack by a wild elephant. On February 10, a wild elephant killed a 45-year-old farmer Ajeesh, in the premises of the farmers home. Efforts are on to capture the tusker named Belur Makhna, who is traversing the forests between Kerala and Karnataka. The tusker, who has a radio collar, had crossed over to Kerala from the Nagerhole forest area of Karnataka.

Thus, despite Gandhis assurances, the people are angry and the resentment against the forest department is widespread.

Political fallout

The hartal held by the residents on February 17 threw normal life out of gear in the leafy, remote district. At one point, protesters reportedly roughed up forest officials who were visiting the area where the body of the guide had been placed for viewing.

Local political leaders and MLAs who attempted to disperse the angry protestors were harassed, and some of the protestors even tied the body of a dead cow on top of the forest officials vehicle. The cow was killed in a suspected attack by a tiger that very morning.

The police imposed section 144 in the district to prevent the assembly of people.

However, an immediate result of Gandhi's intervention was that the chief minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, convened a high-level ministerial meeting in Wayanad on Tuesday to sort out strategies to mitigate the human-wildlife conflict.

Keralas forest minister, AK Saseendran said that the government was committed to resolving the issues using experts and practical solutions. The violence targeting forest officials was delaying the implementation of sustainable solutions to mitigate the conflict, he said.

Besides Wayanad, residents around the forests of Kannur, Palakkad, and Idukki districts are also experiencing a similar situation, where animals like elephants, tigers, bison, and wild boars are attacking humans.

Officially, there were 8,873 wildlife attacks on humans in Kerala in 2022-23. Of these 4,193 were by wild elephants, 1,524 by wild boars, 193 by tigers, 244 by leopards, and 32 by bison. 98 people died and of them, 27 were due to elephant attacks, according to government data. In the last decade, Wayanad has lost 41 lives to elephant attacks and seven to tiger attacks.

Between 2017 and 2023, there were 20,957 incidents of crop loss logged on account of wild animal raids in the state. 1,559 domestic animals, mainly cattle, were also killed. As per figures tabled in the Kerala Assembly, crop losses caused by wildlife since 2019 amount to an estimated 68 crore.

Leader of the Opposition VD Satheesan told the Assembly on February 16 during a debate on an adjournment notice that children in forested districts go to school in fear. Farmers risked their lives to collect fodder for livestock. Rubber tappers were reluctant to set out early to plantations.

Satheesan also said that tuber crop cultivation has reached a standstill in Kerala due to the menace of wild pigs.

Wayanads distress

A month has passed since a crop-raiding elephant that was captured, radio-collared, and relocated by the Karnataka forest department within its geographical boundary surfaced in Mananthavady town in Wayanad, creating large-scale panic despite its recapture and shifting back to Bandipur in Karnataka.

The elephant succumbed to the health-related complexities that emerged during the repeated capturing processes.

An estimated 36.48 % of Wayanad, which shares a border with the Nagerhole and Bandipur tiger reserves of Karnataka and the Mudumalai tiger reserve of Tamil Nadu, is forested.

Animals that face a shortage of water and fodder in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka forests often move into Wayanad. Ageing tigers target goats, poultry, and the cattle of Wayanads farmers.

According to N Badusha, president of environmental organisation Wayanad Prakrithi Samrakshana Samithy, the alarming decline in the quality of forest habitats caused by the emergence of invasive and alien species is creating a severe food crisis for wild animals in the entire Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve region, which comprises Wayanad, Bandipur, Nagerhole, BR Hills, Mudumalai, and Sathyamangalam forest regions spread in three southern states.

Exotic invasive species like Senna, Mikania, and Lantena are eating into the biodiversity and food cycle of forests, and strangely, they were introduced here long ago by forest officials as a means to add attraction to the forest's beauty.

Planting commercial alien plants like acacia, magnesium, and eucalyptus in forest tracts also significantly contributed to the emerging grim situation.

With 30,000 hectares of forest land in Kerala alone being used to cultivate these species, animals are finding their natural habitat and food sources in danger.

Most invasive and alien plants are water-guzzling species, and they are straining the natural water resources of the forests. Elephants are among the worst-affected species due to this.

Forest officials told Hindustan Times that they stopped planting acacia and eucalyptus in forest tracts six years ago. All the same, regenerating natural forests till such time animals dont face food and water shortages will take time.

Scientific eco-restoration is the only available option. So far, they say, only 1,115 hectares of forest could be reconverted into natural habitats  this is part of the scheme being run by the state government to acquire farmland and convert it to forest land. To date, 782 families have been compensated 95 crore and relocated, their farms are now back as forests.

But the elephants  and other animals that come within human settlements  cannot be simply relocated. Veena Maruthoor, a known environmentalist in Thiruvananthapuram, claims that the forest administration needs to ensure appropriate nourishment for Kerala's wild elephants. Relocating one elephant is not the solution.

Inhuman intrusions

In the latest round of unrest, the Kerala government issued a peculiar order  it banned parties with high-decibel sounds in Wayanad's mushrooming tourist resorts, mainly at night.

Indiscriminate tourism escalates human-animal conflict in the district where tourism is an important alternative source of income to agriculture, increasingly subject to the vagaries of the climate crisis.

Waste disposal near forested areas, fragmentation of animal habitats due to wanton construction, and increased human presence in and around animal habitats also contribute to increasing animal-human conflict in Kerala.

Over the years, Kerala has evolved several strategies to check the human-animal conflict, including constructing elephant-proof trenches, stone walls and solar-powered electric fencing.

In 202223, the state maintained 158.4 km of elephant-proof trenches and constructed 42.6 km of solar fencing and 237 m of compound walls, but these measures are far from addressing the massive crisis pervading the whole state.

In areas with the highest incidence of human-animal conflict, 15 Rapid Response Teams have also been established, and the plan is to establish another 25. According to conservation scientist O P Nameer, Wayanad requires short-term and long-term initiatives with huge spending of funds to address the prevailing crisis and the State and Centre must contribute liberally.

Paul, the 50-year-old guide who died, was an eco-tourist. The job itself is one rife with danger.

An in-depth study conducted by social anthropologists from Germany has found that eco-tourism is a threat to Wayanads biodiversity and wildlife and its extremely vulnerable tribal population.

Going by the 2001 census, the Scheduled Tribes in Wayanad district is 17.43 per cent of its total population compared to 1.14 per cent for Kerala overall. Introduced as a panacea for Wayanad's agricultural and ecological vulnerabilities, the much-hyped eco-tourism has resulted in both 'Zooification' and 'Exoticisation' of aboriginal people and that verges on racism, wrote Daniel Munster of the Institute of Social and Cultural Anthropology, Martin Luther University in Halle-Wittenberg, and Ursula Munster of Department of Anthropology, Ludwig Maximilians University in Munich.
With the Lok Sabha elections just months away, Chakraborty is the partys second actor-turned-politician this month to express a wish to turn away from politics.

Banerjee has, however, not accepted the resignation, Chakraborty told the media after meeting the party supremo at the state legislative assembly building last week.

I recently sent my resignation to Didi (Banerjee). I have understood that politics is not my cup of tea. Didi (Banerjee) called me today. I met her but she has not accepted my resignation. She said she will take care of everything, Chakraborty told reporters outside the Bengal assembly. I am like a daughter to her. She is very affectionate. I told her I want to remain a worker of the party but dont want to continue in Parliament, Chakraborty had said.

Earlier this month, Deepak Adhikari, popularly known as Dev, one of the highest-paid Bengali movie stars and TMC Lok Sabha member from Ghatal, told the media that he may not contest the coming polls. He, however, changed his mind after Banerjee promised that the state government would fund the Ghatal Master Plan, a long-pending irrigation project in his constituency.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the TMC fielded 17 women candidates in West Bengals 42 seats. Chakraborty and Nusrat Jahan, another Tollywood actor, were among the partys surprise nominees from the movie industry. Chakraborty was fielded from the prestigious Jadavpur constituency  a seat dear to the TMC supremos heart  replacing Sugata Bose, historian and grandnephew of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.

In the Lok Sabha election of 1984, Mamata Banerjee won the Jadavpur seat and became the youngest MP at age 29, after defeating the veteran former Communist Party of India (Marxist) heavyweight, the late Somnath Chatterjee.

Both Chakraborty and Jahan were trolled by a section of people on social media immediately after Banerjee announced their candidature in March 2019, before the last Lok Sabha elections.

In May 2019, the two MPs also faced criticism on social media for their choice of clothes when attending Parliament, and a certain section of people said they were not appropriately dressed for the Parliament.

Recently, however, Chakraborty resigned from two Parliament committees  the standing committee on industrial affairs of Parliament and the joint committee of Union ministry of power, new and renewable energy  before sending her resignation to Banerjee. She also resigned as chairperson of the Nalmuri and Jirangacha block's Primary Health Centre Patient Welfare Association in Jadavpur.

I dont want to contest the election. We are actors. I think the love of the people (we get as actors) gets divided when we join politics. I saw in the media that a section of the people have been saying that I took this step to ensure my ticket in the coming polls. I dont know why they are saying so. Politics is not for people like me, Chakraborty said.

She also said that she has been facing flak unnecessarily from a section of the people.

I have been criticised and abused randomly for no reason. People may say this is no reason to resign, but for me, it is a big reason. I am not a politician. Nor will I ever be a politician. I have always wanted to work for the people, she told media persons.

Citing instances, Chakraborty said that if she attended Parliament, a section of people and TMC functionaries criticised her for not giving time to her constituency, and if she moved around in her constituency, she was being criticised for not attending Parliament sessions.

The actor has been regular in asking questions in the Lok Sabha, ranging from topics such as the interlinking of rivers to issues related to micro, small and medium enterprises, and renewable energy. She has also been a vociferous voice for women's empowerment. Women voters are a core segment of the TMC support base.

The actor-turned-MPs sudden move, however, didnt seem to have gone down well with some TMC leaders.

After completing the entire five-year tenure as an MP, when all the sessions of the Lok Sabha have ended, all the meetings of the standing committees are over and all the work that was to be done with MP local area development funds is over, if someone wants to resign, it is her or her wish. Our party supremo is looking into the matter, said Kunal Ghosh, TMC spokesperson.

TMC leaders took the examples of other Tollywood party celebrities including actor-turned-MP for Birbhum Satabdi Roy, Medinipur MLA and actor June Malia, Barrackpore MLA and film director Raj Chakraborty, all of whom were still working as peoples representatives.

The BJP took potshots at the TMC over the latest developments, alleging that Chakraborty has been a victim of the TMCs corrupt practices.

Just like state government employees, pensioners and deserving candidates who didnt get jobs, Chakraborty is also a victim of the corrupt practices of the present government. She was even administered a fake Covid injection at a camp organised by a fake IAS officer. I welcome her if she really wants to resign and protest against the TMC government. Only time will tell whether she really wants to resign or has other plans like another TMC MP who recently expressed his desire to resign, Suvendu Adhikari, BJP legislator and leader of the opposition in the state legislative assembly, told media persons.
Following the inauguration of the BAPS Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi last week, there is immense curiosity about what prompted the ruler of an Arab Muslim country, with hardly any non-Muslim citizenry, to not only donate land for a Hindu temple but also publicly associate with the momentous project. How do we frame the camaraderie between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a West Asian Arab Muslim nation?

The answer must be sought in the labyrinthine reality of the current socio-political churn within the Arab world. First and foremost is the chasm between the ideological States and the non-ideological States in the region, where the former such as Iran and Qatar (Saudi Arabia under Mohammed bin Salman has ceased to be an ideological State) have tried to define foreign policy in terms of their confessional priorities without jettisoning their national interests. Second, in a region gripped by a multitude of conflicts, internecine and inter-regional, sectarian and political, but defended in confessional, even theological idioms, a non-ideological State such as the UAE thought it opportune to choose a path that is simultaneously protective of self-interest and reflective of an internal culture of pluralism, pacifism, and economic pragmatism. Third, more so in the specific context of the UAE, the leadership of the country felt that its self-interest was almost antithetical to the conflictual hues and trends that mark the political reality of the wider West Asian region, where puritanical notions of the faith and exclusivist ideas of collective identity rule the roost.

Also important is to understand the UAEs self-image and the way it wants to be seen and appreciated by the world. There are four characteristics by which the country defines itself and wants to be respected. It wants to set itself apart from most of its neighbours in terms of its tolerance and acceptance of diversities in its midst and outside. For instance, Saudi Arabia still does not allow any place of worship other than that of Islam on its soil, whereas the UAE has around 50 churches belonging to different denominations, a few temples (the first Hindu temple was established in Dubai in 1958), gurdwaras, and a synagogue.

The Abrahamic Family House, recently opened to the public, is home to Moses Ben Maimon Synagogue, St Francis Church and Eminence Ahmed El-Tayeb Mosque. That this culture of accommodation predates the formation of the UAE is significant, as the first church in Abu Dhabi was consecrated in 1965 in the presence of the then ruler of Abu Dhabi, six years before the Union was born. This shows that the UAEs rulers and people did not suddenly discover the virtues of cultural pluralism and coexistence as a domestic or foreign policy imperative but were deeply committed to the idea of pluralism beyond political and commercial expediencies.

The second characteristic that the UAE defines itself with is its determination to pursue policies, both domestic and global that are often bold and at odds with the regional mainstream. This is amply manifested in the decision to sign the Abraham Accords with the State of Israel and the Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace with Pope Francis. The recent withdrawal of armed forces from Yemen could also be seen as part of this resolve to steer a path of self-interest and away from a herd mentality. The third characteristic that marks the UAEs self-image is the care and concern that the leadership displays with regard to the millions of foreigners and economic immigrants living in the country. A telling example was the speech delivered by Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Expressing the governments determination to fight the pandemic tooth and nail, the then Crown Prince and now President made a passionate statement that he and his government would protect both the citizens and the residents in equal measure. And he kept his word.

The fourth and perhaps the most salient aspect of the UAEs policy of accommodation is its legal and social framework that not only decries but also criminalises any attempt at inter-religious strife within its borders. The law of the land protects the sanctities and sacred objects of all faiths without any hierarchisation among them. This was most exemplified in the Federal Decree Law No. 34 of 2023 concerning Combating Discrimination, Hatred and Extremism, which prohibits attacks and stipulates severe punishment on religious beliefs of all hues, damage and insult of holy books and disrespectful behaviour towards places of worship. That the law does not privilege Islam over other faiths being practised in the country is an eloquent testimony to the magnanimity of the UAEs vision of tolerance and respect.

Of course, many of the policies mentioned above may be criticised while scrutinising them in specific detail, but it is incontrovertible that these represent a clear, ethical and moral commitment against zealotry, hate and division. This is the context in which a marvellous Hindu temple of exquisite architectural and civilisational value has come up in Abu Dhabi.

Shajahan Madampat is a writer and cultural commentator based in Abu Dhabi. The views expressed are personal
The Bihar caste census (BCC) has been an eye-opener in many ways. Backwards and marginalised communities together constitute nearly 85% of Bihars population, greater than what the government presumed. Hence, the new Janata Dal (United)-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government will need to work harder than before for such communities.

The challenge is massive, as the BCC shows every third family in the state is poor  the poverty line being a household income of less than 6,000 a month (BCCs own presumed estimate). A third of both Economically Backward Classes (EBCs) and Backward Classes (BCs) are poor, while 42% of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe households are poor. Among the Forward Castes (FCs), too, a fourth of the households are poor. The BCC showcases a failure of affirmative action, despite parties that promised social justice holding office, and despite three decades of economic reform. Thus, the Bihar government must make poverty alleviation its top priority.

Bihars poverty landscape is dominated by EBCs and BCs, who make up 61.4% of all poor households in Bihar. Even though FCs account for just 15% of the total households in the state, they account for 40% of the households in the highest income category (over 50,000 per month). Social stratification can lead to significant economic inequalities. Thus, in the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha and 2025 Bihar Vidhan Sabha elections, the BJP-JD(U) government will be challenged by the Opposition to not abandon the cause of inclusive development. Otherwise, chief minister (CM) Nitish Kumar and the BJP risk compounding the anger among ordinary Biharis over the CM switching sides.

We know that economic inequality further accentuates educational and employment disparities. Again, FCs have an outsized representation (relative to their population share) within the pool of the states graduates, post graduates, doctoral researchers, and chartered accountants. Thanks to their dominance of higher education, they account for nearly one-third of the government and 45% of the organised private-sector jobs in Bihar. The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Tejashwi Yadav had fought the 2020 Vidhan Sabha elections on the plank of providing government jobs. The young opposition leader reminded the assembly about this in the first House sitting after the swearing-in of the BJP-JD(U) government in the state. Yadav and the RJD will drive home that advantage now. Bihar has just kicked off its school teacher recruitment examination 3.0, and the police constable re-examination is also expected soon. However, this is just a start on filling the government job vacancies.

The BCC shows that just 4% of the households in Bihar earn more than 50,000 per month. Bihars net per capita income (2021-22 current prices) is the lowest in India, at just 47,000 vis-a-vis 4.7 lakh for Goa, 2.7 lakh for Telangana, and 2.6 lakh for Karnataka. The state government has to work towards remedying this.

Although Bihar has been achieving high economic growth for some time now, this wont be sustained if human development doesnt rise in tandem. The southern states have been frontrunners in human development, and have consequently enjoyed high economic growth and per capita income. The Bihar government must earnestly work on developing human capital by increasing access to good health and higher education, and by reviving jobs.

Based on the BCCs poverty and social inequality findings, Bihar reiterated its demand for special status. Although the Centre has always dismissed the request, it remains to be seen how the BJP being back in power works out for the state, in terms of securing additional funding for poverty alleviation.

In light of the BCC, the state government increased the reservation for SCs, STs and OBCs from 50% to 65%. Reservations alone cant alleviate economic deprivation and inequality. They must be complemented by the increased availability of jobs, industrialisation, agriculture support, human development, the promotion of a decent quality of life, and strong inclusive growth.

Santosh Mehrotra is a research fellow at the IZA Institute of Labour Economics, Bonn, and Rakesh Ranjan Kumar is a senior research fellow at the International Institute for Migration and Development, Kerala. The views expressed are personal
Peter Lundgard loves his new tea so much that he sipped it from a hot thermos in one of the more intimidating and stressful situations one can conjure: while operating a Jet Ski on a December day during one of the biggest Mavericks swells in several years.

Peter and his brother Thomas Lundgard, both Half Moon Bay High School alumni born and raised on the coast, recently launched their new caffeinated tea brand called Midday Superfoods. Their first batch, the Superfood Oolong Tea, came from the Lundgard familys hobbies and interest in business. As avid surfers used to waking up early and eating healthily, the two sought a drink that tasted good, provided an energy boost and had a range of health benefits without the jitters and mid-day caffeine crash from a second cup of coffee.

A lot of people like the energy of coffee, but there are negative side effects, Peter Lundgard said. So, we were thinking how do we create a middle-of-the-day tea?

The Half Moon Bay brothers are in their mid-20s and have experience starting businesses from scratch. Since 2018 theyve run Tommy Tsunami Surf School at Surfers Beach in the summer, and Thomas Lundgard founded an outdoor apparel company called VNTR. As any young entrepreneur will tell you, building a brand requires a ton of work and its always more than expected.

Much of the work happened before the first batch of tea was available to sip. The brothers tested the market before there ever was a product in hand. Once they knew people were on board, they used their email base to get pre-orders, which in turn helped them fund the purchase order of 500 units. And there was the small matter of getting the tea certified by the Food and Drug Administration. Even the packaging required some thought. They paid an artist to design the packaging, which hints at a golden afternoon on the coast.

There are a lot of supplement brands out there, Thomas Lundgard said. We were asking ourselves, how do we fit our product into this world? What problem do we solve? Who is our base, is it a 20-year-old surfer? Is it someone in middle America? There are so many types of people, so we have to get specific to find a launch pad to start the business and take the risk.

Most of the worlds tea supply comes from China, India, Kenya and Sri Lanka. The Lungards hope to tap into their own countrys wildly popular tea market. According to the Tea Association of the USA, a group that promotes and does public relations for tea businesses, Tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world next to water and can be found in almost 80 percent of all U.S. households. On any given day, over 159 million Americans are drinking tea. The organization also reported that in 2021, Americans consumed nearly 85 billion tea servings, close to 3.9 billion gallons. About 84 percent of all tea consumed was black tea, 15 percent was green tea, and the small remaining amount was oolong, white and dark tea.

A lot of companies sneak in sugar or artificial sweeteners, Peter Lundgard said. Our dad is a scientist and we grew up eating healthy. We're trying to be really dialed in.

It took nearly a year, but their Superfood Oolong Tea is available for purchase online at middaysuperfoods.com/pages/buymidday. Each 30-serving packet includes nine superfoods and supplements they and others say are associated with various health benefits such as turmeric (an anti-inflammatory), ginger (for digestion), ginseng (immune support), maca (energy) and ashwagandha (an adaptogen associated with focus and resilience to stress). It has 15 milligrams of caffeine, much lower than the 100 milligrams in an average cup of coffee. The lemon flavor comes from monk fruit sweetener, which has less than 1 gram of sugar. The Lundgards wanted to steer clear of artificial sweeteners like sucralose or cane sugar.

Were super into health and wellness, and we want to get people from wherever they are on their spectrum of health, say they need energy and eat a candy bar, a soda or energy drink, if we can get

them to a healthier alternative, thats a huge win, Thomas Lundgard said.

Peter Lundgard prefers his tea hot on a cold day, while his brother is a fan of putting it on ice. They have plans for morning and evening tea. But for now, theyre in the middle of their day.
US lawmakers said that their Capitol Hill colleagues were considering sanctioning Chinese companies they believed were helping Russia fuel its war in Ukraine, the first time they have directly blamed Beijing for the war.

US House Foreign Relations Committee member Rep. Gerald Connolly (D-VA) told CNBC over the weekend that lawmakers were working on following through what the European Union proposed last week.

The EU's provisions would mark the first direct penalties against Beijing despite long-held Western suspicions over its support for Russia's military operations.

"China has to understand that the same kinds of sanctions which are beginning to really take hold in Russia and are affecting Russian productivity, economic performance and quality of life, can also be applied to China," he told CNBC at the Munich Security Conference (MSC). "And frankly, China has a lot more to lose than Russia."

Sanctions Stinging Both Ways

While US sanctions could severely hurt a Chinese economy already in decline after a slower-than-anticipated COVID-19 recovery and crumbling real estate sector, it could also negatively affect the US, given its trade interdependence. Such a consideration has prompted caution from Washington in the past.

Nevertheless, Connolly said that the sanctions would not deter such penalties, which could come "very soon."

"My hope is the very threat of it - and the fact that the Europeans are really serious about this, which is a relatively recent development - ought to clarify some thinking in Beijing, I hope," he added. "So I would hope China would calculate carefully that there are consequences around the corner for supporting Russia's violence and depravity in Ukraine."

Read Also: Taiwan Defends Coast Guard Actions Amidst Fatal Clash with Chinese Speedboat

Congress Considers Sanctioning Pro-Russia Chinese Firms

Asked whether the US was considering similar sanctions on China as those proposed by the EU, US Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) said that Congress was currently looking into options with the Biden administration.

"It's an area that we're looking at, and Congress is working with the administration as to how we can enforce the sanctions against Russia, and that will require greater cooperation of other countries," he said.

The EU's proposals of sanctioning pro-Russia Chinese firms would form part of the bloc's 13th sanctions package since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and could be ready and have it scheduled to mark the war's second anniversary this week.

EU top diplomat Josep Borrell said on Monday (Feb. 19) that those plans had gained a new urgency in the wake of the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny on Friday (Feb. 16).

A CNBC investigation last September revealed that Chinese firms were playing a critical role in boosting Russia's military capabilities, including via the trade of goods for battlefield use in Ukraine. A separate January report of the outlet further found that China has become the key conduit in funneling critical Western tech into Russia.

Officials from both Beijing and Washington did not immediately respond to reporters' requests for comment.

China Slams Proposed US Sanctions

A US intelligence report stated that China "has also become an increasingly important buttress for Russia in its war effort, probably supplying Moscow with key technology and dual-use equipment used in Ukraine."

However, Beijing officials rejected such accusations, saying that its trade with the Kremlin constituted "normal economic cooperation" and was not targeting any "third party." China previously attempted to mediate the war in Ukraine by proposing a 12-point peace plan for the conflict that has yet to gain traction.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told the MSC that trade should not be weaponized, saying that any attempts to limit trade ties with his country would be a "historic mistake."

"Those who attempt to shut China out in the name of derisking will make a historical mistake," he said, referring to existing restrictions implemented by the US to limit the trade of sensitive technologies.

Wang later met with his US counterpart Antony Blinken on the conference's sidelines, where he urged Washington to lift existing sanctions on Chinese firms and individuals - especially those involved in the human rights abuse of Uyghurs in Xinjiang - saying that the US should not hurt China's legitimate development rights.

Related Article: Russian Salaries Increase More Than 7% Last Year Due to Wartime Labor Crunch
Generative AI has been used for some very creative purposes. However, according to CNN, this time around, there's hope that it can be used for justice.

A voice recording on a mother's cellphone outside the office doors of lawmakers on Capitol Hill carries the voice of Joaquin Oliver on the sixth anniversary of his death.

Who was Joaquin Oliver?

He was a student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School; "Six years ago, I was a senior at Parkland. Many students and teachers were murdered on Valentine's Day that year by a person using an AR-15 assault rifle," the voice says. "It's been six years, and you've done nothing. Not a thing to stop all the shootings that have continued to happen since."

"The thing is, I died that day in Parkland," the voice continues. "My body was destroyed by a weapon of war. I'm back today because my parents used AI to recreate my voice to call you."

Change the Ref

Manuel and Patricia Oliver lost their 17-year-old son in the Parkland mass shooting of 2018. The organization they helped found in his memory, Change the Ref, launched the voice message campaign.

The audio is but one of six voice messages of young people killed by gun violence that AI has generated as part of a new campaign launched by the aforementioned Change the Ref and March For Our Lives to urge lawmakers to act on gun control.

"My wife and I have been trying to use our voices for the last six years. Nonstop. We have tried almost every single way to approach gun violence in a way that people will pay attention. We haven't been very successful," says Manuel Oliver, who founded the Change the Ref advocacy group in memory of his son after the 2018 shooting in Florida."So we decided, you know what? Let's bring the voices of our loved ones. Let's bring the voice of Joaquin."

The Shotline, the campaign's website, urges people to listen to the voice messages, enter a zip code, and send the calls to members of Congress.

The campaign was launched on the day of a mass shooting at a Super Bowl parade in Kansas City that resulted in the death of one person and wounded more than 20 others, more than half of whom were children. The Gun Violence Archive reports that there have been 50 mass shootings in the United States in 2024.
Russia has been offering governments in Africa a "regime survival package" in exchange for access to strategically important natural resources, as well as to change their mining laws, specifically in West Africa, to dislodge Western companies from an area of strategic importance.

Internal Russian government documents seen by the BBC and a new report by the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) revealed that the measures were part of the process of the Russian government taking over the businesses of the Wagner mercenary group, which was broken up after a failed coup in June 2023 and the death of the contractor firm's leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin.

Securing Russia's African Foothold

Wagner's multibillion-dollar operations have now been mostly run by the Russian "Expeditionary Corps," allegedly managed by the man accused of being behind the attempt to kill Sergei Skripal using the Novichok nerve agent on the streets of the UK - a charge Russia has denied.

"This is the Russian state coming out of the shadows in its Africa policy," RUSI land warfare specialist Jack Watling said.

Watling is one of several authors of a report highlighting the Kremlin's takeover of Wagner's assets and legitimizing its hegemony in Africa, specifically in the coup-stricken Sahel.

Control of Wagner's assets was to be handed to Gen. Andrey Averyanov, commander of Unit 29155, a secretive operation specializing in targeting killings and destabilizing foreign governments.

However, instead of assassinations and destabilizations, Averyanov was in the business of securing the future of African governments as long as they paid by signing away their mineral rights.

"[T]here was a meeting in the Kremlin fairly shortly after Prigozhin's mutiny, in which it was decided that Wagner's Africa operations would fall directly under the control of Russian military intelligence, the GRU," Watling told the BBC.

Read Also: Navalny's Wife Alleges Russia Is 'Hiding His Body,' Pledges to Carry on Husband's Battle Against Putin

Bears in the Sahel

In early September, Averyanov and Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yunus-Bek Yevkurov made a tour of former Wagner operations in Africa, specifically Libya, Burkina Faso, the Central African Republic, Mali, and Niger.

Readouts of various meetings demonstrated that the two men were reassuring Wagner's partners on the continent that Prigozhin's death was not the end of his business deals but rather a strengthening of such.

In one of the meetings, the Russian officials told a Burkinabe officer that the cooperation between the two nations would continue in "the military domain, including the training of Burkinabe officer cadets and officers at all levels, including pilots in Russia."

Burkina Faso, alongside Mali and Niger, have become Wagner's biggest clients. With the Kremlin's takeover of Wagner operations in their countries - which have all since been controlled by military juntas, purged all French and Western influence in their countries and established its own bloc called the "Alliance of Sahel States" in response to ECOWAS - also meant that they would be inheriting the issues the countries face, specifically Mali's Islamist insurgency.

"The French were tolerated, rather than welcomed," Amber Advisers African politics analyst Edwige Sorgho-Depagne said. "The French mandate to help in the terror crisis in the Sahel was always regarded as limited in time. So, the fact that the French stayed for that long - over 10 years - without finding a way to end the crisis didn't help."

Russian influence in Africa has also been deep-seated than most observers think.

Sorgho-Depagne explained that Soviet military advisors and instructors were present in the region during the 1970s and 1980s.

"There's this dream of getting back to a better time, which is often associated with the relationship with Russia," she added.

The return of Russian troops in Africa meant that the Sahel juntas would stay in power indefinitely and prolong what some observers call human rights abuses on the continent, with Watling describing Russia's "Expeditionary Corps" as a rebranding of Wagner, or in Watling's words, "Wagner 2.0."

One of the most well-documented incidents of Wagner violence took place in the central Malian town of Moura where, according to a UN report, at least 500 people were believed to have been summarily executed by Malian troops and "armed white men," whom eyewitnesses described as speaking an "unknown language."

While independent verification has not been possible, Human Rights Watch identified the unknown white attackers as Russian mercenaries.

Related Article: Russia Recruiting Wagner Veterans to Fight Ukraine
Forty cars with grain waiting for reloading at Medyka-Shehyni rail station where protesters scattered grain  Ukrzaliznytsia

Protesting Polish farmers near the Medyka-Shehyni border crossing point (BCP) opened the hatch of two Ukrainian freight cars with grain sent to Germany in transit through Poland.

Forty Ukrainian freight cars with agricultural products are at the station awaiting reloading.

"Ukrzaliznytsia emphasizes the inadmissibility of interference by Polish protesters in the work of the railway," Ukrzaliznytsia said.

Ukrzaliznytsia informed the Polish Railways and the Ukrainian Embassy in Poland about the unauthorized interference in the work of the railway.

Ukrzaliznytsia said that it "strictly adheres to the ban on the import of grain cargo into the Republic of Poland introduced in April 2023 and only transports these cargoes in transit through the territory of the neighboring country. All wagons at the border are checked by the Polish regulatory authorities and are sealed. This makes it impossible for Ukrainian goods to enter grain to the Polish market."

In addition, Ukrzaliznytsia is outraged by the actions of Polish protesters and calls on them to stop the protests, since "this does not contribute to solving possible problems, but plays into the hands of the aggressor country."

As reported, Polish protesting farmers near the Medyka-Shehyni BCP on Tuesday opened a cargo container with grain, which spilled onto the rails.

Deputy Prime Minister for Reconstruction, Minister of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development Oleksandr Kubrakov, commenting on this incident, called it "another political provocation aimed at dividing peoples."

Polish protesters have already blocked passenger train No. 119 Kyiv-Chem, and have also attempted to block two freight trains.
The Archdiocese of Cebu demanded the National Museum of the Philippines (NMP) return four panels belonging to the pulpit of a heritage church in the town of Boljoon after it was allegedly looted in the 1980s.

Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma said that, while they were "gladdened" with the surfacing of the lost pulpit panels after it was lost, he insisted that they were "removed without permission from the Local Ordinary at the time," the late Cardinal Ricardo Vidal, Palma's predecessor to the archbishopric.

"No official record exists neither in the Archdiocesan Archives nor in the Chancery Office of any request from the Parish Priest at the time, Fr. Faustino Cortes, requesting approval to deconsecrate them for removal, much less conveyance to third parties in exchange for monetary purposes of the parish," he said.

Palma also cited Article 1284 of the Code of Canon Law - the Catholic Church's fundamental disciplinary legal basis - which said that all parish pastors and administrators were "bound to fulfill their function with the diligence of a good householder" in order for the goods entrusted to their care would not be lost or suffer damage.

"Neither would this have been approved, knowing that these panels are sacred objects of the church, where for centuries, Augustinian friars delivered sermons to the faithful," the prelate added.

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Cebuanos: Looted Panels Belong to Boljoon Church

The statement came after the museum hosted an event called "A Gift to the Nation" on Feb. 13, where Union Bank of the Philippines president and CEO Edwin Bautista and his wife Aileen reportedly donated the 19th-century panels depicting Augustine of Hippo, a third-century Christian bishop, and saint, which was earlier installed at the parish church of the Patronage of the Most Holy Virgin Mary in Boljoon, Cebu.

The church itself and its fortress-like compound - built and maintained by Augustinian friars for around three centuries prior to the control of the Archdiocese of Cebu - was declared a national cultural treasure in 2001.

Since the event, the museum received backlash from the public, specifically Cebuanos, who insisted that the panels belonged to the church and should not be a museum piece.

In a statement, the NMP insisted that the donors of the panels "procured" them "through legitimate means."

"We acknowledge the historical vulnerability of church artifacts to looting and improper disposal in the past," the museum said. "While ethical concerns may arise, it is essential to consider the intricate historical context influencing these actions. The dynamic ownership and circulation of these cultural assets underscore the necessity for open dialogue and collaborative initiatives to address these complexities."

However, the ecclesiastical and the provincial governments of Cebu both pushed back from the NMP's claim

"While we understand the National Museum's desire to exhibit the same to the general public, we have to assert the sacral nature of these panels," Palma explained in his statement. "They are integral to the patrimony of the church as part of her missionary work and thus considered sacred. Their illegal removal constitutes a sacrilege. They should never have been treated, then or now, as mere artworks for exhibition in museums, much less for private appreciation by the collectors who purchased them. For these panels are considered in the ecclesial rite as tools of evangelization."

Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia said in a recent press conference that they would continue to push for the return of the panels to Boljoon, adding that they have a legal basis for doing so.

"I will make that part of my formal communication [with] them," she said. "Why do we have to hold these discussions here? Precisely so that we can go to Boljoon as well. Let us not be table-surveyors and discuss ideas and concepts over the table. Let us go to where it all began."

Aside from Palma, the people of Boljoon and the whole province of Cebu clamored for the National Museum to repatriate the panels to its church of origin, similar to what the US government did when they returned the bells of Balangiga Church in Eastern Samar province in 2018.

Uncertain Fate, Whereabouts of Boljoon's Other Treasures

Meanwhile, local news outlet Rappler earlier reported that hazy memories of an event in the 1980s obscured the circumstances regarding the loss of the panels. The issue also resurfaced the emotions of a town that once stopped attending church to boycott one of its past pastors they accused of selling its antiques.

Local journalist Max Limpag revealed in a series of Facebook posts a list of items that were allegedly sold by the priest, which caused the parishioners of Boljoon to attend church services in the nearby town of Caceres.

The priest in question then filed a case for slander against parishioners who were locked up through an arrest warrant enforced on a Friday. According to Boljoon Budget Officer Ronald Villanueva, who recalled the incident with Rappler, the detention cell was crammed with disgruntled parishioners.

Other locals also recalled that a "black mass" was allegedly held inside the church one night. A prominent local family had its members dying off shortly after, they claimed.

The Rev. Brian Brigoli, chair of the Cebu Archdiocesan Commission for the Cultural Heritage of the Church, said that whether the panels and other church artifacts were stolen or sold by the pastor mentioned by local anecdotes, they were still considered stolen property.

The church's commission was alerted to the existence of the panels last year by Cebu City Cultural and Historical Affairs Office employee and Boljoon resident Orland James Romarate, who sent a video of a November 2023 episode of a local cable channel program interviewing Bautista. The program showed the panels for a short period of time.

A local source who previously visited Boljoon Church told HNGN - under the condition of anonymity - that a curator of the church's museum revealed that it had a sizable treasure being a parish held by the Augustinian friars. The source added that the last Augustinian friar assigned to Boljoon took with him some of the church's treasures when he escaped to the protection of Filipino guerillas during the Second World War.

The priest who was accused of selling off what remains of Boljoon's treasures in the 1980s has since died, the source revealed.

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Maxim Kuzminovthe Russian Mi-8 helicopter pilot who defected to Ukrainewas found dead and riddled with bullets in an underground garage in Villajoyosa near Alicante, in Spain's Valencia region last week.

Spanish state news agency EFE reported on Monday, Feb. 19, that the body found on Feb. 13 by police belonged to Kuzminov.

The slain pilot has been living in Spain with a Ukrainian passport under a different name.

A spokesperson for Ukraine's Defense Intelligence Directorate (GUR) confirmed to Reuters that Kuzminov had died in Spain but did not specify the cause of death. However, the Ukrainian newspaper Ukrainska Pravda reported that he had been found shot dead.

Local media further reported that Spanish authorities are searching for two suspects who fled the scene in a vehicle that was later found burnt out in a nearby town.

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Dead Man Walking

It was previously reported that Kuzminow defected to Ukraine last August while flying a Russian Mi-8 helicopter alongside two other crew members. At the time, it was said that he was lured by Ukrainian intelligence personnel, flying between two Russian air bases and transporting parts for Su-27 and Su-30SM fighter jets.

The two crew members were not informed of Kuzminov's intention to defect and were neutralized as a result. The pilot's family was the first to be taken out of Russia and into Ukraine to prepare for his defection.

There was no further information regarding the welfare and whereabouts of Kuzminov's family.

Ukrainian authorities added that they had offered him the opportunity to stay in Ukraine and that he was in the process of inviting his spouse to join him in Spain before he was found shot to death.

While there was no official comment from Russian authorities, Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) director Sergei Naryshkin said that Kuzminov was already dead by the time he defected to the Ukrainian side.

"This traitor and criminal became a moral corpse at the very moment when he planned his dirty and terrible crime," he said.

Related Article: Russian Mi-8 Helicopter Pilot Defects to Ukraine
On Tuesday, lawyers for Julian Assange opened a U.K. legal challenge that could be the last trip up their proverbial sleeve in an attempt to stop the founder of WikiLeaks from being extradited to the United States to face charges of espionage, according to the Associated Press.

Assange's Argument

They argue that authorities in the United States are seeking to punish him for exposing criminal acts perpetrated by the U.S. Edward Fitzgerald, one of the lead counsels for Assange, said that there is a chance his defendant "will suffer a flagrant denial of justice" if he is sent to the U.S. During a two-day hearing in Britain's High Court, Assange's team is asking judges to grant a new appeal.

The defendant himself was not present. Judge Victoria Sharp said Assange was granted permission to travel from Belmarsh Prison, where he has been held for five years, to appear in person.

But he chose not to attend. His legal team said Assange has not been feeling well but would not disclose any further information about his condition.

The Case

Julian Assange has been battling extradition for over ten years, including self-exile in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London for seven years, as well as spending the last five years in Belmarsh Prison, which sits on the outskirts of London.

Assange has been indicted on 17 charges of espionage and one charge of computer misuse over his site's publication of classified U.S. documents 15 years ago.

Prosecutors in America say the accused helped U.S. Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning illegally obtain diplomatic communications and military files, which later were published on WikiLinks, putting lives at risk.

To his supporters, the Australian native is a hero journalist who exposed the wrongdoing of the U.S. military in Iraq and Afghanistan. They further argue that the prosecution is politically motivated and he won't get a fair trial. Last week, the Australian Parliament ruled that Assange should be allowed to return home.

If the British judges rule against Assange, he still can ask the European Court of Human Rights to block the extradition. Still, supporters are concerned he would be placed on a plane to the United States before that occurs because the British government has already signed an extradition order.

Assange's lawyers say he could face up to 175 years in prison if convicted, though American authorities have said the sentence is likely to be much shorter than that.

"He is being prosecuted for engaging in ordinary journalistic practice of obtaining and publishing classified information," lawyer Fitzgerald said in court, arguing that publication of leaked documents is a common journalistic practice, protected by well-established principles of free speech."The U.S. was prepared to go to any lengths (including misusing its own criminal justice system) to sustain impunity for U.S. officials in respect of the torture/war crimes committed in its infamous 'war on terror', and to suppress those actors and courts willing and prepared to try to bring those crimes to account," Assange's lawyers said in written arguments. "Mr. Assange was one of those targets."

Assange was arrested in 2010 in London at the request of the Swedish government, which wanted to question him over rap and sexual assault allegations levied against him by two women.

He jumped bail and sought refuge inside the Ecuadorian Embassy in 2012. Evicted in 2019, he was immediately arrested for breaching bail in 2012 by the British police and has remained in prison ever since.

Sweden eventually dropped the sex crime charges due to the amount of time that had passed since the allegations were made.
Once praised by the United States as a critical ally in the war on drugs, former Honduras President Juan Orlando Hernandez is now facing trial in a Manhattan federal court on multiple drug trafficking and weapon charges nearly two years after his arrest and extradition to the United States.

Federal prosecutors claim the political leader ran his Central American nation as a "narco-state," collecting millions of dollars from violent cartels to fuel his rise to power.

Honduras Ex-President Faces Drug Charges

According to The Associated Press, Hernandez was a well-liked political leader by the Democratic and Republican administrations. Both parties viewed the relationship with the former president as beneficial to American interests in the region, especially in combatting the illegal drug trade and helping to slow the number of migrants crossing the southern U.S. border.

That Hernandez is being tried in the U.S. rather than his native country underscores Honduras' institutional weakness, says Raul Pineda Alvarado, a Honduran political analyst and former three-term congressman from Hernandez's National Party.

"For Hondurans, it signifies how weak our democracy is in terms of the separation of powers," he said. "Politicians are not subject to any control."

U.S. authorities allege that for roughly two decades, Hernandez profited from drug trades that brought hundreds of thousands of kilos of cocaine into the U.S. He also stands accused of working with the notorious Sinaloa cartel in Mexico.

The millions of dollars in drug money that began flowing to Hernandez starting around 2004, in turn, powered his rise from a congressman representing his rural home province in western Honduras to president of the National Congress and then two consecutive presidential terms from 2014 to 2022, federal prosecutors say.

During his first winning presidential campaign, Hernandez solicited $1.6 million from a drug trafficker to support his run and those of other politicians in his conservative political party.

His brother received a $1 million campaign donation as well, under the premise the cartel's drug shipments would find safe passage through Honduras should Hernandez be elected.

He was arrested at his home in Tegucigalpa, the Honduran capital, in February 2022, just three months after leaving office, and extradited to the U.S. in April of that year.

Reuters reveals Hernandez has pleaded not guilty to three counts of cocaine importation conspiracy and illegal weapons possession.

He has been detained at Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center since his April 2022 extradition.

He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 40 years and up to life in prison if convicted on all counts. The trial begins with jury selection on Tuesday and is expected to last between two and three weeks.
On Tuesday, the United States vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution draft on the Israel/Hamas war and blocked a demand for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.

Instead, this veto pushes the forces of the 15-member body to push for a temporary ceasefire linked to the release of hostages held by Hamas.

United States Vetoes UN Ceasefire

The council members who voted, thirteen in all, voted in favor of a draft crafted by Algeria.

Britain abstained from voting. This was the third time the United States leveraged its veto power in such a manner since the start of the current hostilities in Gaza and the West Bank.

"A vote in favor of this draft resolution is support to the Palestinians' right to life. Conversely, voting against it implies an endorsement of the brutal violence and collective punishment inflicted upon them," Algeria's U.N. Ambassador Amar Bendjama told the council before the vote.

Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., alerted the council to the prospect of the United States vetoing the draft on Saturday.

The U.S. contends that such a draft could jeopardize discussions currently underway between the U.S., Egypt, Israel, and Qatar geared toward brokering a ceasefire and release of hostages.

"Demanding an immediate, unconditional ceasefire without an agreement requiring Hamas to release the hostages will not bring about a durable peace. Instead, it could extend the fighting between Hamas and Israel," Thomas-Greenfield told the council ahead of the vote.

The Algerian Draft

The Algerian draft did not link a ceasefire to the release of hostages. Instead, it demanded an immediate ceasefire on the grounds of humanitarian concerns as well as the unconditional release of all hostages.

"Simply calling for a ceasefire - as this resolution does - will not make it happen," Britain's U.N. Ambassador Barbara Woodward told the council after the vote. "The way to stop the fighting, and potentially stop it from restarting, is to begin with a pause to get hostages out and aid in."

The United States proposed a rival draft that called for a temporary ceasefire and opposed a ground offensive in Rafah by Israel, according to Reuters.

Washington had previously avoided using the word ceasefire in any U.N. action on the conflict, but the U.S. wording now echoes the language used by President Joe Biden in a conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week.

The U.S. draft resolution would see the Security Council "underscore its support for a temporary ceasefire in Gaza as soon as practicable, based on the formula of all hostages being released, and calls for lifting all barriers to the provision of humanitarian assistance at scale."
Deputy Director of the Commercial Work Department of the Ukrzaliznytsia company Valeriy Tkachev called on farmers to reorient themselves from the Polish to the Hungarian direction in connection with attempts by Polish farmers to block railway tracks.

"Agrarian strikes are taking place in Poland. I don't know what caused them, but today it has already reached the point of blocking railway transport  the access roads of some terminals and even attempts to block main roads. We are waiting for the reaction of Polish law enforcement officers. And in general, it is necessary to somehow resolve this situation. Hungary is ready to transit these cargoes through its territory. And please keep in mind that today there is no such problem in Hungary. Therefore, if possible, redirect your flows and continue exporting," he said at an online meeting with Hungarian carriers on Tuesday.

Today, Hungarian joints are loaded not in full, Tkachev said. According to him, there are additional opportunities to increase the export and import of goods.
Canadian National Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Launder Money from Scheme to Send UAV and Missile Components to Russia in Violation of U.S. Sanctions

Earlier today in federal court in Brooklyn, Kristina Puzyreva, 32, of Montreal, pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy for her role in a multimillion-dollar scheme to send components used in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and guided missile systems and other weapons to sanctioned entities in Russia. The components shipped in violation of export control and sanctions laws were later found in Russian weapons platforms and signals intelligence equipment in Ukraine.

The defendant in this case flouted our sanctions and export control laws by scheming to send sensitive U.S.-sourced missile and other weapons components to Russia that were later found in Russian weapons systems on the battlefield in Ukraine, said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. She now faces time in a United States prison for her actions. As we approach the two-year anniversary of Russias unlawful invasion of Ukraine, through our Disruptive Technology Strike Force and our Task Force KleptoCapture, the Justice Department will continue using all available legal tools and authorities to hold accountable those who supply the Russian war machine with critical U.S. technology.

Ms. Puzyreva admitted to taking part in an elaborate scheme to smuggle millions of dollars worth of restricted U.S. components for use in Russian weapons deployed against Ukraine, said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Departments National Security Division. The Justice Department is committed to denying Moscow the resources it needs to prosecute its unjust invasion of Ukraine, and we will hold accountable covert enablers and profiteers who violate U.S. law to further Russian aggression.

The defendant was a necessary player in a scheme to evade export controls and sanctions and ship UAV and missile components to Russia that were later found on the battlefield in Ukraine, stated United States Attorney Peace. Without the defendant laundering the proceeds of the scheme, the export scheme would not have worked. Todays plea demonstrates that the Eastern District of New York will not allow criminals to endanger national security by supplying Russia with U.S.-sourced military technology. This Office will faithfully prosecute every member of a conspiracy to the fullest extent of the law.

The FBI and our partners will hold accountable those who violate our laws and enable adversarial nations to obtain U.S. technology to be used in foreign weapon systems, said Deputy Director Paul Abbate. In this case, the defendant laundered funds in a scheme which allowed Russia to obtain components used in guided missiles and other systems against Ukraine, and she is now facing the consequences of her actions.

Following the money is a law enforcement imperative. This defendant laundered money on behalf of several Brooklyn front companies to ship U.S.-origin electronics to sanctioned entities in Russia, said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod of the Department of Commerce. As todays guilty plea makes clear, we are unyielding in our efforts to help prevent American electronics from being used in Russian missiles and drones that kill innocent civilians in Ukraine.

As alleged in the indictment and other court filings, the defendant laundered money as part of a sophisticated export control and sanctions evasion scheme involving SH Brothers Inc. (SH Brothers) and SN Electronics, Inc. (SN Electronics), two companies registered in Brooklyn, New York. Using the SH Brothers and SN Electronics corporate entities, the defendant and her co-conspirators unlawfully sourced, purchased and shipped millions of dollars in dual-use electronics from U.S. manufacturers to end users, including sanctioned entities, in Russia. The electronic components and integrated circuits shipped were later found in seized Russian weapons platforms and signals intelligence equipment in Ukraine, including in UAVs and guided missiles. During the period charged in the indictment, SH Brothers made hundreds of shipments valued at over $7 million to Russia.

Puzyreva and her husband, co-defendant Nikolay Goltsev, traveled on multiple occasions from Canada to meet with their co-defendant Salimdzhon Nasriddinov in Brooklyn. During such trips, Puzyreva utilized numerous bank accounts to make financial transactions in furtherance of the scheme. For example, Puzyreva is the signatory on two New York accounts, including one that lists Nasriddinovs home address in Brooklyn (also the registered address of SH Brothers) as the address of record. Records for these accounts reflect large, structured cash deposits in Brooklyn and Manhattan that correspond with trips that Puzyreva and Goltsev made to New York. These deposits were then transferred to accounts held and used by Puzyreva and Goltsev in Canada.

The scheme involved millions of dollars in transactions and was lucrative for the defendants. For example, in a text message exchange on or about Jan. 13, 2023, Goltsev complained to Puzyreva that a co-conspirator asked me to make 80 accounts . . . I am making accounts for 3 mln [i.e., million]. Fingers hurting already from the laptop. Puzyreva responded, Lot of money? We will get rich. Later, on or about Jan. 20, 2023, Goltsev messaged Puzyreva, Dasha (a co-conspirator) paid. 700k. Notably, financial records revealed wire transfers totaling approximately $700,000 into an SH Brothers account in or around January 2023 from a Hong Kong-based entity as part of an order for a sanctioned Russian entity.

The government seized $20,000 in cash from the New York hotel room in which the defendant was arrested. In total, the government has seized approximately $1.68 million dollars in connection with this export scheme.

When sentenced, Puzyreva faces a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison. A U.S. district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Artie McConnell and Ellen H. Sise for the Eastern District of New York and Trial Attorney Christopher M. Cook of the National Security Divisions Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Litigation Analysts Mary Clare McMahon and Joseph Levin. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Mantell of the Eastern District of New Yorks Asset Recovery Section is handling forfeiture matters.

The FBI, Department of Commerces Office of Export Enforcements New York Field Office, and Department of Homeland Security Homeland Security Investigations are investigating the case.

Todays actions were coordinated through the Justice and Commerce Departments Disruptive Technology Strike Force and the Justice Departments Task Force KleptoCapture. The Disruptive Technology Strike Force is an interagency law enforcement strike force co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce designed to target illicit actors, protect supply chains, and prevent critical technology from being acquired by authoritarian regimes and hostile nation states. Task Force KleptoCapture is an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export restrictions and economic countermeasures that the United States has imposed, along with its allies and partners, in response to Russias unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine.

This story has been published on: 2024-02-20. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Press Release

February 20, 2024 Dela Rosa urges quick passage of bill amending 'Doble Plaka' Law Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa on Monday urged the swift passage of a bill amending Republic Act No. 12235 or the "Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act" as he stressed the need to balance the welfare of the riding community and the intent to address the problem of "riding-in-tandem." "Manipis po ang linyang tinutulay ng batas na ito sa pagitan ng crime prevention at diskriminasyon. There is nothing wrong with penalizing offenders of the crimes they have committed. However, it would be downright discriminatory to punish a whole sector for the sins committed by a few. The motorcycle-riding community has done more good than evil," Dela Rosa emphasized in his co-sponsorship speech on Senate Bill No. 2555. Dela Rosa, a motorcycle enthusiast himself, noted that the motorcycle riding sector appeared to be singled out when RA 12235 was passed. But perspective on this sector has changed when motorcycle riders helped ordinary Filipinos during the COVID-19 pandemic in delivering their essentials, including test kits, food items, medicines, among others. "Naging sandigan po ng ating ekonomiya ang ating motorcycle riders. Ang motorsiklo na naikabit at naiugnay sa pagkitil ng buhay ay siya ring nakapagdugtong ng maraming buhay noong kasagsagan ng pandemya," Dela Rosa pointed out. "As a motorcycle rider myself, I empathize with the clamor of my fellow riders who raised their concerns, arguing that the said law is, and I quote, 'discriminatory as it singles out motorcycles and seems to generalize that only motorcycle owners and riders have the propensity to commit a crime,'" he went on. Under the measure seeking to amend the "Doble Plaka Law," RFID stickers will be installed at the front side of the motorcycle instead of another plate number. "We are hitting two birds with one stone: ensuring the safety of our fellow motorcycle riders while promoting the protection of the general public against unscrupulous individuals, those who would rather abuse the advantages of this two-wheeled instrument for their evil intentions," the former Philippine National Police chief said. "Today, we are given the opportunity to amend issues that might have been overlooked. Let us now think of this amendment as a way for us to provide only the best legislative gear for our riders. Let us go full throttle in passing the measure!" he added. Apart from Dela Rosa, Senator Francis Tolentino and Senator JV Ejercito also sponsored the measure on the Senate plenary.
The charitable organization "International Charity Fund Harvest of Victory" announced the launch of a grant project Assistance for Small Farmers in Ukraine, initiated by the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, within the framework of which they will be able to use agricultural equipment for free during the spring sowing campaign 2024, according to the organization's website.

According to the report, agricultural enterprises will be provided with New Holland and John Deere tractors and Monosem, Kinze, Agrokalina, John Deere, Horsch seeders for temporary free use. Agricultural machinery is serviced by official dealers of Ukraine and is subject to warranty/service within the warranty period.

Participants in the program can be small and medium-sized farmers (up to 1,500 hectares) of any legal form who require assistance in carrying out spring field work. The charitable assistance received from the charity organization can be used on land plots owned by the recipient and/or under their use.
Countries (markets) mentioned:

United States (Boston, Las Vegas, Miami, Mobile, AL, New Jersey Shore, New Orleans, New York City, Oahu, Orlando, St. Louis)

China, Japan (Hokkaido, Kyoto, Tokyo), Spain (Madrid, Mediterranean Coast)

Highlights

Super Bowl carried U.S. hotel performance over the goal line.

U.S. Group demand increased for a fifth consecutive week.

Las Vegas posted its highest Friday/Saturday ADR on record and the highest for the Super Bowl.

Chinese New Year calendar shift softened performance in China.

Strong performance in Japan aided by Taylor Swift.

U.S. Performance

Super Bowl LVIII, hosted in Las Vegas, was responsible for the U.S. hotel industrys strong year-over-year (YoY) growth in revenue per available room (RevPAR), which was up 3.9% and driven entirely by a 6.8% increase in average daily rate (ADR). U.S. occupancy fell 1.5 ppts as business slowed ahead of the big game. Without Las Vegas ADR contribution, U.S. ADR would have been flat compared to last year and RevPAR down 3%. It is important to note that this weeks data only runs through Saturday, and Las Vegas will continue to impact results into the following week given that game day was on Sunday.

 Source: STR

 Source: STR

Las Vegas also moved performance for the Top 25 Markets in aggregate, with RevPAR increasing 11.1% YoY with ADR up 12.0% and occupancy down 0.5ppts. Excluding Las Vegas, Top 25 Market RevPAR decreased 3.0% YoY as ADR dropped 1.9% and occupancy declined 1.0ppts. Not surprising, weekends showed the greatest RevPAR shift with the Top 25 Markets increasing 20.3%. When removing Las Vegas, RevPAR decreased 9.7%. Las Vegas lifted Top 25 Market weekdays (Monday-Wednesday) and shoulder days (Sunday and Thursday) to a lesser degree with RevPAR up 5.7% on weekdays and 8.9% during the shoulder period. Excluding Las Vegas, RevPAR held at +0.6% on the weekdays, while the shoulder days declined 2.8%.

 Source: STR

Las Vegas reset the bar for Friday-Saturday Super Bowl ADR (at $747), which was the highest in history. Until this past weekend, Miami held the record for highest Super Bowl ADR (Friday-Saturday, at $563 in 2020). Las Vegas also set a record for its highest weekend ADR ever as it grew 227.1%, resulting in RevPAR growth of 239.6%. Occupancy reached 83.7% over the weekend. Overall, Las Vegas RevPAR for the entire week was up +139.9% YoY, driven almost entirely by ADR (up 126.1%).

While Las Vegas was the story this week, several other Top 25 Markets also saw solid RevPAR gains including New Orleans (+21.4%), with Mardi Gras lifting weekend RevPAR 60.8%, Boston (+12.5%), helped by strong Sunday and Monday performance, Oahu (+12.4%) and New York City (+11.5%). Oahu and NYC posted strong performance all week.

The rest of the country saw RevPAR decline 2.6% on falling occupancy (-2.1ppts) and modest ADR growth (+1.3%). RevPAR outside of the Top 25 Markets has fallen in every week of the year so far and in 29 of the past 31 weeks.

Outside of the Top 25 Markets, Mobile, AL, and the New Jersey Shore saw RevPAR increase by more than 20% YoY.

Group business gains

Group demand in Luxury and Upper Upscale hotels grew for the fifth consecutive week, increasing 6.5% compared to the same week last year and up 7.8% over the past four weeks. Group ADR has also increased, up 5.9% YoY and 4.7% over the past four weeks.

Sixteen of the Top 25 Markets saw year-over-year group occupancy gains. Las Vegas and Orlando posted the highest group occupancy and greatest year-over-year occupancy increase. St. Louis and San Diego also saw some of the highest group occupancy gains.

 Source: STR

Global hotel performance

Outside of the U.S., YoY performance for the top 10 countries was largely swayed this week by a Chinese New Year calendar shift. The annual holiday occurred two weeks earlier last year. Only two other countries, Canada and Germany, saw declinesalbeit small ones at -1.3ppts and 1.4ppts, respectively.

Within China, occupancy fell 22.5ppts YoY to 44.4%, however, this comparison does not truly reflect performance due to the holiday starting on a different day each year. Comparing to 2017 (the last year pre-COVID when the beginning of Chinese New Year fell on Saturday), occupancy this year fell less week over week (-16.8ppts compared to -24.0ppts). Based on historical trends, occupancy increases can be expected next week as the national holiday continues until 17 February.

Spain saw the largest YoY occupancy gain out of top 10 at +5.5ppts, up to 61.6%, boosted by Madrid (+12ppts to 72.0%) and the Mediterranean coast market (+9ppts to 60.9%).

Impressive YoY growth was seen in Japan with ADR up 53.4%. This was a result of strong countrywide performance, especially the region of Hokkaido and city of Kyoto, both up 55% YoY and the mega event in Tokyofour nights of Taylor Swifts Eras tour performed at the 55,000-seat venue. ADR in the city was up 51.8% to US$245. Japan continues to lead the top 10 in RevPAR growth, this week up 56.3% YoY.

 Source: STR

Looking ahead

Another night of Super Bowl data will positively impact the next batch of results in the U.S.. Excluding Las Vegas, we expect hotel performance to increase as we move closer to peak spring conference season in mid-March. The strongest performance continues to be midweek (Monday  Wednesday) travel in the Top 25 Markets, which points to a positive outlook for business travel. Leisure travel, reflected by weekends, appears to have stalled driving the weak overall occupancy performance. The upcoming spring break season should provide some clarity around the direction leisure travel is going. Additionally, demand in lower-tier hotels (Upper Midscale, Midscale and Economy) has fallen in most weeks across all three of those classes with the largest decreases in Economy (-5.6%) and is not expected to show improvement soon.

Over the next two months, global performance will be driven by holidays, in particular Chinese New Year, sporting events, concerts (Taylor Swifts international tour in Australia and Singapore), conferences/conventions, and the change of seasons.

 Source: STR

*Analysis by Isaac Collazo, Chris Klauda, Will Anns

About STR

STR provides premium data benchmarking, analytics and marketplace insights for the global hospitality industry. Founded in 1985, STR maintains a presence in 15 countries with a North American headquarters in Hendersonville, Tennessee, an international headquarters in London, and an Asia Pacific headquarters in Singapore. STR was acquired in October 2019 by CoStar Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSGP), the leading provider of commercial real estate information, analytics and online marketplaces. For more information, please visit str.com and costargroup.com.

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The UNITED24 platform rebuilt 24 bridges in seven regions of Ukraine, they were destroyed by Russian occupiers, Deputy Prime Minister for Innovation, Development of Education, Science and Technology - Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine Mykhailo Fedorov said.

"The fundraising platform has rebuilt 24 bridges in seven regions thanks to contributions from all over the world, permanent partner AWT Bavaria and the State Special Transport Service," Fedorov said on the Telegram channel on Monday evening.

He thanked everyone who donated to the restoration of Ukraine.

"Rebuilt bridges mean restored communications, a convenient and fast way to work or school. We are returning life to where Russia tried to destroy it," the Minister of Digital Transformation emphasized.
German REIT Deka Immobilien, through its Deka-Immobilien Metropolen fund, has acquired the four-star, 173-room Ruby Zoe Hotel & Bar in Notting Hill in London from British developer Frogmores private equity fund Frogmore Real Estate Partners (FREP) III, for 53 million (306,000 per room). Part of the Frogmores Notting Hill Gate Estate development, undertaken with investment partner Morgan Stanley, the hotel was completed in mid 2023 and is subject to a long-term operating lease to German operator Ruby Hospitality. Ruby currently has 18 hotels in operation, with two more opening in Q2 2024  the Ruby Molly in Dublin, and the Ruby Stella in Clerkenwell which will join the Ruby Lucy in Waterloo and the Ruby Zoe as the groups third London hotel.

British real estate company Sterling Property Ventures has acquired the three-star, 120-room ibis Styles Birmingham Centre from pan-European asset manager Legal and General Asset Management. The hotel is part of a mixed-use property that is home to the headquarters of major UK pub and restaurant group Mitchells & Butlers (M&B). The property reportedly transacted for 46 million including the 18,000 sqm office building and 325 underground parking spaces. This is the first acquisition completed by Sterlings new asset management and investment arm. M&B has a lease of some 20 years on the office space of the asset, with the hotel operated by Accor Group on behalf of M&B. One of the largest F&B operators in the UK with nearly 1,784 outlets under its management, M&B has been listed on the London Stock Exchange since 2003.

Swedish real estate development and management company Fastigheter AB Balder has acquired the future 300-room Clarion Hotel Karlatornet in Gothenburg, Sweden, from domestic developer Serneke. The asset was acquired off-plan in the Karlatornet development for SEK 660 million, approximately 58.7 million (196,000 per room). It will span roughly 17,000 sqm over 15 floors and is expected to open during the summer of 2024 under a lease contract with Norways Strawberry Group, previously known as Nordic Choice Hotels, which has a 200-strong hotel portfolio across Scandinavia. As part of the deal, Balder agreed to sell back some building rights that it acquired from Serneke in 2021 in Jarfalla, Stockholm.

German asset manager HIH Invest has acquired the Hamburg Elbspeicher mixed-use building in Hamburg, Germany, on behalf of an institutional investor, from German real estate company Branicks Group (formerly DIC Asset). Comprising a total 10,867 sqm of rental space across 10 storeys, the building includes approximately one-third of office space, a furniture store, a restaurant and the main tenant, the four-star, 130-room GINN Hotel Hamburg Elbspeicher. Originally constructed in 1873, a portion of the building was converted from office to hotel use in 2019. The hotel spans approximately 5,400 sqm and has 145 sqm of meeting spaces, a restaurant, bar and parking on-site. The property is now fully rented, with an average remaining lease term of around 13 years.

Parisian hotel owner-operator Biografy Group has acquired the four-star, 40-room Le Pigalle hotel in Paris, France, from London-based private equity firm Perseus Capital Partners, for an undisclosed amount. The hotel is located by the Pigalle metro station in proximity to the Basilique du Sacre-Coeur de Montmartre, the Palais Garnier and the Gare du Nord train station. The hotels rooms range from 12 to 35 square metres and it offers one restaurant, the Au Pigalle, and the Cafe Pigalle. This acquisition increases Biografys portfolio of Paris hotels to six, with others including the four-star, 93-room Terrass Hotel in the 18th district and the four-star, 50-room Madison Hotel in the 6th district. The group also has a hotel in Lyon.

Fletcher acquires The Slaak boutique hotel in Rotterdam

Dutch hotel group Fletcher Hotels has acquired the five-star, 74-room The Slaak boutique hotel in Rotterdam, Netherlands, for an undisclosed amount following the hotel falling into insolvency this month. The property will be trading as the Fletcher Boutique Hotel Slaak-Rotterdam. The hotel includes the Didot34 restaurant and bar, a fitness studio as well as two meeting rooms and is located in the Kralingen district some two kilometres east from Rotterdams city centre. The hotels architecture dates back to the 1950s and it served various uses throughout its life, obtaining national monument status in 2010. It was fully renovated in 2019 into the existing luxury hotel.
Embarking on the journey of going back to school as an adult is a mission filled with purpose and determination. It's a venture that holds the promise of personal and professional growth, but it also comes with its unique set of challenges. In this dedicated guide, we will provide you with a treasure of tips and strategies meticulously tailored to ensure your success as an adult learner.

From setting clear goals to managing your time effectively, we're here to guide you through the intricacies of adult education, empowering you to make the most of this transformative experience. So, fasten your seatbelt and get ready for a rewarding educational journey like no other.

Getting ready to go back to school: The basics

Identify your reasons : Delve deep into your motivations for returning to school. Consider whether you are seeking career advancement, a career change, personal development, or pursuing a passion. Clearly articulating your reasons will not only help you make informed decisions but also keep you focused and motivated throughout your educational journey.

: Delve deep into your motivations for returning to school. Consider whether you are seeking career advancement, a career change, personal development, or pursuing a passion. Clearly articulating your reasons will not only help you make informed decisions but also keep you focused and motivated throughout your educational journey. Assess learning styles : Take the time to understand your preferred learning style. Determine whether you learn best through visual, hands-on, or auditory methods. Knowing your learning style can guide you in choosing the right courses and study techniques, making your learning experience more effective.

: Take the time to understand your preferred learning style. Determine whether you learn best through visual, hands-on, or auditory methods. Knowing your learning style can guide you in choosing the right courses and study techniques, making your learning experience more effective. Select the appropriate degree : Reflect on how the degree aligns with your career goals. Consider whether it will open up new job opportunities, offer potential for promotion, or enable you to pivot to a new field. Ensure that the chosen degree holds value in your desired career path.

: Reflect on how the degree aligns with your career goals. Consider whether it will open up new job opportunities, offer potential for promotion, or enable you to pivot to a new field. Ensure that the chosen degree holds value in your desired career path. Pick the right format : Evaluate how education will fit into your current life. Take into account your work schedule, family commitments, and personal time when deciding between online, evening, or weekend classes. The format should accommodate your lifestyle while allowing you to excel academically.

: Evaluate how education will fit into your current life. Take into account your work schedule, family commitments, and personal time when deciding between online, evening, or weekend classes. The format should accommodate your lifestyle while allowing you to excel academically. Explore accelerated programs : If you're looking to expedite your education, research programs that offer an accelerated path to a degree. However, ensure that the accelerated pace still provides a comprehensive learning experience and aligns with your ability to manage coursework effectively.

: If you're looking to expedite your education, research programs that offer an accelerated path to a degree. However, ensure that the accelerated pace still provides a comprehensive learning experience and aligns with your ability to manage coursework effectively. Find the right program : Compare program curriculums, faculty expertise, available resources, and support services across different institutions. Select a program that not only aligns with your career goals but also supports your specific learning needs and preferences.

: Compare program curriculums, faculty expertise, available resources, and support services across different institutions. Select a program that not only aligns with your career goals but also supports your specific learning needs and preferences. Research schools : Extend your research beyond the program to the institution itself. Consider factors such as the school's reputation, campus environment, available student support services, and the strength of its alumni and professional networks.

: Extend your research beyond the program to the institution itself. Consider factors such as the school's reputation, campus environment, available student support services, and the strength of its alumni and professional networks. Consider career services: Investigate the career support services offered by the school. A robust career services department can provide valuable assistance with job searches, interview preparation, and networking opportunities, which can significantly benefit your post-graduation career prospects.

Stress-free path back to school: Application and financial planning for adult learners

Plan your application : Organize your schedule to accommodate application deadlines and preparation. Ensure you have all the necessary materials, such as transcripts, letters of recommendation, and personal statements, ready and submitted well before deadlines.

: Organize your schedule to accommodate application deadlines and preparation. Ensure you have all the necessary materials, such as transcripts, letters of recommendation, and personal statements, ready and submitted well before deadlines. Financial planning : Gain a comprehensive understanding of the total cost of your education, including tuition, fees, books, and living expenses. Explore available financial aid options, such as scholarships, grants, student loans, or employer-sponsored programs, to fund your education effectively. Create a financial plan that aligns with your budget and resources.

: Gain a comprehensive understanding of the total cost of your education, including tuition, fees, books, and living expenses. Explore available financial aid options, such as scholarships, grants, student loans, or employer-sponsored programs, to fund your education effectively. Create a financial plan that aligns with your budget and resources. Organize your life: Strategically plan how to manage your time and responsibilities effectively. Address potential challenges proactively, considering how to strike a balance between school, work, and personal life. Implement time management strategies and allocate time for coursework, studying, work, and personal commitments to maintain a healthy balance.

Engagement and study: Your road book for smooth sailing while you go back to school

Engage with the school community : Actively engage with school counselors, connect with prospective classmates, and seek advice from alumni. Building relationships within the school community can provide valuable insights, support networks, and a sense of belonging.

: Actively engage with school counselors, connect with prospective classmates, and seek advice from alumni. Building relationships within the school community can provide valuable insights, support networks, and a sense of belonging. Enrol and prepare : Complete your enrolment process promptly and gather all necessary materials, including textbooks and course materials. Being well-prepared for your classes ensures a smooth start to your educational journey.

: Complete your enrolment process promptly and gather all necessary materials, including textbooks and course materials. Being well-prepared for your classes ensures a smooth start to your educational journey. Create a study environment : Designate a dedicated and comfortable study space free from distractions. A well-organized study environment can enhance your focus and productivity during study sessions.

: Designate a dedicated and comfortable study space free from distractions. A well-organized study environment can enhance your focus and productivity during study sessions. Develop effective study habits : Cultivate strong study routines and utilize tools and techniques that enhance your learning. Explore various study methods and find what works best for you, whether it's taking physical notes, using mnemonic devices, or employing online resources.

: Cultivate strong study routines and utilize tools and techniques that enhance your learning. Explore various study methods and find what works best for you, whether it's taking physical notes, using mnemonic devices, or employing online resources. Integrate learning with work : If you are currently employed, seek opportunities to apply the knowledge and skills you gain from your coursework to your job. Demonstrating how your education benefits your work can add value to your role and reinforce the relevance of your studies.

: If you are currently employed, seek opportunities to apply the knowledge and skills you gain from your coursework to your job. Demonstrating how your education benefits your work can add value to your role and reinforce the relevance of your studies. Build a support network : Surround yourself with a supportive network of friends, family, classmates, and mentors who understand and encourage your academic pursuits. A strong support system can provide emotional and practical assistance during your educational journey.

: Surround yourself with a supportive network of friends, family, classmates, and mentors who understand and encourage your academic pursuits. A strong support system can provide emotional and practical assistance during your educational journey. Leverage school resources : Take advantage of the various resources offered by the school, including academic advising, tutoring services, career counseling, and extracurricular activities. These resources can enhance your educational experience and help you navigate challenges effectively.

: Take advantage of the various resources offered by the school, including academic advising, tutoring services, career counseling, and extracurricular activities. These resources can enhance your educational experience and help you navigate challenges effectively. Engage in lifelong learning communities : Join study groups, online forums, or professional organizations related to your field of study. Participating in these communities fosters continuous learning, provides peer support, and offers opportunities for networking and collaboration.

: Join study groups, online forums, or professional organizations related to your field of study. Participating in these communities fosters continuous learning, provides peer support, and offers opportunities for networking and collaboration. Be open to learning: Embrace every opportunity to learn, both inside and outside the classroom. Maintain a curious and open mindset, be receptive to new ideas, and actively seek knowledge to enrich your educational experience.

Personal development and care: Beyond going back to school

Practice self-care and seek help when needed : Acknowledge the challenges of juggling multiple responsibilities and prioritize self-care. Recognize the importance of maintaining your physical and mental well-being. Don't hesitate to seek support or take a break when necessary to avoid burnout.

: Acknowledge the challenges of juggling multiple responsibilities and prioritize self-care. Recognize the importance of maintaining your physical and mental well-being. Don't hesitate to seek support or take a break when necessary to avoid burnout. Reflect on personal growth: Embrace education as an opportunity for personal development, not just career advancement. Continuously reflect on your growth as an individual throughout your educational journey. Recognize the positive changes in your skills, knowledge, and perspectives as you pursue your academic goals.

In fine, going back to school as an adult represents a transformative journey filled with opportunities for personal and professional growth. This comprehensive guide has provided valuable insights, strategies, and tips to help you navigate this path effectively. Remember, you're not alone; adult learners form a diverse and vibrant community driven by unique motivations, enriching the educational landscape. If you are curious, explore more about the trend of adults returning to school, their motivations, and their impact on education.

Despite challenges, such as balancing work and family, these obstacles can be overcome with resilience and support. Armed with these tips, you're well-prepared for your educational journey, demonstrating a proactive commitment to personal and professional development. Embrace the possibilities, as going back to school as an adult opens doors to new horizons and a lifelong pursuit of knowledge.

EHL Hospitality Business School

Communications Department

+41 21 785 1354

EHL

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A recent spate of lawsuits from plaintiffs represented by Pacific Trial Attorneys has highlighted the need for businesses to ensure ADA compliance. In the below article, JMBM partner Stuart Tubis discusses the importance of website compliance, and how best to defend your business if there is liability.

Pacific Trial Attorneys, as legal counsel, have filed hundreds of lawsuits for alleged violations of the California Unruh Civil Rights Act, California Civil Code  51 et seq. and/or the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Based in Newport Beach, CA, Pacific Trial Attorneys is a law firm representing plaintiffs in a large number of accessibility lawsuits against businesses, often focused on website issues.

Generally, these lawsuits are filed by serial plaintiffs through their attorneys. Serial plaintiffs file numerous (sometimes hundreds) of lawsuits, often similar in nature. Pacific Trial Attorneys has historically filed such litigation on behalf of one of these plaintiffs:

Cheryl Thurston

Brittany Mejico

Dominick Martin

Rusty Rendon

Luis Licea

Isabel Rendon

Drew Hunthausen

Walter Mitchell

Anita Ogletree

These lawsuit show no signs of stopping. Each lawsuit includes a summons as a cover page informing you that you have been sued and requiring a response. Next is the complaint itself, which generally looks something like this:

 Source: JMBM

The complaints have often stated in the first paragraph, As recently recognized by the Supreme Court of the United States, The Internets prevalence and power have changed the dynamics of the national economy.

It goes on to allege that Plaintiff is a blind individual who requires screen reading software to read website content arid access the internet. Defendant [Business Name] (Defendant) maintains its website, [Website Address] (the Website) in such a way that the Website contains numerous access barriers preventing Plaintiff, and other blind and visually-impaired individuals, from gaining equal access to the Website. See paragraph 4 of the complaint.

Individuals who are blind generally use screen reading software that scans a website page and reads it aloud to them; websites should be coded to be compatible with such software. It is possible the complaint might allege physical accessibility barriers at a retail location, instead of website barriers.

In any event, the first thing youll need to do is respond to the complaint within 21 or 30 days, depending on what court its filed in. Otherwise, the plaintiff can request a default judgment be entered against you by the court for failure to respond.

Generally, lawsuits by Pacific Trial Attorneys are filed in Superior Court of the State of California, which is state court. In state court, a defendant has 30 days from the date of service (i.e., receiving the complaint) to respond to the complaint. In federal court, the response must be filed within 21 days of service. Many of the lawsuits are filed in Superior Court for the County of Los Angeles but could be filed in other counties in California depending on the facts involved. Generally, responding to the complaint involves filing an answer that either admits or denies the various allegations and asserts relevant affirmative defenses helpful to the case, such as lack of standing or statute of limitations issues.

It might be more prudent, however, to file a motion to dismiss if there are strong defenses. It is important to hire experienced ADA/Unruh counsel to represent you and advise you on the viable defenses for your specific case, such as JMBMs ADA Compliance and Defense attorneys.

You and your counsel should determine if the claims alleged in the complaint are valid. In other words, is there liability? Some lawsuits lack merit and can be defended or dismissed by the court. See my articles on these topics:

The ADA Does Not Require Website Accessibility Perfection

by Stuart Tubis

How To Defend An ADA Or Unruh Lawsuit For Lack Of Standing by Stuart Tubis

California Unruh Civil Rights Act Law Basics by Stuart Tubis

Full Article Archive

JMBM can review your website for you and tell you whether it complies with the relevant law. The standards that courts generally reference to determine if a website is accessible are the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA Standards. Generally, we provide a confidential Website Accessibility Report for our clients validating that the website is accessible or providing details and HTML code-level testing of the issues found on the site, as well as advice and guidance on how to make updates if needed. See the example excerpt using a hypothetical business below:

 Source: JMBM

If there is liability, the next step is to explore a possible settlement of the case. The goal of this approach is to negotiate the best terms possible given the facts and circumstances of the case. We always seek to lower the settlement amount for our clients as far as possible, provide plenty of time to update the website, and obtain a full release of liability with complete dismissal of the lawsuit. In settlement negotiations, resolving the lawsuit in the most efficient way possible is the objective.

*See how JMBMs Global Hospitality Group can help you.

Jim Butler

+1 310 201 3526

JMBM

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Susan Santiago, Gabriel Felip, Yvette Martinez-Edwards, Shyla Gardner and Juan Pablo Puerta dedicated to driving subregional performance in new roles

Hyatt today announced new senior leadership appointments in the Americas region and subregional structure designed to further support Hyatts continued focus on growth, operational excellence and performance optimization within its largest region. With this new organizational structure, Hyatts Americas region is now comprised of two subregions: U.S. & Canada and Latin America & the Caribbean (LAC), led by two newly appointed subregional presidents, respectively: Susan Santiago and Gabriel Felip who both report to Pete Sears, Group President, Americas, effective January 2024.

In her new role as President, U.S. & Canada, Santiago is responsible for the growth and performance optimization of Hyatts owned and managed portfolio. She is in her 32nd year with Hyatt and has held numerous positions leading operational performance, most recently as Senior Vice President of Hyatts Lifestyle Division and Miraval brand.

As President, Latin America & Caribbean, Felip leads operational performance for all managed and owned Hyatt hotels in the region across all brands, including Hyatts Inclusive Collection. Felip is an industry veteran with more than 30 years of hospitality and tourism experience and previously served as Hyatts Group President of Inclusive Collection Global Operations.

Our new Americas structure enables us to further support our hotel teams and owners in more customized, regionalized ways  and this is designed to help us continue driving strong results through intentional and sustainable growth for the region, said Sears. With these changes, we continue our momentum in positioning Hyatt as the preferred hospitality brand, delivering meaningful and memorable experiences for guests and driving results for our owners.

Included in the Americas new subregional structure are three newly created roles within the operations, commercial services and finance functions, respectively: Yvette Martinez-Edwards has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Field Operations, Luxury & Miraval, reporting to Santiago, Shyla Gardner re-joins Hyatt as Vice President, Commercial Services, Latin America & the Caribbean, reporting to Asad Ahmed, Senior Vice President, Commercial Services, Americas, and Juan Pablo Puerta now serves as Senior Vice President, Finance, Latin America & the Caribbean, reporting to Liz Bauer, Senior Vice President, Finance, Americas.

With a dedicated focus on driving operational excellence within Hyatts luxury brands, Martinez-Edwards oversees Hyatts managed luxury and Miraval hotel portfolio for the Americas region. Most recently, Martinez-Edwards served as Vice President of Field Operations where she led a group of full-service Timeless Collection properties in the East region. She also previously led Hyatts sales strategy in Latin America & the Caribbean, and for the Miraval brand.

Gardner leads a cross-functional LAC Commercial Services team that provides a specialized commercial strategy for the LAC market and further develops strong brand stories that embrace Hyatts culture and key differentiators for Hyatts full LAC portfolio, including the Inclusive Collection. Prior to this role, Gardner acted as Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Playa Resorts and previously served as an Area Director of Sales and Marketing in Mexico for Hyatt.

To further support Hyatts intentional long-term growth strategy, Puerta is responsible for leading the finance function and driving property performance optimization throughout Latin America & the Caribbean. Puerta also continues to lead the function for Hyatts Inclusive Collection in the region. Prior to this role, Puerta served as the CFO of Apple Leisure Group.
How Can Digital Identity Create a Better Travel Experience for Us All?

We live in a digital world. But traces of the old way of doing things continue to be found. Why, for example, must we still take a paper visa to an airport check-in desk, or queue at the hotel front desk to present our passports? There must be a better way.



Indeed, there is.

Here, I want to explore the concept of Digital Identity (Digital ID), its growth, potential, and impact on the end-to-end journey. This is an innovative technology, one poised to have a significant impact across the travel ecosystem in the coming years, and Amadeus is at the forefront of its implementation to deliver an exceptional travel experience.

The potential of Digital Identity

First, let's be clear about what we are talking about.

Digital Identity is usually defined as a one-to-one relationship between a person and their online presence. It can consist of multiple accounts, credentials, and entitlements, all associated with an individual.

Today, travelers typically must share some form of identity - on paper, on a device - at many stages of their journey: from login to a travel website, to check-in, airport security, boarding and hotel reception to name just a few.

Amadeus Travel Ready by Traveler ID is our ambitious plan to simplify the situation. The solution offers travel companies a chance to automate and digitize passport verification processes at check-in, removing unnecessary manual frictions and associated queues across the journey.

It was launched in 2021 to overcome challenges presented during the COVID-19 pandemic, to help verify health documentation in a digital manner. In less than a year, over 20 airlines offered this solution to travelers and verified over 25 million documents, supporting the industry recovery. These numbers have continued to grow.

Amadeus Travel Ready currently verifies digitized documents such as passports and health documents before travelers reach the airport. It provides the means to automate travelers' identification and document verification, at any travel checkpoint. Air Europa recently announced using the solution to verify passports for its international travelers.

In the coming months, Amadeus will provide the possibility to implement additional functionalities, facilitating the biometric identification processes at the airport via travel companies' mobile applications.

We are agnostic in the roll-out of this technology. For example, we have deployed new technology with a partner at Narita Airport in Japan. Passengers can now check-in at one of several biometric kiosks where their facial image is captured and verified against their passport. Once the verification process is done, passengers do not need to show any physical documents from bag drop through to security and boarding.

Amadeus supplied the kiosks and ABD units fitted with biometric cameras and application software that works with our partner's facial recognition system. Working together, we are able to create a better experience for all.

A successful industry collaboration

Figures from the IATA Global Passenger survey reveals three quarters of passengers would be eager to use biometrics instead of passports or boarding passes. As the benefits of Digital Identity come into focus, more people are seeking to exploit them.

But it is not just airlines that can benefit  the entire travel ecosystem can take advantage of this technology. At the center of this ecosystem, Amadeus is working to bring stakeholders together to drive adoption and make the most of the Digital ID opportunities.

We are working alongside authorities such as the European Union on the development of the EU Digital Identity Wallet, while also participating in the expansion of standards such as IATA One ID and W3C. In 2023, Amadeus took part in the First Integrated Shopping to Travel Journey Using Digital Identity, with IATA and over 10 partners and will continue to contribute to this initiative in 2024.

Our vision for a better travel experience

Digital Identity has the potential to enhance travel experiences, from the shopping phase and also right throughout the booking and the travel experience.

During the shopping phase, Digital ID sharing could be used for instant onboarding, even with first time customers, replacing the account creation step. For the travel company, it enables the creation of an attractive, personalized offer based on the traveler's identity, frequent flyer program and preferences shared in previous steps.

During the booking phase, Digital ID could streamline the process by providing a one click order experience, including traveler's identity and payment details. When fully deployed, travel providers will be able to offer the instant onboarding and payment experience travelers have become used to in modern e-retail in a cybersecure manner, thanks to their personal device security.

On trip, Digital ID could be used to provide a personalized experience and streamline processes too. For instance, upon arrival at a hotel, the technology can be used to automatically check-in, offer directions to a room and adjust settings, such as temperature and lighting, based on known preferences.

Finally, Digital ID could enhance post-travel engagement. By understanding an experience, businesses can personalize their communications, providing relevant content to inspire future trips. Reviews left through a verified ID could also be more trusted and handled with appropriate diligence. Business travelers could also benefit from a smoother process for travel expense reporting.

The digital future is arriving, and Amadeus is working with all travel players  from airlines, to hotels, car rental companies and agents - who want to make use of this innovative technology today. Join us on this exciting journey!

FranAois Blanc - Managing Director, Traveler ID, Nexwave, Amadeus. Connect with FranAois on LinkedIn.
Valencia's Riverwalk Hotel awarded prestigious honor for creation of its new website in the Hotel Sales and Marketing Association International's Website - Design category

Vizergy Digital Marketing, a global leader in driving direct online revenue through data insights, proven digital marketing programs, reservation solutions and Vizergys digital sales and marketing software platform, is pleased to announce the award, recognizing Valencia Hotel Collection and its iconic Hotel Valencia Riverwalk located San Antonio, TX.

The website, featuring evocative video and highly styled lifestyle images was a standout among more than 800 nominations considered in this years competition. It tells the story of a great hotel experience in an unforgettable setting on San Antonios Riverwalk.

Wendy Norris, Valencias Vice President of Sales, Marketing & Revenue said Its an honor to have our work recognized by our industry peers for excellence. We set out with Vizergy to create a site that captured the essence of the Riverwalk and its unique surroundings and together, we knocked it out of the park. Weve worked on many Valencia projects with Vizergy over the years and weve done lots of great things together.

Jeremiah Matthews, Vizergys Creative Director said Valencia Group as an independent high-end property understands the critical importance of having a dynamic, conversion focused website. This property has a great story to tell which made the project fun for the team, incorporating rich media, merchandising best practices, behind the scenes SEO friendly coding and storytelling content that will ensure top performance in a very competitive San Antonio market.

About Vizergy Digital Marketing

For nearly 25 years, Vizergy has served the hospitality industry with leading marketing technologies, knowledgeable talent, and leveraged a data first approach to marketing for clients worldwide. The company deploys complete travel life-cycle marketing solutions from conversion-optimized website design to award-winning digital marketing programs, reservation solutions, media planning, and execution. Vizergys platform is easy to use, turnkey, and SMART  and is continually enhanced with tools to help hotels compete and maximize revenue. At Vizergy, hospitality marketing is not only the missionits the sole focus. For more information, visit www.vizergy.com.

About Valencia Hotel Group

Valencia Hotel Group, headquartered in Houston, boasts an exclusive collection of seven boutique hotels that are both independent and full-service, located throughout Texas and California. This includes premier Texas destinations in San Antonio, Austin, College Station, Lubbock, Irving, and San Jose, California. Renowned for their exceptional service, distinctive style, and prime locations, the hotels in the Valencia Collection have garnered both national and international acclaim. Each hotel showcases unique designs, top-tier amenities, and immersive settings that reflect the local culture of their cities. The Valencia Hotel Group offers a personalized hospitality experience, blending the meticulous attention to detail of an independent hotel brand with the vibrant essence of each city. This approach invites guests to deeply connect with their destination and encourages exploration and discovery during their stay. For further details and to experience the essence of distinctive, culturally rich hospitality, visit www.valenciahotelcollection.com.
Chicago, IL (60637)

Today

Mostly cloudy skies. A few flurries are possible. High 39F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. Low 29F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph.
The Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine found a solution regarding the use of Starlink satellite communication systems by Russian occupiers at the front and offered it to SpaceX, Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov said.

"We found an algorithm, proposed it to SpaceX, and now we are communicating on how to make sure that such cases do not happen. SpaceX has already done something similar with the Israeli government," Fedorov said in an interview with the Suspilne publication.

According to him, the problem of using Starlink by the invaders at the front was discussed in Ukraine "before it gained resonance."

According to him, it is necessary not only to turn off Starlink in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, but to make sure that only terminals owned by Russians do not work.

"We need them to work there (at the front in the Armed Forces of Ukraine), because certain technologies related to UAVs are used. There is another way to make our Starlinks work, but the rest do not. We are working with SpaceX over this," the minister noted.

Fedorov also added that he does not believe that Elon Musk is involved in the fact that Russians use Starlink in temporarily occupied territories, and believes that they reach them through "third countries."

"It was logical that they would start purchasing and importing them through third countries. They had Starlink terminals, they were already importing them, right now it became public, there were a little more of them. That is, one of their entrepreneurs probably started to monetize it," the Minister of Digital Transformation said.

Earlier it was reported that Russia is purchasing communications equipment, including Starlink satellite Internet terminals, for use in war, in Arab countries, the Main Intelligence Agency of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reported.
Hudson, NY (12534)

Today

Partly cloudy. High 47F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. A few flurries are possible. Low 32F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph.
Two plead guilty to $1.35M fake concert fraud scheme

A former rapper and his friend have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud and aggravated identity theft for their involvement in promoting a fake music festival.

The U.S. Department of Justice brought the charges.

Terronce Morris, 41, of Missouri City, Texas, pleaded guilty on Feb. 13 to conspiring with Blake Kelly, 36, of Los Angeles, California, for fraudulently receiving more than $1,350,000 from victim J.R. Morris to produce a music festival.

Morris and Kelly had created fake concert performance contracts and forged the signatures of the artists. During a video call with the victim, they had an accomplice pose as artist J.B. to trick the victim into believing that he had agreed to perform at the festival.

Morriss sentencing is scheduled for May 2 at 1:30 p.m. Kellys sentencing is scheduled for March 28 at 1:00 p.m. The pair face up to 20 years in prison for the conspiracy charge and an additional two years in prison for the identity theft charge.

Bruce Houghton is the Founder and Editor of Hypebot, a Senior Advisor at Bandsintown, President of the Skyline Artists Agency, and a Berklee College Of Music professor.

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Crosby Elementary has been selected as a the possible site of a combined Crosby and Conte elementary grade-span school.

Pittsfield's Crosby Elementary Eyed For Combined School Site

PITTSFIELD, Mass.  Crosby Elementary School is staged for a statement of interest that could open a revamped campus in 2029 as part of larger plans to restructure the district,

Superintendent Joseph Curtis on Wednesday presented the details of a potential SOI to the Massachusetts School Building Authority for the elementary school that would combine Conte Community School and Crosby onto one campus with two buildings and shared facilities.



"We are cautious and saying if everything moves along as we would hope that we have the potential opening of a new school facility on the Crosby site in 2029," he said.



Following approvals from the committee and the City Council, a rough timeline shows a feasibility study in 2026 with design and construction ranging from 2027 to 2029. School leaders have mapped out formal opportunities for collaboration with both entities ahead of the SOI due date in April.



"This is exciting. I know you've been working on this a long time," Committee member Sara Hathaway said.



"It's very exciting," Curtis replied. "When we think about our current attendance districts, I really feel it divided our city quite a bit and to be able to widen that net and have our student population certainly be much more diversified in elementary and then completely diversified if we move to a 5,6,7, 8 division of our middle schools, where all of our students will attend one school for Grades 5 and 6 and then 7 and 8. It's really moving forward where we need to be."



The MSBA requires that projects meet one or more of eight outline priorities. The most relevant priority to this effort is "replacement or addition to obsolete buildings in order to provide a full range of programs consistent with state and approved local requirements as determined in the judgments of the authority."



Crosby was identified as having the greatest opportunity for school construction, as it has a large area to build on with little disruption and yields potential for a lower and upper elementary school on the same site.



Curtis explained that school attendance zones are a point of discussion for the entire school district and for this project.



Currently, eight attendance zones designate where a student will go to elementary school. Part of the vision is to collapse those zones into three with hopes of building a plan that incorporates partner schools in each attendance zone.



The West Side zone can potentially have both partner schools, Crosby and Conte, on the same site. These partner schools could share several common spaces including the gym, cafeteria library, and potential administrative offices which could result in a reduction in costs for maintenance.



This plan has the potential to house Grades pre-K to first grade in one school and Grades 2 to 4 in another with both having their own identities and administrations.



"As it stands currently, the main statement of interest will be related to Crosby Elementary School but a statement of interest would also be submitted on Conte Community School," Curtis said.



"We do have to submit two because our proposal would require we combine both schools onto one site."
Hoosac Valley Looks to Offset Budget Hike With State Aid

ADAMS, Mass.  Hoosac Valley Regional School District is expecting to cover most of the increase in its budget next year with state funding.

The Audit & Evaluation Committee reviewed last week the first draft of the fiscal 2025 budget that is up a $1 million over last year.

"The excellent news again, is that we're increasing approximately $500,000 in Chapter 70 to one point finding that a lot of it has to do with us reaching thresholds for special education needs and again for economically disadvantaged," said Superintendent Aaron Dean. "That's in our program and it's given us the opportunity to build on what we started."

The administration is projecting a total budget of $23 million, up $1,091,665, or 5 percent, over this year. That increase will be offset by some $988,524 total in state aid.

The largest drivers are locked in costs, including some $400,000 for step and contracted raises. Several positions are being consolidated and eliminated through attrition.

The governor's budget has an increase of $584,055 for Chapter 70 school aid with total aid adding up to $10,163,912.

Regional transportation is down from $410,000 to $321,000 because of lower costs and school choice is down but tuition is up, in part because of a tuition agreement signed with Savoy for Grades 7 and 8.

Dean pointed out that net school spending  the minimum that the towns must spend for education  is also up, bringing the increase to more like 1.7 percent.

The total assessment for Adams is $6,481,435, down $45,520 over this year; and Cheshire's is $3,097,123, up $148,661.

"This is kind of where those discussions about enrollment really comes into play. It really impacts the developmental piece. The state determines the minimum local contribution," said Dean. "We're kind of doing a little bit of the opposite of what happened last year. We've had that dynamic game of one year Cheshire goes up 6 percent and Adams goes up at a lower percentage, and then it goes the other way."

Adams has 720 students and Cheshire 224. Dean said the projections for enrollment are stable at about 1,000 with school choice and tuition students making up the balance. Committee members asked if the new pathways program is having an effect but the superintendent said not yet.

Dean noted that the administration had planned for the so-called ESSER cliff last year. The federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund had provided a cushion for school districts during the pandemic but that funding is now ending.

"Last year we made sure that we pulled in the positions that were core to our programming into the budget," Dean said. "So that planning had allowed us to be in a much better place this year."

The district also plans to dip into its Excess & Deficiency fund for $245,000 for maintenance and capital projects.

"It's for addressing a one-time issue, and each school based on my projections, on current year's spending and revenue coming in even using this we'll still be hovering around that 5 percent (in reserve)," said Business Manager Erika Snyder. "But for now I'm taking an additional $170,000 from E&D, adding it to the $75,000 that we planned on doing and then ... applying that to each of the schools for kind of extraordinary stuff. It doesn't impact the towns at all."

In terms of staff, there will be 2.8 full-time equivalent teaching positions will be shifted into the pre-Kindergarten grant. This grant will allow the addition of a full-day classroom for 4-year-olds and a half-day for 3-year-olds.

The school district also has partnered with two outside child-care programs that get the same training and materials but offer longer hours for parents.

"The goal is to promote school readiness and get them a solid foundation," said Dean. "This year was kind of like a pilot year to see how things go."

The high school is looking at reducing and restructuring school counselors through a grant, though Dean said the administration is "not totally sold" on it yet.

A vacant information technology position will be eliminated and the district will share IT support with North Adams. A Spanish teaching position won't be filled and the school is trying to find outside funding for two full-time psychologists.

There have been several experienced hires for the pathways program along with an Innovation Pathways grant of $75,000 for equipment and materials for medical programming and the school received a Student Opportunity Act grant of $250,000 for student support services.

Committee members noted that the budget might be $22 million but the school district is probably spending closer to $27 million because of the grants it's been able to pull in.

The committee expects to hold another review next week and invite finance representatives from the two towns; a public hearing on the budget is tentatively set for March 11 with the full School Committee.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the work of the Conference on Ukraine's Economic Growth and Recovery, which started in Japan.

"This is our intergovernmental work at the level of governments. The Ukrainian delegation headed by Denys Shmyhal is currently in Japan. The talks are very substantive. There are already dozens of agreements that will strengthen us and our cooperation," he said in a video address on Monday.

"We have been preparing for this conference for quite a while, and I am grateful to Mr. Prime Minister Kishida for the fact that our work is very effective, as planned," he said.

According to Zelenskyy, "the stronger our economic capabilities are, the greater the solidarity with Ukraine is, the sooner Putin's evil will be defeated by our joint efforts."
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the situation with Polish farmers blocking the border lies on the political plane, however, the parties need joint decisions and the search for a fair solution.

"Things that are happening on our western border, the border with Poland, cannot be considered normal or ordinary. A simple and clear justice is needed. Only 5% of our agricultural exports pass through the Polish border. So in reality, the situation is not about grain, but rather about politics," he said in an evening video address.

So, in his words, in comparison with "Kupyansk, close to the Russian border, where enemy artillery does not cease, news from the border with Poland seems outright mocking."

The head of state stated the need to find a solution to this situation.

"We need common decisions, rational decisions, to resolve this situation. The decisions made by us and the Poles, first of all, and by everyone in Europe who cares about the fate of Europe," he said.

As reported, Polish farmers announced the beginning of a complete blockade of the border from February 20, including blocking of automobile checkpoints, approaches to railway tracks and exits to ports.
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A photo of Prince William at the 2024 Baftas has gone viral thanks to the alarmed reactions of the group of actors he was speaking to.

Following Sundays (18 February) ceremony, The Prince of Wales made his way backstage to congratulate the EE Rising Star nominees, comprising The Bears Ayo Edibiri, Phoebe Dynevor (Bridgerton), Sophie Wilde (Talk to Me), Jacob Elordi (Euphoria) and Mia McKenna Bruce (How to Have Sex). Bruce went on to triumph in the category, which is voted on by the public.

In a portion of their interaction filmed and uploaded to X, William can be seen shaking all of their hands before he tells them: Very nice to see you guys.

Honestly, like the category was so strong  all of you  it was like whos going to pull this off. It was incredible. It was very close between all of you, he says.

In a still captured of the interaction, William is shown laughing violently while the rising stars offer a range of reactions.

I am simply beginning you all to look at this photo of Ayo Edebiri meeting Prince William at the Baftas, one person tweeted alongside the photo.

Welcoming Ayo as a Board member to the Please Dont Expect Me to Control My Face club, a second quipped, with a third writing that they all looked alarmed.

They all looked pained in their own way, another added.

This years Baftas belonged to Oppenheimer and Yorgos Lanthimoss sci-fi comedy Poor Things, as both films dominated the top categories.

Christopher Nolans atomic bomb epic ended the night with seven wins, including Best Director, Best Film, Best Leading Actor and Best Supporting Actor.

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As the Oppenheimer team  director Nolan, star Cillian Murphy, and producers Emma Thomas and Charles Roven  took the stage to accept the final prize of the night for Best Film, a social media prankster gatecrashed the moment.

A Bafta spokesperson later told The Independent in a statement: A social media prankster was removed by security last night after joining the winners of the final award on stage  we are taking this very seriously, and dont wish to grant him any publicity by commenting further.

Find the full list of Bafta winners here.
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True Detective: Night Country aired its season finale on Sunday (18 February) after a critically acclaimed run of six episodes.

*Warning: Spoilers follow for Part Six, the True Detective: Night Country season finale.*

The final episode reveals who killed Annie K (Nivi Pedersen), but does not offer a concrete explanation as to how her severed tongue came to be found on the floor of the Tsalal Arctic Research Station several years after her death.

What happened to Annie Ks tongue?

We learned early on in True Detective: Night Country about the unsolved murder of Annie K, an indigenous woman whose body was found on the outskirts of Ennis (a fictional town set in Alaska) with 32 star-shaped stab wounds from an unidentified weapon.

Detective Liz Danvers (Jodie Foster) also tells Peter Prior (Finn Bennett) that Annies body was found without her tongue.

The tongue only turns up when Danvers finds it on the floor of the Tsalal lab six years later, providing a clue to the connection between the missing scientists and the murder of Annie K.

Nivi Pedersen as Annie K in True Detective: Night Country (Michele K Short/HBO)

Who cut out the tongue?

While were never explicitly told who cut out Annie Ks tongue, we do find out in episode five that corrupt cop Hank Prior (John Hawkes) was responsible for moving Annies body, and its implied that he cut out her tongue in order to send a message to other mine protestors to remain quiet.

In an interview with GQ, Hawkes confirmed that he believes Hank was responsible for cutting out Annies tongue, and that he was motivated by greed. Hank was a cop who was really doing things his own way, which would make sense in a small town, he said.

You treat this person this way, this person that way. Not everyones equal in his eyes, exactly. And so he was probably turning a blind eye towards certain behaviors. Certainly [mine owner] Kate McKittrick would know about that. So already shes got a little something on him.

What motivates him to carry out the task of cutting out Annies tongue, it wasnt something he took pride in but needed to be done to send the message, Hawkes continued.

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I think the quid pro quo was, youll become chief of police if you do this for me. Then once hes done it and he doesnt become chief of police, shes got that on him too now. Obviously, much worse than just turning a blind eye toward a DUI or something like that. I think its motivated by his career aspirations, ultimately, and hopefully that his son might view him in a more favorable light as someone whos gotten to the top of his profession, but it never happens.

John Hawkes as Hank Prior in True Detective: Night Country (HBO)

How did the tongue end up in the lab?

In the final episode, Bee (Lxeis Diane Benson) tells Danvers and Navarro (Kali Reis) that a group of local women, known on set as the Justice Ladies, rounded up the Tsalal scientists and sent them out naked into the ice fields to die as an act of retribution for the murder of Annie K.

However, when Navarro asks Bee about the tongue, she claims to know nothing about it.

And while Hank may have been the last person to see Annies tongue, it wouldnt make any sense for him to place it at the scene of another crime.

Night Country creator Issa Lopez said the tongues reappearance was left purposefully ambiguous. Thats one that Im not going to be telling you because my goal was to give you the possibility of choosing your answers here, Lopez told Business Insider. There are many ways that tongue could have ended up there. Some of them are natural and some of them are not.

Many viewers believe that the only explanation for the tongue reappearing in the lab is a supernatural one. The spirit of Annie K perhaps placed the (remarkably well-preserved) tongue in the lab in order to help Danvers and Navarro find the link between the vanished scientists and her murder.

Given that Annies tongue was cut out to send a message, its also arguable that its reappearance sends a message too: That no matter how often the powers that be try to silence the oppressed, their voices will eventually be heard.

What happens to Navarro at the end of True Detective: Night Country?

True Detective: Night Country is available to watch now on Sky and NOW
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Danny Masterson has been moved out of Corcoran State Prison in Central California after less than a month.

The maximum-security facility is notorious for housing infamous cult leader Charles Manson for many years,

According to state records, former That 70s Show star Masterson, 47, has been transferred to Californias Mens Colony in San Luis Obispo, which is categorised as a medium and minimum-security facility.

According to reports in Deadline, the move is due to concerns for the inmates well-being.

Last year, Masterson was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison after he was found guilty of raping two women over two decades ago.

In January, Masterson was denied bail pending appeal over fears the convicted rapist has every incentive to flee.

Records show that the actor will be eligible for parole in 2042  when hes 66 years old.

Danny Mastersons booking photo, 27 December 2023 (California Department of Corrections/AFP)

Manson was transferred from San Quentin State Prison to Corcoran in March 1989. The cultist, convicted of the murders of seven people, was later transferred to another prison in 1997 after it was found he had been trafficking drugs.

After Mastersons sentencing, it was revealed that Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis, who starred alongside the actor in That 70s Show, were among the people who wrote letters of support for him during his trial.

Kutcher, 45, had written that his co-star, with whom he also starred in Netflix sitcom The Ranch, was a role model and a person that is consistently there for you when you need him.

In her letter, Kunis, 40, called Masterson an amazing friend, confidant, and, above all, an outstanding older brother figure to me.

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After facing huge backlash, the couple, who married in 2015, shared a joint video apology on social media.

Shortly after he was sentenced, Bijou Phillips  who remained by Mastersons side through the court proceedings  filed for divorce, ending their nearly 12-year marriage.

They were married in 2011 after meeting at a Las Vegas poker tournament in 2004. Their daughter, Fianna, was born in 2014.

Masterson, who rose to fame for playing Steven Hyde in the Nineties sitcom starring Kunis and Kutcher, was found guilty of two counts of forcible rape by a jury of seven women and five men after a week of deliberations in May last year.

While handing down the sentence on 7 September, Judge Olmedo said: Mr Masterson, you are not the victim here. Your actions 20 years ago took away another persons choice and voice. Your actions 20 years ago today were criminal, and thats why you are here.
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Jodie Foster has revealed that a free diver had to swim down and rescue her after she shot a dramatic drowning sequence for True Detective: Night Country.

Foster, 61, plays Alaskan Detective Liz Danvers in the series, which aired its finale this weekend.

While speaking to GQ , Foster was asked about filming a scene in which Danvers falls through broken ice into the sea.

That was the scariest day, Foster told the magazine. They built a tank. My boots were weighted, my parka was weighted, everything was weighted, because I had to drop. It was completely dark and I couldnt wear contact lenses, so I couldnt see.

Everything, except for one small area [of the surface] was closed, so I couldnt figure out how to get to the top. And, because I was weighted, I couldnt, even if I tried. Once they cut, a free diver had to come and rescue me and bring me to the surface because I couldnt find it. It was panic-inducing.

This series was the fourth instalment in the True Detective franchise.

Jodie Foster as Liz Danvers in True Detective: Night Country (HBO)

In a four-star review of the show, The Independents television critic Nick Hilton wrote: In the word cloud of adjectives used to describe Jodie Foster over the course of her career, I suspect that cold and icy would be quite large  so, shes perfectly cast here. Reis brings more fragility and humanity to her side of the detective duo.

Kali Reis plays Alaska state trooper Evangeline Navarro on the show, and the former world champion boxer recently told The Independent that working with two-time Academy Award winner Foster was like training in a gym full of champs.

Im not walking into a gym to be the big dog; I want to be the worst one in the room so I can get better, she said, adding of Foster: She doesnt take anything too seriously  if she screws up, she screws up, and shes so generous with her knowledge, her time, her ideas. Shes an amazing person.

True Detective: Night Country creator Issa Lopez recently explained the reason behind the series callbacks and references to the shows acclaimed season one, which starred Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson.

Lopez told The Independent: Its very important to me to say the world where Dora Lange died in 2007 in Louisiana is the exact same world where the scientists disappear in 2024. So how do you establish those realities? Just to say, This is the same world.
 Close Robin Windsor and Lisa Riley on Strictly Come Dancing

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Tributes flooded in for Robin Windsor, the former Strictly Come Dancing professional dancer, who has died at the age 44.

Windsor competed on the BBC One show for four series from 2010 to 2013, when he was forced to step down after a slipped disc left him paralysed for four days.

He made a special return to the show in 2014 for what would become Strictlys first ever same-sex dance, which he performed alongside fellow pro Aljaz Skorjanec.

Windsors celebrity partners during his time on the series were actor Patsy Kensit, EastEnders star Anita Dobson, Emmerdales Lisa Riley and Dragons Den tycoon Deborah Meaden.

The dance company Windsor founded, Burn the Floor, announced his death, saying the dancer had tragically passed away.

Many stars, including Craig Revel Horwood, Karen Hauer and Susanna Reid, have paid tribute.
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True Detective: Night Country aired its season finale on Sunday (18 February) after a critically acclaimed run of six episodes.

*Warning: Spoilers follow for Part Six, the True Detective: Night Country season finale.*

The last episode reveals once and for all who killed Annie K, but provides a much more ambiguous ending for Alaska State Trooper Evangeline Navarro (Kali Reis).

What happened to Navarro?

The last scenes of the show see Jodie Fosters police chief, Liz Danvers questioned about the murders of the scientists at the Tsalal Arctic Research Station. We learned that the scientists were responsible for the death of Annie K after she found out theyd been deliberately polluting the town to further their research and destroyed their years of work.

In an act of retribution, a group of local women, known on set as the Justice Ladies, rounded up the scientists and sent them out naked into the ice fields to die.

Kali Reis in True Detective: Night Country (Michele K Short/HBO)

In Danverss interview, its made clear that she and Navarro have decided to cover up for the women; however, its also revealed that Navarro has disappeared, although there have been sightings of her around town.

We see in a flashback that Danvers went to Navarros house to find her dead son Holdens polar bear toy and Navarros cell phone but there was no sign of her.

The audience is shown Navarro walking off onto the ice  as she threatened to do throughout the series  presumably to join her mother and sister in the beyond.

It appears shes died until the final scene, in which Danvers walks out onto the porch of a cosy lakeside cottage and is joined by Navarro. Is Navarro merely a vision or is she alive?

According to showrunner Issa Lopez, there is no right answer.

Jodie Foster in the series finale of Night Country' (HBO)

Im not saying that shes alive, and Im certainly not saying that shes dead, she told Deadline. I very carefully crafted this as an ink block test for you to discover yourself as an audience member.

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... The Aboriginal people in Australia go and walk about, find themselves and then come back, which is I think is what Kali embraced [for the character], she added. However, there is a chance that she is also going to be with the women before her to visit them. You can read it both ways and its up to you to interpret which one fulfills your heart.

Similarly, Reis told Today: If she did follow in her sisters footsteps or she is finally at peace in her life, can live her life and go off, then maybe come back... the only one that she definitely would see would be Danvers.

If she did follow in Julias footsteps, sightings of her just match up with Ennis. We see things sometimes. So is it real? Is she not? Did she come back? Did she not? Its like that on purpose. You get to choose what you want to choose.

True Detective: Night Country (Sky)

She also threw in a curveball, asking: Did Navarro die when she went out into the storm and then shes a ghost whos trying to help her homie and talking to the women? Theres all kinds of different suggestions.

Was Navarro ever alive in the first place? Or is she a figment of everybodys imagination? There are a lot of different ways you can go. Was Navarro just sent to Danvers to get her through what she got through? Now shes gone. So, theres just a lot of roads that you could take, but theyre all tangible, she continued.

Thats the beauty of what Issa (Lopez) created. She didnt tell you what to think. Shes presenting all the evidence and going, You choose.

Another important factor to consider is that Navarros Inupiaq name means the return of the sun after a long darkness. Could it be symbolic of her return after the long night?

Foster, at least, is more definitive in her conclusion of events.

On purpose, you can think whatever you want to think. Everybody has a choice, she told GQ. I'm a logical person, so I think she's definitely there. It reinforces that idea that Navarro is somebody who's torn between two things: torn between the real world and the spirit world, torn between two cultures, the Inuit and the Dominican, torn between being a police officer and the community that shes policing.

True Detective: Night Country is available to watch now on Sky and NOW
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TV and politics go together like chocolate souffle and a bag of broken glass. Which is to say that effective television is about subtlety, the drawing out of subconscious resonances, the tug on personal memory, while politics is the opposite: explicit, exterior, and exogenous. Its this contrast that makes the BBCs new three-part drama, The Way, about an uprising among Welsh steelworkers  such a risk. Will these delicate ingredients work together?

The Port Talbot steelworks: a crucible of industry and discontent. Two workers die in quick succession  the first in a workplace accident, the second in a grief-stricken public suicide  and the spark is lit for a combustible series of protests. At the heart of the drama is the Driscoll family: Geoff (Steffan Rhodri), the plants cautious union rep, his estranged wife Dee (Mali Harries), a firebrand in the heart of the dissent, and their kids, recovering addict Owen (Callum Scott Howells) and copper Thea (Sophie Melville). Rounding out the Driscoll cohort is the ghost of Geoffs father, Denny, played by Michael Sheen, who co-created the series.

Locally, Denny is venerated as a hero for his role in industrial action of yore, but for Geoff the truth of his father is altogether more complicated. I love all those poems and songs theyve written about being rational and sensible, Denny sneers at his boy. As the unrest grows on the streets of Port Talbot, and the Driscolls find themselves at the centre of an international manhunt, these questions of legacy, integrity and pragmatism collide.

I can see where I am, Owen announces, in the shows opening voiceover. I can see where Ive been, but I cant see where Im going. That is the path of The Way, to try to illuminate the future for hard industry in a world that is being reshaped by technological advancement and foreign investment (or under-investment). It is a vision of a country fraying at the seams. Scenes of protestors clashing with riot police on the high street of the Welsh town are manipulated using deepfake software to justify a hard crackdown. Internment camps spring up, the Welsh-English border is closed, and the army is mobilised. Civil war seems to loom for this sceptred isle, and suddenly the prejudices of a nation so reluctant to take asylum seekers are laid bare. What happens if we need to escape? If our families have to pay smugglers to hide them in cargo trucks? If we must trust a small boat to ferry us across the Channel?

Way out there: spectral father Denny portrayed by Michael Sheen, who co-created the scatty three-parter (BBC/Red Seam/Jon Pountney)

The Way is constructed as a what if, intended to expose our social reality. The drama is imbued with a sense of urgency, but one that is undermined by stuttering gear shifts. There is a creative tension between the desire to create a realistic alternative world (what if the UK fell into social unrest and our citizens had to seek refuge on the continent?) and an attempt to mythologise the situation with camp iconography, like an ominous Red Monk, an ancient sword, and the shadowy figure of The Welsh Catcher (Luke Evans). It is tempting to ascribe the depiction of social issues to Sheen  who has long been an activist for left-wing causes  and the visual lyricism to co-creator James Graham, whose drama Sherwood more successfully integrated elements of the Robin Hood story with modern malaise. What of the third wheel in the creative tricycle, cult documentarian Adam Curtis? Well, theres some signal hijacking by archive footage of everything from ghostly factories to Kenneth Williams, and a trippy teddy bear who tells Owen to head out of the woods and into tomorrow.

If that doesnt make it clear, Ill spell it out: The Way is a mess. No element feels wholly cohesive, from the strife on the factory floor to the strange paternity drama within the Driscoll unit. The cast is a tremendous assembly of Welsh talent  and the sight of Steffan Rhodri wielding a sword and charging down the streets of Port Talbot, a welcome one  but the material is thinly spread over this three-part series. Everything happens with unjustifiable rapidity, from the fomentation of insurrection to the total lockdown of the Welsh nation. And while the concept of attempting to extract human sympathy for the migrant crisis, by reversing the roles, is an interesting one (not unlike what Malorie Blackmans Noughts & Crosses achieved for a school-age understanding of structural racism), its also totally unsubtle. What would Polish people think of all these Welsh immigrants taking all of their jobs? Owen asks his girlfriend Anna (Maja Laskowska) as they head for Europe. Theyd think: fair play, she tells him. This feels like the sort of dumbed-down distillation of a complex situation that Sheen, Graham and Curtis would usually eschew.

I want things back the way they were. This is the slogan that the protestors take up. But what does it mean? The end of a surveillance state, a more compassionate welfare system, the return of British manufacturing. If that sounds like an incoherently nostalgic manifesto, then thats because it is. The show is just as confused as its mutineers. Aesthetically and ideologically undercooked, The Way feels like it has been rushed out of the oven for an election year, before the souffle has started to rise.

The Way is available on BBC iPlayer
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Taiwan has accused Chinese patrols of sparking panic among people after officials boarded a Taiwanese tourist boat for inspection.

Six Chinese coast guard officers boarded a Taiwanese tourist boat with 23 passengers and 11 crew members on Monday in Taiwan-controlled Kinmen islands, a frontline just 3km away from Chinese shores.

They stayed on the sight-seeing ferry King Xia for half an hour, checking route plans, certificates and crew licences before leaving, Taiwans coast guard said.

In response, a Taiwan coast guard patrol arrived to escort King Xia back to port.

"We think it has harmed our peoples feelings and triggered peoples panic. That was also not in line with the interest of the people across the strait," Kuan Bi-ling, head of Taiwans Ocean Affairs Council, told reporters on the sidelines of parliament in Taipei on Tuesday.

The incident comes amid heightened tensions as China stepped up patrols in the Kinmen archipelago. A Chinese finish boat capsized last week, killing two of the four people on board after it was pursued by Taiwanese coast guard.

Kinmen, which has a large Taiwanese military garrison, is a short boat ride away from the Chinese cities of Xiamen and Quanzhou in the south-eastern coast. It has been controlled by Taipei since the defeated Republic of China government fled to Taiwan in 1949 after losing a civil war with Mao Zedongs communists, who set up the Peoples Republic of China.

Taiwanese coast guards inspect a vessel that capsized during a chase off the coast of Kinmen archipelago in Taiwan, Wednesda (AP)

The passengers on the sightseeing vessel said they were nervous and concerned that they "would not be able to return to Taiwan".

"I was quite shocked and very anxious," said one of the female passengers in a video posted on China Times.

Ms Kuan said it was common for Chinese and Taiwanese tourist boats to accidentally enter the other sides waters.

"Boats like these are not illegal at all," she said.

On Tuesday, Taiwans coast guard said it drove away a Chinese counterparts boat that entered into the waters near its sensitive frontline islands.

A Chinese coast guard boat, numbered 8029, entered Taiwans waters near Kinmen on Tuesday morning, Taiwans coast guard said in a statement, adding it dispatched a boat and used radio and broadcast to drive away its Chinese counterpart, which left the area an hour later.

Chinas Red Cross staff Li Chaohui speaking to the press upon his arrival in Kinmen as relatives of two fisherman arrive (CNA/AFP via Getty Images)

Taiwans defence minister Chiu Kuo-cheng said in parliament on Tuesday that the military will not "actively intervene" in the incident of Chinese officials entering into a passenger boat to avoid escalating tensions

"Lets handle the matter peacefully," he said. "Not escalating tensions is our response."

The Maritime and Port Bureau of Taiwan has urged Taiwanese vessels to decline any future requests by Chinese coast guards to board for inspection. Instead, they are advised to promptly notify the CGA (Coast Guard Administration).

China announced on Sunday that it would increase inspection patrols in the area and strongly condemned the incident in which two fishermen on a speed boat drowned.

The incident happened on 14 February when a Chinese speedboat with four people capsized and Taiwans coast guard said the speedboat had illegally [entered] Taiwanese waters.

As the city of Xiamen, China, is seen in the background, wartime anti-tank obstacles sit on a beach on 7 October 2023 in Kinmen (Getty Images)

Two were pronounced dead after efforts to resuscitate them failed, the coastguard said. The other two are in stable condition and have been brought to Kinmen for further investigation by prosecutors.

Beijing has demanded investigation and said the incident "seriously hurt the feelings of compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait".

Chinese state media said the family members of the two survivours arrived on Kinmen island to bring back the two men.

Additional reporting by agencies
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Vladimir Putin has gifted a Russian-made limousine to his North Korean counterpart Kim Jong-un, the latest signal of deepening relations between two countries that are otherwise increasingly isolated on the global stage.

North Korean state media said the car was hand-delivered by a Russian delegation over the weekend, and on Tuesday the Kremlin confirmed that Mr Putin had sent a full-sized luxury sedan limousine by Aurus, Russias first luxury car brand.

Mr Putins present to Mr Kim is likely to be in violation of Moscow-backed United Nations Security Council sanctions against Pyongyang, which prohibit the supply of luxury goods including all transportation vehicles to the nation.

KCNA reported that the car was received on 18 February by Mr Kims sister and close aide, Kim Yo-jong, as well as other senior North Korean officials.

Ms Kim courteously conveyed Kim Jong-uns thanks to Mr Putin to the Russian side, saying that the gift serves as a clear demonstration of the special personal relations between the top leaders of the DPRK (North Korea) and Russia and as the best one.

Mr Kim, who is said to be an avid automobile enthusiast with a large collection of luxury foreign cars, was pictured inspecting Mr Putins presidential Anrus Senat limousine when he travelled to Russia last year on a rare trip outside North Korea.

A commercial version of Putin's Aurus Senat limousine at the Moscow International Motor Show (AFP via Getty Images)

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the decision to present the car was made after Mr Kim lavished praise on Mr Putins own Aurus Senat Limousine.

When the head of the DPRK [North Korea] was at the Vostochny cosmodrome, he looked at this car, Putin showed it to him personally, and like many people, Kim liked this car, Mr Peskov said when asked about the gift.

So this decision was made, Mr Peskov added. North Korea is our neighbour, our close neighbour, and we intend, and will continue, to develop our relations with all neighbours, including North Korea.

Russias invasion of Ukraine has contributed to closer ties between North Korea and Russia  two increasingly isolated regimes under numerous Western sanctions and locked in separate confrontations with the United States and its allies. Various reports have emerged of Pyongyang supplying artillery, rockets and ballistic missiles to Moscow to sustain its war in Ukraine.

Kim Jong-un and Vladimir Putin at the Vostochny cosmodrome in September 2023 (AP)

The Kremlin has neither confirmed nor denied its use of North Korea-made weapons in its invasion of Ukraine. North Korea has denied shipping arms to Russia, which would also be a violation of UN sanctions.

Since Mr Kims visit to Russia in September, exchanges of delegations between the two countries have become more frequent.

On Tuesday, KCNA separately reported that a delegation of North Koreas ruling party officials returned from Russia and three delegations, representing information technology, fisheries and sports, departed for Russia.

In January, a high-ranking North Korean delegation travelled to Russia to advance talks on what North Korean media said was a forthcoming visit by Mr Putin to North Korea. It would be his first to the country in the last 20 years.

Mr Kim has expressed his strong support for Russias war in Ukraine and said the two nations needed to unite against Western powers. In October last year, Mr Kim wished Mr Putin victory over the imperialists anti-Russia scheme in a letter to mark the 75th anniversary of their countries bilateral relations, state media reported.

Kim Jong-un arriving in Artyom, near Vladivostok in 2023 (AP)

International sanctions that ban the supply of luxury goods to North Korea have not prevented Mr Kim from maintaining a fleet of high-end cars, believed to have been smuggled into his country over the years.

Mr Kim has been seen being driven in a Maybach armoured limousine and also drove himself in it in Russia after it was brought there on board a special train.

In 2018, he was seen travelling in a black Rolls-Royce to meet a US delegation and two armoured Mercedes-Maybach S600 Guard vehicles were delivered to North Korea from the Netherlands, according to the Washington-based Center for Advanced Defense Studies.

It said that more than 800 luxury cars were imported by the country from 2015 to 2017 alone and a majority of them were from Russian companies.

Brought over for an earlier trip in 2019 to Russia, Mr Kim has two limos ready for his use at Vladivostok station, a Maybach S600 Pullman Guard and a Mercedes Maybach S62. He also used a S600 Pullman Guard for his two summits with then-president Donald Trump in Singapore in 2018 and Vietnam in 2019.
 Close Floodwaters rush through Montecito, California on Monday afternoon

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A brutal storm that battered California is winding down as of Wednesday morning, with heavy rain beginning to subside.

Much of California was on flood watch on Monday and Tuesday as some regions approach ten inches of total rainfall while bracing for floods and landslides.

Road blockages, landslides and toppled trees have already been reported in and around Los Angeles. A massive tree also crashed in a Los Angeles neighbourhood on Monday, damaging parked vehicles and downing power lines.

Officials warned Californians to avoid road travel and prepare for power outages, mud or rock slides and coastal flooding. Portions of the US-101 and Pacific Coast Highway were blocked on Monday as rainfall intensified and floodwaters rushed onto the major roadway.

Meanwhile, Santa Barbara County officials issued evacuation warnings for some waterfront neighbourhoods, which could persist through Wednesday.

Many parts of California are already saturated from the heavy rain after a storm earlier this month caused hundreds of landslides so far.
The blocking of the Polish-Ukrainian border, no matter what slogans it is accompanied by, has no justification, Spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Oleh Nikolenko said.

"Land borders remain important in the context of Russian aggression. The actions of Polish protesters and individual radical Polish politicians undermine the Ukrainian economy and resistance to repelling Russian aggression. The border of Poland and Ukraine is also the border of the EU. It should not be hostage to any political interests," Nikolenko said on Facebook.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry also considers the aggressive attitude of protesters towards Ukrainians and Ukrainian cargo crossing the Polish-Ukrainian border unacceptable.

"Anti-Ukrainian slogans heard at the border confirm the politically motivated nature of the action. Its goal is to provoke a further aggravation of bilateral relations. At the same time, the protesters in no way mention the threats associated with the import of grain and other types of agricultural products from Russia and other countries," Nikolenko said.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry calls on the Polish authorities to provide a legal assessment of the actions of the protesters, ensure the unblocking of the border and take measures to stop anti-Ukrainian rhetoric, which is based on baseless arguments.

"In conditions of external testing, it is very important to maintain the level of solidarity that Ukraine and Poland have built in recent years. Ukrainians and Poles must defend good neighborly relations, repel any attempts to undermine mutual trust and jeopardize the security of our states," Nikolenko said.
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Three people will be charged with criminal damage following a Greenpeace protest at Rishi Sunaks home in North Yorkshire, prosecutors have said.

Mathieu Soete, 38, Amy Rugg-Easey, 33, and Alexandra Wilson, 32, will each be charged with one count of criminal damage over the protest last August in the prime ministers Richmond constituency, the Crown Prosecution Service said.

Mr Soete, of Hackney, and Ms Rugg-Easey and Ms Wilson, both from Shiremoor in North Tyneside, are due to appear at York Magistrates Court on 21 March, according to the CPS.

A fourth suspect is due to answer bail at a later date.

Activists were pictured last year atop the roof of Mr Sunaks grade II-listed manor house in Kirby Sigston, near Northallerton, which they draped with oil-black fabric in protest over what they called a new fossil fuel drilling frenzy.

The prime minister was on holiday in California at the time of the demonstration.

Rosemary Ainslie, who leads the CPS special crime division, said: Following a review of the evidence provided by North Yorkshire Police, we have authorised criminal charges against one man and two women after a protest at the home of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on 3 August 2023.

Mathieu Soete, 38, Amy Rugg-Easey, 33, and Alexandra Wilson, 32, will each be charged with a single count of criminal damage, and will appear at York Magistrates Court on 21 March.

Police were pictured Rishi Sunaks house in Richmond after the protest ( Danny Lawson/PA)

The Crown Prosecution Service reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against the three defendants are active and that they have the right to a fair trial.

It is extremely important there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.
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Amid success of the Netflix series One Day, Meghann Fahy has hard launched her relationship with British actor Leo Woodall on Instagram.

The White Lotus co-stars, who have been rumoured to be dating since last year, finally took their romance to social media on Tuesday 20 February. Fahy, who played Daphne Sullivan in season two of the HBO comedy-drama series, shared a sweet image of the pair walking around Boston, Massachusetts.

The rumoured couple were pictured with their backs turned toward the camera, as Woodall towered over Fahy with his arm wrapped around her neck. The Broadway alum was dressed casually in a long-sleeve shirt, as she wrapped her arm around his waist. She tagged Woodall in the photo and simply captioned the hard launch with a smiley face emoji, pizza emoji, and a blue heart emoji.

In the comments section, fans were ecstatic that Fahy and Woodall had seemingly made their relationship Instagram official. HARD LAUNCH FINALLY!!!! one user commented, while another wrote: Hard launch! So happy for you and pizza, and that your good friend Leo was there to witness.

Hard launch lets go, a third follower said.

While Fahy and Woodall have yet to publicly confirm their romance, that hasnt stopped fans from speculating about their relationship. Last November, the co-stars were photographed kissing in public for the first time in New York City. They had sparked romance rumours one year prior, when the 27-year-old actor shared photos of The Bold Type star on Instagram.

Thats amore, he captioned his post in September 2022, which also featured snaps of The White Lotus stars Aubrey Plaza, Adam DiMarco, and Haley Lu Richardson.

In the comments section, Fahy wrote, I love you! I love these! I love you! along with a kiss and red heart emojis. Woodall responded: Love you right back.

The 33-year-old Massachusetts native also shared her own photos with Woodall on Instagram in December 2022. She posted a smiling selfie of the pair, as well as a solo shot of Woodall smoking a cigarette and holding a beverage. Sizzley Sicily, Fahy wrote in the caption.

Despite the romance speculation, Fahy has played coy about her supposed relationship with Woodall. During an appearance on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen in January 2023, she was questioned about the dating rumours by host Andy Cohen.

Oh, I dont kiss and tell, she quipped. Come on, guys.

It would be delicious. It would be delicious, Cohen chimed in. We would all love it.

You would? For you, Ill say, sure, Fahy replied, before quickly taking it back. I was kidding! Just because you wanted me to say it, so I said it.

When Cohen pressed further if the pair were friends with benefits, Fahy affirmed: Were friends.

Woodall currently stars as Dexter Dex Mayhew in the new Netflix series One Day, based on David Nicholls bestseller.
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It was good to feel like I was taking charge of my own fertility  Ive always described it as a very expensive insurance policy. Thirty-nine-year-old Hannah* is talking about the two rounds of elective egg freezing she underwent in her early thirties. Back then, she says, it was almost a slightly shameful thing, but the process is now the fastest-growing fertility treatment in the UK. Millennials are hitting traditional life milestones such as home ownership and marriage later than their parents, but womens biological clocks havent changed of course  making the idea of buying more time to have children an appealing one.

Until just over 10 years ago, egg freezing was the preserve of women undergoing treatments such as chemotherapy or facing premature infertility. But in 2012, the American Society of Reproductive Medicine decided that it was no longer an experimental procedure. Since then, it has become a potential option for women who arent ready to have children yet (often because they havent found the right partner) and want to put their fertility on ice. And, according to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), the number of egg-freezing cycles increased from 2,576 in 2019 to 4,215 in 2021, a dramatic rise of 64 per cent.

But it is not a magic bullet  far from it. Egg freezing can be emotionally, physically and financially demanding, raising hopes with no guarantee of success. Earlier this month, Guys Hospital in London apologised after the frozen eggs and embryos of more than 100 women were potentially damaged due to faulty freezing solution; incidents like this are extremely rare, but worrying nonetheless.

Still, the idea of a potential security blanket for fertility is an appealing one; insurance policy is a phrase that crops up again and again in conversations about egg freezing, and for many women who undergo the process, it is a way of regaining a sense of control over their future. Hannah says she had been happy to live in blissful ignorance about her fertility until a comment from her sister changed her perspective. She said to me: Wouldnt you want to know that youve done everything you possibly can to have a child, everything thats within your power at the moment? Amy, 39, had a similar thought process before eventually deciding to freeze her eggs last year, having spent her thirties focusing on her career in the beauty industry. My mum said to me: Its basically putting an insurance policy on yourself. If you use it, youll be so delighted that you did it. And if you dont use it, I genuinely dont think youll regret spending the money. I thought, shes right, Im just going to do it.

Money is indeed a major factor in whether or not women can even consider egg freezing. It is a very expensive process, and its not a one-and-done situation when it comes to payment, either. The HFEA says that the average cost for one cycle is 3,350, but youll have to pay for medication and pre-retrieval tests too, plus storage tends to cost between 125 and 350 each year. And if you want to thaw the eggs and transfer them to the womb further down the line, this costs around 2,500 on average. I really feel for anybody going through it right now, Hannah says. Because even a few years ago, it was a lot of money. But now it must be more expensive and even tougher in the current financial climate.

Meanwhile, 31-year-old Katy is preparing to freeze her eggs later this year. Im in that period where a lot of my friends are getting married, quite a few are pregnant or have already had children, she says. Theres been a massive shift in the makeup of my friendship group, whereas theres not been a lot of change in terms of my dating life. Egg freezing had always seemed quite abstract to her: it was the subject of throwaway comments, rather than an actual possibility. But after realising that becoming a mother was something I knew I really wanted out of life, she started to look into the process properly. I thought, I need to take control of this, to secure my ability to have a baby either with a partner or on my own. Its something I need to take a bit more seriously.

Hopefully I dont have to use them, but Ill kick myself if I dont do it Katy

At first, Katy explains, she felt like opting for egg freezing was quite a sad decision. But once she had the initial tests and talked through her results with the consultant earlier this year, that sadness around it turned into empowerment is probably too strong a word, but Im pleased Im doing this. Im in a position where Im privileged enough that I can afford to do this. Thats awesome, and hopefully I dont have to use them, but Ill kick myself if I dont do it.

An egg-freezing cycle typically takes about two weeks and begins at the start of a womans menstrual period. Patients must inject themselves with a follicle-stimulating hormone for about 10 days; around 36 hours before the retrieval, theyll take a trigger injection to release the mature eggs. Daily hormone injections in the lead-up can be gruelling. The first time I did that, I just remember crying for nearly two hours with the needle poised above my belly, Hannah says. It was an emotional time for Amy, too. I was crying for no reason, and Im not a crier at all, she recalls. It really knocked me for six [...] and Im single, so I was going through it on my own.

Its a horrible irony of the freezing process: most of the women opting for it are single, so they must embark on a draining prep process alone (and potentially end up feeling more isolated as a result). Dont get me wrong, Ive got phenomenally supportive family and friends, but they dont live with me, theyre not there when youre doing injections or you feel sick or whatever, Amy adds. So that adds weight to it as well. You can feel very alone when youre going through it, and you think why am I doing this? And what if youre trying to juggle dating too? It was not the easiest time, Hannah recalls. I was dating somebody during the first round who was a bit younger than me, and I didnt tell him about it until I had a big wobble and burst into tears. And the relationship ended pretty much at that point.

Retrieval: Clinicians use a probe to inspect extracted eggs (Getty)

Then theres the procedure itself, which takes about half an hour or less, usually under deep sedation rather than general anaesthetic. A needle is passed through the vaginal wall and into the ovary, then fluid is gently drawn out of each follicle and checked for eggs, which can then be frozen. Over the past decade or so, vitrification  a speedy freezing method involving liquid nitrogen  has become more widespread, and the survival rate for frozen eggs has increased as a result (although age is the most important factor  the HFEA recommends freezing eggs before you reach 35).

The emotional tumult doesnt necessarily end here. However old you are, its near impossible to make firm guarantees about how many eggs will be collected (the HFEA says that most patients under 38 end up with seven to 14 eggs, but this isnt always possible). So if the doctors only manage to retrieve a few, the disappointment can be heartbreaking  and patients might end up having to question whether they can afford to embark on this expensive journey again.

Amy had good results in her initial fertility check-up, and went into the process feeling quite nonchalant, she says. And then when I did my first cycle, I didnt get a particularly great number of eggs. I felt like someone had died. It took me about three days to get over. I didnt realise how devastated I was  and I still dont know if thats because I really want a kid or whether that was me being really competitive with myself. I just felt really disappointed and let down. My body just didnt respond to the medication the way they would have thought based on my initial tests.

Its given me the freedom and the ability to take a step back and go, do I actually want kids? Amy

She eventually underwent two further cycles, which increased her number of available eggs  and shes glad she did it, because it has bought her time to think about whether she definitely wants children. Its given me the freedom and the ability to take a step back and go, do I actually want kids? she says. If youre in a panic and youre anxious, you cannot make that level of decision. Dont get me wrong, there is still an element of me that goes, do I want to have children? Am I going to use the eggs? But I think I would be unable to even ask myself the question and have a semi-logical conversation with myself about [it] if I hadnt frozen my eggs.

If a woman does eventually decide to use her frozen eggs, whether thats using sperm from a partner or a donor, first they must be thawed. Clinicians then create embryos through a process called intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), which are later transferred to the womb. Its hard to find statistics about the success rate, because so few women have actually returned for the next part of the process (that might be because theyre still not ready, or because theyve ended up conceiving naturally).

Rebecca* froze her eggs nearly seven years ago, but has decided not to use them. She and her husband had always been pretty sure that parenthood wasnt for them, but in her mid-thirties, she found herself getting really emotional and worried that we werent making the right decision [] so we did it as a hedge, so if we changed our mind somewhere down the line, we would be able to [have children]. The process changed my mentality completely, she says. I dont think Ive ever been emotional about it again. Over time, its reinforced that we have done the right thing, because theres never been any need or want to revisit were quite happy as we are. Like Amy, she says that no longer feeling rushed took all the pressure off the decision [...] It became, I can do this when Im ready and when I want to, and its turned out that thats never.

The question of whether or not to become a mother is always a deeply personal one. Its crucial to recognise that freezing eggs might not guarantee parenthood further down the line. But for some, it can be a (pricey) way of buying peace of mind, even if its not a panacea. I thought, Im actually never going to regret having this option, Amy says. Even if I dont use [the eggs], Im never going to regret investing in myself.

*Names have been changed for anonymity
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Richard Coles has admitted to lying to church officials about his sex life while married to his late husband.

The writer, broadcaster and Church of England clergyman is one of Britains most recognisable vicars and one of the highest-profile gay religious practitioners in the world.

His late husband, David Oldham, was an Anglican priest. After they began a relationship in 2007, Coles and Oldham entered a civil partnership in 2010 and remained together until Oldhams death in December 2019.

During their partnership, Coles, 61, maintained that he and Oldham cohabitated on the basis that they didnt have sex, as Church of England priests are required to practice celibacy.

In a new interview with The Times, Coles indicated that this was untrue, and that he and Oldham lied to continue in their positions in the church.

When journalist Andrew Billen notes that it would have annoyed and upset him to lie about his life in this way, Coles replied: It wears off pretty quickly... I mean, I felt sometimes like I was in the resistance and they were the Gestapo.

I mean, Im overstating it, but what I did feel is that they had no moral cause, so I didnt feel that I had a moral obligation at all.

And Im not the first person to find themselves obliged to lie for institutional reasons in the Church of England, he added.

The Independent has contacted Coles for additional comment.

David Oldham, left, and Richard Coles were together from 2007 until the formers death in 2019 (Richard Coles)

As recently as 2020, Coles referred to his relationship with Oldham as being celibate. Speaking to The Guardian of their civil partnership, shortly after Oldhams death of alcoholism, he said: Its just ridiculous but its where we are. It kind of worked and it was OK for us, it sort of suited our lives. But I minded having to [be celibate].

Coles also previously stated that theyd planned to marry after both had retired. Same-sex marriage is not permitted in the Church of England, and could have resulted in both losing their abilities to work as priests.

Coles retired as vicar of Finedon, North Northamptonshire, in 2022 due to his belief that the organisation was excluding gay couples, and his disapproval of what he described as its conservative, punchy and fundamentalist direction.

He has been in a relationship with the actor Richard Cant since 2023. According to Coles, Cants lack of religious beliefs does not pose an issue in their relationship.

We went to midnight Mass together this Christmas and he likes the theatre of it because thats what he does, he explained to The Times. Hes not a religious person at all but hes a very respectful person.

Coles left his BBC Radio 4 show in 2023 and admitted to feeling frustrated at the rushed nature of his departure.
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Vanderpump Rules star Tom Sandoval has faced backlash after comparing public reception towards his infamous cheating scandal to OJ Simpson and George Floyd.

In a wide-ranging interview with The New York Times published 20 February, the 41-year-old Bravo reality star reflected on his life one year after it was revealed he cheated on his partner of nearly 10 years with his Vanderpump Rules co-star - referred to on social media as Scandoval.

During the interview, Sandoval made a controversial remark when asked why he believed there was such public outrage toward his on-screen infidelity. Im not a pop-culture historian really, but I witnessed the OJ Simpson thing and George Floyd and all these big things, which is really weird to compare this to that, I think, but do you think in a weird way its a little bit the same? he replied.

Journalist Irina Aleksander, who wrote the profile, attempted to clarify Sandovals comment by noting that he was the symbolic centre of a nationwide discussion and a major news story. However, she later revealed that she received a call from Vanderpump Rules executive producer Alex Baskin and a publicist from the Bravo network, who were concerned about Sandovals comments regarding Simpson and Floyd.

Elsewhere in the interview, the TomTom Bar and Restaurant co-owner described how it felt to be on the receiving end of such derision following his cheating scandal. I feel like I got more hate than Danny Masterson, and hes a convicted rapist, Sandoval told the New York Times. In 2023, the That 70s Show star was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison after he was found guilty of raping two women over two decades ago.

A representative for Sandoval issued the statement to The Independent: My intentions behind the comments I made in New York Times Magazine were to explain the level of national media attention my affair received. The comparison was inappropriate and ignorant. I'm incredibly sorry and embarrassed.

Sandoval opened up about his current relationship status with former castmate Leviss, who departed the show after season 10 and subsequently checked into a two-month stay at a mental health facility in Arizona. She never even gave me any closure, Sandoval said about Leviss, with who he engaged in an eight-month long affair while dating his co-star, Ariana Madix. It was really hard. It still messes with me.

The reality TV star explained that he pursued Leviss, 29, while in a relationship with his partner of 10 years because he was in something of a mid-life crisis. You know when you just feel like you dont know whats cool anymore, and youre past your prime and a little bit of a joke? he told the outlet. I did what I did because I was in an unhappy place in my life. I got caught up in my emotions and fully fell in love. Like, for real.

Sandoval revealed he was going to inform Madix of the affair after filming had wrapped on season 10, that is until she discovered his infidelity while the show was airing in March 2023. I just wanted to not feel watched, he said. I wanted to take a breath.

Bravo cameras picked back up to capture the fallout of Sandoval and Madixs relationship for the shows season 10 finale, as millions of viewers tuned in to witness the restauranteurs ex confront him about his infidelity. Following the critical success of season 10, Vanderpump Rules earned its first two Emmy nominations.

Both Sandoval and Leviss have since issued apologies to Madix in the wake of the scandal. It was later reported that Sandoval and Leviss broke up just two months after their affair was revealed. He is currently dating model Victoria Lee Robinson.

Vanderpump Rules, which premiered on Bravo in 2013, follows the lives of servers and bartenders working at Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Lisa Vanderpumps restaurant, SUR Restaurant and Lounge. The shows 11th season, which premiered on 30 January, airs Tuesdays on Bravo at 8pm ET.

The Independent has contacted representatives for Sandoval for comment.
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Teachers are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and ending up in hospital with broken bones due to increasing levels of violence they face at work, a union leader has said.

David Besley, assistant secretary of the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS), said teachers are also ending up with PTSD due to violent incidents.

It comes as three teachers in Aberdeen spoke to the BBC anonymously about their concerns around pupil attacks.

The EIS is calling for the city council to take action.

In November, a report from the union warned pupil violence has increased over the last four years and 82.7% of schools were reporting violent or aggressive incidents each week.

Mr Besley told the BBCs Good Morning Scotland programme: We deal with teachers who have been assaulted and go to hospital with broken bones.

And thats without, of course, the post traumatic stress disorders and the effects on teachers mental health after long-term dealing with very aggressive situations in classes.

He said there is a need to accept that behaviour has got worse, with a number of factors potentially contributing to it.

These included staff shortages, the influence of social media and the impact of the pandemic, he said.

One of the teachers who spoke to the BBC said she is scared in my workplace while another said an incident had left her with a concussion.

Aberdeen city council education convener Martin Greig said feedback from staff would be considered.

He told the BBC: Everyone who visits and uses a school environment is entitled to expect that place to be a safe, peaceful, respectful environment.

So any complaints that come through need to be addressed, in the interests, especially of the young people, but also of staff, families, anyone who is involved in the life of a school.

He added: Behaviour in schools is monitored, there are policies and procedures to make sure staff are as safe as possible.

Theres always more that you can do, and we are absolutely keen to do whatever is necessary to ensure that environment feels safe for all, for staff, for parents and carers and especially for the young people.
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Four high-level Egyptian security officials are going on trial in a Rome court, accused in the 2016 abduction, torture and slaying of an Italian doctoral student in Cairo.

Tuesday's opening hearing marks the second time the four Egyptians went on trial in absentia: In 2021, a Rome judge halted the trial on the day it opened, arguing there was no certainty that the defendants had been officially informed that they were charged in the death of Giulio Regeni.

In September, Italys Constitutional Court ruled that the trial could go ahead even if the four hadnt received official notification, because Egyptian authorities had refused to provide addresses for them.

Regenis body was found on a highway days after he disappeared in the Egyptian capital on Jan. 25, 2016. He was in Cairo to research union activities among street vendors as part of his doctoral thesis.

His mother has said his body was so mutilated by torture that she was only able to recognize the tip of his nose when she viewed it. Human rights activists have said the marks on his body resembled those resulting from widespread torture in Egyptian Security Agency facilities.

The accused are Maj. Sherif Magdy; police Maj. Gen. Tareq Saber, who was a top official at the domestic security agency at the time of Regenis abduction; Col. Hesham Helmy, who was serving at a security center in charge of policing the Cairo district where the Italian was living, and Col. Acer Kamal, who headed a police department in charge of street operation and discipline.

Egyptian authorities have alleged that the Cambridge University doctoral student fell victim to ordinary robbers.

The case strained relations between Italy and Egypt, an ally for Rome in efforts to combat terrorism. At one point, Italy withdrew its ambassador to press for Egyptian cooperation in the investigation.
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Indian farmers who have been protesting for a week to demand guaranteed crop prices have rejected a proposal from the government, and say they will continue their march to the capital New Delhi.

The protesting farmers began their march last week, but their efforts to reach the city have been blocked by authorities, who have used tear gas and heavily barricaded entry points into the capital to avoid a repeat of 2021 farmer protests when they camped on the outskirts for over a year.

Late Monday night, farm leaders said they refused the governments offer of a five-year contract for guaranteed prices for a set of crops, including pulses, maize and cotton.

The governments proposal made Sunday was not in the interest of farmers," Jagjit Singh Dallewal, one of the leaders spearheading the protest, told the Press Trust of India news agency.

He added that the farmers  tens of thousands of whom have been camping out some 200 kilometers (120 miles) from the capital as they waited for the government offer  will resume their march to New Delhi on Wednesday.

We appeal to the government to either resolve our issues or remove barricades and allow us to proceed to Delhi to protest peacefully, Dallewal said.

The protests renewed a movement from over two years ago, in which tens of thousands of farmers hunkered down on the edges of New Delhi for over a year against agriculture laws which the government ended up repealing.

This time, the farmers who rode on tractors from neighboring Haryana and Punjab states say the government has failed to make progress on other key demands from the previous protests.

At the heart of the latest protests is a demand for legislation that would guarantee minimum support prices for all farm produce.

Currently, the government protects agricultural producers against any sharp fall in farm prices by setting a minimum purchase price for certain essential crops, a system that was introduced in the 1960s to help shore up food reserves and prevent shortages.

The farmers say a guaranteed minimum support price for their crops would stabilize their incomes. They are also pressing the government to follow through on promises to double their income, waive their loans and withdraw legal cases brought against them during the earlier 2021 protests.

Several meetings between farm leaders and the government have failed to end the deadlock. Piyush Goyal, one of the ministers negotiating with the farmers, told PTI that some of the demands of the farmers were deep and policy-driven," which made it more difficult to find a resolution.

The protests come at a crucial time for India, where national elections are expected in the coming months and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party is widely expected to secure a third successive term.

Farmers are particularly important to Modis base. Northern Haryana and a few other states with substantial farmer populations are ruled by his Bharatiya Janata Party.
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A body believed to be Clapham chemical attack suspect Abdul Ezedi has been found in the River Thames, three weeks after a dozen people were injured in the incident.

The Metropolitan Police recovered the body from the water near Tower Pier in central London on Monday after it was spotted by the crew of a passing boat.

The hunt for Ezedi began on 31 January, the same day an alkaline substance was thrown over a 31-year-old mother and two children in the east of the city.

He was seen on CCTV leaving a Tesco Express at 21 Caledonian Road, near Kings Cross (PA)

The suspects route along the Thames was caught at multiple points on CCTV, as he fled west in the hours after the attack.

Ezedi was seen hugging the river between 9.47pm and 11.33pm, crossing a number of bridges including Vauxhall Bridge, Westminster Bridge and Chelsea Bridge.

CCTV images from a Tesco, where he bought a bottle of water, showed him with severe burn marks down the right side of his face.

This map shows the route he took, and where the body was found 19 days later.

View more

At around 4pm on Monday, the crew of a passing boat reported they had seen a body in the water at Tower Pier. The body was recovered by the Mets Marine Policing Unit and has been viewed by detectives working on the ongoing investigation.

Commander Jon Savell said: Based on the distinctive clothing he was wearing at the time of the attack and property found on his body, we strongly believe we have recovered the body of Ezedi. We have been in contact with his family to pass on the news.

As you may expect after a considerable period of time in the strong current of the Thames, formal identification is not possible visually, nor from fingerprints. We will work with the coroner on other ways to complete formal identification, such as DNA testing and dental records. That may take some time.

Our enquiries continue into the attack. I am pleased to say the condition of the 31-year-old woman has improved. She remains in hospital but she is in a stable condition and no longer sedated. We have still not been able to speak to her but hope to as soon as she is well enough.

Again, I thank all those hundreds of members of the public who called us with information during the hunt for Ezedi. The public support for our investigation was overwhelming and every piece of information provided was followed up.

The last know sighting of him was on Chelsea Bridge at 11.25pm (PA)

Ezedi, who was in a relationship with his victim, was originally from Afghanistan. It has since emerged that he was convicted of a sexual offence in 2018, for which he was given a suspended sentence at Newcastle Crown Court.

The Crown Prosecution Service has confirmed he was sentenced on 9 January of that year after pleading guilty to one charge of sexual assault and one of exposure. Ezedi was put on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years.

He was then granted asylum in the UK in 2021 or 2022. He had been refused asylum twice before, but was granted leave to remain.
Officers of the State Bureau of Investigations (SBI) reported a new suspicion to former Deputy Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Volodymyr Sivkovych  for organizing the beating of students on Maidan Nazalezhnosti (Independence Square) in Kyiv in November 2013.

"SBI officers reported suspicion of high treason to former Deputy Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Volodymyr Sivkovych," the department said in a statement on its Telegram channel on Tuesday.

According to the SBI, Sivkovych was recruited by Russia in the late 1990s, when he was a career officer of the KGB of the USSR and the FSB.

"The official carried out the tasks of the top political leadership of the aggressor country to prevent Euro-Atlantic integration of Ukraine. It is documented that in October 2013 he met with the Secretary of the Russian Security Council Nikolai Patrushev as part of consultations of the National Security and Defense Council delegations of the two countries in Odesa. At this event, the traitor received instructions regarding further subversive activities against Ukraine and the suppression of potential protests due to Ukraine's refusal to associate with the EU," the SBI said.

The bureau said that after the start of student protests on Maidan Nazalezhnosti, Sivkovych started to implement the plans of Russia.

"On the night of November 29 and 30, 2013, he personally controlled from the office of the chief of Kyiv police the dispersal and beating of students he organized," the SBI said.

Then, due to the illegal actions of employees of the internal affairs bodies, some 55 participants of the peaceful meeting on the Maidan were inflicted with bodily injuries of varying degrees of severity, more than 300 participants were forced to flee from the center of the capital and hide in the premises of St. Michael's Cathedral. These events led to a socio-political crisis, mass protests against the then-current political leadership of the state.

"In turn, this led to the strengthening of separatism in certain regions of Ukraine and was then used by Russia to carry out subversive activities against our state. After the events on the Maidan, the socio-political crisis significantly complicated the consolidation of various branches of government to counter the Russian hybrid war against Ukraine and the annexation of territories," the SBI said.

Thus, as noted in the statement, by his actions Sivkovych "created exceptional preconditions for Russia to carry out active actions to occupy part of the territory of Ukraine."

The department said the suspect is currently hiding from investigation and trial on the territory of the aggressor state and is one of the leaders of the anti-Ukrainian movement created by the Russian intelligence services.

Earlier, Head of the Maidan Affairs department of the Prosecutor General's Office Oleksiy Donsky said the hybrid Russian aggression began in 2013: there was a plan to beat up the participants of the protest on the Maidan of Independence, so that the Ukrainian authorities would not hesitate between the European and pro-Russian course, but would do what was required Russian leadership.
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After almost three weeks of searching, a body has been found in the River Thames by police searching for Clapham chemical attack suspect Abdul Ezedi.

The Metropolitan Police launched a major manhunt on January 31 after a 31-year-old mother and her two young daughters were attacked with a strong alkaline in Clapham, south London at around 7.30pm.

The force said it strongly believes the body pulled from the water in central London on Monday is Ezedis, although formal identification may be impossible as he was likely dragged by the strong currents in the Thames for several weeks.

The Metropolitan Police has been hunting for Abdul Ezedi for three weeks (PA)

The body was recovered by the Mets Marine Policing Unit after the crew of a passing boat reported they had seen a body in the water at Tower Pier in Tower Hill at around 4pm.

The force said previously that its main working hypothesis was the 35-year-old had gone into the River Thames after being seen leaning over the railings of Chelsea Bridge.

So what were Ezedis movements, and where was he last spotted before his disappearance? The Independent has put together a map and timeline of all the developments below:

View more

Wednesday 31 January

12.15am

Detectives say Ezedis vehicle was seen in Newcastle shortly after midnight last Wednesday.

6.30am

The vehicle was seen travelling into Tooting, south London.

4.30pm

A further sighting of his car was confirmed in Croydon at 4.30pm.

7pm

He is seen driving into Streatham.

7.25pm

The attack takes place in Lessar Avenue on a 31-year-old woman, who was with her daughters, aged three and eight. Ezedi was previously in a relationship with the woman, but he is not the father of the children.

Ezedi allegedly throws the younger child to the ground and makes off in his car, which crashes into a stationary vehicle nearby. He then runs off. The Metropolitan Police were called to the scene, with 12 people, including five officers, injured.

7.33pm

The suspect boarded a Northern line train at Clapham South Tube station.

7.59pm

He leaves that train at Kings Cross Tube station.

8.42pm

He is seen on CCTV leaving Tesco at 21 Caledonian Road. He exits and turns right. He has significant injuries and is believed to have bought a bottle of water.

The suspect is seen on CCTV leaving Tesco at 21 Caledonian Road. (Metropolitan Police/AFP via Gett)

9pm

Ezedi enters Kings Cross Tube station and boards a Victoria Line Tube southbound.

9.10pm

Ezedi arrives at Victoria Station and then boards a District Line Tube eastbound at 9.16pm.

9.33pm

He is seen leaving Tower Hill Underground Station.

9.47pm

Ezedi is seen on Allhallows Lane in the City of London. He travels through a passage to Cousin Lane and then turns right, walking towards Upper Thames Street.

9.59pm

Ezedi passes the City of London School on Pauls Walk, heading towards Blackfriars Bridge, passing the riverboat pier.

10.04pm

He passes the Unilever building and heads towards Victoria Embankment.

Ezedi was caught on camera on Westminster Bridge (Met Police)

10.28pm

He passes Westminster Pier, goes up the steps and continues towards Westminster.

10.33pm

Ezedi is seen walking south on Westminster bridge.

10.36pm

He walks across Westminster Bridge, heading down the steps on the London Eye side towards Lambeth.

10.42pm

Ezedi was seen walking west on south Thames Path towards Lambeth Bridge.

11.00pm

Ezedi crosses Vauxhall Bridge towards stairs on the Houses of Parliament side of the river.

The fugitive was spotted traveling along the Albert Embankment (PA)

11.03pm

He crosses Vauxhall Bridge Road, into Grosvenor Road.

11.10pm

Ezedi walks westbound past the Shell petrol station.

11.25pm

He crosses over Chelsea Bridge and enters Battersea Park.

11.27pm

In his last sighting, Ezedi is seen walking on the Chelsea Bridge again before leaning over the railings.

Ezedi crossing over Chelsea Bridge and entering Battersea Park (PA)

Thursday February 1

About 9.30am

Scotland Yard says the 31-year-old woman and three-year-old girl have potentially life-changing injuries.

1.35pm

Ezedis identity is disclosed and people are warned to stay away from him. The Met said they are working with Northumbria Police as the wanted man may be trying to return to the North East.

Overnight, police carry out five search warrants, at two addresses in east London and three in Newcastle.

Police said a reward of up to 20,000 was on offer to anyone who can provide information leading to Ezedis arrest (PA)

Saturday February 3

4.55pm

Police release footage of empty containers with corrosive warnings found in a raid on an address in Newcastle.

Sunday February 4

12.20pm

Police say a reward of up to 20,000 is on offer to anyone who can provide information leading to Ezedis arrest. The Met also releases CCTV video footage of Ezedi in the Tesco on Caledonian Road, where he is seen buying what appears to be water in the self-service checkout before leaving the shop.

Monday February 5

Officers arrest a 22-year-old man on suspicion of assisting an offender. He is later released on bail.

Wednesday February 7

Police reveal that Ezedi had been previously in a relationship with the victim. Investigators say the breakdown of the relationship may have been a motive for the alleged attack.

Armed police searching for Ezedi raided the pizza shop where he used to work at in Newcastle (PA)

Thursday February 8

Armed police executed two raids at addresses in Newcastle in the early hours of Thursday, including one at Ezedis place of work.

Friday February 9

Met Police say they believe Ezedi fell into the River Thames from Chelsea Bridge shortly after his final sighting on CCTV.

Police boats are spotted searching the Thames near Chelsea Bridge on Saturday February 10 (Getty Images)

Saturday February 10

Police boats are spotted searching the Thames near Chelsea Bridge. They find two bodies not linked to Ezedi.

Monday February 19

The Met Police say they found a body at Tower Pier in Tower Hill at around 4pm. Although formal visual identification may not be possible, they strongly believe it is Ezedis body.
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A body has been found in the River Thames by police searching for the Clapham chemical attack suspect Abdul Ezedi, almost three weeks after a major manhunt was launched.

The Metropolitan Police said they strongly believe the body pulled from the water in central London on Monday is Ezedis, based on his distinctive clothing.

However, it may take several weeks for formal identification and a post-mortem examination to take place, given that visual and fingerprint identification is impossible after a period of time being dragged by the strong current.

Abdul Ezedi captured on CCTV with a facial injury suffered in the incident (PA)

Following hundreds of tips from the public, the body was recovered more than four miles away from the last sighting of the wanted man, after the crew of a passing boat reported they had seen a body in the water at Tower Pier in Tower Hill at around 4pm on Monday.

It comes after a major manhunt was launched when Ezedi, from Newcastle, went on the run after allegedly pouring a strong, corrosive, alkaline substance on a mother and her two young daughters in Clapham, south London on 31 January.

A body has been found in the River Thames by police searching for the Clapham chemical attack suspect Abdul Ezedi, almost three weeks after a major manhunt was launched (PA)

The Met said in its update on Tuesday that the condition of the 31-year-old woman, who is Ezedis ex-partner, has improved after she endured significant facial injuries in the attack. She remains in hospital in a stable condition, while the children, aged eight and three, who are not Ezedis, were previously discharged.

Friends who are fundraising for the family said the phenomenal mother is desperate to be reunited with her daughters, describing her as the strongest, most independent person we know.

View more

They said in a statement: Mums still in critical care and desperate to be reunited with her girls. We know mums lost her sight in one eye, and were praying that it returns fully in the other ... shes already making so much progress and is determined to get out of hospital as quickly as possible.

Having already raised more than 44,000 for the family, they added: The family were really struggling to make ends meet before the attack, so we just want ... to show mum and the girls that the wider community has their back and they can feel safe again.

A possible motive for the attack considered by police was the breakdown of the womans relationship with Ezedi, who is a convicted sex offender, having been granted asylum in the UK on his third attempt after converting to Christianity.

Tower Pier on the Thames, where a body believed to be that of Ezedi was found in the water on Monday (PA)

As passers-by tried to intervene, 12 people were injured in the attack, during which Ezedi threw one of the children to the ground and suffered significant facial injuries himself. He crashed into a stationary vehicle while attempting to drive away from the scene, before fleeing on foot.

Following days of searching, the Metropolitan Police said on 9 February it believed Ezedi went into the River Thames in west London around four hours after the attack. He was spotted on CCTV leaning over the railings of Chelsea Bridge before disappearing from view in what was the last confirmed sighting of the suspect.

The manhunt subsequently focused on an area of the Thames between Vauxhall and Chelsea bridges over the following days, with crowds seen watching a circling police boat flashing lights and pausing beside a small ship before moving off again.

The Mets marine policing unit searching for Ezedi near Chelsea Bridge (PA)

After 20 days of hunting, a body was recovered by the Mets Marine Policing Unit at Tower Millennium Pier. It has subsequently been viewed by detectives working on the investigation.

Commander Jon Savell said: Based on the distinctive clothing he was wearing at the time of the attack and property found on his body, we strongly believe we have recovered the body of Ezedi.

CCTV footage of Ezedi (left in black jacket) near Chelsea Bridge (PA)

We have been in contact with his family to pass on the news.

As you may expect, after a considerable period of time in the strong current of the Thames, formal identification is not possible visually, nor from fingerprints. We will work with the coroner on other ways to complete formal identification, such as DNA testing and dental records. That may take some time.

Ezedi is a convicted sex offender granted asylum in the UK on his third attempt after converting to Christianity (PA)

The Mets investigation into the attack continues and detectives have been carrying out further enquiries. Hundreds of members of the public called the force with information during the hunt, in what police described as an overwhelming show of support.

A 22-year-old man who was previously arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender remains on bail. There have been no more arrests. The Met said, while it continues to keep an open mind, it is not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident at this time.

The area near Tower Pier on the River Thames, London (PA)

In their search for Ezedi, officers raided two addresses linked to him in Newcastle upon Tyne, and also offered a 20,000 reward for anyone with information about his whereabouts.

The victim is no longer sedated and police said they hope to soon be able to speak with her.
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A former personal assistant of Ghislaine Maxwell has settled a High Court libel case after a journalist linked her to Jeffrey Epsteins abuse of a teenage girl in a book.

Emmy Tayler took legal action against international publisher Harper Collins over a passage from the book Perversion Of Justice: The Jeffrey Epstein Story, written by Julie K Brown and published in the UK in July 2021.

Ms Tayler, who worked for Maxwell between 1997 and 2001, claimed that the since-amended book falsely linked her to the sexual abuse of a 14-year-old girl  known as Jane Doe 1  by the billionaire financier in 2005.

A judge previously ruled that a passage in the book linking her to notorious paedophile Epsteins abuse was clearly defamatory, with the case set to go to trial.

But at a hearing in London on Tuesday before Mrs Justice Steyn, Mark Manley, representing Ms Tayler, said the firm had settled the claim after publishing grotesque and defamatory allegations.

He said: The defendant has fully accepted that Ms Tayler was not the young woman who led Jane Doe 1 to Epsteins bedroom, that she was not responsible for Epsteins massage schedule, and that it was incorrect to name her as Maxwells assistant at that time.

Despite her attempts to avoid litigation, Ms Tayler felt forced to issue this claim and incur substantial costs, as well as considerable emotional distress, in part because the physical book was not withdrawn, and in part because the defendant claimed the book was not defamatory of her.

He added: The defendant has recently offered amends which the claimant has accepted.

Jeffrey Epstein (New York State Sex Offender Registry)

Ms Tayler is relieved that finally, albeit some two years after publication of these grotesque and defamatory allegations, that she is today proven to be entirely vindicated and she is glad that HarperCollins has unconditionally apologised.

Ms Tayler did not attend Tuesdays hearing, with the sum of damages not disclosed in court.

Adelaide Lopez, representing HarperCollins, said the company apologised for causing considerable and unwarranted distress and had agreed to pay Ms Tayler damages and legal costs.

Ms Taylers barristers told the court in 2022 that the books original text would make a reader think that she knowingly facilitated Epsteins abuse of the teenage girl at his Palm Beach residence by arranging his massage schedule when his sexual abuse pyramid scheme was in full swing.

But the court heard that Ms Tayler was not employed by Maxwell in 2005 and her alleged involvement in the convicted sex offenders massage schedule and the abuse of the girl was false.

Lawyers for HarperCollins said that distribution of the 448-page book was suspended and a corrected version later published.

In a preliminary judgment in December 2022, Mr Justice Pepperall said the meaning of the passage was defamatory and would tend to have a substantially adverse effect on how people treated Ms Tayler.

Epstein was found dead in his cell at a federal jail in New York City in August 2019 while he awaited trial on sex-trafficking charges. His death was ruled a suicide.

His associate, British socialite Maxwell, was jailed for 20 years in the US in 2022 for luring young girls to massage rooms for him between 1994 and 2004.
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Protesters have gathered outside the High Court in London in support of Julian Assange as the WikiLeaks founder started his last-ditch bid to avoid extradition to the US.

Among those outside the Royal Courts of Justice on Tuesday morning were former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and Mr Assanges wife, Stella, who told a crowd: They just cannot get away with this.

Mr Assange is making a last-ditch appeal at the two-day hearing against being taken to the US, where he faces charges of conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defence information after the publication of intelligence files on WikiLeaks.

US authorities were successful in overturning a UK judges ruling in 2021 stopping Mr Assange from being sent because of a risk of suicide; leaving this weeks hearing as the final chance in the UK appeals process to halt extradition.

Protesters chant in support of Julian Assange ahead of his appeal hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice on Tuesday (AP)

Mr Assange has been held at Belmarsh prison since his arrest inside the Ecuadorian embassy in 2019, after the US indictment against him was unsealed. He had stayed at the embassy in London as he sought asylum to avoid extradition to Sweden on a rape allegation, which was later dropped.

If the Australian fails in his bid for an appeal this week, his legal team has said it will lodge an appeal at the European Court of Human Rights.

Julian Assange pictured in 2017 at the Ecuadorian embassy before his arrest and move to Belmarsh prison in 2019 (AP)

Outside the court on Tuesday morning before the hearing began at 10.30am, protesters gathered with banners reading Free Julian Assange. Golden ribbons were tied to the main fence and the surrounding gates and trees.

On a stage, his wife thanked the supporters and said: Please keep on showing up. Be there for Julian and for us, until Julian is free.

Stella Assange told the crowd: They just cannot get away with this, before the court hearing on Tuesday (AP)

She said: We have two big days ahead, We dont know what to expect, but youre here because the world is watching. They just cannot get away with this. Julian needs his freedom and we all need the truth.

Mr Corbyn said to the crowd: He was telling the truth about what was going on around the world. He was telling the truth about the US involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq. He was also telling the truth about corporate greed and corruption.

Jeremy Corbyn spoke in support of Assange ahead of the hearing (Getty)

Labour MP for Coventry South Zarah Sultana said: We know Julian is being targeted for exposing US war crimes. This isnt just an attack on Julian, this is an attack on journalism, on the free press.

Supporters of Mr Assange say he faces 175 years in prison if extradited to the US. But the US authorities say the 2021 decision to stop him being sent to the US on the risk of suicide would provide a trump card for anyone else.

For updates on the court case, follow our rolling coverage at The Independent.
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A man allegedly strangled a dog owner to death before returning to the scene of the crime to steal his labradoodle, a court has heard.

Ian Connell, 39, is on trial accused of the murder of much-loved Donald Patience, found dead under a duvet cover at his home in Greater Manchester last year.

Greater Manchester Police officers were called out to Mr Patiences house on Ainsworth Road on the morning of 22 August in response to the reports of pet theft  and found the 45-year-olds body while searching the end of terrace property.

Donald Patience, 45, was discovered dead at his home in Greater Manchester last year (GMP)

A postman had contacted 999 after seeing a male figure break into the property, before emerging with a medium-sized, fluffy white dog on a lead,

It was later established that Mr Patience, originally from Scotland, had been dead for several days and is believed to have been killed sometime after 19 August.

Opening the prosecution case on Tuesday, Michael Hayton KC told jurors Mr Patience was an educated man who had access to money, and was preyed upon for his generosity.

Police at the scene on Ainsworth Road (Peter Byrne/PA)

The Crown say it is the reason, in all probability, that he was found deceased and decomposing at the foot of his own stairs by a police officer following a report of a burglary at the property, Mr Hayton said.

Mr Patiences access to money and also perhaps his good nature led to others taking advantage of him, abusing his generosity and using his access to funds.

The Crown say one such person who sought to take advantage in this way was Ian Connell, and money was central to many of the communications between the two men in the lead up to Mr Patiences death.

Shortly before police arrived at the scene, Connell was seen talking to two strangers with the labradoodle, and showed them a hand injury which he said had been inflicted during a row with his girlfriend.

He was detained on suspicion of burglary when one of the responding police officers recognised the labradoodle from a previous interaction with Mr Patience, the court heard. He was found to be in possession of a wallet containing Mr Patiences driving licence and library card.

Flowers left outside the terraced house where Donald Patiences body was found (Peter Byrne/PA)

Mr Hayton said Connell began to tell the first of many lies at the scene and then later in interview following his arrest on suspicion of murder. He told police that Mr Patience had asked him to walk to dog while he was visiting Scotland, despite him being dead for some time.

He also claimed he had found Mr Patience deceased in the property and had attempted to move him upstairs.

A pathologist found that Mr Patience died from a sustained period of pressure to the neck from either some form of ligature or manually by hands.

Mr Hayton said Connell initially stated to detectives that the property in Ashworth Road was his home address and he had lived there for 12 months.

He said he couldnt have killed him because he loved him like a dad or a brother and said he would find who had killed him, the prosecutor said.

He said he lied early in the interview process because of fear. The Crown say the only fear was the fear of being held responsible for what he had done.

At the heart of this case is the question of who killed Donald Patience. The Crown say that the evidence will show that the person responsible is Mr Connell.

A man he left despite the affection he purported to feel for him, a man left decomposing on the floor while he callously went about his day-to-day life.

Connell, from Duke Street, Bolton, appeared at Manchester Crown Court in November when he pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mr Patience. He also denied his manslaughter.

Following his death, the family of Mr Patience, who was affectionately known as Prentice, described him as a much-loved son, brother and father. The labradoodle was recovered into the care of the relevant authority, police said.

The trial, estimated to last two weeks, continues on Wednesday.
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One of the worlds most prolific cybercrime gangs has had its site taken over in a major global operation led by British and American law enforcement.

LockBit, which is believed to have been responsible for ransomware attacks on Royal Mail, Boeing and thousands of others, was targeted in an operation led by the UKs National Crime Agency (NCA), the FBI and Europol.

The international law enforcement coalition of 10 countries hacked the hackers to take down the prolific ransomware site, whose attacks have cost billions in ransomware payments and recovery costs.

Speaking at a press conference in Westminster on Tuesday, NCA director general Graeme Biggar said that LockBit had been the most prolific ransomware group in the last four years and was behind a quarter of recent attacks.

Through our close collaboration, we have hacked the hackers; taken control of their infrastructure, seized their source code and obtained keys that will help victims decrypt their systems, Mr Biggar said, adding: As of today LockBit is effectively redundant. LockBit has been locked out.

LockBit targets have included major companies, governments and public sector bodies  including hospitals and schools. He said the gang had caused enormous harm and cost.

The LockBit website was taken over by law enforcement (PA)

The prolific group prided themselves on their brand and their anonymity, even promising payments of $1,000 to people who got a tattoo of their logo. The groups leader recently offered a $10m reward to anyone who could successfully identify them and demonstrate how they did it and what they do.

But Paul Foster, head of the NCAs cybercrime unit, said the sting means law enforcement now knows who they are and how they operate.

Philip Sellinger, of the US Attorneys Office for the District of New Jersey, where five individuals have been indicted, agreed that the operation shatters the anonymity of LockBit users and affiliates.

He said the US has brought charges against five Russian nationals linked to the group, two of whom are in custody: Mikhail Vasiliev, who is being held in Canada, and Ruslan Magomedovich Astamirov, who is in the US.

The remaining three  Artur Sungatov, Ivan Kondratyev and Mikhail Pavlovich Matveev  are at large.

Two further people have been arrested in Poland and Ukraine and more than 200 cryptocurrency accounts believed to be linked to the group have been frozen, Europol said.

NCA investigators found that the gang did not always delete data even when victims had paid their ransom demands. Meanwhile, the infrastructure supporting LockBits tool that was used to steal data, known as StealBit, based in three countries, has been seized.

It said it has found more than 1,000 decryption keys held by the group and will be contacting UK-based victims to help them recover encrypted data.

National Crime Agency director general Graeme Biggar announced the joint action against LockBit (PA)

The LockBit site was overlaid with a message on Monday evening saying it was now under the control of law enforcement.

The message said the website was under the control of the NCA working in close cooperation with the FBI and the international law enforcement task force, Operation Cronos.

The site had been used by LockBit to sell services, including ransomware, to hackers. These would allow them to breach peoples computer networks. The ransomware-as-a-service group is believed to have been behind a number of high-profile cyberattacks in recent years, including one on Royal Mail last year.

Ransomware is a form of malware that encrypts data and files inside a system and demands a ransom be paid in order to release them.

Home Secretary James Cleverly described the sting as a major blow to the cybercrime gang.

The criminals running LockBit are sophisticated and highly organised but they have not been able to escape the arm of UK law enforcement and our international partners, he said. The UK has severely disrupted their sinister ambitions and we will continue going after criminal groups who target our businesses and institutions.

US Attorney General Merrick B Garland said the crackdown had taken away the keys to their criminal operation.

The NCA targeted LockBit in a joint operation with ten countries, with help from the FBI and Europol (PA)

The National Cyber Security Centre has previously warned that ransomware remains one of the biggest cyber threats facing the UK and urges people and organisations not to pay ransoms if they are targeted.

Although LockBit may try to rebuild, Chris Morgan, analyst from cybersecurity firm ReliaQuest, said the law enforcement action was a significant short-term blow.

Chester Wisniewski, director director of global field CTO at cybersecurity firm Sophos, said the operation was a huge win for law enforcement, but warned that it was unlikely to have fully disrupted LockBit.

LockBit rose to be the most prolific ransomware group since Conti departed the scene in mid-2022. The frequency of their attacks, combined with having no limits to what type of infrastructure they cripple has also made them the most destructive in recent years, he said.

Anything that disrupts their operations and sows distrust amongst their affiliates and suppliers is a huge win for law enforcement.

We shouldnt celebrate too soon though. Much of their infrastructure is still online, which likely means it is outside the grasp of the police and the criminals have not been reported to have been apprehended.

Even if we dont always get a complete victory, imposing disruption, fuelling their fear of getting caught and increasing the friction of operating their criminal syndicate is still a win.

We must continue to band together to raise their costs ever higher until we can put all of them where they belong: in jail.
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Police are hunting a knife attacker after a suspected stabbing took place in a shopping centre in east London.

The victim was reportedly stabbed in the back, with the emergency services called to The Brewery at 12.53pm on Tuesday.

Video footage circulating on social media showed shoppers being evacuated and taken outside shortly after the incident unfolded.

The Met Police believe the stabbing occurred inside a stairwell at The Brewery, with the male victim taken to hospital. The police are currently awaiting an update on his condition.

Have you been affected by this incident? Email holly.evans@independent.co.uk

A manhunt has been launched to locate the suspect, and a crime scene remains in place.

A spokesperson for the Met said: Police were called at 12:53hrs on Tuesday, 20 February to reports of an injured man at The Brewery, Romford.

Officers and London Ambulance Service [LAS] attended. At the scene witnesses reported seeing a man with a knife injury to the back.

Following a local search officer found the victim [no further details]. He was taken to an east London hospital. We await an update on his condition.

At this early stage we believe that the stabbing took place inside the stairwell at the Brewery. Enquiries are ongoing to identify and locate the suspect. A crime scene is in place.

Shoppers were evacuated and a crime scene remains in place (Google Maps)

In a statement, David Taylor, a local councillor for St Edwards Ward, said: I am horrified to hear of another stabbing in Romford, my prayers are with the victim and their family, as well as all those who will be feeling afraid on hearing the news.

In moments like this, we must pull together as a town and look out for those around us. Our town is full of amazing people, and amazing police, who I know will be doing all they can right now.

We are hearing about incidents like this on an increasingly regular basis, so I have reached out to community leaders to arrange an urgent Knife-Crime summit. We will announce details on this as soon as possible.

It is my belief that we can turn Romford around and make this a great place to live. Enough is enough.

Anyone who witnessed this incident or has footage should call police on 101 quoting 3260/20FEB.
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Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron saw some of the Falkland Islands famous penguins on his second day in the overseas territory.

On a walk around Gypsy Cove, the Foreign Secretary saw a small group of Magellanic penguins in the dunes and a pod of dolphins swimming in the waters below the windswept footpath.

He chatted to children involved in a local conservation group, who persuaded him to try a piece of edible grass growing along the coast.

It tastes like celery, the Foreign Secretary said, before offering the stem to the youngsters to try  they all declined.

During his visit, he also met members of a Zimbabwean demining team who had helped make the area safe by clearing munitions left over from the 1982 war.

The shadow of the Falklands War continues to hang over UK-Argentine relations, with Lord Cameron saying he hoped the islanders would want to remain British forever.

The wildlife of the Falklands is one of the major drivers behind the growth of tourism to the islands.

Lord Cameron began his day with a bracing dip in the chilly waters of the South Atlantic.

The former prime ministers visit to the Falkland Islands is the first by a foreign secretary since 1994 and the first by any Cabinet minister since 2016.

Speaking in the Falklands capital Stanley on Monday night following a wreath-laying ceremony to honour those killed in the 1982 war, he played down suggestions from the Argentinian President Javier Milei that there could be a negotiation on the future of the UK overseas territory.

Lord Cameron said: Let me be absolutely clear: as far as we are concerned, as long as the Falkland Islands want to be part of the UK family, they are absolutely welcome to be part of that family and we will support them and back them and help protect and defend them absolutely, as far as Im concerned, for as long as they want.

And I hope thats for a very, very long time, possibly forever.

The shadow of the Falklands War hangs over UK-Argentine relations, but Lord Cameron and Mr Milei had a warm and cordial meeting at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January, although on the issue of the islands, the Foreign Office said they would agree to disagree, and do so politely.

Lord Cameron told reporters in Stanley: Now of course we want to have good relations with Buenos Aires, with the Argentine government.

The new government, I think, have taken some positive steps and well have good relations with them, but it will never be at the expense of the wishes of the Falkland Islanders, who in our view absolutely come first in this manner.

Lord Cameron also faced questions about the UKs attitude towards energy policy in the Falklands  which has potential for both renewable development and the exploitation of oil reserves.

The Foreign Secretary said the Falklands were making some great steps in terms of renewable energy, particularly in terms of wind power, and also solar power, and so we very much back you in that.

But he added: We think other countries, if they can responsibly extract hydrocarbons, that can be part of (net) zero, because of course were still going to need oil and gas in the short term while we transition. I think thats an important point to make. Its net zero, not zero.

He indicated the UK could be prepared to back the Falkland Islands government to use its own financial clout and borrowing power to support oil exploration.

Later on Tuesday he will travel on to Paraguay, where he will be the first UK Foreign Secretary ever to visit the country.

Following his visit to Paraguay, the Foreign Secretary is then due to attend a meeting of G20 counterparts  including Russias Sergei Lavrov  in Brazil on Wednesday.

Russias actions in Ukraine will also be the subject of a United Nations session in New York later in the week which Lord Cameron will attend.
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The Body Shop is set to close nearly half of its 198 shops across the UK after falling into administration last week.

The cosmetic chain is also set to cut around 270 head office roles as part of a heavy restructuring.

On Tuesday, it was announced half of The Body Shops branches would be closing for good, with seven - including four in London - shutting immediately.

The Body Shop will close seven shops for good on Tuesday (Getty Images)

Administrators FRP said last week: The Body Shop remains guided by its ambition to be a modern, dynamic beauty brand, relevant to customers and able to compete for the long term. Creating a more nimble and financially stable UK business is an important step in achieving this.

The Body Shop has faced an extended period of financial challenges under past owners, coinciding with a difficult trading environment for the wider retail sector.

The Body Shop (Getty Images)

The retailer was founded in 1976 by Anita Roddick and her husband Gordon and was one of the first companies to promote so-called ethical consumerism, focusing on ethically produced cosmetics and skincare products.

It comes only weeks after new owners, European private equity firm Aurelius, took control of the business. Aurelius, which specialises in buying and turning around troubled firms, secured a 207m deal in November to buy The Body Shop from Brazilian cosmetics giant Natura &Co.

It only took control of operations officially on 1 January.

The business employed around 10,000 people worldwide at the time of the takeover.

Aurelius agreed a deal late last month to sell the companys operations in most of mainland Europe and in parts of Asia to an international family office in a decisive step towards delivering a strong turnaround strategy at The Body Shop.

Heres the full list of shops closing immediately:
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An island off the north east coast of England, home to around 200,000 seabirds, is to reopen to tourists in the spring after closing two years ago.

The Farne Islands, off the Northumberland coast, are an internationally important habitat for 23 species including puffins, Arctic terns, guillemots and razorbills.

They are also popular with tourists with birds returning to the island to breed at the end of March each year before departing at the end of the summer.

However, two years ago the National Trust stopped boats of visitors landing on the islands after an outbreak of bird flu, with rangers collecting more than 6,000 dead birds.

But now, with the number of birds infected appearing to have gone down, the trust is reopening one of the islands - Inner Farne - to visitors from 25 March.

Puffins are among the birds which breed in the colony on Inner Farne (Nick Upton/National Trust Images.)

The island has no permanent population, but rangers from its owner National Trust are based there for nine months of the year. It was once a monastic cell of Benedictine monks before King Henry VIIIs dissolution of monasteries.

Sophia Jackson, area ranger for the National Trust said: We have been closely monitoring the impact of the disease on our breeding populations as part of international research into bird flu.

This has shown that the disease has had devasting impacts on some species and at some UK sites making our conservation efforts all the more important.

Like at other sites, it seems that the disease has declined in our birds, although we will continue to closely monitor them as the breeding season starts again.

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She added that the trust would continue to work with groups like the British Trust for Ornithology and Royal Society for the Protection of Birds to restrict the impact of the disease on the birds.

In December, The Wildlife Trusts said the virus, which emerged from a Chinese poultry farm in the 1990s, had had a devastating impact on UK seabirds last year.

Boat companies take visitors from Seahorses Harbour near Holy Island and Berwick-upon-Tweed to the island. Visitors get an unparalleled close-up views of the incredible wildlife that inhabits the islands, says the National Trust.

Laura Knowles, visitor operations and experience manager for the National Trust said: We cant wait to welcome visitors and to share the wonderful wildlife of the island up close once again.

The news has been welcomed by boat tour operators. Andrew Douglas, of Serenity Farne Island Boat Tours, told Chronicle Live: Im relieved, its just a massive weight off your shoulders, and its something less to worry about.

And its not just me, its the B&Bs, the hotels, its the shops, its everything. When people arent coming in as much, it has a massive knock-on effect.
As result of dropping of explosives from drone in Novoslobidsk community in Sumy region, five civilians probably killed

As a result of shelling by Russian occupation forces in Novoslobidsk community, a hit was recorded in a residential building in which there were five civilians, Novoslobidsk village council said.

"Today, February 20, starting at 04.00, Russian terrorists began shelling the civilian population of the community, first with drones and then with artillery. A drone with explosives hit a residential building in which there were five civilian residents of the village. As a result of the hit, the house was destroyed and there was a fire," the village council said in a Facebook post on Tuesday.

The rubble is reportedly being cleared and search efforts are continuing.

"We express our condolences to the families and friends of the victims," the council said.
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The Home Office has sacked the independent chief inspector for borders and immigration after he criticised the UK Border Force over alleged security failings.

A Home Office spokesperson said that the independent chief inspector, David Neal, had breached the terms of appointment and lost the confidence of the home secretary. They added that the planned recruitment process for his replacement was underway.

Mr Neal warned on Tuesday of dangerous failings by border force that he claimed were allowing high-risk aircraft to land in Britain without security checks.

He said that checks were not being carried out on hundreds of private jets arriving at London City airport. He said that the lapse in security risked organised criminals being able to bring gang members and contraband into the country. Foreign nationals with no right to enter the UK may also have been smuggled in, he said.

He told the Daily Mail: This is a scandal, and incredibly dangerous for this countrys border security. There should now be a rapid independent inspection of general aviation across the country.

Independent inspector of borders and immigration Neal has been sacked by the Home Office (ICIBI Corporate Services)

The Home Office had categorically rejected the claims, saying that Mr Neal has chosen to put misleading data into the public domain. They said there was a specific issue with the way data was recorded at London City airport, which meant high-risk flights should have been classified as low-risk.

Mr Neal was informed on Tuesday that his appointment would be immediately terminated. His term was due to end on 21 March 2024.

Mr Neal had also spoken publicly about abuse of the care worker visa on Monday, revealing that the Home Office had issued 275 visas to a care home that did not exist.

He has submitted 14 reports to the Home Office but they remain unpublished, according to the government website. Despite his role as an independent inspector, the Home Office has power over when the reports are made public.

Mr Neals reappointment as chief inspector of borders and immigration had already been blocked despite his predecessors serving two full three-year terms in post.

He recently expressed concerns that the Home Office had not yet found a replacement, meaning that there will likely be no independent inspector as ministers try to force through their controversial Rwanda policy.

Home secretary James Cleverly has sacked the independent immigration inspector (PA)

Mr Neal had said it was scandalous that such a critical position at a time of such importance for the country is being left vacant.

Yvette Cooper MP, Labours shadow home secretary, responding to news that the government had sacked the chief inspector for borders and immigration, said: This is total Tory chaos on borders and immigration.

A series of conservative home secretaries have sought to bury uncomfortable truths revealed by the chief inspector about our broken borders, and shockingly they are still sitting on 15 unpublished reports  stretching back to April last year. The home secretary must now publish those reports in full.

The conservatives have lost control of our borders, are seeking to hide the truth, and are putting border security at risk.

Ms Coopers office is understood to be including the inspectors annual report in the total number of unpublished reports.

Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesperson Alistair Carmichael MP called on the government to publish these reports without delay, saying ministers were terrified of proper scrutiny.

Alison Thewliss, SNP MP and member of the home affairs committee, said: David Neal did a diligent job holding the Home Office to account, but various home secretaries repeatedly failed to respond to his reports or take on his recommendations.
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A minister repeatedly raised concerns about potential war crimes committed by UK special forces in Afghanistan with senior figures within the Ministry of Defence  telling Ben Wallace something stinks  and was unable to disprove an alleged cover-up of killings when he investigated.

Veterans minister Johnny Mercer was speaking to an inquiry into dozens of killings of Afghan civilians by the SAS between 2010 and 2013. He told the inquiry on Tuesday that he did not want to believe reports that the elite British soldiers had killed unarmed Afghans, but he was unable to find something to disprove these allegations.

He said that when he investigated the matter with the senior figures within UK special forces (UKSF) they were unable to answer basic questions and he did not believe them.

When he was a junior minister in the Ministry of Defence from 2019, Mr Mercer raised concerns about rumours of potential UKSF crimes with the director of judicial engagement policy with the MoD, Peter Ryan, the chief of defence staff, Nick Carter, and the secretary of state for defence Ben Wallace.

Minister Johnny Mercer said senior figures within the UK special forces failed to probe claims of war crimes (PA)

He said that the chief of defence staff and the secretary of defence tasked him with getting to the bottom of it.

Mr Mercer told the independent investigation he was aware of allegations against a special forces unit, known to the inquiry as UKSF1, from as far back as 2009.

When he tried to investigate the claims during his time as a junior minister, he found that there was a lack of professional curiosity to get to the bottom of it.

The director of special forces and the chief of general staff also assured Mr Mercer that the allegations were untrue, the veterans minister told the inquiry.

He said the director of special forces did not have the professional curiosity that I expected him to have. He said he became concerned about why senior figures within the MoD could not provide evidence to disprove the allegations.

Members of UKSF have been accused of killing unarmed Afghans, planting weapons on them, falsifying reports and then covering up the crimes.

Mr Mercer then told Mr Wallace that he did not believe the director of special forces and the chief of general staff, telling him: Something stinks.

He added: I was very clear that there should be something to refute these allegations, just something. The absence of anything is what pricks your conscience.

Mr Mercer said he was also told that there was no full motion video available of certain special forces operations that were under investigation. This was something that was not plausible because operations had to be recorded on full motion video, Mr Mercer said.

The veterans minister raised his concerns about the lack of video records to Mr Wallace and the director of special forces, the inquiry heard. Mr Wallace repeatedly told me there was no new evidence, Mr Mercer added.

The inquiry will examine whether special forces had a policy of executing males of fighting age who posed no threat in Afghanistan between 2010 and 2013.

Afghan families have accused UK special forces of conducting a campaign of murder against civilians, while senior officers and personnel at the MoD sought to prevent adequate investigation.

Tessa Gregory, lawyer on behalf of the Afghan families, said: Today we have learned that, whilst the secretary of state for defence was telling the court in proceedings brought by our clients that there was nothing to see, a serving minister was raising allegations of the gravest nature.

The bereaved families urge all those with relevant information to come forward to assist the inquiry in ascertaining the truth.

No charges were brought under Operation Northmoor - which was set up in 2014 to examine allegations of executions by special forces, including those of children.

A further RMP investigation, codenamed Operation Cestro, saw three soldiers referred to the Service Prosecuting Authority, but none of them were prosecuted.

The inquiry continues.
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Julian Assanges brother has said the WikiLeaks founders health is deteriorating in Belmarsh Prison as he prepares to face his final bid for appeal against extradition to the US.

Assange, 51, has been held in Londons high-security Belmarsh Prison for almost five years while US authorities seek to extradite him to face trial on espionage charges linked to the publication of hundreds of thousands of documents relating to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.

In a January 2021 ruling, then-district judge Vanessa Baraitser said that Assange should not be extradited, but authorities in the US subsequently brought a successful challenge against this decision.

Lawyers for deeply controversial figure Assange will now ask for the go-ahead to challenge the original judges dismissal of other parts of his case against extradition.

Speaking as the hearing kicked off at the High Court, Assanges brother, Gabriel Shipton, said the WikiLeaks founder was going through an immense amount of suffering while being held in prison and said his health was deteriorating.

Mr Shipton told TalkTV: Hes suffering in there. Hes going through immense amount of suffering. Hes deteriorating, his health is in a very delicate position.

Assange, 51, has been held in Londons high security Belmarsh Prison for almost five years while US authorities seek to extradite him to face trial on espionage charges (PA)

Going to see him in prison is absolutely heartbreaking, Mr Shipton added. Its really heartbreaking to see him in there for telling the truth.

The Wikileaks founder is wanted on 18 charges by the US government, which accuses him of conspiring to hack into military databases to acquire sensitive information.

Speaking at a press conference last week, his wife Stella Assange said that if the appeal bid is unsuccessful, Assange would apply to the European Court of Human Rights for a Rule 39 order to stop extradition while it considers his case.

His supporters say the Australian national faces 175 years in prison if he is extradited.

During their earlier successful challenge, lawyers for the US authorities said Judge Baraitsers decision risked becoming a trump card for anyone who wanted to oppose their extradition.

They also said that four binding diplomatic assurances had been made, including that the US would consent to Assange being transferred to Australia, where he was born, to serve any prison sentence he may be given.

The editor who worked closely with Julian Assange on the WikiLeaks story wrote HERE about his right to freedom.
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Watch a view of the High Court in London, where protesters have gathered, as Julian Assanges legal challenge against extradition to the US begins on Tuesday 20 February.

The WikiLeaks founder is wanted in the US over an alleged conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defence information following the publication of hundreds of thousands of leaked documents relating to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.

In a January 2021 ruling, then-district judge Vanessa Baraitser said that Mr Assange should not be sent to the US, citing a real and oppressive risk of suicide, while ruling against the 52-year-old on all other issues.

US authorities subsequently brought a successful challenge against this decision, paving the way for his extradition.

Lawyers for Mr Assange, who has been held in Belmarsh prison in south-east London, will now ask the High Court in London for the go-ahead to challenge the original judges dismissal of other parts of his case against extradition.

The hearing comes after High Court judge Mr Justice Swift first refused to give Mr Assange the green light to appeal  without a hearing  last June.
 Close No evidence Julian Assange's WikiLeaks publication harmed anyone, lawyer claims

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Julian Assange put people at grave and imminent risk by including the names of people who helped the US in unredacted classified documents which he indiscriminately and knowingly published to the world, a court has heard.

The WikiLeaks founder failed to appear in the High Court for a second day running in his long-standing battle against extradition to the US, where he is accused of leaking confidential military secrets.

The 52-year-old Australian, who faces 17 charges of espionage and one of computer misuse, is wanted by US authorities over an alleged conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defence information following the publication of hundreds of thousands of leaked documents relating to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.

His lawyers said that if extradited, he would face a flagrant denial of justice by prejudiced judges, and was being prosecuted for ordinary journalistic practice.

A judge ruled in 2021 that Assange should not be sent to the US, given there was a real risk of suicide, but ruled against him on all other issues.

Assange, who is in Belmarsh jail in London, is now seeking permission to challenge the judges dismissal of other parts of his case.

Read the events from court today below:
Prince William has made a rare intervention into foreign policy to express his deep concern over the terrible human cost of the war in Gaza, calling for an end to the fighting between Israel and Hamas as soon as possible.

Warning that too many have been killed since Hamass massacre on 7 October, the heir to the throne pushed at the traditional diplomatic boundaries of his royal role as he stressed the importance of achieving a permanent peace in the region.

Downing Street welcomed the Prince of Waless intervention and claimed his pleas were consistent with Rishi Sunaks own position on the conflict, with No 10 insisting Britain was speaking with one voice as a nation.
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Around a third of women steer clear of going to the doctors because of anxiety and embarrassment, according to troubling new research.

Leading gender equality charity The Fawcett Society says the study also found that almost two thirds of women in the UK warn their health problems are not taken seriously. Around a third of women reported enduring poorer health due to their gender.

Researchers for the not-for-profit healthcare provider Benenden Health which partnered with The Fawcett Society for the study, discovered almost six in ten of those women report a negative encounter with a healthcare professional and a third say they were given a late diagnosis.

The study, which polled 10,000 women in the UK, found a third of those women who fear experiencing worse health as a result of their gender have been given a wrong diagnosis. Meanwhile, a quarter say they were placed on the wrong medication.

Jemima Olchawski, chief executive of The Fawcett Society, said: Research like this shows just how much work there is still to be done in even just beginning to understand how stark inequality is in the UK today, and in ways that can seem invisible.

Its time for change. The current system doesnt work for anyone: women are being let down and the cost to business is enormous.

Rowan Connell, Benenden Healths medical director and consultant gynaecologist, added: The findings of our research paint a concerning look at womens health in the UK, but its a reality that, as a society, we cannot shy away from.

It comes after The Independent reported on exclusive research revealing a third of those with a womens health condition have been made to wait three years or longer for a diagnosis.

Researchers from King Edward VIIs Hospital, an independent charitable hospital, found half of those women took a year or more to be given their diagnosis - with gynaecologists warning delays are harming womens mental health and placing their physical health at risk.

Many experts stress scientific research has long overlooked womens bodies - with many conditions that only affect women receiving less funding. There are also a number of studies that show womens pain is often taken far less seriously than that of men.

The data demonstrates that women are not only forced to spend longer waiting in emergency departments than men, but are also less likely to be prescribed effective painkillers.
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Greeces prime minister insisted Tuesday that the rule of law in the country was stronger than ever, despite mounting criticism from press freedom and human rights groups.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis blamed political opponents for the criticism of his center-right government and argued that the country was at the center of a slander (campaign).

He hosted Roberta Metsola, the European Parliament president, who is touring European Union capitals ahead of elections to the EU's legislative branch in June.

Earlier this month, 17 human rights and press freedom organizations including Human Rights Watch and the Committee to Protect Journalists, wrote to the European Commission to voice concerns about Greece. Their letter cited multiple accounts and allegations that the government has targeted or failed to protect journalists, activists and human rights campaigners from attacks using spyware, coercive law suits, and obstructive regulations.

Similar complaints were made in a resolution approved by the European Parliament on Feb. 7.

Mitsotakis maintained that domestic opponents of his government were tarnishing Greece's reputation in order to attack him.

It seems a little odd that certain forces in our country, which once used the most anti-European, populist slogans, suddenly present themselves as the defenders of justice and democratic values and justice, he said, in an apparent reference to Greece's left-wing opposition.

He cited Greeces recent adoption of same-sex marriage legislation and plans to introduce a postal vote as evidence of the countrys improving record.

Rule of law issues are receiving additional attention in EU member states ahead of the June elections, as established political parties fight off challenges from populist rivals across the bloc.

Metsola said her tour was designed to boost public confidence in EU institutions as well as voter participation  noting that rule-of-law issues formed a foundation of public trust.

We want to discuss these issues honestly, and we need to be careful not to politicize or weaponize important discussions on the rule of law, she said.

Metsola later spoke at the Greek parliament and was due to hold a town hall meeting with young people to discuss the June elections.

___

Theodora Tongas in Athens, Greece contributed.

___

Follow APs coverage of democracy at: https://apnews.com/hub/democracy
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Sir Keir Starmer has called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza in a bid to stave off a mass Labour rebellion, warning: We need the fighting to stop now.

Ahead of a crunch vote in the Commons on Wednesday, the Labour leader met with his shadow cabinet to discuss whether to order MPs to vote for an SNP-led motion which will call for an immediate ceasefire in the conflict in the Middle East.

After the meeting, the party published an amendment to the motion which backs an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, but makes it conditional on Hamas downing its weapons and releasing and returning all hostages.

A Labour spokesperson said: We need a massive humanitarian aid programme for Gaza. And any military action in Rafah cannot go ahead.

Labour leader Keir Starmer (PA)

There needs to be an end to violence on all sides. Israelis have the right to the security that the horror of October 7th cannot happen again.

We want the fighting to stop now. We also have to be clear on how we prevent the violence starting up again. There will be no lasting peace without a diplomatic process that delivers a two-state solution, with a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable Palestinian state.

Sir Keir had been warned ahead of Wednesdays vote that he faced the biggest rebellion of his Labour leadership so far.

It came just months after the Labour leader suffered a blow as 56 Labour MPs, including 10 frontbenchers, broke ranks to vote with the SNP for an immediate ceasefire.

Labours amendment to the SNP motion stresses that a threatened Israeli ground offensive in Rafah, where 1.5 million Palestinians are taking shelter, risks catastrophic humanitarian consequences and therefore must not take place.

It also notes the intolerable loss of Palestinian life and condemns the terrorism of Hamas, who continue to hold hostages.

But the key difference between Labours amendment and the SNP motion is a caveat that states Israel cannot be expected to cease fighting if Hamas continues with violence. It adds: Israelis have the right to the assurance that the horror of 7 October cannot happen again.

Shadow Scotland secretary Ian Murray wrote to the SNPs Westminster leader Stephen Flynn urging his party to get behind the amendment.

I hope you will accept our balanced and wide-ranging amendment in good faith before the debate tomorrow so we can all turn our attention to working for the house to speak with one voice, he said.

And Mr Flynn said Labours support for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza is welcome  claiming credit for having forced the party into the position.

He added: Weve been Westminsters conscience on the brutality unfolding in Gaza. Our calls for an immediate ceasefire have been clear and consistent.

Through parliamentary pressure we have inserted a backbone into the Labour Party.

Jess Phillips, who quit the Labour frontbench over the ceasefire vote in November, has said she hopes her party and the SNP can agree the wording of a motion calling for a ceasefire in Gaza ahead of a debate in the Commons on Wednesday.

Speaking at an event in London, she said: This isnt an issue of contention between the SNP and the Labour Party.

The Labour Party wants an immediate ceasefire, the SNP want an immediate ceasefire, why on earth wouldnt we work together today to show unity in the face of horror and crisis, and then all vote for the same motion together?

Hope springs eternal that that will happen, and by hope I mean I doubt theres any chance, but thats what I would be seeking to do.

Ms Phillips added: It would be good if the Labour Party and the SNP came out today with an agreed set of words that we wished parliament to be tested against, and not the MPs to be tested against, but parliament, the British representatives and how we feel about this situation.

And Labour MP Clive Betts, who defied the leadership to vote in favour of the last SNP-led vote, welcomed the party's call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

The Sheffield South East MP told BBC Radio 4s World at One programme he thinks Labour will now unite behind the amendment.

He said: "It goes on to say, and it's really important this, that we want to work for a two-state solution, which [Israeli PM Benjamin] Netanyahu has rejected.

"So, there's a major challenge there. We say that the Palestinians have a right to statehood, an inalienable right of the Palestinian people. It's not in anyone's gift to allow them to have their own country.

"That's a really firm, strong statement, which I think the party will unite behind absolutely. I think many, many people ... will see that as a really strong commitment from Labour."

The Labour amendment still had critics on the left, with Diane Abbott, who is suspended by the party, describing it as full of weasel words.

She added: If Starmer really wanted a ceasefire he would table a simple amendment saying that. Instead, he tables one full of weasel words.

It gets Labour MPs under pressure off the hook, but means he can say afterwards his position has not changed.
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Ministers in David Camerons administration were told that Post Office bosses had dropped a secret investigation that may have helped to prove postmasters innocence while continuing to deny that the Horizon computer system was faulty, it has been claimed.

A 2016 internal investigation into how and why cash accounts on the Horizon IT system had been tampered with  which spanned 17 years of records  was suddenly dropped after postmasters began legal action.

According to the BBC, ministers in Lord Camerons administration were told Post Office bosses had dropped the inquiry  while denying Horizon computer system was faulty.

Despite the investigation, the organisation still argued in court, two years later, that it was impossible for Fujitsu to remotely access subpostmaster accounts.

More than 700 branch managers were prosecuted by the Post Office between 1999 and 2015 after faulty Horizon accounting software made it look as though money was missing from their shops.

Hundreds of subpostmasters and subpostmistresses are still awaiting compensation despite the government announcing that those who have had convictions quashed are eligible for 600,000 payouts.

David Cameron was in No 10 when an internal investigation into the Horizon system was dropped (PA)

But the latest revelations raise questions as to how long ministers had been aware of the possibility of remote access and why the government did nothing to prevent the Post Office from saying that Fujitsu could not alter branch managers accounts.

Documents obtained by the BBC show how the secret 2016 investigation into Fujitsus use of remote access had come out of a review by former top Treasury lawyer Jonathan Swift QC, which had been approved by the then-business secretary Sajid Javid.

But in June that year, when sub-postmasters launched their legal action, the government was told through Post Office minister Baroness Neville-Rolfe that the investigation had been scrapped on very strong advice from the senior barrister representing them.

There is no evidence in the documents that then-prime minister Mr Cameron personally knew about the investigation or that it had been ditched.

A spokesperson for Lord Cameron pointed to his previous comments saying he could not remember being briefed about the Horizon scandal while he was prime minister.

The foreign secretary, who was in No 10 between 2010 and 2016, said in January: I dont recall in any detail being briefed or being aware of the scale of this issue.

He added that anyone who was involved in government over the last two decades had to be extremely sorry for the miscarriage of justice

The revelations follow a series of explosive interactions between the former Post Office chair, Henry Staunton, and business secretary, Kemi Badenoch.

Mr Staunton accused Ms Kemi Badenoch of making an astonishing series of claims and mischaracterisations after she told MPs he had spread made-up anecdotes following his dismissal.

The former Post Office boss has said that he had been told to stall compensation payouts for postmasters affected by the Horizon scandal.

In a statement to the Commons, the business secretary said there was no evidence whatsoever of his account and branded it a blatant attempt to seek revenge for his sacking.

She also claimed he was being investigated over bullying allegations before he was fired as chair, and that concerns were raised about his willingness to cooperate with the probe.

Hitting back later on Monday, a spokesperson for Mr Staunton said Ms Badenoch had made an astonishing series of claims about the saga.

Business secretary Kemi Badenoch rejected what Henry Staunton said in an interview with The Sunday Times (PA)

In a statement given to reporters, they said he had recorded the comment about delaying compensation at the time in a file note which he emailed to himself and to colleagues and which is therefore traceable on the Post Office server.

About the alleged bullying investigation, the spokesperson said: This is the first time the existence of such allegations has been mentioned and Mr Staunton is not aware of any aspect of his conduct which could give rise to such allegations.

They were certainly not raised by the secretary of state at any stage, and certainly not during the conversation which led to Mr Stauntons dismissal. Such behaviour would in any case be totally out of character.

Downing Street backed Ms Badenochs statement in parliament in which she said there had been an investigation into bullying allegations against Mr Staunton. A spokesperson for the prime minister confirmed the statement was cleared with No 10.

The prime ministers official spokesperson also urged the Post Office to share a note Mr Staunton claims proves he was given a so-called go slow order to delay compensation to postmasters.

If such a note exists, we obviously would encourage the Post Office to share it so it can be investigated and we can take any action thats necessary, he added.

Mr Staunton, who was sacked by the business secretary last month, had used a Sunday Times interview to suggest that the alleged request to delay payouts was linked to concerns about the cost of Horizon scandal compensation heading into the election.

Ms Badenoch had said allegations relating to Mr Stauntons conduct, including serious matters such as bullying, were being examined.

Speaking in the Commons, she also described it as so disappointing that hes chosen to spread a series of falsehoods, provide made-up anecdotes to journalists, and leak discussions held in confidence.

Ms Badenoch said it had confirmed in her mind that I made the correct decision in dismissing him.

Ministers are facing questions following the claims by the former Post Office chair (PA)

For Labour, shadow business secretary Jonathan Reynolds said ministers must ensure claims the government had looked to stall Horizon compensation payments are shown to be false in no uncertain terms.

He said: Yet we do now have two completely contrasting accounts, one from the chair of the Post Office, and one from the secretary of state, and only one of these accounts can be the truth.

Ms Badenoch reiterated her denial of the claims. On Monday she said: There would be no benefit whatsoever of us delaying compensation.

This does not have any significant impact on revenues whatsoever. It would be a mad thing to even suggest, and the compensation scheme which Mr Staunton oversaw has actually been completed, and my understanding is 100 per cent of payments have been made, so clearly no instruction was given.

Chair of the business committee Liam Byrne told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: What we could do without right now is a war of words between the secretary of state and the former chairman, what we really need is ministers writing checks to the hundreds of subpostmasters who need redress, and theyve been waiting for too long.

Mr Byrne said he hopes to be able to obtain a contemporaneous note Mr Staunton kept after being given the so-called go slow order.

He added: Yesterday I invited Mr Staunton to come before the committee next week, and today we will be sending for the papers that we need to try and get to the truth.

Crucially, well be sending for that note that Mr Staunton says he made that sets out the go slow order that he says he received from senior civil servants but which the secretary of state professed no knowledge of yesterday.

Environment secretary Steve Barclay has given his backing to the business secretary and said that the government is focused on securing justice for subpostmasters caught up in the Horizon scandal.

Environment secretary Steve Barclay has defended the business minister (PA)

He told Times Radio that Ms Badenoch is someone who has an absolute commitment to doing the right thing by those who have suffered what is one of the biggest miscarriages of justice that our country has seen, and also in terms of the importance of statements to the House of Commons. That is something that any minister making a statement takes extremely seriously.

Asked if he believed Ms Badenoch, he replied: Yes.
Sweden will send Ukraine a new military aid package worth SEK 7.1 billion ($680 million), it will become the largest tranche allocated by Stockholm since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, Bloomberg said on Tuesday, citing Swedish Minister of Defense Pal Jonson.

The aid package will include a variety of weapons, including grenade launchers and 155mm artillery rounds. It includes financial resources for Ukraine to ensure further purchases, including armored vehicles.

Jonson said, taking into account the upcoming assistance, Sweden will provide military assistance to Ukraine in the amount of $2.9 billion, including the Archer artillery system and Leopard 2 tanks.
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Rishi Sunak faces the prospect of yet another nightmare by-election after an MP caught up in a lobbying scandal lost an appeal against a 35-day suspension.

Blackpool South MP Scott Benton had the Conservative whip suspended last year after he was caught offering to lobby ministers and leaking confidential information in return for payment, following a sting by The Times.

The House of Commons committee on standards found the MP had given the impression he was corrupt and for sale after he was secretly filmed saying he could table parliamentary questions and provide behind the scenes information for up to 4,000 a month.

The report recommended that Mr Benton have the whip removed and be suspended for 35 days, which would trigger a recall petition in his constituency.

Scott Benton lost his appeal and faces a by-election after he was caught offering to lobby ministers on behalf of gambling investors (PA)

Mr Benton had submitted an appeal to the committees Independent Expert Panel (IEP), but on Tuesday it announced that the decision has been upheld, meaning the MP faces a recall petition that would pave the way for a by-election.

The IEP stated in its report that Mr Bentons behaviour falls within the class of conduct that would cause significant damage to the reputation and integrity of the House of Commons as a whole and its members generally and a serious sanction is appropriate.

The finding means MPs will now vote on whether to implement the recommended suspension which, if supported, would trigger a recall petition and a potential by-election in Mr Bentons seat if 10 per cent of his constituents sign the petition.

The prospect presents yet another headache for Mr Sunak as the Tories would be almost certain to lose the seat.

Mr Benton won the seat from Labour in 2019 with a 3,690-majority, but Labours recent by-election victories suggest this would be an easy win for the party.

Rishi Sunak faced two recent by-election losses as Labour overturned Conservative majorities in Kingswood and Wellingborough (PA)

Last week, Labour won the seat of Wellingborough from the Conservatives  overturning a majority of more than 18,000 in the largest swing from the Tories to Labour since 1994.

The Conservatives have now lost 10 by-elections since 2019  the highest number of Tory losses in one parliamentary term since the Second World War.

Voters will take to the polls again next week in Rochdale as constituents vote for a new MP to replace the late Sir Tony Lloyd.

Labour called on Mr Benton to resign immediately rather than wait for the outcome of any recall petition.

Jonathan Ashworth, shadow paymaster general, responding to Mr Bentons appeal, said: Scott Benton should do the decent thing and resign, saving the people of Blackpool South a lengthy recall petition that would leave them without the representation they deserve.

This is yet another by-election caused by Tory scandal. Britain deserves better than this carousel of Conservative chaos.

Labours Chris Webb is Blackpool born and bred, and ready to deliver a fresh start for Blackpool South.

Mr Benton said he was deeply disappointed that his appeal had been rejected and renewed his criticism of the Commons committee on standards.

He said: I am deeply disappointed by the decision of the appeal panel to uphold the standards committees unjust findings against me.

The entire process has been prone to regular leaks at every stage, with journalists knowing the details throughout. This lack of integrity throughout the process has formed an inescapable appearance of bias.

Mr Benton claimed the independent panel had ignored evidence that the result of the investigation into him had been leaked to the press and other obvious flaws in the inquiry.

He added: It goes without saying that the standards process is designed to be open, fair, honest and transparent so the public and MPs can have trust in it.

These events clearly mean that this trust has been breached by members of the committee and/or its administrative staff, and create an inevitable perception of partiality.
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Adam Montgomery said that authorities were wasting their time as a multi-state search for his daughters remains unfolded in late 2022, according to the recording of a call played during his New Hampshire trial.

The prosecution rested its case on Tuesday in Montgomerys ongoing trial in Manchester. Mongomery, who conceded to two lesser charges of abuse of a corpse and falsifying information earlier this month, faces one count of second-degree murder in connection with five-year-old Harmony Montgomerys death.

According to key testimony from Montgomerys estranged wife Kayla Montgomery, he repeatedly hit the little girl in the head on 7 December 2019 after she soiled herself. Montgomery and Kayla did not realise Harmony had stopped breathing until hours later.

Montgomery hid his daughters body in a cooler before relocating it to the ceiling vents at a shelter his family was staying at, and then went on to reduce the remains using power tools. He eventually disposed of the body at an unknown location in March 2020.

An investigation into Harmonys disappearance was only launched in December 2021, after her mother alerted authorities that she had not seen or spoken to her daughter in more than two years. A year later, Montgomery was arrested and charged with murder.

On Tuesday, the prosecution called Manchester Police Detective Matthew Larochelle to the stand. During direct cross-examination, the state played the recording of a call between Montgomery and an unknown individual that took place around the time that the FBI and other law enforcement organizations were searching for Harmonys remains near the Merrimack River.

One dude went to the police and I was blown away, Montgomery told the other person on the call. This dude was like, Oh, my friend ... he passed away, but he was very cool with Adam. He told me Adam gave his daughter to him to bury by the river. I can bring you to the spot.

They had the FBI and everybody else there digging up the river. Im like, is this real life right now? They wasted their time.

When the other individual said that authorities were just doing their due diligence, Montgomery said the allegations were outlandish and that the search was a waste of taxpayers money.

I get it, youre trying to prove a case, kudos to you, But, at what cost, man? Just going to chase down people that f***ing call in from Arizona? Montgomery said.

Harmonys remains have never been located. Montgomerys attorneys claimed during opening arguments that Harmony died under Kayla Montgomerys care and that he had only followed plans to conceal the little girls body to protect his and Kaylas two infant sons.

Judge Amy Messer said that deliberations are expected to begin by the end of this week.
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A New Hampshire judge has denied Adam Montgomerys request to dismiss key testimony from his estranged wife in his trial over the murder of his five-year-old daughter Harmony.

Montgomery is standing trial in Manchester more than four years after he allegedly beat Harmony to death in December 2019. He had obtained custody of the little girl after she was removed from the care of her mother, who was struggling with substance abuse issues at the time.

The prosecutions case has largely hinged on testimony from Harmonys stepmother Kayla Montgomery as well as expert investigators and DNA evidence.

Last week, Kayla testified that Montgomery murdered Harmony on 7 December 2019 after she soiled herself inside the car where the family was living following an eviction from their home.

He allegedly punched the little girl in the head multiple times.

For the next two months, Montgomery allegedly moved Harmonys body numerous times before using power tools and chemicals to grind down her remains in the bathroom of his Union Street apartment. He then disposed of what was left of Harmony in an unknown location in March 2020.

Over the holiday weekend, the defence filed a motion seeking to toss out Kaylas testimony, claiming that the state had tried to influence her testimony. Montgomerys attorneys said they had decided against requesting a mistrial at that point, but wanted jurors to dismiss Kaylas account of the events on 7 December 2019.

After the prosecution rested its case on Tuesday, defence attorney Caroline Smith argued that Kayla had no credibility.

The only evidence with regards to how Harmony died, or who killed Harmony is Kayla Montgomerys testimony, Ms Smith said. Kayla Montgomery is a convicted perjurer. Her story went through various iterations, that I quite frankly think were pretty ludicrous as far as the degree of violence that nobody could accomplish in public and not be seen by anyone.

Kayla previously told jurors that Harmony was so badly abused by her father that she was often kept under a blanket to cover the bruises on her body. She also said the little girls face was covered with dried blood from beatings in the days prior to her killing.

Adam Montgomerys vehicle in an image shown in court (AP)

Earlier on in the trial, Montgomery conceded to two lesser charges of abuse of a corpse and falsifying information. His attorneys have argued in court that Harmony died under Kaylas care and that he went along with plans to hide her body to protect his family.

Ms Smith also argued that a charge of abuse against Montgomery should be dismissed. The assault count stems from an incident in August 2019 in which Montgomery allegedly gave Harmony a black eye.

Montgomerys uncle Kevin Montgomery, who also took the stand, had notified the Division of Children, Youth & Families. He recounted to the jury how his nephew boasted about hitting Harmony and bashing her around the house.

When a DCYF employer pulled up to Montgomerys driveway to follow up on the report, he drove away with Harmony in the car. By the time the employer checked on Harmony weeks later, she only had a red mark on her undereye that her father blamed on an accident she supposedly had while playing with her siblings.

Nothing happened as far as that investigation, Ms Smith told the court. But based on what the facts were as of Summer 2019 there is no support for the allegations [of abuse.]

Judge Amy Messina ruled against all of the defences motions.

The judge said on Tuesday that the trial is moving faster than expected and that deliberations could begin by the end of this week.
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The body of Texas 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham, who was last seen on her way to school, was found in the Trinity River, authorities said.

Cunningham was last seen 15 February around 7am when she was allegedly heading for her school bus stop, but school officials told police that she was never picked up and that she never arrived at school.

Audriis body was located at the Trinity River under US Highway 59, Polk County Sheriff Byron Lyons said at a press conference on Tuesday.

Audrii Cunningham disappeared on her way to school (Polk County Sheriffs Office)

Authorities are preparing arrest warrants for Don Steven McDougal. The office believes the appropriate arrest warrant is for capital murder, said Polk County District Attorney Shelly Sitton.

Mr McDougal, 42, was arrested Friday in Polk County  and is still in jail  on an unrelated charge of aggravated assault.

Mr McDougal is a friend of the girls father, and resides in a trailer on behind familys home, ABC13 reported.

Don Steven McDougal (Texas Department of Public Safety - Southeast Texas Region)

He had previously been identified as a person of interest in Cunninghams disappearance.

Last week, the Texas Department of Public Safety said they recovered a small backpack that likely belonged to the young child near Lake Livingston Dam.

Authorities said her body is with the medical examiners office to determine her cause of death.
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Two people were arrested after the remains of two children  one inside a slab of concrete, the other in a suitcase  were found in Colorado.

Jesus Dominguez, 35, and Corena Rose Minjarez, 36, have been charged with first-degree murder and abuse of a corpse, the Pueblo Police Department said Friday.

Mr Dominguez is the father of the two children, and Ms Minjarez is his girlfriend but is unrelated to the children, police told KUSA.

The children, Yesenia Dominguez and Jesus Dominguez Jr, had not been seen since the summer of 2018, when they were three and five respectively.

Police discovered Yesenias remains in a metal container in a storage unit that was filled with hardened concrete in January, after which they brought the two suspects in for questioning.

Days later, police found Ms Minjarezs car at a scrap yard, inside of which they found a suitcase containing the young boys remains.

Despite not having been seen for more than five years, the children had never been reported missing. Police said they were unaware of the missing children until they found Yesenias body.

Ms Minjarez was arrested Thursday, and Mr Dominguez was taken into custody on Saturday.

Both are being held on $2m bond, according to jail records. It is unclear if either has retained an attorney.
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Friends, fellow students and neighbours of Colorado Springs dorm victims Samuel Knopp and Celie Rain Montgomery were on Monday processing news of an arrest in connection with their murders  while already reeling from recent tragedies.

Knopp, 24, and Montgomery, 26, were found shot dead on Friday in a dormitory room at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs, where Knopp was a senior studying music in the Visual and Performing Arts department. Another UCCS student, 25-year-old Nicholas Jordan of Detroit, was arrested Monday morning with a warrant for two counts of first-degree murder, police said.

Officials revealed that Mr Jordan was Mr Knopps roommate at the time of the shooting. The shooter is currently being held in El Paso County Jail on a $1m bond. His first court date was set for Tuesday at 1.30pm MST.

More details about the relationship between the trio nor a motive has been disclosed. Ms Montgomery, who was not enrolled at the university, was a mother of two young children from Pueblo.

Classes were cancelled Monday at UCCS as the community held a healing walk beginning at a campus dining hall. In a statement following news of the shootings, Chancellor Jennifer Sobanet acknowledged that it had been a difficult week with the loss of Mia Brown, another beloved student, on Monday.

The senior, a nursing student, died 12 February on campus following a medical emergency at the Recreation Center, school officials said.

Then, four days later, Knopp and Montgomery were found fatally shot at Crestone House in the Alpine Village area of student residential housing. The Colorado Springs Police Department quickly said the victims were believed to have known the suspect, emphasizing it was not a random attack against the school or other students at the university.

Mr Knopp, described by the UCCS chancellor as an accomplished guitar player and an extremely talented musician, grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan, according to his social media profiles and bio on a website offering at-home music lessons.

He began his musical journey at age 8 with the viola, playing in his schools orchestra for 6 years, the Lessons In Your Home profile states. When Sam turned 17 and moved to Colorado, he fell in love with the guitar, practicing for countless hours and days and gained much more of an appreciation for music.

Sam Knopp performing (YouTube)

Knopps guitar skills were showcased during his junior recital last year, featured in a YouTube video posted by the universitys music program.

He is currently working on his bachelors degree in music theory at the University of Colorado, Knopps teacher profile continues. When it comes to performing, Sam usually enjoys playing mostly classical guitar and lead electric guitar as well as a good amount of improvisation with many different genres.

Knopp was listed as a teacher in the Denver area; his parents home in Parker is just beyond the Colorado capitals metro region. The family moved west from Michigan with the budding guitarist and his twin sister more than a decade ago.

Neighbours remained in shock on Monday, as news of the students death came just weeks after a horrific murder-suicide just a few doors down from the Knopp residence.

Investigators later revealed that a 38-year-old man was believed to have shot dead a 43-year-old woman before driving from the scene with a child to a second location about five miles away, killing the boy and then turning the gun on himself.

Back at the UCCS campus on Monday, therapy dogs and counselling were also available to members of the university community. Multiple first responder agencies also joined in the healing walk as Colorado Springs  where a shooter killed five and injured more than 20 others in an LGBTQ+ nightclub attack 15 months ago  continues to reel from innocent victims killed by gun violence.
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A man accused of sexual battery on a child was taken into custody in Florida following an online campaign for his arrest spearheaded by his own daughters.

Davie Albarran, 51, was arrested on Sunday after deputies received a tip-off and with the help of the polices K9 Kreed.

We snuck around Sunday night just before midnight. In the backyard in Country Haven Drive. Well, it might have been Country Haven Drive, but it was no haven for him, Sheriff Grady Judd of the Polk County Sherrifs Office said in a briefing on Monday.

Mr Judd said that the accused man was hiding in a shed when he was found, he told Fox35.

He told us his name was Jose, Sheriff Judd added in his briefing. Can you believe that? Not only has he committed capital sexual battery on a child, he lies to the sheriffs office.

Mr Albarran had a warrant for his arrest by the Osceola County Sheriffs Office over sexual battery on a child and had also been featured on the FOX show Americas Most Wanted.

Mr Albarrans arrest resulted due to the help of his daughters online campaigns to find him and put him in custody (Polk County Sheriffs Office)

His warrants include sexual battery on a child under 12, lewd conduct with a child under 12 and not paying child support on a different issue in Orange County, Sheriff Judd said in the briefing.

Aside from police helping bring the fugitive into custody, Mr Albarrans family also led a plea on social media for his arrest for at least over a year.

Mr Albarrans daughter put out a post on her social media saying she wants her father in custody, Fox 35 reported in December 2022.

Polk County depties and their K9 Kreed were able to locate the Mr Albarran (Polk County Sheriffs Office)

His two adult daughters, Ana and Yaneiry, made TikToks, putting his face out there in an attempt to finally bring him to justice.

Ana told WFTV9 about the moment, she found out from a Polk County deputy during a 6am phone call that her father had been caught.

He was like, Good job. We found him, she recalled. I started screaming. I was crying. I was in disbelief.

Osceola County Sheriff Marcus Lopez also reacted to the news in a video saying that the man is now booked and rotting in the county jail.

Mr Judd said on Monday to Fox35 that Mr Albarran will be transferred back to Osceola County, where he will stand trial.
 Close Adam Montgomery convicted of second-degree murder of daughter Harmony

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The mother of slain five-year-old Harmony Montgomery spoke to reporters outside a courtroom after the little girls father was convicted of her murder.

Jurors convicted Adam Montgomery on all charges following a gruelling trial which took place more than four years on from when Harmony was last seen alive in 2019.

Authorities failed to search for the missing child  who was known to protective services  for more than two years after she went missing.

Kayla Montgomery testified that her husband struck the Harmony several times after she had a bathroom accident.

She testified that, after killing her, the family drove to a Burger King. She fed her two young sons and placed a sandwich on Harmonys lap without realising she was dead.

After the defendant repeatedly struck Harmony. After he put the blanket over her. After she moaned. After the strange crying moaning stopped. After you did drugs and after the car died, you thought she was sleeping under that blanket, the prosecutor said.

Why did you think that she may be sleeping after Adam repeatedly struck her?

Because she would usually just go to sleep after, Kayla answered.

The little girls remains were hidden in a ceiling vent at a shelter where the family stayed after her death. Montgomery snuck the remains into his workplace freezer, before disposing of them in March 2020. Harmonys remains have never been found.

After the verdict was handed down, Harmonys mother Crystal Sorey told reporters she was grateful that it was over  but vowed that she and authorities would not stop fighting to find her daughters body.

She also slammed Montgomery as a coward for failing to attend any of his trial.

In a press conference, Manchester Police Chief Allen Aldenberg also vowed to continue to push to find Harmony.

Were still going to find her, Chief Aldenberg told reporters as he choked back tears.

This girl deserves better than the life that she had. This is never about winning or losing, this is about a five-year-old girl who was killed by her father. And I cant think of a worse crime.
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The estranged husband of disgraced YouTube mom Ruby Franke has called for his wife to face lengthy prison time as she is sentenced for child abuse.

Franke is being sentenced on Tuesday after pleading guilty to four counts of child abuse, months after her son was found emaciated and suffering wounds at her business partner Jodi Hildebrandts home.

Kevin Franke, who used to run the family YouTube vlogging channel 8Passengers with his wife, spoke out ahead of her sentencing to say he hopes the judge comes down heavily on her.

We trust the judge to sentence them both to 1-15 years for each of the four counts, to run consecutively, and then let the Utah State Board of Pardons decide if that should be shortened or other conditions imposed, a statement from Mr Frankes attorney shared with Law&Crime said.

The treatment these children received at the hands of those whom the children had a right to trust, was horrific and inhumane, both physically and psychologically, the statement continued.

Kevin remains focused on the rehabilitation of these sweet and vulnerable children so that they might return to a normal life as soon as possible.

Ruby Franke is facing up to 15 years on each of the four charges.

Her business partner Hildebrandt is also due to be sentenced on Tuesday on the same four counts of child abuse.

Their arrests came after Frankes 12-year-old son escaped Hildebrandts home in August 2023 and fled to a neighbours home.

He was found with wounds and was emaciated; his sister was later found in a similar condition.

The 12-year-old boy later told police that Hildebrandt would put cayenne pepper and honey on their wounds that had been caused by being tied with the rope, warrants said.

In a statement filed in court in December, Franke admitted to abusing two of her children from 22 May until her arrest.

Among her confessions, she admitted to forcing her son into long physical tasks outside in summer without shoes or adequate water, leaving him with repeated and serious sunburns, and using ropes to tie him up, resulting in injuries.

Frankes nine-year-old daughter was also forced to work outside, run on dirt roads barefoot for extended periods of time, and go without food and water, the statement said.

Kevin Franke and Ruby Franke (8 Passengers/YouTube)

The disgraced vloggers husband filed for divorce three months after Frankes arrest.

Mr Frankes attorney, Randy Kester, previously told Today.com in October that the couple had been separated for 13 months at Rubys directive.

Kevin did not want to be separated, Mr Kester said. He wanted to work through concerns as a family. There was never any formal, written decree of separate maintenance or separation agreement. The separation was under terms proscribed by Ruby and Jodi Hildebrandt.

Mr Franke previously claimed his marriage completely changed when his wife became business partners with Hildebrandt, who he said manipulated him and destroyed his family.
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Former YouTube vlogger Ruby Franke, a mother-of-six who used to give parenting advice to millions online, broke down in tears on Tuesday as she addressed the court, moments before a Utah judge sentenced her to up to 60 years in prison on child abuse charges.

Franke was handed four one to 15-year sentences in prison, one for each of the four counts of child abuse to which she pleaded guilty back in December.

Her former business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt, received the same sentence as Franke.

They will now serve their sentences consecutively, as determined by their plea agreements. Under Utah law, the two women face four to 60 years in prison  a decision that will be made by the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole at a later date.

Before the judge handed down the sentence, Franke gave a statement to the court in which she gave a tearful apology to her children for physically and emotionally abusing them.

Ill never stop crying for hurting your tender souls, Franke said to her children, who were not at the hearing. My willingness to sacrifice all for you was masterfully manipulated into something very ugly. I took from you all that was soft and safe and good.

Franke told Judge Walton that she would not argue for a shorter sentence, before she thanked local police officers, doctors and social workers for being the angels who saved her children from her at a time that she claims she was under the influence of Hildebrandt.

I was led to believe the world was an evil place, Franke said. For the past four years, I have chosen to follow counsel and guidance that have led me to a dark delusion.

Jodi Hildebrandt and Ruby Franke were both sentenced on child abuse charges (Instagram/Moms of Truth)

Franke and Hildebrandt had each pleaded guilty to four counts of aggravated child abuse after the two women physically and emotionally abused Frankes two youngest children.

Among the abuse, they sought to convince the children that they were evil, possessed and needed to be punished to repent.

Franke once ran a YouTube channel documenting her familys life and giving online parental advice, drawing in millions of subscribers.

The now-deleted channel debuted back in 2015 and accumulated over two million subscribers before speculation began to mount in 2020 about the familys activities.

Viewers were often concerned about her harsh parenting style, such as handing out punishments, including the withholding of food and Christmas presents.

But it was not until August 2023 that Franke and Hildebrandt were suddenly arrested for abusing her children.

The abuse allegations came to light after one of Frankes sons escaped Hildebrandts home and fled to a neighbours home, who called 911. The 12-year-old boy was malnourished, had multiple open wounds and was bound with duct tape. Police then found another child also suffering abuse at the home.

The boy later told investigators that Hildebrandt would put cayenne pepper and honey on their wounds that were caused by being tied with the rope, according to arrest warrants.

Police bodycam captures moment neighbours learn Ruby Franke allegedly kept her children in a 'safe'

Hildebrandts sentencing was held shortly after Frankes on Tuesday.

The prosecution called Hildebrandt a risk to the community and said she had shown no remorse for her actions.

Hildebrandt gave a short statement insisting that I sincerely love these children.

One of the reasons I didnt go to trial is I didnt want them to relive this. I desire for them to heal physically and emotionally, she said.

Hildebrandts attorney Douglas Terry told the court: My experience with Ms. Hildebrandt is she is not the person she has been portrayed to be.

Judge Walton then spoke directly to Hildebrandt before imposing the sentence.

This circumstance is largely of your making. Your conduct was disastrous for these children. In this case, you terrorised children, the judge said.

In December, both women each pleaded guilty to four counts of second-degree aggravated child abuse.
The Bulgarian Ministry of Defense had to ask NATO to provide financial means to deliver 100 Bulgarian armored personnel carriers to Ukraine, and for now the transfer of these weapons to Kyiv has been postponed, Euractiv said on Tuesday.

"Bulgaria is delaying the delivery of 100 armoured personnel carriers to the Ukrainian army because the Defence Ministry has requested that NATO cover the transport costs, MPs from the ruling majority in Sofia told Euractiv Bulgaria," the portal said.

"Bulgaria can help, but this is not happening at the required pace, and I hope this will improve. We voted on the decision for armoured personnel carriers almost three months ago, but in three months, we cannot transport a hundred APCs from Sofia to Ruse (a city at the Danube River in North-Eastern Bulgaria)," MP Ivaylo Mirchev from the We Continue the Change  Democratic Bulgaria ruling coalition said on Monday.

An agreement on the free provision of Bulgarian armored vehicles to Ukraine was signed at the ministerial level on August 8 in Sofia and in Kyiv on November 13. But in the middle of January, the Bulgarian National Radio reported that Bulgaria was not yet able to transfer the promised armored personnel carriers to Ukraine, because it was counting on NATO allies to pay for the delivery.

Euractiv said Bulgaria previously promised to supply Ukraine with USSR-era weapons - armored personnel carriers, parts for S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems, old S-300 missiles, shells and mortars.
 Close YouTuber Ruby Franke apologises to children as judge sentenced her to 60 years

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Ruby Frankes family wrote letters to a Utah judge ahead of the former vloggers sentencing over child abuse, saying that she was deeply brainwashed after meeting her business partner Jodi Hildebrandt.

She was delusional. She was so deeply brainwashed we could not recognize her, they wrote as they pleaded for mercy.

During her career on YouTube, she often told me that her desire was to spread the message that mothers are important and that mothers have strength in nurturing their children, Frankes brother, Beau Griffiths, said in a written statement.

I never had any concern for her and her children, and I was impressed with how generous and kind she has always been to my own children.

Many of the teachings from the Connexions program were reasonable and good, his statement continued. Unfortunately, as I later discovered, that is what made the program so dangerous.

But the judge decided to give Franke, along with Hildebrandt, four consecutive prison terms for the child abuse charges they pleaded guilty to in December.

In a harrowing 911 call, the neighbour said: I just had a 12-year-old boy show up here at my front door asking for help.

And hes said he had just come from a neighbors house and we know theres been problems at this neighbors house.

The neighbour added: He is emaciated. Hes got tape around his legs. Hes hungry and hes thirsty.

The malnourished boy later said that Hildebrandt put cayenne pepper and honey on their wounds that were caused by being tied with the rope, according to arrest warrants.

Franke and Hildebrandt have 30 days to appeal the judges decision.

Now, the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole will consider their behavior while incarcerated and determine how much of that time each will spend behind bars.
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A school teacher, her four children and three of their pet dogs were killed in a house fire in Missouri early on Monday morning.

A neighbour called the Ferguson Fire Department just before 4.30am when they spotted flames coming out of the home on the 500 block of North Clay Avenue in Ferguson, close to St Louis.

When officers arrived on the scene, they found a woman, four children and three dogs dead inside.

Several other animals were rescued from the property, including 14 rabbits, three chickens and two cats.

Local news outlet 5 On Your Side identified the woman as local teacher Bernadine Birdie Pruessner, while the children were named as two-year-old Millie, six-year-old Jackson and nine-year-old twin girls Ellie and Ivy.

Tonight our hearts are heavy, Ferguson Police Department said in a statement on Facebook. Please keep this family, our first responders and our community in your prayers as we all grapple with this horrific tragedy. Thank you to all of the responding houses and support teams for having our back.

First responders tackle a fire at a home in Ferguson, Missouri on Monday, 19th February 2024 (Ferguson Police Department)

Pruessner had worked as a teacher at multiple schools in the St Louis area and had written a book called Making it Montessori: A Modern Moms Manual, the local outlet reported.

A neighbour described her as a very good mother.

She used to take her kids walking up and down the street. She was very good with her kids. She was a very good, very good mother, said Jamie Young, who lives across the street from the home.

An official from the Ferguson Animal Coalition told 5 On Your Side that some of the animals were being cared for by relatives and that new homes would need to be found.

St Louis County Police Department told The Independent on Tuesday that it was investigating the incident and official identification of the victims would take place.
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Whenever Oklahoma teenager Nex Benedict was bullied at school for being transgender, their mother Sue Benedict would encourage the 16-year-old to rise above their tormentors.

I said youve got to be strong and look the other way, because these people dont know who you are, Ms Benedict told The Independent in a phone interview.

I didnt know how bad it had gotten.

The bullying had started in earnest at the beginning of the 2023 school year, a few months after Oklahoma governor Kevin Stitt signed a bill that required public school students to use bathrooms that matched the sex listed on their birth certificates.

A few weeks ago, on 7 February, the bullying allegedly erupted in violence when Nex suffered severe head injuries during a physical altercation at Owasso High School, according to the Owasso Police Department.

Sue Benedict told The Independent she was called to the school that day to find Nex badly beaten with bruises over their face and eyes, and with scratches on the back of their head.

Nex told her that they and another transgender student at Owasso High School had been in a fight with three older girls in a girls bathroom. Nex was knocked to the ground during the fight and hit their head on the floor, according to their mother.

Nex Benedict had been bullied for at least a year at Owasso High School in Oklahoma, their mother says (Courtesy of Benedict family)

Ms Benedict said she was furious that the school had failed to call an ambulance or the police. She said the school then informed her Nex was being suspended for two weeks.

She took Nex to the Bailey Medical Center in Owasso for treatment. They spoke to a police school resource officer at the medical facility and were discharged.

That night, Nex went to bed with a sore head and eventually fell asleep while listening to music, Ms Benedict said.

On the afternoon of 8 February, Nex was getting ready to go to Tulsa with Ms Benedict for an appointment when they collapsed in the family living room.

Ms Benedict called an ambulance, and Owasso Fire Department medics arrived to find Nex had stopped breathing. Nex was taken to the St. Francis Pediatric Emergency Room where they were later declared dead.

In a statement, the Owasso Police Department said they were conducting a very active and thorough investigation of the time and events that led up to the death of the student.

Owasso PD spokesperson Nick Boatman told The Independent that police were awaiting the results of toxicology and autopsy reports from the Oklahoma Medical Examiners Office before determining whether anyone will be charged.

Mr Boatman said all charges will be on the table once a cause of death was confirmed.

In an update on Tuesday 20 February, Mr Boatman said detectives were interviewing school staff and students and would be submitting their investigation to the Tulsa County District Attorneys Office for prosecution review.

Owasso police issued a subsequent statement on 21 February to say that an autopsy indicated that Nex had not died as a result of trauma.

While the investigation continues into the altercation, preliminary information from the medical examiners office is that a complete autopsy was performed and indicated that the decedent did not die as a result of trauma, police said.

The Benedict family later released a statement through their lawyers saying they would conduct an independent investigation into Nexs death.

The family said that the facts surrounding Nexs death, some of which have not been released publicly, were troubling at best.

An Owasso Public Schools spokesperson declined to provide information about the assault or the schools response when contacted by The Independent, citing the active police investigation.

Anti-trans social media influencer Chaya Raichik, who runs the Libs of TikTok, frequently posts inflammatory videos, LGBTQ advocates say (Getty Images for Bentkey Venture)

LGBTQ advocacy groups have described Nexs death as a hate crime, and linked it to the hateful rhetoric spewed by leaders in our state and the Libs of TikTok account run by far-right social media influencer Chaya Raichik.

Ms Raichik, a New York-based former real estate agent, became a cause celebre among conservatives for using her Libs of TikTok account to post edited, anti-trans videos that target public school teachers and librarians.

An Owasso High School teacher who Nex had greatly admired resigned in 2022 after they were featured in one of Ms Raichiks posts.

Ms Raichik did not respond to a request for comment by The Independent. On X, she denied any link to the death and said she was unjustly being blamed for a murder.

When youre old school, you dont always understand it

Like many parents, Sue Benedict and her husband Walter at times struggled to understand the nuances of Nexs gender fluidity.

Ms Benedict is Nexs biological grandmother, and raised them since they were two months old along with her five other children. She formally adopted Nex a few years ago.

She told The Independent that Nex was always understanding if she used an incorrect pronoun, or called Nex by their birth name.

Nex did not see themselves as male or female, Ms Benedict said. Nex saw themselves right down the middle. I was still learning about it, Nex was teaching me that.

When youre old school, you dont always understand it, her husband Walter told The Independent.

But it would be very boring if we were all the same. Its on the inside that matters the most.

Nex Benedict with their cat Zeus. The straight-A student was going places, their mother said (Courtesy of Benedict family)

The family, who trace part of their roots to the Choctaw Nation, encouraged open discussions about questions of gender and identity.

I was very open with my children to be who and what they thought was best, Ms Benedict said.

They could talk to me about anything, as long as that respect goes both ways. A child needs to figure out who they are and what they want to be, and you cannot force it upon them.

Nexs sister Malia Pila, who is also a member of the LGBTQ community, told The Independent in an interview that Nexs fluid gender identity was not an issue nor anything that anybody cared about within the family.

Nex was a straight-A student who enjoyed drawing, reading, playing video games Ark and Minecraft, and was devoted to their cat Zeus, Ms Benedict said.

I was so proud of Nex. They were going some place, they were so free, she said.

In April 2022, Owasso High School teacher Tyler Wrynn was featured in a surreptitiously filmed Libs of TikTok post telling students: If your parents dont accept you for who you are, f*** them.

Former Owasso student reacts to Nex Benedicts death

The incident sparked a backlash in the small Oklahoma city of 40,000 residents, and Mr Wrynn resigned from the Owasso Public Schools system.

Nex was very angry about it, Ms Benedict said. Ms Benedict said that teachers who encourage debate about gender issues were not promoting sexualised content.

Theyre allowing the students to be who they are.

Ms Benedict said she first became aware that Nex was being bullied at school in early 2023.

Theyd go straight to their room and put it on their radio, and Id say OK you gotta decompress for a little bit, and then come out and talk about it.

Ms Benedict said she remains furious at the school for failing to call police or seek medical attention for Nex, and wants to see the children who allegedly assaulted Nex punished.

So many people push kids to be one thing, and youve got to let them find themselves and be who they should be, Ms Benedict said.

Society has got to see them as they are. Accept them and go on, because we are all people.

Woke ideology

Last August, a Libs of TikTok post showing an edited video critical of a public school librarian in Tulsa led to several consecutive days of bomb threats to schools in the district.

Ms Raichiks anti-LGBTQ posts have been linked to nearly three dozen threats made towards schools, libraries, hospitals and businesses across 16 states, according to a recent NBC News investigation.

Last month, Oklahomas Republican superintendent of public schools Ryan Walters appointed Ms Raichik to the states library advisory committee.

Mr Walters has not commented publicly on Nexs death. He put out a video on X on Presidents Day, decrying radical woke college professors for placing Donald Trump at the bottom of a list of the United States greatest presidents.

We judge presidents by outcomes not woke ideology, he said

Freedom Oklahoma, an LGBTQ advocacy group, blamed Oklahoman lawmakers and Ms Raichik for promoting bigotry and intolerance towards trans students after Nexs death.

The group said that Ms Raichik continues to use her platform in a way that leads others to threaten real harm at Oklahoma kids.

We want to be clear, whether Nex died as a direct result of injuries sustained in the brutal hate-motivated attack at school or not, Nexs death is a result of being the target of physical and emotional harm because of who Nex was, the group wrote.

Nex had a light in them that was so big

Since Nexs death, Ms Benedict said she had barely slept and been walking in a blur.

When it came time to place an obituary, Ms Benedict said she had provided Nexs birth name by accident. This has led to some media coverage of Nexs death using their birth name, or dead name.

When you are going through something like this and you lose a child, youre not thinking right. Were getting a headstone done and Nex will be on there, she said.

Nexs funeral was held at the Mowery Funeral Service on 15 February. After the service, police officers from Owasso and the neighbouring city of Collinsville accompanied members of the local chapter of Bikers Against Child Abuse as they provided an escort from the service to the graveside.

A GoFundme page set up to help with funeral costs has raised more than $100,000 and Ms Benedict said she plans to donate most of the money to LGBTQ anti-bullying organisations.

Nex had a light in them that was so big, they had so many dreams. I want their light to keep shining for everyone. That light was so big and bright and beautiful, and I want everyone to remember Nex that way.

Benedict family statement

In a statement released through their lawyers on 21 February night, the Benedict family urged police to investigate all potentially liable parties to do so fully, fairly and expediently.

On February 7th, 2024, the Benedict Family sent their child, Nex Benedict, to Owasso High School, trusting, like any parent or family member should be able to, that it was a safe environment for their loved one, Oklahoma City-based Bibi Law Firm said in a statement.

While at Owasso High School, Nex was attacked and assaulted in a bathroom by a group of other students. A day later, the Benedicts beautiful child lost their life.

The Benedict family called on school, local, state and national officials to join forces to determine why this happened, to hold those responsible to account and to ensure it never happens again.

Notwithstanding, the family is independently interviewing witnesses and collecting all available evidence.
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A female stingray in a North Carolina aquarium is pregnant  even though there are no males in her tank.

The mysterious pregnancy has become the subject of widespread fascination, with many wondering how the round stingray, named Charlotte, came to be pregnant.

The unique thing about Charlotte is we dont have a male ray, Brenda Ramer, executive director of the Aquarium & Shark Lab in Hendersonville, said in a video on Facebook.

Aquarium staff believe Charlottes seemingly immaculate conception is the result of parthenogenesis, a rare form of asexual reproduction observed in some animals, including fish, birds, insects, and amphibians.

Charlotte was found covered in shark bites  a sign of mating in sharks  which initially led some to speculate that a shark was the father, and Charlottes baby would be a shark-stingray hybrid.

But Kady Lyons, a research scientist at the Georgia Aquarium, told the Associated Press this sort of interspecies copulation is not biologically possible.

We should set the record straight that there arent some shark-ray shenanigans happening here, Lyons said.

Even so, Charlottes pregnancy is no less remarkable  she is the only known case of her species to become pregnant by parthenogenesis, Lyons said.

We dont know why it happens, Lyons said. Just that its kind of this really neat phenomenon that they seem to be able to do.

Charlotte is expecting three or four pups, and is expected to give birth in about a week.
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A Los Angeles woman has been detained in Russia on accusations of treason for allegedly giving funds to Ukraine, according to Russias FSB security services.

The woman, a 33-year-old dual American-Russian citizen, was not identified in a statement issued by the FSB, which said she was involved in providing financial assistance to a foreign state in activities directed against the security of our country.

The FSB in the central Urals city of Yekaterinburg accused her of taking part in pro-Ukraine protests outside of Russia and of sending aid to Kyiv.

It said the woman had been proactively collecting funds... which were subsequently used to purchase tactical medical items, equipment, means of destruction and ammunition for the Ukrainian armed forces.

Perviy Otdel, also known as the First Department, a collective of lawyers dealing with cases of alleged treason and espionage in Russia, and independent Russian outlet Mediazona, identified the woman as Ksenia Khavana.

The First Department added that Ms Khavana was detained on charges of treason on the day of Vladimir Putins interview with American journalist Tucker Carlson.

She has been accused of transferring the amount of $51.80 from her American bank account to the account of Razom for Ukraine, a New York-based non-profit group, on 24 February 2022, the same day Mr Putin ordered the unprovoked and unsuccessful invasion of Ukraine.

The treason charges came after she was first arrested in late January outside a cinema in Ekaterinburg, the largest city in Russias central Ural region, on charges of violating public order and sentenced to 14 days in detention, according to Perviy Otdel.

A screengrab from a video aired on Feb. 20, 2024 by Russias state-run broadcaster RU24 shows an LA woman being arrested and taken to court in Russia (RU24)

It is unclear how long the woman has lived in the US or why she returned to Russia, however, the Financial Times reported that Ms Khavana studied in Yekaterinburg before moving to the US, where she became a citizen in 2021 and had worked as a spa manager in Beverly Hills.

The FSB published a video of a woman in a white coat with a white hat pulled down over her eyes being led by a masked security agent down several flights in a building in Yekaterinburg before she was handcuffed, placed in a car and taken into a courtroom.

The woman, whose face is blurred, is then seen standing in a metal cage in court.

A court proceeding in the case took place Monday, Russian media reported.

Her arrest came just four days before the two-year mark of Russias ongoing, full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and follows that of American journalist Evan Gershkovich, a correspondent for the Wall Street Journal, who was arrested on espionage charges in March.

He and his employer, as well as the State Department, have denied the charges.

Former US Marine Paul Whelan has also been detained in Russia since 2018 on espionage charges.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said last week that he had spoken on the phone with Whelan, whom, along with Gershkovich, the US has deemed to be wrongfully detained by Russia.

Our intensive efforts to bring Paul home continue every single day, and they will until he and Evan Gershkovich and every other American wrongfully detained is back with their loved ones, Blinken said after the call.

A third dual American-Russian citizen, Alsu Kurmasheva, is also being held in pre-trial detention.

US journalist Evan Gershkovich, arrested on espionage charges, looks out from inside a defendants cage before a hearing to consider an appeal on his extended pre-trial detention, at the Moscow City Court in Moscow on 20 February, 2024 (AFP via Getty Images)

The Prague-based editor with Radio Liberty/Radio Free Europe was arrested in October after travelling to her familys home in Russias Tatarstan region for a family emergency.

She was charged with failing to register as a foreign agent.

Treason charges in Russia are punishable by up to life in prison under legislation toughened since the countrys invasion of Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is currently under fire for the unexplained death of the countrys opposition leader Alexei Navalny in an Arctic Circle prison, has previously been accused of using dual American-Russian citizens as bargaining chips to release Russians imprisoned in the US.

In 2022, WNBA star Brittney Griner was released from prison in Russia after she was exchanged for notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout, who had been jailed for years in the US.

Earlier this month, Mr Putin said he was ready to hold negotiations over a prisoner exchange that could see the release of Mr Gershkovich.

President Putin dangled the prospect of releasing Mr Gershkovich in exchange for the Russian agent and FSB assassin Vadim Krasikov, who is currently in prison in Germany after killing a Georgian military officer in a Berlin park in 2019.

A Moscow city court rejected the latest appeal for Mr Gershkovichs release on Tuesday.
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Alexei Navalny issued a chilling warning about what a second presidential term for Donald Trump could mean in one of his final letters before he died in an Arctic prison last week.

According to The New York Times, which has collected together some of the late Russian dissidents correspondence from jail, Navalny worked hard to stay in touch with global politics from his cell at the Polar Wolf penal colony, around 1,000 miles northeast of Moscow.

The staunch opponent of Vladmir Putin also read voraciously from Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky, Chekhov and Solzhenitsyn to occupy his mind and prevent himself from sinking into despair amid the brutal conditions in which he was held.

In one 3 December letter to Evgeny Feldman, a photographer who covered his attempted run for president in 2018 and now lives in exile in Latvia, Navalny wrote that he feared that if anything should happen to President Joe Biden  a distinct possibility, he felt, given the Americans advanced age  Trump will become president.

To Navalny, a second Mr Trump term was a really scary prospect for the wider world.

Doesnt this obvious thing concern the Democrats? he asked Mr Feldman, apparently incredulous that 81-year-old Mr Biden is pursuing a second term rather than yielding to a younger successor to take on Mr Trump, who looks all but certain to be the Republican nominee again this year.

Elsewhere in the correspondence, Navalny expressed a nostalgia for spicy foreign cuisine like the Turkish kebabs he enjoyed while recuperating in Berlin, Germany, after being poisoned with Novichok.

He also wrote about how moved he had been after reading an obituary of the Friends actor Matthew Perry and told Mr Feldman: Everyone usually thinks that I really need pathetic and heartbreaking words but I really miss the daily grind  news about life, food, salaries, gossip.

Of the unthinking obedience of his captors, he ominously told another friend, media entrepreneur Ilia Krasilshchik: If theyre told to feed you caviar tomorrow, theyll feed you caviar. If theyre told to strangle you in your cell, theyll strangle you.

For his part, Mr Trump was criticised for not saying anything when Navalnys death was announced on Friday.

He finally broke his silence on his death on Monday  only to draw an entirely self-serving comparison between Navalnys fate and his own legal problems, while failing to condemn Mr Putin.

The sudden death of Alexei Navalny has made me more and more aware of what is happening in our Country, the Republican wrote on his Truth Social platform.

It is a slow, steady progression, with CROOKED, Radical Left Politicians, Prosecutors, and Judges leading us down a path to destruction.

Open Borders, Rigged Elections, and Grossly Unfair Courtroom Decisions are DESTROYING AMERICA. WE ARE A NATION IN DECLINE, A FAILING NATION! MAGA2024.

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and his wife Yulia march in memory of murdered Kremlin critic Boris Nemtsov in Moscow in February 2020 (Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP/Getty)

That message came after a week in which Mr Trump had come under fire for saying that, should he return to power, he would let Russia do whatever the hell they want to any of Americas Nato allies that failed to keep up their defence contributions to the military alliance.

His latest crass intervention was slammed by former House speaker Nancy Pelosi in an interview with MSNBCs Jen Psaki on Monday evening, on her return from the Munich Security Conference in Germany where she met Navalnys grieving widow Yulia Navalnaya.

What does he have on Donald Trump that he has to constantly be catering to Putin? she said of the Russian dictator, invoking the possibility that the Kremlin may have kompromat on the US presidential hopeful  something that was first suggested in a speculative dossier compiled by the British spy Christopher Steele in 2016.

I dont know what he has on him, but I think its probably financial. Or something that he expects to get.

Working herself up into a fury, Ms Pelosi went on to call the Republican candidate Mr Putins buddy in vileness and said that his post about Navalny shows you he is a person without values and his remarks beneath the dignity of a human being to express.
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The White House has announced that a new package of sanctions against Russia is set to go into effect following the death of opposition leader Alexei Navalny in a Siberian prison camp.

The administration said the package would be released on Friday. This comes after President Joe Bidens comments to reporters on Monday that he was considering new sanctions.

We already have sanctions, but we are considering additional sanctions, yes, he said.

On Friday, Mr Biden blamed the death of Mr Navalny on Russian President Vladimir Putin, noting that while the US was unsure what took place, it was a consequence of something that Putin and his thugs did.

That was after Russian prison authorities announced earlier on Friday that Mr Navalny felt unwell after going for a walk and became unconscious almost immediately.

On Tuesday, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby declined to share any details regarding the new sanctions or how they would interact with the strong sanctions already put in place following Russias invasion of Ukraine nearly two years ago.

Mr Kirby said the sanctions will be specifically supplemented with additional sanctions regarding Mr Navalnys death, according to the AP.

While he noted that the US doesnt yet know Mr Navalnys cause of death, Mr Kirby went on to put the blame Mr Putin.

Regardless of the scientific answer, Putins responsible for it, he told the press.

The opposition leaders widow Yulia Navalnaya lives in exile outside Russia. On Monday, she accused Russian authorities of hiding her husbands body and refusing to give it to his mother.

She also accused the Kremlin of poisoning Mr Navalny, adding that they were keeping his remains to let the traces of the poison dissipate. The Kremlin was also accused of poisoning Mr Navalny in 2020, which led to his hospitalisation in Germany.

Upon being released from care, Mr Navalny and his wife returned to Russia, where he was promptly arrested at a Moscow airport.

Mr Biden told the press he was weighing a whole number of options after the announcement of Mr Navalnys death last week.

The president also used the opposition leaders death to argue for more aid for Ukraine in the face of indiscriminate violence and attacks on dissent from the Russian state.

On Monday, a reporter asked Mr Biden: Would you go as far as to say that Alexei Navalnys blood is on the hands of House Republicans right now?

I wouldnt use that term, he said. Theyre making a big mistake not responding. Look, the way theyre walking away from the threat of Russia, the way theyre walking away from Nato, the way theyre walking away from meeting our obligations, its just shocking. I mean, theyre wild. Ive never seen anything like this.

Asked if Mr Navalnys death could push House Republicans to take up Ukraine aid, Mr Biden said: I hope so. But Im not sure anything is going to change.
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The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) returns once more this week for another serving of Republican grandstanding, grievance-airing and merchandise shilling.

The four-day event that bills itself as the largest and most influential gathering of conservatives in the world kicked off at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, just outside of Washington DC, on Wednesday 21 February and runs until Saturday 24 February.

Brace yourselves libs, youre about to get well and truly owned.

The fantasy attempt by House Republicans to impeach President Joe Biden  who they claim to be both a criminal mastermind and profoundly senile  the state of the US southern border, wokery and adjacent culture war evils are all likely to be recurrent themes at a gathering that was once closely aligned with Ronald Reagan but is now unquestionably an all-Donald Trump affair.

Mr Trump will be the headliner once again on Saturday, where he is likely to spend his time trashing Nikki Haley, his last remaining challenger for the GOP presidential nomination, before departing in a hurry for South Carolina, which is holding its primary that same day.

Ms Haley is conspicuous by her absence from CPAC this time around, having spoken at the same event a year ago, no doubt a reaction to her decision to run as an anti-Trump candidate in the primaries.

Other MAGA favourites scheduled to address attendees this week include two possible Trump running mates, Elise Stefanik and Kristi Noem, his daughter-in-law Lara Trump (vying to be the Republican National Committees new co-chair), his former housing secretary Dr Ben Carson, senators JD Vance and Tommy Tuberville, representatives Jim Jordan and Matt Gaetz, Arizona Senate candidate Kari Lake, Texas attorney general Ken Paxton, MyPillow eccentric Mike Lindell plus Tulsi Gabbard and Steve Bannon.

The keynote speaker at the annual dinner honouring President Reagan will be failed presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, who will be joined by deposed Catholic bishop Joseph Strickland.

As The Independents Eric Garcia observes, Mr Ramaswamys invitation to take that slot reveals how far CPAC has changed over the last decade, given that the entrepreneur has been critical of Ukraine whereas Reagan defined himself by opposition to Russia in the late Cold War era and called the Soviet Union an evil empire.

A number of popular conservative media personalities will also be in attendance, including Jack Posobiec, Mark Levin, Megyn Kelly and Sebastian Gorka, the alt-rights answer to Frasier Crane.

Fani Willis, the district attorney of Fulton County, Georgia, who indicted Mr Trump and 18 co-defendants on racketeering charges, will not be there, the hosts joke.

Two lively British imports will make an appearance: right-wing crowd favourite Nigel Farage and Liz Truss, the UKs shortest-lived prime minister  who will likely seek to explain why being drummed out of Downing Street after just 44 days in power and outlasted by a wilting lettuce was somehow not her fault and really the work of a mysterious cabal of anti-growth occultists and civil service saboteurs, or something.

But perhaps most fascinating of all will be Argentinas mutton-chopped, chainsaw-wielding new President Javier Milei, whom CPAC chair Matt Schlapp has said captured the spirit of those who see the treachery of globalist elites and left American patriots rooting for him to succeed.

Patricia Bullrich, the same countrys minister of national security, is also set to speak, as is Nayib Bukele, the president of El Salvador.

The Latin American trio are following in the footsteps of disgraced former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, the Trump of the tropics, who was last years guest.

You can see the complete lineup of CPAC 2024 speakers here.
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Donald Trump made a series of blunders at a rally in Michigan over the weekend, as questions continue to swirl about his mental capacity.

At one point the presidential hopeful reminded voters of the very important date of the Michigan state primary  and proceeded to get it wrong.

It comes ahead of the South Carolina primary on 24 February, which is followed by the Michigan primary on 27 February. Mr Trump and former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley are the only two significant Republican candidates who remain in the race.

Addressing voters on Saturday, Mr Trump said: We need you to get out and vote to set the stage for November.

Go vote  November 27th. Remember this, thats a date that is very important.

Later he admitted that during my whole life he had not known what the word indictment meant, though he now faces a plethora. Mr Trump also appeared to fumble his stance on electric vehicles.

Ms Haley, UN ambassador under Mr Trump, has questioned how the 77-year-old former presidents mental state will affect his ability to carry out his role should he return to the White House.

During a campaign rally in New Hampshire back in January, Mr Trump repeatedly confused Ms Haley with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

At the event, he falsely stated that his rival for the Republican presidential nomination had been in charge of Capitol security in Washington, DC, on 6 January 2021, rather than Ms Pelosi  who was actually also not in charge of Capitol security that day.

The former president later tried to claim he had not erred at all with his remarks, but had knowingly mixed-up the two so as to underline his contempt for both women. He went on to complain about the subsequent adverse press coverage he received by observing bitterly: Its very hard to be sarcastic.

He continued: When I interpose  Im not a Nikki fan and Im not a Pelosi fan. When I purposely interpose names, they say he didnt know Pelosi from Nikki.

Mr Trumps increasingly regular slip-ups are somewhat ironic, given his repeated attacks on Joe Biden, whom he has derided as too old to run for president again at 81, even though Mr Trump himself is only four years younger.

Mr Biden has a decades long history of verbal gaffes, though his mistakes earned new attention following a special counsel report that decided the president shouldnt face criminal charges for his handling of classified documents.

The report, from Robert Hur, described Mr Biden as an old man with trouble remembering dates, even the date his son Beau died. The president angrily disputed the claim while some of his supporters have sought to characterise elements of Mr Hurs report as a politically-motivated attack.
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Former House Republican Conference chair and ex-Wyoming Rep Liz Cheney has said that former President Donald Trump appears to believe that hell need the help of Russian President Vladimir Putin at some point.

Ms Cheney noted on X on Monday afternoon that Donald Trump still wont condemn the [Aleksei] Navalny killing or blame Putin. At the same time, Trump is claiming Putin-style tyrannical immunity in his US Supreme Court briefs.

She added that it seems like Trump thinks he needs Putins help with something and cant risk angering him.

On Monday morning, Mr Trump mentioned the death of Russian opposition leader Aleksei Navalny in a Siberian prison camp, but he didnt mention Mr Putin.

The sudden death of Alexei Navalny has made me more and more aware of what is happening in our Country, Mr Trump wrote on Truth Social. It is a slow, steady progression, with CROOKED, Radical Left Politicians, Prosecutors, and Judges leading us down a path to destruction. Open Borders, Rigged Elections, and Grossly Unfair Courtroom Decisions are DESTROYING AMERICA. WE ARE A NATION IN DECLINE, A FAILING NATION! MAGA2024

Ms Cheney, 57, was on CNNs State of the Union on Sunday warning of the Putin wing possibly coming back to the White House in the form of the former president.

She also criticized Mr Trump for his recent comments saying that he wouldnt protect Nato countries who dont pay their fair share, recounting how he told a fellow world leader that he would urge Russia to do whatever the hell they want.

I think that we have to take Donald Trump very seriously, Ms Cheney said on Sunday. We have to take seriously the extent to which you have now got a Putin wing of the Republican Party.

I believe the issue this election cycle is making sure the Putin wing of the Republican Party does not take over the West Wing of the White House, she added.

Speaking to anchor Jake Tapper, Ms Cheney said: Donald Trump, as you pointed out, said just a few days ago that he had told a Nato ally that he would encourage Putin to do whatever he needed to do, whatever he wanted to do.

Hes basically made clear that under a Trump administration, the United States is unlikely to keep its Nato commitments. And I think that Republicans who understand the importance of the national security situation who continue to support him are similarly going to be held to account, she added.

Calling Mr Trumps comments on Nato disgraceful, Ms Cheney said, I cant imagine any other American president of either party since the establishment of Nato saying such a thing. And its completely uninformed and ignorant and dangerous.

When you think about Donald Trump, for example, pledging retribution, what Vladimir Putin did to Navalny is what retribution looks like in a country where the leader is not subject to the rule of law, she noted.
Press Release

February 20, 2024 Allowing foreign ownership is only a first step in promoting internationalization in education - EDCOM 2 Executive Director The Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) underlined that amending the 1987 Constitution to allow foreign ownership of higher education institutions (HEIs) is only the first step to promote internationalization in the Philippine education system. In a hearing of the Committee on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes (Subcommittee on Senate Resolution of Both Houses No. 6) on February 20, EDCOM 2 Executive Director Dr. Karol Mark Yee presented a comparative study of foreign ownership policies of educational institutions in ASEAN, and considerations that the government must take into account. Strictest policies in foreign ownership of schools in ASEAN Initial analysis of policies in ASEAN shows that the Philippines is one the strictest among in terms of foreign ownership of educational institutions, both basic and higher education. Currently, the 1987 Constitution allows the establishment of international schools permitted that they are: 1) established by religious groups and mission boards, 2) established for foreign diplomatic personnel and their dependents, and/or 3) established for foreign temporary residents. "Based on our research, within ASEAN, only the Philippines has foreign ownership, establishment, and enrollment restrictions stipulated in the Constitution, whereas other countries only indicate this via legislation", EDCOM 2 Executive Director Dr. Karol Mark Yee said. Dr. Yee also noted during the hearing that, "Allowing foreign ownership is just the first step. Even in Singapore and Malaysia, they rolled out government incentives to encourage the establishment of international institutions", he said. He likewise noted that this will require a review of immigration and visa requirements, labor laws, professional regulatory restrictions In Malaysia, international non-profit schools enjoy 100% income tax exemption, whereas private schools, although less, still enjoy income tax relief at 70%. In Vietnam, international schools have corporate income tax exemption for 4 years and 50% reduction of tax payable for the next 5 years. International schools are also exempted from non-agricultural land use tax. Additionally, a VAT exemption exists for selected goods used for education (e.g. textbooks). These are similar to Myanmar and Cambodia, which also give tax breaks and incentives to encourage the establishment of international schools. "We will also need to review government regulations in a way that enables quality institutions to thrive. Challenges of overregulation and complementarity should also be considered as we proceed in our discussion on internationalization, specific to higher education", Yee said. Dr. Yee explained that the presentation was an initial analysis of EDCOM 2's findings and did not reflect the position of the Commission. Internationalization of higher education and improving research productivity is part of the EDCOM priorities under higher education for Year 2, and will conduct its consultations this year on these two issues. Challenge of regulating diploma mills EDCOM 2 Advisory Council Member, Dr. Cynthia Bautista, highlighted the government's shortcomings and its implications to internationalization in higher education: "What we must guard against is opening up to lower-tier HEIs...We have to guard against that, which will further erode the reputation of the Philippines...Because or reputation is not as good as we imagined [compared to] the 1970s...Our reputation for diploma mills is very high", she emphasized. "While safeguards may be put in place through legislation and executive orders, we also have to be mindful of our implementation track record: a culture tolerant of circumventions of regulations, lack of capacity of regulatory bodies to regulate substandard HEIs, even among Philippine HEIs...are among the considerations [of internationalization of HEIs]", Dr. Bautista continued. Basic education to still be Filipino-owned EDCOM 2 Commissioner Senator Sonny Angara also clarified that, under Resolution No. 6, there is no intent to amend basic education. "The intention is to keep basic education in the hands of Filipinos...I think we want to maintain that societal or public goal", he said. On the other hand, Angara noted that foreign limitations on ownership of HEIs may be considered for amendment to facilitate internationalization. "We're considering the possibility of amending the Constitutional provision, which currently allows a 60-40 arrangement, and in fact there is the Transnational Higher Education Law...", Angara continued. Senator Angara further elaborated on the need for precision in crafting targeted legislation to improve the education system in terms of internationalization. "One thing clear from all the resource persons and hearings...is that we are the only ones who have these restrictions in our Constitution...An emerging theme is the need for targeting. That, to me, seems to be an argument to take it out of the Constitution and into legislation to have greater precision in order to achieve our aims", he said. Angara is the Chair of the Committee on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes hearing the Subcommittee on Senate Resolution of Both Houses No. 6, and is also a Commissioner of the Second Congressional Commission on Education.
Polish strikers start more severely restricting movement of vehicles on border with Ukraine  service

Polish protesting farmers have started stricter restrictions on vehicle traffic on the border with Ukraine, the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine said.

"Polish farmers completely blocked the movement of trucks through the Medyka-Shehyni checkpoint. The deadline for completing this blocking was not announced," the State Border Guard Service said on its Telegram channel on Tuesday.

As the State Border Guard Service said, near Dolhobychuv-Uhryniv checkpoint, protesters plan to block traffic for all types of transport until 17.00 on February 20.

"At Zosyn-Ustyluh checkpoint from 13.00 to 16.00, protesters intend to restrict the movement of buses, trucks and cars in both directions. They promise to allow only trucks with humanitarian aid through," the service said in a statement.

At Korczowa-Krakovets checkpoint: "Until 21.00 on February 20, protesters plan to block the movement of trucks leaving Poland, except for those transporting critical cargo. At the same time, buses, minibuses, and cars in both directions will be able to move unhindered."

According to the State Border Guard Service, at Hrebenne-Rava-Ruska checkpoint, "protesters from 13.00 on February 20 completely blocked traffic in both directions of all categories of vehicles, except for those carrying critical cargo and humanitarian aid."

At Dorohusk-Yahodyn checkpoint until 19.00, the protest organizers intend to completely block the movement of trucks in both directions.
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The top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee has harshly criticised a witness for the Republicans in their impeachment effort of President Joe Biden.

In a scathing nine-page letter obtained by The Independent, Maryland Rep Jamie Raskin went after Tony Bobulinski, a former business associate of Hunter Biden, the presidents son.

Mr Bobulinski subsequently became a staunch Biden family detractor, appearing before the House panel last week where he once again shared claims he also made during the 2020 election that the president had acted to create opportunities for his family to make money abroad.

Mr Bobulinski claimed that the Biden business schemes sold out to foreign actors who were seeking to gain influence and access to Joe Biden and the United States government.

On Tuesday, Mr Raskin wrote in a letter to Mr Bobulinskis lawyer and the Republican chair of the panel, Kentucky Rep James Comer, that Mr Bobulinskis interview was chaotic to the point of burlesque as he repeatedly yelled, shouted, filibustered, and hurled outlandish and baseless accusations and insults against Democratic Members and staff.

The letter was initially obtained by ABC News.

Tony Bobulinski (AP)

Mr Raskin said he was baffled and amused by a letter in which Mr Bobulinskis attorney Stefan Passantino, who worked in the Office of White House Counsel during the Trump administration, said that Mr Raskins previous account of Mr Bobulinskis eight-hour testimony was a grotesque mischaracterization.

I stand proudly by my statement that over the course of his more than eight hours of belabored testimony, Mr. Bobulinski did not offer any evidence of wrongdoing by President Biden, Mr Raskin wrote. He also did not provide any evidence that President Biden was involved in his familys business dealings. Furthermore, unable to point to any evidence to support his wild claims against President Biden, Mr. Bobulinski casually accused a broad group of individuals and organizations of lying.

Mr Raskin, who spent more than a quarter-century as a constitutional law professor, noted that Mr Bobulinski accused several FBI agents of lying, claimed that the Wall Street Journal lied in its reporting in which it dismissed his claims as baseless and that Trump White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson lied about what she saw with her own eyes.

The Maryland representative, 61, also said that Mr Bobulinski went after his former business partners for supposedly lying, and he also accused nine of Republicans own witnesses of lying because they have carefully affirmed that President Biden was not involved in his sons business ventures.

Mr Raskin slammed Mr Bobulinskis testimony as a fog of ... vituperative fulminations.

Despite your clients repeated protestations and proclamations that he was not a political person, the substance of his testimony contradicted this claim and indicate the gentleman was protesting a little too much, Mr Raskin wrote in the lengthy letter.

During what Mr Raskin called pained and grudging admissions, Mr Bobulinski finally admitted after numerous comical evasions that when he attended the presidential debate on October 22, 2020, he was a guest of Mr. Trumps.

Citing a book by journalist Michael Bender, Mr Raskin notes that Trump Administration and campaign officials, and even President Trump himself, were involved in setting up Mr. Bobulinskis press conference, even providing Mr. Bobulinski with a dress shirt for the event during which he initially made he claims regarding Mr Biden and his family.

[Jason] Miller was annoyed to be stuck with the supremely stupid task of figuring out Bobulinskis neck size and sleeve length and then finding a field staffer to hustle to the department store to buy a button-down shirt, Mr Bender wrote.

Mr Raskin added: I realize, of course, that the Wall Street Journal and its journalists were part of the long list of liars Mr. Bobulinski called out last week, but I do hope Mr. Benders vivid account will refresh his memory of how he got dressed that day and who dressed him.

He concluded: I agree that we are upon the death throes of a political narrative that will be shattered upon the imminent public release of Mr. Bobulinskis testimony before the House Committees on Oversight and Judiciary, as you say. That narrative is Mr. Bobulinskis.

The Independent has attempted to reach Mr Passantino for comment.

A House Oversight Committee spokesperson said in a statement: Tony Bobulinski articulated under oath that Joe Biden was the brand the Bidens sold to enrich the family ... We now have evidence revealing Joe Biden met with nearly all of his sons foreign associates who funneled him millions of dollars and evidence revealing he benefited from his sons influence peddling schemes. Democrats continue to ignore this corruption and smear Tony Bobulinski as they play defense attorney for the Bidens.
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Former White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany has responded to a new poll that named Donald Trump as the worst president in US history.

The Fox News host said on Monday she found it infuriating in so many ways that Donald Trump came in last in a poll ranking all US presidents.

The survey was launched by the Presidential Greatness Project and asked academics to rank each of the 45 people who have served as president from George Washington to Joe Biden.

They are the ivory-tower elites who in no way represent the view of the American people, Ms McEnany said of the surveys 154 respondents.

Ms McEnany continued by saying it was fair that the survey ranked Abraham Lincoln in first place, however, she was less impressed by the ranking Donald Trump had received in relation to Democrats Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

Then comes Obama at seventh and Biden came in 14th, actually beating Ronald Reagan, who came in 16th, and Trump, dead last, she said.

Kayleigh McEnany during her time in the Trump White House (AP)

Mr Trump scored just 10.9/100 in the survey, which also branded him the most polarising president.

Among Republican scholars who took part in the survey, Mr Trump ranked in 41st place out of the 45 candidates.

The former president is currently facing a combined 91 criminal counts in four separate cases, including one centered around the January 6 attack on the US Capitol, which was carried out by his supporters trying to block the certification of the election and keep him in power despite losing.

Following Ms McEnanys remarks, plenty of X users rushed to remind the former White House press secretary of this.

Shocking that the one guy out of 45 who tried to destroy the thing that the job explicitly required him to preserve, protect, and defend would come in 45 out of 45, wrote George Conway, lawyer and ex-husband of former Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway.

Donald Trump was ranked as the worst president in history (REUTERS)

Hes the ONLY President in American history who lost an election, refused to concede, refused to participate in the peaceful transfer of power, and then he committed crimes trying to overthrow that election. That alone makes him our countrys worst president, former congressman Joe Walsh said.

No other president was ever impeached twice and incited an insurrection, so why would this surprise her? another X user added.

William Harrison died 31 days into the job AND WAS STILL BETTER THAN TRUMP, another person added.

The survey awarded Abraham Lincoln the top spot, with an average score of 93.9/100.

Franklin D. Roosevelt came in at number two, followed by the nations first president, George Washington. Fourth place went to Theodore Roosevelt and fifth to Thomas Jefferson.

Previous surveys were released in 2015 and 2018, with Mr Trump ranking in the same spot as 2018, while Mr Obama has risen nine places since the first survey, from 16th in 2015 to seventh place in 2024.
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Watch as Nikki Haley delivered a speech in South Carolina on Tuesday, 20 February after vowing not to leave the Republican primary election.

The former United Nations ambassador, 52, told the Associated Press she will stay in the fight against Donald Trump regardless of this weekend's South Carolina primary result, and at least until after Super Tuesday.

Ms Haley's vow comes as polls show her trailing the former president by a significant margin in the state of which she was governor from 2011 to 2017.

What is the rush? Why is everybody so panicked about me having to get out of this race? Ms Haley ahead of her speech on Tuesday.

Thats about the most ridiculous thing Ive ever heard. If I get out of the race today, it will be the longest general election in history.
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On Tuesday, former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley delivered an anticipated speech where she said she would not drop out of the race for the Republican presidential nomination ahead of the primary in her home state.

In the speech, Haley attempted to lower expectations  given that she will almost certainly be blown out in the Palmetto state.

Polling currently shows Donald Trump beating her by double digits. And its no secret that losing a primary in their home state typically means death to a candidates campaign. Just ask Senator Marco Rubio, whom Trump drubbed in Florida back in 2016.

Winning Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina, like Trump has, usually signals that a candidate is guaranteed to become the Republican nominee. But Haley tried spinning that statistic and saying that the majority of voters simply did not vote.

Despite her best efforts, the fact is that Haley has put up poor performances in the early states. In Iowa, she posted a disappointing third place with Ron DeSantis inching past her, before he ultimately dropped out. And in Nevada, more voters chose none of these candidates instead of her. That is not a ringing endorsement. While a majority of voters have not voted, the partys biggest devotees have shown they do not want her to be president.

Nonetheless, she is beginning a swing throughout the rest of the primary states. On the day of the South Carolina primary, she will visit Michigan, followed by Minnesota, Colorado, Utah, Virginia, Washington, DC, North Carolina and Massachusetts. This comes after shes already traveled to California and Texas. Shes already on the air in Michigan running an ad saying President Joe Biden is too old and calling for mental competency tests.

But the fact remains that not enough Republicans like what Haley is selling. As my colleague Kelly Rissman wrote, a Suffolk University/USA Today poll showed that 63 per cent of those very likely to vote in South Carolina prefer Trump to Haley. While 59 per cent of voters who identify as moderates or liberals support Haley, they dont make up the majority of the Republican electorate.

Similarly, many of the states that have yet to vote are as conservative, if not more conservative, as South Carolina. While Michigan, California, Maine and Massachusetts might have some of the college-educated moderate white voters who could vote for Haley, other states like Arkansas, Alaska and North Carolina will easily break for Trump.

Furthermore, the Republican primary in places like California is closed, meaning independents cannot cross over and vote for her in the way they did when she put up a decent fight in New Hampshire. And even if she somehow does win over some independents who cross over, Trump and other conservatives will paint her as not the true pick of the Republican electorate.

It only gets bleaker after Super Tuesday. In the weeks after Super Tuesday, states including Mississippi, Georgia, Louisiana, Arizona, Lousiana, Ohio and Missouri will all hold their primaries in March, which will further chip away at their lead.

That will blunt her momentum and give big-pocketed donors less of an incentive to keep funding her campaign. Put simply, running through until the Republican National Conventions in July costs a ton of money between television advertisements, campaign events, town halls and setting up volunteer locations. If she does not produce a single victory in any state, donors will see no reason to bankroll her.

At this point, its fairly clear that Haley is simply waiting out Trump, hoping that his legal affairs get the better of him and that she could be seen as a viable alternative to him if or when he becomes engulfed by the lawsuits and criminal cases against him. She gave away her plan when she said: Its not normal to spend fifty million dollars in campaign donations on personal court cases.

But doing so would be handing her fate to circumstances beyond her control. For one, the court schedules are unpredictable. Similarly, the past year has shown that the deeper Trumps legal troubles get, the more his supporters coalesce around him.

Even in the off chance Republicans somehow replace Trump, Haley will likely not be considered a viable replacement given that she now exists in the consciousness of the GOP as Trumps chief Republican antagonist. If anything, the party would need to pick a Trump loyalist to occupy the spot. While Haley has said she would pardon Trump were she to become president and served in his administration, that likely would not be what Republicans remember.

Ultimately, Haley might only harm herself. She mentioned she is not seeking to set up a future run for president beyond 2024, but this might affect her standing overall in the party.

As she will be remembered as too deferential to Trump for voters who dislike him but too defiant against the head of the party, she will have fewer options for her future.
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Former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley delivered a defiant speech ahead of her home states primary on Saturday and insisted that she will not quit the 2024 race even if she loses her home states primary this Saturday.

Ms Haley, who won two terms as governor of South Carolina, insisted that even if she loses, she does not fear former president Donald Trumps retribution.

Thats why I refuse to quit. South Carolina will vote on Saturday. But on Sunday, Ill still be running for president. Im not going anywhere, she said at a speech in Greenville on Tuesday.

Ms Haley, who served as US ambassador to the United Nations in Mr Trumps administration, criticised his attempt to limit the primary, citing how 49 per cent of voters in Iowa voted for someone other than the former president and 46 per cent of voters in New Hampshire supported someone other than him.

I feel no need to kiss the ring, she said. And I have no fear of Trumps retribution. Im not looking for anything from him. My own political future is of zero concern.

Despite her previous political success in the Palmetto State, Ms Haley trails Mr Trump by a significant margin in South Carolina. During her address Tuesday, she also pushed back on accusations that she was running to be Mr Trumps running mate or to tee up a future presidential run.

If I was running for a bogus reason, I would have dropped out a long time ago, she said. Ms Haley also pointed to a critique that former New Jersey governor Chris Christie, who ended his campaign in January, made; that many Republicans secretly fear Mr Trump.

But Ms Haley also pushed back against accusations that she is a Never Trump conservative, pointing to her service in his administration and her critiques of President Joe Biden.

My purpose has never been to stop Trump at all costs, she said. Like most Americans, I have a handful of serious concerns about the former President. But I have countless serious concerns about the current president.

Ms Haley highlighted the fact that only three states  Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada  have voted so far.

People have a right to have their voices heard, she said. And they deserve a real choice, not a Soviet-style election where theres only one candidate and he gets 99 per cent of the vote. We dont anoint kings in this country. We have elections. And Donald Trump, of all people, should know we dont rig elections!

But Ms Haley has failed to put up a significant fight against Mr Trump, having placed third in Iowa. In Nevadas primary, more voters picked None of these candidates than Ms Haley.

Still, she also dropped an ad ahead of Michigans primary saying Bidens too old and Congress is the most exclusive nursing home in America. She also called for mental competency tests for the presidency.

Ms Haley has also campaigned in California and Texas, both of which have their contests on Super Tuesday on 4 March.

The speech also included some of her sharpest criticisms of Mr Trump, specifically hitting him saying that he would encourage Russia to invade Nato countries and for his multiple legal battles.

Its not normal to insult our military heroes and veterans, she said. Its not normal to spend fifty million dollars in campaign donations on personal court cases. Its not normal to threaten the people who back your opponent. And its not normal to call on Russia to invade Nato countries. Donald Trump has done all that and more in just the last month.

At the same time, she criticised Mr Biden and noted how most voters do not want a 2020 rematch between Mr Trump and Mr Biden.

As a country, weve never seen such dissatisfaction with the leading candidates, she said. Weve never had so many Americans mired in pessimism and division.

Ms Haley closed by citing her husband Michaels military service. Mr Trump has previously mocked Mr Haleys absence as he serves abroad.

Michael is fighting for the country he loves, she said, choking up at points when talking about his service. So are all his brothers-and-sisters-in-arms, wherever theyre stationed in our dangerous world. They have made their stand because America is worth fighting and even dying for. Now I will continue to make my stand because America is worth living for.
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Parkland shooting survivor David Hogg has bought a website address referencing former president Donald Trumps new sneaker brand and turned it into an anti-gun violence website with the ability to call lawmakers to advocate for legislation.

Mr Hogg, who is now the president of Leaders We Deserve, an organisation dedicated to electing young candidates to Congress, made the announcement on X, formerly Twitter, on Friday.

I just bought shoptrumpsneakers.com the activist wrote. I have redirected you to a page to call your member of Congress. The twist is the person who makes the call is a victim of gun violence whose voice has been re-created with AI to call for gun safety.

Mr Trump launched a series of sneakers ranging from $199 to $399 to help him raise funds for his legal expenses. The more costly shoe named The Never Surrender High-Tops, a pair of gold-coloured sneakers with a black T emblazoned on the tongue, have sold out.

Some buyers are attempting to resell them for thousands of dollars, per Mr Trumps Truth Social page.

It comes after the former president launched his-and-her Victory 47 perfume and cologne, with a gold stopper shaped like a quiffed head.

The former president started promoting the shoes on Sunday at Sneaker Con, a footwear convention in Philadelphia, just days after a judge in a New York civil fraud case ordered him to pay $350m  plus interest  for conspiring to manipulate his net worth. He was previously ordered to pay $83.3m to E Jean Carroll after he repeatedly defamed her by lying about his sexual assault of her in the 1990s.

David Hogg speaks at a gun safety rally in North Carolina in 2023 (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Mr Trump has not addressed Mr Hoggs site publicly but has continued to advertise the sneakers. After launching the site, the anti-gun violence activist later wrote, Not going to lie, pretty proud of this. Thanks to my tech savvy friends who helped.

The website has been used to send 58,362 calls since its launch. Visitors to the website can listen to the generated voices of six gun violence victims, enter their zip codes and then send their selected recording to a politician of their choice.

According to the website, 43,036 gun violence deaths occurred in 2023. So far this year, almost 5,000 people have died from gun violence.

In February 2018, 17 people were killed and 17 others were injured after a former student opened gunfire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

After the incident, Mr Hogg went on to become an anti-gun violence activist and a co-founder of March for Our Lives, a student led organisation that advocates for gun control legislation.
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Nancy Pelosi has suggested that Vladimir Putin probably has financial leverage over Donald Trump in damning allegations against the former president who failed to condemn the Russian leader following Alexei Navalnys mysterious death in a Siberian prison.

What does he have on Donald Trump that he has to constantly be catering to Putin? the former speaker asked as she appeared on MSNBC on Monday night after returning from Munich in Germany where she met Navalnys wife.

Navalny was a fierce Russian critic and opposition leader who died under mysterious circumstances in a brutal Arctic penal colony where he was serving a sentence.

I dont know what he has on him, but I think its probably financial, she said. Or something on the come  something that he expects to get, she said, explaining Mr Trumps refusal to denounce Mr Putin whom the majority of world leaders have blamed for Navalnys death. The former president avoided mentioning Mr Putin in his post on Monday and compared his legal challenges in the country to Russia.

"The sudden death of Alexei Navalny has made me more and more aware of what is happening in our Country," he wrote on Truth Social.

Former US Speaker Nancy Pelosi (R) meets Yulia Navalnaya, wife of late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny (EPA)

"It is a slow, steady progression, with crooked, Radical Left Politicians, Prosecutors, and Judges leading us down a path to destruction. Open Borders, Rigged Elections, and Grossly Unfair Courtroom Decisions are DESTROYING AMERICA. WE ARE A NATION IN DECLINE, A FAILING NATION! MAGA2024."

Ms Pelosi described Mr Trump as the Russian leaders pal and his buddy in vileness, saying the statement is it is beneath the dignity of a human being.

She also said Mr Putin was probably the richest and one of the most evil people in the world.

She added that Mr Trump has also been encouraging Russia to invade Nato allies who dont pay what he thinks is enough for protection.

Mr Trump earlier this month caused an uproar when he said he once warned a Nato ally that he would encourage Russia to do whatever the hell they want to countries in the alliance that do not spend enough on defence.

Navalnys widow, Yulia Navalnaya, has accused Mr Putin of killing her husband in a remote prison and refusing to turn over his body as part of a cover-up.
 Close Donald Trump warns of a 'bloodbath' in US if he isn't elected as president again

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Former president Donald Trump is once again facing criticism over his use of inflammatory rhetoric after he declared at a campaign rally in Dayton, Ohio, on Saturday evening: If I dont get elected its going to be a bloodbath for the country.

The Republican presidential challenger used the phrase as part of a dire economic forecast for the American auto industry but was swiftly rebuked by the White House over its wider implications, with spokespeople for Joe Biden accusing him of endorsing political violence  particularly given that the candidate had also bemoaned the fate of the J6 hostages at the same event.

The luxury real estate mogul has since hit back on Truth Social, claiming the media is only pretending to be shocked by his choice of words.

Mr Trump gave an interview to Fox News journalist Howard Kurtz over the weekend in which he again attacked the late-night host Jimmy Kimmel for making jokes at his expense, doubled-down on comparing migrants to vermin and on his call to terminate parts of the US Constitution and floated the prospect of supporting a 16-week national abortion ban in an overt appeal to the Christian right.
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Donald Trump isnt just the first current or former president in US history to ever face criminal charges.

Now, he is making history in another way.

According to a new poll, Mr Trump has now been labelled as the worst president that the United States has ever seen.

The third instalment of the Presidental Greatness Project, by University of Houston political science professor Brandon Rottinghaus and Coastal Carolina University political science professor Justin Vaughn, asked academics to rank each of the 45 people who have served as president all the way from George Washington to Joe Biden.

The survey is based on 154 responses from scholars across multiple disciplines, all of whom, in some way or another, engage in presidential politics through their work.

Previous surveys were released in 2015 and 2018, with respondents this year asked to rank all those who have served time as president on a scale 0-100  with 0 being failure and 100 being great.

Mr Trump ranked in the very last place, scoring just 10.9/100  the same spot he occupied in the previous survey (he was not included in the first survey, which was conducted during Barack Obamas presidency).

He was also awarded most polarising president in the poll.

Meanwhile, Abraham Lincoln stood at the top of the presidential rankings, as the countrys greatest president, with an average score of 93.9/100.

Franklin D. Roosevelt came in at number two, followed by the nations first president, George Washington. Fourth place went to Theodore Roosevelt and fifth to Thomas Jefferson.

Respondents were able to disclose their own political leanings, which produced an interesting insight into how the presidents fared between differing parties.

Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Michigan (AP)

Unfortunately for Mr Trump, the Republican scholars did not help his low ranking, as he still came out in 41st place out of 45 among Republicans only. Among Democrat scholars, he placed 45th.

President Joe Biden meanwhile was ranked at number 13 by Democrats and at a low 30 by Republicans.

Mr Rottinghaus and Mr Vaughn said that Mr Bidens ranking may have been influenced by him being viewed as Mr Trumps greatest blocker.

Bidens most important achievements may be that he rescued the presidency from Trump, resumed a more traditional style of presidential leadership and is gearing up to keep the office out of his predecessors hands this fall, they wrote in an article for the Los Angeles Times.

Mr Vaughn told Newsweek that the surveys capture a snapshot in time, showing how views can evolve about a certain leader.

While none of the academics have first-hand awareness of a Lincoln presidency, all respondents of course have a pretty good idea of what Mr Trumps term  and now Mr Bidens  delivered.

Current president Joe Biden ranked 14th among the 45 presidents (AFP via Getty Images)

Despite this, it is not impossible for presidents in recent memory to change rankings. For example, Mr Obama has risen nine places since the first survey, from 16th in 2015 to 7th place in 2024.

Likewise, Andrew Jackson, who served as president from 1829 to 1837, fell in the rankings by 12 places despite his time in office being almost 200 years ago.

The surveys press release suggests that Jackson suffered greatly in the poll due to increased focus on his dismal record on Native Americans.

Academics do lean left, but that hasnt changed since our previous surveys. What these results suggest is not just an added emphasis on a presidents political affiliation, but also the emergence of a presidents fealty to political and institutional norms as a criterion for what makes a president great to the scholars who study them, Mr Vaughn and Mr Rottinghaus told the Los Angeles Times.
Ukrainian carriers began a protest at three checkpoints on the border with Poland - Rava-Ruska, Shehyni and Krakovets, head of the public organization Ukrainian Transport Union in Lviv Region Oleh Dubyk told Interfax-Ukraine.

According to him, the action will continue until protesters from the Polish side stop blocking the movement of freight transport from the Ukrainian side.

As Dubyk noted, representatives of three public organizations of freight road carriers are taking part in the action, demanding an end to the blockade of the border on the Polish side and the resumption of normal traffic.

"Participants are stopping Polish trucks arriving from Poland for several hours, similar to the delay with which Polish protesters are allowing Ukrainian trucks to pass," Dubyk said. At the same time, he noted that the protesters were allowing cars and vehicles with humanitarian aid through.
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The United States has proposed a draft resolution to the United Nations Security Council calling for a temporary ceasefire in Gaza, after repeatedly resisting global demands to pressure Israel to immediately halt its devastating siege in the beleaguered strip.

A draft resolution also warns against Israels ground incursion in Rafah in southern Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have sought refuge after they were violently displaced by Israels months-long campaign.

The proposal comes after the US mission to the UN announced its opposition to an Algerian-led measure demanding an immediate ceasefire, which Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said would run counter to recent negotiations between President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Netanyahu, as well as the leaders of Egypt and Qatar.

The Security Council is scheduled to vote on Algerias resolution on Tuesday.

The latest proposal warns that Israels planned ground invasion in Rafah would result in further harm to civilians and their further displacement including potentially into neighbouring countries and would have serious implications for regional peace and security, and therefore underscores that such a major ground offensive should not proceed under current circumstances.

Last week, President Biden warned Mr Netanyahu that that such an operation should not proceed, according to a readout of their call from the White House.

The UNs humanitarian aid chief Martin Griffiths has warned that Israels military operations in Rafah could lead to a slaughter in Gaza and would leave an already fragile humanitarian operation at deaths door.

It is unclear when the draft will be put forward for a vote. The measure would need more than nine votes from the council and no vetoes from permanent members such as the US to pass.

Israels retaliatory assault in the wake of Hamass attacks on October 7 has killed more than 29,000 people in Gaza since 7 October, including 13,000 children.

In December, after several days of negotiations led by the US, the UN Security Council stopped short of a resolution calling for an immediate cessation of violence to pressure Israel to allow the safe passage of aid into Gaza, and instead approved a watered-down measure in an effort to avoid a veto from the US.

The US and Russia ultimately abstained from voting.

That resolution was stripped of a call for the urgent suspension of hostilities to allow safe and unhindered humanitarian access, and for urgent steps towards a sustainable cessation of hostilities. Instead, it called for urgent steps to immediately allow safe and unhindered humanitarian access, and also for creating the conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities.

The latest resolution from Algeria would demand an immediate ceasefire and call on Israel and Hamas to scrupulously comply with international law to protect civilians and rejected the forced displacement of Palestinians from their homes.

On Saturday, Ms Thomas-Greenfield said current negotiations among US officials with Israel and others would create the best opportunity to reunite all hostages with their families and enable a prolonged pause in fighting, that would allow for more lifesaving food, water, fuel, medicine, and other essentials to get into the hands of Palestinian civilians who desperately need it.

Algerias resolution would not achieve these outcomes, and indeed, may run counter to them, she said. For that reason, the United States does not support action on this draft resolution. Should it come up for a vote as drafted, it will not be adopted.

More than three-quarters of the 193-member UN General Assembly voted to demand an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the crisis last year. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has long supported such efforts,
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The worlds tallest and shortest people had breakfast together in California on Monday, reuniting six years after they first met for a photo shoot in Egypt.

Theres more than six feet in height difference between Sultan Kosen from Turkey and Indias Jyoti Amge, who posed for a new set of photos after their meeting.

Mr Kosen, 41, who holds the Guinness World Record for the tallest living man at 8ft 2in, can be seen towering over Ms Amge, 30, the shortest living female measuring just 2ft 0.7in.

In one of the images, Ms Amge is just a little taller than Mr Kosens shoe, as she stands alongside it smiling ear to ear. In another she can be seen barely reaching his shoulder  despite him being seated, and her standing on a chair near him.

The photos of the meeting were released by Turkeys Anadolu news agency, and its not immediately clear who organised their visits to the US. Anadolu reported that the pair had travelled to Los Angeles at the invitation of an unnamed American producer, who also planned to record their meeting.

Sultan Kosen posing besides Jyoti Amge in Irvine, California (Anadolu via Getty Images)

The duo last met in 2018 when they visited Egypt, posing next to the Great Sphinx of Giza. The sphinx also holds a Guinness World Record  it is officially the largest monolithic sculpture in the world.

Mr Kose officially became the worlds tallest man living in 2009, and was at the time the first man to grow over 8ft tall in over 20 years.

He also holds the record for the worlds largest hand. His super size is the result of a medical condition called pituitary gigantism that causes his bones and body parts to grow at a much faster rate than in most people.

Mr Kosen grew at an average rate until the age of 10 when a tumour led to his medical condition, prompting a dramatic growth spurt.

Kosen and Amge first met six years ago in 2018 when they posed next to the Great Sphinx of Giza (EPA-EFE)

He has previously spoken to Guinness World Records about what it is like to be so tall  he describes one of the advantages as being able to help out his mother out with jobs such as changing a broken light bulb and hanging curtains, while the disadvantages include not being able to find clothes or shoes that fit or finding it extremely hard to fit into a regular size car.

Ms Amge, 30, received the title of worlds shortest woman in 2011 after earlier holding the record of being the worlds shortest teenager. Her diminuitive height is the result of a form of dwarfism called achondroplasia.

In 2014, she became the shortest actress in the world, after playing the role of Ma Petite in American Horror Story.
 Close Related: Alexei Navalnys mother demands Vladimir Putin returns her sons body

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The UK has frozen the assets of six Russian prison bosses in charge of the Arctic penal colony where opposition leader Alexei Navalny died.

Western leaders say the blame for Mr Navalnys death lies with the Russian authorities, including Vladimir Putin. Yulia Navalnaya, Mr Navalnys wife, has said she believes her husband was poisoned with Novichok.

Those responsible for Navalnys brutal treatment should be under no illusion - we will hold them accountable, UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron said.

The UK is the first country to impose sanctions in response to his death, the Foreign Office said.

It comes as the Salekhard City Court, the city in which Mr Navalnys body was supposedly transferred after his death, said it will consider the demand of his mother to have his body returned on 4 March.

Elsewhere, Vladimir Osechkin, founder of the human rights group Gulag.net claimed to The Times that he believed the Russian authorities kept Mr Navalnys body out in the cold for hours before killing him, potentially with one punch to the heart. Claiming that former prisoners from the Arctic region had previously told of such deaths. The details of Mr Navalnys death are still unclear.
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The mother of dead Russian dissident Alexei Navalny has issued a direct plea to Vladimir Putin for the release of her sons body so she can bury him with dignity.

In a video filmed outside the Arctic penal colony where he died on Friday, Lyudmila Navalnaya, 69, said she had been trying to see him for five days but didnt even know where he was being kept.

Let me finally see my son. I demand that Alexeis body be released immediately so that I can bury him in a humane way, she said from the village of Kharp, some 1,200 miles northeast of Moscow, where it is minus 10C.

Russian opposition leader Navalny was critical of Putin and so became the victim of repeated aggression from the state (Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP/Getty)

The fierce critic of the Russian president died last week, aged 47, sparking outrage from Western leaders and Navalnys supporters who accuse Mr Putin of being responsible for snuffing out the most significant beacon of opposition to his leadership, in the run-up to next months presidential elections.

Russian authorities have said the cause of Navalnys death is still unknown and refused to release his body for two weeks while they carry out chemical examinations, members of his team said on Monday, raising fears he may have been poisoned, having survived a previous nerve agent attack in 2020.

Ahead of a meeting with EU foreign ministers in Brussels on Monday, Navalnys widow, Yulia Navalnaya, released a video in which she vowed to unmask her husbands killers and alleged that the refusal to release his body was part of a cover-up.

My husband was unbreakable. And thats precisely why Putin killed him. Shamefully, cowardly, without ever daring to look him in the eye or just say his name, Ms Navalnaya said.

And just as shamefully and cowardly, they are now hiding his body, not showing it to his mother, not giving it back, and pathetically lying and waiting for traces of another Putin novichok to disappear.

Alexei Navalny's wife pledges to continue his work and 'fight for country' in defiant new video

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov rejected the allegations of a cover-up, telling reporters that these are absolutely unfounded, insolent accusations about the head of the Russian state.

But Ms Navalnaya retorted on Tuesday: I dont care how the killers press secretary comments on my words. Give Alexeis body back and let him be buried with dignity. Do not prevent people from saying goodbye to him.

And I really ask all journalists who may still ask questions: dont ask about me, ask about Alexei.

Meanwhile, there was uproar on Tuesday when X/Twitter briefly banned her social media account. Yulia set up her account on Monday, days after Navalnys death was announced, and has since used it to commit to holding Mr Putin to account.

However, the account disappeared and was replaced with a message indicating that it had been suspended because it had broken the sites rules, before reappearing an hour later. X/Twitter said the suspension had been in error.

Her powerful plea came as the Kremlin initiated a new criminal case against Oleg Navalny, the brother of Alexei, according to Russian media.

The politician was pronounced dead by the Russian prison service last week (Getty)

The reports did not say under which article of the criminal code the case had been opened but said police were searching for Oleg, who was already on the wanted list in connection with another matter. In 2014, he was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison for fraud in a case Kremlin critics said was trumped up and designed to pile pressure on his late brother.

The move signals the Kremlins intention to continue the pressure on his family and supporters as they seek to mourn the dissident. According to monitoring group OVD-Info, nearly 400 people had been detained at Navalny vigils in 39 cities across Russia as of Monday morning.

International pressure continued to ramp up on Tuesday, with the White House announcing a new package of sanctions against Russia, set to go into effect imminently. The administration said the package would be released on Friday.

US president Joe Biden has blamed Mr Putin for Navalnys death, noting that while Washington was unsure what took place, it was a consequence of something that Putin and his thugs did.

Meanwhile, Italy, Poland, France, Belgium and the European Union itself became the latest powers to summon Russias respective ambassadors over Navalnys death.

Mr Putin, who famously has avoided speaking Navalnys name, has not commented publicly on the matter. However, on Monday he signed a decree promoting a number of law enforcement and military officials, including Valery Boyarinev, the first deputy chief of the State Penitentiary Service who was accused of torturing Navalny in his final stint in the Siberian jail.

Putin has famously avoided speaking Alexei Navalnys name (AP)

Mr Boyarinev, who received the rank of colonel-general, has been accused by Navalnys team of personally ordering restrictions on the opposition leader.

Initially a nationalist politician, Navalny rose to fame as an anti-corruption campaigner who soon began to take aim at madman Mr Putin and his regime of crooks and thieves, fomenting protests against the Kremlin before managing to secure 27 per cent of the vote in tightly controlled Moscow mayoral elections in 2013.

Following repeated arrests, investigations, and criminal proceedings, Navalny was finally evacuated to Germany in a coma after being poisoned with novichok in Russia. Upon his return in 2021, he was arrested at the airport and sentenced to two and half years of a formerly suspended jail term for alleged fraud.

The following year, he was sentenced to nine years on charges of spending donations to his Anti-Corruption Foundation on extremism and personal needs. Already listed by Amnesty International as a prisoner of conscience, he was sentenced to a further 19 years on a raft of extremism charges in 2023.

He went missing for three weeks in December before turning up at the notorious Arctic penal colony, where he was to die only weeks later.
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A Russian pilot who defected to Ukraine last year with a Mi-8 helicopter has been found dead in an underground garage in Spain, Ukrainian officials said this week.

The body of pilot Maxim Kuzminov was found on 13 February with multiple bullet wounds, in southern Spains coastal town of Villajoyosa in Alicante, reported Ukrainian and Spanish media on Monday.

Mr Kuzminov defected to Ukraine in August last year and reached the country in a Russian Mi-8 helicopter. He was reportedly living under a different name and identity in Spain with a Ukrainian passport, the report added.

His defection was seen as a major coup for Kyiv following a six-month intelligence operation. Ukrainian officials confirmed they had lured him into defecting and arranged for him to land the Mi-8 in Kharkiv.

He decided to move to Spain instead of staying here [in Ukraine]. From what we know, he invited his ex to his place and was later found shot dead, Ukrainian news website Ukrainska Pravda reported on Monday, quoting a Ukrainian intelligence source.

Russias spy chief Sergei Naryshkin responded to reports of Mr Kuzminovs death on Tuesday, calling him a traitor and criminal.

Spanish Guardia Civil officers investigate the garage where Mr Kuzminovs body was found (Reuters)

In Russia it is customary to speak either good of the dead or nothing at all, said Mr Naryshkin, the director of Russias foreign intelligence service (SVR).

This traitor and criminal became a moral corpse at the very moment when he planned his dirty and terrible crime, Mr Naryshkin was quoted as saying by the TASS news agency.

A spokesperson for Ukraines GUR military intelligence said Mr Kuzminov died in Spain, but did not specify the cause of death. Spanish police officials have not confirmed the victims identity but said a body of a gunshot victim was found in the town.

The victim could have been living under a fake identity, according to a source at Spains Guardia Civil police force.

A burned car allegedly used by the killers to escape the scene is parked outside the Guardia Civil barracks, in El Campello (Reuters)

Investigators are searching for two suspects who are believed to have fled in a vehicle that was later found burnt and abandoned in a nearby town, reported Spains La Informacion newspaper.

The reports of Mr Kuzminovs death come in the wake of Russias main opposition leader and fierce Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny dying suddenly in his Arctic prison.

Mr Navalnys widow Yulia has accused Vladimir Putin of poisoning her husband with novichok and hiding his body until traces of the nerve agent are unable to be detected.
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Polish farmers blocked border crossings with Ukraine, burned tires and spilled grain from train wagons on Tuesday as they intensified a nationwide protest against the import of Ukrainian foods and European Union environmental policies.

Farmers from Spain to Italy to Belgium have been protesting recently, worried that EUs Green Deal plan will place limits on the use of chemicals and on greenhouse gas emissions will result in a reduction in production and income. They are also in revolt against competition from non-EU countries, in particular Ukraine, a large producer of agricultural goods.

Polish farmers drove their tractors through Gdansk, Krakow and other cities, honking their horns in the noisy protest. They said their action would become ever more dramatic until their demands are met. Elsewhere they blocked the entrances to highways.

They want Prime Minister Donald Tusk's government to withdraw Poland from the Green Deal and to stop the import of agricultural imports from Ukraine. A sign on one tractor in Gdansk accused the government of caring more about Ukraine than Polish farmers. Such a policy ruins farmers, another sign said.

The protests are a growing source of tensions between Ukraine and neighbors across its Western border who support its efforts to fight off Russia's invasion but are facing pressure from farmers who say Ukrainian grain and other food imports are damaging their livelihoods by creating a glut on the market that pushes down prices.

Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy singled out the protesting Polish farmers in his nightly address Monday, saying their actions indicated an erosion of solidarity."

Near Kupiansk, close to the Russian border, where enemy artillery does not cease, news from the border with Poland seems outright mocking, said Zelenskyy.

According to Zelenskyy, Ukraine exports only 5% of its grains through the Polish border. So in reality, the situation is not about grain, but rather about politics, he said.

In response to the protests, Ukrainian drivers started a rally near three crossing points with Poland, the Ukrainian media outlet Suspilne reported. The blockade of Ukraine is a betrayal of European values, a sign on one truck said.

More protests were expected Thursday in central and Eastern Europe. Farmers complain that the 27-nation EUs policies on the environment and other matters are a financial burden and make their products more expensive than non-EU imports.
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Ukraine is investigating reports that Russian forces executed eight unarmed prisoners of war after capturing the key eastern town of Avdiivka, officials said.

Six unarmed Ukrainian soldiers awaiting evacuation were shot in Avdiivka, while two others were shot in the village of Vesele on the towns outskirts, according to reports.

Ukrainian forces confirmed on Saturday they had pulled out of the battered city following a sustained Russian onslaught that began in October last year. Subsequently Moscow said its forces had taken full control of Avdiivka and the towns heavily fortified coke plant.

The battle for Avdiivka was costly for Russia, which launched multiple waves of attack to break through Ukrainian defences in the region, but a chronic lack of ammunition ultimately hampered Ukraines defence of the strategically-located city.

The Security Service of Ukraine says it has now opened a pre-trial investigation into the alleged killing of unarmed prisoners of war during the fall of the city.

The defenders were seriously injured and were waiting for evacuation [when they were killed], the security agency said, citing messages on Telegram without naming the source.

An investigation into the shootings of unarmed Ukrainian prisoners of war in Avdiivka and Vesele has been launched, the prosecutors office in the Donetsk region said on Monday.

The prosecutor said it had received information on the execution of six prisoners at a location in Avdiivka.

It also shared two photos of the alleged killing of unarmed Ukrainian soldiers, with one photo showing the dead soldiers and another from an unspecified narrow trench showing a Russian soldier and Ukrainian soldiers coming face to face. Another unverified video on Telegram showed the men being shot at close range by the Russian forces.

According to the Donetsk prosecutors office, the video fragment was taken by a drone and showed a Russian soldier shooting two captured Ukrainian soldiers at close range in Vesele village.

"Not wanting to leave the prisoners alive, the occupier kills them with automatic weapons," the prosecutors office said. It did not specify when the incident took place but said the information surfaced on Telegram on Sunday.

Ukrainian military spokesperson Dmytro Lykhoviy said there is still no possibility to confirm or refute the killings at Avdiivka as an investigation was underway, reported Ukraines public broadcaster Suspilne.

But this is not the first time Russia has been accused of committing war crimes, he added.

Ukrainian officials said in December that Russian forces were captured on video killing two unarmed Ukrainian prisoners of war, who were clearly seen in the video to have surrendered.

The killing of prisoners of war is a gross violation of the Geneva Conventions and is classified as a serious international crime, Ukraine said at the time.

The Kremlin is yet to issue comments on the reports.

Relatives of six soldiers found dead after the capture of Avdiivka by Russian forces told the BBC that the troops were executed after they surrendered.

Ukraines new commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi confirmed he had ordered a retreat of his soldiers from the battered city on Saturday to prevent more loss of life.

But the Ukrainian military leadership is now facing criticism for allegedly giving orders to leave some wounded soldiers behind during the Avdiivka withdrawal, on the basis that they could be brought back to Ukraine later in prisoner exchanges.

A family member of one of the deceased snipers identified by the BBC said they heard Russian soldiers enter the building where the Ukrainian soldier Georgiy Pavlov was. The Russian soldier told Pavlov, who was on a video call with his brother-in-law, to switch off his phone, the report added.

Even though the Ukrainian commander-in-chief Syrskyi ordered the pull-out on Saturday, it was too late for soldiers like Pavlov to get out of the embattled city.

A day later, their photos were shared on Russian Telegram channels.

"They were killed by the Russians. But our military leadership allowed it to happen, Pavlovs mother told the BBC.

Ukraine elected to pull out of Avdiivka rather than risk having its last soldiers stationed there completely encircled by the Russian army. It will instead now have to reinforce multiple positions behind the Avdiivka line, given Russia is likely to keep pressing its advantage.

In the final days of the onslaught on Avdiivka, Russia used artillery shells and glide bombs relentlessly, leaving the defenders with no place to hide, according to a senior Ukrainian officer involved in the battle.
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Before the sudden death of her husband Alexei Navalny in a grim Arctic prison last week, Yulia Navalnaya had always played down the suggestion that she would one day take over as leader of Russias opposition.

But on Monday, as the 47-year-old widow alternated between rage and grief, she gave a powerful speech signalling that she would be there to help lead a shell-shocked opposition  a job fraught with danger.

"I want to live in a free Russia, I want to build a free Russia," said the mother-of-two in a video message. Stepping out of the shadow of her dead husband, she called on his supporters to share the rage and stand with her.

Filmed from a dimly lit room in an undisclosed location outside of Russia, the message in the video was both emotional and political.

"I know it seems that it is no longer possible (to continue the struggle)," she said.

"But we need more. To gather all together in one strong fist and hit this crazed regime with it  Putin, his friends, bandits in uniform, thieves and murderers who crippled our country.

"I urge you to stand next to me," she said in the nine-minute video that has since gathered around five million views. "I ask you to share the rage with me. Rage, anger, hatred towards those who dared to kill our future."

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and his wife Yulia attend a hearing at the Lublinsky district court in Moscow, Russia, 23 April 2015 (Reuters)

Up until now Ms Navalnaya, a graduate of the prestigious Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, has largely steered clear of public politics, as she stressed her role was to support her husband and hold their family unit together.

Daughter of notable scientist Boris Ambrosimov, Ms Navalnaya and Navalny were both once members of the liberal Yabloko party. They met while she was on holiday in Turkey in 1998 and married two years later, going on to have a daughter, Daria, and a son, Zakhar.

While always making clear that she shared his anti-Putin views, she had limited her public appearances and statements to key turning points in his life, advocating for his release and humane treatment, before retreating from public view again.

Also a former bank employee, she stood by his side for years at protests, attended court hearings, was herself detained several times, and helped Navalny survive and recover from what Western doctors said was a nerve agent poisoning attempt on his life in 2020.

She was present in court on 2 February 2021, when Navalny was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison for violating the terms of his parole in a 2014 case for embezzlement. He used his hands to form the shape of a heart as she looked on at him in a glass courtroom cage, her mouth covered with Covid mask.

After a judge read the verdict, subtracting the 10 months he had spent under house arrest from his original sentence, Ms Navalanya took off her mask, smiled, waved, and then shrugged. Dont be sad! Everythings going to be alright! Navalny shouted out to her.

Should she take on her husbands mantle, Ms Navalnaya would follow a path trodden by activist widows in other parts of the world, from US civil rights campaigner Coretta Scott King to Corazon Aquino of the Philippines. Closer to home, exiled Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya reluctantly stood for president after her husband Syarhei was jailed in 2020.

Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of Alexei Navalny, is welcomed by European Council President Charles Michel (Reuters)

Continuing Navalnys battle, however, is fraught with difficulty and danger as Moscow will inevitably be watching Ms Navalnayas every move.

Any attempt to lead the opposition from within Russia is almost certain to lead to arrest, but any leader doing so from abroad would be cast by the Putin administration as a foreign puppet controlled by Western intelligence.

"If (Navalnaya) does this in Russia, she will have a high chance of ending up where her late husband ended up," Alexei Levinson, head of sociocultural research at Russian pollster Levada Center, told Reuters.

"If she does this from abroad, the effect will be the same as for all the rest of those who somehow try to influence the processes taking place in Russia from abroad, and in my opinion, do not achieve very much."

Tatiana Stanovaya, founder of the RPolitik analysis firm, said Ms Navalnayas statement was "an unambiguous bid for an independent political role".

"A great deal will depend on what she has to offer. Not as the widow of a remarkable politician tortured to death, but as an independent figure," said Ms Stanovaya.

"Will she be able to find her own political style, her content, and a team that will not alienate people? Time will tell."

Additional reporting by agencies
On the Day of the Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, together with First Lady Olena Zelenska, honored the memory of activists who died during the Revolution of Dignity in 2014, the press service of the head of state reports.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Olena Zelenska placed icon lamps near the memorial cross at the site of the activists' deaths on the Heavenly Hundred Heroes Alley in the center of Kyiv, the message reads.

The President noted that Ukrainians stood up 10 years ago and will stand up now.

"Ten years ago, they tried to kill Ukrainians in their own country, in their own capital, just for the peaceful choice to be themselves and be free. For ten years, attempts to destroy us and our independence have been going on. There were bullets against the unarmed Heavenly Hundred. Now it's missiles, drones and armies. But ten years ago we resisted and continue to stand. Hundreds and hundreds are heavenly and living defenders of our right to be! Thank you for everything! And we will stand together," Zelenskyy wrote on the Telegram channel.

A commemorative cross on the Alley of Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred was installed by the public in March 2014 at the site of the executions of participants in the Revolution of Dignity. In the future, it should become part of the National Memorial Complex of the Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred  the Museum of the Revolution of Dignity.

Representatives of diplomatic institutions also took part in the memorial ceremony.
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A United Nations human rights panel has called for an independent investigation into reports that Palestinian women and girls have been sexually abused by Israeli soldiers.

In a collective statement on Monday, the seven experts said they were "distressed" by reports that male Israel Defense Forces (IDF) officers had raped, assaulted, and strip-searched female prisoners in Gaza.

They highlighted reports that IDF soldiers had taken photos of prisoners in degrading situations and uploaded them to the internet, as well as claims that an unknown number of Palestinian women and children had gone missing after being detained.

They also expressed "shock" at reports that the IDF had deliberately targeted female civilians even while they were fleeing or seeking shelter from Israeli attacks.

Taken together, these alleged acts may constitute grave violations of international human rights and humanitarian law, and amount to serious crimes under international criminal law," the experts said.

They called for an immediate and impartial investigation into the claims, and demanded that Israel's government cooperate fully.

A spokesperson for the IDF said: The IDF rejects those baseless accusations. The IDF operates according to international law. Without precise details or proof of individual cases it is not possible for us to examine them in depth.

More than 29,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the start of the Hamas-Israel war, according to Gaza's health ministry, which claims that most of that number were women and children

An Israeli study late last year similarly found that roughly 61 per cent of deaths from Israeli airstrikes in Gaza were civilians.

Monday's statement was issued by Reem Alsalem, the UN special reporteur on violence against women and girls, and Francesca Albanese, the special rapporteur on human rights in Palestine, alongside the UN working group on discrimination against women and girls.

Special rapporteurs are not UN staff members and speak in an individual capacity, but they are appointed by the international body's Human Rights Council and their statements carry global influence.
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South Africa has argued at the United Nations top court that Israel is responsible for apartheid against the Palestinians and that Israels occupation of land sought for a Palestinian state is inherently and fundamentally illegal.

Israel rejects such claims.

The South African representatives were speaking on the second day of hearings at the International Court of Justice into a request by the General Assembly for a non-binding advisory opinion on the legality of Israels policies in the occupied territories.

South Africa bears a special obligation, both to its own people and the international community, to ensure that wherever the egregious and offensive practices of apartheid occur, these must be called out for what they are and brought to an immediate end, the countrys ambassador to the Netherlands, Vusimuzi Madonsela, told the panel of 15 international judges.

Israel rejects accusations of apartheid and usually dismisses UN bodies and international tribunals as unfair and biased against it.

Israel is not making a statement during the hearings, which are taking place against the backdrop of the war in Gaza that has killed more than 29,000 Palestinians, according to Gazas Health Ministry.

Israel sent a written submission last year in which it argued that the questions put to the court are prejudiced and fail to recognise Israels right and duty to protect its citizens, address Israeli security concerns or acknowledge past agreements with the Palestinians to negotiate the permanent status of the territory, security arrangements, settlements, and borders.

Israel captured the West Bank, east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip in the 1967 Mideast war.

The Palestinians seek all three areas for an independent state. Israel considers the West Bank to be disputed territory and says its future should be decided in negotiations.

Israeli soldiers speak to a Palestinian woman near the site of an alleged car-ramming attack near Beit Hagai (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press All rights reserved)

Israel has also built settlements across the West Bank, many of which resemble fully developed suburbs and small towns.

The settlements are home to more than 500,000 Jewish settlers, while around three million Palestinians live in the territory.

Israel annexed east Jerusalem and considers the entire city to be its capital.

The international community overwhelmingly considers the settlements to be illegal. Israels annexation of east Jerusalem, home to the citys most sensitive holy sites, is not internationally recognised.

Israels prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement that Israel does not recognise the legitimacy of the discussions at the International Court of Justice.

He called the case part of the Palestinian attempt to dictate the results of the political agreement without negotiations.

An Israeli female soldier pose for a photo taken by another soldier on a position on the Gaza Strip border (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

South African representative Pieter Andreas Stemmet told the court on Tuesday that the settlements have extended the temporary nature of the occupation into a permanent situation in violation of the Palestinian right to self-determination.

South Africas legal arguments echoed those made a day earlier by Palestinian representatives as six days of hearings opened before the Netherlands-based court. After the Palestinians opened hearings, a total of 51 nations and three international organizations are scheduled to address the court, which will likely take months to issue its advisory opinion.

The Palestinians argue that Israels open-ended military occupation has violated the prohibition on territorial conquest and the Palestinians right to self-determination, and has imposed a system of racial discrimination and apartheid.

This occupation is annexation and supremacist in nature, Palestinian foreign minister Riad Malki said.

He called on the court to uphold the Palestinian right to self-determination and declare that the Israeli occupation is illegal and must end immediately, totally and unconditionally.

Pro-Palestine supporters protest outside the offices of Miss South Africa, Johannesburg, South Africa (EPA)

South Africa has a long history of support for the Palestinians.

Its governing party, the African National Congress, has long compared Israels policies in Gaza and the West Bank to its own history under the apartheid regime of white minority rule, which restricted most blacks to homelands before ending in 1994.

That led to South Africa launching a separate case at the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of genocide in its assault on Gaza that followed the deadly October 7 Hamas attacks in southern Israel.

At hearings in January, Israel strongly rejected the allegation.

Israeli legal adviser Tal Becker said that the country is fighting a war it did not start and did not want.

A final ruling in that case is likely years away, but the court has issued a preliminary order that Israel do all it can to prevent death, destruction and any acts of genocide in its campaign in Gaza.
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A website run by a criminal gang to distribute ransomware for use in cyber attacks has been taken over by law enforcement.

The site, belonging to the group LockBit, was overlaid with a message on Monday evening saying it was now under the control of law enforcement.

The message said the website was under the control of the UKs National Crime Agency working in close cooperation with the FBI and the international law enforcement task force, Operation Cronos.

It says it is an ongoing and developing operation that also involves agencies from Germany, France, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, among others, including Europol.

The message added that the law enforcement agencies involved in the operation would provide more information later on Tuesday.

The site had been used by LockBit to sell services, including ransomware, to hackers which would allow them to breach peoples computer networks.

The group is believed to have been behind a number of high profile cyber attacks in recent years, including one on Royal Mail last year.

Ransomware is a form of malware which encrypts data and files inside a system and demands a ransom be paid in order to release them.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has previously warned that ransomware remains one of the biggest cyber threats facing the UK, and urges people and organisations not to pay ransoms if they are targeted.

Chester Wisniewski, director, global field CTO at cybersecurity firm Sophos said the operation was a huge win for law enforcement, but warned that it was unlikely to have fully disrupted LockBit.

Lockbit rose to be the most prolific ransomware group since Conti departed the scene in mid-2022.

The frequency of their attacks, combined with having no limits to what type of infrastructure they cripple has also made them the most destructive in recent years, he said.

Anything that disrupts their operations and sows distrust amongst their affiliates and suppliers is a huge win for law enforcement.

We shouldnt celebrate too soon though.

Much of their infrastructure is still online, which likely means it is outside the grasp of the police and the criminals have not been reported to have been apprehended.

Even if we dont always get a complete victory, imposing disruption, fuelling their fear of getting caught and increasing the friction of operating their criminal syndicate is still a win.

We must continue to band together to raise their costs ever higher until we can put all of them where they belong, in jail.
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Near record-breaking wind over the mid-Atlantic region pushed east-bound commercial planes to supersonic speeds this weekend.

One passenger plane, a Virgin Atlantic flight traveling from Washington to London was pushed to nearly 1300kph (800mph), faster than the speed of sound, according to the US National Weather Service.

This evenings weather balloon launch detected the 2nd strongest upper-level wind recorded in local history going back to the mid 20th century, the National Weather Service Baltimore/Washington posted on its official X account.

Around 34,000-35,000ft, winds peaked around 230 knots (265mph!). For those flying eastbound in this jet, there will be quite a tailwind, the weather service said.

Two other planes, including one from New Jerseys Newark Airport to Lisbon, Portugal, reached speeds of 835mph.

While the planes notched up speeds higher than that of sound, they did not break the sound barrier as they werent traveling faster than sound relative to the air around them in the jet stream.

The Atlantic jet stream is a fast and narrow current of air flowing from west to east and encircling the globe and is widely used by airplanes traveling east from North America to cut down on their travel times and fuel use.

It usually has winds traveling at speeds close to 110mph (177kph) but is known to intensify at times, especially during winter months.

While such jetstream speeds have historically helped flights traveling toward Europe reach destinations faster, they have caused issues for planes moving west to the US due to turbulence, longer travel times as well as increased fuel consumption.

Greenland's Melting Ice Could Exacerbate Global Warming

There have been no reports yet of passengers facing difficulties aboard these east-bound flights.

Wow! 265mph jet stream wind last night over parts of the east coast! Great for flight if its at your tail. Not so great, otherwise!, meteorologist Lisa Green posted on X.

Recent research also suggests climate change is disrupting the flow of air currents in this part of the atmosphere.

The freak wind speeds were due to super-cold temperatures in the Northeast and much warmer air in the south, The Washington Post reported citing experts.

The wind speeds may have been accelerated by climate change.

Citing a recent study, meteorologist Jeff Beradelli said that for every 1C increase in air temperatures, there could be a 2 per cent increase in the jetstreams speed and a plus 2.5X for fastest winds.

We are at +2C now, so thats 10 per cent per cent boost. Roughly 240 becomes 275mph, he posted on X, adding that this intense of a jetstream doesnt likely happen in this situation without El Nino.
The mother of Alexei Navalny laid flowers for her son as she made a direct appeal to Vladimir Putin to release his body.

Lyudmila Navalnaya, 69, was seen laying a bouquet of white flowers next to a picture of her son.

In a recorded video message on Tuesday (20 February), Ms Navalnaya said: I appeal to you, Vladimir Putin, because the solution to this problem depends only on you.

The Russian authorities have said they will not return Mr Navalnys body for roughly two weeks while they continue investigating his death.
Alexei Navalnys mother has issued a video appeal directly to Vladimir Putin for the release of her sons body.

In a recorded message outside the Polar Wolf Arctic Circle penal colony on Tuesday (20 February), Lyudmila Navalnaya said: I appeal to you, Vladimir Putin, because the solution to this problem depends only on you.

Let me finally see my son. I demand that Alexeis body be released immediately so that I can bury him in a humane way.

Russian authorities have said they will not return Mr Navalnys body for two weeks while they continue investigating his death.
A Barclays building in London was graffiti spray-painted in red paint on Tuesday 20 February.

According to Chief Inspector Dan Murphy, the Metropolitan Police were called to the Moorgate branch at 6am to attend to the building after it was reported that somebody had defaced the entrance writing in red paint Funding the death of 15000 kids.

Investigations are ongoing and no arrests have been made yet.

While it has not been confirmed, the incident is believed to be linked to protests surrounding the Gaza-Israel war.

According to IDF officials, around 15,000 people were likely killed in Gaza since the start of the conflict in October, of these 8,663 were reportedly children.
The Prince of Wales visited the British Red Cross headquarters in London after issuing a rare statement on the Israel-Hamas conflict on Tuesday, 20 February.

Too many have been killed...There is a desperate need for increased humanitarian support to Gaza. Its critical that aid gets in and the hostages are released, Prince William said in a rare political intervention that was issued as his father King Charles pauses public-facing duties following his cancer diagnosis.

Downing Street welcomed Williams comments and said his pleas were consistent with Rishi Sunaks position on the conflict.
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The UK is bracing for a deluge of rain throughout the week, with a yellow weather warning in force for parts of England and Wales.

Hundreds of flood alerts are currently in place and the Met Office issued a yellow weather warning for parts of England and Wales on Wednesday.

The warning covers southwest England and parts of Wales, starting midnight on Wednesday and staying in place until midday. It covers cities like Plymouth, Exeter, Cardiff, Bath, Swansea and St Davids in the far west of Wales.

Up to 70mm or 2.75 inches of rain can fall on higher grounds with 15-25mm or 0.5 to 1 inches expected widely.

The forecaster warned millions of Britons could face travel chaos and power disruptions because of the heavy rain and flooding is possible.

Take care if you are travelling as there could be difficult driving conditions, with spray and surface water flooding on the roads, the Met Office wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

So when and where in the UK are downpours expected? The Independent has put together maps and all of the information below.

By 6am, rain will cover more regions of England and Wales. Areas in green can see up to 2-4mm per hour of rain, considered heavy, according to Met Office (Met Office)

More regions in England and Wales can experience heavier rainfall by 7am as the band of rain expands (Met Office )

As temperatures dipped on Tuesday night after a mild day of drizzle, a band of rain could be seen entering Southwest England early morning on Wednesday.

This will give the UK a wet and windy start, with the rain gradually intensifying on Wednesday morning.

We could see quite widely across western parts of the UK 10 to 20mm (0.4 to 0.8in) of rain, Met Office meteorologist Greg Dewhurst said.

But over those higher ground spots of parts of Wales, south-west England in particular, we could see 40 to 50mm (1.5 to 1.96in) and then locally 60 or 70mm (2.36 to 2.75in) of rain.

By 9am, parts of England and Wales in yellow can see up to 4-8mm per hour of rainfall (Met Office )

Rain is heavily forecast across the South West of England throughout Wednesday morning, with yellow warning in place until noon.

Met Office meteorologist Alex Deakin said the rain will be a cause for concern because the ground is saturated in places.

That is likely to cause some issues, so there is a warning in place, he said.

Band of rain will continue to move through the UK as the day progresses, covering more regions (Met Office)

Over 170 flood alerts and warnings have been issued by the environment agency  157 are in place across England and Wales.

Further local flooding from rivers and surface water is possible on Wednesday across parts of southwest England and the West Midlands.

Local groundwater flooding is possible for the next five days in the Malton area of North Yorkshire, leading to travel disruption and damage to properties.

In the afternoon, the clouds will begin clearing in most areas, leaving bright and breezy weather behind, the forecaster says.

Till noon, major cities like Plymouth and Cardiff will remain under heavy rainfall (Met Office)

Temperatures will be mild at between 11C-13C across most of the country on Wednesday. Bright and breezy weather will ensue, though it will feel cooler due to the lingering wind.

However, later this week, temperatures are expected to drop to between 7C and 10C on Thursday as wind from the north Atlantic sweeps away the rain clouds.

Some rain and showers are expected to persist, along with intermittent sunny spells that may break through the clouds. There is a likelihood of wintry showers over hilltops in the north.
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The United States vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution on Tuesday that called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, a decision that puts it at odds with most of the world, including a significant number of its allies.

The US was the only country on the 15-member council to vote against the resolution, while the United Kingdom abstained. It was the third time the US has vetoed a UN resolution aimed at bringing about a ceasefire in Gaza since the conflict began.

The vote was yet another sign of President Joe Bidens increasing isolation on the world stage as his administration continues to resist global pressure over its unconditional support for Israels war, which was sparked by a Hamas attack on 7 October that killed 1,200 people.

The resolution was tabled by Algeria and has been backed in some form by more than three-quarters of the 193-member UN General Assembly.

It comes as Israel prepares an offensive on the southern Gazan city of Rafah, where more than 1 million displaced Palestinians are now sheltering after fleeing from across the mostly destroyed territory. Aid agencies have warned of a bloodbath if the offensive goes ahead.

Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US ambassador to the UN, said the resolution would negatively impact negotiations between Israel and Hamas on the release of hostages held in Gaza.

Demanding an immediate, unconditional ceasefire without an agreement requiring Hamas to release the hostages will not bring about a durable peace. Instead, it could extend the fighting between Hamas and Israel, Ms Thomas-Greenfield said.

The US has instead proposed a draft resolution calling for a temporary ceasefire in Gaza as soon as practicable.

The draft resolution also warns against Israels ground incursion in Rafah in southern Gaza, where over 1 million Palestinians have sought refuge after they were violently displaced by Israels months-long campaign.

Israels retaliatory assault in the wake of Hamass attacks has killed more than 29,000 people in Gaza since 7 October, including 13,000 children (AFP via Getty)

Israels retaliatory assault in the wake of Hamass attacks has killed more than 29,000 people in Gaza since 7 October, including 13,000 children.

Using unusually critical language for the US of its close ally Israel, the resolution notes that an offensive in Rafah would result in further harm to civilians and their further displacement including potentially into neighbouring countries and would have serious implications for regional peace and security, and therefore underscores that such a major ground offensive should not proceed under current circumstances.

Last week, Mr Biden warned Benjamin Netanyahu that such an operation should not proceed, according to a readout of their call from the White House.

The UNs humanitarian aid chief Martin Griffiths has warned that Israels military operations in Rafah could lead to a slaughter in Gaza and would leave an already fragile humanitarian operation at deaths door.

In a speech putting forward the resolution, Algerias UN ambassador, Amar Bendjama, said that voting against it implies an endorsement of the brutal violence and collective punishment inflicted upon them.

Today, every Palestinian is a target for death, extermination and genocide. We should ask ourselves how many innocent lives must be sacrificed before the council deems it necessary to call for a ceasefire, he added.

Following votes, Security Council president Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett of Guyana said the council is once again disappointed by its repeated failure to demand a ceasefire.

A ceasefire is the difference between life and death for the tens of thousands of Palestinians and others stuck in the warzone that Gaza has become, she said.

Within the three weeks since Algerias draft resolution was first circulated, thousands of people have been killed and injured in Gaza, while every aspect of life has gotten worse for Palestinians who face devastating levels of food insecurity, hunger and famine, she said.

How many more lives must be lost? How many lives must be maimed? she said.

Palestines UN ambassador Riyad Mansour warned that, at that rate, By the time this security council session ends, more than 25 Palestinians will have been killed.

The US has vetoed 89 Security Council resolutions in total since 1945, and more than half of them have been resolutions critical of Israel.

Rafah, on the southern border with Egypt, is the last remaining refuge for Gazas civilian population and one of the only areas yet to be the target of an Israeli ground offensive. It is normally home to around 280,000 people, but currently houses over half of Gazas population of 2.3 million.

Most are crammed into tents, makeshift shelters, schools or hospital grounds, having been uprooted multiple times by repeated Israeli evacuation orders as Israels military campaign has progressed across the strip over the past four months of war.
Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration Oleksandr Kubrakov, who is also the Minister for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine, has issued a commentary on the incident with the opening of a railway carriage by Polish protesters to let Ukrainian agricultural products spill out on the rails. The official described it as "another political provocation aimed at dividing our nations."

"The scattering of Ukrainian grain on the railroad tracks is another political provocation aimed at dividing our nations. For 2 years, Ukrainian farmers have been harvesting grain in bulletproof vests, under rocket attacks and mine danger. And the Ukrainian army has literally broken through a corridor for this grain across the Black Sea on its own. It is through the Black Sea that 90% of our exports go. It is a matter of our survival. And the survival of the world, it's global food security, which depends on Ukrainian grain, especially in Africa and Asia," he said on X Social Network on Tuesday.

The official tagged the Polish Foreign Ministry, Foreign Minister of Poland Radosaw Sikorski, Prime Minister of Poland Donald Tusk, Head of the National Security Bureau of Poland Jacek Siewiera, and Polish Infrastructure Minister Dariusz Klimczak.

The Ministry for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine said on Facebook that "around noon, on the tracks of the Medyka station, protesters spilled about 4 tonnes of grain from two grain carriages waiting to be reloaded onto the narrow gauge. These agricultural products were in transit to Germany."
A new round of sanctions against Russia will be unveiled this week by the European Commission as the two-year anniversary of the countrys invasion of Ukraine approaches next Saturday.

It will be the 13th sanctions package against Russia by the European Commission, but Hungary  whose leader Viktor Orban is friendly with Vladimir Putin  has so far blocked it.

Still, the commission hopes to have the latest package pushed through in time for the anniversary.

There have been calls for sanctions to be imposed on imports of Russian aluminium  a move that could have implications for the Rusal-owned Augunish Alumina plant in Co Limerick  but no such sanctions are expected to be included in the latest round. The site is the largest alumina refinery in Europe.

Chinese investors, meanwhile, return to work from their Lunar New Year holiday today to an uncertain near-term future. Stocks in China have been battered amid a crisis in its property market. The government has been trying to fix the cracks, but the foundations will need acute attention.

A number of UK banks will release results this week, and there will be a raft of economic data that will give a clearer picture of how countries outside a robust US are performing.

Fresh from a bruising win over activist investor Vision Capital last Friday, Ires Reit will deliver preliminary results for last year this Friday.

On Wednesday, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) releases the Residential Property Price Index for December.

The same day, it also releases non-domestic building energy ratings data for the final quarter of last year.

On Thursday, the CSO publishes the Wholesale Price Index for last month, as well as the Labour Force Survey for the final quarter of last year.

Tomorrow sees the beginning of a substantive enquiry by the Central Bank of Ireland into suspected regulatory breaches connected to a tracker mortgage scandal that engulfed banks here. Former Permanent TSB chief executive David Guinane is expected to give evidence at the inquiry this week.
Two actions aim to quash court rulings giving firms more time to file returns

The Registrar of Companies has brought two High Court actions aimed at quashing decisions made by district court judges, allowing companies additional time to file their annual returns.

The registrar, who is the official responsible for maintaining accurate and up-to-date records related to registered companies, claims that the two unrelated firms sought, and were granted, orders allowing them to extend the time they have to file their annual returns to the Companies Registration Office (CRO).

The companies are Kitchen Innovations Limited, which applied before the district court in Galway for a time extension, and Greenay Ltd, which made similar applications before the Dublin Metropolitan Court.

Companies can seek an extension of 28 days to make annual returns to the CRO from a court, the registrar says.

However, the registrar claims that both companies applied for and were granted second orders by the district courts, further extending the relevant periods to file their returns.

The registrars lawyers claim that the district courts lack the jurisdiction to make such second orders extending time.

Any returns filed by the firms on foot of those second orders have not been legally registered, it is claimed.

Represented by Brian Conroy SC, with John Freeman Bl, the registrar has brought proceedings against two companies aimed at setting aside the orders granting the firms second time extensions.

Only one order extending time can be made in respect of a particular returns period, the applicant claims.

The registrar seeks orders including the quashing of the district court orders enlarging time within which the two firms annual returns for the periods between 2021 and 2022 may be delivered.

The applicant further seeks a declaration from the court that any returns sent to it by the companies on foot of the district courts orders have not been lawfully registered and should be removed from the register of companies.

Both cases came before Ms Justice Niamh Hyland yesterday.

The judge, on an ex-parte (one side only represented) basis, granted permission to bring the challenges.

The matter will return before the court next month.

Annual returns, which contain various financial and other relevant information about a company, are documents that are filed with the CRO which makes them available for public viewing.

The filing of annual returns is mandatory.

Failure to file such documents on time, or at all, has negative consequences for firms, including being struck off the register.
Harolds Cross residents claimed the proposed scheme would be an overdevelopment of the site

The owner of the Mount Jerome crematorium has stated that a new 181-unit apartment scheme for Harolds Cross resembles a Silicon Docks development.

The submission by Alan Massey is one of 40 submissions lodged in respect of the scheme by Adroit Company Ltds Large Scale Residential (LRD) scheme that consists of four apartment blocks rising between four and seven storeys at Harolds Cross Rd.

The scheme also involves the demolition of 48 dwellings and two one-storey detached dwellings all within Harolds Bridge Court.

In his submission, Mr Massey of Gate Lodge, Mount Jerome states that this proposed development looks like a modern Silicon Docks development of the Dublin port area that has landed in Harolds Cross.

It is totally out of character with the immediate and surrounding area.

Mr Massey contends that whilst there is an urgent need for housing accommodation in Dublin city, this proposed development is far too high.

The maximum storey height should be set at five storeys in line with other recent developments in the Harolds Cross area, he argued.

Mr Massey said Block A should be set at four storeys so it will not dominate neighbouring properties on the main Harolds Cross Rd.

In a submission on behalf of Harolds Cross Village Community Council which represents several thousand local residents, Hughes Planning and Development Consultants (HPDC) has claimed that the proposed scheme represents an overdevelopment of the site and will have a negative impact on the visual amenity of the immediate area due to both the height and scale of the development proposed.

The HPDC submission states that the amenity and the value of property in the vicinity will all be seriously impacted upon if the development is permitted.

An Bord Pleanala previously refused planning permission for a Strategic Housing Development (SHD) on site.

A planning report by Armstrong Fenton Associates states that design amendments have been incorporated into the new proposal to address the previous reason for refusal to the SHD scheme.

The report states that the amendments include a reduction in the building heights, bulk and massing of Blocks A, B and C.

The report states that the proposed bulking and their heights will make a positive contribution to the wider urban area.
Apple, one of Ireland's top corporation tax payers, has been in Cork since the 1980s.

Irelands southern region  including counties Wexford, Waterford and Cork  was the richest area in the EU in 2022, according to Eurostat, usurping Luxembourg at the top of the table.

Gross domestic product (GDP) per capita in the region, which also includes Carlow, Kilkenny and Kerry, was almost three times the EU average that year (286pc). The region also had the EUs third-highest GDP growth rate that year, at 13.5pc.

Cork is the European headquarters of tech giant Apple and was the first Irish location of pharmaceutical multinational Pfizer, which still has a large plant in Ringaskiddy. GDP growth across Ireland surged by almost 10pc in 2022 thanks to a boost in pharmaceutical and computer exports.

The Eurostat data shows the south came in well ahead of the eastern and midland region, which contains Dublin and commuter counties Kildare and Wicklow, as well as Louth, Meath, Laois, Longford, Offaly and Westmeath. GDP per capita in this area was 247pc of the EU average in 2022 and the third highest in the bloc in 2022.

Ireland is divided into three regions for EU funding purposes. GDP per capita in Irelands northern and western region  which includes Donegal, Leitrim, Cavan, Monaghan, Galway, Mayo, Sligo and Roscommon  was well under half that rate, though it was still slightly above the EU average at 105pc.

Luxembourg (257pc of the EU average) had the second-highest GDP per capita in 2022, the EUs statistics agency said today, down from first place in 2021.

The Prague region in the Czech Republic (207pc of the EU average) and the Brussels region in Belgium (196pc) came in fourth and fifth place.

Today's News in 90 Seconds - February 20th

Eurostat said the high GDP in Irish regions was partly down to major multinational enterprises located there. The high figures for Luxembourg, Brussels and Prague was attributed, in part, to a high inflow of commuting workers.

The regions with the lowest regional GDP per capita in 2022 were Mayotte, an overseas region of France, where GDP was just 30pc of the EU average.

The Bulgarian region of Severozapaden and Frances Guyane both had GDP of just 40pc of the EU average. Voreio Aigaio in Greece (41pc) and Severen Tsentralen in Bulgaria (42pc) were the next lowest.

In 2022, real GDP increased in 231 of the blocs 242 regions, with decreases in just 11.

Irelands southern region had the third-highest growth in the EU that year, at 13.5pc, beaten only by two Portuguese regions  the Algarve and Madeira. The Yugoiztochen region in Bulgaria had the largest drop in GDP, at 3.1pc.

The results come from data on regional national accounts published by the EUs statistics agency, Eurostat, on Tuesday.
Bristol Myers Squibb to appeal against Irish court ruling over 11bn drug Eliquis

Pharma company battles rivals over generic versions of its blood-clot medicine

Bristol Myers Squibb chief Chris Boerner. Photo: Bloomberg

John Mulligan Tue 20 Feb 2024 at 03:30

Pharmaceutical giant Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) intends to appeal against a decision by Irelands High Court issued in December that deemed a patent connected to its Eliquis medicine used to treat blood clots is invalid.
Cillian Murphy in the press room after winning the Best Leading Actor award for Oppenheimer during the Bafta Film Awards 2024 (Ian West/PA)

Bafta has said it is taking a security breach very seriously after a social media prankster gatecrashed the final acceptance speech for best film award.

A man, believed to be a YouTuber, joined director Christopher Nolan and the Oppenheimer team on stage as they accepted the prestigious prize at the end of Sunday nights ceremony at the Royal Festival Hall in London.

Dressed in a black suit and tie, the gatecrasher stood beside actor Cillian Murphy as Nolans wife and producer Emma Thomas delivered a speech on behalf of the team.

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Bafta said in a statement: A social media prankster was removed by security last night after joining the winners of the final award on stage  we are taking this very seriously, and dont wish to grant him any publicity by commenting further.

The man may have initially evaded suspicion as he walked on to the stage as Thomas encouraged the rest of the Oppenheimer cast to join them, saying: Where are you? Come on, all of you.

The epic biopic about J Robert Oppenheimer, the theoretical physicist described as the father of the atomic bomb, scored seven awards in total at the ceremony.

British filmmaker Nolan picked up the best director award, his first Bafta following previous nominations for Inception and Dunkirk.

Christopher Nolan and Emma Thomas after winning the Best Film award for Oppenheimer (Ian West/PA)

Irish star Murphy also landed his first Bafta for his titular role in the film while Robert Downey Jr won best supporting actor for his role as Lewis Strauss, head of the Atomic Energy Commission.

During his speech, Murphy told Nolan: Thank you for always pushing me and demanding excellence because that is what you deliver time and time again.

He said Oppenheimer was a colossally knotty character, adding: We have a space to debate and interrogate and investigate that complexity and its a privilege to be a part of this community with you all.

The award show, which was hosted by Doctor Who star David Tennant, secured an average audience of 3 million with the show reaching 3.8 million viewers at its peak.
Darragh McCullough: Solar farms are being built all over the country  so why is it so hard for me to sell power to the grid?

How does it make sense for us to keep removing some of the best land in the country from food production to erect solar when weve already got thousands of acres of roof space in every county?

Darragh McCullough on his farm in Co Meath

Darragh McCullough Tue 20 Feb 2024 at 03:30

One of my pet hates is having to deal with utility companies. It doesnt matter whether theyre selling electricity, gas or telecoms  if youre dependent on something coming onto your property through a pipe or a cable, God help you if you ever need to engage with a human.
Hannah Quinn-Mulligan: Why an Irish Brexit would be a bad idea for farmers

However frustrated we get with EU regulations, its a case of better the devil you know  farmers have it even worse in the UK

There is obvious dissatisfaction that is quite rightly being vented at the government. Photo: Don Moloney

Hannah Quinn-Mulligan Tue 20 Feb 2024 at 03:30

At the recent IFA tractor demonstration, a farmer told me that if the Irish government didnt take more notice of farmers, then wed be better off following the UKs lead and leaving the EU.
Property available in up to four achievable lots

The cottage needs attention but is perfectly habitable

The kitchen in the bungalow has picture windows, like many of the rooms.

The sitting room in the bungalow is spacious and bright.

Extending to 818 sq ft the cottage needs of upgrading but is described as habitable

The 25.2ac farm can be bought in a number of lots

The bungalow at Sunnyhill, Co Kildare extends to 1,818 sq ft and can be bought with 5ac of land

Despite the intricacies of the Vacant Homes Refurbishment Grant, it is certainly opening up possibilities for rural properties.

A cottage on a 25ac residential farm that also includes a bungalow at Sunnyhill, Co Kildare, is an ideal candidate for the scheme.

The property can be bought as an entire or in a number of achievable lots and comes to auction with an overall guide price of 720,000.

The 25.2ac farm can be bought in a number of lots

It is 2km from Kilcullen, 6km from The Curragh and 8km from Newbridge.

While buying a combination of the lots might be a project for a developer or an investor, the individual lots would suit buyers in search of a rural home with a few acres in the heart of horsey country and within striking distance of Dublin.

The first lot consists of a 1,808 sq ft bungalow with a detached garage and 5ac of land, on an elevated site with a private entrance and electric gates. This lot is guided at 300,000.

According to Clive Kavanagh of selling agents Jordan Auctioneers the house needs upgrading but is in a perfectly habitable condition.

The sitting room in the bungalow is spacious and bright.

There are four bedrooms, two of which are ensuite. A sitting room and a TV room both have open fireplaces.

The kitchen in the bungalow has picture windows, like many of the rooms.

The building has been unoccupied for about 18 months and will not be eligible for the Vacant Homes Grant

The land is set out in a paddock to the rear of the house that is surrounded by extensive lawns.

The second lot includes a two-bedroom, 818sq ft cottage with 5ac of land located behind the house and with frontage on to two local roads.

The cottage is in need of upgrading but is described as habitable and comes with vaulted wooden ceilings and oil-fired central heating. This portion of the property is guided at 200,000.

Extending to 818 sq ft the cottage needs of upgrading but is described as habitable

An 11.2ac parcel of grassland making up the third lot is described by the auctioneer as top-quality ground that is currently in grass.

The cottage needs attention but is perfectly habitable

Laid out in two divisions with frontage onto a local road, the auctioneer believes that it could have residential potential. This is guided 170,000.

A combination of the first three lots comprising the two houses and 21.2ac of land can be bought as a unit with a guide price of 670,000.

The kitchen in the cottage

A 4ac plot across the road from the rest has frontage on to two roads. The piece previously had planning permission for a two-storey house that was never built, and it comes to auction with a guide price of 50,000.

The public auction is jointly handled by Jordans and Leinster Marts and takes place on March 22 at 3pm at the Keadeen Hotel, Newbridge.
Former IFA presidential candidate Martin Stapleton received a standing ovation from Limerick farmers after he spoke at the County IFA Annual General Meeting in Adare last week.

He described eight years of involvement with IFA at national level as having been hugely rewarding, enabling him to help his fellow farmers, and urged farmer support to help strengthen the organisation.

Losing is disappointing and after so much effort, it is hard to take. But two months on, it has to be looked at and put in a new perspective he told the meeting at the Woodlands House Hotel.

It was an extraordinary experience to have so many people involved with me in trying to get the job.

"I would love to have been able to serve them as leader, but there are other things in life too and I am looking forward to becoming involved in some of those.

He said that the IFA election process is a very democratic system which has to be respected and it is absolutely crucial that we respect the democracy of the outcome and show our respect to the new president, Francie Gorman, for the next four years and the other officers elected on the day.

We really do need to appreciate the organisation that we have built up over the past 60 years and to maintain that strength is really important to deal with the problems that we are all going to face in the years ahead

When you have problems on your own farm, you then realise how important it is to have a strong organisation to represent you. In my mind, it is absolutely crucial.

I would implore of you that we focus on what has made IFA so strong over the years.

I would say  not financially in case anyone has any doubt about that because I would say for everyone that gets involved, it cost us money  but for me, it has been my hobby for the last eight years and it has been what I have done with my spare time and more than my spare time.

And I couldnt even attempt to quantify the job support and satisfaction that I got from the ability to have been able to help my fellow farmers for that [sic] eight years  it is something that I will be forever grateful to IFA for.
Poland asks to continue pilot with the abolition of e-Cherha at two BCP, extend it to one new BCP

Poland appealed to the Ministry of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure of Ukraine Development with a request to extend the pilot project with the abolition of e-Cherha at the Nizhankovychi-Malhowice, Uhryniv-Dohobyczow, as well as Rava-RuskaHrebenne border crossing points (BCP).

Deputy Minister of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development Serhiy Derkach announced this in a quick interview with Interfax-Ukraine.

"Today we received a letter from Polish colleagues from the Ministry of Infrastructure, who suggested that we cancel the e-Cherha at the Rava-Ruska-Hrebenne BCP. We read this and understand that this is probably our last communication at the border [during a joint visit to the checkpoint] did not achieve the goal. After all, we explained that the e-Cherha system is very important for the country, we showed the result, it really works. And they seemed to agree," Derkach said.

This letter contains a request to extend the pilot project with the cancellation of the e-Cherha at Nizhankovychi-Malhowice and Uhryniv-Dohobyczow, Derkach said.

Earlier it was reported that the agreement on the abolition of e-Cherha for empty vehicles at the Nizhankovychi-Malhowice border crossing point was extended until March 1.

In addition, freight traffic has stopped at the Yahodyn-Dorohusk BCP. Humanitarian, perishable cargo and fuel are not allowed through there. Empty trucks traveling for critically needed goods cannot leave Ukraine through this BCP. They are forced to wait in a more than 15-kilometer queue for empty vehicles at the Nizhankovychi-Malhowice BCP.

Yahodyn-Dorohusk, Uhryniv-Dohobyczow, Ustyluh-Zosin, Shehyni-Medyka, Rava-Ruska - Hrebenne and Krakovets-Korczowa remain blocked for the free movement of trucks.
IFA President Francie Gorman says there are too many candidates who do not care about farming. Photo: Finbarr O'Rourke

The new President of the Irish Farmers Association has called on all farmers to get out and vote in this summers local and European elections to ensure candidates sympathetic to farming are elected.
New Ross Mart manager Jim Bushe raised concerns around the viability of Jersey genetics in the dairy herd, with trade of these calves being extremely poor

Weaker dairy calves are becoming unsaleable, with many being sold for as little as 5/head, mart managers in dairy strongholds are warning.
A knife and baton were recovered from the Connswater River over two weeks after the murder of Ian Ogle, a court heard on Monday..

The father-of-two (45) was beaten and stabbed 11 times yards from his home in Cluan Place, east Belfast, at around 9.20pm on Sunday, January 27, 2019.

As a trial into his murder entered its second week, a crime scene surveyor was called to give evidence.

From the witness box, he confirmed that on Thursday, February 14, 2019, he attended an area of the river close to Mersey Street.

The crime scene surveyor said that after being tasked to the area, he was informed about two items of interest: a knife and a baton.

The witness said these items were in the river and he told Belfast Crown Court: I was able to see the items as the water was clear.

He also confirmed there was a high density of housing in the area of east Belfast where the items were recovered.

Its the Crowns case that the knife and baton were located around 25 metres from the then home of one of the men accused of murdering Mr Ogle.

In January 2019, Robert Spiers lived in Mersey Street and, during a search of his home in the aftermath of the killing, a set of knives from Lidl was found to have one knife missing.

The knife located from the river was the same type as the missing knife from the set.

Spiers (41), now with an address at Millars Park in Dundonald, is one of three men standing trial for the murder of Mr Ogle.

He has denied the charge, as has Glenn Rainey (37), whose address was given as Ballyhalbert Caravan Park, and Walter Alan Ervine (42), from Litchfield Street in Belfast.

Two co-accused  Jonathan Brown (38), from Whinney Hill in Dundonald, and Mark Sewell (45), of Glenmount Drive in Newtownabbey  pleaded guilty to murdering Mr Ogle earlier this month and were handed life sentences.

Also shown during sitting was CCTV footage recorded on various cameras in east Belfast.

The footage, which includes the fatal attack at the entrance of Cluan Place, was shown to Mr Justice McFarland in the non-jury trial.

The senior judge also viewed several pieces of footage taken from the Glider bus shelter on Templemore Avenue.

This footage captured five men with their faces covered walking towards Cluan Place.

The same camera also recorded the same men returning several minutes later.

On the return footage, two of the group are running and two are walking, and whilst one of the group is carrying what the Crown say appears to be a knife, another appears to be holding a baton in his hand.

The trial continues.
A woman caught with a pair of scissors in her bag on a Dublin street told gardai there was a threat on her life and she had them for self-defence.
1.4m money launderer brokered peace deal after Dublin gang boss threatened to kill Marcus Sweeney

Fraudsters links to socialite and an infamous Dublin crime boss

Businessman Silvio Rabbitte, Wesley Williams and Celtic Tiger socialite Marcus Sweeney

Eamon Dillon Tue 20 Feb 2024 at 11:56

A businessman jailed last week for his part in laundering 1.4m had to negotiate a peace deal between a criminal gang who threatened to kill Celtic Tiger socialite Marcus Sweeney.
Murdered crime bosss daughter faces stiff jail time over drug-gang linked charges

She is the head of an organised crime group in Newry

Whitney Hughes

Richard Sullivan Tue 20 Feb 2024 at 12:10

The daughter of a murdered crime boss is facing stiff jail time after admitting a raft of criminal charges linked to a major drugs gang.
Leaders preferred candidate fails to secure nomination, as unlucky Simon Coveney faces awkward questions over brothers RTE payout

Fine Gael is in crisis, with questions being raised over the future of Leo Varadkars leadership and how the party will fare in upcoming elections and referendums.

TDs were left shocked and blindsided after headquarters preferred candidate for European ticket in Dublin  junior education minister Josepha Madigan  came last in a selection convention for the partys nomination.

Politicians are saying privately that the party is out of touch on the ground in Dublin.

The ongoing RTE controversy has also posed awkward questions for Enterprise Minister Simon Coveney, whose brother, former RTE executive Rory Coveney, got a payout of around 200,000.

Members of the parliamentary party believe the State has been very good to the Coveney family and one source suggested he should not have taken the money.

While colleagues acknowledge that his brothers affairs are separate, one TD said: Simon Coveney is the most unlucky minister.

TDs and senators also believe the Coalition will be left red-faced as fear grows referendums  which will be seen as a confidence vote in the Government  will be lost next month. Most in Leinster House expect a low turnout.

One TD described being stunned when Ms Madigan came last in the vote on the partys pick for the European Dublin seat on Sunday night.

She was seen within the party as Fine Gael headquarters preferred European candidate for the seat. She received public backing from Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe, as well as constituency colleague and fellow junior minister Neale Richmond.

Today's News in 90 Seconds - February 20th

Last December, the Irish Independent reported a senior party figure saying they were surprised candidates who could not be elected in the general election would expect to run in a European election  such as Senator Regina Doherty, who won the convention on Sunday night.

Politicians remarked how Ms Doherty appeared not to hold out too much hope last Thursday when speaking to party colleagues that she would get the official nod in Leinster House.

On Sunday, Mr Varadkar seemed confident at the selection convention in DCUs St Patricks campus.

It is understood Ms Dohertys camp will now push against having a second candidate added to the ticket.

Party sources are now questioning whether Ms Madigan will run again as a TD for Dublin Rathdown.

TDs and senators, speaking anonymously, acknowledged that the vote for Fine Gael in Dublin would be more so in south Dublin than north Dublin.

If Josepha was the HQ candidate, then Id worry for the leadership, because its out of touch with the membership, one TD said.

Some party sources also pushed back against suggestions that there was a HQ candidate, saying the convention was left entirely up to the membership.

Mr Donohoe said the Taoiseach took a studiously careful and appropriately neutral stance, adding that he supported Ms Madigan because he had known her an awful long time. Conventions are always very difficult within parties and last night we were lucky to have so many candidates going forward, all of whom are capable of becoming an MEP for Dublin and I look forward to supporting them very strongly, he said.

TDs are also worried about upcoming referendums on care and the family, with one privately believing neither will pass.
The death, three weeks ago, follows the high-profile case of Aoife Johnston, also 16, who died after attending UHL in December 2022

Beautiful, kind and loving  familys devastation after sudden death of teenage girl (16) at Limerick hospital as inquiry is launched

Another inquiry has been launched into the sudden death of a second teenage girl in the Accident and Emergency department of University Hospital Limerick three weeks ago.

The 16-year-old girl died suddenly on January 29, hours after she was rushed to UHL suffering from breathing difficulties.

The girl, a much-loved only child, died in front of her mother in what an informed source described as deeply traumatic circumstances.

It is the latest tragedy under review at UHL following the death of Aoife Johnston (16) from Shannon, Co Clare,

Aoife died after enduring a 12-hour wait on a trolley in the overcrowded A&E in UHL.

The Irish Independent understands that in the latest case the girl had been initially admitted to the resuscitation area but was deemed well enough to be transferred to a trolley in a corridor.

However, her condition deteriorated further and following repeated pleas from her mother, a doctor ordered she be moved back to the packed resuscitation area.

She was placed on a trolley in the middle of the resuscitation room as there was no room in any individual berth.

An informed source said that on arrival in the resuscitation area her condition deteriorated rapidly and her mother made increasingly anguished cries for help.

As medics rushed to revive the teenager, a patient was transferred out of a resuscitation berth and she was moved in to their place. However, prolonged efforts to revive the girl failed.

A source close to the family described the young girl as a beautiful, kind and loving child who brought joy, love and laughter to the lives of her family and friends.

Her mother was totally devoted to her. They adored one another and her mothers loss is unimaginable, a family friend said.

An inquiry has been launched into the circumstances surrounding the tragedy and the care the girl received at the hospital on the day of her death.

The girl was admitted with a severe chest infection in early January. She was treated for over two weeks and was discharged home.

Aoife Johnston (16) from Co Clare died in December 2022 in University Hospital Limerick.

Within days her condition deteriorated and she was rushed back to hospital.

On the day of her death, January 29, University Hospital Limerick was by far the busiest in the country.

Figures released by the Irish Nursing and Midwifery Organisation (INMO) showed 113 patients were waiting for beds at UHL during morning rounds, 54 of those in the emergency department.

Overall 61 more patients were waiting for a bed in Limerick than the next busiest facility, Cork University Hospital, that day.

In a statement to the Irish Independent, UHL Hospital Group offered its sincere condolences to the family on their devastating loss.

We can confirm that a preliminary assessment has been carried out in line with the HSE Incident Management Framework and the findings from this assessment will be shared with the family pending the results of a post-mortem examination, said the statement.

Under the HSE Incident Management Framework, all major incidents are initially put through a preliminary assessment which will then assist in classifying the seriousness of each incident.

When a patient suffers harm it is regarded as a Category 1 incident and will be subject to a review.

In the case of Aoife Johnston, a review into her death at UHL has led to an independent judge-led investigation.

Aoife died from sepsis complications of bacterial meningitis after waiting 12 hours in a severely overcrowded emergency department on December 19, 2022.

An HSE internal review found overcrowding in the hospital was endemic.

The boarding of patients who are deemed ill enough to be admitted to a ward in the emergency department is a planned part of patient flow in UHL, the review said.

It added: There is little apparent understanding of the risks and inefficiencies caused to patient care by a crowded environment by the hospital system in terms of the impact on the emergency medicine doctors assessing and managing patients and the nursing staffs ability to provide safe care.

The use/misuse of the resuscitation area for all monitored interventions leads to crowding and an overemphasis on activity in this area. There are insufficient emergency department nursing staff to provide adequate monitoring and care to the patients in the department.

There are insufficient doctors to care for the numbers and acuity of patients presenting in the timescale expected by the triage system, the hospital and the community.

There is a high turnover of staff, both nursing and emergency medicine junior doctors, which leads to low experience levels and low situational awareness.

In the week following the teenagers death in January, UHL experienced the worst overcrowding in its history.

On February 7, a record 150 patients who were deemed ill enough to be admitted were left on trolleys or chairs without a hospital bed at UHL.

On January 31, as the teenagers devastated family and friends planned to say their final goodbye Health Minister Stephen Donnelly addressed the Select Health Committee.

Minister Donnelly defended the Governments handling of the overcrowding crisis in Limerick.

It is worth saying the hospital is making very considerable progress on its waiting lists and has been for some time. We need to acknowledge that.

We come back to the question around the trolley situation, put simply, in the ED.

The answer to this is capacity and reform.

Capacity in the hospital is very substantial.

In the lifetime of this Government, there has been an increase in the hospitals workforce, believe it or not, of more than 1,100 staff, which is very substantial.

It has gone from approximately 2,800 staff to 3,900 staff. That is a 40% increase in the hospitals workforce in the lifetime of this Government.

That gives a sense of how much we have invested in that hospital.

This story was edited on January 20, 2024
Regina Doherty beat Josepha Madigan to get Fine Gael European election nomination for Dublin

Junior minister Josepha Madigan (right) was seen as the favourite to pip former cabinet colleague Senator Regina Doherty (left) to the nomination last Sunday. Photo: Douglas O'Connor

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has insisted his party is energised in the lead up to referendums and local elections.

His comments come as TDs and senators were left shocked after the widely expected candidate for the partys Europe ticket in Dublin, junior minister Josepha Madigan, lost the selection convention on Sunday night.

Politicians have also raised concerns that the looming referendums, which will be seen as the publics vote of confidence in the Government, will be lost.

The issue of former RTE executive Rory Coveney receiving an exit payment worth around 200,000 has raised awkward questions for colleagues in the party as he is the brother of Enterprise Minister Simon Coveney.

A number of TDs have also announced they will not be running in the next general election, as well as two MEPs.

Mr Varadkar strongly defended the energy within the party and said the selection convention in DCUs St Patricks campus had between 600 and 700 attendees, with 500 voting.

Fine Gael is energised. Yes, there are lots of people who arent running for the Dail again but there are huge numbers of people who want to be Fine Gael candidates.

He insisted that Ms Madigan was not the official desired candidate for the Dublin European ticket.

However, there was widespread expectation within the party that Ms Madigan would get the official nod and she had the backing of Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe and Minister of State Neale Richmond.

Senator Regina Doherty, who won the convention, did not have any public backing from parliamentary party colleagues.

Senior Fine Gael figures also said previously that the party would prefer candidates who were able to win and keep seats. Ms Doherty lost her seat in the 2020 general election.

There are certain people who would like to be on tickets in Fine Gael who would only possibly get on a ticket if we fix conventions for them but I have never done that. I have always left it up to the members.

He said the party has not yet decided if they will run a second candidate in Dublin for the European seat.
Justice Minister Helen McEntee will ask for new regulations to help build up the Garda Reserve. Photo: PA

A major new recruitment drive aims to bring the Garda Reserve up to 1,000 members by 2026 after numbers fell off dramatically in recent years.

Justice Minister Helen McEntee will ask the Cabinet today to approve new regulations to enable her to build up the Garda Reserve. 

Today's News in 90 Seconds - February 20th

Only a small number of reservists remain, but the minister wants a competition in place in coming weeks which will target a reserve of at least 1,000 members in two years time.

The reserve was created in 2006 by former justice minister Michael McDowell, who saw the benefit of having enrolled civilians with power of arrest in support of the main force.

The Dail heard recently of widespread disillusionment among those remaining within the Garda Reserve, with some feeling they were not wanted by their senior colleagues.

Earlier this month, Tanaiste Micheal Martin recalled the controversy about the Garda Reserve when it was established. There was opposition to it. People were saying, Its yellow pack, and that is the wrong attitude, said Mr Martin.

We need to build up human capital to face the many threats we face. Particularly when emergencies happen in the public domain, there would then be a bigger reservoir of people we could draw upon to help match any particular challenge.

The absence of the reserve was bemoaned by some in the aftermath of the Dublin riots last November. Fianna Fail TD Cathal Crowe said at the time that the portal for recruitment into the Garda Reserve was closed.

There has not been any recruitment into the body since 2017, with hundreds leaving through non-deployment. Ms McEntee blamed current regulations that have been in place since 2006.

She said the regulations needed to be updated to reflect not just contemporary policing practice, but also to allow for such basics as the current Leaving Cert marking system to be used in applications.

The new regulations will allow An Garda Siochana provide better support and supervision for reserve members and also make the provision of training more efficient.

Other changes include ensuring reserves attending court are considered to be on active duty, and allowing those who wish to work more than the standard 208 hours per annum to do so.

Future duties of a reservist will also involve working alongside the Garda National Roads Policing Bureau, ensuring public safety during state visits and assisting with public order and crowd control. They will also be assisting with day-to-day garda work.

Ms McEntee consulted with the Garda Commissioner, the Policing Authority and the Garda representative organisations in relation to the new regulations, and has secured funding for the recruitment.

This drive will focus on a broad and inclusive range of candidates, who will provide a visible and practical form of community engagement and support, she said.

It follows a Garda recruitment window last month which attracted thousands of applications, with a high level of interest from people aged 35-50, after the age limit was significantly raised.

Senator Lisa Chambers, a former army reservist, told the Dail that the challenges in recruiting the number of gardai needed would persist for some time and there was an opportunity to use the reserve more fully.

It would be worth having a conversation with members, particularly those who may have dropped out, or where it did not work out, to see what could have been done differently, she said.
Russian special services have created a network of fake accounts of commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) Oleksandr Syrsky and are spreading fakes about the situation at the front and about the commander-in-chief, the Center for Countering Disinformation has reported.

"The Center for Countering Disinformation, together with the cyber department of the SBU, discovered a large-scale disinformation campaign by the Russian Federation to discredit Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrsky. It turned out that the enemy is spreading fakes about the situation at the front and about the Commander-in-Chief for the purpose of information and psychological impact on military personnel," the Centre said on the Telegram channel on Tuesday.

As reported, Facebook, Instagram, X and Telegram social media accounts created by Russian special services are reportedly promoting destructive messages of the Russian Federation through a network of fake accounts on social networks.

The Center for Countering Disinformation emphasizes that the information impact units of the special services of the Russian Federation have become significantly more active recently both in Ukraine and in NATO member countries. In particular, "the French Defense Ministry accused the Russian Federation of purposefully spreading false information about France in the context of the war unleashed by Moscow against Ukraine." The Center also notes that "the editorial staff of The Washington Post has gained access to documents on the Kremlin's organization of disinformation campaigns around the world."

"Get information from official sources, for example, the official page (https://t.me/osirskiy) of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine," the message posted by the Center for Countering Disinformation reads.
A man in his 20s has been arrested as part of a garda investigation into drug-related intimidation in north Dublin.

Gardai in the DMR North arrested the man on Monday in relation to suspected incidents of drug-related intimidation committed between 2022 and 2023.

The man, aged in his 20s, was arrested under organised crime legislation and is currently being detained under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2007, at a garda station in north Dublin.

Investigations are ongoing.
An artist's impression of a Metro stop in Swords, Co Dublin.

Economist Colm McCarthy told the Dublin MetroLink hearing today he believed the costs of the project were understated and the benefits exaggerated.

He said there was a long and sorry history of spending overshoots on large infrastructure projects in Ireland because of strategic misrepresentation of the costs.

That means lying, he said.

The UCD lecturers claims, made in an unscheduled appearance at the planning hearing, were rejected by the project developers, Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII).

Project director Aidan Foley told Mr McCarthy: There is no question in my mind that the benefits have been accurately calculated. They are not inaccurate as you infer.

He added: We stand over the current cost of the scheme.

Today's News in 90 Seconds - February 20th

Mr McCarthy was not listed to speak but, during a session set aside for elected representatives, Senator Michael McDowell said he would share his time with Mr McCarthy and an engineer, Gerry Duggan.

Mr McDowell lives close to the proposed Charlemont metro station in Ranelagh and he and Fianna Fail TD Jim OCallaghan, who represents the area, told the hearing the station was in the wrong location.

It is to be the final stop on the southern end of the largely underground rail line which begins in Swords, but both men said the terminus should be in the city centre.

They said Charlemont was a residential area with no capacity to handle the 10 million passengers annually that TII expected would use the station.

It is proposed for those 10 million passengers to have two car set-down points, no taxi rank and no bus service, said Mr McDowell.

Mr Foley confirmed there was no provision for a taxi rank.

Mr McDowell and Mr OCallaghan said they believed the only reason Charlemont was chosen for the terminus was to facilitate TIIs ambitions to upgrade the Luas Green Line, which stops there to a Metro, but that could be 30 years away, if at all.

Mr McCarthy said the current estimated cost of the project, 9.5bn, was the equivalent of a full years capital expenditure project for the whole country and other projects would not proceed because of it.

He added he did not believe it would stay at the 2022 figure of 9.5bn as a more recent estimate put it at 11.9bn, and that was also likely to grow.

He said the furore over the National Childrens Hospital overrun would be in the hapenny place compared to Metrolink.

Mr McCarthy also questioned TIIs figures for the number of passengers expected to use MetroLink and time savings claimed for journeys across the city.

If you overstate the benefits and understate the costs, that works wonders for the cost-benefit analysis, he said.

Asked afterwards whether Mr McCarthy was representing his views, Mr McDowell said they did not hold identical views.

He said An Bord Pleanala had no issue with him bringing in non-elected representatives to share his time in addressing the session, although when asked whether they had each paid the 50 oral submission fee, he said: I paid but the others got in free.
Residents of homes facing demolition for MetroLink to appear at public hearing

The population along the route of the proposed MetroLink has grown by 15pc since current plans for the rail project were drawn up.

Around one of the proposed stations, the areas population has soared by 274pc.

The figures were presented on the opening day of the oral hearing into MetroLink, which was told that Dublin had outgrown its transport infrastructure and was continuing to grow.

Plans for the current version of the project are based on 2016 population figures but there have been substantial changes since then. Along the Dublin city centre section of the route, the population has grown by 18pc.

Rapid development around the proposed Dardistown and Northwood stations in the north of the city has caused a 274pc increase. In Swords, one of the areas expected to benefit most from the service, the population has grown by 11pc.

The hearing was told that this area had poor transport options and just 12pc of commuters travelling from Swords to Dublin city centre used public transport.

Congestion is reaching critical levels along the Swords, Dublin Airport, Dublin city centre corridor  a major artery for our economy, said Aidan Foley, MetroLink project director.

Mr Foley said the impact of long commuting times was felt on both society and the economy.

The inefficiency of the transportation system hides a lot of additional socio-economic costs, he said.

People leave earlier in the mornings to avoid the peak-hour rush, making the transportation system look like it is more efficient than it is, and it hides other costs.

It puts pressure on families, with one or more parent being absent from the home for longer periods.

That leads to increased childcare demands and increased pressure on parents in the household, which can create a cycle of increased stress, reduced disposable income and reduced quality of life.

Ronan Hallissey, director of environment with Jacobs Engineering, one of the main contractors in the project to date, said while the population along the proposed MetroLink route had increased, so had deprivation levels.

Consequently, the schemes delivery will provide benefits to an even greater number of people than was predicted before, he said, but he added there was a flip-side to this. Conversely, a greater number of people will be potentially impacted by the effects of the scheme during the construction phase.

The hearing was told that every effort would be made to limit the impacts during construction but it was inevitable that people and businesses would experience disruption.

A Property Owners Protection Scheme (POPS) has been set up to arrange pre and post-construction surveys of homes closest to the works and to offer fast-track repairs up to the cost of 45,000 if they are needed.

Arrangements were also being worked out to deal with compensation for the owners of sites and properties that will need to be bought, demolished or built on.

The hearing, which has been convened by An Bord Pleanala, is being held in Dublins Gresham Hotel and is scheduled to run for six weeks.
Former justice minister and attorney general Michael McDowell is advocating for a No vote in the referendums. Photo: Gareth Chaney/Collins

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar with Fine Gael MEP Frances Fitzgerald, left, and Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys at the party's Yes campaign launch. Photo: Collins Photos

Voters will be asked to make their choice in the referendums on March 8. Photo: Stock image

One week from now, on March 8, Irish voters will be asked to vote on two very important constitutional changes  changes so important that most people say they know hardly anything about them.

Heres everything you need to know about it to help make an informed decision.

Where did these two referendums come out of and why?

Eamon de Valeras officials wrote the 1937 Constitution, with considerable input from the Catholic bishops, and it was narrowly endorsed in our first referendum in June of that year. Over its 87 years the document has evolved through Supreme Court test-case rulings and 38 referendums.

But many people have long felt references to the role of women in the home and the family based on marriage are seriously out of line with life as lived in modern Ireland. These proposed changes have been talked about for decades  now its up to the voters to decide on March 8.

What is the issue about the role of women?

Article 41.2 effectively says that women working in the home are central to the good functioning of the State and society. It also pledges to endeavour to support women working at home so that they are not obliged to go out to work and neglect family duties.

If voters say Yes then that article would be struck out and a new Article 42B would be inserted. The new addition would recognise the important role of carers in Irish society.

In the new provision, carers are said to be either family members or linked in other ways. The proposed addition pledges the State to strive to support such care.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar with Fine Gael MEP Frances Fitzgerald, left, and Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys at the party's Yes campaign launch. Photo: Collins Photos

What is the dispute about that change?

Equality Minister Roderic OGorman argues that this provision demeans women and is meaningless in modern Irish life where women have long pursued their own careers, combining work outside the home with family duties. Yes supporters say the provision supported a view in society that typecast women and played into things like the marriage ban, which forced women out of public-sector work the minute they married.

That ban only ended when Ireland joined the EEC, the forerunner of the European Union, in 1973.

But advocates of a No say this change would militate against women who work only in the home. They also argue that in practical terms it really would not change anything.

So, nothing is broken or requires fixing here, that No argument goes. Others say stronger language is required on practical support for carers who spare the State millions.

What changes are proposed about family and relationships?

As it stands, Article 41.3.1 accords very special status to the family as the basic unit of the society with strong legal rights. It fixes a family as based on marriage.

The proposed change would outline the family as founded on marriage or other durable relationships.

Former justice minister and attorney general Michael McDowell is advocating for a No vote in the referendums. Photo: Gareth Chaney/Collins

And what are the points of dispute here about relationships?

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said that up to one million Irish people live in family situations where there is no marriage involved. Yes advocates point to the 2015 endorsement of the constitutional referendum on same-sex marriage.

The Yes side also cite a recent Supreme Court ruling which granted a widowers pension to a father who was not married to his now deceased partner.

Advocates of No, including former attorney general and justice minister, Michael McDowell, argue that this change is a recipe for legal chaos with implications for things including succession and immigration law.

Some critics dismiss the term durable relationships as something which could be decided by things as facile as getting jointly-addressed postcards or Christmas cards. Again, the argument that nothing was broken or required fixing, is cited.

Today's News in 90 Seconds - March 4th 2024

So, will these two referendums be carried?

At first glance it seems that they should succeed. An Ipsos/B&A survey for the Irish Times last week showed six out of 10 people favoured the change on women at home, while over half backed change to definition of family.

But the history of referendums shows us that this is not a reliable predictor a month from polling. Referendum turnouts are often abysmal with two out of three voters abstaining.

Voter apathy makes the issues at risk to determined No campaigners sowing doubt  and only 8pc of people last week said they were well-informed on the issues. Watch for terms like: If you dont know  vote No and If in doubt  leave it out.

The Government and other Yes advocates have a big information battle ahead. So does the new Electoral Commission, which is facing its first crunch test especially on misinformation on social media.

Should I vote?

Make a small effort to inform yourself and then make an honest decision.

These two questions  to be put on separate ballot papers on March 8  are important for many peoples daily lives.
An artist's impression of a Metro stop in Swords, Co Dublin.

Residents of century-old houses in Dublins inner city neighbourhoods are afraid their homes will not withstand the tunnelling needed for MetroLink.

They fear the lack of concrete foundations and modern construction standards leaves their traditional terraced homes more vulnerable than engineers for the project acknowledge.

We can not underestimate the anxiety and trepidation felt about this, Labour Senator Marie Sherlock told the hearing into the rail project proposals.

Senator Sherlock said she welcomed the project for the benefits it would have for the north city communities of Phibsborough, Drumcondra and Glasnevin.

For inner city communities it would be hugely beneficial in reducing congestion, taking commuters from north County Dublin off our roads and improving our air quality and quality of life, she said.

But understandably there is huge trepidation and fears about the impact of construction.

Almost 12km of the 19km rail line from Swords to Charlemont would run underground, requiring tunnels beneath residential areas.

Senator Sherlock said the tunnelling impact modelling carried out for the project was based on projects abroad and there was concern it did not take account of the specific soils near waterways.

The Tolka River and Royal Canal run through the neighbourhoods.

She also asked if the modelling took account of the age and type of homes in the area.

Today's News in 90 Seconds - February 20th

John Kinnear, director of tunnelling for project engineers, Jacobs, said the modelling was robust.

We assume the building will move with the ground because thats the worst case scenario, he said.

That influenced the depth and distance of tunnels from properties and he was confident any damage would be cosmetic.

A Property Owners Protection Scheme (POPS) has been set up to provide free, fast-track repairs up to a value of 45,000 for homeowners within 30 metres of the MetroLink line or within 50 metres of a station.

Senator Sherlock said assurances must be provided that residents outside those limits would be treated fairly.

She said some who had queried the issue had received replies that they would be able to take legal action.

It's not good enough to say they have recourse to the courts. Thats expensive and theres a risk with it, she said.

Aidan Foley of Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), project director for MetroLink, said he expected that wherever a genuine claim was made, agreement would be reached.

You wont find TII wanting in this regard, he said.
No doubt illegal drugs may have been used within the grounds of Leinster House, Peadar Toibin has claimed

THERE is no doubt that illegal drugs have been used within the grounds of Leinster House, Aontu leader Peadar Toibin has claimed.

Mr Toibin was speaking in the Dail during questions to the Taoiseach where he sought information on State efforts to crackdown on the illegal drug trade.

He said he had no doubt that drugs had been used within the Houses of the Oireachtas.

He asked Leo Varadkar to outline how many personnel the State has working in Irish harbours to stop drugs from entering the country.

The remarks prompted Ceann Comhairle Sean O Fearghail to intevene, telling Mr Toibin: Deputy, if youve any evidence of narcotics being used on this premises, Id be very glad if youd bring it to my attention.

It is the second time in the last year that the issue of drug use in parliament has been raised, with Sinn Fein TD Dessie Ellis telling the Dail last February: Cocaine has become a major substance used in our society. You see it in pubs, you see it everywhere, its even in Dail Eireann.

His comment came days after Labour TD Aodhan O Riordain, a former drugs minister, said: People in the media take drugs, people in politics take drugs, guards take drugs, nurses take drugs.

As yet, no direct evidence of drug use within Leinster House has emerged, however.

Speaking in response to Mr Toibin later in the debate on Tuesday, Mr Varadkar paid tribute to the work of An Garda Siochana, the Defence Forces, and Revenue Commissioners in stopping drugs being smuggled into the country in recent months.

It seems that when drug smuggling isn't stopped, that's seen as Ireland being a soft touch or being a weak underbelly when it comes to drug smuggling. When it's interdicted, people seem to make the same case, he said.

But I think there's very, very good evidence here that An Garda Siochana, Defence Forces and Revenue Commissioners are doing their job and doing a very good job and stopping illegal drugs coming into the country.

He said it was never going to be possible to stop all drugs coming into the country, noting the US had not been able to achieve that goal despite the large resources it poured into prevention.
Waterford's last scheduled commercial services were in 2016 with VLM Airlines

Waterford Airport could have its first commercial flight operations in eight years with a London route set to be launched for 2024/25 if Government approval is confirmed for a business plan and related investment package.

The airport is now the focus of a proposed 30m development plan which will see the Government support a 12m private sector investment.

Waterford's last scheduled commercial services were in 2016 with VLM Airlines.

Last December, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Finance Minister Michael McGrath launched a private sector investment package which aims to revive the airport's commercial aviation operations.

A key element of the plan will be a runway extension to allow high-efficiency short-medium haul jets to service routes from Waterford.

Transport Minister Eamon Ryan has now received a detailed business plan for Waterford Airport which is initially focused on restoring a service to London.

The Comer Group International has confirmed it will invest 12m in Waterford Airport, in partnership with the Bolster Group, with the Government poised to provide matching funding as a strategic support for the south east economy.

It is hoped that the overall investment package for Waterford Airport - which is also backed by local authorities in the south east - could exceed 30m.

However, Waterford Airport board member, Councillor Jim Griffin, said it was "disappointing" that clarity on an investment timeline in respect of the business case has not been provided by the Government.

"Disappointment sums it up. It was exactly that, and I wasn't irate. As I mentioned, some council officials and the chief executive said at the previous meeting that there is sensitivity around this, and we need to drive on and get heads of terms signed," he told WLRFM.

"We can't always be coming back to the board meeting when there are smaller questions to be asked."

Councillor Griffin warned that it was vital there was "joined-up thinking" to deliver on a project vital for the economic future of the south east.

In its final year of commercial flight operations, Waterford handled 13,511 passengers.

This was more than 7,000 smaller than the total number of passengers handled by Connemara Airport which is primarily focused on servicing routes to the Aran Islands - and almost half what traffic Waterford handled in 2003.

Today's News in 90 Seconds - February 20th

Waterford Airport's most successful period was 2003-2012 when Aer Arann/Aer Lingus Regional was its primary route operator.

The airport's best year for passenger operations came in 2008 when it handled 144,000 passengers.

It last handled more than 100,000 passengers in 2010.

Former Transport Minister Shane Ross had warned that without the investment support, the future of Waterford Airport was "highly uncertain".

Under the investment project, which was first outlined in 2019, Waterford's runway will be extended to 2,287 metres.

The current runway length is 1,433 metres.

Waterford City and County Council views the airport as a vital future infrastructure asset for the entire south east region.

Waterford officials argued that the runway extension will allow the facility to handle bigger aircraft and make its operations more commercially attractive.

However, some aviation sources have queried how a facility which couldn't attract scheduled commercial services using traditional regional aircraft better suited to short runways will be more commercially successful with a longer runway and larger aircraft which are more expensive to operate on 'thin' routes.

Waterford officials said the airport development is the next logical strategic project after the local economy was boosted by the long-awaited creation of the region's first university, SETU.
Catherine Cox of Family Carers Ireland speaks of importance of a YesYes vote in upcoming family and care referendums

Carers from all walks of life are urging the public to vote Yes to both constitutional amendments in next months referendums to enshrine in law the invisible work they do for loved ones.

Powerful personal testimonies were heard at a special conference hosted by The National Womens Council of Ireland and Family Carers Ireland at the Alex Hotel in Dublin today.

Lyndsey ODonovan, family carer to her son Jack (21) who has quadriplegic cerebral palsy said a Yes vote in the upcoming referendums on family and care will give recognition to the work she does.

Lynsey O'Donovan and her son Jack who has quadriplegic cerebral palsy, is non verbal, epileptic and requires 24/7 care (Pic: Gerry Mooney)

Ms ODonovan had plans for a career and future before giving birth to her fabulous son Jack, who has severe disabilities and is non-verbal, epileptic, PEG-fed and requires 24-hour care.

I was thrown into that world of carers at such a young age. None of us planned to be carers when we thought about our future but we do it for the ones we love, Ms ODonovan said.

She said a YesYes vote will help her family get the support she has been fighting and begging for over the last 21 years, and allow her three daughters, who also care for Jack, to not have to fight as much.

Paul Skelly, who cares for his daughter Ciara (29), who has complex needs, including epilepsy and cerebral palsy, said a YesYes vote in the referendum will recognise that care is for everybody.

Mr Skelly stressed that care is not just for those with a disability. Growing up he said his understanding was that care meant looking after an elderly parent or family member.

That has all changed. There is no real recognition for carers. If we change the Constitution, we will have that recognition. This will be a step forward and we can hold Government to account, he said.

Pictured: Sonya Lennon, Senator Alice Mary Higgins, Paul Skelly, Lynsey O'Donovan and disability activist Shelly Gaynor (Picture: Gerry Mooney)

Wheelchair user and activist Shelley Gaynor said life with a disability can be very lonely and that she was lucky at 18 to be given a personal assistant so she could live a normal life.

Ms Gaynor said she is fortunate to be able to work, live in her own home and drive a car, with the help of her assistant.

A YesYes vote will be the start of a conversation. It wont give people everything, like extra support and services. But it will recognise the need for carers and give people the rights they deserve.

I dont see myself as a burden. I see myself as an individual who has the right to live a life by my choosing. Carers is like the word disability. It is not about the word but about how you view it, she added.

Sonia Lennon, television presenter and campaigner for equitable rights in the workplace for 12 years, is urging the public to vote Yes in order to change the gendered language in the Constitution.

Voting no means you are saying that you are okay with gendered stereotypes regarding care in this country. We have moved beyond that.

We know that the burden of care falls to women. Our world is much richer than that. Change needs to be addressed on an individual and systemic basis.

Therefore, I am urging everybody to vote YesYes on International Womens Day, March 8, she added.
The figures are staggering. As of August 30, 2022, the State was owed 105m in unpaid rent for social housing.

In Dublin City Councils remit alone, 38.5m was owed, with 144 tenants owing in excess of 20,000.

Now, 20,000 is a big figure when rent may be as little as 65 a week. Thats over 300 weeks defaulting on payment.

So, what if any safeguards are in place to ensure that tenants paying low rents actually adhere to the rental agreement?

It appears that once these defaulters take up residence, they completely ignore rent demands.

In the past five years, there have been hardly any evictions for non-payment of rent, so the defaulters are comfortable in the knowledge they are practically immune from penalties. They also continue to have children, which necessitates larger, more expensive accommodation and larger social welfare handouts.

So, if we project forward a couple of years, we will be in a situation where we are simply building properties for a large section of our community to live in free of charge.

On the other side, the mind-boggling decision not to allow those availing of first-time buyer schemes to apply to second-hand properties takes a massive number of second-hand homes out of the reach of first-time buyers.

It goes to show the complete lack of respect the Government has for young people actually trying to do the right thing.

Eamon Kearney, Ayrfield, Dublin 13

Leadership in the North has come a long way since the days of military berets

Theres a big difference between those in leadership and those coveting the leadership role. Leadership entails compromise at some point in the process.

We could hold out indefinitely for infinite demands to be met, but in the real world, such adventurism is reckless and irresponsible. Its easy to barrack from the sidelines, but leadership has to deal with matters above and beyond tribal point-scoring.

Northern Ireland has come a long way since the 1970s, and those now in leadership roles are a reflection of how our society has progressed.

Remember the leadership when they were wearing dark glasses and military berets? Both sides, by the way  and thats not me just being impartial. I can remember, back in the 1970s, one party leader calling another party leader an ignorant gulp live on air during what was a cross-party, televised political debate.

The people of the North have a 99pc shared vision  the desire for better healthcare, better education, better social housing, the list goes on. The present leadership, to a large extent, reflects that 99pc commonality.

One has to look beyond the rage and thunder to see it for what it is. I think were blessed for having the present leadership in the North  all sides, by the way.

Louis Shawcross, Hillsborough, Co Down

Even the director general is calling for transparency from RTE  so where is it?

Just to be clear  Micheal Martin thinks the RTE retirement packages should be transparent, the Oireachtas Committee thinks the RTE retirement packages should be transparent, the entire population of Ireland thinks the RTE retirement packages should be transparent, and even the director general of RTE thinks the RTE retirement packages should be transparent.

Em, I only have one question  why arent the RTE retirement packages transparent?

David OReilly , Eyre Square, Galway

Joe Bidens Irish ancestors would be ashamed of his financing of war in Gaza

There are reports of children in Gaza having their limbs amputated with no anaesthesia.

Famine rages as Israel refuses to let food through and instead it spoils and rots at the border. Children die of hunger while parents go out to forage for weeds in desperation. Children are picked off as target practice.

Israels prime minister Benjamin Netanyu unleashes a never-ending hell of shelling on innocent civilians in Gaza.

This is what US president Joe Biden is actively supporting. He and his government are providing the money, the military equipment and bombs to Israel. Being Irish and Catholic, all I can say is that his Irish ancestors would be ashamed.

He wrings his hands ineffectually without doing anything, when one phone call from him would stop the war. Shame.

Sheila ORiordan, Charleville, Co Cork

Rushed referendum is an attempt to woo women ahead of general election

With all due respect to everyone involved in the referendum campaign, can anyone give an example of how the present Constitution aided one single Irishwoman? If anything, it worked against them.

It was not until 1976  54 years after the foundation of the Irish Free State  that a wife and children had any rights to the family home. The then justice minister Patrick Cooney created landmark legislation that has stood the test of time for the rights of women as equal partners in a marriage or civil partnership.

Before 1976, there were reports in Irish newspapers of courts ruling against the moral right of a wife to everything they had paid for, whereupon the death of a spouse he left everything to his family.

This rushed referendum, is yet another case of a ramshackle government (under advice and direction from people with little or no nous) in an inane attempt to woo the female vote in the next election.

Declan Foley, Melbourne, Australia

The durable relationship amendment could cause far too much uncertainty

The chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Justice Marie Baker, is on record as stating that a relationship is durable if it is committed, and gave examples of these relationships, such as a couple being invited to a wedding or exchanging Christmas cards.

These examples appear to be extremely vague and open to interpretation by the courts. How will a judge decide which relationships are committed or not?

The ramifications of this amendment being accepted by the public, will have implications in many areas, such as taxation, inheritance, and immigration law, in addition to social welfare entitlements.

The only logical answer to this proposed constitutional amendment is to vote No.

Eamonn O Hara, Manorcunningham, Co Donegal
A 33m crystal meth seizure linked to the Sinaloa cartel has served as a dramatic wake-up call for Ireland. What read like an RTE adaptation of Breaking Bad had many people wondering: why on earth is the infamous Mexican cartel doing business in Ireland?

Gardai continue to carry out searches after last Fridays seizure, including at a business premises on the outskirts of Waterford city. The planned operation on Sunday night took place at a location linked to a prominent businessman aged in his 40s, who remains in custody and is being questioned over the biggest ever seizure of the deadly drug in Ireland.

The operation is targeting what is suspected to be the Irish wing of the cartels European operation, which is headed by Kerry man Morris OShea Salazar.

Today on the Indo Daily, Fionnan Sheahan is joined by Ralph Riegel, Southern Correspondent with the Irish Independent, and by Jude Webber, Ireland Correspondent with the Financial Times, to discuss the drugs seizure and who exactly are the Sinaloa cartel.
The joint-stock company Ukrainian Defense Industry signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the leading company in the development and production of missile systems  MBDA Deutschland, the press service of JSC Ukrainian Defense Industry reported.

"The document provides for a joint study of programs or opportunities for cooperation on air defense systems and concepts, in particular to counter UAVs. Potential areas of partnership are research, development, production, investment and the like," the Ukrainian company said in a statement on its Telegram channel on Tuesday.

"Cooperation with the world's leading arms companies not only expands Ukraine's existing capabilities on the battlefield, but also lays a solid foundation for the further development of our defense industry and contributes to its integration into the NATO defense industry," said Herman Smetanin, General Director of JSC Ukrainian Defense Industry.

In turn, MBDA Deutschland Managing Director Thomas Gottschild said: "This agreement is an important milestone in the relationship between the defense industries of our countries. I look forward to cooperation with Ukrainian Defense Industry, a leading player in the European defense industry."

MBDA Deutschland develops and produces missile and air defense systems that meet the current and future needs of troops.
Sinn Fein has tabled a Dail motion which sets out a plan to tackle surgical waiting lists for children with scoliosis and spina bifida

Three quarters of children are waiting longer than four months for orthopaedic surgeries in Ireland.

Thats according to a Carlow Kilkenny TD who has urged the Government to address the growing waiting lists for children with scoliosis and spina bifida, by engaging with, listening to, and acting on the concerns of parents, advocates and clinicians.

Sinn Fein TD Kathleen Funchion said that the children on the waiting lists deserve better and that the Government has failed to meet a promise made by Minister Simon Harris in 2017, that no child will be left waiting longer than four months for surgery.

However, Deputy Kathleen Funchion has argued that waiting lists for scoliosis-related surgeries are now worse than they were when that commitment was made.

Next Tuesday the Dail will debate a motion which sets out a plan to tackle surgical waiting lists for children with scoliosis and spina bifida. We have engaged with parents of children with scoliosis and spina bifida and their advocates to develop this plan over the last few weeks. The motion we are proposing contains the very reasonable asks of these parents and advocates, explained Deputy Funchion.

The scandal of long waiting lists for children with scoliosis and spina bifida is a long-running tragedy. These children deserve better. Seven years ago, Minister Simon Harris promised that no child would be waiting longer than four months for surgery.

The fact is there are more children on scoliosis-related waiting lists now than when Minister Harris gave that commitment. Three quarters of children are waiting longer than four months for orthopaedic surgeries.

Deputy Funchion added: Parents and advocates want a comprehensive, transparent, structured programme of work to be carried out by an independent taskforce which includes them, and clinicians, in its reporting process. That is the main ask of our motion next Tuesday.

The taskforce must be transparent, independent of CHI management, and must implement a plan that includes the full suite of care from pre-op to post-op, transitional care, specialist rehabilitation, and full and appropriate access to community services.

There is also an obligation on the Government, both moral and under Slaintecare, to ensure that children with complex medical needs are seen and treated on the basis of clinical need, and not the ability to pay. Government must deliver an equitable service that is in line with international best practice.

In addition, Deputy Funchion highlighted her frustrations with the delay to the opening of the new Childrens Hospital, which she said will be crucial in tackling the long waiting lists for orthopaedic surgeries in Ireland.

The motion also calls on the Government to resource and expand the paediatric orthopaedic elective care centre at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Cappagh, and to deliver a centre for elective paediatric urology services.

The new Childrens Hospital will be essential for tackling these waiting lists, when it is eventually open. That is part of why the Childrens Hospital saga is so frustrating. There is still major uncertainty about the timeframe for the hospital being open, and that by the time it is, many of children it was intended for will have aged out of paediatrics.

Promises have been made and broken time and again. Children need the Government to increase domestic capacity, such as at Cappagh, and make full use of international options. Children with spina bifida need an elective paediatric urology centre. The new Childrens Hospital will not be a silver bullet, and children cannot wait for the new hospital. There is an urgency to this and all options must be on the table.
The week will place a focus on the Luibini and Agallamh Beirte methods of performed dialogue

The storytelling method of Agallamh Beirte (in action above) will be showcased at events throughout Seachtain na Gaeilge this year.

Corks Seachtain na Gaeilge programme for this year will focus on the art of storytelling, with a wonderful mix of events for all ages planned to take place throughout the county this March.

The annual national celebration of the Irish language, running from March 1 to 17, will place a particular focus on two forms of performed dialogue, Luibini and Agallamh Beirte.

Luibini are sung and include a refrain or choruses, while Agallamh Beirte is a conversation between two people and both forms can have clever wordplay, be satirical or humorous.

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A free two-part event titled SEAL cois SULAIN: Agallaimh Aeracha agus Luibini Luachmhara will take place at Ionad Culturtha in Baile Bhuirne from 7pm to 9pm on Tuesday, March 5, where Aine Ui Chuill and le Sean O Muimhneachain will facilitate a workshop on developing Agallamh Beirte and Luibini, methods which are embedded in the Muscrai Gaeltacht.

The following week, on Tuesday 12th March, Ionad Culturtha will host a free Taispeantas, for people to share their Agallamh Beirte, Luibini and stories. Led by Aine Ui Chuill, Sean O Muimhneachain, Eibhlin Ni Lionaird and Paddy OBrien, the event will offer a chance to share and celebrate Agallamh Beirte and Luibini, whether participants want to perform or remain in the audience.

The Seachtain na Gaeilge programme will also include storytelling events for schools in Kinsale Library by Paddy OBrien and a poetry workshop for children in Skibbereen Library with Pol O Colmain. Authors Alan Titley and Carmel O Cheallaigh will also visit schools and libraries in Baile Bhuirne, Cobh, Youghal and Midleton.

Ciorcal Cainte groups for adults in Mitchelstown and Youghal libraries will welcome storytellers Dick Beamish and Paddy OBrien. Those interested should contact these libraries for details on when their local Ciorcail Cainte groups meet.

Mayor of County Cork, Cllr Frank OFlynn, spoke of the upcoming programme for the annual celebration this week.

This years Seachtain na Gaeilge programme in County Cork is a wonderful mix of events for all ages. Supporting Irish language events has always been important to Cork County Council, and we are happy to see the continuation and expansion of this through our Seachtain na Gaeilge programme, as well as funding streams such as the Irish Office Grant for Irish language events and Initiatives and the Irish Language Arts strand of the Councils Annual Arts Grant.

For more information on events, contact Cork County Councils Library and Arts Service by emailing arts@corkcoco.ie.

Those interested in signing up for SEAL cois SULAIN should call or text organiser Paddy OBrien on 086 873 2394.
1 million in EU funds already allocated to redevelopment, but no work done

Mallow Town Hall is an historic building, burned by the Black and Tans during the War of Independence.

Newly co-opted Cork county councillor for the Mallow LEA, Eoghan Kenny, has this week asked for a definite answer on the proposed redevelopment of Mallow Town Hall.

The town hall, once the epicentre of local government in Mallow, has lain idle since 2011 after the building failed to pass safety criteria, particularly in relation to fire safety. Since then, ambitious plans have been drawn up to redevelop and repurpose the building  located in the very centre of Mallow town  but no redevelopment has actually taken place, and the building remains idle.

The redevelopment plans focused on converting the building into a regional arts hub, and by 2016 those plans had reached an advanced stage. However, in 2018 concerns were raised about the future of the project after it emerged that funding set aside for it had been reallocated to the Mallow Bridge boardwalk, works which have since been completed.

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Still, at the beginning of 2021 a senior Cork County Council official said it was anticipated planning permission would be sought for the development of an arts centre, costing an estimated 5 million, during the early part of that year.

As far back as July 2016 pen was put to paper on a contract for the proposed arts centre, with the initial proposal making provision for a 200-seat auditorium and dressing rooms, a gallery/exhibition space, a tourism office and arts studios and work spaces.

Mallow Town Hall is an historic building, burned by the Black and Tans during the War of Independence.

Another key feature of the proposal was a walkway or 'indoor street' running through the building from its Main Street entrance though to the rear car-park.

However, as late as September 2022 a definitive timetable for the proposed theatre/community arts centre had yet to be put in place, with funding from the county council still a key issue.

Speaking this week, the newly-minted Mallow councillor, Eoghan Kenny, said: In 2016, Cork County Council received a 1 million grant from the European Regional Development Fund to redevelop Mallow Town Hall into an arts and cultural hub, however, the redevelopment is yet to take place and Mallow Town Hall remains idle, since 2011. This is not good enough.

The people of Mallow deserve to know what is happening with Mallow Town Hall, when we can possibly see the redevelopment take place."

Labours new man in Mallow, teacher Eoghan Kenny, seen here with Labour Party Deputy Sean Sherlock (left).

With a number of derelict buildings already on Mallows main street, most notably the former Central Hotel, Cllr Kenny went on to say: We speak about dereliction on our main street, it is a priority of mine, it is not good enough to leave a building as beautiful as Mallow Town Hall empty. Cork County Council have dragged their feet on this redevelopment and answers are needed now. Talented arts and cultural groups and individuals are being left in the dark.

Indeed, Mallow Arts Festival - which runs events throughout the year - have long sought the redeveloped building as a hub for their activities.

The Town Halls predecessor had been built in 1908 and had been destroyed by British Crown Forces during the War of Independence in reprisal for an IRA raid on an army barracks. The current building was built in 1930.

Meanwhile, this will be one of Cllr Kenny's first motions at his first Kanturk/Mallow Municipal District meeting at the beginning of March, since he was co-opted onto the council following the retirement of Cllr James Kennedy.
The clarity was provided by Niall Healy Director of Service Roads and Transportation at Mondays Northern Committee meeting after a motion from Cllr Noel McCarthy who wondered about the possibility of building a new bridge crossing the River Blackwater to help relieve the traffic congestion.

Fine Gael Cllr McCarthy said a plan needs to be put in place. Ongoing traffic congestion in Fermoy raised its head again over the Christmas period. We had a lot of people making comments on it. There is nothing worse than a journey that should only take five or ten minutes taking 30 or 35 minutes. That is what is happening in Fermoy at peak times. Fermoy is a great place to shop, to live in and raise a family. Business people are asking what are we doing about it? We need to put a plan in place, he said.

We need to find a solution, said Cllr McCarthy. I welcome the reply that there will be a survey carried out by TII on traffic in Fermoy. We have two bridges crossing in Fermoy. We have one on the M8 and one on the N72. The one on the M8 is of no advantage to the town of Fermoy because if you want to go from north to south or from south to north to skip the main traffic you have to pay 2.30 to get off. That is not fair to the people living in Fermoy, the people in the surrounding areas or people who come to visit their relatives.

The toll is causing a disadvantage to the town of Fermoy. People who want to escape the toll are coming through the town of Fermoy and that is adding to the traffic congestion. We have the N72 that runs through the centre of our town. That causes its own problems as well. If we hadnt the toll the second bridge would be a huge advantage. We have to look at an alternative. If a new bridge is the alternative then we need to seek funding for it, he added.

Fianna Fail councillor William OLeary who brought forward a similar motion said residents and business owners are worried about the increase in traffic. Between Christmas and the new year I did field a number of calls from residents and particularly business owners about the issue. There are certain times when the town does come to a gridlock. We are not expecting a new bridge to go over the Blackwater any day soon. We do need to start carrying out these surveys.

We need to show people Fermoy is open for business, said Fine Gael councillor Kay Dawson. If you get the reputation of being a town that is bottlenecked people will avoid you. A business person told me traffic does not mean business. They cant wait to get out of here because they know they will be stuck for a period of time. We need to do everything to change this issue.

The Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Frank OFlynn said a proper traffic management plan is required. Fermoy is a lovely town and is doing exceptionally well. It is a great town to visit, live in and socialise in. Could we put in place a proper traffic management plan for the town of Fermoy over the coming weeks?

His party colleague Cllr Deirdre OBrien recalled going from Mitchelstown to Cork City in the late 1980s and early 1990s and sitting in traffic for 30 minutes in Fermoy. The M8 was manna from heaven, she said.

Director of Service Niall Healy acknowledged the rising traffic levels in Fermoy town. We have seen that the traffic levels in the town have increased over recent years. That is probably an indicator of the economic health and wellbeing of the town. We will look at carrying out a traffic management plan for the town. We will need to talk to TII because the N72 is the primary artery through the town. There are protocols we need to follow in relation to traffic management planning on a national road. We will be asking TII for funding support for that. We will pitch it in the context of some forthcoming developments in the town and the traffic impacts those will have on the town.

We will look at all possible options to manage the traffic rather than going down the route of developing a further bridge crossing. Making a business case for a further bridge crossing would be all but impossible in the current climate. We will be expected to look at lower cost interventions that might help to manage traffic flow in an effective manner, he added.
TJ O'Grady-Peyton, director of Room Taken which is showing at the Dublin International film Festival

The director of a film about a homeless asylum seeker, which will be screened at the Dublin International Film Festival, said more and more of these real stories happened during production.

Filmmaker TJ OGrady-Peytons work has been recognised at the Young Director Awards in Cannes and the Galway Film Fleadh. His films have been showcased at festivals like Tribeca, Clermont Ferrand, and BFI London.

His new film, Room Taken, follows Isaac who is part of the rapidly growing homeless population. One day, while charging his phone in a coffee shop, he meets Victoria, an elderly blind woman.

After forgetting her bag in the cafe, Isaac returns it to her. Once inside her home and in desperate need of a place to stay, he sneaks upstairs and begins to live there, unbeknownst to Victoria.

He starts fixing things in the house, she doesnt realise hes sleeping there. Then an unusual friendship starts to build between the two, TJ said.

The film was written before a lot of asylum seekers were arriving in Ireland and sleeping rough. Those real stories happened more and more when we started production.

We are privileged to have a stellar cast, including Tony Award-winning Brid Brennan in the role of the elderly blind woman and the incredibly talented Gabriel Adewusi portraying the homeless man.

Their performances play a crucial role in conveying the themes of the film and bringing authenticity to the characters.

In Ireland and many other countries, anti-immigrant sentiments are on the rise. Room Taken aims to ignite conversations and nurture empathy, all through a creative and original lens.

We want to take people on a journey that is full of suspense, humour and emotion. Its a piece we view as a humorous ghost story, but about still-living.

We hope it offers a glimpse into the lives of the millions that pass-through life, invisible to society.

I volunteered for the Simon Community for a year, so I understood that world. Im not an expert but I met some characters in one of their social clubs.

Its a relatable subject matter in modern day Ireland. Homelessness figures are on the rise massively.

Dublin felt like an authentic place for this film to occur. Dublin is a big city, so its probably where the character would try to go. It felt like a natural fit for the story and character, he added.

Visual impairment consultant, Delores Cullen, a member of the theatre group Sightless Cinema, worked on the film.

The group of blind and visually impaired people collaborate with theatre directors, radio programme makers and composers to produce live theatre and radio plays.

Initially, we tried to cast someone from the blind community, which was very challenging, TJ said.

The National Council of the Blind put us in touch with Sightless Cinema, an amazing organisation that puts on plays starring the blind community. However, we couldnt find anyone who matched the character.

Being a short film with limited resources, we made the decision to cast someone from the sighted community, ensuring sensitivity and thorough research.

We brought on board an amazing woman, Delores Cullen, who became an advisor and consultant, and this helped to transform Brids performance.

Our creative process drew inspiration from personal interactions, including the writers experiences with a blind great aunt and my volunteer work with The Simon Community for the homeless.

These connections provided a deep understanding, complemented by collaboration with a visual impairment consultant and guidance from professionals working with asylum seekers and refugees, he added.

TJ believes that Room Taken will be relevant to a modern-day audience as it tackles the challenges faced by asylum seekers arriving in Ireland and the cost-of-living crisis contributing to record homelessness.

The heart of the film lies in the narratives of two distinct outsiders: an elderly blind woman coping with the loss of her husband and a foreign man experiencing homelessness in a new land, he said.

Their journey unfolds with a humorous touch, weaving elements of grief, loneliness, unexpected connections and resilience.

This narrative struck a chord with me personally after the loss of my father, and the same goes for Michael (writer), who had recently lost his brother.

Michaels close relative is blind, and he had spent a lot of time with her. One day, he saw a homeless man walking behind a different blind person, and the wheels in his mind began to turn.

When I came on board, we refined and finished the story together over a long period of time, consistently working on it until the shoot, making adjustments and tweaks to find a balance of humour, tension and emotion.

The Dublin International Film Festival runs at various locations from February 22 until March 2. For a full programme visit www.diff.ie
Dublin mother is the driving force behind multi-city protest over CAMHS reform

Protesters gathered outside the Dail in November last year calling for CAMHS reform

Dublin mum Amy Hanley is organising the multi-city protest across the country

A Dublin mother, whose teenage daughter is battling anorexia, is spearheading the countrys first multi-city protest to demand urgent action to reform eating disorder services.

Protests are scheduled to take place at 11am in Dublin, Cork and Limerick on March 2, coinciding with Eating Disorder Awareness week.

In Dublin, people are advised to gather in front of the Department of Health and walk towards the Dail on Kildare Street at 12pm, proceeding around St Stephens Green.

An estimated 188,895 people in Ireland will experience an eating disorder at some point in their lives, with approximately 1,757 new cases annually in the 10-49 age group.

Amy Hanley, from Skerries, is one of the organisers of the protest. Her teenage daughter has been on the waiting list for the HSEs Child and Adult Mental Health Service (CAMHS) for over a year.

No family or individual should endure the obstacles we faced in securing treatment for my daughter, she said. Its time to dismantle the multiple barriers that impede access to care for eating disorders in this country.

An often overlooked reality is that eating disorders have the highest mortality rate among all mental health conditions.

While recovery is attainable, the flaws in our healthcare system can prove detrimental, often worsening or prolonging an illness.

Countless young individuals and their families across Ireland are needlessly suffering as they grapple with the lack of resources in the face of deteriorating physical and mental health.

This is unacceptable. We need our voices heard once and for all, Ms Hanley added.

She launched her campaign, called MindEverybody, in late 2023 and organised a protest in Dublin outside the Department of Health last November.

Ellen Jennings, Communications Officer at Bodywhys, defines Anorexia Nervosa as a restrictive eating disorder, characterised by restriction of energy intake and intense fear of weight gain.

It is estimated 188,895 people in Ireland will experience an eating disorder at some point in their lives

The protests next month will see parents and those suffering from eating disorders take to the streets to demand equal and timely access to care.

A petition has also been set up, which the group plans to deliver to the Minister of Health Stephen Donnelly, and the Minister of State for Mental Health and Older People Mary Butler.

The petition has five main aims, including more direct routes to accessing care and early interventions; connected and sufficient levels of service across all services; more beds and specialised staff; better transitional supports between hospitals and homes; and more accountability and accurate statistics and information on people dealing with eating disorders and accessing services.

In early 2018, the HSE published a five-year model of care concerning eating disorder care, with plans to have sixteen specialist teams in place by 2023. There were to be eight for adults and eight for people under 18.

However, currently, only eleven teams are in place, although not all teams are funded to the recommended levels in the model of care, according to the HSE.

A recent report by the Health Research Board found that the number of child and adolescent admissions for eating disorders more than doubled in 2022, while the number of adults admitted to the hospital for eating disorders was the highest in a decade.
Musicians playing outside Teach Siamsa na Carraige at a fundraising event for the Community Air Ambulance on Sunday afternoon. Photo by Declan Malone

Siamsa Tire has confirmed that it is in the process of selling its Teach na Carraige cultural centre in the heart of the West Kerry Gaeltacht.

Its one of the National Folk Theatre of Irelands two Tithe Siamsa in the county, purpose built in a vernacular thatch style in the 1970s as training feeder-centres for local trad talent.

They have functioned as cornerstones of dance and song since Siamsa founder Fr Pat Ahern established the structure 50 years ago  with a Teach Siamsa in Finuge also.

The decision follows Siamsa Tires move in 2023 to cut its traditional shows at the main Siamsa Tire theatre headquarters in Tralee from its summer schedule. Parents of young performers in the shows were notified of the move by email.

The cuts were against the background of financial losses, fuelling speculation since as to the future of the historic Tithe Siamsa among other aspects of the theatres funding model.

Acting CEO of the Board of Management at Siamsa Tire, Nicola Hopcroft, confirmed to The Kerryman on Tuesday that Teach na Carraige is up for sale.

Teach Siamsa in Finuge is not to be sold, however.

We are looking to sell Teach Siamsa na Carraige, ideally to a local community group so that it can be maintained as a community arts-in-Irish language asset, Ms Hopcroft said.

When asked about the sale of Teach Finuge, Ms Hopcroft said:

We can confirm that we are not looking to sell Teach Finuge and our plans are to increase the activities in Teach Finuge, working closely with the North Kerry Community, she said.

These are key assets for Siamsa and the traditional arts in Kerry and we aim to ensure that they are being utilised in the best way possible for the arts within the community.

We would hope that Siamsa could be active in both Carraig and Finuge communities irrespective of the ownership of the Tithe, Ms Hopcroft added.

The Board of Management at Siamsa Tire said that its decision to cut the traditional summer scheduled shows in 2023 was due to cutbacks and to provide an opportunity to establish the necessary funding to review the production offering of Siamsa.

However, confirmation that it now intends to sell Teach na Carraige will no doubt be viewed as a further sad erosion of the asset-base of an internationally-acclaimed theatre company long renowned for its elevation of our native arts.
Killarneys innovative single use coffee cup initiative has won a major national award.The awards were presented at a black tie gala in Dublin on Saturday night and Killarney was represented at the ceremony by Deputy Mayor Cllr Marie Moloney and Juliette Kelly of the Killarney Tidy Towns/Killarney Looking Good Committee. Photo by Valerie O'Sullivan.

Killarney has become the first town in Ireland to remove all takeaway coffee and tea cups and such is success of their ground-breaking project that it has now won a national award.

The first project of its kind in the country scooped the Best Environmental/Ecological category prize at the Local Authority Members Association (LAMA) All-Ireland Community and Council Awards at the weekend.

The Killarney Coffee Cup Project, an agreement between Killarney coffee shops, cafes and hotels, is aimed at eliminating over one million single-use containers from local waste disposal systems.

The adjudication commentary noted that Kerry County Council has supported the establishment and promotion of the Killarney project, making it the first town in Ireland to be declared single use coffee cup free.

The judges noted that the removal of over 1,000,000 single use cups on an annual basis was the equivalent of 18.5 tonnes of waste.

It has seen the core objectives of the circular economy and sustainable tourism principles brought centre stage to the benefit of all in Killarney, they said.

Today's News in 90 Seconds - February 20th

The Killarney coffee cup project had already won the overall prize at the annual Pakman Awards and it clearly illustrates that the town is certainly winning the struggle against disposable cups.

Mayor of Killarney, Cllr Niall Kelleher, said as a member of LAMA, he was delighted to propose that the Killarney coffee cup project be put forward for the national award given the tremendous coming together of people to ensure the project worked.

To remove over one million single use cups from the environment, including the national park and the amenities, is an achievement that Killarney can be very proud of, the mayor said.

Killarney Tidy Towns Committee Chairman, Michael Gleeson, congratulated all involved in the project, the business owners who are backing the plan and the public for supporting it.

This project aims to progressively reduce the number of disposable coffee cups which had, for too long, littered our footpaths and roadsides.

A cleaner town and litter-free approach roads are better for local people and for visitors, he said.

The awards were presented at a black tie gala in Dublin on Saturday night and Killarney was represented at the ceremony by Deputy Mayor Cllr Marie Moloney and Juliette Kelly of the Killarney Tidy Towns/Killarney Looking Good Committee.

Also in attendance were Mayor of Kerry Cllr Jim Finucane and Kerry County Councils Director of Economic and Community Development, Niamh OSullivan.

The awards celebrate communities and councils working together, highlighting the great work done and recognising the phenomenal contribution made.

Local coffee shops and hotels continue their collective effort to eradicate single-use coffee and tea cups having switched to the reusable system in July of last year.

Since becoming Irelands first town to become single-use coffee cup free, the local businesses have witnessed a very positive reaction from locals and tourists.

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The ground-breaking project  also the winner of the sustainability award in the 2023 Killarney Looking Good Competition  has been promoted and supported by local partners including Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce, Kerry County Council, Killarney Credit Union, Kerry Convention Bureau and AIB.

The decision to ban single-use cups was underpinned by complaints that some of Killarney's most visited beauty spots were being polluted and studies of clean-ups in the national park revealed that one of the most common forms of waste recovered was single-use coffee cups.
A woman who allowed her bank account to be used to launder over 6,000 in Pandemic Unemployment Payments (PUP) has been told she only has to repay half of the money lost by the taxpayer.

Andrea Kalejova (35) of The Glen, Waterford, Co Waterford appeared at a sitting of Longford District Court today (Tuesday) in connection to 24 separate charges from Bank of Ireland, Main Street, Longford.

The court had previously decided on jurisdiction with the case being marked for summary disposal, meaning it could be dealt with at District Court level.

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The 24 charges relate to 12 different dates between June and September 2020 with the court being told by the prosecution that Ms Kalejova allowed her bank account to be used by her brother and step brother who are not resident in this country to receive a PUP payment during the Covid pandemic.

The charges state Ms Kalejova engaged in the converting /transferring /handling /acquiring /possessing or using the proceeds of crime (Covid 19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment) while knowing that the property was the proceeds of criminal conduct.

They were all taken under Section 7 of the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act 2010).

The court was informed alleged total loss to the State was 6,048. The States case was Ms Kalejova allowed the money to be lodged in her account after the application was made online.

The case previously came before the court last November when Ms Kalejova handed in 950.

Defence solicitor John Quinn said his client was setting aside 50 a week to keep up with her repayments owing to the court with the total accumulated by the accused now totalling 1,500.

Mr Quinn said owing to the fact Ms Kalejova was in receipt of very limited means and in receipt of social welfare, there was an acceptance that a further three month adjournment would be required to allow the accused amass further monies.

In referencing the previous time the case came before her, Judge Owens noted how Ms Kalejova accrued no benefit from the payments and was at a very low level in its orchestration.

In addressing Sgt Enda Daly, Judge Owens said a figure of 6,000 had been mentioned for Ms Kalejova to hand into the court.

In light of Ms Kalejovas restricted income levels and the length of time it would likely take the accused to gather the five figure sum, she said: If this lady got to half of it (6,000) it would be a proportionate amount to pay.

The case was adjourned to July 2 with Ms Kalejova being remanded on continuing bail.
New president elected for coming year as host of events and outings are planned

Sligo county has a rich archaeological heritage with over 7000 pre 18th century sites and monuments.

With these riches Sligo has a long history of antiquarian studies.

Many scholars including Rev. William Henry, William Wakeman and George Petrie having contributed to these studies. Notable locals including Col. Wood-Martin wrote multi-volume histories of Sligo.

The Sligo Antiquarian Society was set up in 1945 but the Sligo Field Club as we know it now came into proper existence in 1954 and has been active continually to present day.

Sligo Field Club aim to promote awareness and interest of topics including: archaeology, history, and natural history.

Each year the club run a series of lectures hosted at the Sligo Education Centre.

In the summer, committee members and guests run a series of outings both within Sligo and to other parts of the island of Ireland.

Since 2015 the club has produced a high quality Journal with a diverse set of articles, Journal Volume 9 will be in print shortly and available at Liber Bookstore.

Sligo Field Club also organise a conference annually which attracts people from far and wide.

The membership fee of 30 is for attendance at lectures and outings over the year.

Anyone can email sfchonsecretary@gmail.com if they have any queries or if they would like to join the mailing list.

On Wednesday 7th February a new committee for Sligo Field Club 2024-2025 was elected.

Jim Foran having served a two year term as President handed on the batton to Sally Siggins as incoming President.

Sally has been a member of Sligo Field Club for ten years and has been on the committee in various roles for the past six years.

She was instrumental in bringing guest lectures online via zoom during the pandemic and creating a space for people to connect during those difficult and isolating times.

Sally is an archaeologist having completed the B.Sc. (Hons) Applied Archaeology from IT Sligo (ATU) in 2016.

She has worked in commercial archaeology on excavations but since 2019 has been working as a tour guide.

In 2023 she was appointed as the Head Guide (Seasonal) at Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery with the OPW.

Sally says: I am really looking forward to leading the Sligo Field Club for the next two years, its been a great community to be involved with so far and I hope that new members, particularly younger people will feel enabled to come along and be interested in learning about their local area.

Along with Sally, a new Vice-President - John Quinn was elected and he also continues in the role of treasurer.

John Owens was elected as secretary and the following were elected as ordinary committee members: Aoife Walshe and Amro Hamid (newly appointed); Pat OBrien, Wendy Lyons, Leo Leydon, Don OConnor, Martin Wilson and Jim Foran (continuing members).

Long standing committee member and journal editor Martin A. Timoney has decided to resign from the committee after joining first 49 years ago.

The committee has thankedMartin for his dedication to the committee in the many roles he gave much time and dedication to.

Sligo Field Club is very much a living organisation and are organising an exciting programme of lectures and events for 2024.

The next lecture will take place at 8pm on Friday 23rd February in the Sligo Education Centre.

Cecily Gilligan will give a talk entitled: Cures of Ireland: the ancient and still-living tradition.

Membership can be paid on the night or there is a small fee of 5 per person for non-members.

For futher details on Sligo Field Club people can follow them on Facebook or check out their website: www.sligofieldclub.ie
In Tavriyske direction, Russian troops have reduced aviation activity over the past day  they carried out only two airstrikes, but conducted 42 combat clashes and carried out 1,040 shellings, said Oleksandr Tarnavsky, commander of Tavria operational-strategic group of forces.

"In the operational area of the Tavria operational-strategic group of forces, the enemy has reduced aviation activity over the past day - inflicted only two airstrikes, but conducted 42 combat clashes and carried out 1,040 shellings," Tarnavsky said on the Telegram channel on Tuesday.

According to him, "in Zaporizhia direction and in Donetsk region, the Russians resumed the use of toxic substances: four drops of grenades with a tear-choking chemical were recorded."

"In Avdiyivka direction, the enemy is again attempting offensive actions with small assault groups - here our defenders repulsed nine attacks at Lastochkyne, Pivnichne, Pervomaiske and Nevelske," informs the commander.

"In Maryinka direction, we continue to restrain the aggressor near Heorhiyivka, Peremoha, Novomykhailivka, where 21 attacks were repelled. In Novopavlivsk direction, the enemy tried to attack one time in the area of the settlement of Staromayorske. There were also no significant changes in Zaporizhia direction - the Defense Forces repelled 11 attacks by invaders at Malynivka and Robotyne," Tarnavsky said.

According to him, "the situation remains under control, the Ukrainian soldiers are steadfastly holding the defense and actively destroying the enemy." According to Tarnavsky, the total losses of Russians over the past day amounted to: 644 people in manpower, 47 units in weapons and military equipment, not counting UAVs. In particular, these are two tanks, 29 armored combat vehicles, eight artillery systems, eight cars. Some 272 UAVs of various types were neutralized or destroyed. The Ukrainian Defense Forces also destroyed two ammunition depots, one fuel and lubricants warehouse and one more important enemy facility.
Gardai confirm they are following a definite line of inquiry

Women in Roscrea took part in a protest yesterday evening, saying they felt concerned for their safety in the town.

Up to 120 women protested outside Roscrea Garda Station, following reports of an alleged incident on Sunday where a woman was entering her home with her children, when a man approached and allegedly intimidated her, attempting to force his way into her home.

In a post on Facebook the woman said she was returning home with her two children, when a man tried to break into my house while exposing himself and engaging in verbal abuse towards her.

My poor six year old daughter is traumatised after what she witnessed, she stated. Thank God for the neighbours that heard my screams otherwise my two kids could have been left without a mother. We need to put a stop to this.

This could have went a lot worse. From the bottom of my heart I want to thank my neighbours who stayed with me until my family arrived at the house. The woman maintained she had video proof of the alleged incident.

Independent Tipperary County Councillor Shane Lee said there was a large presence of Gardai on Sunday evening following the alleged incident. Arising from this, a group of local women organised the protest outside Roscrea Garda Station last night.

Cllr Lee said he took part in a community safety meeting yesterday, where he highlighted the Sunday incident to local Gardai and Inspector Andrew Lyons. He said he would raise the matter again at a Join Policing Committee (JPC) next Tuesday involving the Superintendent.

Gardai confirmed they are investigating a number of alleged incidents which occurred on Limerick Street in Roscrea, Co Tipperary, on Sunday evening, February 18. Investigations are ongoing, and An Garda Siochana are following a definite line of enquiry in relation to these incidents, added the spokesperson.

Today's News in 90 Seconds - February 20th

Community activist Gillian Dunne told Tipp FM that they have concerns about the number of Gardai stationed in the town after the alleged incident. In a town that has so much unrest already, it has caused major anxiety for the women in the community, Ms Dunne told Fran Curry.

There was over 120 women showed up outside the Garda Barracks last night. It was really to demonstrate the lack of Gardai, and that women in Roscrea want to feel safer. We need a bigger Garda presence, said Ms Dunne.

This is what the demonstration was about, and it will be ongoing as far as I know, added Ms Dunne, who is also a member of the Roscrea Community Action Group (RCAG), set up in relation to the Racket Hall Hotel protests.

Women spoke during the demonstration, saying they didnt feel safe in public or going for a run, and personal experiences were shared. People are scared, said Ms Dunne. That something like that could happen in a small town. Now we dont even feel safe in our own homes.

Ms Dunne said women will be staging protests at the Garda Station on a daily basis until the Government helps Roscrea with more Gardai. They need to meet us half way. We should have the Garda presence that we deserve, she said. At one stage, up to 27 Gardai were stationed in Roscrea. Now there are around 14 members.

Cllr Lee added that he wanted clarity on whether a number of Gardai coming to Roscrea, can be assigned on a full-time basis, and not for a temporary period.
It is expected that the full preliminary design for the new multi million euro tourist centre at Hook Lighthouse will be completed by the middle of next year, at which time it will be submitted to An Bord Pleanala.

This is what the head of Wexford County Councils Special projects team, Sean Meyler told councillors at the February New Ross Municipal District meeting.

The preliminary design, including environmental reports, interpretative and architectural designs, will be completed in Q2 2025 and submitted to An Bord Pleanala at that time, he said.

Tandem Design have been appointed to provide interpretive design services on a new tourism development at the Hook Lighthouse.

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A commencement meeting took place on November 6 and subsequent site visit took place on November 22 where the consultants met with the manager and board of Hook Heritage and representatives from Irish Lights and Failte Ireland.

Mr Meyler said a preliminary research report was compiled in December 2023 and the preliminary design for the interpretive and concept design of the project is expected shortly.

The brief for the associated architectural and related design services will be issued in Q1 2024 as part of the framework created for architectural services focused on tourism and recreation projects.

Meanwhile Wexford County Council is accepting applications for the role of manager of the tourist facility, with current manager Lorraine Waters retiring from the role shortly.
TD plans 12 candidates for her Wexford Independent Alliance

Wexford Independent TD Verona Murphy has begun to unveil a team of candidates for the upcoming Local Elections in June under the banner Wexford Independent Alliance.

Four out of a possible 12 of Verona Murphys Independence alliance candidates have been named so far.

Outgoing Independent Councillor Pat Barden will stand for the Alliance in the New Ross District while his brother Jack will stand in the Rosslare District.

Former Fine Gael councillor Paddy Kavanagh is set to be named as a candidate in the Kilmuckridge district, while newcomer Marty Murphy from Ballyhack will contest the south end of the New Ross District.

Deputy Murphy said: Wexford has been put on the back foot for the past 30 years. The main parties of the establishment, Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Labour have continuously imposed party politics on the population of Wexford, party politics and policies that have been detrimental to the people of Wexford.

She further claimed that these are policies that fail to recognise the needs, wants and demands of Wexfords rural communities.

Deputy Murphy said Co Wexford deserves more respect than the political parties are willing to give it.

Wexford people deserve Wexford politics not party policies. When we see the local authority spending six million euro on consultancy when it should be spent on our roads and local infrastructure and it goes unchallenged, we know the people are not being served correctly.

Independently and collectively as a group of likeminded individuals, we are forming an alliance which will be called the Wexford Independent Alliance of which I will be the conveyor. I will be the Oireachtas member who will support the Alliance members. Our common aim is to ensure that local politics works for local people by having independent candidates across the county elected who will promote and bring in policies that will put the prosperity of County Wexford first. It must be about the people and not the party.

We are committed to making a change for the county of Wexford and the people who call Wexford home. We have candidates in the double digits to be announced in the coming weeks and we look forward to meeting and greeting the people of Wexford from Gorey to Hook Head and all in between. We will be announcing our launch date for the Wexford Independent Alliance in the very near future so watch this space, said Deputy Murphy.
If youre travelling this year, visiting an Irish pub in Mandalay, Monterey, or Montego Bay, take a look behind the bar, see if an intrepid traveller has brought their own piece of Wexford to foreign climes. And should you locate one of these signs, please return to the Rosslare Municipal District, for care of Councillor Frank Staples.

Since last summer finger signs (the black and white ones which point to villages and towns) have been disappearing throughout the Rosslare district, stolen under the cover of darkness, their purpose unknown. One pole in Ballycogley in south Wexford has seen all three of its signs stolen, those travelling through the village deprived of directions to Wexford, Kilmore Quay, and Bridgetown.

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Cllr Staples says there is an insatiable desire for the finger signs in the district.

Theyve been going missing for the last eight months around the district, what theyre doing with them I dont know, he said. They actually took two off this pole and came back for the other one; the signs were for Bridgetown, Kilmore Quay, and Wexford.

Pat Higgins, who lives nearby, has his own theories.

"This was always known as the halfway house here, youre halfway between Kilmore Quay and Wexford town, in the old days it used to be seven miles that way and seven miles that way. But my own explanation is that its a souvenir for someone, maybe abroad, I could be wrong, Im just thinking how youd see photos of these signs in Irish pubs abroad.

Noting that the signs are relatively easy to remove from their clamps, Cllr Staples said the culprits must have waited until the dead of night to carry out their criminal act.

The thing about here is youre on a crossroads, theres always traffic on this road, so they must be coming in the middle of the night. But if you see a sign for Kilmore in a pub somewhere youll know where it came from.
A Wicklow priest has applauded his parishioners after they pulled together to fix a series of leaks that saw buckets placed around their church and the congregation having to bring umbrellas to mass. But while the rain has stopped, the church now has severe water damage and little cash to repair it.

One of four churches in the Avoca parish, St Josephs in Templerainey has been decimated by heavy rains in recent years, with water seeping into the church and causing significant damage to the building, while also threatening its famous stained glass windows.

Although parish priest Fr Michael Murphy took immediate action, investing in dozens of buckets to catch the deluge, there were not enough to deal with the continuous onslaught, leading parishioners to bring umbrellas with them to church services.

Thankfully, through a series of fundraisers, parishioners raised enough money to do some remedial works on the roof, which has stopped the rain from coming in  meaning umbrellas at mass are no longer obligatory!

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A substantial amount of work is still required to future-proof the church and preserve its stunning stained glass panels, including work on its gable wall, re-wiring, redecorating and floor covering.

To help fund the work, famous names from the world of music will come together at the church this Friday, February 23, at 8 p.m. for a magical evening of spring songs.

The highly anticipated concert will feature Avril OToole, Barbara Duffy, Donal Duffy and Pat Brennan, Dynamix Gospel Choir, Johnny Stafford and Dinny Nolan, Michael Flood, St Josephs Church choir, Stephen Walker and the Walker Sisters.

Looking ahead to the fundraiser and thanking his parishioners for rescuing the church, Fr Murphy joked: We had run out of buckets to catch the rain!

A year ago, with the constant rain, we had a whole load of leaks spring up all over the roof, and the rain was just flying in during mass.

Thankfully, we have secured the roof, so we no longer have to avoid the areas with the holes, and the big stone wall at the gable end has been stripped back, treated and re-plastered.

The next phase, if we can find money, is to re-wire and redecorate the church and secure the stained glass panels for which the church is famous, including the floor-to-ceiling panels in the altar area, which suffered a lot of water damage.

There is a lot of work needed to maintain the stain glass windows, which would be another stage in the works. I suppose, the panels are more coloured glass than stained glass, but theyre quite beautiful and generate a lovely atmosphere in the church.

All of that is on the list, if we can manage it!

In order to achieve this, we have many famous names from the world of music coming to the church on Friday the 23rd, he added.

We hope to have a big crowd on the night, and we owe a big thanks to all the talented local performers who are giving their skill and time free of charge.

And, best of all, concert-goers are promised a dry night!

Tickets for the concert in aid of the St Josephs repairs are 20 and available from local businesses and the parish office at 0402-31943.
The National Transport Authority (NTA) has provided an update on the long-awaited Bus Connects service for Bray and the surrounding areas, which was first announced in 2018 and was promised would become operational last year.

Following requests for more information on a timeline, Wicklow TD Jennifer Whitmore said she recently received written confirmation from the NTA stating that services are due to commence by the summer of 2024. However, having missed their previous deadlines for these services, Deputy Whitmore has asked that delivery for Wicklow be a priority for the NTA in the coming months.

Among the services pledged, a new bus route, L14, would take in the full Southern Cross Road, Putland Road, Meath Road, Strand Road, DART station and out to Palermo. The L15 would come on stream to serve a route directly from Bray to Enniskerry, without diverting to Palermo.

Also in the plans was a loop service to link Newtownmountkennedy to Kilcoole and Greystones. While new routes called L1 and L2 would link Greystones, Newcastle, Kilcoole, and Newtownmountkennedy. A feeder bus L12 was also mooted to take passengers from the current Ballywaltrim/Southern Cross Terminus to Bray DART station.

While this confirmation from the NTA is very welcome, the overall delivery of Bus Connects for towns like Bray and Greystones has been delayed for far too long, Deputy Whitmore said. As our largest towns along the east coast of Wicklow have grown steadily in recent years, our bus services have not kept pace.

Bus Connects plans for Bray and Greystones were announced and went to public consultation in 2018. Six years later, we still dont have many proposed routes in that scheme. In particular, the L1 and L2 loop services to Greystones, Newcastle, Kilcoole, Newtownmountkennedy and Bray are badly needed.

I have been campaigning for the delivery of a local link bus service, which would create a loop around Greystones for buses since 2018. This started back when I was still on Wicklow County Council. At the time, I drafted a petition that garnered over 3000 signatures and sent it to the NTA. I was delighted to see similar proposals included in the Bus Connects plan when it was announced, but here we are in 2024, still waiting.

Other services that are also pending include the E1 from Ballywaltrim through Bray Main Street, City Centre and Northwood in Dublin, and the L15 direct service between Bray and Enniskerry. I have been told that these are planned to commence towards the end of Q2 of this year, but there have already been too many false dawns regarding buses for Wicklow. I will be keeping a very close eye on this.

I have raised this with the National Transport Authority, and I raised this in the Dail last week with the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. I will continue to campaign for the swift delivery of these bus routes and will not let the needs of commuters in towns like Greystones and Bray fall off the agenda, she concluded.
Opening with Joe Dowlin at the Harbour Bar and closing with Jason Byrne at the Mermaid Arts Centre, the 2024 Bray Comedy Festival saw comedy legends like David McSavage, Sinead Culbert, Sharon Mannion, Pat McDonnell and Wicklows finest, Danny OBrien, take to the many stages to provide bags of laughter for a full week from Monday, February 12 to Sunday, February 18.

The omnipresent host, Brays Adam Burke, who was tasked with a frenzied three-night stint at the helm for Bingo Loco among the many other duties, said that this years festival was a comic bonanza.

"Bray Comedy Festival 2024 was a resounding success, thanks in no small part to all of the amazing acts that came along to perform with us, the wonderful audiences that lent us their support, not only from our local community but from across the globe, he said. "We had supporters from Zimbabwe, Argentina, Italy, Lithuania, Brazil, New Zealand, the United States, UK and more, and of course, to our wonderful venues, The Harbour Bar, which is the heart of the festival and the primary supporter of Bray Comedy Festival these last nine years, The Martello and Koo Nightclub, Mermaid Arts Centre and Whale Theatre, Greystones.

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We were blown away by the support, Adam added. Over 90pc of our shows sold out in advance and the energy, laughter and sense of community in every room made every moment of it worthwhile. Bray and Greystones deserve an annual comedy festival and we are so proud that we get to deliver that, with not only some household names in comedy but also the rising stars of the circuit and different, immersive and incredibly fun nights out like our WOMP table quiz, Bingo Loco, Gong Show and Wrap Party.

Looking ahead, after nine years providing natures best medicine to the folk of north Wicklow, Adam promises things are looking even brighter for the big milestone in 2025.

Next year we will celebrate our tenth anniversary, he said, and if we get the level of support that we have had over this past week at Bray Comedy Festival, we will be absolutely chuffed. A big thank you to all of our supporters from a very grateful (if slightly tired) Bray Comedy Festival Team. We hope you laughed your socks off! "

Not one to rest on his laurels, Adam is already busy preparing to bring his Lucky Man show to Little Whelans, in Dublin, for two shows on Thursday, March 28 at 6pm and 8:30pm and is really hoping for some home supporters to attend. Tickets are available to book from whelanslive.com.
Cathaoirleach of Wicklow County Council and Bray East Councillor, Aoife Flynn Kennedy, met with the Palestinian Ambassador to Ireland, Dr Jilan Wahba Abdalmajid on Tuesday, February 13, where together with fellow Cathaoirligh signed a joint letter calling for an immediate ceasefire, the recognition of the two-state solution and the creation of a viable independent Palestine.

The strength of character and love for her people demonstrated by Ambassador Wahba Abdalmajid during our visit was exceptional, Cllr Flynn Kennedy said. She has an extremely difficult role, in what can only be described as horrific times.

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Cllr Flynn Kennedy also noted that in times of war and conflict history has proven that women and children are the greatest victims. She and the Ambassador, both mothers, discussed this issue in detail during their meeting and the need for peace now before more lives are lost.

The Ambassador thanked Ireland and the people of Wicklow, where she has visited previously, for their strong support for justice and human rights, their kind messages and their continued support of humanitarian aid to deal with the impact on the lives of those affected.
This years Miss World will take place in India (Yui Mok/PA)

Irelands Miss World contestant, Ivanna McMahon (28) has told how she plans use the platform to raise awareness about dyslexia and education

The doctor from Ennis, Co Clare, was crowned the 75th Miss Ireland and jetted off to India this week to represent her country at the 71st Miss World Festival.

Ms McMahon, who studied medicine at University College Cork and graduated in 2020, was diagnosed with dyslexia at 17.

The winner of the contest gets to work on humanitarian projects across the globe.

Ms McMahon, who is also a talented musician, said she hopes to use the platform to speak to children about education, and mental and physical health.

She travelled to India carrying a 30kg harp for the talent round, and also plays the drums, fiddle and harmonica.

Speaking from New Delhi today, she told the PA news agency: Myself personally, as Ivanna McMahon, I have great things to say, but having the opportunity of having a platform as Miss Ireland does get people listening to you.

You can achieve amazing things being dyslexic, it doesnt hold you back.

This years Miss World will take place in India (Yui Mok/PA)

The contestants face rounds assessing their talents, sporting abilities, debating, modelling, ability to engage with an audience, and their charity projects.

Miss World has removed its swimsuit round and now places greater focus on its Beauty With A Purpose section, which was launched in 1972 and looks at candidates charity work, organisers said.

Meanwhile, Englands Miss World contestant has said she wants to go to space.

Aerospace engineering graduate and Miss England Jessica Gagen is one of 120 candidates competing in India for the Miss World title.

During the pageant, the 27-year-old from west Lancashire said she wants to discuss decarbonising the aviation industry.

Meanwhile, Miss Wales, Darcey Corria, 22, wants to speak about food scarcity in her home country and others.

.

Ms Gagen said: Obviously (with) Miss England, Miss World, people dont expect the aerospace engineering to go with it.

It really is drawing attention to it  a lot of people are like, wow, why would she do both? And it genuinely is because I can get more girls into the industry.

I was always very interested in the vehicular movement in space, so not necessarily astronomy, but us getting to space.

I want to go up to space and I want to conduct scientific research and help people on the ground.

She said she was inspired to go to space after meeting British astronaut Tim Peake during her degree at the University of Liverpool.

Miss Wales said she broke her neck, jaw, pelvis and back in a car crash last year but hopes she will be able to participate in all areas of the pageant.

Ms Corria, a freelance model from Barry, said her mother entered her in Miss Wales when she was 16 years old, and told PA: I didnt really have any representation, especially in Welsh media.

Reigning Miss World Karolina Bielawska (centre), and the chairwoman of the Miss World organisation, Julia Morley, visit Darcey Corria in hospital (Miss World Organisation/PA)

I want to be that person for young girls of mixed Asian and black ethnicity living in Wales, and be a message to them that your ethnicity actually will become your superpower  for me it is my superpower, its what really made me stand out at Miss Wales.

During the debating section, she wants to discuss food insecurity, in part because she has seen it first hand in Wales and the UK, and during a trip to Ghana, west Africa.

She said: People living in low income areas (in the UK) who are majority people of colour are really struggling  people are having to choose between rent (and) heating.

Your next-door neighbour could be starving and you might not even know it.

Previous Miss Worlds include top Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Lady Wilnelia Merced, who married the late Strictly Come Dancing presenter Sir Bruce Forsyth.

Notable contestants include American actress Halle Berry and Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh.

The Miss World winner will be announced on March 9 in Mumbai.
In Zakarpattia region, work continues on the creation of an initiative group of national minorities, the press service of Zakarpattia Regional State Administration reported.

"The goal is to unite the efforts of state authorities and representatives of the ethnic communities of the region to ensure respect for their rights and resolve pressing issues. The initiative group is being created within the framework of the Council of Europe project Support for the reform of the legislative framework of national minorities and strengthening the sustainability of national minorities and Roma in Ukraine," the Facebook post says.

The group will include representatives of the structural divisions of the Regional State Administration and all national minorities living densely in the region. Together, they will study the current needs of ethnic communities and form a work plan for the implementation of necessary programs and activities.

"The creation of an initiative group at the regional level is important for Zakarpattia, given the number of national communities that live here. It is encouraging that public organizations are directly involved in the implementation of such an initiative of the Council of Europe. In turn, we are ready to provide all necessary support," commented Roman Moldavchuk, Director of the Department of Strategic Communications, Nationalities and Religions of Zakarpattia Regional State Administration.

It is noted that the main task remains to jointly find new ways to implement state policy to support national communities. This will be most effectively achieved with the active participation of their representatives.

"Two years ago, we launched this initiative in five regions of Ukraine: Vinnytsia, Volyn, Zakarpattia, Odesa and Chernihiv. The idea was to bring together representatives of national communities and local authorities to jointly discuss existing needs, measures and projects. According to the results of the pilot, it turned out that there are actually many sensitive issues that require consolidation of efforts," said Zemfira Kondur, representative of the Council of Europe Office in Ukraine and project manager.

According to her, at that time initiative groups were created at city councils or local communities, and now they are considering the possibility of moving to another level to help realize the rights and address the needs that representatives of national communities have. The Council of Europe will provide financial and grant support for the implementation of the measures during the year.

Oleksandr Liakh, Deputy Director of the Department of Strategic Communications, Nationalities and Religions of the Regional State Administration, and Eleonora Kulchar, an expert from the Council of Europe Office, coordinator of the initiative group in Zakarpattia region, will coordinate the work of the initiative group.

During the meeting, representatives of public organizations had the opportunity to talk about the needs of their national community and discuss topical issues.
Danny Masterson has been moved out of Corcoran State Prison in Central California after less than a month.

The maximum-security facility is notorious for housing infamous cult leader Charles Manson for many years,

According to state records, former That 70s Show star Masterson, 47, has been transferred to Californias Mens Colony in San Luis Obispo, which is categorised as a medium and minimum-security facility.

According to reports in Deadline, the move is due to concerns for the inmates well-being.

Last year, Masterson was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison after he was found guilty of raping two women over two decades ago.

In January, Masterson was denied bail pending appeal over fears the convicted rapist has every incentive to flee.

Records show that the actor will be eligible for parole in 2042  when hes 66 years old.

Today's News in 90 Seconds - February 20th

Manson was transferred from San Quentin State Prison to Corcoran in March 1989. The cultist, convicted of the murders of seven people, was later transferred to another prison in 1997 after it was found he had been trafficking drugs.

After Mastersons sentencing, it was revealed that Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis, who starred alongside the actor in That 70s Show, were among the people who wrote letters of support for him during his trial.

Kutcher, 45, had written that his co-star, with whom he also starred in Netflix sitcom The Ranch, was a role model and a person that is consistently there for you when you need him.

In her letter, Kunis, 40, called Masterson an amazing friend, confidant, and, above all, an outstanding older brother figure to me.

After facing huge backlash, the couple, who married in 2015, shared a joint video apology on social media.

Shortly after he was sentenced, Bijou Phillips  who remained by Mastersons side through the court proceedings  filed for divorce, ending their nearly 12-year marriage.

They were married in 2011 after meeting at a Las Vegas poker tournament in 2004. Their daughter, Fianna, was born in 2014.

Masterson, who rose to fame for playing Steven Hyde in the Nineties sitcom starring Kunis and Kutcher, was found guilty of two counts of forcible rape by a jury of seven women and five men after a week of deliberations in May last year.

While handing down the sentence on 7 September, Judge Olmedo said: Mr Masterson, you are not the victim here. Your actions 20 years ago took away another persons choice and voice. Your actions 20 years ago today were criminal, and thats why you are here.
There were dozens of CCTV cameras, but no clue where she is  disappearance of Jean Tighe four years ago was plagued by confusion from the start
Free hostages by Ramadan or war will grind on, Israel warns Hamas

Ministers warning comes as fears grow for civilians trapped in Rafah with nowhere left to go

Palestinians carry bags of flour they grabbed from an aid truck near an Israeli checkpoint in Gaza City. Photo: Reuters

Tamara Davison  Evening Standard Tue 20 Feb 2024 at 03:30







Israeli war cabinet member Benny Gantz has warned the ground invasion of Rafah will continue if the hostages are not released by Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting.
Calm: Visitors chat at the compoud known to Muslims as al-Aqsa mosque and to Jews as the Temple Mount, in Jerusalem's Old City, after the visit of Itamar Ben-Gvir. Photo: Ammar Awad/Reuters

Israel will cap the number of Muslim citizens who take part in peak prayers at Jerusalem's Al Aqsa Mosque during the upcoming Ramadan holy month, the police minister said on Tuesday, citing concern the flashpoint site could see protests at the Gaza war.
Israel orders new evacuations in northern Gaza, where UN says 1 in 6 children are malnourished

Children sit as displaced Palestinians, who fled their houses due to Israeli strikes, gather amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip. Photo: Reuters/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa

Arab nations are putting to a vote a UN resolution demanding an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza, knowing it will be vetoed by the United States but hoping to show broad global support for ending the Israel-Hamas war.

The Security Council scheduled the vote on the resolution at 3pm Irish time on Tuesday. US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield says the Biden administration will veto the Arab-backed resolution because it may interfere with ongoing US efforts to arrange a deal between the warring parties that would bring at least a six-week halt to hostilities and release all hostages taken during Hamas' surprise October 7 attack in southern Israel.
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Photo Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons

New Delhi: India intends to advocate for the termination of the moratorium on customs duties on e-commerce goods at the upcoming 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Abu Dhabi later this month, media reported citing officials.

Indias stand aligns with its previous position, emphasising that allowing such exemptions tends to disproportionately benefit a select few developed nations, Moneycontrol reported.

India asserts that developing countries are greatly affected by the loss of approximately $10 million in revenue due to the moratorium on customs duties on digital goods.

Scheduled from February 26-29 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, MC13 will convene ministers from various countries to assess the performance of the multilateral trading system and determine future actions for the WTO. The conference, chaired by HE Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE's Minister of State for Foreign Trade, will address critical issues regarding global trade policies.

It's worth noting that WTO members had collectively agreed to refrain from imposing customs duties on electronic transmissions until the occurrence of MC13.

Indias digital industry is still in the nascent stage and customs duty is essential to protect it as the difference between digital service and products is not clear, the official said, according to the report.

There is no consensus on moratorium, he said, adding that the customs duty is as such applicable only to products.

The proponents of the proposal need to clarify the scope of the moratorium.

Since 1998, members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) have regularly renewed the moratorium on imposing customs duties on electronic transmissions.

The most recent extension was approved in June 2022 during the WTO's 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12). Apart from prolonging the moratorium until MC13, WTO members at MC12 also committed to deepening discussions concerning the extent, definition, and consequences of the moratorium.
Photo Courtesy: PIB

New Delhi: Discussions between the Indian Government and Tesla in connection with Tesla's entry into the electric vehicles (EV) sector in India are expected to slow down due to the upcoming general elections, a media report said.

However, the talks are expected to regain momentum after the elections, Moneycontrol reported, citing a senior government official.

There were widespread speculations suggesting that the talks between the Indian government and Tesla were nearing conclusion and that the EV manufacturer had chosen India as the location for its next manufacturing facility.

In December 2023, Gujarat Cabinet Minister Rushikesh Patel expressed strong optimism regarding Tesla's potential arrival in Gujarat, stating that the state government is eagerly anticipating the company's presence.

Tesla is reluctant to enter India as the Indian government is not allowing its demands for tariff cuts on imported electric vehicles (EVs).

India is reportedly looking for the US-based firm to establish a manufacturing unit here and increase its sourcing of components from the country.

India imposes a 100 percent duty on fully imported cars valued at over $40,000 CIF (Cost, Insurance, and Freight). For cars valued below this threshold, the duty imposed is 70 percent.

India may consider offering some concessions to Tesla once the talks resume, the report quoted the official as saying, adding that the government will not bend over backward for Teslas foray into the country.

However, Tesla officials have pointed out to the Indian government that Tesla cars may not have a huge market in India as EV sales are still low in the country now, the official said.

In May 2021, the government-sanctioned Rs 18,100-crore Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme aimed at fostering the production of Advanced Chemistry (ACC) batteries.

These batteries are capable of delivering greater power compared to traditional lithium-ion batteries, rendering them well-suited for utilization in electric vehicles.

It's noteworthy that approximately 30-40 percent of the manufacturing cost of an electric vehicle is attributed to its battery.
Photo Courtesy: PIB

New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has decided to hold a meeting with heads of financial technology companies next week to urge them to adhere strictly to regulatory guidelines, media reports said.

The meeting comes under the backdrop of setback faced by prominent fintech player Paytm owing to restrictions imposed by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

Paytm Payments Bank Ltd, a venture promoted by One97 Communications Ltd, has encountered regulatory actions from the Reserve Bank for its failure to comply with various regulatory norms, including Know Your Customer (KYC) guidelines.

According to media reports, Sitharaman will meet with CEOs of fintech companies next week to listen to their concerns and issues.

However, sources indicate that she will emphasise the importance of adhering to regulatory norms, particularly given that these companies handle individuals' funds.

The meeting is expected to involve senior officials from the Reserve Bank, the finance ministry, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, among others.

Last week, the RBI advised both customers and merchants of Paytm Payments Bank Ltd (PPBL) to transfer their accounts to other banks by March 15.

This extended deadline of 15 days was granted to the troubled entity to wind down most of its operations, including deposit and credit transactions.

The previous deadline was February 29, 2024, which the RBI extended by 15 days to accommodate the interests of PPBL customers (including merchants) who may require additional time to make alternative arrangements in the broader public interest.

The RBI has also instructed the termination of the 'nodal accounts' of One97 Communications Ltd, the parent company of the Paytm brand.

While One97 Communications holds a 49 percent stake in PPBL, it classifies it as an associate rather than a subsidiary of the company.

In remarks to the media, Reserve Bank Governor Shaktikanta Das affirmed the Central bank's support for the fintech sector, emphasizing its commitment to fostering the rapid growth of the industry.

Even Financial Services Secretary Vivek Joshi underscored that fintech companies should adhere to regulations, highlighting that with scale comes responsibility.
On Feb 24, meeting of G7 leaders to be held on occasion of second anniversary of Russian aggression against Ukraine

On Saturday, February 24, an online meeting of G7 leaders will be held on the occasion of the second anniversary of the Russian aggression against Ukraine, it is expected that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will take part in the meeting.

On February 24, on the occasion of the second anniversary of Russias aggression against Ukraine, the President of the Council of Ministers, Giorgia Meloni, will chair a video-conference meeting of the G7 Heads of State and Government, the first under the Italian Presidency. The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, is also expected to join, the message reads.

It is said that a joint declaration will be adopted at the end of the meeting.
A man cooks food for his children over a wood fire in front of his destroyed home in an area west of Gaza City. Photo Courtesy: UNICEF/Omar Al-Qattaa

Eight patients have died in a major hospital in southern Gaza's Khan Younis city after days of power outage and oxygen supply shortage due to continuous Israeli strikes on the facility, said Palestinian Health Minister Mai al-Kaila on Monday.

Conditions of some other serious patients became life-threatening due to the cessation of required treatment under the Israeli attack on the Nasser Hospital, she said in a statement, while calling for international efforts to pressure the release of bedridden patients and medical staff, who she claimed were taken away by Israeli military trucks from the hospital to an unknown location.

Israeli forces on Thursday stormed the Nasser Hospital in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis after demolishing its southern wall, the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza earlier said.

The IDF said in a statement posted Sunday on social media platform X that it apprehended, in a joint operation with Israel Security Agency forces, hundreds of "terrorists" and other suspects who were hiding in the hospital, some posing as medical staff.

It said that large quantities of weapons and a vehicle belonging to an Israeli border kibbutz were found in the health facility, as well as medicines about to be handed over to Israeli hostages. It accused Hamas of using civilians in the hospital as human shields.

On Monday, the Gaza Health Ministry said that the Israeli army has turned the Nasser Medical Complex into a "military barracks," endangering the lives of patients and medical staff inside.

The ministry said in a statement that 25 medical staff and 136 patients were still in the hospital "without electricity, water, food, oxygen, or adequate medical capabilities for critical cases."

The World Health Organization was making efforts to evacuate the remaining patients to other hospitals, but the Israeli army was still "obstructing" the entry of medical and humanitarian aid into the complex, it noted.

Meanwhile, the IDF retweeted a statement by the Israeli defense ministry's liaison unit COGAT that humanitarian aid and supplies had been delivered to the Nasser Hospital, including generator, fuel, and WHO-donated medicine to ensure its continued service while carrying out the "precise activity against the Hamas" inside the facility.

(With UNI inputs)
Photo courtesy: Screenshot grab from X video of West Bengal BJP

Kolkata/IBNS: Upholding its single-bench order, the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday allowed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs Suvendu Adhikari and Shankar Ghosh to visit violence-hit Sandeshkhali in West Bengal after they were stopped by police in Dhamakhali in the morning.

Adhikari, the Leader of Opposition, and Ghosh were stopped in Dhamakhali even after the high court ruled in their favour on Monday.

After the court's fresh order, the two BJP leaders were allowed to head to Sandeshkhali. A total of six BJP MLAs headed to Sandeshkhali in the morning.

Upholding the single-bench order, the court on Tuesday asked state police to maintain law and order in Sandeshkhali.

The turmoil in Sandeshkhali, a remote block about 80 kms from Kolkata and a part of the Basirhat sub-division of North 24 Parganas district, broke out first in early January when a team of Enforcement Directorate (ED) reached TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan's residence to quiz him in connection with the ration distribution scam in the state.

Shahjahan's aides allegedly assaulted and chased the ED officers turning the area into a political hotspot months ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

While Shahjahan is now absconding, several women from the village came out with brooms and sticks demanding the arrest of the TMC strongman.

The protesting women have alleged Shahjahan and his aides captured several lands forcefully and sexually harassed them.

Reacting to the allegations, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said in the state assembly on Thursday, "By targeting Shahjahan, ED entered into the area and then created a rift between the Adivasis and minorities."
Photo courtesy: UNI

Hyderabad/UNI: The Telangana BJP has announced the initiation of the 'Vijaya Sankalpa Yatra' throughout the state of Telangana, aiming to achieve a dual objective: bolstering support for Narendra Modi in Telangana ahead of the upcoming elections and exposing the Congress party's alleged hypocrisy in the state, particularly in failing to fulfill critical electoral promises.

The yatra is scheduled to commence simultaneously from four locations on February 20 at 1100 hours and will conclude on March 1, 2024.

For logistical purposes, the entire state has been divided into five clusters, according to party sources.

The Komaram Bheem Cluster begins at Mudhol in the Adilabad district and concludes at Bodhan in the Nizamabad district. This will cover 21 assemblies and three parliaments.

Rajarajeswari Cluster begins in Tandur in Vikarabad district and concludes in Karimnagar. This will cover four parliaments and 28 assemblies.

The Bhagyalakshmi Cluster begins in Bhongir and concludes in Hyderabad. This will cover three parliaments and 21 assemblies.

Kakatiya-Bhadrakali cluster begins at Bhadrachalam and concludes at Mulugu. This will cover three parliaments and 21 assemblies. The Kakatiya-Bhadradri cluster yatra will take off on February 25.

The Krishnamma cluster begins at Makhthal and concludes at Nalgonda. This cluster will cover three parliaments and 21 assemblies.

Union Minister and Telangana BJP President G Kishan Reddy, Bandi Sanjay Kumar MP, National General Secretary, Dr K Laxman, All India President BJP OBC Morcha, Etela Rajender, and Smt D K Aruna are set to participate in all the yatras.

The Chief Minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma, will be the Chief Guest for the Komaram Bheem Cluster, launching the Yatra in a public meeting at Mudhol on February 20 at 1100 hours.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister of Goa, Pramod Sawant, will inaugurate the Rajarajeswari Cluster Yatra in a massive public meeting at Tandur at 1100 hours on Tuesday.

Throughout the ten-day Yatra, senior national leaders of the party, union ministers, and chief ministers from various NDA states will actively participate.

During the Yatra, the party leaders and workers will engage with a diverse cross-section of people to emphasise the importance of supporting Narendra Modi in making India truly Atmanirbhar and restoring its ancient glory as a Viswaguru.

Given the widespread goodwill that Narendra Modi currently enjoys globally and across cultures and continents, coupled with the recent consecration of the Ram Temple, fulfilling a 5-century dream of Bharatiyas worldwide, the BJP expresses confidence that the Yatra will significantly elevate the party's standing in Telangana.

The Telangana BJP anticipates a tremendous response from the people, aiming to further consolidate support for the BJP in the state during the upcoming elections, according to party sources.
Photo courtesy: Screenshot grab from X video of Mamata Banerjee

Kolkata/IBNS: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after the opposition party's workers allegedly called a Sikh police officer "Khalistani" during a confrontation in violence-hit Sandeshkhali.

In the video posted by Mamata on X handle, the police officer was heard telling BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul and others, "Just because I am wearing a turban, you are calling me Khalistani. Would you have called me Khalistani if I had no turban?"

In an X post, Mamata said, "Today, the BJP's divisive politics has shamelessly overstepped constitutional boundaries. As per @BJP4India every person wearing a TURBAN is a KHALISTANI. I VEHEMENTLY CONDEMN this audacious attempt to undermine the reputation of our SIKH BROTHERS & SISTERS, revered for their SACRIFICES and UNWAVERING DETERMINATION to our nation.

"We stand firm in protecting Bengal's social harmony and will take stern lawful measures to prevent any attempts to disrupt it."

Today, the BJP's divisive politics has shamelessly overstepped constitutional boundaries. As per @BJP4India every person wearing a TURBAN is a KHALISTANI.



I VEHEMENTLY CONDEMN this audacious attempt to undermine the reputation of our SIKH BROTHERS & SISTERS, revered for their pic.twitter.com/toYs8LhiuU  Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) February 20, 2024

Responding to Banerjee;s tweet BJP leader Agnimitra Paul said: "No one called anyone a Khalistani. If Mamata Banerjee has any proof, let her put out the video. WB Police is nothing but a stooge of the TMC. The issue here is women of #Sandeshkhali. Their rape and torture. Their tormentor Shahjahan Sheikh is still at large and continues to."
Photo Courtesy: UNI

The Supreme Court on Tuesday examined the eight defaced ballot papers of the Chandigarh mayor poll and video recording of the counting process following the contentious victory of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and ordered to treat the eight invalidated ballots as valid.

A bench, headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud while pulling up returning officer Anil Masih for ''contempt of court, directed to treat the eight invalidated ballots as valid.

The Bench said that the invalidated ballots shall be recounted treated as valid and results declared on the basis of that.

(With UNI inputs)
Photo Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons/ShareAlike 3.0 Unported

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Tuesday issued a notice to the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) seeking a report on the death of an 80-year-old man who collapsed after walking about 1.5 kilometres due to the non-availability of a wheelchair at Mumbai airport.

The NHRC asked the DGCA to submit a detailed report on the matter within 4 weeks. It should include the status of compensation, if any, provided to the Next of Kin of the deceased, the NHRC said in a statement.

Reportedly, the man of Indian origin having a US Passport had to walk alongside his wife in another wheelchair but collapsed after walking about 1.5 kilometres on the way to the immigration area.

The Commission would also like to know the steps taken and proposed to be taken to ensure that such incidents do not recur, the NHRC said.

The Commission has also observed that there has been a significant increase in the number of air passengers as well as airfare. Still, the standard of facilities doesnt seem to have improved proportionately, resulting in several complaints reported in the media and posted on social media, the statement added.

According to some media reports, there were 32 wheelchair passengers on the particular flight, but only 15 were available with accompanying staff on the ground to assist them.

The wife sat in the wheelchair while the husband followed her on foot and collapsed after some time.

The elderly couple was travelling from New York to India.

(With UNI inputs)
In image AAP's Kuldeep Kumar with Arvind Kejriwal/ courtesy: Former's Facbook page

New Delhi/IBNS: In a historic move, the Supreme Court Tuesday declared Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)'s Kuldeep Kumar the winner of last month's Chandigarh mayoral election, ending weeks of controversy after Returning Officer Anil Masih was caught on camera invalidating and discarding eight votes in his favour.

The order - preceded by the counting of votes, including those erroneously rejected, in the courtroom rather than a counting centre - cancels the earlier result that saw the Bharatiya Janata Party's Manoj Sonkar elected Mayor.

The top court also initiated a contempt of court charge against Masih, which came down strongly on the former BJP Minority Cell member, who was warned of prosecution if he lied in the court.

The court examined the eight defaced ballot papers of the Chandigarh mayor poll and video recording of the counting process following the contentious victory of the BJP and ordered to treat the eight invalidated ballots as valid.

A bench, headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud directed to treat the eight invalidated ballots as valid.

The Bench said that the invalidated ballots shall be recounted treated as valid and results declared on the basis of that.

Delhi Chief Minister and AAP boss Arvind Kejriwal has hailed the verdict.

Addressing the media, the Aam Aadmi Party convenor said, Truth may be troubled but not defeated. The Constitution and democracy ultimately won the Chandigarh Mayor election.

This has happened for the first time in India's history, he said adding, The Supreme Courts decision at a time when dictatorship is prevalent across the country, democracy and all institutions are being trampled, holds immense significance for safeguarding democracy.

Referring to it as the first and massive victory of the INDIA bloc, he said, We have snatched victory from them. They had stolen the vote but we fought and won. Those who say that BJP can't be defeated - BJP can be defeated with unity, with good planning and strategy and hard work. These results prove the same, he added.

Kejriwal further congratulated Kumar on becoming the Mayor of Chandigarh. In a social media post, Kejriwal said, Kuldeep Kumar is a boy from a poor family. On behalf of the INDIA alliance, many congratulations on becoming the Mayor of Chandigarh."

"This became possible only because of Indian democracy and the honourable Supreme Court. We have to preserve the impartiality of our democracy and autonomous institutions at any cost, he said.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann also welcomed the Supreme Courts decision regarding the mayor election in Chandigarh stating, At last the truth has prevailed. They have got a befitting reply to the hooliganism openly committed by BJP.

Meanwhile, AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj slammed the BJP, asserting that the country's biggest political party, BJP, was seen doing malpractices on camera during a mayoral election. Supreme Court has exposed the central government in this matter, he said while addressing the media.
Photo courtesy: Facebook/Rahul Gandhi

Lucknow/IBNS/UNI: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi Tuesday alleged that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is weakening democracy by suppressing the voices of Dalits, poor and backward people.

After reaching Uttar Pradesh's capital Lucknow for the 'Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra', the Congress leader said that Dalits, backward people, and tribals are being suppressed and threatened.

"There is not a single person from OBC, Dalit or tribal community among the owners and management of 200 big companies of India. There is no place in India for 50 percent backward people, 20 percent Dalits, minorities and tribals," he said.

Raising the issue of paper leaks in government job recruitment, he said that after spending lakhs of rupees on studies, when children take the examination, the paper gets leaked.

"Youth spend money to study, but when the time of examination comes, one percent people steal the paper in advance," he said.

Describing the Agneepath scheme as a betrayal to the youth, Rahul said that Agniveer will neither get pension nor will he get the status of martyr. "Agniveer will be fired after four years," he said.

He said that the caste census was a revolutionary step.

"We have included caste census in our manifesto and as soon as our government comes to power, we will implement caste census, this will help us to know how much population is there and how much money is in whose hands," he said.

The Congress leader said, "Until the caste census is conducted, OBCs, Dalits, and tribals will have to wander on the streets carrying posters. The OBC-Dalits and tribals of the country have to take their rights. The first step to claim rights is the caste census.

The Congress party has placed caste census at the number one position in its manifesto," he said.

He said that small traders were ruined due to GST and demonetisation and this was done deliberately by the BJP government only to benefit Modi's industrialist friends.

"PM Modi is creating two Indias, one for billionaires and one for the poor. It is an injustice that even a billionaire is paying the same tax as the poorest of the poor in India. So that is why we added the word justice in Bharat Jodo Yatra," he said.
Photo Courtesy: Facebook/Santu Pan

New Delhi/UNI: The National Union of Journalists (NUJI) on Tuesday said that it will hold a protest march on Wednesday against the arrest of Republic Bangla reporter Santu Pan in Bengal's Sandeshkhali.

The march will be organised from Jantar Mantar to Banga Bhawan in Delhi on Wednesday, the NUJI said in a statement.

The NUJI and the Delhi Journalists Association held a meeting over the arrest of a Bangla journalist.

In the meeting, it was said that the media is being strangled by imposing an undeclared emergency in West Bengal, the NUJI said.

Demanding the immediate release of the journalist, the organisations have demanded that journalists should be allowed to work freely in the state.

NUJI President Ras Bihari said, On one hand, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has given free rein to criminals and on the other hand, journalists who expose hooliganism are being jailed.

Media persons are being continuously attacked by supporters of the ruling party Trinamool Congress in Bengal, he said adding that a three-member delegation of NUJI will visit Bengal and prepare a detailed report on the attacks and harassment on journalists and submit it to the Centre.

In the meeting, senior member Ashok Kinkar, former Press Council member Anand Rana, former NUJI treasurer Seema Kiran, Sansad TV journalist and former DJA President Manoj Verma, Ashok Barthwal and many other journalists presented their views.
Photo courtesy: Wikimedia Commons

Brussels/UNI: Twenty-six member states of the European Union (EU) called for an "immediate humanitarian pause that would lead to a sustainable ceasefire" in the besieged Gaza Strip, the bloc's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said here on Monday.

At a meeting of EU foreign ministers, all EU countries except Hungary warned Israel against launching an assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, which they said would deepen the catastrophe of some 1.5 million refugees crammed into the city.

"An attack on Rafah would be absolutely catastrophic ... it would be unconscionable," Ireland's Foreign Minister Micheal Martin said before the meeting.

Israel's reported plans for an assault on the city have sounded international alarm bells, with many countries urging restraint or cancellation of the operation.
Press Release

February 20, 2024 Transcript of Senator Risa Hontiveros' interventions

Senate hearing on RBH 6

February 20, 2025 Senator Risa Hontiveros (SRH): Salamat, Mr. Chair. At maraming salamat kay President Jimenez for really quite a scintillating input. I think it's rare na we witness the State University thinking aloud about itself, how to evolve, even speaking as an Atenean. And before I go to my questions, Mr. Chair, para po sa CHED at para sa ating mga associations of educational institutions, just two quick points for the record. First, Mr. Chair, I wish to manifest that the present formulation of RBH 6 on education allows the liberalization even of basic education. As written, the word basic is inserted at the beginning of the provision, but the last sentence states, "the control and administration of educational institutions shall be vested in citizens of the Philippines unless otherwise provided by law." So in this last sentence, which is controlling, there's no qualifier for education. Therefore, it is possible, at ito po yung sinasabi ko kaninang prejudicial question or point, it is possible for Congress to interpret that all of education is open to contrary legislation. And next and last for my two quick opening points, Mr. Chair, I wish to remind our committee of the statements of former Chief of State, Chief Justice Davide, at the beginning of these hearings. Quote: "With foreign control or dominance in our basic education, we would put asunder the noble, patriotic, and nationalistic virtues which are constitutionally mandated to be a part of the curricula of all educational institutions. These include teaching patriotism and nationalism, love of humanity, respect for human rights, appreciation for the roles of national heroes in the historical development of the country, the rights and duties of citizenship, and strengthening ethical, moral, and spiritual values." In the deliberations of the Constitutional Commission, Commissioner Gascon also explained that, quote, "The intent when we speak of educational institutions being wholly owned by Filipinos, is that in the rearing of Filipino citizens, Filipino values are encouraged. We have to safeguard the interests of our future generations by assuring that education be directed, to serve Filipino interests." So to my questions now, Mr. Chair, to the Commission on Higher Education, both current and former. So aside from Attorney Carpio, to please, as you wish to include Dr. Tati and Dr. Cynthia, Gaya po ng ibang bansa sa ASEAN, and we've had really great examples of them in this hearing, di po ba may programa ang CHED na tumutulong upang ang training at certified na qualifications sa ating mga graduates, ay katumbas ng mga hinahanap sa ibang bansa? At syempre, maaaring namang imbitahin at papasukin ang mga mahusay na guro upang palakasin ang ating mga course offerings. So ano nga po ba ang kailangan gawin pa? Kailangan bang alisin ang limitasyon sa saligang batas dahil may dayuhang universidad ang gustong magtayo ng branch sa Pilipinas na 100% owned nila? Would Attorney Carpio like to address this? Or would the former Commissioners like to address this? CHED representative Atty. Peter Lloyd Carpio: Insofar as such is concerned, Mr. Chair, we still haven't discussed the... So I'm not at liberty to ventilate the points of CHED on this matter. I will pick the answer na lang. Sen. Angara: We realize that maybe you want to think about it more and not come up with a knee-jerk response. But please, for our benefit. Carpio: We'll do it, Mr. Chair. Thank you. Former UP Vice President Cynthia Banzon-Bautista: So I think we are really thinking very seriously of level 6, 7, 8 of the current setup for higher education without prejudice to the revisions of the Philippine Qualifications Framework. That when we say it's level 6, that the outcomes of level 6 are actually met by all of the institutions. I think this will translate to something as major, maybe, and controversial as K-12. Because ASEAN, the ASEAN community is now moving towards a diploma stamp,a stamp of the level of the qualification. Now, let's say we have engineering in the Philippines. The BS engineering program is offered all over because everyone wants to offer a BS even if we're not producing engineers but we're producing technologies or technicians. So they should theoretically be level 4 or level 5. But everyone has a BS program. What may be bloody and controversial and very political is that eventually you would have a regulatory body, whoever that is, that would say, that this BS engineering program in this particular school is level 4 and not level 6. So, we are not yet there but I think the effort is so that we are closer or at least all of our institutions are closer to the level they are at. What that would also mean, EDCOM is now working on the typology of higher education institutions, which is so crucial because some of our institutions, their mission is not really, the mission of producing higher level, higher education graduates, but their mission can be producing the technicians. And that's the problem with our concept of TESDA. There's level 1 and level 2 lang eh. Or we're just producing the manicurists. But no, technical goes all the way. In fact, in Malaysia, technical goes all the way to level 8. And they have the industry part, they have an industry dissertation advisor of certain students. Angara: I think we need more success stories there, Dr. Bautista. Kasi nga, yung mga magulang, talagang hindi pa rin na-reverse yung bias eh. Whereas the actual cases in, in real life experiences in foreign countries is that these tech voc graduates actually make more money than the, than the BS graduate. Banzon- Bautista: Yeah. So it's also the money that.. Sen, Joel Villanueva: And may I, may I also interject just a very quick comment on this tech voc sector. Not, not only, not only, there is a growing penchant still for diploma or college diploma, I would say. But TESDA should really step up because you look at the training regulations right now. The NC3s and NC4s are probably less than 25% of the total training regulations. Now, you look at NC5s, which is supposed to be the diploma level, the NC5s. It's zero. It's still zero. Banzon- Bautista: Sir, it's also because of our education system, it is very American. If you go by the British system or the system of our ASEAN countries, nursing is a technical program. It's not an academic program. But, in our case, everything is an academic program. But anyway, sir. Angara: Yeah, we have to kind of reverse that bias. And also in, I just want to share in, in the Republic of Ireland, their equivalent of their, their quality assurance framework, they place a monetary equivalent. As to the potential earnings, there's a range as what you can earn once you reach this, that is industry-based, actually. It's based on a survey of the actual industry. So, I think if we can come up with a rough equivalent of that, then, you know, that's an incentive certainly for families and future graduates. Chair, Chair, Tati. Former CHED chair Patricia Licuanan: But on the other hand, what we have is a salary scale that is based on a degree. And which is really totally false. So, you, you, you require a degree for a job that doesn't require a college degree. Because, of course, you know, there's more prestige. So, it's a, it's psychological. Angara: And then, one of the promises when we passed K-12 during your time was that we would cut the college degree to three years. And, among others, so, and we would give jobs to the tech voc graduates. But unfortunately, there was no accreditation. But we've addressed that in this, in this year's budget for the first time in a decade, would you believe? So, these are the sort of things that we have to address. But, but, did you get an answer to your question? SRH: Well, actually, Mr. Chair, yes, I was starting to. Notable nga na in talking just about this one question addressed to CHED. We didn't even have to mention or talk about 100% foreign ownership. Tapos, ang daming moving parts talaga in our ongoing efforts at education reforms. So, maybe there's even virtue in less tectonic shifts on the ground of the Constitution and really just address these many moving parts with the tools we have already set up by law. So, I'm glad to have heard from the Chair earlier that possibly the final version of RBH6. After all, the hearings, of course, may be to leave it at unless otherwise provided by law. So, I'm more hopeful with that possibility. And I appreciate the continuing inputs of our resource persons to guide the committee towards that, the final formulation of the resolution. And then, still to the Ched family, current and past. So, meron din po tayong Transnational Higher Education Act also mentioned by some of our earlier resource persons, RA 114488, na pinasanong itong August 28, 2019 lamang. Ang polisiya ng batas to modernize the Philippine higher education sector and bring international quality standards and expertise into the country with a view to making higher education globally competitive, attracting a flow of talented students, faculty, and staff, and improving the country's human resource base. So, dito, pinapayagan na ang Transnational Higher Education Act sa pamamagitan ng mga binanggit din ang ating mga resource persons, academic franchising, branch campuses, double degrees, at iba pa. So, in effect, meron na po tayong batas para ipatupad ang polisiyang ito. So, bakit po kakailanganin ang ChaCha? Hindi ba ito sapat pa? Yes, Atty. Carpio? Carpio: That is correct po, Mr. Chair. A foreign HCI may actually incorporate a Philippine company with a 60% share as long as it's approved po by the SEC and then foreign citizens may constitute up to 80% po of the faculty of the said school and 40% of the admin personnel may also constitute po of the local branches. So, that is actually allowed po by the law. By the said law. Yes, Mr. Chair. Angara: Has anyone taken advantage of that law? Has anyone incorporated under that law? Carpio: We will submit po a report po on the status and milestones of the, of RA number 11448. So, we will submit po. Mr. Chair. SRH: And pending the submission of your report, Atty. Carpio, pero meron ba kayong kahit broad strokes na sa pakiramdam natin marami nang ginamit yung batas na ito or kaunti pa lang or wala? If you could hazard an impression. Carpio: In our draft report po, there are 11 Philippine HEIs who had projects who had projects po with 9 UK HEIs po. So, yan po initial po. And we also there are also some SUCs po who are also partnered po with UK schools. That is po. SRH: Okay. Salamat, Atty. So, kaunti pa lang. Carpio: Yes. Base po dito sa numbers po. SRH: Baka maiging i-maximize pa muna natin itong Republic Act bago subukang lalong i-maximize sa pamamagitan ng Constitution. Baka kung mas maliit na tool ay pwede na pwede pang i-optimize. Hindi natin kailangan ng mas malaki or mas fundamental na tool. So, kung ganun po na we have this law that's starting to be used by foreign educational institutions. So, napapaisip talaga ako kung ano pa bang gusto ng mga dayuhan na hindi kayang gawin ng batas na ito. Baka naman tayo yung mas concerned kesa sa kanila na we need we need the charter change. Baka naman meron ding pag-iisip sa kanila na sapat na sana in principle yung batas but it's a matter of implementation and then of course the many other changes that we see in the country. In terms of education reform. At kasi, Attorney, would you know kung meron bang clamor mula sa mga dayuhang eskwelahan na magmay-ari ng eskwelahan dito? Carpio: In so far as my personal knowledge maybe I will, I will just alam po direct po, that to the proper office and then we will include na po in our in our report po to this committee. Villanueva: Mr. Chair and with the indulgence of my colleague I think these are very simple and basicly questions that is being raised by our colleague. And the topic is whether or not we open this up to foreign ownership and I think it's just but proper for CHED to have a position on this, at least give us data. I mean nobody is interested for franchising or putting up their branches here? At least we have an idea sir if we can if we can give us something please. Carpio: Unfortunately Mr. Chair I do not possess the information at this moment so I do apologize for that Mr. Chair but we will inform your office po immediately if there's indeed a clamor UP Professor Emeritus Gisela Concepcion: I think Mr. Chair the opposite exists in Singapore. It's the Singapore government that invests in the foreign university and the foreign universities are very, very popular all over the world including Saudi Arabia so it's not the case of the very, very high quality foreign universities wanting to invest here it's the opposite. We're the ones who quite need them and so my question is would this purpose partnership not ownership, but partnership, be allowed for SUCs for UP or would it just be for private HEIs? See I think that's an important question. So in the case of NUS you know Duke that's a NUS investment. In the case of you know MIT SMART, that's a Singaporean government investment. Angara: Correct me if I'm wrong I think they've decided to pull back a little bit because of the costs. Concepcion: Well then yes and then there's like an exit plan so after some time then the Singaporean University has to stand on its own, so the SUTD technology design Singaporean is already producing its engineers. There's another thing I wanted to share I think that we have to support MSMEs as a middle class, as well as our start ups, our innovators for new solutions to problems but there are existing MSMEs and this is where I think the PRC, the government should make sure that we have good training, conceptual as well as manua,l hands and mind. And it's really the practice in Taiwan in South Korea and in Japan that after your college degree you must really get through you know trainings to get certifications that would allow you to earn more, you be promoted in the company. So pataasan niyan ng mga certifications and that really relies on a very high quality training or certification of your skills for the next level. So that's something that the government must invest in the training so that supports your MSMEs. Ao in South Korea so I went to this training, but it is in the Hyundai City which is really the center of ship building so syempre yung training nila doon tungkol lahat sa ano you know building ships heavy metal industries but they invested in heavy machinery they could be you know second hand but they would still be used to train the employees of say Hyundai City. So the other one of course is innovation so that's where you would have our startups but then in the university which is really the seed of innovation we lack this thing that goes on all over the world and this is foreign postdoc, so based on evolution and my area which is biological evolution, internationalism or high breeding is so important. So everywhere, in the US you have universities where the research groups are run by the PI and then you have the middle level faculty and then it's really the postdoctoral fellows that run the labs and mentor the PhDs, the masters the undergraduates and even the high school students. And this is just to emphasize that education and R&D innovation are inextricably linked because part of teaching and education is mentoring, a one-on-one mentoring, and so you cannot really dissociate the two. So we're saying that for postdoctoral fellowships which is practically nil in the university in UP even you know, we should be in this scenario soon where we will allow, we will have enough interest from foreign postdocs to come. And in my time before I retired I had so many interest from Indian scientists young researchers who wanted to do a postdoc with me but you know there's no opportunity to do that so that's how the world works in terms of research development and innovation. SRH: Thank you Dr. Concepcion thank you Mr. Chair one of the points raised by Dr. Concepcion I will go there also, yung the implications of this Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) 6 even on our state colleges and universities. Or maybe, I will just to go with the flow, diretso ko na doon - related to manner of acquisition and mergers of higher education institutions. So in current practices on acquisition and mergers of HEIs large corporations like Ayala Phinma, SM Investments and others have established their education arms to buy or bail out some local universities and colleges. So yung isang tanong po dyan before I get to the top of the food chain, the SUCs. Kapag maipasa po itong RBH6 - ang mga foreign owned and controlled corporations, will they be allowed to buy or bail out local universities and colleges? O sila'y maging master franchisers ng mga eskwelahan sa bansa? Would CHED, current or previous, like to address the question? Licuanan: That would be my interpretation that basically that is what ownership would allow them to do. But maybe to go back to a previous question Senator Risa even before the transnationalization law, because that came after my time but even during our time the precisely and internationalization programs were not, did not bear their full fruit. in other words with the existing structures we did not even develop its full potential. So why are we talking ownership? And I don't get a sense that there is - - you asked, "Are there a lot of foreign universities knocking at our doors?" I doubt it, you know. So this is like a theoretical question that's why my original point is it worth our time discussing all of this because there's so many ideas around the room that we can develop outside of the rubric of ownership you know so why are we discussing ownership? Banzon-Bautista: I think I pick up from just looking at Singapore they invite for strategic reasons we have to determine what the strategic reasons are and whatever arrangement whatever incentives, whatever I'm not sure they would like ownership. But even if they want ownership it has to be very strategic for instance you can invite maybe Duke University, one possible strategic thing you need to have a lot of PhDs. Dr. Giselle has been mentioning that. And we send them out and sometimes it's very costly. Can't we get Duke University here for this particular period of time to offer programs so that our faculty can get it from Duke University but in the Philippines? I mean I'm just using Duke as an example or strategically if it's R&D can't we get it's like a Picari thing University of California that was the whole idea. So it's strategic, it's very selective and it's the government that chooses and then they will not ask for ownership. Or if they ask for ownership then you can perhaps for a certain period of time but those are case to case. Ang problem lang that will happen - the mergers - if there is an open market in education. If that is the case, and that is what you don't want to happen. Because that will further erode our reputation as an education provider in the world. SRH: Thank you, Mr. Chair. We get to reflect on previous policy directions like the privatization of education. Mr. Chair I think Father Delvo wants to interject. COCOPEA Chair Fr. Albert Delvo: Thank you Mr. Chairman. On behalf of COCOPEA and Catholic Education Association of the Philippines I can proudly say that introducing reform or amendments to the sections concerned may be done much much later. That's not the urgent concern right now, because why? One, we have not made the departments of the government like CHED, like TESDA, like DOST, to work together actively and exuberantly in a harmonized, coordinated manner. Wala pa doon eh. Second, we have been talking about employability of our graduates but we have not been really serious into enabling our graduates to be producers, makers, manufacturers and shippers. Otherwise, we become just retailer and catering to hospitality services. We don't grow out of this only we have to be producers and makers. And another one would be, we rather improve policy and implementation and the government seems to be very highly and over regulating in regards to private education institutions. And finally if LUCs or SUCs are allowed to partner with foreign entities because they have the land to offer, at which we do not have that might also create another problem for us, in terms of sustainability and likewise flourishing, we cannot develop our private education institutions when in fact we are rendering service in complementary to the government service. SRH: Salamat Father Mr. Chair actually na anticipate ni Father yung susunod kong tanong sa CHED thank you for opening it up, Father. Kasi tatanong ko sana kung posible din ba upon the decision of the Board of Trustees ng ating mga SUCs or LUCs na ibenta yung kanilang mga pamantasan at kolehyo sa isang foreign private education provider, in the guise of internationalization and modernization of HEIs? Would Atty. Carpio have any soundings from CHED about this? Carpio: Mr. Chair, since the SUCs are governed by their charters we should look into the powers and functions of the boards of the SUCs. If they are explicitly allowed to do that, they could do so, but if there is no express power in the charter, it will be not allowed, it is not legally possible to do so. SRH: Salamat Attorney, and maybe bukod sa aming mga miyembro ng komite baka pati yung mga SUCs at LUCs would be anticipating yung position paper ng CHED dahil kayo somehow would create that moral suasion possibly, about how they might look at this kind of a scenario kung maipasay yung RBH6 at least in its present form. Kasi ang susunod na iwawander ko eh, so pwede ba na yung UP o yung PUP o kahit sino sa mga pinahahalaga nating SUCs in the future ay pag may ariyan ng foreign entities? Hindi ko ma-imagine talaga yun. Natawa si President Jimenez. Angara: But under the UP Charter, you're not allowed to sell land, you're not allowed. UP President Angelo Jimenez: Yes, we are a government entity. Our government is a board. We are a public institution. As a UP, in my opinion, cannot sell. We are not even allowed to sell to alienate property, property, property natin, real estate, even to another government agency. Unless, of course, it's by act of Congress. So we have land grants. And it's not really, I would say, within the commerce of men. It is a public institution. And to be frank, it is unthinkable. I have never thought even of it. So we will remain a public institution. But we can enter into, we have corporate powers, since we land grant. We are supposed to actually, we are a land grant university. We are supposed to really use our resources to enhance. And I intend to do that to, to improve the university experience, specifically to produce more of our PhDs, to retain them, and to invest as well in 21st century pedagogy. Because we are moving from 19th century to the new mode. We in UP believe that our civilization has in fact already changed. And we are now living, we are now living in a digital civilization. And that is a completely new way of living. It's a new kind of homo sapiens that lives in a digital civilization. SRH: Thank you, Mr. Chair. And I hope, President Jimenez, as you develop the 21st century pedagogy, you will retain some of the oldies but goodies like the pedagogy of the oppressed of Paulo Freire and such others. Jimenez: It's my readings. In college. SRH: Yes, salamat, Mr. Chair. My last question for this round on state subsidies for higher education. Kung maipasa yung RBH-6 in its current form, anong implikasyon nito sa kasalukuyang pondo at subsidiyong binibigay ng estado sa mga public HEIs, SUCs, at maging mga LUCs? Pati ba yung mga dayuhan makatatanggap na sa estado natin? CHED? Carpio: I don't think so, ma'am, that they will be allowed to receive any government subsidies. SRH: Thank you, Mr. Chair. I guess we'll wait for the position paper of CHED kasi ang impression ko naman, we've been talking about education as more in the services sector, at least of the economy, although education is more than the economy, dahil may existing trade principles in trades and services, gaya ng liberalization of higher education, baka lumabas na may free pass ang ating gobyerno na umatras sa responsibilidad nitong pondohan ang mga SUCs at LUCs at hayaan silang makipag-compete sa free market ng higher education. And a few of our resources, first persons earlier mentioned this, Mr. Chair, and I share their apprehension and the desire that the state not abdicate in its obligation, not use the resolution or any other instrument as an excuse, you know, pa-coopt, so hindi na niya tungkulin sa ating mga estudyante o sa ating bayan. And lastly, very quick lang, a related question, Mr. Chair. Dito pa rin sa state subsidies for higher education. Posible ba na sa ilalim ng RA 10931, yung UACTE Act, na ang mga foreign-owned and controlled HEIs ay maging eligible sa tertiary education subsidies? Carpio: I don't think so, ma'am. SRH: And again, I hope you are right, CHED. We will eagerly await your position paper. Maraming salamat. Maraming salamat, Mr. Chair. And that's from me.
Representatives of Ukraine held a two-day round of negotiations with representatives of Canada on the conclusion of a bilateral security agreement, the press service of the head of the Ukrainian state reports.

A Ukrainian negotiating team headed by Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Ihor Zhovkva held a two-day round of talks on a bilateral security agreement with a Canadian delegation led by Political Director of Global Affairs Canada Heidi Hulan, who is on a visit to Ukraine, a message posted on the presidential website says.

It is indicated that both sides continued discussing thematic blocks and specific provisions of the agreement.
Vladimir Putin gifts car to Kim Jong Un. Photo Courtesy: Photo Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons/Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has received a Russian-made car from President Vladimir Putin, an episode showcasing the close ties shared between the two nations, media reports said.

The gift serves as a "clear demonstration of the special personal relations between the two leaders and as the best one," according to North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) as quoted by Yonhap news agency.

Russia conveyed the vehicle Sunday to Pak Jong-chon, a secretary of the ruling Worker's Party of Korea, and Kim Yo-jong, the sister of the North's leader. She delivered Kim Jong-un's thanks to Putin to the Russian side, the report said.

However, the news agency did not share photos or reports detailing the car.

Putin showed his presidential Aurus Senat limousine to Kim in September last year, when the North's leader visited Russia's Vostochny spaceport for the summit, and offered him the opportunity to take a seat in the Russian-made luxury vehicle, Yonhap news agency reported.

It is still not clear whether the vehicle in question is an Aurus Senat limousine.

According to reports, Putin's gift potentially violates the United Nations sanctions imposed on North Korea for its nuclear weapons program.

US concerned

US intelligence officials are increasingly concerned about the long-term implications of what appears to be a new level of strategic partnership between North Korea and Russia, multiple officials familiar with the latest intelligence have told CNN.

Russia reportedly repeatedly fired North Korean-supplied short-range ballistic missiles at Ukrainian targets in recent weeks.

Kim-Putin meeting in 2023

Kim Jong Un visited Russia to meet President Vladimir Putin last year.

Before 2023, the last meeting between the two leaders took place in 2019 when Kim had visited Russia.

According to reports, Kim and Putin inspected the launch facility of the Soyuz-2 space rocket complex at Russia's Vostochny Cosmodrome in the Amur Region.
Russian authorities to keep Navalny's body for two weeks. Photo Courtesy: Yulia Instagram page

Russian President Vladimir Putin's critic Alexei Navalny's family has claimed his body will not be handed over for the next two weeks.

Alexei Navalny representative claimed authorities said his body would be kept under "chemical examination" for another 14 days.

"The investigators told the lawyers and Alexey's mother that they would not give them the body. The body will be under some sort of 'chemical examination' for another 14 days," his spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh posted on X.

There is no confirmation about the location of the Russian leader's body from the country's authority so far.

Alexei Navalny's wife Yulia has accused the authorities of hiding it.

In a video on Monday vowing to continue his work to fight for a "free Russia", Yulia Navalnaya directly accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of killing her husband, reported BBC.

In 2020, Navalny had survived an attempt to kill him by nerve agent Novichok.

What happened to Navalny?

47-year-old Alexey Navalny died in an Arctic prison on Friday (February 16, 2024).

He was serving a 19-year term.

Alexey Navalny felt unwell in prison after a walk and lost consciousness. He received all necessary resuscitation measures, but they did not yield positive results, the Federal Ptnitentiary Service stated as quoted by Russia's Sputnik news agency.

President Vladimir Putin did not comment on the issue since his death was announced.

Several world leaders, including Canadian PM Justin Trudeau and US President Joe Biden, have slammed Putin over the politician's death.

Kremlin's reaction to comments made by western leaders on Navalny's death

Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov described the comments made by Western leaders against Navalny's death as 'boorish'.

"In conditions where there is no information, we consider it absolutely inadmissible to make such, let's say, frankly boorish statements," the spokesman was quoted as saying by TASS.

"This is inappropriate for statesmen from whose mouths we have heard such statements. And these statements, of course, cannot harm the head of our state, but they absolutely do not benefit those who make such statements," he said.

EU reaction

The European Union on Monday (February 19, 2024) said it is outraged by the death of the Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny, for which the ultimate responsibility lies with President Putin and the Russian authorities.

"Russia must allow an independent and transparent international investigation into circumstances of his sudden death. The EU will spare no efforts to hold Russias political leadership and authorities to account, in close coordination with our partners; and impose further costs for their actions, including through sanctions," read the EU statement.

US, UK envoys paid floral tributes

Meanwhile, envoys of the US and the UK paid floral tributes to the deceased leader on Sunday (February 18, 2024).

US ambassador Lynne Tracy and Britain's Nigel Casey were pictured paying their respects at a memorial in Moscow, reported BBC.

Sharing an image of Lynne Tracy paying floral tribute to the Russian opposition leader, the US Embassy in Moscow posted on X: "Today at the Solovetsky Stone we mourn the passing of Alexey Navalny and all other victims of political repression in Russia."

"Our hearts go out to his family, friends and supporters. His strength is an inspiration. We honor his memory," the Embassy said.

Casey wrote on X: "In memory of Alexei Navalny @FCDOGovUK."

Detention

Meanwhile, rights group OVD-Info on Saturday claimed more than 400 people were detained by Russian authorities for paying tributes to President Vladimir Putin's key opponent Alexei Navalny across various cities in the country.

"401 DETAINED," the group said on its website.

It said people were detained across 36 cities in Russia.
Over one million internally displaced Palestinians are sheltering in Rafah in southern Gaza Strip.Photo Courtesy: UNICEF/Eyad El Baba

In an interview with Sputnik, the chairman of the defence committee of the Senate of Pakistan, Mushahid Hussain Sayed, thanked Russia for its "strong and principled" position on the situation in the Gaza Strip as the Israeli ground offensive continues.

"On the issue of Gaza, I would like to thank Russia for its strong and principled position. In Gaza, there is genocide caused by crimes against humanity by Israel. The people of Palestine are suffering because of it. I would also like to condemn the Western countries, especially the United States, which are complicit in Israel's crimes against humanity. They are partners in crime," Sayed said.

The only possible solution, he added, is to hold the United States and Israel "accountable for their crimes, ending the military operations, and establishing an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.

On October 7, 2023, the Palestinian movement Hamas launched a large-scale rocket attack against Israel from Gaza and breached the border, killing 1,200 people and abducting around 240 others.

Israel launched retaliatory strikes, ordered a complete blockade of Gaza, and started a ground incursion into the Palestinian enclave with the declared goal of eliminating Hamas fighters and rescuing the hostages. At least 29,000 people have been killed so far in the Gaza Strip, local authorities said.

On November 24, Qatar mediated a deal between Israel and Hamas on a temporary truce and the exchange of some of the prisoners and hostages, as well as the delivery of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. The ceasefire was extended several times and expired on December 1. More than 100 hostages are still believed to be held by Hamas in Gaza.

Russia has repeatedly called on both parties to stop hostilities, stating that the two-state solution approved by the UN Security Council, which provides for the creation of an independent Palestinian state within the 1967 borders with its capital in East Jerusalem, is the only way to end the conflict.

The UN General Assembly voted in 1947 to divide UK-governed Palestine into Arab and Jewish states, with Jerusalem placed under a special international regime.

The partitioning was planned to take place in May 1948, when the British mandate was due to end, but only the state of Israel was established.

(With UNI inputs)
About 32,000 NATO soldiers, over 1,000 armoured vehicles, and 235 aeroplanes and helicopters are deployed near Russia's and Belarus's borders, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said on Tuesday.

"The situation is no calmer on the European continent, including near our borders. In the immediate vicinity of Belarus and Russia, as part of the alliance's operations in Europe, about 32,000 soldiers from the contingents of the United States and NATO's armed forces are stationed.

There are more than 1,000 armoured vehicles, about 160 artillery systems and mortars, and 235 aeroplanes and helicopters," Lukashenko was quoted as saying by the Pul Pervogo Telegram channel.

Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Georgia, and Serbia will be drawn into NATO, just like in the scenario of the situation in Ukraine, Lukashenko added.

(With UNI inputs)
In image Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (L) and Spanish counterpart Jose Manuel Albares(R) (courtesy: twitter.com/@jmalbares)

Cordoba (Spain): China and Spain should push for greater development of bilateral relations, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here on Sunday.

While meeting with Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares in the southern Spanish city of Cordoba, Wang, said the two countries should intensify high-level exchanges, deepen practical cooperation, and bolster strategic communication

Noting that his visit comes as China and Spain embark on the next 50 years of bilateral ties, Wang said Spain, a major country in Europe and a member of the European Union (EU), has important international and regional influences.

China is ready to work with Spain to view bilateral relations with a global vision and from a long-term perspective, promote mutual trust and mutual benefit, highlight strategic stability and practical cooperation, and keep China-Spain relations at the forefront of China-Europe relations, he said.

China appreciates Spain's adherence to the one-China principle and supports Spain in safeguarding its territorial integrity and national unity, Wang said.

Pointing out that China and Spain, as comprehensive strategic partners, both support and practice multilateralism, China's top diplomat called on the two countries to strengthen coordination, join hands in tackling global challenges, and make new contributions to the peace and development of mankind.

The Chinese market, growing rapidly and expanding in scale, will continue to open up to the world, Wang said, adding that China welcomes high-quality products from Spain.

China stands ready to work with Spain to uphold openness and mutual benefit, provide solid support for mutually beneficial cooperation, build an open world economy and advance inclusive economic globalisation that benefits all, he added.

Extending greetings for the Chinese New Year of the Dragon, Spanish Foreign Minister Albares recalled that last year, Spain and China celebrated the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties and launched the China-Spain Year of Culture and Tourism.

The year 2023 was also marked by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's successful visit to China and the role of Spain's rotating presidency of the Council of the EU in the successful EU-China summit, he said.

Albares said Spain stands ready to maintain high-level exchanges with China, activate bilateral cooperation mechanisms and deepen practical cooperation.

He said his country supports open and free trade, welcomes Chinese investment, and will provide a fair and sound business environment for enterprises from all countries.

The two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in diverse fields, including telecommunications, medical care, electric vehicles, and green energy, and enhance friendship between the two peoples.

Albares spoke highly of China's visa-free policy for Spanish citizens and thanked China for its trust and friendship, saying that his country will also actively promote the simplification of procedures for Chinese tourists visiting Spain.

The two sides also exchanged in-depth views on a wide range of international and regional issues.

(With UNI/Xinhua inputs)
Photo courtesy: UNI

United Nations: China's Ambassador to the United Nations Zhang Jun on Tuesday criticized the United States for the use of its veto power on an Algeria-drafted UN Security Council resolution, arguing it undermines consensus and worsens the situation in Gaza.

Earlier in the day, the US vetoed a resolution that called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza. Thirteen council members voted in favour, while the UK abstained.

"It is not that the Security Council does not have an overwhelming consensus, but rather it is the exercise of the veto by the United States that has stifled the council consensus. The US veto sends a wrong message, pushing the situation in Gaza into a more dangerous one," Zhang said during a UN Security Council meeting.

China expresses its strong disappointment and dissatisfaction with the vote's outcome, he added.

Supporting Algerias proposed UNSC resolution for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza could have risked sensitive hostage negotiations between Hamas and Israel, US National Security Communications adviser John Kirby said.

The United States vetoing another resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza has demonstrated that it does not want peace in the Middle East and is only demanding at any cost that their closest Middle East ally be shielded, Russian Ambassador to the UN Vassily Nebenzia said.

(With UNI/SPUTNIK inputs)
Photo Courtesy: Pixabay

Women and children were part of the protesters who recently demonstrated against prolonged electricity load-shedding in Pakistan's Gilgit-Baltistan region.

The protest disrupted normal life in the region.

Most areas in the region have been enduring 22 hours of outages in a day for a long time. People of Kashrote Gilgit area, including women and children, took to streets against prolonged outages, reported Pakistan's newspaper Dawn News.

During the protest, enraged people, carrying banners inscribed with their demands, were seen shouting slogans against the government.

They even blocked Park Link Road and burnt tyres.

Later, the protesters marched to the River Road near GB Chief Ministers House, held a protest rally there and blocked the road, the newspaper reported.

Due to the demonstration, vehicular traffic on the River Road remained suspended for five hours.

Protesters said children could not study for hours due to power outage in the locality.

They alleged VIP people were provided electricity for 24 hours with special lines.

There is no electricity in the general public area for 22 hours a day and no relevant authority is ready to take notice of this unbearable situation, a resident of the area told Dawn News.

He demanded at least 10 hours of electricity supply.
Photo Courtesy: Unsplash

About North Korean workers who recently occupied a factory last month to protest over unpaid wages took a monitoring officer hostage, media reports said.

They reportedly beat a management representative to death during their deadly protest.

About 2,000 workers dispatched by a trading company affiliated with North Koreas Ministry of Defense occupied a medical manufacturing and seafood processing plant in the city of Helong, in northeast Chinas Jilin province, on Jan. 11, the Yomiuri reported Saturday, citing North Korean sources as quoted by Radio Free Asia.

According to reports, several of the protesters were former female soldiers in their 20s.

They were reportedly angry about long-term wage arrears and took hostage the Chinese companys management representatives and monitoring personnel from Pyongyang.

The North Korean authorities mobilized consuls and state security officers to try to restore order, but the workers prevented them from entering the factory, said Yomuiuri as quoted by Radio Free Asia, adding that the riot continued until the 14th of the same month, when the hostage management representative was beaten to death by the workers.

It was the first large-scale protest by North Korean workers in China, and it brought to the surface the anti-authoritarianism of North Korean youth who refuse to accept slavery, reads the Yomiuri report in part.

A North Korean source told the Japanese paper that those who led the riots will be sent to a political prison camp and punished severely.
Versatile actor Vikrant Massey has delved into the intricate tapestry of his family, shedding light on the diverse religious backgrounds that coexist harmoniously within his household in an exclusive interview with Unfiltered by Samdish.

The actor candidly discussed his elder brother Moeen's conversion to Islam at the age of 17 and the supportive stance their family took.

Religious Tolerance And Acceptance

Vikrant said, My brothers name is Moeen, I am called Vikrant. Youd wonder why the name Moeen? He converted to Islam, my family let him change his religion. They said, Beta (Son), if you find satisfaction in this, then go ahead. He converted at the age of 17, it is a big step." The actor highlights the importance of religious tolerance and personal choice within his family dynamic, emphasising that his mother is Sikh, and his father is a devoted Christian who attends church twice a week.

Defying Norms And Embracing Individual Choices

Facing scrutiny from extended relatives about Moeen's conversion, Vikrant shares his father's unwavering response: "He is my son, he is only answerable to me and has all the rights to choose what he wants." This experience prompted Vikrant to embark on a personal quest to understand the essence of religion, leading him to the realisation that it is a man-made construct.

Vikrant Massey With His Family/Instagram

Meanwhile, Twitter users on Tuesday were seen calling out Vikrant Massey for his remarks. Here is how the internet reacted:

Vikrant Massey's real life = Rajpal Yadav's reel life

  https://t.co/6cfSpLxhQY pic.twitter.com/DPx48ZLN1Z  The Vivek Verse (@Time_Trotter) February 20, 2024

Screenshot From Twitter

Twitter Screenshot

Celebrating New Beginnings: Vikrant's Growing Family

Beyond the realm of religious discussions, Vikrant joyfully shared news about his growing family. Married to Sheetal Thakur in 2022, the couple recently welcomed a son on February 7. The actor expressed joy through a heartfelt announcement, marking the beginning of a new chapter for the Massey-Thakur family.

Success Continues: Vikrant's Latest Projects

Amid personal milestones, Vikrant Massey is riding high on the success of his latest release, "12th Fail."

Directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra, the film revolves around UPSC aspirants and draws inspiration from the real-life experiences of IPS officer Manoj Kumar. Looking ahead, Vikrant is set to grace the screen in the second installment of "Hassen Dilruba," titled "Phir Aayi Haseen Dilruba," and in "The Sabarmati Report," a film produced under Ekta Kapoor's Balaji Motion Pictures.

For more news and updates from the world of celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.
International Mother Language Day 2024: International Mother Language Day is observed on February 21st each year to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism. The day was first proclaimed by the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in November 1999, and has been observed every year since February 2000.

International Mother Language Day was established by the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in November 1999, in response to a tragic event that took place in Bangladesh in 1952.

Why is International Mother Language Day 2024 celebrated on February 21st?

On February 21, 1952, students and activists in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) voiced their opposition to the Pakistani government's decision to impose Urdu as the sole official language. The protest took a tragic turn when police opened fire on the demonstrators, resulting in several casualties.

This event marked a pivotal moment in the struggle for independence in East Pakistan, sparking a movement to champion the Bengali language and culture. In 1999, the Government of Bangladesh proposed to UNESCO that February 21st be designated as International Mother Language Day to commemorate the 1952 events and promote linguistic and cultural diversity globally. UNESCO accepted the proposal, and the inaugural International Mother Language Day was observed on February 21, 2000.

Since then, the day has been commemorated annually to safeguard and promote all languages, particularly those facing endangerment. It encourages individuals to embrace and advocate for their mother tongue. International Mother Language Day also seeks to raise awareness about the significance of linguistic diversity in fostering cultural understanding, peaceful coexistence, and sustainable development.

International Mother Language Day 2024: Theme

The theme of the International Mother Language Day celebration 2024 is Multilingual education is a pillar of intergenerational learning. Today, 250 million children and young people still do not attend school and 763 million adults do not master basic literacy skills. Mother tongue education supports learning, literacy and the acquisition of additional languages.

The objective of International Mother Language Day

The primary objective of International Mother Language Day is to advocate for linguistic and cultural diversity, multilingualism, and the safeguarding of all languages, particularly those at risk of extinction. The day seeks to highlight the significance of linguistic diversity in fostering cultural understanding, promoting peaceful coexistence, and contributing to sustainable development.

Observing International Mother Language Day serves as an occasion to celebrate and endorse the use of mother tongues, integral components of individuals' cultural heritage and identity. It encourages people to take pride in their mother language, utilizing it in daily life, education, and various aspects of society.

Another goal of International Mother Language Day is to champion multilingual education and support the formulation of language policies that uphold linguistic diversity and enhance social inclusion. The day serves as a platform for policymakers, educators, and stakeholders to exchange insights and best practices regarding language education and policy.

Ultimately, the overarching aim of International Mother Language Day is to promote the idea that linguistic and cultural diversity serves as a source of strength, contributing to a more peaceful and sustainable world. By celebrating such diversity, the day seeks to foster greater awareness and understanding among diverse communities, promoting respect and tolerance for all languages and cultures.

In short, International Mother Language Day aims to safeguard and promote all languages, particularly those in jeopardy, while encouraging the use and promotion of mother tongues. The day also strives to underscore the importance of linguistic diversity in fostering cultural understanding, peaceful coexistence, and sustainable development.

For more informative articles on historical and upcoming events from around the world, please visit Indiatimes Events.
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The coast of Bulgaria is optimal for a full-fledged vacation for families with children, retired, and people in the rehabilitation period: prices are low, no long journey is needed, and most Bulgarian beaches have a convenient entrance to the sea. Early booking from ANEX Tour travel agency is a real chance to plan the best vacation in Bulgaria at affordable prices.

Choose the best hotel for your vacation in Bulgaria during the early booking season

Top hotel complexes in Bulgaria have a high rating and stable tourist demand. Large tourist operators in Britain, Scandinavia, Poland, Germany and Ukraine book rooms in such hotels in advance: they buy rooms in bulk under partner programs and sell them to tourists in package tours. In the summer, rated hotels in Bulgaria are "at a standstill" - no free rooms exist.

In the early booking season, it is possible to buy an online tour to Bulgaria and choose a female room, suite or standard in an all-inclusive hotel on the first line of the coast, with swimming pools, SPA, children's animation or medical programs. Or find a good package deal with accommodation and breakfast in a highly rated 2-3* Bulgarian hotel, after reconstruction, near a Blue Flag beach.

Early booking of holidays in Bulgaria is beneficial for tourists

The price of a vacation ticket in Bulgaria in the early booking season is 10-25% lower than in the high season. Some Ukrainian tour operators offer unique conditions for early booking with a discount of up to 50%. Ukrainian tourists appreciate the benefits of early booking already on vacation in Bulgaria: the ticket cost is much lower than that of tourists from European countries, on online aggregators and at the hotel reception.

How to buy a holiday ticket in Bulgaria online

Early booking package tours become more relevant during the school holiday season. The price of the ticket on the website of the ANEX Tour travel agency includes:

accommodation in a room of the selected category; it is profitable to book a room for at least two people; in hotels with the concept of BB, HB, FB, AI, and UAI - the appropriate food format and availability of some options of the hotel complex; travel insurance covering the tourist's expenses for treatment in Bulgaria of an acute illness or injury.

Some tours to Bulgaria include transportation costs: a charter flight from an airport in Poland or Moldova, a group trip by Euro-class bus, and hotel transfers.

Important! In Bulgaria, many beaches in the summer are managed by private companies that rent out places under umbrellas and sunbeds. It is worth comparing the price of spending on the beach and staying in a budget resort hotel with the price of a tour to an all-inclusive Bulgarian hotel.

Pay attention to the description of the hotel complex: is it far from the beach, are there playgrounds for children or athletes, does the room price include the rental of a safe, snacks, bottled water, a mini-set of gels and shampoos?

Compare different Bulgarian resorts: is there a promenade or parks for walking, what to do in the evening, what interesting excursions are available to tourists in Varna, Elenita, Albeni, Golden Sands, Nessebar, Sunny Beach. Early booking for holidays in Bulgaria has already started. Plan your summer now.
Magh Purnima 2024: The month of Magha is considered very important and auspicious for Hindus. People believe that gods come to earth in human form and take a dip in Prayag (modern Allahabad), donate to the needy, and chant prayers. That's why it's said that bathing in the Ganges on this day fulfills wishes and leads to salvation.



Magha Purnima, also called Maghi Purnima, is a full moon day that falls in the month of Magh according to the Hindu calendar. This usually corresponds to January or February in the Gregorian calendar. It's the month when the famous Kumbh Mela and the Magha Mela take place at Triveni Sangam in Prayag or Allahabad.

Magha Purnima 2024 Date:

In 2024, Magha Purnima will be celebrated on February 24. The Purnima tithi will begin at 03:33 pm on February 23 and end at 05:59 pm on February 24, according to Drik Panchang.



Maghi Purnima 2024 : Date and Time Day Timings and Muhurat Maghi Purnima 2024 Date Saturday, February 24, 2024 Maghi Purnima begin From 03:33 PM on Friday, Feb 23, 2024 Maghi Purnima Ends On 05:59 PM on Saturday, Feb 24, 2024

Magha Purnima Significance

Ganga | Photo: Unsplash

During the month of Magha, people in India perform various rituals at Prayag, where the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers meet. This includes taking a holy bath, giving alms, donating cows, and performing a Homa ceremony on Maghi Purnima.



Throughout Magha, people take early morning baths in the Ganga or Yamuna. This daily bathing ritual, which starts on Paush Purnima, continues until Magha Purnima. It is believed that any charity work done during this time will have a greater impact. Therefore, people give to the needy according to their ability.

Magha Purnima also marks the end of Kalpawas, a one-month spiritual camp held on the banks of the Ganga at Prayag.

Magha Purnima Rituals

The Magha Mela is an annual gathering that happens at Sangam, the place where the rivers Yamuna, Ganga, and the mythical Saraswati meet in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. Thousands of devotees come together to celebrate the Magha Mela festival.

During the Magha Purnima rituals, people take a special bath at Sangam, which is called a parv snaan. On this day, devotees also worship Guru Bhrasapati and believe that the Hindu god Gandharva travels from heaven to Sangam. It is believed that taking this holy bath can help ease sorrow and pain.

The holy bath is usually taken before sunrise, and devotees pray to the rising Sun. After this, they fast for the rest of the day. In some areas, people also perform rituals for their ancestors on Magha Purnima to bring peace to their departed souls.

The Magha Mela is a significant event for many people in India, and it brings together people from different regions and backgrounds. It is a time for prayer, reflection, and community.

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In a significant milestone for India's space program, plans are underway to launch the nation's inaugural domestically manufactured spy satellite aboard a SpaceX rocket in April, marking a pivotal moment in India's pursuit of advanced surveillance capabilities.

SpaceX

This significant addition will augment the nation's radar imaging satellite (RISAT) fleet, escalating the count from 12 satellites in 2019 to 16, according to reports from the Economic Times.



Crafted by TATA Advanced Systems (TAS) Limited, the defence arm of the esteemed TATA Group, the satellite is slated to be operated from Bengaluru, Karnataka.



Main goals of spy satellite

Its primary objectives encompass infrastructure monitoring and the acquisition of military targets, enabling India to uphold operational secrecy.

The satellite is expected to be vital in monitoring the "Line of Actual Control" along the Chinese border. The satellite will have a ground resolution of approximately 0.5 meters.

TAS elucidates that the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and two other private entities have recently chosen the company to spearhead the Assembly, Integration, and Testing of Satellites for diverse applications.



ISRO





TATA group's involvement with ISRO

This significant milestone marks the first-ever partnership between ISRO and a private sector organization on a large scale in the satellite manufacturing program. It is expected to create new opportunities for TAS to expand its operations by producing satellites for both the Indian and global markets.



Moreover, it will enable TAS to explore adjacent applications in space technology under ISRO's license, further fortifying Tata Advanced Systems' ongoing ventures in the unmanned air systems business.

India has traditionally relied on intelligence data from foreign sources, such as the US, despite possessing sub-meter resolution satellites.

The construction of the satellite has recently been completed, and it has been dispatched to the US for launch preparations.

India's rapidly expanding prowess in satellite technology is underscored by this milestone, as 25 satellites are produced annually at the TASL plant in Bengaluru.

TASL has also inked an agreement with the Karnataka government for additional investments in the aerospace and defence sectors.

In parallel, efforts are underway to establish a state-of-the-art ground control centre in Bengaluru to facilitate the guidance and processing of satellite imagery. This centre, anticipated to be operational soon, is being developed in partnership with Satellogic, a prominent Latin-American company.

According to reports, TASL's satellite imagery can be shared with other friendly nations to foster better collaboration. While ISRO possesses satellites capable of sharing imagery, their utilization is constrained by the vast area requiring coverage. Consequently, India presently relies on US companies to procure the requisite spy data.

ISRO to launch 50 spy satellites in next 5 years

Representational Image

In December last year, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman S Somanath outlined India's ambitious plans to bolster its satellite fleet for geo-intelligence gathering, aiming to launch 50 spy satellites over the next five years.



As per a PTI report, strategically positioned in various orbits, these satellites will enhance the country's ability to track troop movements and monitor vast areas. With an emphasis on improving satellite capabilities to detect changes and analyze data using AI-driven approaches, India seeks to strengthen its defence intelligence gathering capabilities.

Somanath highlighted the importance of expanding satellite communication and imaging technologies to cover extensive border regions daily, underscoring the need for a satellite fleet ten times larger than the current 54 satellites to meet India's aspirations for national security and power.



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With a population of over 18 million people, Mumbai is a city that never sleeps - often hailed as the city of dreams and the financial capital of India; it grapples with the challenge of balancing prosperity and livability for its residents.

Mumbai Metaverse

Mumbai Metropolis Metaverse and its mission

In line with the vision to transform the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) into a global hub by 2025, Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis revealed the Mumbai Metropolis Metaverse on February 19.

Dear Mumbaikars and Lovers of Mumbai,

Just click on these links to see how Mumbai is all set to transform within next few years, rather within few months!

Come, join this once in a lifetime journey called Transformation!

Mumbai Metropolis Metaverse! https://t.co/HulmPEhZNR  Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) February 19, 2024

This platform showcases a 3D representation of Mumbai's future, offering a sneak peek into upcoming developments and amenities for citizens.

It is worth noting that the transformative project was developed in association with MMRDA, CIDCO, MMRC, MTDC, and BMC. The three core parties signed an MoU in June 2023 to work together towards the project's success.



Fadnavis calls upon Mumbaikars to explore Metaverse

Deputy CM Fadnavis extended an invitation to Mumbaikars and enthusiasts to explore the metaverse, urging them to witness the city's transformation firsthand. He shared access links for the platform on X.



Fadnavis conveyed on X, "Dear Mumbaikars and Lovers of Mumbai, Just click on these links to see how Mumbai is all set to transform within the next few years, rather within a few months! Come, join this once-in-a-lifetime journey called 'Transformation'! Mumbai Metropolis Metaverse!https://mumbaimetaverse.com/explore"

Fadnavis spotlights Mumbai's major projects

Fadnavis highlighted 12 ongoing projects in the metaverse that will redefine Mumbai's landscape.

Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Corridor

The following projects have been highlighted: Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Corridor, Mumbai Metro, Coastal Road, Dharavi Project, Mumbai Port Trust Project, Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (Atal Setu), Elevated Metro Lines, Airoli-Katai Tunnel Road, Virar-Alibaug Multimodal Corridor, Wastewater Treatment Plants, and Navi Mumbai International Airport.



Mumbai's mobility revolution

Fadnavis recently stated that he is confident that Mumbai's transportation system will improve than other major cities such as Bengaluru, Delhi, and Chennai within the next five years. He emphasised that the government is committed to ensuring that Mumbaikars can reach any destination within the city in under 59 minutes.

With ambitious endeavours to improve mobility, Mumbai is on the brink of a profound transformation, solidifying its position as a global metropolis.

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In a startling viral video, a male patient is observed readying to use gutka amid a medical procedure within what seems to be a hospital's operating theatre.

Video likely from Kanpur

The individual who shared the video mentioned Kanpur, though its authenticity remains unconfirmed. Details regarding its time, videographer, and precise location are still unknown.

Kanpur is not for beginners pic.twitter.com/HMDkUMkX5O  Alpha (@AlphaTwt_) February 19, 2024

The footage has ignited a flurry of reactions on social media, prompting serious inquiries from users. Some questioned the actions of hospital staff, pondering how the patient was permitted to engage in such behaviour, while others mocked the scene captured.

Though it's uncertain if the patient was genuinely handling gutka, his gestures imply familiarity with its preparation process. Meanwhile, two nurses are occupied with their tasks, setting the stage for what appears to be an imminent surgery.

Despite being under anaesthesia and receiving medical treatment, including an oxygen mask and IV drips, the patient's actions raise serious concerns.

The video has sparked discussions regarding healthcare protocols and patient supervision. Despite being under anaesthesia and connected to medical apparatus, including an oxygen mask and IV treatment, the patients actions have raised concerns about healthcare protocols and patient supervision.



Gutka addiction in India

Gutka addiction is a prevalent public health issue in India, especially among lower socio-economic demographics. It is a mixture of tobacco, betel nut, and assorted flavourings that is chewed for its stimulating effects.



Its addictive properties fuel its widespread consumption, despite well-documented health risks such as oral cancer, cardiovascular ailments, and respiratory complications.

TIL

While various states, including UP, have implemented bans on gutka, enforcement hurdles persist due to its accessibility and entrenched cultural acceptance.



Ongoing education initiatives aim to raise awareness about the perils of gutka addiction, striving to reduce its prevalence and mitigate its severe health repercussions.

Gutka addiction in Uttar Pradesh

In Uttar Pradesh, about 28.6% of adults use smokeless tobacco products, including gutka, according to the 2016-2017 Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS).

A study in the Indian Journal of Medical and Paediatric Oncology highlighted that gutka users in India face a notably elevated risk of oral cancer compared to non-users.

TIL

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that approximately 9.5% of global deaths from oral cancer occur in India, with gutka and other smokeless tobacco products identified as major contributors to this alarming statistic.



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St. Stephen's College, a distinguished constituent of Delhi University, finds itself embroiled in controversy as reports suggest the suspension of approximately 100 first-year students for non-attendance at morning assemblies through an email, with the college hinting at potential debarment.

Following criticism, the college retracted its decision on Tuesday, stating that the email sent to students was "incorrectly worded" and "miscommunicated."

St. Stephen's College, affiliated with the University of Delhi, confers both undergraduate and postgraduate degrees and holds a distinguished reputation as India's premier liberal arts college.

St Stephens College

No morning assembly, no exam

The development unfolded on February 17 when students received notices.

On February 17, 100 first-year students were told they couldn't take their exams because they didn't attend morning assemblies. They got this email because they didn't meet with the principal after being asked about low attendance.

A teacher raised concerns about students skipping classes, noting that many live independently without a guardian.

The students explained they couldn't meet on short notice as their parents don't live in Delhi.

They also requested Principal John Varghese to immediately withdraw the order of suspension and the threat to debar.

Professor Sanjeev Grewal was surprised by this and said attending morning assemblies isn't a reason to stop students from exams.

He noted that the Delhi university doesn't recognise the morning assembly and said it should be voluntary, as the constitution guarantees. He asked the administration to cancel the suspension and exam ban.

BCCL

Now, everyone is waiting for the administration's response.



Absurd, say netizens

Students were not happy with this, naturally, and were quick to voice their opinions on social media.

One remarked, "St. Stephen's seems more like a school than a college."

Another emphasised, "It's all about enforcing discipline."

A different comment described the situation as "institutionalised absurdity."

bccl

In the aftermath of these developments, the broader academic community awaits the administration's response, with uncertainty surrounding the fate of the suspended students and the college's stance on morning assemblies.



St. Stephen's College, renowned for its liberal arts education, now confronts scrutiny and demands for reconsideration of its disciplinary approach.

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Britain boasts a rich history filled with charming villages and towns, each steeped in traditions dating back centuries. However, amidst the quaint and picturesque, some places embrace peculiar customs that set them apart.

BBC/TVC

Bizarre rules of UK village - strict dress code, unpaid jobs

One such example is the Bruderhof Christian community in Sussex, home to 300 members who adhere to a traditional way of life. Within this community, women don ankle-length skirts and require permission to engage in courtship with the opposite sex.

This strict dress code, from of the 1920s, is enforced by men in the group under the guise of "protecting" women. In this community, teenage dating is strictly forbidden, and members must wait until they are baptized and in their early twenties before pursuing romantic relationships.

Those who defy these rules face public shaming, as one woman recounted being subjected to when caught with a boyfriend in the 2000s. Further, modern technologies such as mobile phones, video games, and computers are prohibited, emphasising a commitment to simplicity and communal living.

Each member is assigned an unpaid job as part of their communal responsibilities.

BBC/ TVC

The history of Bruderhof community

The roots of the Bruderhof community trace back to post-World War I Germany in 1920. Led by German theologian Eberhard Arnold, a group of Christians sought to live in accordance with the teachings of Christ's Sermon on the Mount.

However, their refusal to join the Nazi party led to persecution in the 1930s, culminating in the disbandment of the community in 1937.

Many members emigrated to England, where they established a new community in the Cotswolds. Despite facing challenges, such as threats of internment during World War II, the community persisted, eventually relocating to Paraguay and North America before returning to England and Germany after the war.

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In a tale of misfortune, a man from Uttarakhand experienced a series of losses during his visit to Bengaluru.



While traveling by bus, he found himself stripped of Rs 30,000 in cash along with his laptop and Samsung tablet.

The incident underscores individuals' vulnerability in bustling urban environments, where theft and loss can occur unexpectedly.

Losing valuable possessions and essential tools like a laptop and tablet undoubtedly adds to the distress.

Such incidents are cautionary tales, reminding travelers to remain vigilant and take necessary precautions to safeguard their belongings.

Whether securing valuables in designated compartments, staying alert to one's surroundings, or opting for alternative methods of carrying money, ensuring personal security is paramount.

As the man grapples with the aftermath of his unfortunate encounter, his story stands as a reminder of the importance of staying vigilant in unfamiliar environments.

What Happened With This Uttarakhand Man In Bengaluru?

An Uttarakhand man who lost his Laptop, Cash, Tablet in Bengaluru bus | Image: X

Who could have anticipated that a routine work trip would spiral into a nightmarish ordeal? For a Uttarakhand mountain guide, this nightmare became a harsh reality when he discovered that he had been robbed of Rs. 30,000, along with his laptop, a Samsung tablet, and, critically, important documents while travelling on a TNSTC (Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation) bus.

Anand Sankar, reaching out to a user and family acquaintance named 'X', recounted the incident, seeking urgent police assistance.



Expressing his distress and disappointment, Anand Sankar began, "Since yesterday, I have been deeply saddened and embarrassed by the treatment meted out to an honest and hardworking young man from my neighbouring village by the Bangalore police."

The individual in question, Mukesh Pawar, a certified mountain guide from Sidri village in Uttarakhand, had travelled to Salem, Tamil Nadu, to install and certify a rope course for a client.

An Uttarakhand man who lost his Laptop, Cash, Tablet in Bengaluru bus | Image: X

His belongings were stolen en route from Salem to Bengaluru on February 12, and he only realized their absence upon reaching Majestic.



"He vigilantly monitored his two bags throughout the journey, noticing them first in Hosur and then again as the bus made a stop in Attibele after crossing the border. As the journey continued towards Electronic City, a bustling stop where many passengers disembarked, the late hour and the ensuing chaos briefly obscured his view of his belongings in the darkness. However, upon reaching Majestic, he was dismayed to discover that both bags were missing," the OP recounted.

"Pawar sought assistance from the TNSTC bus staff, who directed him to the Majestic police station. Despite the bags being last seen at Electronic City, he was advised to approach the Electronic City police station. Unfortunately, it required persistent efforts on his part before the police finally filed a First Information Report (FIR)."

Sankar expressed frustration, saying, "They showed no interest in speaking with him in Hindi. Instead, they directed him to file a complaint in Majestic. They refused to listen to Mukesh or engage with the police there.

Mukesh returned to Majestic, only to be redirected to Electronic City. None of the policemen made an effort to communicate with him or listen to his account."

As a result of the confusion, Pawar missed his flight from Bengaluru to Delhi. Sankar explained, "He was left with only Rs 600 and, fortunately, his phone. He contacted his relatives, who sent money for the next flight ticket."

An Uttarakhand man who lost his Laptop, Cash, Tablet in Bengaluru bus | Image: X

Pawar has since arrived safely in Dehradun, but he considers losing his certificates his greatest loss.



Sankar explained that all of Pawar's academic and professional credentials and driver's licenses were among the items lost in the bags.

This loss is particularly devastating for Pawar since he works as a freelancer, and each company he collaborates with must verify his original mountaineering certificate before expeditions.

Consequently, Sankar appealed to social media users and anyone able to assist in filing a First Information Report (FIR) and initiating an investigation, as Pawar cannot afford to return to Bengaluru due to financial constraints.

In subsequent updates, Sankar revealed that Pawar had obtained a copy of the FIR filed at Electronic City and is awaiting further developments.

The official Bengaluru Police account acknowledged the post, which had gained viral attention, and requested Sankar to provide Pawar's contact information for further communication.

Where Can You Check Out The Full Post?

You can check out the viral post on X posted by @kalapian_.

I have been very sad and ashamed since yesterday at how the police in Bangalore treated an honest hardworking boy from my neighbouring village of Sidri in Tons Valley, Uttarakhand when he went to file an FIR because his belongings were stolen from a bus. Can Twitter folks and pic.twitter.com/Y2JrBPrXL5  Anand Sankar (@kalapian_) February 18, 2024

How Did The Internet React?

Since the post was shared just a few days ago, it has gotten over 342K views and many comments.



People on social media are sad to hear the story and share their thoughts regarding this incident.

Internet reacts to a Uttarakhand man who lost his Laptop, Cash, Tablet in Bengaluru bus | Image: X

Internet reacts to a Uttarakhand man who lost his Laptop, Cash, Tablet in Bengaluru bus | Image: X

What do you think about it? Do let us know in the comments.



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Curiosity over the possibilities of a toy automobile drove a German guy to an unusual accomplishment, as he set a Guinness World Record (GWR) for riding the quickest ride-on toy car.

Who is the guy who modified and rode a toy car?

Paul stated that he wanted to surpass the renowned 88 mph (141.62 km/h) from the film Back to the Future | Image: Instagram

Marcel Paul recently achieved an astonishing speed of 148.454 kilometers per hour (km/h) in his adapted electric toy vehicle at Germany's Hockenheimring.



When asked about his motivation, Paul stated that he wanted to surpass the renowned 88 mph (141.62 km/h) from the film Back to the Future, which he claims was his personal ambition.

Marcel can be seen riding the customized toy car, virtually lying flat on it, in the video that captures the record-breaking event.

What does the man do?

Marcel, an electrical engineering student at Fulda University of Applied Sciences, accomplished his dream in August 2023. Before creating the final creation, the German student completed a grueling ten-month study and construction project that ended in July.

GWR shared a video of Marcel riding the vehicle with the caption, "Fastest ride-on toy car (modified). Marcel Paul clocked 148.454 km/h (92.24 mph).

How did people on the internet react?

Marcel is an electrical engineering student at Fulda University of Applied Sciences | Image: Instagram

The video, published by Guinness World Records on Instagram, has gone viral, with over 5 lakh views. Social media users swarmed the comments area with praise for Marcel Paul's determination, with some adding humour to the festivities.



A user commented, "Finally, a good world record." Another commented, "Hell no, it looks unsafe. "Well done." "Ferrari at the price of a bicycle," one comment said. A person wondered, "I want to do that; where can I sign up?"

A commenter jokingly compared Marcel's creation to "Lighting McQueen," while another compared him to F1 racing legend "Max Verstappen." In the legendary film Back to the Future, attaining 88 mph in the DeLorean was required for time travel.

Doc Brown, played by Christopher Lloyd, invents the flux capacitor and installs it in the vehicle, along with a number of other devices. Earlier, in an interview with Comic Book, the film's producer and co-writer, Bob Gale, explained why the DeLorean requires a precise speed for time travel.

Gale explained, "First and foremost, we wanted it to be a speed that no one would mistakenly drive at. Another advantage is that it is simple to remember.

Apart from Christopher, the film also stars Michael J Fox, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover, and Thomas F. Wilson, among others.

What do you think about this? Tell us in the comments.

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At the age of just 24, a young engineer at Tata Motors once had a chance to leave his job and relocate to South Korea to work on a joint venture truck project with auto giant Daewoo. But the former Tata group employee declined that opportunity and instead, went on to start his own business. But the reason behind that decision turned out to be a bollywood movie.



Bollywood Film 'Guru' Inspires Ex-Tata Employee To Build Rs 20 Crore Business

guru movie/IMDb

Looking back, almost 17 years later, Anshuman Agrawal once recalled that watching the Abhishek Bachchan-starring movie "Guru" that year inspired him to start his own business.



During those days, the movie Guru, which was about a man who took risks and started his own venture was playing at a theatre and I happened to watch it. I was very inspired by the film, and resigned the very next day, he said, as per TheWeekendLeader report.

I realized that if Tata Motors could trust me to handle an international business, then I could certainly trust myself to start something new of my own. Anshuman had completed his B Tech in Mining Machinery from IIT Dhanbad in 2005.

How He Built A Rs 20 Crore Turnover Business

Anshuman Agrawal minimac/theweekendleader

Anshuman is the founder of Minimac Systems Pvt. Ltd., situated in Pune. Minimac Systems is an oil purification equipment manufacturer that cleans the oil used in major industries' machinery, such as power plants and steel mills.



In 2007, at the age of 24, Anshuman made the decision to start his own business. He had worked for Tata Motors from 2005-2007.

I had bought a 2 BHK house on EMI, and did not have much savings, and did not want to ask my parents for money. I hardly had Rs 2000 in my bank account, and I was banking upon my PF fund to start my business, he says.

An amount of Rs 50,000 was released after three months. I almost started with negligible capital. With just a table and a computer, he opened Minimac Solution, a sole proprietorship, from his two-bedroom home. Anshuman explains, "I chose the trading business because it required low capital and it was easy to get credit from the supplier." Minimac's revenue in 201920 was Rs 13 crore, but the pandemic caused it to drop to Rs 7 crore the following year. They have since recovered to reach a record-breaking turnover of Rs 20 crore.

Also Read: 10 Movies You Can Watch This Weekend If You Are Interested In Stock Markte

What Was His Salary At Tata Motors?

ex tata employee biollywood movie business/theweekendleader

At Tata Motors, Anshumans salary was Rs 35,000. But after the deductions and my expenses I could hardly save Rs 10,000. I wanted to buy a bike, and thought that the salary should suffice, but I was able to buy one on EMI only.



Tata Motors was working on Prima Truck, which was a joint venture with South Korean company Daewoo, says Anshuman. Tata Motors needed someone to be in Korea to oversee the project there, and my name was shortlisted. I was already handling all the work related to this JV in India, so they wanted me to go. Anshuman had been inducted into the company based on his skills in car design, as per the report.

Previously, he had reportedly won a futuristic car design contest organized by IIT Kharagpur in the year 2003.



Our team bagged the best car design award from Venkat Sumantran, who was the Executive Director of Tata Motors then. I was leading a three-member team, and we had envisioned a futuristic car for 2025.

His team had envisioned cars running on Lithium ion battery, puncture free tyres and virtual reality augmented windows.

Today, all of this has become a reality, says Anshuman. He was working in the New Product Innovation division at Tata Motors when he made the decision to leave the company and start Minimac Solutions, a trading company for industrial machinery lubrication products.




BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 20. One of our key themes for COP29 will be financing, COP29 Lead Negotiator Yalchin Rafiyev said, Trend reports.

He made the remark at the event themed "Beyond COP28: Time to Unite, Act, and Deliver on the UAE Consensus" held in Paris today.

"COP28 marked a significant milestone with the UAE consensus. Azerbaijan is ideally positioned to facilitate all-inclusive deliberations to make tangible progress on climate negotiations. Only through an inclusive COP can we develop the right way forward. One of our key themes for COP29 will be financing. Critical to our efforts will be the mobilization of finance for mitigation, adaptation, loss, and damage. This will require joint efforts by countries, international organizations, and the private sector," he said.

Rafiyev pointed out that, under the COP29 presidency, Azerbaijan is looking forward to work with the International Energy Agency (IEA).

"To achieve our goals, only inclusivity can help us develop the right way. Our main guiding principles, as part of our collaboration, involve working hand-in-hand with Brazil as President of the next COP, to deliver a future that is climate-focused, equitable, and sustainable. Under our COP29 presidency, we are looking forward to working closely with the IEA. At COP29, the IEA will continue to play a vital role in the process, keeping track of our commitments and supporting the parties with vital research and policy," he added.
About a decade ago, in the year 2013, an Indian regional airline named Air Deccan, which is remembered as Indi's first low cost domestic airline, used to offer something which was no less than unbelievable.

Air Deccan Used To Offer Re 1 Flights In 2013

air deccan rs 1 flights/shutterstock

Air Deccan used to offer "a few seats every day" for Re 1 each. "Costing of the Re 1 offer is no gimmick," G R Gopinath, managing director of Deccan Aviation, the parent firm of Air Deccan, had clarified back then, adding that "each flight will have about three seats that will be offered at Re 1." "I would want the seat to go to say a retired person in Bangalore who might want to visit his daughter in Delhi. But, on the Internet, I can't really stop people from buying a ticket ," he had said.



Air Deccan was committed to being a low cost carrier and "we wouldn't want to change that culture within the organisation", he had added. Air Deccan started its operations with one leased turbo-prop aircraft from French aircraft maker ATR. Subsequently it has added aircraft from European civil aircraft maker, Airbus, to its fleet. "If you buy up all the 180 seats on an Airbus to Delhi from here, the average fare works out to Rs 3,900," Gopinath said, despite offering a few at Rs 1. "Instead of offering tickets at prices starting from Rs 500, we will start with Rs 1 and use the same process".

So, tickets were offered at Re 1, Rs 500, Rs 1,000, Rs 2,000, Rs 2,500 and so on up to Rs 6,000, the maximum on the Bangalore - Delhi flight.



Also Read: Bankrupt Airline Go First Likely To Default On Rs 6521 Crore It Owes To Lenders

The Airline Came Back With The Same Offer In 2017

air deccan re 1 flight/afp

In December 2017, Air Deccan had relaunched operations with what it is remembered for the most  Re 1 tickets. For the unversed, Air Deccan, which was founded by GR Gopinath in 2003, had merged with Vijay Mallyas Kingfisher Airlines in 2008 but was grounded in 2012 due to financial issues. Then in 2017, the airline began its second innings. But in 2020, Air Deccan announced that it is ceasing its operations until further notice, due to the covid pandemic.



Re 1 Flight: A Bold Prediction That Turned Into Reality

G.R. Gopinath air deccan/capaevents

Not many are aware that it was in the summer of 2005, a retired army officer-turned-businessman GR Gopinath had predicted that he would enable Indians to fly at one rupee. Back then, the one rupee ticket fired the imagination of the people and quickly became a buzzword, Capt Gopinath had mentioned in his memoir. As per a BBC report, he believed his airline had not "only broken the price barrier, but India's caste and class barrier to flying.



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In just a matter of days, a US restaurant's employee has seen the best of both worlds. On one hand, she became the recepieint of an eye watering tip of Rs 8 lakh, that too on a Rs 2500 bill. And then on the other hand, she has lost her job soon after receiving that mammoth tip.

US Waitress Gets Fired After Receiving Rs 8 Lakh Tip

As per the New York Post, just a few days after receiving a $10,000 tip (more than Rs 8 lakh), a Michigan waitress has been fired her job. Upon firing the server, the Mason Jar Cafe in Benton Harbor in southern Michigan, insisted the layoff was "purely a business decision" and had nothing to do with the generous gratuity.

I will say it had nothing to do with the tip. She did receive the entire tip, she did not pay taxes on it (the business did). Yes, she shared the tip at the request of the man that left it, husband and wife owners Able Martinez and Jayme Cousins wrote on Facebook.

The outlet further stated, citing a since-deleted Facebook post, that Boyd claimed drama had started to emerge inside the restaurant days after receiving the sizeable payment.

mason jar cafe/happycow

Why Did The Customer Give Such A Huge Tip?

The man, who wished to stay anonymous, had tipped $10,000 on his $32.43 bill, and had asked server Linsey Boyd to divide the gift among all of the wait staff, which came out to just over $1,100 per employee, as a way of honoring a friend whose funeral he was in town for.

How The Restaurant Fired Her?

mason jar cafe Linsey Boyd/wsbt

The management had asked the waitress to take that Sunday off as a mental health day. Then, server Boyd went on to say that management had contacted her late on Sunday and instructed her to take Monday off as well.



The waitress messaged the restaurant on Monday to ask if she was being told in a professional way to not come back. She was fired via phone call on Tuesday. One week Im such an amazing, hardworking employee, awesome mother  couldnt have happened to a better person, Boyds post reportedly read. Now, Im without a job, for the first time since I was 15 years old.

Also Read: This Thai Cafe Gives 'Crypto-Related Advice' Alongside Coffee

Restaurant Denies Waitress' Allegations

indiatimes

Since then, the restaurant's management has denied Boyd's accusations, saying that neither the tip nor the events that followed had anything to do with the firing. However, they were unable to provide specifics due to labor laws.



We do truly care about our staff, the couple added. Weve had the same crew for 5-6 years. We have college girls that come home every summer and have been for four years now, we take our staff up north at the end of every summer season, we give donations for college funds for them, we kept them employed through Covid, we do everything in our power not to lose staff.

I know there is a lot going around that we let her go because of the tip and thats just not logical, owner Cousins said. (W)e have a staff that has continued to work for us for years and college kids that come back every summer and we give chances after chances to our staff, so we clearly would not let someone go for no reason at all.

Cousins added they did not come to the decision lightly and firing an employee is something the restaurant tries to avoid. In this case, it was purely a business decision.

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reek police announced on Monday therestrictions to be implemented when farmers will arrive by tractors and buses in Athens today on Tuesday
Malcolm Omirhobo, a Nigerian lawyer, has criticised comedian Seyi Law for his unwavering support for President Tinubu.

On Twitter, now known as X, he conveyed his sadness for the comic and his future generation.

He referred to him as an emergency comedian and said that the suffering and hunger in the nation have rendered him mentally debilitated, which is why he thinks the way he does.

READ MORE: Mercy Eke Reflects On Why She Lost To Ilebaye During BBNaija All-Stars Show

He wondered why he would want to walk through the desert for 40 years with Moses (Tinubu) when he could journey by air in one hour forty-five minutes.

He tweeted,

Emergency comedian, Seyi Law or what do you call yourself? I am sure that the hunger and hardship in Nigeria have shut down your brain. If not why do you want to spend 40 years with Moses in the wilderness on foot when you can make the journey by air in 1 hour, 45mins from Egypt to Israel? I pity you and the future of your children .@SeyilawComedy.

SEE POST:
The Iyaloja General of Lagos State and daughter of President Bola Tinubu, Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, has urged Nigerians to be optimistic amid economic difficulties facing nation.

Tinubu-Ojo, while speaking at the 2024 Mawlid Nabiyy celebration organized by the states chapter of Aljamahatul Qadiriyyah Islamic Movement, addressed the concerns over the economic hardship, describing it as part of a global downturn that affects countries worldwide, not just Nigeria.

During the event, which also served as a spiritual gathering to pray for the nation, Tinubu-Ojo emphasized the need for hope and faith in overcoming the current economic challenges.

She said: My message to all Nigerians is to please exercise a little more patience. Everything will be alright, its just a matter of time.

READ MORE: 774,000 Jobs: Tinubus Daughter, Mc Oluomo, Others To Supervise FG Recruitment

We need to keep our hope alive. There is an economic downturn all over the world, and not in Nigeria alone. But we pray Allah will see us through.

The event, which took place at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, Southwest, Nigeria, attracted prominent Muslim personalities from different walks of life.
A 300-level student of a private tertiary institution in Abeokuta, Ogun State, identified as Ajoke, has reportedly committed suicide.

It was gathered that the deceased, who is a student of Basic Medical Science at Havarde College of Science, Business and Management Studies, Abeokuta, on Monday evening, drank poisonous substance, suspected to be Sniper, due to an unwanted pregnancy.

A source who spoke to Daily Trust said that Ajoke had been battling depression, and her condition worsened after discovering that her course had not been accredited by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria.

The source said: For more than four months now, she (deceased) had been depressed because of the fact that the course she was studying was not accredited.

She used to complain because she claimed her parents used all the money they had to send her to the school.

READ MORE: 22-Year-Old Commits Suicide Over Boyfriends Death In Adamawa

Things now got worse when she discovered she was pregnant, and she could not even have a certificate for the course she had done for years.

Confirming the incident, the provost of the institution, Dr. Ismail Oyetunji, said that the circumstances surrounding the death of the student happened outside the schools premises.

He stated that the deceased was rushed to Hope Hospital by her boyfriend in the Adigbe area of Abeokuta, where she eventually died.

He said: A 300-level nursing student was reported to me this morning by our dean of students affair to have committed suicide. She was impregnated by her boyfriend. Her parent got to know and came last week to pack her belongings from the school.

She came back to Abeokuta and thereafter decided to commit suicide. She was rushed to Hope Hospital by her boyfriend in the Adigbe area of Abeokuta where she eventually died.

Everything happened outside the college premises. However, the management of the college sympathises with the parent and relatives of the deceased. We sincerely pray that God will give them the fortitude to bear.
A yet to be identified numbers of lives have reportedly been lost in a communal clash between the Opolo and Okutukutu communities in Yenagoa local government area of Bayelsa State.

It was gathered that the Monday clash was a retaliation against Opolo indigenes after they allegedly attacked Okutukutu residents several years ago over a dispute about ancestral limits of their community land.

INFORMATION NIGERIA learnt that the disputed property was challenged in court, but the Supreme Court recently ruled in favor of the Opolo village.

However, the Deputy Governor of the state, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, in a statement issued by his media aide, Mr Doubara Atasi, on Monday, condemned the attack and directed relevant security agencies to fish out the perpetrators for prosecution.

The statement reads: The present administration would not condone a situation where individuals or communities resort to violence and physical attacks over territorial or land boundary disputes, more so when such matters are pending in the law court of competent jurisdiction.
A former member of the House of Representatives, Usman Bugaje, has criticized the incumbent government led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the hardship in Nigeria following the removal of fuel subsidy.

Recall that President Tinubu, during his inauguration on May 29, 2023, declared an end to the era of fuel subsidy and also allowed the naira, to float freely.

However, the decision resulted in a increase in the cost of living and a threefold rise in the price of fuel.

Meanwhile, the ex- lawmaker, during an interview, on Channels TV, disclosed that Tinubu announced the removal of fuel subsidy without implementing measures to mitigate its effects.

READ MORE: Stop Blaming Buhari For Your Reckless Policies  Ex-Minister Dalung Slams Tinubu

We had expected that when the new government took over, we were expecting that he would surround himself with expertise.

We were expecting that for him to have announced the removal of the fuel subsidy, he must have had a plan  something that would address the consequences of that.

You dont make a policy without looking at the consequences and preparing to cushion the effect of that. But apparently, he did that without preparation.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Abuja chapter, on Monday, lamented the deaths of some professors owing to the economic hardship in the nation.

Salahu Muhammed, the Unions Abuja zonal coordinator said in a statement that some of the professors were from University of Abuja; Federal University of Technology, Minna; Federal University, Lafia; Nasarawa State University, Nasarawa and Ibrahim Babangida University, Lapai.

He added that since the last decade, more Nigerian academics have been leaving the country in droves in search of greener pastures.

This, he noted, is leading to the overwork of the patriotic ones, whose level of patriotism is dwindling due to poor remuneration and working conditions.

It is also worthy of note that the union has lost several members during the period under review due to herculean working conditions, psychological and emotional stress, and diseases related to these conditions. For instance, universities in the Abuja zone have lost 46 members.

READ ALSO: FGs Student Loan Orchestrated To Enrich Private University Owners, Should Be Made Grant  ASUU

Just two days ago, the union lost an eminent Professor of Fisheries, Johnson Oyero, of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, due to his inability to afford a quality medical facility, Muhammed stated during a press briefing in Abuja.

Meanwhile, the Union said only a few of its members received an amputated two-month salary from the Federal Government out of seven and the half-month salaries withheld during ex-President Muhammadu Buharis administration.

At the time, Buhari invoked a No Work, No Pay Policy against some university-based unions that embarked on strike that lasted eight months in 2022.

Emmanuel Osodeke, National President of ASUU who confirmed the development to Channels Television on Monday, said they are still collecting data on the payment.

Even though they claimed that payment has started rolling in only a few have gotten just 2 months, he said.

His comment comes after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in October 2023 approved the release of four of the eight months withheld salaries.
A presidential order signed by Abraham Lincoln in 1865 was found locked inside a desk. The Ardmore-based Raab Collection is selling the letter for $45,000. Read more

A letter from Abraham Lincoln, after decades of being locked inside a private collectors desk, has resurfaced.

According to WHYY, a letter signed by the president in the final hours of his life, is now being offered for $45,000 by Raab Collection.

The Ardmore-based company, which researches, buys, and sells documents of historical figures, purchased the letter from an anonymous owner.

Collection president Nathan Raab told The Inquirer that he received a call from a woman who found the document after going through her late husbands writing desk.

There was initially great interest tempered with caution, Raab said. Calls about historical items are common, and none of them can be authenticated until they arrive at the organization.

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Once it was authenticated, Raab said the letter was a poignant discovery. Anytime you get a document from Lincoln from his final days, something that wasnt known to have survived and one of the last things he touched, thats a very moving experience, Raab said.

Under the letterhead Executive Mansion, the letter assigned Allen M. Gangewere to a federal auditing post. A.M. Gangewere is hereby appointed to discharge the duties of Third Auditor of the Treasury during the absence of the Auditor caused by sickness or otherwise, the letter read.

His famed signature was then penned underneath.

The 159-year-old letter was signed by Lincoln on April 11, 1865, just two days after Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered to the Union Army in Virginia, ending the four-year Civil War.

With the bloody American conflict essentially over, Lincoln walked to the second story window of the White House on April 11 to deliver a speech that he hoped would bind the once-torn nation together.

We meet this evening, not in sorrow, but in gladness of heart, he said in front of a crowd of nearly 3,000. A call for a national thanksgiving is being prepared, and will be duly promulgated.

In the audience was stage actor John Wilkes Booth, who was angered by Lincolns sentiments. He failed to kidnap the president once before, but he told his colleagues the undoing of the Confederacy would result in Lincolns death.

Four days later, Lincoln was assassinated by Booth.

After posting the 1865 letter on the collection website, Raab said there have been several inquiries for purchase.

Its still early in the process, but hes excited to have another rare item in the organizations collection.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 20. European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson will visit Azerbaijan on March 1 to participate in the 10th Ministerial Meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council and the 2nd Ministerial Meeting on green energy issues, Trend reports, referring to the press service of the European Commission (EC).

According to Italian media reports, "Simson's participation in the Baku ministerial meeting underscores Europe's commitment to diversifying energy sources and ensuring stable and reliable gas supplies."

"The upcoming March 1st ministerial meeting on green energy in Baku offers a platform to delve into innovative approaches and technologies for attaining clean energy solutions. Amid Europe's ongoing shift towards more sustainable energy sources, the deliberations will underscore the continent's commitment to diminishing reliance on traditional fossil fuels," several Italian publications said.

According to Italian media, "Simson's visit to Azerbaijan not only emphasizes the importance of energy cooperation between the European Union and Azerbaijan but also reflects a shared commitment to tackling climate change and promoting a sustainable future."

"By engaging in discussions during the March 1 meetings in Baku, participants can advocate for energy projects aligned with environmental principles, contributing to the region's long-term well-being. Kadri Simson's visit will exemplify the European Union's dedication to enhancing energy cooperation and supporting green energy initiatives. The conversations held during these meetings will play a crucial role in expanding the Southern Gas Corridor and expediting the shift to sustainable energy sources in Europe," Italian publications wrote.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
According to Bankrate, the Philadelphia metro area's increase in car insurance costs from last year is about 21%. Read more

Car insurance rates are rising across the United States. But when Bankrate, a widely quoted New York data service, reported last month that Philadelphia-area auto insurance rates jumped 154% over the past year, the numbers didnt look right to some industry pros.

There appears to be anomalies with the Bankrate study, Diego Sandino, spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Insurance Department, told The Inquirer, when asked whether state data matched Bankrates. The department couldnt say what the real Philly-area increase was; it doesnt aggregate local data, Sandino said.

Pressed for details, Bankrate ran an additional review and found it had indeed exaggerated the increase for metro Philadelphia, which includes Camden and Wilmington, in its 2024 True Cost of Auto Insurance report, by more than seven times the actual number.

The increase for the Philadelphia area was 21%, still a hefty hike, but far below what Bankrate had published, and also below the national average, which Bankrate had reported was 26%. The Inquirer, which published a story on the erroneous Bankrate data, has issued a correction.

We uncovered an inaccuracy in the methodology used to determine auto insurance premiums for Philadelphia in its report for the previous year, acknowledged Bankrate spokesperson Julie Guacci in a statement.

Due to a mismatch in manually input zip codes covering the multicounty region in its calculation for the previous year, Bankrate calculated that years average premium at less than half its actual cost. The company says the actual reported premium for 2024  $4,753  was correct, but the rate of increase was exaggerated because the previous years number was wrong.

It wasnt just Philadelphia. We found a similar issue in four additional metro areas  Detroit, Boston, Phoenix, and Californias Riverside-San Bernardino area, Guacci added. The company said it has issued corrections for both the 2024 and 2023 reports.
Peco customers haven't been able to access their online accounts or reach a customer service representative by phone since Wednesday Feb. 14. Read more

Peco customers have been unable to log in to their online accounts or reach customer service representatives by phone for a week now as the company changes its billing system.

As a result, some customers say they have been left anxious about late fees, worried about cash-flow issues, and frustrated by the inability to get through to a human at the company to answer specific questions or assuage concerns.

Peco said late fees will not be assessed during this time, service wont be shut off, and electric and natural gas emergency reporting remains available 24/7.

We are aware that access to customer information through our website and mobile app is not currently available, and we are working to quickly correct this situation that occurred during our conversion to a new billing system, spokesperson Tom Brubaker said Tuesday in a statement. We currently do not have an estimated time for when the conversion will be complete, and our team is continuing to work around the clock.

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Peco customers can find up-to-date information on system accessibility online at peco.com/NewBill or by calling 800-494-4000.

Since 7 p.m. Feb. 14, online bill-pay services have been unavailable (with the exception of auto-pay), and customers have been unable to stop, start, or move their service, something that is typically quick and relatively easy to do online or over the phone. In West Norriton, Dana Smith, 28, said she and her boyfriend were forced to delay a move, originally scheduled for last Thursday, because they could not set up Peco service at their new rental in West Chester.

It has been such a mess, said Smith, who last week took two days off from her financial recovery job for the move. She and her boyfriend have shelled out nearly $2,000 rent for their first month at the new place, plus a pet deposit and other fees. But because they couldnt transfer their Peco service, we havent been able to live in the house that weve paid for since the 15th.

Brubaker said starting, stopping, or moving service typically takes several days, and Peco employees continue to work on the requests received prior to system conversion.

Pecos online maintenance had been scheduled in advance, with the company spreading the word about forthcoming account-number changes since at least November. But some customers said they never received direct communication from Peco that indicated theyd lose account access for several days.

We got a glossy, thick cardstock flier from Peco saying our account number was going to change, but it didnt say anything about not being able to access it or move service, Smith said.

Emails that customer Sarah Martin, 43, received never said that the website was going to be down or that the app wasnt going to work, the Downingtown stay-at-home mom said. Had I known, I probably wouldve tried to pay the bill earlier.

Account-change alerts

Peco sent customers multiple emails and other notices in recent weeks telling them that their 10-digit account numbers were going to change in early 2024 with the implementation of a new billing system. But those emails, reviewed by The Inquirer, did not mention that customers would temporarily lose access to their online accounts and be unable to pay bills or make other service changes for nearly a week.

Customers visiting our website, mobile app, and calling our telephone number received messages regarding our system being temporarily unavailable, said Brubaker, the Peco spokesperson. He also noted that all postcards, emails, bill inserts, and newsletter notices sent to customers prompted them to go to the companys online FAQ page for more information. There, by clicking on the first question in a drop-down menu, customers could read that the switch will require our systems to be down beginning Wednesday, Feb. 14, at 7 p.m. As of Tuesday morning, the section also included ETAs for service restoration, which were deleted by early Tuesday afternoon.

Access to customer data and online self-service tools will be available through our website and mobile app starting Tuesday, February 20 at 7 a.m., the company had written, according to a screenshot of the page. Customer service representatives will be available to take billing calls starting Wednesday, Feb. 21 at 7 a.m.

Sometime around midday Tuesday, those two sentences were deleted. The company replaced them with text highlighted in bright yellow: Please visit this site for the most current information on when access will become available.

As for why the system replacement was necessary in the first place, Brubaker said it will improve customer service going forward. Peco serves more than 1.2 million residential electric and gas customers in Philadelphia and its suburbs, as well as business customers.

Our new system will provide more efficient and timely handling of customer inquiries, Brubaker said, and expand our ability to offer self-serve options in the future.

Annoying experience for customers

In Wynnewood, Hani Reuveni, 39, said Tuesday that she had been trying to pay a $580 electric and gas bill online and over the phone for six days. Her bill was due on the 18, but she usually pays on the 15 for cash-flow reasons.

Its pretty annoying, said Reuveni, program director for Friends of Israel Scouts. I understand that theyre changing the system, but there still should be the option to pay your bill when its due.  There are other bills coming up.

Her frustration was shared by fellow customers Wednesday, with some expressing their anxiety in community Facebook groups or in casual conversations with friends and relatives. Smith, who had to delay her move, said she had heard from a cousin who was anxious that his service would be shut off altogether because his bill was now past due.

Smith said she was worried about customers who have medical needs that require electricity. If they were in her situation with a move scheduled, she wondered, what would they do? While consumers have gotten used to temporarily losing access to various accounts for online system maintenance from time to time, she said she was perplexed by the fact that a utility could be so inaccessible to customers for several days.

Ive worked in health care and insurance and even nonemergency positions, and weve never shut down for more than 24 hours, Smith said. It just baffles me.
Small-business owners should assess their needs and search for an accountant who is a good match. Read more

Its tax season and many small-business owners are probably spending more time with their accountant than they do all year. Like others, you may be using this time to reevaluate your relationship with your accountant. Are you happy? Are you getting the service you expected? Could your accountant be doing more? If youre thinking of potentially choosing a new accountant, here are a few things to consider.

Accountant vs. CPA

For starters, you should know the difference between an accountant and a certified public accountant or CPA. Anyone can hang up a shingle, call themselves an accountant, provide financial advice, and prepare your tax returns. There are many competent professionals who do this.

A CPA, however, is licensed by the state and required to fulfill certain requirements to hold that certification, including getting a minimum number of college credits, sitting for an exam, and working for at least a year for a public accounting firm. CPAs are also required to complete 80 hours of continuing professional education over a two-year period to maintain their license.

Your accounting needs

Youll need to be specific about the services you desire. Many small businesses just need an accountant to prepare their taxes.

But as your business grows, your bank or investors may also require that you have an external accountant compile (putting your numbers into financial statement format), review (asking questions about your financials), or even audit (inspecting the documentation behind the numbers you provide) your financial statements. These types of services are almost always performed by a CPA and vary significantly in cost with an audit being the most expensive. Dayna Carr, who owns an accounting firm in Doylestown, also recommends asking about bookkeeping and part-time controller services.

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More firms are offering these types of services, particularly if independent financial reporting isnt required and the rates can be affordable, Carr said. The more familiar your accountant is with your books, the better service can be provided at tax time.

How to find the right accountant or CPA for you

The best strategy is to ask. Because your accountant will be dealing with your most personal financial information, its best to find someone who is referred to you by a friend or business colleague. The next best option is to reach out to the Pennsylvania, New Jersey, or Delaware state CPA Societies, which are professional organizations that can recommend their members.

A lot of business owners probably dont know about the PICPA [Pennsylvania Institute of CPAs], but its a wonderful resource, said Jerry Maginnis, CPA, a former managing partner at KPMG in Philadelphia and the author of Advice for a Successful Career in the Accounting Profession: How to Make Your Assets Greatly Exceed Your Liabilities. These organizations know firms all across their state and can match a business with a firm that caters to their specific needs, he said.

Pick someone who knows your business

Remember that not all accountants are expert in taxes. Like doctors, the accounting profession has many specialties, from audit to financial planning to business advisory services. Make sure that the accountant youre considering has the right qualifications for the job. Its become more important for an accountant to know your industry as well.

If Im a construction company, I dont want somebody coming in whos never seen percentage of completion accounting, or its their only construction client, Maginnis said. Carr also agrees strongly that industry experience is critical.

Not all accountants are familiar with nonprofits, she said. Not all CPAs understand forensic audits. Some people who have complained to me about their accountants have pointed out the lack of understanding about their business.

Fees

When it comes to fees, its important to be up front and consider the competition. Many accountants charge by the hour or by project such as completing your business tax returns. Its not unreasonable to ask about fees up front and understand how hours and rates are broken down. Its also not uncommon to share your tax and financial information with multiple candidates and ask them up front for their recommendations on saving taxes or generally doing things better. Their answers may influence your decision and even help justify the fees theyre proposing. Maginnis says that its not just about compliance services. Its about the value added. A mix of small and large firms as well as independent accountants should be considered because they each bring something to the table.

Its good to challenge, he said. Ask them to take a look at your financial statements and tax returns and give their observations and recommendations. What did you see? Am I missing anything? Are there tax planning opportunities? What could I do to accelerate my cash flow? And then during the interview with that prospective outside accountant I would really drill down on what they do besides the fundamental compliance work.

The intangibles

Finally, pay close attention to your prospective accountants behavior. The best financial professionals are always putting their clients interest first and always proactively thinking of ways to help them grow their businesses  and not just filling out a tax return once a year. Do they respond to your e-mails promptly? Do they spend enough time answering your questions? Do they treat you respectfully, and do they offer meaningful advice? Great accountants have a year-round relationship with their clients, not just during tax season. They provide financial advice thats oftentimes over and above just preparing tax returns.
University of Pennsylvania law professor Amy Wax, seen here in 2017 during an appearance on C-SPAN. Read more

The case against controversial University of Pennsylvania law professor Amy Wax  who has called into question the academic ability of Black students and said the country would be better off with fewer Asians and less Asian immigration  has gone on for over two years with no public outcome.

But sources close to the investigation confirmed a university hearing board made up of tenured faculty recommended in June that Wax should face sanctions, including a one-year suspension at half pay with benefits intact, but stopped short of calling for her to be fired and stripped of tenure.

The hearing board also recommended: a public reprimand issued by university leadership, the loss of her named chair and summer pay, and a requirement to note in her public appearances that she is not speaking for or as a member of the Penn Carey Law school or Penn, according to the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak on the matter.

 READ MORE: Penn law professor Amy Wax enraged people with her comments about Asians. Now, she may face sanction.

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Then-president Liz Magill signed off on the sanctions in August, saying she stood by the hearing boards decision. (Under faculty senate rules, the president shall normally accept the recommendations, and only in exceptional circumstances can depart from them.) But Wax appealed the ruling, alleging proper procedure wasnt followed. That initiated another phase of the process: a review by Penns Senate Committee on Academic Freedom and Responsibility to determine whether her claim is correct.

Its uncertain how long that will take to come to a conclusion. But if the recommendations are upheld, it would mark the first time in at least 20 years that a tenured professor is sanctioned after the full faculty senate process was followed.

Penn back in the spotlight with freedom of speech issues

A decision to sanction Wax could reignite scrutiny over Penns handling in September of the Palestine Writes literature festival, which critics say included speakers with a history of making antisemitic remarks, and for resisting calls to discipline faculty and students for remarks some called antisemitic in the wake of Hamas Oct. 7 attack on Israel and the countrys subsequent military response in Gaza.

 READ MORE: Penn law prof Amy Wax asks for delay of disciplinary proceedings for her cancer treatment

The U.S. congressional committee investigating Penns handling of antisemitism complaints, a lawsuit filed by two Jewish students at Penn, and Waxs lawyer all have pointed to the proceedings against Wax as evidence that Penn will attempt to take action against some professors for some speech.

 READ MORE: Penn law dean starts process that could lead to sanctions on professor Amy Wax

Penn has demonstrated a clear double standard by tolerating antisemitic ... harassment, and intimidation, but suppressing and penalizing other expression it deemed problematic, wrote Virginia Foxx, the Republican congresswoman who heads the House Education and Workforce Committee.

Others, however, have maintained that the two shouldnt be conflated.

Wax has been accused of making racist statements to students in the classroom  though she has denied it or alleged the comments were out of context  and of actions including inviting white nationalist Jared Taylor to speak to her class, most recently in November. Former Penn law school dean Ted Ruger said in a 12-page report initiating the sanctions process against Wax that her initial invitation to Taylor cross[ed] the line of what is acceptable in a university environment where principles of nondiscrimination apply.

Her comments have been pervasive and consistent, those critics argue, negatively impacting her students and colleagues.

We know that professor Waxs conduct and speech  not just speech but also conduct  has been ongoing for years, said Apratim Vidyarthi, 30, a 2022 Penn law graduate who was part of a group that presented a petition to Penn with about 2,500 signatures, asking the university to launch an investigation into Wax. There is a strong record of evidence of her saying discriminatory things toward minority students. There is that higher level of evidence that indicates that she is unfit to teach law students.

What happens next depends on the appeal

If the academic responsibility committee, chaired by Raina Merchant, professor of emergency medicine, rules that procedures were not followed in Waxs case, then the matter would be remanded to the hearing board for further review, according to procedures outlined in the Senate handbook.

 READ MORE: Amy Wax invites white nationalist to Penn Carey Law for a second time

And in that case, once the board renders new recommendations, under faculty senate rules they could land on the desk of interim president J. Larry Jameson, who took over following Magills resignation days after her congressional testimony on the handling of antisemitism drew criticism.

Penn declined to comment.

Neither Waxs lawyer nor Wax responded immediately to requests for comment.

Wax through her lawyer had sought a postponement of the proceedings in 2022, citing her treatment for cancer. In a filing, her lawyer contended at the time that she had been treated unfairly and that the charges against her presented a one-sided and incomplete picture.

Among his arguments, he wrote that it was proper for Wax to invite Taylor to the seminar on conservative and legal thought, which is supposed to educate students on conservative and right-of-center positions.

Proceedings against Wax, 71, a professor at Penn for more than two decades, began in January 2022 when Ruger invoked the faculty review process, asserting that Waxs racist speech was escalating, that multiple complaints about her promotion of white supremacy had been lodged, and that it had a cumulative effect on the law school community.

The complaints assert that it is impossible for students to take classes from her without a reasonable belief that they are being treated with discriminatory animus, Ruger said at the time.

The dean also asserted that in some cases, Wax exploited her faculty access to confidential information about students in ostensible support of her inaccurate statements.

Up until then, Penn had condemned Waxs statements, and in 2018, removed her from teaching mandatory courses but had cited academic freedom in declining to fire her.

Some have continued to defend Waxs right to free speech, including the Philadelphia-based Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.

Alex Morey, FIREs director of campus rights advocacy, said Friday that it has told Penn for years to apply its free speech policies consistently.

Being consistent on free expression, including refusing to take political stances, protects schools from getting in a situation like Penn now finds itself, Morey said. Were they consistent all along, folks exerting pressure on the school would know that pressure wont work.

Jonathan Zimmerman, a Penn professor of the history of education who has ardently defended free speech, said Penn needs to be more consistent about protecting free speech.

I dont see a world in which it should be OK to call for destruction of the Jewish state, but not OK to say we should take more immigrants from Europe, he said.

While he thinks much of Waxs speech in the public sphere should be protected, comments she allegedly made to students would rise to the level of sanctions, he said.

I dont think she should be fired for that, but there should be accountability for it, said Zimmerman, who is on the committee currently deciding whether proper procedures were followed.

A professor on the rise, at first

Wax, an Ivy League-educated lawyer and neurologist, had a prestigious career at one time, both before and at Penn.

A Troy, N.Y., native, she got her bachelors degree in molecular biophysics and biochemistry from Yale, graduating summa cum laude. She then studied philosophy, physiology, and psychology at Oxford. She graduated from Harvard Medical School, trained as a neurologist, and later got her law degree from Columbia, according to her curriculum vitae listed on Penn Laws website.

She started her academic career at the University of Virginia and came to Penn in 2001. At least one of her speeches in her early Penn days contained similar sentiments that landed her in the crosshairs in recent years.

During an appearance at Duke University in 2005, she argued that while problems plaguing the minority community are an outgrowth of slavery and gross oppression, its really up to the Black community to fix them.

The persistence of racial disadvantage doesnt mean that society is not doing enough, she said. We cannot take the failure to close gaps between minorities and the majority population as dispositive evidence that the government needs to do more. Right now, I think what we need is not more programs but a kind of conversion experience, almost a sea change in the outlook within the minority community of what needs to be done and how to move forward.

When someone in the audience asserted that ongoing problems like hunger inhibit childrens ability to learn, she shot back: The biggest problem in the Black inner city community now is obesity, not starvation ... The reason theyre not learning is not because theyre hungry. (In 2005, among Black residents in Philadelphia, the poverty rate was 32%, compared with only 12% for white residents.)

The same year she gave that talk, she received Penn law schools A. Leo Levin Award for Excellence in an Introductory Course. Two years later, in 2007, she was awarded her named chair after Robert Mundheim, a former Penn law school dean. And in 2015, she received the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching.

Just two years later in 2017, criticism ensued after Wax coauthored an op-ed in which she said, All cultures are not equal. Or at least they are not equal in preparing people to be productive in an advanced economy. Then she said during an interview that she didnt think shed ever seen a Black student graduate in the top quarter of the class at Penn Law and rarely, rarely in the top half, a claim that Ruger later disputed.

In 2019, she found herself under fire again after commenting during a conference about immigration.

Then in 2021, during a podcast with Brown University economist Glenn Loury, she said immigration policies should be geared toward cultural compatibility and called the influx of Asian elites ... problematic. She later wrote on Lourys site that as long as most Asians support Democrats and help to advance their positions, I think the United States is better off with fewer Asians and less Asian immigration.

Graphics editor John Duchneskie contributed to this article.
Will Friedle, Danielle Fishel, and Rider Strong attend the 2023 iHeartRadio Music Festival at T-Mobile Arena on September 22, 2023 in Las Vegas. Read more

In Mondays episode of Pod Meets World, the podcast recapping episodes of ABCs long-running Philadelphia-based sitcom Boy Meets World, former child stars Danielle Fishel (Topanga), Rider Strong (Shawn), and Will Friedle (Eric) talk about their experience working with convicted sex abuser Brian Peck, according to Variety.

Peck, who was a guest on two Boy Meets World episodes, was convicted in 2004 of sexually abusing an unknown Nickelodeon child actor and spent 16 months in prison. Pecks story will be featured in the upcoming Quiet on Set docuseries that looks at past alleged abuse at Nickelodeon.

Neither Strong or Friedle accuse Peck of touching them in appropriately, but they admitted feeling weird around Peck, who, they said, had inappropriate relationships with young people on set. Strong remembered being close to Peck.

This was the type of thing where the person he presented was this great, funny guy who was really good at his job, and you wanted to hang out with, Friedle said. I saw him every day, hung out with him every day, talked to him every day.

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Peck called Friedle crying when he was accused of the crime. My instinct initially was, My friend, this cant be. Its gotta be the other persons fault, Friedle said.

But he came to regret that decision, especially after he sat in support of Peck in the courtroom during the trial.

We were sitting in that courtroom on the wrong side of everything, Friedle said. The victims mother turned and said, Look at all the famous people you brought with you. And it doesnt change what you did to my kid. I just sat there wanting to die. It was like, What the hell am I doing here? It was horrifying all the way around.

Strong and Friedle wrote letters to the judge in support of Peck, they said on the podcast. They are living with the guilt.

We werent told the whole story, but it doesnt change the fact that we did it, Friedle said. I still cant get the words out to describe all of the things that Im feeling inside of myself.
Chef Pierre Calmels in his former restaurant, now Paffuto. Read more

Bibou, once one of Philadelphias most acclaimed restaurants, was a victim of the coronavirus pandemic, wrapping its 11-year run on March 14, 2020, two days before the romance of white-glove service gave way to latex.

The closing came without warning. Chef Pierre Calmels and Charlotte Calmels converted the 22-seat French BYOB into a charcuterie before closing for good and selling the building, in South Philadelphias Bella Vista neighborhood. Pierre Calmels is executive chef of the private Philadelphia Club, while Charlotte Calmels manages the Orpheus Club.

Two months ago, chefs Jake Loeffler, Daniel Griffiths, and Sam Kalkut opened Paffuto, a casual Italian restaurant, in the space, and they will host Calmels in his shoebox-size kitchen for a dinner engagement featuring one of Calmels specialties, cassoulet, on March 18 and 19.

The dinner dates happen to be at the tail end of winter, apropos of cassoulets being a winter dish. Calmels version includes duck leg confit, house-made pork sausage, bacon, and tarbais beans.

The cassoulet nights will be BYOB, with seatings at 5:30 and 7:45 p.m. with a $95 prix-fixe menu. In addition to the dining room, there are three bar stools facing the kitchen available for each seating. The menu will include a salad to start, unlimited family-style cassoulet, and a collaborative dessert.

Reservations are now available, first-come, first-served, via email (paffutophl@gmail.com), as Paffuto is still in the process of setting up its reservation system. Paffuto asks prospective guests to email their desired date, time, and party size. There will be limited tables of two or four in addition to individual counter seats.

Those unable to secure a reservation can order cassoulet to go for pickup March 20 from 3 to 6 p.m. Orders may be placed via email through March 10. Pricing has not been set.
Customers eat on the side of the Ultimo Coffee along Locust and 20th Streets in June 2020. Read more

For the third time in three months, one of Philadelphias independent coffee shop unions has authorized a strike.

Eleven of 12 workers in Ultimos union authorized a strike , ahead of a key contract negotiation meeting scheduled for Valentines Day. Ultimos owners, Aaron and Elizabeth Ultimo, were informed of the authorization mid-meeting, half an hour before it was scheduled to end. The Philadelphia Joint Board Workers United announced the strike authorization on social media at the same time.

Unlike the previous two coffee-shop strike threats  delivered in the lead-up to crucial bargaining sessions for barista unions at Elixr and ReAnimator, respectively  this one did not result in a tentative contract agreement.

That means a strike remains on the table, unionized Ultimo baristas said. The Philadelphia Joint Board recently set up a relief fund for organized Ultimo employees. The workers of Ultimo are preparing for big things! Right now they need your help to create a cushion for upcoming actions, it wrote on Instagram.

We will continue to work through all remaining issues with the Union, and we are confident that we will reach a mutually-agreeable solution, the Ultimos said in a statement. We are proud that the employees at our Newbold and Rittenhouse stores make an average of $25 per hour. Employees are guaranteed a minimum of $20/hour, including tips.

The shops next bargaining session is scheduled for Feb. 28.

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Union negotiations are tense by nature, and thats been true in Philadelphias wider unionized cafe circuit. But the dealings around Ultimos first contract have been one of the more fractious, at least on paper. The National Labor Relations Board database shows the two parties have filed a few complaints against one another in the past year, though all three were ultimately withdrawn.

The Ultimos voluntarily recognized Newbold and Rittenhouse in fall 2022, but employees at the Germantown and Graduate Hospital stores voted on unionization. (Both stores voted 4-2 to unionize.) That split sentiment grew, however, and employees at both Ultimo Germantown and Graduate Hospital moved to decertify in December and January.

Baristas Charlotte Holt and Kate Lord, who head up Ultimos bargaining committee, expressed frustration at what has felt like a drawn-out process. We had not received any form of counter on wages, [paid time off], and health care [before Feb. 14], and we first introduced those proposals in October, Holt said.

They also said they have since learned that employees at the decertified stores have received 75-cent pay increases, better guaranteed tip rates, and a 40% employee discount  improvements the union has been negotiating for but hasnt secured. (The Inquirer reviewed documents outlining these changes.)

The Ultimos said the parties have had very little discussion so far about benefits and pointed to the contracts recently ratified at Elixr and ReAnimator, parts of which they mirrored in their recent proposal.

Our initial barista wage proposal was within $0.25 of the wage schedule the union agreed to with another Local 80 coffee shop, including a 4% increase each year, they said in a statement. Our initial health-care proposal, and initial proposed PTO rate of accrual were identical to what the union already agreed to with a unionized coffee shop.

Ultimos unionized baristas are hoping for better.

Were feeling pretty insulted by the things that were offered to us, Lord said, especially in light of the knowledge that [the Ultimos] have already given raises and stronger benefits to other people seemingly as a reward for decertification.
A family photo of Edward Anthony Nece, whose body lay buried and unidentified for 20 years until genealogical research found his family, and his name. Read more

Chris McMullin was long disturbed by the name John Doe on a grave in Doylestown Cemetery.

A former Bensalem Township Police detective and cold-case investigator, McMullin, 54, remembered when the body of a man estimated to be about 30 years old was found Oct. 19, 2003, by fishermen in a drainage area on the banks of the Delaware River in Bensalem Township. The cause of death was determined to be drowning; foul play had been ruled out.

The unidentified body was subsequently buried beneath a marker bearing a placeholder name.

Years went by, DNA science developed, and McMullin, who lives in Buckingham, became preoccupied with finding a modern way to solve open-ended cases. In 2022, he founded Cold Case Initiative, a nonprofit that helps fund such investigations, which can be expensive. Working with Bensalem police and a Virginia-based group called Innovative Forensic Investigations (IFI), McMullin helped make a breakthrough:

Edward Anthony Nece, whose father, Edward Nece, lives in Riverside Township, Burlington County, has been identified as the drowning victim, police announced Monday.

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This one is our first solve, McMullin said Tuesday. Were so excited.

We were able to finally put a name to a person, said Tom McAndrew, chief of investigations for IFI and a retired Pennsylvania state trooper who was stationed in the Poconos, where he also obsessed over cold cases. McMullin said McAndrew helped him dream up the Cold Case Initiative.

To be in an unmarked grave is sad. McAndrew added. Everybody deserves their name.

Foggy and confused

Edward Nece, the victims father, said in an interview Tuesday night that he learned from Bensalem police that his sons body had been identified in October.

Nece, 75, a retired diesel mechanic, said that these days, hes still feeling foggy, a little confused about it all. I waited 20 years for word about my son, he said.

He and his former wife would go to police stations to file missing persons reports, and to check in to learn whether officers had picked up any clues. This was before cell phone days when you could maybe find someone, he said.

Nece added that the spot in the Delaware where his son was found wasnt far from Neces home.

I just found it extremely hard to believe someone could go missing less than a mile from your house and it takes two decades to find out, he said.

I dont know what to say. Ive felt relief but sadness. But then, I get to have closure. He was buried properly.

His mother and I have been up to the cemetery, and we changed that nameplate from an unknown to his name. Were now in the process of putting up a gravestone.

Nece said his son, who was 31 when his body was discovered, had worked as a forklift operator at a trucking firm in Delanco. He was really happy, making real good money. Things were going well for him.

They had hair

When Neces body was found, his description didnt match any reports of missing persons in the area, police said. They obtained partial fingerprints, but they didnt match any known fingerprints in the national database.

Bensalem Police compared the unknown male with numerous missing person reports over the next 19 years without success.

During that time, as Edward Nece lived his life always wondering where his son was, the process known as investigative genetic genealogy grew more sophisticated.

McMullin, whod always remembered the case, said hed checked with Bensalem detectives as well as the Bucks County Coroners office to see whether it had saved DNA samples. Around December of 2022, they told me they had hair, which meant we didnt have to get a court order and exhume the body, which is expensive, he said.

The hair was sent to a lab where a DNA profile was obtained. Cold Case Initiative then funded a year-long genealogy investigation by McAndrew and IFI to search genealogy databases. It cost in the $10,000 range, an amount amassed by fundraising, McMullin said.

The report McAndrew generated turned up enough genealogical clues to lead investigators to speak with Edward Nece. On Oct. 19, 2023, exactly 20 years after the body was discovered, Nece told investigators that his son hadnt been heard from in 20 years.

Nece provided blood for a DNA sample that was then compared with the DNA recovered from the then-unknown male. The DNA match confirmed that it was Edward Anthony Nece.

Detective Sgt. Glenn Vandegrift, public information officer for the Bensalem Township Police Department, gave credit for the diligent efforts of department detectives and the Cold Case Initiative partnership.

Without their assistance, he said, the family of Edward Anthony Nece would still be wondering what happened to their loved one.

McMullin said the outcome feels great. Its exactly why we founded CCI. I hope we can do more for other cold cases.

Edward Nece said he hoped so, too. When we were looking for our son, we heard about so many people who go missing. You cant believe the number.

At least we found out.

Staff writer Ryan Briggs contributed to this article.

This story has been updated to include comments from Edward Nece.
Ex-Local 98 apprentice training director Michael Neill leaves the federal courthouse in Reading with his attorney Joseph P. Capone, right, after he was sentenced Tuesday for embezzling, along with others, more than $600,000 from the union. Read more

READING  The first of six allies of former labor leader John Dougherty to face sentencing in a $600,000 union embezzlement scheme was sentenced Tuesday to just more than a year in prison.

Michael Neill, the ex-head of apprentice training at Local 98 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, was part of the triumvirate of leaders, including Dougherty, who have been convicted of leading the fleecing of union coffers to cover their personal expenses, including hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of home repairs.

He apologized to Local 98s members as he stood before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Schmehl at a sentencing hearing in Reading.

To this day, I walk down the street and they say, Im sorry for what youre going through, Neill, 57, told the judge. I say, Dont feel sorry for me. Im sorry for what I put you through with my bad choices.

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 READ MORE: John Dougherty union embezzlement case: Daily recaps

Still, the 13-month sentence Schmehl imposed  which also included an order that Neill pay more than $131,000 in restitution to the union, as well as back taxes, fines, and other financial penalties  was a substantial break from the sentence of as much as two years behind bars that prosecutors were seeking.

The judges decision  at the first of three sentencing hearings scheduled this week for Dougherty codefendants  could offer some insight into how severely the judge is considering punishing the former labor leader when it comes time for his own sentencing in May.

Former Philadelphia City Councilmember Bobby Henon, Doughertys codefendant in an earlier bribery trial, also received a significant break from Schmehl, who sentenced him last year to 3 years in prison on bribery charges  roughly half what prosecutors recommended.

 READ MORE: Johnny Docs allies are facing prison time this week at sentencing hearings for stealing from Local 98

Schmehl justified his decision in Neills case Tuesday by pointing to the union leaders years of community service and his decision  unlike Doughertys  to plead guilty before trial.

Still, the judge said: I consider this extremely serious, Mr. Neill, because you held a position of power in the union. Fellow union members elected you, and trusted in you and you abused that trust.

 READ MORE: Whos who in former labor leader John Doughertys union embezzlement case

Prosecutors described Neill as one of the Local 98 officials most responsible  along with Dougherty and former union president Brian Burrows, both of whom were convicted at trial in December  for years of systematic theft from the union members theyd been elected to represent.

Nobody batted an eye, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Grenell said, while thousands and thousands and thousands of dollars walked out the door that should have been in the pockets of the men and women who trusted them.

As the head of Local 98s apprentice training program, Neill was one of two people whose signatures were required on all checks drawn from accounts meant to support the training of new electricians.

But in pleading guilty to counts including union embezzlement and tax fraud in 2022, he admitted to routinely using that money to fund construction work at his home and businesses in South Philadelphia.

 READ MORE: 'Inside Johnny Doc's Trial' newsletter: It's sentencing time

In 2010 alone, Neill instructed contractors to bill Local 98 for repairs to a broken staircase at his house, termite remediation at Doughertys residence, and plumbing work at a now-shuttered Pennsport bar he jointly owned with Burrows in a building owned by Dougherty. At Neills instruction, the union also picked up the tab for remodeling at the home of the apprentice training programs secretary, with whom Neill was romantically involved at the time.

All told, Grenell said Tuesday, union member dues paid for nearly $93,000 in repairs and renovations to Neills properties between 2013 and 2015.

These three men just decided they were going to start treating this union like their own personal piggy bank, the prosecutor said.

Though neither Dougherty nor Burrows attended Tuesdays hearing, their presence hung over the proceedings  even as many involved appeared hesitant to mention them by name.

Neills plea agreement did not require him to testify against his former bosses at trial. Still, defense lawyer Joseph P. Capone told the judge there were others who deserved more of the blame for the theft.

He referred to Burrows only as another person who went to trial throughout Tuesdays hearing. And even as he suggesting the ex-union president was more culpable, Capone insisted: Were not going to point fingers here.

He wasnt the only one to suggest that perhaps others were more blameworthy.

As Scott Myers, a Local 98 electrician, extolled Neills record of community service and creating opportunities for fledging electricians, Schmehl interrupted to pose a question.

How do you reconcile the fact, the judge asked, that these $90,000 that should have gone to the apprentices and their training ended up going to [Neills] house and his real estate?

Myers responded: I dont believe Michael would have made those decisions on his own.

Two more Dougherty allies  his former driver and personal assistant, Niko Rodriguez, and Local 98s former political director, Marita Crawford  will face sentencing later this week.

Dougherty remains free on bail after convictions for bribery and embezzlement in two separate trials. He is scheduled for a third felony trial  this time on extortion charges  next month.
A rare 14-karat gold Bionicle Golden Kanohi Hau Mask Lego piece was found at a Pennsylvania Goodwill warehouse. The piece is up for auction with bids in the thousands. Read more

This a Lego piece you definitely dont want to misplace.

A rare Lego Bionicle mask made of 14-karat gold instead of plastic appeared at a Goodwill sorting warehouse in State College. Now, its up for auction and could earn thousands of dollars.

Lego began manufacturing mask pieces to go on its Bionicle series figures in the early 2000s. The Kanohi Hau Mask was one of them, made in an assortment of colors over the years.

The company also cast a select few of the masks in 14-karat gold, silver, and platinum. The exact number made is fuzzy, but legend has it that 30 gold pieces were created, with 25 going to the Bionicle team and five gifted to members of the public through contests and sweepstakes.

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Over the years, a few of those 30 gold masks have resurfaced online or have re-sold. Now, one can be yours.

We didnt know what we had when we found it, Goodwill Industries of North Central Pennsylvania spokesperson Jessica Illuzzi told WTAJ, the local CBS affiliate. It came in a box full of random jewelry from the State College store. So it had already been processed through donations there.

 READ MORE: Five amazing Lego builds at The Art of the Brick exhibits return to the Franklin Institute

Goodwill listed the piece on its auction website, shopgoodwill.com, on Friday. The first bid was for $3,300. As of Tuesday morning, it had already surpassed $6,000 with nearly a dozen bids.

The piece is being sold in what appears to be an original Lego-branded jewelry box and weighs 26.14 grams according to a photo of it being weighed, an estimated $994 worth of gold.

It also marks the second time this specific mask has been up for auction.

In early February, Goodwill listed the piece and it racked up a winning bid of $33,000. When that winner backed out, the item was re-listed.

I think its really cool that theres so few of them, but its also kind of cool to find out the research behind it. And then the final step is to find the right collector, Illuzzi told WTAJ.

The auction is set to end Wednesday at 9:09 p.m.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 20. President Ilham Aliyev is consistently invited to the Munich Security Conference (MSC), making him one of the regularly participating world leaders, a member of the Azerbaijani Milli Majlis (Parliament) Azer Badamov told Trend.

"The Munich Security Conference serves as a global platform for discussing matters of international and regional significance. President Ilham Aliyev is consistently invited to this conference, a testament to his authority. During this year's conference, the President of Azerbaijan engaged in numerous meetings with heads of state, government officials, and business leaders. His extensive series of meetings stands unparalleled among other leaders, with many initiated by the opposite parties, underscoring the trust in President Aliyev and Azerbaijan, and the widespread willingness to collaborate with the country.

Azerbaijan has hosted numerous international events. In all the organizations we have led, our country has introduced innovations and actively contributed to addressing global challenges. Notably, our chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement injected new vitality into the organization. President Ilham Aliyev's initiative led to a special session of the UN, where our proposal to combat vaccine nationalism was globally accepted, playing a crucial role in ensuring vaccine access for economically challenged countries. This year, Azerbaijan will host COP29, an internationally significant conference on climate change. Our commitment is to organize and elevate this conference, fostering unity in the global community on climate-related issues," he said.

The parliamentarian emphasized that the multitude of meetings conducted by the head of state during the Munich Conference would expand the circle of the country's allies and attract parties interested in collaborating with Azerbaijan.

"Azerbaijan stands as a beacon of stability today, drawing interest from international corporations for investments. I am confident that in the coming years, we will witness increased investment from well-established global companies. This optimism is rooted in Azerbaijan's dynamic economic growth, a stable socio-political environment, and our commitment to promoting global peace. I anticipate that our involvement in the Munich Conference will play a crucial role in broadening opportunities for international cooperation," Badamov added.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Community members, family and friends of Samuel Collington gather for a vigil at Interboro High School in Prospect Park, Pa. on Thursday, Dec. 2, 2021. Collington, 21, a Temple student, was shot and killed in North Philadelphia on Sunday after spending Thanksgiving with his family in Prospect Park. Read more

A Philadelphia man was convicted Tuesday in the 2021 murder of 21-year-old Temple University student Samuel Collington.

Latif Williams, 19, of Olney, was found guilty after a one-day bench trial of third-degree murder, possession of an instrument of crime, and illegal possession of a firearm.

A native of Prospect Park, Delaware County, Collington was a senior at Temple studying political science at the time of his murder. He was shot outside his apartment on the 2200 block of North Park Avenue near Dauphin Street on Nov. 28, 2021, in what police said appeared to be a robbery and carjacking.

Collington was expected to graduate in spring 2022 from Temples College of Liberal Arts. At the time of his death, he had recently received a high score on the LSAT, planned to attend law school in the fall, and worked as a democracy fellow in the Office of the Philadelphia City Commissioners.

The District Attorneys Office is grateful for the conviction of Latif Williams for this outrageous crime, which not only deeply impacted Mr. Collingtons family and loved ones but affected the entire Temple University community, District Attorney Larry Krasner said. I again extend my deepest condolences for the terrible loss of a promising young man.

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Williams is scheduled to be sentenced in May, the Philadelphia District Attorneys Office said. Tom Kline, the attorney for Collingtons family, said that Collingtons parents, family, and friends will continue to seek justice for Sam and will be a watchful presence at his upcoming sentencing hearing.

Efforts to reach Collingtons parents were unsuccessful Tuesday.

Collingtons cousin Theresa Collington said the family looked forward to the sentencing and fighting for justice for Collington.

We will continue to anticipate justice for Sam and were glad that the first part is behind us, she said. We look forward to the sentencing.

Patrick Link, Williams attorney, said Tuesday that the third-degree murder conviction for his client was the appropriate verdict, as Williams was initially charged with first- and second-degree murder, which would have brought harsher sentences. A first-degree murder conviction calls for a mandatory sentence of life in prison.

Williams, his lawyer said, has felt remorse from the very beginning.

On the day he was killed, Collington had briefly returned to his apartment, located just blocks from Temples main campus, after having spent Thanksgiving with his family. He had arrived at the apartment around 1:30 p.m. with a basket of laundry his mother had washed, parking his fathers SUV near his apartment with the intent of returning to his parents home to watch television with his family, The Inquirer previously reported. But he never returned.

Collington had just stepped out of the SUV when Williams approached and shot him twice in the chest, Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judge Scott OKeefe found Tuesday. Collington was rushed to Temple University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

Investigators used video and forensic evidence from the scene to link Williams to the killing, and he surrendered to police days after the incident. At the time, Williams was under investigation for connections to several armed robberies in the area, including an August 2021 carjacking of an elderly man.

Williams will be tried for that carjacking on the same day he is sentenced for Collingtons murder in May, the district attorneys office said.

Following Collingtons death, friends, family, and professors remembered him as a phenomenal student, passionate advocate, and caring a funny person who would do anything for his friends.

In February 2022, Temple officials presented Collingtons family with his diploma at their home in Prospect Park. Using an outpouring of donations from people who knew him, the family established an Interboro Education Foundation scholarship in Collingtons memory. Temple also created the Sam Collington Internship Fund supporting students who pursue public service.

I know every mother would say the same thing  that my son was special, but he really was a gift for all of us, Collingtons mother, Molly, previously told The Inquirer. He was charismatic, outgoing, just full of life. Its just a tragedy for everyone.

Staff writer Rodrigo Torrejon contributed to this article.
Not only does the Parker administrations war on drugs-style approach go against the evidence, but its also not what the majority of Philadelphians want, write Emily Seeburger and Shoshana Aronowitz. Read more

The Parker administration, along with City Council, has made it clear that addressing the ongoing opioid crisis in Kensington is a top priority. In 2022, 1,431 lives were lost to fatal overdoses in Philadelphia  the highest number on record  so its encouraging to see city government wasting no time in trying to tackle this problem.

Unfortunately, some facets of the citys approach are not supported by science but are instead a continuation of the failed, decades-old war on drugs.

As part of the Kensington Caucus, made official through a resolution earlier this month, City Council members have introduced a plan to seek funding for the creation of a triage center in Kensington, where police or outreach workers could bring those experiencing addiction. There, individuals would be faced with two choices: go to treatment or go to jail.

As substance use researchers and street-based harm reduction service providers serving people who use drugs, we know that coerced substance use treatment doesnt work. Many research studies have examined compulsory treatment, and there is little evidence that this approach leads to decreases in drug use or criminal reoffending. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, states with involuntary commitment and supervised treatment for substance use disorder saw their opioid overdose death rates climb faster than states without them.

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Even when choosing to go to treatment, people who use drugs face numerous barriers. Last month, researchers from Thomas Jefferson University published an in-depth look at the state of substance use disorder treatment here in Philadelphia. They found little coordination between city and state agencies, making it nearly impossible to identify the number of treatment spots available at any given time. In focus groups, the researchers found its not uncommon for individuals to wait upwards of 12 hours to be assessed for placement, and even then, admission into treatment is not guaranteed.

Barriers to treatment are compounded for individuals from marginalized communities. There are few, if any, options for Philadelphians who do not speak English. Black patients have reported feeling discriminated against during treatment and less able to access medications, particularly the addiction treatment drug buprenorphine. Focusing resources primarily in Kensington also ignores the fact that overdose deaths have dramatically increased among Black residents in West and North Philadelphia.

Weve heard that many detox and rehab facilities fail to properly manage withdrawal symptoms or to provide appropriate doses of buprenorphine and other medications for opioid use disorder, like methadone. This leads to excruciatingly painful  and sometimes life-threatening  withdrawal, forcing people to choose between suffering in a facility or leaving to manage their symptoms. Managing withdrawal has only become more complex as fentanyl, xylazine, and other opioid analogs have infiltrated the local supply. Furthermore, the COVID pandemic resulted in workforce shortages across treatment settings, making issues with care far worse.

Instead of the current path of forcing people to choose between treatment or jail, we suggest the city adopts a public health approach that prioritizes harm reduction, expands the amount and quality of treatment spots available in Philadelphia, hires the workforce to support them, and provides low-barrier access to medications for opioid use disorder.

Respect, autonomy, and empathy have been shown to positively facilitate substance use treatment and should remain at the core of how we approach those experiencing addiction.

For example, community-based naloxone distribution is a cost-effective way to reduce overdoses, especially when distributed among people who use drugs. Syringe service programs, in addition to preventing the spread of HIV and hepatitis C, reduce drug users risk of overdose by teaching safer ways to use. They also significantly decrease the number of improperly discarded syringes in public places.

While some critics argue that needle exchange programs will simply encourage people to use drugs, research shows that people who regularly engage with these programs are five times more likely to enter substance use disorder treatment and nearly three times more likely to reduce or discontinue injection drug use than those who have never used a syringe service program. Besides offering clean needles, these centers facilitate entry into treatment when someone is ready, and can provide medication for opioid use disorder and links to other health-care services.

In addition to expanding treatment availability, providing social supports to individuals in recovery is also paramount. Supportive housing leads to fewer emergency department visits and hospitalizations. Those with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders benefit greatly from supported employment. For women, providing childcare, prenatal care, women-only programs, workshops, and mental health programming improves treatment completion, birth outcomes, and employment.

Not only does the Parker administration and City Councils war on drugs-style approach go against the evidence, but its also not what the majority of Philadelphians want. While two-thirds of Philadelphians polled said they want to see more mental health and substance use disorder treatment services, less than a quarter said the focus should be on arresting drug users. Community members in Kensington have also expressed concern over the rapidly increasing police presence.

Most Philadelphians have been touched, in one way or another, by addiction. We all want to find solutions to end the ongoing suffering. Science can help us do this, but we need the support of our leaders.

Emily Seeburger (@emilyseeburger) is a data scientist and harm reduction advocate in Philadelphia. Shoshana Aronowitz (@shoshiaronowitz) is a nurse, health services researcher, and harm reduction community organizer in Philadelphia.
Candles and photos of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny are placed near the Russian Consulate in Frankfurt, Germany, on Saturday. Navalny, President Vladimir Putin's fiercest foe, died Friday in an Arctic penal colony. Read more

The murder of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in a remote Arctic penal colony should remind Republicans in Washington that Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin is a cold-blooded killer who remains a danger to the free world.

Allowing Putin to murder critics and invade countries with impunity will only embolden him. Enablers, including Donald Trump, Tucker Carlson, and MAGA Republicans, are making a grave mistake by siding with a dictator who fears freedom and hates the West.

How Navalny, 47, died may never be known. But this much is clear: Putin wanted him dead. In 2020, Navalny was poisoned with Novichok, a Soviet-made nerve agent. Putin denied any involvement, but Navalny duped a Kremlin agent into explaining how they tried to kill him.

After recovering from the poisoning, Navalny returned to Russia where he was promptly arrested at the border, convicted on manufactured charges, and sentenced to 19 years in prison.

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Through it all, Navalny was brave and fearless. Some may say Navalny was reckless to return to Russia knowing he would get arrested and likely die in prison. But as he wrote in a Facebook post last month, I dont want to give up either my country or my beliefs.

Navalny rose to prominence by exposing the greed, graft, and corruption of Putin and his allies. He was a charismatic leader who envisioned a beautiful Russia of the future that was free from Putins harsh tyranny.

Navalnys death comes six weeks before Putin faces election. While Putin was certain to be reelected, he feared what Navalny stood for. Navalnys death comes at a key inflection point in the war with Ukraine and the broader fight for democracy around the world.

If Putin is victorious, he may invade other countries, provoking a broader war in Europe. Stopping Putin would tame a tyrant, maintain peace, strengthen the NATO alliance, and preserve American leadership.

Just a year ago, Putin was badly weakened and trapped. His unprovoked invasion of Ukraine was an unmitigated disaster. Mercenary fighters had staged a mutiny. The vaunted Russian military was in retreat after 315,000 soldiers were wounded or killed.

But U.S. support for Ukraine has begun to waver, thanks in large part to pressure on the GOP from Trump, who has long been enthralled with Putin. Republican lawmakers spent the fall dragging their feet over supplying military aid to Ukraine.

The delay has enabled Russia to gain momentum in Ukraine. If Trump is elected in November, Putin will almost certainly crush Ukraine and perhaps look to challenge other NATO countries. Indeed, Trump has failed to condemn Navalnys death, let alone criticize Putin.

Under normal times, House Speaker Mike Johnson would immediately call Congress back into session to approve the $95 billion aid package to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan that the Senate already passed. Instead, Johnson let the House go on a two-week recess without providing the support Ukraine needs to fend off Russias bloody invasion. It is a disgrace that Johnson, who once said Trump was unfit to be president, is now doing the bidding of the former president, and by extension, Putin.

Navalnys killing should give the Biden administration the needed push to supply Ukraine with the long-range ballistic missiles known as ATACMS. The U.S. has been slow to provide Ukraine with F-16s, tanks, and other weapons needed to win the war.

If the U.S. abandons Ukraine now, Russia could win the war within months, if not weeks.

If the U.S. abandons Ukraine now, Russia could win the war within months, if not weeks, according to Biden administration officials. Such inaction would be a dark day in U.S. history.

Standing up to Russia would be the best way to avenge Navalnys death. His bravery should be a lesson for all elected officials in the U.S. The same goes for voters who support freedom and democracy. As Navalny said, even if he died, Youre not allowed to give up.
Donald Trump and Joe Biden debate on Oct. 22, 2020, in Nashville. Instead of succumbing to partisan animosity and the erosion of democratic norms, Americans are standing firm in defense of the values that have sustained us through past trials, writes Jennifer Stefano. Read more

Leading up to a likely Trump vs. Biden face-off for the presidency, a Pew Research Center report released in the fall found that most Americans  65% of us  are exhausted by politics.

Some politicians are playing on this weariness to subvert democratic norms, simply to get a win for their party. We must resist the urge to bless this behavior, even when it suits our politics.

The U.S. House of Representatives use of its impeachment powers in recent years has become so de rigueur, one would think an impeachment vote is part of Congress ceremonial duties. Former President Donald Trumps detractors wielded impeachment against him twice, in 2019 and 2021. He was acquitted both times, including on charges of inciting an insurrection. But that didnt stop Democratic-controlled Colorado and Maine from throwing the former president off of their states ballot for 2024, citing the Constitutions insurrection clause. You cannot protect democratic norms by subverting them.

And then theres the barrage of legal attacks on the former president. Last week, a judge in New York ordered Trump to pay almost $355 million in fines and banned him from doing business in New York for three years. The ruling was seen as so outrageous and partisan that even the left-wing MSNBC raised an alarm. Host Katy Tur said during an on-air segment that in the past 70 years, no judge has ever used the law to levy that type of punishment without evidence of harm. Is this fair to go after Donald Trump like this in this environment? Tur inquired.

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Republicans have also not shied away from invoking constitutional measures. In a party-line vote in December, House Republicans authorized an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. This, despite some Republicans questioning whether the presidents actions really met the constitutional muster for impeachment. Impeachment should not be political by any stretch, said Rep. Mike Lawler (R., N.Y.). Weve seen what happens when Congress acts in a political matter. It does not serve the interests of the American people in any way.

That concern was not top of mind when Republicans voted last week to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas over the administrations border policies. Yes, theres a near-ironclad argument to be made that the border crisis is precipitated by bad policy, woeful neglect, and the general incompetence of Mayorkas and the president. However, one need not be a legal scholar to know such failings do not meet the impeachment threshold. Despite the crisis and harm caused to our country, voters should be the ultimate arbiter.

And it should be the voters who decide whether President Biden is mentally fit to serve, not elected politicians or political appointees. That truth didnt stop a handful of Republicans calling for an invocation of the 25th Amendment last week to remove Biden from office. This came on the heels of a U.S. Department of Justice report that found the president could not remember basic facts about his life. Biden aided his detractors by calling a news conference where he confused the presidents of Egypt and Mexico in a bid to prove he was not, as the DOJ claimed, an elderly man with a poor memory.

But even Trump knew enough to reject removing Biden from the presidency by constitutional fiat. Hell be tried by the ballot box, Trump told supporters at a rally in South Carolina last week. Perhaps Trump was recalling when members of his own cabinet considered invoking the 25th Amendment against him after his behavior during and after the riots of Jan. 6, 2021.

Yes, most Americans wish for better choices for president in 2024 than Biden and Trump. In a poll released by Reuters in January, 67% of respondents said they were tired of seeing the same candidates in presidential elections and want someone new.

Still, we have something to be optimistic about. Despite the misery over candidates, a record number of us have been turning out to vote. The elections of 2018, 2020, and 2022 had some of the highest voter turnout in decades.

Instead of succumbing to partisan animosity and the erosion of democratic norms, Americans are standing firm in defense of the values that have sustained us through past trials. Thats why every citizen, regardless of ideology, must resist the temptation to defeat the opposition by any means other than the ballot box.
Mayor Cherelle L. Parker at her campaign office in September as she was running for mayor. Parker spent nearly a million dollars in campaign funds on salaries and benefits for the staffers who helped her clinch the mayoral election last year. But it is not clear who actually received that pay. Read more

Mayor Cherelle L. Parker spent nearly a million dollars in campaign funds on salaries and benefits for the staffers who helped her clinch the mayoral election last year.

But, today, its not clear who received that pay.

Parkers campaign and transition committee took advantage of a gray area in state and city campaign-finance laws by filing financial reports that list staff costs as withdrawals by third-party payroll services, rather than payments to specific people. Those companies then cut paychecks to the staffers.

The practice, which other local candidates have used, means that while miscellaneous campaign costs were itemized  like advertising, literature, and a $11.12 Wendys meal  payments to her closest staffers were not.

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When asked by The Inquirer to identify staff members and their pay, the campaign declined. Parkers campaign attorney Timothy Ford, of Dilworth Paxson, said the financial disclosures met the letter of the law.

When the campaign pays a vendor, the campaign isnt required to disclose how the vendor spent the money  whether it went to the vendors payroll or overhead or inventory, or even to a subcontractor that actually performed the work, Ford said.

But Lauren Cristella, president of the good-government group Committee of Seventy, said that while Parkers expense reports followed campaign-finance rules, the growing practice of campaigns reporting payments to third-party services instead of to individuals undermines the intent of the rules by obfuscating the recipients of the funds.

It violates the spirit of campaign-finance reporting, Cristella said. Its why we have these laws in the first place. Constituents and residents deserve to know who is influencing the mayor and her administration, whose voices are at the table at the beginning of her administration. Thats why transparency rules are important.

 READ MORE: Mayor Parker considers bringing more city workers back to the office

The size of Parkers campaign staff and individual employee salaries werent made public, but outside consultants who were hired as contractors are listed, and some members of her campaign staff are known. Campaign manager Sincere Harris and senior adviser Aren Platt were the architects of her historic win and now serve as deputy mayors. Several other staff members, including political director Neftali Ramos and deputy campaign manager John Dolan, now work in the administration  and their city-funded salaries are public record.

Their campaign pay, however, is unknown because the campaign only lists payments to two payroll vendors, Paychex and Payroll Data Services, which then paid campaign staffers.

Other mayoral candidates who ran against Parker last spring, including former Councilmember Allan Domb and grocer Jeff Brown, both disclosed some similar withdrawals by Paychex on their expense forms, as did Parkers predecessor, former Mayor Jim Kenney, during his 2019 reelection campaign.

 READ MORE: Mayor Cherelle Parker just made 10 appointments, but some top jobs remain up in the air a month into her tenure

State campaign-finance rules require campaigns to disclose each and every expenditure, along with the date of the transaction, as well as the name and address of the person to whom checks were made. Campaigns also must disclose the purpose of each payment.

In the past, Philadelphias Board of Ethics, which crafts and enforces local campaign finance rules, has expanded regulations to discourage the aggregation of campaign expenses.

In 2021, after a growing number of campaigns began reporting large campaign expenses paid using credit cards as lump-sum payments, the board amended its regulations to make clear that campaigns must disclose and itemize each purchase made with such a card, not merely a lump-sum payment.

But the Board of Ethics hasnt specifically addressed payroll services. A representative for board declined to comment.

Adam Bonin, an election attorney who worked for one of Parkers Democratic primary opponents, former Councilmember Helen Gym, said that despite the gray area, campaigns sometimes voluntarily list individual staff payments in the interest of transparency.

Many campaigns will disclose it regardless, because its not worth fighting about it, he said.

Cristella said voluntary compliance isnt sufficient, and that the rules should be clarified.

We would call on the Ethics Board to consider implementing requirements to disclose campaign payroll payments, or breakdowns of those payments, she said. We should strive for the best when it comes to campaign-finance transparency.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 20. President Ilham Aliyev's attendance at the Munich Security Conference (MSC) holds significance in the context of regional geopolitical developments as well, political analyst Ilyas Huseynov told Trend.

He noted that this conference attracts heads of state and government, as well as prominent figures from the business community.

"President Ilham Aliyev held discussions with various dignitaries, including the OSCE Chairman, Secretary General, US Secretary of State, and German Chancellor. Additionally, he met with the hairman of the Munich Security Conference. These interactions hold undeniable significance for the exchange of perspectives and highlight Azerbaijan's substantial contribution as a prominent state in the South Caucasus to peace and security.

Furthermore, a meeting took place with Turkiye's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan during the Munich Conference. It is worth mentioning that President Ilham Aliyev embarked on his inaugural official visit to Turkiye following his victory in the presidential election," the political analyst said.

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We are excited to partner with CBN and the team at Licence Protect... Products like Licence Protect fit our belief that every individual should be able to assert their legal rights, not just those who can afford it, said Natasha Gale, CEO of ARAG Services Australia.
It is ACILs stance that such a comprehensive inquiry will uncover widespread instances of unlawful activities perpetrated by strata managers in the arrangement of insurance, underscoring the need for immediate and decisive regulatory action, the group said.
A recent report highlighted disparities were revealed when comparing prices across borders; however, it was not necessarily a blatant rip-off, the Herald reported. The report gave an example of a 43-year-old UK resident embarking on a solo trip to Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand in April 2024. Theyd pay $105 for a basic Allianz Bronze policy. In contrast, an Australian of the same age, itinerary, and travel dates would fork out $174 for the equivalent Allianz Basic coverage.
Our ability to meet the rapidly evolving needs of insurance customers and address increasingly complex challenges such as climate change and affordability will be significantly strengthened through dedicated investment as a pureplay insurance company, said Johnston.
Mosss previous firm, Kentro Capital Limited, was also acquired by Brown & Brown a few months ago. It was part of an ongoing series of acquisitions for the company, the most recent of which was for Oxlea Investments, which trades as Stewart & Partners, marking a significant expansion of its operations within the UK.
Private equity group Stone Point paid $1.95 billion for the 20% stake, and it is believed that the current valuation is on the same terms as the initial investment, valuing the insurance giant at close to $15 billion  33% of the total value of the PE firms assets under management.
Simmons argued that while making predictions and formulating plans is necessary, Bermuda must be wary of its economic vulnerabilities, particularly its heavy dependence on the international reinsurance sector. This reliance, he suggests, does not offer a sustainable solution to the islands economic fragility or its debt problem, given the limited scope of the tax base.
However, he noted that it is both feasible and imaginable for this to be done sustainably, especially in Europe where there is a free market for price changes. Noises around insurability are largely linked to specific states in the US where you have to get approval for your price increases with regulators, and some regulators are refusing to grant these, causing some companies to exit the market. This, he said, is a very specific issue and has nothing to do with the price levels themselves or reinsurers ability to cover these risks.
Tahoe Restaurant Groups membership reinforces our commitment to supporting restaurant operators needing innovative solutions tailored to their unique challenges, Stanley said. TRGs decision to join us indicates a growing trend among discerning operators seeking more control and transparency in their workers compensation strategies.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 20. The Armenian government lacks a clear stance, said Deputy Director General of Trend News Agency, Head of Turkic.World media platform, and political scientist Rufiz Hafizoglu, Trend reports, referring to the AzerVoice, media agency.

"Following the victory in Karabakh, Azerbaijan declared that the efforts of all mediators had failed, showcasing its ability to resolve the issue independently, which we did. Armenia is influenced by Western pressure. During the Munich meeting, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan found himself in a distinctly disadvantaged position. While Armenia may persist in provocations, the government is unable to articulate a clear position," Hafizoglu noted.

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After back-to-back storms lashed the Northeast in January, rental properties Haim Levy owns in coastal Hampton, New Hampshire, were hammered by nearly two feet of water, resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage and causing him to evacuate tenants to safer ground.

Put them in hotels and everything. So it was brutal, for everybody. And at the apartment I have no floors; I have nothing, Levy said. Its really crazy. Not fun.

Many scientists who study the intersection of climate change, flooding, winter storms and sea level rise agree the kind of damage Levy experienced was more of a sign of things to come than an anomaly. They say last months storms that destroyed wharfs in Maine, eroded sand dunes in New Hampshire and flooded parts of New Jersey still coping with hurricane damage from years ago are becoming more the norm than the exception, and the time to prepare for them is now.

Climate change is forecast to bring more hurricanes to the Northeast as waters warm, some scientists say. Worldwide, sea levels have risen faster since 1900, putting hundreds of millions of people at risk, the United Nations has said. Erosion from the changing conditions jeopardizes beaches the world over, according to European Union researchers. The rising seas mean communities in coastal New England will need to make hard choices about when its responsible to rebuild. Another storm brought flooding to Massachusetts and New Hampshire on Tuesday. In the Northeast, the problem of climate change is especially acute because of forecasted sea level rise here, said Hannah Baranes, a coastal scientist with the Gulf of Maine Research Institutes Climate Center in Portland, Maine. The state has already experienced 7.5 inches (19 centimeters) of rise since 1910 and is projected to have to manage 4 feet (1.2 meters) of sea level rise by 2100, she said.

These rising seas mean communities in coastal New England will need to make hard choices about when its responsible to rebuild, Baranes said. Januarys storms, which flooded streets and washed away historic buildings, are a good example of the type of severe event we need to be prepared for, she said.

This is a real moment to consider how much flooding is in several feet of sea level rise, Baranes said. And to consider when to rebuild, and in some cases whether to rebuild at all.

The storms caused damage that coastal communities in several states are still struggling to clean up. President Joe Biden also recently issued a federal disaster declaration for some communities damaged by a wind and rainstorm in December.

Januarys onslaught was devastating for working waterfront communities in Maine where dozens of docks, buildings and wharfs were damaged or destroyed, said Patrick Keliher, commissioner of the states Department of Marine Resources. He said the combination of back-to-back storms in the second week of January and high tides brought damage like we have never seen before in a state where waterfront industries such as commercial fishing are vital economic cogs. Even inland communities arent immune to flooding from weather events like the January storms. Waterfront business owners have vowed to rebuild. But Democratic Gov. Janet Mills told the Maine Climate Council that the storms also provided a stark lesson that resilience is not just repairing and rebuilding physical infrastructure.

The governor tasked the council with developing a plan to address the impacts of climate change in the state. That could include strategies such as rebuilding piers higher than they used to be, planting more trees along waterfronts and constructing newer, more durable culverts, bridges and roads, speakers said at a January climate council meeting.

Its easy to think maybe this one storm was just an aberration. Or maybe the three storms weve had are just three off, Mills said. But what do we do about the future? Were not just talking about riprap and wharfs, were talking about being ready in many ways.

Even inland communities arent immune to flooding from weather events like the January storms. The storms stirred bad memories of Vermonts summer storms that brought devastating flooding while causing new damage in some areas, said Julie Moore, secretary of the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources.

Vermont, which also suffered heavy damage in Hurricane Irene in 2011, is working to establish statewide floodplain standards, Moore told the Maine Climate Council.

Winter flooding brought a lot of post-traumatic stress, frankly, in Vermont, but there is also a sense that there is hope to prepare for the future, Moore said. We have a unique opportunity that hasnt presented itself since Irene.

Preparing for a future of stronger storms, worse flooding and increased erosion will make for difficult choices in many coastal areas. In New Jersey, the resort town of North Wildwood has carried out emergency repairs to its protective sand dunes without approval from the state government  and theyre locked in a legal battle. Rhode Island is encouraging the states many coastal home and business owners to elevate structures and move landward. In Rhode Island, the RI Coastal Resources Management Council is encouraging the states many coastal home and business owners to elevate structures and move landward whenever possible, said Laura Dwyer, the councils public education and outreach coordinator.

People have always been drawn to the water and coast, and will continue to be, Dwyer said. We need to be smart about development, recognizing that sea level is rising at an unprecedented rate and storms are becoming more frequent and severe.

But after the January storms, a heavily damaged house that tilted into the ocean in Narragansett, Rhode Island, signaled to some that with the worlds changing climate the ocean is creeping ever closer to places people live.

For Conrad Ferla, a resident of nearby South Kingstown, the house was a harbinger of a future of heavy storms and dangerous flooding in the region that will require more than plywood, riprap and sandbags to be ready.

I do think that a lot of properties along the shore should move to higher ground, said Ferla, who started a group called Saving RI Coastal Access/Rights Of Way and advocates for a cautious approach to coastal building. I think that retreat is probably the the best option.

Associated Press photojournalist Charles Krupa and video journalist Rodrique Ngowi contributed to this report in Hampton, New Hampshire.

Photo: Cars are flooded in a parking lot at the Hathaway Creative Center alongside the Kennebec River, Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023, in Waterville, Maine. A severe storm flooded rivers and knocked out power to hundreds of thousands. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Flood Maine Vermont New Hampshire
When firefighters arrived at a home in a Washington, D.C., suburb to investigate a report about a gas smell Friday night, they discovered a 500-gallon underground propane tank with a leak on the side of the residence.

Shortly after they arrived, the house exploded and burst into flames, with multiple mayday calls coming from the firefighters trapped inside. Crews rushed in to try to rescue them from the debris that covered them, but one firefighter was killed and 10 others were injured, Loudoun County Fire and Rescue officials said Saturday.

Four of the firefighters hurt in the blast remained in hospitals Saturday morning, according Loudoun Fire and Rescue System Chief Keith Johnson.

Johnson said all four are expected to survive. A total of 11 first responders were sent to hospitals with varying degrees of injuries Friday night, including the one who died.

He was identified as 45-year-old Trevor Brown, a volunteer with Sterling Volunteer Fire Company. Brown was married with three children and had been with the county firefighting services since 2016, Johnson said.

We lost a family member, Johnson said Saturday. We lost one of our own. Quite frankly were lucky we only have one fatality. Our folks were in that house when it exploded. They did what they had to do.

Johnson said investigators have not determined the cause of the explosion, but we can assume it was propane-related. He said the 500-gallon tank, located outside the house, had leaked the fuel into the house.

Two people inside the house were escorted out before the explosion and suffered only minor injuries from the blast. They were treated at local hospitals, Johnson said.

Firefighters who responded to investigate the gas smell went inside the house to check for occupants and attempt to mitigate any leaks, he said. A hazardous materials team had also been called to the scene.

The explosion occurred around 8:25 p.m., about 37 minutes after firefighters arrived to investigate the gas smell, Johnson said. After the blast, there were multiple mayday calls for firefighters trapped in the home, he said. All firefighters were accounted for and receiving care by 9:15 p.m., Johnson said.

It was somewhat chaotic as we tried to figure out how many firefighters were trapped under the debris, he said.

James Williams, assistant chief of operations, described damage to the home in Sterling as total devastation.

Theres a debris field well into the street and into the neighboring homes, he said Friday night.

Sterling is located about 22 miles (35 kilometers) northwest of Washington, D.C.

A neighbor, John Padgett, told ABC7 News that he had smelled gas while walking his dog earlier.

The blast shook his home, he said.

It looked like an inferno, and insulation from the burning home fell like ash, he added. It was horrific; it looked like something out of a war zone.

Browns body was taken to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to determine the cause and manner of death.

Copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Virginia
Seafarers have the right to refuse to sail on ships passing through the Red Sea in a new industry agreement as the situation escalates and further vessels are attacked by Yemens Iran-aligned Houthis, a labor union and industry groups said on Friday.

The Houthis have targeted commercial ships with drones and missiles in the Red Sea since mid-November in what they describe as acts of solidarity with Palestinians against Israel in the Gaza war.

Seafarers remain in the firing line, and have already signed agreements to receive double pay when entering the high-risk zones.

Insurers Seek to Exclude US, UK Ships From Red Sea Coverage

In December, areas deemed warlike and high-risk were extended into the southern area of the Red Sea as part of negotiated arrangements between seafarers and commercial shipping companies, known as the International Bargaining Forum (IBF).

In the latest IBF arrangement seafarers must give seven days notice prior to entering the area and have the right to be repatriated to another location at the shipping companys cost, the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) and the Joint Negotiating Group, said in a statement.

It also includes compensation equal to two months basic wage.

The decision to include seafarers right to refuse to sail was not a step taken lightly as this could negatively impact global trade, but the safety of the seafarers is paramount, the statement added.

Sadly the conflict in the region has escalated, with further attacks on commercial vessels that are increasingly more sophisticated.

The ITF, which is the leading union organization for seafarers, has urged governments to secure the release of 25 mariners held by the Houthis after the militia hijacked their ship, the Galaxy Leader, on Nov. 19.

The Houthis have vowed to continue their attacks as long as Israel continues to commit crimes against Palestinians.

Some 12% of global trade is estimated to pass through the Red Sea.

(Reporting by Jonathan Saul; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
Remote workers are more likely to be laid off or miss out on promotion opportunities than their peers who work in the office or in hybrid environments, potentially exposing employers to costly discrimination lawsuits.

A January survey from Live Data Technologies Inc. found that in 2023 fully remote white-collar workers were 35% more likely to get laid off than colleagues who put in at least some time in the office. The software development firm, which tracks job trends, analyzed a sample of two million workers and also found that remote employees were 31% less likely to get promoted.

The data follows a similar survey in December by ResumeBuilder.com, which said that employees work arrangements could impact their career advancement.

Employment attorneys say businesses evaluating future workforce cuts and benefits for in-person and remote workers must proceed with caution because they could expose themselves to liability if a worker can prove an employment action based on work location violated federal or state anti-bias laws.

Studies show remote workers are more likely to be women, people of color, and those with disability accommodations, so evidence that any of these factors contributed to an adverse employment action could give rise to claims under Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

In any situation, its preferable to have very objective criteria if youre analyzing people for either a promotion or a reduction in force. Unless the location of the individual is clearly integral to the job or is an important component of that job, its difficult to make the argument that remote work should be included there, said Lynn Vuketich Luther of Eastman & Smith Ltd.

While remote work in and of itself is not a protected classification under federal and state civil rights laws, the reasons for that remote work could be, Luther said.

If an employee is working from home as an accommodation for a disability and they are passed over for a promotion or theyre let go because theyre not in person, then that very well could result in a discrimination claim, she said. And we have seen instances of that.

In such a situation, the employer should assess whether it has a duty to engage that employee in an interactive process and allow remote work as a reasonable accommodation, rather than considering that employee non-promotable,' said Angela Reddock-Wright, a mediator and managing partner of Reddock Law Group.

Equity Risks

Announcements of reductions in force have become common, particularly in the tech industry, where San Francisco-based e-signature provider DocuSign Inc. recently joined a growing list of companiesincluding Amazon.com Inc. and Salesforce Inc.that have announced mass layoffs.

At the same time, the post-pandemic, return-to-office mantra continues. Companies like IBM are instructing managers working remotely to report to an office three days as week or quit their jobs, while United Parcel Service Inc. has ordered workers to be in the office five days a week starting in March.

Employment attorneys havent seen a massive wave of terminations or promotion denials solely because of where people are working, but acknowledged that theres growing discomfort among companies that believe remote work undercuts collaboration and connection among workers as well as corporate culture.

The push back into the office disproportionately impacts women and people of color, who tend to prefer hybrid or fully remote work at higher rates than White men because they experience fewer implicit biases and microaggressions than in person, according to a 2023 study by Lean In, an organization that advocates for workplace equity.

And at least some employees say theyd rather quit than give up their remote arrangements.

Employers should evaluate the reasons employees are opting to work from home and whether there are any underlying issues the employer should address to ensure a fair and equitable work environment for all, Reddock-Wright said. To do otherwise could subject employers to claims of race and other forms of discrimination.

In addition to potential litigation risks, companies could harm employee morale and damage their brand, hindering future hiring efforts at a time when more workers are filming their layoffs and sharing them on social media.

There could be legitimate, legal business reasons why having an in-person presence is essential for the promotion or retention of certain workers, said Meredith Cavallaro, a partner at Paduano & Weintraub LLP. But employers must communicate effectively and be transparent with workers, and also document their specific reasons in case theyre challenged later, she said.

Employers must be creative in balancing the competing desires for in-person, hybrid, or fully remote work to harmonize the workforce because they dont want to have retention issues because of it, Cavallaro said.

Jurisdiction Matters

Title VII prohibits companies from making employment decisions based on race, religion, sex, pregnancy, or national origin. The US Supreme Courts 2020 Bostock v. Clayton County decision clarified that Title VII also bans discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

A disparate treatment, or intentional discrimination, claim arises when an employer outrightly treats an employee or job applicant differently because of a protected characteristic, requiring a worker to prove that their protected characteristic caused the adverse employment action. Thats a heavy burden because many workers would lack such evidence, attorneys have told Bloomberg Law.

But a policy thats neutral on its facelike laying off or denying promotions to remote workerscan in some cases lead to a disparate impact claim if it has a discriminatory effect.

Employers that target remote workers also run the risk of violating certain state and local employment discrimination laws that grant even broader protections than Title VII.

For instance, New York City explicitly designates family caregivers as a protected category. That means a caregiver who may need a flexible or remote work schedule could have grounds to sue if theres evidence to connect their caregiver status to an adverse employment actionsuch as being firedbased on work location.

Employers should be attuned to the legal requirements of the jurisdictions where employees reside and work because the law invoked in a bias claim wouldnt necessarily be applicable where the company itself is based, Cavallaro said.

This is something we often see companies overlook, Luther said. The biggest thing that we see continuously in employment bias cases is how jurisdiction comes into play.

A lot of employers just arent aware that theyre on the hook for some of those state law requirements merely because they have one employee working in the jurisdiction, Luther said. Sometimes thats something that surprises them and its already too late to fix if they havent vetted that before they make an employment decision.

Photograph: A woman works at a desktop computer alongside an Apple Inc. laptop in a home office in this arranged photograph taken in Bern, Switzerland, on Saturday, Aug. 22, 2020. Photo credit: Stefan Wermuth/Bloomberg

Copyright 2024 Bloomberg.
Businesses and homeowners will be familiar with insurers of last resort  the state-created, quasi-governmental organizations that provide property and liability coverage when the primary market wont. These include windstorm underwriting associations or corporations in a number of states, a medical malpractice association in South Carolina, and assigned-risk workers compensation funds across the country.

This year, South Carolina lawmakers are considering a bill that would bring that approach to liquor liability insurance for bars and restaurants. Some establishment owners have said the plan  along with other solutions  cant come soon enough, after theyve seen premiums double or even quadruple in the last few years as private insurers have stepped back from the unprofitable market.

Our broker took our policy out to over 40 carriers; 33 declined; three did not respond, Carl Sobocinski, owner or founder of at least seven popular restaurants in the state, told a joint legislative committee last week.

The reasons the declining insurers gave ranged from no longer writing in South Carolina, to too great of a share of revenue that came from liquor sales. In the end, he said he was left with one option, which raised his premium from $62,000 a year to more than $115,000.

With just an 86% increase, I feel like one of the lucky ones, Sobocinski said.

He told lawmakers about another restaurant in Greenville that saw its premiums jump from $8,000 in 2022 to $50,000 this year.

The crisis has forced some long-established bistros out of business or into mergers, and more closings are expected this year, restaurateurs and insurance brokers have said.

House Bill 5066, sponsored in part by Rep. Jason Elliott, R-Greenville, is titled the Fair Access to Insurance Requirements, or FAIR Act. It would create a liquor liability fund financed by part of the revenue from an excise tax on drinks. The fund would be able to contract with a private insurance company to administer the program.

The fund would have its limits. To qualify for the risk mitigation program, the establishment must close its doors by 10 p.m. That would allow the owners to reduce their coverage limits by as much as $100,000 for each hour the place closes early, the bill reads.

The owner of a well-known pub said that stipulation would not help bars and nightclubs that make most of their money after hours.

I cant close two hours earlier because I cant make profit margins, Josh Bumgarner, proprietor of Transmission Arcade in the state capital and college town of Columbia, told the committee.

Bumgarner said he also would not benefit from the 30% ceiling on alcohol sales that HB 5066 would require. Most late-night clubs and even some restaurants are well above that threshold already, he said.

The plight of eating and drinking establishments and their insurance costs has become a big issue in tourist-dependent South Carolina in recent years largely due to two factors: State law has long allowed joint and several liability under which businesses found to have played a minor role in an injury or death can be held 100% liable. Then, in 2017, the state General Assembly approved a law that upped liquor liability coverage requirements to $1 million, after a high-profile auto accident that killed two people and severely injured a police officer. Neither the driver nor the drinking establishment had liability insurance, leaving the officers county employer to pay the medical expenses.

Combined with the joint-and-several law, the coverage requirement has upended the hospitality world. A report by the state Department of Insurance in January said the liquor liability market in the state is extremely unprofitable for insurers.

Senate Bill 533 would allow juries to apportion fault in most liability lawsuits, as a number of other states have done. But that bill, after gaining attention early on, appears to have stalled in the legislature. It has not seen a votes since it was assigned to a Senate Judiciary Committee subcommittee. South Carolina news outlets have reported that Mothers Against Drunk Driving and others have opposed the change, saying it would ignore the fact that South Carolina has an inordinately high rate of drunk driving accidents and deaths.

House Bill 5066 would not lower the $1 million coverage requirement, except for those places that close early or restrict alcohol sales. But it would change it from $1 million in total coverage to a $1 million annual aggregate limit, which some in the industry have said could help reduce premiums for bars and restaurants.

The bill is still in the House Judiciary Committee. A subcommittee meets Feb. 27 to consider it. Supporters believe it could gain traction before the legislative session ends May 9.

All of us in the General Assembly have been hearing from our constituents about this, Rep. Elliott, the bills sponsor, said at the committee meeting. I believe we can find a way to balance safety and business interests. We want to lower insurance premiums by bringing more carriers back to the state.

Top photo: Josh Bumgarner, proprietor of Transmission Arcade, speaks at the legislative committee last week. (South Carolina General Assembly)

Topics Legislation South Carolina
A move to revamp the state-backed property insurer of last resort into Floridas main wind carrier, a plan dubbed Citizens 2.0, appears to have died in the Legislature this year. But other insurance-related bills are still alive, and the governors effort to temporarily cut premium taxes may have gained new life.

Leaders in the Florida House of Representatives have not embraced Gov. Ron DeSantis plan to halt the premium tax for homes up to $750,000 for one year, a cut that could save homeowners an average of about $240, according to the Insurance Information Institute. But on the Senate side of the Capitol, Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, R-Spring Hill, last week proposed a tax package that includes the premium tax reduction, the Tallahassee Democrat and Florida Politics reported.

House leaders have expressed concerns about the loss of revenue from the premium tax cut, and have worried about a lack of guarantee that insurers would pass the savings on to consumers, according to the news reports.

Meanwhile, House and Senate bills that address Citizens Property Insurance Corp. coverage restrictions are still alive, with some changes, the Florida Association of Insurance Agents government affairs director reported last week. Senate Bill 1716 and House Bill 1503 would allow surplus lines carriers to take out secondary homes from Citizens.

HB 1503, by Rep. Tiffany Esposito, R-Fort Myers, also would grant the state Office of Insurance Regulation the authority to allow some homes valued at more than $750,000 to be insured by Citizens, something now barred by law.

Condominium associations and their brokers are hoping one of those bills will also end the current statute that bars Citizens from covering condominium buildings that allow short-term rentals for a large percentage of units. Brokers have said that many condos in Florida can no longer find affordable insurance coverage, and that insurers have cut back drastically on coverage limits. Citizens may be the only option for hundreds of condo associations, advocates have said.

The bills have each survived one committee and are now pending in a second.

SB 1104 and HB 1149 would bar the cancellation or nonrenewal of policies on storm-damaged residences for at least 90 days after repairs are made, with exceptions for fraud and misrepresentation by insureds. Those measures also are pending in committee.

Also, two bills that could limit liability for alleged water pollution are advancing. HB 579 and SB 738 would make it more difficult for personal injury damages under the Florida Water Quality Assurance Act, the Tampa Bay Times and other news outlets reported. The bills, which would limit awards to economic, not personal damages, have passed committees and are set to be heard on the chamber floors.

Two more measures, SB 1252 and HB 347, would bar lawsuits against companies that sell pesticides unless the firms are involved in manufacturing the substance. The Senate bill has passed one committee and the House measure is headed to the chamber floor.

The Citizens 2.0 bill, as it has been called, is House Bill 1213, introduced by Rep. Hillary Cassel, Rep. Spencer Roach and others. It would have made Citizens the wind insurer for most properties in the state, leaving the primary market to cover other perils. It did not receive a vote in committee.

Photo: Florida House Speaker Paul Renner and Senate President Kathleen Passidomo. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File)

Topics Florida
Concerns and controversy have continued to mount over the presence of toxic chemicals, including cancer-linked polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, found in a building at North Carolina State University.

The Raleigh News & Observer, Forbes magazine and other news outlets have reported that faculty and staff have raised questions about information provided by the university after Poe Hall was temporarily closed in November. And at least one law firm has said it is investigating the matter ahead of possible lawsuits.

A Raleigh television news station also has reported that dozens of people who had spent time in the 53-year-old Education Department building have been diagnosed with cancers, including breast cancer.

Last week, questions flared again after reports that NC State had asked the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to halt a health hazard evaluation for the building. University officials have since said they only asked the CDC to pause the review while the school conducted its own investigations, news outlets noted.

Alarm bells sounded last fall while the building was under renovation. Testing found PCBs, a chemical compound once widely used in transformers but has been linked to cancer and was banned in the 1970s. Other testing continues, but in a recent letter to the community, NC State Chancellor Randy Woodson said that one evaluation by a testing firm found levels of toxins to be below federally recommended levels.

University officials have established a website to provide information about the situation.

Topics Education North Carolina Universities
Two aviation experts who reviewed newly released photos and video of last weeks helicopter crash that killed a prominent Nigerian banker and five others said the flight likely should have been canceled because of poor nighttime weather conditions in Southern Californias Mojave Desert.

The National Transportation Safety Board released photos and video of the mangled wreckage this week as its investigators continue to look into what caused the crash. The agencys preliminary investigation report will be released in the coming weeks.

Weather reports from the time show a mix of rain and snow, and the aircraft flew over a remote area of the desert that likely would have had few lights for the pilot to navigate by, other than cars headlights and taillights along the interstate.

If I were in charge, I certainly would have said No, thank you,' aviation safety consultant and retired Marine Corps Col. Pete Field told The Associated Press.

Herbert Wigwe, chief executive of Access Bank, and his wife and 29-year-old son were among those aboard the helicopter when it crashed shortly after 10 p.m. near Interstate 15. Bamofin Abimbola Ogunbanjo, former chair of the Nigerian stock exchange, was also killed. Their deaths shocked many in Nigeria and in the banking sector.

Officials said the pilots  Benjamin Pettingill, 25, and Blake Hansen, 22  also died in the crash. A member of Hansens family said they were grieving Wednesday and declined to comment.

The helicopter left Palm Springs Airport around 8:45 p.m. on Friday and was traveling to Boulder City, Nevada, Graham said. Boulder City is about 26 miles (40 kilometers) southeast of Las Vegas, where the Kansas City Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl 58 on Sunday. Wigwes destination after the plane landed has not been confirmed.

The charter company, Orbic Air LLC, declined to comment Wednesday.

Flight-tracking data shows the helicopter was following the interstate until it made a slight right turn, turning south of the roadway, according to the NTSB. The data then shows a gradual descent and increasing ground speed.

The wreckage site, with a debris field about 100 yards (91.44 meters) long, shows that helicopter hit the ground with its nose low at a right-bank angle, the NTSB said. Witnesses reported a fire on the helicopter, as well as downed power lines, the NTSB said.

Clipping the power lines, which may have been hard for the pilot to see in the dark, could have caused the crash, said Al Diehl, a former NTSB investigator.

In a matter of seconds, you can get disoriented, he said.

Authorities have said there was a pilot and a safety pilot, but not who was serving in which role. Both were licensed as commercial helicopter pilots as well as flight instructors. The Airbus EC-130 only has controls for a single pilot.

The crash came just three days after a U.S. Marine Corps helicopter went down in the mountains outside San Diego during historic downpours, killing five Marines.

Its been a couple of terrible weeks for helicopters in Southern California, Diehl said.

Copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics California
February 20, 2024 (Investorideas.com Newswire) A total of 3,348 deals (comprising mergers & acquisitions (M&A), private equity, and venture financing deals) were announced globally during January 2024, which was a decline of 34.1% compared to the announcement of 5,083 deals during January 2023, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

An analysis of GlobalData's Deals Database reveals that all the deal types under coverage saw a decline in volume during January 2024 compared to the same period during the previous year.

The number of M&A deals fell by 29.2% in January 2024 compared to January 2023, while private equity and venture financing deal volumes were down by 45% and 40.6%, respectively.

Aurojyoti Bose, Lead Analyst at GlobalData, comments: "Following the 2023 trend of declining deals activity, subdued deal-making sentiments also continued to prevail in 2024, with the first month of the year seeing a decline. In fact, all the regions and several key markets globally experienced a fall in deals volume."

North America witnessed a decline in deal volume by 38.4% in January 2024 compared to January 2023. Similarly, Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and Africa, and South and Central America recorded year-on-year declines of 35.8%, 23.8%, 33%, and 52% in January 2024, respectively.

Meanwhile, the US and China, which are the top two markets in terms of deal volume, registered a decline in the number of deals by 38.8% and 20.9% in January 2024 compared to January 2023, respectively.

Other key markets such as the UK, India, Canada, Japan, Germany, South Korea, Australia and France saw respective deal volume falling by 27.7%, 33.9%, 33.8%, 25.5%, 40.8%, 16.7%, 6.8%, and 55.9% in January 2024 compared to the same period during the previous year.

Notes to Editors

Quotes are provided by Aurojyoti Bose, Lead Analyst at GlobalData

The information is based on GlobalData's 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 GlobalData's team of industry experts.

About GlobalData

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A corporate compliance agency said most professionals are overwhelmingly in favour of new laws that give the Central Bank more sanction powers, but warned that they could financially cripple some workers.

Some professionals believe that the Central Bank will be allowed to fine individuals up to 1m for rule breaking through the changes introduced by the Individual Accountability Framework Act last year, a survey completed by the Compliance Institute showed.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 20. In the last two decades, healthcare in Azerbaijan has undergone a dynamic trajectory of advancement, a member of the Azerbaijani Milli Majlis (Parliament) Mushfig Mammadli told Trend.

He stressed that President Ilham Aliyev has established a successful state model over the course of 20 years.

"The healthcare sector in the country has followed a dynamic trajectory of development. Throughout the republic, hospitals have been constructed in line with contemporary global standards, and a significant number of medical facilities have undergone repair and reconstruction. Ongoing healthcare reforms include the initiation of compulsory health insurance, aligning with modern international practices. This serves as a guarantee that Azerbaijan is progressing towards the model of a social welfare state. The continuous enhancement of medical personnel, elevating their training to a high standard, and improving their welfare are commendable efforts. It's noteworthy that this year's healthcare budget, totaling around 4 billion manat ($2.35 billion), marks a record for the entire period of independence," he noted.

The parliamentarian also highlighted the subsequent phase, aiming to elevate Azerbaijan to the standards of the world's most developed countries, transforming it into a social welfare state with a new national vision.

"Simultaneously, ongoing efforts in landscaping and reconstruction persist in the territories recently liberated from Armenian occupation. A crucial objective in the upcoming years is facilitating the return of our compatriots to their ancestral lands and ensuring employment opportunities for them. Additionally, the development of the non-oil sector on these fertile lands, coupled with the construction of essential infrastructure, stands out as a paramount undertaking. This period is pivotal for implementing comprehensive measures to bolster the country's economy, with a particular emphasis on enhancing the non-oil sector and fostering increased profitability," Mammadli added.

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Ireland's southern region recorded the highest GDP per capita in the European Union (EU) in 2022, helped in large part by the presence of major multinationals domiciled in the region.

New figures from the EU's statistics agency, Eurostat found that regional GDP per capita, expressed in terms of purchasing power standards for Southern Ireland was 286% in 2022, followed by Luxembourg at 257% and Eastern and Midland Ireland at 247%.

Regions in Czechia and Belgium also topped the list, with the statistics agency adding that the figures could be partly explained by the high inflow of commuting workers in the regions, as well as in Luxembourg.

For Ireland, however, Eurostat noted that figures were influenced by the large presence of multinationals, bringing the credibility of Irish GDP figures into question once again.

In total, real GDP increased in 231 out of 242 EU regions, with the Algarve in Portugal seeing the largest growth at 17%. Another Portuguese region, Madeira, came in second, posting a GDP growth rate of 14.2%, followed by Southern Ireland at 13.5%.

While it works well for other European countries, a myriad of Irish-specific factors make GDP a weak indicator of domestic economic activity. This is in large part driven by more than 1,500 multinationals which have established a base in Ireland due to its low corporation tax and access to European markets.

While GDP encompasses the activity of these large international firms, they bring with them massive amounts of intellectual property assets and profits that will eventually be repatriated.

For the South of Ireland, its regional GDP has been significantly distorted by the highly volatile pharmaceutical sector, which includes giants such Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, Thermo Fisher, Abbvie and Eli Lilly.

Cork is also the European headquarters of tech giant, Apple, whose large portfolio of intellectual property assets has historically had a distorting impact on Irish GDP.

In the same year that Southern Ireland topped the EU's GDP list, Irish exports posted a record 202bn in the year, 40% of which came from the pharma sector. However, 2023 saw a sharp decline in exports of pharma and medical equipment, which still lag far behind their earlier stellar performance in 2022.

GDP figures have continued to cause problems in the last two years, with Finance Minister, Michael McGrath acknowledging these issues and noting that multinational production "can be extremely volatile on a quarterly basis with large swings a pattern of recent years."

"Indeed, given the outsized role the multinational sector plays in our economy, GDP is clearly not a useful measure of the living standards of domestic residents," he continued.

For a more accurate explanation of what is to come in 2024, the European Commission said last week that the Irish economy will continue to grow this year, helped by a resilient labour market, decelerating inflation, and rising real incomes into 2025.

As long as the risks from war and inflation do not worsen, the outlook for Irish exports will also, in time, brighten, the commission said.
A notorious cybercrime gang has been hit after a British and US-led police operation took control of the networks extortion website.

Lockbit, which launched a cyber attack on Britains Royal Mail last January, has previously been blamed for at least two attacks on the island of Ireland.

In February 2023, the Norths biggest construction company Lagan Specialist Contracting Group (SCG) was targeted by the ransomware group.

The company, which said it was able to trade normally, has two offices in Dublin and an office in Cork and in Limerick, as well as branches throughout Britain, the US and the Middle East.

Also in February 2023, Lockbit conducted a ransomware attack on Dublin-based software firm ION group.

On Monday night, cyber security companies revealed posts on the Lockbit website, which said: This site is now under the control of the National Crime Agency of the UK, working in close cooperation with the FBI and the international law enforcement task force, Operation Cronos.

In all, 11 countries were involved in the operation, along with the EU police agency, Europol.

Lockbit and what are called its affiliates have hit some of the biggest organisations in recent months.

The gang steals sensitive data and threatens to leak it if the targets dont pay a ransom.

Affiliates are other criminal gangs that use Lockbits software and pay them a percentage of the ransom.

Irish cyber expert Briain O hEoghanain told the Irish Examiner: This is a good day and highlights how well police forces around the world are operating closer together to target those behind these crimes.

He said Lockbit has hit Irish companies and that there was no doubt they had targeted firms other than those that were known about.

He said they were one of the more prolific gangs, in many cases targeting smaller businesses, of fewer than 200 employees.

Mr O hEoghanain said their reasoning was that these companies may not have security as strong as larger companies and might be more willing to pay a ransom.

That is not to say they were restricting themselves to small firms," he said. "Lockbit were also responsible for the ransomware attack against the Post Office in the UK, and Accenture was another of their victims.

He pointed out that Lockbit operated an affiliate service  that is, anyone could "white-label" their service and attack victims, with Lockbit collecting a percentage of whatever the affiliate got in their ransom demands.

So Lockbit attacked victims directly and also via their affiliate network, he said.

US government cyber authorities estimated in June 2023 that one in every six ransomware attacks that targeted US government offices in 2022 was traced back to Lockbit actors.
Siptu has called for the establishment of a dedicated policing unit to tackle abuse and anti-social behaviour on public transport, a problem which it says has worsened over the last 12 months.

A survey 615 of the union's members found that 80% felt abuse and anti-social behaviour had impacted their work, with the majority of of these individuals saying the problem had deteriorated over the past year.

More than half of the respondents to the survey stated that they had experienced anti-social behaviour, verbal abuse, and in some instances, physical abuse, either on a daily or weekly basis.

Launching a campaign calling for respect for public transport workers, Siptu said it wants to see the establishment National Transport Advisory Council, which should include unions, public transport operators, private transport operators, disability groups, and other parties with an interest in the sector.

Divisional organiser with Siptu, Adrian Kane, said incidents of anti-social behaviour on public transport had become "all too common".

He also said the issue was having a negative impact on the recruitment of staff across the sector.

"Something has happened since the pandemic, things have got worse," he said.

"And I also think that in relation to the riot in [in Dublin] November that there is an increase in the intensity of it as well."

Mr Kane said that, despite it being promised 10 years ago, a National Transport Advisory Council had not been set up.

"We have consistently looked for increased policing and we get bogged down into this situation where the Government says we're not going to have a specific transport Police," he said.

He told Morning Ireland that most of the survey's respondents wanted to see specific policing of public transport.

"We need to sit down and we need to resolve this.

"There are very few workers that have to put up with the sort of stuff that our members do on a day-to-day basis and if the state can't fix it, you get into bigger problems, and the state has to be seen to be efficient," he said.

"It's a responsibility for the employer, but it's a responsibility for the gardai as well."

Speaking this morning, Labour transport spokesperson Duncan Smith said he had written to the Oireachtas Transport Committee to discuss the findings of Siptu's survey.

He said that Dublin and the rest of the country simply "would not move without these workers, so it is deeply concerning to learn of the depth and breadth of abuse, mistreatment and harassment that transport workers face".

It seems that violence and anti-social behaviour is now a daily part of the job," he said.

"The most outrageous example of this was during the Dublin riots last November. Despite this, Government have failed to step up and be on the side of our transport workers. "

Mr Smith said best practice in other countries should be examined to decide how best public transport workers' rights might be safeguarded.

There has never been a more important time to focus on and defend our transport workers. These people are the future of our economy as we all attempt to become more conscious in terms of our carbon footprint," Mr Smith said.

As our capital and country expands, we will need to see more transport workers hired at scale. To encourage more people into a career in transport, the bare minimum must be that workplaces are safe and secure.
Just under a quarter of a million households in Ireland are in arrears on their electricity bills, while 1,385 were disconnected for non-payment last year  despite Government energy credits and falling rates.

More than one in five gas customers are in arrears, rising by more than 10% last year.

The full-year figures on electricity and gas arrears from energy regulator, the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU), displays a pattern where there are fewer numbers of customers in arrears during the winter months into spring while the Governments energy credits were still in effect before rising significantly once they come to an end.

In January 2023, there were 183,506 electricity customers in arrears. This began to rise significantly from May, reaching a high of 278,403 households in November.

However, this figure then dropped to 243,644 households in December, the same month that the first of the Governments three 150 payments announced in Budget 2024 came into effect.

During the energy crisis, the number of households in arrears on their electricity bills peaked in the first quarter of 2022 at 283,125.

Since then, it has regularly fluctuated but has not fallen below 200,000 at the end of any quarter.

In terms of gas customers, the number of households in arrears rose significantly in 2023 compared to previous years, ending at 153,161.

Darragh Cassidy, head of communications at Bonkers.ie, said the gas figures are a bit concerning still.

Although there was a drop of almost 7,000 over the quarter, 22% of households, or over 153,000, are still in arrears, which is significantly above the 15% to 16% level that was normal before the energy crisis kicked off, he said.

The lack of a gas credit is likely the main reason for this.

Looking forward, all the major suppliers recently announced a second round of price cuts, which are coming into effect over the next few weeks and this should alleviate the pressure on households.

"A third round of cuts of another 10% to 20% is very likely before the end of the year.

St Vincent de Paul said the numbers in arrears have been an ongoing concern and the figures very much mirror the situation on the ground.

While recent price cuts have been welcome, bills for households across the country are still very high.

First and foremost, we need to see suppliers continue to pass on reductions in wholesale gas to customers so that people can more easily afford ongoing usage while addressing their arrears, the charity's head of social justice Dr Tricia Keilthy said.

We also want to see the introduction of processes to ensure the affordability of payment plans for those in arrears.

"This should be done in conjunction with debt relief or supplier hardship funds for customers in financial distress.

"For anyone worried about arrears, we encourage people to get in touch with their supplier, SVP, or MABS who can offer assistance."

Sinn Fein senator and climate justice spokesperson Lynn Boylan said the figures are deeply concerning and households are being left behind.

As energy companies are enjoying significant profits, the Government shouldnt continue to sit on its hands and should give the regulator the teeth that it requires to genuinely protect customers, she said.
It is one of Europes most expensive real estate business locations, however, Dublins Mount Street on the city's south side has also recently become an unofficial tent city for homeless asylum seekers.

Directly across the road from the offices of the International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) one apartment for sale has a guide price of 1,600,000.

While a prime office block nearby has a for sale tag of 37.5m

Therefore, it is understandable that passersby could be seen stopping to take a second look at the tents that have sprung up along the footpath just a few yards away.

There are up to 100 people from different countries living rough and due to a housing shortage, they have pitched tents in the alleyway leading up to the front door of the IPAS.

We feel safe enough here said, Sami Kupiszewski from Turkey who arrived in Ireland three years ago and has no accommodation.

It doesnt stop people throwing abuse but still if you are near these offices, its a bit safer.

The line of tents has grown so fast in the past few weeks that it now stretches down around the corner onto Grattan Court East.

Outside their tents, the occupants have written messages in chalk saying, This is my front door, please do not open.

Sami kupiszewski, originally from Turkey, who has spent 3 years in Ireland at the international protection office in Dublin's City centre Picture: Gareth Chaney

Banners have also been erected which say Stop normalising institutional racism. And, We are human.

Latest figures from the Department of Integration updated on Tuesday, show there are now 970 asylum seekers here without accommodation.

The tents on Mount Street are all full of single males, who are seeking asylum in Ireland.

Some are washing outside their front door onto the street, while others are sitting outside on makeshift chairs.

One volunteer Ailbhe who doesnt wish to give her surname, said she felt compelled to get involved with a group of others, to support the men.

There is no dignity for them she told the Irish Examiner. We are providing sleeping bags, clothes, shoes and hot meals, me and a few others. We are trying to advocate on their behalf.

We have been checking in on them and there are at least 100 people there. The conditions are appalling, and one man put it into perspective when he said, at least Im not being chased down the road by someone with a machete."

In the offices overhead, workers could be seen coming to the windows and taking photos.

Sami Kupiszewski highlighted his issues by holding a small protest with others at the Dail on Tuesday.

Nobody cares about us" he said. "We are tired of it. People are angry. This is no way to live".

Pointing to the line of tents on the street, he said: This is just the tip of the iceberg. It is an injustice."
A man charged with the murder of Michael Foley in Macroom will return before court on March 19 after a further remand in custody.

Daniel Hourigan, with an address at Cork Simon, appeared via video link from Cork Prison before Clonakilty District Court on Tuesday.
Spanish police intervened and met with a West Clare man after being alerted he said online he had a sexual interest in young girls and was going to "try" a 10-year old girl while on holiday in Spain, a court has heard.

In May 2018, Spanish police also seized a mobile phone belonging to "family man" and college graduate Liam Kelly, 45, of Clonadrum, Mullagh, and an analysis of the phone detected a small number of child sexual abuse images.

Arising from the subsequent Garda investigation, Mr Kelly has now pleaded guilty at Ennis Circuit Court to the possession of three child pornography still images and one video at his West Clare home in May 2018.

Sergeant Claire Haugh of Ennis Garda Station told the court that at interview, Mr Kelly had denied viewing the images he had received online from a British national.

She said the images included individual naked girls, aged two to three, aged from three to four and aged five. Sgt Haugh said a video showed a nine- to 10-year-old girl "removing her underwear in a provocative manner.

Sgt Haugh said Mr Kelly had said in a 2018 online chat he was sexually interested in girls aged from eight to 13.

Laptop analysis

An analysis of a laptop showed Mr Kelly was "involved in various chat-rooms that were indicative of a sexual interest in children.

Sgt Haugh said Mr Kelly told gardai that he was on such platforms with a view to outing paedophiles.

She said gardai rejected this, as an analysis of the laptop seized showed Mr Kelly expressing a sexual interest in young children.

Counsel for the State, Lorcan Connolly BL, instructed by State Solicitor, Aisling Casey, said there were references to "paedo" or "ped" in the online chats.

Judge Francis Comerford described engagement with child pornography as evil and described Mr Kellys excuse he was trying to entrap predatory paedophiles as "fairly implausible" and "nonsense".

In evidence, Sgt Haugh said South Wales police initially discovered the online chat in May 2018 between Mr Kelly and another man that resulted in the Spanish police intervention.

She said Mr Kelly told the user he was going to Spain the following day and referred to a 10-year-old child, and said: "I am going to try her."

Sgt Haugh said "in the context of earlier exchanges it was entirely reasonable to assume that Mr Kelly was intent on engaging in sexual activity with this child.

The sergeant said South Wales police informed the gardai through Interpol and the gardai in turn contacted their Spanish counterparts, who met with Mr Kelly at his hotel on May 23, 2018.

Judge Comerford said: "There is no evidence that the child in Spain on holidays was put at risk, but talking in those terms is revolting.

Sgt Haugh said the online chat between Mr Kelly and the man from the UK comprised 153 messages discussing sexual activity with young girls.

Search warrant

She said while Mr Kelly was in Spain, Detective Garda John Casey of Ennis Garda Station secured a search warrant in court to search Mr Kellys home at Mullagh.

Counsel for the State Mr Connolly said an analysis of a laptop at the home did not yield any child sexual abuse images "but showed the user involved in various chatrooms that were indicative of a sexual interest in children.

Mr Connolly said in one online chat, there was evidence of 32 users online simultaneously and Mr Kelly had different private chats with people with various handles with a sexual interest in children.

Sgt Haugh agreed with Mr Connolly that the private chats Mr Kelly had were indicative of sharing thoughts and views and encouraging an interest in paedophilia.

Counsel for Mr Kelly, Bernard Madden SC, instructed by solicitor John Casey, described his client as a family man and there was no evidence of financial gain out of this and no history of violence.

Mr Madden said since the images were discovered six years ago, Mr Kelly had not come to Garda attention.

Mr Madden asked that Mr Kelly be further remanded on bail to allow him receive therapeutic treatment.

Judge Comerford acceded to the application "with no promises and warned if Mr Kelly did not avail of treatment he will be going to jail. It is as simple as that.

The judge noted Mr Kelly had shown no remorse "and his wife wanted him to engage with a clinical psychologist but he didnt want to do that.

The judge lifted reporting restrictions in the case and Mr Madden expressed concern for the impact on Mr Kellys children that publication of his name would have.

Judge Comerford said identification was part of the deterrent effect against such offences.

"I appreciate it is very difficult for the children of the accused. It isnt good at all. But there is no basis for reporting restrictions. It is a particularly heinous crime."

Judge Comerford remanded Mr Kelly on continuing bail and the case will be mentioned again on March 8 at Ennis Circuit Court.
A retired solicitor mixing Christmas puddings at her home on an afternoon in December told a judge and jury a neighbour arrived to accuse her of stealing his mothers post and then punched her in the face and kicked her while she was on the ground.

I really thought he was going to kill me, Mary OBrien Daly testified at Cork Circuit Criminal Court where the accused man, Hugh OBrien of Ballyanly, Inniscarra, Co Cork, denied the charge of assault causing harm. His barrister, Brian Leahy, described it as a case of mistaken identity.

The complainant said the man who called to her home at around 3.30pm on December 8, 3021, and assaulted her was Hugh OBrien.

This man has been living beside me for 34 years He is a very distinctive looking individual.

Mrs OBrien Daly said the defendants mothers name was Mary OBrien and a few times over the years her post had gone to the OBrien Daly house. When it occurred, the witness said she redirected it and put it back in the post.

Mrs OBrien Daly told the court that on December 8, 2021, Hugh OBrien called to her home with an envelope in his hand and accused her of stealing his mothers post for the last 25 years.

She said he referred to another neighbour and said: You are in cahoots with that bollocks next door.

The witness said: He made a drive towards me, he closed his fist, he caught me under the eye and knocked out a contact lens. He was saying  it was almost like a mantra  You are making my life hell.

"He struck me on the shoulder and knocked me to the ground. I began pleading: Please dont kick me in the hip. I have a bad hip.

He bent down over me and caught me by the shoulders and yanked me to my feet. He had his face in on top of my face. I could feel his breath on my face. He was repeating: 'You are in cahoots with that bollocks next door. And me, a 50-year-old virgin."

"He kind of pushed me backwards. I got my hand on the gate and I just ran.

She phoned her husband, her neighbours and the gardai and attended her doctor for facial and other injuries and photographs of these were shown to the jury of eight men and four women.

Brian Leahy, barrister for the defence, said the accused did not have two dogs at the time. Ms OBrien Daly said he had two dogs with him that day.

Hugh OBrien, who is now 52, gave evidence, examined by Mr Leahy and cross-examined by prosecution barrister Katherine McGillycuddy.

Mr OBrien said: I assaulted nobody I said nothing that was said in court. I said nothing to anyone.

Asked about taking notes in the witness box while being questioned, he said: If you are accused of something in the wrong I think it would be stupid of anyone to come into a David and Goliath situation of the DPP and the guards  who are very selective about who they prosecute and who they dont  I think I would be stupid to take down nothing in this David v Goliath situation.

Shown photographs of the injured party by Detective Garda Mick Dolan, who investigated the case, Mr OBrien was asked if he accepted they showed she was injured, he said: These photos were put in my face in February 2024 and I am accepting nothing about someone I dont even know. I am accepting nothing. It has nothing to do with me. End of story.

Later he said: I didnt assault no one and cause injuries to no one I never met this person who you say knows me, until this person came to court and made accusations against me. Never met the person. Never in my life. Dont know her. End of story.

The trial continues.
Transport authorities have been asked to fund a major traffic survey in a gridlocked North Cork town which local councillors maintain can only be effectively addressed by constructing another bridge.

Cork County Council is to apply for funding from Transport Infrastructure Ireland to carry out the study in Fermoy. According to councillors, it can now take up to 35 minutes to cross Thomas Kent bridge in Fermoy during peak times.

They say a golden opportunity was missed to solve the towns traffic jams when An Bord Pleanala refused a junction connection to the motorway (M8) with the N72  the main Rosslare to Killarney road.

Fine Gael councillor Noel McCarthy said the situation in Fermoy was at a critical crossroads because more businesses have been already given planning permission to locate there, further ones are expressing interest, but gridlock will only get worse if a solution is not found.

He said existing businesses have already expressed concern about increasing traffic jams and his party colleague, Kay Dawson, added that if a town gets a reputation for being bottlenecked, people will avoid the area and thus not come shopping there, which will hurt the towns economy.

A journey [across the bridge] which should take five to 10 minutes is now taking 35 minutes, Mr McCarthy said.

He acknowledged there was another bridge crossing the River Blackwater on the M8, but added locals would be penalised with a 2.30 toll each way if they used it to avoid the town centre.

In addition, he said since toll charges increased, it had resulted in more traffic coming into the town centre to avoid the payment.

Businesspeople are asking what we're doing about finding a solution, Mr McCarthy said.

Fianna Fail councillor Willie OLeary said it was 25 years since the last traffic survey was carried out in Fermoy and it was clear another one was needed, while fellow Fianna Fail councillor Deirdre OBrien maintained gridlock in Fermoy town centre was now back at pre-motorway opening levels.

Mayor of County Cork, Fianna Fail councillor Frank OFlynn said the most realistic thing to do first was carry out a traffic management plan, as the construction of another bridge would take many years.

He said it was a major mistake by Bord Pleanala to refuse the M8 connection with the N72.

Niall Healy, the councils director of roads, agreed traffic passing through the town had increased and said he would talk to TII about carrying out a traffic management plan.

Mr Healy said he would pitch a good case for funding that with TII as the towns attractiveness for tourists and shoppers would increase with the arrival of new shops, such as Tesco, and the planned opening of a greenway which will run through it from Mallow to Dungarvan, Co Waterford.
Met Eireann has issued a status yellow weather warning for Cork and Kerry, with heavy rain expected overnight.

The warning comes into effect at 10pm on Tuesday and will remain in place until 8am on Wednesday.

During this time, the forecaster is warning there will be "heavy rain at higher elevations in Kerry and West Cork".

While Tuesday is predicted to be mostly dry during the day, tonight will see rain spread from the southwest and become heavy at times. Temperatures tonight will range from 2C to 7C.

The rain will continue into Wednesday morning before ultimately clearing eastwards. Thereafter, Met Eireann says "bright or sunny spells and scattered showers will follow".

Temperatures on Wednesday will range between 10C and 13C, but will fall somewhat as rain begins to clear.

Wednesday night will also be quite wet, and there is a risk of heavy and thundery downpours as rain spreads from the west of the country.

Polar maritime air

As rain gradually clears, and colder polar maritime air extends in from the North Atlantic, temperatures will fall significantly, leading to hail, sleet and possibly even some snowfall on higher ground. Temperatures on Wednesday night will be in the low single digits  1C to 4C.

Met Eireann says Thursday will be cold and bright, with sunshine, showers, and the possibility of hail and thunder. Showers will be most frequent in the west. Temperatures will remain quite low, meaning some showers will fall as sleet or even snow on higher ground. Temperatures on Thursday will range from 5C to 9C in moderate to fresh southwest to west winds.

Thursday night will also be quite cold, with wintry conditions expected over higher ground. However, it will be somewhat drier. The forecaster said temperatures on Thursday night may fall below freezing, leading to frost and ice.

Friday will be quite similar to Thursday, with the combination of low single-digit temperatures and showers again giving rise to the chance of sleet or snow, particularly along the west coast. There is also a risk of some thundery downpours in the west, Met Eireann says. Temperatures on Thursday will range from 5C to 8C in moderate to fresh and gusty westerly winds.

Temperatures will fall once more on Friday night, with lows of -2C predicted in the midlands and east. Rainfall on Friday night will be mostly confined to the west and north of the country.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 19. I am glad that the extraordinary summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) will be held in July in Shusha, the cultural capital of the Turkic world, Turkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said during a joint press statement with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Trend reports.

"We are dedicated to continuing the efforts to enhance the institutionalization and fortification of our unity within the Organization of Turkic States - our family. I would like to express my special satisfaction with the extraordinary Summit of our organization to be held in July this year in Shusha, the cultural capital of the Turkic world.

In the upcoming period, we will persist in our journey alongside Azerbaijan, guided by the bond of brotherhood and the principles outlined in the Shusha Declaration," the Turkish president said.

The Shusha Declaration, formally known as the Shusha Declaration on allied relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Turkiye, was signed on June 15, 2021, solidifying the allied relations between Azerbaijan and Turkiye.

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Oh God. This is the thing Im most afraid of. Im going to have to disagree with Terry Prone, of all people. And Ive already had a tough couple of weeks. You dont know this I hope, but Im now established on social media as a mansplainer and a spreader of lies and disinformation. And all because of my support, here and on the radio, for removing misogynistic, outdated and offensive language about women from the constitution.

To make matters worse, its been women who are having a go at me. They dont seem to be a very large group of women, but my goodness theyre tight-knit and speak with one voice. The minute any of them calls me dim-witted or confused on X (Twitter), 90 more chime in immediately. Getting hit on the head 90 times stings more than getting hit on the head once, I can tell you.

Despite being on the receiving end, Ive come to admire their commitment. Theyre a group of women Id be thrilled to be fighting alongside in their cause. I just cant figure out what the cause is. I know thats me being mansplaining and stupid, but I cant get my head around the fact that there really are still women who believe that our Constitution should still be warning women against the neglect of their duties in the home.

As if things werent bad enough, theyre now sending me no leaflets (online) written by Michael McDowell. Because Im so thick, I have to be persuaded to change my mind by a man who has never advocated in his life for even the tiniest increment of additional equality, a man who has consistently argued that social and economic rights, under any guise, have no place in our Constitution. I hope its not considered mansplaining to politely suggest that anyone who reaches for the balm of Michael McDowells blandishments is unlikely to qualify as a radical feminist.

RTE controversy

But now, as if I wasnt in enough trouble, I think Im about to run foul of Terry Prone.

In this esteemed paper she said this: If RTE was worth a damn, goes this theory, theyd open the faucet, clear the drain, drench all of us in data and then we could all move on. Unfortunately, this theory, frequently articulated by politicians and almost as frequently articulated by commentators, is pure drivel.

"It is based on the fallacious assumption that an organisation like RTE can at any moment get together all information about  say  who got an exit package, and vomit the findings forth in an attack of transparency. Lovely assumption. Pity about the reality.

Sorry Terry, but I dont believe its a fallacious assumption. The senior people in RTE pretty well know everything now. It might have taken a lot of unravelling, but they and their advisers have all the facts at their fingertips.

They know how things were done, who got what, who approved what, who walked away, and how. They may still be grappling with what can be said publicly for all sort of contractual reasons, but thats a different issue.

Terry makes the point at the end of her piece that reproving political statements demanding an end to the drip-drip of data are at best naive, at worst idiotic. Shit happens. And organisational shit happens in instalments. Always.

Shes right. But shes not right enough. Forgive me, dear Editor, it was Terry who introduced the word shit into the discussion. Unless theyre caused by natural disasters or Acts Of God, organisational shit happens in two circumstances. When there is no-one in charge, or when the people in charge dont give a shit.

On that basis, we know all we need to know. Our curiosity over who got what might be human nature, but it really serves no public interest unless a law was broken.

What really matters  the only thing that matters  is that we now know that a significant state company, a company set up more than most to protect the public interest, was run for a number of years by a group of people who either didnt know, or didnt care about the first thing about governance.

It's a buzzword, governance. There are places  and RTE seems like it became one of them  where it has ceased to have meaning. But governance is actually a set of rules to enable companies, large and small, to be trusted. The rules set out how boards should behave, how managers should behave, how money should be spent and accounted for. Good governance requires you, if youre running a company, to be open about whats going on.

There is an overall code of governance for all state bodies, and each state body has its own based on that. It sets out some pretty clear and simple instructions. The Board is collectively responsible for leading and directing the State bodys activities  The Board should fulfill key functions, including:  setting performance objectives  and overseeing major capital expenditure and investment decisions  The Board should act on a fully informed and ethical basis  The Board is responsible for holding the CEO and senior management to account for the effective performance of their responsibilities.

By the time you read this, government ministers will have called in the CEO and the Board Chair of RTE to impress on them (again) the need for transparency. This is where I agree with Terry. Theyre just looking for more drip-drip, to appease who or what I dont know. It will go on forever if they allow it to.

Now, I have to tell you that I have a lot of sympathy with the Board of RTE at a personal level. I dont know any of them, but Im pretty sure none of them meant this to happen.

But what happened on their watch was a complete breakdown of trust, and I dont see how anyone could argue that they are the ones to rebuild it.

The minister needs to advise RTE that a full reset is needed. The Board needs to stand down in its entirety and be replaced by a new one. The new Board should not include the Director General  no DG should be a member of the Board. The DG should be instructed to publish immediately the basis of calculation for anyone who got an exit package from RTE that was over and above normal retirement or redundancy terms. He should be instructed to publish a detailed chart of the current management structure, showing all reporting lines fully.

He should be instructed to prepare and publish a new Charter for RTE Governance, to be hung on the wall of every office in the company and to be prominently displayed on the companys website.

These are only the first steps. They may need to be copper fastened by changes in the law. But the first steps towards fundamental reform are better than drip-drip. Whats happening now is, every day, eroding the ability of our national broadcaster  ours, nobody elses  to serve our urgent and pressing need for honest information and analysis, not to mention the occasional uplift in our spirits. Nows the time to start over.
As voters around the world proceed through the biggest election year in history, I find myself increasingly wondering: can democracy survive social media?

David Colon, a French historian who specialises in propaganda and mass manipulation, says that while propaganda itself is nothing new, what is new is the viral speed and global scale that social media has enabled, along with plummeting trust in filters (ie the institutional media).

There is a trifecta of things at work that are all probably going to get worse, and that all fuel each other.

First, and probably unsurprisingly to most, fake news.

The rise of AI has made the future of faked clips of politicians saying things they actually did not say (or of course, of the pope wearing things he did not wear) and deepfaked pornography targeting celebrities such as Taylor Swift, tangible.

But its going to be worse than that. The French game studio Drama recently released gameplay footage from its upcoming first-person shooter Unrecord that looks like actual bodycam footage.

Arriving at a coherent, shared understanding of conflicts that are actually happening is difficult enough. What will happen in an era  just around the corner  when, during global crises, people are bombarded with generated footage of attacks that have not happened and pushed to react in real time?

Conspiracy theories will run even more rampant; like those that have sprung up in the wake of Alexei Navalnys suspicious death, claiming that he was assassinated by Western intelligence agencies or even that he was a Kremlin plant.

A woman lays flowers paying respect to Alexei Navalny at the Memorial to Victims of Political Repression in St Petersburg, Russia, on Monday, February 19. Picture: AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky

Some will believe everything, including things that are false; others will disbelieve everything, including things that are true.

Second, the rise of newsfluencers fracturing our once-shared informational reality even further  sometimes without us even realising it.

For example, how many of the nearly 500,000 TikTok followers of Breakthrough News are aware that its one of half a dozen social media accounts connected to an American billionaire, Neville Roy Singham, whose alleged promotion of the interests of both the Kremlin and Beijing was painstakingly detailed in deep dives published by the New York Times and the Daily Beast.

Its not just a TikTok-specific problem: Russell Brands YouTube channel reaches 6.8m subscribers with his telltale just askin questions, man merging of information with spurious claims that leave viewers with a growing suspicion that its simultaneously impossible to know for sure, but that there is also a nebulous truth that they are hiding from you.

(Yes, nearly 7m people inexplicably consider Russell Brand a good source of geopolitical analysis.)

These trends are destructive enough on their own, but as Peter Pomerantsev details in his 2019 book This Is Not Propaganda, the third arrow aimed at the heart of democracy is that authoritarian regimes actively exploit and propel both in an omnipresent information war.

It often involves manipulation along the fine line of things that sound faintly plausible, but arent, such as the recent Kremlin-pushed disinformation alleging that French mercenaries had been killed in Ukraine.

In fact, last week, Frances digital counterintelligence agency, Viginum, identified a vast Russian propaganda network named Portal Kombat, which has been specifically targeting Western Europe.

Dismantling trust

For state actors such as Russia, China, and Iran, the point of these operations is less about convincing Western publics to believe anything in particular than it is about dismantling trust in everything.

So here we are, facing a world of gargantuan complexity, cognitively trained for on-demand immediacy, expected to have, and share, opinions on everything, and splintered into informational silos because the filter  at a time when it is needed most  can no longer operate effectively.

Legacy media is far from perfect, but when legacy platforms get something wrong, they issue retractions. Does anyone expect the same from Russell Brand?

We are not even in the middle of this murky forest yet; what are we to do?

The authoritarian states have a solution: tight control over isolated internet spaces. But for liberal democracies, Chinas model would amount to destroying the village in order to save the village.

The rise of AI has made deepfaked pornography targeting celebrities such as Taylor Swift tangible. Picture: AP Photo/Toru Hanai

And besides, Western publics are too attuned to censorship; any approach that relies on control is likely to backfire.

What about leaving social media entirely?

Frustration with X (formerly known as Twitter) drove me to leave months ago, but when I mentioned this to David Colon he paused, looked straight at me, and said: You shouldnt have.

On a personal quality-of-life level, I cant say I regret the decision, but perhaps it was a selfish one. Colons point was that by leaving, I had abandoned a broader social responsibility not to let disinformation win.

I have to admit, transparency and labelling seem insufficient given what we already face, and whats coming.

To paraphrase the Italian thinker Antonio Gramsci, there are many reasons to give in to the pessimism of the intellect. In order not to, we will need an enormous effort to cultivate the optimism of the will.
The Sinaloa Cartel has become an almost romanticised entity thanks to the portrayal of Mexican cartels in the hit series Narcos.

For die-hard Irish fans of the programme, the realities of cartels seemed thousands of miles away in the fields of Mexico where heroin and cannabis cultivation were key in the emergence of the Sinaloa as a dominant force in the global drugs trade.

The cartel was once headed up by the renowned Joaquin Guzman, known as El Chapo, who managed to evade law enforcement for many years. However, in 2019, he was convicted of a number of criminal charges related to his leadership of the Sinaloa Cartel, and was sentenced to life imprisonment in the US.

The cartel continues to thrive, though, and the fields have turned into factories where synthetic drugs including fentanyl and crystal meth are produced, fuelling concerns across the world that the fentanyl-related deaths so prevalent in the US could one day hit countries such as Ireland.

It is against this backdrop that the transnational aspect of cartels like the Sinaloa group grabbed the attention of Ireland last Friday, with the discovery of 33.8m worth of crystal meth in the Port of Cork, en route from South America to Australia.

Premises in Cork and Kerry were searched and two people were arrested after the discovery of hundreds of kilos of crystal meth.

Although the drug itself was not meant for Irish markets, it is clear from searches across Kerry and Waterford and the arrests of two men in Kerry last Friday that the tentacles of cartels such as Sinaloa are not just stretching from your nearest streaming device  they are ensconced in unsuspecting communities across Munster.

This is not the first time that the Sinaloa cartel has been linked to Kerry. Last July, Killorglin was abuzz after it emerged that Morris OShea Salazar, a man who had spent several of his teenage years in Kerry, was named in a Chilean court as the leader of a cell of the cartel which was planning to ship Bolivian cocaine into Europe from Chile, through ports and airports.

OShea Salazar moved to Killorglin after the death of his Kerry-born father in a car accident in Mexico almost two decades ago. He attended a local secondary school before moving to Spain.

According to Chilean prosecutors, after a successful court application to have OShea Salazar extradited from Mexico to Chile as part of an investigation which was carried out in 2020, the cell operated in Europe and other areas of South America. OShea Salazar was stated as being in Spain at the time of the investigation and had been involved in organising the operation, the Chileans said.

His mother Yolanda Salazar Tarriba and uncle Ricardo Salazar Tarriba were taken into custody in Chile in 2021 as they tried to leave the country, having also been linked to the operation, after attempting to send 61kg of cocaine to Europe to prospective customers. Last November, the pair were sentenced for their role in the plot, with Ricardo given 23 years and Yolanda handed 18 years in prison.

Yolanda is the link between Kerry and the Sinaloa cartel, as she is a relative of El Chapos first wife, Maria Alejandrina Salazar, according to court documents.

Dublin referenced in cartel plans

A 299-page ruling issued in Chile last November said that Yolanda told how she had come to Europe after graduating in sociology in 1982. She first lived in Spain before moving to France where she met an Irishman with whom she had a 17-year relationship and with whom she had children, including Morris. She had said, according to the ruling, that she had settled in Ireland for a period from the early 2000s, where she did holistic therapies.

The ruling references her son almost 600 times, including noting that Dublin Port would be of interest as a destination site for Sinaloa cartel activities because of Morris being an Irish and Mexican citizen. Several infiltrated encrypted phone messages between Morris and other gang members noted references to Dublin in plans by the cartel to target ports in Europe. Others mentioned included Rotterdam, Antwerp, Valencia, and Liverpool.

The encrypted messages included references too to Sinaloa cartel leaders. Today, as El Chapo languishes in prison, the infamous cartel is made up of splinter groupings, including one faction known as Los Chapitos which is headed by El Chapos sons  two of whom are related to Morris OShea Salazar through their mother.

Last April, indictments against 25 members of the cartel were announced by the US Justice Department  including three of El Chapos sons: Ovidio Guzman Lopez, Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar and Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar. Chinese and Guatemalan citizens accused of supplying precursor chemicals required to make fentanyl were also charged in the operation.

Such is the influence of the cartel on the US synthetic drug market that the US Justice Department announced rewards of up to $10m (9.25m) for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Ivan Guzman Salazar, Alfredo Guzman Salazar, and Ovidio Guzman Lopez, and up to $5m for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of a fourth brother, Joaquin Guzman Lopez.

Ovidio Guzman Lopez was subsequently extradited from Mexico to the United States. Late last year, Nestor Isidro Perez Salas, also known as El Nini, one of the cartels assassins, who led security operations for the cartel, was captured by the Mexican government, according to the US Justice Department. Efforts are now under way to have him extradited to the US.

The cartel exports and distributes wholesale amounts of methamphetamine, marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl, according to the US Drug Enforcement Agency, with a business model to ensure that it is to grow at all costs, no matter how many people die in the process.

Just days before the emergence in Ireland of the extradition application for OShea Salazar last July, head of the US Drug Enforcement Agency, Anne Milgram, told the US Congress that the DEA estimated that the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel in Mexico had more than 45,000 members, associates, facilitators, and brokers in up to 100 countries across the world.

She also noted: The Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels pose the greatest criminal drug threat the United States has ever faced.

According to the DEA, the cartel has a link with chemical companies in China which produce and sell the majority of precursor chemicals that are used today by the Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels to manufacture fentanyl and methamphetamine.

The synthetic drugs market is a valuable add-on to the activities of the cartels, which have also become tied up with Chinese money laundering operations, according to the DEA.

Suspected methamphetamine seized in Cork last Friday, which was thought to be bound for Australia, was estimated to be worth 32.8m. Picture: An Garda Siochana

In the statement to a US Senate committee hearing on fentanyl trafficking a year ago, Ms Milgram said: The Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels utilise US-based Chinese money laundering organisations [CMLOs] around the world to facilitate laundering drug proceeds. CMLOs use trade-based money-laundering and bulk cash movement to facilitate the exchange of foreign currency.

The use of CMLOs by the cartels simplifies the money-laundering process and streamlines the purchase of precursor chemicals utilised in manufacturing drugs.

She also said: The Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco Cartel and their affiliates control the vast majority of the fentanyl global supply chain, from manufacture to distribution. The cartels are buying precursor chemicals in the Peoples Republic of China [PRC]; transporting the precursor chemicals from the PRC to Mexico; using the precursor chemicals to mass-produce fentanyl; pressing the fentanyl into fake prescription pills; and using cars, trucks, and other routes to transport the drugs from Mexico into the United States for distribution.

It costs the cartels as little as 10c to produce a fentanyl-laced fake prescription pill that is sold in the United States for $10 to $30 per pill.

Although the DEA, the Spanish Guardia Civil, and An Garda Siochana are among several agencies across the globe targeting the operations of cartels such as Sinaloa, the loss of drugs including last weeks seizure in Cork is unlikely to make a big dent in an organisation that has thousands of foot soldiers not just in Mexico and around the world, but also Kerry.
With Eating Disorders Awareness Week coming up soon (February 26-March 3), and with so many stories related to food, exercise, and peoples views on what you should eat, I feel we should also be mindful of eating disorders.

One thing that I would really like to see would be some advice on eating disorder supports available when publishing stories about diet plans or stories on such things like healthy eating for the want of a better term or exercising advice stories etc

I am in recovery from an eating disorder and until I finally admitted I had a problem I really didnt know anything about the signs, symptoms, etc.

My story goes back many years but, just taking the last 10 years, I started to do some running and over the years it developed into what I can only describe as a living hell.

Food and exercise dominated my life. Over the years, I dropped certain foods and increased my exercise to a level that nearly took me away from my family forever.

Eating disorder thoughts were with me every second of the day.

Eventually I got so sick I found it hard to walk up the stairs. My memory was gone so bad I would struggle to recall the most basic things. At the end I had nothing left in me and just wanted to sleep.

I was lucky that I got help but unfortunately it was too late for me to do anything other than go into an eating disorder inpatient programme. I needed to come into hospital. I left my wife and four kids and began my journey to recovery.

The weeks and months after hospital are so hard because you have so much to deal with including trying to fill the gap that was once dominated by eating disorder thoughts. Ive been receiving care and still do as its a long road and takes time and a lot of inner work.

I really think that if we can highlight signs and symptoms of eating disorders we can prevent so many people suffering, and that means the individual and their families.

When the early signs start, it might get people to check in with themselves and stop the eating disorder in its tracks.

I dont fit the stereotypical eating disorder sufferer. I am 42, male, with four kids. Eating disorders can affect anyone but maybe some people just dont recognise it at the start.

We need to highlight the destruction it causes and the lack of help available. I was lucky that I had health insurance but that shouldnt mean that I have the chance over anyone else.

Sean Blake, Swords, Dublin

For more information on eating disorders, visit bodywhys.ie.

We must beef up our naval defences In the last three years, we have had a series of reviews and a commission on defence followed by setting up of a capability defence unit. There is also talk of a national security strategy. It seems to me that we should be past talking and should now quantify the means we need to defend this State and consolidate its security in all dimensions of land, sea, and air. As a former naval person, I can see most of our immediate threats will come by sea and air. We need to concentrate on coastal and sea defence by 24-hour surveillance and have means to deal with offensive drones, guided munitions, and strikes from ship-borne units. Our fleet needs an injection of at least tier two warships such as at least three modern corvettes, a mine countermeasures system, a multi-role vessel (MRV) with replenishment capability, four conventional submarines, and a naval air unit with anti-submarine warfare capability to operate from the MRV and corvettes. Putting this capability together will require training and assistance at EU level. John Jordan, Retired Commander, Cloyne, Co Cork What's your view on this issue? You can tell us here

North was never integrated into UK

When has Northern Ireland ever been fully integrated into the rest of the United Kingdom anyway? Never. But for some reason goods checks have now become a central issue and determining factor in Northern Irelands place in the union.

There was a big push in the 1980s-1990s for full political integration for NI, with calls for the main political parties in Britain to contest elections in NI. This area of integration wasnt deemed necessary.

The British political parties didnt have to organise here. NI could still be part of the union without this essential feature. Too many careers on the line. An end to the gravy train for many politicians whose main battle cry was protecting the union.

Such moves to full political integration within NI would have prioritised social and economic issues over the border-centric issue which was and still is causing divisions within NI.

No one was interested. But now goods having to be checked coming into NI from Britain is somehow the be all and end all in our place in the UK. All the recent angst and bluster from certain Unionist camps is more a political challenge to the status quo from the Unionist opposition rather than sincere anxiety over the future of the union.

They want to replace the present Unionist hierarchy. The NI public and the proper functioning of Stormont have been the downside to this attempted power play.

Louis Shawcross, Co Down, Northern Ireland

Airport buses should serve the suburbs too It is good news that extra buses are to serve Dublin Airport. But will they serve the suburbs such as Blanchardstown Shopping Centre? And the entire Dublin 15 area? There was a private bus serving Blanchardstown Shopping Centre up to a few years ago. It gave a great and necessary service. And it had good custom. I dont know why it stopped but this bus service needs to be reintroduced. As well as Irish citizens using it, theres a hugh number of immigrants here in Blanchardstown and the entire Dublin 15 area, who would use it. The car traffic in this area is extreme. So it would be nonsense, wasteful, and incompetent if the buses were to serve just OConnell St and the airport. Margaret Walshe, Clonsilla Rd, Dublin What's your view on this issue? You can tell us here

A mish-mash of tired tropes

Jennifer Horgan ('If men dont read fiction that builds empathy, we have a problem' Opinion, February 16) serves up a mish-mash of tired tropes about men and their empathic deficits.

One wonders how vast was her surveyed research in terms of numbers of men interviewed or encountered. She has obviously based most of her personal tally on the men who read, or rather dont read, female authors. That should cover it... not!

Its a facile, nay puerile, perspective that a member of one gender can be so arrogantly presumptuous about the innate proclivities of another, despite the blatant and boring fallacy of such self-imbued generalisations.

Vive les hommes empathiques et sympathiques.

Jim Cosgrove, Lismore, Co Waterford

TV chefs could don the green jersey I wish Irish celebrity chefs would wear the green jersey on television by actively promoting home-grown fruit and vegetables. Irelands vegetable-growing acreage continues to decrease as vegetable farmers, who supply the most wholesome fresh produce, are unable to compete with the low-cost selling of imported vegetables. Its high time to support home-grown produce to safeguard the sustainability of vegetable farms and the few remaining greengrocers. Irelands temperate climate enables vegetable growers to deliver a high quality yield year after year. Freshly-grown Irish produce is far healthier than its European alternative and is a natural source of nutrition. The reliable Irish potato, meat or fish, supported by two or three homegrown vegetables, has long been the traditional Irish dinner. Noodles, rice, spaghetti, pasta, or couscous are a poor substitute for the spud. When I was growing up, potatoes and vegetables were served every day in some form. My mother regularly sent me down to the genial Tom Galvins greengrocer, where an effervescent fragrance of natural freshness wafted out the door. The shop was a colourful montage of home-grown produce including carrots, parsnips, cauliflowers, cabbages, turnips, onions, apples, pears, plums, rhubarb, raspberries, and strawberries. Tom was especially proud of his potatoes  the early Queens and Roosters and the later Golden Wonders and Kerrs Pinks. Howre the spuds this year, Tom, Id respectfully ask. Balls of flour, Billy boy, balls of flour, the best in Ireland, was the standard reply. The complimentary apple to keep the doctor away went down a treat on the way home! Billy Ryle, Tralee, Co Kerry
Krispy Kreme has appealed against Cork City Council's decision to refuse permission for its location on Patrick's Street in the city centre.

The retailer had sought retention permission from Cork City Council for a change of use from previous retail use to a cafe, as well as the retention of shopfront and signage at its branch on 42 Patricks Street.

The American doughnut chain opened its Patrick Street branch last April to great fanfare, as it eyed further expansion around the country.

It took out a 10-year lease on the ground floor only of Porters, which closed in October 2022 However, a council inspector examined the latest planning and said that the proposed use by Krispy Kreme would be contrary to the Cork City development plan.

As the premises is located within the Core Retail Area of the city centre, the existing cafe use would be contrary to policy objective 10.5 which is to support the function of the core retail area as the primary location of comparison shopping in the region, the inspector said.

The inspector also determined that the existing signage on Krispy Kremes shopfront would have a visual adverse effect on the architectural conservation area, which is separately in contravention of the city development plan.

Krispy Kreme has now appealed that decision to An Bord Pleanala.

In doing so, it claims that its business on the street is a retail outlet, no different than the business that preceded it at the same premises.

The restrictions on businesses on the street relate to hot food takeaway and restaurant uses, which Krispy Kreme says is not applicable in this case.

It also rejects the contention about its visual impact, claiming the shop front has undergone minimal change when compared to what was there previously.
The United States has proposed a rival draft United Nations Security Council resolution calling for a temporary ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war and opposing a major ground offensive by its ally Israel in Rafah, according to the text seen by Reuters.

The move comes after the US signalled it would veto on Tuesday an Algerian-drafted resolution  demanding an immediate humanitarian ceasefire  over concerns it could jeopardize talks between the US, Egypt, Israel and Qatar that seek to broker a pause in the war and the release of hostages held by Hamas.

Until now, Washington has been averse to the word ceasefire in any UN action on the Israel-Hamas war, but the US text echoes language that President Joe Biden said he used last week in conversations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

It would see the Security Council "underscore its support for a temporary ceasefire in Gaza as soon as practicable, based on the formula of all hostages being released, and calls for lifting all barriers to the provision of humanitarian assistance at scale."

The United States does "not plan to rush" to a vote and intends to allow time for negotiations, a senior US administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said on Monday.

To pass, a resolution needs at least nine votes in favor and no vetoes by the US, France, Britain, Russia or China.

Palestinian emergency services look for survivors after an Israeli strike on a residential building in Rafah, Monday, Feb. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Hatem Ali)

The US draft text "determines that under current circumstances a major ground offensive into Rafah would result in further harm to civilians and their further displacement including potentially into neighboring countries."

Israel plans to storm Rafah, where more than 1 million of the 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza have sought shelter, prompting international concern that an assault would sharply worsen the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The UN has warned it "could lead to a slaughter."

The draft US resolution says such a move "would have serious implications for regional peace and security, and therefore underscores that such a major ground offensive should not proceed under current circumstances."

Washington traditionally shields Israel from UN action and has twice vetoed council resolutions since the October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas militants. But it has also abstained twice, allowing the council to adopt resolutions that aimed to boost aid to Gaza and called for extended pauses in fighting.

'WARNING SHOT'

This is the second time since October 7 that Washington has proposed a Security Council resolution on Gaza. Russia and China vetoed its first attempt in late October.

While the US was ready to protect Israel by vetoing the Algerian draft resolution on Tuesday, International Crisis Group UN Director Richard Gowan said Israel would be more concerned by the text Washington drafted.

Palestinian emergency hose flames after an Israeli strike on a residential building in Rafah, Monday, Feb. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Hatem Ali)

"The simple fact that the US is tabling this text at all is a warning shot for Netanyahu," he said. "It is the strongest signal the US has sent at the UN so far that Israel cannot rely on American diplomatic protection indefinitely."

Israel's mission to the United Nations in New York did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the US draft.

A second senior US administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the US draft does not suggest "anything about the dynamics of any particular relationship, whether that's with the Israelis or any other partner we have."

The draft US text would condemn calls by some Israeli government ministers for Jewish settlers to move to Gaza and would reject any attempt at demographic or territorial change in Gaza that would violate international law.

The resolution would also reject "any actions by any party that reduce the territory of Gaza, on a temporary or permanent basis, including through the establishment officially or unofficially of so-called buffer zones, as well as the widespread, systematic demolition of civilian infrastructure."

Palestinian emergency hose flames after an Israeli strike on a residential building in Rafah, Monday, Feb. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Hatem Ali)

Reuters reported in December that Israel told several Arab states that it wants to carve out a buffer zone inside Gaza's borders to prevent attacks after the war ends.

The war began when fighters from the Hamas militant group that runs Gaza attacked Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 people and capturing 253 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. In retaliation, Israel launched a military assault on Gaza that health authorities say has killed nearly 29,000 Palestinians with thousands more bodies feared lost amid the ruins.

In December, more than three-quarters of the 193-member UN General Assembly voted to demand an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. General Assembly resolutions are not binding but carry political weight, reflecting a global view on the war.
Taiwan has protested against Chinas boarding of a tourist boat, as tensions rise around the Kinmen archipelago, which lies a short distance off Chinas coast but is controlled by Taiwan.

Taiwanese media reported the King Xia, carrying 11 crew and 23 passengers, was boarded by the Chinese coast guard for about 32 minutes on Monday.

Taiwans coast guard escorted the boat back to Kinmen, and it then continued its sight-seeing voyage.

Ocean Affairs Council Minister Kuan Bi-ling told journalists at the legislature on Tuesday that the incident hurt the feelings of our people, created panic among the people, and was not in the interest of the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, referring to the 100 mile-wide waterway that separates mainland China from Taiwan, a self-governed island that Beijing claims as its own territory.

Premier Chen Chien-jen said Taiwan was seeking to lower tensions in the area, which have escalated as China increased military activities following Taiwans election of an independence-leading president in January.

China is stepping up patrols in the waters off the coast of Taiwans Kinmen archipelago, days after two Chinese fishermen drowned while being chased by the Taiwanese coast guard, which accused the boat of trespassing.

A Chinese Coast Guard ship is docked near a China Customs building in Xiamen in southeast Chinas Fujian province (Andy Wong/AP)

Taiwans coast guard said a boat carrying four people was fishing about one nautical mile away from Kinmen, which Taiwan has claimed as a restricted area largely for military purposes, and capsized during a chase.

The two survivors remain in Taiwans custody.

China blamed Taiwans ruling Democratic Progressive Party for the fishermens deaths.

It also said that there was no such thing as restricted waters.

A spokesperson for the Chinese coast guard said on Sunday that its Fujian division will regularly monitor the waters off the southern coast of the city of Xiamen, a few kilometers from Kinmen, to strengthen maritime law enforcement.

Fishermen from both Taiwan and China regularly sail that stretch of water, which has seen a rise in tensions as the number of Chinese vessels, including sand dredgers and fishing boats, have notably increased in the area.

Kinmen residents have complained of both the noise and sound pollution from the vessels, as well as losses to their livelihood in fishing.

Taiwan split from China during the 1949 civil war, but Beijing continues to regard the island of 23 million and its outlying islands as Chinese territory and has been ramping up its threat to achieve that by military force if necessary.
Indian farmers who have been protesting for a week to demand guaranteed crop prices have rejected a proposal from the government, and say they will continue their march to the capital New Delhi.

The protesting farmers began their march last week, but their efforts to reach the city have been blocked by authorities, who have used tear gas and heavily barricaded entry points into the capital to avoid a repeat of 2021 farmer protests when they camped on the outskirts for over a year.

Late Monday night, farm leaders said they refused the governments offer of a five-year contract for guaranteed prices for a set of crops, including pulses, maize and cotton.

The governments proposal made Sunday was not in the interest of farmers, Jagjit Singh Dallewal, one of the leaders spearheading the protest, told the Press Trust of India news agency.

He added that the farmers, tens of thousands of whom have been camping out some 120 miles from the capital as they waited for the government offer, will resume their march to New Delhi on Wednesday.

Police and paramilitary personnel wait behind a barricade as they face protesting farmers (Altaf Qadri/AP)

We appeal to the government to either resolve our issues or remove barricades and allow us to proceed to Delhi to protest peacefully, Mr Dallewal said.

The protests renewed a movement from over two years ago, in which tens of thousands of farmers hunkered down on the edges of New Delhi for over a year against agriculture laws which the government ended up repealing.

This time, the farmers who rode on tractors from neighbouring Haryana and Punjab states say the government has failed to make progress on other key demands from the previous protests.

At the heart of the latest protests is a demand for legislation that would guarantee minimum support prices for all farm produce.

Currently, the government protects agricultural producers against any sharp fall in farm prices by setting a minimum purchase price for certain essential crops, a system that was introduced in the 1960s to help shore up food reserves and prevent shortages.

The farmers say a guaranteed minimum support price for their crops would stabilize their incomes.

They are also pressing the government to follow through on promises to double their income, waive their loans and withdraw legal cases brought against them during the earlier 2021 protests.

Protesting farmers burn bags to create a smokescreen (Altaf Qadri/AP)

Several meetings between farm leaders and the government have failed to end the deadlock.

Piyush Goyal, one of the ministers negotiating with the farmers, told PTI that some of the demands of the farmers were deep and policy-driven, which made it more difficult to find a resolution.

The protests come at a crucial time for India, where national elections are expected in the coming months and prime minister Narendra Modis party is widely expected to secure a third successive term.

Farmers are particularly important to Mr Modis base.

Northern Haryana and a few other states with substantial farmer populations are ruled by his Bharatiya Janata Party.
Yemens Iran-backed Houthi rebels have shown they remain capable of launching significant attacks despite recent air strikes.

Just this week, they seriously damaged a ship in a crucial strait and apparently downed a US drone worth tens of millions of dollars.

The continued assaults by the Houthis on shipping through the crucial Red Sea corridor, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, against the backdrop of Israels war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip underscore the challenges in trying to stop the guerrilla-style attacks that have seen them hold onto Yemens capital and much of the war-ravaged countrys north since 2014.

Meanwhile, the campaign has boosted the rebels standing in the Arab world, despite their own human rights abuses in a years-long stalemated war with several allies of the US in the region.

Supporters hold a photo of the Houthi leader Abdul-Malik Badruldeen al-Houthi (Osamah Abdulrahman/AP)

And the longer their attacks go on, analysts warn the greater the risk that disruptions to international shipping will begin to weigh down on the global economy.

On Monday, both the Houthis and Western officials acknowledged one of the most-serious attacks on shipping launched by the rebels.

The Houthis targeted the Belize-flagged bulk carrier Rubymar with two anti-ship ballistic missiles, one of which struck the vessel, the US militarys Central Command said.

The Rubymar, which already had reported problems with its propulsion back in November, apparently became inoperable, forcing her crew to abandon the vessel.

Houthi military spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Saree claimed on Monday night that the Rubymar sank, though there was no immediate independent confirmation of that.

But even if it was still afloat, the attack marked one of only a few direct, serious hits by the Houthi rebels on shipping.

In late January, another direct hit by the Houthis set a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker ablaze for hours.

Meanwhile, the Houthis early on Tuesday released footage of what they described as a surface-to-air missile bringing down a US MQ-9 Reaper drone off the coast of Hodeida, a Yemeni port city held by the Houthis on the Red Sea.

The footage also included video of men dragging pieces of debris from the water onto a beach.

Images of the debris, which included writing in English and what appeared to be electrical equipment, appeared to correspond to known pieces of the Reaper, which can be used in both attack missions and surveillance flights.

Central Command and the US Air Forces Mideast arm have not responded to questions over the apparent downing.

In November, the Pentagon acknowledged the loss of an MQ-9, also shot down by the rebels over the Red Sea.

Since Yemens Houthi rebels seized the countrys north and its capital of Sanaa in 2014, the US military has lost at least four drones to shootdowns by the rebels, in 2017, 2019 and this year.

Meanwhile, the Houthis also claimed an attack on the Sea Champion, a Greek-flagged, US-owned bulk carrier bound for Aden, Yemen, carrying grain from Argentina.

The Houthis separately claimed an attack on the Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier Navis Fortuna as well, a ship that had been broadcasting its destination as Italy with an all Chinese crew to avoid being targeted.

Private security firm Ambrey reported that the vessel sustained minor damage in a drone attack.

Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea and surrounding waters over Israels war targeting Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

They have frequently targeted vessels with tenuous or no clear links to Israel, imperilling shipping in a key route for trade among Asia, the Mideast and Europe.

Coffins of Houthi fighters killed in the US-led strikes on Yemen (Osamah Abdulrahman/AP)

Those vessels have included at least one with cargo for Iran, its main benefactor.

So far, no US sailor or pilot has been wounded by the Houthis since America launched its series of airstrikes targeting the rebels back in January.

However, the US continues to lose drones worth tens of millions of dollars and fire off million-dollar cruise missiles to counter the Houthis, who are using far-cheaper weapons that experts believe largely have been supplied by Iran to wage an asymmetrical battle on the seas.

US and allied forces have, according to sources, destroyed at least 73 missiles of different types before they were launched, as well as 17 drones, 13 bomb-laden drone boats and one underwater explosive drone over their monthlong campaign.

Those figures do not include the initial January 11 joint US-UK strikes that began the campaign.

The US military also has shot down dozens of missiles and drones already airborne as well since November.

The Houthis themselves have not offered much information regarding their own losses, though they have acknowledged at least 22 of their fighters have been killed in the US-led strikes.

Insurgent forces including the Houthis and allied tribes in Yemen number around 20,000 fighters, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

They can operate in small units away from military bases, making targeting them more difficult than a traditional military force.

For the Houthis, they may view the costs as balanced by their sudden fame within an Arab world enraged by the killing of women and civilians by Israel in the Gaza Strip amid its war on Hamas.
Julian Assange is set to make his final bid for a domestic appeal against a judges ruling over his extradition to the United States.

The WikiLeaks founder is wanted in the US over an alleged conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defence information following the publication of hundreds of thousands of leaked documents relating to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.

In a January 2021 ruling, then-district judge Vanessa Baraitser said that Assange should not be sent to the US, citing a real and oppressive risk of suicide, while ruling against the 52-year-old on all other issues.

US authorities subsequently brought a successful challenge against this decision, paving the way for Assanges extradition.

Lawyers for Assange, who has been held in Belmarsh prison in south-east London, will now ask the UK high court in London for the go-ahead to challenge the original judges dismissal of other parts of his case against extradition.

The hearing comes after High Court judge Mr Justice Swift first refused to give Assange the green light to appeal  without a hearing  last June.

Supporters are expected to attend the Royal Courts of Justice (Kirsty OConnor/PA)

A two-day hearing is now set to begin on Tuesday, which is expected to be Assanges final chance to be granted an appeal in a UK court.

Speaking at a press conference last week, his wife Stella Assange said that if the appeal bid is unsuccessful, Assange would apply to the European Court of Human Rights for a Rule 39 order to stop extradition while it considers his case.

His supporters say the Australian national faces 175 years in prison if he is extradited.

During their earlier successful challenge, lawyers for the US authorities said Judge Baraitsers decision risked becoming a trump card for anyone who wanted to oppose their extradition.

They also said that four binding diplomatic assurances had been made, including that the US would consent to Assange being transferred to Australia, where he was born, to serve any prison sentence he may be given.

The two-day hearing before Dame Victoria Sharp and Mr Justice Johnson is due to begin at 10.30am on Tuesday.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 20. The Armenian government, viewing the Western Azerbaijan Community's opinions on cultural heritage preservation as an encroachment on Armenian sovereignty, should ban the activities of remnants advocating for "self-determination" that pose a threat to Azerbaijan's sovereignty on its territory, Trend reports.

The Western Azerbaijan Community highlighted in their statement the meeting of the self-proclaimed "members" of the so-called "parliament" with Vartan Oskanian, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, and expressed concern over the dissemination of absurd notions in the Armenian press, such as the claim that "the Karabakh conflict is not resolved."

"This once again underscores that Armenians from Karabakh have not gleaned any lessons from the events of the past 35 years and are being manipulated by idealists and chauvinists, revealing, to say the least, the lack of sincerity in the constant falsehoods about peace from the Armenian authorities," the statement said.

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Delays in weapons deliveries from Western allies to Ukraine are opening a door for Russian battlefield advances, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, making the fight very difficult along parts of the front line where the Kremlins forces captured a strategic city last weekend ahead of the wars two-year anniversary.

Mr Zelenskyy and other officials have often expressed frustration at the slowness of promised aid deliveries, especially since signs of war fatigue have emerged.

European countries are struggling to find enough stocks to send to Kyiv, and US help worth 60 billion US dollars is stalled over political differences.

That appears to be playing into the hands of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (Juan Medina/PA)

Even so, more help is heading Ukraines way, as Sweden announced Tuesday its biggest aid package so far and Canada said it was expediting the delivery of more than 800 drones.

Mr Zelenskyy, in his daily video address late on Monday, said Russia has built up troops at some points along the 930-mile front line, apparently aiming to pounce on any perceived defensive weaknesses.

They (the Russians) are taking advantage of delays in aid to Ukraine, he said after visiting the command post in the area of Kupiansk, in the northeastern Kharkiv region.

He said Ukrainian troops keenly felt a shortage of artillery, air defensc systems and long-range weapons.

Ukrainian forces withdrew from the strategic eastern city of Avdiivka at the weekend, where they had battled a fierce Russian assault for four months despite being heavily outnumbered and outgunned.

But Oleksiy Danilov, head of Ukraines National Security and Defence Council, said that while the situation on the battlefield is hard, especially due to a lack of ammunition, the situation on the eastern front is not catastrophic.

We fight and will continue to fight, he told news outlet Ukrainska Pravda.

We have only one request to our partners: to help with weapons, with ammunition, and with air defence.

He claimed that Russia racked up heavy losses of troops and equipment in the fight for bombed-out Avdiivka.

His claim could not be independently verified.

Mr Zelenskyy said talks with foreign partners are focusing on how to resume and extend support.

Sweden, which is poised to join Nato, said it will donate military aid to Ukraine worth 7.1 billion kronor (681 million US dollars).

That includes 30 boats, some of which are fast and powerful military assault craft, and underwater weapons.

The deal also includes artillery ammunition, Leopard tanks, shoulder-borne anti-aircraft defence systems, anti-tank missiles, grenade launchers, hand grenades and medical transport vehicles, as well as underwater drones and diving equipment.

By supporting Ukraine, we are also investing in our own security, defence minister Pal Jonson told a news conference in Stockholm.

If Russia were to win this terrible war, we would have significantly greater security problems than we have today.

Firefighters work to extinguish a fire in an apartment building after a Russian attack in Kyiv, Ukraine (Efrem Lukatsky/AP)

The Canadian government said it will dispatch more than 800 drones to Ukraine starting as early as this spring.

Ukraine last year received 42.5 billion US dollars from foreign partners, of which 11.6 billion US dollars was in non-repayable grant aid, Ukraines Ministry of Finance said Tuesday.

The grant assistance was provided by the US, Japan, Norway, Germany, Spain, Finland, Switzerland, Ireland, Belgium, and Iceland, it said.

The US provided the biggest amount of non-repayable grant aid, with 11 billion US dollars.

Long-term concessional financing amounted to 30.9 billion US dollars, which included loans from the European Union (19.5 billion US dollars), the International Monetary Fund (4.5 billion US dollars), Japan (3.4 billion US dollars), Canada (1.8 billion US dollars), the UK (one billion US dollars), the World Bank (660 million US dollars) and Spain (50 million US dollars).

Meanwhile, Ukraine shot down all 23 Shahed drones that Russia launched on Monday night over various regions of the country, the countrys air force said.

Air force spokesman Yurii Ihnat said Russian aircraft activity had dropped off after Ukraine recently shot down a number of enemy warplanes.

The air force commander, Mykola Oleschuk, said that his troops destroyed Su-34 and Su-35 bomber jets.

Over the weekend he said that other Russian jets were shot down.
The United States has vetoed an Arab-backed UN resolution demanding an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war in the embattled Gaza Strip.

The vote in the 15-member Security Council was 13-1 with the United Kingdom abstaining, reflecting the wide global support for ending the more than four-month war that started with Hamass surprise invasion of southern Israel that killed about 1,200 people and saw 250 others taken hostage.
China Daily: China exported 4.91 million automobiles last year (excluding second-hand cars), making it the worlds largest automobile exporter for the first time. According to the statistics recently released by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, in January, China exported 443,000 automobiles, up by 47.4 percent year on year, maintaining the momentum of rapid growth. We also noticed that the US is considering restricting imports of Chinese smart cars and related components by non-tariff means. The EU has launched an anti-subsidy investigation into the imports of electric cars from China. Whats your comment?

Mao Ning: The numbers you mentioned reflect the high-quality development and strong innovation of Chinas manufacturing industry.

Division of labor and mutually beneficial collaboration are distinctive features of the auto industrial chain. The leapfrog development of Chinas auto industry has provided cost-effective products with high quality to the world. Every one in three exported automobiles from China is an electric car, which contributes significantly to the worlds green and low-carbon transition.

You mentioned the trade protectionist measures taken by relevant countries against China, just as Minister Wang Yi pointed out, to turn normal trade activities into security and ideological issues, build small yards with high fences in the name of de-risking, and attempt to trip others up instead of running faster may seem like a win, but is actually a loss of ones own long-term development and has encumbered the progress and prosperity of the world.

China believes in solidarity, cooperation and openness rather than division, confrontation and isolation. We believe its important to accommodate the interests of others while pursuing ones own, work for common development while seeking ones own development, create a world-class, market-oriented and law-based environment for global economic and trade cooperation, and make economic globalization more inclusive and beneficial to all.

CCTV: Foreign Minister Wang Yi is visiting Spain. King Felipe VI and Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez met with him respectively. Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation Jose Manuel Albares Bueno held talks and jointly met the press. This is Foreign Minister Wang Yis first visit after the Chinese New Year. What major outcomes has this visit achieved, and what role has it played in the development of the China-Spain relations?

Mao Ning: China and Spain are comprehensive strategic partners. Last year, the two countries marked the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations and Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez paid a successful visit to China. While meeting with Prime Minister Sanchez, President Xi Jinping proposed that the two countries advance a bilateral relationship with strategic focus. The two sides identified the good experience that has enabled the long-standing friendship between the two countries, which is a commitment to mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, and made plans together for the growth of bilateral relations. Foreign Minister Wang Yis visit to Spain is his second visit to the country in six years. It is aimed to deliver the important common understandings between the leaders of the two countries and get the second 50 years of China-Spain diplomatic relations off to a good start. Spain received Foreign Minister Wang with great hospitality. The visit achieved its objectives and has been a full success.

The visit accentuated the strategic stability of China-Spain relations. No matter how the international situation changes, China and Spain have followed the tradition of mutual respect, mutual trust, equality and win-win cooperation, advanced bilateral relations with a steadfast policy of friendship, and supported each other on issues of core interests and major concerns. Having friendly relations with China is a consensus in Spain supported by the royal family, the government and the people. The two sides agreed to continue the momentum of high-level exchanges, cultivate friendship between Chinese and Spanish peoples, and give each other understanding and support on efforts to safeguard national unity and solidarity among ethnic groups. Spain reiterated its firm adherence to the one-China policy.

The visit highlighted the bright prospects for open cooperation. China and Spain have deepened economic and trade cooperation in recent years. China has become Spains largest trading partner outside the EU and the second largest consumer of its olive oil. Spain is Chinas second largest source of imported pork. Chinese companies have actively participated in photovoltaic and wind power development in Spain, and expanded third-party market cooperation. During the visit, the two sides reiterated that they will adhere to open cooperation and promote a number of landmark and demonstrative projects in telecommunications, medical care, electric vehicles and green energy.

The visit served to deepen exchanges and mutual learning between the two civilizations. Both China and Spain are ancient civilizations with a time-honored history. Last year, the two sides launched the China-Spain Year of Culture and Tourism, which gave fresh boost to exchanges and mutual learning between the two civilizations. The two sides have been engaged in giant panda cooperation for more than 40 years. The giant pandas living in Spain have bred six cubs in recent years, more than anywhere else in Europe. Giant panda cooperation epitomizes the China-Spain and China-Europe friendship. The Spanish people warmly welcomed and expressed appreciation for Chinas announcement that it will send a new pair of young pandas to Spain after the return of the panda family currently living in Spain whose agreement has expired.

The visit provides stability for China-Europe relations and the world. Spain is a major EU country. China and Spain share the same or similar views on major international and regional issues. Spain stressed that good relations with China are of great significance to Spain, Europe and the world, and spoke highly of President Xi Jinpings important ideas such as building a community with a shared future for mankind and the Belt and Road Initiative. The two sides reiterated that they will work together to meet global challenges, promote the sound and stable development of China-Europe relations through China-Spain friendship, and provide a stronger force of stability for a volatile and turbulent world.

AFP: Taiwanese authorities called on Beijing to be rational following the incident that involved the Chinese boat and Taiwanese coast guard. Taiwan also said that it will insist to protect its waters. Do you have any comment on this?

Mao Ning: This is not a matter related to foreign affairs. Id refer you to competent authorities.

TASS: CNBC reported that the US is considering slapping sanctions on Chinese companies for working with Russia. What is Chinas comment on this?

Mao Ning: We follow an objective and impartial position on the Ukraine crisis, and have worked actively to promote peace talks. We have not sat idly by, still less exploited the situation for selfish gains.

China has the right to carry out normal cooperation with countries. We always oppose unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction that lack basis in international law or UN Security Council mandate. China will continue to do what is necessary to firmly safeguard the legitimate and lawful rights and interests of Chinese companies.

AFP: The Brazilian presidency said that Minister Wang Yi wont attend the G20 meeting in Rio this week. Whats the reason and who will be Chinas representative for this meeting?

Mao Ning: China values the role played by the G20. We will send a delegation to the upcoming G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting. Detailed information will be released in due course. We hope that the meeting will help the G20 further build consensus and enhance solidarity and cooperation.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 20. Despite the successes achieved, many revolutionary changes are underway in order to fully transition the Azerbaijani army to the Turkish model, the military expert Azer Bayramov told Trend.

"In accordance with the specific task of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief during the II Karabakh War to transition the Azerbaijani army to the Turkish army model, the creation of new commando units in the Azerbaijani army and their outfitting with new modern weapons, equipment has been carried out with great success. Meanwhile, new training and educational centers have been created precisely to increase the combat readiness of the personnel of these units," Bayramov said.

He noted that the combat training of the personnel conducted in these training centers in accordance with the tactics used in Turkiye's army has once again proved its effectiveness on the battlefield.

Bayramov emphasized that exactly the conduct of combat training, exercises of commando units in various difficult terrain conditions, in different seasons contributed to further professionalism and improvement of combat readiness of the Azerbaijani Army.

"We witnessed this on the battlefield. Of course, in accordance with the requirements of modernity, along with battle-proven tactics, combat training, personal professionalism, introduction of new technologies, we observed very effective functioning of different branches of the army, primarily drones, and joint coordinated fulfillment of the assigned combat task.

Certainly, it is to the Azerbaijani army that the world's most advanced model of the Turkish army was applied, the task set in this regard by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief is aimed at ensuring the dynamic development of the Azerbaijani army in the future. This will lead us to another success," Bayramov added.

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Tuesday, Feb 20th, 2024 (11:04 am) - Score 1,800

Finnish technology firm Nokia, which supplies network kit to a number of UK broadband and mobile operators (EE, O2 etc.), has launched a new power saving mode called extreme deep sleep that it estimates could reduce power consumption on their radio kit in mobile networks by a factor of eight.

The new enhancement, which is also referred to as Zero Traffic, Zero Watt, utilizes Nokias latest generation AirScale radio architecture and Reefshark System-on-Chip (SoC) chipsets. In simple terms, it works by detecting when a mobile network has low traffic and then shutting down key parts of selected radio units hardware to save on energy cost.

The solution also leverages software in Nokias Habrok radio units, as well as Nokias MantaRay energy solution, which optimizes the energy consumption of radio access networks with AI and machine learning. Extreme deep sleep mode goes further than previous deep sleep solutions by disconnecting additional hardware subsystems.

At present the new technology is being rolled out first by Orange in France during the second half of 2024, which it should be able to achieve without impacting performance or customer experience.

Tommi Uitto, President of Mobile Networks at Nokia, said: Innovation is at the heart of everything we do at Nokia, and we are committed to continuously maximizing the energy efficiency of our technology and AirScale radio access portfolio. This latest achievement with our partner, Orange, is further proof of our efforts to help our customers meet their targets and achieve their sustainability ambitions.

Electricity costs have become a big challenge in recent years, both for consumers and network operators alike. But unlike consumers, network operators have not been able to benefit from the same protections against rising costs and so have often had to pass the impact on to consumers via higher bills etc. Suffice to say that anything which may help to reduce energy costs is a good thing.

Nokia said the solution will soon be introduced more broadly into the new generation of their AirScale RAN (Radio Access Network) portfolio.
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A weekly review of the best and most popular stories published in the Imperial Valley Press. Also, featured upcoming events, new movies at local theaters, the week in photos and much more.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 20. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has signed a decree on additional measures to implement a pilot project on constructing a wind power plant with an installed capacity of 240 MW, Trend reports.

The full text of the decree can be found at the link.

Will be updated
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 20. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has signed a decree on awarding the highest special ranks to employees of the State Tax Service under the Ministry of Economy of Azerbaijan, Trend reports.

According to the decree, the following employees of the State Tax Service were awarded the title Counselor of State of Tax Service of the 3rd rank:

Kanan Guliyev - Head of the Main Department of of Internal Security

Elchin Baylarov - Head of the Main Department of International Activities of Local Structures.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 20. Azerbaijani Ambassador to Ukraine Seymur Mardaliyev has met with that country's Interior Minister Igor Klimenko, the Ambassador wrote on X, Trend reports.

Mardaliyev stated that during the meeting, information was shared on Azerbaijan's humanitarian aid to Ukraine as well as humanitarian demining efforts.



The sides also discussed Azerbaijani-Ukrainian cooperation in the fight against organized crime, and crises.

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An N.C. House Select Committee is recommending that the General Assembly change a state law forcing districts to start school the Monday closest to Aug. 26 and end no later than the Friday clo
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 20. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has sent a congratulatory letter to President Ilham Aliyev on the occasion of his confident victory in the extraordinary presidential election, Trend reports.

"Your Excellency,

I have an honor to address you on behalf of the government and people of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and take this opportunity to convey heartfelt congratulations on the occasion of your resounding victory in the democratic presidential election held on February 7, 2024.

We also commend the accomplishments achieved by Azerbaijani structures during their work in the electoral process. Undoubtedly, this victory reaffirms the peoples commitment to national sovereignty, ensuring not only comprehensive development, but also the preservation of peace, prosperity and security.

In accordance with the democratic civic stand of the Azerbaijani people, we convey to you from the homeland of Simon Bolivar and Hugo Chavez our wishes for the further expansion of bilateral ties and the constant strengthening of a multicentric, multilateral world.

Your Excellency, I take this opportunity to once again express to you my highest consideration and respect," the letter reads.
By Rashid Sumaila, University of British Columbia | 

Amid the escalating threats of a warming world, and with the latest annual United Nations global climate conference (COP28) behind us, there is one critical message thats often left out of the climate change discourse. Halting overfishing is itself effective climate action.

This argument is the logical conclusion of a plethora of studies that unequivocally assert that stopping overfishing isnt just a necessity, its a win-win for ocean vitality, climate robustness and the livelihoods reliant on sustainable fisheries.

The intricate relationship between climate change and ocean ecosystems was the subject of recent collaborative research  led by researchers at the University of British Columbia  that highlighted the crucial links between overfishing and climate change.

Finding the connections

Our collaborative team of international researchers applied a host of methodologies ranging from literature reviews to quantitative and quality analysis. The findings of this research illuminate eight key multifaceted impacts.

1  Ending overfishing isnt merely an ecological imperative but a vital climate action. Doing so would bolster marine life resilience in the face of climate shifts and reduce associate carbon emissions.

2  Large subsidized fishing boat fleets can actually be a burden on small-scale fisheries, leaving them disproportionately vulnerable to shocks. In turn, overfishing not only depletes resources but also escalates carbon emissions, intensifying climate impacts on these fisheries and their communities, particularly women.

Additionally, the vulnerability of shellfish fisheries to climate stressors further underscores the importance of adaptive strategies tailored to local conditions.

3  Success stories, like the recovery of European hake stocks, reveal a direct tie between stock recuperation and reduced emissions intensity from fisheries. We must champion and also learn from these successes.

4  Ecosystem-based fisheries management reverses the order of priorities so that management starts with ecosystem considerations rather than the maximum exploitation of several target species.

Ecosystem-based fisheries management has considerable potential to enhance sustainable catches while fostering carbon sequestration. This is perhaps best exemplified by the successful implimentation of ecosystem-based fisheries management in the western Baltic Sea.

5  Heavy metal pollution in the ocean  such as mercury or lead waste  intensifies the negative impacts of warming and overfishing. This pollution reinforces the need for developing multifaceted regulations based around ecosystem and ocean sustainability solutions.

6  Overfishing exacerbates climate and biodiversity threats. Climate change contributes to less defined and predictable seasons and is causing reproductive challenges and the propagation of diseases in fish populations  among other issues.



Via Pixabay. .

Adding to these problems, overfishing itself is altering ecological dynamics, modifying habitats and opening new pathways for invasive species. These compounding crises further exacerbate the impacts of overfishing on marine ecosystems while at the same time making fish populations more vulnerable to climate change.

The above factors all combine to reduce the catch potential in any given ecosystem. In turn, fishers are forced to venture farther and deeper in the ocean to fish  increasing carbon emissions, personal risk factors to fishers and bycatch concerns.

7  International fisheries management must play a central role in promoting biodiversity and retaining the oceans carbon sequestration potential. While 87 nations have signed the UNs Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction Treaty (also known as the High Seas Treaty), only one has ratified it. This treaty must be fully ratified and its effective implementation should be contingent upon the creation of marine protected areas that cover at least 30 per cent of the high seas.

8  The ocean has huge carbon sequestration potential. Shifting from the generally accepted maximum of sustainable yield management to maximizing carbon sequestration in fisheries management could further advance climate goals.

Future regulations should allocate a percentage of the annual fish quota to maintain the carbon sequestration function of marine animals. Simply put, beyond just being food, fish stocks serve vital carbon sequestration and biodiversity services that directly benefit humanity. Future regulations should reflect this reality.

A simple goal

This joint collaborative research underscores the urgency of this issue. Ending overfishing isnt just an ecological imperative but a linchpin for climate action. Furthermore, fisheries arent mere victims in these dynamics, but have real agency to play a pivotal role in either exacerbating or mitigating climate change.

An ideal governance framework would focus on managing ecosystems with considerations for their diverse benefits, based on the best evidence available. Regulation of fisheries, while controversial, is essential to not overly exploit such a valuable public resource.

As we gear up to the next COP, we would do well to remember these conclusions. Without nurturing ocean life, addressing climate change becomes an uphill battle. Sustainable fisheries management is not just an ecological necessity. It is also the cornerstone of a resilient, sustainable future.

Rashid Sumaila, Director & Professor, Fisheries Economics Research Unit, University of British Columbia

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
This article is written by Hala Al Zuheiri, and was originally published in Raseef22 An edited version is republished on Global Voices as part of a content-sharing agreement.

They took me and my daughter to a room inside the house, and they brought in a female soldier with a police dog. She ordered us to undress completely. We did. I acted blind, deaf, and mute so that they would not beat my son, Suhad Al-Khamour, 49, from the Dheisheh refugee camp south of Bethlehem, tells Raseef22.

In late November, Suhads home was surrounded by a large number of heavily armed Israeli occupation forces (IOF), who then stormed it and destroyed its contents. Suhad, a mother to three sons and a daughter, spoke with Raseef22 about how the armed soldiers kept her husband and son in the living room while she and her daughter were taken into the bedroom at gunpoint and trailed by a guard dog. Suhad and her daughter were forced to undress before redressing and quickly leaving the house. They went out barefoot, waiting in the cold for the questioning of her husband and her son, Mohammad, 26, to conclude. When they came out, the IOF took her son with them, only to release him two hours later.

On December 4, the IOF raided Suhads home again before taking Mohammad to Ofer Prison, near Ramallah. This is not Suhads first violent targeting by the occupation forces. Her son Ibrahim, 20, is detained at Nafha Prison, where he is completing a 5-year sentence, whereas her son Omar, 14, died in early 2023, after he was shot in the head by occupation forces. Rona, 24, is the only one of Suhads children still with her at home, although her psychological condition is rapidly deteriorating.

Suhad is just one of hundreds of women who have been arrested or have had family members arrested in the West Bank, Jerusalem, and Gaza, and subjected to various forms of humiliation and violence.

According to the Palestinian Prisoners Club and the Commission of Detainees Affairs, about 300 female prisoners were arrested in 2023, including 184 after October 7, 2023.

Since October 7, Israel has escalated its campaign of illegal arrests and its targeting of womens bodies through torture, abuse, strip searches, forcefully removing veils, in addition to starvation, depriving them of basic needs, and detaining them in harsh conditions in prisons and compounds.

Testimonies from Gazan female prisoners similarly reveal use of the same tools of humiliation. Many civilians have been forcibly taken prisoner by occupation forces, and their whereabouts are still unknown.

Reinforcing the occupation by violating the body

Ruba Assi was released on November 28, 2023, in the fifth part of the prisoner exchange deal between Hamas and Israel. Assi spoke with Raseef22 about her arrest after October 7. It was significantly more violent and humiliating than her first arrest and detention in 2020, which lasted for 21 months.

Shortly after the start of the war on Gaza, the IOF blew open the door of Assis house in the town of Beit Liqia, west of Ramallah, in the West bank, and stormed inside. Family members were separated into different rooms, and Assi was arrested without being allowed to say goodbye to her family or even wear a jacket.

Occupation forces tied and blindfolded her, before dragging her into a military vehicle. The female soldier assigned to her spoke loudly and aggressively in Hebrew, intentionally provoking her. She also threatened to send her to Gaza to torture her there. After Assi arrived at the Israeli camp, still bound and blindfolded, a group of soldiers approached her, taunting her and insulting her.

She was later transferred to the Hasharon Detention Center, where she was subjected to a strip search by two female guards. If the prisoner refuses [the search], she will be severely beaten, Assi explained. Eventually, Assi was placed in solitary confinement at Damon Prison. She shared:

There was not enough food or water. We were deprived of bathing and subjected to violent oppression without any prior justification and at any time. We were deliberately neglected in terms of medical care, and existing health conditions were not taken into account. Even when we were preparing to be released after our names were included as part of the exchange deal, we were subjected to strip searches.

Many testimonies from released female prisoners reveal torture, abuse, beatings and threats, include threats of rape, as well as being taken hostage in order to pressure family members to turn themselves in. Palestinian civilians are also subjected to these methods of torture during home raids, at Israeli checkpoints, and during visits to detained family members.

A longstanding policy

Strip searches are not a new tool of suppression and humiliation for Israel, but they have recently emerged as an integral part of the ongoing violent crusade against and genocide of Palestinians in Gaza.

Ismat Mansour, a former prisoner and expert on Israeli affairs, told Raseef22, In Gaza, we saw how men were stripped down and filmed, in order to strip the person from within and instill a sense of inferiority and helplessness. Mansour labels strip searches a tool of the occupation used to violate the privacy and desecrate the space of Palestinians, while diminishing their humanity. It is a deeply intentional measure.

The Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association similarly confirmed to Raseef22 that the policy of strip searching is not new. However, since the start of the ongoing war on Gaza, the violence accompanying physical inspections has blatantly increased, according to testimonies from released female prisoners.

Workers at Addameer confirmed, Female prisoners are subjected to a strip search at the moment of their arrest and at the detention center, and sometimes they are ordered to sit in a squatting position. Male prisoners are also subjected to this a tool to seize control of the detainees body and humiliate and violate their dignity. Testimonies recorded after October 7 indicate that female prisoners have been threatened with rape and verbal harassment.

Hassan Abed-Rabbo, spokesman for the Commission of Detainees Affairs, believes that this is primarily intended to undermine and harm national and human dignity, as well as to send a message to all Palestinian women that anyone thinking of acting against the occupation will have her dignity violated and her privacy invaded. He emphasized, it is an attempt to pressure women and sideline them from their role in the struggle.

Who will hold Israel accountable for violating womens bodies?

Dr. Dalal Iriqat, an international law specialist, explained to Raseef22, When violations against prisoners are systematic and repeated, and laws safeguarding prisoners rights are continuously violated, the policy, according to international and legal definitions, escalates into a war crime against humanity.

Iriqat emphasized that the policy of strip searches violates international law and the Fourth Geneva Convention, stressing that the violations are not limited to this policy but also include depriving female prisoners of basic rights, such as food and a healthy environment. The Israeli authorities took advantage of the preoccupation of human rights organizations about war crimes in Gaza to further abuse and torment the prisoners, says Iriqat.

The Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor called on the international community to pressure Israel to reveal the fate of Gazan women who have been arrested and whose whereabouts are unknown. Approximately 3,000 Palestinian detainees from Gaza have disappeared, including children and minors. The Human Rights Monitor claims that the Israeli army continues to arrest dozens of women, girls, and infants, all of whom are subjected to humiliating detention conditions, strip searches, the forced removal of their hijab, and threats of rape.

The Palestinian Prisoners Club and the Commission of Detainees Affairs state that the intensity of the crimes committed against women is one of the most prominent and dangerous aspects at this stage in the war. This violence is an extension of a long history of Israeli targeting of Palestinian women; Will this war on Gaza be much harsher than any of the previous wars in the history of the occupation?
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment)  Julian Borger at The Guardian says he has seen a draft US proposal for a United Nations Security Council calling for a temporary ceasefire in Gaza and cautioning against any offensive on the southern Gaza region of Rafah, where 1.4 million refugees from the rest of Gaza have joined the existing hundreds of thousands of residents.

The Security Council Whats in Blue site says that the US text calls for a temporary ceasefire in Gaza as soon as practicable, based on the formula of all hostages being released.

According to Borger the draft goes on to state that the Security Council determines that under current circumstances a major ground offensive into Rafah would result in further harm to civilians and their further displacement including potentially into neighboring countries, which would have serious implications for regional peace and security, and therefore underscores that such a major ground offensive should not proceed under current circumstances.

Whats in Blue says that Algerias resolution in favor of an immediate ceasefire, to be debated Tuesday morning, will be vetoed by the United States. Algeria developed its resolution on the basis of the January 26 ruling by the International Court of Justice issuing a preliminary injunction against Israel on the grounds that it is plausibly committing genocide against the Palestinians of Gaza.

The US insists that any resolution condemn the October 7 terrorist attack by Hamas on Israel, which other Security Council members have been unwilling to include, since they do not wish to couple it with the issue of Israels disproportionate response in Gaza. Algerias text lacks such a reference, though it does call for the release of the dozens of Israeli hostages held by Hamas.

ABC 7 Chicago Video: US circulates rival UN resolution for temporary Gaza cease-fire

It appears that after it vetoes the Algerian resolution, the US will table its own call, which is more favorable to the Israeli war effort. It asks not for an immediate permanent ceasefire but only a temporary cessation of hostilities as soon as Israel finds it practicable.

It is, however, widely believed that any temporary ceasefire would likely be the de facto end of this Gaza campaign. Israel will find it difficult to start the war back up thereafter, especially in the March-April Ramadan fasting period when there are special sensibilities among Muslims worldwide.

The US had declined to call for a ceasefire, even a temporary one, for the past couple of months since the last pause ended. The Biden administration cautioned against Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahus plan for an invasion of Rafah, but did not seem inclined to do more than frown about it.

So the new resolution, however hedged about and favorable to Israel it may be, is nevertheless a huge about-face for Mr. Biden. It puts him on a collision course with Mr. Netanyahu, who says he insists on the invasion of Rafah.

Why is Biden at long last taking even a feeble practical stand at the UN?

Let me broach some informed guesses in response to this question.

First, Biden is getting enormous pressure from Egypt and other Muslim states to forestall a Rafah campaign that would force the Palestinians of Gaza into the Sinai Peninsula. The Wall Street Journal and other right wing US newspapers may think that there is nothing you couldnt bribe the Egyptians into accepting. Receiving 2.2 million Palestinian refugees into a Sinai Peninsula which is already a severe security problem, however, is not acceptable to Abdelfattah al-Sisi and the rest of the officer corps. No amount of foreign aid or debt forgiveness could cover the enormous costs such a development would incur for Egypt. The US draft resolution refers obliquely to the Egypt dilemma, which suggests that Biden is trying to mollify Cairo. And it isnt only Egypt. Bidens team, including Antony Blinken, are auditioning for the role of Jared Kushner 2.0 by trying to add Saudi Arabia to the Abraham Accords. My suspicion is that Mohamed Bin Salman has told Blinken hell will freeze over first, if Israel goes through with a Rafah massacre. The Saudis may hate Hamas, but they hate unrest among their own citizens more, and the Saudi populace is boiling with anger.

Second, Biden is probably tired of having all his campaign rallies disrupted by people shouting How many kids did you kill today? Bidens win in 2020 depended heavily on the youth and African American vote, and both groups are deeply unsettled by Bidens complaisance toward Netanyahus butchery. The president cannot afford to lose Black voters, many of whom identify with the Palestinians. This war is disastrous for Bidens reelection campaign and it is incredible that his team cannot see that.

Third, and this is just speculation on my part, the Ukrainians are losing the war with Russia because they dont have enough artillery shells. President Volodymyr Zelensky more or less admitted it at last weekends Munich Security Conference. It could well be that the Israelis are proving such artillery shell hogs that the Pentagon is beginning to have to stiff Zelensky to keep the Israelis supplied. A Rafah campaign would put enormous pressure on the ammunition supply train, which is already stretched to the breaking point, from all accounts.

Fourth, Biden has asked Netanyahu to protect civilian noncombatants in Gaza, and has been rebuffed by Tel Aviv. Netanyahu and his ultra-Right Kahanaist government say they will do as they please regardless of Bidens wishes. Leaking this draft resolution to the newspapers and then pushing it at the Security Council is a way for Biden to pressure Netanyahu and his cabinet to wind down the war without a further massive bloodbath in Rafah. Exerting pressure through the UN gets Biden off the hot seat with pro-Israel voters, since if the resolution passes it will be multi-lateral. It is therefore preferable in an election year to standing up to Netanyahu by, for example, cutting off ammunition, which Biden could do.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 20, 2024) - Kenorland Minerals Ltd. (TSXV: KLD) (OTCQX: KLDCF) (FSE: 3WQ0) ("Kenorland" or the "Company") is pleased to announce final drill results from the 2023 fall drill program at the Frotet Project (the "Project"), located in northern Quebec. The Company also announces that, further to its press release dated January 16, 2024, it has completed the exchange with Sumitomo Metal Mining Canada Ltd. ("Sumitomo") of the Company's 20% participating interest in the Frotet Project for a 4.0% net smelter return royalty (the "Frotet Royalty") on all minerals extracted from the Project. Assays from the 20 drill holes, totaling 11,918m of drilling completed during the 2023 fall drill program, are reported herein.

Highlights include the following:

23RDD185: 19.25m at 19.95 g/t Au incl. 1.90m at 106.48 g/t Au at R6

23RDD177: 1.00 m at 174.54 g/t Au incl. 0.30m at 579.30 g/t Au at R1

23RDD193: 35.45m at 2.90 g/t Au incl. 1.70m at 15.52 g/t Au at R4

23RDD175: 17.65m at 4.59 g/t Au incl. 1.08m at 43.96 g/t Au at R5

23RDD177: 11.31m at 6.89 g/t Au incl. 2.12m at 26.37 g/t Au at R5

23RDD176: 10.70m at 5.67 g/t Au incl. 2.00m at 14.99 g/t Au at R5

23RDD182: 1.00m at 54.40 g/t Au at R2

23RDD187: 8.95m at 6.34 g/t Au incl. 1.45m at 20.27 g/t Au at R4

Figure 1. Plan map of Regnault drilling including highlights from this press release

Zach Flood, President and CEO of Kenorland Minerals, states, "The latest results from the fall 2023 drill program continue to demonstrate the exceptional high-grade nature of the Regnault gold deposit. It's an incredible gold system and we've been fortunate to take it from grassroots discovery to the advanced stages of exploration today."

"In addition, we're delighted to announce the close of a transaction resulting in Kenorland now owning a 4% NSR royalty on the project, received in exchange for our 20% minority interest in the prior joint venture with Sumitomo Metal Mining. Sumitomo is a well-established, leading global mining and materials company, and we look forward to continuing to work with them closely as we operate the project over the upcoming year."

Discussion of Results

Much of the reported drilling was designed as broad step-outs and infill along known mineralised trends throughout the Regnault deposit. Along the R5, R6, R7 and R8 structural corridors, significant step-out results include 23RDD176 intersecting 10.70m at 5.67 g/t Au including 2.00m at 14.99 g/t Au, 23RDD175 returning 17.65m at 4.59 g/t Au including 1.08m at 43.96 g/t Au, and 23RDD177 returning 11.31m at 6.89 g/t Au including 2.12m at 26.37 g/t Au. These holes successfully extended R5 mineralisation to the west, to 450m vertical depth and remains open. Infill and step-out targets along the eastern portions of the R1, R5, R6, R7 and R8 mineralised structures intersected additional high-grade mineralisation including 23RDD192 with 2.20m at 17.45 g/t Au including 0.30m at 98.50 g/t Au, a step-out at depth along R1. 23RDD185 intersected 19.25m at 19.95 g/t Au including 1.90m at 106.48 g/t Au, infill along R6, located 70m to the west of hole 22RDD144 that returned 10.08m at 4.43 g/t Au including 0.59m at 27.10 g/t Au (see press release dated November 14, 2022). Drilling within this area has extended known mineralisation to greater than 775m vertical depth with 23RDD188 returning 3.40m at 2.72 g/t Au including 0.50m at 12.20 g/t Au along the R8 vein set.

Figure 2. Cross section through the Regnault gold system

Broad step-outs along the R4 vein system extended high-grade mineralisation for a known strike length of 300m and to 300m vertical depth. Significant results include 23RDD193 which intersected 35.45m at 2.90 g/t Au including 1.70m at 15.52 g/t Au, a 70m step-out at depth below 20RDD004 which returned 2.59m at 9.89 g/t Au including 1.49m at 15.26 g/t Au (see press release dated July 29, 2020). Other significant results include 23RDD187 with 8.95m at 6.34 g/t Au including 1.45m at 20.27 g/t Au, which remains open at depth.

Infill drilling along the R2 and R3 mineralised structures continued to intersect narrow high-grade mineralisation including 23RDD182 with 1.00m at 54.40 g/t Au, located 50m to the west of hole 21RDD088 which returned 1.77m at 117.86 g/t Au (see press release dated March 28, 2022) within the R2 vein system. Some of the highest grade mineralisation returned to date along the R3 structures were obtained during the 2023 fall infill drill program including 23RDD181 with 0.35m at 134.30 g/t Au, 23RDD178 with 0.40m at 62.10 g/t Au, and 23RDD183 returning 2.30m at 7.85 g/t Au including 0.53m at 30.50 g/t Au.

Two drill holes were designed to test the shallower portions of the Regnault diorite up dip from the 2023 winter discovery holes that intersected mineralisation down to 1,000m vertical depth including 23RDD172 which returned 2.56 g/t over 41.85m including 11.96 g/t Au over 4.45m (see press release dated August 8, 2023). These large step-outs (200-300m) returned narrow, moderate grade mineralisation within the R9, R10, and R11 shear zones including 23RDD174 which returned 3.70m at 2.14 g/t Au including 0.40m at 10.70 g/t Au, a 215m up dip step-out from 23RDD159 that returned 1.20m at 55.70 g/t Au (see press release dated May 31, 2023).

Figure 3. Core photo of R6 zone in hole 23RDD185: 19.25m at 19.95 g/t Au including 2.50m at 47.58 g/t Au and including 1.90m at 106.48 g/t Au

Kenorland Closes Exchange of 20% Joint Venture Interest in Frotet Project for 4.0% NSR Royalty

Kenorland is also pleased to announce that, further to its press release dated January 16, 2024, it has completed the exchange with Sumitomo of the Company's 20% participating interest in the Frotet Project, located in Quebec, for a 4.0% net smelter return royalty (the "Frotet Royalty") on all minerals extracted from the Project. As a result of the transaction, Sumitomo now owns 100% of the Project and the joint venture agreement dated April 17, 2018 between the Company and Sumitomo is now terminated.

As previously announced, the Frotet Royalty is subject to the following buy down rights in favour of Sumitomo:

A 0.25% royalty interest may be purchased for a C$3,000,000 cash payment to the Company within five (5) years of the grant of the Frotet Royalty upon the closing of the transaction.

A 0.50% royalty interest may be purchased for a C$10,000,000 cash payment to the Company within ten (10) years of the grant of the Frotet Royalty upon the closing of the transaction, provided Sumitomo has exercised the first buy down right.

In the event Sumitomo exercises the foregoing buy down rights, the Frotet Royalty would be reduced to an uncapped 3.25% net smelter return royalty on all minerals extracted from the Project.

Kenorland will remain the operator of the Project for at least one year following the transaction to facilitate a successful transition of operatorship to Sumitomo.

Exercise of Top-up Right with Sumitomo

The Company is also pleased to announce that further to its press release dated February 2, 2024, the Company and Sumitomo, have completed the exercise of Sumitomo's 'top-up right' to retain its 10.1% interest in the Company as granted within the investor rights agreement dated November 5, 2021.

An aggregate of 67,409 common shares were issued for aggregate consideration of $51,878. The common shares issuable in the placement are subject to a statutory hold period in accordance with applicable securities legislation and the rules and policies of the TSXV expiring on June 10, 2024.

As Sumitomo is the beneficial owner of more than 10% of Kenorland's outstanding shares, it is a "related party" to the Company within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101- Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). As such, both transactions constituted a "related party transaction" within the meaning of MI 61-101.

In both cases, the Company has relied upon on exemptions from formal valuation and the minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 found in sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 as the fair market value of either transaction does not constitute more than the 25% of the Company's market capitalization. In addition, in relation to the Frotet Royalty, the Company relied upon the exemptions found in 5.5(d) and 5.7(1)(c) of MI 61-101 as the transaction was a purchase or sale, in the ordinary course of the Company's business under an agreement that was approved by the board of directors, the existence of which was generally disclosed.

Table 1. Table of assay results from the 2023 fall drill program

HOLE ID From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) Residual Au (g/t) 23RDD174 47.50 54.30 6.80 0.80 0.97 And 445.00 448.75 3.75 1.46 2.27 0.92 Incl. 447.00 447.65 0.65 4.03 7.20 And 719.85 723.50 3.65 1.78 2.04 1.53 Incl. 722.50 722.80 0.30 4.65 4.40 And 981.00 984.70 3.70 2.14 2.49 1.10 Incl. 982.00 982.40 0.40 10.70 14.10 And 1059.40 1069.25 9.85 1.35 1.40 1.21 Incl. 1062.80 1063.45 0.65 3.33 2.50 23RDD175 113.50 122.50 9.00 1.80 1.28 1.30 Incl. 114.50 115.50 1.00 5.78 5.10 And 374.70 382.50 7.80 1.54 1.36 1.13 Incl. 379.30 380.00 0.70 5.76 4.50 And 628.28 632.00 3.72 1.51 0.83 And 653.70 671.35 17.65 4.59 7.88 2.03 Incl. 669.52 670.60 1.08 43.96 103.15 23RDD176 378.80 383.50 4.70 1.12 1.38 And 555.00 565.70 10.70 5.67 7.98 3.52 Incl. 559.20 561.20 2.00 14.99 24.61 23RDD177 268.60 271.59 2.99 5.61 6.63 1.49 Incl. 269.04 269.52 0.48 27.20 31.40 And 281.00 282.00 1.00 174.54 262.92 1.07 Incl. 281.30 281.60 0.30 579.30 873.00 And 592.50 603.81 11.31 6.89 6.43 2.40 Incl. 593.44 595.56 2.12 26.37 24.05 And 623.42 627.00 3.58 1.89 3.09 1.08 Incl. 626.24 627.00 0.76 4.92 9.10 23RDD178 40.00 44.80 4.80 1.49 0.75 0.86 Incl. 40.00 40.30 0.30 10.90 5.10 And 265.50 268.20 2.70 3.60 8.76 0.87 Incl. 265.50 266.00 0.50 15.60 41.00 And 282.00 282.40 0.40 62.10 129.40 23RDD179 1024.30 1031.35 7.05 0.77 2.57 And 1119.00 1121.60 2.60 2.32 2.05 1.44 Incl. 1119.50 1120.00 0.50 5.98 4.90 And 1188.50 1189.80 1.30 4.62 2.86 23RDD180 40.70 41.67 0.97 8.49 11.11 And 218.10 221.30 3.20 5.31 5.86 1.75 Incl. 219.20 220.40 1.20 11.23 13.11 23RDD181 138.30 146.70 8.40 0.63 0.81 And 190.00 197.52 7.52 3.08 4.93 1.61 Incl. 194.80 195.25 0.45 26.30 48.80 And 282.60 282.95 0.35 134.30 153.40 23RDD182 17.20 18.20 1.00 54.40 8.20 And 32.85 35.45 2.60 9.91 10.08 2.56 Incl. 34.85 35.45 0.60 34.40 33.90 And 107.00 107.55 0.55 17.60 10.80 And 341.65 343.50 1.85 8.40 10.92 1.00 Incl. 341.65 342.00 0.35 40.10 51.30 23RDD183 49.80 53.80 4.00 4.00 6.98 2.13 Incl. 52.65 53.15 0.50 17.10 39.40 And 331.90 332.24 0.34 34.40 41.10 And 344.70 347.00 2.30 7.85 11.86 1.07 Incl. 345.55 346.08 0.53 30.50 46.10 23RDD184 284.75 286.25 1.50 4.24 4.11 1.08 Incl. 285.95 286.25 0.30 16.90 15.40 23RDD185 177.00 180.50 3.50 3.84 5.18 1.07 Incl. 177.50 178.25 0.75 14.00 19.90 And 207.50 209.00 1.50 3.58 1.00 And 297.80 301.10 3.30 3.60 3.48 1.43 Incl. 297.80 298.40 0.60 13.40 12.60 And 313.80 318.15 4.35 1.69 1.81 1.48 Incl. 315.40 315.80 0.40 3.72 3.20 And 358.30 358.60 0.30 40.20 17.10 And 384.90 389.25 4.35 1.39 1.84 And 461.25 480.50 19.25 19.95 15.44 4.22 Incl. 463.40 465.90 2.50 47.58 42.04 And Incl. 478.30 480.20 1.90 106.48 61.99 And 590.80 598.50 7.70 4.84 5.43 2.71 Incl. 597.25 598.00 0.75 24.60 32.10 And 818.00 827.70 9.70 0.81 0.68 23RDD186 337.00 339.30 2.30 2.81 2.09 23RDD187 74.00 75.10 1.10 4.67 1.60 And 297.00 300.20 3.20 2.25 1.65 1.25 Incl. 297.00 297.44 0.44 8.51 5.30 And 371.50 380.45 8.95 6.34 8.09 3.65 Incl. 372.00 373.45 1.45 20.27 9.79 23RDD188 58.80 59.85 1.05 5.81 1.21 And 198.70 213.00 14.30 0.88 0.45 And 259.30 260.10 0.80 9.78 5.40 And 381.50 387.10 5.60 1.71 1.55 1.35 Incl. 386.50 387.10 0.60 4.64 2.70 And 402.00 414.00 12.00 1.81 1.92 1.31 Incl. 402.00 402.50 0.50 13.30 21.10 And 634.00 639.30 5.30 1.67 1.88 1.36 Incl. 638.80 639.30 0.50 4.58 4.10 And 854.40 864.00 9.60 1.06 1.49 0.74 Incl. 854.40 855.00 0.60 5.83 9.60 And 873.00 876.40 3.40 2.72 3.11 1.08 Incl. 874.40 874.90 0.50 12.20 15.00 23RDD189 254.50 256.00 1.50 3.68 0.60 And 314.70 318.00 3.30 1.67 0.54 0.79 Incl. 314.70 315.00 0.30 10.50 2.10 23RDD190 316.50 326.20 9.70 0.75 0.44 23RDD191 35.50 39.00 3.50 1.60 1.05 23RDD192 347.50 355.50 8.00 0.74 0.45 And 415.00 417.20 2.20 17.45 10.83 4.65 Incl. 415.80 416.10 0.30 98.50 42.10 And 644.00 645.00 1.00 7.32 9.06 And 662.30 663.80 1.50 9.41 10.87 1.32 Incl. 662.80 663.30 0.50 25.60 28.40 And 824.80 828.10 3.30 2.85 2.70 1.42 Incl. 827.30 828.10 0.80 7.32 6.52 23RDD193 173.65 176.40 2.75 10.99 5.17 2.41 Incl. 174.80 176.03 1.23 21.59 9.86 And 255.15 290.60 35.45 2.90 1.60 1.60 Incl. 270.50 272.20 1.70 15.52 6.43 And Incl. 281.80 282.50 0.70 33.80 16.00 And 298.25 301.45 3.20 1.84 0.79 And 325.00 332.50 7.50 1.24 0.80 And 335.50 341.40 5.90 0.91 0.77

 Assay intervals reported are core lengths, true widths have not been determined

 Residual Au (g/t) represents the average grade of the drill hole interval excluding the highlighted internal interval

Table 2. Drill collar table of reported drill holes from the 2023 fall drill program

Hole ID Easting

(NAD83) Northing

(NAD83) Elevation

(m)

Depth

(m) Dip



Azimuth

23RDD174 519152 5620211 379 1149.00 -57 154 23RDD175 519232 5621016 377 735.00 -44 158 23RDD176 519232 5621016 377 771.00 -52 157 23RDD177 519191 5620916 376 852.00 -46 159 23RDD178 518654 5620002 378 342.00 -45 167 23RDD179 519553 5620158 380 1212.00 -63 161 23RDD180 518744 5619998 377 288.00 -44 170 23RDD181 518813 5620030 376 291.00 -45 164 23RDD182 518759 5620091 381 372.00 -45 167 23RDD183 518839 5620142 382 396.00 -45 162 23RDD184 518854 5620059 376 303.00 -44 158 23RDD185 519852 5621006 376 921.00 -61 162 23RDD186 519000 5620128 377 354.00 -54 154 23RDD187 520017 5621013 382 468.00 -47 330 23RDD188 519895 5621083 379 909.00 -63 159 23RDD189 520030 5621100 385 330.00 -47 335 23RDD190 520030 5621099 385 486.00 -64 338 23RDD191 519852 5621009 376 483.00 -47 324 23RDD192 519935 5621161 379 835.65 -63 161 23RDD193 519892 5621088 379 420.00 -50 320

About the Frotet Project

The Project covers 39,365 hectares of the Frotet-Evans greenstone belt within the Opatica geological sub-province of Quebec. The property is adjacent to the past-producing Troilus Gold Corporation's Au-Cu mine (9.23Moz Au indicated resource) and covers several major deformation zones associated with known orogenic gold prospects, as well as stratigraphy hosting VMS deposits elsewhere in the belt. Kenorland initially staked the Project in 2017 and then entered into a joint venture and earn-in agreement with Sumitomo in 2018.

The Project hosts the Regnault gold system, a greenfields discovery made by Kenorland and Sumitomo in 2020 following two years of systematic exploration. Since the initial discovery, Regnault has seen extensive exploration, totaling 82,273 meters of drilling (193 drillholes).

On January 16, 2024, Kenorland announced that it had entered into a transaction to exchange its 20% participating interest in the Frotet Joint Venture with Sumitomo Metal Mining, to a 4% NSR Royalty. Kenorland will remain the operator of the Project for a minimum of one year from the closing of the transaction.

On January 24, 2024, Kenorland announced a 17,600m winter drill program focusing on infill and step-out targets along the R1, R5, R6 and R7 mineralised structures, as well as broad step-outs along the R4 structures in towards the north, and R9, R10, and R11 structures within the southern portions of the deposit area.

The Project is located 100 kilometers to the north of Chibougamau, Quebec. Favorable infrastructure exists in the Project area with an extensive forestry road network as well as the Route-du-Nord crossing the southwestern portion of the property. A power transmission line also crosses through the property which supplied power to the past producing Troilus mine.

Figure 4. Map of the Frotet Project and Royalty

*Technical Report and Mineral Resource Estimate on the Troilus Gold-Copper Project, Mineral Resources Effective Date: 02 October 2023

**The Frotet Royalty is subject to the following buy down rights in favour of Sumitomo:

A 0.25% royalty interest may be purchased for a C$3,000,000 cash payment to Kenorland within five (5) years of the grant of the Frotet Royalty

A 0.50% royalty interest may be purchased for a C$10,000,000 cash payment to Kenorland within ten (10) years of the grant of the Frotet Royalty

In the event Sumitomo exercises the foregoing buy down rights, the Frotet Royalty would be reduced to an uncapped 3.25% net smelter return royalty on all minerals extracted from the Project

QA/QC and Core Sampling Protocols

All drill core samples were collected under the supervision of Kenorland employees. Drill core was transported from the drill platform to the logging facility where it was logged, photographed, and split by diamond saw prior to being sampled. Samples were then bagged, and blanks and certified reference materials were inserted at regular intervals. Groups of samples were placed in large bags, sealed with numbered tags in order to maintain a chain-of-custody, and transported from Chibougamau to Bureau Veritas Commodities ("BV") laboratory in Timmins, Ontario.

Sample preparation and analytical work for this drill program were carried out by BV. Samples were prepared for analysis according to BV method PRP70-250: individual samples were crushed to 2mm (10 mesh) and a 250g split was pulverized to 75m (200 mesh) for analysis and then assayed for gold. Gold in samples were analyzed using BV method FA430 where a 30g split is analyzed with fire assay by Pb collection and AAS finish. Over-limits gold samples were re-analyzed using BV method FA530 where a 30g split is analyzed with fire assay by Pb collection and gravimetric finish. Multi-element geochemical analysis (45 elements) was performed on all samples using BV method MA200 where a 0.25g split is by multi-acid digest with ICP-MS/ES finish. All results passed the QA/QC screening at the lab, all company inserted standards and blanks returned results that were within acceptable limits.

Qualified Person

Cedric Mayer, M.Sc., P.Geo. (OGQ #02385), "Qualified Person" under National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this press release.

About Kenorland Minerals

Kenorland Minerals Ltd. (TSX.V KLD) is a well-financed mineral exploration company focussed on project generation and early-stage exploration in North America. Kenorland's exploration strategy is to advance greenfields projects through systematic, property-wide, phased exploration surveys financed primarily through exploration partnerships including option to joint venture agreements. Kenorland holds a 4% net smelter return royalty on the Frotet Project in Quebec which is owned by Sumitomo Metal Mining Canada Ltd. The Frotet Project hosts the Regnault gold system, a greenfields discovery made by Kenorland and Sumitomo Metal Mining Canada Ltd. in 2020. Kenorland is based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Further information can be found on the Company's website www.kenorlandminerals.com

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Zach Flood

President, CEO & Director

For further information, please contact:

Alex Muir, CFA

Investor Relations Manager

Tel +1 604 568 6005

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (together, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, are forward-looking statements. Generally, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of terminology such as "plans", "expects', "estimates", "intends", "anticipates", "believes" or variations of such words, or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors disclosed under the heading "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulators, that could cause actual results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing these forward-looking statements are reasonable based upon the information currently available to management as of the date hereof, actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. Readers are therefore cautioned not to place undue reliance on these statements, which only apply as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed times frames or at all. Except where required by applicable law, the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / TroyMinerals Inc. ("Troy" or the "Company") (CSE:TROY)(OTCQB:TROYF)(FSE:VJ3) is pleased to announce results from the final two drill holes completed in Fall of 2023 at the Lac Jacques rare earth element (REE) property. The 100% owned Lac Jacques property is located approximately 250km north of Montreal Quebec, Canada and approximately 40km northeast of the town of St. Anne du Lac (Figure 1).

Figure 1: Project location map.

Highlights

Hole LJ-23-03 intersected 2526.1 ppm TREO over 2.90 metres (m) from 53.0m -55.9m including 3627.9 ppm TREO over 0.9m.

Hole LJ-23-04 intersected 1495.9 ppm TREO over 5.40m from 54.6m - 60.0m, including 3274.7 ppm TREO over 1.40m and 1615.3 ppm TREO over 4.40m from 72.6m -77.0m including 3107.9 ppm TREO over 1.00 metres.

Drilling encountered multiple samples of anomalous REE concentrations near surface.

Results extended the mineralization to the southeast of structures intersected in previous 2 drill holes suggesting the presence of multiple mineralizing events in the area and potentially larger mineralized footprint.

Rana Vig, President and CEO, commented, "The final drill holes from the 2023 program returned strongly mineralized broad intervals as well as several narrow bands of anomalous mineralization. These results further cement our confidence in the REE potential at the Lac Jacques Property. Intersecting mineralization away from structures known to control mineralization leads us to believe there are several controls and sources of REE in the area as the footprint of mineralization continues to grow. We are designing our 2024 exploration campaign for Lac Jacques and look forward to sharing those plans with our investors in the coming weeks. The company has a strong treasury position and looks to further build shareholder value through organic growth across our portfolio of prospective projects located in Tier 1 jurisdictions while continuously looking for accretive M&A opportunities."

Discussion

Four drill holes were completed during the 2023 drill program. The program was intended to test below and along strike of the discovery trench.

Figure 2: Total Magnetic Intensity and Soil Geochemistry with drill sites.

Drill holes LJ-23-03 and LJ-23-04 were drilled 100 metres east along strike of drill holes LJ-23-01 and -02 (Figure 2). Drilling intersected numerous narrow anomalous rare earth (>1000 ppm TREO+Y 2 O ) mineralization associated with pegmatitic granite and syenite (Figure 3) in the upper 60 metres of LJ-23-03 and upper 80 metres of LJ-23-04. (Results of LJ-23-01 and LJ-23-01 have been reported in the Company News Release dated February 9, 2024).

Significant intersections in LJ-23-03 included 2526.1 ppm TREO over 2.90 metres (53.0-55.9 metres), including 3627.9 ppm TREO over 0.9 metres. In LJ-23-04, significant intersections included 1495.9 ppm TREO over 5.40 metres (54.6-60.0 metres), including 3274.7 ppm TREO over 1.40 metres and 1615.3 ppm TREO over 4.40 metres (72.6-77.0 metres) including 3107.9 ppm TREO over 1.00 metres.

Drill hole LJ-23-04 intersected a 32.30 metre section (80.50-112.30 metres) of gabbro (70-80%) with small dykes, or xenoliths, of pegmatitic syenite (20-30%). A zone of weakly anomalous TREO (850 ppm over 7.00m) occurs here and based on whole rock and geological logging, is related to the syenite, not the gabbro. A comparable zone is present in LJ-23-03 between 108.4 and 115.70 metres with a mix of gabbro, syenite and possibly andesite and a concentration of 892 ppm TREO over 7.30m). This latter zone is approximately the same elevation as in LJ-23-04, implying a flat-lying mineralization in section. This may be misleading as the gabbro unit is much narrowed in hole LJ-23-03 and it suggests some lithological complexity such as anastomosing syenite dykes between the two drill holes,

Table 1: Drill hole significant intersections, LJ-23-03, -04 (>1,000 ppm TREO+Y 2 O 3 )

Hole Interval (m) Results (ppm) From To Length TREO+Y 2 O LREO HREO MREO LJ-23-03 34.0 35.0 1.0 1319.4 1240.6 78.4 247.1 45.2 46.0 0.8 2322.8 2195.2 126.9 428.8 53.0 55.9 2.9 2526.7 2399.8 126.3 476.3 109.5 110.3 0.8 1039.1 831.3 207.4 183.2 114.0 115.7 1.7 1285.3 994.0 130.7 218.8 161.0 164.0 3.0 1421.7 1298.1 123.2 272.1 LJ-23-04 19.6 20.3 0.7 1373.3 1298.4 74.6 251.9 21.5 22.5 1.0 2982.8 2872.2 109.9 531.1 31.0 32.3 1.3 1909.1 1804.3 104.4 344.9 54.6 60.0 5.4 1496.2 1404.0 92.1 278.9 72.6 77.0 4.4 2440.7 1478.1 137.2 292.5 219.8 220.0 0.2 1567.6 518.6 809.6 135.3

Note: all intersection lengths are drill indicated. Insufficient structural data has been obtained to estimate true widths.

LREO: Light rare earth oxides - Sum of concentration of rare earth oxides La 2 O 3 , CeO 2 , Pr 6 O 11 , Nd 2 O 3 , Sm 2 O 3 , Eu 2 O 3

HREO: Heavy rare earth oxides - Sum of concentration of rare earth oxides Gd 2 O 3 , Tb 4 O 7 , Dy 2 O 3 , Ho 2 O 3 , Er 2 O 3 , Tm 2 O 3 , Yb 2 O 3 , Lu 2 O 3 , Y 2 O 3

MREO: Magnet rare earth oxides Sum of concentration of rare earth oxides Pr 6 O 11 and Nd 2 O 3

TREO: Total rare earth oxides - Sum of LREO and HREO

Figure 3: Drill hole cross-section, mineralization, and results

Broadly, the ratio of LREO:HREO exhibits a distinct pattern with an overall enrichment (>10) of LREO in the upper half of the drill holes, above the gabbros, then decreasing to a much lower (<10) LREO:HREO below the gabbros.

Overall grades in these drill holes are less than in drill holes LJ-23-01 and -02. The major fault intersected in these holes was not intersected in the current drilling. Based on the projected orientation of the fault, drill holes LJ-23-03 and -04 are further south and east of the fault.

Figure 4: Drill hole cross-section, geological interpretation

PETROGRAPHIC ANALYSIS

The Company received the final report of the petrographic analysis of 16 core samples from drill holes LJ-23-01 and LJ-23-02. Analysis was performed by IOS Services Geoscientifiques Inc. of Saguenay, QC. The objective of the analysis was to identify mineral assemblages and provide modal proportions of the minerals and chemistry.

A variety of REE-bearing minerals were identified, including allanite, fergusonite, monazite and unidentified REE-carbonates. Allanite is the principal REE-bearing mineral, with other sources comprising only very small modal percentages of the examined sample.

SAMPLING AND ANALYTICAL METHODOLOGY

The core selected for sampling was cut in half with a core saw with one half bagged for shipping. Strict chain of custody storing, and shipping protocol was maintained. All core preparation and analyses were completed by Activation Laboratories Ltd. (Actlabs) located in Val d'Or, Quebec. The core was crushed, split, and pulverized with 250 grams passing 200 mesh. Each sample was fused by lithium metaborate/ tetraborate fusion. (Actlabs Code 4 Litho) with analysis for multi-element and whole rock oxides by ICP-OES and ICP-MS. and for multi-elements by 4-acid total digestion ICP with OES finish. (Actlabs Code 1F2).

QUALITY ASSURANCE AND QUALITY CONTROL

Company staff inserted standards and blanks into the sample stream at a rate of approximately 1 for every 10 routine core samples. Three certified reference standards were employed along. The blank consisted of landscape rock material.

QUALIFIED PERSONS

The drilling, sampling and QAQC program was supervised by John Gartner, P.Geo.

The technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by William Cronk, B.Sc., P.Geo., a consultant to the Company, who is a qualified person as defined under National Instrument 43-101.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD,

Rana Vig | Presidentand Director

Telephone: 604-218-4766

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

About Troy Minerals Inc.

Troy Minerals is a mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties. The Company currently holds an interest in four assets.

The Lake Owen project (formerly SW2) is a highly perspective Vanadium, Titanium and Iron ore rich project that consists of 91 mineral claims located approximately 50km southwest of Laramie, Wyoming USA. The property is a one billion tonne plus target in a Proterozoic Layered Mafic Intrusive host with strong magnetite-rich cumulates and accompanying V/Ti and Pt/Pd/Au/Rh-bearing sulfide horizons.

The Lac Jacques project is a drive to project with close infrastructure located approximately 250km north of Montreal Quebec, Canada and is comprised of twenty20 mineral claims totaling 1170 ha. The Property hosts high grade REE mineralization at the surface in a structurally controlled and steeply dipping carbonatite dike up to 25 meters thick with multi-kilometer potential.

The Green Gold project, in which the Company has the right to acquire 100% interest, is comprised of 14 mineral claims with an aggregate area of 11,238 hectares, is located in central British Columbia in the Cariboo Mining Division, approximately 34 km southwest of the city of Prince George.

The Ticktock project, a 1,065-hectare property located within the prolific Golden Triangle region of British Columbia, Canada, lies 23km northwest of the historic Eskay Creek Mine and sits between the Enduro Metals Newmont Lake property and the Aben Resources Forrest-Kerr property.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information: This release include scertain statements that maybe deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release,other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that Troy Resources Inc. (the "Company") expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always,identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include results of exploration activities may not show quality and quantity necessary for further exploration or future exploitation of minerals deposits, volatility of commodity prices, and continued availability of capital and financing, permitting and other approvals, and general economic, market or business conditions.Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs,estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs,estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.

The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed this press release and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.
Kelowna, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 20, 2024) - Strathmore Plus Uranium Corporation (TSXV: SUU) (OTC: SUUFF) ("Strathmore" or "the Company") is pleased to update the results of the on-going geophysical study completed by the University of Wyoming (UW) at the Agate project. The UW's research will give Strathmore specific targets for their 200-hole drilling program this spring and provide opportunities to locate roll fronts, the "noses" of which are anticipated to host thicker intervals and higher grades of mineralization. Agate is envisaged as an ISR project located in the Shirley Basin Uranium District in Wyoming.

Sam Hartmann, P. Geo., Strathmore's technical advisor commented: "Strathmore is successfully demonstrating the viability of using the unique approach of ground geophysics in a roll front environment, with resistivity emerging as a tool to potentially map alteration systems associated with mineralization. If we can continue to identify these typically sinuous roll front bodies on a larger scale as demonstrated with this case study, it stands to provide discrete targeting for the upcoming spring drill program. The current resistivity inversion in profile represents first order targeting on section and will complement our ongoing efforts to digitize and incorporate the significant amount of historical drill hole data by Kerr-McGee into the property model."

The research by Dr. Bradley Carr, Director of UW's Near-surface Geophysical Center (UWNSG), consists of ground and borehole geophysics applied across the project to detect and image a uranium roll front and possibly monitor the movement of the roll front's position during future in-situ mining development. Strathmore looks forward to working with Dr. Carr to provide potential targets for the 2024 exploration season based on the geophysical study completed in 2023 and UW's more extensive research study slated for 2024.

Dr. Carr reported: "Since early 2023, the University of Wyoming's Dept. of Geology and Geophysics (G&G) was funded by the State of Wyoming and the UW School of Energy Resources to conduct research into geophysical characterization tools of sedimentary deposits of uranium. In this project, Dr. Carr and two UW G&G graduate students partnered with Strathmore Plus Uranium to study the shallow, near-surface uranium roll front at their Agate Prospect in Wyoming's Shirley Basin. The goal is to study and determine which geophysical tools provide the best delineation methods for sedimentary uranium roll fronts which are found within the sedimentary geologic layers in Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, and Utah.

The preliminary results of the study illustrate how a combined geophysical method study including both surface and borehole geophysical methods highlight the roll front location, unaltered areas ahead of the roll front, and altered areas behind the roll front. In this research, the borehole and surface geophysical methods include seismic reflection, seismic refraction, DC resistivity (ERT), Induced Polarization (IP), Electromagnetics (TEM), Self-Potential (SP), and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR).

In traditional uranium exploration and characterization, radiometric surveys followed by drilling and borehole gamma logging are the standard approaches. Although fine, additional geophysical methods can provide more detail on the location, quantity and background groundwater condition allowing more advanced extractive planning and engineering prior to production.

To date in this geophysical study for sedimentary uranium deposits, we have collected preliminary surface data for TEM, ERT and IP, SP, and borehole datasets of Spectral Gamma, Normal resistivity/IP/SP, and NMR. The methodology utilized in 2023 during the preliminary phase of this research is displayed in Figure 1 below. In 2024, we will continue to collect additional TEM, seismic reflection/refraction, and ERT/IP profiles at the site to further delineate the geophysical response of the uranium roll front and potential channel sand where it is hosted. 2023 data analyses (e.g., ERT in Figure 2) and field planning for summer 2024 is continuing currently. Additionally, we will collect NMR datasets to study the mobile groundwater and porosity/permeability state of the target sands. Finally, we will collect and analyze 'full-waveform' Induced Polarization (IP) data to determine how viable IP is for identifying not only the location of the active roll-front but if it can tell us about the material state in-front (unreacted) and behind (reacted) parts of the system surrounding the active roll-front. We are encouraged about the use of IP data generally from preliminary, traditional IP surface and borehole data collected in 2023. However, the addition of 'full waveform' analyses of the IP decay should provide even greater insights into the in-situ state of the uranium roll front which will hopefully aid development and production planning."

Figure 1. Preliminary geophysical data acquisition during 2023 at the Strathmore Plus Uranium - Agate Site in Shirley Basin, WY. Pre-drilling geophysical research tests: Red line represents an ERT profile (Line 1). White dots represent TEM sounding locations centered on planned drill locations.

Figure 2. Inverted Resistivity Profile from A-A'. ERT data from 2023 at the Agate Site. Resistors (red/yellow) colors represent the sandstone interval hosting the uranium roll front deposit. AG-16-23 is interpreted to be near the nose of the uranium roll front. ERT assists with identifying the roll front sand unit but gives less direct information about the chemical reactivity of the redox condition at the roll-front. This research is encouraged by initial Induced Polarization (IP) testing near and within these boreholes to provide information about the chemical reactivity of the roll front.

Strathmore Plus Uranium Corp

Strathmore has three uranium projects with approved exploration plans in Wyoming, including Agate, Beaver Rim, and Night Owl. The Agate and Beaver Rim properties contain uranium in typical Wyoming-type roll front deposits based on historical drilling data. The Night Owl property is a former producing surface mine that was in production in the early 1960s.

Cautionary Statement

"Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as the term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release".

Certain information contained in this press release constitutes "forward-looking information", within the meaning of Canadian legislation. Generally, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur", "be achieved" or "has the potential to". Forward looking statements contained in this press release may include statements regarding the future operating or financial performance of Strathmore Plus Uranium Corp. which involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties which may not prove to be accurate. Actual results and outcomes may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in these forward-looking statements. Such statements are qualified in their entirety by the inherent risks and uncertainties surrounding future expectations. Among those factors which could cause actual results to differ materially are the following: market conditions and other risk factors listed from time to time in our reports filed with Canadian securities regulators on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The forward-looking statements included in this press release are made as of the date of this press release and Strathmore Plus Uranium Corp. disclaim any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable securities legislation.

Qualified Person

The technical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with the Canadian regulatory requirements set out in National Instrument 43-101 and reviewed on behalf of the company by Terrence Osier, P.Geo., Vice President, Exploration of Strathmore Plus Uranium Corp., a Qualified Person.

Strathmore Plus Uranium Corp.

Contact Information:

Investor Relations

Telephone: 1 888 882 8177

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ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

"Dev Randhawa"

Dev Randhawa, CEO
Israel's military on Monday published new images and voiced concern about a mother and her two boys -- including a baby who is the youngest hostage held by Palestinian militants in Gaza.

Hamas announced in November that all three had been killed in an Israeli bombardment but the Israeli authorities have not confirmed the claim.

Army spokesman Daniel Hagari said they were "concerned for the welfare" of Shiri Bibas, who was seen on a street camera in the southern Gaza city of Khan Yunis surrounded by seven armed men.

Kfir Bibas is the youngest Israeli hostage and was "stolen from his crib" in the community of Nir Oz when he was barely nine months old while his brother, Ariel, was just four, Hagari told a televised briefing.

If still alive, Kfir Bibas would have turned one year old on January 18.

In a statement on Monday, other members of the Bibas family described the images as "unbearable and inhumane" and called the kidnapping of children "a crime against humanity and a war crime".

"Ariel and Kfir are victims of monstrous evil. Our whole family has become hostages along with all the hostages," they added.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that "these kidnappers of babies and mothers" will be brought to justice.

Militant allies of Hamas involved in the kidnapping said in response that the trio were kept safe and treated well, and were held for more than 20 days but were killed in an Israeli air strike.

Netanyahu and his government were responsible and were "deliberately" targeting hostages, they added in a statement in response to the army.

The boys' father, Yarden Bibas, who was also seized in the October 7 attacks by Hamas militants which triggered the war with Israel, has also appeared in a video.

Nir Oz in southern Israel was the scene of some of the bloodiest attacks on October 7, which led to the deaths of 1,160 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures.

Israel vowed to "destroy" Hamas in response and has carried out a relentless bombardment and ground invasion that has killed more than 29,000 people, most of them women and children, according to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza.

More than 250 people were taken hostage, including more than 75 from Nir Oz. According to Israel, 130 hostages are still in Gaza but 30 are thought to be dead.

Images filmed by Hamas on October 7 of a terrified Shiri Bibas with her two children in her arms have become the defining images of the hostage crisis for Israelis.
No one in this Great Hall of Justice is starry-eyed about international law, but it is what we have, proclaimed British barrister and Kings Counsel Philippe Sands, as he appeared for Palestine before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on February 19. He placed his arguments squarely in the context of the right to self-determination enjoyed by all peoples under the United Nations Charter. That right has real and practical consequences, he continued, including the right to control land and resources and be free from demographic manipulation.

Israel is not attending the hearings. While Palestines representatives spoke over three hours and submitted a 390-page written brief, Israel filed a five-page document challenging the legitimacy of the proceedings. It argues that the framing of the questions before the court is prejudicial and disregards the thousands of dead and wounded Israelis who have fallen victim to murderous Palestinian acts of hatred and terrorism - acts that continue to endanger Israel's civilians and national security on a daily basis.

The challenge for Palestine and the states that agree with its analysis is to convince judges that they should see what is happening in Palestine now in the grand sweep of history, and boldly apply several international law instruments including the United Nations Charter, and conventions on racial discrimination and against apartheid, to analyse the situation. The judges are being encouraged not to be overly deferential to any states arguments about endangering putative peace negotiations or Israels security.

Countering Israels argument over security

The context of the mounting casualties in the war in Gaza provided a steady drumbeat during Palestines presentations, emphasising the urgency of the situation and providing additional evidence of the Israeli leaderships negative attitudes to any prospective Palestinian state. But the mass of documents, maps and the quotes fielded by Palestine skirted over many potential Israeli counter-arguments.

Bewigged Philippe Sands has appeared before the court in many cases. He made a comparison to one of them - the courts advisory opinion over the Chagos Islands in which the court ruled on self-determination against the counter view that security issues were at stake. In Chagos, the Court swatted away British and American arguments that alleged security concerns somehow trump the right of self-determination and its exercise. We trust that the Court will dismiss the argument that the Palestinian peoples right of self-determination is somehow conditional upon a subjective determination by Israel as to matters of its security.

Sands says that an opinion of this court makes a peaceful resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict more likely, not less likely.

Palestinian statehood is not dependent on the approval of Israel. The Occupying Power does not have, and cannot have, a right of veto over the right of self-determination of the Palestinian people, he concluded. "The right of self-determination requires that UN Member States bring Israels occupation to an immediate end. No aid. No assistance. No complicity. No contribution to forcible actions. No money, no arms, no trade, no nothing. All UN Members are obliged by law to end Israels presence on the territory of Palestine. Period."

The legality of occupation

Palestines team was led by the foreign minister and also had legal luminaries such as French scholar in red robes Alain Pellet and veteran US attorney Paul Reichler. Reichler previously represented Nicaragua in one of the courts landmark cases which found that the US violated international law in using force against Nicaragua. He made a distinction in his arguments between the law that governs occupation - international humanitarian law - and the actual legality of occupation, saying that the benchmark for assessment here was the United Nations Charter.

He stated that 35 of the submissions from states dealt with the legality of occupation and only two supported it: US and Fiji. (Not all the submissions have yet been published.) Reichler singled out the United States for much of his critique saying that whatever violations of international law Israel commits, the US always seeks to shield it from accountability. He quoted from Barack Obama 2020 memoirs on how US diplomats found themselves in the awkward position of having to defend Israel for actions we ourselves opposed.

"International law requires that this entire illegal enterprise be terminated," Reichler said.

Racial discrimination and apartheid

Namira Negm, former Egyptian ambassador and former counsel to the African Union, sporting a black and white keffiyeh tucked into her jacket, spoke on the discrimination faced by Palestinians.

"Starting from the Nakba of 1948 until now, Israel has adopted discriminatory legislation and measures by which it has established a deeply entrenched system of racial discrimination against Palestinians, subjugating them to Israeli domination and denying their fundamental rights, she said. Discrimination is as integral to Israels prolonged occupation as is the annexation and colonization of the Palestinian territory. They feed off each other," she pleaded.

She compared Israels policies to the institutionalized racial discrimination and segregation that existed in South Africa and called on the court to play again the role it had in 1971, concerning apartheid, to bring about an end to this glaring injustice and  this illegal situation and instead bestow on the Palestinian people the fundamental rights to which they are entitled by international law, yet which they have been so unjustly denied." She repeated what UN experts had described as a vision of 21st-century apartheid where Israelis and Palestinians travel on segregated roads, a phenomenon that even apartheid South Africa never knew.

The discrimination is elaborated through laws, military courts, violence, discriminatory zoning and planning, and collective punishment, she added.

For Israel, an abuse of judicial process

In the Israeli written submission they say that all the documented evidence from UN special rapporteurs and commissions of inquiry provide only a clear distortion of the history and present reality of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Contrary to any conception of due process, the Court is asked simply to presume Israeli violations of international law - to accept, as given, plainly biased and flawed assertions directed against Israel alone. It argues that the tendentious questions placed before the Court not only distort the factual reality: they fundamentally misrepresent the legal reality as wellThe Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not a cartoon narrative of villain and victim in which there are no Israeli rights and no Palestinian obligations. The very request for an advisory opinion from the court is, Israel says, contrary to the established legal framework governing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and an abuse of international law and the judicial process.

Israel outlines the threat it has faced from the Gaza Strip following its voluntary withdrawal in 2005 with tens of thousands of rockets launched against the civilian population and calls for the annihilation of the State of Israel. They point out that peacemaking initiatives advanced over many years... scuttled by repeated rejections by the Palestinian leadership itself.

Israel also says the questions as framed fail to appreciate the very existence of the Israeli-Palestinian agreements, according to which the two sides have agreed to resolve through direct negotiations precisely the subject-matter placed before the Court, including such issues as the permanent status of the territory, security arrangements, settlements, and borders.

Over the week, more than fifty states and international organisations will present their arguments to the court, supported by their written submissions. Then it will be up to the judges to rule of one of the most significant cases the court has had before it.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 20. At the inauguration ceremony following the presidential election, President Ilham Aliyev called the goals highlighted for Azerbaijan and promoting the unity of the Turkic world one of the paths of Azerbaijan's active foreign policy, political analyst Azer Garayev told Trend.

According to him, this is why the first formal visit of the head of state to Turkiye following the election is very significant. The scheduled extraordinary summit of the Organization of Turkic States in July in Shusha, the cultural capital of the Turkic world, demonstrates Azerbaijan and Turkiye's commitment to the organization's development.

Garayev stated that new dynamics have emerged in Azerbaijan's relations with fraternal Turkic states over the previous two years. President Ilham Aliyev's official visit to Turkiye on February 18 at the request of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan illustrates the two nations' genuine commitment to practical affairs. Today, Azerbaijan and Turkiye are close on all political platforms and concerns. Azerbaijani-Turkish relations are thriving and diversified.

"Close relationships between countries can be seen in practically every domain, including economics, politics, military, education, and culture. The Azerbaijani army follows the Turkish model. This method has yielded good results throughout both the Second Karabakh War and localized anti-terrorist measures. Serious work is also done in the defense business. Joint projects are being executed," Garayev said.

He noted that one of the relatively new spheres of cooperation is education.

"The establishment of the Turkish-Azerbaijani University not only strengthens educational relations but also demonstrates the two countries' solidarity. The two countries see joint development in education as one of the most crucial areas. The construction of the Turkish-Azerbaijani University is a vital step in light of the current ideological attack on the world and efforts to involve our youth in the area of influence," Garayev noted.

Referring to economic relations between the two countries, he emphasized that trade turnover has already reached $7.5 billion.

"This is a record figure. Azerbaijan and Turkiye are confidently moving towards their goals. Energy and transportation security are the main issues on the world agenda today," Garayev stated.

The political analyst added that Azerbaijani-Turkish unity promotes peace both in the region and in the world and contributes to the solution of global problems.

"These relations should serve as an example for the whole world. I am confident that ties between the two brotherly countries will continue to develop in various spheres," Garayev concluded.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Best known for her iconic stages as a T-ARA member and her amazing performance in the hit K-drama "Dream High," idol-actress Ham Eunjung is expanding her scope of activities this 2024.

The former T-ARA member signed an exclusive contract with an emerging company Mask Studio, much to the fans' delight.

Ham Eunjung Signs Exclusive Contract With Mask Studio

Ham Eunjung hints at her plans on career expansion as she announced that she joined the newly established company Mask Studio.

On February 19, it was confirmed that the idol-actress has signed an exclusive contract with the rising agency which houses actors Lim Na Young, Lee Hyun So, Kim Bo Young and more.

A representative from Mask Studio shared their enthusiasm in welcoming Ham Eunjung, saying, "We promise to do our best to present diverse works through various forms, and support Ham Eunjung in all of her endeavors."

With this, the collaboration between the artist and the agency is expected to bring forth an exhilarating time in her career as she explores the different avenues the Hallyu scene has to offer.

YOU MIGHT LIKE THIS: Jeon Jong Seo Remains Nonchalant Despite Moon Sang Min's Evil Plan In 'Wedding Impossible'

Welcome to the Mask Studio family, Ham Eunjung!

Ham Eunjung To Return With Brand New K-drama This 2024

Ever since she debuted, Ham Eunjung showcased her limitless talents as an idol and an actress while also dabbling into hosting, modeling, theater and more.

She even starred in more than 36 television series and 16 films, proving her dedication as an artist. This 2024, she returns with a brand new drama following her new collaboration with Mask Studio.

Ham Eunjung headlines the upcoming family drama "We Are Healthy" (translated titled) where she plays the role of a doctor named Jin Su Ji, hinting at a fresh perspective for her fans.

"We Are Healthy" airs in March every weeknight at 8:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. KST on KBS 1TV. Meanwhile, Ham Eunjung gained massive traction for her roles in "Missing 2," "Be My Dream Family" and more.

YOU MIGHT ALSO BE INTERESTED IN THIS: Kim Hye Soo Exudes Femme Fatale Aura In New Disney+ Series 'Trigger' - More Details Inside!

In 2023, she also joined the South Korean production of the musical play "Dressing Room" with the main role. At the moment, she's also preparing for her web series "Tarot" so stay tuned for more updates on the drama.

KDramaStars owns this article.

Written by Elijah Mully.
"Marry My Husband" delivered another unexpected twist as Lee Yi Kyung fell into his trap.

Based on the webtoon of the same name, the tvN series is a revenge drama that focuses on Kang Ji Won's (Park Min Young) revenge against her loved ones.

Experiencing betrayal from her cheating husband, Park Min Hwan (Lee Yi Kyung), she finds out that he and her best friend Jung Soo Min (Song Ha Yoon) are having a secret affair.

With their greed and bad intentions towards Ji Won, she faces death but mysteriously wakes up in the past. Kang Ji Won is able to correct her fate thanks to Yoo Ji Hyuk (Na In Woo), who also harbors the same secret as hers.

'Marry My Husband' Viewership

With only one episode left, "Marry My Husband" episode 15 remains stable.

In a report, Nielsen Korea garnered an average nationwide viewership of 11.1 percent, the same rating as the previous episode.

On the other hand, fans get to see the last episode on February 20 via tvN, TVING and Prime Video.

'Marry My Husband' Episode 15: Lee Yi Kyung Ends Up With Kang Ji Won's Fate

The episode continued with Park Min Hwan assaulting Kang Ji Won.

Thankfully, Yoo Ji Hyuk came to save Ji Won, but they ended up at the police station while Ji Won was rushed to the hospital.

IN CASE YOU MISSED: 'Marry My Husband' Cast Heads to Vietnam for Reward Vacation + BoA to Skip the Upcoming Trip

The next scene focused on Ms. Yang's divorce from her husband, with the help of U&K's Mr. Lee. While at the hospital, her husband barged in, harassing Ms. Yang, but Mr. Lee came in and threatened him with a restraining order.

While things were going well with Yang Joo Ran and Kong Ji Won, Jung Soo Min experienced a different fate. She confronted Oh Yoo Ra after speculating that she was having an affair with Park Min Hwan.

During their intense confrontation, Soo Min revealed that she knew who was behind her father's disappearance, which was Oh Yoo Ra. She also gave her the option to collaborate with her, but Yoo Ra doubted Soo Min.

"Marry My Husband" Episode 15 also showed Min Hwan's struggle with his finances, and his last resort was the death insurance claim. He asked Yoo Ra to help him once again, adding that she would also benefit if Jung Soo Min died.

With this, he staged a scene where he and Yoo Ra were having an affair.

As expected, a commotion happened, which led to Jung Soo Min being held captive by Min Hwan.

During their conversation, Min Hwan showed Soo Min that he got all the money in her account and sold the luxury bag that Ji Won returned to her.

Jung Soo Min went furious, which led her to attack him. Park Min Hwan died like Ji Won did in her previous life.

Meanwhile, Jung Soo Min escaped and is still being chased by the police as the prime suspect.

In the last scene, she was standing in front of Yoo Ji Hyuk's home, suggesting that she would take revenge.

READ MORE: Lee Yi Kyung Shares Frugal Life Despite Being A Billionaire

For more K-Drama, K-Movie, and celebrity news, keep your tabs open here at KDramaStars.

KDramaStars owns this article

Written by Geca Wills
After his breakthrough role as a villain in Netflix's "The Glory," Hallyu star Park Sung Hoon returns as a handsome player in the forthcoming drama "Queen of Tears."

Since he stole thousands of hearts in 2023, the actor continuously captivates the public with every role he plays. Here's what to expect from his brand new acting project. Read more.



Park Sung Hoon Returns To Prime Time With 'Queen of Tears'

On February 20, tvN's new weekend drama "Queen of Tears" introduced Park Sung Hoon as a cast member joining Kim Ji Won and Kim Soo Hyun.

The actor made headlines in Hallyu after his tough portrayal of a chaebol who condones violence in Song Hye Kyo's mega hit series "The Glory."

Park Sung Hoon has diversified his acting filmography since, and "Queen of Tears" is the newest addition to his K-drama resume, raising anticipation among the fans.

The new tvN show tells the chaotic romance between Hong Hae In (Kim Ji Won), a conglomerate heir of the Queens Group and department stores and Baek Hyun Woo (Kim Soo Hyun), the supermarket prince.

YOU MIGHT LIKE THIS: THIS 'The Glory' Star Spends Million Dollar In New Estate- More Details Inside!

In the series, Park Sung Hoon transforms into Yoon Eun Seong, a former Wall Street analyst and M&A expert who becomes an elite investor in the Queens Group family.

After spending his time in Manhattan, he returns to South Korea for a new environment. He's well-loved by the conglomerates as he can predict the success and failures of investments.

Park Sung Hoon Boasts Dapper Looks In 'Queen of Tears'

While he becomes the god of investment, he's still shrouded in mystery which manifests in his character stills. Yoo Eun Seong captures the hearts of investors with his gentle smile.

However, he dons a cold expression when he's alone, raising curiosity as to what's his real intention in the Queens Group. His creepy aura while holding a gun also fuels curiosity.

Attention is given to Park Sung Hoon who's expected to show a passionate performance that will stimulate viewers' thoughts about good and evil. Don't miss it.

Make sure to check out the premiere of "Queen of Tears" this March 9 at 9:20 p.m. KST on tvN. It will also be available for worldwide streaming through Netflix.

ALSO READ: Lee Bo Young Faces Chilling Mishaps In New Thriller Series 'Hyde'

KDramaStars owns this article.

Written by Elijah Mully.
Renters across the country faced record low vacancy rates and record high rent increases in 2023, but Statistics Canada says Toronto and Vancouver residents who don't own their homes face the greatest financial and mental pressures. A "For Rent" sign is posted outside a home in Toronto, Tuesday, July 12, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 20. President Ilham Aliyev's official visit to Turkiye and discussions with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on prospects of cooperation between the two nations once again demonstrate that the two fraternal states have a unified attitude toward the processes taking place around the globe, the Turkish media publications say, Trend reports.

Turkish newspapers Sozcu, Hurriyet, Yenicag, Sabah, Aydinlk, Posta, Turkiye, and other media noted that the visit of the Azerbaijani head of state will greatly contribute to the development of mutually beneficial cooperation ties between the two brotherly countries in economic, trade, transportation, transit, and energy fields.



Selcuk Boke, the author of the story in the Hurriyet daily, says that the present volume of trade between Turkiye and Azerbaijan is $7.5 billion, with the parties aiming to grow this figure to $15 billion. According to the journalist, increased trade turnover benefits both countries' socioeconomic status and economic progress.

According to a Yenicag daily story, a pipeline and railroad are being planned to deliver natural gas from Turkiye to Nakhchivan. It claims that cooperation in transportation and transit enables both countries to become a transportation corridor between Asia and Europe. Furthermore, the expansion of transit and transportation communication provides states with both economic and political gains.



The newspaper highlights the two countries' tight cooperation in the energy industry as well. According to the author of the article, Turkish-Azerbaijani collaboration in this area is improving. Azerbaijan presently sells nine billion cubic meters of natural gas to Turkiye, with plans to expand this number in the future.

Referring to an article in the Sabah newspaper, the decision to conduct the next meeting of heads of state of the Organization of Turkic Republics in the town of Shusha, which was liberated from occupation in June of this year, demonstrates the political support of Azerbaijan's Turkic republics.



As Posta writes, Turkiye will always help Azerbaijan in its efforts to preserve long-term stability in the region, both diplomatically and militarily.



The author of the article in Turkiye newspaper underlines that the Kars-Igdir-Aralik-Dilucu-Sadarak-Nakhchivan-Julfa railway line will play an essential role in international cargo transportation as well as expanding trade between the two nations.

In general, the official visit of the President of Azerbaijan to Turkiye was the primary topic of discussion in the fraternal country's media. The news broadcasts also discussed Azerbaijan's achievements as a result of President Ilham Aliyev's successful policy.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
The jury that will decide the fate of a Quebec man charged with the first-degree murder and sexual assault of a 19-year-old junior college student in 2000 was sequestered today after the judge began delivering instructions. Guylaine Potvin, shown in a Surete du Quebec handout photo, was found dead in her apartment in Jonquiere, Que. on April 28, 2000. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Surete du Quebec **MANDATORY CREDIT**
The Liberal government will dispatch more than 800 drones to Ukraine, with delivery expected to begin this spring. A soldier of Ukraine's 3rd Separate Assault Brigade launches a drone near Bakhmut, the site of fierce battles with the Russian forces in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, Sunday, Sept. 3, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Libkos


Tuesday, February 20, 2024  All European Union countries except Hungary warned Israel on Monday against launching an offensive in Rafah that they said would deepen the catastrophe of some 1.5 million refugees crammed into the city on the southern edge of Gaza.

"An attack on Rafah would be absolutely catastrophic ... it would be unconscionable," Ireland's Foreign Minister Micheal Martin said before a meeting of foreign ministers from the 27 EU member states in Brussels.

After the talks ended, all but one of them called in a joint statement for "an immediate humanitarian pause that would lead to a lasting ceasefire, the unconditional release of all hostages and the provision of humanitarian assistance".

The statement was issued in the name of "Foreign Ministers of 26 Member-States of the European Union" and diplomats said Hungary - a close ally of the Israeli government - was the sole country that did not sign up.





"We ask the Israeli Government not to take military action in Rafah that would worsen an already catastrophic humanitarian situation and prevent the urgently needed provision of basic services and humanitarian assistance," the ministers said.

Israel on Sunday issued a warning, stating that an offensive would be started in Rafah if Hamas does not release all captives held in Gaza by March 10.

Ramadan  the Islamic holy month of fasting  this year begins on 10 March.

This is the first time Israel has disclosed a potential date for its forces to invade the congested southern metropolis of Gaza.

An attack like this in Rafah, where almost 1.5 million Palestinians are seeking refuge, has been condemned by Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iran and the US who fear a refugee crisis.

While speaking on Sunday, Israeli war cabinet member and former defense minister Benny Gantz said;

The world must know, and Hamas leaders must know  if by Ramadan our hostages are not home, the fighting will continue everywhere, to include the Rafah area.

Gantz also said Israel would act in a co-ordinated manner, facilitating the evacuation of civilians in dialogue with our American and Egyptian partners to minimise civilian casualties.

The Israeli war cabinet, which is made up of the leading security officers in Israel, was established a few days after terrorists headed by Hamas stormed Israel on October 7th, leaving at least 1,200 dead and capturing 253 prisoners. Israel estimates that roughly 130 captives are still being held in Gaza by Hamas.





According to reports, Gantzs reference to Egypt might intensify rumours that Israel anticipates that some Palestinians will flee the Gaza Strip and take refuge on the Egyptian side of the border, where the government is reportedly constructing a sizable walled enclosure specifically for this purpose.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has promised to overthrow the Hamas militants in Rafah by going on the offensive

Egypt and a few other Arab nations have cautioned on several occasions that an Israeli attack on Rafah would run the risk of forcing a large number of Palestinians into Egypt, something they find unacceptable. In the event that Rafah is overrun, Saudi Arabia has threatened very serious repercussions.


Monday, February 19, 2024  Chelsea are reportedly set to trigger the 130m (111m) release clause in Victor Osimhens Napoli contract to secure the strikers signature during this summers transfer window.

According to Italian journalist Rudy Galetti, Chelsea are planning to speed things up for Osimhen.

Galetti claims that Mauricio Pochettinos side have already agreed to pay the full 130m (111m) release clause, but the payment structure needs to be negotiated between the two clubs.

The 25-year-old striker scored 26 Serie A goals last season to help fire Napoli to the title.

Last December, he signed a new contract at Napoli until June 2026, and he is set to leave the Italian champions during the summer market.

At the end of last month, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis told reporters: This was already known since this summer, our negotiations [over the new contract] were friendly, otherwise it would not have been so long.

We knew he would go to Real Madrid, PSG or a top English club.

Paris Saint-Germain have also identified Osimhen as a possible replacement for Kylian Mbappe, who has informed the club that he will be leaving on a free transfer this summer to Real Madrid.


Tuesday, February 20, 2024 - Director Trevor has confirmed his breakup with Eve Mungai, ending speculations that their publicized romantic relationship was on the rocks.

Trevor revealed that he broke up with Eve in February 2023 and kept it a secret as they were still working together.

He left their apartment in Kileleshwa that they had bought together and rented an Airbnb.

Nilitoka tuu nikaanza life yangu. Nilimuachia hio nyumba (I left and started my life. I left that house to her) I went to stay in our Airbnb, he said.

He publicly announced that they had parted ways after Eve said she is no longer interested in working with him.

We broke up in February 2023. We remained friends and business partners until when she said she did not want to work with this brand anymore. Because she is the one who said she did not want to work with us, I had to take what belongs to me, he said.

He further revealed that she would not get a single penny from videos on the channel after changing the channels name.

The whole brand was mine. Eve was only the face of the brand. She is not part of the brand. I am hiring new employees and Eve won't be affiliated to that brand in any way and won't get any money from it, he added.

Trevor said the content and videos created by Eve would not be deleted, maintaining she was only an employee on the channel.

He is planning to hire new employees.

Trevor made it known that he was rebranding the popular Mungai Eve YouTube channel to Kenya Online Media as Mungais services "are no longer needed" on the platform.

The Kenyan DAILY POST.


Monday, February 19, 2024  A father in the UK has been found guilty of killing his six-month-old son who prosecutors said was 'shaken and battered' before he died.

David Hollick, 29, denied murder and an alternative charge of manslaughter in connection with the death of his baby son Kairo Jax Hollick, who died at Birmingham Children's Hospital on February 12, 2020, days after suffering a non-survivable brain injury.

A jury of 10 women and two men took around 20 hours to find Hollick, of Primley Avenue, Walsall, not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter by a majority of 11 to one on Monday afternoon.

The trial heard that as well as the brain injury, Kairo had suffered at least two skull fractures and a fracture to his right arm while he was in the care of his father on February 9.

Prosecutor David Mason KC told the court Kairo 'had not only been shaken violently, but his head had been bashed at least twice' with a hard object by Hollick.

The trial had heard Hollick's ex-partner Adina Johnson had dropped their son off at his home as usual on February 7 for the weekend and while Kairo had a cold at the time, she had no other concerns about his health.

Hollick was staying in the conservatory at his parents' home due to a lack of bedroom space after moving back in with them when his relationship with Ms Johnson ended.

The court heard Hollick phoned Ms Johnson at 4.30am on February 9, but she did not answer because of the time, instead messaging him to say she would call him back later on.

Hollick immediately sent her a message telling her to 'ring him back, it's about Kai'.

The last person to see Kairo alive and well was Hollick's brother James, who went into the conservatory at around midnight and saw them sleeping.

At around 4.30am, Hollick went into his father's bedroom in what prosecutors said was a 'panicked state', saying that Kairo was not breathing and that he 'didn't want to lose him'.

Kairo was driven to Walsall Manor Hospital, where Hollick told medical staff he had heard his baby son crying before he stopped breathing and claimed he only shook him to 'wake him up'.

During the trial, Hollick told the court he had tripped and fallen while carrying Kairo, which may have caused his injuries.

Scans showed Kairo was suffering from a bleed on the brain and a decision was made to transport him to Birmingham Children's Hospital, but despite their specialist facilities, nothing could be done to save him.

Kairo was christened before his life support was switched off and he died in his mother's arms.

Hollick will be sentenced at the same court on March 4.

In a tribute released through West Midlands Police after Hollick's conviction, Ms Johnson said: 'It has been four years since we lost Kairo and our hearts are still as broken as the day he was so cruelly taken from us.

'He deserved to be safe in the care of his father and he deserved to still be here today. We are devastated to learn of the sheer brutality inflicted on Kairo and it will haunt our family for the rest of our days.

'Kai was the light of our lives and the embodiment of innocence and without him we are broken.

'We hope now after all of this time that he can finally rest. We will grieve him forever.

'We would like to send thanks to medical staff at both Walsall Manor Hospital and Birmingham Children's ICU for caring for Kairo with such dignity and respect in his final days.

'My family and I would also like to thank DC Donna Kenny, our family liaison officer and the entire investigation team for the hard work, constant support and guidance over the past four years. We would also like to thank both prosecuting barristers.

'They have all helped us find some closure in what has been the most tragic of circumstances that any family could imagine.'


Tuesday, February 20, 2024  Guinea's military junta, which seized power in a coup in September 2021, has dissolved the government.

The announcement was made through a presidential decree read on state TV by the presidency's Secretary General, Brig Gen Amara Camara on Monday night, February 19.

Mr Camara did not disclose the reason for the dissolution or say when a new government will be put in place.

Ministers in the dissolved government were ordered to surrender their passports and official vehicles. Their bank accounts have additionally been frozen.

The junta also instructed security agencies to "seal" all the country's borders until government ministries have been fully handed over to the junta.

Lower-level officials will temporarily manage state ministries until a new government is appointed, Mr Camara said.

The dissolved government was led by Bernard Goumou, who had been appointed prime minister by coup leader Mamady Doumbouya.

In September 2021, Col Doumbouya led Guinea's armed forces to overthrow elected President Alpha Conde, after a series of protests over Mr Conde's controversial bid for a third term.

Guinea and several other countries in West and Central Africa have been hit by coups in recent years. Others include Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Gabon.

The coups have been strongly condemned by the West African regional bloc Ecowas, as well as the African Union and the UN.




Tuesday, February 20, 2024 - Lawyer Danstan Omari now believes that Azimio La Umoja leader Raila Odinga might not secure the African Union Chairperson role.

Speaking during an interview, Omari cited potential obstacles, stemming from the involvement of President William Ruto in the AU election process.

It is unfortunate for Kenyans that Raila Odinga will not get the AU seat.

"If the AU wanted Raila to get that seat, they could not have appointed President William Ruto to be the person to preside over the elections of the AU Commission, Omari stated.

The lawyer claimed that by Ruto playing the role of Chebukati in the AU elections, he will have a conflict of interest from the perspective of other African countries.

This comes even as Railas candidacy has received backing from various quarters.

Through spokesperson Isaac Mwaura, the Kenyan government affirmed its full support for Odingas bid, emphasizing the importance of rallying behind a fellow Kenyan for the AU position.

Furthermore, key figures within the Azimio coalition, including Kalonzo Musyoka, Martha Karua, and others, have thrown their weight behind Odingas candidacy.

The Kenyan DAILY POST.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 20. Givi Mikanadze, the head of the Georgian Parliament's delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), wrote a letter to PACE Chairman Theodoros Roussopoulos regarding the decision to refuse to ratify the powers of the Azerbaijani Parliament delegation adopted at the PACE session, Trend reports, referring to the Department of Public Relations and Press Service of the Azerbaijani Parliament.

The letter expresses concern over the fact that such decisions are taken without thorough discussion of possible negative consequences for the future relations of PACE with Azerbaijan and the South Caucasus as a whole, as well as for the future of PACE itself.

According to the head of the Georgian delegation to this structure, such a resolution makes it impossible to cooperate and exchange views with Azerbaijan in the future within the framework of PACE. This circumstance will hurt the interaction between PACE and the South Caucasus region.

This decision also damages the reputation of the Council of Europe as an important platform for dialogue and cooperation. In addition to contradicting the values and commitments of the Council of Europe, this resolution may also lead to further polarization and undermine the particularly valuable and trust-based cooperation between the PACE member states.

Considering the above-mentioned, Givi Mikanadze urges to reconsider the resolution on the refusal to ratify the credentials of the delegation of the Republic of Azerbaijan to avoid the harmful consequences of this decision.

The letter concludes by expressing confidence that the repeal of this resolution will serve the interests of the Council of Europe.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel


Monday, February 19, 2024  A mum has been arrested after accidentally running over her own son.

Sarai Rachel James, 27, had picked up her son from school on February 9 and found out from school staff that he had gotten in trouble that morning.

Not far from the school in Boaz, Alabama, James made her seven-year-old son get out of the car and told him to walk or run the rest of the way home.

She drove beside her son for a few blocks, but when she slowed down, her son tried to grab onto the cars door handle.

When James accelerated, her son was pulled under the car and he was run over with a rear tyre, Boaz chief of police Michael Abercrombie said.

She may not have realised he was doing that, he added.





Investigators believe James accidentally ran over her son  but said he never would have been in that situation if his mother hadnt decided to punish him.

He was taken to the University of Alabama hospital but thankfully only suffered abrasions on his back and side of the head.

James was arrested and charged with aggravated child abuse. She was released on a $50,000 bond three days later and is barred from having any contact with her son.

Another woman, 53, who was also in the car, was charged with endangering the welfare of a child and has been released on a $500 bond.




Tuesday, February 20, 2024 - Rwandan President Paul Kagame has begged former President Uhuru Kenyatta to resume the Nairobi Peace Process which seeks to bring peace and stability to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

This followed a tense African Union (AU) meeting where Kagame remarked that his nation would not hesitate to protect nor would it apologize for safeguarding the security of its people.

In the meeting, Kagame further told Heads of State that Rwanda would not seek permission to do so.

In an AU document, Kagames remarks during the meeting had been redacted from the communique.

Rwanda is deeply concerned by the abandonment of the Luanda and Nairobi Processes by the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and by the international community's indifference to DRC's dramatic military build-up, Rwandan foreign ministry released a statement moments after the AU Summit.

While Rwanda remarks that the President Uhuru Kenyatta-led peace initiative had been abandoned, AU in its communique, spoke of the contrary.

AU had remarked that it was deeply concerned by the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Eastern DRC which it stated was orchestrated by Rwanda-backed M23 rebels.

In their defence, Rwanda now claims that DRC is conducting combat operations in contravention of the decisions of regional mechanisms and aims to expel M23 and civilians to neighbouring countries.

The recent M23 advances are due to the DRC's decision to expel the East African Community Regional Force in December 2023, which oversaw ceasefire and withdrawal efforts, Kagame defended his stance.

Among forces that have been withdrawn from DRC include members of the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF).

Kagame further alleged that there was a plan by DRC President Felix Tshisekedi to invade Rwanda and institute a regime change.

Additionally, Rwanda faulted a statement by the United States which blamed Kagames administration for the deteriorating situation in DRC.

The Kenyan DAILY POST


Monday, February 19, 2024  Pirates of the Caribbean star, Kevin McNally has been arrested over domestic violence claims and has been released on bail set at 40,000.

The 67-year-old actor was due to attend the world's biggest Dr Who fan convention in Los Angeles when he was detained by the police.

McNally played Joshamee Gibbs in the Pirates of the Caribbean series - first mate to Johnny Depp's Jack Sparrow.

He has since been released on bail and is due in court next month, The Sun reported.

The newspaper reported that his wife denied knowing about his arrest.

McNally, who shares a son with his actress wife, also appeared in Downton Abbey alongside his spouse, who played housekeeper Mrs Hughes.

He was arrested early on Friday morning before he was expected at the 'Gallifrey One' fan convention in Los Angeles the next day.

Organisers told the disappointed fans he would not be there for personal reasons.

But LA police told The Sun that the actor was being held on suspicion of inflicting an injury that caused a traumatic condition on a victim who was his current or former spouse, cohabitant, or child's parent.

In 2021, he defended Depp, 60, when he was accused of beating up ex-girlfriend Amber Heard.

He said at the time: 'I've never seen a hint of a dark side to him.

'I see a great humanitarian and a beautiful human being. I don't see any impediment for him coming back and playing Jack Sparrow,' The Sun reported.


Monday, February 19, 2024  Simon Guobadia, the current husband of Real Housewives of Atlanta (RHOA) star Porsha Williams, 42, was recently denied U.S. citizenship due to his criminal past which involves numerous felonies for bank fraud, credit card fraud, identity fraud, and more.

On January 11, a 13-page petition was filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia: Atlanta Division. The civil action filing was regarding Simon Iyore Guobadia against the Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, UR Mendoza Jaddou, and the Director of the USCIS Atlanta Field Office, Shineka Miller.

According to the documents, Guobadia, 59, applied for U.S. citizenship and naturalization, but it was denied on July 27, 2022. Subsequently, he requested a hearing, and the denial was reaffirmed.

It is reported that Guobadia, a citizen of Nigeria, first came to the U.S. on August 11, 1982, and overstayed his visitor visa. In 1985, his citizenship application was denied and he was declared deportable, so he voluntarily left the States on December 28, 1985. He reentered in June 1986 and again overstayed his 6-month visitor visa. In September 1987, Simon Guobadia was arrested for bank and credit card fraud and pleaded guilty to the felony.

Simon Guobadia was again arrested in January 1989 for unauthorized use of a vehicle and arrested once more in May 1990 for fraud. In January 1991, Guobadia committed another felony offense for credit card fraud and in April 1991, an immigration judge ordered him to be deported.

On March 4, 1992, Guobadia was deported and physically removed from the States.

Before his deportation, on October 24, 1988, Guobadia was accused of using a different identity to seek temporary resident status under the Social Agricultural Worker (SAW) program. Despite omitting his criminal past and misrepresenting himself on the application, it was approved and he received a registration card as a temporary resident on July 25, 1991.

After a waiting period, Simon Guobadia became a permanent resident on April 27, 1992  26 days after he had been deported under his other undisclosed identity.

According to the documents, Guobadia applied for naturalization under a second identity on December 22, 2016, but was denied due to his temporary resident status being unlawfully granted.

On December 31, 2020, he filed another application and was denied U.S. citizenship again due to him not being lawfully admitted for permanent residence.

On October 24, 2022, Guobadia requested a hearing, and his denial was reaffirmed on November 15, 2022.

Guobadia then married RHOA star Porsha Williams.

On March 13, 2023, Simon Guobadia filed an instant complaint, asking the Court to vacate the denial and grant him U.S. citizenship. However, on January 11, 2024, United States District Judge Steve C. Jones ordered that Guobadias case seeking naturalization be dismissed.


Monday, February 19, 2024  Russian President, Vladimir Putin has been romantically linked to a Barbie like lady 32 years his junior.

Ekaterina Katya Mizulina, 39, a UK-educated art historian who heads Russias pro-Kremlin Safe Internet League, has emerged as the 71-year-old Putins lover

Katya Mizulina is completely to Putins taste, Russian human-rights campaigner Olga Romanova told Ukraines Channel 24.

This Barbie [expletive] type has always suited him very well.

Romanova likened Mizulina to an earlier alleged Putin lover  Svetlana Krivonogikh, a strip-club owner and multimillionaire in St. Petersburg who is the alleged mother of the presidents love child, Luiza, 20.

[Putin is] 71 years old, lets not be ageist, Romanova said sarcastically. In general, the man is in full bloom, why not?





Putin, who divorced his wife of 30 years, Lyudmila, in 2014, has long been rumored to be in a relationship with 40-year-old former Olympic gymnast Alina Kabaeva  and the pair are believed to share two or three children.

But Ukrainian media outlets and independent Russian Telegram channels have been circulating claims that he has found a new flame for companionship in Mizulina, the daughter of member of parliament Elena Mizulina, 69.

The warmongering Russian leader and the online censorship campaigner were said to have grown close recently, reported the Russian Telegram site Kremlevskaya Tabakerka.

The site stressed that its sources were extremely careful in talking about it, because no one can offer a 100% confirmation.





Her mum, Elena Mizulina graduated from the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London in 2004 with degrees in art history and Indonesian language.

She worked as a translator for official Russian delegations visiting China before joining the Safe Internet League in 2017.


Tuesday, February 20, 2024  Russian President, Vladimir Putin has gifted a car to his North Korean counterpart Kim Jong Un, North Korean state media said Tuesday, February 20.

The Russian-made car for Kims personal use was delivered Sunday by a Russian delegation, the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.

Kims sister, Kim Yo Jong thanked Putin on her brothers behalf and said, the gift serves as a clear demonstration of the special personal relations between the top leaders of the (North Korea) and Russia, according to KCNA.

The US government is increasingly concerned about the long-term implications of a new level of strategic partnership between North Korea and Russia, according to reports.

Russia has repeatedly used North Korean-supplied short-range ballistic missiles at Ukrainian targets in recent weeks.

In January, high-ranking North Korean and Russian diplomats met in Moscow in advance of what North Korean state media says is a forthcoming visit to Pyongyang by Putin  his first in more than 20 years. Kim visited Russia for a summit with Putin in September, where he endorsed Russia's war on Ukraine and said, I will always be standing with Russia.

Putins gift violates United Nations sanctions imposed on North Korea for its nuclear weapons program, though the ban on luxury goods sales to the country has not prevented Kim from appearing in a range of high-end vehicles over the years.

The North Korean leader is often seen in a Mercedes-Maybach Pullman Guard armored limousine, worth upwards of $1 million.

In 2018, he arrived at a meeting with US officials in a black Rolls-Royce. Earlier that year, two armored Mercedes-Maybach S600 Guard vehicles were shipped from the Netherlands to North Korea, likely for Kims use, according to the Washington-based Center for Advanced Defense Studies.

During Kims visit to Russia last September, Putin showed the North Korean leader his limousine, made by Russian luxury automaker Aurus.

Former US President Donald Trump also gave Kim a viewing of the presidential Cadillac limousine nicknamed the Beast during their talks in Singapore in 2018.


Monday, February 19, 2024  Russian investigators will not hand over the body of dead Russian opposition leader Alexi Navalny for 14 days, his team have revealed.

This is coming after Alexi Navalny's window, Yulia Navalnaya accused the Russian authorities of hiding Navalny's body in order to wait for traces of the nerve agent to disappear.

Ivan Zhdanov, the director of Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation, said that Navalny's body would not be given to his mother for 14 days while a chemical examination takes place.

Navalny spokesperson Kira Yarmysh said the Investigative Committee, the country's top criminal investigation agency, informed Lyudmila Navalnaya that the official probe into the death had been extended.

'They lie, buy time for themselves and do not even hide it,' Yarmysh posted on X.

She earlier met with EU chiefs in Brussels after releasing a video in which she blamed Vladimir Putin for her husband's death in prison and accused the Kremlin of hiding his body.

Yulia Navalnaya addressed foreign ministers from the EU's 27 nations in Brussels after vowing to carry on her husband's fight against the Russian president's vicelike grip on Russia.

Hours earlier, Navalnaya had posted a striking video message on X in which she called on her husband's supporters to keep fighting against the Kremlin's oppression to construct a 'peaceful, happy, beautiful Russia that Alexei envisioned'.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell wrote on X: 'We expressed the EU's deepest condolences to Yulia Navalnaya. Vladimir Putin and his regime will be held accountable for the death of Alexei Navalny.

'As Yulia said, Putin is not Russia. Russia is not Putin. We will continue our support to Russia's civil society and independent media.'

Navalny's allies say they know why her husband was killed and would soon reveal the details, including the names of the people involved in his murder. The Kremlin has denied involvement in his death.

Navalny's mother, Lyudmila, has been unable to recover his body since his death on Friday.

A close legal aide to the dissident, Kira Yarmysh, said Lyudmila, who was today seen at a regional office of Russia's Investigative Committee, was told by authorities that his body would only be handed over following a full post-mortem examination.

The prison service has been accused of delaying the return of his body.

She was reportedly told that an initial post-mortem was inconclusive, and that a second one needed to be undertaken.

And today, Russian investigators told his family they will not hand over Navalny's body to his relatives for 14 days 'until a chemical examination is completed,' said Ivan Zhdanov, head of the dead politician's anti-corruption campaign.

Russia's prison service announced Navalny's death on Friday.

It was most recently reported that Navalny died of 'sudden death syndrome', but no details were given to back this claim up.

Just two minutes after the time Navalny was reported to have died - 2.17pm - Russia's prison service put out a statement revealing his passing.

Four minutes after this, a Telegram channel controlled by the Kremlin claimed he had died of a blood clot, and just seven minutes later Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, was talking to the media about it.




Tuesday, February 20, 2024 - President William Ruto was filmed sharing a light moment with South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, on the sidelines of the just concluded African Union Summit of Heads of State and Government in Ethiopia.

Ruto was overheard telling Ramaphosa that he has stashed a lot of money in his country.

"A lot of my money now is in your country, Ruto told Ramaphosa as they shared a light moment while walking out of a venue where heads of state had converged for a meeting.

The video was shared by Gabriel Oguda on his X account, sparking a lot of reactions from his followers.

Ruto is just making himself rich he is not working for Kenyans, one of the X users reacted.

Cases of African leaders looting money and stashing them in foreign countries are common.

Watch the video.

"A lot of my money now is in your country."



WE FOUND AN EMPTY TREASURY, AND OTHER SHORT STORIES. pic.twitter.com/FnnaoBFCRp  Gabriel Oguda (@gabrieloguda) February 20, 2024

The Kenyan DAILY POST.




Tuesday, February 20, 2024  There is no doubt that President William Ruto is a smart and cunning politician.

He is so crafty that he now plans to use the governments endorsement for former Prime Minister Raila Odingas bid to become the next African Union Commissions (AUC) chair to garner support from opposition MPs to approve the Affordable Housing Bill currently before the House.

The bill, which is expected to come for the third reading this week, has divided MPs, with the opposition side insisting it is unconstitutional.

MPs allied to the government are converging in Naivasha to strategise on the bill.

MPs revealed that the government side has been approaching individual MPs and opposition leadership to seek their support.

A source who did not want to be named said the government believes that the opposition should support them when the bill comes for the third reading, given its endorsement for Raila to gun for the AUC position.

It is only logical that the opposition supports this bill.

"We have supported them previously and we are doing the same now for Raila, the source stated.

However, Leader of Minority Opiyo Wandayi and Minority Whip Junet Mohammed said they are not aware of the governments scheme.

Junet was categorical that opposition MPs will reject the bill.

Wandayi declined to comment on the matter.

Other than the Housing Bill, it is understood that the government side is also considering using the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) report to seek support for the Housing Bill.

The Kenyan DAILY POST


Tuesday, February 20, 2024 - Jubilee Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni has castigated President William Ruto's administration for not consulting former President Uhuru Kenyatta on development matters and instead opting to blame him for the country's woes.

Speaking during an interview, Kioni accused President William Ruto and his Deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, of using Uhuru as a bogeyman, blaming him for every failure of the Kenya Kwanza government.

However, he warned the Kenya Kwanza brigade that Kenyans are wiser and can see through their lies.

"Being a Kenyan, Uhuru has opportunities to interact with the public and he can tell when things are bad because Kenyans are complaining.

"Him being there before, he can quickly tell what they're doing wrong. But since they don't want to consult, they'd rather cast blame, that's why he stated that we should not focus on the rearview mirror," Kioni stated.

"Kenyans are now very keen to see what former President Uhuru did, how he did it, and where the country was going. If you look at the current situation, it's as if we hit a reverse gear."

At the same time, the former legislator reiterated that talks are underway to rejuvenate the Jubilee party in readiness for the 2027 General Election.

"Yes, we will create Jubilee mashinani to cater to those at the grassroots level, especially Mt Kenya.

"I want to do everything possible to make sure Jubilee is available for the youth.

"We want young people who can articulate issues without insulting people."

He confirmed that the party would convene a meeting this Saturday to counter the influence of Nominated MP Sabina Chege and her East Africa Legislative Assembly (EALA) counterpart Kanini Kega, who were accused of attempting to take over the party.

The Kenyan DAILY POST
Azerbaijan's national air carrier, AZAL, launches a new promotional campaign offering discounted fares to popular destinations such as Dubai, Riyadh, and New Delhi.

The discounted rates are applicable for ticket purchases made between February 20 and 29, and the travel period is from February 24 to October 27, excluding peak seasons.

Thus, flights from Baku to Dubai are now available at a special rate of 130 for one-way and 234 for round-trip tickets. One-way tickets to Riyadh can be purchased for 69, while round-trip tickets are priced at 128. For New Delhi, one-way tickets cost 150, with round-trip tickets priced at 272.

These cities offer unique opportunities to delve into their rich history, stunning architectural wonders and delectable cuisines, ensuring an unforgettable journey for travelers.

The ticket prices for these destinations include airport taxes. The number of discounted tickets is limited.

Please note that checked baggage is not included in the ticket price, but passengers are allowed to carry hand luggage weighing up to 10 kg.

To purchase tickets, please visit the official website www.azal.az, use the renewed mobile app of the airline, or approach to the ticket offices or accredited agencies of Azerbaijan Airlines.

Seize the opportunity to travel at an affordable price with AZAL!


Monday, February 19, 2024  Three siblings including a 10-month-old baby were found dead in a Bristol home in the UK.

Mohamed Al-Fil Bashh, aged ten months, died alongside his ten-year-old brother Fares, and seven-year-old sister Jory. A 42-year-old woman is held on suspicion of their murder.

Officers made the horrific discovery in the early hours of Sunday, February 18, after receiving a concern from a welfare call at a property on Blaise Walk, Sea Mills, at around 12.40am.

According to Mail Online, the childrens father has previously been arrested for domestic violence.





Speaking about the children, neighbour Salwa Bashar said: 'They were beautiful, happy kids. Always smiling. Fares in particular was very intelligent. He was curious about everything. I used to call him my smart boy. They were part of the Sudanese community, which is shocked at the news alongside the whole of Bristol.'

It comes as a poignant video emerged showing Fares singing and playing a red ukulele as his sister, Jory, dances in a pink fluffy hat. The young girl can also be seen beaming next to a cake.

Avon and Somerset Police said it had notified the Independent Office for Police Conduct about the incident because officers had had previous contact with the household. The IOPC said this contact had taken place earlier this month.

One woman, who wished to remain anonymous, said of the mother: 'She was lovely, her kids were lovely, they were nice people. I think she was having a hard time with her newborn.'





The neighbour said that the two eldest children had attended the local Sea Mills primary school. The school announced it would remain closed this morning and reopen at 1.30pm.

A 42-year-old Bristol taxi driver said he had last seen the mother two weeks ago. He said: 'She was happy. Her kids were all happy.'

The man said the family were part of the Sudanese community in Bristol. He added: 'She is a very nice person. It is very sad.'

Others described the woman as 'really gentle' and 'really lovely' who 'always had a smile on her face'.

The force has not confirmed the name of the woman or her relationship to the children who were pronounced dead at the scene shortly after officers arrived at around 12.40am on Sunday. The children's cause of death is yet to be confirmed.

A heavy police presence remained in the area much of yesterday, with photos showing part of the road cordoned off, with multiple police cars and a forensic team on the scene.





A gathering at a local church was held in memory of the children last night, locals added, while a local playgroup announced it would be closed today.

Chief Inspector Vicks Hayward-Melen said in an update today: 'We were first called by a member of the public who was concerned for the welfare of the occupants early on Sunday the 18th of February. Officers arrived at about 12.40am and found three children whose lives could not be saved.

'Forensic post-mortem examinations will now be carried out on the children to establish the cause of death and it's important we don't give further detail on this until the proper processes have been carried out.

The post-mortem examinations are not likely to be completed until the middle to the end of this week at the earliest.





'Formal identification has not yet taken place, but we believe the victims are a boy aged seven, a girl of three and a 10-month-old boy. Their next of kin have been informed and are being given all the help and support they need by specialist family liaison officers.

'A 42-year-old woman was arrested at the scene and taken to hospital due to injuries she'd sustained. Her condition is not life-threatening, and she remains in police custody at this time.'

Darren Jones, MP for Bristol North West added on social media: 'I'm deeply saddened by this tragic news from Sea Mills.

'My thoughts and prayers are with the friends and family of the children, and my thanks go to our emergency services who responded. Avon and Somerset Police will remain in the area but consider this to be an isolated incident.'

Local councillor Henry Michallat, who represents Sea Mills said: 'I am deeply shocked and saddened by the news coming from Sea Mills.

'My thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of the children at this sad and difficult time. I thank emergency service personnel who have responded.'

Avon and Somerset Police Crime Commissioner Mark Shelford added: 'I am deeply saddened by the news of the deaths of three children in Sea Mills.

'The deaths of these children is heartbreaking. My thoughts are with all those who knew and cared for these children and with the local community, who I know will be impacted.

'The police have made an arrest and believe this to be an isolated incident. They have assessed that there is no further risk to the wider community.





'There are questions to be asked about how such an appalling event has occurred and what could have been done to prevent it, but for now, I ask that people allow the police to investigate.'

A statement from Avon and Somerset Police said: 'Officers attended a concern for welfare call in Blaise Walk, in Sea Mills, on Sunday February 18 at around 12.40am.

'Tragically, three young children inside the property were pronounced dead a short time later.

'A 42-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of murder and she is in police custody at the hospital.

'As is usual in these circumstances we have notified the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), due to prior police contact.'

An IOPC spokesperson said: 'We were notified this afternoon about this tragic incident in Bristol by Avon and Somerset Police, who advised us that there had been prior police contact earlier this month.

'We have requested a paper referral with further information about the prior contact and once received, we will assess it to determine whether further action is required from us.'


Tuesday, February 20, 2024  President William Ruto is headed for a serious clash with governors after Anne Waiguru convened a crisis meeting of governors to stop the presidents nefarious plot against them.

The Council of Governors called for a crisis meeting on Thursday aimed at discussing the clash between county governments and the national government over devolved functions.

While announcing the emergency meeting, the county leaders stated that the national government has seemingly appeared intent on encroaching on some devolved functions.

It is reported that 18 governors are expected to attend the meeting, where they will deliberate on the way forward regarding the deepening row.

The governors have alleged that the national government has been using underhand tactics and quoting different figures for select functions such as Health, Housing and Trade.

In the deepening tiff, all the governors declined to attend the launch at the Deputy President's home on Friday, where Gachagua presided over the launch of the Stipend Payment of the County Health Promoters Programme (CHPs).

It is alleged that all the governors snubbed the invitation even after calls were made to have them arrive at the launch later in the day.

The stipend will attract an excess of Ksh250 million, according to the governors, in payment to the county workers, an amount which the governors term as exaggerated.

According to the counties, they are opposing an allocation of Ksh3 billion to be made to county governments for the payment after the DP called upon the Treasury to release funds to support the payments.

Further, the governors have raised alarm over the national governments failure to allocate funds to the counties citing the roles that the national government has taken such as housing and health promotion.

The Kenyan DAILY POST


Monday, February 19, 2024  Former U.S President, Donald Trump has made his first public comment on the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in a social media post.

Trump, who drew criticism as U.S. president for his praise of Russian leader Vladimir Putin, wrote;

"The sudden death of Alexei Navalny has made me more and more aware of what is happening in our Country," Trump wrote, appearing to link the death to his own political issues.

"It is a slow, steady progression, with CROOKED, Radical Left Politicians, Prosecutors, and Judges leading us down a path to destruction. Open Borders, Rigged Elections, and Grossly Unfair Courtroom Decisions are DESTROYING AMERICA. WE ARE A NATION IN DECLINE, A FAILING NATION! MAGA2024"

Navalny, 47, fought for years against what he called vast corruption in Putin's Russia, ruled by "crooks and thieves." He was Russia's most prominent opposition leader and was detested by Russian president Vladimir Putin.

The Kremlin has denied involvement in his death and said that Western claims that Putin was responsible were unacceptable.

Since Navalny's death was reported on Friday, former U.S. presidents and top members of Congress from both parties also denounced Putin.

But Trump, the frontrunner for the Republican nomination to challenge Biden in the November election, had remained silent until Monday.

President Joe Biden on Friday directly blamed Putin for Navalny's death in a the penal colony north of the Arctic Circle, as did Trump's main Republican rival, Nikki Haley. "Putin is responsible for Navalny's death," Biden said.

During his 2017-2021 White House tenure, Trump expressed admiration for Putin. In 2018, he refused to blame the Russian leader for meddling in the 2016 U.S. election, casting doubt on the findings of his own intelligence agencies and sparking criticism at home.

Last week, Trump went suggested that the United States might not protect NATO allies who aren't spending enough on defense, from a potential Russian invasion.


Monday, February 19, 2024  Two gas station employees in Georgia are accused of staging a very comical robbery for the stores CCTV so they could steal $5,000.

Duluth law enforcement officials allege that on January 20, Shell co-workers Raj Patel and Danny Curtis conspired to pull off a $5,000 robbery in two separate incidents caught on camera.

Law & Crime reviewed the footage, some of which has been shared online.

The incident unfolded around 11:45 p.m. when a man entered the Shell station and stormed the cashier counter, allegedly threatening Patel with a weapon. A moment later, the man seemingly punches Patel in the face. From the footage, its unclear if the punch is real or not.

The thief then grabs cash from the register before fleeing and quickly returning at 12:05 am. At this point, Patel apparently threw his hands into the air and gave the man space to empty the register.

When officers responded around 12:11 a.m., a shaking Patel informed them that the man had stolen about $5,000 across both visits before fleeing out the side door. Patel confirmed that no employees had gone in or out of this door since the supposed thief fled.

When officers searched the area behind the store, they found Curtis in the dumpster area crushing cardboard boxes. Patel confirmed to them that Curtis works there. Curtis said he knew nothing of the robbery, claiming to have been outside the entire time.

Police were suspicious after viewing surveillance footage of the stores exterior.

According to officers report, the video shows a suspect, believed to be Curtis, leaving out the side door, going to the dumpster, going back inside the store wearing different clothing items, and then exiting the store again, returning to the dumpster. The suspect then changed clothes and came out from the dumpster, and when officers were pulling up, the suspect walked back inside the dumpster area. The final encounter with anyone in the dumpster area was when I found Danny Curtis workingWhen officers asked for the dumpster key, he pulled it out of his pocket, and dollar bills fell out.

Curtis was released because officers were unable to view surveillance tape from inside the store, and because Patel convinced them that Curtis had nothing to do with the robbery. However, once police saw the footage nearly a week later, both men were arrested.

In an interrogation video published by Law & Crime, Curtis confessed to the crime and said it was Patels idea to pull off the fake robbery.

He told me hes gonna let me rob the store and hell get the insurance, Curtis told officers.

Curtis also said he threw away the knife used in the robbery, as well as all of the cash he stole, because he was scared after the episode.

I know it was staged. It looked fake, the investigator told Curtis, adding that the whole effort looked very comical and funny on video.

Its just a lot of bullshit, Curtis responded.

Curtis is currently being held at Gwinnett County Jail on charges of theft by taking and conspiracy to commit a felony.

Patel is facing one count of making false statements or writings. faces a count of false statements or writings. Though he was released on bond after his initial arrest,

Duluth police spokespersons Ted Sadowskiand confirmed to Law & Crime that Patel is currently wanted on a new warrant for conspiracy to commit a felony.

Watch the video of the fake robbery below.




Tuesday, February 20, 2024 - Trans Nzoia Senator Allan Chesang went ham on Governor George Natembeya over what he described as targeted attacks against him.

Speaking during the burial of the county's Deputy Governor Philomena Bineah's father, Chesang argued that his oversight efforts in the county had repeatedly been scuttled by the governor.

Chesang specifically lamented being frustrated in his efforts to ensure prudent use of public funds after he questioned how Ksh800 million meant for development had been appropriated.

"You voted for me to ensure fair allocation of funds and I have.

"Should I not ask where the money ends up? When I ask, he (the Governor) accuses me of sabotaging service delivery.

"Since I am the Senator of this county, all the money I lobby for, should be used to serve you the citizens," he stated.

"Natembeya was once summoned to the Senate by a different committee and I saw over Ksh800 million had been paid out.

"I asked the governor to show where the payment went and he did not provide any evidence.

"They accused me of being tribal for asking that."

In his speech, Chesang further questioned how Members of the County Assembly intended to use Ksh25 million funds directed to them for development amid claims of alleged misappropriation.

He claimed that some MCAs had misused the funds, attracting attention from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission.

At the beginning of this month, Chesang also asked the government to be considerate when evicting Kenyans to pave the way for the affordable housing project.

The evictions which were carried out under the supervision of the police may render over 100,000 people homeless.

At the time, he faulted both the County and National governments for not providing alternative land for the affected people ahead of looming demolitions.

The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) legislator argued the government should have prioritised compensating the victims before forcefully evicting them.

The Kenyan DAILY POST
Tuesday, February 20, 2024  Former Prime Minister Raila Odingas bid for the African Union Commission Chairmanship is now unstoppable.

This is after former President Uhuru Kenyatta bolted out of the race and endorsed Baba for the AU role.

This was revealed by Jubilee Secretary-General Jeremiah Kioni, who addressed reports claiming that Uhuru would compete with Raila for the African Union Commission chairmanship.

Speaking during an interview, Kioni refuted the reports, adding that Uhuru will be among the chief campaigners for the opposition leader to ensure he secures the seat.

The former Ndaragwa Member of Parliament expressed confidence that Uhuru will further use his networks across the continent to boost Raila's bid.

"He (Raila) has to campaign and it has a lot to do with who else is on the ballot. But Raila has a good rapport with many Heads of State and has people who will campaign for him including our former president Uhuru who has very good connections across the continent," Kioni stated.

To secure the seat, Raila will be required to solicit votes across the 55 member states in his efforts to succeed Moussa Faki whose term ends this year.

Kioni also emphasized that Uhuru wields a lot of influence in the region despite retiring from active politics and his support will sway votes in Raila's favour.

A section of Mt Kenya leaders questioned why the government was backing Raila's bid for the AU Commission chairperson over Uhuru.

The leaders argued that Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua ought to support Uhuru as they both hail from the same region.

The Kenyan DAILY POST


Tuesday, February 20, 2024  A Washington, D.C man has sued Powerball for $340million after he claimed he was denied prize money despite having the winning numbers that were displayed on the website.

John Cheeks purchased a Powerball ticket on January 6, 2023, and chose his numbers based on his family members' birthdays.

He missed watching the live drawing the following day but discovered on January 8 that his numbers matched what he found on the D.C. lottery website and saw the whopping $320million prize.

'I got a little excited, but I didn't shout, I didn't scream. I just politely called a friend. I took a picture as he recommended, and that was it. I went to sleep,' Cheeks told News4.

He soon realized the numbers on the website and ticket did not match the numbers that were drawn on TV, even though his numbers were displayed online for three days, the lawsuit claimed.

According to the filing, the lottery contractor, Taoti Enterprises, made a 'mistake' and posted the wrong winning numbers on the website.

Cheeks' lawsuit has requested that Powerball pay him the winnings from the ticket he thought he held, plus an additional $72,000 per day of interest payments 'due for failure to pay.'

The amount equals roughly $340million.

Cheeks said he didn't rush to claim his prize as he was busy with his job.

He is working on creating a home trust bank that would provide individuals with loans who don't qualify for traditional mortgages.

'The crisis of the homeownership situation here in the District, Virginia and Maryland,' he said.

'Tent cities over at the State Department. Tent cities at Union Station.'

According to the legal documents, Cheeks discovered his fortune was threatened after he went to a licensed lottery retailer and his prize was denied.

He then moved on to the D.C. Office of Lottery and Gaming prize center, where he received another denial and a request from a claims officer.

Cheeks said the officer told him his ticket was not valid and that he should 'just throw it in the trash can.'

'And I gave him a stern look. I said, "In the trash can?"' He then recalled the officer confirmed that he should throw the ticket away and said: 'You're not gonna get paid.'

Against the officer's orders, Cheeks kept the ticket and stored it in a safe deposit box before he reached out to a lawyer for help.

'They have said that one of their contractors made a mistake. I haven't seen the evidence to support that yet,' Cheek's lawyer, Richard Evans, told News4.

'Even if a mistake was made, the question becomes: "What do you do about that?"' he said, before adding a similar case occurred in Iowa, and that the contractor paid the winnings out to the plaintiff.
Tuesday, February 20, 2024  President William Ruto has launched a campaign where hustlers will get dollars without much hassle

Through the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, Rutos government launched a digital training programme for youth dubbed Finya Computer Upate Dollar Campaign.

Based on a poster announcing the training programme, registration for the four-day campaign has commenced, and Kenyan youth are urged to apply.

The free training program is expected to train Kenyans on three skills namely: Data Entry, Digital Marketing, and Virtual Assistance for the basic modules.

In the advanced modules, the program will encompass training on AI for graphic design.

Based on the eligibility requirements, an applicant has to be a Kenyan citizen, aged 18-35 years, and proficient in computer skills to apply for the programme

The training is expected to kick off on March 4th and run until March 8th, with sessions scheduled from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM each day.

According to the State Department of Labour and Social Protection, the program is aimed at serving as a gateway for Kenyans to earn an income and access freelancing and gig economy opportunities.

The objective of the programme is to equip young people with the requisite knowledge, skills, and attitudes for digital/online work to enable them to access decent work and earn an income from the Gig & Freelancing Economy, read the poster in part.

Finya Computer Upate Dollar Campaign is a term that was coined from the presidents speech where he noted that youths in Kenya needed to take up online working opportunities.

Additionally, this is in line with the Presidents push for digitisation and promotion of remote working, where it was announced that digital working hubs will be opened in each ward across the country.

Further, the President narrated the successes of remote working in Germany during a visit, where he talked about Brian, a Kenyan who worked with a German company while he was based in his village in Kenya.

The Kenyan DAILY POST


Tuesday, February 20, 2024  A judge in Haiti investigating the July 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise indicted his widow, Martine Moise, ex-prime minister Claude Joseph and the former chief of Haiti's National Police, Leon Charles, among others in his killing.

Dozens of suspects were indicted in the 122-page report issued by Walther Wesser Voltaire, who is the fifth judge to lead the investigation after previous ones stepped down for various reasons, including fear of being killed.

Charles, who was police chief when Moise was killed and now serves as Haiti's permanent representative to the Organization of the American States, faces the most serious charges: murder; attempted murder; possession and illegal carrying of weapons; conspiracy against the internal security of the state; and criminal association.

Meanwhile, Joseph and Martine Moise, who was injured in the attack, are accused of complicity and criminal association.

Joseph, the former prime minister, shared a statement with The Associated Press accusing Henry of "undermining" the investigation and benefitting from the president's death.

"Henry ... is weaponizing the Haitian justice system, prosecuting political opponents like me. It's a classic coup d'etat," Joseph said. "They failed to kill me and Martine Moise on July 7th 2021, now they are using the Haitian justice system to advance their Machiavellian agenda."

Joseph again called on Henry to resign and noted that while he was still prime minister, he invited the FBI to help local authorities investigate the killing and wrote the U.N. and OAS for help.

"I won't stop my fight. Justice must be served," he said.

In his report, the judge noted that the former secretary general of the National Palace, Lyonel Valbrun, told authorities that he received "strong pressure" from Martine Moise to put the president's office at the disposal of Joseph because he needed it to "organize a council of ministers."

Valbrun also said that two days before her husband was killed, Martine Moise visited the National Palace and spent nearly five hours, from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m., removing "a bunch of things."

He said that two days after Jovenel Moise was slain, Martine Moise called to tell him that, "Jovenel didn't do anything for us. You have to open the office. The president told Ti Klod to create a council of ministers; he will hold elections in three months so I can become president, now we will have power."

While the document did not identify Ti Klod, the former prime minister, Claude Joseph, is known by that name.

The judge also stated in his report that Martine Moise "suggested" she took refuge under the marital bed to protect herself from the attackers, but he noted that authorities at the scene found that not "even a giant rat...whose size measures between 35 and 45 centimeters" could fit under the bed.

The judge said the former first lady's statements were "so tainted with contradictions that they leave something to be desired and discredit her."

Others who face charges including murder are Christian Emmanuel Sanon, a Haitian-American pastor who visualized himself as Haiti's next president and said he thought Moise was only going to be arrested; Joseph Vincent, a Haitian-American and former informant for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Dimitri Herard, presidential security chief; John Joel Joseph, a former Haitian senator; and Windelle Coq, a Haitian judge whom authorities say is a fugitive.

Sanon, Vincent, and Joseph were extradited to the U.S., where a total of 11 suspects face federal charges in the slaying of Haiti's president. At least three of them already have been sentenced.

Meanwhile, more than 40 suspects are languishing in prison in Haiti awaiting trial, although it was not immediately clear how quickly one would be held following Monday's indictments. Among them are 20 former Colombian soldiers.

Milena Carmona, wife of Jheyner Alberto Carmona Florez, told The Associated Press that he is innocent.

"What's happening is that this crime is a conspiracy of great magnitudes in which powerful people are behind the scenes running everything, and that's why they're not given freedom," she said of the former soldiers.

U.S. prosecutors have described it as a plot hatched in both Haiti and Florida to hire mercenaries to kidnap or kill Moise, who was 53 when he was slain at his private home near the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince.

The attack began late July 6 and ended July 7, according to witnesses.

Martine Moise and others who were interrogated said they heard heavy gunfire starting around 1 a.m. that lasted between 30 to to 45 minutes before armed men burst into the bedroom of the presidential couple.

Moise said she was lying on the ground when she heard the attackers yell, "That's not it! That's not it! That's not it!"

She said the suspects made a video call to identify the exact location of what they were searching as they killed the president. She added that she was face down when the suspects tilted her head and tugged on one of her toes "to ensure that she wasn't alive."

Once they left, Moise said she dragged herself on the ground and whispered to her husband that she was going to try and go to the hospital.

"That's when she noticed that the president was dead and that his left eye had been removed from the socket," the report stated.

Moise said a group of about 30 to 50 police officers were supposed to guard the presidential residence, but the judge noted that only a handful of officers were present that night.

One officer told the judge that he heard explosions and a voice through a megaphone saying, "Do not shoot! It's a DEA operation! US Army! We know how many officers are inside. Exit with two hands lowered."

Another officer said the head of security of the first lady found her "in critical condition" surrounded by her two children. He said he also saw an undetermined number of people coming out of the president's residence "with briefcases and several envelopes in their possession."

The report quotes Inspector General Andre Vladimir Paraison saying that the president called him at 1:46 a.m. and told him, "Paraison! Man, hurry up! I'm in trouble! Come quickly and save my life." He said he encountered heavily armed men and couldn't access the residence immediately.

Officers at the scene said they found cars, windows, and doors at the president's private home riddled with bullet holes, along with surveillance cameras cut off and a broken lock on the double-wooden door leading to the presidential bedroom.

The judge said some police officers at the residence were disarmed and handcuffed, while others "had time to throw themselves down a ravine" for safety. In addition, the police officer overseeing presidential security was accused of receiving $80,000 to bribe certain officers "to remain inactive" during the assassination, according to the report.

The judge noted how "none of the police providing security to the head of state was in danger. Unfortunately, the head of state was assassinated with ease."
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 20. The Commando Initial Course held in one of the military units in Azerbaijan continues in accordance with the training plan for 2024, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense said, Trend reports.

"During the classes, servicemen strengthen their theoretical knowledge by fulfilling practical tasks on the training ground.

According to the plan, the course participants fulfilled tasks on detecting and destroying targets of an imaginary enemy with accurate small-arms fire.

Classes at the Commando Initial Course aimed at training professional personnel in the Azerbaijan Army and further increasing units combat capability are held taking into account modern combat methods," the ministry added.

Stay up to date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
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As somebody who has reviewed physician employment agreements for 40 years or so, I have to admit I am more than a little jaundiced when it comes to the subject of hospital executive compensation. Im not altogether convinced that one health system CEO really earned the $35.5 million he was reported to have been paid in 2021. Im sure the pandemic was hard on him. Seeing all those physicians exposing their lives on a daily basis would certainly take it out of a guy. And if you gave that money to the physicians, they would just blow it on extravagances, like appropriate protective gear (because if the hospital supplied it, that would come out of the CEOs bonus, and that would obviously never do). Still, thats kind of a lot of money, especially for a non-profit. Do CEOs have excessive call coverage requirements, I wonder?

This whole rant started when I was asked to review an employment agreement for a CMO position. I had just finished a review for an orthopedic trauma surgeon. There arent a lot of orthopedic trauma surgeons, and yet MGMA was able to get enough data to provide benchmarks for orthopedic trauma surgeons employed by a hospital in Pennsylvania.

Based upon the scarcity of orthopedic trauma surgeons, I was optimistic that I could get reasonably good data on CMO compensation. That wasnt the case. The best I could do for a CMO was median compensation for a CMO in the eastern United States. It was impossible to narrow this down to hospital bed size, etc. Moreover, there was no data for the minor geographical area, and obviously there was no data for a given state.

I became suspicious that as an honored member of the C-suite, CMO compensation was not being reported. To test that suspicion, I tried to run a report on CEO compensation. I ran into the same issue. The figures MGMA was able to produce were highly suspect. According to MGMA, the median total compensation of a hospital CEO in the United States is $280,437. $605,296 represents the 90th percentile of CEO compensation.

We all see the articles on executive compensation. It seems highly unlikely that the CEO mentioned above had his compensation reported to MGMA. I believe that CMOs also benefit from this protection.

Obviously, it is one thing to report on the income of your employed physicians. If you are doing an excellent job reducing expenses by paying physicians the minimum possible, it is to everyones advantage (or at least everyone who hires physicians) to report physician income. But letting the poor unwashed masses have access to the income of the folks in the C-suite must be taking the concept of disclosure too far.

There is so much wrong in American health care. Excessive CEO salaries are just one minor symptom of a system that pushes physicians to the limit in the name of efficiency. I dont begrudge CEOs making the big bucks  after all, they did spend a year or two after college learning their craft. What frustrates me is the lack of transparency. Its perfectly fine to disclose physician salaries. But disclosing what the folks in the C-suite are pulling down is obviously not prevalent. The class system is alive and well in America.

You can hardly blame executives for taking advantage of the situation when it is so easy to do so. Having benchmarks for physician compensation is incredibly useful for evaluating potential employment opportunities. With the physician shortage in this country, Im still frequently surprised at the lowball offers (compared to objective benchmarks) that are made to physicians. Obviously, CEOs and others in the C-suite are able to negotiate their best deal without any concern for patient care. I view this as just one of the numerous reasons why physicians need to have more say in the allocation of health care dollars in the American health care system.

Dennis Hursh is a veteran attorney with over 40 years of experience in health law. He is founder, Physician Agreements Health Law, which offers a fixed fee review of physician employment agreements to protect physicians in one of the biggest transactions of their careers. He can also be reached on Facebook and LinkedIn.
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In the annals of history, the transformative impact of a few courageous leaders has left an indelible mark, altering the course of nations and reshaping the face of societies. From the visionary leadership of figures like Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela to the groundbreaking initiatives of Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill, history is replete with examples of leaders who navigated their nations through crises, leaving an enduring legacy. Unfortunately, in health care, where headlines are dominated by the term health care crisis, it may be more accurate to attribute the root cause to a leadership crisis rather than a systemic failure.

These are my thoughts after working in the health care system for some timebut I feel we are better at acknowledging that there are fundamental problems in the health care system and that we are in a health care crisis. We have even realized some of the issues we are facing, but we lack the leadership and the roadmap to make the health care system better than it was initially. Our health care system needs to changeas people have adjusted, and the availability of information and treatment options have changed.

Understanding the Canadian health care landscape

With over a decade of experience working diligently in health care across various nations, I have witnessed firsthand the nuanced challenges within the U.K., Canadian, and U.S. health care systems. While these systems share commonalities, they exhibit fundamental differences in their approaches and responses to health care challenges. Canada is often hailed for its comprehensive health care model, which is an interesting focal point for this discussion.

Like many other developed nations, Canada is grappling with the challenges of an aging population. Environics Analytics estimates that as of 2023, there will be approximately 7.6 million Canadians aged 65 and older, which is expected to surpass 11 million by 2043. This demographic shift is one of the most significant trends in the countrys history, demanding a proactive and strategic response from the health care system. The strain on resources and the financial burden of end-of-life care further exacerbate the existing challenges.

Compounding the demographic challenge is that health care professionals, including physicians, are aging and preparing to exit the workforce. Data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information reveals a notable shift in the age distribution of physicians. In 2000, nine percent of physicians were 65 years and older, and seven percent were between 60 and 64. Fast forward to 2022, and the figures have risen to 15 percent and nearly 10 percent, respectively. The impending departure of experienced health care professionals underscores the urgency for effective leadership in the sector.

Despite being lauded as a global exemplar, Canada faces health care spending and efficiency challenges, particularly in end-of-life care. According to Penn Medicine News, comparatively, Canadians spend more than their high-income counterparts, with end-of-life care costs reaching $21,840 per patient. Paradoxically, these high expenditures do not translate into superior health care outcomes. Canada consistently underperforms on various quality indicators, pointing to structural inefficiencies and the prevalence of unwanted medical interventions at the end of life. The economic repercussions of such inefficiencies are profound, emphasizing the urgent need for strategic leadership in health care management.

The role of leadership in navigating complexity

However, the core issue lies in the statistics and the leadership vacuum that hampers effective decision-making. Strong leadership is indispensable in navigating the complexities of the health care system, which, despite its intricacies, adheres to basic principles of economics, leadership, and business. A robust society is built upon the foundation of physically and mentally strong individuals. This necessitates an investment in early childhood development and family support systems.

A disheartening reality surfaces as reports indicate that 90 percent of Canadian children fail to meet the recommended physical activity levels. This startling revelation underscores a critical aspect of health care leadership  the need for a holistic and preventive approach. Leaders must recognize the interconnectedness of societal well-being and individual health, advocating for policies prioritizing early childhood development, education, and family support systems as crucial components of a thriving society.

Addressing the physical well-being of children is not just about preventing immediate health issues; its an investment in the future workforce. Studies consistently show that physically active children perform better academically, have improved mental health, and are likelier to lead healthy lifestyles into adulthood. Thus, health care leadership should extend beyond hospital walls, encompassing broader societal aspects contributing to the populations overall well-being.

Physicians in limbo

In the realm of medical professionals, Canada boasts a sufficient number of physicians, with thousands vying for coveted residency programs. According to the Canadian Residency Matching Service (CaRMS), approximately 3,700 medical graduates applied for residencies in 2021. Yet, a paradox unfolds as these aspiring health care providers face challenges securing positions, even with years of experience under their belts. The discrepancy between the demand for health care services and the available positions highlights a systemic issue that requires bold and unpopular decisions to rectify.

The shortage of residency positions not only affects the aspirations of medical graduates but also jeopardizes the nations ability to meet the growing health care needs of its population. This scarcity of opportunities runs counter to the abundance of talent within the medical community, showcasing a misalignment that requires decisive leadership to address. Furthermore, the current systems failure to fully utilize the skills and experience of these eager medical professionals adds to the inefficiencies plaguing the Canadian health care landscape.

The leadership crisis in health care becomes more evident when leaders shy away from making decisions that address the underlying challenges. Unpopular decisions, by nature, require courage and foresight. Leaders must confront issues such as the distribution of health care resources, equitable access to services, and the optimization of existing infrastructure. Moreover, tough decisions are needed to overhaul outdated processes and embrace innovative solutions that align with the evolving needs of society.

Resource allocation and the aging population

One critical aspect that leaders must confront is the allocation of resources, especially in the face of an aging population. According to the CIHI, the health care spending per capita for seniors is approximately 5.6 times higher than that for individuals aged 1 to 64. Rather than fixating on end-of-life expenditures, there should be a strategic shift towards preventive measures and comprehensive health care strategies prioritizing overall well-being. This requires leaders to challenge the status quo and ingrained paradigms, paving the way for a health care system that is not merely reactive but proactive.

The allocation of resources, particularly in the context of an aging population, demands a nuanced understanding of the health care landscape. Leaders must grapple with questions about the prioritization of preventive care, the development of community-based programs, and the incorporation of technology to enhance efficiency. Instead of succumbing to short-term fixes, visionary leaders should explore sustainable solutions that align with the broader goal of fostering a healthier society.

Preventive care and community-based programs can significantly alleviate the strain on the health care system by addressing issues before they escalate into more severe and often more costly conditions. However, implementing such changes requires a paradigm shift in the leadership approach, moving from a reactive stance to a proactive, forward-thinking strategy. We know prevention is more cost-effective, but why are we so shy about implementing these practices and creating expectations that the general population will follow suitable measures? We understand that our society depends on healthy individuals, so why are we not taking the appropriate actions?

A global perspective on leadership crisis

The leadership crisis in health care extends beyond national borders, implicating not just administrators and policymakers but society as a whole. It demands a collective acknowledgment of the need for courageous leaders willing to make unpopular decisions for the greater good. A paradigm shift is imperative, where leaders prioritize the populations long-term health over short-term political gains.

In a world of multifaceted challenges, leadership must be equally nuanced and courageous to usher in a new era of health care excellence. This crisis is not confined to Canada; it is a global concern that requires a collective effort to redefine health care leadership. The stakes are high, and the consequences of inaction are dire. It necessitates a reassessment of leadership qualities, moving beyond political prowess to embrace vision, transparency, and a commitment to the populaces well-being.

Global collaboration is essential in addressing shared health care challenges. The exchange of ideas, best practices, and innovative solutions can transcend national boundaries and contribute to developing a more resilient and responsive health care ecosystem. The World Health Organization (WHO) and other international bodies play a pivotal role in fostering this collaboration, emphasizing the need for coordinated efforts to tackle global health issues.

The global impact of leadership failures

The consequences of a health care leadership crisis extend far beyond any single nations borders. In an interconnected world, where health crises can quickly escalate into global pandemics, ineffective leadership poses a significant risk. The COVID-19 pandemic is a glaring example of how inadequate leadership can exacerbate the impact of a health care crisis. Countries with strong, decisive leadership managed to navigate the challenges more effectively, implementing timely and effective measures to mitigate the spread of the virus and protect their populations.

However, nations with weak or indecisive leadership struggled to respond adequately, leading to devastating consequences in terms of loss of life, overwhelmed health care systems, and economic downturns. The global nature of the pandemic highlighted the importance of collaborative, visionary leadership that goes beyond national interests to address collective challenges. This underscores the urgent need to reevaluate leadership principles in health care, emphasizing qualities such as foresight, adaptability, and a commitment to the greater good.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the health care crisis that dominates headlines is, at its core, a leadership crisis. The Canadian health care system serves as a poignant example, showcasing the urgency for leaders who are unafraid to address the underlying challenges. To build a resilient and sustainable health care system, leaders must embrace transparency, truth-telling, and the courage to make decisions that may be unpopular in the short term but indispensable for the long-term well-being of society.

We can only reshape the narrative from crisis to opportunity through solid leadership, ensuring that future health care systems are robust, compassionate, equitable, and forward-thinking. As we navigate the complexities of an ever-evolving health care landscape, leaders must rise to the occasion, steering societies toward a healthier, more sustainable future. In a world where the health of a nation is intricately tied to the decisions of its leaders, the call for transformative and visionary health care leadership has never been more urgent. The path forward requires not only acknowledging the challenges but also embracing the responsibility to chart a course toward a health care system that genuinely prioritizes the well-being of its citizens.

Tomi Mitchell, a family physician and founder of Dr. Tomi Mitchell Holistic Wellness Strategies, is not only a distinguished international keynote speaker but also a passionate advocate for mental health and physicians well-being, hosting her podcast, The Mental Health & Wellness Show. With over a decade of experience in presenting, public speaking, and training, she excels in creating meaningful connections with her audience. Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn and book a discovery call.
Ugandas exports to the European Union Market have hit 800 million Euros (about Shs3.3 trillion) against 700 million (approximately Shs2.9 trillion) that the European Union exports to Uganda, the head of the European delegation to Uganda Jan Sadek revealed on Tuesday.

He described the trade balance between the EU and Uganda as impressive and stands out among global trade relations.

Ugandas exports to the European market comprise mainly agricultural products like coffee, fruits and vegetables, flowers, fish, and fish products, while the EU imports earnings into Uganda from the energy, construction, agro-processing, and tourism sectors, among others.

We have quite an impressive trade turnover already, it is about 1.5 billion Euros. What is very important is that this trade is quite balanced, said Mr Jan Sadek.

Ambassador Sadek disclosed this at the Uganda-EU Business Forum Media launch in Kampala.
Mr. Robinson Masembe, an IT specialist and businessman, has been appointed the official Ambassador of the Buruuli Kingdom, effective immediately. The appointment was confirmed by His Majesty, the King of Buruuli, Isabaruuli Isabarongo Mwatyansozi Mwogezi Butamanya.

The official confirmation and handover of the appointment letter took place on Monday, February 14, 2024, at the Buruuli Palace in Nakasongola. A press conference later followed at the Sheraton Hotel to formally unveil Mr. Masembe as the Kingdoms Ambassador.

It is reported that Mr. Masembe wrote to the Buruuli Kingdom a month ago, requesting an opportunity to contribute to the Kingdoms development. His request was met with an invitation to visit the Kingdom. He was accompanied by his wife, Mrs. Vivian Masembe, who witnessed the signing of the appointment letter confirming his ambassadorship.

Mr Masembe has the urge to bring people together, a quality noticed on the first time I met him and as King of Buruuli, it is one thing I have always wanted for our Kingdom. I am looking forward to working with Mr Masembe as the Ambassador of Buruuli Kingdom because he can help with unification and development, both of which the Kingdom needs at the moment. Isabaruuli Isabarango said.

The King further highlighted the Kingdoms current shortcomings, including a lack of basic education, proper infrastructure, and communication systems. He expressed his belief that Mr. Masembe would address these critical issues.

Mr. Masembe, in turn, pledged to play a crucial role in the Kingdoms development, following extensive research he conducted.

 I noticed that Buruuli is a very small Kingdom that needs someone who can work hand in hand with the Kingdom to bring on some important developments and that is when I wrote to become the Ambassador of the Kingdom, Mr Masembe said.

He further committed to bridging the gap between global investors and the Buruuli Kingdom to achieve their shared development goals.

The Buruuli Kingdom is situated near Lake Kyoga in central Uganda. The community initially settled in Northern Uganda before migrating to the Bunyoro Kingdom to serve as the Kings guards. They became part of Buganda in 1896 after aiding in the victory over Bunyoro. In 1980, they returned to their ancestral lands and settled in Luweero. However, a portion of their territory was separated in 1997 to form the Nakasongola District, following the establishment of the old Buruuli County, which existed before 1990.
Uganda is partnering with the Botswana Vaccine Institute to manufacture a Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccine.

This was revealed Monday evening in a meeting between President Museveni and Botswana scientists at State House, Entebbe.

Frank Tumwebaze, the Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, informed the President that scientists from Botswana Vaccine Institute agreed to partner with the National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO), to develop a vaccine to combat FMD in Uganda.

In our discussions, they agreed to the idea that they can partner with us- NARO, to develop their kind vaccine. They are now serving Southern Africa, so they believe they can also help us to produce for East Africa, said Mr Tumwebaze

Andrew Madeswi, the Chief Executive Officer, Botswana Vaccine Institute said that the mission of collecting samples has been achieved and that the next step is testing them with final findings of the report expected to be out on March 29, 2024.

The agricultural ministry has since revealed that Ugandas total susceptible animal herd that requires FMD vaccination as per current estimate is 44 million.
BY XINHUA

Schools across England yesterday received new guidance issued by the British government on prohibiting the use of mobile phones throughout the school day, including at break times. The Department for Edu- cation said that the move was part of the governments plan to minimise disruption and improve behavior in classrooms.

Statistics show that 97 per- cent of students own a mobile phone by the age of 12. Additionally, a third of secondary school pupils reported mobile phones being used in most lessons without permission, while one in five pupils have experienced online bullying.

Schools are places for children to learn and mobile phones are, at a minimum, an unwanted distraction in the classroom, Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said in a statement.

Mobile phone-free In the guidance, there were examples of approaches to achieve a mobile phone-free environment, including banning phones from the school premises, handing in phones on arrival at school, and keeping phones securely locked away at school.

The guidance also suggested that headteachers or authorised staffhave a statutory power to search a pupil or their possessions if they have reasonable grounds to suspect the student is in possession of a pro- hibited item.

However,the guidance is nonstatutory, meaning it does not have the force of law itself. In re- sponse to the new guidance, Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), called the governments move a nonpolicy for a non-problem,given that most schools already for- bid mobile phone use during the school day.

The government would be far better off putting its energies into bringing to heel the online platforms via which children are able to access disturbing and extreme content, Barton added.
Police in Kampala are investigating circumstances under which a Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF) soldier attached to military police shot his lover before turning the gun on himself.

Cpl Collins Andebo attached to Makindye Military Police is said to have shot his partner, Peroni Atulinda a civilian support staff with the military police.

The two individuals were previously in a relationship and had been residing together in Lusaka Zone, Makindye Division before experiencing a separation due to misunderstandings, Kampala Metropolitan Police deputy Spokesperson, Luke Owoyesigyire said following the 7:20am Tuesday shooting being investigated by detectives from Katwe, Kampala.

It is alleged that Cpl Andebo who was armed with an AK-47 rifle and dressed in civilian attire confronted Atulinda as she was boarding a motorcycle (boda boda). Read more
New Devotional from Wife and Daughter of Robert Morris

Gateway Publishing releases a new devotional by mother-daughter duo Debbie Morris and Elaine Fisher



The Good Mess Helps Readers Embrace the Imperfect Moments in Life



"In giving away their lives and story, Debbie and Elaine provide a God-breathed guide for your own journey." -- Charlotte Gambill, International Speaker and Author



NEWS PROVIDED BY

Gateway Publishing

Feb. 20, 2024



DALLAS-FORT WORTH, Texas, Feb. 20, 2024 /Standard Newswire/ -- Gateway Publishing is pleased to announce the release of The Good Mess: Finding Beauty in Imperfect Moments by Debbie Morris and Elaine Fisher.



Every day we are faced with a choice: we can chase the perfect life, or we can embrace the imperfect and see what God does. In a culture often fixated on perfection and Instagram-worthy lifestyles, pastors Debbie and Elaine are a breath of fresh air as they seek to see beauty, purpose, and hope within the messy and less-than-perfect circumstances in their lives.



In this thirty-six-day devotional, Debbie and Elaine, who are the wife and daughter of renown pastor and bestselling author Robert Morris, candidly share funny personal memories and poignant reflections about their mother-daughter relationship, their upbringing, parenting, married life, ministry, expectations, seasons, healing, friendships, grief, and even giant sticky messes on the floor. They weave biblical truth, raw transparency, and years of ministry experience to create a deeply encouraging work.



Each page feels like the reader is sitting down with a friend to share stories and simply talk about God and life. Debbie and Elaine encourage readers to "take a deep breath, laugh with us, and learn from our experiences, however messy they are." Their unique perspective spans generational lines, so young adults, parents, and empty-nesters alike will find wisdom and strength within their words.



Above all, Debbie and Elaine wrote this book to help readers experience God's presence within every situation. They write, "We pray for you to experience supernatural courage and strength in the days to come, whatever struggles, pain, monotony, chaos, or confusion you may face. We don't have all the answers, but we know the One who does!" As Debbie and Elaine open their lives and detail their stories, we begin to see that every mess is an opportunity for God to do something beautiful.



Grammy-nominated and Dove Awardwinning artist and worship leader Kari Jobe Carnes has known Debbie and Elaine since she was a child. She says, "I've seen their love for God and their love for others. This book is such a beautiful expression of who they are, with stories and truths that are as relatable as they are profound. You'll discover there isn't a mess God can't handle, and there isn't a moment He can't bring about something good. No matter what season of life you're in, this book will encourage you just as it has encouraged me. Debbie and Elaine, thank you for writing this!"



Debbie and her high school sweetheart, Robert, have been married for forty-three years. They have three adult kidsJosh (married to Hannah), James (married to Bridgette), and Elaine (married to Ethan)and nine grandchildren. Her family is the best thing about her life! Robert and Debbie founded Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, in 2000, which has since grown to more than 100,000 active members. Debbie led the women's ministry at Gateway for many years and is the visionary founder of Pink Impact, a Gateway women's conference. Her heart is to help women understand who they are in God so they can discover their destinies and experience victory in life. As a wife who witnessed God turn her marriage around, she delights in encouraging women to believe God can and will do the same for them. She currently serves as an executive pastor but takes every opportunity to live the grandmother life (they call her Gigi) when she can! She never thought she'd write a book with Elaine about their family and experiences, but God had other plans . . . and she's so glad He did!



Elaine and her husband, Ethan, have been married for thirteen years, and they have four kids: Adde (10), Kate (8), Preston (7), and Jackson (5). As a pastor's kid, Elaine always had an awareness of the Lord, but she didn't develop a personal relationship with Him until she hit rock bottom at nineteen years old. Ever since, she has been passionate about helping people by sharing authentic revelation from the lessons she is learning along the way as God writes her story of redemption and freedom. In 2019, she and Ethan moved to Houston, Texas, to plant Gateway Church Houston, where she is on the executive team and serves as a teaching pastor. Elaine is an engaging communicator and has been a sought-after speaker at churches, conferences, and on television. Elaine sees it as a great honor to write a book with her best friend, and she is so grateful that her mom didn't give up on her in the early days because today their friendship is such a gift.



For more information, to receive a copy of The Good Mess, or to schedule an interview with Debbie Morris and Elaine Fisher, please contact:



Peyton Sepeda | publishing@gatewaypeople.com | 855.712.5774 | gatewaypublishing.com



Available now at Amazon, GatewayPublishing.com, store.gatewaypeople.com, and all eBook retailers.



SOURCE Gateway Publishing


BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 20. Azerbaijan has sent another humanitarian aid consisting of electrical equipment to Ukraine, Trend reports, referring to the Ministry of Energy of Azerbaijan.

Following the directive issued by President Ilham Aliyev on July 17, 2023, the final batch of electrical equipment designated for humanitarian aid to the Ukrainian people has been dispatched today from Sumgayit Technological Park.

The Ministry of Energy's humanitarian shipment includes over 670,000 meters of electric cables and wires, along with 26 power transformers and complete transformer substations. This aid, transported by a convoy of 25 heavy trucks (TIR), is intended to contribute to the restoration of a stable electricity supply in the affected regions due to the current situation in Ukraine.

Earlier humanitarian aid shipments, amounting to $7.6 million, were dispatched to Ukraine on October 30, November 21, December 8, 2023, and January 11, 2024. In total, over 3.3 million meters of electric cables and wires, along with 72 power transformers and complete transformer substations, were delivered to Ukraine via a convoy of 107 heavy trucks.

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Organisers of a family friendly kite-flying event have voiced their concerns over a change in venue from the grounds of Kilkenny Castle to the Parade last Sunday.

The South East Irish Palestine Solidarity Campaign organised the event to remember the children who have been killed, injured, displaced and orphaned in Gaza.

An email received by the IPSC SE signed by Kilkenny Castle management stated that 'no political rallies take place on OPW land'.

The email signed by the management of Kilkenny Castle stated that 'it is our understanding that this a political rally'.

"As this is a publicly owned state property in the care of the OPW - a national Historic Property - and in keeping with established policy - even if the aforementioned requirements had been complied with it would not be possible to accommodate a proposed Palestine Rally at Kilkenny Castle Park.



"While all individuals are free to support or encourage campaign groups, including those with a political agenda, the first duty of the public service is to be totally independent. As there is a political dimension to the proposed event, and as an OPW property, it means that while respecting the right to protest, this event cannot take place at this location."

The IPSC SE said the decision was 'unfair' and replied outlining that it was in no way a political rally and was just people flying their kites.

The IPSC SE highlighted that neither the Castle nor the OPW was 'independent' when it came to Ukraine when Kilkenny Castle along with other OPW sites were illuminated in blue and yellow in a sign of Ireland's unwavering support for Ukraine.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 20. The Board of the Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA) has approved "The rules for monitoring activities in financial markets", Trend reports.

The relevant resolution was signed by CBA chairman Taleh Kazimov.

According to the decision, the head of the audit group after submitting a notification must contact the head of the executive body of the control subject to prepare the necessary documents. The decision to conduct an audit must be submitted to the head or authorized official of the executive body. The inspections must be conducted during the working day and working hours of the subject of control without hindering its activities.

In addition, the results of each inspection must be formalized by a report in written form, and the content of the report must be legible and understandable. It is not allowed to include in the report various information that has not been confirmed.

The report can also include proposals on the identified irregularities, measures to be taken to remedy the deficiencies, deadlines, and persons responsible for the measures to be taken. The report will be signed by all members of the audit team, and all its pages will be signed by the head of the audit team.

Meanwhile, "The Rules for the Audit of Banking Activities", "The Procedure for the Audit of Licensed Activities in the Securities Market", "The Procedure for the Audit of Professional Activities in the Insurance Market", and "The Procedure for the Audit of Professional Activities in the Insurance Market of the abolished Financial Markets Supervisory Chamber" have been repealed.

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Professor Dr. Belen Gavela, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, receives the 2023 Julius Wess Award of the KIT Center Elementary Particle and Astroparticle Physics (Photo: Laura Marcos, UAM)

The KIT Center Elementary Particle and Astroparticle Physics (KCETA) of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) grants the 2023 Julius Wess Award to Dr. Belen Gavela, professor for theoretical physics at the Universidad Autonoma de Madrid (UAM) in Spain. She receives the award in recognition of her significant contributions in the field of theoretical and phenomenological particle physics and her outstanding role in science management. Representatives of the media are cordially invited to come to the Award Ceremony on February 09, 2024, 4.30 p.m. at NTI lecture hall on Campus South of KIT (building 30.10).

Belen Gavela is Spain's first female professor of theoretical physics. In 2003, she was a founding member of the Institute for Theoretical Physics at the UAM. Among other roles, she has held several positions at the European Council for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Geneva and at the French Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS). She was coordinator of various major EU projects in the field of particle physics and a member of CERN committees.

Gavela has made significant breakthroughs in the field of theoretical and phenomenological physics, with particular emphasis on CP violation and flavor physics in quarks and leptons, the study of neutrino oscillations, and effective field theories related to electroweak symmetry breaking.

CP violation is about the assumption in the standard model of particle physics that elementary particles and their antiparticles - apart from the electric charge - behave in the same physical way. However, there are various experiments in which deviations from this assumption have been measured. CP violation is possibly the reason why there is much more matter than antimatter in the universe.

The so-called flavor is a quantum number used to describe the state of elementary particles, similar to charge or momentum. It is of relevance to processes of weak and strong interaction. In the case of strong interaction essential for the cohesion of atomic nuclei, the flavor is maintained.

About the Julius Wess Award

The Julius Wess Award is named after Professor Julius Wess, who worked for theoretical and experimental elementary particle physics and published numerous internationally famous papers during the twenty years he spent at the then University of Karlsruhe, todays KIT. Concepts of quantum field theory, such as the Wess-Zumino anomaly or the formulation of the first supersymmetric quantum field theory, the Wess-Zumino model, will always be associated with this name. The Julius Wess Award of the KIT Center Elementary Particle and Astroparticle Physics (KCETA) is endowed with EUR 10,000. The award is granted to elementary particle or astroparticle physicists for outstanding experimental or theoretical scientific achievements, which extend and deepen our understanding of the fundamental laws of nature.

Programm

16:30 hrs Musical Opening 16:40 hrs Welcome

Professor Thomas Hirth, KIT Vice President Transfer and International Affairs 16:50 hrs Introduction to the KIT Center Elementary Particle and Astroparticle Physics (KCETA)

Professor Anke-Susanne Muller, Scientific Spokesperson of KCETA, KI 17:00 hrs Guest Presentation Taming the asymmetries of nature: The implications of matter-antimatter imbalance in neutrino physics

Professor Pilar Hernandez, University of Valencia, Spain 17:30 hrs Coffee Break 17:45 hrs Musical Program 17:55 hrs Laudation

Professor Thomas Schwetz-Mangold, Institute for Astroparticle Physics of KIT 18:10 hrs Presentation of the Award

Professor Thomas Hirth, KIT Vice President Transfer and International Affairs 18:25 hrs Presentation The axion sum rule of quantum chromodynamics

Professor Dr. Belen Gavela 18:55 hrs Musical Program 19:05 hrs Reception

Further Information: https://indico.scc.kit.edu/event/3920/

More information on the KIT Center Elementary Particle and Astroparticle Physics

Being The Research University in the Helmholtz Association, KIT creates and imparts knowledge for the society and the environment. It is the objective to make significant contributions to the global challenges in the fields of energy, mobility, and information. For this, about 10,000 employees cooperate in a broad range of disciplines in natural sciences, engineering sciences, economics, and the humanities and social sciences. KIT prepares its 22,800 students for responsible tasks in society, industry, and science by offering research-based study programs. Innovation efforts at KIT build a bridge between important scientific findings and their application for the benefit of society, economic prosperity, and the preservation of our natural basis of life. KIT is one of the German universities of excellence.
Prof. Oliver Kraft, representing the President of KIT, with Professor Jan S. Hesthaven and Dr. Stefan Schwartze (from left to right; Photo: Markus Breig, KIT)

Today (February 19, 2024), the KIT Senate has confirmed with very large majority the election of Professor Jan S. Hesthaven as President of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) by the Supervisory Board in January this year. The 58-year-old Danish mathematician intends to significantly strengthen KITs international orientation and standing in worldwide competition. Presently, Hesthaven is Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs of the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne in Switzerland. Jan S. Hesthaven will presumably assume office in the second half of this year. Moreover, the KIT Senate has confirmed the election of Dr. Stefan Schwartze as Vice President Finance, Human Resources, and Infrastructure.

Current photos will soon be available in this album

I cordially congratulate the new KIT President Professor Hesthaven and the new Vice President Dr. Schwartze on their election. I am convinced that Professor Hesthaven will further strengthen KIT in worldwide competition and advance both large-scale research and the university with his vast expertise, know-how, and leadership competence, says Federal Minister of Education and Research Bettina Stark-Watzinger. The new President and the new Vice President will doubtlessly make an essential contribution to the further development of KIT. I wish them much success.

I cordially congratulate Professor Hesthaven on his election for Presidency of KIT. I am happy that the selection procedure for the succession of Professor Hanselka was completed within a relatively short period of time. Winning a person like Jan S. Hesthaven also reflects the attractiveness of KIT. Hesthavens expertise and vast international experience will benefit the further development and standing of KIT. I wish him much success. We have now set the course for the future, says Baden-Wurttemberg Minister for Science, Research, and the Arts Petra Olschowski.

Professor Hesthaven has presented a convincing vision for KIT. I am sure that he will push both the international standing of KIT and the scientific and cultural advancement of our unique institution, says the Chairman of the Supervisory Board of KIT, Professor Michael Kaschke. His reputation as a scientist and his vast expertise in leading large science organizations make him an ideal person for presidency and for shaping the next stage of KIT.

I would like to cordially thank the KIT Senate and Supervisory Board for their big trust in me, says Professor Jan S. Hesthaven. I very much look forward to my future tasks at KIT and in particular to the exchange with KITs staff and students. Together with them and with my colleagues in the Executive Board, we will continue to shape KIT as a unique science institution. I am convinced that we can further advance the standing of KIT with its great potential not only in Germany, but also on the international level.

Clear confirmation of the election of Professor Hesthaven by the KIT Senate is a very encouraging signal, says Professor Oliver Kraft, Acting President of KIT. As a science institution, KIT is facing big challenges, including work on the solution of the most pressing problems of our time, preparing students and early-stage researchers for responsible tasks, and pushing transfer of knowledge to society. These challenges also comprise the constant further development of KIT and its standing in both the Excellence Strategy Competition and the program-oriented funding scheme of the Helmholtz Association. These challenges will be addressed by the Executive Board of KIT, which will now be completed by Professor Hesthaven. We look forward to cooperating with him.

I look forward to cooperating with Jan S. Hesthaven. His vast international expertise, outstanding scientific know-how, and strategic intuition will not only advance research and academic education at KIT, but also enrich the exchange of ideas within the Helmholtz Association, says Professor Otmar Wiestler, President of the Helmholtz Association. With him, we win an acknowledged expert for the transfer of information sciences to industry and society. For instance, Hesthaven developed new computation methods and algorithms for machine learning, for supercomputers, and for complex simulations. These are valuable instruments to jointly address the challenges of our time.

The term of office of the President of KIT is six years. Jan S. Hesthaven will presumably assume office in the second half of this year. He will succeed Professor Holger Hanselka, who was elected President of Fraunhofer Gesellschaft at short notice last year.

Professor Jan S. Hesthaven, born in 1965, has been Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs of the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne) since 2021. His scope of responsibility includes strong integration of research in academic education, all appointment procedures, as well as close cooperation with the President of EPFL on the universitys strategic orientation, among others. Since 2013, Hesthaven has been Professor of Mathematics of EPFL. Before, in 1995, he started to work at Brown University, one of the oldest and most renowned universities in the USA, where was Founding Director of the Center for Computation and Visualization (2006 to 2013). Having co-founded the Institute for Computational and Experimental Research in Mathematics, he served as its Deputy Director from 2010 to 2013. Hesthaven studied Computational Physics and earned his doctorate at the Technical University of Denmark in Copenhagen. His successful research is reflected by more than 175 publications in scientific journals. Professor Hesthaven is Fellow of the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters, of the American Mathematical Society (AMS), and of the Society of Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM). Moreover, he is Member of the European Academy of Sciences and Academia Europaea.

KIT Senate also Confirms the Election of Stefan Schwartze as Vice President Finance, Human Resources, and Infrastructure

In January, the Supervisory Board of KIT also elected Dr. Stefan Schwartze Vice President Finance, Human Resources, and Infrastructure. During its meeting today (February 19, 2024), the KIT Senate confirmed this vote with very large majority. Dr. Schwartze has a doctoral degree in law and is Administrative Executive Director of the Helmholtz Centre Potsdam / German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ). Schwartze will succeed Michael Gan, who will retire in summer this year. Again, the term of office is six years.

Dr. Schwartze is an acknowledged expert in the administration of universities and large research institutions. He possesses vast legal and financial know-how, emphasizes the Chairman of the Supervisory Board of KIT, Professor Michael Kaschke. I am convinced that Mr. Schwartze will address the challenges and opportunities associated with this big and demanding executive board department in a determined and cooperative way.

I would like to cordially thank the bodies of KIT for their trust. A big science institution, such as KIT, lives on its staff in research, academic education, administration, and infrastructure. Together, we can accomplish a lot, but we are facing highly demanding tasks, says Dr. Stefan Schwartze. I look forward to using my experience gained from work at several science institutions for the benefit of KIT.

I am also very happy about the KIT Senate having confirmed the election of Dr. Schwartze, says Professor Oliver Kraft, Acting President of KIT. The Executive Board Department of Finance, Human Resources, and Infrastructure is associated with very complex tasks that require a prudent approach and a steady hand. I am sure that Mr. Schwartze will perfectly fill the Vice Presidents office based on his experience gained from several executive functions in the Helmholtz Association and at universities.

Dr. Stefan Schwartze, born in 1966, has been Administrative Executive Director of the Helmholtz Centre Potsdam  German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) since 2011. From 2019 to 2022, he also worked as Administrative Vice President of the Helmholtz Association. Before, from 2008 to 2011, Schwartze was Chancellor of the University of Munster. Prior to that, he worked at the Max Delbruck Centre for Molecular Medicine, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, and the German Research Foundation. Schwartze studied law at the universities of Mannheim, Heidelberg, and Munster and earned his doctorate at the University of Bochum.

Being The Research University in the Helmholtz Association, KIT creates and imparts knowledge for the society and the environment. It is the objective to make significant contributions to the global challenges in the fields of energy, mobility, and information. For this, about 10,000 employees cooperate in a broad range of disciplines in natural sciences, engineering sciences, economics, and the humanities and social sciences. KIT prepares its 22,800 students for responsible tasks in society, industry, and science by offering research-based study programs. Innovation efforts at KIT build a bridge between important scientific findings and their application for the benefit of society, economic prosperity, and the preservation of our natural basis of life. KIT is one of the German universities of excellence.
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BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 20. A joint venture aimed at establishing the Azerbaijan-Europe green corridor is on the horizon, involving transmission system operators from four countries, Javid Abdullayev, Director of the Azerbaijan Renewable Energy Agency said in an exclusive interview with Trend.

"The selection of a consulting company for the project of exporting green energy from Azerbaijan to Europe via the Black Sea was finalized in late 2023, with the contract being signed in early 2024. Studies for the project are slated to be conducted throughout this year. The feasibility study for the segment traversing the bottom of the Black Sea is nearing completion, and subsequent to this, Azerbaijan will prepare a feasibility study for supplying green energy from the Caspian Sea to Europe. It is envisaged that the joint venture will be established in the first half of this year," he stated.

Abdullayev further highlighted Bulgaria's keen interest in the project, indicating ongoing negotiations for green energy supply from Central Asian countries to Europe via the Caspian Sea bed.

He noted the potential for bidirectional flows and anticipated progress in this direction with similar studies commencing this year.

Simultaneously, significant strides have been taken to export green energy from Nakhchivan to Turkiye with technical specifications for the project expected to be finalized shortly, added the agency director.

Abdullayev mentioned exploring various route options for the project, with studies projected to conclude within six months to one year.

Green Energy Projects Auctions

Abdullayev emphasized two focal points in renewable energy utilization: optimizing land use and fortifying network infrastructure.

"In line with the decisions of the Azerbaijani Cabinet of Ministers, two land plots were allocated for renewable energy projects last year. This year, we anticipate an expedited process in this regard. Research and analysis of renewable energy plots have been completed, with proposals currently under review. Several additional land plots for renewable energy projects are expected to be allocated shortly. Subsequently, the process of selecting producers in these areas will commence. This will be executed through auctions, and if deemed strategically significant, with direct involvement from companies. The auctions are scheduled to be announced in the second quarter of this year, with winning companies expected to be determined by year-end," he outlined.

Abdullayev indicated the completion of network research last year, facilitated by consulting companies, with plans to integrate up to 2 gigawatts of renewable energy into the grid by 2027. He anticipated groundbreaking ceremonies for renewable energy projects this year, along with announcements of new projects in the sector.

Green Energy Zones

Abdullayev elaborated on efforts to establish green energy zones in territories liberated from occupation and in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.

"Negotiations with investors regarding green energy development in Nakhchivan are ongoing, with significant progress made in identifying land areas. Our primary objective is to formulate a conceptual document for establishing a green energy zone in these territories, predominantly focusing on solar energy production projects. ACWA Power, Masdar, and Azerbaijans state oil company SOCAR are conducting studies on a 500 megawatt project, while A-Z Czech Engineering has signed a document for another 500 megawatt project. Additionally, TotalEnergies and Nobel Energy have inked agreements for a green energy project here. Turkish companies also express interest in Nakhchivan projects," he added.

Sunrise Solar Power Plant

Regarding the Sunrise (Shafag) solar power plant project undertaken by bp in Azerbaijan's Jabrayil district, Abdullayev indicated that agreements have been reached on connection schemes to the grid.

"Draft documents pertinent to the project have been prepared, with an international legal consultant engaged. It is anticipated that these documents will be signed in the first half of the year, encompassing an investment agreement and an energy purchase and sale agreement," he explained.

Hydrogen Production and Export

Abdullayev underscored the establishment of working groups on hydrogen production in Azerbaijan, with the involvement of the state oil company SOCAR.

"Hydrogen production will feature prominently at the COP29 conference in Baku. Projects in this domain are currently in the preparatory phase, with foreign companies actively proposing initiatives for green hydrogen production in Azerbaijan. Various options for hydrogen export from Azerbaijan are under consideration, including the supply of a hydrogen blend through the Southern Gas Corridor, the construction of a dedicated pipeline, setting up electrolyzers in proximity to European countries to produce hydrogen from exported green energy, and exporting products derived from hydrogen. Leading global companies are submitting innovative proposals for hydrogen exports, which are currently under evaluation," he added.

The agency director highlighted the declaration of 2024 as the Green World Solidarity Year in Azerbaijan, signaling enhanced progress in green energy projects implementation.

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WikiLeaks founder faces his last legal roll in Britain to avoid U.S extradition

Julian Assanges lawyers have begun their final U.K. legal challenge to stop the WikiLeaks founder from being sent to the United States to face spying charges
Colruyt Group (OTCMKTS:CUYTY  Get Free Report)s share price rose 2% during trading on Monday . The stock traded as high as $10.88 and last traded at $10.80. Approximately 14,100 shares traded hands during trading, an increase of 453% from the average daily volume of 2,550 shares. The stock had previously closed at $10.59.

Colruyt Group Stock Performance

The business has a 50-day moving average price of $11.24 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $10.45. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.27, a quick ratio of 0.66 and a current ratio of 0.97.

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Colruyt Group Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a dividend, which was paid on Monday, January 8th. Investors of record on Thursday, December 21st were paid a dividend of $0.1668 per share. This is a boost from Colruyt Groups previous dividend of $0.13. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, December 20th.

Colruyt Group Company Profile

Colruyt Group N.V., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the retail, wholesale, food service, and other activities in Belgium, France, Luxembourg, and internationally. It operates through three segments: Retail, Wholesale and Foodservice, and Other Activities. The company provides groceries, fresh products, dry products, and frozen and non-food products; and operates CNG, hydrogen filling, and charging stations.

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The Berkeley Group Holdings plc (OTCMKTS:BKGFY  Get Free Report) fell 0.7% during trading on Monday . The stock traded as low as $11.83 and last traded at $11.96. 6,000 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 39% from the average session volume of 9,906 shares. The stock had previously closed at $12.05.

The Berkeley Group Trading Down 0.7 %

The businesss fifty day moving average price is $12.26 and its 200-day moving average price is $11.19. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19, a quick ratio of 0.64 and a current ratio of 3.57.

The Berkeley Group Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

The Berkeley Group Holdings plc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the residential-led and mixed-use property development and ancillary activities in the United Kingdom. The company is involved in land selling activities. It operates under the Berkeley, St Edward, St George, St James, St Joseph, and St William brand names.

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By Lee Kyung-min

Financial Services Commission (FSC) Vice Chairman Kim So-young will meet with foreign investors in Singapore and Thailand next week to promote its corporate value-up initiative outlined to reinvigorate the chronically stagnant local bourse, market watchers said Tuesday.

The financial policy drive of the Yoon Suk Yeol administration seeks to attract and retain a larger number of foreign institutional investors, as underpinned by higher shareholder returns, incentives for strong performance of undervalued stocks and the development of derivatives that track low-popularity shares.

Also to be discussed are Koreas move to scrap capital gains tax on stock trading and short selling ban enforced to eradicate the illegal practice of naked short selling.

The plan is the authorities' latest investor relations efforts. Financial Supervisory Service (FSC) Chairman Lee Bok-hyun's visited Singapore and London last year.

Kim will embark on the four-day trip on Feb. 26. He will be accompanied by senior officials from the Korea Exchange (KRX) and the Korea Securities Depository (KSD) in Singapore. The financial hub country hosts regional offices of several top-tier global players.

A roundtable of investors will be held in Singapore on Feb. 26, coinciding with the financial policymakers' plan to unveil details of the value-up initiative in Korea.

Kim will address the issue of scrapping taxes on stock gains. Foreign institutional investors will be exempt from these measures. However, this effort underscores the country's commitment to fostering an environment conducive to long-term and robust investment, encompassing both retail and large-scale investors.

The vice chair will also share the authorities plans to guarantee easier access to the local financial market for foreign capital, despite the short selling ban.

Some market watchers from within the country and abroad have long criticized the ban as falling behind global standards, but the FSC pushed ahead citing the Korean capital markets lack of stern measures to penalize illegal practices.

The more investor-friendly regulatory revisions become, the more foreign capital will be funneled into the local bourse, in Kims view. This is a virtuous cycle whereby the persistent challenge of the Korea discount will be fundamentally resolved.

In Thailand, Kim will meet with Bank of Thailand Governor Sethaput Suthiwartnarueput and Ruenvadee Sawanmongkol, head of the countrys Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), to bolster cooperation between the two countries. The vice chair will address Korean entities challenges of operating financial services in the Southeast Asian country.
Palestinian representatives on Monday asked judges at the U.N.'s highest court to declare Israel's occupation of their territory illegal, saying their advisory opinion could contribute to a two-state solution and a lasting peace.

The requests came at the opening of a week of hearings at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague. The U.N. General Assembly sought an advisory, or non-binding, opinion on the occupation in 2022. More than 50 states will present arguments through Feb. 26.

"We call on you to confirm that Israel's presence in the occupied Palestinian territory is illegal," Riad Mansour, the Palestinian representative to the United Nations, said in a speech in which his voice cracked and he shed tears.

"A finding from this distinguished court. ..would contribute to bringing (occupation) to an immediate end, paving a way to a just and lasting peace," he said. "A future in which no Palestinians and no Israelis are killed. A future in which two states live side by side in peace and security."

The latest surge of violence in Gaza, promoted by the Oct.7 attacks in Israel by Hamas has complicated already deeply-rooted grievances in the Middle East and damaged efforts towards finding a path to peace.

The ICJ's 15-judge panel has been asked to review Israel's "occupation, settlement and annexation ... including measures aimed at altering the demographic composition, character and status of the Holy City of Jerusalem, and from its adoption of related discriminatory legislation and measures."

Israel is not attending the hearings but sent a 5-page written statement published by the court on Monday in which it said an advisory opinion would be "harmful" to attempts to resolve the conflict because the questions posed by the U.N. General Assembly were prejudiced.

The judges are expected to take roughly six months to issue an opinion on the request, which also asks them to consider the legal status of the occupation and its consequences.

Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem - areas of historic Palestine which the Palestinians want for a state - in a 1967 war and has since built settlements in the West Bank and steadily expanded them.

Israeli leaders have long disputed that the territories are formally occupied on the basis that they were captured from Jordan and Egypt during a war rather than from a sovereign Palestine.

The United Nations has since 1967 referred to the territories as occupied by Israel and demanded that Israeli forces withdraw, saying it is the only way to secure peace. Its 1967 resolution did not, however, specifically label the resolution as illegal.

While Israel has ignored legal opinions in the past, this one could increase political pressure over its war in Gaza, which has killed about 29,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials, since Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7.

It withdrew from Gaza in 2005, but, along with neighboring Egypt, still controls its borders. It has also annexed East Jerusalem in a move not recognized by most countries.

'Moral, political and legal imperative'

The hearing is part of Palestinian efforts to get international legal institutions to examine Israel's conduct. These have stepped up since Israel's war on Gaza in response to the Hamas attacks, which killed 1,200 people, according to Israeli tallies.

Israel has said it faces an existential threat by Hamas militants and other groups and is acting in self-defense.

There are mounting concerns about an Israeli ground offensive against the Gaza city of Rafah, a last refuge for more than a million Palestinians after they fled to the south of the enclave to avoid Israeli assaults.

It is the second time the U.N. General Assembly has asked the ICJ, also known as the World Court, for an advisory opinion related to the occupied Palestinian territory.

In July 2004, the court found that Israel's separation wall in the West Bank violated international law and should be dismantled, though it still stands to this day. (Reuters)
France on Tuesday called for an "independent" probe into the death of jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny after summoning Moscow's envoy.

"France holds the Russian authorities fully responsible for the death of Alexei Navalny," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

France "calls for an independent and in-depth investigation," the ministry said, adding that Russia's ambassador had been summoned on Monday.

"France calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners in Russia and expresses in particular its deep concern over the critical state of health of opponent Vladimir Kara-Murza," the statement added.

On Friday, French President Emmanuel Macron accused Moscow authorities of condemning "free spirits" to death.

Navalny, 47, died in his Arctic prison colony on Friday, Russian authorities said. The opposition politician's team says he was murdered.

Navalny barely survived a poisoning with the Soviet-designed nerve agent, Novichok, in 2020. Following treatment in Germany, he returned to Russia in 2021 and was immediately arrested and subsequently jailed.

Kara-Murza, a 42-year-old opposition activist, is serving a 25-year sentence in a Russian prison for criticising Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

He received the longest known sentence of all of Putin's jailed critics. (AFP)
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 20. The World Bank (WB) is ready to support Azerbaijan's actions and achievements in the development of green energy, Azerbaijani Minister of Energy Parviz Shahbazov wrote on his page on X, Trend reports.

Shahbazov held talks with WB Vice President Antonella Bassani during his visit to the US.

"The parties agreed to accelerate the financial support for the grid strengthening project as a contribution to the UN climate programs, especially considering that COP29 will take place in Azerbaijan", the post noted.

Additionally, Shahbazov met with President and CEO of Edison Electric Institute (Association) Dan Brouillette in Washington.

"We discussed the cooperation opportunities with this association, which represents all US investor-owned electric companies," the post added.

To note, the decision to hold COP29 in Azerbaijan was made official on December 11, 2023, in Dubai.



On January 4, 2024, Mukhtar Babayev, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan, was appointed as President of COP29.

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Bada, who gained fame as the leader of BEBE on "Street Woman Fighter," is being slammed for her "rude" behavior towards 1MILLION's Lia Kim. Keep on reading for all the details.

1MILLION Lia Kim Streams Call With Bada

On February 19, Lia Kim and Halo (WOLF'LO) held a live stream to celebrate the meeting of crew leaders who appeared on "Street Woman Fighter 2."

On this day, the leaders of "Street Woman Fighter 2' crews were scheduled to meet in Lia Kim's house in Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi Province. However, the members did not gather as agreed upon a month ago, causing confusion.

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In particular, during the live broadcast, Lia Kim and Halo communicated with fans and relayed the situation of other members through a phone call with Bada. The aforementioned phone call has drawn criticism from some netizens.

At the time, when asked, "What are you doing?" Bada replied, "I'm practicing."

Then, when asked, "Hasn't the practice finished yet?" she responded, "Maybe we won't be able to go," showing she is having trouble with her schedule.

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Bada asked if all the members had arrived, to which Lia Kim responded, "Halo and I are here." Bada expressed surprise, saying, "Oh, they haven't come yet."

Lia Kim suggested, "It seems like everyone is coming late after their lessons. It's okay to be late, so just come."

Bada, taken aback, said, "To Gyeonggi-do?" Halo even drew the line, saying, "Let's meet in Seoul."

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Bada also said, "We'll take the lead in organizing the next meeting." To this, Halo warned, "If you do that next time, we won't be as forgiving!"

'Street Woman Fighter' Bada Garners Flak For 'Rude' Behavior Towards 1MILLION Lia Kim

They had a friendly conversation, and even in the midst of Bada's absence due to practice, their consideration for each other was evident to the point where Bada's voice showed remorse.

However, some netizens criticized Bada for not notifying her in advance that she would be absent due to practice, even though she knew about the scheduled meeting. They believed that it was not right that she only informed them after receiving the call, calling it "rude."

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Some reports also claimed that Bada apologized for calling two hours after the promised time of 5 PM, suggesting a sudden situation caused her to be absent.

However, it was not only Bada who drew flak. The other dancers also disappointed netizens by not keeping the promised meeting time.

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In this situation, there is growing concern among fans, and many are taking the chance to defend her. People believe lexcessively holding Bada accountable is similar to "witch hunting."

What do you think of the situation? Tell us in the comments below!

KpopStarz Owns This

Written by Alexa Lopez
In 2016, Eyedi burst onto the South Korean music scene with her debut single, "Sign," showcasing not only her vocal prowess but also her songwriting abilities.

The success of her first album, Mix B, released in 2017, solidified her status as a rising star in the industry. Her journey continued as she captivated audiences on the survival reality show Mix Nine, securing the fifth position among female contestants.

Eyedi further showcased her multifaceted talents on Studio Vibes in 2019, leaving an indelible mark on fans with her charm.

Behind the Scenes: A Tumultuous Legal Battle

However, behind the scenes, Eyedi faced a challenging legal dispute with her agency, BaceCamp Studio.

This four-year-long ordeal became a significant obstacle in her career, imposing limitations on her activities and visibility within the music industry.

Fans, accustomed to Eyedi's creative output and engaging presence, were left in the dark about her whereabouts and future endeavors.

READ ALSO: THIS 'Underrated' TWICE Member Increases Popularity After Changing Makeup Style

The Break of Silence: Eyedi's Fancafe Announcement

The long-standing silence was broken when Eyedi took to her fancafe, choosing this platform with a touch of humor. In a heartfelt message to her fans, she expressed gratitude for their unwavering support and patience throughout the years.

Eyedi's sincere and relieved statement shed light on the emotional toll the legal dispute had taken on her, acknowledging the impact on her ability to communicate openly.

 It appears that Eyedi has left Bace Camp as her name is no long listed as an artist on the companys Twitter bio. pic.twitter.com/2UxVKVRo0a  Nam YuJin Update (@YuJinUpdate) January 29, 2024

She apologized for the delay in sharing her situation, attributing it to the constraints imposed by the ongoing lawsuit.

"Im finally getting around to saying hello to everyone who hasnt heard from me in a long time I recently terminated my contract with BaceCamp Studio after about 4 years of litigation and we went our separate ways." - Eyedi on her fancafe "As I mentioned above, I was in the middle of a lawsuit, so I wasnt in a position to comment!" - Eyedi

 Eyedi sent messages to fans early today on KakaoTalk! pic.twitter.com/vtu9sep5Bz  Nam YuJin Update (@YuJinUpdate) February 19, 2024

The Turning Point: Eyedi's New Beginning as Nam Yujin

With the conclusion of the legal dispute, Eyedi's career takes a significant turning point. Choosing to step away from her stage name, she is now known as Nam Yujin.

Despite the challenges, Nam Yujin remains optimistic about her future. She hinted at the possibility of returning with good news, though concrete plans for her activities are yet to be revealed.

NETIZENS' REACTIONS

thank you I'm thankful she's alright. Good news So there's still hope she will continue her music career, just not as Eyedi. I'm okay with that Thank you, that was unexpected! And why it's not good she's been mired in legal problems, I wonder if she's now free to sign for another agency....? I'm glad to hear from Eyedi after so long. I really wish she could continue her career because she is so talented. I hope she is having a happy and healthy life. Finally, after so much. Now we can enjoy life with our beloved Nam YuJin As long as my princess is happy omggg i hope you're happy and healthy, Eyedi!! We'll wait for you! take your time ily finally omggg, but in the middle of a LAWSUIT??? gosh that sounds like so much.... glad she seems to be out of it now. really glad to hear from her

The resolution of the legal battle signifies not only the end of a challenging chapter but also the potential for a fresh start and new opportunities for the artist formerly known as Eyedi.

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For more K-Pop news and updates, keep your tabs open here at KpopStarz.

KpopStarz owns this article.

Written by Cassidy Jones.
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BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 20. Azerbaijan and Saudi Arabia discussed opportunities to expand activities in the field of renewable energy sources, the Azerbaijani Minister of Energy Mikayil Jabbarov wrote on X, Trend reports.

"During the meeting with Majed Hindi Aluteibi, Saudi Arabias Deputy Energy Minister for Oil and Gas Technical and Regulatory Affairs, our discussions centered around initiatives aimed at ensuring the sustainable development of economic relations between our countries. We explored avenues for promoting investments and discussed opportunities for expanding joint activities in the fields of renewable energy and industry," Jabbarov noted.

Earlier, First Deputy Minister of Economy of Azerbaijan Elnur Aliyev met with Chief Executive Director of Saudi Fund for Development Sultan Abdulrahman Al-Marshad during his visit to Saudi Arabia.

The sides discussed directions of cooperation on projects in the field of renewable energy, Azerbaijan's cooperation with ACWA Power Company, and the investment potential of the Azerbaijani liberated territories.

Stay up to date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, February 20. Leading German companies Knauf Gruppe, GP Gunter Papenburg AG, and Roxtec, as well as the German Institute of Lithium, have formed a consortium for lithium production in Kazakhstan, Trend reports.

This was stated during the meeting between Minister of Industry and Construction of Kazakhstan Kanat Sharlapayev and Manfred Grundke, member of the supervisory board of GP Gunter Papenburg AG.

It was noted that this step is aimed at the development and production of lithium, using the deposits of Kazakhstan as a basis, which opens up new prospects for the development of the lithium industry in the Central Asian country.

In addition, the parties reached an agreement to create a specialized working group aimed at exploring the potential for cooperation in the field of lithium mining and use.

The parties additionally considered the prospect of developing a roadmap, which will become the basis for the successful implementation of the initiatives under discussion.

Meanwhile, in September 2023, Dennis Schwindt, the head of HMS Bergbau AG, presented a project for the construction of a mining and processing plant for the extraction and processing of lithium in the East Kazakhstan region. According to him, the total amount of planned investments will be $500 million.
PRNewswire

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], February 20: iHub-Data, the technology innovation hub affiliated with IIIT Hyderabad, is gearing up to expand its educational training programs. Over the past three years, the hub has successfully delivered impactful training to undergraduate engineering students, focusing on the fundamentals of modern machine learning. Notably, iHub-Data has also launched initiatives guiding students through substantial research projects during its summer internship drives, starting from 2021. Currently, 157 undergraduate engineering students are actively participating in internship programs, contributing to various research projects at IIIT Hyderabad since December 2023.

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"This year marks a strategic shift as we aim to establish connections with technical institutions, including those in and around Hyderabad, to provide specialized training. Our focused program will target students interested in pursuing higher studies and research. Additionally, we plan to introduce a 5-month faculty development program at IIITH campus, approved by AICTE as three FDP units. This initiative holds potential benefits for faculty members, contributing to their professional growth," stated Dr. CK Raju, Head of Educational Programs at iHub-Data, IIIT Hyderabad.

According to sources at iHub-Data, IIIT Hyderabad, different MoUs have been drafted to suit the preferences of technical institutes offering undergraduate engineering programs in India. Autonomous institutes providing UG programs in engineering can also collaborate for a two-year UG Minor Program in Modern Machine Learning. Furthermore, an MoU is in place for institutes interested in offering UG Add-on programs in AIML to students, spanning three semesters.

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"IIIT Hyderabad is renowned for its leadership in quality research programs focused on Machine Learning. Currently standing as India's #1 institute for AI/ML research, it houses the largest Computer Science Research Group in the country. Our goal is to share these invaluable skills with other institutions willing to assume similar responsibilities and commitments to advancing research in AIML," stated Dr. Jay Mookherji, Chief Executive Officer of iHub-Data.

"Significant effort has been invested in crafting the curriculum and training methodology for these educational programs, setting them apart from conventional online training initiatives. Our primary concern has been to establish an approach that optimizes training resources, enhancing the competency of young undergraduate engineering students in developing solutions using AI/ML techniques and frameworks. Through these efforts, we aim to meet the growing demands of our nation in achieving excellence in developing sensible machine learning applications," expressed Prof CV Jawahar, Dean of Research and Development at IIIT Hyderabad.

For further details, visit iHub-Data Website. For inquiries, please contact Dr. CK Raju at Ph: 040 6653 1787.

About IIIT-Hyderabad: The International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad (IIIT-H) is an autonomous research university founded in 1998 that focuses on the core areas of Information Technology, such as Computer Science, Electronics and Communications, and their applications in other domains through inter-disciplinary research that has a greater social impact. Some of its research domains include Visual Information Technologies, Human Language Technologies, Data Engineering, VLSI and Embedded Systems, Computer Architecture, Wireless Communications, Algorithms and Information Security, Robotics, Building Science, Earthquake Engineering, Cognitive Science, Computational Natural Sciences and Bioinformatics, Education Technologies, Power Systems, IT in Agriculture and e-Governance.

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1900509/IIITH_Logo.jpg

Website: www.iiit.ac.in

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New Delhi [India], February 20 (ANI): In a manoeuvre to counterbalance the significant decline in copper exports to the European Union (EU), Russia has intensified its sales to China and Turkey, according to an analysis of data from S&P Global Market Intelligence's (GMI) Global Trade Analytics Suite.

The move comes amidst geopolitical tensions and economic shifts triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which has disrupted trade dynamics and prompted Russia to seek alternative markets for its copper exports.

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The analysis revealed that approximately half of the copper tonnage that Russia could no longer export to the EU, totalling around 238,600 metric tonnes, found new markets in China and Turkey.

Notably, these two countries received 111,580 metric tonnes more than they did in 2022, indicating a significant surge in Russian copper imports.

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The decline in Russian copper exports to the EU was stark, with imports of refined copper plummeting by 79% in 2023, amounting to just 62,372 metric tonnes.

This sharp downturn contrasted sharply with previous years, where Russia supplied 36% of the EU's refined copper imports, accounting for an average of 2,96,000 metric tons annually over the 2018-2020 period.

The void left by Russia's reduced exports to the EU was partially filled by increased imports from Chile and Peru, with an additional 2,92,720 metric tons of refined copper shipped to the EU from these South American countries.

However, despite the surge in imports from other regions, the overall volume of copper imported by the EU declined by 20 per cent in 2023 to 673,100 metric tonnes amid an economic downturn.

China emerged as a significant destination for Russian copper, with imports reaching 3,70,815 metric tons in 2023, marking a 14.4 per cent increase compared to 2022.

Meanwhile, Turkey witnessed a notable uptick in Russian copper imports, which surged by 61 per cent year-on-year to 1,71,260 metric tonnes.

Russian copper accounted for over 41 per cent of Turkey's total copper imports in 2023, up from 27 per cent in the previous year.

While China and Turkey managed to absorb a substantial portion of the volume lost by Russia in EU exports, it remains unclear whether Russia succeeded in fully offsetting the decline, particularly given the lack of transparency in its international trade data following the invasion of Ukraine.

The shift in copper trade dynamics underscores Russia's efforts to adapt to evolving geopolitical and economic circumstances while ensuring the stability of its copper export market. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
VMPL

Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) [India], February 20: The Varanasi District Administration, under the Government of Uttar Pradesh, has made significant strides by securing three world records certified by the Elite World Records and India Records Academy. These records are for achieving the highest number of participants in a Voter Awareness Quiz Contest at Multiple Locations, facilitating the maximum number of participants in Donating and Exchanging Books at a Single Venue, and orchestrating the largest Quiz Competition in terms of participants across Multiple Venues. These remarkable feats were accomplished on January 29, 2024, and February 14, 2024, respectively, as part of the "KASHI Matadata Jagrukta 2024" initiative, which aimed to promote awareness about voting in elections and foster knowledge through the "Kashi Sansad Gyan Pratiyogita". The events were synchronized across all educational institutions within the Varanasi District's geographical boundaries, securing their well-deserved places in the record books.

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Kaushal Raj Sharma, Commissioner of Varanasi Division, lauded the Varanasi District Administration for orchestrating an exceptional quiz contest, underscoring its significance in honouring India's dedication to educating citizens on crucial matters and fostering active engagement in democratic processes. Sharma expressed appreciation towards all participants for their contributions, which led to the groundbreaking achievement of the "Maximum Participants in a Voter Awareness Quiz Contest at Multiple Locations," involving 158932 individuals across 856 locations. This event, named "KASHI Matadata Jagrukta 2024," was specifically designed to enhance awareness regarding the importance of voting in elections, reflecting the district's commitment to civic participation and democratic values, he further added.

S. Rajalingam, the District Magistrate of Varanasi, emphasized the significance of acquainting the young generation with the cultural heritage of the city. He underscored that understanding this heritage is crucial for the youth, who represent the future pillars of our country. These events, he highlighted, are conducted to fulfil the vision of our Prime Minister, recognizing the importance of preserving and promoting India's diverse cultural legacy. Through initiatives like the "Kashi Sansad Gyan Pratiyogita," the district administration aims to instil a sense of pride and knowledge in the youth about their cultural roots, empowering them to contribute meaningfully to the nation's progress and development. He further said, I congratulate the 189551 participants across 902 venues and the winners for being a part of this historical event.

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Himanush Nagpal, Varanasi's Chief Development Officer, lauded the district administration team for record-breaking mega events, including one where the highest number of participants engaged in book donations and exchanges within 4 hours. Stressing the importance of reading for personal and intellectual growth, Nagpal highlighted its role in enhancing cognitive abilities and critical thinking skills. The event aimed to foster a culture of reading among youth, promoting books as invaluable assets. Nagpal commended the 1703 participants who donated and exchanged 6760 books, advancing the cause of literacy and instilling a love for reading in Varanasi's youth.

Dr. Satyasri Kedarisetty, Ambassador and Senior Adjudicator of Elite World Records, extended her heartfelt congratulations to the Varanasi District Administration on their remarkable achievements. The visionary events, dedicated to promoting voter awareness, fostering reading habits, and celebrating cultural heritage, serve as a commendable example for communities nationwide. These initiatives not only demonstrate a commitment to education and civic engagement but also underscore the importance of preserving our cultural legacies. The efforts of the Varanasi District Administration are truly inspiring and will undoubtedly motivate others to strive for excellence in serving our communities and shaping a brighter future. Well done, she further appreciated.

Padarthy Vinod Kumar, the Records Manager of the India Records Academy, affirmed that these record-breaking events were meticulously conducted under the academy's rigorous supervision. He ensured adherence to all rules and regulations, validating the results with pride and certifying them as world records.

Deepak Madhok, Chairman-Sunbeam Group of Educational Institutions, pointed out that the achievement of this world record is a proud moment for Varanasi District Administration, Government of Uttar Pradesh, and India as a whole. It highlights the country's efforts to promote knowledge and education among its citizens and sets an example for others to follow, he further stated.

Amrita Burman, Deputy Director-Sunbeam Group, expressed her heartfelt appreciation to the Varanasi District Administration for organizing this unique event that helped inculcate a sense of global citizenship among the participants. She further added that such initiatives are instrumental in shaping the future generation and building a better tomorrow.

All these events received overwhelming support and positive feedback from the public, with many lauding the district administration's initiative and congratulating the participants on their achievement. The District Administration appreciated the efforts of Sunbeam Group of Educational Institutions for their support and coordination for the successful accomplishment of the world record. This event has not only broken a world record, but it has also fostered a sense of pride and enthusiasm among the citizens of Varanasi and beyond.

(ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by VMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)

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Guwahati (Assam) [India], February 20 (ANI): Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Singh Thakur has condemned the attack on media freedom in West Bengal, where a TV journalist reporting on Sandeshkhali horrors was 'taken away' by West Bengal Police late Monday evening.

Anurag Singh Thakur said, "It's unfortunate journalists are being prevented from reporting on the atrocities committed against women in a State whose CM is a woman."

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He added that coercive action against journalists is nothing new in West Bengal.

The stifling of freedom of expression in West Bengal is unfortunate and amounts to the murder of democracy; the TMC government is flouting constitutional norms, he added.

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The Minister said the West Bengal Government is trying to cover-up the truth as to how women are feeling insecure under Mamata Banerjee's rule, "Nothing can be worse than the fact that people who are committing atrocities against women are being patronised and the media is being silenced under a woman Chief Minister."

West Bengal Police arrested a journalist associated with Republic TV in Sandeshkhali on Monday.

On the arrest of a journalist associated with Republic TV by West Bengal Police in Sandeshkhali, Mayukh Ranjan Ghosh, Senior Editor at Republic Bangla, said, "We are utterly shocked that police without any 41A notice, without any 91A notice, have dragged a reporter on ground, who was reporting one of the biggest shocking incidents (Sandeshkhali violence) in recent times in India. They have dragged the person and they have taken, and manhandled him in a way that he was Sheikh Shahjahan."

"We are amazed to see Mamata Banerjee's police, the state police are behaving as if they have caught Sheikh Shahjahan... We are going to intensify our coverage in Sandeshkhali, it's utterly shocking. We are taking all the legal help. We are approaching the court in our capacity..," he added.

West Bengal's Sandeshkhali area has been witnessing massive unrest for over 10 days as women protestors are seeking justice against alleged atrocities committed by TMC leader Sheikh Shajahan and his aides.

Trinamool Congress leader and one of the associates of TMC strongman Shahjahan Sheikh, Shibu Hazra, who was arrested earlier in connection with the Sandeshkhali violence issue, was sent to police custody for eight days on Sunday.

After visiting West Bengal's Sandeshkhali, National Commission for Women's (NCW) Chairperson Rekha Sharma on Monday demanded the resignation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], February 20 (ANI): Sukanta Majumdar, BJP State President, wrote a letter to Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnav, urging his attention towards the allocation of land in Buniadpur, Dakshin Dinajpur in West Bengal.

The letter highlights a correspondence from Shri Anurag Singh Thakur, Hon'ble Minister for Youth Affairs & Sports, regarding the establishment of a National Centre of Excellence and a stadium.

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"Shri Anurag Singh Thakur Hon'ble Minister for Youth Affairs & sports, has written a letter to you with D.O. No 4159 Min.(YA&S)/24 regarding, Land Allotment from the land pool of Indian Railways for the establishment of a National Centre of Excellence along with a stadium at Buniadpur, Dakshin Dinajpur," the letter said

Majumdar expressed gratitude for Minister Thakur's letter and appealed to Minister Vaishnav to personally consider and oversee the matter.

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"I shall be highly grateful if you could kindly look into the matter personally and consider the request," the letter added.

In his post on X, the state BJP Chief said "I have written to our Hon'ble Railway Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw regarding allotment of land at Buniadpur, Dakshin Dinajpur, for establishing a National Centre of Excellence and a stadium. We are committed to fulfil the dreams and aspirations of the people... Jai Hind."

Earlier on Monday, the Supreme Court stayed the Lok Sabha secretariat's "breach of privilege" initiative against Bengal Chief Secretary, DGP and three other officials in the wake of the complaint of Sukanta Majumdar, who had alleged that he was assaulted by the state police during a protest programme on February 13 in connection with the Sandeshkhali unrest.

According to the state, despite the prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC on February 13, the BJP MP and his party workers defied police and resorted to violence in trying to enter Sandeshkhali.

In the chaos, Majumdar was pushed down his vehicle by one of the BJP women activists which could be seen in the video that was captured from the spot. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
New Delhi, Feb 20 (PTI) The Congress on Tuesday reminded Prime Minister Narendra Modi of his pre-2014 promises made to farmers saying he had strongly advocated that MSP be given to them as it was their right and now he is backing out.

Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera also condemned attempts by the authorities to gag the voice of protesting farmers by blocking their social media handles and asked why the government was afraid of farmers, asking whether they were functioning under any kind of external pressure to suppress the farmers. He further condemned the use of force against farmers and said they should be allowed to peacefully protest for their rights.

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Showing Modi's earlier tweet of April 2014 wherein he has strongly advocated and supported the MSP to farmers, Khera said he had then claimed that farmers should get MSP as their rightful claim.

The Congress leader said farmers are demanding only what Modi had been seeking for them 10 years ago.

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The farmers seem to have taken Modi's advice seriously, he said, adding "Chief Minister Modi is the Prime Minister's worst critic", suggesting that Modi as prime minister is opposing what he demanded and supported as the chief minister of Gujarat.

The Congress spokesperson condemned the attempts to malign the farmers to the extent of terming them as "anti-nationals". He criticised the government directive for suspending various social media handles of the farmers and also suspending the internet services to prevent the spread of messages.

Khera suggested that if the rumour mongering is really to be prevented, then the BJP should first close its IT cell which he alleged is "infamous for spreading all sorts of rumours".

He also suggested that Modi should take a cue from Jawaharlal Nehru on how he supported the agitating farmers during the Jaito Morcha, which was started exactly 100 years ago on February 21, 1924, in Jaito village of Punjab.

The Congress leader questioned the sincerity of the government in resolving the farmers' issue pointing out that ministers engaged in talks with them were trying to frustrate them, with an obvious intent to demoralize them.

Reiterating his party's commitment to farmers that the Congress government will bring in legal guarantee for MSP if it forms the government, Khera urged Modi to utilise the remaining few months of his government to concede to the demands of the 'annadata'.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Thane, Feb 20 (PTI) A court in Maharashtra's Thane district has acquitted a 33-year-old man accused of kidnapping and raping a teenage girl here in 2013, giving him the benefit of doubt after the victim and her father turned hostile.

Special POCSO court judge V V Virkar, in the order passed on February 3, said the prosecution has failed to prove the charges against the accused.

Also Read | PM Modi Jammu Visit: Security Heightened in Jammu and Kashmir Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Scheduled Visit (Watch Video).

A copy of the order was made available on Monday.

The man, a resident of Brahmananda Nagar in Bhiwandi area of Thane, was charged under Indian Penal Code Sections 363 (kidnapping), 366A (procuration of minor girl) and 376(3) (rape on a woman under 16 years of age) and provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

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The offence was allegedly committed on the girl, then aged around 16, between February 14 and September 1, 2013.

"Though, as rightly argued on behalf of the prosecution, merely because the prosecutrix and her father turned hostile, the accused cannot be exonerated and it is required to be seen what is the other evidence on record," the judge said in her order.

But, so far as the contents of the complaint are concerned, the testimony of the prosecutrix and her father, who is the complainant is material and important and as mentioned above, "both have turned hostile and have not proven the contents of the complaint," she said.

The testimony of the investigation officer also would not be of any help to the prosecution to establish the allegations against the accused, the court noted.

There is absolutely no evidence to prove that the accused kidnapped the prosecutrix from the lawful guardianship of her parents and committed rape and penetrative sexual assault on her. Therefore, none of the allegations can be held to have been proved against the accused, the court said.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
New Delhi, Feb 20 (PTI) The Delhi Police directed security personnel deployed at the city's Tikri, Singhu and Ghazipur border points to stay alert and conducted mock drills on Tuesday, a day ahead of protesting farmer's proposed march towards the national capital.

The move came a day after the protesting farmers rejected the Centre's proposal to buy pulses, maize and cotton crops through government agencies at minimum support price (MSP) for five years, and announced to continue with their 'Delhi Chalo' agitation on Wednesday.

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In the fourth round of talks with the farmer leaders on Sunday, a panel of three Union ministers proposed that government agencies would buy pulses, maize and cotton at the MSP for five years after entering into an agreement with farmers. Farmer leaders refused the proposal, saying it was not in favour of farmers.

Delhi Police officials said security personnel deployed at the three borders were on Tuesday asked to stay on alert. They said commuters might face traffic congestion.

Also Read | Jharkhand: Police Nab Three TSPC Maoists in Chatra District, Recover Firearms.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha are spearheading the "Delhi Chalo" march.

Protesting farmers and Haryana police personnel clashed at the Punjab-Haryana border near Amabala on February 13.

The two border points of Delhi and Haryana - Tikri and Singhu - are sealed with the heavy deployment of police personnel and multi-layered barricades of concrete and iron nails. Two lanes of the Ghazipur border have also been shut with multi-layer barricades and police personnel.

An official said if required, the Ghazipur border may also be shut on Wednesday.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (outer) Jimmy Chiram said there was sufficient deployment of the force, besides paramilitary personnel, at the Delhi-Haryana borders.

Another officer said the Delhi Police was prepared to stop the farmers at the Delhi borders. Security personnel have been directed to not allow even a single protester or vehicle to enter Delhi, he said, adding that mock security drills were conducted during the day.

The Delhi Police has already stocked up 30,000 tear gas shells.

The officer said that checking vehicles on various roads leading to the central part of Delhi may lead to traffic congestion on Wednesday.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
New Delhi [India], February 20 (ANI): Delhi Police have arrested a person allegedly for robbery and murder at Kali Mata Mandir, Bhorgarh, Delhi.

The police said that the accused, Manish, a resident of Punjabi Colony, Narela, Delhi, was part of a criminal gang that committed this crime.

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Police said that a manhunt is on to arrest the other two accused.

According to DCP Outer North Ravi Kumar Singh, on February 16, around 9 pm, two cases of physical assault were reported at Narela Industrial Area Police Station.

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In one case, the victim was admitted to SRHC Hospital Narela and declared dead, succumbing to a stab injury in the stomach.

In another case, a victim with a purported history of physical assault and apparent stab injuries was also admitted to SRHC Hospital Narela. Subsequent investigation led to the registration of the case. It was revealed during the inquiry that the victims' money was also robbed.

To solve these cases, specific tasks were assigned to different teams. One team was tasked with scanning CCTV cameras in the vicinity; a second team was assigned to mount technical surveillance; and another was focused on developing local intelligence and background information on the victims while verifying suspects. Initial leads during these tasks suggested that both incidents might be the work of the same criminals, said the police.

Further investigation, with assistance from technical surveillance, revealed that the criminals had transferred money from the E-wallet account of victim Akash. This lead was developed, resulting in the identification and subsequent arrest of the accused, namely Manish, a resident of Punjabi Colony, Narela, Delhi, on February 18.

The accused Manish was interrogated in detail, during which he confessed that on February 16, he, along with his associates Raja and Ajay (both residents of Punjabi Colony, Narela, Delhi), had committed the robbr-sehri-and-iftar-timings-for-8th-roza-of-ramzan-on-march-19-in-delhi-mumbai-kolkata-lucknow-and-other-cities-of-india-5828893.html" title="Ramadan 2024 Calendar: Sehri and Iftar Timings for 8th Roza of Ramzan on March 19 in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Lucknow and Other Cities of India">Ramadan 2024 Calendar: Sehri and Iftar Timings for 8th Roza of Ramzan on March 19 in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Lucknow and Other Cities of India
New Delhi [India], February 20 (ANI): The Rouse Avenue Court on Tuesday granted time to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to file a reply on AAP MLA Amanat Ullah Khan's anticipatory bail plea in the Delhi Waqf Board Money Laundering case.

Moreover, the court has not granted any interim relief to the AAP MLA. He has been summoned by the ED on Monday.

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Special judge Rakesh Syal granted time to ED and listed the matter for further hearing on February 24.

Special public prosecutor (SPP) Manish Jain and Simon Benjamin appeared for ED and submitted that they require one week to file a reply as their bail application was received yesterday.

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During a short argument, it was submitted by the ED that Amanat Ullah Khan had approached the Delhi High Court against the summons. But the petition was withdrawn. This fact has been concealed by the applicant.

ED sought a week to file a response.

On the other hand, advocate Rajat Bhardwaj, counsel for Khan opposed it and requested the court to adjourn the matter till Wednesday or Friday.

Khan's Counsel also said that the ED wants to this application to become infructuous. Three summonses have already been issued to the applicant. He sought protection till the next date of hearing.

After hearing the submissions the court listed the matter on Saturday for hearing.

At this point, the counsel for Khan orally said, "Yahan Par Sab ED ke Hisab se chal Raha hai."

SPP Manish Jain objected to this and requested the court to record this statement of Khan's Counsel.

The court asked the Counsel not to make any such statements.

The court on Monday issued notice to ED on anticipatory bail application.

Senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy had argued and prayed for an interim protection. However, the court refused to grant the relief.

Senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy submitted That Khan has been summoned in a money laundering case.

She submitted that the issue is filing two FIRs regarding the same cause of action. The first FIR of November 23, 2016, filed by CBI.

The allegation is that the petitioner was wrongfully appointed as chairman of the Delhi Waqf Board and wrongfully bid.

The agency closed the matter and termed it as administrative irregularities but they used it in filing a second FIR.

It is a cardinal principle of criminal law that there cannot be two FIRs for one cause. In the two FIRs they tried to restart the case, the Senior advocate submitted.

She also submitted that the Bail orders in both cases arrived at the same conclusion that there was no loss to the exchequer.

It was also stated there is an allegation that 33 contractual employees were recruited and there were irregularities in the said appointments.

It was also noted in the bail orders that there was no bribe paid, and no recoveries were made. Then there is no question of proceeds of crime, She added.

For the two allegations the leasing of property it was concluded that there was no evidence of loss to the exchequer and it was concluded that they were administrative irregularities and the money that was given was for work done by the people, she submitted.

The senior counsel also said that three sets of summons have come. The last summon I complied with was through an AR, and I submitted my mobile phone. The third summon was for today.

The court asked, to have the applicant appear before ED. The counsel submitted that the applicant is before the court today. Kindly grant protection till the next date of the hearing.

Earlier, he had challenged the summons issued by the ED at the high court. However, the petition was withdrawn by him.

The Rouse Avenue court on January 19, 2024, took Cognizance of the Prosecution Complaint (Charge sheet) filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the Delhi Waqf Board Money Laundering case.

ED has charge sheeted four persons Zeeshan Haider his partner Sky Power, Javed Imam Siddiqui, Dawood Nasir, and Qausar Imam Siddiqui.

During the hearing on consideration of the Charge sheet, ED had alleged that a property of Rs. 36 crore was purchased with the ill-gotten money on the behest of AAP MLA Amanat Ullah Khan. He himself handed over Rs. 8 crore in cash.

In response to a question related to the role of Amanat Ullah Khan, ED's counsel had submitted that further investigation related to the role of others is going on.

Special public prosecutor (SPP) Manish Jain for ED had submitted that during the investigation of this PMLA case, ED considered the FIRs were registered earlier, by the CBI, ACB and Delhi police.

It was further submitted that ACB requested for investigation under PMLA against MLA and then chairman Amanat Ullah Khan. Properties allegedly were made in Delhi, Telengana and Uttrakhand with alleged ill-gotten money.

ACB conducted searches at the premises owned and controlled by Hamid Ali Khan and Qausar Imam Siddiqui. Incriminating evidence and illegal weapons were recovered, ED had submitted.

During the searches, three diaries were also recovered. Quasar Imam Siddiqui maintained these diaries.

In relation to the recovery of illegal weapons, an FIR was registered at police station Jamia Nagar under the section of the Arms Act.

It was also alleged that he purchased properties in the name of his benamidar Zeeshan Haider.

SPP Jain has also submitted that Diaries reveal high-value transactions between Amanat Ullah and Javed Imam Siddiqui including purchasing of a plot measuring 1200 Square Yards in Tikona Park, in Okhla.

This particular property was purchased for Rs. 36 crore and this transaction is supported by the diary. Rs. 8 crore cash was handed over by Amanat Ullah. Rs. 9 crore was paid through the banking channel by accused Zeeshan and Dawood Nasir to Javed Imam Siddiqui, Jain had submitted.

SPP Jain said that the original owner of the property is Aisha Kanwar who bought it in 2019. It was sold to the accused Zeeshan and Dawood in 2021.

An agreement to sell Rs. 36 crore was recovered from the mobile of the accused. This transaction is supported by a diary, and an agreement to sell.

ED submitted that this property was bought at the behest of Amanat Ullah Khan. Quasar Imam Siddiqui is the cousin of Javed Imam Siddiqui.

Instead of placing the original agreement of Rs. 36 crore, another agreement of Rs. 13.40 crore was created and produced, ED argued.

It shows that they manipulated the front page. It is tampering with the evidence, ED's counsel added.

He also submitted that Out of Rs. 36 crore, Rs. 27 Crore cash transaction is evident. It is a clear-cut established against the accused persons and fits the case to summon the accused persons. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
New Delhi [India], February 20 (ANI): A fact-finding committee of civil society members will visit West Bengal to look into the alleged sexual harassment and abuse incidents in Sandeshkhali of the North 24 Parganas district in West Bengal

According to a press release from the 'Fact Finding Committee on Human Rights Violations', the panel will visit both North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas districts. The panel will visit Sandeshkhali on February 25.

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The release said that the fact-finding committee of civil society members includes former Chief Justice of Patna High Court Justice L Narsimha Reddy, former IPS officer Raj Pal Singh, Former NCW member Dr Charu Wali Khanna, advocates OP Vyas and Bhavna Bajaj and a senior journalist will visit North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas in West Bengal on a fact-finding mission on February 24 and 25.

The release said that the committee will prepare a final report and submit it to the constitutional authorities of the country.

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Meanwhile, a delegation led by the National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson Rekha Sharma met the West Bengal DGP on Tuesday.

"It is huge that the DGP met me. I have come to West Bengal for the 8th-9th time, and the DGP never meets... The DGP agreed that the police have lacked... We suggested that all the police officials there (in Sandeshkhali) should be changed. He took it seriously but then he received one or two phone calls, after which his attitude changed completely. He cut short the meeting. When we took Shah Jahan's name, he did not like it. He (DGP) asked us how he can arrest Shah Jahan when there is nothing against him. He said that the ED should arrest Shah Jahan, not him. If there is nothing against him, then what will the police investigate... I think DGP's hands are tied, he cannot do anything. We can imagine the pressure he is in... I think he is serious but how can he work under pressure," Rekha Sharma said after her meeting.

Earlier on Monday, after visiting West Bengal's Sandeshkhali, Rekha Sharma had demanded the resignation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Sandeshkhali island in North 24 Parganas district has made headlines following BJP's allegations of sexual violence by Trinamool leaders and multiple accounts of women alleging harassment and extortion.

A large number of women in Sandeshkhali had accused Trinamool Congress strongman Shajahan Sheikh and his supporters of "land-grab and sexually assaulting" them under coercion.

Shajahan has been absconding after a mob, allegedly affiliated with him, attacked Enforcement Directorate officials who had gone to search his premises in connection with a ration scam on January 5.

Two TMC leaders, North 24 Parganas zilla parishad member Shiba Prasad Hazra and local party functionary Uttam Sardar, were arrested by police and have been booked on charges of alleged gangrape and attempt to murder. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], February 20 (ANI): Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath emphasised on Tuesday the significant transformation his state has undergone in the past six to seven years, asserting, "This is the 'new Uttar Pradesh' of 'new India,' 'Viksit Uttar Pradesh of Viksit Bharat'."

Speaking at the FDI conclave titled 'UP: An Emerging Destination for Foreign Investment in India' held at the Indira Gandhi Pratishthan, the CM reflected on the state's evolution, stating, "Seven years ago, Uttar Pradesh was labelled as a BIMARU state, perceived as a hindrance to the nation's progress. However, today, Uttar Pradesh has shed this label, emerging as a state of 'Unlimited Potential'."

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He elaborated, "We possess 'prakrati' (nature), 'parmatma' (God), and 'pratibha' (the talent of our youth). Through this confluence, we are propelling Uttar Pradesh forward under the guidance and leadership of the Prime Minister. Over the past seven years, we have accomplished significant milestones, including doubling the state's economy and per capita income."

During the conclave, the Chief Minister, along with Union Ministers and other dignitaries, released a booklet. A short film illustrating Uttar Pradesh's transformation was also screened at the event.

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The Chief Minister assured that the state government is fully committed to meeting the targets set by the Prime Minister within specified timelines. "Aligned with the Prime Minister's directives, we are determined to propel Uttar Pradesh as the growth engine of India," he affirmed.

Reflecting on Uttar Pradesh's remarkable turnaround from its BIMARU state label, the Chief Minister credited the Prime Minister's visionary leadership as the catalyst. "We embraced the Prime Minister's vision as our mission, implementing targeted policies across various sectors and fostering a conducive environment marked by exemplary law and order," he explained.

The tangible outcomes of these efforts are evident, with Uttar Pradesh now emerging as the second-largest economy in the nation, jumping from its previous sixth position. Additionally, the state has become a 'revenue surplus' state and earned the distinction of being the first to introduce FDI and the Fortune Global 500 policy.

The Chief Minister highlighted a significant achievement, noting that between 2019 and 2023, Uttar Pradesh attracted four times the amount of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) compared to the cumulative FDI received from 2000 to 2017 over a span of 17 years. This remarkable increase underscores the confidence investors have in Uttar Pradesh, attributable to its secure environment and transparent government policies.

Citing examples, the Chief Minister noted that esteemed Fortune Global 500 companies such as Samsung, Microsoft, LG, PepsiCo, Nayara Energy, Reliance Industries, Tata, Hindustan Unilever, Haier, and Ikea are actively expanding their operations in Uttar Pradesh. The success of the Global Investors Summit (GIS) 2023, which garnered investment proposals totaling US$ 400 billion, further underscores Uttar Pradesh's status as a premier destination for FDI.

To facilitate and encourage investment, the government has formulated policies offering exemptions in various areas such as land-capital subsidy, stamp duty, registration, and electricity duty. Uttar Pradesh has thus emerged as an enticing prospect for Fortune Global 500 companies seeking growth opportunities.

Inviting investors from both domestic and international arenas, the Chief Minister extended assurances of a secure investment environment and urged them to capitalize on the state's facilitative measures.

The Chief Minister underscored a significant initiative undertaken by Uttar Pradesh, aimed at simplifying bureaucratic processes that were previously cumbersome and time-consuming. He highlighted the implementation of the 'Nivesh Mitra' single window portal, which now serves as a dedicated platform for investors. The 'Nivesh Sarathi' portal is diligently monitoring MoUs to ensure investor satisfaction. The incentive monitoring system for investors is working effectively in UP.

During the same event, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, said that in the last seven to eight years, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has transformed the image of Uttar Pradesh and given the state a new direction, bringing about significant change in the state of affairs. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Ahmedabad, Feb 20 (PTI) Narayan Sai, son of jailed self-styled godman Asaram Bapu, who is also serving a life sentence in a rape case, on Tuesday withdrew his plea in the Gujarat High Court seeking a 20-day temporary bail to meet his ailing father who he said was "in the last lap of life".

Sai's lawyer, I H Syed, preferred to withdraw the plea after the division bench of Justices AS Supehia and Vimal Vyas was told that the godman was discharged from a hospital and was back in the Jodhpur jail in Rajasthan, where he is serving a life sentence in a rape case.

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Sai had sought a 20-day temporary bail to meet Asaram, stating that he was "in the last lap of life and may not survive", Syed told the court.

The lawyer said his client will bear the expenses for a police escort to and from Jodhpur from Surat, where he is jailed, if and when he is allowed to meet his father.

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His lawyer even produced a medical report showing that he had suffered from cardiac arrest in Jodhpur jail on Monday.

The bench referred to a recent order passed by the Rajasthan High Court, which observed that Asaram was not inclined to be treated at AIIMS Delhi and only wanted Ayurvedic treatment.

The court said it would first call for the opinion of a panel of doctors from AIIMS before deciding on the bail plea.

"We will arrange a meeting on Zoom if you want to convince him to take treatment. We have to first ascertain whether he is in the ICU, able to speak and interact. Only then will we allow Zoom meet," the high court said.

The court was then informed that Asaram was no longer in the hospital and was treated for his ailment in the jail itself.

"He went to the hospital, then went to jail...He suffered a heart attack and was being treated in the jail itself," the court was told.

If Asaram was not in the hospital, then there was no point in undertaking the exercise, the court said, following which the lawyer preferred to withdraw the plea.

A court in Surat sentenced Sai to life imprisonment in April 2019 in a rape case filed against him by a former woman disciple in 2013. Asaram is serving a life sentence at a jail in Jodhpur for raping a minor girl at his ashram in Rajasthan in 2013.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], February 20 (ANI): The Maharashtra government on Tuesday approved a bill, extending reservation to Marathas above the 50 per cent mark in a special session of the state legislature.

The bill for 10 per cent Maratha quota that the Mahayuti government of Eknath Shinde has approved on Tuesday is similar to the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Act, 2018, introduced by the then Devendra Fadnavis government.

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This is the third time in a decade that the state has introduced legislation for the Maratha quota.

The decision to convene a special session was prompted by Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil, who is on a hunger strike at Antarwali Saarati village in Jalna district.

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The reservation has been extended based on a report submitted to the state government by the Maharashtra Backward Class Commission (MBCC) headed by chairman Justice (Retired) Sunil Shukre.

The state already has a 10 per cent quota for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) in which the Marathas are the biggest beneficiaries, claiming 85 per cent of the reservation.

The Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission on Friday submitted a report on the social and educational backwardness of the Maratha community for which it had undertaken a survey of around 2.5 crore homes within a span of only nine days.

The committee proposed a 10 per cent reservation for Marathas in education and jobs, similar to that given in 2018 by the then-state government.

In June 2017, the then Devendra Fadnavis government had constituted the Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission (MSBCC) headed by Justice (retired) MG Gaikwad to study the social, financial and educational status of the Maratha community.

The Commission submitted its report in November 2018, classifying Marathas as a socially and educationally backward class (SEBC).

Notably, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde stressed on Friday that reservation to Marathas will be given according to the terms of the law after presenting the report in during the special assembly session called for Tuesday. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Nainital (Uttarakhand) [India], February 20 (ANI): Authorities have completely abolished curfew in Banbhoolpura area of Haldwani City, which was imposed following violence, that broke out on February 8 after an "illegal structure" was demolished as part of an anti-encroachment drive.

This came after the Nainital District Magistrate issued an order and in view of the current circumstances, curfew has been abolished in the Banbhoolpura area as of 5:00 a.m. on Tuesday.

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Earlier, the curfew was imposed and the administration issued shoot-at-sight orders after stone-pelting incidents, torching of vehicles and a mob surrounded the local police station following the anti-encroachment drive.

Meanwhile, yesterday, Additional Director General (ADG), Administration, Amit Sinha, reached the site of the violence in Banbhoolpura and took stock of the newly established police post.

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During his visit, the ADG reviewed security arrangements in the area. The ADG discussed in detail the proposal regarding the prescribed standards required for the new police station and gave the officers concerned the necessary directions to improve the security arrangements.

As many as 30 people have been arrested, in connection with the Haldwani violence. Houses of the father-son duo, Abdul Malik and Abdul Moeed, who were wanted in the Banbhoolpura violence, were on Friday attached by the authorities in Haldwani.

During the action, police and administration teams including Harbans Singh Superintendant of Police Haldwani City, Sangeeta CO Lalkuan, Sachin Tehsildar Haldwani, DR Verma in-charge Inspector Lalkuan, Nandan Singh Rawat Police Station Head Kaladhungi were present at the spot.

Earlier, the Haldwani Civil Court had issued orders to confiscate the property of nine miscreants, including Abdul Malik and his son, the alleged masterminds of the violence. The court has permitted the police to take action against all the accused under sections 82, and 83 of CrPC.

On Tuesday, the civil court issued non-bailable warrants against all nine accused. The development came days after the Municipal Corporation in Haldwani issued a recovery notice of Rs 2.44 crore against the key accused Malik asking him to deposit the money to cover damage caused to government property during the violence.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami had earlier said that there is no room for 'miscreants' in the state.

Uttarakhand Director General of Police Abhinav Kumar also stressed that recent "violent" clashes were not "communal." The clashes and violence left five people dead and dozens injured. Several countrymade weapons and live rounds were recovered from those arrested, police said. The state government had asked the Centre for four additional companies of paramilitary forces to be deployed in the district. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Nicobar (Andaman and Nicobar Islands) [India], February 20 (ANI): President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday interacted with members of local tribal communities and visited stalls set up by them at Campbell Bay in Nicobar.

The President is on a five-day visit to the archipelago from Monday, and also visited 'Swantantraya Jyot', an eternal flame kept there as a tribute to thousands of freedom fighters who suffered incarceration.

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Earlier in the day, President Droupadi Murmu visited Indira Point, the southernmost tip of the country, where she met the tri-service troops and interacted with them.

Indira Point, the southernmost point of India's territory, is located in the Nicobar district. It is named after former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. It was formerly known as Pygmalion Point and Parsons Point.

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The President, earlier in the day, also attended a civic reception hosted in her honour by the Andaman and Nicobar administrations at the Dr. BR Ambedkar Institute of Technology.

Speaking on the occasion, the President said that the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are very important from a strategic point of view. These Islands have special geographical importance in connecting India with the countries of South and South-East Asia. Therefore, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are a core component of India's Act East Policy.

The President said that the natural beauty of Andaman and Nicobar Islands attracts people from across the world. She noted that several steps are being taken to further encourage tourism in the Union Territory. A new terminal for Veer Savarkar Airport has also been built. She was happy to note that, due to impressive development in digital and physical connectivity, the number of tourists visiting these Islands has almost doubled between 2014 and 2022. She said that continuous growth of tourism will increase employment and the youth of this UT will get new opportunities for their progress.

The President said that the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) around the Andaman and Nicobar Islands constitutes about 30 per cent of India's total EEZ. The blue economy of this island will have an important contribution in the development of India's economy. She was happy to note that several works are in progress to promote the export of fish and other marine products.

The President stressed on the need to preserve the clean environment and ecology of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. She said that we have to move forward while maintaining a balance between development and environmental protection.(ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
New Delhi, February 20: The road ministry on Tuesday issued an order extending the validity of learner's licence, driving license and conductor license till February 29, 2024 due to infrastructure related issues in its Sarathi portal. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in a circular said due to infrastructure related issues in Sarathi portal from January 31, 2024 to February 12, 2024, applicants have faced disruptions in availing license related services.

Accordingly, the road transport ministry has said that the validity of learner's licence, driving license and conductor license which have expired between January 31, 2024 and February 15,2024, would be treated as valid without levying any penalty up to February 29, 2024. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari Says Government To Invest Rs 1.25 Lakh Crore To Build 200 Ropeway Projects Under Parvatmala Pariyojana.

Owing to partial shutdown/disabling of online services, the applicants were not able to apply for services such as payment of fee, renewal of driving licence, booking slot for learner's licence, driving skill test, etc., the ministry added. Indias Road Infrastructure To Rival US in Next Five Years, Says Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari.

"Considering the difficulties faced by the citizens during the period of disruption of services through PARIVAHAN portal and further that the citizens are not put to inconvenience, it has been decided that the validity of learner's licence, driving license and conductor license which have expired between 31st January, 2024 and 15th February, 2024, would be treated as valid without levying any penalty up to 29th February, 2024," the ministry said. Enforcement authorities are also advised to treat such documents valid till February 29, 2024, it added.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Pune (Maharashtra) [India], February 20 (ANI): Nationalist Congress Party - Sharadchandra Pawar chief Sharad Pawar said that the same draft of the Maratha Reservation Bill, which was earlier passed by his party, has been passed unanimously in the Maharashtra Assembly.

"When we had the government, it could not be done because of the decision of the High Court, later during the time of Devendra Fadnavis, it was cleared by the High Court but was rejected by the Supreme Court. This time too it is the same draft which was passed unanimously by all in the Assembly," Pawar said speaking to reporters on Tuesday.

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The NCP Sharadchandra Pawar chief however cautioned that the court verdicts in the past were not in the state government's favour and it remains to be seen what happens in the top court.

"It has been passed, and now it has to be seen what will happen in the Supreme Court. Hence today we cannot say anything on this, the earlier decisions of the court are not favorable," Pawar said.

Also Read | Delhi Traffic Update for February 21: Commuters Advised to Avoid Several Roads in Central Delhi on Wednesday.

Both houses of the Maharashtra legislature unanimously passed the Maratha Reservation Bill tabled on Tuesday, which intends to extend 10 per cent reservation to Marathas above the 50 per cent cap.

Referring to this, the Chief Minister said that under some exceptional circumstances, the government took the decision to pass the bill and he hopes that it will also stand legal scrutiny.

The state government had convened a one-day special session of the state legislature for tabling and further consideration of this special Bill.

The bill for the 10 per cent Maratha quota that the Mahayuti government of Eknath Shinde has approved on Tuesday is similar to the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Act, 2018, introduced by the then Devendra Fadnavis government.

This is the third time in a decade that the state has introduced legislation for the Maratha quota.The reservation has been extended based on a report submitted to the state government by the Maharashtra Backward Class Commission (MBCC) headed by chairman Justice (Retired) Sunil Shukre.

The state already has a 10 per cent quota for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) in which the Marathas are the biggest beneficiaries, claiming about 85 per cent of those.

The Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission on Friday submitted a report on the social and educational backwardness of the Maratha community for which it had undertaken a survey of around 2.5 crore homes within only nine days.

The committee proposed a 10 per cent reservation for Marathas in education and jobs, similar to that of the previous bill brought in 2018 by the then-state government. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
New Delhi, February 20: Shashi Tharoor, a prolific author and a diplomat-turned-politician, was conferred France's highest civilian honour "Chevalier de la Legion d'honneur" at a ceremony here on Tuesday. Author of several books and the Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram, Tharoor was conferred the prestigious award at the French Embassy by French Senate President Gerard Larcher. The French government had announced the award for Tharoor, a former Union minister, in August 2022 but was conferred on him on Tuesday.

"The highest French civilian award came in recognition of Dr Tharoor's tireless efforts to deepen Indo-French ties, commitment to international peace and cooperation, and as a long-standing friend of France," a statement issued by the French Embassy said. Conferring the honour on Tharoor, Chairman of the French Senate Larcher said, "Through his outstanding career as a diplomat, author and politician, Shashi Tharoor has embraced the world with a thirst for knowledge and an intelligence that has led him to live several lifetimes in one, and all of them in service to India and a better world." Congress Leader Shashi Tharoor Suggests BHARAT Name for Opposition Bloc Amid India-Bharat Row.

"Dr Tharoor is also a true friend of France, a Francophone with a keen understanding of France and its culture. Through this award, which I have the privilege to confer, the French Republic recognises your accomplishments, your friendship, your love of France, your commitment to a fairer world," Larcher said.

Receiving the recognition, Tharoor said he was immensely honoured to accept the Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur (Knight of the Legion of Honour). "As someone who admires France, its people, their refinement, their language, and their culture, especially their literature and cinema, I am deeply humbled to be conferred your country's highest civilian honour. "To my mind, the conferral of this award to an Indian is an acknowledgement of the deepening of Franco-Indian relations and the continuity of the warmth that has been a feature of this relationship for a very long time," Tharoor said. 'Truly Inexplicable' Shashi Tharoor Questions Sanju Samson's Exclusion From Team India Squad For Five-Match T20I Series Against Australia.

This honour, in a sense, is not just a celebration of individual achievement but "also reflects the collective efforts of both our countries in fostering cultural exchange and diplomatic ties, a relationship forged through the pillars of mutual respect, admiration, and collaboration that have allowed this unique association to flourish over the years", he said. "I look forward to continuing my own efforts towards nurturing this friendship and promoting further cooperation between India and France, for the betterment of our shared global community and to safeguard the common values that underpin our basic humanity," Tharoor added.

In his address, the Congress MP also recounted the defining moment of his French trip in 2002 for the Belles Etrangeres sponsored by the Centre National du Livre. "Our Indian group of writers, returning from a reception at the majestic Hotel de Ville, found themselves accidental witnesses to the interment of the nineteenth-century novelist Alexandre Dumas, more than a century after his death, in the magnificently lit Pantheon," he recalled.

The Roman columns of this great Parisian monument were bathed in purple, red and blue light, a military band played outside, while an honour guard escorted the coffin of the author of The Three Musketeers to its final resting place, Tharoor recounted. "Ananthamurthy, the veteran novelist who was the doyen of our group, put it simply to me. 'The French,' he said, really know how to honour their writers'. May I now add: I am glad they are honouring ours, too," Tharoor said.

Instituted in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte, the Legion d'honneur is the highest civilian award given by the French Republic for outstanding service to France, regardless of the nationality of the recipients. The President of the French Republic is the Grand Master of the Order of the Legion of Honour. French envoy to India Thierry Mathou, India's G20 sherpa Amitabh Kant and Congress leader Anand Sharma, among others, attended the ceremony.

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New Delhi, Feb 20 (PTI) The Samyukta Kisan Morcha on Tuesday welcomed the decision of farmer leaders taking part in the 'Delhi Chalo' agitation to reject the Centre's MSP proposal, saying it's a step in the right direction that will ensure greater unity among farmers across the country.

The SKM, which spearheaded the 2020-21 farmers' stir, also called on farmer groups to join mass protests in constituencies of BJP-NDA MPs on February 21.

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Farmer leaders taking part in the 'Delhi Chalo' agitation on Monday rejected the Centre's proposal of procuring pulses, maize and cotton at minimum support price (MSP) by government agencies for five years, saying it was not in farmers' interest and announced that they will march towards the national capital on Wednesday.

Protesting farmers from Punjab have been camping at Shambhu and Khanauri points on the state's border with Haryana since February 13 when their 'Delhi Chalo' march was halted by police.

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The call for the march was given by SKM (Non-Political), a splinter group of the SKM, and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha to press farmers' demands.

In a statement on Tuesday, the SKM said it "welcomed the decision of SKM(NP) and KMM to reject the proposal of a five years contract farming for five crops on MSP@A2+FL+50% and crop diversification by the Union ministers and to continue the struggle till achieve all the common demands".

The decision is a step in the right direction and will ensure greater unity among farmers across India, said the SKM, an umbrella group of various farmer unions.

"...the need of the hour is ... unity of the kisan movement against the corporate forces. The SKM urges all the kisan organisations across India to support the mass protest of farmers in the constituencies of the BJP-NDA MPs on 21st February 2024 demanding implementation of the agreement signed by the Modi government with the SKM on 9th December 2021 and stop the brutal state repression... (of) farmers' struggle," the SKM said.

It further said, "The SKM declares it is the responsibility of the prime minister and the executive to implement the agreement they signed with the SKM on 9th December 2021 and do justice to the promise in the BJP manifesto of the 2014 general elections on implementing MSP@C2+50% for all crops with legally guaranteed procurement."

The SKM said all pro-people experts and scientists have said that no MSP means a "human disaster" with intensifying poverty, indebtedness, unemployment and price rise.

"Certain sections opine (that) crop diversification helps address water level depreciation. The kisan movement is not against crop diversification per say but not by undermining staple food production, food security and thus, the sovereignty of the country," the statement said.

The SKM said the argument that the Union government has to find Rs 11 lakh crore to provide MSP to farmers for all 23 crops is "baseless".

"The legally guaranteed procurement does not mean the government has to pay and procure but to ensure the corporate forces share their profit with farmers as remunerative price," it said.

This policy shift will result in employment generation, better prices and wages for workers and farmers, and more tax income for the central and state governments, it said.

Besides a legal guarantee of MSP, farmers are also demanding the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations, pension for farmers and farm labourers, farm debt waiver, no hike in electricity tariff, withdrawal of police cases and "justice" for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence, reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013, and compensation to the families of farmers who died during a previous agitation in 2020-21.

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Kolkata, Feb 20 (PTI) The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday expressed surprise that Shajahan Sheikh, the main accused and "core" of the Sandeshkhali issue, has not been arrested by the state police so far, and said it does not know "whether he is being protected".

The division bench, headed by Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam, also refused to interfere with a single bench order on Monday that allowed BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari and another party MLA Shankar Ghosh to visit the Sandeshkhali village.

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Adhikari was earlier in the day stopped by police, citing prohibitory orders in the area.

"If one person can hold the entire population to ransom, then that person should not be encouraged by the ruling dispensation," the court observed.

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The observation was made during the hearing of an appeal by the state government challenging a single bench order, which had also stayed until further orders for the imposition of Section 144 in some areas of Sandeshkhali by the administration.

The riverine Sandeshkhali area, situated about 100 kilometres from Kolkata on the borders of the Sunderbans, has been witnessing protests over allegations of sexual atrocities and land grab by some ruling Trinamool Congress leaders.

"It is rather surprising that the person who is said to be the core for the problem being precipitated cannot be apprehended still and is on the run, defying law," the division bench said.

Stating that it does not know "whether he is being protected" or not, the court said that the fact remains that he has not been secured.

"It could mean that the state police machinery doesn't have the wherewithal to secure him or (he) is outside the jurisdiction of the state police," the court observed.

The bench said that there is material to show that Shajahan has done damage to the public, instead of doing good as an elected representative in the North 24 Parganas Zilla Parishad.

The division bench noted that the single bench of Justice Apurba Sinha Roy had on February 12 taken suo motu cognisance of allegations of sexual assault at gunpoint and forcible taking away of tribal land.

The Chief Justice said that treating the suo moto matter initiated by Justice Sinha Roy as a report, he has directed on the administrative side that it be placed before the division bench dealing with PIL matters, which is the bench presided by him.

The division bench said that the court can take judicial notice of the fact that the problem precipitated after Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials went to search the premises of TMC leader Shajahan at Sandeshkhali on January 5.

It noted that the state police have not been able to apprehend Shajahan despite several cases having been registered against him over allegations that ED officers were brutally attacked when they went to conduct the search operations.

The division bench said that if Shajahan continues to be on the run, then law and order problems will obviously arise as he has his supporters.

The bench said that in the suo motu matter, Shajahan could be asked to appear before this court.

The Chief Justice said that on the day he will be asked to appear, along with the state, the ED and the CBI will also be directed to be present.

The bench directed that notice be issued to the advocate general representing the state and that the additional solicitor general representing the Union of India be informed so that lawyers representing the ED and the CBI are present before the court on the next date of hearing of the suo motu matter.

Directing that the matter will be taken up for hearing on Monday next, the division bench said that appropriate orders will be passed after hearing all the parties.

The court said that establishment of redressal mechanisms over allegations of forcible taking away of land owned by villagers in Sandeshkhali by way of setting up camps by the state government, in itself prima facie shows that land grabbing was committed in the area.

"The allegation that the lands owned by the tribal villagers have been forcibly taken away in violation of the legal formalities stands prima facie established," the Chief Justice observed.

The bench said that while being unable to apprehend Shajahan, the imposition of Section 144 of CrPC cannot have any impact, observing that the administration was unnecessarily creating a tense situation.

Following the order of the division bench, BJP MLAs Suvendu Adhikari and Shankar Ghosh visited Sandeshkhali village panchayat area in the afternoon.

During the hearing of the state's appeal, Advocate General Kishore Dutta submitted that the members of the SC/ST commission, women's commission and West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose were not prevented from visiting the place, but when political personalities go, the situation is precipitated.

Adhikari's lawyer Billwadal Bhattacharya informed the court that the BJP leader who intended to interact with the alleged victims, was stopped at Dhamakhali ferry ghat on his way to Sandeshkhali on Tuesday morning by the police on the ground that the state was moving the appeal.

Allowing Adhikari and Ghosh to go to Sandeshkhali, the division bench, also comprising Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya, directed the BJP leader to ensure that none of the supporters or people belonging to the party accompany them, except security personnel, who have been deployed for them.

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Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], February 20 (ANI): Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw received his Rajya Sabha winning certificate in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday.

After receiving the certificate, Vaishnaw offered prayers at Ram Mandir in Bhubaneswar.

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He also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for giving him another chance to serve as a Rajya Sabha member.

"I prayed to god to give me strength to continue the service for the public," the Union Minister said.

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Biju Janata Dal (BJD) assured their support to Vaishnaw when he filed his nomination for the Rajya Sabha elections in Bhubaneswar, Odisha on Thursday.

The BJD in its statement said that when Ashwini Vaishnaw was elected from Odisha, he took the oath as the Union Railway Minister in the central government, and it's a significant development that an Odisha representative became the Railway Minister. He made considerable efforts for Odisha's development, particularly in expanding the railway network. In the current budget, there's an allocation of 10,000 crores for our East Coast Zone, indicating a positive step for Odisha's prosperity and development.

Notably, the term for Rajya Sabha MPs is six years, and elections are held every two years for 33 per cent of the seats. Currently, the Rajya Sabha has a strength of 245 members.

The Election Commission has scheduled the Rajya Sabha elections for 15 states for February 27. Voting will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on this date.

The results of the elections will be announced on the same day, February 27. The Election Commission has announced the biennial Rajya Sabha polls for 56 seats, as the tenure of incumbents ends in April. (ANI)

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New Delhi, Feb 20 (PTI) State-owned Union Bank of India on Tuesday approved a Rs 3,000 crore share sale proposal to fund its business growth.

The Committee of Directors for Raising Capital Funds, in its meeting held on Tuesday, cleared the proposal for raising of funds for an amount not exceeding Rs 3,000 crore through the issue of equity shares via Qualified Institutions Placement (QIP), the bank said in a regulatory filing.

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This is subject to the requisite regulatory or statutory approvals, it said.

The committee also approved the floor price of Rs 142.78 per equity share for the issue, it said.

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The bank may offer a discount of not more than 5 per cent on the floor price to be decided in consultation with the book-running lead managers, it added.

The decision for allotment of shares to Qualified Institutional Buyers to be taken on February 23, 2024, by the Committee of Directors for Raising Capital Funds, it added.

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Taipei [Taiwan], February 20 (ANI/CNA): Taiwan Ministry of National Defense stated that 11 sorties disrupted the surrounding airspace along the Vietnam-China Line in the afternoon.

The Ministry revealed that, since 4 pm, it had identified 17 sorties of the Chinese Communist Party's J-10, Y-8, and drones, among other main and auxiliary fighter aircraft. Eleven of these sorties crossed the central line of the strait, intruding into the northern, central, and southwestern airspace of Taiwan.

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The Chinese military utilized joint intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance means to stay on high alert.

The Ministry of National Defense issued a press release in the evening stating that since 4 pm. today, it has successively detected 17 sorties of the Chinese Communist Party's J-10, Y-8, and drones and other main and auxiliary fighter aircraft going to sea, 11 of which crossed the central line of the strait and its extension line, entering the northern, central and southwestern airspace of Taiwan, and cooperating with the common warships to conduct joint combat readiness patrols.

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The Ministry of National Defense emphasized that the national military used joint intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance means to maintain strict vigilance, and dispatched mission aircraft, ships and shore-based missile systems to respond accordingly. (ANI/CNA)

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New Delhi [India], February 20 (ANI): Bangladesh's far right political party Bangladesh Islami Front has completely rejected a recent 'India Out' social media campaign in Bangladesh. The campaign has sharpened after Sheikh Hasina, who is seen to be close to India, won a record fourth term in the recently concluded national elections.

S U M Abdus Samad, the Secretary General of the Bangladesh Islami Front on Tuesday hit out at the online campaign especially saying it was driven by hard-line elements who spread hate and misinformation. The Islami front is a small independent party which had put up 37 candidates in the recently concluded polls.

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In an interview to ANI during his visit to New Delhi, Abdus Samad said cordial ties are crucial for both the neighbouring countries as he highlighted the increased connectivity in recent years.

"There is misinformation there since the beginning that India brought a lot of stuff from Bangladesh in 1971 and also did brutal acts. This kind of misinformation is there. So it is a must for India to show that we are not against Bangladesh, but we are friends", said Samad.

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In Bangladesh, an "India Out" campaign has sparked off on social media. Led by medical professional Pinaki Bhattacharya who describes himself as an exiled blogger, online activist and human rights defender the campaign called for the boycott of Indian goods following the results of the elections.

Bhattacharya's social media followers, which number about 53000 on X and 6000 on Instagram, claim that the movement is fuelled by the Indian government's unilateral support for Sheikh Hasina's administration in Bangladesh. The bloggers allege that the elections in Bangladesh were neither free nor fair.

Bloggers running this campaign have been using three hashtags: #Indiaout #BoycottIndia and #BoycottIndianproducts.

A report by Digital Forensics and Research and Analytics Centre reveals that the trend of boycotts on social media does not appear natural.

"A closer examination of this trend reveals that the group that began this campaign has always been engaged in anti-India activities in Bangladesh. Several users among them, are either indirectly associated with the political parties of Bangladesh (mainly BNP), or claim to be their supporters", said the DFRAC report.

D-FRAC is a non-partisan and independent media organisation which focuses on fact-checking and identifying hate speech.

S U M Abdus Samad reiterated that this was just misinformation being spread, and that Bangladesh has been witnessing rapid growth and development for several years under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Abdus Samad praised Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and said, "Since the Sheikh Hasina government came into power, there has been a growth in Bangladesh's development. In 10-20 years, the development in Dhaka, Chittagong which we see now - if one knows about the suffering before - seeing it presently, it won't be recognizable now".

The Secretary General of the Bangladesh Islami Front also stressed on the continuous improvement in people to people contact and connectivity between India and Bangladesh.

"There is now train connectivity from Akhaura... Akhaura- Brahmanbaria. Trade is also happening from river fronts to Assam and Tripura. The connectivity has increased. Items are also being exported and imported to Chittagong port. There is connectivity in Ramgarh as well", said S U M Abdus Samad.

When asked about terrorism and religious fundamentalism in South Asia and Pakistan's role, Samad emphasized the need for an establishment in Islamabad that does not let terrorism flourish.

"Pakistan has no impact in South Asia as such. But there should be a good government there to curb terrorism. There should be a government in Pakistan, which does not let terrorism flourish in South Asia".

He condemned terrorism and religious fundamentalism and said, "Terrorism is against Islam. Killing an innocent has no place in Islam. We are against terrorism. Someone who is a terrorist, cannot be a good Muslim".

The message from the Islami Front leader is clear, the so called 'India-Out' campaign appears is confined to a small group online with support of Pro Pakistan political parties like the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist party and smaller radical parties. The campaign is unlikely to affect India-Bangladesh relations which is on solid ground. (ANI)

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Beirut, Feb 20 (AP) A building collapsed in a southern suburb of Beirut late Monday, killing four people and injuring three others as search operations continued for more people under the rubble, a paramedic official said.

The building that collapsed in the suburb of Choueifat Monday night crumbled after days of heavy rain in Lebanon. Local officials said the building was not considered safe and the municipality had ordered the four-story building evacuated two years ago out of concerns its foundations were weak. Despite the order, the owner of the building rented apartments to Syrian families.

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Most of the people living in the building are Syrian citizens, according to Raja Zreik of the Islamic Health Society that was taking part in rescue operations in the area. He said four people were killed.

State-run National News Agency also reported that four people, two women, a man and a child were killed.

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Zreik told The Associated Press that two women and a boy were pulled out from under the rubble and rushed to hospital.

A member of the Lebanese Red Cross told the local Al-Jadeed TV at the scene that 17 people are still believed to be under the rubble.

A building collapsed in the same area earlier this month but no one was hurt as people were evacuated out of concerns it was not considered safe.

Lebanon hosts some 805,000 United Nations-registered Syrian refugees, but officials estimate the actual number is far higher: between 1.5 million and 2 million. (AP)

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Abbas Ganbay

Within the framework of Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov's visit to the United States, an agreement was reached with the World Bank to accelerate financial support for the grid strengthening project as a contribution to COP29, Azernews reports.

"At a meeting with Antonella Bassani, World Bank Vice President in the US, we agreed to accelerate financial support for the grid strengthening project as a contribution to COP29. The WB is ready to support Azerbaijan's achievements in the transition to green energy," Shahbazov wrote on his social media page X.




ASTANA, Kazakhstan, February 20. The Vice Minister of Transport of Kazakhstan Talgat Lastaev has met with the Deputy Minister of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport of the Republic of Korea, Yoonsang Lee in Seoul, Trend reports.

During the meeting, the parties discussed and agreed on the resumption of flights between Astana and Seoul, an increase in flights on the Almaty-Seoul route, as well as the opening of flights from Shymkent to Seoul and between Busan and the cities of Kazakhstan.

In addition, Talgat Lastaev held meetings with the management of the low-cost airline TWay and the cargo airline Sirius Airlines, where Korean carriers expressed their intention to operate flights to Kazakhstan.

Meanwhile, South Korea is one of Kazakhstan's most important trading partners in Asia. Thus, trade turnover between the countries in 2023 exceeded $6 billion. Exports to South Korea during the period amounted to $3.8 billion, and imports from South Korea amounted to $2.2 billion.
Tel Aviv [Israel], February 20 (ANI/TPS): Monday evening an explosive device being was thrown at an Israeli vehicle on its way from Homesh to Shavei Shomron in northern Samaria. At least one person - age 25 - was lightly wounded by shards of glass.

There were four other passengers in the car and they were not wounded in the attack.

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Heavy damage was caused to the car.

Searches are being conducted in the area for the terrorists and "large forces" are preparing to enter the nearby Arab village of Burka.

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All of the passengers in the car were residents of Homesh. Among them was Aviya Antman who was in the car in the attack in which Yehuda Dimentman was murdered in a terrorist attack in 2021.

Aviya told TPS, "We just came out of Homesh and they [the terrorists] threw a bomb at us, all our windows were smashed and we got out by a miracle. If it had been thrown through one of the windows, we would have been finished." (ANI/TPS)

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New Delhi [India], February 20 (ANI): Sweden's Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom and Latvia's Foreign Minister Krisjanis Karins arrived in India on Tuesday to attend the Raisina Dialogue set to be held in New Delhi from February 21-23.

The Ministry of External Affairs official spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, stated that the two leaders were extended a warm welcome in Delhi.

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In a post on X, Randhir Jaiswal stated, "Greetings to our esteemed guests arriving for #RaisinaDialogue2024! FM @TobiasBillstrom of Sweden & FM @krisjaniskarins of Latvia arrive to a warm welcome in New Delhi."

Earlier, Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis arrived in New Delhi to attend the Raisina Dialogue.

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Raisina Dialogue is India's flagship conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics, committed to addressing the most challenging issues facing the global community.

The ninth edition of Raisina Dialogue is set to be held in Delhi from February 21-23. It is being organised by Ministry of External Affairs in collaboration with the Observer Research Foundation.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will be the chief guest and keynote speaker at the 9th Raisina Dialogue in Delhi. Ministers, National Security Advisors, senior officials and representatives of industry, technology, finance and other sectors from more than 100 nations will participate in the Raisina Dialogue.

According to a video posted by Randhir Jaiswal on X, the thematic pillars of Raisina Dialogue are - "Tech Frontiers: Regulations and Realities, Peace with the Planet: Invest and Innovate, War and Peace: Armouries and Asymmetries, Decolonising Multilateralism: Institutions and Inclusion, The Post-2030 Agenda: People and Progress."

In a post on X, Randhir Jaiswal stated, "RaisinaDialogue2024 - 's premier conference on geopolitics & geoeconomics is back with its 9th edition this year. Feb 21-23, 2024 Theme - Chaturanga: Conflict / Contest | Cooperate | Create Know more about the conference." (ANI)

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New Delhi [India], February 20 (ANI): Greece's Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, arrived in New Delhi today for a State Visit to India, aimed at strengthening the Strategic Partnership between the two nations.

In an official post on X, Indian Diplomacy @IndianDiplomacy says, "Imparting further momentum to the Strategic Partnership!@PrimeministerGR @kmitsotakis of Greece is arriving in New Delhi today, on a State Visit to India. Take a look at the major milestones in the bilateral relationship between #IndiaGreece."

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The visit highlights the growing economic, cultural, and defence cooperation between India and Greece. It underscores the shared commitment to deepening bilateral ties and addressing common challenges.

The visit is expected to yield significant outcomes in trade, investment, cultural exchanges, and defense cooperation.

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Both countries are poised to explore new avenues for collaboration and reinforce their commitment to a future of mutual prosperity and cooperation.

The Ministry of External Affairs said in a press conference that the"Invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic (Greece), Kyriakos Mitsotakis will pay a State visit to India from 21-22 February 2024. He will be accompanied by senior officials and a high-powered business delegation. PM Mitsotakis will be the Chief Guest and Keynote Speaker at the 9th Raisina Dialogue, 2024 in New Delhi. He will also visit Mumbai before returning to Athens."

"PM Mitsotakis will be accorded a ceremonial welcome at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhawan. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and PM Mitsotakis will hold bilateral discussions and Prime Minister Modi will also host a lunch banquet in honour of the visiting dignitary," the release added.

The India-Greece relations have been elevated to 'Strategic Partnership' during PM Modi's visit to Greece in August 2023. They are based on shared cultural values, commitment to foster economic growth, and collaboration in the fields of security and defence, shipping, maritime and are marked by convergence on regional and global issues.

The two countries have also been cooperating closely in various multilateral forums.

This would be the first bilateral Head of State/Government level visit from Greece to India after 15 years; the last Prime Ministerial visit from Greece to India took place in 2008. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi visited Athens on 25 August 2023.

Prime Minister Mitsotakis's visit is expected to further strengthen and deepen the strategic partnership between India and Greece. (ANI)

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New Delhi [India], February 20 (ANI): The Greek Foreign Minister, Giorgos Gerapetritis, arrived in the national capital in the early hours of Tuesday.

He will be participating in the ninth Raisina Dialogue, scheduled to take place on February 21-23.

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https://x.com/MEAIndia/status/1759644726767329706?s=20

Notably, Greece Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will also be on a state visit to India. He will be the Chief Guest and Keynote Speaker at the 9th Raisina Dialogue, 2024 in New Delhi.

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During his state visit from February 21-22, Greek PM Mitsotakis will be accompanied by senior officials and a high-powered business delegation.

According to the MEA, this would be the first bilateral Head of State or Head of Government level visit from Greece to India after 15 years; the last Prime Ministerial visit from Greece to India took place in 2008. The then Greek Prime Minister, Kostas Karamanlis, was accompanied by Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis, in his January 2008 visit.

India-Greece relations have been elevated to 'Strategic Partnership' during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Greece in August 2023.

PM Modi said his Greece tour will add momentum to India-Greece friendship, particularly people-to-people linkages. He also welcomed Greece into the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and looked forward to Greece's membership of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), the MEA stated.

he India-Greece ties are based on shared cultural values, a commitment to foster economic growth, and collaboration in the fields of security and defence, shipping, and maritime, and are marked by convergence on regional and global issues. The two countries have also been cooperating closely in various multilateral forums.

He will also visit Mumbai before returning to Athens.

PM Mitsotakis will be accorded a ceremonial welcome at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhawan. Prime Minister Modi and PM Mitsotakis will hold bilateral discussions and PM Modi will also host a lunch banquet in honour of the visiting dignitary.

India and Greece have witnessed frequent engagements with EAM Jaishankar meeting Greek Minister of National Defence Nikos Dendias today itself. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
New Delhi [India], February 20 (ANI): Indian Coast Guard chief Director General Rakesh Pal is hosting a 6-member delegation of the Vietnam Coast Guard in India from February 19-23.

The 5th High-Level Meeting was held at Coast Guard Headquarters, New Delhi on Tuesday. The High-Level Meeting was led by Inspector General Anupam Rai, Deputy Director General (Operations and Coastal Security) from the India Coast Guard side whereas the Vietnam Coast Guard side was led by Major General Ngo Binh Minh, Commander of VCG Region-3, stated the Indian Coast Guard.

Also Read | Uzbekistan: Three Indian Workers Dead, 30 Injured in Roof Collapse Incident in Almalyk.

The High-Level Meeting focused on avenues of mutual collaboration and capacity building between the two Coast Guards in areas of Maritime Search and Rescue, Marine Pollution Response and Maritime Law Enforcement.

During the meeting, both the sides agreed to strengthen the mutual cooperation in accordance with the provisions of the MoU, sharing of best practices and continuation of professional exchange to address varied challenges in the maritime domain, it also said.

Also Read | Shashi Tharoor Conferred Frances Highest Civilian Honour Chevalier de la Legion Dhonneur.

Both the Coast Guards agreed to further the cooperative engagements through impetus on continuum on regular High-Level Meetings and ship visits.

The Vietnam Coast Guard delegation is scheduled to visit M/s L&T Shipyard, Kattupalli, Chennai on February 21 to witness India's shipbuilding capabilities under "Atmanirbhar Bharat".

The 5th High-Level Meeting was significant in providing added impetus to the already existing professional relationship between the two Coast Guards of the region and entailed contributing to the maritime safety and security construct, it added. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Kuwait City [Kuwait], February 20 (ANI): The Indian Ambassador to Kuwait, Adarsh Swaika on Tuesday called on the newly appointed Kuwait's Minister of Commerce and Industry, Abdullah Hamad AlJouan and highlighted the growing bilateral ties between the two countries.

During their meeting, both leaders discussed the significant potential for strengthening bilateral economic cooperation including investments.

Also Read | US: Man Accused of Shooting Couple at Bar Admits Killing Them For Less Than USD 150 in Wisconsin.

"Amb @AdarshSwaika1 called on the new Minister of Commerce and Industry of Kuwait H.E Abdullah Hamad AlJouan. Ambassador highlighted the growing bilateral trade ties and significant potential for strengthening bilateral economic cooperation, including investments," Indian embassy in Kuwait posted on X.

Earlier, the Indian ambassador to Kuwait said that bilateral trade between India and Kuwait has touched an all-time high of USD 12.5 billion.

Also Read | Vladimir Putin Gifts Russian-Made Car to North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un.

Trade between the two countries has seen a 90 per cent yearly jump and while currently it is skewed towards hydrocarbon exports from Kuwait and exports of mainly food products from India. The bilateral trade has the potential for diversification, the envoy said.

India and Kuwait share historically warm and close bilateral ties and the relationship has been nourished by sustained cultural and civilizational linkages. There are around one million Indians in Kuwait.

India is amongst the largest trading partners of Kuwait and the Gulf country is a major supplier of oil.

India and Kuwait enjoy traditionally friendly relations, rooted in history, and have stood the test of time. Geographic proximity, historical trade links, cultural affinities, and presence of large number of Indian nationals in Kuwait continue to sustain and nurture this long standing relationship. India has been a natural trading partner of Kuwait and until 1961 Indian Rupee was the legal tender in Kuwait, according to the MEA official website.

Historically, Indo-Kuwaiti relations have always had an important trade dimension. India has consistently been among the top ten trading partners of Kuwait. Total bilateral trade with Kuwait during 2015-16 was USD 6.2 billion. While India's imports from Kuwait were USD 4.96 billion (POL accounted for USD 4.05 billion) which plummeted by 63 per cent, largely due to drop in oil prices coupled with cut down in volume of oil import from Kuwait.

India's exports to Kuwait grew by 4 per cent (USD 1.24 billion) in 2015-16 vis-a-vis 2014-15. India's exports to Kuwait included food items, cereals, textiles, garments, electrical and engineering equipment, machinery and mechanical appliances, cars, trucks, buses, tyres, chemicals, jewellery, handicrafts, metal products, iron and steel, etc. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Muzaffarabad [PoK], February 20 (ANI): The Abbottabad area near Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), currently faces a massive forest fire, which has been destroying the Olive forests of PoK.

The forest fire has been spreading over large areas and remains unattended, turning hundreds of tonnes of priceless olive wood into ash creating smoke.

Also Read | Imran Khan Labels Pakistan Elections 2024 As Mother of All Rigging.

A local resident of the area Sajjad Naqvi explained the issue, saying, "This is the result of mere foolishness, nuisance, and ignorance of some uneducated individuals who don't understand the massive impact their actions could cause. These forest fires are not only destroying the natural vegetation and the land resources but are also destroying the ecosystem for animals."

Naqvi also added that these forest fires have also impacted the cycle of rain in the area causing severe problems for the local people. "The people just try to protect their own houses, they do not care if the whole forest gets burnt down. And the forest fire cannot be controlled, as no system of fire brigade has been established here. Not even the authorities are worried or care about this forest fire. This is just a matter of consideration all of us should consider that we need these forests for everything," he added.

Also Read | Uzbekistan: Three Indian Workers Dead, 30 Injured in Roof Collapse Incident in Almalyk.

Other areas of PoK have also been facing similar environmental hazards, areas surrounding Muzaffarabad have been facing the issue of depleting water reserves and forest fires in the region. However, the authorities have still not taken any action regarding the matter.

Raja Muhammad Mumtaz, another local from PoK, said, "Our forests are being destroyed every day because of reasons like forest fires, poaching, smuggling, and corruption. The government must make people aware of the importance of the forests. Until the people don't understand the importance of these resources and don't feel a sense of belonging towards them, the situation will not improve."

Mumtaz added, "Because of overpopulation and improper care, forests of POK are getting destroyed. Hence, they become more prone to forest fires. Solving this problem will need a united effort."

Another person belonging to the hilly areas of Gilgit Baltistan (GB) and PoK said they have transporting this water for a long time now. "There has been no rain for months, our forests are getting destroyed and ponds are drying. Hence the water supply for our people is less. We use this water, however bad it may be for cooking and drinking for both us and our castles."

He also said, "These seasonal tributaries from the mountains are the last hope for us, as we have no other source of water to rely on. And these also will dry up soon."

Due to climate change in PoK, a decrease in rainfall, an increase in pollution, and forest fires have reduced the underground water level. Speaking about the people who come from long distances to take water, the local residents mentioned that people come from at least eight to ten kilometers in search of water, as there are no more wells and ponds in this area. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Warsaw, Feb 20 (AP) Polish farmers blocked border crossings with Ukraine, burned tyres and spilled grain from train wagons on Tuesday as they intensified a nationwide protest against the import of Ukrainian foods and European Union environmental policies.

Farmers from Spain to Italy to Belgium have been protesting recently, worried that EU plans to place limits on the use of chemicals and on greenhouse gas emissions will result in a reduction in production and income. They are also in revolt against competition from non-EU countries, in particular Ukraine, a large producer of agricultural goods.

Also Read | Russia: FSB Arrests 33-Year-Old Woman Holding Dual Citizenship in Yekaterinburg on 'Treason' Charges for Allegedly Fundraising for Ukraine (Watch Video).

Polish farmers held protests in more than 180 places, blocking access routes to border crossings with Ukraine. They drove tractors across junctions and highway entrances and exits near cities including Warsaw, Poznan and Wroclaw.

The protests are a growing source of tensions between Ukraine and neighbours across its Western border who support its efforts to fight off Russia's invasion but are facing pressure from farmers who say Ukrainian grain and other food imports are damaging their livelihoods by creating a glut on the market that pushes down prices.

Also Read | China's Central Bank Makes Biggest-Ever Cut to Mortgage Rate To Boost Housing Market.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy singled out the protesting Polish farmers in his nightly address Monday, saying their actions indicated an erosion of solidarity".

Near Kupiansk, close to the Russian border, where enemy artillery does not cease, news from the border with Poland seems outright mocking, said Zelenskyy.

More protests were expected Thursday in central and Eastern Europe. Farmers complain that the 27-nation EU's policies on the environment and other matters are a financial burden and make their products more expensive than non-EU imports. (AP)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Taipei [Taiwan], February 20 (ANI): A Taiwanese cruise ship was escorted back to Kinmen after being boarded and inspected by Chinese Coast Guard personnel on Monday, Focus Taiwan reported, citing Taipei's Coast Guard Administration (CGA).

The sightseeing vessel 'King Xia', which had 11 crew members and 23 passengers, was 2.8 nautical miles northwest of Kinmen's Wushajiao when it was intercepted by two Chinese coast guard boats at around 4:47 pm (local time), the CGA said in a news release.

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According to CGA, six Chinese officers boarded the Taiwanese vessel and started inspecting the boat, asking for the documents of crew members. Following this, the Chinese personnel then returned to their boats and left the King Xia at 5:19 pm (local time).

The PP-10039 coastguard patrol boat was dispatched to the scene when the Chinese coast guard boats were spotted on radar, the Coast Guard Administration stated.

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The vessel reached King Xia at 5:33 pm (local time) and was escorted back to Shuitou Port from where it departed earlier in the afternoon for a tour around Kinmen waters, the Taiwanese Coast Guard said.

According to the CGA, King Xia veered slightly off course at the time due to the multiple shoals near Wushajiao.

The Coast Guard also highlighted multiple incidents from the past where Chinese tourist vessels entered Taiwan-held waters near Kinmen "by mistake," but it did not board them because "it was clearly not deliberate and instead just issued warnings," as reported by Focus Taiwan.

Meanwhile, the Coast Guard Administration called on China to uphold peace and rationality and jointly maintain tranquillity in the waters around Xiamen and Kinmen. At the same time, it also reminded Taiwanese operators to avoid going near Chinese waters when engaging in maritime-related activities.

In a separate statement on Monday, the Maritime and Port Bureau said that Beijing's move was 'inconsistent' with international norms.

The bureau also said that if Taiwanese vessels encounter such incidents in the future, they should refuse Chinese requests to board and immediately notify the CGA for assistance.

Notably, Beijing has deployed coast guard vessels in waters off the coast of the Taiwan-held Kinmen Islands after a speedboat from nearby Fujian province capsized off the eastern coast of Kinmen on February 14 as it was being chased by Taiwanese authorities, resulting in the deaths of two of the four Chinese people on board, Focus Taiwan reported. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Acting runs in Vikrant Massey's blood. The actor, whose film 12th Fail emerged as the breakout and one of the biggest successes of 2023, has shared that his grandfather was an actor and he worked in more than 200 Hindi films. The actor, who is one of the actors to successfully transition from television to films, got the acting genes from his grandfather and has used them to his full strength gaining landslide success in television and making conscious choice of meaningful stories in cinema. Rohit Sharma Reveals He Watched Vikrant Massey-Starrer 12th Fail, Calls It Very Good Movie (Watch Video).

Talking about his grandfather, Vikrant told YouTuber Samdish Bhatia, "Mere dada character, Ravikant Massey, artiste the. He was an actor himself. He was awarded gold medal twice in the All India Dramatic competition by the former President of India, Rajendra Prasad. He worked a lot in Gaiety theatre of Shimla, he worked in the capacity of an actor, director and a producer in theatre. He also worked a full-time job as a manager at a hotel in Shimla." Weve Become One! Vikrant Massey-Sheetal Thakur Announce Arrival of Their Baby Boy in a Heartwarming Post.

"He has worked in over 200 Hindi films, including Naya Daur and Guide. But, he played peripheral parts, lawyer ban gaye, doctor ban gaye. Aur us zamaane mein actors ko apne props aur costume khud le jana padte the set pe," he added.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 20, 2024 08:55 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, February 20. President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic held a phone conversation, Trend reports via Akorda.

During the phone conversation, held at the initiative of the Serbian side, the current state and prospects of development of political and trade-economic cooperation were discussed. The sides expressed mutual interest in strengthening business ties and implementing joint investment projects in the fields of industry, agriculture, transport, and logistics.

Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Aleksandar Vucic also exchanged views on several topical issues on the international agenda, reaffirming their readiness to continue constructive dialog on issues of sustainable development, and promotion of global peace and security.

The President of Serbia invited the leader of Kazakhstan to visit Belgrade.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
TV actor Rituraj Singh passed away at the age of the 59 in the wee hours of Tuesday (February 20). The actor was discharged from the hospital after he was admitted following a stomach infection. But his health condition deteriorated last night, and he suffered a heart attack. Actor Amit Behl told IANS, "Rituraj was admitted in the hospital and was discharged. Last night at 12.30 AM. he got a cardiac arrest." Rituraj Singh Dies at 59: Did You Know Late Actor Shared Theatre Roots With Shah Rukh Khan and He Was Hailed the 'Better' Actor?

He was admitted in the hospital for a stomach infection," the actor said. Asked about the cremation, Amit categorically said, "I have no details about his cremation." Meanwhile, Bollywood actor Arshad Warsi expressed grief over the death of Rituraj. Rituraj Singh Dies at 59 of Cardiac Arrest; Actor Was Known for His Roles in Anupamaa, Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, Diya Aur Baati Hum Among Others.

RIP Rituraj Singh:

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Instant Bollywood (@instantbollywood)

With a career spanning over three decades, Rituraj was known for his work in shows like Banegi Apni Baat, Tehkikaat, Kutumb, Jyoti, Beintehaa and most recently Anupamaa. He also featured in the 2022 web series Made in Heaven and the 2023 movie Yaariyan 2.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 20, 2024 11:56 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Lucknow, February 20: A couple in Lucknow has been booked for allegedly hitting a stray dog with an iron rod and breaking its leg in the Indira Nagar area. The incident took place on Sunday and the case was registered on Monday on the complaint of a local resident, Vijay Kumar Upadhyay, who used to feed the strays in the colony.

Upadhyay alleged that accused Abhay Shukla would object whenever he fed the dogs. He had visited my house a couple of days back and threatened to kill those stray dogs, Upadhyay alleged. He said on the fateful day, Abhay and his wife were chasing the stray dogs away from the colony. Delhi: Stray Dog Beaten to Death by Group of People in Karol Bagh; Case Registered After Disturbing Video Goes Viral.

Both of them were carrying iron rods and they attacked one of the canines. They hit one of its legs several times causing multiple fractures. They were abusing me and saying they would kill all the dogs if they found them in the colony in future, the complainant alleged. He asked police to initiate action, ensure safety of the strays in the colony and make the accused bear the medical bill of the injured dog. Delhi Shocker: Two Men Beat Stray Dog to Death With Stick in Sarita Vihar, Disturbing Video Goes Viral.

SHO, Ghazipur (Indira Nagar), Vikas Rai, said police have registered a case under relevant sections of IPC 429 (mischief by killing or maiming animals), 506 (criminal intimidation) and Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

We are conducting a probe. CCTVs of the spot are being scanned. Thereafter, statements will be taken from both the parties before further action is initiated, he said.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 20, 2024 09:04 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Lucknow, February 20: The fear of cross voting is now looming large over the BJP and Samajwadi Party in the upcoming Rajya Sabha biennial elections. Resentment is brewing in the Nishad Party -- an ally of the BJP -- over the selection of candidates for the Rajya Sabha biennial elections. At least, two Nishad Party legislators have voiced their reservations over the candidature of Sanjay Seth, who is BJPs eighth candidate.

Seth needs eight extra votes from outside the BJP to emerge as winner and the support of allies like the Nishad Party is crucial. The Rajya Sabha MPs are elected by a system of proportional representation, according to which each candidate in UP will require at least 37 votes to win. Rajya Sabha Elections 2024: BJP Releases New List of Candidates for RS Polls, Party President JP Nadda to Contest from Gujarat; Check Complete List.

The BJP has 252 MLAs and its NDA allies account for 34 MLAs -- 13 from the Apna Dal, nine from the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), six each from the NISHAD Party and the Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP).

The Jansatta Dal Loktantrik, which has two MLAs and is headed by strongman politician Raja Bhaiya, is also expected to vote in favour of the BJP. If the BJP manages to get all the 36 votes from these parties, its total number of votes will reach 288. However, for its eighth candidate to get elected, the BJP will need 296 votes. As things stand, the BJP will fall short by eight votes. Rajya Sabha Elections 2024: BJP Announces Second List of Candidates for RS Polls; Check Complete List.

According to a Nishad Party MLA, who spoke to IANS on condition of anonymity on Tuesday, Sanjay Seth is an affluent builder and we would have preferred an OBC or SC candidate. We will discuss the issue and decide what is to be done.

Seth was previously elected to the Rajya Sabha as an SP candidate in June 2016. He later switched to the BJP. Sanjay Nishad, UP minister and President of the Nishad Party, however, denied any differences within his party.

There is total unity in my party and we will all go with BJP. If needed, I will even issue a whip for my MLAs, he said. The BJP has also nominated former Union minister R P N Singh, ex-MP Chaudhary Tejveer Singh, state party general secretary Amarpal Maurya, former state minister Sangeeta Balwant, party spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi, former MLA Sadhna Singh and former Agra mayor Naveen Jain for the Rajya Sabha.

Meanwhile, the SPs Rajya Sabha list includes senior leader and actor Jaya Bachchan, Dalit leader Ramji Lal Suman and former state chief secretary Alok Ranjan. If the two Congress MLAs vote for the SP candidates, taking the SPs tally to 110, the latter will still fall short by one vote to reach the required 111 votes (37 multiplied by 3) to get its three candidates elected.

SP MLA Pallavi Patel has already announced that she would not vote for candidates like Bachchan and Ranjan because they do not fit into the PDA (Pichhda, Dalit Alpasankhyak) formula.

Sources said that some other legislators could cross vote because of prevailing crisis in the SP. If the BJP had not nominated an eighth candidate, the state would not have needed an election as all 10 candidates would have been elected unopposed.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 20, 2024 01:35 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
The UK High Court has rejected a challenge to government plans to construct a tunnel underneath the UNESCO World Heritage Site Stonehenge. Just a few years ago the same court had upheld the complaint.The High Court in London on Monday rejected a bid to stop the construction of a controversial road tunnel near the prehistoric megalithic stone circle Stonehenge in southwest England.

Also Read | Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra: Assam Police Send Summons to Rahul Gandhi, Other Congress Leaders for Damaging Public Property.

The case pitted British campaigners  and to some extent UNESCO, which named Stonehenge a World Heritage Site in 1986  against the government, the National Highways agency and the National Trust, a charity that maintains British sites of natural beauty and historical significance.

Also Read | Hyderabad: Licenses of Two Blood Banks Cancelled for Selling Human Plasma.

The Save Stonehenge World Heritage Site group and a private individual who owns land near the proposed construction site, Andy Rhind-Tutt, had argued that plans to build the tunnel, particularly the western section nearer Stonehenge, could cause "permanent and irreversible damage to the site."

The government had initially approved similar plans in 2020, but an appeal against them was successful at the same court, the highest for such issues in England and Wales, in 2021.

Last year, the project was reactivated by the government and at the second attempt the challenge in court failed.

Judge David Holgate largely dismissed the campaigners' claims in Monday's ruling, calling many of them "unarguable."

Holgate said that ministers had "rightly focused on the relevant policies" when making the plans, and that the campaigners' evidence "provides no basis to undermine that conclusion."

What do the proponents argue?

The government and National Highways argue that the tunnel is necessary to relieve traffic on the stretch of the A303 trunk road around the Stonehenge, Amesbury and Salisbury areas.

The busy road is a major route connecting the southwest of England to London. Parts of it follow the route of a road originally constructed by the Romans and it is still often referred to as the Fosse Way.

Much of the A303 is a broad dual carriageway. But the hilly and twisty segment around Stonehenge reverts to a single-lane segment. It's a recognized accident and traffic black spot, with roughly double the average accident rates for a road of its kind, according to National Highways.

Proponents also argue that the tunnel will reduce noise and visual pollution for the roughly 1 million annual visitors at Stonehenge, by moving the vehicles out of sight.

The 3.3-kilometer (roughly 2-mile) tunnel is expected to cost around 1.7 billion pounds (roughly 2 billion or $2.1 billion)

What do the opponents argue?

The Save Stonehenge World Heritage Site Alliance, a company formed to pool resources of opponents to the plan, argues that the tunnel could imperil Stonehenge or other areas of historical significance in the area. It said it intends to appeal the decision.

"While this judgement is a huge blow and exposes the site to National Highway's state-sponsored vandalism, we will continue the fight. In the dying days of this Conservative Government, which has inflicted so much damage on the country, we cannot let it destroy our heritage as well." John Adams, the group's chairman, said.

They also say the construction will alter the topography and the local views of the monument.

It proposed a bypass for the area and the city of Salisbury as an alternative that it said would negate the issue.

But Judge Holgate found that this would in turn pose risks for protected conservation areas or areas of natural beauty in the southwest of England.

"South Wiltshire needs a decent road network, Salisbury needs a bypass and surprise surprise, if that happens a Stonehenge Tunnel wouldn't be required," Andy Rhind-Tutt wrote after Monday's verdict. He advised Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Transport Secretary Danny Kruger to "save the money ... and use it wisely instead."

UNESCO following case closely too

UNESCO said last year, amid the hearing, that it was "profoundly regrettable" that the British government had re-issued planning permission applications for the scheme "without introducing changes consistent with previous Committee decisions and the advice of the 2022 Advisory mission."

It argued that this "constitutes a potential threat to the OUV of the property," a reference to "Outstanding Universal Value," a criteria for selecting World Heritage Sites.

It has, however, welcomed some other development and conservation projects around Stonehenge.

Druids, Romans, Anglo-Saxons all present in area, several other historical sites surround Stonehenge

The area around Stonehenge in South Wiltshire appears to have been of considerable significance to druids in neolithic Britain.

In very close proximity to Stonehenge, there also lies the less renowned Avebury Ring stone circle, the West Kennett Long Barrow, which is thought to be even older than Stonehenge, and the artificially constructed chalk mound Silbury Hill, the tallest prehistoric human-made mound in Europe whose purpose is still debated.

Later, Romans were present in the area in numbers. And Wilton near Salisbury was also a site of considerable significance during the Anglo-Saxon era and the 9th century amid the rein of King Alfred the Great of Wessex. He was the first king to also call himself King of the Anglo-Saxons and is seen by some as either the first king of England, or the monarch who enabled that title to later come into being.

Some have also questioned what other potentially undiscovered relics or archaeological material might be endangered by the tunnel's construction.

Wiltshire-born antiquities historian Tom Holland, a co-founder of the Save Stonehenge Alliance who in 2020 presented a 50,000-signature petition to then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson when the plans were first launched, also lamented the ruling.

"A devastating loss, not just for everyone who has campaigned against hte Government's pig-headed plans for the Stonehenge landscape, but for Britain, for the world, and for subsequent generations," Holland wrote, before adding, "the fight, however, goes on."

Edited by: Louis Oelofse

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 20, 2024 05:20 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
On 19 February UK Foreign Secretarybecame the first British cabinet minister to visit the Falkland Islands (Malvinas) since 2016.

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Days after Alexander Navalny's death, Donald Trump finally mentioned him. However, he made no mention of the man who possibly killed him, his "good friend," Vladimir Putin. This comes amid mounting pressure for Republicans to fund Ukraine after the Eastern European country lost a city to Russians and the death of the anti-Putin politician.

Alexander Navalny, Putin's biggest critic in Russia, collapsed in one of the country's most infamous prison colonies. This was met with condemnation from various world leaders and former US presidents. However, Trump only reacted to the incident three days later and without condemnation.

"The sudden death of Alexei Navalny has made me more and more aware of what is happening in our country," the former president recently said on Truth Social. "It is a slow, steady progression, with CROOKED, Radical Left Politicians, Prosecutors, and Judges leading us down a path to destruction."

The Guardian noted that with that statement, Donald Trump managed to turn a grave global political issue into one of significance to his agenda. This statement came after his lone Republican opponent in the primary left, Nikki Haley, slammed him for avoiding the Navalny issue as he has long been tied to Vladimir Putin's efforts to undermine the US.

"Either he sides with Putin and thinks it's cool that Putin killed one of his political opponents - or he just doesn't think it's that big of a deal," Haley said on Sunday. "Either one of those is concerning. Either one of those is a problem."

Trump has frequently praised Putin, who is accused of not just killing Alexander Navalny and invading Ukraine for his ambitions but also using Donald Trump and the Republican Party as "useful idiots" to undermine the US.

The former president recently raised concerns should he win the presidency, as he recently threatened NATO allies that Russia could "do whatever the hell they want" if they do not meet their financial obligations.

READ MORE: US President Ranking: Donald Trump Still Ranked by Historians as Worst US President in History

Liz Cheney Warns That Republican Party Might Have a 'Putin Wing' After Alexander Navalny Death

Meanwhile, as Donald Trump continues to avoid criticizing Vladimir Putin, Trump critic Liz Cheney warned of a Republican Party "Putin wing" as Trump allies continue to deflect and avoid the issue.

"We have to take seriously the extent to which you've now got a Putin wing of the Republican Party. I believe the issue this election cycle is making sure that the Putin wing of the Republican Party does not take over the West Wing of the White House," she told CNN's Jake Tapper in an interview.

"When you think about Donald Trump, for example, pledging retribution, what Vladimir Putin did to Navalny is what retribution looks like in a country where a leader is not subject to the rule of law," the former Republican congresswoman warned.

Speaker Mike Johnson Faces Critical Decision on Ukraine Aid as Pressure Mounts

Meanwhile, over at the House, Speaker Mike Johnson has found himself in a tough spot regarding Ukraine as pressure to fund the country's fight against Russia mounts amid a recent Ukrainian defeat, as well as the death of Alexander Navalny.

Johnson is facing massive amounts of criticism not just from other Republicans and other US politicians but also from the international community, according to CNN. This is over his lack of swift action on Ukraine aid, which Republicans have been dangling to get their own agendas over.

READ NEXT: Joe Biden Urged by Latino Groups To Swiftly Combat Discrimination in Immigration System

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: 'American Idiot': Joy rips Trump and Tucker Carlson's Putin support amid Navalny death - MSNBC
Donald Trump-supporting truckers are issuing warnings that their refusal to deliver goods to New York City could lead to severe disruptions, with more drivers pledging to join the boycott in the wake of the recent civil fraud case against Trump, per the NY Post.

The NYC boycott is in response to Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron's decision to fine Trump $355 million for allegedly inflating his net worth to deceive banks and insurers.

Jennifer Hernandez, one of the participating Trump-supporting truckers, emphasized that the intention is not to harm New York residents.

However, she pointed out that even a 10% reduction in truck deliveries to the city could result in significant price hikes for essential goods such as milk and eggs, affecting consumers' wallets.

The boycott gained momentum through social media, with one trucker suggesting it could extend for three years.

READ NEXT: Donald Trump New York Fraud Case

Chicago Ray Recants Call for NYC Boycott

Initially advocating for the boycott, a conservative social media influencer known as "Chicago Ray" has withdrawn his call to action, Fox News reports.

In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), Chicago Ray clarified that his intention was not to lead a movement but rather to express solidarity with Donald Trump.

He urged Trump-supporting truckers to make individual decisions based on their families and careers.

This reversal by Chicago Ray follows the controversial ruling that barred Trump from operating his business in New York for three years and imposed a substantial fine of over $350 million in the civil fraud case brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James.

The judgment has sparked a wave of support for Trump among pro-Trump truck drivers across the country.

Potential Government Seizure of Donald Trump's Properties

Legal experts speculate that if Trump refuses to pay the hefty fine resulting from his civil fraud trial, the government may seize and sell many of his properties at "fire sale prices," according to Newsweek.

John Dean, former White House counsel during the Watergate scandal, outlined the potential consequences for Donald Trump, emphasizing that the government could liquidate properties beyond his negotiation capacity.

Following Judge Engoron's Friday ruling, Trump was ordered to pay nearly $355 million in fines, with additional penalties imposed on his associates, including sons Donald Jr. and Eric.

The ruling also prohibits Trump from serving as an officer or director of a New York company for three years.

Trump and his legal team continue to deny any wrongdoing, portraying the trial as politically motivated and vowing to appeal within the 30-day timeframe.

Engoron had previously questioned the valuation of Trump's properties, including Mar-a-Lago in Florida, his Trump Tower triplex apartment, and 40 Wall Street in New York City.

Complicating matters, Trump must also pay pre-judgment interest on components of the fine, accumulating from March 2019 to June 2023.

John Dean highlighted the growing debt, indicating that the interest on the judgment, about $100 million, continues to accrue daily at a rate of nine percent, even during the appeal process.

This financial pressure adds an additional layer of complexity to Former President Donald Trump's legal predicament.

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WATCH: Trump-loving truckers refusing to drive to NYC after his $355 million fraud ruling - From NY Post
Haiti's justice system is making strides in the investigation into Jovenel Moise assassination, with former first lady Martine Moise among the 70 individuals recommended for indictment by the capital's top prosecutor, according to Miami Herald.

While not directly accused of planning her husband's fatal shooting in July 2021, Jovenel Moise wife, Martine Moise, is implicated in the indictment based on alleged contradictory statements and claims of complicity.

The 122-page order from Investigative Judge Walther Wesser Voltaire, who spent significant time on the inquiry, has been forwarded to a prosecutor.

This marks a crucial step toward notifying the defendants and organizing a trial, advancing a process that has endured for over two and a half years.

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Martine Moise Faces Complicity Allegations

Martine Moise, aged 49, is at the center of the indictment recommendation, accused of providing conflicting statements that suggest complicity in her husband's assassination, per the Daily Mail.

The indictment, obtained by the New York Times, highlights that a suspect in custody has accused her of aspiring to steal Jovenel Moise's presidency.

However, the decision to file charges against Jovenel Moise wife rests with a judge who will review the evidence.

Her lawyer, Paul Turner, vehemently denies the allegations, emphasizing that Martine Moise is a victim, much like her husband and children present during the tragic event.

A separate investigation by the US Department of Justice reportedly found no evidence implicating her. Some legal analysts argue that Martine Moise is a victim of Haiti's corrupt political system.

Contradictions and Political Accusations

In the indictment, Judge Voltaire notes Martine Moise's refusal to appear before the judge's chambers for questioning and highlights contradictions in her statements that have undermined their credibility, GazetteXtra noted.

The judge dismissed a civil complaint filed by the former first lady in October 2021 related to her husband's assassination.

The indictment also includes former Prime Minister Claude Joseph and ex-Police Chief Leon Charles, both in office when Jovenel Moise was killed.

Voltaire alleges the active participation of 10 former government officials or allies of the president in the events leading up to Jovenel Moise assassination.

Joseph, responding to the indictment, accuses current Prime Minister Ariel Henry of weaponizing the Haitian justice system against him and Martine Moise.

Former officials, including Joseph Felix Badio, identified by Badio as involved in the plot, were linked to the president's inner circle.

Badio, who spent two years on the run, claimed he was sent by former justice minister Rockfeller Vincent to infiltrate the plotters.

While Badio denied direct involvement in the assassination, he asserted that various interest groups within the National Palace, including Jovenel Moise wife, Martine Moise, aimed to remove Jovenel Moise.

The parallel US investigation and the Haitian inquiry have yet to reveal the mastermind behind the attack or identify the firearms used.

The indictment recommendation signifies a significant step in uncovering the truth behind the complex web of events leading to the tragic Jovenel Moise assassination of Haiti's former president.

READ MORE: Lula da Silva Angered Israel

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WATCH: Widow, ex-prime minister and former police chief indicted in 2021 assassination of Haiti's president - From CBS Miami
A deadly shootout between the Mexican Army and alleged members of a drug cartel happened across the border from Roma, Texas, with 12 of the alleged gunmen killed.

The incident happened in Tamaulipas state, in the township of Miguel Aleman, just across the border from Roma, Texas. The Mexico Defense Department, SEDENA, stated on Sunday that gunmen who are allegedly part of a Mexican drug cartel attacked Mexican soldiers who fought back, killing 12 of their attackers.

SEDENA also noted that the 12 gunmen have been "reduced" in the shootout. According to the Associated Press, this term is an old-style reference to killing suspects. Authorities also confirmed that they seized "12 long weapons, cartridges, and magazines of various calibers" at the scene of the gunfight.

So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack on the Mexican soldiers, with the Mexican Army also admitting that it does not have any information as to who it was that attacked its soldiers at the moment.

Mexico Cartel Members Tried To Ambush Mexico Army Soldiers in Deadly Firefight

The shootout was confirmed by a spokesperson for the office of Tamaulipas, who revealed that the attacked Mexican soldiers were only patrolling an area in Miguel Aleman when the alleged members of the drug cartel attacked them.

The spokesperson added that the alleged drug cartel members "were hiding in the bush" at around 2:00 PM local time when they attacked the soldiers, who were part of SEDENA. The Tamaulipas state spokesperson then added that the Mexican Army used drones and a helicopter to counter their assailants, to which they emerged victorious in the clash, according to CBS News.

READ NEXT: Gulf Cartel Leader 'La Kena' Captured in Mexico

Tamaulipas state, which shares a border with Texas, is considered an important drug trafficking route by these dangerous Mexican cartels, with various groups vying for supremacy in the state over these important drug trafficking routes.

The state is also where four American tourists were kidnapped by the notorious Gulf Cartel last year. They were held at gunpoint, with two of them being killed, along with a local woman, Areli Pablo Servando, 33, who was caught in the crossfire. The Gulf Cartel is just one of the many groups operating and fighting over the northern Mexican border state.

Miguel Aleman Township Site of Many Violent Encounters With Mexico's Most Dangerous Drug Cartels

Drug cartel-related violence is nothing new for the border town of Miguel Aleman, as the town has been a site of attacks from these drug cartels on civilians and rival gang members.

According to the Associated Press, another incident happened there last September, where alleged cartel members attacked a group of nine people who were crossing over from the Texas side of the border. The group's convoy was reportedly hit by one of their modified armored tricks before getting fired upon.

The assailants later fled, but three, including a US citizen, were injured. The others suffered panic attacks.

READ NEXT: Mexico Gang Killings: Dozens of Mutilated Bodies Found in Monterrey in Suspected Gang Purge

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WATCH: Mexico shootout leaves at least 10 dead - NBC News
Police apprehended Nicholas Jordan, 25, on Monday, charging him with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the fatal shootings of Celie Rain Montgomery, 26, and Samuel Knopp, 24, at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs dormitory last week, AP reports.

The victims were discovered dead in a room at Crestone House on the campus.

Colorado Springs Police Department, aided by the motor vehicle theft unit and tactical enforcement unit, arrested Jordan without incident after obtaining an arrest warrant.

The arrest followed an investigation into the isolated incident, emphasizing that the victims and the suspect knew each other, dispelling concerns of a random attack on the campus.

READ NEXT: 2 Dead Following Colorado College Dorm Shooting

Details of the Tragic Colorado College Dorm Shooting Unveiled

The University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (UCCS) Police Department responded to a report of a shooting at Crestone House around 6 a.m. on Friday.

Upon arrival, authorities discovered the lifeless bodies of Celie Rain Montgomery and Samuel Knopp in a dorm room.

Knopp, a registered student at the university, and Montgomery, a resident of Pueblo, Colorado, were both victims of the tragedy.

The Colorado Springs Police Department's Homicide Unit took charge of the investigation, dismissing the possibility of a murder-suicide and treating both deaths as homicides.

Acknowledging the sensitivity of the situation, the police stressed the commitment to delivering accountability and justice for the victims' families, who have requested privacy during this difficult time.

"The families are asking for privacy at this difficult time so they can mourn the loss of their loved ones, and we ask that you not contact them," the statement said.

The University of Colorado-Colorado Springs closed over the weekend, with classes canceled on Monday following the tragic shootings that claimed the lives of Samuel Knopp, a senior studying music, and Celie Montgomery, per USA Today.

Knopp, described as a talented guitarist, was part of the Visual and Performing Arts department. The university community mourns Montgomery, who was not a student but is remembered by the campus.

Chancellor Jennifer Sobanet urged unity, expressing hope for community support and collective grieving.

Community Grieves Over Recent Losses

The tragic Colorado college dorm shooting follows closely on the heels of the death of Mia Brown, a nursing student at the university, who passed away on campus last week due to a medical emergency, PEOPLE noted.

The chancellor acknowledged the challenging week with multiple losses and expressed solidarity within the Mountain Lion community to support grieving students.

Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade shared condolences and labeled the deaths of Montgomery and Knopp as a tragedy.

In a Facebook statement, Mayor Mobolade conveyed sympathy to the families and friends affected by the senseless loss of life.

"Today, the two victims of Friday's tragedy at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs were identified by CSPD after an autopsy by the El Paso County Coroner," he said.

"To the families and friends of Celie Rain Montgomery and Samuel Knopp, and everyone who has been impacted by this senseless loss of life, I see you, I am mourning with you, and I am deeply sorry for your loss," he added.

He assured the community that more information would be provided at an appropriate time, emphasizing confidence in the ongoing investigation by the Colorado Springs Police Department.

As the investigation unfolds, the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs community and the broader public await further details and outcomes from the legal proceedings to bring justice to the victims and their families.

READ MORE: Firefighter, 2 Police Officers Killed in Domestic Abuse Call Turned Into Shooting

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WATCH: Suspect in University of Colorado shooting in custody - From ABC News
Officials from Chile, along with campaigners and activists, are calling on the British Museum to return two Moai statues to Easter Island after the museum's Instagram page was bombarded with calls to return these two statues.

The calls were echoed by Chilean president Gabriel Boric, as well as several high-profile Chilean influencers, including Mike Milfort, as they joined the calls for the Moai statues' return to Chile on social media.

Yahoo! News reported that the British Museum has two Moai statues on display. They are the Hoa Hakananai'a, the large stone statue, and a smaller stone statue called the Moai Hava. These statues were taken from Easter Island, which is part of Chile, by British surveyors in 1868. Activists claim that these two statues were stolen by the British.

The British Museum, meanwhile, defended its continued possession of the two Moai statues, with Connor Watson, a senior press officer for the British Museum, saying in a statement that the museum has "good and open relations with colleagues in Rapa Nui."

He added that "regular visits take place between Rapa Nui colleagues and museum collaborators." He claimed that "these events have strengthened relationships with the community, and laid the foundation for further collaborations." However, the statement did not stop the calls on social media for the return of these statues.

British Museum Social Media Account Bombarded With Calls to Return Moai Statues to Chile

The movement to call for the return of these statues was started by social media influencer Mike Milfort, who has 7.5 million followers on TikTok, according to CNN. This led many to flood Instagram posts by the British Museum with phrases such as "Devuelvan el moai," or "give the moai back."

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The museum had to deactivate comments on one post, which was about its youth outreach program. Regarding this, the museum released a statement, saying, "We welcome debate, but this has to be balanced against the need for safeguarding considerations, especially where young people are concerned."

Tarita Alarcon Rapu, the then-governor of Easter Island, previously appealed to the UK government in 2018 to return the Moai statues. He stated that the English "have our soul." He also expressed that a loan arrangement could be agreed if the British Museum wants to keep the statues on display.

What Are the Easter Island Moai Statues?

The Hoa Hakananai'a, which means lost friend, is one of only 14 basalt Moai statues ever made on Easter Island. This makes it special. It was also in the possession of Queen Victoria who gave it to the British Museum after receiving it as a gift.

According to the BBC, these statues date back to between 1400 and 1650 AD and were said to embody the spirit of a prominent ancestor. It is part of the heritage of Easter Island, also known as Rapa Nui, and there have been calls for the museum to return these statues.

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WATCH: Easter Island Calls For Return Of Sacred Artifact From British Museum | NBC Nightly News
The iconic "Back To The Future" star, Michael J Fox, living with Parkinson's disease, delivered a surprise appearance at the Bafta Awards 2024, where he presented the coveted best film award, according to BBC.

The 62-year-old actor, diagnosed with Parkinson's in the 1990s, made a powerful statement by standing up at the podium despite coming onstage in a wheelchair.

Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer" took home the prestigious award.

Fox's resilient spirit and unexpected appearance garnered a heartfelt standing ovation from the audience, with social media buzzing with emotional responses from viewers who were moved to tears witnessing the actor's strength on stage.

During the BAFTA Film Awards at the Royal Festival Hall in London, host David Tennant introduced Canadian-American actor Michael J Fox as a "true legend of cinema."

Fox, presenting the nominees for best film, praised cinema as "magic" that can "change your life," emphasizing the exceptional quality of the nominated films.

"Five films were nominated in this category tonight, and all five have something in common. They are the best of what we do," Fox said.

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Michael J Fox and Wife at BAFTA Film Awards

Attending the ceremony with his wife, Tracy Pollan, whom he married in 1988, the couple graced the red carpet as a perfect match, ET Online reports.

Fox opted for a relaxed black suit and black shirt, while Pollan wore an elegant long white short-sleeve dress adorned with silver embellishments.

During the "A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To Cure Parkinson's" Gala in November, Fox openly discussed his Parkinson's diagnosis, describing it as a "gift" that refocused his priorities.

"It clears the deck of all the BS," Fox said.

He emphasized the clarity it brought by eliminating unnecessary aspects of life, allowing him to appreciate the importance of family, health, career, and his philanthropic endeavors through The Michael J. Fox Foundation.

Despite the challenges, he expressed gratitude for his extraordinary family and life.

Michael J Fox's Journey with Parkinson's

Parkinson's disease, a neurodegenerative disorder, causes involuntary movements, stiffness, and coordination difficulties, KXLH noted.

Fox, a five-time Emmy Award winner, has shared how the symptoms affected his life and career.

His struggles with depression and denial, hidden for seven years after the diagnosis, were revealed in his 2020 book "No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality" and the documentary "Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie."

The actor faced challenges, turning to dopamine pills and alcohol to conceal his symptoms and fears.

Seeking help, he established The Michael J. Fox Foundation in 2000, which has since raised $2 billion for Parkinson's disease research.

Fox retired from acting in 2020 due to worsening symptoms, including falls and difficulties with memorization.

Despite these challenges, Fox remains positive, emphasizing gratitude and optimism as sustainable forces.

In an interview, he acknowledged the difficulties faced by himself and others but highlighted the importance of finding gratitude to look forward to the future.

Michael J Fox's inspirational journey continues to inspire and raise awareness about Parkinson's disease.

READ MORE: Laura Merrit's Son Dies

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WATCH: Michael J. Fox receives standing ovation as presenter for Best Film | BAFTA Film Awards 2024 - From BBC
Donald Trump's legal defeats are turning into financial troubles as the former president scrambles for cash as he faces over $500 million in legal fees, calling on supporters to donate money for his campaign as he tries to appeal two major decisions against him.

Last month, Trump lost to E. Jean Carroll and has been ordered to pay $83.3 million in damages. However, this was just a small amount compared to his second big defeat, as he was ordered to pay approximately $450 million over his New York fraud trial.

This may just be the tip of the iceberg. As The Guardian noted, the worse may be yet to come for the former president as his legal defeats may likely almost drain his accounts of cash, with the recent New York civil fraud trial decision also barring him from running the Trump Organization.

The former president has been infamous for avoiding using his own money to foot his legal bills, with him currently using campaign money to fund his legal battles. He is expected to appeal these two cases. However, his legal bills will soon increase as his lawyers have contacted several companies to provide the bond to assure the state that he will pay the judgment if he ever loses his appeal.

It should be noted that to get this appeal bond, the former president would first have to find a company willing to accept him. Once he does, he must then pay a premium to the bond company and offer collateral, for which he would have to pay more interest and fees.

Should Trump lose, he would be facing a massive financial burden and may sell off some of his most prized assets to pay for those judgments.

Can Donald Trump Pay For His Legal Fees Following Two Major Legal Defeats?

Donald Trump's net worth is infamous for being obscure, as the two most credible financial media, Forbes and Bloomberg, disagree on how much he is actually worth, with Forbes estimating that he is worth $2.6 billion, while Bloomberg estimates that his net worth is $3.1 billion.

READ MORE: US President Ranking: Donald Trump Still Ranked by Historians as Worst US President in History

However, both Forbes and Bloomberg agree that he could have around $600 million in liquid assets or cash and personal assets, which include his personal homes, private jet, and various pensions. This is backed by a testimony by Trump with the New York attorney general's office, where he claimed he has "substantially in excess of $400 million in cash."

Should he pay the fines, he stands to lose 6 percent to 19 percent or more of his estimated net worth if the Forbes estimate were to be followed, according to The Hill. However, he could lose even more, including his most famous properties like Trump Tower and 40 Wall Street. These losses as part of the Civil fraud decision could lead Trump to a $700 million-plus loss should he lose control of them.

Joe Biden Outraised Donald Trump Amid Former President's Legal Troubles

As for raising money for his campaign, Donald Trump is losing, too. His campaign's fundraising slowed in the last three months of 2023, as the FEC showed, with rival President Joe Biden beating him on the fundraising front.

According to Reuters, this shows how much of a drag Trump's legal battles have become, with his biggest Super PAC spending 2/3 of his campaign money to fund those legal bills.

Trump reportedly raised $19 million during the last three months of 2023, while Biden raised well under $33 million.

READ NEXT: Joe Biden Urged by Latino Groups To Swiftly Combat Discrimination in Immigration System

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WATCH: 'It's much larger': Trump's financial penalty nightmare may not be over, NYT reporter says - MSNBC
Former "That '70s Show" star Danny Masterson has been relocated from Corcoran State Prison, known for housing notorious figures like Charles Manson, to California's Men's Colony in San Luis Obispo, categorized as a medium and minimum-security facility, per the Independent.

The move, less than a month into his prison sentence, is attributed to concerns for the actor's well-being, according to state records.

Masterson, 47, was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison last year after being found guilty of raping two women over two decades ago.

He was denied bail in January pending an appeal; records indicate he will be eligible for parole in 2042.

READ NEXT: 'That '70s Show' Actor Danny Masterson Rape Case

Men's Colony West Facility Overview

Inmates in facilities like the Men's Colony West Facility, where the "That '70s Show" actor is now housed, have access to academic, career/technical education, and self-improvement programs, including cognitive behavior therapy, substance abuse education, anger management, and family relationship programs, as stated by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Concerns about contraband, such as drugs and cell phones, being smuggled in have been raised due to the perceived ease of tossing items over the low-slung prison fence.

The Men's Colony, initially built in 1954 and located between LA and San Francisco, currently houses around 3,400 inmates, according to DEADLINE.

Last year, some portions were scheduled for closure, but the status of these closures is uncertain.

Danny Masterson is tentatively set for a parole consultation in May 2038, with any potential parole occurring at least four years and one month later.

Masterson's move to a different prison doesn't resolve all his legal challenges.

He is a co-defendant in a civil case filed by several women from his criminal case who allege harassment by the Church of Scientology after reporting their sexual assault claims to the police.

The plaintiffs are seeking to designate Scientology as a "criminal enterprise" due to its "pattern of racketeering activity."

Whether this amended complaint will proceed is yet to be determined by an LA Superior Court judge.

Background on Danny Masterson's Case

Sexual assault allegations against Masterson surfaced in 2017 when three women, former girlfriends of Masterson, came forward with charges.

Despite denying the allegations, the "That '70s Show" star was fired from Netflix's "The Ranch," and his character was written out, MovieWeb noted.

He was also excluded from Netflix's "That '90s Show." In 2020, he was officially charged with three counts of rape, with the jury deadlocking on one charge, resulting in a 30-year prison sentence.

Victims have accused the Church of Scientology of harassment, leading to additional lawsuits in 2019.

Following the verdict, one victim, identified as Christina B, expressed disappointment but remained determined to seek justice in civil court, shining a light on Danny Masterson's actions and the alleged cover-up attempts by Scientology.

READ MORE: Michael J Fox Makes Surprise Appearance at BAFTA Film Awards

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WATCH: 'That '70s Show' actor Danny Masterson begins lengthy sentence at North Kern State Prison - From KTLA 5
A popular downtown Bethlehem pub has reopened after a freak fire earlier this month caused damage in a back utility room, owners said.

Neville Gardner, who co-owns McCarthys Red Stag Pub & Whiskey Bar with his wife, Linda Shay Gardner, posted on the business Facebook page they would be reopened Monday. The restaurant, located at 534 Main St., however, has limited hours and didnt open until 4 p.m. Monday.

Limited hours and menu but not limited taste! Come by and show your support!!, the posting stated.

The restaurant is known for its authentic Irish and British Isles food made from scratch; a full bar with an extensive Irish and Scottish whisky menu; and a family-friendly atmosphere. Neville Gardner is a native of Northern Ireland.

The blaze began around 4 a.m. Feb. 3 in a back utility room, where Neville Gardner had a laundry basket filled with dirty rags, he said. Neville Gardner believes the basket fell against the furnace and ignited.

Flames triggered the restaurants smoke alarm and the business security team notified the fire department, Neville Gardner said. By the time crews arrived, however, a water line above the utility room melted and water fell on the flames, extinguishing the blaze, he had said.

The eaterys CO2 system was damaged in the incident. Neville Gardner at the time expected some other minor repairs.

No one was at the restaurant when the blaze broke out, with the last person leaving about two to three hours prior, Neville Gardner had said. There were no reported injuries.

Why Neville Gardner and Shay Gardner call the fire a freak incident was due to the restaurants longtime paranormal activity.

They believe a resident ghost, known as Liesl Boeckel, helped save the pub from what could have been more catastrophic destruction. Additionally, the pub is next to Donegal Square, a Celtic gift shop operated by Neville Gardner that went mainly unscathed, he said.

The property the restaurant sits on dated back to the mid-1700s. Legend states the daughter of the sites property owner, Boeckel, nursed Gen. Marquis de Lafayette back to health following a leg wound at the Battle of Brandywine in 1777.

Boeckel, according to the legend, died from a broken heart when he returned to battle and still haunts the building. Blown out candles have been relit; furniture has been mysteriously moved and racks have been turned.

Shay Gardner told lehighvalleylive.com the ghost is particularly active during any renovation work or improvements. Currently, owners are creating The Lafayette Suite, a short-term deluxe rental on the third floor, where Boeckel is believed to roam.

We believe she wants to live there once renovated, and we have been surprised that she hasnt acted out in her normal fashion with this major project, Shay Gardner said. We anticipated some of her antics to come out with the construction, but that has not happened. As luck would have it, we think Liesl was awake when the fire started ... and she helped to make sure that water pipes opened and put out the fire.

There was no water damage, and the water apparently stopped running after the fire was out, Shay Gardner added. We believe that if Liesl was unhappy with our renovations, she would not have helped put this fire out. Without Liesls presence and help, the fire could have ignited the entire building.

McCarthys in the 1990s began with a cafe setting, before eventually growing from a bakery and tea room atmosphere into a restaurant. In 2013, the business morphed into McCarthys Red Stag Pub and Whiskey Bar  adding the Red Stag emblem from the McCarthy Coat of Arms to the name. The neighboring retail store has been in existence in the city for about four decades.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com.

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com.
The number of people who have fled the war in Ukraine and found refuge in Laois has risen by just 65% in the past 12 months according to the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

The CSO has published the latest data on the number of people seeking refuge in Ireland in the 12th edition of its Arrivals from Ukraine in Ireland Series.

The report published on February 20 shows that there were 1,441 arrivals from Ukraine into Laois by February 4 this year. That's up 65% on the CSO published 873 arrivals into the county as of February 12, 2023.

The most notable increase is in the Portarlington Graiguecullen Municipal District where a transition accommodation hub is in operation in Stradbally. A total of 320 people were living in the east Laois district in February last year. That is up by 80% to 576 over the last 12 months according to CSO figures.

The Port/Graigue district is also home to more refugees than the other two Laois Municipal Districts. The current figure for the district is up just 6% since last October.

Tented accommodation for Ukrainians was set up in the town on the Cosby estate in Stradbally after the Electric Picnic ended last September. This has since been replaced with temporary structures that can accommodate up to 950 people at any one time while alternative places to live are located.

There are now 401 Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTP) in the Portlaoise Municipal District. It also takes in Abbeyleix and stretches to the Kilkenny border. There were 553 residing in the Portlaoise Municipal District when numbers were last recorded in October 2023.

The Borris-in-Ossory Mountmellick Municipal District is the biggest in Laois as it stretches from the Offaly border to the boundaries with Tipperary and Kilkenny. Ukrainian numbers there have doubled in the past year. There were 401 refugees from the Russian invasion in the district this February compared to 216 people last February.

Rathdowney is in the Borris district. A new modular housing estate for Ukrainian refugees to accommodate 168 people was completed in late 2023.

The number of children from Ukraine has risen to 343 from 283 last February. Of the children now here, 217 are in primary school and 126 are in secondary school.

The figures also show that there are now 356 people living in the homes of Laois people who receive the Accommodation Recognition Payment for hosting Ukrainians. That's up from 139 in February this year.
A new Portlaoise emergency response volunteer group is being formed, to try and save lives of people who die from cardiac arrest in the precious minutes before an ambulance can reach them.

Portlaoise is to join with over 250 other towns in having its own Community First Responders group, if volunteers come forward.

The volunteers will get training and governance by CFR Ireland, who support over 250 such groups around Ireland.

Chairperson John Fitzgerald told the Leinster Express / Laois Live how it all works.

"We are delighted that the Portlaoise community is setting up a Community First Responder scheme in conjunction with the many PADs (defibrillators) placed in the town. This will give the people of Portlaoise the best chance of survival of a cardiac arrest.

"In Ireland, each year an estimated 5,000 people collapse and die 'out of hospital' from cardiac arrest. That is 14 people every day.

"These people are going about their normal daily lives and collapse and die without warning. In this country, we often say that 'she died suddenly' or 'he dropped dead', this is sudden cardiac arrest.

"A 'heart attack' is different to cardiac. This is caused by a blockage in one or more of the arteries that supply blood to heart muscle. It could develop into a cardiac arrest if untreated.

"When a person collapses, if cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is started immediately and an automated external defibrillator (AED) is used within 3 minutes of the collapse, the patient has a 70% chance of survival," John explained.

Community First Responders undergoing training.

This is where First Responders can step in.

"Out of Hospital Cardiac arrest survival is not an ambulance problem, it's a community problem. It's just not possible to have an ambulance outside every cardiac arrest, so we need to organise communities to act first in these emergencies.

"Community First Responder schemes across Ireland are dispatched by The National Ambulance Service to cardiac arrests in communities. CFRs also attend patients with chest pain or suspected heart attack, patients suffering strokes and choking. They attend adults, children and infants. The number of these schemes is growing nationally, monthly," he said.

Having a hospital in Portlaoise is not enough.

"Communities often feel that there is no need for a Community First Responder or PAD scheme in their community because there is an Ambulance base, or a hospital, or a doctors surgery nearby.The issue with cardiac arrest is that in order to have any chance of survival, emergency services need to be activated straight away, CPR needs to start within the first few minutes of the collapse and then a AED needs to be used as soon as possible, the chain of survival.

"Community First Responders come from all walks of life and volunteer to give up their time and organise themselves in their communities where they live or work to save lives. We fundraised for everything and received no central funding. They purchase their own emergency kit and training equipment.

"The biggest expense is the volunteers time, they need to train regularly to ensure that their skills are at the highest level when called upon," John said.

He said they will take as many Portlaoise volunteers as are willing to help.

"Community First Responds are not for everyone. Like the Ambulance and the Fire Service, they see people on the worst day of their lives. Also, performing CPR is quite a physical activity and can be tiring. But there are jobs for everyone in the community coordinator, administration, treasure, fundraising, PR/social media.

"The initial training for Community First Responders is about 4.5 hours long. It covers cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), how to use an automated external defibrillator, chest pain management (suspected heart attack), choking relief and stroke recognition. However, Community First Responders practise and practise for hours before going on emergency calls," he said.

Recent Portlaoise resident Amanda Wilkinson kickstarted the idea to bring CFR to Portlaoise.

"I heard about CFR through an interview with Ger ODea National Ambulance Service, Community Engagement Manager on RTE radio and thought it would be a great idea to have a group set up in Portlaoise. If someone is on the ground clutching their chest, seconds matter, they need someone there straight away.

"They'll get training and ongoing support, and they could save someone's life," she said.

The cost of setting up a Portlaoise branch will run up to 4,000, which will give the group its own mobile AED, as well as covering training and all other ongoing costs.

"If any nice generous companies out there could help, it would be a great service to Portlaoise," Amanda said.

A meeting for potential volunteers will be held at Portlaoise Parish Centre, on Wednesday, March 6 from 7 to 8pm.

Mr Fitzgerald will be there, as well as Amanda Ross, Community Engagement Officer, National Ambulance service who will give a presentation and explain how to set up the group. Kieran Bradley, Order of Malta Portlaoise will attend also.

"All are welcome, hopefully there will be a big response. Just come along and see what you thing and hear more about it," Amanda said.

Portarlington Community First Responders is also relaunching after a forced break by the pandemic. Contact them for information on 087-4170346.

CFR Ireland is a volunteer organisation supporting Community First Responder schemes. It formed in 2014, covering issues like governance, recruiting volunteers, fundraising, insurance, and Charity Regulatory Authority compliance. If anyone would also like to set up a grup in their own area, they can contact the National Ambulance Service on cfr@hse.ie
A man who chased a naked woman through a corridor in a Dublin hotel having just pinned her down to a bed, threatened her and sexually assaulted her, has been jailed for six years.

Mamadou Alpha Bah (27) had met the 43-year-old woman a month earlier and they had been exchanging messages before arranging to meet that night, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard yesterday (Monday, February 19 last).

Inspector Brian Hunt told Ed OMahony BL, prosecuting, that the woman went for drinks with Bah before they walked back together to the hotel in Dublin city centre.

He invited her into his room and she voluntarily went there with him.

They had a few beers together and chatted before the woman got up to get a taxi.

Inps Hunt said Bah then pushed the woman back onto the bed and pinned her there.

She later told gardai he had 'the look of the devil.'

He ordered her to take off her clothes and threatened to break her neck if she didnt, before he sexually assaulted her through her clothes.

He punched the woman and continually tried to force her legs open.

The woman asked to go to the bathroom and Bah let her up, but followed her in.

He then went to use the toilet himself and the woman managed to escape from the hotel room.

Insp Hunt said Bah chased the woman through the hotel corridor shouting at her: 'Get back in b***h.'

She fell to the ground and he tried to drag her back to the room, but the woman continually shouted for help and a couple ultimately came to her aid, Insp Hunt said.

Bah, of The View, St Wolstans Abbey, Celbridge, County Kildare, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to sexual assault and assault causing harm to the woman at the hotel on September 2, 2020.

Insp Hunt confirmed that while Bah had no previous convictions at the time of the offence, he has since been convicted of sexual assault and false imprisonment of a woman in August 2021.

In October 2023 he received a five-year sentence with one suspended at Naas Circuit Criminal Court for this offence.

He is due for release in October 2025.

Insp Hunt said the woman at the Dublin hotel later told gardai she was in fear and felt she would be met with further physical harm if she didnt comply with Bah.

Bah was still wrapped in a towel when gardai arrived and he was identified as a suspect.

He was interviewed a number of times by gardai but made no admissions.

The forensic analysis that was carried out was not of evidential value, but gardai sourced CCTV footage that captured the chase in the corridor.

Insp Hunt agreed with John Peart SC, defending, that his client pleaded guilty on the morning of his trial.

Mr Peart told the court that his client was remorseful and apologises to the victim.

There are deportation orders in place following his ultimate release from prison.

Judge Martin Nolan said what happened that night could be described as 'a violent sexual assault' during which the woman was forced to take off her clothes.

He said the headline sentence was in the region of eight to nine years, 'by reason of the violence involved', having taken into account the maximum penalty available to the court was 10 years.

Judge Nolan said Bahs plea of guilty was 'late' but 'valuable'.

He took into account that Bah was an African national who speaks French and as such, would have difficulty in prison because he has little English.

He jailed Bah for six years.

If you have been affected by this article, you can find resources to help you by contacting Samaritans Ireland at jo@samaritans.ie or by ringing 116 123.

You can also find additional resources at the Rape Crisis Centre at http://drcc.ie.
A sister of convicted drug dealer and gang "patriarch" Christy Keane, who was caught with 124k in crime cash in her attic, was told by her husband that tens of thousands of euro in her bank accounts had come from "gambling", the Special Criminal Court has heard.

Sandra Hehir's defence counsel asked the court on Monday to suspend all or a significant part of any sentence it imposes.

Hehir, aged 56, with an address at Assumpta Park, Island Road, Limerick city, pleaded guilty in October before the non-jury court to laundering the money at her home in June 2020.

She pleaded guilty that on June 17, 2020, at the same address she handled, acquired and/or possessed cash to the value of 124,055, knowing or believing (or being reckless as to whether) property in the said premises was the proceeds of criminal conduct.

The charge came under Section 7 of the Criminal Justice (Monday Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010.

At the Special Criminal Court, defence counsel Padraig Dwyer SC said Hehir had been told by her now-deceased husband that the money that went through her accounts had come from gambling.

However, she accepted that, in all probability, it had been the proceeds of crime. Mr Dwyer said his client denied any criminal involvement, had entered a guilty plea and had expressed her regret.

Counsel said a probation report for Hehir, who has no previous convictions, was a positive one and that she had no impediments such as mental health or addiction issues.

Counsel said Sandra Hehir was now predominantly estranged from her siblings and works as a hairdresser.

Mr Dwyer said his client had letters of reference describing her as a valuable staff member who is a good person and who was co-operative with the probation service.

Counsel said the probation service found it unlikely that Sandra Hehir would be in this position again and that if the court is going to suspend all or some of her sentence, it could take comfort in that rehabilitation appears to have been achieved.

Mr Dwyer asked the court to suspend all or a significant part of any sentence imposed, adding that his client had never been before a court before and that it would be a great shock and surprise if she ever got into trouble again.

Mr Justice Michael MacGrath, presiding at the three-judge court, adjourned the matter to Monday, February 26, for sentence finalisation.

At a previous hearing, Fiona Murphy SC, prosecuting, told the court that five other counts of money laundering could be taken into consideration.

The barrister said that a nolle prosequi - a decision not to prosecute - will be entered on three other counts.
Patch Joins the World Economic Forum's Global Innovators Community





Patch, the global climate platform supporting the scale of high-integrity carbon markets, has joined the World Economic Forum's Global Innovators Community. An invitation-only group, the Global Innovators Community brings together the world's most promising growth-stage companies at the forefront of innovation in their industries.

As a Global Innovator, Patch will help shape the Forum's agenda on critical global issues and will share insights and connect with public and private sector leaders through the Forum's Centre for Nature and Climate.

"Global leaders are now recognizing that carbon removal will be an essential piece of achieving our climate goals," said Brennan Spellacy, Patch CEO and co-founder. "Our expanded partnership with the World Economic Forum will enable Patch to bring its cutting-edge digital infrastructure and insights to Forum members in support of efficient and transparent transactions across the carbon market, helping achieve the gigatonne-scale carbon removal we need for a 1.5?2C world."

Patch is also an implementation partner of the Forum's First Movers Coalition, through which the company has supported coalition members in achieving their commitments to purchase 50,000 tonnes of durable and scalable carbon removal to be achieved by 2030.

Patch uses a combination of technology, expert guidance, and stakeholder engagement to advance credit integrity and ensure buyers feel confident in their credit purchases. Patch's CarbonOS software, which actively facilitates the management of hundreds of millions of tonnes of carbon, has helped project developers of all sizes transform their operations and scale their reach. With this unique market perspective, Patch is able to offer both buyers and sellers purpose-built systems that enable seamless end-to-end management of carbon credits.

"The World Economic Forum is happy to welcome Patch to join our Global Innovators community," says Verena Kuhn, Head of the Global Innovators Community, World Economic Forum. "Including new, innovative voices is essential to the work we do at the Forum. We look forward to how Patch's insights and expertise will support our initiatives, dialogues and communities of climate action."

About Patch:

Patch is the platform accelerating climate solutions with integrity. Patch builds technology to help organizations manage, sell, and buy carbon credits with efficiency, transparency, and rigor. Through Patch, companies gain access to the broadest network of high-integrity carbon credits. Carbon credit suppliers use Patch to enhance operational efficiency and precision, and modernize their buyer experiences. Today, hundreds of million tonnes of carbon are actively managed on Patch. To help rebalance the planet, visit patch.io.

About The World Economic Forum:

The World Economic Forum is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business, cultural and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas. It was established in 1971 as a not-for- profit foundation headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. It is independent, impartial and not tied to any special interests.

19 february 2024 at 19:05

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OKX Appoints Mehmet Cam?r as Chairman of the Board of OKX TR





OKX Chief Legal Officer Mauricio Beugelmans named member of OKX TR Board

ISTANBUL, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- OKX, a leading global Web3 technology company and crypto exchange, today announced its appointment of Mehmet Cam?r as Chairman of the Board for OKX Turkiye (OKX TR).

Cam?r, who has held positions in Turkiye's foremost public and private banking institutions and the Turkish Wealth Fund, leverages his expertise in regulation, financial markets, public relations, and audit, as well as in the crypto and blockchain space.

OKX also announced today that Chief Legal Officer Mauricio Beugelmans was also appointed as a member of the OKX TR Board. Beugelmans, who also serves as global head of OKX's Legal and Compliance Division, has over 25 years of experience as a legal professional in the corporate and finance sectors, and previously held senior positions at Morgan Stanley and at leading law firms in the United States.

Cam?r will steer OKX TR's efforts in business development, growth, compliance, and operations, as the company gears up for its official launch in the market.

OKX President Hong Fang said: "We're thrilled to welcome Mehmet to OKX TR as the Chairman of the Board. With his notable experience in Turkiye's traditional financial sector, and his advocacy for digital asset innovation since 2016, Mehmet is an invaluable addition to our leadership team. He will carry out our global vision in Turkiye, a critical market in our global expansion."

Mr. Cam?r said:"Our ambition is to serve the Turkish market by staying close to the local community and bringing our global resources to bear to assure security, transparency and leading customer service. Turkiye holds a significant position in net crypto transaction volume regionally, and has strong potential innovation and growth. At OKX TR, we aim to drive the development of the local cryptocurrency ecosystem and the future of decentralized finance, positioning our nation as the crypto and Web3 nexus of the region."

For further information, please contact:

[email protected]

About OKX

OKX is a leading global crypto exchange and innovative Web3 company. Trusted by more than 50 million global users, OKX is known for being one of the fastest and most reliable crypto apps in the world.

As a top partner of English Premier League champions Manchester City FC, McLaren Formula 1, Olympian Scotty James, and F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo, OKX aims to supercharge the fan experience with new engagement opportunities. OKX is also the top partner of the Tribeca Festival as part of an initiative to bring more creators into web3.

The OKX Wallet is the platform's latest offering for people looking to explore the world of NFTs and the metaverse while trading GameFi and DeFi tokens.

OKX is committed to transparency and security and publishes its Proof of Reserves on a monthly basis.

To learn more about OKX, download our app or visit: okx.com

Disclaimer

This announcement is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended to provide any investment, tax, or legal advice, nor should it be considered an offer to purchase, sell, hold or offer any services relating to digital assets. Digital assets, including stablecoins, involve a high degree of risk, can fluctuate greatly, and can even become worthless. You should carefully consider whether trading or holding digital assets is suitable for you in light of your financial condition and risk tolerance. OKX and/or OKX TR do not provide investment or asset recommendations. You are solely responsible for your investment decisions, and OKX and/or OKX TR are not responsible for any potential losses. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Not all products are available in all regions. Please consult your legal/tax/investment professional for questions about your specific circumstances.

SOURCE OKX

20 february 2024 at 02:19

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Former Zillow Execs Launch Tomo Real Estate, A Next-Gen Home Search Portal Redefining Home Buyer Strategies





AI-powered search, insider equity insights, and negotiation tips give home shoppers an edge in today's competitive housing market

STAMFORD, Conn., Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Tomo, the mortgage startup founded by Zillow alumni that has raised $110 million, today launched a new real estate portal, Tomo Real Estate, designed to give homebuyers a strategic advantage. Tomo Real Estate's unique home search experience offers home buyers insider intel, transforming the way they approach negotiations and ultimately helping them land their dream homes.

The new portal augments Tomo's core business ? purchase mortgages, offered through Tomo Mortgage. The company has spent the last three years building mortgage tech that shortens closing times and provides a better customer experience. Tomo is taking a major step forward in furthering its mission to support home buyers at every stage of their journey. The company is extending its commitment to better another critical, yet technologically stagnant, step of the home shopping experience: search and find.

"Tomo's beginnings as a mortgage company set us apart in the real estate industry. We recognized that the mortgage process was the catastrophe of the real estate transaction, and tackled that first. Now, we're channeling that motivation into the real estate search," said Tomo Co-founder and CEO, Greg Schwartz. "Let's face it. The search and find process hasn't changed much since mobile phones launched. Home buyers have been stuck adapting to the technology and experiences available, instead of the technology and experience streamlining how people actually search for homes ? which is far more nuanced than a zip code, bed and bath count."

At launch, Tomo Real Estate will be available in key markets covering 50 percent of real estate listings in the U.S.1 To better meet the needs of the next generation of home buyers, Tomo Real Estate has built an AI-first platform that leverages OpenAI to power free-text search capabilities. Unique to Tomo Real Estate, home buyers can simply describe their ideal home just as they would in a conversation with a friend or real estate agent ? such as, "a Seattle home that has a top of the line kitchen with space to entertain, great views, and a spot to WFH" ? and the platform delivers accurate results, making the home-search process more intuitive and efficient. Additionally, Tomo Real Estate is pioneering the use of computer vision to index photos, extracting over 200 attributes that go beyond standard property descriptions, including features like water views, fenced backyard, and natural light.

Home buyers will also have access to valuable information such as home equity data and owner names. Equity data is a game-changer, allowing buyers to gauge negotiation strategies based on a seller's financial situation. Owner names will be displayed based on public record data, serving as a resource to better understand an owner's motivations for selling.2

"We're not just another listing portal," said Carey Armstrong, Tomo Co-founder & COO. "Tomo Real Estate is here to give home buyers a distinctive advantage with real, actionable insights ? not overwhelming them with a buffet of information and ads to decipher alone. Think of Tomo Real Estate as your strategic partner, paving the way for home-buying success."

The new portal works in lock-step with Tomo Mortgage's existing purchase mortgage business, which has among the best customer satisfaction in the business. Tomo Mortgage regularly logs NPS scores that are 20-plus points higher than industry stalwarts like Rocket Mortgage, thanks to its tech and customer service center.3

Start your home search with Tomo Real Estate at https://tomo.com .

About Tomo

Tomo is a fintech startup on a mission to digitize residential mortgages and vastly improve the home-buying experience through its two companies, Tomo Mortgage and Tomo Real Estate. With a unique perspective rooted in its founding DNA as a mortgage company, Tomo Real Estate is a next-gen real estate portal offering a comprehensive home shopping experience, leveraging AI, visual insights, and purpose-driven data to give home buyers an advantage and redefine the real estate industry.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Lauren Riefflin, Kingston Marketing Group

[email protected]

1 At launch, Tomo Real Estate will be available in 575+ markets covering over 50 percent of the real estate listings in U.S., including key markets in Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia.

2 Owner names can be removed via registration or request

3 Tomo all-time NPS: 80.36%; Rocket NPS: 71% as of September 2023 Source: Rocket Investor Deck

SOURCE Tomo Networks, Inc.

20 february 2024 at 04:30

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Thrive Aviation Expands fleet with Munday Aviation's Factory-Delivered Praetor 500, Reinforcing the Strength of its Managed Aircraft Business Model





LAS VEGAS, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Thrive Aviation proudly announces the addition of the Praetor 500 to its managed charter fleet under aircraft owner, Munday Aviation. This strategic expansion not only underscores the company's commitment to providing top-notch luxury travel, but also highlights its expanding managed aircraft business model. Through Thrive's partnership with Munday Aviation, this is the second factory delivered airplane within a little over 6 months; highlighting the strength and success of the partnership and Thrive's management business model.

Christopher B Munday ? owner of Munday Aviation, stated "Thrive Aviation has been an incredible Partner and has done everything and more that they promised us." Munday continued, "entrusting them with a second Aircraft, our new Praetor 500, was an easy decision."

The Praetor 500 is the world's most technologically advanced business jet in its class. With its remarkable range and incredible speed, the Praetor 500 shatters conventional expectations for the capabilities in its category. It is set to redefine the private aviation experience for Thrive Aviation's clientele.

Rickey Oswald, Chief Operating Officer at Thrive Aviation, said this about the continued partnership with Munday Aviation, "Working with Mr. Munday on their first airplane acquisition was exciting for Thrive as it spearheaded the managed fleet business model for us. The fact that Mr. Munday is adding additional planes speaks volumes to the relationship we've built and the product offering we have as an aircraft management company." Oswald continued, "the Praetor 500 is an incredible airplane and fits extremely well within our fleet, we are excited about the opportunities this aircraft presents and look forward to continuing to deliver on enhanced flying experiences for our passengers."

The Praetor 500 outpaces competitors with its range, speed, and superior amenities. Its debut into Thrive Aviation's charter fleet cements Thrive Aviation's esteemed reputation for elevated flight experiences and operational excellence.

About Thrive Aviation

Thrive Aviation is a U.S. owned and globally operated curator of private aviation services, recognized as one of the Nation's Top 20 charter operators. Thrive's innovative aircraft and fleet management strategy has fueled its ability to provide bespoke asset-management, superior service, and elevated flight experiences for its guests and partners around the world. With corporate headquarters in Henderson, Nevada's exclusive Green Valley Corporate Center, the operator serves the North American and global markets from its operational base in Las Vegas, NV. Thrive Aviation's owned/operated and managed fleets of light, super-mid, large cabin, and ultra-long-range aircraft have steadily emerged as some of the industry's most coveted aircraft.

Learn more at: www.flythrive.com

Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE Thrive Aviation

20 february 2024 at 05:15

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Jumio Announces Igor Beckerman as Chief Financial Officer





Jumio, the leading provider of automated, end-to-end identity verification, risk assessment and compliance solutions, today announced the addition of Igor Beckerman as chief financial officer.

Beckerman has three decades of finance leadership experience, most notably as leading customer success platform Gainsight's first-ever CFO, and at Marketo, where he served through the IPO and the eventual acquisition by Vista Equity Partners in 2016. He was most recently the CFO at Newsela, and also held senior leadership roles at Precise Software Solutions and Symantec. He holds a Master of Business Administration from Stanford University and a bachelor of arts in economics (with honors) from The University of California, Berkeley.

Beckerman's appointment comes at a pivotal time for Jumio, as its market-leading, AI-powered solutions are reaching record-breaking automation and quality rates.

"The identity landscape is facing a seismic upheaval, and Igor joining our team of innovators is just another step we're taking to ensure Jumio remains the clear leader in this space," said Jumio CEO Robert Prigge.

"I'm thrilled to join Jumio at such an integral moment in the company's evolution and look forward to helping make 2024 the company's best year yet," Beckerman said.

To learn more about Jumio and its award-winning, AI-powered solutions, visit jumio.com.

About Jumio

Jumio helps organizations to know and trust their customers online. From account opening to ongoing monitoring, the Jumio platform provides advanced identity verification, risk signals and compliance solutions that help you accurately establish, maintain and reassert trust.

Leveraging powerful technology including automation, biometrics, AI/machine learning, liveness detection and no-code orchestration with hundreds of data sources, Jumio helps you fight fraud and financial crime, onboard good customers faster and meet regulatory compliance including KYC and AML. Jumio has processed more than 1 billion transactions spanning over 200 countries and territories from real-time web and mobile transactions.

Based in Sunnyvale, Jumio operates globally with offices and representation in North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific and the Middle East and has been the recipient of numerous awards for innovation. Jumio is backed by Centana Growth Partners, Great Hill Partners and Millennium Technology Value Partners.

For more information, please visit www.jumio.com.

20 february 2024 at 06:05

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Simon Lussier Joins Midland's Board of Directors





MONTREAL, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Midland Exploration Inc. ("Midland") (TSX-V: MD) is pleased to announce the election of Simon Lussier as Director of the Company at the annual meeting of shareholders held on February 15, 2024.



"It is a privilege to have Simon join our team. His strategic experience and in depth knowledge of capital markets acquired while working at Sprott Securities as well as his entrepreneurial leadership in financing projects in growth companies makes him a perfect fit for our Board. We are thrilled to benefit from his knowledge and skill set in the years to come," commented Gino Roger, President and CEO.

About Simon Lussier

Mr. Lussier holds a bachelor's degree in commerce and entrepreneurship from McGill University and an MBA in finance from HEC Montreal. He has more than 35 years of diverse experience in the financial industry. From 2012 until recently, he held the position of Partner, Vice President and Senior Advisor at Van Berkom Global Asset Management, member of the Executive Management Committee (EMC), including more than 6 years as Chief Compliance Officer. From 2006 to 2012, Mr. Lussier was Senior Vice-President, Institutional Equities at Laurentian Bank Securities, member of the EMC, where he was able to follow Midland's exploration projects since its inception. From 1994 to 2006, he was Partner, Director of the Montreal office of Sprott Securities.

After a fulfilling career, Mr. Lussier currently offers financial literacy to students and professionals. He joins Midland's Board of Directors with great enthusiasm.

About Midland

Midland targets the excellent mineral potential of Quebec to make the discovery of new world-class deposits of gold and critical metals. Midland is proud to count on reputable partners such as BHP Canada Inc., Rio Tinto Exploration Canada Inc., Barrick Gold Corp., Agnico Eagle Mines Limited, Probe Gold Inc., Wallbridge Mining Company Ltd, Electric Element Mining Corp., SOQUEM Inc., Brunswick Exploration Inc., Nunavik Mineral Exploration Fund, Cosmos Exploration Limited and Abcourt Mines Inc. Midland prefers to work in partnership and intends to quickly conclude additional agreements in regard to newly acquired properties. Management is currently reviewing other opportunities and projects to build up Midland's portfolio and generate shareholder value.

For further information, please consult Midland's website or contact:

Gino Roger, President and Chief Executive Officer

Tel.: 450 420-5977

Fax: 450 420-5978

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.midlandexploration.com

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This press release may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to vary materially from targeted results. Such risks and uncertainties include those described in Midland's periodic reports including the annual report or in the filings made by Midland from time to time with securities regulatory authorities.

20 february 2024 at 07:30

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Curaleaf Celebrates New Phoenix Airport Dispensary





The Company's new location boasts a larger floor space and state-of-the-art renovations



NEW YORK, Feb. 20, 2024 /CNW/ -- Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. (TSX: CURA) (OTCQX: CURLF) ("Curaleaf" or the "Company"), a leading international provider of consumer cannabis products, today announced that it has relocated its Curaleaf Phoenix Airport dispensary to 4415 East Monroe Street, a newly updated and refreshed retail space. Curaleaf Phoenix Airport is the closest dispensary from highly trafficked 44th St., a major roadway to the Sky Harbor Airport.

The new location is situated in an optimal area of Phoenix, allowing for convenient access to new customers and to better serve existing customers. Curaleaf Phoenix Airport is on the centrifuge loop of the airport, offering improved parking and proximity for visitors to the city. The dispensary has undergone a state-of-the-art renovation and boasts 5,000 square feet of retail floor space. Adult use and medical patients will have access to Curaleaf's premium suite of products, including the newly launched 1g all-in-one vape, Select Stiq, as well as Select Briq, Grassroots, JAMS, Find. and more.

The dispensary will celebrate its grand opening on Saturday, February 24th, kicking off with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. Guests will receive exclusive doorbuster deals, steep discounts and a gift with purchase, while supplies last. Donuts and coffee will be provided for visitors to enjoy as they shop.

"Curaleaf has proudly served over 1.2 million customers and sold over 24 million products in Arizona over the past three years, with seven bustling locations in Phoenix alone," said Luke Flood, Regional Sr. Vice President at Curaleaf. "With our new Phoenix Airport location, we have upgraded our entire consumer experience with a beautiful new store featuring our wide variety of products in one of the most accessible areas of the city."

For more information on Curaleaf's operations in Arizona, please visit https://curaleaf.com/dispensary/arizona .

About Curaleaf Holdings

Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. (TSX: CURA) (OTCQX: CURLF) ("Curaleaf") is a leading international provider of consumer products in cannabis with a mission to enhance lives by cultivating, sharing and celebrating the power of the plant. As a high-growth cannabis company known for quality, expertise and reliability, the Company and its brands, including Curaleaf, Select, and Grassroots provide industry-leading service, product selection and accessibility across the medical and adult use markets. In the United States, our brands are sold in 17 states with operations encompassing 147 dispensaries and employing more than 5,200 team members. Curaleaf International is the largest vertically integrated cannabis company in Europe with a unique supply and distribution network throughout the European market, bringing together pioneering science and research with cutting-edge cultivation, extraction and production. Curaleaf is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol CURA and trades on the OTCQX market under the symbol CURLF. For more information, please visit https://ir.curaleaf.com .

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This media advisory contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. These statements relate to future events or future performance. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward?looking statements or information. Generally, forward-looking statements and information may be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or, "proposed", "is expected", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases, or by the use of words or phrases which state that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, or might occur or be achieved. More particularly and without limitation, this news release contains forward-looking statements and information concerning the opening of the new Phoenix Airport dispensary. Such forward-looking statements and information reflect management's current beliefs and are based on assumptions made by and information currently available to the company with respect to the matter described in this new release. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, which are based on current expectations as of the date of this release and subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Additional information about these assumptions and risks and uncertainties is contained under "Risk Factors and Uncertainties" in the Company's latest annual information form filed May 1, 2023, which is available under the Company's SEDAR profile at http://www.sedar.com, and in other filings that the Company has made and may make with applicable securities authorities in the future. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made only as to the date of this press release and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. We caution investors not to place considerable reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. The Toronto Stock Exchange has not reviewed, approved or disapproved the content of this news release.

INVESTOR CONTACT

Curaleaf Holdings, Inc.

Camilo Lyon, Chief Investment Officer

[email protected]

MEDIA CONTACT

Curaleaf Holdings, Inc.

Tracy Brady, SVP Corporate Communications

[email protected]

SOURCE Curaleaf Holdings, Inc.

20 february 2024 at 07:45

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Elligo Health Research Expands EU and U.K. Clinical Trial Support With WHYZE Health





Elligo Health Research, the largest healthcare-enabling research organization, today announced a new collaboration with WHYZE Health, an Ireland-based company.

WHYZE Health is an AI Data-as-a-Service platform that enhances the way healthcare data is collected, managed, and analyzed, thereby enabling healthcare providers to elevate patient care and democratize clinical trial access. This collaboration expands end-to-end clinical trial support to hospitals and medical practices across the U.K. and Europe, meaning more research sites will have comprehensive services to begin providing clinical research as care for patients or to fill in gaps in existing research capabilities.

Through the strategic combination of Elligo's business development and clinical trials financial expertise and WHYZE's state-of-the-art AI DaaS platform streamlining patient suitability and recruitment, this partnership will significantly expand the number of community-based healthcare research sites in the U.K. and Europe while improving the diversity of trial enrollees internationally. Health systems, hospitals, and medical practices are provided wraparound support by WHYZE and Elligo to ensure trial enrollment, timeliness, and quality expectations are achieved.

"European expansion is part of a multi-pronged strategy to bring research services to as many clients as possible at a time when there is regulatory pressure to test drugs on patients who better reflect the diversity of the overall population," said Elligo CEO Barry Simms. "The global challenge we all face today is supporting research-naive sites to participate in clinical research trials. Expanding support to more healthcare settings will continue to attract more diverse patients for trials worldwide. We look forward to partnering with WHYZE in this effort."

"Our alliance with Elligo Health Research represents a quantum leap in healthcare innovation, where WHYZE's advanced AI Data-as-a-Service platform meets the clinical acumen of global research networks, setting a new gold standard in patient-centric care and inclusivity in clinical trials across Europe," said WHYZE Health CEO Frances Abeton. "At WHYZE Health, we are not just developing technology; we are shaping the future of patient empowerment and research accessibility, ensuring that every patient, regardless of their background, can benefit from the most advanced research."

About Elligo Health Research

Elligo Health Research accelerates clinical trials through EHR data, our proprietary IntElligo technology, and direct access to known, diverse patients from more than 115 hospitals and major health systems, 200 healthcare-based sites, and 100 research-based sites. Our PatientSelect model engages our network of networks to optimize the intersection of healthcare and research and bring more patients clinical research as a care option. Our SiteSelect model and Research Partner Services enable sites to seamlessly participate in trials, further advancing the development of new pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device and diagnostic products.

About WHYZE Health

WHYZE Health's pioneering AI Data as Service platform transforms healthcare by offering a scalable solution to comprehensively track patient outcomes during their healthcare journey, extending the clinical trial process into real-world scenarios. This transformation of the healthcare landscape harnesses valuable insights from real-world patient data, benefiting patients, healthcare providers, and the pharmaceutical and MedTech industries alike. WHYZE Health AI platform enables physicians to make informed decisions, ensuring the right treatment is prescribed for each patient. Furthermore, WHYZE addresses the existing data imbalance by democratising research access for healthcare providers, physicians, and patients, all based on their outcomes, thereby reshaping the healthcare industry.

20 february 2024 at 08:05

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BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, February 20. Kyrgyzstan's President Sadyr Zhaparov discussed the development plan for the Kyzyl Ompol uranium deposit with residents of the Tong district of the Issyk-Kul region and Kochkor district of the Naryn region, Trend reports.

According to the press service of the Kyrgyz president, he met with residents and local government representatives. The residents were provided with up-to-date information about the plans for the development of the deposit, and experts along with the president addressed their questions.

Additionally, during the meeting, Zhaparov briefed the attendees on recent socio-economic changes in the country and future investment projects to be implemented.

Furthermore, discussions encompassed various social issues, including the state program for housing provision, anti-corruption efforts, public transport development, increasing allowances and salaries for doctors and teachers, as well as the construction of infrastructure facilities.
New Research by Finnish Child Rights NGO Protect Children Reveals How Offenders Use Technology Platforms for Online Child Sexual Abuse





In a groundbreaking new study, alarming insights are unveiled about the technology platforms that offenders use to sexually abuse children online. The research surveyed over 30,000 online child sexual abuse material (CSAM) offenders and uncovers significant information to tackle the proliferation of online child sexual abuse and exploitation.

The research reveals that 40% of CSAM offenders have attempted to contact a child. 70% of them sought contact with a child online, mainly through social media, online gaming, or messaging platforms, with Instagram, Facebook, and Discord being the most exploited social media platforms. End-to-end encrypted messaging apps, Telegram, WhatsApp, and Signal were highlighted as common tools for these illicit activities. These messaging apps are favoured by offenders due to the security and privacy offered by end-to-end encryption, which allows them to commit crimes without fear of detection.

On 20 February, Protect Children will present the research for the first time at the European Parliament. The event will facilitate an active dialogue with policymakers and tech industry representatives on the urgent need for tech to step up efforts to tackle online child sexual abuse and exploitation.

Tech industry must step up their efforts to keep children safe online

In response to these findings, Protect Children has outlined a series of actionable recommendations for the tech industry to step up efforts to combat online child sexual exploitation and abuse. These include adopting a children's rights-by-design approach in platform development, enhancing detection and removal of CSAM, and ensuring stringent age verification processes.

Protect Children urges tech companies not to implement end-to-end encryption on their services without appropriate safeguards to ensure access to evidence by law enforcement and maintain the ability to detect and report CSAM.

The research was conducted with the support of Safe Online. However, the opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed are those of the author Protect Children and do not necessarily reflect those of Safe Online.

Read the full press release here: https://www.suojellaanlapsia.fi/en/post/press-release-200224

Read the research report: https://www.suojellaanlapsia.fi/en/post/tech-platforms-child-sexual-abuse

20 february 2024 at 08:05

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Reprieve Cardiovascular Emerges from Stealth Mode after $42 Million Series A Financing to Bring Intelligent Fluid Management to Heart Failure Patients





Reprieve Cardiovascular, Inc., a development stage company focused on pioneering an intelligent automated diuretic and fluid management approach for acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) treatment, today announced it has raised a total of $42 million in series A financing. The total round was co-led by Lightstone Ventures and Sante Ventures and joined by Deerfield Management, Genesis Capital, and Arboretum Ventures. The funding will advance the Company's clinical and development programs, including the ongoing FASTR trial and its upcoming pivotal trial.

Over 6.7M Americans are living with heart failure today1. ADHF is the sudden or gradual onset of the signs or symptoms of heart failure (difficulty breathing, leg or feet swelling, and fatigue) requiring unplanned office visits, emergency room visits, or hospitalizations. Specifically, ADHF is caused by a rapid onset of fluid volume overload. Over one million patients a year are admitted with a primary heart failure diagnosis2 in the U.S., and millions more around the world, with an average hospital stay of more than 5 days3. Unfortunately, nearly 1 in 4 patients are readmitted to the hospital within 30 days to re-treat fluid volume overload, and approximately half are back within 6 months4.

"Today, the standard of care for heart failure patient fluid removal is diuretics. Originally approved 60 years ago, diuretics remain the primary treatment option but can be difficult to administer optimally without real-time patient information," said Mark Pacyna, chief executive officer of Reprieve Cardiovascular.

Intended to personalize decongestion management and safely, quickly, and completely remove excess fluid to improve patient outcomes and prevent hospital readmissions, the Reprieve System monitors physiological parameters such as urine output to deliver personalized diuretic dosing and fluid replacement for patients with ADHF. Pacyna continued, "Reprieve Cardiovascular is bringing intelligent decongestion management to heart failure patients. The Reprieve System provides physicians and care teams added visibility and control throughout treatment."

Company Expands Management Team

During the past three years, Reprieve Cardiovascular has grown significantly. Today, the leadership team is composed of domain experts in product development, regulatory, clinical, and commercial strategy who bring decades of medical device and cardiovascular experience and a track record of success in developing life-changing healthcare solutions.

Leading Reprieve is Chief Executive Officer Mark Pacyna, who joined Reprieve in May 2021. Before Reprieve, Mark spent 16 years with Medtronic in various leadership positions. Most recently, Mark served as the Vice President & General Manager of Medtronic's Peripheral Vascular Business.

"We're excited to share the Reprieve story as the company emerges from stealth mode ahead of their pivotal trial," said Jan Garfinkle, founding and managing partner of Arboretum Ventures. "The series A funding reinforces our belief in the Reprieve team, and in the need for a new technology that can improve the lives of patients suffering from acute decompensated heart failure around the world."

About Reprieve Cardiovascular, Inc.

Reprieve Cardiovascular, Inc. is developing innovative and groundbreaking therapies that aim to improve the lives of more than 25 million heart failure patients around the world. Reprieve is bringing intelligence to decongestion management to safely accelerate fluid removal for heart failure patients. In 2022, Reprieve initiated the FASTR Trial (pilot study) to compare decongestive therapy administered by the Reprieve Decongestion Management System to Optimal Diuretic Therapy in the treatment of patients diagnosed with acute decompensated heart failure.

Reprieve is a privately held medical device company, headquartered in Milford, Massachusetts, USA.

About the FASTR Trial

The Company is currently conducting the FASTR Trial (Fluid management of Acute decompensated heart failure Subjects Treated with Reprieve system). The objective of this pilot study is to determine if decongestive therapy administered by the Reprieve System can more efficiently decongest ADHF patients as compared to standard-of-care diuretic therapy. This trial is enrolling patients in the United States and Europe.

References

Tsao, C. W., Aday, A. W., Almarzooq, Z. I., Anderson, C. A. M., Arora, P., Avery, C. L., Baker-Smith, C. M., Beaton, A. Z., Boehme, A. K., Buxton, A. E., Commodore-Mensah, Y., Elkind, M. S. V., Evenson, K. R., Eze-Nliam, C., Fugar, S., Generoso, G., Heard, D. G., Hiremath, S., Ho, J. E., & Kalani, R. (2023). Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics?2023 Update: A Report From the American Heart Association. Circulation, 147(8). https://doi.org/10.1161/cir.0000000000001123 Kuno T, Briasoulis A, Tsugawa Y. National Trends in Heart Failure Hospitalization and Readmissions Associated With Policy Changes. JAMA Cardiol. 2022;7(1):114. doi:10.1001/jamacardio.2021.4416 Akintoye, E., Briasoulis, A., Egbe, A., Dunlay, S. M., Kushwaha, S., Levine, D., Afonso, L., Mozaffarian, D., & Weinberger, J. (2017). National Trends in Admission and In?Hospital Mortality of Patients With Heart Failure in the United States (2001?2014). Journal of the American Heart Association: Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease, 6(12). https://doi.org/10.1161/JAHA.117.006955 Khan, M. S., Sreenivasan, J., Lateef, N., Abougergi, M. S., Greene, S. J., Ahmad, T., Anker, S. D., Fonarow, G. C., & Butler, J. (2021). Trends in 30- and 90-Day Readmission Rates for Heart Failure. Circulation: Heart Failure, 14(4). https://doi.org/10.1161/circheartfailure.121.008335

20 february 2024 at 08:10

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Nick Lambie of Ziebart Awarded Franchisee of the Year by International Franchise Association





Former U.S. Air Force MSG Recognized for Outstanding Performance as a Franchise Owner

PHOENIX, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Franchise Association (IFA) today named Nick Lambie, owner of Ziebart in Morgantown, WV, as a 2023 Franchisee of the Year. Lambie was honored at the 64th IFA Annual Convention in Phoenix, AZ, for being an outstanding franchise establishment owner-operator.

Lambie has owned his hometown store with his brother, Mark Lambie, since 2019. Following his career as a U.S. Air Force Master Sergeant, Nick Lambie sought a new challenge that would continue his management and mentorship of people, while paying attention to detail and accomplishing the job. In the five years since, the Morgantown store has become one of the brand's top-performing stores and Nick Lambie's leadership has translated well to business ownership.

Franchisees of the Year exemplify what franchising is all about ? providing opportunity, serving others, and fulfilling the American Dream," said Matthew Haller, President and CEO of the International Franchise Association. "We are proud to recognize Nick with the highest honor IFA awards to individual franchisees, and I have no doubt his work is changing lives and making a lasting community impact."

The Franchisee of the Year Award recognizes leading franchise owners from IFA member brands whose outstanding performance and contributions help protect, enhance, and promote the franchise business model. Nominated by their parent company, individuals are selected for their involvement in their communities, embodying the entrepreneurial spirit, fostering a strong and healthy culture with their workforce, and assisting their fellow franchisees when called upon.

In its 65th year in business, Ziebart operates more than 400 locations and 1,300 service centers in 19 states and 37 countries. The brand has been named #150 in Entrepreneur's Franchise 500 and a Top Franchise for 2024 by Franchise Business Review, citing the brand's strength as a franchisor with excellent benefits for veteran owners, such as waiving the franchise fee for veterans. Lambie, as a success story for veteran franchise ownership, will soon open his second location with his brother in Washington, PA later this year.

"If you take care of those around you, they'll take care of you in return. That message sits at the core of why I got into entrepreneurship in the first place," said Nick Lambie. "This award is an incredible honor and I'm happy to represent my brother, our store, our hometown, and the Ziebart brand overall as a Franchisee of the Year. Every award is a team award and I can't thank everyone that's helped me get here enough."

There are approximately 806,000 franchised businesses across the U.S., providing over 8.7 million direct jobs and generating over $858 billion in economic output. According to Oxford Economics, franchising on average provides higher wages and better benefits than non-franchised businesses, as well as greater entrepreneurial opportunities to minorities, women, veterans, and other underrepresented communities.

About Ziebart

Founded in 1959, Ziebart International Corporation is the worldwide leader in premium automotive appearance and protection services that extend the life of vehicles. Ziebart operates over 400 locations, with 1,300 service centers, in 37 countries. Ziebart continues to grow and offers domestic and international franchising opportunities, a best-in-class investment for qualified prospects. For more information about Ziebart including franchise opportunities, please visit www.ziebart.com .

About the International Franchise Association:

Celebrating over 60 years of excellence, education, and advocacy, the International Franchise Association (IFA) is the world's oldest and largest organization representing franchising worldwide. IFA works through its government relations and public policy, media relations, and educational programs to protect, enhance and promote franchising and the approximately 806,270 franchise establishments that support nearly 8.7 million direct jobs, $858.5 billion of economic output for the U.S. economy, and almost 3 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). IFA members include franchise companies in over 300 different business format categories, individual franchisees, and companies that support the industry in marketing, law, technology, and business development.

SOURCE Ziebart

20 february 2024 at 11:03

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PIMCO Canada Corp. Announces Monthly Distributions for PIMCO Canada Closed End Funds





Not for distribution to United States newswire services or for dissemination in the United States

TORONTO, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PIMCO Canada Corp. ("PIMCO Canada") is pleased to announce today that it has declared monthly distributions on its Class A Units (the "Units") of the PIMCO Canada closed end funds (the "Funds"). The distributions will be paid on March 14, 2024 to the holders of record at the close of business on February 29, 2024.

Details of the distribution amounts are as follow:

Fund Name Ticker Cash Distribution per Unit Change from Previous Month Percentage Change from Previous Month PIMCO Global Income Opportunities Fund PGI.UN $0.05688 - - PIMCO Tactical Income Fund PTI.UN $0.05580 - - PIMCO Tactical Income Opportunities Fund PTO.UN $0.05709 - - PIMCO Multi-Sector Income Fund PIX.UN $0.06538 - -

Unitholders are reminded that each Fund offers a distribution reinvestment plan ("DRIP") which will provide unitholders with the ability to automatically reinvest their distributions. Eligible unitholders are encouraged to contact the institution through which they hold their Units to confirm enrollment procedures and timelines. A copy of the DRIP is available at www.pimco.ca.

The Manager, PIMCO Canada, retains Pacific Investment Management Company LLC ("PIMCO"), to provide investment management services to the Funds.

About PIMCO

PIMCO is a global leader in active fixed income with deep expertise across public and private markets. We invest our clients' capital across a range of fixed income and credit opportunities, drawing upon our decades of experience navigating complex debt markets. Our flexible capital base and deep relationships with issuers have helped us become one of the world's largest providers of traditional and nontraditional solutions for companies that need financing and investors who seek strong risk-adjusted returns.

This is not an offer to sell Units and not a solicitation of an offer to buy Units in any region where the offer or sale is not permitted. Before you invest, you should carefully read the Funds' disclosure documents and consider carefully the risks you assume when you invest in the Units. There can be no assurance that a Fund will achieve its investment objectives or be able to structure its investment portfolio as anticipated. Copies of the Funds' disclosure documents may be obtained from your financial advisor.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements included in this news release constitute forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, those identified by the expressions "expect", "intend", "will" and similar expressions to the extent they relate to the Funds. The forward-looking statements are not historical facts but reflect each Fund, PIMCO Canada and/or PIMCO's current expectations regarding future results or events. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations, including, but not limited to, market factors. Although the Funds, PIMCO Canada and/or PIMCO believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and, accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein. The Funds, PIMCO Canada and/or PIMCO undertakes no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statement or information whether as a result of new information, future events or other factors which affect this information, except as required by law.

You will usually pay brokerage fees to your dealer if you purchase or sell Units on the Toronto Stock Exchange (the "TSX"). If the Units are purchased or sold on the TSX, investors may pay more than the current net asset value when buying Units and may receive less than the current net asset value when selling them. There are ongoing fees and expenses associated with owning Units. An investment fund must prepare disclosure documents that contain key information about the fund. You can find more detailed information about the Funds in these documents. Investment funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated.

Each Fund is a closed-end exchange traded investment fund. The material presented here is only to provide information and is not intended for trading purposes. Closed-end funds, unlike open-end funds, are not continuously offered. After the initial public offering, units are sold on the open market through a stock exchange. Closed-end funds may be leveraged and carry various risks depending upon the underlying assets owned by a fund. Investment policies, management fees and other matters of interest to prospective investors may be found in each closed-end funds annual and semi-annual report. For additional information, please contact your investment professional.

For a summary of the risks of an investment in each Fund, please see the Funds disclosure documents. Units of closed end funds frequently trade at a discount to their net asset value, which may increase risk of loss. Distributions are not guaranteed and are subject to change and/or elimination.

PIMCO as a general matter provides services to qualified institutions, financial intermediaries and institutional investors. Individual investors should contact their own financial professional to determine the most appropriate investment options for their financial situation. This material contains the current opinions of the manager and such opinions are subject to change without notice. This material has been distributed for informational purposes only and should not be considered as investment advice or a recommendation of any particular security, strategy or investment product. Information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but not guaranteed. No part of this material may be reproduced in any form, or referred to in any other publication, without express written permission. PIMCO is a trademark of Allianz Asset Management of America LLC in the United States and throughout the world. 2024, PIMCO

The products and services provided by PIMCO Canada Corp. may only be available in certain provinces or territories of Canada and only through dealers authorized for that purpose.

PIMCO Canada has retained PIMCO as sub-adviser. PIMCO Canada will remain responsible for any loss that arises out of the failure of its sub-adviser.

PIMCO Canada Corp. 199 Bay Street, Suite 2050, Commerce Court Station, P.O. Box 363, Toronto, ON, M5L 1G2, 416-368-3350

Contact:

Agnes Crane

PIMCO ? Media Relations

Phone: +212 597.1054

20 february 2024 at 15:05

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A Pallas cat in Mongolia, February 2019. SYLVAIN CORDIER/BIOSPHOTO

The 14th Conference of the Parties (COP14) to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS) of Wild Animals ended on Saturday, February 17, in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, with a series of commitments designed to protect migratory animals. Many species are expected to benefit from improved international cooperation to limit capture and predation by humans, preserve their habitats and strengthen the connectivity of the environments they depend on, regardless of national borders. Some 50 resolutions or concerted actions have been adopted, one of the most significant being the initiative by 30 governments, coordinated by India, to commit to protecting the hundreds of species of migratory birds using the great Central Asian migration route.

The meeting opened on February 12 with a report commissioned by the United Nations, the first of its kind, warning of the bleak outlook for the future of these species: Of the 1,200 or so listed in the two CMS appendices  the first listing threatened species, the second listing those with an unfavorable conservation status  one in five is at risk of extinction. And almost half (44%) are seeing their populations decline.

Read more Subscribers only Barcelona's rude awakening after years-long drought

According to the report, nearly 400 migratory species that are "threatened" or "near-threatened," in the terminology of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, have not yet been included in the CMS appendices. At the end of the conference, 14 new species were added to one of the two lists in the convention's two appendices: the Pallas cat (Felis manul), the Pacific porpoise (Phocoena phocoena), the bull shark (Carcharias taurus) and the Magellanic plover (Pluvianellus socialis).

A Magellanic plover (Pluvianellus socialis), in Tierra del Fuego National Park, Argentina. ROGER TIDMAN/BIOSPHOTO

One of the most endangered, the Balkan lynx (Lynx lynx balcanicus), a subspecies of the Eurasian lynx, is in critical danger of extinction. The big cat is considered "migratory" due to its cross-border movements in the mountain forests of the southern Balkans, between Kosovo, Northern Macedonia and Albania. For the EuroNatur foundation which is involved in monitoring and protection programs, the fact that its listing was championed "by the government of North Macedonia and supported by the Albanian government" "marks an important commitment."

"This is particularly pleasing, as with this step the government officials are making a clear commitment to protect the rare cat," added the foundation in a statement. The Balkan lynx is threatened by overexploitation and fragmentation of the forest, the scarcity of its prey  also hunted by man  and poaching.

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Emmanuel Macron, leaning against a bar in Roulans, France, on February 6, 2024. DR / L'EST REPUBLICAIN / PHOTOPQR / L'EST REPUBLICAIN / MAXPPP

No one had been warned. When President Emmanuel Macron's convoy pulled up at around 3:30 pm on February 6 in front of the virtually empty bar in Roulans, in eastern France, the crowd was stunned. Accompanied by a dozen security officers, the president, who had been having lunch two hours earlier at the Elysee Palace with Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, stopped for coffee in the small village. "It's the surprise of the day, of the year and even of the century!" said the bar's manager to the local press afterward.

Neither the prefect, nor the mayor, nor even the district's Renaissance (Macron's party) MP, Eric Alauzet, were notified. When the first photos of the president leaning against the bar were posted on Facebook, alerting the correspondent of the local paper, Macron had already left. In this cat-and-mouse game with journalists, the president is well ahead of the other players.

Read more Subscribers only As social tensions heighten in France, Macron tells Le Monde he wants to restore hope in the future

The Elysee would only reveal the reason for this intriguing trip after the fact. Invited a few days earlier by the president of the Jeunes Agriculteurs ("Young Farmers") union, Arnaud Gaillot, to come to his farm to talk with union representatives, Macron simply wanted to accept the invitation. In a press release issued on February 7, the Presidential Press Association took offense at the "secret" visit, "on a hot topic that concerns all citizens." Journalists accredited to the Elysee, whose job it is to report on the actions of the president, questioned him: "If there had been the slightest incident, the slightest unforeseen event involving the most senior figure in the government, would the public have known about it? Moreover, how did this trip go? It's impossible to know."

The joys of escapade

In the midst of the agricultural crisis, Macron did not see fit to allow the media to follow the trip, because, as an adviser to the Elysee said, "sometimes exchanges freeze and sincerity diminishes in the presence of cameras and microphones." While seated at a table with a cheese platter and a glass of wine, "people can speak without a filter." "A bond is established."

After six and a half years of traveling the length and breadth of France, meeting the French public under the watchful eye of journalists, the president, in search of "authenticity" and "spontaneity," "wants something different," said the same adviser. And he intends to increase the number of trips without press presence, outside of the official schedule. In fact, Le Monde informed Georges Mothron, mayor of Argenteuil, that on February 8, the president visited the palliative care unit at his local hospital in the northwestern suburbs of Paris.

You have 66.62% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only.
THERES a new candidate in the upcoming election for the role of directly elected mayor.

Ruairi Fahy, who lives in the city centre, becomes only the second candidate in the race to become the first holder of the prestigious role.

He will represent People Before Profit (PBP), with his campaign launching at the Absolute Hotel in the city centre on Monday.

Mr Fahy will also be contesting City North for the same party.

He said: The directly elected mayor was supposed to give more power to the people of Limerick to control our future, to undo the damage done by being the dumping ground for dirty industries and an afterthought in a development policy that only focuses on the expansion of Dublin.

He says that in reality all the legislation has amounted to is shuffling the deck of existing powers and hiding the unelected executive further from accountability.

Mr Fahy said despite his reservations about the job, he is putting his name forward because whoever is elected will have the biggest mandate in the country for building new systems of local democracy.

READ MORE: Limerick retains top spot in prestigious European City of the Future rankings

The voters will be drawn from a population of almost 195,000, according to census figures.

There has only been one formal declaration in the election for directly elected mayor to date, with the vote expected on Friday, June 7 next.

That is Green Party TD Brian Leddin, although businesswoman Helen ODonnell and former finance chief John Moran have indicated they may be interested.

Mr Fahy launched his campaign on Monday, alongside former councillor Cian Prendiville, who is running in the European election for PBP.
DRUG dealers are going after grieving family members to come up with unpaid debts, a former detective garda has claimed.

Sean Lynch, who has almost 30 years experience serving the southside, said: Drug debts do not die with the person.

If a person has died from drug abuse, it may not be the end for their heartbroken family, he added.

The debt doesnt go. If something happens, the person continues to target the family. Just because a person unfortunately disappears, it doesnt mean the debt is cleared. It still festers there, he said.

Mr Lynch, a former councillor has spoken out against calls to relax the laws on possession of certain drugs.

Last week, he told the Limerick Leader he feels this could lead to zombies roaming the streets.

He wants to see a drugs unit in each garda division across Ireland - and for each of these to be well staffed.

It should be an officer, a member of An Garda Siochana in charge of it, he said.

Mr Lynch, who lives in Patrickswell, says drug use in rural communities has increased exponentially in recent years.

To this end, he wants to see government create the role of a junior minister overseeing rural crime.

READ MORE: TUS secure 12 million funding to boost locally focused research

People Before Profit have led efforts in the Dail to have the laws relaxed around the possession of a limited amount of cannabis herb.

Its candidate in the local election for Limerick City North Ruairi Fahy says Mr Lynchs description of those with drug addictions as zombies dehumanises people who have a problem and need help.

It says more about the person making the claim than anything else, he said.

Decriminalisation of drugs is a good first step towards ending the failed war on drugs which has led to huge numbers of unnecessary deaths and over-policing of the most marginalised working class communities in Ireland.
THE ISSUE of proposed cuts to the Limerick City Community Development Project (CDP) was raised in Dail Eireann.

Limerick City CDP facilitates the improvement of the quality of life of Limerick communities experiencing the greatest levels of socio-economic disadvantage and social exclusion.

Speaking in the Dail, Limerick city and Fianna Fail TD Willie O'Dea said: Last November, I raised with the Taoiseach the disturbing suggestion that community funding for the north side of Limerick city was about to be cut by 59%.

At the time he expressed concern and said he would ask the minister of state to have a word with me. The Taoiseach did that and I thank him for that. However, when I spoke to the minister of state, he said he could not meet the representatives of the communities affected because the decision had not yet been taken.

READ MORE: Two Limerick groups shortlisted in Permanent TSB Community Fund

The decision has now been taken and instead of a 59% cut, we are getting a 100% cut on the north side of Limerick city.

Could the Taoiseach instruct the minister of state to meet representatives of those communities now that this decision has been taken?

Minister for Rural and Community Development, Deputy Heather Humphreys answered the question: "I will raise this matter with the minister of state, Deputy Joe O'Brien, in my department when I go back and I will get him to speak to the deputy directly about the issue.
AN INQUIRY has begun after a second teenage girl died in the emergency department at University Hospital Limerick (UHL).

Hospital bosses initiated "a preliminary assessment" following the tragedy, in which the 16-year-old died hours after she was taken to the hospital.

It's understood she was suffering from breathing difficulties on Monday, January 29 last. She had been admitted with a severe chest infection earlier in the same month, and had spent two weeks in UHL.

The death comes following the passing of another local 16-year-old, Aoife Johnston, from Shannon, in December 2022.

She passed away after waiting for 12 hours on a trolley in the emergency department.

In this latest case, the Irish Independent reports this Tuesday morning, that the teenager had been put in the resuscitation area but was deemed well enough to be transferred to a trolley in a corridor.

But her condition deteriorated and it's understood she was moved back to the resuscitation area.

Tributes poured in from across Limerick and further afield following her "sudden passing". Teachers and school pupils spoke of how she would "light up any room".

"The world won't be as bright a place without her," said one local.

The girl has been described as a beautiful, kind and loving child who brought joy, love and laughter to the lives of her family and friends.

Her mother was totally devoted to her. They adored one another and her mothers loss is unimaginable, a family friend said.

READ MORE: In Pictures: Sean Kelly event raises huge amount of money for Down Syndrome Limerick

In a statement released this Tuesday, UHL Hospital Group offered its sincere condolences to the family on their devastating loss.

We can confirm that a preliminary assessment has been carried out in line with the HSE Incident Management Framework and the findings from this assessment will be shared with the family pending the results of a post-mortem examination, the statement read.

It is understood that the results of the preliminary assessment will determine whether or not a full investigation takes place.

On the day of her death, January 29, UHL was the busiest in the country.

Some 113 patients were waiting for beds that day, according to data released by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Association (INMO).

Of these, almost half of those waiting for beds - 54 - were in the emergency department.

In the case of Aoife Johnston, a review into her death at UHL has led to an independent judge-led investigation.

She died from sepsis complications of bacterial meningitis after waiting 12 hours in a severely overcrowded emergency department.

UHL experienced the worst overcrowding in its history in early January 2023 - a move which saw up to 11,000 people march in protest through Limerick.

Two weeks ago, on February 7, the hospital broke a new record for overcrowding with 150 patients without a bed in the Dooradoyle-based facility, making it the worst day for hospital overcrowding in any Irish hospital since the union began counting trolleys in 2006.

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation assistant director of industrial relations for the Midwest and Western regions, Mary Fogarty, called the situation "unacceptable and dangerous".

Charlotte Keane of the Mid-West Hospital Campaign, which has pushed for the re-opening of EDs at Ennis, St John's and Nenagh said the group is "deeply saddened" by the loss of the teenager.

"We are appealing to Minister Stephen Donnelly to intervene and reopen the emergency departments in the Mid-West region to try and prevent this from happening again," Ms Keane added.
On February 19, 2024, president of the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation Aktoty Raimkulova met with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic Aibek Moldogaziev. The meeting held within the framework of the visit of the president of the Foundation to the Kyrgyz Republic.

During the meeting, a constructive exchange of views took place on the current and planned cooperation of the Foundation with the Kyrgyz Republic, the action plans of the organization for 2024 and 2025 were discussed in detail.

The president of the Foundation informed the Kyrgyz side about the projects planned for implementation in the Kyrgyz Republic, the first of which is the restoration and museumification of the house-museum of Alykul Osmonov in Bishkek. The steps to promote the common Turkic cultural heritage on multilateral platforms were considered in detail. Aktoty Raimkulova thanked the Kyrgyz side for the constant support of the Foundation's activities.

Aibek Moldogaziev highly appreciating the Foundation's contribution to the promotion of the cultural and spiritual heritage of the Kyrgyz people in the international arena, outlined new areas of cooperation proposed by the Kyrgyz side in the near future.

The parties expressed mutual readiness to maintain high activity of interaction between the Foundation and the Kyrgyz Republic, as well as joint measures to protect and promote the cultural heritage of the Turkic world.
The Childrens Rights Alliance says the Irish government has failed to keep its promise to children in relation to mental health, and is struggling to deliver effectively on housing.

The organisation launched its Report Card 2024 on Tuesday, which grades the coalition government on the progress made in commitments to children contained in the Programme for Government.

This is the fourth analysis of Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and the Green Partys promises in Our Shared Future  and how it performed for children in 2023 by analysing 1,615 promises made to children and young people and rating the Governments efforts.

It gave progress on child mental health services an E grade, the third consecutive E grade in this area; a D grade on ending Direct Provision; and a D minus grade on family homelessness due to the record number of homeless childnre, though it said green shoots are beginning to emerge on the issue.

In 2023 we also saw the number of people leaving homeless accommodation and entering the private market fell to 58%, meaning that 42% exited to more sustainable tenancies such as social housing, the Alliance said.

While making criticisms on mental health services and housing, it said many strides were made on education.

The organisation gave both the early childhood education and care and the free school books scheme a high A minus grade.

In recognition of the sustained investment in the Hot School Meals Programme, the Government was awarded a B grade for tackling food poverty.

Chief executive of the Childrens Rights Alliance Tanya Ward said it was an important year for investing in public services for children, naming the 4.7 million euro investment into affordable early years education, the expansion of both the free school books scheme and the school meals programme.

At the same time, the Government is struggling to get ahead of demand on housing, including for people seeking protection, she said.

On housing and Direct Provision, Ms Ward said that almost 4,000 children in emergency accommodation, according to the latest figures, means that Ireland is miles behind where we need to be to house young people whose world is being reduced to one small room.

She added: We acknowledge that the Government is working in difficult circumstances particularly because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

At the same time, while they are moving ahead with addressing poverty for children seeking protection, it is extremely concerning that so many children are now in unsuitable accommodation that has a detrimental impact on their development and wellbeing.

On childrens mental health services, it said it was worrying the Government committed to ending the practice of admitting children to adult units, and four years later they were stating it may not be the case that Ireland will ever be able to stop children being put in adult facilities.

Ms Ward said: Admitting children in adult units when they are in distress is very frightening for them. The Report Card reveals that 12 children were admitted in the last year. This is down from 20 in 2022. However, serious questions need to be raised about the lack of CAMHS beds, with 50 per cent of the admissions in 2023 caused by the lack of CAMHS capacity.

Ms Ward added: It is also important to note new initiatives announced by the Government that demonstrate their desire to develop innovative programmes and solutions that work to address the acute inequality experienced by Traveller families, children with disabilities and those of ethnic minorities with investment in the Equal Participation Model at early years and new guidelines on the use of reduced school days.

The targeted measures combined with the consistent progress on universal measures such as school books and hot school meals is an encouraging sign of what can be achieved with the Child Poverty and Wellbeing Unit fully operational and adequately resourced in future budgets.
The Irish Fisheries and IFI (Inland Fisheries Ireland) have issued a call for public vigilance after an angler discovered the remains of fish suspected to be related to a piranha in an Irish lake.

The discovery of a 2kg suspected Pacu fish in Garadice lake, Leitrim, has raised concerns about the potential threat posed by non-native species to Ireland's aquatic ecosystems.

The omnivorous South American fish are not native to Irish waters, and their introduction can have adverse effects on the local fish and plant life.

The IFI is actively investigating the discovery, with a focus on determining the origin of the fish and how it made its way into Garadice lake.

The public is urged to report any sightings of exotic fish or plants in Irish waterways to the IFI through their confidential hotline at 0818 34 74 24.

A spokesperson for Inland Fisheries has said: "IFI is to examine remains of 2kg suspected Pacu fish," adding, "non-native species adversely impact our Irish fish/flora."

They also stated: "[The] origin of fish and how it got into the lake is unknown at this stage."
A Cork woman suffering from endometriosis and adenomyosis will travel to Romania to get a life-changing surgery.

Amy ORiordan was diagnosed with endometriosis in 2015 and with adenomyosis in 2023, two conditions that cause her debilitating pain and impact her day-to-day life.

A chronic condition as common as diabetes, endometriosis affects at least one in 10 women. The condition is caused when tissue similar to the one found in the lining of the uterus or the womb grows outside of it - where it does not belong.

Adenomyiosis occurs when the tissue that normally lines the uterus grows into its muscular wall.

Speaking of her experience with endometriosis, Amy explained: I remember going to my GP at the age of 14 with crippling pelvic pain and being told it was normal and that I should start my family young - it would help. Fast-forward to 2015 when I was diagnosed with Endometriosis and then diagnosed with Adenomyosis in 2023 after enduring years of pain. These conditions are all body conditions causing debilitating pain, fertility issues and impact my day-to-day life.

Despite having had multiple surgeries in Ireland, Amys pain has been returning.

It would return within months, often worse than before, she said. I tried all the hormonal treatment recommended, but nothing helped. Between 2015 and 2022 I have faced major complications from surgery which even saw me in intensive care. This condition has impacted my life, in so many ways.

With the help of the HSE cross boarder scheme, Amy will be travelling to Bucharest in Romania with her husband in March to undergo what she hopes to be a life-changing surgery - an excision surgery.

"Living in Ireland, there is no specialist that does excision surgery only. After careful thought & consideration I have decided I need to travel abroad to an endometriosis centre of excellence to be treated by an endometriosis specialist, she said on her GoFundMe page.

To help with the cost, she set up a GoFundMe.

"Setting up a GoFundMe wasn't something I had planned. However, the encouragement from fellow Endometriosis warriors has led me to seek help in easing our financial burden, she said. I'm determined to reclaim my life and embrace the next chapter.
Spanish police intervened and met with a west Clare man after being alerted to comments he made online that he had a sexual interest in young girls and was going to try a 10-year old girl while on holiday, a court has heard.

In May 2018, Spanish police also seized a mobile phone belonging to family man and college graduate, Liam Kelly, aged 45, of Clonadrum, Mullagh, Co. Clare.

A subsequent analysis of the phone detected a small number of child pornography images.

Arising from the garda investigation, the father-of-two has now pleaded guilty to possession of three images of child pornography and one video.

Ennis Circuit Court heard all of the offences occurred at his west Clare home in May 2018.

Sergeant Claire Haugh of Ennis garda station told the court that during interview, Mr Kelly had denied viewing the images that he had received online from a UK national.

Sgt Haugh said the images included individual naked females, aged two to three, aged from three to four and aged five. She said a video showed a nine to ten year old girl "removing her underwear in a provocative manner.

Sgt Haugh said that Mr Kelly had stated in a 2018 online chat that he was sexually interested in girls aged from eight to 13.

An analysis of a laptop seized from the defendant showed that he was "involved in various chat rooms that were indicative of a sexual interest in children.

Sgt Haugh said Mr Kelly told gardai that he was on such platforms with a view to outing paedophiles but that gardai rejected this as an analysis of the laptop seized showed Mr Kelly expressing a sexual interest in young children.

Counsel for the State, Lorcan Connolly BL, instructed by State Solicitor, Aisling Casey, said that there are references to paedo or ped in the online chats.

Judge Francis Comerford described engagement with child pornography as evil and he described Mr Kellys excuse that he was trying to entrap predatory paedophiles as fairly implausible and nonsense.

In evidence, Sgt Haugh said that it was South Wales police who initially discovered the online chat in May 2018 between Mr Kelly and another man that resulted in the Spanish police intervention.

She said that Mr Kelly told the user that he was going to Spain the following day and, when referring to a 10 year old child, said: I am going to try her.

Sgt Haugh said that "in the context of earlier exchanges it was entirely reasonable to assume that Mr Kelly was intent on engaging in sexual activity with this child.

The witness added that the South Wales police informed gardai through Interpol and that gardai in turn contacted their Spanish counterparts who met with Mr Kelly at his hotel on May 23, 2018.

Judge Comerford commented that "there is no evidence that the child in Spain on holidays was put at risk but talking in those terms is revolting.

Sgt Haugh said that the online chat between Mr Kelly and the man from the UK comprised 153 messages discussing sexual activity with young girls.

She told the court that while Mr Kelly was in Spain, Detective Garda John Casey of Ennis garda station secured a search warrant in court to search Mr Kellys home at Mullagh.

Counsel for the State, Mr Connolly said that an analysis of a laptop at the home didnt yield any child-pornography images "but showed the user involved in various chatrooms that were indicative of a sexual interest in children.

Mr Connolly said that in one online chat, there was evidence of 32 users online simultaneously and Mr Kelly had different private chats with people with various handles with a sexual interest in children.

Sgt Haugh agreed with Mr Connolly that the private chats Mr Kelly had under his handle (username) were indicative of sharing thoughts and views and encouraging an interest in paedophilia.

The witness told the court that Mr Kelly has no previous convictions and is an Applied Physics and Electronics graduate and works for a manufacturing company.

Counsel for Mr Kelly, Bernard Madden SC, instructed by solicitor John Casey, described his client as a family man and said there was no evidence of financial gain out of this and no history of violence.

Mr Madden said that since the images were discovered six years ago, Mr Kelly has not come to any further attention of the gardai. He asked that Mr Kelly be further remanded on bail to allow him receive therapeutic treatment.

Judge Comerford acceded to the application "with no promises and warned that if Mr Kelly doesnt avail of treatment he will be going to jail. It is as simple as that.

Judge Comerford said that completed therapy would have beneficial effects for society.

The judge added that the most aggravating factors in the case were evidence around the online chats used to rebut Mr Kellys claim that he was trying to entrap paedophiles rather than the child pornography offences before the court.

Judge Comerford said that the child pornography offence was at the lower end when one sees other offenders coming before the courts with thousands of images "but all such images are horrible". He noted that Mr Kelly has shown no remorse "and his wife wanted him to engage with a clinical psychologist but he didnt want to do that.

Judge Comerford lifted reporting restrictions that had been in place and Mr Madden expressed concern for the impact on Mr Kellys children that publication of his name would have on them.

Judge Comerford said that identification is part of the deterrent effect against such offences. "I appreciate it is very difficult for the children of the accused. It isnt good at all. But there is no basis for reporting restrictions. It is a particularly heinous crime," he commented.

Judge Comerford remanded Mr Kelly on continuing bail and the case will be mentioned again on March 8 at Ennis Circuit Court.
A file is to be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions after two men were arrested in the south of the country as part of an EU-wide investigation targeting the activities of an organised criminal group.

The gang, which is suspected to have operations in several countries, is involved in the sale and supply of controlled drugs and associated money laundering offences.

Gardai have confirmed that searches and arrests were made in this jurisdiction during a day of action which took place last month. The operation also involved law enforcement authorities from Lithuania and the United Kingdom.

"Gardai from the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau, supported by the Garda National Dog Unit, carried out planned searches at three locations in Ireland in January 2024," confirmed a spokesperson for An Garda Siochana.

During the operation 34,700 in cash, suspected controlled drugs worth an estimated 5,000, electronic devices and financial documents were seized.

"Two persons were arrested on suspicion of having committed offences contrary to the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010. They were detained under the provisions of Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act 2007 and questioned at a garda station in the south of the country," confirmed a garda spokesperson.

Both were subsequently released and a file is being prepared for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

In a separate statement, the Lithuanian Criminal Police Bureau, said a total of eight searches were conducted in Lithuania, Ireland the the UK.

"During the searches, 64,700 in cash, different types of drugs and three cars with a total value of over 200,000 were found and seized," it read.

"The large-scale investigation carried out is one of the examples of successful and close inter-institutional and international cooperation aimed at preventing and neutralising dangerous organized criminal groups operating in Lithuania and foreign countries," added the spokesperson.
A 28-year-old woman, who was six months pregnant, has passed away as a result of a road traffic collision.

Three pedestrians and a driver were involved in the fatal crash in Co Fermanagh on Monday, February 19. At around 8pm, emergency services attended the scene on the Boa Island Road, near Belleek.

Valeria Amorim was pronounced dead at the scene. She was Brazillian and living in the area.

A woman in her 30s has since been arrested in relation to the incident and remains in custody, police have confirmed.

The PSNI are appealing to people who may have witnessed the fatal collision to come forward, or those who may have dash-cam footage to contact them, saying: "Following the tragic death of Valeria and her unborn child, the Police Service's Collision Investigation Unit are appealing for information and witnesses.

"Anyone with any dash-cam or other footage that could assist with the investigation is asked to contact detectives from the Collision Investigation Unit on 101 quoting reference 1723 of 19/02/24."

Tributes have since came in from far and wide including Ulster Unionist Partys Mark Ovens, who said the death has widely impacted the whole community where she lived.

"My heart goes out to all the family and friends of Valeria. Every death on our roads is a tragedy, but the loss of a young mum and her unborn child in such horrific circumstances is particularly heart-breaking.

"Belleek is a small and quiet village, located right on the border with Donegal. Incidents like this don't happen very often, but when they do the whole community is left numb."

The Northern Ireland Life After Bereavement charity also paid tribute to Ms Amorim online, saying: "We are saddened to hear of the passing of pedestrian Valeria Amorim.

"Could everyone please keep the Amorim family in your thoughts and prayers as they come to terms with this traumatic event.

"We at Life After offer our deepest sympathies to Valerias family and wish them Gods richest blessings in the days and months ahead with the reassurance that we are there to provide support and assistance if or when required."
Now accepting applications for fall 2024, online degree options at Lincoln University of Missouri (LU Online) provide students with the flexibility and convenience to earn their degrees without the constraints of geographic location or time. Whether they are professionals looking to advance their careers, adult learners seeking to enhance their knowledge or individuals with busy schedules, LU Online offers three graduate programs  Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Arts in Higher Education (HBCU Concentration) and Master of Education in School Administration and Supervision (K-12)  to meet the diverse educational goals of its students. A new certificate in cybersecurity is also offered through LU Online.

The online graduate programs build upon Lincolns long history of educating and preparing business and educational professionals for success.

For those students seeking a flexible path to earn their MBA, the LU Online graduate program in business management prepares students for leadership positions in business firms, institutions, small businesses and other organizations. It provides a well-rounded education in business operations, preparing individuals for a variety of management and leadership positions in business, government and entrepreneurial ventures. The program provides career-focused concentrations in accounting, management and management information systems.

Lincoln University's Master of Arts in Higher Education (HBCU concentration) is a 100% online degree designed to provide students with applicable knowledge and an understanding of the structure, governance and operations of higher education, especially that of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Students will increase their skills to prepare them to serve in mid- to senior-level education management roles. With a curriculum created in consultation with higher education leaders with HBCU experience and more, this 36-credit-hour, 100% online program is designed to be completed within 15 months or less.

Lincolns Master of Education in School Administration and Supervision (K-12) is a 100% online degree designed for working professionals seeking leadership roles in the K-12 education sector. With courses taught by experienced faculty from across the nation, the program will allow students to develop essential leadership skills for building inclusive learning communities while preparing for the Missouri principal exam, as well as that of other states and U.S. territories.

Offering the same high-quality education as the traditional on-campus programs, the online degree options at Lincoln University of Missouri provide students with access to exceptional faculty, interactive learning materials, and a collaborative online community. Students can expect support and guidance throughout their online learning journey to help them achieve their degrees and dreams.

For more information, visit https://www.lincolnu.edu/academics/lu-online/.
New Delhi: On Wednesday, Dara Khosrowshahi, 54, will touch down in Bengaluru for his third visit to India since taking over as the head of Uber in 2017. It isnt the most auspicious of times for the company, which is battling many challenges in India. The most recent, if relatively minor one, is a tiff with cab drivers in Pune, who have been demanding that the companyand its rivalscharge the higher fares set by the local regional transport authority in January this year. The irate drivers had threatened to go on an indefinite strike if fares are not hiked.

After the Pune Regional Transport Office (RTO) issued a show cause notice to Uber as well as Ola, the two major cab-hailing firms in India, the drivers called off their strike, which was scheduled to begin on Tuesday. The RTO has asked the companies to explain why the revised fares have not been implemented and given them a weeks time to respond, failing which it said action would be taken. This is just one example of the run-ins Uber keeps having with regulators as well as driver partners.

If it isnt low prices, Uber India is accused of charging too much. A few weeks back, the government of Karnataka banned surge pricinga tool commonly used by ride-hailing companies to boost revenuein Bengaluru, one of the companys biggest markets in India. In a notification issued on 3 February, the state government introduced a new uniform fare for all cabs in the metropolis, effectively banning any kind of differential pricing.

The San Francisco-based company mentioned this dual challenge in its global annual report for 2022. ...complaints have been filed in several jurisdictions, includingIndia, alleging that our prices are too high (surge pricing) or too low (discounts or predatory pricing), or both. If one jurisdiction imposes or proposes to impose new requirements or restrictions on our business, other jurisdictions may follow," the report stated.

Ten years into its India journey, Uber is still looking to find its feet in the country. Aside from pricing, the company and its rivals in the industry have come under the regulatory scanner for charging drivers high commissions. Separately, Uber is caught up in litigation over tax dues. It also faces increasing competition from the likes of BluSmart, Rapido and a host of other smaller regional startups, including Envi, Evera, Shoffr, Lithium Urban Technologies, Namma Yatri and Snap E Cabs.

On top of all this, Uber, like all other contenders in the arena, has to contend with the complete absence of brand loyalty among its drivers and customers, who switch to whichever app is convenient at any moment, or ditch them all to cut a deal between themselves.

Amid these woes, Uber remains unprofitable. In 2022-23, the companys revenues grew over four-fold to 2,744.2 crore, from 560.5 crore in 2021-22, according to financial statements sourced from Tofler. Media reports had earlier pointed out that the huge jump in revenue is probably due to the amalgamation of two other entitiesUber India Research and Development Pvt. Ltd and Xchange Leasing India Pvt. Ltdwith effect from 1 April 2022. However, its losses over that same period widened to 311 crore from 216 crore.

In contrast, arch-rival Ola reported 58% growth in standalone revenue to 2,135 crore in 2022-23 and a standalone operating profit of 250 crore against a loss of 66 crore the previous year. On a consolidated basis, Olas revenue hit 3,000 crore.

Clearly, as it contends with an ever-shifting regulatory landscape, ambitious challengers and a bleeding balance sheet, Uber has its task cut out.

Neither Uber nor Ola spoke to Mint for this story.

Silver lining

View Full Image (Graphic: Mint)

Its not all bad news, though. The shared mobility industry, which was badly affected during the covid pandemic, saw a quick revival as offices reopened and commuters returned. According to market research and consulting firm Redseer, the number of ride-hailing bookings in 2022, at 1.2 billion, topped the pre-covid 2019 levels of 1.16 billion. Uber recovered faster than the others and overtook Ola in the first quarter of 2022, according to data from RedSeers March 2023 report, the latest available. The American company has consolidated its position ever since.Rides are classified into three categories: four-wheeler cabs, auto rickshaws and motorcycles. The gap between Uber an d Ola in cabsthe category they dominate togetherhas especially widened. In the second quarter of 2021, Uber had a lead of about 5 million cab bookings over Ola. In the last quarter of CY2022, it recorded over 20 million more bookings than Ola.

But growth is not a given, especially in the cabs business, where demand is beginning to stagnate. The RedSeer report said bookings were almost flat in the last three quarters of CY2022. Segments such as auto rickshaws and bike taxis offer better growth prospects but with much lower margins. Uber is also behind rivals such as Rapido there. Between growth and profitability, its a catch-22 situation for the company.

Regulatory irregularity

View Full Image With Uber facing challenges on multiple fronts, and still looking for a winning template, Dara Khosrowshahi has some tough calls to make on his visit to India. (Bloomberg)

Policy shocks such as the surge pricing ban in Bengaluru threaten the sustainability of the larger ride-hailing industrys business model. On the one hand, governments across states are increasingly looking at tightening regulations, thereby raising compliance costs. On the other hand, the initial goodwill that the industry gained with consumers has waned.

The regulatory challenges in India can be peculiar as transport is a concurrent subject in the Constitution, which means both the centre and states get to formulate policies. As a result, rules and regulations can differ widely from one state to the next, making it tougher for large companies like Uber to adapt.

For instance, ride-hailing companies need a licence to operate, but in the case of bike taxis, state governments such as Maharashtra are yet to finalize policies, so no such licences are being issued. So, while the central government wants to encourage bike taxis, they cannot ply legally in Maharashtra. Meanwhile, Delhi and Karnataka insist that two-wheeler taxis need to be electric vehicles, but there are not enough of these available for companies to do business.

Companies need licences for cabs, as well, and this can be a very cumbersome process. The licences need to be procured in each state and the validity varies from a month to five years. In some states, they are issued by the transport commissioners office; in others, including Maharashtra, they are issued by RTOs.

Meanwhile, surge pricing, where Uber hikes fares when there is a demand-supply mismatch, is an issue that raises hackles across states. Just like the Karnataka government earlier this month, this is a perennial problem that many state governments are trying to addresssome have introduced caps on how much Uber can charge over and above the base price.

Ubers 2022 annual report acknowledged the heartburn its surge pricing tactics have caused. Our pricing models, including dynamic pricing, have been, and will likely continue to be, challenged, banned, limited in emergencies, and capped in certain jurisdictions. For example, we have agreed to not calculate consumer fares in excess of the maximum government-mandated fares in all major Indian cities where legal proceedings have limited the use of surge pricing," it said.

Any major regulation on surge pricing (or driver commissions) will have a bearing on the profitability of Uber. If not reversed, this could be a killer blow, affecting the companys ability to profit from demand-supply mismatches at various times, which enhance driver earnings and lift its own bottom line.

Banning surge pricing is regressive because it is ultimately a factor of demand and supply," says Pavan Guntupalli, cofounder of ride-hailing platform Rapido. But that is one side of it. Companies also use it to bolster their bottomline, so if regulations disallow it, then profits get squeezed."

Industry observers feel a middle ground will eventually have to be found. Like in all industries, especially relatively new ones, regulation takes time to catch up with reality. Surge pricing is a factor of market dynamics, so an attempt to completely ban it may need some reconsideration," said Varun Boppana, managing director and partner, BCG India, a consulting firm. Working through the time it will take for regulation to settle is the cost of doing business, which is high but unavoidable."

Sometimes, regulatory pressure stems from the need for politicians to appease unions. Globally, the cab aggregation business has always faced resistance from the traditional local taxi lobby.

In India, some of the unions have considerable clout with politicians. Innovations such as motorbike-taxis have only aggravated matters. Under pressure from local auto rickshaw unions, for instance, Karnataka and Maharashtra have moved to curb this segment. The shifting goalposts are a major concern for all the players.

It is important for regulatory predictability for companies like us to make forward looking investments. We do seek that," Prabhjit Singh, president, Uber India and South Asia, told Mint during a meeting last October. There are times when certain states may have different views on certain topics and we engage very deeply both at the state level and the central level to advocate the benefits of ride-hailing for consumers and drivers."

Driver commissions

Before the pandemic, customers were spoilt by low fares as Uber and other players looking for a foothold burnt through cash to subsidize fares and retain drivers with higher incentives. That phase of high growth and cash burn ended when the pandemic set in. The industry claims driver commissions today do not exceed 15-20% in general, but drivers claim otherwise.

Not surprisingly perhaps, these commissions are another area that the government is actively trying to regulate. With driver earnings falling and discontent growing, in November 2020, the ministry of road transport and highways issued guidelines stating that platforms like Uber should not charge more than 20% commission from drivers.

Uber knows it needs to keep drivers happy. In its 2022 annual report, the company noted, Continued Driver dissatisfaction may also result in a decline in our number of platform users, which would reduce our network liquidity, and which in turn may cause a further decline in platform usage. Any decline in the number of drivers, consumersusing our platform would reduce the value of our network and would harm our future operating results."

Drivers claim the situation has changed in the last six years, especially after the pandemic. Lured by the high incentive-based structure of 2014-15, a number of them bought cabs and got into the business. But they got stuck as Uber reined in the incentives to have a more sustainable business model.

As Ubers commissions went up, drivers earnings came down, but their costs kept rising due to high fuel prices.

Banning surge pricing is regressive because it is ultimately a factor of demand and supply.  Pavan Guntupalli, Rapido

Earnings have more than halved from 2017. If I had known it would get this bad, I would have never started driving cabs," said Satya Narayan, who has been driving since 2016. I bought a Maruti Dzire on finance, and lost all my savings paying for the EMI (equated monthly installment) during the pandemic, when there was no business at all. I did not get any support from the companies at that time."

Commenting on drivers and customers ditching apps to make deals between themselves, and how this affects the ride-hailing companies, an industry analyst said: In a price-sensitive market like India, it is a constant challenge and companies like Uber are not prepared for it. Riders and customers will cut corners everywhere to save a rupee and it is particularly true for two- and three-wheelers. Good luck to them if they are banking on this for growth."

Rising competition

Rising competition is another headache for Uber. The industry that went into the pandemic isnt the same as the one that came out of it. In 2019, four-wheeled cabs accounted for 65% of the rides, while auto rickshaws and two wheelers accounted for 23% and 12%, respectively. In 2022, the share of cabs had shrunk to just 38%, followed closely by auto rickshaws at 36%, and motorbikes at 25%.

Rapido has a headstart in the auto rickshaw and motorcycle segments. This has helped it increase its share in the overall industry from 10% in the first quarter of 2021 to 19% at the end of 2022. Uber was the largest player overall, but its share went down from 48% to 44% during the same period.

The Bengaluru-headquartered Rapido is taking the battle to Uber. Its entry into the four-wheeler cab segment in December is being closely watched by analysts. BluSmart is another contender. While Rapido has a zero commission model for drivers, BluSmart has made a no surge pricing promise to lure customers.

Like Uber and Ola, Rapido does not own any of the vehicles on its platform but unlike them, it wants drivers to pay an upfront monthly subscription charge and no commission otherwise. Knowing that in most cases it is the same driver who works for all the platforms, the lure of higher direct earning is the carrot Rapido is dangling for the driver to choose its customer over Uber or Ola.

New players will come in and try different business models. But there is no guarantee of success. Varun Boppana, BCG

We know the same driver is on different platforms. We cant stop that but the zero commission model means he gets to make more money through Rapido," says its chief, Guntupalli. We will instead charge the driver a daily subscription fee (between 5-29 for auto rickshaw drivers and 500 per month for cab drivers with monthly earnings over 10,000) and make money through volumes."

The cab segment is ripe for disruption. There are 22 lakh cabs in the country but only five lakh are online. The rest are not coming on board because the industry is plagued by high commissions," says Guntupalli. Before we entered this segment, we realized there was a mismatchfares have gone up 40% yet driver earnings have come down by 30%. Margins of companies have increased like crazy but their overhead costs are high, so it doesnt reflect on their balance sheets yet. We will keep it in check and play the volume game."

Time will tell if these strategies pay off for Ubers competition. New players will come in and try different business models, be it through the promise of zero surge pricing or commissions, but there is no guarantee of success," says BCGs Bopanna. There is no place for complacency though. The incumbents need to be watchful."

Uber is certainly aware of the need for innovation. The companys prime focus now is to scale up its auto rickshaw and motorcycle taxi businesses while retaining its leadership in the cab segment. Singh claimed that more rides happen on Uber on three and two wheelers than on cabs. Indeed, during an earnings call last year, Khosrowshahi said the auto rickshaw segment accounted for 40% of all trips in Q3 of 2023.

Tax woes

While Uber has had multiple run-ins with governments across the country over its day-to-day operations, it is also embroiled in litigation with the taxman. One case relates to an investigation by the Director General of Goods and Services Tax Intelligence (DGGI) over a goods and services tax (GST) liability of 800 crore for driver incentives.

In another case, there is an outstanding demand of 114 crore from the income tax department. There is also a notice by the Central Consumer Protection Authority from 2022 blaming Uber for violating consumer rights. All the cases remain pending in courts.

We are a public company scrutinized by regulators across the world and have some of the highest standards of governance compliance across the board. So we are pretty confident about all the fronts which may be open. None of them make me worry in any material sense," Uber's Singh told Mint last October.

With the company facing challenges on multiple fronts, and still looking for a winning template, Khosrowshahi has some tough calls to make on his visit to India, a country he has repeatedly said is critical to Ubers global growth aspirations.
Keen to swiftly enter the worlds third-largest automotive market, Sajjan Jindals JSW Group may be eyeing alliances with more than one automotive original equipment maker (OEM) in India. The $23-billion conglomerate is considering dual alliances with leading global automotive OEMs Volkswagen Group of Germany and state-owned SAIC of China, two people aware of the matter said.

While JSW has already inked a share purchase agreement with SAIC, the parent company of MG Motor India, to form a joint venture (JV) with a 35% equity stake, it is also in talks with Volkswagen, the worlds second-largest automotive manufacturer, to explore another JV. The discussions could potentially culminate in a three-way deal, or two separate JVs, with JSW Group acting as a common shareholder, the people cited above said on condition of anonymity.

The separate joint ventures may have distinct organizations, managements and structures. In the event the three entities do come together, their separate strategic objectives could emulate a model the Volkswagen Group has built in China, with multiple joint ventures with three OEMs, each of which manufactures vehicles for different brands and utilizes different platforms for making ICE (internal combustion engine) and new energy vehicles (NEVs). The VW Group is one of Chinas largest selling automotive brands," one of the people cited above said.

Volkswagen, known for its strong presence in global markets, has been keen to establish a partnership in India to strengthen its position in the highly competitive Indian market, where it has for long been a small player. Multiple brands from its stable, including Skoda, Volkswagen and Audi, occupy the fragmented end of the Indian market.

Previous negotiations with Indian giants Mahindra & Mahindra and Tata Motors faltered due to what insiders describe as Volkswagens slow pace" and a reluctance to relinquish operational control, leading to a loss of interest from the Indian players. The companys India operations are helmed by the Skoda brand in the Skoda Auto Volkswagen India Group, which will soon announce the next phase of its India strategy.

Indias automotive landscape is characterized by a dominance of the top five OEMs, with a highly fragmented tail end of the market. This concentration makes operations challenging for many companies, prompting strategic collaborations and alliances. The priority for international automotive players like Volkswagen in India is to establish a standalone business, but prevailing circumstances are pushing them toward strategic alliances. The evolving automotive landscape in India emphasizes electrification, technology, and the growing importance of luxury across market segments," Ravi Bhatia, president, auto intelligence firm Jato Dyanmics India said. However, these strategic collaborations are purpose-based and not necessarily permanent. The trajectory of these alliances will depend on how they evolve and the role each stakeholder plays in the dynamic Indian market," he added, explaining that while SAIC needs a JV partner to expand in the Indian market, JSW needs technology access.

Volkswagens India operations are seeking local support for sustaining growth and making it a Tier 1 hub in the future, considering the scale the group already has in China, one of the people cited above said. We refrain from providing comments on market rumours and speculations," a JSW Group spokesperson said when contacted.

The Volkswagen Group is one of the most successful vehicle manufacturers in the world. Within the Volkswagen Group, Skoda Auto is responsible for the Indian market. We are always exploring new business opportunities worldwide, however, we generally do not comment on speculation," Skoda Auto Volkswagen India Group said in a statement.

The people cited above said JSW Group has expressed its intent to have two OEMs under its mobility initiative, with plans to list them both separately. However, none of the plans are final yet.

JSW group has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the government of Odisha to set up an integrated electric vehicles (EV) and EV battery manufacturing project at Cuttack and Paradip via a 40,000 crore investment. JSW said it will invest in the project in two phases. The company plans to invest 25,000 crore in Cuttack for the electric vehicle and battery manufacturing complex, while 15,000 crore will be invested in the EV components manufacturing complex in Paradip. The company will also have to build an ecosystem to manufacture EVs in Odisha, which lacks a vehicle manufacturing ecosystem that states like Gujarat and Tamil Nadu have.
SpaceX is deepening its ties with U.S. intelligence and military agencies, winning at least one major classified contract and expanding a secretive company satellite program called Starshield for national-security customers.

The Elon Musk-led company entered into a $1.8 billion classified contract with the U.S. government in 2021, according to company documents viewed by The Wall Street Journal. SpaceX said in the documents that funds from the contract were expected to become an important part of its revenue mix in the coming years. It didnt disclose the name of the government customer.

The size and secrecy of the agreement illustrate a growing interdependence between SpaceXa dominant force in the space industryand the national-security establishment.

SpaceXs work for U.S. defense clients has long included blasting off classified and military satellites. The Pentagon has more recently done business with SpaceXs Starlink broadband service, including agreements to pay for Ukrainian internet links during Ukraines war with Russia.

Less is known about SpaceXs Starshield unit, which is tailored for government clients and counts a former Air Force general among its leaders. Starshield won a $70 million award from the military last August to provide communications services to dozens of Pentagon partners. However, the group has largely operated out of the public eye.

When Im never sure what I can say in a public forum, I tend to zip it. But I can say that there is very good collaboration between the intelligence community and SpaceX," Gwynne Shotwell, the companys president, said at an event last May.

On a webpage made public in late 2022, SpaceX described Starshield as providing satellites capable of handling secure communications, capturing data about Earth or carrying sensors or other observation instruments for the government while in orbit.

Starshields online job postings have sought people with top-secret clearances, as well as experience working with the Defense Department and intelligence community.

One advertised position would require the person handling it to represent Starshield to Pentagon combatant commandsdivisions that oversee military operations around the world or specific functions, such as transportation and cybersecurity.

A SpaceX spokesman didnt respond to requests for comment.

SpaceX has worked with national-security organizations since it was a startup. Shortly after Musk founded the company in 2002, it won a launch contract with an undisclosed U.S. intelligence customer, the Journal reported almost two decades ago. Later, SpaceX began handling regular launches for military and spy agencies.

The company has also won significant national-security clients for its satellite technologiesa different set of offerings from SpaceXs traditional work blasting off satellites for those customers. One such client has been the National Reconnaissance Office, according to people familiar with the matter.

Based in a sprawling office park south of Dulles International Airport, the NRO draws staff from different Pentagon branches and the Central Intelligence Agency, who use satellite data to support national-security and civilian agencies in the federal government. Its existence was a classified government secret until 1992.

It couldnt be determined what satellite technology from SpaceX the NRO has tapped.

An NRO spokesman said the agency develops intelligence products with a range of partners. We are deepening our relationships with other government agencies, the private sector, academia and other nations," the spokesman said.

Musk, who also leads Tesla, the social-media company X and other ventures, comes from a Silicon Valley background that sets him apart from the leaders of most prime military contractors. SpaceXs Shotwell has, meanwhile, played a significant role in building the companys relationship with national-security agencies, people familiar with those efforts say.

SpaceX executives have touted the companys capabilities to government buyers, pointing to its ability to rapidly manufacture satellites and, deploying its partially reusable rockets, launch them to low-Earth orbit at a cadence rivals cant match. Leaders at agencies that work closely with SpaceX have praised the companys technology as sophisticated and its style as nimble.

Terrence OShaughnessy, who joined SpaceX after retiring in 2020 from the Air Force as a general, has had a high-level role at Starshield, people familiar with the matter said. A biography posted on a trade groups website described him as a Senior Advisor to Elon Musk on matters regarding SpaceX" as well as vice president of the companys Special Programs Group.

He and others have urged the defense establishment to learn from the example set by more agile space startups. Last year, OShaughnessy compared how SpaceX developed Starlink with a government effort to create a similar but far smaller fleet. The latter sounds a lot like Starlink," he said at a conference. Yet theyre looking for a couple hundred satellites on orbit."

Roughly a decade after Musk said SpaceX would develop a satellite-internet business to sell high-speed internet links to consumers and businesses, the company operates the worlds biggest fleet, with about 5,400 satellites in operation as of mid-February. Those devices power Starlink, which is marketed for civilian use.

SpaceXs growing importance to the U.S. government comes as space increasingly becomes a contested arena that mirrors geopolitical rivalries on Earth. China has been ramping up its space capabilities. Russia has ambitions to develop a space-based nuclear weapon that could be used to target satellites, U.S. officials said this month.

Satellites play a major role in U.S. national security, tracking missile launches and providing secure communications. Others monitor activity on the ground using cameras or sensors.

Some Pentagon space leaders want to move away from ordering powerful but large satellites that might take a decade to build and launch. In their place, they say, they want contractors to quickly launch satellite swarms that can stay online when other systems fail. Officials are planning for an aggressive pace of military and spy satellite launches in the years ahead.

I think speed in space acquisition is a very simple formula: You build small, you use existing technology and reduce nonrecurring engineering," Frank Calvelli, assistant secretary at the Air Force for space acquisition and integration, said in a speech at the end of 2022. You take advantage of commercial capabilities."

SpaceXs ability to quickly build and launch satellites has been on display during Ukraines fight against Russia. Since the wars earliest days, the companys Starlink satellite network has supported communications for Ukrainian civil society and troops.

The service has also generated tensions. SpaceXs Shotwell last year said the company took steps to limit Ukrainian troops from using it for direct military engagements. This month, Ukraines top military-intelligence officer said Russian invasion forces are using thousands of Starlink terminals in occupied Ukrainian territory to access internet services.

Musk has said no Starlink terminals, to the best of SpaceXs knowledge, have been sold directly or indirectly to Russia. Starlink has said SpaceX takes steps to deactivate terminals if the company determines sanctioned or unauthorized parties are using them.

Write to Micah Maidenberg at micah.maidenberg@wsj.com and Drew FitzGerald at andrew.fitzgerald@wsj.com
IT services and consulting firm Tech Mahindra, announced on Tuesday,February 20, that it has completed the acquisition of a 100% stake in Orchid Cybertech Services (OCSI) through its wholly-owned subsidiary for a total of $3.27 million.

"We wish to inform that the company through its wholly owned subsidiary viz., Customer Philippines Inc has today i.e. February 20, 2024, at 05:55 am (IST), approved the acquisition of 100 percent equity shares in Orchid Cybertech Services," Tech Mahindra said in a regulatory filing.

Also read: Govt seeks nuclear power investment worth $26 billion from Adani, RIL, Tata Group, Vedanta

Orchid Cybertech Services, a provider of customer experience solutions, serves TPG Telecom with a workforce comprising approximately 2,950 full-time employees.

For the fiscal year ending on July 31, 2023, the company reported a turnover of $37.3 million. Tech Mahindra, in its filing, emphasized its longstanding partnership with TPG Telecom.

The acquisition of Orchid Cybertech Services (OCSI) is expected to bolster this relationship, facilitating seamless transitions and incremental revenue opportunities.

Under this agreement, OCSI, along with its assets and personnel, will integrate into Tech Mahindra, extending customer support and related services to TPG.

Also read: Pocket FM to invest $40 mn to expand online reading library

"This deal further strengthens the relationship with TPG and aids in expanding existing customer experience capabilities and business in the Philippines," it said.

On January 25th, the company posted a notable decline in net profit, plummeting by 60.6 percent to 510 crore year-on-year for the third quarter concluding on December 31. This downturn occurred during a typically sluggish quarter, marked by a persistent slowdown in demand across crucial sectors such as hi-tech, telecom, and financial services.

Despite this development, shares of Tech Mahindra Ltd observed a marginal decline of 0.027% in trading on Tuesday, settling at 1,309.65 per share. However, the stock has showcased a 1 percent increase year-to-date and has demonstrated a substantial 15 percent gain over the past year.

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Amit Jain, co-founder and CEO of CarDekho , is one of the judges on Shark Tank India Season 3. He spoke exclusively to LiveMints Sounak Mukhopadhyay on his philosophy, strategy and mission to build Bharat 2.0.

What motivated you to join Shark Tank India as one of the judges?

As a seasoned investor and entrepreneur, my eagerness to nurture young talent and innovators, along with propagating an entrepreneurial mindset across India, has always been paramount. Recognising that entrepreneurship has permeated every corner of the country, with nearly 50% of startups originating from Tier II & III cities, I viewed the Shark Tank opportunity as a chance to guide aspiring entrepreneurs and catalyse the development of a new Bharat while discovering promising businesses.

Interestingly, most of the deal winners on Shark Tank did not hail from prestigious institutions like IITs and IIMs, underscoring the fact that entrepreneurial talent exists everywhere. My experience on the show has been truly enriching. In each pitch session, I engage with entrepreneurs addressing real-world problems through their innovative solutions. Witnessing individuals build startups from Tier II and Tier III cities is both amazing and heartening, unlocking a new ecosystem and paving the way towards a New India. Drawing from my journey of building a conglomerate, I sought to give back to India by supporting other entrepreneurs.

What advice do you have for upcoming entrepreneurs who aspire to pitch their ideas on the show?

As an entrepreneur who has been through the highs and lows of startup journeys, my advice to upcoming founders aspiring to pitch on Shark Tank would be: don't get swayed by funding alone, it's a milestone, not the final destination. Maintain your hunger and keep honing your product obsessively.

Connect deeply with your users and communities to understand their needs. Customise solutions focusing on customer-centricity rather than vanity metrics. Remain nimble to adapt to market challenges. Scale prudently only after proving product-market fit.

When you eventually pitch on Shark Tank, win investor trust by addressing concerns openly and keeping discussions transparent. Showcase your passion and persistence, which ultimately drive startup success. Leverage such platforms for visibility, but don't lose sight of your original purpose and vision.

The entrepreneurial path is never easy but immensely rewarding. With the right mindset and attitude, any obstacle can be overcome. I've made my fair share of mistakes but learned from them. Stay committed and let your customers' voices guide you.

What are the key qualities you look for in an entrepreneur or a startup team on Shark Tank India?

My philosophy for judging entrepreneurs on Shark Tank India is simple: "Pehle Banda, Phir Dhandha". It means that I value the person first, then the business. My primary focus is the individual  ones life journey, entrepreneurial spirit and the [back]story that shapes the journey.

My investment thesis centres around three key questions:  Are you looking to engage with a wider audience? Have you identified the right white space in the market? And finally, are you hungry for the dream you want to pursue and realise? The responses I get determine my decision to invest.

How do you evaluate a startup's potential for success when it pitches on the show?

When founders pitch their startups on the show, I carefully evaluate both the entrepreneur and their business idea. Most importantly, I look at how well the product or service solves a real customer need. I ask questions to understand if they have truly identified the whitespace in the market. Beyond identifying a market opportunity, the sustainability angle of the actual business model is crucial.

Other factors that influence evaluation are the skills and passion within the founding team. Successful startups require determined, versatile founders who can wear many hats in the early days. I look for signs that the entrepreneur has the hunger and hustle to turn their ideas into reality. Their previous experiences and abilities need to gel well with the problem they are tackling. I also prefer entrepreneurs who show they can engage users early and incorporate customer feedback, as the ability to evolve the product is key.

Beyond financial investment, how do you support the startups you choose to invest in from Shark Tank India?

I believe that guiding budding entrepreneurs is as critical as monetary investment. I aim to actively guide young and emerging entrepreneurs by sharing hard-earned lessons from my entrepreneurial journey and providing access to invaluable resources. I aim to connect with entrepreneurs and advise them on crucial areas - from crystallising their vision to building their teams, governance, adaptable business strategies and prioritising profitability.

I believe in both personal & professional connections with the founders. By understanding their vision and challenges intimately, I mentor them better across pivotal areas - whether refining business models, building top-notch teams, raising follow-on funding, or scaling sustainably.

View Full Image My ultimate mission is to nurture a bright entrepreneurial landscape in the country and contribute to the building of Bharat 2.0, said Amit Jain (Mint)

Initiatives like the Girnar Elevate summit allow in-depth engagements for me to identify growth hurdles faced by our founders. Via customised interventions, I help founders relook at critical aspects like product-market fit, optimal fundraising strategies and building defensible moats against competition.

My ultimate mission is to nurture a bright entrepreneurial landscape in the country and contribute to the building of Bharat 2.0.

Finally, are the fights on the show real? Or, just for fun?

Everything you see on Shark Tank India is completely real and unscripted. I would not characterise the heated exchanges on the show as "fights"  they are more differences of opinions that can naturally arise when astute investors analyse business ideas and negotiate deals.

What may come across as fights is often just passionate investors having contrasting viewpoints or investment thesis. At the end of the day, we sharks have great mutual respect for each other's business acumen despite some disagreements. Our goal is to back the best entrepreneurs and help them achieve success.

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MUMBAI : Reserve Bank of India officials have exhorted private companies to lead the way in expanding capital expenditure, a space dominated by the government.

The corporate sector must get its act together" and relieve the government of capex heavy-lifting, the officials say in RBIs February bulletin, reflecting a view expressed by industry experts as well.

Expectations for a fresh round of capex by the corporate sector to take the baton from the government and fuel the next leg of growth are mounting," the RBI officials said in the article titled State of the Economy.

Indias economy continues to sustain the momentum achieved in the first half of 2023-24, and the likelihood of the global economy exhibiting stronger-than-expected growth has brightened, the officials added.

While the article was written by RBI officials, it had the usual disclaimer that the views were those of the authors and not of the central bank.

Private companies must leverage the governments recent decision to lower the market borrowing target in the coming fiscal year to their advantage, they said.

The advantage refers to the increased space for companies to borrow from the market owing to lower availability of sovereign debt papers. RBI governor Shaktikanta Das too recently pointed out that lower borrowing by the Centre would mean more credit being available to the private sector for their investments.

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced in the Union governments interim budget for FY25 that the Centre would borrow 14.13 trillion from the market on a gross basis, as against an estimate of 15.43 trillion in the current financial year.

The RBI article also said that while the oil and gas and chemicals sectors recorded growth in fixed assets, in sectors such as steel and automobiles fixed asset additions were underwhelming.

Capex plans of the power sector are the most ambitious, but leverage is high among distribution companies," it added.

In terms of green energy, India has made big strides over the last decade, with renewable power now accounting for 43% of the countrys total installed electricity capacity, the RBI article said.

Companies must use this opportunity to expand capex, aligning with the governments target of tripling renewable energy capacity to 500 gigawatts by 2030.

While industry experts have been pointing out that the investment cycle is being led by government capital expenditure, there seems to be some pickup recently.

Mint reported on 1 January that new projects worth 2.1 trillion were announced in the three months to December, up 15% from the September quarter, as per data from the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy.

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Global energy markets have been on a roller coaster for the past few years. While major industrial economies have been thrown for a loop, India, facing record import needs on a tight budget, is almost enjoying the ride.

A deal signed this month is the latest indication that the worlds most populous country, still a distant third in energy consumption but growing quickly, is handling its entry into the big leagues with aplomb.

Government-owned Petronet renewed a contract to buy 7.5 million tons of liquefied natural gas annually from Qatar from 2028 for 20 years in one of the largest-ever deals for the super-chilled fuel. India is looking to sign more such long-term LNG supply contracts as demand grows.

While the pricing terms werent disclosed, the deal comes at an opportune time, when LNG prices have crashed from the highs seen after Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2022.

According to data shared by Argus Media, prices for LNG delivered to India averaged $13 per million British thermal units in 2023sharply lower than an average of $30 in 2022. Currently, Asian natural-gas prices are lingering around $8.50, according to Refinitiv.

This megadeal is another example of Indias emergence as a large energy buyer in the global market as it gears up to meet the countrys ever-expanding energy needs. It has shown an ability to quickly clinch deals when prices drop in the face of geopolitical or economic disruption.

Indias aggressive purchases of cheap Russian oil have angered many in the West, but saved its refiners and consumers money. Before that, India was a major purchaser of crude from relatively nearby Iran, which also faced sanctions.

Raghav Mathur, an analyst at Wood Mackenzie, said that the move by India to renew the contract with Qatar during a time of softer prices is a smart one since it sets a base for future contracts.

This agility is especially critical in light of the absence of sufficient oil and gas reserves at home, the growing air-pollution crisis and increasing pressure globally to diversify away from coal.

A study by the University of Chicagos Energy Policy Institute found that India accounted for 60% of the increase in global air pollution between 2013 and 2021. And pollution is a potent domestic concern, too. Indias fuel mix, along with other factors, has made air in the capital, New Delhi, among the least healthy in the world.

Being green is particularly expensive for developing countries, though. Indian buyers have increased their exposure to long-term contracts, according to Mathur, to reduce exposure to erratic swings in energy prices.

A focused effort to secure long-term supply also points to Indias increasing sophistication as an energy dealmaker versus moving in only when the opportunity arises.

Nimble energy dealmaking is important as India embarks upon industrializing its economy, upgrading its infrastructure and staking its claims as an alternative to Chinas factory floor. It wants to lift the share of natural gas in its energy mix to 15% by 2030 from about 6% at the end of 2023.

India is now the worlds largest LNG buyer after China, Japan and South Korea, and imports about 45% of natural gas used in the country. It could move to number three by the 2030s, according to Wood Mackenzie, which said the demand for LNG from India could cross 90 million metric tons per annum by 2050 from just over 20 million in 2023.

With 85% of crude oil imported, it hopes to use natural gas as a generation fuel for electric vehicles or directly in compressed form to replace some of that in the transportation sector.

And even while India is hungry for energy, it is often a price-sensitive buyer. Indias record annual LNG imports of 26 million metric tons occurred during the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, according to Anu Agarwal, Asia head of liquefied petroleum gas at Argus Media, when weak global demand pulled down spot prices to as low as $2 per million British thermal units.

India absorbed surplus supply over the year as European and northeast Asian buyers stepped back from the global market. Imports fell sharply in 2022 when prices shot higher.

The same opportunism was on display in 2022 and 2023, when the world shunned energy imports from Indias long-term ally Russia, which contributed more than 35% of Indias total crude imports in 2023, according to S&P Global Commodity Insights data.

When China banned Australian coal in late 2020, affordable coal found its way to India. Shipments from Australia to India grew more than 500% in the first three quarters of 2021, according to S&P.

Balancing energy security, sustainability and affordability is no mean feat. The Indian elephant is walking the tightrope with grace.
The Uttar Pradesh Police Recruitment and Promotion Board conducted the constable exams on February 17 and 18 this year. Candidates who appeared for the police constable exam can check their results on its official website  uppbpb.gov.in.

However, the board has not announced official dates for the results. It is expected that the result will be declared by the end of February or the first week of March 2024.

The exam which was conducted at 2385 centers in all 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh, aims to fill 60,244 positions in the UP police force. More than 48,17,441 candidates appeared for the exam.

Recently, speculations rife about exam paper leak for the Uttar Pradesh constable examination 2024. However, the board dismissed the rumours.

Initial investigations have found that miscreants are using Telegram's edit feature to cheat and spread confusion about a paper leak on social media. The board and UP Police are monitoring these incidents and conducting a thorough investigation into their sources. The examination is continuing safely and smoothly," the board said.

The board further assured that it is committed to maintaining transparency and integrity of each of its exams. After the successful completion of the exam on a large scale, the board will thoroughly verify the unverified news trending with the help of UP Police. Candidates should remain assured," it added.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the paper leak issue, saying It is an injustice to the youth. We stand with the youth against this injustice."
In the early days of the Ukraine war, data trickled out showing that a mysterious firm called Nord Axis had become one of the biggest global traders of Russian oil.

The company seemed to have sprung from nowhere. It had been incorporated in Hong Kong nine days before Russias invasion. A man from Belize who was a nominee director said later that year that he didnt know why Nord Axis had been founded or who its owners were.

With Western buyers of Russian oil beating a retreat, Nord Axis and several other obscure firms were keeping the nations most important industry afloat by finding new places to sell the oil, generating billions of dollars in revenue for President Vladimir Putins war effort.

The U.S. and other Western countries wanted to choke off Russias oil money. But who was masterminding the deals?

The answer: a little-known trader from Azerbaijan named Etibar Eyyub, who swiftly assembled a clandestine trading and shipping empire that now moves vast quantities of oil to buyers in China, India and other new markets, according to people who have worked with or done deals with him. He cobbled together a fleet of aging tankers and disguised the trading by using a maze of companies registered in Dubai and Hong Kong, those people said.

Nord Axis and four other companies those people say are operated by Eyyub exported at least $33 billion in Russian crude and fuel in 2023, according to trade data from the Kyiv School of Economics, which represented one-fifth of the Russian exports captured by the data. Those people said Eyyub also operated other firms involved in the Russian market.

Russias giant state producer, Rosneft Oil, came to depend on trading and shipping firms with opaque ownership and management to get its crude to market after the invasion.

The use of shell companies and obscure management structures is a common tactic that regimes employ to get around U.S. sanctions, said senior Justice Department officials. Such practices make it difficult to trace who is arranging shipments of oil from sanctioned countries such as Russia.

This account of how the secret trading operation helped Russia outflank Western efforts to squeeze its oil profits is based on interviews with people familiar with Eyyubs activities, including current and former work colleagues and energy and shipping executives who have done business with or competed against him and the firms they said he operates. The Wall Street Journal also reviewed documents detailing transactions and shipments by firms that those people said are part of the trading network, and analyzed Russian export data, shipping data and corporate and legal records in 12 countries.

Subterfuge appears to be integral to the operation. Working out of offices in Moscow and Dubai, traders routed transactions through Nord Axis and the other companies, making it difficult to determine who is profiting. Eyyub flies to and from Moscow by private jet, according to senior oil officials in the Middle East.

One of the questions U.S. officials monitoring the trading have examined is whether it involves employees of Coral Energy, a commodities trader based in the United Arab Emirates for which Eyyub once worked. Coral continues to do business in Western nations where many companies have pledged not to buy or finance Russian oil.

A Coral spokeswoman said that the company had stopped doing business with Eyyub in early 2022 when it decided to exit from the Russian market, and that it had no relation to Nord Axis or the other firms affiliated with Eyyub.

In interviews, though, people who work or used to work for Coral described those firms as satellites" of Coral because some people worked both for Coral and on the trading of Russian oil. Rosneft officials use the name Coral as a shorthand for the network of firms run by Eyyub.

The Justice Department has homed in on Eyyub, Coral and Corals founder, Tahir Garayev, in a broad investigation into suspected violations of sanctions on Russian oil, said people familiar with the matter.

Garayev, also a native of Azerbaijan, founded Coral Energy in Singapore in 2010. At the time, Azerbaijans national oil company was looking for traders to find global buyers for its oil, according to a current Coral executive.

Garayev hired Eyyub in 2014. Eyyub knew little about oil markets but learned fast. Eyyub, whom former colleagues described as a hard-charging dealmaker and Garayevs second-in-command, established Corals business in Russia.

A photo posted on Facebook shows Eyyub in a black turtleneck and rimless glasses. He told associates that his ambition was to make the Forbes billionaires list, said one of the people who have done business with him.

In 2018, he left Coral to become a trading consultant, but continued to work for the company on a commission basis. The Coral spokeswoman said that after Eyyub left, the company engaged him on specific projects" until early 2022.

By the time Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Coral was trading petroleum from Rosneft and smaller private companies, according to export data, the executive and U.K. court documents.

Coral was a smaller player than the Western traders that dominated the Russian market. Rosneft needed those traders to find buyers, finance deals and arrange shipping. Its most important outlet to the world was Switzerlands Trafigura Group.

Russias invasion of Ukraine brought an avalanche of sanctions from Western nations. In March 2022, the U.S. banned imports of Russian oil and the European Union took steps to restrict dealings with Rosneft.

Suddenly, Western banks were afraid to touch anything Russian, and many oil middlemen abandoned Russia. Trafigura wound down its relationship with Rosneft. Continuing to do business with Russias state producer would have endangered its business with many other nations and its relationships with Western banks.

Russias oil and fuel exportswhich accounted for almost one-tenth of the worlds petroleumstarted to seize up. Without the middlemen and fearful of sanctions, refiners would buy Russian oil only at big discounts, threatening Moscows budget.

Rosneft asked Coral to take Trafiguras place, people familiar with the request said. Trafigura had dealt with Coral before and Eyyub understood the Russian supply system, according to people familiar with those trading relationships.

We consider it inappropriate and moreover useless to comment on the variety of rumors and speculations presented by you," a Rosneft spokesperson said in response to questions from the Journal.

The Coral spokeswoman said the company, from the very first day of the war," clearly expressed its intention to withdraw from the Russian market.

Coral didnt want to imperil its ability to borrow from Western banks. So, like its bigger rivals, it said it would stop trading with Rosneft, in May, and would wind down its entire Russian oil business. Regulatory and logistical uncertainties also played a part in the decision, the Coral spokesperson said.

In July 2022, Trafigura announced that Nord Axis had purchased its 10% stake in Russias flagship oil-exploration project in the Arctic, called Vostok Oil. Eyyub and Garayev put together the purchase with Igor Sechin, a Putin confidante who leads Rosneft, said people familiar with the arrangement. Shipping and export data show Nord Axis began exporting large amounts of Rosnefts petroleum.

A Trafigura spokeswoman said Nord Axis was an independent company. She said Trafiguras due diligence determined that neither Nord Axis nor its beneficial owners were the target of any sanctions restrictions in effect at the time of the purchase.

Nord Axiss public filings in Hong Kong, where it is registered, dont mention Eyyub or Garayev. They show the firm was owned by a holding company in the U.A.E. with unnamed shareholders. The filings indicate those shareholders had bought Nord Axis from another Azeri trader, a month before Nord Axis purchased the Vostok shares. At the time, that trader also served as a Coral representative in Turkey, according to messages, meeting minutes and internal company documents reviewed by the Journal. Coral said the trader had acted as the companys agent on a few transactions," but that he wasnt an employee.

A Nord Axis spokesperson said the company worked directly with Trafigura on the Vostok purchase, and that Nord Axis isnt related to either Eyyub or Garayev.

The Journal attempted for more than two weeks to send Garayev questions via Corals spokeswoman and a cellphone number confirmed by a Coral executive. Both Coral and the executive said they had informed Garayev that the Journal wished to contact him. Later, a person who purported to represent Garayev but didnt provide a name or phone number emailed the Journal inviting questions. That person didnt respond to the questions or a subsequent email.

The Coral spokesperson said Garayev had no involvement, direct or indirect, with the transaction, and that he has no relation to Nord Axis or any of the other entities trading Russian oil. Eyyub is no longer involved in Corals business, she said, so the company couldnt comment on his activities.

She said Garayev hasnt been involved in Coral management for more than a year. Any efforts to directly or indirectly try to tie Mr. Garayev to Coral Energy is not reflective of the facts," said the spokeswoman, who described Garayev as a passive minority investor."

Both Coral Energy and Garayev, she said, unequivocally condemn the invasion of Ukraine and fully support and adhere to all applicable sanctions."

By the summer of 2022, new oil revenue was pouring into Russia from Asian buyers who hadnt taken sides in the war. Chinese, Indian and Turkish refineries bought most of the barrels.

But a new danger loomed: The U.S., in concert with the rest of the G-7 nations, was preparing sanctions that would attempt to cap the price of Russian oil. The idea was to keep Russian oil flowing to world markets to keep energy prices low, while crimping how much Moscow could earn.

The planned sanctions would allow Russia to continue using Western oil tankers and insurance companies, but only if it sold oil at or below $60 a barrel, substantially below benchmark prices. To sell crude at prices above $60 a barrel, Russia would need to build its own fleet.

Companies operated by Eyyub snapped up tankers, said people familiar with the activities of those firms and executives who sold the boats. European and Asian shipowners said those companies offered them generous prices for 25-year-old tankers destined for scrap.

Using both purchases and charters, firms run by Eyyub assembled more than 80 ships, one of the worlds largest fleets, said some of the people familiar with the deals. Brokers said more than $1 billion was spent to put it together.

The vessels joined what the industry calls the shadow fleethundreds of tankers with unclear ownership that move petroleum from sanctioned producers, often traveling without tracking transponders.

The Western imposed price cap on Russian crude took effect on Dec. 5, 2022.

Companies said to be operated by Eyyub were busy trying to sidestep the measure. In late 2022, people executing trades for those firms in Moscow discussed ways to hide sales of oil above the cap, said someone who worked for Coral at the time and another person familiar with the matter. They worked from an office that was registered to a company whose director was a senior Coral executive at the time, corporate records show.

Managers told people working in that office to remove mention of Coral from LinkedIn, those people said. When people in the office used their Coral email accounts, they were not supposed to mention Rosneft. The Nord Axis and Bellatrix Energy email addresses they used to communicate with Rosneft didnt include their full names, the person who worked for Coral said.

The Coral spokeswoman said it was baseless and untrue" to say that anyone working for Coral had discussed ways to skirt sanctions. Coral Energy was no longer engaged in trading Russian oil after the price cap was implemented," she said.

She said the company registered at the Moscow office had provided services to Coral. Coral wound that firm down when it left Russia, she said, and Moscow-based Coral employees were told to update their social-media profiles to reflect that withdrawal.

Garayev sold 60% of the Coral shares that he owned to company managers at the start of 2023 and hasnt played any part in running the company since then, the spokeswoman said.

In a sign that the makeshift trading network was working, Russian petroleum sales exceeded $180 billion last year, according to the International Energy Agency. That was down from more than $230 billion in 2022, when the invasion led to high oil prices, but only $5 billion below revenues from 2021, before the war. Russian oil prices have risen relative to the global benchmark for crude.

Nord Axiss contracts in Russia ended last July, said Murat Sayin, a lawyer in Turkey who was the director of Nord Axis at the time. But the oil kept flowing through different companies. Eyyub, through Voliton, Guron Trading, Pontus Trading and other vehicles, emerged as Rosnefts premier middleman, said people familiar with the Russian companys exports. A Pontus spokesperson said the firm had no affiliation to Eyyub.

One sign of Eyyubs deepening relationship with Moscow: He has accompanied Sechin to meetings with foreign counterparts in Qatar, and the two men spent time together at a hunting lodge in Tula, south of the Russian capital, said people familiar with the mens activities.

Garayev held meetings with Rosneft officials in Moscow in late 2023, said people familiar with the matter. The Coral spokeswoman said the company no longer had any knowledge of Garayevs activities.

U.S. authorities investigating the trading network believe it is connected to Coral, said people familiar with the matter. Neither Eyyub nor Garayev has been sanctioned by the U.S. Corals spokeswoman said the company hasnt received any queries from U.S. officials.

In December, the Treasury Department sanctioned Bellatrix and Voliton, two of the firms. Activity immediately began to shift to different firms that Eyyub operates, some of the people familiar with their activities said.

Write to Joe Wallace at joe.wallace@wsj.com, Anna Hirtenstein at anna.hirtenstein@wsj.com and Costas Paris at costas.paris@wsj.com
PVR INOX cinema is offering movie tickets for 99 only this Friday i.e. February 23 to celebrate Cinema Lovers Day. This is a huge cut down from the normal ticket price which can be in the range of 200-800 depending on the theatre and the city.

Besides offering tickets at  99 for the mainstream seats, the company has tailored an attractive price structure for audiences looking to celebrate Cinema Lovers Day in premium formats as well, the PVR INOX said in a release.

The cinema chain has reduced ticket prices to 199 for recliner seats and those keen on experiencing films in IMAX, 4DX, MX4D and gold categories will also find ticket prices at a discount, the release read.

The viewers can watch Bollywood movies such as "All India Rank", "Article 370", "Crackk", "Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya" and "Fighter" from the currently playing movies. And "Madame Web", "The Holdovers", "Bob Marley-One Love", "Mean Girls" and Oscar-nominated "The Teachers Lounge" in the Hollywood bucket.

Also Read | AAP's Kuldeep Kumar is Chandigarh Mayor as Supreme Court cancels last result

Expressing his enthusiasm for the occasion, Gautam Dutta, Co-CEO of PVR INOX said, Movies hold a special place in the hearts of Indian audiences, celebrated with unparalleled zeal. We are thrilled to further amplify this celebration by commemorating Cinema Lovers Day, drawing inspiration from the success of National Cinema Day.

"Encouraged by the overwhelming response we received on that day, we are delighted to extend this opportunity to gratify cinema lovers with a new offer, establishing it as a recurring affair. We welcome every Indian cinema lover to come and make the most of this occasion which is made exciting with a tremendous choice of movie titles available on February 23," Dutta added.

The celebratory offer of 99 is applicable to all mainstream cinemas for all movie screenings booked for February 23, 2024, across various Indian cities, except for southern states, excluding Karnataka.

PVR More Information

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Shipments of diesel from India into Europe are at the lowest since 2022 so far this month as Houthi attacks on merchant shipping continue to disrupt international trade, driving more cargoes to Asia.

Flows to the European Union and the UK plunged as higher freight costs stoked by the ongoing turmoil in the Red Sea, as well as unplanned refinery maintenance in Asia, made trade economics better for sending cargoes east rather than west.

Also Read | Investors are turning wary of crowded India trade after run-up

Arrivals of fuel from India into Europe averaged just 18,000 barrels a day in the first two weeks of February, a plunge of more than 90 percent compared with Januarys average, according to data from Vortexa Ltd., compiled by Bloomberg. The drop partly stemmed from the higher costs of shipping to the west last month, according to James Noel-Beswick, an analyst at Sparta Commodities.

The economics to export east  Singapore region  were a lot better than those west," Noel-Beswick said. Tankers heading to Europe or the Atlantic Basin are being forced by the Houthi threat to go around South Africas Cape of Good Hope, increasing journey lengths and costs, or use the Suez Canal, with the risks involved and extremely high war risk insurance."

Also Read | Elon Musk stirs Ukraine pot again, says US should use funds for infra projects instead

There were no imports of diesel-type fuel into the EU in the first two weeks of February and only one shipment into the UK, according to the data. However, the Marlin Sicily and Marlin La Plata recently loaded barrels in India and are headed for Rotterdam, with the former signalling arrival later this month, according to a port report and tanker-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg.

Elsewhere, arrivals of diesel-type fuel from India to Asian destinations  including some cargoes into Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh  surged in the first two weeks of the month. More cargoes, on vessels such as the Peace Victoria and Orange Victoria, are sailing toward East Asia.

Also Read | Capital One to acquire Discover Financial Services in $35.3 billion deal

Better arbitrage economics should mean an increase in exports of diesel from India to the European region in the coming weeks, Noel-Beswick said.

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This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.
Oil prices fell on Tuesday, February 20, with an uncertain outlook for global demand knocking value off crude futures contracts, despite some risk premium from the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Tensions in the Red Sea continue, with the crew of a ship abandoning the vessel after the attack on Sunday evening, the first such evacuation since the Yemen-based group started targeting ships late last year. However, the conflict in the Middle East, one of the world's major oil-producing regions, has not been enough to counter crude investors' worries about flagging the global demand.

Also Read: Oil remains range-bound as rate cut hopes fade away: Here's how US Fed policy decision affects prices

Brent futures dipped 22 cents or 0.26 per cent to $83.34 a barrel. The six-month spread for Brent on Tuesday was also at its highest since October, in a sign of a tighter market. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude for April delivery fell 26 cents, or 0.33 per cent, to $78.20 a barrel, after earlier paring $1. The March WTI contract gained 36 cents or 0.45 per cent to $79.55 a barrel ahead of its expiry during the session, according to news agency Reuters.

Back home, on the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), crude oil futures due for a March 19 expiry, was last trading 1.78 per cent lower at 6,402 per bbl, having swung between 6,385 and 6,524 per bbl during the session, against a previous close of 6,518 per barrel.

What's weighing on crude oil prices?

-Crude markets were "marginally lower" in "quiet trading over the Presidents' Day holiday in the US and as demand concerns offset ongoing Middle Eastern geopolitical tensions", said IG market analyst Tony Sycamore in a note.

-Various countries are increasing efforts to secure a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza as the threat of an Israeli assault on the city of Rafah looms. The UN has warned an assault "could lead to a slaughter".

-Shipping has suffered as the conflict in the Middle East threatens to escalate, with energy markets particularly vulnerable. In support of Palestinians, Iran-aligned Houthis have increased attacks on shipping lanes in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait, with at least four more vessels hit by drone and missile strikes since Friday.

A bearish International Energy Agency (IEA) report last week revised the 2024 oil demand growth forecast downward, to almost a million barrels a day less than producer group OPEC's outlook.

-In a bearish report, the International Energy Agency (IEA) last week revised the 2024 oil demand growth forecast downward. The agency expects global oil demand growth to decelerate to 1.22 million barrels per day (bpd) in 2024, about half of the growth seen last year, in part due to a sharp slowdown in Chinese consumption. It had previously forecast 2024 demand growth of 1.24 million bpd.

-The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) stuck to its forecast for relatively strong growth in global oil demand in 2024 and 2025 and raised its economic growth forecasts for both years saying there was further upside potential. OPEC expects oil use to keep rising for the next two decades.

-The IEA estimated global oil demand will grow by 1.22 million barrels per day (bpd) this year, while OPEC's growth forecast is 2.25 million bpd. The IEA trimmed its 2024 growth forecast to almost a million barrels a day less than producer group OPEC's outlook.

-The two are clashing in part over the shift to renewable and cleaner energy, with the IEA, which represents industrialised countries, predicting oil demand will peak by 2030 while OPEC expects oil use to keep rising for the next two decades.

Where are prices headed?

Crude oil experienced mild profit-taking on Monday following last weeks substantial gains. Concerns over demand from China and increased US oil stocks prompted this profit-taking. Also, the dollar index maintaining levels above 104 is capping gains. However, the ongoing Red Sea crisis is providing support to oil prices at lower levels.

The recent attack by the Houthi group on an oil tanker in the Red Sea has heightened concerns about supply disruptions. Escalating conflict in the region has resulted in delayed oil deliveries to several parts of Asia and Europe, further bolstering oil prices, according to analysts.

Expectations are for crude oil prices to remain volatile, with support around $77.5076.90 and resistance at $78.90-79.50. In terms of INR, crude oil has support at Rs6,440-6,360 and resistance at 6,590-6,680,'' said Rahul Kalantri, VP Commodities, Mehta Equities Ltd.

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Adani Enterprises started as a commodity trading business in 1988, specialising in agricultural goods and textiles. By the early 1990s, the company broadened its scope to include the import and export of both raw materials and finished products.

Then, in the late 1990s, the company began diversifying across various sectors such as infrastructure, logistics and energy. A milestone was the establishment of Mundra Port  India's first private port venture  in 1998. Subsequently, the group extended its reach to encompass airport development, road infrastructure, and power generation.

Since 2000, the group has emerged as a prominent figure in India's renewable energy landscape, with a strategic emphasis on solar and wind energy initiatives.

Adani Enterprises portfolio in 2023

View Full Image Source: Investor presentation

Of late it has nurtured a far more diverse portfolio, having strategically invested in sectors that are poised for explosive growth in the coming decade, from green hydrogen to data centres.

This blend of the traditional and new isn't down to the company merely following trends. It has been venturing into complementary businesses that seamlessly integrate into its overall business.

A conglomerate that delivers

The company has a track record of not only fostering new business interests but also nurturing them into significant, self-sustaining entities. The enterprise has successfully spun them off into independently listed and expandable units.

So far it has incubated and listed six highly successful companies, including Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited, Adani Power Limited, Adani Transmission Limited, Adani Green Energy Limited, Adani Total Gas Limited, and Adani Wilmar Limited.

The new-age businesses continue to show promise, with sectors such as green hydrogen, airports, data centres and roads poised for rapid expansion.

Recently, the company announced plans for five IPOs. Adani Group's chief financial officer Jugeshinder Singh said that five of its subsidiaries are scheduled to debut on the market between 2026 and 2028. These are Adani New Industries, Adani Airport Holdings, AdaniConneX, the group's metal and mining units, and Adani Road Transport.

Read on to learn more about each of them.

#1 Adani New Industries

There is a growing consensus that green hydrogen could be the fuel of the future. It has emerged as one of the strongest candidates for helping decarbonise sectors that are less dependent on electricity, taking us a step closer to carbon neutrality.

India is planning a massive expansion in the green hydrogen space, aiming to eventually become a large exporter, and is already in talks with the governments of other countries for this.

The demand for green hydrogen use in things like refineries, fertilisers and city gas is set to increase to two million metric tonnes per annum by 2030, in line with Indias green hydrogen mission.

While green hydrogen is still in the nascent stage, it is quickly turning into an investing megatrend, offering a fantastic opportunity for several existing businesses.

Adani Enterprises is one of the newest entrants in the green hydrogen space but is making strong headway. Adani New Industries plans to invest $70 billion ( 5.8 trillion) across the entire green energy value chain, from electrolyser manufacturing to AI-based utility and industrial cloud platforms, and build the worlds largest green hydrogen ecosystem in India.

This huge investment should help Adani become a green hydrogen giant, and make India the cheapest producer of hydrogen.

#2 Adani Airport Holdings

India is projected to become the worlds third-largest commercial aviation market by 2030, surpassing China and the US, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

The aviation market, estimated at $13.54 billion in 2024, is projected to touch $23.24 billion by 2029, at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.41%.

The bulk of the growth of Indian aviation has been thanks to homegrown airlines, which have clocked a 36% increase in passengers since 2022.

Foreign tourist arrivals have been rebounding since the pandemic but are still relatively low, barely topping 10 million in a good year (about the same as Romanias). So low-cost carriers are flying to more countries to accommodate Indias demand for foreign tourism.

No nation in the world has been buying as many aircraft as India, with its largest airlines having ordered nearly 1,000 jets this year. The increase in passengers has led to a growing requirement for large, service-driven airports in place of mere connectivity hubs to metros.

Adani Enterprises has an airport network comprising seven operational brownfields and one under-construction greenfield airport. With a portfolio of eight airports, the company handles more than 23% of passenger traffic in India.

In fiscal year 2023, the company achieved pre-covid level performance. Passenger movement hit 74.8 million during the year across seven operational airports. The construction of its greenfield airport in Navi Mumbai remained ahead of schedule. Looking ahead, Adani Airport Holdings looks to serve more than 300 million consumers through airport infrastructure.

In the last nine months of fiscal year 2024, the company handled 65 million passengers (up 23% yoy), added 19 new routes, nine new airlines, and five new flights.

#3 AdaniConneX

Data centres house the technological infrastructure that stores, processes and manages colossal amounts of data. As technological innovation continues to grow, the demand for data centres will follow suit.

A report published in June 2023 by Colliers, a commercial real estate company, estimated that Indias data centre inventory would double to 20 million square feet by 2025 from the current 10.3 million square feet, driven by increased adoption of smart devices, e-commerce and cloud services.

In 2023, India received investments and pre-commitments in the sector from global hyper-scalers. Indian business houses, including the Adani Group, are also making substantial strides. Presently, Adani Enterprises operates a single data centre, with a total capacity of 17 MW. Flipkart has already decided to set up its third data centre at Adanis Chennai facility.

The company has five more data centres under construction and aims to establish data centre platforms totalling 1 GW within the next decade.

#4 Adani Road Transport

India boasts the worlds second-largest road network, covering 6.3 million kilometres. This extensive network handles 64.5% of the nations goods transportation and serves as the primary mode for 90% of passenger traffic.

The government has upgraded over 35,000 kilometres of highways to four lanes or more since 2023 and has allocated 116 trillion under the National Infrastructure Pipeline for fiscal year 2025.

The roads sector alone is likely to account for 18% of capital expenditure over FY25. Private investments in the highway sector should also rise from around 200 billion a year at present to nearly 1 trillion in the next six to seven years.

New construction in tandem with regular maintenance and repairs is vital for ensuring the long-term durability of India's road infrastructure. This offers companies a great opportunity, and Adani Group strives to be at the forefront.

The company provides transport and utility infrastructure construction services, mainly focussing on large-scale infrastructure development. It is currently building national highways, expressways, tunnels, metro-rail, and railways.

Adanis road construction portfolio grew by 273% sequentially but fell 6% yoy in the first nine months of FY24. The company completed several projects and secured the 464-km Ganga Expressway Project in Uttar Pradesh, demonstrating its ability to win large contracts.

#5 Metal and mining units

The Adani Group is aggressively expanding its presence in the minerals and metals sector. It has already entered the copper market through its Kutch Copper unit, which generates 4-5% of the group's revenue.

With plans to invest 575.8 billion on an alumina refinery in Odisha, the group aims to further strengthen its position. It aims to finance ventures in aluminium, copper, and mining services, facilitated by its metals and mining units.

Additionally, it plans to establish an iron ore project with a capacity of 30 million tons per annum as part of its iron ore value addition initiative.

Decoding the growth & debt equation

The company reports its revenues and operating profit under two primary segments  new and incubating.

Incubating business comprises the energy & utility and the transport and logistics sectors such as data centres, renewable energy (including green hydrogen), roads and airports. Established businesses include primary industries such as the IRM, commercial mining, and mining services.

Adani Enterprises: Financial snapshot

View Full Image Source: Investor presentation

While total revenue was down 27%, operating profit was up 58%. Notably, in the last nine months of FY24, the growth of incubating businesses surpassed that of established businesses. A large part of this growth came from the renewable energy, data centre, airports and roads businesses. The established business suffered on the back of low volume and a correction in coal prices.

While 2023 brought a narrative of volatility, uncertainty and resilience with Adani Group stocks, thanks to the Hindenburg report, it seems like all that is behind it now.

The Supreme Court cleared Adani Group of allegations of manipulating stock prices, boosting investor confidence and enabling the company to access funding from private banks and sovereign funds. Now, according to reports, it plans to raise funds externally to fund its expansion as its leveraged balance sheet could be the only roadblock to its ambitious plans.

Over the years, the conglomerates constant expansion has led to increased borrowings. As of the first half of FY24, its debt-to-equity ratio stood at 0.62x. The interest coverage ratio and net debt to Ebitda were also relatively low at 2.95x and 2.7x, respectively.

The conglomerate now plans to fund a fifth of its $70 bn investment from internal accruals and the rest through a mix of foreign direct investments, loans and bonds.

It aims to raise funds through a public offering, a preferential allotment, including a qualified institutions placement (QIP), or other eligible securities issuance, with reports suggesting a share offering valued at least $1.8 billion.

Conclusion

Adani Enterprises is a diversified conglomerate thats strategically positioned for growth.

Its foray into green hydrogen, airports, data centres and roads aligns with India's booming infrastructure and digital-transformation needs. While financial health remains a concern, the company's proven track record and recent exoneration inspire confidence.

However, investors must carefully assess the debt burden and potential risks before making investment decisions.

Adani's ambitious expansion plans hinge on successful execution and navigating a competitive landscape. Its strategic direction positions it to capitalise on megatrends and potentially become a key player in shaping India's infrastructure and digital landscape.

Disclaimer:This article is for information purposes only. It is not a stock recommendation and should not be treated as such.

This article is syndicated from Equitymaster.com
HDFC Bank , India's largest private sector bank, witnessed its shares achieve the biggest intraday gain in nearly three months. Today, the stock surged by 2.63% to close at 1,454 apiece, marking the most substantial one-day increase since December 04.

This strong rally has also propelled the benchmark Nifty 50 to reach another record milestone of 22,215 points. With its substantial 14% weightage in the Nifty 50, today's surge in HDFC Bank's stock contributed to 80% of the index's overall gains.

The rally observed in HDFC Bank stock was attributed to the multiple positive developments. Global brokerage firm Citi has kept its 'buy' call on HDFC Bank with a target price of 2,050 per share. This indicates an upside potential of over 41% from today's closing price.

Earlier, Morgan Stanley also retained its 'overweight' rating on the stock with a target price of 2,110 apiece.

Growth Strategy

The bank's management emphasized prioritizing profitability and earnings per share growth over loan growth.

Also Read: Not eyeing growth just for the sake of market share, says HDFC Bank's Jagdishan

Indias largest private sector lender, HDFC Bank, does not plan to grow just for the sake of market share," chief executive Sashidhar Jagdishan said on Monday. Jagdishan spoke to Rahul Jain, managing director of global investment research at Goldman Sachs India Securities Pvt Ltd, a replay of which is available on the banks YouTube channel.

As I said, we are not in the quantity game at all; we do not want to grow just for the sake of market share. This is not a new philosophy," said Jagdishan.

The bank's strategy, according to Jagdishan, involves adjusting its risk-based pricing model to maintain these margins, accounting for the evolving cost of funds.

To that extent, you will see our ALCO (asset liability committee) constantly raising the threshold level so that we do not go down the margin ladder. Incrementally, we are reasonably sanguine that we should manage that," he said.

Jagdishan also touched upon the bank's cautious approach to deposit growth, especially during periods of tight liquidity when deposit rates for larger amounts tend to rise. The bank has chosen not to chase high-cost deposits, he said, adding, This means that not only did we not participate, we had to give up some of the ones that were there and came up for maturities."

Also Read: Nifty 50 at a record high, up 13% in 3 months; is it time to book profit?

Earlier on February 16, the bank announced that it recorded stable and healthy double-digit year-on-year (YoY) growth in its home loan business after the merger till December 31, 2023.

The bank said that it recorded 3.6% sequential growth as of December 2023, and, after the merger, savings accounts for incremental disbursals have moved to 80% from 35%.

It also added that the banks market share has grown by 1820% on incremental disbursals. On a sequential basis, the bank has gained a leading position as it recorded a growth of 3.6%, which was the highest among its peers in home loans.

By mid-March, the bank will be launching a seamless straight-through journey for home refurbishment loans, which can become a strong product offering for customers. Also, by April 2024, the bank proposes to launch a home Saver product.

Also Read: These 3 Nifty 50 stocks hovering near their 52-week lows; what should you do?

Meanwhile, the stock witnessed significant selling pressure after the bank's release of its Q3 numbers, which fell short of analyst estimates. Between January 16 and February 14, the stock lost 17.56% of its value. Although it partially recovered in recent sessions, it remains 13.40% below pre-Q3 announcement levels.

Disclaimer: We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions.

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Shares of Walmart hit a record high on Tuesday after reporting stronger-than-expected quarterly results.

The US retail giant climbed 5.9 per cent after it forecast fiscal year sales above Wall Street estimates.

At 11:34 am GMT, the stock was at $176.40, up 3.55 per cent.

It also raised its annual dividend by 9 per cent, biggest hike in more than 10 years.

The Bentonville-based Walmart earned $5.49 billion, or $2.03 per share in the quarter ended January 31, 2024, as compared to $6.27 billion, or $2.32 per share in the same quarter a year ago.

Its sales in the reported quarter rose by 5.7 per cent to $173.38.

In the past 12 months, store sales -- from established stores and online operating over -- rose 4 per cent, slower than the 4.9 per cent for the Walmart US division in the previous quarter.

Its global e-commerce sales rose 23 per cent in the January quarter, as compared to 15 per cent in the previous quarter.

The company reported 28 per cent increase in its global advertising business at $3.4 billion.

Walmart also revealed that it would buy smart TV maker Vizio for $2.3 billion to boost its advertising business.

Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said on Tuesday that general merchandise prices are lower than a year ago and even two years ago in some categories. It is mixed in the grocery, with eggs, apples and deli snacks cheaper than last year, and prices for asparagus and black berries rising.

Dry grocery and consumables like paper goods and cleaning supplies are up in the mid-single-digit percentages compared with last year and high teens versus two-years ago, he added.

The US retailer had recently announced plans to build or convert more than 150 stores in the next five years, while remodelling the existing stores. It has not launched a new store since late 2021.

For the first quarter of the current fiscal year, the company forecast earnings per share to be in the range of $1.48 to $1.56, and for the whole fiscal year between $6.70 and $7.12 per share.

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Despite the markets seen to be overpriced, the bull run is likely to continue for a long time to come since the structural growth of the Indian economy will continue, believes Abhishek Tiwari, executive director and Chief Business Officer of PGIM India Mutual Fund.

In a telephonic interview with MintGenie, he also sheds light on the scope of growth that some good quality small and mid-cap stocks can offer. Mr Tiwari also says healthcare and pharma are likely to do well in the immediate future, while financial services  as a sector  is a good buy for the medium to long term.

While sharing some pearls of wisdom with retail investors, he cautions them against their returns chasing behaviour which needs to be checked.

Edited Excerpts:

The market has broken several records in the recent past. Last year, the broader market index delivered around 20 percent returns. For how long, do you think the bull run will continue?

The structural growth of India will continue for time to come. Corporate balance sheets are getting stronger. So, the bull run will stay but there could be blips along the way.

How do you think the market will react to general elections?

If the outcome is the same as expected, it will be celebrated. However, the seeds of structural growth have already been sowed in terms of reforms and spending.

These all are the long-term drivers of the economy irrespective of what is going to happen.

Is this the right time to invest in large cap stocks since small and mid-caps are seen as overpriced?

From the valuation standpoint, large caps should be the best space to invest. But there is still humongous scope in the good quality and well-run mid and small cap companies. However, the inclination should be towards large caps.

Which are the sectors that are expected to do well in the near future?

Healthcare and pharma are the sectors that are likely to do well in the immediate future. Within these areas, hospitals and diagnostics look strong because of several reasons including medical tourism.

From the medium to long term perspective, specialty chemicals and financial services look promising. Financial services sector includes good AMCs, RTAs, depository companies and insurance.

What is the advice you want to give to retail investors?

At the baseline, SIP (systematic investment plan) is a good tool for investors. Also, the quality of products sold in the industry is very good. However, return chasing behaviour of investors should be checked.

Last financial year, there was a lot of focus on small caps. One should be wary, and assess their risk and goals and take investing calls accordingly.

What is the suggestion for investors wanting to invest in debt mutual funds?

Yes, on all counts. In fact, we have been promoting short-term debt mutual funds including ultra short term and money market mutual funds.

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Contributions towards employee provident fund (EPF) is an important component of your salary. Companies are mandated as per law to deduct the contribution from your salary and deposit it with the Employee Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO). That, though, need not happen always. There have been several instances when errant companies deduct this amount from the salaries of their employees but fail to deposit it with the EPFO.

Delhi-based Bansal (39), a start-up employee, realized that his PF contribution data was missing while filling his income tax return (ITR). Bansal, who declined to give his full name because of legal issues, raised the matter about the missing PF dues with his then employer but no action was forthcoming. His mails to the companys chief executive officer also remained unanswered. Bansal finally reached out to the EPFO and lodged a formal complaint. The EPFO took immediate action, but I had to complain twice because the company ignored the organizations first call thinking it was a hoax," he says.

View Full Image Graphic: Paras Jain

Interestingly, Bansal says, the company cleared the deposits of only those who raised complaints with the EPFO but not other employees. The EPFO is yet to make the company accountable for repeated delays in crediting the PF amount and also the increase in number of employee complaints. It has thus far only addressed complaints of individual employees, says Bansal, who quit the firm shortly after. Mint has accessed a copy of the complaint that Bansal filed with the EPFO.

The company is still delaying PF deposits of existing employees," says Bansal, adding it also did not deposit with the government the tax deducted at source (TDS) on his income. Bansal, has since moved the labour court against the company to recover his full and final (F&F) dues.

Many startups have fallen foul of the EPFO for failing to deposit the PF on time. That includes a popular edtech firm which was facing a funding crunch in the start-up ecosystem. In most such cases, employees of these companies have had issues pertaining to delays in salary payments, PF contributions, TDS deposits or F&F settlements.

Delay in PF deposits

In case of delays by a company in depositing the PF contributions, an employee can send a written complaint to the EPFO. The employee can furnish the PF statement that confirms whether the employer has credited the contribution in their PF accounts, along with the copy of salary slips in which such recoveries are affected.

The regional PF commissioner will vet the complaint and, if satisfied with the proof that has been submitted, will depute EO (Enforcement Officer) to verify the facts from the employer," says Adarsh Vir Singh, founder, Nidhi Niyojan Inc, a social security consulting firm.

Employees can also register their grievances on the EPF Integrated Grievance Management System (EPFiGMS) portal. For all such complaints, they are issued with a reference number If the grievance is not redressed within 15 days or if the employee is not satisfied with the quality of grievance redressal, they can send an email to the higher authorities with the reference number." says Singh.

Notably, EPFO also provides a WhatsApp helpline number on its portal for raising complaints.

If the company continues to be unresponsive to complaints, Singh suggests employees can lodge a complaint via the Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS). It is an online platform, linked to all Central and state ministries/departments, where citizens can lodge their grievances with public authorities on any subject.

If a complaint goes via this portal, the designated officials are supposed to resolve the matter within 24 hours" , says Singh.

Notably, for non-deposit of PF money, companies will have to bear interest (i.e. simple interest at 12% per annum, p.a.) and damages (ranging from 5~25% p.a., depending on the period of default) and these are bound to have implications for the company promoters or founders, says Anurag Jain, Cofounder/Partner at ByTheBook Consulting LLP, a tax consultancy firm. In extreme cases, EPFO can also initiate prosecution and recovery proceedings against the company and its officials.

Here, it is interesting to note that while the EPFO collects damages and interest from the employer on delayed PF contributions, employees are not compensated for the delays. Moreover, some of them lose out on interest income on delayed deposits in case a company clears all its arrears in one go in the ongoing month instead of updating the books in the correct order in past dates when deposits were actually due. To ensure that the complainant gets due interest on past PF dues which the employer hadnt deposited, ECR (Electronic Challan cum Return) needs to be generated for the specific month in which the employer had defaulted, says Singh. All EPFO-registered employers have to submit ECR on a monthly basis which consists of member-wise details of the contributions.

That said, the receipt of delayed PF deposits alone is not enough. One must verify the timeline. Settling arrears in one go also affects EPS (employees pension scheme) contribution of employees," he adds.

Delay in TDS, F&F

Section 205 of the Income-tax Act prohibits recovery of tax from an individual if tax has already been deducted from his income by the deductor, says Naveen Wadhwa, vice president, research and advisory division, at Taxmann. It means an employee cannot be called upon to pay taxes if the employer has deducted the tax on his income but has not deposited it with the government. However, Section 191 provides that a salaried person will have to make direct payment of the tax if it has not been deducted from his salary.

What can an employee do if there is a discrepancy in Form 26AS due to non-deposit of TDS or non-filing of TDS return by the employer? The taxpayer should contact the deductor to correct the mismatch. It must be done before filing the ITR. However, a taxpayer has no legal right to force the deductor to deposit TDS or make any corrections in the TDS Statement. If the deductor refuses to entertain the taxpayers request, he can submit TDS proof to the Income-tax department," suggests Wadhwa.

It means if an employee receives a tax demand notice, he should file a reply on the e-filing portal with supporting documents of TDS deducted from his income. The taxpayer can submit the salary slips and bank statement showing credit of net salary after deduction of TDS. The tax assessing officer is bound to allow TDS credit to the taxpayer if the documents submitted are found correct. However, if he still doesnt allow the credit, the only option left is to file an appeal before CIT(A)," he adds. CIT(A) is short for Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals).

Due to rising litigations on the matter, Wadhwa says, the CBDT has issued instructions in the past, where it has clearly stated that in cases where TDS is deducted by the employer or deductor and the same has not been deposited with the government, the tax assessing officer cannot raise tax demands upon the payees," he says.

So far as delays in F&F settlement are concerned, employees have no option but to take legal action against the employer by filing a complaint with the labour department or by sending a legal notice or filing a case in the labour court.
SYDNEYAustralia said it would spend billions more dollars over the next decade to expand its surface fleet to its largest size since World War II, the latest move by the U.S. ally to revamp its military amid tensions with China in the Indo-Pacific region.

Australia on Tuesday unveiled a blueprint for a larger and more lethal surface fleet for the Royal Australian Navy that would more than double the size of the fleet compared with a prior government plan. The new plan calls for 26 major surface vessels, including destroyers and frigates, plus 25 minor war vessels.

The ships would have various weapons systems including upgraded air defense and strike capabilities, undersea warfare capabilities, and increased long-range strike capabilities. They would complement Australias plans to operate eight conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines under the three-way Aukus military pact, which includes the U.S. and the U.K., in the coming decades.

The Australian government said an additional 11.1 billion Australian dollars (US$7.25 billion) will be invested in the navy and shipbuilding over the next decade, supporting some 3,700 jobs. The plan focuses on the Osborne shipyard in South Australia and the Henderson shipbuilding complex in Western Australia.

A strong Australia relies on a strong navy, one that is equipped to conduct diplomacy in our region, deter potential adversaries, and defend our national interests when called," said Vice Admiral Mark Hammond, chief of Australias navy. The size, lethality and capabilities of the future surface combatant fleet ensures that our navy is equipped to meet the evolving strategic challenges of our region."

Australias current surface fleet is the oldest the navy has ever operated, the government said. The oldest of the Anzac-class frigates, the backbone of the current fleet, are approaching 30 years of age.

The navy plan comes after a wide-ranging review of Australias military last year found that Canberra needed to quickly overhaul its armed forces and focus more on capabilities such as long-range missiles. Australian officials had said the previous assumption that Australia would have 10 years to prepare for a conflict was no longer accurate, amid concerns that China could seek to take Taiwanthe self-governing island that Beijing views as its territoryby force in the near future. Advances in technology had also eroded the advantage of Australias relatively remote geography, the review said.

A public version of the navy analysis, released Tuesday, said that a mix of vessels would enable a larger surface combatant force to handle a variety of missions across an extensive area of responsibility. The surface fleet, it said, is a key part of Australias strategy to deny adversaries the ability to operate in Australias northern maritime approachesa theater where U.S. Marines have been deployed for annual training in recent years.

The roughly 20-page document, however, didnt mention China. That likely reflects how Australian officials have faced a delicate balancing act as it deepens its military cooperation with the U.S. while also avoiding to overly anger Beijing, its largest trading partner.

The current center-left government of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has sought to thaw ties with Beijing, which slapped trade restrictions on a variety of Australian goods in recent years following a diplomatic spat with the prior Australian government. China has lifted some restrictions recently.

Australia has also said that it wants to set up a domestic missile-manufacturing capability at a time when the conflict in Ukraine has stretched the ability of the U.S. and its allies to replenish munitions stocks. The review from last year also recommended that Australia buy more High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or Himars, units from the U.S., acquire more landing craft and reduce the number of infantry fighting vehiclesindicating the increased importance of Australias northern maritime and littoral zone.

Write to Mike Cherney at mike.cherney@wsj.com
The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has lowered customs duty on imported blueberries, cranberries and turkey as was agreed with the US last year to end a trade dispute. The duty cuts are from 30% to 10% in some cases and to 5% in some others, showed an official order.

The US wants to improve American farmers' market access for these products and considers the most populous nation in the world a key market for them.

CBIC said the duty rate change is made in public interest. Accordingly, frozen turkey and edible offal will attract a customs duty of 5% when imported into India, down from 30% earlier and fresh, dried or frozen cranberries and blueberries will attract a 10% customs duty. Also, prepared or preserved cranberries will attract only 5% import duty, while preserved blueberries will attract 10% import duty, the order said.

India imported meat and edible offal of turkey worth $70,000, fresh cranberries and bluberries worth $20,000 and dried cranberries and blueberries worth $20,000 from the US in FY23, as per data available from the commerce ministry.

Experts said the rate cut is in line with a bilateral deal between India and the US last year aimed at resolving past disputes. On all these items, the import duty rate prior to the latest revision was 30%, explained Khushbu Trivedi, associate director- indirect tax at Nangia Andersen India, a business advisory firm. Reduction of the duty on these niche items rarely produced in India would help the USA in penetrating the Indian market, and also in bringing the prices of these products down in India," said Trivedi, adding that the rate cut will also benefit other WTO members.

Also, CBIC reduced the import duty on certain category of cottonnot carded or combed, with staple length exceeding 32mmto zero from 5% earlier.

On 8 September last year, US Trade Representative Katherine Tai announced that India and the US agreed to resolve their last outstanding dispute at the WTO regarding certain farm produce. As per this, India agreed to reduce tariffs on US products including frozen turkey, frozen duck and blueberries and cranberries in imported in various stages.

The tariff cuts are meant to expand economic opportunities for US farm producers in a critical market and help bring more US products to customers in India, a statement from the US said then quoting Tai. Ambassador Tai also then said in a letter shared with commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal that once the agreement on duty rate cut is implemented, the US will work with India to notify within 10 days thereafter" a mutually agreed solution for terminating the outstanding WTO dispute.

India's imports from the US stood at $50.8 billion in FY23, showing a 17% growth from the year before, while India exported items worth $78.5 billion to the US in that year, 3% more than the exports to that market in the year before, according to data from the commerce ministry.

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Sameer Wankhede, the former zonal director of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) will not be arrested in a money laundering case till March 1, Enforcement Directorate (ED) told Bombay High Court on Tuesday.

Bombay High Court's division bench of Justices P D Naik and N R Borkar accepted ED's statement and posted Wankhede's petition against the case on March 1.

The bench has directed the probe agency to produce a copy of the ECIR (complaint) on March 1.

A money laundering case has been registered against Wankhede after the ED took cognisance of a first information report (FIR) by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in an alleged 25-crore bribe demand from Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan's family to spare his son Aryan Khan in a drugs case.

In the beginning of this month, the former NCB officer had filed a petition in the Bombay High Court seeking to quash the ED's case. He has also sought, through an interim order, protection from any coercive action and a stay on the agency's probe.

Last week, the ED said it would not arrest Wankhede till February 20 (Tuesday).

Sandesh Patil, ED's advocate, on Tuesday told the court that Solicitor General Tushar Mehta will appear in the case and sought an adjournment.

"My earlier statement of no arrest or coercive action would stand extended till the time the plea is taken up for hearing," Patil told the court.

The bench accepted the statement and posted the plea for hearing on March 1.

Another petition filed by Wankhede has also been adjourned till March 27. He had filed a plea last year against the extortion and bribery case registered against him by the CBI.

In his plea, the 2008-batch Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer said the ED's case "smacks of malice and vendetta".

Wankhede claimed that while the ECIR was registered last year, some NCB officers were issues summons now, after he filed a complaint against NCB's deputy director Gyaneshwar Singh.

Last month, he had filed a complaint against Singh before a Delhi court seeking action under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. He has alleged that Singh and a few powerful people have unleashed agencies, including the CBI, ED and NCB, to fix him in some case.

Wankhede was booked by the CBI in May 2023 on charges of seeking a 25 crore bribe for not framing Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan Khan in the drugs-on-cruise case.

Wankhede and others were booked under sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 388 (threat of extortion) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) besides provisions under the Prevention of Corruption Act on a complaint from the NCB.

Aryan was arrested in the case on the Cordelia cruise ship on October 2, 2021. The NCB later filed a chargesheet against 14 accused but gave a clean chit to Aryan.

The case took a twist when an 'independent witness' in 2021 claimed that 25 crore was demanded by an NCB official and others to let off Aryan Khan.

The NCB later conducted internal vigilance probe against Wankhede and others. The contents of the internal probe were shared with the CBI, leading to the registration of a case against Wankhede.

(With PTI inputs)

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Metro train services on Bangalore's Purple Line came to a standstill for several hours on February 20 due to a technical snag, several users said on social media. The disruption occurred during the early morning commute between Baiyappanahalli and Garudacharpalya stations, forcing trains to operate at reduced speeds and causing delays along the line, as per an Economic Times report. Passengers experienced significant crowds at stations, particularly at Majestic.

In a statement, BL Yashavanth Chavan, Chief Public Relations Officer at BMRCL told the paper that three short-loop trains have been deployed between Majestic and Baiyappanahalli to ease congestion.

Although the problem was resolved by 9:20 am, train schedules remained disrupted, taking an additional thirty minutes to stabilise. Chavan assured commuters, saying, "We are making efforts to resume normal frequency as soon as possible."

Authorities told the paper that teams are dispatched to address technical problems, and are working diligently to restore services. Meanwhile, passengers have been advised to anticipate delays and adjust their travel plans accordingly.

On social media site X, BMRC apologised for the situation, "Trains in purple line is running at slow speed between Baiyappanahalli to Garudacharpalya due to a technical snag. There will be disruptions in the train schedules. Teams are working to solve this earliest. Inconvenience is regretted. The operations team are doing short loop services to reduce the inconveniences of our commuters at large. Seeking kind cooperation."

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ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, February 20. Turkmenistan and France engaged in substantive discussions aimed at fostering the expansion and enhancement of trade and economic relations, Trend reports.

These issues were discussed during a meeting between Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Myakhri Byashimova and Head of the France-Turkmenistan Chamber of Commerce, Marie-Helene Berard.

During the meeting, the parties noted with satisfaction the positive dynamics of the development of trade and economic relations between Turkmenistan and France.

In this context, they stressed the potential for building up Turkmenistan's business partnership with French companies in the fields of energy, oil and gas, transport, and healthcare.

Special attention was paid by the parties to the prospects of cooperation in the water sector of Turkmenistan aimed at the conservation and rational use of water resources.

Furthermore, at the meeting, Myakhri Byashimova particularly noted the importance of the active participation of the France-Turkmenistan Chamber of Commerce in the intensification of trade and economic cooperation between the two countries.

Meanwhile, after the decline in 2021 (38.1 million euros), trade relations between Turkmenistan and France began to grow actively, amounting to 40.67 million euros in 2022 and 68 million euros from January through November 2023.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) under the central government has finalised its emergency order directing top social media companies like Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, X (formerly Twitter) and Snap to block 177 accounts and links related to the farmers' protest in order to maintain 'public order'.

Also Read | 'Not in favour of farmers': Protesting farmers reject Centre's 5-year MSP plan

According to a report in the Hindustan Times, MeitY issued the emergency orders at the behest of the Ministry of Home Affairs, and these were in addition to the final orders issued on 14 February. The report notes that both the blocking orders issued on 14 and 19 February are conditional and have been issued till the duration of the protest, after which the social media companies can restore these accounts and channels.

The HT report notes that the MeitY orders were issued against 35 Facebook links, 35 Facebook accounts, 14 Instagram accounts, 42 X accounts, 49 X links, 1 Snapchat and 1 Reddit account. Notably, while it is common for the government to take down Facebook and X accounts, this is the first time the Centre has issued a blocking order against Snap.

Also Read | Farmers' protest: Samyukta Kisan Morcha calls for agitation against BJP MPs on Feb 21

Meanwhile, a meeting of the Section 69A blocking committee also took place on Monday, with representatives from all of these companies except Reddit appearing. According to the HT report, representatives from Meta and X argued against blocking entire channels, suggesting instead that specific URLs containing the content should be blocked. The committee hit back, saying that allowing these accounts to remain active could lead to public unrest.

Prominent accounts suspended on Monday include the X account of Manoj Singh Duhan of the Unionist Sikh Mission and Facebook pages supporting gangster-turned-politician Lakha Singh Sidhana.

While the total number of accounts and URLs blocked by the 14 February order isn't yet clear, the affected accounts included X profiles of Kisan Ekta Morcha's @kisanektamorcha, @Tractor2twitr, @Tractor2twitr_P run and Progressive Farmers Front's @FarmersFront.

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The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) supported the decision of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha-Non Political (SKM-NP) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) to reject the Centre's proposal of a five-year contract farming for five crops. The farmers' union hit out at "experts" for "misinterpreting that legal guarantee for MSP for procurement of all crops at minimum support price could spell 'fiscal disaster'". It dismissed this argument as "the logic of corporate forces".

The union, which had spear-headed the farmers' protest in 2020-2021, said all the "pro-people experts and scientists have reasoned no MSP means human disaster". It also rejected as "baseless" the claim that the Union government has to find 11 lakh crore for providing MSP to farmers for all 23 crops.

ALSO READ: Farmers to resume Delhi Chalo protest on February 21| 5 updates

Legally guaranteed procurement means

The SKM argued that "the legally guaranteed procurement does not mean the government has to pay and procure but to ensure the corporate forces share their profit with farmers as remunerative price, and the Union and state governments and the public sector abet the producer cooperatives and non-corporate private sector to undertake post-harvesting operations of procurement, primary and secondary processing, storage and infrastructure building and branded marketing".

"This policy shift will bring employment generation, better price and wage to workers and farmers and more tax income to the state and union governments," the SKM said.

Huge human disaster

In its press release on Tuesday, the SKM highlighted the "huge human disaster due to the lingering agrarian crisis" and said the country is witnessing a "human disaster" in the "countryside today". It is "filled with intensifying poverty, indebtedness, unemployment and price rise," it added.

The SKM demanded that the focus should be on "the importance of protecting peasant agriculture for the staple food production, mainly paddy and wheat, by ensuring remunerative income and extending subsidies to reduce the cost of production".

ALSO WATCH: What Are Protesting Farmers Demanding From The Government

On the argument of benefits of crop diversification, the SKM said, "Certain sections opine the crop diversification helps to address water level depreciation, the Kisan movement is not against crop diversification per se but not by undermining staple food production, food security and thus, the sovereignty of the country.

ALSO READ: Farmers battle for MSP law. Is it a fair ask?

Protest against BJP MPs on Feb 21

The SKM urged all the Kisan organisations across India to support the mass protest of farmers in the constituencies of the BJP-NDA MPs on February 21, demanding implementation of the agreement signed by the Narendra Modi government with the SKM on December 9, 2021.

"It is the responsibility of the Prime Minister and the executive to implement the agreement they signed with the SKM on 9th December 2021 and do justice to the promise in the BJP manifesto of 2014 general election on implementing MSP@C2+50% for all crops with legally guaranteed procurement," the SKM said in the press release on Tuesday.

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Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has spoken about a major problem in the city's government. Government officials, according to him, are not cooperating, causing a "serious constitutional crisis". The issue is mainly about a plan to fix high water bills, which is not moving forward because of pressure from some people in the bureaucracy influenced by the BJP, he said.

Kejriwal believes that the BJP is trying to stop his government from doing its work. It has also affected other projects in the past. If the 'one-time settlement' scheme does not start soon, there will be massive agitation, the Delhi CM warned.

He also mentioned that if Delhi had more power, such problems would not happen because officials ignoring the government's orders would be suspended. He questioned how the government could function if the officials didn't do their work.

Although Delhi is half a state, we feel it's not even 5% a state. If Delhi were a full state, no officer would have dared to ignore orders from the chief minister or ministers. They would have been immediately suspended," PTI quoted him as saying.

If they do not work, then how will the government run? Can the government run even for two days? Does this suit the Central government, does it suit the BJP? he asked.

"The BJP feels happy if the people of Delhi are sad or ill. BJP people want to destroy Delhi," he alleged.

Take the votes

Kejriwal asked Leader of Opposition Ramvir Singh Bidhuri to leave aside politics and get the scheme passed through the help of Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena.

"You will get all the credit. I will shout from the top of the Red Fort that BJP people have done this, vote for BJP people. You are doing it for votes. (I know) there is no other reason, take the votes. We don't want votes," said the chief minister.

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West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee shared a video on Tuesday, showing a Sikh police officer breaking into an argument with a few people after he was called a "Khalistani". The Chief Minister alleged in a post on X, "As per the BJP4, every person wearing a turban is a Khalistani."

She said, "I VEHEMENTLY CONDEMN this audacious attempt to undermine the reputation of our SIKH BROTHERS & SISTERS, revered for their SACRIFICES and UNWAVERING DETERMINATION to our nation." In the video, a police officer could be heard lashing out at a group for allegedly calling him a Khalistani"  a person who supports the Khalistan movement that seeks to establish an independent state for Sikhs in India. The police officer asked the group if they called him Khalistani because he was wearing a turban. He said, "Why did you call me Khalistani, is it because I am wearing a turban? Did anyone speak about your religion, why did you speak on mine...Nobody is making any comments on religion, you are making...you are calling one police officer, who has worn a turban, a Khalistani because he is doing his duty...," the police officer, identified by the Congress as IPS officer Jaspreet Singh, said. He also vowed to take action over the incident.

The Congress also tweeted the video and said, "Look at the bad behavior of the people belonging to the BJP. A police officer, who served the country day and night, was called a Khalistani because he wore a turban."

Mamata Banerjee's statement came amid the row over the Sandeshkhali incident and farmers' protest.

Earlier in the day, Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari reached Sandeshkhali in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district on Tuesday afternoon after getting permission from the Calcutta High Court. The village recently witnessed a series of protests after local women accused Trinamool Congress (TMC) strongman Shajahan Sheikh and his supporters of "land-grab and sexually assaulting" them under coercion.

ALSO WATCH: What Are Protesting Farmers Demanding From The Government

The BJP leaders were welcomed by locals, including women, after they reached Sandeshkhali by crossing the Kalindi River on a boat from Dhamakhali. Adhikari, along with another BJP MLA Sankar Ghosh, spoke to the locals, including women, who narrated their "spine-chilling" experiences endured at the hands of local TMC leaders, including absconding Shahjahan Sheikh.

"The experiences narrated by the locals are spine-chilling. Their lands have been usurped, and women exploited... and everything happened with the help of the police and the administration. The situation is completely horrific and is a clear example of anarchy prevailing in the area," he was quoted by news agency PTI as saying.

Meanwhile, Mamata Banerjee said on Tuesday, "We stand firm in protecting Bengal's social harmony and will take stern lawful measures to prevent any attempts to disrupt it."

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Reacting to the Supreme Court ruling on Chandigarh mayoral polls, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday thanked the apex court and said the judgement has saved democracy in these difficult times. The Delhi Chief Minister said that the situation in the country is such that a dictatorship is going on. Democracy is being trampled. All institutions are being trampled. At such a time, this decision of the Supreme Court holds a lot of significance for democracy." We have snatched away victory from them. They had 'stolen' the election, the votes. But we fought till the end and ultimately won...Those who say that BJP can't be defeated - BJP can be defeated with unity, with good planning and strategy and hard work. These results prove the same," Kejriwal added.

Earlier in the day, the Supreme Courtduring the hearing on a petition regarding allegations of vote tampering in the Chandigarh mayoral polls observed that the eight 'defaced' votes should be considered valid, and a recounting should be conducted.

A bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra has commenced hearing the plea of defeated AAP candidate Kuldeep Kumar, accusing Returning Officer Anil Masih of electoral malpractices.

The Supreme Court has scrutinised the ballot papers and watched the video recordings which were brought before it by a judicial officer appointed by the Punjab and Haryana High Courts Registrar General.

It is important to note that Manoj SonkarBharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidatewas declared victorious in the Chandigarh mayoral polls on January 30 after the Returning Officer (RO) declared eight votes of the comfortably placed AAP-Congress alliance candidate invalid, drawing accusations of vote tampering.

Manoj Sonkar of the BJP defeated Kuldeep Kumar of the AAP-Congress alliance with 16 votes against his rival's 12, but he later resigned. Additionally, three AAP councillors switched allegiance to the BJP.

The Supreme Court also came down heavily on Returning Officer Anil Masih, who had conducted the Chandigarh Mayor election, asking him to prove where the ballots, that he rejected as invalid", have been defaced.

The apex court noted that the RO puts a single line on all eight ballots that went in favour of AAP candidate Kuldeep Kumar. What he [returning officer] does is, he puts a single line. Just one line, as seen in the video."

Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Anil Masih, argued that marks that the returning officer made, were small dots" and he looked at the cameras as there was commotion outside".

He further added that Anil Masih, being the returning officer, was entitled to sign.

There is a small dot if it is seen clearlywhat he has done is...in one of them there is a small dotsome are folded from the top. He has, by virtue of that line tick, identified for disqualification. He may be right or wrong. That is his assessment. He looked at the video because there was commotion outside. No one can do this with cameras present. There is no guilty man looking at the camera," Mukul Rohatgi said.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will embark on a significant visit to Jammu and Kashmir, inaugurating projects worth over  30,500 crore and establishing three new Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) in the state. Meanwhile, travel disruptions loom for Lufthansa passengers as ground staff at seven major German airports, including Frankfurt and Munich, launch a one-day strike. And closer to home, the 71st Miss World pageant returns to India after a 28-year hiatus, promising a glamorous spectacle on the global stage.

PM Modi to visit Jammu and Kashmir to inaugurate and lay foundation stones of projects worth over  30,500 crore: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to address a public rally at Maulana Azad Stadium in Jammu and Kashmir today, February 20. Meanwhile, PM Modi will inaugurate and lay foundation stones of projects worth over  30,500 crore in the state during his visit, including the inauguration of three IIMs.

Rahul Gandhi to appear before Sultanpur court in defamation case for remarks against Amit Shah: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will appear before the District Civil Court in Uttar Pradeh's Sultanpur in connection with a defamation case. According to the Congress General Secretary in charge of Communications, Jairam Ramesh, the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra will be paused in the morning on February 20.

Special Session in Maharashtra Assembly on Maratha reservation on Feb 20 as Jarange-Patil's fast continues: The Maharashtra government will hold a special Vidhan Sabha session for one day on Tuesday to discuss the Maratha reservation issue.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde stressed on Friday that reservation to Marathas will be given according to the terms of the law after presenting the report during the special assembly session called for February 20.

SKM to gherao Punjab BJP leaders residences from Feb 20: Bhartiya Kisan Union (Rajewal) chief Balbir Singh Rajewal on Sunday said the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of 37 farm unions, has decided to gherao residences of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) office-bearers at district level from February 20 to 22.

Vibhor Steel Tubes to debut on Feb 20: Shares of Vibhor Steel Tubes Limited will be listed on the BSE and NSE during Tuesday deals. As per the information available on the BSE website, the Vibhor Steel Tubes IPO listing date has been fixed for 20th February 2024, i.e., today. Vibhor Steel Tubes listing will take place in a special pre-open session on Tuesday.

Atmastco IPO closes on Feb 20: Atmastco IPO bidding opened for subscription on February 15, 2024 and will close on February 20, 2024. The SME IPO is a fixed price issue of  56.25 crores. The issue is a combination of a fresh issue of 54.8 lakh shares aggregating to  42.20 crores and an offer for sale of 18.26 lakh shares aggregating to  14.06 crores.

71st Miss World in India: India will host the 71st Miss World pageant after a gap of 28 years, according to the organisers of the event, which will be streamed and telecast worldwide.

Indias ambitious Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link to likely open on Feb 20: The Indian Railways is set to inaugurate train services on the Banihal-Khari-Sumber-Sangaldan section, a pivotal 48.1-km stretch of the ambitious Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link project, on February 20.

Haryana Assembly's Budget session to begin on Feb 20: Today marks the commencement of the Haryana Assembly's first session for the year. The Governor's address will set the stage, followed by a critical discussion among MLAs dissecting the speech. This session, scheduled from February 20 to February 28, promises vital debate and scrutiny. Meanwhile, the opposition leader, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, wasted no time in firing shots at the Khattar government, accusing it of widespread failures across all sectors. The stage is set for a dynamic and potentially contentious political week in Haryana.

German labour union calls on Lufthansa ground staff to strike on Feb 20: Lufthansa ground staff across seven major German airports, including Frankfurt and Munich, are striking on February 20. This one-day walkout, called by the Ver.di union, starts at 4 am Tuesday and lasts until 7:10 am Wednesday, mirroring a similar action earlier this month. Expect major flight cancellations and chaos at Berlin, Duesseldorf, Hamburg, Cologne-Bonn, and Stuttgart airports too. So, if you have a Lufthansa flight scheduled for Tuesday, check its status early and rebook or adjust your travel plans, if necessary.

Polish farmers plan 'Complete Blockade' of Ukraine Border on Feb 20: Polish farmers plan a total blockade of all border crossings with Ukraine on February 20, a trade union said on Tuesday, escalating their month-long strike that began last week in protest against EU policies.

Farmers across Europe have been protesting against constraints placed on them by EU measures to tackle climate change, as well as rising costs and what they say is unfair competition from abroad, particularly Ukraine.

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Byju's Crisis: Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar offered a blunt assessment of Byju's current crisis, attributing it to the company's rapid expansion without adequate corporate governance. "They tried to grow too fast, without the rigour: and discipline a growth company needs, especially when money was easy," he stated, while addressing the Mumbai Tech Week, according to a report by Hindustan Times.

The minister emphasized that neglecting these principles, particularly during periods of easy access to capital, creates an unsustainable model. "Eventually, the cycle turns, and if you haven't learned from others' mistakes, you'll make your own," he warned, positioning Byju's as a cautionary tale.

While highlighting the challenges faced by Byju's, Chandrasekhar expressed optimism about the broader Indian tech scene. He identified the gaming sector as a "crucial segment" deserving of encouragement and support. He acknowledged the conflation of online gaming with "real money, betting, and money laundering," but outlined the government's efforts to create a safe and legal framework for permissible gaming activities.

He assured entrepreneurs to "keep faith," emphasizing that challenges faced by individual companies, including Byju's, shouldn't be misconstrued as reflections on the entire entrepreneurial ecosystem. "There's a thing about discipline that some intuitively understand, while others need time to learn," he said, the report further added.

Chandrasekhar offered valuable insights into the government's perspective on growth strategies within the tech sector. While acknowledging the potential of rapid expansion, his emphasis on sound corporate governance and learning from past mistakes serves as a cautionary message for ambitious startups. Furthermore, his support for a regulated gaming sector highlights the government's commitment to fostering responsible innovation within this promising industry.

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After farmer leaders rejected the government's proposal over the Minimum Support Prices (MSP), Union Minister Arjun Munda appealed to the protesters to maintain peace. "We have to take it forward from discussion to solutions...we want to ensure that we all get together to find a solution and brainstorm over the issue," the minister said on Tuesday.

He said, "We tried to hold the discussion through the government and several proposals were also discussed. But we came to know that they (farmers) are not satisfied with the proposals." Munda, however, said that discussion must continue and "we must find a solution to it peacefully..." ALSO WATCH: What Are Protesting Farmers Demanding From The Government "Everyone has their opinion and everyone is free raise their issues...It's natural for a person to get upset during discussions over those issues, but were are constantly trying that remain in touch, hold discussions to achieve our target with everyone's support," Arjun Munda told news agency ANI.

The minister comment came a day before the farmers' union decided to resume their Delhi Chalo march. The farmers are set to proceed with their 'Dilli Chalo' march on February 21 after they rejected the central government's proposal of procuring pulses (tur dal, urad dal, masoor dal), maize and cotton at MSP by government agencies for five years on contract basis.

"There will be no limit on the quantity (purchased) and a portal will be developed for this," Union Minister Piyush Goyal had said.

Farmer leader said the proposal was not in farmers' interest and announced that they will march towards the national capital on Wednesday. "We appeal to the government that either resolve our issues or remove barricades and allow us to proceed to Delhi to protest peacefully," Kisan Mazdoor Morcha leader Sarwan Singh Pandher was quoted by PTI as saying at the Shambhu point of Punjab's border with Haryana.

ALSO READ: Delhi Farmers Protest: Modi govt curse for food providers, says Mallikarjun Kharge while promising legal right to MSP

The protesting farmers put forth several demands, including the enactment of an ordinance to legally ensure MSPs and the waiver of loans. Despite meetings between ministers and farmer leaders on February 8, 12, and 15, discussions have yet to yield conclusive results.

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NEW DELHI : Standalone modern trade storessmaller than organised retail stores or supermarkets but larger than the neighbourhood kiranas or groceriesare cropping up across India, not in large numbers yet but enough to take notice.

For consumers, stores such as M.K. Retail in Bengaluru, ELT in Noida and Aksar in Mumbai, offer more options for buying household items, as well as the convenience of being located closer than larger supermarkets.

Data from various independent sources peg the number of such stores at 7,900 to 10,000. As per Love in Store, a store loyalty management firm that works with large consumer goods companies, India had 7,914 such independent trade stores at the end of 2023.

Over 4,300 such stores are located in south India, followed by north India that has over 1,536 such outlets, as tracked by the firm, which works with packaged goods companies that supply to modern trade as well as general, or kirana, stores.

As per our data, the standalone modern trade store count has gone from 3,000 stores to 8,000 stores over the last three years as a lot of new ones are opening and old ones are converting. This will go [up] another 1.5x in the next three years," said Aditya Goel, co-founder, Love in Store.

It is the fastest-growing channel and looks like the target for all major fast moving consumer goods companies," he said.

This despite rising high rentals and quick-commerce digital platforms posing potential challenges.

Such standalone stores typically exist as a single outlet in a neighbourhood or as part of a chain of stores in a particular city. Their growth contrasts with the struggles of smaller neighbourhood stores mainly because of cash-flow issues.

While general or kirana stores have reported low-single digit growth, standalone modern trade stores achieved 12-15% growth in sales in the 12 months to 31 December, according to Love in Store. Goel said more investments will flow into opening up such stores over the next 12 months.

Indias market for fast-moving consumer goods is estimated at $25 billion. However, a bulk of packaged goods such as soaps, tea, chips and soft drinks are still sold via general trade stores.

Hindustan Unilever Ltd, the countrys largest packaged consumer goods company, sells its products across 9 million outlets in Indiaa majority of which are general stores.

But such stores are under pressure because of an overall slowdown in the packaged consumer goods sector, especially for mass-market products. New general store openings have been on a decline, according to industry observers.

The rate of new stores opening in general trade has definitely gone down, definitely," said Krishnarao Buddha, senior category head, Parle Products. On the other hand, there is a significant rise in standalone modern trade stores across India, he said.

Such stores are typically run by second-generation entrepreneurs who may have started with a small kirana store. It works out well for large FMCG companies because they are more flexible with product listing and are eager to on-board new brands, etc., when compared to large modern trade chains that often struggle with an overflow of brands," Buddha said.

We are seeing a lot of such stores cropping upthey start as single stores and gradually open more in their city or catchment."

Such outlets also draw more discerning consumers. They offer a wider assortment of goods as well as high-margin imported products. As a result, ticket sizes in general are higher. This also means higher billings for companies.

In a recent interview, Suresh Narayanan, chairman and managing director, Nestle India, too, pointed to the growth in modern standalone stores.

The number of outlets that are opening of the small variety are gradually coming down in large towns because of the cost of real estateit doesnt make sense for you to open a little hole in the wall store in a city like Mumbai. You need a larger-format store, which means that you need deeper pockets," said Narayanan.
The 71st Miss World event is scheduled to run from February 18 to March 9, featuring activities at multiple locations, including the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.

Former Miss World and actress Manushi Chhillar expresses great enthusiasm about the event, emphasizing that it presents a wonderful opportunity for the world to become acquainted with India and experience its hospitality.

Also Read: Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre opens in Mumbai. All you need to know about NMACC

I'm simply excited, and it's wonderful that so many girls will come to India and talk about it and experience our hospitality, just as India will also get to experience what I did six years ago when I attended a competition like this. They will be posting about their experiences on their social media handles. They have a great fan following so those people will also come to know about it. Their families and team will also be coming. So, there will be exposure at the same time for many countries," Manushi told ANI.

Where to watch the live streaming?

The opening ceremony of Miss World will be broadcast live on missworld.com on the evening of February 20th, followed by the highly anticipated 71st Miss World Global Finale at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai on March 9th.

Also Read: Miss World 2023 pageant to be held in India after 27 years

How many contestants are participating?

120 contestants from nations worldwide will engage in diverse competitions and charitable endeavours, embodying the role of change ambassadors. The 71st Miss World event will reach its pinnacle with a spectacular grand finale at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai.

When and where is the finale of the 71st Miss World 2024?

The grand finale of the 71st Miss World will conclude with a spectacular event at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai.

Also Read: In a FIRST, transgender model Rikkie Valerie Kolle crowned Miss Universe Netherlands

After a gap of 28 years, India will host the 71st Miss World pageant, with the ceremony set to take place in Mumbai on March 9th. The India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) is set to host The Opening Ceremony and 'India Welcomes the World Gala' at The Ashik in New Delhi on Tuesday, marking the commencement of the 71st Miss World event.

Who is the official designer?

Fashion designer Archana Kochhar named the official fashion designer for the 71st Miss World pageant, expressed her excitement at the opportunity to work with the event.

In a post on Instagram, she wrote, The 71st Miss World Competition is happening in our incredible country, India, after 28 years & we, Archana Kochhar, have been selected as the official fashion designers for this mega event! We are elated to collaborate with such a prestigious platform & I, thank Julia Morley for giving me this opportunity! Stay tuned for 9th March to see our latest collection weaved with love from artisans from all over India! @missworld @karolinabielawska @thejuliamorley."

(With inputs from agencies)

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ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, February 20. Ministries, departments, public organizations of Turkmenistan and representative offices of the UN structural units in Turkmenistan - UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF, signed a large package of documents, Trend reports.

Among the main documents that were signed at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan are work plans for the implementation of the Country Program for 2021-2025 between the Office of the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Turkmenistan and various government departments, including ministries.

Changes were also made to the project documents between the Office of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in Turkmenistan and the Ministries of Trade and Foreign Economic Relations, Finance and Economics, Health and Medical Industry, Labor and Social Protection of the Population and the State Customs Service of Turkmenistan.

Furthermore, cooperation projects were also signed between UNDP and the relevant authorities of Turkmenistan, including the development of financial accounting, improvement of foreign trade and transport statistics, strengthening the institutional capacity of the Ombudsman and increasing the capacity of the Central Elections Commission.

Within the framework of the event, a Work plan was signed between the State Committee of Turkmenistan for Physical Culture and Sports, UNFPA for 2024-2025, aimed at supporting physical culture and sports, as well as strengthening youth participation and promoting gender equality, as well as a plan between the Institute of State, Law and Democracy of Turkmenistan and UNFPA for 2024-2025.
KYIV, UkraineIts one decade since police gunned down dozens of civilians on a central street here, the first large-scale bloodshed of Russias efforts to keep Ukraine in its grasp.

The protesters killed on Feb. 20, 2014, had been among hundreds of thousands who for months had been opposing the corrupt rule of then-President Viktor Yanukovych, a Russian protege. He soon fled to Russia and a pro-Western government took over, prompting Russia to send troops to seize Crimea.

In the years that followed, Russia used a variety of methods to try to take control of Ukraine, from a covert invasion of its neighbors east to years of political and economic pressure and chicanery. When they failed, Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale military invasion on Feb. 24, 2022.

That didnt work either. Ukraine repelled Russian forces from Kyiv and regained about half of the territory that Russia initially seized. However, Moscow still holds nearly 20% of Ukraines land.

Heres a look back at a decade of Ukrainian resistance against Russiayears marked by death and destruction, but also resilience and hope.

2014-15: The first Russian invasion

It was late 2013 when tens of thousands of Ukrainians began rallying and camping out on Kyivs main square to protest government corruption and Yanukovychs pivot to Russia. The protests were peaceful at first but turned violent when police tried to disperse them. On Feb. 20, two days after hours of deadly pitched battles between police and protesters had ended in a tense stalemate, the cops began pulling back and demonstrators followed them up Instytutska Street.

As a new government sought to take charge in Kyiv, Russia was launching an invasion of Crimea, a peninsula in the Black Sea. The troops bore no insignia and were dubbed little green men," a crude effort by the Russians to mask their own involvement. Kyiv was in disarray and struggled to muster a response. The U.S., which had years earlier pressured Ukraine to give up nuclear weapons in return for security assurances," did next to nothing, and Putin swiftly annexed the peninsula.

Next, he set his eyes on a bigger prize. After Russian agents tried and failed to whip up revolutions in cities across Ukraines east and south, a team of commandos led by a Russian former intelligence officer seized the eastern city of Slovyansk. Russia poured weapons and irregular fighters across the border. As Kyiv fought back, Russia sent in more sophisticated weapons, including a missile launcher that downed the MH17 passenger jet on July 17, 2014, killing all 298 aboard.

After Ukrainian forces gained the upper hand, Moscow sent in its regular army, which dealt Kyivs troops a devastating blow in the city of Ilovaisk in September 2014. Ukraine agreed to a cease-fire but Russia continued its assaults, eventually taking the airport in the eastern capital of Donetsk after months of battles. In February 2015, Russian forces surrounded the city of Debaltseve, forcing Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko to sign a new cease-fire deal known as the Minsk agreement that carved out two would-be statelets in eastern Ukraine that were run from Moscow.

2015-22: Ukraine turns away from Russia

That cease-fire agreement largely halted fighting along the front lines, save for a few hot spots. As Russia sought to destabilize Ukraine from within, the country was shifting away from its former imperial master. Hundreds of Lenin statues were torn down. Ukrainians began switching from speaking Russian to Ukrainian.

Ukrainians began turning away from the Russian Orthodox Church, for centuries the countrys dominant church. Individual parishes switched allegiance to a church run from Kyiv. Then, in January 2019, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, the foremost leader in Orthodox Christianity, granted Ukraine its own independent church, despite Russian opposition.

At the same time, Ukrainians were tired of the war and the corruption that hampered the economy and state institutions. In a presidential election, a television comedian called Volodymyr Zelensky won by a landslide in the first round. He promised to bring an end to the war and root out corruption.

When he took office, that proved harder than he had thought. Putin showed no interest in a deal unless it gave him greater control over Ukraine. So Zelensky began pursuing closer ties with the West. He sought to advance Ukraines efforts to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the European Union.

Those efforts were going nowhere fast, but Putin was making increasingly agitated statements about Ukraine and stating Russian historical claims to Ukrainian territory and the right to rule there. By fall 2021, he was gathering tens of thousands of troops around Ukraine. The U.S. warned he was planning to invade. Zelensky, fearing social and economic upheaval, urged calm.

2022-present: Russia launches biggest land war in Europe since World War II

In the early hours of Feb. 24, Russia launched airstrikes and armored columns against Ukraine. Tanks poured over the border from the north, south and east. The most important initial thrust was on Kyiv, where civilians came to the aid of the army and thwarted the assault. The Russians were halted and, by the end of March, repelled from the capital.

When the Russians withdrew, they left hundreds of civilians dead in towns and villages around Kyiv, including Bucha. That hardened Ukrainian determination and support from the West, which began providing dozens of heavier weapons, such as artillery systems. Russia regrouped and began advancing in the northeast, but by fall its troops were exhausted, and a lightning thrust by Kyivs forces took back hundreds of square miles of territory around Ukraines second city of Kharkiv.

In the south, Ukraine retook the city of Kherson, a regional capital. By the end of the year, Ukraine had regained half the territory it had lost to Russia since the start of the war. Zelensky received a heros welcome on a visit to Washington.

But Russia had firmed up its defensive lines with thousands of convicts recruited by the Wagner paramilitary group. Wagner led assaults on the eastern city of Bakhmut, the bloodiest battle of the war, that ended in a Russian victory in May 2023.

The following month, Ukraine launched a counteroffensive led by thousands of troops trained and equipped with tanks from the West. It quickly went wrong, as the Russians had built stiff defenses, including minefields and trench systems. By fall, Ukraine had managed to take only one village in the main direction of its assaults, and the operation petered out.

As the full-scale war approached its third year, it became a bloody stalemate. Ukraine, its manpower and equipment depleted, is on the defensive. Russia is inching forward, but has been unable to achieve a large breakthrough. For Ukraine, much now depends on whether Western allies can muster more military support.

Write to James Marson at james.marson@wsj.com

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At least two air strikes hit an area near the coastal Lebanese town of Ghaziyeh on Monday, witnesses said, after the Israeli military said it had struck weapons depots near the port city of Sidon.

The witnesses heard several loud booms and saw two thick black columns of smoke rising from around Ghaziyeh, which lies just south of Sidon and about 60 km (37 miles) north of the border with Israel.

Lebanese state media said the strikes were Israeli and that a car had been hit.

Lebanese security sources said the air strikes hit factories and warehouses in an industrial area south of Sidon but it was unclear what was targeted. One of the sources said at least 14 people had been hurt, most of them Syrian workers.

Israeli's chief military spokesperson said the air strikes on weapons depots near Sidon were carried out in response to a drone launched into Israel by the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

Israel has been carrying out air strikes along the border area in south Lebanon against the armed group Hezbollah, which has fired rockets across the frontier. Israel has carried out strikes only rarely further north of the frontier zone.

More than 170 Hezbollah fighters and nearly three dozen civilians have been killed in Israeli strikes on Lebanon since Hezbollah launched rockets onto Israel in support of its Palestinian ally Hamas, according to Hezbollah's announced figures and a Reuters count of civilian deaths .

Hamas fighters launched an attack on Israel on Oct. 7 in which 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 taken hostage into the Gaza Strip, according to Israeli figures. Israel's air, land and sea bombardment of Gaza has killed more than 28,000 people since then, Palestinian health officials say.

Last week, two sets of Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon killed 10 civilians and several Hezbollah fighters, including a commander in the group's elite Radwan force.

Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said Israel would pay "in blood" for the killings of civilians.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said Lebanon would "pay a heavy price" if diplomatic means failed to remove Hezbollah from the border zone.

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This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.
Alexei Navalny's widow Yulia Navalnaya's account on X social media platform was blocked for a brief period on Tuesday. Navalny's spokesperson retweeted a screenshot of the suspended X account. The message on Navalnaya's handle read, "X suspends accounts which violate the X rules". Another X user claimed that When opening the page @yulia_navalnaya, a notification appears that the account is suspended."

However, Navalnaya's account X was reportedly "unblocked" about half an hour later. Accounts of Navalnys aides, such as spokesperson Kira Yarmysh, did not appear to have been affected. ALSO READ: Vladimir Putin critic passes away in Russian prison  Who was Alexei Navalny? It was not immediately clear why Navalnayas account was briefly suspended. Navalnys Anti-Corruption Foundation tagged X owner Elon Musk in a post to ask exactly which rules were violated" by Yulia Navalnaya.

There hasn't been any response from X press team yet.

Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, had earlier in the day demanded the release of Alexeis body. "I don't care how the killer's press secretary comments on my words. Give back Alexeis body and let him be buried with dignity, dont stop people from saying goodbye to him," she said in a post on X before her account was suspended.

Navalnaya accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of having her husband murdered. She used a video message from abroad on Monday to call on opposition supporters to oppose the Kremlin chief with greater fury than ever and free Russia from what she characterised as a corrupt elite of "bandits in uniform, thieves and murderers".

Putin, Russia's paramount leader for over 20 years, is expected to easily win another six-year term in power next month. He has not yet spoken publicly about Navalny's death, but the Kremlin has denied involvement and has said an investigation is underway to determine what happened.

ALSO READ: Alexei Navalny, Vladimir Putin critic and Russian Opposition leader, dead: Report

At a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels on Monday, the transcript of which was supplied on Tuesday by a spokeswoman, Yulia Navalnaya was quoted by Reuters as saying: "Do not recognise these elections. A president who assassinated his main political opponent cannot be legitimate by definition."

Navalnaya said details and evidence of why and how Navalny was killed will be released soon by her late husband's allies.

Western leaders, including US President Joe Biden, have blamed Putin for the death and warned of consequences. They have given no evidence.Elon Musk's X briefly suspends account of Alexei Navalny's widow Yulia Navalnaya.

(With inputs from agencies)

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A Russian pilot who defected to Ukraine with his helicopter last year was found dead in an underground garage in Spain last week, his body riddled with bullets, Ukrainian and Spanish media reported on February 19.

Spain's state news agency EFE reported that a body found on Feb 13 in the town of Villajoyosa, near Alicante in southern Spain, belonged to pilot Maxim Kuzminov, who had landed in Ukraine with his Mi-8 helicopter last August. He had been living in Spain with a Ukrainian passport under a different name, it said.

A spokesperson for Ukraine's GUR military intelligence confirmed to Reuters that Kuzminov had died in Spain, but did not specify the cause of death. Ukraine's Ukrainska Pravda newspaper also reported that he had been found shot dead.

Spanish police have confirmed that a body was found of a gunshot victim in the town, but have not disclosed the victim's identity. A source at Spain's Guardia Civil police force told Reuters that the victim could have been living under a fake identity.

Spain's La Informacion newspaper, which first reported the shooting, said investigators were searching for two suspects who had fled in a vehicle that was later found burnt out in a nearby town.

Kuzminov's defection to Ukraine was presented last year as a major coup for Kyiv. The GUR said at the time that it had lured him into defecting.

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This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.
Tech billionaire Elon Musk has chipped into the online discourse on the United States government's financial package to Ukraine, with recent his posts on self-owned social media site X suggesting that he supports calls for a ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine war and the allocation of funds towards American infrastructure projects instead.

Replying to multiple user opinions on venture capital founder David Sacks' thread on the subject on X, Musk said a peace deal should have been "done a year ago", adding that Russia looks poised to win the war with Ukraine.

Also Read | Russia-North Korea ties: Vladimir Putin gifts luxury car to Kim Jong Un

The Criticism

Responding to an X user who wrote: "It is time for a ceasefire and peace talks between Ukraine and Russia. Ukraine has lost this war and nothing will change that. Ukraine doesn't have enough men to win. $60 billion for Ukraine won't change the facts. Russia is going to keep Crimea and parts of eastern Ukraine." Musk agreed and wrote: "Yes. It is just a question of how many die before that reality is accepted. A peace deal should have been done a year ago. Since then, thousands of boys have died for nothing and Ukraines position grower weaker by the day."

Another user who wrote: "I feel really bad for Ukraine. I really do. But its time to cut the losses and start talking about peace. No more money for war without making peace the number 1 priority." Musk replied: "Yeah. Imagine 60bn spent on infrastructure in the United States. High-speed rail from LaGuardia to midtown for example"

Also Read | Israel-Gaza War: Apartheid, colonialism under Israelism, alleges Palestinians at International Court of Justice

And to one user who questioned the Senate's initiative for the aid, writing: "I've never seen them go to the mattresses like this for any other bill, which is pathetic and tells us all we need to know. They would NEVER act this desperate for something that benefitted Americans." Musk replied: "Doesnt make sense that they care more about a spending bill for another country than any bill that directly helps America!"

All the users were responding to an original post-thread by Sacks, where he opined that the Republican Party-led House of Representatives would not pass the foreign aid. "You can almost feel the panic online that the $61 billion wont pass. For many, this is the last big payoff they will ever see. They will say anything to get it. They will do anything to get it. The pressure on Speaker Johnson must be enormous. I compliment him for holding firm so far. But at the end of the day, I expect something will pass. Pockets dont line themselves. If Ukraine supporters wanted to persuade us that theres no money laundering going on, they would have agreed to an accountant. They rejected it, twice," he wrote.

Also Read | Speed limit on Yamuna and Noida-Greater Noida Expressways raised back to 100 km/hr

A Repeated Sentiment

This is not the first time Musk has expressed such sentiments, speaking to US Republican senators in a forum which was held on X Spaces last week, he said there is no way in hell" that Russian President Vladimir Putin could lose the war on Ukraine.

Notably, Musk has a personal stake in the conflict easing off, as the war has hindered services for his Starlink satellite venture.

In the forum, the discussions included opponents of a Senate bill that would provide further assistance for Ukraine to continue battling the full-scale Russian invasion that began two years ago. Alongside Musk were former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, co-founder of Craft Ventures LLC David Sacks, and state representatives Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, JD Vance of Ohio, and Mike Lee of Utah.

Also Read | Chandigarh Mayoral Polls: SC to examine ballot papers, videos of counting process today

Musks comments came as he agreed with Ron Johnsons statement who said that those who expect a Ukraine victory were living in a fantasy world."

We gotta kill this thing," Vance said of the $95 billion measure, of which $60 billion in assistance for Ukraine as well as funding for Israel, Taiwan, and humanitarian aid for Gaza.

He went on to say that he hoped citizens would get in touch with their legislators on the Ukraine bill. This spending does not help Ukraine. Prolonging the war does not help Ukraine," he said as reported by Bloomberg.

Also Read | 'Today we help.': UK PM Rishi Sunak bans mobile phones across England schools | Watch

Russia's Win Inevitable?

The billionaire had expressed similar sentiments before on X, doubting Ukraines ability to win the war and mocking Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiys requests for aid. The tech mogul has come under criticism from Ukraine and Democratic members of Congress.

He said there was pressure on Putin to see the fight through. If he were to back off, he would be assassinated," Musk said. He told the senators hes sometimes accused of being a Putin apologist, but said that accusation was absurd." He said his companies have probably done more to undermine Russia than anything."

He cited SpaceX providing Starlink internet service to Ukraine, which has been critical to the nations communications after Russia invaded, as well as SpaceX taking business away from Russias space launch business.

Also Read | Farmers Protest: Centre blocks 177 social media accounts to maintain public order

His views contrast strongly with US President Joe Biden and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, who argue that aiding Ukraines defence against the Kremlin is in Americas interests and will help deter other autocrats from starting wars of their own.

Musk said his interest is in stopping the deaths of people on both sides of the war, adding he doubted the wisdom of seeking Putins ouster. For those who want regime change in Russia, they should think about who is the person that could take out Putin, and if that person is likely to be a peacenik? Probably not." Musk said such a person would likely be even more hardcore than Putin," as quoted by Bloomberg.

Meanwhile, Biden and a bipartisan group of lawmakers including the top US Senate Republican on Tuesday urged the House of Representatives to take up a $95.34 billion military aid package for Ukraine and other allies. The measure passed the Senate in a 70-29 vote shortly before dawn on Tuesday after a hardline group of Republicans spent the night trying to block it.

(With inputs from Bloomberg and Reuters)

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Palestinian foreign minister Riyad Al-Maliki told the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Monday that Palestinians are suffering colonialism and apartheid" under Israelism and urged judges to order an immediate and unconditional end to Israel's occupation".

The Palestinians have endured colonialism and apartheid... There are those who are enraged by these words. They should be enraged by the reality we are suffering," Al-Maliki told the ICJ.

Meanwhile, Palestinian representatives on Monday urged judges at the United Nation's top court to declare Israel's occupation of their land as unlawful, suggesting that an advisory opinion from the court could aid in achieving a two-state solution and lasting peace.

Reuters reported that the request was made at the commencement of a series of hearings at the ICJ in The Hague. The UN General Assembly had sought a non-binding advisory opinion on the occupation in 2022. Over 50 states are scheduled to present their arguments until February 26th.

Also Read: Palestinian Authoritys financial plight threatens US plans for post-war Gaza

Riad Mansour, the Palestinian representative to the United Nations, delivered a speech with emotion evident in his cracked voice and tearful eyes, We call on you to confirm that Israel's presence in the occupied Palestinian territory is illegal."

Mansour added, "A finding from this distinguished court. ..would contribute to bringing (occupation) to an immediate end, paving a way to a just and lasting peace," he said. A future in which no Palestinians and no Israelis are killed. A future in which two states live side by side in peace and security."

It is to be further noted that the ICJ's 15-judge panel has been asked to review, Israel's occupation, settlement and annexation ... including measures aimed at altering the demographic composition, character and status of the Holy City of Jerusalem, and from its adoption of related discriminatory legislation and measures."

Also Read: When Hitler decided to kill the Jews Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu reacts

However, Israel chose not to participate in the hearings, instead submitting a 5-page written statement to the court, which was published on Monday. In the statement, Israel expressed concerns that an advisory opinion would hinder efforts to resolve the conflict, arguing that the questions posed by the UN General Assembly were biased.

The judges are expected to take approximately six months to provide an opinion on the request, which includes considerations regarding the legal status of the occupation and its ramifications.

The Oct. 7 attack by Hamas gunmen, resulting in 1,200 deaths and 250 hostages, prompted Israel's invasion of Gaza, resulting in nearly 30,000 fatalities.

Israel gained control of the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem during the 1967 war, territories that Palestinians seek for their own state. Since then, Israel has constructed settlements in the West Bank and expanded them gradually. Israeli leaders argue that these territories were taken from Jordan and Egypt in war, rather than from an established Palestinian state, so they don't consider them formally occupied.

Also Read: Is a two-state solution possible after the Gaza war?

However, the United Nations has consistently referred to these areas as occupied by Israel since 1967 and has called for Israeli withdrawal as a means to achieve peace. While a UN resolution in 1967 didn't explicitly deem the occupation illegal, it stressed the necessity of Israeli forces pulling out.

Israel pulled out of Gaza in 2005, but it, along with Egypt, maintains control over the territory's borders. Additionally, Israel has annexed East Jerusalem, a move that is not recognized by the majority of countries.

(With inputs from agencies)

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The United States will announce new sanctions on Russia on Friday over the death in prison of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, coinciding with the two-year anniversary of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, the White House said.

"At President Biden's direction, we will be announcing a major sanctions package on Friday of this week to hold Russia accountable for what happened to Mr Navalny," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters Tuesday.

He said the sanctions would also be in response to "all its actions over the course of this vicious and brutal war that has now raged on for two years."

Russia on Friday announced the death of Navalny, a persistent critic of President Vladimir Putin who survived a 2020 poisoning, at a remote prison in the Arctic where the anti-corruption campaigner was serving a 19-year sentence.

"Whatever story the Russian government decides to tell the world, it's clear President Putin and his government are responsible for Mr Navalny's death," Kirby said.

"Absent some credible investigation into his death," Kirby said, "it's hard to get to a point where we can just take the Russians' word for it."

"We're calling for complete transparency by the Russian government for how he died."

Kirby declined to elaborate on the sanctions ahead of Friday's announcement.

The United States and its allies have imposed a slew of sanctions on Russia since it invaded Ukraine in February 2022, including restrictions on technology, blocking of financial assets and an official cap on the selling price of Russian oil.

Russia's economy nonetheless is expected to post growth this year, if modestly. Russia last week also won its first major gain on the ground since May, seizing Avdiivka in the eastern Donetsk region.

Moscow's success came as Ukrainian troops were forced to ration ammunition, with the US Congress deadlocked on President Joe Biden's requests for more assistance to help fight back Russia.

Kirby said Ukraine made a "wise decision" to withdraw forces from Avdiivka and again pressed Congress to approve assistance.

"If the Ukrainians aren't better supplied, if they don't get a relief from the shortage of ammunition that they are suffering right now, this move on Avdiivka could actually have a larger effect on the fighting in the east and the amount of territory that the Russians might be able to get over time," Kirby said.

House Speaker Mike Johnson has declined to put assistance up to a vote under pressure from Biden's likely election rival, former president Donald Trump, who has suggested that aid is wasteful as Russia will eventually win.

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Pakistan Peoples Party chief Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Tuesday said he foresees a stalemate in the formation of a new government in Pakistan if someone is not ready to change stance", news agency PTI reported.

Bilawals remarks came a day after the latest round of talks between the leading parties of the country Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) ended inconclusively on Monday. Both the parties failed to reach a consensus on a power-sharing formula to form a coalition government at the centre following a fractured verdict in the February 8 election.

The PPP is reportedly asking for key constitutional positions of President, Chairman Senate, and Speaker of the National Assembly for its support to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's PML-N.

Speaking to reporters at the Supreme Court, the former Pakistan foreign minister said the PPP and him are adamant on their stance, highlighting that it will not be changed at any cost.

If someone else wants to change their stance, there can be progress. If they are not ready to change it, I foresee a stalemate," news agency PTI quoted Bilawal as saying.

The PPP chief said the stalemate would not benefit democracy or the parliamentary system.

If I want to give the PML-N a vote, I will have to give it on my terms and not theirs," Bilawal said.

The delay [in forming the government] is because of non-serious," Bilawal said, adding that this harmed Pakistans democracy. The faster this is resolved, it will be better for stability and the incoming government."

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has demanded that Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja should resign immediately. the party said that the CEC failed to hold elections in a free, fair and transparent manner.

After meeting Khan sahib today, the PTI demands that the CEC resign, he has no right to stay in the position for a single day," Barrister Gohar Khan said at a media talk outside Adiala Jail.

Demanding impartial and transparent inquiries into poll discrepancies, Gohar Khan said, We want the election results to be in accordance with the mandate of the public."

The general elections have been controversial with several serious allegations of widespread rigging to alter the results. Over 11 days after the voting, there is still no clarity on which party would form the government at the Centre.

Though independent candidates backed by the PTI of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan won the maximum number of seats in Parliament, the PML-N and the PPP have announced that they will form a coalition government after the elections resulted in a hung Parliament.

However, despite multiple rounds of talks, a decision regarding the PPP's inclusion in the Cabinet remained elusive.

To form a government, a party must win 133 seats out of 265 contested seats in the 266-member National Assembly. The PTI, backed by Independents, won 93 National Assembly seats, the PML-N got 75 while the PPP came third with 54 seats.

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Every year on 20 February the World Day of Social Justice is observed worldwide.

As grave injustices and widespread labour insecurity threaten social issues, the day stresses the need to build fairer and more equitable societies.

World Day of Social Justice 2024: Theme

The theme of World Day of Social Justice 2024 is "Bridging Gaps, Building Alliances". The United Nations chose this theme to emphasise the importance of collaboration and partnership in addressing the world's challenges.

World Day of Social Justice 2024: History

On 26 November 2007, the United Nations General Assembly declared that starting from the sixty-third session of the General Assembly, 20 February will be celebrated annually as the World Day of Social Justice.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) unanimously adopted the ILO Declaration on Social Justice for a Fair Globalization on 10 June 2008.

World Day of Social Justice 2024: Significance

The idea behind celebrating World Day of Social Justice is that improving social justice should be the primary goal of all national and international policies.

Supporters contend that promoting decent work and a fair globalization agenda focused on fundamental rights, employment opportunities, social protections, and constructive social dialogue between governments, employers, and workers is key to putting social justice at the core," according to the United Nations (UN) website.

However, advocates point out the persisting grave injustices, widespread labour insecurity, high inequality, and unravelling social contracts exacerbated by global crises," the UN said.

According to the UN, social development and social justice are indispensable for achieving and maintaining peace and security within and among nations.

It also said that social development and social justice cannot be attained in the absence of peace and security, or in the absence of respect for all human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Globalization and interdependence are opening new opportunities through trade, investment and capital flows, and advances in technology, including information technology, for the growth of the world economy and the development and improvement of living standards around the world. At the same time, there remain serious challenges, including serious financial crises, insecurity, poverty, exclusion, and inequality within and among societies, and considerable obstacles to further integration and full participation in the global economy for developing countries, as well as some countries with economies in transition, said the UN.

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Successful workplaces are usually characterised by good communication. Bosses provide a clear sense of where they want the firm to go; employees feel able to voice disagreements; colleagues share information rather than hoarding it. But being a good communicator is too often conflated with one particular skill: speaking persuasively.

In a paper published in 2015, Kyle Brink of Western Michigan University and Robert Costigan of St John Fisher College found that 76% of undergraduate business degrees in America had a learning goal for presentation skills, but only 11% had a goal related to listening. Business students were being schooled to give TED talks rather than have conversations. That may have costs. Another study, conducted by Dotan Castro of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and his co-authors, found that when people felt listened to by those in supervisory roles their creativity and sense of psychological safety improved.

A focus on talking is understandable. The set-piece moments of careers, like job interviews and big presentations, are about transmitting information. The boss gets to be at the podium, the minions get to be in the audience. Videos of someone giving a speech are much more shareable than someone silently nodding. But interest in what makes everyday communication tick has also risen, as the importance of teams grows and as conceptions of leadership increasingly emphasise softer skills.

Recent research by Beau Sievers of Stanford University and his co-authors asked groups of MBA students to discuss the meaning of ambiguous film clips. The presence of people perceived to be of high status seemed to impede consensus: these folk spoke more and were readier to reject the explanations of others. Groups that reached consensus were more likely to have a different character in them: people who were well-connected but not dominant, who asked lots of questions and who encouraged interaction. They made everything aligneven the neural activity of their groups.

Mr Sieverss research features in Supercommunicators", a new book by Charles Duhigg, a journalist at the New Yorker. Mr Duhigg looks at how some people forge stronger connections with others and at the techniques for having better conversations. His canvas ranges more widely than the workplace but some of its lessons are applicable there.

One chapter tells the story of the Fast Friends Procedure, a set of 36 increasingly intimate questions that are particularly effective at turning strangers into friends. The questions were first put together in the 1990s by Elaine and Arthur Aron, two psychologists at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. Their survey was designed for the lab, not the workplace. You should not suddenly start asking new colleagues what their most terrible memory is or how they feel about their mother. But if it is important to build team connections fast, thenBritain, look away nowreciprocal moments of vulnerability do seem to help.

Another chapter looks at ways to bring together people with diametrically opposed views, in this case Americans on either side of the debate over gun control. The difficulty here was in persuading people that they were genuinely being listened to, not dismissed as gun-toting loons or lily-livered liberals. Mr Duhigg describes an approach called looping for understanding", in which people ask questions and then repeatedly distil their understanding of what they have heard back to their interlocutor.

Polarised beliefs of this sort are rare inside firms. But looping techniques still have their place: when there are long-running conflicts between individual employees, say, or in negotiations and mediation processes.

Mr Duhiggs advice can seem obvious at times. And his examples do not always translate to the workplace. Sometimes it is more important to make a decision than to excavate everyones point of view. Reaching consensus is vital on a jury but less necessary in a corporate hierarchy. There really is a limit to how much vulnerability you want from a leader.

But his book is a useful reminder that demonstrable curiosity about other peoples experiences and ideas can benefit everyone. Asking questions, not cutting people off, pausing to digest what someone has said rather than pouncing on breaks in a discussion to make your own point: these are not enough to qualify someone as a supercommunicator. But in plenty of organisations they would still represent good progress.
Abbas Ganbay

Azerbaijan and Saudi Arabia discuss sustainable development of economic ties, Azernews reports, citing a post shared by Azerbaijani Economy Minister Mikail Jabbarov on his social network "X."

"We discussed with Saudi Deputy Energy Minister Majid bin Hindi Al-Utaybi initiatives ensuring sustainable development of economic ties between our countries, stimulation of investments, opportunities to expand joint activities in the fields of renewable energy and industry," the post reads.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, February 20. Russia is currently one of the five main trading partners of Turkmenistan, Russian Ambassador to Ashgabat Ivan Volynkin told Russian media, Trend reports.

According to him, the Intergovernmental Russian-Turkmen Commission on Economic Cooperation is successfully working against this background.

"The last meeting of its cochairs, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Alexei Overchuk and Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov, took place in Moscow last December," he said.

At the same time, the Ambassador announced that the next meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission, as well as the second Russian-Turkmen Business Forum, is planned to be held in the first half of this year.

Furthermore, Volynkin added that the volume of trade turnover between Turkmenistan and Russia in 2022 exceeded $1.6 billion.

Meanwhile, economic cooperation between Turkmenistan and Russia is developing, marked by important steps towards mutual benefit.

The two countries actively cooperate in the field of trade, energy and infrastructure projects, which further strengthens the partnership and contributes to overall economic progress.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Last week, in Association for Democratic Reforms vs Union of India, a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court unanimously struck down the governments electoral bonds scheme, finding that the voters right to know trumps a donors right to privacy. The judgement is welcome for its significant expansion of the voters right to know. However, while it strikes down funding through the seemingly anonymous electoral bonds route, it does not ban corporations from funding political parties altogether. Their role in electoral funding will have to be considered in future cases, laws and policies.

Introduced in 2018, the electoral bonds scheme allowed anonymity in political donations. Neither donors nor political parties had to reveal each others identity. Before its introduction, companies making donations had to be at least three years old, with donations capped at 7.5% of net profits for the past three years. Donations and the recipients name had to be reflected in the companys profit-and-loss account. The electoral bond scheme lifted these limitations. Further, corporations could conceal these contributions from their shareholders, as donations only needed to be approved by a board resolution. Political parties were exempted from declaring these donations to the Election Commission of India.

The petitioners in the case argued that although the scheme provided formal anonymity, the party receiving the bond would likely know the donors identity. There was a real possibility of quid pro quo benefits to the donor by way of licences or influence on policy. Voters, thus, have a right to know.

The government argued that donors have a right to privacy which extends to their political affiliations, including political donations, and the scheme helped curb black money in politics as donors could make donations freely, without the fear of retaliation by a donees political opponents.

The judgement is significant for many reasons. First, the voters right to know has been extended to the funding of political parties. Till now, this right was limited to information on the criminal antecedents and assets of election candidates.

Second, the government argued that the scheme was an economic policy, in which courts typically do not interfere. But the court held that it is related to electoral policy, and thus well within the scope of judicial review. Further, the government argued that the scheme was intended to curb black money and corruption, objectives that had earlier led the court to uphold the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and demonetization. In this case, the court found that transparency, and not anonymity, would reduce black money and corruption in politics.

Third, the court fleshed out a proportionality test for administrative actions. It held that black money could only be curbed by a method that least restricted the fundamental rights of voters. The government had less restrictive options, such as electoral trusts under the Income Tax Act, and hence could not justify electoral bonds. Last, the courts ruling requires a retrospective disclosure of all donations since 2019.

Though the scheme was not limited to corporate donors, the judgement finds that most bonds purchased were worth more than 1 crore and thus presumably bought by companies. Hence, the right at stake was a corporate donors to make political donations.

The judgement will evoke mixed feelings in boardrooms. On one hand, there may be relief owing to respite from any real or perceived pressure to make donations. On the other, existing donors will soon find their names in the public domain. These bonds were purchased under the cover of anonymity provisions, but the court has held that donors would have been aware of the pending case and that the scheme might be struck down.

The argument that corporations enjoy a right to privacy was always a hard sell, particularly in matters of political donations. Corporations enjoy certain fundamental rights under the Constitution, such as the right to equality, which is invoked every time a company challenges a tender before a high court. But a company is a statutory creation, and at a minimum, its shareholders are entitled to know how it spends its money. Directors also have a broader obligation to the community" under Section 166 of the Companies Act to the community." In the case of political donations, those rights and obligations arguably extend to a larger class of stakeholdersvoters.

Corporations have been at the forefront of expanding the right to freedom of speech and expression. The Supreme Court has also protected advertising as a form of commercial speech. However, the argument that political funding is also a form of speech and expression was not made before the court, possibly because corporate donors were not represented in these proceedings. In Citizens United (2010), the US Supreme Court struck down a ban on independent political expenditure by corporations and labour unions as violating their freedom of speech.

The relationship between industry and political funding is an old one, dating back to the freedom struggle, and the court has not banned corporate funding of political parties. The governments concern that black money should not fund politics is valid. The challenge is to find a suitable mechanism to regulate corporate donations. It will no doubt come back to the courts. In their next iteration, laws regulating corporate political funding must promote transparency as a value. Sunlight is the best disinfectant.
Nikki Haley mentions the Beast of the Southeast" at virtually every campaign stop in her underdog effort to try to stop Donald Trump from winning the Republican presidential nomination.

The phrase, which an industry trade publication used in 2013 to describe South Carolinas robust economic development during her governorship, is a badge of honor for Haley as she explains how her states unemployment dropped from 10.8% to 4.4% under her watch.

By the time I left, we were building planes with Boeing, we were building more BMWs than any place in the world, we brought in Mercedes-Benz, we brought in Volvo," she said at a recent appearance ahead of the states Saturday GOP primary. They were referring to us as the Beast of the Southeast."

Reminding South Carolina voters of her accomplishments as governor is important as Haley tries to avoid an electoral embarrassment in her home state. The states rapid growththe number of registered voters grew roughly 587,000 between the 2016 and 2022 general electionsmeans she needs to tell many new voters about the economic growth she oversaw.

Even voters who remember her tenure fondly arent necessarily on her side in the primary. An early February CBS News/YouGov poll of the states Republicans found 60% of respondents approved of Haleys performance as governor, while 82% approved of Trumps presidential record. In the primary matchup, Trump led Haley, 65% to 30%.

There is no question Haleys governorship was friendly to business expansion and unfriendly to organized labor. But she doesnt get all the credit for the economic growth, with good timing and other factors also playing roles.

When Haley entered office in 2011, double-digit unemployment was just starting to drop following the end of a recession, her predecessor and state legislative leaders had closed a deal for a sprawling Boeing factory, and Americans were increasingly moving to the Sunbelt.

A Wall Street Journal analysis of gross domestic product growth during Haleys tenure shows there was an even bigger economic beast in the Southeast than South Carolina.

From 2011 through 2016her last full year before leaving to become Trumps first United Nations ambassadorSouth Carolinas real GDP growth was in the middle when compared with its two neighbors, data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis shows. Georgia grew by 14.8%, followed by South Carolina at 12.5% and North Carolina at 9%.

The highest-profile economic project Haley was a part of was the expansion of Boeings 787 Dreamliner production facility in North Charleston. As a state legislator and candidate for governor, she supported a 2009 economic-development package for the company valued at as much as $900 million that helped land the project. A few years later as governor, she signed into law an additional $120 million for the aerospace company for an expansion.

In a recent Wall Street Journal interview, Haley argued she deserves a good share of credit for Boeing jobs created in South Carolina, even though the original deal was signed into law by her predecessor, former Gov. Mark Sanford.

We did the ribbon-cutting and thats when the National Labor Relations Board tried to shut Boeing down because they said we were hurting workers in Washington state," she said. I took on the National Labor Relations Board. We won that case and since then, I expanded, expanded, expanded Boeing multiple times."

When the International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers unsuccessfully tried to organize the factory, Haley led the opposition, saying she wore high heels not for fashion, but to kick out unions. She accepted a seat on Boeings board of directors shortly after leaving the Trump administration.

During Haleys childhood, South Carolina was a major textile and apparel producer. But those industries collapsed under increased competition, automation and trade deals like the North American Free Trade Agreement.

In 1992, South Carolina received a major boost when BMW said it would locate its first American factory in the states Upstate region, between Greenville and Spartanburg. That facility now employs 11,000.

Parts manufacturers and suppliers sprang up around the BMW plant in an area that was already a growing tire manufacturing hub.

During Haleys tenure as governor, her campaign says 86,000 jobs were created, 672 projects were announced and $21.5 billion in capital investments were made. She also pushed for fewer regulations, lower taxes and training for workers for the jobs that were emerging.

Trumps campaign has suggested Haley was overly welcoming to Chinese companies looking to expand in South Carolina, in contrast with her more hawkish stance now. Nikki Haley is owned by communist China!" Trump wrote on social media earlier this month.

In the interview, Haley said Chinese investment was a very small slice of the jobs added during her tenure and that it was a different era.

No one had notified us about any sort of threats with China," she said. The reality hit when I got to the United Nations and you saw it."

Lewis Gossett, former chief executive of the South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance and someone who worked with Haley and her administration on economic development, said she deserves substantial credit for the jobs that were added during her tenure.

She can be as tough as anybody youll ever meet, but also be as friendly and charming as anybody youll ever meet, and both those things are needed in economic development," he said.

Haley was known for her hands-on approach in trying to recruit companies.

Arnold Kamler, CEO of bicycle maker Kent International Inc., said he first met Haley in 2013 at a Walmart conference in Florida that brought together state officials, top suppliers and representatives from the retailing giant.

Kamler said Haley wrote her cellphone number on a piece of paper and handed it to him, before explaining her state already made airplanes and cars. I want to tell the kids we have a bicycle factory," the CEO recalled her saying.

After searching South Carolina for a suitable place for his new factory, Kamler said he finally found an empty building that fit his needs. The only problem was it lacked a natural gas line he needed to operate the facility.

One evening while having dinner, Kamler said his cellphone rang and he was told Haley was on the line and wanted to speak to him. He said she asked if he would build his factory in South Carolina, if she got the state to pay for the gas line. I said yes," Kamler said.

The factory, which opened in 2014, now employs about 125 people and is the largest bike factory in the U.S.

The country would be in much better shape if she were the next president, instead of either Trump or Biden," said Kamler, who cant vote in the South Carolina primary because he doesnt live in the state.

Scott Huffmon, a political-science professor at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C., said Haley isnt getting much credit for her economic record because the GOP is so different from when she was governor and now is centered on fealty to Trump.

The Republican Party in South Carolina that produced and supported Haley has, like the GOP across the country, fundamentally changed," said Huffmon, who also directs his schools Winthrop Poll. Her conservative governance is no longer a measure of a good Republican."

Write to John McCormick at mccormick.john@wsj.com
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the Supreme Court cancelled the Chandigarh Mayor election result by Returning Officer Anil Masih after observing that he had deliberately tampered with eight ballots that were cast in favour of Aam Aadmi Party's Kuldeep Kumar to make them invalid". In a Hindi tweet, Rahul Gandhi said Anil Masih was just a pawn" in the murder of democracy" during the Chandigarh Mayor election ballot counting but the "real face behind it was that of PM Modi".

Loktantra ki hatya ki Bhajpayi saajish mein Masih sirf mohra hai, peeche Modi ka chehra hai," Rahul Gandhi said in a tweet. Rough translation: In the BJP's conspiracy to murder democracy, Masih is just a 'pawn', behind this is the 'face' of Modi."

The Supreme Court on Tuesday, February 20, quashed the Chandigarh Mayor election result declared by Returning Officer Anil Masih, who is also a member of the BJP's minority cell, while observing that he tampered with eight ballots that were polled in favour of the AAP candidate and thereby, declaring a BJP candidate, Manoj Kumar Sonkar, as winner.

A bench of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra physically examined the ballot papers and found that they are not defaced. It directed that Kuldeep Kumar, the AAP candidate, be declared the Chandigarh Mayor with 20 votes (12 votes which he received and 8 which were for him and were defaced by Anil Masih).

The eight votes which were treated as invalid by making those markings.. counting the eight votes for the petitioner will make him have 20 votes. We direct that the election result by the presiding officer is quashed. The AAP candidate is declared to be the winner of the Chandigarh mayoral polls," CJI Chandrachud said.

The Supreme Court has also ordered prosecution of Anil Masih for deliberately defacing the ballots and lying before the court. Firstly, he has unlawfully altered the course of Mayoral election. Secondly, in making a solemn statement before this Court on 19 February, the Presiding Officer expressed falsehood for which he must be held accountable," the Supreme Court said.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge also attacked the BJP after the Supreme Court ruling and said all Indians must collectively fight the onslaught on the Constitution".

"The Supreme Court has saved Democracy from the fangs of an autocratic BJP, which resorted to dirty election manipulation. The institutional sabotage in the Chandigarh Mayor Polls is only the tip of the iceberg in Modi-Shah's devious conspiracy to trample Democracy. All Indians must fight this onslaught on our Constitution, collectively. Never forget. Our Democracy shall be at a crossroads in the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections!" Mallikarjun Kharge posted on X.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 20 greeted the people of Arunachal Pradesh on their statehood day and hailed their contribution to India's development. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, PM Modi said that the people of Arunachal Pradesh are making rich contributions to Indias development.

"The culture of the state is also greatly admired, particularly the vibrant tribal traditions and the rich biodiversity. May Arunachal Pradesh keep prospering for years to come," he said.

Arunachal Pradesh attained full statehood on February 20, 1987, with the Fifty-Third Amendment of the Indian Constitution, 1986, becoming the 25th state of the Indian Union. Since then, February 20 has been celebrated as Statehood Day of the Himalayan state. This year is the 38th Statehood Day of Arunachal Pradesh.

Indo- China Border Dispute

The strategically significant northeastern state shares borders with Bhutan to the west, Tibet to the north, and Myanmar to the south. It also shares borders with China and is home to the Line of Actual Control (LAC), arguably one of the heavily contested borders.

India shares an un-demarcated 3488 km border with China. The border is divided into three sectors, the eastern sector along the states of Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim, the western sector in Ladakh and the middle sector along Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. However, Beijing only considers the LAC to be around 2,000 km. The ill-defined border along these sectors has caused many disputes over the years between the two countries.

From 1975 clash to Tawang faceoff

In 1962, India and China were involved in an all-out war predominantly fought in Aksai Chin, a region which is in the western end of the Himalayas with Arunachal Pradesh in the east. Since then, China has been laying claim to around 90,000 sq km of territory in Arunachal Pradesh.

The border region has seen many stand-offs, the latest in Tawang in September 2022. On December 13, 2022, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told Parliament that the Indian Army had resisted an attempt by China to change the status quo in the Yangtse area of the Tawang sector along LAC in Arunachal Pradesh and pushed back Peoples Liberation Army soldiers engaged in the incursion attempt. Both Indian and Chinese soldiers had suffered some injuries in the clash, the Minister said.

Our Army with great bravery stopped the PLA incursion and forced them to return to their post," Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had said, as quoted by the Indian Express.

The last time, Indian soldiers lost their lives along Arunachal Pradesh was in 1975. Chinese forces had crossed over into the Indian territory at Tulung La in Arunachal Pradesh and ambushed a patrol of Assam Rifles jawans, killing four of them, according to a report.

Maps and Villages

Beijing has repeatedly produced maps which show Arunachal Pradesh as part of China and refer to the state as Zangnan" in the Chinese language. It also tried to assign Chinese names to places in Arunachal Pradesh in 2017, 2021 and 2023, seen as a bid to unilaterally change the status quo.

India has been dismissing China's move to rename places, asserting that the state has always been and will always be an integral part of India.

Among other things, China has been constructing 628 such well-off villages" along Indias borders with the Tibet Autonomous Region, including along Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh since 2019.

According to a report in Indian Express, Chinese nationals have reportedly started occupying a few of these model Xiaokang" border defence villages built on its side of the LAC across from Lohit Valley and the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh.

Vibrant Village Programme

India in the last four years has uplifted the border infrastructure to improve accessibility in Arunachal Pradesh. This includes building new village infrastructure, housing, tourist centres, road connectivity, and decentralised renewable energy production through the country's Vibrant Villages programme.

Under this Scheme, India plans to develop 663 border villages into modern villages with all amenities in the first phase. Of these, at least 17 villages along the borders with China in Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh, have been selected for development as a pilot project under the programme.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is soon expected to inaugurate the Sela tunnel, the worlds longest twin-lane tunnel above 13,000 feet and constructed at a cost of  700 crore on the Balipara-Charduar-Tawang road. The Prime Minister had laid its foundation stone in February 2019.

"The tunnel signals a monumental enhancement in the armys logistical prowess in the strategic Tawang sector where Indian soldiers hold posts close to the contested border with China," Lieutenant General Harpal Singh (retd), who oversaw critical phases of the project as the head of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) was quoted in a report in Hindustan Times

McMohan Line

In March 2023, a US Senate resolution recognised the McMahon Line as the international boundary between China and Arunachal Pradesh, India. The bipartisan resolution, which reaffirmed the northeastern state as an integral part of India, came close on the heels of the biggest clash between New Delhi and Beijing in six years in the Eastern Sector.

"Since the Sino-Indian war of 1962, the United States has recognised the McMahon Line as the international boundary between the Peoples Republic of China and the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. United States recognises the state of Arunachal Pradesh not as a disputed territory but as an integral part of the Republic of India, and this recognition is not qualified in any way," the resolution read.

Named after Sir Henry McMahon, foreign secretary of British India, in 1914, the 890 km border between erstwhile British India and Tibet was decided at the Simla Convention between China, Tibet and Great Britain.

China claims Arunachal Pradesh as its own territory, which it calls South Tibet", and has invoked these claims as part of its increasingly aggressive and expansionist policies, the Senate resolution said.

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Before the 'Delhi Chalo' march planned for February 21, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher on Monday criticized the government, stating that it is preventing farmers from entering Delhi.

Here are the top five updates related to the farmer's protest: 1. As reported by ANI, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher emphasized that farmers should be permitted to proceed with their march on Wednesday. The intention of the govt was very clear that they would not let us enter Delhi at any cost...If you don't want to find a solution through discussion with farmers then we should be allowed to march towards Delhi." Also Read: Delhi Farmers Protest: Modi govt curse for food providers, says Mallikarjun Kharge while promising legal right to MSP 2. Delhi Minister and AAP leader Gopal Rai told ANI, If the government wants to make India a developed nation, it can't be done without increasing the income of farmers. The govt should take a decision on this soon."

Also Read: Farmers Protest: Centre blocks 177 social media accounts to maintain public order

3. The Haryana government announced on Monday another one-day extension of the ban on mobile internet and bulk SMS services in seven districts until February 20 due to the ongoing Delhi Chalo agitation by farmers. The affected districts include Ambala, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind, Hisar, Fatehabad, and Sirsa, as stated in the government's order.

Also Read: Lok Sabha elections 2024: The political impact of 2020-21 farmers' protest

4. After the fourth round of discussions, Sarvan Singh Pandher, General Secretary of Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, affirmed that the farmers would persist with the Delhi Chalo march on February 21. He also mentioned that talks would be held regarding the government's proposal on MSP. Meanwhile, the farmers are set to proceed with their 'Dilli Chalo' march on February 21.

5. Earlier on Monday, farmer leader Gurnam Singh Charuni emphasized the inclusion of oil seeds and Bajra under the MSP scheme, cautioning that if the government doesn't comply by February 21, farmers from Haryana will also join the protest. The protesting farmers from Punjab have put forth several demands, including the enactment of an ordinance to legally ensure MSPs and the waiver of loans. Despite meetings between ministers and farmer leaders on February 8, 12, and 15, discussions have yet to yield conclusive results.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Rashtriya Janata Dal leader and former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, Tejashwi Yadav on February 20 slammed Janata Dal (United) leader and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for his "sudden change in allegiance" that cost the JD(U) its grip on power in the state and lost Yadav his post as Deputy CM, PTI reported.

Yadav was referring to Kumar's flip-flop with the Congress-led INDIA alliance ahead of the Lok Sabha Elections this year. He held the DyCM post for close to 17 months before Kumar left the INDIA Alliance and re-joined the BJP-led NDA.

Also Read | BJP will not cross 100 seats in 2024 Lok Sabha polls, claims Mallikarjun Kharge during Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Amethi

'Lack of Vision'

Addressing reporters before embarking on his 11-day 'Jan Vishwas Yatra' spanning the 38 districts of Bihar, Yadav criticized Kumar for lacking a vision for the state.

"Nitish Kumar has no vision for the people of the state. He also had no justifiable reason for ditching us and going back to the BJP-led NDA. He thinks he can trample the people's mandate under his feet (janaadesh ko apne pair ki jooti samajhte hain)," PTI quoted Yadav telling reporters.

Also Read | Farmers to resume Delhi Chalo protest on February 21  5 updates

"The people of Bihar have been showering their love on the RJD, a reason why it has been the single largest party in the assembly for long. I am going to urge them that they support us even more strongly so that we can work for them," he said.

Yadav had previously also criticised Kumar on Facebook, calling him an "old-fashioned leader" and emphasising Bihar's need for stability and visionary leadership.

He claimed, "In the 17 months we shared power, we made him take bold decisions, influencing even Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Nitish Kumar has been uneasy over his party's decline, aiming for early assembly dissolution to revive fortunes, as per rumours."

Also Read | Jammu and Kashmir, a victim of family-run parties, says PM Modi

Yadav, unconcerned about Kumar's future actions, stated, "Through this Jan Vishwas Yatra, we wish to reach out to the people of Bihar and assure them that come what may, we are by their side."

Strength Drawn from Family Support

Surrounded by his parents Lalu Prasad and Rabri Devi, Yadav said he derived strength from his father's ability, mother's affection, and wife Rajshree's support. Head of the RJD, Lalu Prasad blessed Yadav, saying, "My blessings are with the boy who has worked a lot. May he achieve his goal."

Also Read | West Bengal: LoP Adhikari reaches Sandeshkhali; journalist arrested for alleged trespassing in local's home  10 point

Former Bihar CM, senior RJD leader and Yadav's mother Rabri Devi, also criticised Kumar's actions, stating, "It was inappropriate for him to do what he did to us. We never break partnerships; he is the one who runs away."

Beginning his Yatra in Muzaffarpur, Yadav is next scheduled to address public meetings in Sitamarhi and Sheohar. His night halt is planned in Motihari.

The Yatra will conclude on March 1, with the state assembly's tenure ending towards the close of 2025, where JD(U) holds 45 out of 243 seats.

(With inputs from PTI)

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Is INDIA bloc staring at another big jolt, this time in Uttar Pradesh? The seat-sharing talks between the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Congress reportedly hit a "dead-end" after late night negotiations. However, Congress leader KC Venugopalm said on Tuesday the seat-sharing will be finalised at any point of time".

On Monday, the SP offered the Congress 17 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh, asserting that its chief Akhilesh Yadav will join the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Raebareli only if the proposal is accepted. Uttar Pradesh has a total of 80 Lok Sabha seats.

"We have given a final offer of 17 Lok Sabha seats to the Congress. Akhilesh Yadav's participation in the Nyay Yatra in Raebareli on Tuesday will depend on their acceptance," SP chief spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary told PTI on Monday. He didn't share details of the seats offered to the Congress.

A day later, on Tuesday, a few reports claimed that the alliance between the Congress and the SP "has fallen through" or "reached a dead end". India Today reported that the SP's refusal to part with Ballia, Moradabad, and Bijnor proved to be the deal-breaker".

Meanwhile, India TV reported that no consensus could be reached despite late night talks between leaders of the two parties on Monday over the seat-sharing for the Lok Sabha Elections 2024.

Times Now also cited sources as saying, "Congress-SP talks on seat sharing have failed in Uttar Pradesh over three seats." It was being reported that the Congress wanted Moradabad, Ballia, and Bijnor seats, but the SP didn't agree to the Congress' demand.

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav had earlier said that the seat-sharing talks are on on 11 Uttar Pradesh Lok Sabha seats. Meanwhile, Ajay Rai, the Congress' Uttar Pradesh unit chief, had said the party should get around two dozen seats (of 80 seats) it had won in the 2009 general elections. The Samajwadi Party and the Congress are partners in the opposition INDIA bloc.

How SP reacted

An SP spokesperson said during a debate on DD news that Akhilesh had said he won't join Rahul Gandhi's yatra till the seat-sharing is finalised. "It is not that the alliance will be broken of he doesn't join the yatra," he said on Tuesday. "We have an alliance, and there will be alliance in future," the spokesperson added.

SP spokesperson Anurag Bhadouria told Times Now, We are all together. There is no problem with the INDIA alliance. The BJP is scared that's why they are spreading rumors..."

How Congress reacted

Congress leader KC Venugopal said the discussions over the seat-sharing in Uttar Pradesh are still on and that solutions would be found out soon. Venugopal, who is general secretary (organisation) said, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has formed a national alliance committee for talks and it is carrying on with its work.

"...We are in the process and our alliance team is there. the Congress president has appointed a team of alliance (leaders). Day by day they are discussing with everybody. We are in great form, solution will come," Venugopal told reporters on Tuesday. He was replying to queries about some INDIA bloc parties having decided to fight on their own.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh also said talks are going on and "there is a positive atmosphere". He told ANI that the SP wants to contest elections with the INDIA alliance and we also want the alliance to become stronger... Akhilesh Yadav's statement yesterday was very positive and we want the seat-sharing formula to be decided soon..."

SP fields 27 candidates for Lok Sabha elections

Akhilesh Yadav's SP has already declared 27 candidates for the Lok Sabha Elections 2024. It announced the first list of 16 candidates on January 30. The list included the name of Dimple Yadav, Shafiqur Rahman Barq, Ravidas Mehrotra, Akshay Yadav and Kajal Nishad.

On Monday, the party announced its candidates for 11 seats. The second list included the name of Afzal Ansari, brother of gangster turned politician Mukhtar Ansari.

SP leader resigns

A week after tendering his resignation from the post of Samajwadi Party national general secretary, Swami Prasad Maurya resigned from the party's primary membership and the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council on Tuesday. He said, "I have always worked for the Samajwadi Party but some anti-social elements tried to create hurdles for me."

"The national president had failed to take action against such people. I wrote a letter regarding this on February 13 but no action was taken following which I resigned as the party's national general secretary. Today, I have resigned from the party's primary membership and the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council," he told PTI.

Maurya, a prominent leader from the backward classes, earlier accused the leadership of discriminating against him and not defending him over his controversial statements on the Ramcharitmanas and the Ayodhya temple consecration ceremony.

A day after Swami Prasad Maurya resigned as SP national general secretary (on Fenruary 13), party's national secretary Ram Govind Chaudhary wrote a letter to Akhilesh Yadav, requesting him not to accept the resignation as he was countering "poison" being spread by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

(With inputs from agencies)

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi rally in Jammu on February 20 will be his third public event at the Maulana Azad Stadium since 2013.

PM Modi will inaugurate various projects, including AIIMS, Jammu, worlds highest railway bridge over Chenab, and north Indias first river rejuvenation project  Devika river project  in Udhampur, apart from addressing the rally. Deja Vu at MA Stadium, Jammu Way back in 2013, after the then Gujarat Chief Minister was declared as BJPs Prime Ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi addressed the Lalkar Rally" at Jammu's MA Stadium on December 1, 2013. The rally attended by over one lakh people is remembered as the biggest-ever political gathering in the history of Jammu and Kashmir. It was credited for BJP winning three Lok Sabha seats, two in Jammu and one in Ladakh, in the 2014 elections, an all time high by the party in the erstwhile state. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections BJP again won three Lok Sabha seats - Jammu, Udhampur and Ladakh. In that rally Modi had famously called for a general discussion over Article 370 of the Indian constitution, which granted special status to the erstwhile state, and was revoked by his government on August 5, 2019. "Article 370 has become a shield and is being used as one. It has been armored with communal jewels and just because of this, a valid discussion on it is not happening. I want the experts of the Constitution to discuss it.? Shouldn't the injustice stop," Modi had said to his audience then," Modi had said then. Addressing the youth, Modi had at the 2013 rally asked why J&K didn't have national institutions of learning like IITs and IIMs. Over ten years later, PM Modi will be inaugurating or laying the foundation stone of a few national-level educational institutions including IIM - Jammu. Boost 'ease of living' Overall, PM Modi is slated to lay the foundation and inaugurate over 200 developmental projects worth 30,500 crore, besides delivering virtual job letters to youth and interacting with people across the UT during the February 20 event. A big boost to all-round development! I look forward to being in Jammu tomorrow, 20th February to inaugurate key development works which will boost Ease of Living. It will also be a landmark day for the education sector as various institutions including IITs and IIMs will get permanent campuses," PM Modi wrote on X.

A similar rally was addressed by PM Modi at the same venue on December 16, 2014, ahead of Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections. Many observers said that it was the result of the PM Modi's campaign and the rally at MA Stadium that the BJP created history by winning an all-time high 25 assembly seats in Jammu region. This performance paved way for BJP to becoming part of the allince government in J&K with the PDP.

Scripting a new chapter

The BJP leaders believed the February 20 rally of the Prime Minister at MA Stadium would script a new chapter in the history of the party in the UT in the upcoming elections. That is precisely why the BJP undeterred by inclement weather, has pulled out all the stops to ensure a grand success for the rally . Top-quality waterproof sheds and other arrangements have been put in place at the Maulana Azad Stadium to accommodate over 1 lakh people, according to local media reports.

While 70,000 chairs are being arranged for seating within the ground, the stairs surrounding the stadium, with a capacity of 25,000, have also been covered with waterproof shelters, the reports said

"With these arrangements, we are confident that PM Modi's rally will be the biggest ever held in J&K," Vikram Randhawa, former MLC and in-charge of the rally told media.

Bolster BJP prospects

The visit, Modi's second to the Union Territory in his second term as PM, assumes significance not only because of political fervour sweeping across the country ahead of April-May Lok Sabha polls but it is also crucial considering the frozen political activities in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. The UT has been under Central rule since June 2018 when the Bharatiya Janata Party-People's Democratic Party alliance government collapsed. The last Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir were held in 2014.

Political observers say that the rally is an attempt by the BJP to bolster its poll prospects for the upcoming general elections, first after abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, and scheduled assembly elections later. Since Ladakh is a separate UT now, the saffron party has two Lok Sabha members from the Jammu region, while the three parliamentary seats in the Valley are with Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC).

This time, however, the BJP is eyeing increase its tally. With certain areas of Poonch and Rajouri districts of Jammu region clubbed in the newly carved Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat of south Kashmir, the BJP is hopeful of making inroads in the Valley through this seat and take its overall tally in the UT to at least three seats.

Development Agenda

The inauguration of spate of developmental projects by PM Modi comes weeks ahead of election commission's model code of conduct (MCC) coming into place ahead of Lok Sabha polls. The MCC puts a ban on inauguration of projects once it is implemented.

The PM is scheduled to launch multiple development projects, including for education, railway, aviation, and road sectors, worth over 32,000 crore. He will also distribute appointment orders to about 1,500 new Jammu and Kashmir government recruits and interact with beneficiaries of various government schemes as part of the 'Viksit Bharat Viksit Jammu' program. He will inaugurate Jammu's All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Samba district during his visit.

The Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone for a new terminal building at Jammu Airport and dedicate to the nation various rail projects in Jammu and Kashmir including the new rail line between Banihal-Khari-Sumber-Sangaldan. He will also flag off the first Electric Train in the valley and also train service between Sangaldan station and Baramulla station.

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West Bengal Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari and BJP legislator Shankar Ghosh reached Sandeshkhali to engage with the residents.

Here are the top ten updates on the Sandeshkhali violence story.

1. A division bench of the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday granted permission to Suvendu Adhikari, the Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, to visit Sandeshkhali village, where protests have erupted over allegations of sexual atrocities and land grabbing by certain leaders of the ruling TMC.

2. Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam, heading the division bench, declined to intervene in a previous ruling by a single bench that permitted Adhikari and another BJP MLA, Shankar Ghosh, to visit Sandeshkhali on the same day. The West Bengal government appealed to the division bench, contesting Monday's decision made by Justice Kausik Chanda.

3. Earlier in the day, West Bengal police officials stopped BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari and other party MLAs from going to the Sandeshkhali area that has been witnessing unrest for over 10 days as women protestors are seeking justice against alleged atrocities committed by TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan and his aides.
New Delhi: The government is putting its money where its sweet tooth is, the zero-sugar way. The consumer affairs ministry is working on a plan to bring to the market sweetener extracted from onion waste, two persons aware of the matter said. It will do this in partnership with a startup that won a government-run contest.

The proposal is in the approval stage, and the sweetener is expected to be available in the retail market by the end of this year, the people cited above said on condition of anonymity.

The ministry is funding the project of Karnataka-based startup Theraxcel Healthcare Pvt Ltd incubated at Yenepoya Technology Incubator (Mangalore), which was selected by the department of consumer affairs in 2022 through a grand onion challenge. Initial financial assistance of over 5 lakh and prize money of 75,000 have been provided to the firm, the second person cited above said.

As per the plan, the startup will manufacture the product and make it available at government fair price shops like Kendriya Bhandar stores. The product will also be available in retail stores under the nutraceutical category, the persons cited above said.

A process called caramelization, where sugar or sucrose is heated and takes on a brown hue and sweet flavour, is used to extract sweetener from onion peels, the first person said. The product is in the preparation stage and teams of the consumer affairs ministry and food safety and standards authority of India (FSSAI) have already evaluated the process.

The final product will be offered in various formats, including liquid, granules, cubes, patches and powder to suit consumers' daily routines, the persons added.

Queries sent to the spokesperson and secretary of the consumer affairs department, and the chief executive officer of FSSAI remained unanswered till press time.

The governments move has a health motive. India is home to 101 million people with diabetes, according to data from Madras Diabetes Research Foundation in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the Union Health Ministry.

And sugar, while not directly responsible, does contribute significantly to the mitigating factors towards the disease. The belief is that sweeteners, especially natural ones such as the onion-based sweetener, are relatively healthier than conventional, refined sugar because of their natural sugar content and probiotic characteristics.

Most sweeteners are generally recommended as safe. It should be seen whether it (the onion-based sweetener) has gone through studies of toxicology to find out any carcinogenic element in it or not," Dr. Monashis Sahu, an endocrinologist from Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, said.

Toxicology refers to a study conducted to understand the harmful effects of chemicals on people, animals, and the environment.

As the product is in the preparation stage, the authorities must evaluate whether the possible health impact of the final product on people under diabetic or pre-diabetic conditions, Sahu suggested.

As a consumer in India, witnessing the growing incidence of diabetes is not just a statistic, it's a reality that hits close to home," said Vivek Ghate, one of the three founder members of the startup. It's time to redefine our relationship with sugar and make choices that prioritize our health."

The onion-based natural sweetener will prove to be a game-changer. It delivers taste, health benefits, and is environmentally friendly, all in one product," said Pawan Agarwal, former CEO FSSAI and CEO, Food Future Foundation.

Sweeteners are, of course, already available in the market. There are two types of sweeteners: natural and artificial. Artificial sweeteners are commonly available in the retail market and widely consumed.
NEW DELHIThe spy could have walked out of a John le Carre novel: he was small, innocuous, and blended easily into crowds.

But when Indian authorities nabbed him at a port last year, they were convinced he had committed a crime most fowl.

The perp wasnt an intelligence spook or undercover diplomatit was a pigeon.

I was shocked and nervous," recalls Assistant Police Inspector Ravindra Patil. The first thing that came to my mind was whether it was a Chinese spy pigeon?"

The avian affair began in May, when officers of Indias Central Industrial Security Force, which monitors government infrastructure projects, spotted the pigeon loitering around a Mumbai port where international ships dock.

Pigeons loiterhow else can they grab the remains of your lunch?but something else was afoot here. An eagle-eyed officer noticed the bird had foreign writing on his feathers and plastic rings around his feetand alerted the top brass.

In a time of greater attention on the shifting nature of espionage and ways nations monitor each other, antiterrorism and intelligence officials flocked to the scene. Patil, the assistant police inspector, says he received an urgent message from the control room: Rush to check on the pigeon. It could be a spy."

Patil brought the bird to an animal hospital in Mumbai for a beak-to-feet inspection. Mug shots were taken, followed by X-rays for internal implants (none was found). The plastic rings were removed and sent off to a forensic science laboratory.

They thought it could have secret messages or some spying things," recalls Dr. Mayur Dangar, manager of the Bai Sakarbai Dinshaw Petit Hospital for Animals, which took custody of the birdit was, by nature after all, a flight risk.

New Delhi has been on heightened alert for Chinese interference after a Himalayan clash in 2020 with its powerful neighbor left soldiers dead on both sides. Other countries also fear espionage attempts: The U.S. shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon last year, setting off a diplomatic row between Washington and Beijing.

Bats, cats and rats

It wasnt the first time national conversations around spy operations have taken a turn for the wild. The U.S. spent years developing bat bombs," or bats strapped with bombs, to drop over cities in Japan during World War II (this never took flight).

During the Cold War, the Central Intelligence Agency tried to train cats, implanted with listening devices, to spy on foreign officials. Operation Acoustic Kitty" was abandoned after human handlers discovered what any cat owner knowsthat felines dont perform on command.

Gutted rats, on the other hand, were used successfully as dead-drop containers to pass notes and money onto agents (they were doused with herbal oil to discourage cats).

Spy agencies are always looking for a new angle," says Dr. Andrew Hammond, curator and historian at the International Spy Museum in Washington. Its only natural that they think of animals."

Pigeons have served as stellar undercover agents for thousands of years, prized for their inconspicuousness and ability to find their way home. The Romans deployed the birds as messengers during war. The Greeks used them to deliver the results of the first-known Olympics in 776 B.C.

Pigeons have a particular connection with espionage," says Gervase Phillips, principal lecturer in history at Manchester Metropolitan University. Its been a particularly useful spy."

So coveted are the birds, still, that Chinas Peoples Liberation Army announced plans in 2010 to train about 10,000 pigeons as a backup support system to ensure that communications stay functional even during a conflict, state media reported.

A bird in hand

To the trained eye of Dr. Dangar, the veterinarian, the bird in custody at the animal hospital was no stool pigeon. But he didnt want to ruffle feathersso the hospital staff housed the creature in a cage and fed him two squares a day.

Meanwhile, Assistant Police Inspector Patil sniffed for clues. He spoke to colleagues at several intelligence bureaus and consulted Chinese experts who said the winged writing was too faded to read. The forensic lab reported that one of the rings contained a microchip to track the pigeons location, while the other had an alphanumeric codepossibly code namewhich read 776912 CTRPA 2023."

His detective work uncovered that racing pigeons from Taiwan and China are often tagged with rings containing serial numbers and location-tracking chips, and that Taiwanese pigeons usually race over the sea.

By August, Patil said he was confident: the pigeon was an innocent athlete that accidentally booked a passage to India.

After all the forensic analysis and investigation, we reached a conclusion that it isnt suspicious," he says.

A very, very serious case

But back at the hospital, Dr. Dangar said the police never contacted him to free the bird, and that letters to the authorities pleading for its release went unanswered. (Patil disputes that account, saying police answered the missives and regularly checked in on the bird).

The animal rights group PETA India stepped in last month after the bird had served eight months in the slammer.

It was a very, very serious case," says Meet Ashar, legal adviser for the groups cruelty case division. PETA repeatedly called the local police and argued that they were violating the birds fundamental right to fly.

Even if the pigeon was a mole, Ashar argues, it shouldnt have been punished as the fall guy. Should the bird be relegated to captivity for so long because your owner, guardian, handler, planned to use the bird for his or her nefarious activities?" he says.

Late last month, the pigeon was freed onto the grounds of the animal hospital after the police gave the greenlight. No one tried to contact the pigeons handler in Taiwan or China. Everyone agreed that the pigeon was now an Indian citizen.

The entire Indian sky now belongs to the pigeon," Patil says. Hope it doesnt miss its original home."

Write to Shan Li at shan.li@wsj.com and Rajesh Roy at rajesh.roy@wsj.com
Arthur Mackenzy Group Investments & Commercial Management LLC, a prominent multi-investment company in Dubai, announced that it will develop its second digital asset with the cooperation of Knightsbridge. The asset is a utility token to be used across the groups diversified portfolio.

The group will develop a luxury hotel in Downtown Jebel Ali, Dubai, through its development arm: Bellatrix for Real Estate Development. We are excited to be among the first to develop a luxury hotel in this area and add to Dubais ongoing legacy, said Mr. Suhaib Shaikh, CEO of Arthur Mackenzy Group Investments LLC and Bellatrix Real Estate Development.

Directly located on Sheikh Zayed Road & walking minutes away from the metro line, the group aims to boost the hospitality sector in that area by introducing a global-leading hospitality specialized brand.

The 4-star Hotel will consist of 217 keys with ultra-modern facilities catered to international and local standards. The hotel units will be available for investors looking for stable & attractive returns after completing all registration requirements from the relevant authorities.

Directly situated on Sheikh Zayed Road, the most luxury corridor worldwide, the project is strategically located 10 minutes away from Maktoum Airport, Motion Gate Dubai Parks, 30 minutes to Dubai Terminal 3 Airport, 10 minutes to Palm Jumeirah, 10 minutes to mall of the Emirates, 20 minutes to Downtown Burj Khalifah.

About Arthur Mackenzy Group Investments & Commercial Management LLC:

PARALLEL SYNERGY

Perpetually bridging innovation across industries in the ever-changing global shift requires observance and balanced direction to make the best out of choices made during the journey forward.

Established in 2022; licensed in Dubai, UAE, having activities of: Investment in Commercial, Agricultural, Oil & Gas, Construction projects. Lead by management with collaborative experience of 20 years; the company managed to venture into real estate investments covering residential, commercial, corporate hotels and digital securities with international presence and collaboration with leading global brands.

About Bellatrix for Real Estate Development LLC:

Bellatrix For Real Estate Development is a property development and construction company focused on opportunities within Dubai in UAE. The companys objective is to better reap the benefits of ongoing and future opportunities of the real estate sector through applying adaptive and innovative approaches to meet the best expectations possible. By accounting for the new, fast-changing global geoeconomics and its newborn variables; integrating with conventional requirements for decision making is, and will always be, a continuous challenge; giving a better chance towards a brighter future ahead.

www.bellatrix.ae

About Knightsbridge

Under the name Knightsbridge KXCO became one of Asias leading financial services companies with interests in Institutional investment, Private Equity, Capital Markets, Publishing, and Agriculture that span every continent of the world. We have unprecedented experience in Equities, Banking, Private Equity, Trading and Funds Management.

Managing and Protecting wealth is important, KXCO can show you and your clients how to realise profits and gain protection by utilizing the Global Markets.

Access to Equities, OTC, Derivatives, FX and Digital Asset Trading via state-of-the-art platforms with industry best pricing. All services are directly provided from Asia. KXCO provides liquidity and brokerage services and assists it`s clients with the management of their investment portfolios.
Big Tech and the 2024 Biden vs. Trump Election: Navigating the Complex Relationship

In the realm of political campaigns, Big Tech has emerged as both a powerful ally and a contentious target. Despite the rhetoric and criticism often directed towards tech giants in Washington, presidential campaigns have consistently funneled significant amounts of money into Silicon Valley for digital advertising, underscoring the inescapable role these companies play in modern political discourse.

Company Stock Symbol Mentioned in Article Facebook (Meta) META Trump campaign advertising on Facebook; Biden administration engaged in legal battles with Meta (Facebook). Amazon AMZN Both Trump and Biden campaigns patronized Amazon for various services and purchases. Google GOOG Biden administration engaged in legal battles against Google. Apple AAPL Biden campaign spent a significant amount on Apple products. Uber UBER Trump campaign expensed Uber rides frequently. Lyft LYFT Both campaigns utilized Lyft for ride-sharing services. Twitter (formerly X) Trump campaign paid for premium subscriptions to Elon Musks company, which may refer to Twitter.

The 2023 Federal Election Commission records provide a comprehensive overview of how campaign funds were allocated, revealing millions of dollars directed towards digital advertising, a cornerstone of voter outreach strategies. This spending trend sheds light on the symbiotic relationship between political campaigns and Big Tech, where reliance on tech services is as ubiquitous for campaign operators as it is for ordinary Americans in their day-to-day lives.

Despite the public criticisms and policy disputes surrounding Big Tech, both likely nominees for the 2024 presidential election, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, have maintained a complex relationship with these tech giants. Trump, known for sporadically raising antitrust concerns and launching his own social media platform, Truth Social, continues to utilize platforms like Facebook (now Meta) for advertising. Similarly, President Biden, amidst ongoing legal battles against tech companies, regularly patronizes these same firms for campaign advertising and other services.

The Expensive World of Digital Advertising: Digital advertising represents a significant portion of campaign spending, with both the Biden and Trump campaigns collectively spending at least $30 million in 2023. While traditional advertising channels like linear television still receive a share of campaign funds, a substantial amount is directed towards platforms like Facebook and Google, reflecting the increasing importance of digital outreach strategies in modern political campaigns.

Challenges in Tracking Spending: Tracking the exact allocation of advertising budgets to Big Tech platforms poses challenges, as much of the money flows through third-party vendors. Despite this, its evident that a substantial portion of campaign spending finds its way to companies like Facebook and Google, highlighting their dominance in the digital advertising landscape.

Beyond Advertising: Diverse Tech Spending: Campaign spending extends beyond advertising to a range of tech services and products. Both campaigns patronized Amazon for various purposes, despite their respective clashes with the tech giant. Bidens team utilized Amazon Web Services for website hosting, while Trumps campaign spent on office supplies through Amazon. Similarly, expenditures on Apple products and ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft provide insight into the distinct preferences and cultures of each campaign.

The Complex Relationship: The paradoxical nature of the relationship between political campaigns and Big Tech is apparent in the spending patterns of both Biden and Trump campaigns. Despite criticisms and legal battles, both campaigns rely heavily on tech services for advertising and operational needs. This dynamic underscores the intertwined nature of politics and technology in the digital age, where navigating the complexities of this relationship has become an integral aspect of modern campaigning.

As the 2024 election season unfolds, the role of Big Tech in shaping political discourse and campaign strategies will continue to evolve. While debates over regulation and antitrust loom large, the pragmatic reality is that tech giants remain indispensable allies for political campaigns seeking to reach and engage voters in an increasingly digital world.

Shayne Heffernan
Embracing the Communion of Saints: A Path to Spiritual Enrichment for Catholics

In the rich tapestry of Catholic faith, the communion of saints occupies a profound and deeply spiritual realm. It encompasses the interconnectedness of believers, both living and deceased, in a bond of faith, love, and shared devotion to God. This communion serves not only as a source of inspiration but also as a guiding light on the path of spiritual growth and enrichment. Here, we delve into the importance of connecting with the communion of saints for Catholics and explore practical ways to foster this connection.

Prayer: At the heart of connecting with the communion of saints lies prayer. Catholics engage in prayers that invoke the intercession of saints, seeking their guidance, protection, and blessings. Whether reciting the Rosary, with its meditations on the life of Jesus and the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, or offering specific prayers dedicated to revered saints, prayer becomes a conduit through which believers establish a profound spiritual connection with the communion of saints.

Study Their Lives: Delving into the lives of the saints through literature, biographies, or online resources offers a window into their remarkable journeys of faith. Understanding their struggles, triumphs, and unwavering devotion provides invaluable inspiration and guidance for navigating the challenges and joys of ones own spiritual journey. Their examples serve as beacons of hope and encouragement, encouraging believers to persevere in their faith amidst lifes trials.

Meditation and Reflection: In the hustle and bustle of daily life, carving out moments for quiet reflection and meditation is essential for nurturing a deeper connection with the communion of saints. By inviting the presence of the saints into these contemplative spaces, believers can reflect on their virtues, teachings, and examples. This introspection enables individuals to discern how they can incorporate these timeless lessons into their own lives, fostering personal growth and spiritual enrichment.

Attend Mass and Sacraments: Participation in the sacraments, particularly the Eucharist, lies at the heart of Catholic worship and spirituality. Catholics believe that in the Eucharist, they are spiritually united with the entire Body of Christ, including the communion of saints. Regular attendance at Mass and reception of the sacraments serve to deepen ones connection to the wider Christian community, reinforcing the bonds of faith and fellowship that unite believers across time and space.

Pilgrimages: Embarking on pilgrimages to places associated with saints, such as shrines or sites of significance to their lives, offers believers a profound opportunity for spiritual renewal and deeper connection. These sacred journeys provide moments of introspection, prayer, and communion with the saints, allowing pilgrims to draw closer to their heavenly intercessors and experience firsthand the legacy of faith left by these revered figures.

Community and Fellowship: Connecting with fellow believers who share a devotion to the communion of saints is vital for nurturing and sustaining ones faith journey. Whether through participation in prayer groups, study circles, or online communities, engaging in communal worship and dialogue fosters a deeper understanding of the saints significance in the Christian faith. It provides a supportive network where believers can share insights, experiences, and prayers, strengthening their bond as members of the mystical Body of Christ.

Service and Charity: Emulating the virtues of the saints through acts of service and charity is a tangible expression of faith in action. By reaching out to those in need, especially the marginalized and vulnerable, believers embody the selfless love exemplified by the saints throughout history. Service becomes a channel through which individuals participate in the ongoing mission of the Church, spreading compassion, justice, and hope in the world.

Personal Devotions: Developing personal devotions or rituals to honor and connect with specific saints adds a deeply personal dimension to ones spiritual practice. Whether through lighting candles, maintaining a journal, or creating artwork or prayers dedicated to their memory, these acts of devotion serve as reminders of the saints presence and intercession in ones life. They provide moments of solace, inspiration, and communion with the heavenly hosts who accompany believers on their journey of faith.

Embracing the communion of saints is not merely an abstract theological concept but a lived reality that enriches and animates the Catholic faith. By actively engaging in practices such as prayer, study, meditation, participation in the sacraments, pilgrimages, community involvement, acts of service, and personal devotions, believers can cultivate a deeper connection with the communion of saints. In doing so, they draw inspiration, guidance, and strength from the timeless examples of faith, love, and holiness exemplified by the saints, who continue to intercede for and accompany them on their pilgrimage of life.

The history of the Communion of Saints is deeply rooted in the Christian tradition, tracing its origins to the early days of the Church and evolving over centuries into a central tenet of Catholic theology. The concept encompasses the spiritual union of all believers, both living and deceased, in a mystical bond of faith, love, and mutual intercession.

Early Christian Era: In the earliest Christian communities, the belief in the Communion of Saints began to take shape. The New Testament writings, particularly the letters of St. Paul, speak of the interconnectedness of believers in the Body of Christ. The early Christians understood themselves to be part of a larger community, bound together by their shared faith in Jesus Christ and participation in the sacraments.

Martyrdom and Veneration of Saints: The persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire led to the emergence of martyrdom as a central aspect of Christian identity. The heroic witness of martyrs, who willingly sacrificed their lives for their faith, inspired reverence and admiration among believers. The veneration of martyrs, along with the cult of relics, became widespread practices in the early Church, as Christians sought to honor and emulate the virtues of these holy men and women.

Development of Hagiography: The lives of the saints, or hagiography, became a popular literary genre in the early Church. Biographies and accounts of the lives of saints served not only to preserve their memory but also to inspire and instruct believers. These hagiographical texts portrayed the saints as models of Christian virtue, whose lives exemplified fidelity to Christ and selfless love for others.

Emergence of Intercessory Prayer: As the cult of saints grew, so did the practice of seeking their intercession. Believers began to pray to the saints, asking for their prayers and assistance in times of need. The belief in the saints ability to intercede on behalf of the faithful became an integral aspect of popular piety, providing comfort and hope to believers facing various challenges and tribulations.

Formalization of Doctrine: The theological framework of the Communion of Saints began to take shape in the early centuries of the Church. The Council of Nicaea in 325 AD affirmed the unity of the Church and the communion of all believers in Christ. Subsequent councils and theological writings further developed the Churchs understanding of the Communion of Saints, articulating doctrines such as the Communion of Saints in the Apostles Creed and the intercession of saints in Christian worship.

Medieval Period: During the Middle Ages, devotion to the saints reached its zenith in Western Christendom. The cult of saints flourished, with churches and monasteries dedicated to revered saints, and pilgrimage sites attracting throngs of faithful pilgrims seeking spiritual blessings and healing. The lives of the saints continued to be celebrated through art, literature, and popular devotions, reinforcing their role as spiritual intercessors and models of holiness.

Reformation and Counter-Reformation: The Protestant Reformation of the 16th century brought about significant changes in the understanding and practice of the Communion of Saints. While Protestant reformers rejected certain aspects of popular piety, such as the veneration of relics and the invocation of saints, they affirmed the spiritual unity of believers in Christ. The Catholic Counter-Reformation, in response to the Protestant challenge, reaffirmed and clarified Catholic doctrines regarding the Communion of Saints, emphasizing the importance of intercessory prayer and the communion of all the faithful, both living and deceased.

Modern Era: In the modern era, devotion to the Communion of Saints remains a vibrant aspect of Catholic spirituality. While the cult of saints may have evolved over time, the belief in the communion of all believers in Christ continues to inspire and sustain the faith of millions of Catholics around the world. Through prayer, liturgical worship, and acts of charity, believers seek to deepen their connection to the communion of saints, drawing strength and inspiration from the timeless witness of those who have gone before them in faith.

Shayne Heffernan
When the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos are considered children under state law, its chief justice had a higher authority in mind. By citing verses from the Bible and Christian theologians in his concurring opinion, Chief Justice Tom Parker alarmed advocates for church-state separation, while delighting religious conservatives who oppose abortion. Parker wrote that human life cannot be wrongfully destroyed without incurring the wrath of a holy God, who views the destruction of His image as an affront to Himself. While Parkers concurring opinion does not carry the force of precedent, advocates for church-state separation fear he could inspire judges in other states to push the envelope.
The event featured a traditional lion dragon performance by the Chein Hong School of Kung Fu, a dragon dance performance by the Chattanooga Chinese Dragon dance group, and a fireworks show.
Sherrie Waters says Tabitha Smith was like a daughter to her and didn't realize it would be the last time she saw her.
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Political leaders across Tennessee are condemning the group of masked men who waved flags with swastikas and gave Nazi salutes during their march.
ICSA president Sean McNamara has described the way the Department of Agriculture has handled ACRES payments as a shambles and said it must never happen again.



Back in early December we were informed that around 18,600 farmers would have to wait until February 2024 for their ACRES payments. Now it appears there will be a further delay. The whole thing is a shambles, he said.



Continuing Mr McNamara said he welcomed news that an interim, nationally-funded, payment will be made to ACRES participants the end of February, but said the Department still have questions to answer. I am pleased that the Minister was listening at our AGM last week when we demanded action on these late payments. It begs the question, however, about why this could not have been arranged before Christmas when it was evident there was a problem.

We have also been repeatedly told that innovative solutions were not possible when it came to resolving the ACRES issue, yet now we have one. Has the EU suddenly changed its rules or how has this been made possible? We also now need answers on when exactly the rest of the money will be paid.



Mr McNamara said it is not good enough to leave so many farmers in the dark about important payments, particularly those in the low-income beef, suckler, and sheep sectors. For most drystock farmers scheme payments are what keeps their enterprises ticking over. They rely hugely on this money to cover bills, loan repayments, and to pay for expensive winter feeding and all the other input costs.

Not receiving a scheme payment when its due is not only hugely frustrating but causes untold financial repercussions. It is a debacle that must never happen again.
The UK Government has tabled a parliamentary motion stating that there is no basis in the 1998 Good Friday Agreement for joint authority with the Republic of Ireland in the governance of Northern Ireland.

The move follows a commitment in the Command Paper Safeguarding the Union, which led to the restoration of the Stormont powersharing executive after two years of political deadlock.

The Government agreed the deal with the DUP, which included the pledge to provide a mechanism for Parliament to re-affirm its commitment to the Acts of Union.

The motion has been tabled as a Humble Address, a mechanism by which Parliament communicates with the King.

The motion welcomes the return of the devolved institutions in Northern Ireland and re-affirms the importance of upholding the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement 1998 in all its strands.

It also acknowledges the foundational importance of the Acts of Union 1800, including the economic provisions under Article 6 of those Acts.

It continues: Recognising that, consistent with section 23(1) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, executive power in Northern Ireland shall continue to be vested in His Majesty, and that joint authority is not provided for in the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement 1998 in respect of the UK and Irish Governments.

The motion has been laid by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt and ministers Alex Chalk, Michael Gove, David T C Davies, Alister Jack and Laura Trott.

It will be debated in the Commons and the Lords on dates to be announced.

The DUP ended its two year boycott of devolved government in Northern Ireland earlier this month after striking a deal with the Government which party leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said met his concerns over post-Brexit trading arrangements and sovereignty.

With the Assembly restored, Sinn Feins Michelle ONeill has become the first nationalist First Minister of Northern Ireland.

Her party leader Mary Lou McDonald has predicted that an Irish unity poll will be held before 2030.
Work on a proposed upgrade of the A5 road to Londonderry will start before the end of the year, the Stormont Infrastructure Minister has said.

John ODowd was speaking following a significant funding announcement for the project by the Irish Government, describing the A5 as one of the most dangerous roads on this island.

The A5 has been the subject of calls for improvement due to the high volume of fatal collisions on the route, which links the city of Derry with Aughnacloy in Co Tyrone, located close to the Irish border.

A scheme to turn the A5 into a dual carriageway was first approved in 2007 but has been held up by legal proceedings and faced funding uncertainty.

Since 2007, almost 50 people have died on the single-lane road, including three members of the same family in one collision.

The Irish Government previously committed 400 million (467.9 million euro) to the A5 project in the 2006 St Andrews Agreement. However, it cut that to 75 million (87.7 million euro) during the financial crash.

On Tuesday, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar announced including 600 million euro (512.8 million) for the A5.

Mr ODowd welcomed the move and said despite some remaining challenges he is confident work can start before the end of the year.

I am currently studying the planning appeal commissions report, it is complex, it is comprehensive. I want to be assured that we have responded to all the issues contained within that report before I announce the commencement of the building of the A5, he said.

My current deliberations are not around if we will build the A5, my current deliberations are on how we build the A5.

Mr ODowd said he would appeal to those people behind the legal challenges to bring them to an end.

This road is about improving road safety and about saving lives, so I appeal to those people to end their legal challenges.

I would hope to see construction start on the A5 by the end of this calendar year. That is my intention as we move forward.

Mr ODowd said further funding will come from the Stormont Executive, but added there is also a challenge for the UK Government, with the A5 mentioned in their UK connectivity report.

He said he would like to see more than words but also finances coming from London.

But I am confident that the A5 is going ahead. Its financially viable and it will be funded.

Earlier, Niall McKenna, chair of the A5 Enough Is Enough campaign group, said it was very happy with the recommitment by the Irish Government to the funding.

His group met with the Irish Government last summer, and said they felt confident after that meeting that a substantial figure would be announced.

Unfortunately the process began in April 2007 when the scheme was initially approved, Mr McKenna said.

It has been beset with legal problems for nearly 17 years, and unfortunately in those 17 years, 48 people have lost their lives on this road.

But we think things are certainly moving in the right direction at the moment, and wed be hopeful that full approval for the scheme will be in the next couple of months.

Another member of the campaign group, Brendan Hurl, said the A5 has previously been described as one of the most dangerous in Europe.

It emerged in the public inquiry that an accident has been reported to police (on the A5) once every three days, he said.

Too many lives have been lost on this road, too many families have been victims, and the important thing is to say about this road is the A5 is totally indiscriminate, it doesnt matter who you are, what you are, where youre from, what you work at, what background you come from, it will kill you regardless.

SDLP West Tyrone MLA Daniel McCrossan welcomed the funding as a watershed moment.

Now that this funding has been secured we need to see the Executive and Minister ODowd follow suit with approval for this long-awaited project so that we can get work started before the end of the year, he said.

I would like to pay tribute to the campaigners, many of them who have lost loved ones on this road, who have worked so hard in recent years, battering down the doors of governments right across this island to make the case for the A5.

They know more than anyone the need for this redevelopment, but channelled their own grief into positive action so that nobody else would suffer the loss that they have felt.

We have been a long time getting to this stage and what we need now from the minister is urgent clarity on the next steps.

I believe today is a watershed moment in seeing the A5 delivered and look forward to seeing this project completed at last.
Levittown Man Arrested for DWI After Causing Triple Car Crash in Hicksville

Local News, Crime

By Long Island Published: February 20 2024

A Levittown man was arrested for DWI following a three-car collision in Hicksville, resulting in minor injuries.

The Public Information Office reports the arrest of a Levittown man for a DWI that occurred on Monday, February 19, 2024 in Hicksville.

According to police, officers responded to a three (3) car accident in the vicinity of Old Country Road and Levittown Parkway. It was determined a 2013 black Chevrolet Suburban was traveling eastbound on Old Country Road and struck the side of a 2022 Dodge Ram traveling the same direction.

The Chevrolet continued eastbound and struck a 2014 Honda CRV traveling westbound on Old Country Road.

During the investigation officers determined the operator of the 2013 Chevrolet was intoxicated. Amrinder Singh, 31, was arrested without interest.

The female operator, 34, of the Dodge suffered minor injuries and was transported to an area hospital for evaluation and treatment.

The female operator, 63, of the Honda suffered minor injuries and was transported to an area hospital for evaluation and treatment.
Crime

By Chris Boyle Published: February 20 2024

SIW, Inc. allegedly misclassified and underpaid journeymen as apprentices on various public work projects in Nassau County; total underpayment of approximately $47,000.

Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly announced that an architectural and industrial metal fabricating company in Bay Shore was charged with a violation of labor laws for misclassifying and underpaying workers on various public work projects in Nassau County, ultimately underpaying workers approximately $47,000 in wages.

SIW, Inc., was arraigned Thursday before Judge Ari Schulman for violating Section 198-a(l) of the Labor Law of the State of New York (an unclassified misdemeanor). The company is due back in court on February 29, 2024. If convicted, the company faces a fine of up to $20,000, a conditional discharge and restitution of $47,004.04.

Prevailing wages are important to ensuring that employees on public work sites throughout Nassau County are compensated appropriately for their specialized skills, said DA Donnelly. SIW, Inc. allegedly misclassified nearly a dozen employees as apprentices and failed to pay their rightful wages, underpaying the workers approximately $47,000. I thank the Nassau County Department of Labor and the Iron Workers Union, Local 361 for referring this matter to us for prosecution.

Nassau County Commissioner of Labor Christopher Fusco said, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman and Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly will not tolerate any prevailing wage fraud or worker misclassification on a public job site. These findings are a clear indication that anyone who violates these laws will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

DA Donnelly said that, according to the charges, between January 1, 2019, and May 16, 2023, SIW, Inc., an architectural & industrial metal fabricating company located in Bay Shore, allegedly misclassified and underpaid 10 journeymen the lower apprentices wage rate. The public work jobs were located at the Merrick Union Free School District, Baldwin Union Free School District, Lynbrook Union Free School District, Manhasset Union Free School District, Westbury Union Free School District, Locust Valley Central School District, North Shore School District, Syosset Fire Department, Massapequa Fire Department, and Mineola Fire Department.

The District Attorneys Office confirmed with the New York State Department of Labor that none of the Defendants employees attended a Registered Apprenticeship Training Program, that the Defendant does not participate in any such program, and none of its employees were certified as Registered Apprentices with New York State. The underpaid wages for the ten employees ranged between a low of $515.34 to a high of $18,964.29. The total amount of wages underpaid was $47,004.40.

While the correct Iron Worker Journeyman wage and benefit rate for the time period was between $106.20 and $108.25 per hour, the defendant allegedly only paid $53.04 and $78.11. The defendant allegedly paid laborers wages and benefits between $42.99 and $68.22 per hour, instead of the state mandated rate of $69.96 to $71.20. An audit of the payroll records of SIW, Inc. determined that 10 employees were allegedly underpaid approximately $47,004.

DA Donnelly thanks the Nassau County Department of Labor and the Iron Workers Union, Local 361 for referring this matter to our office.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Investigative Counsel and Attorney-in-Charge of Labor Richard Balletta of the Revenue, Auto, Insurance, and Labor Crime Bureau. The defendant is represented by Cornell Bouse, Esq.
Members of the 646th reserve brigade firing weapons in a field near greenhouses in Gaza. (IDF)

Israel continues to withdraw reserve units that were part of the ground operation in Gaza. The 646th Reserve Brigade had been fighting in the Gaza Strip for several months, the IDF said in a statement on February 20, noting that the brigade completed its mission in the Gaza Strip last week. The shift in forces has enabled many of the 300,000 reservists Israel called up in October to have some time at home. At the same time, it enables forces to be moved to other parts of Israel also facing threats, including northern Israel.

The 36th division, which played a key role in cutting off northern Gaza from central Gaza in late October, was redeployed in mid-January. Although its 7th armored brigade remained in Khan Younis, other elements of the division headed to northern Israel where the division is based to prepare for threats that may emerge. The 5th reservist infantry brigade, which consists of infantry who previously served in the Givati brigade  one of Israels regular infantry units, was withdrawn at the end of January. The 4th armored Kiryati reserve brigade, the 55th reserve paratroopers brigade, the 551st reservist brigade and the 14th armored reservist brigade were also withdrawn.

The shift in forces comes as both clashes and airstrikes in Gaza have been reduced in recent weeks. The last major fighting occurred in Khan Younis, a battle that began in December and has now largely ended. IDF forces entered the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis last week and detained hundreds of terrorists. Nasser Hospital presented many complexities for the IDF due to the more than 8,000 people sheltering near the complex. According to the IDF, most of them were evacuated. Israel worked with medical staff at the hospital and had Arabic speakers who could help communicate with the staff over the multiple days in which Israel was searching the area for terrorists. Hamas has generally retreated to areas near hospitals, either entering the facilities directly or operating near them and underneath them in tunnels. In northern Gaza, the Shifa, Indonesian and Rantisi hospitals were also sites of similar scenes.

The redeployment of the 646th brigade sheds light on both IDF activity and challenges that await in the next phase of operations in Gaza. The unit had operated in the area called the central camps, which consists of four densely populated towns built around refugee camps established in the 1950s. The 646th operated near Bureij and Nuseirat. At the end of their mission in the central camps, they continued to operate in the southern Gaza Strip in the Khan Yunis area. In their activity, they completed an operation in the Abasan area, in which they eliminated a large number of terrorists and located and confiscated large quantities of weapons. During the operation dozens of terrorists who hid within the civilian population were detained, the IDF said.

On February 20, the IDF put out a statement in Arabic calling on Gazans in the neighborhood of Zaytun south of Gaza City to evacuate. This area was already a scene of fighting, and it appears residents have slowly returned. Now they are being asked to go to the Mawasi area near the coast, which is designated as a humanitarian zone. This would appear to indicate that the IDF believes threats have returned to this area south of Gaza City. In the past, the IDF conducted new raids into places like Shati in the north that had already been cleared.

With operations winding down in many areas of Gaza, Israel has also improved its ability to rapidly target rocket launches from Gaza. Those launches have been reduced to just a handful a week. On February 17, the IDF said that a terrorist who launched a rocket toward Ashkelon was eliminated in under 30 minutes. On February 19, the IDF said that a rocket was fired at the border community of Beeri. A few minutes after the rocket was fired, soldiers of the Nahal Brigade identified the terrorist responsible for the launch in the area of Gaza City and directed an IAF aircraft to strike and kill him. This represents a rapid closing of the loop in being able to detect, locate and target rocket launchers and individuals linked to them.

Reporting from Israel, Seth J. Frantzman is an adjunct fellow at FDD and a contributor to FDDs Long War Journal. He is the acting news editor and senior Middle East correspondent and analyst at The Jerusalem Post.
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, February 20. Uzbekistan is among the top ten leading trade and economic partners of Russia, Chairman of the Russian State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin said in Trend reports.

He spoke at the first meeting of the Interparliamentary Commission on Cooperation of Russia's State Duma and the Legislative Chamber of Uzbekistan's Parliament in Moscow on February 19.

The meeting was held by Chairman of the State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin and Chairman of the Legislative Chamber of the Parliament Nuriddin Ismoilov.

The sides discussed the development of economic integration in the Eurasian space, the improvement of the health care system, and the situation in the field of labor migration.

Volodin emphasized the need for active development of inter-parliamentary cooperation, the search for new forms of cooperation, and filling the work of friendship groups and the Interparliamentary Commission with specific content that meets the needs of citizens of both countries.

Ismoilov supported the idea of improving interparliamentary cooperation and emphasized the importance of the deputies' contribution to the resolution of matters. The sides expressed readiness to take action to support the decisions made at the level of heads of state.

The Chairman of the State Duma noted that the number of students from Uzbekistan studying in Russia reached 53,000. He also emphasized the growing interest of Russians in visiting Uzbekistan and the activity of Uzbek citizens coming to Russia for work. The number of Russians who wanted to visit Uzbekistan increased by 30 percent in 2023, amounting to about 714,000 people.

He noted that mostly citizens of Uzbekistan (six million people) come to Russia to work.

Both sides emphasized the importance of cultural and educational ties and maintaining friendly relations between the peoples of both countries.

Volodin invited his Uzbek counterpart to the international forum "Development of Parliamentarism.".

The agreement on the establishment of the Interparliamentary Commission was signed on November 28, 2022, during Volodin's official visit to Uzbekistan.
In early 2014, when observers and researchers were sounding the alarm about a potential genocide in the Central African Republic (CAR), al-Qaeda attempted to throw itself into the ring by trying to mobilize anyone to take up jihad under its name within CAR.

Primarily relying on its various African branches, particularly Shabaab in East Africa, al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and Ansar al-Sharia Tunisia in North Africa, al-Qaeda attempted to appeal to the collective Muslim anger and consciousness over the mass killings of Muslims across many areas of CAR in early 2014.

In doing so, it hoped to provoke Muslims inside CAR to take up arms under al-Qaedas banner and/or incite angered Muslims around the world to venture to CAR to partake in the jihad al-Qaeda was attempting to foster. Neither desire materialized despite al-Qaedas best wishes in undertaking a coordinated media campaign.

As such, this misfire at a call to arms offers an interesting look into when jihadis fail at trying to galvanize support or to mobilize anyone to their cause. Instead, such failures only serve to provide a short-term propaganda win as efforts on the ground either fail to materialize or were never believed realistic from the beginning by al-Qaedas leadership.

Background on the Massacres

Though this article inherently revolves around the mass killings in CAR, the specific and exact nature of such events are largely outside of its scope. However, a brief and arguably oversimplified version of events is provided to account for the necessary context of al-Qaedas messaging campaign.

The Central African Republic has largely been in a state of instability and conflict since gaining independence from France in 1960. Following a coup in the capital Bangui that brought former President Francois Bozize to power, Bozize launched a military offensive against various rebel groups in the countrys north before signing a tenuous peace agreement a few years later.

By late 2012, a coalition of armed groups, many of which were largely Muslim (though not necessarily Islamist in nature), again took up arms against the central government over reported lapses in the earlier peace deal. This coalition, dubbed Seleka, proceeded to quickly advance through the country, capturing Bangui, and overthrowing Bozize and taking power in March 2013. To note, not all of Selekas members were native Central Africans, with many experts reporting the presence of Chadians and Sudanese within its ranks.

As a response to the Selekas march, other militias, which were primarily Christian in composition, formed to combat the Seleka. By mid-to-late 2013, these militias, known as the Anti-Balaka, were carrying out revenge killings against Seleka members and Muslim communities. Around the same time, the Seleka coalition was officially dissolved, though the constituent militias remained very much active and were then referred to as Ex-Seleka.

Starting in early 2014, hundreds of people were then subsequently killed by both Ex-Seleka and Anti-Balaka fighters, as they perpetrated a cycle of violence against each others primary constituents, Muslim and Christian communities, respectively. With documented massacres mounting, the United Nations, among others, began sounding the alarm about the growing risk of genocide.

In turn, the United Nations authorized a short-lived African Union (AU) mission to CAR, which was supported by Frances own military intervention. In early 2014, the AU mission was supplanted by the UNs own mission, MINUSCA, which was again further supported by the French troops. Ex-Seleka members, and indeed many of Banguis Muslims, were later forced from the capital.

To note, while there was a stated religious aspect to the conflict, experts have noted it overlapped with other grievances and was not necessarily motivated by religious extremism in and of itself. This is important as the relative lack of religious extremism to the conflict most definitely hurt jihadist attempts at expansion. It is nevertheless within this time that al-Qaeda officially entered the fray by launching a coordinated media campaign around the mass killings of Muslims.

Al-Qaedas Mobilization Efforts

Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) began the coordinated campaign with a three-page statement released in February 2014. AQIM, relying on reports from Western non-governmental organizations, states:

Whats happening today to our Muslim brothers in the Central African Republic is ethnic and sectarian cleansing by all measures; its the worst ethnic cleansing practiced against Muslims in the countrys history, as reported by Amnesty International.

The statement then chastises other Arabs, particularly Arab Muslim states, for silence on the issue and then blames the killings on France. While CAR was a former French colony, it is important to note that AQIMs statement also came just a year after Frances own intervention against AQIM in Mali. This timeframe helps provide further context for why AQIM joined in the calls for jihad in CAR. For instance, AQIM notes that:

And is its norm, from between the destruction of tragedy there came the poisoned cooking smell, and the dirty French role in fuelling that conflict and helping the Christians of the regions, where France has unarmed Muslims in an open and studied way, amid its historic fears of Islamic expansion, and in return helped the Christians and on the other side they supplied weapons to Christians for the conflict to leave its common ethnic form, and balance from a struggle here and there to a Franco-Crusader hateful campaign on Muslims and Islam.

In response to the so-called French-supported Christian massacres of Muslims, AQIM then calls on Muslims both inside and outside of CAR to take up arms against the Anti-Balaka (and thus France). According to the al-Qaeda branch, it is only through jihad can the Muslims of CAR be free of such killings.

And it is upon the Muslims of the world to support Central Africans in this jihad and help liberate the country from the French-backed Christian militias according to AQIM  thus acting as an implicit call for jihadis to travel to CAR to help in these efforts.

This statement was then followed by a similar edict from Ansar al-Sharia Tunisia (AST), which was itself an affiliate of AQIM. AST states that CAR is the victim of a French-backed conspiracy in which the Christian Anti-Balaka groups are wreaking havoc upon the Earth and committing massacres against the Muslims. Like AQIM, AST also criticizes Arab silence on the issue and blames said silence on puppet Arab governments being subjected to the Zionist-Crusader alliance against Islam.

ASTs critique of France goes further than AQIMs, arguing that its intervention in CAR was anything but about preventing further bloodshed. Instead, AST argues that France, like in Mali, was only to weaken Muslim influence and populations and loot various minerals and resources by being the protector forces of the Anti-Balaka.

Like AQIM, AST also argues that the only true way to protect Muslims from further violence in CAR is through jihad. Speaking directly to Muslims in CAR, AST states that we can only reward you in your affliction and remind you that we do not recognize the imaginary colonial borders and racial barriers that France introduced. You are our brothers and you have nothing but our loyalty, love, and support.

More explicitly, AST states that Your blood will not be in vainGod willing, at the hands of the mujahideen. AST then reminds the Muslims of CAR that those who fight in the name of God so fight the friends of Satan [i.e France] and Satan is weak. These statements again act as implicit calls for jihad within CAR.

AST then calls on Muslims, specifically in Africa, to assist the Muslims of CAR by directing violence against France. According to the group, even if one cant make hijrah [immigrate for the sake of jihad], presumably either to CAR or Mali, one could target the French inside France.

On the other side of the continent, Shabaab, al-Qaedas branch for East Africa, was also active in helping to mobilize for CAR. For instance, in an undated video but likely from February or March 2014 (on file with author), Shabaab documents and laments the various massacres of Muslims and destruction of mosques in CAR before undertaking an attack on Somali forces in Somalias south in rhetorical and ideological support for Central African Muslims.

The video then transitions to a group of Shabaab members partaking in an Arabic-language nasheed [a cappella Islamic songs or chants] meant to boost the morale of the Muslims in CAR (as seen in the screenshot below) as it stresses the importance of hope and imminence of Muslims prevailing over the enemies of Islam.

Shabaab members seen performing a nasheed for Central African Muslims in a video released in early 2014.

A more detailed video on CAR was subsequently released by Shabaab in May 2014. In that video, Mukhtar Abu Zubayr, the founder and first emir of the group, speaks more definitively on the massacres in the country. For instance, Abu Zubayr states:

The plots of the European Crusaders against the African continent  the continent of Islam  and the humiliation of its population and plundering of its resources have persisted throughout historySo what we are witnessing in the Central African Republic is part of a new Crusader plot to blockade Islam in the continent and redraw its map.

Mukhtar Abu Zubayr, like AQIM, goes further and puts the blame squarely on France. For instance, he notes:

The genocide that is being perpetrated against the Muslims in the Central African Republic, with oversight from the French forces, is nothing but a repeat of what Muslims went through in Bosnia. This crime will be added to a long list of crimes committed by France against Islam.

Abu Zubayr then joins in on the calls for jihad, saying that we say to the Muslims of the Central African Republic: seek refuge in the weapon and fight against your enemies to defend your religion, your honor, and your wealth.

The al-Qaeda commander also joined calls encouraging Muslims from outside of CAR to support this fledgling jihad with any means possible. He then reminds Muslims that it is an obligation for us, as decreed by God, to prepare for jihad.

Another video (on file with author), produced by Al-Battar Media, a media wing of North African members of the Islamic State, was also released in early 2014 prior to the official split between the Islamic State and al-Qaeda.

The video is undoubtedly part of the wider jihadi narrative ecosystem around CAR at the time, but it is unclear, and perhaps unlikely, that it was part of al-Qaedas official coordinated campaign.

That said, Al-Battars video does primarily rely on a speech from Hani al-Sibai, one of the more prominent pro-al-Qaeda ideologues, decrying the massacres of Muslims in CAR, further indicating it was produced before the official split. Its timing and contents nevertheless warrant this brief mention here.

Increased Anxieties

Despite the clearly harmonized campaign, as each publication was released around the same time indicating a degree of behind-the-scenes coordination, al-Qaedas efforts to galvanize support and mobilize people to armed jihad was a noticeable failure. No known jihadist presence inside CAR, either through a local Central African group or from a foreign group moving into CAR, was ever reported.

This was not without ample fears of the contrary, however. For instance, as the al-Qaeda groups were issuing their communiques, regional observers sounded the alarm that the mass killings could provide opportunity for such groups to find an opening within CAR. These fears were also echoed by former government officials within CAR itself.

The most likely culprit at the time was the so-called Boko Haram, which at that time was on the rampage in northeastern Nigeria and had its own litany of ties to al-Qaeda. For instance, a UN official stated in late 2013 that we have some indications that there is some kind of a presence here of Boko Haram in CAR.

A few months later, Boko Haram allegedly released its own statement on CAR, which echoed many of the same things stated by al-Qaedas various branches, though the veracity of the statement is disputed.

The fear of Boko Harams presence inside CAR was further highlighted when a Central African armed group, Revolution and Justice, claimed to have captured two supposed Boko Haram members near the borders with Chad  though this reported capture of suspected jihadists was seemingly never confirmed.

Moreover these fears were later compounded over the Selekas own cross-border activity in Cameroon, where Boko Haram was also active, leading to fears of cooperation which Ex-Seleka officials later denied. Photos of Ex-Seleka fighters wearing clothing bearing the name Boko Haram and the foreign elements of parts of Ex-Seleka did little to help assuage these accusations, though.

Even with the high levels of anxiety over a supposed jihadist presence, particularly from Boko Haram, inside CAR, this never came to fruition. No jihadist group ever claimed an attack or operation inside CAR nor publicly admitted any presence there.

For what its worth, the UNs Panel of Experts on CAR did not find, or rather did not report, on any suspected links between the Ex-Seleka militias and jihadists in either of its reports from 2014.

That said, this is all to not necessarily disbar the idea of jihadis being covertly active inside CAR during this time, either for logistical, recruitment, other support activities, or as a transit route to other destinations.

The very clandestine nature of such activities, however, makes this hard to verify and without confirmation on the ground from this time from reputable sources on any of these shadow efforts it is thus difficult to say one way or the other on if more clandestine efforts did in fact occur.

It is entirely possible there were more behind-the-scenes efforts made to facilitate connections between jihadist groups, particularly Boko Haram, and militias from the Seleka coalition. But without any hard evidence, this is hard to confirm and thus not speculated on further within this article.

Instead, what can be seen, at least from an open-source perspective, is that jihadis, particularly al-Qaeda and its African networks, did try to mobilize in CAR but no one within the Ex-Seleka militias actually took the bait.

A Failed Effort

Rather it appears that al-Qaeda possibly misunderstood the context of the fighting in Central Africa and mistook the vicious massacres between Christian and Muslim combatants as a wholly religiously-motivated conflict.

Alternatively, it is possible al-Qaeda did understand this nuance but hoped to make the conflict more religiously-motivated by conducting the media campaign and providing Seleka with a religious justification to expand the conflict.

A third possibility is that al-Qaeda instead understood that there were little-to-no realistic chances of ever engaging inside CAR, but just took the opportunity to try to prove itself better than the governments of the Islamic World by at least offering to help Muslims in need when many Muslim states stayed silent.

In any scenario, it also hoped to capitalize on anger against the French  importantly coming against the backdrop of the French intervention against al-Qaedas forces in Mali  by inflating its role in the massacres against Muslims in CAR. The communiques and videos at least offered al-Qaeda an easy propaganda win rather than anything more substantive on the ground.

As stated above, experts on CAR noted that while Christian and Muslim militias were fighting and killing each other, the religious aspect was more of a feature than a driver of the violence with other grievances compounding the killings.

Other experts have noted the lack of any historical connection to radical Islam, or even Islamism, inside CAR, further hampering any draw to al-Qaedas efforts. This is perhaps further evident by the Selekas lack of imposing Sharia on the areas it controlled, which would have been a prime feature of an armed Islamist group or movement. This is especially true after one such Ex-Seleka group declared an autonomous state in CARs north, the so-called Republic of Logone, or Dar al-Kuti, though it does not seem to have been governed by any extremist interpretation of Islam.

The lack of any armed group operating within the normal confines, or even structure, of a typical jihadist group also likely proved difficult for any tangible affiliation with al-Qaeda to develop. The more political drivers of the conflict therefore outshined any stated religious ones, thus dampening any potential avenue for al-Qaeda to exploit.

This is also to say nothing about the desires and goals of the Ex-Seleka groups themselves, who also may not have even wished to openly associate with such groups, let alone rebrand themselves into a full-fledged jihadist insurgency, further causing al-Qaedas messaging to fall on deaf ears.

It is also possible that with the sheer number of armed groups within the Seleka coalition and later the Ex-Seleka elements, this already provided an outlet for violence for those individuals who would normally be drawn to an organization like al-Qaeda, which typically provides such a violent release in similar conflicts.

For its part, al-Qaeda itself seems to have recognized its failure. Following the issuing of the communiques in early 2014, the group, as well as its respective branches and affiliates, have been largely silent on CAR. Except for a few mentions in passing, for instance in a 2016 issue of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsulas Inspire magazine or in a 2017 video from Ayman al-Zawahiri himself, al-Qaeda seems to have abandoned the idea of a Central African jihad as quickly as it took it up.

Conclusion

As the world witnessed intense rounds of killings between Christian and Muslim militias in the Central African Republic in early 2014, fears of genocide began to spread. As the killings had a nominal religious aspect to them, further anxiety grew within the international presence about an opening for jihadist groups, already operating in nearby countries, to move into CAR.

These fears were seemingly realized when jihadist groups, particularly al-Qaedas African branches, began commenting on CAR and calling for an armed jihad and for fellow jihadists to travel to CAR to help the largely Muslim Ex-Seleka militias.

Despite worries, these fears never materialized. Little to no evidence has emerged to suggest a meaningful relationship or connection between the Ex-Seleka militias and jihadist groups, while no jihadist group ever publicly claimed a presence inside CAR, let alone an armed attack inside the country.

And without hard evidence from the time, even more clandestine jihadist support activity (rather than anything operational) in the country is hard to confirm and discuss though this possibility does remain open.

Al-Qaedas failure at trying to galvanize support or mobilize any like-minded individuals or groups inside to take up armed jihad under its banner nevertheless presents an interesting look into when jihadis fail at this call-to-arms.

When not actually understanding nuanced dynamics on the ground in such conflicts, particularly within CAR, these attempted mobilization efforts only serve to provide a relative propaganda win over al-Qaedas state enemies rather than anything more substantive on the ground.

Caleb Weiss is an editor of FDD's Long War Journal and a senior analyst at the Bridgeway Foundation, where he focuses on the spread of the Islamic State in Central Africa.
Lazlo Szabo, known as Pufi, is remembered for his joy and ability to make others laugh after his death aged just 37

Pufi photographed ten months ago for an article in Contacto, the sister publication of the Luxembourg Times

Pufi photographed ten months ago for an article in Contacto, the sister publication of the Luxembourg Times  Photo credit: Marc Wilwert

Pufi photographed ten months ago for an article in Contacto, the sister publication of the Luxembourg Times  Photo credit: Marc Wilwert

A man who was one of the best-known faces on the streets of Luxembourg City in the last decade has been remembered for his extraordinary gentleness and the biggest smile in the city following his death at the age of just 37.

Lazlo Szabo arrived from Hungary seven years ago and had been sleeping on the streets of the Luxembourg capital ever since.

Those who knew Szabo, also nicknamed Pufi, said that he liked to make people laugh.

"He was the child who never wanted to grow up. Just the other day I saw him at the Red Cross social cafe and he came over to give me a hug, Andre Soares, spokesman for the Red Cross, told Contacto, the Luxembourg Times sister publication. He had a stuffed dog with him and told me his name was Rocky Balboa, that it was better not to pet him because he was extremely aggressive," Soares recalled with a laugh.

Lazlo had lived on the streets of Luxembourg City ever since arriving from Hungary seven years ago  Photo credit: Marc Wilwert

It was Soares who on Monday confirmed the death of one of the most familiar faces of the capitals homeless community.

Lazlos usual haunt was the shopping centres around the citys Hamilius area. As he told Contacto in an article in April last year, he worked whenever he could and shared everything he had with other homeless people.

Lazlo with a fellow homeless man in the city centre last year  Photo credit: Marc Wilwert

"He was a man of extraordinary gentleness. He was a symbol of humanity in Luxembourg because he had the biggest smile in the city - and he had one for everyone," says Bernard Thill, president of Luxembourg medical charity Medecins du Monde. "I'm very saddened by this news."

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Luxembourg's begging ban "insult to the law", say critics

Szabos health problems were serious and had been getting worse for months, due to alcohol consumption and daily life on the streets.

Szabo liked to dance, and that's how he approached people to ask them for some money or a cigarette. He hardly ever left without telling them a joke that made them laugh.

Lazlo was remembered as a figure of joy in our city by Andre Soares, spokesman for the Luxembourg Red Cross  Photo credit: Marc Wilwert

Szabo liked to dance, and that's how he approached people to ask them for some money or a cigarette. He hardly ever left without telling them a joke that made them laugh.

"Our teddy bear has died, a man we will only have fond memories of. An indispensable figure of joy in our city has disappeared," Soares added.

The Red Cross has organised a memorial service for Pufi at its social cafe at 1 rue Willy Goergen in the capital on Friday 23 February at 11.30.

(This article was originally published by Contacto. Translation and editing by Tracy Heindrichs)
Handheld gadget used for personal identification in Luxembourg systems to be culled after a decade in use

The easy-to-use passcode generator cannot stand up to modern frauds anymore, said its issuer.

The easy-to-use passcode generator cannot stand up to modern frauds anymore, said its issuer.  Photo credit: Gerry Huberty

The easy-to-use passcode generator cannot stand up to modern frauds anymore, said its issuer.  Photo credit: Gerry Huberty

The LuxTrust token, used by for online transactions for numerous services in Luxembourg, has received an end date, two years after its withdrawal from the market was initially announced.

It is planned, in consultation with the players in the Luxembourg market, that the token will be discontinued on 31 December 2024, Deborah Serievic, Head of Marketing at Luxtrust, told the Luxembourg Times in an email.

The gadget is being decommissioned in an effort to fight fraud.

The token is now more exposed to the risks of fraud, which have evolved considerably, Serievic explained. Advances in artificial intelligence have enabled hackers to perfect their methods, in particular through increasingly convincing fraudulent e-mails and text messages, and to target their victims with greater precision.

The physical token, which provides random numbers when its user presses the button, cannot stand up to the complexity of existing scams, said LuxTrust.

Its smartphone app provides better protection and is more secure by design, the firm said. LuxTrust on its website has already stopped offering the token.

The question of inclusion

The end of the LuxTrust token was announced in February 2022, but some players already scrapped its use before that: the Banque de Luxembourg stopped using it in 2017 while BNP Paribas in April 2021 gradually made its customers transition to the online app.

The Union Luxembourgeoise des Consommateurs (ULC), a consumer protection group, had criticised the decision to discontinue the token, warning of difficulties for some users to adapt to the change.

As a consumer protection organisation, the Union Luxembourgeoise des Consommateurs is obviously interested in ensuring the best possible protection for all consumers, Marc Bourkel, a spokesperson for the union told the Luxembourg Times in an email.

However, as the ULC, we regret that the change is not easy from a technical point of view for many consumers, he added.

Although the simple token is set to disappear, other options exist for those without a smartphone, as LuxTrust also offers a smartcard - used via a smartcard reader - or a Scan box, a physical device with an LCD screen and camera.

The ULC said it welcomes the alternatives that allow users to forgo buying an expensive smartphone just to use LuxTrust.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 20. There is no alternative to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on Iran's nuclear program, Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia's Representative to International Organizations in Vienna wrote in his page on X, Trend reports.

According to Ulyanov, a year ago, some experts and officials from Western countries were suggesting a mysterious B plan to address the disagreements over Irans nuclear activities.

Ulyanov pointed out that Russia has always maintained its stance, that there is no B plan that can match reality.

On January 16, 2016, the JCPOA came into force between Iran and the P5+1 group (US, Russia, China, the UK, France, and Germany) regarding Irans nuclear program.

However, on May 8, 2018, the US withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) between Iran and the 5+1 group (Russia, China, the UK, France, the US, and Germany) and imposed new sanctions on Iran starting from November 2018.

Since then, the sanctions have impacted Irans oil exports and more than 700 banks, firms, and individuals. The sanctions have led to the freezing of Iranian assets overseas.

The Iranian side demands that the US rejoin the JCPOA and that other members comply with the terms of the deal, and in that case it declares that it will abide by all the obligations specified in the deal.

In late 2020, the Iranian parliament adopted a strategic plan to counter the sanctions, citing the non-fulfillment of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) signed between Iran and six countries and the imposition of sanctions on Iran.

According to the decision of the Iranian parliament, as of February 23, Iran stopped the implementation of additional measures and an additional protocol included in the nuclear deal. As a consequence, the monitoring mechanism of the IAEA was reduced by 2030 percent.

On December 26, 2023 some media outlets, quoting the IAEA, reported that Iran has been enriching uranium faster and to a higher degree since late November 2023. They said that Iran has produced about 9 kg of 60 percent-enriched uranium per month, which is enough for making 3 nuclear bombs. The amount of uranium required for one bomb is 42 kg. Irans 60 percent enrichment is still ongoing.

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Follow the author on X (Twitter):@BaghishovElnur
Sweden and Finland, two formerly militarily non-aligned countries, applied to join the alliance after Russia invaded Ukraine

Hungarys ruling party is set to ratify Swedens NATO accession Monday, ending more than a year of wrangling and allowing a major boost to the alliances defense capabilities.

Prime Minister Viktor Orbans Fidesz party scheduled a vote at the start of the parliaments spring session in Budapest next week. Fidesz, which commands a supermajority in the chamber, will support the motion, meaning its certain to go through.

Its the final approval needed for Swedens entry into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization  crucial for the military alliance to improve its ability to defend its eastern flank, which doubled in length following Finlands admission last April. Russias invasion of Ukraine two years ago spurred the two Nordic nations applications to join the bloc.

We welcome this decision and look forward to being full members, Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson said at a news conference in Stockholm on Tuesday, adding it was only the first step in the longer process of finalizing Swedens accession to NATO.

While Sweden was welcomed by most allies with open arms after its momentous decision to cast off its long-held policy of not being part of any military bloc, the accession process has been a grueling experience.

Turkey demanded concessions for more than a year and a half, before approving in January. Hungary then reneged on its promise to not be the last country to pass the bid, with Orban struggling throughout to articulate the reason behind his foot-dragging, which irritated Hungarys partners in the European Union and NATO.

News of Hungarys ratification was shared by the head of the ruling partys caucus Mate Kocsis on Tuesday, as well as government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs, on social media platforms.

Luxembourg approved Finlands and Swedens entry to NATO in December 2022.

For Sweden, completing the membership process comes amid heightened urgency over Russias expansionist ambitions. The Nordic country is in the process of rebuilding its armed forces after decades of downsizing that had been sparked by the end of the Cold War, and expects to reach NATOs threshold for military outlays, 2% of gross domestic product, this year.

As a member of the alliance, Sweden will strengthen the blocs presence in the Baltic Sea, and has said it aims to bolster NATO activity in Latvia by sending troops to the Canadian-led forces there. It also helps Finland as it plans supply routes and defenses of half of NATOs eastern flank.

Hungarys approval will be the latest in a string of high-profile issues where Orban ultimately relented. On Feb. 1, he dropped his opposition to an EU aid package he had vetoed less than two months prior. Orban has also reversed course on a pledge to block Ukraines EU membership.

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
In recent years, Apple has become quite secretive about the success of the Apple Watch. If its supplying figures for that product, theyre more likely to be processor specs or serial numbers than unit sales, or vague proclamations, like a record number of new users bought one during the recent quarter.

Instead, we have had to fall back on third-party sources of data. Back in 2016, it was claimed that the Apple Watch had leapfrogged Rolex as the most popular watch, backed up by an analysis of social mentions; this was later confirmed by official figures from the Swiss watch industry. However, this feat was less impressive than you might think. According to data from the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry, the country as a whole exported between seven and eight million mechanical watches per year leading up to the pandemic years; since 2021, this figure has leveled off at just over six million units. These are small numbers in comparison to what would be expected from a major Apple product line.

The tricky thing, when were trying to establish the Apple Watchs level of success, is Apples policy of combining all wearables, home and accessories products into one category, then providing sales figures for that category as a whole. However, the figures in Apples quarterly reports since mid-2017 suggest that the Apple Watch most likely accounts for the majority of its wearables sales. The Apple Watch is expensive and seemingly popular enough to easily dominate the category.

HomePods are a niche product, as are the AirPods Max. AirPods and AirPods Pro cant be called cheap, but compared to the Apple Watch, they have to sell significantly more units to be relevant at all. And if you look at Apples sales figures for wearables, you will notice a pattern: they rise rapidly in the first quarter of the year, just at the time when the first three months of a new Apple Watch model are in the books. In other words, we can say with reasonable confidence that the fortunes of the wearables/home category closely mirror the success of the Apple Watch itself.

What has been noticeable about wearables sales for the past two years is that they still spike in the December quarter, but nowhere near as high as in 2021 and, in some cases, 2020. This is all the more surprising when you consider that Apple introduced the higher-priced Apple Watch Ultra a year ago, which was supposed to improve this sales picture. Instead, we see the opposite trend. Wearables sales in the most recent December quarter were 11 percent down on the same period in the previous year, which was itself 8 percent down on the year before that.

Whats going on with the Apple Watch?

The Apple Watch is far from doomed, and theres a lot of fluctuations going on. But there are definitely some worries for Tim Cook. Two factors have probably come together to cause the decline.

In 2020 and 2021, health concerns during the Covid-19 pandemic probably helped the Apple Watch to increase sales figures. Automatic hand-wash detection nagged you to scrub for a full 20 seconds. The blood-oxygen sensor introduced in 2020 just before the pandemic engulfed the world was able to detect a rapid drop in blood-oxygen levels, one of the main indicators for the disease.)

But Covid restrictions have been largely lifted for two years now, and the disease has disappeared from the front pages of newspapers. Which means a run of success has ended for the Apple Watch. And now new watches dont even have the blood-oxygen sensor enabled, which will only further hurt sales.

The innovations in the most recent two generations of Apple Watch are not earth-shattering, either: crash detection, a newer chip, and double tap. All nice things to have, but not enough to push happy owners of older models to upgrade. So where does that leave the Apple Watch? Another health crisis isnt likely to come anytime soon, and the pattern of iteration rather than innovation suggests thats not going to change anytime soon.

This article originally appeared on Macwelt and was translated and edited by David Price.
Once upon a time, it seemed like headlines were supposed to sum up a story.

Before the Vision Pro was even released, we were treated to this headline in The Washington Post.

Apples new Vision Pro is a privacy mess waiting to happen

Before we get into the details, does that sound like any Apple product to you?

 you might want to know this device collects more data than any other personal device Ive ever seen. Collects it? Maybe. But you could say Face ID collects your face and Touch ID collects your fingerprint. The point is what it does with it after that.

[Google] Glass was so reviled that the nickname for people wearing them was Glassholes. Now we have to brace for, perhaps, the Vision Bros. Okay, the Macalope actually likes that one.

Most of my Vision Pro concerns are, at this point, speculative. Welp, better get them into the pages of a prominent national periodical with a salacious headline, then! Times a-wastin!

Who gets to access the maps these devices build of our homes and data about how we move our bodies? Oh, the Macalope knows this one. Because he watched Apples Vision Pro keynote and then read the companys PDF on Vision Pro privacy.

visionOS also maps your surroundings on-device That means it doesnt send it to apps.

In addition to offering the existing data privacy permissions from our other platforms, visionOS includes control over sharing hand movement and surroundings data with apps. Turns out the company that uses privacy as a marketing tool is also actually pretty concerned about privacy, if only because it uses it as a marketing tool.

Thats not the only Vision Pro headline that goes a bit off the deep end. Apple fans are starting to return their Vision Pros

Now, that may be true. The two-week return window was up last Friday for those who bought their Vision Pros on day one, so if Apple fans werent sure it was worth the relatively high price, late last week was the time to call it.

But if youre going to write that headline, you should back it up better than The Verge did. Because if we take a look at the Apple fans they list, it doesnt seem likely that youd reach any of them via the email address jobzrulz@mac.com. Running down the list we have The Verges own product manager, the CEO of an AI company, an engineer working in crytpo currency, a random Reddit user (probably the most Apple fan-y of the lot), a Google employee, and a tech influencer whose pinned tweet shows him sitting in a Tesla holding a Samsung foldable and says Hard to deny Samsung is winning right now.

The dont make Apple fans the way they used to.

Now, maybe some of these people would surprise us with their fervor for Apple products, but lets just say this group would make a really weird MUG.

IDG

Still, many of their concerns seem completely valid. If the horny one had shelled out $3,500 for a device and found it was making him nauseated and giving him red eyes and headaches, hed return it, too. And, as the piece notes, these are not uncommon complaints about VR headsets in general and the Macalope has seen them noted elsewhere as side-effects of using the Vision Pro.

It seems likely Apple has made a better VR headset than was previously available, probably one with fewer side effects even. But it still has side effects for some users and at such a high price, why would anyone suffering from them keep it?

Still, it would be nice if the things said in the headline had a more solid basis in fact. Maybe on the next internet.
"So it's important that we come together and that we're there for each other We're here for a cause to be able to have clean water in the Pacific - something very close to Efeso and to all of us."
PAWLET  Maybe Silent Cal was not so silent after all  or at least more expressive.

Recent art acquired by the state of Vermont depicts another side to the traditional Calvin Coolidge of later years, when he became the countrys 30th president. My Dear Grace is the title of the work by Pawlet artists Eve O. Schaub and Stephen Schaub, which incorporates letters from a young Coolidge to his sweetheart and future wife, Grace Goodhue.

During their year and a half courtship the two wrote each other as often as 10 times a month, even though they lived across the street from one another. The letters reveal the strict social protocols of the time, as well as a different, more personal side of the future president.

Coolidge teases his future wife about her love for strawberry shortcake. He tells her he is lonesome for her and that he misses her cross look. Hes fond of the little black bears that are part of a touring circus and hopes she will accompany him when the circus arrives in town. In short, instead of being boring, Coolidge is a quirky guy, said Stephen Schaub.

In addition to incorporating passages from his letters, My Dear Grace features imagery from Plymouth Notch, where he was born on July 4,1872.

My Dear Grace, a work by the Schaubs, whose creative partnership is called EveNSteve, commemorates the 100th anniversary of Coolidges swearing in as President of the United States.

Their artwork elicits deep meaning from the thoughtful juxtaposition of imagery and words, said Vermont State Curator David Schutz,  and asks us to consider the unknown and forgotten pieces of history in ways that are both playful and profound.

It is an enormous honor, Eve Schaub said. The Vermont State collection represents a wealth of artistic practice from throughout our states history. We could not be more proud for our work to be in such company.

This artwork is all about bringing history into the creative conversation and reminding us that history is never a singular narrative, but multi-dimensional, explained Stephen Schaub.

Artwork from EveNSteve is the result of a complex process. Schaub relies on his extensive knowledge of every aspect of photography  lenses, cameras, exposure times, printing processes and materials  to create an image that has the richness and complexity of a painting. Eve O. Schaub then prints words onto the image. In this case, the words all come from the young Calvin Coolidge.

The department of the Vermont State Curator plans for the works to be displayed in the State House once the framing of the work is complete. The negotiation for the piece stretches back to 2020, and the work was delivered in 2023, Coolidges 100th anniversary of assuming the presidency. The state curator can elect to have art pieces travel to other locations, so it may be displayed in the state historical site in Plymouth Notch, as well as the Coolidge presidential library at Smith College.

My Dear Grace follows Each One a Soul, a work by EveNSteve commemorating the Battle of Bennington, currently on display in Bennington Museum. That work incorporates images of the battlefield today with text from historical letters and other documents.
Designed in collaboration with Depeche Mode, the new Spirit of Big Bang Depeche Mode pays tribute to the British bands latest album and world tour, Memento Mori, vouching to live fully in the present and reflect on the value of time

This concept is symbolised on the watch by a skull motif embellished with an hourglass. Fourteen years have already passed since Hublot and Depeche Mode announced their first collaboration, dedicated to raising public awareness and funds for several environmental and humanitarian causes. Since then, this partnership has been renewed with each of the British bands subsequent tours and has raised over USD $2.3 million for the Teenage Cancer Trust and charity: water.

In March 2023, Depeche Mode announced its big comeback with the release of Memento Mori, its 15th studio album, along with a worldwide concert tour. Still in collaboration with the band, which has sold over 100 million albums, Hublot is helping to raise funds and awareness for Conservation Collective, a global charity that unites a network of regional philanthropic foundations working to protect, conserve and restore natural environments. Thanks to Depeche Mode & Hublot funding, the first round of projects tackling plastic pollution at the grassroots in 2023 supported seven impactful initiatives across seven countries, with three more rounds of funding set to empower even more positive change. The projects aim to turn the tide on plastic by driving locally led waste management, plastic-free and clean-up initiatives.

Spirit of Big Bang Depeche Mode  Hublot

It was against this backdrop that Hublot and Depeche Mode teamed up again in Berlin, 11 years after their first joint event in the German capital, to release a new limited-edition watch: The Spirit of Big Bang Depeche Mode. The Spirit of Big Bangs signature tonneau shape is designed with Hublots iconic All Black aesthetic. Created in collaboration with Depeche Mode, the design combines the skull motifan emblem seen in the video announcing the bands returnwith an hourglass to symbolise the passage of time. The centre of the dial is filled with small black ceramic spheres that symbolically flow back and forth as the wrist moves, conveying the concept of Memento Mori. This Latin phrase, meaning remember you must die, is intended to prompt reflection on the transience of life. Alongside the dial, the initials DM, the British bands logo, appear at 6 oclock. The indices take the form of pyramid-shaped studs, a motif echoed on the black ceramic bezel.

Spirit of Big Bang Depeche Mode  Hublot

Measuring 42 mm, the barrel-shaped case is made of sand-blasted and polished black ceramic. It houses a self-winding HUB1710_SD calibre movement with a 50-hour power reserve. Each of the Spirit of Big Bang Depeche Mode comes with two straps, which are easily interchangeable thanks to the patented One Click system. The first is made from recycled materials and Velcro, in line with Conservation Collectives plastic pollution initiatives. The second, in black rubber, closes with a black titanium folding clasp. It includes the pyramid-shaped studs already featured on the bezel and dial, creating an exceptionally rock vibe.

Each of the 100 pieces in this limited edition will come in a special box containing a wonderful surprise: a 10 vinyl single of Depeche Modes Wagging Tongue, only available as part of this package, and produced using green energy and recycled PVC!

Spirit of Big Bang Depeche Mode  Hublot

Memento Mori encourages us to be more mindful of just how fragile our existence is. This is why joining forces once again with our trusted friends at Hublot makes so much sense. Together, we can raise public awareness of environmental issues and support Conservation Collective in their efforts to protect our planet and life in all its forms.

- Martin Gore - Member of Depeche Mode

For almost 14 years now, Hublot has been working alongside Depeche Mode to protect Humankind and our environment. Memento Mori makes us conscious of the passing of time. This is something that we, as watchmakers, are naturally aware of. This is a serious issue, but one that we approach with joy and energy inspired by the music of Depeche Mode.

- Ricardo Guadalupe - Hublot CEO

"We are delighted and hugely grateful to have the support of Hublot and Depeche Mode as we work to turbocharge environmental restoration efforts in a growing list of places around the world. Conservation Collective now comprises twenty locally focused environment foundations, and each one of them is providing support to grassroots organisations which are creating cascading positive change in each of those places. This new funding from Hublot and Depeche Mode is a game changer for these efforts."

- Ben Goldsmith - Conservation Collective
LUDLOW  Medical oxygen was a likely factor in a fire that injured two people in Ludlow Monday, fire officials said.

Ludlow Fire Chief Ryan Pease and State Fire Marshal Jon Davine said Tuesday that an exact cause of the fire is unknown.

The Ludlow Fire Department responded to 68 State St. for a report of a fire shortly before 5:30 p.m. Monday. On arrival, they found two injured parties, both older adults, who were transported to an area hospital. One was later transported to Boston for additional medical care.
Wendys is helping people satisfy their morning sweet tooth by waking up with the addictive flavors of a cinnamon roll this month.

The fast food chain known for staples like the Baconator and the Frosty has partnered with Cinnabon to bring the new Cinnabon Pull-Apart to breakfast menus nationwide.

Rolling into restaurants starting Monday, Feb. 26, the aromatic innovation will take fans down memory lane with each bite, Wendys said in a blog post.

The ooey gooey treat is made with warm Danish dough dunked in a glaze, then baked with cinnamon, brown butter and sugar.

The bite-sized pieces of the Cinnabon Pull-Apart are also covered with Cinnabons signature cream cheese frosting, making it an ideal snack to share with others.

The introduction of the cinnamon snack will come ahead the fourth anniversary of Wendys breakfast launch on March 2.

In honor of the anniversary, Wendys is reminding fans about their other breakfast options like their Breakfast Burrito, Homestyle French Toast Sticks, Seasoned Breakfast Potatoes and Frosty Cream Cold Brews.

People can download the Wendys app and earn points for whenever the Cinnamon Pull-Apart drops. More information on rewards can be found online. Click here to find a Wendys near you.
As the WorldTempus tests out the Alpine Eagle Summit in rose ethical gold on the hills of cloudy Scotland, heres a sneak peek of the rest of the gem-set collection

For those of you who didnt know, Chopard recently added four models to its Alpine Eagle Summit collection, all 41 mm in diameter and all simply stunning with their baguette-cut gemstones and ethical gold cases. They tell tales of rolling mountains and beautiful alpine sunsets. Its all quite dreamy, really. We have, of course, the Alpine Eagle Summit Pink Dawn, which has travelled with us all the way to Scotland this week, and whose rose gold dial makes us think of a gorgeous sunrise in the mountains. Its a piece that just shines; its so bright and cheery, thanks to its vivid orange spessartines. Having it this week for our Scottish activities was a real blessing, as it shone bright on even the cloudiest of days!

Alpine Eagle Summit in ethical 18-carat rose gold featuring a bezel set with spessartites and white sapphires and a "Pink Dawn" dial  Chopard

Its yellow and white gold sisters and brothers are just as breathtaking. Looking at the pictures of them online transported us straight back home The yellow gold version is known as Golden Peak, taking its name from the rocky summit of the Swiss part of the Mont Blanc massif, and is adorned with pink and white sapphires.

Alpine Eagle Summit in ethical 18-carat yellow gold featuring a bezel set with pink and white sapphires and a "Golden Peak" dial  Chopard

Next, the white gold Vals Grey model draws inspiration from the silvery quartz site in Graubunden and features white sapphires and tsavorites in soft nuances of green on its bezel.

Alpine Eagle in ethical 18-carat white gold featuring a bezel set with tsavorites and white sapphires and a "Vals Grey" dial  Chopard

And last but not least comes the blue version  Zinal blue  that is, in my humble opinion, is the one that stands out the most. The dial is truly amazing: it changes colour in the light. The timepiece pays tribute to the Zinal glacier in the heart of the Swiss Alps, reflecting the blue and violet shades of the ice with its sapphires. It shines and it sparkles, capturing all eyes and hearts immediately. What more could you ask for?

Alpine Eagle Summit in ethical 18-carat white gold featuring a bezel set with blue and purple sapphires and a "Zinal Blue" dial  Chopard

All pieces are crafted in 18-carat gold. And not just any gold, ethically sourced gold. Since 2019, the Manufacture has incorporated Fairmined and ethical gold into its entire supply chain and oversees that their strict guidelines in terms of human rights standards are respected throughout. This rigorous system ensures that all of their gold has been supplied ethically. And it is one of the things I enjoy most about Chopard: theyre out there making a difference!

And if all of this wasnt enough, the watches are powered by the self-winding Chopard 01.15-C calibre, complete with a 60-hour power reserve and chronometer certification (COSC). The latter ensures that the timepieces are accurate from -4/+6 seconds a day. Whats more, its heart beats at the frequency of 4 Hz and its sapphire case back allows for an unobstructed view of this movement in motion! In terms of water resistance, the watches can withstand pressure equivalent to 100 meters. I will have to take the Manufactures word for it, since given the freezing temperatures, I will not venture to a water source any time soon!

The last thing I wanted to point out is the design of the bracelet. I am quite picky when it comes to proportions, overall cohesion and aesthetics, so I have to hand it to Chopard: they know how to make a gorgeous bracelet. It stands out and is immediately recognizable. In fact, I was catching the first couple of episodes of Apple TV+s The Morning Show on the plane on the way over and couldnt help but instantly notice that Jennifer Anistons character rocks one in the show! She plays famous news anchor Alex Levy, who struts around with a bigger diameter Alpine Eagle on her wrist, getting all her very important work done, rocking the media world and just owning the place. And, all the while, looking flawless and (dare I say?) badass.

So, with that in mind, when I had an Alpine Eagle on my wrist during this week, I just felt like a superstar. I strongly encourage you to try one and do the same!!!
Four people who fell through the ice at Lake Memphremagog in Vermont were rescued by Newport police on Saturday, the department announced.

Newport police were notified of a side-by-side vehicle that fell through the ice on the South Bay of Lake Memphremagog, the department said in a statement on Tuesday. Two children were inside when the vehicle plunged.

All four people in the vehicle pulled themselves out of the water, police said. The group ran to officers while pulling a black sled, where a man was administrating chest compressions to a 3-year-old child, one of the two who fell through the ice. The other three people in the group appeared to be exhibit signs of exhaustion and hypothermia.

Officers told the man to continue chest compressions while police pulled the sled to shore, police said. A Newport ambulance arrived and then took the child to North County Hospital, while bystanders drove the other three people to the same hospital, escorted by a Newport police officer.

The vehicle, a 2019 Honda Pioneer 1000, was at the bottom of the lake, the group told officers.

Police did not release an update on the four peoples conditions. An investigation into the incident is ongoing.
A man was hit and seriously hurt by an MBTA bus in the streets of Boston on Tuesday morning, according to the Boston Police Department.

The serious incident happened around 7:19 a.m. on Feb. 20 in the area of Harrison Avenue and Traveler Street, the department said.

A man, who has not been publicly identified, was a pedestrian when he was hit by an MBTA bus, the department said.

He was brought to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries, police said. The departments homicide detectives and fatal collision team responded to the scene.

The police department stated its investigation into the incident was active as of 9:35 a.m., and there was no further information available on the incident.
Could deploying the National Guard to Brockton High School be an effective stop-gap measure while school administrators get disciplinary issues under control? Thats for Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey to decide.

But while four Brockton School Committee members have officially requested such a response, many other city leaders, including Brockton Mayor Robert Sullivan, remain deeply opposed to the idea. Several city councilors told MassLive this week they found the request shocking, and some went as far as to call it embarrassing.

Read more: Brockton School Committee members ask to deploy National Guard at high school

Instead, school administrators should do more to address truancy and disciplinary issues, the councilors argued, and an internally divided school committee needs to work together to find solutions.

Calling out the National Guard infers that theres nothing else that the public schools can do. But is that really true? Ward 4 Councilor Susan Nicastro questioned.

The four school committee members perspective

In a letter sent to Brocktons city and state officials last week, the four school officials claimed that, over the last few months, Brockton High School has experienced a disturbing increase in violent and drug-related incidents. Students are wandering the halls, getting in fights and causing classroom disruptions, they wrote.

The letter, penned by Ward 2 member Claudio Gomes, Ward 3 member Ana Oliver, Ward 4 member Tony Rodrigues and Ward 6 member Joyce Asack, also asserts that understaffing at the school has led to an increase in the number of students leaving the school without permission and allowed more trespassers to enter the school unauthorized.

All in all, the committee members painted a picture of a school environment that is unsafe for both students and staff. During an emergency meeting about these issues on Jan. 31, one educator said theyd been pushed into a locker and stepped on, and many said they feared for their safety, according to NBC10 Boston.

We do need to take our schools back into control and make sure that our students have a safe learning environment, because whats going on at the high school is disheartening, and kids are losing precious learning time when kids are causing chaos, Rodrigues said during a press conference Monday.

The school committee members want National Guard personnel to act as substitute teachers and hall monitors, Rodrigues said, noting that National Guard personnel have already been deployed in Brockton Public Schools in the last few years to help with COVID-19 vaccinations.

Were not asking them to deploy a whole army to our school. Were asking for support, Oliver said during the press conference.

Why city councilors think deploying the National Guard is inappropriate

Of the six Brockton city councilors MassLive spoke to on Monday, only one said they supported deploying the National Guard at Brockton High School.

Expecting uniformed soldiers to control the hallways of a public school and to address issues that we need to address ... stunned is the only word I can use, Councilor-at-Large Winthrop Farwell Jr. said.

Ward 1 Councilor Tom Minichiello, who served on the Brockton School Committee for 14 years before becoming a city councilor, said he thought talk of deploying the National Guard to deal with student disciplinary issues was unprecedented.

The National Guard doesnt do that, nor is the state ever gonna allow something like that, he said.

It takes specialized training to handle youth behavioral issues  training that the National Guard doesnt have, Farwell said. Furthermore, National Guard members sent into the school could be from any community across the state, he said.

There is no guarantee that we would have people assigned here who are familiar with the city setting, who are familiar with city of Brockton and the issues that we have, Farwell said.

Can school administrators do more?

Many councilors said they think Brockton High Schools administrators either arent enforcing its rules and policies well enough or arent enforcing them consistently across the school.

Right now theres just so much turmoil going on up there, and the school administrators have failed the students, Ward 3 Councilor Philip Griffin said. The teachers are trying their best to do what they can to work under the administrators.

Read more: Murder suspects in Brockton hibachi restaurant shooting held without bail

Notably, Ward 7 Councilor Shirley Asack, who is School Committee member Joyce Asacks sister, agreed with the other councilors about lack of rule enforcement, but said she supports bringing in the National Guard because they would be able to help with these issues.

We need backup. We need support. We need bodies to help implement some of the processes and procedures, she said.

Farwell and Nicastro also pointed out that the school just got a new principal who only started in his new position last month.

We have an experienced principal whos just come onboard. Lets let him do his job, Nicastro said.

Read more: Two suspects identified in Brockton fatal shooting inside hibachi restaurant

Minichiello added that he thinks the schools administrators arent getting enough flack for problems at the school. While he disagrees with deploying the National Guard at the school, he said he empathizes with the four school committee members desire to take action while under pressure.

The administration of Brockton High School is getting a really big pass, and the school committee is taking the heat for it, he said. The school committee is basically an advisory body of citizens. Theyre not experts on education. The school administration is supposed to be the experts.

Problems within the school committee

Several city councilors also cited inaction by a school committee preoccupied with internal divisions as one reason disciplinary and truancy issues at Brockton High School have gotten out of hand.

I think the committee is more focused on its own pride than the schools pride, Ward 6 Councilor John Lally said.

So far this year, the committee has failed to select a new vice chair to serve with the mayor, who leads the committee, despite voting on this issue several times. This failure is a reprise of disagreements from last year when it took the committee three rounds of voting to select Ehlers as vice chair.

Read more: 2 men arrested after fatal shooting at Brockton hibachi restaurant

The vote has been split between Asack, Gomes, Oliver and Rodrigues, who want Rodrigues to take the position, and Mayor Sullivan, Ehlers, Ward 5 Councilor Judy Sullivan and Ward 7 Councilor Timothy Sullivan, who want Ehlers to serve as vice chair. (None of the councilors are related to each other or the mayor.)

The school committee has to make an effort to work together. All of those members. For the betterment of the school system, Nicastro said. Thats their job. Thats what they were elected to do.

How school committee divisions are impacting the community

The split between members on whether to call in the National Guard to step in falls along the same lines as the vice chair disagreement. Nicastro said she found it troubling that the four members chose to act on their own in asking for the deployment.

I dont understand how four people can decide that thats what needs to be done when theyre a member of a deliberative body of eight, she said.  ... When you get elected, youre elected to be on the team. Why wouldnt you work within your team to decide what to do?

Read more: Four seriously injured in car crash in Brockton

During the press conference Monday, Rodrigues addressed this, asserting that the four committee members were taking action because committee leadership has been unsuccessful in creating consensus.

It starts at the top, and our chair has failed to bring us together and unite us so that we can come up with a concrete plan to make sure that the schools are safe, he said.

But Lally added that hes also concerned about how the school committees request has impacted views of Brockton and its students. Brockton High School still sends students to ivy league schools each year, he said.

Ive been a councilor for nine years. We have done a lot to build this city up, and this does not help, he said.

How city councilors think student disciplinary issues should be addressed

Many councilors think the biggest action that should be taken is for the school committee to convene a separate group of stakeholders  teachers, students, parents and school administrators  to analyze problems at Brockton High School and come up with solutions.

But several councilors added that Brockton parents share some responsibility for the disciplinary issues at the school. While many parents are in difficult situations and dont have the resources necessary to get additional behavioral support, discipline should primarily be taught at home, while education should be the focus at school, Minichiello said.

The schools cant be required to do everything. Parents are key in addressing whats going on, Farwell said.

No Brockton school committee members responded to MassLives request for comment on this article, and neither did Councilor-at-Large Moises Rodrigues, Councilor-at-Large Jean Bradley Derenoncourt, Ward 2 Councilor Maria Tavares or Ward 5 Councilor Jeffrey Thompson. Councilor-at-Large David Teixeira responded but said he could not comment on the school committees letter Monday because he had not heard about it prior to MassLives call around 9:40 a.m.
With South Carolinas pivotal Republican primary just days away, former President Donald Trump holds a 23-point lead over rival Nikki Haley, according to a new Emerson College poll released Tuesday.

Despite being saddled with multiple criminal indictments, a host of civil actions, and two impeachments, Trump leads Haley, the former Palmetto State governor, 58%-35% in the Boston-based colleges poll of 1,000 registered voters.

Seven percent of the polls respondents were undecided. And with those voters included, Trumps margin grew to 61%-39%, according to the poll.

South Carolina holds an open primary; there is a divide among Republican and independent affiliated voters, Emerson pollster Spencer Kimball said in a statement. Voters who affiliate as Republicans break for Trump over Haley, 71%-29%, while voters who affiliate as independent break for Nikki Haley 54% to 46%.

South Carolina voters head to the polls on Saturday for the second big primary of the Republican nominating season. Trump comes into the contest with prior wins in the Iowa Caucus and the New Hampshire primary last month.

As might be expected on her home turf, Haley, who served as Trumps United Nations ambassador, has whittled away at some of the former presidents support in her home state. Trump held a 50%-34% lead in a the Suffolk University/NBC10 Boston/Boston Globe tracking poll released less than a week before the Granite States canvass in January, MassLive previously reported.

Some other top-line findings:

Trumps support was highest among voters aged 40 and young, with 69%, while Haleys support is highest among voters in their 50s, at 48%.

Haley leads Trump among voters with a college degree, 52%- 48%, but trails among postgraduates 43% to 57%.

Haley also wins among the handful of GOP primary voters who said they thought threats to democracy (63%), education (62%), and abortion access (53%) the top issues in the state, while Trump won handily among voters who said the economy (69%), immigration (74%), and crime (62%) are their top issues, according to the poll.

In a hypothetical, head-to-head, general election rematch, President Joe Biden leads Trump in the Palmetto State 51%-37%, with 13% undecided.

During an update on the race on Tuesday, Haley, who has vowed to stay in the race, told supporters that voters have the right to keep speaking out.

Theyre saying Im helping Joe Biden by staying in, she said, adding, in reference to longstanding GOP criticisms of Bidens age, First things, first, Joe Biden is doing more damage to himself than any Republican ever could.

No sane person wants a nearly nine-month-campaign between Biden and Trump, Haley continued, casting them as two of the most disliked politicians in the country.
Skeletal human remains found by a dog walker in a wooded area of Saugus Sunday morning have been identified as belonging to a Haverhill man who has been missing since July 2023.

John Lawler, 53, was last seen in Saugus on July 14, according to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs). His remains were found around 10 a.m. on Feb. 18 in the woods off David Drive  over seven months after he was reported missing, according to the Essex County District Attorneys Office.

The Chief Medical Examiners Office is still determining Lawlers manner and cause of death, the district attorneys office said. It is unclear if his death is suspicious, but Lawlers son, Sean Lawler, told MassLive that his fathers remains were found in water.

John Lawlers last purchase was made at a Burger King on Broadway in Saugus, Sean Lawler previously told Boston.com. His body was found more than 2 miles from that location.

John Lawler was staying at the Salvation Army rehab center on Broadway in Saugus when he went missing, his son told the news outlet. An avid fisherman, Lawler is believed to have left the rehab center to go fishing, as he left the center with his fishing pole and debit card, but left most of his belongings where he was staying.

In September 2023, Sean Lawler believed his father had likely gone missing because he had become injured while fishing, as hed become injured while fishing before, according to Boston.com. It was possible his father had been attacked, he said, but he felt certain his father hadnt disappeared intentionally.

When John Lawler went missing, he was a father of four, a grandfather of five and brother of three, according to the news outlet. He was a lifelong Haverhill resident.
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey has called the top executive at the troubled Steward Health Care to turn over records that she says the company has long refused to share with the state, allowing it to hide important information about its financial stability.

The companys refusal to provide basic levels of transparency has hindered the states ability to take preventive steps to protect access to care, Healeys office said in a statement it released on Tuesday afternoon.

The health system, which operates nine facilities across the state, is reportedly millions of dollars in debt, and is facing at least a half-dozen lawsuits over failures to pay its bills, according to published reports.

In a letter to Steward CEO Ralph de la Torre, Healey wrote that her administration was relentlessly focused on ensuring the health and safety of all people in Massachusetts, including those who rely on Steward hospitals for care.

The Democratic administration also is invested in protecting the health care workforce and the thousands of dedicated doctors, nurses, and other workers who serve patients in Steward facilities and in hospitals and health care facilities across our state, Healey wrote.

She noted that, for years, you have refused to engage in the same level of basic transparency that every other system in Massachusetts offers by not releasing your audited financial statements.

The companys refusal to do so, particularly at this moment, is irresponsible and an affront to the patients, workers, and communities that the Steward hospitals serve. It also leads to a further breakdown in trust and creates a major roadblock to our ability to work together to resolve this effectively, Healey wrote.

Attempts to reach Steward for this story were unsuccessful.

Last week, Healey said the financial crisis facing the company is an urgent priority for her administration, the Boston Globe reported. The Democrat said her office soon will have people monitoring all the systems hospitals. Healey also is exploring her emergency powers in the face of potential hospital shutdowns, the newspaper reported.

I am frustrated with where we are right now, as a state, and what Steward has done, Healey said at a meeting of the Public Health Council, an advisory board for the states Department of Public Health, the Globe reported.

Healeys letter to Steward calls on the healthcare giant to ensure safe staffing levels at its Massachusetts facilities; allow for increased monitoring, and immediately disclose financial documents to the state.

Healeys letter warned of consequences for failing to meet each demand, including freezing admissions if Steward could not guarantee safe staffing levels. The state Department of Public Health also will expand its monitoring of all Steward hospitals in Massachusetts. And Healey said her office expected full collaboration and compliance with that effort.

Healeys letter comes days after all 11 members of the Bay States Capitol Hill delegation signed onto a letter to Cerberus Capital Management, the private equity firm that owned Steward Health Cares hospitals from 2010 until 2021, seeking information amid growing concerns about the hospital systems increasingly precarious financial plight, State House News Service reported.
Shawnee Hollis, a 39-year-old North Brookfield mother, was grievously injured Friday afternoon in a snowmobile crash in New Hampshire. When Hollis died in a hospital hours later, she took a piece of her family and friends hearts, they wrote in her obituary.

She leaves behind her greatest pride and joy, her son Camron, her obituary reads. She also had created a beautiful life with her partner of eight years, Kris, and his son Kadin, whom she loved and cherished as her own.

During her life, Hollis worked as an early-childhood educator and daycare provider  roles which she loved, according to her obituary. A colleague she met while working as a preschool teacher wrote on her tribute wall that she was so good at that job.

She loved being a mother, and prided herself on caring for her family and their plumbing business, her obituary reads.

Hollis was a Dave Matthews Band fan and an avid camper, according to her obituary. She also enjoyed attending reggae festivals.

You were a ray of sunshine, another commenter wrote on her tribute wall.

Still, according to her obituary, Hollis was happiest by the ocean, where she liked to swim and dip her toes in the sand.

She was everything to everyone, our rock, the best mother, partner, sister, auntie, and friend you could ever ask for, her obituary reads.  ... Her bright smile and infectious, beautiful laugh will be missed beyond measure.

Hollis wake is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 22, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Miles Funeral Home on Main Street in Holden. Additionally, a celebration of her life will be held when the flowers are in bloom and the sun is warm again, and a memorial fund for her son will be set up at Cornerstone Bank, according to her obituary.

Hollis was killed Friday afternoon while riding snowmobiles with her friends on a trail in Milan, New Hampshire. She failed to navigate a downhill left turn and hit a tree 13 feet off the trail, according to the state Fish and Game Department.

First responders had to carry her out of the woods on a UTV, the department said. They tried to secure a medical flight to a hospital but were unable to and had to take her by ambulance.

The department determined that inexperience with snowmobiles was the leading factor in the crash  a determination similar to that in the death of 56-year-old Littleton resident Stacey McGarry, who died after crashing a rented snowmobile in the town next door.

McGarry crashed in late January, and soon after, another Massachusetts woman was severely injured after crashing a snowmobile she rented from the same company as McGarry. Like Hollis, 41-year-old Methuen resident Eloara Machado crashed in Milan, and inexperience was found to be the primary cause of the crash, according to authorities.
Two rollover crashes on the Tobin Bridge into Boston backed up traffic Tuesday morning, according to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT).

MassDOT posted about the crashes on social media just before 9:15 a.m. to say that the right and center southbound lanes of Route 1 were closed. Traffic was soon backed up to Route 16, WCVB reported.

The Tobin Bridge connects Chelsea to Bostons Charlestown neighborhood over the Mystic River. No further information about the crashes have been released.
A United Airlines flight from San Francisco to Boston was diverted to Denver Monday evening after one of the planes wings was damaged mid-flight, according to published reports.

Flight 354 landed in Denver shortly after 7:20 p.m. so that crews could address an issue with a slat on one of the wings, according to The Boston Globe. The plane landed safely, no one was injured and the 165 passengers were able to board another flight to Boston later that night.

Video from the flight showed damage to the planes right wing. The passenger in the video says that the wing started coming apart after the plane took off in San Francisco.

The plane was a Boeing 757-200, according to the Globe. It is unclear whether the issue is related to Boeings ongoing safety issues with its Max series planes.
The Patriots need to fix their offensive line. More specifically, they need to fix their tackle position.

For two seasons in a row, the Patriots failed to adequately fix their right tackle situation. In 2022, the team started Isaiah Wynn, Marcus Cannon, Yodny Cajuste, and Conor McDermott. In 2023, they tried Calvin Anderson and Vederian Lowe before fixing the issue with Michael Onwenu.

The current problem is that both starting tackles, Onwenu and Trent Brown, will be unrestricted free agents in March. An even bigger problem is that this free agent tackle class is incredibly weak so that makes Onwenu and Brown arguably two of the best available free agents.

It would be shocking if Brown returned. The talented veteran suffered a laundry list of injuries last season and aired his dirty laundry out to the media. It seems like a clean break would be best for both parties. Of course, finding a capable starting left tackle isnt easy and thatll be a major priority for the Patriots.

The team should prioritize Onwenu. The 26-year-old is a good right tackle and probably an even better right guard. Hes the type of player the Patriots should keep on their offensive line. However, its not going to be easy. Onwenu may very well be the best young offensive lineman available in free agency.

For the Patriots, its a good thing that tackle is considered extremely deep in this years draft class. The team could find a long-term starter at No. 3 or could very well find a starting-caliber tackle with their second-round pick at No. 34.

The Patriots will likely try to find some help in free agency. Here are five players who fit:

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Tyron Smith

If the Patriots want a short-term stopgap at left tackle, theres no better fit than Smith. Hes 33-years-old and hasnt played a full season since 2015. Last year, the longtime left tackle played 13 games for the Dallas Cowboys, but he still earned Second Team All Pro honors. Hes an eight-time Pro Bowler and five-time All Pro player. Smith would give the Patriots a solid veteran starter and a good mentor for their offensive line room. The plan here would be to draft someone to develop behind Smith.

Jonah Williams

If the Patriots lose both Onwenu and Brown, they could turn their attention to Williams. He started at left tackle for the Bengals in his first three seasons. Last year, he moved to right tackle after Cincinnati acquired Orlando Brown Jr. Williams initially requested a trade, but opted to stay with the team that drafted him 11th overall in 2019. Williams doesnt have a Pro Bowl ceiling, but he would give the Patriots an experienced tackle with versatility.

Mekhi Becton

Becton never lived up to his hype with the Jets after he was drafted 11th overall in 2020. He started at left tackle as a rookie but played only one game the next two seasons due to multiple knee injuries. Last year, Becton started a career-high 16 games with most of his snaps coming at left tackle. At 6-foot-7, 363 pounds, Becton has the size teams covet for a tackle. He has some experience on the right side as well.

Jermaine Eluemunor

The Patriots traded a fourth-round pick for Eluemunor and a sixth back in 2019. He played guard and tackle with the Patriots, but never hit his stride. In Las Vegas, Eluemunor developed into a steady swing tackle. Last year, he started 14 games at right tackle. The year before, he started 17 games for the Raiders at right tackle. That makes Eluemunor one of the best tackles available in this free-agent class.

George Fant

Fan is a veteran with the ability to play left and right tackle. Last season, the 31-year-old started 13 games at right tackle for the Houston Texans. Fant started his career as a swing tackle in Seattle. His play earned him a $30 million contract with the Jets. He started at right tackle in 2020 and left tackle in 2021. He missed most of the 2023 season due to injuries. Fant would be a short-term option for the Patriots.
Take a few ingredients: three beautiful Chopard watches, a couple of glasses of fine Scotch whisky, artisanally produced by the Aberfeldy distillery, and a talented British photographer called Andy Barnham. Stir them together and you have the perfect blend of savoir-faire, aesthetic excellence and gustatory pleasure

The clouds are low and threatening on this rainy February day. According to the locals, its typical weather for the time of year. The winters are long around here, and the fog tends to linger, but theres no point complaining. The austere winters also have their charm. The endless vista of rolling hills and fields criss-crossed by dry stone walls is draped in a delicate veil of mist. A group of buildings dating back to the 19th century stand along the banks of Pitilie Burn near the village of Aberfeldy in the foothills of the Highlands. Here, in the bucolic setting of the distillery founded by the Dewar family in 1898, we meet photographer Andy Barnham for our Chopard photo shoot, which will feature three watches: an Alpine Eagle Summit, an L.U.C XPS and a delicate Happy Sport.

Why did we choose a whisky distillery as the backdrop for these three models? Originally, it was the Alpine Eagle Summit with its warm colour palette reminiscent of whisky that inspired the location. Its 41 mm case made from ethically sourced rose gold offers a tone-on-tone juxtaposition with the dial, whose textured surface winks like an eagles eye. The gems set around the bezel, an elegant gradient of spessartites and white sapphires in a palette of ochre and brown, orange and beige, bring to mind the velvety golden lustre of a 15-year-old single malt. But appearances arent everything. Chopards watchmaking has a great deal in common with the art of distillation, as practised by the family firm founded by John Dewar. Here are the main three.

Chopard Alpine Eagle Summit  Andy Barnham/WorldTempus

1. A family affair

Family. This is probably the most important feature of both the Chopard manufacture and the Aberfeldy distillery. A guided tour of the premises always begins with a visit of the small museum decorated in authentic Victorian style. Beginning in 1848 Dewar worked as a wine and spirits merchant in Perth, before he began combining different whiskies to produce his own blends. He was joined by his two sons, John Alexander and Tommy, who helped to grow the business. Today, the firm has joined the Bacardi stable.

Thats where the parallel ends, as Chopard remains fiercely independent. The family Maison was founded in 1860 by Louis-Ulysse Chopard. A century later, in 1963, the brand was bought by the Scheufele family, who have helped it grow from strength to strength. Co-presidents and siblings Karl-Friedrich and Caroline Scheufele, each with their own area of expertise, together define the brands strategy and artistic direction. Three generations of the family joined to create the sport-chic Alpine Eagle, Chopards latest collection: grandson Karl-Fritz, Karl-Friedrich the father, and Karl the grandfather.

Chopard Happy Sport  Andy Barnham/WorldTempus

Caroline Scheufele brings her creativity to Chopards collections. This is the latest Happy Sport to join the eponymous collection created by Caroline in 1993. Three decades ago she tapped into the zeitgeist, developing a watch that was both sporty and elegant, based around the innovative combination of mobile diamonds and steel. The recipe was extraordinarily successful at the time, and continues to turn heads today. Every year brings new versions, and new ways of celebrating the spirit of joie de vivre. This years 30 mm version in rose gold features a delicate peppermint green mother-of-pearl dial.

Chopard Alpine Eagle Summit  Andy Barnham/WorldTempus

2. Savoir-faire, an essential ingredient of success

Savoir-faire, an appreciation of tradition, celebration of heritage: these core values are shared by both Chopard and the Aberfeldy distillery. There are precisely three ingredients that go into a single malt: barley, yeast and water. The production process is a little more complex, however. Malting, grist, mashing, distillation and ageing in oak barrels are the steps followed by every whisky producer in Scotland. But every one of them has a different recipe, and thats what gives the whisky its special character, its distinctive aromas.

In the first step, the malting process, barley grains are germinated and then dried, sometimes with the aid of a peat fire.

Chopard L.U.C XPS  Andy Barnham/WorldTempus

The barley is then ground up to produce the grist, which is transferred to a tank and mixed with water to produce a thick, sweet liquid, and the initial fermentation takes place. The ferment is then transferred to large copper alembics, which produce a crystal-clear liquid with a very high alcohol content of around 70%. Water is added to bring the alcohol level down to 63.5%, and the oak casks  and time  do the rest. This is where the whisky gradually develops its warm amber hue and its complex aromas. Old bourbon barrels impart a honeyed sweetness to the whisky, while Spanish sherry casks add a more floral bouquet. The flavours become more pronounced the longer the whisky is aged.

The ingredients may be the same but there are countless different ways to make it. And this is another similarity with watchmaking. From design to movement construction, different watch brands can produce objects that are worlds apart. From a purely aesthetic point of view, looking for parallels between a Patek Philippe and a Roger Dubuis would seem a fruitless exercise for anyone interested in watchmaking. The same applies to the production process, which often varies from one manufacture to another.

Chopard L.U.C XPS  Andy Barnham/WorldTempus

Chopard has chosen to bring as much as possible of its manufacturing in-house. Complications, ultra-thin movements, decoration  the brand is committed to preserving the traditional techniques passed down by generations of craftsmen, and nurtures its in-house expertise. Chopard even has its own gold foundry. Its Fleurier workshop combines traditional techniques with avant-garde processes to develop and produce movements that are recognised for their reliability, robustness and precision. The movement inside the L.U.C XPS in platinum is a prime example. This COSC-certified ultra-thin calibre measuring just 3.30 mm is traditionally decorated with Geneva striping. All L.U.C movements produced by Chopard in Fleurier are hand-finished.

3. An international reputation

From Switzerland to Scotland, from watchmaking to whisky, both Chopard and the Aberfeldy distillery are extremely successful at what they do. Chopards spirit of innovation, commitment to ethical practices, and pursuit of excellence have earned it a worldwide reputation for its watches and jewellery. Aberfeldy and Dewars are part of the Bacardi portfolio of exceptional whiskies. Their traditional distillation methods are appreciated by connoisseurs all over the globe. Their exemplary history has taken them from a small family firm to a global group with an international reputation.
A new day center for migrants that opened in Chelsea on Tuesday already is nearing its 200-person daily capacity, its executive director said, as the group works to process those new arrivals and put them in jobs.

The center, run by the local advocacy group La Colaborativa, was providing services to 195 people within hours of its opening, the groups executive director, Gladys Vega, told WBURs Radio Boston program on Tuesday morning.

What we have in Chelsea is a day service center where we will be processing documents and work authorizations, so we can get them in jobs, Vega told the station. We are assessing everyone and making sure that we have a sense of [their needs].

The goal is to stabilize the new arrivals, many of whom already have work authorizations, and immediately place them in jobs, she said.

The center also will provide other resources, such as access to food and clothing, WBUR earlier reported, citing the United Way of Massachusetts Bay, which administered the state grant money thats provided funding for the effort.

Officials at the center, located at 318 Broadway in the city, said theyve arranged transportation to and from an emergency overflow shelter in Cambridge. But as the families get back on their feet, theyll be able to use the MBTA on their own to get there, Vega said.

Sarah Bartley, the vice president of United Ways safe and stable housing program, told WBUR that the day center is particularly needed since the state-run shelter in Cambridge has limited hours.

Those families are needing a safe place to go during the day, Bartley told the station.

Officials at the advocacy group raced to set up the day center, putting it all together within the last six or seven days, Vega told the station.

This is not new to us, she said. We are very good in crises.

Despite the new demands imposed by the center, Vega stressed that the group will continue to serve its constituents across the community.

We have enough manpower and staff to do this  and we have plenty of volunteers, she said.

The Chelsea day centers opening comes a little more than two weeks after the state opened an emergency shelter at the Melnea A. Cass Recreational Complex in Bostons Roxbury neighborhood, and amid an effort to open another shelter in the citys Seaport neighborhood.

Bartley told WBUR on Tuesday that the United Way already has used its $5 million grant to fund eight other around-the-clock shelters around the state. The organization also expects to help create more sites with the funding, the station reported.

As of Tuesday morning, 7,536 families were enrolled in the states emergency shelter system, or 36 families past the states self-imposed cap of 7,500 families, according to a state dashboard. Fifteen families had entered the system within the last 24 hours, the data showed.
A program which currently provides affordable, high-speed internet to more than 336,000 households in Massachusetts, or about one in eight, is at risk of running out this spring if the federal government doesnt extend it.

The Affordable Connectivity Program, which was passed as part of a $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package in 2021, has served 23 million households across the country since then, five million of which had never been connected before, according to U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass.

However, the $14.2 billion originally appropriated for the program is expected to run out in April, and Markey is now pushing to re-fund the program.

The internet is increasingly the location of job applications, doctors appointments, government services, communications with our loved ones, you name it, Markey said during a press conference in Lynn on Tuesday. The unfortunate reality is that not everyone has access to affordable, reliable broadband services. The digital divide between those who can afford internet and those who cannot imposes serious harm on our unconnected friends and families and neighbors.

Under the program, eligible households could receive $30 per month toward their internet bill, or $75 for households on tribal lands. Eligible households could also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer or tablet.

Households were eligible to enroll in the program if a member has an income at or below 200% of the federal poverty line, receives assistance through programs such as SNAP, Medicaid, Federal Public Housing Assistance or certain tribal assistance programs, or receives free or reduced-price school lunches.

However, two weeks ago, the Federal Communications Commission shut down new enrollments in the program and sent notices to existing enrollees letting them know their benefits would run out in April.

Identical bills filed in the U.S. House and Senate by bipartisan sponsors would put an additional $7 billion toward the program, allowing it to continue.

Lynn Mayor Jared Nicholson said in the North Shore city, about 7,300 households had enrolled in the program, including 1,400 since April 1, 2023. The enrollment represents 40% of eligible households in Lynn, higher than the national rate of 37% and well above the statewide rate of 28%.

This is not a technical problem. No one is wondering, Well, how do we get fast internet to all the houses in the city of Lynn? Nicholson said. Its a moral question. Will we let financial barriers block residents from accessing the world?

Lynn Mayor Jared Nicholson speaks at a press conference on the Affordable Connectivity Program at Lynn Public Library on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024 (Trea Lavery, MassLive).Trea Lavery/MassLive

Virginia Benzan, director of racial justice advocacy at the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, pointed out that communities of color are disproportionately impacted by the digital divide. According to White House data, one in four households enrolled in the Affordable Connectivity Program are Black and one in four are Latino.

Without access to the transformational power of the internet, people, especially Black people and people of color, will be left out of opportunities and left behind on progress, Benzan said. The digital divide ... is the intended and foreseeable product of unjust and discriminatory practices and policies that built and sustained inequities and racial disparities that exclude, ignore, overlook and oppress low-income neighborhoods, communities of color and other marginalized communities, communities where youre often paying more for less.

Markey said access to the internet is key to growing communities and advancing the economy for all residents, and urged Congress to move forward with the bill to extend the Affordable Connectivity Program. He also asked internet service providers to make the transition easy on subscribers by providing good customer service and avoiding confusing and misleading contracts and disclosures.

The Affordable Connectivity Program is the key tool in our tool belt to address affordability concerns and close the digital divide. Now is not the time to be discarding that tool, he said. Now is the time to pull the open the doors to our digital worlds to everyone.
U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warrens 2024 re-election campaign just got a little more ... high-tech.

On Tuesday, John Deaton, a lawyer and cryptocurrency fan, who recently moved from Rhode Island to Swansea, Mass., according to WGBH News, announced hed launched a Republican challenge against Warren, D-Mass., a self-styled scourge of big tech.

In an introductory video posted to YouTube on Tuesday, Deaton touted what he said were his hardscrabble roots growing up in Detroit, where I got beat up but where he fought back.

I learned lifes lessons, and my motto became No fear. Never give up, Deaton, who is bald and goateed, said, staring into the camera.

In the caption for the video, Deaton describes himself as a U.S. Marine veteran, cancer survivor, father to three daughters, trial attorney, author and someone who overcame impossible odds to build a life for his family and become a champion for other underdogs.

He amplified that in the video, saying hes running for U.S. Senate to continue my lifes mission to shake things up for the people who need it most, he adds later in the video, vowing to, among other things, take on the drug and insurance companies for better, more accessible health care.

He also attacks Warren, a two-term incumbent, saying she had promised to be a champion to those in need, who now instead gives lectures and plays politics and gets nothing done for Massachusetts.

On Tuesday, Warrens Senate office released a report touting what it said were Warrens successful efforts to bring back over $50 billion in federal support to the Bay State.

The people of Massachusetts sent me to the U.S. Senate to fight to make government work for working families and communities across our Commonwealth, not for the wealthy and well-connected, Warren said in a statement.

Im glad we have secured over $50 billion in federal investments to do just that  rebuilding our roads and bridges so families can get around better and safer, revitalizing our schools, and strengthening our communities for generations to come, and I will stay in the fight to make the federal government a strong partner for Massachusetts the Cambridge Democrat said.

Warren won re-election in 2018, defeating Republican Geoff Diehl, taking 60% of the vote, WGBH News reported. Warren also briefly ran for president in 2020.

In a post to X, formerly Twitter, Warren, through her campaign arm, appealed to Bay State voters for support.

Im running for re-election to keep fighting and delivering for Massachusetts families. Will you pitch in to help power our campaign? https://t.co/8ZQEgnUxcC pic.twitter.com/GHZ8Bc6f8A  Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) February 20, 2024

Im running for re-election to keep fighting and delivering for Massachusetts families, she wrote. Will you pitch in to help power our campaign?
A weekly newsletter that delivers original reporting and dives into the top headlines involving reproductive justice, sexual health, relationships, parenting and more every Tuesday. Enter your email to subscribe today.

This Friday, the New York Times reported that Donald Trump privately shared his support for a national 16-week abortion ban with expections in cases of rape, incest, or risk to a mothers life. This is the most recent twist in the 2024 presidential candidates flip-flopping record on abortion. Though the Trump campaign claims that the article was fake news, the Biden administration was quick to use the opportunity to further portray Biden as the presidential nominee for abortion rights.

Now, after being the one responsible for taking away womens freedom, after being the one to put womens lives in danger, after being the one who has unleashed all this cruelty and chaos all across America, Trump is running scared, the president said in a statement Friday after the story was published.

In June 2023, former President Donald Trump stated that he was the most pro-life president ever. He was speaking at the Faith & Freedom Coalition Gala on the one-year anniversary of the overturning of Roe v. Wade, a decision he had largely influenced. His nomination of three conservative justices to the Supreme Court was ultimately what stripped abortion rights of all federal protections, leaving states with the power to decide over pregnant peoples right to choose.

According to TIME, just hours after the news broke that the historic ruling had been overturned on June 24, 2022, Trump sent out an email taking credit for the monumental moment himself:

Todays decision, which is the biggest WIN for LIFE in a generation, along with other decisions that have been announced recently, were only made possible because I delivered everything as promised, including nominating and getting three highly respected and strong Constitutionalists confirmed to the United States Supreme Court, he said.

Trumps role in laying the groundwork for the current battle over abortion rights will be a pivotal topic going into the 2024 election.

But more recently, as democrats build their campaign to paint him as an enemy of reproductive rights, he has been seen publicly distancing himself from his anti-choice legacy. While this may come as a surprise, his stance on abortion has shifted many times over the years.

Trumps evolution on abortion

A pinnacle of Trumps presidential legacy is transforming the Supreme Court. The additions of Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett set up the high court with the conservative majority needed to overturn Roe.

But as a real estate developer in the 1980s, his publicly expressed political views looked much different than than those of president Trump. He co-hosted a pro-choice fundraiser in 1989, and In 1999, Trump shared that he believed in a womens right to choose on NBCs Meet the Press, according to a 2016 Washington Post fact-checker site.

Im very pro-choice, Trump said in that 1999 interview. I hate the concept of abortion But still, I just believe in choice.

A decade later, his public views changed. In May 2011, Trump told the New York Times he was pro-life and by his first bid for the presidency in 2016, Trump portrayed himself as strongly pro-life, but made contradictory statements on whether women who have an abortion should be punished.

This issue is unclear and should be put back into the states for determination. Like Ronald Reagan, I am pro-life with exceptions, which I have outlined numerous times, Trumps campaign said in a statement, after he said there should be some form of punishment, during an MSNBC town hall just hours before.

To explain the change in his stance over the years, Trump has continued to say that his views on abortion evolved, likening his evolution to Republican fan-favorite Reagan, who is widely considered the father of the pro-life movement.

And by the way, you know who else evolved? Ronald Reagan evolved. Because Ronald Reagan signed one of the toughest abortion laws in favor of abortion in California that had been signed in many, many years He wasnt very conservative [passing the law as governor], but he was a pretty conservative president, Trump said during a CNN town hall in March 2016, referencing the California Therapeutic Abortion Act that Reagan signed into law while governor of California.

The Washington Post adds context to Trumps comparison, stating that it wasnt viable because six years before Roe was enactedwhen Reagan signed the billthe landscape of abortion politics in America was much different.

But this was long before abortion was a national social policy matter, before there were such terms like pro-choice and pro-life. The circumstances were a lot different then. Reagan did evolve on his abortion views, but it was less stark of a transition than Trumps, wrote reporter Michelle Ye Hee Lee.

Trumps abortion doublespeak

As Trump seeks the Republican presidential nomination, he has publicly embraced a more moderate stance on abortion than his party rivals.

In September, he criticized how Republicans have handled the issue of abortionwithout taking a stance on a national ban himselfspecifically mentioning Floridas 6-week ban, calling it a terrible thing and a terrible mistake, and sharing how he would compromise on abortion. He also warned Republicans that strict abortion laws without exceptions for rape and incest would lose the party voters.

I would sit down with both sides and Id negotiate something and well end up with peace on that issue for the first time in 52 years, Trump said on NBCs Meet the Press.

But in the months since, according to CNN, Trump has not centered abortion in his campaign speeches, and has not mentioned the overturning of Roe during recent rallies, causing speculation that this may be because abortion has proven to be a losing issue for pro-life republicans.

Trumps ego demands he distance himself from the electorally disappointing consequences of his own actions. At first, he walked back his wholesale embrace of his role in the ruling formally known as Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization. Now hes offering a kind of double-talk thats intended to focus voters on how his abortion position may be less extreme than others in his party, rather than his crucial role in bringing our current reality about, TIME senior Washington correspondent Philip Elliott wrote in Nov. 14 The D.C. Brief newsletter.
FORT MYERS, Fla.  Bobby Dalbec spent most of the 2023 season at Triple-A Worcester. He took just 49 at-bats for Boston, 37 of which came during September when Triston Casas was on the IL.

But Dalbec might be a better fit for the 2024 roster with right-handed hitters Justin Turner and Adam Duvall no longer here. Duvall remains a free agent and still could re-sign with Boston. Turner inked a one-year, $13 million with the Blue Jays

Casas will serve as the everyday first baseman against left-handed and right-handed starters but Dalbec could give Casas an occasional day off against a tough lefty. He also would be able to start occasionally in the DH spot and outfield against southpaw starters.

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He has a chance to make this team, manager Alex Cora said Tuesday at JetBlue Park. I think versatility is coming into play. I think the outfield play we like. He did a good job in Triple A. Obviously the configuration of the stadium is different in Triple A but he did a good job. And we need a right-handed bat that can play in the corners and be versatile. So he has a shot to do it.

Dalbec never played the outfield until 2023 when he started 36 games (played in 308 innings) in right field for Worcester. He told MassLive last June that he was trying to become a more complete player, adding speed and defensive versatility to his game. He also mentioned he enjoys playing the outfield and feels like he hits well on days hes out there.

Hes a good defender. Hes going to hit the ball out of the ballpark, Cora said.

Dalbec led all Red Sox minor leaguers in home runs (33) in 2023. But he continued to punch out at an alarming rate. He had a 34.3% strikeout percentage (169 strikeouts, 493 plate appearances) at Worcester.

Dalbec will receive playing time during spring training games at first base, third base and in the outfield.

Cora was asked if Dalbec is a better fit for this years roster than last years.

Yeah, he has a chance to make the team in that spot, Cora said.
SOUTHWICK  A Springfield civil rights leader is calling for action on a report that students at Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School District allegedly held an online mock slave auction of Black students.

A parent in the school reported to the district that her daughter was a victim of the alleged mock auction and was subject to other racist incidents, such as being called the N-word, Bishop Talbert W. Swan II, president of the Greater Springfield NAACP, wrote in a letter dated Monday to Superintendent Jennifer Willard.

This is unacceptable and simply cannot be tolerated, wrote Swan, who is also a member of the Massachusetts Task Force on Hate Crimes and chairman of the state Legislatures Commission of the Status of African Americans.
Canon Central and North Africa , a global leader in imaging solutions, announced a transformative partnership with MindMe International (MMI), a registered NGO based in Kenya.

This collaboration aims to empower marginalized communities through sustainable development, with a focus on fostering positive change in young individuals lives.

Central to this collaboration is the shared objective of transforming young participants into effective storytellers. The programmes structured approach includes providing access to equipment, teaching photography skills, showcasing examples and case studies, and guiding participants to tell their stories authentically. Upon completion of the programme, participants will be awarded certificates by Canon, to acknowledge their dedication and accomplishments.

Canon is proud to partner with MindMe International on this impactful initiative, empowering young individuals to become creative storytellers who can authentically represent their communities. Through the Young People Programme, we aim to provide these young talents with the tools and skills needed to make a lasting impact in their communities and beyond, says Jeanine El Moughrabi, Developing Regions Sustainability Manager

The programme, officially commenced on 8 February 2024, and kicked off with an introductory event on 1 February. MindMe International, dedicated to eradicating extreme poverty through localized development, will work hand in hand with Canon to run a three-month initiative targeting young people between 11 and 17 years. The workshops are being held at Woodcreek School in Kiambu County, Kenya, with 20 participants.

An integral part of the collaboration is the commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through the Young People Programme (YPP), Canon and MindMe International envision empowering the youth to amplify the SDGs through their narratives. The aim is not only to equip young individuals with practical skills but also to inspire them to become advocates for positive change in their respective communities.

With the initiative running for three months, it allows for the outcomes to be accurately monitored to evaluate the programmes success and impact. The program comprises 12 workshops scheduled every Thursday, that commenced on February 8th and will conclude on May 30th, along with the utilization of Canon EOS 4000D cameras.

The culmination of the initiative will be marked by an engaging exhibition showcasing the creative images produced by the young participants. This exhibition will provide a platform for the youth to express themselves creatively and share their unique perspectives on sustainability and community development. Local suppliers in Kenya will be involved in printing toolkits and resource materials for the exhibition, contributing to a positive economic ripple effect and promoting environmental sustainability.

This collaboration builds on the success stories of similar initiatives, such as Kgaugelo Neville Ngomane, a participant in the Young People Programme South Africa, who won the CIWEMs International Young Environmental Photographer of the Year Award. This partnership is poised to create more success stories, scholarships, jobs, and internships for the young participants, emphasizing the potential for meaningful impact.

Carol Kiiru, Director-MindMe International:

MindMe International envisions a world where sustainable development is accessible to all, breaking the chains of extreme poverty. Through our collaboration with Canon in the YPP, we strive to empower marginalized youth, aligned in our Education and Youth (Arts and Digital empowerment) programmes providing them with the tools to tell their stories and advocate for positive change. By fostering creativity, skills, and community engagement, we are aligning with the SDGs and shaping a future where every voice, regardless of background, contributes to building a society free from inequality and poverty.

Through this partnership, Canon and MindMe International send a powerful message about the significance of empowering young people to be agents of positive change in their communities. Young voices, when equipped with the right skills and platforms, can inspire, and drive social change. In addition, the collaboration serves as an outstanding example of how private and non-profit sectors can work together to contribute to a more sustainable and equitable future.
Marriott International announced a signed agreement with Morogoro Mishama Company that will introduce Le Meridien Hotels & Resorts to the shores of Zanzibar in 2025.

To support the growing demand for premium hospitality accommodations in Tanzania, Le Meridien Zanzibar Resort will feature 75 guestrooms as well as the brands glamourous, signature programming and experiences that will help guests discover the culture, coordinates and cuisine of the destination.

Zanzibar continues to grow as a sought-after leisure destination and we are committed to continuing to support the overall growth of the tourism sector in Tanzania, said Karim Cheltout, Regional Vice President  Development, Africa, Marriott International

 Le Meridiens contemporary design, captivating spaces and chic, signature programming will be an ideal fit for the island, and we look forward to working with Morogoro Mishama Company to open this project by the end of the year.

Anticipated to feature 75 contemporary guest rooms and villas, Le Meridien Zanzibar Resort will offer uninterrupted Indian Ocean beach vistas and embrace the brands commitment to creating immersive experiences that will help guests explore a destination in style. Plans for the resort include a specialty restaurant, an open-air bar, and an array of recreational facilities such as a fitness center, swimming pool, spa, kids club and lagoon. Upon opening, the property will embody the essence of Le Meridien, inviting guests to Savour the Good Life through its signature programming  all of which is inspired by the brands rich European heritage. The resort will be situated in Bwejuu, which is on the Eastern coast of Zanzibar Island.

We are thrilled to announce our second collaboration with Marriott International in the region by bringing Le Meridien Zanzibar Resort to fruition. This milestone underscores our continued commitment to enhancing Tanzanias hospitality landscape and reinforcing Zanzibars appeal as a premier leisure destination to visitors across the world, said Rishen Patel, Managing Director, Morogoro Mishama Company.

Morogoro Mishama Company, a part of Delaware Investment Limited, specializes in the development of luxury hotels across the African continent. Morogoro Mishama Company and Marriott International will collaborate with ALEPH Hospitality, known for its expertise in managing upscale accommodations across diverse destinations, as the third-party operator for the franchised property.

We are very excited to be entrusted with the operations of Le Meridien Zanzibar Resort, said Bani Haddad, Founder and Managing Director of Aleph Hospitality. This stunning, modern resort will be an incredible addition to the hospitality offering in Zanzibar, which has seen a surge in growth with international tourism arrivals surpassing a record one million mark just last month.
Grace a linfrastructure de Google Cloud, Motorola Solutions se concentrera sur lavancement de lassistance intelligente, notamment la diffusion de contenu video extremement precis et fiable et des capacites de cartographie et dIA afin de relever les defis de securite du monde reel.

 Des communautes aux entreprises, nos clients nous font confiance pour les aider a creer un avenir plus sur , a declare Mahesh Saptharishi, vice-president executif et directeur de la technologie chez Motorola Solutions.

 Cette collaboration exploitera la puissance des capteurs, des donnees et de lIA pour rendre la surete et la securite plus accessibles et plus exploitables. 

Motorola Solutions prevoit dintegrer les fonctionnalites nouvellement developpees a ses solutions de securite cloud en croissance rapide, notamment Avigilon Alta, une suite video entierement cloud native de securite dentreprise pour les organisations de toutes tailles.

 Quil sagisse dassurer une meilleure protection des ecoles, didentifier une activite inhabituelle dans une entreprise ou de securiser plus efficacement des evenements de grande ampleur, la visibilite et la sensibilisation en temps reel sont fondamentales pour garantir la securite publique et la securite des entreprises , a declare Mahesh Saptharishi.

 Depuis longtemps, Motorola Solutions fait preuve de leadership en matiere dinnovations technologiques qui protegent les communautes et les entreprises , a declare Will Grannis, vice-president et directeur de la technologie de Google Cloud.
A new UNICEF report entitled, The State of Children in the European Union, reinforces the need for a dedicated EU mental health strategy, Fine Gael MEP Maria Walsh has said.

As part of the report, which was published yesterday, UNICEF is calling for a comprehensive mental health strategy which MEP Maria Walsh, a leading advocate on the issue at a European level, has campaigned for since her election in 2019.

It was revealed that approximately 13 percent of young people under the age of 19 in the EU suffer from a mental health condition - with the statistic rising to almost one in five for those aged between 15-19.

MEP Maria Walsh, Co-Chair of the European Parliaments Mental Health Alliance and the Coalition for Mental Health and Wellbeing, said the reality of these statistics is a mental health crisis.

Suicide is one of the leading causes of mortality for those aged between 15-19 in the EU, accounting for around one in six (17%) deaths. The reality behind these shocking statistics is that we have a mental health crisis impacting Irish young people and our European neighbours.

Placing mental health on the European agenda has been one of Ms Walshs priorities during her term as an MEP.

The recommendation from UNICEF for a dedicated mental health strategy to tackle the crisis facing our young people supports my long-running campaign for such an approach.

As well as her calls for a dedicated EU Mental Health Strategy, the MidlandsNorth-West MEP has lobbied the European Commission for an EU Year for Good Mental Health.

Ms Walsh acknowledged that some progress had been made, and said she was glad to see UNICEFs welcoming of the Commissions Communication on a comprehensive approach to mental health.

However, with Irish young people aged 18-24 eight times more likely than older people to have a mental health disorder, Ms Walsh said the the issue is far from being resolved.

There are a number of practical policies that must be taken at both Irish and EU levels. I want to see the integration of mental health into our national healthcare system, with the EU supporting this through funding, guidelines and best practice examples.

We must also establish mechanisms for monitoring and evaluating the implementation of mental health policies at an EU level, to ensure accountability and effectiveness across member states she concluded.
Beverly Hills 90210 star Brian Austin Green has admitted that he had a vasectomy after the birth of his son Zane from dancer Sharna Burgess. The artist will no longer be able to conceive heirs on his own. However, he is already raising 5 sons.

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When the youngest child of David Silver in the cult series was 8 weeks old, the actor realized that he could go under the surgeon's knife. This was reported by Page Six with reference to the Old-ish podcast.

"Zane was born and I thought It's time to close up the shop,'" the actor explained. Now his son is one year old.

This step was forced upon the couple as they did not plan to have even their first child so soon. According to Sharna Burgess, she took birth control pills but still got pregnant, so this time the lovers decided to go for more serious precautions.

"It was a wonderful thing for Brian to do because birth control always made me feel crazy. It was such a great and beautiful thing he did, and it provides comfort and no stress in our sex life," the 38-year-old mother said.

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The stars suggest that they may undergo IVF in the future if they want to become parents again.

Green has two other minor sons: 11-year-old Noah Shannon, 9-year-old Bodhi Ransom and 7-year-old Journey River, who were born in his marriage to actress Megan Fox, as well as his firstborn son, 21-year-old son Kassius Lijah Marci.

As you know, a vasectomy is a surgical operation that involves ligation or removal of a fragment of the vas deferens. After the intervention, men continue to have an active sexual life but can no longer have children.

Only verified information on our Telegram OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
A total of 1,013 Ukrainian refugees are being accommodated in Mayo households in receipt of the Accommodation Recognition Payment.

According to the CSOs latest Arrivals from Ukraine in Ireland Series, Mayo is accommodating the eighth highest number of Ukrainian refugees in this manner of any county.

Homeowners or tenants hosting refugees from Ukraine are entitled to a monthly payment of 800 from the government.

Garda vetting is not required but all properties must meet minimum standards. Consent from the other tenants and owners must also be obtained in order to avail of the Accommodation Recognition Payment.

Of the 104,870 Ukrainian refugees who arrived in the state since Russias full-scale invasion in February 2022, a total of 21,824 are living with hosts receiving the payment.

A total of 4,639 Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTP) from Ukraine have lived in Mayo since the start of the war, based on the number of PPS numbers allocated to each individual.

This figure does not reflect the true number of Ukrainian refugees residing in the county at any given time.

The Westport electoral area once again has the highest number in Mayo, with 1,303 refugees from Ukraine residing there since the start of the war  a slight increase from the 1,241 reported in October 8.

Westport is now second in Connacht only to Galway City among the electoral areas that have accommodated the highest number of Ukrainian refugees.

The number of PPS numbers allocated in the Westport area now makes up 6.53 percent of the areas 2022 Census population.

As a percentage of the population, Westport has accommodated the eighth highest percentage in the state  some way off Ennistymon in Clare with 12.47 percent.

The Westport area has also accommodated the third highest number of Ukrainian refugees in Connacht as a percentage of its population, trailing Ballinamore (7.6 percent) and Carrick-on-Shannon (6.9 percent) in Leitrim.

In Mayo, Castlebar narrowly trails Westport for the total number of PPS numbers issued to Ukrainian refugees with 1,289. This is followed by Ballina (798), Claremorris (605) and Belmullet (426).

The Swinford electoral area once again had the lowest total, with 218 PPS numbers issued to arrivals from Ukraine since February 2024.

Westport has accommodated the eleventh highest number of Ukrainians of any local electoral area in the state. Kenmare, Killarney and Tralee in Kerry top the list with over 2,500 each.

A total of 581 Ukrainian refugees are now enrolled in primary school in Mayo, as well as 333 enrolled in the countys secondary schools.

The total number of 914 is the eleventh highest total students being educated in any county in the state.

Ukrainians fleeing the war are entitled to reside and work in the state on foot of the EUs Temporary Protection Directive.

The amount of social welfare paid to Ukrainian refugees was recently slashed from 220 per week to 38.80.

State-provided accommodation is also now only available to BOTPs for a maximum of 90 days.

REMEMBRANCE

UKRAINIANS living in Mayo are due to gather at the Octagon in Westport this Saturday at 1pm as part of a ceremony of remembrance on the two-year anniversary of Russias full-scale invasion.

The family of the late Finbar Cafferkey, who was killed while supporting Ukrainian forces in East Ukraine last year, will give readings at a special service in St Marys Church following the gathering.
The European Parliament Liaison Office is partnering with W Cinema, Westport, and Club Scannan Sailearna to present free showings of films shortlisted for the 2024 LUX Audience Award.

The LUX Audience Award aims to strengthen ties between politics and the people by inviting European audiences to become active protagonists and rate their favourite films in order to help determine the winner.

The films are being screened, subtitled, and rated by audiences throughout the EU.

The screening of 20,000 Species of Bees in Club Scannan Sailearna will feature subtitles in as gaeilge.

Chris MacManus, MEP for Midlands-North-West said hes delighted LUX film screenings will be taking place in Westport.

All five shortlisted films are critically acclaimed and have each been highly acknowledged at numerous film festivals around the world.

An integral part of these screenings is audience voting, in which they will rate the LUX Audience Award films: five stars excellent to one star poor.

The rating platform is now open, and the final ranking will be determined by combining the public score and the score from the Members of the European Parliament.

Voting is open until April 14 and the winning film will be announced in a ceremony at the European Parliament in Brussels on April 16.

The screenings represent an excellent opportunity to watch some of the most acclaimed European films of the past year, locally!

The films will be of particular interest to those interested in international films and languages.

Mr MacManus called the awards a fantastic opportunity to showcase the best of European cinema to a wider audience and I commend the organisers who are bringing these screenings to Westport and other areas.

All are welcome to the free screenings, and the schedule is as follows:

20,000 Species of Bees | 104 min | 2023 | 15A. In Spanish with English and Irish subtitles.

20 February W Cinema, Westport, 8.30pm.

3 March 8.15 Club Scannan Sailearna, coinciding with Seachtain na Gaeilge.

Written and directed by Estibaliz Urresola Solaguren, it follows Lucia, an eight-year-old girl, who struggles as the world tries to catch up with the fact that she is trans.

As the summer holidays pass, she explores her femininity alongside the women of her family who at the same time reflect on their own femininity.

The film is critically acclaimed, and has won and been nominated for numerous awards at film festivals around the world including:

Malaga Film Festival.

Hong Kong International Film Festival.

Seattle International Film Festival.

Calgary International Film Festival, San Sebastien International Film Festival, Athens International Film Festival to name just some.

On the Adamant | 109 min | 2023 | PG.

27 February, W Cinema, Westport, 8.30pm.

The film centres around Adamant, a unique day-care centre. A floating structure located on the Seine in the heart of Paris, it welcomes adults suffering from mental disorders, offering the kind of care that grounds them in time and space and helps them to recover or keep up their spirits. The team running it tries to resist the deterioration and dehumanisation of psychiatry as best as they can. The film invites us to board it and meet the patients and caregivers who invent its life day to day.

The film was the winner of the Golden Bear Best Film 2023 Berlin International Film Festival.

Additionally, it was nominated for 29 Awards including BFI London Film Festival, European Film Awards, Sao Paulo International Film Festival and more.

Smoke Sauna Sisterhood

5 March, W Cinema, Westport, 8.30pm.

Women share their innermost secrets and intimate experiences inside an Estonian smoke sauna. Cleansing their bodies and baring their souls, they embrace the healing power of sisterhood.

The film was the 2023 Winner of the Sundance Film Festival Directing Award.

Furthermore, it received 9 Awards and 25 Nominations including Calgary International Film Festival, Melbourne International Film Festival, European Film Awards, Hong Kong International Film Festival and more.
An Irish weather expert is warning of changing temperatures this week as he states, "Winter ain't over yet."

The Carlow Weather service is predicting much cooler temperatures by Thursday despite a mild day today (February 19).

In an X (formerly Twitter) post, Carlow Weather's Alan O'Reilly stated, "Another mild morning but change is coming and feeling much cooler by Thursday morning as windchill forecast for Thursday and Friday morning shows."

Met Eireann, too, predicts colder weather starting from Wednesday.

Showers from the west overnight on Wednesday will occasionally fall as sleet or snow, with lowest temperatures of 1 or 2 degrees in mainly moderate southwest winds.

There will be sunshine and showers or longer spells of rain on Thursday (most persistent over the western half of the country) turning to sleet and snow at times.

Highest temperatures of 5 to 9 degrees can be expected in moderate to fresh southwest winds.



Thursday night will again be cold and frosty in places with showers mostly confined to western coastal areas, while a cold and showery day can be expected on Friday, with showers again turning to sleet and snow at times.

Highest temperatures will be between 5 to 7 degrees with moderate westerly winds.



The further outlook suggests the unsettled conditions will continue with the chance of frost at night ongoing.
A new lender in the Irish mortgage market is offering mortgage loans up to a maximum age of 80.

MoCo, which is owned by Austrian bank Bawag, recently entered the Irish market and is expected to add competition in the home-loans market.

In January it launched its first home loans in Ireland, including a five-year fixed rate, starting from 4.5pc. This is a lower rate than those being offered by the main banks.

"You can apply for a mortgage with MoCo with a maximum term of 35 years and up to a maximum age of 80. If the term extends beyond your expected retirement age we will assess your ability to service the mortgage beyond that point. Our minimum mortgage term is 10 years," MoCo outlines on its website.

The minimum mortgage amount you can apply for with MoCo is 125,000.

"By availing of a mortgage with MoCo, you will receive cash of 1,500, paid to you in the month following your first monthly instalment. This is a benefit to you as a MoCo customer and is not required to be repaid," MoCo adds.

The offer of a mortgage up to the age of 80 is a new departure, and not something which was available before this.

The average life expectancy in Ireland is just under 83 years of age, so if you manage to achieve that milestone, you would have very few years of mortgage-free living.
Radiologic Technology Major

2022 Pass Rate 100%, Average Passing Grade 87%

Radiologic Technology Major

The Radiologic Technology major includes the essential pre-requisite and required courses that establish eligibility for national certification and registration with the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists.

Overview of the Program

Radiography is the art and science of using radiation as a diagnostic tool in performing radiographic examinations. The BS degree prepares students for a career in the diverse and growing field of diagnostic imaging. This specific advanced education meets the need for sophisticated imaging management and leadership that can respond to clinical, organizational and fiscal demands facing the healthcare industry by incorporating advanced imaging modalities into the curriculum. Our curriculum is an expression of content that enhances entry-level education and supports multiple post-primary specialty certifications as well as a transition to education and management in advanced clinical practice. Students in the Radiologic Technology major engage in topics with more depth and breadth, resulting in a broader knowledge base and skill set than the entry-level radiographer.

QUESTIONS? CONTACT:

Julie Walsh

Program Director

Julie.Walsh@mcla.edu

413.672.5712

MEET OUR FACULTY

Required courses and Radiologic Technology courses

Program details

Accreditation

The Radiologic Technology concentration is accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT). Contact information for the JRCERT: 20 North Wacker Drive, Ste 2850, Chicago, IL 60606-3182, Phone: 312-704-5300, Fax: 312-704-5304, Website: www.jrcert.org and E-mail: mail@jrcert.org. The program has a full 8-year accreditation with the next review date in December 2024. MCLA is regionally accredited by New England Commission of Higher Education.

Student Health Policy

All radiologic technology students are required to submit the following information before entrance into their junior year: (1) results of a physical examination, (2) evidence of current immunizations and (3) CPR card for infant, child and adult. All radiologic technology students complete an orientation prior to entering clinical education which includes: (1) Infection Control and (2) Standard Universal Precautions.

Admission Process for the Radiologic Technology concentration

The B.S. degree in Radiologic Technology follows a 2+2 format, with students completing core curriculum requirements and radiologic technology pre-requisite courses in the first two years and radiologic technology-specific courses along with any remaining coursework in the final two years. Admission to the major coursework takes place during the spring semester of a student's second year. Acceptance into the junior year of the program is limited and determined by a point system. Requirements for acceptance include an overall GPA of at least 2.85; grades of C+ or higher in BIOL150 Introduction to Biology I: Cells, BIOL 342 Anatomy & Physiology I, BIOL 343 Anatomy & Physiology II; HLTH 110 Introduction to Health Care and HLTH 105 Medical Terminology; and a grade of C or higher in MATH 150 Pre-calculus or a grade of C+ or higher in College Algebra (not offered at MCLA). Highly qualified candidates who have not taken HLTH 110 Intro to Health Care by the end of their second year may be permitted to do so during the first semester of their third year. Points toward admission will be increased by completing pre-requisite courses at MCLA and by earning grades higher than the minimum in the pre-requisite courses. Students who are not accepted into the third year of the Radiologic Technology major will be wait-listed and/or advised to consider other concentrations in Health Sciences or other majors within the college.

In addition to the courses required for admission, a Radiologic Technology student must maintain a grade of C+ or higher in each RADT course with the exception of RADT -431 432, 434, & 435, which require a grade of C or higher. Radiologic Technology students must maintain a cumulative grade-point average of 2.3 after their initial admission into the concentration.

A student who does not receive the required RADT course grades or maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.3 or higher will be dismissed from the program. In order for the student to be eligible to reenter the program, the student must meet all the entrance course requirements including the minimum cumulative GPA of 2.85. Readmission is determined by available seats and the determination of a point system. A student may only be readmitted to the program one time.

A student who is readmitted must repeat any RADT course (s) in which the student has not received the required grade before being eligible to take the next course(s) in the degree sequence. A student may only retake courses in which the student has not achieved the required grade. Course repetition is allowed on a seat-available basis only.

For other degree progression policies, refer to the BSRT Radiologic Technology Student Handbook.

Program Effectiveness Data

PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS DATA

Program mission, goals, student learning outcomes and philosophy:

Mission:

The BS degree in Radiologic Technology prepares students to meet the needs of the medical imaging community through an advanced level of education with a broader knowledge base that meets the demands facing the healthcare industry today. With a foundation in the liberal arts, the competency-based program fosters excellence by expanding the curriculum in the application of current, developing, and advanced imaging technologies.

The Radiologic Technology graduate will use appropriate interpersonal skills, think critically, embrace diversity, employ healthcare research, and apply appropriate radiation safety measures becoming ethical professional leaders dedicated to the health and safety of their patients.

Goal: Students will demonstrate communication skills.

Student Learning Outcomes:

Students will learn to communicate effectively with diverse populations.

Students will write effectively.

Students will demonstrate proper oral communication skills.

Goal: Students will become clinically competent.

Student Learning Outcomes:

Students will utilize appropriate radiation safety techniques.

Students will position patients accurately.

Goal: Students will utilize critical thinking skills.

Students Learning Outcomes:

Students will perform non-routine procedures.

Students will select appropriate technical factors for variations in body habitus.

Students will be able to analyze images.

Goal: Students will display professionalism.

Student Learning Outcomes:

Students will be knowledgeable of advanced imaging modalities.

Students will display proper professionalism.

JRCERT Website Compliance Checklist
By Azernews

Abbas Ganbay

Azerbaijani Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov wrote on his social network "X" account that Azerbaijani-American discussions on Azerbaijan's role in global energy processes were held at the Atlantic Council's Global Energy Center in Washington, Azernews reports.

"At the meeting organized by Landon Derentz, director of the Atlantic Council's Global Energy Center, we had interesting discussions on Azerbaijan's strategic role in global processes related to energy, energy security, and energy transition," the publication said.
Viacheslav Khostikoiev, the son of famous Ukrainian actors Anatolii Khostikoiev and Nataliia Sumska, works at the same theater as his parents, the Ivan Franko National Drama Theater. The actor also has a creative hobby - he is actively engaged in film dubbing.

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Nataliia Sumska, the actor's mother, People's Artist of Ukraine, told OBOZ.UA in an interview. The actor took up dubbing at his mother's suggestion.

"Slava does a lot of dubbing - it's one of his favorite hobbies," says the actress. "Right now the movie 'Wonka' is showing in theaters - the main character speaks in his voice in Ukrainian. And Dune is also about him. We act together in our theater's productions - The Incomparable, Suite for Foreigners, and The Kaidash Family. Separately, my son plays in The Witch of Konotop, The Talentless, and the production of Martin Borulia.

The son lives separately from his parents, but, according to his mother, the family likes to get together: "We got together on New Year's Eve and spent time together. I am happy with such moments: we reminisce, joke, communicate, and parody. It's inherent in our family to bring acting into everyday life. Slava is a joker, it's in him by nature, since his youth. He organizes whole concerts for us. He's a great guy! He has a comedic talent, it's a very rare gift."

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Viacheslav Khostikoiev is a famous theater and film actor (Crazy Wedding 3, Specialists, Threads of Fate), and also one of the most sought-after voice actors. In a recent interview, Slava admitted that his mother opened the world of dubbing for him when he was still at school: "My mom worked with a post-production studio. When I arrived at the studio, I was immediately thrown to the front line: it was a big series. And then series after series, movie after movie, and experience came. This is a very cool profession."
by Fern Siegel , February 20, 2024

Jameson Irish Whiskey is touting its latest campaign with a comedic first: SNL hosts Colin Jost and Michael Che are partnering with the brand.

The whiskey is prepping for St. Patricks Day festivities. That begins with a run-up to St. Patricks Eve.

The campaign from Ogilvy kicks off today and runs through next month. It features OOH, digital, social, CTV with Jost and Che and even a Jameson green lighting of the Sphere in Las Vegas. Ferries and water taxies will be wrapped with the brand in Chicago and there will be a digital takeover at L.A. Live.

The St. Patricks Eve work builds on the recent global campaign "Must Be a Jameson," which highlights those who take life in stride.

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The new push also includes limited-edition St. Patricks Eve jackets, designed with Reed Art Department, and the launch of a new canned cocktail  the Jameson Orange Spritz  targeting the 20something spirits drinker.

The campaign celebrates those who embrace a lighthearted spirit.

When Leap Year skipped over a Saturday St. Patricks Day, we did exactly what a Jameson would do: We created a completely new holiday so people can start celebrating St. Patricks Day a little early, says Johan Radojewski, vice president of marketing, Jameson Irish Whiskey.

Jameson Whiskey is owned by Pernod Ricard USA.
by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, February 20, 2024

The Supreme Court on Tuesday left in place a ruling that allowed Meta Platform's users to proceed with claims that the company's prior ad-targeting options violated discrimination laws.

As is customary, the court didn't give a reason for its refusal to intervene in the battle.

The ruling means Meta must now face a class-action complaint alleging that former ad-targeting options enabled advertisers to prevent housing ads from being served to users based on their race, sex, age or other protected characteristics.

The complaint, initially filed in 2019 by New York resident Rosemarie Vargas and others, was one of several lawsuits against Facebook over allegedly discriminatory ads. By the time Vargas sued, Facebook had already agreed to prohibit advertisers of housing, employment or credit offers from targeting ads based on age, gender, ZIP code or ethnic affinity.

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U.S. District Court Judge William Orrick in the Northern District of California dismissed Vargas's complaint in 2021, describing it as the sort of generalized grievance that doesn't give people the right to sue in federal court.

Orrick also said Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act protected Facebook from liability for illegal ads posted by outside parties. That law broadly immunizes web companies from liability for material created by third parties.

Vargas and the others then appealed to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which reversed Orrick's ruling and reinstated the lawsuit.

That court ruled both that the allegations were specific enough to warrant further proceedings, and that Meta might not be protected by Section 230.

Plaintiff Vargas alleges a concrete and particularized injury -- deprivation of truthful information and housing opportunities -- whether or not she can establish all the elements of her claims later in the litigation, the appellate judges wrote.

They added that the allegations, if proven true, could show that Facebook was a co-developer of the ads -- in which case it wouldn't be immunized by Section 230.

Meta then asked the Supreme Court to intervene in the case, arguing that the allegations, even if proven true, wouldn't show how Vargas or the others were harmed.

They do not allege that any housing matching their specific (and often plainly unrealistic) criteria actually existed, Meta wrote. Nor do they allege that such housing was available during the specific periods they searched for housing on Facebook.
by Sarah Mahoney @mahoney_sarah, February 20, 2024

Ikea is launching Do Try This at Home, the first-ever global marketing campaign from the Swedish retailer. Intended to address the perma-crisis of higher living costs, it aims to create a better everyday life for the many. It does so by focusing on the fun people can have staying in even if they do feel cash-strapped, whether cooking for friends or encouraging kids to show off impromptu guitar solos.



The company is celebrating its 80th birthday, which seems like a long time to wait for a global effort. One of the IKEA values is to renew and improve, so its only fitting that this year, we test and try something new, says Licca Li, growth and marketing manager at Ingka Group, in an email to Marketing Daily. Our ambition with having our first-ever global marketing campaign stems from our belief that homes all over the world are more than just a place. They are a source of joy, inspiration and comfort. Home is where you can express yourself, explore your passions and relax with loved ones.

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This is the first creative campaign since Ikea moved its global brand account to McCann last year, in a pitch process that spanned all 31 countries in which the group operates.

Ikeas ongoing Life at Home research, based on 37,000 consumers worldwide, revealed that 60% of people say they feel positively about their current life at home, and 52% say home is their favorite place. Yet 40% are worried about household finances.

The campaign launch follows a year of lower prices, with Ikea investing heavily in reductions to add to its value proposition.

The ads are meant to counteract consumer worries. We all know that there is a massive disenchantment on a global scale, with wars, climate crisis and economic pressures hitting all at once, says Agustin Soriano, chief strategy officer of McCann Worldgroup Spain, in an email interview. That is making people feel tired and sad around the world.

Ikeas research reveals people are struggling with affordability, with 58% saying they compare prices more often between similar brands or products, 71% making changes in how they buy and use everyday items,and 49% looking to use less of the products they buy.

Soriano says the tension between ways to find freedom and pursue happiness amid all that negativity invites people to rebel. While treat spending is being re-evaluated by people worldwide, we are, at the same time, finding ways to celebrate life in every way we can.

Ads encourage those small rebellions in a series of vignettes, with taglines like Do try ignoring the recipe at home, Do try mischief at home, and Do try showing off at home.

Ikea has always been a home furnishing rebel by developing clever and affordable solutions for the needs and dreams of the many, adds Li.

Ads are rolling out this month in all 31 markets, kicking off first in Italy, Belgium, and Finland. Ikeas U.S. arm is currently exploring markets and channels to test the new messages and will roll them out accordingly.
Ukrainian videographer, photographer, and war correspondent Mstyslav Chernov is the author of a photo of pregnant Marianna Vyshemyrska from a maternity hospital in blockaded Mariupol that was bombed by the occupiers. The image of a woman in labor with a bloody face went viral and shocked the whole world, becoming one of the proofs of war crimes committed by the Russian army. Meanwhile, Marianna herself moved to Moscow, where she became a collaborator who agitates Russians to vote for dictator Vladimir Putin in the 2024 presidential "elections."

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The director of this year's Oscar-nominated documentary 20 Days in Mariupol is in no hurry to condemn Marianna. He believes that everyone has the right to make their own choice. Chernov shared his thoughts on the matter in an interview with the BBC.

The videographer is convinced that one cannot draw any conclusions without knowing all the circumstances in a person's life. At the same time, he is aware that the attack on the maternity hospital in Mariupol is a war crime of the Russian Federation, which has not yet been confirmed, as it requires, among other things, an investigation of the site of the terror and interviews with witnesses. Marianna, it turns out, is also one of the witnesses.

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"I don't know the circumstances of her life, I don't know what's going on in her life. And I believe that everyone has the right to their own opinion. It is important to understand that when we talk, for example, about the bombing of the Mariupol maternity hospital, we are talking about potential war crimes. That is why we need to work not only with witnesses, but also with a set of evidence: expert testimony, witnesses, photos, videos, and satellite images. That is, it is a complex process. And you need to have access to the crime scene. Therefore, it is necessary to separate private opinions, to which everyone has the right, and the investigation of war crimes, which are procedural matters," Chernov said.

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The director also said that he still keeps in touch with some residents of Mariupol who, for various reasons, remained under occupation. He explained that there are also pro-Ukrainian citizens who remain there.

"We are talking to people who still live in Mariupol. These are people with different circumstances. People who did not want the only home they had to be taken away from them, and it miraculously survived. They didn't want the Russians to take it away, so they stayed there. People who stayed there because they care about their elderly parents who don't want to leave. You know that elderly people can't usually leave their homes. Some of these people didn't give up their Ukrainian passports, they didn't take a Russian passport, and because of this they have big problems - they can't leave Mariupol: they are stopped at checkpoints, sentenced to 15 days, and then sent back to Mariupol. That is, they actually live in a ghetto," the director said.

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As we previously reported, the film 20 Days in Mariupol by director and videographer Mstislav Chernov has officially been nominated for the prestigious Oscar 2024 in the Best Feature Documentary category. It will compete with 4 other films for the coveted statuette.
by Erik Oster , February 20, 2024

It was only a matter of time, really.

In one of the more obvious synergies of celebrity branding and current beverage industry trends, Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dres premium spirits company introduced its first line of canned cocktails. Named after the Grammy-nominated song of the same name, Gin & Juice By Dre and Snoop recently kicked off a laid-back rollout with a surprise Super Bowl after-party performance by the pair. The canned cocktail brand will continue its national rollout through the spring.

Released in celebration of the recent 30th anniversary of Doggystyle, Snoop Doggs Dr. Dre-produced debut album (which included Gin and Juice, released as its second single), the line of gin-based canned cocktails features packaging designed by Switzerland-based designer Ini Archibong. The product is available in four flavors  Apricot, Citrus, Melon, and Passionfruit -- and  and will be distributed nationally through Southern Glazers Wine and Spirits.

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The premium spirits company behind the beverage line will be led by Andrew Gill, Patrick Halbert, and Rocco Milano  who founded the RTD brand On The Rocks Cocktails. Jimmy Iovine, Main Street Advisors, Marc Rowan, and Tom Werner are also investors in the company  in addition to Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg. According to a release announcing the launch of Gin & Juice By Dre and Snoop, the company will have further releases to announce in the future beyond its debut RTD line, with an apparent eye toward growing the brand. The celebrity pair clearly have their minds on their money and their money on their minds.
The co-founder of boAt and one of the most popular sharks on Shark Tank India, Aman Gupta has been accused of copying an idea from a pitcher who came in season 2.

A few social media users accused Aman of rejecting the deal saying the market was not ready for it and some time later, his brand boAt launched a similar product i.e. smartwatches for kids.

Sharing a screenshot of the post, one user wrote, So this is what hum bhi bana lenge actually means. From importing low standard Chinese products to copying shark tank products.

Check out the post below:

Reacting to it, another user wrote, Bose + Beats = boat wooooh Kya marketing guru hai ohoooho. Took best known mass brand for headphones and calling himself marketing genius. All these guys are doing in shark tank is trying to get unit economics and trade secrets by entering into industries and that how they can benefit from it. 5-10 lack rupee panwale bhi invest kar denge. 10-20 cr karo wo to hoga nahi inse. Shark nahi paplets hai ye log.

Defending Aman, a user reacted, The pitchers product was also Chinese sourced from aliexpress which they claimed to be their own design. And kids watch is not a new concept very much prevalent in the USA, UK and other western European countries. So its not like he copied from them he is just late to the market and its still not a very big market in India but Boat is big enough to give it a try just another SKU for them now.

Another user commented, Building a brand with only kids specific smart watches won't grow, but it can be another profitable SKU of a bigger brand.

Check out some of the responses below:
The pictures and videos from Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchants pre-wedding functions keep dropping every other day giving us a lot to talk about. From finding out which designer the bride-to-be and the Ambani ladies picked for his occasion, to seeing photos of the family members dressed up for the festivities, weve been in the know of it all.

 Instagram/Ambani FC

And now after finding out how many lakhs Radhika Merchant spent on her pre-wedding function attire, we are thrilled to find out more about the OG Ambani lady - Nita Ambani who looked nothing short of a dream for her sons pre-wedding festivities.



She was spotted in a gorgeous ensemble by Anamika Khanna and what caught the most attention was her beautifully curated and styled jewellery. She was seen sporting a Padmapriya necklace, gorgeous earrings, tikka, kada and jooda pin.

The jewels are from the House of Sunita Shekhawat, under the Padmapriya Collection. Her necklace featured champleve and intricacies of Gulabi meenakari on 22 karat gold paired with Zambian emeralds, polkis and south sea pearls making it absolutely exquisite.

The man-hours taken on working on this piece of jewellery were close to 550 hours, adding to the intricate detailing of the piece.

The piece also has remnants of the lotus flower and parrots, symbolic of our founders love for Goddess Laxmi.

While this is what Nita Ambani chose for the Lagan Lakhvanu ceremony of her son, Radhika Merchant had also previously chosen to adorn jewels from the same brand for one of her previous wedding functions with Anant Ambani.

The event was attended by close friends and family of the Ambanis and the Merchants and Mukesh Ambani was even captured participating in a game during the festivities. The two are expected to tie the knot later this year in a grand celebration.
Ukrainian actress Iryna Kudashova, known for her role of Nika in the TV series School, showed her apartment in Chernihiv, which was destroyed by Russia. The house "saved" by the occupiers has turned into ruins, and the owners of the once cozy home are sympathized with by citizens and IDPs.

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The missile strike apparently took place a long time ago, but the actress had previously seen the consequences only in photos. The video was posted on her Instagram.

"My home. It's very painful to see it in person," the star wrote, filming what her apartment had become.

The footage shows broken windows, glass and things scattered by the blast wave. Outside the actress's window, there are still burned cars and a destroyed non-residential building.

Iryna Kudashova did not say when her apartment was hit by the Russian attack, but a photo from a similar location, taken in March 2022, can be found online. On those terrible days, March 3-4, the occupiers mercilessly shelled the city with rockets and bombs.

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"Every time I pass by this house, tears come to my eyes," "It still hurts to look at these ruins," "I understand how much it hurts," "Hold on," wrote the star's fans.
All warfare is based on deception, Chinese strategist Sun Tzu once said.

The battlefield flimflam practiced by the Army's top-secret 23rd Headquarters Special Troops unit during World War II took that ancient advice to another level as the "Ghost Army" in the drive to liberate Europe.

From D-Day to the crossing of the Rhine, the 23rd used inflatable tanks, trucks and artillery pieces; bogus radio traffic; 500-pound loudspeakers blasting recordings of divisions on the move; and other means of fakery to confuse the Nazis. In the process, it may have saved the lives of 15,000 to 30,000 American troops, according to Army historians.

Read Next: VA Paid Roughly $1 Million in Double Housing Payments to Some Student Vets Due to a Legal Loophole

Now, the unit is set to receive the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest honor Congress can bestow, at a March 21 ceremony on Capitol Hill. The medal was also awarded to a sister unit of the 23rd -- the 3133rd Signal Service Company -- which served in Italy and carried out two deception operations in 1945 near the end of the war.

President Joe Biden signed the "Ghost Army Congressional Gold Medal Act" in February 2022, but the medal had yet to be minted. It will be presented to the fewer than 10 surviving Ghost Army members at the ceremony.

"What made the Ghost Army special was not just their extraordinary courage, but their creativity," Rep. Annie Kuster, D-N.H., sponsor of the House bill that authorized the medal, said in a statement.

A U.S. Army analysis cited in the text of the bill awarding the medal stated, "Rarely, if ever, has there been a group of such a few men which had so great an influence on the outcome of a major military campaign."

Another tactic used by the 23rd was to have troops dress up as generals and go into towns that had just been taken to brag of the Army's next moves in hopes that German spies would pick up on the false information.

The 93-pound inflatable versions of M4 Sherman tanks, which could weigh up to 42 tons, were the prize decoys for the 23rd and at a distance were nearly indistinguishable from the real thing.

Then-Pvt. Arthur Shilstone told of his encounter with two Frenchmen on bicycles who watched dumbfounded as four troops from the 23rd hoisted one of the inflatable Shermans on their shoulders to move it to another spot.

Shilstone, an acclaimed illustrator and watercolor artist who did album covers for Billie Holiday and Aaron Copland after the war, told Smithsonian magazine that the Frenchmen "looked at me, and they were looking for answers, and I finally said: 'The Americans are very strong.'"

Gen. George Patton was quick to realize the advantage that the skills of the 23rd, which came to be known as the "Ghost Army," would give him in disguising where his Third Army would attack.

In September 1944, Patton called on the 23rd to use their deception techniques to plug a gap in his lines in the attack on the fortified city of Metz.

In a letter to his wife, Patton wrote, "There is one rather bad spot in my line but I don't think the Huns [Germans] know it," an apparent reference to the effectiveness of the efforts by the 23rd, said Rick Beyer, president of the Ghost Army Legacy Project, who produced a PBS documentary and a book with Elizabeth Sayles called "The Ghost Army of World War II" on the unit's exploits.

Patton again used the 23rd in December 1944 to create bogus radio traffic to mask the Third Army's race "to break through to the 101st Airborne and elements of 10th Armored Division in the besieged Belgian town of Bastogne," according to the text of the bill awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to the 23rd.

The Ghost Army was not part of Operation Fortitude South, in which the fictitious First United States Army Group was stationed in southeast England under Patton to convince the Germans that the D-Day landings would be at the Pas-de-Calais across from the Strait of Dover rather than in Normandy.

Instead, a small contingent of the 23rd went ashore in the D-Day landings in an attempt to create false landing sites, and two members were wounded. The unit would go on to conduct 21 more tactical deception operations in France, Luxembourg, Belgium and Germany.

The last and possibly most important mission for the 23rd was called Operation Viersen in March 1945, when the 23rd conducted a massive tactical deception and drew German forces down the Rhine River and away from the U.S. Ninth Army, allowing the Ninth Army to cross the Rhine into Germany.

The 23rd used more than 600 inflatable vehicles to carry off the ruse in Operation Viersen, and also used fabricated radio networks and soundtracks of artillery fire. According to a military intelligence officer with the 79th Infantry, "There is no doubt that Operation Viersen materially assisted in deceiving the enemy with regard to the real dispositions and intentions of this Army," the text of the Gold Medal bill said.

The 23rd was activated in January 1944 and came to include about 1,100 enlisted troops and 82 officers, who had the sole mission of deceiving German forces -- the first unit in the U.S. Army with such a mission -- according to the National World War II Museum in New Orleans.

The troops of the Ghost Army were an eclectic mix, including designer Bill Blass, artist Ellsworth Kelly and photographer Art Kane, who were recruited from art schools, advertising agencies and communications companies.

Blass, who went on to design dresses for Jacqueline Kennedy and Nancy Reagan, was said to read Vogue magazine in his foxhole. In his autobiography titled "Bare Blass," he said that "I spent most of the war inflating dummy tanks and dreaming up marvelous new uses for chicken feathers."

Capt. Fred Fox, who wrote an official history of the 23rd cited by the Ghost Army Legacy Project, noted that newcomers to the unit could face a difficult period of adjustment.

"Officers who had once commanded 32-ton tanks felt frustrated and helpless with a battalion of rubber M4s -- 93 pounds fully inflated," Fox wrote. "The adjustment from man of action to man of wile was most difficult. Few realized at first that one could spend just as much energy pretending to flight as actually fighting."

Little was known of the existence of the Ghost Army or its exploits for nearly 50 years after the war. The troops were sworn to secrecy, and its records were classified as top secret. A Smithsonian magazine article in 1985 was the first to give a limited account, but the records were not declassified until 1996, according to the Ghost Army Legacy Project.

"We were told we couldn't tell our wives or anybody about what we did," Al Albrecht, who served as a private in the 23rd, said in a video for the Ghost Army Legacy Project.

In the same video, Sgt. Stan Nance, who served with the 23rd's radio unit, summed up what he viewed as the bedrock mission behind all the battlefield illusions: "If one mother or one new bride was spared the agony of putting a Gold Star in their front window -- that's what the 23rd was all about."

Related: Larry Doby, World War II Navy Veteran Who Helped Integrate Baseball, Awarded Congressional Gold Medal
RAFAH, Gaza Strip  Israel ordered new evacuations from parts of Gaza City on Tuesday, as a study led by the U.N. children's agency found that one in six children are acutely malnourished in the isolated and largely devastated north of the territory, where the city is located.

The report finds deepening misery across the territory, where Israel's air and ground offensive, launched in response to Hamas' Oct. 7 attack, has killed over 29,000 Palestinians, obliterated entire neighborhoods and displaced more than 80% of the population.

Israel has vowed to expand the offensive to the Gaza Strip's southernmost city of Rafah, where more than half of the territory's population of 2.3 million has sought refuge from fighting elsewhere. Many have crowded into sprawling tent camps and overflowing U.N.-run shelters near the Egyptian border.

The United States, Israels top ally, has been working with mediators Egypt and Qatar to try to broker another cease-fire and hostage release agreement. Hamas top political leader Ismail Haniyeh was in Cairo to meet with Egyptian officials on Tuesday, but there was no expectation of a breakthrough.

The Israeli military meanwhile ordered the evacuation of the Zaytoun and Turkoman neighborhoods on the southern edge of Gaza City, an indication that Palestinian militants are still putting up stiff resistance in areas of northern Gaza that the Israeli military said had been largely cleared weeks ago.

Residents said there have been airstrikes and heavy ground fighting in eastern parts of Gaza City over the past two days. The situation is very difficult," said Ayman Abu Awad, who lives in Zaytoun. "We are trapped inside our homes.

A potential 'explosion' of preventable child deaths

The report by the Global Nutrition Cluster, an aid partnership led by UNICEF, says more than 90% of children under 5 in Gaza eat two or fewer food groups a day, known as severe food poverty. A similar percentage are affected by infectious diseases, with 70% experiencing diarrhea in the last two weeks.

More than 80% of homes lack clean and safe water, with the average household having one liter (quart) per person per day, according to the report released Monday.

In Gazas southernmost city of Rafah, where most humanitarian aid enters, the acute malnutrition rate is 5%, compared to 15% in northern Gaza, which has been isolated by the Israeli military and largely cut off from aid for months. Before the war the rate across Gaza was less than 1%, the report said.

The Gaza Strip is poised to witness an explosion in preventable child deaths, which would compound the already unbearable level of child deaths in Gaza, UNICEF official Ted Chaiban said in a statement.

A U.N. report in December found that Gazas entire population of 2.3 million Palestinians is in a food crisis, with a quarter of the population facing starvation.

Israel says it does not restrict the import of humanitarian supplies, but aid groups say delivery within Gaza has been severely hampered by Israeli road closures, ongoing fighting and the breakdown of law and order as Israeli strikes have targeted the Hamas-run police force.

The U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, the main provider of aid in Gaza, said earlier this month that Israel was holding up a food shipment that could feed over a million people. Israel accused 12 employees of the agency of taking part in the Oct. 7 attack, without providing evidence. That led the United States and other major donors to freeze vital funding for the agency, even after it fired the workers and launched an independent investigation.

No end in sight to monthslong war

The war began when Hamas-led militants burst through Israel's formidable border defenses and rampaged across communities in southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 hostage. The militants are still holding some 130 captives, around a fourth of whom are believed to be dead, after most of the rest were released in a prisoner-hostage exchange last year.

Israel responded to the attack with one of the deadliest and most destructive military campaigns in recent history in the tiny coastal enclave, which has been under an Israeli and Egyptian blockade since Hamas seized power from rival Palestinian forces in 2007.

Gaza's Health Ministry said Tuesday that another 103 bodies have been brought to local hospitals in the last 24 hours, bringing the total Palestinian death toll to 29,195. The ministry does not differentiate between fighters and civilians in its records, but says women and children make up two-thirds of those killed. Over 69,000 Palestinians have been wounded in the war, according to the ministry.

Israel says it has killed over 10,000 Palestinian militants but has provided no evidence for its count. The military says it tries to avoid harming civilians and blames the high civilian death toll on Hamas because the militant group fights in dense residential neighborhoods. The military says 237 of its soldiers have been killed since the start of the ground offensive in late October.

___

Magdy reported from Cairo.
Burak Ozcvit, one of the most famous Turkish actors, considered a sex symbol and loved all over the world, disappointed Ukrainian fans with his position. The star of the TV series "The Magnificent Century" and "The King is a Songbird" arrived in Moscow .

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In the terrorist country, the actor will take part in two concerts titled "Music of Turkish TV series" and hold fan meetings with Russian fans. On his InstaStories, Burak posted a photo from the plane, leaving the geolocation "Moscow".

Meanwhile, the propaganda media reports that Ozcvit has already arrived in Moscow. There he was greeted by a choir with the song "Smuglyanka" and bread and salt. In addition, the star was forced to drink a glass of vodka.

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It is reported that tickets for the concerts where the Turkish actor will appear have already been sold out, and their cost reached 50 thousand rubles, or 20.7 thousand hryvnias.

In the Russian Federation, the actor has time to sign autographs and does not seem to be at all concerned about the fact that his actions demonstrate support for the aggressor, who should be boycotted by the entire civilized world.

Not so long ago Ozcvit gave an interview to Kateryna Osadcha, in which he talked about his visits to Kyiv and his love for the Ukrainian capital. Moreover, the actor spoke some words in Ukrainian.

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The interview took place in December 2014, after the annexation of Crimea and the Russian army's invasion of Donbas. At that time, Osadcha asked the star if he was interested in the news from Ukraine and asked him to send some words of support to Ukrainian viewers. He replied: "Peace is extremely important. We have to share the good things. Be brothers, be with each other. God willing, soon we will get good news from Ukraine... Now I am interested in visiting Ukraine. If I have the opportunity, this is one of the first places I would like to go."

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
The Department of Defense is looking for a new home for SpaceXs Starship, launching the process to determine what the environmental impact would be to allow the worlds most powerful rocket to launch from Florida's Space Coast.

Led by the U.S. Air Force, which includes the Space Force, but working with NASA, the Federal Aviation Administration and the U.S. Coast Guard, what is officially called an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) has the most rigorous requirements when weighing the detriments a project might have on its surroundings.

The Air Force detailed its plans for the EIS on a new website: spaceforcestarshipeis.com.

For now SpaceX continues to attempt test launches of the Starship and Super Heavy rocket from its Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas. The company had two launches in 2023 in which the rocket generating more than 16 million pounds of thrust made it off the launch pad, but ultimately ended with the hardware exploding minutes after takeoff both times.

The first of the two launches created so much power on liftoff that it destroyed the launch pad, prompting major changes that ultimately paid off for the second launch, with the pad sustaining little damage. A third attempt to get Starship to complete its suborbital test flight could come before the end of next month.

The sheer power of Starship, though, had NASA raising flags as SpaceX has been constructing a tower at Kennedy Space Centers Launch Pad 39-A to support future Starship flights. This is the same pad where it launches Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches, but more importantly for NASA the only SpaceX launch pad at the time that could support human spaceflight.

That led to SpaceX constructing a second support tower at nearby Cape Canaveral Space Force Stations Space Launch Complex 40 that could support human launches, although it has yet to complete it.

And while SpaceX may one day use KSC for Starship launches, the Space Force is keen to make sure theres no delay in its ability to use the massive rocket for its own purposes.

So the EIC is considering three options.

One is to transition Space Launch Complex 37 after it supports the final United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket mission, expected to fly this summer.

The second is to construct a new launch pad called Space Launch Complex 50 that would be located between SLC 40 and SLC 37 on currently undeveloped land.

The final option is to do nothing.

An EIC process can take years sometimes. It was one of the processes SpaceX officials feared would be required when it was pursuing the rights to launch from Texas at the end of the less rigorous Environmental Assessment under the National Environmental Policy Act.

The next steps in the process are a series of public meetings. The first is on Tuesday, March 5, from 4-7 p.m. at the Catherine Schweinsberg Rood Central Cocoa Library, followed Wednesday, March 6, from 4-7 p.m. at the Titusville Civic Center and Thursday, March 7 from 4-7 p.m. at the Radisson Resort at The Port in Cape Canaveral. A virtual meeting on Tuesday, March 12, at 6 p.m. Eastern is also planned, according to the website.

Starship is SpaceXs planned fully reusable rocket to eventually replace its Falcon family of rockets. Elon Musks goal with the vessel is to enable settlement of Mars eventually, and the rocket has the capacity to fly up to 100 passengers or up to 500,000 pounds of cargo to space, which is more than three times the payload capacity of Falcon Heavy.

The capacity of potential point-to-point flights on Earth, though, that could rapidly deploy cargo or even troops also has the Department of Defense interested in Starships success.

The purpose of pursuing the EIC is to advance U.S. space capabilities and provide launch and landing infrastructure in furtherance of U.S. policy to ensure capabilities necessary to launch and insert (Department of the Air Force) payloads into space, according to the website.

Among the needs listed for finding a new launch site are to ensure access to space without compromising current launch capability, maximize DOD space transportation infrastructure by the private sector, maximize the effectiveness and efficiency of that infrastructure, reduce costs to the DOD and encourage commercial space activities.

The notion that government regulation was hampering SpaceX and other commercial companies progress was the subject of discussion at last months Space Mobility Conference in Orlando hosted by the Space Force.

I really dont get the sense that at this moment in time, were ready  that our government is ready and we need to encourage the appropriate investment and appropriate attention at the national level to enable whats coming, said SpaceX senior advisor Gary Henry, who advised the companys goals to launch hundreds of Starships from several launch pads in the coming years once its up and running.

The call to action was echoed by military members of the panel, including Air Force Col. Gabe Arrington, chief of disruptive technology.

We need to look within ourselves and within our organizations that we represent, and figure out how we can enable this critical capability to be expedited, he said.

_____

2024 Orlando Sentinel. Visit orlandosentinel.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
The White House needs to ask Congress for enough money to reverse an "alarming erosion" of quality of life in the military in its fiscal 2025 budget request, bipartisan leaders from the House Armed Services Committee wrote in a recent letter to President Joe Biden.

In a letter dated Feb. 16 and released publicly Tuesday, the chairmen and ranking members of the full committee and its military quality-of-life subpanel pressed Biden to "focus significantly more attention and resources" on service members' quality of life in its upcoming budget request.

"The committee's quality-of-life inquiry thus far has revealed an alarming erosion of military quality of life that, if not addressed quickly, will soon place the all-volunteer force at risk," Reps. Mike Rogers, R-Ala.; Adam Smith, D-Wash.; Don Bacon, R-Neb.; and Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., wrote in the letter. "Reversing this decline will require a national commitment of resources to address quality-of-life concerns for service members and their families."

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The letter comes after months of work both publicly and privately by the committee's quality-of-life panel, launched last year to examine military pay, housing, health care, child care and spouse employment amid a growing pile of media and watchdog reports of problems in those areas.

The panel, led by Bacon and Houlahan, held several closed-door briefings with key players on a range of quality-of-life issues. It also held an open hearing with civilian officials on housing, and a hearing with the senior enlisted leaders from all the services that ran the gamut of quality-of-life topics. Lawmakers have said they expect the panel to release its findings later this spring with recommendations to include in the annual defense policy bill Congress will consider later this year.

Bacon has warned that some proposed remedies for quality-of-life issues could be costly. For example, raising the basic allowance for housing from 95% of housing costs to 100% to help with housing affordability is estimated to cost $225 million for each percentage point it's raised, Bacon has said.

But lawmakers and military leaders say fixing quality-of-life issues will be essential to reversing an ongoing recruiting crisis and ensuring that service members stay in the military. At the hearing with senior enlisted leaders, all said that reforming military pay and benefits and improving housing conditions should be addressed immediately.

The letter from Rogers, Smith, Bacon and Houlahan comes ahead of the Biden administration's expected release of its fiscal 2025 budget request March 11. The budget is essentially a blueprint of the administration's priorities. It is up to Congress to actually provide the funding.

While the release of the 2025 budget is approaching, Congress has yet to approve full-year funding for fiscal 2024, which started in October.

In their letter, the quartet outlined some of the initial findings of the quality-of-life panel, including that barracks and family housing are plagued with mold, pests and "other unacceptable habitability problems."

Other findings include that pay for junior enlisted service members has not kept pace with pay for officers or civilians, resulting in food and economic insecurity; access to medical care, particularly behavior health care for family members, remains challenging; a nationwide shortage of child care workers is hitting the military particularly hard, especially in high-cost areas such as San Diego and remote places such as Alaska; and spouses are continuing to struggle with employment because of frequent moves, isolated locations and licensure issues.

"Our efforts and forthcoming recommendations, expected in the FY 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), will focus on improving the daily lives of especially the most junior of our service members and their families," the lawmakers wrote. "This is a large, costly undertaking, but it is our moral and national security imperative to support those who serve."

Related: Immediate Action Needed to Boost Military Pay and Improve Housing, Senior Enlisted Leaders Tell Congress
The Cuban Missile Crisis was two decades in the rearview, but in the early 1980s, Cold War tensions between the United States and Soviet Union remained feverishly high.

In particular, 1983 served as a dangerous flashpoint, with the distrust and paranoia between the East and West amped up after the Soviets shot down Korean Air Lines Flight 007 and nearly misinterpreted a NATO exercise simulating a nuclear attack for the real thing. That year also saw the Air Force successfully flight-test the Peacekeeper intercontinental ballistic missile for the first time as the Defense Department sought to develop a mobile ICBM system. U.S. military leaders were playing a game of catch-up, though, because the Soviets already had deployed one. As a 2022 Air & Space Forces Magazine article put it: In 1983, the two nuclear superpowers were like blindfolded boxers careening toward a death match.

The Air Forces Strategic Air Command, which largely oversaw the bombing capability of Americas nuclear weapons from 1946 until 1992, had been trying to implement a mobile ICBM system since 1971, but struggled to reach a consensus on what that would look like. Finally, President Ronald Reagan, who had labeled the Soviet Union the Evil Empire during a March 1983 speech, issued a national security directive on Dec. 19, 1986, to develop the Peacekeeper Rail Garrison program.

A Peacekeeper missile is launched during a test at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, in 1990. (U.S. Air Force photo)

According to a 1992 assessment of the project by Air Force Lt. Col. Terrence G. Crossey, 25 of the military services trains would hold two 71-foot Peacekeepers apiece, totaling 50 missiles overall, with another fifty missiles designated for Minuteman silos. The trains would be located at the programs main operating base, F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming, and garrisons at six other bases, dispersed onto the U.S. rail network only when the strategic alert level hit a certain point.

Under those circumstances, the trains would travel over thousands of miles of the countrys commercial railways, an impressive figure but a fraction of the more than 200,000 miles of track at the time, according to the Association of American Railroads. Along with the Peacekeeper weapons not being concentrated at one site, that mobility would increase the chances exponentially of the stockpile surviving a single strike by the Russians.

Even by ICBM standards, the Peacekeepers were extremely powerful. They were the most advanced and accurate ICBMs in Americas arsenal during the Cold War; while the Minuteman III (the missiles they were supposed to replace but ultimately did not) carried two or three warheads, the Peacekeeper could be fitted with 10 or 12, thus allowing it to strike more targets -- some as far as 7,000 miles away. The first Peacekeeper flight test was conducted at Vandenberg Air Force Base (now Vandenberg Space Force Base) in California in 1983.

Despite the progress on the missiles themselves, opinions about the Rail Garrison project were decidedly mixed among Defense Department officials and in Congress. Through the years, myriad basing options had been considered, including placing the Peacekeepers in submarines or on jets. Not surprisingly, a consensus was hard to achieve in that climate, and as a result, the train-based deployment system never fully received the complete backing of the powers-that-be.

There were other issues -- overly optimistic target dates, the project clashing with other military initiatives as the federal government moved to modernize the armed forces, survivability concerns -- but like so many other things in life, money was a prime concern. Not counting the missiles, the Government Accountability Office estimated the price tag of the Rail Garrison at $7.4 billion (roughly $18.4 billion in todays dollars).

The expense certainly gave Congress pause. In what Crossey, the Air Force lieutenant colonel, described as the first death blow to the program, lawmakers declined to fund the construction of updated facilities at Warren AFB in September 1989. Congress also trimmed financing for research and development for fiscal years 1989 through 1991.

Those hurdles proved too much to overcome. Three years after the Pentagon OKd the Rail Garrison for full development, President George H.W. Bush terminated the program in 1991 as the Soviet Union crumbled and the Cold War ended.

The role of advocacy, or lack of it, essentially doomed the program from the start, Crossey wrote.

While no ICBM made its way onto U.S. railroads, Peacekeepers stayed on until 2005 when they were phased out as part of the Strategic Arms Reduction Talks (START) between the U.S. and Russia. Their warheads were transferred to Minuteman IIIs. The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, obtained a Rail Garrison car in 1994, where it remains on display today.

While the U.S. and Russia had rail-based ICBM launch systems in the past -- the Russians ending theirs in the early 2000s -- North Korea has touted that ability much more recently, as this video from 2021 shows.

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William "Bill" Post, erstwhile bakery manager turned creator of the Pop-Tart, died of heart failure at age 96 on Feb. 10, 2024. Post, who never worked for the Post cereal company but certainly stole its thunder, was also an Army Air Forces veteran who served in occupied Japan after World War II. And although his postwar service is commendable, his breakfast-table creation is probably the most everlasting contribution Post gave the United States.

Kellogg's Pop-Tarts hit grocery store shelves in 1964, four months after rival Post announced the creation of "Country Squares," a fruit-filled breakfast pastry that didn't require refrigeration. But Post didn't send Country Squares to stores right away, giving Kellogg's time to create its own version, its name a twist on the "pop art" movement that famed artist Andy Warhol pioneered that decade. Pop-Tarts were an instant hit. More than 60 years later, the product is owned by Kellogg's spinoff Kellanova, which churns out more than 3 billion of them every year.

'Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story,' about the creation and rise of the Pop-Tart, will debut on Netflix in May 2024. (Netflix)

But not all Pop-Tarts ended up in the toasters of American families. Many of them are used by the United States military often in strategically important ways. In 2009, for example, the U.S. Navy plied Somali pirates holding Capt. Richard Phillips with chocolate Pop-Tarts in order to convince one of them to board the USS Bainbridge and begin negotiating for the release of their hostage.

Before that, however, the shelf-stable toaster pastry was used for a bigger purpose: food aid for the people of Afghanistan.

On Oct. 7, 2001, the United States began launching airstrikes on Afghanistan. The bombing campaign was the prelude to a ground invasion of the country in response to the Sept. 11 attacks and the ruling Taliban's failure to give up Osama bin Laden, who was using the country as a refuge. When the U.S. began its aerial campaign, Afghans were already in a dire humanitarian crisis. Decades of war and internal conflict saw food stores running critically low, massive displaced and undernourished populations and a lack of aid workers to address the problems.

For months following the initial bombing campaign, American aircraft also dropped millions of packets of food, usually in the form of brightly colored humanitarian daily rations. Each one, packed with 2,200 calories of America's finest, could be dropped in even the most remote locations in Afghanistan and required minimal preparation. They included high-calorie, MRE-like staples, including stews, beans, rice and peanut butter. The Pop-Tarts were meant to be an "icebreaker," introducing the Afghan people to American foods.

"I wouldn't be surprised if it was the first time in military history that an attacker delivered humanitarian relief on the very first day of going to war," Michael O'Hanlon, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, told The Baltimore Sun.

Despite the six million Afghans facing hunger at the time, not everyone lauded the U.S. Air Force's efforts to airdrop Pop-Tart-laden food relief. Some said the yellow-colored packets resembled anti-personnel cluster bomblets the United States was dropping on Taliban targets. Others believed the air drops weren't getting to the people who actually needed it, and would never be able to feed everyone. Relief agencies refer to these kinds of donations as "SWEDOW" -- or "stuff we don't want."

"It's quite true that 37,000 rations in a day do not feed millions of human beings," Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld told reporters in 2001. "On the other hand, if you were one of the starving people who got one of the rations, you'd be appreciative."

For U.S. military members deployed overseas, there is no shortage of Pop-Tarts. Even troops who spend long periods in the field will either find "toaster pastry" or branded Pop-Tarts in their MREs, in one of two flavors: frosted brown sugar cinnamon and chocolate chip. Many service members have long believed that MRE Pop-Tarts tasted superior to the store-bought ones, without a clear explanation for why.

As for the history of the Pop-Tart itself, comedian Jerry Seinfeld wrote, produced and starred in an upcoming origin story. "Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story" depicts what Netflix calls the "race to create a pastry that will change the face of breakfast forever. A tale of ambition, betrayal, sugar, and menacing milkmen." It will debut on Netflix on May 3, 2024.

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30-year-old Jyoti Amge from India is the world's shortest woman who stopped growing at the age of three. Today she stands at just 62 centimeters. On January 30 this year, the little beauty announced that she had entered the Influencer Book of World Records.

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Amge announced her new achievement on her personal Instagram page. She has over 1.4 million followers on the platform. With such a large audience, the woman regularly shares her fabulous photo shoots and inspires people to love and accept themselves.

"Success in life is not achieved by those who run fast, but by those who do not stop and are always in motion. The Influencer Book of World Records is a guide that is published annually and contains a list of world records of human achievements," Jyoti captioned the photo with the award.

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The Indian also showed another shot with a certificate confirming that she is an Influencer Book of World Records record holder.

Under the photo, Amge left an inspirational quote from the famous Walt Disney: "All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to go for them."

It is worth noting that Jyoti Amge officially became the Guinness Book of World Records' smallest woman in the world in 2011. Since her birth, the beauty has been suffering from chondrodystrophy, a form of nanism. As a child, the native of Nagpur, India, was not allowed to play with other children because of her fragile body. However, today Jyoti Amge has found a way out of the situation and communicates with people through social media.

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We should also add that in December 2023, Jyoti celebrated her 30th birthday. We made a cake for her that was bigger than she was.

As stated on the record book's website, Influencer Book of World Records has taken the initiative to motivate and value people to showcase their talents and skills by creating and breaking unlimited records in numerous categories on the world stage. Influencer Book of World Records is an exclusive international record book that aims to provide a platform for people who have hidden or undisguised talents, who want to get ahead of others and want to write their name in the golden pages of history by making and accomplishing unique attempts. The Influencer Book of World Records not only certifies the breaking of records by individuals/organizations, but also offers several records for ordinary people to break to make a name for themselves in this competitive world.

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Earlier, OBOZ.UA wrote about the tallest woman in the world. Her height is 2 meters 15 centimeters. When Rumeysa Helga was four months old, she was diagnosed with Weaver's syndrome (a rare genetic disorder that causes excessive growth).

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and in Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
The Cubs are in agreement with free agent first baseman Dominic Smith on a minor league contract, reports Robert Murray of FanSided (X link). Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports that the deal contains a $1.75MM base salary if Smith makes the MLB roster (on X). Murray adds that it could max out at $3.5MM if he hits all the available incentives.

Smith hit free agency when he was non-tendered by the Nationals. Washington signed the former top prospect to a $2MM deal last winter, taking a buy-low flier after Smiths tenure in Queens had fizzled out. The first baseman had flashed significant offensive upside in limited work between 2019-20, hitting .299/.366/.571 in just under 400 plate appearances over that stretch.

Not only has Smith not maintained that form, he has been a below-average hitter in each of the last three seasons. The Mets moved on after the 2022 season. Smith logged a career-high 586 plate appearances a year ago in Washington. He didnt make a huge impact, running a .254/.326/.366 slash. Smith kept his strikeouts to a personal-low 15.5% clip but didnt provide the kind of power expected of a first baseman. He hit 12 homers and tied with Ty France for the lowest slugging mark among primary first basemen (minimum 400 plate appearances).

Murray reports that Smith underwent surgery to address a hamate injury in his wrist in early January. Its unclear precisely when he suffered the injury, although he didnt require any time on the IL a year ago. Murray indicates that Smith is expected to be at full strength by the end of exhibition play.

As is the case with tonights agreement with David Peralta, Chicago adds an experienced left-handed hitter coming off a down year. Both players made contact at better than average rates a year ago, albeit with minimal power. Smith is limited to first base, where hell vie for a job behind offseason trade pickup Michael Busch.
DETROIT -- With a total solar eclipse expected to hit the U.S. on April 8, Delta Airlines is giving travelers a near once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience the phenomenon, but it might already be too late. On Monday, the airline announced a special flight from Austin, Texas to Detroit that is scheduled to depart at just the right time to give passengers a chance to witness the total eclipse from an airplane.

Related story: 3 reasons why the 2024 solar eclipse could be better than 2017

Delta flight 1218 will depart from Austin at 12:15 p.m. CST and land in Detroit at 4:20 p.m. EST in order to give passengers the best chance of safely viewing the solar eclipse at its peak, according to a statement by Delta. The flight path is designed to spend as much time as possible in the path of totality.

This flight is the result of significant collaboration and exemplifies the close teamwork Delta is known for  from selecting an aircraft with larger windows to determining the exact departure time from Austin and the experiences at the gate and in the air, said Eric Beck, Managing Director of Domestic Network Planning. Thanks to teams across the company, the idea of viewing a total eclipse from the air will become a reality for our customers.

Along with timing the flight along with how the eclipse will cross the U.S., the flight will take place on an A220-300 airplane which has extra-large windows, perfect for extended viewings of the eclipse. The total time of the flight is expected to be just over three hours.

Related story: International flight to Detroit turns around after maggots fall on woman

Although the flight was announced Monday, as of 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, two seats remained available for purchase at a price tag of $1,129 per one-way seat. The Detroit Free Press reported Monday afternoon that main cabin seats were originally priced at $579 per ticket. Main cabin seats for the very next Delta flight from Austin-to Detroit on April 8 are priced at $329 per one-way seat.

Along with the Austin-to-Detroit flight, five other Delta flights on April 8 are expected to offer prime views of the eclipse including a flight departing from Detroit Metro Airport. Delta flight 5699 departs Detroit at 2:59 p.m. and lands in White Plains, New York at 4:42 p.m. Seats for that flight are still available, but its worth noting that the flight is not expected to be in the path of totality.

The other four flights are:

DL 924, LAX-DFW, 8:40 am PST departure, A320

DL 2869, LAX-SAT, 9:00 am PST departure, A319

DL 1001, SLC-SAT, 10:08 am MST departure, A220-300

DL 1683, SLC-AUS, 9:55 am MST departure, A320

And while Delta is offering the special flight experience, the company is also warning passengers that it cannot guarantee the flight will maximize its time in the path of totality. Factors such as weather or air-traffic control could impact departure or arrival times and impact the amount of time within the path.
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO -- A Detroit man is expected to be arraigned Tuesday on murder charges in connection with a double-fatal shooting that took place Friday in his dorm room. According to the Colorado Springs Police Department, Nicholas Jordan, 25, was arrested Monday morning and lodged at the El Paso County Jail, three days after he allegedly shot and killed his roommate and another person.

The University of Colorado-Colorado Springs Police Department was called to a dormitory on campus around 6 a.m. Friday for reports of shots fired. Upon arrival, they found a deceased male and a deceased female inside before contacting Colorado Springs Police Department for assistance.

An investigation began and police later that evening obtained a warrant for Jordans arrest on two charges of first-degree murder. Police searched for Jordan for more than two days before finally arresting him around 8:37 a.m. Monday when Jordan was spotted in a vehicle.

The victims have been identified as 26-year-old Celie Rain Montgomery of Pueblo, Colorado and Samuel Knopp, 24, of Parker, Colorado. MSNBC reported Tuesday morning that officials have confirmed Knopp and Jordan were roommates at the time of the shooting. School officials have confirmed Jordan was enrolled as a student at the college along with Knopp.

Jordan is currently being held on $1 million bond until his appearance in court Tuesday.
ANN ARBOR, MI - Demarion Williams doesnt hold back when he opens up the Soundtrap music application students at Pattengill Elementary School use to create music during class.

The fourth-grader tinkers with the different beats, drops and fades that have set his music apart and earned him recognition at the 2024 Young Composers of Michigan Premier Concert for an original musical composition he created in music class last year.

I really wanted to show out, Demarion said. I was just thinking of things and I was just closely listening to the beats.

Demarions then-third grade teacher John Churchville first heard his composition DW when he offered to play it during one of the sharing days where students can update what theyve been working on with the Soundtrap music creation program.

Churchville was impressed with Demarions attention to detail and suggested he submit the composition for the 2024 Young Composers of Michigan premiere concert.

The concert, run by the Michigan Music Education Association, highlights standout musical work by K-12 students from across the state. The goal of the concert is to support the development of Michigans K-12 students as creators, producers and performers.

Compositions are reviewed by professional musicians and mentors during the summer, and only a select few are chosen to be featured each January at the Michigan Music Conference.

Out of a record number of submissions this year, 9-year-old Demarions piece was one of 14 selected, making him one of the youngest honorees, as well as the only student from Ann Arbor Public Schools recognized this year. You can listen to DW, his composition, here.

Demarion was initially hesitant about entering the piece. He even went so far as to decline his mother Shalea Harpers invitation to enter it for him. But Harper entered it anyway - a decision Demarion is now happy she made.

He loves the sound of music, Harper said. But for him, actually play something or creating something - I was surprised on that one. I listen to it and I was, of course, quite shocked.

Demarion said the experience of hearing his music and seeing others listen to and appreciate it was intense.

It felt very exciting and kind of nerve-wracking, he said. It felt good to hear something that I composed.

When students work to create music with the Soundtrap program, which is provided by the district, Churchville only asks that their compositions have a beginning, middle and end.

DW had those elements, Churchville said, while also showing a mature ear and understanding of the form of a song.

Another thing that stuck out was that he used an advanced technique called automation, where he was turning down volumes when things sounded unbalanced, Churchville said. He really demonstrated a very mature and deep sense of listening while he was while he was creating.

Beyond the qualities of the composition, Churchville was proud of Demarion for sharing his work with the rest of the class. Thats what sharing days are about, after students spend time using the music creation tools at their disposal in the Soundtrap program on creatin days.

Thats really where the circuitry of the creativity gets wired into the culture of the school, because they hear what other students are doing and they ask questions about how they did it, Churchville said.

While he plans to continue to create music through the music creation software, Demarion says he also plans to stay connected to music in other ways. He has started to play the recorder and would like to start playing the violin next year.

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YPSILANTI, MI - Residents in an Ypsilanti neighborhood near Depot Town may see water service disruption on Wednesday, city officials said.

A water main in the area is being temporarily shut off between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Feb. 21, affecting businesses and residences on High Street from North Park Street to North Grove Street, according to a city construction notice.

Residents in the area may lose water pressure for a short time, officials said.

A city of Ypsilanti map shows an area near Depot Town that may be affected by a water main shutoff scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 21, 204.City of Ypsilanti

The project is near the work zone for the in-progress Dorsey Estates development, bringing 46 units and for-sale affordable housing to the neighborhood.

High Street and North Park Street will also be temporarily off-limits to through traffic, according to the city announcement. The contractor for the project will provide written notice to affected parties within 24 hours of the shutdown, officials said.

The notification will also include a 48-hour precautionary boil water advisory, a common practice when public water systems lose pressure.

The contractor will test water and, upon the third consecutive negative bacteriological test, officials will provide written notice to residents withdrawing the boil water notice, according to the city.

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FLINT, MI  A 2-year-old girl is recovering at a local hospital after shooting herself in the face with an unsecured gun, authorities said Tuesday, Feb. 20.

The incident took place around 7:15 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 14, in the 6000 block of Cloverlawn Drive in Flint, police previously told MLive-The Flint Journal.

After the child was taken to Hurley Medical Center by family members, police were called to the hospital.

When officers arrived, they found the girl had a gunshot wound to her head. Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton said during a Tuesday press conference that the girl shot herself in the right eye and the bullet exited the rear of her skull. Doctors believe she will lose her right eye.

She remains in critical condition, Leyton said.

A search warrant was executed at the Cloverlawn home where the incident took place. Investigators with the Flint Major Crimes Unit, comprised of Michigan State Police and Flint police detectives, found blood on the floor of the living room as well as on a couch near the front entrance to the home.

The blood appeared to be coming from a front bedroom, Leyton explained. Inside the room, authorities found two unsecured handguns on a bed  a revolver and a semi-automatic pistol. Both had live ammunition inside them.

Leyton said the revolver had one spent casing; a single bullet hole was found in the ceiling.

He announced charges against the childs father, 43-year-old Michael Tolbert, filing charges under Michigans new safe storage laws that went into effect on Feb. 13. The gun used in the shooting incident belonged to Tolbert, Leyton said.

Tolbert was arraigned Monday on nine felonies, including single counts of first-degree child abuse, the safe storage violation, felon in possession of a firearm, felon in possession of ammunition, lying to a peace officer in a violent crime investigation and four counts of felony firearm.

The most severe of the charges is punishable by up to life in prison.
OTTAWA COUNTY, MI  A man was airlifted from the scene of a crash Tuesday, Feb. 20, on I-196 near Zeeland, sheriffs deputies said.

Police closed westbound I-196 by Adams Street in Holland Township while an Aero Med helicopter landed on the highway.

The crash happened just before 10 a.m. on westbound I-196. A 32-year-old Grand Rapids man was driving a 2015 Chevrolet work truck west on I-196 when it left the road and struck a tree.

The driver was pinned in the pickup until he was freed by Holland Township firefighters. He was flown to Corewell Health Butterworth Hospital.

His name was not released. He was wearing a seat belt, police said.

Ottawa County Sheriffs Department is investigating the crash.
KENT COUNTY, MI  After years of working in the restaurant industry, Thaer Al-Abboudis lifelong dream is quickly being realized with the speedy expansion of his local, fast-casual Mediterranean restaurant.

Al-Abboudi opened his first 616 Kabob Stop Express at 10897 48th Ave. Suite B100 in Allendale in November 2022 so he could serve his family recipes to the West Michigan region.

Now, Al-Abboudi has two restaurants under his belt in under a years time, after opening his second 616 Kabob Stop, at 2232 Plainfield Ave. NE in Grand Rapids, this past October.

RELATED: Michigans Best Local Eats: Try the best falafel in Grand Rapids at 616 Kabob Stop

Its kind of a funny story because the Plainfield location was meant to be the first one, he said. It took a while for us to get that one up and going. The building needed a little bit more work than I expected.

Al-Abboudi, who was raised in the U.S., said he has roots in Iraq but has also lived in Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates.

He told MLive/The Grand Rapids Press that 616 Kabob Stop is all about serving food from scratch, with most of the menu inspired by family recipes.

Ive always had an entrepreneur mindset and honestly, I kind of got sick of going to certain restaurants and I wasnt getting what I was used to, he said. In most restaurants, they buy premade seasoning thats always mixed, but we make our own.

Customers can expect a fusion of Mediterranean food and various other cultures, from homemade grape leaves and chicken shawarma pita wraps to savory falafel dishes and tacos.

Since the first spot opened in 2022, its been a hit. The Allendale restaurant won the 2023 Falafel Throwdown last July from EatGR, a Grand Rapids food blog.

Everybodys been loving it, Al-Abboudi said. I had a customer come in for the first time, and theyre like, Ive never had falafel like this. The last time I had a falafel like this was when I visited New York.

So that makes me very happy.

Al-Abboudi said the plan is to make the new Plainfield location into a 616 Kabob Stop Express, just like the Allendale spot, so customers can look forward to more delicious meals.

He told MLive what makes both fast-casual spots stand out is not only the quality of the food and a halal menu but the customer service as well.

Thats what keeps me going  its what Im hearing from our customers, and Im loving it, he said.

For more information, visit www.616kabobstopexpress.com.

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It is widely believed that adults should not drink milk because their stomachs cannot digest it. The reason for this is mostly called lactose intolerance, but scientists have found that the root of the problem is actually hidden in the gene mutations of cows.

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They occurred thousands of years ago and divided these animals into two types: bad A1 and good A2, and milk, respectively, is "aggressive" and "gentle" for the human body, UNIAN reports. Experts say that the latter is already available on the shelves of even Ukrainian stores, so everyone can consume milk without harm.

"From time immemorial, evolutionary cloven-hoofed animals have produced only A2. It's wild, ancient, and everyone is designed for it. That is, it is the milk of buffaloes, goats, African cows and Asian cows. But somewhere in Antalya, Turkey, a mutation in DNA occurred," explained Viktor Dosenko, professor, doctor of medical sciences, head of the Department of General and Molecular Pathophysiology at the Bogomolets Institute of Physiology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.

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According to him, since then, cows have been divided into A1, A2, and a mixed hybrid (A1A2). No one had ever known about this mutation, let alone even guessed about it until the early 2000s. That is, until scientists in New Zealand and Australia began to investigate why not all people can drink cow's milk.

At first, they explained everything by lactose intolerance. But only a small number of people have this problem, emphasized gastroenterologist Lilia Yamroz. She added that lactose intolerance should not be confused with an allergy to the product.

What is the peculiarity of A1 milk and is there A2 in Ukraine?

It turned out that there is a small but very significant difference in cow's milk for the human digestive system. It is hidden in the protein betacasein, a protein that affects the digestion and perception of the product itself.

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After drinking unhealthy A1 milk, which is produced only by mutated cows, the human body will signal that it does not want it. As a result, betacasomorphine is formed in the intestines, and skin eczema, diarrheal syndrome, and constipation may appear.

It is known that Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, India, China, and the Philippines have already partially or completely switched to good cow's milk of type A2.

Ukraine still has the largest number of cows that produce A1 milk. The Institute of Physiology studied the DNA of 2000 cattle. There were 65% of A1 and mixed-type cows, and 35% of "correct" A2 cows.

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It takes 5-6 years to switch completely to A2. This is beneficial for farms and producers who will have more people buying their milk. Of course, there are those who don't care what kind of milk they drink. It's all about the peculiarities of everyone's digestive system, which also change throughout life. But scientists are confident that those who have never looked at milk before will now be able to drink A2.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Under 1,000 voters in Kent and Ottawa counties took part in early, in-person voting this weekend ahead of the Feb. 27 presidential primary.

During the first two days of early voting on Saturday, Feb. 17, and Sunday, Feb. 18, Kent County saw 695 voters cast their ballot in person and Ottawa County saw 269.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI  A local gallery is hosting an art show featuring the work of the late artist James Karsina to raise funds in support of Grand Rapids Public Schools art education programs.

The art show will take place from 5-7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 20, at LaFontsee Galleries, 833 Lake Dr. SE in Grand Rapids. LaFontsee Galleries is hosting the event in partnership with the GRPS Foundation, the nonprofit fundraising partner for the Grand Rapids school district.

Karsina was a well-known Grand Rapids artist who taught at Aquinas College for 37 years. He died in 2019 at the age of 82, according to his obituary.

The exhibition will feature a variety of artwork from the course of Karsinas impressive career, according to a news release about the event.

Prices of the art collection ranges from $20 to $8,000, allowing for a wide availability to gain remarkable art at affordable prices, the release said.

Fifty percent of the proceeds from all artwork sold at the event will go directly to support arts educational initiatives for GRPS students, according to the events website. You can also purchase Karsinas artwork online, and half of the proceeds will benefit GRPS through Friday, March 15.

James work is inspirational and vibrant, said Stephanie Andrews, president and CEO of the GRPS Foundation. We are honored that LaFontsee and his family decided to partner with us for such an important cause. He was a beloved fixture in the arts community of Grand Rapids.

Kate Meyer, owner of the LaFontsee Gallery, thanked the Karsina familys contribution to arts programming at GRPS in the artists honor.

Jim was not only a professional artist, he was also an art educator at Aquinas College for over 37 years, so he is very dear to our community, Meyer in a prepared statement.

Community members, teachers, families and students are invited to attend the Feb. 20 event. You do not have to RSVP to attend. More information about the event can be found here.
This story has been updated with additional detail from police.

OTTAWA COUNTY, MI  A man was shot Tuesday, Feb. 20, in the Walmart parking lot in Holland Township, Ottawa County sheriffs deputies said.

A 47-year-old man suffered a gunshot wound to his leg. The injury is not believed to be life-threatening, police said.

Sheriffs deputies responded around 11:45 a.m. to a residence in the 300 block of East Lakewood Boulevard on a report of a shooting. Police were then told that the shooting had just occurred in the nearby Walmart parking lot on North Park Drive.

Investigators later determined the man had a handgun at the time of the incident when he met with other people in a nearby retail parking lot, police said. Investigators believe the man accidentally shot himself in the leg and then returned home to await paramedics, police said.

The injured man was taken by ambulance to an area hospital for treatment. He was later discharged.

Police continue to investigate at the scene and said there are no known threats to the public.

Sheriffs deputies expect to provide updated information. No arrests have been reported.
EAST GRAND RAPIDS, MI - An East Grand Rapids Mexican fusion restaurant will be going through a makeover this weekend to inhabit the magical world of Harry Potter.

Joe Babushkas, located at 2232 Wealthy St. SE, is inviting fans into a wizarding wonderland on Friday, Feb. 23 through Saturday, Feb. 24, for an immersive experience like no other.

Whether youre a Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, or Hufflepuff, all witches and wizards are welcome to don their best attire and join in on the fun from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. both days.

Our culinary wizards have conjured up a menu that would make even Professor Snape crack a smile, the event website states. Grab your wands, gather your wizarding friends, and come make memories that would make the Weasley twins jealous.

The Hogwarts meets East Grand Rapids event will feature a limited menu specially crafted for the occasion, from butterbeer delights to Aunt Patoonias Tacos, transporting any fan of the series to the school of wizardry.

Ren Rardin, general manager at Jose Babushkas, said the event is something Gaslight Village restaurants have been hosting for over six years, complete with the annual Yule Ball at East Grand Rapids High School on Saturday.

Each restaurant that makes up Gaslight Village will be transforming its space into well-known spots from the series, like Jose Bubushkas Leaky Cauldron, which represents the popular wizarding pub and inn at the entrance to Diagon Alley in the book series.

All the different restaurants that participate kind of decorate and get into the whole Harry Potter spirit, Rardin said. Our vibe is the Leaky Cauldron, so we put a sign up of the Leaky Cauldron for the weekend, we decorate, hang candles, and switch our menu to Harry Potter-themed.

About 200 people dressed in their wizardry robes and holding their wands are expected to show up for the annual event, he said.

There will be plenty of drinks representing each Harry Potter House, with meals that pay homage to the popular series, from Muggle Market Vegetables to Queso Youre a Wizard, Harry!

Rardin told MLive/The Grand Rapids Press that the event is meant for the whole community to participate, whether youre just getting into the books as a kid or a lifelong fan as an adult.

Its just a fun Harry Potter-themed weekend, he said. Its going to be a huge thing, especially now that we are a social district. So thats going to be a great impact  bringing in more people from outside the community to enjoy Gaslight Village and see what it has to offer.

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KALAMAZOO, MI -- A $5 million plan to transform a downtown Kalamazoo park is back in motion, despite a small group of protesters at City Hall who said money should instead go toward helping homeless people.

After more than 25 public comments and almost two hours of discussion, the Kalamazoo City Commission voted 5-2 to add a controversial $1.6 million line item back into the budget.

The $1.6 million is part of a $5.1 million renovation of the Arcadia Creek Festival Place, 145 E. Water St. The citys contribution is contingent on a $2 million grant from the state and another $1 million from local foundations and philanthropists.

The funding was removed from the budget in January. On Feb. 5, Assistant City Manager Rebekah Kik presented details to the commission for reconsideration. She clarified that the plans, which had been in the works since 2021, do not include fencing in the site.

Putting a permanent fence around the park was controversial, as the park is currently a place many homeless people gather.

Hours before voting took place, a group of 30 students, activists, homeless individuals and one dog gathered in front of City Hall with bullhorns and handmade signs.

Protesters gather on the steps of Kalamazoo City Hall on Feb. 19, 2024.Audrey Whitaker | MLive.com

We, as a group, feel that the the project itself is an extension of the citys attempts to basically try to exile and police the homeless, We the People Michigan organizer Tristen Jessup said. We disagree with the park plan itself, but we also disagree with where these funds are coming from.

The funding comes from the citys COVID-19 relief budget, via the American Rescue Plan Act. City CFO Steven Vicenzi and Commissioner Chris Praedel said the city has worked with an ARPA advisor to make sure the renovation meets federal government guidelines for the use of these funds.

In the guidelines, it talks about investments in communities to promote improve health outcomes ... such as parks and recreation facilities, Vicenzi said.

Protesters felt the $1.6 million could be used to provide direct financial aid to those most impacted by the pandemic, Jessup said.

Preliminary plans for the $5.1 million of phase one renovations include an amphitheater by the creek, a creative play area, updated lighting, electrical utilities and plumbing, the demolition and reconstruction of a stage and pedestrian bridge and the addition of a lawn and promenade.

Future plans include a community event pavilion and housing on the parks north end.

Map of the festival site after proposed phase one renovations are complete. Includes space for possible housing or retail space in phase two. Illustrations by JJ Zanetta.City of Kalamazoo

These updates are not only structurally necessary, Kik said, but would attract events and visitors to the site, spurring visitor spending and creating a space for the community to use every day.

It should become a community park -- thats how it wants to be used, Kik said. Right now, it feels like it cant be that active space.

The commissions approval will allow the city to hire a consultant and connect with people in Kalamazoo about plans for the site, Kik said. Spending on each piece of the project must still come to the City Commission for approval.

Commissioners Stephanie Hoffman and Don Cooney voted against funding the project, in favor of taking direct action to help homeless residents. Though Kik said the city has spent $28.9 million on housing since 2020, Hoffman said its not enough.

Weve spent almost $29 million in the housing sector, which is phenomenal, Hoffman said. But we still have an issue with people not being able to access quality and affordable permanent housing. We have an issue where theres a group of people that we have not invested in.

Though disappointed in the decision, Jessup said she is sure there will be an ongoing discussion about the project.

Transforming the park is not a housing discussion, Mayor David Anderson said. Renovating the park while outside funding is available is something the commission must take on while continuing to find housing solutions in Kalamazoo, Praedel said.

I will agree with you is that its absolutely not enough, we need to do more, we all agree about that, Praedel said. Were not just the affordable housing commission, were the Kalamazoo City Commission, and we have 50 different issues ... that were all tackling and grappling with.

After voting, Commissioner Qianna Decker asked the city attorneys office to report back to the commission on rent control. Though not legal in Michigan, Decker said she is interested in learning more about why other Michigan officials are pushing for it.

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KALAMAZOO, MI  Kalamazoo Township Manager Dexter Mitchell was placed on leave over 10 months ago as the Michigan State Police began an investigation into whether he had illegally recorded a private meeting.

On Feb. 15, Mitchell was arraigned in Kalamazoo County District Court on a felony charge of eavesdropping  installing a device. He has a preliminary hearing scheduled for March 5, according to court records.

A person can be punished with up two years in prison and fined $2,000 on a felony eavesdropping charge in the state of Michigan.

Mitchell, who remains listed on the Kalamazoo Township website as the township manager, was issued a $500 personal recognizance bond from Kalamazoo County District Judge Richard Santoni.

RELATED: Kalamazoo Township manager allegedly eavesdropped on attorney-client meeting, police report says

According to an investigative report from the Michigan State Police, Mitchell, 54, allegedly recorded a closed attorney-client meeting on March 3, 2023, that he was not invited to attend.

The Kalamazoo Gazette/MLive received the report in July 2023 via a Freedom of Information Act request.

Mitchell, according to the report, told state police investigators that he thought the meeting  between township attorneys and board members  was about him because of his decision to fire former fire chief David Obreiter and former battalion chief Matt Mulac over a personnel matter in September 2022.

As a result of the firings, Mitchells job came under heavy scrutiny in late 2022 and early 2023.

RELATED: Supervisory actions, communication top criticisms of Kalamazoo Township manager in board evaluation

RELATED: Kalamazoo Township manager evaluation spells out strengths and shortcomings

According to the state police report, the March 3, 2023 meeting occurred at 3 p.m.

Supervisor Don Martin told Mitchell beforehand that he was not needed at the meeting. Mitchell showed up anyway and was asked to leave, according to the MSP report.

Before Mitchell left, township attorney Kurt McCammon asked Mitchell if he was recording, to which Mitchell shook his head no, the police report said.

The report does not say what the attorney-client meeting was about. Also in attendance at the meeting were attorney Roxanne Seeber and the full Kalamazoo Township Board of Trustees at the time: Martin, Mark Miller, Sherine Miller, Steve Leuty, Clara Robinson, Ashley Glass and Lisa Moaiery (Mackie), per the police report.

RELATED: Future of Kalamazoo Township managers job, position in general, under scrutiny

Just after 8 p.m. that night, a maintenance worker saw Mitchell return to the township hall and stay for about 10 minutes, the report states. The worker informed Martin, who then asked Kalamazoo Township Police Chief Bryan Ergang to pull video footage from inside the township hall.

The footage, according to the report, is grainy, but appears to show Mitchell go into the meeting room shortly before the meeting. Mitchell is seen standing and bending by a table before walking out. He is then seen returning to the room around 8 p.m., kneeling by the table and then walking out, the report said.

Mitchells key card and alarm code were used around 8 p.m. that night, the report confirmed.

There were very few people in the building before the meeting because Martin had sent employees home early in advance of a forecasted snowstorm, the report said.

After footage was reviewed, Martin contacted state police on March 23, 2023 to ask for an investigation.

On April 10, 2023, Michigan State Police responded to township hall to locate Mitchell and then went with Mitchell to search his home in nearby Oshtemo Township.

RELATED: State police search home of Kalamazoo Township manager

At the home, police located a recording device, according to the report. Police pulled two recordings off the device but had not listened to them at the time the report was obtained by MLive.

Mitchell was placed on leave immediately on April 10 after his interview with MSP.

During the April 10 interview, Mitchell told state police that he was normally involved in meetings like the one that occurred on March 3. (Mitchell) said that he felt that there were some underhanded things going on and so yes, he did record it, state police wrote in the report.

Mitchell first told state police investigators that he came back to the township hall because he thought the meeting was about him and he wanted to pack up personal items, the report said.

Mitchell said after receiving a call from McCammon he decided to not pack up his items.

Prior to being hired by Kalamazoo Township in 2016, Mitchell had served as township manager for Buena Vista Township in Saginaw County. Mitchell is originally from Saginaw.

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CASS COUNTY, MI -- Niles Community Schools Superintendent Dan Applegate announced the end of his superintendency at a Monday, Feb. 19, school board meeting.

Applegate, 54, has served as superintendent for nine years. Hell continue in the role until January 2025 to assist the school board as it selects a new superintendent, according to a press release from the district.

Serving the remarkable students, families, teachers and staff of Niles Community Schools has been an immense honor, and Im proud of the progress weve achieved during my years with the district, Applegate said in the release.

Applegate was selected as the districts superintendent in 2015. Through his tenure, Applegate guided the district through academic achievement, community partnerships and improved school infrastructure, according to the release.

The district will be selecting a consulting firm to assist in the search for the next superintendent at a board meeting at 6 p.m. on March 4.

Id like to thank the community for their unwavering partnership, Applegate said. I am confident that the next superintendent  in collaboration with the exceptional teachers and staff we are fortunate to have across the district  will continue to provide students and families with the high-quality education and support services that they have come to expect.

Applegate has provided steady leadership to the district, Niles Community Schools Board President Kyle Zelmer said.

While we are sad to see Dr. Applegates tenure come to an end, we appreciate his support during this transition, Zelmer said.

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KALAMAZOO, MI -- Paula Termuhlen is no longer the dean of the Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine.

WMed announced Termuhlen and the university parted ways, on Monday, Feb. 19, according to a press release. The schools Board of Directors has appointed Robert G. Sawyer, senior associate dean for research, to serve as the interim dean.
MUSKEGON, MI -- Ahead of its 10th anniversary, Pigeon Hill Brewing Company is bringing back a piece of Muskegon history.

The brewery is launching Lake State Beer  the first beer to be brewed in Muskegon after prohibition was repealed in 1933, according to a news release. At the time, the brewing company was Grand Rapids Brewing replacing Muskegon Brewing Company.

The inaugural beer under the new brand will be a 4.5% ABV American Lager called Lake State Lager.

Lake State Lager embodies the spirit of Muskegons brewing history and the beers that built our local breweries before the advent of modern craft. Celebrating our 10th Anniversary with this remarkable addition to our portfolio feels like coming full circle, said Michael A. Brower, Chief Brand Officer at Pigeon Hill Brewing Company.

The Lake State Beer collection will add to Pigeon Hills taplist of Oatmeal Creme Pie, Salted Caramel Porter, Renny DIPA, and Donut Stop Believin, among others.

The official launch of Lake State Lager is scheduled for March 2024, aligning with Pigeon Hill Brewing Companys 10th Anniversary.

Samples will be available at the anniversary parties March 22- 23. After the release, Lake State Lager will be available year-round throughout Michigan in cans and draft.
MUSKEGON COUNTY, MI  An online survey seeks opinions about the Muskegon County Airport, including preferred plane sizes and connecting airports.

The airport currently offers five daily round-trip flights to Chicago OHare Airport. But the flights offered by Southern Airways Express are on small turbo-prop planes and the survey seeks input on whether fewer flights on bigger planes would be better.
Polish Minister of Agriculture Czeslaw Sekerski warned farmers protesting on the border with Ukraine that the complete closure of the border (not only of car traffic, but also of railways and access to seaports) planned for February 20 could backfire on them. In particular, this could result in a halt to Polish exports to Ukraine and, consequently, the loss of many jobs.

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In addition, he recognized that the protesters were causing trouble for Polish society. He urged them to minimize this, Polsat News reports.

At the same time, Sekerski said that "regulation of trade in agricultural products with Ukraine is one of the priorities of the ministry." The ban on imports of a number of products to Poland remains in effect. These are:

cereals;

rapeseed and sunflower seeds;

wheat flour

bran

oilcake.

"Sekerski said that his ministry wants to develop a bilateral agreement with Ukraine that would expand the scope of market protection. It would include other sensitive products, such as sugar, poultry, eggs, some fruits, honey, apple juice, and oils," the statement said.

In addition, he emphasized, his ministry also intends to hold talks with the protesters. "We would like our joint work to result in an agreement on solving current problems and developing a program for the future," the minister said.

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Poland is dissatisfied with trade with Ukraine

At the same time, Sekerski said that in 2022, Poland recorded a trade surplus with Ukraine. It amounted to 3.5 million euros.

However, in 2023, the country exported 1.033 billion euros worth of agricultural products to Ukraine, while importing 1.69 billion euros. "So, there is a deficit of 656 million euros," he said.

Why Poles are blocking the border

The main reason for farmers' protests across Europe is dissatisfaction with the Green Deal. These are the rules that oblige all farmers in the EU to gradually abandon pesticides and fertilizers that are harmful to the environment, as well as to comply with strict requirements and gradually switch to the production of "healthy" products.

However, the Poles decided to deal with the supply from Ukraine at the same time. That is why they plan to end the protests against the Green Deal inside Poland on February 19, and to close the borders with Ukraine on February 20. At the border with Ukraine, they will demand "an end to uncontrolled imports of agricultural products from Ukraine" and the abolition of the Green Deal.

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Of course, Ukraine has nothing to do with the Green Deal in the EU (after membership, these rules will apply to us). The claims about "uncontrolled exports of agricultural products" are also questionable. In fact, most grain transits through Poland, Iryna Kosse, an infrastructure expert, explained to OBOZ.UA.

The Poles are unhappy that Ukrainian grain is much cheaper than Polish grain. Farmers in Ukraine do not have to comply with strict "green" standards, work on large areas, with more fertile land, and also pay salaries that are several times lower than in Poland. All this seems to make Polish products more expensive: they cannot compete with Ukraine.

"Ukrainian farmers will always find understanding with Polish farmers, it's Polish lobbyists who can't reach an agreement with Ukrainian farmers," says Mykola Stryzhak, president of the Association of Farmers and Private Landowners of Ukraine. According to him, the "corridor" for Ukrainian agricultural products through Poland existed primarily to enable Ukrainian farmers to export goods to countries that need them, together with their Polish counterparts.

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The representative of Ukrainian farmers partially agrees with his Polish colleagues. Indeed, cheap Ukrainian grain, whose price is already approaching the cost of production, is more attractive to buyers. But even if there were abuses, they certainly cannot affect the situation with Polish prices.

The information about "uncontrolled imports" is a manipulation used by Polish politicians. Like any other country, Poland has its own groups of Eurosceptics who would be happy to lead protests against the EU's "green rules," and there are those who have ties to Russia and are ready to destabilize relations with Ukraine.

As previously reported by OBOZ.UA, blocking transport - in particular, buses with passengers - at the Polish border will have severe socio-political consequences for both countries. Moreover, it is a direct threat to the security of the defending country.

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Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Russian former mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Vyacheslav Vasilevsky expressed confidence in the victory of Oleksandr Usyk (21-0, 14 KOs) over Tyson Fury (34-0-1, 24 KOs). The six-time world combat sambo champion noted that the Ukrainian will have the experience of a long amateur career on his side, which makes him more skilled.

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Vasilevsky said this in an interview with the propaganda outlet Rossiyskaya Gazeta, commenting on the fight to be held on May 18. The athlete, who has fought 45 fights in MMA (36 victories), added that Usyk is simply driving Fury around the ring and should win on points.

"Fury is a technical and unconventional boxer. But, as for me, Usyk will win. It will be difficult for Fury to do anything with him. Usyk always comes to fights incredibly charged, he has a higher level. And it's hard to do anything with his technique and class, provided that Usyk doesn't get tired. The fight promises to be competitive. Usually, you can't find the keys to Usyk, but here Fury is a very unconventional boxer. Plus his size. In general, it will be difficult for Usyk, but he will take the fight on points," Vasilevsky said.

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The fight between Alexander and Tyson was originally scheduled for February 17, but the Gypsy King suffered a cut during sparring two weeks before the show. The Manchester native apologized for his injury, and a video of the incident was posted online.

The Briton also made a statement about the end of his career. The main reasons why Fury will not be able to refuse to enter the ring against the Ukrainian again were named.

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When asked about the fake nature of the injury, Usyk criticized the Gypsy King. In addition, fans reacted angrily to the situation. Usyk's trainer Sergey Lapin named a boxer who would replace Tyson in case of his absence from the ring.

The incident was also commented on by Croatian boxer Agron Smakic (20-2, 18 KOs), who dealt Fury the ill-fated blow. But ex-champion Carl Froch called the British fighter's injury suspicious.

Bookmakers reacted unexpectedly to the postponement of the Usyk-Fury fight, changing one of the quotes on its outcome. Two conditions were also revealed that the Ukrainian demanded to fulfill when he agreed to postpone his return to the ring on February 17. In addition, the media announced Tyson and Oleksandr's fees for the show.

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As OBOZ.UA previously reported, promoter Oleksandr Krasiuk shared Oleksandr Usyk's plans after he fights Tyson Fury. In addition, it became known when the Briton will return to training. In his turn, former welterweight champion Steve Cunningham gave an unexpected reason why Usyk will beat Fury.

Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Don't fall for fakes!
Japan plans to launch a digital nomadic visa by the end of March 2024, which will allow citizens of 49 other countries to stay in Japan for up to 6 months. The idea is to allow people to travel and work remotely from anywhere in the world. With its bustling cities, beautiful scenery, and pop culture, Japan is ideal for combining work and leisure.

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The countries whose citizens can apply for a nomadic visa include those that have signed a tax treaty with Japan or do not have a visa regime. Among them are all EU countries, as well as Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Moldova, Monaco, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom, Australia, Singapore, South Korea, and the United States, Euronews reports.

To get any visa, you need to have a stable income. For Japan, to be eligible for a nomadic visa, the level of income must be more than 10 million Japanese yen ($67.5 thousand or 2.5 million hryvnias) per year.

It can be obtained by highly qualified specialists and IT industry workers. This is because the country is trying to "rejuvenate" its population with the help of foreign workers, whose number is increasing every year.

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However, it will be granted mainly for "established activities," including freelancers or people working remotely for companies outside Japan. It is expected that even YouTube bloggers who receive income from foreign advertisers will be able to obtain a nomadic visa.

Having private health insurance is one of the main factors when applying for a visa. Children and partners of travelers are also required to have insurance. However, the applicant will not be able to obtain a residence permit and will not be able to rent housing for a long time.

It is worth noting that the nomadic visa will allow remote workers to stay in the country for up to six months, which is twice as long as the current visa-free short-term travel. Technically, it is forbidden to work even remotely with a regular visa in Japan.
On the border between Ukraine and Poland, at the Rava-Ruska-Hrebenne checkpoint, Polish protesters stopped a passenger bus. Moreover, one of the passengers was detained by unknown persons. Ukraine officially demands a response from the Polish government.

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The incident was reported by the Minister of Community Development, Territories and Infrastructure Oleksandr Kubrakov."The situation is already starting to get out of control and beyond the limits of a civilized protest. There are women and children on the bus who cannot be held hostage to any protest. I emphasized this during a conversation with Jacek Siewera, the head of Poland's National Security Bureau. This is a dangerous picture that will be fully used by the Russians to split European unity. We are sure that such actions are supported by an absolute minority in Poland. I am sure that the Polish government definitely does not support such actions. Their immediate reaction is important," he said.

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According to media reports, Polish protesters stopped a passenger bus at a border crossing point. One of the passengers, previously an Israeli citizen, was detained by unknown persons.

Also, according to the Ministry, as of 5:30 p.m., passenger traffic was blocked at other checkpoints, including Dolhobyczow-Uhryniv and Zosyn-Ustyluh.

At the same time, the strikers assured Ukrainian border guards that after a full 4-hour blockade of the Zosyn-Ustyluh checkpoint, they would allow passenger buses to pass without hindrance. Also, starting at 16:00, the protesters promised to let 5 cars pass every half hour in both directions:

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"As for the trucks: one truck will be allowed to leave Ukraine and three trucks will be allowed to enter Ukraine per hour. The protest will not affect bus traffic and will be carried out as usual," said Margarita Vershinina, a spokeswoman for the Volyn border guard detachment.

As OBOZ.UA reported, these are not the only illegal actions of Polish protesters on the border with Ukraine. On the morning of February 20, they blocked the railroad near the Medyka-Shehyni checkpoint and poured grain out of freight cars - about 4 tons of corn. This is despite the fact that Ukraine does not sell corn to Poland at all.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Laman Ismayilova

Azerbaijan State Academic National Drama Theatre has a MoC with the National Drama Theatre of Russia (Alexandrinsky Theatre).

The document was inked by the acting director of the Azerbaijan State Academic National Drama Theatre, Honoured Cultural Worker Ilham Asgarov, and the director of the National Drama Theatre of Russia, Sergei Yemelyanov, Azernews reports.

After signing the document, Ilham Asgarov stressed that the MoC is of great importance for the development of ties in the field of culture between Azerbaijan and Russia.

"The Memorandum of Cooperation provides for the development and strengthening of cooperation in the theatre field and the preservation of national cultural values," said Sergei Yemelyanov.

"It's gratifying that over the past six months or a year we have made such a breakthrough that today we signed a cooperation agreement. Tomorrow the big Alexandrinsky Theatre School opens in Baku," he added.

Sergei Yemelyanov also invited the team of the Azerbaijan State Academic National Drama Theatre to take part in the 15th anniversary Alexandrinsky International Theatre Festival to be held in St. Petersburg this September.

Furthermore, the acting chairman of the Azerbaijan Theatre Workers Union, People's Artist Haji Ismayilov, spoke about the history and activities of the union.

In conclusion, Haji Ismayilov presented Sergei Yemelyanov with the S?n?tkar medal (Medal of Master) on behalf of the Azerbaijan Theatre Workers Union.
The Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council jointly with the Security Service of Ukraine have revealed a large-scale Russian disinformation campaign aimed at discrediting the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskiy. The aggressor state's intelligence services have created a number of fake accounts on social media to spread fake news about him and the situation at the front.

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In this way, the enemy is trying to exert information and psychological influence on both ordinary Ukrainians and the soldiers who are currently defending Ukraine on the front line in the ranks of the Defense Forces. This is stated in the statement of the Center.

"The CCD, together with the SSU Cyber Department, revealed a large-scale disinformation campaign by Russia to discredit the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskiy. It turned out that the enemy is spreading fakes about the situation at the front and about the Commander-in-Chief in order to influence the military with information and psychological impact. Russia is promoting destructive messages through a network of fake accounts on Facebook, Instagram, X and Telegram created by Russian special services," the statement said.

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OBOZ.UA's sources in law enforcement agencies say that at least two fake accounts have been found on Facebook. One of them was created on February 11, three days after Syrskiy was appointed commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces. In addition to a photo of the commander-in-chief, this inactive profile has only two posts that are not viewable. Below them are "weird" comments left mostly by profiles with signs of fake news, which repeat key narratives of Russian propaganda.

Another fake Facebook account seems to have been designed as a platform for fake news. The account was created on January 14, 2024, and the last post pedals the theme of Syrsky's Russian origin and how he allegedly came out of nowhere to join the Ukrainian army.

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A much greater variety of fake channels allegedly related to Syrsky was found on Telegram.

The public account called "Oleksandr Syrskiy | Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine" has the most followers - about 11 thousand. Created on July 11, 2023, it has been actively updated since January 26, 2024, duplicating the official channel.

Another"duplicate" named after the chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, created on March 12, 2022, duplicates official messages, and has almost 400 subscribers.

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At the same time, in March 2022, a provocative Russian Telegram account called "Has Syrskiy been found?" was created. Since its creation, it has been promoting the idea that no one had seen the Ukrainian soldier for a long time. One of the posts echoes the aforementioned fake Facebook account's post about Syrskiy's origins.

Another fake channel was created on January 24 and renamed "Syrskiy" on February 9, the day after the information about his appointment as the chief of the Armed Forces appeared. Even before the renaming, the only post on the account - three Latin letters that read like an obscene word for a male sexual organ - attracted two followers.

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Two more publics created on February 14, where other channels are advertised on behalf of the main channel. Each has one subscriber.

At least two accounts created in Syrsky's name were found on Instagram. One of them has 2,183 followers, and the other, which is closed, has 191 followers.

On the X network, formerly known as Twitter, an unverified account with 531 followers and a fresh fake profile with 5 followers are being used as accounts of the chief of staff.

The CCD calls for maintaining information hygiene, not falling for enemy disinformation, and trusting only messages from official sources. In particular, the only official platform of the Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskiy on Telegram is a verified channel at the link.

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In addition, the CCD noted that the information warfare units of the Russian special services have recently become significantly more active both in Ukraine and in NATO member states.

"The French Ministry of Defense accused Russia of deliberately spreading false information about France in the context of the war against Ukraine unleashed by Moscow. In addition, The Washington Post has gained access to documents on the Kremlin's disinformation campaigns around the world," the Center for Public Integrity said, explaining why information from the network should be taken with a critical eye.

Earlier, Russian media showed the house where Syrskiy's parents and brother live in Russia. They also talked to Russians about the commander-in-chief and his relatives. Most of the respondents are convinced that his parents should be "ashamed" of their son, because he chose the "wrong side" and is defending Ukraine, to which he swore allegiance, instead of betraying his oath and going over to the side of the occupiers.

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Shares of Agricultural Bank of China Limited (OTCMKTS:ACGBY  Get Free Report) shot up 1.2% during mid-day trading on Monday . The company traded as high as $10.01 and last traded at $10.01. 4,200 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 74% from the average session volume of 15,885 shares. The stock had previously closed at $9.89.

Agricultural Bank of China Stock Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.76, a current ratio of 0.91 and a quick ratio of 0.91. The stock has a market capitalization of $140.12 billion, a PE ratio of 3.97 and a beta of 0.14. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $9.51 and a two-hundred day moving average of $9.12.

Agricultural Bank of China Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Agricultural Bank of China Limited provides banking products and services. The company operates through Corporate Banking, Personal Banking, and Treasury Operations segments. It offers demand, personal call, foreign currency call, time or demand optional, foreign exchange call, foreign exchange time, savings, agreed term, and negotiated deposit accounts, as well as certificates of deposit; and loans, including housing, consumer, business, fixed asset, working capital, real estate, and entrusted syndicated loans, as well as trade finances, guarantees and commitments, and loans with custody of export rebates accounts.

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Bluebird Merchant Ventures Limited (LON:BMV  Get Free Report)s stock price traded up 4.3% during mid-day trading on Monday . The stock traded as high as GBX 0.64 ($0.01) and last traded at GBX 0.60 ($0.01). 9,845,330 shares were traded during trading, an increase of 9% from the average session volume of 9,012,907 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 0.58 ($0.01).

Bluebird Merchant Ventures Stock Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.81, a current ratio of 0.68 and a quick ratio of 0.08. The stock has a market cap of 4.28 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 215.00 and a beta of 0.49. The firm has a fifty day moving average of GBX 0.64 and a 200 day moving average of GBX 0.68.

About Bluebird Merchant Ventures

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Bluebird Merchant Ventures Limited, together with its subsidiaries, engages in mining and developing of mineral properties. The company primarily explores for gold and silver deposits. It holds interests in the Gubong project and Kochang project located in South Korea. The company was incorporated in 2014 and is based in Road Town, the British Virgin Islands.

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The theory of the Ninth Planet arose from the assumption that somewhere in the outer reaches of the solar system, far beyond the orbit of Pluto, there is another planet, as yet unknown to science, hiding. A study recently published by The Astronomical Journal has shed some light on this cosmic mystery.

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Science Alert reported that scientists tried to determine the possible location of Planet X. Scientists are seeking to better understand the structure, stages of formation, and evolutionary processes of the Solar System.

The lead author of the study was Professor Mike Brown from the California Institute of Technology.

"We continue to try to systematically cover all regions of the sky where we predict the Ninth Planet will appear. Using the Pan-STARRS data allowed us to cover the largest region to date," said the professor.

Pan-STARRS, which stands for Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System, is an astronomical observation system located at the Haleakala Observatory. In the course of the study, the researchers used data from Data Release 2 (DR2), and were able to significantly narrow down the range of the hypothetical location of Planet X. They managed to eliminate 78% of the options, which is an impressive figure. In addition, scientists have provided new estimates for the calculation of the approximate major axis (measured in astronomical units (AU)) and the size of the Earth's mass of Planet X at 500 and 6.6, respectively.

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Although Planet X is still a hypothesis and a mystery, Professor Brown expressed confidence that by significantly narrowing the search region, scientists are on the verge of a major discovery.

The LSST (Legacy Survey of Space and Time) is a ten-year program to study the southern sky, including the study of near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) and small celestial bodies in the solar system.

Astronomers aim to determine the properties of dark matter and trace the evolution of the Milky Way galaxy.

Scientists began to hypothesize the existence of the Ninth Planet shortly after the discovery of Neptune in 1846, including an 1880 memoir written by D. Kirkwood and later a 1946 article written by American astronomer Clyde Tombaugh, who was responsible for the discovery of Pluto in 1930.

More recent studies provide evidence for the existence of the ninth planet, the first of which was co-authored by Professor Brown.
Magna International Inc. (NYSE:MGA  Get Free Report) (TSE:MG) declared a quarterly dividend on Friday, February 9th, Zacks reports. Investors of record on Friday, February 23rd will be paid a dividend of 0.475 per share on Friday, March 8th. This represents a $1.90 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.46%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, February 22nd. This is an increase from Magna Internationals previous quarterly dividend of $0.46.

Magna International has raised its dividend by an average of 4.8% per year over the last three years and has increased its dividend annually for the last 15 consecutive years. Magna International has a payout ratio of 25.1% meaning its dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. Research analysts expect Magna International to earn $7.46 per share next year, which means the company should continue to be able to cover its $1.90 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 25.5%.

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Magna International Price Performance

Shares of MGA opened at $54.94 on Tuesday. The company has a market cap of $15.76 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.02, a PEG ratio of 0.52 and a beta of 1.71. Magna International has a 1-year low of $46.71 and a 1-year high of $65.27. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $56.66 and its 200 day simple moving average is $55.36. The company has a current ratio of 1.06, a quick ratio of 0.71 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Magna International ( NYSE:MGA Get Free Report ) (TSE:MG) last issued its earnings results on Friday, February 9th. The company reported $1.33 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.46 by ($0.13). Magna International had a return on equity of 13.15% and a net margin of 2.83%. The firm had revenue of $10.45 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $10.44 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.91 earnings per share. Magna Internationals quarterly revenue was up 9.3% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts forecast that Magna International will post 6.3 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Several equities analysts have commented on MGA shares. TheStreet downgraded shares of Magna International from a b- rating to a c+ rating in a report on Friday, November 10th. Scotiabank decreased their price objective on shares of Magna International from $62.00 to $59.00 and set a sector perform rating on the stock in a report on Monday, February 12th. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Magna International from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Monday, February 12th. The Goldman Sachs Group cut shares of Magna International from a buy rating to a neutral rating and reduced their target price for the company from $73.00 to $58.00 in a research report on Wednesday, January 3rd. Finally, CIBC reduced their target price on shares of Magna International from $63.00 to $61.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research report on Monday, February 12th. Eleven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $63.93.

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Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its stake in Magna International by 5.6% during the first quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 905,672 shares of the companys stock worth $48,821,000 after acquiring an additional 47,858 shares in the last quarter. State of Tennessee Treasury Department raised its stake in Magna International by 0.5% during the second quarter. State of Tennessee Treasury Department now owns 153,457 shares of the companys stock worth $8,673,000 after acquiring an additional 797 shares in the last quarter. Azimuth Capital Investment Management LLC raised its stake in Magna International by 0.6% during the first quarter. Azimuth Capital Investment Management LLC now owns 103,655 shares of the companys stock worth $5,553,000 after acquiring an additional 635 shares in the last quarter. BNP Paribas Arbitrage SNC raised its stake in Magna International by 272.2% during the third quarter. BNP Paribas Arbitrage SNC now owns 72,430 shares of the companys stock worth $3,435,000 after acquiring an additional 52,971 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Achmea Investment Management B.V. acquired a new position in shares of Magna International in the first quarter valued at approximately $2,036,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 62.21% of the companys stock.

Magna International Company Profile

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Magna International Inc designs, engineers, and manufactures components, assemblies, systems, subsystems, and modules for original equipment manufacturers of vehicles and light trucks worldwide. It operates through four segments: Body Exteriors & Structures, Power & Vision, Seating Systems, and Complete Vehicles.

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Meghna Mittal MEGHNA MITTAL is Deputy News Editor at Moneycontrol. Meghna has experience across television, print, online and wire media. She has been covering the Indian economy, monetary and fiscal policies, Finance and Trade ministries. She tweets at @Meghnamittal23 Contact: meghna.mittal@nw18.com
Manish M. Suvarna is Senior Correspondent at Moneycontrol. He writes on the Indian money markets, RBI, Banks and NBFCs. He tweets at @manishsuvarna15. Contact: Manish.Suvarna@nw18.com
Ashwin Mohan is Editor (Deals) at Moneycontrol and leads the M&A, private equity and equity capital market transactions coverage. He anchors the video show 'Deal Central ' and tweets at @ashwinmohansays. He has previously worked with ET NOW, CNBC TV-18 and The Times of India.
A car carrying members of the Ukrainian Volunteer Army, Albert Kruchynyn and Natalia Kruchynyna, exploded near Odesa. The incident occurred in the evening of February 19 in the village of Hvardiiske.

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This was reported on the Telegram channel of the Ukrainian Volunteer Army. It is noted that doctors are fighting for the lives of the two volunteers.

"Tonight, near one of the military facilities in the suburbs of Odesa, a car of the Ukrainian Volunteer Army was blown up, in which were our brother and sister-in-law, Albert Kruchynyn and Natalia Kruchynyna. Right now, doctors are fighting for their lives. The police are working at the scene," the statement said.

The UVA also published photos of volunteers who were injured in the explosion.

The incident in the UVA is regarded as a terrorist act committed by a hostile subversive group. It is noted that the internal security units of the Ukrainian Volunteer Army have already received urgent instructions.

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"We call on all possible eyewitnesses to the crime, as well as persons who know any information about its customers and perpetrators, to contact the UVA command. We guarantee anonymity and a reward of $10,000 for information that will help detain or eliminate the evemy," the UVA emphasized.

The Main Department of the National Police in the Odesa region reported that investigators had opened a criminal case under Part 2 of Article 15, paragraphs 1 and 5 of Part 2 of Article 115 of the Criminal Code (attempted premeditated murder committed in a manner dangerous to the lives of many people). The sanction of the article provides for ten to fifteen years in prison or life imprisonment.

Firefighters, investigative teams of the Investigation Department of the Main Department of the National Police in the Odesa region and the territorial police unit, as well as specialists of the explosive department of the regional police worked at the scene.

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Only verified information on our Telegram OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
The lowest level of ethnic prejudice in Ukraine was recorded against Ukrainians and Poles, while Ukrainians have the worst attitudes toward residents of the aggressor state of Russia and residents of Belarus. At the same time, the attitude of Ukrainians toward Russian-speaking Ukrainians has worsened.

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This is evidenced by the results of a study conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology. 80% of Ukrainians who took part in the survey said they would not allow Russians to enter Ukraine even as tourists.

Thus, Ukrainians were asked how close they were willing to be with representatives of different ethnic groups. The minimum social distance is 1 (I agree to allow them as a family member), the maximum is 7 (I would not allow them to enter Ukraine).

The survey showed that respondents had the best attitude toward Ukrainian-speaking Ukrainians, followed by Poles, Russian-speaking Ukrainians, Canadians, and Americans. Respondents had slightly worse attitudes toward French and Jewish residents of Ukraine.

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Africans, Roma, Russians living in Ukraine, and Belarusians living in Ukraine are in the penultimate place. Ukrainians have the worst attitude towards Russians living in Russia. 80% of respondents said they would not allow them to enter Ukraine even as tourists.

As noted in the institution, from 2021 to 2022, the level of xenophobia increased slightly due to worsening attitudes toward Russians and Belarusians, and over the past year it has slightly decreased due to improved attitudes toward allies (Canadians, Americans, Germans, and French).
Preeti Kulkarni is a financial journalist with over 13 years of experience. Based in Mumbai, she covers the personal finance beat for Moneycontrol. She focusses primarily on insurance, banking, taxation and financial planning
Souptik Datta Reports real estate, infra and city in Bengaluru. Btw, curiosity never kills the cat.
Mehul R Thakkar is Special Correspondent, Moneycontrol, Indias leading financial news platform, based in Mumbai where he is focussed on covering the real estate sector.
The incidence of influenza A H1N1 is growing in Ukraine. This season, it has overtaken the coronavirus in the number of cases and is spreading rapidly. Experts say that this strain is dangerous for the elderly and people with chronic diseases. Fatalities have already been reported.

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Schools are being quarantined

Schools are being quarantined in Ukraine. The epidemic threshold has been exceeded in Zhytomyr, Khmelnytsky, and Chernivtsi regions. The number of infected people is growing in Chernihiv, Vinnytsia, Lviv, Rivne, and Ternopil regions.

Kyiv is already considering closing schools to prevent an increase in the number of cases.

In the capital, 11,305 people fell ill last week, which is 2,244 more cases than the week before. If the numbers continue to grow, Kyiv may have to switch students to distance learning.

In the Kyiv region, 32 schools in three districts - Boryspil, Fastiv and Brovary - have already been closed, and children are studying at home.

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Schools in Sumy and Uzhhorod have been closed since Tuesday. Parents are urged to keep their children at home until they are fully recovered.

Flu has overtaken the coronavirus

Alla Myronenko, a professor and employee of the Kyiv City Center for Disease Prevention at the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, says that this season the A H1N1 flu strain prevails in Ukraine. It has overtaken the coronavirus.

"This flu affects children and young people the most. It also affects the elderly and those with chronic diseases. While children develop a fever and then go away, in the elderly it turns into pneumonia. The flu causes serious complications. Unfortunately, we already have deaths," says Myronenko.

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This strain is characterized by high fever, up to 40 degrees, weakness, and headaches. A dry cough begins.

While in mid-January there were five fatalities in the country, from January 22 to January 28, there were already 42. All the deceased had not been vaccinated against influenza or coronavirus.

COVID-19 is causing more deaths

From January 29 to February 4, 13 deaths from influenza were recorded. And from COVID-19 - 28 cases. The same trend was observed in previous weeks - the number of deaths from coronavirus is higher than from influenza.

Serhiy Fedorenko, chief physician of the Lviv Regional Infectious Diseases Hospital, says that although the flu prevails in terms of the number of cases this season, the coronavirus is still in the lead in terms of complications and mortality.

"Unfortunately, after the world announced the end of the COVID-19 pandemic and a full-scale war began in Ukraine, and people's attention shifted, the number of people getting vaccinated has seriously decreased. But the virus hasn't gone away, it continues to circulate in nature. People's immunity has decreased. In addition, fewer people are seeking help from doctors, they are treated at home, and are admitted to hospitals on the 10th-12th day, when the disease is very advanced. These are all elderly people with serious chronic diseases. They also get fewer flu shots and seek help later, but the flu's mortality rate is much lower than that of the coronavirus," Fedorenko explained.

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Cases of "Jenny" found

Doctors also note that a new type of coronavirus, Omicron, has been detected in Ukraine - Jenny. 42 cases have been recorded in 12 regions. The highest number of cases is in Sumy region - 8 cases, Lviv - 6, Cherkasy - 5. There are 4 cases in Kyiv and Kyiv region. Only one person among those who fell ill was vaccinated against coronavirus.

Professor Myronenko predicts that we are approaching the peak of the epidemic, which will last at least until March. "Most likely, the epidemic will start to decline in the second week of March," says the infectious disease specialist. But in any case, the flu virus will prevail.

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She advises avoiding crowded places, and for the elderly and people with chronic diseases to wear masks.
Harsh Kumar  is Correspondent at Moneycontrol based in Delhi. Harsh covers BFSI sector. You can reach him at Harsh.kumar@nw18.com
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Canada has announced that it will provide the Ukrainian Defense Forces with more than 800 SkyRanger R70 drones as part of an additional aid package. Ukraine may receive these UAVs in the spring of 2024.

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This was announced by Canadian Defense Minister Bill Blair on Monday, February 19, CTV News reports. According to him, this is planned to be done no later than April.

The SkyRanger R70 will be delivered to the Ukrainian Armed Forces as part of a $500 million aid package announced by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during his visit to Kyiv in the summer of 2023.

According to the country's defense minister, unmanned aerial vehicles play an important role in the war and in repelling Russian aggression. The official also assured that Ottawa would support Kyiv until the war against the Russian occupiers is won.

According to the publication, the cost of these UAVs is estimated at about $95 million.

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"The donation ensures that Ukraine will have the drones it needs to detect and identify targets that are critical to its defense against Russian invasion," Blair said.

TheSkyRanger R70 drones are equipped with a variety of video camera systems and have target detection and identification equipment. In particular, they can determine where enemy phones are located, can recognize people and carry explosives up to 3.5 kilograms. They are manufactured in Canada and supplied by Teledyne.

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As OBOZ.UA reported, in the spring of 2023, the media wrote that the First Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development of Ukraine Yulia Svyrydenko requested high-tech Teledyne Flir R70 Skyranger drones from Canada, which are absolutely not vulnerable to Russian electronic warfare. At the time, it was about the need for 300 such UAVs.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
February 29, 2024 02:12 PM IST Lok Sabha polls: DMK allots two seats each to CPI, CPI(M) An official release from the DMK said the seat-sharing talks were finalised today.

February 28, 2024 05:27 PM IST BJP submits memorandum to Bengal's poll panel chief claiming 16 lakh fake voters in state Leading a delegation of the West Bengal BJP unit, party leader Suvendu Adhikari expressed dissapointment with the poll panel's failure to address the issue despite assurances.

February 28, 2024 05:20 PM IST Truth of Congresss Feb 26 Shimla Dinner: Fake handshakes, hugs, and smiles Abhishek Manu Singhvi failed to read There was much bonhomie which would have set at ease any fears the Congress leadership and its high command had of cross-voting. But lurking beneath was an old party rivalry that has now culminated in minister Vikramditya Singhs resignation after a humiliating Rajya Sabha defeat for chief minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu

February 28, 2024 01:27 PM IST PM Modi slams DMK, Congress for creating 'rift' among people The DMK's 'running away' shows its 'hatred' for people's faith, Modi said in an apparent reference to the opposition walkout when the Parliament took up the matter.

February 28, 2024 10:29 AM IST With handouts, piped water and cooking gas, PM Modi woos women voters Polling agency C-voter told Reuters its surveys predict 46% of India's 472 million women voters would opt for the BJP-led alliance in the election against 43% men, which would help it get a healthy majority in India's first-past-the-post polling system.

February 28, 2024 09:23 PM IST Rajya Sabha Elections 2024 Highlights: After RS poll loss, scare for Congress govt in Himachal Himachal Pradesh Rajya Sabha Elections: "I will not press my resignation until a decision is taken. The final decision will be taken in the coming time," said Congress leader Vikramaditya Singh, who submitted his resignation as Himachal cabinet minister earlier in the day.

February 27, 2024 03:28 PM IST LS polls: Pradhan directs HEIs to conduct voter awareness activities from Feb 28-Mar 6 The directive comes following a clarion call by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the first time voters to exercise their franchise in large numbers.

February 27, 2024 02:24 PM IST Opposition convinced of loss in 2024 Lok Sabha polls, thus abuses me: PM Modi Modi, speaking at the conclusion ceremony of the BJP state unit's padayatra at the Central Stadium here, urged Kerala's people to bless the saffron party with seats in double digits in the 2024 LS polls.

February 27, 2024 10:42 PM IST No proposal for FM Sitharaman to contest Lok Sabha polls: Source Union Finance Minister Sitharaman and External Affairs Minister Jaishankar are Rajya Sabha members from Karnataka and Gujarat respectively.

February 27, 2024 11:13 AM IST Nirmala Sitharaman, Jaishankar to contest Lok Sabha polls: Pralhad Joshi To a question whether it will be Bengaluru, Joshi said, "How can I answer when nothing has been finalised?" Union Finance Minister Sitharaman and External Affairs Minister Jaishankar are Rajya Sabha members from Karnataka and Gujarat respectively.

February 27, 2024 10:59 PM IST Rajya Sabha Elections 2024 Highlights: BJP wins eight seats, SP two in Uttar Pradesh Rajya Sabha Elections 2024 Highlights: The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has won eight Rajya Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh, while the Samajwadi Party-Congress alliance faced a blow as it could only win two seats.

February 26, 2024 08:01 PM IST Lok Sabha Polls 2024: Sitharaman, Jaishankar to contest, seats not finalized, says Pralhad Joshi Joshi assured reporters that both union ministers will undoubtedly run for the Lok Sabha seats. Which constituency and from where they will run, meanwhile, are still up in the air

February 26, 2024 06:07 PM IST Ahead of LS polls, Congress steps up efforts to strengthen party in Hyderabad, woos BRS leaders Out of the total 17 Lok Sabha seats in Telangana, four constituencies  Malkajgiri, Secunderabad, Hyderabad and Chevella  are in the GHMC limits.

February 26, 2024 03:59 PM IST Lok Sabha polls 2024: JP Nadda invites people's suggestions for BJP manifesto As part of the campaign, BJP president JP Nadda also flagged off video vans from the party headquarters to highlight the work done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi

February 26, 2024 12:48 PM IST Will scrap 'Agnipath', revert to old recruitment scheme if voted to power: Congress Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge wrote to President Droupadi Murmu on Monday, highlighting the "gross injustice" done to the youngsters seeking regular employment in the armed forces due to the "Agnipath" scheme, and urged her to ensure justice for them.

February 25, 2024 06:37 PM IST Resolve to give Modi govt third term with more than 400 LS seats: Shah to BJP workers Addressing booth level workers of the party at Khajuraho, the Union minister also claimed the Congress means corruption and corruption means Congress.

February 24, 2024 08:58 AM IST PM Modis poll vault to cross 370: From Bengal to Tamil Nadu, Kerala to Maharashtra, mega rallies, events planned next week With over 100 seats in the south, including 59 in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, 48 in Maharashtra and 42 in Bengal, the BJP is hoping that their biggest star campaigner and in whose name the party has been winning every election from Panchayat to Parliament, Modi can once again set the stage for them ahead of the announcement of the election dates.

February 24, 2024 10:51 AM IST Lok Sabha Polls: BJP's mega huddle today, 'longer' candidate list likely to be out March first week During its huddle of election incharges and their deputies, BJP will discuss strategies that will be common practice in all states and UTs along with details of poll rallies by top guns like PM Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and JP Nadda

February 24, 2024 10:59 PM IST Farmers' Protest Highlights: Authorities initiated the process of partially reopening Singhu border earlier today Dilli Chalo March Highlights: Authorities initiated the process of partially reopening Singhu (Delhi-Haryana) border earlier today, almost two weeks after it was sealed in view of farmers' 'Delhi Chalo' march.

February 23, 2024 10:07 PM IST No change in TMC's stand of contesting all 42 LS seats in West Bengal: Derek O'Brien However, O'Brien, the TMC leader in the Rajya Sabha, said, "A few weeks agoWest Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee stated that TMC is fighting all the 42 seats in Bengal. We are also in the fray in a few seats in Assam and the Tura Lok Sabha seat in Meghalaya. There is no change in this position."

February 23, 2024 08:20 PM IST Congress hopeful of finalising seat-sharing with TMC, AAP soon Sources said while the talks with the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP have almost been concluded, discussions are still underway with the Mamata Banerjee's TMC. The sources expressed hope the leadership would work out a solution soon accommodating the expectations of all parties.

February 22, 2024 05:46 PM IST "Break alliance or Kejriwal will be arrested," Atishi accuses BJP of threatening AAP leaders AAP leaders have received messages threatening to arrest Arvind Kejriwal if their party doesnt break the alliance within two days, alleged Atishi

February 22, 2024 04:34 PM IST Lok Sabha polls: Uttar Pradesh sealed, what's next for INDIA alliance? Lok Sabha Elections: The political struggle is far from over, as alliance partners remain hesitant to offer a substantial share to the grand old party.

February 22, 2024 12:52 PM IST Ajay Maken accuses BJP of 'financial terrorism' to cripple Cong ahead of LS polls Income Tax Department has transferred Rs 65.88 crore from three Congress accounts, as well as from the accounts of the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) and the National Students Union of India (NSUI), alleged Maken.

February 21, 2024 12:53 PM IST Haven't joined INDIA bloc, will support anyone with 'selfless' thought for nation: Kamal Haasan Addressing reporters here after leading the 7th anniversary celebrations of his Makkal Needhi Maiam, Haasan also welcomed the recent political entry of top Tamil actor Vijay.

February 21, 2024 11:41 AM IST Differences among INDIA bloc allies in couple of states, will be resolved: Sharad Pawar Speaking to reporters in Kolhapur, the senior politician said a meeting of the INDIA alliance, formed by several opposition parties to take on the ruling BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, has not been convened of late.

February 20, 2024 04:11 PM IST 'We scrapped Article 370 then to seek 370 seats now,' PM Modi stresses on an evolved J&K Lok Sabha Elections: Prime Minister Narendra Modi also referred to the upcoming Bollywood film Article 370 and slammed previous governments for depriving women of their democratic rights.

February 19, 2024 04:48 PM IST SP releases second list after refusing to join Rahul's Bharat Nyay Yatra Lok Sabha Elections: Akhilesh Yadav said his party will participate in the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra only after seat-sharing agreement with the Congress is finalised.

February 20, 2024 11:47 AM IST PM Modi to visit Jammu on Feb 20: What it means for BJP ahead of LS polls Lok Sabha Elections: Modi will visit Jammu on Tuesday to launch multiple development projects, including for education, railway, aviation and road sectors, worth Rs 30,500 crore.

February 19, 2024 12:49 PM IST Mayawati dismisses rumours of alliance, says BSP to go solo in Lok Sabha polls Mayawati, a former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, has also asked workers of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) to be beware of such rumours.

February 15, 2024 06:43 PM IST Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Farooq Abdullahs NC to contest all seats in J&K - what does it mean? Lok Sabha Elections 2024: The decision has surprised many in view of Abdullah's recent lament that We are gradually moving towards a situation where there will be one country ruled by a single party.

February 15, 2024 03:24 PM IST Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Farooq Abdullah says NC to go it alone National Conference is one of the constituents of opposition INDIA bloc formed in July 2023 to take on the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls

February 14, 2024 10:01 PM IST EC seeks 3.4 lakh CAPFs for deployment in LS polls, Assembly elections in 4 states The EC has also sought adequate rolling stocks with all appropriate facilities in the trains, thereby ensuring hassle-free mobilisation and a timely movement of the forces to perform election duties.

February 14, 2024 02:26 PM IST Sharad Pawar-led NCP will not merge with any political party: Supriya Sule Apart from Pawar and Sule, former Maharashtra ministers Anil Deshmukh and Rajesh Tope, MPs Amol Kolhe and Shrinivas Patil along with others leaders attended the meeting.

February 14, 2024 09:25 AM IST Not allowing for 100% VVPATs is 'terrible anyay' on Indian voter: Congress The opposition party also said that not allowing for 100 per cent VVPATs is a "terrible injustice" on the Indian voter.

February 13, 2024 04:43 PM IST 'Legal MSP guarantee' if Congress voted to power, announces Rahul Gandhi amid farmers' Delhi march Gandhi said this step will ensure the prosperity of 15 crore farmer families. This is the first guarantee of Congress on the path of justice."

February 13, 2024 02:31 PM IST AAP wants to contest 6 seats in Delhi, offer one to Congress: Sandeep Pathak The party also announced its candidates for two Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat and one in Goa.

February 13, 2024 01:57 PM IST Ex-Maharashtra CM Ashok Chavan to file nomination for Rajya Sabha with BJP backing Chavan joined the saffron party on February 13 in the presence of Maharashtras deputy chief minister and senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis.

February 12, 2024 03:51 PM IST Another week, another blow, Ashok Chavan adds to Congress' exit list In 2010, Ashok Chavan had to step down as the chief minister of Maharashtra for his alleged involvement in Adarsh housing scam

February 12, 2024 02:27 PM IST BJP will win 370 seats, NDA more than 400 seats in Lok Sabha polls: Amit Shah Amit Shah also took a swipe at the Congress and said out of the 10-year rule of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the first five years went in filling up the "pit" dug by the opposition party, when it ruled the country, and another five years in laying the foundation (of development).

February 09, 2024 05:19 PM IST Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Over 96 crore voters to exercise franchise Over two crore young voters between the age group of 18-29 have been added to the voter list.

February 09, 2024 09:01 AM IST AAP to hold meeting on February 13 to decide on Lok Sabha candidates' names for 3 states In a sign of exasperation over protracted seat-sharing talks with its INDIA bloc partner Congress, the AAP on Thursday declared party candidates for three Lok Sabha constituencies in Assam.

February 09, 2024 05:59 AM IST BJP bags Rs 1,294 crore as donations through electoral bonds sold in FY23 Electoral bonds totaling a cumulative value of Rs 2,800 crore were sold during the fiscal year spanning from March 2022 to March 2023.

February 07, 2024 01:59 PM IST 50%-plus vote share, alliances, and gains in east & south: How BJP plans to fulfill PM's target of 'Abki Baar, NDA 400 paar' Getting Ajit Pawar on board in Maharashtra, JDS in Karnataka, Nitish Kumar back in the NDA in Bihar and opening talks with Jayant Chaudhary in Uttar Pradesh and Chandrababu Naidu in Andhra Pradesh  all this is a part of BJPs strategy to maximise the NDAs tally and vote share in 2024.

February 05, 2024 01:59 PM IST Dont engage children in poll campaign: ECI to political parties The directions from the Election Commission of India have come just two months ahead of the 2024 general elections, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking a third straight term at the Centre.

February 05, 2024 02:31 PM IST Lok Sabha Election: Women rule revised minimum income scheme in Cong policy to beat BJP Under the scheme, the opposition Congress is planning that women across the country would be given at least Rs 60,000-70,000 annually.

February 01, 2024 06:12 PM IST How FM Sitharaman invoked PM Modi's 'four castes' slogan in Budget 2024 The earlier approach of tackling poverty through entitlements had resulted in very modest outcomes, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in her Budget speech. When the poor become empowered partners in the development process, governments power to assist them also increases manifold, she added.

January 30, 2024 11:15 AM IST 'Modi's guarantee' a jumla, real issue in India is unemployment, inflation: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra The Congress general secretary shared a video on X which showed people queuing up for a recruitment drive to send workers to Israel.
Lionel Laurent is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering the European Union and France. Views are personal, and do not represent the stand of this publication.
Ecuador (a country in South America) has changed its mind about giving Ukraine Soviet-era weapons. Now they emphasize that they will not send weapons to our country or any other country involved in an international armed conflict.

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The statement was made on Monday, February 19, by Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Gabriela Sommerfeld, El Universo reports. "There is a clear instruction from the President of the Republic of Ecuador that the country will not send any military aid to a country involved in an international armed conflict," she said.

The minister also added that Ecuador, as a member of the United Nations Security Council, "promotes conflict resolution, always respecting international law and the peaceful resolution of these contradictions."

As a reminder, Ecuador wanted to exchange old Soviet military equipment, which, according to President Daniel Noboa, had become "scrap metal," for new American weapons worth about $200 million to fight drug cartels.

However, on February 19, the country's foreign minister informed a US congressional committee that Ecuador had reconsidered its decision.

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This was preceded by Russia threatening to impose an embargo on Ecuadorian bananas and flowers in response to the transfer of weapons to Ukraine, citing alleged pests.

On Friday, February 16, Ecuadorian Trade Minister Sonsoles Garcia said that the Russian embargo on five Ecuadorian banana exporters had been lifted.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Indra Shekhar Singh is an independent agri-policy analyst and writer. He was former Director - Policy and Outreach, NSAI. He also hosts an agri-talk show and his X ID is @indrassingh. Views are personal, and do not represent the stand of this publication.
Around 5 a.m. on February 20, Russian terrorists shelled the Novoslobidska community in Konotop district, Sumy region. The attack killed at least two people, and the rubble is being cleared.

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This was reported in the Telegram of the Sumy Military Regional Administration. It is noted that the enemy attacked civilians with artillery and aircraft. A residential building was destroyed. A fire broke out at the scene of the attack.

The fire is now localized. The search operation continues. The MRA called on local residents to save their lives and evacuate if possible.

Later, in Telegram , the "North" they clarified that the Novosloboda community was hit by 14 enemy attacks from cannon artillery and another 1 attack was preliminary, from a strike by a "Geranium-2" UAV.

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"According to preliminary information, the shelling killed 5 civilians and damaged a residential building," the statement said.

The village head Olga Garkavenko also confirmed the death of an entire family of five people. She specified that they were a grandmother, two sons, and their relatives who had recently arrived from Kyiv.

Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said that the house where the family was killed was hit by an enemy drone. The search and rescue operation lasted over 9 hours.

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" Five people were killed in the Russian strike: a woman, her two sons, a grandmother and a relative who came to visit. Rescuers have unblocked the bodies of the victims from the rubble of the house," noted Klymenko.

According to him, over 550 attacks were registered over the last day, 90 localities in 8 regions of the country were under fire.

As a reminder, on February 19, the occupiers shelled three settlements in Zaporizhzhia region with artillery and Grad multiple rocket launchers. Two civilians were killed as a result of the enemy's attacks.

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And on the night of February 15, Ukrainian air defense forces destroyed all 23 Shahe136/131 kamikaze drones, which the occupiers launched mainly in the south. At the same time, the enemy also used three missiles to attack. An industrial facility was damaged in Poltava region as a result of the attack.

As reported by OBOZ.UA:

- On February 19, the occupiers dropped aircraft bombs on residential buildings in the village of Vilkhuvatka, Kupiansk district, Kharkiv region. As a result of the Russian attack, a 74-year-old local resident was injured - she was pulled out from under the rubble of the house.

- On February 18, Russians shelled Nikopol district in Dnipropetrovsk region. One man of 56 years old was injured in the attack.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Adrija Chatterjee is an Assistant Editor at Moneycontrol. She has been tracking and reporting on finance and trade ministries for over eight years.
A farewell note written by 22-year-old International Legion fighter Andreas Gallozzi to his family has been shared online. In it, the French citizen, who went to defend Ukraine from the first days of the full-scale Russian invasion, noted that only a miracle could have saved him in the war, but he does not regret his choice.

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The soldier was killed on February 16, 2023, in the battles near Novoselivske, Svatove district, Luhansk region. The last words of the defender on the anniversary of his death were posted on Facebook by his friend Oliver Jouet, translated into Ukrainian by Yelyzaveta Yuhnova.

Andreas Gallozzi, a native of the Yonne department in Burgundy, was only 22 years old. His friends say that he always wanted to be a soldier, and in 2020 he joined the French 17th Parachute Regiment.

And in 2022, the young man left France to defend democracy, Ukraine, Ukrainians and Europe. In the International Legion, where Andreas received the call sign "Frenchie," his fellow soldiers noted that he was determined and happy to do his duty.

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In phone conversations with his mother Edith, her son kept saying: "Mom, I am happy where I am now. I know why I came here. I understand what I am doing." And one day on the front line, he told her: "Mom, it's 14-18 in the twenty-first century."

His great-uncle, whose story Andreas and other members of his family had heard and knew well, died during the fighting in 1918, saying in the end, "It's all right."

In Andreas Gallozzi's personal belongings, which were returned to the family by his fellow members of the International Legion, his mother found a note instructing the family where to look for his last words on the phone. In the "note it's too late" the soldier wrote:

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"War is the curse of humanity because war never dies. There will always be just causes for which it is worth fighting and dying if necessary, fighting against the madmen who want to destroy everything around them for the sake of their own ego... Nothing else but trifles."

And then Andreas added another note titled "Last Words," indicating that the following text was inspired by letters from French soldiers in World War I. The foreigner's friend noted that he had voluntarily chosen the text, perhaps because it affected him the most, so the soldier adapted the phrases, adding his own words.

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"Last words" by Andreas Gallozzi:

"My dearest mother, my dear family, my loyal friends. For me, the war is over, but I have no regrets, I have seen enough heroism and horror.

I pray that your fate will be more merciful. Our life is short. I am grateful to heaven for all the joys, happiness and trials that fate has prepared for me.

My life has been wonderful and almost full.

These few words will be my last. I lived my last hours looking through all the photos with you, my precious memories.

Only a miracle could have saved me. I knew that this mission could have been too dangerous, but I am a stubborn man, I did not want to leave my friends to go alone in the center of this hell.

War makes people crazy. I did my duty, I defended the honor of France, Ukraine and Europe. I do not feel any remorse about going to Ukraine, I have found the meaning of my life and my beliefs. The only thing I regret is perhaps that I did not have time to love someone with all my heart.

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I hope you will find the strength to forgive me, and the Lord would like to perhaps unite us in heaven or elsewhere by separating us on this earth.

Don't ever forget the soldiers who died for the right cause.

I will never forget you, I love you."

The International Legion fighter wrote these words on February 1, 2023. Two weeks later, Andreas was killed in action against the Russian invaders in eastern Ukraine.

"Tomorrow it will be exactly one year since Andreas died in combat against the Russians. Tomorrow his mother Edith will be on the Maidan in Kyiv, and at the same time Remy and others will be at the cemetery where Andreas is buried in France," wrote a friend of the defender in a post dated February 16, 2024.

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As OBOZ.UA reported, in the summer of 2022, a 20-year-old International Legion fighter Adrian D. from France died. He was injured as a result of Russian shelling in the Kharkiv region and was in a coma for some time. His heart stopped in a field hospital in the frontline region of Ukraine.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
The pace of Russian offensive operations near Avdiivka has slowed dramatically after the occupiers captured the town they had completely destroyed. It is likely that the Russian army will have to redeploy the units remaining in the area to continue its advance.

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Although the enemy has reserves to reinforce in other areas, there are no signs that the Russian Armed Forces command is moving them to Avdiivka. This was reported by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

On Monday, February 19, Dmytro Lykhoviy, an official representative of the Tavria operational and strategic group of troops, said that the number of Russian attacks in the Avdiivka sector had significantly decreased over the past day. According to him, Russian troops are currently regrouping and conducting operations to "clean up" the city. The activity of Russian shelling and aviation in the area has also significantly decreased.

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Ukrainian officials have reported that the Ukrainian Armed Forces have withdrawn to a new line of defense, one that was prepared in advance and fortified on several levels. Therefore, Russian troops will likely have to take an operational pause before resuming major offensive operations in the Avdiivka sector. Otherwise, they will be forced to move additional reinforcements to the area from other parts of the front to prevent the culmination of operations near Avdiivka.

"The Russian forces have reserves for such reinforcements in other areas, but ISW has not seen any signs that their command is currently moving these reserves toward Avdiivka," the analysts noted.

On the contrary, Captain Ilya Yevlash, a spokesman for the Khortytsia separate military unit, said that the occupation command is likely to move the forces concentrated around Avdiivka to other parts of the front line in the near future. They did not specify which areas they meant.

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"Evlash said that it would probably take at least a week for Russian troops to move units from Avdiivka to fight in unspecified areas of the front line. ISW has not yet shown any signs of how the Russian forces will decide to distribute their personnel currently deployed in the Avdiivka area," the analysts added.

As reported by OBOZ.UA, the commander of the Tavria separate military unit Oleksandr Tarnavsky said that in the Avdiivka sector, Ukrainian soldiers had consolidated their positions on new defense lines. On February 18, the defenders repelled five enemy attacks near Lastochkino, Novobakhmutivka and Pervomayske.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
The Maharashtra Legislative Assembly unanimously passed the Maratha Reservation Bill giving 10% quotas to the community in education and government jobs, here on Tuesday.

The Bill was introduced in the assembly at the special session of the legislature this afternoon and chief minister (CM) Eknath Shinde detailed the governments position on the quotas issue.

Now, the Marathas will be entitled to 10% reservations in educational institutions and in state government jobs, fulfilling a long-pending demand of the community.

Addressing the House, Mr Shinde said that he was a soldier of the late Balasaheb Thackeray and would stick to his word, and said he felt proud to introduce the reservation for the Maratha community.

This is the victory of the movement launched by (Shivba Sanghatana leader) Manoj Jarange-Patil, and is a day of fulfilment of the aspirations of the Marathas. This has been done without doing injustice to any other community including the OBCs or disturbing their quotas, said Mr Shinde.

He assured that this reservation will stand legal scrutiny before the courts and everybody had worked very hard to finalise it to ensure justice to the Marathas, as the Bill was passed without any opposition with thumping of desks.

Disclaimer: Information, facts or opinions expressed in this news article are presented as sourced from IANS and do not reflect views of Moneylife and hence Moneylife is not responsible or liable for the same. As a source and news provider, IANS is responsible for accuracy, completeness, suitability and validity of any information in this article.
Laman Ismayilova

Azerbaijani artist Nigar Narimanbayova has been honoured with the esteemed Gregoire Nicolas Finez Planard 2024 Prize at the renowned ART EN CAPITAL 2024 International Contemporary Art Exhibition.

Known for her exceptional artistic skills and as the successor of the renowned Azerbaijani artist Vidadi Narimanbayov, Nigar Narimanbayova has once again demonstrated her masterpiece to contemporary art enthusiasts.

The painting that garnered this prestigious award is titled "Tariel - Little Harry Potter". The art work was selected by members of the French Academy of Fine Arts.

"On February 14, the ART EN CAPITAL 2024 International Contemporary Art Exhibition opened its doors to art lovers at the Grand Palais Efimer in Paris. I am glad and proud to represent my native Azerbaijan at the prestigious Salon of French Artists for the third time. Here I showcased my painting titled "Tariel - Little Harry Potter". This is a portrait of my grandson Tariel in a fairy tale. The art work was a huge success among French viewers," Nigar Narimanbayova told AZERNEWS.

Nigar Narimanbayova also shared her thoughts about ART EN CAPITAL 2024.

"I would like to note that the exhibition is being held under the high patronage of the President of France, as well as the President of the Collection of National Museums of France. This is the most prestigious and most famous Salon in the world. The Salon of French Artists has a long history, more than 400 years, and has always been held under the patronage of the Kings of France and Presidents of France. The paintings are selected by a large jury consisting of members of the French Academy of Arts. This is the most prestigious professional art show and I have been taking part in it for a year now," the artist said.

"Fifteen academicians of the French Academy of Arts voted by secret ballot. I am very proud that my painting received the Gregoire Nicolas Phineas Planard Prize 2024. This is a huge achievement. Never before had any Azerbaijani artist exhibited at this best Salon in Europe for three years in a row and been awarded such a prestigious award," she said.

Speaking about her future plans, Nigar Narimanbayova noted several exhibitions in Paris and book presentations in Baku.

"I have many creative plans ahead. I am preparing several exhibitions in Paris. In July, acclaimed writer Alexandra Azima Reinhardt will present her book "Margaret" in Baku. I worked on the cover and illustrations for the book. And of course, I`m getting ready for the Salon of French Artists 2025; in the summer, the selection of paintings for the Salon will take place. Another new novel by Azima Alexandra is also being prepared for publication; I am working on illustrations and a cover for a book by this wonderful writer, a native of Azerbaijan living in Germany," she said.

ART EN CAPITAL 2024 is recognised as one of the premier contemporary art showcases in Europe, which provides a platform for artists from around the world to display their creations and engage with a global audience.

Nigar Narimanbeyova's success at this prestigious event shines a spotlight on Azerbaijan's rich artistic heritage.
The Chinese Navy has deployed four warships in the waters around Taiwan. It is noteworthy that Beijing has maintained such a military presence since the visit of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan in August 2022.

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According to preliminary data, in this way China is trying to prevent the military and other forces from approaching the island nation. This was reported by the Japanese newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun.

Several Japanese government officials said that after large-scale military exercises around Taiwan in August 2022, China began to permanently deploy four frigates in the waters around the island nation.

The Chinese warships are located off Yonaguni Island, one between Yonaguni Island and the Philippines, and one ship in the waters southwest and north of Taiwan. In addition, another ship is permanently stationed northwest of the Senkaku Islands.

It is likely that through such maneuvers, China is trying to strengthen its ability to prevent access to Taiwan and limit the military activities of other countries in its neighborhood. Beijing's strategy is aimed at preventing the US military from penetrating the first island chain, which connects the Nanxi Islands and the Philippines.

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It is argued that the first chain of islands almost coincides with the positions of Chinese warships that are permanently deployed near the border of the Chinese air defense zone and to the east of Taiwan.

As a reminder, Chinese President Xi Jinping promised to "return" Taiwan in his New Year's address. He called "reunification" with the island nation a "historical necessity."

Earlier it was reported that the ruling party candidate Lai Chinte won the presidential election in Taiwan on January 13 with 40.2% of the vote. He advocates a separate identity for Taiwan and rejects China's territorial claims.
During a Sunday meeting with pilgrims in the Vatican, Pope Francis once again mentioned Ukraine. He also called for prayer for peace.

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This was reported by Vatican News. The pontiff also specifically mentioned the situation in Gaza, where there are "very serious and painful" news about civilians who are being bombed and shelled.

"Let us not forget our brothers and sisters who are suffering because of war, in Ukraine, in Palestine and Israel, as well as in other conflict zones," Pope Francis said.

The pontiff also mentioned the thousands of migrants who try to cross the Darien jungle between Colombia and Panama, pointing out that it is often "families with children who venture on dangerous routes, deceived by those who falsely promise them a short and safe way, who are subjected to abuse and robbery," and many "lose their lives in this jungle."

"A joint effort is needed by the countries directly affected and the international community to prevent this tragic reality from going unnoticed and to provide a humanitarian response to it together," he added.

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Pope Francis also noted that the last Sunday of January is the World Day of Solidarity with Leprosy.

"I support all those involved in the rescue and social reintegration of people affected by this disease, which, although on the decline, is still one of those that causes the greatest fear and affects the poorest and most marginalized people," the pontiff said.

Earlier, Pope Francis also condemned the deaths of thousands of children in the wars raging in Ukraine, Gaza and Yemen. However, he traditionally did not name those responsible for these deaths.

Earlier, it was reported that a 9-year-old boy who lost his mother and suffered burns as a result of the Russian attack on Vinnytsia met with the Pope. Little Roma from Lviv presented Francis with a commemorative bracelet and received a blessing from the pontiff.

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It was also reported that in September 2023, the bishops of the UGCC visited the Pope in the Vatican. During the audience, they told the pontiff that certain of his statements were painful for the Ukrainian people.
Reporter

Andrew Roberto was raised his whole life on Saipan. He graduated from Saipan Southern High School, holds a degree from Northern Marianas College, and a BA in English from the University of Guam. He once worked for KUAM, UNO Magazine, and the Guam Daily Post.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump looks on at a campaign event in Waterford Township, Michigan, U.S., February 17, 2024.
TUNIS, Tunisia (AP)  Tunisian opposition leader Rached Ghannouchi began a hunger strike in prison on Monday, joining other government critics striking to protest what they see as unjust incarceration.

Imed Khemiri, the spokesperson for his political party, told The Associated Press on Monday that Ghannouchis strike intended to draw attention to the plight of Tunisias political prisoners and the violations of their freedoms. He said the strike was to demand a return to democracy in the North African nation known for the protests that kicked off the Arab Spring 13 years ago.

Ghannouchi, 82, co-founded and leads Ennahda, the Islamist party that ascended to power in Tunisia after the country toppled then-President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali in 2011. He was sentenced earlier this month to three years in prison on charges related to foreign financing of Ennahdas 2019 political campaigns.

Ghannouchi was arrested last April as part of a broader crackdown against political opponents of President Kais Saied and has refused to appear in court to face charges that his lawyers have described as unfounded and politically motivated.

Six other Saied critics whove been imprisoned since Feb. 23 as part of an investigation into a conspiracy against state security began hunger striking last week. All but one whose doctor recommended they suspend striking have continued, their families said in a joint statement.
Tens of thousands rail against Mexicos president and ruling party in march for democracy

Tens of thousands rail against Mexicos president and ruling party in march for democracy View Photo

MEXICO CITY (AP)  Tens of thousands of demonstrators cloaked in pink marched through cities in Mexico and abroad on Sunday in what they called a march for democracy targeting the countrys ruling party in advance of the countrys June 2 elections.

The demonstrations called by Mexicos opposition parties advocated for free and fair elections in the Latin American nation and railed against corruption the same day presidential front-runner Claudia Sheinbaum registered as a candidate for ruling party Morena. Approximately 90,000 people turned out to rail against the leader, according to government figures.

Sheinbaum is largely seen as a continuation candidate of Mexicos popular populist leader Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. Hes adored by many voters who say he bucked the countrys elite parties from power in 2018 and represents the working class.

But the 70-year-old president has also been accused of making moves that endanger the countrys democracy. Last year, the leader slashed funding for the countrys electoral agency, the National Electoral Institute, and weakened oversight of campaign spending, something INEs head said could wind up poisoning democracy itself. The agencys color, pink, has been used as a symbol by demonstrators.

Lopez Obrador has also attacked journalists in hours-long press briefings, has frequently attacked Mexicos judiciary and claimed judges are part of a conservative conspiracy against his administration.

In Mexico City on Sunday, thousands of people dressed in pink flocked to the the citys main plaza roaring get Lopez out. Others carried signs reading the power of the people is greater than the people in power.

Gabriela Ozuna, 61, said she and her family came from Baja California state, and were participating in the march not just to support democratic institution, but also to protest attacks on candidates by drug cartels, especially in local elections.

We know our democracy is in danger. What we want to do is defend it and keep defending it, Ozuna said.

Among the opposition organizations marching were National Civic Front, Yes for Mexico, Citizen Power, Civil Society Mexico, UNE Mexico and United for Mexico.

Democracy doesnt solve lack of water, it doesnt solve hunger, it doesnt solve a lot of things. But without democracy you cant solve anything, said Enrique de la Madrid Cordero, a prominent politician from the Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, in a video posted to social media calling for people to join the protests.

The PRI held uninterrupted power in Mexico for more than 70 years.

Marches were organized in a hundred cities across the country, and in other cities in the United States and Spain.

Still, the president remains highly popular and opinion polls indicate his ally Sheinbaum appears set to coast easily into the presidency.

Lopez Obrador repeatedly dismissed the protests, telling reporters Friday that his critics dont care about democracy and are organizing the march to return the corrupt to power.

Following the massive demonstration, the leader continued to rail on critics, and said there would be no electoral fraud in the election and that he had not intervened in democratic processes.

Its their democracy  the democracy of the corrupt. What we want is there to be democracy of the people. We dont want power without the people. Theyre the ones that establish an anti-democracy with electoral fraud, Lopez Obrador.

___

AP correspondent Megan Janetsky contributed to this report from Mexico City.

Follow APs coverage of Latin America at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

By AMARANTA MARENTES

Associated Press
MEXICO CITY (AP)  Five Argentines and one Mexican were killed in a car crash on a highway that links beach resorts on Mexicos Caribbean coast, an accident Mexicos president described Monday as ugly, very ugly.

Prosecutors in the coastal state of Quintana Roo said the accident occurred Sunday on the highway between the resorts of Tulum and Puerto Aventuras, both south of Cancun and Playa del Carmen.

There was no immediate information on the condition of two other people injured in the two-vehicle crash.

Prosecutors blamed weather conditions on Sunday, when there was local rainfall. They said the driver of the vehicle carrying the Argentines lost control and entered a lane coming in the opposite direction.

Our Argentine brothers and one Mexican lost their lives in this accident, said President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. I want the people of Argentina to know that we are attending to those who unfortunately lost their lives.

The accident appeared to involve an SUV carrying the Argentine tourists; that vehicle apparently crashed into a van occupied only by the driver, a Mexican who appears to have been the sixth victim.

Tourists have been killed in accidents along the Caribbean coast in the past , but usually they occur on boats or in the water.

____

Follow APs coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america
TAPACHULA, Mexico (AP)  Mexican authorities have detained a Guatemalan man wanted by the United States for allegedly participating in the importation of precursor chemicals used by the Sinaloa cartel to make fentanyl, officials said Monday.

Immigration authorities stopped Jason Antonio Yang Lopez at the airport in Tapachula on Sunday and turned him over to agents from the Chiapas state prosecutors office, according to two officials in the prosecutors office who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the case.

Yang Lopez was being processed on organized crime charges, one of the officials said. Tapachula is just across the border from Guatemala.

In January 2023, the U.S. Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned Yang Lopez for aiding in the procurement and importation of fentanyl precursor chemicals into Mexico for manufacturing, with the final product arriving in the United States.

The sanction blocked any property and assets Yang Lopez had in the United States. U.S. officials said the precursors were imported from a chemical company in China.

Fentanyl is the deadliest drug in the U.S. today. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 71,000 people died from overdosing on synthetic opioids such as fentanyl in 2021, compared with almost 58,000 in 2020.

Mexico and China are the primary source countries for fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances trafficked directly into the U.S., the Drug Enforcement Administration says. Nearly all the precursor chemicals that are needed to make fentanyl are coming from China.

By EDGAR H. CLEMENTE

Associated Press
Sacramento, CA Governor Gavin Newsom has declared February 19, as A Day of Remembrance: Japanese American Evacuation to commemorate the issuance of Executive Order 9066 on the same day in 1942. This order, signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, authorized the forced evacuation and incarceration of thousands of United States citizens of Japanese ancestry. Over two and a half years, Japanese Americans were uprooted from their homes on the West Coast and forcibly relocated to internment camps, enduring harsh conditions and treatment by military guards without a fair trial or due process.

Despite these injustices, thousands of young Japanese American men enlisted in the U.S. armed forces, bravely fighting to defend their country. Governor Newsom urges all Californians to remember this dark chapter in history and to commemorate the rescission of Executive Order 9066 by President Gerald R. Ford on February 19, 1976. He emphasizes the importance of standing up for the civil rights and liberties of all Americans, regardless of their national origin or immigration status, to ensure that such injustices are never repeated.
Senator Mitch McConnell View Photo

U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered remarks on the Senate floor regarding national security priorities.

McConnell was Tuesdays KVML Newsmaker of the Day. Here are his words:

From the earliest days of Vladimir Putins escalation in Ukraine, Americas closest allies and partners have been paying close attention.

From halfway around the world in the Indo-Pacific, our friends have made it clear that in the Ukrainian peoples fight, they see their own future.

From Taiwan, Ukraines survival is Taiwans survival.

From Japan, security in Europe and security in the Indo-Pacific are inseparable.

From Australia, It is absolutely in the interest of every free country that Putins aggression fails.

But why? Why would peaceful people dare to get involved in others fights?

Why would leaders in Asia contribute billions of dollars and weapons to help Ukraine defeat Russian aggression?

Why would the Prime Minister of Japan and the President of South Korea bother with long journeys to wartime Kyiv to express solidarity with Ukraine?

Why not just pull up the drawbridge and keep quiet?

Because our allies and partners are not naive.

Because they know that unchecked aggression begets more.

Because they know that victory for Russia means a green light for China.

Because they know that neglecting Ukraines fight to restore its sovereignty raises the costs of defending their own.

Our partners dont have the luxury of pretending that the worlds most dangerous aggressors are someone elses problem.

And neither do we.

So today, it is no exaggeration to say that the eyes of the world are on the United States Senate.

Our allies and partners are hoping that the indispensable nation  the leader of the free world  has the resolve to continue. And our adversaries are hoping for something quite different.

Friends and foes, alike, pay close attention to what we say here. And how we vote.

Because American leadership matters. And it is in question.

But lets be absolutely clear:

The United States didnt give our Greatest Generation to the fight against Nazi Germany or commit half a century of focus and resources to defeating Soviet communism just out of a sense of altruism. And we arent helping partners resist authoritarian aggression today out of some warm and fuzzy sense of charity.

We havent equipped the brave people of Ukraine, Israel, or Taiwan with lethal capabilities in order to win philanthropic accolades.

Were not urgently strengthening defenses in the Indo-Pacific because it feels good.

We dont wield American strength frivolously. We do it because it is in our own interest.

We equip our friends to face our shared adversaries so were less likely to have to spend American lives to defeat them.

For years, Ive warned about the growing threats to Americas national security, and the growing coordination among our adversaries.

And for years, Ive worked to steer greater investments toward the hard power needed to deter them.

The Russian despot trying to conquer Ukraine also wants to see America weakened.

The Chinese autocrat hoping to subjugate Taiwan also wants to consign American leadership to history.

The Iranian regime that equips the slaughter of Israeli Jews and a terrorist war on international commerce also wants to shatter our influence in the region and spill American blood in the process.

They tell us this by their actions.

Pretending not to hear them is not an option.

Delaying until the costs in American lives and treasure rise immeasurably is not an option.

The time to stand up to these gathering threats is right now.

Every night, millions of Americans sleep in peace because brave men and women continue to answer the call to serve in our nations armed forces.

Every day, millions of Americans turn for their livelihood to an economic order built and underwritten by American leadership.

And every time that peace and prosperity are threatened, we stand with allies and partners who trust in the righteousness of that leadership and the credibility of our commitments.

Today, the future of the world Ive just described is in question.

The endurance of an order in which American support is craved and American strength is feared is in doubt.

And we, the United States of America, have the most to lose.

Ever since we came to the aid of our allies 80 years ago, America has been an inseparable partner in the security of Europe.

Not out of charity, but because our own security and prosperity is tied to it.

Ever since we were attacked in 1941, America has helped guarantee stability and free commerce in the Indo-Pacific.

Not as a moral gesture, but because we have core interests of our own in this critical part of the world.

Ever since the establishment of the modern Jewish state of Israel in 1948, America has stood by her.

Not out of generosity, but because of the enduring values and interests we share  in security, in democracy, and in peace.

I know its become quite fashionable in some circles to disregard the global interests we have as a global power. To bemoan the responsibilities of global leadership. To lament the commitment that has underpinned the longest drought of great power conflict in human history.

This is idle work for idle minds.

And it has no place in the United States Senate.

In this chamber, we must face the world as it is.

We must reject the dimmest and most shortsighted views of our obligations, and grapple instead with actual problems.

As they come. In the harsh light of day.

And today, the questions facing this body are quite simple.

Will we give those who wish us harm more reason to question our resolve? Or will we recommit to exercising American strength?

Will we give those who crave our leadership more reason to wonder if its in decline? Or will we invest in the credibility that underpins our entire way of life?

I cannot answer these questions for any one of my colleagues. But none of us can afford to get them wrong.

The Newsmaker of the Day is heard every weekday morning at 6:45, 7:45 and 8:45 on AM 1450 and FM 102.7 KVML.
Building collapse in Beirut suburb kills 4 and rescuers are searching for others

BEIRUT (AP)  A building collapsed in a southern suburb of Beirut late Monday, killing four people and injuring three others as rescuers searched for more people under the rubble, a paramedic official said.

The building in the suburb of Choueifat crumbled after days of heavy rain. Local officials said the four-story building was not considered safe and the municipality had ordered it evacuated two years ago out of concerns its foundation was weak. Despite the order, the owner of the building rented apartments to Syrian families.

Most of the people living in the building are Syrian citizens, according to Raja Zreik of the Islamic Health Society that was taking part in rescue operations. He said four people were killed.

State-run National News Agency also reported two women, a man and a child were killed.

Zreik told The Associated Press that two women and a boy were pulled out from under the rubble and rushed to a hospital.

A member of the Lebanese Red Cross told the local Al-Jadeed TV at the scene that 17 people are still believed to be under the rubble.

Lebanon hosts some 805,000 United Nations-registered Syrian refugees, but officials estimate the actual number is far higher: between 1.5 million and 2 million.
American man admits to attacking 2 US tourists and killing one of them near a famous German castle

American man admits to attacking 2 US tourists and killing one of them near a famous German castle View Photo

BERLIN (AP)  An American man on Monday admitted to charges of murder and rape after he allegedly pushed two U.S. women down a ravine, fatally injuring one of them near Germanys Neuschwanstein castle last year.

The 31-year-old defendant admitted to the charges during the start of his trial, the German news agency dpa reported. Defendants in the German legal system do not formally enter pleas to charges.

The defendant has committed an unfathomable crime, defense lawyer Philip Mueller said in a statement. The defendant, whose name hasnt been released in line with German privacy rules, confirmed that his lawyers statement was correct but did not answer any questions.

The defendant is charged with murder, rape with fatal consequences, attempted murder and possession of child pornography. Murder charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison in Germany.

The attack happened on June 14 last year near the Marienbruecke, a bridge over a gorge close to the castle that offers a view of Neuschwanstein, one of Germanys most famous tourist attractions.

Prosecutors say the defendant met by chance the two female tourists, aged 21 and 22, on a hiking path and lured them off the trail. They said in a statement that he apparently first forced the younger woman to the ground and tried to undress her.

When the elder woman tried to help her, a scuffle ensued and the suspect allegedly pushed her down a steep slope. She fell about 50 meters (165 feet) and sustained a head injury, bruises and grazes but survived.

The suspect then allegedly strangled the younger woman until she was unconscious and raped her, prosecutors said, before pushing her down the slope as well. She died.

Prosecutors said they secured a laptop and cellphones from the suspect containing child sexual abuse material.

Authorities say the women didnt know the man before they met near Neuschwanstein. The suspect was arrested shortly after the attack.

A verdict is expected to be announced in mid-March at the earliest.
What we know about the Minnesota shooting that killed 2 officers and a firefighter

MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  Two police officers and a firefighter who responded to a domestic situation at a suburban Minneapolis home were killed early Sunday during a standoff by a heavily armed man who shot at police from the home where seven children were also inside.

The suspect is dead, and another police officer was injured in the shooting in a neighborhood in Burnsville, Minnesota, a city of about 64,000 people near Minneapolis.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Investigators are still putting together details of the shooting, which unfolded from a domestic call.

The Hennepin County Medical Examiners Office said late Monday that Burnsville Police Officers Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge, both 27, and Adam Finseth, 40, a firefighter and paramedic who was assigned to the citys SWAT team, died of gunshot wounds in the emergency room at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis shortly after 6:30 a.m. Sunday.

The suspect was identified by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension on Monday as Shannon Gooden, 38, of Burnsville. Officials had said the suspect was armed with multiple guns and large amounts of ammunition. He had barricaded himself inside the home with his family, who included seven children ages 2 to 15.

Court records show Gooden wasnt legally allowed to have guns and had been entangled in a yearslong dispute over the custody and financial support of his three oldest children. The bureau said the medical examiner will release his cause and manner of death at a later date.

According to court records, the state barred Gooden from possessing guns after he pleaded guilty in 2008, aged 22, to second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon. Prosecutors said he threw rocks and pulled a knife on a man in a Burnsville shopping mall parking lot.

An attorney representing Gooden in the custody dispute, Robert Manson, did not return a telephone message Monday seeking comment.

BCA Superintendent Drew Evans said negotiations lasted for hours before the suspect opened fire. He wasnt specific on the exact amount of time, but the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association said the standoff lasted four hours before a SWAT team entered the home.

The man shot at officers from multiple positions in the home, including the upper and lower floors, Evans said. At least one officer was shot inside. A police armored vehicle sustained bullet damage to its windshield.

We still dont know the exact exchange of gunfire that occurred, Evans said. Certainly several officers did return fire.

Around 8 a.m. Sunday, Gooden was found dead. The family and children were released. None of them were hurt.

Evans said there have not been many calls for service at all at the home in the past.

THEY ARE HEROES

Elmstrand joined the police department in 2017, and was a member of its mobile command staff. His wife, Cindy Elmstrand-Castruita, told WCCO-TV they began dating in high school after attending the same schools since kindergarten. They were married five years and had two children, a 2-year-old and a 5-month-old.

Elmstrand was a levelheaded person who loved his job and didnt complain, despite horrible things he saw as part of his job, she said.

I think he just had to be the hero. He had to do what he thought was right to protect those little lives even if it meant putting his (life) at risk and it breaks my heart because now hes gone. But I know that he thought what he did was right, she told the station.

Ruge, hired in 2020, was on the departments crisis negotiations team and was a physical evidence officer.

Another police officer, Sgt. Adam Medlicott, was released from a hospital Monday after suffering injuries that were not life-threatening, officials said.

Were hurting, said Police Chief Tanya Schwartz. Today, three members of our team made the ultimate sacrifice for this community. They are heroes.

COMMUNITY, STATE MOURNS

The Minnesota House and Senate observed moments of silence Monday as Burnsville-area lawmakers paid tributes to the fallen officers and firefighter.

Flags in Minnesota have been lowered to half-staff in honor of those killed. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz urged people walking past them to remember the fallen first responders.

Minnesota mourns with you, he said. The state stands ready to assist in any way possible.

Hundreds of people, including officers from other departments, gathered Sunday night outside Burnsville City Hall for a candlelight vigil for the victims.

U.S. Rep. Angie Craig said, I cant imagine the pain that youre all going through, but what I can say is that to all our officers out there, the paramedics, our firefighters, thank you for what you do.

Area resident Kris Martin said, Its an important community, and we feel very saddened by what happened.

___

Dura reported from Bismarck, North Dakota. Associated Press writers John Hanna in Wichita, Kansas; Heather Hollingsworth in Mission, Kansas; Rob Jagodzinski and Bobby Caina Calvan in New York City; Maysoon Khan in Albany, New York; and Jesse Bedayn in Denver contributed to this report.

By JACK DURA and STEVE KARNOWSKI

Associated Press
Biden tells California supporters to stay focused on whats at stake in reelection battle View Photo

LOS ANGELES (AP)  President Joe Biden kicked off a three-day fundraising sprint in California, making the case to supporters to stay focused on whats at stake in his reelection battle where he will likely again face Donald Trump in November.

In remarks at a campaign reception on the grounds of billionaire Haim Sabans Los Angeles home, Biden told supporters that a Trump win could lead to a nationwide abortion ban, more Republican efforts to undo Obamacare and a deteriorating American reputation on the world stage. Biden also addressed head-on the concerns among his supporters and detractors alike about his age  a lingering issue thats become a drag on his reelection hopes.

I may not run as fast as I used to. I may not be able to play flanker back at Delaware, Biden told the audience that included actor Jane Fonda and comedian Greg Proops. But I tell you what  Ive been around long enough to know whats going on.

The president will also make campaign stops in San Francisco and Los Altos Hills this week and will deliver a policy speech near Los Angeles on Wednesday, in an effort to collect as much cash as he can for his reelection bid.

Going into the trip, Bidens campaign and the Democratic National Committee announced that they had collected $42 million in contributions during January from 422,000 donors. Biden ended January with $130 million in cash on hand. Campaign officials said that is the highest total amassed by any Democratic candidate at this point in the cycle.

Biden campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez called the haul an indisputable show of strength to start the election year.

While Team Biden-Harris continues to build on its fundraising machine, Republicans are divided  either spending money fighting Donald Trump, or spending money in support of Donald Trumps extreme and losing agenda, she said.

The figures suggest Biden is cementing an early cash advantage over Trump. But the numbers still lag what Trump had amassed during a similar period in 2020, when his campaign routinely smashed fundraising records.

Raising money is only part of the equation. How well that cash is spent is also a major factor  as Trump well knows. His 2020 campaign effectively lit his massive cash surpluses on fire through a series of questionable spending decisions.

This year, Trump retains his impressive ability to hoover up campaign cash, particularly from grassroots donors who typically chip in small amounts online. Trump, who hasnt released his January fundraising numbers yet, also faces a new threat to his campaigns finances: the staggering legal bills he racked up while defending himself in four separate criminal cases.

In order to maintain an edge in whats widely expected to be an expensive rematch with Trump, Bidens campaign will need to accelerate his fundraising.

This weeks trip marks Bidens third visit to California in just over two months for political events. Hes trying to make up for lost time after largely avoiding the Democratic donor stronghold during last years strikes by the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA.

His hosts on Tuesday werent in attendance; they both tested positive for COVID-19. Biden wished them a speedy recovery as he spoke to the crowd.

We have to contrast the choice between Trump and me, he said. We have to make it crystal clear.

Biden also criticized Trump for not speaking more forcefully about last weeks death of Russian political activist Alexei Navalny. Russian officials said that Navalny, Russias top opposition leader and President Vladimir Putins fiercest foe, died suddenly in prison on Friday. The circumstances surrounding Navalnys death have not been fully determined, but Biden has said Putin is ultimately responsible.

Trump in his first comment on his social media site two days after Navalnys death was announced appeared to compare his own legal battles to the plight of the activist who was serving a 19-year sentence on charges of extremism.

When Navalny died last week and the world holds Putin responsible, Trump fails to even condemn it, Biden said. Its outrageous.

Biden made a quick visit to Los Angeles earlier this month for a meeting with supporters in the citys upscale Bel Air neighborhood. He and first lady Jill Biden also spent a weekend in December in the Los Angeles area for campaign events.

The first lady traveled Tuesday to Guilford, Connecticut, to hold a campaign fundraiser on behalf of her husband.

While the Bidens will be pursuing deep-pocketed donors this week, the campaign points to the number of smaller donations it has raised as an encouraging sign for the president.

The campaign says 97% of the 3 million donations it has received thus far were under $200 each. Biden has also received pledges from 158,000 sustaining donors who have committed to donating monthly. Thats more than double the amount Biden had at this point in the 2020 cycle, when his cash-strapped campaign limped out of Iowa following a fourth-place finish in the states February caucuses.

The new totals include donations to Bidens political operation and to a network of joint fundraising arrangements with the national and state Democratic parties. Bidens 2020 campaign raised over $1 billion, and could need even more in a likely Trump rematch.

Biden in recent days has seized on comments by Trump that call into question the U.S. commitment to defend NATO allies from attack as dangerous and un-American. Trump earlier this month said he once warned that he would allow Russia to do whatever it wants to NATO member nations that are delinquent in devoting 2% of their gross domestic product to defense.

The Biden campaign launched digital ads last week in three battleground states  Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania  criticizing Trump for his threat to NATO countries. Biden has also railed against House Republicans for blocking a $95 billion foreign aid bill that includes $60 billion in funding for Ukraines war with Russia.

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Associated Press writers Brian Slodysko and Colleen Long in Washington contributed to this report.

By AAMER MADHANI

Associated Press
Nikki Haley is sharpening contrasts with Donald Trump in the South Carolina primarys closing days View Photo

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP)  Nikki Haley is using the closing days of her South Carolina Republican primary matchup with Donald Trump to hone her argument that she is the lone remaining candidate who can unite Americans, despite the former presidents electoral wins thus far and his popularity in her home state.

Its a tall order for Haley as South Carolina prepares to vote on Saturday. Trumps 2016 primary win helped cement his front-runner status, and he boasts support from all of the states top elected leaders and all but one of its congressional Republicans.

But Haley has maintained that her ability to stick it out in the race, having outlasted a dozen also-ran candidates, means that shes in it for the long haul. Her amped-up fundraising could keep her going despite her earlier losses to Trump.

Part of Haleys argument is her continued showcase of her foreign policy knowhow, having served as Trumps United Nations ambassador for two years, as more and more of her campaign appearances feature areas in which she says she would have acted differently than her former boss.

I will absolutely put the hammer on our NATO countries that they do have to carry their weight, but you do that behind closed doors, Haley said Sunday during a town hall on Fox News with John Roberts, broadcast from a venue in downtown Columbia, South Carolina.

It was a reference to Trumps warning to NATO allies during a campaign rally earlier this month that he would encourage Russia to do whatever the hell they want to countries that are delinquent  nations that in his view are not doing their part in that alliance. NATOs leader said Trumps attacks on long-standing international alliances and foreign aid could undermine security and put American and European forces at risk.

We should make sure we tell our partners its in their best interest to hold their own weight, Haley said Sunday. She said Trump did it by saying he was going to encourage Putin to invade our allies. Thats the wrong way.

She sharpened those comments during a Monday morning campaign stop in the central South Carolina city of Sumter, home to an Air Force base as well as many military veterans. She said Trump is siding with a thug in Vladimir Putin, whom she called a dictator who killed his political opponents.

Its an argument she makes in a new television ad, part of a $6 million advertising flurry Haley has released in the final weeks of the campaign across her state.

In Unite, which begins airing Monday and was shared before its launch with The Associated Press, Haley argues she is the only choice among the remaining candidates who can handle disputes with foreign leaders in a way that will keep America on solid footing abroad.

When your enemies think youre weak, your leader must be strong, a narrator says, over images of foreign leaders including Chinese President Xi Jinping and Putin. When your country is divided, your president must unite us.

The ad argues that Haley provided moral clarity during our darkest hours, over headlines from coverage of the racist slaying of nine Black parishioners at a Charleston church in 2015, during Haleys second term as South Carolina governor. Whats next? Thats up to you.

Saying Sunday  as she has throughout her campaign  that shes OK being the underdog now, Haley has been firm in saying that she has never lost a race and believes voters will see her as the right choice to shift away from the chaos she says follows Trump. She also frequently notes that, while Trump has won the earliest contests, she has been ascendant, pointing to the shrinking margins between her totals and Trumps in the Iowa and New Hampshire contests.

But over the weekend, Haley also began making an appeal to South Carolinians who typically vote in Democratic primaries, for Saturdays vote, a message she also echoed during campaign events on Monday.

She noted that anyone who didnt vote in the Feb. 3 Democratic primary  which attracted under 5% of eligible voters statewide  can vote in this one, as she bid for crossover support from people who want to cast a vote against Trump.

___

Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP

By MEG KINNARD

Associated Press
State governments looking to protect health-related data as its used in abortion battle

State governments looking to protect health-related data as its used in abortion battle View Photo

Some state governments and federal regulators were already moving to keep individuals reproductive health information private when a U.S. senators report last week offered a new jolt, describing how cellphone location data was used to send millions of anti-abortion ads to people who visited Planned Parenthood offices.

Federal law bars medical providers from sharing health data without a patients consent but doesnt prevent digital tech companies from tracking menstrual cycles or an individuals location and selling it to data brokers. Legislation for federal bans have never gained momentum, largely because of opposition from the tech industry.

Whether that should change has become another political fault line in a nation where most Republican-controlled states have restricted abortion  including 14 with bans in place at every stage of pregnancy  and most Democratic ones have sought to protect access since the U.S. Supreme Court in 2022 overturned Roe v. Wade.

Abortion rights advocates fear that that if such data is not kept private, it could be used not only in targeted ads but also in law enforcement investigations or by abortion opponents looking to harm those who seek to end pregnancies.

It isnt just sort of creepy, said Washington state Rep. Vandana Slatter, the sponsor of a law her state adopted last year to rein in unauthorized use of health information. Its actually harmful.

But so far, theres no evidence of widespread use of this kind of data in law enforcement investigations.

Were generally talking about a future risk, not something thats happening on the ground yet, said Albert Fox Cahn, executive director of the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project and an advocate of protections.

The report last week from Sen. Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat, showed the biggest known anti-abortion ad campaign directed to people who had been identified as having visited abortion providers.

Wydens investigation found that the information gathered by a now-defunct data broker called Near Intelligence was used by ads from The Veritas Society, a nonprofit founded by Wisconsin Right to Life. The ads targeted people who visited 600 locations in 48 states from 2019 through 2022. There were more than 14 million ads in Wisconsin alone.

Wyden called on the Federal Trade Commission to intervene in the bankruptcy case for Near to make sure the location information collected on Americans is destroyed and not sold to another data broker. Hes also asking the Securities Exchange Commission to investigate whether the company committed securities fraud by making misleading statements to investors about the senators investigation.

Its not the first time the issue has come up.

Massachusetts reached a settlement in 2017 with an ad agency that ran a similar campaign nearly a decade ago.

The FTC sued one data broker, Kochava, over similar claims in 2022 in an ongoing case, and settled last month with another, X-Mode Social, and its successor, Outlogic, which the government said sold location data of even users who opted out of such sharing. X-Mode was also found to have sold location data to the U.S. military.

In both cases, the FTC relied on a law against unfair or deceptive practices.

States are also passing or considering their own laws aimed specifically at protecting sensitive health information.

Washingtons Slatter, a Democrat, has worked on digital privacy issues for years, but wasnt able to get a bill with comprehensive protections adopted in her state.

She said things changed when Roe was overturned. She went to a rally in 2022 and heard women talking about deleting period-tracking apps out of fear of how their data could be exploited.

When she introduced a health-specific data privacy bill last year, it wasnt just lawyers and lobbyists testifying; women of all ages and from many walks of life showed up to support it, too.

The measure, which bars selling personal health data without a consumers consent and prohibits tracking who visits reproductive or sexual health facilities, was adopted with the support of nearly all the states Democratic lawmakers and opposition from all the Republicans.

Connecticut and Nevada adopted similar laws last year. New York enacted one that bars using tracking around health care facilities.

California and Maryland took another approach, enacting laws that prevent computerized health networks from sharing information about sensitive health care with other providers without consent.

Were really pushing forward with the free-flowing and seamless exchange of health care data with the intend of having information accessible so that providers can treat the whole person, said Andrea Frey, a lawyer who represents health care providers and digital health systems across. Conversely, these privacy concerns come into play.

Illinois, which already had a law limiting how health tracking data  measuring heart rates, steps and others  can be shared, adopted a new one last year that took effect Jan. 1 and that bans providing government license plate reading data to law enforcement in states with abortion bans.

Bills addressing the issue in some form have been introduced in several states this year, including Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, South Carolina and Vermont.

In Virginia, legislation that would prohibit the issuance of search warrants, subpoenas or court orders for electronic or digital menstrual health data recently cleared both chambers of the Democratic-controlled General Assembly.

Democratic Sen. Barbara Favola said she saw the bill as a necessary precaution when Republican politicians, including Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, have sought restrictions on abortion.

The next step to enforcing an abortion ban could be accessing menstrual health data, which is why Im trying to protect that data, Favola said in a committee hearing.

Opponents asked whether such data had ever been sought by law enforcement, and Favola responded that she wasnt aware of a particular example.

Its just in search of a problem that does not exist, said Republican Sen. Mark Peake.

Youngkins administration made it clear he opposed similar legislation last year, but his press office didnt respond to a request for comment on where he stands on the current version.

Sean OBrien, founder of the Yale Privacy Lab, says there is a problem with the way health information is being used, but hes not sure laws will be the answer because companies could choose to ignore the potential consequences and continue scooping up and selling sensitive information.

The software supply chain is extremely polluted with location tracking of individuals, he said.

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Mulvihill reported from Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Associated Press reporters Frank Bajak in Boston and Sarah Rankin in Richmond, Virginia, contributed to this article.

By GEOFF MULVIHILL

Associated Press
Ursula von der Leyen is seeking a second term as head of the EUs powerful Commission View Photo

BRUSSELS (AP)  Germanys Ursula von der Leyen will seek a second term as head of the European Unions powerful Commission in a move that could make her the most significant politician representing the blocs 450 million citizens in over a generation.

Following five years of leading the 27-nation bloc through multiple crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the first two years of Russias war in Ukraine, the 65-year-old was put forward by her German Christian Democratic Union party and will only need a further rubber stamp when the partys European umbrella group meets early next month in Bucharest.

She said that even if she accepted in 2019 to become the Commissions chief on an intuitive whim when asked by EU leaders, it is now a very conscious choice.

Today, five years later, I am making a very conscious and well-considered decision. I want to run for a second term, she said in Berlin after a CDU board meeting.

She also stands a good chance of extending her reign over the executive Commission since the Christian Democrat-dominated European Peoples Party is expected to remain the biggest in the legislature following the June 6-9 European elections.

She flaunted her progressive credentials early on by pushing through a Green Deal aiming to make the EU climate-neutral by 2050. It put the bloc at the forefront of the global fight against climate change and amounted to a sea change in EU policy.

However, with Europes political mood shifting recently to the right, von der Leyen acknowledged the changes. The world is totally different compared to five years ago, she said in her nomination acceptance speech.

She was among the most outspoken defenders of Israel since the war erupted with the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel  even as international outrage over the Israeli offensive grew. Her green credentials also have been sorely dented as she appeared to side with farmers during the past weeks of relentless farming protests throughout the bloc.

In her next term, she wants to appoint a defense commissioner for the first time after Russias aggressive posture and a weaker trans-Atlantic link made it clear that the defense capabilities of EU nations were mostly sorely lacking.

She said a defense commissioner would have to make sure that better investment is made, and where we can achieve greater interoperability for our armed forces in the production of the weapons systems.

Von der Leyen has been an unwavering ally of Ukraine, and she has staunchly defended President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as his nation faces two years of Russias aggression. Beyond pushing for sanctions against Russia, she has equally worked to get financial aid to Kyiv and fought to open EU membership talks with Ukraine.

Overall, it has turned the physician and mother of seven into the most prominent EU Commission president since Frenchman Jacques Delors during the 1990s.

Even if the EPP emerges from the elections as the biggest party, it does not give her an automatic right to extend her posting. The leaders of the 27 member states must approve her, and it is part of a mix of decisions on the EU top post, from the blocs foreign policy chief to the parliament president. Almost half of the EUs 27 national leaders are members of the EPP.

After protracted haggling over such posts five years ago, von der Leyen herself came out of the blue to claim the position after receiving critical support from French President Emmanuel Macron.

With the continuing war in Ukraine and the possible election of Donald Trump as U.S. president in November, EU leaders will unlikely be prone to experiment too much with the helm of the Commission.

The final hurdle would be approval by the EU Parliament, and with the rights rise expected to show in the June elections, it could end up being a steep hurdle.

___

Associated Press writer Stephanie Liechtenstein in Vienna contributed to this report.

By RAF CASERT

Associated Press
EU launches mission to protect ships in Red Sea from Houthis. It wont partake in military strikes

EU launches mission to protect ships in Red Sea from Houthis. It wont partake in military strikes View Photo

BRUSSELS (AP)  The European Union has launched Monday a naval mission to help protect cargo ships in the Red Sea as attacks by Houthi rebels in Yemen continue to threaten maritime traffic, hamper trade and drive up prices.

Dubbed Aspides, Greek for shield, the mission will be run out of Larissa in central Greece  home to the Hellenic Air Force and a NATO headquarters  under the command of Greek Commodore Vasilios Griparis.

The Iranian-backed Houthis have waged a persistent campaign of drone and missile attacks on commercial ships over Israels offensive in Gaza against Hamas which began in October. However, the Yemen-based rebels have frequently targeted vessels with tenuous or no clear links to Israel, imperiling shipping in a key route for global trade between Asia, the Middle East and Europe.

In response, U.S. and British forces have bombed multiple targets used by the Houthis.

However, the EU mission will not take part in any military strikes and will only operate at sea.

Within its defensive mandate, the operation will provide maritime situational awareness, accompany vessels, and protect them against possible multi-domain attacks at sea, EU headquarters said in a statement after the blocs foreign ministers had endorsed the mission.

The entire global economy is being hit. Its not just European ships that are repeatedly jeopardized by Houthi missiles in the Red Sea, but the entire international shipping industry, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock told reporters in Brussels.

She said that apart from protecting European ships, the mission makes it clear that we as an international community stand together in the face of attacks; terrorist attacks on the freedom of the sea lanes. Germany is contributing a frigate to the mission, as is Belgium.
Israels Netanyahu slams Brazilian presidents comparison of Gaza war to the Holocaust View Photo

TEL AVIV, ISRAEL (AP)  Israel on Sunday condemned Brazils president for comparing the war in Gaza to the Holocaust, accusing him of being antisemitic and trivializing the Nazi genocide of European Jews during World War II.

The outcry further strained relations between the countries, which have deteriorated since President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva returned to office last year. Lula has portrayed himself as a leader of the  Global South, a loosely defined group of developing countries.

Speaking to reporters at the African Union summit in Ethiopia, Lula said that what is happening in the Gaza Strip and to the Palestinian people hasnt been seen in any other moment in history. Actually, it did when Hitler decided to kill the Jews.

Such comments strike a raw nerve in Israel, a country established as a haven for Jews in the wake of the Holocaust. Israel rejects any comparisons of its conduct in the war in Gaza to the Holocaust.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Lulas comments trivialized the Holocaust and crossed a red line. He also accused Lula of being a virulent anti-Semite.

Foreign Minister Israel Katz wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that he had summoned Brazils ambassador in Israel for a reprimand. Katz called Lulas comments shameful and serious.

Lulas comments came after leaders at the AU summit on Saturday condemned Israels offensive in Gaza and called for its immediate end.

The war was triggered by an Oct. 7 attack by Hamas militants, who stormed into southern Israel and killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took around 250 hostage. Militants still hold around 130 hostages, a fourth of them believed to be dead. Most of the others were released during a weeklong cease-fire in November.

The war has killed at least 28,985 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to the Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. Around 80% of Gazas population have been driven from their homes, and a quarter face starvation.

The heavy death toll and widespread damage have led to mounting criticism of Israel and growing calls for a cease-fire.

Lula has previously said Israel is carrying out a genocide in Gaza and has supported South Africas case accusing Israel of genocide at the U.N.s International Court of Justice. His comment Sunday was the first time he directly compared Israels actions to the Holocaust.

In January, during a meeting with the Palestinian ambassador, Lula condemned Hamas attack on Oct. 7, but said there was no justification for the indiscriminate killing of civilians and pushed for a cease-fire.
ZNA officers accused of defrauding war veterans ministry of ZW$300 million

Two Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) officers appeared before Harare magistrate Dennis Mangosi, facing allegations of defrauding the War Veterans ministry of nearly ZWL$300 million. Nzuzo Tshuma (34) and Dominic Musarurwa (35) pleaded not guilty to the charges and have been remanded in custody until the bail ruling, scheduled for today.

The accused were represented by lawyers George Manokore and Chipo Mashura. During the court proceedings, the investigating officer, Hillary Mazheteke, mentioned a preliminary audit report from January 2020 that implicated the accused in the fraudulent activities. Mazheteke also stated that bank statements provided evidence of some of the stolen funds.

According to the investigation officer, Tshuma and Musarurwa collaborated with two other accomplices, who are former ZNA members and currently at large. The audit report revealed a batch of applications from beneficiaries of the Veterans ministry, which the accused allegedly verified and processed. It was disclosed in court that over ZWL$200 million was transferred to the accounts of the accused individuals.

In their defence, George Manokore argued that his clients had no intention of fleeing, even after being briefed about the allegations by the Special Investigations Branch of the army. He maintained that the accused showed no signs of interference during and after their arrest. The defence argued that Tshuma and Musarurwa were seconded to the War Veterans ministry for security purposes, not finance.

Court documents indicate that the ministry has a constitutional obligation to provide statutory benefits, including school fees, to Veterans of the Liberation Struggle and their dependents. Tshuma, serving as an assistant accountant, was responsible for preparing the final list of beneficiaries for payment. Musarurwa worked as a data capture official.

The two officers allegedly collaborated to create fictitious schools and beneficiaries, using them as a means to divert funds from the ministry. They purportedly forwarded these fraudulent claims to the chief accountant for payment.

The fraudulent activities came to light during an audit, which revealed that the accused had embezzled a total of ZWL$268,648,594 between January 2020 and September 2023.

Breaking News via Email
A SADC Preparatory Mission led by the Deputy Executive Secretary, Corporate Affairs Dr Judith Kateera, is expected in Zimbabwe today to engage Harare over preparations of the SADC Summit set for August.

The teams visit runs until February 24.

In a statement yesterday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade spokesperson Mr Michael Mukura said the preparatory mission is a technical team that will engage Zimbabwe in terms of preparations for hosting the 44th SADC Summit in August.

The team will provide Zimbabwe with guidelines based on SADC minimum standards regarding the obligations when hosting the Summit.

Zimbabwe will be provided with the opportunity to present reports on the state of preparedness towards hosting the Summit in Harare in August 2024, he said.

Zimbabwe will become the SADC Chair form August, taking over from Angola. Herald.

Breaking News via Email
A Female Stingray That Hasnt Had a Mate in Eight Years Is Mysteriously Pregnant. Is a Shark the Father? Smithsonian (Anthony L)

Dogs in the middle ages: What medieval writing tells us about our ancestors pets The Conversation (Anthony L)

First time in 221 years: double brood of cicadas will emerge  and what to expect Reuters (Dr. Kevin). Too bad I will miss them. I enjoyed how loud they would be on summer nights.

A thread of lesser-known architectural wonders that we lost over the ages (and what happened to them)  1. Old London Bridge  the longest inhabited bridge in Europe pic.twitter.com/iNc4ynbDux  Culture Critic (@Culture_Crit) February 17, 2024

Vesuvius Challenge 2023 Grand Prize awarded: we can read the first scroll! ScrollPrize (Paul R)

Inside the Biggest Art Fraud in History Smithsonian (Anthony L)

DNA From Beethovens Hair Reveals Surprise Some 200 Years Later ScienceAlert (Kevin W)

Measles infections and symptoms pose far more longterm risks than most realize NBC (Paul R)

It is shameful: why the return of Victorian-era diseases to the UK alarms health experts Guardian (Kevin W)

Health warning over vitamin added to breakfast cereals, pasta and bread as scientists find it may be a significant driver of heart attacks and strokes Daily Mail

#COVID-19

Climate/Environment

China?

Old Blighty

Gaza

New Not-So-Cold War

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Western Values

Assange

The CPS told me it destroyed all records of Keir Starmers 4 trips to Washington while he was in charge of Julian Assange's proposed extradition to Sweden. The public body then told me that it had no record of what records it destroyed. Cover-uphttps://t.co/cFH2lY7zDa  Matt Kennard (@kennardmatt) February 19, 2024

Imperial Collapse Watch

GOP Clown Car

Immigration

A Family Ranch, Swallowed Up in the Madness of the Border New York Times. The Gray Lady deigns to do some reporting and finds out that at least some of the people upset about the border are not nuts. Eagle-eyed residents reveal sophisticated migrant smuggling operation at northern US border New York Post (furzy)

Our No Longer Free Press

AI

The Bezzle

Class Warfare

The Great Compression New York Times. UserFriendly: Sad that this is all most people can afford but a good step towards solving the housing crisis.

Antidote du jour (via):

This Raven can sing better than most people pic.twitter.com/uewTOLmuxK  why you should have an animal (@shouldhaveanima) February 18, 2024

pic.twitter.com/AOEd4M95Xf  Why you should have a cat (@ShouldHaveCat) February 14, 2024

He even hides so they wont get scared  pic.twitter.com/ijVBDzFZSf  Why you should have a cat (@ShouldHaveCat) February 17, 2024

See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here
Another embarrassing setback for US foreign policy, this time in its so-called back yard (or as Biden calls it, front yard).

Well, that didnt take long. Ecuadors Weapons or Bananas? dilemma appears to be over, just weeks after it began, leaving mucho huevo on the face of both US and Ecuadorian government officials. On Friday (Feb 16), the Russian government announced it was lifting its ban on the imports of bananas from 5 Ecuadorian companies, which threatened to bankrupt many Ecuadorian banana growers. The Head of Russias Federal Service of Veterinary and Phytosanitary Supervision (Rosselkhoznadzor), Sergey Dankvert said:

We officially announce that at 4 pm Moscow time on Monday we will have a video-conference with Ecuadors agricultural watchdog. Today, we announce that the five Ecuadoran companies will be able to continue supplying [the Russian market] on the conditions of guarantees of Ecuadors service. We will discuss technical details later on.

The reason for the change of course had nothing to do with bananas and everything to do with Russian weapons and the war in Ukraine.

On January 10, the President of Ecuador, Daniel Noboa, announced that his country would deliver unused Russian military machinery to the United States in exchange for $200 million of US-made weaponry for Quitos escalating war on the drug cartels. The Russian weapons would then be sent to Ukraine for its defence, though this was strenuously denied by Noboa, who insisted the weapons were nothing more than worthless scrap metal.

Russian authorities declaimed that Noboas announcement violated the military treaty signed in 2008 that prevents buyers of Russian weapons from selling or donating them to other countries without Moscows prior authorisation. Moscows response was to place an import ban on five Ecuadorian banana exporters citing an alleged infestation of humpback flies in a shipment of bananas from the Andean nation.

A few days later, a total ban on the import of Ecuadorian carnations was also announced after other pests had been detected in the flowers. In addition, the Netherlands, Germany, Latvia and Lithuania were asked to block the entry of carnations from Ecuador. The Russian authorities warned the countries that if they did not restrict the entry of carnations, restrictive measures would be applied against other types of flowers coming from their territory.

Days later, other banana exporters were added to the ban. Russia was also talking about substituting Ecuadorian bananas, which account for nine out of ten bananas consumed in the country, with supplies of the yellow fruit from India, Egypt, China, Korea and Thailand. As I warned in my previous article on the topic, Russias retaliatory measures could be the final straw for Ecuadors foundering economy, for which bananas are the third most important export product, after crude oil and crustaceans:

[Ecuador] is the worlds largest exporter of bananas and Russia is its second biggest customer after the European Union. Russia is an extremely important market for our countrys banana producers and exporters, said the Association of Banana Exporters of Ecuador (AEBE) in a press release: It is the final destination of 21% of all banana exports. 1.46 million crates [of the fruit] are sent weekly to Russia, meaning that this market generates around $757 million per year In addition, 25,000 workers work across the nation on plantations dedicated to supplying this market, which is particularly important for small producers. Ecuadors banana growers are already hurting. As the Ecuadorian economist Pablo Davalos notes, they are bearing the brunt of the fallout from Noboas decision to involve the country in the Ukraine conflict and there are no compensatory measures in place. At a recent rally, Fulto Serrano, a representative of Oro farmers group, said the sole cause of the problem was the governments donation of Russian-made weapons. Noboa, he said, will not be affected by the closure of the Russian market, while thousands of farmers around the country will. The result will be a glut of bananas, leading to a collapse in the price.

U-Turn Time

Ecuadors government has finally blinked, though some US media outlets, including Bloomberg, have been bizarrely making the opposite claim  that it was Russia that had reversed course following concerns in the Kremlin about a potential banana shortage in the coming months. As Putin said in his recent interview with Tucker Carlson, in the world of propaganda it is very difficult to beat the United States.

On Friday afternoon, Ecuadors Trade Minister Sonsoles Garcia confirmed on X that the Russian embargo on five banana exporting companies had been lifted.

Good news. 100% of Ecuadoran banana exports to Russia are operational! We will continue working to guarantee fluid trade with Russia, an important destination for our agro-export offer.

Just days earlier, Garcia had described the potential loss of Ecuadors second biggest banana export market as simply a challenge for banana growers and exporters to find new markets.

Russia Reminds Ecuador of Its Neutral Status

The lifting of the import ban was announced following a meeting on Friday afternoon between Russias Ambassador to Ecuador, Vladimir Sprinchan, and Ecuadors President Daniel Noboa in Guayaquil. And the main reason cited by Sprinchan for lifting the ban was Ecuadors decision to cancel its weapons swap with the US. From Pravdas Spanish language edition (translation my own):

Ecuador has reversed its decision to deliver Russian weapons to the United States, the Russian ambassador to the South American country Vladimir Sprinchan told Sputnik after his conversation with Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa on February 16. This Friday, a meeting took place with the president of Ecuador Daniel Noboa, we spoke in detail about the current state of bilateral relations, focusing particularly on the complications that have recently arisen between our two countries, reported the diplomat. The Ecuadorian side confirmed that the country, given its neutral status and permanent membership of the UN, cannot allow itself to be dragged into a conflict by any of the parties involved, he added. Ecuadors position consists of not sending weapons and ammunition to conflict zones and contributing to the resolution of disputes peacefully, through diplomatic measures, he highlighted.

Russias Federal Ministry for Military-Technical Cooperation has repeatedly warned Ecuador that it is illegal for any buyer of Russian or Soviet-made military equipment to transfer said equipment to a third party without prior consent from Moscow. In a recent press conference, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, warned that if the weapons swap takes place, Ecuador will be breaching its international obligations, which could have negative consequences for our future bilateral cooperation.

The Ecuadorian investigative news portal La Posta laid the blame for this latest diplomatic fiasco on the US State Departments shoulders for directly contradicting President Noboas [admittedly absurd] justification for handing the Russian-made weapons to the US in the first place  namely that they are essentially scrap metal and therefore not fit for battle. Zakharova tore Noboas alibi to shreds in just one sentence:

If [the weapons] were indeed scrap metal, as they call it in Ecuador, it would be hard to imagine Washington proposing to swap it all for modern equipment, for a not inconsiderable sum.

Another Diplomatic Disaster

Just over a year ago, as Ukraines weapons shortages were rapidly intensifying, the US government began asking Latin American countries to donate Russian-made weapons for the Ukrainian war effort or to swap them for more modern US equipment. In a January 2023 interview with the Atlantic Council, General Laura Richardson, the commander of the US Southern Command, said:

There is a total of nine [countries] that have Russian [military] equipment in [the region] and were working to replace that Russian equipment with United States equipment if those countries want to donate it, too.

None of the nine countries (Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru and Venezuela) showed any interest in the proposal, despite pressure from the United States and Germany. But that changed in January when Noboa, the son of Ecuadors richest man, announced his decision to hand over Ecuadors arsenal of Russian-made weaponry, which he described as worthless scrap metal, in exchange for $200 million of US-made equipment.

But then, Kevin Sullivan, a senior US State Department representative, directly contradicted Noboas scrap metal alibi by admitting on Ecuadorian television that Ecuadors Russian-made weaponry would indeed be heading to Ukraine, where they would be used to try to kill Russian soldiers. And just like that, Noboas whole charade came tumbling down.

That was over a week ago. Now, the weapons are staying put in Ecuador. Ambassador Sprinchan said on Friday that he is confident Ecuador will not be sending Soviet weapons to Ukraine via the US, adding that the Andean nation has a great responsibility and commitment to contribute to the resolution of conflicts in the world through peaceful means and diplomatic instruments.

Initially, Ecuadors government neither confirmed nor denied Moscows claims. Meanwhile, many Western press outlets were serving up a very different version of events in which the Kremlin lifted the import bans due to concerns over potential banana shortages and price rises. No mention was even made of the Russian ambassadors statements in articles in Newsweek (Putins Bananas Ban Backfires as Russians Told to Grow Their Own Fruit), Bloomberg (Russia Blinks on Banana Ban as Ecuador Swaps Weaponry With US) and Moscow Times (Russia Lifts Ecuador Banana Ban After U.S. Arms Deal).

The article in Bloomberg even chalked up the reversal as a foreign policy victory for the Noboa government:

Ecuador, the worlds biggest banana exporter, solved the impasse with little noise and quickly thanks to a capable career commerce team, said Michel Levi, a professor of foreign relations at Universidad Andina Simon Bolivar in Quito With the end of the ban, President Daniel Noboa  a millennial heir to a banana fortune  chalked up a second foreign policy victory in a week after Ecuadors national assembly ratified a free-trade agreement with Russias ally China.

In its defence, Bloomberg did report a day later (Feb 17) that Russia was claiming that Ecuador had agreed to cancel its weapons swap with the US, but this is still not reflected in the original article. Then, on Monday, the Foreign Minister Gabriela Sommerfield confirmed what many of us already knew  that Ecuador will not be sending any war material to any country that is in an international armed conflict.

It is, of course, just one more in a long line of US foreign policy blunders, this time in its so-called back yard (or as Biden calls it, front yard). If Washington cannot even cobble together a credible military partnership with a country as small as Ecuador without making both it and the Ecuadorian government look silly, what hope does it have of countering rising Chinese and Russian influence in its direct neighbourhood? It also means that weapons-starved Kiev will have to wait even longer  presumably an eternity after this debacle  to receive Russian or Soviet-made weapons from Latin America.
Yves here. Were featuring this John Helmer post from over the weekend because the Western chattering classes remain fixated on the death of Alexei Navalny, who despite their histrionics was a person of no consequence in Russia. For instance, to the extent Putin has any opposition now, its not from liberals, as in collective West allies like Navalny (who as Scott Ritter has pointed out, is actually a white supremacist, as Navalny video clips confirm) but the Communists, who have been upset since the start of the war that Putin has not been more aggressive. Ray McGovern has also set forth some of the apparently not-trivial evidence that Navalny was working with US and UK intelligence services.

Helmer describes below, as he did shorter form in a tweet, that Navalny was not in great health, and earlier, claims of Russian attempts on him that (in terms of their mechanics) were clear fabrications. That does not mean that Navalny did not die of foul play. It means that Western claims about what happened need to be taken with a mine full of salt.

By John Helmer, the longest continuously serving foreign correspondent in Russia, and the only western journalist to direct his own bureau independent of single national or commercial ties. Helmer has also been a professor of political science, and an advisor to government heads in Greece, the United States, and Asia. He is the first and only member of a US presidential administration (Jimmy Carter) to establish himself in Russia. Originally published at Dances with Bears

Since a pack of lies about Alexei Navalny (lead image, right) won last years Oscar for the best documentary film of the year when he was alive, theres no doubt he can win another Oscar when hes dead. But alive or dead, the prize-winning propaganda of Navalnys story bears no resemblance to the truth. This is what happens in wartime, especially when the side which is losing the war on the battlefield  thats the US, NATO and the Ukraine  claims to be winning the war of words against Russia.

The Navalny story is now in two parts: Part 1, the Novichok in his airport cup of tea, in his hotel water bottle, and then in his underpants which causes Navalnys collapse, but fails to be detected by Russian doctors in Omsk, by German doctors in Berlin and Munich, and then by Swedish and French state laboratories. Part 2, Navalnys sudden death after he had taken a walk in the IK-3 penal colony in the village of Kharp, in the Russian Arctic region of Yamalo-Nenets. The first part took 62 reports in this archive to expose the faking; the most telling evidence of this came from Navalny himself in the documented tests of his blood, urine and hair. According to these data, Navalnys collapse was the outcome of an overdose of lithium, benzodiazepines, and other drugs.

Part 2 of the Navalny story began last Friday, February 16, with the Federal Penitentiary Service (FSIN) announcement, followed by an official telegramme to his mother in Moscow, that he had died just after two in the afternoon, Yamalo-Nenets time; that was just after noon Moscow time. Two hours later the Russian media began carrying the official announcement. The wording of the last line of the announcement is significant. The causes of death are being established, the FSIN statement said. Causes  plural.

In the UK coroners court practice, what this means is that there is likely to have been a sequence of causation, medically speaking, with the first or proximate cause of death identified as heart, brain, or lung injury or failure; and the second, intervening or contributory cause of death such as biochemical factors, including prescription drugs in lethal combination; mRNA anti-Covid vaccination triggering fatal blood clots; or homicidal poisons. For example, in the case of the alleged Russian Novichok death of Dawn Sturgess in England in 2018, the evidence is of British government tampering with the post-mortem reports to add Novichok when it wasnt identified at first.

In Navalnys case, poisoning on the order of President Vladimir Putin has already been announced as the cause of Navalnys death without evidence at all. The delay time required for the complicated processes of forensic pathology and toxicology to establish the evidence has been reported in the Anglo-American media to signify cover-up and body snatching. Meduza, an oppositionist publication in Riga, reports that a doctor who advised Navalnys associates has said that blood clotting was an unlikely cause of death  this is medically false.

In speculation of poisoning as cause of death, there is at least as much likelihood that Navalny, his team, and their CIA and MI6 handlers devised a repeat of the August 2020 Tomsk operation; decided when Navalny met with his lawyer at the prison on February 14; but implemented two days later without the resuscitation Navalny himself was expecting.

The Anglo-American propaganda warfare army is already pronouncing the contributory Cause 2 Putin did it  as the cause of Navalnys death. If the Russians announce the proximate Cause 1 as cardiac arrest or brain aneurism, without a Cause 2, they wont be believed. In the short term, Cause 2 cannot be established with credibility in Russia since it took the British government ten years, 2006-2016, to fabricate their story of Russian polonium poisoning in the Alexander Litvinenko case. In the Russian Novichok cases in England, it has so far taken six years of court, police and pathologist proceedings, 2018-2024, without outcome, and another two years will follow.

The problem for readers to interpret what has happened is that the Anglo-American propaganda warfare machine is better at what it does than the Russian side. But then when it comes to war with guns, not words, the Russian side is far superior, as can be seen in the Ukraine right now. Accordingly, the Kremlin has decided to concentrate on the main fight. Inside Russia, it has been obvious for a long time that in or out of prison, Navalny alive was politically insignificant; now even less. The new western propaganda is as ineffectual for Russians as Navalny was himself.

And so the purpose of the propaganda is different. President Joseph Bidens statement on Navalnys death makes this clear. This tragedy reminds us of the stakes of this moment. We have to provide the funding so Ukraine can keep defending itself against Putins vicious onslaughts and war crimes. You know, there was a bipartisan Senate vote that passed overwhelmingly in the United States Senate to fund Ukraine. Now, as Ive said before, and I mean this in the literal sense: History is watching. History is watching the House of Representatives. The failure to support Ukraine at this critical moment will never be forgotten. Its going to go down in the pages of history. It really is. Its consequential.

For the German blood and urine proof of Navalnys lithium and benzodiazepine addiction, start here and here. For the evidence from testing of Navalnys hair, click.

The scientific research indicating the blood-clot risk from the coronavirus mRNA vaccines is summarized in many places; for example, here.

The medical consensus on the risk of combining benzodiazepines with other drugs through liver enzyme failure and fatal tachycardia has been documented here. Russian doctors typically prescribe a benzodiazepine called Grandaxin (tofisopam in the west) for reducing bipolar mood swings, diffuse anxiety, and panic attacks. If combined with a sedative also commonly prescribed in Russia for sleeplessness and branded as Teraligen (alimemazine), the risk of liver enzyme failure leading to heart attack is not as well known as it is in the US and UK, and not monitored by regular liver testing. Navalny, his family, and his organization have never acknowledged his prior medical conditions, nor the medications he has been taking. To date, however, they have made no complaints against the Federal Penitentiary Service for depriving Navalny of the medicines he has requested. It remains to be seen whether the family or the prison service releases these personal data now.

Listen to the Gorilla Radio discussion with Chris Cook, recorded over sixty minutes on Sunday morning Moscow time, February 18:

Click on link to listen: https://gradio.substack.com/

There is a notable difference between the US and NATO leaders on what happened to Navalny. In the wording Biden read out in his press conference, he said: make no mistake  make no mistake, Putin is responsible for Navalnys death. Putin is responsible. When pressed by a reporter to clarify was this an assassination? the president said: The answer is, I  we dont know exactly what happened, but there is no doubt that the death of Navalny was a consequence of something that Putin and his  and his thugs did.

The innuendo of murder does not (repeat not) appear in the statements by the French, German and British leaders.

Source: https://twitter.com/EmmanuelMacron/

Source: https://www.bundeskanzler.de

Source: https://twitter.com/RishiSunak/

The most loyal among the small allies of the US were also reluctant to repeat Bidens claim and followed the French and British lead instead. Their remarks indicate the US is failing to hold its front against the Russians.

Canadian government leaders were circumspect on the cause of Navalnys death; the one Canadian exception was Bob Rae, the former Ontario premier and currently Canadian representative at the United Nations. Rae tweeted: Putin murdered #Navalny just as surely as if hed strangled him with his bare hands.

The Australian foreign minister, Penny Wong, stopped short of charging homicide, but imitated Biden: We hold the Russian Government solely responsible for his treatment and death in prison.

The New Zealand government was more cautious. Foreign Minister Winston Peters told reporters Navalnys death was untimelyOur thoughts are with his family and loved ones. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon tweeted he was saddened to hear of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalnys death. He was a fierce advocate of freedom and anti-corruption. When pressed by a reporter, Luxon added that he might talk to the Russian ambassador.
As the spotlight on the U.S.-Mexico border intensifies, Tennessees elected officials have been turning up the heated rhetoric and preventing meaningful immigration reform.

On Feb. 7, Republicans in the U.S. Senate blocked a bipartisan border security bill that had been negotiated for months and could have radically changed U.S. border security and immigration policy. The GOP has long argued that the U.S.-Mexico border is one of our biggest domestic issues, citing national security concerns including cartel violence, the flow of drugs including fentanyl, human trafficking and an ongoing humanitarian crisis.

Even so, nearly every Republican senator  including Tennessees Sens. Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty  voted against the bill, arguing it wasnt tough enough.

If my Democratic colleagues are serious about working with us to secure the border, they should call for a vote on the Secure the Border Act (H.R.2), which arrived in the Senate on May 15 and has languished without even a hearing, Blackburn said in a statement.

Any proposal that fails to secure the border is unacceptable, read Hagertys statement. Im a hard no.

Some Democrats said MAGA Republicans voted no to help embattled former President Donald Trump, the presumptive 2024 GOP nominee, in his quest to retake the White House.

On Feb. 4, Gov. Bill Lee joined 12 other Republican governors from across the nation in traveling to Eagle Pass, Texas, where they met with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. The visit came in the midst of a legal showdown between the state of Texas and the federal government regarding jurisdiction over the border. Lee committed to deploying two waves of state active-duty soldiers to assist the Texas National Guard and Texas law enforcement agencies.

This crisis will only become worse if immediate action isnt taken, Lee said. Thats why governors are working together to do what the federal government wont do, and that is secure our nations southern border.

Republicans have argued that Biden could simply use his executive authority to address the border crisis, but the president has said that he wants Congress to act by sending a bill to his desk.

Local Impact

Every state is a border state has become a favorite slogan of many GOP leaders in Tennessee and beyond.

In September, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security sent a letter to several municipalities in Middle Tennessee, stating that 573 noncitizens from Guatemala, Venezuela, Honduras and Mexico who are going through the legal immigration process would travel to the area, specifically naming Nashville, Franklin and Murfreesboro. While the cities of Franklin and Nashville confirmed that they received the letter, theres no evidence that any large group of migrants has been transported to Middle Tennessee, as seen in other parts of the nation.

The City has not received any reports of individuals arriving in our City since this letter, Franklin officials tell the Scene by email. We followed up with the Tennessee Department of Homeland Security and they have not received any information about individuals coming specifically to the Franklin area.

A spokesperson for the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security says the department didnt receive the letter and has not received details from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security about the planned travel of migrants.

The letter went unnoticed by the general public until earlier this month, when reporting by several local TV outlets sparked some public concern. The letter even came up in a Williamson County GOP forum featuring three candidates for sheriff. All the candidates said illegal immigration is an issue in Williamson County. Candidate and current Williamson County Sheriffs Office Detective Darren Barnes said more than 500 immigrants were bused to and dropped off at a Cool Springs hotel. Barnes later told Scene sister publication The News that he found out after the forum that he was misinformed.

Tennessees Republican U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles called the letter and the traveling of migrants in the U.S. DHSs shady shipment of illegal aliens in our community. Ogles has also introduced the clumsily named Sending Evading Non-Documented Threats Home Especially Migrants Biden Accepted Carelessly and Knowingly Act  or the SEND THEM BACK Act. The proposed federal legislation would mean that anyone who has entered the U.S. illegally since Jan. 20, 2021, would be subject to expedited removal even if that person indicated an intention to apply for asylum or a fear of persecution.

On Feb. 2, Blackburn and Hagerty sent a letter to the federal DHS demanding information about the September letter, saying: Releasing migrants into communities across the country is a dangerous and irresponsible attempt to hide the true extent of the Biden border crisis, and it is making every town in America less safe. The same day, Nashville Mayor Freddie OConnell said in a press conference that his administration has been in contact with state and federal agencies, as well as in conversations with other mayors and groups providing community resources for immigrants and refugees.

One of our priorities of the city is to ensure that we are taking care of one another, and so we are looking at [whether] we have the capacity, OConnell said. We used some of our American Rescue Plan funding to provide immigration legal services, but we need to understand also whats happened, so thats one of the things were looking for guidance [on].

One group that provides resources for immigrants is Franklin-based nonprofit Better Options TN, which was founded in 2016 to help immigrant families find footing in Middle Tennessee, from finding reliable food sources to securing housing and jobs. Better Options CEO Luis Sura says hundreds of migrants arrive in the area each month; some stay permanently, and others move on. Most travel not as large groups of undocumented migrants, he says, but generally as families or individuals who are working through legal channels.

Right now, the majority of people who are crossing the border and coming to Tennessee, they are under [Humanitarian or Significant Public Benefit] Parole or about to get their political asylum application, says Sura. He adds that many migrants are looking to Tennessee over areas like New York, Chicago or Los Angeles for the same reason that many American citizens are moving to the state: because theyre seeking a safe, prosperous place to work and raise their families.

In 2023, Better Options TN helped 10 families become established in the area. He says all of them are now working and living without assistance.

If we house these people and find them a job, which is very easy, these people are not going to be in the streets, Sura says. In three months, theyre going to be on their own, contributing to the community, contributing to the city with their taxes.

At the state level, Republicans continue to propose legislation targeting immigrants. On Friday, TIRRC Votes  the political arm of the Nashville-based Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition  released a list of bills theyre advocating against in the state legislature. Those range from legislation requiring drivers license exams to be administered in English only to a proposed ban on transporting undocumented people into the state.

Impeachment and Retirement

The border has also been a focus of Republican U.S. Rep. Mark Green, who has been on a monthslong mission to impeach Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas. Green, who represents Tennessees 7th Congressional District, called Mayorkas the number one domestic threat to the national security of this country and the safety of Americans.

Green delivered on his promise last week, when the House of Representatives impeached Mayorkas in a 214-213 vote  one week after they failed to do so in a 214-216 vote.

While the impeachment eventually passed, Mayorkas removal is expected to fail when the U.S. Senate returns to session, meaning that the symbolic victory for Green and other Republicans will likely remain just that  a symbolic moment in the ongoing political theater of an election year.

On Valentines Day, Green announced his retirement from Congress, saying, Its time for the Senate to step up. He told The News that securing the border and ending the border crisis will remain a top priority for the remainder of his term.
History of NATO exercises

NATO was founded in 1949. It held its first military exercises in the autumn of 1951. These exercises trained and tested the Alliances newly created multinational military structures, helping NATO forces develop from a collection of national units to an integrated military force under a single centralised command.

Since then, NATO has held thousands of exercises across multiple domains  including air, land, maritime and cyberspace. Throughout the Cold War, NATO maintained a very active exercise programme to train forces in as many demanding scenarios as possible. This included the REFORGER series of exercises, which  like Steadfast Defender 24  tested the ability of North American troops to rapidly deploy to Europe (the word ReForGer stood for Return of Forces to Germany). The last exercise on a similar scale to Steadfast Defender 24 was REFORGER 88, with 125,000 participating personnel.

Since Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014, NATO has increased the number of exercises that focus on collective defence scenarios. Following Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Allies have further strengthened NATOs deterrence and defence, creating the most comprehensive defence plans since the end of the Cold War. Steadfast Defender 24 is the first large-scale NATO exercise to put these new defence plans into action.
On 19th and 20th February 2024, the NATO Defense College Academic Advisory Board (AAB) convened its 53rd annual meeting in Rome, Italy. The AAB advises the Commandant on ways in which to improve the academic, research and outreach activities of the College, to enhance links with NATO HQ and Allied Command Transformation, and to ensure that the Colleges outreach strategies align with those of the Alliance.

The meeting began with Opening Remarks from the Commandant of the NATO Defense College (NDC), Lieutenant General Max Nielsen and the Chair of the NATO Military Committee, Admiral Rob Bauer. As Chair of the AAB, Admiral Bauer laid out the agenda and objectives for the meeting, adding, that these discussions provide the AAB and the NDC with an excellent opportunity to explore current and future requirements NATO may have in the domains of education, training as well as research and innovation.

The Board received an update from the Director of the NDCs Research Division, Dr. Florence Gaub who briefed on the 2024 Research Plan, the Colleges most recent publications and new areas to be exploited. The Board also received an update on the NDCs ongoing education programme as well as the scheduled exercises for 2024, and an update on NDC engagement activities.

In his closing remarks, Lieutenant General Nielsen highlighted his desire to find ways for the NDC to support NATO. In order to do that, the guidance from the Academic Advisory Board, some of our most important stakeholders, is crucial to help us identify areas where we can improve and innovate our education, research, engagement, and enablement tasks for the betterment of our Alliance and our partners, he concluded.

Admiral Bauer commended the NDC for the essential role it has been playing in the education of NATOs future leaders and highlighted the excellent work the College has been doing with its outreach to Partners. All in all, over 60 nations are able to attend these courses and benefit from this international environment, which enables Allied and Partner participants to engage with each other, learn from each other and encourage their personal growth, he remarked.

Concluding the meeting, Admiral Bauer encouraged the NDC to continue striving for excellence, and to maintain its status as the Alliances premier education and training institution, as well as its leading research and innovation facility.

On the side-lines of the AAB meeting, Admiral Bauer gave a lecture to the members of the Senior Course, the NATO Regional Cooperation Course and the ongoing Modular Short Course on NATOs new Era of Collective Defence. Participants included military and civilians representatives from 40 NATO and Partner Nations.

Other members of the Board in attendance: Ms Marie-Doha Besancenot (NATO International Staff); Vice Admiral Guy Robinson (ACT Representative); Major General Davide Re (ACO Representative); Major General Tiberiu Serban (NATO International Military Staff); Mr Mr Fergal Anthony ORegan (European Security Defense College); Dr Bernard Finel (Marshall Center); Dr Pierre Razoux (FMES Institute), Professor Andrea Prencipe (Rector of LUISS); and Dr Jamie M. Johnson (Leicester University).
Newsom signed several laws in September that expanded protections for LGBT individuals in California. Among these laws are measures establishing timelines for cultural competency training for public school teachers and staff; creating an advisory body for LGBT student needs; and requiring gender-neutral bathrooms in elementary and secondary schools. (Related: They're coming for your CHILDREN: California Governor Gavin Newsom signs anti-parent law .)

Two San Diego, California, teachers have taken legal action against California Governor Gavin Newsom and California Attorney General Rob Bonta for forcing them to conceal the transgender status of young students from their parents .

Elizabeth Mirabelli and Lori Ann West, both devout Christians, originally filed the legal complaint in April 2023 against the Escondido Union School District (EUSD) and California State Board of Education officials. But on Jan. 29, the two teachers amended their complaint and added Newsom and Bonta as defendants.

"That leads to the conclusion that the state, and therefore, the governor is the driving force behind the violation of Elizabeth Mirabelli and Lori Ann Wests constitutional rights," the lawsuit read.

According to the lawsuit, the policies allegedly require teachers to support the transgender "social transition" of a student during school hours while using their preferred pronouns and gender-specific names. However, teachers must revert to biological pronouns and legal names when communicating with parents, concealing information about the preferred gender identity of the child.

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Moreover, the lawsuit contends that EUSD mandates teachers to "unhesitatingly accept a child's assertion of a transgender or gender diverse identity" and to treat the student accordingly. Once the social transition begins, teachers are allegedly required to ensure that parents remain unaware of the situation. The district prohibits revealing a student's transgender status to individuals without the student's consent, considering parents as individuals who "do not have a legitimate need for the information."

Mirabelli and West objected to the policies on moral and religious grounds, claiming they felt uneasy about hiding information from parents about students' gender identities at school. The two asked for an exemption from the school district, but the requests were denied. Instead, both of them were removed from the classroom and harassed by the school district for filing a lawsuit.
American society is spinning out of control: What you need to do now to prepare for massive civil unrest and violence

It doesnt take any brilliant analytical mind to discern that American society is losing its rudder and that there are powerful forces seeking to divide us at a critical juncture, provoking us to civil war.

(Article by Leo Hohmann republished from LeoHohmann.com)

After decades of ideological attacks on our gatekeeping institutions by globalists with no allegiance to this country, Americas sense of identity and purpose is dangerously close to dead.

A country without a cohesive identity is a country ripe for manipulation, division and ultimately war among its factions.

When the elites feel their power slipping, which I believe they do, thats when they adopt a burn it all down mentality. Gaslighting in the media, finger pointing and scapegoating all play into the strategy and weve seen plenty of that over the last few years.

But its not just America. Its Western civilization as a whole that is withering. And when civilizations implode, everyone suffers. The good, the bad, and the indifferent.

Many of my Christian friends say not to worry, everything will work itself out just fine. Gods in control. I read history and see that just because God is in control doesnt mean that His followers wont suffer persecution, even to the point of death.

But there is a difference between dying for your faith and dying just because you walked into an unfortunate situation in a public space that you thought was safe. Maybe it always was safe before, but now isnt. Or, maybe you discover the hard way that your home appeared as low-hanging fruit for a professional criminal or gang of criminals. They attack and youre caught off guard.

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What Im saying is, the world is about to become a much more dangerous place, both at home and abroad.

What starts in Europe eventually comes here, and civil uprisings are gaining steam across the European continent. France, Belgium, Germany, The Netherlands, Italy and Spain have all seen tremendous civil unrest as people are waking up to the global con being waged against them by power-hungry globalist Luciferians using the climate as a their excuse to drastically curtail freedoms of speech, press, assembly and movement, not to mention privacy invasions.

Farmers have been protesting against globalist climate policies in all of the above countries. And migrant populations have been also getting restless.

In the Netherlands last night, there were migrant riots with a little-reported connection to the United States. You wont find any of this reported in the mainstream press but keep reading and you will see what Im talking about on how now is the time to wake up and prepare for whats coming.

At least four police officers were hurt during a riot that erupted on the streets outside The Hague on Saturday night, February 17, after two rival groups of Eritrean migrants clashed following a political disagreement.

Rioters torched police cars and a bus, and Dutch police officers were forced to use tear gas to regain control of the area.

Dozens of rioters were filmed surrounding the Opera Conference Hall in the Netherlands, as multiple police vans raced to the scene.

Another clip also showed the aftermath. The building had several smashed windows and parked vehicles were set on fire. The street was left looking like a war zone.

According to The Hague Municipality spokesman Robin Middel, a fight broke out between two groups of Eritreans that got seriously out of hand.

Police said that during the riots, two officers sustained injuries to their hand and another to her teeth. A fourth was hit by a police car in the chaos.

Now, for the U.S. connection.

Independent journalist Andy Ngo reported on X Saturday night that over 200 Eritrean migrants were holding a sympathy protest in Charlotte, North Carolina, for their brothers overseas and that protest also turned violent.

Breaking: African migrants & immigrants from Eritrea in Charlotte, N.C. are rioting & attacking police. The riot coincides with Eritreans in the Netherlands also setting fires and assaulting police. Warring Eritrean factions have taken their violence to the countries they claim https://t.co/42xBBWec04  Andy Ngo ???? (@MrAndyNgo) February 18, 2024

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department confirmed Ngos report of violence breaking out in North Carolinas largest city.

Crowds set a tractor trailer on fire. Charlotte Fire Department contained the scene quickly and extinguished it.  CMPD News (@CMPD) February 18, 2024

So, you can add this to the growing list of American cities experiencing migrant violence. And its only going to get worse until we start seeing mass deportations. But I dont hear any politicians talking much about mass deportations, do you? So dont expect things to improve.

Read more at: LeoHohmann.com
Anti-euthanasia group vows to keep fighting Trudeau governments plan to include mentally ill people in ASSISTED SUICIDE program

The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition (EPC) has decided to reschedule its planned rally against the federal government after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau postponed the expansion of its assisted suicide program to the mentally ill. But the fight continues.

Canadian Health Minister Mark Holland announced on Jan. 29 that Ottawa will be postponing its plan to include the mentally ill people in the Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) program. According to Holland, the postponement sought to ensure the system is adequately prepared. (Related: Insanity: Canadian woman seeking help for suicidal thoughts receives suggestion to commit ASSISTED SUICIDE.)

"We agree with the conclusion that the committee has come to: That the system is not ready and more time is required," he said.

Holland didn't give an exact time frame, but he assured the media that the expansion would happen. He confirmed that they still plan to proceed with MAiD for mental illness, but "those individuals are [going to] have to wait a little longer."

As a response, the EPC  a staunch advocate for the prevention of euthanasia  has moved its rally and press conference to Feb. 27 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Parliament Hill. The rally, originally slated on Feb. 6, seeks to bring attention to the ethical and moral concerns surrounding medical assistance for those dying of mental illness.

The organization has arranged a series of speeches starting at 11 a.m., with notable speakers including EPC Executive Director Alex Schadenberg, human rights lawyer Lia Milousis and outspoken family physician Dr. Paul Saba. The EPC also disclosed that additional speakers are to be announced in the coming days.

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Several Members of Parliament (MPs) and other key figures are expected to join the event. The EPC then invited the public and the media to participate in the event, urging citizens to join their advocacy.

"The EPC is thankful that the federal government is delaying the implementation of euthanasia for mental illness but we will continue to demand that the government change direction and completely stop the implementation of euthanasia for mental illness," Schadenberg wrote.

Conservative MPs and advocacy organizations oppose MAiD expansion

Since the Canadian government announced its plan to expand MAiD, MPs and advocacy organizations in Canada have been consistently mobilizing their efforts to block the extension of euthanasia to mentally ill people.

For instance, Conservative MP Ed Fast submitted Bill C-314, titled "An Act to amend the Criminal Code (medical assistance in dying)," to curtail the broadening scope of MAiD.

During the second reading of Bill C-314 on May 17, 2023, in the Canadian House of Commons, Fast voiced concerns about the intentions to expand MAiD, particularly for those with mental health problems. Fast argued that the proposed expansion would encompass "more and more defenseless Canadians, most particularly those living with disabilities."

"What is equally disturbing is that the Liberal government has also signaled its intention to extend the so-called 'treatment option' to minor children. That would arguably make Canada the most expansive, most liberal assisted suicide jurisdiction in the world," said Fast.

Fast argued that his bill seeks to reverse the expansion of MAID and specifically prevent its extension to individuals with mental illnesses.

"Canadians have a right to conclude that the Liberal government has gone too far and too fast in its zeal to implement and expand the scope of assisted death. My bill will reverse this momentum and repeal the government's decision to extend MAID to the mentally ill. It will put a full stop to the expansion of assisted suicide to mentally disordered persons," the Conservative MP said at the time.

Visit Euthanasia.news for more stories related to Canada's medical assistance in dying program.

Watch the video below that talks about assisted suicide.

This video is from the CHP Canada channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Canada expands assisted suicide laws to allow for killing of INFANTS for profit.

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.

Canada postpones expansion of euthanasia program to mentally ill people, but the Trudeau government promises to kill them eventually.

Sources include:

LifeSiteNews.com

ThePostMillenial.com

OpenParliament.ca

Brighteon.com
SPY vs SPY: Networks built using government funds are using citizen informants to flag misinformation in private messages

By now, most Americans are aware of the fact that the government works with Big Tech to censor the information people discuss and share on social media, ensuring that those who support the governments preferred narratives get plenty of airtime while burying conflicting views. However, you may be surprised to learn that government-funded entities have been hard at work building networks that flag conversations that go against their interests in private messages

Executive director of the Foundation for Freedom Online and former State Department official Mike Benz warned on X: The US govt is paying millions of dollars to censorship mercenary firms to build up a snitch network of citizen informants to report private text messages on WhatsApp for misinformation  then create a vast database of banned memes & ideas.

Using government funds, companies are being enlisted to monitor platforms of interest with the aim of getting content flagged and ultimately censored. Its a common practice on platforms known for encrypted private messaging, such as Telegram and WhatsApp, that are immune to the types of monitoring used on less protected platforms like YouTube and Facebook.

The reports provided by these citizen informants and the information they flag is fed into databases and analyzed by AI.

Meedan's Check tool offers a tip line for snitching on those who privately share unpopular views

One of the companies that is reportedly engaging in this behavior is the U.S.-based nonprofit Meedan, which Foundation For Freedom Online says is at the forefront of creating this snitch network." The group was the recipient of a $5.7 million grant from the National Science Foundation. They also received a grant of more than $144,000 from the government-funded Open Technology Fund for their work on a claims and memes database being used to monitor fact-checked claims and debunked visual misinformation from internet repressive countries.

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Meedan is the name behind the tool Check, which enables private messaging platform users to report so-called misinformation disseminated via private chats using a tip line. The tools AI bot will automatically draft a fact check that users can share in closed discussion groups, and claims that are reported to their tip line will be stored on a permanent basis and connected to similar claims in order to create a database of banned ideas.

Its blog justifies its existence by claiming: Misinformation is destabilizing elections, slowing pandemic recovery, entrenching climate change denial, and creating civil unrest and violence. Todays internet has four billion publishers distributing memes and reels through open networks and closed messaging platforms. Much of this content is enriching communities, but the underlying infrastructure and business model that power it make it fertile soil to sow division, discord, and ignorance.

It adds that it seeks to discover and address misinformation in closed messaging spaces. Check says it is a global fact checking leader and runs in more than 35 countries.

Another company involved in this type of censorship is the Algorithmic Transparency Institute, which was chartered by Congress and now has a sub-branch known as the Civic Listening Corps tasked with training volunteers on reporting misinformation to the censorship industry and Big Tech platforms content moderation departments.

Their website says they are a volunteer network of individuals trained to monitor for, critically evaluate, and report misinformation on diverse topics central to our civic life: voting, elections, public health, civil rights, and other important issues.

They have also formed Junkipedia, a database of the information that has been reported to them.

The director of the Algorithmic Transparency Institute, Cameron Hickey, admitted in a Zoom interview that they have tip lines, phone numbers and email addresses that can be used to forward questionable content from private chat groups. The group then monitors trends and develops messaging to counter unfavored narratives.

Hickey made their intentions clear, stating: We need to inoculate against problematic narratives that are spreading on social media.

Sources for this article include:

ReclaimTheNet.org

FoundationForFreedomOnline.com
Climate cult pseudoscientists now dumping FLUORESCENT DYE in waters around Marthas Vineyard in bizarre effort to fight global warming

Globalist efforts to reduce so-called "greenhouse gas" emissions in order to save the planet from global warming are not moving fast enough for some climate pseudoscientists who will soon begin dumping fluorescent dye chemicals into the waters near Martha's Vineyard to wage war on carbon dioxide (CO2).

According to reports, researchers at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) are planning to release 6,000 gallons of a liquid solution of sodium hydroxide, a component of lye, into ocean waters 10 miles south of the home of the Obamas this fall  and they will also add chemical colorings to the solution to make it visible.

The purpose of these chemical dumps is to lower the acidity of surface water much "like a big tablet of Tums," to quote the Wall Street Journal. In turn, this will supposedly absorb 20 metric tons of CO2 from the atmosphere and store it in the ocean, or so we are told.

"When you have heartburn, you eat a Tums that dissolves and makes the liquid in your stomach less acidic," said Adam Subhas, an associate scientist at WHOI and principal investigator of the project.

"By analogy, we're adding this alkaline material to seawater, and it is letting the ocean take up more CO2 without provoking more ocean acidification. Everything that we're seeing so far is that it is environmentally safe."

The cost of the project is a whopping $10 million, and the money is coming from, you guessed it: U.S. taxpayers via the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), as well as two philanthropies and several private donors.

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Because sodium hydroxide is a chemical, its release, especially in extremely high volumes, will need to be approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which is likely a shoe-in under the current regime.

(Related: According to the corporate media, all those heart attacks, blood clots and deaths occurring in those who are "fully vaccinated" for the Wuhan coronavirus [COVID-19] are actually being caused by climate change.)

Israel blasting chemtrails at 60,000 feet

Another environmentally unfriendly project by startup Stardust Solutions has begun in Israel. It involves blasting "tiny reflective particles" into the air at 60,000 feet to reflect sunlight away from the earth in order to "cool" the atmosphere.

For many years, this was called chemtrails or geoengineering  and mainstream society claimed it was a "conspiracy theory"  but they are now calling it "solar radiation management," or SRM.

Yanai Yedvab, Stardust's CEO and former deputy chief scientist at the Israel Atomic Energy Commission, is refusing to publicly disclose what these "tiny reflective particles" actually are because he says the formula is a proprietary secret.

After collecting $15 million from two investors, Yedvab conducted a number of low-level aerial tests using "white smoke" to simulate the path of the particles as they blast into the skies, but within an indoor environment. Soon, the particles will be released outdoors using much larger-in-scale dispersion technology.

As many warned would happen, all this climate tinkering is reaching a fever pitch to the point that environmental destruction is a certainty once all of these projects launch and expand in both scale and scope.

"It very easily becomes an excuse for not doing all the things that we already can do and that we know will work," warns Dan Jorgensen, Denmark's minister for global climate policy, about the slippery slope of all this environmental and climate manipulation.

"When we start interfering with nature, we risk it also having many very negative consequences that we cannot control and that we cannot foresee."

More of the latest news about the climate pseudoscientists who are destroying the planet in order to "save" it can be found at FakeScience.news.

Sources for this article include:

WSJ.com

NaturalNews.com
Cultural Marxism and the corruption of common law

Peaceful and productive human societies depend on the maintenance of judicial principles that are consistent and impartial.

(Article by William Brooks republished from TheEpochTimes.com)

During the 12th-century reign of Henry II, the English king began to establish a more trustworthy system of legal decision making. The kings judges were asked to consider verdicts that had been reached in similar cases.

Throughout the following centuries legal decision making was based on tradition and custom. This unified system of justice became known as English Common Law.

The legal principle, commonly known as stare decisis, discouraged dishonest plaintiffs from seeking unprecedented settlements for specious allegations against parties whom they disliked or sensed they could take advantage of.

The adoption of English common law in America made the United States particularly attractive to free, hard-working people who sought to engage in honest commerce, acquire capital, remain secure in their persons, protect their property and reputations, participate in public affairs, practice their religion, and live well-ordered lives.

When jurists feel compelled to make fair comparisons with precedent-setting cases, justice is generally well served.

Transforming American Justice

Things dont always change for the better. Over several generations Marxist intellectuals have been transforming the American justice system. They regard a commitment to neutrality as a way of disguising colonialist and patriarchal power structures. Since the 1980s this has led to fierce partisan disputes over the nomination of judges and serious doubts about impartiality in American courts.

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Marxism is a conflict-oriented ideology, and Marxists view liberal conceptions of freedom, democracy, and justice as instruments of oppression. The American left defines pro-American descendants of European colonists as oppressors. More recently, this status has expanded to include African American conservatives, legal Hispanic immigrants, election fraud protesters, concerned parents, practicing Catholics, Jews, or anyone else President Joe Biden chooses to call a MAGA extremist.

Cultural Marxists imagine victims of oppression at all levels of American society. The oppressed can include university-educated elites, radical militants, anti-American identity groups, drug addicts, homeless vagrants, habitual criminals, and millions of illegal migrants. Social as opposed to actual justice requires that people with victim status receive special protection while alleged oppressors are summarily prosecuted and punished.

Justice Must Be Done and Seen to Be Done

Legal scholars once insisted that justice must not only be done, it must be seen to be done. Everyone should be able to expect a fair trial thats accurately covered by public news organizations.

But unbiased judges and honest reporters are in short supply. While Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is facing unprecedented indictments, journalists are still insisting that American justice is fair and impartial.

The lefts recourse to lawfare requires judges and journalists to conceal the truth rather than expose it. Legacy news organizations say theres no evidence of the weaponization of justice or a two-tiered legal system. But, as specious allegations come before American courts, folks cant help noticing that the so-called oppressed usually win.

For example, in 2019 American advice columnist E. Jean Carroll suddenly accused Donald Trump of sexually assaulting her in a Bergdorf Goodman department store dressing room in the mid-1990s. Mr. Trump vigorously denied the allegations, but Ms. Carroll was permitted to sue him for defamation and battery.

One could have guessed the outcome of this case before it began. The left views Donald Trump as an arch-oppressor, and E. Jean Carroll was seen as an oppressed victim.

In May 2023, a New York jury found the former president liable for defamation and sexual abuse and awarded E. Jean Carroll $5 million in damages. In January of this year, Mr. Trump was found liable in a second defamation suit, and Ms. Carroll was awarded an additional $83.3 million. The second award was unprecedented.

Late in January, Breitbart News reporter Hannah Bleau Knudsen revealed several facts about this case that she said the establishment media didnt want the public to know.

First, there were no witnesses and no surveillance video of the attack, which was alleged to have occurred in a downtown New York department store.

The plaintiff came forward with her story while promoting a book titled What Do We Need Men For?, which featured a list of The Most Hideous Men of My Life. The dress she claimed to be wearing during the alleged attack was not for sale in the year she initially claimed the event occurred. Despite her public reputation for being very open about sexual matters, she didnt accuse President Trump until some 30 years after the alleged encounter.

Her entire story was very similar to a 2012 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode, titled Theatre and Tricks, in which an individual talks about a rape fantasy in Bergdorf Goodman. In a November 1993 edition of Elle, before the alleged abuse, Ms. Carroll had made a joke associating sex with Bergdorf Goodman.

E. Jean Carrolls case was financially backed by anti-Trump Democrat mega-donor Reid Hoffman. One of her lawyers is Roberta Kaplan, whose wife is a Democratic Party activist. In fact, her lawsuit was only able to proceed after New York Democrats created a 2022 Adult Survivors Act, which allowed judges to overlook the usual statute of limitations for such charges.

Judgments in cases that are tried in partisan-charged venues such as New York City or Washington, D.C., have almost become forgone conclusions.

A steep decline of common law principles will not bode well for the future of the American Republic. Who would have thought that in 2024 American citizens would be witnessing a partisan special prosecutor seeking the U.S. Supreme Courts permission to put the opposing partys presidential candidate on trial months before a presidential election.

Read more at: TheEpochTimes.com
EU is codifying MIGRATION QUOTAS to flood Europe with illegals

A new set of regulations and policies on the European Union's "sustainable migration and asylum process" called " New Pact on Migration and Asylum " has just been approved by the European Parliament Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE)  opening up the continent to up to 75 million new migrants

However, a lot of European conservatives are unhappy with the Parliament's decision because of some key provisions that have been proven ineffective. In fact, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has warned against the said set of policies, saying it will force countries like Hungary to accept migrants or face a severe financial penalty.

"The next question is how many they will force on us. Now they are deciding that. So, they are creating rules that give Brussels the right to say how many migrants they will distribute," Orban said last year. "So, several countries have indicated that they do not agree. We do not want to implement it. In the end, we are facing a very unpleasant turn of events here."

National Rally's parliamentary wing leader Marine Le Pen even said that the pact is an organized plan of submersion of Europe and the nations that compose it. "It is a real pact with the devil that will lead to the suicide of Europe," she declared during a press conference at her party's headquarters in Nanterre in 2020. She was the first to predict that a pact such as this would bring millions of illegals into Europe. (Related: Be careful what you wish for: European commissioner wants EU to welcome ONE MILLION MIGRANTS each year to offset declining workforce.)

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The new regulations indicated that member states can choose between accepting asylum seekers or paying a financial penalty that costs up to 25,000 ($26,927.50) per migrant. Orban said that Western European nations should be scrambling to accept more migrants, not distribute them to countries like Hungary. And yet, the bloc claims that member states that do not accept migrants will be penalized to help subsidize the cost of these migrants.

Robert Gonczi, an analyst at Hungary's Migration Research Institute, told Magyar Nemzet that what the EU is doing is restructuring or even abolishing the Dublin system. They are establishing a new solidarity system, the exact limits of which have not yet been defined, he said. "This would look something like each state determining for itself how it could contribute to the management of migration at the EU level. However, there is a worrying element to this, as it would presumably include the distribution of migrants within the EU's borders," the analyst pointed out.

Gonczi added that the so-called quota migrant system has been in the European political discourse since 2015, but it does not seem to be the most effective solution and cited a case study by the Migration Research Institute as an example, wherein three Baltic states had previously accepted quota migrants, but that 90 percent of them disappeared from the three countries within a year and later turned up in Sweden, Germany and other Western European states.

"The redistribution system could also create intra-EU flows from the countries where these migrants have been relocated to the countries where they want to leave, as typically the destination countries have not changed," he stressed. However, it would now be necessary for other EU countries to welcome these migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, he added. The real problem is that the reinforcement of the EU's external borders would be less or not at all, which is what is needed.

EU migration pact pushed through despite opposition

Critics have been questioning why the said pact has pushed through despite various opposing views. According to reports more than 50 civil society organizations wrote a letter to negotiators in the European Commission, the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament ahead of the final negotiations on the EU Pact on Migration on the eleventh hour back in December to warn against risks. But everything fell on deaf ears.

"If adopted in its current format, it will normalize the arbitrary use of immigration detention, including for children and families, increase racial profiling, use crisis procedures to enable pushbacks, and return individuals to so-called 'safe third countries' where they are at risk of violence, torture and arbitrary imprisonment," they argued, adding that the pact will betray the spirit of existing EU work, such as the EU Action Plan on Integration and the EU Action Plan Against Racism which recognizes the intersectional impacts of racism and the specific vulnerability of migrants and refugees. "The Pact, as it stands, risks perpetuating discriminatory practices within the very structures meant to uphold justice and protection for all," the letter added.

Still, it was railroaded through. Final negotiations were concluded in the absence of Shadow Rapporteurs and those that did not hold rapporteurship on any of its files, such as the Greens and the Left, were left out altogether.

According to a report on Euractiv, in 2021, the Legal Service of the Council of the EU issued an opinion stating that the pact was legally impossible due to its inclusion of Schengen elements alongside non-Schengen ones. But this was ignored until the last minute when it became clear that the whole set of rules could be thrown out by the courts. "This trend of acting first and asking questions later goes beyond the pact. The recent Instrumentalisation Regulation on migration, which proposed significant infringements on rights in hazily-defined cases of foreign states exploiting migration, was rejected in the Council after a damning Substitute Impact Assessment," the report included.

Migrants.news contains more news related to globalist organizations' push to flood nations with illegals.

Sources for this article include:

Home-Affairs.EC.Europa.eu

RMX.news

MagyarNemzet.hu

PICUM.org

Euractiv.com
U.S. General sounds alarm on Chinese border crossers: They are coming here to kill us

(Article by Jamie White republished from InfoWars.com)

Gen. Blaine Holt (Ret.) told the Gatestone Institute this month that the Chinese Communist Party is deploying thousands of military-age men into America through the southern border, where theyve already begun weapons training in preparation for conflict with the American people.

Tens of thousands of military-age men have come across our border and are now in America, organized by group and nationality Holt told Gatestone. Among them are terrorist and state actors, in particular, members of the Peoples Liberation Army of China. As we speak, these actors are training, making plans and obtaining weapons, watching our patterns, and learning our vulnerabilities.

We are vulnerable to attack, Holt added. Our enemies eagerly wait.

China expert Gordon Chang explained how this plan is part of Chinas unrestricted warfare doctrine first outlined in

Chinese agents, in addition to hobbling Americans with disease and gunning them down, could bomb power stations, attack military bases, start wildfires, poison reservoirs, or create terror in dozens of ways, Change wrote.

These tactics come straight out of Unrestricted Warfare, a 1999 book written by two Chinese air force colonels and first published by the PLA Literature and Arts Publishing House in Beijing. The colonels argued that China can and should employ any tactic in attacking a militarily superior United States. Now, Americans can see how Beijing is operationalizing the suggestions in this how-to manual.

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Chang cited videos circulating on X of Chinese men who recently crossed the U.S. border quickly beginning firearms training, an activity thats prohibited in China.

There is no Second Amendment in China, and Chinese citizens are not permitted to possess firearms. So is it possible that the shooters in the videos are merely taking advantage of a new-found freedom in their new home country? Unlikely.

One of the migrants videoed was in America for only three weeks and arrived in the country with no money and no identification, Chang noted.

If you had just landed somewhere as a migrant with nothing to your name, you would undoubtedly be preoccupied with finding your next meal, getting a place to live, making a livelihood. You would not, within weeks of entering your new homeland, be sharpening your skills to kill.

This comes as investigator Michael Yon and journalists at Muckraker.com have reported on the inflows of military-age men from China, Iran, Syria and Venezuela embedded among the hordes of migrants traveling up from Central America.

Biologist Bret Weinstein also recently visited the Darien Gap in Central America to get a sense of the operational sophistication of the NGO networks facilitating the migrants to the U.S. southern border.

One of the disturbing elements he discovered was China, with UN cooperation, had appeared to construct parallel staging areas exclusively for Chinese migrants, who he claimed were cagey and hostile to inquiries about their intent to enter America.

These, Chinese folks who are overwhelmingly male, military ageIt is not a friendly migrationThis felt like people who did not want to share information, because it would be a mistake to do so, he said.

Recall that authorities also discovered a secret Chinese biological weapons lab with at least 20 pathogens  including Ebola  in Reedley, California last year.

The other thing they found was nearly 1,000 mice, 175 of them dead, that had been genetically engineered to transmit disease, Chang said in August. So, the only conclusion that fits the facts is that China was preparing to launch a pathogen from this lab, and Im sure there must be others around the United States as well.

Meanwhile, the Biden administration seems totally uninterested in the potential national security implications of thousands of undocumented Chinese males streaming across the U.S. border illegally.

Read more at: InfoWars.com
Top German official promotes law that would target bank accounts of right-wing extremist donors

Germany's controversial interior minister wants to make sure that the government knows who donates to the rival political party. A new law has been promoted by Interior Minister Nancy Faeser that would allow the government to target the far-right political party donors' bank accounts  this is just how far the current German government is willing to go to stamp out its main opposition.

"No one who donates to a right-wing extremist party should remain undetected," warned the 53-year-old official as she announced the new crackdown on bank accounts and funding for political groups, which notably is believed to include the opposition Alternative for Germany (AfD). "Those who mock the state must deal with a strong state," she added.

The SPD politician stated that her plan is in cooperation with the President of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) Thomas Haldenwang and Federal Criminal Police Office head Holger Munch. Under the title "Resolutely combating right-wing extremism," Faeser presented 13 new measures, with a special focus on targeting those who fund her party's political rivals. "The BfV is communicating closely with the financial sector to sensitize it to the problems of financial flows and transactions in connection with right-wing extremism." Also, she is pushing for an "early recognition unit," which will become operative in a few months to allow the government to detect "manipulation and disinformation" campaigns launched by right groups using "AI-generated photos and fake accounts."

She also said that shes working with regional authorities on preventing right-wing extremists from entering or leaving the country. "German right-wing extremists and foreign autocrats have one thing in common: They want to stoke rage and divide, above all through disinformation," she alleged.

Human knowledge is under attack! Governments and powerful corporations are using censorship to wipe out humanity's knowledge base about nutrition, herbs, self-reliance, natural immunity, food production, preparedness and much more. We are preserving human knowledge using AI technology while building the infrastructure of human freedom. Learn about our free, non-commercial AI / LLM project here. Support our efforts to build the infrastructure of human freedom by shopping at HealthRangerStore.com, featuring lab-tested, certified organic, non-GMO foods and nutritional solutions.

The minister argued that the right-wingers should be prosecuted in the same way as members of organized crime. Thus, the new law. "The German Bundestag should pass the law quickly," said Faeser. In addition, the law would "combat hate on the internet, remove enemies of the constitution from public service and disarm right-wing extremists."

Faeser and her colleagues in the domestic intelligence agency have labeled the AfD a "definitive case of right-wing extremism," making the said party subject to extreme surveillance. If the law is revised and approved, the German government will leverage this designation to target those who donate to the party. "It remains unclear how such targeting would work and what kind of penalties would be directed at someone who donates to a right-wing party or organization; however, Faeser said the BfV would handle the specifics of tracking and targeting donors," Remix News reported, pointing out that the BfV has become the political arm of the left-liberal establishment and rival parties to their power are being actively targeted by the powerful agency.

AfD is Germany's most popular party

Critics argue that the reason why the left-cult German government is targeting AfD is that the latter continues to thrive despite being in a scandal.

The far-right AfD now polls above 20 percent in Germany and it is showing no signs of going away. Earlier this month, it was reported that AfD politicians met with right-wing extremists and neo-Nazi activists to discuss a "masterplan" for mass deportations. This was considered a possible blow to the party's popularity. But it worked otherwise.

Mainstream political leaders condemned the AfD and tens of thousands marched in protest across Germany for seven nights in a row. Back in January, Philip Oltermann and Kate Connolly reported for the Observer that theatergoers attending a staged reading of the original report in Berlin chanted "Everyone, together, against fascism" for 10 minutes when it ended. According to Correctiv, the news outlet to first report the story, the meeting of AfD politicians with the right-wing extremist Identitarian movement prompted intense scrutiny of the party and renewed questions over whether it should be banned. It was raised in the meeting if migrants could be forcibly returned to their countries of origin en masse, even if they are passport-holding German citizens.

"It's been a huge story here," Oltermann said. "And it's a very significant test of where they are as a party, and what kind of support they have." Despite all of this, the AfD's support appears to be unaffected. The party is on track to win three major state elections in the east of Germany in 2024. (Related: RIGGED: Germany's left-wing government expedites citizenship process for immigrants in anticipation of upcoming elections.)

LeftCult.com has more stories related to how left-wing governments all around the world operate.

Sources for this article include:

APNews.com

RMX.news

TheGuardian.com

Politico.eu
COVID history experts: Hypnosis employed during the pandemic to heighten fear and control the masses

"The End of Covid" is a documentary series -- a library of videos with 90 plus sessions -- that tells all about the honest and terrifying truths that Big Pharma and the government did not want the public to know about the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

During a recent episode of Mike Adams' "Health Ranger Report," Alec Zeck and Mike Winner, the creators of the said video compilation, revealed how people were given "mind conditioning" scenarios and narratives that promoted scaremongering to make the public submit to whatever protocols the "health authorities" rolled out. The Brighteon founder mentioned a study covered by Natural News about hypnosis studies, in which individuals hypersensitive to poison ivy were selected. A researcher asked them to extend their hand on a table then told them I'm going to brush a leaf of poison ivy on your hand. The researcher would indeed do that but not the poisonous plant. But skin rashes would still break out; their mind made it real.

"There was another study where a researcher would pretend to put a lit cigarette out on a person's skin, even though he actually just used a pencil eraser, and then the person's skin would erupt in a burn reaction because they thought it was a burn," he further cited. "The mind is very powerful. If that is to account for some of what we saw during the pandemic, then that's very frightening because the power of false authority in the medical system and the media is far more powerful than most people realize."

Zeck agreed, even relating it to new "scaremongering" tactics now with "disease X." "Everyone is being so afraid that they're going to release another 'bioweapon' on the masses," he said. "The manifestation of symptoms, especially when in a heightened state of fear, is a real thing. And what we teach in the documentary, especially in the last few modules, is we go into great detail on the brilliance of the human body and the understanding that there is nothing out there to be afraid of."

Thanks to your generous support, we are building the infrastructure of human freedom and actively donating our technology to independent publishers, authors and home schooling organizations. Learn about our game-changing non-commercial AI project here. Support our ongoing efforts to preserve and enhance human knowledge by shopping at HealthRangerStore.com.

According to Zeck, once people become aware of things, they can maintain health. Also, understanding that symptoms of illness in and of themselves aren't bad. "Understanding that your body is a brilliant intelligently designed vessel that knows exactly what it is supposed to do and has everything that it needs internally, given the right environment and right nutrients to heal, it is going to do exactly what it was designed to do to heal," he stated and added that the film is actually intended to dissolve fear that is widespread among much of the health freedom crowd right now.

Winner chimed in, adding that it is true that humans have massive deficiencies in the modern era, especially cell and salt minerals because we don't have those anymore in our food due to "mass agriculture." He lauded Adam's Health Ranger and Brighteon stores as well as ventures like those, for selling the needed supplements. "Our bodies can't go through this natural progression of pleomorphic cycle, for instance. The endogenous good bacteria that's in us, which is often mistaken as a bacterial infection, if it gets out of hand isn't from an exogenous attacking vector of this evil bacteria, it's because we are deficient and unable to finish that natural cycle," he further discussed.

AIDS was the earlier pilot program for COVID-19

Elsewhere in the show, the trio also touched on how Acquired Immuno-Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) was actually an "earlier pilot program for COVID-19," when the said disease was responsible for everything, just like how it was with the coronavirus a few years back.

Winner jokingly said that AIDS was responsible for him staying a virgin in the 1980s. "I am so definitely scared of AIDS growing up as a kid of the 80s and a huge fan of Magic Johnson. I grew up in Los Angeles as a Lakers fan. So, when they rolled out Johnson had AIDS and I was in seventh or eighth grade, I was like 'I am never having sex.'"

After a chuckle, Adams went on to say that during that time, people were made to believe that even hetero couples, who were monogamous, were still going to get AIDS. "This totally violates the whole transmission theory," he pointed out. He also noted that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) got massive funding in response to spreading the AIDS scare stories. And the "weird thing" is that former White House Chief Medical Advisor Anthony Fauci was involved in the "AIDS campaign." Also, the medications that were pushed to treat AIDS caused the symptoms that were diagnosed as AIDS, which can be likened to the current COVID-19 vaccines. (Related: ReFounding America: COVID-19 and AIDS pandemics under Faucis watch share similarities  Brighteon.TV.)

One more thing is the AIDS tests, which were not biochemical or physiological only. "Patients" were asked questions about the number of their sex partners, if they ever used intravenous needles, if they were drug addicts, and other questions about their lifestyle. "I thought this was supposed to be scientific. I thought you were going to see something under a microscope," Adams remarked. "It turns out that just like PCR [polymerase chain reaction] tests with COVID, AIDS tests were bulls**t the entire time."

"The End of COVID" modules will be available on BrightU.com from February 10, 12:00 p.m. EST to February 22, 12:00 p.m. EST.

Check out ScienceDeception.com for more stories on fraudulent and rigged scientific rhetoric being pushed on the public in the United States.

Watch the full episode of the "Health Ranger Report" with Mike Adams featuring Alec Zeck and Mike Winner below.

This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources for this article include:

Brighteon.com

Brightu.com
House Republicans warn of national security threat posed by potential Russian ANTI-SATELLITE WEAPON

Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH), chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, recently confirmed that he has alerted Congress to the potential national security threat posed by Russia's desire to put a nuclear anti-satellite weapon into space

Turner claims to have "made available to all Members of Congress" all information his committee has concerning the "serious national security threat" posed by Russian anti-satellite weapons. He has also urged the administration of President Joe Biden to cooperate with House Republicans by providing them with all information on the matter. (Related: U.S. Space Force: China and Russia are CONCEALING THREATS posed by their satellites.)

"I am requesting that President Biden declassify all information relating to this threat so that Congress, the Administration, and our allies can openly discuss the actions necessary to respond to this threat," said Turner.

Turner has further called Russia's potential anti-satellite technology "a destabilizing foreign military capability." Senior congressional aides who spoke with mainstream media outlets have confirmed that Congress has received intelligence regarding Russian space warfare capabilities.

This technology, which Russia may already be in the process of deploying, represents a significant risk to the satellites of the United States, which are essential for transmitting critical data globally. Turner fears this weapon might also be equipped with nuclear capabilities, but sources have yet to confirm this possibility.

White House tries to downplay severity of threat

In a statement, the White House has confirmed that it is monitoring the possibility that Russia may deploy a new anti-satellite weapon. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby has confirmed that this new weapon is being deployed.

Human knowledge is under attack! Governments and powerful corporations are using censorship to wipe out humanity's knowledge base about nutrition, herbs, self-reliance, natural immunity, food production, preparedness and much more. We are preserving human knowledge using AI technology while building the infrastructure of human freedom. Learn about our free, non-commercial AI / LLM project here. Support our efforts to build the infrastructure of human freedom by shopping at HealthRangerStore.com, featuring lab-tested, certified organic, non-GMO foods and nutritional solutions.

In Kirby's statement, he neither confirmed nor denied reports that the new Russian weapon may be nuclear. He only stated it was "space-based" and that its existence violates the 1967 Outer Space Treaty that the former Soviet Union signed and ratified which prohibits the deployment of nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction in space.

"While I'm limited by how much I can share about the specific nature of the threat, I can confirm that it is related to an anti-satellite capability that Russia is developing," said Kirby. "This is not an active capability that's been deployed, and though Russia's pursuit of this particular capability is troubling, there is no immediate threat to anyone's safety."

"We are not talking about a weapon that can be used to attack human beings or cause physical destruction here on Earth," added Kirby in his attempt to downplay the threat. "That said, we've been closely monitoring this Russian activity and we will continue to take it very seriously."

Secretary of State Antony Blinken, on a visit to Albania, also attempted to downplay the threat, saying: "This is not an active capability, but it is a potential one that we're taking very, very seriously and I expect we'll have more to say very soon." He added that the Biden administration was also "conferring with allies and partners on this issue."

"President Biden's focus is on the security of the U.S. and its people and as we approach this and every other issue that's first and foremost on his mind," he said.

In its response, the Kremlin dismissed U.S. warnings as a "malicious fabrication" aimed at pressuring Congress to approve more money for military aid to Ukraine.

Watch this clip from "The Dan Bongino Show" as political commentator Dan Bongino comments on Russia's acquisition of space weapons.

This video is from the Son of the Republic channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

TESTIMONY: U.S. military may be reverse-engineering UFO technology to make new weapons.

Pentagon hosts competition for hackers to break into and take control of a Space Force satellite.

Chinese military says it just achieved "huge breakthrough" in laser weapon technology.

Space Force to launch network of SPY SATELLITES to counter growing Chinese and Russian space capabilities.

China has put hundreds of satellites in orbit to target U.S., as Space Force commander reveals Beijing's horrific plan for America.

Sources include:

YourNews.com

ABCNews.go.com

TheGuardian.com

Brighteon.com
Ohio sheriff warns of impending terror attacks, calls for preparation and training of locals

A sheriff from Ohio has warned about impending terror attacks on America and has called for the local community to prepare and train for this coming threat.

Sheriff Richard "Rick" Jones from Butler County, Ohio recently held a press conference after returning from the National Sheriffs' Association in Washington D.C. to alert local citizens and reporters about what 3,000 local sheriffs were told by Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray.

Jones, who talked about what he learned, including threats to the United States and "need-to-know information" during the conference, said the sheriffs were told by Wray that there are more "red flags" going off now than before the September 11 terror attacks.

"When I say red flags, meaning people that are here in this country that are wanting to do harm to us. There are thousands of people here from other countries, 160 different countries. They are not here to be our friends. Some of them are coming because they want to come here to the best country in the world. The way we see it some are coming here to do harm to us," said Jones.

The Butler County sheriff added that the U.S. is currently in a terrible state because it is only focusing on defense and not doing offense. He lamented that the American government is supplying weapons and money to other countries, but it is not doing much back home.

Jones added they were told by the federal government that an attack on national and local elections would happen.

"They encouraged us to talk to our local election officials and be prepared as much as they can for cyberattacks. Even locally you have to be prepared. We've been told that again, they're coming here to do harm to us," Jones said.

Human knowledge is under attack! Governments and powerful corporations are using censorship to wipe out humanity's knowledge base about nutrition, herbs, self-reliance, natural immunity, food production, preparedness and much more. We are preserving human knowledge using AI technology while building the infrastructure of human freedom. Learn about our free, non-commercial AI / LLM project here. Support our efforts to build the infrastructure of human freedom by shopping at HealthRangerStore.com, featuring lab-tested, certified organic, non-GMO foods and nutritional solutions.

The veteran sheriff from Ohio pointed out the American people won't be able to call and ask for help from the federal government because they are going to be busy along with the military and National Guard when the 9/11-like attacks happen.

Russia, China and Iran are conducting cyberattacks against America

He added that the Russians are suspected of hacking American computer systems. Jones said this is being done to hurt the American people and cause chaos in the country.

The former combat engineer also revealed that aside from the Russians attacking computer systems, the Chinese, along with the Iranians, have also tried to hack the cyber system in Butler County. "Now are they doing that to help us and be our friends? No, they are not. They are trying to disrupt everything that we do. And this next election coming up, they are trying to do the same," Jones warned.

According to Jones, the Butler County sheriff's department is providing rifles in every police vehicle that they have in addition to a go-bag and extra magazines. He added that they are going to start training civilians on what to do when disasters and emergencies happen. (Related: Sheriff in Arizona forming a citizens posse to help fight civil unrest.)

"We've offered classes to train civilians and we are going to start training civilians on what to do when disasters hit and emergencies hit," Jones said.

He explained that they are trying to train more civilians not to cause fear and panic but to make the public aware that America is already under attack. His department is also trying to reach out to the private industry to get help detecting and stopping drone attacks.

Jones has also contacted State Representatives Sara Carruthers and Cindy Abrams to ask the state to introduce three pieces of legislation.

The first one is about the creation of a Border Security Task Force to address the problem on the northern border; the second is about the formation of a full-time 24-hour-a-day cybersecurity department under a cybersecurity czar; and the third piece of legislation is for illegal migrants to be arrested and charged with state felony for being in Ohio illegally.

Follow Terrorism.news for more stories about the coming terror attacks in America.

Ohio Sheriff Richard "Rick" Jones tells the public that the FBI has warned America's sheriffs to prepare for chaos in 2024. Watch this video.

This video is from the TruNews channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Trump warns 100% chance of major terror attacks in America: 'Terrorists pouring in, unchecked, from all over the world.'

FBI Director Wray: Threats of terror attacks against the U.S. have reached "a whole other level" amid ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

The Ben Armstrong Show: FBI, CISA directors warn about China's readiness to attack U.S. infrastructure.

Sources include:

VladTepesblog.com

BizPacReview.com

Brighteon.com
Russian space nukes program is serious national security threat, House Intelligence Committee chair warns

When House Intelligence Committee Chairman Michael R. Turner (R-Ohio) announced there was a serious national security threat and implored the Biden administration to declassify information about it, there was a lot of speculation about what prompted the warning.

We now know that it is related to Russias advancements in space-based anti-satellite nuclear weapons. According to former and current officials who have been briefed on the topic, these weapons are not expected to be launched imminently, but there is only a short window of time to stop them from being deployed.

Unfortunately, a former official told the New York Times that the U.S. is not believed to have any way of countering this type of weapon and defending our satellites. If deployed, these weapons are capable of destroying civilian communications and space surveillance, as well as the military command-and-control operations of the U.S. and our allies.

When National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan was asked at the White House if he could tell Americans they dont need to worry about anything, he said he was unable to do so.

Americans understand that there are a range of threats and challenges in the world that were dealing with every single day, and those threats and challenges range from terrorism to state actors, he said.

The system is reportedly not in orbit yet and is still under development, and some Democratic House members feel that the issue is not urgent enough to warrant such a strong reaction from Rep. Turner. For example, Rep. Jim Himes (D-Connecticut) said the issue is a significant one, but it is not a cause for panic.

Thanks to your generous support, we are building the infrastructure of human freedom and actively donating our technology to independent publishers, authors and home schooling organizations. Learn about our game-changing non-commercial AI project here. Support our ongoing efforts to preserve and enhance human knowledge by shopping at HealthRangerStore.com.

However, the director of the Federation of American Scientists Nuclear Information Project, Hans Kristensen, said that such a weapon would pose a major risk to American nuclear command and control satellites used to control our nuclear arsenal and would mark a significant escalation, even if it wasnt nuclear and only involved conventional weapons on orbital anti-satellite systems.

Speaker of the House Rep. Mike Johnson tried to calm the public, telling reporters there is no cause for alarm and that they are working on addressing the matter.

While Rep. Turner has called for all of the information about the threat to be declassified so lawmakers and Americas allies can come up with an effective response, Senate Intelligence Committee leaders said that declassifying it could mean exposing sensitive sources and their methods.

Although launching such a system into space would be a clear violation of the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, which prohibits placing any objects carrying nuclear weapons or any other kinds of weapons of mass destruction in orbit, Russia has been abandoning Cold War arms control treaties, which they view as holding them back from a crucial source of military power.

EMP strike from space would be devastating

Although the concern here is only related to the use of a nuclear weapon against satellites and not against the U.S. directly, space nukes would be easy to drop into high-altitude EMP detonations. Last year, an expert told MailOnline that the immediate effect of an EMP strike would be devastation to electrical infrastructure, while energy and water supplies would also be knocked out.

Dr. Willian Forstchen emphasized that cars, phones, banking, computers and anything else that uses electrical components or systems would simply stop functioning, depriving people of access to water, heat and food. Over the long term, we could see a considerable reduction to the population as people die of starvation and thirst or are killed by violence or panic.

Sources for this article include:

ZeroHedge.com

NYTimes.com

DailyMail.co.uk
House Speaker Mike Johnson criticized the legislation and refused to bring it to the floor.

"Right now, we're dealing with the appropriations process, we have immediate deadlines upon us and thats where the attention is in the House in this moment," he said.

This, in turn, has ignited a major clash between the two chambers.

In response to Johnson, President Joe Biden urged House Republicans to hold a vote on the bill. (Related: Outrage: Biden holds America HOSTAGE while demanding ransom in form of BILLIONS more in aid for Ukraine, Israel.)

During remarks from the White House, Biden stressed that a "minority of the most extreme voices in the House" should not be allowed to block the critical legislation. Biden also warned that failure to act could result in increased aggression from Russian President Vladimir Putin beyond Ukraine, with escalated costs for America and its allies.

Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump sided with Johnson. He opposed the current legislation and said that the U.S. should only provide foreign aid as a loan. He has also suggested that he would support Russian aggression against NATO member countries that don't contribute enough financially.
Spanish authorities send RIOT POLICE to quell farmer protests

Authorities in Spain have deployed riot police to quell farmer protests as several other European Union (EU) member countries see similar demonstrations.

On Feb. 9, a group of farmers announced plans to gather in the Spanish capital Madrid on Feb. 24, near the headquarters of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE). Incumbent Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is currently the secretary-general of the PSOE, assuming the position in June 2017.

But Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska, who has close ties to the PSOE, has warned that "they are not going to allow" the protests to reach the party's headquarters. The protesting farmers have organized tractor drives and road blockades in various Spanish cities in opposition to stringent EU regulations on farming. (Related: Farmer protests erupt across Europe over GREEN POLICIES that demand the obliteration of food production.)

According to the El Mundo newspaper, hundreds of officers from the Spanish National Police Corps' (CNP) Police Intervention Unit (UIP) were deployed in Madrid and Valladolid to address the roadblocks the protesting farmers set up. "The demonstrations are expected to continue over the coming weeks," the Daily Expose continued.

Also on Feb. 9, traffic on the A-2 highway to Madrid near the central town of Torija slowed down behind a convoy of tractors bearing Spanish flags and blaring their horns. Farmers wearing yellow vests waved baguettes from an overpass at the vehicles below.

Meanwhile, footage that went viral on social media showed a group of protesters near the southern city of Jerez. The farmers reportedly grabbed boxes of cherry tomatoes from a truck and dumped the contents. According to the protesters, the tomatoes were of Moroccan origin.

We are building the infrastructure of human freedom and empowering people to be informed, healthy and aware. Learn about our free, downloadable AI tools on nutrition, health and preparedness at this article link. Every purchase at HealthRangerStore.com helps fund our efforts to build and share more tools for empowering humanity with knowledge and abundance.

A separate report by El Mundo recounted a clash between protesters and police officers near the southwestern city of Merida. Demonstrators lobbed rocks at the officers, prompting law enforcement to deploy tear gas to disperse them.

Globalist Eurogendfor police force deployed against farmers

Aside from UIP personnel, social media posts have also confirmed the deployment of the multinational European Gendarmerie Force (Eurogendfor) against the farmers. These Eurogendfor members were reportedly involved in aggression toward demonstrators. One such video circulating on social media said the paramilitary police had been deployed "to crush the farmers in Granada," which is located in southern Spain.

Meanwhile, another Twitter user pointed out that the aggression against protesting farmers is not a signature of the CNP. Citing footage taken in the city of Murcia as an example, the Twitter user explained: "The [CNP] set up street blockades which the farmers easily bypass,  take little action and let them do their thing. Eurogendfor, on the contrary, they do fight."

According to its X profile, the Eurogendfor "is a multinational police force born to participate in the stabilization of crisis and conflict areas outside the EU." It was established in October 2007 after five EU member nations  France, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain  signed a treaty affirming its existence. Romania and Poland later joined the Eurogendfor's original five members.

"Since its foundation, Eurogendfor has been deployed  under the aegis of the main international organizations in various theaters of operations such as Bosnia and Herzegovina, Afghanistan, Haiti, Central African Republic, Libya, Niger and Mali," the Daily Expose shared.

"Despite Eurogendfor clearly stating it is only deployed  outside the EU, if Eurogendfor has been deployed against the Spanish farmers, it would not be for the first time within the [bloc]."

The Expose recounted that in 2018, it was believed that the paramilitary force was deployed during a protest in France. It cited eyewitness accounts attesting to the presence of armored vehicles displaying the EU flag or foreign emblems.

Other eyewitnesses also recognized the Eurogendfor's coat of arms  a sword, a potted plant and a wreath of leaves under it, all inside a blue shield. Some also recognized the force's motto "Lex Paciferat" (the law makes peace).

Visit Revolt.news for more stories about the ongoing farmer protests in Spain and other EU countries.

Watch this footage of protesting farmers expelling law enforcement from a gathering in the northern Spanish city of Logrono.

This video is from the Alex Hammer channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Farmers across EU rise up against tyrannical "green" mandates that threaten food supply.

Protesting farmers in Germany force government to renegotiate planned cuts to their benefits.

Farmer rebellion spreads to PARIS where tractors are creating blockades to protest climate insanity.

Tensions escalate as Dutch farmers protest after police discharged firearms over "threatening situation."

Dutch farmers block roads with tractors in protest of government plan to seize thousands of farms over "climate change."

Sources include:

Expose-News.com

USNews.com

Brighteon.com
Special counsels finding of Bidens poor memory is damaging his re-election chances

It may have appeared to be a win on the surface when Special Counsel Robert Hur recommended against charging President Joe Biden for mishandling classified documents, but his scathing assessment of the presidents cognitive decline could have a devastating impact on his reelection chances.

In his report, Hur acknowledged that Biden willfully retained and disclosed classified materials. Investigators found that he was in possession of documents such as classified notes on intelligence briefings and national security meetings. He also shared some classified passages about the U.S. war in Afghanistan with a ghost writer.

However, they decided not to charge him, saying he could be viewed as a "well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory." The report said that the Justice Department would struggle to prove intent beyond a reasonable doubt given his forgetfulness and advanced age.

Recorded conversations between Biden and the ghostwriter from 2017 were described in the report as being often painfully slow, with Mr. Biden struggling to remember events and straining at times to read and relay his own notebook entries. It added that his memory was even worse when they interviewed him.

Hur wrote in his report that the presidents memory was severely limited in interviews with the prosecution team, forgetting vital information about major events in his life such as the years of his term as vice president and when his son Beau died.

Angry Biden pushes back against assessment of his cognitive decline

Its clear that Biden and his team are in panic mode given his short-tempered rebuttal. He insisted that his memory was fine in remarks at the White House, even though he proceeded in the same session to misidentify the president of Egypt, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, as the president of Mexico.

Thanks to your generous support, we are building the infrastructure of human freedom and actively donating our technology to independent publishers, authors and home schooling organizations. Learn about our game-changing non-commercial AI project here. Support our ongoing efforts to preserve and enhance human knowledge by shopping at HealthRangerStore.com.

When asked about Hurs comments that Biden could not recall when his son died, the angry president replied: "How in the hell dare he raise that? Frankly, when I was asked the question, I thought to myself, it wasn't any of their damn business.

He added: I am well-meaning, and Im an elderly man and I know what the hell Im doing.

He appeared tense throughout the remarks, snapping at Fox Newss Peter Doocy when he asked him, How bad is your memory, and can you continue as president?

Biden retorted: My memory is so bad that I let you speak.

This week, he mixed up the names of world leaders on two occasions, claiming to have recently spoken to two different world leaders who have been dead for years.

Biden is unfit for the presidency

The reports description of his memory has already sparked a fresh debate about his age and mental fitness that plays into many voters concerns and could be a deciding factor for those who were already on the fence about voting for him on account of his mental state.

At age 81, Biden is already the oldest person to ever serve as the president of the United States. If his mental acuity is already this poor, its unnerving to imagine how bad it could be at the end of another four-year term if he is reelected. The people around him should have done the compassionate thing and spared him the humiliation of having to run again when he is clearly not mentally prepared for it.

An elderly man with a poor memory is not someone who should be in charge of the U.S., and being cleared of wrongdoing because you are mentally incompetent is hardly the victory his supporters seem to think it is.

Sources for this article include:

InformationLiberation.com

Reuters.com

NYPost.com
Police and crime commissioner: Suspect in alleged assault of a teenage boy in England is a TRANSGENDER, not a woman

Matthew Barber, the police and crime commissioner for the Thames Valley Police in southeast England, has publicly criticized his own police force for failing to mention in a press release that a 51-year-old suspect in the alleged assault of a teenage boy is a trans-identifying man , rather than a woman.

In a statement posted on the police force's official website on Feb. 11, the organization stated that "a woman has been charged in connection with sexual offenses" without acknowledging the self-declared transgender status of Osareen Omoruyi, the alleged child sex offender.

"Thames Valley Police have, mistakenly, in my view, relied on the 'self-described gender' in publishing a press release that incorrectly states that a woman has been charged with these offenses," Barber wrote on their official website.

Barber declared that the police force was "clearly wrong" in relying on gender self-identification when referring to Omoruyi as a woman in the press release. He stressed the importance of accurate information in criminal cases, especially those involving serious sexual offenses.

"The police and other criminal justice agencies must deal in facts, as best evidenced to them at the time. Any failure to do so risks damaging public confidence and overshadowing excellent policing in the interests of public safety. In cases of serious sexual offending when public protection is at stake, the vast majority of people will rightly expect the criminal justice system to deal in facts and nothing more. The accused in this case, Osareen Omoruyi, is a 51-year-old male," he wrote. (Related: UK: Rape crisis centers transgender boss called for those who disagreed with gender ideology to be fired, says tribunal witness.)

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Omoruyi, who has been charged with two counts each of sexual assault by penetration and causing a child to engage in sexual activity, allegedly assaulted a teen boy around Witan Way, near a public shopping area, in the town of Witney in Oxfordshire, England.

According to the information gathered from the social media accounts of Omoruyi, he is a trans individual with multiple Facebook accounts that he uses to interact with himself and leave positive comments on his own photos.

Omoruyi has shared photos of himself in London, often using filter applications to enhance his appearance. Another account on X, believed to belong to Omoruyi, follows accounts of prostitutes, those that share porn and of trans activists. The same X account also shared private contact information for alleged "hookups" and prostitution transactions.

Moreover, Omoruyi shared a promotional image for a Guyana Trans United drag festival in June 2022. In 2019, Omoruyi posted a young man in bondage fetish gear and lingerie, with the caption, "I love crossdressing," on one of his Facebook accounts.

Thames Valley Police tries to defend its mistake

In response to the criticism of the commissioner, the Thames Valley Police claimed that it only adheres to the law and guidelines when establishing the gender of a person in custody.

"Thames Valley Police is aware some public concern has been shared on social media following the publication of our charge release on Friday in relation to a sexual offences investigation in Witney. Thames Valley Police adheres to the law and the codes of practice, including the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) Code C, when establishing the gender of a person in our custody.

"The individual identified as a female and the officers treated them as such in accordance with the College of Policing Authorized Professional Practice, which outlines that officers should treat the person according to their stated preference. Consequently, our charge press release that was published reflected this position," the police organization wrote in its official statement.

But despite the defense, Omoruyi has been remanded to a male prison.

Visit Gender.news for more news about the breakdown of society at the hands of the LGBTQ cult.

Watch this video of Gabor "Gabe" Zolna talking about how transgender inmates sexually assault biological women in prison.

This video is from the zolnareport.com channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Sexual predators avoid jail time by identifying as "transgender."

Female student RAPED in trans-inclusive restroom at New Mexico school.

REPORT: Virginia father arrested after his teen daughter allegedly raped by trans student in public school.

Scottish police say rapes committed by men will be logged as rapes by "women" if offenders are trans.

Pedophile who raped multiple children avoids prison after he tells 'woke' judge that hes transgender  Judge rules it would be 'too difficult to cope with.'

Sources include:

En-volve.com

DailyMail.co.uk

ThamesValleyPolice.co.uk

Brighteon.com
UNCONSTITUTIONAL: U.S. Treasury Department admits it targeted MAGA finances without due process

The political wars rage on in Washington, D.C., as Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Oh.) calls for a transcribed interview with a former Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) official who allegedly flagged consumer transactions that were marked "TRUMP" or "MAGA."

According to Jordan, a committee he is on obtained documents showing that FinCEN outlined "typologies" of persons of interest in materials that were widely disseminated to financial institutions across America. Such material included "suggested search terms and Merchant Category Codes (MCCs) for identifying transactions on behalf of federal law enforcement after Jan. 6, 2021."

In other words, the FinCEN official in question ordered banks and other financial institutions across the United States to keep an eye on any customer transactions bearing tags that suggest potential involvement in the so-called "insurrection" that occurred during a Trump rally in front of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Not only did the deep state operative(s) at FinCEN call for the flagging of all financial activity possibly involving "domestic terrorists," they also probed into the literature preferences of their targets, which they described as "lone actor" and "homegrown violent extremism indicators."

According to FinCEN, such "extremism" indicators include "transportation charges, such as bus tickets, rental cars, or plane tickets, for travel to areas with no apparent purpose," as well as "the purchase of books (including religious texts) and subscriptions to other media containing extremist views."

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"In other words, FinCEN urged large financial institutions to comb through the private transactions of their customers for suspicious charges on the basis of protected political and religious expression," reads Jordan's letter.

(Related: Did you catch Tucker Carlson's explanation as to why he decided to interview Russian President Vladimir Putin?)

Violating Americans' privacy

Rep. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), a ranking member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, responded to the allegations as put forth by Jordan. Scott said that if the FinCEN staffer's allegations are true, they represent "a flagrant violation of Americans' privacy and the improper targeting of U.S. citizens for exercising their constitutional rights without due process."

The concerns of both Jordan and Scott are valid, but why is this kind of thing only just now being addressed by Republicans in Congress? After all, this type of illegal probing into Americans' private affairs has been going on since the George W. Bush era when the so-called "War on Terror" decimated what then-remained of the now-defunct Bill of Rights.

For the first time since the "insurrection," the Biden regime has admitted that Jordan's allegations are true, according to a letter obtained by Fox News Digital. The letter explains that FinCEN's "exchange events" commenced "shortly after January 6 under the prior Administration" and "included terms such as 'antifa,' 'MAGA,' 'Trump,' 'Biden,' 'Kamala,' 'Schumer,' and 'Pelosi.'"

As interesting as this all might seem, one wonders if anything will ever actually happen to punish those responsible for violating Americans' constitutional right to privacy.

"They'll all get away with it ... as usual," wrote one skeptical commenter, echoing that point.

"By all natural right, the government criminals who engaged in this behavior should be duly prosecuted and their cases judiciously and fairly disposed of," notes Ben Bartee, writing for The Daily Bell. "Alas, in all matters of state malfeasance, who is going to watch the watchmen?"

"The remedy is the people, of course  patriots, the ultimate check on state power  as the Founders intended in a functional representative system of governance. But doing so will land said patriot on the kind of government list he was protesting in the first place ... I believe this is what they call a Catch-22."

More related news can be found at Chaos.news.

Sources for this article include:

TheDailyBell.com

NaturalNews.com
Trump supporters launch fundraiser to pay his fraud damages

Fans of Donald Trump have started a crowdfunding campaign seeking donations to cover the $354 million that a New York judge ordered the former US president to pay for fraudulent business practices.

(Article republished from RT.com)

A GoFundMe page was set up for Trump on Friday, shortly after Judge Arthur Engoron slapped him with massive monetary damages and a three-year ban on operating his businesses in New York. In its first 24 hours, the campaign raised about $100,000, a small fraction of the fraud judgment against Trump, his companies, and his adult sons.

Lets stand with Trump to ensure that justice prevails and that we continue to fight for a country that respects freedom, honors courage, and rewards the unwavering spirit of its people, said Elena Cardone, the Florida businesswoman who launched the GoFundMe campaign. Thousands of Trump supporters contributed to the fundraiser, in amounts ranging from $5 to $2,500.

If everyone who voted for Donald J Trump donated $5, he could fund the entire judgment and send a message to all corrupt judges around the country that the American stand together, when it comes to this kind of injustice.https://t.co/B5NwBbEn8I  Grant Cardone (@GrantCardone) February 16, 2024

Critics of Trump mocked his supporters for trying to pay the legal bill of a billionaire who was found to have submitted fraudulent financial statements. Some noted that the fundraiser is in breach of GoFundMe rules, which specifically prohibit campaigns for the legal defense of alleged financial and violent crimes.

Justice Engoron rebuked Trump and his co-defendants for a pathological lack of remorse and said he ordered the appointment of an independent director because he didnt trust the Trump Organization to comply with his judgment. The judge found that Trump submitted false business reports, overstating the value of his assets to obtain favorable terms on bank loans and insurance policies. Trump disputed the courts valuations of his properties and argued that there were no victims because all of his loans were paid back in full and on time.

Trumps lawyers have vowed to appeal Fridays ruling, as well as an $83 million New York City jury verdict against him last month for defaming a woman who had accused him of sexual assault. Trump, who also faces four separate criminal indictments, has claimed that President Joe Bidens allies are using legal attacks to block him from winning back the presidency later this year.

Read more at: RT.com
White House confirms Russias pursuit of anti-satellite capability, calls it a serious national security concern  but thats been public knowledge since February 2023

Sources familiar with Capitol Hill deliberations recently revealed an intelligence report suggesting Russia's interest in deploying into space a nuclear weapon specifically designed for satellite destruction.

The question arises whether this revelation will trigger an increased crackdown on those sympathetic to Russia or prompt a return to mail-in ballots for Americans, invoking fears of Russian space nukes.

On Feb. 15, White House officials confirmed reports of Russia's pursuit of an "anti-satellite capability," acknowledging it as a serious national security concern. However, they emphasized that it is not an immediate threat to Americans' safety.

U.S. defense and intelligence agencies have also been aware of the threat for at least over a year now, with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) highlighting Russia's ongoing efforts to train military space elements and develop anti-satellite weapons in the annual threat assessment released in February last year.

Robert Soofer, former nuclear policy official at the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) noted that discussions on Russian and Chinese anti-satellite capabilities have been ongoing. Targeting U.S. satellite networks could disrupt civilian communications, surveillance, telecommunications and geo-location systems crucial for the military.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) sought to allay public concerns, emphasizing the absence of a need for public alarm while addressing the matter as a classified, sensitive issue. The public appeared to dismiss the reported threat as a distraction.

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House Intelligence Committee (HIC) Chair Mike Turner's (R-OH) call for President Joe Biden to declassify information about the threat has intensified discussions within Congress, the administration and with allies to address the situation openly. His statement prompted reassurances from other members of Congress and senior Biden administration officials that the threat was not imminent, urging the public not to panic. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, speaking in Albania, characterized the threat as a "potential" one, emphasizing that it is being taken seriously.

Three members of the HIC told Politico that the threat posed by Russia's new capability is "disturbing" but more of a longer-term concern than an immediate crisis.

Motives behind the revelation still unknown

The motives behind this revelation remain speculative  whether it serves as a distraction from other issues, an attempt to secure funding for non-border matters or a way to portray Putin negatively after his interview with Tucker Carlson.

Despite being labeled a "nothing-burger," concerns arise about the reported Russian capability, described by DoD correspondent Haley Britzky as "highly concerning and destabilizing," particularly in an election year when the federal government tends to amplify fears or distract from other issues. The nature of this capability is uncertain, with speculations ranging from hypersonic weapons to other advanced technologies. (Related: U.S. Space Force: China and Russia are CONCEALING THREATS posed by their satellites.)

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby meanwhile clarified that the anti-satellite capability does not target human beings or cause physical destruction on Earth. The technology is not yet active and has not been deployed.

While Kirby did not specify whether the capabilities are nuclear or nuclear-capable, he confirmed that they are "space-based" and would violate the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, prohibiting the stationing of weapons of mass destruction in outer space, to which Russia is a signatory.

Russia has demonstrated the ability to shoot down satellites through physical attacks and electronic warfare. The Kremlin, meanwhile, dismissed the report as a "malicious ploy" by the White House to pressure lawmakers into approving more defense funding, including for Ukraine.

Watch Dan Bongino talk about Russian space weapons below.

This video is from the Son of the Republic channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Top Russian astronomer mysteriously ends up in hospital after FAILED moon mission.

Space Force to launch network of SPY SATELLITES to counter growing Chinese and Russian space capabilities.

China has put hundreds of satellites in orbit to target U.S., as Space Force commander reveals Beijing's horrific plan for America.

Sources include:

ZeroHedge.com

DNI.gov

MSN.com

Brighteon.com
Border agents report encounters with nearly 30,000 Chinese illegal immigrants since October

Border agents have come across nearly 30,000 Chinese illegal immigrants at the southern border in the current fiscal year. If this pace continues, the total will surpass the significant influx of potential spies and sleeper agents who entered the border since the start of 2021 fiscal year.

According to data from Customs and Border Protection, since Oct. 1, 2023, the beginning of fiscal year 2024, agents have encountered 29,799 Chinese individuals at the the United States' borders. Almost 20,000 of these individuals were encountered at the southwest border, with the majority in the San Diego sector. (Related: MOBS of Chinese illegal immigrants SWARM California border.)

The primary concern, as highlighted by Federal Bureau of Investigation officials in discussions with top senators and congressmen last month, is the possibility that foreign nations have deployed a sleeper army or terror cell within the country to execute a devastating attack.

To put this in perspective, in the 2023 fiscal year from Oct. 1, 2022, to Sept. 30, 2023, there were 52,700 encounters with Chinese migrants. This is more than double the 27,756 recorded encounters with Chinese illegals in the 2022 fiscal year. In the 2021 fiscal year, only 450 Chinese individuals were encountered at the southwest border.

If the current pace continues, border agents could encounter around 88,000 Chinese individuals by Sept. 30, 2024, the fiscal year's end, marking a 67-percent increase from fiscal 2023.

Out of the total, 18,755 Chinese were apprehended at the southwest border, primarily while crossing illegally. In the San Diego sector alone, 98.3 percent of encounters involved individuals attempting to jump the border.

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This number increased by 383.5 percent to 2,176 in fiscal 2022 and skyrocketed by 1,017 percent to 24,314 in fiscal 2023. The substantial upticks suggest that the Chinese are aware of President Biden's leniency towards illegal immigration, indicating that, like other undocumented individuals, they anticipate potential release and disappearance into the country.

Chinese citizens have become the fourth-largest group to traverse the challenging Darien Gap, a dense jungle connecting Colombia with Panama.

Deteriorating conditions in China cited as main reason Chinese are leaving

Once considered perilous to navigate, Chinese migrants are being increasingly driven by economic challenges and strict Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) measures in China to find ways to enter the United States.

Xi Yan, a Chinese writer who crossed into the U.S. in April 2023, highlighted China's high unemployment rate and the ongoing struggles for small business owners as the driving factors for her migration, which she did with her 24-year-old daughter.

China's unemployment rate for those aged 16 to 24 hit 21.3 percent in June, exacerbated by Beijing's crackdown on industries where young people traditionally seek jobs.

Visas for Chinese nationals to work, visit or study in the U.S. have become scarce amid heightened tensions between China and the U.S. Consequently, more individuals are seeking alternative routes into the country. Most Chinese migrants start their journey in Ecuador, where entry doesn't require a visa. From there, they traverse the Darien Gap and multiple Central American countries on their way north.

Some migrants collaborate with smugglers, paying fees to reach the border gap and voluntarily surrender to U.S. law enforcement. Social media platforms like TikTok provide step-by-step guides, offering survival tips, accommodation suggestions and instructions on navigating the Darien Gap and dealing with border agents.

Upon illegally crossing, Chinese migrants often surrender to border agents, seeking asylum. The processing period can extend for months to years due to the immigration case backlog. Even if immigration courts attempt deportation, many remain in the U.S. since China refuses repatriation, leaving them in legal limbo.

Learn more about the migrant crisis at OpenBorders.news.

Watch this Fox News broadcast detailing how Chinese migrants are flooding through California's stretch of the southern border.

This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Chicago's suburbs are now banning buses from dropping off illegal immigrants.

RED DAWN ALERT: Chinese agents are being sent across Mexican border to prepare attacks on U.S. soil.

United Nations allocates $372 million for U.S.-bound immigrants in 2024.

Tens of thousands of illegal Chinese migrants detained at U.S. border in major national security threat.

They're taking over: IMMIGRANTS now make up 15% of total U.S. population.

Sources include:

TheNewAmerican.com

News.Yahoo.com

APNews.com

Brighteon.com
Biden refuses to negotiate with Speaker Johnson, blames House Republicans for ongoing and escalating border crisis

House Speaker Mike Johnson is still determined to set up a meeting with President Joe Biden to address the border crisis, but the president keeps rejecting it. Instead, Biden keeps on blaming House Republicans for the ongoing and escalating border crisis across the United States.

Earlier this month, Senate Republicans, on the urging of former President Donald Trump, rejected a bipartisan border security deal that would impose stricter immigration and asylum laws while providing foreign aid to Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan. Senate Republicans voted against the bill by a narrow margin of 49 in favor and 50 against. A total of 60 votes were required for the legislation to proceed without being challenged by a filibuster.

The bill is part of a $118 billion national security package that allocates $60 billion to support Ukraine, $14 billion for security assistance to Israel and $10 billion for humanitarian aid in Gaza, the West Bank, and Ukraine. Additionally, the bill plans to spend $20.2 billion to enhance border security, including $6.8 billion for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, $7.6 billion for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and $4 billion for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Johnson said the bipartisan border security deal presented by the Democrats was not what House Republicans had been asking for. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre also defended Biden's refusal to negotiate directly with Johnson.

"What is there to negotiate? Really, truly, what is the one-on-one negotiation about when he's been presented with exactly what he's asked for?" Jean-Pierre, herself a migrant, stressed that the Senate bill aligns with the House GOP's purported demands. (Related: Gaslighter Mayorkas "washes hands" and denies responsibility for the border crisis.)

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Johnson disputes this claim, insisting that the Senate border bill does not address the border crisis. "If the Speaker of the House can't meet with the President of the United States, that's a problem," warned Johnson, explaining how it is the legislative branch's constitutional duty to check the powers of the executive.

"I dont know why they're uncomfortable having the President sit across the table from me, but I will go in good faith," Johnson added, signaling his commitment to finding a resolution to the border crisis through open communication.

Democrats still push through with their billion-dollar foreign aid bill, while blaming GOPs

In January, White House spokesperson Andrew Bates also criticized the GOP for their opposition to Biden's border security proposals and additional funding measures.

"House Republicans have obstructed his reform proposal and consistently voted against his unprecedented border security funding year after year, hamstringing our border security in the name of extreme, partisan demands. Actions speak louder than words. House Republicans anti-border security record is defined by attempting to cut Customs and Border Protection personnel, opposing President Bidens record-breaking border security funding, and refusing to take up the Presidents supplemental funding request," he said.

In response, Johnson argued that it was the policies of the Biden administration that were responsible for the worsening situation. Johnson criticized the president for failing to secure the border and for policies that, in his view, invited illegal immigration rather than preventing it.

"While the President requests more funds  not to stop illegal immigration  but to process more illegal immigrants through their catch and release policy, he has undermined security at every turn," he argued.

He linked the surge in illegal immigration encounters last month to Biden administration policies, such as the rescission of the Remain in Mexico policy and alleged abuses of parole and asylum systems.

But despite all this argument and GOP blaming, the Senate still approved a $95.3 billion foreign aid bill for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, but nothing for the U.S. border security crisis. The purpose of this bill includes $60 billion to support Ukraine against Russia, $14.1 billion in security assistance for Israel, $9.2 billion for humanitarian aid and $4.8 billion to support regional partners in the Indo-Pacific region.

Read more stories about the ongoing migration crisis at OpenBorders.news.

Watch this episode of "Coffee Chat" with Dr. Jane Ruby as she discusses the ongoing invasion occurring along the southern border.

This video is from the Dr. Jane Ruby Show channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

GOP Rep. Steube: Biden could have resolved border crisis "today, yesterday, three years ago"  BUT CHOSE NOT TO.

DeSantis: Florida National Guard proud to help Texas counterparts in addressing Biden-inflicted BORDER CRISIS.

Fed up with illegals being bussed from Texas to their sanctuary cities, Democrats push Biden to support GOP call for border crackdown.

Biden administration continues to lie about border crisis as millions of illegals flood into the USA.

CBP agents blame lack of DETERRENTS for illegals as major reason for U.S. BORDER CRISIS.

Sources include:

TheNationalPulse.com

TheHill.com

MSN.com

InformationLiberation.com

Brighteon.com
FEAR CAMPAIGN: Bubonic Plague, one of historys most lethal pandemics, was just detected in Oregon, health authorities claim

Bubonic Plague, the bacterial infection that killed tens of millions of Europeans in the 14th century, is still around today. Also known as the Black Death, the disease claimed the lives of more than 100 million people throughout the Byzantine empire back in the 6th century. Today, the disease exists primarily in wildlife such as squirrels, chipmunks, mice and feral cats, but it can also cross over to humans from animal bites and infected fleas.

The Bubonic Plague, caused by the bacteria Yersinia pestis, can cross over to humans and cause severe disease. Health officials in Oregon just reported their first case of Bubonic Plague in nearly a decade. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there were ten cases of the plague and two fatalities in 2023. While the disease is rare, it has a high fatality rate due to the bacterias ability to infect the blood and colonize in the lungs.

Oregon contains first case of Bubonic Plague in nearly a decade

Oregon health officials believe the latest case is contained. The case was identified in Deschutes County. The resident was likely infected by a symptomatic house cat. Deschutes County health officer Dr. Richard Fawett said the agency is providing medication to anyone who has been in close contact with the cat and the infected person, who remains anonymous.

According to the health department, symptoms of plague usually begin two to eight days after a person is exposed to an infected animal or flea. These symptoms may include a sudden fever, nausea, weakness, chills, muscle aches and/or visibly swollen lymph nodes called buboes. As of February 7, 2024, these symptoms have not been detected in any close contacts of the infected person.

Human knowledge is under attack! Governments and powerful corporations are using censorship to wipe out humanity's knowledge base about nutrition, herbs, self-reliance, natural immunity, food production, preparedness and much more. We are preserving human knowledge using AI technology while building the infrastructure of human freedom. Learn about our free, non-commercial AI / LLM project here. Support our efforts to build the infrastructure of human freedom by shopping at HealthRangerStore.com, featuring lab-tested, certified organic, non-GMO foods and nutritional solutions.

"The bacteria multiply in the lymph node closest to where the bacteria entered the human body. If the patient is not treated with the appropriate antibiotics, the bacteria can spread to other parts of the body," Deschutes County health officials said.

Early treatment is important to stop the progression of more severe disease. If left untreated, Bubonic Plague can become a bloodstream infection called septicemic plague, or it can infect the lungs and become pneumonic plague. Once in the lungs, the bacteria can cause pneumonia, respiratory failure and shock. After getting in the lungs, the bacteria are more likely to travel through saliva and sputum, possibly infecting others and causing lung infections in close contacts.

Bubonic Plague epidemic claimed more than 30 lives in Los Angeles community a century ago

The last case of Bubonic Plague in Oregon was nearly fatal. A 16-year-old girl from Crook County contracted the bacteria from an infected flea bite during a hunting trip in 2015. The teenage girl became severely ill and had to recover in an intensive care unit at a hospital in Bend, which is in central Oregon. In 2015, there were 16 reported cases in the U.S. and four fatalities. Today, cases are most likely to occur in northern New Mexico, northern Arizona, southern Colorado, California, southern Oregon and in the far western parts of Nevada.

It has been an entire century since the United States saw a full-blown plague epidemic on its streets. Los Angeles, California witnessed a plague epidemic from 1924 to 1925. The epidemic claimed more than 30 lives.

The plague first arrived in the United States in 1900. Rat-infested steamships carried the bacteria overseas and transported people through heavily-infected areas across Asia to the West. Infected rats would spread the bacteria between other rodents in the urban areas, before spreading it further to rural wildlife. Rat eradication programs and other community containment measures helped mitigate infections in Los Angeles in 1925.

Today, the Deschutes County Health Services is urging residents to avoid rodents and fleas. This includes wearing long pants and insect repellent to reduce exposure to infected fleas. The health department is also discouraging pet owners from allowing their cats to hunt rodents and warning campers to avoid animal burrows and dead rodents. The community is also asked not to feed squirrels, chipmunks or other wild rodents.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

Deschutes.org

Citeseerx.ist.psu.edu

CDC.gov
CLOWN WORLD: Amid Joe Bidens recent gaffes, Kamala Harris insists she is READY TO SERVE

Amid recent gaffes by President Joe Biden and continued scrutiny of his age, Vice President Kamala Harris insists she is ready to serve as the highest official in America

"I am ready to serve. There's no question about that," Harris told the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) during an interview aboard Air Force Two. She boasted to the news outlet that everyone who sees her on the job "walks away fully aware of [her] capacity to lead."

"The findings have intensified the scrutiny on Harris  whose tenure has been marked by criticism of her political skills. What had been quiet talk of whether Harris could step into the presidency is now spilling into the open," the WSJ stated.

Former White House Communications Director Jennifer Palmieri also agreed with this observation. "There was always going to be a lot of scrutiny and pressure on [Harris] in the 2024 campaign, and that moment's here now," she said.

Palmieri, who served under the Clinton and Obama administrations, also mentioned that the special report by Department of Justice (DOJ) Special Counsel Robert Hur "has sort of accelerated that moment." The report, which originally focused on Biden's handling of classified documents, shined a light on his mental acuity. Hur wrote in his report that the 81-year-old incumbent displayed "diminished faculties" in interviews and called him an "elderly man with a poor memory."

Biden's aides asked Harris' team to have her appear on a news show to defend the president shortly after the release of the special counsel's report, according to a person familiar with the request. But the vice president could not hold back and publicly denounced the report as politically motivated and gratuitous. She also defended Biden, saying that he is "on top of and in front of it all."

Human knowledge is under attack! Governments and powerful corporations are using censorship to wipe out humanity's knowledge base about nutrition, herbs, self-reliance, natural immunity, food production, preparedness and much more. We are preserving human knowledge using AI technology while building the infrastructure of human freedom. Learn about our free, non-commercial AI / LLM project here. Support our efforts to build the infrastructure of human freedom by shopping at HealthRangerStore.com, featuring lab-tested, certified organic, non-GMO foods and nutritional solutions.

Dems aren't convinced that Kamala is fit for the presidency

"Ahead of [Biden's] reelection campaign, Democrats privately expressed concerns about Harris' place on the ticket, portraying her as a liability," the WSJ continued. "Her backers maintain that Harris  has been held to a different standard from vice presidents, including Biden. Many now acknowledge Harris is on a firmer footing campaigning on abortion access, but they still aren't convinced she should be anointed as the party's future leader."

According to the WSJ, Republicans have meanwhile "seized on Harris' central campaign role, calling her more liberal and unpredictable than Biden." Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who is running for the Republican Party's presidential nomination, is one such critic of the vice president.

"A vote for Biden is a vote for Harris," she once remarked. Haley, who was the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations under former President Donald Trump, warned that Harris becoming the chief executive is a prospect Americans ought to fear. (Related: Nikki Haley: Prospect of Kamala Harris presidency "sends chills down every American's spine.")

The GOP presidential candidate expounded on this warning during an appearance on "The Breakfast Club" hosted by Charlamagne The God and DJ Envy, which aired on Jan. 31. "It should send a chill up everyone's spine thinking about the fact that it would be Harris [as a possible female president]," she told the radio hosts.

"It's not about her personally. She's never been a governor, she's never had executive experience. She was a [U.S.] senator for a couple of years. But the things that Biden gave her, she didn't do anything with them. I just haven't seen her do anything."

Visit KamalaHarris.news for more stories about the incumbent vice president.

Watch Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-TX) brand Vice President Kamala Harris as "a box of rocks" below.

This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

VP Kamala Harris says she is ready to be president  HELL NO.

White House concerned about Biden's DECLINING mental state and Kamala's UNPOPULARITY.

CLAIM: White House quietly pondering replacing Kamala Harris, fessing up about Joe Biden's mental decline.

Sources include:

WSJ.com

News.Yahoo.com

Brighteon.com
North Korea fires several cruise missiles off its west coast in latest weapons test

North Korea has conducted its fifth test launch of cruise missiles in the Sea of Japan since January.

This comes just around one month after North Korea fired over 200 rounds of artillery shells off its west coast, targeting Yeonpyeong Island in South Korea. The incident is similar to the 2010 attack on Yeonpyeong, but this time, the artillery shells did not breach South Korean territory. Instead, it landed in the buffer zone between the two nations. Just like the recent attack, South Korea condemns the act as a provocative act.

According to the state-owned Korean Central News Agency, the test of the new Padasuri-6 surface-to-sea missiles marks the sixth missile launch event of the year for North Korea, following the test-firing of a solid-fuel intermediate-range ballistic missile on January 14.

Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un said in a statement that the missiles hit their intended targets after flying over the sea for 1,400 seconds. He even ordered the military to enhance readiness in disputed waters north of the South Korean border island of Yeonpyeong.

In response, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff stated that the United States and South Korean militaries are closely monitoring signs of further activity from North Korea. However, the exact number of missiles fired and their range remain undisclosed. It is still unclear whether the missiles were launched from land or sea assets.

Our military has increased surveillance and vigilance and is working closely with our U.S. partners and is closely monitoring signs for further activity from North Korea, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement.

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Experts believe North Korea posturing for next U.S. president

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have been escalating in recent months as Kim accelerates weapons development and issues provocative threats of nuclear conflict with the United States and its allies.

North Korea has tested new cruise missiles intended for submarine deployment and long-range cruise missiles with the potential to reach U.S. military bases in Japan.

In response, the U.S., South Korea and Japan have intensified military exercises and refined their nuclear deterrence strategies, which North Korea views as rehearsals for an invasion.

Experts believe that North Korea's recent actions, including the missile launches and the demolition of the reconciliation monument, may be aimed at increasing its bargaining power in anticipation of negotiations with the winner of the U.S. presidential election in November.

The long-term goal appears to be forcing Washington to acknowledge North Korea as a nuclear power and extracting security and economic concessions from a position of strength.

North Korea has a history of ramping up pressure on South Korea when seeking concessions from Washington. (Related: North Koreas Kim Jong Un deems South Korea Pyongyangs ENEMY NO. 1.)

Experts suggest that North Korea may be attempting to diminish South Korea's role in regional nuclear discussions and establish direct dealings with the United States to solidify its nuclear status.

Head over to WWIII.news for more stories about the impending conflict in the Korean peninsula.

Watch a report about North Korea firing shots near South Korea.

This video is from the High Hopes channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Peaceful reunification no longer possible: North Korea to name South Korea as PRINCIPAL ENEMY in its constitution.

Kim Jong Un: U.S., Japan and South Korea may team up to LAUNCH NUKES against North Korea this year.

South Korea accuses North Korea of supplying Russia with over 1M ARTILLERY SHELLS in exchange for advanced technologies.

North Korea DEMOLISHES Arch of Reunification that symbolizes eventual union with the South.

North Korea fires 200 rounds of artillery shells toward South Koreas Yeonpyeong Island.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

YourNews.com

AlJazeera.com

Brighteon.com
Russian forces seize control of Avdeevka as Ukrainians retreat

Russian forces have captured the Donbas stronghold of Avdeevka following intense clashes, as conveyed by White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby in a recent press briefing.

Kirby emphasized the severity of the ongoing fighting in the Avdeevka region. "We're receiving reports from the Ukrainians indicating a critical situation, with the Russians persistently advancing on Ukrainian positions daily," he said, adding that there is a real risk of Avdeevka falling under Russian control.

The town, often likened to a "fortress" by Russian military bloggers, features deep bunkers constructed by Ukrainian forces. It is positioned just 10 kilometers north of Donetsk.

The extent of Kyiv's troop losses in the attempt to retain Avdeevka remains unclear. Kirby attributed the impending fall of the town to ammunition shortages, a problem extensively covered by Western media in recent months.

Urging Congress to pass a $60 billion military aid bill for Ukraine, Kirby asserted that this funding would equip Ukraine with much-needed artillery shells to counter Russian assaults.

Despite the bill's approval in the U.S. Senate last week, it faces resistance in the House of Representatives.

The slim Republican majority in the House is demanding a significant tightening of U.S. immigration laws and "real border security provisions" as prerequisites for supporting the bill, according to House Speaker Mike Johnson.

Ukraine said it was determined to defend Avdeevka

Meanwhile, Ukraine recently said it was determined to defend Avdeevka at any cost. President Vladimir Zelensky appointed Aleksandr Syrsky, a general known for tolerating substantial losses, as the new commander-in-chief of the armed forces.

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Syrsky promptly deployed Ukraine's elite Western-armed 3rd Assault Brigade, comprised of remnants from the neo-Nazi Azov regiment, to Avdeevka. The group took over from the beleaguered and depleted 110th Mechanized Brigade.

While Ukrainian authorities have not officially admitted defeat in Avdeevka, German reporter Julian Roepcke claimed on Thursday, Feb. 15, that "the Ukrainian army is in the process of pulling out." (Related: Ukraine to RETREAT from Bakhmut following intense Russian offensive.)

Roepcke reported that Russian forces are swiftly advancing both inside and around the town, with the Russian flag now reportedly flying at the town's entrance  precisely where Zelensky had taken a selfie during a publicity visit in December.

Last January, a Russian reconnaissance group launched a surprise attack on Avdeevka, a defensive stronghold in eastern Ukraine. However, they were repelled by Ukrainian forces.

On January 23, it was reported that Russian ground forces were present south of Avdeevka.

The Russian reconnaissance unit discovered an underground pipeline leading to Ukraine's Tsarskaya Okhota base, but their initial attempt to breach it had failed.

They resumed their attack after creating additional vents and a flood had temporarily halted their plans.

Taking advantage of the sounds of artillery shells and mortars, the Russian forces followed the pipeline and made an opening at Tsarskaya Okhota. They then carried out a raid on the Ukrainian rear, capturing a group of prisoners and isolating forward defense posts.

The mayor of Avdeevka confirmed the presence of the Russian reconnaissance group but assured that the situation was under control.

The Institute for the Study of War reported that Russian units had also entered Stepovoye, where a battle occurred between armored vehicles.

Ongoing conflicts involving Russian and Ukrainian units were highlighted in various areas around Avdeevka.

Russian forces have launched a large-scale attack on Avdeevka, encircling three sides of the city and limiting Ukrainian supply lines.

Their goal is to gain control over Donetsk province by taking over Avdeevka.

According to U.S. intelligence, the attempt to capture Avdeevka may have resulted in significant losses for Russia, including hundreds of combat vehicles and an estimated 13,000 Russian soldiers killed or wounded.

Watch this report about Ukraine fleeing Avdeevka.

This video is from the channel The Prisoner on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Russia STRIKES Ukrainian military depot, destroying OVER 3,000 TONS of ammo.

Russia inflicting HEAVY DAMAGE against Ukrainian Air Force using innovative long-range air-to-air missile.

Russia's nuclear-capable Satan II ICBM goes on active combat duty for the first time.

Sources include:

RT.com

Vietnam.vn

Brighteon.com
Security cameras were redirected as bomb squad responded to DNC pipe bomb on Jan. 6, disturbing footage shows

Two critical U.S. Capitol Police security cameras aimed at the Democratic National Committee's (DNC) offices during the January 6, 2021, pipe bomb incident were remotely redirected by police, failing to capture crucial segments of the police response, according to information obtained by the Epoch Times.

A detailed examination of the unreleased security footage reveals that Capitol Police Camera 3173, positioned directly across from the DNC bomb site, was remotely shifted away from the scene at 1:29 p.m. on the fateful day, just before the bomb squad intervened. (Related: New evidence strongly indicates that pipe bombs found on Jan. 6 were PLANTED by the FBI.)

Similarly, Camera 8020, located atop the nearby Fairchild Building, was zoomed in on the bomb squad assembling until 1:44 p.m., when the Capitol Police Command Center redirected its focus as a bomb robot approached the DNC.

Sources familiar with the U.S. Capitol Police camera system consider such redirection during an active event as "really odd."

Following these redirections, Camera 3173 pointed at a small park on South Capitol Street Southeast, while Camera 8020 observed distant railroad tracks and a highway overpass for the next 2.5 hours.

Notably, none of the Capitol Police security cameras covering the DNC recorded the Secret Service's security sweep around 11:25 a.m., preceding a visit at the time by Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.

Furthermore, the cameras failed to capture the discovery of the DNC pipe bomb by an undercover officer at 1:05 p.m.

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Despite Harris' entourage arriving at the DNC around 11:25 a.m., with Secret Service agents present, the security footage reveals a lack of bomb-sniffing dogs and no indication of a security sweep before, during or after her arrival.

The Epoch Times conducted its video review under media access rules in a U.S. House office building.

Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.), chairman of the Committee on House Administration's Subcommittee on Oversight, released video clips surrounding the DNC to the Epoch Times. Loudermilk emphasized the need for transparency and accountability in investigating the events surrounding January 6.

DNC pipe bomb case remains unsolved

This latest revelation comes amid a three-year investigation into the DNC pipe bomb, which remains unsolved.

Questions persist about the security sweep conducted by the Secret Service and how the pipe bomb, discovered later in plain view, went unnoticed during Harris' visit.

The FBI believes the pipe bombs at the DNC and the Capitol Hill Club near the Republican National Committee were planted between 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on January 5, 2021, by an individual wearing a gray hoodie and expensive sneakers.

Security footage obtained by columnist Julie Kelly shows what appears to be a bomb-sniffing dog at work near the DNC around 9:29 a.m. on January 6. However, the ATF has not provided details on whether the pipe bombs were operable. The Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General is expected to release its investigation, including the DNC pipe bomb response, soon. Former FBI special agent Kyle Seraphin has claimed that the bombs "looked very bomb-like," but no arrests have been made in the case.

Video footage captured by two cameras (8021 and 4205) documented the detection, removal, disarming and destruction of the DNC pipe bomb by a bomb robot. However, two other cameras (3173 and 8020) were redirected away from the scene during critical moments. The destruction of the bomb by a disruptor, designed to disarm explosive devices, was visible in the footage.

The investigation continues, raising concerns about the events surrounding the DNC pipe bomb and the overall response on Jan. 6.

Watch discussions on why the Capitol Police moved the cameras as bomb squad responded to DNC pipe bomb on Jan. 6.

This video is from the High Hopes channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

FBI knows vehicle used in J6 pipe bomb planted at DNC but refuses to identify it.

Secret Service let group of children walk right by January 6 "pipe bomb," fueling speculation about who planted it.

Watch: Revolver News' Beattie reveals government officials were involved in planting pipe bombs near DNC and RNC HQs before J6.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

Brighteon.com
Fani Willis lawyer donated to anti-Trump propaganda pushers, National Pulse reports

An exclusive report by the radically independent news outlet, The National Pulse, indicated that Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis's lawyer Anna Cross regularly donates to the state of Georgia's Democrat Senators, Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, as well as to President Joe Biden, and has also sent money to the viciously anti-Trump "Lincoln Project."

Cross represents Willis as well as the key special prosecutor and attorney in former President Donald Trump's 2020 election interference case Nathan Wade, who admitted to having a personal relationship with Willis. The said "demolition project for Trump" claims to be dedicated to the preservation, protection and defense of democracy."

"Since our launch in December 2019, the 'Lincoln Project' has played a unique role in American politics. We entered the political arena with two objectives: first, to defeat Donald Trump at the ballot box in 2020. (Done.) The second was to ensure Trumpism failed alongside him. We understand that the real fight against Trumpism is just beginning and were committed to seeing it through. Our democracy depends on it," their website stated.

Willis and Wade are currently facing disqualification from Georgia's Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) prosecution of the former president and his supposed "allies" for allegedly interfering in the 2020 presidential election. (Related: SMURFING: New complaint accuses Fulton County DA Fani Willis of illegally using people's info for CAMPAIGN DONATIONS.)

Meanwhile, Cross was also appointed as a special prosecutor on the mentioned RICO case. "While it is not unusual for attorneys like Cross, who are active in state politics, to make partisan contributions, they do typically tend to avoid supporting highly partisan non-profit groups such as 'Indivisible Action,'" Pulse reported. She also donated to the said left-cult organization that has 3,000 local groups under its umbrella. Their main purpose is to "extricate Trump from his 2024 election bid."

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Critics also raised a possible "conflict of interest" with Cross' husband, Lance Cross, who reportedly has been serving as the Chief Senior Assistant District Attorney for Fulton County since 2008. The couple has been alleged to have a close-tie relationship with Willis, suggesting a possible "secret connivance" to ensure Trump stays away from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington D.C.

Wade's SMS to Willis could "sink or save" her in Trump's case: former FBI general counsel

Further touching on conflict of interest, Andrew Weissmann, the former general counsel for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), said that messages between "couple" Wade and Willis could be key in determining whether she is disqualified from Trump's election interference case.

Former Trump staffer and co-defendant Michael Roman accused Willis of having an affair with Wade, saying that both benefited financially from taxpayers' money. The pair later admitted they had a romantic relationship, but denied a conflict of interest. In response, Roman said that the pair's relationship started earlier than they had disclosed. After the latest hearing, Judge Scott McAfee said he would review text messages sent between Wade and his former law partner Terrence Bradley. Trump's team said that the messages show Wade committed perjury over his disclosures about when his relationship with Willis started.

According to Weissmann, the judge would have to keep an eye out for uncontradicted evidence of Willis-Wade going Dutch (the issue the judge said he cared about). "Will that change? New evidence Wade did use cash apps [which Willis says she believed he didn't use, so she paid in cash]?" he said, adding "Will the judge admit Wade's attorney's texts and, if so, do they contradict the Wade-Willis testimony re: when the personal relationship started?"

Barbara McQuade, former U.S. attorney under the Barack Obama administration wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Sunday: "Fani Willis made a terrible decision to date Nathan Wade, and that may bring ethics issues for her, but her testimony dispelled any kickback scheme that would disqualify her. Nothing about this affects the fair trial rights of Trump and co-defendants."

Willis is running the case against Trump and 18 others who are accused in a 41-count indictment of trying to overturn his 2020 election loss in Georgia. Trump pleaded not guilty to all 13 charges against him and has said the case is politically motivated because he is the frontrunner for the GOP presidential nomination. If Willis is removed from the case, another district attorney, or state Attorney General Christopher Carr, a Republican, could take over the prosecution. If she gets removed, critics say that the case could be further delayed.

Check out LeftCult.com for more stories about the left's frequent abuse of power.

Sources for this article include:

TheNationalPulse.com

LincolnProject.us

Newsweek.com
A new study demonstrates that human activity is not always harmful to biodiversity and may even allow species to coexist in specific situations.

Encouraging Effect On Biodiversity

Human presence is typically connected with detrimental effects on flora and fauna, and our species has clearly had a negative impact on biodiversity over time.

However, in the study published in the Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory, a team of researchers from the University of Copenhagen and the University of Turin discovered that some human activities may have had an encouraging effect on biodiversity through the modification of specific ecosystems.

The ecosystem under concern is eastern Jordan's Shubayqa wetlands, which are only flooded seasonally. However, recent evidence has demonstrated that water was likely present for much of the year, implying that ducks and other species could live there all year provided they had a suitable habitat, according to zooarchaeologist Lisa Yeomans of the University of Copenhagen.

The team's excavations at the Shubayqa sites have revealed evidence that the Neolithic peoples who lived there for longer or shorter periods of time not only harvested emergent flora from the wetlands but also hunted waterfowl and collected their eggs and feathers.

The archeological record contains eggshells and bones of immature ducks and swans, indicating that these birds remained in the wetlands to reproduce rather than traveling to Europe.

"We know that the modern descendants of these birds can stay and breed in the region, but only if the environment is suitable for them, and we think that human management of the wetland vegetation did provide suitable ecological niches for them through harvest of the vegetation," Yeomans said.

Understanding the connection between wetland productivity cycles and waterfowl ecology leads experts to believe that human environmental alterations may have increased wetland productivity, allowing waterfowl to stay year-round.

Within this "mutual ecology" environment, feedback from all species' agencies is implicated in the formation of the human niche.

Read Also: Human Activity Hastens Climate-driven Weather Catastrophes Like Drought, Flood, and Thunderstorms

Intentional Wetland Management

The archeological cultures studied by the researchers occurred at a time when people were only beginning to develop agriculture.

Recent research has suggested that habitat modification efforts such as those observed at the Shubayqa wetlands in eastern Jordan may have played a significant role in this process.

Scientists know that agriculture emerged in the region not long after these cultures, and they believe that intentional wetlands management was a critical step in this process.

According to anthropologist Camilla Mazzucato, the work put into altering the wetlands paid off by providing better feeding possibilities for birds, eggs, and feathers.

Novel paleoproteomic techniques were developed to identify eggshell species. Breeding waterfowl at Shubayqa demonstrates that water is present all year at the marsh.

This has prompted scientists to explore the agency of people and other species in manipulating the environment and move away from simply deterministic explanations of climate-driven innovation.

"For millennia humans and animals have co-inhabited different environments adapting to the presence and actions of one another, and this cohabitation has, we argue, been crucial for innovations that subsequently led to the advent of agriculture," she added.

Related Article: Human Activity Threatening the 'Last Wilderness on Earth'
Opossums are known for their resistance (not entirely immune) against rabies, a mammal-borne viral disease that can infect wild animals, pets, and even humans. Wildlife experts and scientists explain this is the case for the opossum since they have a relatively lower body temperature than the majority of other mammals. This makes their internal body to be an environment not conducive for the rabies virus to survive and thrive.

However, a recent event involved the rare death of an opossum from rabies, triggering an alert in urban areas of South America, according to a study led by researchers in Brazil. This came after the opossum was found dead in 2021 at a park in the central area of Campinas, a city in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The mammals share the same urban environment as fruit-eating bats, where they are frequently seen in cities and often attacked by dogs.

The case was reported as a research article announced by scientists from the Sao Paulo State Research Support Foundation, where they examined a dead female white-eared opossum in the Brazilian city's Bosque dos Jequitibas Park. Other researchers from the University of Sao Paulo and Adolfo Lutz Institute in Brazil made their findings as an alert to the presence of rabies in the urban environment, posing life-threatening risks to humans.

Opossum Death Sparks Virus Alert

In a news release on February 16, the Brazilian researchers announced the sounding of an alarm regarding the circulation of the rabies virus in urban environments. The virus alert comes following the rare opossum death from the disease, cited by the American Association for the Advancement of Science. This highlights the renewed threat of the said pathogen, which has already been eradicated from dogs across Sao Paulo.

Since dogs are common carriers of rabies, successful vaccination campaigns for domestic animals helped with removing dog rabies in the state. With this, it is essential to monitor other mammals, including opossums, which can act as vectors for the virus, according to Eduardo Ferreira Machado, first author of the research article. The threat is also applicable to other similar environments across South America.

Also Read: Wild Possum Discovered by Texas Woman Hiding in Christmas Tree After Hearing it 'Sneeze' [VIDEO]

Do Opossums Carry Diseases?

The study entitled 'Naturally Acquired Rabies in White-Eared Opossum, Brazil' was published in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases and posted on the website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The findings of the research confirm previous notions that the opossum (Didelphis albiventris) is also vulnerable to rabies and potentially other mammal-borne pathogenic diseases.

Although they rarely carry rabies and despite their cute appearance, opossums are generally vectors for various diseases like, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources:

leptospirosis

tuberculosis

tularemia

relapsing fever

spotted fever

coccidiosis

toxoplasmosis

trichomoniasis

chagas disease

Wildlife experts say opossums carry diseases and can transmit them by biting and scratching their victims. With this, health authorities recommend seeking medical attention if they are wounded by animals that can potentially carry rabies and other diseases.

Related Article: Invasive Marsupial Opossums Being Hunted Down in Alaska
The Doha International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference (DIMDEX 2024) has announced MBDA as the Gold Sponsor for its eighth edition, continuing a partnership into its fifth iteration.

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Toby Broughton, General Manager of MBDA Qatar and Staff Lieutenant General Salem bin Hamad bin Mohammed bin Aqeel Al Nabit, Chief of Staff of Qatar Armed Forces. (Picture source: DIMDEX)

The event, taking place from March 4 to 6, 2024, at the Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC), is organized under the patronage of HH Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar, with the theme Igniting the Future of Maritime Security and Beyond.

The sponsorship agreement was formalized at the Ministry of Defence in a ceremony attended by notable military and industry representatives, including Staff Lieutenant General (Pilot) Salem bin Hamad bin Mohammed bin Aqeel Al Nabit, Chief of Staff of Qatar Armed Forces, and Toby Broughton, General Manager of MBDA Qatar. This agreement is part of Qatar's broader strategy to enhance its defence capabilities through partnerships and technological advancements.

Staff Lieutenant General Al Nabit and Staff Brigadier (Sea) Abdulbaqi S. Al-Ansari, Chairman of DIMDEX, both highlighted the strategic importance of the ongoing collaboration with MBDA, a European multinational group known for its advanced missile systems. They emphasized the role of such partnerships in supporting Qatar's defence objectives and contributing to international security.

MBDA's support for DIMDEX 2024 underscores the company's commitment to the Qatari defence sector, including providing advanced missile systems for naval, ground, and air platforms. Toby Broughton noted MBDA's focus on reinforcing its partnership with the Qatar Armed Forces, in line with the Qatar National Vision 2030, aiming to enhance the security of Qatar with advanced and next-generation systems.

DIMDEX 2024 aims to showcase the latest in maritime defence and security innovations, offering a platform for exhibitors to present solutions to contemporary and future challenges. The exhibition is also positioned as an opportunity for fostering commercial partnerships and contributing to the economic development of Qatar by attracting a wide range of participants and visitors.

For more information about DIMDEX 2024, visit www.dimdex.com.
According to information published by SVT Nyheter on February 20, 2024, the Swedish government has announced its largest military support package to Ukraine to date, valued at 7.1 billion SEK.

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Swedish CB90-class fast assault craft during Aurora 23. (Picture source: Swedish Armed Forces)

The package includes the delivery of ten CB90-class fast assault craft, twenty troop carriers, and underwater weapons to Ukraine.

About the CB90-class

The CB90, also known as Stridsbat 90 H(alv) or Strb 90 H, was developed for the Swedish Navy by Dockstavarvet and has been adopted by several countries for military use.

The name reflects its acceptance into service in 1990 and its capability to transport and deploy a half platoon of 18 amphibious infantry members fully equipped. Characterized by its agility and speed, the CB90 can perform sharp turns at high speeds, decelerate from top speed to full stop within 2.5 boat lengths, and adjust its pitch and roll angles while moving.

Its design, featuring a light weight, shallow draft, and twin water jets, enables operation at speeds up to 40 knots (74 km/h) in shallow coastal waters. The water jets' partial ducting and the craft's underwater control surfaces, similar to those on a submarine, contribute to its maneuverability.

The CB90's versatility is demonstrated by its adoption beyond the Swedish Navy, with variants in service in the navies of Norway, Greece, Mexico, the United States, and Malaysia.

The craft displaces between 13,000 kg empty and 20,500 kg at full load, measures 15.9 meters in overall length, and has a beam of 3.8 meters. Powered by two 625 bhp Scania DSI14 V8 diesel engines and two Kamewa FF water jets, the CB90 achieves high speeds and a range of 240 nautical miles at 20 knots.

Its operational features include the capacity to carry three crew members and up to 21 amphibious troops with full equipment. The armament options for the CB90 range from three Browning M2HB machine guns and a Mk 19 grenade launcher to the ability to carry four naval mines or six depth charges.

Some versions, like the CB90 HSM, incorporate a Saab Trackfire Remote Weapon Station (RWS) for enhanced firepower. This configuration underlines the CB90's role in various naval tasks, including rapid response, coastal patrol, and special operations, without highlighting its effectiveness or versatility in a promotional manner.
According to a PR published by Schiebel on February 20, 2024, the firm, in collaboration with Hanwha Systems and UI Helicopter, has been selected by the Defence Acquisition Programme Administration (DAPA) of South Korea to spearhead the development and provision of its advanced CAMCOPTER S-300 Vertical Take-off and Landing (VTOL) Unmanned Air System (UAS).

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Camcopter S-300 Unmanned Air System. (Picture source: Schiebel)

This system is intended for use by the South Korean Ministry of Defense (MOD) to support Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) missions, specifically for the Navy and Marine Corps.

The agreement to provide the CAMCOPTER S-300 follows a history of the South Korean Navy utilizing Schiebel's S-100 UAS fleet for over ten years for its maritime ISR operations.

The new contract reflects an effort to enhance the navy's capabilities by incorporating a UAS with greater lift capacity and operational endurance in light of the current geopolitical climate and security concerns related to North Korea. The S-300 is noted for its ability to perform over extended periods, high-altitude capabilities, and significant payload capacity.

The system is designed for an endurance of up to 24 hours, can operate at altitudes of up to 21,000 feet, and is capable of carrying payloads up to 250 kg. It is suited for various missions, including cargo delivery and Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) through the deployment of sonar buoys.

The S-300 will use the same Ground Control Station as the S-100, facilitating operational integration and cost efficiency. This compatibility underscores Schiebels strategy to develop a unified unmanned system framework.

ROK Navy

With advanced surveillance capabilities, the Camcopter S-300 enables the South Korean Navy to conduct real-time, high-resolution monitoring of maritime activities. This is particularly crucial for maintaining vigilance over North Korean movements and managing the complex maritime domain around the Korean Peninsula.

Operating UAVs like the Camcopter S-300 is also more cost-effective than relying on manned aircraft for continuous surveillance missions. This cost efficiency allows for sustained operations, ensuring persistent surveillance over strategic areas such as the Northern Limit Line (NLL) without imposing a significant financial burden.
According to information published by the Belgian MoD on February 20, 2024, the Belgian minehunter Crocus will participate in the large-scale NATO exercise Steadfast Defender during February and March.

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Tripartite-class minehunter Crocus. (Picture source: Belgian MoD)

With 90,000 military personnel from 31 NATO member countries and partner nation Sweden, this marks one of NATOs largest exercises in decades. The Belgian Navy is contributing not just a ship, but also logistical and communication support in Northern Europe.

Steadfast Defender serves as a monumental exercise, the largest of its kind since the Cold War era, demonstrating NATO's readiness to defend any part of its territory. The exercise involves the strategic movement of North American troops across the Atlantic to join forces with European allies, showcasing a unified stance against any potential threats.

Division Admiral Botman of the Belgian Navy emphasized Belgium's ongoing commitment to NATO's military efforts. He highlighted the critical role of the BNS Crocus in the upcoming operations in Northern Europe, addressing the persistent threat posed by naval mines to maritime safety.

The Crocus will operate alongside the Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1 (SNMCMG1) as part of its mission to the High North. NATO maintains four permanent fleets capable of a wide range of missions, including mine countermeasures, anti-piracy operations, rescue missions, and assisting distressed ships.

Belgian Navy's mine warfare

The Belgian Navy has a long-standing history in mine warfare, reflecting a commitment to developing and enhancing its capabilities in this critical area of naval operations. The establishment of EGUERMIN, the Belgian-Netherlands Naval Mine Warfare School in Ostend, Belgium, in 1960, stands as a testament to this commitment.

EGUERMIN has been pivotal in providing comprehensive training and education in mine warfare to both Belgian and Dutch navy personnel, as well as to officers from NATO and Partnership for Peace (PfP) countries.

The school's mission encompasses a broad range of educational objectives, including the technique, tactics, procedures, and doctrine necessary to counter naval mines. Each year, the institution educates over five hundred students, utilizing advanced simulators and practical training at sea to prepare them for operational deployment in mine countermeasures (MCM) procedures.

The Belgian Navy's historical engagement in mine warfare can also be traced through its operational use of various classes of mine warfare vessels. Belgium has operated minesweepers, minehunters, and other vessels specifically designed or adapted for naval mine warfare. This includes the significant role of Belgian ships during World War II, where they contributed to Allied efforts, including the evacuation at Dunkirk.
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International Cybercrime Malware Service Dismantled by Federal Authorities: Key Malware Sales and Support Actors in Malta and Nigeria Charged in Federal Indictments

The Justice Department announced today that, as part of an international law enforcement effort, federal authorities in Boston seized internet domains that were used to sell computer malware used by cybercriminals to secretly access and steal data from victims computers. Federal authorities in Atlanta and Boston also unsealed indictments charging individuals in Malta and Nigeria, respectively, for their alleged involvement in selling the malware and supporting cybercriminals seeking to use the malware for malicious purposes.

Federal authorities in Boston seized www.warzone.ws and three related domains, which together offered for sale the Warzone RAT malware  a sophisticated remote access trojan (RAT) capable of enabling cybercriminals to surreptitiously connect to victims computers for malicious purposes. According to court documents authorizing the seizures, the Warzone RAT provided cybercriminals the ability to browse victim file systems, take screenshots, record keystrokes, steal victim usernames and passwords, and watch victims through their web cameras, all without the victims knowledge or permission.

Investigations by the FBI Boston and Atlanta Field Offices also led to two indictments against individuals involved in selling and supporting the Warzone RAT and other malware.

Daniel Meli, 27, of Zabbar, Malta, was arrested on Feb. 7 at the request of the United States, following a coordinated operation by the Malta Police Force and the Office of the Attorney General of Malta, with the support of the FBI and Justice Department. Meli made his initial appearance before a Magistrate Judge in Valletta, Malta. Meli was indicted by a federal grand jury in the Northern District of Georgia on Dec. 12, 2023, for four offenses, including causing unauthorized damage to protected computers, illegally selling and advertising an electronic interception device, and participating in a conspiracy to commit several computer intrusion offenses. According to charging documents, since at least 2012, Meli offered malware products and services for sale to cybercriminals through online computer-hacking forums. Specifically, Meli allegedly assisted cybercriminals seeking to use RATs for malicious purposes and offered teaching tools for sale, including an eBook. Meli also allegedly sold both the Warzone RAT and, before that, malware known as the Pegasus RAT, which he sold through an online criminal organization called Skynet-Corporation. He also provided online customer support to purchasers of both RATs. The Northern District of Georgia is seeking Melis extradition to the United States.

Separately, Prince Onyeoziri Odinakachi, 31, of Nigeria, was indicted by a federal grand jury in the District of Massachusetts on Jan. 30 for conspiracy to commit multiple computer intrusion offenses, including obtaining authorized access to protected computers to obtain information and causing unauthorized damage to protected computers. According to charging documents, between June 2019 and no earlier than March 2023, Odinakachi provided online customer support to individuals who purchased and used the Warzone RAT malware. Law enforcement officers of the Port Harcourt Zonal Command of Nigerias Economic and Financial Crimes Commission arrested Odinakachi on Feb. 7.

The disruption of the Warzone RAT infrastructure was the result of an international law enforcement effort led by FBI special agents in Boston and Atlanta and coordinated with international partners in large part through Europol. According to court documents, in addition to discovering instances of the Warzone RAT being used to attack victim computers in Massachusetts, the FBI covertly purchased and analyzed the Warzone RAT malware, confirming its multiple malicious functions. Separately, law enforcement partners in Canada, Croatia, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, and Romania provided valuable assistance securing the servers hosting the Warzone RAT infrastructure.

Todays actions targeting the Warzone RAT infrastructure and personnel are another example of our tenacious and unwavering commitment to dismantling the malware tools used by cybercriminals, said Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy for the District of Massachusetts. We will turn over every stone to prevent cybercriminals from attacking the integrity of our computer networks, and we will root out those who support such cybercriminals so they will be held accountable. Those who sell malware and support cybercriminals using it should know that they cannot hide behind their keyboards or international borders.

Daniel Meli will no longer escape accountability for his actions selling malware, said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan for the Northern District of Georgia. This alleged cybercriminal facilitated the takeover and infection of computers worldwide. Our office was proud to partner with our federal and international counterparts to find Meli and bring him to justice. We will continue to diligently investigate and prosecute cybercrime in the Northern District of Georgia, and in all parts of the globe where our district is impacted.

This action highlights the FBIs commitment to disrupting cybercriminal actors and taking down their infrastructure, said Assistant Director Brian Vorndran of the FBIs Cyber Division. The FBI is proud of the international coordination involved in this law enforcement effort, and we will continue to build global partnerships to go after cybercriminals who seek to harm the American people.

The charges of conspiracy, obtaining authorized access to protected computers to obtain information, illegally selling an interception device, and illegally advertising an interception device each provide for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of causing unauthorized damage to protected computers provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys James R. Drabick and Carol E. Head for the District of Massachusetts obtained the seizure warrants, and Drabick is prosecuting Odinakachi. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bethany L. Rupert and Michael Herskowitz for the Northern District of Georgia are prosecuting Meli.

The Justice Departments Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance during the investigation. Federal authorities also wish to acknowledge the cooperation and assistance of the FBI Boston and Atlanta Field Offices; Malta Police Force; Office of the Attorney General of Malta; Malta Ministry for Justice; Australian Federal Police; Croatian Ministry of the Interior Criminal Police Directorate; Dutch National Police; Europol European Cybercrime Center; Finlands National Bureau of Investigation; State Police Force of Saxony, Germany; Japan Ministry of Justice; Port Harcourt Zonal Command of Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC); Romanian National Police; and Royal Canadian Mounted Police for their valuable assistance.

Anyone who is a victim of a Warzone RAT computer intrusion is urged to report it to the FBI at https://wzvictims.ic3.gov.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Warzone RAT splash page.

This story has been published on: 2024-02-20. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Abbas Ganbay

Georgian First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Levan Davitashvili told reporters that the Georgian government is working on a project together with Romanian colleagues to lay the Black Sea undersea cable, Azernews reports.

"The realization of the project of laying the Black Sea submarine cable to supply electricity to Europe, along with other issues, will be discussed at the meeting of the Georgia-EU Association Council in Brussels. Connect Georgia and Romania will be an alternative, and reliable channel to accelerate the formation of a digital hub in Georgia," he said.

The Deputy PM noted that the technical feasibility of the project has already been determined and confirmed.

"We are already talking about technical details of implementation, including fundraising and so on," Davitashvili said.

The agreement on laying the cable, through which electricity from Azerbaijan and Georgia will go to Europe, was signed in December 2022. The document was signed between the governments of Georgia, Azerbaijan, Romania, and Hungary.

The project aims to strengthen energy security in Europe and the South Caucasus, as well as to develop the renewable energy sector and increase transit opportunities.

The EU intends to invest 2.3 bln Euros to implement the project. The World Bank has promised to allocate an additional 75 million dollars to Georgia for a detailed study of the Black Sea bed.

If the project is realized, a 1,195 km cable with a capacity of 1,000 megawatts (1,100 km of submarine and 95 km of land cable) will connect Georgia with the Eastern Balkans.
TV actress Dolly Sohi admitted to hospital after complaining of breathing issues

Mumbai, Feb 20

Popular television actress Dolly Sohi, who was diagnosed with cervical cancer in November last year, is currently admitted to hospital in Mumbai.

On Tuesday morning around 8 a.m., the actress took to her Instagram handle and shared: "Prayers The world's greatest wireless connection.. Works like miracle so please I need your prayers."

A statement shared by her team to IANS read: "She complained about facing breathing issues after which today she was admitted to the hospital. But she is recovering and hopefully she will be back home soon. Her mother is with her."

Last month the actress revealed that she had to take a break from shooting for her serial Jhanak due to complications arising from a cervical cancer diagnosis.

Dolly gained recognition with her work in shows such as Bhabhi, Kalash, Meri Aashiqui Tum Se Hi and Khoob Ladi Mardaani Jhansi Ki Rani, among many others.

(IANS - Posted on 20 February 2024)

TV actress Dolly Sohi admitted to hospital after complaining of breathing issues

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Sahil Phull on his role in 'Suhaagan': Samay & I are alike

Mumbai, Feb 20

Actor Sahil Phull, who has recently joined the show Suhaagan, shared how he can relate to his role Samay, saying this character too is deeply rooted in his values, and cherishes simplicity.

Talking about joining Suhaagan, Sahil, who has been a part of shows like Uttaran, Kaatelaal & Sons shared: I am looking forward to embodying the complex character of Samay Shukla. He is a man of many layers, and I cannot wait for the viewers to unravel the mysteries surrounding his entry on the show.

Samay and I are alike; this character too is deeply rooted in his values, cherishing simplicity, and tradition despite his success in business and urban upbringing. His homecoming to Barabanki marks new developments in the journey of Bindiya, Payal, and Krishna, he said.

Suhaagan' revolves around Bindiya (Garima Kishnani), Payal (Sakshi Sharma), and Krishna (Raghav Thakur), who are tied together in a love triangle.

In the current track, Bindiya, deeply wounded by Krishna's outburst, seeks solace in her hometown, where she meets Samay, who has a big project in the works. With an MBA under his belt and a trail of successful startups, Samay exemplifies ambition and entrepreneurial spirit beyond his years.

Despite his metropolitan upbringing, Samays heart remains rooted in tradition and respect for simple pleasures. His life mirrors that of Bindiya, a kindred spirit who shares his values of family and love.

Having pursued his studies in Bengaluru, he returns to his roots in Barabanki with a renewed sense of purpose, ready to embark on new business ventures.

Suhaagan airs on Colors.

(IANS - Posted on 20 February 2024)

Sahil Phull on his role in 'Suhaagan': Samay & I are alike

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Champaign, IL (61820)

Today

Snow flurries this morning will give way to partly cloudy skies during the day. High 39F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Mainly clear. Low 26F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph.
Language skills are strong predictors of academic, socioemotional and behavioral outcomes when children enter school. They learn language in preschool years by interacting with others, especially their parents. Book sharing is a popular way parents engage young children in conversation. However, not all parents are comfortable with book sharing and not all children like having books read to them.

A new study on "parent talk" by Florida Atlantic University, in collaboration with Aarhus University in Denmark, provides an alternative. To boost the quality of a preschooler's language experience and skills, consider reminiscing with them.

To determine the effects of encouraging parents to reminisce with their children, researchers examined properties of conversations between Danish parents and their 3- to 5-year-old children as they engaged in three different activities. The parents and children were asked to share a wordless picture book (book sharing), reminisce about past events, and build with LEGO bricks.

From transcripts of parent-child conversations in these three activities, researchers measured properties of parent speech that have been found to be related to children's language development. They also measured how much the children talked, as child output also has been found to be a positive predictor of their language growth.

Results of the study, published in the Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, reveal that reminiscing is very good at eliciting high quality speech from parents, and in many ways, is just as good as book sharing. Book sharing and reminiscing were higher than toy play on three measures of interactive quality: less frequent use of directives, more frequent use of what/who/where questions, and more frequent use of why/how questions.

Only reminiscing, not book sharing, differed from toy play in parent speech being higher in grammatical complexity and in more frequently expanding child utterances. Both reminiscing and book sharing increased the lexical richness of parent speech compared to toy play.

Findings from our study should bolster arguments that have been made for reminiscing as a basis for culturally sensitive intervention to increase the quality of children's language experience. Talk in reminiscing is characterized by longer and more complex sentences than talk in many other settings, and particularly elaborative reminiscing in which the adult scaffolds and encourages the child's talk, has been found to benefit children's language growth. Reminiscing also is argued to be more widespread as a naturally occurring practice across cultures and levels of socioeconomic status than book reading." Erika Hoff, Ph.D., senior author and professor, Department of Psychology, FAU Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

Interestingly, researchers did not find any differences between mothers and fathers. Until now, literature on differences between fathers' and mothers' talk to their children has been scant with mixed findings and heavily reliant on samples in the United States. A Danish sample offered the opportunity to study differences between mothers and fathers in a place where parenting roles are less gender-typed than elsewhere.

While findings provide new evidence that reminiscing is an activity that elicits parent use of rich language, the researchers caution that it does not diminish differences in the quality of parent speech related to parent education level. More educated parents more frequently labeled objects and events, their speech was grammatically more complex, and they more frequently repeated and expanded their children's prior utterances.

"Reminiscing is good, but it's not a magic bullet that closes societal and educational gaps. The applied motivation behind our line of research is to find ways that will close the gap in the language experience of children from more advantaged and less advantaged families," said Hoff. "Of course, it's good to find activities that enrich all children's language experience, and all children will benefit from such experiences. However, such activities can't be expected to eliminate all differences in children's experience."

Even though differences in language use associated with parent education are not eliminated, an important finding from this study is that the biggest effects on the quality of parent talk to children is the activity that parents and children are engaged in.

"I would suggest to parents that it's not just important to spend time with your children. What you're doing when you're spending time with them also is important," said Hoff. "It's good to carve out some time just to have a conversation. If you like reading books, read books, if you would rather talk about planning the future or talking about the past, do that. Make time to have conversations with your children."

Study co-authors are Fabio Trecca, Ph.D., senior researcher; Anders Hojen, Ph.D., an associate professor; and Dorthe Belses, Ph.D., a professor, all with the School of Communication and Culture, Aarhus University; and Brett Laursen, Ph.D., a professor of psychology, FAU Charles E. Schmidt College of Science.

This research was supported by Styrelsen for Uddannelse og Kvalitet (The Danish National Agency for Education and Quality) and by TrygFonden (grant 147476 to Belses).
Scientists at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Washington University have conducted a study to estimate the incidence rate and predictors of fatigue after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection.

The study is published in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Study: Estimates of Incidence and Predictors of Fatiguing Illness after SARS-CoV-2 Infection. Image Credit: p.ill.i / Shutterstock

Background

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2 is a multifactorial disease characterized by a range of mild-to-severe respiratory, cardiovascular, digestive, and neuropsychological symptoms. The disease is also associated with long-term consequences, commonly known as long-COVID.

A CDC-conducted survey in January 2023 has shown that up to 15% of US adults experience long-COVID symptoms and that fatigue is the most commonly reported symptom by both hospitalized and non-hospitalized patients. Another recent study has identified fatigue as a common symptom among 85% of patients with long-COVID.

Post-COVID fatigue demonstrates many similarities with an illness called myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, which is an unexplained syndrome characterized by functional limitations that impair the daily life activities of patients.

In this study, scientists have estimated incidence rates of fatigue and chronic fatigue in patients with and without COVID-19 and determined the factors associated incident fatigue.

Study design

The study was conducted on 4,589 adult patients with confirmed COVID-19 diagnoses between February 2020 and February 2021. A total of 9,022 patients without a COVID-19 diagnosis during the same period were included as controls.

Electronic health records of the patients were collected from three US hospitals and more than 300 primary care and specialty clinics and analyzed to estimate the incidence rates of postCOVID-19 fatigue and chronic fatigue and to quantify the additional incident fatigue caused by COVID-19.

The mean follow-up periods were 11.4 months for COVID-19 patients and 11.5 months for controls. The follow-up time was calculated as the duration between the first COVID-19 diagnosis and the detection of the first incident event (fatigue) for patients with an event. For patients without an event, the follow-up time referred to the duration between the first COVID-19 diagnosis and the last follow-up date.

Incidence of fatigue

The study estimated that about 9.5% of COVID-19 patients included in the study had incident fatigue during the study follow-up period. This gave rise to an incidence rate of 10.2/100 person-years.

Regarding factors associated with incident fatigue, the study found that the incidence rate increases with advancing age and is higher among women than men. A comparatively lower incidence rate was also observed among patients without comorbidities and among patients who were not hospitalized for acute COVID-19.

Considering patients without COVID-19 (controls), the incidence rate was estimated to be 6.0/100 person-years. This indicated that the risk of incident fatigue is 68% higher among COVID-19 patients compared to that among controls.

Incidence of chronic fatigue

According to the study estimations, the incidence rates of chronic fatigue among COVID-19 patients and non-COVID-19 patients were 1.82/100 person-years and 0.42/100 person-years, respectively.

Similar to fatigue, the risk of developing chronic fatigue was significantly higher among COVID-19 patients compared to that among non-COVID-19 patients. The difference in chronic fatigue incidence rate between COVID-19 patients and controls continued to increase even after 12 months of disease diagnosis.

Cumulative incidence of fatigue (A) and chronic fatigue (B) among 4,589 COVID-19 cases and 9,022 nonCOVID-19 controls in study of fatiguing illness after SARS-CoV-2 infection, Washington, USA, February 2020February 2021. Shading around data lines indicates 95% CIs.

Factors associated with incident fatigue

The analysis conducted after adjusting for age and comorbidities revealed that women are 39% more likely to develop incident fatigue than men. After adjusting for sex and comorbidities, a non-significantly higher risk of incident fatigue was observed for older adults compared to that for young adults (18  29 years).

Patients with comorbidities showed a significantly higher risk of incident fatigue than those without comorbidities. Among 36 diseases that were diagnosed 18 months before COVID-19, 21 showed significant associations with incident fatigue after adjusting for age, sex, and number of comorbidities. Specifically, patients with hypertension, gastritis, and duodenitis showed 27% and 93% higher risks of incident fatigue, respectively.

Regarding clinical outcomes, the study found that about 25.6% of COVID-19 patients with incident fatigue were hospitalized more than once during the post-acute period. In contrast, only 13.6% of patients without incident fatigue were hospitalized during the post-acute period. Moreover, patients with fatigue showed a significantly higher risk of death compared to those without fatigue.

Study significance

The study finds that COVID-19 is associated with a significantly higher risk of developing fatigue and that patients with incident fatigue have far worse clinical outcomes than those without fatigue.

The high incidence rate of post-COVID-19 fatigue observed in the study highlights the need for public health actions to control SARS-CoV-2 infection and to develop effective treatments for post-COVID-19 fatigue.
The recent approval of a CRISPR-Cas9 therapy for sickle cell disease demonstrates that gene editing tools can do a superb job knocking out genes to cure hereditary disease. But it's still not possible to insert whole genes into the human genome to substitute for defective or deleterious genes.

A new technique that employs a retrotransposon from birds to insert genes into the genome holds more promise for gene therapy, since it inserts genes into a "safe harbor" in the human genome where the insertion won't disrupt essential genes or lead to cancer.

Retrotransposons, or retroelements, are pieces of DNA that, when transcribed to RNA, code for enzymes that copy RNA back into DNA in the genome -; a self-serving cycle that clutters the genome with retrotransposon DNA. About 40% of the human genome is made up of this "selfish" new DNA, though most of the genes are disabled, so-called junk DNA.

The new technique, called Precise RNA-mediated INsertion of Transgenes, or PRINT, leverages the ability of some retrotransposons to efficiently insert entire genes into the genome without affecting other genome functions. PRINT would complement the recognized ability of CRISPR-Cas technology to disable genes, make point mutations and insert short segments of DNA.

A description of PRINT, which was developed in the laboratory of Kathleen Collins, a professor of molecular and cell biology at the University of California, Berkeley, will be published Feb. 20 in the journal Nature Biotechnology.

PRINT involves the insertion of new DNA into a cell using delivery methods similar to those used to ferry CRISPR-Cas9 into cells for genome editing. For PRINT, one piece of delivered RNA encodes a common retroelement protein called R2 protein, which has multiple active parts, including a nickase -; an enzyme that binds and nicks double-stranded DNA -; and reverse transcriptase, the enzyme that generates the DNA copy of RNA. The other RNA is the template for the transgene DNA to be inserted, plus gene expression control elements -; an entire autonomous transgene cassette that R2 protein inserts into the genome, Collins said.

A key advantage of using R2 protein is that it inserts the transgene into an area of the genome that contains hundreds of identical copies of the same gene -; each coding for ribosomal RNA, the RNA machine that translates messenger RNA (mRNA) into protein. With so many redundant copies, when the insertion disrupts one or a few ribosomal RNA genes, the loss of the genes won't be missed.

Putting the transgene into a safe harbor avoids a major problem encountered when inserting transgenes via a human virus vector, which is the common method today: The gene is often inserted randomly into the genome, disabling working genes or messing with the regulation or function of genes, potentially leading to cancer.

"A CRISPR-Cas9-based approach can fix a mutant nucleotide or insert a little patch of DNA -; sequence fixing. Or you can just knock out a gene function by site-specific mutagenesis," said Collins, who holds the Walter and Ruth Schubert Family Chair. "We're not knocking out a gene function. We're not fixing an endogenous gene mutation. We're taking a complementary approach, which is to put into the genome an autonomously expressed gene that makes an active protein -;to add back a functional gene as a deficit bypass. It's transgene supplementation instead of mutation reversal. To fix loss-of-function diseases that arise from a panoply of individual mutations of the same gene, this is great."

'The real winners were from birds'

Many hereditary diseases, such as cystic fibrosis and hemophilia, are caused by a number of different mutations in the same gene, all of which disable the gene's function. Any CRISPR-Cas9-based gene editing therapy would have to be tailored to a person's specific mutation. Gene supplementation using PRINT could instead deliver the correct gene to every person with the disease, allowing each patient's body to make the normal protein, no matter what the original mutation.

Many academic labs and startups are investigating the use of transposons and retrotransposons to insert genes for gene therapy. One popular retrotransposon under study by biotech companies is LINE-1 (Long INterspersed Element-1), which in humans has duplicated itself and some hitchhiker genes to cover about 30% of the genome, though fewer than 100 of our genome's LINE-1 retrotransposon copies are functional today, a miniscule fraction of the genome.

Collins, along with UC Berkeley postdoctoral colleague Akanksha Thawani and Eva Nogales, UC Berkeley Distinguished Professor in the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator, published a cryoelectron microscopy structure of the enzyme protein encoded by the LINE-1 retroelement on Dec. 14 in the journal Nature.

That study made it clear, Collins said, that the LINE-1 retrotransposon protein would be hard to engineer to safely and efficiently insert a transgene into the human genome. But previous research demonstrating that genes inserted into the repetitive, ribosomal RNA encoding region of the genome (the rDNA) get expressed normally suggested to Collins that a different retroelement, called R2, might work better for safe transgene insertion.

Because R2 is not found in humans, Collins and senior researcher Xiaozhu Zhang and postdoctoral fellow Briana Van Treeck, both from UC Berkeley, screened R2 from more than a score of animal genomes, from insects to the horseshoe crab and other multicellular eukaryotes, to find a version that was highly targeted to rDNA regions in the human genome and efficient at inserting long lengths of DNA into the region.

"After chasing dozens of them, the real winners were from birds," Collins said, including the zebra finch and the white-throated sparrow.

While mammals do not have R2 in their genomes, they do have the binding sites needed for R2 to effectively insert as a retroelement -; likely a sign, she said, that the predecessors to mammals had an R2-like retroelement that somehow got kicked out of the mammalian genome.

In experiments, Zhang and Van Treeck synthesized mRNA-encoding R2 protein and a template RNA that would generate a transgene with a fluorescent protein expressed by an RNA polymerase promoter. These were cotransfected into cultured human cells. About half the cells lit up green or red due to fluorescent protein expression under laser light, demonstrating that the R2 system had successfully inserted a working fluorescent protein into the genome.

Further studies showed that the transgene did indeed insert into the rDNA regions of the genome and that about 10 copies of the RNA template could insert without disrupting the protein-manufacturing activity of the rDNA genes.

A giant ribosome biogenesis center

Inserting transgenes into rDNA regions of the genome is advantageous for reasons other than it gives them a safe harbor. The rDNA regions are found on the stubby arms of five separate chromosomes. All of these stubby arms huddle together to form a structure called the nucleolus, in which DNA is transcribed into ribosomal RNA, which then folds into the ribosomal machinery that makes proteins. Within the nucleolus, rDNA transcription is highly regulated, and the genes undergo quick repairs, since any rDNA breaks, if left to propagate, could shut down protein production. As a result, any transgene inserted into the rDNA region of the genome would be treated with kid gloves inside the nucleolus.

The nucleolus is a giant ribosome biogenesis center. But it's also a really privileged DNA repair environment with low oncogenic risk from gene insertion. It's brilliant that these successful retroelements -; I'm anthropomorphizing them -; have gone into the ribosomal DNA. It's multicopy, it's conserved, and it's a safe harbor in the sense that you can disrupt one of these copies and the cell doesn't care." Kathleen Collins, professor of molecular and cell biology, University of California, Berkeley

This makes the region an ideal place to insert a gene for human gene therapy.

Collins admitted that a lot is still unknown about how R2 works and that questions remain about the biology of rDNA transcription: How many rDNA genes can be disrupted before the cell cares? Because some cells turn off many of the 400+ rDNA genes in the human genome, are these cells more susceptible to side effects of PRINT? She and her team are investigating these questions, but also tweaking the various proteins and RNAs involved in retroelement insertion to make PRINT work better in cultured cells and primary cells from human tissue.

The bottom line, though, is that "it works," she said. "It's just that we have to understand a little bit more about the biology of our rDNA in order to really take advantage of it."

Other co-authors of the Nature Biotechnology paper are UC Berkeley graduate students Connor Horton, Jeremy McIntyre, Sarah Palm and Justin Shumate. The work was supported by the National Institutes of Health (F32 GM139306, DP1 HL156819, T32 GM07232) and the Shurl and Kay Curci Foundation. Collins has filed for patents on PRINT, and co-founded a company, Addition Therapeutics, to develop PRINT further as a gene therapy.
Little is known about colorectal cancer screening strategies throughout the Western Hemisphere, with the exception of the U.S. and Canada.

A recent study by Regenstrief Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham and University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, researcher-clinicians is one of the first to identify and evaluate colorectal cancer screening programs in Latin America.

The research team made several significant findings including the lack of screening programs in low-middle-income countries, such as Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala and Bolivia. The researchers also found the prevalence of colorectal cancer in high-middle-income countries, such as Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Chile, to be similar to the prevalence in high-income countries.

Detection of colorectal cancer via screening enables either earlier diagnosis with better prognosis or prevention from removal of pre-cancerous polyps for a disease that is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide and typically does not have symptoms in its early stages. While globally colorectal cancer disproportionately affects high-income countries, both incidence and deaths are increasing in low- and high-middle-income countries, which include most Latin American nations.

Although a complete picture of colorectal cancer in Latin America is not available due to uncertain completeness of data collection from its cancer registries, its incidence is increasing. The study authors note limited resources and infrastructure as well as the absence of public awareness in much of the region. They emphasize the need throughout Latin America for more screening and call for research on prevention.

The research team reviewed and analyzed studies of cancer screening in Latin America written in English, Spanish and Portuguese, which included a total of nearly 124,000 participants. In addition to identifying a lack of screening programs in low middle-income countries, the researchers found that colon cancer screening strategies, employing either or both noninvasive fecal immunochemical tests (FIT), which look for blood in stool, or screening colonoscopies, had been successfully implemented in Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Costa Rica, Uruguay and Chile -- all high-middle-income Latin American countries.

The researchers report these high-middle-income countries in Latin America had high uptake (86 percent) of screening. Significantly, more than 75 percent of patients received a colonoscopy following positive results from stool testing in this subset of Latin American countries.

According to study senior author Regenstrief Institute Research Scientist Thomas Imperiale, M.D., these findings suggest that establishing population-level structured screening programs in Latin America, at least in high-middle-income countries, would potentially be as effective at reducing colorectal cancer-related disease burden as they are in other regions. "I would expect that more organized cancer screening would have the same benefit for these countries as it has for the U.S., Canada and European countries.

FIT would be a good screening choice economically and logistically throughout Latin America. If countries are interested in cost effectiveness, efficiency and reach, FIT would appear to be the test of choice. Worldwide, it's the most-commonly-used screening test." Thomas Imperiale, M.D., Research Scientist, Regenstrief Institute

Study first author Eleazar Montalvan-Sanchez, M.D., an internal medicine resident physician at IU School of Medicine, who is from Honduras, says the finding of this study are important for patients, physicians and policymakers in the U.S., as well as in Latin America. "Most of the patients who I see here in Indianapolis are immigrants from Latin America who speak little English. When I try to discuss colorectal cancer screening with them it's something new, something they have not been exposed to, unlike, for example, the availability of COVID vaccines.

"I recall a recent patient who immediately refused a colonoscopy but didn't give me any reason. When, at his next appointment, we discussed his refusal, he shared that he had said no because he had never heard about it [colorectal cancer screening] before. It's important for physicians in the U.S. to know about colon cancer screening in Latin America as we work to improve health outcomes for this population."

The authors concluded, "This systematic review and meta-analysis found both the substantial burden of colorectal neoplasia and the feasibility of organized screening programs in Latin America. It also highlights the need for more data on CRC [colorectal cancer] burden or screening feasibility in the Latin American LMICs [low-middle-income countries]. CRC incidence is rising in Latin America as fast as anywhere in the world, warranting effective preventive measures, particularly with cost-effective, FIT-based screening programs. CRC screening should become a greater research and public health priority in Latin America."

"Colorectal Cancer Screening Programs in Latin America" is published in JAMA Network Open. This study was funded in part by the National Institutes of Health's National Cancer Institute.
Ultrahigh-spatial-resolution photon-counting detector CT improved assessment of coronary artery disease (CAD), allowing for reclassification to a lower disease category in 54% of patients, according to a new study published today in Radiology, a journal of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). The technology has the potential to improve patient management and reduce unnecessary interventions.

Coronary CT angiography is a first-line test in the assessment of coronary artery disease. However, its diagnostic value is limited in patients with severe calcifications, or calcium buildup in the plaque of the coronary arteries.

Ultrahigh-spatial-resolution photon-counting detector CT (PCD-CT) improves image quality compared to conventional CT. Additionally, it provides better spatial resolution, or the ability to differentiate two adjacent structures as being distinct from one another.

Our study provides a glimpse into the potential impact of performing coronary CT angiography using ultrahigh spatial resolution technology on risk reclassification and recommended downstream testing." Tilman Emrich, M.D., study co-author, attending radiologist at the University Medical Center Mainz in Germany, and assistant professor of radiology at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston

For the study, researchers evaluated coronary stenoses, or narrowing in the coronary arteries, in a vessel phantom (in-vitro) containing two different stenosis grades (25%, 50%), and retrospectively in 114 patients (in-vivo) who underwent ultrahigh-spatial-resolution cardiac PCD-CT for the evaluation of coronary artery disease. In-vitro values were compared to the phantom's manufacturer specifications, and patient results were assessed regarding effects on coronary artery disease reporting and data system reclassification (CAD-RADS).

"The study used a combination of artificial vessel models and real-world patient data," Dr. Emrich said. "It simulated three types of reconstructions from a single PCD-CT scan, resembling conventional CT, high-resolution, and ultrahigh-spatial-resolution scans. Observers evaluated the severity of stenosis and generated CAD-RADS classifications, guiding further patient management decisions."

In-vitro results demonstrated a reduced overestimation of the stenosis by ultrahigh-spatial-resolution scans by reducing the adverse effects of the calcifications on the image.

Results from the patients with suspected or diagnosed coronary artery disease confirmed a lower median degree of stenosis for calcified plaques (29% vs. 42%) with ultrahigh-spatial-resolution PCD-CT compared to standard CT. Ultrahigh-spatial-resolution often led to patients being reclassified to a lower CAD-RADS category. Of the 114 patients, 54% were given a lower CAD-RADS classification than they were originally assigned. The researchers found in-vitro quantification of the 193 coronary CT angiography-based stenoses was also more accurate using ultrahigh-spatial-resolution than standard resolution.

"We found that ultrahigh-spatial-resolution reconstructions resulted in significant changes in recommendations for over 50% of patients," Dr. Emrich said. "The impact was particularly notable in cases with calcified plaques, where ultrahigh-spatial-resolution reduced the overestimation of stenosis."

Dr. Emrich explained that ultrahigh-spatial-resolution may address the current limitations of conventional cardiac CT angiography by reducing the overestimation of stenosis due to calcium blooming, an effect which can cause small, high-density structures-;such as calcifications-;to appear larger than their true size.

"This could significantly alter recommendations for downstream testing, potentially leading to a reduction of unnecessary procedures (and their potential complications) and reduced healthcare costs," he said.

No substantial benefits of ultrahigh-spatial-resolution were observed for mixed and non-calcified plaques.

"It is important to note that these findings are from a simulation study, and further validation is needed in real-world comparisons," Dr. Emrich said.

"Ultrahigh-Spatial-Resolution Photon-counting Detector CT Angiography of Coronary Artery Disease for Stenosis Assessment." Collaborating with Dr. Emrich were Moritz C. Halfmann, M.D., Stefanie Bockius, M.D., Michaela Hell, M.D., U. Joseph Schoepf, M.D., Gerald S. Laux, M.D., Larissa Kavermann, M.D., Dirk Graafen, M.D., Tomasso Gori, M.D., Ph.D., Yang Yang, M.D., Roman Klockner, M.D., Pal Maurovich-Horvat, M.D., Ph.D., Jens Ricke, M.D., Lukas Muller, M.D., Akos Varga-Szemes, M.D., Ph.D., and Nicola Fink, M.D.
In a lip-biting incident, the two aircraft from the budget airline IndiGo, encountered each other, and came dangerously so close while taking off from the Delhi International Airport (IGI).

It has been reported that both aircraft breached the minimum separation level, which is required for safety purposes. Fortunately, no injuries or damages to the aircraft were reported.

Probe Initiated

The authorities have already launched the probe, labeling it as a serious incident in the aviation industry. An investigation has been initiated, where officials trying to find the actual reason behind this mishap. However, IndiGo is yet to release an official statement on the matter.

Incident Between Airbus A321 and Airbus A320

The report says that both the aircraft, which were involved in the incident have been identified as Airbus A321 with a registration VT-IUO and Airbus A320 (VT-ISO). While the former was gearing up to operate on the Delhi-Hyderabad route, the latter one was departed shortly after for Raipur from the Delhi airport.

It has been reported by the AAIB that the Airbus A321 departed from the Delhi airport, using Runway 27 on November 17. The aircraft was given the green signal from the air traffic controller department for the departure.

Later, it was observed that the plane was inclining towards left, opting takeoff path of RWY 29R. Even at the same time, the A320 was also permitted to operate, and took off from Runway 29 Right, breaching the minimum separation level.

Heres What AAIB Says

As per the details shared by the Indian Express, quoting the incident report by AAIB, which says, At the time of the closest vertical separation (400 feet), lateral separation was 1.2 NM (nautical miles). At the time of the closest lateral separation (0.2 NM), the vertical separation was 800 feet. There was no injury to any of the occupants on board in both aircraft.

Safety Norms

Meanwhile, as per the aviation rules for all aircraft, they are advised to maintain at least a vertical separation of 1,000 feet and a lateral separation of 5 nautical miles.
The BH series number system, also known as the Bharat series number plate, is a vehicle registration system introduced in India in August 2021. It offers several benefits, especially for individuals who frequently move between states. Currently, the BH series registration is available for private non-transport vehicles, including cars, two-wheelers and private electric vehicles.

Key features:

Uniform registration across India: Unlike traditional state-specific registration plates, a BH number plate allows you to keep the same registration even if you move to another state, eliminating the need for re-registration.

Unlike traditional state-specific registration plates, a BH number plate allows you to keep the same registration even if you move to another state, eliminating the need for re-registration. Simplified process: Applying for a BH number plate is generally easier than the traditional process, often involving online applications and fewer document requirements.

Applying for a BH number plate is generally easier than the traditional process, often involving online applications and fewer document requirements. Reduced costs: By avoiding re-registrations, you can save on taxes and other fees associated with the process.

By avoiding re-registrations, you can save on taxes and other fees associated with the process. Easier insurance portability: Your car insurance remains valid throughout the country, eliminating the need to change it based on your location.

Nitin Kumar, head, motor insurance, Policybazaar.com shared insights about the BH series number series and insurance queries. Edited Excerpts;

Does having a BH series number plate affect car insurance premiums? Are there any discounts or additional charges?

Having a BH series number plate does not affect car insurance premiums. There are no discounts or additional charges associated with this type of number plate. You can compare different car insurance plans online to find the most suitable one for your needs.

How does claiming insurance work with a BH series number plate if one is in a different state when the accident happens?

The claiming process for insurance with a BH series number plate, even if the accident occurs in a different state, operates similarly to any non-BH series car insurance. The location of the accident does not affect the claim process. Therefore, regardless of where the accident happens, as long as you have a valid insurance policy covering your BH series vehicle, you can proceed with the claim by the standard procedures outlined in your policy.

Can someone transfer an existing car insurance policy to a BH series registration, or need to purchase a new one?

BH series registration is available only when you are buying a new car and accordingly, the insurance is purchased. Upon registration of the car, the customer receives their BH registration number which then gets endorsed in the insurance policy. As a customer, you have complete autonomy to choose where you purchase your car insurance from. By exploring different insurance aggregator websites or direct insurance websites, you can find the best premium options. Its important to note that the dealer cannot force you to buy from them, and you have the right to make an informed decision.

Does someone need to update their car insurance policy every time she moves to a new state with my BH series vehicle?

It is not necessary to update your car insurance policy every time you move to a new state with a BH series vehicle. Your existing insurance policy will remain valid even if you relocate to a different city. Owning a BH series vehicle frees the vehicle owner from the re-registration process when they shift from one state/union territory to another which will further eliminate the need for policy updates. When its time for renewal, you can easily search for motor insurance for your BH series car online. Just enter your BH series car number and select the make, model, variant, and registration year to complete the process. This streamlined approach saves time and effort, making the entire renewal process hassle-free.

What happens to the No Claim Bonus if she transfers car insurance to a BH series registration?

If a customer changes his/her old cars registration number to a BH series registration number after payment of requisite taxes, the customer can apply for a change of registration number in their insurance policy, the existing policy will get endorsed with the new BH registration number and the NCB in the existing policy will remain intact.

Can she still use a preferred insurance company if she gets a BH series number plate?

You can purchase insurance for your BH series car from any insurer of your choice. You can conduct a thorough search online and compare the premiums and benefits offered by different insurance providers. This will enable you to select a policy that is most suitable for your needs and budget. By comparing different options, you can also ensure that you get the best coverage and value for your money.

Are there any special insurance products available for vehicles with BH series number plates?

The insurance product offering for regular registration number plates and BH series registration number plates are the same and there is no difference in the offering. All add-ons like Zero Depreciation, Engine protector, consumables cover, roadside assistance, key & lock cover, etc. which are available for regular registration numbers are available for BH number plates as well.

Why was the Bharat (BH) Series Launched?

BH series has been implemented to promote ease of transfer of vehicles owned by employees of central, state governments, PSU and private sector companies having offices in 4 or more states.

Station relocation occurs with both government as well as private sector employees and such movements create a sense of unease in the minds of such employees about obtaining the NOC from the present state, assignment of new registration mark in the new state and application for refund of taxes from the previous state on transfer from one state to another state.

One registration mark has been made valid throughout the country. The owner of the vehicle registered under the BH series is required to pay vehicle taxes every two years or in multiples of it, to the state where it is located during that period, at 25% higher than the uniform rate as notified.

To facilitate the seamless transfer of such vehicles, the BH series is helpful not only to citizens but also in reducing the burden of RTOs that deal with such vehicle transfers.
Sneha, an employed woman, rented accommodation in a Noida Sector 34 society. Before she shifted to the rented apartment, the landlord told her that the facilities, including inverter, geyser, and RO, were new and in case of any requirement to repair them, the tenant would need to invest.

Within three days of moving into the house, both RO and inverter were found to be defective and old. This led to a dispute between the landlord and the tenant. After 6 months, Sneha was asked to vacate the house despite the mention of 11 months of tenure in the rent agreement. Now, the question arises  can the landlord ask the tenant to vacate the house before the tenure mentioned in the rent agreement, i.e., 11 months?

Nishant Rai, civil cases lawyer in Delhi High Court, says that renting out houses has become a source of income in Tier-1 and Tier-2 cities of the country and both residential and commercial properties are rented out. However, there are not enough rules and regulations regarding the rent agreement as it mentions only the basic necessities.

Nishant also said that in India, the process of renting houses mostly involves mutual understanding between landlord and tenant but the last few years saw the rent agreements being made in cities, including Delhi-NCR. Further, shedding light on rent agreements, he said that the rent agreement is a legal document and it lays out various conditions which both parties have to follow.

The advocate says that if the agreement mentions 11 months of tenure, then within that period, the tenant and landlord are in a contractual agreement. Within this period, the rentals cannot be hiked randomly by the landlord. But in this case, the landlord can ask the tenants to serve the notice period and vacate as per the contract, said the lawyer. However, in case of forceful eviction or any dispute, the tenant also has the right to raise his objection.

To avoid the same, some rent agreements also include lock-in periods. These lock-in periods are for specific times during which both the landlord and the tenant are committed to the agreement and neither party can serve notice during the term.

In such situations, no action can be taken against the tenant or the landlord. However, in cases of other problems, tenants can seek help from the police and the law.
Stocks to Watch on February 20: Indian markets started the week on a positive note on Monday, with Nifty scaling fresh new peaks. The broader market continued its outperformance in expectation of improvements in private capex and optimism about political stability.

Whirlpool: The promoter firm, Whirlpool Mauritius (WML), which holds 75 per cent stake in the Indian arm, is expected to sell 30.4 million shares, or 24 per cent equity stake, in Whirlpool of India via block deals at Rs 1,230 per share today, suggest reports.

Larsen & Toubro (L&T): The engineering conglomerate is preparing the ground to begin the commercial sale of electrolysers in September, which would be 50 per cent cheaper than its European counterparts.

Vibhor Steel: Shares of Vibhor Steel will make their debut at the exchanges today. The listing is likely to be solid with a high GMP of Rs 140 in the unlisted market.

ONGC: Shareholders of ONGCs step-down subsidiary Imperial Energy have approved the formerger of five companies IECL, IENL, RHL, BHL and SAIL (dissolving companies) with IEL (absorbing company).

Sula Vineyards: Verlinvest Asia PTE has sold its stake in Sula Vineyards through block deals on Monday, while Morgan Stanley picked up some stake in the company.

Balrampur Chini: To invest up to Rs 2,000 crore over a period of 30 months, to venture into Poly Lactic Acid Manufacturing business.

CIE Automotive: Reports a turnaround in the December quarter, with consolidated net profit of Rs 169 crore as against a net loss of Rs 658 crore in the corresponding quarter a year ago.

Mastek: Board approved allotment of up to 1.6 equity shares at Rs 2,382 per share for consideration of 39,189 compulsory convertible preference shares.

Oriental Rail Infrastructure: Board to meet on February 22 to consider and approve allotment of 5.06 million equity shares and 7.50 million warrants convertible into equity shares at Rs 169 per share.

NBCC: Secured orders worth Rs 3,690 crore.

Paisalo Digital: Board meet scheduled on February 22 to consider proposal for fund raising.

ESAF Small Finance Bank: Board to meet on February 23 to consider a proposal to raise funds by way of issuance of Non-Convertible Debentures on Private Placement basis.

Morepen Labs: Board meet on February 22 to consider fund raising proposal.
Schools in the national capital have been directed to constitute committees for surprise bag checking to ensure no student brings any object that may be used to harm other children, according to a circular by the Delhi governments Directorate of Education. Schools have been directed to ensure that guards at the gates regularly check students bags and ensure that CCTVs are functional all the time.

According to the Directorate of Education (DoE), some incidents have come to their notice where students got into quarrels and fights in and outside the premises during school hours. All the heads of government-run and private schools in Delhi have been directed to make all possible efforts to ensure the safety and security of students in school premises, the DoE circular said.

In order to make schools a safe and secure place for all concerned, it is imperative for all schools to implement a streamlined framework for ensuring good safety practices for students, parents and staff, it said. Therefore, all heads of government and private schools are hereby directed to constitute a committee for random/surprise checking of school bags of students in classrooms and ensure that no student is in possession of any material that may be used to harm fellow students. The heads of schools have also been asked to direct all guards at entry gates to regularly check bags for any unwanted or inappropriate articles so that no untoward incident happens in schools.

Heads of schools should also ensure that CCTVs are installed in the school and are functional all the time. Visitors should not be allowed to enter the classrooms and staff rooms, the DoE said. Delhi Parents Association president Aparajita Gautam welcomed the move by DoE but questioned how long will the norms be followed on the ground.

It is very a good initiative and I welcome it because it is for students safety. How will the government schools, that do not have sufficient manpower, implement this? she posed. Gautam further stated that the Delhi government should bring better measures to ensure students safety, especially in government schools.

Last week, a class 11 student was stabbed to death by three teenagers for allegedly harassing one of them in south Delhis Neb Sarai area. The three juveniles, including a class 10 student, have been apprehended. Two knives used in the crime have also been recovered, police said.
Union Minister of Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Dharmendra Pradhan, and Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Vishnu Deo Sai, jointly inaugurated 211 PM SHRI schools in Raipur on February 19, marking a significant milestone in the education sector.

Pradhan thanked Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi at the occasion for his dedication to strengthening the education ecosystem by means of programmes like PM SHRI. He emphasised that in addition to the current 211 schools that have been inaugurated, more will be added in the next phase. Pradhan congratulated the states students on their confidence and diligence, underscoring that their ability to think critically will be fundamental to their success. He applauded the Chief Minister for giving Chhattisgarhs education system a top priority.

The event was attended by various dignitaries, including the Chhattisgarh Minister of Education, Brijmohan Aggarwal; Members of Parliament Sunil Soni, Rajesh Munat, Purandar Mishra; Secretary, Department of School and Literacy, Ministry of Education, Sanjay Kumar and Additional Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy, Vipin Kumar.

Pradhan underscored the importance of learning in the mother tongue for holistic development, aligning with the principles outlined in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Citing scientific evidence indicating that 85 per cent of human brain development occurs by the age of 8, he announced the introduction of Balvatika in schools to aid childrens development.

Pradhan emphasised the inclusion of skills, vocational studies, music, drama, sports, and other competencies alongside traditional academic subjects, such as language, mathematics, science, environmental science, and social science. Recognising the innate innovation within Indian students, Pradhan emphasized the need to nurture and prioritize this aspect.

In addition to inaugurating the PM SHRI schools, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurated a Digital Library for Kendriya Vidyalaya and Virtual Reality labs for Navodaya Vidyalaya in the state. The dignitaries also visited an exhibition showcasing the work of school students, and three short films on PM SHRI Yojana, Kendriya Vidyalaya, and Navodaya Vidyalaya were screened during the event.
Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) is holding its 37th convocation today, February 20, at the Baba Saheb Ambedkar Convention Centre. Vice President of India Jagdeep Dhankhar has been invited as the chief guest. Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, the Honble Vice President of India will preside over the ceremony and deliver the Convocation Address, adding an extra layer of significance to the event, the university said.

The convocation will be telecast live on IGNOUs Gyan Darshan Channel, Swayam Prabha Channels for Higher Education Managed by IGNOU and streamed live through the official Facebook page of IGNOU

Students who have completed their courses in the December 2022 and June 2023 Term End Examinations (TEE) at IGNOU are eligible to receive the original certificate at the convocation ceremony. They will have to attend the convocation and collect the certificate at his/her regional centre where they belong and not at any other regional centre, the varsity stated.

Furthermore, students have been given the option To Attend Convocation in Person or receive Degree/Diploma by Post. They are required to fill in their present address at which they want to receive their certificate. In case, the convocation is not held at the regional centre due to any circumstances where the student belongs, he/she will have to attend the convocation at another nearby regional centre which may be mostly in the same state or a nearby state otherwise his/her certificate will be sent by post, IGNOU added.

In case, the students are not invited to attend the Convocation or could not attend the Convocation even after submission of the requisite fee, their degree/diploma will be sent by post by the concerned Regional Centre after the convocation and in case of P.G. Certificate/Certificate Programmes, Certificate will be sent by Headquarters. Such students should therefore contact their concerned Regional Centre, where they belong to/Headquarters, as the case may be, states the official notice by the university.
More than 100 first-year students of Delhi Universitys St Stephens College were allegedly suspended for not attending morning assembly, teachers and students claimed on Tuesday. According to an email by the first-year students to Principal John Varghese on Monday, they were also debarred from the second semester examination after allegedly failing to meet the principal with their parents for missing the assembly.

There was no immediate reaction available from Varghese. We are writing to you regarding the emails sent on February 17, 2024 (Saturday), to over 100 first-year students of St Stephens College in which they were suspended and debarred from the semester 2 examinations, the students said in the email to Varghese.

The reason cited was a failure to set up an appointment with the principal in response to the email sent on February 4, 2024 (Sunday), wherein these first-year students were asked to do the same due to low attendance in the morning assemblies in the month of January, they said. The students further said in the email that setting up an appointment wasnt feasible for many since their parents do not live in Delhi-NCR and, hence, it wasnt possible for them to travel all the way to Delhi at short notice due to prior commitments, scheduling issues, and financial issues. An email sent to the students parents and guardians, informing them that their wards had been barred from the second semester examination was claimed to be written by the personal secretary to the principal.

Regrettably, due to non-compliance with the request, I inform you that the students will not be allowed to sit for the upcoming examination as consequences of the suspension, according to the email sent to the students parents and guardians. The students claimed that their attempts to fix appointments without their guardians were also rejected.

The alleged suspension was criticised by a member of faculty at the college for forcing to take part in a religious activity and on grounds of university rules and regulations. He also demanded disciplinary action against the person concerned who sent the email. Sanjeev Grewal, head of the colleges economics department, said in an email dated February 20 (Tuesday) to Principal Varghese, I am quite shocked to know that a large number of students have been suspended from college and it has been threatened that they will also be debarred from appearing in the examinations. In my opinion, students can be debarred from appearing in the examinations only on the grounds explicitly stated in the university rules and regulations. To the best of my knowledge, the shortage of attendance in the morning college assembly is not a ground for debarring students from appearing in the examinations. The morning assembly is a convention specific to St Stephens College and is not recognised by the university. Nor does the failure to attend morning assembly, in my humble opinion, constitute a legitimate ground for suspension from the college, Grewal added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday inaugurated, dedicated to the nation, and laid the foundation stone of several projects worth about Rs 13,375 crores in the field of education. He dedicated to the nation the permanent campuses of IIT Bhilai, IIT Tirupati, IISER Tirupati, IIITDM Kurnool, an academic and residential complex in IIT Patna and IIT Ropar, two permanent campuses of Central Sanskrit University  one at Devprayag (Uttarakhand) and another at Agartala (Tripura), the official press release by PIB stated.

PM Modi also inaugurated permanent campuses of IIM Visakhapatnam, IIM Jammu, and IIM Bodh Gaya. He also inaugurated the Indian Institute of Skills (IIS)  a skill training institute on advanced technologies in Kanpur. Furthermore, he inaugurated improved hostels, academic blocs, administrative buildings, libraries, and auditoriums in several institutes such as IIT Jammu, NIT Delhi, IIT Kharagpur, NIT Durgapur, IISER Behrampur, NIT Arunachal Pradesh, IIIT Lucknow, IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, Central University of Kerala Kasaragod, among others.

The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of multiple projects for upgrading the infrastructure in several higher educational institutes across the country. These projects include the construction of the permanent campus of Sindhu Central University and IIIT Raichur; the construction of an academic block, hostel, faculty quarter, etc in IIT Bombay; construction of a Hostel and Staff Quarter in IIT Gandhinagar, construction of Girls hostel in BHU, among others.

The PM inaugurated the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Vijaypur (Samba), Jammu. The new medical college features 125 seats, a nursing college with 60 seats, residential accommodation for faculty and staff, hostel accommodation for UG and PG students, etc. The institute, whose foundational stone was laid by the PM in February 2019, is being established under the Central sector scheme Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana.

Addressing the gathering, the PM said, The number of Medical Colleges in J&K has increased from 4 to 12 in the last 10 years. Similarly, in the same time period, MBBS seats in J&K have more than doubled from 500 to 1300.

There were no PG medical seats in J&K before 2014, the PM said adding that today there are 650 PG medical seats in the Union Territory. As many as 35 new nursing and paramedic colleges are also coming up in the region, he added.
Will Pakistan see re-elections? The Supreme Court will take up the petition that seeks to declare the February 8 elections null and void after the Rawalpindi commissioner admitted to massive poll rigging where some of the losing contestants were declared winners and vice versa.

The petition also seeks a stay order on the formation of the new government till the case is resolved.

Due to the fractured mandate, with Imran Khans Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) securing 92 seats and Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) bagging 80 seats while Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) clocking 54 seats, the road to forming the next government is bumpy.

What is the Current Political Situation in Pakistan?

PML-N and PPP leaders are huddling to forming the next government, making Nawaz Sharifs brother Shehbaz the next prime minister. But there is a differences of opinion within both parties whether they should wear the crown of thorns amid chaotic political and economic conditions in the country.

According to Pakistans daily Dawn, PML-N leader Khawaja Saad Rafique has highlighted the partys dilly-dallying over aligning with PPP to form the next government. Alternatively, he suggested that PTI-backed independent members form a government with PPP support.

Dawn reported that not just Rafique, many leaders within the PML-N are moving away from the initial stance of forming a coalition with PPP as had been mentioned by Nawaz Sharif in his speeches.

The under-confidence became more apparent after PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari demanded top constitutional posts and a PPP government in Balochistan to support PML-N.

Meanwhile, PTI is leading discussions to form the government at the Centre, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with the help of a new partner, Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) as reported by Dawn.

PTI announced at a press conference on Sunday that it will form the governments with its candidate Omar Ayub as the prime minister. The party claimed that 30 million votes were received by PTI-backed candidates even without its electoral symbol of bat.

Shouldnt the Interim Govt be Held Accountable?

Not just the people of Pakistan, but international agencies and forums have demanded accountability after denouncing the electoral process of Pakistan.

The arrest of Rawalpindi division commissioner Liaqat Ali Chatha, after he confirmed rigging in the elections, raises questions on why he alone should be facing the consequences when the onus should lie on the interim government to ensure free and transparent elections in the country.

In fact, the forces behind such manipulations should be investigated and called out. The many stakeholders  the interim government, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the PML-N, the PPP, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), the establishment and judiciary  should be held accountable and ensure that the people of Pakistan dont suffer due to the chaos.

What Can Be Done Now?

The role of super judiciary demands a thorough investigation, as has been reported in the Pakistan Tribune. In the last two decades, the decisions made by the judiciary have impacted the political landscape of the country. For instance, the legal entangles that the PML-N suffered were reflected in the future of PTI this year.

The country should ensure that the internet and social media ecosystem of the country should be investigated to scrunitise the election-related communications.

It is important to investigate the underlying issues to gain public confidence in the state machinery, and ensure a promising future for the people of Pakistan.
The Maharashtra government today extended 10% reservation to Marathas in the socially and economically backward category in jobs and educational institutes. With this, the total reservation in Maharashtra will go up to 62%.

Chief minister Eknath Shinde said reservation to Marathas will be given according to the terms of law after presenting a report during the special assembly session.

The report was submitted to the state government by Maharashtra Backward Class Commission (MBCC) headed by chairman Justice (Retired) Sunil Shukre. The commission had conducted a survey of 2.5 crore homes within nine days and compiled a report on social and educational backwardness of the Maratha community.

What Has Happened So Far?

The reported puts onus on the government to extend reservation to the Marathas.

The Devendra Fadnavis government in Maharashtra in 2017 had constituted the MBCC to study the social, financial and educational status of Marathas.

The commission submitted the report in November 2018, classifying Marathas as a socially and educationally backward class (SEBC). The same month, the Maharashtra assembly passed a bill proposing 16% reservation in education and government jobs for Marathas.

The Bombay High Court then upheld the constitutional validity of the reservation law, and reduced the quota to 12% in educational institutes and 13% in jobs.

The Supreme Courts five-judge Constitution Bench then took up the matter and unanimously agreed that there was no need to revisit the 1992 Indra Sawhney judgment that fixed reservation limit to 50%. The SC struck down the state law granting quota to Marathas.

Who are the Stakeholders Involved?

Maratha activist Manoj Patil Jarange came to limelight after his hunger strike in September last year. He started his protest march from Jalna district accompanied by thousands of supporters. He originally hails from Beed district and settled in Shahgad in Jalna district.

He joined the Maratha quota stir around 15 years ago. He also sold 2.5 acres of agricultural land out of his 4 acres to meet his daily requirements.

After working for the Congress for quite some time, he founded an outfit called Shivba Sanghatana to organise protests.

Maharashtra minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Chhagan Bhujbal and several other prominent OBC leaders including Congress leaders Vijay Wadettiwar, Rajesh Rathod, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLC Gopichand Padalkar, Prakash Shendge and Rashtriya Samaj Paksha (RSP) leader Mahadev Jankar participated in the protest, showing their support to the quota demand.

NCPs Chhagan Bhujbal, who resigned as cabinet minister from the Eknath Shinde government, has been opposing the reservation as including the Marathas would be lead to the OBC category getting crowded for reservation.

Meanwhile, chief minister Eknath Shinde, who has assured the protestors of the quota, had last year said the government is actively engaged in issuing Kunbi certificates to Marathas from Marathwada to enable them to access OBC benefits, and ensure submission of curative petition in the Supreme Court is free of errors.

Who are the Marathas?

The Marathas held the first protest demanding reservation in government jobs and education around 32 years ago.

From landowners to peasants to warriors, Marathas form 33% of Maharashtras population. The Maratha Kshatriyas mostly have surnames like Deshmukh, Bhonsle, More, Shirke and Jadhav. Others belong to the Kunbi community, a predominantly agrarian sub-caste.

The difference between the Maratha Kshatriyas and Kunbis existed till the time of the Maratha empire. Now, most of the Marathas are engaged in farming activities.

While all Marathas are Marathis, not all Marathis are Marathas. Maratha signifies a group of castes, while Marathi is the language spoken by several communities in Maharashtra and some neighbouring areas of other states.

Kunbi, an agrarian community that falls under the OBC category, has been demanding Kunbi certificates for all Marathas.

What will Change?

Reports suggest that the bill for 10% Maratha quota is similar to the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Act, 2018, introduced by the Fadnavis government.

The state already has a 10% quota for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) in which politically influential Marathas are biggest beneficiaries, claiming 85% of the reservation.

This is the third time in three decades that the state is introducing the legislation for the Maratha quota. Every time the legislation was introduced, it has been before an election and the survey was conducted that concluded that the community is backward.

Meanwhile, the OBC community fears dilution of its quota if the Kunbis are included in it. OBC groups such as the Rashtriya OBC Mahsangh have already said they will challenge the Maratha quota legislation in court.
Is Russia building a weapon that could possibly destroy satellites? The US has confirmed that Vladimir Putins country is on the path of making the space-based weapon that is a serious threat to national security amidst the two-year Russia-Ukraine war.

This development has given rise to a serious question whether space will be the future battlefield for militaries around the world.

A commission on the Congressional Commission on the Strategic Posture of the United States and a former defence and intelligence official during the Bush, Obama and Trump administrations draws attention towards how countries are looking at securing space, and the skies are free and open for commercial activity.

Matthew Kroenig had told the BBC that humans have been exploring space for quite some time now for travelling and doing business. Now, we are entering a phase where were seeing the commercialization of space, and we are just at the beginning.

What about Space Weapons in the Past?

According to the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, which the US, China and Russia have signed, countries are forbidden from sending into the orbit any objects carrying nuclear weapons or any other kinds of weapons of mass destruction.

Before the treaty, the US carried out a series of high-altitude nuclear tests, the biggest of which was the Starfish Prime in July 1962, which triggered electromagnetic pulse that was much larger than expected, and caused the formation of radiation belts around the Earth.

In 1978, a Soviet nuclear-powered satellite, Kosmos 954, malfunctioned and crashed into northern Canada, spreading radioactive debris across hundreds of miles.

The Secure World Foundation think tank reported last year in a report on Global Counterspace Capabilities that Russia has been working on developing anti-satellite technology over the past 14 years.

What are Space Weapons?

The new weapon system is divided into three categories: earth-to-space, space-to-space and space-to-earth.

Earth-to-space weapons pose current danger and include direct ascent anti-space satellite weapons, which the US, China, India and Russia have all tested and directed energy lasers and jammers.

Space-to-space satellites are placed into orbit and attack other satellites through direct kinetic impact or the use of high-frequency means.

Space-to-earth weapons include any orbiting asset that used either kinetic or non-kinetic means to attack terrestrial objects, according to the Centre for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation website.

The US military relies heavily on space-based assets to secure qualitative superiority over adversaries, making US space systems a prime target in any future conflict, as per the website.

All space systems include some form of ground-based component and if these are not adequately defended from attacks, including cyber, the space system could be at risk.
The INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) bloc that was created last July to stop the BJP from securing another win in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections seems to be disintegrating, with strong parties such as Trinamool Congress (TMC), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Janata Dal-United (JD-U) and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) withdrawing their support to the Congress over seat sharing.

The tension between the opposition parties and the Congress is palpable as Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav yesterday refused to join Rahul Gandhis Bharat Jodo Nyay march until the seat-sharing decision is made for the Lok Sabha elections.

Reports suggest that both SP and Congress have failed to arrive at a decision on the seat-sharing talks held on February 19 as Akhilesh Yadav is not ready to give Bijnor, Ballia and Moradabad seats to the Congress.

According to an India Today report, which quotes sources, the Congress was fighting the Ballia seat, which is considered to be the stronghold of the SP, for its state president Ajay Rai. The SP won the Moradabad seat in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections while the Congress stood second.

The SP has already declared candidates for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, including don-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansaris brother and MP Afzal Ansari.

The JD(U), which was the integral part of the formation of INDIA, is no longer part of the alliance after Nitish Kumar mentioned to media that everything was not alright there, and returned to the NDA fold.

What about AAP and TMC?

TMC supremo and chief minister Mamata Banerjee had made it clear last month that her party will go alone in the Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal, paving way for a three-cornered battle that will have TMC and BJP consolidate votes while the Congress-Left combine as the third entity can eat into the TMC votes in the minority-dominated pockets of West Bengal.

TMC had offered Congress two seats in West Bengal based on its performance in the last Lok Sabha elections where it could get less than 4% of the vote share. But the Congress was adamant on its demand, with its leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury making comments that upset Banerjee.

The Bengal CM also expressed her resentment towards Congress at a press conference, and warned it to stay away from the politics of regional parties. We have said already, let regional parties take on BJP in their area, and let Congress fight BJP in 300 seats, she had said.

Meanwhile, AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal has said it will also fight the seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi alone, snubbing the Congress. The BJP won all seven seats in Delhi in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Kejriwal also clarified that he has no intention to tie up with the Congress for 13 seats in Punjab and one in Chandigarh for the 2024 general elections.

A report by The Hindu quoting a top AAP leader said, On select seats, where the BJP or Akalis are strong, we can have an understanding to support each other. But there is no need for a pan-Punjab seat division.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls in Punjab, the Congress had won eight seats as against the SADs two seats and the BJPs two. The AAP had then won just one seat. The Chandigarh seat was won by the BJPs Kirron Kher.

What is the Congress Stand?

Senior Congress MP and general secretary media in charge Jairam Ramesh said the party cannot imagine INDIA without the TMC. He stated that some middle path will emerge, and the INDIA alliance with the polls in West Bengal.

The Congress has already announced last month that it will contest on 255 seats for the upcoming elections, which is a lesser number of seats than in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

In the last Lok Sabha elections, the Congress contested 421 seats and won 52. It was part of alliances in Bihar (with RJD), Maharashtra (NCP), Karnataka (JDS), Jharkhand (JMM) and Tamil Nadu (DMK).

The party said it has decided to hold talks with INDIA parties on a state-to-state basis, keeping their influence in view.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has asked the parties to bury their differences, and refrain from making any remarks against each other about the internal matters of the party.

What is the Way Forward?

The INDIA bloc of 28 Opposition parties since its formation in Patna seven months ago has not held any big outreach programme to impress voters. Its constant fight for perception building has open more wounds of internal squabbling than it can hide.

The alliance is staring at a crisis and is struggling to keep its structure intact for joint campaign or election strategy.

The Congress will have to look at state alliances depending on seat-sharing pacts and post-poll tie-ups. Congress losing key states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh to the BJP highlights unresolved conflict (Sachin Pilot and Ashok Gehlot), anti-incumbency (old horse Kamal Nath), overconfidence (Bhupesh Baghel) and no importance to state leadership can lead to downfall.
The Supreme Court of India on February 15 held the Electoral Bonds Scheme as unconstitutional. Electoral Bonds, which was a kind of promissory note, was an instrument of funding political parties since 2018. The apex court also held that the bonds are violative of the right to information under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution. The scheme was aimed at checking the use of black money for funding elections but was criticised for lack of transparency.

As the Supreme Court held the Electoral Bonds Scheme unconstitutional, it is time to rethink another alternative for financing the elections, which is state funding.

What is State Funding of Elections?

In simplest terms, the state funding of elections means that parties and candidates receive funds from the public exchequer instead of raising money entirely on their own for electoral campaigns and other election-related activities. It is said that state funding of elections promotes transparency provided that proper oversight mechanisms are in place on how these funds are utilised.

What is the Need?

According to a background paper on electoral reforms prepared by the legislative department of the Ministry of Law and Justice, A major concern associated with the high cost of elections is that it prevents parties and candidates with modest financial resources from being competitive in elections. It is also feared that if candidates need to raise funds from a variety of sources, then their policy decisions after being elected as policymakers may be somewhat biased in favour of groups that fund them. State funding of elections (in various forms) has been proposed as a potential solution to this problem.

Historical Background

According to a paper by the legislative department, the issue has been debated since 1972 when the Joint Committee of Parliament on Amendments to Election Law expressed the view that the problem of election expenses could be solved only if it was accepted in principle that all the election expenses presently borne by a candidate or the political party should be progressively shifted to the state. In 1974 under the chairmanship of VM Tarkunde, a committee was formed to look into matters of electoral reforms. The committee favoured providing through free public revenue infrastructure of election expenses to be supplemented by expenditure undertaken by a candidate and/or his party within the limits prescribed by law.

According to Subhash C Jain, former secretary of the legislative department, Ministry of Law and Justice, the Dinesh Goswami Committee on Electoral Reforms in its report submitted in May 1990 recommended that state assistance should be given in kind only and not in cash. The committee recommended that state assistance should be extended only to candidates set up by recognised political parties.

According to a PRS research report, The Indrajit Gupta Committee (1998) endorsed state funding of elections, seeing full justification constitutional, legal as well as on the ground of public interest in order to establish a fair playing field for parties with less money. The committee recommended two limitations to state funding. Firstly, that state funds should be given only to national and state parties allotted a symbol and not to independent candidates. Secondly, that in the short-term state funding should only be given in kind, in the form of certain facilities to the recognised political parties and their candidates. The committee noted that at the time of the report, the economic situation of the country only suited partial and not full state funding of elections.

The same report states that in 1999 the Law Commission of India concluded that total state funding of elections is desirable so long as political parties are prohibited from taking funds from other sources. The commission concurred with the Indrajit Gupta Committee that only partial state funding was possible given the economic conditions of the country at that time. Additionally, it strongly recommended that the appropriate regulatory framework be put in place with regard to political parties (provisions ensuring internal democracy, internal structures and maintenance of accounts, their auditing and submission to Election Commission) before state funding of elections is attempted.

It cites another report titled Ethics in Governance by the Second Administrative Reforms Commission (2008) that recommended partial state funding of elections for the purpose of reducing illegitimate and unnecessary funding of elections expenses.

However, according to the PRS report, the National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution, 2001, did not endorse state funding of elections but concurred with the 1999 Law Commission report that the appropriate framework for regulation of political parties would need to be implemented before state funding is considered.

Countries where State Funding of Elections is Allowed

According to an Indian Express report, In Germany, parties receive public funds on the basis of their importance within the political system. Generally, this is measured on the basis of the votes they received in past elections, membership fees, and the donations received from private sources. German political party foundations receive special state funding dedicated to their work as party-affiliated policy think tanks.

According to the same report in the local elections in Seattle, the US adopted public funding of elections. The government distributed vouchers  each of which is worth a certain amount  to eligible voters. Voters could use these vouchers to donate to the candidate of their choice. The voucher is publicly funded, but the decision to allocate the money is in the individual voters hands.

What is the Advantage?

There are arguments both in favour and against state funding of elections. Those who are against it are of the view that it will be a huge burden on the exchequer and ultimately on taxpayers. There are concerns that state funding could be used to the advantage of the ruling party which shall have control over the allocation and distribution of funds, potentially influencing the electoral process.

Those who favour it argue that it will ensure greater transparency and will ensure a level playing field.
Six summonses were issued to Arvind Kejriwal by the complainant, who is a public servant, however the Delhi chief minister intentionally omitted to obey the summons and intentionally omitted to attend at the place or time mentioned in the summons. Instead of attending pursuant to the summons, Arvind Kejriwal raised frivolous objections  this is what the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has said in a special petition to the court.

The agency further said the chief minister has deliberately created grounds which clearly indicate that he intentionally did not want to obey the summons and kept on giving lame excuses which were not only frivolous but made with an intention to make out a false defence. News18 has exclusively accessed the application.

Kejriwal an accused: ED in application

Calling Kejriwal an accused in the liquor policy scam, the central agency in its application said: From the replies given by Arvind Kejriwal, accused herein, it is manifest that his intention was to disobey the summons and to create a false pretext to camouflage such intention of disobedience of summons.

It added: Despite numerous summonses issued by the complainant and its due service on the respondent, the respondent herein has intentionally omitted and failed to appear pursuant to the summons and directions issued to him on the various dates and has committed an offence under section 174 of IPC by intentionally disobeying the orders of a public servant.

That the offence under section 174 IPC is committed with respect to each of the above summons, which is intentionally disobeyed making each of such omission or disobedience a separate offence, the ED said as it initiated the case under section 174 of IPC (non-attendance in obedience to an order from public servant) of the Indian Penal Code.

The directorate has listed four dates  between October last year and January 2024  when the summonses were issued but Kejriwal did not comply with them.

According to sources in the agency, the case that ED initiated under Section I74 of IPC has nothing to do with fresh summons. Under this particular case, the court has no jurisdiction to question the legality or validity of the summons. Countering what Kejriwal mentioned in the press conference on Monday, a senior officer said such cases were initiated by the ED earlier too against senior politicians and their relatives for not honouring summons.

Recently, the directorate initiated similar cases against Rujira Banerjee, wife of Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee, for not honouring consecutive summons.

AAPs Defence

Calling the summons illegal, Kejriwal said their legal validity will now be determined by the court and, until then, the ED has to wait. He added that the ED should now stop sending summons and wait for the courts direction.

ED has filed a case against Kejriwal. They should now wait for the judgement of the court, Priyanka Kakkar, chief national spokesperson of AAP, told News18.
The Dilli Chalo protest march will resume at 11 am on Wednesday, the farmer unions said, adding that the government must add oil seeds and Bajra also under the MSP. This fresh warning came after the Centre offered a proposal to the farmers that guarantees Minimum Support Prices (MSP) on pulses, maize and cotton.

Farmer leader Gurnam Singh Charuni said that the if the central government doesnt agree by February 21, Haryana too will join the agitation.

The government should think and understand that these two things (oilseeds and bajra) are very important (for procurement). Just like they mentioned pulses, maize and cotton, they should include these two crops too. If these two are not included, we will have to think about it again because these are our important things which do not get sold. Today mustard is available in the market at Rs 4200, it is being sold at Rs 2,000 less than the MSP, news agency ANI quoted Charuni as saying.

Importance of Pulses and Indias Production

According to a report in Indian Express, just a handful of states account for half of the countrys total production of pulses.

Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, and Jharkhand produce 95% of Indias masur; Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Jharkhand produce 80% of arhar (tur); and Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra produce 75% of urad, the report stated.

IE further mentioned that India is dependent on imports of pulses to meet its domestic demand. Total production in 2021-22 was only 27.69 million tonnes.

The government has set a target of becoming self-sufficient in pulses by 2027, and has been promoting their production through incentives (in terms of higher MSP), and procurement through initiatives like Price Support Scheme (PSS) and Price Stabilisation Fund (PSF), the publication added.

Why Crop Growing Needs to Diversify in Punjab?

The Indian Express report further explained that more than 80% of the geographical area of Punjab (41.17 lakh hectares out of 50.33 lakh hectares), is under cultivation, mostly under rice and wheat. In 2019-20, as much as 35.21 lakh hectares out of the net sown area of 41.17 lakh hectares was under wheat, and 31.42 lakh hectares was under paddy.

The crops in the Centres proposal had very small shares in comparison: 2.48 lakh hectares for cotton, 1.14 lakh hectares for maize, and 33,000 hectares for pulses (both kharif and rabi) in 2019-20, the report stated.

Paddy is a guzzler of water  about 2,500 litres (through irrigation or rainfall) is needed to produce 1 kg of rice  and its cultivation has led to massive and indiscriminate withdrawal of groundwater in the state, which now stares at widespread desertification, IE explained.

Attempts at diversification of cropping patterns have not yielded the desired results. The area under cotton came down from 2.91 lakh hectares in 2017-18 to 2.51 lakh hectares in 2021-22, and the area under maize (which is a kharif crop in Punjab) came down from 1.14 lakh hectares to 1.05 lakh hectares in the same period, the report mentioned.

The area under pulses, however, rose from 30,2000 hectares in 2017-18 to 62,600 hectares in 2021-22, IE stated.

Top Points on Farmers Protest

 Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal said that the governments proposal will only benefit farmers who rotate from rice grains to pulses between the crop cycles.

 Dallewal further said the central government imports palm oil at the cost of Rs 1.75 lakh crore. If this amount is earmarked for oilseeds cultivated by the farmers, it would benefit them, he added.

 Earlier, Union Minister Piyush Goyal asserted that they had a very positive and extensive discussion with representatives of farmers.
Heavy rains lashed several parts of Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) early on Tuesday. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted more rainfall throughout the day.

Light to moderate rain along with thunderstorm is likely to continue over Delhi-NCR, it said. Meanwhile, visuals showed several areas and roads of the national capital soaked in rain.

#WATCH | Delhi: Rain lashes parts of the national capital.(Visuals from Kartavya Path, shot at 2:55 am) pic.twitter.com/1KwS1BcgzR  ANI (@ANI) February 19, 2024

Thunderstorm with light to moderate intensity rain and gusty winds with speed of 30-40 Km/h would occur over and adjoining areas of few places of Delhi ( Narela, Bawana, Alipur, Burari, Kanjhawala, Rohini, Badili), NCR ( Bahadurgarh) Yamunanagar, Modinagar, Gulaoti, Siyana, Sikandrabad, Bulandshahar, Jahangirabad, Shikarpur (U.P.), the weather department wrote.

20/02/2024: 02:20 IST; Thunderstorm with light to moderate intensity rain would occur over and adjoining areas of many places of Delhi and NCR, Deoband, Nazibabad, Muzaffarnagar, Bijnaur, Khatauli, Sakoti Tanda, Hastinapur, Chandpur, Baraut, Daurala, Bagpat, Meerut, Khekra, RWFC New Delhi (@RWFC_ND) February 19, 2024

The Regional weather department also noted that light to moderate intensity rain would occur over and adjoining areas of Farukhnagar, Sohana, Rewari (Haryana) Kithor, Amroha, Moradabad, Garhmukhteshwar, Pilakhua, Hapur, Anupshahar, Bahajoi (UP), Bhiwari (Rajasthan) during the next 2 hours.

Bahajoi (U.P.) Bhiwari (Rajasthan) during next 2 hours. pic.twitter.com/MbKTovvadx RWFC New Delhi (@RWFC_ND) February 19, 2024

According to the weather department, the minimum temperature in the national capital is likely to settle at 13 degrees Celsius and the maximum temperature is likely to settle around 28 degrees Celsius on Tuesday.

Delhi, on Monday, witnessed a breezy day with the maximum temperature at 28.2 degrees Celsius, which is four notches above the normal level.

IMD had forecast partly cloudy sky with the possibility of very light rain or drizzle at night and gusty winds earlier on Monday. The air quality in the national capital was recorded in the poor category, 227, at 8 pm.

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered good, 51 and 100 satisfactory, 101 and 200 moderate, 201 and 300 poor, 301 and 400 very poor, and 401 and 500 severe.

IMD predicted that intense spell of rainfall or snowfall activity is likely to continue over the Western Himalayan Region till February 21, adding that plains of Northwest India are likely to receive showers during February 19 and 21.

Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir-Ladakh are also likely to receive heavy rainfall or snowfall at isolated pockets of their state.
After rejecting a proposal from the central government for a guaranteed price contract for their crops, the farmers are set to continue their march to Delhi on Wednesday, February 20. In view of the planned protest, the police and paramilitary forces have geared up to stop the convoy of the farmers with multi-layer arrangements at the Shambhu border between Punjab and Haryana and other checkpoints bordering the national capital.

According to sources, the Director General of Haryana Police on Tuesday wrote to his Punjab counterpart regarding the possible steps by protesting farmers to damage the barricades. While the Punjab DGP has written to all the district chiefs and other senior officials to stop the movement of farmers towards the protest site.

Notably, the arrangements came after farmers announced to resume their march at 11 am on Wednesday. We will move towards Delhi on February 21 at 11 am, said farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher.

The Ghazipur border is likely to remain shut on Wednesday. Deputy Commissioner of Police (outer) Jimmy Chiram said informed that checking vehicles on various roads leading to the central part of Delhi may lead to traffic congestion. They said commuters might face traffic congestion.

177 Social Media Accounts, Web Links Blocked

Ahead of the protest planned to take place on Wednesday, the government has ordered temporary blocking of around 177 social media accounts and web links linked to the farmers protest, news agency PTI reported citing its sources. The orders were issued by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology on February 14 and 19 at the request of the Ministry of Home Affairs under section 69A of the IT Act.

Delhi Police Issues Traffic Advisory

Ahead of the farmers Dilli Chalo march, the Delhi Police has asked commuters to avoid several roads in the central parts of the city on Wednesday due to special traffic arrangements.

Taking to X, the police wrote, On 21-02-24, due to special traffic arrangements kindly avoid IP Marg in both the carriageways from IP Flyover towards A-point and vice-versa, ITO Chowk, DDU Marg, BSZ Marg, JLN Marg, Shanti Van crossing and Rajghat crossing from 9.30 am to 11.30 am.

Traffic Alert On 21-02-24, due to special traffic arrangements kindly avoid IP Marg in both the carriageways from IP Flyover towards A-point and vice-versa, ITO Chowk, DDU Marg, BSZ marg, JLN Marg , Shanti Van crossing and Rajghat crossing from 0930 hrs to 1130 hrs. Delhi Traffic Police (@dtptraffic) February 20, 2024

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police on Tuesday also directed the security personnel deployed at the citys Tikri, Singhu and Ghazipur border points to stay alert and conducted mock drills, reported news agency PTI.

Agriculture Minister Appeals to Maintain Peace

Union Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda on Tuesday appealed to the farmers and the farmers organisations that are connected with the protest to maintain peace.

I would appeal to the farmers and the farmers organisations which are connected with this (protest) to maintain peace. We have to take it forward from discussion to solutions. We all want peace and we should together find a solution for this issue, he said.

(With agency inputs)
After certain lapses in handling the 2020-21 farmers protest, the Delhi Police has revamped its strategy for the ongoing stir, sources have told News18. Special commissioners have been deployed in all districts, with two overseeing Lutyens Delhi and others keeping an eye on border areas of the capital. Additionally, one deputy commissioner has been assigned to the residences of the Prime Minister and union home minister in anticipation of the Chalo Dilli call by some farmer groups, with the possibility of an escalation in protests.

In contrast to the previous approach, which saw two special CPs stationed at borders and reinforcements sent only after protesters breached the Red Fort, this time, a comprehensive hierarchy of officers ranging from joint commissioners to deputy commissioners has been established under the supervision of special commissioners, News18 has learnt. These officials will manage various districts and borders, with additional support from district officers and the Central Armed Police Forces.

To enhance surveillance capabilities, drones will monitor less accessible areas, complemented by other technologies aimed at preventing protest escalations. Regular updates from each area are communicated to the police commissioners office, while the Intelligence Bureau provides crucial information to aid operations.

Scheduled to resume on Wednesday, the Dilli Chalo march is part of the farmer groups demand for the expansion of the minimum support price (MSP) regime, to include crops like oilseeds and bajra. This demand follows the governments proposal offering MSP guarantees on pulses, maize, and cotton.

The ongoing preparations and coordination signify a proactive approach by the Delhi Police to prevent disruptions and ensure public safety during the anticipated protests, said officials.

Protest leader Gurnam Singh Charuni said that if the central government doesnt agree by February 21, farmers from Haryana too will join the agitation.

The government should think and understand that these two things (oilseeds and bajra) are very important (for procurement). Just like they mentioned pulses, maize, and cotton, they should include these two crops too. If these two are not included, we will have to think about it again because these are our important things which do not get sold. Today mustard is available in the market at Rs 4,200, it is being sold at Rs 2,000 less than the MSP, news agency ANI quoted Charuni saying.
With the Election Commission of Indias (ECI) top brass heading to states for final checks, the poll panel is likely to announce the date for Lok Sabha polls after March 9, according to sources. The General elections to elect the members of the 18th Lok Sabha in India are expected to take place in April and May.

Continuing the preparations for Lok Sabha elections 2024 and simultaneous Assembly polls in a few states, a team of officials from ECI are undertaking back-to-back visits to states these days.

As per sources, ECI representatives are meeting government officials between March 8-9 to ask about the Jammu and Kashmir security situation and the availability of forces.

They are also visiting Jammu and Kashmir on March 12-13 to assess the ground situation to see if Assembly polls in the UT can be conducted with Lok Sabha polls. The all will depend on the availability of forces, sources said.

The planned visit by poll body officers to different states seems to indicate that the 2024 election calendar could be similar to the 2019 one.

In 2019, the Lok Sabha elections were announced on March 10. Polling was done in seven phases between April 11 and May 19 while the counting of votes took place on May 23
The Madras High Court recently directed the Union Government to provide pension to a 94-year-old former member of the Indian National Army (INA), who was incarcerated in Rangoon (Myanmar) in 1945. While issuing the order, the court emphasized the need for a harmonious interpretation of the Swatantrata Sainik Samman Yojana schemes.

A bench of Chief Justice SV Gangapurwala and Justice Bharatha Chakravarthy acknowledged the complexity of cases involving INA members detained in foreign countries. The bench stressed the necessity to interpret the scheme harmoniously in such situations rather than strict adherence to the provided criteria.

In the case at hand, the petitioner, RK Venkatachalam, an INA member and participant in the Indian Independence League in 1943, was arrested during a freedom struggle campaign in Burma. He was kept in Rangoon jail from May 1945 to December 1945.

As he had suffered incarceration for more than six months, he made a claim for Freedom Fighters Pension under the Swatantrata Sainik Samman Yojana. His incarceration was affirmed by two of his co-prisoners and he also possessed a certificate from a Colonel, who was a member of the Indian National Army Freedom Fighters Pension Committee.

However, the claim was rejected by the Home Ministry in 2018 because his co-prisoners, who certified the imprisonment of the petitioner, did not suffer incarceration for a period of one year as was required under the scheme.

The scheme requires claimants to furnish a certificate from jail authorities, district magistrates, or state government for proof. Alternatively, in the absence of such documentation, individuals can obtain a non-availability of record certificate from relevant authorities, supported by certificates from co-prisoners with at least one year of incarceration.

Against rejection of his claim, Venkatachalam approached the high court and a single-judge bench allowed his plea directing the authorities to disburse his pension.

Subsequently, the order of the single-judge bench was challenged by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in an appeal.

Before the division bench, the Ministry argued that pension eligibility depends on meeting mandatory criteria, emphasizing the non-binding nature of state government approvals upon the central government.

Citing precedents, the MHA stressed the need for necessary documents to support claims. Additionally, it asserted that the high court couldnt issue directions in matters requiring evidence appreciation.

On the contrary, Venkatachalam argued that the state government had deemed him eligible for a pension and made a corresponding recommendation. He also pointed out that in a similar situation, a coordinate bench of the high court had directed the granting of pension.

The division bench observed that mainland prisoners could provide certificates from jail authorities as proof, but members of the INA, detained in foreign countries, lacked such certificates. The court emphasised that rigidly insisting on the one-year jail term criterion for co-prisoners of the claimant would turn it into a condition of eligibility rather than proof.

The scheme has to be read harmoniously and in the facts of the present case, where the co-prisoners have suffered a term slightly lesser than one year, the same cannot be put against the first respondent, who is otherwise eligible for pension, the court observed.

Therefore, while noting that the on-field inquiry conducted by the District Collector had found the petitioner eligible, and the state government had recommended the pension accordingly, court upheld the single judge benchs order. It, however, modified the order on the arrears payment commencement date.
A 40-year-old policeman allegedly committed suicide by shooting himself with his service revolver at a police station in Maharashtras Nashik city on Tuesday, an official said.

Inspector Ashok Najan reported for duty at Ambad police station in the morning and allegedly shot himself in his cabin, the official said.

Najan was found lifeless on his chair by police personnel present on the premises and was taken to the district hospital, he said.

Following the incident, police commissioner Sandeep Karnik and other senior officials reached the police station, the official said.

The cause for the suicide is yet to be ascertained, and a probe has been initiated, he said.
In a major move ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the Maharashtra legislative assembly on Tuesday unanimously passed the Maratha Reservation Bill, which proposes to extend reservations to the community above the 50 per cent mark.

The Maharashtra State Socially and Educationally Backward Bill 2024 proposed a 10 per cent reservation to the Maratha community in education and government jobs. The Bill, once enacted, could be reviewed after 10 years of implementation.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde tabled a bill in the day-long special session state legislative assembly today.

Notably, the Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission on Friday submitted a comprehensive report on its survey on the social, economic, and educational backwardness of the Maratha community. The massive exercise covered nearly 2.5 crore families.

Maratha Reservation Bill

One of the key findings in the bill tabled by CM Shinde underscores that the population of the Maratha community in the state is 28 per cent.

Out of the total Maratha families that are below the poverty line, 21.22 per cent hold yellow ration cards. It is higher than the states average of 17.4 per cent.

The state governments survey undertaken between January and February this year also found that 84 per cent of the Maratha community families do not fall under the progressed category, hence they are eligible for reservation as per the Indra Sawhney case, as per the bill Out of total farmers suicides in Maharashtra, 94 per cent are from Maratha families, the bill noted.

Marathas Demand For Quota

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange, who has been sitting on a hunger strike since February 10, had demanded that a special session be called over the issue.

In his first reaction after the bill was passed, Jarange said, This decision of the government has been taken by keeping election and votes in mind. This is a betrayal to the Maratha communityMaratha community wont trust you. We will benefit only from our original demands. Make a law on sage-soyareThis reservation wont hold. The Government will now lie that the reservation has been given.

The government recently issued a draft notification which said if a Maratha person has documentary proof to show that he or she belongs to the agrarian Kunbi community, the persons sage soyre or blood relatives too would get Kunbi caste certificates.

The Kunbi community falls in the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) category, and Jarange has been demanding that Kunbi certificates be issued to all Marathas.

Maharashtra cabinet minister Chhagan Bhujbal has been opposing the backdoor entry of Marathas into the OBC quota, but is in favour of a separate reservation for the community.
A fire broke out in Telanganas Karimnagar area on Tuesday damaging around 20 huts and triggering the explosion of 4-5 gas cylinders.

#WATCH | 20 huts gutted, 4-5 gas cylinders explode in a fire incident in Telangana's Karimnagar; no casualties reported, say Fire department officials. pic.twitter.com/JoNOp52Xo5 ANI (@ANI) February 20, 2024

According to Karimnagar District Fire Officer, T Venkanna, fire tenders successfully doused the blaze. The fire official further said, At about 10.50 am, we got the fire call. Immediately in a quick response, our fire brigade reached the spot and controlled the fire. We also called municipal water tankers for assistance. Around 20 huts were burnt in the fire. Around 4-5 gas cylinders exploded in the fire.

No casualties reported until now, he added.

Further details about the incident are awaited.

In another latest incident, a fire broke out at a parking lot in Mumbais Borivali area, where more than 18 vehicles were parked. As soon as the information about the blaze was received, 3 fire tenders reached the spot and started extinguishing the fire. While speaking to the media, Mumbai Fire Brigade informed that around 25-26 vehicles have caught fire

(with ANI inputs)
Dhani Ram Mittal, also known as Super Natwarlal and Indian Charles Sobhraj in police records, has earned a notorious reputation as one of Indias most learned and intelligent criminals. Believed to be a law graduate, a handwriting specialist, and a graphologist, Mittal despite his numerous qualifications, chose a life of theft as his means of livelihood.

Over the course of nearly six decades, Mittal amassed a shocking criminal history with a record-breaking number of arrests and the theft of over 1000 cars. His modus operandi involved stealing cars in broad daylight, primarily in Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and surrounding areas.

However, one of Mittals most astonishing crimes involved orchestrating a temporary holiday of an additional session Judge.

For this mastermind plan, Mittal used some false documents and sent the additional session Judge of the Jhajjar court on a two-month holiday. After that Mittal, himself sat on the chair and freed over 2000 criminals. The criminals he freed, however, were again hunted and put behind bars.

It is also believed that he heard his own case and delivered a judgement on the same. Before the authorities understood what was happening, Mittal had already fled.

A law graduate himself, before his criminal pursuits, Mittal had worked as a station master using forged documents from 1968 to 1974.

Once again, Mittal made headlines after his arrest in Delhis Paschim Vihar on Tuesday. He was apprehended while attempting to sell a stolen Maruti Esteem car to a scrap dealer, which he had stolen from Shalimar Bagh.

This marks his second car theft since his release from jail on May 4, with his previous arrest occurring in March.

During police interrogation, Mittal admitted to targeting older vehicles lacking anti-auto theft security systems.
PM Modi in Jammu Updates: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting Jammu on Tuesday (February 20), where he inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of multiple development projects, including for education, railway, aviation and road sectors, worth Rs 30,500 crore. He also distributed appointment letters to about 1,500 newly recruited government employees of Jammu and Kashmir and interacted with beneficiaries of various schemes as part of the Viksit Bharat, Viksit Jammu programme. PM Modi also addressed a public rally at Maulana Azad Stadium in Jammu, for which a multi-tier security setup has been put in place.

Traffic advisories have been issued, while the border and highway grids were further strengthened with the officers asked to intensify patrolling and checking of vehicles to keep subversive elements at bay. Responding to intelligence reports highlighting potential security threats, a high alert had also been sounded along the borders and an order was issued under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code in the winter capital of Jammu and Kashmir. Meanwhile, the weather in Jammu is expected to be wet, with the Meteorological Department predicting rain till tomorrow.
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region is likely to get rain between February 21 and 23, a weather interpreter claimed. The predication can be sigh of relief for Mumbaikars who have been reeling under hot and humid conditions for the past few days.

The weather interpreter, who goes by the name Mumbai Rains, on X explained why Mumbai could see rain this week. The changing intensity of Western Disturbance is the main reason for the chance of rain, and high humidity near 100% is making a good chance for rain fall near midnight hours of 21-22 Feb, the post read.

The X user further wrote, Days will be super cloudy, and maximum temperature will slip below 30 degrees. As of now it is confirmed that Mumbai also has the possibility of some rain as per the latest weather forecast.

The weather interpreter predicted more rains for the north of MMR. Areas near Palghar, Igatpuri side, Vapi; Valsad from Gujarat as well will witness some rain, the post read.

It's confirmed Mumbaikars, get ready for rain in MMR! (February 21-23, 2024) Here's why #MumbaiRains likely to arrive this week  The changing intensity of Western Disturbance is the main reason for the chance of rain, and high humidity near 100% is making a good https://t.co/iuxe2eoBLm pic.twitter.com/GmXxM9JqSL  Mumbai Rains (@rushikesh_agre_) February 20, 2024

A report in Indian Express on Tuesday, however, quoted the India Meteorological Department as stating that the temperatures will continue to remain in the same range for the next three to four days at least before recording a drop in temperature.

Registering a rise of three degrees above the normal, the Santacruz weather station recorded a maximum temperature of 34.3 degrees Celsius on Sunday, while the coastal observatory at Colaba registered a maximum of 32.4 degrees Celsius. Minimum temperatures hovered between 20-21 degrees Celsius in the island city as well as in the suburbs, the report mentioned.
A division bench of the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday allowed BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari to visit the strife-torn Sandeshkhali after police stopped him from entering the region earlier in the day.

The bench headed by Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam noted that the conditions put by the single Judge bench on Monday are stringent and its order is well reasoned.

Meanwhile, the Court on Monday removed Section 144 for the next seven days in Sandeshkhali.

National Commission for Women (NCW) Chairperson Rekha Sharma will hold a meeting with the state Chief Secretary and DGP on Tuesday. Earlier on Monday, she visited and met the women of Sandeshkhali. She said several women shared their harrowing experiences and one even reported being raped inside a TMC party office.

LATEST UPDATES

Senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari visited the strife-torn region and described the situation there as horrific and a clear example of anarchy.

The experiences narrated by the locals are spine-chilling. Their lands have been usurped, and women exploited and everything happened with the help of the police and the administration. The situation is completely horrific and is a clear example of anarchy prevailing in the area, he said.

Following the Calcutta HCs order, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari has finally been allowed to enter Sandeshkhali.

If one person can hold the entire population to ransom, ruling dispensation should not support him, the Chief Justice said.

Meanwhile, while hearing the Sandeshkhali case, the court also referred to the absconding TMC leader Shahjahan Sheikh and said that he cannot be on the run. The state cannot support it. In the suo moto matter, we will ask him to surrender here, Chief Justice Sivagnanam said.

The High Court noted that the police could not impose Section 144 when the single-judge bench had already allowed Suvendu Adhikaris visit.

A division bench of the Calcutta High Court allowed LoP Suvendu Adhikari to visit the violence-hit region after he was stopped by cops earlier in the day.

Meanwhile, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari has been stopped by the cops in Sandeshkhali. They are challenging the judiciary by stopping me, Adhikari said. The West Bengal LoP said that he is giving the authorities time till 12:10 pm, adding that if they dont allow him after that then he will go to the court again.

It is about the women and their safety rather than any political motive, the NCW chief said, adding that the Supreme Court should take Suo Moto cognizance and make a Special Investigation Team (SIT) for probe.

NCW Chief Rekha Sharma told CNN-News18 that not just women but girls below the age of 18 were also molested in Sandeshkhali. Gangrape charges were added when the women went to the court, but not by the police, Sharma added.

Sources have said that Section 144 will be imposed in five places in Sandeshkhali. The moves comes as a bid to stop BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari from visiting the trouble-torn region.

BJP leader Agnimitra Paul said that five of them are going to Sandeshkhali after they got permission the court. After the courts permission, we dont know whether we will be able to reach there or not because the TMC government and CM do not even follow the court order. We are hopeful that we will reach thereUnion ministers came here but they were heckled and not allowed to go there, Paul said.

BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, with a court permission, is set to visit Sandeshkhali with five MLAs at around 11 am today.

A court has removed the prohibitory orders under Section 144 from the trouble-torn region for the next seven days.

National Commission for Women (NCW) chief Rekha Sharma is scheduled to hold a meeting with the West Bengal Chief Secretary and the DGP today.

CPI(M) member and former Rajya Sabha MP Brinda Karat, along with other state and district leadership, will also visit Sandeshkhali today.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain a plea seeking transfer of investigation and subsequent trial outside West Bengal and probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or a Special Investigation Team (SIT) in connection with the alleged sexual assault of women living in Sandeshkhali.

The NCW chief met with the women of Sandeshkhali on Monday and said that the several women shared their terrifying experiences. In fact, one even reported being raped inside a TMC party office, Sharma told PTI.

NCW Chief Rekha Sharma demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and imposition of Presidents Rule in the state following the unrest in Sandeshkhali.

NCW Chief Rekha Sharma accused the Mamata-led government of attempting to suppress the voices of the women to conceal the truth and pressed on the need to arrest absconding TMC leader Shahjahan Sheikh.

West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose, who met the NCW chief after her return from Sandeshkhali, also said that a safe house has been made for women inside the Raj Bhavan. Three rooms have been kept ready for the women of Sandeshkhali.

(With PTI inputs)
The Supreme Court has criticised a former judge of the Madras High Court for pronouncing a one-line order in a criminal case and releasing the detailed judgement five months after he retired from service. The top court said that retaining the file of a case for five months after demitting office was an act of gross impropriety.

Setting aside the order of the high court, a bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan said the operative part of the order was pronounced on April 17, 2017. Five weeks were available to the judge for releasing the reasoned judgment till the date on which he demitted office, it said.

However, the detailed judgment running into more than 250 pages has come out after a lapse of five months from the date on which the judge demitted the office. Thus, it is obvious that even after the learned judge demitted the office, he assigned reasons and made the judgment ready. According to us, retaining file of a case for a period of five months after demitting the office is an act of gross impropriety on the part of the learned judge. We cannot countenance what has been done in this case, the bench said.

Justice T Mathivanan demitted office on May 26, 2017, and the detailed judgment in the case was made available on October 23 that year. Quoting Lord Hewart, the apex court said, Justice must not only be done, but must also be seen to be done. What has been done in this case is contrary to what Lord Hewart said. We cannot support such acts of impropriety and, therefore, in our view, the only option for this court is to set aside the impugned judgment and remit the cases to the high court for a fresh decision, the bench said, setting aside the judgment.

Needless to add that we have made no adjudication on the merits of the controversy and all issues are left open to be decided by the high court, it added.
A prolific author and a diplomat-turned-politician, Shashi Tharoor was conferred Frances highest civilian honour Chevalier de la Legion dhonneur on Tuesday at a ceremony in Delhi.

Tharoor is a Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram and an author of several books. He was conferred the prestigious award at the French Embassy by the French Senate President Gerard Larcher.

The French government had announced the award for Tharoor, a former Union minister, in August 2022 but was conferred on him on Tuesday.

A statement issued by the French Embassy said, The highest French civilian award came in recognition of Dr Tharoors tireless efforts to deepen Indo-French ties, commitment to international peace and cooperation, and as a long-standing friend of France.

Conferring the honour on Tharoor, Chairman of the French Senate Larcher said, Through his outstanding career as a diplomat, author and politician, Shashi Tharoor has embraced the world with a thirst for knowledge and an intelligence that has led him to live several lifetimes in one, and all of them in service to India and a better world. Dr Tharoor is also a true friend of France, a Francophone with a keen understanding of France and its culture. Through this award, which I have the privilege to confer, the French Republic recognises your accomplishments, your friendship, your love of France, your commitment to a fairer world, Larcher said.

After receiving the recognition, Tharoor said that he was immensely honoured to accept the Chevalier de la Legion dHonneur (Knight of the Legion of Honour).

As someone who admires France, its people, their refinement, their language, and their culture, especially their literature and cinema, I am deeply humbled to be conferred your countrys highest civilian honour.

To my mind, the conferral of this award to an Indian is an acknowledgement of the deepening of Franco-Indian relations and the continuity of the warmth that has been a feature of this relationship for a very long time, Tharoor said.

This honour, in a sense, is not just a celebration of individual achievement but also reflects the collective efforts of both our countries in fostering cultural exchange and diplomatic ties, a relationship forged through the pillars of mutual respect, admiration, and collaboration that have allowed this unique association to flourish over the years, he said.

I look forward to continuing my own efforts towards nurturing this friendship and promoting further cooperation between India and France, for the betterment of our shared global community and to safeguard the common values that underpin our basic humanity, Tharoor added.

The Congress leader said he has also nurtured a sense of profound respect for French democracy.

The land of liberte, egalite, fraternite where the people first replaced the king as the nucleus of the nation. Its not too much to claim that the idea of a nation belonging to the people, the idea of a democratic state, was born in your country, Tharoor said.

In the course of his career at the United Nations, the Congress MP said he has had the privilege of knowing a large number of French foreign ministers in person, and of meeting three presidents of the French Republic and several prime ministers.

Throughout these relationships, Ive been impressed to observe their reverence for the Republics genesis and its founding principles which has given me, in turn, a deep-rooted appreciation of French democracy, he said.

As they reconcile with the collapse of the post-war order, India and France recognise the urgency of building coalitions that can provide some stability in an increasingly unstable world, the former minister of state for external affairs said.

France, which had sought strategic autonomy as part of its alliance with the United States and India, which valued an independent foreign policy, are natural partners in building new coalitions for uncertain times, Tharoor asserted.

In his address, the Congress MP also recounted the defining moment of his French trip in 2002 for the Belles Etrangeres sponsored by the Centre National du Livre.

Our Indian group of writers, returning from a reception at the majestic Hotel de Ville, found themselves accidental witnesses to the interment of the nineteenth-century novelist Alexandre Dumas, more than a century after his death, in the magnificently lit Pantheon, he recalled.

The Roman columns of this great Parisian monument were bathed in purple, red and blue light, a military band played outside, while an honour guard escorted the coffin of the author of The Three Musketeers to its final resting place, Tharoor recounted.

Ananthamurthy, the veteran novelist who was the doyen of our group, put it simply to me. The French, he said, really know how to honour their writers. May I now add: I am glad they are honouring ours, too, Tharoor said.

Instituted in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte, the Legion dhonneur is the highest civilian award given by the French Republic for outstanding service to France, regardless of the nationality of the recipients.

The President of the French Republic is the Grand Master of the Order of the Legion of Honour.

French envoy to India Thierry Mathou, Indias G20 sherpa Amitabh Kant, Lok Sabha MP Danish Ali, and Congress leader Anand Sharma, among others, attended the ceremony.

(with PTI inputs)
The Kannada Language Comprehensive Development (Amendment) Bill, which mandates that all commercial businesses across the state display signboards that are 60 per cent in Kannada and 40 per cent in English, was passed in the Upper House on Tuesday. It was passed in the state assembly on February 16.

According to the Bill, Kannada shall be displayed in the upper half of the name boards of all commercial establishments, industries, hospitals, and organisations.

Bengaluru saw several commercial establishments put up a white cloth to cover their English name boards or remove them to put up fresh boards in accordance with the new rule. The Congress government in Karnataka had set up a deadline of February 28 for all establishments to follow the rule or face action.

Harish Prasad, who runs a commercial business in Bengalurus central business district, said every business would follow the rule but time was a crucial factor.

We need time to get the signboards made and with thousands of establishments making a beeline for the change, there is a waiting period. We are all here to follow the law, he said.

Another businessman who did not want to be named asked whether there would be any specifications in terms of font size or dimensions.

Sometimes two letters in English is just one in Kannada. We are expecting dimension details that will help us design our name boards better, he said.

In December last year, BBMP chief commissioner Tushar Girinath set a deadline after a meeting of zonal commissioners, instructing officials to issue notices and conduct surveys. He empowered the officials with the authority to suspend licenses for non-compliance.

Groups of Kannada activists, affiliated with the Narayan Gowda faction of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, pelted stones and damaged property, pulling down English signboards of businesses not using Kannada. The protests turned violent, with activists vandalising malls and blackening Hindi and English signs on prominent outlets. They claimed that despite notices from the citys civic body, many did not adhere to the rule. However, the police swung into action, and the protesters, including Gowda, were taken into custody.

If establishments are found not adhering to the rule, the businesses will lose their license to operate, explained an official working closely with the ministry of Kannada and culture.

The Bill passed in the budget session seeks to amend the Kannada Language Comprehensive Development (Amendment) Act, 2022, which was passed in the previous BJP government. The Bill was passed at the time with the intention to preserve Kannada as a language and promote Kannadigas. The BJP-led Karnataka government had then proposed that companies that do not give first preference to Kannadigas for jobs will not be eligible for government sops and incentives.

This rule should be implemented across the state. Any violators should be punished as per the law. This has been our fight for decades, and we want to ensure complete implementation of the policy. There should be no room for the government or subsequent governments to do a U-turn, said Arun Javagal, KRVs organising secretary, to News18.

With this amendment, the use of Kannada language by commercial establishments further strengthens the cause to preserve and protect Kannadas rich culture and heritage, said government sources.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had reiterated the Congress governments commitment to those born, raised, and living in the state. He mandated that commercial establishments must have 60 per cent signboards in Kannada, instructing compliance before February 28.

Lets follow the rule and be proud Kannadigas, Siddaramaiah had tweeted.

Kannada activists were also seen using loudspeakers to make announcements in commercial hubs of Bengaluru like Chickpete, Balepete, Cottonpete, and Gandhinagar, instructing traders to respect the local language Kannada while conducting their businesses and change their boards immediately into the prescribed format.

Karnatakas neighbour Maharashtra has plans to go to court on the 60 per cent Kannada-40 per cent English signboard rule. A delegation of Marathi-speaking traders led by members from Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) operating in Karnatakas Belagavi met with Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde. They spoke of how Marathi-speaking citizens and businessmen are facing threats from local Kannada organisations, including threats to close off free health insurance scheme offices initiated by Maharashtra in Belagavi.
International Mother Language Day is observed annually on February 21. Recognised by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1999, the day highlights the importance of linguistic and cultural richness, promoting multilingualism and inclusivity. It emphasises the role of language in achieving sustainable development goals and leaving no one behind. Individuals are increasingly aware of the value language plays in development, cultural preservation, and cross-cultural dialogue. It fosters collaboration and enhances quality education for all.

The day reminds us of the crucial role languages play in identity, culture, and communication. Promoting linguistic diversity and fostering multilingualism are essential for achieving inclusivity, sustainability, and intercultural understanding.

INTERNATIONAL MOTHER LANGUAGE DAY 2024 THEME

The theme for this year selected by UNESCO is Multilingual Education: A Pillar of Intergenerational Learning. This theme underscores the critical role languages play in fostering inclusive education and safeguarding indigenous languages.

HISTORY AND SIGNIFICANCE

Following Indias independence in 1947, a linguistic conflict arose in the subcontinent. In 1948, Pakistan declared Urdu its sole official language, sparking protests in East Pakistan (current-day Bangladesh), where Bengali dominated.

On February 21, 1952, students at Dhaka University in Bangladesh stood their ground, determined to protect the sanctity of their mother tongue, Bangla. Despite the East Pakistani government outlawing meetings and events, the protest saw a massive outpouring of people joining hands to safeguard the existence and prevalence of their mother tongue.

This movement, which resulted in the martyrdom of five students, is now commemorated annually on International Mother Language Day by UNESCO.

International Mother Language Day commemorates their sacrifice and recognizes the value of native languages, particularly in early education. It emphasizes the importance of linguistic diversity and multilingualism.

LANGUAGES IN INDIA AND THE WORLD

With an estimated 7,000 languages spoken globally, India boasts remarkable linguistic diversity. Over 2,000 languages are spoken within its borders, with cultural and linguistic diversity changing every few hundred kilometres.

The Indian Constitution recognizes 22 official languages, including Bengali, Hindi, Tamil, and Marathi. Hindi, Bengali, and Marathi also rank among the worlds most spoken languages, with millions of speakers each. Additionally, India has numerous non-scheduled languages with significant speaker populations.
Mahashivratri, a revered Hindu festival dedicated to Lord Shiva, is celebrated annually by Hindus across the world. Hailed as the supreme deity in Hinduism, Lord Shiva is regarded as the destroyer and preserver of the universe. The festival of Mahashivratri, which is observed every year on the 13th or 14th night of the lunar month, will be celebrated on March 8 this year. According to Shiv Purana, to seek the blessings of Lord Shiva, one must offer flowers to him on the day of Mahashivratri. Astrologer Pandit Alok Pandya, in a conversation with the media, informed devotees about the flowers to offer to the god on the auspicious occasion to ensure success and prosperity in their lives.

Ahead of the sacred day, lets take a look at five flowers that should be offered to Lord Shiva on Mahashivratri 2024.

Juhi Flower: Symbolising love, purity and feminine powers such as motherhood in spirituality, the Juhi flower is recommended for those dealing with financial problems. Offering this flower to Lord Shiva helps in seeking blessings related to prosperity, ensuring a constant flow of money and eliminating financial hardships. Jasmine Flower: Known for its fragrance symbolising love and purity in Hinduism, the Jasmine flower is ideal for those wishing to buy a vehicle soon. Offering this flower fulfils all wishes and enhances mental and physical well-being due to its therapeutic properties. Alsi Flower: Also known as the Flax flower, the Alsi flower is cultivated as a food or fibre crop. Offering this flower to Lord Shiva on Mahashivratri is believed to catch the gods attention, making the devotee dearest to him. Additionally, it invites the blessings of Lord Vishnu as well. Hibiscus Flower: Thriving in warm temperate climates, the Hibiscus flower, when offered on Mahashivratri, brings fruitful results and helps in keeping soul-affecting disturbances at bay, leading to a happy life. Shami Flowers: Loved by Lord Shiva and Lord Ganesh, the Shami flower is recommended for receiving blessings and relief from problems and diseases. Offering this flower to Lord Shiva on Mahashivratri is advised for seekers of divine blessings.

These flowers carry symbolic significance and are believed to invoke the divine blessings of Lord Shiva when offered with devotion on the auspicious occasion of Mahashivratri.
It was truly a moment of pride for India as Deepika Padukone attended the BAFTA 2024 Awards as a presenter. The actress, who was the only Bollywood actress present at the ceremony, presented the award for the Film Not in English Language Award category. Deepika walked on stage wearing a golden saree, by Sabyasachi, and with ample grace presented the award.

The actress is now back in Mumbai and was papped at the airport. The actress looked smart in a co-set. She paired a pair of blue track pants with matching sweatshirt and threw on a grey long jacket on top. For accessories, she wore a pair of oversized sunnies, slipped into white sneakers and tied her hair in a top knot.

As she made her way to her swanky car, she momentarily paused and posed for the paps. Fans took to the comments section to praise her. Nobody can be like her She is damn gorgeous Her airport looks are damn elegant, read one comment. Another comment read, She is really a diva Other actresses try to copy her.. But they cant match her elegance and charm.

Before presenting the award, Deepika introduced the nominations of the categories. The incredible stories nominated in this category, depict real and imagined worlds that stay with us long after the credits roll. From the Alps to the Andes, South Poland to Seoul and to Ukraine, the nominees are she said.

Ahead of the ceremony, Deepika was seen walking the red carpet of the event. Reminding us of the Om Shanti Om era, Deepika was seen walking the red carpet and striking a pose while smile for the cameras. She even gave the cameramen a look at her backless blouse and neatly tucked in hair before she walked into the ceremony.
Hollywood heartthrob Tom Cruise has recently sparked headlines with his newfound romance. The 61 year old star is reportedly in a relationship with Elsina Khayrova, a 36 year old Russian socialite. Although the couple prefers to keep their love life under wraps, multiple sources close to them have confirmed their alleged union in recent months. The Top Gun actor has been spotted spending quality time at Khayrovas London apartment and enjoying outings at fine dining restaurants. Interestingly, the relationship has progressed to the point where Cruise has met Khayrovas children. Sources revealed to Page Six that the Mission Impossible stars bond with Elsina has deepened, as the two have started making serious decisions.

As per sources, Things have gotten so serious between Tom Cruise and Russian socialite Elsina Khayrova that hes met her children. Khayrova, who is said to be the daughter of a Russian politician, was previously married to Russian oligarch Dimitry Tsvetkov, with whom she shares a son and a daughter. Khayrova and Tsvetkov finalised their divorce in 2021, and made international headlines due to a dispute over millions worth of assets. Reportedly, the items included a mansion in Surrey, England, five London apartments, a Bentley and a Ferrari, Cartier jewellery and artworks by Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Marc Chagall.

While the socialite has two children from her previous marriage, Tom, on the other hand, has three children. He adopted Isabella and Connor with his ex-wife Nicole Kidman. Additionally, Cruise has a daughter named Suri with his former wife Katie Holmes.

According to previous reports, Tom Cruise and his new girlfriend, Elsina Khayrova, first crossed paths in a very British manner, over a cup of tea. A source close to the duo revealed that the Mission Impossible star met Khayrova when a friend introduced her at one of Cruises exclusive Sunday tea parties in his Hyde Park penthouse, attracting an elite crowd. The source added that Cruise feels more comfortable in London than in Los Angeles.

In a surprising turn of events, Khayrovas former partner, Dimitry Tsvetkov, who has faced assassination attempts in the UK, revealed an unexpected twist in the story. Tsvetkov disclosed that there were discussions about a Hollywood star potentially playing him in a movie based on his life. However, the plot took a turn when Tsvetkov discovered that Cruise was romantically involved with his ex-wife. Tsvetkov came to know about their union through friends. Meanwhile, the Russian tycoon expressed hope that Cruise entered the relationship with his eyes wide open.
A Bollywood actress, who entered the industry under a different name, is currently making waves on social media for an old picture thats going viral. Despite her unrecognisable appearance in the picture, she was famous for her beauty, talent, and powerful dance back in the day. Alongside her successful acting career, she ventured into politics and carved a notable reputation for herself in both arenas.

Jaya Prada, also known as Lalita Rani was born in Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh. She hailed from a family deeply rooted in the Telugu film industry with her father, Krishna Rao, serving as a film financier. Her mother, Neelaveni, fulfilled the role of a homemaker. During her childhood, Lalitha attended a Telugu medium school in Rajahmundry and participated in dance and music classes from a young age.

In the Telugu film Kosam, Jaya Prada captivated audiences with her mesmerising dance moves, garnering widespread acclaim. It was this performance that catapulted her to the spotlight and led to numerous offers in the film industry. Jaya Prada, originally named Lalita, initially won hearts with her dancing prowess, attracting a flurry of film offers. It was then that Lalita Rani decided to change her name to Jaya Prada.

Jaya Prada faced a distressing period when her name was linked with Amar Singh inappropriately. The situation left Jaya Prada deeply saddened, forcing her to contemplate ending her life.

The actress shared her painful experience of morphed pictures going viral while Amar Singh was undergoing dialysis. Speaking at the Queensline Literature Festival in Mumbai, she expressed her anguish, stating, I was crying and saying I dont want to live anymore, I want to commit suicide. I was going through that trauma and no one supported me.

Jaya Prada entered the industry during a period when Sridevi was dominating Bollywood. Both actresses were often viewed as rivals due to their exceptional beauty and acting talents. Despite their perceived rivalry, they never developed a close bond or friendship with each other.

However, they did collaborate on several films. Producers were keen to cast them together, as their presence virtually guaranteed the success of the film. Some of the films they starred in include Tohfa, Mawaali, and Main Tera Dushman.
In the chilly winters of 2013, the grounds of MA Stadium in Jammu bore witness to a spectacle that would echo through the corridors of power for years to come.

Narendra Modi, then the chief minister of Gujarat and the BJPs prime ministerial candidate, descended upon the stadium with a roar that set the stage for the partys grand return to dominance in the 2014 general elections. It was a Lalkar Rally, a clarion call that reverberated through the political landscape.

Modi, the master orator, didnt merely speak; he roared. His words cut through the political rhetoric that had muddled the issues of Jammu and Kashmir for seven decades. The crowd, a sea of eager faces, hung on to his every word, as he unravelled the complex tapestry of emotions woven into the erstwhile states history.

The central theme, the heart of Modis address, was the contentious Article 370. He spoke of its role as the catalyst for separatism, a menace that needed to be uprooted for the sake of unity. The promise was bold  if the BJP, under Modis leadership, secured an absolute majority, Article 370 would be history. It was a declaration that resonated not only with the people present in the stadium but with the entire nation.

Modis narrative didnt stop there. He delved into the predicament of thousands of West Pakistan refugees, living in Jammu and Kashmir, yet denied basic citizenship rights. The irony of their ability to elect the prime minister while being unable to choose their ward members was a poignant highlight. Modi pledged an end to this discrimination, a promise that lingered in the hearts of the masses.

The spectre of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism loomed large in Modis discourse. He accused the weak government at the Centre of turning a blind eye to the menace. The remedy, according to him, lay in teaching Pakistan a lesson, a lesson that would deter any future misadventures across the border.

The issue of a few influential families wielding power in Jammu and Kashmir didnt escape Modis scrutiny. He vowed that funds sent from the Centre for the states development would no longer be siphoned off by these families. It was a commitment to ensure that the people of Jammu and Kashmir would directly benefit from the resources allocated for their progress.

Fast forward a decade, and Modi returns to the same MA Stadium, not as a candidate but as the leader who fulfilled many of those promises. Article 370 and 35 A lie revoked, and the long-neglected West Pakistanis and Valmikis have finally found a place as equal citizens.

The once-volatile Line of Control now enjoys a semblance of peace after a stern response to provocations, including surgical strikes and Balakot air raids. The separatist narrative, epitomised by the now-defunct Hurriyat Conference, has crumbled. Stone-pelting, once a symbol of unrest, is a relic of the past. The killings of civilians and security forces due to terrorism have plummeted by over 75 per cent.

The economic resurgence in Kashmir is hard to ignore. Strikes, once a daily routine dictated by separatists, are now a distant memory. The once-blackmailed Centre now faces demands for statehood and assembly elections.

Modis vision for Jammu and Kashmir encompasses more than just political milestones. The region is now on a trajectory of rapid development, with AIIMS, IITs, IIMs, IIMCs, mega road projects, and enhanced railway connectivity. Dr Jitendra Singh emphasises that fulfilling promises is just the beginning; the focus is now on elevating Jammu and Kashmir to the standards of other developed states.

As PM Modi inaugurates over 200 projects worth Rs 30,000 crore, the transformation is palpable. From the bustling Lal Chowk to the serene Jhelum River front, the promises echo in every corner. The nightlife in Srinagar is no longer confined to homes, and the young generation revels in newfound avenues, including the first multiplexes and cinema halls.

Tourists flock to Jammu and Kashmir, including the successful G20 event that showcased the regions shift from a terror hotspot to a tourism hub. Modis call to replace stones with laptops has not fallen on deaf ears. The youth, once notorious for stone-pelting, are now leading in the IT sector, realising dreams that seemed distant a decade ago.

The iron fist against terrorism promised in the Lalkar Rally is evident. Hard-core terrorists have been eliminated, and terror outfits banned by the Union Home Ministry. The BJP, once considered politically untouchable in the Kashmir valley, boasts over five lakh members, with a significant presence in local body elections.

As we reflect on this decade of roars and resurgence, its clear that PM Modis leadership has left an indelible mark on Jammu and Kashmir. The promises made a decade ago have not only been fulfilled but have laid the foundation for a new era in the regions history. The Modi saga continues, and Jammu and Kashmir stands testament to the transformative power of political will.
India is becoming the hotbed for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and deep tech research, therefore, it comes as no surprise that during the 2021-2023 period, the industry saw an investment of more than $1 billion. According to a report, The India Deep Science Tech Report, investments in Indias deep-science technologies (tech) have consistently doubled or more every three years since 2010.

According to the report, India is at a point of inflection in the AI and deep tech arena. Projections see investments in this space surpassing $10 billion by 2029.

The report, analyzing investment data from 2010 to 2023 sourced from Tracxn and media reports, reveals a steady increase in the total number of investments in deep-science tech companies. It also highlights an exponential growth in the number of investment rounds exceeding $5 million. Importantly, since 2017, there has been a greater frequency of follow-up investments compared to new funding rounds, indicating investors dedication to scaling up.

However, the massive investments did not just occur overnight, there have been massive scaling up of the economy, a boost to the automobile industry, along with the push by the Indian government to set up a semiconductor manufacturing value chain in the country. These have all helped in settling investors nerves, seeing India on an upward trajectory.

Before we dive in, let us understand what Deep Tech actually is.

WHAT IS DEEP TECH?

Deep technology or deep tech refers to sophisticated technologies built on significant scientific advancements, capable of revolutionising conventional industries and sparking the emergence of new markets. It encompasses groundbreaking innovations that turn what was previously considered science fiction into tangible reality.

Think of it like this. Regular tech is like your smartphone or social media apps, theyre cool and all. Deep tech, on the other hand, is like the stuff straight out of a science fiction movie. Its based on groundbreaking scientific discoveries and engineering feats, and it has the potential to totally transform industries and create entirely new markets.

Take AI, for example. Were not just talking about Siri or Alexa here, were talking about machines that can learn and think for themselves, making decisions and solving problems in ways that even the smartest humans cant. Thats the kind of game-changing tech that falls under the umbrella of deep tech.

Deep tech is revolutionary technology built on scientific breakthroughs. It includes AI, biotechnology, quantum computing and advanced materials science. Unlike everyday gadgets, deep tech has the potential to transform industries and create new markets.

DEEP TECH AND INDIA

Indias deep tech scene is booming, with startups spearheading innovation across sectors. Heres how:

Niki.ai simplifies daily tasks with its AI-powered voice assistant.

SigTuple transforms healthcare diagnostics with AI precision.

Vedantu redefines education through personalized AI-driven learning experiences.

Pixxel, a Bengaluru-based space startup, uses an AI-powered analytics platform to study satellite images.

These are just a few examples of the many deep tech startups flourishing in India and reshaping industries. Their efforts are also positioning India as a global hub for cutting-edge innovation.

More startups are leveraging deep tech. India has seen a surge in startups using AI, machine learning, blockchain, robotics and biotechnology. The number is steadily growing, fueled by increased access to technology, supportive policies, growing investor interest, and a vibrant entrepreneurial culture.

Billions are pouring into Indias booming deep-tech scene, fueling a surge of innovative startups across various sectors. Bengaluru takes the top spot, followed by Delhi and Mumbai, attracting a staggering $2.7 billion in venture funding for deep-tech in 2021 alone. This funding frenzy is partly driven by the explosion of interest in generative AI, with technologies like ChatGPT paving the way.

Indias deep-tech ecosystem has witnessed remarkable growth, expanding by 53% in the last decade and reaching par with developed markets like the US, China, and Europe. This impressive growth reflects investor confidence in the transformative potential of deep-tech solutions, evident in their commanding 12% share of total startup funding in India.

Deep science in electronics, particularly focusing on AI and chip design, is propelling innovations in space tech and telecom. With over $1 billion in private investment already secured, Indian space startups are soaring towards a potential $100 billion space economy by 2040, according to analysts. This sector saw a meteoric rise with 54 new startups established in just one year, collectively raising $123.9 million in funding.

Digantara, a company mapping space debris, and Skyroot Aerospace, developing launch vehicles, are just a few examples of the many exciting players in this rapidly growing field.

WHAT IS THE GOVERNMENT DOING?

Indias deep tech scene is experiencing a seismic shift, driven not just by financial muscle, but by a carefully orchestrated strategy. The government is playing a pivotal role, injecting billions into transformative technologies such as electric vehicles, battery storage, and even quantum computing. This unprecedented investment signals a resolute commitment to accelerating R&D and solidifying Indias position as a global innovation leader.

However, its not merely throwing money at the problem. India is meticulously crafting a supportive ecosystem for deep tech startups. Imagine the National Deep Tech Startup Policy (NDTSP) as a launchpad, streamlining regulations, simplifying funding access, and offering robust intellectual property protection.

This nurturing environment empowers game-changing ventures to thrive. Recognizing the power of collaboration, India is fostering dynamic partnerships between industry giants, research institutions, and educational powerhouses. This strategic collaboration unlocks optimal resource utilization and expedites the translation of groundbreaking ideas into tangible solutions.

Furthermore, the governments commitment extends beyond funding and policy. A dedicated Rs 1 lakh crore corpus fuels the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), a powerhouse for research across diverse fields. This strategic investment provides resources and sets the strategic direction, ensuring research efforts align with national innovation goals.

Indias talent pool is another crucial ingredient in this recipe for success. World-class individuals eager to contribute to cutting-edge technologies are attracted by the supportive ecosystem, strategic investments, and vibrant research landscape. This confluence further accelerates the pace of innovation.

The future of Indian deep tech is brimming with potential. Mark your calendars and keep your eyes peeled, because the next big innovation might just be around the corner. With unwavering government support, a treasure trove of untapped opportunities, and a pool of world-class talent, this is not just a tech story; its a story of transformation. India is not just catching up; its setting the pace for innovation in key sectors, and the world is watching.

KEY AREAS OF DEEP INVESTMENTS

The four leading areas of deep tech in India  AI, biotech, advanced materials, and electronics  each hold immense potential for unlocking multi-billion dollar market opportunities.

AI

Dominating force: Accounts for 80% of deep tech investments since 2010.

Early-stage traction: 5 ventures secured over $10 million follow-up funding in 2022 alone.

Real-world applications: Image analysis in robotics, satellite, radiology data, and genomic analysis for healthcare.

Biotech

Pandemic boom: Nearly $900 million invested between 2013 and 2023.

Investor optimism: Highlighting belief in sectors post-pandemic growth.

Health focus: 91% of investments in therapeutics and diagnostics to tackle COVID-like diseases and AMR.

Advanced Materials

Battery solutions lead: Attracting significant investments due to energy transition focus.

Beyond batteries: Materials for renewable grid and space technologies gaining traction.

Strategic partnerships: On the rise, indicating long-term commitment to collaboration.

ELECTRONICS

Climbing the ladder: Shift towards later-stage investments in electronics companies since 2019.

Funding gap: Average investment size of $1.77 million compared to $8.2 million in other sectors.

Chip development challenge: Growth-stage capital exceeding $10 million needed for cutting-edge technology.

Forget Silicon Valley, Indias deep tech landscape is experiencing a meteoric rise, fueled by a potent duo: a surge in investments and a government policy acting as a launchpad. While the billions flowing into AI, biotech, and advanced materials grab headlines, the real star of the show is the strategic vision guiding this growth.

This ascent is not merely about numbers, though the figures are impressive. Over $1 billion invested in deep-science technologies since 2021, projections exceeding $10 billion by 2029, and a 53% growth in the deep tech ecosystem within a decade  but they only tell part of the story. The true power lies in how these investments are being guided to achieve maximum impact.

The road ahead isnt without its challenges. Gaps in funding for certain areas, particularly chip development in electronics, need to be addressed. But with unwavering government support, a treasure trove of untapped opportunities, and a relentless focus on impact, Indias deep tech revolution is poised for even greater heights.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrived at Rajasthans Bikaner on Tuesday on a daylong visit to the state. Shah is scheduled to address a meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) state election committee in Bikaner in view of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

It will be followed by a party workers meeting in Udaipur after noon and a meeting with prominent citizens in state capital Jaipur in the evening. Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma and state BJP president C P Joshi received Shah at the Bikaner airport. From the airport, they left for the venue of the meeting.

Shah will focus on three clusters, comprising three Lok Sabha seats each, of Jaipur, Udaipur and Bikaner during his visit. The BJP, which came to power in Rajasthan in December last year by winning 115 of the 200 Assembly seats, is eyeing to win all 25 Lok Sabha seats in the desert state in the general election likely to be held in April-May.

However, the BJP faced a major embarrassment when its candidate, Surendrapal Singh TT, lost the Karanpur seat in Sriganganagar district, where the election was held in January due to the death of the Congress candidate, despite the party making him a minister. Sriganganagar, an area dominated by farmers, falls under the Bikaner division in north Rajasthan.

Taking serious note of the partys performance in Karanpur, it is believed that Shah has started his tours to review the preparations for the Lok Sabha polls from Bikaner.

The BJPs strategy also focuses on the farmers region, which is north Rajasthan that shares its borders with Punjab and Haryana. Shah will address the BJP workers meeting in Udaipur, which is in south Rajasthan  a tribal-dominated region.

Ahead of the home ministers programme, senior Congress leader and former state minister Mahendrajeet Singh Malviya switched over to the BJP on Monday.

It is being seen as a move of the saffron party to strengthen its presence in the tribal region, particularly Banswara, Dungarpur, Pratapgarh districts and nearby areas where the Bharat Adivasi Party (BAP) is gaining in influence.

The BAP won three seats (two in Dungarpur and one in Pratapgarh districts) in the Assembly polls, which raised concerns for both the BJP and the Congress. influential leader into its fold, the BJP is not only looking to strengthen its presence, but also weaken the Congress and the BAP in the region.

Shahs meeting in Udaipur is expected to give a message for the tribal region. The former BJP chief will address a meeting of intellectuals in Jaipur in the evening, before leaving for Delhi.
Forty-seven days and counting. Where is Shahjahan Sheikh, the alleged perpetrator of various crimes against women, land grabbing, abductions, and murders in West Bengals Sandeshkhali village? While the opposition and critics of the Trinamool Congress government ask this question, senior officers of West Bengal police say Shahjahan has not been named in any FIR of sexual assault, rape, or molestation, while authorities have already arrested 19 people including Uttam Sardar and Shibu Hajra, known as the TMC strongmans associates who were named in complaints.

So why is he untraceable or absconding? Police officers say that he is named in the FIR filed by the Enforcement Directorate in which he is accused of conspiring to attack officers of the central agency who were on duty.

Shahjahan is a senior Trinamool leader, member of zilla parishad, and the partys block president of Sandeshkhali.

West Bengal police are unable to apprehend Shahjahan despite several IPC offences and even after the attack on ED officials, a division bench of the Calcutta High Court comprising Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya observed on Tuesday while hearing a petition filed by the state government against orders of coordinate benches of the HC regarding setting aside the promulgation order of section 144 in Sandeshkhali.

The court also said, It is rather surprising that the person who is the core of the problem cannot be apprehended to date and is on the run. Therefore a larger view of the matter has to be taken by the state, especially when the person who appears to be the sole cause of the problem is still absconding.

Where is Shahjahan?

Is it believable that a state which has several intelligence agencies, special task forces, adequate infrastructure and equipment to trace, track and arrest criminals or accused on the run has not been able to locate Shahjahan? The senior IPS officers leading the state police force have been at the forefront of anti-Maoist operations, tracking senior Maoist leaders and neutralising them, said a senior ED officer, citing the alleged police inaction and non-cooperation with the central agency and its officers in this particular case.

The directorate has now been joined by central intelligence agencies in its efforts to locate Shahjahan, News18 has learnt. The central agencies have some fresh leads on the TMC leader but are waiting to see if there is any further action by the Bengal police.

The ED officers are the complainant here. We lodged the case with the local thana after the attack. Law and order are state subjects, and it is the responsibility of the local police to find him and bring him to justice. However, Shahjahan is one of the accused members in a case that the ED is investigating. We can help them with leads if they reach out to us for help, said a source in the central agency.

The ruling Trinamool Congress has accused the BJP of fomenting trouble in the area.

Bengal BJP unit chief and MP Sukanta Majumdar told News 18, Locals say he (Shahjahan) is roaming on bikes and cars but police are not able to catch him. This is the scenario of West Bengal. Mamata Banerjee is instructing police about the arrests, and only those specific men are getting arrested.

Past instances

BJP sources and critics say a close look at the series of incidents involving allegations of sexual assault or other instances of crimes against women over the past decade, since 2011 when Mamata Banerjee assumed office, shows how the chief minister has always been the first to counter victim accounts in such cases and brand them politically motivated following public outrage.

This has been a continuing trend over the last 12 years in the state, which began with the infamous Park Street gang-rape case, they maintain. The victim, they point out, was defamed by the ruling party leaders and the prime accused remained absconding for years. Every time, there is a remote connection between the ruling party and the accused, the case or the incidents are termed politically motivated in the state, critics say.

It has now become a pattern in West Bengal. Arrests come only after, if at all, the chief minister makes a public announcement, but not before political colour gets revealed by her party machinery, said a retired IPS officer, who served the state under both the Left Front and the Trinamool Congress regime.

In February 2012, a woman was gang-raped by five men, according to the FIR she filed with the Park Street police station in Kolkata. It was a multi-faceted case, with allegations of rape, assault and impersonation. The victim, who died of illness a few years ago, was called names, while the chief minister termed her complaint fabricated. The prime accused in the case was arrested five years later by Kolkata police. He was reportedly connected to senior Trinamool leaders in the area.

In 2013, a college student was gang-raped and killed in North 24 Paragana districts Kamduni village. The accused persons were allegedly connected to local panchayat members. Demanding their arrest and punishment, local women started a protest movement. The outrage was called politically motivated and the protesters were termed CPM cadres by TMC leaders.

In 2014, late Trinamool MP Tapas Pal, while trying to intimidate his opponents in Nadia district said that he would let loose his boys to rape women there if they did not fall in line.

Trinamool Congress leaders though are still following the same path, saying that the women from Sandeshkhali narrating their stories of pain are outsiders and made-up victims.
A war of words between TMC and BJP erupted after a Sikh IPS officer accused a group of saffron party activists of hurling Khalistani jibe at him during a scuffle in Dhamakhali. Following the incident, TMC shared a video of a protest staged by the Sikh community outside the BJP office and demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modis apology over the same.

Members of the Sikh community staged a protest outside BJPs party office demanding an apology for the communal slurs made by none other than LoP @SuvenduWB against an on-duty IPS officer.To them, every turban-wearing man is a Khalistani. APOLOGISE, PM @narendramodi! pic.twitter.com/Y8itXVj8f3  All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) February 20, 2024

IPS officer Jaspreet Singh, who was deputed at Dhamakhali and had put up barricades to stop West Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari from visiting Sandeshkhali located just across Kalindi River, was allegedly called a Khalistani by a group of BJP supporters. A video of the incident surfaced on social media.

Just because I am wearing a turban, you people are calling me a Khalistani? Is this what you have learnt? If a police officer wears a turban and performs his duty honestly, he becomes a Khalistani for you? Shame on you, he was heard saying to the BJP supporters.

     ,     . IPS       . BJP       .                    .      . pic.twitter.com/Jl4bhBdVPo  Congress (@INCIndia) February 20, 2024

Politicians React to IPS Officer-BJP Activists Khalistani Jibe Row-

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the BJPs divisive politics has shamelessly overstepped constitutional boundaries, and condemned the audacious attempt to undermine the reputation of Sikhs, revered for their sacrifices and unwavering determination to our nation.

Today, the BJPs divisive politics has shamelessly overstepped constitutional boundaries. As per @BJP4India every person wearing a TURBAN is a KHALISTANI. I VEHEMENTLY CONDEMN this audacious attempt to undermine the reputation of our SIKH BROTHERS & SISTERS, revered for their SACRIFICES and UNWAVERING DETERMINATION to our nation. We stand firm in protecting Bengals social harmony and will take stern lawful measures to prevent any attempts to disrupt it, the TMC supremo said in an X post.

Congress also shared the video on its X handle and wrote, Look at the degraded behavior of BJP people. A police officer who served the country day and night was called a Khalistani because he wore a turban. This is a very degraded mentality.

TMC MLA Partha Bhowmick took to microblogging site X and wrote, Labelling an IPS Officer as Khalistani simply because they wear a turban is not just narrow-minded, its downright repugnant. Do you even comprehend the concept of religious tolerance, or are you busy spewing your venomous rhetoric?

Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) Amritsar President Harjinder Singh Dhami also condemned the intentional character assassination of IPS officer Jaspreet Singh.

The intentional character assassination of a Sikh IPS officer S. Jaspreet Singh by the BJP leaders in West Bengal is highly condemnable. Leaders who have such thinking in the country should never forget that Sikhs have made the most sacrifices for the freedom and protection of the country. Sikhs do not need to get a certificate from anyone, rather they know how to perform services for the nation in accordance with their traditions and customs. It is a big question that such people in the country deliberately create an atmosphere of hatred but the governments remain silent. Those who create such an atmosphere should be punished so that people who are honestly doing their duty in different areas do not have to be victims of such hate, Dhami wrote in an X post.

BJP Reacts to Khalistani Jibe Row

West Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari claimed that the police officer levelled the said allegations because he wanted better posting.

The police officer is saying that Khalistani has been told to him. He is doing that because he wants better posting. He has self-declared, Adhikari said.

Earlier, BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul, who was accompanying Adhikari during the clash with the police, claimed that the officer wasnt fulfilling his duties and dismissed the allegation that BJP supporters called him a Khalistani.
The ongoing negotiations between the Congress and the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh have reached an awkward juncture with the Congress trying to sell the so-called partnership as a done deal while the Samajwadi Party believes it to be a dead-end.

In a major development around the highly anticipated alliance for the coming Lok Sabha elections, Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal said the seat-sharing talks between the two parties are in the last stage and a positive announcement can be expected soon.

However, sources in the Samajwadi Party camp say that the Congress-SP partnership talks in UP have neared failure. Reportedly, disagreements over the allocation of three key seats have created a significant obstacle, casting doubt on the future of this political partnership.

This comes hours after SP supremo Akhilesh Yadav said that he wont be joining Rahul Gandhis highly touted Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra unless the seat-sharing talks between them are not finalised. Yadavs reluctance to join the Yatra until the seat-sharing talks are finalised, further adds to the uncertainty surrounding the alliance.

The contrasting statements by Congress and Samajwadi surrounding this alliance have undoubtedly heightened the intrigue within the political landscape.

If the SP-Congress alliance were to falter, it would undoubtedly have far-reaching implications for the already fragile INDIA bloc which aimed to challenge the Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA in the upcoming 2024 General Elections.

Congress-SP Alliance Future: Whats the Bone of Contention?

According to sources, the allocation of seats in the crucial constituencies of Bijnor, Amroha, and Sambhal has become a point of contention, leading to an impasse in the talks as neither party is willing to back down.

Furthermore, the recent departure of the Rashtriya Lok Dal, led by Jayant Chaudhary, has further intensified the discord between the Congress and the Samajwadi Party.

Initially, the Congress had requested only 15 seats in Uttar Pradesh when the RLD was part of the INDI alliance. However, with the RLDs exit, the Congress has revised its demand to 20 seats, while the Samajwadi Party is only willing to give up 17 seats.

Amidst this standoff, the Congress expressed confidence in securing victory in the remaining three seats, while the Samajwadi Party remains steadfast in its reluctance to compromise.

The UP Partnership: Samajwadi Party Alliance vs Solo | Analysis

The political reality that the Congres party needs to come to terms with examples such as West Bengal, Delhi and Punjab is that smaller state parties are doing a better job than the Congress in creating discontent among the masses against the incumbent BJP.

As far as the Samajwadi Partys graph is concerned, in the 2017 Assembly Polls, the Congress and the ruling Samajwadi Party sealed a UP ke Ladke poll alliance in Uttar Pradesh, which today stands as a glaring example of a political catastrophe.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections, the SP when joined forces with BSP and RLD to ally, yet again failed to yield the desired outcome, as the anticipated transfer of votes did not materialize.

An analysis of the vote share between the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections and the 2017 UP Assembly elections reveals a significant surge in the BJPs vote share by 8%, while the vote shares of the SP, BSP, and RLD, who had formed a pre-poll alliance, experienced a notable decline.

Notably, when Akhilesh Yadav decided to contest independently in the 2022 UP Assembly Elections, the Samajwadi Party achieved its most remarkable performance in terms of vote share in the state, even in the absence of his father, Mulayam Singh Yadav.

Evidently, the Samajwadi Party perceives the Congress as a burdensome entity that hampers its efforts to counter the BJP in the crucial state of Uttar Pradesh. However, it is important to consider that Uttar Pradesh has 80 Lok Sabha seats and the Samajwadi Party doesnt have enough winnable candidates as well as sources to go solo in all the seats against the saffron camp.

Already a Failure?: INDIA Bloc Falling Like Dominoes

Indeed, the INDIA bloc, a formidable coalition formed by various opposition parties to counter the Bharatiya Janata Party led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the 2024 General Elections is currently experiencing a tumultuous period. The alliance has encountered significant setbacks with the departure of key figures such as Nitish Kumar, Mamata Banerjee, and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) led by Arvind Kejriwal in Punjab.

The future of the INDIA bloc, which was originally conceived by JDU Chief Nitish Kumar, appears bleak following his withdrawal from the coalition. Despite his instrumental role in forging unity among these opposition parties, the failure of the bloc to acknowledge Nitish Kumar as a potential candidate for the position of Prime Minister is considered one of the contributing factors to his exit.

In a significant political move, Mamata Banerjee decided to sever ties with the Congress in West Bengal for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Similarly, Arvind Kejriwals AAP has made a significant announcement, declaring its decision to contest all 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab and one in Chandigarh independently. This move effectively signals the end of the INDIA alliance in the state, as the oppositions unity already seems fractured.

As the Lok Sabha Elections near, it remains to be seen how these events will shape the future trajectory of the opposition.
Amid speculations that Congress veteran Kamal Nath and his son Nakul Kamal Nath might join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the Lok Sabha Elections, Congress made a big announcement about Nakul Naths candidature from Madhya Pradeshs Chhindwara.

Congress general secretary Jitendra Singh, who is touring Madhya Pradesh to understand the mood of party workers, said Nakul Nath is a strong candidate. Singh also hinted that the Chhindwara MP could be the partys candidate in this election as well.

He is a strong candidate from there (Chhindwara) and will definitely contest the elections, Singh told ANI.

However, rumours are strife that Nakul Nath might join the saffron camp soon as he dropped a major hint of a possible political switch after he removed the party name and symbol from his social media bio last week.

About the reports that former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and one of Congresss senior-most leaders Kamal Nath might leave the party, Singh said those were just rumours being spread by the BJP.

There is nothing like this. All these rumours (of Kamal Nath leaving Congress) have been spread by the BJP. He is our senior leader and he will attend the meeting today regarding the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, Jitendra Singh added.

Meanwhile, suspense over Kamal Naths possible BJP switch continues as the leader, according to sources, is likely to join the saffron camp soon. The move, if happens, would turn out to be a massive blow to the already shaky INDIA bloc and Congress party ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections.

Last week, Kamal Nath also visited Delhi, fuelling the speculation about the possible political switch even more. On being asked about his decision, Kamal Nath remained tight-lipped and said If anything like this happens, I will inform you.

Kamal Nath is reportedly upset as he was not consulted by the party leadership before the Congress nominated Gwalior-Chambal politician Ashok Singh for the Rajya Sabha elections.
In a special one-day session, the Maharashtra state assembly on Tuesday unanimously passed the Maratha Reservation bill, which gives 10% reservation to the community in government jobs and education.

ALSO READ | Maharashtra Assembly Passes Maratha Reservation Bill, Granting 10% Quota to Community

The bill was first ratified by the state cabinet, and was later tabled by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in the lower house and then in the upper house. While introducing the bill, Shinde said, This time, the emphasis is on trying to remove the errors pointed out by the Supreme Court while abolishing reservation. The government is making sincere efforts to bring the Maratha community within the framework of the reservation law in a step-by-step manner, in which we are working vigorously and completing the legal process."

He further assured the house: The government has taken a big step to ensure that the Maratha community gets a reservation that is sustainable and within the framework of the law. Now the state government is going to use all its power to ensure that it survives in the apex court. We have taken this decision to give reservation to Maratha community without affecting the reservation of OBC community."

The report submitted by the State Backward Class Commission to the state government mentioned that the Maratha community is 28% of the population, and in the state, there is a situation where reservation beyond 50% could be given. Hence, the state passed the bill.

STILL NEED KUNBI IDENTITY: JARANGE PATIL

Although Maratha community leader Manoj Jarange Patil has approved this reservation, he criticised the state for not giving reservation as per the demands of the community. Provide us reservation under the Kunbi identity and those who cant provide proof, pass a law for Sage Soyare."

Patil had demanded that blood relations be allowed to have Kunbi registration. Kunbi caste falls under OBC in the state. Hence, Patil was pushing that the Maratha community should get reservations under OBC quota. But those Maratha families who have Nizam-era documents are only getting the benefit of the OBC quota. Jarange has called for a meeting of the Maratha community on Wednesday in which this issue will discussed further.

WONT STAND IN SUPREME COURT: OPPN

Although the bill was passed unanimously in both the houses of the assembly, opposition MLAs have expressed their displeasure. Opposition leader Vijay Wadettiwar told this reporter, Today, we were not given an opportunity to talk on this bill in the house. We could have criticised them on the floor of the house for again misleading the entire Maratha community over 10% reservation. This reservation will not stand in the Supreme Court and we wanted to point out the same, but we were not given an opportunity. There is no basis to the reservation given by this government today, hence it wont stand in the Supreme Court."

Former Maharashtra CM Prithviraj Chavan, while speaking with the media, said, In 2014, my government passed the bill, but it was rejected in the HC. Later, the Fadnavis government passed it in 2018, but it couldnt sustain before the SC. Now 10% reservation has been given. We will have to see how it will stand legal scrutiny."

ALSO READ | EXPLAINED | Why are Marathas Demanding Reservation and What Led to the Fresh Agitation

He also criticised the govt for not considering the Opposition while making this bill. Why was the Opposition not considered? Why are you so afraid and what are you hiding? We should have been given a copy of the bill, but it was passed in haste on the apprehension of Lok Sabha polls."

Chavan called it an election gimmick" of the current government, just to show that they have done something for people.
Ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and amid the tension in Sandeshkhali, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to address a mega rally in West Bengals Barasat, the headquarters of the North 24 Paraganas district, on March 7. Sandeshkhali, where tension has been mounting for the last couple of weeks, amid claims of land grab and sexual assault by Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders, also falls in the same district.

ALSO READ | Sandeshkhali Row: Calcutta High Court Allows Suvendu Adhikari To Visit Strife-Torn Region | Updates

Officials have confirmed to CNN-News18 that they are working on the two-day visit. More than two lakh women are expected to participate in the rally.

PM Modi is expected to inaugurate Metro line projects on March 6, followed by the rally on March 7.

TIMING OF VISIT CRUCIAL

This visit comes at a very important time when the state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) are in a major battle over atrocities against women in the state. Several delegations of the Supreme Court (SC) panel and National Commission for Women (NCW) have expressed deep concern about the situation in the region where women have been subjected to torture and threats at the hands of the TMC leaders. These delegations have made recommendations to impose Presidents rule in the state.

ALSO READ | TMC Strongman at Large after Land Grabbing, Sexual Assault Charges: Why Sandeshkhali is Simmering

Glaring facts that have come to the fore during visits of multiple leaders in Sandeshkhali were even mentioned during the recent BJP national convention. Senior leaders and Union ministers, including Rajnath Singh and Amit Shah, made a mention of the issue during their address in the convention.

MODIs SUPPORT FOR WOMEN

PM Modi is expected to send a strong message of support for the women of the state who have been at the receiving end of the TMC administration. During his address, he is expected to make a mention of several cases, including that of Sandeshkhali. It is also being anticipated that some victims of the violence in the region could also participate in the rally.

The last visit by the Prime Minister to the state of Bengal was more than a year ago.

AMIT SHAH IN STATE ON FEB 29

Just ahead of the visit of the PM, will be another high-profile visit of Union Home Minister Amit Shah to the state. On February 29, Shah is expected to attended an ISKCON Temple event in Mayapur. He is also expected to hold a number of organisation meetings during his day-long visit.

ALSO READ | Mamata Claims Sandeshkhali Incident Scripted by BJP

POLL POSITION

The BJP is geared up for the upcoming elections for Parliament. In the state, it is expected to be an intense battle between the BJP, principal opponent, and TMC. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the saffron party stunned all by winning 18 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats, from 2 in 2014. Since the last election, two of its sitting MPs have jumped shipped to the TMC  Barakpur Member of Parliament (MP) Arjun Singh and former Union minister Babul Supriyo. Supriyo later went on to win the state by-election to become a minister in the Banerjee government in the state. His Parliamentary election was won by actor-politician Shatrughan Sinha from Asansol.
Swami Prasad Maurya on Tuesday quit the primary membership of the Samajwadi Party and also resigned from the post of Member of Legislative Council in the Uttar Pradesh assembly.

I got an opportunity to work with you. But after our talks on February 12 and my resignation (as national general secretary) on February 13, no initiative of any talks with me was taken due to which I am resigning from the primary membership of the party, Maurya said in his resignation letter to party chief Akhilesh Yadav.

Further, in a separate letter to the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council chairman, Maurya said, I was elected as a Samajwadi Party member in the legislative council. As I have resigned from the primary membership of the party, I am also resigning as MLC (member of legislative council) on the basis of morality.

Maurya, on February 13, had resigned as the partys national general secretary, saying that he would continue to work for SP without any post.

While resigning from the national general secretary post, Maurya accused the leadership of discriminating against him and not defending him over his remarks.

SP national secretary Ram Govind Chaudhary, on Wednesday, wrote a letter to the party president Akhilesh Yadav and requested him to not accept the resignation as he was opposing the poison being spread by RSS and BJP.

Under your successful leadership, every worker and leader of Samajwadi Party is struggling to reduce the effect of this poison of communalism and hypocrisy. Partys national general secretary Shri Swami Prasad Maurya is also strongly opposing this poison of BJP and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh due to which he is on the target of BJP and Sangh, Chaudhary said in his letter to Yadav.

He noted that Maurya comes from a backward community and his fighting instinct is the reason for him having a special place in this society.

Meanwhile, former SP ally Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) president Om Prakash Rajbhar had told PTI, This is just a drama. Instead of resigning from the partys post, he should have resigned from the post of MLC. He became an MLC only because of the Samajwadi Party. He has resigned from partys national general secretary post but will remain an MLC. This is a drama.

A member of the state legislative council from the SP, Maurya had moved from the Bharatiya Janata Party to the Samajwadi Party before the 2022 polls and unsuccessfully contested the assembly polls from Fazilnagar.

SWAMI PRASAD MAURYAS OWN PARTY?

Following his resignation, it is being said that Maurya will not join any new party now.

Swami Prasad Maurya can announce his new party on February 22 at Delhis Talkatora Stadium. Reportedly, the name of Mauryas new party will be Rashtriya Shoshit Samaj Party.

The former SP leader has been a five-time MLA and also a cabinet minister in the first term of Mayawati and Yogi Adityanath government.

(With PTI inputs)
A mans smile designing endeavour proved fatal as 28-year-old Laxmi Narayana Vinjam lost his life during the procedure at the FMS International Dental Clinic in Hyderabads Jubilee Hills on February 16, stated the Police. Vinjam, who was preparing for his upcoming marriage, had undergone anaesthesia as part of the smile enhancement surgery, rendering him unconscious. Tragically, he never regained consciousness and was pronounced dead upon arrival at Apollo Hospitals.

The victims father, Ramulu Vinjam, alleged that his son succumbed to an overdose of anaesthesia. We rushed him to a nearby hospital, where the doctors declared him dead on arrival, he lamented, emphasising that his son had not disclosed the surgery to them and was in good health prior. The doctors are responsible for his death, Mr. Vinjam said.

Also Read: Family Demands Justice As 28-Year-Old Daughter Dies After Cosmetic Surgery

According to NDTV, K Venkateshwar Reddy, Station House Officer, Jubilee Hills, mentioned that Laxmi Narayana had arrived at the clinic around 2:30 p.m. on February 16. At around 4:30 p.m., he was taken into the operation theatre, and the procedure lasted almost two hours. They called his father around 7 p.m., and he was rushed to Apollo Hospital in Jubilee Hills, where he was declared dead on arrival, Mr. Reddy said.

Laxmi Narayana had got engaged a week ago and he was to get married next month.

Meanwhile, the body has been sent for autopsy and a case has been filed against the clinic for negligence under Section 304 (A) (Culpable homicide not amounting to murder) based on a complaint submitted by the victims father. We are checking the hospital records and security camera footage, officials reported.

In a similar incident in September 2023, a young woman from Italy died of cardiac arrest just days after getting breast enhancement surgery. Alessia Neboso, a 21-year-old Italian beautician, wanted to look perfect for her upcoming wedding to her long-time boyfriend Mario Lucchesi. According to Daily Mail, Alessia started feeling unwell days after the breast implant surgery. She developed a high fever, fatigue, a cough, weakness, and gastrointestinal issues. After her health deteriorated, her family took her to the emergency room of the Villa dei Fiori Clinic in Acerra near Naples. Despite medics attempts to keep her alive, she suffered a cardiac arrest a few hours later.

A close friend of Alessia told the media that her dream was to get married wearing a beautiful low-cut dress that would highlight her new cleavage. The friend also revealed that Alessia had a complex about her small breasts, even though they werent that small, and said they had advised against it, but she wouldnt listen to their advice.
Who wouldve thought that a work tour would devolve into a nightmare? For a Uttarakhand mountain guide, this nightmare turned into a harsh reality after he found himself stripped of Rs. 30,000, a laptop, a Samsung tablet, and, most crucially, vital documents while journeying on a TNSTC (Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation) bus. Reaching out to X, a user and family friend, Anand Sankar relayed the incident, hoping to prompt immediate police intervention.

I have been very sad and ashamed since yesterday at how the police in Bangalore treated an honest hardworking boy from my neighbouring village, he began. The individual in question, Mukesh Pawar, a certified mountain guide from Sidri village in Uttarakhand, was in Salem, Tamil Nadu, to install and certify a rope course for a client. His bags were stolen while he was traveling from Salem to Bengaluru on February 12, and he noticed their absence upon reaching Majestic.

Also Read: Delhi Men Try to Rob Couple on Street, End Up Giving Rs 100 Instead: Watch Viral Video

He kept a watchful eye on his 2 bags at all stops. He saw the bags in Hosur and after it crossed the border to halt at Attibele. The next stop was Electronic City. A lot of passengers were getting down at this stop and there was commotion. The time was past 11 pm. In the darkness he momentarily lost sight of his bags. When he had to alight at Majestic, to his horror, he found that both his bags were missing, the OP added.

Pawar found little help from the TNSTC bus staff who suggested he approach the Majestic police station. However since the bags were last seen at Electronic City, he was asked to visit the Electronic City police station, but it took multiple efforts for the police to file an FIR.

They were not interested in even trying to communicate with him in Hindi, lamented Sankar. They told him to go and file a complaint in Majestic! They refused to hear Mukesh or even attempt to talk to the police in Majestic. Poor Mukesh went back to Majestic, again they shooed him back to Electronic City! Not one policeman offered to communicate with him and listen to his story.

Subsequently, Pawar missed his flight from Bengaluru to Delhi due to the chaos. He was left with only Rs 600 and thankfully his phone. He called his relatives who sent money to buy a ticket for the next flight, Sankar said.

Pawar has safely reached Dehradun but he says his worst loss was his certificates.

Also Read: Thief Trying to Rob Sikhs Grocery Story in US Served With Instant Justice, Video Goes Viral

All his educational and professional certificates and his driving license (were in the bags), Sankar explained. This loss hurts him the most as he is a freelancer and every company he works with has to verify his original mountaineering certificate before expeditions.

Consequently, Sankar requested social media users and anyone capable of assisting in filing the FIR and initiating the investigation, as Pawar cannot afford to return to Bengaluru due to financial constraints.

I have been very sad and ashamed since yesterday at how the police in Bangalore treated an honest hardworking boy from my neighbouring village of Sidri in Tons Valley, Uttarakhand when he went to file an FIR because his belongings were stolen from a bus. Can Twitter folks and pic.twitter.com/Y2JrBPrXL5 Anand Sankar (@kalapian_) February 18, 2024

In subsequent updates, Sankar disclosed that Pawar had received a copy of the FIR filed at Electronic City and is awaiting further developments.

The official handle of Bengaluru Police acknowledged the now-viral post and requested Sankar to provide Pawars contact information for further communication.
A Russian pilot who defected to Ukraine with his helicopter last year was found dead in an underground garage in Spain last week, his body riddled with bullets, Ukrainian and Spanish media reported on Monday.

Spains state news agency EFE reported that a body found on Feb 13 in the town of Villajoyosa, near Alicante in southern Spain, belonged to pilot Maxim Kuzminov, who had landed in Ukraine with his Mi-8 helicopter last August. He had been living in Spain with a Ukrainian passport under a different name, it said.

A spokesperson for Ukraines GUR military intelligence confirmed to Reuters that Kuzminov had died in Spain, but did not specify the cause of death. Ukraines Ukrainska Pravda newspaper also reported that he had been found shot dead.

Spanish police have confirmed that a body was found of a gunshot victim in the town, but have not disclosed the victims identity. A source at Spains Guardia Civil police force told Reuters that the victim could have been living under a fake identity.

Spains La Informacion newspaper, which first reported the shooting, said investigators were searching for two suspects who had fled in a vehicle that was later found burnt out in a nearby town.

Kuzminovs defection to Ukraine was presented last year as a major coup for Kyiv. The GUR said at the time that it had lured him into defecting.
Alexei Navalny was Russias best-known critic at home and abroad and his sudden death last week under mysterious circumstances has dented the idea of forming an opposition to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Putins other critics and Navalnys widow Yulia Navalnaya claim that he was behind the death of Navalny and the underlying aim was to send a message that any resistance to Putin is futile.

Navalny crusaded against alleged official corruption and staged massive anti-Kremlin protests. His claim to fame was that he developed a smart voting strategy where he urged people to vote for candidates who were best placed to defeat candidates from Putins United Russia party.

Navalny, a Muscovite, was born in 1974 and grew up as the Soviet rule collapsed and saw Russia open itself to the world. He completed his graduation from the RUDN university, where he majored in law. He earned a degree in economics in 2001 and began working as a lawyer.

He gained notoriety between 2004  2008 for claiming that Russian public sector officials were corrupt and major state-backed corporations like the gas giant Gazprom and oil behemoth Rosneft were indulging in corruption. He also launched a website in 2004 to protest the overdevelopment in the Moscow urban area.

Activism Against Corruption

Navalny gained support in Russia through his activism against corruption as Russians frustrated with corruption during the Soviet era wanted a more cleaner, transparent government. He launched RosPil in 2010, an anti-corruption project run by a team of lawyers that analyses spending of state agencies and companies, exposing violations and contesting them in court.

The next year, in 2011, he launched the Foundation for Fighting Corruption, which would later become his teams main platform for exposing alleged graft among Russias top political ranks.

Elections and Career as a Politician

Navalny stunned the Kremlin when he announced he would run for mayor in Moscow in 2013. The Kremlin, facing accusations of rigging from the international community post elections and President Vladimir Putins reelection and inauguration in 2012, even encouraged Navalny to contest the polls.

He was already facing embezzlement charges in the Kirovles and Yves Rocher cases, filed against him and his brother in 2012, but despite what his supporters claim to be police harassment and hostile media coverage Navalny won 27% of the votes polled, he finishes second in the mayors race behind Sergei Sobyanin  the Putin-backed incumbent and Moscows current mayor.

Legal Woes

In July 2012, Russias Investigative Committee charged Navalny with embezzlement involving Kirovles, a state-owned timber company, alleging that he engaged in corruption while acting as an adviser to the local governor.

The authorities launched another probe in December 2012 into alleged embezzlement at a Navalny-linked Russian subsidiary of Yves Rocher, a French cosmetic company.

Navalny rejected the charges as politically motivated.

In July 2013, a court convicts Navalny of embezzlement in the Kirovles case, but he received a suspended sentence.

In February 2014, Navalny was placed under house arrest in connection with the Yves Rocher case.

Finally, in December 2014, Navalny and his brother were found guilty of fraud in the Yves Rocher case, with Navalny receiving a suspended sentence and his brother a prison term.

Despite his confinement, his blog continued to highlight alleged corruption by Russian officials.

What Angered Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putins enmity with Navalny developed over a decade. Navalnys protest marches in 2012 following Putins reelection and inauguration which saw massive protests in Moscow was a challenge to Putin and the Kremlin.

Putin was also angered because Navalny released three videos in three different years, targeting Russias then-Prosecutor General Yury Chaika in 2015, a YouTube documentary accusing then-Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev of corruption in 2017 and in 2021, a documentary titled Putins Palace where he accused Putin of engaging in corruption and constructing an opulent property for himself with illicit funds of $1.3 billion from members of his inner circle in the popular Russian holiday town of Gelendzhik, on the Black Sea coastline.

Attempts on His Life and Exile

In 2017, unidentified assailants threw a green disinfectant in Navalnys face, damaging his right eye, an attack he blamed on the Kremlin.

Then, in 2018, Navalny developed Smart Voting, an online tool encouraging Russians to support reform-minded candidates in elections, posing a threat to Putins United Russia party.

Research by Russian scholars Mikhail Turchenko and Grigorii Golosov showed Smart Voting significantly boosted voter turnout, opposition votes, and attention to Russian elections. These efforts may have provoked an alleged assassination attempt by Russias FSB in 2020.

Navalny fell ill and the plane made an emergency landing in nearby Omsk. He was hospitalised and was in a coma; Navalnys team suspected he was poisoned as he was seeking to deploy the Smart Voting strategy during regional elections in September and touring Siberia as part of the effort.

On August 22, 2020, Navalny, in a coma, was transported to a hospital in Berlin. Two days later, German authorities confirmed he was poisoned with a Soviet-era nerve agent. Upon recovery, Navalny accused the Kremlin of launching an attack on him, a claim that is still refuted by Russian officials.

Jail and Death

Despite recommendations to remain in exile and continue his fight against Putin from outside Russia, Navalny headed back to Russia and on landing in Moscow in January 2021 he was arrested by authorities who claimed his recuperation abroad violated the terms of his suspended sentence in the Yves Rocher case.

His protests triggered massive protests amid the Covid-19 pandemic and thousands were arrested.

In June 2021, a Moscow court declared Navalnys Foundation for Fighting Corruption and approximately 40 regional offices as extremist, effectively dismantling his political network.

Amid alleged persecution and pressure, his close associates and team members flee Russia. Despite imprisonment, Navalny stays in touch with his legal team and associates, who manage his social media presence.

On August 4, 2023, Navalny was convicted of extremism and handed a 19-year sentence. He said hes serving a life sentence, which is measured by the length of my life or the length of life of this regime after the sentence was pronounced.

On December 11, 2023, Navalny was scheduled to appear in court via video link but failed to appear. His spokeswoman reported that prison officials cited electricity problems. Concerns grew among Navalnys allies as neither they nor his lawyers had heard from him in several weeks.

By December 25, 2023, Navalnys allies located him in a prison colony in the town of Kharp, situated north of the Arctic Circle. This location is notorious for its long and severe winters, located approximately 100 kilometres from Vorkuta. Vorkutas coal mines were infamous as among the harshest of the Soviet Gulag prison-camp system.

On February 16, Navalny died in prison at the age of 47, according to Russias Federal Penitentiary Service. They reported that he felt unwell after a walk and collapsed. Although an ambulance arrived, they were unable to resuscitate him.

Unanswered Questions About Navalnys Death

The sudden death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in an Arctic prison last week raised concerns across Europe and the US. His spokesperson said that Navalnys body will be with the authorities for 14 more days.

The investigators told the lawyers and Alexeys mother that they would not give them the body. The body will be under some sort of chemical examination for another 14 days, Navalny spokesperson Kira Yarmysh said.

His wife Yulia Navalnaya vowed to continue his work and claimed that his body was not returned as authorities are waiting for traces of the Novichok nerve agent to disappear from his body.

Bruises were spotted on Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalnys head and chest when his body arrived at a morgue in one of the cities in Arctic Russia.
Sarai Rachel James, a resident of the US state of Alabama, mistakenly ran her car over her seven-year-old child after forcing him to walk home from school as a punishment. Police officials from the city of Boaz, Alabama said Sarai Rachel James picked her son up from the school on February 9 and heard from the principal that her child got into trouble earlier that day and decided to punish him to set an example going forward.

The mother stopped the car a short distance from the school and then told her son to walk home from there. The school and the house were eight blocks away from each other.

The boy initially started walking home but suddenly tried to grab the handle of the car door when the vehicle was moving. The mother suddenly accelerated the car, pulling her son under the car. He was run over with the back tire. The child was hospitalised with abrasions.

It was a miracle he was not hurt worse than what he could have been, Boaz police department chief Michael Abercrombie was quoted as saying by the AL.

However, the police and the investigators believe that Sarai Rachel James ran him over accidentally. Boaz police chief Michael Abercrombie did, however, point out that it was the punishment that led to the incident. She may not have realised he was doing that, he said.

Sarai Rachel James, 27, has been charged with aggravated child abuse in connection with the incident. She was released on $50,000 bond.

A 53-year-old woman, who police did not name, was also inside the car during the incident and she has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child and was released on $500 bond.

Sarai Rachel James is forbidden from contacting her son who remains hospitalised.
Heir to the British throne, Prince Williams on Tuesday called for an end to the Israel-Hamas war at the earliest stating that too many have been killed and there is a desperate need of humanitarian aid in the war-torn Gaza.

I remain deeply concerned about the terrible human cost of the conflict in the Middle East since the Hamas terrorist attack on 7 October. Too many have been killed, Reuters quoted Prince William, who is the eldest son of King Charles as saying.

The statement further reiterates that the prince wants to see an end to the fighting as soon as possible and believes in the need of a desperate need for increased humanitarian support to Gaza.

Its critical that aid gets in and the hostages are released, it added. His statement came after he visited the British Red Cross in London.

The prince also participated in a video call with the Red Cross staff members deployed in Gaza, who gave him a first-hand account of the situation in the conflicted region, BBC reported.

Prince Williams remarks on the situation in the Middle East hold great significance as it is highly unusual for members of the royal family to comment on current and politicised issues such as Gaza.

However, it has been noted that William made use of careful language that focused on universal humanity rather than taking sides in the conflict.

In 2018, the Prince of Wales became the first senior British royal to make an official visit to Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories.

The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel from Gaza on October 7, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 men, women and children hostage.

After a round of exchanges for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel in November, around 130 remain captive, a fourth of them believed to be dead.

More than 29,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war since its onset, the territorys Health Ministry said Monday.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that he was opposed to sending nuclear weapons to space, dismissing US accusations that Moscow was developing a space-based anti-satellite weapon.

Washington said last week it was worried Russia was developing the system while saying it posed no immediate threat to people on Earth.

We have always been categorically against putting nuclear weapons in space, Putin said in a meeting with Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu.

He called the accusations part of a clamour being raised in the West.

Shoigu said Russia does not have the system Washington accused it of developing.

Putin said Russia has many times suggested to strengthen join cooperation in the (space) sphere but for some reason in the West this topic has not come up again.

Russias Ukraine offensive and huge Western sanctions hard hit Moscows space sector and upended cooperation in space.
The High Court in London Tuesday will begin hearing WikiLeaks founder Julian Assanges final UK appeal against extradition to the United States to face trial over publishing secret military and diplomatic files.

Washington wants the 52-year-old Australian citizen extradited after he was charged there multiple times between 2018 and 2020 in connection with WikiLeaks 2010 publication of files relating to the US-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The long-running legal saga in Britains courts is now nearing a conclusion, after Assange lost successive rulings in recent years.

If this weeks two-day bid to appeal  set to begin at 10:30 am (1030 GMT) Tuesday  is successful, he will have another chance to argue his case in a London court, with a date set for a full hearing.

If he loses, Assange will have exhausted all UK appeals and will enter the extradition process, although his team have indicated they will appeal to European courts.

His wife Stella Assange has said he will ask the European Court of Human Rights to temporarily halt the extradition if needed, warning he would die if sent to the United States.

Tomorrow and the day after will determine whether he lives or dies essentially, and hes physically and mentally obviously in a very difficult place, she told BBC radio on Monday.

US President Joe Biden has faced sustained pressure, both domestically and internationally, to drop the 18-count indictment Assange faces in federal court in Virginia, which was filed under his predecessor Donald Trump.

Major media organisations, press freedom advocates and the Australian parliament are among those decrying the prosecution under the 1917 Espionage Act, which has never been used before over publishing classified information.

Enough is enough

But Washington has maintained the case, which alleges Assange and others at WikiLeaks recruited and agreed with hackers to conduct one of the largest compromises of classified information in US history.

Assange, detained in the high-security Belmarsh Prison in southeast London since April 2019, was arrested after spending seven years holed up in Ecuadors London embassy.

He fled there to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he faced accusations of sexual assault which were later dropped.

The High Court had blocked his extradition, but then reversed the decision on appeal in 2021 after the United States vowed to not imprison him in its most extreme prison, ADX Florence.

It also pledged not to subject him to the harsh regime known as Special Administrative Measures.

In March 2022, the UKs Supreme Court refused permission to appeal, arguing Assange failed to raise an arguable point of law.

Months later, ex-interior minister Priti Patel formally signed off on his extradition, but Assange is now seeking permission to review that decision and the 2021 appeal ruling.

If convicted in the United States, he faces a maximum sentence of 175 years in jail.

Kristinn Hrafnsson, WikiLeaks editor-in-chief, told reporters last week that caveats included within the US promises meant they were not worth the paper they are written on.

On the same day, Australias Prime Minister Anthony Albanese denounced the years-long legal pursuit of Assange, saying enough is enough.

It followed the countrys parliament passing a motion calling for an end to his prosecution.

Assange has two children with his wife Stella, a lawyer who he met when she worked on his case.
Amid outrage in the West over Russias most prominent opposition leader, Alexei Navalnys sudden death, the White House on Tuesday said it is preparing additional major sanctions on Russia.

National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the new sanctions, will be specifically supplemented with additional sanctions regarding Mr Navalnys death an AP report said.

Russian President Vladimir Putins most vocal critic, 47-year-old Alexei Navalny died in the Arctic prison colony on February 16 where he was serving a three-decade jail sentence. Russias federal penitentiary service said Navalny fell and lost consciousness after a walk at the Polar Wolf penal colony in Kharp, and could not be revived by medics.

The Western governments have criticised Putin heavily over Navalnys death.

Kirby said the US had not determined how Navalny had died, but stressed that the responsibility lies with the Russian President.

Regardless of the scientific answer, Putins responsible for it, Kirby told reporters.

Navalnys mother was told on Saturday that he died of sudden death syndrome. However, bruises were found on Navalnys head and chest when his body arrived at an Artic morgue, a paramedic told independent Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta Europe in a Sunday article.

Navalnys spokesperson, on the other hand, said on Monday that Russian investigators told the mother of late opposition leader and his lawyers that the investigation into his death in prison has been extended.

It is not known how long it will continue. The cause of death is still undetermined. Theyre lying, playing for time and do not even hide it, the spokeswoman, Kira Yarmysh, said on X.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is romantically involved with Ekaterina Katya Mizulina, 39, a UK-educated art historian, described by media outlets as a blond, Barbie type woman. A report by the New York Post claimed that Putin is romantically involved with the woman who is 32 years younger than him.

Ekaterina Mizulina also heads the powerful, Kremlin-backed Safe Internet League and is being dubbed as Putins morality guardian and censorship pusher.

Katya Mizulina is completely to Putins taste. This Barbie type has always suited him very well, Russian human rights campaigner Olga Romanova was quoted as saying by Ukraines Channel 24.

The report by the New York Post said Mizulina is the daughter of a hardline female anti-Ukraine Russian lawmaker Elena Mizulina, 69. She aims to silence all criticism levelled against Putin online, especially those which concern the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Putin has been previously linked to Svetlana Krivonogikh, a strip-club owner and multimillionaire in St. Petersburg. They are also rumoured to have a child named Luiza who is now 20 years old.

Putin has been rumoured to have been in a relationship with 40-year-old former Olympic gymnast Alina Kabaeva and the pair are believed to have two or three children. Putin divorced his wife of 30 years, Lyudmila, in 2014.

Russian Telegram channel Kremlevskaya Tabakerka also claimed that the Russian leader and Ekaterina have grown close recently and that Putin has found a new flame for companionship in the 39-year-old.

Ekaterina Mizulina is a graduate of the famous School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London (SOAS) and graduated from there with degrees in art history and Indonesian language.

She once worked as a translator for official Russian delegations that visited China and joined the Safe Internet League in 2017.

She has advocated for web censorship, fines and sanctions against the news media and social networks.

First, we will clean Ukraine from the Nazis  and then we will get to Google and Wikipedia, Ekaterina Mizulina once said while attending an event in 2022. Earlier this month she forced a college student to apologise or face dire consequences after the student questioned the need for compulsory military service.
Stony-faced and resolute, Yulia Navalnaya on Monday picked up the baton from her late husband Alexei with a call to action for Russias opposition after years in his shadow.

In a dimly lit room, her light blond hair tied in her usual bun, the 47-year-old addressed the opposition that has been left leaderless after Navalnys death.

I call on you to stand by me, she said in a powerful nine-minute video that gathered around two and a half million views in a few hours.

Her husband has for over a decade been Putins most prolific critic, running against the long-time ruler and blasting the regimes corruption.

The two met on holiday in Turkey, with both saying they fell in love immediately.

A trained economist, Navalnaya gave up her job to raise the couples two children.

But she stayed away from the media spotlight, maintaining as much privacy as she could while Alexeis political career took off.

She stood by him as he galvanised mass protests in Russia, flying with him out of the country as he lay in a coma after a poisoning in 2020.

Five months later, she was defiant when the couple flew back to Moscow, knowing it would land him in jail.

Waiter, bring us some vodka, were flying home, Navalnaya said in a video sitting next to Alexei on the plane, copying a scene from a Russian cult film.

Closest and most beloved person

The couple were separated at passport control upon landing, the last time she saw her husband free.

They briefly embraced before police took him away and she was greeted at the airport to chants of Yulia!.

The couple often shared photographs of their family life with their children  in a stark contrast to Putin, who keeps his personal life in utter secrecy.

They last saw each other in February 2022, only speaking through letters as prison visits became forbidden.

She had since clung on to the hope that she would see him again even as he was given 19 years in prison and sent to the harshest possible prison.

But on Friday Russian penitentiary authorities announced the Kremlin critic had died, after more than three years behind bars.

Navalnaya, who was at the Munich Security Conference, spoke out shortly after the announcement.

If this is true, then I want Putin and all his entourage, Putins friends and his government to know: they will bear responsibility for what they did to our country, to my family, to my husband.

Fight more fiercely

Hopes were finally dashed when Navalnys team confirmed the opposition leaders death on Saturday.

Putin killed the father of my children. Putin took away the dearest thing I had, the closest and most beloved person, Navalnaya said on Monday.

She had over the years seen her husband be arrested, poisoned, and abused.

Navalny used to joke that this made her views more radical than his.

When you are not a politician but you see the darkest things against your family then, of course, it radicalises you, Navalny had said in an interview.

Navalnaya had nevertheless insisted she was primarily a mother and a wife uninterested in going into politics.

But many observers were left wondering if there was anyone else to unite the divided opposition, which used to revolve around him.

And after decades of resisting calls to take on a more active political role, Navalnaya agreed to pick up the torch.

The most important thing we can do for Alexei and for ourselves is to continue to fight more desperately, more fiercely than before, she said.

I know it seems like nothing more is possible. But we all need to come together into one strong fist and use it to strike this crazed regime.
The social media site X on Tuesday briefly blocked the account of Yulia Navalnaya, just a day after she created it, following the death of her husband, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

In a video message that was shared on the social media platform by Navalnaya, she said that for years she did not see herself as a political figure but on Monday she vowed to continue her husbands work. She further alleged in the clip that Russian President Vladimir Putin had killed him.

After being suspended for around 50 minutes without explanation, the @Yulia_Navalnaya account page was accessible again.

The page had included a link to the sites rules of use but did not specify the reason for the account had been suspended.

According to the stated rules, accounts can be suspended for issues ranging from safety and privacy concerns, like hate speech or sharing private information, to authenticity and verification, such as impersonating people online.

The social media account was created by Navalnaya on Monday and several of Navalnys top aides and official accounts verified that it was her real account.

On Monday, she posted an emotional video appeal on the platform accusing Putin of killing Navalny and calling on Russians to join her in fighting against the Kremlin.

Hours before the suspension she had also posted angry response to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov after he told reporters her accusations of Putins involvement in her husbands death were vulgar and unfounded.

Navalnaya said she did not give a damn.

Navalny, Putins most vocal critic for the last decade, died Friday in the Arctic prison colony where he was serving a 19-year sentence widely seen as punishment for campaigning against the Kremlin.

Putin has not publicly commented on his death.

(with AFP inputs)
Abbas Ganbay

At the invitation of Prosecutor General Kamran Aliyev, a delegation headed by Prosecutor General of the Republic of Kenya Renson Mulele Ingonga has arrived in Azerbaijan on a working visit, Azernews reports.

In accordance with the instructions and recommendations of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mr. Ilham Aliyev, the Prosecutor General's Office attaches special importance to the expansion of ties in the field of legal cooperation with law enforcement agencies of foreign countries.

The delegation visited the Alley of Honour, honoured the memory of Heydar Aliyev, national leader of the Azerbaijani people, architect, and founder of the modern independent state of Azerbaijan, laid a wreath at his tomb, and visited the tomb of academician Zarifa Aliyeva, outstanding scientist-ophthalmologist. The guests also visited Martyrs Alley and honoured the memory of the children of the Motherland who died in the struggle for independence and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

During the bilateral meeting held at the General Prosecutor's Office, Prosecutor General Kamran Aliyev welcomed the guests and said the friendship and cooperation relations between Azerbaijan and Kenya are expanding day by day.

Noting this year's celebration of the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our countries, the Prosecutor General emphasized that the establishment of the Azerbaijani Embassy in Nairobi in November 2022 is an indicator of the upward development of bilateral relations.

Expressing satisfaction with the cooperation with the prosecution bodies of our country, Kenyan Prosecutor General Renson Ingong expressed gratitude for the high hospitality, as well as experience in the field of combating transnational crime, including terrorism, financing of terrorism, and corruption, as well as professional training and advanced training of prosecutors. He expressed interest in studying the Azerbaijani model in the field of exchange.

Kamran Aliyev noted that in the past years, Azerbaijan was also one of the countries subjected to terror, Armenia kept Azerbaijani lands under occupation for a long time, but under the leadership of the victorious Supreme Command, the thirty-year occupation of Azerbaijani territories was stopped, and in September 2023, as a result of anti-terrorist measures of local nature carried out by the Azerbaijani army, Azerbaijan fully restored the integrity of the country.

The Prosecutor General noted that, due to the attention and care of the country's leadership, large-scale construction and reconstruction works have been carried out in the territories liberated from occupation and invited the Kenyan guests to visit Aghdam district.

The Prosecutor General noted that the holding of the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) in November this year in Azerbaijan is a vivid example of the rapid growth of the international prestige of Azerbaijan.

Renson Ingonga noted that environment and climate change issues are important for his country, noting that the African Climate Summit was held in Kenya last September, and emphasised that they will take an active part in the important event to be held in Azerbaijan

Kamran Aliyev informed the guests about the activity of the "electronic information system of the prosecutor's office" within the framework of large-scale reforms carried out in the prosecutor's office. At the meeting, a useful exchange of views on cooperation in the field of combating crime was held, and the efficiency of cooperation within international organisations, including the UN, Non-Aligned Movement, and International Association of Prosecutors, was discussed.

At the Museum of History of the General Prosecutor's Office, the guests familiarised themselves with the corner and exhibits dedicated to the life and creativity of Great Leader Heydar Aliyev, as well as ways of developing the Prosecutor's Office of Azerbaijan.

The delegation's visit to Azerbaijan continues.
At the Wallaby Hill Extravaganza showjumping event in Australia earlier this month, equestrian Shane Rose wore a mankini, the revealing swimsuit seen in the 2006 Borat movie, and it almost cost the three-time Olympic medalist his chance to compete in the Paris Olympics this summer. After the Feb. 11 event, the 50-year-old was temporarily suspended from competing by the sport's governing body in Australia for a possible breach of its code of conduct, USA Today reports. Equestrian Australia said Monday that Rose had apologized and been cleared of wrongdoing.

"Shane has reflected on the incident, has apologized and understands the high standards expected of everyone involved in our High Performance program," said Darren Goher, the governing body's CEO, per CNN. At the Wallaby Hill event, Rose also dressed up as a gorilla and as Duffman from The Simpsons. "It's a dress-up competition, and I thought it'd be funny to go in a mankini," Rose tells the New York Times. "That's what I was intendingjust to have a laugh." He says he rode in the costume for 10 minutes, and it was not a comfortable experience. "I've never worn a G-string before, and I can't recommend it to anyone," he says.

Equestrian Australia said it had an "obligation" to investigate after "concerns were raised" about Rose's costume, though it's not clear what part of its code of conduct he was accused of breaking. After the suspension was announced last week, many Australians expressed support for Rose. Wallaby Hill sponsor Bowral Kubota, a farm machinery supplier, said all attendees next year will get free mankinis "to embrace Shane's sense of humor," the Times reports. (More equestrian stories.)
Some presidential pardons are turkeys, sure. But a newly discovered one has echoed through the centuries to be particularly meaningful to the current president. On Sept. 1, 1864, an order from President Abraham Lincoln freed Moses Robinette from a military prison where he was incarcerated after being court-martialed over a fight in a Union Army camp during the Civil War. Robinette was President Biden's great-great-grandfather. David J. Gerleman, a historian, documents the case in the Washington Post , using National Archives records. The tale is "an unknown piece of Biden family history," Gerleman says, as well as an untold Civil War story.

The fight was between Robinette and another civilian employee of the Army, John Alexander, who took issue with something he overheard Biden's ancestor say to a cook in a mess tent in March 1864. During the ensuing cursing, Robinette, a veterinary surgeon, pulled out a pocketknife. The brief fight left Alexander, a brigade wagon master, bleeding from several wounds. Watchmen arrested Robinette, Gerleman writes. Biden's relative was charged with inciting "a dangerous quarrel," as well as assault with "attempt to kill." Testimony in the court-martial described Robinette as "full of fun, always lively and joking," though witnesses disagreed about whether he was intoxicated at the time.

The judges' verdict was unanimous, per the Post, and he was convicted of all charges except attempted homicide. Robinette was sentenced to two years' hard labor and sent to a military prison on the Dry Tortugas islands near Key West, Florida. Three Army officers who knew Robinette petitioned for his conviction to be overturned, telling Lincoln it was overly harsh for a case of self-defense. They assured him Robinette had been "ardent, and Influential  in opposing Traitors and their schemes to destroy the Government." In late August, the president wrote an order that read: "Pardon for unexecuted part of punishment. A. Lincoln." Robinette returned to farming and lived until 1903. His obituary didn't mention his conviction but called Robinette a "man of education and gentlemanly attainments." His great-great-grandson now keeps both a portrait and a bust of A. Lincoln in the Oval Office. (More President Biden stories.)
Thai prosecutors said Monday that further investigation is needed to decide whether to bring former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to trial on charges of defaming the monarchy, just a day after he was freed from a prison sentence on other counts he was serving in a hospital. Thaksin was released on parole Sunday from the hospital in Bangkok where he served 6 months for corruption-related offenses, the AP reports. He had been in self-imposed exile since 2008, but he returned to Thailand in August last year to begin serving an eight-year sentence, which was reduced to one year by royal decree . The attorney general's office announced earlier this month it had revived an investigation into whether Thaksin almost nine years ago violated the law against defaming the monarchy, a crime punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

Thaksin was granted parole earlier this month because of his agehe is 74and ill health, leaving him free for the remainder of his one-year sentence. Thaksin was briefly detained Sunday by police from the Technology Crime Suppression Division as he left Bangkok's Police General Hospital but was allowed temporary release to return home as it was not a working day for the prosecutor's office, Prayuth Bejraguna, a spokesperson for the Office of the Attorney General, said at a news conference on Monday. Prayuth said the attorney general has taken into consideration Thaksin's statement in his own defense and decided to order a further investigation of his case. He was ordered to return to the office on April 10.

Thaksin became prime minister in 2001 after using his telecommunications fortune to build his own political party and promoting populist policies. He was easily reelected in 2005, but ousted by a 2006 military coup after being accused of corruption, abuse of power and disrespect for the monarchy. Thaksin's return to Thailand last year came the same day that the Pheu Thai partythe latest incarnation of the party he originally led to power in 2001, and for which he is considered the de facto leaderwon a parliamentary vote to form a new government. Thai studies scholar Kevin Hewison tells the AP that the charge against Thaksin may be left pending as a threat to keep him in line, in case his political activities are seen as unacceptable. (More Thaksin Shinawatra stories.)
UPDATE

Feb 23, 2024 1:00 AM CST

Authorities released further details Thursday on the slayings of two police officers and a firefighter-paramedic amid a standoff in Minnesota over the weekend. The three men responded to a a domestic situation at a Burnsville home around 1:50am Sunday, the AP reports. "The officers entered the home and negotiated with [Shannon Cortez] Gooden for about three and a half hours in an effort to get him to surrender peacefully," the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension says in a statement. "At about 5:26am, Gooden opened fire on the officers inside the home without warning." Gooden continued to exchange fire with officers as they retreated from the home before fatally shooting himself.

Feb 19, 2024 7:25 PM CST

The Minnesota man who killed two police officers and a firefighter-paramedic on Sunday had a criminal record going back nearly 20 years and was barred for life from owning firearms, authorities say. The gunman who opened fire on first responders in the Minneapolis suburb of Burnsville was identified Monday as Shannon Cortez Gooden, 38. Authorities said he took his own life after the Sunday morning standoff, the Star Tribune reports. Fox 9 reports that according to court documents, Gooden was convicted of disorderly conduct in late 2004 and arrested for disorderly conduct and domestic assault in early 2005. He was convicted of felony assault after fighting with family members at a mall in 2007.
The funeral of a trans activist that was held at Manhattan's iconic St. Patrick's Cathedral went viral last week, and now the Archdiocese of New York is speaking out against it in no uncertain terms. Cecilia Gentili, who died at age 52, was a "pillar" of the city's trans community, and a former sex worker who became "a fierce advocate for sex workers and people with HIV/AIDS," per CNN . She was also an atheist, though she grew up Catholic in Argentina. She was eulogized as "Saint Cecilia, mother of all whores"; shown on a mass card with a halo over her head and surrounded by words including both "blessed" and "transvestite"; and some of the more than 1,000 mourners (who showed up wearing "feathery red dresses, fishnet stockings, and lace veils," per CNN, and danced in the aisles at times) changed the words of the hymn "Ave Maria" to "Ave Cecilia," the Washington Post reports.

The archdiocese responded harshly Saturday, two days after the funeral, expressing "outrage" in a statement that decried the "scandalous behavior" of mourners. "The Cathedral only knew that family and friends were requesting a funeral Mass for a Catholic, and had no idea our welcome and prayer would be degraded in such a sacrilegious and deceptive way," the rector said in the statement. "That such a scandal occurred at 'America's Parish Church' makes it worse." The cathedral held a rare "mass of reparation" to atone for the funeral and "cleanse" the cathedral, the New York Post reports.

Not everyone was on board with the church's reaction. "Jesus welcomed everybody. He didn't say if you're one thing or another, you're outside the tent," says one Catholic lawyer who attended the funeral. A funeral organizer says no information about Gentili's gender identity or sexuality was offered to the church during the planning process: "If a cisgender person's family organizes their funeral, does their family tell the church that they were cis? If not, why is that being asked of us?" An opinion piece at CNN says the church's response lacked "compassion, humanity," and indeed, "Christianity." (More Catholic Church stories.)
Russian President Vladimir Putin has gifted North Korean leader Kim Jong Un a Russian-made car for his personal use in a demonstration of their special relationship, North Korea's state media reported Tuesday. The report didn't say what kind of vehicle it was or how it was shipped. But observers said it could violate a UN resolution that bans supplying luxury items to North Korea in an attempt to pressure the country to abandon its nuclear weapons, the AP reports. Kim's sister, Kim Yo Jong, and another North Korean official accepted the gift Sunday and she conveyed her brother's thanks to Putin, the Korean Central News Agency said. Kim Yo Jong said the gift showed the special personal relationship between the leaders, the report said.
London police said Tuesday they "strongly believe" that they've pulled out from the River Thames the body of a man suspected of chemically attacking his former partner and her two young daughters, leaving the woman hospitalized with life-changing injuries. The Metropolitan Police said the crew of a passing boat reported seeing a body in the water near the Tower of London on Monday afternoon. Detectives inspected the body after it was recovered by the Met's Marine Policing Unit and concluded it was that of 35-year-old Abdul Ezedi, per the AP .

Three weeks ago, police launched a nationwide manhunt for Ezedi after the attack in the Clapham neighborhood of London on Jan. 31 that involved a strong alkali. Images of Ezedi captured after the attack revealed he suffered significant injuries to the right side of his face. On Feb. 9, Met officials, having watched closed-circuit television images, said they thought Ezedi had probably "gone into the water." "Based on the distinctive clothing he was wearing at the time of the attack and property found on his body, we strongly believe we have recovered the body of Ezedi," said Commander Jon Savell on Tuesday. He added that formal identification by visual means, or via fingerprints, wasn't possible, given the time the body had been in the water.

"We will work with the coroner on other ways to complete formal identification, such as DNA testing and dental records," Savell said. "That may take some time." Savell said the condition of the 31-year-old mother of two has improved and they hoped to be able to speak to her as soon as she's well enough. He said she remains in the hospital in stable condition but is no longer sedated. Police said soon after the attack that the two children were not as badly injured as first feared. British media reported that Ezedi is an Afghan refugee who was granted asylum despite being convicted of a sex offense in Britain in 2018. Ezedi's asylum application was initially rejected, but he later was permitted to remain in the UK after claiming that he'd converted to Christianity, per the Daily Telegraph. The investigation into the attack is ongoing.

(More London stories.)
A Moscow court ruled Tuesday to keep Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich in custody pending his trial on espionage charges that he denies. As the AP reports, the Moscow City Court rejected an appeal against Gershkovich's detention filed by his lawyers, upholding an earlier ruling to keep him behind bars until the end of March. The court's order means that Gershkovich, 32 will spend at least a year behind bars in Russia after his arrest in March 2023 while on a reporting trip in the Ural Mountains. Gershkovich and the Journal have denied the espionage allegations, and the US government has declared him to be wrongfully detained. Russian authorities haven't detailed any evidence to support the charges. Gershkovich is being held at Moscow's Lefortovo prison, notorious for its harsh conditions.

Speaking with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson earlier this month, President Vladimir Putin said Russia is ready to negotiate a deal to exchange Gershkovich and hinted that Moscow wants the release of a Russian imprisoned in Germany. Putin charged that Gershkovich "was caught red-handed when he was secretly getting classified information," while adding that "I believe an agreement can be reached." He pointed to a man imprisoned in a "US-allied country" for "liquidating a bandit" who had allegedly killed Russian soldiers during separatist fighting in Chechnya.

Putin appeared to refer to Vadim Krasikov, a Russian serving a life sentence in Germany after being convicted of the 2019 killing in Berlin of a Georgian citizen of Chechen ethnicity. German judges said Krasikov acted on the orders of Russian authorities, who gave him a false identity, passport, and resources to carry out the killing. German officials have refused to comment on if there had been any effort by Russia to secure a swap of Krasikov and Gershkovich. Earlier this month, a Moscow court remanded a German citizen in custody on drug smuggling charges after his arrest over possession of cannabis gummies. Patrick Schobel, 38, who was detained at Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg last month, told authorities he brought the gummies to have a better sleep on long flights.

(More Evan Gershkovich stories.)
This story has been updated with new developments. Authorities delivered a tragic update Tuesday on the search for 11-year-old Texas girl Audrii Cunningham, who had been missing since she didn't show up for school on Thursday. Polk County Sheriff Byron Lyons said Audrii's body was found in the Trinity River on Tuesday, CNN reports. The sheriff said authorities are awaiting information from the medical examiner's office on the cause of death. Meanwhile, some new details have emerged about the man in custody who's described by police as the "main person of interest" in the case.

Don Steven McDougal told Polk County authorities that he left the Cunningham residence with Audrii the morning she disappeared, reports the Houston Chronicle. The 42-year-old is a friend of Audrii's father and had dropped her off at her bus stop multiple times and sometimes drove her to school, authorities say. He lives in a camper behind the family home, per KHOU.
A Russian soldier who defected to Ukraine in a dramatic fashion last summer has been murdered in Spain, reports the BBC . Authorities there identified a bullet-ridden body found in the port city of Alicante as that of Maksim Kuzminov, per the AP . In August, Kuzminov flew his Russian military helicopter into Ukrainian territory and turned himself in, saying he opposed Vladimir Putin's invasion. Kuzminov then decided to leave Ukraine for Spain and may have been living under a new identity. He was shot multiple times and run over by a car, say police.

After Kuzminov defected, a Russian television station aired an ominous threat, notes the Washington Post. "We will find the man and punish him to the full extent of the law of our state for treason," said one of three masked men identified as members of Russia's military intelligence. "We have long arms." Another added that Kuzminov "will not live to see the trial." On Tuesday, the head of Russia's foreign intelligence service did not take responsibility for the murder but suggested it was justified.

"This traitor and criminal already became a moral corpse at the moment when he was planning his dirty and terrible crime," said Sergei Naryshkin. Ukraine officials said they had offered Kuzminov protection to remain in Ukraine, but he apparently thought he was safer elsewhere. "What we know is that he invited his ex-spouse to join him and then he was found shot to death," said a spokesperson for Ukraine intelligence. (His death comes on the heels of that of Alexei Navalny.)
/

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The White House says it is preparing additional "major sanctions" on Russia in response to opposition leader Alexei Navalny's death in an Arctic penal colony. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the sanctions, on the eve of the two-year anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, "will be a substantial package covering a range of different elements of the Russian defense industrial base, and sources of revenue for the Russian economy that power Russia's war machine, that power Russia's aggression, and that power Russia's repression."

National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Tuesday that the US had not determined how Navalny had died, but insisted that the ultimate responsibility lay with Putin, the AP reports. "Regardless of the scientific answer, Putin's responsible for it," he told reporters. Brian Nelson, the Treasury Department's Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, is in Europe this week to continue working on Russia sanctions ahead of the two-year anniversary. Policy experts have advanced an array of proposals meant to starve Russia of the money it needs to continue its invasionfrom seizing the nation's Central Bank funds housed largely in Europe to lowering the Group of Seven price cap in Russian oil.

"The global coalition imposing unprecedented sanctions on Russia's war machine has thrown sand in the gears of the Kremlin's efforts to equip and supply its military," the Treasury department said last week. "President Biden recently expanded Treasury's authorities to target those funding Russia's war production effortseven if they're located in third countriesand Treasury is aggressively pursuing those who attempt to evade our sanctions." (More Alexei Navalny stories.)
"Police have also laid charges over an aggravated robbery near Opononi."

Eight charges have been laid against two men over a series of incidents in Omapere and Opononi over Northland's Anniversary Weekend.



The 26- and 47-year-old men are due to appear in the Whangarei District Court on February 21 and 26 respectively for offences relating to vehicle crime.



"They have been charged with offences including unlawfully taking a motor vehicle, three counts of theft ex-car and receiving property," Det Snr Sgt Clayton said.



The 26-year-old has been charged with aggravated robbery after he allegedly approached a tourist sleeping in their vehicle off State Highway 12.



"His vehicle was allegedly vandalised before the victim was subjected to an assault which left him badly shaken," Det Snr Sgt Clayton said.



"The man's belongings were taken at the time, but we have also recovered some of this property when arrests were made late last week."



In a separate investigation, a second man has been charged over an incident on Mangakahia Road on the Coromandel Peninsula last week.



Police initially advised that a 47-year-old-man was charged in the investigation but "as a result of our enquiries we have now charged a 52-year-old man over the incident, and he has been jointly charged with two counts of assault with a weapon," Det Snr Sgt Clayton said.



"These incidents have created numerous victims and inflicted harm against our community, in which we have seen violent and brazen acts being carried out."



The investigation continues and further arrests are possible.



Police are also asking anyone who saw a white Toyota Prado around the Twin Bridges area last Thursday, February 15 to come forward.



"The incident occurred, on Mangakahia Road, at around 10:20am on 15 February 2024," police said.



Police want to hear from anyone who saw the 4WD vehicle parked near a petrol tanker or in the surrounding area.



If you witnessed the vehicle, please contact Police on 105 or go online to https://www.police.govt.nz/use-105 using 'Update My Report'.



They ask that people reference file number 240216/4453.



Information can also be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.


Collins contested the Auckland Mayoralty in 2022, but lost to Wayne Brown who secured the role with a 54,000 vote majority.

After the loss, Collins said he believed his ethnicity may have been a factor.

His first foray into local politics was as a member of the Otara-Papatoetoe Local Board in 2013.

After one term on the board, he was elected to Auckland Council for the Manukau ward, where he was the councillor until 2022.

Collins was born in Auckland's Middlemore Hospital, down the road from his family's current apartment in Otahuhu.

He told Newshub last year that as the youngest of six in a Samoan Family "you have very little voice, if any voice at all".

Collins' mother was a cleaner at Middlemore and his father was a Pentecostal church minister and a taxi driver who worked long hours.

His father's involvement in the church meant the family's life was split between two distinct worlds.

"A lot of things we were doing at school kind of contradicted what we were doing at home," he said at the time.

Collins and his family spent time throughout his childhood between Auckland and Samoa.

"We were challenged by the New Zealand world and the Samoan world, trying to get the best of both and understand that we were navigating two very different cultural worlds," he said.

He played softball and rugby as a child, "but in comparison to my brothers I was useless, so I needed to find something for me that I could be known for".

This led him to try debating, where he excelled at University.

"I met so many different people at University and I realised there were lots of people who didn't go to church," he said.

While studying metaphysics, Collins was told by his lecturer God is a woman, "And I thought 'Oh my gosh, wait till I tell dad that God's a woman'.

"So, I went home, and he said, 'Oh my goodness, what are we going to do?' We were confounded by all of this."

Collins saw University as the coming together of different ideas, but faith has remained a core part of his life.

"As I've evolved as a person, I've realised there are some things that I held really strongly, and now those are things that I'm flexible with," he said.

Around 10 years ago, Collins came out against marriage equality.

"As my thinking has evolved, I accept that people love in different ways, that people are allowed to love the way they choose."

Collins had apologised to many, particularly the Pasifika rainbow community, "because I know people were hurt by those comments".
He is expected to begin the new role on July 1 and Barbara Edmonds will take over as Labour's finance spokesperson.



Tributes for Robertson, who has been a member of Parliament for 15 years, have flowed.

Labour leader Chris Hipkins told the media he will miss Robertson's friendship.

"In many of the significant events that have happened in my life outside of work, Grant has been... one of the people who I've spoken to most about that," Hipkins said.

"I'll certainly miss him; I'll miss his contribution to our team of course but, that's the nature of politics - people come and people go."

Speaking in the House, both PM Christopher Luxon and Finance Minister Nicola Willis thanked Robertson for his service.



"I would like to congratulate him on his foresight and wish him well for his future," said Willis.

"Can I just acknowledge Grant Robertson's announcement of his retirement today," said Luxon.

"I thank him for his service in this place in Parliament, and also in Government, and wish him well for the future."

Te Pati Maori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer said it was sad to see Robertson go.



"He's been an excellent advocate," she said. "I wish him well."

Labour's Twitter account posted simply "thank you, Grant" along with a heart sign.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain's Crown Prince and Prime Minister His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa has issued a directive to begin consultations with various stakeholders, including the Legislative Authority, private sector, professional institutions, and civil society organisations, to collaboratively draft the Bahrain Economic Vision 2050.

This comes in line with His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifas directives to ensure providing the best for the present and future of Bahrain. HRH Prince Salman added that the new framework, to be launched by year-end, should encapsulate a vision that mirrors the ambitions and aspirations of todays society.

His Royal Highness underscored that the Bahrain Vision 2050 will be a starting point for the next phase of development, prosperity, and advancement for the Kingdom, as it is recognised as the home of leadership and achievement and an oasis of safety and coexistence for all. HRH Prince Salman was speaking as he chaired the weekly Cabinet Meeting at Gudaibiya Palace yesterday.

Growth and prosperity

His Royal Highness observed that to capitalise on the attained growth and prosperity, the Bahrain Economic Vision 2030 was introduced and launched in 2008.

This initiative aimed to delineate the Kingdoms national aspirations in line with the principles of fairness, sustainability, and competitiveness. HRH Prince Salman underscored the importance of the governments cooperation with the Legislative Authority to ensure ongoing development aligns with the envisioned goals, facilitated by programmes spanning across all legislative terms.

His Royal Highness directed to continue evaluating the progress made on Bahrain Economic Vision 2030 goals and to pursue efforts to foster efforts to meet the goals of the Vision. With six years remaining until completing the Bahrain Economic Vision 2030 goals, His Royal Highness acknowledged the diverse achievements accomplished thus far, attributed to Team Bahrains efforts guided by His Majesty the Kings visions.

The Cabinet highlighted the strength of relations between Bahrain and the UAE, which continues to receive the support of both HM King Hamad and the President of the UAE, His Highness Shaikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The Cabinet commended the outcomes of HH Shaikh Mohamed bin Zayeds visit to Bahrain, which reflects the depth of the Bahrain-UAE partnership.

The Cabinet further highlighted the importance of the discussions held by HM the King and the Amir of the State of Kuwait, His Highness Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. In this regard, the Cabinet reviewed the outcomes of the successful visit made by the HH the Amir of Kuwait to Bahrain and its importance in furthering the long-standing partnership that benefits both countries and their peoples.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

The Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Bahrain Section honoured Mr. Faisal Al Mahroos, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Bapco Upstream, for being one of the founders of the International Petroleum Technology Conference (IPTC).

Mr. Al Mahroos is one of the leading figures of the oil and gas sector. His dedication and contributions span over decades and have been invaluable to the industry in Bahrain and beyond, reaching out across the MENA region and the Eastern Hemisphere.

He has received several key awards at local, regional, and global arenas. The IPTC was launched back in 2005 to provide a separate event for industry professionals in the eastern hemisphere. Along with founders Nasser Al Jaidah, Mahmood Abdul Albaqi, and Dr. Pinar Yilmaz, Mr. Al Mahroos recognized the importance of creating a platform for collaboration and knowledge exchange in petroleum technology, setting a new standard for inclusivity and collaboration, while fostering innovation and networking among global professionals.

His never-ending efforts are truly commendable and will undoubtedly resonate with the Oil and Gas industry and the Kingdom of Bahrain for the generations past, current and ones to come.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait (BBK), Bahrains pioneer in retail and commercial banking, has announced the launch of the new Al Hayrat scheme for 2024.

The overall prize pool of BD 2.5 million will be distributed to more than 350 lucky winners throughout the year and until January 2025.

Over the course of the year, Al Hayrat customers will have the chance to win many monthly prizes, with a grand draw that will be in January 2025 for an amount of more than BD 1 million. Besides the staggering amount of cash prizes, the scheme also includes luxury cars, 1KG gold bars and many other surprises to be revealed during the year.

Ahmed Taqi, General Manager of Retail Banking at BBK, commented: "We are excited to announce the launch of the 2024 Al Hayrat scheme.

The scheme was carefully designed in response to the suggestions and recommendations of our customers as well as continuing with Al Hayrats legacy of providing life-changing prizes.

Our strategy of rewarding as many customers as possible remains, with focus on our loyal customers.

This initiative follows the remarkable success of last years scheme, where 69 winners were rewarded with prizes totaling BD 1.9 million.

Taqi added: This years scheme stands out with a significantly larger number of winners and prizes compared to the previous year. We are awarding two lucky winners with BD 500,000 each. Throughout the year, we will award exciting prizes like large cash prizes, luxury cars, and 1KG gold bars.

In January 2025, we will be celebrating our Grand Draw in a ceremony where more than BD 1 million will be distributed to 119 winners, with winners receiving BD500,000, BD200,000, BD100,000 and BD50,000, BD10,000 and other prizes.

"With that, we encourage customers to deposit more and increase their chances of winning. We also extend an invitation to everyone to join us in becoming one of the fortunate winners by opening a new Al Hayrat account," he said.
TDT | agencies

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Taiwan and India on Friday signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signaling a willingness to make India a source of migrant workers in Taiwan, the Ministry of Labor said.

The two countries will hold meetings to iron out details before a formal announcement on the policy is made, the ministry said in a statement issued Friday.

According to the MOU, Taiwan will have the final say on how many Indian migrant workers it will let in and in which sectors they are allowed to work, the ministry said.

The prepared documents were signed by Taiwan representative to India Baushuan Ger and his Indian counterpart Manharsinh Laxmanbhai Yadav virtually at a video conference, it said.

The ministry said it will notify the Legislature of the MOU and its content.

If the two sides agree to go through with the plan in subsequent meetings, a small-scale trial will be carried out, with priority given to those workers who have a certain level of education or good command of English, the ministry said.

Qualified Indian workers will receive training in Taiwan and be recruited in accordance with relevant laws on both sides, the ministry added.

Meanwhile, a Cabinet official, who asked not to be identified, said Taiwan will not bring in 100,000 Indian migrant workers as some news outlets previously reported, sparking a small-scale protest in Taipei last year.
The CST Foundation partnered with The Social Research and Demonstration Corporation (SRDC) to study the Canada Learning Bond's impact twenty years after its creation.

TORONTO, Feb. 20, 2024 /CNW/ - The CST Foundation (CST) and the Social Research and Demonstration Corporation (SRDC) today released new research designed to better understand the impact of the Federal Canada Learning Bond (CLB) program on Canadian families. Created in 2004, the CLB was designed to kick-start education savings for young Canadians from low-income households; to receive the CLB the eligible children must open a Registered Education Savings Plan ("RESP"). As an expert in education savings, CST identified a number of unanswered questions related to the CLB, and partnered with SRDC to answer them leveraging four Statistics Canada-managed data sources to.

New Research on the Canada Learning Bonds Impact on Post-Secondary Education Savings Behaviour (CNW Group/Canadian Scholarship Trust Foundation)

The report seeks to answer three questions:

How are CLB funds distributed based on year of birth and family income?

What can the data tell us about the impact of the CLB on personal education savings?

What can explain the lower take-up of the CLB among rural Canadians?

The key findings from the study include:

The CLB is not reaching the lowest income families or children in care . In 2016, only 10% of eligible children living in households with an income under $10,000 and 7% of children and youth in care received the CLB.

. In 2016, only 10% of eligible children living in households with an income under and 7% of children and youth in care received the CLB. The CLB does not close the gap in education savings between low- and high-income families . While children born immediately after the CLB took effect were more likely to have an RESP account opened soon after birth compared to those born before, there was no evidence indicating that this change in early education savings specifically influenced account ownership among low-income families. Children in low-income households remained less likely to have an RESP.

. While children born immediately after the CLB took effect were more likely to have an RESP account opened soon after birth compared to those born before, there was no evidence indicating that this change in early education savings specifically influenced account ownership among low-income families. Children in low-income households remained less likely to have an RESP. Children in rural areas are less likely to receive the CLB: 26% of urban children have received the CLB compared to 12% of children from the most rural areas . While there has been no difference in overall awareness of the CLB between urban and rural parents, rural parents are less likely to open an RESP for their children, resulting in lower CLB allocation compared to those in urban areas. When the analysis is controlled for other characteristics (such as parental education and household income), the rural-urban difference is not statistically significant.

. While there has been no difference in overall awareness of the CLB between urban and rural parents, rural parents are less likely to open an RESP for their children, resulting in lower CLB allocation compared to those in urban areas. When the analysis is controlled for other characteristics (such as parental education and household income), the rural-urban difference is not statistically significant. Access to the CLB varies considerably across Canada . It is highest in Quebec , Ontario , and British Columbia ; and lowest in Nunavut , Northwest Territories , Yukon , and Saskatchewan . Newcomers are more likely to receive the CLB compared to second and third-generation children. Inuit, Metis, and First Nations children have the lowest CLB access rates, while Filipino and Chinese children have the highest.

"CST is a passionate advocate for ensuring that all Canadians have the financial resources to pursue post-secondary education" said Sherry MacDonald, President and CEO, CST Foundation. "We are proud of our history as the pioneers of education savings in Canada and will leverage this research to shape our dialogue with Federal and provincial governments. The research underscores the importance of our work to contribute to the public discussion of improving post-secondary education access. We remain dedicated to continuing to advance the goal of ensuring that all Canadians, regardless of their background, have access to important tools such as the Canada Learning Bond."

"The Canada Learning Bond is clearly not universally accessible, and many low-income children miss out on this education funding due to administrative and awareness barriers," said Reuben Ford, Research Director, SRDC. "Although a larger share of children in more recent birth cohorts have an RESP, we have found minimal evidence that initiatives like the CLB have narrowed the gap between RESPs held by lower- and higher-income children. While our findings point to interventions that could increase take up under the existing CLB policy framework, changes to the CLB policy itself may be needed to increase accessibility."

Read the full report here.

About the Canadian Scholarship Trust Foundation

Founded in 1960, the Canadian Scholarship Trust Foundation is dedicated to helping Canadian families access post-secondary education. Through philanthropy, discovery, advocacy and by sponsoring the Canadian Scholarship Trust Plans to help families save for post-secondary education, CST continues to deliver on its mission. The Foundation rewards hard working and community minded Canadian students through scholarships, bursaries and awards programs. CST has helped over 800,000 students achieve their post-secondary dreams.

About SRDC

The Social Research and Demonstration Corporation (SRDC) is a non-profit research organization created to develop, field test, and rigorously evaluate new programs. Our two-part mission is to help policymakers and practitioners identify policies and programs that improve the well-being of all Canadians, with a particular concern for the effects on the disadvantaged, and to raise the standards of evidence used in assessing these policies. Since our establishment in December 1991, our SRDC team has conducted over 450 projects and studies for various federal and provincial departments, municipalities, and other public and non-profit organizations. We have offices in Ottawa and Vancouver and satellite offices in Calgary, Hamilton, Montreal, Regina, St. John's, Toronto, and Winnipeg.

SOURCE Canadian Scholarship Trust Foundation

For further information: CST Foundation: Alexa Ciufo, Communications Lead | [email protected]; SRDC: Wallaa Daramlly, Digital Communications Manager | [email protected]
WINNIPEG, MB, Feb. 20, 2024 /CNW/ - Vexxit, the trailblazer online marketplace for legal and accounting services, is making an important return to the market with an unwavering commitment to its mission: everyone, regardless of their location, background or financial standing, should have ease of access to a high standard of professional expertise. Founded with a commitment to democratizing legal support, Vexxit provides a revolutionary platform connecting Canadians with a network of 200+ experienced professionals and 150+ in-demand services.

Barriers to accessing legal services no longer a thing thanks to Canada's online legal and accounting marketplace, Vexxit. Post this Canadians: access to lawyers & accountants is made simple by Vexxit  Canada's online legal and accounting marketplace. Looking for help with your legal and accounting needs? Dont know where to start when it comes to finding a lawyer or accountant? And at a price point you can afford? Start smarter. Start with Vexxit. Get access to accredited, trustworthy lawyers and accountants through Vexxit and check items off your legal and accounting to-do list. Vexxits online legal and accounting marketplace offers: cost-certainty through fixed price services, access to 150+ legal and accounting services, access to 200+ accredited professionals and 9 consultation products, for when you dont know what service you need but know you need legal help/accounting help Get matched with an accredited lawyer or Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) in as little as 3 minutes. Visit www.vexxit.com today.

Vexxit was born out of a deep understanding of the challenges Canadians face in seeking legal assistance; many of Vexxit's founders and investors came from the justice system themselves. One of the primary shareholders today is Mr. David Asper, recognized by many Canadians from his crucial role representing and overturning the David Milgaard case, one of Canada's most notorious wrongful conviction cases.

The traditional legal system often proves daunting, costly, and time-consuming. One 2023 report by National Magazine, the official periodical of the Canadian Bar Association, found that nearly 80% of Canadians with legal problems go unassisted by lawyers currently. Recognizing this gap, Vexxit set out to dismantle barriers, making legal expertise accessible to all.

The Vexxit platform covers a spectrum of legal services, from family law to employment law to wills and estate planning, ensuring that Canadians land on the right product and right expert for their unique needs. Better still, Vexxit has attached fixed prices to all services, shared upfront, removing the barrier of cost uncertainty.

"At Vexxit, we believe everyone deserves fair and equal access to legal support. Our platform empowers Canadians to take control of their legal journey, offering a simple and effective solution to life's legal challenges," says Rick J. Duha, CEO of Vexxit.

Why should Canadians care? Vexxit represents a paradigm shift in accessing legal services. With Vexxit, Canadians gain power, resolving their legal needs with the professional they handpick, all without the intimidation of the conventional legal system and unknown costs. Vexxit is not just a platform; it's a movement towards a more accessible and equitable legal landscape in Canada.

In addition to legal services, Canadians can also access taxation and accounting services through Vexxit and their network of Chartered Professional Accountants.

SOURCE Vexxit

For further information: For media inquiries, contact: Susan Findlater, Chief Marketing Officer, Vexxit, [email protected], 226-980-5027
Israel in the Gaza War has had a total number of air strikes that is 39% of the number of airstrikes that the US Air Force performed in the 1991 Gulf War.

The Israel Air Force has carried out strikes against more than 31,000 targets belonging to Hamas and other terror groups since the war began, mostly in Gaza (29,000 targets), but also in Lebanon and other fronts, racking up over 186,000 flight hours. Of the strikes, 26,000 were carried out by fighter jets, 3,800 with attack helicopters, and 3,800 with drones.

The 31000 strikes compares to 80,000 sorties performed by the US Air Force in the 1991 Gulf War. The US flew close to 80,000 sorties out of overall 116,000 sorties from the entire multi-national coalition. Israels war is not done yet. Israel does not have B-52 or B-1 bombers to the tonnage of bombs is far less.

The US F-16s flew nearly 13,500 sorties in the Gulf War. This was the highest for any system in the war. The F-111 flew over 4,000 sorties with a high mission capable rate.

The Israeli Air Force (IAF) flies the F-15, F-35, and F-16 fighter jets that have been launching airstrikes in the Gaza Strip since the October 7, 2023, terror attacks on Israel by Hamas militants. As of November 8, 2023, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) operates 50 F-15 A/B/C/D variants and 25 F-15 I aircraft. The IAF also has about 224 F-16 Sufa and Barak in operation.

Israels F-16 in this 2023-2024 war were probably used nearly twice as much as the US used F-16s in the Gulf War.

Israel has about fifty F-35s and will get another 25 delivered in 2024 to reach 75 F-35s.
There are some claims that surface to air missiles can shoot down SpaceX Starships when the US military starts using them in a few years for cargo missions. The people who make these claims have not looked at the specifications of surface to air missiles. A SpaceX Starship will be much harder to shootdown than an ICBM. It is like an ICBM with massive course change capabilities.

A shoulder launched surface to air missiles has a top speed of mach 2.5 and can reach an altitude up to 2 miles. The kill zone for shoulder launched surface to air missiles is up to 1 miles. They are trying to hit helicopters or airplanes that are flying low.

A SAM-5 surface to air missile is a larger missile with a top speed of mach 4 and reaches an altitude up to 19 miles. Passenger airplanes have a cruising altitude of 33,000 to 40,000 feet (6-8 miles).

The Russian S-200 SAM has a maximum altitude of 180,000 feet (55 km or 34 miles).

Regular surface to air missiles can target any SpaceX launch towers or Starships on the ground. They would basically be shooting surface to surface.

High Altitude ICBM Interceptors

ICBM interceptors are trying to hit ICBMs that have used up their fuel and are just dropping to their targets. This is an overhyped capability, where the ICBM has no counter-measures. The tests barely worked when the interceptor crews were given advance notice and clear ICBM flight plans. The tests still often failed. It is generally expected that it will take four interceptors to have high probability of taking out an ICBM just dropping to its target. The interceptors will have to be directly in the flight path of the ICBM.

As of early 2019, the Russian army had around 200 THAAD rockets and 40 launchers. A typical THAAD battery has nine launchers that can load 72 interceptor missiles. The enhanced S-300VM/VMK is capable of intercepting ballistic missiles with a range of 2,500 km re-entry speeds of 4.5 km/s, whereas the S-400 is claimed to be capable of intercepting ballistic missiles with a range of 3,500 km which equates to re-entry speeds of 4.8 to 5 km/s. Russias main anti-ICBM capability is around Moscow. If SpaceX does not fly Starship within 600 miles of Moscow then most of Russia THAAD capability is avoided. Russia Moscow THAAD are nuclear tipped missiles. Russia uses some nuclear ICBMs as interceptors.

The US THAAD interceptor has a reported maximum speed of mach 8, and THAAD has repeatedly proven it can intercept descending missiles. THAAD has a top altitude of 93 miles. The operational range is 120 miles.

As of 2018, the US has seven active Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) batteries.

A THAAD battery has:

Seven fire units

Two mobile tactical stations

Six launchers

360 interceptor missiles

Two spares for each of the fire units, mobile tactical stations, and launchers.

Here is the flight altitude and speeds for a shorter range Starship flight. In about 2 minutes, SpaceX Starship gets to over 60 miles of altitude. SpaceX has talked about 39 minutes to fly from New York to Shanghai. This is speeds about mach 16 (over 12000 mph).

In order to shoot down SpaceX Starship, the Starship would have to fly towards the known THAAD batteries and perform no course changes after detecting THAADs in the air. The SpaceX Starship can turn on its engines again while in the air. They will do this to land. In 30 seconds of thrust, a SpaceX Starship can change where it is going to 100 miles. Starship can get out of range of THAAD and avoid interception.

According to a 2021 CBO estimate, each additional Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery costs about $800 million to procure and $30 million per year to operate. SpaceX Starships under mass production of hundreds per year will cost about $5 to 10 million each.




Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 elections, has backed the ongoing discussion on the creation of state police in the country.

Obi in a post on his X handle on Monday condemned recent attacks and abductions by bandits in some parts of the country.

On Friday, six people were killed while at least five others were abducted in an attack by bandits on the Kwasam community, in Kauru LGA of Kaduna.

In the early hours of Sunday, 11 people were killed during another attack by bandits in Gindin Dutse Makyali village of Kufana district, in Kajuru LGA of Kaduna.

The federal government recently set up a committee to explore the creation of state police in Nigeria.

The former Anambra governor described the move as a welcome development.

"While the idea of State Policing as discussed recently by the President and the 36 States Governors, is a welcome development, and while looking forward to its implementation, which may still take a while, all efforts, at the moment, should be geared towards ending the ugly trend of insecurity in the nation," Obi wrote.

"We should not just wait for the proposed state Police to do the magic while we become lackadaisical and allow criminals to run riot like the recent reports in Zamfara and Kaduna states.

"Waking up every day to the sad news of terror attacks around the country remains very worrisome.

"A terrorist attack was also reported in Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State where six persons were reportedly killed and about 50 abducted. What is more worrisome is that these terrorists now boldly target security agents.

"Just yesterday, bandits were said to have attacked a police station in Zamfara killing the Divisional Crime Officer, DCO. These and many other violent attacks and kidnapping-for- ransom in the country should keep the government and security agencies on their toes.

"Such a high level of insecurity when combined with the high level of hunger and poverty in the country, forms a perfect recipe for disaster in our nation."

Obi further said all possible measures should be taken to fight insecurity across the nation.

"We must therefore take all possible measures to ensure the security of lives and property in our dear nation," he added.

"I urge the government and our security agencies to expedite action on ending these terror attacks on the Nigerian people and ensure that every Nigerian is free to live securely in every part of the nation.

"I commiserate with the families who have lost dear ones to these violent attacks in the nation while praying for the safe rescue of those in captivity."

Uba Sani, governor of Kaduna, has also called for the creation of state police.




The Minister of Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Mr Nyesom Wike, has asked illegal occupants at the proposed Abuja Technology Village site, along Airport Road, to vacate the area.

Wike gave the directive when he visited the area in Abuja on Monday.

The former Rivers State governor was accompanied by the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Mr Uche Nnaji.

The minister said that he would direct the Department of Development Control to issue the illegal occupants an ultimatum to leave, adding that the indigenous community in the area had been compensated since 2015.

I am not impressed with what I am seeing. We dont lack the political will. If you dont take action, people will not believe that anything is possible.

I will call the Development Control Department and give them an ultimatum for these people to leave. They have been compensated since 2015.

I urge those who settled here illegally to know that we will not hesitate to move them out. No amount of campaign will stop us from doing the right thing, he said.

Wike advised the management of the Abuja Technology Village to take possession of the space, fence the area and show some level of presence.

He explained that he invited Nnaji to accompany him to the site so that he could take control of the place and see how investors could come in.

Wike asked the management of the Technology Village to send him an estimate of what would be required to erect a befitting office on the site.




The Nigerian Senate is currently in a heated debate over the N29 trillion Ways and Means funds by the immediate past administration.

Although a debate over the funds had progressed seamlessly, trouble started when Senator Ali Ndume, representing Borno South Senatorial District insisted that the Senate had acted illegally by allowing funds drawn from CBN, and expended for the parliament to approve.

Details in a moment




The Ohanaeze Ndigbo has cautioned Igbo youths against the planned nationwide protest against President Bola Tinubu-led federal government amid the hardship Nigerians are currently experiencing.





Ohanaezes President-General, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, warned that Igbo youths are usually arrested and prosecuted with serious charges when they join protests against the Nigerian government.





Speaking in Enugu, Iwuanyanwu described the current economic crisis in Nigeria as unfortunate, stressing that he would convene a meeting of top Igbo economists and experts to strategize on how to overcome the hardships.





As your leader, I am directing that no Igbo group or community in Nigeria or the diaspora should join any protest against this government.





I am still studying the situation and I have asked those who made entreaties to me to tell me what their position was prior to the current administration.





I have asked what they did when Igbo land was disenfranchised in the past, he said.





Igbos are opposed to military rule and prefer a democratic government where we can express our views.





Youths all over the world are very restive and sensitive to issues affecting their future. In Nigeria, Igbo youths and youths from other tribes at various times have expressed their dissatisfaction with events in the country.





It is clear to us that when youths from other tribes of the country are involved, they are reprimanded and forgiven but when Igbo youths get involved they are arrested, incarcerated and even charged for serious offences.





For example, the arrest and detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu generated a lot of problems for Igbos.





Many Igbos, including governors, lawmakers, religious leaders, traditional rulers, and business leaders pleaded for the release of Mazi Kanu without success.




Former Nigerian head of state and one of the founding fathers of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, Yakubu Gowon, has turned down the invitation to intervene in the crises ravaging the regional body.





The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in collaboration with ECOWAS Commission, had invited newsmen to a press conference with Gowon at the ECOWAS Commission Headquarters, Abuja.





He was to speak on the current state of affairs at the regional level, with regards to coups and subsequent threat by the Republic of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso to exit the organization and perhaps, proffer lasting solutions to the challenge.





The three military juntas in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger on January 28, announced their intention to exit ECOWAS over allegation of the regional body becoming a threat to its members, being under the influence of foreign powers and of betraying its founding principles.





They also accused the regional body of not supporting them in their fight against terrorism and insecurity, while imposing illegal, inhumane and irresponsible sanctions against them, following coups.





Recall that ECOWAS has been calling on the three countries to return to civilian rule by imposing sanctions and denying them plans for lengthy democratic transitions.




Mercy Aigbe has called on Seyi, son of President Bola Tinubu, to speak with his father to do something about the current economic hardship in the country.

The actress made the call after Seyi urged Nigerians to be patient with his father and endure the current economic hardship.

In a social media post on Monday, Seyi said Nigerians need to endure the trying times for a better future.

His remark however attracted a wave of backlash across social media platforms.

While some users tackled him over his opulence lifestyle, others wondered if patience in Tinubus government would pay their bills or feed them.

Joining the fray, Aigbe lamented that the present situation of the country is terrible, adding that citizens are hungry and dying.

The film star also appealed to Seyi to speak with his father to reduce the struggles of the masses.

People are hungry, people are dying, people are going out of their minds. The present situation of the country is terrible, she wrote via her Instagram page.

The government should please, please we are begging, they should do something about this economic hardship.

Its unbearable @officialasiwaju bat. @seyitinubu please beg your father for us. O to ge.

The development comes at about the same time when many Nigerians staged protests against the economic hardship in the country.

Residents in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital, took to the streets on Monday to decry the state of the country.

The labour union also announced a nationwide protest on February 27 and 28 over the rising cost of living.

Food prices have been on the rise since Tinubu pronounced an end to the petrol subsidy regime on May 29, 2023.

There have also been reports about an imminent increase in the cost of fuel from N585.




The Nigerian Federal Government has begun setting up the E-Gates facility at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport located in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.





The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed this through his official X account following his inspection tour of the installation work underway at the international airport in Abuja on Monday.





He said the E-gates facility will be implemented at all of Nigerias five international airports.





Today (Monday), I took a tour of ongoing projects. First, the E-Gates facility is currently being installed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, he said.





Tunji-Ojo indicated that he evaluated the implementation of the E-border data and control centre at the Nigeria Immigration Service headquarters, targeting an enhancement of national security.





Recall that the Minister in November last year unveiled plans to implement E-gates in the Nations international airports by February 2024.




The Federal Government has asked the Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, to refrain from issuing unenforceable orders and judgements.

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, who represented FG at the opening session of the statutory meeting of the ECOWAS Judicial Council, held in Abuja on Tuesday, said it was important for the regional court to pay attention to the peculiarities of member states.

He decried that some judicial pronouncements that emanated from the ECOWAS court, were practically incapable of enforcement.

Besides, the AGF said there was dire need to promote and deepen alternative dispute resolution measures within the region.

He said: Let me use this opportunity to commend the distinguished justices of the Community Court who have continued to work tirelessly to adjudicate over cases in a manner as to inspire confidence in the Courts ability to meet the demands of litigants, that is, resolution of disputes.

By so doing, the Court contributes to the maintenance of peace and stability in the region. The various national judicial systems in member States are also expected to play these critical roles of nation and regional building.

You may recall that in January 2005, the Community adopted the Additional Protocol to permit persons to bring suits against Member States. The jurisdiction of the ECOWAS Court of Justice was expanded to include cases of violations of human rights in all Member States.

The language of the Additional Protocol also made it clear that the sources of law to be applied by the Court under its original Protocol would include not only general principles of international law, but also human rights laws.

The extensive jurisdiction conferred on the ECOWAS Court therefore calls for recruitment of jurists with extensive experience, expertise, high moral character and discipline. It is for this reason that the ECOWAS Judicial Council was established in 2006 and charged with the responsibility for recruitment and discipline of judges of the Community Court of Justice.

It is worthy of note that the ECOWAS Judicial Council plays a crucial role in advancing justice delivery and access to justice by recruiting individuals with requisite experience and capacity to handle the myriad of cases brought before the Courts.

As we are all well aware, we are in an era where the foundational principles of the Economic Community of West African States are being tested and this reinforces the need for the Communitys Justice System to respond appropriately to contemporary issues in order to engender justice, fairness and inspire confidence in Community citizens.

It is therefore critical that the Community Court of Justice continues to undergo necessary reforms to bring it in tandem with the current exigencies and manage the challenges associated with justice delivery in the region.

The Court must adopt strategies that strengthen its jurisdiction, whilst appreciating the jurisdictional boundaries of the Court and limiting unnecessary conflict with domestic laws of member States.

It is important for the Court to pay attention to the peculiarities of member States and refrain from issuing orders and judgments that are practically incapable of enforcement, the AGF added.

In his opening address, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, who is the Chairman of the ECOWAS Judicial Council, said the body would continue to play a vital role towards ensuring a more just, peaceful and integrated West Africa.

The CJN said the Council was determined to safeguard the autonomy of courts and judges so as to ensure fair and impartial adjudication of disputes.

However, he advocated for the unification of laws within the ECOWAS region.

In a region characterized by diverse legal systems and traditions, the harmonization of laws and legal practices is essential for promoting regional integration and cooperation, the CJN stated.

On his part, the President of ECOWAS Commission, Mr. H. E. Omar Touray, said the meeting, which had Chief Justices of ECOWAS member states in attendance, would help the region to address issues affecting the effective operation of the Community Court and to ensure excellence, high standards of conduct among the judges with regard to their independence, impartiality, and diligence.

The enforcement of the judgements of the Community Court has remained a major issue in the effective delivery of the mandate and responsibility of the judicial institution to the community citizens.

The supplementary protocol relating to the Community Court provides a role for the national judicial institutions in the enforcement of these judgements. I believe that it is time for deliberate action to be taken to address this challenge.

In this era, where instability and insecurity are overwhelming our community, the role of the justice sector is crucial in conflict prevention, through the promotion and defence of the rule of law and human rights.

It is therefore crucial to institutionalise a more regular meeting of the Judicial Council to ensure that the activities of the Court benefit from the regularly review and guidance of the Council, he added.
A former teacher in Bergen County was arrested Friday and charged with sexually assaulting a student while she was a teacher at Garfield Middle School.

Amy Dovidio, 46, of Pompton Plains, was jailed on aggravated assault and other charges after she was arrested in Paramus, according to Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella.

Garfield police on Feb. 10 notified members of the prosecutors office to report a teacher had engaged in sexual conduct with a student at the middle school, Musella said in a statement.

Dovidio, who is no longer working at the school, engaged in sexual conduct with a student who was between the ages of 13 and 17, Musella said.

The sexual conduct occurred at the middle school, at a home in Cedar Grove, and in a vehicle in unspecified locations in Bergen, Essex and Passaic counties, Musella said.

Dovidio was charged with first-degree aggravated sexual assault, second-degree sexual assault, second-degree endangering, and third and fourth-degree aggravated criminal sexual contact.

Online court records on Tuesday did not list attorney information for Dovidio.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription.

Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on X @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
A volunteer with the Battleship New Jersey was rescued from the ships lower decks after he fell while working at the historic vessel Tuesday morning.

The fall was reported around 10 a.m., Camden County police said. A spokesperson from the battleship said the volunteer was several decks below one of the ships turrets when he fell multiple feet.

First responders brought the volunteer to the upper decks around 11 a.m., officials said. The man suffered minor injuries, said Jack Willard, a spokesperson for the battleship museum. Crews transported the man up at least four levels to reach the main deck, Willard said.

Circumstances surrounding the fall were unclear, Willard said, adding that the victim may have slipped. Standard procedure calls for workers injured onboard the ship to be sent to Cooper University Medical Center, located several blocks away.

The battleship today serves as a museum and is docked at the Camden Waterfront near the Adventure Aquarium and the Freedom Mortgage Pavilion. Officials did not expect the fall to hinder normal business operations later Tuesday, Willard said.

Officials last week said they were preparing to remove the ship from its berth along the waterfront to be dry-docked at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard for restoration.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the local news you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription.

Eric Conklin may be reached at econklin@njadvancemedia.com.
A man who drowned in the Delaware River more than 20 years has been identified as a New Jersey resident after a genetic genealogy search, officials said.

Investigators made little progress on the cold case for more than 19 years until December 2022 when Bensalem, Pennsylvania police said they obtained hair samples from the Bucks County Coroners Office that were collected when an autopsy was performed on the man following his death in 2003.

Detectives sent the hair samples to a private laboratory which assembled a DNA profile. The nonprofit agency Cold Case Initiative funded an investigative genetic genealogy search of public DNA databases, Bensalem police said.

That search led investigators to Edward Nece, who on Oct. 19, 2023 told authorities that he hadnt heard from his son in two decades, Bensalem police said.

Nece, who spoke to police on the 20th anniversary of his sons disappearance, provided a DNA sample which was compared to the man who drowned.

Tests confirmed the DNA match for his son  Edward Anthony Nece, of Riverside in Burlington County.

Neces son was discoverer by two fishermen in a drainage area on the Yellow Freight property off State Road in Bensalem in October 2003, authorities said. The man had no identification and there was no trauma to his body. An autopsy determined he had drowned, but investigators never learned how that took place.

Although police obtained partial fingerprints at the time, none matched any known fingerprints in a national database. Authorities also collected DNA samples  hair and finger nail clippings  before the man was buried in Doylestown Cemetery in Pennsylvania.

Officials said investigators continued to work to identify him until the 2022 breakthrough.

Bensalem police didnt disclose Neces age at the time he drowned but the National Missing and Unidentified Persons Systems said the missing man was between 30 and 40 years old.

Bensalem police couldnt immediately be reached for more information.

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Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com.
The start of Daylight Saving Time, when clocks are turned forward an hour, is less than three weeks away.

Daylight Saving time will begin at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 10, 2024.

The sun will set at around 6 p.m. in New Jersey on March 9. The following day, after the time shift and the end of standard time, sunset is at 7 p.m. The sun will, however, rise nearly an hour later  at about 7:16 a.m. on Sunday, March 10, after coming up at 6:18 a.m. on Saturday, March 9.

In the meantime, sunset is later than 5:30 p.m. each day with the sunrise about 6:45 a.m.

Daylight Saving Time, sometimes incorrectly referred to by the plural Daylight Savings Time, begins the second Sunday in March and ends the first Sunday in November.

When does Daylight Saving Time end in 2024?

This year, Daylight Saving Time ends on Nov. 3, 2024 at 2 a.m.

Until 2007, Daylight Saving Time began at 2 a.m. on the first Sunday in April and ended at 2 a.m. on the last Sunday in October.

While most states change clocks for Daylight Saving Time, there are some holdouts.

Most of Arizona and all of Hawaii does not observe Daylight Saving Time. In addition, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa and the U.S. Virgin Islands do not participate in Daylight Saving Time.

Indiana didnt start observing Daylight Saving Time until 2006.

The Uniform Time Act of 1966 allows states to exempt themselves from observing Daylight Saving Time.

Four bills were introduced in the state legislature in New Jersey in 2022 that would establish Daylight Saving Time as the official time year-round, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Two are pending, but any bill would need authorization of the U.S. Congress to be implemented as federal law does not allow year-round Daylight Saving Time

Last week, a state senate committee in Oregon passed a bill to end Daylight Saving Time as well, according to KPTV.com

While the U.S. Senate passed the Sunshine Protection Act in March 2022, the House of Representatives didnt act on it so it never reached the desk of President Joe Biden.

In 2023, 12 U.S. senators re-introduced the bill to make Daylight Saving Time permanent.

Nineteen states have either passed resolutions or passed legislation calling for permanent Daylight Saving Time, the NCSL said.

A CBS News poll in 2022 showed 46% of Americans prefer year-round Daylight Saving Time, with 33% wanting year-round Standard Time and the remaining 21% happy to continue to switch back and forth.

Benjamin Franklin is credited with coming up with the notion of making better use of the days light. While visiting Paris in 1784, Franklin came to believe that sunlight was being wasted during the day. In a joking letter to the editors of a Paris newspaper, Franklin proposed a tax on all Parisians whose windows were closed after sunrise.

He believed that this would encourage the economy of using sunshine instead of candles, according to Michael Downing, author of Spring Forward: The Annual Madness of Daylight Saving Time.

During World War I, the German Empire implemented an idea that most resembles the Daylight Saving Time that we observe today.

Believing that it would conserve fuel during the war, the German Empire in 1916 became the first to switch its clocks to save daylight.

In 1918, the U.S. enacted the first Daylight Saving Time law as a way to conserve fuel. It was reintroduced during World War II.

The U.S. put nationwide, year-round daylight saving into effect during World War II starting on Feb. 9, 1942, thinking it would help conserve energy, according to the U.S. Department of Defense. Nicknamed War Time, it remained in effect until September 1945 when Japan surrendered.

In 1973, President Nixon signed into law the Emergency Daylight Saving Time Energy Conservation Act, which made DST permanent in the U.S. This helped reduce confusion throughout the country with some regions of the U.S. participating in the practice and some regions opting out. The law was redacted less than a year later, though.

A common misconception is that Daylight Saving Time was implemented as a way to improve farming practices. However, this is a myth.

During the early adoption of the practice in the U.S., farmers were among the biggest opponents of Daylight Saving Time, believing that it would disrupt their farming practices.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com.
A roundup of conversations we're having daily on the site. Subscribe to the Reckon Daily for stories centering marginalized communities and speaking to the under-covered issues of the moment.

A California legislator introduced a first-of-its-kind bill that would allow colleges and universities in the state to hire undocumented students to help pay their tuition fees.

Undocumented students are ineligible for federal financial aid such as Pell Grants, student loans and work study.

AB 2586, also called the Opportunity for All Act, could make California colleges the nations first to let undocumented students work on-campus jobs.

America has always promised that if you work hard, you will have the opportunity to succeed, Assemblyman David Alvarez, who authored the bill, said in a release. These students have fulfilled their obligation and are ready to be our future teachers, scientists, doctors and public servants. Creating these pathways to secure employment is essential.

The proposed legislation would prohibit the University of California, California State University and California Community College systems from disallowing a student without proof of federal work authorization from applying to campus jobs. Exceptions include employment opportunities that have federal and grant requirements.

Should the bill pass, each public college campus in California would treat Title VIII  which prohibits the hiring of unauthorized aliens  as inapplicable because the federal law does not indicate that it applies to state governments. The legislation would be implemented within 90 days after its signed into law.

About 45,000 undocumented students in California are not eligible to apply to campus jobs because of their status, Alvarez said. This bars students from educational opportunities like graduate student research, teaching assistant positions and medical residencies.

As an undocumented student deeply engaged in advocacy for our community, this legislation is much more than just a symbol of hope; it embodies the power of our united efforts, said Abraham Cruz Hernandez, a UCLA student and organizer with the Undocumented Student-Led Network (USN). It supports our ability to learn and earn, lifting the barriers imposed on us simply because of our immigration status.

The legislations introduction comes weeks after the University of California Board of Regents determined that an initiative to allow undocumented students to work on-campus jobs was not viable at this time. UC officials had said they would find a way around hiring restrictions for students who dont have protections under DACA or federal work authorization, but they missed their self-imposed deadline last November before killing the initiative altogether.

Undocumented UC students and California labor groups have long demanded equal access to jobs on campus through the Opportunity for All campaign. Last month, 25 students from the USN organized a hunger strike in anticipation of the UC Regents decision.

Across the country, more than 400,000 undocumented people are enrolled in institutions of higher education, representing nearly 2 percent of all college students, according to the Higher Ed Immigration Portal. Each year, 98,000 undocumented students graduate from high school, but only 5-10 percent enroll in postsecondary institutions, according to data from TheDream.US, which operates in more than 20 states but not in California.

California has been leading the nation on passing legislation on behalf of the Dreamer community and the state has benefited greatly from expanding opportunities and access to undocumented students, said Gaby Pacheco, the president and CEO of TheDream.US, in a statement.

Twenty-four states provide in-state tuition to undocumented students. Of those states, 18 allow them access to state financial aid. Other states have varying policies or none, while Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina prevent enrollment for undocumented students in some or all public colleges, according to the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.

We must invest in our future workforce, and remove barriers that have for far too long prevented immigrant students from enjoying fair and equal treatment in employment, Kent Wong, the project director for labor and community partnerships at the UCLA Labor Center, said in a statement. This is beneficial to our students, to our colleges and universities, and to our society at large.

The bill is expected to be heard in committee on March 16.
When Yoshinobu Yamamoto signed with the Dodgers, all the Yankees could do was gather their bearings and move on.

They made a valiant effort in pursuing the Japanese ace, feeling good about their pitch in free agency while offering a contract worth $300 million over 10 years.
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Watertown, NY (13601)

Today

Occasional snow showers. High 38F. Winds WSW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of snow 100%. About one inch of snow expected..

Tonight

Cloudy with snow showers mainly during the evening. Low 27F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 50%.
It's been more than 200 years since scores of slaves escaped a LaPlace plantation and marched along the Mississippi River toward New Orleans in what is thought to be the largest slave revolt in American history. Now the land that served as a catalyst for the uprising is Black owned for the first time.

Officials with The Descendants Project announced last week that the Black-led nonprofit had officially acquired the 1811 Kid Ory Historic House on Jan. 12, almost exactly 213 years after the 1811 slave revolt that made the former plantation infamous.

Dr. Joy Banner, who co-founded The Descendants Project with her sister, Jo Banner, delivered the news on Feb. 15 while standing outside what was once the main house of the Andry Plantation, the starting point of the 1811 revolt.
Faimon Roberts III covers rural communities in Louisiana. His work is supported by a reporting grant from the Microsoft Journalism Initiative and is administered by the Greater New Orleans Foundation.

He can be reached at froberts@theadvocate.com.
The tax deal struck by lawmakers and Gov. John Bel Edwards to balance this years budget will end Louisianas state sales tax holidays for seven years. When lawmakers renewed 0.45 percent of an expiring 1 percent state sales tax, they also reworked sales tax breaks. Louisianas revenue department says that means shoppers wont see annual state sales tax holiday weekends through mid-2025. Story by Associated Press.
FILE - Second-grade students select their meals during lunch break in the cafeteria at an elementary school in Scottsdale, Ariz., Dec. 12, 2022. On Friday, Feb. 3, 2023, U.S. agriculture officials proposed new nutrition standards for school meals, including the first-ever limits on added sugars, with a focus on sweetened foods such as cereals, yogurt, flavored milk and breakfast pastries.
Someone shot and killed Kameran Bedsole in the 4700 block of Jasper Road in New Iberia on November 14. He was pronounced dead on the scene.
North Devon District Hospital wants to build a two-storey building for administrative staff to free up space for clinical services in its main tower block.

The Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has applied for planning permission to convert a redundant concrete structure on the eastern boundary of the Barnstaple hospital.

It will free up 630 square metres of space near the hospitals boiler and facilities office.

The concrete bund which will form the base of the new building was once used to house oil tanks before these were decommissioned and removed.

Agents David Wilson Partnership said the proposal would provide the hospital with flexible space in an area which isnt currently used.

The new building would be tucked into the sloped landscape to reduce its mass above ground, they said in an application to North Devon Council.

This will make way for improving the hospitals clinical facilities within the hospital itself which will be essential for the future needs of the local and wider North Devon community.

The Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust said the greatest risk to the hospital is future capacity.

It said that the significant number of administration staff needed to be housed on site but not directly next to patient-facing clinical care.

North Devon District Hospital (NDDH) was one of 40 of the countrys hospitals prioritised for investment by the government in 2020.

It is the most remote acute hospital in mainland England and many of its buildings are over 50 years old, which can result in challenges delivering care, the trust says.

Included in the hospital programme is new on-site staff accommodation (phase one), a new block delivering a range of acute care services (phase two) and refurbishment of the main tower to deliver in-patient ward-based accommodation (phase three).

It is expected that the final build will take place in the latter half of the decade.
Napoleon, OH (43545)

Today

Occasional snow showers. High 39F. Winds NW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of snow 40%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. A few flurries are possible. Low 27F. Winds W at 15 to 25 mph.
With Deputy Aaron Myers on patrol in Sisters, the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office (DCSO) Sisters contingent is once again fully staffed, with three deputies and a lieutenant operating out of the local substation.

Deputy Myers is new to the Sisters office, but he has 16 years of experience with DCSO, serving six of those years as assistant coordinator for the DCSO Search and Rescue Unit.

Deputy Myers told The Nugget that he sought the open position in Sisters because "there's a great group of people who work here (and) Sisters is a great community." He said he 'thought it would be a very good assignment.'

The deputy grew up in Bend, and his career path was set from his youth.

"I've always wanted to do law enforcement, since I was a kid," he recalled. "The draw to law enforcement is to help people, and help people when they need you the most."

Myers started his law enforcement career in corrections, then moved to patrol before taking on the SAR position. He is full of admiration for the volunteers who work search and rescue. The volunteers bring wilderness skills to bear to help people in one of the most active outdoor recreation environments in the nation.

"They're great people who volunteer to help out the community and help the people who recreate in Deschutes County. They do it for free, which is phenomenal."

Myers is an outdoorsman himself.

"I like camping, I like the outdoors, just being outside," he said. "The family (his wife and two young daughters) really enjoys the summers in Central Oregon. We don't have as many winter activities."

Deputy Myers had patrolled in Sisters "occasionally," before the City of Sisters' contract with DCSO was enhanced to provide a dedicated cadre of "City" deputies. Now he's part of a team whose duties specifically revolve around Sisters.

"I'm very excited to be here," he said.
How do I get featured in the media? Its a question I hear a lot. Business owners, nonprofits, event producers, entrepreneurs, artists: they all ask.

The answers reflect my experience as a freelance writer and editor for approximately four zillion years. Ive been Senior Editor for a branding and interactive agency in New York; Ive written restaurant reviews for alternative weeklies. Music and performance critic, horoscope columnist, early Internet content creator, you name it, Ive probably written it.

The Nugget may be especially dear to my heart, but Im not on its staff. I also work frequently with Plazm, a branding, design, and creative content firm in Sisters and Portland. Im their consulting editorial director, again not on staff. This is all to say that my opinions here are my own  not Plazms, not The Nuggets.

So. How does one get media attention? You probably know youre supposed to buy ads, send out press releases (PR), do social media, place public service announcements. Or something.

In a larger organization, on-staff professionals will create a communications plan and oversee its execution. In-house pros frequently request that outside firms and freelancers bring in their wider perspectives and expertise. Thats why humongous corporations like Nike, rock stars like Sting, and cable channels like SyFy dont even blink at paying me and my colleagues to help.

But at heart, Im rooting for the little guyfamily businesses and useful nonprofits. Its frustrating to see how the big guys can afford outside help where smaller orgs cant. The big guys also have the institutional history, knowledge, and experience to understand the value of outside helpers, and the long-term return on investment on marketing and communications expenditures.

Can your little organization afford what a global corporation can? Probably not. But you can save up, understanding that  especially if your organization grows you may need professionals later.

In the meantime, you can show discernment in your outreach efforts. Figure out whats worth focusing on, experimenting with, or committing to (even if it means ending your sentence with the occasional preposition).

Most companies do not need a robust, time-consuming presence on every social and search platform, for example. In fact, good coverage in traditional media such as newspapers, TV, magazines, and radio can drive social and get shared.

Lets say you decide to focus on local media coverage. Today well use the example of co-housing, a cool way of approaching housing, community, and property ownership. When an international co-housing advocacy group had trouble attracting media interest for their local co-housing communities, I advised them along these lines:

1. Be timely. Frame your story to highlight something thats happening right now. People enjoy co-housing is not a story the journalist can sell to her editor. However, Baby Boomer retirees seek community housing in record numbers is a story. We are having another co-housing conference is barely a story. Taylor Swift just posted from a co-housing space in Copenhagen; learn more at our annual conference is a story.

2. Creatively contextualize the role of your event or community in the larger culture. Ride on current trends. The Boomer retirement issue is a long trend that will need new coverage angles for years. Tiny houses, Airstream trailers, loneliness among senior citizens, reducing carbon footprints, and reducing houselessness are subjects of great interest. Is there an angle on one of these, relative to your co-housing community?

3. The media likes good visuals. Your co-housing community will have a booth at the street fair? OK, yawn. How about: your communitys booth is sponsoring free face-painting for all kids. Hire a good makeup artist. Invest in excellent photography of cute kids in wild face paint, in your co-housing courtyard. Now we have a story! You can use these photos for years to come.

4. Integrate your PR efforts with all your outreach and events. Make sure they are on-brand and in keeping with your strategy and mission. Smaller orgs and companies often squander their time and money on scattershot efforts.

5. Target your journalists and media outlets. Do your research. Most of the PR Ive received in my kazillion-year career has been irrelevant to my coverage, a waste of my time. Show that you care enough about your story, and the journalist or publication, to pitch something relevant to them.

Sending a press release to AARP? Quote Joan Baez in it, use statistics relevant to retirees. Sending PR about that same event to an urban alt-weekly? Open with a snarky paragraph and quote a hip DJ or chef.

6. Over time, build relationships with your media-folk; well talk more about that in an upcoming column.

7. Format things the way each media outlet likes them to look. Always include the essential who, what, where, when, how, and why within the first two paragraphs.

8. Triple-check your facts: time, address, spelling of the photographer credit, etc. Dont make your journalist sweat to find quality information! Make your PR easy to turn into a real story.

9. Hire a professional. Some folks build their own houses; most of us hire a contractor. A lot more people attempt to do their own marketing, communications, and PRbut theyre about as qualified to do the job as I am to build you a house.

Hope these items are useful! Reach me at [email protected].
Two of the Region's largest health care providers, Community Healthcare System and Franciscan Health, are dropping some insurance plans, potentially affecting thousands of patients across the Region.

Franciscan Health will no longer accept Managed Health Services and CareSource Indiana Medicaid Managed Care Plans. Community Healthcare System will no longer take Aetna Medicare Advantage and Humana Medicare Advantage.

Franciscan Health hospitals and Franciscan Health Physicians Network doctors notified patients it will drop the Indiana Medicaid Managed Care Plans as of March 20.

"Last year alone, Franciscan Alliance provided over $800 million in community benefits which included a sizeable amount of unreimbursed Medicaid and Medicare expenses. Due to lack of financial feasibility, Franciscan Alliance was forced to withdraw participation from two Indiana Medicaid Managed Care Plans," Franciscan Health said in a statement. "Franciscan Alliance will continue its efforts to meet the needs of the community and expects to remain participating with traditional Indiana Medicaid and two other Medicaid Managed Care plans. Patients can select an alternative Medicaid plan that Franciscan participates in during their individual specific enrollment period."

Community Health System is discontinuing Aetna Medicare Advantage and Humana Medicare Advantage plans as of June 1.

"Administration of Medicare Advantage plans makes it difficult to provide care to patients because of unreasonable denials and delayed payments. Community Healthcare System has decided to discontinue to participate with Aetna and Humana Medicare Advantage plans. We are committed to serving the Medicare population and maintain a relationship with Original Medicare and other Medicare Advantage plans offered in our area," a Community spokesperson said. "The June 1 timing fits within the requirements of our agreements with each payer. We have notified patients during Medicare Advantages Open Enrollment period, which is available through March 31, 2024. This gives patients the time and opportunity to change plans should they choose to do so."

Affected Community patients still have time to enroll in a new plan.

"Medicare Advantage plans make it difficult to provide care to our patients by denying access to post-acute providers and by denying care recommended by patients physicians," the Community spokesperson said. "Medicare offers Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment period from Jan. 1-March 31 for members who have a Medicare Advantage plan as of Jan. 1, 2024. During this time, many of those members can choose to switch to another Medicare Advantage plan or choose Original Medicare."
VALPARAISO  A 42-year-old Valparaiso man faces a felony charge of neglect of a dependent after allegedly overdosing on drugs while babysitting four children, according to a court document.

David Dishno is further charged with a felony count of possessing cocaine or a narcotic drug, and misdemeanor possession of paraphernalia, records show.

Police said they were called out shorty before 6:30 p.m. Feb. 9 to a residence in the 1000 block of Elizabeth Drive where they found Dishno overdosed in the basement requiring medical care from officers and medical professionals.

At the time of his overdose, he was babysitting four children ranging in age from 10 to 5, police said. The mother of the children was reportedly at work.

Region man guilty of molesting girl at least 300 times, jury decides The girl said as she resisted on one of those occasions, Adams struck her in the head, causing her to momentarily lose consciousness, police said.

Officers said they found a white powdery residue on a tray and on a rolled up dollar bill in a dresser drawer. The residue was determined to be a narcotic drug, according to police.

Dishno was released from the Porter County Jail on a $1,500 cash-only bond, records show.

His case is pending before Porter Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Clymer.
VALPARAISO  A local resident believes vandals targeted his property recently because of an Israeli flag he has posted out front.

The resident of the 2600 block of Woodbine Drive told police he walked out of his house Wednesday morning to discover someone had spray painted his driveway with the phrase, "We love to murder children," according to Porter County police.

He believes the message was painted in response to the Israeli flag he had hanging outside his house, police said.

The resident said he is not Jewish, "but believed because he supports Israel that he was targeted with this message."

Police said none of the neighboring homes had surveillance cameras.

Valpo man who overdosed while babysitting 4 children faces felony charges, cops say At the time of his overdose, he was babysitting four children ranging in age from 10 to 5, police said.

Photos were taken of the message, but police said they have no suspect, leads or witnesses.

The polarizing conflict between Israel and Hamas began Oct. 7 when Hamas militants invaded southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking 250 others hostage. Since then, more than 29,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israels military offensive, according to the Gaza Health Ministry which says the vast majority were women and children.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
PORTAGE  A 23-year-old Chicago man, accused of leading police on a vehicle chase reaching a speed of 100 mph, was reportedly concerned because he had marijuana in his possession, according to the incident report.

A Portage police officer said he was patrolling a local stretch of U.S. 20 around 11:12 a.m. Saturday when he spotted a westbound vehicle travelling 65 mph in a 45-mph zone.

When he turned to follow, the vehicle reportedly accelerated to 100 mph and ran a red light at County Line Road as the driver entered Gary, police said.

Valpo man who overdosed while babysitting 4 children faces felony charges, cops say At the time of his overdose, he was babysitting four children ranging in age from 10 to 5, police said.

The driver, later identified as Kyhale Ervin, continued ignoring red lights and nearly caused collisions with other vehicles, police said. The Portage officer eventually lost sight of the vehicle, but Gary police located the vehicle and took Ervin into custody.

A friend of the accused reportedly told police Ervin told her he had marijuana, which confused her as to why he would run from police "for such a simple thing," according to the report.

Ervin faces a felony count of resisting law enforcement and misdemeanor reckless driving, police said.
LAPORTE  Local police officers say they are not recognizing the recent appointment of Richard Buell as their chief, claiming his civilian status runs contrary to city code.

The officers, speaking through the local Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 54, call on Mayor Tom Dermody to correct the perceived wrong and replace Buell with one of the qualified internal candidates who applied for the department's top job.

"In the meantime, we recognize Assistant Chief Matthew Drangmeister as a legitimate officer who has earned his appointment, and we shall operate under his leadership until the time a new Chief is appointed," the FOP wrote in a letter addressed to "the citizens of LaPorte."

In their letter, the FOP said the mayor is required under local ordinance to name a police chief from within the department who has served five years within the ranks immediately prior to the appointment.

"It is our belief that the intent of the city ordinance was to limit the office of Chief of Police to a certified police officer with the authority to enforce the law and make arrests  Mr. Buell is neither of these things as a non-sworn, citizen appointee," according to the FOP statement.

The ordinance was also designed as a safeguard against the appearance of nepotism and corruption, the FOP said. The group said Buell's appointment contradicts these two principles, but did not elaborate.

"We ask our community to carefully consider the implications of our city's leadership being able to violate our codes and make changes to cover up their own wrongdoings," the FOP said.

But Dermody said his appointment of Buell was legal, and he said he expects the city's officers to honor Buell's appointment.

Dermody said the local code cited by the FOP is no longer in effect because a 1996 change in state law gave mayors the authority to hire police chiefs from outside their departments.

This is legal. The ordinance doesnt matter because its invalid, Dermody said Tuesday.

Dermody also questioned whether the definition of "outside the department" applies to Buell, since the first five years of his 30-year law enforcement career were spent with the LaPorte Police Department.

His credentials are second to none and we need a stronger leader to come in, Dermody said.

He said he didnt want to return to a time when officers complained about the police chief, prior to his appointment of recently retired Chief Paul Brettin in 2020.

The mayor also warned that any officer will be dealt with for ignoring the authority of Buell as chief.

I can tell you this. Insubordination will be addressed," Dermody said. "They will recognize him as the chief.

During a Feb. 5 swearing-in ceremony for Buell, the mayor said that there were five finalists for the position of chief and that Buell was "hands down" the right choice.

"I knew we had to find someone capable of carrying the momentum. Someone with the proper experience who cares about our community and would bring the same no-nonsense approach when it comes to protecting our residents," Dermody said that day.

Buell replaced Brettin upon the latter's retirement as chief after a 30-year law enforcement career, spent entirely in LaPorte.

Buell had worked for the LaPorte Police Department the first six years of his career before transferring to the LaPorte County Sheriff's Department, where he served as jail commander and then as executive director of LaPorte County Community Corrections.

He retired from law enforcement in 2019 before being brought back this month by Dermody.

At a City Council meeting Tuesday night, a potential vote to amend city code to specify the mayor's authority to appoint a chief from outside the department was withdrawn after the city attorney said state law had already invalidated the city's ordinance prohibiting that.

Police Officer Robert Metcalf said Tuesday night the FOP had communicated with attorneys who agree with their position that the chief must come from among the department's ranks. "As of right now, with this being a fluid situation, we don't know legally where we're going to be 24, 48, a week, two weeks from now," he said.
Alimat Aliyeva

More than 6.4 thousand trainee doctors have submitted their resignations in the Republic of Korea. Thus, they protested against the government's plan to increase the number of medical students, Azernews reports, citing Yonhap News Agency.

Already 6,415 trainee doctors in 100 hospitals have submitted applications for dismissal, and about 1,600 of them have already resigned.

The country's Ministry of Health has ordered 757 trainee doctors to return to work.

According to the latest data, there are about 13 thousand trainee doctors in the republic. There are not enough workers, but there have been no serious disruptions in the provision of medical services so far.

Some operations that do not require emergency intervention have been postponed. 12 military hospitals have opened, which have expressed their willingness to accept patients within their walls.

The increase in the country's medical school admission quota by 2,000 people is being implemented by the Government in order to address the shortage of doctors, especially in rural areas and in basic medical fields such as high-risk surgery, pediatrics and obstetrics. However, from the point of view of doctors, such quotas will jeopardize the quality of medical education and services.
Crown Point High School's student news program, CPTV News, recently won two National Production Awards from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, or NATAS.

The organization also presents the Emmy Awards.

Christopher Gloff, Madeline Degenhart, Eli Lane and Hailey Lloyd received the top award in the Newscast category for their QuickCUT news report.

It is the second consecutive year QuickCUT has won the best student newscast distinction.

Gloff also won Best News Report in the Serious News category.

The CPHS graduate, who was the 2023 Indiana High School Journalist of the Year, noted the combination of the student who worked hard, plus the high school and the school corporation supporting student journalism that made their achievements possible.

"It's unmatched anywhere else," he said.

Gloff is currently in his first year at Loyola University Chicago studying journalism.

In some school districts, it's the end of the snow day In some school districts, it's the end of the snow day The opportunities and barriers of swapping out snow days The future of the snow day
Michigan City's newly elected mayor Angie Nelson Deuitch will address the Gary Chamber of Commerce at its meeting and luncheon at noon March 11 at The Chateau Banquets at 530 W. 61st Avenue in Merrillville.

Attendees can learn about Michigan City's upcoming participation in the federal Economic Recovery Corps Fellowship program, which will help the city pursue redevelopment and revitalization projects.

"The cities of Gary and Michigan City were chosen for the Economic Recovery Corps Fellowship, a program launched in 2023 by the U.S. Department of Commerces Economic Development Administration. The fellowship will help reinvest and revitalize each city. Mayor Angie Nelson Deuitchs list of priorities was formed with one overarching goal in mind: to enhance the quality of life in Michigan City," the Gary Chamber of Commerce said in a press release. "Come out and welcome to our city Mayor Deuitch. Hear how the city of Gary mirrors the city of Michigan City, with both cities moving forward with Economic Development."

The cost of the luncheon is $25 per person and must be paid for in advance as it includes a food order. Networking starts at 11:30 a.m. before lunch is served so people are encouraged to bring their business cards and be ready to mingle.

Call the chamber office at 219-885-7407 for tickets.

For more information, visit garychamber.com.
MERRILLVILLE  Girls from across Northwest Indiana assembled pipelines out of plastic pipe segments to move a ping-pong ball across the room into a bucket without hitting the ground.

They learned how to detect a natural gas leak in the house and what to do about it at NiSources corporate headquarters in Merrillville. They got to talk to real-life women engineers to find out about careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Mathematics or STEAM.

NIPSCO, the Regions electric and gas utility, hosted its 13th annual Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day Event at its corporate campus Monday to observe the national Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day, which takes place Thursday.

"We get with girls of a young age, elementary school typically, to start introducing them to areas where they're typically underrepresented as they grow to adulthood like science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics and then spark that interest, let them learn a little bit about what we do at NIPSCO and what we do at the utility but also spark that general interest in those fields to try to drive more follow-through in those fields because we've got a lot of bright young minds in here, a lot of creativity and we want to foster that," NIPSCO President Mike Hooper said.

It takes place on President's Day since the kids are off of school.

About 70 students took part in live demonstrations on electricity and gas safety, as well as a panel of women engineers Monday. As many as 140 girls have taken part in past years but the exact amount depends on whether President's Day becomes a make-up snow day.

"When it first started it was a handful of tables of girls," he said. "But then the word got out. During the pandemic, we were virtual and assembled kits we sent to the kids' homes. We've been able to keep this thing going even through a worldwide pandemic. We seek to get more and more girls interested in science."

Students from Lake, Porter, LaPorte, Jasper and other Northwest Indiana counties take part every year. The hope is in part to create a pipeline of human talent for NIPSCO in the future.

"That's the goal. The goal would obviously be if some of these girls get an interest and end up working at NIPSCO but even more broadly it's about driving the general interest," he said. "We could be a spark in a young girl's mind around, 'I think I could go into engineering, I think I could become a physicist, I think I could be a scientist or a chemist' or something like that where they're under-represented."

NIPSCO aims to foster a love of math and science early. It uses hands-on activities, including learning about electric safety and gas safety explosive limits.

"We try to do something that fosters innovation and creativity, tries to draw out the creativity of these young ladies, who always exceed our expectations," Hooper said.

Slots for the Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day Event fill up quickly. This year, NIPSCO partnered with the Northwest Indiana Influential Women Association to bring in students and stage the event.

"This year they came to us as a nonprofit to help organize," Executive Director Andrea Pearman said. "But they didn't need much of our help. They've got this down pat. We spread the word and helped it get there and have past winners here. We're super excited because is to empower women in their careers."

The Crown Point-based nonprofit does networking, mentoring, educational and other events, including an all-day professional women's conference at the Blue Chip Casino in November.

Past Northwest Indiana Influential Women Association winners volunteered Monday, such as by judging group activities and serving on the expert panel meant to give girls the chance to see women succeeding professionally and learn what steps they need to take to follow suit.

"It's super important to develop the future professionals," she said. "It's about having them have interest early on and letting them know there are great opportunities here in Northwest Indiana. There are great-paying jobs. There are diverse jobs. We just need girls to know about these jobs. We embrace it whether they come to NIPSCO or go to one of our mills or they go to MonoSol or Urshel. We need girls in STEM. We need girls in every profession."

Students came from Crown Point, Portage, Valparaiso, Boone Grove, Hammond, Merrillville and other local school districts. Even some home-schooled students took part.

"Half our girls came from the Girl Scouts," Pearman said. "This is one of the things they're teaching these girls, these life skills as well."

The NiSource employee resource group DAWN, Developing and Advancing Women and NiSource, spends months every year organizing the annual event. It started to teach girls between the second and sixth grades about STEAM careers so they could learn they would have somewhere in the community to develop and grow, said DAWN President Aida Haigh, NIPSCO's manager of strategy and risk.

"We can find a home for them when they grow up and get degrees in engineering and science," she said.

Many employees' kids, including Haigh's daughter, participate.

"We have people that continue to come back and want to do this over and over," she said. "We have a different STEAM activity for them every year, so they're learning something different every year. I saw a couple of girls who were here last year who couldn't wait to come back this year."

NIPSCO seeks to educate girls early about career possibilities in STEAM, to plant the seeds when they're still more open to possibilities.

"By the time we get to high school, they feel like they know what they want to do," she said. "We want to open their eyes when they're younger, when they're not set on becoming a certain thing in their careers. We thought doing that at a younger age would help inspire them, will help leverage that growth mindset that they can be anything they want to be."
The Indiana House gave final approval Monday to legislation adjusting a policy at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles concerning driver's license suspensions.

Senate Enrolled Act 19 gives Hoosiers the opportunity to request an additional 90-day period to provide the BMV proof of insurance following a vehicle crash before their driver's license is suspended for noncompliance.

The sponsors of the measure  primarily hailing from Northwest Indiana  said they hope it prevents Hoosier motorists from having their driver's license suspended by the BMV following an accident without the motorist even realizing it because they missed the mailed notice or still were recovering in the hospital.

"Many people are surprised and caught off-guard when they learn their license has been suspended," said state Rep. Julie Olthoff, R-Crown Point, a House sponsor of the proposal along with state Rep. Hal Slager, R-Schererville.

The plan was approved 87-4 in the House after last month clearing the Senate by a 49-0 margin.

Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb soon is expected to sign the measure into law. It will take effect July 1.

The Region senators championing the legislation were state Sens. Dan Dernulc, R-Highland; Rick Niemeyer, R-Lowell; and Dave Vinzant, D-Hobart.

Meet the 2024 Northwest Indiana legislative delegation State Sen. Dan Dernulc, R-Highland State Sen. Lonnie Randolph, D-East Chicago State Sen. Dave Vinzant, D-Hobart State Sen. Rodney Pol Jr. State Sen. Ed Charbonneau, R-Valparaiso State Sen. Rick Niemeyer, R-Lowell State Sen. Mike Bohacek, R-Michiana Shores State Rep. Carolyn Jackson, D-Hammond State Rep. Earl Harris Jr., D-East Chicago State Rep. Ragen Hatcher, D-Gary State Rep. Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso State Rep. Pat Boy, D-Michigan City State Rep. Chuck Moseley, D-Portage State Rep. Mike Aylesworth, R-Hebron State Rep. Mike Andrade, D-Munster State Rep. Vernon Smith, D-Gary State Rep. Hal Slager, R-Schererville State Rep. Kendell Culp, R-Rensselaer State Rep. Julie Olthoff, R-Crown Point State Rep. Jim Pressel, R-Rolling Prairie
A plan to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies in Indiana by making long-acting reversible contraception immediately available to Hoosier women after they deliver a baby has won overwhelming approval in the House.

House Bill 1426, sponsored by state Rep. Rita Fleming, D-Jeffersonville, would require Indiana hospitals offer women who give birth in the hospital, and are covered by, or eligible for, Indiana Medicaid, the option of having a subdermal contraceptive implanted after delivery and prior to discharge.

According to the Mayo Clinic, the implant is a flexible plastic rod about the size of a matchstick that's placed under the skin of the upper arm. The implant releases a low, steady dose of the hormone progestin that prevents pregnancy by pausing ovulation for 3 to 5 years and generally making it more difficult for sperm to reach an egg.

With an implant, the user does not need to remember to take a daily pill or do anything else to prevent pregnancy. Removing the implant promptly restores fertility.

Fleming, a physician, said while it's typical for contraception to be discussed with new mothers at the post-birth six-week checkup, it's not unusual for low-income women served by Medicaid to skip that appointment and many that follow.

"For the women I cared for as a hospitalist, who walked in with no prenatal care and a positive drug screen, the likelihood of returning for a visit is just about zero. Yet these women desperately wanted a reliable contraceptive," Fleming said.

"The 18-year-old whose just had a baby  she's in high school  it's very difficult for her to leave school to return to the office. Yet we know that a recurring pregnancy, especially in a period of a year, is going to be very problematic for her."

Fleming noted about 50% of the 80,000 Indiana births a year are unintended, and more than half the pregnancies and deliveries in the state are paid for by Medicaid.

She said reducing unintended pregnancies and births by even 10% through improved access to long-acting reversible contraception would save $86 million a year, bolster public health and keep more women in the workforce.

"The health implications are significant. We know from our maternal mortality and morbidity reports that a short interval between pregnancies poses great health risks to mothers and babies," Fleming said. "It's a small price to pay for big benefits."

According to the measure, religious-based hospitals that object to the use of contraception could opt out of offering it by notifying the Indiana Department of Health.

The legislation was endorsed in the House by a 94-4 margin with the support by every Northwest Indiana lawmaker. It's next scheduled for review Wednesday by the Senate Committee on Health and Provider Services.

The proposal ultimately must be approved with identical language by the House and Senate to advance to Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb to be signed into law.

Meet the 2024 Northwest Indiana legislative delegation State Sen. Dan Dernulc, R-Highland State Sen. Lonnie Randolph, D-East Chicago State Sen. Dave Vinzant, D-Hobart State Sen. Rodney Pol Jr. State Sen. Ed Charbonneau, R-Valparaiso State Sen. Rick Niemeyer, R-Lowell State Sen. Mike Bohacek, R-Michiana Shores State Rep. Carolyn Jackson, D-Hammond State Rep. Earl Harris Jr., D-East Chicago State Rep. Ragen Hatcher, D-Gary State Rep. Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso State Rep. Pat Boy, D-Michigan City State Rep. Chuck Moseley, D-Portage State Rep. Mike Aylesworth, R-Hebron State Rep. Mike Andrade, D-Munster State Rep. Vernon Smith, D-Gary State Rep. Hal Slager, R-Schererville State Rep. Kendell Culp, R-Rensselaer State Rep. Julie Olthoff, R-Crown Point State Rep. Jim Pressel, R-Rolling Prairie
It was war that drove Alona Hamova from her home, but, in a way, she always knew she was destined to leave. I felt like I didnt fit there, she said.

She grew up in Novovasylivka, a small Ukrainian village just a few miles from the port city of Berdyansk, in the east of the country. For Ms. Hamova, it was a place of limited opportunity and imagination, a place that thwarted her ambition. I lived in this village where everyone told me, Oh you have to be this way only, she said. I would see people on TV, living their best lives, and I would think, I want that too. I am motivated by my own desires. Not having something I want hurts.

She attended Kyiv National Linguistic University and graduated with a degree in translation studies and competency in four languages, but she lacked certainty about the work she wanted to do, and where, exactly, she wanted to live.

When she was 22, she got a tattoo of a whale on her stomach and struck up a conversation with the artist. The artist became her mentor, and Ms. Hamova was learning the fundamentals of tattooing. I liked drawing, since childhood, she said. But I always thought I was not creative enough. It was a lack of confidence.
A Haitian judge has indicted 51 people for their roles in the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise, including his wife, Martine Moise, who is accused of being an accomplice, despite being seriously wounded in the attack.

A 122-page copy of the indictment by Judge Walther Voltaire that was provided to The New York Times does not accuse her of planning the killing nor does it offer any direct evidence of her involvement.

Instead, it says that she and other accomplices gave statements that were contradicted by other witnesses, suggesting that they were complicit in the killing. The indictment also cites one of the main defendants in the case in custody in Haiti, who claimed that Mrs. Moise was plotting with others to take over the presidency.

The accusations echo those contained in a criminal complaint filed by a Haitian prosecutor and submitted to Mr. Voltaire. The official charge against Mrs. Moise is conspiracy to murder.
The Israeli government was locked in debate on Monday on whether to increase restrictions on Muslims access to an important mosque compound in Jerusalem during the holy month of Ramadan, leading to predictions of unrest if the limits are enforced.

The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement that a decision had already been reached, without disclosing what it was. But two officials briefed on the deliberations, who spoke on the condition of anonymity in order to discuss a sensitive matter, said a final decision would be made only after the government received recommendations from the security services in the coming days.

On Sunday, Israeli cabinet ministers debated whether to bar some members of Israels Arab minority from attending prayers at the Aqsa Mosque compound, a site which is sacred to Muslims and Jews alike, during Ramadan, according to the two officials.

Israel has long limited access to Al Aqsa for Palestinians from the Israeli-occupied West Bank, and since the start of the war in Gaza, it has imposed extra restrictions on Arab citizens and residents of Israel. Some had hoped those limits would be largely lifted for Ramadan, which is expected to begin around March 10  but the talk now is of increasing them, instead.
Welcome to Best of Late Night, a rundown of the previous nights highlights that lets you sleep  and lets us get paid to watch comedy. Here are the 50 best movies on Netflix right now.

The Literal Price of Freedom

Jon Stewart was back on The Daily Show on Monday, a week after returning to the desk for the first time in nine years. He called the response to his first show back universally glowing before playing clips of Democrats panning his jokes about President Biden and saying they would not watch him host.

I just think its better to deal head-on with whats an apparent issue to people, Stewart said, defending himself. I mean, were just talking here!

It was one [expletive] show! It was 20 minutes! I did 20 minutes of one [expletive] show! But I guess, as the famous saying goes, democracy dies in discussion.  JON STEWART

Where do I go to study the particulars of unquestioning propaganda? I would need mentorship! Stewart said before rolling a clip of Tucker Carlsons interview with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia.
Mike Epps may be the only stand-up comic alive whos upset that Katt Williams didnt insult him.

In a now notorious, wildly viral three-hour interview with Shannon Sharpe (59 million views and counting) last month, the comic Katt Williams fired salvos at a festivals worth of comics including Kevin Hart, Steve Harvey and Cedric the Entertainer. Then came the response videos, the counterattacks, the commentary. Epps, unmentioned by Williams, said he was jealous. Say something bad about me, he pleaded in a video. I need the press.

Of all the gifted stand-ups to emerge from the Def Comedy Jam scene of the 1990s, Epps is the one most likely to find humor in failure, minor humiliation, missing the boat. He understands that comedy is more about losing than winning. I know you guys see me in the movies, but the moneys gone, he tells an Arizona crowd in his new Netflix special, Ready to Sell Out, released Tuesday. Then he jokes: Why else would he be in Phoenix?

Pacing the stage in a brown leather jacket and new sneakers, Epps is unquestionably a star, with credits in film (Next Friday) and television (The Upshaws), not to mention three previous specials on Netflix. But part of his persona is that he makes poor decisions. I tried to be Muslim but got caught with a ham sandwich three days in, he once joked.

Hailing from Indianapolis, Epps is quick to tell you that he dropped out of high school and spent time in jail. He explains to the crowd in his new hour that he made all his movies on cocaine, and while he is not boasting, the way he relates his drug stories make a mockery of righteousness about addiction. When I be doing coke, he says, then slightly stammers and starts again: When I used to do coke. Then his eyebrows dance.
Navalnys widow pledged to keep fighting

Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of the Russian opposition leader Aleksei Navalny, vowed to continue his fight against President Vladimir Putins autocratic rule.

Navalny, who died at a penal colony on Friday, spent years denouncing Putin and the corruption he saw within his government. Before yesterday Navalnaya had largely shunned the spotlight, but she said she had to fill the void that Navalnys death left in the opposition movement.

I am going to continue the work of Aleksei Navalny and continue to fight for our country, Navalnaya said on her husbands YouTube channel, adding, I ask you to share my rage  to share my rage, anger and hatred of those who have dared to kill our future.

The dangers Navalnaya faces in trying to unite the fractured pro-democracy movement against Putin are significant. The government in 2021 declared her husbands foundation an extremist organization and disbanded it, sending the groups main investigators into exile. If Navalnaya returns to Russia, she could be arrested because of her association with the group.
The looming battle for Rafah  a city on the southern end of Gaza, farthest from where Israels invasion began  embodies the brutal dynamics of the conflict. The war is both a military operation against Hamas, an extremist organization that has vowed more terrorist attacks against Israel, and a humanitarian crisis that has brought death, hunger and displacement to Gazan civilians.

The humanitarian crisis is clear. During its four-month invasion of Gaza, Israel has killed more than 29,000 people, many of them children. The civilian toll, as a share of the population, is among the highest from any modern war. Many more Gazans have fled their homes and are struggling to find food. An assault on Rafah, which has become a refuge for more than half of Gazas population, would worsen the misery.

But the military importance of Rafah for Hamas is also real, experts say. On Oct. 7, Hamas invaded Israel, murdering, sexually assaulting and kidnapping civilians. Since the attack, Hamass leaders have refused to release dozens of Israeli hostages. With Israel having taken control of much of northern and central Gaza, at least some Hamas leaders and their weapons seem to be in tunnels under Rafah.
The fall of the eastern Ukrainian city of Avdiivka to Russia over the weekend was a major symbolic loss for Ukraine and the West. But while American officials initially argued that it was not a significant strategic setback, that calculus could soon change.

My colleagues reported today that hundreds of Ukrainian troops may have disappeared or been captured during Ukraines chaotic retreat from Avdiivka. Two soldiers with knowledge of the retreat estimated that 850 to 1,000 troops had been captured or were missing, a range that Western officials said seemed accurate.

The devastating losses could deal a blow to Ukraines morale, which has eroded after last years failed counteroffensive and the recent removal of a top commander. Officials have said they want to mobilize up to 500,000 more people, but the capture of soldiers could make the effort to recruit them more challenging.

In the U.S., the Biden administration said it was preparing major sanctions against Russia in response to the death of the opposition leader Aleksei Navalny.
In the fall of 2022, two top Biden administration officials met in New York with a key European diplomat. Over dinner outdoors, they strategized about how best to throttle Russias oil revenues in retaliation for its invasion of Ukraine.

Near the end of what had been a collegial meal, the European official, Bjoern Seibert, dropped a bombshell on his hosts, Mike Pyle of the National Security Council and Wally Adeyemo, the deputy Treasury secretary. Europe, Mr. Seibert said, had big problems with President Bidens sweeping new climate law.

Mr. Seibert, the head of cabinet for the president of the European Commission, said top officials among European Union member states feared Mr. Biden was trying to drive a competitive wedge between their countries and the United States, by lavishing subsidies on made-in-America clean energy technology. They were worried the president was trying to ensure the future of U.S. manufacturing at the expense of some of Americas closest allies.

The exchange set off months of behind-the-scenes talks, a major regulatory concession from the Treasury Department and high-level negotiations between Mr. Biden and fellow world leaders, all meant to soothe those concerns.
Shuen Chun-wa, 81, and her husband hurried toward a green bus with two dozen other Hong Kong residents, dragging empty suitcases. They had purple tour stickers on their jackets and were headed to shop in Shenzhen, a bustling Chinese city that sits on the northern side of the border with Hong Kong.

It was Ms. Shuens second trip to Shenzhen to find bargains in a year. Last time, she got dental implants. You can count how much I need to pay, she said. She paid $9,000 in Shenzhen for a procedure that would have cost $25,000 in Hong Kong. I dont have the money. So I went to Shenzhen.

Since China opened its borders in January 2023 after several years of pandemic isolation, Hong Kong residents have made Shenzhen a weekend destination to shop, dine and, yes, even visit the dentist.

Tired of high costs, poor service and limited choices at home, Hong Kongers are going to Shenzhen to buy groceries, go out for meals and discover new bubble tea shops. Hong Kong remains one of the most unaffordable cities in the world, and its battered economy and plunging stock market have made everyone more money conscious. In China, a stalling economy has led to a steady decline in prices, falling by the most since the global financial crisis in 2009 and verging on a phenomenon known as deflation.
Carla Halls tarot card reading was running long. Astrology, numerology, psychics, the Chinese zodiac  shes open to all manner of metaphysical messaging.

I slipped off my shoes in the foyer of her century-old house in the Takoma neighborhood of Washington, D.C., out of respect for a recent million-dollar gut renovation. Then I went to wait in her airy kitchen, which happens to have the most expertly arranged, hand-labeled spice drawer I have ever encountered.

Ms. Hall finally bounded down the stairs with news from the reading. Oh, my God, she said. It was so good. All stars point to this is your year. 

Indeed, Ms. Hall seems to be everywhere. Shes selling $88 carrot cakes and nesting bowls decorated with okra flowers from her Sweet Heritage line on QVC. She made croquettes from Doritos at the Super Bowls Taste of the N.F.L. event. She is luminous in a recent People magazine spread marking her 60th birthday, which arrives in May. (Shes a Taurus.)
In trying to drum up business for less-routine vegetables like sunchokes, stinging nettle leaves and rutabagas, Becky Selengut, a chef and author in Seattle, digs deep in her new book. She provides well-researched background information along with nutrients, shopping, storage and preparation advice written in a chatty tone. For each of the 25 vegetables, grouped according to seasonality, she gives fairly simple, accessible recipes. If a chile-and-honey-glazed roasted treatment cant get you to try parsnips, nothing will. Follow her excellent directions for prepping fresh fava beans in lemon and olive oil and youll be rewarded with a dish that puts the power of the beans and Pecorino on full display. I fully understand eggplant and artichokes, but was pleased to find a nice introduction to mustard greens.

Misunderstood Vegetables: How to Fall in Love With Sunchokes, Rutabaga, Eggplant and More by Becky Selengut (Countryman Press, $25.99 paper).
On the last day of 2023, Thierno Sadou Barry walked from his homeless shelter near Times Square to Harlem, looking to buy inexpensive suitcases he could fill up with all his possessions.

Mr. Barry and his wife, Oumou Barry, had fled political persecution in Guinea. Now, the couple and their baby daughter had to leave the homeless shelter where they had lived since their arrival in New York City nine months earlier, under recent city rules that limit shelter stays and have forced thousands of families to move.

As he walked, Mr. Barry cursed himself for leaving Guinea and coming to this cold, unforgiving place.

Back home, he had been at risk of death  and what use, he had wondered, would a dead man have been to his family? And so he had abandoned his aging parents, his preschool-aged daughter and his young sons. But now he was losing hope that he could ever send for them. He couldnt even send money home to support them.
The Enlightenment philosopher Baruch Spinoza almost died for his ideals one day in 1672.

Spinoza, a Sephardic Jew born in Amsterdam in 1632, was a passionate and outspoken defender of freedom, tolerance and moderation. And so when Johan de Witt, the great liberal statesman of the Dutch Republic, whose political motto was true freedom, was lynched and mutilated by a mob whipped into a frenzy by reactionary rabble-rousers tacitly backed by orthodox Calvinist clerics, Spinoza wanted to rush onto the scene and place a sign that read (in Latin): The lowest of barbarians. If his landlord hadnt held him back, the gentle philosopher would surely have been lynched himself.

Spinoza suffered much for his lifelong dedication to the freedom of thought and expression. His view that God did not create the world, and his disbelief in miracles and the immortality of the soul so enraged the rabbis of his Sephardic synagogue in Amsterdam that he was banished from the Jewish community for life at the age of 23. Only one of his books, about the French philosopher Descartes, could be published under his own name during his lifetime. His other works, arguing against religious superstition and clerical authority, and for intellectual and political liberty, were considered so inflammatory that his authorship had to be disguised.

There were other great thinkers in the 17th century, such as Thomas Hobbes and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, who prepared the ground for the Enlightenment of the 18th century. But few still appeal as much to our imagination as Spinoza does. Living now as we do in a time of book-banning, intellectual intolerance, religious bigotry and populist demagoguery, his radical advocacy of freedom still seems fresh and urgent.

This is perhaps why new books about him are coming out all the time, including Jonathan Israels 2023 magnum opus Spinoza, Life and Legacy Steven Nadlers Think Least of Death: Spinoza and How to Live and Die, and even a novel, The Spinoza Problem, by the psychiatrist Irvin Yalom. And all that for a philosopher who was denounced by Christians and Jews as the devils disciple long after his own time. Spinozas idea that God was not a thinking or creative being but nature itself was considered so scandalous that George Eliot, the British novelist who translated Spinozas Ethics in the 1850s, still insisted that her name not be mentioned in connection with the thinker she unreservedly admired.
Monica Hickey, who for decades swathed celebrities and socialites for their lavish nuptials in the haute bridal salons at the New York department stores Henri Bendel, Bergdorf Goodman and Saks Fifth Avenue, died on Jan. 26 in Valle de Elqui, Chile. She was 100.

She died at the home of her daughter, Caitlin Margaret May, who announced the death.

Ms. Hickey ran the bridal boutique at Bendels under the companys president, Geraldine Stutz, a celebrated figure in fashion retailing, from 1960 until she was hired away by Bergdorfs in 1967 to run a department under her own name, the Bridal World of Monica Hickey.

In 1978, she returned to Bendels, where for more than a decade she directed the venerable Shop for Brides at the companys flagship on West 57th Street in Manhattan, which had opened in 1908 and was considered an institution. In 1987, Bendels announced the closing of the shop. The closing followed a takeover of Bendels by the retailer The Limited two years earlier, which had also led to a move to Fifth Avenue.

Through the years, the Bendels bride has been steadfast in one concept, Ms. Hickey said in an interview with The New York Times after the announcement. Her dress had to be romantic, delicate, in perfect taste, streamlined, never frantic.
Few places are as enjoyable as the headlands in Dana Point, where ocean waves lap rhythmically at the coastline and, on a clear day, the outline of Santa Catalina Island emerges from the Pacific Ocean, the silhouette of a bold sentry in the distance.

I walked the headlands trail last week, not only to soak up the beauty that has drawn so many of us to California, but also to get a glimpse of three houses perched on the edge of a cliff off Scenic Drive. A round of storms had sent rocks and dirt cascading down the cliff there, seemingly weakening the ground beneath those residences.

Increasingly severe winter storms have led to erosion, flooding and mudslides in many parts of the state as the soil has become saturated with water. Two weeks ago, heavy rain from an intense atmospheric river sent mud oozing through some hillside neighborhoods in Los Angeles, severely damaging homes and forcing evacuations.

Residents were anxious once again over the holiday weekend as another atmospheric river blew in from the Pacific. The storm system brought heavy rain on Monday to the southern part of the state, as well as severe thunderstorms and wind gusts to the Bay Area and warnings from forecasters about flooding, hail and possible tornadoes.
The United States Coast Guard has called off a search for four missing boaters who set out Saturday morning for a day of fishing off Floridas Gulf Coast and never returned home.

The fishermen, Angel Hernandez Munoz, 38; Ruben Mora Sr., 54; Julio Cesar Cordero Briones, 37; and Alfonso Vargas Parra, 35, left for a boating trip from Venice, Fla., about 20 miles south of Sarasota, at 8 a.m. on Saturday, according to a news release from the Venice Police Department.

The water was not too rough that morning, Capt. Andy Leisenring of the Venice Police Department said at a news conference on Monday. By the afternoon, however, weather conditions had deteriorated, with heavy fog settling over the area, he said.

Going into overnight and into Sunday, the winds picked up, the seas picked up, of course its been raining most of that time, Captain Leisenring said, noting that weather conditions remained rough on Monday. Its not very safe to be out there for a small vessel, he said.
Nikki Haley isnt going anywhere. She has said as much behind closed doors at fund-raisers, reiterated it in recent news media appearances and made the promise on the stump, in front of audiences.

And on Tuesday, just days before a heated Republican primary on her home turf, Ms. Haley said it again.

I feel no need to kiss the ring, she said in Greenville, S.C., pledging to continue her pursuit of the 2024 Republican presidential nomination beyond Saturdays primary in South Carolina, her home state. I have no fear of Trumps retribution. Im not looking for anything from him. My own political future is of zero concern.

In what was perhaps her most forceful speech since she began her presidential campaign last year, she pushed back against skeptics who have long urged her to drop her long-shot bid for the nomination.
Eric Hovde, a Wisconsin businessman, on Tuesday announced his campaign for the Senate seat held by Tammy Baldwin, a Democrat, giving Republicans a prominent candidate in the state after two sitting members of Congress declined to run.

Do you feel like America is slipping away? Mr. Hovde said in his announcement video. Our country is facing enormous challenges. Our economy, our health care, crime and open borders  everything is going in the wrong direction. All Washington does is divide us and talk about whos to blame, and nothing gets done.

I believe we need to come together and find common-sense solutions to restore America, he added in the video, which did not mention Ms. Baldwin, other Democrats or Republicans.

Mr. Hovde, the multimillionaire founder of H Bancorp LLC and the chief executive of a real estate development company, is the most prominent candidate to enter the Republican race so far. He ran for Senate once before, losing the Republican primary in 2012, and considered running for Senate in 2018 and governor in 2022, but decided against it.
Hundreds of Ukrainian troops may have been captured by advancing Russian units or disappeared during Ukraines chaotic retreat from the eastern city of Avdiivka, according to senior Western officials and soldiers fighting for Ukraine, a devastating loss that could deal a blow to already weakening morale.

The Russian capture of Avdiivka has emerged as a significant symbolic loss for Ukrainian troops, a sign of the battlefield impact of the failure of the U.S. Congress, so far, to approve more military assistance as dwindling supplies of artillery shells make it even harder to hold the line.

Estimates of how many Ukrainians were captured or missing vary, and a precise count may not be possible until Ukraine solidifies new defensive lines outside the city. But two soldiers with knowledge of Ukraines retreat estimated that 850 to 1,000 soldiers appear to have been captured or are unaccounted for. The Western officials said that range seemed accurate.

American officials say the loss of Avdiivka is not a significant strategic setback, arguing that Russian gains in eastern Ukraine will not necessarily lead to any collapse of Ukrainian lines and that Moscow is unlikely to be able to follow up with another major offensive.
The Supreme Court cleared the way on Tuesday for the use of admissions criteria intended to diversify the student body at an elite public high school in Virginia, declining to revisit the role race may play in admissions months after it sharply curtailed affirmative action programs in higher education.

In turning down a challenge to a policy that eliminated standardized tests, the court gave no reasons, as is its custom in issuing such orders. Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. issued a dissent, joined by Justice Clarence Thomas, that was harshly critical of an appeals courts ruling in the case upholding the new criteria and rejecting the challengers argument that they unlawfully disadvantaged Asian Americans.

The Supreme Court struck down race-conscious admissions programs at Harvard and the University of North Carolina in June but left open the constitutionality of admissions standards like the ones in Virginia that do not directly account for race in trying to diversify enrollment.

The courts decision not to take up the case from Virginia, along with an order this month declining to block West Points race-conscious admissions program, suggests that most of the justices are not eager to take immediate steps to explore the limits of its ruling from June. It takes four votes to grant review, for instance, and the Virginia case failed to clear that bar.
A Michigan man was arrested on Monday on murder charges related to the fatal shooting of two people, one of them his roommate, in a dormitory at the University of Colorado campus in Colorado Springs, the police said.

The man who was arrested, Nicholas Jordan, 25, of Detroit, was also a student at the university. He faces first-degree murder charges in the shooting of a fellow student, Samuel Knopp, 24, of Parker, Colo., and a campus visitor, Celie Rain Montgomery, 26, of Pueblo, Colo., the Colorado Springs Police Department said on Monday in a series of statements on social media.

On Tuesday the authorities confirmed that Mr. Jordan and Mr. Knopp were roommates. They did not provide a motive or other details, including why Ms. Montgomery was on campus.

Caitlin Ford, a spokeswoman for the department, said on Tuesday that the police were still investigating what happened.
Ukrainian soldiers are missing after Avdiivkas fall

Hundreds of Ukrainian troops may have been captured by Russia, or disappeared, during Ukraines chaotic retreat from the eastern city of Avdiivka. The loss could deal a blow to Ukraines already weakening morale.

Russias capture of the small city was seen as a symbolic loss for Ukraine: Avdiivka had become an emotional center of the fight. But the U.S. had said that it was not a significant strategic setback.

The capture of hundreds of soldiers could change that. Two soldiers with knowledge of the retreat estimated that 850 to 1,000 soldiers appear to have been captured or are unaccounted for, a range that Western officials said seemed accurate. Unverified videos posted to social media also showed Russian forces executing Ukrainian troops in and around the city.

Ukraine already needed more troops, and it cannot afford to lose experienced fighters. The country also wants to mobilize 500,000 more people, an effort that was already meeting political resistance and is stalled in Parliament. The capture of hundreds of soldiers could complicate recruitment efforts, and military officials have tried to downplay both the number and significance of the missing soldiers.
Since 2019, Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, has been held in a high security prison in southeast London while his lawyers fight a U.S. extradition order. Now, that particular battle may be nearing its end.

On Tuesday Mr. Assanges case returned to a British court for a two-day hearing that will determine whether he has exhausted his right to appeal within the U.K. and whether he could be one step closer to being sent to the United States. At the conclusion of the hearing, it was still unclear when a decision would be made.

Image Julian Assange leaving Westminster Magistrates Court in London in 2020. A High Court hearing this week will determine whether he has exhausted his right to appeal in the U.K. Credit... Henry Nicholls/Reuters

Mr. Assange did not appear before the court, declining to attend virtually because of ill health, according to his lawyers, but dozens of protesters gathered outside, demanding his release.
For years, strongmen and autocrats had a novel weapon in their hunt for political enemies. They used Interpol, the worlds largest police organization, to reach across borders and grab them  even in democracies.

An award-winning Venezuelan journalist was detained in Peru. An Egyptian asylum seeker was stopped in Australia. And Russia has tried repeatedly to secure the arrest of William F. Browder, a London-based human rights campaigner.

In response, Interpol has toughened oversight of its arrest alerts, known as red notices, making it harder than ever to misuse them. But as Interpol adapted, so did strongmen. They have turned to the agencys lesser-known systems to pursue dissidents, a New York Times investigation has found.

Belarus and Turkey, for example, have turned Interpols database of lost and stolen passports into a weapon to harass dissidents or strand them abroad. Abuse of this important antiterrorism tool got so bad that Interpol temporarily blocked Turkey from using it. Belarus is now subject to special monitoring after Interpol spotted a wave of politically motivated entries, officials said.
Interpol is the worlds largest police organization. It serves as a powerful bulletin board that governments and law enforcement agencies use to team up to pursue fugitives across the globe. At its best, it helps track down killers and terrorists.

But it is also a novel weapon for strongmen and autocrats in the hunt for political enemies, giving them the power to reach across borders and grab their targets  even in democracies.

Here are some of the ways countries can exploit Interpol:

Red Notices

Interpols red notice, the closest thing to an international arrest warrant, has long been dogged by controversy. An award-winning Venezuelan journalist was detained in Peru. An Egyptian asylum seeker was stopped in Australia. And William F. Browder, a London-based human rights campaigner, has been repeatedly targeted for arrest by Russia.

In response, Interpol has toughened oversight, making it harder than ever to misuse red notices. But as it focused on policing politically motivated abuse, other vulnerabilities have remained.
Russias main security agency said on Tuesday that it had arrested a dual citizen of Russia and the United States on accusations of committing state treason by raising funds for Ukraine.

The Federal Security Service, known as the F.S.B., identified the detainee as a 33-year-old woman who lives in Los Angeles. It said in a statement that she had raised money for a Ukrainian organization that bought weapons and other equipment for Ukraines military.

Perviy Otdel, a group of Russian lawyers who specialize in cases involving accusations of treason and other politically charged allegations, said that the woman had been accused of treason for sending just over $50 to Razom for Ukraine, a New York-based nonprofit organization that sends assistance to the country.

The F.S.B. said that she had been arrested in the city of Yekaterinburg, in central Russia. RIA Novosti, a Russian state news agency, published a video that it said showed the woman, wearing a white hat that covered her eyes, being handcuffed and escorted by masked security service officers.
Maksim Kuzminov pulled off a daring escape last summer when he defected to Ukraine and handed his military helicopter over to Ukrainian commandos in exchange for half a million dollars.

Ukraine trumpeted the defection as a major coup. But in Vladimir V. Putins Russia, he was guilty of the most grievous sin anyone can commit: Treason. Ukrainian intelligence officials warned Mr. Kuzminov that his life was in danger and urged him not to leave the country.

But he ignored them, and was believed to have moved with his money to a small resort town of pastel houses on Spains Mediterranean coast.

Now Mr. Kuzminov, 28 at the time of his defection, appears to have met the harsh fate Ukrainian officials warned of. Two Spanish police officials with knowledge of the case said the body of a man found riddled with bullets last week in the coastal town of Villajoyosa belonged to Mr. Kuzminov.
Relatives of an Israeli mother and child who appeared to be shown in captivity in Gaza in newly released videos from the day of the Hamas-led attack said Tuesday they hoped the footage would call attention to the urgency of freeing the hostages.

The Israeli military distributed videos Monday evening that it said showed members of the Bibas family in the area of Khan Younis in southern Gaza on Oct. 7. The New York Times could not immediately verify the footage, which showed a figure being covered in a blanket while appearing to hold a redheaded child.

In a tearful news conference, Ofri Bibas-Levy, the sister of Yarden Bibas, who was taken captive along with his wife Shiri and their two red-haired children, Ariel and Kfir, said that she was desperately calling on Israeli and international leaders to bring her relatives home through a negotiated deal.

When we saw the video, it really tore our hearts out, Ms. Bibas-Levy said.

The fate of the Bibas family has been murky. In late November, Hamas claimed that Ms. Bibas and the children had been killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza. Israeli officials have not confirmed the claim.

The Bibas family was taken from Kibbutz Nir Oz, a town along Israels border with Gaza where more than 70 of the roughly 240 hostages were seized. Kfir, who was nine months old at the time of his capture, is the youngest hostage in Gaza. Israeli officials estimate that about 130 hostages remain in captivity, although at least 30 of those are thought to be dead.

In the videos, which the Israeli military said were taken from security cameras in Khan Younis, red hair on the back of a childs head can be seen over the shoulder of a barefooted figure walking along a dirt path, as if the child is being carried. Surrounded by a few men, at least one of whom is armed, the figures are draped in a blue-and-white-patterned blanket and transferred into a car.
At a hearing before the U.N.s highest court, South Africa on Tuesday called Israels policies toward Palestinians an extreme form of apartheid and argued that its occupation of territory sought for an eventual Palestinian state was fundamentally illegal.

The hearing at the International Court of Justice in The Hague is one of two matters being heard about Israel, part of a concerted effort to leverage the authority of the court and the global reach of the U.N. to stop the war in Gaza and examine the legality of Israels policies toward the Palestinians.

Starting this week and lasting six days, the court is hearing arguments on Israels conduct, following a request by the United Nations General Assembly more than a year ago. In the other matter, a case, which began in January, South Africa accuses Israel of committing genocide in its ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza.

Israel has strongly rejected those accusations.

The latest proceedings, which began on Monday, focus on the legality of Israels occupation, settlement and annexation of Palestinian-majority territories, including the West Bank and East Jerusalem. South Africa and many other countries that have asked to address the court argue that Israels decades-long occupation violates the Palestinians right to self-determination and that its security apparatus, including a giant wall, amounts to racial segregation.

More than 50 countries and three regional blocs are scheduled to argue before the 15-judge bench over the next week, a level of participation never before seen at the court.

The hearings on Israels policies have gained urgency amid the bloodshed of the war in Gaza. They come less than a month after the court ordered Israel to restrain its attacks in the Hamas-controlled territory in the genocide case.
Israels military ordered two neighborhoods of Gaza City to evacuate on Tuesday amid signs of hunger and mounting desperation in the northern part of the enclave at a time when the focus of Israels offensive has shifted south.

The evacuations came as the World Food Program halted deliveries in the north on Tuesday, describing scenes of chaos as its teams faced looting, hungry crowds and gunfire in recent days.

The fiercest fighting and most intense bombing has in recent weeks shifted south to areas around Khan Younis and Rafah. But the evacuation order from Israels military on Tuesday for the Zaytoun and Turkoman neighborhoods of Gaza City raised the possibility of further military moves in the north.

Northern Gaza has been decimated by four months of bombardment, and continued fighting there between Israeli forces and Hamas fighters has severely hindered deliveries of aid to the estimated 300,000 people still in the area, who the United Nations has warned face starvation.

The W.F.P. had suspended its deliveries for the past three weeks because of safety concerns, and on Sunday the agency tried to restart them, but crowds of hungry people surrounded the initial convoy as it was going to Gaza City, and aid workers were forced to fend off people trying to climb onto the trucks, the organization said in a statement.

Another convoy on Monday faced complete chaos and violence due to the collapse of civil order, the statement added, saying that several trucks were looted and a driver was beaten.
Prince William, the heir to the British throne, called on Tuesday for an end to the fighting in Gaza as soon as possible in a rare, if measured, public statement on the bloody conflict between Israel and Hamas.

I remain deeply concerned about the terrible human cost of the conflict in the Middle East since the Hamas terrorist attack on Oct. 7, the prince said in comments issued by his office. Too many have been killed.

He added: I, like so many others, want to see an end to the fighting as soon as possible. There is a desperate need for increased humanitarian support to Gaza. Its critical that aid gets in and the hostages are released.

By tradition, the British royal family keeps itself out of politics, and its members usually avoid intervening in contentious issues.

Prince Williams comments came ahead of a meeting in London on Tuesday with the Red Cross, where he was to be updated on humanitarian efforts to support people affected by the conflict. Later this month, he is expected to visit a synagogue to join a discussion with members of the Holocaust Educational Trust, which campaigns against hatred and antisemitism.

The princes statement added, Sometimes it is only when faced with the sheer scale of human suffering that the importance of permanent peace is brought home, and that even in the darkest hour we must not succumb to the counsel of despair.

It concluded: I continue to cling to the hope that a brighter future can be found and I refuse to give up on that.
The United States on Tuesday cast the sole vote against a United Nations Security Council resolution that would have called for an immediate cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, saying it feared it could disrupt hostage negotiations.

It was the third time Washington wielded its veto to block a resolution demanding a stop to fighting in Gaza, underlining Americas isolation in its continued, forceful backing of Israel.

Over four months of war, Israel has come under increasing international pressure over the scope and intensity of its campaign against Hamas in Gaza, with many leaders decrying the high civilian death toll.
PROBABLE CAUSE STATEMENT FORM CRN KC24009897 After reviewing the video surveillance footage, witness statements and subsequent reports related to the homicide, it was determined Miller was the male suffering from apparent trauma in the center median of Pershing Road, just to the east of Kessler Road. On 02-15-2024, Detectives responded to University Hospital, 2301 Holmes Street Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri and recovered Miller's property bag from medical staff in charge of his care. An inventory of the contents of the bag were the following: tan Rock Revival jeans (cut and stained with apparent blood), a plaid and brown belt, gray Reebok boxer/briefs, purple lanyard, silver colored beads, sunglasses and a black iPhone in a black case. The hoodie (red Calvin Klein zip up) described by the subject at KU Medical Center was found to have been recovered at the crime scene, just outside the medical tent at the southwest corner of Union Station property. The hoodie was found to have an apparent circular defect to the left front pocket (torso) and spots of apparent blood. After determining Miller was involved in the incident and having a physical description of him for comparison, Detectives reviewed surveillance video from the area of West Pershing Road and Kessler Road. In the video, an unidentified person, wearing what appears to be a red windbreaker jacket, is observed talking on his cellphone. Several feet away, another group of individuals (later identified as and two other individuals - Group 1) appear to be staring at the individual wearing the red windbreaker jacket. Approximately 10 seconds later, three other individuals walk up next to the individual wearing the red windbreaker jacket (Group 2) and they all stare at Group 1. A verbal argument between the groups begins. A fourth individual then joins Group 2. At that time, and another individual from Group 1, approach Group 2 and appear to get into a verbal argument. Approximately seven (7) seconds later, Miller and two other individuals start approaching Group 2, but Miller does not go all the way up to the group. One of the unknown individuals, from Group 2, starts to back up and removes the backpack he is wearing. Other members of Group 2 start to back up as well. Miller also briefly backs up, then positions himself in a crowd of people, several feet away to the side of and Group 1, as if taking up a strategic position, while still watching the verbal argument between Group 1 and Group 2. Miller appears to have his hands tucked in front of him, while he is watching the argument. Shortly after taking up that position, produces a firearm and starts to advance on an individual associated with Group 2. As chasing that individual, with his firearm pointed at him, Miller produces a firearm, points it in direction from within the crowd. Miller chases after and appears to begin shooting as he's in between two random people in the crowd. As Miller follows an unidentified member of the group produces a firearm and begins to follow Miller. The unidentified member discharges his firearm and strikes Miller in the lower back, causing him to grab his back and fall to the ground. There is a large crowd of people, including the deceased victim, behind in the direction that Miller is shooting. The people behind appear to be watching the rally on the stage at Union Station. Miller appears to trip over a cone, while still shooting. Miller gets back up and leaves the scene running in a southeastern direction. IS Form 50 P.D. (Rev. 9-2008) On 02-16-2024, Detectives responded to a local hospital and obtained a formal statement from Miller in regard to this investigation. Prior to the interview, Miller was advised of his Rights per Miranda which he waived. Miller initially told Detectives he and some friends who he named as were at the rally, standing to the left of the main stage when he heard gunshots. Miller stated he began to run and was subsequently struck in the abdomen by gunfire. After being informed his actions had been captured on video, Miller admitted he had been armed with a Taurus G3 9mm handgun. After hearing Page 2 of 3
The Embassy of Iraq has issued a one-year $540K contract with Washington-based Valcour global public strategy firm for outreach to US and state government officials to improve the bilateral relations between the two countries.

Valcour president Matt Mowers handles the Iraqi work. He advised on issues related to the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, North Korea and immigration reform.

The firm reports to Iraqs US ambassador, Nazar Al Khirullah, who took the post last June.

He hosted an evening dialogue event on Feb. 11 with key journalists from the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Bloomberg, Politico, Foreign Policy and "News Hour" to pitch the role that Iraq plays in supporting peace and stability in the Middle East.

Valcours contract, which went into effect this month, calls for it to be available for regular in-person meetings with the Embassy, upon request.

The firms $45K monthly retainer is payable by check quarterly in advance.
The Councillors of Birr Municipal District are demanding a meeting with HSE management, as a matter of great urgency, over the loss of Respite beds in Birr Community Nursing Unit.

People are very upset because of the loss of the Respite beds in the Unit, Cllr John Carroll told the February monthly meeting on Monday evening. He said what Birr MD wants now is for Reps from the HSE to meet them and outline what exactly the situation is.

It's possible that the loss of Respite beds is only temporary, but this is not certain, and the councillors want the beds restored immediately.

Cllr John Clendennen, Cathaoirleach, said the MD also wants an update from HSE Reps about the commencement date for the construction of the town's Primary Care Centre. We were told the construction would start before Christmas, he remarked. Here we are in mid February and still the sod hasn't been turned.

Cllr Clare Claffey said the HSE had been a bit sly regarding the Nursing Unit beds. There were six Respite beds in the Unit until a few weeks ago, she remarked. Now there's just two Rehab beds. This is very serious. We need to meet them. It's a matter of great urgency.

Cllr Peter Ormond pointed out that a meeting is needed within a week. Councillors find it very hard to get any information from the HSE. That's been the case for years now. This is unacceptable. We demand a meeting.

Cllr John Leahy supported the other councillors' comments. We should have a zoom call at the very least, he commented. It's obvious to me that the HSE don't have the level of respect which they should have for elected representatives. Their level of communication with us is very poor. They are a bit like Bord na Mona in that they are poor communicators and we're often complaining about them. We are always playing catch-up and are chasing our tails with them. Respite beds are a public service and we are public representatives. They should respect that.

Dealing with the HSE, commented Cllr Claffey, often feels like banging your head off a wall, or you're being fobbed off. Caring for a loved, elderly one is very hard work and Respite beds are essential. Now the HSE is sending them to places which are not familiar to them. It feels heartless.

She added that the service in Banagher Primary Care Centre isn't good enough either. We have GPs in Banagher PCC but it's obvious there aren't enough. It's getting increasingly difficult to get an appointment and people can be waiting up to two weeks. I and many others have been told by receptionists during GP opening hours to go to Midoc when there are no appointments available for a few days. We never had this issue when the GPs weren't in a Primary Care Centre. The HSE led us to believe that GP waiting times would decrease once Banagher PCC opened. This simply hasn't happened. The opposite has happened. The HSE is really not meeting acceptable standards in so many areas.
Tyra Briggs was due to have major surgery on her right hip in May 2023 but is still on a waiting list as the only surgeon in Ireland who can carry out the procedure has been on leave since September

A Tullamore family has appealed for a top surgeon to be reinstated so their daughter can have the life-changing surgery she urgently requires.

Eighteen-year-old Tyra Briggs was due to have major surgery on her right hip in May 2023 but is still on a waiting list as the only surgeon in Ireland who can carry out the procedure is on leave since September.

Connor Green is the paediatric orthopaedic surgeon at the centre of the Temple St spinal surgery controversy and the Briggs family  along with hundreds of other families across the country  have called for his immediate reinstatement.

No one else can carry out the surgeries Tyra and other children desperately need, Angela Briggs, Tyra's mother, told the Tribune this week.

Tyra, who was born with congenital hip dysplaxia on both hips  a condition where the hip joint is unstable or dislocated at birth due to abnormal development  has undergone multiple operations over her 18 years.

From 2017 onwards Connor Green performed three successful operations on her left hip and reconstructed both kneecaps and was scheduled to carry out complex surgery on her right hip before he went on leave following the Temple St controversy.

He is facing an investigation into paediatric spinal surgeries he completed.

OrthoKids Ireland, the patients advocacy group, has called for his immediate reinstatement and they have the backing of the Briggs family and hundreds of others across the country.

The advocacy group has asked people to sign a petition calling on the Irish Medical Council to convene an emergency meeting to review Connor Green's case.

OrthodKids say he is the only surgeon in Ireland with the fellowship and training in reconstruction of limbs and bone dysplasia.

Angela Briggs said the issues facing the affected families have been raised in the Seanad by Senator Tom Cloonan and also highlighted by President Michael D. Higgins.

A spokesman for the President said he was deeply conscious of the pain which children suffering from complex conditions and their families experience.

Angela Briggs said Connor Green and Tyra developed a close working relationship over the years and she has complete confidence and trust in him.

His nickname for Tyra is 'the Boss', outlined Angela.

Tyra, who is a Transition Year student at Killina Presentation Secondary School, suffers constant pain and discomfort

Her situation further dis-improved when she fell a few weeks ago  on her 18th birthday  fracturing her right kneecap and that leg is now in a splint.

If Tyra goes to fall she can't stop herself, explained her mother who said she had to wrap her in cotton wool in case she falls over again.

I'm on tenterhooks in case she falls, outlined Angela.

She added; Tyra is missing out on her life. At 18 she should be able to go down town with her friends but she can't.

Tyra said she's unable go out walking around the estate in Tullamore where she and her family live, as it is not suitable for those with mobility issues.

Tyra, whose ambition is to pursue a career as a make-up artist when she completes her education, also needs help to put on her shoes and socks.

People with a disability want to live their lives independently, stressed her mother who called for footpaths and streetscapes in towns such as Tullamore to be designed with their needs in mind.

Added Angela;  As a carer I'm worried that if something happens to me what is going to happen to Tyra.

She said the OrthoKids Ireland advocacy group has been a great support to the family and Tyra has made friends with other young people with similar conditions through it.

Born with congenital hip dysplaxia, Tyra underwent her first surgery at just six months old.

She had a number of operations in the UK, where the family then lived, up until she was two years old.

It was hit and miss as some weren't successful, outlined Angela who said the family moved back to Ireland from Manchester when Tyra was two.

They registered with a GP in Tullamore and with Crumlin Children's Hospital and more operations were carried out there.

When Tyra was three she was given a walking frame and started school in Durrow NS, aged five years.

At six she had more surgery to ease the pain in her hips and at this stage Angela became concerned her legs were collapsing and that she was walking in the shape of an X.

Angela admitted that at times she was frustrated with how her concerns were dealt with by Crumlin Hospital and felt they weren't listening to me.

I was just trying to get answers.

But Tyra's situation became even more complex when she was ten years old.

I was bathing Tyra when I noticed her back wasn't right . . I thought the worst as it looked like a lump and I thought there was a tumour.

Her doctor said it looked like scoliosis and, following an x-ray, Tyra was referred to Temple St Children's Hospital.

Tyra has an S curve in her spine which happened because of the hip dysplasia condition, something Tyra didn't need to have added to her complex situation.

Eventually in June 2017 Tyra met with consultant, Connor Green at Temple Street, who revealed he previously met her when she was aged just three at the National Children's Hospital in Tallaght.

Consultants from around the world were present at that time as Tyra was deemed as a unique case in hip dysplasia disability along with other children with complex limb disabilities.

That he had remembered Tyra from back then made the situation all the easier, said Angela

Tyra's mother said he wasn't concerned about her scoliosis as it wasn't at a stage of needing surgery he was concerned about Tyra's hips.

The surgeon explained if he got the hips in a place of equal balance then it should push out the spine to straighten up better.

He spoke to Tyra and Angela about what he was going to do and explained in every detail to Tyra the whole procedure.

In November 2020 he proceeded to carry out major surgery on Tyra's left hip and both kneecaps. The right hip had to be left to do at a later stage as Tyra had already endured a ten hour operation for the other three procedures.

As the long road to recovery started for Tyra the Covid pandemic hit and affected the family very much with Tyra's care needs being badly affected. However thanks to great family support and the assistance of the local office of Family Carers Ireland Tyra was able to get through it all.

As recovery and physiotherapy started Tyra still needed to get the right hip done - the family were informed it would be a three step operation, the first of which would start in May 2023 with the second and third taking place in August and November of the same year.

However as May approached Angela didn't hear from the hospital, so she rang them for a date. She was told the surgeon was on leave for May and that Tyra's operations were pushed out. She rang back in July and was told the procedures were postponed until August.

Angela rang again and was told it would be September before the procedures would commence.

At this stage Angela said she wasn't being told anything by the authorities in the hospital. Meanwhile Tyra was in pain and discomfort trying to deal with this all and live her life, outlined Angela.

However the news then broke about Tyra's consultant and he took leave in September of that year due to an investigation into paediatric spinal surgeries he completed.

Since then Tyra has been in limbo as Connor Green is the only surgeon in Ireland who can carry out the required procedure.

Angela stressed that the Government need to put pressure on the HSE and Children's Hospital Ireland (CHI) to get Connor Greene back to doing what he does for our most vulnerable children.

She added that  time is of the essence here and that's what the Government need to think about and get action implemented as soon as possible.

The Briggs family, together with hundreds of other families, are now calling for his immediate reinstatement so Tyra, and others in similar situations, can undergo life-changing surgeries.
Two men who appeared in court charged with fraud in connection with the use of a PPS number will return before Longford District Court in May.

Marcelo Archanjo De Oliveira whose given address was above Mitchell Meats, Main Street, Drumlish, Longford was charged with one offence.

The defendant is accused of by deception inducing a named individual to provide him with employment on March 6, 2022 at The Park Hotel, Kiltimagh, Mayo.

Co-defendant Clecio Riberio Novaes, who had the same address, was charged with an offence on the same date.

Mr Riberio Novaes's charge is that on dates between February 17, 2022 and March 1, 2022 he aided Mr Archanjo De Oliveira to commit an indictable offence, fraud, by providing a PPS number belonging to another person.

The court was told the defendants were arrested on the morning of the court sitting by appointment.

When the charge was put to Mr Archanjo De Oliveira he replied 'Okay', while when Mr Riberio Novaes was arrested and cautioned he apologised.

The Director of Public Prosecution had consented to have the charges against the two men dealt with in the District Court as the facts of the two cases are connected.

Solicitor Brid Mimnagh, acting for both defendants, explained to the court that Mr Archanjo De Oliveira came to the country over a year ago on a tourist visa and had stayed with his brother in law.

The defendant was looking for work and used a PPS belonging to a third party to gain employment at the hotel. He used a bank account of his brother-in-law to collect his wages.

Ms Mimnagh said that nobody was at a loss as a result of the offence. The matter came to light when the third party, who no longer lives in Ireland, was contacted about the use of their PPS number.

Accepting jurisdiction over the matter Judge Owens remanded both defendants on continuing bail to come before the court on May 7 for facts and penalty.
The Government is setting itself up for failure on child homelessness, according to the leader of the Social Democrats.

Holly Cairns accused the Government of engaging in constant spin rather than providing solutions to the housing crisis.

It comes after the Childrens Rights Alliance issued its 2024 report card on the commitments of the programme for Government.

In particular, Ms Cairns highlighted that the Government had been given a D- on the commitment to reduce the number of homeless families.

The Childrens Rights Alliance described this as a barely acceptable performance with little or no positive impact on children.

Ms Cairns told the Dail on Tuesday that child homelessness was up 55% in the lifetime of the Government, with nearly 4,000 children in emergency accommodation.

She added that there had been a 20% increase in family homelessness in the past year alone.

Ms Cairns asked the Taoiseach: How, four years into this government, are we still seeing so many lives devastated by homelessness? How is solving this crisis not the primary focus of your Government?

Mr Varadkar defended the Governments record on children by saying the Childrens Rights Alliance had not decreased its grade on any of the 16 categories year-on-year.

This includes receiving the D- grade on family homelessness for two years in a row.

During Leaders Questions, Mr Varadkar said the Government had received an improved grade in the four areas of childcare reform, free school books, special education and food poverty.

He added: Overall, if you look at that objectively, its a story of progress and not a story of going backwards.

Ms Cairns had also called for a rent freeze, a return for the no-fault eviction ban and a tax on vacant properties.

However, Mr Varadkar said this would not address the main cause of homelessness in the country which he added was not primarily driven by evictions in the private rental sector.

He said: The main cause of homelessness in Ireland unfortunately is family breakdown.

And no matter whos in Government, its very hard to reduce the number of families that are breaking down at any given time.

The Taoiseach said the Governments objective is to make sure that homelessness is rare, short-lived and not repeated.

He added: But I absolutely appreciate that a few months can be a very long time in a childs life, and stick with them forever.

And thats why we redoubled our efforts in particular to reduce family homelessness.

Weve increased resources for prevention in particular, and thats really important. 

Ms Cairns said this was further spin and added: A large part of the problem in relation to housing is obviously that the targets have set us up for failure.

So for a start theyre too low. And then youre failing to meet them and so theyre nowhere near what we need to meet demand.
AN Offaly grandmother fears she will be made homeless for the second time in three years.

Agnes Cullen, a native of Clara, is one of many residents of the Riverview apartment complex in Kilbeggan who have received notices telling them their tenancies will be terminated.

Ms Cullen has joined with other tenants in mounting a weekly public protest in Kilbeggan against the planned sale by Riverview owner Remcoll.

In an interview with the Tullamore Tribune, Ms Cullen revealed herself and her husband, Kilbeggan man Pat Keenan, had been living in a car for nine months before moving to Riverview.

We were homeless two and a half years ago, she said. We were living in a car and my husband has a heart condition that is non curable and I have illnesses as well and we were nine months out in the car before we got this place and our dream was to live in the Riverview apartments.

They had been renting a small residence like a little granny flat in Killeigh prior to being housed in Riverview with the help of the council's HAP (housing assistance payment) place finder.

She said jumped around the place when the call came that the Kilbeggan apartment was available because Offaly County Council had not been able to provide any accommodation, even a room in a bed and breakfast.

She felt at the time: This is our home. We came from being homeless and this was our for ever home and we were never going to have to be homeless again.

Before moving in the couple had been living in their car with their dog, spending days and nights in various parts of Tullamore like the Daingean Road car park and the car parks at Tesco or Burlington.

We used to have to move around in the car.

Now, less than three years after finding a home where their children and grandchildren could visit them, the couple fear they may have to live in a car again when the eviction comes into effect on July 12 next.

An awful lot of people here, our neighbours, are going to be affected by this. What we're trying to do with the protest is stop this sale and get them to realise that people have nowhere to go, she said.

Offaly County Council is not giving us anything. Westmeath County Council is not giving [the others] anything. Where is everybody going to go? We're all going to be out in the car park come July.

She said the 76-apartment Riverview complex, where a large number of Brazilians have been living for many years, had become a great community inside a community.

Everybody sticks together, everybody talks to each other and is nice to each other.

The first public protest on the street at Riverview took place on Saturday, February 10.

This Saturday there was a lot more than what was there last Saturday and we're going to do it every Saturday until we get answers.

Ms Cullen, who thanked Westmeath Sinn Fein TD Sorcha Clarke for her support, said a key question for residents like her was whether or not the apartments will be sold with the tenants remaining in them.

Speaking before the protests began, Clement Herron, agent for the owner, property development company Remcoll, said the termination notices would be going ahead but various purchase options might be available.

I can't try and manage everybody's tenancy or everybody's lifestyle or what they're going to do next. Our job is to manage the asset and say to our client we're maximising the asset. It's also very important to take on board that this was an investment that was made as a 10-year investment, a property investment, a property fund.

He said the apartments might be sold as a job lot, or in lots and a few chunks.

Promoting the sale of the 5.3 acre complex, which comprises 64 two-beds, five townhouses, seven one-beds and a commercial unit, Clement Herron Real Estate said: Selling Riverview with tenants in situ fosters a sense of community and alleviates the burden on local authorities, providing a practical and socially responsible solution. The prospective purchaser not only gains a commendable estimated return of 6% but also becomes a pillar of accommodation provision within the local economy during uncertain times. Some apartments will be available with vacant possession.

Westmeath County Council has already been approached by an approved housing body (AHB) and the local authority said it will support an acquisition of part of the complex by an AHB.

Westmeath County Council will be liaising with qualifying households over the coming months, to provide support to find alternative accommodation where required and will liaise with any AHBs that have expressed an interest in acquiring the units, the council said.

In a statement, Offaly County Council said: Offaly County Council is aware that a Notice of Termination has been issued to a number of tenants at the Riverview Complex in Kilbeggan. A number of the tenancies in the complex are on Offaly County Councils Social Housing Support List and are in receipt of Intercounty Housing Assistance Payments. The Council will be liaising with qualifying households to provide support over the coming months.
It is not the first time that Lena Dunham (New York, 37 years old) has traveled to Poland. At the beginning of her twenties, the actress-director flew to the lands of her ancestors with her college friends. We spent the trip drinking vodka, going out with boys and dancing in clubs, she remembered on Saturday during an interview in her hotel in Berlin. At the time, she wasnt much interested in learning about her roots, which are Jewish-Polish on her mothers side and saw a significant number of lives lost in the area during World War II. Her mother and grandmother told her that there wasnt much point in going to Auschwitz: Its not a tourist site, what are you going to do there? In my family, there was no interest in understanding or committing, only in assimilating, in being Americans first and Jews after. I didnt realize until we were getting close how scared I was.

The last quote is a reference to the filming of Treasure, which was screened out of competition at the Berlinale, just outside the concentration camp. Directed by the German auteur Julia von Heinz, the film adapts a book by Lily Brett, a New York music journalist and daughter of Holocaust survivors, who traveled to post-Communist Poland in 1991 with her father to understand where he had come from. They found the familial home in Lodz, bought back the familys porcelain crockery and her grandfathers old coat from their then-current owners and got lost on desolate roads that took them to towns that once were beautiful, in a tragicomic journey that, on the big screen, Dunham takes with her disastrous and endearing father, played by Stephen Fry.

Through this reconciliation with her origins, an antidote to the amnesia of the New World, the characters identity crisis is resolved. Was Dunhams? I made it my mission, something important to leave to our children. I had a feeling, I didnt know where it came from, that there was something I needed to explore. I think I came back quite changed. It gave me a better understanding of the people Im descended from. We think that when something like this happens, well receive incredible and grandiose signs, when in fact, everything can happen in a gradual and orderly way. The zone of interest reflects very well how banal evil can be.

The actress played the lead role in, and produced, the film  unfortunately she doesnt direct or write the script, which might have worked in its favor  a commitment to the material that underlines what might be a change in her relationship with faith and culture. When I was little, religion was a cultural thing, a kind of family obligation. When my grandmother Dorothy died in 2016, at the age of 96, I started studying with a rabbi, reading religious texts, and authors like Yehuda Amichai, she remembers. What I like about being Jewish is that its not mandatory to have a relationship with God, but rather, with the community around you. For me, being Jewish is about being someone you can trust, being a source of support, being able to recommend a good doctor or a beautician or being the person who shows up with bagels in an emergency situation. The concept is called being a mensch, a good person, although Dunham acknowledges that sometimes she can also be a meshugana, or crazy person.

Dunham never really left, but it all feels a lot like a comeback. Its been seven years since the finale of Girls, the series that established her as a television prodigy, the voice of a generation, a multiple Golden Globe winner, a Vogue cover girl, regularly featured in The New Yorker and the author of a book for which she received a $3.5 million advance. She also became a consistent flashpoint for controversy and scrutiny on social media, which was then in its embryonic phase. Topics of interest: her excessive nudity, her non-normative body, her alleged racism, her unbridled narcissism, anything that came out of her mouth.

Lena Dunham and Adam Driver, in an image from the series 'Girls.'

When the series ended, she found herself mired in several public relations crises, which perhaps explains the presence of four publicists in the room in which the interview takes place. She called a woman a liar who had accused her co-screenwriter of rape, thus placing herself in opposition to the #MeToo movement after once having been one of its most vocal proponents. She was accused of treating a Black athlete offensively. She had to hire bodyguards when she received death threats (one of which came accompanied by a floor plan of her home, which showed where her bedroom was located). At the 2017 Met Gala, she collapsed and was admitted to a hospital. She underwent five surgeries to treat her endometriosis. She had a hysterectomy. She broke up with her partner, music producer Jack Antonoff. She was admitted to a detox clinic for her addiction to anxiolytics. And possibly the worst of all: her humor, the feminine version of that of her mentor Judd Apatow, the standard-bearer for the kind of comedians who would prefer to lose a close friend than be left to swallow a juicy one-liner, was no longer funny.

Return to television

Since then, Dunham has directed two low-profile films (one of them being Birdy, an adaptation of her favorite book from childhood), in addition to the series Camping, which was canceled by HBO after just one season, and a few episodes of Industry, which follows rookie investment bankers in London. If you compare that with the trajectory of Adam Driver, an actor that she made a star thanks to Girls, it seems a bit disappointing. I was very young. Im about to turn 38, and I was 23 when I wrote the pilot for the series that defined my entire twenties. We werent number one in viewers, but we certainly generated a lot of conversation. But, of course, it cant always be like that Back then, there was only a couple of series a week. Now, theres 800 a year, she says.

Her parents, the painter Carrol Dunham and photographer Laurie Simmons, warned her: If you want to make a living from this, youre going to go up and go down. You have to do it for the work itself, for the experience of making the work, and never for the response to the work. Thats how she wants to work from now on. My secret driving force is not success or how other people see me or winning a Golden Globe. Literally, I dont know where my Golden Globes are. Her next projects will be a movie inspired by Polly Pocket for Mattel, in the wake of Barbies mega-success, and a new comedy for Netflix that shes currently shooting in London. Im not expecting a response on the scale of Girls, but it has reminded me how much I love making television.

In recent years, viewers of all ages are once again watching Girls. And, this time, theyre feeling a sympathy for its characters that wasnt there before: they no longer see Hannah, Marnie, Jessa and Shoshanna as four insufferable, egocentric brats, but perhaps, as people they know who resemble the foursome. For some time now, social media has been filled with gifs, memes and videos of the series best scenes. I have no explanation for it, but I thank the TikTok algorithm, says Dunham. When the series began, people felt more empathy for a gangster like Tony Soprano than for these girls who had inappropriate sexual encounters. That it continues to resonate seems really special to me. Would she call it ahead of its time? Thats a bit precious to say about yourself, she smiles. What Ill say is that nowadays, our culture has another understanding of what it means to not be a white, cisgender, heterosexual male.

Dunham has not gone back to watch Girls, though from time to time someone will send her a supercut with a song by Taylor Swift or Phoebe Bridgers in the background, and she admits shell take a look. And suddenly, Ill say to myself: You know what? That was fun. I like that, in this new world, the things you do as an artist, even when they garner a complex response at first, wind up finding an audience that needs them and is able to bring them back, she says. Even if, sometimes, that can take a little bit of time.
Mathias  seven years old, with his bald head, wearing doubled-up masks to protect him from infections  plays with a sticker book while his oncologist proudly displays her phone: Look, you dont need to be a doctor to understand this. She shows a scan from the end of last December, where a black spot can clearly be seen, a secondary tumor from a leukemia that had beaten all approved treatments and had led the boy to be admitted to hospice care. In the next image, a scan from a month later in which the spot has disappeared, thanks to an experimental treatment.

Just a few years ago, this would have sounded like wishful thinking, and Mathias would have had no hope. His treatment-resistant leukemia left him part of the 15% of patients who did not see results after chemotherapy or a bone marrow transplant. But chances in cases like those of Mathias are getting better all the time, thanks to the latest generation of cellular treatments, known as CAR-T.

At first, Mathias small body was resistant even to these revolutionary solutions. After a bone marrow transplant from his sister, he was infused (inoculated) with cells that cause his immune system to destroy the malignant cells. But his cancer reappeared, in the form of a solid tumor. That is very rare, in the words of one of his oncologists, Antonio Perez, who is director of the CRIS unit of advanced treatments at Madrids La Paz Hospital, where the experimental treatment has been developed, thanks to funding from the CRIS Cancer Foundation, which focuses its work on childhood leukemia.

The treatment he then received, which is also based on CAR-T, has not yet been approved, and was applied only through what is called compassionate use, the prescription of drugs that have not yet been approved for patients who no longer have any other hope. It goes a step further than the treatments that are normally used: it attacks not one, but two molecules in cancer cells, the CD19 and CD22. Perez is graphic in his description of the process: Imagine that the cell is a person. The CAR-Ts grab them by one arm to take them out. With this treatment, which we call a tandem, it grabs them by one arm and one ear, so they cant escape. That way, even if tumors are obscuring one of the molecules, the treatment will still work. Mathias was infused with the cells on December 29. In a month, his tumor had disappeared.

Hospitals have become an inseparable part of his life. His Venezuelan parents, Yessenia Chacon and Wiston Rivas, received the diagnosis in their country, when the little boy was just 10 months old. He was suffering from acute lymphoblastic leukemia type B. Mathias needed a bone marrow transplant, which could not be done in Venezuela. So, the family started a crowdfunding campaign to come to Spain. Relatives, friends and a very famous person helped us, so we got the money and we came, says his mother.

Mathias with two of the doctors who treated him in the CRIS unit of advanced treatments at La Paz Hospital: Antonio Perez and Berta Gonzalez. Santi Burgos

His parents left their jobs as firefighter and nurse, and came to Spain to treat their son. They initially came to the Sant Joan de Deu Hospital in Barcelona. There, Mathias sister Paola had her bone marrow extracted  she was five years old and barely remembers the process  and it was introduced into Mathias body. But he suffered relapses, and not even the CAR-T, which lead to improvements in 85% of children (which come from the 15% of kids for whom other treatments have failed) were able to cure him.

Today, when you arrive at that point, there is no other option. Either palliative care or you enter a clinical trial, says Perez. Chacon says that at the time, doctors at Madrids Gregorio Maranon Hospital, where he was being treated at the time, said that they were going to look for an alternative: That is when they decided that he was a candidate for this treatment. They told us that it was difficult, but that we had to try, that it was possible. And we were always very optimistic.

The treatment was developed in a public hospital, with doctors from the public system, but fully financed by the CRIS Cancer Foundation, which since 2018 has invested more than $7.6 million in the CRIS unit for advanced treatments, where it has helped to treat more than 886 children with a variety of illnesses and tumors. Mathias treatment is now waiting on various bureaucratic processes to be able to begin a clinical trial that will allow it to be applied to younger patients, and not have to wait to be designated as compassionate use.

To date, the procedure has been tried on nine children, of whom six are still alive, encouraging numbers that will soon be published in a scientific journal. The remission of Mathias tumor has been one of its success stories, and probably its most spectacular triumph. But the process is not over yet. We know that if we do nothing, the cancer comes back. Here we have a chance, which experience tells lasts 100 days to four months, and during that time we have to consolidate and perform a second transplant. In order to do that, there cant be any traces left of the disease, says Chacon.

New patients

Theres already a date for the second transplant: February 29, in the Gregorio Maranon, where Mathias was previously treated. The little boy has begun a series of pre-op tests, the likes of which he is well-accustomed-to at this point. He doesnt know how serious his illness is, but he understands perfectly what it consists of, and its treatments, says his mother, while the little boy opts to continue playing with his sticker boy rather than talk to a journalist.

During his periods of hospitalization, Mathias did not even miss school time. At the Maranon, a teacher oversaw his daily schoolwork. Everything but English, because she doesnt know it, he clarifies, before continuing to play.

If everything goes well, after three to six months, Mathias will be able to have a normal life. With luck, his leukemia will become a distant memory. People who get transplants, even those who have had two transplants, when they get past the critical phase, begin to construct a life that is like that of any other child of the same age. They estimate that there are a half million childhood leukemia survivors in Europe, says Perez.

The doctors team hope to get this treatment approved, and to popularize the CAR-T as a first-choice treatment in order to avoid more aggressive approaches: Chemotherapy is from the last century. We are in the 21st century now, and this is what we should be using, only we are lacking resources, says Perez. The CAR-Ts that have been developed in the private sphere are incredibly expensive. The first treatment that Mathias received cost around $538,000. But initiatives like this one, which can be administered in public hospitals, drastically reduce price tags.

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Chile's casino industry will flourish in 2023, seeing revenues climb to approximately CLP$514 billion thanks to a surge in visitor numbers and engagement.

In 2023, Chile's casino sector reported a notable 9.1% revenue increase, reaching CLP$514bn, driven by a 12% rise in visitor attendance despite a decrease in average spending per visit and a late-year dip in casino wins.

Revenue and Attendance Uptick

A Prosperous Year for Chilean Casinos: Chile's casino industry experienced significant growth in 2023, with gross gaming revenue (GGR) escalating to CLP$514bn. This 9.1% increase from the previous year was supported by a substantial rise in foot traffic, with 7.1 million people visiting the country's 25 casinos, marking a 12% year-on-year rise.

Average Spend Per Visit Declines: Despite the higher visitor count, the average expenditure per visit saw a 12% reduction from 2022, settling at CLP$76,042. This drop indicates a shift in consumer behavior, with patrons seeking more value or engaging in more cautious spending amidst broader economic conditions.

Late-Year Challenges: The overall positive trend faced hurdles towards the year's end, as December witnessed a 4.7% decrease in casino revenues compared to December 2022. This decline suggests fluctuating market dynamics and the need for casinos to adapt to maintain momentum.

Tax Contributions Grow: Reflecting the sector's health, the casinos' tax contributions to the government coffers rose by 8.7%, reaching CLP$195.72bn, up from the previous year's CLP$180m. This increase underscores the industry's significant role in national and local economies.

Regulatory Landscape Evolves

Igaming Regulation on the Horizon: The potential for online gaming in Chile took a significant step forward in December when the chamber of deputies passed a bill to regulate gaming in Chile. Now awaiting Senate review, the bill proposes a competitive online gaming market emphasizing player health and safety.

Anticipated Legislative Timeline: Optimism surrounds the bill's progression, with hopes it will navigate the Senate between March and June 2024. Successful passage could see a provisional igaming system in place by November, marking a pivotal shift in Chile's gaming landscape.

Challenges to Address: Similar to experiences in other South American nations like Brazil, the path to regulation has challenges. Taxation and market attractiveness are critical concerns lawmakers will need to address to transition players from unregulated to regulated platforms effectively.

Cannibalization Concerns Diminished

Study Rebuts Cannibalisation Fears: A prevalent concern has been the potential negative impact of igaming on land-based casinos. However, a recent study commissioned by the iDevelopment and Economic Association (iDEA) has presented evidence to the contrary.

Positive Impact on Land-Based Casinos: Authored by Eilers and Krejcik Gaming (EKG), the report analyzed 16 years of data, revealing that the introduction of online casinos has positively influenced land-based casino revenues. The analysis showed an uptick in quarterly growth rates post-gaming introduction across studied states.

Industry Feedback Affirms Coexistence: Surveys conducted with casino operators further supported the finding that online and land-based casinos can thrive simultaneously. Most respondents reported either a moderate increase or no change in land-based revenues following the advent of online gaming, debunking cannibalization concerns.

As Chile's casino industry navigates these developments, the focus remains on leveraging growth while adapting to regulatory changes. The introduction of iGaming will usher in new opportunities for growth and innovation while ensuring player protection and contributing to the economy.
A mural of Argentine former first lady Maria Eva Duarte de Peron, better known as Eva Peron, or Evita, depicting her with a saint's halo, adorns a wall inside the Peron Peron restaurant in the San Telmo neighborhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Friday, Feb. 9, 2024.

Early every morning, just as she reaches her workplace at a labor union in Buenos Aires, Angeles Celerier heads to the chapel and prays to Saint Cajetan, Saint Teresa and Eva Peron.

Peron  unlike the others  has not been canonized by the Vatican, but this doesnt matter to Celerier.

For me, she is the saint of the people, the 56-year-old Argentine said.

Many union members think of Evita as their patron or gaze at her photos with nostalgia, feeling that she and her husband, three-time President Juan Domingo Peron, brought prosperity to their country through an equality and social justice-driven movement that was named after him in the 1940s: Peronism.

That movement is currently the biggest opposition force in Argentina. And some political observers attribute the recent vote to elect President Javier Milei as a means to defeat Peronism and its previous hold on the presidency.

For us, she is the spiritual reservoir of the people, said Julio Piumato, human rights director at the largest union in Argentina. He signed a 2019 document requesting Evitas beatification.

No other figure has a deeper significance, Piumato said. The humble sectors are synthesized in Evita.

According to the union leader, between 1946 and 1952, when Evita died of cancer at age 33 and Peron concluded his first term, the couple dignified the working class and prioritized social justice.

Saints show us paths to reach Christ and intercede before God for us, reads the beatification request delivered to the archbishop. In our homeland, one generation after another continues to be converted by the humanist and Christian message of the standard bearer of the humble.

Aside from a 1996 movie starring Madonna or Andrew Lloyd Webers 1978 musical, many foreigners know relatively little about this former first lady who died 71 years ago.

But in Argentina, Evita is a constant presence. Her face is printed on 100-peso bills, decorates a mural on a key government building, and greets guests from an altar placed in a restaurant called Saint Evita.

I carry her image in my wallet, and I have it at home in a small picture frame with a candle, Celerier said. I ask her for protection.

How a first lady turned in to a champion of the poor

The secret behind the fascination that she awakens might be hidden in her name.

Long before becoming first lady, she called herself Maria Eva, a girl who left the town of Los Toldos to try her luck as an actress in Buenos Aires. As a modest film star she was known as Eva Duarte and afterwards became Eva Peron, the presidents wife. Then came Evita.

Evita is the one who is close to the people, said Santiago Regolo, a researcher at Museum Evita. People began to call her that, and that construction is linked to the political and social work that distinguished her from the women who preceded her and take her as an example to this day.

Evita was the one who paid visits to elders and single mothers. The one who handed out toys for children and bread for families. The one who promoted paid vacations for workers who had never been able to afford a break and gave a final push to achieve the womens right to vote in 1947.

She has also inspired some feminists  who carry her photo along with their green scarves during protests  as well as a political organization that asks for social transformation using her image as a logo.

Having Evita on our flag represents being with those in the lower classes and trying to vindicate her name over time, said Ivan Tchorek, from the Evita Movement, which has 155,000 members nationwide and was created after an economic crisis in 2001.

Shes relevant as ever, Tchorek said, because Peronism is. Thousands of workers like him recently led a general strike against the right-wing Milei, who defeated Peronist candidate Sergio Massa last November. Soon after, Milei issued a decree that would revoke or modify hundreds of existing laws in order to limit the power of unions and deregulate an economy that has traditionally featured heavy state intervention.

Even as a union standard-bearer in polarized times, Evita and her memory have the ability to transcend politics. Certain issues are linked to matters of a sentimental, sacralized nature, Regolo said. She is seen as a companion, a sister, a mother for the humble.

At her home in an impoverished neighborhood outside Buenos Aires, 71-year-old Rita Cantero says she almost met Evita. When her mother asked the first lady for help, she was pregnant with her.

My mother used to say that Evita was very supportive, that people really liked her for the service she provided.

Aware of the challenges of being a single mother, Rafaela Escobar attended a public event held by Evita in a plaza near her home. After being able to approach her and confide in her distress, Evita hugged her and said: Dont worry, I will help.

Three weeks later, Escobar received a cradle and clothes for her unborn child.

Cantero says her mother never met Evita again, but she sent her letters and the first lady replied with envelopes carrying money.

For us she is like a saint, Cantero said. Many judged her because she was a woman, but she was an honest, hard-working girl. She fought for our nation and was the force of Peron.

Evitas mixed legacy

Peron died two decades after Evita, in 1974, but his name continues to spark both admiration and hatred, yearning and blame.

His critics  among them legislator Fernando Iglesias, who has published several books contending Peronism ruined the country  claim that Peron was an authoritarian leader and his movements social assistance disguised corruption and patronage while generating too much dependence on the government.

Critics address Eva too. Her foundation pressed donors for resources, some say. She was careerist and a hypocrite, others assert. On the one hand, she claimed to defend the poor and on the other, she dressed in Dior.

Would she be the saint of the lazy? a user tweeted when the union requested her beatification. Patron of criminals, someone else wrote.

Erasing her from history was once a command. After a coup overthrew Peron in 1955, it was forbidden to say her name, display her image or keep her gifts. The military removed her embalmed body from a unions headquarters, where it was initially kept, and sent it to Europe.

The body came back after 14 years, and when the military took over again in the 1970s, it was given to her family under one condition: She would be buried eight meters underground, sealed in a marble crypt so that no one would ever see her again.

Evita is the best thing that could have happened to this country, said Carolina Castro, 22, holding back tears next to Evitas grave in Recoleta Cemetery, where Argentines and foreigners alike honor her with flowers, letters and rosaries.

According to Castros mother, 56-year-old Andrea Vellesi, Evita is a sensitive topic because their family is going through a difficult time. I have never been in such anguish, Vellesi said about economic measures that Milei recently decreed and that she claims hurt her business.

Victor Biscia, 36, says that he doesnt keep photos of Evita at home, but he does have images of the late President Nestor Kirchner and his wife and successor Cristina Fernandez, another Peronist couple that prompts devotion and resentment among Argentines.

They were key to achieving rights that are being curtailed by the current government, said Biscia, who thinks of Fernandez as a sort of 21st-century Evita.

She reflects a lot of what we are as Argentines, says Gimena Villagra, 27, standing next to Evitas tomb. I dont think theres anyone for whom she doesnt mean something.

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Since the collapse of the diplomatic process between the United States and North Korea in 2019, relations between the two sides have been at a standstill.

In 2021, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un set into motion a wide-ranging plan for the modernization of his nuclear forces. This modernization has helped render his nuclear deterrent more credible while accentuating the risks of nuclear conflict on the Korean Peninsula. It has further cemented North Korea's lack of intent to relinquish its nuclear weapons, which it views as essential to its defense.

Since it's hard to imagine North Korean nuclear disarmament soon, the United States and South Korea should seek a new approach that seeks to manage and reduce nuclear risks through practical measures, as suggested by a recent United Institute of Peace study. The US, South Korea, and any interested allies should adopt a new approach to the North Korean challenge; the approach should address the mistrust among Pyongyang, Washington, and Seoul. It should further seek to stabilize the Korean Peninsula so that future crises are less prone to spiral into a major conventional war. At the same time, the new approach could also be compatible with the status quo policy of maintaining robust deterrence and seeking the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

North Korea is unlikely to express interest in such proposals. However, the US and South Korea could also seek to reduce the risks of unintentional escalation. Realistically, Washington and Seoul should recognize that the prospect of a nuclear-armed Pyongyang is likely to remain a long-term fixture of the strategic environment in Northeast Asia.

North Korea's strategic stance led to its national defense strategy privileging the role of nuclear weapons. Facing a conventionally superior, nuclear-armed U.S.-South Korea alliance, Pyongyang has threatened to resort to early nuclear use both to deter conflict and engage in a nuclear escalation to fend off an attack by the alliance. A realistic goal for the alliance means measures that acknowledge the most likely alliance behaviors and capabilities that would lead to early use by North Korea.

The USIP study stated: "One highly tractable, short-term intervention could be declaratory assurances by the US concerning the possibility of offensive cyberattacks on Pyongyang's nuclear command and control systems. Since the Trump administration, the US has pursued a comprehensive missile defeat strategy that explicitly contemplates the possibility of employing offensive cyberweapons to sever Kim from his nuclear arsenal. Due to a lack of effective strategic situational awareness capabilities, North Korea would be unable to observe any US preparation for such an attack during a crisis, but its leadership would fear that its ability to exercise effective control over its nuclear forces could be degraded, creating incentives to nuclear use." Pyongyang's concern about these matters was expressed in its 2022 update to its nuclear weapons law, which announced that it would "automatically and immediately" use nuclear weapons if its command and control systems were degraded.

However, our government could take action. It could forswear deliberate non-kinetic attacks on North Korean nuclear command and control; this could provide an important reassurance to Pyongyang that could mitigate its incentives to resort to early nuclear use. The military postures of both North and South Korea today meet the classic definition. of crisis instability: each side signals its resolve to launch preemptive strikes during a war, hoping to limit damage and seek strategic and tactical advantage. For North Korea, this threat of preemption is underwritten by its nuclear weapons. For South Korea, the preemptive use of conventional ballistic and cruise missiles, backed by high-quality intelligence, is a central pillar of its "Kill Chain" strategy.

Any agreement between the two Koreas could steer the two countries away from these preemptive attack postures and would contribute to improving crisis stability. Failing this, however, the two Koreas should look to the 2018 Comprehensive Military Agreement as a template for managing the sources of instability. Though North Korea scrapped the CMA last November in response to South Korea's partial suspension of the deal following North Korea's launch of a military satellite, the basic logic of the agreement remains sound in addressing possible misunderstanding and incidents that could spiral into a major conventional military conflagration that includes a nuclear component. Should political conditions improve between the two Koreas, Pyongyang and Seoul should seek a renewal of the CMA or a similar successor agreement that generally provides for a greater buffer between the Korean People's Army and South Korea's armed forces. Such an agreement need not be tied to concrete measures by Pyongyang on denuclearization but would have the practical effect of limiting pathways to a conflict that could rapidly escalate due to the two sides' preemptive attack postures.

Though not a traditional focus of nuclear risk reduction on the Korean Peninsula, improving diplomatic relations between the United States and North Korea could stabilize the region. An early step would be a US liaison office in Pyongyang, staffed by one or multiple U.S. Foreign Service officers, which has been a part of negotiations going back to the Agreed Framework. The suggested actions can contribute to a short-term reduction of the risk of nuclear war on the Korean Peninsula. US and South Korean policymakers and military planners must recognize that, as a practical matter, they will continue to coexist with a nuclear-armed North Korea in the interim, out of a shared interest with Pyongyang in lowering the risk of a nuclear conflict that neither side desires, but Washington and Seoul should seek to advance measures that can limit the risk of nuclear escalation in future crises.

The suggestions outlined by USIP on contributing to a short-term reduction of the risk of nuclear war on the Korean Peninsula should be used to engage in long-term thinking about denuclearization possibilities on the Korean Peninsula. Out of a shared interest with Pyongyang in lowering the risk of a nuclear conflict, Washington and Seoul should seek to promote measures that can limit the risk of nuclear escalation in future crises. These diplomatic moves are the best we can do at this time. Will we even do our best?

Jason Sibert is the Lead Writer of the Peace Economy Project
This article originally appeared at TomDispatch.com. To receive TomDispatch in your inbox three times a week, click here.

Make no mistake, artificial Intelligence (AI) has already gone into battle in a big-time way. The Israeli military is using it in Gaza on a scale previously unknown in wartime. They've reportedly been employing an AI target-selection platform called (all too unnervingly) "the Gospel" to choose many of their bombing sites. According to a December report in the Guardian, the Gospel "has significantly accelerated a lethal production line of targets that officials have compared to a 'factory.'" The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) claim that it "produces precise attacks on infrastructure associated with Hamas while inflicting great damage to the enemy and minimal harm to noncombatants." Significantly enough, using that system, the IDF attacked 15,000 targets in Gaza in just the first 35 days of the war. And given the staggering damage done and the devastating death toll there, the Gospel could, according to the Guardian, be thought of as an AI-driven "mass assassination factory."

Meanwhile, of course, in the Ukraine War, both the Russians and the Ukrainians have been hustling to develop, produce, and unleash AI-driven drones with deadly capabilities. Only recently, in fact, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky created a new branch of his country's armed services specifically focused on drone warfare and is planning to produce more than one million drones this year. According to the Independent, "Ukrainian forces are expected to create special staff positions for drone operations, special units, and build effective training. There will also be a scaling-up of production for drone operations, and inclusion of the best ideas and top specialists in the unmanned aerial vehicles domain, [Ukrainian] officials have said."

And all of this is just the beginning when it comes to war, AI-style, which is going to include the creation of "killer robots" of every imaginable sort. But as the U.S., Russia, China, and other countries rush to introduce AI-driven battlefields, let TomDispatch regular Michael Klare, who has long been focused on what it means for the globe's major powers to militarize AI, take you into a future in which (god save us all!) robots could be running (yes, actually running!) the show. Tom

"Emergent" AI Behavior and Human Destiny

What Happens When Killer Robots Start Communicating with Each Other?

By Michael Klare

Yes, it's already time to be worried -- very worried. As the wars in Ukraine and Gaza have shown, the earliest drone equivalents of "killer robots" have made it onto the battlefield and proved to be devastating weapons. But at least they remain largely under human control. Imagine, for a moment, a world of war in which those aerial drones (or their ground and sea equivalents) controlled us, rather than vice-versa. Then we would be on a destructively different planet in a fashion that might seem almost unimaginable today. Sadly, though, it's anything but unimaginable, given the work on artificial intelligence (AI) and robot weaponry that the major powers have already begun. Now, let me take you into that arcane world and try to envision what the future of warfare might mean for the rest of us.

By combining AI with advanced robotics, the U.S. military and those of other advanced powers are already hard at work creating an array of self-guided "autonomous" weapons systems -- combat drones that can employ lethal force independently of any human officers meant to command them. Called "killer robots" by critics, such devices include a variety of uncrewed or "unmanned" planes, tanks, ships, and submarines capable of autonomous operation. The U.S. Air Force, for example, is developing its "collaborative combat aircraft," an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) intended to join piloted aircraft on high-risk missions. The Army is similarly testing a variety of autonomous unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), while the Navy is experimenting with both unmanned surface vessels (USVs) and unmanned undersea vessels (UUVs, or drone submarines). China, Russia, Australia, and Israel are also working on such weaponry for the battlefields of the future.

The imminent appearance of those killing machines has generated concern and controversy globally, with some countries already seeking a total ban on them and others, including the U.S., planning to authorize their use only under human-supervised conditions. In Geneva, a group of states has even sought to prohibit the deployment and use of fully autonomous weapons, citing a 1980 U.N. treaty, the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, that aims to curb or outlaw non-nuclear munitions believed to be especially harmful to civilians. Meanwhile, in New York, the U.N. General Assembly held its first discussion of autonomous weapons last October and is planning a full-scale review of the topic this coming fall.

For the most part, debate over the battlefield use of such devices hinges on whether they will be empowered to take human lives without human oversight. Many religious and civil society organizations argue that such systems will be unable to distinguish between combatants and civilians on the battlefield and so should be banned in order to protect noncombatants from death or injury, as is required by international humanitarian law. American officials, on the other hand, contend that such weaponry can be designed to operate perfectly well within legal constraints.

However, neither side in this debate has addressed the most potentially unnerving aspect of using them in battle: the likelihood that, sooner or later, they'll be able to communicate with each other without human intervention and, being "intelligent," will be able to come up with their own unscripted tactics for defeating an enemy -- or something else entirely. Such computer-driven groupthink, labeled "emergent behavior" by computer scientists, opens up a host of dangers not yet being considered by officials in Geneva, Washington, or at the U.N.

For the time being, most of the autonomous weaponry being developed by the American military will be unmanned (or, as they sometimes say, "uninhabited") versions of existing combat platforms and will be designed to operate in conjunction with their crewed counterparts. While they might also have some capacity to communicate with each other, they'll be part of a "networked" combat team whose mission will be dictated and overseen by human commanders. The Collaborative Combat Aircraft, for instance, is expected to serve as a "loyal wingman" for the manned F-35 stealth fighter, while conducting high-risk missions in contested airspace. The Army and Navy have largely followed a similar trajectory in their approach to the development of autonomous weaponry.

The Appeal of Robot "Swarms"

However, some American strategists have championed an alternative approach to the use of autonomous weapons on future battlefields in which they would serve not as junior colleagues in human-led teams but as coequal members of self-directed robot swarms. Such formations would consist of scores or even hundreds of AI-enabled UAVs, USVs, or UGVs -- all able to communicate with one another, share data on changing battlefield conditions, and collectively alter their combat tactics as the group-mind deems necessary.

"Emerging robotic technologies will allow tomorrow's forces to fight as a swarm, with greater mass, coordination, intelligence and speed than today's networked forces," predicted Paul Scharre, an early enthusiast of the concept, in a 2014 report for the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). "Networked, cooperative autonomous systems," he wrote then, "will be capable of true swarming -- cooperative behavior among distributed elements that gives rise to a coherent, intelligent whole."

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On Tuesday 20th February JANE.Magazine - THE PARTY! Celebrates the success of its featured designers at the JANE.Magazine pop-up gallery, 56 Conduit Street, London, W1S 2YW. Set to revolutionise the fashion landscape, JANE.Magazine's avant-garde digital space promises to be a captivating nexus where style, innovation, and editorial prowess converge. In partnership with Fashion Entrepreneurs Academy, a curated selection of designers, including Tiffany Noyama, Lotte Van Stijn, Moustadaam, Nina Apres Swim, Sphinx, and 
Are you ready to indulge in the epitome of luxury while immersing yourself in the captivating beauty of ancient Egypt? Look no further than Historia Luxury Nile Cruise in Luxor, Egypt. Prepare to embark on a journey where modern comforts seamlessly blend with the timeless wonders of the Nile River, promising an unforgettable adventure unlike any other. Unraveling the Splendor of Historia Luxury Nile Cruise: Step aboard the Historia Luxury Nile Cruise 
Rajkot, 28 January 2024 - Presenting a groundbreaking opportunity for students seeking international education, the USA-UK-CAN-AUS-Europe Education Fair 2024, hosted by K7 International, took place at RPJ Hotel this past Sunday. Showcasing over 50+ university delegates from esteemed institutions worldwide, this event epitomized K7's 25-year legacy of excellence in guiding students toward global academic success. From 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, the venue was abuzz with excitement as students from various 
Dubai, UAE - [20 Feb, 2024] In the dynamic landscape of technology, where innovation is the key to success, businesses in Dubai are constantly seeking cutting-edge software solutions to stay ahead of the competition. Introducing Appikr Labs, the leading software development company in Dubai, poised to revolutionize your digital journey. With a proven track record of delivering exceptional software solutions tailored to meet the unique needs of our clients, Appikr Labs stands 
A labor union that represents thousands of grocery workers at Fred Meyer, Albertsons and Safeway stores in several Western states has endorsed a proposed merger between their parent companies.

United Food and Commercial Workers Local 555 on Monday announced its support of the proposed $24.6 billion deal between Kroger, the parent company of Fred Meyer and QFC, and Albertsons, which also owns Safeway.

The endorsement appears to break with the national UFCW organization and other locals that have opposed the merger.

Miles Eshaia, a spokesperson for Local 555, said it has never previously weighed in on the proposed merger. The local represents 33,000 workers in Oregon, southwest Washington, Idaho and Wyoming, including some employees at Kroger- and Albertsons-owned stores.

UFCW Local 3000, a neighboring union that represents 50,000 workers across much of Washington, northeast Oregon and northern Idaho, has vocally opposed merger since the deal was announced in October 2022. It also represents some Kroger and Albertsons employees.

The national organization opposes the merger plan. It previously said that the proposed merger has serious implications for UFCW members and that the union would oppose any move that would threaten workers livelihoods.

Eshaia said the UFCW Local 555s endorsement comes several weeks after union leaders met with representatives of C&S Wholesale Grocers. C&S, one of the largest wholesalers in the U.S., agreed to purchase at least 413 U.S. stores, including at least 49 Oregon stores, owned by Kroger and Albertsons if the Federal Trade Commission approves the merger.

He said the union has reasoned that Cerberus Capital Management, which bought Albertsons for $350 million in 2006, plans to sell Albertsons stores eventually and that the proposed merger and plan to divest the stores to C&S would be the best outcome for workers.

You cant assume things will stay the same by opposing the merger, Eshaia said. Cerberus intends to sell Albertsons stores to someone. If its not going to be Kroger, its going to be sold to someone else.

Dan Clay, president of UFCW Local 555, echoed a similar sentiment in a statement, saying workers in the sold-off stores would be better off under C&S than other potential buyers.

We were pleased to find not only that they understood and liked the grocery business, but also recognized the importance of quality employees to their ongoing success, Clay said.

Kroger and Albertsons have said they would sell off stores to a competitor in a bid to win approval from the Federal Trade Commission, which is evaluating whether the merger would hurt consumers by reducing competition.

The grocery companies have not yet revealed which stores and other properties will be sold off to C&S as part of the plan. Eshaia said the union also was not told which stores C&S would take on if the merger were approved.

Founded in 1918, C&S is a grocery wholesaler and distributor to more than 7,900 independent supermarkets, retail chain stores and military bases from Maine to Texas and Hawaii. It owns the Piggly Wiggly brand of grocery stores in the South and Midwest, and it operates a distribution warehouse in Troutdale.

Attorneys general in Washington state and Colorado have filed lawsuits seeking to block the proposed merger. The Federal Trade Commission has yet to announce whether it will challenge the deal.

--Kristine de Leon; kdeleon@oregonian.com
To walk through the new exhibit Oregon Jews, A to Z is to walk through a nearly two-century-old, three-dimensional community scrapbook.

A book of cemetery records (L is for ledger) displays the names of Jewish residents buried before Oregon became a state in 1859. A memento (A is for ashtray) represents a 1950s Oregon coast resort popular with Jews. A marriage contract (K is for ketubah) marks a historic moment: a Portland synagogues first same-sex wedding in 2003.
Oregon senators considered the question of whether to move the state to permanent standard time, but did not draw a final conclusion Tuesday.

After a spirited debate and a tied vote, the Senate will likely get a chance to reconsider whether or not Oregon should ditch daylight saving time after new language is added to the bill.

Senate Bill 1548, the bill that was up for a vote Tuesday, is Oregons most recent attempt to stop biannual time changes in the state. The bill would end daylight saving time in the part of the state in the Pacific Time Zone for good.

The Oregon Legislature passed permanent daylight saving time in 2019, but that effort requires an act of Congress and has effectively stalled. Advocacy groups also pushed back on the idea of a permanent daylight saving time, pointing out that in the past switches to that time were unpopular and increased a variety of problems, including deaths of children who were hit by vehicles walking to school in the dark.

While most senators who spoke Tuesday seemed to support the idea of ditching the switch in theory, some were concerned that Oregon making the change before neighboring states could cause chaos at the border.

For two-thirds of the year, said Sen. Michael Dembrow, a Portland Democrat, Portland will be an hour different from Vancouver and southwest Washington.

Commuters crossing the Columbia River, he said, will need to change their watches two times a day.

Sen. Kim Thatcher, a Keizer Republican who is a chief sponsor of the bill, disagreed that that difference would be more than quirky at best and annoying at worst.

Three-quarters of the folks who have written to me in my email support this change to standard time, Thatcher said. That also bears out in the testimony.

Thatcher also noted that while this bill doesnt require buy-in from neighboring states, Idaho, Washington and California are all working on similar measures.

She said that if there is a lag time between when Oregon adopts the change and other states do, it wont be very long.

Sen. Elizabeth Steiner, a Portland Democrat, supported Thatcher, adding that as a doctor, she believes permanent standard time has many health benefits, both physical and mental.

I hear the concerns about switching and the challenges of the borders that we face, Steiner said. But, she added, People are capable of doing this.

The problem, she said, is that all the West Coast states are similarly scared to go first.

This is a big game of chicken, she said. Nobody wants to be the first state to do this.

But she, like Thatcher, believes that once Oregon commits to the change, neighboring states will follow.

The initial vote came out in a tie.

The initial vote on Oregon Senate Bill 1548 came to an exact tie. Later, one vote was changed to a "no."Screenshot

As typically happens in those cases, Thatcher changed her vote to a no so she could be on the prevailing side and thus able to ask that the bill be reconsidered.

Now, the bill will move to the Senate Rules Committee, Thatcher said. There, a trigger clause could be added to restrict Oregon from officially ending daylight saving time until neighboring states do as well, Thatcher said. If that were to happen, the Senate would have another chance to vote on it.

If senators pass it, it will move on to the House.

Regardless of what happens with the bill, this year, daylight saving time begins 2 a.m. on March 10.

-- Lizzy Acker covers life and culture and writes the advice column Why Tho? Reach her at 503-221-8052, lacker@oregonian.com or @lizzzyacker

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I am excited that our community has another opportunity to show its support for the Oregon Zoo in the May election, (What will the Oregon Zoo look like in 15 years? Portland voters will soon decide, Feb. 2). Metro Council has referred a bond measure to voters to decide on the zoos program of needed capital improvements. This bond will build on the impressive outcomes of the 2008 bond and wont cost taxpayers any more than we currently pay.

My connection with the zoo was cemented in 2015 when I joined the community oversight committee established in conjunction with the 2008 bond. In 2021, in the committees final report, I wrote that the bond funds were spent wisely, bond projects were completed on schedule and within budget, and the bond program successfully delivered on voter expectations.
The man found dead last week with six bullet holes in his body in Villajoyosa, a city in Spains Mediterranean coast, is Maxim Kuzminov, the Russian pilot who defected last August with his combat helicopter and surrendered to the Ukrainian Army, as confirmed by sources from Spains Civil Guard. The identity of the murdered man has been confirmed through his fingerprints, since he was carrying false documentation. The Ukrainian media Kyiv Post reported on Monday that the representative of Ukrainian military intelligence (GUR) Andriy Yusov had confirmed Kuzminovs death in Spain. Kuzminovs escape with a Mi-8 helicopter to a military base in the Kharkiv region was used for propaganda purposes by Kyiv authorities, who offered protection to him and his family. On Tuesday, Sergei Naryshkin, the head of Russias SVR foreign intelligence service, was quoted by Russian state news agencies as saying that this traitor and criminal became a moral corpse at the very moment when he planned his dirty and terrible crime.

The body was found on February 13 on the access ramp of the garage of a residential complex, from where the attackers fled in their victims car after also running him over with it, according to sources familiar with the investigation. The car was found shortly afterwards on fire in the neighboring town of El Campello. Civil Guard investigators noted from the outset that the deceaseds documentation, corresponding to a 33-year-old Ukrainian, could be false. On Monday, the Ukrainian press said that the victim was Kuzminov, and his identity has now been confirmed by Spanish law enforcement.

A burned car allegedly used by the perpetrators of the murder of the Russian pilot Maxim Kuzminov. Alex Dominguez/Informacion.es (via REUTERS)

It was a local man who called the police at around 6:30 p.m. on February 13 after seeing a body with bullet injuries inside a residential estate whose residents are mostly Russian and Ukrainian citizens, according to sources familiar with the investigation. Residents told investigators that they did not know the victim well, but thought they had seen him working at a nearby construction site.

Little else is known about the Civil Guard investigation. Spanish government spokeswoman Pilar Alegria on Tuesday said that they would let investigators do their work and failed to disclose whether Kuzminov was under any kind of protection program.

Investigators suspect that the attackers were familiar with the victims daily routines, and may have been watching him for some time. The coordinated way they went about the killing first made the Civil Guard suspect that it might be a settling of scores between organized crime gangs.

The Russians desertion and escape became known in September of last year, when the Ukrainian GUR published images in which the pilot (who was 28 years old at the time) explained how he was contacted by enemy military intelligence, which offered him to transfer him to the Ukrainian side in exchange for money and protection. In the video you can see Kuzminov landing with his helicopter, a Mi-8 fighter, at a military base in the Kharkiv region, in eastern Ukraine and bordering Russia.

As reported at the time by the head of the Ukrainian GUR, Kyrylo Budanov, Kuzminov crossed the border flying below the radar detection area along with other members of the crew who did not know of the pilots plans and died when they tried to flee after landing. Budanov also explained then that Ukrainian military intelligence had managed to remove the defecting pilots family from Russia, as reported by the Efe news agency. The pilot then said that they guaranteed his safety, offered him new documents and compensation of half a million dollars before proceeding to plan the operation.

Maxim Kuzminov did not want to go to war and ended up flying his Mi-8 helicopter to Ukraine in a joint operation with that countrys intelligence services. The pilot had graduated from the Sizran Aviation School in southern Russia and was assigned to serve in the Russian Far East, where among his colleagues he had a reputation for being a calm person and for requesting peaceful work, cargo operations that had nothing to do with military missions, according to the Russian Telegram channel Baza.

Kuzminov himself explained that he had defected because he was against the Russian invasion of Ukraine. I regret what is happening, the murders, the tears, the blood, he said in a documentary released by the intelligence services, assuring that in Ukraine there were neither fascists nor Nazis as Moscow claimed. I dont want to be complicit in Russian crimes, he said.

Kuzminov made the final decision while flying near the Russian-Ukrainian border on August 9. He then guided the helicopter across the border at an extremely low altitude. Apparently, for three or four days no one (in Russia) understood what had happened to me. I landed and they welcomed me (in Ukraine), he said. According to the video released by Kyiv, Kuzminov was injured after landing, but was offered medical assistance.

Meanwhile, in Russia, military authorities opened a case for treason against Kuzminov, and the relatives of his two companions who were murdered after landing in Ukraine asked that he pay with his life for what he did. The crewmates, killed while trying to flee, were decorated post-mortem by the Russian authorities.

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Nairobi, Kenya (PANA)  The humanitarian crisis in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has reached critical levels as clashes intensify, resulting in widespread displacement and escalating risks for women and children, Care, a relief agency, said in a report on Monday
Geneva, Switzerland (PANA) - Alleged rights violations against Palestinian women and girls in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank must be investigated, a group of experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council said on Monday
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - Libya's Minister of State for Communication and Political Affairs, Walid Ellafi, has said that the government media are focusing more on the concept of government communication and have begun to highlight cultural diversity and establish direct communication with citizens
Cotonou, Benin (PANA) - More than 2,000 participants are expected to attend the 4th Mining and oil Forum of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOMAF) scheduled for 22-24 February in Cotonou, sources close to the organization said on Tuesday
Binghatti, a leading Emirati property development company headquartered in Dubai, is preparing to launch its inaugural US dollar sukuk in the coming days, subject to market condition. This will highlight the company's strategic move towards diversifying its funding base.

Emirates NBD, Dubai Islamic Bank, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, HSBC, Mashreq, Sharjah Islamic Bank, and RAKBANK have been appointed as Joint Lead Managers and bookrunners on the contemplated inaugural debt capital markets transaction.

The debut US dollar sukuk issuance, anticipated to be of benchmark size, is intended to have a three-year maturity. This initiative further solidifies the company's commitment to exploring innovative avenues for capital raising while adhering to the principles of Sharia-compliant finance.

Non-deal roadshow

Binghatti Holding recently concluded a successful non-deal roadshow, engaging with fixed income investors in Hong Kong and London. Additionally, Fitch Ratings recently assigned Binghatti Holding a B+ credit rating with a positive outlook.

Binghattis project offering in the uber-luxury segment features branded developments in collaboration with global luxury brands including Bugatti, Mercedes-Benz, and Jacob & Co. All three branded developments mark the first ever debut in the real-estate industry for these global brands. Binghatts branded uber-luxury developments are valued at a total project value of circa AED16 billion ($4.36 billion).

In addition to the uber-luxury project offering, Binghattis developments in the mainstream and luxury segments amount to an additional value of circa AED7.6 billion, bringing the total value of its diverse project portfolio to a figure exceeding circa AED23.6 billion.

Muhammad BinGhatti, CEO of Binghatti, expressed his enthusiasm about the upcoming sukuk issuance, emphasising the company's strong financial position and market reputation.--TradeArabia News Service
'Wall Street Journal' reporter Evan Gershkovich stands inside an enclosure for defendants before a court hearing to consider an appeal against his pre-trial detention on espionage charges in Moscow, Russia, October 10, 2023.

A court in the Russian capital ruled Tuesday to keep Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich in custody pending his trial on espionage charges that he denies.

The Moscow City Court rejected an appeal against Gershkovichs detention filed by his lawyers, upholding an earlier ruling to keep him behind bars until the end of March.

The courts order means that Gershkovich, 32 will spend at least a year behind bars in Russia after his arrest in March 2023 while on a reporting trip to the Russian city of Yekaterinburg in the Ural Mountains.

Gershkovich and the Journal have denied the espionage allegations, and the U.S. government has declared him to be wrongfully detained. Russian authorities havent detailed any evidence to support the espionage charges.

Gershkovich is the first American reporter to be charged with espionage in Russia since 1986, when Nicholas Daniloff, a Moscow correspondent for U.S. News and World Report, was arrested by the KGB. Gershkovich is being held at Moscows Lefortovo prison, notorious for its harsh conditions.

Speaking in an interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson earlier this month, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia is ready to negotiate a deal to exchange Gershkovich and hinted that Moscow wants the release of a Russian imprisoned in Germany.

Putin charged that Gershkovich was caught red-handed when he was secretly getting classified information, while adding that there are certain conditions that are being discussed between special services. I believe an agreement can be reached.

He pointed to a man imprisoned in a U.S.-allied country for liquidating a bandit who had allegedly killed Russian soldiers during separatist fighting in Chechnya. Putin didnt mention names but appeared to refer to Vadim Krasikov, a Russian serving a life sentence in Germany after being convicted of the 2019 killing in Berlin of Zelimkhan Tornike Khangoshvili, a 40-year-old Georgian citizen of Chechen ethnicity.

German judges said Krasikov acted on the orders of Russian authorities, who gave him a false identity and passport and resources to carry out the killing.

German officials have refused comment when asked if there had been any effort by Russia to secure a swap of Krasikov and Gershkovich and whether Berlin was in contact with the U.S.

In December, the U.S. State Department said that Russia had rejected several proposals for freeing Gershkovich and Paul Whelan, a corporate security executive from Michigan, has been jailed in Russia since his December 2018 arrest on espionage-related charges that both he and the U.S. government dispute. Whelan was sentenced to 16 years in prison.

Earlier this month, a Moscow court remanded a German citizen in custody on drug smuggling charges after his arrest over possession of cannabis gummies. Patrick Schobel, 38, who was detained at Pulkovo airport in St. Petersburg last month, told authorities he brought the gummies to have a better sleep on long flights.

Some analysts have noted that Moscow may be using jailed Americans as bargaining chips after U.S.-Russian tensions soared when Russia sent troops into Ukraine. At least two U.S. citizens arrested in Russia in recent years, including WNBA star Brittney Griner, have been exchanged for Russians jailed in the U.S.

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Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - At least 25 million people are struggling with soaring rates of hunger and malnutrition as the crisis arising from the war in Sudan sends shockwaves around the region, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Monday
Photo: (Photo : JASON CONNOLLY /Getty Images)

A Colorado University student, Nicholas Jordan, has now been arrested by the police in connection with the dorm room deaths of fellow student Samuel Knopp, 24, and Celie Rain Montgomery, 26.

In a shocking and heart-wrenching turn of events, the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs (UCCS) finds itself in the midst of tragedy as 25-year-old Nicholas Jordan, a student hailing from Detroit, faces murder charges.

The entire UCCS community is left grappling with the profound loss as details of the investigation unfold.

Uncovering the Dorm Room Murders

Last week, the UCCS Crestone House residence became the somber scene of a horrifying discovery, as the lifeless bodies of Samuel Knopp and Celie Rain Montgomery were found.

The city police took over the investigation at the request of the university police, diligently working to unravel the circumstances surrounding this distressing incident.

The ruling out of a murder-suicide scenario by the police has provided some clarity, yet many questions linger, casting a shadow over the UCCS community.

The UCCS campus was thrust into chaos as the university police requested assistance from the city police, signifying the severity of the situation.

The fear of an active shooter led to an hours-long lockdown until authorities confirmed there was no ongoing threat.

Investigators continue their efforts, emphasizing that this appears to be an isolated incident between individuals who were known to each other, sending shockwaves through the close-knit UCCS community.

Community Grieves as Classes Pause for a Day of Healing

The aftermath of the dorm room murders prompted the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, to close its doors over the weekend, with Monday's classes canceled.

The UCCS campus, housing over 11,000 students and nearly 2,000 faculty and staff, united in a poignant memorial walk to honor the lives lost.

Chancellor Jennifer Sobanet conveyed her heartfelt condolences, urging the UCCS community to come together and support one another during this emotionally challenging time.

Samuel Knopp, a senior studying music, was fondly remembered as a beloved member of the Visual and Performing Arts department by Chancellor Sobanet.

An accomplished guitarist, Knopp's talents resonated throughout the UCCS campus, leaving an indelible mark.

Celie Rain Montgomery, though not a UCCS student, is mourned by the campus community. Sobanet emphasized the need for unity and communal grief, reminding everyone that they are not alone in their sorrow.

Read Also: From Swaddles to Diapers: Top 10 Newborn Baby Essentials for New Parents

Recent Tragedy Amidst Loss

The fatal shooting follows another tragedy on the UCCS campus a week prior, with the passing of nursing student Mia Brown.

The circumstances surrounding Brown's death involved a medical emergency at the campus rec center, compounding the sorrow already felt within the UCCS community.

The sequential nature of these events raises questions about UCCS campus safety and the impact on the well-being of UCCS students.

As the investigation continues and the UCCS campus mourns, the focus remains on supporting one another and finding solace amidst the collective grief.

The University of Colorado Colorado Springs faces a challenging period, grappling with the loss of promising lives and searching for ways to foster healing within its close-knit UCCS community.

The sorrowful echoes of these events will undoubtedly reverberate through the halls of UCCS for a long time to come.

Related Article: Florida Christian School Expels 9 Students Amidst Controversy Surrounding Mother's OnlyFans Side Hustle
If all goes according to plan and if my understanding is not mistaken, I will be speaking at Buckland House on the grounds of the Sydney Australia Temple this Thursday night, 22 February 2024. I dont know the time yet, but it will be in the evening. Im guessing that it will begin at about 7:00 PM or 7:30 PM, but Ill try to get the time nailed down as soon as I possibly can.

It has been a while, I think, since Ive been out to the Sydney Australia Temple grounds. I dont believe that I visited the Temple during my immediately previous visit to Sydney, and my last visit to Australia before that took me solely to Melbourne. But what I think was my most recent visit to the Temple grounds and, if Im not mistaken, to Buckland House, is a significant memory of mine and is connected with other significant experiences  in Rome, no less. Heres some of the back story:

For a time, during the period when I was on loan from my BYU home department of Asian and Near Eastern Languages to what would come to be known as the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, one of my principal areas of responsibility (alongside the Middle Eastern Texts Initiative, which was my baby) was oversight of what we called the Center for the Preservation of Ancient Religious Texts, or CPART. In turn, among the major focuses there in CPART was our work on a searchable database of the Dead Sea Scrolls and our effort to digitize damaged records recovered from such places as the ruins of ancient Herculaneum and the long-forgotten Maya murals at Bonampak, in the Mexican state of Chiapas. (By the way, a good though now rarely seen 2003 documentary film  Out of the Ashes: Recovering the Lost Library of Herculaneum  was made of our work in Italy. For a solid basic overview of the Dead Sea Scrolls project to that point, see this 1996 article: From the Caves of Qumran to CD-ROM.)

Hearing of these efforts, we were contacted one day by Mar Bawai Soro, who was at the time a bishop in the Assyrian Church of the East. (In the wake of considerable and painful ecclesiastical turmoil related to his ecumenical efforts  which was already beginning when we began to work with him  Mar Bawai later became an Eparch of the Chaldean Catholic Church.) He wanted to know whether our technology could be used to digitize and preserve ancient Syriac manuscripts that were held by the Bibliotheca Apostolica Vaticana (the Vatican Apostolic Library), but that were centrally important to his very old Middle Eastern religious tradition. The Vatican had acquired the manuscripts over previous centuries, and they were now essentially inaccessible to members of his small, impoverished, persecuted, and largely Iraqi church. Could we preserve them, he wondered, and make them searchable?

We were confident that the technology would work. The politics, however, were a different matter. Whereas we had been effectively invited to help with Herculaneum and the Dead Sea Scrolls, we couldnt imagine that the Vatican would be especially thrilled at the thought of allowing Latter-day Saints access to work in its library. Bishop Soro, however, was living much of each year in Rome at that time, pursuing a doctorate there from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas  the famous Angelicum, as it is often called  and he said that it wouldnt hurt to ask. We told him to feel free to ask. We didnt expect much to come of it.

Soon thereafter, Mar Bawai told us the story of what happened next. He went to the Vatican City office of Edward Cardinal Cassidy, who was serving at that time as president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity under Pope John Paul II. (Some have told me that he was the third-ranking official in the Vatican, after the Pope himself and the Vatican Secretary of State.) In that capacity, of course, he was responsible for building relationships with non-Catholic Christians and Christian denominations. Bishop Soro asked him whether he would be open to the idea of doing a great favor to the Assyrian Church of the East by allowing the digitizing of their records that were held in the Vatican. Cardinal Cassidy pointed out that the Assyrian Church of the East lacked the technical and financial resources to carry out such a project, and asked whether Bishop Soro had a partner in this idea and, if so, who it might be.

Only considerably later did we come to understand that this was no merely idle question. There had been a major scandal in 1997 in which the Vatican Apostolic Library had been ripped off by a consortium that had undertaken to digitize its holdings. The Irish-Canadian Father Leonard Boyle had been ousted as Prefect of the Library that year because of his mistaken judgment in the matter  he didnt do anything wrong; he was simply a naive medievalist scholar who was cheated by a handful of greedy American scoundrels  and he died just two years after, in 1999. (Some years further on, I happened to be visiting the Basilica di San Clemente, where by chance I saw his tomb and thought of his sad story.)

Cardinal Cassidy wanted to be sure that the Vatican wasnt being set up for a second round of disaster.

Mar Bawais concerns were quite different and, he eventually told us, he was pretty much looking at his feet when he whispered that it was the Mormons who were in line to help him and his community. He had, he told us, already prepared something of a little speech about how we werent actually all that bad, really.

The Mormons! Cardinal Cassidy exclaimed. Oh, I like Mormons! And he not only placed no obstacles in the way of the project, he facilitated it.

We were quite shocked when we heard that story. We wondered why a very high-ranking Vatican cardinal would especially like Latter-day Saints. It turns out that there was (as might have been expected), a story behind that exclamation.

Pope John Paul II visited Australia in 1986. In preparation for that visit, Cardinal Cassidy, a native of Sydney, was sent to meet with government and other officials to make arrangements. Among other things, a reception was organized for him in Sydney so that he could meet non-Catholic religious leaders in the area. Among those invited to the reception was Elder V. Dallas Merrell, a member of the Seventy who was then also serving in the Australia area presidency. Holder of a doctorate in public administration, Elder Merrill had been a political consultant and even a senatorial candidate in Maryland, and he was very outgoing. He made a beeline toward Cardinal Cassidy, and the two hit it off like old friends. By the time Bishop Soro met with Cardinal Cassidy, Elder Merrill had visited with him in Vatican City  you can see a photograph of Elder and Sister Merrell with Cardinal Cassidy here  and, almost unbelievably, the cardinal, wearing merely an ordinary priests garb for the trip, had been (so Im told) a quiet and unheralded guest of the First Presidency and the Twelve in Salt Lake City.

Anyway, the project to digitize Syriac records in the Vatican went forward, and eventually it brought me and Elder Merrell and Daniel J. Oswald (the then director of FARMS, later the Maxwell Institute) and Gary Merrill of southern California (a friend of Elder Merrells and a valued supporter of our efforts, who deserves his own entry) on an official visit to Rome and Vatican City to sign a contract. While there, we met with Monsignor Raffaele Farina, then the Prefect of the Vatican Library (and now himself a cardinal) and with Jorge Maria Cardinal Mejia, the overall head of the Vatican Library and Archives. To my astonishment, Cardinal Mejia kindly and spontaneously showed us some of the transcripts from the trial of Galileo as well as the famous Codex Vaticanus. Considerably later, on a subsequent visit, we were able to take some of our major donors on a tour of the Library, which most tourists will never see. One amusing aspect of our meeting with Monsignor Farina: He was about to sign the contract or memorandum of agreement with us when, suddenly, he stopped. He said he could not go forward with the signing if the Bibliotheca Apostolica Vaticana were not listed, with Brigham Young University, as co-sponsor of the project. I laughed and indicated that I was going to ask for that. So we proceeded.

While there, of course, we had to visit with Elder Merrells friend, Cardinal Cassidy. So we had a couple of very warm visits with him in his office. A few things from those visits stick out in my mind still today:

One day, we gave him a copy of the Proclamation on the Family, which had been issued relatively recently by the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles. The next day, when we visited with him, he indicated that he himself could have easily signed such a document. (Perhaps he had skimmed too quickly over the passage about the pre-mortal existence of human spirits.)

At one point, we were discussing the idea of general revelation, as opposed to personal revelation. I wont forget his response. I can assure you, he said, that no pope has ever claimed a revelation. And, as he said that, he spread both arms to his sides with his hands extended, palms down, to indicate the absoluteness of what he was saying. I remember thinking, Heres some common ground that we can agree on!

I recall, too, his volunteering that Martin Luther had solid reasons for complaining about corrupt practices in the Catholic Church of that period. He lamented the break caused by the Reformation but, he said, he could easily understand it.

At the time, he was preparing to retire from the Vatican and return to Australia. So he wanted us to meet the man who would succeed him as as president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, Walter Kasper, the Bishop of Rottenburg-Stuttgart, who had also just been named a cardinal. I was, I confess, very disappointed at the thought of not being able to continue to work with this genial Australian, and feared that things might be very different with a Teutonic, German, ecclesiastical official. But Cardinal Kasper  technically, he hadnt quite yet been created cardinal  was extremely kind and accessible. He was very excited at the thought of future contacts between Latter-day Saint theologians and Roman Catholic theologians, and proposed a series of meetings. He had checked around, prior to meeting with us, and had discovered that there was, so far as he could tell, no senior leader in Vatican City who had ever had a serious conversation with a Latter-day Saint. Alas, though, and for reasons (on our side) that I still regard as insufficient, nothing ever came of that.

Cardinal Cassidy also invited us to attend a meeting at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls (San Paolo fuori le Mura) between Pope John Paul II and a large group of bishops from the separated Eastern churches. I once wrote about this remarkable experience for the Deseret News:

When the Pope left the Vatican for a meeting of healing: When Pope John Paul II hosted a number of bishops from the ancient non-Catholic churches of the East, the location of the Papal Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls was significant

It was the closest Ive ever come to a pope  perhaps about twenty or twenty-five feet or so  and, so far as Im aware, the closest Ive ever come to a (living) Catholic Saint: He was canonized on 11 September 2014 and is now officially known as Pope Saint John Paul II, to which some add  and I would be inclined to agree  the Great.

One day, when the four of us were standing in St. Peters Square  which, like Cairos Tahrir Square, isnt actually square  after a meeting with Cardinal Cassidy, the question was raised about how we, as Latter-day Saints whose belief in the Restoration presupposes belief in a Great Apostasy, ought to regard obviously good men like Cardinals Cassidy, Mejia, and Kasper, as well as Pope John Paul II himself (one of my heroes) and James Francis Cardinal Stafford (another of Elder Merrells friends, whereby hangs yet another interesting tale for some coming time). The thought came to me very forcefully on that occasion that the leaders of the Roman Catholic Church were indeed the successors of the first leaders of the fledgling first-century community of Christians in Rome, and that, as such, they deserved our deepest respect. Yes, some of the doctrines and more than a few of the practices of early Christianity had disappeared or been altered. Yes, from our perspective, they lacked genuine priesthood ordination and authority. And, sadly yes, some historical popes and cardinals had been, to put it mildly, wickedly immoral. (I doubt that any informed contemporary Catholic would deny that. Consider, for example, Pope Alexander VI.) But the vast majority of Catholic clergy and religious (nuns, for example), historically and certainly today, have been good people, trying to do the right thing, trying to serve Christ and the people. Even during the Apostasy, the Church preserved the Bible and kept basic Christian doctrines alive and taught fundamental Christian virtues. Meeting people like Cardinal Mejia and Cardinal Kasper and then-Monsignor Farina and Cardinal Cassidy  and my beloved teacher in Cairo, Father Georges Anawati (on whom see Father Anawati, Part One, and Father Anawati, Part Two, and Father Anawati, Part Three)  has only served to increase my respect for committed Roman Catholics.

I did not see Cardinal Cassidy again for several years after my experiences with him in Rome, though I thought of him fairly often. In 2006, however, my wife and I were privileged to be there and involved when the then-president of the Australia Area Presidency for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the late Elder Paul K. Sybrowsky of the Seventy, presented the cardinal with the John Simpson Standing for Something Award for his efforts to foster interfaith and intercultural understanding. The presentation occurred during a program on the grounds of the Sydney Australia Temple. It was very good to see him again at that time, which I correctly presumed would be my last opportunity.

Cardinal Cassidy died in Newcastle, New South Wales  north of Sydney, up the coast  on 10 April 2021, at the age of 96. Requiescat in pace.

During the 11 February 2024 episode of the Interpreter Radio Show, Terry Hutchinson, John Gee, and Kevin Christensen discussed Come, Follow Me Book of Mormon lesson 10, the importance of the sabbath day, and the pros and cons of Book of Mormon study editions. Their conversation was recorded and, now, freed from commercial breaks, it has been archived and is available to you for listening at your convenience. The New Testament in Context portion of this show, for the Come, Follow Me Book of Mormon lesson 10, will also be posted separately on Tuesday, 27 February 2024.

The Interpreter Radio Show can be heard weekly on Sunday evenings from 7 to 9 PM (MDT), on K-TALK, AM 1640, if you are in the Salt Lake Valley. Or, alternatively, you can listen live from wherever you are on the Internet at ktalkmedia.com.

Posted from the Tasman Sea
Consolidated Bank Ghana LTD (CBG) has been commended by the State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA) for showcasing commendable compliance and a consistent track record of positive returns.



Ag. Director-General of the State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA), Mr. John Boadu, made this remark when he paid a working visit to CBG as part of his familiarization with some state agencies.



He pledged SIGAs commitment to assist CBG in profit maximization and operational efficiency specifying that SIGA is fully prepared to collaborate with the Bank's impactful endeavors as a prominent indigenous financial institution.



He further encouraged CBG to share its success story with the Ghanaian public to underscore its substantial contributions to the country.



Managing Director of Consolidated Bank Ghana LTD (CBG), Mr. Daniel Addo expressed gratitude to the Ag. Director-General and his team for the visit highlighting the significance of close cooperation between regulatory bodies and state institutions to effectively address emerging challenges while maintaining cordiality.



By actively seeking dialogue and cooperation, Mr. Boadus courtesy call aims to overcome any potential disconnect and foster a proactive partnership that benefits both the regulatory agency and state institutions as a whole.



Also present at the visit were top Management of the Bank and executives of the State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA) including Madam Alexandra Totoe, Ag. General Manager, Finance and Administration; and Ms. Louisa Aubin, Manager, Corporate Affairs.



SIGA was established to facilitate performance management in State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) and other prescribed bodies within the framework of Government policy, to ensure that they operate efficiently, effectively, and profitably thereby contributing towards the socio-economic development of Ghana.



Consolidated Bank Ghana LTD (CBG) is wholly owned by the Government of Ghana and operates as a universal Bank with 114 branches in 13 regions of Ghana. The Bank has strong government support, a large SME client network, and a pool of diverse talent.







Source: Peacefmonline.com









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The Pharmacy Council is set to carry out swoops on unlicensed facilities providing pharmacy services across the country as part of measures to sanitize pharmaceutical practice.



The acting Registrar of the Pharmacy Council, Dr Daniel Amaning Danquah, disclosed this to the Daily Graphic after a meeting in Ho with 50 pharmacy operators from the Volta and Oti regions.



The meeting was part of his familiarisation visit to the area as well as efforts to introduce them to electronic pharmacy procedures to enhance their services to the public.



Dr Danquah said the nationwide exercise would be carried out with the support of the Ghana Police Service and the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA).



The task force assigned that duty has just come out with the strategy for the exercise and it is poised for the swoops, the acting Registrar of the Pharmacy Council said.



Dr Danquah explained that the exercise was not only meant to stop the illegal practice by peddlers, but also to prosecute the illegal practitioners, stressing the safety of the public is our main concern.



Regulated area



The acting Registrar of the Pharmacy Council maintained that the exercise was also to ensure that licensed pharmacy proprietors and Off-the-Counter Medicine Sellers (OTCMS) operated within their stipulated scopes of practice.



Dr Danquah pointed out the pharmacy sector was a regulated area because its activities affected human lives.



For that matter, it could not be left in the hands of unlicensed individuals or companies.



According to the Pharmacy Council, there are over 5,000 pharmacy proprietors and 20,000 OTCMS in the country.



Dr Danquah said some of the pharmacy proprietors and OTCMS sometimes veered off their scopes of practice and sold the wrong medicines to clients.



The task force will visit every region because we are acting on behalf of the entire nation, he said.



The Volta Regional Manager of the Pharmacy Council, Dr Gabriel Essilfie-Essel, said the visit of the Ag. Registrar was timely and gratifying because it coincided with moves by the council to introduce digital innovations into the practice environment.



He urged the pharmacy proprietors to form an association to help them to articulate their concerns.



Background



The Pharmacy Council has been established by the Health Professions Regulatory Bodies Act, 2013, (Act 857) as a body corporate responsible for a number of things including ensuring that the education and training of pharmacists and any other pharmaceutical support staff are carried out at approved educational institutions for efficient pharmacy practice.



The council also sets standards for continuous professional development for practitioners and pharmaceutical support staff; register practitioners and ensures the equitable and accessible distribution of pharmaceutical premises.



The council also monitors and inspects pharmacy practices where pharmaceutical care is provided and exercises disciplinary powers over pharmacists and any other pharmaceutical support staff.



The Pharmacy Council also sets and ensures standards for pharmacy practice and professional conduct.



It is governed by a nine-member board with the mandate of securing in the public interest the highest standards in the practice of pharmacy in the country.

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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The parliamentary candidate of the NDC in the Effutu constituency, James Kofi Annan, has urged the National Peace Council to intervene to avert a potential violent confrontation between the NDC and the NPP.



According to him, the patience of the NDC has been overstretched, and the party will soon be left with no option but to defend itself.



James Kofi Annan stated this when he addressed newsmen in Winneba over the weekend.



According to him, there was widespread violence during the just-ended District Assembly elections in the Effutu constituency, but the Ghana Police Service failed to protect the citizens.



He said the NPP brought military men to attack and brutalize NDC sympathizers, even though the local assembly elections are supposed to be non-partisan.



Mr. Annan stated, for instance, that it was reported that an armed military officer accompanying the Effutu MP slapped a polling agent at Roman School because he resisted an instruction from the MP. Another military man in his company slapped an NDC branch executive at the polling center in Sankor.



Abena Serwa and Emmanuel Coffie (reporters of Nyce FM and Radio Gold, respectively) were reportedly attacked with a sharp knife by one Adams, a known NPP activist, who collected their money, mobile phones, and other valuables and boasted that he would kill them and nothing could be done to him. It has been two months, and nothing has indeed happened to him," Mr. Annan stated.



According to him, the NPP, through the Effutu Municipal Assembly, is engaging in such extreme provocations that can result in violent confrontations.



He said that in the last couple of years, the Assembly embarked on the demolition of the billboards that he would have used for his personal and campaign activities, even though he had paid the necessary fees and bills to the same municipal assembly.



The assembly has provocatively allowed the NPP to erect Afenyo-Markins billboards on the same spots where my billboards were demolished, and in some cases, it is my billboard structures that have been re-erected and Afenyo-Markins posters pasted on those billboards.



"This is a recipe for violence, and I wonder why, after several protestations, the National Peace Council is still quiet about the situation. Is the National Peace Council waiting for violence to erupt before they issue statements?, Mr. Annan quizzed.



We in the NDC have gotten to the boiling point and are serving notice that if the state institutions are not going to act to protect our people, we will find ways to protect ourselves," he concluded.





Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected]









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The Electoral Commission (EC) has revealed that the proposal to change the election date from December 7 to November 7 will be effective but not in this electioneering year.



Dr. Eric Asare Bossman, the Deputy EC Chairman in charge of Corporate Services noted that the legislation required for the change in date to be implemented will be laid before Parliament as soon as possible for possible consideration.



Dr. Bossman said, "So within the last few months, this is something the commission is going to trigger.



Earlier in the year, the EC proposed the date change, along with considerations for designating the election days as national holidays.



These proposals were presented during the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting held on Monday, January 22, 2024 in Accra.



According to the electoral commission, declaring the Election Day as holiday will increase the Electoral College and will promote a robust democracy culture.



However, a section of Ghanaians, including the National Democratic Congress (NDC), opposed the idea stating that the timing is not appropriate, thus, the likelihood of the change of date resulting in utter confusion will be high.



The NDC explained further that, it will be prudent for the electoral commission to have change made against the election in 2028.



Deputy EC Chairman, Dr. Asare Bossman, while clarifying the matter on JoyNews stated that the move is not expected to be implemented during this years polls.



He said, That was agreed with the political parties that in the event we cannot marshal the forces of IPAC to have it in November in 2020, the commission should take steps to ensure that in 2028, we are going to have it in November.



The Deputy EC Chairman further explained that the new date will be a selected day in November, and not November 7 as widely speculated.



"This must be clear, we were not talking about November 7. At the IPAC meeting, the decision was a day in November. So it can be the first Monday, a second Monday, a third Monday or Tuesday or Friday or Thursday.





Source: Kobina Darlington/peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Since Kenya's William Ruto and Nigeria's Bola Tinubu became presidents, they have faced similar criticism over their frequent trips abroad.



The two men have been the subject of unflattering descriptions - the costs associated with their alleged penchant for air travel often contrasted with tough economic conditions at home.



A Kenyan newspaper, the Standard, nicknamed Mr Ruto the "Flying President". It said "so great is his love for flying that it appears that he cannot pass up any opportunity" despite pressing domestic demands, such as dealing with the high cost of living.



Last month, as Mr Tinubu made yet another trip to Europe, Nigeria's opposition leader Atiku Abubakar said on social media that Nigeria does not need a "tourist-in-chief". He criticised the president's private visit "while Nigeria is drowning in the ocean of insecurity".



This in some ways can be seen as a cheap shot, easily levelled by any critic. Presidents need to attend heads-of-state meetings and nurture foreign relations. This is important not only for diplomatic reasons, but also economic ones, as lucrative investment deals can be negotiated.



But some have pointed out that late Tanzanian President John Magufuli never travelled outside Africa in his six years in office.



'Personal glorification'

Kenyan foreign policy analyst Prof Macharia Munene acknowledges that some trips are necessary but says others are undoubtedly "wasteful".



"You have presidents who love to be in the air... Some of these trips are personal glorifications, not so much for the country," he told the BBC.



Mr Ruto and Mr Tinubu and their spokespeople defend their trips as being vital to help address the very problems they are accused of ignoring.



In the eight months since his inauguration, Mr Tinubu has made 14 trips - an average of just under two a month - but this is dwarfed by Mr Ruto, who has made about 50 journeys abroad since he became president in 2022 - averaging more than three a month.



In comparison, Mr Ruto's predecessor, Uhuru Kenyatta, averaged just over one foreign trip a month in his decade in charge, similar to the record of Nigeria's previous president, Muhammadu Buhari, although in terms of total days spent abroad, the difference is not that much.



Other world leaders have also notched up the air miles, but Mr Ruto and Mr Tinubu face continued questions over whether every trip is necessary.



The Nigerian and Kenyan leaders were both in Europe at the end of last month - Mr Ruto in Italy attending the Italy-Africa summit while Mr Tinubu was continuing his unexplained "private visit" to France, the third time he has been in the country since last May. Since then, Mr Ruto has been on other trips.



In June 2023, just three weeks after assuming office, Mr Tinubu travelled to Paris for a two-day climate summit. He had already been there months earlier "to rest" and plan the transition shortly after being elected president.



From Paris he went on to the UK for private talks with his predecessor, who had also travelled to "rest" after the elections. A week later, Mr Tinubu went to Guinea-Bissau for a meeting of West African bloc Ecowas, followed by a trip to Nairobi.



In August he visited Benin, and in September India, the United Arab Emirates and the US for the UN General Assembly before returning to Paris.



He was home for the whole of October before resuming travels with a trip to Saudi Arabia, then Guinea-Bissau and Germany at the end of November and a week later travelled to Dubai.



The Nigerian presidency has said the trips are important for attracting foreign investment.



"On every foreign trip I have embarked on, my message to investors and other business people has been the same. Nigeria is ready and open for business," President Tinubu said in his 2024 New Year message.







Mr Ruto's travel schedule since his inauguration in 2022 has been even more hectic.



Between September of that year and last December he had travelled abroad at least twice every month. In May 2023 he made five trips. He has travelled to various African countries, Europe and the US for global events and bilateral meetings.



This year, in January, he has been in Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Italy. And already this month, Mr Ruto has been to Japan and the UAE.



There is not just the question of frequency, but also the question of cost.



Mr Tinubu is said to have spent at least 3.4bn naira ($2.2m; 1.8m) on domestic and foreign travel in the first six months of his presidency - 36% more than the budgeted amount for 2023, the Nigerian newspaper Punch reported, citing GovSpend, a civic tech platform that tracks government spending.



In Kenya, the Controller of Budget, an independent office that oversees government spending, showed a significant increase in the office of the president's travel expenditure in the year to July last year - which included nine months of Mr Ruto's presidency.



Overall spending for both domestic and foreign travel for the year was over 1.3bn Kenyan shillings ($9.2m; 7.3m), exceeding the travel budget for the previous year by more than 30%.



The Kenyan government spokesman did not respond to the BBC's questions about Mr Ruto's trips, though the president and the spokesman have often justified them.



Mr Ruto himself has said he does not "travel like a tourist" and the trips are necessary to get foreign investment and create employment for Kenyans abroad - he recently said he had secured more than 300,000 job opportunities through negotiations.



After the recent trip to Japan, Mr Ruto said he had secured deals worth more than $2.3bn.



While stressing the benefits of the presidential trips, both Nigeria and Kenya have also taken some action to counter the criticism of government employees travelling abroad.



Kenya said it had cut its civil service travel budget by 50% in the wake of accusations of "wastage" on domestic and foreign trips. But this does not seem to have affected the president himself, who has said he will not shun trips as long as they are beneficial.



Last month, the Nigerian president announced a reduction in the official travel delegation by about 60%. The directive announced by his spokesman Ajuri Ngelale included cutting down the president's own travel entourage, but did not say whether he would cut the number of his trips.



Yet is not just Kenya and Nigeria where the cost of travel has been a concern.



As Congolese citizens prepared to go the polls last year, one of the criticisms of President Felix Tshisekedi was the number of trips he had made, with allegations that there was little to show for it.



Last November, Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera suspended all international travel for himself and his ministers, and ordered all those abroad to return due to the economic problems the country was facing.



Some other countries that have also had to address travel spending by government officials since last year include Uganda, The Gambia, Namibia and Sierra Leone, with the leaders of the latter two labelled by local newspapers the "flying president" - just like Kenya's Mr Ruto.

Source: BBC









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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President Akufo-Addo has advocated the investment of 30% foreign sovereign reserves in African financial institutions.



According to President Akufo-Addo the investment will boost the balance sheets and enhance the ability of African leaders and governments to support Africas rapid development.



Currently, all African countries, according to President Akufo-Addo, are holding and investing one hundred percent (100%) of their foreign sovereign reserves in financial institutions outside Africa, even though those investments yield little to no profits.



This phenomenon, President Akufo-Addo said has not and will not yield any benefits to the continent.



The President made the call when he delivered the keynote address at the Heads of State and Governments Dialogue on Saturday, 17 February 2024, at the 37th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State of the African Union (AU).



The event was themed, Establishing African Union Financial Institutions in the Context of Africas Agenda for Global Financial Architecture Reform.



President Akufo-Addo said it is time to strengthen the continents financial and multilateral establishments to increase their capacity to support the continents developmental agenda with the catchphrase, God helps those who help themselves.



The President to this end pointed to the fact that it is time for the African people to look inward and to support themselves to develop.



We are all in agreement that the way the global financial architecture works is not in our [Africas] favour, and there is the need to make some fundamental and systemic reforms.



But making the reforms also requires that we [Africans] also take some steps that will assist us to have a greater impact in the way in which our economies are financed.



The proposal that I am going to put to the plenary is that we should decide that a minimum of 30% of the reserves of each one of us, sovereign reserves, should be invested in the African multilateral institutions, President Akufo-Addo advocated.



I speak about the AfDB, I speak of Afreximbank. We should strengthen their balance sheets and strengthen their capacity to facilitate more and more resources for our development.



If we find a way that we can increase the financial power of our institutions, we are in a better place to finance our development, Akufo-Addo added.



President Akufo-Addo also called for the institutionalization of an annual African economic summit that will mainly focus on finding strategic solutions to the many financial challenges affecting the African continent instead of all African leaders traveling at the same time to several countries such as the United States of America, India, China, Japan, among others, in the name of attending summits with these countries in search of economic solutions.



We spend a lot of our time going from one country to another, having these summits. We have summits with China, India, Japan, and America. We now have summits with Turkey, and recently with Italy and other countries are also going to have these summits. We [African Heads of State] all go to these summits because we do not want to endanger our relations with them.



If we can find an institutional arrangement for ourselves whereby at least once a year, we can meet to talk about the strategic economic matters that affect our continent, I think we will obviate the need for these moving around from one country to the other and that is the idea of having every year, an economic summit, President Akufo-Addo suggested.



President William Ruto



Kenyas President, William Ruto, in his remarks, registered his full support for the two proposals put forth by President Akufo-Addo in his address. He indicated that the two proposals suggested by the Ghanaian leader are essential if the African continent wants to leapfrog to its next level of development.



I am very happy that President Nana [Akufo-Addo] has made two fundamental proposals that I fully support. He has proposed that we must empower our own African financial and multilateral institutions. He has proposed that 30% of all our reserves that are in all manner of places earning sometimes, negative interest, we should make it available to our African multilateral institutions. I agree one hundred percent. It is a step in the right direction.



I also agree that instead of globetrotting and going to every other place, we need to organize our own development financing and economic summit where we invite those who want to do business with us to come and engage with us, President William Ruto said in his statement.



I think it is only fair that we have made good our part of the bargain. We have gone to many capitals. Surely, it is time for them to come to ours, and I think we will not be asking for too much. I will take up the challenge if it is agreed that that be the case, I will offer to host the first summit, the Kenyan leader remarked.



APD 2024 Compact Document



All participants at the Heads of States and Governments Dialogue received a copy of the compact document (Peduase Compact) of the 2024 Africa Prosperity Dialogues (APD 2024) held in Ghana at the Peduase Presidential Lodge, Aburi Hills, from Thursday, 25th to Saturday, 27th January 2024, under the theme; Delivering Prosperity in Africa: Produce, Add Value, Trade.



President Akufo-Addo during the plenary with his colleague Heads of State in the Nelson Mandela Plenary Hall at the African Union headquarters, will invite the African Union and all heads of state present to adopt the APD 2024 outcome document and to see to the implementation of the recommendations in it, especially on the subject of achieving interoperability on the African continent.

Source: dailyguidenetwork.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Lisdany Rodriguez is not going to have an abortion. It is the decision she made from her cell at the Guajamal womens prison, and that her husband supports from his detention at the El Yabu mens prison. If everything goes well, and the Cuban political police do not make Lisdany abort the fetus, in nine months a baby will be born who will not live with its parents. They will be serving their sentences for demonstrating against the government.

When the police took Lisdany into custody after the protests on July 11, 2021, her partner, Luis Ernesto Jimenez, had been in prison for a few months for running a black market business. A few days after their last conjugal visit, Lisdany felt a little discomfort in her body and stopped having her period. The first pregnancy test was positive. An ultrasound test confirmed that she was seven weeks and five days pregnant.

I was surprised, Lisdany, 25, said with her mother Barbara Isaac Rojas, who visited her in Guajamal on Wednesday, January 31. I really didnt expect it. I have been trying for many years and have never succeeded. And a child is a blessing from God, no matter the circumstances.

The prison uniform barely fits. Lisdany is uncomfortable and has been vomiting a lot. She got her first cravings. Sometimes she wants to eat ice cream, other times she wants to eat oranges, and Barbara satisfies her daughters cravings as best she can. Lisdany is happy. Her biggest concern right now is that state security agents are constantly trying to persuade her to have an abortion, as has been reported since her first examination. If she undergoes the procedure, she will have been forced into an abortion as a direct result of politics.

The day they did the ultrasound, Dr. Frank  the prison doctor  began the process for Lisdany to have an abortion. It was as if he had assumed from the beginning that it was a duty, just one more order to follow. He started filling out papers to do tests and remove the fetus without involving her, says Barbara. But she didnt want to. She was dying to get pregnant. She has been with her boyfriend for nine years and had never gotten pregnant.

Then they sent Lisdany to a psychologist, convinced that no one would want to give birth in a prison without medicine or food. He told me not to have it now, that I had eight years to serve and that there are no facilities [for babies and children], says the young woman.

Of the 218 women who were detained during the 2021 protests in several Cuban provinces, Lisdany and her twin sister, Lidiany Rodriguez, are among those still in prison. Both were sentenced to eight years for the crimes of public disorder, disobedience, and assault. If she carries her pregnancy to term, Lisdany would not be the first political prisoner from the massive protests in Cuba to give birth in custody.

Lucas was born a little over a year ago. His mother, Lazara Karenia Gonzalez, became pregnant after a conjugal visit and was then allowed to spend the first year of the childs life under house arrest. Now the authorities want her to return to prison to finish her sentence of three years and six months for the same crimes of public disorder, disobedience, and assault, after she took part in the protests in Cardenas, Matanzas province. She is desperate, says her sister Kirenia Suarez. She is afraid of having to leave the baby at such a crucial age in his life. Its traumatic. Her lawyer presented a request for extra-criminal license that was denied, and now they have filed a petition. Lucas will remain in the care of his grandmother when Lazara returns to prison.

If Lisdany gives birth at the end of this year, the baby will spend a brief period of time in prison, and then Barbara will be in charge of taking care of him, as she has had to take care of Lidianys daughter for the past three years. Nothing so far has convinced Lisdany to abort. Neither the lack of food for pregnant women in prison, nor the meager supply of medications to relieve their nausea, nor the threats from the political police. If she has an abortion due to pressure from Cuban agents, they will have failed to comply with the Cuban law that says that it is women who have autonomy over their bodies.

All the responsibility cannot fall on women

The current Cuban Penal Code considers an abortion that is performed without the consent of the mother as a crime. Cuban women born after 1959 did so in a country where the right to abortion was not in dispute. Two years after the triumph of the Revolution, abortion was decriminalized, and Cuba became the first country in Latin America to do so. In 1965, the legal basis that recognized it as a right was created. Today, abortion is allowed in the institutions of the Ministry of Public Health by voluntary decision up to 12 weeks of gestational age, and up to 26 weeks due to fetal malformations incompatible with life.

Although abortion in Cuba is institutionalized and recognized as a right, activist Marta Maria Ramirez warns that it is only a ministerial provision, and not legislation. It seems enough, but since it is not legislation, it can be changed, reviewed, or annulled by the government, and we know the risk that entails, she says.

Although it is true that Cuban women have not had to enter the regional debate against banning abortion, and although it is also a reality that the deaths of women who undergo these procedures are minimal thanks to the fact that it is not illegal, the question of abortion in Cuba has also become a double-edged sword: are pregnant women aware of the risk? Who has greater access to abortion?

Dr. Alexis Rene Giron Gonzalez, a gynecologist specializing in fetal medicine, says that, in theory, a woman can voluntarily opt for a menstrual regulation consultation as abortion by manual uterine aspiration is called in Cuba. But if you dont have an acquaintance or some way to pay someone  and that someone ranges from the secretary to the doctor  you dont make it to the consultation, he continues.

In a country whose health system is completely overwhelmed and is suffering a notable loss of medical personnel, abortion services have also become a matter of survival. Health facilities are poor. The procedures are carried out with old and reused materials, sometimes with very poor sterility, says Dr. Giron Gonzalez. There are no optimal disposable materials, or at least not for ordinary people, and of course, both the doctor and the patient are exposed to a lot of health risks. Added to that is the high rate of normalized obstetric violence in Cuba.

The most commonly used methods for abortion on the island are manual uterine aspiration, which is usually performed without anesthesia and in the early stages of pregnancy; surgical abortion or curettage, and the use of misoprostol. The Health Statistical Yearbook of the Ministry of Public Health for the year 2020 records that between 1980 and 2020 more than 3.9 million abortions were performed.

One of the criticisms surrounding abortion in Cuba is its practice as a contraceptive due to the lack of resources and adequate sex education beginning in childhood. Today, the lack of condoms in the country and their sale on the black market at increased prices is a reality. Given the lack of protection and the consequent unwanted pregnancy, women often resort to abortion. Official sources indicate that 51,488 abortions were performed in Cuba in 2021.

Assuming that abortion is a method or means for contraception is disastrous, says Dr. Giron Gonzalez. It is very risky for the patient and the doctor. It should not be a recurring practice, much less a common one. But the countrys health authorities do not give complete information to many patients, and when the information is biased, you cannot make the right choice. There arent even condoms in Cuba, so what could we expect from other methods?

Ramirez says that it is the state that has been failing to guarantee contraceptive methods for years, which is why there are women in Cuba who have had more than three abortions. All the responsibility cannot fall on the women, on the victims, he insists. They have to let us access methods of birth control.

The National Fertility Survey published in 2022 shows that, between 2009 and 2022, abortions and menstrual regulations in Cuba increased by 14 percentage points. According to the study, Cuban women have an average of 1.14 children, the lowest rate in the region. In recent times, the independent press has even recorded several cases of babies being abandoned in dumpsters or on train lines. Although the government has tried to increase the birth rate in the country due to the increasingly aging population, many of those who could have children are those who do not want to bring a child into a country marked by economic crisis, and who consider emigration as a possibility.

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President Akufo-Addo, last Friday joined other senior decision-makers and thought leaders from around the world for the 60th edition of the Munich Security Conference to discuss the most pressing issues on international security.



As a key component of the conferences main activities, President Akufo-Addo participated in the opening panel discussion themed, Growing the Pie: A Global Order that Works for Everyone.



This panel comprised various dignitaries, including Mr. Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, Gustavo Francisco Petro Urrego, President, Republic of Colombia and Mia Amor Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados.



During deliberations, the President underscored that in order to ensure an orderly state of humanity, one side should not be impoverished in order for another to prosper. The Global Pie must be shared and enjoyed by everyone globally, he intimated.



He reiterated his call for reforms in the global financial (Bretton woods institutions) and governance institutions (UN), stressing that this is an imperative and necessity of our time.



He buttressed this point by stating that the UNSC- the principal organ for ensuring international peace and security is now paralysed by its structure as its members are regarded as the main protagonists of war.



Additionally, Nana Akufo-Addo engaged in a discussion organised by the Munich Young Leaders, who are not older than 40 years, focusing on Ghanas democratic resilience amidst challenges faced by neighbouring countries. Topics explored included the stability of Ghanas democratic governance, the regional implications of democratic regression, and the potential ramifications of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Fasos withdrawal from ECOWAS. The conversation addressed the root causes of democratic regression and forms of external support from foreign actors.



On the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, the President held bilateral meetings with several officials. These included discussions with the Director-General of IOM, Ms. Amy E. Pope, Mr. Karim A.A. Khan, ICC Prosecutor, Mr. Axel Van Trotsenburg, Senior Managing Director of the World Bank, and Minister President of North Rhine-Westphalia, Hendrik Wust, to discuss pertinent issues of mutual interest for Ghana and the various international organisations.

Source: dailyguidenetwork.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has stated that the January 2024 Standing Orders of Parliament offer an opportunity to address the evolving needs of Ghanas dynamic and hybrid parliamentary democracy.



According to the Speaker, the processes and procedures in the House is challenged, with time and practice exposing the gaps and deficiencies in the November 2000 Standing Orders.



He further indicated that, the present composition of the House has brought those gaps and deficiencies into sharper focus, even though those deficiencies surfaced as far as the early 2001.



We must start aligning the conduct of business in the House with the evolving and changing trends and requirements of our Parliament. We need to know how to apply and cope with the January 2024 Standing Orders which have replaced the 2000 Orders. These are some of the reasons we are here today.



As we say in Africa, when the drummers alter their beats, the dancers must adjust their steps, he added.



The Speaker made this statement in his opening address at the orientation workshop for Members of Parliament and Procedural Staff on the new Standing Orders in Ho, over the weekend.



He stated that, the attendant composition of the House has brought to the fore several challenges with the old Standing Orders.



These led to diverse interpretations of some procedures and practices, constant and acerbic verbal one-upmanship on the floor of the House, increased tensions, near fisticuffs, and eventually, including the pronouncement of the Supreme Court regarding the November 2000 Standing Orders.



The Deputy Majority Leader and MP for Effutu, Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, in his remarks on behalf of the Majority Leader indicated that, the only weapon for an MP is the rules book (Standing Orders) and cited himself as example that, when he entered the chamber in 2013 and found himself fumbling, the only saviour was the rules book.



He, therefore, advised his colleagues that, the only way to survive and stand on your feet and make meaningful contributions on the floor of the chamber in the midst of all intimidation is to stand firm and indicate that you are within the rules.



The Minority Chief Whip and MP for Adaklu, Kwame Governs Agbodza, congratulated the Speaker for spearheading the revision of the Standing Orders and bringing it into operation. He was of the opinion that the orientation will address members concerns and bring them up to speed on the new provisions and the rationale behind them. He entreated his colleagues to commit their attention to all the facilitators.



In his welcome remarks, the Clerk to Parliament, Mr. Cyril Kwabena Oteng Nsiah, indicated that, since the commencement of the previous Orders, Parliaments have been confronted with contemporary challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic; institutionalisation of mechanisms to promote the Open Parliament Concept; the hung nature of the Eighth Parliament, which is the first of its kind since the inception of the Fourth Republic, presented a number of novel situations and challenges that were not clearly provided for under the previous Standing Orders.

Source: dailyguidenetwork.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Dr. Bernard Okoe-Boye is known to always add a bow tie as a cherry on top of his dressing.



In an interview explaining his love for bowties, Okoe Boye is reported to have said: Most people dont know that the bow tie is not difficult to get and is also easy to wear, unlike the long tie that you have to make a knot.



Dr. Okoe Boye was recently appointed as Health Minister in a reshuffle announced by President Akufo-Addo.



Insight Managing Editor, Kwesi Pratt Jnr., congratulating his 'friend and brother', Okoe Boye during a panel discussion on Peace FM's morning show 'Kokrokoo', sought to find out whether he will still be wearing his popular bow tie as a Health Minister.



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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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.
Nana Ofori Owusu has applauded the Member of Parliament for Effutu, Alex Afenyo-Markin, on his appointment as Majority Leader in Parliament.



The Effutu lawmaker is said to replace the Suame Parliamentarian, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the current Majority Leader.



This follows the President's ministerial reshuffle, which saw the exit of the Finance and Health Ministers, Ken Ofori-Atta and Kwaku Agyemang Manu among others.



Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam has been appointed to head the Finance Ministry, with the Director of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Dr. Bernard Okoe-Boye, being sent to the Health Ministry.



Speaking on Peace FM's morning show "Kokrokoo", Nana Ofori, the National Chairman of the Progressive People's Party (PPP), expressed delight that Hon. Afenyo-Markin has won the opportunity to lead the Majority Caucus.



To him, the people of Effutu are proud of their Member of Parliament.



"I am excited for him, and I know the people of Effutu will be happy...If Alex Markin has been appointed Majority Leader, we are very happy for that. To the Effutu people, we are blessed that somebody from the Effutu has been able to rise to that level, so, on that score from a brotherly perspective, I wish him well in his new endeavor," he said.





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The immediate-past Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, has urged the Government of Ghana and its development partners to increase investment in smallholder farmers since they are the driving force behind the sustainability of the countrys food security and nutrition.



According to him, increased investment in smallholder farmers would further boost food production, where there would be enough to feed families across the country and export the surplus to earn foreign exchange.



In the view of the Cambridge University scholar, the rising population of African youth should serve as a wake-up call to successive governments on the African continent, especially Ghana, to prioritize increased investments in smallholder farmers that account for 90% of the countrys agricultural output.



Addressing the public on Tuesday, February 13, 2024, as the Distinguished Guest Speaker at the launch of the 70th anniversary celebration of the Faculty of Agriculture, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), the former two-term Member of Parliament (MP) for Kwadaso Constituency noted that rising global tensions over the Russia-Ukraine war and the recent Israeli-Gaza conflict threaten Ghana and the continents food security outlook. We can only look within for food sufficiency in the medium to long term.



The solution to this seemingly daunting threat, he noted, is to look within for food sufficiency in the medium to long term, emphasizing the opportunities smallholder farmers would bring to the country with increased investments in them.



The more the threats of the looming global crises unfold, it becomes increasingly clear that Ghanas political independence, economic transformation, and the survival of its youthful population will depend on a robust economy that has agriculture as an unconditional priority," he noted.



He added, It is encouraging to note that an increasing youthful population yields higher levels of consumption, which must directly translate to advantages that boost local food production and Ghanas economy as a whole. To this end, it is imperative to support smallholder farmers who continue to produce some 90% of our national food requirements.



On June 28, 2023, the World Economic Forum reported that in regions of the world with a young population and a high number of commodity-dependent countries, such as Africa, investment in small and medium-sized agribusinesses (agri-SMEs) with processing capacity creates much-needed economic opportunity, reducing migration and building prosperity for future generations. In Africa alone, SMEs provide an estimated 80% of jobs across the continent, thereby, powering growth.



Smallholder farmers make up an incredibly important piece of the global food system; the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations estimates that around 35% of the worlds food comes from farms with less than 5 hectares in size.



However, these farmers receive only 0.3% of global climate funding, and theyre consistently the ones hit hardest by climate shocks such as floods and droughts.



The FAO estimates that increasing investment in smallholder farmers is essential to realizing the future we want.



According to Dr. Akoto, the Ghanaian smallholder farmer is a potential resource waiting to be tapped, believing that more investments in their farming activities hold the key to Ghanas agricultural transformation drive.



Highlighting some of the successes he made when he was at the helm of affairs as the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Dr. Akoto said the right investments he made in improved seeds and fertilizer to support smallholder farmers led to record annual growths in the agricultural sector in Ghana.



In the period 2017 to 2021, the government invested Gh2.6 billion in subsidies to procure and distribute 1.4 million MT of fertilizer and 93,192 MT of improved seeds to over 1.7 million farmers. The number of extension officers was doubled from 1,450 to more than 3,000 to strengthen the link between science and farmers. The Government of Canada made a strategic contribution by donating 300 pick-up vehicles and 3,000 motorcycles to promote extension services to farmers.



These investments in 20172021 generated farm output worth Gh47.5 billion at the farm gate. This represents a huge economic rate of return on public expenditure of GH2.6 billion under the Planting for Food and Jobs Programme," he explained.

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 founder and leader of Movement for Change, Alan Kyerematen is considering forming a youthful government if elected as president in the December 7 polls.



He assured 50 percent of his appointees would come from the youth in his attempt to form an innovative cabinet to ensure Ghana's development.



Mr Alan Kyerematen in a Facebook post shared his experience as a young person who took up a leadership position - the reason he wants to give similar opportunities to the youth in his government.



At the age of 22, I became a manager of UAC, now Unilever Ghana Limited, marking the start of a journey that shaped my vision for Ghana's future. Rising swiftly through the ranks, I learned the value of determination and innovation.



We can harness fresh perspectives and foster innovation, he said.



Mr Alan Kyerematen further said he aims to empower more youth and create opportunities for them.



Together, we can build a future where every Ghanaian has the opportunity to thrive, he noted.



The Movement for Change leader, however, express readiness to lead the country into a new era of prosperity and progress.

Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Response One Ghana Limited, the vanguard of innovative fire and security solutions for homes and businesses, has proudly announced the signing of the trailblazing Afua Asantewaa as its new brand ambassador.



This strategic partnership, encapsulated in a three-year renewable contract, sees Response One stepping in with its premier security service to safeguard the residence of the Guinness World Record aspirant in the vibrant heart of Accra.



At a dignified signing ceremony held at their Ringway Estates-Osu headquarters, the CEO of Response One articulated their mission: "At the helm of security innovation, Response One is dedicated to reshaping the landscape of security services in Ghana. We're thrilled to welcome Afua Asantewaa, a symbol of national pride and determination, into our family, especially in the wake of her commendable record attempt and the unfortunate burglary incident. Our top-tier security installation at her home is a testament to our commitment to tranquility and safety, ensuring she, and by extension all our clients, can enjoy peace of mind like never before."



Asantewaa, embracing her new role with gratitude, expressed, "This ambassadorship is not just a role; it's a commitment to champion the cause of security, to protect lives and properties with unwavering dedication. The recent break-in at our home was a harrowing experience, yet, thanks to Response One's cutting-edge security measures, we've reclaimed our peace and assurance. I'm eager to foster this partnership, advocating for a safer, more secure tomorrow."



Response One is pioneering a new dawn of security services in Ghana, backed by over two decades of excellence and a sterling reputation for remote monitoring solutions that guarantee peace of mind for a growing client base. In today's world, where security is of the essence, Response One harnesses advanced technology for 24/7 property monitoring with smart devices, delivering instant alerts at the slightest hint of a security breach, ensuring prompt and effective responses to potential threats.



What distinguishes Response One is their adeptness in crafting bespoke security solutions that integrate seamlessly into daily life, offering control and connectivity across homes and offices through an intuitive application accessible worldwide. This era of smart living is further enhanced by Response One's commitment to smart home technology, enabling intelligent, secure, and efficient living.



The company's strategic alliances with the Ghana Police and leading global security service providers such as Alarm.com, ESA, Qolsys, Hikvision, Powertech, Secolink, and others underscore their holistic approach to security. Response One's state-of-the-art security monitoring facility in Accra, coupled with their wide-ranging client base across sectors like banking, mining, education, and services, underscores their unparalleled expertise in delivering security solutions that are both innovative and reliable.



With Response One, clients are not just investing in a security system; they are embracing a lifestyle of convenience, safety, and smart living, supported by a legacy of trust and technological prowess. Additionally, the establishment of the Electronic Security Training Institute - ESTI, underscores Response One's commitment to fostering expertise in electronic security and life safety, paving the way for a safer, more secure future.

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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Gov. Josh Shapiro continued his Main Street Matters tour on Tuesday, this time making a visit at the West Shore Farmers Market in Lemoyne.

The governor has proposed that the state make a $25 million investment in a new Main Street Matters program as part of his budget to support small businesses and commercial corridors. Shapiro had previously visited Ridley Park, Mt. Lebanon, West Philly, and Honesdale as part of his Main Street Matters tour. He was in Lemoyne to continue to tout the proposed Main Street Matters program.
Its rivers must be flowing with the luck of the Irish.

Pennsylvania has received a high honor  a seat among the top three best states to celebrate St. Patricks Day.
Educational exposure of ideas, assumptions or hypotheses, based on proven facts" (which need not be strictly current affairs) Value in judgments are excluded, and the text comes close to an opinion article, without judging or making forecasts , just formulating hypotheses, giving motivated explanations and bringing together a variety of data

On February 24, 2022 the world suddenly looked very different for generations of young Europeans, yet the reason why is as old as time itself. War had returned to the Old Continent, a place it had ravaged for centuries, and after 77 years of peace, almost no one remembered it.

Before long there were images of modern cities being bombed, endless columns of armored vehicles, masses of soldiers advancing, retreating, or digging trenches among the urban ruins and in the fortifications of the battlefields. There were massacres of civilians, subway stations and basements full of families, long lines of refugees, and bloody images of wounded and mutilated soldiers and civilians in hospitals.

Europe has always had wars: three decades ago the Balkans were torn apart by interethnic clashes, and there has been fighting in Ukraines Donbas region since 2014, but these conflicts have been limited and even contained. A new kind of hybrid warfare has emerged. The world has seen asymmetrical terrorist attacks, invasions of entire countries with hardly any resistance, systematic aerial bombardments, selective assassinations, and the counterinsurgency of occupying powers against local guerrillas.

But the novelty of old-fashioned warfare that returned in the early hours of February 24, 2022, was something different, yet it was familiar and unrecognizable at the same time. It was unreal. One might even say it came from films and television in a mixture of old and new images of horror. And that is because its return has occurred on the continent where the most wars in human history have been fought, and perhaps the only place where war lay completely forgotten and discarded as an instrument of conflict resolution.

The figure of the ancient and ferocious warrior monster has returned. The notable philosopher Raymond Aron used this image in his pioneering 1951 book The Century of Total War in his study of the 20th-century conflicts. It is a hyperbolic war, dominated by industry and technology, and involves entire societies. It puts civilians on the front line in a brutal existential clash between two countries that wastes lives, wealth, and even the future. And political leaders get caught up in a bloody auction in pursuit of victory at all costs.

The unexpected arrival of this specter has struck fear into the hearts of the vast majority of the European generations born in the peaceful post-war period. They had become accustomed to subletting the burden of security to the United States, benefitting from social protection in the form of a powerful welfare state, and enjoying peaceful trade that enabled them to build prosperous economies. Europeans enjoyed the good life and were completely oblivious to the tribute in blood that had been demanded of young people until 1945.

Perhaps the war caught even those who summoned it by surprise, believing that they could limit the brutality of the invasion to a quick and easy technical-military operation to neutralize the Ukrainian army, overthrow Zelenskiys government, and trade Ukrainian democracy for an authoritarian client regime. Conclusive proof of the surprise was seen in the hasty escapes made by hundreds of Russian oligarchs, Putins associates and accomplices, scattered across the Western world in their yachts, estates, and luxury hotels. They were not aware of the magnitude and significance of the failures of the Kremlins military plans and the sudden rupture of Russian globalization, which was punished by sanctions in response to the aggression.

Military training in the Donetsk region this February. Jose Colon (Anadolu/Getty Images)

War is the greatest and most brutal engine of change. Everything has changed  Ukraine and Russia, the most. The regional order has also changed. Europe has woken up from its dream of stability. And so too has the world order. A war is the first domino that tips the others. International institutions are largely paralyzed, as is the case with the United Nations. The organization prohibits war and ensures peace  unfortunately only on paper  and its Security Council has been stymied for two years by Russias veto of any measure or statement that affects its action in Ukraine.

The army of a nuclear superpower  recognized as the largest in the world at least until the day of the invasion  provided a terrible and disheartening example of what the political power of a country can do when it is willing to use force to resolve its political difficulties or disputes with its neighbors. It is the type of war defined by Aron as the organizer of international relations, since it involves the existence, creation, or destruction of states, in this case Ukraine, or as in the case of Gaza, Israel, and Palestine.

Precisely because the idea of an international order governed by law and multilateral cooperation is the basis of the European Union, only scandal and repugnance could spark a war on EU territory. For Europe, though, it is not only a question of setting the limits of the EU and NATO and the scope of the hegemonies of Moscow and Brussels. Nor is it really about the two models of society and the two ideologies, one that is democratic and another that is authoritarian. The clash is between two conceptions of the international order, one based on diplomacy, negotiation, and institutions for the resolution of conflicts, and the other that only believes that the strongest imposes its will by force over reason. In the end, it is a war against the very idea of Europe as a space for cooperation, peace, and prosperity.

It is not only the European order that the war has upset, but the entire international order. For the last 30 years, the United States has had hegemony, following four decades of bipolarity during the Cold War between Moscow and the United States. Now there are several powers of different calibers, but they all have margins to frustrate the old hegemonies and impose their own conditions. The current multipolarity is a regression to the old, disordered world, which only knew some rules within sovereign countries. And these functioned, with limited and recent exceptions, according to the law of the jungle.

Two women mourn the family with three children killed in a fire caused by Russian drones in Kharkiv (Ukraine) on February 9. Vladyslav Musiienko (REUTERS)

The phenomenon is ancient. Thucydides described it in his History of the Peloponnesian War, the first compendium of the cruelest political realism: the strong do what they want, and the weak do what they must. It is the same old story, but it is also a new story, because this war, like all wars, is also changing the way conflicts are fought. Superimposed on the sepia images that come to us from the ruins where once there were cities, there are now the destroyed bodies, the hypersonic missiles, the guided suicide drones, and the mobile phones of cyber warfare.

The technologies of death do not change, but rather accumulate and amalgamate under new forms. Russian troops advance or get stuck, in images that look like they were taken from the 20th century world wars. But a potentially more decisive, invisible war is being fought in parallel in cyberspace, using satellites, geolocation, artificial intelligence, bot farms, and hacking into the enemys information systems.

When the peaceful avenues of politics and diplomacy are exhausted, one party decides to take the middle path. It is the least certain way, but also the most effective in destroying the reality that it is trying to change. Instead, violence and chance will decide. Hence this bid in which each side throws everything they have at hand: their youth, their populations, and their resources. They dedicate themselves body and soul to destroying their adversary not only on the battlefield, but also at home, in the economy, supply lines, trade, and alliances, until there is nothing left to destroy.

The total war that has returned with giant strides is like those of the past but worse, because now it is also global. It is the first global war of the 21st century, with the ability to spread in the immediate environment and across the planet as a whole, due to the imbalance that it has unleashed on the precarious world order, and because of the new alignments and divisions that it causes in the world.

Putin criticizes the Western nations that have coalesced around the United States as the enemy attacking Russia through the interposed force of Ukraine. A new anti-Western axis is taking shape between Moscow, Tehran, and Pyongyang, with Beijing approaching and then stepping back. Another party that has not aligned with the West or that appears to be in search of balance is the Global South. Countries like India, Indonesia, and Brazil are beginning to carry more weight in a future world order in which the United States and its partners will no longer be able to rule as they have until now.

For the moment at least, NATO has been strengthened. The mutual defence organisation has expanded with the addition of Finland and Sweden, and its doors are open to Ukraine. In this way Zelenskiy has already won his first victory over Putin, who invaded Ukraine to prevent that from happening. The war has also modified the European Union, which strenthened its area of chronic weakness. For the first time the EU has improvised financial mechanisms to provide weapons and ammunition to Kyiv. It has negotiated Ukraines entry into the European family, and has included aid for the war-torn country of 50 billion (about $54 billion) in their strategic budgets for the next seven years.

War calls for war, with or without reason, especially when there is no longer a single superpower to prevent it. If Russia can unleash war against Ukraine, so can Azerbaijan against Armenia, and Israel against Gaza. It could even be Venezuela with Guyana, China with Taiwan, or North Korea with South Korea. Each war escalates on its own and constitutes a widespread danger of escalation. The interdependencies of globalization have changed meaning, in which security was tied to the prosperity of all, which have been converted into instruments of threat and even siege today.

The return of the warrior monster has called for an arms race and widespread rearmament, especially where investment in weapons had declined the most, as is the case in Europe. In these two years, stocks of weapons and ammunition have been exhausted. The call for investment by the manufacturers of death has been colossal. It is flourishing everywhere, and especially in dictatorships like Iran and North Korea, whose factories are making up for Russias industrial weaknesses. But Europes factories are also stepping up production, with governments alarmed by the isolationist reflex that drives the United States to abandon its transatlantic commitment, especially if Trump wins the presidential election this year.

The economic effects go beyond the military industry. They disrupt supply chains and increase prices. Famines threaten poor countries that depend on Ukrainian wheat, while rich countries can no longer rely on cheap energy from Russia. Civilians have been displaced en masse, sometimes due to the advances of one of the belligerents, and are turned into weapons of globalized war. The business is not only in weapons, but in any technology, product, or service. Just as there is an internet of things, now the there is a war of things: everything can be used as a weapon.

This global war unleashed by Putin is also an appeal to nuclear proliferation. Russia has invaded Ukraine under the protection of its atomic arsenal. Putin has wielded it on several occasions to intimidate Kyivs allies and force a prudent and gradual supply of war material  artillery, tanks, and aircraft above all  and also limit the war to the territory of Ukraine. The value of the nuclear weapon, never deployed since 1945, lies in its use as an aggressive deterrent. The warrior monster is destroying the present, but at the same time is signaling its sinister intent to settle among us for a long time into the future.

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By Joe Kovac Jr., The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (TNS)

ATLANTA  As the uproar continues over the prospect of a 30,000-monkey breeding facility being built in their county, a group of southwest Georgia residents has filed a lawsuit contending that government officials operated in secret and didnt follow open meetings laws.

The lawsuit, filed Thursday in Decatur County Superior Court, names as defendants the countys taxing entities, including the city of Bainbridge, the school district and board of education, county commissioners and tax assessors.

The lawsuit came two days after the company behind the proposed facility, Safer Human Medicine, sought a preliminary injunction against the county commission, which voted to rescind its offer granting the company nearly $60 million in tax breaks and other incentives.

Controversy over the estimated $400 million project has erupted in recent weeks as details of the proposed operation emerged. Residents are concerned about the facilitys impact on the environment and property values, as well as the possible bad publicity it could generate. The county along the Flint River markets itself as an outdoors haven.

Safer Human Medicine has suggested the project would bring more than 260 jobs and said the offspring of the macaque monkeys bred there would be shipped elsewhere for use in research.

On Monday, county commission chairman Pete Stephens declined to comment, citing the pending litigation. A call seeking comment from the Bainbridge city managers office was not immediately returned.

One of the lawsuits four plaintiffs, Chad Dollar, spoke at a Bainbridge City Council meeting in mid-January. He said he lives about 400 yards from an industrial park where the facility would be built.

Dollar said he was concerned his property value would suffer and was, in general, worried about the facilitys impact on the area. I just got a real bad feeling about it, he said.
By Katie Langford and Michael Braithwaite, The Denver Post (TNS)

DENVER  Colorado Springs police on Monday arrested a 25-year-old Michigan man in connection with a fatal shooting in a University of Colorado Colorado Springs dorm room that killed a student and a 26-year-old woman Friday.

Nicholas Trevon Jordan, 25, of Detroit was arrested Monday morning on suspicion of two counts of first-degree murder, Colorado Springs police said in a news release Monday afternoon. Investigators obtained a warrant for Jordan on Friday evening and had been searching for him since.

Jordan was arrested at 8:37 a.m. after officers found him in a vehicle in the 4900 block of Cliff Point Circle East in Colorado Springs, the department said.

Samuel Knopp, 24, of Parker and Celie Rain Montgomery of Pueblo were killed in the shooting early Friday morning in a Crestone House dorm room. The shooting sparked a lockdown on campus and led to classes and activities being canceled and the campus being closed through the weekend.

Jordan was enrolled at UCCS at the time of the shooting, university spokesperson Jenna Press said.

Jordan is being held at the El Paso County Jail on a $1 million bail and is set to appear in court Tuesday, according to jail records.
By Paul Walsh, Star Tribune (TNS)

MINNEAPOLIS  The man suspected of fatally shooting two police officers and a fire department medic before taking his own life early Sunday at a home in Burnsville, Minnesota, was identified Monday as a 38-year-old who has one serious criminal conviction on his record along with accusations of violent outbursts against two women with whom he shared children.

Shannon Cortez Gooden was convicted of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon stemming from 2007, when he brandished a knife and threw rocks at his victim during a fight in a Burnsville shopping center parking lot.

His identity as the shooter was confirmed to the Star Tribune Monday by a source who was briefed about the investigation.

The three who were killed had responded to a domestic situation with a standoff by a heavily armed man who shot at police from the home with seven children inside. A third police officer was hurt.

Goodens 2007 conviction was eventually reduced from a felony to a misdemeanor because Gooden abided by the terms of his probation. While this order restored his right to vote, he still was barred for life from owning firearms.

A police vehicle with what appears to be bullet pockmarks is towed near the scene where two police officers and a first responder were shot and killed Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024, in Burnsville, Minn. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)AP

In August 2020, Gooden petitioned the court in vain to regain his right to own a gun, explaining that he wanted to protect himself and his family, according to court records.

Gooden pointed out to the court that he has not been convicted of any further serious crimes, has taken anger management and parenting classes, advanced his education, maintained steady employment in the auto repair business for many years and provided for his long-term girlfriend, her two children and his five children.

The Dakota County Attorneys Office countered that along with the assault conviction, Gooden has had additional encounters with police involving assaults, disorderly conduct and numerous traffic violations demonstrating a continued disregard to obey that law.

The County Attorneys Office also pointed out two orders for protection filed against him by women he shared children with.

One of the women told the court that Gooden on Oct. 30, 2017, gave her a concussion and a black eye with a head-butt, and also threw her down the stairs.

The other woman said in her petition that on July 7, 2020, Gooden grabbed a knife while the two argued and cut her clothes and swiped her foot, sending the woman down the stairs. At times, the woman continued, would pull her hair, throw her against the wall and even let family members assault [her].

Both petitions failed to win either woman an order for protection. In the 2017 filing the woman failed to appear for a hearing. A judge dismissed the second petition for lack of evidence.

One of the women believed to have been living with Gooden at the time of Sundays shooting declined to speak with the Star Tribune. Goodens family also declined comment.

Jeremiah Hatley submitted a letter to the court in support of Goodens effort to regain the right to own a gun. Hatley said he had known Gooden for roughly 15 years and was a man I have grown to call my brother.

On Monday, Hatley told the Star Tribune that he and Gooden stayed in touch nearly every day, and he was a good man and had a good career painting vehicles.  My brother took care of his kids.

People attend a candlelight vigil after two police officers and a first responder were shot and killed Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024, in Burnsville, Minn. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)AP

It is not yet clear how Gooden acquired the gun he was barred from owning based on his past conviction.

James Densley, a criminal justice professor at Metro State University and co-founder of the Violence Project, said Monday that the estimated nearly 400 million firearms circulating in the United States pose numerous opportunities for guns to wind up in the hands of people that shouldnt have them.

The ATF has recently sounded the alarm about concerns around the country of guns being stolen from lawful owners, manufacturers or licensed dealers. People prohibited from buying firearms may also rely on those who arent to purchase the weapons on their behalf, a practice commonly referred to as straw purchasing. Others may lie about their prohibited status and slip through the cracks if the background check process fails to flag them.

Insufficient documentation of past crimes or dishonorable military discharges may also allow otherwise prohibited persons from circumventing background processes.
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Today in Pa. Daily Podcast | February 20, 2024

A Pennsylvania-based health network has been accused of misdiagnosing families with medical child abuse. A high court will review whether life without parole of someone convicted of felony murder is constitutional. Gas prices are up in a number of areas. Plus, something of incredible historical significance was discovered in a desk which had been locked for decades.

Those are the stories we cover in the latest episode of Today in Pa., a daily weekday podcast from PennLive.com and hosted by Claudia Dimuro. Today in Pa. is dedicated to sharing the most important and interesting stories pertaining to Pennsylvania that lets you know, indeed, whats happening today in Pa.

Todays episode refers to the following articles:

If you enjoy Today in Pa., consider leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts or on Amazon. Reviews help others find the show and, besides, wed like to know what you think about the program, too.

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Dexter Scott King, the youngest son of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., passed away on Jan. 22, 2024, at the age of 62 after a vigilant battle with prostate cancer.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin underwent surgery to drain abdominal fluid from a minimally invasive prostate cancer surgery in December of 2023.
Toronto Police cars are pictured on Driftwood Avenue in Toronto, Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024. Police say two people who were shot at the same intersection in a northwest Toronto neighbourhood in less that a day were innocent bystanders who were attacked "indiscriminately." THE CANADIAN PRESS/Arlyn McAdorey
Ontario's police watchdog says it is investigating after a man was allegedly fatally shot by a Waterloo Regional Police Service officer. Police tape is shown at a crime scene in Toronto on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Arlyn McAdorey
British Columbia Premier David Eby has named Lisa Beare as his new post-secondary education minister to replace Selina Robinson, who recently resigned over comments about the Middle East. Then-NDP candidate Beare listens during a campaign stop in Surrey, B.C., on May 8, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
The surroundings of the imposing neo-Gothic building that houses the Royal Courts of Justice in London are a regular scene of protests. The demonstration on Tuesday, however, exceeded expectations. The world is watching, Stella Assange, the wife of WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange told hundreds of people gathered there. It is the legendary phrase chanted in 1968 by demonstrators protesting in Chicago against the Vietnam War. It was also meant as encouragement for the dozens of people who came to express their solidarity with Assange, like the Colombian citizen Daniela, who arrived first thing in the morning and kept holding up one of the now famous posters with the face of Assange, his mouth gagged by the American flag.

Julian Assange's wife, Stella Assange, entered the High Court of Justice in London this Tuesday. TOLGA AKMEN (EFE)

Daniela was one of the first protesters to show up outside the court, but it didnt take long for the street to get filled with activists. The international campaign organized to prevent the extradition to the United States of the person who today represents more than anyone else the need to defend freedom of the press also attracted relevant speakers committed to Assanges cause.

Two judges, Victoria Sharp and Jeremy Johnson, will hear the arguments of Assanges defense and the U.S. government throughout Tuesday and Wednesday. They must decide, in a preliminary hearing that has attracted immense global attention, whether to grant the founder of WikiLeaks one last chance to legally argue his case before British justice, or whether to give the final green light to his extradition to the United States, where he faces 17 charges of espionage and one charge of computer misuse. The Australian activist could receive up to 175 years in prison for leaking more than 250,000 classified documents from the U.S. State Department in November 2010. EL PAIS was one of the media organizations that participated in the joint effort to publish those documents.

The idea that Julian could be accused of violating the U.S. Espionage Act, the same one that was applied to Daniel Ellsberg [the person responsible for leaking the Pentagon Papers, which revealed the lies about Vietnam] and others, is outrageous, said Jeremy Corbyn, the former leader of the British Labour Party, speaking on stage. This court has the opportunity today to allow Assange to have his case heard, for justice to be done and for him to finally be a free man.

Assange, who has been held at Belmarsh maximum security prison, on the outskirts of London, for five years, was not present on the first day of the trial. Nor did he connect via video conference, as on other occasions. His lawyer, Ed Fitzgerald, explained that he is not in good health. Judge Sharp wanted to make it clear, at the beginning of the hearing, that no obstacle had been placed on the possibility of Assange participating remotely.

Assanges defense was the first to present its arguments before the judges. From the beginning they have denounced what they see as the political nature behind the entire legal process. The accusation is politically motivated. Mr. Assange exposed serious criminal acts to the public, and has been persecuted for carrying out a common journalistic practice: obtaining and publishing classified information that was truthful and of public interest, said Fitzgerald. It is an abuse of the judicial process to demand extradition for a political offense.

In defense of press freedom

Assanges cause has become a worldwide cause for press freedom. The pressure of the campaign in favor of his release is not so much directed at the judges but at the American and British governments, which have it in their power to stop the procedures against Assange.

This never should have been a matter resolved in court. And you dont have to continue down that path. Lets continue asking the United States to release Assange, Rebecca Vincent, head of the campaign for his release on behalf of the organization Reporters Without Borders, told protesters.

The publication of the WikiLeaks classified documents in 2010 generated journalism in defense of the public interest throughout the world, said Vincent. We know that he exposed war crimes and human rights violations. And only the man who allowed all of this to be published has been prosecuted. If he is extradited, the chilling impact will be enormous. It will impact media around the world and it will impact all of our right to know, Vincent warned.

The decision to allow Assanges extradition was made in 2022 by the then home secretary Priti Patel, after the Supreme Court approved the guarantees offered by Washington on the prisoners safety, and on the measures that would be adopted to prevent him from ending his own life.

But the insistence on going after the WikiLeaks founder emerged from the Donald Trump administration. Former president Barack Obama had already commuted the sentence of the ex-soldier Chelsea Manning, the main source of the secret security documents published by the website, which brought to light serious episodes of dirty war waged in Iraq and Afghanistan.

All those who committed those war crimes have been freed, and have even benefited financially from those crimes. And Julian, who threw truth in the face of power, must face trial. The British system, the British government, the American government, and an entire deeply corrupt system should be judged, said Andrew Feinstein, former deputy of the South African National Congress, Nelson Mandelas party. He was one of the people who came from all over the world to protest before the London court.

The two judges could announce their decision at the end of Wednesdays session, although it will take them several days to publish their reasoning. If they rule in favor of the prisoner, it will allow the British justice system to debate once again the legality of the extradition. One last option, if the attempt to appeal against the extradition decision fails, is to go to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg. But even if they obtained a rule 39 order to stop extradition from this court, it remains to be seen what the reaction of Rishi Sunaks government would be. It is precisely these ECHR orders that paralyzed Londons attempts to deport irregular migrants to Rwanda. Downing Street and the hardline Conservative Party have since worked together to ignore these requirements, even if it means disobeying international law.
Elections in Mexico are always preceded by dozens of assassinations. Killing is the way to define the electoral cartel: if a candidate shows himself to be a possible winner, the opponent will shoot him twice and thats that. Sometimes they are killed before they can even run. The presidential and congressional campaign begins on March 1, as do the electoral campaigns of thousands of local government figures; the June 2 elections include a total of 20,375 candidates. Organizations that track this statistic have already counted a dozen people killed for their electoral ties, and the campaign has not even begun yet. By the time you read this article, the figure will have risen; there is not a day that goes by that Mexican newspapers do not report new victims in a still imperfect democracy.

In the most recent elections, in June 2021, the consulting firm Etellekt kept count: at least 35 candidates were killed, and no major changes are expected this time. Those who kill, or rather, issue orders to kill, are politicians or criminals, sometimes both. They want to place allies in local government to facilitate not only command and access to the public budget but also organized crime in those areas, which is why these crimes occur mostly in relatively remote municipalities, although that is not always the case. Without reaching the extent of an assassination like the 1995 murder of Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) presidential candidate Luis Donaldo Colosio, even without explaining who pulled the trigger, many are killed in small towns and the stories then reach the media.

Relatives of Juan Perez Guardado carry his coffin, in Fresnillo (Zacatecas), on February 8. Adolfo Vladimir (Cuartoscuro)

Last week, two crimes were especially notable, since the victims were relatives and died in the same town, Fresnillo, one of the countrys most violent places, in the state of Zacatecas. Juan Perez Guardado was the brother-in-law of Senator Ricardo Monreal, one of Mexicos best-known political figures. He was killed on February 7. Four days later, Jorge Antonio Monreal, the nephew of the senator and the Governor of Zacatecas, David Monreal, was shot and killed. Politicians know what they are getting into when they run for office in Mexico or even when they work in public administration, especially in some of the more violent areas.

The three presidential candidates have good security details organized by the military, the national guard and other agents. However, the fight is fiercer at the local level, where organized crime is running rampant. The number of all kinds of attacks that seek to kill or intimidate, rises to the hundreds, 782 in 2021; they break into homes, kidnap, torture, threaten or shoot. Woe to anyone who finds a tree or a stone in the road and gets out of the car. But that is only one method, there are several of them, depending on whether the crime is committed in plain sight or in the dark.

Mexicos democracy has made progress, which translates into almost free elections with diverse results. Long gone is the time of the single party, when no one wondered who would win the countrys elections; the answer was always the same, the PRI. Paradoxically, that circumstance, which was described as the perfect dictatorship, greased the system in such a way that nobody stepped out of line and crimes were fewer. With the advance of democracy, the scheme broke down, and now many are dissatisfied and resort to arms to guarantee their desired result. As the expert Ruben Salazar pointed out to this newspaper, Mexico has not yet digested the transfer of power.

Experts work at the scene of the murder of Chilpancingos Undersecretary of Transit, Jose Agustin Maldonado, on February 10. Dassaev Tellez Adame (Cuartoscuro)

In this country, crime continues to condition electoral processes, especially at the local level, where they have a bigger presence and ability to bring pressure to bear, explains Jose Antonio Alvarez Leon, an expert in Criminal Law and Policy at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). And it is hard to say when this will end because the tentacles of the powers that be are very powerful; there are times when the transfer of power between one party and another in any government means nothing, because everyone knows who is really ruling, he explains.

However, he believes that some rules could be implemented. If exceeding the planned spending for elections is grounds for the annulment of a candidacy, why isnt an assassination? I think the process should be annulled and then repeated. If everything proceeds, its a sign that what happened doesnt matter all that much, he says. If there were more vigilance for the transparency of the process, perhaps criminals would look the other way, the UNAM professor observes. But it does not seem that things are going in that direction at this time; increasingly, the narcotraffickers like to meddle in the municipalities public money and human resources.

The result of these crimes is that the party running the victim is left without its strongest candidate, people feel fear and no one dares to make things more difficult for the alleged perpetrator. This cannot be called a truly democratic process. Political parties and crime tend to subsume each other in remote places. If one party has a chance of winning, criminals will ally with that candidate, or kill the one that overshadows its aims, you never know what the formula is, Alvarez Leon explains. Apparently, they both win; there is a lot of negotiation going on behind the scenes, he says.

It is difficult to say whether Mexico has a lack of democracy or a surplus of criminals, if people have not become accustomed to a peaceful transfer of power or they will not allow them. Sometimes they are two sides of the same coin.

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Mateusz Moolhuizen Stays Hungry and Wins the 1,100 FPS Main Event (470,830)

February 20, 2024 Josh Noy Global Live Events Assistant Manager

The 1,100 PokerStars France Poker Series Main Event was a four-day grind of focus and determination at Le Palais des Congres, where players were looking to outlast the largest FPS field ever and earn a coveted trophy at the 2024 PokerStars European Poker Tour (EPT) Paris.

Of course, a little luck doesnt hurt either. After six opening flights, the massive field finally combined for Day 2, where title contenders would separate themselves from the pack. Of the 619 who returned from the starting field of 4,149 entries, Mateusz Moolhuizen began that day as one of the short stacks. Almost 60 hours later, the Dutchman was celebrating with fiancee and fellow poker pro Dehlia de Jong.

It's like a dream, to be honest, because I started Day 2 with six big blinds, Moolhuizen said after his trophy ceremony. People came to me, and they're like, how are you doing in the main? Well, I'm going to be there two or three minutes, and then I'm going to have breakfast. But those plans changed quickly, as Moolhuizen recalled. After two hours I had 70, 80 big blinds and I was very, very hungry. So yeah, I had an insane run. Obviously, I was very lucky.

Luck was only part of the equation, as the 34-year-old used a timely bluff and a fortunate run of cards to add this title to an impressive poker resume. Moolhuizen's list of career wins includes victories over other large fields, but it marks his first in a PokerStars Main Event.

Final Table Results

Place Player Country Prize (EUR) 1 Mateusz Moolhuizen Netherlands 470,830 2 Blaz Zerjav Slovenia 294,530 3 Yassine Baqal France 210,220 4 Enis Rouissi France 161,710 5 Kacper Pyzara Poland 124,390 6 Scott Margereson United Kingdom 95,680 7 Pierre Merlin France 73,580 8 Julien Duveau France 56,590 9 Pietro Corsi Italy 43,540

Winners Reaction

The record-breaking field this week generated a whopping 3,983,040 prize pool, and the final six players entered Day 4 ready to battle for the title. Moolhuizen sat third in chips to start but was able to navigate his way to the win. He was admitted tired after a long session to bag the previous night, and did not get much rest ahead of the final day.

I couldn't sleep, said Moolhuizen, I slept like, four hours. But the adrenaline just keeps you going anyway, right? Not only was he able to stay awake, but the newly crowned champion also used meditation to control the adrenaline. I'll be very honest. I don't do it enough. But it's good to keep calm.

Mateusz Moolhuizen

With his fiancee cheering from the rail, Moolhuizen gave the couple one reason to feel more attached to the host city of Paris. Another will come in just a few months. I mean, it's the city of love and getting married in France he explained. It's amazing. That's the story for sure, for sure.

Final Table Action

The final table marked the start of the PokerStars livestream here in Paris, and action was quick right from the start. Less than 30 minutes into the day, Moolhuizen scored the first knockout. Scott Margereson entered as the short stack and was unable to catch a set before exiting in sixth place.

From there, things slowed down until Kacper Pyzara got unlucky against start-of-day chip leader Enis Rouissi to finish in fifth position. Despite entering the day with a commanding advantage, Rouissi was the next to go in fourth when his queens ran into the kings of Blaz Zerjav.

Throughout much of the day, Yassine Baqal was on a short stack but managed to survive four consecutive all-ins. The last two came at the expense of Zerjav, but the Slovenian pro finally got his revenge and sent Baqal home in third place.

Blaz Zerjav & Mateusz Moolhuizen

Heads Up Play

That left Moolhuizen and Zerjav to fight for the title, and the two had tangled in a key pot hours earlier. Moolhuizen got a bluff through after risking almost his entire stack, propelling him back into contention at that point.

The heads-up battle began with virtually even stacks, and the two combatants traded the lead before Moolhuizen was able to pull away. A key turn card left the Dutchman with a massive chip advantage, and the stacks were all in soon after with Zerjav coming up short.

With a big victory under his belt here in Paris, Moolhuizen will try to get some rest before jumping into the EPT Main Event. Tomorrow, I'll be definitely tired, he said before leaving the feature table stage. I'm not looking forward to playing tomorrow now, a day later. It's a position everybody wants to be in, but I'll probably be less talkative tomorrow on the table. Perhaps his play can do the talking again, as he begins the quest for a rare double at an EPT stop.

Mateusz Moolhuizen

This concludes the PokerNews coverage of the FPS Main Event, but our live reporting from Paris continues. Check out our event hub for all of the action at Le Palais des Congres, and look out for coverage of major events elsewhere around the poker world.

Sharelines Mateusz Moolhuizen took down the 1,100 PokerStars France Poker Series (FPS) Main Event for 294,530.
After landing in Paris on Sunday, Henrik Juncker made his way over to Le Palais des Congres for the PokerStars European Poker Tour Paris. Shortly after, he decided to jump straight into Day 1b of the 2,200 France Poker Series High Roller.

Fast forward to Tuesday evening, where Juncker was putting the finishing touches on the largest score of his poker career. The Danish pro took a commanding chip lead when the final four players bagged ahead of an unscheduled Day 3, ultimately knocking out PokerStars Ambassador Parker Talbot to take down his first PokerStars trophy.

The High Roller event attracted a total of 1,794 entries and created a prize pool of 3,448,320. Play was forced to stop on Day 2, leaving four players left to come back and battle for the top prize of 544,790. Juncker sat down today with more than half of the chips in play, taking a little more than an hour to knock out all three opponents and prepare for his winners photos.

2,200 FPS High Roller Final Table Results

Place Player Country Prize (EUR) 1 Henrik Juncker Denmark 544,790 2 Parker Talbot Canada 334,180 3 Guillermo Gordo Spain 238,700 4 Omar Del Pino Spain 183,590 5 Michel Leibgorin France 141,220 6 Rony Halimi France 108,670 7 Yunsheng Sun China 83,600 8 Dann Assouline France 64,310 9 Sonny Franco France 49,460

Winners Reaction

While the trip to the French capital was planned, jumping straight into the FPS High Roller was not. Extremely delighted, Juncker told PokerNews moments after the victory. I actually flew in [Sunday] morning, I didnt intend to play but figured I might as well give it a shot, and here we are.

Despite bagging a big lead overnight, Juncker had plenty of work to do on Day 2 as players were sent on a break before reaching the final two tables. I was extremely short yesterday, I think I had four bigs with 17 left. Got a few lucky double-ups and everything went my way, played some really good poker players, better than me, so Im really lucky to win.

Those doubles put him back in contention, navigating his way through a difficult field to stack up almost 55 percent of the chips and head to sleep with a big advantage four-handed. Had a good nights sleep, had lunch with some friends talking about different scenarios playing out, said Juncker. I had a plan and ran good today as well, so it makes poker easy.

That run included eliminating the final two players before play was suspended for the night and picking up right where he left off this afternoon on the added Day 3.

FPS High Roller Final Table

Final Four Action

Play began in the main room with the final four players ready for action. Short stack Guillermo Gordo started the day with just five big blinds, but gave his rail something to cheer about when he quickly doubled up twice against Juncker. The second one included spiking a straight on the river to put a dent in Junckers advantage.

That did not last long, as the chip leader found a set in the window to win a flip against Omar Del Pino, sending the Spaniard out in fourth place. After tournament officials moved the final three to the side room at Le Palais des Congres, Junckers next victim was indeed Gordo.

Parker Talbot

That left the Dane with more than a 6:1 chip lead over Talbot as heads up play began. Despite a quick double with Big Slick, the Canadian streamer known as "Tonkaaaap" ran his ace into a superior one and missed the river to end his run. Talbot earned 334,180 for the second-place finish, falling just shy of the title.

That glory was left for Juncker, who took down his one and only event here in Paris as he's due to fly home tomorrow. Quite a profitable trip, allowing him to easily afford the extra weight in his luggage due to a shiny new FPS trophy.

Henrik Juncker

This event may have concluded, but the PokerNews live coverage continues from Paris. Be sure to check out our tournament hub for live action from the EPT Main Event.
New York Times publisher A.G. Sulzberger said on Monday that the newspaper will continue to attack President Joe Biden for his age.

Sulzberger said in an interview:

We are going to continue to report fully and fairly, not just on Donald Trump but

also on President Joe Biden, Sulzberger said in an interview with The Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism.

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He is a historically unpopular incumbent and the oldest man to ever hold this office. Weve reported on both of those realities extensively, and the White House has been extremely upset about it.

Biden is not historically unpopular. The New York Times publisher was lying. Gallup found that Donald Trumps approval rating was 34%, and Trump had the lowest average ever recorded for a president at 41%, so the claim that Biden is getting such bad coverage from The Times due to historic unpopularity is false.

The Numbers Show The New York Times Coverage Is Not Fair

The second point that Sulzberger made about the fairness of The Times coverage was also false. The New York Times has published at least 17 pieces related to Joe Bidens age over the past week.

The New York Times has published 0 pieces about Donald Trumps age in the previous week.

The only piece that popped up questioning Trumps age and fitness for office was a Frank Bruni opinion piece from September 11, 2023.

The New York Times has been anything but fair when discussing the ages of the two oldest men to seek the presidency.

Discussing the ages of both Biden and Trump is appropriate because no matter who wins, the country will be in new territory.

Other Options Besides Supporting The New York Times

The New York Times could be leading a fair discussion about both candidates. Instead, the paper has decided to attempt to sabotage the Biden presidency.

If you are still subscribing to The New York Times, your money is going to attack President Biden and prop up Donald Trump.

If you wish to spend your money where it would reflect your values, you can subscribe to our newsletter:

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Chasiv Yar has ceased to exist. This Ukrainian city on the war front of Donetsk province continues to show up on the maps, but most of the buildings and infrastructure have been destroyed. The civilians who remain there do not exceed 300 people, according to military authorities, when the population before the conflict was 12,000. Chasiv Yar is no longer a place where you can live, except for the thousands of Ukrainian soldiers hiding underground and defending it against what is expected to be the next major Russian offensive in the Donbas region, in the east of the country.

Every few minutes, Russian artillery shells whistle over Chasiv Yar. The exchange of fire does not stop. The only things in sight are military vehicles, as well as soldiers entering and leaving the basements. The hammering of the machine guns is relentless as troops try to halt the constant flight of the enemy drones. Just 2.5 miles (4 km) from town, last Saturday, an anti-aircraft battery welcomed the newcomer: one of its rockets made a vertical ascent to shoot down an Orlan, according to a soldier who was there. The Orlan is the best Russian reconnaissance drone, capable of flying at a maximum altitude of around 16,000 feet (5,000 meters). The hum of the unmanned vehicles chills the blood of the soldiers of the 93rd Ukrainian Mechanized Brigade who are stationed on the second line of the front, 2.5 miles from Bakhmut, a city devastated after eight months of siege and occupied by Russian troops in May 2023.

On the horizon, you can see the skeletons of residential buildings in neighboring Bakhmut. Just ahead is the canal that brought water to the city of Donetsk before 2014, the year that pro-Russian separatist forces took control of the provincial capital. This location was illegally annexed by Russia in 2022. Beyond the canal stretch ghostly forests, torn apart by gunfire and mortars, and fields densely mined by the defending army. Among the minefields, the canal and the Ukrainian defensive positions, several corpses of abandoned Russian soldiers can be seen.

A Ukrainian soldier from the 93rd Mechanized Brigade protects his position on the Chasiv Yar front, February 18. Cristian Segura

Chasiv Yar is the Kremlins next objective in Donetsk, after having taken Avdiivka last week. Multiple indications point in this direction. And the same siege tactic is being repeated: just as in Avdiivka, the Russian artillery is relentlessly punishing, in a preliminary phase, the citys infrastructure. This much is confirmed by Chuprin, the code name of an officer leading a squadron of the 93rd Brigade. This soldier adds that there are no major infantry assaults taking place, but instead incursions that are being easily stopped by his men, according to his testimony. The Institute for the Study of War, a reference center for analyzing the conflict in Ukraine, has warned since early February that the Russian army is testing the defenses of Chasiv Yar.

This assessment coincides with the message made public this February by the commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Oleskandr Syrskyi: enemy troops are punishing the municipalitys first line of defense with bomb drones, nullifying the operations of Ukrainian unmanned aircraft with electronic weapons and conducting assaults with small groups of soldiers supported by superior artillery fire. Top-level military units such as the paratroopers of the Russian 331st Airborne Regiment lead the strategy of testing the defenses of Chasiv Yar on its northern flank, just 1.8 miles (3 km) from the Donetsk water canal.

These same initial stages of the siege were replicated in Bakhmut and Avdiivka, and they are happening in the other most coveted objective at this time of Russian dominance in the war: the city of Kupiansk, in the province of Kharkiv. Kupiansk and Chasiv Yar have in common a high geographical elevation that gives them an important defensive advantage. Whoever controls them has a stronghold suitable for dominating the territory. We are convinced that we will resist, but if Chasiv Yar falls, the next one is Kostiantynivka, admits Chuprin, referring to one of the three key cities of the Ukrainian rearguard in Donetsk  the others being Pokrovsk and Kramatorsk. Kostiantynivka is the logistical hub between them.

The Russians want to make progress on the Donetsk front, but they want to do so evenly, rather than advancing more in one sector than in another, explains Chuprin. The logic of this is to prevent your troops deepest into enemy territory from being surrounded. With the capture of Avdiivka, the invader has taken a leap forward and if Moscow wants to leave the front at the same level from north to south on the map, the next assault must be on Chasiv Yar.

Underground command

The dance that marks the artillery fire from both sides is always the same throughout the front. At noon on Saturday, the howitzers of the 26th Ukrainian Artillery Brigade first fired from the vicinity of Chasiv Yar. When they finished, they quickly vacated the spot to avoid being located. Shortly thereafter, it was the turn of the Russian artillery, overwhelming the city with the whistling of their projectiles, followed by explosions and plumes of black smoke if they had hit their target.

One of the battalions of the 93rd Brigade has its command post in a basement. There are six large screens. In two, you can observe, in real time, the movement in the Russian trenches in different sectors of the front. In two others, the location of friendly and enemy positions is reported. Finally, dozens of phone user accounts show up on two other computer screens: they are the commanders at the frontline defense points. If movement is detected on any screen, or if any position identifies the flight of drones, the affected battalion units are notified.

A Ukrainian infantry armored vehicle that was destroyed by Russian fire on the Chasiv Yar front, on Saturday. Cristian Segura

Live images of the front line are taken by Mavic drones, which are normally used for commercial purposes and fly at altitudes of no more than 328 feet (100 meters). Ukraine also has drones that fly thousands of meters high, but in smaller numbers than the enemy. Russia has turned the drone war upside down, especially with the use of the Orlan and the Lancet bomb devices. Dmitro, a soldier stationed in the Donetsk canal, confirms that it is difficult to stay outside the bunkers for a long time without being spotted by Russian aircraft. Another change from two months ago is that they are using a lot more artillery. General Oleksandr Tarnavskyi, commander of the Avdiivka front, assured last week that Russia has 10 times more missiles than his own troops, in addition to superior numbers of combatants.

In Chasiv Yar there is a feeling of waiting, that in the coming months there will be another critical moment in the war. Many soldiers wait underground or in trench bunkers. A radio message warns of the takeoff of a Russian bomb drone towards the position where the EL PAIS correspondent is standing. A Humvee, an American armored infantry vehicle, picks up the group and leaves the area at full speed. The high command of this sector of the front is considering closing media access to Chasiv Yar in the coming weeks, according to a military officer familiar with the situation. It would be one more sign, as happened in Bakhmut or Avdiivka, that his generals are preparing for a new battle to the limit.
Speaker Mike Johnson may put the Ukraine aid bill on the House floor, but only if Democrats help to save his job when Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene tries to fire him.

How Can Mike Johnson Be Outsted As Speaker Over Ukraine Aid?

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has had his job threatened by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) who is promising to bring a motion to vacate to the House floor if aid to Ukraine passes the House in any form.

According to Punchbowl News, Johnson is not opposed to Ukraine aid, but an ally suggests House Democrats may have to promise to vote to save his job in exchange for getting the bill to the House floor:

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Of course, Johnson has to deal with a potential motion to vacate from hardline conservatives over Ukraine that could cost him his job. (Rep. Brian) Fitzpatrick, whose bill includes lethal foreign aid only and a modest border security fix, is urging Democrats to consider saving Johnsons speakership if that happens. Fitzpatrick said that could be the deciding factor for whether the United States abandons Ukraine.

We need our Democrat colleagues to help us out here, Fitzpatrick said. We cant be punishing anybody who puts a two-party bill on the floor to save America and the world from existential threats.

Should Democrats Save Mike Johnson?

Johnson wouldnt need the entire Democratic caucus to vote for him. The speaker would likely need three to eight Democrats to support him to elect him speaker again. The Republican House majority is so small that Greene and one or two of her allies could oust Johnson. It would then be up to a couple of Democrats to save Johnsons job.

Should Democrats do it in exchange for Ukraine aid?

If Johnson got the support of any Democrats to keep his job, he would be a dead man walking politically speaking.

House Democrats could and should ask for more in exchange for saving Johnson.

Democrats should seek Ukraine aid and a promise to fund the government for the rest of the year because the odds are good that Republicans are going to lose the House in November, so any saving of Johnson would be for the short-term only.

The issue is that Democrats arent the majority in the House and it isnt their job to pick the speaker.

If House Democrats had to save Johnson, Leader Hakeem Jeffries probably would not whip the speaker vote and allow his caucus to vote however they wanted.

Democrats should not be put in this position. Johnson ought to show some leadership and put Ukraine aid up for a vote.

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After Speaker Johnson (R-LA) sent the U.S. House on a two week vacation without passing needed aid to Ukraine, the White House held a call to make the case for how urgent the need is, pointing to the fact that the bill advances Americas core national security interest.

Its also in our strategic interests, our cold blooded national security interests to help Ukraine stand up to Putins vicious and brutal invasion. We know from history that when dictators arent stopped, they keep going. The costs for America rises and the consequences get more and more severe for our NATO allies and elsewhere in the world, Jake Sullivan, national security adviser to President Biden, said in a call with reporters in which I took part.

We know that Putin doesnt just dream of conquering Ukraine is threatened our NATO allies who we are treaty bound to defend.

It is odd, to say the least, that the Republican-led House is so blase about the threat to the United States, even after the deeply troubling new intelligence on Russian military capabilities related to its efforts to deploy a nuclear anti-satellite system in space.

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But for those who dont seem too concerned about the safety of citizens in the United States, theres also the issue that it is an investment in U.S. defense capacity.

The Ukraine aid bill is also an investment in US Defense as it expands production in the factories, revitalizing our submarine industrial base and supporting jobs across our country all while improving our own military readiness, thanks to an Enhanced Defense industrial base.

That is to say that when we send older weapons to Ukraine, we make new weapons to replenish our defense systems, which is obviously a win-win at this point.

Sullivan also noted that the weapons that weve been sending to Ukraine are being made in America by American workers in 14 states across our country. So, the weapons have been creating jobs, too.

Basically, supplying the weapons Ukraine needs makes America stronger.

Oh, and the bill will also provide life saving humanitarian assistance for vulnerable people who have been impacted by conflicts around the world.

The latter is not a Republican value, so it is unlikely to move the Speaker. Johnson was seen most recently with former President Donald Trump, from whom he takes his marching orders on Ukraine and Russia, and the former president has long aligned the Republican Party with Russia over Ukraine and even the United States at times.

To make his point about the urgency of the bill, Sullivan cited Putins first notable battlefield victory in a year, after Ukraine forces were forced to withdraw from a town in eastern Ukraine where theyve been battling Russia for many months, saying, This happened in large part because Ukraine is running out of weapons due to congressional inaction and Ukrainian troops didnt have the supplies and ammunition they needed to stop the Russian advance.

In the question and answer portion of the call, Sullivan laid the recent Ukrainian retreat at the doorstep of Congressional inaction, Theyre not getting them because we have now gone weeks and months without the necessary funding. And thats been a result of congressional inaction.

We are asking Congress to urgently pass the National Security supplemental bill and provide vital support to Ukraine so that it can continue to defend itself from Putins vicious onslaught, Sullivan said.

The question that should be asked of Speaker Johnson and other House Republicans is why they are prioritizing Donald Trumps whims over U.S. national security, and fear of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is not a good enough answer.
Opening day will soon arrive for the Parker's Kitchen being constructed west of downtown Aiken and the convenience store and gas station will have two larger signs than allowed by the city's zoning ordinance.

The Aiken City Council voted 6-1 last week to approve the second and final reading of an ordinance granting a request from Parker's Kitchen for larger-than-allowed signs.

The Parker's Kitchen is being constructed on the former Dick Smith property located on the northwest side of the intersection of Richland Avenue, Jefferson Davis Highway, Robert M. Bell Parkway and Hitchcock Parkway.

One of the two signs will be located along the westbound side of the Jefferson Davis Highway west of the intersection.

The city zones the Parker's Kitchen property, located at 140 Jefferson Davis Highway, Planned Commercial.

The city's zoning ordinance does not specify sign size for Planned Commercial zoning. However, the zoning ordinance recommends the use of a similar zoning designation to determine sign size.

The city's Planning Department used the General Business zoning designation to determine that this sign could be 75 square feet in size and 18 feet tall.

Drayton Parker Companies, the parent company of Parker's Kitchen, requested a waiver allowing the sign to be 198 square feet in size including a 9-by-2-foot base and for the sign to be 22 feet tall.

This sign would be 164 percent bigger than permitted and 4 feet taller than permitted.

The other sign will be located on the south side of Robert M. Bell Parkway north of the intersection.

The city's Planning Department used the General Business zoning designation to determine this sign could be 50 square feet in size and 11 feet tall.

Drayton Parker Companies requested a waiver allowing this sign to be 85.7 square feet in size including a 5-by-2-foot base. Including the base the sign would be 15 feet, 7 inches tall.

This sign would be 49.4 percent bigger than permitted and 4 feet higher than permitted.
Editor's note: We Are Aiken County is a series of articles that will run through March 16. It celebrates people, places and events that shaped Aiken County.

For the past 70 years, the Aiken County Farmers Market has provided fresh produce and goods to the community.

As one of the oldest operating markets at the same location in South Carolina, the Aiken County Farmers Market has become a staple of the community with its fresh produce and other goods.

What makes it different is that it has been functioning in the same spot for many years, said Eric Gordon, who serves as tourism manager for the city of Aiken.

During the low season from December to March, the farmers market is open Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 7:30-11:30 a.m. During the high season from April to November, hours are from 7:30-2:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Gordon said in the early years of the market, vendors would sell cotton and other goods before moving to offer products such as produce and crafts.

Very much now its a consumer market which is great, but very much back then it was very much wholesale, he said.

Gordon said some of the farmers have been at the market for many years and some of them go back several generations.

Its a staple of the community, he said.

Gordon said the structure was built by chain gang labor in the 1950s and the tables were built by the farmers who went to the market. He said there are plans to renovate the neighborhood around the farmers market in an effort to get more people to visit.

He said Aikens train history played a role in the farmers market and was one stop for people when they got off the train.

The current farmers market has been located at Williamsburg Street between Park and Richland avenues since 1954. Gordon said the farmers market was at a location closer to where the train was near Park Avenue at one point.
ST. HELENA ISLAND  The fresh coat of off-white paint and brown trim adorning Darrah Hall on the Penn Center grounds were crisp against crystalline blue skies as Chuck Sams, director of the National Park Service, toured the buildings newly renovated exterior.

Sams, the first NPS director to visit the Reconstruction Era National Historical Park since it officially received the federal designation in 2017, was at the Penn Center to commemorate Black History Month and announce the addition of five new locations to the Reconstruction Era National Historic Network.

(The park) tells a deeper history of the story that we really havent been telling before  what happened to African Americans in their communities across the United States during the Reconstruction Era, Sams said.

Penn Center, the Souths first schools for freed slaves, was added to the Reconstruction Era National Historic Network in 2021. A collection of 107 sites spread across the country, the network tells the broad story of Reconstruction, illustrating that the era wasnt limited to Southern experiences. With a variety of widely dispersed and locally managed sites, the park service is, Sams said, able to integrate local insight into a larger story.

We are the National Park Service, so were telling a national story. But there are so many more rich stories that can be told in local areas, Sams added.

Robert Adams, executive director of Penn Center, called the partnership essential. It draws attention and support to the center that was founded in 1862 as the nations first school for formerly enslaved people.

It brings us collaboration that makes us a much richer kind of experience. Penn Center is much better because of its partnership with the park service, Adams said.

Further additions coming soon to the Reconstruction Era network include:
Some show up alone and injured at the hospital. Others are helped by strangers when they realize a child is wandering next to them, following the crowd. Four and a half months of war in Gaza have separated some 17,000 minors from their families, according to data from UNICEF, the United Nations childrens agency. Some of them are orphans, whether they know it or not; others are lost. This figure is only an estimate because, amid the chaos in the Gaza Strip, it is impossible to determine the exact number. They represent 1% of the 1.7 million displaced people, who are largely concentrated in and around Rafah  an area Israeli leaders say they must invade before the war in Gaza can come to an end.

Like all the data concerning Gaza today, it is proportionally much higher than that of any other conflict in the modern era, Hamish Young, UNICEF senior emergency coordinator, tells EL PAIS in a video call from Rafah.

Many dont know if their parents are alive or not, explains Ruth Conde, a Spanish pediatric nurse who returned last January from southern Gaza after a month as a volunteer in various health centers with the NGO Doctors Without Borders. In some strikes on homes in densely populated areas, up to 20 members of the same family clan have died. In Palestine  and in the Arab world in general  the family network is very big, and it is common to add floors to the same property so that the male children can have a separate space after getting married.

Two displaced girls in a refugee camp in Rafah on Monday. IBRAHEEM ABU MUSTAFA (REUTERS)

Some of these unaccompanied children are injured and alone when they arrive at the hospital, says Conde. They themselves are the ones who tell you that they are alone. There is an acronym to define them, WCNSF: wounded child, no surviving family. Other children are brought by strangers who are already having a hard time feeding their own children. They are dropped off from people who say: We found them when we were going from Khan Yunis to Rafah, and we took them in, says Conde. They have such levels of anxiety that we have seen self-harming behavior and even suicidal ideation. Even before the war, UNICEF estimated that half a million children needed mental health support. Now, after 136 days of war, with nearly 30,000 Palestinians dead in the midst of destruction not since World War II and a humanitarian crisis, there are one million traumatized children.

When you are fleeing for your life, explains Young, it is very easy for parents to lose a child, especially if they are young or caring for several children at the same time. Sometimes they have to simultaneously carry a baby in their arms and drag several children by the hand. It is very, very easy for them to become separated in those circumstances.

Added to this is the scale of the forced displacement in Gaza, Young believes is most likely to be the main reason why so many children are not accompanied by their families today. Between October and November, around a million people fled from the north to the south under orders of the Israeli army. At the beginning of December, after a week-long ceasefire, Israel began to target its strikes in the south and invaded Khan Younis, the main city in the area, which has triggered other smaller-scale exoduses. Sometimes its the same people, looking for a safe place that doesnt exist.

Vulnerable children

The most vulnerable cases are the children for whom no one can find a family connection, explains Young, who gives the example of a four-year-old girl he has visited on several occasions. She was wandering unaccompanied in the middle of a combat zone. [] We took her to the hospital. She had some injuries and was extremely traumatized. For a while, she couldnt even speak. Now she is well cared for and protected, both physically and in psychosocial support, but she only says her first name, not her surname. She cannot say what happened to her, where she comes from, or who her parents are, says Young.

Palestinian children wait to receive food cooked by a charity kitchen on February 13, 2024. IBRAHEEM ABU MUSTAFA (REUTERS)

When reporting on the estimate of minors separated from the family, Jonathan Crickx, the head of rights advocacy and communications for UNICEF in Palestine, mentioned two other cases. In a center where unaccompanied children are hosted and cared for, I also saw two very young children aged six and four, he said at the press conference in Geneva on February 4. They are cousins and their entire respective families were killed in the first half of December. The four-year-old girl  in particular  is still very much in shock. I met these children in Rafah. We fear that the situation of children who have lost their parents is much worse in the north and the center of the Gaza Strip.

Humanitarian aid is not reaching the north, where more cases of severe malnutrition are being recorded. In the south is where international organizations and NGOs are focusing their efforts, so there is a registration process and a protocol to address unaccompanied minors.

There are also shelters, such as those run by the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), where the children are cared for by community and, sometimes, social or health workers. In the least organized facilities, everything works more organically and there are no records, says Young. People ask around to try to connect them with members of their family. In Gaza, social ties are close and neighbors usually know the patronymic surname of each person or the main families in the area. But everything is more complicated in the crowded chaos of Rafah, where hundreds of thousands of people are living in official shelters; many others in tents, and an undetermined number are hosted by relatives out of solidarity or paying rent in apartments or rooms.

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Charleston's historic charm was epitomized by its enslaved and free Black street vendors, a vital part of the city's appeal. Vendors sold everything from ice to vegetables, seafood, flowers and handmade baskets. Women skillfully balanced these goods in baskets atop their heads, while men pushed uniquely painted, makeshift carts through the streets. Their melodic calls, a blend of commerce and culture, enchanted locals and tourists alike.

Since 1670, Charleston had evolved into a cultural mosaic with diverse European influences, each bringing unique traditions. Plantations along the Ashley and Cooper rivers thrived on cash crops such as rice, indigo and sea island cotton, reliant on the forced labor of enslaved Africans. Charlestons port, bustling with global trade, saw the arrival of textiles, goods and, poignantly, enslaved Africans.

African and Eurafrican women, many enslaved, brought trade and negotiation skills from Africa. They often acted as cultural and commercial intermediaries, enhancing their wealth and status. In their new environment, they became key economic players. These narratives counter the simplistic perception of African womens roles in this era. Far from passive, they actively influenced their societies, demonstrating resilience and creativity.

In urban Charleston, the experience of enslavement differed from plantation life, characterized by skilled labor and complex social dynamics. Enslaved city dwellers, adept in various trades, had more autonomy, challenging their enslavers and city officials to maintain control.

In Charleston, the enslaved sold goods for their enslavers, requiring badges like Huckster or Fruitierer under the city's slave codes, according to Cynthia Kennedy, author of Braided Relations, Entwined Lives: The Women of Charlestons Urban Slave Society. Women sold sweetgrass baskets and flowers, predating traditional floral shops. Some held Fisher badges required for selling seafood. The distribution of their earnings varied, with some enslaved women retaining a part, though how often this occurred is unclear.
A major pharmacy chain is shutting down dozens of shops inside Target stores as part of a cost-cutting measure, including one location along one of South Carolina's busiest shopping corridors.

CVS Health plans to close its retail location in Majestic Square at 211 King St. in the heart of Charleston on March 14. The move comes less than two years after the Minneapolis-based Target opened its small-format store with a CVS at the southwest corner of Market Street.

CVS plans to retain its other pharmacies in the Charleston region's four big-box Target stores in Mount Pleasant, North Charleston, Summerville and West Ashley. No other CVS-in-Target locations in the Palmetto State are affected.

The Rhode Island-based drug store chain has opened about 1,800 locations inside Target stores. Closures are planned in select locations through the end of April "to realign our national retail footprint and reduce store and pharmacy density," according to CVS spokeswoman Amy Thibault.

Employees affected by the closures will be offered comparable roles within the chain, and prescriptions at locations slated for closure will be transferred to a nearby CVS pharmacy to ensure patients have uninterrupted access to medicines, she said.

CVS's nearest pharmacy to the King Street store is about four blocks north at 59 George St., near the College of Charleston.

CVS has run pharmacies in Target locations since late 2015 when it purchased the business from the retailer for about $1.9 billion.
Regulators have signed off on Santee Cooper's proposal to keep up with demand for electricity in the years ahead, including the construction of a large Lowcountry power plant that's raising concerns from environmental groups.

The S.C. Public Service Commission approved the "integrated resource plan" on Feb. 15, about nine months after the state-owned utility submitted its long-range energy roadmap.

The 236-page document calls for adding more solar power to the grid, investing in battery-storage technology and building a large new natural gas-fired plant, most likely in Colleton County, with Dominion Energy South Carolina to replace coal-fired units that will be shut down.

Santee Cooper has estimated it will cost $23.4 billion to expand its electricity sources by 2040 while also cutting carbon emissions by more than half.

"The approval lets us ... continue with the planning we need to bring significant new solar and natural gas generation closer to being online. It gives a balanced resource plan that will enable Santee Cooper to meet future energy needs," spokeswoman Mollie Gore said Feb. 20.

She called the new plant a necessity as both a baseload unit and a backup to keep the lights on.

"We need the natural gas generation for reliability and to follow the sun and integrate more solar into the system," she said.

The Moncks Corner-based utility has not formally decided where it will build the new plant, she added, but most of the focus is on Dominion's retired coal-fired Canadys Station on the Edisto River, between Walterboro and St. George. Santee Cooper also had been considering an undisclosed location in Hampton County.

Either site would require a new natural-gas pipeline.

"As we begin to put meat on the bones then we'll be looking at specific details," Gore said. "Well be presenting a comprehensive plan when the time comes, as soon as we can get that assembled."
Im working on a play locally, loosely adapted from "The Seagull" by Anton Chevhov. I play Nina. She is a tragic character, young & beautiful & she makes use of those things in ways that ultimately destroy her. As Chekhov wrote it, she is dating her childhood sweetheart, Conrad. Conrads mother and his mothers boyfriend come to town. Incidentally, Trigorin, the mothers boyfriend, is a famous novelist. Incidentally, naturally, Nina pursues him, or he pursues her, in congruence, simultaneously  pursuit.

How can I explain how odd it feels to model this historic pitfall of womanhood every night? The distance between us closes stickily. Every night the power imbalance blooms, I cause the audience a little pain, the chase, the interest, poorly veiled, a girl feeling impossibly special in the light of his gaze.

The dynamic is not unfamiliar. Recently, in conversation, excavating my life in the theater, I was jettisoned back to a rapport I had with a previous director, a department head while I was a student. Nothing romantic ever occurred. But his power, his bigness, I remember how it fogged up a room. Once while rehearsing "The Crucible," he pulled me out into the hall on a break and showed me a clip of my character being played by an actor in a London theater company. She was great. Could I do it more like her, he asked?

Im not sure if I have to say it, but any adult actor with a modicum of dignity would not accept this as direction. It is not directing  youre not asking me to deepen my knowing of a character, youre asking me to outsource it.

Later in the rehearsal process, in a scene where my character, Betty Parris, was being reprimanded for attempting to blame her own bad behavior on demonic possession, the director wanted to demonstrate to my scene partner how to handle me. He pushed me against a table, illustrated for her how to throw me down across it.

When I first tried to investigate my personal history for instances of power misuse, none of this had come to mind, had not even stood out  but even without sex, even without romance, I have been a Nina of my own before. Through playing her, demonstrating the power misdistribution, I have identified the girl Ive been who fell for it once  the consignment of my perspective when faced with the articulate man, the well-traveled man, the worn-out archetype  still apparently potent.
WEST GREENVILLE  Rui Silva and Deanna Snow are using their own unique vision for new cafe and bar space to fill the space formerly occupied by The Growler Haus taproom in the Village of West Greenville.

It's not just about putting the finer touches on food, cocktails and wine.

It's about providing a "third place," a popularized sociological term that describes a place in daily life that is neither home nor work, but is equally woven into the fabric of peoples lives.

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The new concept, dubbed Driftwood, which will open in April, aims to provide that place where people can feel a sense of connectedness that is supported not just by any single element but that is created by each element working together.

In addition to a different vibe and different food and beverage offerings, Driftwood will look distinctly different from The Growler Haus, which closed in December.

The design will follow a Scandinavian style, with clean lines and bright, calming colors. Owners plan to bring in community tables and to turn one wall that gets hit intensely by sunlight each day into a plant wall.

The idea for Driftwood grew from Silva and Snows own lived experiences, which include working in premier restaurants and bakeries from Massachusetts to New York to Nashville to Los Angeles. Also within their story is a motorcycle journey across the U.S., hiking the Appalachian Trail and discovering serendipitously they were both in California after nearly a year of losing touch.

It's meant settling into a sense of home, like a piece of beached driftwood claimed and turned into art.

"Driftwood came from us, we bounced around all over the place, and we kind of drift through life," Silva said. "But the good thing about driftwood is it finds its purpose when it lands. Once it gets to a place, it gets air-blasted and polished, and it finds its purpose forever. We felt like that was kind of like us here."
Summerville, SC (29483)

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Considerable clouds this morning. Some decrease in clouds later in the day. High 69F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Mainly clear skies. Low 38F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.
WASHINGTON  A former police officer from the North Charleston department was charged with three misdemeanor crimes tied to the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol.

Thomas Edward Blackwood is named in a criminal complaint originally filed under seal in U.S. District Court in Washington.

It accuses Blackwood, whose age was not available, of knowingly entering or remaining in a restricted area, disorderly conduct in the Capitol and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building.

Blackwoods court case was unsealed Feb. 20.

On Jan. 6, 2021, the Capitol and its grounds were closed to the public as members of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate gathered to certify the Electoral College vote count from the 2020 presidential election won by President Joe Biden.

That same day, then-President Donald Trump held a rally across from the White House. A large crowd gathered outside the Capitol and around 2 p.m., some forcing their way past Capitol Police officers trying to maintain order.

By 2:20 p.m., the members of the Senate and House, as well as then-Vice President Mike Pence, were evacuated for their safety. The joint session was suspended until after 8 p.m. as a large number of people entered the Capitol and roamed the halls. Damages were estimated at $2.8 million.

According to the complaint against Blackwood, he and a friend were in the crowd that entered the building and went through the Senate Fire Door.

When questioned by federal agents on Dec. 9, 2021, in Charleston, Blackwood said he walked through an open door and was waved in by police, according to the complaint against him.

Blackwood retired from the North Charleston Police Department in 2007 after serving for 31 years.

He is scheduled to appear for a videoconference with a federal magistrate on Feb. 22. He was arrested Feb. 8, according to court documents.

Blackwood is the 26th South Carolina resident charged in the Jan. 6 assault. More than 1,200 people throughout the U.S. have been charged so far.
The U.S. Supreme Court said Feb. 20 it won't hear a dispute over who will operate the ship-to-shore cranes at the Port of Charleston's Leatherman Terminal, upending a decades-long tradition at Southeast ports of state employees running the heavy-lift equipment while union workers move cargo through the yards below.

The decision means dockworkers with the International Longshoremen's Association will operate Leatherman's cranes. It also sets a precedent for union workers to hold those jobs at any new port terminal that opens in the Carolinas and Georgia, where the so-called "hybrid" work arrangement has existed since the 1950s.

The high court's nine justices discussed the labor dispute during a closed-door session Feb. 16 and announced their decision in that and dozens of other cases in orders released the morning of Feb. 20.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh said he would have granted a hearing in the case, but he was the lone vote in favor of letting the lawsuit play out. At least four justices must agree that a case has merit for it to move forward.

We are disappointed that the U.S. Supreme Court did not decide to take up the issue regarding S.C. Ports jobs at Leatherman Terminal," Barbara Melvin, president and CEO of the S.C. State Ports Authority, said in a written statement. "We will work together with the ILA to bring forward a solution that unlocks much-needed terminal capacity and prioritizes caring for our workforces and providing excellent service for our customers.

Harold Daggett, the ILA's president, called the decision "another landmark moment" for the waterfront labor organization.

In a post to the union's Facebook page, Daggett said: "The Supreme Courts decision not to hear the Leatherman case secures a victory for the ILA, affirming our Master Contract. Now, any new terminal falls under ILAs jurisdiction, and if not then the USMX ocean carriers cant call that terminal."
When I was in third grade, my teacher had a vegetable tasting day for us. We each brought in a vegetable from home and shared it with our classmates. I remember coming home, excited, and announcing to my mother that I had fallen in love with rutabaga. After a startled moment or two, she sm Read moreStevens: For the love of rutabaga  and our children
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My friend Eduardo came by to give me the news: he already has all the necessary documents, and has even bought the plane ticket. In two weeks he will leave Cuba, almost certainly never to return: he has undersold his house, with everything he had inside. Eduardo is going to join his two children in Lima, who emigrated eight and two years ago and settled there.

My friend Eduardo is a contemporary of mine and, like me, a lifelong resident of the Havana neighborhood of Mantilla. Or he was until now. Our friendship must be as old as we are, but the first image I have of him is from the first day of the school year in 1960, when we started the first grade at what was still called Plantel Juventud. As we were lining up for the Civic Act that opened the year  we sang the National Anthem, saluted the flag, and listened to a speech from the school principal  a teacher took Eduardo by the hand and walked him to the end of the line of the men: although Eduardo was the youngest, he was also the tallest of us all and had to go at the end of the line. Eduardo always had red hair and a freckled face that earned him the nickname El Colorao. Like me, he now has more gray hair than red hair, but he is still El Colorao and I am sure that we have been friends since that day in my memory.

Eduardo has a degree in geography. And he was always an excellent professional, with notable knowledge of topics such as cartography, the geological study of soils and other subjects. Two years ago, upon reaching the age of 66, after decades of work, he retired. The pension assigned to him is about 2,000 Cuban pesos. But it so happens that today, in Cuba, a carton of 30 eggs is priced at 3,000 pesos. With his retirement check, Eduardo would not be able to eat an egg every day. Thats also why hes leaving. Like his children, he is leaving. Another friend that flies away, like dust in the wind.

A few days earlier I had said goodbye to Kike, another old friend. He moved to Spain with his daughter and grandchildren. His departure leaves me with a huge void, not only sentimental, but also practical. Kike was, as my wife and I called him, the man of the house. He was a carpenter, plumber, bricklayer, painter, sometimes even (against his wishes) an electrician. Kike solved all our domestic problems and from his hands came, over many years, several of the pieces of furniture that we use: shelves for books, a table and dining room chairs, wooden doors.

Kike is 78 years old. He is also a Mantillero by birth and never thought of leaving, not even from Mantilla. But he is gone. His retirement money, by the way, was around 1,500 pesos and, for this reason, he never stopped working in whatever turned up, despite his bone pain and persistent stomach discomfort.

Now I have just found out that Dr. Esperanza is also leaving. We were schoolmates and she was once my girlfriend, about a century ago. She is going to Tampa to meet up with her daughter whom she has not seen in 10 years and with the two grandchildren she has never met. And she is leaving for good, never to return.

Eduardo, Kike, Esperanza are some of the few old friends I had left in the neighborhood. Over time, I have seen many leave and have even attended the wake of others. Like dust in the wind, those friends have dispersed and left me here, feeling increasingly alone and more nostalgic. Each one who walks away is a loss, not only physical, but also mental: they take with them a piece of shared memories that I could only discuss with them. And that hurts, like the amputation that it is.

Why do so many leave? Why people like them, who are already part of the senior citizens club, who will hardly be able to do anything in those destination countries to earn a living? They leave because their loved ones call to them, but also because they are tired. It is a heavy historical fatigue that takes shape in a present that does not resemble the future that was promised to us, the one that we deserved after years of work and sacrifices. They leave because here, in their country, they lived off what another friend from the neighborhood calls donations: financial aid from family and friends living abroad.

The children and grandchildren of my contemporaries did not wait that long. Many decided to change their present, aspire to another future and, to achieve this, they emigrated. The children and grandchildren of my generation have not thought twice about it, they have left and they continue to leave through any loophole, towards any destination.

If it were necessary to illustrate the proportions of this national bleeding in transit, there are the figures that the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has recently made public. Between October and November 2023 alone, 38,154 Cubans entered the United States irregularly. The majority did so through the Mexican border where they usually arrive after taking the coyote route from Nicaragua, through Central America and Mexico. The cost of this journey is around $10,000 per person and there is already a network of traffickers who organize the journey.

Thus, through legal channels such as the so-called humanitarian parole established in January 2023 by the Biden administration for emigrants who have a sponsor in the U.S., plus those who have done so through irregular routes, more than 650,000 Cubans have emigrated to the United States alone in the last two fiscal years. And how many, like my friends, have left for other destinations such as Spain, Peru, Argentina, Russia or wherever they can go? The figure is shocking when placed next to the census of 11.26 million citizens residing on the island that were counted in 2021  a figure that included many who had already emigrated.

Exile has been a substantial part of Cuban history since the origins of the nation. The first man who proclaimed his Cuban sentiment and immortalized it in his writing was the poet Jose Maria Heredia, who in 1823 fled the island, wanted for his independence activities. It is a destiny that has followed us ever since and continues to pursue us despite the nationalist attitudes we display. And also despite the fact that, as Milan Kundera said, no one leaves the place where they are happy.

The current migratory wave, which these friends have joined, seems to be the largest in national history. And it is, without a doubt, the reflection of the dissatisfaction of so many people who prefer experiencing the distance and all the dramas implied by exile than remaining in their own place waiting for the bright future that does not light up, that never arrives.

In my novel Como polvo en el viento (Like dust in the wind) I tried to outline a chronicle of the reasons and results of the diaspora of my generation and the batch of those who could well be my children and grandchildren. But reality is usually more powerful and painful than fiction, and today we are seeing how a country is losing not only young people who are pursuing a less uncertain future, but also people like my old friends, in search of a future that undoubtedly contains a lot of uncertainty, in which they will suffer nostalgia and feel losses, but in which at least they will have the closeness of their loved ones and, among other things, perhaps find relief for so much historical fatigue and, I hope, also the solace of an emotional memory that makes them fondly evoke the many coffee brews that I made for them right here, in my house in Mantilla.

Leonardo Padura is a writer and the winner of the Princess of Asturias Award for Literature in 2015.
FLORENCE  A 15-year-old has been identified as the victim of a fatal shooting in the parking lot of Magnolia Mall on Feb. 18.

Avery S. McDonald was the teenager who was shot and killed, according to Florence County Coroner Keith von Lutcken on Feb. 19. McDonald was from Sellers in Marion County.

Florence Police arrested two people around 6 p.m. Feb. 19, and are seeking a third suspect.

Javon Norman, 18, and a 15-year-old male juvenile are in custody. Both are facing charges of murder, armed robbery, possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime and criminal conspiracy.

Police have released a surveillance photo of the third suspect, a Black male wearing a hoodie.

The vehicle supposedly connected with the shooting was also found by the Florence Police Department Feb. 19 in Marion County. The golden early 2000 model Ford Escape is being processed by the police, according to Capt. Stephen Sterling of the Florence Police Department.

The fatal shooting happened around 3 p.m. Feb. 18 in the parking lot outside the Magnolia Mall entrance by the Burger King. Two masked suspects approached the victim and at least one suspect fired a weapon an unknown amount of times, according to Capt. Starling.

Officers from the Florence Police Department, Florence County Sheriffs Office and South Carolina Highway Patrol responded to the shooting, according to information released by Capt. Starling.

A Florence County Sheriffs Deputy was first on the scene and provided aid to the victim, who was transported to a local hospital via EMS. They died at the hospital.

Florence Police Department Chief Allen Heidler said the two suspects did not live in the Florence area. He also said the shooting was a targeted and isolated incident and the public should not be worried about their safety.

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division's special victims unit is assisting with the investigation, according to SLED spokeswoman Renee Wunderlich.
In the most recent Instagram photos of Huma Abedin and Alexander Soros you dont see parties, beaches or plates of food. They are not like other couples. The last image of Soros, 38, is at a dinner in Munich for the Open Society Foundations, where he is giving the inaugural speech with Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission. While the most recent photos of Abedin, 49, show her at a party for a podcast about female leaders, giving a conference in Miami, at New York Fashion Week and on the red carpet at the Met Gala. However, you can no longer see the photo that they posted on their respective Instagram Stories, which disappeared within a few hours. That image showed the two of them together, holding each other by the waist, among red roses, boxes of jewels and heart decoration in a restaurant in Paris. The two celebrated Valentines Day together. With the image, the two  both powerful, rich Democrats deeply immersed in the highest circles of American power  showed that they have become the surprise new couple of the year. But perhaps its not such a big surprise.

Abedin and Soros are two of the most famous, yet discreet single people in high society on the East Coast. Rich, excellently connected, elegant and, now, dating. It was not until a few days ago that their relationship became public. Abedin  Hillary Clintons right-hand woman and second daughter, as the former Secretary of State likes to call her  is divorced from a controversial former congressman who was sentenced to prison. Soros  who manages a $25 billion fortune (and is heir to another $6.7 billion) and was until recently described by the U.S. press as a playboy  seems to have met his match. As sources familiar with the couple told Page Six, Its a classic Clinton world couple. Alex is the perfect match for Huma. Hes insanely wealthy and powerful  everything that Huma cares about.

Both Abedin and Soros have been known in power circles for decades, especially among Democrats. But until now their romantic and personal lives had not made headlines, or least, not that often. Soros has been a public figure since birth. His father, the Hungarian business tycoon George Soros, 93, married twice and had five children: Robert, Andrea and Jonathan with Annaliese Witschak; and Alexander and Gregory with Susan Weber. He is now married to Tamiko Bolton.

His brother Jonathan Soros appeared the clear successor, but it was Alexander Soros who unexpectedly received the keys to the Soros empire last June in a twist worthy of Succession. Alexander Soros is now at the forefront of the familys philanthropic work, which is managed through Open Society, which has $25 billion in assets. The organization donates an average of $1.5 billion a year.

Although George Soros, with a personal fortune of almost $7 billion, has supported Democrats for decades (in fact, he was among the top 10 donors to Hillary Clintons campaign in 2016, donating $10 million), Alexander has already made it clear that his investment path is going to be more political than his father, and that he intends to broaden his liberal aims by veering slightly more to the left, supporting campaigns such as gender equality and the right to abortion. To this end, he has met with part of the Biden administration, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Brazilian President Lula da Silva. It is common for him to post photos of himself with figures such as French President Emmanuel Macron, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and former U.S. president Barack Obama.

From an early age, Alexander Soros has moved in the worlds most exclusive circles and made good friends within them. His friends include Bill Clinton, with whom he has been close to for years. The two went on a pilgrimage to Rome last year to visit Pope Francis, who received them both in a private meeting at his residence in Santa Marta, in the Vatican. Chelsea Clinton, the only daughter of the former president, and her husband, Marc Mezvinsky, are from the same circle and close to Alexander, who they have described as family on social media.

And the same is true of Abedin. It is not clear where the new couple met, but it is clear that they move in the same waters. For years, Abedin has been one of Hillary Clintons closest aides. Abedin, the daughter of an Indian Muslim intellectual and a Pakistani academic, grew up in Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. She returned to her native country at age 18 to study at George Washington University. At just 19 years old, she got a scholarship at the White House and ended up in the office of Hillary Clinton, who was then the first lady. Since then, the two have worked closely together. Abedin was her aide and then the vice chair of Clintons 2016 presidential campaign. In 2012, Time magazine named her one of the 40 most promising stars under 40 on the American political scene.

Chelsea Clinton, Marc Mezvinsky and Alex Soros at an auction and charity dinner held at Cipriani restaurant in New York in June 2017. Patrick McMullan (Getty Images)

Her relationship with the presidential family is so close that it was Bill Clinton who officiated her marriage to then representative Anthony Weiner: I have one daughter. But if I had a second daughter, it would [be] Huma, said Hillary Clinton at the wedding.

Abedin met Weiner at  where else  a Democratic convention, and politics played a key role in their almost 15-year relationship (he tried to run for mayor of New York), in which they had a son, Jordan. In August 2016, in the middle of the election campaign, Weiner faced his second and most serious sexting scandal, which not only damaged his reputation, it also hurt Abedins and the Clintons.

If the 2011 scandal had put the marriage on shaky ground, it was the 2016 sex scandal that pushed Abedin to ask for a divorce. Weiner had shared sexually suggestive photos of himself in the same bed as his son. In May 2017, the issue escalated and Weiner pleaded guilty to sending photographs of sexual content to a minor under the age of 15. In September, he was sentenced to 21 months in prison and served 18. In the fall of 2021, Abedin published a memoir, revealing that the scandal took such a hard toll on her, she had even considered suicide. Now, Abedin and Weiner are sometimes seen together with their son or at charity galas, where they usually have to deny rumors of a reconciliation.

Anthony Weiner and Huma Abedin, during Weiner's 2013 campaign for mayor of New York. Andrew Savulich (Getty Images)

Since then, Abedin has maintained a low profile. A fashion lover  if her career had not been in politics she would have gone into that sector  she is a good friend of Anna Wintour, the editor-in-chief of Vogue magazine. In fact, it was Wintour who introduced Abedin and actor-director Bradley Cooper a couple of years ago in the hope of forging a romance. The relationship was short-lived, only lasting a few months during the summer of 2022, but that didnt stop the press from rushing to call them the new George and Amal Clooney. Cooper is now dating model Gigi Hadid, but the two remain close friends.

The new relationship between Soros and Abedin is raising expectations, due to their lifestyles and common friends and interests. Some of her acquaintances told Page Six that they were excited about the relationship, especially after Abedins difficult divorce. Humas certainly not your Park Avenue debutante  shes more interesting and intelligent, said the sources, who described Soros as a person with a lot of business acumen. Years ago, he was a little dweeby. He didnt have the gravitas of his dad then, but he has a lot of money and hes unapologetic about it, the source added.

Some Democratic donors who know Abedin also say that she always wanted to be whatever the American version of royalty is. Now it is within her grasp.

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RESTON, VA / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / CACI International Inc (NYSE:CACI) announced today that 21 employees were honored for their excellence in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) at the 38th annual Global Competitiveness Conference for the Black Engineer of the Year Awards (BEYA) held Feb. 15-17 in Baltimore, Maryland."Our exceptional BEYA honorees share in CACI's mission to harness our skills and amplify what's possible for tomorrow," said John Mengucci, CACI President and Chief Executive Officer. "Every day, these employees embrace challenging and rewarding opportunities, not only within our workplace, where they serve our customers, but also beyond our office walls, actively contributing to their communities. We are inspired by their extraordinary skills, boundless potential, and unwavering dedication to shaping the path for future leaders in STEM." The BEYA conference attracts more than 10,000 STEM professionals from diverse backgrounds and provides opportunities to recognize the most elite talent. CACI is a supporter of BEYA's mission and a corporate sponsor of the conference. As part of its diversity and inclusion efforts, CACI partners with BEYA to help expand the company's networking, recruitment, and career development opportunities.These 21 CACI employees received the Outstanding Achievement Award for their determination to help solve customers' most complex challenges in support of national security.CACI's 2024 BEYA Outstanding Achievement Awardees: Jackie Baker, IT Network Engineer Felicia Burke, Systems Engineer Cynthia Canteen-Harbor, Senior Technical Program Manager Colin Carter, Engineering Manager Chamara Farmer, Senior Engineer Tyrone Fenwick, Quality Manager Ray Freeman, Software Engineer Robert Funches, Senior Network Security Engineer Marcus Getachew, Software Developer Nikki Jackson, Performance Management Specialist Rebecca Konnor, Team Lead, Acute Care Analyst Lama Mansaray, Engineering Lead Latosha Marshall, Program Manager Andrew Noonoo, Systems Engineer Roberto Perry, Robotics Engineer Shermane Pressley, Information Security Specialist Joshua Reda, Naval Architect Devon Roberson, Senior Knowledge ManagerColeen Robinson, Information Security Analyst Xavier Teal, Network and Technical Lead Vanessa Watkins, Configuration ControlThe efforts of CACI's BEYA awardees align with the company's long history of supporting emerging STEM talent and local communities. CACI partners with Minority Serving Institutions to advance education and careers in STEM and engages with students to support their successful transition to the professional world.CACI is also a corporate sponsor of many organizations that focus on promoting STEM education for underserved groups, including Women in Technology (WIT), Great Minds in STEM (GmiS), and STEM for HER.ABOUT CACIAt CACI International Inc (NYSE: CACI), our 23,000 talented and dynamic employees are ever vigilant in delivering distinctive expertise and differentiated technology to meet our customers' greatest challenges in national security and government modernization. We are a company of good character, relentless innovation, and long-standing excellence. Our culture drives our success and earns us recognition as a Fortune World's Most Admired Company. CACI is a member of the Fortune 1000 Largest Companies, the Russell 1000 Index, and the S&P MidCap 400 Index. For more information, visit us at caci.com # # #Corporate Communications and Media: Lorraine Corcoran Executive Vice President, Corporate Communications (703) 434-4165, lorraine.corcoran@caci.com CACI's 2024 Black Engineer of the Year Awards (BEYA) honorees pictured with CACI President and Chief Executive Officer John Mengucci at the 38th annual Global Competitiveness Conference.View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from CACI on 3 blmedia.com Contact Info: Spokesperson: CACI Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/caci Email: info@3 blmedia.com SOURCE: CACI
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ATLANTA, GA / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / On February 7th, 2024, Atlanta's own Coldwell Banker Commercial Metro Brokers was named the No. 1 CBC office nationwide for 2023. Recognized with the Commercial Elite Award, this is the highest achievement a brokerage affiliate can receive. The honor is based on production and gross income generated by a firm. The brokerage has retained this title from 2022 and has been recognized as a top brokerage in the company and the state of Georgia over the years since its founding in 1979."I am excited to congratulate these top-performing professionals for their exceptional sales performance in 2023. They persistently and effectively guided their clients through a multitude of investments and transactions, and were instrumental in helping Coldwell Banker Commercial continue to rank among the Top 20 firms in the U.S., per MSCI []," said Dan Spiegel, senior vice president and managing director of Coldwell Banker Commercial.In addition to retaining the No. 1 Office title within Coldwell Banker Commercial, Metro Brokers was recognized as a Top 5 Commercial Elite brokerage, as well as the No. 1 Office in the stage of Georgia. Additionally, Vin Bhaskar, Kurt Cooper, Alkesh Limbachia, Jelani Linder, Edmund Nosegbe and Butch Springer were all recognized with the Circle of Distinction Award.CBC Metro Brokers will celebrate the achievements of its team locally during the annual Metro Brokers Awards Celebration held at the Cobb Galleria Centre on March 13th, as well as nationally at the CBC Global Conference in Denver, CO, in March. A complete list of the Coldwell Banker Commercial 2023 Ranking Awards received throughout the brokerage is included below. All awards listed are determined by Commercial AGC (Adjusted Gross Commission).2023 Coldwell Banker Commercial Award Recipients Include:Number One Office in the Nation: Coldwell Banker Commercial Metro Brokers Number One Office in by State (Georgia): Coldwell Banker Commercial Metro Brokers Commercial Elite: Coldwell Banker Commercial Metro Brokers Circle of Distinction:Vin Bhaskar Kurt Cooper Alkesh Limbachia Jelani Linder Edmund Nosegbe Butch Springer About Coldwell Banker Commercial Metro BrokersColdwell Banker Commercial Metro Brokers is a commercial real estate brokerage that operates in metro Atlanta and north Georgia. The company has over 100 commercial real estate professionals who specialize in a variety of commercial sectors including office, retail, industrial, multifamily, hospitality and land as well as business brokerage. In 2024, the company celebrated 45 years of business. To contact a commercial specialist, call 678-320-4800 or visit www.cbcmetrobrokers.com Contact Information:MaryKay StallworthMarketing Specialistmarykay.stallworth@metrobrokers.com 4042367067SOURCE: Coldwell Banker Commercial Metro BrokersView the original press release on newswire.com
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VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / Coppernico Metals Inc. ("Coppernico" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has initiated field work activities, through its Peruvian subsidiary Sombrero Minerales S.A.C., on its Sombrero Project ("Sombrero" or the "Project") located in Ayacucho, Peru (Figure 1).The current exploration programs are designed to enhance and expand existing targets and advance understanding of four underexplored but high-priority exploration areas within the currently accessible concessions. The exploration work is being completed concurrently with the final stages of drill permitting for the Sombrero Main target area (Figure 2); further details about the drill program are expected to be released in the coming weeks as the Company prepares for its inaugural drill program this year. The Company is also announcing the appointment of Margarita Cardona as Investor Relations Manager. Katie Bromley, Corporate Communications Manager, is currently on leave.Ivan Bebek, CEO of Coppernico stated, "We recently secured our social permits to resume exploration activities and are completing the final stages of drill permitting. This has enabled us to initiate field work, which marks another meaningful milestone for our Company. We are very pleased to expand the Company's social initiatives which now include jobs for the local community as well as sponsoring ongoing agricultural programs.Sombrero represents a unique opportunity strongly supported by extensive surface sampling, historical drill holes, age dating of multiple intrusions, and substantial mineralized skarn, backing the thesis that the project may represent the westward extension of the prolific Andahuaylas-Yauri mining trend. Our large land position with numerous prospective targets provides an extensive portfolio of opportunities to explore for multiple significant discoveries.The addition of Margarita to the team comes at a timely juncture for the Company; we welcome her past experiences in South America but also in Ayacucho, the Province which hosts the prolific mining trend." The Sombrero ProjectThe copper-gold Sombrero Project is a land package of approximately 103,000 hectares located in the north-western margins of the world-class Andahuaylas-Yauri belt in Peru that hosts Las Bambas, Haquira, Los Chancas, Cotabambas, Constancia, Antapaccay, and Tintaya deposits (Figure 1). The main targets on the Project are copper-gold skarn and porphyry systems, and precious metal epithermal deposits.Figure 1 - Location of the Sombrero Project in Peru Sombrero Main - Drill ReadyThe Sombrero Main target area (Figure 2) is the most advanced target on the property and is drill ready. This target represents a potential large copper-gold skarn and porphyry system that is mostly covered by a thin layer of post mineralization, volcanic cover. Previous exploration work, including detailed geologic mapping, geochemical, and geophysical surveys, have identified large, near surface drill targets within this area.Pipeline of Targets to be ExploredOutside of the Sombrero Main target area are several exploration prospects including, Macha Machay, Milpoc, Tipicancha and Huachana (Figure 2).The Macha Machay, Milpoc and Tipicancha targets were identified through Coppernico's 2017-2018 regional exploration program, which screened 7,000 km2 of land on the western extension of the Andahuaylas-Yauri belt. Results of that work identified catchments with elevated silver, arsenic, gold and copper values, which support further investigation (Figure 2).Macha Machay is characterized by highly elevated copper values in consecutive drainage basins over an area of approximately 12 km by 6 km. Both leachable (Cn44) and ICP analytical results demonstrate copper levels 1.5 - 3.5 times greater than those observed at Sombrero Main, Nioc and Good Lucky intrusive clusters, which have large areas of high-grade copper and gold mineralization on surface. Leachable gold results in Macha Machay stream sediments are similar in magnitude to those observed at Sombrero Main and Nioc targets. These stream sediment results suggest the potential to discover significant copper-gold mineralization at or near surface.Milpoc also has elevated copper and gold values in stream sediments. Cursory mapping and sampling in 2018-2019 by Coppernico geologists identified copper-oxide mineralization occurring parallel to and within bedding in the Casapalca formation sediments. Several grab samples from Milpoc returned high-grade copper values between 8.75% and 1.71% along with silver values from 101 g/t to 41 g/t (Figure 3. See news release dated October 17, 2019).Figure 3 - Milpoc High-Grade Rock SamplesTipicancha is defined by anomalous copper and gold stream sediment results. Early reconnaissance mapping identified an area ~1.2 km by ~600 m of clay and silica altered volcanic rocks with disseminated pyrite. Much less is known about the Huachana target, it was identified as a +700 m diameter area of anomalously high magnetism.These targets have seen limited to no follow up surface work, additional exploration is required to understand their full size and grade potential. They have been identified as priorities for a focused field work program planned for 2024, aimed at gaining clarity within the broader context of the Sombrero Project.Appointment of Margarita Cardona as Investor Relations ManagerCoppernico is pleased to announce the appointment of Margarita Cardona as Investor Relations Manager. With over a decade of experience within the mining industry, Margarita brings expertise in both retail and institutional shareholder communications. Prior to joining Coppernico, Margarita held the Investor Relations Manager role at a boutique consulting investor relations firm in Toronto, where she serviced a diverse portfolio of clients with market capitalizations of up to ~$1 billion in the resource sector, taking part in their communication efforts through various M&A transactions, including project and company acquisitions/divestments, new listings, financings, project updates, management changes, and rebrandings. Additionally, she worked in-house at Hudbay Minerals and at Aurania Resources in Toronto and provided her services to several mining issuers in Vancouver. Ms. Cardona also served on the board of the Peruvian Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Toronto. Coppernico looks forward to leveraging Margarita's expertise to foster relationships with existing and new stakeholders and drive continued success with strengthened communications efforts, as the Company nears a pivotal point in its trajectory.Technical Disclosure and Qualified PersonThe scientific and technical information contained in this news release was reviewed and approved
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The Picayune Police Department leverages CivicRMS's data analytic tools to inform community policing efforts.PICAYUNE, MS / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / The term 'proactive policing' has long been circulating in law enforcement circles, yet translating it into actionable strategies can be a challenge. This challenge is all too familiar for agencies across the United States, including Picayune Police Department, a 36-officer agency located in Southern Mississippi.After years of relying on outdated legacy software, Picayune PD decided to elevate its records management technology to CivicRMS. This upgrade provides the agency with the necessary tools to access crucial data, empowering them to proactively address community policing needs.Chief Joe Quave, who assumed office in September 2021, and his dedicated team have taken the initiative to share annualdata aggregated in their RMSwith the community, fostering trust and open dialogue about the agency's work. For example, Chief Quave has regularly posted year-to-year comparisons of crime statistics categorized by offense ontheir Facebook page."By sharing our agency's information with our community, we've been able to start conversations and address the community's concerns," Chief Quave explains. "Relationships are important to me, and we can improve our relationships with our city by keeping them informed." The department has embraced CivicRMS's data analytic features to make informed decisions for crime prevention, resource allocation, investigations, and data-driven policing efforts."Proactivity is very important," Chief Quave emphasizes. "With this access to our city's crime data, we can improve our tactical operations, all by having better tools to monitor crime trends." CivicEye, full spectrum software provider for law enforcement and prosecutors, has created its systems, includingCivicRMS , with this goal of improving community outcomes in mind."Law enforcement officials have a lot to focus on in their everyday jobs," said Josh South, Head of Operations at CivicEye. "If our software can make data easy to access and analyze, we know that officers will be better supported, and communities will be safer. That's what it's all about." To learn more about how Picayune Police Department is using their records management system to bolster community trust and inform proactive policing,click hereto access the full case study.###About CivicEyeCivicEyedelivers critical software for prosecutors and law enforcement that improves case, records, and digital evidence management across the entire criminal justice system. The company provides a full spectrum, cloud-based platform designed to reduce friction points within departments and across stakeholders. CivicEye is headquartered in Charlotte, NC, and serves over 130 agencies across the country.Media Contact:Adrienne Clarke, adrienne.clarke@civiceye.comwww.civiceye.com SOURCE: CivicEye
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The 100% hands-off trading program, previously exclusive to EFX's private educational network, is now available to everyoneRALEIGH, NC / ACCESSWIRE / February 19, 2024 / EFX Algo, a leader in automated trading education and technology, is proud to announce the public release of its proprietary trading bot. This innovative software - initially reserved for the exclusive use of EFX's educational community - has been meticulously tested and refined over two years and successfully implemented for three months by 200+ students, demonstrating not only robust and consistent performance, but entirely profitable accounts across the board.EFX Algo's trading bot stands out in the financial technology landscape for its hands-free operation and impressive returns. Unlike the average S&P return of 7.9% per year and the average 401k return of 4.9% per year, EFX Algo's algorithm is designed to perform differently. With test runs returns modeled on a $100K trading account, accounts gained an average monthly return of 3-5% with moderate risk settings, and 5-8% with aggressive settings.Backed by a 100% money-back 90-Day Guarantee, clients can confidently invest in the software with the assurance of a full refund of the startup cost if not satisfied, no questions asked. EFX Algo's pricing structure includes a bot license, 1-on-1 support for quick setup, access to a private member community, and monthly operating fees based on the account size.The EFX Bot offers three primary portfolios - Conservative, Moderate, and Aggressive - investing in ascending levels of risk and return assets. This automated trading solution taps into a daily trading volume of over $6 trillion. Further, it eliminates the need for human intervention and psychological factors in investment decisions, offering a truly passive income stream with immediate liquidity.Danny Reardon, Co-Founder of EFX Algo, stated, "Our core tenet at EFX Algo has always been to prioritize client results. The success we've achieved isn't just about the technology, but rather the fusion of our rich history in education and deep trading expertise. We've created a unique product that preserves and grows capital time and again. For me, success goes beyond just profits; those profits afford me the quality of life and precious moments I get to spend with my family. This algorithm has allowed our educational beta group to enjoy the same luxury." EFX Algo is based in the USA and boasts an A+ Better Business Bureau score, over 150 five-star reviews on TrustPilot, and has served over 650 private clients in the last three years. The executive team comprises full-time traders managing millions of dollars in assets, with the EFX Bot being back-tested for over two years on six figures in live capital. The bot was engineered to provide low-risk exposure paired with long-term compounded growth and cash flow, consistently outperforming hedge funds and traditional investments by deploying a balanced portfolio of eight strategies prioritizing capital preservation and risk diversification.EFX Algo has a transparent approach to client results, with a program that showcases the performance of all users, ensuring no cherry-picked data. Those interested in beginning their 100% hands-free investment journey with EFX Algo can find out more at https://www.efxalgo.com About EFX AlgoFounded by Danny Reardon, Bogdan Padua, and Joe Amara, EFX Algo is an innovative, fully-automated trading bot designed to provide 100% hands-free investment opportunities, previously exclusive to an educational network and now available to the general public. The software is designed to manage investments and execute trades in the financial markets without the need for manual intervention. For more information, please visit https://www.efxalgo.com Media Details:Website URL: https://www.efxalgo.comCompany Name: EFX Algo Email address:support@ easyfxtrading.com Phone: +1 919-348-2510SOURCE: EFX Algo
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COLORADO SPRINGS, CO / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / Fortitude Gold Corp. (OTCQB:FTCO) (the "Company") announced today that it will hold its annual meeting of shareholders in person at 9:00 a.m. Mountain Standard Time (MST) on Wednesday, May 22, 2024 at the Colorado Springs Marriott, 5580 Tech Center Dr., Colorado Springs, Colorado 80919. Fortitude Gold is a gold producer, developer, and explorer with operations in Nevada, U.S.A. offering investors exposure to both gold production and dividend yield.The Company has fixed the close of business on March 25, 2024 as the record date for determining shareholders entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the annual meeting and any adjournments or postponements thereof.About Fortitude Gold Corp.:Fortitude Gold is a U.S. based gold producer targeting projects with low operating costs, high margins, and strong returns on capital. The Company's strategy is to grow organically, remain debt-free and distribute substantial dividends. The Company's Nevada Mining Unit consists of seven high-grade gold properties located in the Walker Lane Mineral Belt and an eighth high-grade gold property in west central Nevada. The Isabella Pearl gold mine, located on the Isabella Pearl mineralized trend, is currently in production. Nevada, U.S.A. is among the world's premier mining friendly jurisdictions.Cautionary Statements: This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. If you are risk-averse you should NOT buy shares in Fortitude Gold Corp. The statements contained in this press release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. When used in this press release, the words "plan", "target", "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "intend" and "expect" and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, the statements regarding the Company's strategy, future plans for production, future expenses and costs, future liquidity and capital resources, and estimates of mineralized material are forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based upon information available to the Company on the date of this press release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties, and there can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those discussed in this press release.Contact:Greg Patterson719-717-9825 greg.patterson@fortitudegold.comwww.Fortitudegold.com SOURCE: Fortitude Gold Corporation
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Genvor to Showcase Next-Generation Plant Health Solutions at Leading Industry EventCHAPEL HILL, NC / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / Genvor Incorporated(OTCQB:GNVR) ("Genvor" or the "Company"), a developer of sustainable plant health solutions leveraging patented peptides, today announced that management will attend theBioSolutions Conference & Expotaking place March 4-6, 2024 in Visalia, California.Now in its 9th year, the BioSolutions Conference & Expo is a production-focused event offering North American growers, advisers, and researchers the latest information and real-world guidance on implementing biological solutions and technology tools in specialty crop production.Chad Pawlak, Chief Executive Officer of Genvor, plans to participate in one-on-one meetings with industry participants, investors and the media throughout the conference.BioSolutions Conference & ExpoDate: March 4-6, 2024Location: Visalia Marriott and Convention Center | Visalia, CaliforniaEvent Website: https://www.biosolutionsconference.com Pawlak commented: "Biologicals, such as the peptide-based plant health solutions we are pioneering at Genvor today, are positioned to revolutionize the future of agriculture. To that end, the BioSolutions Conference & Expo represents an excellent venue to share Genvor's story with key industry participants - including strategics, the trade media, regulators and investors. I look forward to a productive day of meetings at the event as we strive to create sustainable, long-term value for our shareholders." For more information or to register for the event, please visit theconference website . To schedule a one-on-one meeting at the conference, please email your request toGNVR@ mzgroup.usor call Lucas A. Zimmerman at (949) 259-4987.About GenvorGenvor Incorporated(OTCQB:GNVR) is a developer of sustainable plant health solutions, with a portfolio of patented peptides to provide crops with anti-pathogen and enhanced nutritional properties through next-generation biological foliar application as well as transgenic seed traits. Supported by globally renowned scientists and a USDA partnership, Genvor leverages its licensing-first business model with active trait developments underway for a variety of crops including corn, citrus, rice, cotton, soybean, flax, and potato. To learn more, please visitwww.genvor.comor follow us onLinkedIn ,FacebookorInstagram .Forward-Looking StatementsThis press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements include information about management's view of the Company's future expectations, plans and prospects, including future business opportunities or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may," "believe," "future," "plan" or "planned," "will" or "should," "expected," "anticipates," "eventually" or " projected." You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. Certain of these risk factors and others are included in documents the Company files with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to, the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, as well as subsequent reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.Investor Relations Contact: Lucas A. ZimmermanManaging DirectorMZ Group - MZ North America(949) 259-4987GNVR@ mzgroup.uswww.mzgroup.us SOURCE: Genvor Incorporated
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iDose TR helps patients with glaucoma take long-term control of high eye pressureLAGUNA HILLS, CA / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / Harvard Eye Associates is proud to announce the availability of iDose TR (travoprost intraocular implant) 75 mcg. iDose TR is a new, FDA-approved treatment that is designed to provide long-duration, continuous drug therapy directly inside the eye, helping patients take better control over the elevated eye pressure associated with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. Harvard Eye Associates becomes one of the first ophthalmology practices in the United States to offer this therapy.Glaucoma is an eye disease caused by increased pressure in the eye and it can also cause damage to the optic nerve which carries visual information from the eyes to the brain. If left untreated, glaucoma can cause permanent damage to the eye, which means vision loss cannot be reversed. Prescription eye drops are the most common treatment for glaucoma, but they can be difficult to administer correctly and can cause uncomfortable or irritating side effects for most patients. High rates of non-compliance and non-adherence to prescription medications contribute to disease progression.Dr. Savak Teymoorian, a cataract and interventional glaucoma surgery specialist, performed the inaugural iDose TR treatments at Alicia Surgery Center, marking a pivotal moment in the fight against ocular diseases. With his dedication to excellence and commitment to patient well-being, Dr. Teymoorian continues to redefine the landscape of glaucoma care, offering hope and relief to individuals affected by these sight-threatening conditions."We are thrilled to offer iDose TR as a revolutionary treatment option for our patients," said Dr. Savak Teymoorian. "This represents a significant leap forward in our ability to effectively manage ocular hypertension and glaucoma, ultimately improving the quality of life for our patients." Developed by Glaukos, iDose TR reduces high or elevated pressure within the eye by automatically releasing the same type of medication used for decades in the most commonly prescribed eye drops. During a clinical study, 8 out of 10 patients did not need prescription eye drops 12 months after administration of iDose TR. iDose TR may be particularly beneficial for patients who have difficulty adhering to a daily medication regimen or whose condition is uncontrolled on topical glaucoma medications.For more information about iDose TR or to schedule an appointment at Harvard Eye Associates, please visit harvardeye.com or call (949) 951-2020.About Harvard Eye AssociatesHarvard Eye Associates is a leading multi-specialty ophthalmology practice located in Orange County, California, dedicated to providing exceptional eye care services to patients. Led by a team of highly skilled specialists, Harvard Eye Associates offers a comprehensive range of services, including advanced cataract surgery, LASIK, glaucoma treatment, oculoplastic surgery and more. With a commitment to excellence and a patient-centered approach, Harvard Eye Associates strives to achieve optimal visual outcomes and improve the overall quality of life for each individual.Contact InformationErica ArringtonMarketing & Business Development Managerearrington@ harvardeye.com (949)900-5228SOURCE: Harvard Eye AssociatesView the original press release on newswire.com
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"Partnerships like the one between Dow, TNC and Ecolab, focused on bringing solutions to sustainably manage scarce freshwater, are the key to ensuring abundant water and healthy ecosystems." - Andre Argenton, chief sustainability officer, DowNORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / Rivers like the Mississippi are critical corridors that connect cities and natural ecosystems alike. As the climate precipitation patterns change, water levels vary widely between extreme lows and highs. Water quality is also impacted as saltwater slowly moves upriver. These have extraordinary effects on people and nature.Recognizing the important role industry and conservation organizations play in restoring healthy, functioning ecosystems, we are working with like-minded organizations like The Nature Conservancy and Ecolab to restore and enhance wetlands in the lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley in Louisiana.Called "Loch Leven," this project is reconnecting flood plains to the Mississippi River by installing improved water control structures to increase water supply to 4500 acres of wetlands. Our team came in during phase 2 of the project to reconnect the internal water flow within those wetlands. This work followed phase 1, which connected the river to the wetlands. This project is part of a larger effort by The Nature Conservancy to restore over 10,000 wetland acres.Reconnecting a floodplainProjects like Loch Leven help provide floodwater storage and improve water quality, all pivotal components of watershed management. By holding water and slowly releasing it, the wetlands on Loch Leven remove excess fertilizer runoff from upstream, and, in turn, those nutrients help the wetlands and all that live in it, thrive.Floodplain restoration projects such as Loch Leven also provide hydrologic stability, meaning that they slow water down, hold it and slowly release it. The Loch Leven project will help provide 12.1 billion gallons (45.8 million cubic meters) of flood storage capacity to local communities in Louisiana."As our climate system makes weather events more variable, extreme and uncertain, the stability that nature provides is even more important," said Bryan Piazza, Director of Science with The Nature Conservancy of Louisiana.Collaborating for greater impactThe Mississippi Watershed is a water-stressed basin identified by the CEO Water Mandate's Water Resilience Coalition (WRC) under the U.N. Global Compact. Investing in nature-based solutions like the Loch Leven project is one way to reduce nutrient runoff, restore biodiversity and enhance communities' ability to adapt to climate change."The issue, however, is having the resources needed to work at the speed necessary to meet these threats in the Lower Mississippi Valley," Piazza said. "There simply isn't enough public grant money available to do the number of Loch Leven projects that we need in the lower river. That's why it's so important to figure out how to attract private investment in our work. Without it, we cannot get to the scale we need to improve water quality and habitat and remove greenhouse gases." As founding members of the WRC, companies like Dow and Ecolab are investing beyond their own operations and working collaboratively to enhance water stewardship management at the local watershed level."As the world's natural resources come under ever-growing pressure, it becomes increasingly clear that businesses must work to find ways to help correct course and build a positive future," said Emilio Tenuta, senior vice president and chief sustainability officer at Ecolab. "It is critical that businesses reach outside their facilities to work with those who share the same water resources and strive to ensure water availability, quality and access for all." For us at Dow, investments in projects such as Loch Leven contribute to the overall improvement of watershed health while advancing sustainable business growth. Everyone - including communities and industry - must play a role to protect our water resources."Water is central to our manufacturing process, and safe, accessible water is also essential to the health of the communities in which we operate, critical to ecosystems and integral to economic growth. Partnerships like the one between Dow, TNC and Ecolab, focused on bringing solutions to sustainably manage scarce freshwater, are the key to ensuring abundant water and healthy ecosystems," said Andre Argenton, chief sustainability officer at Dow.Carrie Houtman, EH&S and Sustainability DirectorView additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from DOW on 3 blmedia.com Contact Info: Spokesperson: DOWWebsite: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/dow Email: info@3 blmedia.com SOURCE: DOW
About a decade ago, many people were confronted with a frightening diagnosis: they had genetic mutations that increased their risk of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a thickening of the heart muscles that can lead to sudden death. The good news, says U.S. physician Alexander Bick, is that it was incorrect. Based on genetic data from white patients, the test was wrong. In those people, blacks, the mutations were benign. This Monday, Bicks team has taken a giant step forward in correcting those errors, publishing at a stroke almost 250,000 complete genomes, the vast majority of which come from groups that have traditionally been ignored in studies of this kind. This is a unique opportunity to understand how genes affect human health, he says enthusiastically.

The initiative is part of the All of Us Science Project, a program promoted by the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland; the ultimate goal is to read the genomes of over one million Americans. Nearly half of the 250,000 genomes read so far are from underrepresented racial and ethnic minorities. In addition, a quarter come from volunteers living below the poverty line. And one in four are from people over the age of 65. Analysis of this unpublished material has already revealed the existence of 275 million unknown genetic variants. Each of them offers new potential clues to understanding and curing some of the worlds most critical diseases, says Bick, of Vanderbilt University in Nashville.

The physician cites an example from his laboratory. His team has taken advantage of the projects immense diversity to find a mutation that protects against chronic kidney disease associated with the APOL1 gene, a phenomenon most commonly observed in people of African ancestry. The combination of disease-causing and protective mutations is very unusual, found in less than 1 in 200 African Americans. To solve these extremely complicated puzzles, its very important to have very large, not just diverse, data sets, Bick says.

The National Institutes of Health began recruiting volunteers in 2018, striving to increase the diversity of other similar projects, such as the UK Biobank. We know that DNA is one of many factors that affect health. There are also many social factors, such as poverty. In the past, many of the participants in research studies belonged to the middle class, so it was difficult to study how these social factors interact with genetic factors, Bick explains. The results of his research were published this Monday in the esteemed scientific journal Nature.

Physician Eliseo Perez-Stable directs the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, a Bethesda-based agency that seeks to improve the health of minority and disadvantaged populations. Perez-Stable himself was born in Cuba and, at the age of eight, emigrated with his family to the United States after the Cuban Revolution. The physician stresses the historical lack of diversity in genomic research and affirms that over 90% of the studies have been done with populations of European ancestry.

Drugs that do not work

Perez-Stable cites the case of clopidogrel, an antiplatelet-aggregating drug used to prevent blood clots in patients who have had a heart attack or stroke or have circulation problems in their arms and legs. Clopidogrel doesnt work when a person has a genetic change that affects the processing of the drug. And it turns out that most people of Hawaiian or Pacific Island origin dont process it, so it doesnt work as indicated in those populations, the physician notes. Three years ago, a court ordered pharmaceutical companies Bristol Myers Squibb and Sanofi to pay almost $834 million to the State of Hawaii for marketing clopidogrel there even though it knew that it was ineffective for many patients, the Attorney Generals Office says.

The director emphasizes that science has made great discoveries as a result of including diverse populations in genetic analysis. Perez-Stable himself participated in a 2014 study that identified a specific mutation (6q25) that decreases the risk of breast cancer by 60% and is only found in Latin American women with indigenous ancestry.

The physician recalls another case. The latest drugs to lower bad cholesterolso-called PCSK9 inhibitorswere discovered thanks to an African American family with very low levels of this substance in the blood. Led by American physician Helen Hobbs, a team of researchers developed drugs to mimic the effect observed in the family.

If we imagine DNA as a sequence of chemical letters with the instructions for a persons functioning, epigenetic changes would be like accent marks, which can modify the message and trigger illnesses, such as cancer. Perez-Stable emphasizes that living conditions, such as poverty, can provoke epigenetic changes. There are few studies that have the potential to capture this phenomenon and this project is one of them, he observes.

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XPOF Investors with Substantial Losses Encouraged to Contact Hagens Berman, National Trial AttorneysSAN FRANCISCO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / Hagens Berman urges Xponential Fitness, Inc. (NYSE:XPOF) investors who suffered substantial losses to submit your losses now.Class Period: July 26, 2021 - Dec. 7, 2023Lead Plaintiff Deadline: Apr. 9, 2024Visit: www.hbsslaw.com/investor-fraud/xpof Contact An Attorney Now: XPOF@ hbsslaw.com 844-916-0895Xponential Fitness, Inc. (XPOF) Securities Fraud Class Action:The litigation focuses on XPOF's repeated touting of same-store sales ("SSS") and average unit volume ("AUV") metrics as measures of the health of its franchise system.The complaint alleges, in part, that XPOF made misleading statements and failed to disclose that: (1) it had permanently closed at least 30 stores; (2) it misstated its SSS and AUV metrics by excluding underperforming stores; (3) 80% of its brands were losing money each month; (4) over 100 of its franchises were for sale at a price well below their initial cost; and (5) it misled franchisees by misrepresenting the financial profile, profitability, and the expected rate of return for new studio openings.Investors began to learn the truth on June 26, 2023, when Fuzzy Panda Research published a scathing report based in part on interviews with former XPOF business partners, franchisees, and on the examination of roughly 16,000 pages of Franchise Disclosure Documents ("FDDs") filed with the FTC.Among other matters, Fuzzy Panda alleged that: (1) CEO Anthony Geisler has a long history of misleading investors; (2) XPOF falsely claimed to have never closed a store; (3) over 50% of XPOF's average studios are losing money; (4) 80% of its brands have unprofitable business models; (5) over 100 of the company's franchises were for sale at 75% below their initial cost; and (6) the SSS and AUV metrics reported to investors misleadingly exclude underperforming stores.Then, on Dec. 7, 2023, Bloomberg published an article, based on interviews with dozens of XPOF former business partners, employees, and franchisees, which largely corroborated Fuzzy Panda's report.These events drove the price of XPOF shares sharply lower.After the Class Period, on Dec. 11, 2023, XPOF announced (without explaining) that the SEC contacted the company and formally requested "certain documents." "We're investigating whether XPOF may have intentionally misled investors by misrepresenting its business model and key financial metrics," said Reed Kathrein, the Hagens Berman partner leading the firm's 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 If you'd like more information and answers to frequently asked questions about the Xponential Fitness case and our investigation, read more 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 Berman Hagens Berman is a global plaintiffs' rights complex litigation law firm focusing on corporate accountability through class-action law. The firm is home to a robust securities litigation practice and represents investors as well as whistleblowers, workers, consumers and others in cases achieving real results for those harmed by corporate negligence and fraud. More about the firm and its successes can be found at hbsslaw.com . Follow the firm for updates and news at @ClassActionLaw.Attorney advertising.Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.Services may be performed by attorneys in any of our offices.Contact:Reed Kathrein, 844-916-0895SOURCE: Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP
PR-Inside.com: 2024-02-20 04:24:57

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TOKYO and LONDON, Feb 20, 2024 - (JCN Newswire) - JCB International Co, Ltd, the international operations subsidiary of JCB Co, Ltd, and Value Retail, creator and operator of The Bicester Collection, today announced the expansion of their partnership for another two years, following the success of the initial three-year partnership. This offering will be available in eight luxury shopping destinations across Europe. With the increase in international travel, the extension of this collaboration provides new growth opportunities.In line with JCBs commitment to expand card acceptance across Europe, the partnership initiated in April 2019 has played a pivotal role in fostering growth. Beginning with JCB Card acceptance at boutiques in Bicester Village (London) and La Vallee Village (Paris), JCB Card acceptance has progressively extended to additional Villages across Europe. Over the past two years, this collaboration has resulted in an impressive 51% YoY growth in spending by JCB Cardmembers at The Bicester Collection (as of June 2023). Better still, JCB Card acceptance has expanded to an additional shopping destination, Maasmechelen Village (Brussels).In addition to increased acceptance opportunities for cardmembers, this collaboration will offer more special promotions and savings for valuable JCB Cardmembers. The luxury Villages' brand partners stand to gain from increased spending by Cardmembers from the Asia-Pacific region into Europe, notably from top-spending countries and territories such as Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia, Philippines and South Korea. In addition, emerging countries and territories such as India, Vietnam, Laos, and Bahrain, characterised by a commendable uptick in spending, present a promising avenue for brands to explore new revenue streams. This partnership, therefore, serves as a strategic conduit for brands to engage with the valuable clientele that JCB Cardmembers represent, fostering a mutually beneficial relationship.Ray Shinzawa, Managing Director, JCB International (Europe) Ltd, said: Our partnership with The Bicester Collection has been a great success over several years and we are thrilled to extend it for another two years. This expansion allows us to continue to offer our valuable cardmembers exclusive benefits and increased spending opportunities at luxury shopping destinations across Europe. Graham Stanford, Director of Partnerships, B2B, The Bicester Collection said: We are delighted to support our brand partners further through the expansion of our partnership with JCB and its 156 million cardmembers. At The Bicester Collection we are committed to providing magical experiences for our guests, numbering 46 million in 2023 and whom we welcome from all corners of the world. As international travel grows, we look forward to serving more JCB Cardmembers and to creating ever-more memorable experiences for them on their travels in Europe. About JCBJCB is a major global payments brand and a leading credit card issuer and acquirer in Japan. JCB launched its card business in Japan in 1961 and began expanding worldwide in 1981. Its acceptance network includes about 46 million merchants around the world. JCB Cards are now issued mainly in Asian countries and territories, with more than 156 million cardmembers. As part of its international growth strategy, JCB has formed alliances with hundreds of leading banks and financial institutions globally to increase its merchant coverage and cardmember base. As a comprehensive payment solution provider, JCB commits to providing responsive and high-quality service and products to all customers worldwide. For more information, please visit: www.global.jcb/en/ About The Bicester CollectionThe Bicester Collection is a family of 11 distinctive shopping destinations in Europe and China defined by extraordinary experiences while offering remarkable value. The Collection, created and operated by Value Retail, brings together the worlds most discerning guests and the worlds most renowned brands  often for the first time  on a journey of discovery. The Villages are located close to some of Europe and Chinas most celebrated cities: London, Paris, Milan, Barcelona, Madrid, Dublin, Brussels, Munich, Frankfurt, Shanghai and Suzhou. Collectively home to more than 1,300 boutiques, The Bicester Collection offers guests an ever-evolving curation of fashion and lifestyle brands, world-famous restaurants, exciting pop-ups, and imaginative art installations throughout the year. Discover more at www.TheBicesterCollection.com MEDIA CONTACTS:JCB International (Europe) Ltd.: Diana Lee: dlee@ jcbeurope.eu JCB (Head Office in Japan): Ayaka Nakajima: jcb-pr@ info.jcb.co.jp The Bicester Collection: Press@ ValueRetail.com
PR-Inside.com: 2024-02-20 08:21:20

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NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 /Media3 Labs, the innovator behind the Web3 podcast player Scoop3, today unveiled a groundbreaking patent-pending technology designed to transform media consumption by seamlessly and efficiently tokenizing media on the blockchain. This approach means content creators can bring their content to the blockchain without changing their current workflow nor requiring knowledge of blockchain or crypto, marking a significant leap forward for the digital media industry.By inventing this novel technology, Media3 Labs is setting new standards for interaction between creators and consumers within the digital media space. The solution not only empowers content creators who want to take advantage of the benefits of the blockchain such as more precise analytics and audience activation, but also deepens listener engagement through the potential of new types of integrations.Following this technological advancement, Media3 Labs is also excited to announce its strategic shift towards the Base network, Coinbase's Ethereum Layer-2 scaling solution. By building on Base, Scoop3 will leverage the scalability and efficiency of the Base network to further enhance the platform, ensuring a faster and more optimal experience for end-users."This dual announcement underscores our commitment to innovation and excellence," said David Kermaani, CEO of Media3 Labs. "With our patent-pending technology and the integration with the Base network, we are poised to redefine media, making it more interactive, fulfilling, and accessible than ever before." Media3 Labs invites investors, content creators, and the tech community to join them in this exciting new chapter. With its cutting-edge technology and strategic partnerships, Scoop3 is well-positioned to lead the charge in the evolving landscape of digital media and blockchain technology.For more information about Scoop3's features, the benefits of the new technology, and future updates, please visit https://www.media3labs.com About Media3 Labs: Media3 Labs is a visionary tech company at the intersection of media and blockchain technology. Through its flagship platform, Scoop3, Media3 Labs is committed to enhancing the media consumption experience by integrating innovative solutions that activate audiences and empower creators. With a focus on cutting-edge technology and user-centric design, Media3 Labs is paving the way for the future of digital media.Media ContactOrganization: Media3 LabsContact Person: Kerri GleesonWebsite: https://www.media3labs.com Email: press@ media3labs.com Contact Number: +13105042119City: New York CityState: New YorkCountry: United StatesSOURCE: Media3 Labs
PR-Inside.com: 2024-02-20 17:15:33

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Michelle White joins an exclusive group of industry leaders who have made newsworthy contributions to the real estate industryDENVER, CO / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / The CE Shop is pleased to announce that Michelle White has been selected as a RISMedia 2024 Real Estate Newsmaker - a dynamic group of key influencers making headlines as a result of their newsworthy contributions to the real estate industry and their efforts to positively affect the consumers and communities they serve.RISMedia's 2024 Real Estate Newsmakers were selected in 2023 by its executive and editorial teams and are showcased in the following categories: Influencers, Trailblazers, Futurists, Achievers, Crusaders, Luminaries and the annual Hall of Fame inductees."It's always so inspiring to see the incredible accomplishments of so many real estate professionals around the country and this year's group of 2024 Newsmakers is no exception. From the creativity and innovation being implemented through the shifting and challenging 2023 market, to industry records being broken, to the wonderful charitable work being done across the nation, we continue to be amazed by the ingenuity and success of these real estate professionals, more than 300 of whom we are honoring on our seventh year of publishing Real Estate Newsmakers," said John Featherston, Founder, CEO and Publisher of RISMedia."We are so proud every year to recognize the hard work, dedication and determination of these finest industry professionals - the 2024 Real Estate Newsmakers - who went above and beyond in 2023 amid the challenges and opportunities of this evolving market. Help us in celebrating their hard-earned recognition," Featherston added.About The CE ShopThe CE Shop is the leading real estate education provider with online mortgage, real estate, home inspection, appraisal, and professional development courses available throughout the United States. The CE Shop produces quality education for professionals nationwide, whether they're veterans in their industry or looking to launch a new career. We believe that the right education can truly make a difference. Visit TheCEShop.com to learn more.About RISMediaFor more than 40 years, RISMedia has provided the residential real estate industry with news, trends and business development strategies through its flagship publication, Real Estate magazine; its leading website, RISMedia.com; its premium content channel, Premier; its award-winning Housecall blog; and its iconic networking and educational events, including RISMedia's virtual Real Estate's Rocking in the New Year; RISMedia's CEO Exchange; RISMedia's Power Broker Forum, Reception & Dinner; and RISMedia's Newsmakers Reception & Dinner. Through RISMedia's content programs - including ACE, a turn-key social media content system - real estate professionals share thousands of articles, infographics and videos each day created by RISMedia editors and contributors, helping them influence hundreds of thousands of consumers as they consider buying and/or selling a home. Visit RISMedia.com , RISMedia's Premier, and ACESocial for more information.Media Contact:The CE Shop Press Press@ TheCEShop.com 720.822.5314Contact InformationLiz MeitusSVP of Corporate Marketingliz.meitus@careercertified.com 720-822-5314SOURCE: The CE ShopView the original press release on newswire.com
PR-Inside.com: 2024-02-20 18:00:40

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NEW BERN, NC / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / Coastal Carolina Regional Airport (EWN) is proud to welcome a new airline partner: Breeze Airways. This addition creates a one-of-a-kind opportunity for EWN to offer the only nonstop, "Nice Low Cost Carrier" flights in the region.Photo Courtesy of Visit New Bern The new airline will offer nonstop routes to two destinations including Orlando, FL and Hartford, CT. Breeze Airways will be offering twice weekly flights initially and air service will start on May 24. Fares on the new routes start at $49* one-way."Breeze Airways opens exciting new opportunities for the region by offering direct and easy access to some of our top markets," said Airport Director Andrew Shorter. "We're proud to partner with a growing airline and we would like to thank all of our community partners who helped make this happen." "Breeze is not yet three years old but already announcing our 50th city to our national route map," said Breeze Airways' President Tom Doxey. "Breeze seeks to connect underserved markets and city pairs without existing nonstops. Now, guests from New Bern, our fifth destination in the Carolinas, will be able to enjoy affordable and convenient new service to Connecticut and Florida." New Bern, N.C. is the airline's 50th market they've joined to offer a mix of more than 150 year-round and seasonal nonstop routes in 27 states. Breeze was recognized by Travel + Leisure readers as one of the Top 5 Best U.S. Airlines for the second consecutive year. The airline is known for its commitment to making travel simple, affordable and enjoyable."Since we started flying in May 2021, Breeze has continued to add desirable destinations to our rapidly growing footprint," said Breeze CEO and Founder David Neeleman. "This new addition will surely be welcomed as we bring efficient, affordable and elevated travel to underserved markets." Breeze Airlines will fly its 137-seat Airbus A220 aircraft, connecting the Eastern North Carolina community to many great new destinations.Securing the new low-cost, nonstop air service for eastern North Carolina was a collaborative effort by Coastal Carolina Regional Airport, Craven County Government, the Craven 100 Alliance (C1A) and the Craven County Tourism Development Authority."Craven County prides itself on progress. This is a momentous triumph and on behalf of the Craven County Board of Commissioners and the Coastal Carolina Regional Airport Authority, I extend my gratitude and commendation to all whose efforts culminated in this positive growth," expressed Jason Jones, Chairman of the Craven County Board of Commissioners, and board member of the Coastal Carolina Regional Airport Authority."Airline development has been at the forefront of our strategic plan," shares C1A Chairman Owen Andrews. "Our dedicated task force worked diligently to bring this development to fruition, all while ensuring Breeze knew they had an ally in the C1A to make this partnership a success," said Craven 100 Alliance (C1A) Chairman Owen Andrews.Travelers can visit FlyEWN.com and www.flybreeze.com to research flight options and fares.ABOUT CRAVEN 100 ALLIANCE (C1A) The Craven 100 Alliance (C1A) is a dynamic public-private partnership dedicated to promoting economic development and prosperity in Craven County, North Carolina. C1A connects stakeholders from city and county governments and the public and private sectors to drive innovation, job creation, and sustainable growth in the region.ABOUT COASTAL CAROLINA REGIONAL AIRPORT Coastal Carolina Regional Airport (EWN) is a modern, full-service airport supporting commercial and private aviation activities. With an easy-to-navigate terminal, friendly staff, affordable parking, quick check-in, and security, EWN boasts one of the Southeast's most accessible and convenient regional airports and an "enjoyable air travel experience." The airport acts as the inbound gateway to historic New Bern, the Crystal Coast, The Outer Banks, Emerald Isle, Beaufort, Marine Air Station Cherry Point, and Swansboro, and a portal to destinations all over the world. Learn more at FlyEWN.com ABOUT BREEZE AIRWAYS Breeze Airways began service in May 2021 and has been ranked as one of the U.S.' best domestic airlines for the last two years by Travel + Leisure magazine's World's Best Awards (#2 in 2022 and #4 in 2023). Breeze offers a mix of more than 150 year-round and seasonal nonstop routes between 50 cities in 27 states. Founded by aviation entrepreneur David Neeleman, Breeze operates a fleet of Embraer 190/195 and Airbus A220-300 aircraft, with a focus on providing efficient and affordable flights between secondary airports, bypassing hubs for shorter travel times. With seamless booking, no change or cancellation fees, up to 24-months of reusable flight credit and customized flight features - including complimentary family seating - delivered via a sleek and simple app, Breeze makes it easy to buy and easy to fly. Learn more about Breeze's flight offerings via our site or the app.ABOUT CRAVEN COUNTY TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY Craven County Tourism Development Authority serves to promote and develop Craven County as a travel destination. Through a collective effort to drive tourism, the authority stimulates the local economy through occupancy tax collections. These cooperative efforts generated $172 million in annual visitor spending in 2022, saving residents $11.5 million in state and local taxes. Explore the destination at visitnewbern.com C1A Media Contact: Jeff Wood252 633-5300 jwood@ cravencountync.gov EWN Media Contact: Andrew Shorter252 638-8591 x232 ashorter@ flyewn.com Breeze Airways Media Contact: Gareth Edmondson-Jones 917 399-9355SOURCE: Craven 100 Alliance
PR-Inside.com: 2024-02-20 23:01:08

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TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / Park Lawn Corporation (TSX:PLC)(TSX: PLC.U) ("Park Lawn" or "PLC") is pleased to announce that it has completed the acquisition of substantially all of the assets of Crippin Funeral Home located in Montrose, Colorado; Gunnison Funeral Services located in Gunnison, Colorado; and Grand View Cemetery located in Montrose, Colorado (collectively "Crippin"). The Crippin acquisition deepens Park Lawn's footprint in the Colorado market through the addition of two (2) stand-alone funeral homes as well as one (1) stand-alone cemetery."For 37 years, the Crippin businesses have proudly served Montrose and its surrounding communities. We take great pride in our ability to provide excellent professional service and guidance to our families at their time of need and are excited to partner with Park Lawn to continue this tradition," said Kelly and Gregory Crippin, former owners of Crippin."We are delighted to further expand our operating presence in the State of Colorado through the strategic acquisition of the Crippin businesses," said J. Bradley Green, Chief Executive Officer of PLC. Mr. Green continued, "These outstanding businesses will be an excellent addition to our existing portfolio of high-quality businesses in Colorado, and we are honored to welcome the Crippin businesses and their teams into the Park Lawn family." Highlights of the transaction include:The addition of two (2) stand-alone funeral homes and one (1) stand-alone cemetery. The transaction represents approximately 576 calls per year, approximately 85 placements per year, and is expected to be financed with funds from PLC's credit facility and available cash on hand. Following the closing and integration of the transaction, the Crippin acquisition is expected to add approximately US$703,404 in Adjusted EBITDA annually.[1] For the 12 months ended December 31, 2022, PLC had Adjusted EBITDA of US$74,948,868 and net earnings of US$25,124,765. The agreed upon purchase price multiple for the transaction is within PLC's publicly-stated targeted Adjusted EBITDA multiple range for its historical transactions. About Park Lawn Corporation:PLC is the largest publicly traded Canadian-owned funeral, cremation and cemetery provider. PLC and its subsidiaries own and operate businesses including cemeteries, crematoria, funeral homes, chapels and event centers throughout Canada and the United States which provide a full range of services and merchandise to fulfill the desires of individuals and families seeking to honor their loved ones. Products and services can be customized to meet the personal needs of the consumer and are sold on a pre-planned basis (pre-need) or at the time of a death (at-need). PLC operates in three Canadian provinces and seventeen U.S. states. For more information about Park Lawn Corporation, please visit our website at www.plcorp.com Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking InformationThis news release contains forward-looking information (within the meaning of applicable securities laws) relating to the business of PLC and the environment in which it operates. Forward-looking statements in this news release are identified by words such as "believe", "anticipate", "project", "expect", "intend", "plan", "will", "may", "estimate", "pro-forma" and other similar expressions. These statements are based on PLC's expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections and include, without limitation, statements regarding PLC's expectation that the Crippin acquisition will add approximately US$703,404 in Adjusted EBITDA. The forward-looking statements in this news release are based on certain assumptions, including that the acquisition will perform as expected following closing, PLC will be able to implement business improvements and achieve cost savings, PLC will be able to retain key personnel, there will be no unexpected expenses occurring as a result of the acquisition, the purchase price multiples for future acquisitions remain at or below levels paid by PLC for previously announced acquisitions, the acquisition and financing markets remain accessible, capital can be obtained at reasonable costs and PLC's current business lines operate and obtain synergies as expected, as well as those regarding present and future business strategies, organic growth initiatives, the environment in which PLC will operate in the future, expected revenues, expansion plans and PLC's ability to achieve its goals. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that are difficult to control or predict. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the factors discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in PLC's most recent Annual Information Form and Management's Discussion and Analysis available at www.sedarplus.com . There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate as actual outcomes and results may differ materially from those expressed in these forward-looking statements. Readers, therefore, should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. Further, these forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and, except as expressly required by applicable law, PLC assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.NonIFRS MeasuresAdjusted Net Earnings is not a measure recognized under IFRS and does not have a standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS. Such measure is presented in this news release because management of PLC believes that such measure is relevant in evaluating PLC's acquisition of Crippin. Such measure, as computed by PLC, may differ from similar computations as reported by other similar organizations and, accordingly, may not be comparable to similar measures reported by such other organizations. Please refer to pages 8, 9 and 21 of PLC's Management's Discussion and Analysis for the year ending December 31, 2022, which was filed on SEDAR+ on March 2, 2023, for how PLC reconciles Adjusted EBITDA to the nearest IFRS measure.Contact InformationDaniel MillettChief Financial Officer(416) 231-1462, ext. 221[1] Adjusted EBITDA is a non-IFRS financial measure. Refer to the Non-IFRS Financial Measures section of this news release for more information on this non-IFRS financial measure.SOURCE: Park Lawn Corporation
PR-Inside.com: 2024-02-20 19:00:51

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Sunflower embodies SolRiver's mission to drive economic growth, ensure energy security, and provide sustainable investment opportunities through clean energy.KINGSTREE, SC / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / SolRiver Capital, a leading renewable energy investment platform, proudly announces the completion of the Sunflower Solar Project. This state-of-the-art 14 megawatts (MW) solar facility stands as a testament to SolRiver Capital's commitment to enhancing local communities, bolstering energy security, and delivering exceptional value to its partners.SolRiver Capital 14 MW solar project SolRiver Capital 14 MW solar projectThe Sunflower Project, nestled in the vibrant landscapes of South Carolina, is not only an innovative renewable energy initiative but also a significant economic catalyst. By creating numerous high-quality jobs during its construction phase and ongoing operations, the project has played a positive role in stimulating the local economy. Additionally, it is poised to contribute substantial tax revenue to the region, supporting public services and infrastructure development, thus highlighting SolRiver Capital's dedication to fostering economic growth and stability."The Sunflower Project embodies our mission to drive economic growth, ensure energy security, and provide sustainable investment opportunities," said Brandon Conard, Managing Partner of SolRiver Capital. "We are proud to contribute to South Carolina's thriving economy and energy landscape, and we remain dedicated to delivering value through our expertise in renewable energy." Beyond its economic benefits, the Sunflower project enhances energy security for South Carolina. By generating clean, reliable electricity locally, it reduces reliance on imported fuels, ensuring a more stable and secure energy supply for thousands of homes and businesses. This project underscores SolRiver Capital's commitment to supporting the nation's energy independence through strategic investments in renewable resources.Sunflower also exemplifies SolRiver's excellence in investment strategy and asset management. With a proven track record of executing complex projects, SolRiver Capital has demonstrated its capability to identify, develop, and manage renewable energy investments that deliver robust returns. The success of the Sunflower project further solidifies SolRiver Capital's reputation as an experienced investment platform with strong asset management practices, offering partners a reliable pathway to participate in the growing renewable energy sector.For more information about the Sunflower Solar Project and SolRiver Capital's strategic approach to renewable energy investment, please visit www.solrivercapital.com About SolRiver Capital SolRiver Capital is a leading renewable energy investment firm focused on developing, acquiring, and managing solar projects across the United States. Renowned for its strategic investment approach and robust asset management capabilities, SolRiver Capital partners with institutional investors to deliver clean, efficient, and reliable energy solutions. With a team of seasoned finance and energy professionals, the firm is committed to promoting sustainability, economic development, and energy security through its innovative projects.Contact InformationSolRiver Capitalprojects@ solrivercapital.com (720) 307-2672SOURCE: SolRiver CapitalView the original press release on newswire.com
PR-Inside.com: 2024-02-20 19:00:37

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TOKYO, JAPAN / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / Sushi Ginza Onodera, Inc. ("Sushi Onodera" or the "Company"), a food service company operating high-quality sushi, tempura, teppanyaki, and makiyaki restaurants across three regions, launched the official grand opening of Sushi Ginza Onodera Nagoya today, marking its 14th restaurant.Located in "The Royal Park Hotel Iconic Nagoya" in Nagoya-City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, the restaurant marks the Company's 11th establishment in Japan. The restaurant will feature the Company's traditional Edomae Sushi served through the signature omakase-style model led by executive chef Akifumi Sakagami. Chef Sakagami brings over three decades of rich experience in the sushi industry, including tenure with the Company's flagship restaurant in Ginza, Tokyo since its inception in 2013."I am pleased to announce the launch of our 14th restaurant location in Nagoya, marking a significant milestone in our expansion in Japan beyond Tokyo and Osaka," said Sushi Onodera CEO Shinji Nagao. "Situated within The Royal Park Hotel Iconic Nagoya, this strategic location aims to leverage the opportunity to cater to guests residing at the hotel, benefiting from its proximity to a prominent metro station and bustling shopping mall, all while partaking in the Nagoya city's redevelopment plan. As we progress towards our goal of becoming a publicly listed company in the United States, this expansion lays the foundation for our future growth, with plans to open four additional restaurants in 2024. We look forward to leveraging this opening as a catalyst to propel our expansion and strengthen our brand recognition across both the United States and Japanese markets." The restaurant is located at Chunichi Building 24F, 4-1-1 Sakae, Naka-ku, Nagoya 460-0008 and will be open from 11:00 a.m. to 1 p.m. JST and 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m JST.About Sushi Ginza Onodera, Inc.Sushi Onodera is a food service company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, operating fourteen premium sushi, tempura, teppanyaki, and makiyaki (firewood cuisine) restaurants in three regions around the world. Sushi Onodera is a wholly owned subsidiary of LEOC Co., Ltd., a Japan limited company, establishing the "Ginza Onodera" brand in 2013 and began operations in the U.S. and Tokyo. Sushi Ginza Onodera Los Angeles has been awarded a Michelin Star for four consecutive years and counting ('20 - '23). Makiyaki Ginza Onodera has been awarded a Michelin Star for four consecutive years and counting ('21 - '24). Sushi Ginza Onodera New York was awarded a Michelin Star for five years ('17, '18, '19, '21, '22). The slogan, "From Ginza to the World", embodies the Company mission of spreading refined Japanese culture throughout the world by providing every customer with high-quality dishes to create an authentic Japanese cuisine that immerses customers in a rich, traditional cultural experience. For more information, please visit https://www.sushionodera.com/ Forward-Looking StatementThis press release contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release are forward-looking statements. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "plan," "potential," "continue" or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements include risks and uncertainties, and there are important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement reflects Sushi Ginza Onodera, Inc.'s current views with respect to future events and is subject to these and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to operations, results of operations, growth strategy and liquidity. Sushi Ginza assumes 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.Investor Relations Contact:John Yi and Steven ShinmachiGateway Group, Inc.949-574-3860 Onodera@ gateway-grp.com SOURCE: Sushi Ginza Onodera
PR-Inside.com: 2024-02-20 12:00:49

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RIO HONDO, TX / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / Trans American Aquaculture, Inc. (TAA) (OTC Pink:GRPS), a leading provider of responsibly raised and 100% American-made farm-raised shrimp, proudly announces a significant milestone. We are delighted to report that we have sold our entire harvest for 2023 and that a major east coast supermarket chain has acquired and stocked our premium shrimp products.Our commitment to sustainable aquaculture and superior product quality aligns seamlessly with buyers' dedication to offering customers the finest and ethically sourced seafood options."Our team at TAA is pleased to bring our responsibly raised shrimp to store shelves. This development allows us to reach a wider audience, sharing the flavors and benefits of our premium, 100% U.S.-grown shrimp with more households on the East Coast," said Adam Thomas, CEO of TAA.To meet the demand for our superior-quality shrimp, we have started our initial stocking programs for the 2024 harvest. This year, our plan is to deliver a continuous harvesting of our delectable and responsibly raised products from this summer through the end of the year. This initiative positions TAA to be a valued partner to leading food companies by providing ongoing shipments of our premium shrimp, for their customers."We are excited to get rolling on our first harvest of 2024, which not only reflects our dedication to sustainable domestic aquaculture but also represents a significant advance in meeting the growing expectations of our valued customers," expressed Mr. Thomas.This year, we look forward to providing an abundant supply of our 100% U.S.-grown shrimp and fortifying our position as a leading provider of responsibly raised seafood.For more information about Trans American Aquaculture and its sustainable aquaculture practices, please visit [ www.transamaqua.com] . Follow their updates and progress on Twitter [@TransAmAqua].About Trans American AquacultureTrans American Aquaculture OTC Pink: GRPS) is a leading sustainable aquaculture company committed to meeting the increasing global demand for responsibly sourced seafood. With advanced technology, state-of-the-art facilities, and a dedication to environmental sustainability, the company is revolutionizing the shrimp farming industry. Trans American Aquaculture strives to provide high-quality, eco-friendly shrimp to consumers while maintaining the highest standards of transparency and ethical practices.Safe Harbor StatementThis press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that are intended to be covered by the "safe harbor" created by those sections. Forward-looking statements, which are based on certain assumptions and describe our future plans, strategies and expectations, can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terms such as "believe," "expect," "may," "should," "could," "seek," "intend," "plan," "goal," "estimate," "anticipate" or other comparable terms. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this news release regarding our strategies, prospects, financial condition, operations, costs, plans, and objectives are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on our current beliefs, expectations, and assumptions regarding the future of our business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Our actual results and financial condition may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause our actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements include, among others, the following: our ability to successfully market our products and services; the acceptance of our products and services by customers; our continued ability to pay operating costs and ability to meet demand for our products and services; the amount and nature of competition from other security and telecom products and services; the effects of changes in the cybersecurity and telecom markets; our ability to successfully develop new products and services; our success establishing and maintaining collaborative, strategic alliance agreements, licensing and supplier arrangements; our ability to comply with applicable regulations; and the other risks and uncertainties described in our prior filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether because of new information, future developments or otherwise.Media Contact:Adam Thomas adamt@ transamaqua.com 972-358-6037Trans American Aquaculture, LLC 1022 Shadyside LaneDallas, TX 75223SOURCE: Trans American Aquaculture, Inc
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TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / Tsodilo Resources Limited ("Tsodilo" or the "Company") (TSX-V:TSD)(OTCQB:TSDRF)(FSE:TZO) is pleased to announce that the date for the Respondents to file an appeal to the judgement rendered on December 15, 2023, in the High Court, Republic of Botswana In re Gcwihaba Resources (Pty) Ltd. vs. Minister of Minerals and Energy and the Attorney General of Botswana, MAHMN-000075-22, lapsed on February 15, 2024.Prospecting Licenses PL020-024/2018, were collected from the Department of Mines (DOM) on February 19, 2023. An examination of the licenses revealed several discrepancies or disparities that need to be addressed and DOM will be engaged to affect the needed changes. Upon resolution of the issues, the Company will withdraw its Contempt Motion filed on January 23, 2024, See,Tsodilo Resources Ltd. - News Releases.Tsodilo's Chairman and CEO, James M. Bruchs, stated "It is a great relief to put this behind us. Staff and contractors have been standing by, ready to finish the work needed to complete the Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA). Also, since the decision was issued on December 15, 2023, there has been renewed interest from investors and third parties wanting information on the project. At the Mining Indaba in Cape Town, SA earlier this month, we were able to present our Xaudum Iron Formation (XIF) and other metals projects to interested parties without having to belabor the license issues", and as "I have mentioned previously, but it is worth repeating; since 2014 the Botswana Government has publicly expressed its support for the XIF project and we look forward to working with the Ministry of Minerals and Energy and the Ministry of Environment and Tourism as we continue our work to bring the XIF into production." Environment and Green SteelTsodilo adopted the International Finance Corporation's (IFC) Environmental, Health and Safety Guidelines for Mining when IFC became a shareholder more than a decade ago and the Company has worked diligently to advance the XIF project within those guidelines. Further to this, Tsodilo became a member of the ResponsibleSteel organization ResponsibleSteel as building a sustainable steel industry requires cooperation and mutual commitment from companies at all levels of the steel supply chain, representatives of civil society, and other stakeholders and ResponsibleSteel provides the forum for this multi-stakeholder approach. Their members include some of the leading players in the industry working together to minimize the impact of steel manufacturing on people and the planet. Working closely with Government Ministries and ResponsibleSteelTM furthers Tsodilo's goal of becoming the supplier of an ultra-high grade +67% Fe product to the industry and doing what we can to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) by becoming part of the "green steel" movement." XAUDUM IRON FORMATION (XIF)About the XIF ProjectThe project is located in the North-West District of Botswana and extends for a known length of some forty kilometers. The XIF is proximate to the Namibian border and lies twenty-two (22) miles from the town of Divundu in Namibia. The Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubumbashi Development Corridor (previously known as the Trans-Caprivi) line linking Zambia and Namibia is planned to pass through Divundu, providing access to Walvis Bay, Namibia's deep-sea port. The project is also located within forty-three (43) miles of the proposed Mucusso line to Angola's Namibe Port. Preliminary work on the XIF project has defined a CIM compliant Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate of 441 million tonnes (Mt) with an average grade of 29.4% Fe, 41.0% SiO2, 6.1% Al2O3 and 0.3% P for the Block 1 magnetite XIF. Block 1 is a fraction of the potential XIF magnetite resource. An extrapolated exploration target has defined the XIF to be in the order of 5 to 7 billion tonnes at 15 - 40% Fe. This exploration target was generated by inversion modelling of ground magnetic geophysical data which was compared and moderated to volumes from drilling data within Block 1 and its potential quantity and grade is conceptual in nature. To date, there has been insufficient exploration to define a mineral resource other than in Block 1 and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the target being delineated as a mineral resource. See,Press Release of 6/02/2014on the Company's website for further details. Metallurgical magnetic separation results (Davis Tube Recovery) show that an average concentrate of 67.2% Fe, 4.2% SiO2, 0.5% Al2O3, 0.07% P is obtained at P80 grind size of 80 microns, although higher grades are possible at finer P80's. SeePress Release of 12/17/2013on the Company's website. Further exploration will focus on Block 2a where the Company expects an increase in the resource. Additional informational of the project can be found on the Company's website at https://tsodiloresources.com/s/Metals.asp.html and further technical information can be found in a report prepared by SRK Consulting (UK) Ltd. for Gcwihaba Resources (Pty) Ltd. titled "Mineral Resource Estimate for the Xaudum Iron Project (Block 1), Republic of Botswana" with an effective date of August 29, 2014, and filed on SEDAR under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com . About Tsodilo Resources LimitedTsodilo Resources Limited is an international resource exploration company engaged in the search for economic metal and diamond deposits at its Gcwihaba Resources (Pty) Limited ("Gcwihaba") and Bosoto (Pty) Ltd. ("Bosoto) projects in Botswana. The Company has a 100% stake in its Gcwihaba project area consisting of five metal (base, precious, platinum group, and rare earth) prospecting licenses all located in the North-West district of Botswana. The Company has a 100% stake in Bosoto (Pty) Ltd. which holds the BK16 kimberlite project in the Orapa Kimberlite Field (OKF) in Botswana. Tsodilo manages the exploration of the Gcwihaba and Bosoto projects. Overall supervision of the Company's exploration program is the responsibility of McDonald Kahari (Pr. Sci. Nat.) a "qualified person" as such term is defined in National Instrument 43-101. This press release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Kahari.FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:James M. Bruchs Chairman and Chief Executive OfficerJBruchs@ TsodiloResources.comHead Office Telephone +1 416 572 2033 Facsimile + 1 416 987 4369 Website http://www.TsodiloResources.com This press release may contain forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, that address activities, events, or developments that the Company believes, expects, or anticipates will or may occur in the future (including, without limitation, stateme
Global hospitality major Hilton and GEMS Wellington School  Qatar (WSQ), a leading educational institution in the country, have signed a MoU in Doha to reinforce the connection between education and the hospitality sector.

The initiative aims at bridging the gap between theory and practice, offering students opportunities for hands-on training, site visits, and the sharing of expertise, combining academic rigor with real-world experience.

Etienne Gailliez, Country General Manager, Hilton, Qatar, said: "At Hilton, we believe in nurturing talent and investing in the future. This partnership with GEMS education reflects our commitment to shaping well-rounded individuals who can thrive in the dynamic hospitality industry.

This MOU signifies a commitment to intertwining education and hospitality, offering students from GEMS Wellington School  Qatar hands-on training in our renowned hotels. We look forward to a future where our collaboration becomes a model for talent development and economic growth."

David Wilson, Principal/CEO of GEMS Wellington School  Qatar, said: "I am absolutely delighted we have established this unique partnership and even more excited by the possibilities that lie ahead.

At WSQ, we aspire for excellence in all we do, so being able to partner with a world-class name such as Hilton and collaborate on projects that unite the education and hospitality sectors is ground-breaking.

Education should be about providing students with high quality, engaging and purposeful learning opportunities that help prepare them for life beyond school. This partnership is a great addition to our outstanding educational programme."

As part of the MoU, Hilton aims to enrich the experience of WSQ students by offering hands-on learning opportunities and organising live cooking sessions by prominent Hilton chefs in the school's Food Technology lab.

Students will also gain practical insights through kitchen tours hosted by Hilton hotels.

Hilton further provides support through summer and winter internship programs for grade 12 and 13 students, including in departments such as sales and marketing, human resources, finance, and food and beverage  admin and service. This initiative is designed to equip students with essential skills for their future careers in the hospitality industry.

Helsa Sanju, a Year 11 student enrolled in WSQs Food Technology course, said: "I love the ever-changing world of culinary innovation, influenced by diverse tastes and cultures. The magic of the culinary arts motivates me to contribute to sustainable food practices.

I want to pursue a career where I can explore different foods, apply scientific methods, and create dishes that inspire our generation.

The collaboration promises to redefine the traditional boundaries of education and set a precedent for innovative partnerships in Qatar's academic and hospitality realms, a statement said.  TradeArabia News Service
Two recent events highlight the importance of selecting optimal maritime navigation routes. First, attacks on vessels in the Red Sea has led shipping companies to opt for the longer Africa route instead of going through the Suez Canal. Is it possible to find a fastest and more fuel-efficient path along that Africa route? Second, a large wave caused the Toconao ship to lose its cargo of plastic pellets off the northwest coast of Spain, raising concerns about the environmental impacts. Whats the safest navigation route in rough weather to avoid such accidents? Mathematical optimization techniques can provide answers to these questions.

These optimization techniques, studied by renowned mathematicians like Euler, Lagrange and the Bernoulli brothers, help us determine the best route between two points based on a goal  speed, cost-efficiency or safety. The shortest distance isnt always the best choice. For instance, taking the highway might be quicker than a shorter local road for a faster car trip.

In maritime navigation, we need to consider ocean currents and constantly changing waves and winds. The first person to tackle this problem was German mathematician Ernst Zermelo (1871-1953). He was able to calculate the quickest route between two points for a boat moving at a steady pace, taking into account changing winds and currents.

To ensure your solution is practical and useful for real navigation, reliable predictions of navigation conditions are essential. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Europes Copernicus center provide detailed 10-day forecasts with high spatial accuracy (under 10 kilometers). Modern meteorological models have taken great strides, and todays five-day forecast is more reliable than the one-day forecast in 1980. This progress is due to more atmospheric observations. Mathematical disciplines like statistics, Kalman filters (linear quadratic estimation) for data assimilation, partial differential equations for modeling atmospheric dynamics, and numerical methods play crucial roles. Artificial intelligence is now enhancing results further, as shown by Google DeepMind researchers.

Additionally, providing a detailed description of the ships movement can lead to improved solutions. This involves modeling the movement and fuel consumption of each ship based on factors like navigation conditions, currents, wave height, wind angle and intensity. This process utilizes knowledge from naval engineering and data science.

With this information, innovative mathematical optimization algorithms have been developed, such as the so-called variational methods, graph optimization and evolutionary algorithms. All of them are used today to find favorable sea routes.

But all predictions come with a measure of uncertainty, which needs to be factored in when optimizing navigation routes. To handle this, new optimization algorithms  dynamic and stochastic  are needed to produce robust results in various atmospheric conditions. This is crucial, especially in a scenario of global warming with an increasingly unstable atmosphere and more frequent extreme weather events.

All of the mathematical techniques mentioned above have been recently incorporated to optimize maritime routes in real time (based on meteorological and oceanographic predictions) with models adapted to each individual vessel. This tool, which aims to be a Google Maps for the ocean, is being developed by a multidisciplinary team from various countries, including many Spaniards. The tool will enable fuel savings of 5-10% on each trip, improve navigation safety by avoiding areas with adverse conditions, and reduce carbon dioxide emissions. All of this is crucial since over 80% of the worlds trade volume is transported by sea, which accounts for nearly 3% of global carbon dioxide emissions. Annual spending on fuel amounts to $270 billion (250 billion) and accounts for more than 60% of the operating costs of maritime transport.

David Gomez-Ullate is a professor of applied mathematics at IE University in Madrid and director of the Green Navigation project.

David Martin De Diego is a scientific researcher at Spains Institute of Mathematical Sciences (CSIC).
Nigerias Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, on Tuesday, stressed the need for consistent reform in the countrys power sector to drive sustainable development.

Mr Adelabu stated this while speaking at a seminar programme for judges themed Reforms in the Nigerian Electricity Sector towards Sustainability held in Abuja on Tuesday.

He explained that the legal profession has been able to achieve successes through reforms that were geared towards sustainability.

If the Nigerian power sector had received the same consistent reforms supported by required resources, we would have more desirable results in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI), Mr Adelabu said.

He listed some of the achievements in Nigerias legal profession to include the development of the local capacity to train Nigerian legal practitioners and administer all aspects of the profession in Nigeria.

The minister added that Nigeria has started on the journey towards critical reforms in the power sector towards producing revolutionary results.

Prior administrations have contributed immensely in this regard but the legislative changes that have occurred in the past year have placed the sector on the path of a total paradigm shift.

The notable legislative changes have been the amendment of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with the granting of unfettered powers to sub-nationals to develop electricity markets within their jurisdictions and the Electricity Act 2023 that was assented to by Mr President in the first month of his administration, he said.

He further explained that the Electricity Act 2023 introduces far-reaching features that propel market liberalisation, extend regulatory reach, and establish a more coherent policy framework that will mitigate the operational and systemic risks in NESI.

As we navigate our path towards a more commercially viable electricity market that is characterised by legal and contractual obligations, the imperative to understand the peculiar and nuanced nature of a regulated electricity market becomes even more imperative.

This seminar is part of the broader vision of the Commission and National Judiciary Institute (NJI) to engage the members of the judiciary on important developments in the sector, he said.

He noted that the judiciarys pivotal role, through notable pronouncements, contributes significantly to attracting private investment in the power sector.

The Nigerian judiciary has helped NESI with notable pronouncements and the act of the judiciary goes far in attracting private investment in the power sector.

In the financial services industry, we say that investments will only follow certainty; and there appears to be no greater means of providing certainty than predictable, clear and logical judicial precedent that is dispensed by a competent bench.

This seminar is a laudable initiative of the commission geared towards building the capacity of the Nigerian bench towards achieving the desired objective of predictable, clear and logical judicial precedent in matters affecting the power sector, he said.

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The ECOWAS Commission has lamented the failure of member states to implement its regional courts decisions.

There are 15 countries in the regional body headquartered in Abuja, Nigeria.

Omar Touray, the president of ECOWAS Commission, said the enforcement of the judgements of the Community Court has remained a major issue in the effective delivery of the mandate and responsibility of the judicial institution to the community citizens.

Mr Touray spoke on Tuesday at the opening session of the statutory meeting of the ECOWAS Judicial Council in Abuja.

Calling for deliberate action against member states disobedience to the ECOWAS Court verdicts, Mr Touray noted that the supplementary protocol relating to the Community Court provides a role for the national judicial institutions in the enforcement of these judgements.

The Chief Justices of ECOWAS member states from Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, The Gambia, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Cabo Verde, Benin as well as representatives of Senegal, Togo l, and Cote DIvoire are in Abuja for the three-day meeting.

The meeting is being hosted by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Olukayode Ariwoola, at the National Judicial Council (NJC) within the Three Arms Zone in Abuja.

A key issue on the agenda of the meeting is the refusal of ECOWAS member states to enforce the regional courts decisions.

Dwelling on the role of the regional court, Mr Touray said the court had been a reference point for ECOWAS Institutions and individuals in search of advice, arbitration and adjudication.

The regular session of the Statutory Meeting of the ECOWAS Judicial Council is therefore important to address issues affecting the effective operation of the Community Court and to ensure excellence, high standards of conduct among the judges with regard to their independence, impartiality, and diligence, he said.

Call at variance with own action

But, Mr Tourays call for enforcement of ECOWAS Court judgements is contrary to the commissions operations.

The ECOWAS Commission is in breach of the regional courts decisions.

For instance, in 2016, the regional court gave a N400 million judgement against the ECOWAS Commission in Abuja.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that a firm, Vision Kam-Jay Investment Limited, was awarded a contract on 11 November 2014 for the supply, installation and maintenance of power and associated equipment at ECOWAS Commissions Niger House and River Plaza Server Room in Abuja.

But after the contract execution, the ECOWAS Commission failed to pay the contractor, triggering a suit at the court.

Nearly a decade after the judgement was handed down, the commission has yet to comply with the ECOWAS Court orders by refusing to pay the contractor.

Nigeria in breach of ECOWAS Court orders

Nigeria and many other member states are in gross violation of the ECOWAS Court judgements.

For example, the court ordered the Nigerian government to pay N60 million to a survivor, Sunday Ayodeji, who was shot by a police officer in Kaduna, North-west Nigeria.

Why decisions are unenforceable

Meanwhile, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, has advised the ECOWAS Court to observe its jurisdictional boundaries by limiting unnecessary conflict with domestic laws of member States.

Mr Fagbemi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), advised while delivering a goodwill message at the event on Tuesday.

It is important for the Court to pay attention to the peculiarities of member States and refrain from issuing orders and judgments that are practically incapable of enforcement.

The justice minister advocated alternative dispute-resolution mechanisms.

He acknowledged the courts contribution to the maintenance of peace and stability in the region.

Challenges

In his opening address, Nigerias Chief Justice, Mr Ariwoola who heads the ECOWAS Judicial Council, said it was crucial for the regional body to harmonise its laws and legal practices.

Mr Ariwoola said the ECOWAS Judicial Council had recorded achievements in fostering justice and the rule of law in West Africa, saying, the council has made invaluable contributions to the advancement of democracy, human rights and prosperity in the region.

He, however, noted that challenges persist concerning inadequate funding, capacity constraints, and the need to bolster cooperation among member states.

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Chinese President Xi Jinping has congratulated the African Union (AU) on its recent 37th summit held in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, between 17 and 18 February.

The summit had as its theme, Educate an African fit for the 21st Century: Building Resilient Education Systems for Increased Access to Inclusive, Lifelong, Quality, and Relevant Learning in Africa.

It was an occasion that equally saw to the passing of the baton of leadership from outgoing Chair, Azali Assoumani, the President of the Union of Comoros, following the election of Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, President of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, as the new chairperson of Uniounion for 2024.

In the Chinese presidents message to the gathering at that auspicious occasion, highlights of which were shared with PREMIUM TIMES by Chinese embassy in Nigeria on Tuesday, he pointed out that the world was undergoing profound changes, the type of which had not been seen in a century.

He added that the emergent relationship within the Global South, comprising nations of Africa and China, was booming, with this having a profound impact on the course of world history.

This, to him, is both salutary and a cause for optimism, going forward.

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He also used the opportunity of the event to laud the AU for bringing African countries together to seek strength through unity, and promote integration, as well as the building of free trade areas.

For President Xi Jinping, the AUs successful accession to the G20 has further enhanced Africas representation and lifted its voice in global governance, and China extended its heartfelt congratulations to the regional body on that major milestone attained.

The Chinese president stressed that over the past year, China-Africa relations have grown deeper. As the China-Africa Leaders Dialogue was successfully held, the two sides decided to support each other in exploring their modernisation pathways and jointly create a favourable environment for the realisation of their development visions.

He then pointed out that the new session of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation is going to be held in 2024, as a way of deepening the collective consultation, dialogue and the mechanism of cooperation established among developing countries, which has been mutually beneficial and strengthening since it started in the early 2000s.

President Xi noted that he stands ready to work with leaders of African countries to draw up a new blueprint for China-Africa cooperation and promote the joint building of a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future, in a manner that will focus on benefits to people from both sides.

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A bill for the establishment of state police passed the second reading in the House of Representatives on Tuesday after a lengthy debate.

The bill, sponsored by the Deputy Speaker, Ben Kalu, and 14 others, aims to amend the 1999 Constitution by removing Police from the Exclusive Legislative List and adding it to the concurrent list.

It seeks to transfer Police from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List, effectively empowering states to have state-controlled policing.

It proposes 16 alterations to the constitution and introduces a comprehensive framework to ensure cohesion, accountability, and uniform standards between the federal police and state police.

The bill also seeks to establish State Police Service Commissions as distinct from the Federal Police Service Commission with clearly defined roles and jurisdictions.

Additionally, it seeks to allow the federal government to provide grants and aid to states to support the establishment of a police force for each state.

Leading the debate on the bill on behalf of the co-sponsors, Muktar Shagaya (APC, Kwara), said the state police bill is not only a matter of federalism but that the exigency of time calls for its creation.

This bill emerges as a necessary response to several calls for a decentralised and community-oriented approach to law enforcement. It seeks to navigate the complex landscape of security challenges by empowering our states with the means to address issues unique to their localities.

This proposed alteration represents not just a legal adjustment to our grundnorm but a visionary leap towards a safer, more secure, and harmonious Britain, he said.

Mr Shagaya urged members of the House to support the bill regardless of party affiliations.

As we deliberate on this historic bill, let us transcend party lines and ideologies and focus unwaveringly on the collective good of our beloved nation. The establishment of State Police is a clarion call for a tailored, community-centric policing system, he said.

Speaking in support of the bill, Ahmed Jaha (APC, Borno), said the establishment of civilian armed groups helps the government in fighting bandits in the North-east.

He said internal security is not the responsibility of the Nigerian Army, adding that the over-involvement of the army in fighting insecurity points to the failure of the internal security architecture.

Also speaking for the passage of the bill, the Chairman of the House Committee on Defence, Babajimi Benson (APC, Lagos), echoed some of the arguments made by Messrs Shagaya and Jaha on the proposed legislation.

He stated that the bill should set conditions for states willing to set up police.

Also, he said the federal government should have the power to approve the state to set up police, adding that it (the federal government) must retain the power to withdraw such a licence if a state fails to meet those conditions.

In his contribution, Awaji Abiante (PDP, Rivers), said the bill would cure the tragedy of the unitary degree of 1966. He warned that effort must be made to prevent the defeat of the bill.

Aliyu Madaki (NNPP, Kano) said he was part of the group that championed the killing the bill in the 8th and 9th Assemblies because of the fear of governors abusing state police.

He added that the level of insecurity has made him change his mind to support the bill.

He urged his colleagues not to make the mistakes they have made in the past.

In his contribution, Sada Soli (APC, Katsina), said about 21 states are caught up in a socio-political quagmire. He listed some of the states including Plateau, Taraba, and Kaduna, asking How do you set up police in those states?

Policing is capital intensive and many of those states are not financially stable to fund police. We know the attitude of state governors in some states, he said.

Ademorin Kuye (APC, Lagos), in his remarks, countered the argument raised by Mr Soli, noting that the House cannot allow fear to prevent the passage of the bill.

Following a lengthy debate that lasted about one hour, Mr Kalu, who presided over the plenary, put the bill to a voice vote and a majority of the lawmakers voted in support of the bill to be passed for second reading.

He subsequently referred the bill to the Constitution Review Committee for further legislative action.

There have been several attempts in the past to pass the state police bill, however, the fear of it being abused by the governors has always been the reason many lawmakers opposed it.

The bill will go through several legislative hurdles and presidential assent to become law.

President Bola Tinubu on Thursday met with the state governors in Abuja during,&v which they considered the possibility of setting up state police.

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The Ministry of Labour and Employment has come under intense scrutiny from the Federal Auditor Generals Office for reportedly mismanaging public funds and failing to provide credible evidence of financial expenses totalling N3.2 billion in 2020.

The 2020 audit report, the latest from the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation, uncovered diversion and misappropriation of public funds and unaccounted public spending in top Nigerian MDAs between 2018 and 2020.

Many public institutions, such as the CBN, Supreme Court, and Michael Okpara University, have been spotlighted for violating financial regulations.

In a recent analysis of the 2020 audit report by UDEME  a social accountability project in West Africa, 32 financial misconduct issues were identified under the Ministry of Labour during the period under review by the Auditor General.

These issues range from spending a total of N1.3 billion on monitoring unexecuted projects and unrendered services, award of contracts and payments to contractors without supporting documents totalling N92.3 million, irregularities in contract payment and execution to the sum of N350.9 million, unaccounted allocation to Geneva labour desk and other issues totalling N1.2 billion.

N1.3 billion  monitoring unexecuted projects

In violation of Paragraph 708 of the Financial Regulations (FR) 2009, which states that on no account should payment be made for services not yet performed or goods not yet supplied, the Ministry made payments of N497.2 million to 90 contractors between 2018 and 2020 for the renovation of nonexistent job centres across the six geo-political zones.

The Auditor General, Shaakaa Chira, requested documentation from the Permanent Secretary showing proof of contract execution.

The Ministry failed to provide documentation such as a schedule of assets, a fixed assets register to support the existence of the job centres, job completion certificates, photographs before and after renovation, reports, etc., to support the expenditure of the said amount.

In response to the Auditor General, the Permanent Secretary noted that the job centres are not fictitious, urging the Auditor-General to inspect the sites with the relevant departments physically.

There are job completion certificates, approval for payment by the relevant authorities, and other prerequisite documents made available before payments were effected. Paid vouchers for all the job centres are available for audit inspection. Hence, payments are not fraudulent, his response read.

UDEME observed that four contracts worth N178.1 million were also awarded for constructing a skill acquisition centre at Ifitedunu Dunukofia, Anambra state. However, during the audit inspection, the auditor general noted no evidence of work done, expressing concerns that the contracts could have been duplicated.

The above anomalies could be attributed to weaknesses in the internal control system at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.

A closer review of the document revealed that another N226 million payment was made without evidence of the jobs execution. First, N161.8 million was paid to the Ministry staff to monitor and inspect capital projects across the six geopolitical zones. An additional sum of N64.1 million was paid to Internal Audit Department officers for monitoring zonal/state officers, job centres, capital projects and skill acquisition centres.

In addition, a N144.9 million contract was awarded for constructing and equipping a skill acquisition centre at Dambo, Zaria, Kaduna State. While the Ministry of Labour claimed to have executed the project, upon physical inspection, the Auditor-General discovered that the project was domiciled in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and a separate contractor had already been contracted.

Afraid this could be another avenue for misappropriation of public funds, he contacted the Permanent Secretary to justify. But there was yet to be a response.

Lack of accountability at the Geneva Desk Office

The report also indicted the Ministry for failing to account for N351.2 million allocated to the Geneva Desk Office. No documents, files, correspondences, returns, or accounting records show how the funds were expended.

The sum of N119,000,000.00 and N232,252,425.00 was approved in the budget for running of Geneva Labour Desk Office in 2019 and 2020, the report read.

In response to the report, the Permanent Secretary noted that the Finance and Accounts Department had forwarded the auditors observation to the Geneva Labour Desk office.

It should be noted that Geneva desk has direct budgetary allocation from the Federal Ministry of Finance and Consolidated Revenue Fund, it read.

Unretired and abuse of cash advances

In another alleged violation of the Financial Regulations (2009) Act, Mr Chira accused the Ministry of paying N338.7 million to nine project accountants in 2020 without evidence of remittance.

The Project Accountants, who needed to maintain proper books of accounts to record the receipts, disbursements, and balances from the funds, made disbursements without recourse to provisions of extant regulations.

The Permanent Secretary should be made to recover and remit to the Treasury the sum of N338.7 million and forward evidence of remittance to the Public Accounts Committee of the National Assembly, he noted.

Recently, Nigerian agencies have been caught several times for notoriously failing to provide supporting documents on how public funds are expended, thereby creating room for diversion and loss of public funds.

In response to the Auditor General, the Permanent Secretary noted that all funds expended were duly accounted for and, as such, there was no need for any recovery.

The user department expended the sum of N338.7million and was duly accounted, and the reports of the various programmes executed by the departments of the Ministry are available for audit examination, he responded.

The report also noted that the Ministry failed to retire the sum of N344 million to the federal government after project execution.

In 2020, N653.7 million was granted as cash advances for project execution. Out of this amount, only N309.6 million was retired, leaving the sum of N344 million unretired and this payment also includes multiple advances granted to staff when the previous ones had not been retired.

Accounting officers are responsible for ensuring the prompt repayment of all advances by instalments or otherwise, Mr Chira noted.

Expert reacts

Meanwhile, Adenike Aloba, a development expert, has expressed concerns about the mind-numbing numbers quoted as mismanaged funds in every released audit report without directly explaining the impacts on ordinary Nigerians.

Much more than all the fancy words we use to describe the gross mismanagement of funds that have become so normal, it is important to include these contexts when discussing corruptions socioeconomic impacts.

Lets think about the economic and social implications for a family of four attempting good nutrition when the cost of a quarter bag of rice is more than the combined income of both parents; for a young woman who dies during childbirth because the nearest functioning hospital is three hours away and unmotorable or a young graduate whose salary cannot cover transportation.

According to her, whistleblowing by public officials can work in an ideal society. Still, in Nigeria, it depends on other factors, such as the efficiency of the anticorruption agencies and judicial system.

READ ALSO: Cross River Govt sends Auditor General on compulsory retirement

The point is whistleblowing mechanisms are near useless if supporting institutions and agencies are ineffective in discharging their duties.

She believes that the office of the auditor-general needs more power than friendly reminders and sternly worded requests for documentation, and this can only be achieved with the passage of the Nigeria Audit Service Bill 2022.

There are clear benefits to the auditor-general having more power to do his job. Thats the most effective strategy for dealing with these issues, she concluded.

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The House of Representatives has resolved to investigate the abandonment of the $38.7 million NNPC  NAOC Joint Venture Okpai Independence Power Plant project Phase II.

The House mandated its Committee on Power to investigate the abandonment of the project by Saipem Contracting Nigeria Limited (SCNL) and Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC), the two contractors handling it.

This resolution was reached on Tuesday following the adoption of a motion moved by Nnamdi Ezechi (PDP, Delta) during plenary.

Okpai Power Plant is a gas turbine plant with two gas turbine generators and one steam turbine generator located in Ndokwa East Local Government Area of Delta State.

Phase II of the project is to increase the plants existing power generating capacity of 480 MW by a further 450 MW to provide a total of 930 MW output into the Nigerian power supply grid.

Mr Ezechi, who represents the Ndokwa/Ukwuani federal constituency of Delta State, said the expansion commenced in 2017 but has been abandoned for some time after it got to 90 per cent completion.

He stated that the abandonment of the project has resulted in the dilapidation of the critical federal infrastructure that depends on that power plant.

ALSO READ: Tinubu flags off independent power plant project in Abuja

The lawmaker noted that there is ambiguity surrounding the projects contract amount, casting doubt on accountability and transparency in its execution.

The House, therefore, resolved to investigate the funding of the projects and the factors preventing the execution of the project.

The motion was adopted without debate.

The Deputy Speaker, Ben Kalu, who presided over the session, mandated the Committee on Power1 to report to the House within four weeks.

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Six residents, including the ward head, Haruna Wakili, were killed when terrorists attacked Yar Nasarawa, a community in Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State on Monday.

Residents said the terrorists abducted about 38 residents, including women and children and left 10 residents with gunshot injuries. They also burnt down six houses, eight commercial vehicles and shops in the community.

Yar Nasarawa is less than five kilometres away from the Army Super Camp situated in Faskari. The camp was established by the former Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, in 2018.

The attackers came prepared. I have never seen them in such number, a resident, Auwal Liman, who said he ran into the bush during the attack, said. While some of them were shooting indiscriminately, others were putting vehicles and shops on fire.

The terrorists stormed the community around 11 p.m. and blocked all entries and exits to ward off support from the military and members of the Community Watch Corps in the area.

The six dead residents were buried Tuesday morning in the community, according to Mr Liman.

We are in a sorry situation. We cant go to the farm. When we stay away from our farms and local markets, the terrorists follow us into our communities and kill us. Our lives hardly matter, Mr Liman lamented.

Motorcycle-riding terrorists have been unleashing mayhem on residents in the north-west for over a decade. leading to layers of humanitarian crises in the sub-region.

The terrorists were merciless in yesterdays attack, a resident, Abdullahi Adamu, said. They burnt down a child. They took him inside his mothers room set the room ablaze and slaughtered another old man in the same house. It was barbaric.

Mr Adamu, who said he climbed a rock outside the community and waited till early morning, said he has lost hope in the government and security agencies.

READ ALSO: State Police bill scales second reading at House of Reps

The police spokesperson in the state, Abubakar-Sadik Aliyu, confirmed the attack to journalists in Katsina but did not provide the details.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Aliyu Musa, had since deployed the commands tactical, operational and intelligence to the scene, and currently combing the surrounding bushes for the possible arrest of the perpetrators for diligent prosecution, Mr Aliyu said.

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Julian Assange is set to make his final bid for a domestic appeal against a judges ruling over his extradition from the UK to the United States.

The WikiLeaks founder is wanted in the US over an alleged conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defence information following the publication of hundreds of thousands of leaked documents relating to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.

In a January 2021 ruling, then-district judge Vanessa Baraitser said that Mr Assange should not be sent to the US, citing a real and oppressive risk of suicide, while ruling against the 52-year-old on all other issues.

US authorities subsequently brought a successful challenge against this decision, paving the way for Assanges extradition.

Lawyers for Assange, who has been held in Belmarsh prison in south-east London, will now ask the High Court in London for the go-ahead to challenge the original judges dismissal of other parts of his case against extradition.

READ ALSO:

The hearing comes after High Court judge Justice Swift first refused to give Mr Assange the green light to appeal  without a hearing  last June.

A two-day hearing is now set to begin on Tuesday, which is expected to be Assanges final chance to be granted an appeal in a UK court.

Speaking at a news conference last week, his wife Stella Assange said that if the appeal bid is unsuccessful, Mr Assange would apply to the European Court of Human Rights for a Rule 39 order to stop extradition while it considers his case.

His supporters say the Australian national faces 175 years in prison if he is extradited.

During their earlier successful challenge, lawyers for the US authorities said Judge Baraitsers decision risked becoming a trump card for anyone who wanted to oppose their extradition.

They also said that four binding diplomatic assurances had been made, including that the US would consent to Assange being transferred to Australia, where he was born, to serve any prison sentence he may be given.

The two-day hearing before Victoria Sharp and Justice Johnson is due to begin at 10.30 a.m. on Tuesday.

(dpa/NAN)

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The Nasarawa State House of Assembly has urged the state government to declare a state of emergency on hepatitis and other deadly diseases following the death of 28 persons in Doma Local Government Area of the state.

The Speaker of the House, Danladi Jatau, gave the appeal under a matter of public importance brought by Musa Ibrahim (NNPP- Doma South) on the deaths of the people in his constituency due to hepatitis during the House proceedings on Monday in Lafia.

Mr Jatau said if the government declared a state of emergency on hepatitis, it would go a long way in curtailing the spread of diseases, thereby improving the health status of the people of the state.

He thanked Mr Ibrahim and other members for their contributions to the matter.

The speaker sympathised with the people of Doma South and their families over the loss of their loved ones and prayed to God to grant the deceased eternal rest.

We have two resolutions to the effect that Gov. Abdullahi Sule is hereby directed (advised) to ask the Ministry of Health to move their experts to the affected communities.

Secondly, the state government should declare a state of emergency on hepatitis and other deadly diseases in the state, he said.

The speaker directed the Clerk of the House to communicate the resolutions to the governor for his further necessary action.

In their contributions, Muhammad Oyanki, Daniel Ogazi, Ibrahim Akwe, Solomon Akwashiki and Larry Ven-Bawa, all said the government should give attention to eliminating hepatitis and other deadly diseases.

They also said that special attention should be given to the treatment of hepatitis in particular.

Earlier, Mr Ibrahim, who sponsored the motion, said 28 people of his constituency died of hepatitis from October 2023 to date.

Hepatitis is killing my people and something needs to be done to curtail it.

I beg that the government should tackle this problem urgently; we should come up with strong resolutions to address this issue, he said.

(NAN)

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The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Niger State says it will embark on an indefinite strike over the failure of the state government to meet its demands.

The Niger State Chapter of the NLC had presented some demands to the state government but it said the government failed to honour them.

It, however, said its doors were still open for negotiation.

The congress in a letter to Governor Mohammed Bago, dated February 19 and signed by its chairman, Idrees Lafene, and the chairman of the Trade Union Congress, Ibrahim Gana, said the strike would begin at 8 a.m. on Wednesday.

The letter was made available to journalists in Minna, the state capital on Tuesday.

We are writing in furtherance to our earlier letter of ultimatum Ref no. OL/NS/040/GEN/Vol 4/29 dated 20/12/23 and the deadlock on settlement of issues as a result of negotiations with the Niger State Government Committee, the letter stated.

We wish to formally inform the Government that effective 8 am on Wednesday, February 21, 2024, that Niger State workers shall commence an indefinite strike action until our demands are comprehensively met.

Meanwhile, we wish to reiterate that our doors are open for negotiation subject to: Conveyance of formal invitation, reversal of all appointments in dispute ie, Executive Directors Finance, Executive Directors Admin and Executive Directors Operations, Chairman, members and permanent commissioners of local Government Service Commission and Civil Service Commission, Directors General DGs of some agencies

A clear statement by the government on payment of wage award.

We also wish to stress that the idea of appointing Permanent Secretaries who are not eligible and within the service will no longer be tolerated by the Organised Labour.

Accordingly, we call on the government to withdraw the recent appointment of a Vice Principal on secondment as a Permanent Secretary to allow for career progression from within.

We also call on the government to desist from victimising teachers and members from the educational sector as a result of the recent debate by some primary school pupils in Agaie LGA.

The organised labour reiterated its commitment to the governors New Niger Agenda, but lamented that there was no response to previous correspondence with him.

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The light from the brightest object known took more than 12 billion years to reach Earth, since the infancy of the universe. The light from this quasar, as this type of object is known, was so intense that for a time it was thought to be a nearby star. It appeared in sky surveys from 1980 and then in a recent one from 2022, but in both cases J0529-4351  as the object has been named  was thought to be a sun. However, it was a quasar: a gigantic disk of gas and dust, seven light years in diameter, which formed around a black hole with the mass of more than 17 billion suns. This object devours matter equivalent to our Sun every day and affects its surroundings in such a way that it emits enormous amounts of light  light that has reached us since the dawn of the cosmos. This week, a team of scientists led by Christian Wolf, from the Australian National University in Canberra, published an analysis in the journal Nature Astronomy showing that the J0529-4351 quasar is the fastest growing and brightest of all known quasars.

Quasars, or quasi stellar objects, are so called because, when they began to be discovered with radio telescopes in the late 1950s, astronomers realized that these distant and powerful objects had been mistaken for simple nearby stars when seen through telescopes. Since then, more than a million have been identified. But they are often hidden from the naked eye, as the authors of the paper explain. In an automated analysis of data obtained by Gaia, a European Space Agency probe that has cataloged some one billion astronomical objects, J0529-4351 was thought to be too bright to be a quasar and was identified as a star. Its true nature was revealed last year with observations from the Australian National Universitys 2.3-meter telescope at the Siding Spring Observatory. Scientists were then able to accurately estimate the objects distances, dimensions and brightness with the X-shooter spectrograph on the Very Large Telescope (VLT), the European Southern Observatorys facility in Chiles Atacama Desert.

Mar Mezcua, from the Institute of Space Sciences (ICE-CSIC), in Barcelona, argues that the most interesting aspect of the work is that it shows how although we have an immense amount of data, if we are not able to process it properly, there are many discoveries that go unnoticed. In the search for quasars, large regions of the sky are analyzed and then models, including machine learning tools, are used to try to distinguish quasars from stars or other celestial objects. As with other similar computer models, they are trained with images of what is known and classified. This makes it difficult to make new discoveries when objects deviate from the norm.

For Isabel Marquez, from the Institute of Astrophysics of Andalusia in Spain, the size of this object will be useful when it comes to testing the relationship between the mass and luminosity of distant black holes, which currently requires many extrapolations. When the ELT [the Extremely Large Telescope, which is being built in Chile] is working and optical interferometry can be done, it will be one of the first objects that will be investigated, says Marquez. This very bright quasar will help assess whether the estimates that used to calculate the sizes and other characteristics of black holes are adequate. On the VLT, there is an instrument called GRAVITY+ that is used to measure the mass of black holes. The quasar J0529-4351 will help update it.

The discovery of such large objects in early stages of the universe shows the predilection of the universe to form very massive objects, in denser areas and with more galaxies than now, explains Marquez. In the later universe, these objects can no longer be generated, she adds.

In Mezcuas opinion, this kind of discovery gives weight to the black hole seed theory. Its a type of object that could help explain how such massive black holes could have formed so early on in the universe, when it is not clear how so much matter could have been formed. Discoveries like J0529-4351 or those being made by the James Webb Space Telescope, which is detecting black holes even older than J0529-4351, which appeared just 400 million years after the Big Bang, are rewriting the history of the early days of the cosmos  an investigation that is essential to understanding how the cosmos evolved into the universe that we live in today.

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The Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Kanayo Uzuegbu, has ordered the arrest and prosecution of a native doctor in the state for alleged torture and violent killing of animals.

The native doctor, identified simply as Nnabuikem, popularly known as High Chief Enenie Nwa ite, hails from Ovoko, a community in Igbo-Eze South Local Government Area of the state.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that Mr Nnabuikem was seen in several video clips uploaded on his Facebook page torturing and violently killing animals, apparently to perform rituals for his clients.

In one of the clips, the native doctor was seen pounding a live chameleon and a cat in a mortar while making some incantations.

He was seen in another clip violently slitting the throat of a ram in a river, after which he threw the rams head and body separately into the river.

An unidentified woman, dressed in white garment, was seen standing in the river while the native doctor performed sacrifices on her.

Arrest, prosecution

The police spokesperson in Enugu State, Daniel Ndukwe, in a statement on Monday, said the commissioner directed the State Criminal Investigation Department to work in collaboration with Nsukka Area Command of the police to investigate the incident and carry out the arrest and prosecution of the native doctor.

Mr Ndukwe, a deputy superintendent of police, said the commissioner condemned the alleged action of the native doctor, describing it as barbaric and primitive in the 21st century.

READ ALSO: State Police bill scales second reading at House of Reps

He quoted the commissioner as saying that laws prohibiting cruelty to animals exist in the state.

Mr Uzuegbu, according to the statement, urged individuals and organisations within and outside Nigeria who have seen the viral video clips to keep faith with the police to ensure justice in the matter.

The police commissioner assured that both the native doctor and his cohorts will be prosecuted within the ambit of the law.

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The president of Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA), Makoto Kitanaka, said the Japanese firm is committed to advancing climate-smart (decarbonisation cropping systems) in Nigeria and across the African continent, particularly among the smallholder farmers across the region to achieve food security.

The official disclosed this while delivering his remarks at the SAA Nigeria Annual Stakeholders Workshop in Zaria on Tuesday.

As we unite with the shared goal of advancing the agricultural sector in Nigeria and across Africa amidst evolving global challenges. The Sasakawa Africa Association is committed to supporting transformative work on this continent especially for smallholder farmers who are central in our mission, Mr Kitanaka said.

He explained that the organisations work in Nigeria and Africa aims at empowering African farmers with knowledge to secure food, nutrition and tackle global challenges such as climate change, soil degradation, malnutrition and poverty.

This year, Mr Kitanaka stated that they are spotlighting the decarbonisation of the cropping system in Africa.

This, he said, is a key theme to guide Nigeria and the continent towards sustainable agricultural growth in the face of climate adversity.

However, we recognise that without revitalising the soil and enhancing agricultural productivity, decarbonisation efforts are ineffective, he noted.

This understanding, Mr Kitanaka said, is fundamental to SAAs strategy which promotes regenerative agriculture for smallholder farmers by prioritising soil health and crop yield which are crucial foundations for sustainable decarbonisation.

Decarbonising rice farms

In October last year, PREMIUM TIMES reported how farmers across communities in Lafia Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, gathered in the Assakio community to celebrate their harvest following their adoption of new farming technology.

The farmers, both women and men, who are into rice production on a small scale, assembled to narrate the effectiveness of a new climate-smart model of farming they were exposed to four months ago by SAA officials to improve crop yield and their livelihoods.

The farmers told PREMIUM TIMES that they were exposed to new rice farming technologies described as Bokashi and Biochar to decarbonise rice farms in the state amidst climate change effects such as drought and flooding.

Broader sustainability

Understanding the significance of these technologies for the livelihood of smallholder farmers and broader sustainability of African agriculture, Mr Kitanaka said they are advocating the use of soil amendment such as biochar and bokashi along with urea deep placement techniques.

These practices form an integral part of our broader strategies to introduce decarbonization technologies to farmers aiming to reduce carbon footprint and enhance soil health, he said.

Additionally, Mr Kitanaka spoke about the development of a device that repeats the cutting-edge integration of internet or censor (Ekakashi) and AI supported by a grant by the Japanese government and technical collaboration with a Japanese private company.

This technology collects environmental data and analyses it to recommend optimum cultivation methods bringing the wisdom of prompt science to our farmers fingertips, he noted.

In Nasarawa State, the official said they are introducing an innovative device developed by a Japanese company that produces briquettes from rice husks with zero carbon dioxide emissions.

This initiative, he said, is a testament to SAAs commitment to sustainable agricultural practice and dedication to environmental stewardship.

The collaboration highlights the global partnership between Japan and Nigeria aiming to bring cutting-edge technologies to the forefront of African agriculture, he added.

However, Mr Kitanaka hinted that the journey towards sustainable agriculture and the pursuit of decarbonisation cannot be achieved by SAA alone, noting that the initiative requires a collaborative approach that includes capacity building and development of infrastructure, market access and sustained support system for farmers and extension workers.

For decarbonisation, the SAA president said introducing further reclined technologies and supporting small-scale renewable energy projects are practical steps.

Additionally, he said promoting water efficiency practices in agriculture is essential and ensuring ongoing support for extension workers and for farmers to adopt these low-carbon practices is crucial.

We look to the government and partners to support initiatives such as facilitating access to solar power irrigation systems and providing training in sustainable farming techniques, he added.

Concerns

On his part, SAA Nigerias Country Director, Godwin Atser, during his presentation said Nigerian farmers are trapped in poverty due to low productivity.

Comparing Nigeria with India, Mr Atser explained that in 2022, the average annual income of a cereal farmer in India is $2,168 per annum and that average yield is 4.0 tons per hectare.

However, he noted that the annual income of a cereal farmer in Northern Nigeria in a corresponding year stood at $489 per annum, while average yield is pegged at 1.7 tons per hectare.

Nigerian farmers are back where Indian farmers were in the early 1970s. Low productivity is a major cause of rural poverty, he said.

He said climate change is having significant impacts on Nigeria across various sectors, particularly the changes in the rainfall patterns, increased temperatures and extreme weather events (droughts and floods), are affecting the countrys agricultural output.

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The Presidential Committee of Victims Support Fund (PCVSF) has initiated a N250 million scheme for the rehabilitation of communities displaced by the Christmas Eve attacks of last year in Plateau State.

This was revealed on Monday by the chairman of the committee, Theophilus Danjuma, a retired army general and former Minister of Defence, at the inauguration of the scheme in Jos, the Plateau State capital.

The Nigerian government established the PCVSF in July 2014 at the peak of the Boko Haram insurgency as a non-military response to the terror activities.

Members of PCVSF were drawn from the private sector, humanitarian and development agencies, security agencies, government agencies as well as civil society and religious organisations.

The committee was established with a primary purpose to assist people affected by insecurity in the North-east of Nigeria,

Scope of VSF

Mr Danjuma, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Programmes and Operations, Toyin Akerele-Ogunsiyi, said the planned intervention in the Plateau crisis include initiatives for peacebuilding, food distribution, education, economic generation and psychosocial assistance.

Under the initiative, Mr Danjuma said the VSF will spend more than N250 million on projects in Bassa, Barkin-Ladi and Riyom local government areas of the state.

You will recall that VSF was established in 2014 with the mandate to provide support to victims of insecurity in the North-East, the former minister stated.

But recently, our mandate has been expanded to cover states like Plateau to improve livelihoods and build communities affected by conflicts.

Our mandate includes distribution of foodstuffs, educational materials, including training of teachers, income generation by providing equipment and machines to the victims to start small businesses, peacebuilding, and water and sanitation, among others.

Through this intervention, we intend to reach out to thousands of victims in the state and the aim is to alleviate the sufferings of those affected by the recent unrest in the state.

Governor Mutfwang assures return of displaced communities

In his remarks as he officially launched the programme, Plateau Governor Caleb Mutfwang, said it will help victims of communal attacks in the state.

The governor promised that all the displaced people will return to their original homes.

Our goal is for the displaced members of our community to return to their ancestral homes as soon as possible.

We dont want to keep our people for too long in the Internally Displaced Persons camps; we will do all it takes to get them back to their ancestral homes.

But before we get to that point, these people must eat to have the strength to overcome the odds that lie ahead.

READ ALSO: Attacks continue in Plateau community despite curfew

This is why we are grateful to VSF for this gesture and I want to assure you that all these items will get to the actual beneficiaries, he said.

Crisis on the Plateau

Hundreds of people have been killed or displaced in recent communal crises in Plateau State.

At least 115 people were killed in December when gunmen attacked the communities in Barkin-Ladi, Bokkos and Mangu LGAs on the night of 24 December.

The state has a history of inter-ethnic and inter-religious conflicts that have several times led to carnage.

For instance, 10 persons were killed and about 30 properties destroyed in Taagbe hamlet in Bassa LGA in November of 2021 by armed individuals suspected to be robbers.

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The Federal High Court has announced the commencement of its Easter vacation.

According to a statement issued on Tuesday by the courts Assistant Director of Information, Catherine Christopher, the vacation will begin from Friday, 22 March to Monday, 8 April.

The statement said the Chief Judge of the court, John Tsoho, declared the break in line with the provisions of Order 46, Rule 4 (b) of the Federal High Court ( Civil Procedures) Rules, 2019 (as amended).

Court activities would resume on 9 April, across all of its divisions, the statement stated.

Vacation judges

But, the court has arranged for vacation judges who will attend to emergency lawsuits, especially cases bordering on fundamental human rights.

To that end, the courts divisions in Abuja, Lagos and Port-Harcourt will attend to urgent matters.

In Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, where all emergency cases emanating from the South-south and South-east regions of the country will be heard, A.T Mohammed and S.I Mark will adjudicate on such suits.

Mr Tsoho was quoted as advising the vacation judges and heads of divisions to promptly refer to him all matters which may require his urgent attention and directives.

Read the full statement here:

*PRESS RELEASE*

*NOTIFICATION OF 2024 EASTER VACATION AND ROSTER FOR VACATION JUDGES.*

The Federal High Court announces its 2024 Easter Vacation and Roster for Vacation Judges.

According to a circular signed by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, Hon. Justice John Terhemba Tsoho, OFR, KSS, FCIArb.(UK).

The Court shall commence its Easter Vacation from Friday, 22nd March 2024 to Monday 8th April, 2024.

This is Pursuant to the provisions of Order 46, Rule 4 (b) of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2019 (as amended).

The Court resumes sitting on Tuesday, 9th April, 2024 in all Judicial Divisions.

During the vacation period, the Abuja, Lagos and Port-Harcourt Judicial Divisions shall remain open to the public only for cases of extreme urgency.

It is essential to stress that, during the vacation, only matters relating to enforcement of Fundamental Rights; Arrest or Release of Vessels and matters that concerns dire National Interest are to be entertained by Vacation Judges.

The Abuja Judicial Division will cater for cases from the Federal Capital Territory, North Central, North Western, and North Eastern parts of the Country.

The Lagos Division will cater for cases from all the South Western States, while the Port-Harcourt Judicial Division will cater for cases from all states within the South-South and South Eastern Geo-political Zones.

The following Hon. Judges will serve as Vacation Judges:

ABUJA JUDICIAL DIVISION

1. Hon. Justice I.E. Ekwo

2. Hon. Justice D.U. Okorowo

LAGOS JUDICIAL DIVISION

1. Hon. Justice A.O. Awogboro

2. Hon. Justice Ibrahim I. Kala

PORT-HARCOURT JUDICIAL DIVISION

1. Hon. Justice A.T. Mohammed

2. Hon. Justice S.I. Mark

The Vacation Judges and Heads of Divisions are as usual advised to promptly refer to the Hon. Chief Judge all matters which they believe may require His Lordships urgent attention and directives.

The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, Honorable Justice John T. Tsoho, wishes his fellow lordships a wonderful vacation in advance.

Signed

Catherine Oby Christopher,PhD.

Assistant Director Information,

Federal High Court of Nigeria.

Tuesday, 20th February, 2024.

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A foundation member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Osita Okechukwu, has advocated the establishment of constabulary police in line with Sections 105 to 109 of the Nigeria Police Act 2020.

Mr Okechukwu, a former director general of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), warned that state police could be abused by state governors, the same way they allegedly breached other democratic institutions, such as the judiciary, legislature and the local government system.

President Bola Tinubu on Thursday last week met with the state governors in Abuja during which they considered the possibility of setting up state police.

A bill seeking the creation of state police passed the second reading in the House of Representatives on Tuesday.

Mr Okechukwu said on Tuesday that it is far better to progressively migrate from the Special Constabulary of Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to state police, to avoid relying on decisions taken amidst palpable grief.

He implored all to take time and peruse the NPF Act 2020 to examine the pure kernels and appreciate the content relevance of constabulary police and the imperative to overhaul the NPF in addressing the same deteriorating insecurity.

Mr Okechukwu pointed out that the Special Constabulary is a silver bullet which will resolve the intense paradox of public paranoia against the NPF which failed to secure Nigerians and the state governors who he claimed have scant regard for the rule of law.

I agree that there is horrible and terrible grief in the land and that NPF itself needs rejig hence the imperative of urgent solution; however, state police in my considered view is politics of grievance, which outcome maybe be worse than the solution envisaged given the anti-democratic antecedents of the custodians of the sub-national units and poor financial status of some states.

We all contributed in no small measure to escalating the insecurity and gross inequality in the first place and the solution cannot be carving out Kingdoms for Emperors. In sum, my recommendation is that the establishment of a Special Constabulary, in line with Sections 105 to 109 of the Nigeria Police Act 2020; is a better solution than that of using one stone to kill two birds at once. Mr Okechukwu submitted.

The former VON DG said what the country needs, as a matter of urgent national importance, is a well trained, and well equipped Special Constabulary with a sophisticated arsenal to contain kidnappers, terrorists and insurgents, without authoritarian antics, adding This is especially when they will be recruited from indigenes of the given state in collaboration with the governors, albeit local community based with tiny federal strings for necessary moderation.

Mr Okechukwu added, Whereas, one understood the metastasis of grief, helplessness, despair, despondency, and the sordid scenario of a country overwhelmed by insecurity; it will be less strategic in the midst of confusion to hastily throw away the baby and the bathe water.

For when careful consideration gazetted that majority of our dear governors are more or less akin to emperors, who are constantly in the breach of fine democratic tenets and civil liberties, in addendum have stymied our local councils and have blatantly mangled state judiciary and state legislatures into rubber stamps; my dear countrymen, does it in all intents and purposes make altruistic sense to further empower emperors?

He therefore, appealed for understanding as progressive migration from Special Constabulary to state police by then our tempers must have calmed down and we all must have learnt to obey the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

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Vice President Kashim Shettima has demanded stronger synergy and adoption of technology from key players in the public and private sectors to further enhance the business environment in Nigeria.

Mr Shettima made the demand on Tuesday as the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) commenced its 90-day Regulatory Reform Accelerator Action Plan.

The PEBEC action plan underscores the commitment of the Tinubu administration to delivering impactful reforms, working with the Ministry, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to foster a conducive business environment and improve the perception of the ease of doing business in Nigeria.

The vice president who gave the charge during the second PEBEC meeting he chaired at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, noted that a robust engagement among stakeholders and the adopting of relevant technology will help in addressing bottlenecks experienced by operators in the nations entry points as well as in the area of business regulation.

The 90-Day Regulatory Reform Accelerator aligns with the PEBECs Regulatory Reforms Workstream, focusing on eight key indicators designed to deliver measurable growth across industries while institutionalising MDA-led reforms through BFA 2022 compliance.

The eight key indicators which are being actively monitored over the next 90 days include review and update on MDA Service Level Agreements; Track MDA Transparency Reforms; Track MDA Efficiency Reforms; Track Entry & Exit (Airport) Reforms; Track Port Operations Reforms; Facilitate National Single Window Project; AgroExport Reforms and Manufacturing for Export Reforms.

While the plan will be implemented in close collaboration with stakeholders, PEBEC is to provide regular updates on the Accelerators progress.

Earlier in her presentation, the Special Adviser to the President on PEBEC and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, stated that the 90-day Accelerator will deliver measurable export-focused impact for productivity and competitiveness across key sectors to improve the Nigerian business environment and support the economic initiatives of the Tinubu administration.

She emphasised the need to approach the next 90 days with a sense of urgency and purpose to rapidly improve Nigerias business climate by collaborating with the private sector and demonstrating commitment to the overall well-being of Nigerians, particularly in these challenging times.

The 90-Day Regulatory Reform Accelerator Action Plan kick-off was preceded by an engagement session on Monday, 19 February with PEBEC Priority MDA Reform Champions.

During this collaborative session, the reform champions were apprised of the 90-day Regulatory Reform Accelerator Action Plan along with performance tracking mechanisms.

The mechanisms include fortnightly performance tracking meetings and a highly anticipated town hall meeting to be hosted by the vice president in Q2 2024.

Also present at the meeting were Justice Tijjani Abubakar who represented the Chief Justice of Nigeria; Senate Committee Chairman on Industry, Trade and Investment, Sadiq Umar; Ministers of Industry, Trade & Investment, Doris Uzoka-Anite; Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo; Police Affairs, Ibrahim Gaidam; Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani; Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, and the Minister of State for FCT, Mariya Mahmoud Bunkure, among others.

Stanley Nkwocha

Senior Special Assistant to The President on Media & Communications

(Office of The Vice President)

20th February 2024

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The meeting between the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) and officials of the federal government over the suspension of petroleum product loading activities ended in a deadlock Monday evening.

The meeting held in Abuja and was attended by the Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, with NARTO, oil marketers and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, (NMDPRA).

NARTO had in a letter dated 15 February, addressed to the General Secretary of the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG) and signed by its National President, Othman Yusuf, directed its members to withdraw their trucks from petroleum product loading activities with effect from Monday, 19 February.

The association noted that the decision to withdraw its operation was due to the high operational costs in the industry.

The association had recently raised concern over the high cost of diesel required to power its trucks for the transportation of petroleum products across the country.

In its letter, the association said it can no longer continue in business within the context of the current economic situation in the country.

We are deeply constrained to seek the support and understanding of your union and members towards the excruciating challenges petroleum truck owners are facing with the high operational costs in the industry.

READ ALSO:

As you are already aware of several efforts we have made to secure negotiations for appropriate and commensurate freight rates for our operations from all conceivable authorities concerned in the industry, most especially the Major Energy Marketers Association of Nigeria but which have received no positive responses from them.

We have no other options but to write to inform you that the NARTO National Executive Council (NEC) has resolved to direct all our members not to make their petroleum trucks available for petroleum products loading activities with effect from Monday, 19th day of February 2024, the association said.

Meeting

On Monday, Mr Lokpobiri said the engagement would continue on Tuesday as the government seeks to find solutions to the issues raised by NARTO.

We have been having an engagement with different stakeholders in the downstream petroleum industry based on some concerns which were raised. The engagements are still continuing and we hope that we will be able to find solutions to those concerns as soon as possible.

Engagement will continue tonight till tomorrow. But it should be pointed out very clearly that they have demonstrated utmost good faith and patriotism. It should also be known that the issues have nothing to do with the government. It is basically commercial. But as a government we have decided to intervene so that Nigerians will not suffer unduly, Mr Lokpobiri said.

PREMIUM TIMES had reported how fuel queues returned to filling stations in Abuja on Monday, as the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) directed its members to withdraw services.

A PREMIUM TIMES correspondent who visited petrol stations Monday morning found that some of the stations were shut while others were besieged by motorcyclists, tricycle owners, as well as private and commercial drivers.

Many filling stations in Jabi, Wuse, Gwagwalada, Apo, Kubwa and Lugbe areas of the city sold the product at prices ranging from N660 to N680 while a litre of petrol was sold at N617 at the NNPC retail stations.

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The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has declined to be part of the management of the student loan scheme introduced by the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

Ahead of the rollout of the scheme scheduled to commence on Monday, 26 February, the 11-member special committee chaired by Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Olayemi Cardoso, held its inaugural meeting recently.

But according to a communique drafted by the office of the executive secretary of the scheme, otherwise known as the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), ASUU wrote to decline its membership of the special committee.

Section 7 of the schemes enabling law- Access to Higher Education Act 2023, provides for an 11-membership special committee chaired by the CBN governor while the executive secretary of the scheme serves as the secretary. Other members are expected to be drawn from the ministries of finance and education, Nigeria Labour Congress, ASUU, committees of vice-chancellors, provosts of colleges and rectors of polytechnics, Nigerian Bar Association, NUC, among others.

However, the communique noted that while ASUU declined participation, others with the exception of the representatives of committees of provosts and rectors participated in the inaugural meeting.

Cardoso pledges commitment

Speaking at the meeting, Mr Cardoso charged members to use their diverse skills to ensure the success of the programme which he said is one of Mr Tinubus signature projects.

He said the ongoing engagement of various stakeholders must intensify in order to achieve a hitch-free rollout of the scheme.

Mr Cardoso pledged his commitment and support towards the success of the programme and praised the commitment of the President to the scheme which he noted will reduce the burden of funding the education of Nigerian students.

Access to Higher Education Law

In June 2023, Mr Tinubu signed the law that creates a legal framework for granting loans to indigent or low-income Nigerians to facilitate the payment of their tuition fees in Nigerian universities.

The primary objective of the Act is to foster the accessibility of higher education for Nigerian students. President Tinubu has asked that the scheme be extended to cover Nigerians undergoing vocational training.

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) is the creation of the Access to Higher Education Act, 2023.

NELFUND is the body created by the Act to handle all loan requests, grants, disbursement, and recovery of the loans provided.

The Fund, according to the Act, is to be funded from multiple streams and will engage in other productive activities.

It will also be funded through donations, gifts, grants, endowment, and revenue accruing to the fund from any other source, according to the Act.

ASUUs rejection of Students loan

ASUU has consistently rejected the law which introduces the scheme. The union accused the government of clandestine plans of starving the universities of adequate funding, a development that has repeatedly caused conflict between the union and the government.

The conflicts have also consistently led to academic disruptions that have characterised the nations tertiary institutions for years.

In 2022, for instance, academic activities were put on hold in Nigerian public universities for eight months when about four staff unions embarked on industrial actions to protest the governments underfunding of the institutions.

The unions are the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) and the Non-Academic Staff Union and other Allies Institutions (NASU).

ASUU, the largest academic staff union in the universities, only suspended its strike when an Industrial Court in Abuja gave the order on the prayer of the government. The government had also invoked a No Work, No Pay policy against the workers for the period they were on strike.

Meanwhile, since the suspension of the strike a year ago, students in Nigerian universities have witnessed a sharp rise in their fees schedule even though the government maintains that the institutions remain tuition-free.

Most of the universities hiked the fee by more than 100 per cent, some of them in defiance of the presidents directive in July that the institutions should avoid arbitrary increments of the sundry fees.

Despite students protest across many institutions, the fee hike largely remains.

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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The House of Representatives has queried Access Bank, Citi Bank, Ecobank and Fidelity Bank over N11.632 trillion revenue collected on behalf of the federal government through the REMITA platform between 2015 and 2022.

Chairman, House Committee on Public Accounts, Bamidele Salam, issued the query at the resumed investigative hearing on alleged revenue leakages through REMITA platform in Abuja.

The investigation also covered the non-compliance with standard operating procedure and other allied service agreements.

The committee demanded all the agreements signed between all the participating domestic banks and Systemspec/REMITA during the period under review.

According to the records obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Access Bank collected a total sum of N2.661 trillion for 3,502,486 transactions between 2015 and 2022.

According to Access Bank records submitted to the Committee, a total sum of N2,660,974,062,151.62 was collected as revenue for the period under review.

Also, the sum of N858,734,455.99 fee was earned for the service rendered.

On its part, CitiBank collected the sum of N643,427,225,110.96 between 2016 and 2022.

According to a CitiBank record submitted to the committee, the sum of N2,435,932.34 fee was earned for a total of N34,656,636,415.24 transactions carried out in 2016.

Also, N9,134,312.05 fee was earned for a total of N61,023,589,404.01 transactions carried out in 2018.

The bank, however, failed to disclose the fees earned for 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 fiscal years, respectively.

Records further showed that Ecobank collected the sum of N1,480,576,309.08 from 1,557,487 transactions carried out between 2015 and 2022.

From the amount, Ecobank earned the sum of N253,848,598.05 fees in the period under review.

Available records on the transactions carried out by Fidelity Bank showed that the sum of N6.847 trillion was collected on behalf of the federal government in 11,696,547 transactions carried out between 2015 to 2022.

READ ALSO: Lawmakers call for state of emergency on hepatitis in Nasarawa

From the transactions carried out, the bank generated N789,294,408.86 fee for the period under consideration.

Addressing the banks representatives, the committee requested all the agreements signed by the banks with Systemspec/REMITA to collect the revenue on behalf of the federal government for the period under review.

The lawmakers also demanded the breakdown of Value Added Tax (VAT) and Withholding Tax (WHT) collected within the period and evidence of payment into relevant government coffers.

(NAN)

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There is no denying that Brad Smith is a lawyer. The president of Microsoft is extremely cautious when talking about the turbulent waters in which artificial intelligence finds itself. According to Smith, its the most important technology thats been created since the invention of the printing press. But he admits there are problems regarding its use and control, from the complex issue of copyright protection and cyberattacks by countries such as Russia and North Korea, to what is, he confesses, his biggest concern: the use of deepfakes to alter election results, in a year when practically half the planet will go to the polls.

Last Friday, Smith, 65, presented an accord at the Munich Security Conference, signed by 20 other companies, that seeks to improve the technological response to these deceptions and improve the transparency of the companies that control AI. The difference between the promise and danger of new technology has rarely been more striking, says Smith.

The president of Microsoft, which is today the most valuable company in the world, met with Spanish President Pedro Sanchez on Monday to sign a collaborative agreement to expand AI infrastructure in Spain. The $2.1 billion-project is Microsofts biggest investment in Spain in its 37-year history in the country. It is a very important alliance, says Smith, who argues: If AI is not used in the government, in the healthcare field, in the economy, I dont see how Spain sustains its long-term economic growth.

Question. I asked Copilot, Microsofts generative AI, to come up with a question for you. This is what it suggested: What is your vision regarding the role of artificial intelligence in todays society? And how do you believe we can ensure its ethical and responsible development? I dont know what you think of that question, could I lose my job to Copilot?

Answer. No, no. There were three questions there. The two from Copilot and the one from you. So let me start with the one from you, because it makes an important point. Copilot is a co-pilot. Its not a pilot. You may have used it to prepare for this interview, but it is a tool. It helps you, it gives you ideas, but ultimately you will need to use your judgment. And I think thats what we should ask all people to do. Use this new technology to exercise better judgment, to be more creative, to develop ideas, to help with writing but not delegate or outsource thinking or writing to a machine. That would be a mistake.

Regarding the other two questions, today and tomorrow [on Monday and Tuesday] were announcing new initiatives with the Spanish government around cybersecurity and responsible AI. Why does that matter? At the end of the year, Spain ranked number four in Europe on per GDP usage of AI. But when you look at AI skills, its 14th on a per capita basis. When you look at the creation of AI-based software, its 15th. This shows theres a gap between using AI and creating the skilled base to create AI. Spain is an incredible place to live. It is a very prosperous country in many ways, but it is not growing quickly. The population is aging. The unemployment rate is 11%. And those challenges need to be addressed with creativity and urgency. Part of the solution is the use of AI. We must create the jobs of the future.

Q. We are fascinated and scared by the AI revolution. You have been working in this industry for many years, more than 30. Is the technology really that revolutionary?

A. I think that AI is the most important invention for the life of the mind since the invention of the printing press. That was almost 600 years ago. Think about the printing press and what it accomplished: it made it possible for people to write, for people to read, and for market economies to flourish. Now go to AI. Its very similar. Its a tool that can help people think in new ways. Hopefully, it helped you in some interesting way to think of questions for a conversation. That is an injection of creativity. Its enormously valuable for finding patterns in large amounts of data, for giving people insights to advancing issues like drug discovery. If we use it well, it can be an accelerator for people and the kinds of work they do.

Q. However, the IMF warns that artificial intelligence will affect 60% of jobs in advanced economies and, for the first time, will impact the most qualified workers.

A. Its a really important issue for us to address. First, I would put it in context. What percentage of jobs do we think have been impacted by the advent of digital technology, the personal computer or the cell phone over the last 40 years? Its probably an even higher percentage. And yet, weve been adapting to this changing use of technology fundamentally for almost the entire working lifetime of everyone whos working today. Many were impacted and some went away. The real lesson of the last 40 years is if people can stay at the forefront of knowing how to use technology, they are likely to be successful in their careers. Their careers may take them to places they didnt necessarily anticipate. We should expect a real impact on the way we work. What it should do more than anything else is create a sense of inspiration, but also a little bit of urgency to learn how to use this technology and become better at whatever it is people want to do.

Q. You mentioned creation. This is one of the issues most affected by AI. Your company has been sued by The New York Times for copyright infringement.

A. I think this is a natural and inevitable aspect of the invention of a new technology that impacts how people create and distribute what they write. There are two legal questions we are going to face. One is relatively easy and the other is more complex. The one thats easy is to ask, what do you do if an AI system generates output that copies something that is protected under the law? Thats a legal violation. Theres no doubt about that. Weve done two things to address this. First, we built an entire architecture around Copilot and other tools [Copilot cites sources in its answers, unlike other generative AI] to avoid that. And second, weve said to all of our customers, this is our legal problem, not yours. If they use our system properly, were the ones who are liable, not them.

Then you go back to the first question that is more uncertain. Can you train an AI model by reading all of the works of the world? Its always been understood that you can read as much as you want and remember as much as you can. I met with a government official in Germany last week who said he had read by his estimation about 5,000 books in his lifetime. But when he gives a speech, he doesnt have to step back and ask, where did I read this? Do I have to credit where I first got this idea? We all have a right under copyright law to read and learn. Now were asking can we enable machines to learn in this same way. I think theres a societal imperative to make that possible. If you want to advance the capability of this new technology, it will require that it be able to learn broadly. And more than that, if you really want to open up this new industry to open source developers and academics, to people beyond big companies, its critical that it be open to that kind of learning. At the same time, none of us should want this new technology to put creators, including newspapers like The New York Times, out of business. I think well have to find a way to balance that learning with giving creators the ability to continue earning a good living.

Q. Is it possible for you to reach an agreement, not only with The New York Times, but with other creators and authors?

A. There are three goals that we must keep in mind. Goal number one, ensure that the technology can advance and compensate the creators of today and the future. Goal number two, lets make sure this advances in a way that makes this content available broadly on economically affordable terms to everyone. Goal number three, think about the impact for companies that also control a lot of the content. The New York Times may seem like a large owner of content, but compared to YouTube, its tiny. We need to think about the other places where there are these critical repositories of content. And we have to make sure that theyre open on accessible and affordable terms to everybody and not just the single company that happens to own them for purposes of developing their own model.

Q. The EU has become the first place in the world to regulate AI. What do you think of this law?

A. We need a level of regulation that protects peoples safety. Im sometimes surprised when there are people in the technology sector who say that we should not have that. When we buy a carton of milk in the grocery store, we buy it not worrying about whether its safe to drink, because we know that there is a safety floor for the regulation of it. If this is, as I think it is, the most advanced technology on the planet, I dont think its unreasonable to ask that it have at least as much safety regulation in place as we have for a carton of milk. Regarding the [European] AI Act, the good news is it creates that kind of protection. The AI law does this; it looks at the safety and security standards and it imposes a floor for these advanced frontier models. And its not much that dissimilar from what the U.K. and the U.S. is doing.

Brad Smith, during his conversation with EL PAIS. Claudio Alvarez

I also think we need to be careful. One needs to have a high level of safety without creating a level of onerous administration that would drive up costs, especially for startups. The companies that Ive heard express the most concern about the AI Act are not the biggest ones. Frankly, we have the infrastructure to comply. Its the startups that worry that they cant get started. Im not saying that to be critical of the AI Act, but its what I hear, especially in countries like Germany or France. Its all about the implementation.

Q. You have called for an AI safety brake in the U.S. Senate. What does it consist of?

A. This is intended to address what people often describe as an existential threat to humanity, that you could have runaway AI that would seek to control or extinguish humanity. Its like every Terminator movie and about 50 other science fiction movies. One of the things that is striking to me after 30 years in this industry is often life does imitate art. Its amazing that you can have 50 movies with the same plot: a machine that can think for itself decides to enslave or extinguish humanity, and humanity fights back and wins by turning the machine off. What does that tell you? That we better have a way to slow down or turn off AI, especially if its controlling an automated system like critical infrastructure.

Its been nine months since I first introduced this concept, and whats most striking to me is that everywhere I go, the conversation is more or less the same. It starts with this concern: oh my gosh, theres this existential risk. Then people say, thats decades away. We dont have to focus on that now. We have the capacity to solve more than one problem at a time. Lets solve todays and tomorrows: the best time to solve a problem is before it comes. We know how to do it: every bus and every train has an emergency brake.

Q. Microsoft and OpenIA just published a report on how China, Russia, North Korea and Iran are using AI for increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks. What can be done to prevent this from happening?

A. First, we need to recognize the problem. In this study, Microsoft and OpenAI [both companies have a partnersihip] discovered these four nation states were using generative AI in cybersecurity and cyber influence operations. Were not going to let nation state actors that engage in this kind of adversarial and harmful conduct have use of our applications because we regard that as something that is likely to do harm to the world. But we also need to use AI to fight back and create stronger cybersecurity protection.

Q. On Friday you announced an accord to fight against deepfakes in elections. What does it consist of?

A. This tech accord is very important. First of all, its very important because the issue matters so much. Were going to see elections between now and the end of the year in more than 65 countries, and all across the European Union. And we are seeing a rapid use of deepfakes to try to deceive the public about what a candidate, for example, has said. With this technology accord, we focus on three things. One is to better protect the authenticity of content with credentials and watermarking. Secondly, detect deepfakes and remove them if they want to deceive the public. And, third, we must focus on public education. And this is an enormous priority for Microsoft. I probably personally spent more of my time between the end of last year and last Friday on this one issue than anything else, because we just fundamentally believe that it is so important to where the world is going.

This matters a lot because it affects elections but, unfortunately, it is going to impact other problems as well, such as financial fraud and cyberbullying, especially of children and women. Those two groups are especially vulnerable. And we better do it well because if we dont, the worlds going to be worse rather than better because of this technology.

Q. But the same industry that signs accords like this makes the technologies that cause these problems available to everyone. OpenIA unveiled its video AI, Sora, on Thursday, where AI-generated videos are almost indistinguishable from reality

A. The more powerful the technology becomes, the stronger the safeguards and controls need to become with it. I think that all of us are going to have to push ourselves. The industry probably will benefit if its pushed by government and civil society as well, because the magnitude of responsibility and impact is potentially so high. After the Christchurch Commitment [an agreement by companies and governments to remove violent and extremist content from the internet after the massacre in the New Zealand city], we all had to adapt. And I think were going to need to adapt again. What I hope is that we remember it took a mass shooting on the internet to open peoples eyes to what could go wrong. Im encouraged by Fridays agreement, but were going to have to go even faster. And most importantly: were going to have to bring people together. The biggest mistake the tech sector could make is to think that its already doing enough and it can just do what it needs to be done if its left alone.

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On 15 February, President Bola Tibunu announced the appointment of Chief Executive Officers and Board Chairpersons for major health agencies, including the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

On the list of the appointees, Moji Adeyeye, Ibrahim Ahmed, and Tosan Erhabor were reappointed as the heads of NAFDAC, Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN), and Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN) respectively.

The President described the development as part of his commitment to deliver affordable and quality care to all Nigerians under governance and regulatory frameworks commensurate with international best practices.

However, it is not clear if Mrs Adeyeye, who had earlier in December 2022 been reappointed by former President Muhammadu Buhari, will continue with her hitherto ongoing five-year second term in office, or if a fresh second term of office has just commenced with the new announcement by the President.

Meanwhile, meet some of the new health practitioners appointed to lead the major health agencies in the country amidst the challenges of brain drain, poor health funding, and the shortage of drug supply.

Olajide Idris  NCDC

Olajide Idris is an alumnus of the College of Medicine of the University of Lagos (CMUL), who on Monday took over from Ifedayo Adetifa as the NCDC DG.

Mr Adetifa, in 2021, took over from his predecessor, Chikwe Ihekweazu, an epidemiologist, who became the first substantive head of the disease agency in November 2018 following the signing of the NCDC Act into law.

The new helmsman, Mr Idris, is a seasoned medical practitioner with over 30 years of experience in Medical Practice, Healthcare Systems Management, Consulting, Pharmaceutical, and Research.

After he obtained his MBBS degree from UNILAG, Mr Idris went on to acquire a Masters degree in Public Health (MPH) from Yale University, Connecticut, USA, and served as the Permanent Secretary in the Lagos State Ministry of Health from 1999 to 2007.

He was also the Commissioner for Health in Lagos State from 2007 to 2015 and the Medical Director at FHS Medical Consulting Limited until he was appointed the NCDC DG.

As the health commissioner in Lagos, Nigerias commercial nerve centre and arguably the countrys most densely populated, Mr Idris led the states fight against the dangerous Ebola disease outbreak in 2014.

The states swift response and the leadership roles played by Mr Idris in the countrys national response actions earned him global accolades. At the time, the United States of America was one of the many nations that sent a delegation to Lagos to understudy how the state was able to the people to victory against an unusual epidemic.

Speaking on the strategies deployed to win the battle against the disease at the time, Mr Idris was quoted to have said: We swiftly worked together as a country when we discovered cases of the virus. The people of Nigeria were very cooperative. They followed the instructions that were given.

In an official statement Monday and signed by the NCDCs Head of Communication, Yahya Disu, the centre announced the transition of leadership noting that the Lagos States health sector experienced significant health reform under Mr Idris leadership as the Permanent Secretary and Commissioner for Health.

It, however, admitted that under the leadership of Mr Adetifa, NCDC made significant strides in fulfilling its mandate to prevent, detect, and respond to public health events amidst challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, Mpox outbreak, Diphtheria epidemic, and other emerging public health concerns.

Fatima Kyari  MDCN

The new CEO of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), Fatima Kyari is a renowned ophthalmologist and fellow of the Nigeria Academy of Medicine (FNAMed).

She obtained an MBBS degree from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and obtained a Masters degree in Public Health (MPH) from the University of Londons School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

She obtained a doctorate in Public Health from the same institution.

Abba Zubairu  NBSC

Abba Zubairu, who is now the board chairperson of the National Blood Service Commission (NBSC), served as the Medical Director of the world-leading Mayo Clinic in the United States of America.

He served as a Resident Doctor at the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) Hospital as a Post-Doctoral Fellow and undertook a Clinical Fellowship at the Harvard Medical Schools Transfusion Medicine Programme during which he obtained a Masters degree in Clinical Science at the same institution.

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The Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Naija Times, Ehi Braimah, has said that the online newspapers website has been under attack from malicious hackers.

Mr Braimah, who disclosed that the cyber attacks have been on for about a week since 13 February, said the motive is yet unknown.

In a statement on Tuesday, the publisher noted that the attacks became intense on Monday, as observed by the newspapers technology team.

There were more than 600 lockouts in less than one hour yesterday, but cumulatively, over 9,900 sustained attacks hit the website. The unrestrained attacks were clearly aimed at undermining the integrity of the online newspaper.

In their desperation to crash the website, the hackers used multiple IP addresses. They also made several unsuccessful attempts to compromise the backend of the website as they tried to gain access, he said.

Mr Braimah revealed that Naija Times was recently approached by an agent who claimed to be a journalist and PR consultant, representing one of the banks, to pull down a story, but its Board of Editors refused.

However, he noted that the newspaper could not ascertain whether the cyber attacks had anything to do with the banks request, which was turned down.

Our tech team has been diligent and proactive in responding to the mindless attacks by ring-fencing the website and enhancing its security architecture, Mr Braimah said.

Naija Times was launched as an online newspaper on 15 September 2020, with the objective of advocating for a better Nigeria with strong institutions, respect for the rule of law, and defending the public interest.

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Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo has tasked the legislative arms of government to enact a new bill to help people with kidney disease and enact essential regulations to combat the countrys developing organ trafficking challenge.

Mr Obasanjo made the call on Tuesday while speaking on the conference theme, Optimising Dialysis Therapy To Prolong Survival, at the 36th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the National Association of Nephrology held at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital.

He commended the body for its efforts in screening and educating the populace and its recurring partnerships aimed at lowering the diseases prevalence, particularly in young people and children.

Lamenting the high rate of kidney failure in Africa, the former president pointed out that 15 per cent of adult Nigerians suffer from kidney failure, which is irreversible and potentially fatal if left untreated.

I have also been informed that the prevalence of kidney failure in Africa is higher than anywhere else in the world as an average African is four times more likely to develop kidney problems than a Caucasian or Mediterranean race.

There is an urgent need for legislative support in terms of a new bill to support affected persons. Organ trafficking is an emerging issue in our environment and I want to plead with agencies concerned to help in examining relevant laws, especially with regards to cadaveric donations taking cognisance of our peculiar cultural and societal idiosyncrasies and also laws guiding organs to be harvested from living donors, the former president said.

Mr Obasanjo stressed the need for the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to increase its capacity to provide support to kidney patients. He also called on well-meaning philanthropists, foundations and Corporate Nigeria to collaborate in providing succour.

I wish to acknowledge the role of the NHIS in providing limited support for only six dialysis sessions, but I want to suggest a need to consider increasing the carrying capacity substantially as it obtains in South Africa and Sudan.

I also want to call on Nigerians in the Diaspora, well-meaning philanthropists, foundations and Corporate Nigeria to support worthy initiatives by the Nigerian Association of Nephrology (NAN), in reducing cost or helping out with capacity development, equipment support and other means of providing succour, he added.

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Investing in veterans is not just about equipping them with skills; its about recognising their service, valuing their potential, and building a stronger, more inclusive nation. By empowering veterans, we empower ourselves. Let us seize this opportunity to honour their sacrifice, unlock their potential, and build a brighter future for all Nigerians.

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Gwabin Musa recently declared open the South-South Skills Acquisition Training for Veterans (SAT-V) in Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital.

The training was aimed at improving the living standard of veterans, as well as empowering them against the effects of dwindling economic conditions.

Represented by Major General Jamal Abdulsalam, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division Nigerian Army/Land Component Commander, Joint Task Force (South-South) Operation Delta Safe, General Musa said: It is based on the need to empower our veterans that I directed the Veteran Affairs Division to conduct skills acquisition training for veterans nationwide on a geopolitical zone basis.

I am indeed glad to observe that veterans are not left out of our drive to make life better for service personnel. More so, veterans are critical stakeholders in our pursuit of improved living conditions. General Musa said.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Director, Veteran Affairs Division of Defence Headquarters, Major General Danladi Salihu, said the training was organised in line with the leadership concept of the Chief of Defence Staff, which is to nurture a Professional Armed Forces of Nigeria that is people-centric, Collaborative and Capable of Meeting its Constitutional Responsibilities in a Joint Environment.

The training is aimed at ensuring a comfortable and purposeful life for veterans through education and focuses on the importance of an improved standard of living.

He noted that one of the major reasons for hardship suffered by veterans over the years is the lack of proper planning before retirement.

Hence, the importance of training of this nature can not be over emphasised as it is quite timely and desirable. The CDS, considering his pedigree and antecedents, has always been a true believer in capacity building of personnel, veterans, and their dependants, Major General Salihu added.

He also said, The CDS has always demonstrated this in his unwavering support and commitment to the welfare of troops and their families, including veterans and widows of our fallen heroes. The CDS also believes that this training will be of great value to our veterans and serving military personnel from the AFN.

No doubt, the veterans need skills acquisition training that could help them have alternate sources of income to cope with the current reality, especially when considering the daily increase in the cost of living.

Conducted by the Veteran Affairs Division of the military and expected to be replicated across the entire six geopolitical zones, the timing for the training is very apt, and at the end of it, the veterans would be certified by the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN). It is gratifying that the certificate could be utilised by the participants as a requirement to obtain loans from banks, depending on the scope of their intended vocation and business plans.

Participants at the workshop were trained in such vocations as poultry, fish farming, snail farming, animal husbandry, livestock farming, integrated farming, irrigation, and modern crop farming techniques, amongst others.

In order to maximise and boost the capacities of participants, the training also included financial literacy, record-keeping, agricultural produce processing and packaging, as well as marketing and identification of business opportunities.

We can recall that when General Musa was appointed as the head of Nigerias Military High Command, he vowed to improve the welfare services of the personnel of the Armed Forces of Nigeria in order to create a conducive atmosphere for them where discharging of enshrined duties will go smoothly.

Not only that, he also extended this gesture to include the ex-service personnel who have already paid their dues to the country through their selfless services.

It is unfortunate that upon transitioning to civilian life, many veterans face significant challenges, struggle to find meaningful employment and reintegrate into society. This is a national issue we cannot afford to ignore. By providing skills acquisition training, the Nigerian military high command can empower veterans, strengthen communities, and bolster national development.

Veterans often leave the military with valuable skills honed through rigorous training and real-world experiences. However, these skills may not directly translate to civilian jobs. In addition, veterans may face physical or psychological injuries, further hindering their transition. However, the results are unemployment, underemployment, and financial hardship, leading to frustration, social isolation, and even dependence on welfare.

Equipping veterans with relevant skills is tantamount to unlocking their potentials and equally enabling them to contribute meaningfully to the workforce.

They, therefore, need support, including career counselling, mentorship, and financial assistance, to smooth the transition into civilian life.

It is obvious that investing in skills acquisition training for veterans is not just a moral imperative, it will boosts the economy by increasing tax revenue, reducing social welfare costs, and injecting vital skills into key sectors like manufacturing, construction, and security.

Studies show that trained veterans often become highly engaged and productive employees, bringing valuable leadership, teamwork, and discipline to the workplace.

The necessity to re-integrate veterans into our workforce is very urgent and can never be downplayed due to the fact that ignoring their needs is a disservice to those who have served and a missed the opportunity for national development.

Delaying action only compounds the challenges they face, leading to deeper personal struggles and a wider economic burden.

The Nigerian military high command has the opportunity to be a driving force in empowering veterans. Implementing comprehensive skills acquisition programmes tailored to individual needs and local job markets is crucial.

At this juncture, it is crucial for the Defence Headquarters to partner with private companies, training institutions, and NGOs, so as to leverage their expertise and resources in order to further enhance this programme.

It is also heartwarming when the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle disclosed that the Federal Government is considering re-engaging retired senior military officers who are still agile in order to help in fighting insecurity.

Investing in veterans is not just about equipping them with skills; its about recognising their service, valuing their potential, and building a stronger, more inclusive nation. By empowering veterans, we empower ourselves. Let us seize this opportunity to honour their sacrifice, unlock their potential, and build a brighter future for all Nigerians.

Mukhtar Yau Madobi, an NDA research student is the author of National Security Strategies: A Young Writers Perspective. Email: ymukhtar944@gmail.com

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The Governor of Jigawa State, Umar Namadi left Nigeria for Saudi Arabia at the weekend accompanied by a high-level delegation from the Jigawa State Government on an official visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with a mission to foster strategic partnerships and attract investments in key sectors vital for the states development.

Some top government officials in the delegation include the Commissioners of Education and Finance as well as the Technical Adviser on Agriculture among others. The delegation has since arrived in Riyadh where they will engage in fruitful discussions aimed at advancing the socio-economic landscape of Jigawa State.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Jigawa State Governor, Hamisu Mohammed Gumel said that the primary objective of the mission is to attract significant investments in the agriculture, education, and health sectors in the state.

Mr Gumel explained that in the agriculture sector, the delegation would seek to establish robust social and business partnerships with prominent financial institutions such as the Islamic Development Bank and the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa, along with potential investors based in Saudi Arabia. He added that the goal is to attract investments exceeding $50 million, which is aimed at enhancing agricultural productivity and driving economic growth within the state.

He stated further: Education remains a focal point of the mission, with discussions underway with the World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY) to finalise plans for various educational projects. These projects include the establishment of an Islamic University and 11 Islamic Centres across Jigawa State, aimed at expanding access to quality education and fostering intellectual development among its populace.

In the health sector, the delegation is exploring collaboration opportunities to conduct health and medical outreach programmes, particularly focusing on corrective eye surgery initiatives within the state. This collaboration aims to address crucial healthcare needs and enhance the well-being of the people of Jigawa State.

While speaking on the eve of the delegations departure, Governor Namadi emphasised the importance of leveraging international partnerships and investments to drive sustainable development and create opportunities for the people of Jigawa State. He expressed confidence in the fruitful outcomes of the mission.

Mr Gumel said the three collaborative fields form part of Governor Namadis 12-point agenda blueprint, aimed at advancing the states development. He added that agriculture remains the mainstay of Jigawa States economy, while the education and health sectors are also critical to the states development.

He stressed that Governor Namadi is highly optimistic about the potential collaborations and investments that could be realised through this visit.

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The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has sealed the Priesthood Orphanage in Karon Majigi Village, Abuja after 23 children between the ages of one and 14 were rescued from the orphanage.

The children were believed to have been allegedly trafficked from Plateau State.

Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi, the mandate secretary, Women Affairs Secretariat, FCTA, disclosed this while handing over the children to Plateau Commissioner for Women Affairs, Caroline Dafur, in Abuja on Monday.

She said that an investigation was ongoing to unravel the facts of the allegation.

Mrs Benjamins-Laniyi also said the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, had authorised the Secretariat to profile and recertify orphanages operating within the nations capital.

Using this as an example, one of the first things I have done is to get approval for the recertification of orphanage homes in Abuja.

The Minister has approved that there will be a full thorough reprofiling and recertification of anything that has to do with orphanages in Abuja, she said.

The mandate secretary said the Secretariat was already working with Mrs Dafur to reunite the children with their families.

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She added that some of the children had been in the uncertified orphanage since 2019.

Also speaking, Mrs Dafur said that three of the children had escaped due to the poor condition of the orphanage.

She added that the escaped children were discovered by officers of the Federal Road Safety Corps, who reported the case to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons.

She said the FRSC officials further took the children to the Human Rights Radio, Abuja, who then notified the Plateau Government and the FCT Women Affairs Secretariat.

We came in yesterday and on reaching here, we were told that they went to church. We kept going from one church to another, looking for them until we found them in a Deeper Life Church.

From there we went to the orphanage and what we saw in that place, in fact, is not supposed to be called an orphanage.

The place is just so unkempt. Nine girls were sleeping in a very small room with just two mattresses.

For the boys, they were in a small room too, with two mattresses just on the floor. It is so pathetic the way human beings treat their fellow human beings in this country, she said.

She thanked the mandate secretary for assisting in evacuating the children to the Karu Childrens Home.

(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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The Edo State Chapter of the Labour Party (LP) said it is not true that the party denied its governorship aspirants information on venues of Tuesdays ward congresses in the state.

The party spokesperson in the state, Sam Uroupa, who made the rebuttal in a statement on Tuesday, said the allegations were made by Olumide Akpata, a governorship aspirant of the party in the state.

Mr Akpata, a former president of the Nigerian Bar Association, in a letter addressed to the INEC chairperson, accused the party of lack of preparedness for the congress, Mr Uroupa said.

Mr Akpatas claim that the lack of information and transparency regarding the primary election process resulted in a mass departure of aspirants from the party is unfounded.

The LP spokesperson said those who withdrew or abandoned their aspirations were not officially recognised as the party aspirants.

Aspirants are individuals who have successfully purchased both the expression of interest and nomination forms, as opposed to those who merely expressed interest without completing the form purchase.

None of the individuals in question acquired either the nomination form or expression of interest. Some of these individuals only utilised the partys branding on social media platforms like Facebook to solicit funds and donations from LP supporters worldwide.

After achieving their objectives, they abandoned their alleged ambitions based on flimsy and unverifiable excuses, as detailed in Mr Akpatas letter announcing their departure from the party or resignation from their ambitions, he said.

He further said the party had notified security agents in the state of Tuesdays (today) ward congress and had also held meetings with stakeholders of the party informing them of the procedures that will be employed in electing the delegates which will in turn vote to elect the governorship candidate of the party.

The Edo people will on 21 September elect a new governor to succeed Godwin Obaseki who is spending the last year of his second term in office.

The LP, according to the spokesperson of the party in Edo, is holding its ward congress across the 192 wards in the state on Tuesday.

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Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, the socio-political group of Nigerians of South-east extraction on Monday in Enugu directed that Nigerians from the geopolitical zone should not partake in a planned national protest.

There had been plans by some groups that Nigerians at home and in the diaspora should embark on protests over economic hardships in the country.

President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, who gave the directive, said he had received entreaties requesting him to call Nigerians from the geopolitical zone to join in the violent demonstration across the country.

As your leader, I am directing that no Igbo group or community in Nigeria or the diaspora should join any protest against this government.

I am still studying the situation and I have asked those who made entreaties to me to tell me what their position was before the current administration.

I have asked what they did when Igbo land was disenfranchised in the past, he said.

Mr Iwuanyawu described the current economic crisis in Nigeria as unfortunate and assured that he would convene a meeting of top Igbo economists and experts to strategise on how to overcome the hardships.

He said the economists and experts would proffer advice to President Bola Tinubu on the economy, and Igbos would rally around the president to ensure that he completed his tenure.

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Igbos are opposed to military rule and prefer a democratic government where we can express our views.

Youths all over the world are very restive and sensitive to issues affecting their future. In Nigeria, Igbo youths and youths from other tribes at various times have expressed their dissatisfaction with events in the country.

It is clear to us that when youths from other tribes of the country are involved, they are reprimanded and forgiven; but when Igbo youths get involved they are arrested, incarcerated and even charged for serious offences.

For example, the arrest and detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu generated a lot of problems for Igbos.

Many Igbos, including governors, law-makers, religious leaders, traditional rulers, and business leaders pleaded for the release of Mazi Kanu without success, he noted.

Mr Iwuanyanwu also expressed displeasure that many Igbo youths were in correctional centres for flimsy reasons.

Most of the Igbo are in the Southeast and the region is sadly marginalised in all ramifications as it is the only geopolitical zone that has only five states.

This situation has cost us billions in financial losses. It has also cost us losses in political appointments and legislative representations.

In 2005 and 2014, we raised these issues at various political conferences.

All men of goodwill at the conferences agreed that it was unfair for the Southeast to have only five states.

They recommended that an additional state be created in the Southeast, but up till today, this has not been done, Iwuanyanwu said.

He said his statement should serve as a notice that if no step was taken by the Federal Government and the National Assembly to create an additional state in the Southeast, he would go to court.

There have been protests in some parts of the country over the current economic crisis rocking the country.

On Monday, some youths in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, took to the streets to protest against the high cost of living in the country. The protesters called on President Bola Tinubu to fix the crisis.

Governors elected on the platform of the PDP had also recently called on the President to throw in the towel if he could not fix the economic crisis in the country.

(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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Combined security agencies have busted a camp of suspected insurgents in Achalla, a community in Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigerias South-east.

The police spokesperson in the state, Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed this in a statement forwarded to PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday.

Mr Ikenga, a deputy superintendent of police, said the camp was busted when the combined security operatives raided it on Monday.

The police spokesperson said the Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, Aderemi Adeoye, ordered the operation.

He said the commissioners order came after the insurgents allegedly disrupted business activities at the communitys market the previous Monday by ordering traders in the market to sit-at-home.

Mr Ikenga said the combined operatives took the insurgents by surprise prompting them to flee with gunshot wounds leaving trails of blood.

He said all the operatives involved in the operation have returned safely to their various security agencies.

The operation which was hugely successful led to the recovery of five exotic vehicles previously snatched at gun point.

Also recovered were over 300 rounds of machine gun ammunition and 34 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition for AK-47 rifles, he said.

The police spokesperson said the commissioner has directed that owners of the recovered vehicles be contacted to come forward with proof of ownership and carry them.

Manhunt for fleeing insurgents will be extended to hospitals and clinics with a view to ensuring they are brought to justice after receiving adequate treatment, he stated.

Connecting the Dots

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), in August 2021, introduced a sit-at-home order every Monday across the South-east to pressure the Nigerian government to release its detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu, who is standing trial for alleged terrorism at a Federal High Court, Abuja.

The separatist group later suspended the order, in preference for it to be implemented only on days Mr Kanu appears in court.

But despite its suspension, residents of the five South-east states  Enugu, Ebonyi, Imo, Abia and Anambra  have been observing the Monday sit-at-home order, mostly out of fear.

IPOB had repeatedly disowned the Monday sit-at-home across the region, saying those who still enforce the order were criminals attempting to blackmail the separatist group.

But Simon Ekpa, who leads Autopilot, a faction of IPOB, has continued to declare the sit-at-home in the region, despite being suspended by the IPOB faction led by Mr Kanu.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that Mr Kanu, the IPOB leader in July 2023, through Aloy Ejimakor, his special counsel, ordered Mr Ekpa to stop issuing sit-at-home orders in the region.

But the pro-Biafra agitator, described the letter as fake, and maintained that the illegal action would go on until Mr Kanu speaks to him directly in Finland, a North European country, where he (Ekpa) resides.

IPOB is a group leading the agitation for an independent state of Biafra which it wants carved out from the South-east and some parts of the South-south Nigeria.

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Donald Trump has taken a new step after a New York court fined him $355 million for business fraud last Friday. Showing his entrepreneurial side, the former U.S. president and Republican front-runner for the November presidential election has devised a new way of making money from his supporters: he is launching his own brand of sneakers called Trump Sneakers.

During the Sneaker Con sneaker conference held in Philadelphia on Saturday, Trump took advantage of his appearance at the event to promote his foray into this market, which is particularly popular in the United States. According to the website created for the launch of his footwear brand, the Republican will offer three different types of sneakers and two perfumes.

The star product receiving the most attention is a limited edition of 1,000 units called Never Surrender, which was priced at $399 for each pair of sneakers. Gold-colored, Converse-style shoes with a T on the tongue and an American flag on the heel counter (the part that covers the ankle), the Never Surrenders sold out just one day after their release. Trump is also selling the unlimited and cheaper T-Red Wave for $199, a red sneaker with a white sole that also features the T, the American flag and the number 45 in reference to his presidency, as well as the POTUS 45 model, which is similarly priced and much the same as the T-Red Wave but in white.

Currently, Forbes estimates Trumps wealth at about $2.6 billion. Most of it comes from real estate assets located in New York, a region that is the heart of his business empire. Now, after last Fridays ruling, he will not be able to run any company in the state for the next three years.

Throughout his career as a businessman, Trump has experienced bankruptcies and promoted business lines that were not well received, such as his own brand of vodka and an airline called Trump Shuttle. Ive been wanting to do this for a long time, the Republican candidate said of launching the sneaker brand. I think its going to be a huge success, he added. With the already sold-out Never Surrender shoes alone, Trump has brought in $399,000.

The money he makes from the sneakers will be useful to Donald Trump, who faces two major challenges that threaten to leave the billionaire cash strapped. On the one hand, he has the campaign for the November election ahead of him, and on the other, he faces a series of legal proceedings, including four criminal trials in which he must defend himself. The first of them starts soon. On March 25, the trial in the Stormy Daniels case begins; he is accused of having paid hush money to a porn actress to avoid harming his political career.

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HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Sources, a company with a wealth of experience in conducting worldwide trade shows, proudly presents Global Sourcing Fair Vietnam 2024, a landmark event to be held on April 2426 at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC) in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Vietnam's must-attend sourcing expo dedicated to international sourcing, this year's fair promises an unparalleled increase in scale, doubling the magnitude of its highly successful predecessor in 2023.

This global celebration of sustainable and export-ready products spans Home & Furniture, Gifts & Handicrafts, and Fashion & Textiles. Over 500 suppliers from across ASEAN and Asia will exhibit, 70% of them from Vietnam. This event establishes a platform for face-to-face connections with verified suppliers, providing overseas buyers with the opportunity to source OEM, ODM, OBM, and export-ready products.

WATCH THE VIDEO TO SEE THE FULL SHOWCASE

Building on the resounding success of the 2023 edition, which attracted 12,000 overseas buyers, including industry giants like El Corte Ingles, Decathlon, H&M, and Marks & Spencer, Global Sourcing Fair Vietnam has established itself as a go-to destination for industry leaders seeking top-tier suppliers. This year, the event has already garnered pre-registrations from prominent names such as Staples, Gap, Unilever, and others, eagerly anticipating the opportunity to source new products and prepare for the upcoming seasons in 2025.

The fair extends beyond product exhibits to offer an immersive experience. Attendees can participate in personalized one-on-one business matching sessions, gain manufacturing insights through the free factory tours exclusively for verified VIP buyers, and enjoy an appealing subsidy package. Visitors can take in the Fashion Parade, featuring a varied selection of exhibitors' products. In addition, a range of digital services, including GlobalSources.com and the Global Sources app, is all set to offer a superior trade experience for global buyers and suppliers both during and after the shows.

SECURE YOUR SPOT NOW

About Global Sources

Global Sources is an internationally recognized B2B sourcing platform that has been driving global trade for over 50 years. The Company connects authentic buyers and verified suppliers worldwide with tailored solutions and trusted market intelligence through trade shows, digital platforms, and magazines. Global Sources pioneered the world's first cross-border B2B E-commerce website GlobalSources.com in 1995. The Company has over 10 million registered international buyers and users.

For inquiries, please contact: gsfvn-service@globalsources.com

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15 May  8 September 2024

LONDON, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Japan is synonymous with exemplary design and yet has no dedicated national museum of design. Leading Japanese designers from different disciplines were asked, "If there were a permanent Japanese design collection, what would you put in it?". Their diverse responses are the subject of an exciting new exhibition opening at Japan House London in the spring, following successful shows at the National Art Center in Tokyo and at partner sites in Los Angeles and Sao Paulo.

Wooden spinning tops from Hyogo: an exhibit from Design Discoveries: Towards a Design Museum Japan at Japan House London 15 May - 18 September.

Seven major Japanese creators, from filmmakers to architects and fashion designers, present their chosen national treasures, spanning 10,000 years from a variety of locations across the country. Each choice represents something from a specific prefecture, and the exhibition presents the background story of each example of design, its specific connection to the region, and in-depth perspectives from the experts who chose and researched the objects.

Designers and their chosen treasures on display at Design Discoveries: Towards a DESIGN MUSEUM JAPAN

Fashion designer Hirokawa Tamae , whose past work is part of the permanent collection at MoMA in New York , presents the 700-year-old Hakata Gion Yamakasa Festival in Fukuoka , calling it 'a pillar that connects the past, present, and future'.

, whose past work is part of the permanent collection at MoMA in , presents the 700-year-old in , calling it 'a pillar that connects the past, present, and future'. Architect and ex-Sega videogame designer Mizuguchi Tetsuya offers up a ' transacoustic piano ' from Shizuoka , in which an embedded speaker creates a sonic experience that can be felt through the entire body.

Shizuoka Fashion designer Morinaga Kunihiko (of brand ANREALAGE ) presents haburagin - a talismanic patchwork garment worn by trainee priestesses from the island of Amami in Kagoshima .

ANREALAGE Amami Sudo Reiko, one of Japan's most influential textile designers, looks at sportswear inspired by the enormous paper lanterns paraded in Toyama's Yotaka Andon Festival.

Yotaka Andon Tagawa Kinya , co-founder of international design agency Takram , and Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Art (UK), picks ' Yanagi Sori Cutlery ' from Ishikawa . Yanagi Sori (19152011) was one of Japan's most revered product designers, and Tagawa delves into Yanagi's design of a single spoon.

Takram Ishikawa Yanagi Sori Tagawa Yanagi's Architect Tane Tsuyoshi shows earthenware from the Jomon Period , shedding light on people's daily living situations in Iwate over 10,000 years ago and how this still impacts design today.

Iwate Filmmaker Tsujikawa Koichiro chooses the beauty of wooden spinning tops from Hyogo because 'a toy is the first designed object a human comes into contact with'.

Each design is presented on a dedicated display cube, in and around which the contributors contextualise and explain the significance of their chosen design treasure. The displays include videos documenting each creator's research process, produced by NHK, Japan's Emmy Award-winning public media broadcaster.

Visitors will be invited to participate in an interactive section of the exhibition, asking them to answer the question "What does design mean to you?", contributing examples from their own cultures and daily lives. Guests are also encouraged to mark sites of interesting design they have encountered across the world on an expansive "Design Map".

Sam Thorne, Director General and CEO of Japan House, said:

"Spanning ten millennia, this exhibition is an experiment in imagining what a design museum of the future might look like. It is about speculation and collaboration. We are thrilled to be presenting it at Japan House London."

Organized by NHK, Japan's only public media broadcaster, together with NHK Promotions and NHK Educational, the exhibition is part of Japan House's global touring exhibition programme. The exhibition was first shown at the National Art Center in Tokyo, followed by Japan House Sao Paulo in 2023 and Japan House Los Angeles in January 2024. The version appearing at Japan House London in May 2024 will include a new global interactive map, where visitors are invited to share their own design treasures, not seen at any of the prior iterations of the exhibition.

Notes to Editors

About Japan House London

Japan House London is a cultural destination offering guests the opportunity to experience the best and latest from Japan. Located on London's Kensington High Street, the experience is an authentic encounter with Japan, engaging and surprising even the most knowledgeable guests. Presenting the very best of Japanese art, design, gastronomy, innovation, and technology, it deepens the visitor's appreciation of all that Japan has to offer. This year, Japan House London marks five years of bringing the best of Japan to the UK and beyond. Part of a global initiative, there are two other Japan Houses, one in Los Angeles and the other in Sao Paulo.

CONTACT: press.office@japanhouselondon.uk

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2342856/Japan_House_London.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2340450/4550419/JAPAN_HOUSE_London_Logo.jpg
LONDON, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- TerraPay, a global money movement company, is pleased to announce the appointment of Ruben Salazar Genovez, recently the Global Head of Visa Direct, as President.

Ruben Salazar Genovez, TerraPay

As a seasoned veteran of the payments industry with experience at Visa, Citibank, Barclays and Mastercard, Mr Salazar Genovez has established himself as a respected leader in the payments industry. Prior to joining TerraPay, he served as the Head of Visa Direct globally where he successfully spearheaded various initiatives contributing to the growth and transformation of Visa's money movement offering.

As President of TerraPay, Mr Salazar Genovez will be responsible for defining the company's strategic vision for global expansion and the development of its payments infrastructure and non-card network capabilities. Leveraging his deep expertise in the payments sector, he will drive the implementation of innovative strategies to further strengthen TerraPay's position as a leading player in cross-border money movement and non-traditional payments.

Ruben Salazar Genovez, President, TerraPay, said: "I am truly honored to join TerraPay as President during such an exciting phase of its journey. TerraPay has already demonstrated its ability to revolutionize cross-border payments, and I am excited to contribute to the next chapter of its success. With a strong foundation in place, I am confident that we can accelerate our global expansion and develop new, innovative solutions that will shape the future of the payments landscape."

TerraPay's Board of Directors is confident that Mr Salazar Genovez's extensive experience and strategic insights will be instrumental in driving the company's growth and expanding its global footprint. His appointment reflects TerraPay's commitment to attracting top-tier talent to fuel its ambitious global expansion plans.

Ambar Sur, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, TerraPay, said: "Ruben Salazar is an exceptional addition to our leadership team, and we are thrilled to welcome him as President of TerraPay. His deep knowledge of the payments industry, coupled with his proven track record in driving global growth, will be invaluable as we continue to expand our presence worldwide. We are confident that under Ruben's leadership, TerraPay will continue to revolutionize the payments and money movement landscape and meet evolving customer demands."

Ani Sane, Co-Founder and Chief Business Officer, TerraPay, said: "Ruben's servant leadership approach and client-centric perspective will help us accelerate our commercial efforts and strategic partnerships, deepening our participation in the market. We are delighted to welcome Ruben to the TerraPay family."

About TerraPay:

TerraPay simplifies the movement of money everywhere  providing a single connection to the most expansive cross-border payments network regulated in 30 global markets and enabling payments to 140+ receive countries, 210+ send countries, 7.5Bn+ bank accounts and 2.1Bn+ mobile wallets. TerraPay is on a mission to connect a borderless financial world, making moving money everywhere instant, reliable, transparent and fully compliant. TerraPay pushes the boundaries for global businesses  ranging from banks, fintechs and money-transfer operators to travel businesses, creator economy platforms and e-commerce marketplaces  while driving financial inclusion in even the most inaccessible markets. Founded in 2014, TerraPay is headquartered in London, with global offices in Bangalore, Dubai, Miami, Bogota, Dar es Salaam, Kampala, Hague, Dakar, Joburg, Nairobi, Milan, Singapore and is expanding rapidly, having received funding from leading investors, including the IFC (the World Bank), Prime Ventures, Partech Africa and Visa.

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Patrons Can Enjoy a Premium Margarita at a Discounted Price on February 22

LUBBOCK, Texas, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Abuelo's Mexican Restaurant, famous for its authentic, made-from-scratch Mexican cuisine and hand-crafted Mexican margaritas, announced today that all Abuelo's locations will celebrate National Margarita Day on February 22 with a significant discount on its hand-crafted, Premium Margaritas.

Guests dining in on National Margarita Day can enjoy a Premium Margarita at Abuelo's for just $7.95 from open to close. National Margarita Day Premium Margaritas include the signature El Jefe Margarita and its popular Platinum Hand-Shaken Margarita, Skinny Margarita and Raspberry Hibiscus Margarita.

"At Abuelo's, we're dedicated to quality and using the finest, freshest ingredients. Our hand-crafted, Premium Margaritas are no exception," said Brian Bell, Vice President of Marketing and Beverage for Abuelo's Mexican Restaurants. "As National Margarita Day approaches, the Abuelo's team is excited to offer our premium selection of margaritas at a discounted price for guests to experience."

Enjoy an Abuelo's Premium Margarita with its wide selection of unique house specialties and traditional Tex-Mex items. See the dedication that Abuelo's Mexican Restaurant has to providing the freshest ingredients and perfect Premium Margaritas at www.youtube.com/abuelosTV . Find an Abuelo's Mexican Restaurant near you at www.abuelos.com/restaurants .

About Abuelo's

Since its first opening in 1989, Abuelo's Mexican Restaurant has consistently been on the leading edge of made-from-scratch, family-style Mexican food. Experience homemade cooking with rich flavors of coastal and interior Mexican cuisine using the finest and freshest ingredients. Owned and operated by Food Concepts International in Lubbock, Texas, the company currently has 25 full-service restaurants located in eight states that provides in-house authentic Mexican food, Mexican food delivery, Mexican food to go, and Mexican food catering. For more information, visit www.abuelos.com , Abuelo's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Abuelos or Abuelo's Instagram page at www.instagram.com/eatabuelos/ .

Media Contacts:

[email protected]

SOURCE Abuelos
WASHINGTON, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) is pleased to announce actor Marilee Talkington will be among those to receive the prestigious Helen Keller Achievement Award, which AFB will present during a special evening ceremony on April 18th in Los Angeles.

Actor Marilee Talkington will receive the American Foundation for the Blind's 2024 Helen Keller Achievement Award Post this Actor Marilee Talkington

An acclaimed actor and activist for performers with disabilities, AFB recognizes Talkington for her continued contribution to breaking down barriers for people with disabilities in the performing arts. She recently made history again, capturing the role of Morgan Le Fey in Aaron Sorkin's adaptation of Camelot, becoming the first self-identified legally blind actress cast in a principal role on Broadway. With over 25 years of experience on stage and screen, Talkington also continues to open doors for other actors with disabilities, founding AC3: Access Acting Academy, the first-of-its-kind actor training studio for performers who are blind or have low vision.

"Throughout her twenty-five-year career in the performing arts, Marilee has broken down the misconceptions too often placed upon individuals with disabilities," said AFB President & CEO Eric Bridges. "By taking on over 100 individual roles, her success on stage and screen has bridged the inclusion gap for performers with disabilities."

Since 1994, the Helen Keller Achievement Award has recognized the finest thought leaders, change-makers, and performing artists committed to carrying on Keller's mission to create a world of full and equal inclusion for people with disabilities. For over 40 years, Helen Keller was AFB's leading ambassador, inspiring millions worldwide as she demonstrated all that can be accomplished through determination and perseverance.

AFB continues to honor Keller's legacy by recognizing exceptional individuals and organizations from industry, education, and the arts who have distinguished themselves in pursuit of expanding possibilities for those who are blind, deafblind, or have low vision. Past honorees include author and advocate Haben Girma, tech leader and entrepreneur Bernard Newcomb, Chef Christine Ha, actor Charlie Cox, and performing artists Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder.

Founded in 1921, the American Foundation for the Blind creates equal opportunities and expands possibilities for people who are blind, deafblind, or have low vision through advocacy, thought leadership, and strategic partnerships. In addition to publishing the Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness (JVIB), AFB is also the proud steward of the Helen Keller Archive on www.afb.org.

SOURCE American Foundation for the Blind
If the presidents of the United States were chosen by historians, Donald Trump would not have much of a chance of returning to the White House. Thats according to scholars who voted in the third edition of a poll conducted by professors Brandon Rottinghaus, a professor of political science at the University of Houston, and Justin S. Vaughn, an associate professor of political science at Coastal Carolina University. The survey places the current occupant of the White House, Joe Biden, in 14th place out of 45 presidents.

Rottinghaus and Vaughns initiative, called the Presidential Greatness Project Expert Survey, had low participation: 525 respondents were invited to participate, and 154 usable responses were received, yielding a 29.3% response rate. Respondents included current and recent members of the Presidents & Executive Politics Section of the American Political Science Association, which is the foremost organization of social science experts in presidential politics, as well as scholars who had recently published peer-reviewed academic research in key related scholarly journals or academic presses.

Historians and political scientists were asked to rate presidents from 0 to 100, where 0 is Failure and 100 is Great. Organizers noted that the results of this ranking are quite similar to the results from our previous surveys (released in 2015 and 2018): Abraham Lincoln again tops the list (95.03 average), followed by Franklin Delano Roosevelt (90.83), George Washington (90.32), Teddy Roosevelt (78.58), Thomas Jefferson (77.53), Harry Truman (75.34), Barack Obama (73.8) and Dwight Eisenhower (73.73). The most notable changes in this ordering are Franklin Delano Roosevelt moving up to #2 from the third spot last year, and Dwight Eisenhower falling back to #8 from #6 last year. Except for Roosevelt, who was president when Mount Rushmore was sculpted, the other four presidents who top the list are those whose faces are reflected on the South Dakota monument.

Donald Trump is the worst rated (10.92) by experts, behind even James Buchanan (16.71), the president who failed to avert the Civil War. Although respondents have a certain progressive bias, there is a strong consensus that Trump was a terrible leader. By partisan affiliation, both Democratic and independent historians consider him the worst president ever, while Republicans place him in 41st place, leaving Buchanan in last place. Something similar occurs in terms of respondents ideology: experts who identify themselves as progressive or moderate placed Trump last and those who define themselves as conservative ranked him 43rd, again with Buchanan placing dead last.

Biden ranked 14th place with 62.66 points, behind John F. Kennedy (10th), Barack Obama (7th) and Bill Clinton (12th), but ahead of Ronald Reagan (16th), George H. W. Bush (19th), George W. Bush (32nd) and Donald Trump (45th).

Bidens good showing is due in large part to the fact that he kicked Trump out of the White House. Bidens most important achievements may be that he rescued the presidency from Trump, resumed a more traditional style of presidential leadership and is gearing up to keep the office out of his predecessors hands this fall, wrote Vaughn and Rottinghaus in a column published in the Los Angeles Times.

The opinion of political scientists and historians is, however, very different from the opinion of ordinary citizens, according to polls that give Biden the lowest approval rating for a president since Jimmy Carter. Furthermore, his age (81 years) and mental acuity have become causes of concern, even for supporters of his own party.

Biden and Trump are the most likely candidates for next Novembers presidential election. Most polls are giving Trump an advantage for now, both in the popular vote of the country as a whole and in the decisive states. It is unclear what role Trumps indictments and trials may have in the campaign. So far, the court cases have worked in his favor among grassroots Republican voters, and Trump seems on track to secure the nomination in the primaries. It is less clear what the effect of seeing him sitting in the dock, or even of a hypothetical conviction, would be among independent, moderate and undecided voters.

Republicans and conservatives feel that George Washington was the best president, ahead of Lincoln, a favorite of the Democrats, independents, progressives and moderates. There is a great difference of opinion based on ideology about many of the recent presidents (Reagan, George H. W. Bush, Obama and Biden). In the case of the current president, the Democrats rank him 13th place; independents rank him 19th and Republicans put him in 30th place.

In the first post-Trump survey, we see a significant bump for recent Democratic presidents with each one moving up in the rankings while each of the recent Republican presidents dropped down, with the exception of President Trump who remained at the bottom of the rankings, Vaughn said in a statement released by the University of Houston.

As presidential scholars reassess the impact of the modern presidency from administrative and cultural standpoints, we see significant shifts over time in what constitutes presidential greatness, Rottinghaus added.
New design allows for denser packing, significantly reducing transportation needs, and improves farmer usability

BEIJING and TEL AVIV, Israel, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- ADAMA Ltd. (the "Company") (SZSE 000553), a leading crop protection company, today announced the expanded use of its newly designed one-liter containers, demonstrating its commitment to greater sustainability. These containers were developed to reduce environmental impact and improve farmer usability and have already been successfully launched in India.

The new containers replace the old cylindrical shape with a rectangular one, leading to multiple sustainability benefits. They can be placed more densely on pallets and trucks, enabling 45% more product to be packed in the same space, reducing transportation needs and associated carbon emissions. This results in a 17.2% reduction in GHG emissions, eliminating the release of up to 340 metric tons of CO 2 e into the atmosphere annually. The amount of CO 2 e saved by the new packaging is comparable to a new car being driven 2.8 million km or the yearly absorption capacity of 27,000 trees. They also comprise 10% less plastic, saving plastic waste.

Farmers also find the new design to be more convenient to use. The containers feature a texture of raised bumps for improved grip, a wider opening for easier access and pouring, and they are compatible with the European industry standard Closed Transfer System (CTS) to reduce the risk of contact with the product. The new shape takes up less storage space on the shelf and its flat sides make it easier to read the product name when packed tightly.

"In response to the growing emphasis on sustainable agricultural practices within ADAMA and among farmers globally, we are continuously working to reduce the environmental footprint of our products," said Ronen Golan, Head of Market Facing Programs at ADAMA. "We developed our new containers with farmers and their daily activities in mind, enabling them to engage in more sustainable practices while addressing additional pain points they face, without changing their routines. It's a win-win situation for everyone."

ADAMA's new one-liter packaging will expand to Europe and Israel in Q1 2024, before arriving in South America in Q2-3 2024.

About ADAMA

ADAMA Ltd. is a global leader in crop protection, providing practical solutions to farmers across the world to combat weeds, insects and disease. Our culture empowers ADAMA's people to actively listen to farmers and ideate from the field. ADAMA's diverse portfolio of existing active ingredients, coupled with its leading formulation capabilities and proprietary formulation technology platforms, uniquely position the company to develop high-quality, innovative and sustainable products, to address the many challenges farmers and customers face today. ADAMA serves customers in over 100 countries globally. For more information, visit us at www.ADAMA.com and follow us on Twitter at @ADAMAAgri.

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ADAMA Contact:

Tal Moise

Public Relations

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE ADAMA Ltd.
Investments in iconic Brooks Hall and real-world learning opportunities that ensure the College's future vitality

MEADVILLE, Pa., Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Allegheny College, one of the nation's oldest and most innovative four-year colleges, where multidisciplinary learning breaks the conventional mold, has announced that it has received a three-part leadership gift totaling $16 million from alumna and Allegheny College trustee emerita Patricia Bush Tippie ('56), and an additional $5 million from an anonymous donor. The donations ensure the College will be able to implement bold improvements and innovations to impact teaching and learning, the student experience, and the region's economic development.

Underscoring her support for President Ron Cole's leadership and the Allegheny College Strategic Pathway, Mrs. Tippie's gift includes a $10 million commitment to renovate Brooks Hall, one of the campus's most visible and utilized landmarks. The gift will be leveraged to raise an additional $10 million to modernize and upgrade the historic residence hall into a vibrant living and learning space, while utilizing sustainability practices that support the College's carbon net neutrality.

Allegheny College Receives $21 Million in Gifts to Enrich the Campus and Student Experience Post this

The gift also includes a five-year, $5 million commitment to create fund-matching opportunities during the College's annual fundraiser, Gator Give Day, which involves alumni, students, and friends of the College. Also, a $1 million endowed Student Investment Fund is being created in the Bruce R. Thompson Center for Business and Economics. The Student Investment Fund, initiated by business and economics students, will give students real-world experience investing in the stock market and will be 100 percent run by students under the guidance of faculty and an advisory board.

"Significant investments from forward thinking donors like Mrs. Tippie, who are committed to higher education excellence, ensure that Allegheny College is destined to thrive with relevance well into the future," said President Cole. "On behalf of the Board of Trustees, the faculty, staff, and students, we are grateful to our major donors who make it possible for us to continue to provide access to a transformative education that boldly innovates to meet the needs of today's and tomorrow's learners and prepares them for meaningful lives and valuable careers."

An anonymous donor has given $5 million to revitalize the historic Reis Hall to become the new home for Allegheny's Center for Interdisciplinary Studies and the Allegheny Lab for Innovation and Creativity (ALIC). Established in 2019, ALIC is an ecosystem of resources that provides students and community partners hands-on experience with emerging and established digital fabrication and design technology to design and build prototypes of products, artistic projects, media, smart devices, robotics, and anything else they can imagine. In addition to building partnerships for regional workforce and economic development, the ALIC empowers Allegheny College students through co-op opportunities, micro-credentials, manufacturing advance placement, and more.

About Allegheny College

Allegheny College, founded in 1815, is one of the nation's oldest and most innovative four-year colleges where multidisciplinary learning breaks the conventional mold. It is one of the few colleges in the United States with a unique requirement to choose both a major and minor for graduation, to provide students with a cross-disciplinary path in the sciences and humanities for educational depth and intellectual growth. Located in Meadville, Pennsylvania, Allegheny College is one of 40 colleges featured in Loren Pope's "Colleges That Change Lives." In its 2024 rankings, U.S. News & World Report recognized Allegheny College as one of the country's top 100 national liberal arts colleges  and one of the top 25 best for undergraduate research and creative activities.

Media Contact

Ivy Cohen

Ivy Cohen Corporate Communications

ivy@ivycohen.com

(212) 399-0026

SOURCE Allegheny College
In Recognition of Sleep Awareness Week, Sleep Cycle Analyzed How Well Americans are Sleeping Across the Country

GOTHENBURG, Sweden, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Sleep Cycle, the leading sleep tracking application and one of the most widely used solutions worldwide to improve sleep health, analyzed over 15 million hours of sleep across the United States in recognition of Sleep Awareness Week to better understand if Americans are truly getting quality sleep. The analysis uncovered that Hawaii, Nevada and Maryland have the worst sleep quality in the country, while Montana, Colorado and Vermont are sleeping the best.

Sleep Cycle, the leading sleep tracking application and one of the most widely used solutions worldwide to improve sleep health, analyzed over 15 million hours of sleep across the United States in recognition of Sleep Awareness Week to better understand if Americans are truly getting quality sleep. The analysis uncovered that Hawaii, Nevada and Maryland have the worst sleep quality in the country, while Montana, Colorado and Vermont are sleeping the best.

"Sleep is integral to our mental health. As this year's Sleep Awareness Week focuses on sleep health and its connection to mental health, it's a perfect time for Americans to take a step back and think about where sleep is ranked in their lives," said Dr. Mike Gradisar, Ph.D. & Head of Sleep Science at Sleep Cycle. "Practicing healthy sleep habits, such as meditation around bedtime and maintaining consistent bedtimes and wake-up times will elevate your sleep, is especially important as you manage stressors in your day-to-day life."

According to the Sleep Cycle analysis of Sleep Quality across the country, the top ten states with the worst sleep quality were spread out across the nation and included:

Hawaii Nevada Maryland Florida Texas New Jersey Alabama Mississippi Louisiana Georgia

The ten states with the best sleep quality were:

Montana Colorado Vermont Oregon Rhode Island Iowa New Hampshire Idaho Massachusetts Minnesota

To see the full list of states, visit http://tinyurl.com/4e4m7jmj.

So what could be impacting the sleep of Americans? Dr. Gradisar says that one cause could be worry and stress, which could interfere with the ability to fall asleep, as well as one's sleep quality and duration. A 2023 report by the American Psychological Association found that among the day-to-day stress categories, health-related stressors (65%), money (63%), and the economy (64%) were reported among the top significant sources of stress in adults' lives.

Interestingly, with the exception of Hawaii, Maryland and New Jersey, among the top 10 states for lowest sleep quality, they all share commonalities in these stress categories. They all rank low for access to healthcare as well as high poverty rates and low for economic opportunities. While Hawaii, Maryland and New Jersey are outliers, the states rank among the top for high cost of living, which can certainly impact stress.

While stress can impair sleep by prolonging how long it takes to fall asleep as well as fragmenting sleep, Dr. Gradisar recommends the following novel tips to reduce worry and improve sleep while dealing with day-to-day stressors.

Mindfulness body scan practice : in a 2018 study people were asked to listen to a 15-minute mindfulness body scan at bedtime  and to practice this for 2 weeks. It found that people who regularly took more than 30 minutes to fall asleep, fell asleep about 50% faster after 1 week of practicing this technique.



: in a 2018 study people were asked to listen to a 15-minute mindfulness body scan at bedtime  and to practice this for 2 weeks. It found that people who regularly took more than 30 minutes to fall asleep, fell asleep about 50% faster after 1 week of practicing this technique. Watch TV to distract from worries : yes. About 30% of people fall asleep watching TV before bed. In fact, there's practically no relationship between watching TV and sleep. But keep in mind that this should be a temporary solution.



: yes. About 30% of people fall asleep watching TV before bed. In fact, there's practically no relationship between watching TV and sleep. But keep in mind that this should be a temporary solution. Find something that helps distract and relax your mind : in the end, you need to find something that redirects you from those racing thoughts and worries. For example, you can try the Sleep Program called 'Relax the Mind' within the Sleep Cycle app. This notion of redirecting your mind to more pleasant thoughts is a technique called 'Cognitive refocusing', which has been shown to be effective after a couple of weeks of practice.

Sleep Cycle is a mobile app that has helped millions of people in the U.S. understand their sleep habits and improve their sleep. The app helps users fall asleep more easily, tracks and analyzes sleep during the night, wakes the user in a light sleep phase and provides insight into how sleep quality is best improved. Sleep Cycle measures sleep quality by the amount of time spent in bed, the amount of time spent in deep sleep, the frequency of motion and intensity for each movement and the amount of times when the Sleep Cycle application registered its user as "fully awake". For more information and to download the application, visit https://www.sleepcycle.com/.

METHODOLOGY

For this report, Sleep Cycle ranked average sleep quality from highest to lowest using data from over 14M sleep sessions in the US during 2023. Sessions lasting between 4 and 12 hours were included. Sleep metrics were averaged for sessions that began in 2023 and segmented by region (state), city, or gender where applicable. Only breakdowns with more than 1000 unique users were included in the analysis.

DISCLAIMER

The contents of this press release is of general character and intended for informational purposes only. The information is not adapted after individual sleep quality or health status. It does not constitute and is not intended to constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and should never replace any advice given by a physician or other qualified healthcare provider.

ABOUT SLEEP CYCLE

With millions of daily active users and over two billion nights analyzed in more than 150 countries, Sleep Cycle is the leading sleep tracking application and one of the most widely used solutions worldwide to improve sleep health. Sleep Cycle's mission is to improve global health by empowering people to sleep better. Since its launch in 2009, Sleep Cycle has helped millions of people understand their sleep habits and improve their sleep. The mobile application helps users fall asleep more easily, tracks and analyses sleep during the night, wakes the user in a light sleep phase and provides insight into how sleep quality is best improved. Sleep Cycle is one of the world's most comprehensive sources for statistics on sleep and contributes to research and reporting on sleep worldwide. Sleep Cycle is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm under the ticker SLEEP. The head office is located in Gothenburg, Sweden.

SOURCE Sleep Cycle
DUBLIN, Feb. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Asia-Pacific Electric Vehicle (EV) Battery Housing Market - Analysis and Forecast, 2023-2032" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The Asia-Pacific electric vehicle battery housing market (excluding China) is projected to reach $1.88 billion by 2032 from $530.5 million in 2023, growing at a CAGR of 15.15% during the forecast period 2023-2032. The growth of the electric vehicle battery housing market is projected to be driven by increased interest in electric vehicles, the expansion of charging infrastructure, the requirement for lighter materials, and the quest for improved driving range, among other factors.



The Asia-Pacific (APAC) electric vehicle battery housing market is experiencing robust growth, primarily driven by the soaring demand for electric vehicles (EVs) across the region. With governments encouraging eco-friendly transportation solutions and setting ambitious emissions reduction targets, there is a rapid adoption of EVs. The expansion of charging infrastructure, both in urban areas and along major roadways, further supports this growth.

Moreover, lightweight materials are being increasingly employed in battery housings to enhance energy efficiency and driving range, aligning with the ever-evolving EV technology. Additionally, the APAC region boasts a thriving automotive manufacturing sector, making it a focal point for battery housing production. As a result, the APAC electric vehicle battery housing market is poised for continued expansion, offering significant opportunities for manufacturers, investors, and industry stakeholders in the evolving electric mobility landscape.

Leading electric vehicle OEMs are continuously working to manufacture and sell vehicles with higher range. The growing need for affordable and high-performing electric vehicle battery housing is one of the major factors for the growth of the electric vehicle battery housing market. The market is more on the consolidated side at present, where electric vehicle battery housing manufacturers have been successful to a certain extent in strengthening their market position in the APAC market.

However, with the rise of electric vehicles with better ranges, the existing established players are expected to face stiff competition from emerging players. Moreover, partnerships and collaborations are expected to play a crucial role in strengthening market position over the coming years, with the companies focusing on bolstering their technological capabilities and gaining a dominant market share in the electric vehicle battery housing industry.



Market Segmentation:

Segmentation by Cell Format

Pouch Cell

Cylindrical Cell

Prismatic Cell

Segmentation by Vehicle Type

2-Wheeler

3-Wheeler

Off Road Vehicles

Commercial Vehicles

Passenger Vehicles

Segmentation by Material Type

Steel

Aluminium

GFRP

CFRP

Segmentation by Battery Chemistry Type

Lithium-Ion

Lead Acid

Others

Segmentation by Component Type

Top Cover

Bottom Cover

Others

Segmentation by Country

Japan

South Korea

Rest-of- Asia-Pacific and Japan



Growth/Marketing Strategy:

The electric vehicle battery housing market has been growing at a rapid pace. The market offers enormous opportunities for existing and emerging market players. Some of the strategies covered in this segment are mergers and acquisitions, product launches, partnerships and collaborations, business expansions, and investments. The strategies preferred by companies to maintain and strengthen their market position primarily include partnerships, agreements, and collaborations.



Competitive Strategy:

The key players in the APAC electric vehicle battery housing market analyzed and profiled in the study include steel suppliers, aluminium suppliers, plastics suppliers, electric vehicle battery housings manufacturers that develop, maintain, and market electric vehicle battery housings.

Moreover, a detailed competitive benchmarking of the players operating in the electric vehicle battery housing market has been done to help the reader understand the ways in which players stack against each other, presenting a clear market landscape. Additionally, comprehensive competitive strategies such as partnerships, agreements, and collaborations are expected to aid the reader in understanding the untapped revenue pockets in the market.



Some prominent names established in this market are:

UACJ Corporation

Minth Group

Hanwha Solutions Advanced Materials



Key Topics Covered:



Executive Summary



Scope of the Study



1 Markets

1.1 Industry Outlook

1.1.1 Electric Vehicle Trends: Current and Future

1.1.2 Electric Vehicle Battery Housing Market: Overview

1.1.3 Supply Chain Analysis

1.2 Business Dynamics

1.2.1 Business Drivers

1.2.1.1 Increasing Demand for EVs Globally

1.2.1.2 Rising Concern Toward the Environment

1.2.1.3 Increasing Government Support

1.2.1.4 Growing EV Battery Production and Robust Design Requirements

1.2.1.5 Continuously Declining Price of Li-Ion Battery

1.2.2 Business Challenges

1.2.2.1 Lack of Standardization

1.2.2.2 Underdeveloped Value Chain for Raw Materials in Developing Countries

1.2.2.3 Development of Electric Roads

1.2.3 Business Strategies

1.2.4 Corporate Strategies

1.2.5 Business Opportunities

1.2.5.1 Light Weight Battery Housing Systems: From Steel to Aluminum

1.2.5.2 Housing with Integrated Cooling Systems

1.2.5.3 Composite Battery Housings: Lightweight and Safe

1.2.5.4 Battery Swapping Systems



2 Region

2.1 Asia-Pacific and Japan

2.1.4 Asia-Pacific and Japan (by Country)

2.1.4.1 Japan

2.1.4.2 South Korea

2.1.4.3 Rest-of-Asia-Pacific and Japan

2.2 China



3 Markets - Competitive Benchmarking & Company Profiles

3.1 Key Suppliers

3.2 Competitive Benchmarking

3.3 Company Profiles

UACJ Corporation

Hanwha Solutions Advanced Materials

Minth Group

Hitachi Metals, Ltd

Teijin Limited



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ru3lxt

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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Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



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SOURCE Research and Markets
CHARLOTTE, NC and LONDON, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Basware , a global leader in AP automation and invoice processing, has announced major global expansion plans as Bookings rose 52 per cent and Recurring Revenue Growth accelerated year-over-year (YoY) in 2023.

In 2023, Basware acquired Glantus alongside expanding its footprint globally, including markets such as APAC and Southern Europe. Basware has ambitious plans to continue its expansion across the US, Europe and APAC with further investment in customer growth, AI innovation, compliance and fraud prevention expected this year.

Basware Announces Major Global Expansion Drive as Bookings Grow 52% in 2023 Jason Kurtz, CEO, Basware

Last year, the company made several key hires including Jason Kurtz as CEO to lead the company's growth strategy. Basware also welcomed Steve Canning as Chief Revenue Officer and Mark Johnston as Chief Customer Success Officer to drive growth and value for customers throughout the sales and customer cycle.

Over 2023, following a rebrand and focus on AP (accounts payable) automation, Basware expanded with more than 100 high-profile brands including DHL Express and Alstom , while adding to its global portfolio of 900+ AP customers. It maintained a customer retention rate of 97.4 per cent, for brands that saw value to remain a Basware customer. In 2023, Basware handled over 220 million invoices and $900bn in invoice spend through its platform.

Basware continued to deliver innovative product solutions in 2023, including SmartPDF with AI Instant Learning that trains AI to recognize exception invoices, an AP Team Performance Discovery dashboard to better manage AP workload, and generative AI customer service tool AskMary .

For almost 40 years, Basware's AI-enabled AP automation and invoice processing platform has empowered Chief Financial Officers and finance teams at enterprise organisations such as HP and Mercedes-Benz to automatically handle invoices, greatly reducing processing time while boosting accuracy and compliance. With increasing compliance demands for financial teams, Basware helps customers keep up with regulatory mandates and e-invoicing requirements in specific markets around the world.

In 2023, Basware was recognized as a Gartner Peer Insights Customers' Choice for Procure-to-Pay Suites based on customer reviews.

Jason Kurtz , CEO at Basware , said:

"Our commitment to supporting the office of the CFO continues to be a driving force behind Basware's expansion. Last year, we had one of the most successful financial years in Basware's 40-year history, and what's most satisfying about our accomplishments is the positive feedback we've received from our customers. Whether it's Gartner's Peer Insights or the direct comments we receive about our enhanced customer experience, we are thrilled that the changes we've made are positively impacting our customers and we know that the best is yet to come."

"Basware's focus for 2024 centers on supporting enterprise businesses to elevate their finance processes to best practice levels and create value by meeting the ever-changing regulatory needs of financial teams. With our partner first strategy, we are fully aligned to showcase the quantifiable business value of Basware's solutions, and our strategy continues in enabling all of our customers to be 100 per cent touchless in their AP departments."

To drive further growth, Basware has developed a partner first strategy, bolstered by the appointment of Kevin Farrell in 2023 as SVP, Business Development and Alliances. Its strategy will drive innovation for finance teams at enterprises through Basware's collaboration with professional services firms, financial consultancies and value-added resellers. To enable this strategy, Basware is undertaking a modernization of its knowledge management and e-learning tools to ensure integrated knowledge flows across its organisation and partner ecosystem.

Services to prevent fraud and ensure compliance are another core pillar of Basware's growth plans in 2024. It acquired Glantus in October 2023 and expanded its AI-driven overpayment and fraud detection capabilities to alleviate the pressures for over 70 per cent of businesses subject to invoice or payment fraud each year.

Basware became a privately-held corporation in 2022 in a go-private transaction led by software private equity firm Accel-KKR.

Dean Jacobson, Chairman of the Board at Basware, and Managing Director at Accel-KKR , commented:

"The finance function is central to every business, and continues to be more complex as businesses grow. Technology is vital in providing CFOs and their finance teams with the scale, speed and accuracy required to meet business demands. Basware is well on its way in fulfilling a mission to be indispensable to the office of the CFO, and the consortium of investors led by Accel-KKR is committed to backing the company to deliver on that mission."

About Basware

Basware is how finance leaders in global enterprises can finally automate their complex, labor-intensive invoice processes and stay compliant with regulatory change. Our AP automation and invoicing platform helps you achieve a new level of efficiency  in a matter of months  while reducing errors and risks. We bring a unique combination of true automation, complete coverage, and deeper expertise to make it all just happen for our customers. That's why the world's most efficient AP departments at thousands of companies rely on Basware to handle over 220 million invoices per year. Basware. Now it all just happens.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2343348/Basware_growth.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2343347/Basware_CEO.jpg

SOURCE Basware
SINGAPORE, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Thai Airways announced today the flagship carrier placed an order for 45 787 Dreamliners as the airline looks to modernize and grow its widebody fleet and international network. Thai Airways selected the 787-9 to support its long-term strategy to renew and expand its fleet with more efficient jets, as well as open new routes to support high demand for air travel across Southeast Asia.

Boeing and Thai Airways announced today the flagship carrier placed an order for 45 787 Dreamliners as the airline looks to modernize and grow its widebody fleet and international network.

"To accomplish our company's and the national carbon neutral goals by 2050, the 45 new Boeing 787 Dreamliners will be equipped with GEnx engines, which are known for their cutting-edge technology and reduced environmental impact," said Chai Eamsiri, Thai Airways CEO. "Furthermore, we are confident that the acquisition of the 787 Dreamliners will ultimately benefit our customers and support the growth of our country's economy."

Thai Airways flies widebody jets  including 777s and 787s  to nearly 60 domestic and international destinations, including the Middle East, Asia and Europe. With more 787-9s in their fleet, the airline will operate more efficiently, as the Dreamliner family reduces fuel use and emissions by up to 25% compared to the airplanes it replaces.

"Thai Airways' strategic investment in the 787 Dreamliner builds on our long-standing partnership and signifies the airline's commitment to operate a modern, efficient and flexible fleet," said Brad McMullen, Boeing senior vice president of Commercial Sales and Marketing. "This order will support Thai Airways' ability to meet demand, foster tourism and trade, and create further opportunities for this carrier."

The order, which was finalized in December 2023, was listed as unidentified on Boeing's Orders & Deliveries website. Boeing's 2023 Commercial Market Outlook for Southeast Asia projects that the region's widebody fleet will see a three-fold increase over 20 years, with growing demand for nearly 800 airplanes including passenger jets such as Boeing's 787 Dreamliner family and 777X, as well as freighter models.

At 20 feet (6 meters) longer than the 787-8, the 787-9 will enable Thai Airways to fly nearly 20% more passengers farther and build on routes first opened by the 787-8. Since revenue service began in 2011, the 787 family has launched more than 390 new nonstop routes around the world.

Boeing's partnership with Thai Airways and support of the country's aviation industry span more than 60 years. Boeing's presence in Thailand includes offices in Bangkok and support for important causes including STEM education, programs for people with disabilities and sustainable livelihood through permaculture methods.

As a leading global aerospace company, Boeing develops, manufactures and services commercial airplanes, defense products and space systems for customers in more than 150 countries. As a top U.S. exporter, the company leverages the talents of a global supplier base to advance economic opportunity, sustainability and community impact. Boeing's diverse team is committed to innovating for the future, leading with sustainability, and cultivating a culture based on the company's core values of safety, quality and integrity. Join our team and find your purpose at boeing.com/careers.

Contact

Amber Mizerak

International Sales Communications, Southeast Asia & Oceania

+65 9783-1571 (Singapore)

[email protected]

Boeing Media Relations

[email protected]

SOURCE Boeing
Kate O'Neill and Jessica Stafford Join as Company Enters Next Stage of Growth

CHICAGO, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Built In , the leading recruiting platform for hard-to-hire tech roles, today announced that it has appointed Kate O'Neill as Chief Financial Officer and Jessica Stafford as an Independent Board Member to help bolster the company's continued growth.

Key hires fuel Built In's growth and innovation, driving success in tech talent recruitment for startups to Fortune 500. Post this Kate ONeill, Chief Financial Officer, Built In Jessica Stafford, Board Director, Built In and SVP, Consumer Solutions, Cox Automotive Inc.

Kate O'Neill is a seasoned finance professional with an extensive background in the software industry, particularly in the HR technology market. She brings a wealth of experience in financial strategy and global operations to Built In. Her appointment marks a strategic move as Built In expands its overall market position. O'Neill joins the company from Rival, formerly SilkRoad Technology, where she was Chief Financial and People Officer.

"Kate is an exceptional fit for Built In at this stage of our growth. She excels at navigating global strategies and aligning financial objectives with changing market conditions and broader organizational goals, and will undoubtedly contribute to the continued success of our business," said Maria Christopoulos Katris, CEO of Built In.

Built In also announced the addition of Jessica Stafford to its Board of Directors. Stafford is the Senior Vice President of Consumer Solutions at Cox Automotive, running the two largest automotive shopping brands  Autotrader and Kelley Blue Book, the largest dealer website and marketing business in Dealer.com, and Cox Automotive Ecommerce, an industry-leading innovative ecommerce solution.

"We're thrilled to welcome Jessica to the Built In Board," Katris continued. "Her experience in scaling marketplaces through connecting buyers with sellers and driving profitable digital transactions will be critical as Built In continues to go deeper in providing an unparalleled experience in seamlessly connecting tech professionals with companies, across multiple regions with multiple revenue streams."

These key appointments align with Built In's commitment to growth and innovation positioning the company for continued success in helping companies, from startups to the Fortune 500, recruit the hardest to find technology professionals.

About Built In:

Built In is the "always on" recruiting platform that reaches the tech professionals that other leading recruiting platforms don't. Designed to help companies cost-effectively hire expert tech talent, Built In continuously drives brand awareness with content. Monthly, millions of the industry's most in-demand global tech professionals visit our site to stay ahead of tech trends and news, learn skills to accelerate their careers, find the right job opportunities and get hired. Thousands of companies, from fast-growing startups to the largest enterprises rely on Built In. By putting their stories in front of our uniquely engaged audience, we help them hire otherwise hard-to-reach technical and expert talent. www.builtin.com .

Contact

Haley Russo

[email protected]

SOURCE Built In
Pet parents are invited to enter their adorable animals into the new, bracket-style tournament to determine who will be this year's winning bunny

HERSHEY, Pa., Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The start of spring just got a whole lot cuter! Returning for a sixth year, the Cadbury Bunny Tryouts are back in search of the next Cadbury Bunny. Starting today, February 20, whether you're the proud pet parent of a darling Dalmatian, charming calico or even a lovable lizard, your furry (or not so furry) friend has the chance to take home the title of 2024's Cadbury Bunny and a cash prize!

Credit: The Hershey Company

Since 2019, each spring, Cadbury has put the call out to pet owners looking to cast the next big star of its beloved Cadbury Bunny Tryouts ad spot. This year, for the first time, Cadbury is hopping into the madness of March where furry friends can enter to compete amongst finalists in a bracket-style elimination tournament on Instagram.

Open for entry  how to submit your pet's photo or video

To enter*, pet-parents must follow @CadburyUSA on Instagram and post a picture or video of their pet on their feed explaining why their pet should be the 2024 Cadbury Bunny. Entrants must post from a public Instagram account, tag the Cadbury brand (@CadburyUSA) and use #CadburyBunnyContest in their post, to accept terms and conditions. Finalists will be announced in early March.

The winning "bunny" and its owner will have the opportunity to receive up to $7,000 in prizes over the course of five rounds of voting, and the chance for the "bunny" to star in the 2025 Cadbury Bunny Tryouts commercial.

From March 11  March 23, fans can vote during 24-hour periods until a winning "bunny" is crowned. Voting rounds include:

Round of Thirty-Cute  Voting opens on March 11

Creme Sixteen  Voting opens on March 13

A Litter of Eight  Voting opens on March 18

Final Fur  Voting opens on March 20

Final Vote  Voting opens on March 22

"The spring season is a special time for our Cadbury team, but the Cadbury Bunny Tryouts are perhaps the best part of all," said Natalie Shuntich, senior associate marketing manager at The Hershey Company. "The annual competition has evolved into a moment that fans eagerly await each year, and it is an honor to engage with both Cadbury and pet lovers alike, year after year, making them a central part of our brand."

Animal lovers everywhere can follow along and vote for their favorites on the @CadburyUSA Instagram as pets are narrowed down from the Round of Thirty-Cute to the Final Bunny. In the end, only one fan-favorite can be crowned as the 2024 Cadbury Bunny on March 25. Full rules can be found here: https://www.cadburytryouts.com/. Let the bunny games begin!

Contest Rules

*NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Open only to legal residents of the 50 US/DC, 18 years of age or older at time of entry. Void where prohibited. Entry Period begins 12:00:01 PM ET on 2/20/24 and ends at 11:59:59 PM ET on 2/26/24. If selected as a semi-finalist, you must participate in bracket-style public voting rounds that begins at 12:00 PM ET on 3/11/24 and ends at 11:59:59 AM ET on 3/23/24. Visit https://www.cadburytryouts.com/ for full Official Rules and complete details, including pet requirement, entry method, entry requirements, complete dates, judging criteria and process, semi-finalist & winner selection, and prize descriptions and conditions. To win the grand prize, winning pet featured in entry must be able to perform for camera and remain reasonably stationary while wearing physical bunny ears. Msg&data rates may apply. Sponsor: The Hershey Company, 19 E. Chocolate Ave., Hershey, PA. The Hershey Company sells Cadbury products in the United States under license from Cadbury UK Ltd.

About The Hershey Company

The Hershey Company is headquartered in Hershey, Pennsylvania and is an industry-leading snacks company known for making more moments of goodness through its iconic brands, remarkable people and enduring commitment to doing the right thing for its people, planet and communities. Hershey has nearly 20,000 employees in the U.S. and around the world who work every day to deliver delicious, high-quality products. The company has more than 100 brand names in approximately 80 countries worldwide that drive more than $10.4 billion in annual revenues, including Hershey's, Reese's, Kit Kat, Jolly Rancher and Ice Breakers, and fast-growing salty snacks including SkinnyPop, Pirate's Booty and Dot's Homestyle Pretzels.

For more than 125 years, Hershey has been committed to operating fairly, ethically and sustainably. The candy and snack maker's founder, Milton Hershey, created Milton Hershey School in 1909 and since then the company has focused on helping children succeed through equitable access to education.

To learn more visit www.thehersheycompany.com .

Follow:

http://www.twitter.com/hersheycompany

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-hershey-company

http://www.facebook.com/hersheycompany

http://www.youtube.com/hersheycompany

http://www.instagram.com/hersheycompany

SOURCE The Hershey Company
Highlights

First five holes drilled by Canada Nickel into the "B" Zone intersected multi-hundred metre intervals of 0.27-0.29% nickel and contained higher grade intervals of 0.3% nickel or better Higher grade intervals included 16.5 metres of 0.54% nickel

within a larger interval of 54 metres of 0.38% nickel in BAN23-04

Upcoming summer 2024 drill program will complete the Canada Nickel drill program in preparation for an initial resource later in 2024

Company to host a webcast and conference call to discuss 2024 exploration program on Friday, February 23 rd, 2024 at 11 a.m. Eastern Time

TORONTO, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - Canada Nickel Company Inc. ("Canada Nickel" or the "Company") (TSXV: CNC) (OTCQX: CNIKF) is pleased to announce assay results from its 2023 drill program within the "B" Zone at Bannockburn, a 100% owned Canada Nickel property.

Figure 1  Bannockburn B Zone  CNC Drillholes Over Total Magnetic Intensity. (CNW Group/Canada Nickel Company Inc.) Figure 2 - Bannockburn Property with Nickel Sulphide Zones (modified after Outokumpu, 1999). (CNW Group/Canada Nickel Company Inc.)

"The five Canada Nickel holes drilled to infill the "B" Zone successfully intersected multi-hundred metre intervals of 0.27-0.29% nickel and more importantly, each contained higher grade intervals of 0.3% nickel or better," said Mark Selby, CEO of Canada Nickel. "The Bannockburn "B" Zone has now been tested for its total 1.1-kilometre strike length with multiple intervals in excess of 0.3% nickel from both previous and current drilling. Bannockburn is highly complementary to our southern cluster of properties at Sothman, Midlothian, Van Hise and Powell."

Bannockburn Property

The Bannockburn Property is located 100 kilometres south of Timmins and consists of 151 contiguous unpatented mining claims totaling 3,250 hectares. Bannockburn is situated near the Company's Sothman, Midlothian, Van Hise, and Powell properties forming a southern cluster of highly prospective targets near established infrastructure in Matachewan, Ontario which is located approximately 20 kilometres east of the project area.

This drill program consisted of six holes that formed an infilling of previous work on the "B" Zone. All six drillholes intersected sections of moderate to strongly serpentinized dunite/peridotite. Highlights for the first five holes are listed in Table 1 and shown in Figure 1. Hole BAN23-06 was drilled to test for a possible continuation of the higher-grade "C" Zone into the much larger, lower-grade "B" Zone. Drilling highlights from previous drilling are shown in Table 2.

Other higher-grade historical prospective zones (A, C, D, E, & F) on the property (Figure 2) will be tested in future by Canada Nickel.

Table 1  Bannockburn drilling downhole composites.

Hole ID From

(m) To (m) Length

(m) Ni % Co % Pd

g/t Pt

g/t Pd+Pt

g/t S % BAN23-01 65.0 347.0 282.0 0.27 0.010 0.004 0.008 0.012 0.01 including 239.0 284.0 45.0 0.30 0.010 0.006 0.015 0.021 0.01 including 275.0 279.5 4.5 0.34 0.010 0.010 0.056 0.066 0.01 BAN23-02 63.5 386.0 322.5 0.28 0.010 0.007 0.008 0.015 0.09 including 285.5 360.5 75.0 0.31 0.010 0.021 0.018 0.039 0.10 including 300.5 312.5 12.0 0.34 0.012 0.098 0.068 0.166 0.12 BAN23-03 32.0 332.0 300.0 0.29 0.009 0.003 0.004 0.007 0.02 including 239.0 263.0 24.0 0.34 0.010 0.010 0.004 0.014 0.03 BAN23-04 44.0 399.9 355.9 0.27 0.010 0.011 0.009 0.020 0.05 including 197.0 251.0 54.0 0.38 0.011 0.034 0.017 0.051 0.05 including 233.0 249.5 16.5 0.54 0.013 0.072 0.034 0.106 0.21 BAN23-05 10.8 401.0 390.2 0.28 0.010 0.005 0.005 0.010 0.02 including 98.0 108.5 10.5 0.34 0.010 0.017 0.014 0.031 0.03 and 143.0 146.0 3.0 0.48 0.011 0.066 0.039 0.105 0.09 BAN23-06 62.0 214.8 152.8 0.21 0.010 0.006 0.008 0.014 0.13 and 271.7 332.0 60.3 0.21 0.010 0.005 0.006 0.011 0.07

*True width undetermined. All lengths are drillhole lengths.

The "B" Zone is a large mineralized ultramafic measuring 1.1 kilometres along strike by up to 600 metres across strike (based on its magnetic response) as shown in Figure 1 with a total target geophysical footprint of 0.5 km2. The "B" Zone was drilled in 2021 by Grid Metals Corp. ("Grid Metals") to a depth of 340 metres, with the best hole, GBN21-03, intersecting 342 metres of 0.28% nickel. Historic drilling by Outokumpu Mines Inc. ("Outokumpu") intersected 203 metres of 0.33% nickel in MBB4-09 and 25 metres of 0.46% nickel in BN-19-98. Preliminary mineral processing in 2005 by Grid Metals showed that a 0.33% nickel bulk sample from the "B" Zone resulted in a 52% or higher nickel recovery and a 35% nickel concentrate (see Grid Metals press release February 17, 2021).

Table 2  Grid Metals Previous Drilling  "B" Zone.

(previously reported)

Hole ID From

(m) To (m) Length

(m) Ni % GBN21-01 71.5 232.4 160.9 0.24 including 103.0 125.6 22.6 0.30 with 118.0 125.6 7.6 0.38 GBN21-02 40.5 337.0 296.5 0.28 including 98.0 210.0 112.0 0.32 with 147.0 195.0 48.0 0.34 GBN21-03 39.3 381.0 341.7 0.28 including 256.5 321.0 64.5 0.30 GBN21-04 115.5 309.0 193.5 0.31 including 133.5 162.0 28.5 0.40 and 225.0 247.5 22.5 0.41 GBN21-05 49.7 219.0 169.3 0.20 including 79.5 105.0 25.5 0.27 GBN21-06 60.0 247.5 189.0 0.27 including 133.5 174.0 40.5 0.30 and 210.0 235.5 25.5 0.31 GBN21-07 36.0 405.0 369.0 0.24 including 160.5 273.0 112.5 0.27 with 231.0 273.0 42.0 0.29 GBN21-08 72.0 303.0 231.0 0.24 including 132.0 258.0 126.0 0.28

Table 3: Drillhole Orientation

Hole ID Zone Easting (mE) Northing (mN) Azimuth () Dip () Length (m) BAN23-01 B 506714 5313946 245 -50 347 BAN23-02 B 507020 5313630 235 -50 386 BAN23-03 B 507113 5313412 240 -61 332 BAN23-04 B 506820 5313767 245 -55 401 BAN23-05 B 506890 5313398 55 -50 401 BAN23-06 B 506855 5313908 120 -50 332

Repayment of Auramet Loan Facility

The Company has also repaid the US$12 million loan facility with Auramet International, Inc.

Conference Call Details:

Date: Friday, February 23, 2024

Time: 11 a.m. ET

Participants may join the webcast and call as follows:

Audience URL: https://app.webinar.net/P1exkL4kgN2

Dialing local Toronto: 416-764-8688

Dialing North American Toll Free: 888-390-0546

Dialing International Toll Free:

Australia: 1800076068

Germany: 08007240293

Switzerland: 0800312635

South Africa: 0800994942

UK (England): 448006522435

For those unable to participate, a web based archive of the conference call will be available for playback at the same Audience URL used to access the live webcast.

Statement Regarding TSX Venture

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.

Quality Assurance and Control, Drilling and Assaying

Edwin Escarraga, MSc, P.Geo., a "qualified person" as defined by National Instrument 43-101, is responsible for the on-going drilling and sampling program, including quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC). The core is collected from the drill in sealed core trays and transported to the core logging facility. The core is marked and sampled at 1.5 metre lengths and cut with a diamond blade saw. One set of samples is transported in secured bags directly from the Canada Nickel core shack to Actlabs Timmins, while a second set of samples is securely shipped to SGS Lakefield for preparation, with analysis performed at SGS Burnaby or SGS Callao (Peru). All are ISO/IEC 17025 accredited labs. Analysis for precious metals (gold, platinum and palladium) are completed by Fire Assay while analysis for nickel, cobalt, sulphur and other elements are performed using a peroxide fusion and ICP-OES analysis. Certified standards and blanks are inserted at a rate of 3 QA/QC samples per 20 core samples making a batch of 60 samples that are submitted for analysis.

Certain data disclosed in this news release is related to previous and historical drilling results. Canada Nickel has not undertaken any independent investigation of the sampling nor has it independently analyzed the results of the historical exploration work in order to verify the results. Canada Nickel considers the historical drill results relevant as the Company is using this data as a guide to plan exploration programs.

Qualified Person and Data Verification

Stephen J. Balch P.Geo. (ON), VP Exploration of Canada Nickel and a "qualified person" as such term is defined by National Instrument 43-101, has verified the data disclosed in this news release, and has otherwise reviewed and approved the technical information in this news release on behalf of Canada Nickel Company Inc.

About Canada Nickel Company

Canada Nickel Company Inc. is advancing the next generation of nickel-sulphide projects to deliver nickel required to feed the high growth electric vehicle and stainless steel markets. Canada Nickel Company has applied in multiple jurisdictions to trademark the terms NetZero Nickel, NetZero Cobalt, NetZero Iron and is pursuing the development of processes to allow the production of net zero carbon nickel, cobalt, and iron products. Canada Nickel provides investors with leverage to nickel in low political risk jurisdictions. Canada Nickel is currently anchored by its 100% owned flagship Crawford Nickel-Cobalt Sulphide Project in the heart of the prolific Timmins-Cochrane mining camp. For more information, please visit www.canadanickel.com.

For further information, please contact:

Mark Selby

CEO

Phone: 647-256-1954

Email: [email protected]

Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain information that may constitute "forward-looking information" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward looking information includes, but is not limited to, drill and exploration results relating to the target properties described herein (the "Properties"), the potential of the Crawford Nickel Sulphide Project and the Properties, timing of the 2024 drill program, the ability to sell marketable materials, strategic plans, including future exploration and development results, and corporate and technical objectives. Forward-looking information is necessarily based upon several 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 information. Factors that could affect the outcome include, among others: future prices and the supply of metals, the future demand for metals, the results of drilling, inability to raise the money necessary to incur the expenditures required to retain and advance the property, environmental liabilities (known and unknown), general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties, results of exploration programs, risks of the mining industry, delays in obtaining governmental approvals, failure to obtain regulatory or shareholder approvals, and the impact of COVID-19 related disruptions in relation to the Company's business operations including upon its employees, suppliers, facilities and other stakeholders. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. All forward-looking information contained in this press release is given as of the date hereof and is based upon the opinions and estimates of management and information available to management as at the date hereof. Canada Nickel disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

SOURCE Canada Nickel Company Inc.
Top 10 homebuilder and industry leader now selling single-family homes in the greater Seattle metro

AUBURN, Wash., Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Century Communities, Inc.a top 10 national homebuilder, an industry leader in online home sales, and the highest-ranked homebuilder on Newsweek's list of America's Most Trustworthy Companies 2023announced its new community, Canyon Ridge, is now selling a selection of single-family homes in the greater Seattle area. Starting in the low $800s, homes are available for purchase in-person and online.

Bridger Floor Plan Rendering | New Build Homes in Auburn, WA | Canyon Ridge by Century Communities Bennett Floor Plan Rendering | New Construction Homes in Auburn, WA | Canyon Ridge by Century Communities

Offering a versatile lineup of floor plans, including a multi-generational layout, Canyon Ridge features desirable amenities, including five-piece primary bathrooms, luxury vinyl plank flooring, and covered patios. The community's location near I-67 and I-18 provides easy access to downtown Seattle and Tacoma. Additionally, major attractions like The Outlet Collection Seattle, Saltwater State Park, and White River Amphitheatre are all located within 10 miles of the community.

Learn more about Canyon Ridge and schedule an appointment to visit the community model at www.CenturyCommunities.com/CanyonRidge.

NOW SELLING:

Canyon Ridge in Auburn, WA

Now selling from the low $800s

4 floor plans; two-story homes

4 to 5 bedrooms, 2.5 to 3.25 bathrooms, 2-bay garages

2,219 to 2,792 square feet

Select plans feature gas fireplaces, quartz countertops, and gourmet kitchens

Prime location less than two miles from I-67 and I-18 access and only 13 miles from Tacoma

Location:

4587 S. 328th Court

Auburn, WA 98001

425.275.5343

Schedule an appointment to tour the model home at www.CenturyCommunities.com/CanyonRidge.

DISCOVER THE FREEDOM OF ONLINE HOMEBUYING:

Century Communities is proud to feature its industry-first online homebuying experience on all available homes in Washington.

How it works:

Shop homes at CenturyCommunities.com Click "Buy Now" on any available home Fill out a quick Buy Online form Electronically submit an initial earnest money deposit Electronically sign a purchase contract via DocuSign

Learn more about the Buy Online experience at www.CenturyCommunities.com/online-homebuying.

About Century Communities

Century Communities, Inc. (NYSE: CCS) is one of the nation's largest homebuilders, an industry leader in online home sales, and the highest-ranked homebuilder on Newsweek's list of America's Most Trustworthy Companies 2023. Through its Century Communities and Century Complete brands, Century's mission is to build attractive, high-quality homes at affordable prices to provide its valued customers with A HOME FOR EVERY DREAM. Century is engaged in all aspects of homebuilding  including the acquisition, entitlement and development of land, along with the construction, innovative marketing and sale of quality homes designed to appeal to a wide range of homebuyers. The Company operates in 18 states and over 45 markets across the U.S., and also offers title, insurance and lending services in select markets through its Parkway Title, IHL Home Insurance Agency, and Inspire Home Loans subsidiaries. To learn more about Century Communities, please visit www.centurycommunities.com.

SOURCE Century Communities, Inc.
Opinion articles written in the style of their author." These texts are to be based on verified facts and must be respectful towards people, even though their actions may be criticized. shall feature, along with the author's name (regardless of their greater or lesser renown), a footer stating their office, academic title, political affiliation (if any) and main occupation, or the occupation related to the topic being assessed

Following his victories in the Iowa and New Hampshire primaries, Donald Trump is virtually certain to be the Republican candidate for the presidency of the United States in the November elections, and polls give him a slight advantage over Joe Biden. His return to the White House could spell the death knell for American democracy.

In power between 2017 and 2021, Trump certainly tested the limits. If he was initially a symptom of the crisis afflicting our democracy, Trump became its driving force. He deepened existing divisions among Americans, accelerating the countrys dangerous polarization; he lowered the level of public debate through his lies and insults. He ignored the fundamental rules of democracy, starting with respect for the checks and balances of power. Above all, after losing the last presidential election, he used every means at his disposal to try to prevent the peaceful transfer of power, culminating in the insurrection by his supporters on the Capitol in Washington on January 6, 2021.

If American democracy withstood Trumps first term despite everything, it was partly because he arrived at the White House unprepared and surprised  like the rest of us  by his own election. He appointed men and women from the conservative establishment to key positions, who acted as gatekeepers, managing for years to temper his most radical instincts. It was only at the very end of his term, after his election defeat, that he surrounded himself with sycophants prepared to destroy everything to keep him in power. And if we survived that last onslaught, it was thanks to robust institutions and a deep-rooted democratic tradition, but above all to Republican leaders who proved strong enough to stand up to him, like those who refused to find 12,000 votes for him in Georgia, or his hitherto loyal vice president Mike Pence, who refused to invalidate the results.

This time, if Trump is elected, things will be very different. He has spent three years brooding over his resentment and preparing his revenge. Within a network of well-funded groups, such as the powerful Heritage Foundation, his supporters have honed their agenda and drawn up lists of thousands of potential recruits to replace as many career civil servants. From day one, Trump will be able to start implementing his extremist policies and an all-out assault on the democratic institutions that he believes constrained his power.

Trump has made no secret of his intention to wield the power of the state against his enemies, as he told the Conservative Political Action Conference in 2023: I am your warrior. I am your justice. And for those who have been wronged and betrayed: I am your retribution. This will begin with bringing to heel the Department of Justice, which oversees the 93 federal prosecutors, reversing an ethical standard established in 1974 after the Watergate scandal, when President Richard Nixon used the DOJ to persecute his political opponents.

But Trump, who describes his four current criminal cases (two for attempts to subvert democracy, another for endangering national security secrets and another for falsifying business documents in hush money paid to porn actress Stormy Daniels) as evidence of a political vendetta, will not hesitate to use the DOJ to open investigations into his opponents. This is Third World country stuff, arrest your opponent, Trump said. And that means I can do it, too.

Specifically, he said he would appoint a real special prosecutor to go after President Biden and the entire Biden crime family. Conversely, he would almost certainly grant amnesty to all the Jan. 6 rioters, and he would no doubt abuse his office to block federal criminal prosecutions against himself.

Although it is generally illegal to use the military for law enforcement on American soil, Trump reportedly plans to invoke the Insurrection Act of 1792 to turn the military into a personal police force, subdue possible protesters, and take charge of the fight against crime in cities and states governed by Democrats. He announced his intention to create large-scale detention camps for undocumented immigrants. Because, he said, immigrants are poisoning the blood of our country.

This has pushed many Americans to sound the alarm bells. The United States is sleepwalking into a dictatorship, says Liz Cheney, a leader among moderate Republicans. Joe Biden also increasingly focuses his speeches on the threat that Trump poses to democracy.

The danger of a Trump victory is, indeed, very real. The four criminal cases against Trump have already damaged his approval ratings among independent and undecided voters, but it is possible that only the Stormy Daniels case, the least relevant to democracy, will go to trial before the November election. In any case, it is worth remembering that a conviction would not disqualify him from standing for office. In theory, Trump could be disqualified under the 14th Amendment of the Constitution, adopted after the Civil War, which prohibits former officials involved in insurrections (such as the January 6 riots) from ever holding public office again. But the conservative-majority Supreme Court will surely be reluctant to step in and replace the U.S. electorate.

And if the electorate doesnt want Trump, it doesnt want Biden either, despite his strong economic performance. In a deeply divided country, where voter turnout hovers between only 55%-60%, mobilization will be key on election day, but Biden does not arouse nearly the same enthusiasm among his potential voters as Trump. His support for Israels war in Gaza will cost him votes among Black and young voters, as well as in the Arab and Muslim communities, who were decisive in his 2020 victory in several key states. Above all, Americans, including most Democrats, think Biden is too physically and mentally old to govern for five more years. The devastating February 8 report by a special counsel who portrayed Biden as a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory, and the gaffes he made in his public responses to the report have finally opened a debate about his possible replacement as the Democrat presidential candidate.

Because he faces no serious opposition in the primaries, Biden will have won almost all the delegates to the Democratic National Convention in August that will name the partys candidate. This means, he could only be replaced if he agrees to step aside, which  for the moment  he does not seem willing to do. And no major Democrat has wanted to break ranks for fear of weakening him even further. But the problem of his mental acuity will not go away. The strategy of limiting his campaign appearances to avoid further mistakes cannot be successful in the long term and only prevents him from mobilizing support. Influential outside voices are now urging party leaders like Barack Obama to call on Biden to step aside for the good of the country. This would lead to an open convention for the first time in decades, which could be complicated to organize but would give Democrats the opportunity to present a more compelling candidate with a better chance of winning in November.

The future of American democracy is at stake.

Reed Brody is a human rights lawyer and former assistant attorney general for the State of New York.

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PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ --

TO: All Persons who Purchased Weighted Goods and/or Bagged Citrus in-person at a Walmart retail store, supercenter, or neighborhood market in the United States or Puerto Rico ("Walmart Store") from October 19, 2018 through and including January 19, 2024 (the "Settlement Class Period").

YOU MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR A CASH PAYMENT FROM A CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT. YOUR RIGHTS WILL BE AFFECTED BY THE SETTLEMENT.

YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED, pursuant to an Order of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, that a hearing will be held on June 12, 2024, at 10:00 am, before the Honorable Virginia M. Hernandez Covington in Courtroom 14B of the Sam M. Gibbons United States Courthouse, 801 North Florida Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33602, for the purpose of determining (1): whether the proposed Settlement of this Action, reached between the parties, consisting of Forty-Five Million Dollars ($45,000,000)(the "Class Settlement Amount") in cash, as set forth in the Settlement Agreement dated November 15, 2023, should be approved as fair, reasonable, and adequate to Class Members; (2) whether the release by Class Members of claims as set forth in the Settlement Agreement should be authorized; (3) whether the proposed plan to distribute the Settlement proceeds is fair, reasonable, and adequate; (4) whether to approve Class Counsel's request for an award of award of Attorneys' Fees, Costs, and Expenses seeking fees up to, but not to exceed, 20% of the Class Settlement Amount, plus reimbursement of costs and expenses (which costs and expenses will not exceed $200,000) incurred in connection with prosecuting the Action, plus any interest on such attorneys' fees, costs, and expenses at the same rate and for the same periods as earned by the Class Settlement Fund (until paid); (5) whether this Action should be dismissed with prejudice against Walmart Inc.; and, (6) whether the Judgment and Order of Dismissal should be entered. The date, time, and location of the settlement hearing are subject to change without further notice; any change to the date, time or location of the settlement hearing will be posted on the Settlement website at www.WalmartWeightedGroceriesSettlement.com.

A Settlement was reached in a class action that alleged that persons who purchased in-person at Walmart Stores certain sold-by-weight meat, poultry, pork, and seafood products (called "Weighted Goods") and certain organic oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, and navel oranges sold in bulk in mesh or plastic bags (called "Bagged Citrus") paid more than the lowest in-store advertised price for those products. Walmart denies these allegations and that it did anything wrong.

The Settlement website, www.WalmartWeightedGroceriesSettlement.com, contains product descriptions and a searchable list of UPC Codes for the Weighted Goods and Bagged Citrus, and examples of those products can be viewed in the FAQs and in the Plaintiff's Amended Complaint on the Settlement website, www.WalmartWeightedGroceriesSettlement.com.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE CASE AND SETTLEMENT, INCLUDING HOW TO FILE A CLAIM, A COPY OF THE DETAILED NOTICE DISCUSSING THE SETTLEMENT AND YOUR RIGHTS, INFORMATION ABOUT THE WEIGHTED GOODS AND BAGGED CITRUS PRODUCTS, AND A COPY OF THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT ARE AVAILABLE AT: www.WalmartWeightedGroceriesSettlement.com or call toll-free 1-833-987-9998.

If you are a Class Member, in order to share in the distribution of the Net Settlement Fund, you must submit a Claim online or, if mailed, postmarked no later than June 5, 2024. No supporting documentation is required to be eligible to receive a payment: You may submit a Claim even if you no longer have receipts. You can submit your Claim online at www.WalmartWeightedGroceriesSettlement.com. You may also download the Claim Form from the Settlement Website, or call the Claims Administrator toll-free 1-833-987-9998 to get a paper copy of the Claim Form, and mail your Claim Form to the Claims Administrator. Unless the deadline is extended, your failure to submit your Claim by the above deadline will preclude you from receiving any payment from the Settlement.

If you are a Class Member and you desire to be excluded from the Class, you must submit a request for exclusion, such that it is postmarked no later than May 22, 2024, in the manner and form explained in the detailed Notice, available at www.WalmartWeightedGroceriesSettlement.com. All Class Members who do not timely and validly request exclusion from the Class will be bound by any judgment entered in the Action. If you exclude yourself from the Class, you will not receive any payment from the Settlement.

If you are a Class Member and want to object to the Settlement or Class Counsel's fee and expense application, the objection must be in the form and manner explained in the detailed Notice, which is available at www.WalmartWeightedGroceriesSettlement.com. Your objection must be mailed to each of the following recipients, such that it is postmarked no later than May 22, 2024:

Court Clerk: Clerk, United States District Court Middle

District of Florida, Tampa Division

801 North Florida Avenue Tampa, Florida 33602 Class Counsel: Kimberly M. Donaldson-Smith Chimicles Schwartz Kriner &

Donaldson-Smith, LLP 361 West Lancaster Avenue Haverford, PA 19041 Defense Counsel: Naomi G. Beer Greenberg Traurig, LLP 1144 15th Street, Ste. 3300 Denver, Colorado 80202

PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT THE COURT, THE CLERK'S OFFICE, WALMART, OR DEFENSE COUNSEL REGARDING THIS NOTICE. If you have any questions about the Settlement, you may contact Class Counsel at the address listed above. Additional information about the Settlement can be found at www.WalmartWeightedGroceriesSettlement.com or by calling toll-free 1-833-987-9998.

DATED: January 19, 2024 BY ORDER OF THE COURT



UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT



MIDDLE DISTRICT OF FLORIDA

SOURCE Chimicles Schwartz Kriner & Donaldson-Smith LLP
Top Owner-Operator Acknowledged for Demonstrating Economic Development and Philanthropic Excellence in Local Community

PHOENIX, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the International Franchise Association (IFA) named Chris Shimer of Capriotti's Sandwich Shop in Philadelphia, PA, a 2023 Franchisee of the Year. Shimer was recently honored at the 64th IFA Annual Convention in Phoenix, AZ, for being an outstanding franchise establishment owner-operator.

"Franchisees of the Year exemplify what franchising is all about  providing opportunity, serving others, and fulfilling the American Dream," said Matthew Haller, President and CEO of the International Franchise Association. "We are proud to recognize Chris Shimer with the highest honor IFA awards to individual franchisees, and I have no doubt his work is changing lives and making a lasting community impact."

The Franchisee of the Year Award recognizes leading franchise owners from IFA member brands whose outstanding performance and contributions help protect, enhance, and promote the franchise business model. Nominated by their parent company, individuals are selected for their involvement in their communities, embodying the entrepreneurial spirit, fostering a strong and healthy culture with their workforce, and assisting their fellow franchisees when called upon.

After nearly two decades in the nuclear power industry, Chris embraced a significant career change driven by his motivation and entrepreneurial spirit. Transitioning from a stable career to entrepreneurship, Chris opened his first Capriotti's in October 2020 in Philadelphia, eventually expanding to operate four successful locations. Beyond business operations, Chris actively engages with the community, sponsoring events like Thanksgiving 5K runs and contributing to local schools, showcasing his commitment to making a meaningful impact. Looking ahead, Chris envisions further growth, highlighting the positive impact franchise partners like him have on both brand success and community welfare.

"Chris's unwavering commitment to excellence, coupled with his deep-rooted passion for serving both customers and communities, truly embodies the values that define Capriotti's," said Ashley Morris, CEO of Capriotti's. "This prestigious recognition not only highlights his outstanding achievements but also underscores the positive impact our franchise partners bring to the table. We are honored to have Chris as part of the Capriotti's family, and we look forward to witnessing his future growth and successes."

There are over 800,000 franchised businesses across the U.S., providing over 8.7 million direct jobs and generating over $850 billion in economic output. According to Oxford Economics, franchising on average provides higher wages and better benefits than non-franchised businesses, as well as greater entrepreneurial opportunities to minorities, women, veterans, and other underrepresented communities.

About Capriotti's Sandwich Shop

Founded in 1976, Capriotti's Sandwich Shop is an award-winning national franchised restaurant chain that remains true to its 40-year tradition of slow-roasting whole, all-natural turkeys in-house every day. Capriotti's cold, grilled, and vegetarian subs, cheesesteaks and salads are available at more than 175 locations across the United States. Capriotti's signature sub, The Bobbie, was voted "The Greatest Sandwich in America" by thousands of readers across the country, as reported by AOL.com. Capriotti's fans can also download the CAPAddicts Rewards app for iOS and Android, where they can earn and redeem rewards. Capriotti's plans to grow to over 500 locations by 2025 and was ranked on Fast Casual's Top Movers & Shakers List each of the last four years (2020-23). For more information, visit capriottis.com. Like Capriotti's on Facebook, follow on Twitter or Instagram.

Media Contact: Regan Lee, Fishman Public Relations, 847-945-1300 or [email protected]

SOURCE Capriotti's Sandwich Shop
Non-profit intercultural exchange organization will support bold change models that demonstrate the value of study abroad for students and institutions

SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) has pledged to provide $3,000,000 over four years in matching grants to support colleges who seek to advance their institutional aspirations through a material investment in international programs.

CIEE seeks three institutional partners who will help lead change in study abroad through bold change models that demonstrate:

CIEE has pledged $3 million to support colleges ready to lead change in study abroad. Post this CIEE seeks bold institutional partners to help lead change in study abroad and demonstrate the vital link between global programs, institutional goals, and student success

The vital link between global programs, institutional goals, and student success

The value of higher education with integrated international programs

The pledge was inspired in part by two key themes that emerged from CIEE's 76th Annual Study Abroad Conference held in Paris last November. At the conference, senior leaders from multiple U.S. colleges and universities spoke about how a comprehensive strategy to promote, integrate, and expand international programs advanced their institution's core mission, increased enrollment and student retention, and led to significantly better student outcomes. In addition, leaders in international education shared their belief that the best way to lead change in study abroad is to provide more "Radical Access" to life-changing international programs.

With these themes in mind, CIEE has pledged $3 million over four years to support three colleges that are ready to become a national model of success in leading change in study abroad.

"Leading change means embracing a global program strategy that helps an institution advance its mission and improves student success," said James P. Pellow, Ed.D., President and CEO of CIEE. "We plan to support efforts that can provide a model to the field of education that can be emulated by other colleges and universities."

CIEE has issued a Call for Proposals seeking bold initiatives that leverage global programs to do one or more of the following:

position international education as a solution-center to enrollment strategies, student retention, and student success

expand access for students traditionally underrepresented study abroad

provide global learning experiences for students in critical academic areas (e.g. climate studies, foreign language acquisition)

support innovative styles of experiential learning (e.g. global internships, service learning)

CIEE will provide each winning institution with a matching grant of $1 million over four years (each winning proposal will be funded annually with $250,000 from both the institution and CIEE for total support of $500,000/year).

Proposals are due March 15, 2024.

More information on CIEE's Pledge to Lead Change in Study Abroad, including more information about how to apply for the CIEE matching grants, is at: ciee.org/leadingchange.

About CIEE:

CIEE builds bridges between different people, different countries, and different cultures. For 75 years, we have helped young people participate in high-quality international exchange and study abroad programs that bring the world together. We change lives, our alumni change the world. Learn more at ciee.org.

Contact: Leslie Taylor, [email protected], (207) 553-4274

SOURCE Council On International Educational Exchange (CIEE)
Successful "Test Rest" and "Gift with Purchase" (GWP) programs drive unparalleled conversion rates of in-store traffic

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Elite Rewards, a consumer incentive marketing company based in Tampa, Florida received City Furniture's "Sales Vendor of the Year" Award for 2023 presented by CEO Andrew Koenig for its continued partnership and success growing business through its "Test Rest  Get & Give" and Gift with Purchase (GWP) programs.

"What Elite has been able to accomplish with our in-store promotional strategies, is why they've won the award, " said Kevin Split, City Furniture's Director of Merchandising for the Bedding category. "Elite Rewards is always looking to evolve what customers desire as a gift, they're innovative and timely. For example, during COVID we were giving away bicycles which were hard to come by, now we've hopped on the Stanley tumbler bandwagon".

City Furniture also recognized Elite for its success in increasing conversion of in-store traffic into additional sales utilizing Elite's "Test Rest  Get & Give'' mattress program. City Furniture introduced the concept of "Get $25, Give $25", to customers testing mattresses while visiting the store. For their time and participation customers receive a $25 MasterCard while $25 is donated to City Furniture's affiliated charities. It's part of City Furniture's 5% yearly giving pledge.

The "Test Rest  Get & Give" mattress program has increased sales for City Furniture and last year raised over $1.5 million for City Furniture's affiliated charities, including: American Heart Association, Habitat for Humanity, American Cancer Society, Urban League of Broward County, Prospera, Junior Achievement of South Florida, and the OnePulse Foundation.

"We appreciate the opportunity to partner with a great organization like City Furniture. Their dedication and commitment to giving back to the community is perfectly aligned with Elite's culture," said Tom Coffeen, Vice President of Sales for Elite Rewards. "We're honored to have received "Sales Vendor of the Year" Award, but the real reward is the difference our partnership is making in the lives of those living in our community".

Those wishing to learn more about Elite Rewards, please visit www.eliterewards.biz , or contact J.B. Siegel, Press contact at [email protected] , tel: 727-543-8100.

About Elite Rewards

Elite Rewards is a leading incentive marketing company headquartered in St. Petersburg, Florida. Elite specializes in providing incentives that positively impact behavior, whether in the workplace or the marketplace. The team has over 25 years of experience implementing successful programs across various vertical markets including Furniture, Mattress, Automotive, Healthcare, and FinTech.

Press Contact:

J.B. Siegel

Midnight Consulting

[email protected]

Tel: 727-543-8100

SOURCE Elite Rewards
Experienced CEO Navin Gurnaney Takes Lead at Children's Coding Franchise

ATLANTA, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Code Ninjas, a renowned name in children's coding education, has officially announced its new executive leadership team at the helm of the brand as it makes the move to Atlanta from Houston for its new headquarters. As the franchise solidifies its commitment to shaping the future of coding education for children globally, Navin Gurnaney will serve at the forefront of the energetic executive team as the Chief Executive Officer. Code Ninjas also welcomed Nancy Delgadillo as Vice President of Franchise Development, Edward Kim as Vice President of Education and Training, Tim Klein as Vice President of Operational Excellence, Adam Patterson as Chief Financial Officer, Matt Rogers as Chief Marketing Officer, and Archana Singh as Chief Technology Officer.

"Eagle Merchant Partners is thrilled with Code Ninjas' new leadership under Navin and team, poised to lead in children's coding education," said Zack Taylor, Managing Partner of Eagle Merchant Partners, who acquired Code Ninjas in 2012. "Their expertise promises innovation and growth, signaling an exciting future for the sector. We're confident in their ability to inspire the next tech generation."

Navin comes to Code Ninjas following decades of experience building up teams and businesses at companies such as Starbucks, PepsiCo, Dominos International, Office Depot, and C2 Education. His roles have spanned across three continents: North America, Europe and Asia. Along with his extensive history in the business world, Navin carries a versatile leadership style with a passion for operational excellence, performance, and teamwork.

"I'm really excited about the future of Code Ninjas," said Navin. "Our size, simplicity of concept, and the tailwinds around tech education and child enrichment gives us reason to be very optimistic. Between the new leadership team and engagement of our franchise owners, we are primed for success moving forward."

Drawing on 15 years of industry experience, Nancy, a U.S. Army combat veteran, has effectively guided local and international entrepreneurs and investors across diverse sectors including retail, automotive, and hospitality. In her new role at Code Ninjas, Nancy is committed to amplifying the presence of such a unique and innovative concept dedicated to nurturing the next generation of coders. She focuses on local and international growth, simultaneously fostering the expansion of existing franchisees by facilitating access to a variety of funding sources.

With more than 14 years of experience in education, primarily focused in afterschool K-12 programs, Edward's career has been largely dedicated to transforming learning experiences, driving growth through both effective content and student engagement, and strengthening employee skills. At Code Ninjas, he will be responsible for driving key strategic decisions regarding the curriculum and employee training underlying every Ninja's experience. The overarching goal of his team is to create the best Ninja experience possible.

Most recently, Tim served as a regional director of Starbucks where he supported 150 stores. At Code Ninjas, he will partner with and support owners in building a world class business that has a passion for educating the next generation through coding. Tim will combine the brand's mission to create a culture of fun through coding and learning with operational excellence to ensure Code Ninjas maximizes its positive influence on the community. He will ensure excellence is met in operations by optimizing the dojos, processes, systems and resources.

Adam's 15 years of experience in progressive finance roles includes a background in supporting high-growth, small to mid-sized service businesses. In joining the Code Ninjas team, he will be responsible for aligning people, processes and systems to ensure financial stability and compliance to best support the brand's growth. Adam will partner with franchisees to drive improvements and best practices across the network.

Matt has spent over a decade helping brands develop and execute their marketing strategies, most recently serving as the General Manager of North America and Head of Global Brand for Walnut Coding, a global EdTech company. He is responsible for developing and implementing a clear marketing strategy for Code Ninjas. Additionally, Matt oversees each active campaign in order to elevate the brand's public profile to ultimately drive franchise success.

Archana is a seasoned leader with 20 years in technology and solution architecture and a rich background with EY and NCR POS solutions. Her expertise positions Code Ninjas to significantly advance its technological frontiers, foster innovation and enhance client services. The appointment of Archana reflects the brand's ongoing dedication to staying current with industry trends and continually enhancing its technological capabilities. Archana's experience will lead to positive contributions with her as the new Chief Technology Officer.

This new leadership team, while still early on, has already made a positive impact on the Code Ninjas brand behind Navin's energetic and inclusive leadership style.

Code Ninjas allows children ages 5-15 to immerse themselves in a fun and inclusive environment that provides an opportunity to empower their young minds through interactive and playful technology. For more information on Code Ninjas and franchise opportunities, visit https://connect.codeninjas.com/franchising/franchise-about.



About Code Ninjas Founded in 2016, Code Ninjas is the nation's largest and fastest-growing kids coding franchise. In hundreds of Code Ninjas centers across the country, kids ages 5-15 have fun building video games while gaining life-changing skills in coding, robotics, and problem solving. Kids have fun, parents see results. For more information, visit www.codeninjas.com.

Media Contact: Seth Goodman, Fishman Public Relations, (224) 723-9645 or [email protected]

SOURCE Code Ninjas
NEW YORK, Feb. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The concierge medicine market is expected to grow by USD 6.37 billion from 2023 to 2028. In addition, the momentum of the market will progress at a CAGR of 5.98% during the forecast period, according to Technavio Research. This report offers an up-to-date analysis of the current market scenario, the latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment. Read a PDF Sample Report

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Concierge Medicine Market 2024-2028

Report Coverage Details Page number 163 Base year 2023 Historic period 2018 - 2022 Forecast period 2024-2028 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 7.15% Market growth 2024-2028 USD 7.86 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth 2023-2024(%) 6.47 Regional analysis North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of World (ROW) Performing market contribution North America at 42% Key countries US, Canada, Germany, UK, and China

The market is segmented by application (primary care, pediatrics, cardiology, internal medicine, and others), ownership (group and standalone), and geography (North America, Europe, Asia, and the Rest of the World (ROW)). North America is estimated to contribute 45% to the growth of the global market during the forecast period. The largest revenue-generating countries in this region are the US and Canada. Easy accessibility of concierge medicines in this area is ensured by the presence of major market players.

The growth by the primary care segment will be significant during the forecast period. Primary care is any kind of medical treatment carried out by a healthcare provider. Learn about the contribution of each segment summarized in concise infographics and thorough descriptions. View a PDF Sample Report

"Besides analyzing the current scenario, our report examines historic data from 2017 to 2021"- Technavio

Company Profile:

Cambell Family Medicine, Concierge Consultants, and Cardiology, Crossover Health, Destination Health, MDVIP, MedFind, Ochsner Health, PartnerMD, Peninsula Doctor, Perlman Clinic, Priority Physicians Inc., Scripps Health, Sharp Healthcare, Signature MD, Solv Health Inc., Specialdocs Consultants LLC, UC San Diego Health, Ziff Davis Inc., ZocDoc Inc., and Winstead PC

Ziff Davis Inc. - The company offers concierge medicine solutions such as healthcare finance, senior care, and other medical services. To gain access to more company profiles available with Technavio, buy the report!

The growing geriatric population is the key factor driving growth. The prevalence of diseases, such as lung disease, cancer, and stroke, is high among the aging population. As the immune system deteriorates with age, there is a direct relationship between aging and susceptibility to infection. Apart from the impaired functioning of the immune system, the reduced functioning of organs also increases the chances of acquiring diseases such as chronic liver disease, chronic kidney disease, hypertension, and diabetes. These factors contribute to the demand for concierge medicines.

Increasing demand for personalized medicine is the primary trend shaping growth. Identify key trends, drivers, and challenges. Download a sample report to gain access to this information.

In the evolving healthcare sector, Concierge Medicine, also known as Direct Primary Care, Retainer-based Medicine, or Boutique Medicine, is gaining prominence. This personalized approach offers patients exclusive access to primary care physicians through subscription-based models like Platinum Practices or Concierge Care. Healthcare providers adopt this business strategy to ensure patients receive dedicated attention and comprehensive services. Fees for these services are typically charged on an annual or monthly basis, allowing patients to budget effectively for their healthcare needs. Through Concierge Medicine, doctors can establish deeper connections with their patients, delivering tailored medical care and fostering trust in the doctor-patient relationship. As the demand for personalized healthcare grows, Concierge Medicine emerges as a viable solution for both patients and doctors alike.

The industry addresses the evolving needs of patients, providing personalized care and assistance. Healthcare insurance firms collaborate with medical professionals to offer individualized treatment services, ensuring patient satisfaction and reducing burnout. By prioritizing care and accessibility, facilities aim to mitigate incorrect diagnoses and unhappiness among patients. However, some patients face restrictions on access due to affordability concerns. Despite this, the industry caters to high-income clients seeking luxurious and private medical care. With a focus on affordability and quality, concierge medicine services continue to gain popularity, offering a unique approach to healthcare delivery that combines personalized attention with comprehensive medical support.

Related Reports:

The amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) treatment market size is estimated to grow by USD 663.7 million at a CAGR of 12.79% between 2023 and 2028.

The global radiopharmaceuticals market size is estimated to grow by USD 4,612.62 million at a CAGR of 10.22% between 2022 and 2027.

ToC:

Executive Summary

Landscape

Sizing

Historic Sizes

Five Forces Analysis

Segmentation by Application

Segmentation by Ownership

Segmentation by Geography

Customer Landscape

Geographic Landscape

Drivers, Challenges, & Trends

Company Landscape

Company Analysis

Appendix

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging trends and provide actionable insights to help businesses identify opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their positions.

With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning 50 countries. Their client base comprises enterprises of all sizes, including over 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing scenarios.

Contacts

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com

SOURCE Technavio
Reinforces current and future commitment to social responsibility.

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Cornerstone Relocation Group (Cornerstone), a leading global workforce relocation company, published its inaugural Sustainability Report, outlining its commitment to the shared global community and future vision for its sustainability efforts.

"Cornerstone is proud to present our 2023 Sustainability Report, affirming our commitment to the principles of social responsibility and outlining our goals for future development of our program," said Janelle Piatkowski, President & CEO. "As we celebrate the achievements detailed in our report, we are incredibly proud of the hard work our teams put forth in this space."

"Our 2023 Sustainability Report highlights many of the positive ways we are impacting the communities where we live and work," added Cathy Ronayne, Vice President, Information Management and Executive Sponsor, Sustainability Committee. "As we continue to evolve our efforts, we are eager to collaborate with our clients, supplier partners, and the industry at large in pursuit of our goals."

Highlights from the 2023 Sustainability Report:

Carbon footprint reduction through multiple channels, such as leveraging digital technologies to reduce paper consumption and transition to majority remote workforce

Development of a service-line specific guide to sustainability initiatives for Cornerstone's Supplier Partner Network

Implementation of new DEI Statement & Code of Conduct with new initiatives, including recruitment efforts, mentorship and professional development opportunities, and retention of diverse personnel

Expansion of DEI training programs

Growth in company-wide volunteerism and charitable projects

To learn more about Cornerstone's Corporate Social Responsibility efforts, visit the social responsibility section of its website.

To read the full report, Cornerstone's 2023 Sustainability Report is available for download here.

About Cornerstone Relocation Group

Cornerstone, a member of the Atlas World Group, is a full-service global mobility company, offering comprehensive services to address the workforce mobility needs of corporations worldwide. Founded in 1990, Cornerstone has established itself as the trusted relocation industry leader, tailoring services to meet client needs, always striving to make the seemingly impossiblepossible. For more information, visit www.crgglobal.com.

About Atlas World Group

Headquartered in Evansville, Indiana, USA, Atlas World Group, Inc. comprises a family of companies that deliver transportation and related services globally through a network of quality agents and select service partners. Atlas is distinguished by agent ownership and a shared commitment to help people go to new places more easily and more securely. Through a continuing emphasis on service excellence, the company has achieved extraordinary growth. For more information, visit www.atlasworldgroupinc.com.

Media Contact:

Cheryl Przychodni

908-580-9600

[email protected]

SOURCE Cornerstone Relocation Group
The brand's new advertising campaign pleads the case for a better way to do laundry featuring Hollywood's favorite juror, Ronald Gladden

BENTON HARBOR, Mich., Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Whirlpool Corporation's original laundry detergent, Swash, is flipping the detergent world on its cap and putting a spin on laundry routines with a bold new look and feel debuting at retailers this month.

While Swash Laundry Detergent is still the trusted, ultra-concentrated and simple-to-use formula, consumers will notice all new packaging featuring bright, bold colors and a playful new look for the brand, as well as a re-engineered Auto-Stop Top for even easier dosing.

The newly rebranded Swash Laundry Detergent is available in three scents that just make sense: Smells Like Clean Laundry, Smells Like Nothing, and Smells Like Vacation. The new Swash campaign, Laundry Court, puts the laundry detergent in the courtroom with Jury Dutys Ronald Gladden and pleads the case for a better way to do laundry.

"We're thrilled to reveal a reimagined aesthetic for Swash that reflects the power and personality of this small but mighty detergent bottle," said Amanda Herman, Brand Manager, CPG at Whirlpool Corporation. "Swash has so much to offer consumers with its 8x concentrated formula and this rebrand will help give it the attention it deserves."

To celebrate the unfathomable feat of a detergent bottle tackling a mountain of dirty laundry, Swash Laundry Detergent launched a new advertising campaign titled, "Laundry Court." The spots feature Jury Duty's Ronald Gladden making a return to the jury box as a courtroom deliberates the seemingly impossible concept that Swash Laundry Detergent can make it easy to clean up even the wildest of laundry messes.

The #1 brand recommended by Whirlpool, Maytag, and Amana brands[1], one bottle of Swash Laundry Detergent fits in the palm of your hand and washes 80 regular loads of laundry. It also comes in three scents: Smells Like Clean Laundry, Smells Like Nothing and Smells Like Vacation and is compatible with HE and non-HE washing machines.

Additional Product Information:

With more than 100 years of laundry experience, Swash Laundry Detergent allows users to do more, using less.

Auto-Stop Top: The newly redesigned cap takes the guesswork out of measuring and dispenses the right amount of detergent every time.

The newly redesigned cap takes the guesswork out of measuring and dispenses the right amount of detergent every time. Ultra-Concentrated: The specially formulated detergent washes 80 regular loads per bottle. It's 8x concentrated so you need less than regular detergent and can be used in all machines.

The specially formulated detergent washes 80 regular loads per bottle. It's 8x concentrated so you need less than regular detergent and can be used in all machines. Scents: With two fragrances and an unscented option, clothes will smell fresh and clean. Smells Like Clean Laundry: Infuse laundry with the scent of fresh linen that smells, well, clean. Smells Like Nothing: Knock laundry scentless with a fragrance and dye-free formula. Smells Like Vacation: Bring a little bit of that island getaway craving to every load.

With two fragrances and an unscented option, clothes will smell fresh and clean.

Grab a bottle of the newly rebranded Swash Laundry Detergent, now available online from Amazon and Whirlpool at an MSRP of $17.99. To learn more, visit https://www.swash.com/ .

About Whirlpool Corporation

Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE: WHR) is committed to being the best global kitchen and laundry company, in constant pursuit of improving life at home. In an increasingly digital world, the company is driving purposeful innovation to meet the evolving needs of consumers through its iconic brand portfolio, including Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Maytag, Consul, Brastemp, Amana, Bauknecht, JennAir, Indesit and InSinkErator. In 2023, the company reported approximately $19 billion in annual sales, 59,000 employees and 55 manufacturing and technology research centers. Additional information about the company can be found at WhirlpoolCorp.com.

1 Swash and the other mentioned brands are all owned and distributed by Whirlpool Corporation

SOURCE Swash Laundry Detergent
Engineering NOW! currently accepting applications for Fall 2024

MINNEAPOLIS, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Dunwoody College of Technology , a leader in hands-on technical education, today announces the launch of Engineering NOW!, an innovative new Post-Secondary Enrollment Option (PSEO) designed specifically for students interested in pursuing an engineering degree while still in high school. Eligible students accepted into the pathway will earn college credits from an ABET accredited engineering program for free, while also meeting high school requirements, as they get a head start on a degree in Mechanical Engineering.

Dunwoody College of Technology Launches PSEO Pathway for Mechanical Engineering Dunwoody College of Technology

"We continue to see a high demand for work-ready engineers from industry partners in Minnesota," said Scott Stallman, Provost and incoming President. "With the Engineering NOW! program, we can respond to industry needs in a way that most benefits our students  by offering them an accelerated pathway into great careers in the engineering field. Engineering NOW! is another way that Dunwoody continues to distinguish ourselves as an innovator in higher education."

This unique program can reduce the cost of an engineering degree by allowing students to complete up to one-year of their Mechanical Engineering degree for free through the PSEO program. PSEO students are also provided with a Dunwoody-issued laptop and all required software as part of the program.

Dunwoody is now accepting applications for the fall 2024 semester and limited spots are available.

Engineering NOW! is open to Minnesota students entering their senior year in fall 2024 (or senior-level equivalency in a home school program). Applicants must have a minimum high school cumulative GPA of 3.0 and be in good academic standing with their institution. Math prerequisites must also be met prior to enrollment and include at least three years high school mathematics and include at a minimum Algebra 2 and Trigonometry with a Cumulative Mathematics GPA 3.0; Pre-Calculus, Derivative Calculus, and Integral Calculus courses are also accepted. Interested students must complete the application process by May 30, 2024. Information about the program and how to apply can be found on the Dunwoody website .

Students accepted into the program will learn hands-on in a small-campus environment with dedicated faculty who have worked professionally in the engineering field. First year courses could include: Introduction to Programming, Introduction to Engineering, Engineering Drawings & 3D Design, and Machining for Engineers with Lab along with other general education classes.

Accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, Dunwoody's Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering is designed for those who want a project-focused, team-oriented engineering education that starts on day one.

PSEO is a program created by the Minnesota Department of Education that allows eligible high school students to enroll and earn credits for college courses for free while completing their secondary education.

"Engineers are in high demand, and our college is exploring a variety of ways to get students into the field quickly, while also ensuring they are receiving the highest quality of education," explains EJ Daigle, Dean of the School of Engineering. "This program will allow high school students to learn creative problem solving and gain real-world experience through hands-on projects working in labs stocked with state-of-the-industry equipment and tools."

Dunwoody's Mechanical Engineering degree can lead to employment in a variety of industries, including manufacturing, transportation, and quality control/testing. It's a versatile degree for those who enjoy hands-on creation and problem-solving.

For more information on Engineering NOW! Visit dunwoody.edu/engineering-now or follow the College on Facebook , Instagram , and TikTok .

ABOUT DUNWOODY COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY

Founded in 1914, Dunwoody College of Technology is the only private, not-for-profit technical college in the Upper Midwest. Having provided hands-on, applied technical education to more than 250,000 individuals, Dunwoody is the college for experimenters and makers, a place where the curious and the confident learn by doing. Located in Minneapolis, Dunwoody offers a unique campus experience in dedicated labs, studios, and shops that treats students like future professionals from day one. With certificates, associate's, and bachelor's degrees in more than 40 majors  including engineering, robotics, design and other STEM-related fields  Dunwoody challenges students to come determined and graduate destined.

SOURCE Dunwoody College of Technology
LAS VEGAS, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Emulait, a pioneering force in the baby care industry, proudly announces a strategic partnership with Jet-Set-Go, a premier name in North American distribution, dedicated to delivering baby essentials and innovative products for today's modern family. With a rich history of bringing sought-after European trends to the United States and Canadian markets since 2014, Jet-Set-Go expands its portfolio with the addition of Emulait, an innovative feeding solution that eases the transition between breastfeeding to bottle feeding.

Launched in 2023, Emulait introduces a first-of-its-kind biomimetic baby bottle, designed to replicate the mother's breast in form, feel, and function. This revolutionary technology ensures a natural feeding experience for babies, promoting bonding and developmental benefits. Emulait's mission aligns with Jet-Set-Go's commitment to making parents' lives easier every single day by offering high-quality products that meet stringent standards and regulations.

"We are excited to join forces with Jet-Set-Go and bring the benefits of innovation to families", said Shilo Ben Zeev, founder, and CEO of Emulait. "Since launching a year ago, tens of thousands have enjoyed our product. This foray into the premium retail space will enable us to bring the Emulait feeding experience to more and more families, helping us grow the company and support the healthy feeding of babies with a product that closes the gap between breast and bottle".

Jet-Set-Go's portfolio began with BABYZEN YOYO, the first-of-its-kind French stroller that revolutionized the industry by creating a new on-the-go travel stroller category. In 2018, they introduced Bombol, an award-winning Italian-designed travel booster seat that breaks down to the size of a large envelope. Adding to their offerings in 2019 was Holle, a highly sought-after 86-year-old Swiss organic baby food company, quickly developing a loyal following stateside. Emulait now rounds out their family of products with its innovative feeding solution, backed by science.

"We are honored to partner with Emulait. Shilo and his team have built a brand that is at the forefront of parenting innovation," said Glen Gold, Co-founder/CEO of Jet-Set-Go, the North American Premium Retail Distributor for Emulait. "Their commitment to empowering moms, and positively impacting the baby bottle industry by providing an innovative feeding solution, backed by science, that makes transitioning between breastfeeding and bottle feeding smoother is truly inspiring. They are aligned with our values and mission to support today's families and have accomplished a giant step within the feeding sector by combining ease of use, convenience, and technology all backed by science-based data. We look forward to supporting and growing this long-term partnership."

The partnership between Emulait and Jet-Set-Go represents a dynamic collaboration between two industry leaders, committed to delivering innovative solutions and exceptional customer service. With Emulait's groundbreaking technology and Jet-Set-Go's extensive distribution network, families can expect unparalleled convenience and quality in their baby care products in premium retail stores throughout North America.

About Emulait:

Emulait is a baby care company that revolutionizes the industry landscape through innovative products and solutions. Launched in 2023, Emulait's biomimetic baby bottle aims to replicate the mother's breast, supporting a natural feeding experience for babies and promoting bonding and other developmental benefits.

About Jet-Set-Go:

Jet-Set-Go is a North American distributor delivering baby essentials and innovative products for today's modern family. Since 2014, they have been bringing sought-after European trends to the United States and Canadian markets, maintaining the highest standards in retail and customer service. With a portfolio including BABYZEN YOYO, Bombol, Holle, and now Emulait, Jet-Set-Go continues its mission of making parents' lives easier every single day.

SOURCE Emulait
SILVER SPRING, Md., Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is providing an at-a-glance summary of news from around the agency:

Today, the FDA published an interview with Dr. June Raine , CEO of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the UK's regulator of medicines, medical devices and blood components for transfusion. The interview was conducted in advance of her meeting in London with a delegation of the FDA's senior leaders, including the FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf . After the meeting, the FDA Office of Global Policy and Strategy checked in with Dr. Raine again to get her thoughts about that visit.



, CEO of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the UK's regulator of medicines, medical devices and blood components for transfusion. The interview was conducted in advance of her meeting in with a delegation of the FDA's senior leaders, including the FDA Commissioner Dr. . After the meeting, the FDA Office of Global Policy and Strategy checked in with Dr. Raine again to get her thoughts about that visit. Today, the FDA is reminding sponsors of device studies and manufacturers of devices to carefully evaluate the third parties they engage to conduct performance testing and to independently verify all testing results before submitting to the FDA. The FDA has identified an increase in submissions containing unreliable data generated by third-party test labs, including from numerous facilities based in China and India . This alarming trend has resulted in the FDA being unable to reach a substantial equivalence determination or otherwise authorize marketing for medical devices whose submissions include such data.



To protect patients and healthcare providers from substandard products and ensure that U.S. patients have access to safe, effective, and high-quality medical devices, the FDA is pursuing various actions to identify and confront data integrity violations including through our Bioresearch Monitoring Program. At the same time, the FDA is calling upon the medical device industry to be vigilant and proactive about ensuring the integrity of all data they include in medical device submissions.



and . This alarming trend has resulted in the FDA being unable to reach a substantial equivalence determination or otherwise authorize marketing for medical devices whose submissions include such data. To protect patients and healthcare providers from substandard products and ensure that U.S. patients have access to safe, effective, and high-quality medical devices, the FDA is pursuing various actions to identify and confront data integrity violations including through our Bioresearch Monitoring Program. At the same time, the FDA is calling upon the medical device industry to be vigilant and proactive about ensuring the integrity of all data they include in medical device submissions. On Friday, the FDA published an Outbreak Advisory for an investigation of E. coli O157:H7 linked to raw cheddar cheese. The FDA recommends that consumers, restaurants, and retailers do not eat, sell, or serve Raw Farm-brand Raw Cheddar Cheese (block or shredded) and to throw it away. This is an ongoing investigation and the FDA will update the Advisory should additional consumer safety information become available.



On Friday, the FDA approved osimertinib (Tagrisso, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP) with platinum-based chemotherapy for patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (la/mNSCLC) whose tumors have EGFR exon 19 deletions or exon 21 L858R mutations, as detected by an FDA-approved test. The most common adverse reactions ( 20% incidence) in patients receiving osimertinib plus platinum-based chemotherapy were leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, lymphopenia, rash, diarrhea, stomatitis, nail toxicity, dry skin, and increased blood creatinine. View full prescribing information for osimertinib.



On Friday, Jonathan Nyce , 73, of Collegeville, Pennsylvania , was sentenced to 97 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $500 special assessment for carrying out a years-long scheme to defraud pet owners of money by falsely claiming to sell drugs that could cure canine cancer. A federal jury convicted Nyce of wire fraud and the interstate shipment of misbranded animal drugs in December 2022. The case was brought by the Department of Justice, acting on behalf of the FDA.

Additional Resources:

Media Contact: FDA Office of Media Affairs, 301-796-4540

Consumer Inquiries: 888-INFO-FDA

The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The agency also is responsible for the safety and security of our nation's food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, radiation-emitting electronic products, and for regulating tobacco products.

SOURCE U.S. Food and Drug Administration
WASHINGTON, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Family Research Council (FRC) today released the newest edition of its Hostility Against Churches report, updated to include hostility incidents from calendar year 2023. The report's findings suggest that the rise in hostility against U.S. churches that were identified in FRC's inaugural December 2022 report has neither slowed nor plateaued; rather, it has accelerated rapidly. FRC identified 436 hostility incidents in 2023more than double the number identified in 2022 and more than eight times the number identified in 2018, the first year for which FRC collected data.

Notable findings in this report include, but are not limited to:

Over the past six years (2018-2023), FRC has identified 915 acts of hostility against U.S. churches. The types of acts identified included vandalism, arson, gun-related incidents, bomb threats, and more.

In 2023, at least 436 acts of hostility against churches occurred in the United States , more than double the number identified in 2022.

, more than double the number identified in 2022. In 2023, acts of hostility against churches took place in 48 states and the District of Columbia , with more occurring in states with larger populations. California had the most incidents, with 33. Texas had 28 incidents. Hawaii and Wyoming had none.

, with more occurring in states with larger populations. had the most incidents, with 33. had 28 incidents. and had none. Criminal acts of vandalism and destruction of church property may be symptomatic of a collapse in societal reverence and respect for houses of worship and religion.

Tony Perkins, FRC president and former chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, commented on the report:

"There is a common connection between the growing religious persecution abroad and the rapidly increasing hostility toward churches here at home: our government's policies. The indifference abroad to the fundamental freedom of religion is rivaled only by the increasing antagonism toward the moral absolutes taught by Bible-believing churches here in the U.S., which is fomenting this environment of hostility toward churches."

Arielle Del Turco, Director of the Center for Religious Liberty at FRC and author of the report, commented:

"Although the motivations for many of these acts of hostility remain unknown, the effect is unmistakable: religious intimidation. They send the message that churches are not wanted in the community or respected in general. Our culture is demonstrating a growing disdain for Christianity and core Christian beliefs, and acts of hostility against churches could be a physical manifestation of that. Regardless of the motivations of these crimes, everyone should treat churches and all houses of worship with respect and affirm the importance of religious freedom for all Americans."

To access the full publication, please visit: frc.org/HostilityAgainstChurches

SOURCE Family Research Council
NASHVILLE, Tenn., Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- GEODIS, a leading global logistics provider, today announced it completed a complex air cargo transport featuring oversized thermocompressors via Antonov AN-124, the world's largest cargo aircraft. Arriving from Lisbon, the aircraft undertook 13 flights over seven days, transporting urgently needed oversized freight in Colombia on behalf of a leading client.

GEODIS Completes Complex, Oversized Break Bulk Shipment in Colombia with Antonov AN-124 Aircraft

The just-in-time logistics operation entailed transporting 249 pieces of oversized, overweight cargo totaling 776 tons and 4,455 cubic meters to the southeast part of Colombia. GEODIS originally planned to mobilize the cargo in Cartagena and transport it to the end destination via the La Orquidea Bridge in Boyaca, the only road transport option for freight of this size and weight along the route. However, when the bridge collapsed in August 2023, GEODIS had to quickly develop and execute an alternative solution to transport the cargo via air to complete the urgent project on time.

The monumental project involved a complex planning and negotiation process between GEODIS and Antonov. After evaluating various air charter solutions, GEODIS identified the Antonov AN-124 as the only aircraft option that would be large enough to mobilize the cargo given its extra dimension and weight characteristics. The planning process included securing the aircraft given its limited availability amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the Antonov's focus on humanitarian aid.

"With 13 total flights, including a long international journey and 12 domestic trips, this unprecedented operation faced consistent challenges to overcome," said Carlos Palacios, Manager Director of GEODIS in Colombia. "Despite the complexities, our team at GEODIS and our collaboratorsincluding Antonov, the Colombian Air Force and the individual airports involvedwere able to successfully come together to keep essential materials moving across the country at a critical time for our client's operations."

Once securing the Antonov AN-124, GEODIS evaluated and defined specific airports that would meet the technical conditions required to maneuver this type of aircraft. Ultimately, GEODIS selected Barranquilla (AOL) and Apiay (AOD) in Colombia due to the validation of payload and technical conditions of the runway. Additionally, in Apiay (a military base for the Colombian Aerospace Force), GEODIS facilitated a study to determine the correct maneuvers for landing and takeoff, the location of the aircraft as to not interrupt military base operations, fuel supply capacity and the availability of an alternate facility during ground time.

Given the scope of the operation both at origin and destination, the cargo was prepared in Cartagena and transported by land to Barranquilla before being transported on the Antonov AN-124. While the Antonov AN-124 has a capacity of 100 tons, the maximum payload accepted was 65 tons to land in Apiay. Therefore, GEODIS oversaw adjustments to the flight plans and load with Antonov, which ultimately meant transporting the cargo over 12 domestic flights. GEODIS and Antonov adjusted the load to mobilize the 12 separate pieces, including removing crates from the parts, placing 12 additional lashing points inside the aircraft, removing stairs to fit the biggest piece of cargo onto the plane and more.

"Given the constant changes, urgency of timeline and sensitive nature of the cargo, this project marks one of the biggest accomplishments for our GEODIS in Colombia team," said Palacios. "Together with our collaborators, we proved that with flexibility and world-class talent we can overcome extreme challenges and execute exceptional air operations on behalf of our clients."

GEODIS  www.geodis.com

GEODIS is a leading global logistics provider acknowledged for its expertise across all aspects of the supply chain. As a growth partner to its clients, GEODIS specializes in four lines of business: Global Freight Forwarding, Global Contract Logistics, Distribution & Express Transport, and European Road Network. With a global network spanning nearly 170 countries and more than 49,400 employees, GEODIS is ranked no. 5 in its sector across the world. In 2022, GEODIS generated 13.7 billion in revenue. GEODIS is a company owned by SNCF group.

MEDIA CONTACT

Lauren McKirgan

FINN Partners for GEODIS

615 780 3361

[email protected]

SOURCE GEODIS
TALLAHASSEE, Fla., Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Governor Ron DeSantis and Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Jr. recognize February as Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month, celebrating Florida's leading role in providing practical education opportunities throughout the state.

As a result of Governor DeSantis' policies to support workforce education, Florida currently has nearly 800,000 K-12 CTE students, more than 412,000 postsecondary CTE students and over 20,000 registered apprentices, resulting in over 5 million students engaged in CTE coursework since 2018-2019.

"Governor DeSantis has spearheaded transformative investments in our state's workforce, cultivating a talent pool that not only meets the evolving needs of businesses across Florida, but also propels our students toward brighter futures," said Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Jr. "This strategic commitment equips the next generation for success, fostering a thriving economy built on a highly skilled and educated workforce."

Florida's workforce education programs are academically rigorous, effective and driven by the current and projected needs of top industries throughout the state. As the third most populous state in the nation with the 16th largest economy in the world, Florida recognizes the pivotal role of CTE in cultivating expertise within key industries. The state is steadfast in addressing the urgent need to generate 2 million net new jobs by 2030, with a specific emphasis on in-demand sectors such as semiconductor, aviation, energy, broadband, cybersecurity and information technology.

In December, nearly $20 million was awarded through the Florida Pathways to Career Opportunities Grant to fund 67 proposals to start, expand or operate a registered apprenticeship program. To date, over $65 million has been awarded through the Florida Pathways to Career Opportunities Grant with 264 proposals funded, over 11,190 participants served, and over 270 businesses supported.

In addition, more than $100 million in Workforce Development Capitalization Incentive Grant funds have been allocated to school districts and Florida College System institutions to fund some or all of the costs associated with the creation or expansion of CTE workforce development programs.

For more information regarding Career and Technical Education, visit GetThereFL.com.

SOURCE Get There
DUBLIN, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Top 10 Growth Opportunities in Cybersecurity, 2024" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

This cybersecurity report covers a variety of solutions and advanced technologies that offer security protection to organizations. Some of the markets studied include extended detection and response (XDR), secure access service edge (SASE), cloud-native application protection platforms (CNAPPs), identity access management (IAM), and managed security services (MSPs). The study discusses growth opportunities for the cybersecurity industry in 2024.

The outlook covers themes relevant to cybersecurity, with cloud migration, threat landscape evolution, and convergence among the key trends. As the threat landscape continues to evolve in 2024, attack sophistication will intensify the security challenge for people, technology, and processes, the tripartite system of security needed to protect business-critical data and infrastructure.

Organizational needs have changed drastically from solely on-premises to hybrid or fully remote network access capabilities that differ among regions and industries. As organizations increasingly recognize security features and solutions as business enablers, especially in the post-pandemic world, a positive outlook for the cybersecurity industry is expected.

Top 10 Growth Opportunities

Generative AI Driving Better Cybersecurity Outcomes

Simplifying XDR to Increase Adoption

Stronger Demand to Transform Legacy Networking and Security Architecture Accelerating SASE and SSE Adoption

Increasing Cloud Security Requirements Driving Growth of Cloud-native Application Protection Platforms

ERMM Offering a Comprehensive View of the Digital Attack Surface

APIs - The Underrated Threat

Unifying Disparate Identity Solutions to Enhance Customer Identity Posture

MSSPs Enhancing their Service Integration

Software Supply Chain Security Market Offering Developer-focused Security Practices

Crypto Agility in the Post-quantum Era

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/d7edj9

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

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SOURCE Research and Markets
DUBLIN, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Plastic Resin Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report by Product (Crystalline Resin, Non-crystalline Resin, Engineering Plastic), Application (Packaging, Automotive, Construction), Region, and Segment Forecasts, 2024-2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global plastic resin market is expected to reach USD 1.07 trillion by 2030. It is projected to expand at a 4.5% CAGR over the forecast period. The increasing consumption of plastic resins in construction, automotive, electrical, and electronics applications is boosting the market growth. Government intervention to reduce overall vehicle weight to improve fuel efficiency and reduce carbon emissions has prompted automakers to use resins to replace steel and aluminum in automotive components.



Favorable federal regulations on CO2 emissions set by agencies such as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as well as EU initiatives to develop plastics applications for light-weight and fuel-efficient cars, are expected to fuel global growth and promote the market. However, the health crisis and lockdowns imposed by various governments to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic led to a decline in the consumption of plastic resins.



Strict restrictions governing the recyclability and deterioration of traditional building materials like metal and wood are likely to boost the demand for textiles in pipes, windows, cables, storage tanks, and other uses. Plastics are long-lasting and energy-efficient, as well as cost-effective and safe, which encourages their usage in construction.

The global market is segmented into crystalline resin, non-crystalline resin, engineering plastics, and super engineering plastics by type. The crystalline resin was the largest segment, accounting for 61.9% of global sales in 2021. The crystalline resin segment mainly includes epoxy, polyethylene, and polypropylene resins.



Plastic Resin Market Report Highlights

Crystalline resins (epoxy, polyethylene, and propylene) segment accounted for a prominent share in the market by the end of 2023 and is further expected to witness maximum growth over the forecast period

As of 2023, China accounted for the maximum revenue share in the market, with 40.24%. Rising consumer disposable income in the country and ascending demand for luxury cars are expected to have a positive impact on the automotive industry

accounted for the maximum revenue share in the market, with 40.24%. Rising consumer disposable income in the country and ascending demand for luxury cars are expected to have a positive impact on the automotive industry The advent of bio-based plastic resins has played a prominent role in food and beverage, and pharmaceutical applications. Polymers such as PET and PC are increasingly utilized in the beverages packaging and consumer goods sector

Key Topics Covered:



Chapter 1. Methodology and Scope



Chapter 2. Executive Summary

2.1. Market Snapshot

2.2. Segment Snapshot

2.3. Competitive Landscape Snapshot



Chapter 3. Plastic Resins Market Variables, Trends & Scope

3.1. Market Lineage Outlook

3.2. Industry Value Chain Analysis

3.3. Regulatory Framework

3.4. Market Dynamics

3.5. Industry Analysis Tools



Chapter 4. Plastic Resins Market: Product Estimates & Trend Analysis

4.1. Product Movement Analysis & Market Share, 2023 & 2030

4.2. Plastic Resins Market Estimates & Forecast, by Product, 2018 to 2030 (Kilo Tons) (USD Million)

4.3. Crystalline Resin

4.4. Non-crystalline Resin

4.5. Engineering Plastic

4.6. Super Engineering Plastic



Chapter 5. Plastic Resins Market: Application Estimates & Trend Analysis

5.1. Application Movement Analysis & Market Share, 2023 & 2030

5.2. Plastic Resins Market Estimates & Forecast, by Application, 2018 to 2030 (Kilo Tons) (USD Million)

5.3. Packaging

5.4. Automotive

5.5. Construction

5.6. Automotive

5.7. Electrical & electronics

5.8. Logistics

5.9. Consumer Goods

5.10. Textiles & Clothing

5.11. Furniture & Bedding

5.12. Agriculture

5.13. Medical Devices

5.14. Others



Chapter 6. Plastic Resins Market: Regional Estimates & Trend Analysis

6.1. Regional Movement Analysis & Market Share, 2023 & 2030

6.2. North America

6.3. Europe

6.4. China

6.5. Asia

6.6. Pacific

6.7. Central & South America

6.8. Middle East & Africa



Chapter 7. Plastic Resins Market - Competitive Landscape

7.1. Recent Developments & Impact Analysis, by Key Market Participants

7.2. Company Categorization

7.3. Company Market Share/Position Analysis, 2023

7.4. Company Heat Map Analysis

7.5. Strategy Mapping

7.6. Company Profiles

BASF

SABIC

Dow Inc.

DuPont

Evonik Industries

Sumitomo Chemical

Celanese

Eastman Chemical Company

Chevron Phillips Chemical Co.

LOTTE Chemical

Exxon Mobil

Formosa Plastics

TORAY INDUSTRIES

TEIJIN

LG Chem

Avient

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/drkstq

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.



Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/539438/Research_and_Markets_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Research and Markets
Former Goldman Sachs Asset Management's Global Head of ETF Product becomes CEO of Global X

NEW YORK, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Global X ETFs, the New York-based provider of exchange-traded funds (ETFs), today announced the appointment of Ryan O'Connor as its Chief Executive Officer effective as of April 8, 2024.

O'Connor will be responsible for driving the firm's strategy, reinvigorating its product suite, and leading Global X's talented, performance-driven team into a new, growth-focused era for the company.

Since launching in 2009, and the subsequent acquisition by Mirae Asset in 2018, Global X has established its expertise in thematic investing and alternative income strategies, while expanding its diverse product line-up to feature more than 80 ETFs across several families, including Thematic Growth, Income, Risk Management, International Access and Commodities. Over the past several years, Global X has experienced a rapid ascent as a rising star in the ETF industry, with USD 43 Billion in assets under management (AUM) as of February 2024  representing a more than four-fold increase since 2018.i

Hyeon-Joo Park, Founder and Global Strategy Officer of Mirae Asset Financial Group commented: "Mirae Asset continues to view Global X as an innovator and a critical part of its growth and success. It's our desire to take Global X from a rising star to a clear-cut leader in the ETF industry. Over the past few months, we've kicked off a journey to strategically reposition the firm in order to jumpstart momentum and accelerate the business. By doing so, Global X has renewed agility, a re-focus on its core competencies and a clear emphasis on its client base. Now is the right time to bring in new leadership. Ryan has a notable track record of driving growth across the ETF value chain for the world's largest asset managers. He is eager to bring his ETF industry experience and strategic, growth-oriented mindset to Global X, and we are excited to have him on board to help take the business to its next level."

About Ryan O'Connor

Prior to joining Global X, O'Connor held the position of Global Head of ETF Product at Goldman Sachs Asset Management where he was responsible for leading all aspects of its ETF product platform with direct management responsibility for a team of tenured product professionals. He was originally hired by Goldman Sachs Asset Management to build its US fund strategist model portfolio business.

O'Connor also previously spent over a decade at State Street Global Advisors where he led a diverse cohort of product and capital markets teams for the SPDR ETF franchise.

O'Connor received an MBA from Cornell University, S.C. Johnson College of Business, and he received a BA in Economics and Psychology from Bates College. He volunteers with The American Red Cross and has participated in several training and professional development programs, including Executive IQ by Money Management Institute.

About Global X ETFs

Global X ETFs was founded in 2008. For more than 15 years, our mission has been empowering investors with unexplored and intelligent solutions. Our product lineup features a wide range of ETF strategies and over $40 billion in assets under management.i While we are distinguished for our Thematic Growth, Income and International Access ETFs, we also offer Core, Commodity, and Risk Management funds to suit a wide range of investment objectives. Explore our ETFs, research and insights, and more at www.globalxetfs.com.

Global X is a member of Mirae Asset Financial Group, a global leader in financial services, with more than $550 billion in assets under management worldwide.ii Mirae Asset has an extensive global ETF platform ranging across the US, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Europe, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam with over $110bn in assets under management.iii

CONTACT: Ariel Kouvaras, [email protected]

i Source: Global X ETFs

i Source: Global X ETFs, as of February 16, 2024

ii Source: Mirae Asset, as of February 2024

iii Source: Mirae Asset, as of February 9, 2024

SOURCE Global X Management Company LLC
ATLANTA and SPOKANE, Wash., Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Graphic Packaging Holding Company (NYSE:GPK) ("Graphic Packaging"), and Clearwater Paper Corporation (NYSE: CLW) ("Clearwater Paper"), today announced that Graphic Packaging has signed a definitive agreement to sell its Augusta, Georgia bleached paperboard manufacturing facility to Clearwater Paper. The transaction value is approximately $700 million, based on Adjusted EBITDA of approximately $100 million.

"Augusta is an outstanding asset with a great team, which we concluded is a more compelling fit with Clearwater Paper's strategic growth plans than our own. Bleached paperboard plays a major role in sustainable consumer packaging, and we will continue to service growing foodservice and packaging demand with bleached paperboard from our Texarkana facility," said Michael Doss, President and Chief Executive Officer of Graphic Packaging.

Clearwater Paper Chief Executive Officer Arsen Kitch added, "Augusta is a great fit with our strategy and improves our position as a premier, independent paperboard supplier to North American converters. I look forward to welcoming the Augusta team to Clearwater Paper as we work together to build a more scaled paperboard business to service our customers."

The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and is currently expected to close in the second quarter of 2024. TD Securities is serving as Clearwater Paper's financial advisor and Pillsbury, Winthrop, Shaw, Pittman LLP is lead transaction counsel for Clearwater and Stoel, Rives LLP is providing environmental counsel. The financial advisor for Graphic Packaging is BofA Securities and Alston & Bird LLP is lead transaction counsel.

About Graphic Packaging Holding Company

Graphic Packaging Holding Company (NYSE: GPK), headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, designs and produces consumer packaging that makes a world of difference. An industry leader in innovation, the Company is committed to reducing the environmental footprint of consumer packaging. Graphic Packaging operates a global network of design and manufacturing facilities serving the world's most widely recognized brands in food, beverage, foodservice, household, and other consumer products. Learn more at www.graphicpkg.com.

About Clearwater Paper Corporation

Clearwater Paper is a premier supplier of private brand tissue products and bleached paperboard. The company's tissue serves private brand market retail customers including grocery, club, mass merchants, and discount stores. The company's paperboard operations serve quality-conscious printers and packaging converters, with services that include custom sheeting, slitting, and cutting. Clearwater Paper's employees build shareholder value by developing strong relationships through quality and service. For additional information on Clearwater Paper, please visit our website at www.clearwaterpaper.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This communication contains "forward-looking" statements as that term is defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding the proposed transaction between Clearwater and Graphic Packaging. All statements, other than historical facts, including statements regarding the expected timing and structure of the proposed transaction; the ability of the parties to complete the proposed transaction considering the various closing conditions; and any assumptions underlying any of the foregoing, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements concern future circumstances and results and other statements that are not historical facts and are sometimes identified by the words "may," "will," "should," "potential," "intend," "expect,", "endeavor," "seek," "anticipate," "estimate," "overestimate," "underestimate," "believe," "could," "project," "predict," "continue," "target" or other similar words or expressions. Forward-looking statements are based upon current plans, estimates and expectations that are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those indicated or anticipated by such forward-looking statements. The inclusion of such statements should not be regarded as a representation that such plans, estimates or expectations will be achieved. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such plans, estimates or expectations include, among others, (1) that one or more closing conditions to the transaction, including certain regulatory approvals, may not be satisfied or waived, on a timely basis or otherwise; (2) the risk that the proposed transaction may not be completed in the time frame expected by the parties, or at all; (3) unexpected costs, charges or expenses resulting from the proposed transaction; (4) the risk that stockholder litigation in connection with the proposed transaction or other settlements or investigations may affect the timing or occurrence of the contemplated transaction or result in significant costs of defense, indemnification and liability; and (5) other risk factors as detailed from time to time in the Clearwater's and Graphic Packaging's reports filed with the SEC, including their Annual Reports on Form 10-K, periodic quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, periodic current reports on Form 8-K and other documents filed with the SEC. The foregoing list of important factors is not exclusive. Undue reliance should not be placed on such forward-looking statements, as such statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and neither Clearwater nor Graphic Packaging undertake any obligation to update such statements, except as may be required by law.

SOURCE Graphic Packaging Holding Company
VANCOUVER, BC, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - Graphite One Inc. (TSXV: GPH) (OTCQX: GPHOF) ("Graphite One" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that further to its press release dated February 13, 2024, the aggregate 11,955,677 outstanding common share purchase warrants (the "Warrants") due to expire on August 28, 2024, November 21, 2024 and September 17, 2024 will have a reduced exercise price of Cdn$1.00 per common share commencing today and expiring on March 21, 2024 at 4:00 p.m. (Vancouver time) (the "Reduced Term"). The exercise price will revert back to the original exercise price for any Warrants that are not exercised during the Reduced Term.

If the Warrants are exercised during the Reduced Term, the holder of such Warrant will receive for each Warrant exercised, at no additional cost, one common share purchase warrant (the "Sweetener Warrant"), whereby the Sweetener Warrant will have an exercise price of Cdn$1.00 per common share and expire at the earlier of: (i) three (3) years from the date of issuance; and (ii) 30 days, at the Company's option, if for any ten (10) consecutive trading days the closing price of the Company's common shares on the TSXV Venture Exchange (the "TSXV") equals or exceeds Cdn$1.20 (the "Warrant Incentive Program").

The Sweetener Warrants will be subject to a four month and one day hold period from their date of issuance. The use of proceeds for any Sweetener Warrant exercised will be used to support the feasibility study and for general working capital.

Holders of Warrants who elect to exercise their existing Warrants at the reduced price and to participate in the Warrant Incentive Program will be required to contact the Company as soon as possible by email at [email protected] to receive their amended and restated Warrant certificate.

Prior to 4:00 p.m. (Vancouver time) on March 21, 2024, the holder of such Warrant will be required to deliver to the Company the following:

a duly completed and executed exercise form, in the form which accompanies the amended and restated Warrant certificate;

the original certificate representing the Warrants being exercised; and

the applicable aggregate exercise price ( Cdn$1.00 per Warrant) payable to the Company by way of certified cheque, money order, bank draft, or wire transfer in lawful money of Canada .

The Warrant Incentive Program is subject to certain conditions, including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary approvals, including the final approval of the TSXV.

About Graphite One Inc.

GRAPHITE ONE INC. (TSXV: GPH; OTCQX: GPHOF) continues to develop its Graphite One Project (the "Project") to become an American producer of high-grade anode materials that is integrated with a domestic graphite resource. The Project is proposed as a vertically integrated enterprise to mine, process and manufacture anode materials primarily for the lithiumion electric vehicle battery market. As set forth in the Company's 2022 Pre-Feasibility Study, graphite mineralization mined from the Company's Graphite Creek Property, situated on the Seward Peninsula about sixty (60) kilometers north of Nome, Alaska, would be processed into concentrate at an adjacent processing plant. Natural and artificial graphite anode materials and other valueadded graphite products would be manufactured from the concentrate and other materials at the Company's proposed advanced graphite materials manufacturing facility to be located in the contiguous United States. The Company intends to make a production decision on the Project upon the completion of a Feasibility Study.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

"Anthony Huston" (signed)

For more information on Graphite One Inc., please visit the Company's website, www.GraphiteOneInc.com.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This release includes certain statements that may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Other than statements of historical facts, all statements in this release that address the implementation of the reduced pricing and Warrant Incentive Program, including the anticipated timing thereof and the TSXV's acceptance of the reduced pricing and Warrant Incentive Program are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are no guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include the receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals, market prices, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on this forward-looking information, which is given as of the date it is expressed in this press release, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking information, except as required by applicable securities laws. For more information on the Company, investors should review the Company's continuous disclosure filings that are available at www.sedarplus.ca.

SOURCE Graphite One Inc.
Greenlion is poised to boost its portfolio with a new contract from Engelke Construction Solutions, to provide post-renovation cleaning of a USPS facility.

FREEPORT, N.Y., Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Professional full-service cleaning company, Greenlion Cleaning and Maintenance have been awarded a prestigious contract to provide post-renovation cleaning of USPS facility in Hicksville, New York.

In August 2023, the USPS outlined plans to renovate 400 post office sites nationwide over an 18-month period. Engelke Construction Solutions, LLC was contracted to renovate USPS facility in Hicksville, New York. The company then, contracted Greenlion to carry out the post-renovation cleaning.

Post Construction Cleaning

Greenlion Cleaning and Maintenance's post-renovation contract will begin in February. Under the terms of the agreement, the company will be responsible for a range of cleaning services, including:

Cleaning particular areas of the facility before it's painted.

Resealing and polishing the tiles floors.

Performing post-renovation cleaning.

Greenlion Cleaning and Maintenance Inc is a certified minority business enterprise (MBE) with a reputation for integrity, consistency, and meticulous attention to detail. Anthony Hamilton, CEO of Greenlion Cleaning, is excited about adding this latest contract to the company's portfolio. He is confident that the company will meet and exceed Engelke Construction Solutions' expectations.

He said: "We are honoured that Engelke Construction Solutions valued our expertise and awarded us the contract for this important project. Our team is excited to embark on this new project and contribute to USPS's vision to transform its facilities. Greenlion has always strived to play a role in the ever-changing landscape we are a part of. It has never been solely about janitorial services or profit for us; it is also about impacting our community. We are very cognizant of our role in our community. So, we are very intentional about assisting the agent of change for the greater good of society."

This is not the first time Greenlion is working on a project of this magnitude. The company has provided janitorial and cleaning services for the New York City Housing Authority, worked closely with the New York City Department of Health to provide cleaning and maintenance for the Covid vaccination centers across the city and served companies like L&M Development and Mega Contracting to provide Final and Post Construction Cleaning for affordable housing projects.

For further information about Greenlion Cleaning and Maintenance, visit: https://greenlioncleaning.com.

Media contact:

Anthony Hamilton

[email protected]

5164422969

SOURCE Greenlion Cleaning & Maintenance Inc.
KYODO NEWS - Feb 20, 2024 - 09:20 | All, Japan

Japan's transport ministry is set to issue an operation correction order to a Toyota Motor Corp. affiliate over engine data rigging, sources close to the matter said Monday.

The ministry is considering revoking certifications needed for mass production of some engines by Toyota Industries Corp., the sources said.

Toyota Industries admitted in March last year to falsifying emissions data for its forklift and other industrial engines, leading to an investigation by a third-party panel.

The panel last month announced it had found additional instances of data manipulation at the company, causing Toyota Motor to suspend shipment of vehicles using the affected engines.

The ministry inspected Toyota Industries following the announcement.

Related coverage:

Scandal-ridden Toyota unit Daihatsu aims for reforms under new president

Daihatsu partly resumes domestic output after safety test scandal

FOCUS: Data rigging scandals threaten to undermine Toyota's growth drivers
COPENHAGEN, Denmark, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Hedia announced today the appointment of their new CEO Lars Christian Lund .

Lars has a strong track record of scaling market leading global MedTech companies. Prior to joining Hedia Lars was Senior Vice President in 3Shape (3D scanners and CAD/CAM software solutions) where he was on the senior leadership team with global responsibility for several commercial functions and earlier 5 years at Ambu (Medical Equipment Manufacturing) and 9 years with Unomedical now Convatec Infusion Care.

Hedia is entering the next phase, focusing on successful commercialization of their Hedia Diabetes Assistant ( HDA ) as well as launching the Glooko -integrated holistic diabetes management solution later this year.

The company is deeply grateful for the passion and contribution of Peter Lucas, Co-founder and current CEO, as he hands over the reins to Lars. Hedia is happy to be able to rely on his invaluable advice as Co-founder and shareholder moving forward.

Lars Christian Lund said, "I am really excited about joining Hedia at such a pivotal time. The market validation has been extremely strong on our integrated product, and I am confident that the products Hedia has in the pipeline are going to be a game-changer in the regulated digital health space."

Hedia.com  LinkedIn  Facebook

About Hedia

Hedia is a leading digital therapeutics company within diabetes, committed to help people with insulin-dependent diabetes gain control of their condition. Making life with diabetes easier has been the incentive from the beginning of building Hedia Diabetes Assistant and the solution is today available in 11 countries. Based on habits of the individual person with diabetes and personalized input, our diabetes app generates insulin recommendations by taking many aspects of diabetes management into account  such as recording blood glucose readings, keeping track of active insulin, measuring carbs, calculating an insulin dosage, keeping track of activity and recording blood ketones.

SOURCE Hedia
NORTHBROOK, Ill., Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Hilco Real Estate, LLC, announces March 13, 2024, and May 2*, 2024, as the respective bid deadlines for the Chapter 11 bankruptcy sales of two mixed-use developments in the greater New York City MSA. Both properties have fully approved plans in strong growth corridors.

The development located at 4452 Broadway is an expansive corner lot at the border of Hudson Heights and Fort George in northern Manhattan. Approximately 50% complete, this seven-story building was recently appraised for $56,000,000. Rough electric, fire, plumbing and HVAC have all been started. The plans for the completed building will feature 129 residential rental units, 65 parking spaces in an on-site garage and two commercial spaces on the ground floor. Future residents will also have convenient commutes down to the heart of the city with an on-site 1 Train stop and an A Train stop only two blocks away. As an added incentive for potential buyers, a 35-year tax abatement is available upon completion of construction.

Hudson Heights, located in the Washington Heights/Inwood area, has the highest elevation on the island of Manhattan, giving residents picturesque views of the Hudson River. With lower costs of living and a dedication to green spaces, the area promotes a quality of life hard to find elsewhere in the city. Hudson Heights sits sandwiched between Bennet Park to the south, with stunning views of the George Washington Bridge, and Fort Tryon Park to the north, home to the Metropolitan Museum of Art's medieval art collection housed in The Cloisters. A diverse, growing population contributes to a wide variety of restaurants and trendy nightlife.

The second property, situated at 500 Summit Avenue, was recently appraised as-is for $108,000,000 and sits in Jersey City's thriving Journal Square. This 0.8-acre land parcel has flexible zoning, allowing for residential, retail, office or hotel uses, as well as garage parking. The proposed fully approved plans allow for up to 42 stories and 916,000 SF to be developed. The site's natural elevation will allow for scenic Manhattan views from most of the finished tower. In addition to on-site parking, the property has excellent access to public transportation, as it is within walking distance to the Journal Square PATH station. The PATH (Port Authority Trans-Hudson) train connects Jersey City to Midtown Manhattan with a quick, 20-minute train ride.

Jersey City itself is experiencing a renaissance, with several other developments also cropping up across the city in the past year, including one a few blocks away at 622 Summit Ave. Second only to Newark in the state of New Jersey, Jersey City's climbing population, up 9.33% from 2020 to 2021, has driven this growth and the continued need for housing opportunities.

Both properties are within the New York MSA and benefit from proximity to New York City's vibrant culture and economy. After a decade of growth and targeted investments, the city is now the world's second-largest technology hub, thanks to the arrival of tech giants like Apple, Google and Facebook. Accompanying these tech developments, the New York City population saw a 4.25% increase between 2020 and 2021 despite the COVID-19 pandemic. As economic growth remains strong, the population continues to expand along with the area's appetite for new housing options.

Jeff Azuse, executive vice president at Hilco Real Estate, states, "Considering the city of New York continues to grow and invest in its own welfare, the bankruptcy sales of these two properties present an outstanding opportunity for an astute investor to stake their claims in areas that are poised for growth. Being able to purchase these fully entitled properties allows the potential buyers more of their resources to develop each of the projects without having to go through the entitlement process."

The sale of 4452 Broadway is being conducted by Order of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court District of the Southern District of New York (Manhattan), Bankruptcy Petition No. 1:23-bk-11832, In re: 4452 BROADWAY MAZAL LLC. Bids must be received on or before the deadline of March 13 at 5 p.m. (ET) and must be submitted on the Purchase and Sale Agreement available for review and download from Hilco Real Estate's website. The sale of 500 Summit Avenue is being conducted by Order of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court District of the Southern District of New York (Manhattan), Bankruptcy Petition No. 1:23-bk-11831, In re: 500 SUMMIT MAZAL LLC. Bids must be received on or before the deadline of May 2* at 5 p.m. (ET) and must be submitted on the Purchase and Sale Agreement available for review and download from Hilco Real Estate's website.

Interested buyers should review the requirements in order to participate in the bankruptcy sale process available on Hilco Real Estate's website. For further information, please contact Jamie Cote at (847) 418-2187 or [email protected] or Jonathan Cuticelli at (203) 561-8737 or [email protected].

For further information on the property, sale process, and terms or to obtain access to due diligence documents, please visit HilcoRealEstate.com or call (855) 755-2300.

About Hilco Real Estate

Hilco Real Estate ("HRE"), a Hilco Global company (HilcoGlobal.com), is headquartered in Northbrook, Illinois (USA). HRE is a national provider of strategic real estate disposition services. Acting as an agent or principal, HRE uses its experience to advise and execute strategies to assist clients in deriving the maximum value from their real estate assets. By leveraging multi-faceted sales strategies and techniques, aggressive repositioning and restructuring experience, a vast and motivated network of buyers and sellers, and substantial access to capital, HRE exceeds expectations even in the most complex transactions.

*These bid deadlines are subject to approval by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Contact Hilco Real Estate for more information.

SOURCE Hilco Real Estate
CHENGDU, China, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Hox Therapeutics Ltd ("Hox") a private biotechnology company developing highly targeted cancer therapies and Vernalis (R&D) Ltd ("Vernalis"), a fully owned subsidiary of HitGen Inc., are pleased to announce a collaboration to identify inhibitors against an undisclosed oncology target.

Under the terms of the agreement, Vernalis will use its state-of-the-art protein science and Hit ID platforms to produce the target protein, and to identify and characterise small molecule inhibitors of the target. The research at Vernalis will be funded by Hox. Financial terms have not been disclosed.

James Murray, Research Director of Vernalis, said, "This partnership is built on Vernalis's strong record for innovation in drug discovery to generate clinical candidates. We look forward to working closely with Hox to successfully achieve the goals of this collaboration".

Nicholas Adams, CEO of Hox Therapeutics, said, "We are delighted to be working with Vernalis on this project. They have proven expertise in being able to identify inhibitors against the protein target that we're interested in".

About Hox Therapeutics Ltd

Hox Therapeutics is a preclinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of innovative, highly targeted medicines for the treatment of cancer.

For more information, please visit www.hoxtherapeutics.com

About Vernalis

Vernalis is a world leader in fragment and structure-based drug discovery with a record of progressing targets from concept to clinic. Based in Cambridge, UK, we have generated development candidates across oncology, neurodegeneration, anti-infectives and inflammation, through global collaborations. Vernalis is a wholly owned subsidiary of HitGen Inc (688222.SH).

For more information about Vernalis, please visit www.vernalis.com

SOURCE HitGen Inc.
ROCKVILLIE, MD. and SUZHOU, China, Feb. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Innovent Biologics, Inc. ("Innovent") (HKEX: 01801), a world-class biopharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures and commercializes high quality medicines for the treatment of cancer, metabolic, autoimmune and other major diseases, today announced that the primary endpoint has been achieved in the Phase 3 registrational study (RESTORE-1) of IBI311, a recombinant anti-insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R) antibody in Chinese subjects with Thyroid Eye Disease (TED). Innovent plans to submit the new drug application (NDA) for IBI311 in the treatment of TED to the Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) of the National Drug Administration (NMPA).

RESTORE-1 (CTR20223393) is a multicenter, randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled Phase 2/3 clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of IBI311 in subjects with TED. The Phase 3 results of RESTORE-1 showed that the primary endpoint was successfully met: at Week 24, the proptosis responder rate in the study eye (the percentage of subjects with a reduction in proptosis of 2 mm from baseline in the study eye without deterioration  2 mm increase of proptosis in the fellow eye) was significantly higher in subjects treated with IBI311 than in subjects treated with placebo: 85.8% vs. 3.8%, with a difference of 81.9% (95% CI: 69.8% to 93.9%, P < 0.0001).

In addition, the key secondary endpoints of the study such as overall response rate(the percentage of subjects with a reduction in proptosis of 2 mm from baseline and improvement in clinical activity score 2 in the study eye), percentage of subjects with a clinical activity score (CAS) of 0 or 1, and mean change in proptosis from baseline in the study eye were successfully met: IBI311 significantly improved all the above parameters as compared to the placebo.

The overall safety profile of IBI311 was favorable throughout the study with no serious adverse events occurred. The efficacy and safety profiles in the Phase 3 part of the RESTORE-1 study were consistent with its Phase 2 results. Detailed results from the study will be released in medical conferences or journals in the future.

As an autoimmune disease involving ocular tissues, the annual incidence of TED is estimated to be 16/100,000 in women and 2.9/100,000 in men1and the estimated prevalence of clinically relevant TED ranges from 0.1% to 0.3%2. At present, there is no targeted drug approved for the treatment of TED in China, while multiple clinical guidelines recommend the use of IGF-IR targeted antibody in the treatment of TED3,4,5. Particularly, IGF-IR targeted antibody is recommended as first-line therapy for patients with clinically significant proptosis.

Professor Xianqun Fan, the leading principal investigator of the study, the Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and professor of ophthalmology at the Ninth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, stated, " As an organ-specific autoimmune disease closely related to thyroid disease, TED is one of the most common orbital diseases in adults, and seriously affects the visual function and appearance of patients. At present, there is no targeted drug approved for the treatment of TED in China, and the therapeutic approaches are limited. As the principal investigator of the RESTORE-1 study, I am very pleased to see that IBI311 achieved the primary endpoint in the Phase 3 study and showed a favorable safety profile, which again demonstrates the excellent efficacy of IBI311. I look forward to sharing the detailed results of this high-quality study in the near future, and wish its successful NDA submission so as to bring benefits to Chinese TED patients as soon as possible."

Dr. Lei Qian, Vice President of Clinical Development of Innovent, stated, "There are no targeted drugs approved in the field of TED in China so far, while the treatment costs of overseas targeted drugs are beyond many patients' reach. Driven by the focus of addressing patients' unmet medical needs, we advanced the development of IBI311 rapidly. IBI311 has demonstrated significant efficacy and favorable safety in the treatment of TED in the RESTORE-1 study. We plan to submit its NDA as soon as possible, and bring high-quality, effective and safe biological drugs to Chinese patients with TED. At the same time, with the approval of SINTBILO  (anti-PCSK9 monoclonal antibody), the NDA acceptance of Mazdutide (GLP-1R/GCGR dual agonist), and the endpoints met in phase 3 study of IBI311, Innovent is strategically establishing its innovative commercial and late-stage portfolio in the fields of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases (CVM), endocrinology and ophthalmology. We will continue to work hard to help people pursue a healthy life."

About Thyroid Eye Disease (TED)

TED is an autoimmune disease involving ocular tissues and is usually associated with Graves' disease (GD) and is the most common orbit-related disease in adults. TED occurs in approximately 25 to 50% of GD patients and can also be seen in other thyroid diseases, even in euthyroidism6.

The annual incidence of TED is estimated to be 16/100,000 in women and 2.9/100,000 in men1and the estimated prevalence of clinically relevant TED ranges from 0.1% to 0.3%2. According to disease severity, it can be divided into mild, moderate and severe. Although TED appears to affect women more often, severe cases occur more frequently in men. Patients aged 30 to 50 years are most commonly affected, and severe cases occur more frequently in patients over 50 years7. At present, the pathogenesis of TED is not fully understood, but several studies have shown that orbital fibrous present in muscle fibers, orbital fibrous connective tissue space are key factors leading to orbital soft tissue enlargement in TED8.

The natural history of TED is divided into active and inactive phases9. The most common symptoms are dry eye, ocular gritty, photophobia, lacrimation, diplopia, and pressure behind the eye, while typical signs include upper eyelid retraction, eyelid edema, periorbital and conjunctival edema, and proptosis. TED is usually mild to moderate, and about 35% of patients with TED are severe, manifesting as severe pain, vision-threatening corneal ulcers, or compressive optic neuropathy10. In addition to potentially affecting vision, TED can have an extremely severe impact on the patient's appearance and social functioning and quality of life.

Currently, the first-line treatment option for moderately severe active TED is intravenous glucocorticoid therapy, which suffers from unsatisfactory improvement of proptosis and systemic side effects, and second-line treatment includes other immunomodulators, which also have risks related to unclear improvement of proptosis and treatment.

Teprotumumab, Tocilizumab and Rituximab are recommended by the Chinese Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment Guidelines for Thyroid Eye Disease (2022)3, the European Group on Graves' orbitopathy (EUGOGO)4 and the consensus on thyroid eye disease of the American Thyroid Society and the European Thyroid Society5 as the second-line treatment options for moderate to severe active TED. Teprotumumab targeting IGF-1R is recommended as first-line therapy for patients with clinically significant proptosis.

About IBI311

IBI311 is a recombinant anti-IGF-1R antibody developed by Innovent for the treatment of TED. IGF-1R is a transmembrane tyrosine kinase receptor that plays a role in the development, metabolism, and immune regulation, and is overexpressed in OFs, B, and T cells of TED patients11. IBI311 can bind IGF-1R, block IGF-1R signaling pathway activation mediated by IGF-1 and other related ligands or agonistic antibodies, reduce the expression of downstream inflammatory factors, thereby inhibiting the synthesis of hyaluronic acid and other glycosaminoglycan caused by OFs activation, as well as related inflammatory reactions including tissue congestion and edema; inhibit adipocyte cellularization of OFs, thereby reducing the disease activity of patients with TED and improving proptosis, diplopia, ocular congestion and edema and other symptoms and signs.

About Innovent

Innovent is a leading biopharmaceutical company founded in 2011 with the mission to provide high-quality biologics that are affordable to all. The company discovers, develops, manufactures and commercializes innovative medicines that treat some of the most intractable illnesses. Its pioneering therapies to treat cancer, cardiovascular and metabolic, autoimmune and eye diseases. Innovent has 10 products in the market, 3 new drug applications under the NMPA review, 4 assets in Phase III or pivotal clinical trials and 19 more molecules in early clinical stage. Innovent partners with over 30 global healthcare leaders, including Eli Lilly, Roche, Sanofi, Adimab, Incyte and MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Guided by the motto, "Start with Integrity, Succeed through Action," Innovent maintains the highest standard of industry practices and works collaboratively to advance the biopharmaceutical industry so that first-rate pharmaceutical drugs can become widely accessible. For more information, visit www.innoventbio.com, or follow Innovent on Facebook and LinkedIn.

Statement: Innovent does not recommend the use of any unapproved drug (s)/indication (s).

Forward-looking statement

This news release may contain certain forward-looking statements that are, by their nature, subject to significant risks and uncertainties. The words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "intend" and similar expressions, as they relate to Innovent Biologics ("Innovent"), are intended to identify certain of such forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend to update these forward-looking statements regularly.

These forward-looking statements are based on the existing beliefs, assumptions, expectations, estimates, projections and understandings of the management of the Company with respect to future events at the time these statements are made. These statements are not a guarantee of future developments and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond the Company's control and are difficult to predict. Consequently, actual results may differ materially from information contained in the forward-looking statements as a result of future changes or developments in our business, the Company's competitive environment and political, economic, legal and social conditions.

The Company, the Directors and the employees of the Company assume (a) no obligation to correct or update the forward-looking statements contained in this site; and (b) no liability in the event that any of the forward-looking statements does not materialize or is otherwise inaccurate.

References:

1. Bartley G. The epidemiological characteristics and clinical course of ophthalmology associated with autoimmune thyroid disease in Olmsted Country, Minnesota. Trans Am Ophthalmol Soc 1994; 92: 477-588.

2. Hiromatsu Y, Eguchi H, Tani J, Kasaoka M, Teshima Y. Graves' ophthalmopathy: epidemiology and natural history. Intern Med. 2014;53(5):353-60.

3. Bartalena L, Kahaly GJ, Baldeschi L, et al. The 2021 European Group on Graves' Orbitopathy (EUGOGO) clinical practice guidelines for the medical management of Graves' Orbitopathy. Eur J Endocrinol. 2021; 185 (4): G43-G67.

4. Group of Oculoplastic and Orbital Diseases, Chinese Ophthalmology Branch, Chinese Medical Association; Group of Thyroid Diseases, Chinese Endocrinology Branch, Chinese Medical Association. Chinese Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Thyroid Associated Ophthalmopathy (2022). Chinese Journal of Ophthalmology. 2022; 58 (9).

5. Burch HB, et al. Management of Thyroid Eye Disease: a Consensus Statement by the American Thyroid Association and the European Thyroid Association. Eur Thyroid J. 2022; 11 (6): e220189.

6. Li Z, Cestari D M, Fortin E. Thyroid eye disease: what is new to know? Curr Opin Ophthalmol. 2018; 29 (6): 528-534.

7. Edsel I. Thyroid Associated Orbitopathy. Retrieved June 7, 2011, from Medscape Reference: http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1218444-overview # a1http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1218444-overview

8. Ali F, Chorsiya A, Anjum V, Ali A. Teprotumumab (TEPEZZA): From the Discovery and Development of Medicines to USFDA Approvals for Active Thyroid Eye Disease (TED) Treatment. Int Ophthalmol. 2021; 41 (4): 1549-1561.

9. Dolman P J. Evaluating Graves' orbitopathy. Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2012; 26 (3): 229-248.

10. Bahn R S. Graves' ophthalmopathy. N Engl J Med. 2010; 362 (8): 726-738.

11. Douglas RS, Naik V, Hwang CJ, et al. B cells from patients with Graves' disease erase express the IGF-1 receptor: implications for disease pathogenesis. J Immunol 2008; 181: 5768-5774.

SOURCE Innovent Biologics
Seed Financing was led by Broadview Ventures

NOTTINGHAM, England, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- IsomAb Ltd, a UK-based biotechnology company, announced today the closing of a 7.5 million (approximately US$9.4 million) Seed financing round, led by Broadview Ventures, with further backing from existing investor, SCVC and participation from MEIF Proof of Concept & Early Stage Fund, which is managed by Mercia Ventures and part of the Midlands Engine Investment Fund (MEIF).

Founded in 2022, IsomAb is developing isoform-specific disease modifying antibody treatments for serious and life-threatening diseases with an initial focus on peripheral ischaemia. The Seed funding round enables the company to advance the pre-clinical development of its lead antibody, ISM-001.

Jackie Turnbull, CEO of IsomAb, commented, "IsomAb's lead program targeting VEGF-A 165 b aims to treat peripheral arterial disease in the large proportion of patients with concomitant metabolic syndrome and Type II diabetes. We are delighted to have attracted a group of high-quality investors to support the early development of our novel program toward CTA filing to enter the clinic."

Benjamin Kreitman, Principal at Broadview Ventures, Inc. said, "Peripheral artery disease remains a significant unmet medical need worldwide, and the development of novel treatments to alleviate ischemia could improve clinical care for millions of patients. As Broadview's investment strategy is focused on the improvement of human health in the areas of cardiovascular disease and stroke, we are delighted to accelerate this highly innovative approach to treat peripheral artery disease."

SCVC Managing Partner, Harry Destecroix said, "We have been an investor in IsomAb since its incorporation and we are delighted to now be working with Broadview Ventures to take this technology to the clinic. There is enormous impact potential for patients aligning to a key area of SCVC's mission: the advancement of Human Health."

Hannah Tapsell Chapman of Mercia Ventures added: "IsomAb offers a fresh approach to the treatment of vascular disease. Although the initial focus will be on treating diabetics, research shows high levels of VEGF-A 165 b are also linked to increased risk of heart attack and stroke in non-diabetics, so it could have much wider applications. The funding will enable the team to progress the development of the lead compound ISM-001 towards human clinical trials."

The Midlands Engine Investment Fund is supported financially by the European Union using funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020 and the European Investment Bank.

About IsomAb Ltd

IsomAb Ltd, founded in 2022, is a UK-based biopharmaceutical company and is a spin-out from the University of Nottingham; early research was conducted at the University of Bristol and funding has been received from the British Heard Foundation, Wellcome Trust and the Medical Research Council. www.isomab.bio.

About Broadview Ventures

Broadview Ventures is a mission-driven investment organization that makes targeted investments in early-stage companies to accelerate the development of innovative therapeutics, devices, and diagnostics for cardiovascular disease and stroke. Broadview is funded by the Leducq Charitable Trust. broadviewventures.org.

About SCVC

SCVC is a leading UK emerging manager, focused on early-stage deep tech start-ups spinning out of the UK's world-leading academic institutions. www.scvc.com

About Mercia Ventures

Mercia is a proactive, specialist asset manager focused on supporting regional SMEs to achieve their growth aspirations. www.mercia.co.uk/ventures

SOURCE IsomAb
TOKYO, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Horizon Capital, a U.S. private-equity firm with $1.6 billion AUM investing primarily in fast-growing tech and export-oriented companies in Ukraine, announced that its latest fund, HCGF IV has accepted a $20 million commitment from JICA. The investment was announced during the Japan-Ukraine Economic Reconstruction Promotion Conference in Tokyo yesterday, with a signing ceremony held at JICA's office. This is the first investment that Horizon Capital has attracted from Japan, joining the firm's esteemed U.S. and European investor base with circa $700 billion in capital.

Lenna Koszarny, Founding Partner and CEO, Horizon Capital and Mr. HATAEDA Mikio, Senior Vice President Japan International Cooperation Agency From the left: Anna Yurchenko, Deputy Minister for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine for European Integration; Lenna Koszarny, Founding Partner and CEO, Horizon Capital; Volodymyr Kuzyo, Deputy Minister of Economy of Ukraine; Denys Shmyhal, Prime Minister of Ukraine; KISHIDA Fumio, Prime Minister of Japan; Dr. TANAKA Akihiko, President, Japan International Cooperation Agency.

JICA's investment will catalyze financing primarily to fast growing, asset light, exporting technology companies, a sector that has demonstrated extraordinary resilience following the onset of the full-fledged invasion two years ago. The Fund is the largest and leading fund raised over the past few years and is notable given its strategy of investing now, not when hostilities end, to maximize its contribution to Ukraine's ongoing resilience, including supporting growth, creating high-value jobs, expanding the tax base, increasing availability of capital for SMEs, and promoting gender smart investing. HCGF IV is the first fund in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) to be awarded 2X Flagship Fund status, 1 of circa 10 globally attaining the highest 2X Challenge designation for funds, and an estimated 1 of 2 such funds led by a female Founding Partner & CEO. 2X Challenge was launched as a bold commitment to invest in the world's women and promote gender equality in finance.

Lenna Koszarny, Founding Partner and Chief Executive Officer, said: "We are thrilled to welcome JICA to our esteemed group of investors backing our latest fund. This significant commitment is a testament to the global success, recognition and resilience of the tech and export-oriented sectors in Ukraine. It reflects a strong vote of confidence in the visionary entrepreneurs we partner with, who are at the forefront of driving economic growth and innovation in the Region. We are grateful for JICA's support, which expands our ability to deliver stellar returns, as well as amplifies our impact in delivering sustainable development, job creation and promote gender-smart investing, at a time when our Region needs it most."

Mikio Hataeda, Senior Vice President of JICA, said: "We are pleased to announce our commitment to Horizon Capital Growth Fund IV, to support the transformative potential of Ukraine and Moldova's tech and export-oriented sectors. This investment aligns with JICA's mission to finance sustainable development and economic resilience in emerging markets, but also illustrates our staunch support for Ukraine in face of the brutal war led by Russia. We are confident that our partnership with Horizon Capital will contribute to the growth of innovative enterprises in the region, fostering job creation and advancing gender equality in line with the 2X Challenge standards."

Horizon Capital is the leading private equity firm in Emerging Europe with $1.6 billion in assets from investors with a capital base of circa $700 billion, raising over $800 million in growth capital in just over six years. The firm's investment strategy focuses on backing visionary entrepreneurs leading fast-growing, primarily tech and export-oriented businesses in Ukraine and Moldova. Its funds managed have backed over 170 companies employing around 80,000 people to date.

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is an incorporated administrative agency in charge of administering Japan's Official Development Assistance (ODA), is one of the world's largest bilateral aid agencies supporting socioeconomic development in developing countries in different regions of the world. It supports developing countries in addressing their development challenges through flexible combination of various cooperation modalities, such as Technical Cooperation, Finance and Investment Cooperation, and Grants. JICA has 96 overseas offices and operates in approximately 140 countries and regions of the world.

Media Contact - Alona Kotsiubynska; [email protected]; +380 93 297 9487

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SMITHFIELD, Va., Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Smithfield Foods has named Kraig Westerbeek as president of its hog production operations effective Feb. 29, reporting to President and Chief Executive Officer Shane Smith.

"Kraig has been an extremely valuable asset to Smithfield Foods throughout his career," said Shane Smith, chief executive officer for Smithfield. "His extensive experience in our hog production division has helped keep Smithfield on the forefront of our industry, and I look forward to his continued leadership."

Kraig Westerbeek

Westerbeek brings more than 30 years of industry experience to his new role. His career with Smithfield began in 1993 as environmental manager for Quarter M Farms, which later merged with Murphy Family Farms. He held leadership roles of increasing responsibility throughout his career, serving as environmental compliance director for eight years before being named assistant vice president of environment, health and safety compliance in 2010. From 2014 to 2017, he served as vice president, support operations for Smithfield Hog Production, where he managed more than 100 employees and was responsible for environmental compliance, engineering, construction, feed manufacturing, transportation and animal welfare.

Westerbeek also played a leading role in the formation of Smithfield Renewables, the company's carbon reduction and renewable energy platform. He led Smithfield Renewables from its introduction in 2017, managing manure-to-energy investments as well as grain supply chain and energy and production efficiency projects, until 2022, when he was named chief development officer of Monarch Renewables, a joint venture between Smithfield Foods, Roeslein Alternative Energy and TPG Rise Climate. Monarch projects capture methane from manure and convert it into carbon-negative renewable natural gas to power homes, vehicles and businesses.

Westerbeek is a past member of the board of directors of the North Carolina Pork Council and the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) and is a current member of NPPC's environmental committee, which he previously chaired. He also was formerly chairman of the Duplin County Health Board and is a current member.

About Smithfield Foods, Inc.

Headquartered in Smithfield, Virginia, since 1936, Smithfield Foods, Inc. is a U.S. food company that employs more than 54,000 people in seven countries and partners with thousands of American farmers. As one of the world's leading vertically integrated protein companies, we are dedicated to producing "Good food. Responsibly." to feed a growing world population. We have pioneered sustainability standards for more than two decades, including our industry-leading commitments to become carbon negative in our U.S. company-owned operations and reduce GHG emissions 30% across our entire U.S. value chain by 2030. We believe in the power of protein to end food insecurity and have donated hundreds of millions of food servings to food banks, disaster relief efforts and community outreach programs in all 50 U.S. states. Smithfield boasts a portfolio of high-quality iconic brands, such as Smithfield, Eckrich, Gwaltney and Nathan's Famous, among many others. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com and connect with us on Facebook, X, formerly known as Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Threads.

SOURCE Smithfield Foods, Inc.
Promotions from counsel include accomplished practitioners with distinct practices.

NEW YORK, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Latham & Watkins LLP1 is pleased to announce that 19 counsel have been elected to the partnership, effective March 1. Each delivers exceptional advice and service to clients in distinct areas of practice.

The counsel promotions announced today follow the election of 34 associates to the partnership, effective January 1, 2024.

"I am tremendously proud of our newest partners, whose legal skills, commitment to client service, and dedication to teamwork epitomize what it means to be a Latham partner. Their collective experience and industry knowledge add impressive depth to our market-leading practice and global platform. We're excited about their continued success and the substantial contributions they will bring to our firm and our clients," said Rich Trobman, Chair and Managing Partner of Latham & Watkins.

The counsel who have been elected partners are:

Joshua Bledsoe (Orange County) is a member of the Environment, Land & Resources Practice and Corporate Department. He advises clients on energy transition matters involving complex infrastructure and development projects, particularly those utilizing renewable or low-carbon technologies and low-carbon fuels. He received his JD from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law in 2004.

Rachel Blitzer (New York) is a member of the Intellectual Property Litigation Practice and Litigation & Trial Department. She represents clients in technically complex cases relating to trade secrets, patent infringement, copyright, breach of contract, business torts, and antitrust disputes. She earned her JD from the University of Chicago Law School in 2005.

Jason Burt (Washington, D.C.) is a member of the Complex Commercial Litigation Practice and Litigation & Trial Department. He represents clients across industries in a variety of litigation matters, including cutting-edge and complex class action litigation, at trial and before government agencies. He received his JD from Brigham Young University J. Reuben Clark Law School in 2006.

Jana Dammann de Chapto (Hamburg) is a member of the Antitrust & Competition Practice and Litigation & Trial Department. She represents clients across industries on merger control and foreign investment control, particularly foreign direct investment regulations and filings. She received her Dr. jur. from the University of Hamburg in 2007 and LLM from the University of Miami School of Law in 2004, completed the Second German State Exam in 2007 at the Higher Regional Court of Hamburg, and the First German State Exam in 2002 at the University of Hamburg.

Thomas Doyen (Paris) is a member of the Restructuring & Special Situations Practice and Finance Department. He advises clients in pre-insolvency and insolvency proceedings as well as out-of-court negotiations, distressed M&A transactions, cross-border restructurings, special situation opportunities, and related litigation matters in a range of industries, acting on behalf of debtors, private equity sponsors, hedge funds, credit funds, banking institutions, and alternative capital providers. He earned his LLM from King's College London in 2012 and a Master 2 in Business Law from Universite Paris IX Dauphine in 2011.

Patrick English (Washington, D.C.) is a member of the Antitrust & Competition Practice and Litigation & Trial Department. He advises clients on merger control matters, particularly involving the healthcare industry, and premerger notification analysis under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act. He earned his JD-MBA with a concentration in biotechnology from Northwestern University School of Law in 2009.

William Hackett (Washington, D.C.) is a member of the Public Company Representation Practice and Corporate Department. He advises clients on private and public securities offerings, general company representation, and public reporting obligations. He received his JD from Columbia University School of Law in 2012.

Marc Makary (Riyadh) is a member of the Project Development & Finance Practice and Finance Department. He advises developers and sponsors on a range of project development and strategic joint venture transactions, and represents lenders and borrowers on infrastructure-related secured financings, with a particular focus on network infrastructure and energy projects. He received his LLM from Columbia University School of Law in 2009, and his LLB in Law from Saint Joseph University, Beirut in 2005.

Christina Mann (Frankfurt) is a member of the Mergers & Acquisitions and Private Equity Practice and Corporate Department. She represents private equity investors and corporate clients in domestic and cross-border M&A transactions on both the buy- and sell-sides, particularly in complex carve-outs and joint ventures. She completed the Second German State Exam at the Higher Regional Court of Passau in 2011 and the First German State Exam at the University of Passau in 2009.

Betsy Marks (Boston) is a member of the Complex Commercial Litigation Practice and Litigation & Trial Department. She represents clients in a range of litigation matters, complex civil disputes, securities litigation, and class actions, with a particular focus on bankruptcy litigation. She earned her JD from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law in 2006.

Derek McKinley (Riyadh) is a member of the Project Development & Finance Practice and Finance Department. He advises developers, investors, lenders, and procurers on energy and infrastructure projects, including midstream oil, gas, and petrochemical projects, as well as airports, highways, ports, and rail projects. He received his LPC from BPP Law School in 2006, LLM from the University of Cape Town in 2005, and LLBs from Katholieke Universiteit Leuven and Queen Mary University of London in 2003.

Elizabeth More (Washington, D.C.) is a member of the Mergers & Acquisitions and Private Equity Practice and Corporate Department. She advises clients on complex business transactions  including leveraged buyouts, divestitures, joint ventures, investments, carve-outs, and other strategic transactions  across a variety of industries, with an emphasis on energy and infrastructure and private equity-backed transactions. She received her JD from Tulane University Law School in 2009.

Gail Neely (New York) is a member of the Capital Markets Practice and Corporate Department. She advises clients on a variety of complex regulatory and corporate matters, often in connection with securities offerings, and with a focus on broker-dealer regulatory matters and US state securities laws. She earned her JD from Fordham University School of Law in 2012.

Jason Ohta (San Diego) is a member of the White Collar Defense & Investigations Practice and Litigation & Trial Department. A trial attorney with over two decades of experience, his practice focuses on civil and criminal healthcare fraud investigations and False Claims Act litigation. He received his JD from the University of San Diego School of Law in 2000.

Stefan Patzer (Hamburg) is a member of the Complex Commercial Litigation Practice and Litigation & Trial Department. He represents clients in a range of disputes, particularly in securities, insolvency, and antitrust litigation, often in matters involving the healthcare and life science sector, and on the litigation aspects of data privacy. He completed the Second German State Exam at the Higher Regional Court of Hamburg in 2008, received his LLM from George Washington University in 2004, and completed the First German State Exam at the University of Cologne in 2001.

Zachary Rowen (New York) is a member of the Securities Litigation & Professional Liability Practice and Litigation & Trial Department. He represents clients in M&A-related litigation, securities litigation, corporate governance, and other complex commercial litigation matters. He earned his JD from the University of Virginia School of Law in 2012.

Clare Scott (London) is a member of the Investment Funds Practice and Corporate Department. She advises global private sponsors on a range of cross-border fund-related matters, focusing on raising and marketing private funds across asset classes and strategies and the ongoing operations of private investment vehicles. She earned her LPC in 2011 and a Graduate Diploma in Law in 2010 from the College of Law.

Peter Todaro (Washington, D.C.) is a member of the Antitrust & Competition Practice and Litigation & Trial Department. He advises clients on antitrust clearance for high-value M&A, joint ventures, and other transactions, particularly merger clearances under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act. He received his JD from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1996.

Thomas Yeh (Los Angeles) is a member of the Intellectual Property Litigation Practice and Litigation & Trial Department. He represents clients in patent and trade secret litigation in federal and state courts, as well as in cross-border investigations before the US International Trade Commission. He earned his JD from George Washington University Law School in 2012.

About Latham & Watkins (lw.com)

Latham & Watkins delivers innovative solutions to complex legal and business challenges around the world. From a global platform, our lawyers advise clients on market-shaping transactions, high-stakes litigation and trials, and sophisticated regulatory matters. Latham is one of the world's largest providers of pro bono services, steadfastly supports initiatives designed to advance diversity within the firm and the legal profession, and is committed to exploring and promoting environmental sustainability.

Notes to Editors

1 Latham & Watkins operates worldwide as a limited liability partnership organized under the laws of the State of Delaware (USA) with affiliated limited liability partnerships conducting the practice in France, Hong Kong, Italy, Singapore, and the United Kingdom and as an affiliated partnership conducting the practice in Japan. Latham & Watkins operates in Israel through a limited liability company, in South Korea as a Foreign Legal Consultant Office, and in Saudi Arabia through a limited liability company.

SOURCE Latham & Watkins
BURLINGAME, Calif, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Coherent Market Insights published a report, titled, Global Lung Stent Market, By Product Type (Tracheobronchial Stents, Esophageal Stents, Pulmonary Artery Stents, Lobar Bronchus Stents, Others), By Material (Metal Lung Stents, Silicone Lung Stents, Hybrid Lung Stents and Others), By Type (Self-expandable Stents and Balloon- expandable Stents), By End User (Hospitals, Ambulatory Surgical Centers and Specialty Clinics) and By Geography: Global Market Size & Share, Analysis, 2023-2030. According to the report, the global lung stent market size was valued at $206.5 million in 2023, and is projected to reach $333.8 million by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 7.1% from 2023 to 2030. Lung stents are medical devices inserted in narrowed airways of lungs to help keep them open in patients suffering from lung cancer or other lung diseases. They help patients breathe more easily.

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Market Dynamics:

The Lung Stent Market is primarily driven by the increasing prevalence of respiratory disorders such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, and lung cancer. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), respiratory diseases are on the rise globally, with COPD projected to be the third leading cause of death by 2030. This has led to a surge in the demand for lung stents as an effective treatment option for airway obstructions and strictures. Moreover, advancements in stent technology, such as the development of drug-eluting stents, which help in reducing complications and improving patient outcomes, are further fueling the growth of the market. Additionally, the growing geriatric population, who are more prone to respiratory disorders, is expected to contribute to the market growth.

Global Lung Stent Market Report Coverage

Report Coverage Details Market Revenue in 2023 $206.5 million Estimated Value by 2030 $333.8 million Growth Rate Poised to grow at a CAGR of 7.1% Historical Data 20182021 Forecast Period 20232030 Forecast Units Value (USD Million/Billion) Report Coverage Revenue Forecast, Competitive Landscape, Growth Factors, and Trends Segments Covered By Product Type, By Material, By Type, By End User Geographies Covered North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of World Restraints & Challenges  High costs associated with stent placement procedures  Risk of stent migration or obstruction  Alternative treatment options available Growth Drivers  Growing demand for minimally invasive procedures  Increasing risk factors such as smoking  Technological advancements in stent designs  Growing healthcare expenditure

Furthermore, the increasing adoption of minimally invasive procedures is another key driver for the market. Lung stents are being increasingly preferred due to their benefits such as shorter recovery time, reduced risk of complications, and improved patient comfort. These factors are expected to have a positive impact on the market growth in the coming years.

Market Trends:

There is an increasing focus on the development of bioresorbable stents. These stents are designed to gradually dissolve over time, thus eliminating the need for removal procedures. This trend is gaining traction as it offers several advantages, including reduced risk of complications, improved patient comfort, and cost-effectiveness. Manufacturers are investing in research and development activities to bring innovative bioresorbable stents to the market.

The tracheobronchial stents segment is expected to hold a dominant position in the lung stent market. These stents are primarily used to treat airway obstruction, which can be caused by various conditions such as tumors, inflammation, or external compression. Tracheobronchial stents provide support and maintain the patency of the airways, allowing for easier breathing and improved quality of life for patients.

The demand for tracheobronchial stents is projected to increase due to the growing prevalence of respiratory disorders, such as lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In addition, advancements in stent materials and designs have improved their effectiveness and durability, driving their adoption in the market.

Metal lung stents are expected to dominate the lung stent market in terms of material type. These stents are commonly made from materials such as stainless steel or nitinol, which provide excellent radial force and flexibility. Metal lung stents are highly preferred due to their durability and ability to maintain patency over an extended period.

The increasing prevalence of lung diseases, such as lung cancer and pneumonia, is driving the demand for metal lung stents. These stents are used to open up narrowed or blocked airways, allowing for improved breathing and reduced symptoms. Moreover, advancements in stent technology, such as the development of drug-eluting stents, are further fueling the adoption of metal lung stents in the market.

Buy now this Business Complete Report: https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/buy-now/6572

Recent Developments:

In 2022, Micro-Tech Endoscopy announced the availability of the first self-expanding tracheobronchial nitinol y-stent.

In August 2023, Theken Companies Purchased VisionAir Solution.

Key Takeaways:

The lung stent market is anticipated to witness a CAGR of 7.1% during the forecast period 2023-2030, owing to the increasing prevalence of respiratory disorders and advancements in stent technology.

On the basis of product type, the tracheobronchial stents segment is expected to hold a dominant position, owing to the high demand for airway obstruction treatment.

In terms of material type, metal lung stents are projected to dominate the market, thanks to their durability and ability to maintain patency.

Among the various types of lung stents, self-expandable stents are expected to be the most dominant, as they provide reliable support and can be easily deployed.

Hospitals are the major end users of lung stents, due to their advanced infrastructure and availability of skilled healthcare professionals.

North America is expected to hold a dominant position in the lung stent market, attributed to the high prevalence of respiratory disorders and favorable reimbursement policies.

Key players operating in the lung stent market include Boston Scientific, Cook Medical, Medtronic, Taewoong Medical, Hospitech, Bess, Endo-Flex, Efer Endoscopy, W. L. Gore & Associates, BD, Edwards Lifesciences, Healthy Medical Corporation, Pulmonx Corporation, Meril Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd, and C. R. Bard Inc. These players focus on product innovations, collaborations, and acquisitions to enhance their market presence and gain a competitive edge.

In conclusion, the lung stent market is expected to witness significant growth during the forecast period, driven by the increasing prevalence of respiratory disorders and advancements in stent technology. Tracheobronchial stents and metal lung stents are projected to be the key market opportunities, while North America is expected to dominate the market. Key players in the market are focused on product innovations and strategic collaborations to maintain their market position.

Read complete market research report, "Global Lung Stent Market, By Product Type, By Material, By Type, By End User, By Geography, Market Size And Share Analysis - Growth Trends And Forecasts 2023-2030", Published by Coherent Market Insights.

Market Segmentation:

By Product Type:

Tracheobronchial Stents

Esophageal Stents

Pulmonary Artery Stents

Stents Lobar Bronchus Stents

Others (Bronchopleural Fistula Stents , Endobronchial Valves)

By Material:

Metal Lung Stents

Silicone Lung Stents

Hybrid Lung Stents

Others (Plastic, Biodegradable)

By Type:

Self-expandable Stents

Balloon- expandable Stents

By End User:

Hospitals

Ambulatory Surgical Centers

Specialty Clinics

By Region:

North America

U.S.

Canada

Latin America

Brazil

Mexico

Rest of Latin America

Europe

Germany

U.K .

Spain

France

Italy

Russia

Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific

China

India

Japan

Australia

South Korea

 Rest of Asia Pacific

Middle East & Africa

& South Africa

GCC Countries

Rest of Middle East & Africa

Find more related trending reports below:

Drug Eluting Stents Market, by Drug (Sirolimus, Paclitaxel, Zotarolimus, Everolimus, Biolimus, and Others), by Coating Type (Polymer-based Coatings and Polymer-free Coatings), by Application (Coronary Artery Disease and Peripheral Artery Disease), by End User (Cardiology Centers, Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs), and Hospitals), and by Region (North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa)

Intracranial Stents Market, by Product Type (Self-Expanding Intracranial Stents and Embolization Coil Support Intracranial Stents), by Disease Indication (Brain Aneurysm and Intracranial Stenosis), by End User (Hospitals and Ambulatory Surgical Centers

Coronary Stents Market, By Product Type (Bare-metal Stents, Drug Eluting Stents, and Bioabsorbable Stents), By Material (Metallic (Stainless Steel, Silicon Carbide, Titanium Nitride Oxide, Cobalt Chromium, Platinum Chromium, and Others) and Polymeric (Non-degradable/Permanent Stents and Degradable/Temporary Stents)), By End User (Hospitals, Specialty Clinics, and Ambulatory Surgical Centers), By Region (North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa)

Ureteral Stents Market, by Product Type (Double Pigtail Stents and Multiloop Stents), by Material Type (Metal Stents and Polymer Stents (Silicone Ureteral Stents, Hybrid Ureteral Stents, and Polyurethane Ureteral Stents)), by Application (Kidney Stones (Ureteroscopy, Lithotripsy, and Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy), Kidney Transplantation, Urinary Incontinence, Tumors, and Others), by End User (Hospitals, Gastrointestinal Surgery Clinics, and Ambulatory Surgical Centers), and by Region (North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa)

About Us:

Coherent Market Insights is a global market intelligence and consulting organization that provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. We are known for our actionable insights and authentic reports in various domains including aerospace and defense, agriculture, food and beverages, automotive, chemicals and materials, and virtually all domains and an exhaustive list of sub-domains under the sun. We create value for clients through our highly reliable and accurate reports. We are also committed in playing a leading role in offering insights in various sectors post-COVID-19 and continue to deliver measurable, sustainable results for our clients.

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SOURCE Coherent Market Insights
SINGAPORE, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- MediThinQ, a pioneering Korean startup specialising in extended reality (XR) wearable displays for surgery, is making waves as the first Asian startup to globally launch XR surgical displays. The company has successfully secured significant deals with industry giants, including Medtronic USA and Japan, marking a substantial milestone in its international expansion efforts.

MediThinQs Scopeye XR surgical display

In tandem, MediThinQ has secured a multimillion-dollar investment from JLK Technology, a Singapore-headquartered medical devices manufacturer, who will also help accelerate MediThinQ's mass production as its appointed manufacturer.

MediThinQ's XR solutions present critical information directly in from of the surgeon's eyes, eliminating the need to divert attention to screens. The first of its kind in revolutionising how medical information is accessed in live surgeries, they are backed by best-in-class image fidelity, latency, reliability, and equipment compatibility.

In the United States and Japan, the world's two largest healthcare markets, MediThinQ's products will be exclusively distributed by Medtronic, underscoring global industry leaders' acknowledgement of the quality and effectiveness of MediThinQ's offerings. This strategic partnership represents a significant milestone in MediThinQ's path toward full-scale commercialisation and global expansion.

Mr Seungjoon Im, Founder & CEO of MediThinQ, expressed his excitement, stating, "We are proud of the groundbreaking technology we've cultivated over the past six years, which sets a new standard in the market. It's even more rewarding to see our innovations making their way into operating theatres worldwide. We extend our heartfelt appreciation to all our partners who have joined us on this transformative journey, and to VentureBlick for orchestrating these pivotal moments and connecting the dots behind the scenes."

Earlier this year, MediThinQ joined VentureBlick's Super Incubator programme  a unique blend of incubator, accelerator, and venture builder, offering tailored support for healthcare startups. VentureBlick has since played a crucial role in elevating MediThinQ's global brand recognition, enhancing negotiation outcomes, raising funds, and positioning the company for continued success.

MediThinQ's flagship products, Scopeye and MetaSCOPE, already hold regulatory approvals in key markets including the US (FDA), Europe (CE), Japan (PMDA), and Korea (KFDA). The technology has also been recognised as one of the top winners at the Medtronic APAC Innovation Challenge in 2022 and received a gold medal at the 2023 Edison Awards.

Looking ahead, MediThinQ is gearing up to launch its next product line targeting the burgeoning Chinese market. It is also exploring applications beyond the medical space, including a collaboration with one of the largest conglomerates in Korea. MediThinQ is currently raising its Series B fund while exploring IPO options in Singapore, Hong Kong, and North America. It is setting the stage for potential early exits through strategic acquisitions or accelerated commercial growth.

About MediThinQ

MediThinQ is a Korea-based startup specialising in medical imaging equipment for surgery. The company's XR surgical displays, including Scopeye and MetaSCOPE, are at the forefront of technological innovation, providing surgeons with unparalleled information management and access in the operating theatre. With regulatory approvals in major markets and strategic distribution partnerships, MediThinQ is poised for global success.

About VentureBlick

VentureBlick is a catalyst for global healthcare innovation with a strong focus on identifying and delivering true medical value. It connects and mobilises innovators, clinicians, investors, and ecosystem partners to create real, collective impact through the VentureBlick Super Incubator, VentureBlick Consulting, and VentureBlick Discovery. The company distinguishes itself through a team with deep healthcare roots and diverse advisor network of 2,000+ clinicians and healthcare professionals from 50+ countries and 30+ specialties. Headquartered in Singapore with presences in Korea, Germany, and India, VentureBlick fosters collaboration among innovators, investors, advisors, distributors, and ecosystem partners worldwide to make a significant impact in healthcare. Join us in shaping the future of healthcare at www.ventureblick.com.

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KYODO NEWS - Feb 20, 2024 - 12:03 | All, Japan, World

The European Union decided Monday to negotiate with Japan on concluding a security and defense partnership agreement, with the bloc seeking to elevate bilateral ties to a higher level, an EU document showed amid China's maritime assertiveness.

The two sides will explore increasing cooperation across wide areas including maritime security, intelligence sharing and coping with hybrid attacks, a new form of warfare that combines military and non-military tactics such as distributing fake information to achieve strategic objectives.

The move comes after Japan and the EU vowed to "develop further (their) security partnership" in a joint statement following their summit meeting last July amid concerns about China's growing clout in the East and South China seas.

Calling Japan a "key partner in the Indo-Pacific" region, the document said the two sides are "longstanding partners in the field of peace, security and defense and have significantly developed their relationship in these areas over the past few years.

The EU called for "reinforcing cooperation to the next level," the document said after the bloc's Foreign Affairs Council meeting.

Among 14 areas the EU listed as being considered for boosting ties with Japan is maritime security, including conducting exercises, in an apparent reference to joint drills in the Indo-Pacific region, alongside possible cooperation on strengthening Southeast Asian nations' maritime security capabilities.

Other areas include responding to cyber threats, protecting critical infrastructure, and coordinating on counterterrorism, space security and defense, the document said.

At its summit meeting in June last year, the EU said in a statement that "the East and South China Seas are of strategic importance for regional and global prosperity and security," adding that the bloc is concerned about growing tensions in the Taiwan Strait.
NASSAU, Bahamas, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation (MOTIA) is delighted to announce the successful negotiation and execution of a groundbreaking Letter of Agreement (LOA) with SpaceX (Space Exploration Technologies Corp.), marking a revolutionary leap for The Bahamas into the realm of space tourism.

The LOA establishes a strategic collaboration that positions The Bahamas as a global destination for witnessing booster landings.

"This Letter of Agreement with SpaceX marks a new era for The Bahamas." Post this

SpaceX, a pioneer in space exploration, is currently finalizing mission designs where one of the company's autonomous drone ships will serve as a Falcon 9 landing location east of The Exumas, offering a spectacle that will be visible only in The Bahamas. This unique opportunity sets the stage for tourists to witness awe-inspiring space events from cruise ships, resorts, and various tourist hotspots, solidifying The Bahamas' position as a key player in the emerging space tourism industry.

The exclusive visibility of rocket landings on an autonomous droneship from various Bahamian islands distinguishes this destination as the only one of its kind worldwide.

The respective Bahamian landings covered in the LOA will not only support SpaceX's Starlink mission but also contribute to saving lives, enhancing first responders' capabilities, and ensuring connectivity in times of disasters.

"This Letter of Agreement with SpaceX marks a new era for The Bahamas. We are honored to work with SpaceX to enable their Falcon 9 rockets to safely land on an autonomous droneship within Bahamian waters, helping to continue their rocket reusability efforts," said Hon. I. Chester Cooper, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investments & Aviation.

"Simultaneously, through Starlink's high speed internet from space, this agreement opens doors to unprecedented opportunities for our citizens, fostering long-term advantages for education, emergency response and innovation," Cooper said. "The Bahamian government aims to utilize this partnership for economic growth, job creation and enhanced educational opportunities."

In tandem with the LOA, SpaceX has committed to supporting the creation of a space installation or exhibit showcasing recognizable hardware and a SpaceX spacesuit. This exhibit, the only one outside the United States, is expected to draw significant attention and attendance from both Bahamian citizens and international tourists.

In addition to potential revenue growth, The Bahamas has secured Starlink internet connectivity at multiple locations across the Family Islands. These terminals, specifically designated for schools lacking sufficient internet capacity, will also bolster the capabilities and operations of first responders in the area.

SpaceX's commitment to educational outreach through STEM and space-focused presentations on a quarterly basis will leave a lasting impact on the growth of STEM education in The Bahamas, providing invaluable opportunities for students and teachers.

Aisha Bowe, former NASA rocket scientist, and STEMBoard Founder & CEO played a significant role in this achievement. In 2024, she is set to become an astronaut, marking her as the first Bahamian in space. Her inspiring journey shared globally through interviews, presentations, and a documentary, aligns with the Bahamas' vision for innovation and education. In collaboration with SpaceX over the past fifteen months, Bowe's expertise and STEMBoard's contributions were integral in outlining procedures for space operations in Bahamian territory.

Cooper expressed the Government's commitment to expanding impact beyond tourism.

"The Bahamas is poised to embrace its newfound role in the global space industry, marking a pivotal moment in the nation's history. We look forward to a future where The Bahamas stands proudly as a trailblazer in space tourism and technology in line with our Blueprint for change and our Innovate242 initiative," he said.

About The Bahamas

The Bahamas has over 700 islands and cays, as well as 16 unique island destinations. Located only 50 miles off the coast of Florida, it offers a quick and easy way for travelers to escape their everyday. The island nation also boasts world-class fishing, diving, boating and thousands of miles of the Earth's most spectacular beaches for families, couples and adventurers to explore. See why It's Better in The Bahamas at www.bahamas.com or on Facebook, YouTube or Instagram.

Media Contact

Anita Johnson-Patty

Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation

[email protected]

SOURCE The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation
BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- With the continuous development of services, people have higher requirements on communication experience. Carriers are looking to make early gains in the 5.5G era by transitioning from traffic-based monetization to experience-oriented monetization. To facilitate this transition, Huawei has developed the Intelligent Personalized Experience (IPE) solution based on the 5.5G Core, and will officially unveil it at this year's Mobile World Congress (MWC).

New services, represented by short videos, live streaming, cloud applications, and VR/AR, pose differentiated requirements on networks.

Live streaming requires a large uplink bandwidth for clear, smooth video playing, so as to prevent economic loss from unsatisfactory events. Services such as cloud phones, cloud gaming, and cloud photographing are sensitive to latency, while VR services, like those for videos and games require a guaranteed downlink bandwidth. All of these new services attract users who are inclined to pay extra fees for a better experience, and opens the floodgates for carriers to monetize differentiated experiences.

Carriers have shifted their focus from enabling fundamental communications in 2G/3G to traffic monetization in 4G and now on service experience monetization with 5G.

As services evolve, carriers follow suit by updating their service plans to deliver an optimal experience to users. A 2G/3G service plan usually includes a limited number of calling minutes and SMSs, a 4G service plan often contains a data package, and a 5G service plan is composed of more services to fit into the differentiated service scenarios.

Experience monetization requires that the experience of user is evaluated and guaranteed in real time.

The traditional service experience assurance solution faces three breakpoints:

User experience cannot be evaluated, encrypted services cannot be accurately identified, and user experience cannot be accurately perceived. The QoS guarantee based on static subscription can only implement static optimization. The operation is not closed-loop, users cannot perceive the assurance effect.

To address this, Huawei provides the IPE solution. IPE leverages the Network Data Analytics Function (NWDAF) centric intelligence plane of the core network as well as intrinsic intelligence in other core network NFs to identify services accurately, evaluate related experiences in real time, and generate immediate experience reports. The IPE solution ensures that user experience can be accurately assessed, dynamically optimized and better monetized.

MWC 2024 will run from February 26 to 29 in Barcelona, Spain. At this year's MWC, Huawei will showcase innovative 5G services and experiences, and release innovative 5.5G core network products and solutions. Huawei will continue to innovate, to deliver ultimate service experience to consumers and help carriers achieve continuous business success.

CONTACT: [email protected]

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WASHINGTON, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson is available in limited opportunities to discuss her mission beginning at 8 a.m. EST on Monday, Feb. 26. The interviews will take place ahead of Dyson launching to the International Space Station in March.

The virtual interviews will stream live on NASA+, NASA Television, and the agency's website. Learn how to stream NASA TV through a variety of platforms including social media.

NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson poses for a portrait at NASAs Johnson Space Center in Houston. Credits: NASA

Interested media must submit a request to speak with Dyson no later than 12 p.m. Friday, Feb. 23, to the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston newsroom at 281-483-5111 or [email protected].

Dyson is scheduled to launch aboard the Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft Thursday, March 21, and will spend approximately six months aboard the space station. She will travel to the station with Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy and spaceflight participant Marina Vasilevskaya of Belarus, both of whom will spend approximately 12 days aboard the orbital complex.

During her expedition, Dyson will conduct scientific investigations and technology demonstrations that help prepare humans for future space missions and benefit people on Earth. Among some of the hundreds of experiments ongoing during her mission, Dyson will continue to study how fire spreads and behaves in space with the Combustion Integrated Rack, as well as contribute to the long-running Crew Earth Observations study by photographing Earth to better understand how our planet is changing over time.

After completing her expedition, Dyson will return to Earth this fall with Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub on the Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft.

Learn more about International Space Station research and operations at:

https://www.nasa.gov/station

SOURCE NASA
Almost half of consumers are willing to spend more for an improved customer experience, according to Broadridge's 6th Annual CX and Communications Survey

NEW YORK, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Amid today's uncertain economic environment and companies' increasing dependence on technology to provide customer service, consumer patience has dwindled with the rate of consumers who feel that companies need to improve their customer experience doubling (70%) since 2019, according to the latest CX & Communications Consumer Insights survey from global Fintech leader, Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (NYSE:BR). The research underscores the pressing need for companies to further enhance the customer experience and emphasizes the crucial role of personalization and empathy in addressing customer concerns, particularly in the age of AI.

"The survey's message is clear: companies need to ensure their technology and communications strategies go hand in hand," stated Dave Zamorski, general manager of digital solutions for Broadridge Customer Communications. "It is mission critical for companies to transform their digital communications with best-in-class security and omni-channel platform modernization to meet market demands."

There is still time for businesses to turn things around. Despite economic challenges, 47% of consumers are willing to spend more for an improved customer experience. Notably, Gen Z (53%) and Millennials (57%) are more inclined to invest in superior CX compared to Baby Boomers (34%).

AI's CX Promise Is Still Premature

"While we've seen significant excitement around the potential for generative AI to enhance business processes, the research underscores the importance of trust, personalization, and human interaction in shaping consumer perception when it comes to this technology," said Matt Swain, head of communications insights and experience at Broadridge. "While there's no doubt that AI can improve customer experience, it's critical to identify the right use cases and regularly gather voice of customer feedback to ensure it is working for and not against you."

While emerging technologies, like generative AI (GenAI), hold promise for enhancing CX, the data highlights the importance of thoughtful implementation of these technologies. As the experimentation phase continues, more than three quarters (76%) of Gen Z have used GenAI in the last year and almost half (46%) say that it has improved their overall experience.

However, when support is needed, sentiment shifts. Sixty-five percent of consumers feel that AI lacks a sense of empathy and 82% prefer to communicate with a human if an issue arises, emphasizing the need for a balanced approach that is coupled with human interaction and works across different preferences.

Data Security & Privacy are Top of Mind

Privacy and security are especially critical in the age of AI. The survey indicates a growing awareness and concern among consumers around the importance of data privacy, with two thirds of respondents reporting being concerned about their data being compromised due to AI. This is especially true for Baby Boomers (74%) compared to Gen Z (58%).

While more than half (54%) of consumers are open to sharing their personal information for a more customized experience, they also want to make sure that information is secure and advocate for businesses to adopt advanced technologies to enhance the overall security of their digital interactions. A majority of consumers (77%) believe there should be more legislation in place to protect personal data.

For Gen Z and Millennials, Proper Personalization is Key

The impact of poor personalization continues to be a looming threat for companies that don't invest in their CX and communications experience. The data shows the need for firms to better understand the potential revenue lost from poor experiences, as nearly half (45%) of consumers have stopped doing business with a company because it did a poor job of customizing their experience. This is especially true for both Gen Z and millennials (55%).

Communicating with customers through the proper channels is just as critical, with 90% of respondents stressing the importance of honoring preferred communication channels and only 31% of respondents believing companies overall are doing it right.

The Future of Next Generation Experiences

For companies to remain competitive, they must learn to strike a balance between technology and personal, human-led communication. The future of successful communication and elevated customer experience depends on companies achieving the right balance of both to meet the needs of tomorrow's consumer.

For more information, view Broadridge's full report here.

Methodology

Broadridge commissioned Big Village to conduct this CARAVAN survey. This survey, as part of Broadridge's annual series, was conducted in a fashion consistent with previous years. The survey was taken by 4,010 U.S. and Canadian residents aged 18 and older. The U.S. data was weighted by age, sex, geographic region, race, and education. The Canadian data was weighted by age, sex, and geographic region to ensure accurate representation of each population.

About Broadridge

Broadridge Financial Solutions (NYSE: BR), a global Fintech leader with over $6 billion in revenues, provides the critical infrastructure that powers investing, corporate governance, and communications to enable better financial lives. We deliver technology-driven solutions that drive business transformation for banks, broker-dealers, asset and wealth managers and public companies. Broadridge's infrastructure serves as a global communications hub enabling corporate governance by linking thousands of public companies and mutual funds to tens of millions of individual and institutional investors around the world. Our technology and operations platforms underpin the daily trading of more than $10 trillion of equities, fixed income and other securities globally. A certified Great Place to Work, Broadridge is part of the S&P 500 Index, employing over 14,000 associates in 21 countries.

For more information about us, please visit www.broadridge.com

Media Contact:

Marie Matta

Prosek Partners

+1 646-818-9106

[email protected]

SOURCE Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc.
DUBLIN, Feb. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Network-as-a-Service is Transforming Network Operators into API-focused Integrators" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The latest research publication on Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) has been released, detailing a significant shift in the networking industry. This comprehensive report examines the evolving NaaS business model, highlighting how it is revolutionizing the way network operators do business.

NaaS - A Business Model Redefining Networking

With digital transformation accelerating globally, network operators are adapting to meet the dynamic requirements of enterprises. This report explores the transition towards a NaaS model which allows for quoting, selling, and managing network services in a more streamlined and flexible manner. It underscores the drive towards a cloud-like consumption model that delivers enhanced customer experience and greater operational efficiency.

Seamless Integration and Collaboration

The findings reveal a growing trend of network operators working in unison to integrate services, thereby creating a robust NaaS framework. Such collaboration is fundamental in providing comprehensive solutions that cater to the complex networking demands of modern enterprises.

Insight into the Ecosystem and Service Innovation

The research provides an in-depth analysis of how various players within the ecosystem perceive their roles within NaaS. This diversity in perspectives is crucial for fostering innovation and expanding the range of services within the network-as-a-service market.

Strategic Implications for Network Operators

As the industry moves towards this integrative model, network operators are transforming into API-focused entities. This fundamental change holds the promise of opening new avenues for business operations, ultimately benefiting end-users across the spectrum.

Analysis of the NaaS business model and its impact on network service delivery

Insights on how NaaS facilitates a frictionless customer experience

Evaluation of the collaborative efforts leading to an enhanced NaaS framework

Strategic overview of the diversifying roles of ecosystem players in NaaS deployment

These pivotal developments in the Network-as-a-Service market



represent a remarkable shift toward more agile and customer-centric networking solutions. The published report is an essential resource for anyone involved in the networking industry, from service providers to technology integrators and enterprise IT leaders.

It offers a detailed glance into the transformative journey of network operators as they adapt to the emerging NaaS model, reshaping the landscape of network services for the future.

The implications of this research are far-reaching, influencing strategic decisions, and operational frameworks within the networking domain. The report stands as a testament to the evolving nature of network service provision and the accelerating pace at which the industry is adopting service-oriented approaches to meet the ever-growing demands of the digital era.

Network professionals and interested stakeholders are invited to explore the findings within this latest research publication and gain valuable insights into the future directions of network services.



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/2clfmp

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.



Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

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SOURCE Research and Markets
DUBLIN, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Network Tokenisation Market: 2023-2028" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The proliferation of digital transactions and the escalating need for robust security measures have led to the growth of the network tokenisation market. A new comprehensive research report examining this vital financial sector is now available, offering detailed insights and predictions for the period 2023-2028. The report provides an in-depth analysis of the market dynamics enabling stakeholders to harness opportunities and navigate challenges with strategic efficiency.

As e-commerce and mobile payments continue to soar, the significance of network tokenisation in safeguarding these transactions against fraud is more pronounced than ever. The report evaluates the application of network tokens across various platforms, including Internet of Things (IoT) devices, pinpointing the evolving technological trends that contribute to market expansion.Emerging Trends and Strategic Analysis



The necessity of network tokenisation in addressing fraud prevention.

prevention. Analyzed prospective growth trajectory and outlook for network tokenisation technology providers.

Assessment of network tokenisation as a critical driver for enhancing transaction authorization rates.

In an increasingly digital world, where cyber threats are at an all-time high, network tokenisation emerges as a key player in payment security. The report highlights the substantial impact of AI and machine learning on the development and efficiency of tokenisation solutions.

Market Outlook and Competitive Landscape



With market revenue set to increase significantly by 2028, and an anticipated compound annual growth rate of 25.6% from 2022 to 2028, industry players and stakeholders must pay close attention to the report's insights. The Competitor Leaderboard section evaluates key vendors, scrutinizing strengths and robustness in the context of the market, thereby offering comparative strategic insights.

Global Reach and In-Depth Forecasts



The analysis covers a wide array of metrics that span across 60 countries, breaking down revenue generation and tokenised transactions by type and region. This granular approach offers stakeholders a global perspective on market dynamics:

Segment analysis emphasizes the necessity of network tokenisation in the wake of ever-increasing digital payments, offering a clear scene of the market's segmented growth and the subsequent need for fortified payment protocols.

Answering Critical Market Questions



With an objective to equip businesses, policy makers, and market specialists, the report answers pivotal questions about the current and future market scenarios:

Key market players and their role in shaping the tokenisation landscape.

Regulatory frameworks and the impact of technology trends on the tokenisation market's evolution.

Identification of regional markets poised for the strongest growth in network tokenisation.

This essential research promises to serve as a cornerstone for vendor strategies and market positioning, aiding in the thrust towards more secure and efficient digital payment environments.

For stakeholders, vendors, and merchants within the payments ecosystem, the report not only outlines the benefits and strategic imperatives of implementing network tokenisation but also offers a futuristic roadmap for harnessing its full potential.

Companies Mentioned

Discover

G+D

IDEMIA

Pagos

Worldpay from FIS

Adyen

American Express

Braintree

Carta Worldwide

Discover

Fiserv

G+D

IDEMIA

Mastercard

Pagos

Spreedly

Thales

TokenEx

Visa

Worldpay from FIS

3dcart

Acquired

Adobe

Airbnb

Allegacy Federal Credit Union

Amazon

Apple

Arbor Ventures

Arc'tery

Bank Liberty

BigCommerce

Booking.com

British Airways

CBE (Central Bank of Egypt )

) Central Bank

CheckFree Corporation

Checkout.com

Chewy

Citi

Cognizant

Credorax

Currencycloud

Cybersource

Delta Airlines

dLocal

DocuSign

Dropbox

EasyJet

Ebank

eBay

EBC (Egyptian Banks Company)

EMerge

Equifax

Eventbrite

Fitbit

FitPay

Fortress Identity

Garmin

ghd

GitHub

GoFundMe

Google

Gr4vy

Groupon

Harold Mechelynck

HealthCare First Credit Union

Hilton Worldwide

Horizon Investments

Infinity Ventures

Infosys

Ingenico

Inside Secure

JustPark

Konsentus

Kount

Levi's

Lianlian DigiTech Co

Magento

McDonalds

Microsoft

MODO

Mogo

NBT Bank

Netcetera

Nets

New York Community Bank

Nuvei

OpenCart

OptBlue Partners

Oracle

Orbital

PayCentral

PayPal

PayShield

Pizza Express

Point72 Ventures

Portland Local 8 Federal Credit Union

PushPay

Rambus

Rappi

RBI (Reserve Bank of India )

) Samsung

Santander

SeatGeek

Secureframe

Shopify

ShopWare

ShopWired

Skyscanner

Smartlink

Sodexo

Spectrum Equity

Spotify

Staley Credit Union

Strawhecker Group

Stripe

Uber

Underscore VC

UnionPay

Unitey Digital Holding

Utilita

Venmo

Warner Bros. Discovery

White Castle

WooCommerce

Worldline

Yodel

Zeta

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/4oi0rt

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

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SOURCE Research and Markets
The fourth edition of "The Making, the Rise, and the Future of the Speakingman" by Dan M. Mrejeru, an independent researcher and top academic contributor, offers a unique on perspective human evolution, focusing on brain development and speech. Mrejeru, with his background in geology and geotechnical engineering, challenges mainstream scientific views, making complex concepts accessible to a wide audience.

PARK RIDGE, Ill., Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The much-anticipated fourth edition of Dan M. Mrejeru's groundbreaking book, "The Making, the Rise, and the Future of the Speakingman," is now available. This edition continues to challenge mainstream scientific perspectives, offering a unique and in-depth look at human evolution, with a scientific focus on the development of the modern brain and the power of speech.

Dan Mrejeru The Making, the Rise, and the Future of the Speakingman"

Dan Mrejeru, an esteemed Independent Researcher and a top 2% member of academia.edu combines his extensive experience in geology and geotechnical engineering with a passion for multidisciplinary research. His book, born from over 80 influential science articles published on academia.edu and his prolific career as a self-published author of twenty books, presents a series of thought-provoking topics that have garnered significant attention and readership within the academic community.

Having earned his MS from the University of Bucharest's Department of geology and geography, and after establishing a successful 35-year geotechnical business in the US, Mrejeru brings a unique perspective to the scientific discourse. His insights into human evolution and the concept of 'speakingman' are particularly enlightening, offering readers a fresh look ay our species.

"The Making, the Rise, and the Future of the Speakingman" has been awarded the prestigious Literary Titan Gold Book Award, recognizing its significant contribution to the field and its impact on readers. Literary Titan, in its review, praises Mrejeru's work for its "captivating exploration of human evolution" and the introduction of the compelling term 'speakingman'. The review highlights the book's accessible approach to complex topics, its narrative qualities, and its engaging conversational tone. Mrejeru's ability to simplify academic concepts and his clear, jargon-free narrative make the book an enjoyable read for history enthusiasts and general readers alike.

This latest edition is a must-read for everyone interested in the journey and future of humankind, offering a wealth of knowledge an a unique perspective on the evolution of our species. Available now on Kindle and in paperback on Amazon and Barnes & Noble .

About the Book

Delve into the pages of this enlightening exploration of human evolution, where the mysteries of the modern brain and the power of speech are unraveled. Journey through time as this book challenges established scientific narrative, offering fresh perspectives on our species' development. Crafted by a renowned independent researcher, it simplifies complex concepts, making them accessible to all. From the intrincate workings of the human brain to the future of humanity, this book is a treasure trove of lesser-known facts and insightful analysis. It's a captivating read for everyone intrigued by the past, present, and future of humankind, providing a deeper appreciation of our evolutionary journey.

About the Author

Dan M. Mrejeru is an accomplished Independent Researcher and a distinguished member of the top 2% of academia.edu, where he has published over 80 influential scientific articles. Holding a Master of Science degree from the the Department of geology and geography at the University of Bucharest, Romania, he immigrated to the United States in 1985, bringing with him a rich background in geology and geotechnical engineering. Over the past 35 years, he has not only led a successful geotechnical business but also made significant contributions to multidisciplinary research. Mrejeru's passion for exploring complex scientific topics, particularly those pertaining to human evolution and the development of the modern brain, has led him to self-publish twenty books, each reflecting his dedication to bringing clarity and accessibility to challenging subjects. His unique approach to blending scientific rigor with engaging narrative has earned him acclaim in both academic and literary circles.

Contact Information

Name: Dan M. Mrejeru

Email: [email protected]

Phone : 8475302276

Country: United States

Website :danmrejeru.com

SOURCE Dan Mrejeru
Former U.S. Air Force MSG Recognized for Outstanding Performance as a Franchise Owner

PHOENIX, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Franchise Association (IFA) today named Nick Lambie, owner of Ziebart in Morgantown, WV, as a 2023 Franchisee of the Year. Lambie was honored at the 64th IFA Annual Convention in Phoenix, AZ, for being an outstanding franchise establishment owner-operator.

Ziebart franchise owner Nick Lambie is recognized at the International Franchise Association 2024 Annual Convention as a 2023 Franchisee of the Year. Lambie has owned his hometown store in Morgantown, WV with his brother, Mark Lambie, since 2019. Lambie is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. For more information on franchising with Ziebart, please visit: ziebart.com/franchise-opportunities.

Lambie has owned his hometown store with his brother, Mark Lambie, since 2019. Following his career as a U.S. Air Force Master Sergeant, Nick Lambie sought a new challenge that would continue his management and mentorship of people, while paying attention to detail and accomplishing the job. In the five years since, the Morgantown store has become one of the brand's top-performing stores and Nick Lambie's leadership has translated well to business ownership.

Franchisees of the Year exemplify what franchising is all about  providing opportunity, serving others, and fulfilling the American Dream," said Matthew Haller, President and CEO of the International Franchise Association. "We are proud to recognize Nick with the highest honor IFA awards to individual franchisees, and I have no doubt his work is changing lives and making a lasting community impact."

The Franchisee of the Year Award recognizes leading franchise owners from IFA member brands whose outstanding performance and contributions help protect, enhance, and promote the franchise business model. Nominated by their parent company, individuals are selected for their involvement in their communities, embodying the entrepreneurial spirit, fostering a strong and healthy culture with their workforce, and assisting their fellow franchisees when called upon.

In its 65th year in business, Ziebart operates more than 400 locations and 1,300 service centers in 19 states and 37 countries. The brand has been named #150 in Entrepreneur's Franchise 500 and a Top Franchise for 2024 by Franchise Business Review, citing the brand's strength as a franchisor with excellent benefits for veteran owners, such as waiving the franchise fee for veterans. Lambie, as a success story for veteran franchise ownership, will soon open his second location with his brother in Washington, PA later this year.

"If you take care of those around you, they'll take care of you in return. That message sits at the core of why I got into entrepreneurship in the first place," said Nick Lambie. "This award is an incredible honor and I'm happy to represent my brother, our store, our hometown, and the Ziebart brand overall as a Franchisee of the Year. Every award is a team award and I can't thank everyone that's helped me get here enough."

There are approximately 806,000 franchised businesses across the U.S., providing over 8.7 million direct jobs and generating over $858 billion in economic output. According to Oxford Economics, franchising on average provides higher wages and better benefits than non-franchised businesses, as well as greater entrepreneurial opportunities to minorities, women, veterans, and other underrepresented communities.

About Ziebart

Founded in 1959, Ziebart International Corporation is the worldwide leader in premium automotive appearance and protection services that extend the life of vehicles. Ziebart operates over 400 locations, with 1,300 service centers, in 37 countries. Ziebart continues to grow and offers domestic and international franchising opportunities, a best-in-class investment for qualified prospects. For more information about Ziebart including franchise opportunities, please visit www.ziebart.com .

About the International Franchise Association:

Celebrating over 60 years of excellence, education, and advocacy, the International Franchise Association (IFA) is the world's oldest and largest organization representing franchising worldwide. IFA works through its government relations and public policy, media relations, and educational programs to protect, enhance and promote franchising and the approximately 806,270 franchise establishments that support nearly 8.7 million direct jobs, $858.5 billion of economic output for the U.S. economy, and almost 3 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). IFA members include franchise companies in over 300 different business format categories, individual franchisees, and companies that support the industry in marketing, law, technology, and business development.

SOURCE Ziebart
Global healthcare leader advances mission of Going for Zero heart attacks and strokes by promoting awareness of atrial fibrillation and its high stroke risk

"Watch this documentary-style film short and, within five minutes, OMRON will teach you about AFib, how to identify your own risk, and what you can do about it"

KYOTO, Japan, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In observance of Heart Health Month, global healthcare leader OMRON Healthcare today released The Sound of AFib, a film short that is the centerpiece of a global campaign to promote awareness of atrial fibrillation (AFib), the most common type of heart arrythmia1, and how to reduce the high stroke risk associated with the condition.

OMRON Healthcare united an AFib patient, a renowned cardiologist, and a composer who uses musical notes to illustrate what AFib is doing to the patients heart in The Sound of AFib film short.

The Sound of AFib is a compelling documentary-style film short now available for online viewing. OMRON took a creative approach to spark discussion of the condition, introducing an AFib patient and a cardiologist to a composer who creates an original composition and uses musical notes to illustrate what AFib is doing to the patient's heart rhythm.

Accompanying the aging of populations worldwide, AFib prevalence is rising as a global epidemic2. The risks of stroke are rising with it. Research shows that up to forty percent of AFib patients are asymptomatic3. These patients may not experience symptoms commonly associated with AFib and are likely unaware of the heart health risk they are living with every day.

"AFib is an irregular heart rhythm that is commonly misdiagnosed and often misunderstood. In this film, OMRON explores how the universal language of music illustrates the condition. The result is a surprisingly moving way to raise AFib awareness," said Dr. Faizel Osman, professor of cardiology.

For The Sound of AFib, OMRON united an AFib patient (Marie, a 47 year-old mom of two who survived a stroke caused by AFib), a cardiologist with expertise in atrial fibrillation (Dr. Osman), and a composer, (Mr. Steven Aswin), who uses music to translate the patient's ECG into an original composition, demonstrating a heartbeat in harmony until AFib disrupts the heart's natural rhythm.

The result is a powerful lesson in understanding what AFib can do to one's heart rhythm and how to listen to your heart to identify this high stroke-risk condition.

Global health organizations cite raising awareness and advocacy as key paths to educate about AFib and urge those who may have the condition to act and reduce their risk4.

"AFib is the most common heart rhythm disorder worldwide. Diagnosis of this dangerous condition, which carries five times5 higher stroke risk, is often missed," said Dr. Osman. "The irregular pattern of AFib makes it difficult to detect. If the patient knows what to look for, that could make a world of difference. Raising that level of awareness is the focus of this film by OMRON."

"Knowing how to listen to your heart to identify AFib is step one to reduce your stroke risk," said Dr. Osman. "Step two is to use technology that can capture the condition at the time you're feeling your heart race or flutter. That means having medical technology you can access anytime, anywhere whether you are feeling the symptoms or simply want to be proactive."

OMRON Healthcare offers a first-of-its-kind blood pressure monitor with built-in ECG that captures essential data to help doctors diagnose AFib and assess how to treat it. Company representatives say they are developing new technologies to allow everyone to easily record ECGs

"It's known that cardiovascular diseases are still the leading cause of death worldwide. Since our first blood pressure monitor in 1973, we've been at the forefront of advocating home blood pressure management's importance, and we recognize it's insufficient for reaching zero cerebral and cardiovascular risks. Early atrial fibrillation detection is key to preventing arrhythmia-related strokes. By launching this global awareness campaign, we emphasize atrial fibrillation risks and endorse home ECG recordings," said OMRON Healthcare President and CEO Ayumu Okada.

"Our vision persists: Going for ZERO, aiming for Zero Cerebrovascular and Cardiovascular Events. To realize the vision, OMRON Healthcare has developed and introduced a wide range of devices and services that enable anyone to easily record ECG, enhance to raise the awareness of the importance of early detection of AFib. We're dedicated to contributing to global well-being by reducing the risks of brain and heart diseases worldwide," said Okada.

To watch The Sound of AFib and gain access to free information about AFib, visit OMRON's The Sound of AFib Awareness Campaign website.

About OMRON Healthcare, Inc.

OMRON Healthcare, Inc., is the world's leading manufacturer and distributor of personal heart health products and an innovator in technologies supporting respiratory and pain management care. With 50 years of medical device category leadership, OMRON is passionate about empowering people to take charge of their health at home through precise technology. Its market-leading products include a full range of home blood pressure monitors, nebulizers, and TENS devices. The company's mission is Going for Zero, the elimination of heart attacks and strokes. With more than 350 million devices sold globally, OMRON provides the world's most recommended blood pressure monitors by healthcare professionals. OMRON Healthcare has always strived to improve lives and contribute to a better society by developing innovations that help people prevent, treat, and manage their medical conditions, and we provide products and services in over 110 countries. For more information, visit OmronHealthcare.com.

_______________________________________

1 CDC, Atrial Fibrillation https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/atrial_fibrillation.htm

2 AHA Journals, Epidemiology of Atrial Fibrillation in the 21st Century https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.120.316340

3 PubMed, Asymptomatic vs Symptomatic Atrial Fibrillation https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25974193/

4 World Heart Federation, Confronting the World's Number One Killer https://world-heart-federation.org/wp-content/uploads/World-Heart-Report-2023.pdf

5 AHA Journals, Risks of Stroke and Mortality in Atrial Fibrillation https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/STROKEAHA.119.025554

SOURCE OMRON Healthcare
WASHINGTON, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Following is a statement from Emily Wilkins, president of the National Press Club, and Gil Klein, president of the National Press Club Journalism Institute, on a Russian court's ruling on Tuesday that American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva, an editor for Radio Free Europe, will remain in pretrial detention.

"We are appalled by the Russian government's unjust detention of Radio Free Europe journalist Alsu Kurmasheva, a U.S. citizen, on politically motivated charges for more than four months. We condemn the senseless cruelty of today's decision by the Supreme Court of Russia's Republic of Tatarstan keeping Alsu in pretrial detention. Alsu's lawyers had requested that she be transferred to house arrest due to issues including her state of health."

"We call for the Russian government to immediately release Alsu, along with Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich. Every day they remain in prison is an outrage."

"The world cannot stand idly by and allow journalists to be used as political pawns by the Russian government. The United States government can do more to help secure Alsu's release, and we call on the Biden Administration to take action."

"The U.S. State Department has yet to designate Alsu as wrongfully detained as it has other U.S. citizens held in Russia. The designation would raise the profile of the case against Alsu, effectively labeling it as politically motivated."

"We call on the State Department to immediately designate Alsu as wrongfully detained. Secretary Blinken must act now. Every day of inaction is another day too long."

Founded in 1908, the National Press Club is the world's leading professional organization for journalists. The Club has 3,000 members representing nearly every major news organization and is a leading voice for press freedom in the U.S. and worldwide.

The National Press Club Journalism Institute promotes an engaged, global citizenry through an independent and free press and equips journalists with the skills and standards to inform the public in ways that inspire a more representative democracy. The NPCJI is the nonprofit affiliate of the National Press Club.

Contact: Bill McCarren, press freedom consultant for the National Press Club, [email protected], (202) 662-7534

SOURCE National Press Club
KYODO NEWS - Feb 20, 2024 - 21:12 | World, All

Taiwan drove away a China Coast Guard vessel that entered waters near a remote Taiwanese island, Taipei said Tuesday, as cross-strait tensions rise following the deaths of two Chinese fishermen last week when their boat was chased by Taiwanese authorities.

The Chinese vessel entered waters near Kinmen, just a couple of kilometers away from Xiamen, a port city in the Chinese province of Fujian, at 9:05 a.m. and departed an hour later after a Taiwanese boat drove it away using radio and broadcast equipment, Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration said.

Just a day earlier, China inspected a Taiwanese sightseeing vessel in the area, with Chinese coast guard officers checking its route plan, certificate and the licenses of its captain and crew.

Earlier Tuesday, Taiwan's premier, Chen Chien-jen, called on both sides of the Taiwan Strait to be "rational" and cooperate to jointly maintain security in the sea area.

The sightseeing vessel had 11 crew members and 23 passengers and was about 5.2 km northwest of Kinmen's Wushajiao when it was intercepted by two Chinese coast guard boats at 4:47 p.m. Monday, Taiwan's coast guard said, adding Chinese officials left around 30 minutes later.

Passengers were alarmed at the inspection and fearful that they could not return to Taiwan, according to the island's media.

Last Wednesday, a Chinese fishing boat from Fujian capsized in waters near Kinmen after it was expelled by Taiwanese authorities, with all four crew members ending up in the water. The two surviving fishermen were detained on the remote island before being deported Tuesday, according to Taiwanese media.

Taipei claims the Chinese boat was in prohibited waters. Following the incident, Beijing said Sunday it will increase patrol operations in the area.

Zhu Fenglian, spokeswoman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of China's State Council, has condemned the island's ruling, independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party over the incident, saying the DPP government has been "forcibly detaining mainland fishing boats" and "rudely treated" Chinese fishermen.

Kinmen was the site of several major historical clashes following a civil war that saw mainland China and Taiwan become separately governed from 1949. Beijing regards the self-ruled island as part of its territory.

Related coverage:

U.S., China agree to hold follow-up talks on North Korea, Middle East

Taiwan's Lai seeks cooperation with Japan as he meets Tokyo governor

China ships warn Japan SDF planes to leave airspace near Senkakus
DENVER, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Procare Solutions, a leader in child care management software for more than 30 years, is pleased to announce the release of our 2024 Child Care Management Software Industry Trends Report.

This report provides a comprehensive look at the current state of the child care industry's use of technology as well as challenges that early childhood education programs must adapt to, and overcome, to thrive.

Hiring and retaining staff remains the biggest challenge among child care providers.

The survey results show five main challenges: attaining optimal enrollment, collecting tuition, hiring and retaining staff, professional development and a lack of government funding and support.

The biggest change year-over-year was a dramatic uptick in how many centers reported being at optimal enrollment.

Highlights from the 2024 Child Care Management Software Industry Trends Report include:

67% of centers reported being at capacity or over capacity, up from 42% in the previous year's survey

47% of centers struggle with enrollment

61% say it's a challenge to hire and retain staff (down 6% from last year)

30% need more professional development for teachers and staff

44% not using child care management software reported relying on paper and pencil to run their programs

29% cited a lack of government funding as a major challenge

11% struggle with processing payments and 43% have experienced at least one rejected or declined transaction or bounced check when trying to collect tuition

DOWNLOAD THE REPORT.

The findings in this report come from a comprehensive survey of more than 100,000 child care leaders, directors, teachers and other stakeholders in ECE to better understand the current state of the industry regarding software usage.

But the findings detailed in this report go deeper than software. In compiling this data, the goal was to better understand the obstacles being faced by child care providers. To provide more context to the findings, Procare Solutions partnered with experts in several areas of early childhood education.

Their shared knowledge in this report will help child care providers assess their operations, as well as how they can improve the education they provide to young learners preparing for kindergarten.

This is the second report published by Procare Solutions identifying trends in child care management software to illustrate industry benchmarks and how automation can put time back into child care providers' days.

"We work every day to find solutions to the challenges faced by early childhood education professionals," said JoAnn Kintzel, CEO of Procare Solutions. "Technology can help alleviate some of these pressures, yet our findings once again show that many centers are still relying on time-consuming methods to run their child care businesses."

Using the data in this report, child care leaders can better forecast their futures and make plans to grow their business, despite challenges that can seem overwhelming.

Download your copy of the 2024 Child Care Management Software Industry Trends Report.

About Procare Solutions

For more than 30 years, Procare Solutions has been helping early childhood educators simplify operations and create meaningful connections with families, so they can focus on what matters most  the children in their care.

From registration, attendance tracking, staff management and lesson planning to family engagement, tuition collection and reporting, we help ease the challenges faced of running a child care business.

Our dedicated team of support professionals also make it easy to get up and running quickly and answer questions along the way. That's why over 37,000 customers choose Procare. We are proud to be a leader in child care management software. For more information, visit ProcareSolutions.com.

SOURCE Procare Solutions
Georgetown Seafront Resort is a 300 million USD development will add 410 five stars rooms conference facilities that will increase Guyana's competitiveness to host conferences.

The resort's strategic location on Carifesta Avenue along the picturesque Georgetown seafront stands as a harmonious amalgamation of contemporary elegance and rich cultural essence.

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Power International Holding  PIH- a Qatari based global investment conglomerate held the groundbreaking ceremony of Georgetown Seafront Resort and Convention center a premium development by its subsidiary Assets Group, the hospitality development and management arm.

Qatari Power International Holding hosts the groundbreaking ceremony for a Georgetown Seafront resort in Guyana

The event was held under the patronage of His Excellency President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, in the presence of dignitaries from various sectors, including tourism, hospitality, and investment in parallel with the Guyana Energy Conference & Supply Chain Expo 2024.

From Power International Holding the ceremony was attended by Mr. Moutaz Al-Khayyat, Chairman, Mr. Ramez Al-Khayyat, Vice Chairman, President & Group CEO, and Mr. Abid Butt, Group CEO of PIH subsidiary Assets Group.

The 76,000 sqm property is a 300 million USD development is set to feature 260 luxurious rooms and suites and 150 serviced apartments part of which are branded residences and premium villas, along with an exclusive Members' Club.

This project will significantly increase the competitiveness of Guyana as a major conference destination.

His Excellency President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali has welcomed the Qatari presence in the country, expressing confidence that this development would be a distinctive landmark for Georgetown. He pledged his support for the project.

Moutaz Al-Khayyat, the Chairman of Power International Holding PIH, expressed great enthusiasm regarding the unveiling of the Georgetown Seafront Resort and Convention Center. This gem promises to redefine luxury in Guyana's flourishing tourism sector. Every aspect of this resort is a testament to unparalleled elegance, thanks to its meticulously crafted accommodations and world-class amenities that are set to elevate Guyana's hospitality scene.

Ramez Al-Khayyat, Vice Chairman, President and Group CEO of Power International Holding PIH highlighted the celebration as the commencement of promising investments in Guyana across vital sectors like tourism, healthcare, and infrastructure development. He expressed delight in supporting Guyana during this transformative era.

Read the full article on: https://powerholding-intl.com/2024/02/18/power-international-holding-hosts-the-groundbreaking-ceremony-for-a-major-resort-and-convention-center-in-guyana/

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2342832/Georgetown_Seafront_resort.jpg

SOURCE Power International Holding
Marking a reset for the brand, the international campaign debuts in Canada and Latin America with ambitious plans to air in additional global markets throughout 2024

NEW YORK, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Quaker, the trusted brand that has been a cornerstone of good mornings around the world for almost 150 years, is unveiling its first-ever global platform titled 'You've Got This,' celebrating everyday people who awaken the potential in others. Quaker is fueling the unsung heroes who give us the strength and nourishment we need to take on the days that matter most. The campaign marks a reset for the brand that will be brought to life through a range of initiatives championing everyday heroes, including a visually captivating television commercial directed by BAFTA award-winning director Charlotte Wells.

Quaker Launches New Global Platform, 'You've Got This', With Commercial Film From Award-Winning Director Charlotte Wells Post this Quaker Launches First-Ever Global Brand Platform - 'Youve Got This' (PRNewsfoto/PepsiCo) Quaker Launches First-Ever Global Brand Platform - 'Youve Got This' (PRNewsfoto/PepsiCo)

"Quaker has long been a beloved, potential-filled brand within the PepsiCo portfolio, and 'You've Got This' is the breakthrough creative platform we need to mark the brand's next chapter across the globe," says Ciara Dilley, Vice President of Marketing, Global Foods Group at PepsiCo. "As a brand with a storied history of nourishing potential in others, we are thrilled to partner with Charlotte Wells to celebrate the unsung heroes who inspire greatness in all of us."

The 'You've Got This' platform, created with Uncommon Creative Studio, spotlights the beauty of everyday heroes on the days that matter most. It's on those big days in which a small gesture, a word of encouragement, or a comforting bowl of oatmeal from someone who is always in our corner makes all the difference. These everyday heroes remind us that we all have it within ourselves to take on whatever we want in lifesometimes we just need some help believing it. In the acclaimed filmmaker's first commercial film, Charlotte Wells beautifully captures the spirit of this campaign.

"Familial bonds, the joy and ache of time passing, of growing up and growing oldthese are themes that are constantly on my mind, and which were front and center in this script," says Charlotte Wells.

The emotionally compelling short film follows a father and son as they navigate life's stages together, from childhood to adulthood. Throughout the story, the father offers small acts of support, words of encouragement and bowls of Quaker oatmeal to his son, giving him the strength he needs to take on the days that matter most. As time passes, the son eventually has a child of his own, and he reflects on the impact his own father had on his life. He shares a bowl of Quaker oatmeal with his son, realizing it is now his turn to be the reassuring presence, the unsung hero.

The longform version of the commercial has been adapted for local markets around the world to best suit the consumer rituals and habits in those markets. 'You've Got This' is also the first-ever fully personalized omnichannel campaign for Quaker including out-of-home, print and mobile/digital advertising allowing for a highly customized creative experience across all consumer touchpoints.

Lucy Jameson, Co-founder of Uncommon Creative Studio added: "We're really proud to bring emotion to a global audience with this new work for Quaker, celebrating the universal role the brand plays in our lives through a powerful story of a father and a son's relationship. This is the start of a much broader strategic platform for the brand, and we can't wait to see this flourish this year."

The Quaker 'You've Got This' campaign is currently airing across Canada and Latin America in cinemas and on TV, digital and social media with plans to expand to additional markets throughout 2024.

For more information about Quaker, please visit QuakerOats.com and to view the campaign, please click here.

For further information or media inquiries please contact Jalana Torres, [email protected].

About The Quaker Oats Company

The Quaker Oats Company, headquartered in Chicago, is a unit of PepsiCo, Inc., one of the world's largest consumer packaged goods companies. For more than 140 years, Quaker's brands have served as symbols of quality, great taste and nutrition. Quaker Oats, Quaker Rice Cakes and Quaker Chewy Granola Bars are consumer favorites. For more information, please visit www.QuakerOats.com, www.Facebook.com/Quaker or follow us on X and Instagram @Quaker.

About PepsiCo

PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $91 billion in net revenue in 2023, driven by a complementary beverage and convenient foods portfolio that includes Lay's, Doritos, Cheetos, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Quaker, and SodaStream. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including many iconic brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Beverages and Convenient Foods by Winning with pep+ (PepsiCo Positive). pep+ is our strategic end-to-end transformation that puts sustainability and human capital at the center of how we will create value and growth by operating within planetary boundaries and inspiring positive change for planet and people. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com, and follow on X (Twitter), Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn @PepsiCo.

SOURCE PepsiCo
The Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP) Block 3 provides enhanced capabilities for non-kinetic electronic attack options to the U.S. fleet.

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Quantic Wenzel, an industry leader in crystal oscillators, frequency sources, and integrated microwave assemblies has been selected to engineer and manufacture key electronic assemblies for Northrop Grumman's AN/SLQ-32(V)7 SEWIP Block 3 Program. The program is the third in a series of incremental upgrades that adds an electronic attack (EA) capability to the AN/SLQ-32 electronic warfare system to defend ships against anti-ship missiles. Northrop Grumman chose Quantic Wenzel for the multi-year program in part because of the company's expertise in high-performance solutions.

Artists rendering of the SEWIP Block 3 System | Credit: Northrop Grumman

"Many of us at Quantic Wenzel, including myself, have served or continue to serve in the U.S. armed forces. As such, we are proud to engineer and manufacture products that will help Northrop Grumman and the DoD keep our service members safe," said Greg Peacock, Director of Operations. "Our expertise is rooted in programs like SEWIP Block 3. Since 1978, customers like Northrop Grumman have trusted us to research, design, and deliver innovative solutions with industry leading performance."

In September 2020, Northrop Grumman was awarded the follow-on production contract for SEWIP Block 3 systems by the U.S. Navy. The program is managed by the U.S. Navy Program Executive Office Integrated Warfare Systems (PEO IWS).

About Quantic Wenzel:

Since 1978, Quantic Wenzel has set the standard for ultra-low phase noise crystal oscillators, a portfolio complemented by a range of advanced frequency sources and integrated microwave assemblies to 30 GHz and beyond. Quantic Wenzel's frequency control and timing products are designed into mission-critical military, space and commercial applications, and perform in the most extreme environments. And as a Quantic company, Quantic Wenzel is a part of an extended engineering ecosystem and powerful supply chain, defining a competitive advantage that extends to every customer.

About Northrop Grumman

Northrop Grumman is a leading global aerospace and defense technology company. Our pioneering solutions equip our customers with the capabilities they need to connect and protect the world, and push the boundaries of human exploration across the universe. Driven by a shared purpose to solve our customers' toughest problems, our 95,000 employees define possible every day.

Media Contact:

William Walsh

[email protected]

(512) 835-2038 ext. 150

Sales Contact:

Jigar Shah

[email protected]

(512) 835-2038

SOURCE Quantic Electronics
Series C funding round co-led by Celesta Capital and GreatPoint Ventures will drive AI inference system delivering 10x higher-compute density and power efficiency

SAN JOSE, Calif., Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Recogni, Inc. , the leader in AI-based computing, today announced the closing of $102 million in Series C funding, co-led by Celesta Capital and GreatPoint Ventures. Existing investors Mayfield, DNS Capital, BMW i Ventures, and SW Mobility Fund also participated. Joining the round are new investors Pledge Ventures and Tasaru Mobility Investments, a company wholly owned by Public Investment Fund (PIF), with debt provided by HSBC Innovation Banking. The funding will be used to drive next generation system development for AI inference solutions that boost performance and power efficiency while providing the lowest total cost of ownership.

Today's AI innovators face challenges that restrict AI's widespread use across various markets. With AI technology advancing rapidly and model sizes increasing significantly, AI inferencethe process of using live data in trained models for predictions or task solutionsneeds to be more performant and power-efficient than past solutions. These improvements are crucial for broadening AI application in a sustainable manner. Recogni's scalable, power-efficient AI inference acceleration technique promises to unlock new AI computing possibilities in critical areas like generative AI and intelligent autonomy.

Marc Bolitho, CEO of Recogni, points out the urgent gap between rapidly expanding AI models and the slower evolution of computing capability. "The critical need for solutions that directly address the key challenges in AI inference processingcompute capability, scalability, accuracy, and energy savingsis more urgent than ever. Recogni is leading this transformative wave, engineering pivotal advances that will redefine data centers and enterprise and revolutionize industries like automotive and aerospace," he said.

Current AI acceleration solutions will not scale for tomorrow's AI needs. Cloud-based AI training and inference predominantly utilize power-intensive GPUs (graphics processing units), exerting substantial stress on the compute capacity, cooling, and power systems of data centers. Such demands render the process financially and ecologically unsustainable. Recogni is offering a fundamental change in inference processing to solve the AI compute issue from the ground up with scalability that can stand the test of time.

"When you have a solution that achieves 10x higher compute density, 10x lower power and 13x less cost per query, it's a no-brainer to invest and help bring that solution to market," said Ashok Krishnamurthi, managing partner at GreatPoint Ventures. "The compute demand for AI applications is going to be significantly more than what the experts are forecasting, and addressing the power consumption piece of the puzzle is critical at this stage resulting in significantly lower operational costs. The repeat investment and high caliber of new investors in the C round is a true testament to Recogni's team and technology."

"Generative AI systems in the market today are highly inefficient and consume too much power while adding system complexity, but Recogni's proven technology is raising the bar on power performance to address the large compute needs of AI workloads," said Sriram Viswanathan, Celesta Capital founding managing partner and chairman of Recogni's Board of Directors. "With the rapid AI proliferation over the past year, there is a clear need for Recogni's products, which are purpose-built for efficient inference compute. We're pleased to support the company's ability to meet market demand with its innovative solutions and look forward to seeing them continue to expand their exciting product offering."

Recogni introduced Recogni Scorpio, its first low power AI compute product, in December 2022. Scorpio is the world's first 1000 TFLOPS (1 Peta-Flop) class inference solution at the lowest power for various inference applications. Scorpio's performance validates Recogni's vision and ability in breaking barriers in AI compute with scalable performance, generation over generation.

About Recogni

Recogni develops AI-based inference processing solutions for Generative AI and intelligent autonomous platforms. Recogni delivers solutions for high compute, low power, and scalability. The company received its first round of funding in 2019 and has offices in San Jose, California and Munich, Germany. Lead investors are GreatPoint Ventures, Celesta Capital, Mayfield, DNS Capital, and BMW iVentures. For more information, visit www.recogni.com .

About Celesta Capital

Celesta Capital is a global deep technology venture capital firm. Led by technology industry veterans with decades of investment and operational experience, Celesta Capital has a passion and proven track record for building and scaling global businesses. Founded in 2013, Celesta has a portfolio of more than 100 early-stage technology investments. Learn more at http://celesta.vc .

About GreatPoint Ventures

GreatPoint Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm founded by entrepreneurs and operators who've built companies cumulatively worth $300 billion. Our mission is to partner with entrepreneurs solving big problems across enterprise, healthcare, bio-tech, and food. At GPV we make fewer than 10 new investments per year so we have time to fight in the trenches with every team we back. Learn more at https://www.gpv.com .

SOURCE Recogni Inc.
HEALDSBURG, Calif., Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Get ready to groove amidst the vines as Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience proudly presents a night of electrifying music featuring none other than GRAMMY-winning guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter Christone "Kingfish" Ingram on the Rodney Strong Vineyards Concert Green. Brace yourself for an unforgettable experience that promises to tantalize your senses and leave you craving more. Tickets go on sale starting Friday, February 16th at 11 am  mark your calendars!

Christone "Kingfish" Ingram Rodney Strong Concert

From the heart of Clarksdale, Mississippi, Kingfish has risen as the reigning blues sensation of our time, earning accolades from music critics worldwide. Rolling Stone describes his sound as a fusion of B.B. King, Jimi Hendrix, and Prince, making him one of the most thrilling guitarists in recent memory. Prepare to be swept away by his soulful tunes and mesmerizing stage presence.

Kingfish's journey from small-town Mississippi to global stardom has been nothing short of extraordinary. He's rocked stages across the United States and Europe, captivating audiences from Sydney to Stockholm. Collaborating with icons like Vampire Weekend, Jason Isbell, and Buddy Guy, Kingfish has cemented his status as a true luminary in the world of blues music.

His latest masterpiece, "Live In London," recorded in front of a raucous sold-out crowd at The Garage, is a testament to his raw talent and infectious energy. This is your chance to witness history in the making as Kingfish takes center stage at Rodney Strong Vineyards. "We cannot wait to experience the hottest blues musician in the country at our winery in Healdsburg, where guests will enjoy amazing wine and music nestled among the vines of the Russian River Valley," states Rodney Strong Vice President Global Marketing, Dan Wildermuth.

But the fun doesn't stop there! Indulge your taste buds with mouthwatering delights from a variety of food trucks, perfectly paired with Rodney Strong wines available for purchase. And here's the best part: a portion of the proceeds will support Farm to Pantry, a noble cause dedicated to ending food injustice and promoting sustainability.

"We're beyond excited to welcome Kingfish to the 2024 HWFE Concert at Rodney Strong," exclaimed Steve Dveris. "It's going to be an evening to remember!"

Don't miss out on this epic event! Tickets are sure to sell out fast, so grab yours before they're gone. Click here to secure your spot in the ultimate wine and music extravaganza.

About Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience

About Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience

Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience is a four-day celebration featuring the best of world-renowned food and wines and highlighting the "Makers Behind the Magic." The festival showcases the region's makers  farmers, growers, winemakers, and chefs  alongside globally recognized wines from the greatest wine regions of the world. HWFE highlights vibrant culinary diversity, sustainable farming practices and a deep connection to agriculture, through tastings, Culinary demonstrations, seminars, events, and more, in the beautiful setting of Healdsburg & Wine Country. https://www.healdsburgwineandfood.com/

About Rodney Strong Wine Estates

Rodney Strong Wine Estates (RSWE) is a family-owned wine company comprising Rodney Strong Vineyards, Davis Bynum Wines, and ROWEN Wine Company. With a commitment to sustainable farming, RSWE manages 11 estate vineyards and produces wines from Sonoma County's finest appellations, including the Russian River Valley, Alexander Valley, and Chalk Hill. Founded in 1959 by Sonoma County pioneer Rod Strong, the winery continues to honor his legacy through support for the arts and the local community. Notably, Rodney Strong Vineyards and LBC launched the Rodney Strong Dance Series in 2009, bringing high-caliber dance performances to Sonoma County.

Media contact:

Kristen Green

[email protected]

415-567-2999

SOURCE Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience
ATLANTA, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs (RICE), the largest center in the world dedicated to growing, scaling, and developing Black Entrepreneurs, proudly announces a $1 million grant by Comcast NBCUniversal to help advance RICE initiatives aimed at uplifting entrepreneurs in the Atlanta community and beyond. The grant will help propel the acceleration of Digital RICE, the "Level UP" Speaker Series, and the RICE Data Science Initiative, which together will provide mentorship and resources from renowned industry experts in legal, accounting, marketing, sales strategy, pricing, and HR, to grow the organization's support of Black entrepreneurs.

Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs

According to a report by McKinsey & Co., on average, Black Founders start their businesses with less than one-third of the capital their white counterparts receive and just 4% of Black-owned businesses survive the start-up stage. Meanwhile, 46% of RICE entrepreneurs thrive beyond the startup stage, more than ten times the national average, and have driven $450 million in economic activity in Fulton County, Georgia.

"We are thankful to have Comcast NBCUniversal as partners in our mission to reach new heights of impact," said Jay Bailey, President and CEO of RICE. "This grant will further our programming and reimagine the support we offer Black entrepreneurs by ensuring that they have the tools and opportunities to thrive as business owners."

Specifically, the $1 million Comcast NBCUniversal grant will support:

Digital RICE: A unique AI-powered platform that serves as a resource hub tailored exclusively for Black entrepreneurs to help them navigate business opportunities and challenges. Digital RICE offers convenient access to industry experts, personalized advice, tailored programming, and additional resources at any time and from any location. Launched in April 2023 , Digital RICE was accessible exclusively to RICE entrepreneurs; however, the free, online platform will expand availability to all entrepreneurs in Atlanta and beyond by Summer 2024.

A unique AI-powered platform that serves as a resource hub tailored exclusively for Black entrepreneurs to help them navigate business opportunities and challenges. Digital RICE offers convenient access to industry experts, personalized advice, tailored programming, and additional resources at any time and from any location. Launched in , Digital RICE was accessible exclusively to RICE entrepreneurs; however, the free, online platform will expand availability to all entrepreneurs in and beyond by Summer 2024. The "Level UP" Speaker Series : This monthly, in-person, convening redefines traditional symposiums with its dynamic exploration into the minds of global business leaders. The free experiential series is designed to offer entrepreneurs in the Atlanta community an exclusive opportunity to network and hear from the nation's most successful and accomplished industry trailblazers, wealth creators, influencers, and innovators providing invaluable insights through shared stories, trials, and triumphs. The first event will be held at RICE in March 2024 .

: This monthly, in-person, convening redefines traditional symposiums with its dynamic exploration into the minds of global business leaders. The free experiential series is designed to offer entrepreneurs in the community an exclusive opportunity to network and hear from the nation's most successful and accomplished industry trailblazers, wealth creators, influencers, and innovators providing invaluable insights through shared stories, trials, and triumphs. The first event will be held at RICE in . The RICE Data Science Initiative: This effort tackles the discrepancies and opportunity gaps for Black entrepreneurs by originating research and data-driven insights to spotlight challenges and provide solutions that drive economic growth through Black entrepreneurship.

Together, RICE and Comcast NBCUniversal are redefining collaboration and empowerment for entrepreneurs.

"Research shows that Black-owned businesses systemically lack the access to capital, data and resources that are often key determinants of their success," said Dalila Wilson-Scott, EVP & Chief Diversity Officer, Comcast Corporation and President, Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation. "Through this grant, we're proud to support RICE in their mission to create more equity in entrepreneurship, which will result in greater economic opportunities and security for Black entrepreneurs."

Comcast's grant is a part of Project UP, the company's $1billion commitment to connect people to the Internet, advance economic mobility, and open doors for the next generation of innovators, entrepreneurs, storytellers, and creators.

Media Contacts:

Shalon Brown

[email protected]

K. Kim Atterbury

[email protected]

About Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs (RICE)

The Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs (RICE) is Atlanta's home for Black entrepreneurs. Positioned as a business generator, RICE serves as an economic mobility engine for the community: driving entrepreneurs and small business owners to innovate, grow, create jobs and build wealth. Inspired by the legacy of Herman J. Russell, one of the most successful Black entrepreneurs and civic leaders in Atlanta, RICE remains dedicated to its mission to Build. Black. Business. and stands as the largest center in the world dedicated to growing, scaling, and developing Black Entrepreneurs. For more information visit www.RussellCenter.org, download the RICE Report Volume 1 , and follow @RICEAtlanta on Instagram and Twitter and @RussellCenterAtlanta on Facebook.

About Comcast Corporation

Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company. From the connectivity and platforms we provide, to the content and experiences we create, our businesses reach hundreds of millions of customers, viewers, and guests worldwide. We deliver world-class broadband, wireless, and video through Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky; produce, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through brands including NBC, Telemundo, Universal, Peacock, and Sky; and bring incredible theme parks and attractions to life through Universal Destinations & Experiences.

SOURCE Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs
SACRAMENTO, Calif., Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Rhombus, a leading provider in cloud-managed physical security solutions, is thrilled to announce the expansion of its US-based support services with the opening of a new office in Charlotte, North Carolina. This strategic move aims to serve Rhombus customers with enhanced access to world-class support.

"At Rhombus, we believe in building long-term partnerships with our customers. From the initial purchase to deployment and beyond, we are dedicated to ensuring the success of our clients every step of the way," said Omar Khan, Chief Operating Officer at Rhombus.

Known for its vibrant culture, Charlotte offers a dynamic backdrop for Rhombus to connect with customers and immerse itself in the local community. The city's rich history, diverse culinary scene, and thriving arts culture make it an exciting and fitting location for the new support center. The new office, located at 615 South College Street, will be the hub for Rhombus' dedicated East Coast Customer Support Team, which is committed to providing 24/7 support.

"We've been incredibly impressed by the support provided by the Rhombus team. The presence and partnership of a dedicated Account Manager, who efficiently manages all our support tickets and handling notes, has significantly elevated our experience. Irrespective of the site requiring assistance, the team consistently possesses the requisite information to offer prompt solutions." says Erica White, Senior Vice President of Technology and Strategic Initiatives at Article Student Living, a leader in the student housing industry. "We're thrilled about the expanded access to Rhombus support with their new East Coast office."

At Rhombus, support doesn't end with issue resolution; the company takes a proactive approach to customer success. The Rhombus platform performs ongoing health monitoring with automated ticket creation, allowing the Customer Support Team to address issues before they escalate. Customers also benefit from dedicated points of contact on the Rhombus Account Management Team and proactive check-ins from the Customer Success Team to maximize the value of their security systems.

Rhombus is excited to become an integral part of the Charlotte community and looks forward to serving customers on the East Coast more effectively. With this expansion, Rhombus reaffirms its dedication to delivering unparalleled support and ensuring the security and satisfaction of all its valued customers.

About Rhombus

Rhombus is a unified, cloud-based physical security platform that brings security cameras, access control, sensors, alarms, and integrations together under a single pane of glass. Backed by Cota Capital, Caden Capital, Tru Arrow Partners, Lemnos Labs, and Promus Ventures, Rhombus is on a mission to make the world safer with simple, smart, and powerful physical security solutions. To learn more, visit rhombus.com.

Contact Information:

Rhombus

Sarah Lathe

[email protected]

(650) 826-2764

SOURCE Rhombus
LIVONIA, Mich., Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to growing demand, engineering group SEGULA Technologies is strengthening its presence in the United States, where it has doubled its business volume in just one year. With the creation of a division dedicated to the design and commissioning of automated and robotized production lines, the Group is committed to supporting manufacturers in their quest for state-of-the-art production infrastructures.

Automated robotized production line designed and implemented by SEGULA Technologies (SEGULA Technologies)

A key player in the automotive and aerospace sectors

In the automotive sector, SEGULA Technologies plays a key role in supporting major automakers and OEMs in vehicle design, particularly in the transition to electric mobility. Current projects include the integration of battery packs into vehicles or the development of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS).

In the aerospace sector, SEGULA Technologies U.S. provides essential technical and human resources for aircraft manufacturing, having recently signed contracts with Bombardier, Daher, Airbus and Airbus Atlantic.

"As an engineering company present all over the world and active in several industries, we are able to build bridges between sectors and countries. As a result, we can offer high-quality, competitively-priced services, while enabling manufacturers in different sectors to benefit from best practices tailored to their needs."

- Xavier Chapuy, CEO SEGULA Technologies U.S.

Tooling Automation Systems to modernize production facilities

SEGULA Technologies is now deploying its Tooling Automation Systems (TAS) division in the United States to meet the growing demand for modernization of production facilities. Specializing in the design and commissioning of automated production lines, this division strengthens SEGULA's process engineering offering in the United States.

Jean-Yves Beguin, Director of the TAS division, comments: "With 400 employees in Europe, we are the market leader for integrators for automakers and automotive suppliers. We decided to set up our division in the United States because we felt that our plant design offering matched the needs of the local market. By expanding our activities, we hope to support American manufacturers in their industrial transformation."

SEGULA Technologies' future prospects and vision

SEGULA U.S. plans to gradually expand its customer portfolio by working with other leading automakers, new industry players and Tier 1 OEMs. The Group, already present in Michigan, Kansas, North Carolina, Ohio and California, also plans to open new offices to extend its geographical coverage.

SEGULA U.S. is recruiting 400 positions for engineers, technicians and skilled workers.

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Contact: marketing@segula.fr

SOURCE SEGULA Technologies
Shook introduces a new client offering under the leadership of Partner John Lewis, Jr. formerly of The Coca-Cola Company. Lewis served as the former global head of litigation and diversity and workplace fairness. Lewis will lead the array of litigation and investigation services under the Shook DEI Counseling, Compliance & Disputes Practice.

ATLANTA, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Shook, Hardy & Bacon announces the launch of its newly formed diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) Counseling, Compliance & Disputes Practice (CCDP) to assist with the interdisciplinary legal risks faced by companies in a modern workplace.

The CCDP is a natural evolution of Shook's decades-long commitment to build its own inclusive workplace and leverage inclusion strategy as a marketplace differentiator.

Shook introduces a new client offering under the leadership of Partner John Lewis, Jr. formerly of The Coca-Cola Company. Lewis served as the former global head of litigation and diversity and workplace fairness. Lewis will lead the array of litigation and investigation services under the Shook DEI Counseling, Compliance & Disputes Practice.

Shook's CCDP is led by Houston Managing Partner John Lewis, Jr., who also serves as the firm's chair of DEI Initiatives and Strategy. Before joining Shook, Lewis held increasing roles of responsibility for The Coca-Cola Company, including as Coca-Cola's chief litigation counsel where he lead teams in shareholder, securities and related governance litigation and investigations. While at Coca-Cola legal, he founded and led Coke's Legal Division Diversity Council which created outside counsel assessments, a supplier diversity initiative partnering with minority- and women-owned law firms, and deepened pipeline and affinity partnerships. Following a decade in Coke legal, Lewis was appointed as the company's global head of diversity and workplace fairness where he had board level accountability for all aspects of inclusion and workplace fairness strategy.

Listen to Lewis discuss workplace issues in a short podcast with Shook Chair Madeleine McDonough.

In recent years, DEI-related risks have changed. Once a dialogue predominately about culture, human resources initiatives, community engagements and programs, organizations who seek to advance their inclusion goals now face the potential for novel legal challenges, emergent business risks and heightened scrutiny from investors, governmental entities, activists and DEI opponents.

"Shook lawyers have trained, audited, defended and advised global clients and organizations on DEI-related matters over many years," said Lewis. "Our DEI Counseling, Compliance & Disputes Practice is a natural evolution of our longstanding commitment to inclusion and fairness."

According to Lewis, DEI also informs strategy in more traditional human capital work streams including training, recruitment, leadership development, philanthropy, equity scans, community engagement and workplace fairness. DEI efforts are crucial to retaining talent, gaining market share, and attracting a diverse cross-section of investors in ever-evolving, highly competitive national and global markets.

"Our DEI Counseling Practice is also shaped by the award-winning initiatives for which Shook and its lawyers have been nationally recognized," said Shook Chair Madeleine McDonough. "Among other avenues for advancing diversity and inclusion, we have a dedicated civil rights practice led by a former assistant district attorney with over a decade of jury trial experience in civil rights and police misconduct cases."

In addition to Lewis, the practice includes Public Policy Co-Chair Phil Goldberg, who served as a litigation communications specialist at two leading public relations firms and communications director for three members of Congress, as well as ESG Co-Chair Veronica Gromada, who previously managed the legal, policy and business aspects of bellwether employment class action litigation while working in-house at one of the world's largest retailers. They are joined by Senior Counsel Michael Harrison, who heads up the firm's civil rights and racial justice pro bono practice and Partner William Martucci who leads Shook's national Employment Litigation and Policy Practice as well as Employment Litigation Partner Carrie McAtee.

Collectively, the group has led board-directed investigations domestically and abroad. They have advised some of the largest companies in the world on public policy matters, communications strategy and related advocacy, and have trained scores of clients on topics including unconscious bias, avoiding DEI-related litigation risks, and leading culturally-sensitive investigations.

About Shook, Hardy & Bacon

Founded in 1889, Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.P. has 19 offices in the United States and London, with attorneys and professional staff serving clients in the health, science and technology sectors in areas ranging from product liability defense and business litigation to intellectual property prosecution and litigation, environmental and toxic tort, privacy and data security and regulatory counseling.

SOURCE Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.P.
Dubai International Chamber has held a meeting with UAE entrepreneurs to showcase the chambers numerous bespoke programmes aimed at supporting the global expansion of UAE businesses.

The meeting, which was attended by Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, President and CEO of Dubai Chambers, introduced participants to the integrated services offered by Dubai International Chamber to support the global growth ambitions of UAE companies and entrepreneurs. The chamber plays a central role in achieving the objectives of the Dubai Global initiative, which aims to support Dubai-based businesses in exploring new economic and commercial opportunities in 30 priority markets around the world.

He commented: The UAEs dynamic private sector is consolidating its success and stands as a shining example of innovation and leadership in the global business world. Dubai-based entrepreneurs have consistently achieved significant growth across various sectors by enhancing their competitiveness and operational efficiency in line with the progress achieved by the national economy.

All support

He added: Dubai International Chamber is committed to extending all support necessary to drive the global expansion and prosperity of the local business community. The chamber assists Dubai-based entrepreneurs in leveraging growth opportunities in promising international markets and expanding their business operations around the world.

The meeting highlighted the role of the chambers network of international offices in connecting the local business community with opportunities and potential partners on the global stage.

Dubai International Chamber leads the New Horizons initiative, which enables Dubai-based companies and entrepreneurs to join trade missions to targeted global markets and participate in pre-arranged events to explore mutual investment opportunities and economic partnerships. Attendees were also introduced to the In Focus initiative, which provides opportunities for the local business community to engage with leaders from the public and private sectors in selected foreign markets.

In Focus events equip participants with comprehensive information about the countries and regions they plan to invest in, including the requirements for conducting business in the targeted destinations and timely market intelligence on the prospects within each economy. Companies and entrepreneurs benefit from guidance and advice throughout every stage of their international expansion journeys, from market and sectoral data to business setup processes and signing economic partnerships and business deals.-- TradeArabia News Service
KYODO NEWS - Feb 20, 2024 - 18:18 | World, All, Japan

A South Korean who won a wartime labor case against Japanese firm Hitachi Zosen Corp. received money deposited by the firm at a Seoul court on Tuesday, a lawyer said, after the company failed to comply with an order by South Korea's Supreme Court to compensate the plaintiff.

This is the first case in which funds from a Japanese company have been transferred to a plaintiff following a trial related to wartime forced labor, the lawyer of the plaintiff said.

The Japanese engineering corporation's funds were deposited at the Seoul Central District Court to prevent the company's assets in South Korea from being seized and liquidated to compensate the plaintiff.

In late January, the court granted the plaintiff's request to seize the funds, following a December ruling by the top court that ordered Hitachi Zosen to pay the plaintiff 50 million won ($37,400) in damages.

The company deposited 60 million won at the Seoul court in 2019.

Hitachi Zosen and other sued Japanese firms have refused to compensate victims of wartime labor as the Japanese government has said all issues stemming from its colonization of the Korean Peninsula from 1910-1945 were settled "completely and finally" under a 1965 bilateral agreement.

In Tokyo, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi emphasized that the decision by South Korea's top court to compensate the plaintiff was in violation of the bilateral agreement.

"This brings unreasonable loss to the Japanese company. It is extremely regrettable," the top government spokesman said, referring to the deposit.

In December and January, the top court rejected appeals from Hitachi Zosen and three other Japanese firms, finalizing the plaintiffs' win in the cases.

The court's decisions came amid an improvement in Japan-South Korea ties following Seoul's announcement in March last year that plaintiffs who won lawsuits over forced labor would receive compensation from a South Korean government-backed foundation rather than the sued firms.

Related coverage:

Japan PM mulls visiting South Korea on March 20 for talks with Yoon

Yoon urges S. Korea, Japan firms to cooperate on labor compensation

South Korea's top court upholds wartime labor rulings against Japan firm
SALT LAKE CITY, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Utah State Board of Education has reviewed and recommended Collaborative Classroom's SIPPS program under the Utah Literacy Initiative, further advancing literacy education in the state. The program received a perfect score on the Evidence-Informed Core Criteria Checklist, highlighting its efficacy in supporting literacy development for students in Utah.

SIPPS is a comprehensive, research-based intervention program designed to address the diverse literacy needs of students in grades K12. By providing explicit instructional routines and structured literacy approaches, SIPPS equips educators with the tools necessary to accelerate student growth in foundational reading skills.

"We are gratified that SIPPS has been endorsed by the Utah State Board of Education," said Kelly Stuart, CEO and President of Collaborative Classroom. "This approval underscores our commitment to providing evidence-based resources that empower educators and improve student outcomes in literacy across the state of Utah."

With its approval under the Utah Literacy Initiative, SIPPS becomes a valuable asset for educators seeking to enhance their literacy instruction and intervention efforts. The program's alignment with Utah's literacy standards ensures that educators can effectively implement evidence-based practices to support student success in reading.

"We commend Utah educators for their dedication to promoting literacy excellence in their classrooms," said Marine Freibrun, Manager of Educational Partnerships at Collaborative Classroom. "As schools and districts in Utah continue to prioritize literacy instruction, we remain committed to providing ongoing support and resources to help educators meet the diverse needs of their students."

About SIPPS

SIPPS is a research-based intervention program designed to support K12 students in developing foundational literacy skills. With its structured instructional routines, SIPPS provides educators with the tools they need to deliver effective intervention and accelerate student growth in reading.

About Collaborative Classroom

Collaborative Classroom is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring that all students become proficient readers, writers, and critical thinkers. Through its evidence-based programs and professional learning opportunities, Collaborative Classroom supports educators in creating inclusive learning environments where every student can thrive.

Since 1980, Collaborative Classroom's programs have impacted over 8 million students and 328,000 teachers nationwide, fostering academic excellence and promoting equity in education.

For more information about Collaborative Classroom and its SIPPS program, visit https://www.collaborativeclassroom.org/ .

SOURCE Collaborative Classroom
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Sunshine Health , a wholly-owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC), is proud to announce the latest winners of their Community Connections Grants, which support nonprofit community organizations across Florida. This round of grants was targeted to groups that provide storm relief assistance or address food insecurity, housing and other social service needs.

Many Floridians are rebuilding their homes and communities in the aftermath of Hurricane Idalia. Sunshine Health awarded two levels of Storm Relief and Preparation grants to 17 nonprofit organizations providing storm-related assistance to people impacted by recent storms. Each organization received up to $10,000 to help meet needs, whether it was storm recovery or disaster preparedness.

"Hurricane Idalia left many communities with significant damage," said Sunshine Health CEO Nathan Landsbaum. "These funds support the recovery efforts in impacted areas, and help families plan and prepare for future storms. Sunshine Health is proud to partner with local organizations that are actively engaging in storm relief and preparation."

Sunshine Health also awarded $100,000 to 36 nonprofit organizations to address social and environmental factors that can impact health outcomes in underserved areas. Each grantee received up to $3,000 to expand or build upon the vital resources they provide to their communities.

"The Family Support Service of North Florida's (FSSNF) Center of Hope is so thankful for Sunshine Health awarding us the funds to expand our crisis services to families in need in the 32209 community of Jacksonville," said Jada Hunter, Executive Director of Community Reinvestments, a FSSNF initiative. "As the Center of Hope continues to empower and strengthen families living in the 32209 community, this grant will help mitigate the financial crisis of these underserved families."

FSSNF Center of Hope will use their grant funds to assist families with housing, rental assistance, transportation, food and utility assistance.

"Youths Left Behind, Corp. is grateful for the grant from Sunshine Health," said Hassan Hill, Director of the nonprofit in Tallahassee. "Because of this funding, we will be able to continue providing mentorship and resources through our After-School Peer Empowerment Program that serves communities that are deemed underserved, with the overall goal of creating a respectful and responsible community."

Youths Left Behind will use their grant to provide groceries and nutritious meals to families participating in their program.

Since 2021, Sunshine Health has invested nearly $800,000 through its Community Connections grant program and continues to support local organizations that are committed to building healthy communities across Florida.

Storm Relief and Preparation Winners

Get To Know Us Winners

About Sunshine Health

Headquartered in Broward County and with offices across the state, Sunshine Health is among the largest healthcare plans in Florida. Offering coordinated care and a network of support for our members, Sunshine Health is transforming the health of the community, one person at a time. It offers government-sponsored managed care through Medicaid, Long Term Care, the Health Insurance Marketplace (Ambetter), and Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plans (Wellcare). Its specialty plans include the Child Welfare Specialty Plan serving children in or adopted from the state's Child Welfare system; the Serious Mental Illness Specialty Plan for people living with serious mental illness; and the Children's Medical Services Health Plan, operated by Sunshine Health on behalf of the Florida Department of Health for children and adolescents with special healthcare needs. Sunshine Health is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation, a leading healthcare enterprise that is committed to helping people live healthier lives. For more information, visit SunshineHealth.com or follow us on Facebook and Twitter @SunHealthFL.

SOURCE Sunshine Health
HELSINKI, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Swiss Digital Alliance, a consortium of the four biggest private Swiss media houses and public broadcaster SRG, is responding to the increasing international competition for advertising revenue by investing in local cooperation.

Gravito team, Helsinki

To achieve this goal, the Alliance has partnered with Helsinki-based software developer Gravito Ltd, which will provide software to create the responsible advertising ID for Switzerland called OneID. With OneID, over 3 million users can be addressed on the attractive premium publishers in Switzerland without overlap. At the same time, it ensures that modern data protection standards are adhered to and that users retain control over their data.

Gravito has signed a licensing agreement with OneLog AG, a company jointly owned by the Swiss media houses CHMedia, NZZ, Ringier, and TX Group. OneLog is expanding its services to offer a digital advertising ID in addition to its current single sign-on service for Swiss media companies and publishers. Gravito's technology will ensure that the user's consent is obtained and that the OneID is created and managed in compliance with the data protection regulations, allowing advanced campaign optimization in joint advertising campaigns executed programmatically via Demand Side Platforms (DSPs) by local and international advertisers.

Silvano Oeschger, CEO of OneLog AG: "We are delighted to embark on this strategic partnership with Gravito Oy. This collaboration underscores our shared commitment to innovation and data privacy, setting a new standard for digital advertising in Switzerland. We are confident that Gravito's expertise and technology will play a pivotal role in achieving our goal of creating a sustainable, privacy-first digital advertising environment that benefits all stakeholders in the Swiss media and advertising landscape."

Patrick Glantz, the Co-Founder of Gravito Ltd, expresses his satisfaction with the agreement. According to him, the company's vision and idea behind the product development are now paying off, as there has been a rise in demand for flexible white-label first-party data solutions. Patrick Glantz: "Gravito believes in the Nordic approach, where respecting user consent is an essential starting point, and good software should not be a one-size-fits-all kind of package but rather a developer-friendly toolkit with transparent pricing, where users can pick and choose the right tools for their data utilization stack."

Your contact:



Gravito Ltd

COO Partick Glantz

[email protected]

+358504860739

https://www.gravito.net

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NEST Program Addresses Barriers Rural Cancer Patients Face to Access Supportive Cancer Care Specialists in 7 Middle Tennessee Counties

Tennessee Oncology Kicks Off NEST With Community Advisory Board Recruitment

Practice Awarded $1.5 Million from Tennessee Health Department Practice Transformation and Extension Grant to Fund Program Development, Implementation, and Evaluation

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Tennessee Oncology, a nationally recognized independent oncology practice with 35 clinics, has launched a community-based participatory research project to improve breast and prostate cancer patient access to three vital supportive care services via telehealth in seven rural counties in Middle Tennessee. The seven counties are divided into three regions and include Robertson, Dickson, Putnam, Dekalb, Warren, Bedford, and Coffee counties.

Tennessee Oncology has launched a community-based participatory research project to improve breast and prostate cancer patient access to three vital supportive care services via telehealth in seven rural counties in Middle Tennessee.

NEST (Navigated, Embedded, Supportive Care, Via Telehealth), which will be implemented through Tennessee Oncology's McKay Institute for Oncology Transformation, is supported by a $1.5 million Practice Transformation and Extension grant from the Tennessee Department of Health to address barriers rural cancer patients face to see specialists for palliative care, psychology, and integrative oncology services. To kick off the program, Tennessee Oncology is recruiting Middle Tennessee cancer patients, caregivers, survivors, and patient advocates to participate in the program's design as part of Community Advisory Boards (CABs). CABs will help identify best practices to connect with cancer patients locally.

"Healthcare programs are often very one directional, but with NEST we will be empowering the community we intend to serve, to offer their perspectives on both challenges and solutions to shape the telehealth supportive services program," said Sandhya Mudumbi, M.D., the medical director of Tennessee Oncology's palliative care program. "By starting with people in the community, NEST will be an enduring, sustainable program that helps cancer patients in medically underserved communities get the supportive care they need and deserve."

Dr. Mudumbi serves as the program director for the project and will also lead region 3 (Warren, Bedford, and Coffee counties). Working alongside her are Richard Martin III, M.D., Director of Health Equity and Community Engagement at Tennessee Oncology, leading Region 1 (Robertson and Dickson), and Johnetta Blakely, M.D., Executive Director for Health Economics and Outcomes Research, leading Region 2 (Putnam and Dekalb).

"Developing supportive services with community-based participatory research has never been done before in community oncology, and we're proud to be the first to undertake such an innovative and meaningful approach. This will help build a foundation where community engagement is incorporated into other important practice initiatives at Tennessee Oncology," said Dr. Martin.

A lack of access to smartphones, broadband access, digital literacy, and cultural factors are all barriers that hamper patients living in rural and medically underserved communities from accessing supportive cancer care that can enhance their cancer care journey. To overcome these barriers, Tennessee Oncology's NEST consists of the following:

Navigated: Telehealth navigators will help patients understand the technology used in a telehealth visit with a doctor and improve patients' comfort level with these digital telehealth tools.

Telehealth navigators will help patients understand the technology used in a telehealth visit with a doctor and improve patients' comfort level with these digital telehealth tools. Embedded: Embed telehealth workflows and equipment within seven Tennessee Oncology satellite clinics in Middle Tennessee counties so patients have the necessary broadband connection to have appointments with specialists without having to travel to Nashville or Clarksville to receive these specialized services.

Embed telehealth workflows and equipment within seven Tennessee Oncology satellite clinics in Middle Tennessee counties so patients have the necessary broadband connection to have appointments with specialists without having to travel to or to receive these specialized services. Supportive Care: Palliative care, psychology, and integrative oncology services, together incorporate patient-centered, evidenced-based practices including symptom management, lifestyle changes and counseling, and therapy to improve the patient and caregiver's quality of life. Together they offer a therapeutic presence and support that enhances the cancer care journey for patients, caregivers, and oncologists.

Palliative care, psychology, and integrative oncology services, together incorporate patient-centered, evidenced-based practices including symptom management, lifestyle changes and counseling, and therapy to improve the patient and caregiver's quality of life. Together they offer a therapeutic presence and support that enhances the cancer care journey for patients, caregivers, and oncologists. Via Telehealth: Patients will have appointments via a laptop in private rooms staffed by certified Medical Assistants with supportive care physicians, advance practice providers, or psychologists and licensed counselors who are in different clinic locations.

During the Covid-19 pandemic when Tennessee Oncology rapidly deployed telehealth services, patient participation in palliative care, psychology, and integrative oncology grew. And while about 40 percent of these service lines' patients still have telemedicine appointments, patients in rural communities, who may be struggling financially and experiencing access barriers, often miss out on the full extent of telehealth and accessing these services. In 2022, only 1.5 percent of breast cancer patients and 2.7 percent of prostate cancer patients accessed palliative care in rural and underserved Tennessee counties. And none of these patients had a psychology or integrative oncology appointment.

Tennessee Oncology will collaborate with University of Alabama-Birmingham's Ronit Elk, Ph.D., a nationally renowned researcher who has deep expertise in community-based participatory research, and in developing culturally appropriate palliative care programs in the deep South, on this project. The program's year one goals including creating a solid foundation for community engagement by getting CABs organized for all three regions, holding CAB meetings, organizing focus groups and developing the program through their input.

"NEST was born from what we learned using telehealth to connect our patients with cancer care services during the pandemic," said Natalie Dickson, MD, President and Chief Strategy Officer, Tennessee Oncology. "During the pandemic, practices quickly set up and used telehealth to connect patients to physicians and use of our supportive care services rose. With NEST, we will build on what we learned during the pandemic by engaging community members and building trustful relationships to create best practices that overcome technological and cultural barriers to using telehealth services so patients in hard-to-reach counties can get the cancer care services they need."

About Tennessee Oncology:

Tennessee Oncology, one of the nation's largest community-based cancer care practices, is home to one of the leading clinical trial networks in the country. Established 1976 in Nashville, Tennessee Oncology's mission remains unchanged: To provide access to high-quality cancer care and the expertise of clinical research for all patients, at convenient locations within their community and close to their home. Our growing network of physicians and locations is based on this mission. For more information, visit www.tnoncology.com.

SOURCE Tennessee Oncology
130+ sessions spotlighting recent advancements and the trajectory of embedded technologies provide exclusive access to leaders propelling innovation in embedded and open source domains.

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Linux Foundation , the nonprofit organization enabling mass innovation through open source, last week announced the full schedule for Embedded Open Source Summit (EOSS). The event will take place April 16-18 in Seattle, Washington. The full schedule can be viewed here .

Embedded computing systems play crucial roles across diverse industries, from industrial machinery and automobiles to consumer electronics like digital watches and household appliances. With numerous embedded open source projects under its umbrella, The Linux Foundation is dedicated to fostering environments that drive the advancement of these technologies we increasingly rely on.

Some of the most well-known projects for embedded technology host their community gatherings at EOSS, an event that provides a forum for discussion, collaboration, and education among open source embedded projects and developer communities. This year's event is composed of four microconferences: Embedded Linux Conference (now in its 19th year), Real-Time Linux Summit , Safety-Critical Software Summit , and Zephyr Project Developer Summit . EOSS microconferences will include keynote presentations, conference sessions, lightning talks, and birds of a feather (BoF) sessions designed for real time problem solving and deep discussion.

Embedded Open Source Summit schedule highlights include:



EOSS participants include developers and architects seeking to broaden their understanding of embedded technologies and projects in a vendor-neutral environment. They engage in discussions, collaborate with peers and experts in embedded systems, and gain access to industry-leading expertise.

EOSS is being held alongside Open Source Summit North America , also taking place April 16-18 in Seattle, Washington. To view the full OSSNA schedule, click here . Those who register for EOSS can add on registration for Open Source Summit North America for free.

Early Bird registration is offered for US$649 through February 24, representing a savings of US$300. Discounted rates are available for academics, government, hobbyists, and small business, view full details here . Members of The Linux Foundation receive a 20 percent discount off registration and can contact [email protected] to request a member discount code.

Registration includes access to: all conference content, social events & networking activities, solutions showcase, continental breakfasts, lunches (new in 2024), morning and afternoon coffee & snacks and a conference T-shirt. View all details here .

Applications for diversity and need-based scholarships are currently being accepted. For information on eligibility and how to apply, please click here . The Linux Foundation's Travel Fund is also accepting applications with the goal of enabling open source developers and community members to attend events that they would otherwise be unable to attend due to a lack of funding. To learn more and apply, please click here .

Event Sponsors

Embedded Open Source Summit Sponsors are integral to the production of this year's event, including Diamond Sponsor: Intel

For information on becoming an event sponsor, click here or email .

Press

Members of the press who would like to request a press pass to attend should contact Kristin O'Connell .

Social Media

Join the conversation on social media by following #EmbeddedOSSummit.

ABOUT THE LINUX FOUNDATION

The Linux Foundation is the world's leading home for collaboration on open source software, hardware, standards, and data. Linux Foundation projects, including Linux, Kubernetes, Node.js, ONAP, PyTorch, RISC-V, SPDX, OpenChain, and more, are critical to the world's infrastructure The Linux Foundation focuses on leveraging best practices and addressing the needs of contributors, users, and solution providers to create sustainable models for open collaboration.

Linux Foundation Events are where the world's leading technologists meet, collaborate, learn and network in order to advance innovations that support the world's largest shared technologies.

Visit our website and follow us on X , LinkedIn , and Facebook for all the latest event updates and announcements.

The Linux Foundation has registered trademarks and uses trademarks. For a list of trademarks of The Linux Foundation, please see its trademark usage page: www.linuxfoundation.org/trademark-usage . Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds.

Media Contact

Kristin O'Connell

The Linux Foundation

[email protected]

SOURCE The Linux Foundation
Bronner Bros. International Beauty Show Returns "Home" To Atlanta and Celebrates 77 Years As A Black-Owned Company

ATLANTA, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The iconic Bronner Bros International Beauty Show is scheduled to return home to Atlanta after four years. The show will take place Saturday, February 24th to Monday, February 26th, 2024, at the Georgia World Congress Center (Building B) in Atlanta. An anticipated attendance of 10,000 beauty industry professionals and enthusiasts can expect a dynamic lineup of educational seminars, live demonstrations, competitions, celebrity influencers and networking opportunities, showcasing the latest trends and innovations in the beauty world.

BB 2024 Welcome Home - Atlanta

Marking a significant milestone in its illustrious history as a trailblazer in the beauty industry, Bronner Bros. is celebrating 77 years as a Black-owned company under the same family's leadership with The Bronner Bros International Beauty Show being the standard as the "largest multicultural beauty shows in the world".

Founded in 1947 by Dr. Nathaniel H. Bronner Sr. and his brother Arthur E. Bronner, Bronner Bros has left an indelible mark on the beauty world as a Black History maker. From its humble beginnings in the Bronner family's kitchen to becoming a legacy brand that resonates as a testament to Black entrepreneurship and excellence.

The Bronner Bros International Beauty Show has become synonymous with innovation, inspiration, and empowerment within the beauty community. Year after year, it attracts thousands of beauty professionals, industry leaders, and enthusiasts from around the globe to Atlanta, the heart of the Black beauty industry and home to Bronner Bros.

As the beauty industry faces challenges, including the recent deregulation of licensing for beauty professionals with Georgia Senate Bill 354, Bronner Bros stands firm in its commitment to safety and professionalism. The company opposes this bill, emphasizing the importance of stringent regulations to ensure the well-being of consumers and the integrity of the industry. In partnership with Beauty Care Professionals of America, a press conference and panel discussion will be held to address the state of the beauty industry on Sunday, February 25th at Noon. This portion of the event will be free and open to the public.

James Bronner, President, and CEO of Bronner Bros, expressed his enthusiasm for the upcoming Winter Hair Show while addressing concerns about the future of the industry. "We are thrilled to welcome back our community to the Bronner Bros Winter Hair Show in Atlanta, where creativity and expertise converge to celebrate Black beauty," said James Bronner. "However, we cannot ignore the challenges facing our industry, particularly with the deregulation of licensing. As stewards of this industry, it is our responsibility to uphold the highest standards of safety and professionalism. We remain steadfast in our commitment to advocating for policies that prioritize consumer well-being and the integrity of our profession."

For more information about the Bronner Bros International Beauty Show, including registration and event details, visit bronnerbros.com.

Media Contact: Jessica L. Manning, Eleven20 Agency, [email protected] and [email protected], p: 404.313.7602

SOURCE Bronner Bros
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Solar Power Systems is happy to provide its most recent rating of top solar companies in Nevada.

At Solar Power Systems , we understand the significance of selecting the best solar installation to fit each customer's unique requirements and expectations. To keep this commitment, we continually research the most recent trends to identify the best solar installers in Nevada. Our objective and thorough methodology ensures that we recommend only the top Nevada solar companies to our consumers.

We're excited to provide our most current findings: the top Nevada solar panel installers, ready to serve a wide range of solar energy needs:

Blue Raven Solar 's standout feature in Nevada is their zero upfront cost installation, distinguishing them from competitors by making solar energy more accessible to homeowners.

's standout feature in is their zero upfront cost installation, distinguishing them from competitors by making solar energy more accessible to homeowners. ION Solar stands out as one of the premium solar installations within Nevada , with its personalized customer journey toward sustainability and elegance.

stands out as one of the premium solar installations within , with its personalized customer journey toward sustainability and elegance. Sol-Up specializes in advanced solar technology and a robust emphasis on sustainability education for Nevada homeowners.

specializes in advanced solar technology and a robust emphasis on sustainability education for homeowners. Great Basin Solar is known for pioneering solar energy solutions in harsh climates, emphasizing resilience and efficiency in Nevada's diverse environmental conditions.

is known for pioneering solar energy solutions in harsh climates, emphasizing resilience and efficiency in diverse environmental conditions. Solaire is renowned for its innovative integration of solar power with smart home technology, enhancing energy efficiency and convenience for homeowners in Nevada .

Methodology

With a strong emphasis on the vital role that local solar suppliers play, Solar Power Systems is honored to select the most reputable solar companies in Nevada. By confirming that these solar installers have been in operation for a minimum of five years, we establish dependability and consistency in solar service. By favoring solar companies based in Nevada that have experienced in-house installation teams, we demonstrate our dedication to attaining the utmost levels of customer satisfaction and quality craftsmanship.

About Solar Power Systems

Solar Power Systems is an independent solar reviewer dedicated to the advancement of renewable energy. Our distinguishing feature is our extensive study of the best solar solutions in each state, with a focus on local solar companies. We go through over a thousand solar installers in Nevada in search of the ones that are both trustworthy and respectable. Our deep screening process demonstrates our desire to connect customers with solar solutions that represent their standards of exceptional service, reliable support, and commitment to sustainable energy practices. For further details, please visit Solar Power Systems website.

SOURCE Solar Power Systems
The Company also welcomes new Chief Marketing and Chief Revenue Officers to bolster strategic growth.

AMES, Iowa, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Trace Genomics (Trace), the industry leader in DNA-based soil intelligence, today announced its successful Series B funding round at $10.5 million led by existing investors S2G Ventures and Ajax Strategies, as well as new investor Rabo Ventures. The round exceeded expectations and demonstrated strong investor confidence in Trace's trajectory and growth strategy. With this additional funding, Trace plans to expand its commercial growth, making its offerings available to more farmers and agronomists.

Poornima Parameswaran, CEO and Co-founder of Trace, stated, "The Series B funding represents a pivotal milestone for Trace, positioning us to accelerate our reach with cutting-edge soil DNA intelligence solutions, and advancing sustainable agriculture with a focus on farmer profitability. Our commitment to providing customers with innovative technology and comprehensive support with operational excellence aims to improve agricultural business outcomes and boost productivity for farmers and agronomists."

Trace Genomics, a leader in soil health innovation, has developed a groundbreaking way to understand what's happening beneath the surface of our farms. By examining the DNA of organisms in soil, farmers can get an individualized and detailed picture of soil health. This approach not only highlights what's going on with the soil right now but also helps farmers make better decisions for their crops in the future. Trace Genomics helps farmers identify potential diseases before they become a problem, understand the soil's fertility levels, and offer personalized recommendations to improve crop health and yield. This means farmers can grow more with less, using the optimal biologicals and chemicals, and making farming more sustainable for all.

"We're excited to partner with Trace as they continue to advance and scale their technology," said Cristina Rohr, Managing Director at S2G Ventures. "Their innovation provides deep soil insights, fostering sustainable crop production and improved decision-making across the agricultural value chain. Trace Genomics empowers farmers, manufacturers, and agronomists with better risk assessment and demand forecasting, leading to enhanced yield and cost management."

In 2024-25, Trace is set to broaden its reach, aiming to deliver its pioneering data and insights to an increased number of growers and agronomists, building on both existing and new partnerships. To support this growth, the company is delighted to announce the addition of two key leaders to its team, significantly enhancing its commercial capabilities. Adam Burnhams joins as the Chief Marketing Officer, bringing over 30 years of global agribusiness experience, encompassing sales, marketing, research, and development roles across startups, basic, and post-patent companies. Tim Yandel joins as the Chief Revenue Officer, a seasoned sales professional with 20 years of experience, including 15 years in leadership positions, with expertise in machine learning, AI, computer vision, big data, marketing tech, and climate tech.

This strategic expansion builds upon last year's successes, which included the launch of its flagship product TraceCOMPLETE, the establishment of key commercial partnerships in the US and Canada, the refinement of its commercial strategy for enhanced market penetration, and compelling success stories from farmers and agronomists about how Trace's insights have improved their financial outcomes.

"While it's widely acknowledged that the soil microbiome significantly impacts crop outcomes, soil-biology analysis has historically been underutilized in agronomists' toolkits due to cost, complexity, and time requirements. However, Trace's cutting-edge soil intelligence platform has successfully addressed these challenges. As a result, it provides growers with an unprecedented level of insight and truly data-driven recommendations," said Shishir Sinha, Investment Director at Rabo Ventures. "We are excited by the paradigm shift that Trace brings to agriculture  unlocking the power of biologicals while enabling the adoption of NUE solutions, and making pest management predictive"

About Trace Genomics

Trace Genomics is a pioneer in the use of hi-definition genomics, soil science, and machine learning to activate hidden insights in soil for economic and ecosystem benefits. Where most companies deliver a partial picture, we provide a comprehensive and precise understanding of the soil's compositionanalyzing the soil's biology, physical properties, and chemistry. Trace Genomics delivers targeted database insights and actions at cost-speed-scale-accuracy for partners who are advancing modern farming solutions. More information can be found at www.tracegenomics.com .

Contacts

Kaylee Tanner

Trace Genomics

kaylee.tanner@tracegenomics.com

SOURCE Trace Genomics
Facilities nationwide can opt in to offer family caregiver support

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Trualta , the leading family caregiver education and support platform, and PointClickCare, the leading cloud-based healthcare platform for long-term and post-acute care (LTPAC) providers, have partnered to support family caregivers.

As part of a growing list of technology integrations, Trualta will now be offered as an integrated partner solution to PointClickCare customers through PointClickCare's Marketplace. Care facilities that sign up will provide Trualta as a free resource to families upon discharge.

PointClickCare and Trualta have partnered to offer caregiver education and support to families upon discharge from care facilities.

"We are so excited that more family caregivers will be able to receive proper education and support as their loved ones transition home from care facilities," said Jonathan Davis, Trualta CEO. "We know that supporting families through discharge improves provider satisfaction rates and reduces hospital readmissions."

Before discharge, families with access to Trualta will be invited to log in for caregiving resources, which will also be available to them once they return home. Trualta's articles, videos, and modules cover a variety of care topics including preparing for discharge, transitioning from hospital to home, and life after discharge. Trualta also offers virtual support groups that enable caregivers to ask questions and share their experiences.

"In addition to empowering caregivers as integral members of the care team, Trualta's integration with PointClickCare can help facilities optimize their workflows and reduce staff burden by involving caregivers before discharge," said Davis.

According to a recent study of Trualta caregivers, 30 days of Trualta use can decrease annual unexpected hospital visits among care recipients by 20 percent.

Trualta will be exhibiting at the PointClickCare Summit in New Orleans on Feb. 26-28. For more information about Trualta, please visit www.trualta.com .

About Trualta

Trualta is the leading family caregiver education and support platform, and aims to help unpaid family caregivers build skills, improve confidence and feel less isolated. It offers on-demand articles and videos, and virtual support groups, to help improve at-home care and reduce caregiver burnout. Trualta partners with healthcare payers and providers, and government and social service organizations to bring its evidence-based offering to families. It has proven through peer-reviewed research that educated family caregivers can improve health outcomes and reduce healthcare costs.

CONTACT: Allison Becker, allison@trualta.com

SOURCE Trualta
WESTPORT Conn., Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- True Green Capital Management LLC ("TGC" or the "Firm"), a leading investment firm in the renewable energy sector, is pleased to announce their new London office and the appointment of Will Morgan as Managing Director for Europe as part of the Firm's European i nvestment and growth strategy. Will brings a wealth of experience to further expand TGC's investment strategy in this dynamic and rapidly growing market. Prior to joining TGC, Will spent over 9 years at Alpha Real Capital where he held the positions of Fund Manager and Head of Renewables setting up and then growing their distributed renewable energy infrastructure platform. Earlier in Will's career, he acted as Finance and Portfolio Director for Plenium Partners, Madrid, investing across European and international energy markets.

Commenting on the appointment, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Panos Ninios stated, "We have always been at the forefront of the energy transition revolution and expanding our capabilities in Europe further solidifies our commitment to sustainable investing. Will is joining Sam Salisbury who leads our origination efforts in Europe. We are delighted to have them both on our team to support our efforts to invest in European distributed power generation." Will stated, "I am very excited to be joining such a great team and organization and look forward to growing our presence in these expanding markets on behalf of TGC and their clients."

About True Green Capital Management LLC

True Green Capital Management LLC ("TGC") is a specialized renewable energy infrastructure private equity firm headquartered in Westport, Connecticut focused on the U.S. and Europe.

The firm was founded in July 2011 and is led by a team of professionals with a proven track record and a demonstrated capacity to originate, finance, construct, and operate distributed renewable power generation projects.

TGC believes the continued increase of power prices, decreasing entry costs of distributed power generation technology and favorable regulatory environments in both the U.S. and Europe will continue to lead to compelling investment opportunities which provide a stable cash flow stream with low correlation to the broader markets.

TGC is currently focused on the approximately $1+ trillion distributed power generation market in the U.S. and the approximately $1+ trillion distributed market in Europe with an emphasis on the sub-utility scale solar power segment. Thanks to rapid advancements in technology, the cost of distributed power generation, including solar, is now on par with traditional electricity generation sources. In many U.S. states and key European jurisdictions, it represents one of the few sources of new power generation infrastructure that can be added to the power network quickly, reliably, and cost efficiently.

To date, TGC has invested into a distributed solar power generation portfolio across 16 U.S. states and France delivering clean, renewable energy. U.S. states include Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, South Carolina, Tennessee, Idaho, California, Maryland, Colorado, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Illinois.

Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE True Green Capital Management LLC
KYODO NEWS - Feb 20, 2024 - 20:11 | All, Japan

Police on Tuesday arrested five individuals including four teenagers after the body of a 17-year-old boy with Chinese nationality was found in a central Japan lake earlier this month.

The five are Neo Horiuchi, 21, from Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, an 18-year-old man with Philippine nationality and three 17-year-old boys, including one with Brazilian nationality. They were arrested on charges including assaulting Ukawa Saito, who was enrolled at a correspondence high school.

The police are investigating the relationship between the five and the victim.

An autopsy has indicated that Saito was drowned, with his body bearing multiple bruises.

Saito, who lived in Fukuroi, a city in western Shizuoka Prefecture, was reported missing by his family on Feb. 7 and his body was found two days later by an angler at Lake Hamana, also in the western part of the prefecture.

Related coverage:

Body of 17-year-old boy found in central Japan lake, murder suspected
TUX Creative Expands U.S. Presence with Acquisition of L.A. based Another Creative, adding Client Relationships and Full Team.

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - TUX Creative is thrilled to announce the successful integration of Los Angeles-based agency Another Creative. This strategic move is set to strengthen TUX's position in the U.S. market by doubling the size of its team, adding impressive clients to its portfolio, and expanding the leadership body.

Already a standout in the creative scene across the U.S. and Canada, TUX offers a progressive full-service approach to consumer brands in beauty, food, fashion, technology, and finance, including Eucerin U.S., Bausch Health, Morton Salt, Converse, DP Hue, Prada Skincare, Milani Cosmetics, and Lancome Paris. Unifying Another Creative under the TUX banner adds an exciting new dimension to the TUX portfolio including formidable brands like Nike USA, Perry Ellis, and YouTube, and reinforces TUX's commitment to reshaping the narrative of consumer brands in the global market.

Chelsea Matthews, the visionary founder of Another Creative, will join TUX's executive team, stepping into the role of Vice President of Creative and Partner for the U.S. business. The entire Another Creative team will join her at TUX. Chelsea's wealth of experience and innovative perspective will contribute to shaping the creative direction of TUX going forward.

"We are thrilled to welcome Chelsea and her incredible team to the TUX house. Their work is exceptional, and they have built solid client relationships across the USA. It's evident that our teams share the same values and possess incredible talent, making us a perfect match. Together, we're creating an unparalleled experience that seamlessly integrates creativity, production, digital, and media, all within a down-to-earth and friendly agency setup." - Dominic Tremblay, CEO and Co-Founder of TUX.

"After ten years running my own studio, the opportunity to grow, collaborate and learn from the like-minded group at TUX felt like an organic next chapter for myself and my team. I have always had a deep admiration and respect for both the work and the business that Dominic and Ludwig have built, and I'm excited to join forces in building upon this solid foundation in the U.S. together." Chelsea Matthews, Founder and ECD of Another Creative.

This move will again see TUX set itself apart as an agency by joining cultures and pioneering an international perspective through one unified operational system. Departing from conventional practices that often stovepipe approaches based on geographical boundaries, TUX will move forward with a singular, cross-border, cohesive management team that will transcend location and foster a global creative community.

About TUX Creative Agency: TUX is a creative house of diverse thinkers and fierce makers. Proudly B Corp and LGBTQ+ certified, TUX develops captivating brand platforms and dynamic campaigns for consumer brands across the globe. With locations in L.A. and Montreal, TUX seamlessly integrates creativity, design, production, digital and media in a down-to-earth and friendly agency setup. TUX Creative understands that extraordinary work springs from revitalised minds, which is why we proudly stand at the forefront as one of the largest creative agencies championing a 4-day work week. For more information about TUX Creative Agency, please visit www.tux.co.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Maria Toumanova [email protected] or Fiona Dalrymple fiona@in-houseinitiative.com

SOURCE TUX Creative
New report emphasizes why technology is a critical tool in all Utah public and charter schools

SALT LAKE CITY, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Connected Nation (CN) has partnered with Utah Education Network (UEN) to release the fifth iteration of the Utah School Technology Inventory, a statewide report that compiles critical data about technology usage and gaps in UEN schools. The national nonprofit has collaborated with UEN for nearly a decade to track how technology is used in Utah's school districts and charter schools, and the access teachers and students have to digital materials, devices and platforms. The inventory once again had a 100% participation rate.

"Starting in 2015 through 2023, UEN's partnership with Connected Nation has conducted these inventories in the fall every other year," said UEN Senior Project Manager Cory Stokes. "Completing these inventories helps leaders at the state, district and school levels make better decisions based on data to improve, enhance and support technology in education."

These inventories help leaders make better decisions based on data to improve, enhance, and support tech in education. Post this

UEN chose the nonprofit to develop the data collection portal and lead the inventory effort. They collected more than 82,600 data points, representing 1,034 schools across Utah. The final report provides a comprehensive summary of the Utah school system and an overview page for every school district and charter school in the state.

"School districts use these reports to determine how they are currently using technology funds to support their students and teachers," said Stokes. "The data provides and accounts for how technology is supporting and helping to meet the needs of students and teachers in public education."

The inventory found that, statewide, 7 out of 10 schools (70%) report that they deploy mobile learning devices such as laptop or tablet computers to students on a 1:1 basis.

Other key findings include:

Device-to-student ratio increased since 2015 but remain the same between the 2021 and 2023.

Google Chromebooks remain the most popular computing device for students, with schools reporting that more than 594,000 Chromebooks are made available to students statewide.

Nearly 2 out of 5 Utah schools (38%) offer mobile learning devices on a 1:1 basis and allow students to take those devices home, maintaining a similar rate from 2021 (39%).

"UEN's focus has always been to provide equitable network services and resources to all students in Utah, regardless of where they live, how they participate in school and how they most effectively learn," said Stokes. "This was all made possible through the School Technology Inventory report."

Read the 2023 Utah School Technology Inventory Report.

About the Utah Education Network: UEN is part of the Utah Education and Telehealth Network (UETN), which connects all Utah school districts, schools, and higher education institutions to a robust network and quality educational resources. UEN is one of the nation's premier education networks.

About Connected Nation: The national nonprofit's mission is to improve lives by providing innovative solutions that expand access, adoption and use of high-speed internet and its related technology to all people. They work with consumers, local community leaders, states, technology providers and foundations to develop and implement technology expansion programs with core competencies centered on a mission to improve digital inclusion for people and places previously underserved or overlooked. For more information, please visit connectednation.org.

SOURCE CONNECTED NATION, INC.
Mr. Gordon's experience spans key areas of health care, including medical devices, pharmaceuticals, surgical and consumer products. As a member of Bausch + Lomb's executive management team, he played a critical role in formulating the eye health company's strategy. He also served as president of its global consumer healthcare, surgical and vision care businesses, overseeing $3.8 billion in annual sales and operations across 100 countries. Mr. Gordon previously held leadership positions in sales, marketing, and customer operations with Pfizer.

"I am fortunate to work in an industry where I have the opportunity to contribute to people's care and well-being. As I considered my next career step, Water Street stood out for its approach to building businesses that positively impact health care. I'm excited to join its team and look for new opportunities to collaborate with medical products businesses that are interested in a partner to support their goals for growth," said Mr. Gordon.

In addition to medical products and diagnostics, Water Street is pursuing opportunities to invest in businesses specializing in health care services and pharmaceutical and life sciences. Its target investments range in size from $50 million to $500 million in value. The health care firm currently manages more than $6 billion of capital dedicated to investing in and growing health care businesses.

About Water Street

Water Street Healthcare Partners is a strategic investor dedicated to building businesses in three critical health care sectors: medical products and diagnostics, pharmaceutical and life sciences, and health care services. The firm has completed more than 165 investments and acquisitions to build 45+ companies contributing to improved patient care, innovation, and a more efficient health care system. Working closely with leadership teams, Water Street contributes its industry experience and network of resources to support businesses' growth objectives. Based in Chicago, Water Street's team is a distinctive blend of highly experienced health care executives, investment professionals, and functional specialists. For more information, visit waterstreet.com.

SOURCE Water Street Healthcare Partners
SAN CARLOS, Calif., Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- XP Health, a company dedicated to democratizing vision care with a digital-first vision benefits platform, announced today a new partnership with Bell Bank and the addition of new Chief Marketing Officer Cynthia Spitalny to grow its leadership roster. The Company also recently launched a new $0 copay benefit.

XP Health currently covers more than 250,000 people and has seen an 8,100 percent growth in the last two years since launching their platform, expanding from 30 to 2600+ customers, including DocuSign, Navistar, Chegg, Sequoia Consulting, and strategic partner Guardian Life Insurance. XP Health's vision benefits provide reduced to no-cost frames with a market leading selection.

XP Health continues momentum with new Bell Bank partnership and addition of a CMO to its leadership roster Post this

XP Health has signed a contract with Bell Bank, based in Fargo, N.D., one of the nation's largest family- and employee-owned banks with more than $14 billion in assets, to provide vision benefits for more than 2,000 employees.

"Bell Bank is pleased to announce that XP Health has been selected as our new vision provider; XP Health's approach to vision coverage is different than traditional insurance plans - in a good way," said Amy Perrin, vice president/human resources director of operations, Bell Bank. "The employee experience is at the center of it all, highlighted by special online features including the ability to try on glasses virtually, and access to a wide range of discounted products to choose from. Going shopping for glasses just got fun!"

"We're proud to add these new partnerships, which demonstrate continued growing interest in vision benefits and vision care among employers and payors," said Antonio Moraes, CEO, and co-founder of XP Health. "Among the great things happening at XP Health is the expansion of our leadership roster with seasoned industry veterans from leading insurance and healthtech organizations. We are excited that Cynthia Spitalny is joining us as chief marketing officer, bringing strategic marketing experience to XP Health during a crucial time in our growth."

A full-stack marketing and strategy health and tech executive with more than 20 years of experience in both global and national markets, Spitalny has a specialty in healthcare and wellness for B2B, B2C/DTC, B2B2C. A former STEM PhD, she is an award-winning marketer with one IPO and two strategic exits during her career. She is also a former wellness guest writer for various national and local publications. Spitalny earned a bachelor's degree in molecular biology from the University of Connecticut and attended the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine's PhD program in immunology.

Spitalny joins recent hires Ryan VanOverbeke (former CRO at Vimly) as chief commercial officer and Joel Alperstein (former president and CFO at Avesis) as chief financial officer.

Adding to XP Health's growing appeal and momentum, in fall of 2023 the organization launched a new coverage model. In the new model, eye exams have a $0 copay and all glasses come with doctor recommended lenses, which include advanced blue-light protection, advanced anti-glare protection, UV protection and scratch-resistant coating, for $0.

"These features are more expensive to provide so most vision benefits packages do not include this as the baseline of care. It's these elevated employee and employer benefits, combined with advantageous new partnerships and key leadership additions, that we believe are providing momentum and fueling our growth. It's why XP Health is appealing to new investors like Rebecca Lynn" says Moraes.

Lynn, who appeared five times on the Forbes Midas List and is founder and general partner at Canvas Ventures offered, "For the 5 billion people who require some form of vision correction, vision care is an outdated, confusing, and expensive experience. XP Health is reimagining what is possible through its digital-first platform that leverages AI, AR, and customer-centric design. I believe Antonio and his growing leadership team are on a strong trajectory, building the partnerships that will make these important benefits much more accessible."

About XP Health

XP Health democratizes access to high-quality, delightful experiences in vision care that double coverage and reduce costs. It is a digital-first vision platform focused on eye exams and eyewear that uses customer-centric design and technology to create a better member experience and improve access. XP Health was founded to combat the often confusing, expensive, and frustrating experiences common with vision care and vision insurance. XP Health was named to Fast Company's 2021 list of "The World's Most Innovative Companies," and over the past year has expanded from 30 to 1500+ customers, including DocuSign, Navistar, Chegg, Sequoia Consulting, and strategic partner Guardian Life Insurance. To learn more visit xphealth.co .

About Bell Bank

Founded in 1966 and headquartered in Fargo, N.D., Bell Bank (Member FDIC and Equal Housing Lender) is one of the nation's largest family- and employee-owned banks, with more than 2,000 employees and $14 billion in assets. Bell, which offers personal and commercial banking, mortgage, wealth management and insurance, has full-service bank locations in Minnesota, North Dakota, and Arizona as well as mortgage offices in multiple states.

Driven by a mission of "happy employees, happy customers," Bell's award-winning culture includes giving employees money for causes they care about through its Pay It Forward program, which has donated more than $28 million to people and organizations in need since 2008. Bell was named to the Fortune list of America's 100 Best Companies to Work For in 2022 and in 2023 was named to People magazine' list of 100 Companies That Care.

Media Contact

Ivy Cohen

Ivy Cohen Corporate Communications

(212) 399-0026

[email protected]

SOURCE XP Health
The Oldest Brewery in America to Release Yuengling Bock in Select Markets, the Pottsville Museum & Gift Shop, and at the Tampa Yuengling Draft Haus & Kitchen

POTTSVILLE, Pa., Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In honor of the 195 years of brewing great beers milestone, D.G. Yuengling & Son, Inc. is bringing back a late winter and spring favorite, Yuengling Bock. The limited release will be available to legal drinking age customers in PA, NJ, DE, MD, WV, OH, IN, KY, NY Yuengling Bock will be available in 12-pack (12 oz) cans, and on draft in  barrels in select markets starting mid-February, until supplies last.

Yuengling Bock has a deep brown color and flavorful malt-forward taste, while balanced with European Noble hops. For inspiration, the brewery reached into its archives and based this all-new label and package design on the Yuengling Bock labels from the early 1940's.

"Bock beer is a nod to our rich German heritage," said Jennifer Yuengling, 6th generation family member of D.G. Yuengling & Son, Inc. "As long ago as the 1400s, bock beer was brewed in the Northern German city of Einbeck. This rich, malty beer started gaining popularity and is now enjoyed broadly across the globe, especially during cooler months."

Yuengling Bock was previously re-launched in 2008 as a draft-only seasonal offering. It was the first time a Bock beer was produced by Yuengling in nearly 40 years. It returned the following year in draft and package in 2009, in conjunction with Yuengling's 180th Anniversary. The brand was retired in 2014 and is now back after 10 years to be enjoyed for the brewery's 195th Anniversary.

"Yuengling Bock is one of our most popular beer styles from our past, and we continue to receive requests to bring it back. We expect this limited time offering will surprise and delight our loyal Yuengling beer drinkers," said Jennifer Yuengling.

PA and FL "First Pour" Tasting Events: Starting later this week, Yuengling Bock fans in Pennsylvania and Florida can attend "First Pour" tasting events and stock up on Yuengling Bock, just as this limited time item first becomes available.

Yuengling Museum & Gift Shop, Pottsville PA

On Fri. Feb. 23, join us from 5  7 p.m. to enjoy Yuengling Bock on the day it first becomes available for draft sale and for the purchase of cases of 12-pack (12 oz) cans. There will be live music, soft pretzels, and limited-edition Bock tee shirts for sale to celebrate this exclusive 195th Anniversary release with fellow Yuengling Bock fans. Check our website for hours of operation to take a free Brewery Tour of America's Oldest Brewery and explore our Yuengling Brewery Museum & Gift Shop.

Yuengling Draft Haus & Kitchen, Tampa FL

Newly opened in 2023, the Yuengling Draft Haus & Kitchen, located on the grounds of the Yuengling Tampa Brewery, will be the only location in Florida to purchase and enjoy Yuengling Bock. Join the fun on Thurs. Feb. 29, 4  9 p.m., for a special 'Leap Year" beer celebration. Guests are encouraged to make a reservation for dining and to join us for a draft at the bar. Visit the Draft Haus Gift Shop to purchase 12-pack (12 oz) cans to go and limited-edition Bock tee shirts.

About D.G. Yuengling & Son, Inc.

D.G. Yuengling & Son, Inc., the oldest brewery in America, is family-owned and operated since 1829. Principal beer brands include Yuengling Traditional Lager, Light Lager, Black & Tan, Golden Pilsner, Premium, Light, Dark Brewed Porter, Lord Chesterfield Ale, Oktoberfest, Yuengling Hershey's Chocolate Porter, FLIGHT by Yuengling, and Bongo Fizz. Production is supplied by two breweries in Pottsville, PA and one in Tampa, FL. A separate joint venture called The Yuengling Company was recently established with Molson Coors Beverage Company to expand production and distribution further west. Yuengling beer is currently available in 26 states. Experience Yuengling in Pottsville, PA by taking a free tour of America's Oldest Brewery and visiting our Museum & Gift Shop. Also dine, shop, and enjoy our year- round and seasonal-selection of beers at the Yuengling Draft Haus & Kitchen in Tampa, FL. For more information about Yuengling, fans are encouraged to follow the Yuengling Facebook page, follow Yuengling on Twitter and Instagram, or visit www.Yuengling.com. Contact: Paul Capelli, 508-728-1271, [email protected],

SOURCE D.G. Yuengling & Son, Inc
By Keita Nakamura, KYODO NEWS - Feb 20, 2024 - 07:27 | All, Japan, World

A Tokyo conference on rebuilding Ukraine held on Monday underscored the vital role that private investment plays in efforts by Japan, a nation unable to provide military assistance under its pacifist Constitution, to show its commitment to supporting the war-torn country.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's government announced the relaxation of restrictions on citizens' trips to Ukraine with reconstruction-related purposes, responding to calls from Japanese companies seeking new business opportunities in Eastern Europe.

Experts on Ukrainian affairs say, however, that the easing of travel advisory represents just the initial step for Japan as it tries to strike a delicate balance between facilitating Japanese companies' business in the former Soviet state and securing their safety.

With Russia showing no sign of ending its invasion of Ukraine, Tokyo will need to stay committed to supporting Japanese firms wanting to operate there during the planning phase, the experts say.

The Japan-Ukraine Conference for Promotion of Economic Growth and Reconstruction came at a time when global concerns grow over the sustainability of Western military support for Ukraine.

Kishida, at his opening address for the conference, called on the global community to solidify its unity in backing Ukraine, while pledging to work together with the private sector toward the country's long-term economic reconstruction.

"The war in Ukraine is currently still going on and the situation is not easy, but the promotion of economic reconstruction is investment for the future, not only of Ukraine but also of Japan and the world," Kishida said.

According to the World Bank's latest estimate, reconstruction and recovery in Ukraine will cost $486 billion over the next decade, a sum seemingly beyond the scope of public funding alone. Therefore, the involvement of private sectors from around the world is indispensable to address this monumental task.

Boosting reconstruction is one of the areas on which Tokyo puts the greatest emphasis in its support for Kyiv, as its provision of military assistance is practically banned under its war-renouncing Constitution.

"Russia and Ukraine are unlikely to enter cease-fire talks for the time being, so it is important for Japanese companies to invest and support the Ukrainian economy now, instead of waiting until the war's end," a Japanese government official said.

Yoshihiko Okabe, a professor at Kobe Gakuin University, said hosting a bilateral gathering with Ukraine is "unique even from the worldwide viewpoint," and demonstrates Tokyo's commitment to long-term support for Kyiv.

The two nations have held meetings since the launch of a two-way economic dialogue framework in 2008 and forged relations at the public and private levels, which laid the groundwork for the latest reconstruction talks, Okabe, an expert in Ukrainian studies, said.

For Japanese firms interested in doing business related to the reconstruction of Ukraine, the government's review of its restrictions on travel there, announced at the Monday conference, was what they had hoped for.

Even shortly before Moscow launched its full-scale war on Feb. 24, 2022, the Japanese Foreign Ministry has issued the highest Level 4 travel advisory for the whole of Ukraine, urging all Japanese nationals to evacuate and not to travel there.

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa said during the conference that the ministry will uphold the advisory but effectively allow business people to travel to Kyiv if they have "compelling reasons" to visit there and take adequate safety measures.

According to an official of the influential Japan Business Federation, known as Keidanren, many companies had demanded the relaxation as they have internal rules banning their employees' trips to places under the Level 4 advisory.

Japan's travel advisory for Ukraine was not particularly strict compared with those of other governments, but the nation's "safety-first culture" has made firms wary of tapping Ukrainian markets in the middle of the Russian invasion, Okabe said.

Easing the travel restrictions was "unavoidable" as long as Japan continues to aid Ukraine's reconstruction work "because companies cannot do anything without visiting the sites directly," Okabe said.

Some corporate officials have complained of Japan lagging behind other nations, such as South Korea, in carrying on with business in Ukraine, the Keidanren official said.

A Foreign Ministry official stressed that the relaxation of the travel restrictions for businesses does not mean that Ukraine has become safer, saying it was "nothing less than a political decision" after coming under pressure from business circles.

Taisuke Abiru, senior research fellow at the Tokyo-based nonprofit Sasakawa Peace Foundation, said the government should continue considering how to further review the travel warning "by taking companies' voices into account."

The experts also underscored the need for gaining a deeper public understanding of the government's long-term support for Ukraine.

Abiru, well-versed in Eurasian geopolitics and Russian foreign and security policies, said the result of the U.S. presidential election scheduled for November could change the landscape where Japanese lawmakers and public have generally been supportive of assisting Ukraine.

Fears are mounting in Japan and European nations that Washington might scale down or cut its financial and military aid for Ukraine if former President Donald Trump returns to the White House.

"Even if Mr. Trump wins, backing Ukraine's recovery will never become unnecessary, so Japan should maintain its position of focusing on it" and explain its importance to the public, Abiru said.

Related coverage:

Japan vows to continue supporting war-torn Ukraine's reconstruction

G7 agrees to continue supporting Ukraine

Japan to pledge 15.8 bil. yen for Ukraine's reconstruction
If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this





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MOGADISHU, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS) said Tuesday that it has begun a three-day capacity-building program for the Somali security forces on business relationship management and digital transformation.

The UNSOS, which has been actively supporting Somalia in enhancing the capabilities of the security forces, said a closer working relationship between the UN body and Somali government is crucial in the ongoing transition process.

Head of the UNSOS Aisa Kirabo Kacyira said at a meeting held in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, that technological tools are important for improving business processes and enhancing field operations.

"I hope this inaugural workshop will strengthen collaboration with the Somali security forces to drive innovation and maximize the potential of emerging technologies," Kacyira told the participants.

According to Kacyira, the end-state is to co-create innovative solutions and support a digital workforce with the requisite skills, know-how and tools to support Somali sovereign institutions effectively in their day-to-day operations.

The UN and its partners in Somalia have stepped up training of the Somali security forces ahead of the withdrawal of 4,000 of its troops from the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia later this year. 
New York, Feb 20 : US Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs, Rena Bitter, arrived in India to engage with embassy and consulate colleagues in Chennai, Mumbai and New Delhi.

During her week-long visit, which will conclude on February 27, she will also be visiting Doha to observe the work of US consular teams, a US State Department statement said.

In India, home to the second largest US consular operation in the world, she will visit facilities in Chennai and Mumbai and lead a delegation in a bilateral consular dialogue with counterparts in New Delhi.

"Our consular operations in India and Qatar bolster the critical people-to-people and economic ties the US shares with these vital partners," the statement said.

"The Assistant Secretary's trip highlights our sustained commitment to the protection of US citizens overseas and the facilitation of legitimate travel and immigration to the US."

Her visit follows a year of record-breaking visa issuances in the country with Indians now representing one out of every 10 US visa applicants around the world.

The US Embassy and Consulates in India processed 1.4 million visas during 2023 and appointment wait time dropped by 75 per cent, according to the US Embassy.

Bitter's visit comes just as Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources, Richard R. Verma, arrived in India on February 18 to advance the US-India global strategic partnership on a full range of issues, including economic development, security and technology.

Verma, who served as the 25th US Ambassador to India from 2014 to 2017, met Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Monday.

Verma's India visit is part of a three-nation tour from February 18-23, which will also cover Maldives and Sri Lanka in an attempt to strengthen the country's cooperation with each of these key Indo-Pacific partners.
London, Feb 20 : A group of international students, who were falsely accused of cheating in English language tests in the UK, have launched legal proceedings against the Home Office.

The students, many of them from countries like India and Pakistan, are now seeking compensation for unlawful detention false imprisonment, loss of earnings, and damage to their mental health, ITV News reported.

Bindmans, a law firm representing 23 students who have already won immigration appeals and had their visas returned, is now working to obtain a blanket compensation scheme for them.

Between October 2020 and March 2022, the firm issued 23 claims with only one case being settled so far.

The move comes 10 years after the Home Office abruptly terminated the visas of 35,000 international students, making their stay in the country illegal overnight.

A 2014 BBC documentary reported "organised cheating" at two of the UK's language testing centres for international students, run by third parties on behalf of US-based test provider, Educational Testing Service (ETS).

After the BBC report, then Home Secretary Theresa May asked ETS to investigate, which found that 97 per cent of its English tests taken in the UK between 2011 and 2014 were in some way suspicious.

A 2019 report by the Public Accounts Committee said the Home Office "rushed to penalise overseas students, and did not bother to find out whether ETS was involved in fraud or if it had reliable evidence".

"Given scale of fraud it is impossible to say that nobody was wrongly affected and we acknowledge a number of appeals have succeeded. However, we continue to believe there was a large-scale problem with cheating," a Home Office spokesperson told ITV News.

The students had also approached and presented a petition to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in March last year, seeking his help to clear their names.

In their petition to the Prime Minister, the students called for a simple, free mechanism to apply for a decision or reconsideration of their case.
Los Angeles, Feb 20 : New rounds of heavy rain soaked large portions of Southern California, and up to 37 million people are under flood alerts.

A low-pressure system in the Pacific is directing moisture onshore in California, resulting in widespread heavy rain and mountain snow, according to the US National Weather Service (NWS) as quoted by Xinhua news agency report.

Flash flood warnings were issued Monday morning for Southern California counties, including Santa Barbara and Ventura, where 2 to 5 inches of rain had already fallen, according to NWS.

Several roads across the state were closed because of flooding and rockslides, California's transportation agency reported.

Severe thunderstorms packing damaging wind gusts, hail and even a couple of brief tornadoes may develop Monday afternoon and evening, according to NWS.

Areas of rainfall and isolated thunderstorms continue to migrate northward across portions of northern and central California.
Lucknow, Feb 20 : A property dealer shot his wife in the stomach when she objected to his returning home in a drunken state, said officials here.

The incident took place on Monday in the Para locality of the state capital. The police said that during the argument between the two, the accused husband, 36-year-old Vimal Yadav, whipped out his licensed revolver and opened fire at his wife, Soni Jaiswal.

He then fled the scene, leaving his wife bleeding. The victimas son, Abhishek, her sister Moni and daughter Ananya rushed to the room and took the victim to a nearby hospital where doctors found her condition critical and referred her to the KGMUas Trauma Centre.

Abhishek has accused his father of attempting to kill Soni, who is under treatment. SHO, Para, B.K. Verma said that a case of attempted murder has been lodged against Vimal who is absconding.
London, Feb 20 : Crystal Palace have announced appointment of Oliver Glasner their manager a few hours after Roy Hodgson stepped down from his post as first-team manager.

Glasner has signed a deal to become the Eagles' boss until the end of the 2025/2026 season.

"I am very happy to join Crystal Palace F.C. as manager. I am looking forward to working with the talented squad, meeting the clubas supporters and experiencing the Selhurst Park atmosphere I have heard so much about. It has been a pleasure to meet with Steve and Dougie, and I am looking forward to working with them to achieve our goals," Glasner told club's official website late on Monday night.

Most recently, Glasner managed Eintracht Frankfurt to historic success winning the 2021/22 UEFA Europa League, the clubas first continental trophy in more than 40 years. This was achieved in Glasneras first season in charge of Die Adler (athe Eaglesa).

Most recently, Glasner managed Eintracht Frankfurt to historic success winning the 2021/22 UEFA Europa League, the clubas first continental trophy in more than 40 years. This was achieved in Glasneras first season in charge of Die Adler (athe Eaglesa).

The 49-year-old previously managed Austrian teams SV Ried, where he made more than 550 appearances and won two cups as a player; as well as LASK, whom he guided from the second tier to European qualification in just three seasons, before earning a place in the Champions League qualifiers in his fourth.

He also won plaudits for his two seasons at VfL Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga, earning the third-highest points total in the clubas history and securing Champions League qualification with a top-four finish.
Bengaluru, Feb 20 : Karnataka BJP has slammed the Congress government for announcing Rs 15 lakh compensation to the family of a man, who died in an elephant attack in Kerala's Wayanad.

Bengaluru, Feb 20 (IANS) Karnataka BJP has slammed the Congress government for announcing Rs 15 lakh compensation to the family of a man, who died in an elephant attack in Kerala's Wayanad.

BJP state President B.Y. Vijayendra said that it was a "shameful" act to please Rahul Gandhi.

Taking to social media on Monday night, Vijayendra said, "The Congress Government's outrageous misuse of Karnataka taxpayers' funds to curry favour with Rahul Gandhi is utterly disgraceful. Illegally allocating the state fund of Rs 15 lakh to a deceased individual from Rahul Gandhi's Wayanad MP constituency, falsely blaming an elephant from Karnataka is an appalling betrayal."

"Amid crippling drought and hundreds of farmers committing suicide across Karnataka, the Congress government shamelessly prioritizes pleasing Rahul Gandhi over addressing the state's urgent needs.

"Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his cohorts must be held accountable for unethically looting Karnataka tax payers' money and state treasury to cater Congress high command's greed. Amidst the Congress party's struggle for survival, its ministers are sparing no effort in plundering every last rupee of the state coffers."

On Monday, Karnataka Minister for Forests B. Eshwar Khandre announced the compensation to the family of deceased Ajeesh, who lost life due to elephant trampling in Wayanad, Kerala.

A tusker named 'Makna', which was captured at Belur in Karnataka's Hassan district, was relocated to the Bandipur Tiger reserve in November 2023. It was radio collared last year. Two months later the elephant was sighted in the Wayanad area of Kerala, the parliamentary constituency of Rahul Gandhi.
Kolkata, Feb 20 : As the leader of the opposition (LoP) in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari has started proceeding towards the trouble- hit areas at Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district on Tuesday, the district administration issued a fresh prohibitory order under Section 144 at 12 new places there.

On Monday, the Calcutta High Courtas single judge bench of Justice Kaushik Chanda allowed the leader of the opposition to visit those places in Sandeshkhali where Section 144 has been withdrawn. Armed with that court order Adhikari started from Kolkata for Sandeshkhali on Tuesday morning, information surfaced about the issuance of fresh prohibitory orders at 12 new places.

Political observers feel that the fresh prohibitory orders were hurriedly imposed on Tuesday morning with the sole intention of preventing the leader of the opposition from reaching the troubled zone at Sandeshkhali at any cost.

Initially, though the district administration imposed Section 144 in 19 village panchayats, at a later stage the prohibitory orders were withdrawn from four.

Earlier, the LoP was stopped twice from going to Sandeshkhali with a team of BJP MLAs. Both times he was stopped at a distance from the entry point.

Thereafter, Adhikari approached the Calcutta High Court seeking permission to visit the troubled zone.

The CPI(M) politburo member Brinda Karat is also scheduled to visit Sandeshkhali on Tuesday.
New Delhi : Union Home Minister Amit Shah speaks during the BJP National Convention 2024 at Bharat Mandapam. Image Source: IANS News

Jaipur, Feb 20 : Union Home Minister Amit Shah will blow the BJP's Lok Sabha poll bugle in Rajasthan from Bikaner on Tuesday.

Jaipur, Feb 20 (IANS) Union Home Minister Amit Shah will blow the BJPas Lok Sabha poll bugle in Rajasthan from Bikaner on Tuesday.

The BJP is working under the cluster plan and there are three Lok Sabha seats and eight Assembly constituencies in each cluster.

Shah will first meet BJP leaders from three Lok Sabha constituencies of a cluster at a hotel in Bikaner which includes Bikaner, Sri Ganganagar-Hanumangarh and Churu.

He will discuss poll strategies with party leaders at the Agricultural Produce Market in Udaipur in the afternoon and thereafter Shah will address an intellectualsa conference at Maheshwari Public School in Jaipur at 5.30 pm.

The saffron party has started working under the cluster plan to capture all 25 seats of Rajasthan for the third consecutive time.

In the first phase, meetings will be held in Bikaner, Udaipur and Jaipur on Tuesday, said party leaders.

Party workers said that only the members of the coordination committees and management committees formed for the Lok Sabha elections will attend this meeting.

Not every party member is allowed to attend and a list of about 250 party officials was finalised for the meeting to be held in Bikaner.

The three Lok Sabha seats for which Amit Shah is meeting party officials are already held by the BJP. Arjun Ram Meghwal is the MP from the Bikaner Lok Sabha seat, Nihal Chand holds the Sri Ganganagar-Hanumangarh seat and Rahul Kaswan is the MP from Churu.

While Meghwal has been MP since 2009, Nihal Chand and Rahul Kaswan have been MPs since 2014.

As Bikaner, Sri Ganganagar-Hanumangarh and Churu Lok Sabha seats have been included in the Bikaner cluster, big leaders of these three districts will attend the meeting with Shah, Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, State BJP President CP Joshi, State incharge Arun Singh, Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, former state President and Bikaner cluster incharge Satish Poonia.

Shah will have a packed day and everything has been planned down to the last minute.

After reaching Bikaner's Nal Airport at 11.50 am he will leave for Park Paradise and reach the venue a little after 12 noon. He will be in Park Paradise from 12.15 pm to 1.15 pm and then depart from there to reach the Bikaner airport at 1.25 pm, from where he will leave for Udaipuras Dabok airport at 1.30 pm.
Chennai, Feb 20 : Fishermen from two hamlets of Tamil Nadu will be holding a protest march from Rameswaram to Ramanathapuram collectorate on Tuesday to protest "arrest and assault" by the Sri Lankan Navy.

The fishermen will be walking 50 kilometres from Rameswaram to register their protests.

The fishermen of Rameswaram and Thanalgachimadom fishing hamlets are abstaining from venturing into the seas since Sunday and their mechanised fishing boats are anchored in the shores with black flags on top.

The fishermen will surrender the RC books of their boats, their Aadhar cards and voter identity cards as they feel that there was no use of them.

Antony Dominic, leader of Rameswaram Fishermen association, told IANS: "The protest we are conducting is for our survival. We have been regularly intercepted and arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy and our costly mechanised boats are impounded. These boats will not be released as Sri Lankans have now resorted to nationalasing these boats-in short taking procession."

"In this manner we cannot move ahead. We have been complaining to both central and state governments but to no avail. All our prayers are fallen on deaf ears and we have now resorted to more aggressive mode to get the matter settled once and for all," he said.

The fishermen leader also said that fishermen will boycott elections until their demands are met.

N.Devadoss, President of Rameswaram Fishermen Cooperative Society who is spearheading the protest rally to the Ramanathapuram collectorate told IANS that the rally would take two days to reach the collectorate as it was a 50 km march.

He said that the protesting fishermen will not resume fishing activities until a permanent solution to the "plauging issue" is made.

Many fishermen from Rameswaram are in Sri Lankan jails for crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and some who have repeated their "offense" are undergoing extended prison terms.
Sultanpur : , Feb 20 (IANS) A special court in Sultanpur on Tuesday granted bail to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a defamation case dating back to 2018.

Advocate Santosh Pandey told reporters, "Rahul Gandhi surrendered in the court today and the court took him into custody for 30-45 minutes. After that, his bail application was submitted and was accepted. The further date has not been given yet."

The court asked Rahul to submit two bail bonds of Rs 25,000 each.

The case, initiated by Vijay Mishra on August 4, 2018, stemmed from remarks Gandhi purportedly made against Union Home Minister Amit Shah during a Press conference in Bengaluru on May 8, 2018 during the Karnataka elections.

The complainant cited Rahul Gandhi's statement during which he asserted that while the BJP professes a commitment to honest and clean politics it is led by a "party President who is an accused in a murder case."

At the time of Gandhi's comment, Amit Shah was the BJP President. However, approximately four years prior to Gandhi's remark, a special CBI court in Mumbai had cleared Shah of charges in a 2005 fake encounter case. This decision came during Shah's tenure as the Minister of State for Home in Gujarat.

Rahul Gandhi was unable to attend the previous hearing in the special MP-MLA court on January 18 due to his commitments to the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.

Talking to reporters, Vijay Mishra, the complainant, said, "The BJP is the biggest party of the country. Calling its then President a murderer is unjustifiable."
MEXICO CITY, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- At least 12 suspected hitmen were killed on Sunday in a confrontation between Mexican Army troops and an armed gang in northeast Mexico's Tamaulipas state, said a state security official on Monday.

The incident occurred in the municipality of Miguel Aleman when an army patrol countered an "attack" by armed assailants hiding in the undergrowth, said spokesperson for Tamaulipas Public Security Jorge Cuellar at a press conference.

Security was reinforced on Monday with a bigger presence of the army and National Guard in the northern part of the state, an area known as the "small border" with the United States, said the official.

Authorities seized weapons and ammunition after the clash, said the spokesperson's office on social media.

Tamaulipas has for years been riddled with violence due to fighting among rival drug trafficking groups and clashes with law enforcement.

Since 2014, Mexican authorities have reinforced security tactics to combat crime in Tamaulipas, such as purging the police force to combat corruption. 
Bengaluru, Feb 20 : Condemning the move of Congress government to provide compensation to the family of elephant attack victim in Kerala, Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka said on Tuesday that the Kannada taxpayers' money was going into Rahul Gandhi's pocket.

"Mr. Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre, do you think the state of Karnataka is the property of the Indian National Congress and it can release the money paid as tax by the people of Karnataka as per the diktat of Rahul Gandhi and AICC General Secretary K.C. Venugopal?

"Mr. CM Siddaramaiah, don't your ministers have the capacity to question the high command courageously that it is the tax money of the people of Karnataka?" Ashoka questioned.

Meanwhile, former National General Secretary of BJP C.T. Ravi took to social media, saying, "Why is Karnataka government dancing to the tune of a mere "CON"gress MP from Kerala? CONgress has time and again betrayed the interests of Karnataka at the altar of its masters.

"How long should Kannadigas sacrifice their interests simply because of CONgis who prostrate before the Chinese puppet?

"Will CM Siddaramaiah explain to Kannadigas why their money is being spent on the orders of a Silly Dynasty whose only achievement in life is being born into the Fake Gandhi dynasty?

"And why is a Karnataka minister copying a CONgress functionary in his letter? Is K.C. Venugopal a courier boy or an extra-constitutional authority who can bulldoze the state government?

"The incompetent CONgress government spends money on Madrasas, Wakf properties and other whims and fancies while continuously blaming the central government for all its failures. Kannadigas are eagerly waiting to get rid of this anti-people 'Tughlaq Durbar'," Ravi said.

On Monday, Karnataka Minister for Forests B. Eshwar Khandre announced the compensation of Rs 15 lakh to the family of deceased Ajeesh, who lost his life in elephant attack in Wayanad, Kerala. The order copy by the government stated that the compensation was being provided as per the advice of Rahul Gandhi.

A tusker named 'Makna', which was captured at Belur in Karnataka's Hassan district, was relocated to the Bandipur Tiger reserve in November 2023. It was radio collared last year. Two months later the elephant was sighted in the Wayanad area of Kerala, the parliamentary constituency of Rahul Gandhi.
Kolkata: Sujay Krishna Bhadra alias 'Kalighater Kaku' being produced at a local court by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials, in Kolkata, Wednesday, May 31, 2023. (Photo:Kuntal Chakrabarty/IANS). Image Source: IANS News

Kolkata, Feb 20 : After spending over six months at the state-run SSKM Medical College & Hospital since his bypass surgery in August last year, Sujay Krishna Bhadra, one of the prime accused in the alleged cash-for-school-job scam in West Bengal, has been shifted back to Presidency Central Correctional Home in South Kolkata.

Sources in the state correctional services department said that the decision to release Bhadra from the hospital was taken on Monday afternoon and he was shifted back silently to the correction home late on Monday evening.

To recall, the entire period of six months of his stay in hospital was mired in controversies.

First of all, the medical fraternity questioned the authenticity of the prolonged period of his recovery after the bypass surgery.

Second, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) sleuths investigating the case alleged that Bhadra was deliberately kept in hospital to avoid the voice sample test.

However, armed with a Calcutta High Court order finally in the first week of January this year, the EDs sleuths managed to get the voice sample test done. The final forensic report of the test is awaited.

Meanwhile, Bhadraas counsel approached a single-judge Bench of the Calcutta High Court with a bail plea on medical grounds. The final order on this count is expected on February 23.
Yami Gautam: Watching or working in a film with preconceived notion is not the right way to do it. Image Source: IANS News

Mumbai, Feb 20 : A cinema hall is the place where the mind should be completely free of any baggage or ideology, that's what actress Yami Gautam Dhar believes in.

The actress, who is currently awaiting the release of her upcoming film 'Article 370', has shared that for actors and the audience it's imperative to look at films with a clean slate and not be affected by any preconceived notion.

The past few months have seen polarising reactions from the audiences to films like 'Animal' and 'Dunki', and the trend seems to continue with 'Article 370' given the narrative of the film touches upon a subject that left the country divided in terms of opinions.

The actress spoke with IANS ahead of the release of her film and shared about the trend, her journey in cinema and the role of social media in the modern discourse.

Talking about the trend of polarising reactions from the audience, Yami, who admits that she hasn't yet seen the Ranbir Kapoor-starrer 'Animal', told IANS: "If you're working in a film or watching a film with a preconceived notion, you will never be able to enjoy the film or your working process. You won't be able to have a fair opinion on it if your judgement is already clouded."

The actress further mentioned, "You like it or you don't like it, that's absolutely your personal choice and your prerogative, and you must stand by it. But watching a film with an already set mindset is not the correct way to do it."

Manoeuvring the conversation, the actress then spoke about how polarisation has become a part of the society.

Yami told IANS, "As far as polarisation is concerned, today there are polarising opinions on everything, it's not just the films. Social media has only added fuel to the fire because that's the easiest way to reach out to a huge number of people."

"Having said that, my job as an actor is to chase excellence, bring compelling stories to the forefront, to do good roles and to be a part of good cinema, that is the intention I work with," she added.

The actress also spoke about her upcoming film and shared that the film delves into the modus operandi behind the abrogation of contentious Article 370 of the Constitution of India.

Yami said: " 'Article 370' is not just about an army operation, the film tells how the historical event of abrogation of Article 370 was carried out."

The actress has completed almost a decade and a half in cinema having started her journey in films with the Kannada film 'Ullasa Utsaha'. However, the actress doesn't set her eyes on the rear view mirror and always looks forward to what's next.

"I really don't look back at my cinematic journey and I don't really think like I have been working for so long. I joined the industry at a young age but today, where I stand, I would say that I'm very happy and I own up to my successful films as much as those films that might not have garnered equal amounts of love from the audience, both are very close to my heart," she said.

Produced by Jyoti Deshpande, Aditya Dhar and Lokesh Dhar, 'Article 370' is slated to release in cinemas worldwide on February 23.
New Delhi, Feb 20 : The excitement is palpable in Delhi as 120 Miss World participants from around the globe have arrived in the heart of India, ready to embark on their journey to compete for the prestigious title.

The 120 contestants, representing nations from across the world, convened at Hotel Ashoka.

Over the ensuing weeks, the participants will partake in a myriad of events, challenges, and philanthropic endeavors, where they will not only showcase their beauty and grace but also their intellect, compassion, and commitment to social causes.

The participants, along with Julia Morley, the Chairman and CEO of the Miss World Organization, paid heartfelt homage to the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, at Rajghat, whose principles of truth, non-violence, and social justice continue to inspire generations worldwide and resonate with the Miss World Organizationas theme of Beauty with a Purpose.

The countdown to the 71st Miss World Grand Finale has begun, with the event set to take place on March 9 at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai.

IANSlife can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in

--IANS

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Dakshina Kannada : , Feb 20 (IANS) In a concerning development, the contact number and family pictures of the mother of a girl student, who raised her voice against the insult to the Hindu Gods at a private school here, has been made viral on social media.

The victim, who is also a teacher, approached the Kankanady police station in Mangaluru city on Tuesday for protection as she was getting threatening calls from Qatar, Dubai, Saudi Arabia and other countries. She was also sent abusive audio clips for raising the issue.

She has told the media that from February 15 she has been getting threatening calls continuously. "On the social media post that is made viral, I have been blamed as the sole reason for the whole episode resulting in protest against the school. I am not answering international calls. My husband answered one of the calls and the person grudgingly spoke. I have been tortured for speaking in front of the media and raising the issue of humiliation of Hindu Gods at the school," she stated.

"My daughter is studying in seventh standard in the school. The teacher should not have made comments on the Godhra incident and was not required to speak demeaningly on Lord Sri Ram. The teacher had asked whether Lord Ram would come and sit in the stone idol," the woman stated.

Meanwhile, the management of the Sebastian School where the woman worked as a teacher has sacked her for giving statements to the media over the issue.

The alleged incident took place at St. Gerosa Higher Primary School near Jeppu in Mangaluru recently. A teacher, identified as Sister Prabha, had allegedly made derogatory remarks against Hindu Gods during a moral science class.

The incident came to light after an audio clip made by a parent and addressed to a VHP leader went viral on social media, leading to protests.

The protest was led by BJP MLA D. Vedavyas Kamath, who reportedly pulled up the school management and the concerned teacher for 'humiliating' Hindu Gods. Following the incident, the school management sacked Sister Prabha.

Last Thursday, Karnataka Police had filed an FIR against Kamath and Mangaluru City North MLA Y. Bharat Shetty in connection with a protest staged to condemn the alleged incident of "humiliation of Hindu Gods" at the school.

The police have also booked VHP leader Sharan Pumpwell, and Hindu activists Sandeep Garodi and Bharat Kumar.

The issue was raised in the Assembly by the BJP resulting in heated arguments between the ruling Congress government and BJP legislators. The Congress had said that the BJP legislators had provoked the students, disturbed law and order system, and police investigation was required.
New Delhi, Feb 20 : EV startup Vidyut on Tuesday said it has raised $10 million in its Series A fundraise (a mix of equity and debt funding) led by 3one4 Capital, and will deploy new funds to scale its new offerings that include EV insurance, lifecycle management and EV resale.

The round also witnessed participation from new and existing investors namely, Saison Capital, Zephyr Peacock, Force Ventures, a venture debt fund Alteria Capital and CEO of Udaan, Sujeet Kumar.

Founded in 2021, the startup said it aims to expand its presence to 40 cities and will double its team size by the end of FY25 as it prepares to build a full stack EV ecosystem.

"Our focus is not just on financing but on elevating the entire EV ownership journey for India's SMBs, who are the backbone of our economy," said Gaurav Srivastava, co-founder of Vidyut.

The company already offers ownership solutions for Mahindra, Piaggio, Altigreen, Murugappa Group's Montra Electric, Euler Motors and OSM vehicles.

"Vidyut's model removes EV adoption barriers, especially in the large but price sensitive driver cum owner segment. At 3one4 Capital, we are excited to back the Vidyut team in their mission to simplify EV ownership," said Sonal Saldanha, Vice President, Investments, 3one4 Capital.

"After hitting an inflection point, customised financing and lifecycle management solutions will play a central role in large scale EV adoption, requiring lenders to evaluate asset risk alongside borrower risk," added Dhairen Tohliani, Vice President, Alteria capital.
Chandigarh, Feb 20 : Blaming Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for the failure of talks, state BJP chief Sunil Jakhar on Tuesday said it was most unfortunate that negotiations between the farmers and the central government have not fructified.

"With Bhagwant Mann himself, of all the people, acting as the lawyer for the farmers, these negotiations were destined to fail because CM Mann had everything to gain from the failure of these talks," Jakhar wrote on X.

"Not only would he now be able to show the central government in bad light but also redirect those farmers also to Delhi who had initially wanted to march to Chandigarh.

"And sure enough, he has succeeded in this mission by jeopardising the sincere efforts of both the farmers and the central ministerial team to arrive at a solution."

He further wrote, "Punjab wonders who gave the vakalatnama (authority) to represent the farmers to such a person, who not only backtracked on his promise to provide the MSP (minimum support price) within five minutes of formation of his government but also cheated Punjab farmers out of the compensation for flood damage."

In another post, senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and former Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh met Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Capt Amarinder wrote he had a detailed meeting with PM Narendra Modi on wide-ranging issues related to Punjab, including the issues concerning farmers.

He expressed confidence that the issue will be resolved soon to everybody's satisfaction.

Capt Amarinder was accompanying his daughter Jai Inder Kaur, who is President of the state BJP Mahilla Morcha.

A day earlier, farmer unions rejected the Centre's proposal for buying three pulses, besides cotton and maize, at the MSP. They announced that the 'Dilli Chalo' march will proceed on February 21 at 11 a.m.
Seoul, Feb 20 : More than 6,400 trainee doctors have submitted their resignations to protest the South Korean government's plan of boosting the number of medical students, leading to delays in surgeries and medical treatment, officials said on Tuesday.

Talking to reporters, Second Vice Health Minister Park Min-said that the ministry has ordered 831 trainee doctors to return to work, Yonhap news agency reported.

Tensions brewed between doctors and the government over the latter's plan to add 2,000 to the country's medical school enrollment quota next year.

Till Monday, 6,415 trainee doctors at 100 hospitals submitted their resignations, with about 1,600 of them walking off the job, Park said.

Park said the government will extend operating hours at 97 public hospitals and emergency rooms at 12 military hospitals will be opened to the public to cope with a potential disruption of medical services.

The admission quota needs to enhanced to address a shortage of doctors, particularly in rural areas and essential medical fields, such as high-risk surgeries, pediatrics, obstetrics and emergency medicine.

As per the health authorities, the number of doctors in South Korea relative to the size of the population is among the lowest in the developed world.

However, the doctors claimed that the government has not had full consultations on the matter and that the move will compromise the quality of medical education and services.
New Delhi, Feb 20 : The Jindal India Institute (JII) of O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU) organised a unique one-day-long certificate course in New Delhi earlier this week to train 34 foreign diplomats from 21 countries and international organisations on the theme of 'Understanding Indian Elections and Democracy'.

The event was aimed at sensitising the eyes and ears of the international community based in India about the unique strength and depth of India's robust democratic system and to showcase different dimensions of elections in the world's largest democracy.

During this day-long course, the participating foreign diplomats learnt from leading experts and scholars on Indian politics about the evolution of India as the 'mother of democracy', the growth of its constitutional system, the robustness of its electoral institutions, Indian electoral laws, rules and reforms, the shifting patterns of voting behaviour in successive national and state-level elections, the differential outcomes in Lok Sabha elections compared to Vidhan Sabha elections, the rise and fall of various political parties and party systems since Independence, the growing levels of participation and competition in Indian electoral politics, the role of economic and identity-based factors in deciding electoral contests, trends in Indian general elections since 1952, and the electoral advice and assistance that India provides to fellow developing countries.

The foreign diplomats who joined this training session were curious to learn and actively engaged with the speakers through in-depth assessments and questions about major patterns and shifts in India's electoral evolution and about the prospects of electoral outcomes in the coming 2024 General Elections. They were also keen to know about the impact of India's active role in global governance platforms such as the G20 on Indian voters during elections.

Participating diplomats came from the countries and international organisations such as -- Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, British Council, Burkina Faso, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, European Union, France, Gabon, Germany, Guatemala, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Japan, Madagascar, Philippines, Russia, Togo, United Kingdom and United States.

On the occasion, the President of JII and the Founding Vice Chancellor of JGU, Prof. (Dr.) C. Raj Kumar said, "JII's mission is to bring rigorous research and findings about India's accomplishments to foreign audiences. This training course is part of that broader objective. India is a vast country with many complex forms and expressions of political participation and competition. Our goal at JII is to inform and engage the international community about the big picture and also about the nitty-gritty intricacies of Indian elections in different states and regions of the country so that the world gets an objective and full appreciation of how far India has come in its journey as a leading democracy among developing countries."

Speaking at the launch of the training course, the Director General of JII and the Dean of JGU's Jindal School of International Affairs (JSIA), Dr. Sreeram Chaulia observed, "At JII, we want to help shape international opinions and impressions about India's rich democratic traditions and practices. The reports and analysis that foreign embassies, high commissions and intergovernmental organisations will write about the upcoming General Elections in India can be influenced by these kinds of training courses being conducted by JII. Global appreciation of India as a model and a 'mother of democracy' is key for India's soft power and that is the purpose of this initiative by JII."
Guwahati, Feb 20 : Assam Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Debabrata Saikia on Tuesday said that his mother has advised him to remain in Congress always.

"My mother, Hemoprova Saikia, called me and said that I must remain in the Congress even if I am the lone man standing in the state. I cannot disobey my mother's advice. I guarantee you that I will not leave Congress," Saikia told Congress.

After two Congress MLAs "supported" the BJP government in the state, rumours are rife that more Congress MLAs may also soon join the ruling dispensation.

Debabrata Saikia's mother Hemoprova Saikia was the minister of handloom and textiles in the Assam government from 2001 to 2006. She was an MLA representing Nazira constituency from 1996 to 2006. Later, Debabrata Saikia fought polls from Nazira seat.

Saikia's late father, Hiteswar Saikia, was a Congress stalwart and served twice as the Chief Minister of Assam in the 1980s and 1990s.

Recently, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had sarcastically said, "There is no guarantee who will remain in Congress in Assam. Debabrata Saikia, Bhupen Borah may also leave and come to our side."

Former Congress MLA Bhupen Borah also said, "I can take an oath by going to Kamakhya temple that I will never leave Congress till I am alive."

Notably, two Congress MLAs, Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha and Basanta Das, met the Chief Minister during the ongoing budget session of the Assam assembly last week and tendered their support for the ruling party.

Purkayastha, a three-time MLA, resigned from his post as working president of the opposition just before he went to meet Himanta Biswa Sarma. The other legislator, Basanta Das, was a minister in the Tarun Gogoi-led Congress government in Assam.

However, both legislators have announced that they are not resigning from the Congress and will continue to support the BJP government in the state despite being primary members of the opposition party.

The legislators chose the way of supporting the BJP to avoid bi-elections in their constituencies.

Congress has slapped show-cause notices to both the MLAs.
UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- UN peacekeepers in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are redeploying to help defend Goma and Sake towns, a UN spokesman said on Monday.

Stephane Dujarric, chief spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said the peacekeeping force from the mission known as MONUSCO is deeply concerned by the renewed escalation of hostilities in North Kivu province.

"Due to the deteriorating security situation around Sake and Goma, the mission is reinforcing its presence there by bringing in peacekeepers from its Force Intervention Brigade, based in Beni, in the northern part of the province," Dujarric said. "The peacekeepers reiterate their call on M23 to cease its offensive and to respect the Luanda Roadmap."

He said the UN mission continues to support the Congolese army by defending major routes leading to the key towns of Sake and Goma in North Kivu province.

The spokesman said mission members met with Congolese army coordinators in North Kivu over the weekend for joint military action in the defense of Sake and Goma. MONUSCO also expressed concern over recent disinformation campaigns targeting peacekeepers, hampering efforts to implement its mandate in the DRC.

"UN peacekeepers are continuing to facilitate safe passage of civilians fleeing the fighting to more secure areas, including around its Kitchanga base, where some 25,000 civilians have sought shelter," Dujarric said.

The "Luanda Roadmap" is the July 2022 ceasefire accord agreed on in Luanda, Angola, between the DRC and Rwanda, reported supporter of the M23 rebel group. 
Jammu, Feb 20 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday that J&K has got freedom from a long dynastic rule that focused on their own progress and development and not that of the people.

Addressing a large public gathering at the Maulana Azad Stadium here in which people participated braving heavy rain in the city, PM Modi said, "For decades J&K was ruled by dynasties who focused their attention on the progress and development of the ruling family and not on the future generation of the people.

"They held the future of our youth at ransom to further their own future. J&K is being liberated from such dynastic rule," he said.

The PM began his speech praising the Dogri language which, he said, is as sweet as the Dogri people. He quoted famous poetess, Padma Sachdev to bring home his point about the innate goodness of the Dogri people.

"Seeing such large numbers and their enthusiasm here today despite rain, I believe this is the biggest blessing for Viksit Bharat.

"People are watching this programme in large numbers on screens put up at different places. Lt Governor Manoj Sinha tells me that people in 285 blocks of J&K are watching this programme through screens set up there.

"The hope and faith with which the people of J&K have received the Viksit Bharat vehicles at different places has been unprecedented. It was for the first time that the government came to the doorsteps of the people.

"This is Modi Ki guarantee and Kanwal Ka Kamal. Dreams unfulfilled for 70 years are being realised how.

"In the past, only disappointing news came from J&K about bombs and violence. Today the news is all positive about progress and development.

"Developments projects with more than Rs 32,000 crore have been started today. This is happening for the first time. These projects pertain to education, healthcare, electric train service, connectivity, etc.

"At this venue in 2013, I made some promises as to why Jammu could not have IIT, IIM and AIIMS. Today I have fulfilled that promise. Now more money is spent on education in J&K than was ever in the past.

"Fifty new degree colleges have been opened. Over 45,000 new admissions of children in schools have been made. Before 2014, there were four medical colleges in J&K, today there are 12.

"In 2014 there were only 500 MBBS seats and today there are 1,300. There were no PG medical seats and now such seats are available here.

"Forty-five nursing and paramedical colleges have been opened here after 2014.

"Fifteen new AIIMS have been opened in different states and today I have inaugurated one in Vijaypur in Jammu.

"Elders in this public meeting will remember that the only place for specialised medical care was AIIMS Delhi in their youth and today, they have one in Jammu itself.

"Dynastic rule and corruption impeded the future of our youth and today the youth of J&K are making their own future.

"Hartals and Bandhs have been overtaken by life and its activities. Over two crore tourists visited Kashmir last year. More and more are eager to come now.

"The Congress governments did not honour our soldiers. For 40 years they kept on promising, but we have implemented one rank one pension promise.

"India is today the fifth largest economy in the World and in the next five years, we have to make India the third largest economic power of the World.

"I recently visited the Gulf countries, I found a lot of positivity about J&K there. The biggest hurdle was 370 and we have removed that hurdle," he said.

PM Modi asked people to give BJP over 370 seats and NDA over 400 in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections.

To express their support to the Modi-led NDA government in the future, he asked the participants in the public gathering to light the flashes of their mobile phones. The venue was lit with the mobile phone flashes in response to the PM's appeal.
Mumbai, Feb 20 : Vaquar Shaikh, who has worked with the late actor Rituraj Singh in the 1993 show 'Banegi Apni Baat' (BAB) reminisced about the beautiful memories from the sets of the show, calling him a 'huge star'.

Vaquar, who is currently playing Rituraj's on-screen brother in the show 'Anupamaa' said that he was shaken by the news of his demise.

Rituraj passed away at the age of 59 in the wee hours of Tuesday, due to cardiac arrest.

Expressing grief over the demise of the senior actor, the 'Chandrakanta' fame said: "I don't know what to say. I'm actually quite speechless to speak about him. It's quite shocking. I'm actually saddened, I'm nervous, and I'm at a loss for words."

He further revealed that the late actor was called Ritz by his friends, and talked about working with him in BAB.

"He (Rituraj) was, of course, doing the show right from the beginning. I joined after three years. I have beautiful memories because I remember going on the set and meeting this actor who was a huge star then because of his telefilms that had already been released, and we used to really look up to him. And, when BAB started, everyone in the show used to be a huge star," he said.

'Banegi Apni Baat' starred actors like -- Irrfan Khan, Shefali Shah, Firdaus Dadi, Anita Kanwal, Varun Badola, Rakhee Tandon, and R Madhavan.

Vaquar further said: "He was very courteous, sweet, generous, and very nice to people like me, who had just joined the show. He was very helpful and instantly would make you feel at ease. Now that I'm talking about him, I so distinctly remember his smile, which used to brighten up and be full of energy and vigour and forever helpful and very knowledgeable. He knew about everything under the sun at that point in time."

He also regrets not being able to shoot even a single scene with Rituraj, even though he was playing his younger brother in 'Anupamaa'.

"Itas quite ironic that I entered 'Anupamaa' playing his younger brother, but I didn't shoot with him, not even for a single day, which is very strange," he said.

The 'Saaya' actor added: "I wish I had at least one scene with him because that would have been really nice. I would have worked with him after nearly more than two decades. But I should have had at least one scene with him."
New Delhi, Feb 20 : Delhi Police on Tuesday busted a gang who used to receive stolen and snatched mobile phones and then change their IMEI number before selling it in the market.

The police said that they have arrested three accused.

The officials said that they have also recovered 79 mobile phones and one high-tech laptop from the possession of the accused identified as Narabjeet Singh (26), Manish (23), and Gurmeet Singh a.k.a Molu (32).

As per the police official records, only a small percentage of snatched/robbed/stolen mobile phones are recovered. The question is - where do these mobiles go and why is it so difficult to track them, even though they have a unique identifier like IMEI.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police (west) Vichictra Veer said that on February 17, Narabjeet Singh was apprehended with a stolen phone but its IMEI was found changed.

During interrogation, he disclosed that a person named Manish is his associate and they change the IMEI of the mobile phones for anyone who comes to them.

"The changed IMEI mobile gets virtually a new identity, making it impossible to detect. At the instance of Narabjeet, accused Manish was also arrested and several mobile phones, one laptop loaded with IMEI changing software were recovered," said the DCP.

They both disclosed that their associate Molu hands them over said mobile phones and after getting IMEI changed, he takes them with him.

"Molu was also arrested. The investigation regarding the source of these mobile phones and where they were being sold is being carried out," said the DCP.

He said that due to the changed IMEI, it is difficult to connect the cases. However, four cases have been connected so far.
Hyderabad, Feb 20 : At least 50 huts were gutted in a major fire in Karimnagar town of Telangana on Tuesday.

However, no loss of life was reported.

The incident occurred in the busy area Subhash Nagar in the town.

Police said the dwellings of migrant labourers from Khammam, Warangal and other districts were gutted in the fire.

At least five cooking gas cylinders exploded in the fire. Multiple fire engines rushed to the spot and doused the fire.

There was no loss of life. Almost all the residents had gone to Medaram in Mulugu district for Sammakka Sarakka jatara.

The cause of the fire is not yet known. Police said they were trying to ascertain how the fire broke out.

According to locals there was a dispute with regard to the land. The workers, who had been living there for over two decades, had refused to vacate the land located in a key commercial area.
ServiceNow partners AICTE to skill over 10K students on its platform in 1st yr. Image Source: IANS News

New Delhi, Feb 20 : Digital workflow company ServiceNow on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the All India Council For Technical Education (AICTE) under the Ministry of Education, with a goal to skill more than 10,000 students on its platform in the first year.

This MoU is the first step in a strategic partnership with the potential to scale to 25,000 students within three years, the company said.

"The MoU will enable AICTE-affiliated institutes across India to build a pool of qualified talent that will drive the next wave of tech innovation in India," Nick Tzitzon, chief strategy and corporate affairs officer at ServiceNow, said in a statement.

This collaboration will provide students with global and centralised learning while building future-ready skills and capabilities.

The partnership will create a continuing education path with access to ServiceNow Administrator and Developer courses on the Now Learning platform.

"Our collaboration with ServiceNow is aimed at providing students with advanced training in innovative concepts and techniques, alongside motivation to explore cutting-edge technologies tailored to their needs," said Professor (Dr) TG Sitharam, Chairman - AICTE.

According to the company, the partnership will fuel a new economy with in-demand, skilled and job-ready talent with a focus on faster, more equitable career paths in the high-growth ServiceNow ecosystem.

"Partnering with ServiceNow, we aim to equip students with the latest in innovative thinking and technology, encouraging them to engage with new technologies that meet their needs," Dr Chandrasekhar Buddha, CCO & CEO, Anuvadini, AICTE, said.

ServiceNowas RiseUp programme is a global programme designed to skill one million people with in-demand digital skills globally.
New Delhi, Feb 20 : The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has detected huge quantities of different medicines valued around Rs 52 lakh from three passengers, who were bound for Kabul via Sharjah by Air Arabia Airlines, an official said on Tuesday.

Sharing the details, the CISF official said that on Monday, at 4.10 p.m., on the basis of behaviour detection, the surveillance and intelligence staff noticed suspicious activities of three passengers at the check-in area, Terminal-3 of IGI Airport.

"On suspicion, passengers later identified as Basid, Mubashir Jamal and Kayfee (all Indian Nationals) bound for Kabul via Sharjah by Air Arabia Airlines flight were diverted to the random checking point for thorough checking of their baggage," said a senior CISF official.

On screening of their baggage through the X-BIS machine, CISF personnel noticed suspicious images.

"On physical checking, huge quantities of different types of medicines of approximate value INR 52 lakh were detected. On enquiry, the passengers could not produce supporting documents for carrying such a huge quantity of medicines," said the official.

"The matter was informed to senior officers of CISF and Customs Officials. Later, the said passengers along with detected medicines were handed over to Customs for further action in the matter," the official added.
Chennai, Feb 20 : Tamil Nadu Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Minister M.R.K. Panneerselvam on Tuesday announced a chemical free programme to improve soil quality called -- Chief Minister's Mannuyir Kaathu Mannuyir Kaappom Scheme (CM MK MKS) -- while presenting the state agriculture budget for 2024-25.

The minister said that the new scheme is aimed at improving soil quality, and moving towards sustainable and chemical-free agricultural practices for the well-being of society.

He said that the allocation for the scheme will be Rs 206 crore for 2024-25.

"Soil is the basic necessity of agriculture and a base for growth. It provides all the necessary nutrients to all crops. The growth potential of crops depends on the fertility of the soil," the minister said.

He said that shifting crop cultivation was essential to prevent the decline of soil health. "Tamils have been practicing this since ancient times," he said.

The minister quoted from Sangam poetry and said that the current prevalent practices of monocropping and cultivating high-nutrient exhaustive crops have contributed to the gradual depletion of essential nutrients from soil.

He said that for the financial year 2024-2025, an allocation of Rs 20 crore has been earmarked for the distribution of Green Manure Seeds to cover 2 lakh acres, benefitting 2 lakh farmers.

Panneerselvam also said 10,000 farmers will be provided with vermicompost -- two beds per farmer -- for a total outlay of Rs 6 crore. Additionally, a sum of Rs 5 crore will be allocated for setting up permanent vermicompost pits.

The Minister also announced the government's plan to launch an extensive soil testing initiative in farmers' fields in 2,482 village panchayats selected under the Kalaignarin All Village Integrated Agriculture Development Programme.

He said that the allocation for the scheme is Rs 6.27 crore and this will be made from both state and Central government funds.

He said that an amount of Rs 7.50 crore will be allocated for the reclamation of 37,500 acres of alkaline soil and Rs 15 crore for the reclamation of 7,500 acres of acidic soil.

The minister said that an amount of Rs 7.50 crore will be allocated for the distribution of 5 lakh litres of liquid biofertilizers to cover an area of 10 lakh acres which will benefit 2 lakh farmers.
Gurugram, Feb 20 : The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) has reportedly launched an investigation against some of its officials who have been accused of irregularities in the implementation of the Chief Minister Urban Body Ownership Scheme.

Based on the earlier investigation conducted by the Vigilance Wing of the MCG, a report has been sent to the Directorate of Urban Local Bodies seeking disciplinary action against one official.

MCG Commissioner Narhari Singh Bangar said the Chief Minister Urban Body Ownership Scheme is a flagship scheme of Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. Under this scheme, ownership rights have been given to persons who have been in possession of land, shop or house on rent, lease or licence fee for 20 years or more under the control of urban bodies.

During implementation of the scheme, then zonal taxation officer Dinesh Kumar was accused of irregularities. The allegations have been thoroughly investigated by the Vigilance Wing and the report has been sent to the Directorate of Urban Local Bodies for disciplinary action against the concerned officer.

"The involvement of other employees in the allegations under this scheme is also being thoroughly investigated by the Vigilance Wing. Action will be taken as per the rules against the employees found guilty following investigation," Bangar said.
Hyderabad, Feb 20 : Union Minister of State for Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries, P Rupala said on Tuesday that people will show the Congress party its place in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections for rejecting the invitation for the Ram temple's inauguration.

He was addressing the Vijay Sankalp Yatra of the BJP in Makthal in Mahabubnagar District.

The saffron party launched four Vijay Sankalp Yatras from four different places in Telangana on Tuesday as part of its campaign for the Lok Sabha polls.

Rupala said if Narendra Modi had not been the Prime Minister, abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and construction of the Ram temple at Ayodhya would not have been possible.

He claimed that PM Modi made history by scrapping Article 370 and for the first time after India's Independence Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes got reservations in Kashmir.

He termed the construction of the Ram temple as the culmination of a 500-year-long movement. He alleged that Congress leaders used to ridicule them for raising the slogan of building the Ram Lalla temple.

He said the Congress was invited for the event on January 22 but it was their misfortune that they did not attend it.

Rupala claimed that the BJP was the only party fighting for the people of the country.

"All parties are fighting for their respective families. Only the BJP is fighting for your families," he said.

Stating that corruption was rampant during the UPA's rule, the BJP leader said PM Modi checked corruption.

He said money was directly reaching the beneficiaries under the DBT schemes and funds were being deposited into accounts of gram panchayats, farmers, handicapped and women.

He hoped that the BJP would also sweep the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls in Telangana.

The BJP kicked-off yatras in four out of five clusters on Tuesday. Top leaders of the party are participating in the yatras which will continue till March 2.

Telangana BJP chief and Union Minister G Kishan Reddy launched the yatra in Narayanpet District by blowing the conch.

Kishan Reddy said the yatra would cover all 17 Parliamentary constituencies in the state and 114 of the 119 segments and would include 102 road shows. Collectively the yatras would cover 5,500 kms.

BJP National General Secretary Bandi Sanjay, who launched the yatra in Tandru, exuded confidence that the BJP would win all 17 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

The Karimnagar MP remarked that Ram, like PM Modi, was with the BJP. He said that the Congress party was running a false campaign that the BJP had an alliance with the BRS.

The state BJP said the yatras have the twin objectives of strengthening the hands of PM Modi in Telangana by ensuring greater contribution in the ensuing elections and allegedly exposing the "hypocrisy of the Congress party in the state, which is dodging implementation of its critical electoral promises."

During the yatra, the party leaders and workers will reach out to a cross section of people to impress upon them the need to strengthen the hands of PM Modi to make India truly Atmanirbhar and enable it to regain its ancient glory of being a Viswaguru.

The BJP has divided the entire state into five clusters for conducting the yatras: The Komaram Bheem, Rajarajeswari cluster, Bhagyalakshmi cluster, Krishnamma cluster and Kakatiya-Bhadrakali cluster.

The Kakatiya-Bhadrakali cluster yatra will be launched later due to the tribal fair Sammakka Sarakka jatara.
New Delhi, Feb 20 : Health experts and advocacy groups on Tuesday hailed the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) chief's decision to provide blood transfusion therapy to Thalassemia patients free of cost.

Thalassemia, a genetic disorder affecting hemoglobin, presents a significant health challenge in India.

Patients require lifelong blood transfusions with at least one unit of blood within a maximum of 20 days. However, the patients face tough times whenever there is a blood shortage.

With the world's largest population of Thalassemia Major children, ranging from 1 to 1.5 lakhs, and around 42 million carriers of the beta thalassemia trait, the country is struggling with a substantial burden of this condition.

"It is a welcome move that blood transfusion should be given free to Thalassemia patients, which will go a long way in making the lives of the patients easy," Dr Rahul Bhargava, Principal Director and Chief of BMT, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram, told IANS.

NCPCR chairman Priyank Kanoongo in a letter, addressed to principal secretaries of the health department of all states and union territories, asked them to issue circulars to hospitals for free blood transfusions. The matter was first reported by The Times of India.

"What is crucial is to make this message reach the last mile and its implementation in rural hinterlands, where people continue to suffer because of lack of knowledge. These orders and measures will find its relevance only when people get the benefit outside big metro cities where the large population of Thalassemia patients continues to suffer for want of safe and free blood," Dr Rahul said.

Incidentally, the Union health ministry in a letter in to the states in June last year said "it is mandatory for all the blood centres (govt-supported and non government-supported) to provide blood/blood components free of cost to patients of thalassemia".

"We welcome this positive step of NCPCR, particularly the recognition of the trials and tribulations of families with patients with thalassemia. The devil is in the details, though. It needs to be seen what the modalities of this initiative will be," Anubha Taneja Mukherjee, Member Secretary of the Thalassemia Patient Advocacy Group, told IANS.

"One would like to keep track of the developments and see whether the order is meant for all private institutions because thalassemia treatment is already free in government hospitals. What is the extent of 'therapy' and whether it includes chelation and other investigations too is another aspect that needs to be seen. We are delighted to assist in any way we can," she added.
NEW YORK, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Former U.S. President Donald Trump recently debuted unexpectedly at the "Sneaker Con" show in the U.S. northeastern city of Philadelphia, hawking new Trump-branded sneakers.

Trump's appearance was greeted with loud boos as well as chants at the Philadelphia Convention Center on Saturday as he introduced what he called the first official Trump footwear -- "Never Surrender High-Tops."

These gilded high-tops are very shiny and have an American flag at the ankle. The soles are red. There is also a large embossed "T" on the sides and tongues of the shoes.

"This is something that I've been talking about for 12 years, 13 years. And I think it's going to be a big success," Trump said in his speech.

"As he spoke, the smell of weed occasionally wafted through the room," reported AP news agency.

The launch of his own brand of sneakers came a day after Trump and his business organizations were ordered to pay as much as 355 million U.S. dollars in penalties in a business fraud case lodged by New York State Attorney General Letitia James.

In order to borrow more money at lower rates, Trump and the entities he controls submitted blatantly false financial data to the accountants, resulting in fraudulent financial statements, said a decision and order by Arthur F. Engoron, a judge of the New York County Supreme Court.

Trump was also ordered last month to pay more than 83 million dollars in damages in a defamation lawsuit. With interest, Trump's legal debts could now total more than half a billion dollars.

Being sold for 399 dollars on a website called GetTrumpSneakers.com that also sells other Trump-branded shoes, cologne and perfume, the sneakers were described as "Bold, gold, and tough, just like President Trump."

According to the website, the gold sneakers are a "limited edition" and are currently "sold out."

Since Trump declared his candidacy for the 2024 U.S. presidential election in November 2022, he has engaged in multiple for-profit business activities, including releasing digital trading cards that portrayed him and publishing a book.

Trump has been tied up in lawsuits. A U.S. appeals court ruled earlier this month that Trump is not immune from prosecution in a case accusing him of plotting to overturn the results of the 2020 election, according to media reports. 
New Delhi, Feb 20 : Setting aside the election of the BJP candidate as declared by the Returning Officer, the Supreme Court on Tuesday declared AAP councillor Kuldeep Kumar as the Mayor of Chandigarh Municipal Corporation during the hearing on the contentious Chandigarh mayoral election case.

The apex court was dealing with a plea filed by INDIA bloc's mayoral candidate Kuldeep Kumar accusing Returning Officer Anil Masih of allegedly "defacing the ballots" during the Chandigarh mayoral polls held on January 30.

Kumar had accused the Returning Officer of resorting to fraud and forgery in the counting process.

"Setting aside the election process itself would not be proper since the issue is only when the Returning Officer made the counting," a bench comprising Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra observed.

The court also ordered prosecution of Returning Officer Masih for 'misdemeanour'.

"It is evident that Anil Masih is guilty of serious misdemeanour for deliberately defacing eight ballot papers. He must be held accountable" the CJI said.

Contempt proceedings has been initiated against Masih.

On Monday, the top court had said that it would examine the ballot papers of the Chandigarh Mayoral polls along with the entire video recording of the counting day on Tuesday, citing concerns about potential horse-trading.

Expressing the need for transparency and fairness in the electoral process, CJI Chandrachud stressed the importance of scrutinising the invalidated ballots.

On Monday, the court had directed the Registrar General of the Punjab and Haryana High Court to assign a judicial officer to safely transport the records to Delhi.

CJI Chandrachud had stressed the urgency of the matter and declined a plea to postpone the hearing, citing ongoing horse-trading concerns.

Masih, appearing before the bench, had admitted to marking eight already defaced ballot papers with an 'X' and accused AAP councillors of creating disturbance during the process.

Masih had said that he had to monitor the situation via CCTV due to the disruptions caused by the AAP councillors.

The top court had summoned the official in question to remain present before it on Monday to explain his conduct.

After perusal of the CCTV footage given in the pen drive by senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing the AAP councillor, CJI Chandrachud had orally observed: "This is a mockery of democracy. He is murdering democracy. Is this the behaviour of a Returning Officer, who looks at the camera and defaces the ballot? It is obvious that he defaced the ballots. This man has to be prosecuted."

Deferring the February 7 meeting of the Corporation, the Supreme Court had ordered that the entire record pertaining to the election, including ballot papers and videography footage, would be sequestered under the custody of the Registrar General of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

The AAP and Congress' joint candidate Kuldeep Kumar had petitioned the top court after the Punjab and Haryana High Court refused to stay the election results for the post of Mayor.

In his petition before the high court, Kuldeep Kumar had alleged complete departure from the practice and rules, saying that the Returning Officer refused to allow the nominees of parties to monitor the counting of votes. He also prayed for fresh elections in a free and fair manner under the supervision of a retired high court judge.
Chandigarh, Feb 20 : Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Tuesday held Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann responsible for the breakdown of talks between farmer unions and the Centre, stating the Chief Minister's double talk during negotiations had failed the farming community and forced them on the path of agitation.

Senior SAD leader Prem Singh Chandumajra also appealed to the central government not to try to muzzle the peaceful protest of farmers, adding "in a democracy, peaceful protest is a fundamental right and farmers should be allowed to peacefully proceed to Delhi".

He also appealed to the Centre to consider waiving off farmer loans saying "if lakhs of crores of loans of corporates can be waived, farmers, who contribute to the food security of the nation, should not be discriminated against".

Chandumajra said Mann had practised duplicity during the last one week. "On one hand, he allowed the Haryana Police to fire tear gas shells and rubber pellets on farmers while on the other he misled the Centre as to the real demands of the farming community".

He said the Chief Minister had a lot of explaining to do. "He should tell why he ordered the Patiala Deputy Commissioner to give in writing demanding closure of internet services in the district. He should also tell why he did not try to protect the interests of the farmers before the central representatives by making the Centre aware of the seriousness of the situation".

He said the Chief Minister's insistence to play both sides besides bringing in his own agenda had muddled the entire atmosphere and led to the failure of the talks.

The SAD leader also demanded the Chief Minister explain why no case had been filed against Haryana Police personnel for attacking farmers in Punjab territory.

"The Chief Minister should also tell why no compensation has been paid to those martyred during the ongoing farmer agitation and why barricades put up in Punjab territory had not been removed."

He also demanded that the AAP government bring in legislation to guarantee minimum support price (MSP) for all crops which were not covered under the MSP regime in the forthcoming budget session as per the promise made by the Chief Minister.
Mumbai, Feb 20 : Actress Rupali Ganguly expressed grief over the demise of 'Anupamaa' co-star Rituraj Singh, calling him one of the 'legends of television'.

She shared that his life stories, quirky sense of humour, immense knowledge about world cinema and talent will always be remembered.

Rituraj passed away at the age of 59 in the wee hours of Tuesday, due to cardiac arrest. He played the character of Yashpal Dhillon, the owner of 'Spice and Chutney' restaurant. He was the boss of Anupamaa (played by Rupali).

Taking to Instagram, Rupali shared a series of photos, wherein Rituraj is seen wearing a chef's hat, and is standing in a kitchen.

She penned a long note, saying: "Dear Rituraj Sir, It was an honour to share screen space with you... like an enthusiastic student getting to learn her favorite subject from a teacher who has taught many others, l was overjoyed ...You said you had seen my work and yet I wanted to prove to you that I could earn my place in the frame standing next to one of the legends of television whom I had watched growing up ... your all knowing smile after our scenes and your words of encouragement was like a report card to me ... I was thrilled by your kind words... but there was so much more to learn Sir."

"These pictures I had taken of you when you wore the chef cap... I was tardy in sending it to you ... never thought these would be put up here as a remembrance....Your life stories, quirky sense of humour, immense knowledge about world cinema and your talent shall always be remembered," shared the 'Sarabhai vs Sarabhai' fame actress.

Rupali added: "Thank you for being Yashpal Sir to my Anupamaa ..Thank you for the words that left an indelible mark ... Rupali May you find peace Om Shanti."

Rituraj was discharged from hospital after he was admitted following a stomach infection. His health condition, however, deteriorated and he suffered a heart attack to which he succumbed.
Chandigarh, Feb 20 : At last, the truth prevailed, remarked Punjab Chief Minister and AAP leader Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday, thanking the Supreme Court for its verdict on the Chandigarh mayoral polls.

"We welcome the decision of the Supreme Court regarding the Mayor election in Chandigarh...CJI declared AAP's Kuldeep Kumar as Mayor, upholding the 8 votes rejected by the Presiding Officer," wrote Mann on X.

"They have got a befitting reply to the hooliganism openly committed by BJP...Many congratulations to the people of Chandigarh on this big victory of democracy," he added.

The BJP won the mayoral polls on January 30 defeating the AAP-Congress alliance candidate after the returning officer declared as invalid eight votes of the coalition partners, drawing accusations of tampering with ballots.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday declared AAP councillor Kuldeep Kumar as the Mayor of Chandigarh Municipal Corporation during the hearing on the contentious Chandigarh mayoral election case, setting aside the election of the BJP candidate as mayor.
New Delhi, Feb 20 : Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Tuesday highlighted India's remarkable growth story across all facets, stressing that India was no longer merely the nation defined by its potential, but had firmly established itself as a nation realising its potential.

Addressing students at the 37th Convocation of the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) in New Delhi, the Vice-President told students that they were graduating into an India that had shaken off the label of the "sleeping giant".

Underlining the enabling ecosystem in the country, he urged them to "seize this incredible momentum, harness the transparency, leverage the economic boom, and turn opportunities into personal masterpieces."

Stating that "extraordinary infrastructural growth, widespread technology penetration, rapid pace of digitisation and a commitment to transparent and accountable governance" were no longer buzzwords but ground reality, the Vice-President drew attention to India's "economic vitality". "Our resilient financial ecosystem, fuelled by an inclusive digital payment system, has become a global model; not only do we use it, we export it," he elaborated.

Referring to the G20 Summit held in New Delhi as a testament to India's leadership, the Vice-President made note of how India's commitment to inclusivity and participation was now resonating globally. "From engaging all states and union territories across the nation to inducting the African Union as a G20 member and launching the Global Biofuel Alliance, India emerged as the voice of the Global South," Dhankhar said.

Reminding students that they were entering a world increasingly driven by new trends in disruptive technology, the Vice-President urged them to embrace such technologies to become "true footsoldiers of Bharat@2047". Underscoring India's dynamic startup culture that has garnered global attention, Dhankhar noted, "some of the greatest innovations and breakthroughs have come from individuals who dared to think differently, who fearlessly challenged the status quo."

Encouraging students to look beyond a narrow definition of success, the Vice-President urged them to explore the 'vast landscape of possibilities' that lay before them, and to prioritise collaboration over competition as the guiding principle. "Embrace your individuality, pursue your passions, and redefine success on your own terms," he emphasised.
Ahmedabad, Feb 20 : Ten Congress party members, including the legislative party leader, Amit Chavda and prominent MLA Jignesh Mevani, were suspended from the Gujarat Assembly on Tuesday amid protests over fake government offices detected in Bodeli under the Tribal Development Department.

The suspension came after the MLAs disrupted Assembly proceedings by chanting slogans and demanding accountability for the fake Tribal Development Department offices that had been running undetected for several years.

Apart from Chavda and Mevani the other legislators suspended were Tushar Chaudhary, Geniben Thakor, Gulabsinh Chauhan, Amrutji Thakor, Anant Patel, Imran Khedawala, Kanti Kharadi and Arvind Ladani.

The row erupted during a question regarding the bogus government offices in Bodeli.

Tribal Development Minister Kuber Dindor revealed that the fake office in Bodeli was promptly shut down following its discovery, with an FIR leading to the arrest of five individuals involved in its running.

Despite the scamsters having illicitly secured approximately Rs 21 crore in government funds, Dindor assured that swift and decisive action was taken upon detection of the fraud.

Tushar Chaudhary alleged that there were more such fake offices in Chhota Udepur, implying a larger plan afoot to siphon off significant government resources.

A query from MLA Amrutji Thakor revealed that the Bodeli office had been operational since 2016-17, raising concerns that the scam had been going on for a long time.
India can become 3rd largest economy in 4-5 years but increasing per capita income also important: Rangarajan. Image Source: IANS News

Chennai, Feb 20 : India can become the third-largest economy in the world in four or five years but increasing the per capita income and elimination of poverty is also important, noted economist and former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Dr C. Rangarajan said.

Rangarajan, the current Chairman of the Madras School of Economics, said India can grow to become the third-largest economy in the world quickly as the secular growth of developed economies will be slow.

"They have reached a stage where their growth will be slow," he added.

Rangarajan said how India eliminates poverty and increases the per capita income are also important. He said the per capita income of Indians has to grow by about five times to reach the per capita income of those in the developed economies.

On India overtaking the UK to become the fifth-largest economy in the world, he said that India and the UK cannot be compared as their sizes are vastly different.

According to him, in the next four/five years, India may become the third largest economy but the goals should be different.

Rangarajan was responding to the media questions after launching the five-year Fellow Programme in Management (FMP) of business school Great Lakes Institute of Management.

Launching the FMP, he said higher educational institutions should increase their stock of knowledge apart from disseminating knowledge and that is where research comes into picture.

Rangarajan recalled that it was he who had fathered the Fellow programme at the Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad several years ago. He also cautioned about the problems in such research programmes like the number of students will be low and the courses cannot be taught in a normal manner.

He also suggested that the Great Lakes Institute to introduce the research programme on all the disciplines and not just to the marketing stream.

Agreeing with the distinguished economist, Dr.Suresh Ramanathan, Dean and Principal, Great Lakes Institute, said the role of building a knowledge base also falls on the shoulders of the academia.

He said what the industry now practices globally emanated from the researchers in the educational institutions.

"Putting India on the global research map is important. We are proud to launch a programme that is truly benchmarked to global standards and will draw upon a network of highly accomplished scholars globally which will lead to highly impactful research," Ramanathan added.

--IANS

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Technology Centre for MSMEs to come up at Kerala's Technopark. Image Source: IANS News

Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 20 : Decks have been cleared at the Technopark here on Tuesday to set up a MSME Technology Centre to be developed up by the Union government's Development Commissioner of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME).

This new development is part of the commitment of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the nation to set up 20 Technology Centres across India for the MSME sector.

As per the agreement, around 9.50 acres of land in Technocity (the 4th phase of Technopark) will be leased out for a period of 90 years to establish a Technology Centre with the primary focus to support industries, particularly MSMEs, through providing access to advanced manufacturing technologies, offering opportunities for technical skill development to youth, and providing technical and business advisory support.

Top officials of Technopark and the Central government exchanged the lease agreement here.

The facility, being developed under the TCEC (Technology Centres and Extension Centres) scheme of the Union Ministry, will augment the overall digital ecosystem of Kerala by providing access to advanced technologies, skill training, common facilities, technical support and business services to MSMEs.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 20 : He is from Verona, the Italian city where William Shakespeare set his immortal play, 'Romeo and Juliet', yet Renato Bosco is a man of few words.

Bosco makes up for his lack of knowledge of English with his radiant smile, his perfect namaste, and of course, his pizzas -- but they are not your popular Neapolitan kind.

On his website, Bosco describes himself as a 'pizzasearcher', a title he can justifiably lay a claim to because he's considered to be one of Italy's foremost pizza innovators.

And if all those whom the 56-year-old chef fed at Sorrento, the popular Italian restaurant at the Shangri-la Eros New Delhi, on Monday evening, couldn't stop wondering why his pizzas were so light and airy, it is because Bosco has perfected the art of making the dough.

Bosco's dough formula is to pair a kilo of flour and 60 per cent water. It is this water-flour balance that ensures the airiness and elasticity of the dough.

For his famous 'crunchy' and 'double crunchy' pizzas, Bosco makes a 'preferment' by adding wild yeast and beer, and keeping the dough overnight in the fridge before starting to roll and pound and stretch it the next day.

And for the 'mozzarella di pane' (or bread mozzarella, which looks like a ball of mozzarella or a Chinese bao, whichever way you like to describe it), the dough is first immersed for some time in mozzarella water, then steamed, and finally opened up with fine cuts at the centre to accommodate the stuffing.

At Sorrento on Monday evening, the stuffing was amatriciana (pasta sauce that is made with pecorino cheese and guanciale, or pork cheeks) for the non-vegetarians. Stracciatella, the soft cream cheese from the Apulia region, was the alternative.

The chef's creative repertoire also features the 'padellino', or what we call a pan pizza, which comes from Turin, but with Bosco's feathery touch. His pizzas don't leave you with any guilty feeling because even the toppings are light yet wholesome -- from pineapples marinated in mustard and prawns to mortadella (an Italian sausage), burrata cheese and seasonal vegetables.

Unusual pizzas may lead Bosco star cast, but his ensemble also included an unforgettable risotto in a pumpkin gorgonzola sauce and pumpkin 'paccheri' (pasta that resembles flat tubes) wrapped in a crab meat sauce.

Bosca is in New Delhi till Sunday, February 25. If you check him out, he'll open up a new world of pizzas for you and leave you hungry for more.
Mumbai, Feb 20 : Actor Anshuman Malhotra, who essays the role of Saransh in 'Dillogical' has shed light on his role and shared how the show will prove to be quite relatable to many.

The romantic comedy series 'Dillogical' offers a modern take on relationships and the complexities of love. The series follows the life of Saransh, a driven young professional returning to India after securing a placement at Google, and his childhood sweetheart Jinal (played by Nupur Nagpal), an independent and outspoken dance influencer.

Their relationship takes a sudden turn when Jinal embarks on a journey of independence and self-discovery while dealing with the pressures from her family and her long-standing fears. Their love is also put to the test amidst the complexities of an open relationship, with some deep realizations along the way.

Shedding some light on Saransh and Jinalas profound bond, Anshuman shared: "The bond shared by Saransh and Jinal is very pure. They are not only childhood friends but also madly in love with each other; wanting to be with each other all the time. But sometimes, as you grow up and meet other people, you end up having a crush on someone else."

"You keep thinking about why youare developing feelings for somebody else after being with someone for so long. Eventually, you have to decide whom to be with. This show also highlights a similar situation, and it will prove to be quite relatable to many," he said.

"For Saransh, this is all very new as his childhood sweetheart proposes an open relationship, and it is completely up to him to figure out how to deal with it. He can either get angry at her or try to understand her situation because he loves her after all."

'Dillogical' is streaming on Amazon miniTV.
by Xinhua writer Yin Xiaosheng

SARAJEVO, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- "The West has a lot to learn from the Chinese win-win approach to global cooperation," said Erik Solheim, former under-secretary-general of the United Nations.

Commending China's role in promoting peace and development in the world, Solheim said, "Countries from the Global South can take the lead as peacemakers as China did between Iran and Saudi Arabia."

"The idea that Western security demands involvement in any conflict everywhere on the globe is a last breath of colonial thinking," he said. Western countries should learn from China to focus on its real security issues as China does not seek any military security interests in faraway regions.

Describing the Gaza crisis as "a lose-lose war," which is bringing destruction to both peoples, Solheim said that the Western position of defending the sovereignty of Ukraine while disregarding 57 years of Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories does not stand up to moral scrutiny and is thus despised in the Global South.

"Condemning Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilians while providing the weapons for Israeli killings of Arab civilians is also an unsustainable policy," he added.

Solheim, also former executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme, highly appreciated the accomplishments of China in advancing climate security.

"The world faces the dual challenge of bringing down emissions and adapting to climate change. China has risen to the occasion and is now the world's undisputed climate leader," he said, referring to China's representation of 60 percent or more of all green technologies, including solar, wind, hydropower, batteries, and electric vehicles.

Developed nations have the main responsibility since their emissions have caused the problem, said the environment expert.

"U.S. emissions per capita up to today are about 8 times the Chinese, 25 times the Indian and the gap is even much bigger if you compare to the least developed nations or small island development states," he said.

"It's not realistic that we will all adopt the same governing systems, but we can still respect each other and find common ground," said Solheim. The 200 years of unprecedented Western dominance has come to an end as the world is becoming multipolar.

The former senior UN official viewed "respect and dialogue" as two keywords for a new world order in a multipolar world. "To find win-win solutions we need to intensify dialogue on all major issues." 
New Delhi, Feb 20 : Indian Navy chief, Admiral R. Hari Kumar and his visiting Royal New Zealand Navy counterpart, Rear Admiral David Proctor on Tuesday discussed maritime cooperation and sea operations-related engagements, a Navy statement said.

During the interaction, the two chiefs discussed avenues to strengthen bilateral maritime cooperation, including increased operational engagements, training exchanges, and information sharing.

Rear Admiral Proctor is also scheduled to participate in Indian Navyas Flagship Exercise Milan 24 at Visakhapatnam and also undertake high level engagements at Western Naval Command.

Maritime cooperation between the Indian and New Zealand navies has witnessed significant growth since the Indian Navy chief's visit to New Zealand in October 22, when the Technical Arrangement on White Shipping Information Exchange was concluded.

Further, warships from both navies have been making regular port calls at each otheras ports, last being port calls by INS Kolkata and INS Sahyadri at Auckland and Wellington in September last year.

The Indian Navy ships also conducted PASSEX with the Royal New Zealand Navy and Air Force in the Tasman Sea post departure, official added.

Rear Admiral Proctor is on an official visit to India from February 19-27. He was welcomed with the customary Guard of Honour on the South Block lawns here.
New Delhi, Jan 20 : External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Tuesday lauded the Indian community in Canada's Saskatchewan province as he welcomed the region's Premier for the 9th Raisina Dialogue here.

Taking to X, Jaishankar wrote it was "great to meet" Premier Scott Moe and praised the Indians for serving as a bridge between the two nations.

"Appreciate @PremierScottMoeas strong support for our partnership and looking forward to deepening our cooperation," Jaishankar said as he also shared a picture of the two leaders shaking hands.

"An important supplier of potash, lentils, and uranium. Saskatchewanas Indian-origin community has truly been a bridge between us," he added.

Saskatchewan is home to 15,660 Indians, according to the 2021 census, and from 2016 to 2021, immigrants from India made up 18.4 per cent of total immigrants moving into the province.

The province's exports to India stand at more than $1 billion and roughly make up a third of Canada's total exports to the country. In addition, the province also has a trade and investment office in New Delhi.

Following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's allegations relating to the death of a Canadian national by Indian agents in September last year, Moe had told CBC news channel that such issues between Ottawa and New Delhi should be kept separate from the trade relationship with the country.

Moe had also led a high-level delegation to India in March last year and met Union Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh.

During the meeting, a discussion was held on cooperation and joint ventures in areas like electric vehicles, quantum technologies, green hydrogen fuel, and deep ocean mining, among others.

Moe said that Canada-India relations have made great strides in recent years and have become truly multi-dimensional, spurred by a significant convergence of interests, mutual goodwill, and exchange.

After the meeting, Singh had said that the 2.3 million-strong Indian diaspora was reinforcing Indo-Canadian relations, and contributing to the development of both nations.

Meanwhile, leaders from across the world have begun arriving in the capital for the Raisina Dialogue, Indiaas premier conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics, which will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday.

The Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday announced the touch down of Foreign Ministers Lyonpo D.N. Dhungyel from Bhutan, Gabrielius Landsbergis from Lithuania, and Margus Tsahkna from Estonia. The country's flagship conference on geopolitics will witness the participation of representatives from over 100 countries and over 2,500 participants from about 115 countries will be joining the in-person dialogue.

According to a Ministry of External Affairs release, the theme of the 2024 edition is "Chaturanga: Conflict, Contest, Cooperate, Create".

--IANS

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Kolkata, Feb 20 : The Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, on Tuesday, encouraged the women at Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas District to remain united to finish oppression by people like the absconding Trinamool Congress leader, Sheikh Shahjahan.

Armed with the order of the Calcutta High Court, Adhikari finally entered Sandeshkhali on Tuesday with his fellow BJP legislator Shankar Ghosh and interacted with the women.

"Just remain united and be with us. That will be enough to finish elements like Shahjahan," Adhikari said.

"I will provide you with microphones. If the miscreants hound you at your residence, just start shouting that dacoits have come. Once you hear such shouting, all of you must come out of your residences," he told them.

Later, while leaving Sandeshkhali he spoke to media persons and said that ultimately because of the court he could reach out to the oppressed people of Sandeshkhali.

"The local people here, especially the women, have experienced oppression at the hands of Sheikh Shahjahan and his associates. The land owned by the tribal population here has been forcefully grabbed. I have requested the common people not to break the law. However, Sheikh Shahjahan is somewhere here. If he escapes to Bangladesh he should be dragged by his hair and brought back. The BSF will have to be extremely careful," Adhikari said.

Meanwhile, controversy erupted at the Dhamakhali ferry-jetty where the BJP MLAs were waiting for the LoP.

There was a heated exchange of words between Special Superintendent (Intelligence Branch) Jaspreet Singh and BJP legislator Agnimitra Paul as Singh accused Paul of passing a comment on his turban.

"You are making such a comment that is pertaining to my religion. Is this just because I am wearing a turban? I will take action on this," Singh told the fashion designer-turned-politician.

However, Paul denied the allegation. "I did not say anything about your religion. I just said that you should behave like an unbiased police officer," she said.

The matter has taken a serious turn as Additional Director General (South Bengal) Supratim Sarkar told media persons that he will initiate strong action as per legal provision against anyone making such a comment. However, Sarkar did not name any specific leader on this count.

"Such comments are extremely sensitive, instigating and derogative from the point of view of religion. Action can be initiated under Section 295 (A) of the Indian Penal Code," Sarkar said.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, too, condemned the reported comments via a post on her X handle.

"I vehemently condemn this audacious attempt to undermine the reputation of our Sikh brothers & sisters, revered for their sacrifices for our nation," the Chief Minister's post read.
Bengaluru, Feb 20 : In a bid to secure the maximum number of Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka, Congress has decided to field Cabinet ministers as candidates for the upcoming parliamentary elections.

"The party is considering the candidatures of Minister for Cooperation K.N. Rajanna or Minister for Home G. Parameshwara for the Tumakuru MP seat. Along with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's son Yathindra, Minister for Social Welfare H.C. Mahadevappa is being considered for the Mysuru-Kodagu parliamentary constituency. The Minister for PWD Satish Jarkiholi is being discussed for the Belagavi Constituency," sources said.

Sources said that Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar is also using the situation to his advantage and advocating for the fielding of senior cabinet ministers who are close confidantes of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

"These ministers have been supporting the Chief Minister and challenging Shivakumar's supremacy in the party and the government. Minister Rajanna's recent outburst that he is loyal to the party but not a slave to the high command was also issued in this backdrop," sources said.

They said that the ministers' refusal to contest Lok Sabha elections is the primary reason for the delay in finalising the candidates.

"The cabinet ministers are not ready to lose their positions merely nine months after assuming power, considering the serious setback to their political careers and fearing the advantageous position of the BJP," sources explained.

On refusal by some ministers to contest the Lok Sabha elections, the Deputy Chief Minister said that the party will decide who will contest the upcoming polls and everyone has to respect the decision.

"All of us have to work towards winning more seats for the party," the Deputy Chief Minister said.

Sources said that Congress Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala, in the recently held Congress Legislature Party Meeting in Bengaluru, had said that the contest of ministers is inevitable and they should be ready.

"Any cabinet minister could be asked to contest elections," Surjewala has said in the meeting.

The AICC and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) will conduct separate surveys and finalise the candidates.

"The district in-charge ministers have also suggested candidates to the party. However, the party has decided to go with the candidate's winnability," sources said.

"Disintegration of INDIA bloc, Karnataka unit's 'Delhi Chalo' agitation, and attacks on the Central government over alleged injustice to Karnataka in terms of fund allotment have not yielded the desired results for the party. The alliance with JD (S) is another major factor contributing to Congress fear," sources said.

Leader of the Opposition (LoP) R. Ashoka, while talking about advocates' protest in Ramanagara, has said that there is a rift between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar indicating all is not well between them.

There are 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka. BJP had won 25 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections while Congress managed to win only one seat. JD (S) had won one, and an independent candidate had won the other.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 20 : A day after a private television channel reporter was arrested by the police while reporting from the trouble-ridden Sandeshkhali in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district, the National Union of Journalists (India) and the Delhi Journalists Association strongly condemned the arrest and demanded his immediate release.

The NUJI also announced to march from Jantar Mantar to protest at Banga Bhawan on Wednesday to mark the protest against the arrest of the journalist.

In the meeting of NUJI and DJA held on Tuesday at 7 Jantar Mantar office, it was also decided that the media is being strangled by imposing undeclared emergency in West Bengal.

NUJI and DJA have demanded the immediate release of the arrested journalist. Journalist organisations have also demanded that journalists should be allowed to work freely in the state.

"On one hand, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee has given free rein to criminals and on the other hand, journalists who expose hooliganism are being jailed," said NUJI President Ras Bihari.

He said that media persons are being continuously attacked by supporters of the ruling party Trinamool Congress in Bengal.

"A three-member delegation of NUJI will visit West Bengal and prepare a detailed report on the attacks and harassment on journalists and submit it to the Central government," he said.

Prajanand Chaudhary, former president of NUJI and member of the Press Council of India, said that this type of incident is condemnable.

Chaudhary said that the West Bengal unit of NUJI has written a letter in this regard to the Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee demanding immediate action against the culprits.

NUJI General Secretary Pradeep Tiwari said that working independently is a big challenge for journalists in West Bengal.

"A plan of struggle is being prepared in this regard. A complaint will also be made to the Press Council on this matter," he said.

Delhi Journalists Association convenor Rakesh Thapliyal said that there have been many incidents of arrest of journalists in West Bengal before.
Mumbai, Feb 20 : RBI economists, in a report released on Tuesday, rejected the IMF view that India's debt-GDP ratio has the potential of shooting past 100 per cent if historical shocks materialise and hence the country needs to go cut government expenditure.

In an article in the RBI bulletin, the economists including RBI Deputy Governor Michael Patra said: "Our simulations reveal that the general government debt-GDP ratio swerves below the projected path set out by the IMF in its latest Article IV consultation report for India."

With recalibration of government expenditure, the general government debt-GDP ratio is projected to decline to 73.4 per cent by 2030-31, around 5 percentage points lower than the IMF's projected trajectory of 78.2 per cent, according to the article titled 'The Shape of Growth Compatible Fiscal Consolidation'.

This is noteworthy as the debt-GDP ratio is projected to rise from 112.1 per cent in 2023 to 116.3 per cent in 2028 for advanced economies and from 68.3 per cent to 78.1 per cent for emerging and middle-income countries.

"It is in this context that we reject the IMF's contention that if historical shocks materialise, India's general government debt would exceed 100 per cent of GDP in the medium-term and hence further fiscal tightening is needed," the RBI economists observe.

Empirical findings show that medium-term complementarities between judicious fiscal consolidation and growth outweigh the short-run costs. Spending on social and physical infrastructure, climate mitigation, digitalisation and skilling the labour force can yield long-lasting growth dividends, the article points out.

"Using a dynamic stochastic general equilibrium model, we find that if government expenditure is directed towards the above-mentioned segments, the debt-GDP ratio of the general government can decline substantially to 73.4 per cent of GDP by 2030-31," the article reads.

The article also points out that the Interim Budget for 2024-25 places the gross fiscal deficit of the Union government at 5.1 per cent of GDP in 2024-25, in line with the target of 4.5 per cent of GDP by 2025-26.

"The impetus provided to capital expenditure in the post-pandemic period has been sustained by increasing its share to 3.4 per cent of GDP," it added.

--IANS

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Jaipur, Feb 20 : Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday sounded the poll bugle for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from Bikaner in Rajasthan during his day-long tour of the desert state.

Addressing a gathering of party workers that was attended by Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma and other senior leaders from the nearby constituencies, Shah shared the strategies to achieve the party's target of winning 400 seats in the coming Lok Sabha polls.

He also urged the party workers to ensure that the BJP wins all the 25 Lok Sabha seats in Rajasthan.

Those who attended the event included MPs, MLAs, former MLAs, district heads and Mayors, along with members of the management committee, steering committee and core committee of the three Lok Sabha constituencies in the area.

Later, the Home Minister visited Udaipur where he reiterated the party's goal of winning more than 400 seats in the Lok Sabha polls.

"There should be no mistake anywhere. The BJP had won all the seats in Rajasthan in 2014 and 2019 (its ally Rashtriya Loktantrik Party had won one seat in 2019), and the same should be repeated this time too," Shah said.

Shah also accused the Congress of working to divide the country.

"The Congress is bent on dividing the country. Their leaders want that North India and South India should be divided. You have a double-engine government in Rajasthan, where no one has the courage to incite communal tension anymore," Shah said.

Praising the Narendra Modi government at the Centre, Shah said, "Narendra Modi took our economy from 11th to fifth position in 10 years. Once we get another chance, the economy will jump to the number three spot."

Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma said, "We will win every seat in the state by more than 5 lakh votes in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections."

State BJP chief C.P. Joshi said, "Former minister Mahendrajeet Singh Malviya has joined the BJP because Congress did not allow him to attend the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

At the Prabuddhajan Sammelan in Udaipur on Monday, former state minister and tribal leader Mahendrajeet Singh Malviya joined the BJP from the Congress, and claimed that he also has influence in Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.

"I will go there and make the tribal brothers and sisters working in the Congress join the BJP," he had said.
Mumbai, Feb 20 : Marking a red-letter day for the state, the Maharashtra Legislature unanimously passed the Maratha Reservation Bill giving 10 percent quotas to the community in education and government jobs on Tuesday, has evoked mixed reactions.

The 'Maharashtra State Reservation for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Bill, 2024,' was formally introduced in the assembly today at the Special Session of the Legislature this afternoon, and was cleared without opposition by the Assembly and then the Council, coinciding with the World Day of Social Justice (February 20).

Now, the Marathas will be entitled to 10 per cent reservations in educational institutions and in state government jobs, fulfilling a long-pending demand of the community.

However, Shivba Sanghatana leader Manoj Jarange-Patil, currently on the 11th day of his hunger-strike, expressed serious doubts whether the quotas would withstand legal scrutiny.

Legal expert and Council for Protection of Rights President Barrister Vinod Tiwari said that "this is a clear violation of Article 14 of the Constitution on equal treatment and equality before the law."

"How can Marathas be given selective treatment while ignoring other castes in the society? Why was a similar survey not conducted for all the castes in the state before arriving at such conclusions and giving the quotas to one community," demanded Tiwari.

The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) leaders like Shiv Sena (UBT) President Uddhav Thackeray, Congress President Nana Patole, welcomed the development, while Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) asked "who has given the state the right to give these quotas."

Addressing the House, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde spelt out the government's position on the quotas issue, saying he was a soldier of the late Balasaheb Thackeray, he would implement his word, and said he felt proud to introduce the reservation for the Maratha community.

"This is the victory of the movement launched by (Shivba Sanghatana leader) Manoj Jarange-Patil, and is a day of fulfilment of the aspirations of the Marathas. This has been done without doing injustice to any other community including the OBCs or disturbing their quotas," said Shinde, himself a Maratha.

He assured that this reservation will stand legal scrutiny before the courts and everybody had worked very hard to finalise it to ensure justice to the Marathas, as the Bill was passed without any opposition with thumping of desks.

The Bill was drafted on the basis of the Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission (MSBCC) report chaired by retired Justice Sunil Shukre which had found the Marathas to be socially and economically backward.

The panel report was submitted to the government on February 16, and adopted by the state cabinet this morning, along with the draft bill, which was later unanimously cleared by both houses at a one-day Special Session of the Legislature.

Among other things, the MSBCC survey revealed that Marathas constitute 28 per cent of the state's 13-crore population, 84 per cent of the Maratha families do not fall under the 'progressed category', making them eligible for quotas, and of the total farmers' suicides in Maharashtra, 94 per cent were Marathas.

Terming the developments as 'historic and bold', Shinde said that he had always adopted a positive attitude towards the demands of all communities, not just the Marathas, who have been struggling for over 40 years for justice.

He said that the Maratha quotas are being given after clearing all legal hurdles, and many states have gone beyond the upper ceiling of 50 per cent (mandated by the Supreme Court), and that the state government would be able to defend and safeguard it in the courts.

Shinde said that the 22 states have crossed the 50 percent quota mark, including Tamil Nadu and Bihar (69 per cent each), Haryana (67), Rajasthan (64), Gujarat 59 percent and West Bengal (55 per cent).

This was in response to apprehensions raised by the Maha Vikas Aghadi Opposition parties which wrote to the Chief Minister seeking clarifications on various points, including the tests before the law, and whether it could be detrimental to the OBCs, clarification on the 'Kunbi Caste' certificate notifications pertaining to the draft rules on 'Sage-Soyare' (family bloodline), as demanded by the striking Jarange-Patil.

In Jalna, Jarange-Patil said that his agitation would continue as the new proposal would breach the SC's 50 percent quota cap, and it should have been given under the OBC category as a separate class.

"It doesn't matter if the government gives 10-20 percent since outside the OBC category, any reservation can be challenged for flouting the SC limits. The best alternative would be to give quotas on the basis of the Kunbi-Maratha and Maratha-Kunbi historical records," said the Shivba Sanghatana leader.

An irate ruling NCP Minister Chhagan Bhujbal urged the government to stop the 'goonda-giri' and blackmail perpetrated by Jarange-Patil.

(Quaid Najmi can be contacted at: q.najmi@ians.in)
Kochi, Feb 20 : A day after the ruling CPI-M suffered a setback as the Kerala High Court upheld the conviction of 12 persons in the 2012 murder of former party leader T.P. Chandrasekharan, senior Congress leaders on Tuesday alleged that the crime took place with the blessings and the knowledge of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

State Congress President and Kannur MP K.Sudhakaran noted that when the murder took place, Vijayan was the state CPI-M Secretary.

"The crime took place in Kozhikode district and many of the accused are from Kannur. All who know the way the CPI-M functions, knows that such a thing will never ever take place without the knowledge of the party leaders at the highest level. Vijayan knows everything about it," he claimed.

Veteran Congress legislator Ramesh Chennithala said when the probe was going forward, he was the Home Minister and despite the best efforts, some call records from mobile service providers were not received pertaining to this case.

"Had the probe team got it, the probe would have reached the (CPI-M) top brass. I can say without doubt that this crime had the support and the blessings of Vijayan, who was the then party Secretary. All along the CPI-M claimed they had no role but in the latest High Court orders, two CPI-M leaders who were exonerated by the trial court have now been named as accused," he said.

Popularly known as TP, Chandrasekharan, according to his now legislator wife K.K. Rema was "eliminated with the blessings of the top party brass for asking questions in the party".

TP, after breaking away from the CPI-M, had founded the Revolutionary Marxist Party (RMP).

Rema contested the 2021 Assembly polls from RMP with the support of the Congress-led UDF.

The High Court on Monday while rejecting the appeals filed by the convicts (one of whom passed away during the pendency of the appeal) also additionally convicted two more persons who had been acquitted by the trial court.

The court has now asked the nine presently serving sentences and the two, who have now been included as convicts, to be present in the court on September 26.

The two, K.K. Krishnan and Jyothi Babu, are both CPI-M leaders.

A trial court had convicted 12 of the 36 persons accused on May 4, 2012. However, the trial court had also acquitted several accused, including prominent CPI-M activists like Kozhikode district secretariat member P. Mohanan as well as area and local committee members Krishnan and Babu.

The 12 persons convicted were sentenced to life imprisonment by the special court. The verdict was challenged by the convicts before the High Court, which was dismissed.

The Congress leadership has now announced they will be fully with Rema when she approaches the Supreme Court as she has decided to unravel the conspiracy part in the case.
Itanagar, Feb 20 : The Vice-President of India, Jagdeep Dhankhar, on Tuesday called upon all the citizens to emulate the approach towards ecological preservation shown by the people of Arunachal Pradesh.

Addressing the 38th Statehood Day celebrations of Arunachal Pradesh in Itanagar on his maiden visit to the state, Dhankhar said: "Your way of life exemplifies coexistence with nature."

Terming Arunachal as a "microcosm of Bharat", Dhankhar praised the scenic beauty of the state, drawing attention to its "pristine landscape, misty mountains and lush green forests", which have made it a haven for tourists.

He also praised the organic produce of the state for its credibility and authenticity.

Acknowledging the large national and international markets that exist for such produce, Dhankhar said that enabling government schemes would further expand the reach of such resources.

Referring to the eight northeastern states or the 'Ashta Lakshmis' as the "jewels of India", the Vice-President emphasised that the country's cultural fabric is incomplete without its northeastern region.

Highlighting the "phenomenal and exponential rise" in infrastructure and in road, rail and air connectivity in the region, Dhankhar said these outcomes reflected the "changing face of Bharat" as well as the spirit of cooperative federalism.

Tracing India's journey from being one of the 'Fragile Five' economies to becoming one of the 'Top Five', the Vice-President underlined the rising stature of India among the comity of nations.

Taking note of India's leadership of the G20, Dhankhar said the G20 Research and Innovation Initiative Gathering held in Itanagar during India's presidency had showcased the potential of the state to the world.

Commending the Padma awardees from the state in recent years, the Vice-President said that the deserving persons are being recognised for their talent in the present ecosystem, without any patronage or nepotism.

He also urged the youth to embrace their role as foot soldiers on the march towards taking India to the status of 'Viksit Bharat@2047'.

Arunachal Pradesh Governor Lt Gen Kaiwalya Trivikram Parnaik (Retd.), Chief Minister Pema Khandu, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.
BRUSSELS, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Twenty-six member states of the European Union (EU) called for an "immediate humanitarian pause that would lead to a sustainable ceasefire" in the besieged Gaza Strip, the bloc's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said here on Monday.

At a meeting of EU foreign ministers, all EU countries except Hungary warned Israel against launching an assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, which they said would deepen the catastrophe of some 1.5 million refugees crammed into the city.

"An attack on Rafah would be absolutely catastrophic ... it would be unconscionable," Ireland's Foreign Minister Micheal Martin said before the meeting.

Israel's reported plans for an assault on the city have sounded international alarm bells, with many countries urging restraint or cancelation of the operation. 
Kolkata, Feb 20 : A district court in West Bengal on Tuesday remanded Santu Pan, a reporter working with the news channel Republic Bangla who was arrested by the police on Monday while reporting from the trouble-ridden Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district, to three-day police custody.

Although the Basirhat SP had claimed on Monday that Pan was held while reporting from Sandeshkhali on Monday evening following a complaint of trespassing filed against him and his cameraman by a local woman, questions are being raised as to why he was arrested from the ground without being served any notice.

However, ADG (South Bengal) Supratim Sarkar said that a 'secret' statement was submitted by the complainant to the Magistrate under Section 165 of the CrPC, and the police arrested Pan after ensuring that the accused person was the same journalist referred to by the woman.

Meanwhile, the scribe's arrest has triggered all-round protests in West Bengal. Even the local women of Sandeshkhali, who have been protesting for quite some time now accusing a section of the local Trinamool Congress leaders of sexually harassing them, have condemned the arrest of the journalist.

The leader of opposition in West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, has blackened the profile picture on his official X handle as a symbolic protest against the arrest.

"Pan was arrested since he was responsible for revealing the instances of harassment of women at Sandeshkhali from the spot," Adhikari said.
Hyderabad, Feb 20 : Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K. Kavitha has voiced concern over increasing number of student suicides in Telangana.

With four girl students having committed suicide in the past 15 days in BC and SC welfare schools, she demanded Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy to take stringent action against culprits responsible.

The BRS MLC on Tuesday met the family of a student of Imampeta SC Gurukula School who recently died by suicide and emphasised the urgency for the government to take action and conduct an immediate review.

She said the government should immediately review the system and find out reasons for the growing number of suicides.

"There is a need to find out reasons. Is it because of lack of counsellors, examination pressure or prevailing conditions," she said. The BRS leader also found fault with Chief Minister Revanth Reddy for not having an Education Minister in his cabinet

--IANS

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Hyderabad, Feb 20 : The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will fund a project for promoting startups and innovation in Telangana, it was announced on Tuesday.

The JICA will extend the Official Development Assistance (ODA) loan of 23,697 million Japanese yen (approximately Rs 1,336 crore) to empower the state government in addressing job creation and economic development challenges through innovative measures and the augmentation of the startup ecosystem in Telangana.

The unique project will help discover entrepreneurial skills with focus on women and rural population and support business expansion of MSMEs.

This ODA loan is part of the loan agreement signed by JICA with the Indian government for nine projects.

The total ODA loan for these projects will be 232.209 billion yen.

According to an official statement, the initiative for Telangana is strategically designed to extend support not only to urban entrepreneurs but also to women and aspiring business leaders in rural areas, fostering inclusive economic growth. JICA is committing in line with its sustainability policy to promote diversity, equity and inclusion including gender equality, to create opportunities and an environment where diverse human resources can thrive and grow, according to the statement.

The loan agreement for the project was signed between Vikas Sheel, Additional Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance and Saito Mitsunori, Chief Representative, JICA India.

This project represents JICA's maiden endeavor to support a state government in bolstering innovation and the startup ecosystem through an ODA loan.

The primary objective of the project is to discover and promote potential entrepreneurs, including women and those in rural areas, by providing capacity building, infrastructure development, financial support, and market creation subprojects.

The project will be addressed to each of the three enterprise growth stages of the startup ecosystem: "Finding Entrepreneurs," "Support for Startups and Commercialization," and "Support for Business Expansion."

JICA will play a pivotal role in facilitating Japanese startups to venture into Telangana, and conduct Proof of Concept (PoC) for their businesses.

The facilitation by JICA is anticipated to attract investments from Japanese companies, further enriching the collaborative landscape between Japan and India.

Mitsunori said: "I am very pleased to announce that this is the very first project in which JICA supports promotion of start-up ecosystem and innovation by ODA loan in the world. It further aligns with the Indian government's 'Startup India' policy, focusing on the creation of a conducive environment for entrepreneurship, innovation, and job growth.

"This project also aligns with the Free and Open Indo-Pacific Partnership (FOIP) Pillar of 'Multi-layered Connectivity', fostering collaboration between Japan and India in supporting startups and enterprises. JICA remains steadfast in its commitment to bolster India's pursuit of innovation and growth, thereby contributing to the overall well-being of the people in Telangana."
Panaji, Feb 20 : Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday said that Goa is striving and planning to become probably the first Green Tourist hotspot in the Global Map.

"I appreciate the World Bank team for its technical and financial support and for choosing Goa to design and set up the new Blended Finance Facility, which is first of its kind climate-focused, multi- sectoral facility that will enable Goa to access and mobilise concessional finance to implement low-carbon and climate-resilient investments in the country," the Chief Minister said while speaking during the 'India Climate and Development Partners' meet here.

He said that Goa is striving and planning to become probably the first Green Tourist hotspot in Global Map.

Sawant said that Goa is now more confident to achieve its climate goals after setting up a Blended Finance Facility in the state in partnership with the World Bank.

"Resilience is a crucial aspect of our vision for a balanced Goa that bridges economy and ecology and balances our aspirations for the health of our ecosystems and the development and wellbeing of our people," he said.

He said that this Blended Finance Facility will enable us to embed and operationalise greater resilience in our planning, investments, and infrastructure.

"We look forward to empowering our communities with the new technologies and business models that will be crucial in our response to climate change," he said.

The Chief Minister Sawant said that Goa will become the first state to receive funds under Blended Finance Facility from the World Bank.
New Delhi/Shimla, Feb 20 : Upholding the Himachal Pradesh High Court order, the Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the East India Hotels Ltd and others to vacate Wildflower Hall, a landmark luxury hotel of Oberoi Group on the outskirts of Shimla.

Last month, the High Court asked the Oberoi Group to surrender possession of the five-star hotel to the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) within two months.

The government, a stakeholder in the hotel, has suspected financial wrongdoing in the management of the heritage hotel that has been running into losses since March 2001.

Wildflower Hall, sought-after by high-end tourists and celebrities, is a joint venture of Mashobra Resorts, the Oberoi Group company that runs the hotel, and the state government. It has long been under litigation between the two partners.

Disposing of the governmentas petition, the High Court on January 6 directed the East India Hotels (EIH) Ltd to vacate and ensure peaceful handover of the entire property of Wildflower Hall within two months.

"It is held that the EIH Ltd has failed to comply with the terms of award within the period of three months from the date it attained finality, i.e. October, 13, 2022," it said, observing the Oberoi Group had failed to comply with the arbitration award within the stipulated time limit of three months.

Therefore, the state government became eligible to take over the possession and management of the hotel. The hotel was handed over to the Oberoi Group under a joint venture in 1995 by the then Congress government.

BJP leader and former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, who entrusted the hotel's audit to the CAG, had said: "It's strange that the Oberoi's other two ventures in Shimla - Clarke's and Cecil - are making profit. Only Wildflower Hall is running into losses, that too for years together."

The British-era Wildflower Hall was once the residence of British-era Indian Army Commander-in-Chief, Field Marshal Lord Kitchener. After India's Independence, the building was handed over to the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation for running a hotel. The building was gutted in a fire in 1990.

The government then approached prominent hoteliers and finally handed over the prime property to the Oberois for its restoration and operation.

Wildflower Hall is located at Chharabra, at a height of 8,300 feet, and commands a breathtaking view. Former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and her daughter Priyanka are regular guests at the hotel.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 20 : In a tragic incident, four Class X students, aged 15 to 17 years, drowned in the Yamuna river on Tuesday, the police said.

Sharing the details, an official said that on Tuesday, a PCR call was received at the Burari police station informing about the drowning of three persons in Yamuna river.

"In response, a police team immediately reached the Yamuna river bank at Thokar No. 8, Loni, Uttar Pradesh. It was found that four boys had drowned in the Yamuna, including two aged 17, one 16-year-old, and one 15-year-old," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (North), M.K. Meena.

The deceased, all 10th standard students who were friends, were residents of Rampark in Loni. According to their family members, they had left their homes at around 11 a.m. on Tuesday.

"When they did not return, their parents initiated a search and reached the Yamuna river bank, where their clothes were found," said the DCP.

Subsequently, a rescue boat and three fire tenders were called to the spot.

"The rescue boat found three bodies, while the search for the fourth body is still in progress," the officer said.
Chandigarh, Feb 20 : Ahead of the farmers groups' call for a protest march to the national capital over their demands, the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday slammed them for camping at Shambhu border with hundreds of tractors, saying tractor-trailers can't be used on highways.

Chandigarh, Feb 20 (IANS) Ahead of the farmers groups' call for a protest march to the national capital over their demands, the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday slammed them for camping at Shambhu border with hundreds of tractors, saying tractor-trailers canat be used on highways.

A bench of acting Chief Justice G.S. Sandhawalia and Justice Lapita Banerji questioned the Punjab government for allowing the assembly of farmers in such large numbers.

"According to the Motor Vehicle Act, you canat use tractor-trolleys on the highway. You are travelling from Amritsar to Delhi on trolleys," the bench remarked.

Justice Sandhawalia orally asked the state government to ensure that protestors are not gathered in large numbers as "they have right to protest but it is subjected to reasonable restrictions".

During the hearing, he also objected to farmers travelling in tractors and trolleys for protest.

The court was hearing a public interest litigation, moved by advocate Uday Pratap Singh, who said the road blockade is not only causing inconvenience to residents but also hindrance in the movement of ambulance, school buses and pedestrians since February 13.
Hyderabad, Feb 20 : Hurdles for declaring 182-km-long southern section of the Regional Ring Road (RRR) in Telangana as a national highway have been cleared.

After Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy met Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari in New Delhi on Tuesday to make a request, the latter instructed the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) officials to prepare the proposals to declare the southern section of RRR as a national highway.

The southern section runs from Chautuppal to Sangareddy via Amangal and Shadnagar. The northern part was already declared part of the national highways.

According to a statement from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), apart from the RRR issue, Revanth Reddy appealed to Gadkari to grant permission for the expansion of national highways in Telangana and to upgrade several important state highways to national highways. The Chief Minister handed over the list of state roads which are to be expanded as national highways in the state to the Union Minister and explained the importance of declaring those roads as national highways.

The CM and the Union Minister discussed the dispute between the Centre and state government regarding the removal of utilities (electricity poles, buildings etc.) in the limits of RRR's northern part covering Chautuppal-Bhuvangiri-Toophran-Sangareddy-Kandi.

Last month, NHAI officials suggested that the cost of relocation of utilities should be borne by the state government. As the state government did not agree to the NHAIas condition, a standoff continued on this issue.

After assuming charge as CM, Revanth Reddy sent a letter to the NHAI agreeing to bear the cost of relocation of utilities.

The Chief Minister mentioned the issue before Gadkari in the meeting and the latter enquired about the issue with NHAI officials and expressed his anger for asking the state government to bear the cost. He assured that the Centre will bear the cost of relocation of utilities.

The Union Minister told the Chief Minister to speed up the land acquisition and procedural processes related to the construction of the RRR.

Revanth Reddy also requested the Union Minister to approve the proposal to widen the national highway from Hyderabad to Vijayawada to six lanes and the road from Hyderabad to Kalwakurthy as four lanes. Gadkari responded positively to the CMas appeal.

--IANS

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Modi wants to see India on top, but 'Ghamandiya' Gathbandhan leaders only want to see their sons as PM, CM: Amit Shah (Ld). Image Source: IANS News

Jaipur, February 20 : Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday launched a scathing attack against the Congress, accusing the grand old party of promoting nepotism in the country.

Addressing a Prabudhh Sammelan in Jaipur on Tuesday, Shah also heaped praises on Narendra Modi, saying that the Prime Minister, who accomplished many difficult tasks in the last 10 years, is now working hard to ensure that India becomes the top nation in the world by 2047.

"(PM) Modi has just one aim that is to see India on top of the world. However, the leaders of the 'Ghathbandhan' of seven parties only want to see their sons and nephews as the PM and CMs.

"Sonia Gandhi aims to see her son (Rahul Gandhi) as the PM, Uddhav Thackeray wants to see his son (Aditya Thackeray) as the CM, Lalu Prasad too wants to see his son (Tejashwi Yadav) as the CM, while Mayawati wants to see her nephew (Akash Anand) as the CM.

"Can such people who dream to see their sons and relatives as PM and CMs help in nation building," Shah asked the gathering, which replied loudly: "No."

"Such leaders only want their families to benefit, whereas the BJP wants Bharat to benefit," Shah added.

Recalling the tenure of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Shah said, "There was time when people used to enter India and carry out blasts. You people elected PM Modi in 2014. This government carried out surgical strikes within 10 days after the Pulwama attack in 2019. Earlier, there were only two countries which were known to hit the enemy nation by conducting strikes after crossing its borders -- America and Israel. But now India has entered the list."

Stating that PM Modi has paved the way for the abrogation of Article 370 from Jammu & Kashmir, Shah said that today, the tricolour is hoisted with pride in Kashmir, where cinema halls have become operational after 30 years.

"The Prime Minister has scrapped Article 370, so you should now bless him with 370 seats," Shah told the gathering.

The Union minister also mentioned the four threats to democracy -- nepostism, appeasement, corruption and casteism.

"PM Modi has scrapped nepotism, appeasement and corruption in the last 10 years, while casteism is also being scrapped. Now the opposition, despite forming the INDIA bloc, is clueless and directionless.

"India will be on the top of the world by 2047. PM Modi has made the impossible happen, and that too in just 10 years. The Lok Sabha polls are approaching... On one side there is the BJP, full of patriotism, and on the other side there is this 'Ghamandiya' Ghathbandhan (alliance). No one wants to lead this alliance. The country has already decided to make PM Modi win with 400 seats," he said.

The Home Minister also said that the Congress objects to everything that the government does.

"We renamed Raj Path as Kartavya path, but they tried to stop it. We built the new Parliament building, which they objected to. We revived Kedarnath and Badrinath temple, but they objected. We made Mahakal Lok, but they objected again. When Ram Temple was inaugurated, they boycotted the Pran Pratishtha ceremony," he said.

"They oppose to whatever we do to respect our culture and heritage. Those whose origins are in Italy cannot respect the traditions of India," Shah said.

The minister also said that from 2004 to 2014, the Congress did one thing well, i.e., they did not let the rank of India's economy fall.

"Under the leadership of Atal ji, India became the No. 11 economy. Manmohan Singh's government lasted for 10 years. One thing that he did well was that he did not let India slip from 11th to 12th position. India's position remained frozen for 10 years, before Modi took Indian economy to third position in 10 years.

"Many times I ask my Congress friends off the record, 'what is your goal', and they remain silent. When I ask 'why don't you support a good thing', they are silent again. When I ask 'why do you become silent again and again', yet they remain silent."

Earlier on Tuesday morning, Shah chaired a meeting of the Election Management Committee in Bikaner from where he sounded the bugle for Lok Sabha polls.

Addressing a gathering of party workers that was attended by Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma and other senior leaders from the nearby constituencies, Shah shared the strategies to achieve the party's target of winning 400 seats in the coming Lok Sabha polls.

He also urged the party workers to ensure that the BJP wins all the 25 Lok Sabha seats in Rajasthan.

Shah directed the three in-charge ministers for the LS seats to form booth level committees at the earliest.

"You have to work hard... I will call you even at midnight," he told the party workers.

"It's been three months since the BJP government has been formed (in Rajasthan) and work should be seen on the ground," Shah said.

Later, the Home Minister visited Udaipur where he reiterated the party's goal of winning more than 400 seats in the Lok Sabha polls.
Hyderabad, Feb 20 : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday alleged that Congress came to power in Telangana with false promises.

Launching the BJPas Vijay Sankalp yatra in Telanganaas Adilabad district, he said the Congress has failed to implement any of the guarantees given in the Assembly elections - to provide 2 lakh jobs, financial assistance of Rs.2,500 to every woman, enhancing widow pension to Rs.4,000 per month, free electricity up to 200 units every month, and houses for the poor.

"Congress has not implemented even one guarantee. There is only one guarantee that works in this country and that is (Prime Minister Narendra) Modias guarantee," he said.

Claiming that the BJP has a bright future in Telangana, he exuded confidence that the party will win maximum number of Lok Sabha seats. He stated that BJPas vote share doubled in Telangana in the recent Assembly elections, from 6.8 per cent in 2018 to 13.9 per cent.

The party also won eight seats, up from one in 2018.

"I am confident that in the next elections this 8 will become 80," he said.

The Assam Chief Minister made it clear that the BJP will not have alliance with the BRS. He said the BJP will contest the coming elections on its own and win maximum seats.

Sarma said Adilabad district had the history of fighting Razakars. aRazakars have not been eliminated. There are new razakars. We have to defeat them,"? he said.

Stating that Hindus waited for Ram temple for 500 years, he alleged that Congress did not allow its construction and that the temple could be constructed only after Congress was removed from power. He also slammed Congress leaders for rejecting the invitation to attend the inauguration of Ram temple.

He also alleged that the Telangana government provided financial assistance to Tablegi Jamaat. "Hindus are making the biggest contribution to building India. The wealth should not be used for one community. This should be for the countryas poor," he said.

Referring to current Bharat Jodo Nyay yatra of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Sarma remarked that when he undertook Bharat Jodo yatra earlier, the Congress lost elections in three states. He predicted that this time Congress will lose elections in the rest of the country and will not win more than 30 Lok Sabha seats while the NDA will cross the 400 mark.

"BJP should get 370 seats because it scrapped Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir," he said. He noted that BJPas five yatras in Telangana will cover 5,500 kms, spanning all 17 Lok Sabha constituencies and 114 Assembly segments. There will be 106 public meetings and 102 road shows during the 12-day yatras. BJP MP K. Laxman and other leaders addressed the public meeting.

--IANS

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TEHRAN, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has equipped its ground force with two types of homegrown suicide and combat drones, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported on Tuesday.

The "Shahed-131" suicide drones and "Ababil-5" combat drones had been handed over to the ground force to help them better monitor enemies and terrorist groups, the report said.

With a length and width of 2.6 meters and 2.2 meters respectively, the 135-kg Shahed-131 drone has an operational range of 900 km, according to Tasnim.

The Ababil-5 drone, meanwhile, is equipped with long wings enabling it to carry heavy payloads and a retractable anterior landing gear that improves the performance of its camera, Tasnim said. 
Kolkata, Feb 20 : Hours after the ADG (South Bengal) of West Bengal Police, Supratim Sarkar, accused a section of the BJP legislators of passing a comment relating to the turban of an IPS officer, the leader of opposition in the state Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, challenged Sarkar to prove his allegations within 24 hours.

Adhikari also threatened to initiate legal proceedings against Sarkar if he is unable to prove his charges in the next 24 hours.

Earlier on Tuesday, there was a heated exchange of words between the Special Superintendent (Intelligence Branch) Jaspreet Singh and BJP legislator Agnimitra Paul after Singh accused Paul of passing a comment relating to his turban.

"You are making such a comment that is pertaining to my religion. Is this just because I am wearing a turban? I will take action on this," Singh told the fashion designer-turned-politician.

However, Paul denied the allegation, saying: "I did not say anything about your religion. I just said that you should behave like an unbiased police officer."

Soon after that, Sarkar, without naming anyone, told mediapersons that he will initiate strong action as per the legal provisions against anyone making such a comment.

"Such comments are extremely sensitive, instigating and derogative from the point of view of religion. Action can be initiated under Section 295 (A) of the Indian Penal Code," Sarkar said.

After returning to Kolkata from Sandeshkhali on Tuesday evening, Adhikari challenged Sarkar to prove his allegations within the next 24 hours.

"He (Sarkar) will have to prove which BJP leader has passed such a comment. Otherwise, I will take legal action against him," Adhikari said.
United Nations, Feb 21 : With an Israeli attack looming on Rafah, where more than a million Palestinians are huddling, the US on Tuesday vetoed a Security Council opposing "forced displacement" of civilians and calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza.

The US was isolated in the Council where the resolution proposed by Alegria on behalf of Arab nations received 13 votes with the UK abstaining in the 15-member Council.

|Explaining the veto, US Permanent Representative Linda Thomas-Greenfield said that the resolution would hinder the negotiations taking place with the involvement also of Qatar and Egypt to release the hostages held in Gaza and for a ceasefire to facilitate it and the sending of humanitarian assistance there.

She said that Washington would offer an alternate resolution.

This was the sixth resolution on Gaza to suffer vetoes by the US, Britain, Russia or China.

Only two, calling for the provision of humanitarian aid have been adopted.

Algeria's Permanent Representative Amar Bendjama said that a vote against his resolution "implies an endorsement of the brutal violence and collective punishment inflicted against them".

"Today, every Palestinian is a target for death, extermination and genocide. Each one of us decides on where to stand in this tragic chapter of history," he said.

With Rafah threatened with an attack, the vetoed resolution opposed the "forced displacement of the Palestinian civilian population in violation of international law".

It included a generalised condemnation of attacks on civilians.

The resolution also made a reference to the World Court declaration last month ordering Israel to take steps to prevent a "genocide" in Gaza and to allow humanitarian assistance to the people there.

The institution, formally known as the International Court of Justice, is currently holding hearings on Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories.

After three weeks of negotiations over its draft, the vetoed resolution also demanded the release of the hostages taken by Hamas in its terrorist attack from Gaza on Israel on October 7, which also killed about 1,200 people. After Israel launched a counterattack on Gaza in which 29,000 people, mostly women and children, were killed, and it ordered Palestinians there to move south to escape its onslaught.

Now, according to the UN, more than half of Gaza's population of 2.3 million are sheltering in Rafah.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that a military offensive on Rafah was imminent, which added a sense of urgency to the calls for the Council to act. This was foremost in the minds of even the Western countries.

Although Britain abstained, its Permanent Representative Barbara Woodward said: "We are particularly worried about the situation in Rafah, where a military operation could have appalling consequences for civilians sheltering there with nowhere else to go."

Slovenia's Permanent Representative Bostjan Malovrh said that if an attack on Rafah takes place, the world will awaken to a "nightmare".

Israel's Permanent Representative Gilad Erdan was unmoved and he told the Council: "The clock is ticking. We will be forced to take action" in Rafah. He said that a ceasefire would allow Hamas to regroup and mount attacks on Israel similar to the one in October in which civilians including children were killed and women raped.

It would, therefore, be "immoral" for the UN to facilitate Hamas regrouping.

Palestine's Permanent Observer Riyad Mansour said that despite the US vetoes, Israel "cannot get away with murder" and would face a reckoning. The veto was "absolutely reckless and dangerous, again shielding Israel even after it commits the most shocking crimes while exposing millions of innocent Palestinian people to more untold horrors", he said.

Qatar's Permanent Representative Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani said that the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) regrets the veto. She said that the GCC supports the ongoing negotiations facilitated by Doha, Washington, and Cairo "around a framework agreement for a new humanitarian truce" that seeks free hostages, increase aid, and protect civilians in Gaza.

Russia's Permanent Representative Vassily Nebenzia, who accused the US of allowing the massacre of Palestinians through its vetoes of Council resolutions, said that the veto was to give Israel to attack Rafah.

US President Joe Bide is under pressure from sections of his Democratic Party and others in the US over his administration's support for Israel and has distanced itself from any attack on Rafah. He opposed an invasion of Rafah in a call to Netanyahu until it had plans in place to protect civilians. Thomas-Greenfield said that the alternate resolution it is proposing would make clear that "a major ground offensive into Rafah should not proceed".

"Demanding an immediate, unconditional ceasefire without an agreement requiring Hamas to release the hostages, will not bring about a durable peace" and only extend the fighting.

Later speaking to reporters outside the Council chamber, she said that the US objection to Algeria's resolution was that it did not directly tie a ceasefire to hostage release.

In a slight shift in position, the US appears to back a ceasefire, even if conditional. Instead of calling for a cessation of hostilities, as it has, the US draft resolution uses the world "ceasefire", likely for the first time.

(Arul Louis can be contacted at arul.l@ians.in and followed at @arulouis)

--IANS

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Imphal, Feb 21 : A few women groups have called a shutdown in Manipur's five valley districts on Wednesday to protest "police high-handedness" and to demand release of six persons, arrested in connection with the looting of arms from the camps of Manipur Rifles in Imphal East district on February 13.

There was confrontation between the security forces and women protesters in Imphal on Tuesday, leading the police to fire tear gas shells to quell the protests.

Two women were injured in the confrontation.

The women protestors were demanding release of six people who were arrested in connection with a mob attack and arms loot in the camps of the Manipur Rifles.

The 24-hours shutdown has been called for Wednesday in five valley districts -- Bishnupur, Kakching, Thoubal, Imphal West, and Imphal East.

A mob on February 13 attacked the two camps of the Manipur Rifles and one person was reportedly killed while two others were injured in police firing. The deceased had forcefully tried to enter the post of one of the camps of the Manipur Rifles.

Manipur Police arrested six persons on February 14. Seven police personnel were also suspended for dereliction of duties. Further, four Insas Rifles, one AK Ghatak, two magazines of SLR and 16 small boxes of 9 mm ammunition which are suspected to have been looted from the security forces have also been recovered by police.

The Manipur government has also ordered a magisterial probe into the looting of arms from the security forcesa camp.
K'taka: Suspension of SI not possible, action only after report says Cong; BJP hits back. Image Source: IANS News

Bengaluru, Feb 20 : After a massive political storm erupted over a social media post against the Varanasi judge in Karnataka, the Congress on Tuesday outrightly rejected the demand of suspension of the Sub-Inspector (SI) of Police, Tanveer Hussain. The BJP has warned that the Congress government will be held responsible for disturbing law and order in the state.

The BJP earlier on Tuesday raised this issue during the Zero Hour in the state Assembly.

Opposition leader R. Ashoka, former Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, among others, demanded that thousands of advocates were protesting, demanding suspension of the SI of Ijoor police station, Tanveer Hussain, for filing FIRs against 40 advocates.

Former Deputy Chief Minister and BJP MLA, C.N. Ashwath Narayan said: "PFI workers' conduct in the case is "unacceptable". The law is misused. The concerned SI Tanveer Hussain, though he is a lower-rung officer there is a situation where the top police officers have to listen to him. The matter should not be taken as a matter of prestige."

Karnataka Home Minister, G. Parameshwara, replied to the BJP, saying, "I have understood the seriousness of the matter and it can lead to many other developments. I appeal to the counsels and office bearers of Advocates' Association to call off the protest and cooperate."

"Strict action will be taken against the SI once the investigation report is submitted in this case. We should know why the case is lodged against advocates."

Former CM Bommai objected to Parameshwara's comments and stated a similar incident had happened in Chikkamagaluru.

"The conflict between the police and the advocates would create problems in the coming days. Suspending a police officer was not like punishing him. There were serious charges levelled against him. They (Congress) talk about the maintenance of law and order in the State. The state government must answer whether the law and order in the state was important or the prestige of SI?

"In the Haveri incident, the Congress government suspended the Circle Inspector and Sub-Inspector before the beginning of the probe and inquired about them. A similar step must be taken in this incident also," Bommai added.

"Under whose pressure have you come under?" Bommai asked the Karnataka Home Minister.

BJP legislators came near the well of the Assembly House and raised slogans protesting against the Congress government.

Meanwhile, senior BJP leader C.P. Yogeshwar took part in the protest with advocates in Ramanagara.

Yogeshwar demanded the intervention of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on the issue.

"Being an advocate, CM Siddaramaiah is ready to take action but he is hesitant as Ramanagara region is controlled by Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and his brother and Congress MP D.K. Suresh. I can understand his predicament," the BJP leader said.

The protest for suspension of the police SI, Tanveer Hussain, is in response to him filing an FIR against 40 advocates in connection with the incident related to a defamatory post by an advocate and SDPI worker Chand Pasha against a Varanasi judge, who gave a verdict in the Gyanvapi mosque case.

The incident had taken a communal turn and the police had registered an FIR against the advocates on charges of assaulting a group of people questioning action against advocate Chand Pasha for posting a derogatory comment against the judge.

The protestors said that the filing of cases against 40 advocates was "politically motivated".

The advocates had said that they would launch a 'Vidhana Soudha Chalo' agitation on Wednesday.

The Bar Association of New Delhi and 193 Bar Associations in Karnataka have extended their support to the agitation.

JD-S leader and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and Opposition leader R. Ashoka had visited the spot and extended their support to the protest on Monday night.
K'taka: Suspension of SI not possible, action only after report says Cong; BJP hits back. Image Source: IANS News

Bengaluru, Feb 21 : After a massive political storm erupted over a social media post against the Varanasi judge in Karnataka, the Congress on Tuesday outrightly rejected the demand of suspension of the Sub-Inspector (SI) of Police, Tanveer Hussain while the BJP has warned that the Congress government will be held responsible for disturbing law and order in the state.

The BJP earlier on Tuesday raised this issue during the Zero Hour in the state Assembly.

Opposition leader R. Ashoka, former Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, among others, demanded that thousands of advocates were protesting, demanding suspension of the SI of Ijoor police station, Tanveer Hussain, for filing FIRs against 40 advocates.

Former Deputy Chief Minister and BJP MLA, C.N. Ashwath Narayan said: "PFI workers' conduct in the case is "unacceptable". The law is misused. The concerned SI Tanveer Hussain, though he is a lower-rung officer there is a situation where the top police officers have to listen to him. The matter should not be taken as a matter of prestige."

Karnataka Home Minister, G. Parameshwara, replied to the BJP, saying, "I have understood the seriousness of the matter and it can lead to many other developments. I appeal to the counsels and office bearers of Advocates' Association to call off the protest and cooperate."

"Strict action will be taken against the SI once the investigation report is submitted in this case. We should know why the case is lodged against advocates."

Former CM Bommai objected to Parameshwara's comments and stated a similar incident had happened in Chikkamagaluru.

"The conflict between the police and the advocates would create problems in the coming days. Suspending a police officer was not like punishing him. There were serious charges levelled against him. They (Congress) talk about the maintenance of law and order in the State. The state government must answer whether the law and order in the state was important or the prestige of SI?

"In the Haveri incident, the Congress government suspended the Circle Inspector and Sub-Inspector before the beginning of the probe and inquired about them. A similar step must be taken in this incident also," Bommai added.

"Under whose pressure have you come under?" Bommai asked the Karnataka Home Minister.

BJP legislators came near the well of the Assembly House and raised slogans protesting against the Congress government.

Meanwhile, senior BJP leader C.P. Yogeshwar took part in the protest with advocates in Ramanagara.

Yogeshwar demanded the intervention of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on the issue.

"Being an advocate, CM Siddaramaiah is ready to take action but he is hesitant as Ramanagara region is controlled by Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and his brother and Congress MP D.K. Suresh. I can understand his predicament," the BJP leader said.

The protest for suspension of the police SI, Tanveer Hussain, is in response to him filing an FIR against 40 advocates in connection with the incident related to a defamatory post by an advocate and SDPI worker Chand Pasha against a Varanasi judge, who gave a verdict in the Gyanvapi mosque case.

The incident had taken a communal turn and the police had registered an FIR against the advocates on charges of assaulting a group of people questioning action against advocate Chand Pasha for posting a derogatory comment against the judge.

The protestors said that the filing of cases against 40 advocates was "politically motivated".

The advocates had said that they would launch a 'Vidhana Soudha Chalo' agitation on Wednesday.

The Bar Association of New Delhi and 193 Bar Associations in Karnataka have extended their support to the agitation.

JD-S leader and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and Opposition leader R. Ashoka had visited the spot and extended their support to the protest on Monday night.
Gaza, Feb 21 : Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh arrived in Cairo to hold talks with Egyptian officials on the Gaza truce.

Hamas said on Tuesday in a brief statement sent to Xinhua news agency that Haniyeh arrived in Cairo at the head of a delegation from the movement's leadership.

It added that the talks will focus on the political and on-the-ground situation in light of the aggressive conflict in Gaza and the efforts made to stop the aggression, provide relief to citizens, and achieve the goals of the Palestinian people, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Hamas leader on Saturday accused Israel of impeding efforts to achieve a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, saying that they "showed full flexibility in dealing with these issues, but it is clear so far that Israel continues to procrastinate in the negotiations".

Israel has been fighting with Hamas in the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023, after the group launched a surprise attack on southern Israel that killed about 1,200 people. Israel has so far killed more than 29,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza-based Health Ministry.
Sanaa, Feb 21 : Yemen's Houthi group warned the European Union (EU) not to join the coalition of the US and Britain in the Red Sea, otherwise its ships would be targeted, the media reported.

"A message to the EU, don't play with fire and take a lesson from Britain," the Houthi-run al-Masirah TV on Tuesday cited a statement from Houthi leader Abdulmalik al-Houthi in reference to his group's recent missile attacks against British-registered cargo vessels, including an oil tanker that caught on fire in the southern Red Sea two weeks ago, Xinhua news agency reported.

"Your presence increases the militarisation of the sea, which would affect your countries' needs of shipping chains through the Red Sea," al-Houthi said, referring to the EU's oil shipments from the region.

"If your coalition in the Red Sea commits any foolishness, you will bear the consequences and your navy ships and commercial vessels will be targeted," the statement added.

On Monday, the EU said it launched a naval mission in the Red Sea to protect shipping as cargo vessels continued to come under Houthi attacks.

It said the Houthi attacks on the international shipping in the Red Sea are casting a shadow over global stability and prosperity.

The Houthis have been attacking Israel-linked vessels transiting the Red Sea since mid-November last year, a move the group describes as a display of its support for Palestinians in Gaza, which has led some shipping companies to alter their routes and circumnavigate the African continent to avoid the threat of Houthi missile attacks.

The US and Britain announced the formation of a naval coalition in the Red Sea and conducted numerous airstrikes on what it identified as Houthi targets, including mobile missile launchers, drones and underwater vehicles. These attacks have in turn provoked a more intense retaliation from the Houthis.

On Monday, the Houthis announced that they had carried out four military operations in 24 hours. These operations included missile strikes on a British-registered cargo ship, which the Houthis alleged resulted in the vessel's complete sinking, the downing of a US MQ9 unmanned aircraft, and two additional attacks on US cargo ships in the Gulf of Aden.

The Houthi television reported late Monday that the US-British navy coalition launched fresh airstrikes in the Houthi-controlled port city of Hodeidah, targeting a farm in the northern district of Ad-Dahi. There were no reports of casualties, as the Houthis vowed to launch more attacks in response.
Houari Boumediene Airport, Algiers, Algeria [ ALG / DAAG ]

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Algiers Airport Info:

Algiers Airport IATA Code: ALG Algiers Airport ICAO Code: DAAG Latitude : 36.6944 Longitude : 3.21694 City : Algiers Country : Algeria World Area Code : 500 Airport Type : Large Algiers Airport Address / Contact Details :

Houari Boumediene Airport (ALG), Alger, Algeria, Phone: +213 21 50 91 91 / +213 21 50 91 00, Email: smqe-contact@aeroportalger.dz Algiers Website : http://www.aeroportalger.net/ Airport Type : Public Operator : EGSA Alger Hub for : Aigle Azur, Air Algerie, Tassili Airlines Established Year : 2006 Timezone : Africa/Algiers Houari Boumediene Airport Timezone : GMT +01:00 hours Current time and date at Houari Boumediene Airport is 14:18:25 PM (CET) on Monday, Mar 18, 2024

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Houari Boumediene Airport Map - Location of Houari Boumediene Airport Load Map Algeria - General Information Country Formal Name People's Democratic Republic of Algeria Country Code DZ Capital Algiers Currency Dinar (DZD)

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 1 USD = 134.622 DZD

 1 DZD = 0.007 EUR

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This page provides all the information you need to know about Houari Boumediene Airport, Algeria. This page is created with the aim of helping travelers and tourists visiting Algeria or traveling to Algiers Airport. Details about Algiers Airport given here include Houari Boumediene Airport Code - IATA Code (3 letter airport codes) and ICAO Code (4 letter airport codes)

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ALG - Houari Boumediene Airport IATA Code and DAAG - Houari Boumediene Airport ICAO code
Tony Lama, the legendary bootmaker renowned for its commitment to quality craftsmanship and timeless style, proudly presents its latest masterpiece: the Marsanne 17-Inch Women's Western Boot. Designed to embody the spirit of the modern cowgirl, this boot seamlessly blends traditional craftsmanship with contemporary flair.

EL PASO, Texas, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Tony Lama, the legendary bootmaker renowned for its commitment to quality craftsmanship and timeless style, proudly presents its latest masterpiece: the Marsanne 17-Inch Women's Western Boot. Designed to embody the spirit of the modern cowgirl, this boot seamlessly blends traditional craftsmanship with contemporary flair.

Crafted with precision, the Marsanne boot boasts exquisite details and super materials. Built from a gorgeous bone-colored leather and featuring a striking tonal stitch pattern, this boot is sure to turn heads and catch attention. With a Western heel and a snip toe, this silhouette exudes confidence and seamlessly blends comfort and fashion.

"At Tony Lama, we understand the importance of footwear that not only looks good but also feels great and performs impeccably," said Taylor Morton, Public Relations Manager at Tony Lama. "With the Marsanne 17-Inch Women's Western Boot, we've created a statement piece that embodies the essence of the modern cowgirlfearless, independent, and always stylish."

The Marsanne boot is more than just a fashion statement; it's a symbol of quality and heritage. Each pair is meticulously crafted by skilled artisans who uphold Tony Lama's legacy of excellence. Whether worn for a day in the office or a night on the town, these boots are designed to stand the test of time and become a cherished part of every woman's wardrobe.

Available in a Bone color, the Marsanne boot is versatile enough to complement any outfit, from jeans and a t-shirt to a flowing sundress. With its timeless design and exceptional quality, it's sure to become a go-to favorite for women who appreciate both style and substance.

The Marsanne 17-Inch Women's Western Boot is now available for purchase on the Tony Lama website.

About Tony Lama Boots

Tony Lama Boots is a brand of Western footwear that was founded in 1911 by Tony Lama in El Paso, Texas. Throughout history, Tony Lama has repeatedly proven to be the world's most recognized western boot brand by building a wide range of boots for both men and women, including cowboy boots, work boots, and casual shoes. Each pair of prized Tony Lama boots is a true work of art, meticulously crafted of the finest leathers. This reputation comes from 100+ years of experience in perfecting every step in the bootmaking process. For more information, visit http://www.tonylama.com.

Media Contact

Taylor Morton, Tony Lama, 8173482894, [email protected], tonylama.com

SOURCE Tony Lama
thyssenkrupp Steel and RWE have signed a long-term Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) to supply green electricity to the first direct reduction (DR) plant at the Duisburg location with electrically powered melters.

The contract, with a term of 10 years, provides for a delivery volume of 112 GWh per year. The electricity will be generated at RWE's Nordsee Kaskasi offshore wind farm, 35 kilometres off the coast of Heligoland.

This means offshore wind energy will make a significant contribution to supplying the energy for the tkH2Steel transformation project in future, and will help in achieving climate goals. Additional contracts with green electricity producers will be required to fully supply the system with green electricity.

Electric hot metal from renewable energy

In conjunction with the two electrically operated melters, the direct reduction plant will be integrated into Europe's biggest iron and steel plant as a technologically new plant combination. The direct reduction plant which is 100% hydrogen-capable produces directly reduced iron (DRI), referred to as sponge iron, from iron ore.

The DRI is melted into hot metal using CO2-free electricity in the two identical melters. With a capacity of 2.3 million metric tonnes of regeneratively produced hot metal per year, up to 3.5 million metric tons of CO2 emissions can be avoided annually. This innovative approach is a significant step on the path to sustainable and carbon-neutral steel production.

Foundation of a sustainable industry

The partnership with RWE is an important building block in the company's energy strategy, as part of the tkH2Steel transformation project, with the goal of sustainable steelmaking. This strategy envisages successively increasing the requirement for electricity generated from renewable sources, and thus paving the way for carbon-neutral production.

"Renewable energy is a core element in our transformation strategy alongside the use of regeneratively produced hydrogen  a separate public call for tenders is currently underway for this," explains Dr Arnd Kofler, Chief Technology Officer at thyssenkrupp Steel. "The cooperation with RWE is the first step towards meeting the renewable electricity requirements in the tkH2Steel project. By concluding this PPA, we are taking one step further on the path to carbon-neutral production."

Ulf Kerstin, Chief Commercial Officer of RWE Supply & Trading, says: "We are delighted that we can support thyssenkrupp Steel in decarbonising steel production. With our Growing Green investment and growth campaign launched in 2021, we are further expanding our green electricity portfolio in Germany and making a significant contribution to the success of the energy transition. Kaskasi is our sixth wind farm in the German North Sea and the next farms are already under development. The North Sea cluster will create a further 1.6 gigawatts of offshore wind power in the coming years.--TradeArabia News Service
China is playing a leading role in the world's just transition towards renewable energies, the Deputy Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) Gauri Singh told Xinhua recently on the sidelines of the World Governments Summit in Dubai.

According to the IRENA's Renewable Capacity Statistics 2023 published in March last year, China accounted for about 48 percent of the increase in global total renewable capacity in 2022.

Two-thirds of the new hydropower capacity, 45 percent of the new solar capacity, half of the new wind capacity, and 57 percent of the new bioenergy capacity in 2022 were installed in China.





Produced by Xinhua Global Service 
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.  Theres still time to register for the 2024 Indiana Small Farm Conference. The 12th annual conference and trade show will take place Feb. 29 through March 1 at the Hendricks County Fairgrounds in Danville.

Its an honor to host this event and help advance small-farm production and profitability within the state, said Bernie Engel, Glenn W. Sample Dean of Agriculture. We are thankful that this event has continued through the years and appreciate the involvement of our Purdue Agriculture professionals, as well as industry experts and small-farm producers. With a variety of sessions, the trade show and networking options, the schedule has something for everyone.

Sessions offered at the two-day conference include topics ranging from raising turkeys on pasture to mushroom cultivation, agritourism, marketing, fermentation and flower farming. Learn more about the sessions, demonstrations and trade show schedule here.

The trade show is a great opportunity for exhibitors to showcase products and services in a relaxed atmosphere to a variety of clientele, said Phil Cox, Purdue Extension agricultural and natural resources educator in Vermillion County. If youre interested in exhibiting your products or services, there is still time to register as a vendor.

This years conference includes a keynote presentation from Michael Kilpatrick, a farmer, educator and host of the top-rated Thriving Farmer Podcast.

Its the small farmers who are in the best position to provide fresh, local food their communities need, Kilpatrick said. With the right systems in place, any small farmer can become a thriving, cash-flowing source of food for their community.

The last date for online registration (which includes meals and breaks) is Wednesday (Feb. 21). On-site registration will be available, but meals and breaks will not be available.

For more information or to sign up, visit the Indiana Small Farm Conference website at purdue.ag/sfc.

Follow the conference on X (formerly known as Twitter) @SmallFarmPurdue, on Instagram @PurdueDFFS or on Facebook at @PurdueExtensionSmallFarms, with the hashtag #PurdueSmallFarms.

About Purdue University

Purdue University is a public research institution demonstrating excellence at scale. Ranked among top 10 public universities and with two colleges in the top four in the United States, Purdue discovers and disseminates knowledge with a quality and at a scale second to none. More than 105,000 students study at Purdue across modalities and locations, including nearly 50,000 in person on the West Lafayette campus. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdues main campus has frozen tuition 13 years in a row. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap  including its first comprehensive urban campus in Indianapolis, the new Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. School of Business, and Purdue Computes  at https://www.purdue.edu/president/strategic-initiatives.

Writer/Media contact: Nyssa Lilovich, nclilovi@purdue.edu

Source: Amy Thompson, afthompson@purdue.edu

Agricultural Communications: 765-494-8415;

Maureen Manier, Department Head, mmanier@purdue.edu

Agriculture News Page
A Harding County man filed a complaint for damages against a truck driver, a trucking firm and its insurer over injuries he suffered in an accident near Logan in 2021, alleging the trucker was incompetent.

The plaintiff, Nathan Eggart, asserts that Iowa-based CRST International shouldnt have employed driver William Llewellyn of North Carolina, citing his previous traffic violations.

Eggart filed the lawsuit in district court in Tucumcari on Feb. 9 against Llewellyn, CRST and Ace American Insurance.

The Roybal-Mack & Cordova law film in Albuquerque filed the suit on Eggarts behalf.

According to the complaint, the accident occurred the morning of Feb. 27, 2021, on U.S. 54 near Logan.

Eggart, 20 at the time, was driving west on the highway in a pickup truck. Llewellyn was behind him in a Freightliner truck owned by CRST.

Eggart had stopped on the highway with his left turn signal activated. Llewellyn crashed his rig into Eggarts vehicle, causing it to spin, flip across the highway and come to rest on its top on the south side of U.S. 54.

The lawsuit states Llewellyn has a history of traffic infractions within the State of New Mexico prior to the citation resulting from the collision, which is the subject of this complaint.

Those infractions include no proof of insurance, failure to keep proper lookout, improper display of registration, speeding and careless driving, the suit states.

Llewellyn was cited for careless driving after the Eggart crash and later pleaded no contest.

Eggart was taken to Trigg Memorial Hospital in Tucumcari for nausea, bruises and abrasions, and back, head and neck pain.

He later was diagnosed with herniated discs in his spine. The complaint states Eggart continues to be treated for injuries from the collision, including possible future surgery.

It states Eggart has incurred medical bills and has suffered from lost wages and employment as a rancher and barn builder due to his injuries.

The lawsuit alleges two counts of negligence by Llewellyn, plus counts of liability, negligent hiring and negligence by CRST, stating Llewellyn was an incompetent driver unfit for his employment.

Eggart requests a jury trial.

A lawyer for Llewellyn, CRST or Ace was not listed in online court documents.
A $10 million allocation to help build a new Tucumcari hospital made it through the New Mexico Legislature as it concluded its 30-day session Thursday, plus more than $2 million in capital outlay projects throughout Quay County.

All projects are subject to a possible line-item veto from Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham through March 6.

Kimberly Legant, a principal with Hull Consulting of Albuquerque, which is Quay County governments lobbyist, said the $10 million in funding for the construction of a hospital in Tucumcari-Quay County was inserted in a Senate amendment of the general appropriations bill three days before the session ended.

Legant said that version of the bill was approved by both chambers and sent to the governors desk.

A spokeswoman for the governor was asked whether the $10 million would survive a possible line-item veto.

We are evaluating the budget now, and improving healthcare access will certainly be a priority as we do so, Maddy Hayden stated in an email Friday from the governors office.

County manager Daniel Zamora previously said that once the $10 million state appropriation is approved, he would request another $20 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to complete funding to build a new Dr. Daniel C. Trigg Memorial Hospital just south of the current facility.

Zamora said last week he was hopeful ground would be broken for the hospital by spring 2025, though he admitted that timeframe might be optimistic.

The infrastructure at the current Trigg Memorial Hospital, built almost 60 years ago, is beginning to fail, hence the countys efforts to build a new facility.

Here are other capital outlay projects in Quay County approved by the Legislature:

 Tucumcari cemetery office building replacement, $40,000;

 Princess Theatre renovations in Tucumcari, $135,000;

 Tucumcari water line repairs, $750,000;

 Quay County sheriffs office vehicle purchases, $100,000;

 Quay County pneumatic roller purchase, $250,000;

 Quay County dump truck and utility equipment for the road department, $400,000;

 Village of Logan water system improvements, including a well and storage tank monitoring system, $300,000;

 House Community Center kitchen improvements, $30,000.

With Tucumcari projects, city commissioners just before the legislative session made a new water line serving residents north of the railroad tracks the highest priority. City manager Paula Chacon said three of four existing water lines no longer worked in that area.

The commission also made a new office building at Tucumcari Memorial Park cemetery a high-priority item, as well.

Regarding capital outlay projects paid with general obligation bonds, the Tucumcari Senior Center and Logan Senior Center are slated to receive $266,000 and $25,000 respectively for renovations to those facilities.

This year, the Legislature awarded more than $1.5 billion for capital outlay projects.
Members of the Princess Theatre Task Force said Thursday they likely would use new capital outlay funds for facade improvements and renovating the offices of the long-closed venue.

The organization met shortly after the New Mexico Legislature ended its 30-day session. The city-owned downtown theater on Main Street is due to receive $135,000 in new capital outlay funds if it survives a line-item veto from Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.

The original capital outlay request was $1.5 million.

City manager Paula Chacon said if the Princess front offices are renovated, they can be rented out and generate revenue.

Chacon also said a request for proposals has been mailed to several prospective companies to conduct an economic viability study and make facade improvements on the theater.

City Clerk Angelica Gray said Asbestos Experts in Rio Rancho would be ready to go to remove lead and asbestos from the site as soon as paperwork issues are resolved. She said she hoped work could begin as soon as this week.

Chacon said she expects that work to take six to eight weeks once it begins.

The city is using about $200,000 from last years capital outlay award for the remediation, plus about $50,000 of the remainder for facade improvements and the RFP.

Former mayor Ralph Moya, who presides over the task force, said he wanted to address rumors that reviving the Princess Theatre was not feasible.

He asserted the theaters overall structure is sound, and its roof is less than 10 years old.

Moya said a resurrected Princess Theatre will help revitalize downtown because Tucumcari lacks a venue for cultural events.

Once we get it going, well get a lot of events coming down, Moya said.

Connie Loveland, director of Tucumcari MainStreet, said shes been in contact with officials in Dalhart, Texas, about its La Rita Theater on how the Princess can get into the loop in booking acts with it and other small theaters in Santa Fe and Lubbock.

The Princess Theatre was built by Arch Hurley and partner Gene Hawkins as the H-H Theatre in 1917. They renamed it the Princess Theatre a few years later.

The theater closed in 1962 after a fire and never reopened. The city took over ownership of the theater in the early 1980s.
The Tucumcari Senior Center will hold a meeting on Feb. 27 to let people enroll in the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program.

The senior center will hold its enrollment from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. that day.

The program gives participants fresh, locally grown fruits, vegetables, herbs and honey from local farmers markets, farm stores or farm roadside stands.

Participants can also receive healthful recipes and receive food-health awareness tips.

People who are non-native Americans age 60 and over, Native Americans age 55 and older and senior citizens in a household who are income eligible can apply.
A felony suspect who barricaded himself in a van in the middle of the busy South First Street corridor in Tucumcari after a low-speed chase Friday was apprehended by police nearly five hours later.

After two flash grenades detonated near the suspect's van had no apparent effect, a New Mexico State Police robot rolled up to the vehicle and held a canister containing a teargas variant into its driver's side window.

The suspect crawled out of the window, where he was grabbed and detained by a slew of state police officers in tactical gear. A smattering of first responders and witnesses applauded as the man was arrested.

Court records identified the suspect as Edwin R. Corrales, 40. Tucumcari Police Chief Patti Lopez initially identified him as a Mexican national, but court records also state he resides in Glendale, Arizona. Lopez initially identified him as Edwin Ruben Corrales Gonzales.

Corrales briefly was examined by emergency medical technicians in a nearby ambulance after his arrest, then placed into a Tucumcari Police squad car.

According to court records filed Monday, Corrales was charged with armed robbery, aggravated fleeing of a law enforcement officer, criminal damage to property (over $1,000) and resisting, evading or obstructing an officer.

Three of the four counts are felonies. The most serious charge, armed robbery, could lead up to nine years in prison and an $18,000 fine.

Lopez said the initial call about the suspect came at 10:29 a.m. Friday after Corrales and a male passenger in the van, later identified in the complaint as Paul Klander, became embroiled in an argument as they were traveling from Arizona to Florida.

Corrales brandished a machete at the passenger, who exited the vehicle in an area of South Second Street behind the Allsup's convenience store, Lopez said. The complaint states that Corrales robbed Klander of $2,000 in cash.

Local police tried to speak to Corrales, but he refused. He began a low-speed, intermittent chase with officers in the area, including circling around the McDonald's restaurant and Desert Inn motel on South First Street. A sheriff's deputy placed a spike strip behind the van, flattening its rear tires.

At one point during the stop-and-go chase, Lopez said Corrales backed his van into one of the police cars.

Lopez said a Tucumcari police officer suffered a cut hand trying to push aside a broken window in the van. She said the injury wasn't serious.

Corrales finally stopped his vehicle in a center turn lane of South First Street, where he barricaded himself inside.

"He refused to come out because he thought we would shoot him," Lopez said.

Several police vehicles boxed in the van to keep it from moving. According to the complaint, Corrales went into the rear of the van and closed a cage behind him. Klander told police he believed Corrales had a gun.

Dozens of law enforcement vehicles - including those from state police, city police and the Quay County Sheriff's Office - closed several blocks of South First Street during the standoff. Ambulances and a Tucumcari firetruck also were on standby.

City employees in their vehicles blocked off streets and provided traffic control. Police ordered onlookers to stay about a block away, fearing they might be hit by possible crossfire.

Officers were seen pointing their guns at the van while others took defensive positions behind their vehicles.

Klander told police he met Corrales online about a week ago in Phoenix, and Corrales hired him to do "mechanical stuff." They agreed to drive to Miami to meet up with Klander's friends and left Phoenix at 7 a.m. Thursday.

"Paul stated Edwin and him smoke methamphetamine on their way there, alternating between who would drive," the complaint states. "Paul also stated Edwin smoke Fentanyl on the trip."

Klander said Corrales had been awake for six days but refused to sleep, "continuing to smoke bowls of meth."

During the standoff, Lopez said several officers tried to negotiate with Corrales by phone and urged him to surrender.

By mid-afternoon, officers twice tossed flash grenades that exploded with a large bang near the van. State police soon brought two tactical vehicles to the scene.

Finally, a NMSP robot holding a canister containing a teargas variant reached through a driver's side window into the van, prompting Corrales to crawl through the window and show his hands. A state police officer explained the robot held the canister aloft to keep it from accidentally setting fire to trash inside the van.

Traffic was reopened about 4:30 p.m. after Corrales' van was towed away.

Magistrate Judge Noreen Hendrickson found probable cause for the charges, and Corrales remained in custody at the Quay County Detention Center on Monday.

No other court hearings had been scheduled, nor had an attorney been assigned for Corrales.
This aerial photo taken on June 2, 2023 shows the Xiong'an Railway Station in Xiong'an New Area, north China's Hebei Province. (Xinhua/Zhu Xudong)

SHIJIAZHUANG, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Until a few years back, locals in China's Xiong'an New Area, also dubbed the "city of the future," were perhaps not much into drinking coffee, but today it has evolved into a daily staple for many, with local coffee shops serving as hubs for networking, business discussions and exchanging entrepreneurial ideas.

The Migu Cafe in Xiong'an is an innovative space, blending a coffee shop, reading nooks, and a technology and innovation experience center by China Mobile. Just at the cafe's entrance, a coffee-making robot captivates the attention of passersby.

With its bulging body and flexible arms, this machine skillfully carries out the entire process of making hand-brewed coffee, including weighing and grinding beans, placing coffee powder, and pouring hot water.

"Just wait a few minutes and you can enjoy a cup of coffee laced with technology. The robot can make as many as 500 cups of coffee in a single day," shop manager Wang Ying said, adding that since the opening of the shop last October, the robot has attracted many customers.

Cheng Bo, a staffer at China Mobile's Xiong'an office, has his office just above the Migu Cafe. "I prefer to talk with my clients in coffee shops rather than conference rooms, as they offer a stimulating environment with diverse elements," he said.

When Cheng began working in Xiong'an in 2018, it was hard to find a cafe. Now, alongside the burgeoning coffee scene, the city also boasts upscale hotels, he said.

An aerial drone photo taken on Feb. 6, 2024 shows the construction site of the China Mobile Xiong'an smart city science and innovation center in Xiong'an New Area, north China's Hebei Province. (Xinhua/Mu Yu)

Fueling the surge in coffee's popularity is a vibrant city buzzing with fervent activity in science, technology, innovation and entrepreneurship.

China announced plans to establish the Xiong'an New Area on April 1, 2017, aiming to relieve Beijing of functions non-essential to its role as the national capital and to advance the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

China's leadership has pledged to build Xiong'an into an innovative, green, smart and world-class city in line with the country's high-quality development path.

Li Yazhou, general manager of Hebei Xiong'an Luoshu Technology Co., Ltd, said the cafe inside Xiong'an New Area Zhongguancun (ZGC) Science Park is a place he frequents.

"This cafe is a shared workspace filled with the aroma of coffee and people's passion for innovation and creation. People exchange ideas and countless opportunities arise from there," he said.

Located on the second floor of the office building in the science park, the cafe often serves as a meeting space featuring several sofas to create a cozy and comfortable atmosphere.

It could also be converted into a conference room, and a large, movable screen can be placed at the end of the long table to display PowerPoint presentations.

In November last year, a roadshow was held at this cafe to offer guidance to companies on how to improve their financing path and optimize their development plans.

Since its inauguration last August, the ZGC Science Park has become home to many high-tech companies, including enterprises in fields such as artificial intelligence, smart hardware and biomedicine. The occupancy rate of the first phase of the science park reached 90 percent.

"Xiong'an is an appealing city. I am honored to participate in the development of Xiong'an and grow together with it," Cheng said.

China Mobile is building a smart-city science and innovation center in Xiong'an, and plans to promote its partners to this center, according to Cheng. 
Pay too much attention to the goings-on in Congress and youd think our nation is broken. But focus your attention closer to home and youll see an altogether different picture.

Take the New Mexico Legislature as an example. It just went through a whirlwind 30-day session and got plenty done, and not just for the special interests. The people of our state, both left and right, might actually benefit from our lawmakers recent actions.

Altogether, 72 bills were passed and now await Gov. Michelle Lujan Grishams signature to become law.

That count is according to Source New Mexico, which also reported the governor wasnt altogether satisfied with the crime-and-punishment legislation passed. Its not off the table that we have a public safety special session, the governor said immediately after the session ended.

Crime and public safety have been top-of-mind for the governor since an 11-year-ol boy was shot and killed outside an Isotopes game in Albuquerque last September. At that time, she imposed restrictions on carrying firearms in public, riling up pro-gun enthusiasts around the state while promising to do what she could to stem the tide of violence.

Anti-crime efforts also helped pass a couple of measures pushed by Republicans  one to raise the prison time imposed on convicted murderers, the other to tighten up pre-trial detention for repeat felons. Other measures, for a seven-day waiting period for gun purchases and firearm restrictions in and around polling places, also passed this session, without the Republicans support.

Education also received a lot of attention, with an overall 6% hike in spending that included millions of dollars for literacy and bilingual programs, along with school employee raises to bring everyone up to at least $15 per hour. However, two other actions  to change high school graduation requirements and to curb the state Public Education Department and its effort to essentially require a five-day classroom schedule per week  really hit home for schools around the state.

Again, it was Republicans who got the PED restriction in place, with help from some rural Democrats. The governor may well line-item veto that right out, but if she does it will be to the consternation of a lot of rural school districts that have found four-day classroom schedules to be advantageous for their own budgets as well as a good for recruiting new teachers.

Republicans are making it out to be an issue of local control, and indeed it is  especially for the smaller districts where four-day schedules are already in place.

Meanwhile, the Democrats latched on to another issue thats near and dear to the hearts of rural school districts  career technical education, or CTE.

Lawmakers, including some Republicans, see this as an important first step toward a stronger workforce, and again, theyre right.

Of course, all this and more was done in the shadow of a $10.2 billion budget, the biggest in state history. Lawmakers were able to throw plenty of money at just about every perceived problem this state has and still keep nearly a third of the states revenues in reserves.

But, despite the reserves, wasteful spending is taking place. Ive never seen a government that doesnt waste taxpayers money on something or another. But, unlike Congress, our state lawmakers are actually getting things done without having to scramble every few weeks just to pay the bills.

Tom McDonald is editor of the New Mexico Community News Exchange. Contact him at:

[email protected]
When he returned home from a visit to the Soviet Union in 1981, Cato Institute co-founder Ed Crane wrote a classic essay (Fear and Loathing In the Soviet Union) in which he called into question the views of both left and right about the U.S.s then-foremost enemy: To those on the left who felt communism a worthy, growth-infused alternative to capitalism and freedom, Crane calmly pointed out that the U.S.S.R. was desperately poor, with routinely bare store shelves picked over by miserable people. As for the members of the right convinced that a military buildup was necessary to beat the Soviet menace, Crane wisely pointed out that the Soviet Union presented no threat simply because it lacked any economy, and without an economy it lacked the means to go to war with the richest country on earth.

Cranes thinking comes to mind now as members of the right and left denigrate so-called isolationism on the right in increasingly negative terms. This write-up is but one answer to the critics. The view here is that rather than rebutting real reasons for non-interventionism, critics are instead cherry-picking the worst arguments for avoiding global conflict; ones that non-interventionists dont recognize as having much to do with their own reasoning. In other words, and without speaking for all non-interventionists, my strong lean against foreign adventurism has nothing to do with veneration of Donald Trump, disdain for Joe Biden, reverence for Vladimir Putin, fear that the U.S. is too weak or too broke, and it certainly has nothing to do with wanting to save bullets, bombs and money for an eventual war with China over Taiwan.

To begin, and with Crane very much in mind, its useful to point out that in 1980 the U.S. had total debt of $900 billion, and the yield on the 10-year Treasury note was over 11 percent. In 2023 the U.S. has more than $33 trillion in total debt, yet the 10-year note presently yields over 700 basis points less than it did in the 1980s. If we think of 1986 as the high point of the Ronald Reagan era, the average yield on the 10-year in 1986 was 7.67 percent.

The rise in the value of Treasuries since the 1980s is a response to New York Times columnist David Frenchs recent opinion piece that a major driver of isolationism on the right is rooted in the rights belief that the nation is in ruins and cant afford foreign commitments. The latter has nothing to do with my own non-interventionist stance.

In my case, I dont desire a reduced foreign footprint for the U.S. political class or military because were broke, but because were the opposite of broke. See Treasury yields. Our political class can access funds quite a bit more cheaply now than it did in the 1980s, and thats whats so troublesome. Politicians and bureaucrats who have a track record of getting so much wrong have way too much money at their disposal, and thats dangerous.

I strongly believe governmental incompetence doesnt stop at our borders. The very conceit that inspires politicians to fix things domestically applies to the dangerous notion of do something overseas. What worries me is the matching of governmental incompetence with copious amounts of capital from investors around the world, and who line up to lend to the U.S. political class precisely because the United States isnt broke.

Applying this way of looking at U.S. foreign policy to Ukraine, it has so far received $77 billion worth of support from the U.S., but the previous number doesnt scratch the surface of what were capable of providing. In the latest funding bill from Congress, $60 billion more will be directed to Kyiv.

Which brings up another worry. Please consider the proposed financial commitment to Ukraine with Russias total debt well in mind: Russia can presently claim $190 billion built up over many decades. Think about those numbers for a second or two. U.S. politicians who cant get anything right domestically have tens of billions at their disposal to direct to Ukraine, and in ways that drag us even further into a proxy war with Russia. Can those who turn their noses up to those of us who look askance at the size of our commitment really be so sure that there wont be substantial blowback? Why are rhetorical skeptics of domestic federal spending so sure well be get the spending right overseas? Without pretending for a second as some strangely do that Vladimir Putin is a sympathetic figure worth siding with, is Ukraine all that interventionists on the left and right have suddenly cracked it up to be?

Addressing the last question, no doubt Ukraine is a nascent democracy as some assert, but until fairly recently conservatives in particular looked askance at a country defined by corruption and astounding cronyism which included a certain energy company that purchased tight relations with Hunter Biden. Yet almost overnight a nation long known for its dishonest and oligarchic ways has become a cause celebre on the left, and within the so-called Establishment on the right? Why? And how does putting ourselves at war with Russia make us safer? If the answer is that war with Russia weakens Putin, how did that work out in Iraq after Saddam Hussein was taken out? Non-interventionists arent as optimistic as interventionists seemingly are that a Russian version of Thomas Jefferson is waiting in the wings after Putin. How quickly the always certain interventionists forget how disastrous our intervention was in the Middle East

About the Middle East, conservatives in particular are finally admitting that perhaps the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and broader attempts to democratize the Middle East, were much less than successful. Trillions spent, and thousands of lives lost for what? Yet suddenly the very individuals who expressed the utmost certitude about intervening in the Middle East are expressing enormous disgust for skeptics of rising involvement in Ukraine, and surely beyond. Its as though what happened in the Middle East didnt happen.

After that, and pivoting squarely back to Ukraine, can we realistically say that life under Putin would be so much worse for Ukrainians versus the present Ukrainian leadership? If the answer is an unequivocal yes, interventionists might then contemplate their certitude with the present state of Ukraine top of mind. More specifically, interventionists would do well to answer the 20 percent decline in Ukraines population since fighting broke out. To show readers how substantial the previous number is, and how incredibly crippling it could be, consider that since 2015 Venezuela has lost 25 percent of its population. Without speaking for other non-interventionists, Ill say that the fight that interventionists argue has been so worth it has in fact been disastrous for Ukraine. In the words of 19th century classical liberal John Stuart Mill about the ability of a nation to come back from difficulty, it mainly depends on whether the country has been depopulated.

From there, what about the hundreds of thousands killed in a conflict arguably made possible by U.S. funds, not to mention the not insignificant destruction of so much within Ukraine? And when the fighting does eventually end, can anyone say with a straight face that it wont be the U.S. paying for a rather expensive rebuild?

All of the above in mind, is it beyond the pale to suggest that no matter the outcome of the war, Ukraine and its tragically much smaller population will be much worse off? Does the previous speculation at least rate a fair hearing among those who lean more interventionist, and who are a bit more supercilious than the average bear?

One reasonable response from the interventionist side of the Ukraine argument is that if Putin had been allowed to take Ukraine without a fight, that he likely wouldnt have stopped there. Maybe, maybe not. The bet here is maybe not, however, and the speculation is not informed by any presumption of foreign policy expertise. Instead, its an economic presumption. See Russias total debt of $190 billion once again. The latter isnt a signal that Putin is a classical liberal thinker who understands that government spending is a cruel tax on progress, rather its a market signal that Russias economy is small now, and worse, investors dont expect much growth from Russia in the future. Paraphrasing Crane, Russia plainly lacks the economy to expand its footprint in Europe or anywhere else.

About whats been written so far, it cannot be stressed enough that its not meant as a rebuttal as much as its meant to offer a viewpoint that generally isnt found in the efforts of opinion leaders to besmirch isolationists. Without once again speaking for all non-interventionists, Ive yet to read a critique of non-interventionists that at all reflects what inspires my own, or that of the many non-interventionists I know. Which requires a pivot to Taiwan. Interventionists fear that rising non-interventionism in the U.S. signals to China that Taiwan is too distant to defend.

About Taiwan, it would be interesting to ask those who lean interventionist on the matter just how deep their commitment actually is. Assuming China invades Taiwan, would conservatives ever fearful of debt be willing to commit the treasure necessary to maybe save Taiwan from China? What if American blood is required in addition to treasure? About both, memory says Lawrence Lindsey was vilified by members of the right for putting a bigger price tag on U.S. involvement in Iraq than the Bush administration had estimated. It turns out Lindseys alleged overstatement about cost was understated by many miles. In which case its worth asking what it would cost to defend Taiwan in dollars, not to mention the much bigger cost in terms of people.

Taking this further, how giddy would the interventionists be if the cost of saving Taiwan included a draft? These questions rate asking given the size of Chinas economy. Quite unlike Russias, Chinas economy is large and growing. Unlike what interventionists suspected about Iraq and Afghanistan, U.S. military involvement meant to defend China would logically be quite a bit bloodier? Is protecting Taiwan from Xi Jinping worth it?

Of course, the much bigger question is whether a military response to China trying to acquire Taiwan is even necessary. The size of Chinas economy requires mention yet again, along with the sizable flow of investment from the Mainland to Taiwan, and Taiwan to the Mainland. As this economic interconnectedness grows, so will the cost of any kind of bloody reunion. Good. Much better than an implied guarantee of military support, how about we encourage the very economic interconnectedness between China and Taiwan (perhaps an erasure of any and all Taiwanese tariffs on any goods from the Mainland?) that would make war of the shooting kind so costly for the two.

Indeed, one of many reasons behind my full support for open markets in the U.S. is that they make the cost of war with the U.S. so frightfully large. Really, who wants to shoot at their best customers? This is something to think about as the more interventionist among us increasingly demonize Chinese businesses, including most notably TikTok. If we ignore that TikToks immense popularity in the U.S. is a rather loud hint that its not controlled by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), we cant ignore that its 150 million U.S. users exist as somewhat of a peaceful shield for the U.S.

Whats true for China is happily true for us. Enormous symbols of American capitalism including Apple, Coca-Cola, McDonalds, Starbucks, and Nike (to name a few) derive a not insignificant amount of their valuations from sales in China. This is a powerfully peaceful signal. War is bad for business, and war between the U.S. and China would be tragically bad for the economies of both countries. Good once again. As this is being written, McDonalds just announced plans to increase its China store count from 5,500 to 10,000. Isolationists like me dont want to retreat from the world, rather we very much want to be economically connected to it because were for freedom, because trade is the path to soaring prosperity, plus while it doesnt ensure that there will never be war, free trade certainly makes it less likely. Its a long way of saying that isolationists arent isolationist in their foreign policy as much they feel that the best foreign policy is rooted in good economics, not a massively global troop presence. Instead of calling us isolationists, call us modern disciples of the great British free trader Richard Cobden, and the Manchester School of thought that the 19th century free thinker was best known for. As Cobden put it about free trade and peace, theyre one and the same cause.

This is worth thinking about yet again with regard to Taiwan. Cross border investment between the mainland and Taiwan is enormous, which means an acquisition of Taiwan by China with guns would by extension be very costly in too many ways to count. It raises a question about whether the U.S.s implicit guarantee of Taiwans defense is as wise is assumed. Doesnt it delay more rational talks between Beijing and Taipei, and to the detriment of Taiwan? See the current state of Ukraine if you disagree.

Indeed, have the implications of a war between Taiwan and China been contemplated? If so, or even if not, lets accept the view of the more interventionist among us that China is led by some bad people. Despite that, but with Ukraines parallel depopulation and destruction well in mind, can anyone say with any confidence that Taiwan would be in much better financial and human shape after a successful war with China for its independence? What if theres a loss? And again, how much blood and treasure are Americans willing to expend for such an uncertain outcome?

Contrast the above with serious talks between Taiwan and China that might lead to a more peaceful re-unification, and without loss of life for China, Taiwan or the U.S. Are we really so wedded to the notion that Chinese leadership is too communist, authoritarian, or name the pejorative? It rates asking mainly because a visit to China itself reveals a country quite unlike the one portrayed in conservative media. While right-of-center media gives the impression of a communist state defined by totalitarianism, to visit Chinas cities (Ive been to Beijing, Shanghai, Urumqi, Shenzhen, and Kashgar) is to be bombarded with Americana everywhere one looks. McDonalds expansion has already been mentioned, after which China is the biggest non-U.S. market for Nike, Starbucks, Tesla, and Apple, GM sells more cars in China than North America, etc. etc.

To merely mention the happy truth that the formerly starving Chinese are eating, and that China is an essential driver of U.S. prosperity, routinely gets me in trouble with members of the right. Fair enough. Liberty is what matters. At the same time, it doesnt take a foreign policy genius to know that war between Taiwan, China, and eventually the U.S. will bring enormous harm to all three, and at the certain cost of liberty. Theres got to be a better way.

Which explains once again the viewpoint of non-interventionists. Were not that way because we want to retreat from the world, but because we loathe war and think economic interconnectedness is much better as a driver of good foreign policy outcomes than are military alliances, interventions, or both. To which foreign policy eminences routinely turn up their noses. Really, how idealistic, how naive to imagine that trade will make the world safer from bad people?

Ok, but its not unreasonable to reply that its similarly naive to presume that military force backed by billions and trillions will make the world safer or better. Think Iraq and the Middle East again, and think once again how certain so many foreign policy eminences were about a positive outcome. Except that as former Iraq War proponent Martin Peretz put it in his memoir, he wasnt aware of how much I didnt know I didnt see. Well, yes. And my response isnt see I told you so, as much as the world is a complicated place. And war incredibly complicated. Avoid it all costs. What reads as simple rarely is. And its not made better with more money coughed up by eminently fallible politicians.

In closing, my non-interventionism once again has little to nothing to do with how prominent members of the right and left are describing it to their readers. Mine is rooted in a Manchester School belief that free trade is the greatest foreign policy concept mankind ever came up with, so lets try it. If we ever forget the latter, lets remind ourselves (members of the right in particular) why were so skeptical of government in the first place: its incompetent, and that incompetence doesnt stop at our borders. And if we ever forget the first two truths, lets constantly remind ourselves of a conservative truth that incompetence is rarely improved when more money is thrown at it. Theres my so-called isolationism, a way of looking at the world that critics of isolationism have yet to address.
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Netflix is giving a glimpse of the new film Irish Wish.

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The streaming service shared a trailer for the romantic comedy Tuesday featuring Lindsay Lohan

Irish Wish is written by Kirsten Hansen and directed by Janeen Damian (Falling for Christmas).

Lohan plays Maddie Kelly, a shy book editor who is hopelessly in love with Paul Kennedy (Alexander Vlahos), the bestselling author she's been ghostwriting for.

After Paul gets engaged to Maddie's best friend Emma (Elizabeth Tan), Maddie makes a wish that comes true and sees her become Paul's bride-to-be. As she prepares for the wedding, Maddie starts to fall for the photographer James (Ed Speleers) and doubt her infatuation with Paul.

"It's a nice story of luck and love and confidence," Lohan previously told Netflix's Tudum.

"It's important to put yourself first and know your worth," she added. "If you know you deserve better, go for it and get it."

Jayne Seymour and Ayesha Curry also star.

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Irish Wish premieres March 15 on Netflix.

Lohan will also star in the holiday romantic comedy Our Little Secret for Netflix.
The screenshot captured from a video released by the Houthi group on Feb. 20, 2024 shows the wreckage of a U.S. MQ9 drone on a beach in Hodeidah, western Yemen. The Houthi group had shot down a U.S. MQ9 drone in the airspace of Hodeidah Governorate, according to Houthi military spokesperson. (Xinhua)

SANAA, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's Houthi group announced Monday evening that they launched missile attacks against two U.S. ships in the Gulf of Aden, saying the hits were "accurate."

In a televised statement aired by the group's satellite TV channel al-Masirah, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said the attacks against American ships, Sea Champion and Navis Fortuna, were "accurate and direct," without specifying the damages or casualties.

According to Sarea, the attacks brought the total number of Houthi operations during the past 24 hours to four. The first targeted a British ship resulting in its complete sinking. The second shot down a U.S. MQ9 drone in the airspace of Hodeidah Governorate, while the last two attacks targeted two American ships.

"Our operations in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea will escalate and will not stop unless (Israeli) aggression (on Hamas) stops and the siege on the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip is lifted," the Houthi military spokesperson said in the statement.

Earlier in the day, Britain's Maritime Trade Operations agency said the crew had safely departed the attacked Britain-registered vessel.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Central Command said in a brief statement posted on social media platform X that the British cargo vessel was hit by two ballistic missiles fired from Houthi-controlled areas in northern Yemen.

"Between 9:30 and 10:45 p.m., Feb. 18, two anti-ship ballistic missiles were launched from Iranian-backed Houthi terrorist-controlled areas of Yemen toward MV Rubymar, a Belize-flagged, UK-owned bulk carrier. One of the missiles struck the vessel, causing damage," the U.S. Central Command said.

"The ship issued a distress call and a coalition warship along with another merchant vessel responded to the call to assist the crew of the MV Rubymar. The crew was transported to a nearby port by the merchant vessel," the U.S. Central Command added.

Shortly before the Houthi forces' televised statement, the Houthi forces accused the United States and Britain of launching an airstrike on the area of Al-Jabanah in the port city of Hodeidah, which is under Houthi control.

Residents there said an explosion occurred in an empty location.

On Saturday, the U.S. Central Command conducted "five successful strikes in self-defense" against Houthi targets, including mobile missiles and "for the first time" underwater drones.

It said its strikes since January against the Houthi forces aimed to degrade the Houthi military capabilities.

However, Houthis, in response, have increased and expanded their attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since last November to include the U.S. and British navy ships recently.

The Houthi forces have been controlling the strategic Hodeidah on the Red Sea since the 2018 UN-sponsored Stockholm Agreement, which was backed by the United States and Britain, forcing the Yemeni internationally recognized government out. 

The screenshot captured from a video released by the Houthi group on Feb. 20, 2024 shows the wreckage of a U.S. MQ9 drone on a beach in Hodeidah, western Yemen. The Houthi group had shot down a U.S. MQ9 drone in the airspace of Hodeidah Governorate, according to Houthi military spokesperson. (Xinhua)
Jean Cottingim sits behind the wheel of University of Georgia bus number 041 on the Park and Ride route. Behind her, you can see a flyer titled: Help out one of your drivers.

That flyer never comes down.
Air India and Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL), a player in aerospace and defence solutions, on Monday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Karnataka government for an investment of Rs 2,300 crore in the states aerospace and defence sector.

Photograph: ANI via Twitter

The strategic move is expected to enhance Karnatakas aerospace ecosystem and help create over 1,600 direct and 25,000 indirect jobs in the state.

The MoU was signed in the presence of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and State Industries & Infrastructure Development Minister MB Patil.

We are delighted to witness this landmark collaboration between the Tata group companies  Air India and Tata Advanced Systems  and the Government of Karnataka.

"This investment propels Karnataka's aerospace industry to new heights and augments employment opportunities, thereby contributing to the state's economic growth, said Siddaramaiah.

The MoU stated that Air India will establish maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facilities at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru (operated by Bangalore International Airport Ltd).

It will start with airframe maintenance through the development of wide-body and narrow-body hangars for all checks, including heavy structural checks.

This initiative will help develop the broader MRO ecosystem in India and is expected to generate over 1,200 highly skilled employment opportunities in the state.

As Air India plans to enhance its connectivity in Bengaluru, this initiative is a step towards its deeper presence in the city.

It will scale its direct connectivity to various global destinations and aggregate traffic from Southern India.

The investment by TASL will be directed towards various efforts, including implementing an aircraft modification, conversion, completion and MRO facility for defence purposes.

An indigenous gun manufacturing, including a barrel manufacturing facility, will be set up along with an R&D unit in the aerospace and defence sector.

According to the MoU, these ventures are expected to generate over 450 highly skilled employment opportunities in the state.

This initiative by Air India will help us become more self-reliant for the maintenance of our fleet.

"It also reiterates our commitment to strengthen Indias aviation infrastructure by boosting the growth of the countrys MRO industry, said Nipun Aggarwal, chief commercial & transformation officer, Air India.

This joint partnership is expected to be a step forward in propelling the aerospace industry's progress, fostering innovation, and sparking economic growth throughout the region.

The MoU is further expected to strengthen the supply chain for over 200 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the state.
Can the launch of smartphones under its own brand name by Finnish company HMD Global  despite having a licence to use the Nokia brand which it bought from Microsoft  help it regain its once dominant position in the mobile phone sweepstakes in India, where it was once routed?

Photograph: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters

In 2009, Nokia was the countrys largest MNC with revenues of $4 billion and a market share touching 80 per cent in 2010.

After this, its fortunes fell.

Although it had been the first global player to set up an assembly plant, not only to assemble phones for the local market but for exports, it had to shut down operations in 2014.

But recently, HMD announced a new strategy, saying it will come out with its own branded smartphones in 2024 across the globe.

This triggered speculation that it could be curtains for the Nokia brand, at least in the smartphone market.

But company executives clarified that it will continue to make Nokia phones and move to a multi-brand strategy across the globe.

Nokias fortunes in the smartphone market have seen a plunge in India.

According to Counterpoint Research data, its market share fell from 4.5 per cent in 2013 and stagnated at a mere 0.4 per cent in 2022 and 2023, dislodged by the aggressive Chinese companies and by South Korean giant Samsung, even though Samsung was once number two to Nokia in its heyday.

However, it has been able to push the pedal in the lower end feature phone market even though the Chinese company Transsion is at the top of the pecking order, controlling 28 per cent of the market.

But Nokia has been able to pull back its market share which fell from 23.8 per cent in 2012 to 12.8 per cent in 2022 by making a smart comeback.

It increased its market share to 14.9 per cent in 2023.

Brand experts differ on whether building a new brand from scratch will work in India and globally.

It is the story of a fallen prince from once being the undisputed leader of the mobile business, said Sandeep Goyal, chairman of Rediffusion.

Will a rebranding work? Very unlikely.

"It will take cutting edge technology, great innovations, superlative design and huge investments in brand building to cover a global market and succeed.

Experts in the mobile business also say it could be risky. Neil Shah, founder of Counterpoint Research, called it a double-edged sword.

For an OEM transiting away from an established and nostalgic brand such as Nokia, it will have some effect on the overall trust and brand equity of the OEM.

"The brand name has been a saviour for its feature phone business which has been profitable and allowed the company to dabble in the broader smartphone and services segment, said Shah.

He points out that the Nokia brand has had a minimal effect on smartphones so moving forward, this could actually be a blessing in disguise to come to the market with fresh HMD branding, especially in smartphones.

He cautions, though, that building a new brand in a crowded and mature smartphone market will be an uphill task and will require a lot of dollars.

Other brand experts say Nokia still has a lot of residual brand value.

Brand expert Lloyd Mathias who has worked with many brands such as Pepsi, Motorola, and Tata Teleservices, said the residual value will provide an opportunity to leverage and rejuvenate.

What HMD Global is trying to do is a complete disconnect with the legacy brand and what it means and building a new one ground up.

"Its not an easy task, said Mathias.
If you are planning to buy an electric car in the near future, it would be highly advisable to wait for these upcoming electric SUVs.

All photographs: CarBike360.com

As the global automotive landscape transforms, India stands at the forefront of the electric revolution.

With a slew of upcoming electric cars and SUVs (EVs), automakers are challenging traditional norms and redefining the concept of sustainable and high-performance transportation.

Let's take a detailed look at five upcoming electric SUVs that promise to shape the future of personal mobility in India.

1. Tata Harrier EV

IMAGE: The Tata Harrier EV.

Tata Harrier EV will be Tata's first electric SUV with AWD (all-wheel drive) capability.

With a dual motor setup, one each for front and rear wheels, the Harrier EV will come with offroading capabilities that its on-sale ICE powered version misses out on.

Moreover, talking about the driving range, the Harrier EV will likely offer a real world range of 500+ km.

Just like the newly launched Punch EV, the Harrier EV will also be based on Tata's newly introduced advanced pure EV architecture -- acti.ev (Advanced Connected Tech -- Intelligent Electric Vehicle).

This will enable some advanced and next generation features like V2V (vehicle to vehicle charging), V2L (vehicle to load charging), over the air updates, cloud-connected telematics/IoT tech, and next gen connected car features.

When launched, the Harrier EV will rival the likes of the upcoming Mahindra XUV.e8, BYD Atto 3, Hyundai IONIQ 5, etc.

Expected PriceL Between Rs 30 lakh to Rs 35 lakh (ex-showroom/approx).

Expected Launch Date: End of 2024 or early 2025.

2. Tata Curvv (Azura) EV

IMAGE: The Tata Curvv (Azura) EV.

Tata Curvv EV has been spotted a number of times during its testing.

The coupe style electric SUV is likely to hit the roads sometime in the mid 2024, before its ICE version.

A few months ago, Tata trademarked the Azura name in India, signalling Azura as its actual production name.

Similar to the Punch EV, the Curvv EV will also be underpinned by Tata's new acti.ev architecture, making it Tata's 2nd second gen EV model.

Just like Punch EV, the Curvv EV will also offer features like V2V, V2L, Alexa integration, OTA update capability, advanced connected car tech, frunk, etc.

Also, it will come with a flat floor, and no central transmission tunnel, making the rear seats more spacious.

Moreover, we expect it to come with a driving range of 400 to 500 km and a single motor front wheel drive setup.

Being the first mass market coupe style electric SUV, the Curvv EV will rival the likes of Hyundai Kona Electric, MG ZS EV, upcoming Mahindra BE.05 etc.

Expected Price: Between Rs 20 lakh to Rs 25 lakh (ex-showroom/approx).

Expected Launch Date: Mid or second half of 2024.

3. Mahindra XUV.e8

IMAGE: The Mahindra XUV.e8.

Likely to be unveiled sometime around 2024 end or early 2025, Mahindra XUV.e8 will be the electrified version of XUV700.

With minute design and cosmetic changes on the outside, the XUV.e8 will get significant upgrades in the cabin and interior.

It will offer three 10.25 inch screens in the front dashboard instead of two in the XUV700. The first being the driver's display, the second being the infotainment touchscreen and the third being the touchscreen for co-driver/passenger.

Moreover, the XUV.e8 will come equipped with level 2 ADAS tech.

However, we expect Mahindra to offer a 3 radar configuration in XUV.e8 instead of 1 in the XUV700.

Also, on the range front, it is expected to come with 500+ km of driving range, and in single motor rear wheel drive setup or dual motor all wheel drive setup.

When launched, the XUV.e8 will become the most expensive and premium model from the Indian SUV maker and will rival the likes of the upcoming Tata Harrier EV, BYD Atto 3, Hyundai IONIQ 5, etc.

Expected Price: Between Rs 35 lakh to Rs 40 lakh (ex-showroom/approx).

Expected Launch Date: End of 2024 or early 2025.

4. Skoda Enyaq

IMAGE: The Skoda Enyaq.

Set to arrive soon in India, Enyaq will be Skoda's first electric model.

Also, Skoda has confirmed that the Enyaq will first be launched as a CBU (Completely Built Unit) and the brand might take the CKD route at a later stage, based on customer response & demand.

The electric SUV is set to offer some advanced features like 360 degree camera, front and rear parking sensors, auto/self park feature etc.

Although the Enyaq is confirmed to come with dual motor all wheel drive setup, we are not sure if there would also be an option for single motor front wheel drive/rear wheel drive setup.

Moreover, based on its WLTP cycle range, it is expected to offer 400 to 500 km of driving range in India.

Upon launch, it will become the most expensive Skoda in India and will likely rival the likes of Volvo XC40 Recharge, Hyundai IONIQ 5, etc.

Expected Price: Between Rs 40 lakh to Rs 50 lakh (ex-showroom/approx).

Expected Launch Date: Q2 or Q3 of 2024.

5. Kia EV9

IMAGE: The Kia EV9.

Confirmed to launch in India by the end of 2024 or early 2025, the Kia EV9 will be the most expensive and flagship model of Kia Motors.

The three row electric SUV is likely to come in two seating configurations i.e. 6 and 7 seater options.

Also, it is likely to come in dual motor all wheel drive as well as single motor rear wheel drive setup.

As Kia EV9 is based on the E-GMP (Electric Global Modular Platform) - the same platform of the Kia EV6, we expect it to come with a real world driving range of over 500 km.

On the safety front, the Kia EV9 might also come equipped with level 3 ADAS (autonomous driving) tech with multiple sensors like radar, camera and LiDAR.

Moreover, Kia is likely to equip it with at least 150 kW DC fast charging if not the 350 kW DC charging that it gets in some international markets.

When it launches in India, we expect the Kia EV9 to compete with other premium SUVs from German brands like Mercedes Benz, BMW, Audi etc.

Expected Price: Between Rs 70 lakh to Rs 90 lakh (ex-showroom/approx).

Expected Launch Date: 2nd Half of 2024 or early 2025.

Upon launch, all the above mentioned electric SUVs will change the perception of EVs in India by offering better real world driving range, faster DC charging, next gen connected car tech, level 2 or 3 ADAS tech, and many more advanced features.

With the arrival of these e-SUVs, 4 wheeler EV penetration in India will definitely increase and the EV adoption will see a substantial growth.

Therefore, if you are planning to buy an electric car in the near future, it would be highly advisable to wait for these upcoming electric SUVs.
The BJP will enter this election, as it does every election, as if it is fighting to prevent a 2004-style defeat.

This is a party that wins big because it always behaves as if its back is to the wall, predicts Mihir S Sharma.

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Bharatiya Janata Party President J P Nadda at the BJP national convention 2024, February 18, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

Twenty years ago, a popular Union government went back to the people, expecting a fresh mandate to govern.

The prime minister was clearly the best-loved politician in the country by far, and the Opposition was led by a leader of unknown abilities who had never won an election.

The political instincts of the ruling party were unparallelled, and it had won the previous election on a surge of nationalism.

The country felt optimistic, and on the cusp of an economic boom.

The world was paying attention to India for the first time, and events like Davos seemed devoted to praising the India story. India seemed to be, well, shining.

We all know what happened in 2004: The National Democratic Alliance failed to achieve a workable majority.

Most of us in the cities of India were shocked. Multiple analyses have since been written of that loss, and various reasons proffered.

The numbers, without any analytical gloss, suggest that the Bharatiya Janata Party had too few allies that won, and though the party easily outdid the Congress in one-to-one fights in places like Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, it could not make up for the losses of its allies in states like Tamil Nadu and Bihar.

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee himself was relatively reticent about what went wrong, but indicated on one or two occasions that it had been hard to hold his coalition together after the BJP began to be seen by some allies as too anti-minority.

His colleague L K Advani, meanwhile, argued that it had been simple overconfidence: India Shining was a mistake.

Mr Advani's explanation is the one that has gone down in popular history and the public mind as the real one, whatever its actual truth.

The greatest sin in Indian politics, we are often told, is overconfidence.

Is the BJP overconfident in 2024? Internally, the party is confident of improving on its extraordinary showing in 2019, which was itself a startling improvement on its unprecedented majority in 2014.

Is it too certain of pulling off three successive miracles?

We can never know for certain how the Indian electorate will vote, of course: This is too diverse and unpredictable a country.

I merely offer three reasons why 2024 might be different from 2004, even if the vibes are similar.

IMAGE: Sonia Gandhi, then Congress president, at an election rally in New Delhi May 8, 2004. Photograph: B Mathur/Reuters

First, the Congress is weaker today. In 2004, it still had some giant strongholds undivided Andhra Pradesh, for one, under Y S Rajasekhara Reddy could deliver 36 of its 42 seats to the Congress and its allies.

It was the dominant partner even in smaller states like Jharkhand, where it won six seats to its ally the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha's four.

But extended spells out of power are far worse for patronage-based parties like the Congress than for cadre-based parties like the BJP.

The party machinery in many parts of the country has simply atrophied.

Even if there is rural anger in 2024 which there supposedly was in 2004 it is unclear if the Congress retains the ability to harness it and transform it into votes.

The BJP was an also-ran in states like Assam in 2004; it is now the dominant force in such places, with the Congress local offices simply withering away.

IMAGE: Then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, right and then deputy prime minister Lal Kishenchand Advani at an election rally in Amritsar, March 26, 2004. Photograph: Kamal Kishore/Reuters

Second, Uttar Pradesh. For 25 years the 80-seat behemoth of the north was irrelevant to New Delhi politics.

The Congress and BJP would split 15 or 20 of those seats between them, but the rest went to regional parties who could be enticed into either camp or neither after the elections.

This ended in 2014. The lock that the BJP now has on UP politics makes it almost impossible to dislodge.

It begins every election campaign with more seats in the bag than the Congress currently has.

IMAGE: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi during his 66 day Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Prayagraj, February 18, 2024. Photograph: Ritesh Shukla/Reuters

And third, the BJP may be confident but the BJP of 2024 may be incapable of being overconfident.

The defining characteristic of how this prime minister and home minister participate in politics is that they leave nothing to chance.

No Opposition leader or possible ally is left unassailed or un-courted.

Every single narrative is dominated by the BJP's foot soldiers.

No crevice of Indian politics or policy, no nook of the media, is allowed to exist free of BJP scrutiny or influence.

Its mindset is completely different 20 years on. The BJP will enter this election, as it does every election, as if it is fighting to prevent a 2004-style defeat.

This is a party that wins big because it always behaves as if its back is to the wall.

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
On one hand, South Indian states have been complaining about denial of a proportionate portion of the sharable funds from the Centre, based on population.

On the other hand, they stand to lose Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha seats that again are based on population, points out N Sathiya Moorthy.

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin at the inauguration of the Khelo India Youth Games 2023 at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium in Chennai. All photographs: ANI Photo

Now that the countdown has sort of begun for the Lok Sabha polls, anti-BJP ruling parties in at least three south Indian states -- Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu -- have revived politics divided on regional divide -- or, have they?

Even without it all, the Centre-state drift has only widened under the BJP-NDA regime since 2014 despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi spelling out 'cooperative federalism' as the corner-stone of his politico-administrative policy nearer home, which was rather very long ago by current reckoning.

All three states have issues with the Centre's sharing of federal funds through GST and other means with the states.

Other states too have complained for some years now of how the BJP Centre was not disbursing their share from the collective pool on time.

But south Indian states, including Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, the former now being ruled by the BJP's Congress rival, have another problem.

So has Maharashtra, the nation's richest state with most top industrial houses having their registered offices mainly in capital Mumbai.

Independent of party affiliations, for decades now, south Indian states, especially the three named, and more so, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, have been charging the federal arrangement with penalising them for their good work on economic growth and population control.

Karnataka MP D K Suresh even told Parliament that no one should be surprised if the southern states wanted to go on their own.

Naturally, it raised hackles in ruling BJP circles, also because Suresh is Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar's brother.

Ruling party MPs lost no time in castigating Suresh for his 'anti-national, separatist' comment.

But from an apolitical standpoint down South, there were supporters and more so silent sympathisers.

That was because Suresh was echoing popular sentiments, especially in Kerala and Tamil Nadu for over four decades.

There are twin elements. Both are population-centric.

On one hand, they have been complaining about denial of a proportionate portion of the sharable funds from the Centre, based on population.

On the other hand, they stand to lose Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha seats that again are based on population.

The decennial Census, delayed because of the Covid pandemic, will follow the Lok Sabha polls, and delimitation of constituencies will follow in 2026.

The last time population-centric revision of Lok Sabha seats were worked out unofficially, Tamil Nadu was to lose seven seats from the existing 39 and Kerala, five from 20. That was three decades ago.

Now, both states have a lower population growth rate than in the past and thus the writing is clearly on the wall for them both.

IMAGE: Modi with Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at the inauguration of the Boeing India Engineering and Technology Center campus in Bengaluru.

What makes the south Indian states, and a silent or not-so-silent section of the population, upset about the functioning of the federal scheme is this.

Owing to un-arrested or relatively less-faithfully enforced population-= control measures, north Indian states have managed a higher population growth rate -- thus getting more central funds and more Lok Sabha/Rajya Sabha seats after the upcoming decentralisation.

No one has specified it as yet, but demands like the previous one that successive central governments had acted upon in the past may come up this time, too.

On those occasions, Parliament passed laws to freeze the number of Lok Sabha/Rajya Sabha and assembly/council seats at the existing number with only delimitation work undertaken for an even distribution of population across constituencies in the same state.

But the same cannot be said of finances. As ruling DMK leaders have been arguing, Tamil Nadu now gets only 29 paise for every rupee that the state pays as taxes to the Centre, or the central pool.

When the issue was raised repeatedly in Parliament this time more than any time during the recent past, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman reeled out figures to show how over successive years, the state has been receiving more funds from the Centre than in previous year(s).

This was when the argument was not about annual allocations, but about the state's share of the central funds as a share of taxes and duties paid to the central pool from Tamil Nadu.

The two are different issues, but the Centre, DMK leaders say, was obfuscating the real issue.

The recent short duration Budget session of Parliament thus witnessed the chief ministers of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan (CPI-M) and Karnataka's Siddaramaiah (Congress) leading separate protests in the capital over the fund-sharing issue.

DMK MPs had their own protests, all of them separately, but each of them also sent representatives to the other two.

The Kerala government has also moved the Supreme Court in the matter, where other non-BJP states too are expected to implead themselves.

IMAGE: Modi with Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi at the inauguration of the Khelo India Youth Games 2023 in Chennai.

With or without the Lok Sabha polls, the Tamil Nadu assembly in its short-duration maiden session for the year passed two resolutions -- one against the Centre's delimitation move and another against the not-so-very-frequently discussed 'one nation, one vote' idea, for simultaneous polls to the Lok Sabha and all state assemblies all at once.

Interestingly, the Opposition AIADMK backed the delimitation resolution and reserved its decision on the other for another day.

In a rare decision, the Centre made former President Ram Nath Kovind to chair what essentially was a political panel to hear out people and parties on the simultaneous polls issue and come up with its recommendations.

In a way, it is a feeble attempt to capitalise on Modi's personal charisma, where guaranteed victory in the Lok Sabha polls (as assumed) should make it a smoother drive in most if not all states.

In the past, during the Emergency, the authorless, ownerless 42nd Amendment draft proposed a presidential form of government, to sweep the nation under then prime minister Indira Gandhi's charismatic leadership.

In the 1990s, the BJP-NDA had mooted the idea within inner circles, to capitalise on then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's greater acceptance level than anyone from the collective Opposition.

There was no knowing why the Congress did not pursue the idea during the Emergency (1975-1977) but the BJP Centre changed tack after losing parliamentary polls in crucial Hindi belt states.

Thus when Stalin declared elsewhere that Modi was treating states like municipalities for them to resort to market-borrowing more than already, had politics and reality rolled into one.

His taking Modi's name was politics but the denial of borrowing rights for states is entrenched in the DMK's founding principles that were later refined and defined in common man's language.

Thus party founder C N Annadurai's assertion of 'Vadakku vaazhgiradhu, therku theigiradhu' ('North is thriving, South is waning', in economic terms) was accompanied by a call for 'Maanilaththil suyatchi. maththiyil koottatchi' or 'Self-rule for the states, cooperation/coalition at the Centre.'

The DMK proposed the latter as a way out, and Stalin's father M Karunanidhi as chief minister in the 1970s appointed the Justice P V Rajamannar committee to study Centre-State relations.

The longest-serving chief justice of the Madras high court, Rajamannar was also the chairman of the Fourth Finance Commission.

IMAGE: Modi with Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in Kochi.

Hence, when Modi mouthed the phrase 'cooperative federalism', the DMK, which was then weak on that score after decadal transformation, hoped it would work.

Stalin has, however, found that such fond hopes have not borne fruit but has triggered new elements from independent non-Dravidian sources and background distanced from the founding days of the Dravidian movement in what they call the 1990s kids in the IT generation, now graduating to AI and more.

For the rest of the affected states, it's a real problem in terms of funds availability -- and when they want it -- as the Centre's dispersal of GST shares has been erratic even in these days of post-Covid economic recovery.

For Tamil Nadu it is also an ideological climbdown from the original 'separate Dravida Nadu' concept.

It was a way to integrate in the national mainstream and thus for national integration, too.

The underlying, unidentified strains thus have the potential for another Jallikattu kind of protests of January 2017.

On that occasion, multiple elements of the Tamil social identity merged in contemporary political realities where the state, the faceless organisers felt, was not getting its due, the respect due to an ancient civilisation, language and culture, but in the 21st century milieu.

They dig deep not only into history but also fiscal and economic status of states under the Union and draw conclusions that are at variance with whatever is being proffered by the BJP-ruled Centre.

Today, a situation has arisen when the ruling dispensations in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Punjab, not to rule out Delhi, where regional governments have problems with the functioning and thinking of the gubernatorial appointees of the Modi dispensation in Opposition-ruled states.

They are all waiting for the way the governors handle the Congress governments in Karnataka and Telangana.

Telangana especially has the history of Governor Tamizhisai Soundararajan, and the previous chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao took her to the Supreme Court, which also chided her.

The Tamil Nadu government has already moved the Supreme Court, which in turn advised Governor R N Ravi in so many words to fall in line with the spirit and also the letter of the Constitution.

He created a new issue possibly for himself when he walked out of the state assembly without reading the annual address, customarily prepared for him.

It was the second year in a row that he was doing it, and it will be for the Supreme Court to decide if a governor had the right to use his private opinion and ideological views, however conscientious, to check the veracity of a speech prepared by the elected government.

Even without it, Ravi and his Kerala counterpart Arif Mohamed Khan, a 'neo-convert' to the BJP brand of nationalism after his days in V P Singh's Janata Dal, have problems with their state governments. The reverse is true even more.

IMAGE: Modi exchanges greetings with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

Now after the Supreme Court's decisive ruling in the 'electoral bonds case', the Opposition-ruled states are hoping for a clear-cut direction from the apex court on multiple matters affecting their relationship with the Union and the governors appointed by them.

It is much trickier than any other before the Supreme Court, now and earlier, but the outcomes in individual cases flowing from multiple 'federal issues' also have a medium and long-term impact on the politico-constitutional system that is called 'India that is Bharat'.

For his part, Stalin, from among the non-BJP, anti-BJP southern CMs, focussed more on 'federal issues' after carefully avoiding the term lest he should be misunderstood, and listed out what he qualified as the top 10 achievements of his 'Dravidian model' of government.

He cited the party's forgotten 'North-South' parable, and listed out how the South, especially Tamil Nadu, was in the top-rung, in terms of economic growth and contribution to the national kitty in GDP terms and otherwise, and also in education, healthcare and many other parameters.

'All this has been achieved despite facing severe financial crunch, challenges posed by national calamities' and what he termed as the 'step-motherly treatment... from the Union government'.

The chief minister praised his predecessor and AIADMK Leader of the Opposition EPS for joining hands with his government after the party's break-up with the BJP ally.

It is another matter that the BJP-friendly sections of local media, especially social media, have dubbed it all as a 'great conspiracy' against the party and its government at the Centre. It remains to be seen which of it gels with the voter.

After a point, trying to shout out Dravidian critics of the BJP and the Modi leadership as 'anti-nationals' and much worse, using the choicest epithets of the Hindutva brigade, may not work in the state.

It is also because the party has exhausted the stock by using them all against the Congress rival at the national level and the Nehru-Gandhi leadership over the past decade especially.

Instead, such attempts could prove counter-productive in Tamil Nadu. That is because from the very definition/interpretation of Hinduism, supremacy of language and culture, Tamil Nadu travels at a different plane, supposedly at a higher plane than the rest.

Outsiders are unable to comprehend it to be able to appreciate it, or even deprecate it effectively, but every such uninformed attempt only hardens grassroots-level views in the state.

It is not a healthy sign, yes. But it cannot be levelled in this NRI/NRT era of IT professionals, who abound in and from states like Tamil Nadu, through sloganeering and heckling, within and outside Parliament.

The BJP, if it hopes to rule the nation for a longer period than already, should devise new and more appropriate ways. They can start by shedding at least a part of their 'north superior' mindset or the impression that they end up giving others in the matter.

N Sathiya Moorthy, veteran journalist and author, is a Chennai-based Policy Analyst and Political Commentator.

Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com
'My suspicion is that most of the bonds were given by companies who had got contracts or who had benefited from policy changes by the government.'

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi being garlanded by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah and Bharatiya Janata Party President J P Nadda at the BJP National Convention 2024, February 18, 2024. Photograph: @AmitShah/X

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Supreme Court Advocate Prashant Bhushan argued for the petitioners in the electoral bonds case which squashed the Narendra Modi government's law that allowed for unlimited, secret corporate funding of political parties through electoral bonds.

"Unless there is a stay on the judgment, they (the Modi government) have to comply with it (the judgment) and if they don't comply, it amounts to contempt," Prashant Bhushan tells Prasanna D Zore/Rediff.com.

You were one of the lawyers who argued for annulment of the electoral bond scheme. How do you look at the Supreme Court judgment that has gone in your favour?

It's a very important and significant judgment, not only for striking down this sort of anonymous and dishonest scheme for political funding through electoral bonds, but it also underlines how our electoral democracy has become a game of money.

The judgment also points out that there is a great dichotomy between the fact that there is a limit on spending by individual candidates, but there is no limit on spending by political parties.

It's also important because it strikes down the removal of restrictions on corporate funding of political parties.

Finally, it's very important because it asks the State Bank of India to disclose the details of who purchased the bonds and which parties received those bonds.

Now, this will shed a lot of light on whether there was a quid pro quo. My suspicion is that most of the bonds were given by companies who had got contracts or who had benefited from policy changes by the government.

A lot of it (money received by political parties via electoral bonds) would be quid pro quo.

A lot of it would be just arm twisting, meaning they (the government) threaten them (the corporates) with (investigating agencies like the Enforcement Directorate, Central Bureau of Investigation and Income Tax department).

How easy would it be to prove this quid pro quo once the Election Commission publishes the names of these coprorates?

It would look like quid pro quo if the donations are made proximate to the policy changes or the contracts in favour of those corporate.

And then it's a matter for further investigation by an agency, by whatever.

Would you have any hope from the agencies to actually investigate and connect the dots?

No, I don't have much hope from these agencies. But the court can always set up an SIT as they did in the 2G case or in the Coalgate case. I would expect a court monitored investigation by the CBI (to find out if there was a quid pro quo).

The court monitors the investigations?

Yes. But given how the court has been behaving, I do not even expect the court to order court monitored investigations. But, of course, this judgment is a very important judgment, a very good judgment.

Could you tell us what are the far reaching consequences, if any, of this judgment?

The Supreme Court has mentioned that money power has been destroying our electoral democracy. The judgment has been a scathing judgment. It's quite a remarkable judgment in that sense.

Will this judgment bring more transparency and accountability so far as funding of elections in India is concerned?

Will the politicians tug at their moral compass now as the Supreme Court has struck at the heart of electoral funding in India?

This was quite a secret, opaque, way of electoral funding. Not that the system before that was full-proof.

But even now (after the judgment on electoral bonds), you can always give cash and a lot of the political parties can declare that cash as less than Rs 20,000, or less than Rs 2,000. They can say (this cash) petty cash, even if they take (collect) Rs 1,000 crore (through cash).

They can say this is all petty cash donors. And secondly, there is a lot of unaccounted cash flowing into political parties also. And it's not just political parties, it's also candidates. That's why I had been saying that if the government was serious about reining in (influence of black money on elections) when they did demonetisation (November 8, 2016) and Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) said, I want a cashless economy.

If he was serious about that, then he should have at least passed a law, a very simple amendment, saying that political parties and candidates will not be allowed to take money (in cash) or spend by cash. Everything should be through bank transactions.

Political parties and candidates contesting elections to the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, Vidhan Sabha could have been forced by a law to spend in elections only through bank transactions.

The most striking feature of this judgment seems to be the Supreme Court asking the SBI to submit names of corporate donors by March 6 to the Election Commission, which in turn has to publish them before March 13.

Does this leave the Modi government any room to wiggle out of this situation?

Well, they can do two things. One is they can file a review and don't comply with this judgment and claim that we have filed a review. Therefore we are not complying. And they have 30 days to file the review. They can do that, but strictly speaking, that is not legal.

Unless there is a stay on the judgment, they have to comply and if they don't comply, it amounts to contempt. But then it's up to the Supreme Court to prosecute them for contempt.

The other option is to bring in a law (through a special session of Parliament). That law, as Kapil Sibal has pointed out, would be unconstitutional and would be struck down (by the Supreme Court).

But till it is struck down, they will claim that this law permits us not to disclose (the names of corporate donors and they won't).

This (judgment) certainly is a big slap on the face of the Modi government.

Would you have reasons to believe that the Modi government could bring, as you said, bring in a law or an ordinance?

Yes, because they (all political parties) will be mortally scared of the disclosure of the (names of) corporates behind this funding, especially the BJP.

Can we now say that the Rs 16,000-odd crore that political parties have got through these electoral bonds is unconstitutional money and that all the political parties have this unconstitutional money in their custody?

Shouldn't all political parties -- including the ruling and the Opposition parties -- return that money back to the donors or to perhaps the Prime Minister's Relief Fund?

No, it's been struck down because there is lack of transparency. The law about the removal of (corporate) limit to political funding has been struck down. It's not that political donations are barred.

Companies can donate, but within that limit.

What our readers would like to know is this Rs 16,500 crore that has been generated through electoral bonds, unconstitutional money now?

No, I wouldn't say that.

Do you think political parties should take the moral high ground and return this money back to the corporates who donated it now that the Supreme Court has called the scheme itself unconstitutional and struck it?

They (all the political parties) will say that we don't know who has given it. They'll have to refund it to the State Bank of India, which will have to refund it to (the corporates).
'If a poor voter sees Modi's picture on ration bags it is natural he will vote for Modi and the BJP.'

IMAGE: Recipients of free rations in bags carrying Prime Minister Narendra Modi's photograph. Photographs: Kind courtesy Ajay Bose

When Right to Information activist Ajay Bose saw ration bags with pictures of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on them being distributed to the poor on social media, he was intrigued.

Never in the history of Independent India were images of any prime minister printed on ration bags, he realised, and that this was being done at a time when general elections were a few weeks away and the Election Commission could announce the Model Code of Conduct any time.

Bose then decided to file an RTI petition asking the Food Corporation of India how much it cost to print Modi's image on ration bags meant for distribution under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PM-GKAY).

He soon got a reply from Rajasthan, and other states too started sending trickles of information, and he was startled to see the amount.

Bose tells Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com why he filed his RTI petition.

What made you file an RTI plea on the cost of printing photos of Prime Minister Modi on ration bags?

I filed the RTI plea after I saw on social media the pictures of PM Modi on ration bags carrying food grains meant for poor people under the Prime Minister Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana.

One bag in Rajasthan costs Rs 12.36 to the Government of India.

I put an RTI plea to the Food Corporation of India and they in turn sent my RTI application to different states and I got my first reply from Rajasthan.

And what did that say?

It said that they published a total 1,07,45,168 pictures of PM Modi on rations bags used to distribute rations for poor people. Each bag cost Rs 12.36 and when I calculated the total, the cost came to Rs 13,29,71,454 -- which is huge.

This was only in Rajasthan. What about other states?

IMAGE: RTI activist Ajay Bose.



I got a reply from Nagaland and Tamil Nadu. Other states wrote that they were in the process of distributing the bags and therefore they do not have the final figures. Some states said they have not yet called for tenders for bags.

What were they distributing in these ration bags?

They are distributing 5 kg of free rations that varies from state to state. For example, in the northern states it is mostly wheat and in southern states it is rice. Some states give chickpea and one litre oil, if I am not mistaken.

The scheme is being run under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, so what is wrong in carrying photos of the prime minister?

I filed the RTI plea because I feel it is wrong to use pictures of PM Modi on ration bags. We are very close to the elections and the Model Code of Conduct can come into force any time.

The election has to be a level playing field. And if a poor voter sees PM Modi's picture on ration bags, it is natural he will vote for PM Modi and his party, the BJP.

The Election Commission must take cognisance of this suo motu. They could have just printed the name of the scheme Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, which was fine. But why do you need PM Modi's photo on free ration bags?

If PM Modi wants to print his photo, then let the BJP pay for it from its own pocket, not from taxpayer's money.

Since you hail from Rajasthan let me remind you when the Congress was in power in the state there were pictures of Congress Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on the beneficiary items that the poor used to get.

I have not seen that here personally. But even if it is true, photos of Ashok Gehlot were not seen during elections for sure.

Let PM Modi give rations in bags without his photo. I personally feel instead of using PM Modi's photo on ration bags and spending so much money, the government could have given an extra ration item like cereals or tea to the poor.

They would have been happier to get their own bags from home and collect one extra item of ration for free instead of taking one less ration item in a bag carrying PM Modi's photo.

Moreover, the picture carrying PM Modi is made of synthetic material which cannot get spoiled or torn easily so this bag will surely last till the general elections of 2024.

You had taken on the railways over Modi selfie points at railway stations. What happened?

Yes, they stopped that practice after I filed my RTI plea asking how much it cost to put up photos of PM Modi on railway stations (external link) for selfies.

They had planned to install PM Modi's cutouts at universities in different states and even at Indian Army (cantonments) but they did not extend the scheme all over India.

Imagine, one selfie booth of PM Modi was costing Rs 625,000 per station. It should not have cost such a huge amount as contractors benefitted from putting up the selfie booths of PM Modi. And the temporary selfie booth was costing Rs 125,000.

I later got a reply from many universities that they were not placing Modi selfie points on their campus.

IMAGE: Ration bags with Modi's photograph on them kept for distribution.



Are you against the promotion of an individual in a democracy?

Yes, exactly. In my 51 years of my life I have never seen such photos of a PM everywhere before elections. This kind of self-glorification is not good. I don't like this I, me and myself politics.

When we got Covid vaccine certificates, without asking us we got PM Modi's picture on it.

He is ready to take credit for the vaccine, but at the same time, when there were so many deaths due to Covid, nobody thought of putting his picture on those death certificates.

Was putting up photos of PM Modi like this an earlier trend too?

The photos on ration bags have emerged now. This is being done at a time when we are very close to elections. There were no photos of PM Modi earlier and since I saw these photos on social media only now, I filed my RTI plea.

I don't recall seeing the PM's photos on ration bags in October 2023. I saw it now, therefore I filed my RTI plea on January 16 and started getting replies from different states now.

If we are giving 80 crore (800 million) Indians free rations, then (roughly) Rs 800 crore (Rs 8 billion) of taxpayer's money goes straight in these ration bags (with the PM's photos).

If the BJP wants to give out these rations, let them give it from their own funds.
BEIRUT, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- A four-story building in the Choueifat area, south of Lebanon's capital Beirut, collapsed on Monday night, killing four people and injuring four others.

The National News Agency (NNA) reported that the civil defense teams continued on Tuesday removing the rubble in search of more possible victims.

On Feb. 11, another five-story building in the same area collapsed, with no casualties reported.

Several buildings partially or completely collapsed across Lebanon over the past few years and citizens have repeatedly called for the relevant authorities to identify at-risk buildings and help relocate their residents. Still, a proper mechanism has yet to be adopted for this purpose.

According to the Lebanese Real Estate Authority, at least 18,000 buildings are at risk of collapse in Lebanon, including around 11,000 in Beirut and 4,000 in Tripoli.

Meanwhile, the World Bank estimates that 25 percent of buildings in Beirut are over 50 years old, compared to 17 percent in Tripoli, 16 percent in the south, and 15 percent in Mount Lebanon.

Many buildings in Lebanon were impacted by the repeated Israeli military attacks, the repercussions of the Beirut port explosions, and the heavy earthquakes that hit Syria and Turkiye. 
Congress general secretary Bhanwar Jitendra Singh on Tuesday said there is no truth in the speculation of senior party leader Kamal Nath joining the Bharatiya Janata Party and claimed such talks were a creation of the media and the saffron party.

IMAGE: Congress leader Kamal Nath. Photograph: Jitender Gupta/ANI Photo

Singh, the All India Congress Committee in-charge of Madhya Pradesh, arrived in Bhopal on Tuesday in the backdrop of suspense over former CM Kamal Nath's next move and escalating tension within the state Congress.

There has been intense speculation over future moves by Congress veteran Kamal Nath, despite repeated assurances from his associates on Monday that there are no plans for him to leave the party and cross over to the ruling BJP.

Asked about the speculation over Nath's next political move, Singh told reporters, "All these things are raised by the media and the BJP. There is no truth in it."

He arrived in Bhopal to attend a Congress meeting to review preparations ahead of the entry of party leader Rahul Gandhi-led 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' in Madhya Pradesh.

On the reason behind rescheduling the yatra's entry in MP from February to March, he said the yatra is on the way and there is no break. It is going on as per schedule, he said.

Asked about the timing of the yatra in view of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, Singh said, "This is the right time for the yatra, as it will cover more than 6,500 km and it will take time."

He said that in the meeting scheduled on Tuesday, preparations for the yatra will be discussed with all the MLAs and top leaders of the organisation.

The state Congress and the people of the state are eagerly waiting for it, he said.

MP Congress president Jitu Patwari said the people of the state are waiting for justice -- which is the guarantee of the BJP government -- like Rs 3,000 per month to women (under the Ladli Behna scheme), MSP (minimum support price) of Rs 3,100 for paddy and Rs 2,700 for wheat, and Rs 450 for LPG cylinder.

"The BJP also gave the guarantee of recruiting youth, but it seems at present it has asked those awaiting recruitment in jobs to wait and is busy recruiting leaders. There is no waiting time for them. The people of Madhya Pradesh should watch it and the Nyay Yatra will pave the way for giving justice to them," Patwari claimed.
The Delhi Police directed security personnel deployed at Delhi's Tikri, Singhu and Ghazipur border points to stay alert and conducted mock drills on Tuesday, a day ahead of protesting farmer's proposed march towards the national capital.

IMAGE: Farmers gather at the Shambhu border during their ongoing 'Delhi Chalo' protest, in Patiala on Tuesday, February 20, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

The move came a day after the protesting farmers rejected the Centre's proposal to buy pulses, maize and cotton crops through government agencies at minimum support price (MSP) for five years, and announced to continue with their 'Delhi Chalo' agitation on Wednesday.

In the fourth round of talks with the farmer leaders on Sunday, a panel of three Union ministers proposed that government agencies would buy pulses, maize and cotton at the MSP for five years after entering into an agreement with farmers.

Farmer leaders refused the proposal, saying it was not in favour of farmers.

Delhi Police officials said security personnel deployed at the three borders were on Tuesday asked to stay on alert.

They said commuters might face traffic congestion.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha are spearheading the 'Delhi Chalo' march.

Protesting farmers and Haryana police personnel clashed at the Punjab-Haryana border near Amabala on February 13.

The two border points of Delhi and Haryana -- Tikri and Singhu -- are sealed with the heavy deployment of police personnel and multi-layered barricades of concrete and iron nails.

Two lanes of the Ghazipur border have also been shut with multi-layer barricades and police personnel.

An official said if required, the Ghazipur border may also be shut on Wednesday.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (outer) Jimmy Chiram said there was sufficient deployment of the force, besides paramilitary personnel, at the Delhi-Haryana borders.

Another officer said the Delhi Police was prepared to stop the farmers at the Delhi borders.

Security personnel have been directed to not allow even a single protester or vehicle to enter Delhi, he said, adding that mock security drills were conducted during the day.

The Delhi Police has already stocked up 30,000 tear gas shells.

The officer said that checking vehicles on various roads leading to the central part of Delhi may lead to traffic congestion on Wednesday.
The Haryana police on Tuesday asked its Punjab counterparts to seize bulldozers which they say protesting farmers from Punjab have brought with them as they plan to resume their 'Delhi Chalo' from the interstate border.

IMAGE: Farmers gather at the Punjab-Haryana Shambhu Border as the farmers' Delhi Chalo protest march is to resume from February 21, in Patiala on Tuesday. Photograph: ANI Photo

The farmers were set to begin their march again on Wednesday from two points on the Punjab-Haryana border after the failure of four rounds of talks with the Centre over a legal guarantee on minimum support price for crops.

Though the farmers are still over 200 km from the national capital, Delhi Police on Tuesday conducted drills to ensure that its heavily barricaded entry points are not breached.

Thousands of farmers, who began the march to Delhi on February 13, were stopped at the Haryana border itself, where they clashed with security personnel. The farmers have been camping at the Shambhu and Khanauri points on Punjab's border with Haryana since then.

The Punjab and Haryana high court on Tuesday orally asked the Punjab government not to allow the farmers to gather in large numbers.

The court observed that tractor-trolleys cannot be run on highways according to the Motor Vehicles Act and said the farmers can go to Delhi by bus or using public transport.

Haryana director general of police Shatrujeet Kapoor, in an urgent communication to his Punjab counterpart Gaurav Yadav, asked Punjab Police to seize all bulldozers and earthmoving equipment acquired by farmers camping at the two border points to damage barricades.

He said such equipment may pose a threat to security forces and the owners of such equipment should be strictly warned against providing them to the protesting farmers as it would "amount to a criminal act".

"It is reliably learnt that heavy earthmoving equipment including proclain (digger), JCB etc., that have been further modified/armour-plated have been acquired by protesting farmers and have been deployed at the border locations where the protesters are camping right now.

"These machines are meant to be used by the protesters to damage the barricades thereby posing serious danger to the police and paramilitary forces deployed on duty and is likely to compromise the security scenario in Haryana," Kapoor said in his communication.

The last round of talks between farmers and the government ended past midnight on Sunday when a panel of ministers proposed buying five crops -- moong dal, urad dal, tur dal, maize and cotton -- from farmers at minimum support price for five years through central agencies.

The protest leaders have formally rejected the offer with Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal saying on Tuesday that it was not in the farmers' interest.

On the eve of resumption of the 'Delhi Chalo' march, Kisan Mazdoor Morcha leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said the Centre should convene a day-long Parliament session to bring a legislation on the MSP for crops.

The Kisan Mazdoor Morcha is spearheading the 'Delhi Chalo' agitation along with the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political).

Talking to reporters at the Shambhu border point, Pandher said, "We demand that a law to guarantee the MSP be brought. If the prime minister has the willpower, a day-long session of Parliament can be convened. No opposition party will oppose it."

Pandher said farmers have three big demands -- a legal guarantee on the MSP for all crops, the implementation of the "C2 plus 50 per cent" formula as recommended by the Swaminathan Commission and a farm loan waiver.

According to government reports, he said, farmers have a total debt of Rs 18.5 lakh crore.

He requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make an announcement that the farm loans would be waived while a mechanism for the same could be worked out later.

Replying to a question on the 'Delhi Chalo' march, Pandher said, "Our announcement (of going to Delhi on Wednesday) stands."

Delhi Police was also busy preparing to stop the protesters from entering the national capital and conducted mock drills.

Deputy commissioner of police (Outer) Jimmy Chiram said there is sufficient deployment of the force, besides paramilitary personnel, at the Delhi-Haryana border.

Another officer said Delhi Police is prepared to stop the farmers at the city borders. Security personnel have been directed to not allow even a single protester or vehicle to enter the capital, he said, adding that mock security drills were conducted during the day.

Officials said areas around the national capital's three border points might witness traffic congestion on Wednesday due to road closures.

Tikri and Singhu -- two points on the Delhi-Haryana border -- are sealed with heavy deployment of police personnel and multiple layers of concrete barricades and iron nails.

If required, the Ghazipur border might also be shut on Wednesday, an official said.

The Delhi police have already stocked up 30,000 tear gas shells.

Meanwhile, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, which spearheaded the 2020-21 farmers' stir, welcomed the decision of the farmer leaders to reject the Centre's MSP proposal, saying it's a step in the right direction that will ensure greater unity among farmers across the country.

It also called on farmer groups to join mass protests in constituencies of Bharatiya Janata Party-National Democratic Alliance MPs on Wednesday.
Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher on Tuesday sought that the Centre accept their demands, including a legal guarantee on the minimum support price (MSP) for crops and farm loan waiver, and said they will head to Delhi on Wednesday.

IMAGE: Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee General Secretary Sarwan Singh Pandher addresses a press conference at the Shambhu border . Photograph: ANI

His statement came a day after the farmer leaders taking part in the "Delhi Chalo" agitation rejected the Centre's proposal for procuring pulses, maize and cotton at the MSP by government agencies for five years, saying it was not in favour of farmers.

In the fourth round of talks with the farmer leaders on Sunday, a panel of three Union ministers proposed that government agencies would buy pulses, maize and cotton at the MSP for five years after entering into an agreement with farmers.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha are spearheading the "Delhi Chalo" march.

Talking to reporters at the Shambhu border point between Punjab and Haryana on Tuesday, Pandher, who represents the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, said the farmers have three big demands -- a legal guarantee on the MSP for all crops, the implementation of the "C2 plus 50 per cent" formula as recommended by the Swaminathan Commission and loan waiver.

Replying to a question, Pandher said at the meeting with the Union ministers, the farmers proposed that a law on the MSP be enacted by convening a special session of Parliament.

On the issue of loan waiver, he said according to government reports, farmers have a total debt to the tune of Rs 18.5 lakh crore.

He requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make an announcement that the farm loans would be waived, while a mechanism for the same could be worked out later.

"The BJP claims that the present prime minister is a strong prime minister. If he makes an announcement on waiving the debt of 80 crore farmers and farm labourers, it will stamp the BJP's claim that he really is a strong prime minister," Pandher said.

He asked the Union ministers to give their response to the various demands of the farmers.

Replying to a question on the "Delhi Chalo" march, the farmer leader said "our announcement (of going to Delhi on Wednesday) stands".

To another question, he said no demand of the farmers has been accepted by the Centre.

On the issue of death of two farmers during the ongoing protest, Pandher said the Punjab government should announce a policy in this regard and sought compensation and jobs for one of the family members of the deceased.

A 72-year-old farmer, who was part of the protest at the Khanauri border point, died of cardiac arrest on Sunday. Earlier, a 63-year-old farmer died of a heart attack at the Shambhu border.

On the issue of internet suspension in certain areas of Punjab, Pandher said the state government should make its stand clear on this.

Ashok Bulara, another farmer leader, said the government should frame a law on the MSP, waive farm loans and give rates in accordance with the "C2 plus 50 per cent" formula recommended by the Swaminathan Commission.

"Either accept our demands or we should be allowed to move towards Delhi for a peaceful protest," he said.

On Monday evening, SKM (Non-Political) leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal had said, "After holding discussions on two of our forums, it has been decided that the Centre's proposal is not in the interest of farmers and we reject it."

Asked if their call for a march to Delhi still stands, Pandher had said, "We will move to Delhi peacefully at 11 am on February 21."

The protesting farmers have been staying put at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana, after their "Delhi Chalo" march to press the BJP-led Centre for various demands, including a legal guarantee on the MSP for crops, was stopped by security forces.

They began their march on February 13 but were stopped by the security forces, which led to clashes at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points.

Besides a legal guarantee on the MSP, the farmers are demanding the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations, pension for farmers and farm labourers, farm loan waiver, no hike in the electricity tariff, a withdrawal of police cases and "justice" for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence in Uttar Pradesh, reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013 and compensation to the families of the farmers who died during a previous agitation in 2020-21.
Nationalist Congress Party founder Sharad Pawar on Tuesday said the draft of the Maratha quota bill passed by the Maharashtra legislature was similar to the earlier legislation which could not stand the scrutiny of the Supreme Court in the past.

IMAGE: NCP founder Sharad Pawar speaks to the media in Pune, February 17, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

"We need to see what happens to the fresh bill in the Supreme Court," Pawar told reporters in Kolhapur.

The state legislature has unanimously passed the Maharashtra State Socially and Educationally Backward Bill 2024 granting a 10 percent reservation to the Maratha community in government jobs and education under a new category.

"The draft of the bill cleared by the state legislature on Tuesday is the same as that of the one presented before the apex court. We need to see what happens to the fresh bill in the Supreme Court," Pawar said.

He met Kolhapur royal Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj at his residence.

"The bill passed today (Tuesday) is exactly like the bills cleared by the previous governments. Those bills could not stand the legal scrutiny," Pawar added.

Earlier attempts by the state governments to introduce the reservation for Marathas have been struck down by courts.

Notably, just ahead of elections in 2014, the then Congress government under Prithviraj Chavan issued an ordinance implementing a 16 percent reservation for Marathas. The Bombay High Court struck it down, citing the 50 percent limit imposed by the Supreme Court.

In 2018, the Devendra Fadnavis government announced a 16 percent reservation for Marathas, which was struck down by the top court in 2021 as it breached the 50 percent quota ceiling, and that there was no 'extraordinary circumstance' for justification.
Any fresh proposal for opening a zoo or starting a 'safari' on forest land will now require the approval of the Supreme Court, which on Monday issued a slew of directions for forest conservation across the country.

Image used for representational purpose only. Photograph: ANI Photo

The top court took note of the submission that the definition of forest under the 2023 amended law on conservation leaves out nearly 1.99 lakh sq km of forest land from the ambit of 'forest' which can be used for other purposes.

Dealing with a batch of petitions challenging the amendments to the forest conservation law of 2023, a bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra directed the state governments and union territories to provide the details of the forest land within their jurisdiction to the Centre by March 31 this year.

The top court said the ministry of environment, forest and climate change will put all the details on forest-like area, unclassed forest land and community forest land, to be provided by the states and UTs, on its website by April 15.

No Zoos/Safaris to be notified in forests lands without prior approval...any proposal for the establishment of zoo/safaris referred to in the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 owned by Govt or any authority in forest areas other than protected areas shall not be finally approved save and except with the prior permission of this court," it said.

In its interim order, the bench asked the states and UTs to act as per the definition of "forest" as laid down by the top court in the 1996 judgment in the case of TN Godavarman Thirumulpad vs Union of India.

It noted that the process of identifying land recorded as forests in government records is going on as per the amended law.

The petitioners have alleged that the wide definition of "forest" in the apex court judgement has been narrowed under Section 1A inserted in the amended law. As per the amended law, land has to be either notified as a forest or specifically recorded as a forest in a government record to qualify as a "forest".

Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Centre, said the amendments were passed in furtherance of the apex court's directions in the judgement.

On March 27, 2023, the Centre had introduced the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill.

The pleas challenge the constitutionality of the amended law and want it struck down as null and void.
Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav on Tuesday launched a blistering attack on Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the Janata Dal-United president, whose latest volte-face robbed his party of power and stripped him of the deputy CM's post.

Photograph: @yadavtejashwi/X

Yadav spoke to journalists at his residence in Patna, before leaving for Muzaffarpur, the commencing point of 'Jan Vishwas Yatra', which would continue for 11 days, during which he will travel all 38 districts of the state.

"Nitish Kumar has no vision for the people of the state. He also had no justifiable reason for ditching us and going back to the BJP-led NDA. Janaadesh ko apne pair ki jooti samajhte hain (He thinks he can trample the people's mandate under his feet)," alleged the former deputy CM, who shared power in the state for close to 17 months.

"The people of Bihar have been showering their love on the RJD, a reason why it has been the single largest party in the assembly for long. I am going to urge them that they support us even more strongly so that we can work for them," he said.

Yadav, who was flanked by his parents Lalu Prasad and Rabri Devi, said he was drawing strength from his father's ability (kshamata), mother's affection (mamata) and the support of wife Rajshree.

Prasad, who heads the RJD, said, "My blessings are with the boy who has worked a lot. May he achieve his goal."

Rabri Devi, a former CM herself, said, "It was inappropriate on part of Nitish Kumar to have done what he did to us. It is always he who runs away. We never break partnerships."

After Muzaffarpur, Yadav is scheduled to address two more public meetings during the day, in Sitamarhi and Sheohar. His night halt will be in Motihari.

Earlier, on Monday night, Yadav went live on Facebook and called Nitish Kumar an "old-fashioned leader who would do well to give up his chair on his own".

"Bihar needs stability and visionary leadership. Nitish Kumar, with his flip-flops and an inability to think out of the box, has shown that he lacks both," alleged Yadav.

"Yet, in the 17 months that we shared power, we made him take bold decisions in the light of the RJD's pledge to create 10 lakh government jobs. Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi had to take a leaf out of our book and organised Rozgar melas," claimed Yadav.

Taunting his former boss, who is now back in the BJP-led NDA, the RJD leader said, "Nitish Kumar has been uneasy over his JD-U's decline and it is rumoured that he wants early dissolution of the assembly. He believes that if polls are held in the state alongside Lok Sabha elections, it will help him revive his party's fortunes.".

Notably, the tenure of the state assembly comes to an end towards the end of 2025. In the 243-strong House, JD-U has only 45 members.

"We are not worried about what Nitish Kumar is going to do. But through this Jan Vishwas Yatra, we wish to reach out to the people of Bihar and assure them that come what may, we are by their side," he added.

The Jan Vishwas Yatra will conclude on March 1.
A special court in Mumbai on Tuesday rejected a plea moved by the Central Bureau of Investigation seeking a stay on the broadcast of a documentary series on Indrani Mukerjea, a prime accused in the Sheena Bora murder case.

IMAGE: Indrani Mukerjea, accused of the murder of her daughter Sheena Bora, who is out of jail on bail, reaching a court, in Mumbai, May 27, 2022. Photograph: ANI Photo

CBI special judge SP Naik-Nimbalkar said the court does not have the inherent power to stop the broadcast, and asked the probe agency to approach an appropriate forum if advised.

The judge held that the prosecution had not brought to his notice any legal provision for such directions.

The docu-series, titled The Indrani Mukerjea Story: The Buried Truth, delves into the disappearance of 25-year-old Bora and is scheduled to premiere on streaming platform Netflix on February 23.

In its application filed through public prosecutor C J Nandode, the CBI had asked the court to issue direction to accused and others concerned for staying/stopping the featuring of the accused persons and the persons connected with the case in the documentary by Netflix and its broadcasting on any platform till the conclusion of the ongoing trial.

Bora was allegedly strangled to death in a car by Indrani, her then driver Shyamvar Rai and former husband Sanjeev Khanna in April 2012.

Bora was Indrani's daughter from her previous relationship. Her body was burnt in a forest in the neighbouring Raigad district.

The murder came to light in 2015, after Rai revealed about the killing following his arrest in another case.

Indrani was arrested in August 2015, and granted bail in May 2022.

The other accused in the case, Rai, Khanna and Peter Mukerjea, are also out on bail.
President Droupadi Murmu is on a five-day visit to the Andaman and Nicobar islands.

In her first engagement in Port Blair, the President laid a wreath at the Martyrs Column and visited the Cellular Jail complex and museum. She also witnessed the light and sound show at the Cellular Jail.

IMAGE: President Droupadi Murmu visits Veer Savarkar's prison cell at the Cellular Jail in Port Blair, February 19, 2024. All photographs: Rashtrapati Bhavan

IMAGE: The Rashtrapati lays a wreath at the Martyrs Column.

IMAGE: President Murmu at the Cellular Jail in Port Blair, here and below.

IMAGE: President Murmu is felicitated by Andaman and Nicobar Lieutenant Governor Admiral D K Joshi (retd) at a civic reception hosted in her honour by the Andaman and Nicobar administration at the Dr B R Ambedkar Institute of Technology.

IMAGE: President Murmu addresses the civic reception hosted in her honour by the Andaman and Nicobar administration as Admiral Joshi looks on.

IMAGE: Artistes perform at the civic reception hosted in the President's honour.

Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff.com

Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com
The Calcutta high court on Tuesday expressed surprise that Shajahan Sheikh, the main accused and 'core' of the Sandeshkhali issue, has not been arrested by the state police so far, and said it does not know 'whether he is being protected'.

IMAGE: Women gather to meet NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma, at Sandeshkhali Police station in North 24 Parganas on Monday, February 19, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

The division bench, headed by Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam, also refused to interfere with a single bench order on Monday that allowed Bharatiya Janata Party leader Suvendu Adhikari and another party MLA Shankar Ghosh to visit the Sandeshkhali village.

Adhikari was earlier in the day stopped by police, citing prohibitory orders in the area.

'If one person can hold the entire population to ransom, then that person should not be encouraged by the ruling dispensation,' the court observed.

The observation was made during the hearing of an appeal by the state government challenging a single bench order, which had also stayed until further orders for the imposition of Section 144 in some areas of Sandeshkhali by the administration.

The riverine Sandeshkhali area, situated about 100 kilometres from Kolkata on the borders of the Sunderbans, has been witnessing protests over allegations of sexual atrocities and land grab by some ruling Trinamool Congress leaders.

"It is rather surprising that the person who is said to be the core for the problem being precipitated cannot be apprehended still and is on the run, defying law," the division bench said.

Stating that it does not know 'whether he is being protected' or not, the court said that the fact remains that he has not been secured.

'It could mean that the state police machinery doesn't have the wherewithal to secure him or (he) is outside the jurisdiction of the state police,' the court observed.

The bench said that there is material to show that Shajahan has done damage to the public, instead of doing good as an elected representative in the North 24 Parganas Zilla Parishad.

The division bench noted that the single bench of Justice Apurba Sinha Roy had on February 12 taken suo motu cognisance of allegations of sexual assault at gunpoint and forcible taking away of tribal land.

The Chief Justice said that treating the suo moto matter initiated by Justice Sinha Roy as a report, he has directed on the administrative side that it be placed before the division bench dealing with PIL matters, which is the bench presided by him.

The division bench said that the court can take judicial notice of the fact that the problem precipitated after Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials went to search the premises of TMC leader Shajahan at Sandeshkhali on January 5.

It noted that the state police have not been able to apprehend Shajahan despite several cases having been registered against him over allegations that ED officers were brutally attacked when they went to conduct the search operations.

The division bench said that if Shajahan continues to be on the run, then law and order problems will obviously arise as he has his supporters.

The bench said that in the suo motu matter, Shajahan could be asked to appear before this court.

The Chief Justice said that on the day he will be asked to appear, along with the state, the ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will also be directed to be present.

The bench directed that notice be issued to the advocate general representing the state and that the additional solicitor general representing the Union of India be informed so that lawyers representing the ED and the CBI are present before the court on the next date of hearing of the suo motu matter.

Directing that the matter will be taken up for hearing on Monday next, the division bench said that appropriate orders will be passed after hearing all the parties.

The court said that establishment of redressal mechanisms over allegations of forcible taking away of land owned by villagers in Sandeshkhali by way of setting up camps by the state government, in itself prima facie shows that land grabbing was committed in the area.

"The allegation that the lands owned by the tribal villagers have been forcibly taken away in violation of the legal formalities stands prima facie established," the Chief Justice observed.

The bench said that while being unable to apprehend Shajahan, the imposition of Section 144 of CrPC cannot have any impact, observing that the administration was unnecessarily creating a tense situation.

Following the order of the division bench, BJP MLAs Suvendu Adhikari and Shankar Ghosh visited Sandeshkhali village panchayat area in the afternoon.

During the hearing of the state's appeal, Advocate General Kishore Dutta submitted that the members of the SC/ST commission, women's commission and West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose were not prevented from visiting the place, but when political personalities go, the situation is precipitated.

Adhikari's lawyer Billwadal Bhattacharya informed the court that the BJP leader who intended to interact with the alleged victims, was stopped at Dhamakhali ferry ghat on his way to Sandeshkhali on Tuesday morning by the police on the ground that the state was moving the appeal.

Allowing Adhikari and Ghosh to go to Sandeshkhali, the division bench, also comprising Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya, directed the BJP leader to ensure that none of the supporters or people belonging to the party accompany them, except security personnel, who have been deployed for them.
CORDOBA, Spain, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- China and Spain should strengthen strategic communication, intensify high-level exchanges, deepen practical cooperation and push for greater development of bilateral relations, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here on Sunday.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks while meeting with Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares in the southern Spanish city of Cordoba.

Noting that his visit comes as China and Spain embark on the next 50 years of bilateral ties, Wang said Spain, a major country in Europe and a member of the European Union (EU), has important international and regional influences.

China is ready to work with Spain to view bilateral relations with a global vision and from a long-term perspective, promote mutual trust and mutual benefit, highlight strategic stability and practical cooperation, and keep China-Spain relations at the forefront of China-Europe relations, he said.

China appreciates Spain's adherence to the one-China principle and supports Spain in safeguarding its territorial integrity and national unity, Wang said.

Pointing out that China and Spain, as comprehensive strategic partners, both support and practice multilateralism, China's top diplomat called on the two countries to strengthen coordination, join hands in tackling global challenges, and make new contributions to the peace and development of mankind.

The Chinese market, growing rapidly and expanding in scale, will continue to open up to the world, Wang said, adding that China welcomes high-quality products from Spain.

China stands ready to work with Spain to uphold openness and mutual benefit, provide solid support for mutually beneficial cooperation, build an open world economy and advance an inclusive economic globalization that benefits all, he added.

Extending greetings for the Chinese New Year of the Dragon, Albares recalled that last year, Spain and China celebrated the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties and launched the China-Spain year of culture and tourism. Year 2023 was also marked by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's successful visit to China, the role of Spain's rotating presidency of the Council of the EU in the successful EU-China summit, he said.

Albares said Spain stands ready to maintain high-level exchanges with China, activate bilateral cooperation mechanisms and deepen practical cooperation. He said his country supports open and free trade, welcomes Chinese investment and will provide a fair and sound business environment for enterprises from all countries.

The two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in diverse fields including telecommunications, medical care, electric vehicles and green energy, and enhance friendship between the two peoples.

Albares spoke highly of China's visa-free policy for Spanish citizens and thanked China for its trust and friendship, saying that his country will also actively promote the simplification of procedures for Chinese tourists visiting Spain.

The two sides also exchanged in-depth views on a wide range of international and regional issues. 
The Supreme Court on Tuesday declared defeated Aam Aadmi Party-Congress alliance candidate Kuldeep Kumar the mayor of Chandigarh after overturning the result of the controversial poll where the Bharatiya Janata Party nominee had emerged an unlikely winner, in an unprecedented intervention to set right a brazen attempt by the returning officer to rig the election.

IMAGE: AAP candidate Kuldeep Kumar. Photograph: ANI

It ordered prosecution of returning officer Anil Masih, a BJP leader, for 'serious misdemeanour' for making an allegedly false statement before the court that he had invalidated eight ballots because they had been defaced.

Exercising its plenary power under Article 142 of the Constitution to do complete justice, the apex court said the result declared by the returning officer, a nominated councillor, was clearly contrary to law.

A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud said in such a case, the top court was duty bound, particularly in the context of its jurisdiction under Article 142 of the Constitution, to ensure that the process of electoral democracy is not allowed to be thwarted by subterfuge.

The bench, also comprising Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, said the court must step in where exceptional situations develop to ensure that the basic mandate of electoral democracy is preserved.

"We accordingly order and direct that the result of the election as declared by the presiding officer (Masih) stands quashed and set aside. The petitioner (Kumar) is declared to be the validly elected candidate for election as mayor of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation," the bench ruled.

The top court said in each of the eight ballot papers, which were invalidated by Masih, the votes were duly cast in favour of Kumar.

The Congress party hailed the Supreme Court decision on the 'farcical election', saying it saved democracy from the fangs of an 'autocratic BJP' that resorted to dirty election manipulation.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the 'institutional sabotage' is only the 'tip of the iceberg in Modi-Shah's devious conspiracy to trample democracy'.

Slamming Prime Minister Narendra Modi following the verdict, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, "Masih (the returning officer for the poll) is just a 'pawn' in the BJP's conspiracy to murder democracy, behind which is the 'face' of Modi."

The Supreme Court has saved democracy in these 'difficult times', Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal said.

Terming the decision historic, Kejriwal said it was a big victory for the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA).

"The message of this poll is that if INDIA bloc parties remain united and work strategically, they can defeat the BJP," he asserted.

The BJP had won the Chandigarh mayoral polls on January 30 defeating the comfortably placed AAP-Congress alliance candidate after the returning officer declared as invalid eight votes of the coalition partners, drawing accusations of tampering with ballots.

Manoj Sonkar of the BJP defeated Kuldeep Kumar after polling 16 votes against his rival's 12 to bag the mayor's post.

Sonkar, however, resigned subsequently, while three AAP councillors defected to the BJP.

In its verdict, the apex court noted that as per the result declared on January 30, Kumar had got 12 votes and his tally of votes now goes up to 20 after adding the eight which were invalidated.

The bench said Masih had evidently put his own mark on these eight ballot papers for the purpose of creating a ground for treating them as invalidly cast.

'That apart, it is evident that the presiding officer (Masih) is guilty of serious misdemeanour in doing what he did in his role and capacity as presiding officer,' it said.

The bench said Masih had made a deliberate effort to deface eight ballots which were cast in favour of Kumar so as to secure a result where Sonkar would be declared elected.

'During the course of these proceedings, for the above reasons, we have come to the conclusion that the result which was declared by the presiding officer is clearly contrary to law and will have to be set aside. We order accordingly,' it said.

The apex court said it would be inappropriate to set aside the election process in its entirety when the only infirmity which has been found is at the stage when the counting of votes was done by Masih.

'Allowing the entire election process to be set aside would further compound the destruction of the fundamental democratic principles which has taken place as a consequence of the conduct of the presiding officer,' it said.

The bench said allowing such a state of affairs to take place would be destructive of the most valued principles on which the entire edifice of democracy in our country depends.

It referred to Masih's statement made before the court on Monday where he admitted to have put 'X' marks on eight ballots besides signing them in the course of counting of votes to identify them as defaced.

The bench, which scrutinised the ballot papers during the hearing and also saw the video recording of the counting process, said none of ballots were defaced as claimed by Masih.

The order of criminal prosecution of Masih came after the CJI took a strong view of his 'flip-flops' during the judicial proceedings and 'misdemeanour' during the counting process.

The bench said even if the mark placed by Masih was taken into consideration, that does not create any doubt about the candidate in favour of whom those eight votes were cast.

'The conduct of the presiding officer has to be deprecated at two levels. Firstly, by his conduct he has unlawfully altered the course of the mayoral election; Secondly, in making a solemn statement before this court on February 19, the presiding officer expressed falsehood for which he must be held accountable,' the bench said.

It said as the returning officer, Masih could not have been unmindful of the consequences of making such a statement before the court.

The bench directed the registrar (judicial) of the apex court to issue a notice to Masih to show cause as to why proceedings should not be initiated against him under section 340 of the Code of Criminal Procedure for allegedly making a false statement before the court.

It said he can file his response to the notice and the matter would be taken up after three weeks.

The bench also noted that before recording Masih's statement on Monday, the court had placed him on notice about the serious consequences he could face if he was found to have made an incorrect statement.

During the hearing on Tuesday, the apex court scrutinised the ballot papers and watched the video recordings which were brought before it by a judicial officer appointed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court's Registrar General.

"We would like to see ballots which were invalidated," the CJI said at the outset.

After looking at the ballots, the bench asked Masih, "Yesterday, you told us that you put that line because the ballot papers were defaced. Look at it. Where are the ballot papers defaced."

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Masih, who was also present in the court, said the returning officer put a mark on these eight ballot papers because, as per his assessment, they were defaced.

"He may be right, he may be wrong, but to call him a thief is not correct," Rohatgi said.

Defeated AAP mayoral candidate Kuldeep Kumar had moved the top court challenging a Punjab and Haryana high court order which refused to grant any interim relief to the party which sought a fresh poll.
The Supreme Court has criticised a former judge of the Madras high court for pronouncing a one-line order in a criminal case and releasing the detailed judgement five months after he retired from service.

IMAGE: The Supreme Court of India. Photograph: ANI Photo

The top court said that retaining the file of a case for five months after demitting office was an act of gross impropriety.

Setting aside the order of the high court, a bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan said the operative part of the order was pronounced on April 17, 2017.

Five weeks were available to the judge for releasing the reasoned judgment till the date on which he demitted office, it said.

"However, the detailed judgment running into more than 250 pages has come out after a lapse of five months from the date on which the judge demitted the office. Thus, it is obvious that even after the learned judge demitted the office, he assigned reasons and made the judgment ready."

"According to us, retaining the file of a case for a period of five months after demitting the office is an act of gross impropriety on the part of the learned judge. We cannot countenance what has been done in this case," the bench said.

Justice T Mathivanan demitted office on May 26, 2017, and the detailed judgment in the case was made available on October 23 that year.

Quoting Lord Hewart, the apex court said, "Justice must not only be done, but must also be seen to be done."

"What has been done in this case is contrary to what Lord Hewart said. We cannot support such acts of impropriety and, therefore, in our view, the only option for this court is to set aside the impugned judgment and remit the cases to the high court for a fresh decision," the bench said, setting aside the judgment.

"Needless to add that we have made no adjudication on the merits of the controversy and all issues are left open to be decided by the high court," it added.
The UN Security Council on Tuesday failed to adopt a resolution calling for humanitarian ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war after a veto by the US.

IMAGE: Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: Reuters

The 15-nation Council met Tuesday to vote on the latest resolution in the Israel-Hamas conflict that was put forward by Algeria on behalf of the Arab States. The resolution demanded an immediate humanitarian ceasefire that must be respected by all parties.

The resolution got 13 votes in favour and an abstention by the UK but could not be adopted since the US voted against the draft by casting its veto.

Commenting on the Algerian-proposed draft resolution on the situation in the Middle East ahead of the vote, US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said that Washington is working on a hostage deal between Israel and Hamas, which would bring an immediate and sustained period of calm to Gaza for at least six weeks, and from which we could then take the time and the steps to build a more enduring peace.

She had said that the deal represented the best opportunity to reunite all hostages with their families and enable a prolonged pause in fighting, that would allow for more lifesaving food, water, fuel, medicine, and other essentials to get into the hands of Palestinian civilians who desperately need it.

"The resolution put forward in the Security Council, in contrast, would not achieve these outcomes, and indeed, may run counter to them. We have communicated this concern repeatedly to our colleagues on the Council. For that reason, the United States does not support action on this draft resolution. Should it come up for a vote as drafted, it will not be adopted, Thomas-Greenfield said.

Algeria's draft resolution would have the Council reject the forced displacement of the Palestinian civilian population in violation of international law and would demand an immediate end to any such violations and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. It would, among other things, call for unfettered humanitarian access into and throughout Gaza.

This is the third time since the October 7 Hamas attacks that the US has vetoed a resolution on Gaza in the Security Council.
Students from Bellows Falls Middle School donated four large boxes of canned food items to Our Place on Tuesday, Feb. 6. The food was collected from the school community to help fellow residents.
Brattleboro, VT (05301)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun. High around 45F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy. A few flurries are possible. Low 29F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph.
Brattleboro, VT (05301)

Today

Sunshine and clouds mixed. High near 45F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds. A few flurries are possible. Low 29F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph.
UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- At least 25 million people across Sudan, South Sudan and Chad are struggling with soaring rates of hunger and malnutrition as the crisis in Sudan sends shockwaves around the region, a UN spokesperson said Monday.

The ripple effects of Sudan's instability are palpable, with individuals fleeing to neighboring South Sudan and Chad, "hungry and arriving with no resources," Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, told the noon briefing.

Due to hundreds of millions U.S. dollars of funding gaps, the World Food Programme (WFP) issued a stark warning about the dire situation, Dujarric said, noting the WFP's difficult decision to "prioritize scarce resources to the new arrivals" means that "pre-existing refugees no longer receive assistance," a move that starkly illustrates the harsh realities of aid distribution in times of crisis.

The UN's persistent alarms over the humanitarian situation in Sudan underscore the urgency, with "18 million acutely food insecure people within the country," many of whom are "trapped in areas of active fighting," Dujarric said.

As the lean season looms, the UN's plea is clear: agencies need the means to "provide support to families in Sudan" to avert "a hunger catastrophe." The call to action is not just for immediate relief but a reminder of the interconnectedness of regional stability and global responsibility, said the spokesperson. 
BEIJING, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- China has released a three-year action plan for noise pollution prevention and control at civil airports, as part of its efforts to promote the green transformation of civil aviation.

The plan was jointly issued by the Civil Aviation Administration of China, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the Ministry of Natural Resources, and the State Administration for Market Regulation.

By 2025, a standard system for pollution prevention and control at airports should be basically built, and positive progress should be made on the development of key monitoring technologies, according to the action plan.

Airports with an annual throughput of at least 5 million passengers should have the real-time monitoring and source tracing capability of civil aircraft noise events by 2025, it said.

By 2027, the surrounding regions of airports with an annual throughput of at least 10 million passengers should enjoy better environment quality, said the action plan. 
A nostalgic hit song from a 1990s China state TV extravaganza titled "Go back home to visit often" portrays an idealized world where several generations of family get together to eat and talk about their lives, offering each other support and advice in times of difficulty.

But the reality these days for many of Chinas young people is quite different. Economic woes, a competitive culture and parental pressure to tick off traditional milestones like a partner, a career, marriage, a mortgage and children are making the youth feel disconnected from their families.

The search phrase 'cutting off family ties' was trending on the social media platform Weibo over the Lunar New Year holiday, which is traditionally a time for family reunions and visits to extended relatives.

On Feb. 13, the fourth day of the Year of the Dragon, the topic rural families quietly cut ties," was trending on Weibo, garnering more than 100 million views on that platform alone.

"I'm a college graduate who majored in Japanese," said a Gen Xer who gave only the surname Wang, who used to live half an hour's drive from extended family in the northern province of Hebei. "I've worked in international trade and English and Japanese translation, and I want to rest on the holidays."

"A lot of my relatives didn't even graduate from high school, junior high or even elementary school," he said. "We're not on the same wavelength at all, and it's hard to find stuff to talk about."

Lying flat

This general malaise among the youth, dubbed "lying flat," has concerned the ruling Communist Party, which has targeted online content linked to the idea and played down dire youth unemployment figures, insisting that young people show a more positive attitude.

State-backed media outlet The Paper said that while some commentators say younger people are just too lazy to stay in touch with extended family, others say they find the prospect of more pressure to achieve social expectations in today's flagging economy highly unappealing, so they choose not to visit, or just let relationships lapse.

People have a family reunion dinner in Huangtian village in Yongchun county in Chinas Fujian province, Feb. 9, 2024. A lot of my relatives and I are not on the same wavelength at all, and it's hard to find stuff to talk about," says one Gen Xer. (Zeng Demeng/Xinhua via Getty Images)





The results of an online survey conducted last May by the Chinese magazine Sanlian Life Weekly is still going viral on social media over the holiday period.

"Cutting ties with relatives has become the norm for millennials and Gen Z," claims the article. "Young people don't value the kinship ties that their parents spend time, energy, and financial resources on maintaining, nor the comparisons between relatives and the unavoidable conflicts."

The article cited a survey showing that some 50,000 social media users in a poll of 116,000 respondents said traveling to visit family was "not worth it," while a further 52,000 said it was normal not to be close with relatives one doesn't get along with.

Only 4,000 said they felt they should visit with family more often. The article didn't supply a margin of error.

Linghu Changbing, a Gen Zer who relocated to the United States last year, hails from a rural county near Zunyi city in the southwestern province of Guizhou. Like many of his peers, Linghu is an only child and spent years as a migrant worker living far from home.

He remembers visits back home as an endless round of family visits with his father.

A family poses in front of a dragon at the Longtan Lake temple fair on the fifth day of the Lunar New Year in Beijing on Feb. 14, 2024. (Greg Baker/AFP)





"Contact with my relatives is entirely dependent on my dad," he said. "He's the one with a direct relationship with them."

"If he wants to go visit relatives ... then I go along too. If he doesn't go, then neither do I," he said. "I don't take the initiative to contact them."

More chore than pleasure

Millennial Zhao Qingxiang, who lives in a big city in northeastern China, said she typically goes back for a visit at Lunar New Year, but regards it as more of a chore than a pleasure.

"For example, one time when I went home, my parents informed me that I would be having New Year's Eve dinner with my cousin this year, and that my second aunt would also be there," Zhao said. "When I heard that my second aunt was coming, I was very scared."

Zhao's second aunt is "bad-tempered" and loves to preach Christianity to her relatives, whether they like it or not, she said.

"Normally you wouldn't want to have anything to do with that kind of person," Zhao said. "But then, come Lunar New Year, you are forced to see her and make your New Year greetings."

Zhao also cited feelings of ambivalence about seeing her own mother, who berates her for not being community minded enough, and bad feeling caused by the actions of relatives that lingers for years.

A couple lies on the floor as they ride a train from Beijing to Shijiazhuang on Feb. 6, 2024. (Pedro Pardo/AFP)





Last year, Chen Youhua, a professor at Nanjing University's School of Sociology and the school's doctoral candidate Zong Hao published a paper blaming the economy and changing social values for the change in younger people's attitudes.

They said growing urbanization and migration, diversity of values, relationships and money, as well as a desire to reduce life pressures and social costs and rely more on a digital lifestyle were all contributing factors to the trend.

Some people were showing maturity by cutting off unwanted family contacts, saying they had likely achieved a "balance between intimacy and independence."

According to Wang, it's worse than that, however.

"The main root cause is that people's moral standards have generally declined, and people pay more attention to their own interests and to their immediate environments," he said.

"Also, Chinese people don't like to lose face, and they like to compare, so there is a sense of a status gap between poorer relatives and richer relatives," Wang said, adding that loneliness is also on the rise. "From the perspective of social emotions and happiness, this is a step backwards."

Yi Fuxian, a senior researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Madison who studies demographic issues, said the "atomization" of families will also make it harder for the government to boost flagging birth rates.

"When the concept of family is broken, fertility culture is also broken, and fertility rates fall, because [Chinese] fertility culture is based on traditional family structures," Yi told RFA Mandarin, blaming decades of the "one-child" family planning policy for reducing family sizes.

Translated by Luisetta Mudie. Edited by Malcolm Foster
The firms tools can be used for Chinas military power, raising risk of undesirable end use, says minister.

The ASML logo is seen near a computer motherboard in this illustration taken Jan. 8, 2024.

The Netherlands has decided to withdraw permits for ASML, the leader in semiconductor equipment manufacturing, to export its equipment to China on fears it may be used for military purposes.

In a written response to questions from members of parliament, Dutch Trade Minister Geoffrey van Leeuwen said that China is focusing on foreign expertise, including Dutch expertise in the field of lithography, to promote self-sufficiency in its military-technical development

ASML tools can be used to make advanced semiconductors that can go into high value weapons systems and weapons of mass destruction, and the Dutch government is focused on the risk of undesirable end use when reviewing export licensing decisions, van Leeuwen said in a written note cited by Reuters.

Netherlands-based ASML dominates the world market for lithography systems, needed by computer chip makers to help create circuitry.

The minister was questioned by a lawmaker on why the government initially granted, then quickly retracted, a license for ASML to export various equipment to undisclosed customers in China. He did not respond directly to the question, but only said several licenses to export advanced equipment to China were granted since the licensing requirement was introduced in September. About 20 similar applications are expected this year, without a breakdown of how many for China.

Under pressure from the United States, the Netherlands last year required ASML to apply for licenses to export its mid-range deep ultraviolet lithography machines. The companys most advanced tools have not been sold in China.

On Jan. 1 this year, ASML confirmed that some of its export permits for equipment to China were revoked. According to regulations, the company said it will not export any NXT:2000i or more advanced equipment to China, and due to U.S. restrictions, the company also cannot export NXT:1970 and NXT:1980i products to a small number of Chinese manufacturers.

Translated by RFA staff. Edited by Taejun Kang and Mike Firn.
The center will teach lawyers, policymakers and journalists how to stop Beijing targeting its dissidents overseas.

A demonstrator gestures during a 'Stand With Hong Kong' rally to mark the second anniversary of rallies against the citys Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill, in Pasadena, California, June 12, 2021.

An overseas rights group is fighting back against China's "long-arm" pursuit of dissidents and activists in exile with a free legal advice service.

The Spanish-based group Safeguard Defenders, which has previously warned the world about China's secret police stations, its network of "consular volunteers" and its targeting of dissidents and activists overseas, has now launched a "one-stop shop" legal advice center to help fight transnational repression by Beijing.

The group's Information and Help Center is "a one-stop shop primarily aimed at legal practitioners defending individuals from extraditions to China," but also contains information for use by government officials and journalists, according to its website.

Launched on Feb. 13, the resource center offers help in all six United Nations languages based on the group's experience in countering extraditions and deportations to China, including appeals to district, appeal and Supreme court level, as well as input from academics specializing in the Chinese criminal justice system.

The group claims a 100% success rate in assisting to block extraditions and deportations in cases it has been directly involved in.

Uyghurs demand news about their relatives and express concern about the ratification of an extradition treaty between China and Turkey, during a demonstration in Istanbul, Feb. 26, 2021. (Yasin Akgul/AFP)

"This new help center is a potential game changer, as it makes incredibly detailed information about China, in particular as it relates specifically to extradition issues, available, for free, in a variety of languages, for all legal counsel as well as the targets themselves," the group said in a statement launching the center.

Such information was previously only available to people with the means to hire specialized lawyers, it said.

It called on all jurisdictions to end extraditions to China, an issue which sparked a mass popular uprising in Hong Kong in 2019.

"Considering the state of the Chinese criminal justice system, extradition requests should fail when tested against international legal commitments," Safeguard Defenders said. "Whenever they are approved, those very norms and institutions are weakened. To protect the Rule of Law, extraditions to China must end."

It added: "It should be up to China to improve its commitment to legally binding minimum standards if it wants the benefits of extradition cooperation, not for the rest of the world to lower theirs."

China's extradition treaties

Ma Ju, a Chinese Muslim scholar living in the United States, said China has long made use of international legal mechanisms to pursue dissidents overseas.

"The former president of Interpol was previously the vice minister of public security," Ma said. "During that period ... China took advantage of certain agreements between international organizations to carry out their transnational repression."

"They have kept a slightly lower profile in the past couple of years, but they haven't slowed their pace," he said.

State media reported recently that China now has 60 extradition treaties with foreign jurisdictions across Europe, Africa, Australia, and North and South America, some 40% of which were concluded after ruling Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping took power in 2012.

Since 2012, the country has successfully extradited more than 400 people, according to a China News Service report citing Ma Xinmin, Director of the Treaty and Law Department at the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

One of two activists (L), traveling with Chinese rights lawyer Lu Siwei (R) argues with police who were in the process of detaining Lu, near the Thanaleng dry port, south of Vientiane, Laos, July 28, 2023. Police later deported Lu to China. (Anonymous source via AP)

Ma Ju cited the repatriation of Chinese human rights lawyer Lu Siwei from neighboring Laos in 2023, which prompted an international outcry.

He welcomed the Safeguard Defenders help center, saying it was sorely needed.

"A lot of countries, including those in Europe and the United States, aren't yet fully aware of the many facets of China's transnational repression, or its use of extradition and other methods to target dissidents and ethnic or sexual minorities, any opponents," Ma said.

"The agreements it has signed still serve the needs of the authoritarian and dictatorial Chinese government."

Chinese rights attorney Lu Siwei was repatriated to China last September after being arrested in Laos en route to join his family in the United States, along with dozens of other Chinese nationals, activists and relatives said at the time.

U.S.-based rights lawyer Wu Shaoping said the effectiveness of the information center had yet to be tested in practice, but said it would be a "blessing" for anyone being persecuted by China while in another country.

"At least people will be able to provide them with more professional services to prevent them from being extradited by Beijing," Wu said. "It gives many people threatened with extradition an extra layer of protection."

Translated by Luisetta Mudie. Edited by Roseanne Gerin.
American officials say any deportations of Chinese students are not for political reasons.

Chinas Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong, sixth from right at table, meets with U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, sixth from left at table, in Vienna, Austria, Feb. 18, 2024.

Chinese Public Security Minister Wang Xiaohong has accused U.S. authorities of harassing Chinese students studying in America and called for law enforcement to instead work harder to ensure the safety of Chinese diplomatic personnel sent to the United States.

The comments came during talks with Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas in Vienna on Sunday, according to a report by the Chinese state news agency Xinhua. Both Wang and Mayorkas were in Austria after attending the Munich Security Conference in Germany.

The meeting was ostensibly about renewed cooperation between China and the United States to stem outflows from China of precursors for the synthetic opioid fentanyl, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security called those talks candid and constructive.

The two sides also made commitments with respect to continued law enforcement cooperation, technical bilateral exchanges between scientists and other experts, scheduling of precursor chemicals, and furthering multilateral cooperation, it said in a statement.

U.S. and Chinese law enforcement officials held the first meeting of the new bilateral Counternarcotics Working Group on Jan. 30, following an agreement struck by U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping during their high-profile summit in San Francisco last year.

However, the Xinhua report said Wang also urged the U.S. side to stop harassing and interrogating Chinese students for no reason, and ensure that Chinese citizens enjoy fair entry, treatment and full dignity.

The report said that Wang also called for the United States to stop officially listing China as a major drug source country, and to take concrete and effective measures to ensure the safety of Chinese diplomatic and consular missions and personnel in America.

The statement from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security noted only that the pair discussed areas of concern within the bilateral relationship and agreed to continue discussions on the matters.

Claims of harassment

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin last month accused the United States of deporting tens of Chinese students from the United States after detaining and interrogating them for hours, with many having arrived at Washington Dulles International Airport.

Wenbin described the deportations as political and said the students were detained for hours without being allowed to contact anyone, despite having obtained the correct visas to study in America.

But the U.S State Department, which by policy does not comment on individual visa cases, has said that any decision to deny entry to a Chinese student would not have been for political reasons.

U.S. officials have also noted the comparatively large number of Chinese students who have gained entry without any issues.

We have about 300,000 Chinese students studying in the United States, said deputy spokesman Vedant Patel at a Feb. 5 press briefing, calling for more students to study in the United States.

Our visa process is quite rigorous and quite solid, he said. Without speaking to anybodys specific visa circumstance, the process is adjudicated in the utmost strict, rigorous, and legal manner.

Beijings complaints follow warnings from the United States last year that Americans considering visiting China should reconsider their travel due to the growing number of exit bans on people trying to leave.

Meanwhile, Chinese students studying in the United States have complained of being monitored and harassed by other Chinese nationals after expressing criticisms of Chinas government.

A Georgetown University student told a congressional hearing in December that the harassment made him feel that no matter where in the world you are  you're never free of Beijings grasp.
They were traveling to their homes to collect essential items when the targeted attack occurred, an ethnic army claimed.

Junta shelling killed seven civilians in a heavily disputed territory of Myanmar, an ethnic army claimed in a Tuesday statement.

Artillery hit the seven victims on Monday, the Pa-O National Liberation Organization claimed, adding that the attack was targeted. They were all internally displaced people from Hsihseng city in Shan state.

Junta troops attacked the groups car with heavy weapons near southern Shan states War Taw village as they were returning home briefly for supplies, the statement continued.

Hsihseng, a township in southern Shan state, has been the site of ongoing conflict since late January when clashes broke out between the Pa-O army and the junta.

But the area has remained contested in terms of control. In May 2023, a shootout occurred as an ASEAN humanitarian convoy traveled to Hsihseng to deliver aid and discuss assistance with the Pa-O National Liberation Organization for internally displaced people. It remains unclear who instigated the shooting.

The victims of Mondays attack included one 17-year-old minor, locals said. The six others were aged 18 to 45.

An official of the Pa-O National Liberation Organization who asked not to be named said the shells were fired by junta troops based in Hsaik Hkawng village in Hsihseng township.

"At first, Light Infantry Battalion 423 in northern Hsihseng launched drone attacks there. Later, the junta troops based in Hsaik Hkawng village fired artillery shells," he said.

A resident who did not want to be named for security reasons told Radio Free Asia that the identities of the victims could not be confirmed at this time.

"They died on the spot. There are five men and two women, he said. We don't know who they are.

Despite the Pa-O National Liberation Army signing a nationwide ceasefire in 2015 and attending peace talks following the 2021 coup, the group committed in late January to fighting the regime.

Fighting is still ongoing in Hsihseng township, locals said, adding that the road where the attack occurred has been closed off.

RFA contacted Shan states junta spokesperson Khun Thein Maung for more details, but he did not return calls by the time of publication.

According to data compiled by RFA, junta airstrikes and artillery have killed 1,429 civilians and injured 2,641 more since the coup began on Feb. 1, 2021.

Translated by RFA Burmese. Edited by Mike Firn.
Data from multiple travel platforms indicates that during this year's Spring Festival holiday, Chinese tourists' outbound travel has shown a significant acceleration in recovery, with booking volumes reaching a near four-year peak. Among the popular destinations, Middle Eastern countries have emerged as one of the new favorites for Chinese travelers.

CAIRO, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Mohamed Hassan has been bustling around different tourist attractions in Egypt these days.

A continuous influx of Chinese tour groups has kept this Egyptian tour guide on his toes, and he has lost count of how many times he's visited the pyramids this month.

"I never formally studied Chinese; I acquired it from interacting with Chinese tourists," said Hassan, who speaks fluent Mandarin with a bit of Beijing accent. "These days, my Chinese is progressing even more."

Chinese tourists pose for a photo at Cairo International Airport in Cairo, Egypt, Feb. 10, 2024. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

During the Spring Festival holiday, similar sentiments were echoed by tour guides across various Middle Eastern countries. Whether it's at the pyramids in Egypt, in the ancient city of Jerash in Jordan, or in the streets of Iran, Chinese tourists posing for photos were a common sight.

The allure of exotic tourist attractions, hospitable travel environments, and the deepening ties with China are casting Middle Eastern countries as increasingly favored destinations for Chinese travelers venturing abroad.





INFLUX OF CHINESE TOURISTS

It's half past midnight. A long queue had already formed, snaking its way to the boarding gate for Flight HU0471 (from Shenzhen to Cairo) at Bao'an International Airport in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen.

A flight attendant at the airport told Xinhua that with the onset of the Spring Festival holiday, flights to Cairo have been operating at near full capacity.

Among those waiting in line is Zhang Fengxia from south China's Guangdong Province, who had signed up with her sister for a 10-day tour to Egypt.

"I've been longing to visit Egypt for quite some time, eager to lay eyes on the Egyptian pyramids I've known in books since childhood and to gain a deeper understanding of Egyptian culture and civilization," she said.

Chinese tourists visit the Giza Pyramids scenic spot in Giza, Egypt, Feb. 8, 2024. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

The heightened tensions in Gaza and the Red Sea have precipitated a significant decline in tourist arrivals to Middle Eastern nations. However, the influx of Chinese tourists has made their lackluster off-peak travel markets more vibrant.

Data from multiple travel platforms indicates that during this year's Spring Festival holiday, Chinese tourists' outbound travel has shown a significant acceleration in recovery, with booking volumes reaching a near four-year peak. Among the popular destinations, Middle Eastern countries have emerged as one of the new favorites for Chinese travelers.

"We had some safety concerns before coming, but once we got here, we found that the places we visited were safe and beautiful, especially with local tour guide leading the way," said Deng Peng, who was spending the holiday in Jordan with three of her friends.

According to Qunar, a leading Chinese online travel platform, search volumes for countries in the Middle East such as Turkiye, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Egypt have surged since last December.

Throughout the entire holiday season, compared to the same period in 2023, outbound travel orders from China to the UAE, Egypt and Morocco have surged by more than threefold. Travel bookings to the city of Dubai alone have seen a growth of over 10 percent.

"China is the largest tourism market," said Moslem Shojaei, director general for marketing and international tourism development at the Iranian Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts.

A Chinese tourist poses for photos while visiting the archaeological site of Jerash in Jordan, Feb. 10, 2024. (Photo by Mohammad Abu Ghosh/Xinhua)

From March 21, 2023, to Jan. 20, 2024, the number of Chinese tourists visiting Iran exceeded 54,000, and each Chinese tourist spent nearly 1,000 U.S. dollars on average during their trips to the country, Shojaei told Xinhua, adding that the country is now better prepared for Chinese tourists during the Spring Festival holiday.

"Aside from generating economic revenues, the essence and nature of the tourism industry is that of promoting friendship and knowledge," Shojaei said.





MORE THAN TOURISM

Beneath the surge of Chinese tourists to the Middle East lies the discerning hospitality extended by Middle Eastern nations to Chinese visitors, as well as the increasingly close people-to-people exchanges between China and countries in the region.

In an effort to woo Chinese tourists, countries such as Egypt, Jordan, the UAE and Iran have rolled out visa-on-arrival or visa-free options, further streamlining entry processes. Numerous Middle Eastern countries have taken proactive steps to increase the number of direct flights to China.

Tourism officials from Turkiye, Iran and Saudi Arabia have visited China to directly promote their tourism to the Chinese public, and have specifically tailored travel routes for Chinese tourists.

Two Chinese tourists sit on a bench at the historical Sultanahmet Square in Istanbul, Turkiye, Feb. 9, 2024. (Photo by Safar Rajabov/Xinhua)

In countries like the UAE and Egypt, local governments and tourism agencies have put on special festivities and events to celebrate the Chinese New Year with tourists.

"During my travels, I really sensed the locals being super friendly towards China, and it just made the whole experience so delightful," Ms. Zhou, a Chinese traveler, told Xinhua. She had an eight-day adventure planned in Egypt, with destinations that include Cairo, Giza, Luxor, Alexandria, and the Red Sea.

"The relations between China and Egypt are good, and many tour guides here have studied in China. Their proficiency in Chinese is impressive," Zhou said. "All these factors made the whole travel experience really smooth."

Echoing Zhou's viewpoint, Shojaei also believes that the thriving relationship between China and Middle Eastern countries has been the key driver behind the surge of Chinese tourists flocking to the region.

He recalled that during Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi's visit to China in 2023, both countries agreed on tourism cooperation, which greatly bolstered the growth of cross-border tourism between China and Iran.

A recent report on the development of outbound tourism in China released by the China Tourism Academy indicates that as the Chinese economy and tourism market experience a steady recovery, there is an increasing eagerness among the Chinese to embark on overseas travels.

This photo taken on Feb. 3, 2024 shows red lanterns at Istanbul Airport in Istanbul, Turkiye. (Xinhua/Shadati)

It forecasts that in 2024 the number of Chinese outbound tourists will exceed 130 million, marking a 49 percent surge from the 87 million recorded in 2023.

Industry insiders have observed that propelled by the increasingly robust ties between China and Middle Eastern nations, the influx of Chinese tourists to the region is expected to increase even more.

"I expect ... the number of Chinese tourists visiting Egypt to increase more and more," said Ashraf Elewa, CEO of Interpoint Tours Travel in Egypt, noting that his company is ready to receive an increased number of Chinese tourists throughout this whole year.

In the Egyptian coastal city of Hurghada, Chen Zhiming, from east China's Shandong Province enjoyed a pleasant three-day vacation. "The scenery here is stunning, and the locals are warm and friendly. I'm planning to bring my parents here again next year."

Upon knowing that certain Western media expressed disappointment at the "missing" of Chinese tourists in their countries, Chen grinned slyly. "We are not 'missing.' We're simply choosing to visit places where we feel more welcomed." (Video reporters: He Yiping, Yu Fuqing, Li Rui, Wang Dongzhen, Yao Bing, Dong Xiuzhu, Sui Xiankai, Sha Dati, Su Xiaopo, Wang Feng; video editors: Zhang Nan, Luo Hui, Wang Houyuan, Jia Xiaotong, Ma Ruxuan)
The inspection of a sightseeing vessel near Kinmen island comes amid increased Chinese patrols in the area.

Taiwanese coast guards inspect a vessel that capsized during a chase off the coast of Kinmen on Feb. 14, 2024.

Updated Feb. 20, 2024, 4:06 p.m. ET

Chinese coast guard officers boarded a Taiwanese sightseeing vessel near Kinmen island, then inspected its navigation plan and ship documents as the cruise ships frightened passengers and crew members looked on, Taiwans Coast Guard Administration said.

The King Xia was 2.8 nautical miles (5.2 kilometers) northwest of Kinmens Wushajiao Quay when it was intercepted by the Chinese coast guard on Monday, Taiwans Coast Guard Administration said in a statement.

The Taiwanese cruise ship had veered slightly off course to avoid low-lying sandbars, according to the statement, which also noted that Chinese tourist boats often stray into Taiwan-controlled waters and only ever receive verbal warnings from Taiwanese authorities.

The Taiwanese coast guard calls on China to uphold peace and rationality and jointly maintain tranquility in the waters around Xiamen and Kinmen, the statement said.

Kinmen is less than 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) from Chinas Fujian province but more than 180 kilometers (112 miles) from Taiwans mainland. The island and Fujians city of Xiamen are separated by Xiamen Bay.

Six Chinese coast guard members boarded the King Xia, which was carrying 23 passengers and 11 crew members, according to Taiwans Coast Guard Administration.

We think it has harmed our peoples feelings and triggered peoples panic, the head of Taiwans Ocean Affairs Council, Kuan Bi-ling, told reporters on Tuesday.

The council is the official governing body that oversees the democratic islands Coast Guard Administration and the implementation of marine-related policies.

The boarding of the sightseeing ship was another attempt by China to deliberately escalate the situation, said Su Tzu-yun, a senior analyst at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research in Taipei.

Lives and property

Mondays incident comes a week after a Chinese fishing boat capsized in Kinmens waters on Feb. 14, causing two crew deaths.

Beijing condemned the incident and pledged over the weekend to conduct regular patrols to protect fishermens lives and property.

Also on Monday, China dispatched four vessels to an area around Kinmen, which is governed by Taiwan. The Chinese vessels did not enter Kinmens prohibited waters.

The boundaries between the outer islands under Taiwans control and Chinas mainland, called prohibited waters and restricted waters, were set by Taiwan in 1992 and so far have been tacitly respected by both sides, despite China never officially recognizing them.

Prohibited waters refer to the territorial waters around Kinmen that extend about halfway to the Chinese coast, or roughly 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) to the north and northwest. Restricted waters extend a little further, about 8 kilometers (5 miles), to the south.

China coast guard vessel Zhongguohaijian 8029 was 2 km (1.2 miles) from Kinmens northwest at 9:05 a.m. on Feb. 20, 2024. (Marine Traffic)





Chinese coast guard vessels dont normally enter the islands prohibited waters, nor do Taiwanese law enforcement ships venture out of them.

Recently, Kinmen has seen frequent flyovers by Chinese drones.

On Tuesday, a China coast guard vessel came as close as 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) to the islands northwest coast, ship tracking data showed.

The location of the Zhongguohaijian 8029 was well inside the so-called prohibited waters, according to data provided by the tracking website Marine Traffic and analyzed by Radio Free Asia.

Taiwans coast guard used radio and broadcast and dispatched a boat to drive the Chinese vessel away, according to a Taiwanese statement.

Edited by Mike Firn, Taejun Kang and Matt Reed.

This story has been updated to begin with Mondays boarding of the cruise ship.
Vladimir Putin has claimed a fifth presidential term with a landslide victory in a tightly controlled election that has been condemned by the West as neither free nor fair as the Russian leader seeks to prove overwhelming popular support for his full-scale invasion of Ukraine and increasingly repressive policies.

With 99.75 percent of ballots counted, Putin won another six-year term with a post-Soviet record of 87.29 percent of the vote, the Central Elections Committee (TsIK) said on March 18, adding that turnout was also at a "record" level, with 77.44 percent of eligible voters casting ballots.

The 71-year old Putin -- who has ruled as either president or prime minister since 2000 -- is now set to surpass Soviet dictator Josef Stalins nearly 30-year reign to become the longest-serving Russian leader in more than two centuries.

"This election has been based on repression and intimidation," the European Union's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told journalists in Brussels on March 18 as the bloc's foreign ministers gathered to discuss the election, among other issues.

The March 15-17 vote is the first for Putin since he launched his invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 that has killed tens of thousands of Russians and led to a clear break in relations with the West. In holding what has widely been viewed as faux elections, Putin wants to show that he has the nations full support, experts said.

The vote was also held in Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine, where hundreds of thousands of Russian soldiers are located. Moscow illegally annexed the regions since launching the invasion, though it remains unclear how much of the territory it controls.

The Kremlin's goal "is to get as many people as possible to sign off on Russia's war against Ukraine. The idea is to get millions of Russian citizens to retroactively approve the decision Putin single-handedly made two years ago," Maksim Trudolyubov, a senior fellow at the Kennan Institute, wrote in a note ahead of the vote.

In remarks shortly after he was declared the winner, Putin said the election showed that the nation was "one team."

But Western leaders condemned the vote, with the White House National Security Council spokesperson saying they "are obviously not free nor fair given how Mr. Putin has imprisoned political opponents and prevented others from running against him."

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said "this is not what free and fair elections look like," adding in his message on X, formerly Twitter, that illegal elections have also been held on occupied Ukrainian territory.

The French Foreign Ministry said Putin's reelection came amid a wave of repression against civil society. It also praised in a statement the courage of "the many Russian citizens who peacefully protested against this attack on their fundamental political rights."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Putin has become "sick with power" and he is just "simulating" elections.

"This imitation of 'elections' has no legitimacy and cannot have any. This person must end up in the dock in The Hague [at the International UN Tribunal for War Crimes]," Zelenskiy said on X.

Putin's allies were quick to heap praise on the Russian leader for his election success.

China, one of Russia's most importants allies, congratulated Putin, with Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian saying President Xi Jinping and the Russian leader "will continue to maintain close exchanges, lead the two countries to continue to uphold long-standing good-neighborly friendship, deepen comprehensive strategic coordination."

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi called Putin's victory "decisive," the state news agency IRNA reported.

WATCH: Leading psychiatrists discuss how excessive power can impact brain functioning and what the impulse for total control reveals about the mind and personality traits of authority figures.

Putin was opposed by three relatively unknown, Kremlin-friendly politicians whose campaign was barely noticeable. The main intrigue was whether Russians would heed opposition calls to gather at polling stations at noon on March 17 to silently protest against Putins rule.

Russian media had reported in the months leading up to the election that the Kremlin was determined to engineer a victory for Putin that would surpass the 2018 results, when he won 77.5 percent of the vote with a turnout of 67.5 percent.

The Kremlin banned anti-war politician Boris Nadezhdin from the ballot after tens of thousands of voters lined up in the cold to support his candidacy. Nadezhdin threatened to undermine the narrative of overwhelming support for Putin and his war, experts said.

Independent election observers were barred from working at this years presidential election for the first time in post-Soviet history, experts said. Russian elections have been notorious for ballot stuffing and other irregularities.

The vote was also held in Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine, where hundreds of thousands of Russian soldiers are located.

The United States called the elections neither fair nor free.

'Noon Against Putin'

With options to express resistance severely limited by the lack of competition and repressive laws, opposition leaders called on voters opposed to Putin to gather near polls at noon to show the Kremlin and the country that they were still a force.

Russia's opposition movement suffered a serious blow last month when Aleksei Navalny, Putins fiercest and most popular critic, died in unclear circumstances in a maximum-security prison in the Arctic where he was serving a 19-year sentence on charges of extremism widely seen as politically motivated.

Long lines formed at polling stations across Russia's 11 time zones at the designated time for the "Noon Against Putin" protest, including in Novosibirsk, Chita, Yekaterinburg, Perm, and Moscow among other Russian cities.

"We're not really expecting anything, but I'd somehow like to make a record of this election for myself, tick the box for myself, so, when talking about it later, I could say that I didn't just sit at home, but came and tried to do something," said one Russian who came to vote at noon.

"The action has achieved its goals," Ivan Zhdanov, the head the Anti-Corruption Foundation formerly headed by Navalny, said in a YouTube video. "The action has shown that there is another Russia, there are people who stand against Putin."

The Moscow prosecutor's office had earlier warned of criminal prosecution against those who interfered with the vote, a step it said was necessary due to social-media posts "containing calls for an unlimited number of people to simultaneously arrive to participate in uncoordinated mass public events at polling stations in Moscow [at noon on March 17] in order to violate electoral legislation."

Lawyer Valeria Vetoshkina, who has left the country, told Current Time that if people do not bring posters and do not announce why they came to the polling station at that hour, it would be hard for the authorities to legitimately declare it a "violation."

But she warned that there were "some basic safety rules that you can follow if you're worried. The first is not to discuss why you came, just to vote. And secondly, it is better to come without any visual means of agitation: without posters, flags, and so on."

Ella Pamfilova, head of Russia's Central Election Commission (TsIK), on March 16 said there had been 20 cases of people attempting to destroy voting sheets by pouring liquids into ballot boxes and eight incidents of people trying to destroy ballots by setting them on fire or by using smoke bombs.

Russians living abroad also took part in the "Noon Against Putin" campaign, with hundreds of people lining up at 12 p.m. outside the Russian embassies in Sidney, Tokyo, Phuket, Dubai, Istanbul, Berlin, Paris, and Yerevan among other capitals.

"It's not an election. It's just a fake. And so we're here to show that not Russians elect the current leader of Russia, that we [are] against him very severely, and that lots of people had to flee their country to be free," said Anna, a Russian citizen living in Berlin and who gathered outside the embassy in the German capital.

Putin was challenged by Liberal Democratic Party leader Leonid Slutsky, State Duma deputy speaker Vladislav Davankov of the New People party, and State Duma lawmaker Nikolai Kharitonov of the Communist Party, none of whom opposed the war.

The Russian leader had the full resources of the state behind him, including the media, police, state-owned companies, and election officials.
MUNICH -- Edgars Rinkevics was elected president of Latvia in July 2023, following an 11-year tenure that made him the longest-serving foreign minister in the history of his Baltic nation of 1.8 million people.

He has been an ardent critic of Russia's aggression against neighboring Ukraine since 2014, when he likened the occupation and annexation of Crimea to the Soviet occupation of the Baltic states in 1940.

"History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce," he said at the time.

Eight years later, he became a leading voice for tough punitive sanctions after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Rinkevics talked to RFE/RL's Georgian Service on the sidelines of last week's Munich Security Conference, where in addition to discussing issues such as the crises in Ukraine and Gaza and new threats to NATO cohesion, attendees also learned about the death of Putin critic Aleksei Navalny in an Arctic prison.

In the interview, Rinkevics spoke about Navalny and how the path to a more democratic Russia could lead through Ukraine.

RFE/RL: I suppose we have to start with the event that overshadowed pretty much everything at the Munich Security Conference: Aleksei Navalny's death. How big a blow is it to the hopes of a better Russia, a Russia that wants to try its hand at democracy again?

Edgars Rinkevics: I think that the very fact that all the opponents of Mr. Putin are either in jail or dead, and that Mr. Navalny was not the first opponent who died -- or that they are somewhere in exile -- actually [shows] that, at this point, it is very difficult to imagine any kind of opposing forces that could make a difference in Russia. It may happen [sometime] in the future -- things are not somehow frozen in time, they are not constant, they keep moving.

The Tavberidze Interviews Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Vazha Tavberidze of RFE/RL's Georgian Service has been interviewing diplomats, military experts, and academics who hold a wide spectrum of opinions about the war's course, causes, and effects. To read all of his interviews, click here.

But I think that this has been probably a very symbolic end of an era. Because we do remember how Mr. Navalny was fighting corruption, how he was exposing officials. Well, you could agree or disagree with him as a politician, but definitely he was a very viable alternative to the current regime. And that's why I believe he was imprisoned and he died. And as we remember, there was already one very serious attempt on his life just three years ago.

On the other hand, I do believe that we must also understand that our condemnation -- the Western world saying how bad it is -- does not mean anything [to] the Kremlin at this point. I think Mr. Putin has his own goals. He wants, first of all, to eliminate any dissent back home. And, of course, he wants to advance his foreign policy [and] imperialistic goals.

RFE/RL: What do you expect the Western reaction to be, beyond the usual consternation and condemnation?

Rinkevics: I do believe that the only viable way to respond to this tragic news is to provide more assistance, more weapons to Ukraine. To some extent, the possibility of a better Russia, a more democratic Russia, currently lies not in Russia itself but in Ukraine. I believe we still have this very wrong narrative that "we are going to support Ukraine as long as it takes." We should change it to "we are going to support Ukraine to victory, even with all the issues [and] problems that we now face: funding, a bit of fatigue." But I think that this is a major, important message that the leaders of the free world should send: We will support Ukraine until victory.

And most probably, I would say, the victory of Ukraine means also some possible change in Russia -- not necessarily a positive one. It could also be the other way around. But at least there is a chance for change, also within Russia. But currently, I would say that the only viable way is not to impose sanctions on that or another judge or prosecutor or the warden of the prison where Mr. Navalny died but actually to double down on the support for Ukraine.

We talked [before this interview] about the lesson learned from 2008, from Russia's aggression against Georgia. Now everyone is saying that if we were smart enough then, then probably the war in Europe, as we know it now, would never have started. That's not the case anymore. I think that now -- and I repeat this whenever I meet the press or colleagues if they don't realize -- not providing enough help to Ukraine means [a] kind of cease-fire or the end of hostilitiesprobably for the time being. But Russia has shown over the last 16-plus years that it's on a war footing, and it will continue.

So, from that point of view, I would not look so much at how to respond to Mr. Navalny's death -- with what kind of sanctions, what kind of scenarios could develop. I would say this has reinforced the message that we have to continue fighting Russia any way we can. And we know that Ukraine is fighting not only for us but, to some extent, I would say Ukraine is fighting instead of us.

RFE/RL: You pledged when you visited Kyiv, with [Ukrainian] President [Volodymyr] Zelenskiy, that Latvia would stand with Ukraine until its victory. And I want to ask you what this victory looks like today? What would be a victory that would be acceptable for Ukraine and, in a broader sense, the West?

Rinkevics: I think that this is a question that is very easily answerable, but it's not very easily deliverable. The Ukrainian president has presented his peace formula. We are going to meet hopefully next month -- it depends, of course, on the organization [of it], at a first peace summit. I hope that the [approach] is going to be quite broad andthe peace formula is a Ukraine that is gaining control of its own internationally recognized borders.

RFE/RL: Do you ever see Putin agreeing to that?

Rinkevics: That's where we are going to the second part of my answer, where I say that it's very easy to answer and difficult to deliver. And yes, this year is going to be difficult -- difficult in the way that we are not delivering enough, we know that. And yes, we are ramping up the defense industry; there are [things] that are good. We are also going to see to it that Ukraine receives more sophisticated weapons also throughout this year.

But I think that the only way Russia can start to talk about the end of hostilities and agreeing to the peace formula is if they understand that they can't advance anymore and that they are losing ground and, to some extent, that their own internal stability of the regime is threatened. And that is where, if I am asked the time line, I wouldn't be able to give it, and a lot depends on Ukrainians and on us.

RFE/RL: I won't ask you about the time line, but I will ask you about whether there is willingness in the West to do that.

Rinkevics: All my colleagues with whom I was speaking understand that, at this point, this is a very complex issue. There is an example of 2008 Georgia; there is an example [from] 2014 [with] Crimea and Donbas. And there is an example also of subversive actions when it comes to our own election process [in Latvia] back in 2016-17. We see also the attempts to intimidate, maybe, in countries like Moldova -- you name it.

But there is this difficulty [in] that we as leaders are trying to find the right way to talk with our publics. Why? Because there is a bit of fatigue. If you switch on the TV or you look at news sites, you see "Ukraine war." Some people still continue watching, [others] simply move to something else. We do have this very complex situation in the Middle East, which also has taken a toll on the global community. And then, of course, you understand that if there is a stalemate, then Russia can regroup, and then you have to honestly tell your public that you have to be prepared for all kinds of scenarios.

I myself am saying that we should not approach the current situation with [a] sense of gloom and doom, but we have to be prepared [for] all kinds of scenarios. And also, back home, it requires some effort to mobilize [the] civil [defenses]. It has to be reconfigured according to the experience from Ukraine, or more defense spending, or the establishment of conscription, or building the Baltic defense line. We have plenty of work to do.

RFE/RL: On that note, recently, some Scandinavian countries told their people that it's not an unrealistic possibility that Russia will try to launch an attack against them in three to five years' time. Suppose you go out in Riga and tell that to the Latvian population, what would the reaction be?

Rinkevics: First of all, the Latvian population is smart enough to read all the news and [hear about] everything that either I or the foreign minister or the defense minister or any high-level officials are saying to them -- or [what] any admirals or high-level officials of any [other] countries are saying. So that eventuality is being counted [on].

But you know, probably for us, some of those discoveries that we hear from other capitals in the West, that discovery is not anything new. We knew that Russia is getting more and more belligerent. We saw what is happening in Georgia, in Ukraine. We saw what is happening in our neighboring Belarus in 2021 when, with the assistance of President Putin, [Belarusian President Alyaksandr] Lukashenka was suppressing unrest. So, this is not anything that I would say is new.

But having said that, I see that there is a need to somehow tell the public that, first of all, we need to spend more on security, including both defense and internal security. Yes, we have to work with our allies. Yes, we don't have anything better than NATO. But at the same time, we also should not approach this as a fact. So probably for us, it's a bit of a different narrative than for some of those countries that even a couple of years ago were saying that it's not imaginable, it's impossible. Now everything is possible.

And we should understand that when we are past this phase, that we acknowledge the problem, that we start to address it. And the solution is more defense industry, more defense spending.

RFE/RL: Ukrainian President Zelenskiy warned of the dangers to Poland and to the Baltics. With that in mind, and with Russia's known tactics of "passportization" and using Russian-speaking populations in other countries for aggression, how concerned are you that that could be a threat in Latvia, with its rather sizable Russian-speaking minority?

Rinkevics: We do take some of the security challengesseriously. And that's why there has been legislation passed [for] a more rigorous vetting process. And at the same time, I would say that we were also well aware of some of those tactics long in advance. We have seen [widespread] attempts to issue Russian passports 10 years ago, when we were introducing our social-security system reform, raising the pension age. Suddenly all those people who took Russian passports and refused the Latvian [passports], the noncitizens, understood that actually life is not as nice as it seems. I would say that, to some extent, this situation is a bit different than it used to be, or than it still is in Georgia or Ukraine.

RFE/RL: For the better?

Rinkevics: I would say it's not for the better, it's just different. Indeed, we also addressed some of those concerns, and we are talking with those people who live in Latvia and are not speaking Latvian as their native language. If you look at opinion polls, they present a very interesting picture: There is about a quarter [of those not using Latvian as their native language] supporting Ukraine; a quarter are supporting Mr. Putin; and the rest is either not giving an exact answer or saying they are confused. Of course, it would be very wise to try to understand how they are confused and why they are not answering the question.

I would say that we take this issue seriously, too. But I would also say that, unlike in some other countries, you don't have very compact parts, especially in parts of Latvia where there are only, let's say, Russian speakers; it's a bit more [of a] complex picture. But nevertheless, I do believe also that seeing what's happening in Ukraine, many of those who would probably support Putin and how great he is and what he does somewhere else, they wouldn't be very happy to see missiles flying into their own apartment, or drones flying into their own apartment. I think that this needs to be taken into account.

RFE/RL: How do you see coexistence with Russia, in general, in the future? Let's say there's a cease-fire or some kind of settlement. Do you ever see yourself going to Russia? What kind of welcome or reception would you expect?

Rinkevics: It's impossible to imagine that during my mandate I would be going to Russia or receiving any Russian official. I don't think it's going to happen. I don't believe that, even with the best possible scenario that we're talking about in this interview, that we are going to see Russia changing in a radical way for democracy, where human rights and rule of law would be expected. The whole history of Russia shows that, yes, there are waves. There are waves when they turn to the West and they want to be like the West. They never quite get there.

RFE/RL: That's the thing about the waves, they come and go.

Rinkevics: Yes. Now we are in the wave where Russia is completely turning away from being part of Western civilization with all the elements we know. But that wave is also going to disappear. My concern [at] this point would be that if Russia feels that it has won, it will try its luck; if Russia feels that it has lost but the current regime continues to be in power, then there will be a kind of humiliation and probably there will be an attempt to somehow correct the mistake. So, like it or not, we are going to face in the next years, or maybe decades, living next to a very unpredictable, dangerous country.

RFE/RL: I want to ask you about this enduring reluctance of the so-called Old West to see Russia from the perspective that the Baltics or Poland or Eastern Europeans in general see it. Even when history seemingly proves that your way of seeing Russia is right.

Rinkevics: To some extent, I think that the last two years showed that we are getting closer, but we have not met each other yet. I think that we are getting closer, because there is an understanding that in the 21st century, Russia can use very brutal means to launch a war; Russia can kill innocent civilians. But I think that there are also two other elements that I'm trying to understand when I'm talking with [our] Western counterparts.

One is that we still have a bit [of a] different history. Most of Western Europe was under Nazi occupation, it got liberated, [and] Germany became one of the leading global and European powers -- a completely great success story. We got another 50 years of Soviet occupation that ended relatively recently -- only 33 years ago. And that's why we have those kinds of memories.

Second, I think that everyone was so excited that the Cold War was over, and there was this kind of very wishful thinking that is very difficult to get rid of. And then finally, let's not forget that there are also many other pressing issues for many bigger or smaller European countries. Russia is part of the UN Security Council; it has global reach, and, to some extent, I think that there is this kind of feeling that, if [Russia were] properly [addressed], you could probably get some kind of deal. I don't believe that.

I see that all the deals are honored by Russia only if they believe they serve their interests. As soon as it's over, they break them -- be it Ukraine, be it Georgia, be it any other international treaty they have signed throughout the last 30 years.
The Russian Justice Ministry has included Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty on its register of "undesirable organizations," a decision made by the Russian Prosecutor-General's Office on February 20.

In total, there are now more than 140 organizations on Russia's undesirable list. In addition to media outlets, organizations engaged in political, cultural, and educational activities, support for democratic institutions, as well as religious organizations are included.

Russian citizens face up to five years in prison for cooperating with undesirable organizations or aiding in their financing within Russia.

What is RFE/RL?

RFE/RL is a private, nonprofit American media corporation funded by a grant from the U.S. Congress through the United States Agency for Global Media. RFE/RL operates in 27 languages in 23 countries -- mainly for audiences in countries where media freedom is limited.

What does it mean to be labeled an "undesirable" organization in Russia?

When Russia names an organization undesirable, it is claiming that the organization is a threat to the countrys national security. However, experts say it is just an attempt by Russian authorities to snuff out any voices that dont align with the Kremlins views.

What are the consequences for organizations that are labeled undesirable?

Organizations have to completely stop their work inside Russia or face heavy fines and criminal repercussions. Furthermore, any citizens or entities that cooperate with an organization deemed undesirable face a potential fine on their first violation. If the cooperation continues after the administrative warning, the individual could face criminal charges with a maximum punishment of up to five years in prison.

What news outlets and investigative projects have been declared "undesirable"?

Aside from RFE/RL, Dozhd TV (TV Rain), Meduza, Novaya Gazeta Europe, Proekt, iStories, Vazhniye Istorii, The Insider, and Bellingcat have all been declared undesirable.

How does the designation impact a news organizations work?

The designation hinders, but does not stop, a news agencys ability to write stories about Russia. Anyone inside Russia sending news tips to such news organizations or giving interviews face possible administrative and criminal responsibility. It will force people inside Russia who want to speak to such news organizations to do so anonymously.

What are the consequences for Russian readers of such news organizations?

People inside Russia can continue to legally read material published by news organizations declared undesirable. However, they cannot share, repost, or include hyperlinks to any future or past material by those news organizations.

What if a Russian shared a link before an organization was declared "undesirable"?

Russian citizens run the risk of administrative and criminal responsibility if their social media pages have links to material from an undesirable organization, regardless if the post was made years before the law on undesirable organizations even came into effect.

Lawyers recommend Russian citizens scroll through all their social media pages and delete any links to such organizations.

What is the difference between the "foreign agent" law and the "undesirable organization" law?

The so-called "foreign agent" law requires any person or entity the government claims is under foreign influence to publicly identify themselves as such with labels, and to submit to cumbersome audits.

Experts say the goal of the "foreign agents" law is to tarnish the image of any organization or individual critical of the Kremlin and drive them out of business. Commercial news organizations who were declared "foreign agents" immediately lost Russian advertisers, with some going out of business.

The undesirable label essentially finishes off the existence inside Russia of any organization that survived the "foreign agent" designation.

Russia in 2017 declared RFE/RL and Voice of America as foreign agents and demanded the two news organizations prominently label all content, including social media posts, as produced by foreign agents. RFE/RL and VOA refused to label their content in that way.

RFE/RL suspended its operations in Russia in March 2022 after local tax authorities initiated bankruptcy proceedings against RFE/RLs Russian entity and police intensified pressure on its journalists. RFE/RL refused to pay multiple fines totaling more than 1 billion rubles ($14 million) for noncompliance with the "foreign agent" law.
HONG KONG, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) saw an increase in population in 2023 thanks to a net inflow of residents, official data showed Tuesday.

The provisional estimate of the Hong Kong population was over 7.5 million at the end of 2023, an increase of 0.4 percent as compared with that at the end of 2022, the Census and Statistics Department of the HKSAR government said.

The population increase was mainly attributable to a net inflow of 51,700 Hong Kong residents recorded during the period, with an inflow of 40,800 one-way permit holders and a net inflow of 10,800 other Hong Kong residents, the department said.

Over the same period, a natural decrease of 21,200 was recorded, with 33,200 births and 54,400 deaths.

A government spokesperson said the population registered an increase for the second consecutive year since normalcy resumed in Hong Kong.

"Many Hong Kong residents who stayed abroad during the epidemic have returned to Hong Kong throughout 2023. In the second half of 2023, there was still considerable inflow of Hong Kong permanent residents," the spokesperson said, adding that the increase is also attributable to the successive admission of mainland and overseas persons through various schemes into Hong Kong. 
After withdrawing from Avdiyivka, Ukrainian units are scrambling to build new defensive positions west of the city. As Current Time's Andriy Kuzakov reports, many Avdiyivka residents have also left. Kyiv accuses Russian forces of shooting eight prisoners of war, posting a video purporting to show one incident. Military analyst Yan Matveev says "very low discipline, impunity, neglect, and brutality within the Russian Army" may have been contributing factors.
Polish farmers resumed their blockade of roads along the Ukrainian border as they protested against cheaper imports from their war-torn neighbor. Dozens of tractors jammed transport routes on February 20 as Ukrainian grain was dumped on railroad tracks. Ukrainian truckers held a counterdemonstration demanding the blockade be lifted so they can return to their country. Ukrainian Agriculture Minister Mykola Solskiy said Ukraine "strongly condemns such forms of protest," adding that the corn spilled on tracks was being exported to Germany, not Poland.
by Mahmoud Fouly

CAIRO, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- China's economic development path is people-oriented, with coordination between the public and private sectors to improve the lives of its citizens, said an economic consultant in a recent interview with Xinhua.

"Both the public and private sectors in China integrate to serve the state," said Moatasem Rashed, a veteran economic consultant for the Egyptian Federation of Investors Associations.

He said that China's economic model, based on coordination between the public and private sectors, led to significant achievements in infrastructure construction, poverty alleviation and urban-rural coordinated development.

"I believe that Chinese citizens today are reaping the fruits of this policy of integration between the public and private sectors," the expert emphasized.

China's experience is more like "grassroots development," with establishing development hotspots throughout China, not just in certain parts of the country, Rashed told Xinhua.

"The Chinese development model is like grassroots development in which the entire people participate in the development process," said the economist.

China's gross domestic product posted a growth of 5.2 percent year on year in 2023, higher than the annual target of around 5 percent, data from the country's National Bureau of Statistics showed in mid-January.

Rashed said that the sustainability of China's economic growth for successive years proves its success, which has led the country to become the world's second-largest economy.

He pointed out that China's opening up to partnerships with other countries, particularly developing ones, is significant for boosting economic growth in these countries.

"China's opening up to developing countries provides the latter with the modern technology and development models they need," he said, adding that Chinese projects are welcomed in developing states.

He cited the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) as a long-term project that seeks common development and win-win partnerships among participating states, whether bilateral or multilateral.

"The BRI aims to share and transfer the Chinese experience in development through partnerships" with all BRI partner countries, Rashed said.

He refuted Western media's claims that China's foreign economic cooperation via the BRI and other initiatives seeks dominance.

"These allegations are baseless, as proven by the constantly increasing international support for the BRI," Rashed said, arguing that "China did not impose the BRI but offered it, and other countries sought to join."

"The countries participating in the initiative found it beneficial as it helps them integrate and cooperate to achieve common interests," he explained.

"The goal of anti-China Western reports is to distort the Chinese experience," Rashed said, asserting that it has failed nonetheless.

China's cooperation with developing states is motivated by "partnerships," while the approach of Western states seeks "subordination" and "exploitation" of these countries, he added.

Noting that the West sees nothing but itself, Rashed said, "Western presence in these countries aims to control their resources." 
Tom Tuite

A young man has appeared in court charged with intimidating independent TD Michael Healy-Rae and trying to impede the politician from entering Government Buildings during an "aggressive" protest.

About 200 protesters held a rally outside Leinster House on September 20th last year as the Dail resumed following the summer recess, leading to several arrests.

Afterwards, the Kerry TD condemned the conduct of some demonstrators as he and an intern from his office attempted to leave the area.

Following a Garda investigation, Dean Hickson (21) appeared at Dublin District Court on Tuesday.

Garda Chloe Rochfort, from Pearse Street Garda station, obtained directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to charge him under section nine of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act.

Mr Hickson, of Griffith Parade, Finglas East, Dublin, is accused of intimidating Mr Healy-Rae at Kildare Street, Dublin 2, on September 20th.

The DPP directed summary disposal in the District Court, which can impose a 12-month sentence and a fine, rather than a trial at the Circuit Court level, which can impose a sentence of up to five years.

'Aggressive protesters'

Judge Paula Murphy accepted jurisdiction after hearing a summary of the prosecution evidence.

Court Garda Sergeant James Ward said it was alleged: "The accused was among a number of aggressive protesters outside Leinster House during an anti-government, anti-immigration protest."

At one point, the CCTV footage captured someone "throwing a plastic bottle in the direction of Michael Healy Rae, narrowly missing his head".

During the investigation, the accused was identified from the video footage "as the person who deliberately impeded the injured party from entering Government Buildings, a place of work".

Judge Murphy ordered him to appear again on April 16th to enter a plea. Mr Hickson, who is unemployed, was granted legal aid but did not address the court.

His solicitor, Donal Quigley, said he was instructed to tell the judge that his client "did not block anyone going in or out".

The defence was also granted an order for disclosure of prosecution evidence, including video footage.

Mr Healy-Rae was not required to attend the proceedings on Tuesday but could be called as a witness to testify if the case proceeds to a contested hearing.
Gordon Deegan

Spanish police intervened and met with a man from West Clare after being alerted that he said online that he had a sexual interest in young girls and was going to 'try' a 10-year-old girl while on holiday in Spain, a court has heard.

In May 2018, Spanish police also seized a mobile phone belonging to 'family man', Liam Kelly (45), of Clonadrum, Mullagh, Co Clare. Analysis of the phone found a small number of child abuse images.

Arising from a subsequent Garda investigation, the father of two has pleaded guilty at Ennis Circuit Court to the possession of three child pornography still images and one video at his home in West Clare in May 2018.

Sergeant Claire Haugh, of Ennis Garda station, told the court that during a garda interview Kelly had denied viewing the images he had received online from a UK national.

Sgt Haugh said the images included individual naked females, aged between two and five. Sgt Haugh said a video showed a girl aged nine or 10 "removing her underwear in a provocative manner".

Sgt Haugh said Kelly had stated in a 2018 online chat that he was sexually interested in girls aged from eight to 13.

Analysis of a laptop showed that Kelly was "involved in various chat-rooms that were indicative of a sexual interest in children," the court was told.

Sgt Haugh said Kelly told gardai that he was on such platforms "with a view to outing paedophiles".

Sgt Haugh said gardai rejected this claim, as analysis of the seized laptop showed the accused expressing a sexual interest in young children.

'Paedo'

Counsel for the State, Lorcan Connolly Bl, said there are references to 'paedo' or 'ped' in the online chats.

Judge Francis Comerford described engagement with child abuse imagery as "evil", describing Kelly's excuse that he was trying to entrap predatory paedophiles as "nonsense" and "fairly implausible".

In evidence, Sgt Haugh said it was police from South Wales who initially discovered the online chat in May 2018 between Kelly and another man which ultimately resulted in the intervention by Spanish police.

Sgt Haugh said Kelly told the other user that he was going to Spain the following day, and said about a 10-year-old girl: "I am going to try her".

Sgt Haugh said: "In the context of earlier exchanges, it was entirely reasonable to assume that Mr Kelly was intent on engaging in sexual activity with this child."

The garda said police in South Wales informed Gardai of the matter through Interpol, and officers here in turn contacted their Spanish counterparts, who met with Kelly at his hotel on May 23rd, 2018.

"There is no evidence that the child in Spain on holidays was put at risk, but talking in those terms is revolting," Judge Comerford said.

Sgt Haugh said the online chat between Kelly and the man from the UK comprised of 153 messages discussing sexual activity with young girls.

Sgt Haugh said that while Kelly was in Spain, Detective Garda John Casey secured a search warrant to search Kellys home in Mullagh.

Mr Connolly said that while analysis of a laptop at Kelly's home did not yield any child abuse images, it did indicate the user was "involved in various chatrooms that were indicative of a sexual interest in children".

Mr Connolly said that in one online chat, there was evidence of 32 users online simultaneously, and Kelly had different private chats with people with various handles with a sexual interest in children.

Sgt Haugh agreed with Mr Connolly that the private chats under Kelly's user handle were "indicative of sharing thoughts and views and encouraging an interest in paedophilia".

Sgt Haugh said r Kelly has no previous convictions and is an Applied Physics and Electronics graduate and works for a manufacturing company.

'Family man'

Counsel for Kelly, Bernard Madden SC, instructed by solicitor John Casey, described his client as "a family man", adding there was no evidence of financial gain out of this matter, and no history of violence.

Mr Madden said that since the images were discovered six years ago, Kelly has not come to any further garda attention.

Mr Madden asked that Kelly, who has no previous convictions, be further remanded on bail to allow him to receive treatment.

Judge Comerford acceded to the application "with no promises", and warned that if Kelly does not avail of treatment "he will be going to jail, it is as simple as that".

Judge Comerford noted that Kelly has shown no remorse, "and his wife wanted him to engage with a clinical psychologist, but he didnt want to do that".

Judge Comerford lifted reporting restrictions in the case despite Mr Madden expressing concern over the impact Kelly's identification may have on his children.

However, the judge said identification is part of the deterrent effect against such offences.

"I appreciate it is very difficult for the children of the accused. It isnt good at all, but there is no basis for reporting restrictions. It is a particularly heinous crime," Judge Comerford said, remanding Kelly on continuing bail.

The case will be mentioned again on March 8th at Ennis Circuit Court.
Sidney farmer Devin Bell earned a spot with the top soybean growers in the country in the Go for the Gold Soybean Yield Contest sponsored by Golden Harvest Soybeans. His test plot of 20 acres of Golden Harvest soybean GH 0502XF yielded 69.51 bushels per acre, about two bushels more than his other varieties. "It was the highest yields I've ever had," Bell said. He farms about 250 acres of soybeans on irrigated land.

Farmers Choice, which is new to the area and sells Golden Harvest seed, approached Bell about trying their soybean seed. He is pleased that he did, as the results were better than expected. The win also brings a trip to Americas largest farmer-led, farmer-focused agricultural show in the country, the 2024 Commodity Classic, in Houston the end of February. Bell is looking forward to visiting with the vendors and attending seminars to extend his educational knowledge in commodity crops.

Bell says he was born into a farming family, went to college in Iowa for an Ag degree, then returned to join his parents Raymond and Trish Bell in the farming business. He has been farming in partnership with his father for 10 years and hopes to allow his kids an opportunity to farm as well. Alongside soybeans Bell grows alfalfa, corn, and wheat and has a small cow calf operation. Devin is married to Kaitlin Bell and they have three children: Rhett (5), Paige (3), and Tyler (1).

Golden Harvest says it is celebrating 50 years as a seeds partner with farmers to deliver custom solutions for each unique agronomic challenge. It is proud to recognize farmers who achieved top honors in the 2023 "Go for the Gold" yield contest with soybeans.
Bozeman  The Montana State University College of Agriculture and Montana Agritourism Fellows Program will host a new conference focused on the Confluence of agriculture and tourism on Friday, May 3, on the MSU campus. The event will include speakers, educational sessions, and networking opportunities for attendees.

The conference, titled Building Agritourism from the Ground Up: Inviting You to the Table, will run from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. in the Strand Union Building. It is the culmination of a year of collaboration and learning by the first-ever cohort of the Montana Agritourism Fellows Program, which was established in 2022 to engage Montana producers in developing an environment of agritourism in the state. The event is also supported by the Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program, for which MSU has served as the host institution since 2018.

Registration for the conference costs $50 per person and the deadline to register is April 19. A full agenda and registration can be found at http://www.montanaagritourism.com/events-2-1.

The 14 members of the Montana Agritourism Fellows Program came from nine Montana communities. Over a year, they visited sustainable agritourism operations across the state and learned about management, business, media relations, and other relevant topics.

Topics covered at the event will include starting an agritourism business; marketing and communication; funding opportunities and initiatives focused on agritourism; public engagement; and more. Speakers will include Cole Mannix, Old Salt Co-op founder, Helmville; Nick DeCastro, LandTrust founder of recreation access network, Bozeman; and Glenna Brown and Elena Bigart, University of Montanas Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research.

Our conference is designed to bring together industry leaders and professionals from various backgrounds in tourism, agriculture, education, community development, and more, said Shannon Arnold, MSUs Department of Agricultural and Technology Education professor and a member of the leadership team for the Montana Agritourism Fellows Program. We are looking forward to a day of insightful discussions, learning from experts, and networking with peers from around the industry.

Along with Arnold, the program is led by Dustin Perry, of the Department of Agricultural and Technology Education head; Kim Woodring, Toole County Extension agent; and Beth Shirley, MSUs Department of English technical communication assistant professor.
The Sidney Jaycees (JCI Richland County) hosted the Montana 2023 Year End Celebration at the Richland County Events Center last week. The Jaycees (Junior Chamber International USA) is a nonprofit organization that grows young leaders for community involvement. Nationwide the Jaycees currently have approximately 6,000 members with a worldwide membership of 150,000 in over 100 countries. The last statewide Jaycees event hosted in Sidney was the mid-year election conference in 2022.

Nathan Martin, 2023 JCI USA national president, was in attendance for the event. Martin traveled from his home state of Hawaii to participate in the Montana 2023 Year End Celebration. "The same impact we have in Sidney we are doing all across the globe," Martin said. Every chapter has done things a little differently around the world. "We all have the same mission, our same vision. We just develop our leaders in a little bit different ways. Some of our chapters might be more on the business entrepreneurial side of things. A lot of our chapters, especially in the U.S., are more on the community impact."

A total of five out of the six chapters throughout the state were in attendance at the event. Approximately 30 members from the Central chapter (Lewistown), Billings, Miles City, Havre and Richland County participated. The Dillon chapter was unable to attend due to a conflict with one of the chapter's local events.

Friday's activities included completions for members to showcase their leadership abilities. These competitions included write up and speak up competitions as well as a fun activity called Jaycee Jeopardy. On Saturday, the activities began with a business meeting with the 2024 board of directors and updates from the state and national levels of the organization followed by updates on each chapter's plans for the first half of the year.

The Sidney Jaycees hold several community events throughout the year. In June, they hold their Team Demolition Derby. The club holds their family-friendly Independence Day Celebration and Fireworks at. the Richland County Fairgrounds. This year will mark the 47th year of the Jaycees Demolition Derby held in August.

The Sidney Jaycees meet every second and fourth Thursday of each month at the Sidney Chamber building at 7 p.m. All meetings are open to the public. Membership is open to volunteers ages 18-40 who are looking to develop their leadership skills and create positive change across the community. Additional information can be found on the club's Facebook page named JCI Richland County.
Mitsumi Distribution has partnered with Samsung Gulf Electronics, establishing itself as an authorised B2B distributor for Samsung's complete lineup of Mobile eXperience products and solutions in the UAE.

This includes a diverse array of products such as smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, and an extensive range of mobile accessories, featuring batteries, flip covers, SD cards and more.

The partnership marks a significant milestone for Mitsumi Distribution, enhancing its portfolio by adding Samsung's cutting-edge technology products. The collaboration is set to redefine the landscape of smart device distribution in the UAE, bringing innovative solutions and a diverse product range to consumers.

Redefining standards

Jagat Shah, Chairman & CEO of Mitsumi Distribution, said: "This collaboration with Samsung underscores our commitment to deliver unparalleled technological solutions to the Gulf region. By combining Mitsumi Distribution's expertise with Samsung's innovative products, we are poised to redefine the standards of Mobile eXperience products and solutions in the UAE. Mitsumi intends to develop the market in UAE and gulf region for Samsung B2B business by partnering with end-customers and system integrators alike. Furthermore, Mitsumi offers unique device financing options for their customers which differentiates us from other players in the market."

Fadi Abu Shamat, Head of Mobile eXperience Division at Samsung Gulf Electronics, said: Together we look forward to shaping the future of technology, enriching lives, and fostering success for our valued customers."

Recognised as a market leader, Mitsumi has consistently demonstrated its prowess in Telco business verticals. Since the inception of the distribution partnership with Samsung, considerable success and positive market reception have underscored the effectiveness of this collaboration.--TradeArabia News Service
BEIRUT, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Arab region's unemployment rate is expected to remain at 9.8 percent in 2024, above the pre-pandemic levels, said a report released by the International Labor Organization (ILO) on Tuesday, calling for urgent action in the "complex" Arab labor market.

The report attributed the high rate to factors including "segmentation between nationals and migrants, and public and private sectors in the GCC (the Gulf Cooperation Council) countries.

For non-GCC states, there are issues of instability, conflict, crisis, a weak private sector, and demographic pressures, the report said.

In the report titled "Arab States Employment and Social Outlook - Trends 2024: Promoting Social Justice through a Just Transition," ILO Regional Director for Arab States Ruba Jaradat called for urgent action as the labor market situation in the Arab States is "complex."

"We hope this report can help identify solutions to promote not only thriving and fair labor markets but also peace and stability across our region," Jaradat said.

The report noted that many employment challenges in the region are caused by the economies' inability to generate enough high-quality jobs for those seeking employment.

"Consequently, more than half of the workers are in informal and insecure jobs, without social protection or other benefits," said the report, adding that working poverty affected 7.1 million workers, or 12.6 percent of the total employment, in 2023.

"There are also significant challenges on the supply side. Inadequate education and skills development systems have resulted in a mismatch between the skills employers need and those workers can offer," it said.

The report highlighted a need to intensify attempts to diversify the economy, especially in oil-producing countries exposed to oil price fluctuations, and to create jobs in more resilient sectors, especially in countries affected by conflict and instability.

The report also recommended implementing effective green policies and measures to facilitate a just transition that assists all impacted individuals and does not leave anyone behind.

"With the right green policies, the region could increase its GDP by 200 billion U.S. dollars and create 2 million more jobs by 2050," the report said. 
Who is Chandigarh Mayor Kuldeep Kumar? Know all about him

Supreme Court announced Kuldeep Kumar as the Mayor of Chandigarh.

Who is the new Chandigarh Mayor Kuldeep Kumar? In a major turn of events, the Supreme Court on Tuesday declared Aam Aadmi Party's candidate Kuldeep Kumar as the elected candidate for the post of Chandigarh Mayor. This victory has turned out to be a big blow to the Bharatiya Janata Party.

In the meanwhile, a lot of people started looking for more information about who is the new Chandigarh Mayor Kuldeep Kumar. Well, Rozana Spokesman reached out to the new mayor itself and tried to find some information about the same.

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Who is the new Chandigarh Mayor Kuldeep Kumar?

Born on September 10, 1984, Kuldeep Kumar joined the Aam Aadmi Party in 2021 after serving the Congress party for over 6-7 years. He said he was forced to complete his 10th, 12th, and even his graduation via distance learning. Even Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal revealed that he belonged to a poor family but this "Aam Aadmi" is going to do wonders in the 'City Beautiful'.

On the Supreme Court's hearing over the Chandigarh Mayor Election 2024, the now-elected Chandigarh Mayor Kuldeep Kumar said, "One must always trust in Democracy. The truth always wins." He said he would make all the efforts to revive the city by cleaning all the dust not only from the streets but also from the Municipal Corporation.

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He further said, "BJP Ka Ek Hi Kaal, Kejriwal, Kejriwal!"
Sigh of Relief! Petrol Pump Dealer Association's Feb 22 Strike in Punjab on HOLD!

Petrol Pump Dealer Association's call for a strike on February 22 has been put on hold.

Petrol Pump Dealer Association's Strike in Punjab Latest News: In a major development, the Petrol Pump Dealer Association's strike has been put on hold as a meeting is set to be held between the Association and the Oil Companies on February 22.

According to information, the Petrol Pump Dealer Association's call for a strike on February 22, wherein no petrol and diesel would be sold across the state, has been put on hold as the association has decided to wait till the meeting is held.

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The association has also stated that if the meeting with the Oil companies on February 22 remains inconclusive, then the Association will initiate the strike on February 29, the end of February.

As per the previous call, Petrol and diesel were not supposed to be made available for sale in Punjab on February 22. Petrol Pump Dealers Association Punjab (PPDAP) announced a state-wide strike to demand higher margins from oil marketing companies (OMCs). The association had also observed no purchase day on February 15 and even supported the farmers' Bharat Bandh on February 16.

PPDAP President Paramjit Singh Doaba stated that the dealer margin, which was the commission paid by OMCs to the dealers for selling fuel, has not been revised since August 2017. He also said that the association sent a memorandum to the presidents of OMCS and even to the Prime Minister, urging them to increase the dealer margin.

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(For more news apart from Petrol Pump Dealer Association's Strike in Punjab Latest News, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman)
President Joe Biden said the United States will impose additional sanctions on Russia over the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

Responding to a reporter's question after Marine One arrival at the South Lawn Monday, Biden said, "We already have sanctions, but we're considering additional sanctions, yes."

Earlier, addressing a news conference, he reiterated his blame on Russian President Putin for the death of Navalny.

"Putin is responsible, whether he ordered it or he is responsible for the circumstances he put that man in. And it's a reflection of who he is. And it just cannot be tolerated."

He told reporters that the Putin regime would have to pay a price for the incident.

Navalny, a fierce critic of Putin, died at a strict-regime Arctic penal colony far away from Moscow last week under mysterious circumstances.

The European Union alleged that Navalny was slowly murdered by President Putin and his regime.

EU urged Russian authorities to establish all facts around Navalny's death, and demanded the immediate release of all other political prisoners in Russia.

Navalny's wife Yulia Navalnaya said in a video posted on social media that the Kremlin was hiding her husband's body to conceal the cause of his death.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
Germany as well as Europe as a whole are set to see a massive decline in residential construction in the coming years due to rising costs, the think tank ifo institute said Tuesday, citing the latest projections by the Euroconstruct forecasting network.



Only about 1.5 million housing units are forecast to be built in Europe by 2026, which is a 13 percent decline on 2023, the ifo institute said. This translates to an expected decline of 35 percent in Germany.



"Due in particular to the sharp rise in construction and financing costs, it's often no longer possible to build new homes in Germany," ifo construction expert Ludwig Dorffmeister said.

The lack of policy decisions is also impacting residential construction, the expert said.

"The resulting decline in the number of permits doesn't bode well for the coming years," Dorffmeister added.

Among the 19 countries covered by the Euroconstruct, Sweden is projected to witness a 47 percent slump in the number of completions between now and 2026.



France and Denmark are forecast to see declines of 22 percent and 19 percent, respectively.



"Construction experts report in particular that private households must contend with higher borrowing costs and reduced financial leeway," Dorffmeister added.

Meanwhile, Ireland, Slovakia, and the UK are projected to log double-digit gains during the period.

Europe is set to witness a 6.4 percent fall in investment in new residential buildings by 2026. Spending on maintenance and home renovations is expected to drop just 1.2 percent.

That said, Europe's civil engineering is projected to grow 7.5 percent by 2026 amid the expected above-average momentum in the energy and rail segments as well as in the water management segment.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Economic News

What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree allowing HSBC Holdings plc (HSBC) to sell its to Expobank, paving the way for the London-based bank's full exit from the country.

In June 2022, HSBC was in talks with Expobank, owned by Russian businessman Igor Kim, to sell its Russian unit. However, the discussions faltered when Putin reinforced the laws for foreign entities in August 2022, controlling their exit from Russia's energy and banking sectors.

The British lender stated in September that it would halt commercial payments by business customers to and from Russia and Belarus, as the sanctions were making it difficult to operate there, Reuters reports.

Previously, HSBC had exited its retail banking business in Russia and later stopped accepting new customers after the invasion of Ukraine.

The bank had made a loss of $300 million on the expected sale of the business of its Russian unit last year as Moscow charges discounts of at least 50 percent on foreign asset sales.

Moscow's crackdown on entities from unfriendly states has forced many businesses to plan their exit from Russia. However, only one transaction pertaining sale of Bank Intesa AO, the Russian subsidiary of Intesa Sanpaolo, to an unnamed buyer was permitted by Putin last year, whereas other international firms such as Austria's Raiffeisen Bank International AG and Italy's UniCredit SpA are still struggling to exit the country.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
IMIsEE group photo. Courtesy of NRF-SAIAB.

By: Lance Myburgh

In the wake of contemporary digitalisation, the launch of the science and art exhibition by the NRF-SAIAB IMIsEE Project, in collaboration with the Rhodes University Department of Music and Musicology, took the Makhanda community by storm in bridging the gap between community-engaged research, science, music, and art. The Sound Postcard Exhibition Launch promotes digital methods and tools for collaborative research in the Humanities.

The exhibition took place on the 14th of February 2024 at Rhodes University. It included a vibrant exhibition of research art accompanied by music, showcasing the work done by the NRF-SAIAB IMIsEE Project in collaboration with the Rhodes University Department of Music and Musicology. The team comprised scholars collaborating to elucidate the synergies between digitalisation and indigenous knowledge within their community-based research. As a result, contemporary forms of digital tools were utilised to create and foster interdisciplinary collaboration between music, art, and science to enhance innovative and impactful outcomes as exemplified by this project. This made the students' academic research accessible to the community's people through a qualitative research methodology to benefit both the researcher and the subset of participants.

Dr. Allette Schoon kickstarted the event with a warm welcome to all dignitaries, distinguished guests, students, attendees, and staff of Rhodes University. In her welcoming remarks, she underscored the significance of recognising the collective journey undertaken by the team members in curating the exhibition, emphasising the invaluable lessons gleaned from this collaborative endeavour.

Dr. Boudina McConnachie, as Head of Department and Senior Lecturer at Rhodes University specialising in ethnomusicology, declared historical research has always been available to the academics only. That is not sustainable, as information is taken from the communities to benefit oneself. Additionally, she stated that this launch serves as a pivotal opportunity for the co-creators of the research to have accessibility to the research. McConnachie emphasised the transformative potential of digitalisation in research and indigenous knowledge systems, noting its capacity to enable widespread access to information compared to the limited reach of traditional newspaper articles.

These sentiments were further exclaimed by Senior Scientist and NRF-rated Researcher Dr Francesca Porri at the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB). She confirmed, "This project used sound and image as a unifying language for all members to define their roles through one image and one sound  this is the link between science and the community, art, and music. Therefore, democratising access to cultural and scientific content makes it more open to the researched community.

The exhibition garnered significant acclaim, drawing a substantial audience. Some of the scholars work included Praise Mathebula, currently pursuing a masters degree in Music, and Kuhle Ngqezana, serving as an RMR intern and Masters researcher. Both were integrally involved in recording the sounds in the field with the Hamburg community. Vuyelwa Moyo and Thandi Matyobeni made indispensable contributions to the team as data collectors and photographers, curating and documenting the evolution of the Sound Postcard Exhibition.

The unity of music, art, and science enriches a comprehension of the world, inspiring creativity and innovation and fostering collaboration across disciplines. It allows for a holistic approach to knowledge and expression that can lead to profound insights and discoveries. This exhibition launch served as a primary reminder of the power of digitisation in forming a collaborative relationship between academic research and the indigenous knowledge of the Makhanda community. As a result, it is believed that the legacy of this initiative will live on to continue inspiring others and birth a collective of ideas that could promote opportunities for academics to think outside of the box in their research processes.
Many of the AIs interpretation of Honda Elevate adheres to Hondas design language globally and looks like a smaller CR-V

With the advancements in artificial intelligence, there has been a significant breakthrough in generative pictures. The AI models have been trained to scour through the internet and respond appropriately to user prompts. Have you ever wondered how AI would interpret a Honda Elevate car based on the companys description? Here it is.

Honda Elevate AI version

Here is how the Elevate is described by Honda on their official website  Always ready for your adventures, by making you move freely. Honda Elevate allows you to express your unique style, the true manifestation of Urban Freestyler. The Honda Elevate is perfectly designed to match your active and modern lifestyle. Honda SENSING is an Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) designed to assist you to achieve safe driving. The imposing design makes a statement that cant be ignored and has a majestic presence that stays with you.

The Elevate is the perfect symphony of bold, masculine and confident style. It means business but can also be free at a moments notice. The progressive cabin of Elevate is designed to offer a modern and premium experience which appeals to aspiring mindsets. Clever design and engineering make good use of every space within the All New Elevate. Our expertly crafted and technologically advanced, innovative powertrain greatly enhances both driving performance and fuel efficiency with reduced friction and lower emissions.

Automotive enthusiast Ankit Madan took one of the AI platforms and prompted it to imagine a Honda Elevate SUV. In the prompt, he pasted the same description that Honda has put out on their website. He then shared 15 of these stunning re-imagined Honda Elevate SUVs on social media.

Some of the results can be categorised into concepts owing to the complexities in sheet metal profiling that will prove difficult to manufacture and cutting-edge components that would never make it on mainstream cars. Some concepts look like they can be only achieved with electric powertrain and fancy portal axles.

However, some results are truly mesmerising and they stay relevant and feasible to Honda Indias manufacturing prowess (for mainstream market). Ankit Madan didnt mention which AI model he used to generate these images. Dall-e, Midjourney and a few AI models are well known to yield good results and properly interpret user prompts. Design inspiration is from global Honda cars and many look like a smaller and funkier version of CR-V.

Honda Elevate In India

Honda Elevate is one of the recent entrants in Indias most overcrowded and cut-throat compact SUV segment. It primarily rivals Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder, MG Astor, Volkswagen Taigun, Skoda Kushaq and Citroen C3 Aircross.

Honda Elevate has been soldiering on with consistent sub 5K sales. However, segment leaders sell close to thrice the volume. Hondas play with Elevate is a no-nonsense and sensible approach and getting the basics of a car right.

Elevate gets a sole 1.5L NA petrol engine that it shares with City sedan. This engine generates a healthy 119 bhp of peak power and 145 Nm of peak torque. There are two gearbox options as well  6-speed manual and a CVT. Elevate strength is that it offers an ADAS suite with a lower trim to strike a cost-efficient active safety proposition for buyers.
This photo taken on Feb. 20, 2024 from the roof of Duomo Cathedral shows a view of Milan, Italy. Temporary restrictions were enforced in northern Italy, especially the Lombardy region, on Tuesday in response to persistent high levels of air pollution. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

ROME, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Temporary restrictions were enforced in northern Italy, especially the Lombardy region, on Tuesday in response to persistent high levels of air pollution.

These measures were initiated after air quality indicators exceeded the limits stipulated by domestic and European legislation for particulate matter (like particles with a diameter of 10 micrometers or less, or PM10) and other pollutants for four consecutive days, regional authorities said.

A Level-1 ban entered into force in eight provinces of Lombardy, including the regional capital Milan, early on Tuesday. It prohibits all Euro 0 and Euro 1 vehicles, as well as Euro 2, Euro 3, and Euro 4 diesel vehicles in urban areas with more than 30,000 inhabitants from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. (from 0630 GMT to 1830 GMT).

The Euro emissions standards, labeled from Euro 0 to Euro 6, are set by the European Union to limit the amount of exhaust emissions of newly-sold vehicles. They specify the maximum levels of harmful gases and particles that vehicles can release into the environment.

Additionally, restrictions in Lombardy further prohibit heating homes above 19 degrees Celsius, using wood generators for domestic heating, and spreading fertilizers and slurry on land in farms.

Authorities in the western Piedmont region also imposed similar restrictions on diesel vehicles from Euro 3 to Euro 5, which were banned in Turin and surrounding areas until at least Wednesday.

These measures were adopted based on air pollution data collected across Italy.

According to data released on Tuesday by IQAir, a Swiss company providing air quality monitoring, the PM2.5 concentration in Milan currently exceeds the World Health Organization's annual air quality guideline value by about 20 times, making it one of the most polluted cities in the world these days. 

This photo taken on Feb. 20, 2024 from the roof of Duomo Cathedral shows a view of sunset in Milan, Italy. Temporary restrictions were enforced in northern Italy, especially the Lombardy region, on Tuesday in response to persistent high levels of air pollution. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

This photo taken on Feb. 20, 2024 from the roof of Duomo Cathedral shows a view of Milan, Italy. Temporary restrictions were enforced in northern Italy, especially the Lombardy region, on Tuesday in response to persistent high levels of air pollution. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

This photo taken on Feb. 20, 2024 from the roof of Duomo Cathedral shows a view of Milan, Italy. Temporary restrictions were enforced in northern Italy, especially the Lombardy region, on Tuesday in response to persistent high levels of air pollution. (Xinhua/Li Jing)
Considering the prospective vehicles from SAIC Groups global portfolio, Baojun Yep eSUV under MG brand might be the best bet for India

Having marked its entry into the Indian market with the launch of Hector in 2019, MG Motor has established itself as a prominent player. With a lineup of premium and well-crafted vehicles, MG Motor India has been actively participating in the electric car segment, currently offering ZS EV and Comet. As the festive season approaches, MG is gearing up to introduce its third electric vehicle to the Indian market.

Confirmation of MGs 3rd Electric Car Launch

Against the backdrop of a growing economy, Indian consumers are increasingly inclined towards enhancing their car ownership experience. Electric vehicles, offering lively performance and aligning with eco-conscious preferences, have garnered attention. Currently constituting around 2% of all passenger vehicles sold in India, EVs are anticipated to exhibit significant growth in the coming years.

Industry speculations suggest that EV sales may account for approximately 15% to 20% of the market by the end of the decade. Recognizing this trend, many Indian original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are gearing up to introduce new vehicles, particularly electric ones, across various segments. MG Motor is no exception.

Rajeev Chaba, MD of MG Motor India, has officially confirmed that the company is set to launch a new electric car later this year. This marks a significant stride for MG Motor in its expansion efforts in India, potentially being the first vehicle under MG branding following the strategic joint venture between SAIC Motor (parent company of MG Motor) and JSW Group led by Sajjan Jindal.

Presently, EVs contribute to 25% of MG Motor Indias sales volumes. The upcoming electric vehicle launch is expected to further boost this share. MG aims to leverage its manufacturing capabilities, pricing strategies, and overall product expertise for this new electric offering.

There are indications of a potential increase in production capacity at MGs Halol plant in Gujarat. With around 60,000 vehicles sold in India last year, the production capacity is projected to expand to 80,000 to 90,000 units in 2024. The infusion of capital from JSW Group, holding a 35% stake, is expected to provide MG with the necessary impetus to expand its operations in India.

What to Expect?

MG Motor India is set to double its portfolio by the end of 2025, with a new electric vehicle slated for launch during the festive season of 2024. Considering the showcase at the 2023 Auto Expo, potential vehicles for launch this year include the MG4 electric hatchback, MG5 electric estate car, or Mifa 9 electric MPV.

Given Indias electric vehicle purchasing trends and preferences, there is a strong possibility of MG launching the Baojun Yep eSUV in India. Based on the Wuling Air EV, introduced in India as the Comet, its attractive design and relatively affordable price tag could prove to be a winning formula for MG Motor India.

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VIENTIANE, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Laos-China Cultural Tourism Promotion Association has been established in Laos, aiming to contribute to the tourism sector and bring more benefits and convenience to the two countries.

According to Lao News Agency on Tuesday, a meeting to establish the association was held in the Lao capital Vientiane on Monday.

The association will become a tool and mechanism for promotion of tourism of Laos and China, especially in the work of advertising to attract Chinese tourists to Laos.

It was expected that the number of Chinese tourists to visit Laos will increase rapidly, the report said. 
SANAA, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's Houthi group warned the European Union (EU) not to join the coalition of the United States and Britain in the Red Sea, otherwise its ships would be targeted, Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported on Tuesday.

"A message to the EU, don't play with fire and take a lesson from Britain," the television cited a statement from Houthi leader Abdulmalik al-Houthi in reference to his group's recent missile attacks against British-registered cargo vessels, including an oil tanker that caught on fire in the southern Red Sea two weeks ago.

"Your presence increases the militarization of the sea, which would affect your countries' needs of shipping chains through the Red Sea," al-Houthi said, referring to the EU's oil shipments from the region.

"If your coalition in the Red Sea commits any foolishness, you will bear the consequences and your navy ships and commercial vessels will be targeted," the statement added.

On Monday, the EU said it launched a naval mission in the Red Sea to protect shipping as cargo vessels continued to come under Houthi attacks. It said the Houthi attacks on the international shipping in the Red Sea are casting a shadow over global stability and prosperity.

The Houthis have been attacking Israel-linked vessels transiting the Red Sea since mid-November last year, a move the group describes as a display of its support for Palestinians in Gaza, which has led some shipping companies to alter their routes and circumnavigate the African continent to avoid the threat of Houthi missile attacks.

The United States and Britain announced the formation of a naval coalition in the Red Sea and conducted numerous airstrikes on what it identified as Houthi targets, including mobile missile launchers, drones, and underwater vehicles. These attacks have in turn provoked a more intense retaliation from the Houthis.

On Monday, the Houthis announced that they had carried out four military operations in 24 hours. These operations included missile strikes on a British-registered cargo ship, which the Houthis alleged resulted in the vessel's complete sinking, the downing of a U.S. MQ9 unmanned aircraft, and two additional attacks on U.S. cargo ships in the Gulf of Aden.

The Houthi television reported late Monday that the U.S.-British navy coalition launched fresh airstrikes in the Houthi-controlled port city of Hodeidah, targeting a farm in the northern district of Ad-Dahi. There were no reports of casualties, as the Houthis vowed to launch more attacks in response. 
VIENTIANE, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Lao government has approved the development of a 1,200 MW wind power project, which will be the largest of its kind in Laos and a milestone in the country's journey toward clean energy and sustainable development.

The Lao government signed an agreement with Savan Vayu Renewable Energy Co., Ltd. (SVARE) last Wednesday for the development of the project in Savannakhet province, some 400 km south of the Lao capital Vientiane, Lao News Agency reported on Tuesday.

Under the agreement, Laos will have its largest wind farm to date, which is expected to generate sufficient electricity to meet Laos' energy needs and contribute to the region's energy security.

The project is expected to be a major boost for renewable energy in Southeast Asia as it is located near Laos-Vietnam border. 
Using new 21-cm radio observations made with NSFs Green Bank Telescope, astronomers have discovered over 250 neutral gaseous clouds being blasted out of the center of our Milky Way Galaxy into interstellar space. These clouds are likely a product of the same phenomenon that created the Fermi Bubbles.

It has been known for some time that energetic processes in the center of the Milky Way have created fast, hot winds expanding into intergalactic space with temperatures of millions of degrees and velocities of thousands of km per second. Most large galaxies have winds like this.

The accidental discovery that some of this outflowing hot gas has entrained cold hydrogen clouds was made by the Australian ATCA telescope measuring the 21-cm radio emission emitted by interstellar hydrogen atoms.

This implied that there could be an undiscovered population of clouds carrying matter out of the nucleus of the Milky Way.

The hydrogen clouds are important on their own, but they also serve as probes of the hot wind.

It is difficult to measure conditions within the very hot wind, but the cool clouds can trace it in the same way that on Earth, a handful of leaves tossed upwards can show the direction and speed of the local wind.

The sensitivity of the Green Bank Telescope (GBT) make it the ideal instrument for detecting faint signals from interstellar hydrogen, but mapping these clouds, and realizing their true extent, was no easy feat.

It took years using the GBT to systematically map hundreds of square degrees in search of faint hydrogen emission, said Dr. Felix James Jay Lockman, senior astronomer at the Green Bank Observatory.

Once we identified some promising candidates, we could follow up with targeted observations at other telescopes to show us more.

The clouds must have been ripped from an area near the very center of the Milky Way and flung outward, either by a burst of star formation or activity of a black hole.

Some of these clouds have the highest outflow velocity of any clouds ever observed in the Milky Way, and may escape the Galaxy.

In an unexpected twist, the new data from the APEX telescope revealed that some of the hydrogen clouds contain molecules and dense cold gas.

No one would have expected that clouds violently ejected from the Milky Way could harbor relatively fragile molecular material, but there it is, Dr. Lockman said.

Astronomers using the MeerKAT array recently mapped the hydrogen in a few clouds at high angular resolution, showing them evolving and being shredded as they flow into interstellar space.

These new results open the door for more discoveries, Dr. Lockman said.

How the clouds remain stable as they are accelerated to more than 400 km per second is a mystery.

The chemical processes in these clouds are quite unusual and unexplored.

Dr. Lockman and his colleague, Dr. Enrico Di Teodoro from the Universita degli Studi di Firenze, presented the findings at AAS243, the 243rd meeting of the American Astronomical Society in New Orleans, Louisiana, the United States.

_____

Felix Lockman & Enrico Di Teodoro. 2024. A New Census of Neutral Clouds in the Milky Ways Nuclear Wind. AAS243, abstract #2851
An international team of herpetologists led by New Mexico Highlands University and University of Queensland scientists has described a cryptic new species of anaconda from the remote Amazon.

Anacondas (genus Eunectes) are a group of aquatic snakes endemic to the east of the Andes in South America.

These large-bodied snakes inhabit lowland rivers and wetlands; they have the typical adaptations for an aquatic lifestyle, such as nostrils and eyes located dorsally on the head, and displaying a dorsal coloration and pattern that blend well with the aquatic vegetation.

Before this study, four species were recognized in the genus, with Eunectes murinus representing a sister lineage to a group composed of Eunectes beniensis, Eunectes deschauenseei, and Eunectes notaeus.

The largest of these species, Eunectes murinus, or the green anaconda, occurs in most of the tropical regions of the continent, including the basins of the Amazon, Esequibo, and Orinoco rivers, and several smaller watersheds.

The other three species are smaller than Eunectes murinus and are distributed within or adjacent to the distribution of Eunectes murinus.

The recently-described species Eunectes beniensis, or the Beni anaconda, has a distribution restricted to the Beni region of Bolivia.

Eunectes deschauenseei, or the dark spotted anaconda, is distributed in the northeast of the continent. It is found from the Amazon River delta in Brazil to French Guiana and possibly Suriname.

Eunectes notaeus, or the yellow anaconda, has a distribution to the south of Eunectes murinus including the Pantanal, Chaco, and other hyper-seasonal areas of tropical and subtropical South America including Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina, and Uruguay.

Our team received a rare invitation from the Waorani people to explore the region and collect samples from a population of anacondas, rumoured to be the largest in existence, said University of Queenslands Professor Bryan Fry, co-lead author of the study.

The indigenous hunters took us into the jungle on a 10-day expedition to search for these snakes, which they consider sacred.

We paddled canoes down the river system and were lucky enough to find several anacondas lurking in the shallows, lying in wait for prey.

The size of these magnificent creatures was incredible  one female anaconda we encountered measured an astounding 6.3 m (20.7 feet) long.

There are anecdotal reports from the Waorani people of other anacondas in the area measuring more than 7.5 m (24.6 feet) long and weighing around 500 kg.

Named Eunectes akayima, or the northern green anaconda, the new species occurs in the Orinoco Basin.

Eunectes akayima diverged from Eunectes murinus almost 10 million years ago, and they differ genetically by 5.5%, Professor Fry said.

Its quite significant  to put it in perspective, humans differ from chimpanzees by only about 2%. This discovery is the highlight of my career.

The Amazon continues to face alarming ecological threats, he added.

Deforestation of the Amazon basin from agricultural expansion has resulted in an estimated 20-31% habitat loss, which may impact up to 40% of its forests by 2050.

Another increasing problem is habitat degradation from land fragmentation, led by industrialized agriculture and heavy metal pollution associated with spills from oil extraction activities.

Forest fires, drought and climate change are also notable threats.

These rare anacondas, and the other species that share this remote ecosystem, face significant challenges.

Our next research project would focus on heavy metal pollution in the Amazon, Professor Fry said.

Its not only these gigantic snakes that are facing environmental threats, but almost all living things in the region.

The discovery of a new species of anaconda is exciting, but it is critical to highlight the urgent need to further research these threatened species and ecosystems.

Of particular urgency is research into how petrochemicals from oil spills are affecting the fertility and reproductive biology of these rare snakes and other keystone species in the Amazon.

The discovery of Eunectes akayima is described in a paper in the journal Diversity.

_____

Jesus A. Rivas et al. 2024. Disentangling the Anacondas: Revealing a New Green Species and Rethinking Yellows. Diversity 16 (2): 127; doi: 10.3390/d16020127
WINDHOEK, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Namibia's petroleum industry demonstrated its commitment to advancing energy ambitions by hosting a two-day International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC) Conference and Exhibition Tuesday in the country's capital city, Windhoek.

The IADC operates on six continents and serves as a platform for all stakeholders in the oil and gas drilling industry to collaborate, share knowledge, and address common challenges.

Maggy Shino, petroleum commissioner at Namibia's Ministry of Mines and Energy, emphasized the importance of upholding standards and creating an environment conducive to investment and innovation.

"Currently, there are four drilling rigs offshore Namibia in our prolific Orange Basin conducting both exploration and appraisal drilling campaigns operated by Shell, Total and Galp," she said, adding that, based on data analysis, the prospective and untapped potential of the Namibian basin is huge, exceeding initial expectations.

According to Shino, with multiple drilling rigs active offshore and significant discoveries anticipated, Namibia aims to drive investments and infrastructure development to propel the industry forward.

"Our expectations toward the end of the year are to continue with appraisal drilling with multiple wells campaigns," she added.

Shino further noted that they are expecting appraisal reports to be coming in from April this year and as soon as the results are finalized, they will communicate the volumes and commence preparations for the next phase of the industry.

Shino encouraged participants to engage in fruitful discussions and partnerships that would benefit both Namibia and their respective organizations. 
TOKYO, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Japan's House of Representatives on Tuesday voted down a no-confidence motion against education minister Masahito Moriyama, who has come under strong criticism for his ties to the controversial Unification Church.

The main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ) criticized Moriyama, whose ministerial portfolio covers religious affairs, in the motion for the evasive and inconsistent responses to accusations regarding his links to the Unification Church.

"There's no way that a person who tries to remain in his position as minister while concealing an inconvenient relationship with the Unification Church could be suitable for the position of education minister," CDPJ lawmaker Makiko Kikuta told the Lower House plenary assembly.

According to media reports, Moriyama, a 70-year-old lower house member, attended an event hosted by a group affiliated with the controversial religious group Unification Church and received a letter of recommendation for his candidacy for the 2021 lower house election.

The Unification Church is accused of soliciting financially ruinous donations from members and engaging in dubious sales practices.

Amid criticism of the organization, Japan's education and culture ministry has requested a court order for the removal of the group's religious corporation status. 
Nontraditional developers are looking at bringing solutions to the missing middle.

Chris Uhl

Joshua Spencer, strategic impact director for Kent County, and Ryan Kilpatrick, lead consultant with Housing Next.

Joshua Spencer

Dwelling Place Community Land Trust development in Grand Rapids.
MDHHS staff early 20th century.

In 1895, Michigan passed a law requiring schools to teach about communicable diseases.

Norm Hess

State of Michigan public health messaging from 1924.

State of Michigan public health messaging from 1924.

Public health has many faces in Ingham County: Lauren Chambers, behavioral health consultant; Laura Scurlock, NP; Kajalpreet Kauer, RN. Bottom row, l-r: Sterling Wendt, community health worker; Donna Korganji, NP; Dr. Alane Laws-Barker, gynecologist/surgeon.

Dr. Nike Shayinka

Staff from the Cedar Community Health Center-Womens Health, a part of the Ingham Community Health Centers and Ingham County Health Department.
Central African Republic: Briefing and Consultations

Tomorrow morning (21 February), the Security Council will hold an open briefing and closed consultations on the situation in the Central African Republic (CAR). Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the CAR and Head of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) Valentine Rugwabiza is the anticipated briefer.

Rugwabiza is expected to describe the latest developments in the CAR based on the Secretary-Generals most recent report on MINUSCA, which was circulated to Council members on 16 February and covers developments since 16 October 2023 (S/2024/170). She may focus on the political situation in the country following the promulgation of a new constitution on 30 August 2023. The Secretary-Generals report notes that CAR President Faustin-Archange Touadera has proposed dialogue initiatives with political opposition and armed group leaders. Some of these actors expressed willingness to participate in the proposed dialogue, while others declined, among other matters, because of their reluctance to legitimise the new constitution.

The Secretary-Generals report indicates increasing concerns over the shrinking political space in the country following measures taken against opposition leaders. In this regard, it mentions the arrest of opposition parliament member Ephrem Dominique Yandocka because of his alleged involvement in a coup plotan accusation that his party, Initiative pour une transformation par laction, has rejected. The report also refers to the cabinet reshuffle on 4 January, which saw the appointment of several new ministers, and notes concerns expressed by opposition parties, which view the reshuffle as rewarding those who played a key role in the Republican Dialogue in March 2022 that paved the way to the constitutional referendum in July 2023. In this context, Rugwabiza may note tomorrow that MINUSCA has continued to use its good offices role with the aim of promoting inclusive dialogue and advancing the peace process in the CAR.

At tomorrows meeting, Rugwabiza is likely to describe ongoing efforts to facilitate the implementation of the 2019 Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in the CAR. The Secretary-Generals report mentions the governments engagement with armed group leaders based in Chad in November 2023 to encourage them to join the peace process. It also elaborates on MINUSCAs role in organising dialogue in the various prefectures among community leaders and armed group members to support local-level peace efforts and to facilitate the free movement of people and goods. Rugwabiza may speak about preparations for local elections and MINUSCAs advocacy to promote womens meaningful participation in the electoral process. The first round of local elections is scheduled for 13 October and the second round for 26 January 2025, but a budget shortfall remains a major challenge. In this regard, Rugwabiza might reiterate tomorrow the UNs appeal to bilateral and international partners to provide financial support to facilitate this process.

Another expected focus of tomorrows meeting is the difficult security conditions in the CAR. According to the Secretary-Generals report, the security situation in the country remained volatile with the start of the dry season in November 2023. It says that while the number of security incidents has decreased compared to the previous reporting period, armed groups have maintained their presence in the countrys northeast, northwest, and southeast and have continued to attack civilians and the CAR armed forces (FACA). The report describes armed clashes around mining sites between FACA and other security personnela term used by the UN to refer to the Wagner Group, a Russian private security companyon the one hand, and other armed groups, including those affiliated with the leading rebel coalition known as the Coalition des patriotes pour le changement (CPC), on the other. The report outlines the difficult security landscape in the CAR that continues to affect both civilians and international personnel in the country. This includes the targeting of civilians and the displacement of thousands of people, the targeting of minority communities in the context of intercommunal violence, continued threats posed by explosive ordnance, the kidnapping of international mine workers, attacks against humanitarian workers, and obstructions to humanitarian access observed during the reporting period.

Rugwabiza may elaborate on MINUSCAs continued efforts to enhance its robust posture, including by conducting joint patrols with the FACA, in order to deter the activities of armed groups with the aim of protecting civilians and humanitarian workers as well as facilitating the delivery of humanitarian assistance. She might highlight the challenge posed to MINUSCA by unidentified drones that have flown over its bases in several locations, forcing the mission to strengthen security measures. Rugwabiza might also describe MINUSCAs support to the CAR government in expanding state authority and reforming its security sector through the training of its military personnel. She may also welcome the finalisation of the governments ten-year action plan to operationalise the national border management policy.

At tomorrows meeting, several Council members are likely to express concern about human rights violations and abuses in the CAR. The period covered by the Secretary-Generals report saw a 30 percent increase in such violations and abuses, including grave violations against children and conflict-related sexual violence, largely committed by armed groups, particularly those affiliated with the CPC, and other unidentified perpetrators. Rugwabiza might note that Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict Pramila Patten visited the CAR between 13 and 17 November 2023 and held discussions with the countrys authorities on preventing conflict-related sexual violence. She may also describe MINUSCAs ongoing efforts to prevent grave violations against children, including their recruitment and use. (The six grave violations, as determined by the Security Council, are child recruitment and use; killing and maiming; rape and other forms of sexual violence; attacks on schools and hospitals; abductions; and the denial of humanitarian access.)

The human rights situation in the CAR has been a divisive issue in the Council, in part because some members have been critical of the Wagner Groups alleged involvement in human rights abuses in the country. One contentious issue during the negotiations on resolution 2709 of 15 November 2023, which most recently expanded MINUSCAs mandate, was the fact that the annual report on the human rights situation in the CAR, which is produced by MINUSCAs human rights division, was not released in time for the mandate renewal negotiations. Resolution 2709 therefore requests that the next report be available before the next mandate renewal negotiations in November.

The implementation of the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) has been another controversial issue in the Council. Four SOFA violations, including the obstruction of entry and confiscation of passports of some UN contractors, were recorded during the period covered by the Secretary-Generals report, compared with three in the previous reporting period. At tomorrows meeting, Rugwabiza is likely to explain MINUSCAs continued efforts to resolve these issues in consultation with the host government.

The Secretary-Generals report notes a new circular issued by the CAR government on 22 December 2023, revoking standing procedures on the use of unmanned aerial vehicles in the Central African territory and reinforcing controls on them, including suspending their use and prohibiting night flights, effectively grounding MINUSCAs unmanned aerial vehicles. Tomorrow, some Council members may express concern about the new circular, and call on the CAR authorities to lift these restrictions and to take all appropriate measures to ensure the safety, security, and freedom of movement of MINUSCAs personnel with unhindered and immediate access throughout the country.

Some Council members are likely to continue stressing the need to ensure accountability and justice in the CAR. In this regard, they may welcome some of the latest developments described in the Secretary-Generals report, including the resumption of criminal hearings by the Bangui Court Martial after a two-year hiatus. The Special Criminal Court a hybrid court composed of national and international judges with the authority to investigate, prosecute, and try serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in the CARalso launched the trial of its second case, which relates to ten individuals accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in 2020.

Another issue of interest for Council members is the work of the Panel of Experts assisting the 2127 CAR Sanctions Committee. Russia had put a hold on the appointment of the panel members and only lifted it in the last week of December 2023. On 1 February, the 2127 CAR Sanctions Committee received a briefing from the new panel members appointed on 4 January, who presented their tentative work plan, which includes planned visits to the CAR and the region. They will only have less than six months to submit their final report in July, when the 2127 CAR sanctions regime is set for an extension. During the negotiations on MINUSCAs mandate renewal in November 2023, China and Russia raised issues related to the 2127 CAR sanctions regime, alluding to the improved situation in the CAR and urging the Council to make adjustments accordingly. However, other Council members argued that this issue should be discussed in July.
GENEVA, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- The United Kingdom's (UK) recent legislative moves to facilitate the removal of asylum-seekers to Rwanda run contrary to the basic principles of the rule of law and risk delivering a serious blow to human rights, the United Nations (UN) human rights chief said on Monday.

The bill would also drastically strip back the courts' ability to scrutinize removal decisions, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said in a statement.

The UK's proposed legislation, known as the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill, requires every decision maker -- be it a government minister, immigration office, or court or tribunal reviewing asylum decisions -- to treat Rwanda as a "safe country" in terms of protecting refugees and asylum seekers against refoulement, irrespective of evidence that exists now or may exist in the future, he said.

"Settling questions of disputed fact -- questions with enormous human rights consequences -- is what the courts do ... It should be for the courts to decide whether the measures taken by the government since the Supreme Court's ruling on risks in Rwanda are enough," Turk said. "You cannot legislate facts out of existence."

"It is deeply concerning to carve out one group of people, or people in one particular situation, from the equal protection of the law. This is antithetical to even-handed justice, available and accessible to all, without discrimination," he added.

The UN human rights office has reiterated the concerns expressed by the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) that the scheme is not compatible with international refugee law, the statement said.

"The combined effects of this Bill, attempting to shield government action from standard legal scrutiny, directly undercut basic human rights principles," Turk said.

Turk urged the UK government to "take all necessary steps" to ensure full compliance with the UK's international legal obligations and to uphold the country's history of "effective, independent judicial scrutiny." "Such a stance is today more vital than ever." 
Annual profits at Australian mining giant BHP slumped after it took a massive hit on its nickel operations and the financial after-effects of the 2015 Samarco dam disaster in Brazil continued to dog the company.

A glut of nickel caused by extra production from Indonesia has seen prices collapse, resulting in BHP being forced to take a $2.5bn write-down of its loss-making Western Australian operations.

Underlying profit was $6.6bn, but the nickel write-down and $3.2bn charge for the Samarco disaster, which killed 15 people after a tailings dam wall at an iron ore mine collapsed, reduced the figure to $972m.

Revenue rose 6% to $27.23bn on the back of higher metals prices elsewhere. The company is now reviewing its Australian nickel mines, smelter and refinery operations, with shuttering them a potential option.

We have a smelter and refinery. Its a much more complex decision to look at how you move those into a period of care and maintenance and preserve the realistic ability to move them out of care and maintenance in due course, said chief executive Mike Henry.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the government was considering support measures for the nickel sector, including production tax credits.

However, Henry said this may not be enough given just how significant the challenges in the nickel market are today.

The single biggest factor is this surge in supply thats come out of Indonesia, which has taken everybody by surprise. We expect thats going to persist for a period of time, possibly through to the end of this decade.

Reporting by Frank Prenesti for Sharescast.com
Iron ore pellet producer Ferrexpo said on Tuesday that it was cancelling its interim dividend just days before it was due to be paid out, following a claim against its Ukrainian subsidiary.

The company said it has decided not to go ahead with the 3.3 cents per share dividend following "unexpected" events in Ukraine relating to a claim against one of its subsidiaries, Ferrexpo Poltava Mining (FPM), which it disclosed at the end of last month.

Ferrexpo filed a cassation appeal to the Supreme Court in Ukraine on 30 January and an application to suspend enforcement of the decision of the Eastern Economic Court of Appeal in Kharkiv.

It said that until the Supreme Court has considered the application there is a risk of enforcement. However, Ferrexpo insisted the claims were "without merit" and said it had "compelling arguments" to vigorously defend its position.

"The board has reconsidered the interim dividend and decided to withdraw it. The board aims to resume its focus on shareholder returns at the appropriate time."

At 1310 GMT, the shares were down 5% at 76.85p.
Kistos has finalised a sale and purchase agreement to acquire EDF Energy Gas Storage, it announced on Tuesday, including two gas storage facilities onshore in the UK, namely Hill Top Farm and Hole House Farm.

The AIM-traded firm said the 25m transaction was part of its strategic move to expand its portfolio in alignment with its energy transition objectives.

It said that by assuming operatorship of both Hill Top and Hole House, it aimed to capitalise on the stable marketplace and substantial growth prospects offered.

The company said it also intended to collaborate with a partner for gas trading operations at the sites.

Hill Top Farm, with a gas capacity of 17.8 million therms and plans to increase the volume to 21.2 million therms in the short term, contributes significantly to the UK's onshore gas storage capacity.

Kistos said that with swift operational capabilities, Hill Top could cater to up to 11% of the UK's flexible daily gas capacity.

The inclusion of Hole House Farm, although currently non-operational, offered further potential to augment the UK's gas storage capacity on reactivation and development.

Moreover, both facilities were being evaluated for their adaptability to future energy storage applications, such as compressed air or hydrogen storage.

Our entry into the gas storage market marks another advancement in our growth strategy to expand the business through value-accretive acquisitions, said executive chairman Andrew Austin.

Not only do these assets complement our upstream UK assets, but they also diversify our presence across the energy value chain with a foothold in the midstream market.

We look forward to benefiting from the experience of the existing team at these sites as we assume operatorship.

Austin said their specialist expertise would be valuable as the company looked to maximise the potential of the assets and evaluate its options to expand operations via other energy storage sources, such as compressed air or hydrogen.

In essence, Kistos will own one of the most flexible batteries in the UK, vital for energy security and supply.

At 1414 GMT, shares in Kistos Holdings were up 8.7% at 150p.

Reporting by Josh White for Sharecast.com.
Prominent US investor Davidson Kempner is reportedly among the parties being courted by Superdry 's founder as he assembles an offer to take the struggling fashion chain private.

According to Sky News, Davidson Kempner, which has backed a number of UK retailers, is in discussions with Julian Dunkerton about backing an offer for Superdry.

It was understood the talks are at a preliminary stage and there is no guarantee that Davidson Kempner will ultimately sign an agreement with Dunkerton.

Their discussions add the US investor, which has backed Jojo Maman Bebe and Oak Furnitureland, and previously held a slug of debt in New Look, to a list of firms examining Dunkerton's proposals. Others include Retail Realisation, a firm backed by the founder of turnaround investor Rcapital.

Earlier this month, it emerged that Dunkerton wanted to buy the majority stake in Superdry that he does not already own, even as the company draws up plans to close stores and cut jobs.

Dunkerton, who in 2019 returned to the company having previously been ousted, owns just under 30% of the shares.

At 0810 GMT, the shares were up 19% at 40.12p.
MOGADISHU, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Somali police confirmed Tuesday that five people were killed and 10 others wounded in a roadside blast in the national capital of Mogadishu Monday night.

"The landmine was planted along the road in Heliwa District, targeting passengers of a minibus and a motorcycle taxi," the police said in a statement, blaming al-Shabab for the latest attack in the capital.

The police said an investigation was underway to determine the motive for the attack after the wounded were rushed to hospitals.

The latest incident came as the government forces have ramped up security operations in Mogadishu to ensure maximum security for residents.

The Somali government forces backed by the African Union drove al-Shabab out of Mogadishu in 2011, but the terrorist group is still capable of conducting attacks, targeting government installations, hotels, restaurants, and public places. 
An Indian government delegation, led by DPIIT Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, visited Singapore to enhance trade relations and attract investments. The delegation engaged in productive discussions with high-ranking government officials and participated in investor roundtables. DPIIT Secretary Singh addressed the 'India-Singapore Trade Roundtable' organized by FICCI and the High Commission of India in Singapore, fostering discussions on trade, joint ventures, technology exchanges, and partnerships.

The visit aimed at inviting investors to India and strengthening trade ties with Singapore . DPIIT Secretary Singh met with Beh Swan Gim, Singapore's Trade and Industry Ministry Permanent Secretary, emphasizing the importance of bilateral relations. The delegation also participated in an Investors roundtable on Renewable Energy and Electronics and Semiconductors, organized by Enterprise Singapore and Invest India, exploring opportunities for collaborative ventures.

Singapore ranks as India's 8th largest trade partner, with bilateral trade reaching USD 35.59 billion in 2022-23, marking an 18% growth over the previous year. The visit contributes to fostering economic collaboration, technology exchange, and potential partnerships, aligning with the shared interests of both nations.
Crib, a Proptech startup focused on app-based Property management has revealed Crib Plus - a pro version of its current tool. In an official statement, the company said it has made an investment more than $1 million to build up Crib Plus.

This latest version of Crib will cater particularly to the needs of significant student housing & co-living brands.

Established in 2021 by Sunny Garg, Shaifali Jain, and Archit Chauhan, Crib assists landlords to modernize their operations, functions & finances.

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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Although we might be the least populated borough in New York City, we nonetheless made the biggest splash at Mayor Eric Adams recent State of the City 2024 address at Hostos College in the Bronx.

In fact, Port Richmond resident Jennifer DeCosta was called out by name by the mayor as he introduced the citys new Affordable Housing Plan.

Adams described DeCostas struggles during Hurricane Ida, when water filled her basement apartment and destroyed all that she owned.

But the city was there for her, helping her find a new apartment in Castleton Housing, he said to a crowd of hundreds of city leaders and reporters.

Adams lauded Project Hospitalitys recently opened affordable and supportive housing in Port Richmond as an example of a solution to the citys historic housing crisis.

DeCosta, who grew up in Huguenot and moved to Port Richmond in 2021, was assisted after the storm by Project Hospitalitys HELP Center and the Staten Island Long Term Recovery Organization to find funding to repair $5,000 in damages and address mold issues caused when the waters of Hurricane Ida receded.

Port Richmond resident Jennifer DeCosta speaks at City Hall. At his recent State of the City address, Mayor Eric Adams talked about her journey to find a stable affordable apartment at Project Hospitalitys Castleton Housing as a success story in the citys plan to combat the housing crisis. (Photo courtesy of Rev. Terry Troia)Staten Island Advance

Even so, she longed to leave the below-ground apartment where shed experienced such loss.

She applied for and won the lottery for an affordable studio apartment at Castleton Houses, Project Hospitalitys brand new, 48-unit affordable and supportive housing building, located at the corner of Port Richmond and Castleton Avenues on the former site of Northfield Savings Bank.

She received assistance with her application from the Project Hospitalitys Community Help Center, located in the basement of the same building she currently calls home.

A member of a contracted work force through AHRC who performs maintenance at a variety of NYC transportation hubs on Staten Island, including the Eltingville bus terminal and the Staten Island Ferry, DeCosta is also a devoted community volunteer and member of the Reformed Church of Huguenot Park.

She also is an ordained deacon who serves as the Chair of Spiritual Life for her church.

While the spotlight shone on DeCosta for just a few minutes during the mayors speech, every day she serves as a bright beacon of hope for the people around her.

Her story of resilience and support from the community is a testament to what is possible.

Heres to Staten Islands shining light!
WASHINGTON  Californias national reputation as a place of dreams and prosperity is in jeopardy, battered by Republicans who dislike almost all aspects of the state and many Democrats who see it as too costly and a poor place to raise a family.

Nationwide, 50% of U.S. adults believe the state is in decline, according to a new survey for the Los Angeles Times.

Political polarization has intensified the negativity: 48% of Republicans believe the state is not really American, the survey found. Three in 10 Republicans say the home of Yosemites sheer peaks, Sequoias towering redwoods and Malibus beaches has a worse natural environment than other states.

Newly snow-capped San Gabriel Mountains enhance the view of downtown Los Angeles from the Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area in Baldwin Hills on Saturday. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times/TNS)TNS

Nearly 40% of Republicans dont even think California is a good place to visit, though a majority in both parties say they have been to the state, according to the survey of 1,004 adults, conducted Jan. 26-28 by Leger, a Canadian firm that has polled extensively in the United States.

If you are a more conservative American, you basically do not like California, said Christian Bourque, Legers executive vice president and the polls supervisor. Of course, we all expected some of that, but the differences are actually quite striking.

California has, however, maintained its reputation as a new frontier, particularly among young people, who have long fueled the states energy.

Six in 10 adults nationwide think the state is a trendsetter and that it has had a positive impact on the country. The share who see California as a trendsetter rises to 7 in 10 among those ages 18-34. A similar share of younger Americans also says that Californias impact on the U.S. has been positive.

Younger people were also twice as likely (43%) to say they would consider moving to the state as are other Americans. Job opportunity was the top reason they cited (36%).

Among Republicans, just one-third said that the states impact on the country has been positive, while two-thirds said it has been a net negative.

The extent to which partisanship drives opinion can also be seen in how much Americans views of California overlap with opinions on seemingly unrelated, but similarly polarized, topics such as climate change, gender equality, racism and abortion.

People who see racism as an important issue in the U.S., for example, are more than twice as likely to think California is a good place to visit (77%) than are those who think racism is unimportant (35%).

Californians do have notably different views than the rest of the country on some issues. Abortion stands out: Nearly half (46%) of Californians say abortion should be legal in all cases, a view shared by just over 1 in 4 adults nationwide.

Beyond partisanship, the poll underscores how economic trends of recent years have affected Californias image. High housing prices have led to a persistent crisis of homelessness and have helped drive three straight years of population decline after more than a century of nonstop growth.

Californians in both parties, even those who appreciate the states natural environment and cultural values, have complained it has become too expensive, with roughly 8 in 10 California residents and nearly 9 in 10 in the rest of the country holding that view, the poll found.

Only about 2 in 5 Americans called California a good place to raise a family, and a similar share said its economy is strong.

Fewer than 3 in 10 people nationwide judged the states colleges and universities  consistently ranked among the best in academic surveys  as better than other states higher education options. Notably, however, younger Americans and adults who live in California were significantly more likely to rate California colleges and universities as better than others.

The degree to which political or ideological beliefs color such opinions was pervasive. For example, fewer than 1 in 5 people overall said California has a better standard of living than other states. That falls to 1 in 10 among Republicans. A majority in the GOP say Californias standard of living is worse than most states.

By contrast, about 1 in 3 Democrats say Californias standard of living is better than most states, while 4 in 10 say its about the same and fewer than 2 in 10 call it worse.

Political divisions have subsumed many aspects of American life in recent years. But California has been the target of particularly virulent attacks from conservative media personalities and politicians as it has shifted from political battleground to Democratic lock. The attacks accelerated during Donald Trumps presidency, when the state often sued the federal government, especially on immigration and environmental policies.

Memories of Republican Govs. Ronald Reagan in the 1960s and 1970s or Pete Wilson in the 1990s have receded for many Americans as the state has morphed into an emblem of progressivism  propelled by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsoms push to sign laws designed to combat red-state policies on climate, abortion, immigration status, gender and other hot-button issues.

Not all Democrats are on board with that shift  30% call the state too liberal, a view shared by 81% of Republicans.

Conservative politicians have increasingly defined themselves by opposition to California: Dont allow Florida to become San Francisco, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared this month as he unveiled legislation designed to reduce homelessness that included a crackdown on camping in public places.

DeSantis has been a leading critic of the state, releasing videos from San Francisco as part of his former presidential campaign in which he claimed (without proof) that he had seen people defecating on the street.

Other conservatives, including Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of Tesla and X, have joined in railing against the states former COVID-19 restrictions, its laws allowing gender affirming care for minors and its policies granting access to subsidized public healthcare for low-income people who came to the country illegally.

The public pounding by Fox News and conservative social media has helped drive negative views of the state on issues such as safety: Three-quarters of Republicans say they think the state is unsafe, despite recent improvements in crime statistics in Los Angeles and other major cities. In 2022, the most recent year for which the FBI has released state-by-state data, Californias reported rate of violent crime was above the national average, but similar to the rates in states as disparate as Colorado, South Carolina and Missouri.

The policy and cultural clashes over California came to a head in December when DeSantis debated Newsom on Fox News over whose state is better governed and whose definition of freedom better matched the American ideal.

The answer for many Americans appears to be a draw, according to the poll: California and Florida were roughly tied when people were asked which of the two states better represents their values  52% sided with Florida, 48% with California. The division was similar when the poll asked about California versus Texas.

Views on whether California is more free than other states showed a similar split, with roughly a quarter saying it was more free and another quarter saying it was less free. The rest said it was roughly the same or declined to answer.

Newsom has argued that California stands for freedom, citing its protection of abortion rights, affordable healthcare, clean air and other progressive priorities.

The poll indicated he has support for that vision at home. Asked if the state is better on freedom than other states, Californians in the survey were twice as likely (43%) to say yes as were adults nationwide (21%).

State residents also give California higher marks on healthcare, higher education, its natural environment, race relations and its standard of living than do people nationwide.

The Leger poll was conducted online among 1,004 U.S. residents ages 18 and older, including 120 California residents. The sample was weighted to match benchmarks for age, gender, region, education and ethnicity. The estimated margin of error is 3.1 percentage points for the full sample.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Americans are getting less money back on this years tax refunds, according to the latest Internal Revenue Service (IRS) data.

Through Feb. 9, the latest date currently available on the IRS website, the agency has issued 7,483,000 refunds, nearly 44% fewer than the 13,341,000 that had been issued by this time last year.

The reason for the dramatic reduction in refunds issued to date is a simple one; the agency officially began processing tax returns one week later this year than it did in 2023.

Because the 2023 filing season began on Jan. 23, the IRS had been receiving returns for 19 days by Feb. 10, 2023; compared to only 12 days for the 2024 filing season, which opened on Jan. 29. Considering the loss of seven days in this comparison, filing season statistics below show a strong start to filing season 2024, with all systems running well, according to the IRS.

The average refund amount through Feb. 9 was $1,741, roughly 13% lower than the average refund of $1,997 at that time last year.

However, the average refund amount is expected to increase in the coming weeks as the IRS starts issuing refunds to taxpayers who claimed the the Earned Income Tax Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit, the refundable portion of the Child Tax Credit.

Due to the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act, which took effect during the 2017 filing season, the IRS legally cannot issue refunds or credits to anyone who claimed an Earned Income Tax Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit before Feb. 15, with the agency expecting those who claimed those credits to receive their direct deposit refunds by Feb. 27.

The policy was implemented to help prevent revenue loss due to identity theft and refund fraud related to fabricated wages and withholdings, according to the IRS.

TRACKING YOUR REFUND

If youre one of the millions of Americans who have already sent in their tax returns, there are online portals that will allow you to monitor the status of your refund.

For federal taxes, residents can use the IRS Wheres My Refund tool or the IRS2Go mobile app to see when their refunds have been received, processed and sent.

Refund status will appear roughly 24 hours after you e-file a current-year return, three or four days after you e-file a prior-year return or four weeks after you file a paper return.

To access the information, which is updated overnight each day, residents must provide their Social Security or individual taxpayer ID number (ITIN), filing status and exact refund amount on their return.

Once refunds are sent, those using direct deposit should receive their refund within five days, while those expecting checks in the mail may have to wait several weeks.

For state taxes, New Yorkers can visit the Department of Taxation and Finance website and click Check refund status.

This allows residents to see if their return has been received; when its being processed; if the return requires additional review; if the state requires additional information; if a requested refund amount has been adjusted and when a refund has been issued.

NEW TAX INCOME BRACKETS

While tax rates have remained the same as last year, the IRS has announced new brackets with adjusted thresholds, boasting upper limits that are 7% higher than last year.

In addition to the new tax brackets, the standard deduction, the amount you can deduct to adjust the amount of income on which youre taxed, has also increased from $12,950 to $13,850 for single filers and from $25,900 to $27,700 for married couples filing jointly.

Heres a look at the new tax brackets that will be used when filing in 2024.

MARGINAL TAX BRACKETS FOR SINGLE FILERS

$11,000 or less in taxable income  10% of taxable income

$11,001 to $44,725 in taxable income  $1,100 plus 12% over $11,000

$44,726 to $95,375 in taxable income  $5,147 plus 22% over $44,725

$95,376 to $182,100 in taxable income  $16,290 plus 24% over $95,375

$182,101 to $231,250 in taxable income  $37,104 plus 32% over $182,100

$231,251 to $578,125 in taxable income  $52,832 plus 35% over $231,250

$578,126 or more in taxable income - $174,238 plus 37% over $578,125

MARGINAL TAX BRACKETS FOR MARRIED COUPLES FILING JOINTLY
The funeral of a renowned transgender activist in a New York cathedral elicited a denunciation of the event by a senior church official, who called the Mass a scandal within one of the preeminent houses of worship in U.S. Catholicism.

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York condemned the funeral of Cecilia Gentili, which was held in St. Patricks Cathedral in Manhattan and drew a large audience on Thursday.

Gentili was known as a leading advocate for other transgender people, as well as sex workers and people with HIV. A post on her Instagram account announced her death on Feb. 6 at age 52.

In a written statement released Saturday, the Rev. Enrique Salvo, pastor of Saint Patricks, thanked those who share our outrage over the scandalous behavior at the funeral.

The Cathedral only knew that family and friends were requesting a funeral Mass for a Catholic, and had no idea our welcome and prayer would be degraded in such a sacrilegious and deceptive way, Salvo said in the statement.

Videos of Gentilis funeral show an estimated audience of more than 1,000 celebrants, including transgender people and other friends and supporters chanting her name, applauding, singing and offering praise of her stature as a leading light of the citys LGBTQ+ community.

During one eulogy that was widely circulated on social media, Gentili was celebrated as Saint Cecilia, the mother of all whores.

Salvo called the behavior at the Mass a scandal and a potent reminder of how much we need the prayer, reparation, repentance, grace, and mercy to which this holy season (of Lent) invites us.

In a statement, Gentilis family denied that the church had been deceived and said the gathering brought precious life and radical joy to the Cathedral in historic defiance of the Churchs hypocrisy and anti-trans hatred.

The only deception present at St. Patricks Cathedral is that it claims to be a welcoming place for all, the family said.

A former sex worker who suffered addiction and was jailed at Rikers Island, Gentili became a transgender health program coordinator, a nonprofit policy director for an established gay mens health organization, GMHC, and a lobbyist for health equality and anti-discrimination legislation, among other advocacy work.

Gentili founded the COIN Clinic, short for Cecilias Occupational Inclusion Network, a free health program for sex workers through the Callen-Lorde community health organization in New York.

New Yorks LGBTQ+ community has lost a champion in trans icon Cecilia Gentili, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul posted on X, formerly Twitter, following Gentilis death.

Gentili acted in the FX television series Pose, about the underground ballroom dance scene in the 1980s and 1990s. She also performed two one-woman stage shows.

I am an atheist, but I am always asking God for things, Gentili said in Red Ink, her autobiographical show touching on topics including her childhood in Argentina and lack of religious faith.

St. Patricks Cathedral, a Manhattan architectural and tourist landmark, has been the site of funerals for numerous prominent New Yorkers including Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, Babe Ruth and emergency responders who died in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack.

Conservative group CatholicVote condemned fellow Pose actor Billy Porter, whose singing performance during the funeral was characterized by the group as a mockery of the Our Father prayer. This is just unbelievable and sick, CatholicVote said on X.

In a statement before the song, Porter called Gentili a leader among an entire community of people who transformed my life forever.

Grief is singular, its individual. Please know that however you grieve is whats right, Porter said. Theres no right or wrong way to grieve. But just make sure that you do, you allow yourself to do that, so that we can get to the other side of something that feels a little bit like grace.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  The Staten Island Republican Party made the obvious official over the weekend when its executive committee voted to endorse former President Donald Trump in the upcoming April 2 presidential primary.

Chair of the local party, Assemblyman Michael Tannousis (R-East Shore/South Brooklyn), characterized their choice as the best option to beat President Joe Biden in the November general election.

This November, our country faces a choice that will have long-lasting consequences, he said. We can continue down the path were on; one of economic downturn with the cost of living skyrocketing; one that has open borders with no end to the migrant crisis; and one that threatens the very fabric of our nation. Or we choose to elect Donald J. Trump, a leader who has demonstrated his unwavering patriotism, commitment to conservative ideals, and bold leadership that will ensure our great country thrives for generations to come.

The local partys executive committee voted unanimously to endorse Trump over his three opponents that will appear on the April 2 ballot  Vivek Ramaswamy, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley.

Despite the opposition, Trump has cruised through the primary season, and seems poised for a November rematch against Biden in a follow-up to their 2020 contest.

Biden has a pair of challengers of his own in Marianne Williamson and Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.), but like Trump, has had an easy road in the primary season.

While neither likely presidential candidate is widely popular, Trump has seen strong support from Staten Island voters.

The former president won Staten Island with about 57% of the local vote in 2020, and about 56% in his 2016 contest against Hillary Clinton.

Trump faces a litany of criminal and civil legal cases ahead of the election, and both candidates have had their mental acuity called into question, including disparaging remarks against Biden published in a report from special counsel Robert Hur.

Anthony Reinhart, chief operating officer of the Staten Island Republican Party, referenced those remarks calling Biden an elderly man with a poor memory, and suggested hes put the future of the nation in jeopardy.

In Joe Bidens America, the dream of a better tomorrow is fading away. Hard work means that more of your hard-earned money will be funneled to the immigration crisis at the border and not to safer communities at home. The chance is now to turn our country around, Reinhart said. Donald Trump has proven where his loyalties are - prioritizing economic growth, national security, and defending our Constitutional freedoms. He truly is the candidate to make our country great again.
RAMALLAH, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Palestine on Tuesday rejected Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's remarks about Israel's security control over the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, considering it a challenge to international legitimacy and the Arab Peace Initiative.

Nabil Abu Rudeineh, the spokesperson of the Palestinian presidency, said in a press statement that these Israeli policies "do not bring security and stability to anyone here or in the region," warning against the continuation of this "destructive approach that will lead matters to a complete explosion."

"Palestine rejects this Israeli policy that challenges the world," he added.

Abu Rudeineh called on the U.S. government to "force" Israel to stop the conflict first "because the right to self-determination for the Palestinian people is a red line."

Netanyahu said Monday that Israel will maintain its security control over the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

He added in a video statement, "In recent days, we have witnessed pressure on us unilaterally to impose the establishment of a Palestinian state that would endanger the existence of the State of Israel."

"The recognizing a Palestinian state at this stage would be a "reward for terrorism" and would undermine the chances of a lasting peace deal," he said.

The Palestinian-Israeli conflict has shown no sign of abating in recent years, as direct peace talks between the two sides stalled in 2014 following disputes over Israeli settlements and the recognition of a Palestinian state. 
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King River Resources is set to kick off a new reverse-circulation (RC) drill campaign at its Tennant Creek East project in the Northern Territory as part of a $2 million commitment to hunt for high-grade copper-gold this year.

The company says drilling will target its promising Commitment, Langrenus and Providence prospects, which are all in proximity to several head-turning copper-gold drill intersections recorded in recent years in the highly-regarded Tennant Creek region.

King River Resources is on the hunt for copper-gold at Tennant Creek.

King River has revealed several new geophysical targets at its Langrenus prospect that was formerly known as the Lone Star trend.

The company says many targets were generated from its extensive geophysics program last year, including at its Tennant Creek East, Rover East, Kurundi and Barkly projects. The targets sit along strike from several geophysical and geological trends.
CBD loves to see people broaden their horizons and embark on a new adventure. We wish more people would do it, in fact (you know who you are), so we were delighted to learn this week that former federal Liberal MP Julia Banks is going back to school  well sort of.

Credit: John Shakespeare

We most recently heard from Banks last week when she told the ABCs Nemesis doco  not the first time she has expressed such views  that former prime minister Scott Morrisons approach to working with women during his time in power left something to be desired.

He has a really weak, if no regard  for working women with children, Banks told the cameras.

In the very next frame, Morrison denied having a problem with women, arguing that his record of working with female MPs and ministers spoke for itself.
The graduates of the Tahleeq Programme, an ambitious capacity building initiative by Bahrain Airport Company (BAC), aimed at creating future leaders in the Bahraini aviation sector, were honoured at a ceremony in Muharraq.

The students of the third batch were honoured by Zayed R Alzayani, Chairman of Gulf Air Group Holding (GFG) at a BAC ceremony attended by Dr Jeffrey Goh, Chief Executive Officer of GFG, Mohammed Yousif Al Binfalah, Chief Executive Officer of Bahrain Airport Company (BAC) and other executives.

The Tahleeq programme was launched in 2014 by BAC, a subsidiary of GFG, in cooperation with Tamkeen. It seeks to develop the capabilities of young Bahrainis, equip them with the technical and specialised skills required to continue developing the aviation industry in Bahrain.

It also aims at reinforce BACs competitiveness and contribution to the development process in the kingdom, in line with the Bahrain Economic Vision 2030.

Alzayani congratulated the graduates, and said: We wish the graduates success in their careers, and look forward to seeing them make progress and to effectively contribute to the aviation sector in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Investing in Bahraini talent has always been the right choice and has proven its outcome in various sectors.

The launch of Tahleeq in parallel with new Passenger Terminal project, which succeeded in claiming international recognition and awards, has given the programme a significant boost and created a strong foundation for its success.

Todays graduates will be tomorrows aviation sector leaders who will shape its success with the experience they have gained and their ambition.

The Tahleeq programme has been meticulously curated, with the first two years dedicated to theoretical and experiential training, including five modules on soft skills at Gulf Aviation Academy (GAA) in partnership with the Bahrain Institute for Banking and Finance.

The technical courses were provided by Airport Council International, and all candidates were awarded the GSN Initial (Silver) Diploma. The last two years of the programme are designated for practical training and gaining experience through working on various projects in BAC.  TradeArabia News Service
Axel van Trotsenburg, World Bank's senior managing director, speaks during an interview with Xinhua on the sidelines of the 60th Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, Feb. 18, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Fan)

MUNICH, Germany, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Multilateralism is more important than ever in confronting a series of global challenges, a World Bank senior official said.

"More international solidarity is needed, and we can only jointly solve global problems," Axel van Trotsenburg, World Bank's senior managing director, said in an interview with Xinhua on the sidelines of the 60th Munich Security Conference on Sunday.

"We need the active cooperation with international players" and cannot succeed alone, he said.

As the global development landscape becomes increasingly challenging, the plight of poorer countries is of particular concern to the World Bank, said van Trotsenburg.

The senior official said that the global economy faces challenges due to relatively weaker economic growth compared to previous periods, adding that this particularly impacts the prospects of developing countries, especially the poorest ones, which rely on robust growth for job creation.

He pointed out the need to show more international solidarity, reiterating that "multilateralism is more important than ever."

He said that the World Bank has been scaling up financial support, particularly to developing countries.

When discussing China's contribution to the World Bank, van Trotsenburg said China is an active and significant member and has undergone "a very interesting journey" with the World Bank.

He noted that through strong development efforts and the elimination of extreme poverty, China has transitioned from being a recipient of financial support to a donor country that assists the poorest nations.

In his view, China's transformation is very positive and sends an important signal to the developing world that progress can be achieved within a generation. 

Axel van Trotsenburg, World Bank's senior managing director, speaks during an interview with Xinhua on the sidelines of the 60th Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, Feb. 18, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Fan)
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Review Eating outMelbourne Have a hot date with a hotpot at this solo dining sanctuary in the city Theres only one restaurant like this in Melbourne, and its only for solos. Dani Valent nabs a cubicle. Dani Valent February 20, 2024 Save Log in , register or subscribe to save recipes for later. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share

As featured in the Melbourne March hit list. See all stories .

1 / 6 A row of individual booths inside WeLive2.0 (right) and its wish wall (left). Wayne Taylor 2 / 6 Japanese sukiyaki hotpot set. Wayne Taylor 3 / 6 Ruffles of sashimi presented in a ramekin. Wayne Taylor 4 / 6 Wagyu lollipop with beetroot glaze. Wayne Taylor 5 / 6 Cold tantan udon set. Wayne Taylor 6 / 6 The walls between cubicles are retractable, so you can also sit as a pair. Wayne Taylor Previous Slide Next Slide Asian$$$ For some people, eating alone is a joyous adventure. They love sitting in a corner nook, soaking up the buzz, slurping spaghetti and sangiovese. Or perhaps they are a bar percher, paging through a book with one hand and elegantly chopsticking dumplings with the other. But for many of us, eating alone is tricky and triggering, a conspicuously asocial experience. What if there was a restaurant that understood all this? WeLive 2.0 is set up especially for solo diners. Its surprising and solicitous: Alone doesnt mean lonely is their sweet motto.

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Theres nowhere else like this. Slip through a discrete doorway, up a staircase, through a curtained entryway and youll find yourself in a unique restaurant, with 34 timber dining cubicles, set up in rows. In front of each guest, theres a gas burner for DIY hotpot and a roller blind thats raised by your server to deliver food and drinks. Servers lift the blinds to deliver dishes to solo diners. Wayne Taylor The food draws on all kinds of influences. Theres finesse and creativity from head chef Jason Chow (ex-Grossi Florentino and Society) and development chef Leonardo Zhang, who previously led the kitchen at excellent Auterra Wine Bar. Owner Charlie Chen grew up near Shanghai but he often spent his holidays in Japan, where his uncle ran a ramen shop. He came to Australia as a student and worked as a chef at regional fine-diner Brae and classic French restaurant Philippe. All these experiences feed into WeLive, but theres another key motivator. Chen often felt like eating hotpot in Melbourne but he didnt always have a friend to eat it with: sadly, most restaurants wouldnt cater for him as a singleton. WeLive 2.0 is his welcoming retort.

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Japanese sukiyaki hotpot set. Wayne Taylor The QR-code menu is sprawling but hotpots are the centrepiece. Theres sweet and sour tomato soup, subtle Japanese sukiyaki broth, light and lemony tom yum, and slow-cooked lip-smacking chicken soup. You can order wagyu, seafood and vegetables to cook in your chosen base. There are also gorgeous snacks. Smoked Dutch cream potato is hidden under vanilla yoghurt foam. Wagyu lollipop is decorated with beetroot glaze. Nori crackers, snow peas and saltbush are arranged like a crunchy sculpture. Alone doesnt mean lonely is the restaurants sweet motto. Solo diners dont usually get to try others food, so WeLive 2.0 rewards repeat visits, not least so you can marvel anew at the well-provisioned bathrooms. (Lets just say that if you have an undies crisis, you can solve it here.)

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Other delights include kimono rental ($20), so you can take swish selfies in situ, and a wish wall where you might announce your deepest desires in pen and ink. You could actually come here with another person because the walls between the cubicles are retractable, but I love it solo. It feels serene, cosy and meditative, a place to revel in each moment. The low-down Vibe: Quirky solo sanctuary Cost: Lunch set: $18.80-$38; Soup bases: $9.80-$14.80; Dinner sets: $58.80-$108.80 Solo dining surging in popularity as Melbourne chefs and diners relish the solitude (and special perks)

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Police are investigating whether a martial arts master who is in Westmead Hospital with stab wounds is linked to the horrific deaths of a husband, wife and child in Sydneys north-west.

Min Cho, in her forties, attended Lions Taekwondo Martial Arts Academy in North Parramatta on Monday afternoon. Her body, along with that of a seven-year-old boy, was found at the martial arts studio on Tuesday, after both had allegedly been stabbed to death.

A man at the scene told the Herald it was business as usual at the dojo when he left work on Monday evening. He saw children practising martial arts.

Then I came to work this morning and its a crime scene.
A taekwondo master, who allegedly murdered a seven-year-old boy and a loving couple in Sydneys west, has had his first day in court  but it was over in less than a minute.

Kyung Kwang Yoo, known to students at his dojang as Master Lion, was charged by homicide police at Westmead Hospital just before 9pm on Wednesday.

Steven Cho and Min Cho. Credit: Nine

Police laid three charges of murder against Yoo; the first was the alleged strangulation of Min Sue Cho, 41, on the evening of February 19, according to court documents.

The second charge of murder related to a seven-year-old boy, who cannot be named due to laws protecting child victims of crime, killed that same evening.
The owner of a Russell Island property where five children and their father perished in a fire last year has been issued with a notice to appear in court.

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Wayne Godinet, 34, and his sons Zac, 11, Harry, 10, four-year-old twins Kyza and Koah, and three-year-old Nicky died in August last year at the Todman Street home. The childrens mother, Samantha Stephenson, 28, escaped the house as it went up in flames and raised the alarm.

Police will allege the property, owned by a Tweed Heads woman, did not have compliant smoke alarms.

The owner was scheduled to appear in the Cleveland Magistrates Court on March 26, with detectives continuing their investigation into the fire, a report to be submitted to the coroner.
The husband of missing woman Samantha Murphy has praised the Ballarat community ahead of a large-scale search by volunteers this weekend of areas surrounding the couples home.

Michael Murphy told The Age the family is praying for good news as a group of more than 100 people called out for volunteers willing to comb designated areas of Ballarat more than two weeks after the mother of three vanished.

Michael Murphy alongside Samanthas daughter Jess on February 8, when she urged people to come forward with information on her whereabouts. Credit: Nine News

Michael, better known as Mick, said anything to make sure Samantha stayed at the forefront of peoples minds and kept the investigation going was welcomed by her family.

The organised effort follows a huge turnout from Ballarat residents who scoured the thick scrub of Woowookarung Regional Park and beyond in the days after Murphys disappearance. Emergency services scaled back their search for Murphy on February 9.
Federal spending on border enforcement will climb to almost $1.3 billion this year after a boost to budget estimates less than two weeks ago, countering Coalition claims of a funding cut that has allowed asylum seeker boats to avoid detection.

The spending grew last year and will increase by another $32 million this year to pay for surveillance flights and maritime patrols, amid a political row over the arrival of asylum seekers on the West Australian coast last Friday.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

But official documents also reveal that patrols were scaled back slightly to 2,182 maritime patrol days last year, while surveillance flights were cut by 14 per cent to 12,691 flying hours.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has accused Labor of cutting funding for border protection because it does not believe in the policy, linking this to the arrival of 39 asylum seekers last week from an undetected boat.
City of Sydney councillors will be forced to disclose meetings with lobbyists and property developers after new integrity and transparency measures were adopted by the council.

Motions submitted by Liberal councillor Lyndon Gannon ahead of a City of Sydney council meeting on Monday night called for greater transparency mechanisms to ensure councillors are subjected to the same requirements as their state and federal peers.

Premier Chris Minns push for greater housing density has led to the City of Sydney bringing its integrity measures regarding lobbyists and property developers in line with state and federal governments.

Gannon said he was shocked to learn the state governments Lobbying of Government Officials Act didnt apply to local government officials. He underlined four separate anti-corruption investigations that recommended greater oversight of who councillors were meeting with.

In his motion, Gannon noted the Independent Commission Against Corruptions Operation (ICAC) Tulsa investigation into former City of Canada Bay mayor Angelo Tsirekas reiterated the need for a lobbyist register in local government.
One of the architects of the original bid for the Olympic and Paralympic Games  one of four south-east Queensland mayors retiring next month  has fired a parting shot at the Queensland government.

In 2015, Sunshine Coast Mayor Mark Jamieson worked with former Brisbane lord mayor Graham Quirk to make a formal bid to the International Olympic Committee for south-east Queensland to host the 2028 Games.

Retiring mayors Karen Williams (Redlands) and Mark Jamieson (Sunshine Coast) with Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner (left). Credit: Jocelyn Garcia

Brisbane later secured the 2032 Games, only for the planning and preparation to be mired in controversy. Quirk is now reviewing the venues and will deliver a report to the Miles government after the March 16 council election.

Ive been very close to that since the earliest engagements with the IOC, and I feel very disappointed that the state  quite frankly, without the necessary skills  decided theyd take it over, Jamieson said.
Integrity experts have called for greater transparency around personal donations, as Labor boosts pressure on Opposition Leader John Pesutto to reveal details of who donated to his legal fighting fund against exiled Liberal MP Moira Deeming.

Both Pesutto and Deeming have accepted donations to help fund their costly legal battle ahead of a 10-day defamation trial in September.

Opposition Leader John Pesutto and MP Moira Deeming are headed for a defamation trial in September. Credit: Jason South, Darrian Traynor

Pesutto has vowed to release the names of everyone who contributes to help cover his legal costs after it was revealed that three former Liberal premiers  Jeff Kennett, Ted Baillieu and Denis Napthine  have privately donated to his fighting fund.

While individual donations to Victorian political parties are capped to a maximum of just over $4000 every four years, there is no limit to how much money politicians can receive as a personal donation, as long as it isnt spent on an election campaign.
Tokyo: Australian pro-democracy writer Yang Hengjun says he will not appeal against his suspended death sentence, as his family and friends lose hope that the Chinese legal system can deliver justice for the father-of-two.

The decision, which has been formally lodged with Beijing, will allow Yangs legal team and Australian diplomats to argue the 58-year-old should receive medical parole.

Yang Hengjun pictured with his wife in 2017. Credit: AP

Yang was given a suspended death sentence on February 5, shocking diplomats after years of closed court trials over espionage charges, which have always been denied by Yang, his family and the Australian government.

There are no grounds to believe that the system that enabled Yangs sustained torture and fabricated the charges against him is capable of remedying the injustice of his sentence, his family said in a statement.
BEIRUT, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- An opinion poll revealed that 90 percent of the Lebanese hold the United States accountable for Israel's continued attacks on Lebanon and the Gaza Strip, al-Akhbar local newspaper reported on Monday.

Citing a survey conducted by the Consultative Center for Studies and Documentation, a Beirut-based research institution on strategic and development studies, the local newspaper said that across all sectors of Lebanon, 94.1 percent of Shiites, 92.4 percent of Sunnis, 83.8 percent of Christians, and 92.9 percent of Druze agreed that "the United States is the main reason behind the continued escalation and the failure to end the Israeli aggression."

The poll, which was conducted four months into the Israel-Hamas conflict and included a sample of 400 people from various Lebanese sects and regions, said that two-thirds of those polled agreed that "the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon (Hezbollah) takes into account Lebanon's national interests in its support for the Palestinian people."

According to the poll, around 60 percent believed that Hezbollah's demonstration of strength would deter Israel from carrying out a comprehensive war against Lebanon. Moreover, around 60 percent agreed that "Lebanon's presence within the axis of resistance strengthens the country's position and helps deter aggression."

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

The confrontations between Hezbollah and Israel have killed 302 people on the Lebanese side, including 205 Hezbollah members and 57 civilians, according to Lebanese security sources. 
London: Julian Assange was being prosecuted for ordinary journalistic practice and the bid to convict him in the United States was state retaliation, his barrister told the High Court in his final appeal against extradition in the UK.

The WikiLeaks founder was described as too unwell to attend the start of the two-day hearing that drew a crowd of supporters at the Royal Courts of Justice in central London. His legal team said he faced risk of a flagrant denial of justice if tried in the US.

Demonstrators hold banners outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will make his final appeal against his impending extradition to the United States at the court. Credit: AP

Assange, 52, is accused of conspiring with the US army whistleblower Chelsea Manning to hack into a Pentagon computer and of releasing a huge cache of classified government documents in 2010, including 90,000 reports relating to the war in Afghanistan, 400,000 relating to the Iraq war and 250,000 US diplomatic cables.

Englands High Court is considering whether Australian-born Assange, who has been held in Belmarsh prison for almost five years, can be granted leave to appeal against an extradition decision made in 2022 by the then UK Home Secretary, Priti Patel. He could be extradited within days if unsuccessful.
The Hague: Representatives of Palestinians have argued at the United Nations top court that Israels decades-long occupation has violated international law and subjected Palestinians to what one said was a choice among displacement, subjugation or death.

Riyad Mansour, a Palestinian American diplomat who serves as Palestinian UN ambassador, addressed the judges through tears, his voice breaking several times. He said that with the war in Gaza, Israeli breaches of international law had reached their most inhuman level, in which no town, no village, no sanctity had been spared from destruction.

Israeli female soldiers pose for a photo on a position on the Gaza Strip border, in southern Israel, on Monday. Credit: AP

It is so painful to be a Palestinian today, he said.

He asked the court to confirm that Israels presence in the occupied Palestinian territory is illegal.
They were told that Rafah was safe. A narrow slice of land 1.4 million Palestinians were herded towards  if they made it through the safe corridors without being fired upon by Israeli soldiers  to escape the houses falling around them, the hospitals being flattened on top of them and the bakeries being crushed, over the course of months of unrelenting Israeli bombing.

But last week, the world held its breath as those made refugees many times over, sheltering in the last vestiges of that so-called safe zone and starved by Israel, were then terrorised and brutalised by Israeli airstrikes.

Palestinians flee after an Israeli strike on a residential building in Rafah on Monday. Credit: AP

Israel has told the world it intends to inflict further violence in Rafah, and that there will be space north of there for millions of Palestinians to go to. This is the same government that describes a hospital without running water as functioning. Space is not the same as safety, and safety is what Palestinians deserve and what the Australian government has called for.

Last week, on phones and screens, we saw the body of seven-year-old Sidra Hassouna, whom the Palestinian ambassador to the UK said was a relative of his wife, hanging, limbless and lifeless, from the upper-storey window of a house torn apart by Israeli shelling.
Kansas City: Two men have been charged with murder after last weeks shooting that killed one person and injured 22 others at the end of the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl parade.

Missouri prosecutors said Dominic Miller and Lyndell Mays have been charged with second-degree murder and other counts. They have been hospitalised since the shooting, Jackson County prosecutor Jean Peters Baker said. Officials declined to answer whether the men were being treated for gunshot wounds or other injuries.

Police clear the area following a shooting at the Kansas City Chiefs NFL football Super Bowl celebration. Credit: AP

Court records lay out a basic view of how the shooting unfolded.

The men did not know each other before the shooting, according to prosecutors. They were among several people arguing when Mays pulled his handgun first almost immediately and several others did the same, Jackson County prosecutor Jean Peters Baker said. Police said it was Millers gun that fired the shot that killed Lisa Lopez-Galvan, a local radio DJ and mother-of-two who had been at the parade.
PHILIPSBURG:--- In collaboration with other Dutch Caribbean islands that are committed to advancing community policing, The Sint Maarten Police Force announces the continuation of a training program designed to bolster the capabilities of a select group of community police officers dedicated to enhancing public safety and fostering community relations.

The Sint Maarten Police Force has embarked on an innovative initiative, collaborating with sister islands across the Dutch Caribbean to engage in this crucial training endeavor.

Through collaboration with the Miami-Dade School of Justice, officers of the different police forces are receiving guidance and mentorship from two0.n experts in the field: Mr. Julio Blanco. and Miss Veronica Gonzalez from the School of Justice.

This initiative was inaugurated in late January, with a preliminary delegation of officers undertaking an exploratory visit to the United States. This initial exposure to concepts such as community policing and Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) at the School of Justice laid a foundational framework for the subsequent comprehensive training program currently underway.

Community policing stands as the cornerstone of modern law enforcement, emphasizing the establishment of strong, trusting relationships between officers and the communities they serve. By adopting this philosophy, the officers will not only enhance public safety but also foster a sense of unity and partnership within our neighborhoods.

The Board of Police Chiefs of the Dutch Caribbean has sponsored these initiatives, recognizing the importance of continuously upgrading the skills and knowledge of law enforcement personnel throughout the region. This collaborative effort signifies a shared commitment to excellence in policing and a dedication to serving our communities to the best of our abilities.

As part of this training program, participating officers will soon embark on a journey to the United States in April for the practical component of their education. This hands-on experience will further enrich their understanding and proficiency in community-oriented policing practices.

The Sint Maarten Police Force extends its heartfelt wishes for success to all officers involved in this endeavor. Together, we are shaping a safer, more resilient future for our communities, guided by the principles of integrity, professionalism, and compassion.

KPSM Press Release.
Actors give a dragon dance performance in celebration of the upcoming Lantern Festival in Jiacun Village in Jiuzhou Township of Cangxian County, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 19, 2024. As the Lantern Festival is approaching, traditional dragon dance performances are staged across the country in full festive atmosphere. (Photo by Zhou Yang/Xinhua)

Actors give a dragon dance performance in celebration of the upcoming Lantern Festival in Jiacun Village in Jiuzhou Township of Cangxian County, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 19, 2024. As the Lantern Festival is approaching, traditional dragon dance performances are staged across the country in full festive atmosphere. (Photo by Zhou Yang/Xinhua)

Actors give a dragon dance performance in celebration of the upcoming Lantern Festival in Beimu Township of Dongxing District in Neijiang City, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Feb. 18, 2024. As the Lantern Festival is approaching, traditional dragon dance performances are staged across the country in full festive atmosphere. (Photo by Tang Mingrun/Xinhua)

Actors give a dragon dance performance in celebration of the upcoming Lantern Festival in Baina Township in Bijie City, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Feb. 19, 2024. As the Lantern Festival is approaching, traditional dragon dance performances are staged across the country in full festive atmosphere. (Photo by Li Hua/Xinhua)

Actors give a dragon dance performance in celebration of the upcoming Lantern Festival in Sancha Township of Bozhou District in Zunyi City, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Feb. 20, 2024. As the Lantern Festival is approaching, traditional dragon dance performances are staged across the country in full festive atmosphere. (Photo by Li Renjun/Xinhua)

A drone photo taken on Feb. 20, 2024 shows a dragon dance performance in celebration of the upcoming Lantern Festival in Sancha Township of Bozhou District in Zunyi City, southwest China's Guizhou Province. As the Lantern Festival is approaching, traditional dragon dance performances are staged across the country in full festive atmosphere. (Photo by Li Renjun/Xinhua)

Children give a dragon dance performance in celebration of the upcoming Lantern Festival in Xianju County in Taizhou City, east China's Zhejiang Province, Feb. 20, 2024. As the Lantern Festival is approaching, traditional dragon dance performances are staged across the country in full festive atmosphere. (Photo by Wang Huabin/Xinhua)

An aerial drone photo taken on Feb. 19, 2024 shows actors performing dragon dance in celebration of the upcoming Lantern Festival in Beilun District in Ningbo City, east China's Zhejiang Province. As the Lantern Festival is approaching, traditional dragon dance performances are staged across the country in full festive atmosphere. (Photo by Jiang Xiaodong/Xinhua)

An aerial drone photo taken on Feb. 18, 2024 shows actors performing dragon dance in celebration of the upcoming Lantern Festival in Jianghua Yao Autonomous County in Yongzhou City, central China's Hunan Province. As the Lantern Festival is approaching, traditional dragon dance performances are staged across the country in full festive atmosphere. (Photo by Jiang Keqing/Xinhua)

An aerial drone photo taken on Feb. 20, 2024 shows a dragon dance performance in celebration of the upcoming Lantern Festival in Qianyuan Township of Deqing County in Huzhou City, east China's Zhejiang Province. As the Lantern Festival is approaching, traditional dragon dance performances are staged across the country in full festive atmosphere. (Photo by Xie Shangguo/Xinhua)

An aerial drone photo taken on Feb. 19, 2024 shows villagers performing lantern dragon dance in Xiazhai Village of Jinhua City, east China's Zhejiang Province. As the Lantern Festival approaches, villagers perform lantern dragon dance for good fortune and happiness. (Xinhua/Xu Yu)

An aerial drone photo taken on Feb. 19, 2024 shows villagers performing lantern dragon dance amid fireworks in Xiazhai Village of Jinhua City, east China's Zhejiang Province. As the Lantern Festival approaches, villagers perform lantern dragon dance for good fortune and happiness. (Xinhua/Xu Yu)

An aerial drone photo taken on Feb. 19, 2024 shows villagers performing lantern dragon dance in Lixin Village of Jinhua City, east China's Zhejiang Province. As the Lantern Festival approaches, villagers perform lantern dragon dance for good fortune and happiness. (Xinhua/Xu Yu)

Villagers holding benches perform lantern dragon dance in Lixin Village of Jinhua City, east China's Zhejiang Province, Feb. 19, 2024. As the Lantern Festival approaches, villagers perform lantern dragon dance for good fortune and happiness. (Xinhua/Xu Yu)

Villagers holding benches perform lantern dragon dance in Lixin Village of Jinhua City, east China's Zhejiang Province, Feb. 19, 2024. As the Lantern Festival approaches, villagers perform lantern dragon dance for good fortune and happiness. (Xinhua/Xu Yu)
Niger debt suffers multiple defaults after coup



Abidjan, Feb 19 (AFP) Feb 19, 2024



Niger has defaulted on debt instruments worth about half a billion dollars since the country's July coup, according to West Africa's currency union.

Umoa-titres, which manages West African Economic Monetary Union (WAEMU)operations, has published eight notices to investors since the beginning of the year stating that Niger has been "unable to meet its financial obligations on the Government securities market".

Since the July coup that brought a military regime to power, the total unpaid sums amount to more than 313 billion CFA francs ($515 million).

"It should be noted that this payment incident comes at a time when the State of Niger is subject to sanctions imposed on it by the Conference of Heads of State and Government of the West African Economic and Monetary Union," Umoa-titres said Monday.

Umoa-titres is responsible for managing and promoting public securities in the WAEMU zone, which includes eight West African countries that use the CFA franc as their currency -- Ivory Coast, Senegal, Togo, Burkina Faso, Mali, Guinea-Bissau, Niger and Benin.

Last week, Moody's downgraded Niger's credit risk rating from Caa2 to Caa3 for the third time since the coup.

"The sanctions imposed since the end of July 2023 in response to the military coup have exacerbated economic difficulties and further hampered the government's potential ability to meet its obligations," the rating agency said following its decision.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) suspended Niger's membership and imposed severe economic sanctions following the coup.

Niger is ruled by military leaders who overthrew the elected president Mohamed Bazoum on July 26, and have held him in detension ever since.

Niger and its two neighbours, Mali and Burkina Faso, who are also run by military coup leaders, announced at the end of January that they would withdraw from ECOWAS "without delay".



pid/spb/gv




Strikes in Lebanon wound 14, Israel says targeted Hezbollah arms



Ghaziyeh, Lebanon, Feb 19 (AFP) Feb 19, 2024



Two Israeli air strikes hit southern Lebanon Monday near the city of Sidon, wounding 14 people, official media said, while the Israeli army said it had targeted "Hezbollah weapons storage facilities".

Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah movement and its arch-foe Israel have been exchanging near-daily fire across the border since the Israel-Hamas war broke out on October 7.

While most of the exchanges have been limited to areas near the frontier, Monday's strikes occurred in Ghaziyeh, about 30 kilometres (20 miles) from the nearest Israeli boundary and less than five kilometres from the city of Sidon.

An AFP photographer reported the sound of at least two successive strikes in Ghaziyeh, one targeting a hangar close to the main coastal highway, with dark smoke billowing across the area.

Lebanon's state-run National News Agency (NNA) said the strikes targeted a warehouse where tyres and electricity generators were manufactured, and the vicinity of a factory, leaving "14 wounded, most of them Syrian and Palestinian workers".

It said two emergency responders were injured while putting out the warehouse blaze.

One of the strikes targeted a factory "in an industrial area of Ghaziyeh, wounding at least eight workers", seven of them Syrians, a Lebanese security source, requesting anonymity as they were not authorised to speak to the media, said earlier.

The Israeli army said in a statement that "fighter jets struck two Hezbollah weapons storage facilities adjacent to the city of Sidon".

"The strike was carried out in response to the launch of a UAV (drone) toward the Lower Galilee in northern Israel," the statement said, adding that the drone was likely launched by Hezbollah earlier in the day.



- 'Provocative' -



Hezbollah, which says it is acting in support of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, on Monday claimed several attacks on Israeli positions, without mentioning a drone.

The Shiite Muslim movement did not immediately release any official statement on the Ghaziyeh strikes.

Lebanon's foreign ministry urged the international community to condemn the "ongoing" Israeli attacks and to pressure Israel "to stop its provocative attempts... to lure Lebanon into a war that (Beirut) is seeking to prevent".

The Israeli military last week said it killed a Hezbollah commander, his deputy and another fighter in a strike in the southern Lebanese city of Nabatiyeh.

In the bloodiest day for Lebanon since tensions rose in October, the strike on a residential building also killed seven members of the same family, according to a security source, while another strike elsewhere killed a woman, her child and stepchild.

On Friday, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah vowed that Israel would pay "with blood" for civilians it killed in Lebanon in recent days.

He said the killing of civilians was aimed at "putting pressure" on Hezbollah to stop attacks on Israel, and warned that his Iran-backed movement has "precision-guided missiles that can reach... Eilat", on Israel's Red Sea coast, well beyond the northern towns it usually targets.

The latest uptick in violence has caused international alarm, with fears growing of another full-blown war between Israel and Hezbollah like that in 2006.

Since October, cross-border exchanges have killed at least 269 people on the Lebanese side, most of them Hezbollah fighters but also including 40 civilians, according to an AFP tally.

On the Israeli side, 10 soldiers and six civilians have been killed, according to the Israeli army.
Sweden says to give Ukraine $682 mn military aid



Stockholm, Feb 20 (AFP) Feb 20, 2024



Sweden said Tuesday it would give 7.1 billion kronor ($682 million) worth of military equipment to Ukraine, in a boost for the country as it struggles to fight off Russia's invasion.

"The reason we are continuing to support Ukraine is a matter of humanity and decency. Russia started an illegal, unprovoked and indefensible war," Defence Minister Pal Jonson told a news conference.

The package will consist of artillery shells, air defence, boats and underwater weapons such as mines and torpedoes as well as training for Ukrainian soldiers.

It marks Sweden's 15th aid package to Ukraine and is the largest yet.

Previously, Sweden has sent its Archer mobile artillery system, 50 of its CV90 armoured combat vehicles as well as "around 10" Leopard 2 tanks and anti-air missile systems.

The announcement comes just days before the war in Ukraine enters its third year after Russia's invasion on February 24, 2022.

A heightened offensive in eastern and southern Ukraine saw Russia capture the key town of Avdiivka last week.

The Ukrainian military also says it is critically short of ammunition and shells, worsened by the holdup of a $60 billion US aid package.

"The situation in Ukraine is difficult", Jonson conceded during the press conference.

The Swedish government also said the aid was essential to ensure the long-term security of the Nordic country.

Mikael Oscarsson of the Christian Democrats, a member of the coalition government, said that "there would be direct consequences for our own security if Putin were to win."
Swedish PM to meet Orban ahead of key Hungary vote on NATO bid



Stockholm, Feb 20 (AFP) Feb 20, 2024



Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson will meet Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orban on Friday ahead of a key parliamentary vote in Budapest on Sweden's stalled bid to join NATO.

His talks with Orban in Budapest will include "defence and security policy cooperation between Hungary and Sweden", the Swedish government said on Tuesday.

Hungary, the last holdout on Sweden's application to join NATO, is set to vote whether to ratify the bid in parliament on Monday.

After Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Sweden abandoned two centuries of military non-alignment and applied to join the US-led Western military alliance in May 2022, at the same time as Finland.

Finland became the 31st member of NATO in April 2023 but the Swedish bid was delayed by both Turkey and Hungary.

After more than a year of delays, Turkey ratified Sweden's bid in January.

Although it supports Stockholm in principle, Hungary has prolonged the process by asking Sweden to stop "vilifying" Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government, which critics accuse of authoritarianism.

It has often denounced what it called Sweden's "openly hostile attitude", accusing Swedish representatives of being "repeatedly keen to bash Hungary" on rule-of-law issues.

But Mate Kocsis, the leader of Orban's Fidesz party in parliament, said on Tuesday his group "intends to support" Sweden's NATO membership request when Hungarian lawmakers vote on it on Monday.

In January, Orban invited the Swedish prime minister to Hungary, citing the need to "build strong mutual trust" through "more intense political dialogue".

Kristersson accepted the invitation but rejected the idea of "negotiations" and "demands" concerning the country's bid to join NATO.
Israel pounds Gaza ahead of UN truce vote



Gaza Strip, Palestinian Territories, Feb 20 (AFP) Feb 20, 2024



Israel hit Gaza with air strikes on Tuesday as world powers grappled with how to broker a ceasefire ahead of a UN Security Council vote that was expected to be blocked by a US veto.

A total of 103 Palestinians were killed in the past 24 hours of Israeli strikes and ground combat in the besieged Hamas-ruled territory, its health ministry said.

The United Nations has sounded the alarm over the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, warning that food shortages could lead to an "explosion" of preventable child deaths.

More than four months of relentless fighting have flattened much of the coastal territory, pushed 2.2 million people to the brink of famine and displaced three-quarters of the population, according to UN estimates.

"How many of us have to die... to stop these crimes?" said Ahmad Moghrabi, a Palestinian doctor in southern Gaza's main city, Khan Yunis. "Where is the humanity?"

Global powers trying to navigate a way out of the spiralling crisis have so far come up short, with a push later Tuesday for a UN ceasefire resolution facing an expected US veto.

After months of struggling for a united response, all EU members except Hungary called Monday for an "immediate humanitarian pause".

They also urged Israel not to invade Gaza's southernmost city of Rafah, where nearly 1.5 million Palestinians are sheltering, many in makeshift tents.

The city, the last untouched by Israeli ground troops, is also the main entry point for desperately needed relief supplies via neighbouring Egypt.

Israel's strikes on the city are hampering humanitarian operations, while the food supply is disrupted by regular border closures, says the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA.

The scarcity of food and safe water has triggered a steep rise in malnutrition, the UN children's fund warned Monday.

One in six children in northern Gaza are now acutely malnourished, UNICEF said, a situation poised to "compound the already unbearable level of child deaths".



- 'Dying of hunger or bombing' -



The war started when Hamas launched its unprecedented attack on October 7 that resulted in the deaths of about 1,160 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli figures.

Hamas militants also took about 250 hostages -- 130 of whom remain in Gaza, including 30 presumed dead, according to Israel.

Israel's retaliatory campaign has killed at least 29,195 people, mostly women and children, according to the latest count by the territory's health ministry.

For weeks, Israel has concentrated its military operations in Khan Yunis, the hometown of Hamas's leader in the territory Yahya Sinwar, the alleged architect of the October 7 attack.

"Troops are continuing intensive operations in western Khan Yunis and killed dozens of terrorists over the past day," the army said on Tuesday, adding that it had also struck a Hamas arms depot in the city triggering secondary explosions.

The Hamas government said dozens of air strikes had hit the city accompanied by tank fire.

Witnesses said Gaza City's southern Zeitoun neighbourhood had also come under heavy bombardment.

"We don't know where to go -- every place is being bombed," said Zeitoun resident Abdullah Al-Qadi, 67.

Farther south in Al-Zawayda, Ayman Abu Shammali said his wife and daughter had been killed in an Israeli missile strike.

"People in the north are dying from hunger, while here we are dying from bombing," he said.



- Veto threats -



Israel has rebuffed repeated calls to spare Rafah, including from its closest ally the United States.

It has warned that, unless all Israeli hostages still held in Gaza are freed by the start of Ramadan on March 10 or 11, it will push on with its offensive during the Muslim holy month, including in the city.

"If by Ramadan the hostages are not home, the fighting will continue everywhere to include the Rafah area," said war cabinet member Benny Gantz.

Palestinian prime minister Mohammad Shtayyeh warned of "thousands" of dead if Israeli troops enter the city. "Israel must be prevented from this aggression," he said.

International mediators have been scrambling to avert the assault.

At the UN Security Council, two rival ceasefire proposals have been put forward.

The first, drafted by Algeria, demands an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and "unconditional release of all hostages".

It met swift opposition from the United States, which put forward an alternative draft.

That text, seen by AFP on Monday, emphasises "support for a temporary ceasefire in Gaza as soon as practicable". It also expresses concern for Rafah.

According to a diplomatic source, the draft stands little chance of being adopted in its current form and risks a Russian veto.

Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh meanwhile arrived in Cairo for talks with Egyptian officials, the militant group said, days after mediators said prospects for a new truce with Israel had dimmed.

The delegation will discuss "efforts to stop the aggression, provide relief to citizens and achieve the goals of our Palestinian people," a statement said.

Despite a flurry of meetings with both Israeli and Hamas negotiators last week, Egyptian, Qatari and US mediators made no headway on halting the fighting.

The lack of progress in securing the release of more Israeli hostages has fuelled protests in Israel against the government's handling of the war.

"We desperately call on all decision makers in Israel and worldwide to be involved in negotiations and bring them home immediately," said Ofri Bibas, whose sister-in law Shiri is still held in Gaza with her two young children.

burs/kir/fz
Swedish PM to visit Hungary ahead of NATO bid vote



Budapest, Feb 20 (AFP) Feb 20, 2024



Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson will meet Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orban on Friday, three days ahead of a key parliamentary vote on Sweden's bid to join NATO, officials said Tuesday.

Following Turkey's ratification last month, Hungary remains the last NATO member stopping Sweden from joining the alliance.

After Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Sweden applied to join NATO in May 2022, at the same time as Finland.

Although it says it supports Stockholm in principle, Budapest prolonged the process by asking Sweden to stop "vilifying" Orban's nationalist government.

Kristersson's talks with Orban in Budapest will include "defence and security policy cooperation between Hungary and Sweden," the Swedish government said in a statement.

Orban wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that it would be his "pleasure" to welcome Kristersson to Budapest.

Hungary's parliament will vote on Sweden's NATO bid on Monday.

Earlier, when announcing the vote, Mate Kocsis, leader of the ruling party Fidesz parliamentary group, said his group "intended to support" Sweden's membership.



- Rebuild trust -



Orban announced on Saturday that Hungary was "on course" to ratify Sweden's bid.

"The good news is that our current dispute with Sweden is moving towards a conclusion," he sad.

"Together with the Swedish PM, we have taken important steps in order to rebuild trust," he said, without giving details.

Asked about the remarks, Kristersson said Monday that he did not know what Orban had meant.

"I simply think there is a strong will to finalise this process of NATO accession," Kristersson said.

Swedish officials have insisted there would be no negotiations on ratification. Orban at first posted on X, the former Twitter, that he invited Kristersson to "negotiate".

In an invitation letter, he did not use the word "negotiate" but said he was inviting him to "exchange views on all issues of common interest".

Budapest has often denounced what it called Sweden's "openly hostile attitude", accusing Swedish representatives of being "repeatedly keen to bash Hungary" on rule-of-law issues.

Since Orban returned to power in 2010, the nationalist premier has cemented his power with critics accusing him of democratic backsliding.

Orban -- the sole EU leader to have maintained ties with the Kremlin after the invasion of Ukraine -- also frequently clashes with Brussels over rule-of-law, LGBTQ and asylum seeker rights and other issues.

Brussels has frozen billions of euros amid suspicions that European funds were being misused.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on Monday criticised Hungary's "unacceptable" delay in ratifying Sweden's NATO accession with the Russia-Ukraine war raging.

Over the weekend, a group of bipartisan US senators visited Hungary to press the country over Sweden's bid. The government refused to meet with them.

NATO membership applications require unanimous ratifications by all alliance members.

Finland became the 31st member of the military alliance in April.

bur-jza/tw
France urges more 'vigilance' against Russia sabotage in military: internal memo



Paris, Feb 20 (AFP) Feb 20, 2024



French Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu has urged more "vigilance" against possible Russian sabotage against the country's armed forces after it signed a security deal with Ukraine, according to an internal memo obtained by AFP Tuesday.

"The signing of a security agreement between France and Ukraine could lead Russia to step up these operations in order to increase its influence, undermine the credibility of our action and weaken our national cohesion," the memo said.

On Friday, French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky signed a security pact calling for French military and civilian aid for Kyiv in its war against Russia.

The defence ministry's document calls for measures to "reduce vulnerability to subversive actions that could affect our personnel, infrastructure, teams or activities".

"The aim is to raise awareness of the threats of sabotage and cyberattacks that can affect staff and their families, facilities, information systems and networks," Lecornu said.

"Vigilance levels will need to be stepped up and regulations rigorously enforced to guarantee the security of our premises."

Establishments working with the French defence ministry should also take note because they "may constitute targets for Russia, in particular the defence industry network", said the memo.

Lecornu said that since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 Moscow had been conducting "hybrid interference operations" against France and its partners, and those attacks "primarily" concerned the French armed forces.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Macron said that cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns by the Kremlin showed that "Vladimir Putin's Russia has become a systematic actor of destabilisation in the world".
Photo taken on Feb. 20, 2024 shows the gas storage area in Zonguldak, northern Turkiye. Turkiye is seeking to attain energy independence in the upcoming 30 years with its newly found underground gas deposits and renewables, but this plan may be too ambitious, experts said. (Photo by Mustafa Kaya/Xinhua)

by Burak Akinci

ANKARA, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Turkiye is seeking to attain energy independence in the upcoming 30 years with its newly found underground gas deposits and renewables, but this plan may be too ambitious, experts said.

Turkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a public speech on Feb. 10 in the northern Zonguldak province that the country's main goal is to attain "complete energy independence."

"Our main goal is to achieve complete independence in energy. We are determined and courageously implementing initiatives that will guarantee Turkiye's energy security," the Turkish leader said.

The import-reliant nation has made significant strides towards self-sufficiency in the last decade particularly, reducing its imports by investing in its own resources and renewables.

Located in a region with some of the world's richest oil and natural gas reserves, Turkiye has become one of the biggest natural gas and electricity markets in the Middle East, crossed by important pipelines, and seeks to be an energy hub.

On the other hand, Turkiye has a 68 percent import dependency, albeit down from over 70 percent in previous years, to meet its energy demand, Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said in December.

As part of its efforts to diversify its energy resources, the country has discovered 710 billion cubic meters of natural gas in the Black Sea and millions of barrels of oil in the southeastern Gabar region.

"As of today, we are extracting over 35,000 barrels per day in Gabar," Erdogan said in Zonguldak.

Turkiye is also speeding up efforts to extract shale gas from its soil.

However, those discoveries still fall short of the nation's growing energy demands, Ali Arif Akturk, an Ankara-based independent energy policies expert, told Xinhua in a recent interview.

"Turkiye is poor in energy resources. We don't have enough oil or natural gas. Yes, there have been some discoveries and enhancements in capacities in renewables, but these are limited," he said.

Even the much-hoped Russian-built nuclear plant Akkuyu could only meet 10 percent of Turkiye's electricity needs provided that all four of the plant's units were operational by 2028.

The 4800-MWE plant also sparks criticism that it could increase Turkiye's dependency on Russia for nuclear energy after gas imports.

Turkiye imported 45 percent of its gas consumption from Russia in 2021 and 40 percent in 2022.

In Turkiye's energy mix, gas share grew from 16 percent of the total energy consumption in 2000 to more than 30 percent in 2022, making the nation one of the biggest gas consumers in the world.

In the meantime, the share of renewables, such as solar, wind and geothermal, though also increased, was still not enough for Turkiye to achieve self-reliance, Akturk said. 

Photo taken on Feb. 20, 2024 shows the gas storage area in Zonguldak, northern Turkiye. Turkiye is seeking to attain energy independence in the upcoming 30 years with its newly found underground gas deposits and renewables, but this plan may be too ambitious, experts said. (Photo by Mustafa Kaya/Xinhua)
Chrissy Lau, who designed a set of stamps to celebrate the Year of the Dragon for Australia Post, has shared the impact of her Chinese background on her works.





Produced by Xinhua Global Service












The additional 35% of shares need to change hands for Ferrovial to be able to sell its own holding, the company said in a regulatory filing in January. While PIF does not intend on going beyond 10%, Ardian is considering buying more, Bloomberg reported.
Creating the right conditions for growth has the potential to add at least 100billion to the UK economy and create close to 90,000 jobs. The report came as Tech Secretary Michelle Donelan warned that a lack of properly skilled workers could be forcing British companies to go to America.
They point to the growth in overall City employment and the speed with which skyscrapers such as 22 Bishopsgate filled with tenants, despite concerns that hybrid working has made the traditional office redundant. In his speech, committee chairman Chris Hayward called for services  and particularly the Citys specialities of financial and professional services  to be given far greater priority in the Governments trade policy.
At the prestigious film event last year, he was accompanied by the Princess of Wales, who had abdominal surgery on January 16 at the London Clinic and has since returned home to Adelaide Cottage in Windsor to be with their three children.
At the start of the outbreak, Abbeys colleague Ant Vyas (Bhav Joshi) is refused a facemask, despite going into an isolated room to treat a critically ill patient. Its not policy, hes told, again and again: the patient hasnt come from abroad, so of course it cant be Covid. Twenty minutes later, we see the ward nurses (one of whom later dies from the virus herself) fashioning makeshift PPE for themselves out of bin bags. And this is all before the first lockdown.
Security analysts had assessed that it was responsible for around 25 per cent of all ransomware attacks, making it the largest criminal organisation involved in such hacking. US officials have previously echoed the analysis of UK law enforcers in describing LockBit as the biggest threat to its companies, saying that more than 1,700 had been hit by its ransomware attacks. The hacking group was understood to operate by allowing affiliated criminal gangs to use its hacking tools. They are the Walmart of ransomware groups, they run it like a businessthats what makes them different, Jon DiMaggio, chief security strategist at Analyst1, US cybersecurity firm told the Reuters news agency. Don Smith, vice president of Secureworks, an arm of Dell Technologies, said LockBit "dwarfed all other [ransomware] groups" and that the success in halting its operations was "highly significant".
Among the latest London schools to face closure is Holy Family Roman Catholic Primary School in Kidbrooke.

Greenwich council and the Archdiocese of Southwark have announced plans for it to shut at the end of the school year.

The council said despite efforts by the school to encourage more families to choose it, a fall in the number of pupils had led to a greater lack of funding each year and fewer socialising opportunities for students.

The school has room for 210 pupils but only has 128 on its register. Just 19 started last September and only six families have named it as their first choice for this September.

A spokesman for the Archdiocese of Southwark, which manages the school, said a significant fall in pupil numbers was exacerbated by a drop in baptisms in recent years. Greenwich said the school was set to lose 118,000 by the end of this year, which would rise to 362,000 at the end of the following year.
In written submissions, his legal team have accused the US of being prepared to go to any lengths (including misusing its own criminal justice system) to sustain impunity for US officials in respect of the torture/war crimes committed in its infamous war on terror, and to suppress those actors and courts willing and prepared to try to bring those crimes to account. Mr Assange was one of those targets.
The godfather of modern music PR, Alan Edwards, reveals he has written a memoir of his extraordinary career. I Was There: Dispatches From a Life in Rock and Roll will tell of Edwardss rise to the top, where he represented stars including David Bowie with French journalist Jerome Soligny, and the Rolling Stones. I came into this very young and my further education was courtesy of Marc Bolan and the Who. Now Ive been doing it for nearly half a century and its been crazy at times, Edwards told us. I Was There, out on June 6, promises some great anecdotes. Theres a good chunk of Bowie in there, says Edwards, but its not just war stories. I write about serious stuff too, racism in the media for example.
Its winter in the north Atlantic and we will face harsh weather and freezing conditions, but we are well prepared and looking forward to demonstrating our readiness to fight, whenever and wherever we get the call.
BEIJING, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Commerce on Tuesday said the ministry will continue to give full play to the role of a roundtable meeting system for foreign-funded enterprises this year as good results have achieved since its establishment in July 2023.

Since the establishment of the roundtable system more than half a year ago, the communication between government departments, foreign-funded enterprises and foreign business associations has been effectively improved, and a series of targeted measures have been launched to continuously enhance the sense of acquisition of foreign-funded enterprises, said the commerce ministry.

As of the end of last month, the ministry said it has held 16 roundtables for foreign-funded enterprises, including roundtables hosted for different countries, particularly for Japanese-funded enterprises, German small and medium-sized enterprises, and Belgian enterprises. There were also roundtables held for different industries, such as for pharmaceutical enterprises, incubation and innovation enterprises, and automobile consumer goods enterprises; and roundtables hosted for different topics, such as for policy interpretation, key foreign-funded projects, and foreign trade symposiums.

More than 400 foreign-funded enterprises and foreign-funded business associations have attended these meetings, with more than 300 issues highlighted at the meetings solved.

At the same time, a provincial level roundtable meeting system had also been established, with more than 140 roundtables having been held so far, in attendance were more than 2,200 foreign-funded enterprises and foreign business associations, with more than 900 issues solved.

In September 2023, the ministry also launched an "online roundtable for foreign-funded enterprises" to collect and handle problems and appeals.

This year, the ministry will hold such meetings once a month, covering themes such as promoting bilateral and multilateral economic and trade exchanges, providing services to ensure the landing of key foreign-funded projects, continuously optimizing the business environment, and helping implement major regional strategies.

The ministry said it will listen to opinions and suggestions of enterprises in earnest, strengthen the publicity and interpretation of policies, and strive to solve difficulties and obstacles, so as to create a better investment environment for foreign enterprises in China.

In 2023, China's actual foreign direct investment hit 163.25 billion U.S. dollars, remaining at a historically high level, said the commerce ministry. 
And on a visit to the Falkland Islands, Lord Cameron said: We are calling for a stop to the fighting right now, we think that what we need is a pause in the fighting and the hostages to come out and aid to go in.
Minister for Legal Migration Tom Pursglove said: We know that migration to the UK remains too high, but our plan will deliver a decisive cut in numbers that the public expect so we can get back to sustainable and well-managed levels. Under our new measures, 300,000 people who came to the UK last year would now not be able to come.
Prince Williams office has also said he will draw attention to the global rise in antisemitism. The Prince of Wales, who in 2018 became the first senior British royal to make an official visit to Israel and the occupied Palestinian Territories, will next week attend a synagogue to hear from young people who are involved in tackling hatred and antisemitism as part of his engagement schedule.
Weve just got to show that we stand with them and that the support we have will continue for as long as they need it and beyond because whatever happens, theyre still going to need us.
Navalny's death has deprived the Russian opposition of its best-known and inspiring politician, less than a month before an election that is all but certain to give Putin another six years in power. Many Russians had seen Navalny as a rare hope for political change amid Putin's unrelenting crackdown on the opposition.
The Kremlins most prominent critic, 47-year-old Mr Navalny was imprisoned in January 2021 after he returned to Russia from Germany where he was recuperating from a near-lethal poisoning with a nerve agent. His widow has vowed to continue his campaign and speaking on Monday she asked the European Union not to recognise Russia's March election, which is almost certain to give President Vladimir Putin another six-year term.
On Tuesday, Feb. 13, the Illinois state Rep. LaShawn K. Ford (D-Chicago) introduced legislation which would require any law enforcement agency within the state of Illinois, to lawfully encrypt police scanner transmissions to provide real time access to those transmissions to accredited media in the state.

House Bill 4339 amends the Public Records Act to require that any law enforcement agency that encrypts radio transmissions provide, by license or otherwise, access to those transmissions to FCC licensed broadcasters and accredited newspapers.

During the former administration in Chicago, the Chicago Police Department instituted a program designed to encrypt police scanner transmissions across all police districts in the city.

I understand the desire to prevent members of the public from using real time police scanner information to commit crimes or to evade law enforcement, Rep. Ford said. However, the media has an obligation to report on events in a timely manner and its use of real time information from police scanners is essential. Blocking accredited media from real time access is counter to governmental transparency and does not lend itself to the original stated purpose of the encryption program.

Rep. Ford noted that his proposed legislation would apply to jurisdictions across the state. Several downstate law enforcement departments have also instituted encryption programs.
RIYADH, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Saudi Arabia launched on Monday the "Saudipedia" digital platform during the Future of Media Exhibition (FOMEX) in Riyadh as part of the Saudi Media Forum activities.

The platform, also referred to as the Saudi encyclopedia, was launched by Saudi Minister of Media Salman bin Yousef Al-Dosari, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

It was designed to be a primary reference to the kingdom, providing reliable information in multiple languages, he said.

"Saudipedia aims to become the primary source of information about the leadership, people, history, geography, and culture of Saudi Arabia," he was quoted as saying.

FOMEX kicked off on Monday as one of the largest specialized media exhibitions in the Middle East, hosting over 200 local and international companies for three days.

It showcases the latest technical, creative, and innovative aspects in all areas of media. 
Macoupin States Attorney Jordan Garrison announced today a former Girard man has been sentenced to seven and a half years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for a burglary in Girard. Troy A. Jones, 35, was born on Oct. 7, 1988, pleaded guilty to residential burglary in front of Judge April G. Troemper who handed down the sentence. Jones is being held at the Macoupin County Jail pending transport to the Department of Corrections.

In Nov. of 2022, a 9-1-1 call by a concerned citizen reported a suspicious individual looking into windows of residences in Girard. The City of Girard did not have an officer on duty, so Macoupin County Detective Asa Bentley responded. By the time Detective Bentley responded the individual, later identified as Jones, had broken into a residence and was being held down by citizens of Girard. Jones was arrested and initially held on a $100,000 bond which he posted in Dec. of 2022. Jones was previously sentenced to three years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for a burglary in Sangamon County in 2013.

In her announcement of sentence Judge Troemper commented on the forcible felony committed by Jones stating, The Court cannot turn a blind eye to Mr. Joness prior instances of lawlessness. the community deserves to feel save from this kind of behavior.

Mr. Jones robbed his victims of the feeling of safety that a residence provides, said Garrison. These actions will not be tolerated in Macoupin County. I thank the Macoupin County Sheriffs Office, specifically Det. Asa Bentley, for his efforts on behalf of the victims.
On Feb. 14, 2024, the Staunton Schools Administration released and posted a notice both on Facebook and on the Staunton Schools website regarding the Staunton School District. Beginning in February, students and teachers across Illinois will have an opportunity to participate in the eleventh annual statewide Illinois 5Essentials Survey. This survey is designed to generate a detailed picture of the inner workings of your childs school. This opportunity will allow for parents to share their thoughts on the important elements of school effectiveness in a survey about their childs s...
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The Alliance for the Union of Romania (AUR) will announce its presidential candidate on June 16, the formation's leader, deputy George Simion declared on Tuesday, specifying that he has not yet decided whether he will join the race for president.

"In my capacity as party chairman elected by my colleagues, I will dedicate every second of my energy to identifying the best solutions in each commune. I don't care about the political past, I am not interested in affiliation, I am not interested in anything other than stopping this aberrated coalition which seeks to be in power for another 10 years from now on. I will take any political step that's necessary, leaving the interests of my party on a secondary plane in order to fight them," Simion told a press conference at Parliament Palace.

He argued that "considering the government's haste to hold combined elections", AUR is changing its strategy, and if local elections are held on June 9, "in total contempt" of the Constitution, AUR will accept joint candidates from all formations engaged in battling the representative of the ruling PSD - PNL alliance, "regardless their name".

Asked if AUR will be affected by the result of the EP election, Simion replied: "Of course, yes, it's possible. (...) But, at the same time, we will score better in the local and county councils, we are prepared for this fight, it doesn't take us by surprise."

"To change the date of the elections less than six months before, to deride a Constitutional Court ruling from 2012 handed down in response to a constitutional challenge that was also signed by the current Justice minister, to do all this shows desperation, it somehow reminds me of the year 2012 when Basescu was trying to reinvent himself, to find joint candidates, put together joint lists, to window dress in any way, switch to the name of USL. No problem, we will fight in the villages and cities of the country and in the local elections, regardless of whether they are on June 9 or September 29," George Simion said.
The president of Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), deputy George Simion, declared on Tuesday that he does not want the perpetuation of a "Moldova statehood different from Romania".

"The Republic of Moldova, in my opinion, is not a country, it is a state. I hate from the bottom of my soul the unjust border at Prut. I see no argument for the second Romanian state to continue to exist in a different composition than in the composition of the mother country and, certainly, I do not want the perpetuation of a Moldovan statehood different from Romania. I love Romania from the Dniester to the Tisza," said Simion, in a press conference held at the Parliament.

According to him, AUR has "a unification plan".

"We don't want the Presidency, Parliament, Government to exist there, in Chisinau, but we want to have a single country, as we had before two criminals of history, Stalin and Hitler, separated us. Certainly, in the eyes of the governors of the Republic of Moldova, this is equivalent to a destabilization, but this is me from a young age, this is how my grandparents taught me that it is correct. (...) I am not even interested in those who have the impression that they are of a different nationality and that they are not Romanians. It means that they are victims of the Stockholm syndrome," argued Simion, when asked if he wanted the destabilization of the Republic of Moldova.

In his opinion, the current governing coalition has only one concern: "how to stay in power illegally, unconstitutionally".

"We are talking here about an organized criminal group and we will submit requests in this regard to the General Prosecutor's Office for conspiracy to violate the Constitution and for the creation of an organized criminal group, concealment of information," George Simion added.

He added that he received signals of violation of the Constitution regarding the organization of this year's elections.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, holds talks with Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares in Cordoba, Spain, Feb. 18, 2024. (Photo by Gustavo Valiente/Xinhua)

CORDOBA, Spain, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi emphasized the importance of embracing a win-win approach for the future of humanity on Sunday at a joint press conference with his Spanish counterpart Jose Manuel Albares in the southern Spanish city Cordoba.

Lose-lose is not a rational choice, and win-win should be the future of humanity, said Wang, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.

Wang's remarks followed questions about the "lose-lose dynamics" highlighted in the Munich Security Report 2024. He identified three factors contributing to such risks: playing zero-sum games, decoupling and severing of supply chains, and inciting bloc confrontations.

These practices hurt others' interests without benefiting oneself, drag down global progress and prosperity, seriously disrupt efforts to tackle global challenges, and seriously erode the foundation of world peace and development, he said.

Lose-lose outcomes must be avoided by all parties, Wang said, noting that more and more countries are now aware of this.

He called for a collective pursuit of win-win situations, urging countries to unite rather than divide, adhere to accommodating each other's core interests, discard ideological biases, and reject bloc confrontations.

While advocating cooperation over confrontation, dialogue over conflict, consultation over arbitrariness and equality over power, Wang also highlighted openness, stable industrial and supply chains, and the improving of the WTO-centered free trading system.

He also emphasized the importance of establishing an internationalized, market-oriented, law-based environment for global economic and trade cooperation.

China is willing to work with all parties to implement the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, Wang said, adding that the country will also bring more opportunities to the world through Chinese modernization. 
Bucharest general mayor Nicusor Dan said that he will run for a new term as mayor of the Capital to win and that "it would be a pity" for the Social Democratic Party (PSD) to return at the helm of the Municipality.

"I'm running to win, because it would be a pity if PSD returned, after these three years, which were only three, one of which I paid debts, after these three years, in which I took things in a correct, normal direction (...). I hope that people will get informed, I hope that in the eternal battle of right-wing versus PSD all those or many of those right-wing voters who gave me their vote in 2020 will do the same," Nicusor Dan told private broadcaster Prima News on Monday.

He said that, according to a poll, he would get more than 30 percent of the votes.

Nicusor Dan also said that he does not support the merging of local and the European Parliament elections.

"I think we already have a deficit of democracy in the way the media relates to political actors, to what happens in everyday life and a concurrence makes the message all the more diffuse," explained the mayor general of the capital.

Nicusor Dan went on to say that he is not considering rejoining Save Romania Union (USR), he is an independent mayor, he has had a good collaboration in the General Council of Bucharest with USR, (People's Movement Party (PMP), the National Liberal Party (PNL), and in the public space he cooperates with Forta Dreptei and REPER.
Over 3,700 residence permits for different purposes and 2,049 employment permits were issued by the Iasi Immigration Service in 2023.

According to the head of the Iasi Immigration Service, inspector Alina Tanase, 3,721 residence permits were issued, including 3,676 for temporary stay and 45 for long-term stay, along with 464 registration certificates and nine residence cards issued to citizens of the European Union / EEA / Switzerland, agerpres reports.

"Preventing and combatting the undocumented work of foreigners is a priority with the immigration police in Iasi, in order to increase the safety of the citizens through a permanent control of compliance with the migration legislation," said Tanase.In 2023, 2,904 applications for employment permits were submitted to the Iasi Immigration Service, with 2,049 employment permits issued for permanent and seconded workers, 737 applications were denied, and 118 are pending.Also, 85 invitations were recorded for third-country nationals, 48 were approved, 23 rejected, 12 cancelled because they were filled in incorrectly, and two are in the process of being resolved. As many as 24 applications for family reintegration with citizens from third countries were also recorded, with 20 approved and four denied.Tanase said that 67 checks were carried out last year, after which 51 foreigners were detected in illegal settings."Nine of them come from Moldova, five from Morocco, four each from Nepal and Israel and three from Syria. The rest are from other states," according to Tanase.
Quantities of 988,152 tonnes of wheat and 18,286 tonnes of corn were placed, between May 2 and December 31, 2023, in transit on the territory of Romania, with Ukraine as the country of dispatch, through 14,584 operations, according to the data published on Tuesday by the Romanian Customs Authority (AVR).

Also, between January 1 and February 15, 2024, through 2,147 operations, 441,401 tonnes of wheat and 300,994 tonnes of corn from Ukraine were placed under customs transit regime in our country, agerpres reports.

According to the same source, regarding imports, between May 2 and December 31, 2023, 99,094 tons of grains (wheat, corn - including for sowing), originating in Ukraine, were put into free circulation, of which: 25,214 tonnes of wheat and 71,132 tonnes of corn, quantities imported according to the exceptions provided by the Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/903 of the European Commission.At the same time, from January 1 and until February 15, this year, no wheat and corn of Ukrainian origin, subject to the restrictions established by Emergency Ordinance no. 84/2023, with modifications and additions.AVR specifies that, starting from May 2, 2023, restrictive measures have been instituted in Romania regarding certain products originating in Ukraine. Thus, between May 2 and June 5, 2023, ban on the free circulation of wheat and corn, with the exception of the execution of contracts signed before the entry into force of the implementation regulation (EU) 2023/903 of the EC.Later, between June 5 and September 15, 2023, it is about the ban on the free circulation of certain types of wheat and corn (Implementation Regulation (EU) 2023/1100 of the Commission), and from October 13, 2023 and until currently, the ban on the free circulation of certain types of wheat and corn, only on the basis of an agreement issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MADR), by Ordinance no. 84/2023.The representatives of the Romanian Customs Authority emphasize the fact that they "permanently pay increased attention to the traffic of goods from the borders with Ukraine, at the same time ensuring the protection of citizens and the single market by applying the provisions of the Union and national legislation that establish non-tariff measures (restrictions and prohibitions) at import and export of goods."
Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said on Tuesday that Romania needs a social-democratic president and Moldova a strong left-of-centre social-democratic party.

He participated in the event "Living better with Europe" organised at the Romanian Parliament House and attended by representatives of social democrats in the European Parliament.

"We as Romanians - and not only we, the whole of Europe - are facing a great challenge. It is about the independence and sustainability of the Republic of Moldova. I am one of President Maia Sandu's supporters, even if she is not part of our political family, she is the president who has managed to keep Moldova on its European path. That was achieved, first of all, with Romania's help. Moldova owes to its economic sustainability to Romania, and also to its other European partners. (...) But that does not mean that Moldova does not need social democracy, it does not mean that Moldova does not need a strong left-of-centre party," Ciolacu said.

He welcomed the presence at the event of the national leader of the European Social Democratic Party of Moldova. "Certainly, taking into account Moldova's profile, Moldova needs a strong left-of-centre social-democratic party."

According to him, this year's elections to the European Parliament will be about principles, will be about defending values, the rule of law, but first of all, about the economy.

"For what Europe is going through now, and Romania is part of this passage, at this moment, Europe needs mainly social democracy. All the challenges, all the emergencies of the citizens we represent, all have social-democratic roots. Therefore, I am firmly convinced that Romania needs a social-democratic president after 20 years, Europe also needs a social-democratic president of the European Commission."

He added that Romania reported the second largest absorption of European funds in the previous financial year.

"The economy will naturally be the engine of living standards, as it is now. We see many European countries, Germany, which is the main engine of Europe, had difficulties last year and went into recession. We managed in Romania through political stability to avoid that. We had to take action in a short period of time. Really, I don't know how it happened, but I had to take them myself after I became prime minister, after a few weeks, they were always postponed, although all the figures indicated that these measures had to be taken. I believe that through an open dialogue with businesspeople and Romanian citizens, we have found the best solutions for this period. Romania has reported the second largest absorption of European funds among European Union member states in the previous financial year. We had 96 percent absorption," Ciolacu said.
The European People's Party (EPP) must remain the largest political force in the European Union also after the June elections, Romanian Senate Chairman Nicolae Ciuca, national leader of the National Liberal Party (PNL), said on Tuesday.

On a two-day visit to Spain, Ciuca also met national leader of the People's Party of Spain Alberto Nunez Feijoo, agerpres reports.

"The European People's Party must remain the largest political force in the European Union even after the June elections. That was the conclusion of the meeting I had with Alberto Nunez Feijoo, the national leader of the Spanish People's Party. It is in the interest of democracy to present to the voters of our countries the advantages that the EU brings to everyone. Both Romania and Spain benefit from funds from Brussels, which develop regions and communities, bridging economic gaps," Ciuca wrote in a social media post.He added that he proposed to the chairman of the Spanish People's Party to discuss with representatives of the Romanian community their intentions to get involved in the local political, economic and social life."I also asked him that his party support the governmental initiative to award dual citizenship to Romanians and to rectify the taxes on the Orthodox Church. I wished him that in this year's elections to the European Parliament his party would keep the first place garnered in last year's parliamentary elections."Ciuca added that more details about the strategy of the European People's Party for the June elections will be discussed at the EPP congress convention, which PNL will host on March 6-7 in Bucharest.At the end of his official visit to Spain, Ciuca met the Romanian Christian Orthodox Bishop of Spain and Portugal Timotei, to whom he promised that all steps would be taken for the Spanish authorities to rediscuss the agreement by which all religious denominations in Spain would benefit from the same tax treatment. Especially with regard to real estate taxes."I was glad to meet today His Eminence Timotei, the Romanian Orthodox bishop of Spain and Portugal, at the Madrid headquarters of the Diocese. I thanked him for all the efforts he made to keep the Romanian spirit alive in the community there. Spanish authorities I talked to shared with me the seriousness and good integration of Romanians into this society. I know that our church has an important contribution to this image through the moral support and guiding role in the lives of those who are far from the country. I promised him that in Bucharest we will take all steps for the Spanish authorities to rediscuss the agreement by which all religious denominations in Spain would benefit from the same tax treatment, especially in terms of real estate taxes."Ciuca paid an official visit to Spain on Monday and Tuesday, at the invitation of his Spanish counterpart Pedro Rollan Ojeda.The delegation led by Ciuca included Senator Nicoleta Pauliuc, chairman of the Defence Committee, and Senator Titus Corlatean, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee.
The president of the Senate, Nicolae Ciuca, visited, on Monday, the Satellite Centre of the European Union in Spain, an institution led by a Romanian, Sorin Ducaru, mentioning that he conveyed to the Romanian professionals who work at this centre all the appreciation for their work.

"The Satellite Centre of the European Union in Spain offers real-time information from space means and from its own analyses. The data sent by the Centre are used by high-ranking European officials for foreign policy or security decisions, many approaches in civil or climate crises being based on the information received from this centre," Ciuca wrote on Facebook.

"We are proud that such an institution is led by a Romanian, Sorin Ducaru. During the visit I made here, I congratulated him for the exemplary way in which he represented our country and I conveyed to the Romanian professionals with whom he works here all appreciation for their work," Ciuca also wrote.

The president of the Senate, Nicolae Ciuca, is paying an official visit to the Kingdom of Spain on Monday and Tuesday.

On Monday, Nicolae Ciuca had a meeting with his Spanish counterpart, Pedro Rollan Ojeda, as well as with the presidents of the Defense and Foreign Affairs Parliamentary Committees.

The delegation led by Nicolae Ciuca includes senator Nicoleta Pauliuc, the president of the Committee for Defense, and senator Titus Corlatean, the president of the Committee for Foreign Policy.
Lauren and Lucas Corbett once followed the so-called American dream.

They earned college degrees and started careers. They built a big house and purchased cars. They had two children.

But then, Lauren said, they started wondering, Is this all we are supposed to do or is there more?

A huge jump in their real estate taxes helped answer that question.

It felt silly to build this big house and use a fraction of it when there is so much world to see, said Lauren, who grew up in Bellevue, Nebraska. Lucas is a South Omaha native.

When they realized they could work remotely and live in an Airbnb anywhere in the world for about the same amount as their mortgage and utility payments, they sold the house and began their journeys in November of 2018.

The 38-year-olds have now been to more than 30 countries. Theyve stayed in oceanfront residences, been stranded for days by an airport worker strike in Portugal and roamed the pyramids of Egypt nearly alone during the pandemic, waking up each morning to a view of the Nile River.

That is a priceless experience, Lauren said.

Lucas still remembers thinking, Are we really doing this? when they took off the first time.

Now, theyre in the midst of a journey that will take them to Hawaii, Spain, Greece, Portugal and Albania. After a summer in Plattsmouth, living in the spacious basement of Laurens parents, theyll head for Hungary, Germany and who knows where else.

Everyone we meet, they say, Thats amazing. We wish we could do it, Lucas said. Well, you can if you really wanted to.

Its not easy, they both admit. They spend a lot of time looking for flights, train tickets and the best places to stay. Lauren refers to the family as team carry-on because they never check bags.

Lucas calls the planning involved a mini job and his hobby.

I still get a high from getting a deal, he said.

Most of their travels are based on those deals. They flew to Australia and Fiji round-trip for $530, which Lauren said was one of the most fun and exotic places theyve visited. Their Christmas Market trip to Europe last year was $220 round-trip out of John F. Kennedy International Airport.

If theyre not flying on a great cash rate, they use points accrued on a credit card.

Theyll often stay in a city for several weeks if the Airbnb host provides a monthly discount. They work during the day while kids Annabelle, 10, and Hampton, 8, do their home studies.

Every afternoon were going out in the city and checking things out, Lucas said.

They spend a lot more time with each other than the usual family, in which parents are working full-time and then racing to activities, and they like that. While the kids sometimes long to be home playing with their neighborhood friends, they also adore the playgrounds found in Europe.

The Corbetts have made friends along the way and will arrange to meet up with other families on their travels. Many times, those friends will introduce them to locals in the area, which adds another layer to an experience.

We have a better understanding that there are so many different cultures and beliefs and ways of doing things, Lauren said. I think weve changed because of that. In Spain, every day everyone does siesta. We should totally adopt that.

Lauren wants to see as much of the world as possible, but she said she loves visiting Paris and they return to Spain at least once a year.

Theyve experienced only a few major problems along the way, such as when they rented a place in an unsavory part of Barcelona. They were able to move to a hotel, and Lucas said he now does a much better job of checking out a neighborhood before booking.

Theyve never been robbed.

While they cant imagine ever tiring of traveling, they know things could change.

We are like hooked, Lauren said. One day, something will happen and it will change our situation. For now, we are just going.

Photos: Traveling the world with the Corbetts
CLAYTON  Olin Corp., the Clayton-based chemicals and ammunitions company, has selected an outside hire to succeed CEO Scott Sutton, who is stepping down next month.

Kenneth Lane, a veteran of chemicals giants BASF, Amoco and BP, will take on the CEO role at Olin on March 18. Most recently, Lane served as executive vice president at the plastics and chemicals company LyondellBasell.

Olin announced in September that Sutton had agreed to step down from his roles as chief executive, president and board chair in the first half of the year. The company said in regulatory filings that the agreement was not connected to any disagreement with Olin.

On Monday, Olin announced former Dow Chemical CFO William Weideman, who has served on Olins board since 2015, was appointed board chair. He started Friday.

Lane was hired at LyondellBasell in 2019 and spent several months in 2022 as the companys interim CEO. Before that, he spent 13 years in leadership at BASF and had stints at BP Chemicals and Amoco Chemical Corp.

Lane holds a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from Clemson University and a Master of Science in management from the University of Alabama-Huntsville.
ADDIS ABABA, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- African countries should invest more in science, technology, and innovation to tap into its resources, boost productivity and enhance competitiveness, a UN official has said.

Africa should tap into its potential to realize its aspirations, including the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Agenda 2063, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) Claver Gatete said Monday at the Africa Business Forum 2024 in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia.

Noting that Africa cannot realize the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) without science, technology, and innovation, Gatete urged African countries to modernize their education systems and increase research and development outputs.

He said African countries need to close gaps in digital skills, data generation, and the utilization of the digital economy on the continent.

"Currently, 75 percent of Africa's youth do not possess the required digital skills to fully participate in the digital economy, and only 50 percent of countries on the continent incorporate skills as part of their curriculum," the executive secretary said.

The business forum, held under the theme of boosting the transformation of Africa through education, science, technology and innovation, brought together experts from across the continent.

The experts and panelists said achieving Africa's sustainable development requires leveraging the power of science, technology, and innovation to fight multidimensional vulnerabilities, improve economic growth and mitigate the effects of climate change.

They highlighted that despite advances in science, technology and innovation, significant challenges remain in bridging the scientific and technological divide between developed countries and Africa.

The highly uneven global distribution of scientific capacity and access to knowledge threatens to derail the goal of leaving no one behind, which is the central and transformative promise of the SDGs, the experts added. 
Joe Holleman Political correspondent/columnist Follow Joe Holleman Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today

If becoming a populist Republican means slinging arrows at GOP leadership, U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley is staying the course.

In remarks to national news media earlier this month, Hawley has called the GOP leadership in the Senate a total embarrassment.

Hawleys remarks came after the Senate defeated a bipartisan bill to addressed the situation at the U.S.-Mexico border, as well as other foreign-aid issues involving Israel, Taiwan and Ukraine.

Hawley was one of the Republicans who voted against the bill, arguing it did not do enough to secure the border and made too many concessions to Democrats.

Hawley dripped more than a dollop of sarcasm on GOP elders in the Senate, saying to Punchbowl News:

I think Republican leadership has shown theyre a well-oiled machine. They just do great. Couldnt be improved upon. Absolutely have it all together. Very impressive,

To make sure his sarcasm was not lost, he concluded with, No, its a total embarrassment.

Hawley went on to lay the blame for failure of the bill, written by U.S. Sen. James Lankford, R-Oklahoma, squarely on the doorstep of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Commenting to Politico, Hawley said, Its not James Lankfords fault. Its Mitch McConnells fault.

Add to that, several other GOP senators have called for replacing McConnell as their partys boss in the Senate.

McConnell, however, is shrugging off the angst and noted in an article in The Hill that his GOP critics tried and failed, to replace him in 2022.

They had their shot, he said.
ST. LOUIS  In July 2017, the Clemens House, an 1860 Greek revival home built north of downtown by a relative of Mark Twain, burned. The fires cause was ruled undetermined and not investigated further.

In 2021, the seven-story bell tower at a century-old church on a prominent Central West End corner went up in flames. Fire officials and an insurance investigator said it was likely due to a homeless person trying to keep warm inside.

In October 2022, a warehouse protected from demolition in a swath of the North Riverfront neighborhood eyed for redevelopment burned down. A nearby old factory that was also on the National Register of Historic Places soon followed.

In May 2023, a warehouse that was part of a historic manufacturing complex on North Seventh Street caught fire and was destroyed. Then, in September, the Mullanphy Emigrant House, built in 1867 to aid the citys booming immigrant population, was engulfed by flames.

After two more suspicious fires in recent weeks  a January blaze at a law office in Tower Grove East and a fire that engulfed another historic warehouse north of downtown, drawing the attention of federal investigators  some St. Louisans are questioning how good a job the citys fire and police departments are doing to identify and charge the people responsible.

In many cases, the buildings that burned had languished for years, with owners unable or unwilling to finance repairs but barred from tearing them down because of the citys historic preservation ordinances.

If you cant get a demolition permit, then that creates a motive, said Andrew Weil, executive director of the Landmarks Association of St. Louis. And if people know, or at least the perception seems to be, that for an uninsured building, or for a building where theres no immediate victim, that these big fires will just be chalked up to vagrants.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms has not opened a formal criminal investigation, but it has been probing the Feb. 3 fire that destroyed a warehouse at 1230 North Second Street in the North Riverfront. An adjacent vacant warehouse with the same ownership  the McGowan family that was known for years for its Washington Avenue rehabs  burned in October 2022. Both were historic structures protected from demolition and sat in an area a nearby landowner hopes to redevelop.

Fire officials and building owners say theres no doubt homeless people break into vacant buildings and may try and keep warm with fires that get out of control. Vandals could also be involved. But vandals and the homeless arent sought by authorities either.

Weil argues there needs to be some sort of deterrence in the form of investigation, or at least rigorous code enforcement, if the city wants to prevent more fires that could endanger the lives of its firefighters.

We dont know if thats the case, if there is something nefarious going on, he said. However, I would argue the problem of unsecured or improperly or insufficiently secured vacant buildings is really at the root of all of this. And that falls back on code enforcement; it falls back on the expectations the city sets for property owners.

The owners of the buildings say homeless people and scrappers break into the buildings constantly, even after they have been secured.

Every day, we battle with homeless breaking in and out of these buildings, Tim McGowan said of the warehouses his family owned in the North Riverfront. Well board it up, and an hour later, theyll have gained entry again.

Wahied Gendi, a doctor who bought the Mullanphy Emigrant House in 2018 with plans for a rehab, described the trespassers as resourceful and persistent. They used power tools to get past special locks and climbed in through windows to scrap wood and other material from the interior of the structure before it caught fire last year.

I called the police like five or six times, he said Friday. Thats what I hear from neighbors, a lot of people getting in and out.

Gurpreet Padda, who has owned the vacant Second Baptist Church on Kingshighway for more than a decade, said fire officials indicated the blaze that destroyed the bell tower was likely from a homeless person trying to keep warm. A private investigator said blankets and clothes indicated squatters were staying in the building, according to a St. Louis Fire Department report obtained under a Sunshine Law request.

The bigger issue is that just as fast as buildings are secured, vandals and homeless break in again, as they have no place to go, and they are aware that the police will not incarcerate them, Padda told the Post-Dispatch in an email.

Padda is in litigation with his insurer over a $2.5 million payout he says he is owed from the insurance company, which paid him just $875,000. Among the reasons the insurance company says it doesnt owe any more is that Padda declined any mitigation attempts to further protect the property, an allegation Padda denied.

Paul McKee, whose NorthSide Regeneration owned the Clemens House and the Seventh Street warehouse that was part of the historic Sligo Iron complex, said neighbors saw a young man running from the Clemens House fire scene in 2017.

But that fire and the other high-profile fires in historic buildings were never referred to the St. Louis Regional Bomb and Arson Unit, a police unit that investigates suspicious fires. St. Louis police spokeswoman Evita Caldwell said the unit only gets involved if the fire department, which conducts initial fire cause assessments, refers fires to police that it believes are suspicious in nature.

The arson unit has investigated about 375 fire cases since 2021 and applied for charges 26 times, Caldwell said.

The St. Louis Fire Departments chief fire investigator, Capt. Calvin Stewart, said the vacant historic buildings that have burned in recent years were all classified as undetermined fires that had extreme fire presence that went to multiple alarms. The fires burned up the ignition sources and any other contributing factors, and the amount of water used to extinguish them added to the fire damage, making the buildings unsafe for firefighters and investigators to enter.

The area of origin and ignition source is critical for any successful origin and cause investigation, Stewart said in an email. Without it, it isnt easy to locate potential evidence that could be associated with a criminal act, which is needed for the detectives of the bomb and arson Unit.

No question that this was arson

At 4 a.m. on Jan. 25, attorney Jonathan Becks law office, on a prominent corner in Tower Grove East, went up in flames.

The building at 3500 Magnolia Avenue had been a historic rehab, an old grocery store turned into law offices. Beck and his partners worked there for more than a decade.

Surveillance video of his building, which he shared with the Post-Dispatch, recorded the fire starting. Before flames are visible, glass can be heard breaking. Witnesses saw a utility truck in the alley around the time of the fire. The electric panels were fine, Beck said, so it didnt appear to be electrical. And after the fire breaks out on the video, Beck said, it looks like flames are coming from the sidewalk.

Im no fire investigator, but it indicates to me that someone was breaking into the building to pour gasoline all over this place, he said. Which further explains why, three minutes into this video, you see an explosion, you see fire shooting out of the windows, you see the sidewalk on fire.

A day or two after the fire, he heard from Stewart at the fire department.

Stewart was very kind, Beck said. But mostly his message was: Were not really going to do anything. Its the polices job to investigate.

The fire department did a great job quickly putting out the fire, Beck said. But Stewart indicated it couldnt do much beyond that.

What Capt. Stewart was sort of saying was: We dont even have the equipment we need to investigate a fire; we dont have the ability to do it, Beck said. How do you argue with that? I mean that seems like a problem.

Beck isnt the only property owner who has been frustrated by the lack of investigation after a fire. In 2016, Jason Deem, a developer who focuses on buildings around Cherokee Street and surrounding neighborhoods, had one of his buildings on Chippewa Street go up in flames. There had been a rash of fires in the area.

But fire department personnel told him they didnt plan to dig much deeper into the cause.

They said since the building was uninsured they didnt consider it to be suspicious, Deem said.

Deem had been planning a restaurant in the Chippewa Street building. It still sits vacant.

I would love to see more resources put toward (fire investigations), Deem said. These are the kinds of places we cant afford to lose. Thats our identity as a city.

Back in Tower Grove East, Beck received the fire department report on his building earlier this month: undetermined was listed as the cause.

Beck complained loudly online about the lack of investigation, and the Riverfront Times interviewed him about the incident.

Then, a day after the article published, investigators from the police bomb and arson unit showed up. It had been a week since the fire. They looked at the property and interviewed his law partner. Beck told them about a potential suspect and some witnesses from the neighborhood. Hes not sure if theyve looked at the suspect, but they have interviewed at least two witnesses, Beck said.

Now, its been more than two weeks since he heard from police. Hes not holding out hope they crack the case.

In my mind, theres no question that this was arson, Beck said. Its a property crime, but its a really violent property crime.

Somebody whos capable of that, he added, is capable of significant violence.
JEFFERSON CITY  A wide-ranging proposal meant to address an assortment of crime-related concerns cleared the Missouri House on Monday and now heads to the Senate for a second round of vetting.

A similar crime package won the Legislatures approval in the waning hours of last years legislative session. But it fell victim to Gov. Mike Parsons veto pen in summer.

Rep. Lane Roberts, R-Joplin, is sponsoring this years comprehensive crime bill. Before joining the Legislature, Roberts worked for more than four decades in law enforcement, including seven years as the Joplin police chief and two years as the state director of public safety.

The measure has broad Republican support, but it faced pushback from some Democrats during debate last week on the House floor.

It contains several changes pertaining to criminal charges and minors. It would increase the minimum age a minor could be charged as an adult for any felony from 12 to 14. And it would clarify that 12 is the minimum age at which a minor could be tried as an adult for offenses such as first- and second-degree murder and first-degree assault or robbery.

Minors who knowingly cause the death of another person and are convicted of second-degree murder would be ineligible for parole. Currently minors are only ineligible for parole if convicted of first-degree murder.

Rep. Barbara Phifer, D-Kirkwood, questioned the penalties, saying that her 12-year-old granddaughter is concerned with Warrior Cats and Pokemon.

I wish that all children who were 12 to 14 were engaged in Pokemon, Roberts said in response. The reality is that in some of our urban areas in particular, theres 12- to 14-year-olds, who are engaged in truly egregious conduct that has dire consequences to other people.

Blairs Law, which creates a criminal offense for unlawful discharge of a firearm, is also part of the package. Its aimed at curtailing so-called celebratory gunfire and has bipartisan support.

The crime bill would also impose tougher penalties for harming or killing police dogs or other law enforcement animals like horses.

During a House Crime Prevention and Public Safety Committee hearing, Roberts said he understands the unique relationship between an animal and its handler.

What you think of as animals, we generally think of as partners, he said.

Rep. Ashley Bland Manlove, D-Kansas City, on the House floor opposed the provision, known as Maxs Law.

Using a dog on a person to give chase and subdue is the same commands given to hunting for wild beasts, Bland Manlove said. And for Black people, a chilling flashback to runaway property in any town in America with Black neighborhoods around 1963.

The crime package would also place limits on the authority of civilian law enforcement oversight boards.

Rep. David Tyson Smith, D-Columbia, said he was concerned that for those review boards that are not going beyond the pale or overstepping, it may handcuff them.

Among other provisions, the bill would also create a cyberstalking task force, create criminal offenses for the distribution of Schedule I and II drugs that leads to serious injury or death, and expand the definition of persistent offender.

During the final vote on the House floor Monday, Democrats raised their frustrations about Republicans refusal to enact gun laws in the wake Kansas City Chiefs parade shooting last week.

Rep. Patty Lewis, D-Kansas City, who was at the parade during the shooting, recounted her experience hiding in a Union Station bathroom.

Weve seen it happen over and over: mass shooting, thoughts and prayers, get on with day-to-day life, Lewis said. Well I cant get on with day-to-day life, and I will not stop fighting for commonsense gun laws.

Rep. Ben Baker, R-Neosho, responded: Theres always a call for stricter gun laws. Thats the almost immediate reaction by many in this body when something happens like this, he said. The fact is no law that we could pass in this body would have prevented the terrible tragedy that happened last week.

Bakers comments prompted shouts of, Thats a lie! from some in the chamber.

When Parson vetoed last years crime package, he issued a statement of general support but took issue with changes to expungement requests and to restitution for those exonerated based on DNA evidence.

(The bill) contains many public safety measures that we support and would like to sign into law, including Blairs Law, Maxs Law, increased penalties for violent repeat offenders and gun crimes, and strengthening the public defender system, Parson said in the statement. However, in this case, these unintended consequences unfortunately outweigh the good.

This legislation is House Bill 1659.
JEFFERSON CITY  During an overnight filibuster in the Missouri Senate, Kansas City Democrat Lauren Arthur blasted members of the Freedom Caucus for spreading misinformation about the mass shooting in her hometown, suggesting a man falsely blamed for the deadly event could sue for defamation.

Republican Sens. Nick Schroer, Rick Brattin and Denny Hoskins, along with the X account for the hard-right Freedom Caucus, all shared false information online that claimed a man detained by police was the Kansas City shooter and an illegal immigrant.

The underlying posts that spread false information, including one from U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett, a Tennessee Republican, were later deleted.

A Freedom Caucus post that shared another users false claim about the man, along with posts that Hoskins had made, were later deleted, but not before a critic captured and shared screenshots.

Hoskins, Brattin and the Freedom Caucus shared a post claiming the shooter was 44-year-old migrant named Sahil Omar.

The name Sahil Omar and the same description have been used before on social media to make similar erroneous claims in connection with a January explosion in Fort Worth, Texas, and a December shooting in Las Vegas.

The man pictured in the posts, Denton Loudermill, is actually from Olathe, Kansas, KMBC-TV in Kansas City reported.

Loudermills attorney told the station that he had been detained for being intoxicated and failing to leave a crime scene. She told the news station he was eventually released without being cited or arrested.

Two juveniles have since been charged in the shooting that left one woman dead and more than 20 others injured.

The posts also drew criticism from Senate President Caleb Rowden, who is running against Hoskins in the GOP primary for secretary of state.

I would hope my colleagues who used his image with false and inflammatory rhetoric would apologize. He absolutely deserves that, Rowden posted online on Sunday.

This is absolutely true. I would hope my colleagues who used his image with false and inflammatory rhetoric would apologize. He absolutely deserves that. #MOLeg https://t.co/EJJZqh4UXr  Caleb Rowden (@calebrowden) February 18, 2024

One X post by Hoskins that has since been deleted appeared to make fun of a statement Senator Arthur made after the shooting.

Id hope this first-hand experience with gun violence  children shot at a parade  will help them see the urgent need for sensible gun laws, Arthur said in the post.

Hoskins shared a screenshot of the post and I hope this first-hand experience with violent illegal immigrants & repeat violent offenders  children shot at a parade  will help them see the urgent need to close our borders.

Arthur roasted Hoskins during the filibuster without mentioning his name.

He didnt quote tweet me, he took a screenshot of what I had said, and then used that to mock me, Arthur said, adding there were several tweets from that account and from other accounts, including from other senators in our chamber, perpetuating that misinformation.

A post by Schroer shared the claim that the shooter had been identified as an illegal alien, questioning whether it was true. Can we get any confirmation or denial of this from local officials or law enforcement? he asked.

Is one of the alleged shooters an illegal immigrant? the Freedom Caucus account asked.

I think they would argue, oh, we were just asking questions. Why is everyone so upset? We were just asking questions with this mans picture, these loaded questions insinuating all kinds of hateful things, Arthur said.

It didnt take long for the media to correct that information and say that people were wrongly targeting someone who had nothing to do with the actual shooting. And it took a long time for our colleagues to acknowledge and take down some of the posts.

Honestly it seems like those posts were only taken down in light of the fact that someone said, well, this seems like libel. This seems like defamation. This would be grounds for a pretty good lawsuit.

Even after those posts were taken down, I didnt hear or read or see any apologies, for the role that those people played, Arthur said.

Said Hoskins on Tuesday: I dont believe I did anything wrong and I have no further comment.

House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, a Springfield Democrat who is running for governor, called the actions disgusting and said citizens deserve better.

Sandra Davidson, a professor emerita at the University of Missouri School of Journalism, said individuals who shared the false information could face legal liability.

Republication of a libel is a problem. I cant see any defense, Davidson said in an email. Untrue statements that are published and subject an identified person to shame or ridicule constitute libel.

Falsely calling someone a murderer is libelous unless some sort of privilege applies. Here I would say an apology is in order, but an apology only lessens damages. An apology cant erase the libel.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Editors note: Sandra Davidson is a professor emerita at the MU School of Journalism. An earlier version of this story was incorrect.
JEFFERSON CITY  Despite previous rejections by the Missouri Supreme Court, the Republican-controlled House is again trying to defund Planned Parenthood.

In action Tuesday, members of the House General Laws Committee voted 12-4 in favor of a plan to strip the health care provider of any funding through the states Medicaid program.

The measure, which was approved with no comment, now goes to full House for further debate. A similar push is underway in the GOP-controlled Senate.

It shall be unlawful for any public funds to be expended to any abortion facility, or to any affiliate or associate of such abortion facility, the legislation says.

After being rebuffed by the high court twice in recent years, Rep. Cody Smith, R-Carthage, is sponsoring the latest version of the legislation is an attempt to comply with the judicial rulings.

Rather than include the defunding language in the state budget, Smith is sponsoring a standalone piece of legislation supporters hope will pass constitutional muster.

Smith is chairman of the powerful House Budget Committee and a candidate for state treasurer.

Action in the committee came less than a week after the Supreme Court sided with a Cole County judges ruling that lawmakers cannot use the budgeting process to block Medicaid funding to the health provider, even though abortion is banned in the state.

While the states Medicaid program doesnt reimburse for abortions, Planned Parenthood has previously sought reimbursements for other medical procedures, including cancer screenings, sexually transmitted disease testing and treatment, and other non-abortion care.

Supporters of defunding Planned Parenthood say its Missouri clinics are affiliated with clinics operating in states where abortion is legal and should not receive money from taxpayers.

The legislation is House Bill 2634.
JEFFERSON CITY  The Missouri Senate on Tuesday gave initial approval to a plan that would require voters in heavily Republican congressional districts to sign off on citizen-led constitutional amendments for them to take effect.

The voice vote to advance the measure followed a Republican amendment to remove language that Democrats had derided as unrelated ballot candy meant to trick voters into supporting the proposal later this year.

But a hard-right faction of Senate Republicans, members of the Missouri Freedom Caucus, denounced that move. In the end, a coalition of nine Republicans and nine Democrats voted to strip the extraneous provisions from the measure.

The measure that won initial approval would only ask voters if a statewide simple majority as well as majority of congressional districts should be required to approve constitutional amendment initiative petitions and amendments proposed through a constitutional convention.

Such a plan, if voters approve it later this year, would block ballot initiatives that fail to win in a majority of districts  Missouri currently has eight congressional districts  even if a majority of voters statewide support the amendment.

Senate President Caleb Rowden, R-Columbia, who supported the bipartisan amendment, said it keeps the bill going.

We had an impasse and we had to figure out a way to get it to the House, Rowden said. Were gonna see what the House does to it and well probably have another bite at the apple.

The House, meanwhile, approved its own version of the initiative petition changes Tuesday.

Sen. Karla May, D-St. Louis, said she was able to support the bipartisan Senate amendment because it removed the trickery that was set to appear before voters.

The amendment made the bill truthful. See, the original bill was trickery, she said.

May was among Senate Democrats who launched a filibuster Monday afternoon to delay the measure, holding the floor for about 20 hours and forcing the cancellation of nearly all Senate committee hearings on Tuesday.

Senate Majority Leader Cindy OLaughlin, R-Shelbina, said before the action Tuesday that the Republican caucus had differing views and that every major issue is leveraged and this makes solutions quite difficult.

The Democrats use this to their advantage, she added. We are working to find a path forward. Negotiations are ongoing.

The initial Republican plan on the Senate floor included three provisions unrelated to the highest-profile proposal making constitutional amendments more difficult to approve.

Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, R-Arnold, later proposed abandoning one of the provisions: a series of bans on future constitutional amendments. The ban wouldve barred questions proposing sales taxes hikes on food, to defund the police, legalize lobbyist gifts to state legislators, and more.

But two unrelated provisions remained: restricting voting on constitutional amendments to U.S. citizens and prohibiting foreign funding of constitutional amendments. U.S. citizenship is already required to vote in Missouri and federal law already prohibits foreign spending in U.S. elections.

But the amendment the bipartisan coalition ultimately supported, sponsored by Sen. Mike Cierpiot, R-Lees Summit, only included the provision raising the threshold for amendments.

Once again, not all Republicans are really interested in moving these big red priorities, said Sen. Bill Eigel, R-Weldon Spring, after the vote. Eigel, who is running for governor, is a Freedom Caucus member.

The push to make it more difficult to change the state constitution comes as a coalition of abortion rights groups, called Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, is gathering signatures to put a measure on the November ballot that if passed by voters would enshrine the right to an abortion in the state constitution.
JEFFERSON CITY  Republicans in the Missouri Senate returned to debate Monday on a plan that would require conservative congressional districts to sign off on changes to the state constitution.

Democrats last week blocked a vote on the plan for two days before the chamber adjourned for the week on Tuesday, a day before the parade in Kansas City to celebrate the Chiefs Super Bowl win.

Numerous senators attended the festivities in Kansas City, which ended with a mass shooting that injured more than 20 attendees and left one woman, Lisa Lopez-Galvan, dead.

When they returned to action on Monday, before beginning debate on the measure that would change the states initiative petition process, senators held a moment of silence for the victims of the Kansas City shooting.

And when senators returned to the proposed initiative petition changes, Democrats held the floor, stalling a vote.

Sen. Tracy McCreery, D-Olivette, pushed for closing the states domestic violence loophole. Federal law already bars those convicted of domestic violence from carrying guns, and a change to state law would align Missouri with federal statutes.

When Republicans enacted permitless carry requirements in 2016, opponents feared the measure would put guns into the hands of those denied permits in the past, such as domestic abusers.

I feel like thats something that we could do that can help keep our first responders safe, McCreery said, referencing a domestic incident Sunday outside of Minneapolis in which officials said a man shot and killed two police officers and a firefighter.

The measure under consideration would require constitutional amendments to win a simple majority statewide as well as majorities in five of eight congressional districts.

This would mean voters in heavily Democratic areas of the state, such as the congressional districts covering St. Louis and Kansas City, would wield less influence than voters in Republican-leaning districts when it came time to amending the state constitution.

Voters would get the final say on any move to make constitutional amendments more difficult.

Republican proponents of initiative petition changes want the measure on the Aug. 6 primary ballot, hoping that enacting the higher threshold would complicate passage of an abortion-rights measure that could appear on the Nov. 5 ballot.

In addition to the higher threshold, Democrats have accused Republicans of injecting ballot candy into the proposal to ease passage of the measure.

The initiative petition proposal would ban foreign interference in initiative petitions as well as limit participation in voting on ballot measures to U.S. citizens.

Voting in Missouri is already limited to U.S. citizens.

Federal law already prohibits spending by foreign governments and nationals in U.S. elections, according to the Campaign Legal Center. But the nonpartisan group also says state governments can take additional actions to address foreign activity in elections.

The Senate measure would also ask voters to limit future constitutional amendments, including ones that would legalize lobbyist gifts to lawmakers. (Voters already outlawed lobbyist gifts to state lawmakers in 2020.)

The foreign interference and voting limits, as well as the restriction on lobbyist gift questions, would appear in a Republican-drafted ballot summary before the proposed higher threshold for constitutional amendments.
JEFFERSON CITY  Republicans in the Missouri House gave first-round approval Tuesday to their version of a plan to make it harder for citizens to change the state constitution.

While the Senate was tied up in an overnight filibuster on the same issue, the House moved ahead with their plans, which would place limits on who can circulate petitions for signatures and prohibit ballot questions that would nullify or amend federal law.

The measure, sponsored by Rep. Mike Haffner, R-Pleasant Hill, also would invalidate signatures collected on an initiative petition if a court ordered a substantial change to the official ballot title.

Its about protecting the integrity of the Missouri Constitution, Haffner said. It keeps fraud out of the initiative process. Missourians should be in control of the Missouri Constitution.

Its needed. Its necessary, said Rep. Brian Seitz, R-Branson.

Initiative petitions offer Missourians a way to propose and enact laws or change the constitution without going through the legislative process. It has been used to legalize marijuana sales and expand Medicaid coverage.

Republicans say the process is flawed because out-of-state organizations can help fund the signature gathering process and the ensuing campaign if a question makes the ballot.

The measure, which needs a final vote before it moves to the Senate, also gives the secretary of state and the attorney general more power to review and potentially reject proposed petitions without interference from the courts.

Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft and Attorney General Andrew Bailey, both Republicans, used their roles in the process last year to slow down the rollout of a petition aimed at restoring abortion rights.

Rep. Michael ODonnell, a south St. Louis County Republican, successfully attached an amendment he said would ensure the names of people who sign petitions wouldnt be publicly released.

But Rep. Peter Merideth, D-St. Louis, questioned whether the change would bar members of the press from determining independently whether signatures are valid.

He decried the push by Republicans, which comes as abortion rights supporters are collecting signatures to place a question on the ballot that would restore the procedure in the state.

Lets actually do something that helps Missourians have their voices heard for a change, Merideth said.

They are doing everything they can to make it more difficult, added Rep. Maggie Nurrenbern, D-Kansas City.

Opponents, including the Missouri Realtors, are already planning to fight whatever emerges from the Legislature.

Groups like the Missouri Farm Bureau support requiring signature gatherers be registered Missouri voters. The organization also backs provisions limiting the use of professional signature gathering organizations for initiative petition efforts, including prohibiting payment on a per-signature basis and requiring them to register with the state.

Currently, voters who file an initiative petition must acquire signatures totaling 8% of the vote cast for governor in six of the states eight congressional districts to propose a constitutional amendment and 5% in six districts to propose changes to the laws of the state.

The vast majority of people dont want this, said Rep. Robert Sauls, D-Kansas City.

The legislation is House Bill 1749.
ST. LOUIS  A row of vacant, dilapidated houses on South Kingshighway that St. Louis officials had once wanted to preserve instead saw the wrecking ball on Monday. City Hall determined they were a threat to public safety.

By midafternoon Monday, the crew from St. Louis-based Bellon Wrecking had flattened one of the seven buildings at Kingshighway and Oakland Avenue. Mangled metal piled on the ground; bricks had been stacked nearby. Some of the units were still standing, their backs open like doll houses.

A woman walking two dogs in the alley smiled as she walked past the demo crew: Its a beautiful sight!

It was a scene the city of St. Louis didnt want to happen two years ago.

Apartment developer Lux Living had purchased them from Drury Hotels, which owned the houses for years.

But city officials barred Lux from demolishing the buildings, across Interstate 64 from Barnes Jewish Hospital, saying they were structurally sound. And Luxs idea for the site, they said  to build a 155-unit, six-story apartment complex  would not fit the neighborhood character. Many Forest Park Southeast neighbors also did not trust Lux Living, which had gained a reputation for questionable business and management tactics and sometimes moved tenants into apartments that were still under construction.

Lux appealed the citys decision. But the buildings continued to deteriorate.

Then this past June, the city ordered Lux to stabilize the row. The buildings had collapsed awnings, disintegrating brick steps and holes in exterior walls.

Its unclear whether Lux Living followed the citys order to stabilize them. In November, the developer sold the block to a couple who then sold it to Kansas City-based NorthPoint Development.

NorthPoint said in a statement Monday that it secured an emergency demolition in hopes of clearing the way for an apartment complex. No further details were disclosed.

The Forest Park Southeast Neighborhood Association website shows that NorthPoint has proposed constructing two apartment buildings, one at the site of the seven row homes and a second north of it, on vacant land between Chouteau and Gibson avenues. Together, the two buildings would hold 328 apartments and 367 parking spaces and cost $120 million, with construction slated to wrap up near the end of 2026.

The company will be seeking incentives with the city, according to the website. Several neighborhood meetings will be held to gather resident input, including one at 6:45 p.m. Tuesday at the Missouri Foundation for Health, at 4254 Vista Avenue, nearby.

Its a great new day for the neighborhood, said Alderman Michael Browning.

The site is the front door for the neighborhood, he said, and often the first thing commuters see when they get off the highway.

He said the properties had gotten worse over the past year, and he believes Lux Living sold them without stabilizing them.

Residents Max Hood and Kristina Schmelter live a few doors down from the site and watched the demolition for a few moments Monday afternoon. They said some of properties back walls were crumbling, and they worried that the properties would eventually hurt someone. Hood said he hoped a redevelopment would raise home values and help nearby businesses.

Were excited theyre finally coming down, Schmelter said.
When the invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, some analysts predicted it might take as few as three days for Russian forces to capture the capital of Kyiv.

With the war now entering its third year, Russian President Vladimir Putin seems to be trying to turn that initial failure to his advantage  by biding his time and waiting for Western support for Ukraine to wither while Moscow maintains its steady military pressure along the front line.

Putins longer timeline still has its downside, with the conflict taking a heavy toll on Russia by draining its economic and military resources and fueling social tensions even as the death of imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny serves as a chilling reminder of the Kremlins ruthless crackdown on dissent.

Putin has repeatedly signaled a desire to negotiate an end to the fighting but warned that Russia will hold on to its gains. This month, he used an interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson to urge the United States to push its satellite Ukraine into peace talks, declaring that sooner or later, we will come to an agreement.

Some recent developments have fed the Kremlins optimism.

Aid for Ukraine remains stuck in the U.S. Congress while NATO allies struggle to fill the gap following Ukraines underperforming counteroffensive last summer. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyys decision to dismiss his popular military chief, Gen. Valerii Zaluzhnyi, disappointed many in the country and worried its Western allies.

Donald Trump, who repeatedly claimed he would negotiate a quick deal to end the war if elected, recently spooked NATO by saying he would allow Russia to expand its aggression in Europe if alliance members fail to increase their defense spending.

Tatiana Stanovaya of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center said a possible Trump return to the White House would serve Putins goals.

He sees Trump as a figure likely to wreak destruction and believes the consequences of a second Trump presidency would be to weaken the West and deprive Ukraine of the support it needs, Stanovaya said.

As the Kremlin watches for more signs of crumbling Western support for Ukraine, Russian forces captured the eastern stronghold of Avdiivka over the weekend after a fierce battle in which Ukrainian forces reported an increasingly desperate shortage of munitions. The seizure set the stage for a potential Russian push deeper into Ukraine-held territory.

While no large-scale offensive is currently taking place, Russian units are tasked with conducting smaller tactical attacks that at minimum inflict steady losses on Ukraine and allow Russian forces to seize and hold positions, said Jack Watling and Nick Reynolds of the Royal United Services Institute. In this way, the Russians are maintaining a consistent pressure on a number of points.

Amid the fierce battles in the east, Russia also has sought to cripple Ukraines defense industries with a steady series of strikes. It has used long-range cruise and ballistic missiles as well as Iranian-made Shahed drones to saturate and overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses that are experiencing a growing shortage of munitions.

In terms of Russian industrys capacity to support ongoing operations, Russia has significantly mobilized its defense industry, increasing shifts and expanding production lines at existing facilities as well as bringing previously mothballed plants back online, Watling and Reynolds said. This has led to significant increases in production output.

They also note that Russian arms industries continue to depend on Western-supplied components, arguing that tighter enforcement of sanctions could disrupt this.

Some Moscow analysts acknowledge, however, the Russian military faces challenges.

Retired Gen. Yuri Baluyevsky, the former chief of the militarys General Staff, admitted that Ukrainian air defenses effectively barred Russian warplanes from Ukrainian airspace and often make it risky for them to operate even over Russian-controlled territory. Baluyevsky said in a recent article that Western-supplied artillery are superior to Russian systems.

Western officials and analysts note that while the 930-mile front line has remained largely static with neither side making significant gains, Ukrainian forces launched bold missile and drone attacks deep behind the line of contact, raising the costs for the Kremlin and challenging Putins attempts to pretend that life in Russia is largely unaffected by the war.

Ukraine has launched audacious attacks on oil terminals and refineries deep inside Russia, as well as its naval and air assets in the Black Sea region, in a painful blow to Moscows military capability.

That includes the sinking of two Russian amphibious assault ships and a missile boat along with strikes on air bases in Crimea that knocked out radar facilities and destroyed warplanes. Last month, Ukrainian troops downed a Russian early warning and control aircraft over the Sea of Azov and badly damaged a flying command post  some of Moscows most precious intelligence assets.

Putin, who is all but certain to win another six-year term in the March 15-17 presidential election, has sought to consolidate public support by casting the conflict as a fight against the expansionist West that has armed Ukraine in a bid to weaken Russia.

Today in history: Feb. 20 1907: Theodore Roosevelt 1938: Anthony Eden 1962: John Glenn 1998:Tara Lipinski 2005: Sandra Dee 2012: Dmitry Medvedev 2012: John Glenn 2021: Naomi Osaka 2021: United Airlines 2022: Russia Ukraine War
GAZA, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Eight patients have died in a major hospital in southern Gaza's Khan Younis city after days of power outage and oxygen supply shortage due to continuous Israeli strikes on the facility, said Palestinian Health Minister Mai al-Kaila on Monday.

Conditions of some other serious patients became life-threatening due to the cessation of required treatment under the Israeli attack on the Nasser Hospital, she said in a statement, while calling for international efforts to pressure the release of bedridden patients and medical staff, who she claimed were taken away by Israeli military trucks from the hospital to an unknown location.

Israeli forces on Thursday stormed the Nasser Hospital in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis after demolishing its southern wall, the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza earlier said.

The IDF said in a statement posted Sunday on social media platform X that it apprehended, in a joint operation with Israel Security Agency forces, hundreds of "terrorists" and other suspects who were hiding in the hospital, some posing as medical staff.

It said that large quantities of weapons and a vehicle belonging to an Israeli border kibbutz were found in the health facility, as well as medicines about to be handed over to Israeli hostages. It accused Hamas of using civilians in the hospital as human shields.

On Monday, the Gaza Health Ministry said that the Israeli army has turned the Nasser Medical Complex into a "military barracks," endangering the lives of patients and medical staff inside.

The ministry said in a statement that 25 medical staff and 136 patients were still in the hospital "without electricity, water, food, oxygen, or adequate medical capabilities for critical cases."

The World Health Organization was making efforts to evacuate the remaining patients to other hospitals, but the Israeli army was still "obstructing" the entry of medical and humanitarian aid into the complex, it noted.

Meanwhile, the IDF retweeted a statement by the Israeli defense ministry's liaison unit COGAT that humanitarian aid and supplies had been delivered to the Nasser Hospital, including generator, fuel, and WHO-donated medicine to ensure its continued service while carrying out the "precise activity against the Hamas" inside the facility. 
GREENVILLE, S.C.  There are no wins on the horizon for Nikki Haley.

Those close to the former United Nations ambassador, the last major Republican candidate standing in Donald Trump's path to the GOP's 2024 presidential nomination, are privately bracing for a blowout loss in her home state's primary election in South Carolina on Saturday. And they cannot name a state where she is likely to beat Trump in the coming weeks.

But in an emotional address on Tuesday, Haley declared, I refuse to quit.

And in an interview, she vowed to stay in the fight against Trump at least until after Super Tuesdays slate of more than a dozen contests on March 5  even if she suffers a big loss in her home state Saturday.

Ten days after South Carolina, another 20 states vote. I mean, this isnt Russia. We dont want someone to go in and just get 99% of the vote, Haley told The Associated Press. What is the rush? Why is everybody so panicked about me having to get out of this race?

In fact, some Republicans are encouraging Haley to stay in the campaign even if she continues to lose  potentially all the way to the Republican National Convention in July in the event the 77-year-old former president, perhaps the most volatile major party front-runner in U.S. history, becomes a convicted felon or stumbles into another major scandal.

As Trump's Make America Great Again movement presses for her exit, a defiant Haley on Tuesday repeatedly likened Trump to Democratic President Joe Biden  and both as too old, too divisive and too unpopular to be the only options for voters this fall.

She also pushed back when asked if there is any primary state where she can defeat Trump.

Instead of asking me what states I'm gonna win, why don't we ask how he's gonna win a general election after spending a full year in a courtroom?

History would suggest Haley has no chance of stopping Trump.

Never before has a Republican lost even the first two primary contests, as Haley has by an average of 21 points, and gone on to win the party's presidential nomination. Polls suggest she is a major underdog in her home state on Saturday and in the 16 Super Tuesday contests to follow. And since he announced his first presidential bid in 2015, every effort by a Republican to blunt Trump's rise has failed.

Yet she is leaning into the fight.

Lest anyone question her commitment, Haley's campaign is spending more than $500,000 on a new television advertising campaign set to begin running Wednesday in Michigan ahead of the state's Feb. 27 primary, according to spokesperson Olivia Perez-Cubas. At the same time, the AP has obtained Haley's post-South Carolina travel schedule that features 11 separate stops in seven days across Michigan, Minnesota, Colorado, Utah, Virginia, Washington, D.C., North Carolina and Massachusetts.

The schedule also includes at least 10 high-dollar private fundraising events.

Indeed, Haley's expansive base of big- and small-dollar donors is donating at an extraordinary pace despite her underwhelming performance at the polls. That's a reflection of persistent Republican fears about Trump's ability to win over independents and moderate voters in the general election and serious concerns about his turbulent leadership should he return to the White House.

Im going to support her up to the convention, said Republican donor Eric Levine, who co-hosted a New York fundraiser for Haley earlier this month. Were not prepared to fold our tents and pray at the altar of Donald Trump.

Theres value in her sticking in and gathering delegates, because if and when he stumbles, Levine continued, who knows what happens.

Levine is far from alone.

Haley's campaign raised $5 million in a fundraising swing after her second-place finish in New Hampshire that included stops in Texas, Florida, New York, and California, Perez-Cubas said. Her campaign raised $11.5 million in January alone  her best fundraising month ever. Her allied super PAC brought in another $12 million over the same period.

In fact, Haley's team actually outraised Trump's last month, according to federal filings released late Tuesday.

Trump's campaign raised $8.8 million in January, with his primary super PAC taking in another $7.3 million. A separate pro-Trump political action committee brought in another $5 million, but spent a big chunk on the former president's legal fees.

The lone member of Congress who has endorsed Haley, Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., acknowledged that it may be difficult to win South Carolina, a state where she lives and served two terms as governor.

Obviously, you want to win them all, but for those who say its going to embarrass her, or end her political career, I disagree. Shes willing to take that risk, Norman said in an interview. I think its a courageous thing shes doing.

Moving forward, Haleys team is especially focused on several Super Tuesday states with open or semi-open Republican primaries that allow a broader collection of voters to participate  especially independents and moderates  instead of just hardcore conservatives.

Trump, in recent days, has shown flashes of fury in response to Haleys refusal to cede the nomination.

He called her stupid and birdbrain in a social media post over the weekend as part of a sustained campaign of personal insults. Some primary voters said Trump crossed the line earlier in the month when he highlighted the absence of Haley's husband, Michael, who is in the midst of a yearlong stint with the South Carolina Army National Guard to Africa.

The 12 best political cartoons about Nikki Haley's long-shot presidential campaign
BETHLEHEM, Pa.  Just blocks from the shuttered Bethlehem Steel plant, the Hispanic Center Lehigh Valley was bustling during lunch recently. Out of sight, a constant stream of visitors shopped in its massive food pantry.

Over the past seven months, the number of visitors to the pantry rose by more than a third. The center's executive director, Raymond Santiago, sees that as a stark sign that many in the area's Latino community are struggling.

Northampton County, which includes Bethlehem, is a traditional bellwether for Pennsylvania, one of the most important presidential swing states, and Latinos are a key part of the campaign coalition President Joe Biden is trying to rebuild.

One of the messages he delivered in previous visits to Pennsylvania is that former President Donald Trump, the front-runner for the Republican nomination in 2024, is a danger to American democracy. Biden hopes the message energizes the same voters who turned out four years ago, when Northampton County narrowly flipped his way after supporting Trump by a thin margin in 2016.

Based on his interactions with visitors to the Hispanic center, Santiago isn't so sure. It's the price of groceries and lack of affordable housing that dominate conversations there.

The threat messaging "won't land as cleanly this election as it did in 2020," he said. "If he keeps pushing that message, it might turn voters away."

Biden chose a location near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, a place with deep symbolism for the country's struggle for freedom, as the site of his initial campaign event for 2024, describing the upcoming race as "all about" whether democracy can survive. It was a message similar to one he gave in Philadelphia before the 2022 midterm elections.

Biden continued the theme during the early primary season this year.

The Associated Press interviewed a cross section of voters in Northampton County to ask whether Biden's messaging was resonating. They represented parts of the very coalition Biden will need to win Pennsylvania again: Black voters, Latinos, independents and moderates from both parties.

Their overarching response: Biden's warning that a second Trump presidency will undermine democratic institutions is, by itself, not enough to motivate voters.

Evelyn Fermin, 74, who regularly visits the Lehigh Hispanic center, said her opinion of Trump was already set before Jan. 6, 2021, when Trump's supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to halt certification of Biden's victory. Still, she doesn't feel that reminders of that day will be sufficient to engage voters in November.

Her own priorities are immigration and federal spending abroad.

Curt Balch, 44, worked in the health care industry and is now a stay-at-home dad living in a more rural area of the county. He registered Republican so he could vote in primaries, but describes himself as more libertarian.

Balch said the messaging by both sides is "pretty toxic" when they warn that the other is "a danger to the fundamentals of the country moving forward."

He believes the warnings are overblown and notes that even during the COVID-19 pandemic, Trump let states decide how to handle it.

"I understand the rhetoric, 'Oh, he's going to be a fascist dictator,'" Balch said. "I don't think it's a message that's getting people to the polls."

Christian Miller was a lifelong Democrat but became an independent in 2022 out of frustration with political gridlock. The bank executive from Nazareth said he also believes the threat concerns are overstated.

"I feel that the institutions are safe and and are strong enough to withstand the challenges," he said.

A Biden campaign spokesperson said the democracy message is central to the campaign but is not the only one the campaign will use to reach voters. Protecting abortion rights and fighting for higher wages also will be essential elements of the president's pitch.

Northampton County, especially Bethlehem, has been slowly emerging from the economic shock that followed the collapse of the local steel industry nearly 30 years ago and is now enjoying a revival as a technology and health care hub.

The county has long been a political bellwether. The last time its vote differed from the state's in a presidential election was 1948, said Christopher Borick, a political science professor and director of the Institute of Public Opinion at Muhlenberg University in Allentown.

Anna Kodama, 69, is the type of voter who traditionally has swung back and forth between the parties.

Since she moved to the Lehigh Valley in 1977, she has crossed party lines frequently  until 2016, when she voted a straight Democratic ticket for the first time.

She would like Biden to speak more about what he is doing to improve the economy and forge stronger ties with Europe. She paid attention to a Biden visit earlier this year to a nearby town, Emmaus, where he stopped at local stores to discuss the importance of supporting small businesses.

That strategy "resonates with me and with people I know," said the artist and former teacher.

For Esther Lee, the 90-year-old president of the local NAACP, in her circle the number one issue is homelessness and its companion, affordable housing.

The threat-to-democracy message about Trump is not generating new concerns: "We already know who he is," she said.

At the Lehigh Hispanic center, Guillermo Lopez Jr., 69, recalls his deep ties to the area and the 27 years he worked at Bethlehem Steel. A Democrat who said he leans independent, he plans to vote for Biden in part because of how he thought Trump's rhetoric has made targets of Latinos and other minorities.

But Lopez thinks messaging about Trump imperiling democracy actually "harms the vote."

The average person who "just puts their nose to the grindstone and goes to work, I don't think that motivates them," he said. "I think it scares them and freezes them."

Biden touts rural achievements as part of "barnstorming" tour Biden touts rural achievements as part of "barnstorming" tour Putting money in rural America Hope and anxiety
Today is Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024. Let's get caught up.

Keep scrolling for celebrity birthdays and a look back at this date in history. Plus, check out our daily news podcast:

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As the Ukraine war enters a third year, Putin waits for Western support for Kyiv to wither

When the invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, some analysts predicted it might take as few as three days for Russian forces to capture the capital of Kyiv.

With the war now entering its third year, Russian President Vladimir Putin seems to be trying to turn that initial failure to his advantage  by biding his time and waiting for Western support for Ukraine to wither while Moscow maintains its steady military pressure along the front line.

Read more:

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WikiLeaks founder Assange starts final UK legal battle to avoid extradition to US

Julian Assange's lawyers began their final U.K. legal challenge Tuesday to stop the WikiLeaks founder from being sent to the United States to face spying charges, arguing that his actions had exposed serious criminal actions by U.S. authorities and were of obvious and important public interest.

Assange himself was not in court. Judge Victoria Sharp said he was granted permission to come from Belmarsh Prison, where he has been held for five years, but had chosen not to attend. Assange's lawyer, Edward Fitzgerald, said the 52-year-old Australian was unwell.

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What we know about the Minnesota shooting that killed 2 officers and a firefighter

Two police officers and a firefighter who responded to a domestic situation at a suburban Minneapolis home were killed early Sunday during a standoff by a heavily armed man who shot at police from the home where seven children were also inside.

The suspect is dead, and another police officer was injured in the shooting in a neighborhood in Burnsville, Minnesota, a city of about 64,000 people near Minneapolis.

Here's what we know:

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MORNING LISTEN

Computer weather models are the biggest tool meteorologists use to forecast the weather. But why are there so many, which one is the best, and why aren't they all better? Find out on the latest episode of the "Across the Sky" podcast.

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TODAY IN HISTORY

Today in history: Feb. 20 In 1998, Tara Lipinski of the U.S. won the ladies figure skating gold medal at the Nagano Olympics; Michelle Kwan won the silver.

Today in sports history: Feb. 20 In 2016, Lindsey Vonn clinched a record 20th World Cup crystal globe title, surpassing Swedish great Ingemar Stenmark.

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TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS

Celebrity birthdays: Feb. 20 Andrea Savage Billy Zoom Brian Littrell Charles Barkley Chelsea Peretti Chris Thile Cindy Crawford Coy Bowles Daniella Pineda French Stewart Gordon Brown Ian Brown Jack Falahee Jay Hernandez Jessie Mueller Jocko Sims Justin Verlander Lauren Ambrose Lili Taylor Majandra Delfino Michael Zegen Mike Leigh Miles Teller Mitch McConnell Rihanna Roger Penske Trevor Noah
UNITED NATIONS  The United States vetoed an Arab-backed U.N. resolution Tuesday demanding an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war in the embattled Gaza Strip.

The vote in the 15-member Security Council was 13-1 with the United Kingdom abstaining, reflecting the wide global support for ending the more than four-month war that started with Hamas' surprise invasion of southern Israel that killed about 1,200 people and saw 250 others taken hostage. Since then, more than 29,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's military offensive, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which doesnt distinguish between civilians and combatants but says the majority are women and children.

It was the third U.S. veto of a Security Council resolution demanding a cease-fire in Gaza.

The Biden administration had said it would veto the resolution because of concerns it would interfere with efforts to arrange a deal between the warring parties aimed at bringing at least a six-week halt to hostilities and releasing all hostages.

In a surprise move ahead of the vote, the United States circulated a rival U.N. Security Council resolution that would support a temporary cease-fire in Gaza linked to the release of all hostages, and call for the lifting of all restrictions on the delivery of humanitarian aid. Both of these actions would help to create the conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities, the draft resolution obtained by The Associated Press says.

U.S. deputy ambassador Robert Wood told several reporters Monday that the Arab-backed resolution is not an effective mechanism for trying to do the three things that we want to see happen  which is get hostages out, more aid in, and a lengthy pause to this conflict.

With the U.S. draft, what were looking at is another possible option, and well be discussing this with friends going forward, Wood said. I dont think you can expect anything to happen tomorrow.

A senior U.S. official said later Monday that, We dont believe in a rush to a vote. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity ahead of council discussions on the U.S. draft, said, We intend to engage in the coming days in intensive negotiation around it.  Thats why were not putting a timeline on a vote, but we do recognize the urgency of the situation.

Arab nations, supported by many of the 193 U.N. member countries, have been demanding a cease-fire for months.

Tunisias U.N. Ambassador Tarek Ladeb, this months chair of the 22-nation Arab Group, told U.N. reporters last Wednesday that a cease-fire is urgently needed.

He pointed to some 1.5 million Palestinians who sought safety in Gazas southern city of Rafah and face a catastrophic scenario if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu goes ahead with his announced plan to evacuate civilians from the city and move Israels military offensive to the area bordering Egypt where Israel says Hamas fighters are hiding.

In addition to a cease-fire now, the Arab-backed draft resolution demands the immediate release of all hostages, rejects the forced displacement of Palestinian civilians, calls for unhindered humanitarian access throughout Gaza, and reiterates council demands that Israel and Hamas scrupulously comply with international law, especially the protection of civilians. Without naming either party, it condemns all acts of terrorism

In a tough message to Israel, the U.S. draft resolution says Israels planned major ground offensive in Rafah should not proceed under current circumstances. And it warns that further displacement of civilians, including potentially into neighboring countries, a reference to Egypt, would have serious implications for regional peace and security.

U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, in a statement Sunday, explained that the United States has been working on a hostage deal for months. She said U.S. President Joe Biden has had multiple calls over the last week with Netanyahu and the leaders of Egypt and Qatar to push the deal forward.

Though gaps remain, the key elements are on the table, she said, and the deal remains the best opportunity to free the hostages and have a sustained pause that would enable lifesaving aid to get to needy Palestinians.

The 15 Security Council members have been negotiating on the Arab-backed resolution for three weeks. Algeria, the Arab representative on the council, delayed a vote at U.S. request while U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was recently in the region, hoping to get a hostage deal. But Qatar said Saturday the talks have not been progressing as expected. And the Arab Group decided over the weekend that they had given the U.S. enough time and put their resolution in final form for a vote.

What will happen after the U.S. casts its veto remains to be seen. The Arab Group could take their resolution to the U.N. General Assembly, which includes all 193 U.N. member nations, where it is virtually certain to be approved. But unlike Security Council resolutions, assembly resolutions are not legally binding.

The Security Council will then likely start discussing the much-lengthier U.S. draft resolution, which would for the first time not only condemn Hamas Oct. 7 attack but its hostage taking and killing, murder, and sexual violence including rape. Some council members blocked the condemnation of Hamas in two previous council resolutions on Gaza.

The U.S. draft doesn't name Israel, but in a clear reference the draft condemns calls by government ministers for the resettlement of Gaza and rejects any attempt at demographic or territorial change in Gaza that would violate international law.

Updated at 10 a.m.
Kansas City Star. February 16, 2024.

Editorial: Half the KC Chiefs rally shooting victims were kids. Could the Missouri GOP care less?

Even after at least nine children were treated for gunshot wounds at a Kansas City hospital, Missouri Republicans still wont address the states loose gun laws.

And that stubborn resistance to reform is irresponsible if not outright dangerous.

From the governor to House Speaker Dean Plocher to other elected officials such as state Sen. Bill Eigel of Charles County, the tone-deaf reaction to the shooting from leading Republicans wasnt all that surprising.

When it comes to sensible gun laws, the GOP-controlled General Assembly reacts with the stubbornness of a Missouri mule, the states official animal. And that bullheadedness was on full display Thursday.

During an interview with a local radio host in Kansas City, Parson never bothered to use the word gun. He did, however, use language we all should condemn when describing the suspects.

What happened yesterday with those thugs is not who we are in Missouri, Parson told radio host Pete Mundo of KCMO Talk Radio.

Dog whistle? You bet. We found it difficult to ignore Parsons screed, which continued: You just got some absolutely  be careful what I say before I say something Im gonna probably regret  but just a bunch of criminals, thugs out there, just killing people at an incident like that and attempting to kill all those people and created such chaos that people got hurt, being trampled.

On X, formerly known as Twitter, Eigel, a candidate for Missouri governor, echoed Parsons questionable talking points, erroneously writing: One good guy with a gun could have stopped the evil criminals who opened fire on the crowd immediately. Guns dont kill people. Thugs and criminals kill people.

More than 800 law enforcement officials worked the Chiefs Super Bowl victory parade, according to Kansas City police. Not even a heavy police presence could deter these shooters from opening fire, debunking this stale good guy with a gun myth.

Firearm safety is not a partisan issue

From what we can best tell, early reports indicate Trey Filter of Maize, Kansas, tackled a person suspected of being involved in this shooting. Filters wife, Casey Filter, was involved, too. Neither used a weapon to take down the figure seen on video running from the scene.

And then there was Plocher, the top Republican lawmaker in Missouris House of Representatives.

On Thursday, he refused to answer questions from a Kansas City Star reporter about the states lax gun laws. When pressed about the Union Station shooting, Plocher shut down a news conference. He said little about plans to prevent another mass shooting.

Laws alone dont solve the problem, Plocher said, later adding: Were not going to dwell on Kansas City today.

If the day after a mass shooting wasnt the appropriate time to address gun violence, when would be a convenient time to discuss this pressing issue, Speaker? Your abject failure of leadership must be called out.

Gun safety is not a matter of right versus left or conservative versus liberal. Nor should the debate fall along party lines. When kids are seriously injured by gunfire and an innocent mother is killed, lawmakers have a duty to address ways to prevent these sorts of shootings.

Not in Missouri, though. This week, lawmakers doubled down on the states gun laws, rated the nations 38th weakest by Everytown for Gun Safety, a gun safety think tank. Only 12 other states have weaker legislation.

In a positive development, House Republicans scrapped two gun-related bills, including a measure that would have allowed concealed weapons on public transit and inside churches and other places of worship. That proposal, House Bill 1708 would have further relaxed gun laws in our state. Earlier this month, the measure, sponsored by Republican state Rep. Adam Schnelting of St. Charles, had been placed on the House calendar.

Missouri state Sen. Nick Schroer, a St. Charles Republican, filed a similar bill. Last month, Senate Bill 1166 was referred to the public safety committee. We see no valid reason for this legislation to proceed.

Here, no permit is necessary for anyone over the age of 18 to carry a concealed weapon. No training is required either. Background checks are not mandated. According to anti-gun violence advocates with Everytown for Gun Safety and the Missouri NAACP, this unfettered access to guns contributed to a record number of homicides in Kansas City  185 killings were recorded just last year.

Half of firearm violence victims under 16

Kansas Citys mass shooting victims ranged from 8 to 47, according to Kansas City Police. Half of the victims were under 16.

Lisa Lopez-Galvan, a 44-year-old Johnson County mother of two, was shot and died on the grounds of Union Station after the victory parade and rally ended, her brother Beto Lopez told The Star.

A Leavenworth family and others were among a total of 39 people treated for various injuries related to the shooting.

Friday, we learned two teens were being held at the Juvenile Detention Center in Kansas City on gun-related and resisting arrest charges, according to a written statement issued by the family court division of Jackson County Circuit Court. The investigation is ongoing, according to Kansas City Police. More charges related to Wednesdays mass shooting cannot be ruled out, police said.

Liberals are not coming for your guns

Law-abiding citizens in Missouri who own guns need not worry. No one  not even the federal government  has a right to take your firearm from you, a long-held argument and perhaps the biggest misconception about the right to bear arms.

But people under 21 should not have the right to carry a concealed handgun or rifle without the proper training, permit or a background check.

Allowing unchecked access to weapons is as much to blame for Wednesdays mass shooting in Kansas City as any other underlying factor.

Will Republicans in Missouri see it that way? Based on Thursdays reaction, our guess is no.

We call on elected officials in Missouri to set partisan politics aside and do whats best for all Missourians: Enact sensible reform to the states concealed weapons law.

More guns on the streets will not make us safer.

St. Louis Post-Dispatch. February 15, 2024.

Editorial: Heres what Missouri wont hear Gov. Parson say about the border

Gov. Mike Parson was scheduled to conduct a press conference Thursday afternoon to announce the next phase of Missouris involvement in the controversy over security on Americas southern border.

Editors note: The governor canceled the press conference Thursday morning; a new time for it was not set.

Its unknown at this writing exactly what hes going to say, but we have some suggestions: He could start by imploring his party to stop cynically sabotaging Biden administration efforts to solve this serious problem, and actually work toward solutions.

We dont expect that or anything like it to be Parsons message. It appears he will instead announce the shipment of additional Missouri military resources south (possibly including additional National Guard troops) in support of Texas illegal border showdown with the federal government.

But its useful to contrast the deeply misleading narrative Parson and his party are promoting on this issue with what theyre actually doing.

To the uninitiated, of course, the whole question of Missouris border involvement would surely sound like a non sequitur. What would be any logical involvement for our smallish Midwestern state, given that Mexico is 1,000 miles away and Missouri cities arent experiencing the kinds of immigration issues facing Chicago and New York?

But then, Parson is a Republican; his party has decided it owns border security as an issue the way it has traditionally claimed to own national security,  law and order  and  family values.

We would argue (and have) that, in the MAGA era, those principles can be rationally connected to the GOP only as a sad punchline.

And after congressional Republican antics of the past few weeks, the same must be said of border security.

The border crisis is real and the current president does share some of the blame for it.

Joe Biden didnt create the unprecedented surge of migrants pushing north through Mexico. Thats been driven largely by poverty, crime and flight from authoritarian regimes like Venezuela and Nicaragua.

But the administrations uneven and generally reactive policy stances havent helped. Nor has the failure of decades worth of presidents (including Donald Trump) and Congress to formulate effective border policies based on anything other than crisis management.

Fairly or not, though, the public has blamed Biden for the current border crisis. Which likely explains the administrations startling capitulation to Republican demands in the $20 billion border security package the Senate passed earlier this month.

Leading Republican senators and even mainstream conservative media voices like The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board lauded it as a landmark agreement that would confront the crisis in real, quantifiable ways.

Yet House Republicans obediently slapped down the border package on orders from Trump, who has been characteristically blatant in admitting his destructive and self-serving motives: He needs continued chaos at the border as a campaign weapon against Biden.

So continued border chaos is what House Republicans have slavishly delivered for him. The federal government is now contemplating the mass release of detained migrants, which will surely make the situation worse, but which the failure of the funding package may make necessary. Good job, House Republicans.

Is Parson going to mention any of those facts when he conducts his news conference? Dont count on it.

As if to mitigate their governmental malpractice in killing the border deal, House Republicans on Tuesday voted to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. It was historic as only the second time in U.S. history a cabinet member has been impeached  and the first in which the impeachment was utterly without constitutional validity.

Unlike Secretary of War William Belknap, impeached in 1876 for taking kickbacks, Mayorkas wasnt even accused by his House persecutors of anything resembling high crimes or misdemeanors. Instead, they broke truly new ground by impeaching him for nothing more than carrying out the policies of a president they oppose.

Every House Republican but three who was present for the vote embraced this unprecedented violation of their constitutional oath. They include Missouri Reps. Mark Alford, Eric Burlison, Sam Graves, Blaine Luetkemeyer, Jason Smith and Ann Wagner, and Metro East Illinois Reps. Mike Bost and Mary Miller.

Will Parson, at his press conference, call them out for this shameless stunt, which degrades the entire concept of impeachment? Were not holding our breath.

Parson can be counted upon to mouth the thoroughly discredited talking points that his party continues to push regarding the border  especially the one about his party being truly interested in solving the crisis instead of worsening it. But his partys actions very clearly say otherwise.

END
February 20, 2024: The U.S. Navy and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency are developing and testing systems that can identify decoys accompanying an incoming ballistic missile, then ignore the decoys and just destroy the missile. Decoys used by ballistic missile warheads are also called penetration aids. The navy tests used the standard Aegis radar system found on U.S. Navy warships, and the Navys Standard antiaircraft missile modified for destroying low-orbit space satellites, to detect ballistic missiles that also pass through low-orbit space as the warhead turns towards earth towards its targets. Penetration aids first come into play at this stage of missile re-entry. The navy innovation is to upgrade the Aegis radar system with software that can more quickly identify and track incoming warheads and differentiate those from penetration aids that deploy at the re-entry point to protect the warheads. The radar system software upgrade was particularly important because the software can now be more easily updated and can run on a larger number and type of computer system. Software has become an important component of decoy detection because the software has an ever growing and regularly upgraded library of known decoys and decoy systems.

Ukraine also assists NATO nations by providing captured Russian weapons and military equipment. Making these discoveries available to Western countries supplying Ukraine with modern weapons also puts more economic and diplomatic pressure on Russia.

The captured systems included largely intact Iskander short range ballistic missiles, new EW (Electronic Warfare) equipment that had proven effective in Syria and Ukraine and new Azart combat radios and associated equipment. Some defective Islander missiles were recovered largely intact, which allowed close inspection of the missile design and the countermeasures Russia often spoke of but never provided details of. The countermeasures were, as expected, small decoys deployed as the Iskander came within range of the targets, as well as Western ABM (anti-ballistic missile) systems like Patriot, THAAD and naval Standard missile defense systems. Now that there are undamaged examples of these decoys available, Western ABM systems can be modified to defeat them by identifying and ignoring them.

The situation is much the same with captured EW and communications equipment. Another valuable item captured on the battlefield was the state of Russian training and the ability to maintain modern equipment. The most modern Russian vehicles and weapons were used in Ukraine and the Ukrainians and NATO experts had been jointly studying them intently since 2014, but from a distance. Once the Russian equipment was captured you could reach some useful conclusions about their operation. This was enhanced when Russians who used this equipment were also captured.

The findings so far presented were painful, for the Russians, revelations about how ineffective their expensive military reform and modernization efforts were. Examining Russian vehicles, both tanks and other armored vehicles as well as military trucks, revealed design defects and the traditional Russian inability to perform regular maintenance during peacetime or even when preparing for large scale exercises or combat. Some largely intact Russian helicopters were also examined as well as the wreckage of Russian fighters and transports. Some of these were designed and built in Ukraine before the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991. The Ukrainians learned from these bad Cold War habits and offered to refurbish older Russian aircraft and other equipment to eliminate some of these design flaws. Russia thought they had done the same, but they had not.

Russia also discovered that its SEAD (suppression of enemy air defenses) tactics and equipment did not work very well against the air defense systems the Ukrainians were using, many of them older Russian models, like the updated S300. All this is news the Russian leadership does not want made public, if only because many Russian commanders and the Russian public were unaware of how bad it was and getting worse.
February 20, 2024: A picture of a Russian T-64 tank in Ukraine recently appeared. The tank's identification number, 320, was clearly visible. An astute reader noted that there was also a T-64 tank seen in Hungary after the brief but violent 1956 rebellion against Soviet Russian domination and occupation. T-62s and similar T-64s entered service in the early 1960s and some eventually joined the Russian tank units occupying Hungary. One of those T-64s featured an ID number of 320 on the side of the turret. In 2023 Russia lost so many tanks during the initial months fighting Ukrainians that they had to obtain older tanks from long-term storage sites in Russia. Many of these tanks were T-62s and T-64s. One of those T-64s had the id number 320 on its turret and looked remarkably like the relatively new T-64 seen in old (1960s era) photos of Russian tanks belonging to the occupation forces in Hungary.

There were a lot of Russian tank divisions in Russian controlled Eastern Europe during the 1948-1991 Cold War. These divisions were among the best in the Soviet army. The divisions were at full strength and had the latest weapons and best officers available. These Group of Forces divisions were meant to intimidate NATO forces and, if necessary, go to war with NATO. That never happened and by the 1980s the NATO forces were becoming stronger, with more modern tanks and other equipment than their Russian adversaries. In 1990 Russian agreed to withdraw their armed forces from Eastern Europe and the Cold War ended. The T-64 number 320 had already retired and most of the Russian tanks in Eastern Europe were T-72s. Three decades later Russian decided to invade Ukraine, losing most of its modern tanks during the first few months of combat. By the end of 2023 Russia is bringing much older tanks, like T-62s and T-64s out of retirement. One of those T-64s, with 320, was seen in Ukraine. A 1960s photo of a relatively new T-64 in Eastern Europe also had 320 on its turret and appears to be the same T-64 seen in 2023.
February 20, 2024: Recent Al Shabab violence in Somalia has targeted UAE (United Arab Emirates) military training activities in Mogadishu. Several foreign military trainers have been killed. Al Shabab continues to carry out terror attacks in and around the capital Mogadishu. Al Shabab has been trying, without much success, to reverse progress over the last few years to bring peace and prosperity to Somalia. For example, in 2022 Somalia finally got a new government after several years of efforts to overcome clan and warlord objections to democracy in general. The elections were held, and results certified. This made possible the formation of a parliament and new president. The parliament met and approved the presidents selection of a new prime minister. The prime minister then formed a government by filling dozens of key jobs with candidates that did not cause disputes in parliament over who got what. Somalia is still dominated by the power of the clans and the blind loyalty to clan even when it harms national unity. Overcoming this factionalism in a democracy is often very difficult. So far it appears that a majority of Somali leaders are willing to give a clean government a chance to work in Somalia. The key test is forming the new government successfully.

Major suppliers of foreign aid restored suspended aid programs. The United States ordered several hundred special operations and other troops to return to Somalia. In late 2020 the previous U.S. government ordered all U.S. troops out of Somalia. This was completed by January 2021 as 700 U.S. troops left Somalia, most for reassignment elsewhere in Africa.

The departing American troops missed the most were Special Forces and SEAL operators training and advising their Somali counterparts. The American troops in Somalia also handled intelligence collection and monitoring things in general. This was supposed to continue from a major American special operations base in neighboring Djibouti as well as the use of American UAVs, also based in Djibouti, to search for Islamic terrorists and carry out airstrikes when the opportunity presents itself. After a year or so of indecision by the Americans, the U.S. resumed regular air strikes against Al Shabab and other groups interfering with aid shipments or the new Somali government. This led to over 200 UAV airstrikes that killed nearly a thousand al Shabaab and other Islamic terrorist group members.

All this positive activity by the new government has foreign donors willing to continue and increase economic and military aid. Foreign money as well as peacekeepers were already being withdrawn before the new government was established. The UN had already started the process of pulling out the 20,000 peacekeepers. Foreign aid donors have adopted a send the aid to where it will do the most good approach. That policy put Somalia at a disadvantage because much, if not most, of its aid was stolen and never reached those who needed it. If the new government can demonstrate an ability to change the wicked ways of its predecessors, the aid will resume and increase. Somalia and other nations in the region need this because the region is suffering from one of its periodic droughts, and a major one at that. In the past these major droughts would cause visible declines in the population. After World War II (1939-45) foreign aid by a growing number of countries and NGOs (Non-government Organizations) made it possible to prevent these starvation deaths, at least in countries that could distribute the aid effectively. Somali was one of the nations that had trouble doing that, mainly because Somalia was still a deeply divided region because of the persistence of many powerful clans that looked after their own even if it meant other Somalis suffered. The clan loyalties are still a problem and a major factor in delaying fair election of a national parliament.

The new government has also restored good relations with Kenya. This includes cooperation with Kenya in dealing with al Shabaab activity in northeast Kenya, where Mandera county has long suffered from Somali violence. This includes al Shabaab roadblocks to check vehicles for non-Moslems, who are often kidnapped or killed. Counter-terror efforts have largely kept al Shabaab terrorists out of the capital (Nairobi), which is a thousand kilometers from Mandera, and that is what national politicians focus on. There have been two al Shabaab attacks in Nairobi since 2013. The latest one was in 2019. Politicians have priorities and problems get more attention the closer they are.

Al Shabaab has long sought to drive all non-Moslems out of northeastern Kenya because a lot of ethnic Somalis and Moslems live there. Over 80 percent of Kenyans are Christian and only twelve percent Moslem, most of them ethnic Somalis. There are also tribal problems in Mandera. One area along the Somali border has long been the scene of fighting between the Kenyan Murule ethnic Somali Moslems and the Marhan from across the border in Somalia. In 2015 about a hundred Marhan warriors crossed the border and raided Murule territory. Despite Kenya sending more soldiers and police to Mandera the violence continues. The Marhan have long been accused of supporting al Shabaab while the Murule oppose Islamic terrorism and al Shabaab efforts to chase Christians from the Mandera region.

Somali refugees and ethnic Somali Kenyans living in Kenya near the Somali border have been a major source of al Shabaab recruits for raiding and terrorism in Somalia as well as Kenya. Somali violence, both from al Shabaab and clan disputes, is less frequent throughout Somalia but persists on both sides of the Kenya border. On the Somali side is the autonomous Somali region of Jubaland. Across the border are the Kenyan counties (provinces) of Mandera, Garissa, Isiolo, Wajir and Marsabit. Occasionally the violence extends to cities elsewhere in Kenya. What is keeping al Shabaab active here and not elsewhere in Somalia are lucrative smuggling operations the Islamic terrorists dominate along the border.

In addition to bordering Somalia, there are several other reasons for all the Somali violence in this part of Kenya. First there is the usual pervasive corruption in Kenya and Africa in general. In addition, Somalia is recognized as the most corrupt nation in the world. Al Shabaab takes advantage of police corruption in Kenya, where the largely Christian police are particularly brutal towards ethnic Somali Kenyans. Similar attitudes are directed at the Somali refugees. That brutality and discrimination makes Kenyan Somalis reluctant to cooperate with police in finding al Shabaab terrorists or smugglers. About 76 percent of the four million Kenyan Moslems are ethnic Somalis who are citizens. Kenyas Moslem minority has been known to harbor Islamic terrorists. Most Kenyan Moslems live in coastal cities like Mombasa, where about a third of the 1.1 million population is Moslem. A lot of ethnic Somalis and Moslems live in northeastern Kenya and that is a problem when most of the soldiers and police are Christians and non-Somali. Al Shabaab exploits this friction to continue recruiting in Kenya and enjoying some local support in the Kenyan border areas.
RESTON, VA / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / CACI International Inc (NYSE: CACI) announced today that 21 employees were honored for their excellence in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) at the 38th annual Global Competitiveness Conference for the Black Engineer of the Year Awards (BEYA) held Feb. 15-17 in Baltimore, Maryland.

"Our exceptional BEYA honorees share in CACI's mission to harness our skills and amplify what's possible for tomorrow," said John Mengucci, CACI President and Chief Executive Officer. "Every day, these employees embrace challenging and rewarding opportunities, not only within our workplace, where they serve our customers, but also beyond our office walls, actively contributing to their communities. We are inspired by their extraordinary skills, boundless potential, and unwavering dedication to shaping the path for future leaders in STEM."

The BEYA conference attracts more than 10,000 STEM professionals from diverse backgrounds and provides opportunities to recognize the most elite talent. CACI is a supporter of BEYA's mission and a corporate sponsor of the conference. As part of its diversity and inclusion efforts, CACI partners with BEYA to help expand the company's networking, recruitment, and career development opportunities.

These 21 CACI employees received the Outstanding Achievement Award for their determination to help solve customers' most complex challenges in support of national security.

CACI's 2024 BEYA Outstanding Achievement Awardees:

Jackie Baker, IT Network Engineer

Felicia Burke, Systems Engineer

Cynthia Canteen-Harbor, Senior Technical Program Manager

Colin Carter, Engineering Manager

Chamara Farmer, Senior Engineer

Tyrone Fenwick, Quality Manager

Ray Freeman, Software Engineer

Robert Funches, Senior Network Security Engineer

Marcus Getachew, Software Developer

Nikki Jackson, Performance Management Specialist

Rebecca Konnor, Team Lead, Acute Care Analyst

Lama Mansaray, Engineering Lead

Latosha Marshall, Program Manager

Andrew Noonoo, Systems Engineer

Roberto Perry, Robotics Engineer

Shermane Pressley, Information Security Specialist

Joshua Reda, Naval Architect

Devon Roberson, Senior Knowledge Manager

Coleen Robinson, Information Security Analyst

Xavier Teal, Network and Technical Lead

Vanessa Watkins, Configuration Control

The efforts of CACI's BEYA awardees align with the company's long history of supporting emerging STEM talent and local communities. CACI partners with Minority Serving Institutions to advance education and careers in STEM and engages with students to support their successful transition to the professional world.

CACI is also a corporate sponsor of many organizations that focus on promoting STEM education for underserved groups, including Women in Technology (WIT), Great Minds in STEM (GmiS), and STEM for HER.

ABOUT CACI

At CACI International Inc (NYSE: CACI), our 23,000 talented and dynamic employees are ever vigilant in delivering distinctive expertise and differentiated technology to meet our customers' greatest challenges in national security and government modernization. We are a company of good character, relentless innovation, and long-standing excellence. Our culture drives our success and earns us recognition as a Fortune World's Most Admired Company. CACI is a member of the Fortune 1000 Largest Companies, the Russell 1000 Index, and the S&P MidCap 400 Index. For more information, visit us at caci.com.

# # #

Corporate Communications and Media:

Lorraine Corcoran

Executive Vice President, Corporate Communications

(703) 434-4165, [email protected]

CACI's 2024 Black Engineer of the Year Awards (BEYA) honorees pictured with CACI President and Chief Executive Officer John Mengucci at the 38th annual Global Competitiveness Conference.

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from CACI on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: CACI

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/caci

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE: CACI

View the original press release on accesswire.com
NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / Logitech



Logitech Blog

Logitech is excited to share that two of its exceptional female leaders, Tana Dubel and Delphine Donn, have recently been honored by esteemed organizations with prestigious leadership awards. Their accomplishments embody the company's purpose to enable all people to pursue their passions through dedication and innovation.

Tana Dubel, Logitech's CISO, was awarded with the Swiss CISO Excellence Award by the Swiss Cyber institute at the Global Cyber Conference in Zurich last week, celebrating outstanding swiss-based security leaders. She is one of the few women working in cybersecurity, a sector lacking a lot of talent, something she discussed at her reception. A speech that has been well received creating great interest in the work Logitech does. It also resulted in a keynote engagement for the 2024 Global Cyber Conference. Congratulations to Tana for this award which is a great recognition for her leadership and all the great work she and her team does to create a positive, more secure future.

Delphine Donne, Personal Workspace Solutions Lead, has been named finalist of the prestigious Women in Tech Global Movement Leadership Award for Europe in recognition of her contributions towards closing the gender gap in technology and creating a positive future. Her commitment and engagement are unparalleled and a great drive for this nomination. She is one of five finalists from Europe, representing Switzerland, which gives her the chance to win the Europe award and advance to the global awards.

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Logitech on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: Logitech

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/logitech

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE: Logitech

View the original press release on accesswire.com
THE HAGUE, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Over 50 countries are to take part in hearings at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) this week over the legal consequences of Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories.

The six-day hearings, which started on Monday, are being held at the request of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly.

A separate case was filed by South Africa accusing Israel of violating the Genocide Convention, and on Jan. 26 the ICJ ordered Israel in a provisional ruling to take all possible measures to prevent genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.

In the current case at the ICJ, countries including Saudi Arabia, the United States and Russia, and three international organizations -- the League of Arab States, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the African Union -- will participate in oral proceedings at the Peace Palace in The Hague.

Israel has submitted a written opinion but will not participate in the hearings.

On the first day of the hearings, Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Al-Maliki said that millions of Palestinians have been subjected to racial segregation and colonial rule under Israel's long-term occupation.

Many Palestinians have been killed or forced to become refugees, and deprived of the right to return to their land and homes, he said, emphasizing that under international law Israel should immediately and unconditionally end its "illegal" occupation.

Palestine's permanent representative to the UN Riyad Mansour said that the ICJ should declare in its ruling that Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory is illegal, so as to pave the way for an immediate end to the occupation and achieve a "just and lasting peace."

However, the Israeli Prime Minister's Office issued a statement on Monday rejecting the legitimacy of the hearings, accusing them of attempting to further undermine Israel's right to survival and self-defense.

At subsequent hearings on Tuesday, South Africa's Ambassador to the Netherlands Vusi Madonsela voiced support for Palestinians. "We as South Africans sense, see, hear, and feel to our core the inhumane discriminatory policies of the Israeli regime as an even more extreme form of apartheid in my country," he said.

Small groups of protesters supporting both Palestine and Israel gathered outside the Peace Palace during the first two days of the hearings.

A ruling from the ICJ on the case is expected later this year at the earliest.

This is the second time in 20 years that the ICJ was asked by the UN General Assembly to provide an advisory opinion on the issue of the occupied Palestinian territories.

In 2004, the ICJ ruled that Israel's separation wall in the occupied Palestinian territory on the West Bank violated international law and should be demolished, but the wall still stands. 
New tech after 23 years and 4.5 million members

LINDSAY, ON / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / My Language Exchange, the website that put "language exchange" into the mainstream consciousness over 23 years ago, has re-launched with a modern UI and an AI-powered voice chat.

New UI and Voice Chat Message Alert

My Language Exchange with new UI and Voice Chat Message Alert.

According to the owner/developer and co-founder Dan Yuen, the features in the new voice chat reflect what he wished he had when he was working toward fluency in French while living in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

"Listening comprehension was a big struggle of mine. So I wished I had a device that could record everything said by my native speaker partners without recording all the silence in between."

"I also wished I had a bilingual friend with me who could instantly whisper into my ear something said by my partner that I didn't quite catch. That would allow me to continue in the French conversation."

Thanks partly to AI, his new voice chat does just that. In automatic mode, the voice recording is activated by speech. AI recognizes the speech in real time and provides text equivalents in both the language spoken and the learner's native language. Producing speech bubbles of small audio files labeled by AI-generated text, the conversation will be easy to review. A learner will never miss a sound bite and can easily find a sentence, to re-listen or ask her partner for help.

The system supports over 100 languages.

Aware of no other chat app that automatically records only the speech, Yuen is proud to say his website is uniquely able to help language learners achieve fluency.

Unlike voice chat on other sites, Yuen's is fully supported on practically all modern devices - mobile or not. For example, one can have a conversation on a phone with a partner on a laptop. Later, you can review that conversation on a desktop.

Yuen's voice chat is accessible and protects privacy at the same time. When entering voice chat, members can choose to be visible to others and receive live messages or be invisible.

It is remarkable that My Language Exchange has thrived all these years, signing up over 4.5 million members since it launched in 2000. It is one of the longest running web properties out there.

Yuen credits its success to its focus on language learning. The site provides guidance and activities created by a language teacher specializing in language exchange. (To his knowledge, no other site offers this, even today.)

In 2013, it partnered with the international homestay organization that was initially promoted by ex-US president Jimmy Carter: Friendship Force International. Along with FFI, Yuen was invited to speak at the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages, an office that is responsible for protecting language rights in Canada and reports directly to the office of the Prime Minister of Canada.

Contact Information

Dan Yuen

President

[email protected]

416-909-7787

SOURCE: My Language Exchange Inc.

View the original press release on newswire.com.
NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / New Holland, a brand of CNH, recently attended World FIRA, the international event for global leaders in agricultural robotics in Toulouse, France.

With connectivity, autonomous equipment and new technologies at the core of New Holland's strategy, the brand displayed some of its advanced solutions and met customers, dealers and startups. Whilst there, they showed the brand's investments in robotics and discussed future evolutions.

Taking place twice a year - in the US and in France - FIRA has become the world's leading ag robotics static and field demo event. New Holland has attended since it was first held, and this year sponsored the French edition, after supporting the US event a few months ago.

On the stand was the Stout Smart Cultivator, New Holland's software-controlled implement for tractors that uses cameras, AI and proprietary vision technology to distinguish crops from weeds. Once identified, the implement simultaneously cultivates crops and removes weeds with an accuracy of 99%, decreasing reliance on labor and chemical inputs while improving farming practices. CNH invested in the US-based company Stout Industrial, acquiring a 10% minority stake at the end of 2022.

New Holland's tractors were present in the event's demo zones, where visitors saw robots and tractors in action. One vineyard tractor and three specialty tractors together with a T5 utility tractor were displayed.

Attending and sponsoring this event is a testament to CNH's commitment to innovative products that promote a more sustainable future.

Attending and sponsoring this event is a testament to CNH's commitment to innovative products that promote a more sustainable future

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from CNH Industrial on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: CNH Industrial

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/cnh-industrial

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE: CNH Industrial

View the original press release on accesswire.com
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / Coppernico Metals Inc. ("Coppernico" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has initiated field work activities, through its Peruvian subsidiary Sombrero Minerales S.A.C., on its Sombrero Project ("Sombrero" or the "Project") located in Ayacucho, Peru (Figure 1).

The current exploration programs are designed to enhance and expand existing targets and advance understanding of four underexplored but high-priority exploration areas within the currently accessible concessions. The exploration work is being completed concurrently with the final stages of drill permitting for the Sombrero Main target area (Figure 2); further details about the drill program are expected to be released in the coming weeks as the Company prepares for its inaugural drill program this year. The Company is also announcing the appointment of Margarita Cardona as Investor Relations Manager. Katie Bromley, Corporate Communications Manager, is currently on leave.

Ivan Bebek, CEO of Coppernico stated, "We recently secured our social permits to resume exploration activities and are completing the final stages of drill permitting. This has enabled us to initiate field work, which marks another meaningful milestone for our Company. We are very pleased to expand the Company's social initiatives which now include jobs for the local community as well as sponsoring ongoing agricultural programs.

Sombrero represents a unique opportunity strongly supported by extensive surface sampling, historical drill holes, age dating of multiple intrusions, and substantial mineralized skarn, backing the thesis that the project may represent the westward extension of the prolific Andahuaylas-Yauri mining trend. Our large land position with numerous prospective targets provides an extensive portfolio of opportunities to explore for multiple significant discoveries.

The addition of Margarita to the team comes at a timely juncture for the Company; we welcome her past experiences in South America but also in Ayacucho, the Province which hosts the prolific mining trend."

The Sombrero Project

The copper-gold Sombrero Project is a land package of approximately 103,000 hectares located in the north-western margins of the world-class Andahuaylas-Yauri belt in Peru that hosts Las Bambas, Haquira, Los Chancas, Cotabambas, Constancia, Antapaccay, and Tintaya deposits (Figure 1). The main targets on the Project are copper-gold skarn and porphyry systems, and precious metal epithermal deposits.

Figure 1 - Location of the Sombrero Project in Peru

Sombrero Main - Drill Ready

The Sombrero Main target area (Figure 2) is the most advanced target on the property and is drill ready. This target represents a potential large copper-gold skarn and porphyry system that is mostly covered by a thin layer of post mineralization, volcanic cover. Previous exploration work, including detailed geologic mapping, geochemical, and geophysical surveys, have identified large, near surface drill targets within this area.

Pipeline of Targets to be Explored

Outside of the Sombrero Main target area are several exploration prospects including, Macha Machay, Milpoc, Tipicancha and Huachana (Figure 2).

The Macha Machay, Milpoc and Tipicancha targets were identified through Coppernico's 2017-2018 regional exploration program, which screened 7,000 km2 of land on the western extension of the Andahuaylas-Yauri belt. Results of that work identified catchments with elevated silver, arsenic, gold and copper values, which support further investigation (Figure 2).

Macha Machay is characterized by highly elevated copper values in consecutive drainage basins over an area of approximately 12 km by 6 km. Both leachable (Cn44) and ICP analytical results demonstrate copper levels 1.5 - 3.5 times greater than those observed at Sombrero Main, Nioc and Good Lucky intrusive clusters, which have large areas of high-grade copper and gold mineralization on surface. Leachable gold results in Macha Machay stream sediments are similar in magnitude to those observed at Sombrero Main and Nioc targets. These stream sediment results suggest the potential to discover significant copper-gold mineralization at or near surface.

Milpoc also has elevated copper and gold values in stream sediments. Cursory mapping and sampling in 2018-2019 by Coppernico geologists identified copper-oxide mineralization occurring parallel to and within bedding in the Casapalca formation sediments. Several grab samples from Milpoc returned high-grade copper values between 8.75% and 1.71% along with silver values from 101 g/t to 41 g/t (Figure 3. See news release dated October 17, 2019).

Figure 3 - Milpoc High-Grade Rock Samples

Tipicancha is defined by anomalous copper and gold stream sediment results. Early reconnaissance mapping identified an area ~1.2 km by ~600 m of clay and silica altered volcanic rocks with disseminated pyrite. Much less is known about the Huachana target, it was identified as a +700 m diameter area of anomalously high magnetism.

These targets have seen limited to no follow up surface work, additional exploration is required to understand their full size and grade potential. They have been identified as priorities for a focused field work program planned for 2024, aimed at gaining clarity within the broader context of the Sombrero Project.

Appointment of Margarita Cardona as Investor Relations Manager

Coppernico is pleased to announce the appointment of Margarita Cardona as Investor Relations Manager. With over a decade of experience within the mining industry, Margarita brings expertise in both retail and institutional shareholder communications. Prior to joining Coppernico, Margarita held the Investor Relations Manager role at a boutique consulting investor relations firm in Toronto, where she serviced a diverse portfolio of clients with market capitalizations of up to ~$1 billion in the resource sector, taking part in their communication efforts through various M&A transactions, including project and company acquisitions/divestments, new listings, financings, project updates, management changes, and rebrandings. Additionally, she worked in-house at Hudbay Minerals and at Aurania Resources in Toronto and provided her services to several mining issuers in Vancouver. Ms. Cardona also served on the board of the Peruvian Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Toronto. Coppernico looks forward to leveraging Margarita's expertise to foster relationships with existing and new stakeholders and drive continued success with strengthened communications efforts, as the Company nears a pivotal point in its trajectory.

Technical Disclosure and Qualified Person

The scientific and technical information contained in this news release was reviewed and approved by Tim Kingsley, M.Sc., CPG, Coppernico's VP of Exploration, who is a "Qualified Person" (as defined in NI 43-101).

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Ivan Bebek

Chair & CEO

For further information, please contact:

Coppernico Metals Inc.

Phone: +1 778 729 0600

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.coppernicometals.com

Twitter: @CoppernicoMetal

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/coppernico-metals/

About Coppernico

Coppernico is a mineral exploration company focused on creating value for shareholders and stakeholders through careful project evaluation and exploration excellence in pursuit of the discovery of world-class copper-gold deposits in South America. The Company's management and technical teams have a successful track record of raising capital, discovery and the monetization of exploration successes. The Company is currently focused on the Sombrero project in Peru, its flagship project, and is reviewing additional premium projects in South America.

Coppernico is currently an unlisted public reporting issuer. The Company intends to be listed on a recognized stock exchange once it qualifies. For more information, please visit www.coppernicometals.com.

Cautionary Note

This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation (collectively, "forward-looking statements") that relate to the Company's current expectations and views of future events about which there cannot be any certainty. No assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking statements included in this news release should not be unduly relied upon. These statements speak only as of the date of this news release. In particular, and without limitation, this news release contains forward-looking statements pertaining to the Company's exploration and drill plans, and the securing of pending drill permits. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's control, which could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those that are disclosed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. Readers should refer to the risks discussed in the Company's continuous disclosure filings with the Canadian Securities Administrators, available at www.sedar.com.

No regulatory organization has approved the contents hereof.

SOURCE: Coppernico Metals Inc.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
The all stock transaction would bolster DLT's Gross Sales by an additional USD $50,000,000

LAS VEGAS, NV / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / DLT Resolution Inc. (OTC Pink:DLTI), a prominent Software as a Service (SAAS), information technology, and communication company, proudly announces the signing of a Term Sheet to acquire 100% ownership of Global Motor Trade LLC, Global Motor Trade International LLC, SJ Auto Trade LLC, and WEC International LLC. These strategic acquisitions reinforce DLT Resolution Inc.'s commitment to its growth strategy and market expansion.

The acquisitions highlight DLT Resolution Inc.'s foresight in cultivating a diversified and innovative portfolio aligned with evolving market demands.

Drew Reid, Executive Chairman of DLT Resolution Inc., stated, "These acquisitions mark a significant step towards strengthening our offerings and diversified holdings. We are driven by a shared vision of innovation, excellence, and value creation for our customers and stakeholders."

Charles Brofman of Global Motor Trade Group of Companies expressed enthusiasm, stating, "We are thrilled to be part of this venture. Drew Reid's vision for DLTI aligns perfectly with our growth aspirations. We are already planning our strategy to achieve the next level of revenue within the first twelve months after closing. Additionally, being part of DLTI will enable us to make strategic acquisitions within our industry, enhancing our customer base and international supply chains."

Empowering Future Growth

Global Motor Trade Group of Companies, based in the United States, specializes in international vehicle wholesale distribution and sale, with a primary focus on Canada, China, Europe, Dubai, and worldwide. This strategic move will contribute a combined annual gross revenue of $50,858,000 USD to DLT Resolution Inc.

The acquisition is an all-stock transaction, with an estimated 14,000,000 shares of DLTI to be issued upon closing.

Multiple Add-On Acquisitions Planned

DLT Resolution Inc. is on track to finalize multiple acquisitions within this calendar year, aiming to catalyze growth and expand its market footprint.

Advancing into the Future

The acquisition of Global Motor Trade Group of Companies signifies a substantial step towards amplifying value and expanding horizons. With a shared commitment to innovation and customer-centric excellence, DLT Resolution Inc. is poised to create a lasting impact across sectors, forging an exciting path forward.

About DLT Resolution Inc.

DLT Resolution Inc. has undergone transformative evolution, focusing on driving advancements in telecommunications and technology. Our core operations center around strategic Software as a Service (SAAS) acquisitions, enabling us to seize opportunities in the dynamic world of tech companies and cutting-edge technologies.

At the forefront of our pursuits lies the realm of SAAS, where we revolutionize how businesses operate and engage with their clientele. Through these acquisitions, we empower organizations to leverage state-of-the-art solutions for domestic and global growth.

DLT Resolution Inc. is more than a company; it's a catalyst for technological transformation. We are driven by the pursuit of groundbreaking solutions that empower businesses to navigate the digital era with confidence and embrace the limitless possibilities of telecommunications and technology.

Welcome to the future, where innovation is our foundation, and technology is our compass.

CONTACT:

Drew A. Reid

Executive Chair & CEO

1 (800) 463-5465

[email protected]

www.dltresolution.com

Disclaimer: This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements are based largely on the expectations or forecasts of future events, can be affected by inaccurate assumptions, and are subject to various business risks and known and unknown uncertainties, a number of which are beyond the control of management. Therefore, actual results could differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Additional information respecting the factors that could materially affect the Company and its operations are contained in its annual report on Form 10K and Form 10-Q as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements.

SOURCE: DLT Resolution Inc.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
BY: CRISTINA DEL CANTO " SENIOR COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST

NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / This month, 20 representatives from Entergy, alongside our invaluable community partners and customers, joined advocates in Washington, D.C. to participate in LIHEAP Action Day. This national event, organized by the National Energy and Utility Affordability Coalition, serves as a platform to engage and educate policymakers about the critical importance of the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP.

Entergy team and stakeholders advocate for our customers and communities on Capitol Hill.

Throughout the day, our team engaged in meaningful discussions on Capitol Hill with key policymakers who represent our service areas of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Notably, our representatives had the honor of meeting with influential members of Congress, including Senator John Boozman of Arkansas, Congressman Bennie Thompson of Mississippi and Congressman Randy Weber of Texas. In total, Entergy visited 24 congressional offices, conveying the profound impact that LIHEAP funds have on our vulnerable customers and communities.

"LIHEAP funding is a lifeline and beacon of hope for our vulnerable customers and communities," said Patty Riddlebarger, Entergy vice president of corporate social responsibility. "It empowers individuals and families to stay warm, safe and connected, even in the harshest circumstances. Without adequate funding, families face the impossible choice between keeping their power on and putting food on the table. Now, more than ever, securing LIHEAP funding is critical to helping our neighbors in need during times of changing climate and economic uncertainties."

Adding an invaluable perspective to these discussions, Entergy's LIHEAP customers also played a vital role in these discussions. They shared their personal experiences and stories with members of Congress, highlighting the crucial role that LIHEAP plays in their lives and the lives of their families. Their voices helped shine a spotlight on the pressing need for sustained and critical funding.

With a commitment to powering life for our neighbors in need, our representatives, community partners and LIHEAP customers united to spread awareness about the importance of sustaining LIHEAP. Together, we strive to ensure that vulnerable individuals and families have access to vital energy assistance programs that can make a tangible difference in their lives.

Beyond LIHEAP Action Day, Entergy hosts multiple outreach events throughout the year in close collaboration with our community partners. These events serve as platforms to increase awareness and provide valuable support to individuals navigating the LIHEAP application process. To learn more about LIHEAP and other energy assistance programs, visit entergy.com/billhelp.

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Entergy Corporation on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: Entergy Corporation

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/entergy-corporation

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE: Entergy Corporation

View the original press release on accesswire.com
NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / Gildan Activewear:

Gildan, a leading apparel manufacturer, is pleased to announce that the Company will donate USD $250,000 to World Vision Honduras to support the continued implementation of the Childhood Education and Transformation (ETN) program in Honduras.

The longstanding 11-year partnership between Gildan and World Vision Honduras, underscores a shared commitment to sustainable development, enhancing the socioemotional and socioenvironmental skills of children, and fostering a deeper sense of environmental responsibility in the communities of Villanueva, Choloma, and now Quimistn. Through these combined efforts, the ETN program has become synonymous with educational excellence and environmental advocacy, leaving an indelible mark on the regions it serves.

"We are proud of our partnership with World Vision. The recent completion of Phase III of the program benefited over 204,000 children by teaching them valuable skills across various subject areas. We also strengthened 68 educational networks fostering green and safe school environments, and empowered over 3,000 educators with skills in ICT, environmental stewardship, and socioemotional growth," says Claudia Sandoval, Vice-President of Global Social Compliance and Environmental Affairs at Gildan.

The Company's additional investment will directly support the activation of Phase IV, which includes training over 300 educators in socioemotional well-being and climate change mitigation. Phase IV is expected to positively impact 10,000 children in the region and have an indirect reach of over 300,000 children across 400 schools, highlighting its far-reaching impact on Honduran youth.

Phase IV of the program will also have an enhanced focus on environmental protection and holistic child development. A key objective will include the gradual certification of schools as "Green and Safe Schools," a regulation from the Ministry of Education aimed at strengthening environmental education in schools nationwide, which Gildan and World Vision Honduras will work to facilitate through oversight of the certification process of schools within the program.

The additional donation reaffirms the enduring impact of the partnership between Gildan and World Vision Honduras, underscoring the importance of collaborative efforts in driving sustainable change. With over $700,000 donated to World Vision Honduras alone, and more than 351,000 children positively impacted to date, this partnership serves as a testament to the power of collective action in addressing the most pressing challenges facing vulnerable communities.

Under its Next Generation ESG strategy, Gildan remains steadfast in its commitment to nurturing the potential of Honduran children and safeguarding the environment for future generations. Through its continued collaboration with World Vision Honduras and its unwavering dedication, Gildan strives to create a brighter and more sustainable future for all.

To learn more about Gildan's respect for communities, click here.

Gildan Renews Commitment to World Vision Honduras with New Donation to the Childhood Education and Transformation Program

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Gildan Activewear on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: Gildan Activewear

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/gildan-activewear

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE: Gildan Activewear

View the original press release on accesswire.com
LIVINGSTON, LA / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / Henderson Auctions, a global leader in construction equipment auctions, is thrilled to announce its highly anticipated Annual Spring Contractor's Auction. Taking place on March 14th and 15th at its facility conveniently located on Hwy 190 in Livingston, Louisiana, this two-day event promises to be a haven for contractors, governmental agencies, and auction enthusiasts.

Consignments Rolling in for the Spring Auction.

Known for its impeccable reputation founded on integrity and service, Henderson Auctions has been earning loyal customers worldwide for over 67 years. With a commitment to providing exceptional service and a wide range of high-quality items, Henderson Auctions has become a trusted name in the industry.

Day 1 of the auction, on Thursday, March 14th at 9:00 a.m., will showcase an impressive selection of service trucks, dump trucks, big trucks, trailers, containers, and more. Buyers attending the auction will have the opportunity to preview these items in advance by visiting our website at www.HendersonAuctions.com. This preview ensures that attendees can plan their bidding strategies and make informed decisions on the day of the auction.

Day 2, on Friday, March 15th at 9:00 a.m., will feature an exciting array of construction equipment, industrial equipment, fabrication equipment, and more. Henderson Auctions invites all interested buyers to visit our website and preview these items before the auction to ensure a successful bidding experience.

Located just 45 minutes north of New Orleans International Airport, Henderson Auctions' facility offers easy accessibility to ports and freight trucking, making it a convenient location for both local and international buyers.

"At Henderson Auctions, we take pride in our ability to bring together buyers and sellers in an exciting auction environment," says Jeff Henderson, President of Henderson Auctions. "Our Annual Spring Contractor's Auction is a testament to our commitment to providing exceptional service and a wide range of quality items for our valued customers."

Whether you are a contractor looking to upgrade your fleet or an auction enthusiast seeking unique and valuable items, Henderson Auctions' Annual Spring Contractor's Auction is the place to be. With a reputation built on integrity and service, Henderson Auctions guarantees a successful and enjoyable auction experience.

For more information about the Annual Spring Contractor's Auction and to preview the items being sold, please visit www.HendersonAuctions.com.

About Henderson Auctions: Established in 1957, Henderson Auctions is a full-service auction company that has become a global leader in the industry. With a focus on integrity, service, and customer satisfaction, Henderson Auctions has built a loyal customer base worldwide.

Contact Information

Tricia Ory

Customer Relations

[email protected]

225-341-1577

Jessica Cason

Marketing Manager

[email protected]

225-686-2252

SOURCE: Henderson Auctions

View the original press release on newswire.com.
"Partnerships like the one between Dow, TNC and Ecolab, focused on bringing solutions to sustainably manage scarce freshwater, are the key to ensuring abundant water and healthy ecosystems."

- Andre Argenton, chief sustainability officer, Dow

NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / Rivers like the Mississippi are critical corridors that connect cities and natural ecosystems alike. As the climate precipitation patterns change, water levels vary widely between extreme lows and highs. Water quality is also impacted as saltwater slowly moves upriver. These have extraordinary effects on people and nature.

Recognizing the important role industry and conservation organizations play in restoring healthy, functioning ecosystems, we are working with like-minded organizations like The Nature Conservancy and Ecolab to restore and enhance wetlands in the lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley in Louisiana.

Called "Loch Leven," this project is reconnecting flood plains to the Mississippi River by installing improved water control structures to increase water supply to 4500 acres of wetlands. Our team came in during phase 2 of the project to reconnect the internal water flow within those wetlands. This work followed phase 1, which connected the river to the wetlands. This project is part of a larger effort by The Nature Conservancy to restore over 10,000 wetland acres.

Reconnecting a floodplain

Projects like Loch Leven help provide floodwater storage and improve water quality, all pivotal components of watershed management. By holding water and slowly releasing it, the wetlands on Loch Leven remove excess fertilizer runoff from upstream, and, in turn, those nutrients help the wetlands and all that live in it, thrive.

Floodplain restoration projects such as Loch Leven also provide hydrologic stability, meaning that they slow water down, hold it and slowly release it. The Loch Leven project will help provide 12.1 billion gallons (45.8 million cubic meters) of flood storage capacity to local communities in Louisiana.

"As our climate system makes weather events more variable, extreme and uncertain, the stability that nature provides is even more important," said Bryan Piazza, Director of Science with The Nature Conservancy of Louisiana.

Collaborating for greater impact

The Mississippi Watershed is a water-stressed basin identified by the CEO Water Mandate's Water Resilience Coalition (WRC) under the U.N. Global Compact. Investing in nature-based solutions like the Loch Leven project is one way to reduce nutrient runoff, restore biodiversity and enhance communities' ability to adapt to climate change.

"The issue, however, is having the resources needed to work at the speed necessary to meet these threats in the Lower Mississippi Valley," Piazza said. "There simply isn't enough public grant money available to do the number of Loch Leven projects that we need in the lower river. That's why it's so important to figure out how to attract private investment in our work. Without it, we cannot get to the scale we need to improve water quality and habitat and remove greenhouse gases."

As founding members of the WRC, companies like Dow and Ecolab are investing beyond their own operations and working collaboratively to enhance water stewardship management at the local watershed level.

"As the world's natural resources come under ever-growing pressure, it becomes increasingly clear that businesses must work to find ways to help correct course and build a positive future," said Emilio Tenuta, senior vice president and chief sustainability officer at Ecolab. "It is critical that businesses reach outside their facilities to work with those who share the same water resources and strive to ensure water availability, quality and access for all."

For us at Dow, investments in projects such as Loch Leven contribute to the overall improvement of watershed health while advancing sustainable business growth. Everyone - including communities and industry - must play a role to protect our water resources.

"Water is central to our manufacturing process, and safe, accessible water is also essential to the health of the communities in which we operate, critical to ecosystems and integral to economic growth. Partnerships like the one between Dow, TNC and Ecolab, focused on bringing solutions to sustainably manage scarce freshwater, are the key to ensuring abundant water and healthy ecosystems," said Andre Argenton, chief sustainability officer at Dow.

Carrie Houtman, EH&S and Sustainability Director

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from DOW on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: DOW

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/dow

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE: DOW

View the original press release on accesswire.com
BURLINGTON, ON / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / Memex Inc. ("Memex" or the "Company" or the "Issuer") (TSXV:OEE), a leader in Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) manufacturing productivity software, confirms that the Company including its' auditors, are continuing to work to complete the annual financial statements for Memex's year ended September 30, 2023, including the related management discussion and analysis, and CEO and CFO certifications (collectively, the "Annual Financial Filings"), and the Company continues to expect to file its Annual Financial Filings on or before February 29, 2024.

As previously reported, the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) issued a Failure-to-file Cease Trade Order (a "FFCTO") in respect of the securities of Memex effective February 2, 2024 for its failure to file its Annual Financial Filings by the filing deadline of January 28, 2024 (the "Filing Deadline"). The delay in filing the Annual Financial Filings was due to the Company's inability to commence audit procedures in a timely manner. The FFCTO issued by the OSC also affected each jurisdiction of Canada that has a statutory reciprocal order provision. Further, as a result of the FFCTO, the TSX Venture Exchange suspended trading in the Company's shares.

Until the Annual Financial Filings are filed, the Company intends to continue to issue bi-weekly default status reports. The Company confirms that there is no other material information relating to its affairs that has not been generally disclosed.

About Memex Inc.:

Established in 1992, Memex grew to be an industry leader in Industry Internet of Things (IIoT) through the development of MERLIN Tempus, an award-winning platform that delivers real-time, tangible increases in manufacturing productivity. Memex is on the leading edge of industry trends in computing power, machine connectivity, industry standards, advanced software technology, and manufacturing domain expertise.

Our persistent pursuit of innovative IIoT solutions led to a comprehensive understanding of the challenge's manufacturers face. We made it our mission to, "successfully transform factories of today into factories of the future." As the global leader in Machine to Machine (M2M) connectivity solutions, our hardware and software products create unparalleled visibility at all levels, from "Shop-Floor-to-Top-Floor."

The MERLIN Tempus Suite provides effective quantification and management of Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) by revealing hidden capacity using real-time objective data. Further, it offers sustainable benefits that enable world-class OEE such as reducing costs, incorporating strategies for continuous LEAN improvement, and boosting bottom-line financial performance. For more information, please visit: www.MemexOEE.com

For investor inquiries please contact:

Ed Crymble, Chief Financial Officer

905-635-1540

[email protected] David McPhail, President & CEO

905-635-1540

[email protected]

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation services provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE: Memex Inc.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / MetLife, Inc.

MetLife, Inc. (NYSE: MET) today announced that for the fourth consecutive year it's earned a spot on JUST Capital's JUST 100 list, as part of their 2024 Rankings of America's Most JUST Companies. The JUST 100 reflects companies doing the best job of creating value for all their stakeholders, including colleagues, customers, communities, and shareholders.

"We are honored to be named one of America's Most JUST Companies, which recognizes how we care for our employees and deliver for our customers, communities and shareholders," said MetLife Chief Sustainability Officer Jon Richter. "As expectations across stakeholder groups evolve, we remain committed to sustaining lives and building a more confident future."

To determine the annual ranking, JUST Capital, along with CNBC, collect and analyze corporate data to evaluate how the nation's largest corporations are performing on the business issues that matter most to Americans. For 2024, paying a fair, living wage; creating jobs in the U.S.; supporting workforce retention and training; providing benefits and work-life balance; protecting customer privacy; and minimizing pollution were among the issues the companies were scored on.

MetLife's purpose - Always with you, building a more confident future - is at the heart of how it delivers value for stakeholders. In its annual Sustainability Report, MetLife details how it contributes to a more confident future as an employer, an investor and a provider of financial solutions and expertise.

To learn more about how MetLife creates value for all its stakeholders, visit MetLife.com/Sustainability. To view the 2024 "Just 100" list, visit JustCapital.com/Rankings.

About MetLife

MetLife, Inc. (NYSE: MET), through its subsidiaries and affiliates ("MetLife"), is one of the world's leading financial services companies, providing insurance, annuities, employee benefits and asset management to help individual and institutional customers build a more confident future. Founded in 1868, MetLife has operations in more than 40 markets globally and holds leading positions in the United States, Japan, Latin America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. For more information, visit www.metlife.com.

Contact:

MetLife

Olivia Janicelli

(212) 578-3547

[email protected]

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from MetLife, Inc. on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: MetLife, Inc.

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/metlife-inc

Email: [email protected]



SOURCE: MetLife, Inc.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
KINSHASA, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Sama Lukonde Kyenge submitted his resignation to President Felix Tshisekedi, the DRC presidential office announced Tuesday on X, formerly Twitter.

Sama Lukonde Kyenge was appointed prime minister on Feb. 15, 2021.

On Feb. 8, the Constitutional Court of the DRC rendered the incompatibility of government and legislative functions, asking ministers, provincial governors, and members of political cabinets, who are also elected in legislative elections, to resign from their political functions unless they renounce their electoral mandate.

"Consequently, (the Constitutional Court) demands that the members of the government, the ministerial cabinets, and the general secretariat of the government who are newly elected national deputies, senators, provincial deputies, municipal councilors of sectors or chiefdom and who have opted for their electoral mandate, automatically and immediately lose their incompatible functions," said a decree by the Constitutional Court.

On Dec. 20, 2023, 31 of the 60 members of the government, including the prime minister, were elected national deputies in the general elections, in which nearly 44 million voters were called to go to the polls during the day to elect a new president, deputies, as well as provincial and municipal councilors.

Felix Tshisekedi was re-elected with a majority of 73.47 percent of the vote and was sworn in on Jan. 20, 2024.

On Feb.7, Felix Tshisekedi named Augustin Kabuya Tshilumba, secretary general of the ruling party Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), to form the next government. The UDPS won 69 seats in the 500-member National Assembly ahead of 44 other parties in the general elections. 
NEW BERN, NC / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / Coastal Carolina Regional Airport (EWN) is proud to welcome a new airline partner: Breeze Airways. This addition creates a one-of-a-kind opportunity for EWN to offer the only nonstop, "Nice Low Cost Carrier" flights in the region.

Photo Courtesy of Visit New Bern

The new airline will offer nonstop routes to two destinations including Orlando, FL and Hartford, CT. Breeze Airways will be offering twice weekly flights initially and air service will start on May 24. Fares on the new routes start at $49* one-way.

"Breeze Airways opens exciting new opportunities for the region by offering direct and easy access to some of our top markets," said Airport Director Andrew Shorter. "We're proud to partner with a growing airline and we would like to thank all of our community partners who helped make this happen."

"Breeze is not yet three years old but already announcing our 50th city to our national route map," said Breeze Airways' President Tom Doxey. "Breeze seeks to connect underserved markets and city pairs without existing nonstops. Now, guests from New Bern, our fifth destination in the Carolinas, will be able to enjoy affordable and convenient new service to Connecticut and Florida."

New Bern, N.C. is the airline's 50th market they've joined to offer a mix of more than 150 year-round and seasonal nonstop routes in 27 states. Breeze was recognized by Travel + Leisure readers as one of the Top 5 Best U.S. Airlines for the second consecutive year. The airline is known for its commitment to making travel simple, affordable and enjoyable.

"Since we started flying in May 2021, Breeze has continued to add desirable destinations to our rapidly growing footprint," said Breeze CEO and Founder David Neeleman. "This new addition will surely be welcomed as we bring efficient, affordable and elevated travel to underserved markets."

Breeze Airlines will fly its 137-seat Airbus A220 aircraft, connecting the Eastern North Carolina community to many great new destinations.

Securing the new low-cost, nonstop air service for eastern North Carolina was a collaborative effort by Coastal Carolina Regional Airport, Craven County Government, the Craven 100 Alliance (C1A) and the Craven County Tourism Development Authority.

"Craven County prides itself on progress. This is a momentous triumph and on behalf of the Craven County Board of Commissioners and the Coastal Carolina Regional Airport Authority, I extend my gratitude and commendation to all whose efforts culminated in this positive growth," expressed Jason Jones, Chairman of the Craven County Board of Commissioners, and board member of the Coastal Carolina Regional Airport Authority.

"Airline development has been at the forefront of our strategic plan," shares C1A Chairman Owen Andrews. "Our dedicated task force worked diligently to bring this development to fruition, all while ensuring Breeze knew they had an ally in the C1A to make this partnership a success," said Craven 100 Alliance (C1A) Chairman Owen Andrews.

Travelers can visit FlyEWN.com and www.flybreeze.com to research flight options and fares.

ABOUT CRAVEN 100 ALLIANCE (C1A)

The Craven 100 Alliance (C1A) is a dynamic public-private partnership dedicated to promoting economic development and prosperity in Craven County, North Carolina. C1A connects stakeholders from city and county governments and the public and private sectors to drive innovation, job creation, and sustainable growth in the region.

ABOUT COASTAL CAROLINA REGIONAL AIRPORT

Coastal Carolina Regional Airport (EWN) is a modern, full-service airport supporting commercial and private aviation activities. With an easy-to-navigate terminal, friendly staff, affordable parking, quick check-in, and security, EWN boasts one of the Southeast's most accessible and convenient regional airports and an "enjoyable air travel experience." The airport acts as the inbound gateway to historic New Bern, the Crystal Coast, The Outer Banks, Emerald Isle, Beaufort, Marine Air Station Cherry Point, and Swansboro, and a portal to destinations all over the world. Learn more at FlyEWN.com.

ABOUT BREEZE AIRWAYS

Breeze Airways began service in May 2021 and has been ranked as one of the U.S.' best domestic airlines for the last two years by Travel + Leisure magazine's World's Best Awards (#2 in 2022 and #4 in 2023). Breeze offers a mix of more than 150 year-round and seasonal nonstop routes between 50 cities in 27 states. Founded by aviation entrepreneur David Neeleman, Breeze operates a fleet of Embraer 190/195 and Airbus A220-300 aircraft, with a focus on providing efficient and affordable flights between secondary airports, bypassing hubs for shorter travel times. With seamless booking, no change or cancellation fees, up to 24-months of reusable flight credit and customized flight features - including complimentary family seating - delivered via a sleek and simple app, Breeze makes it easy to buy and easy to fly. Learn more about Breeze's flight offerings via our site or the app.

ABOUT CRAVEN COUNTY TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

Craven County Tourism Development Authority serves to promote and develop Craven County as a travel destination. Through a collective effort to drive tourism, the authority stimulates the local economy through occupancy tax collections. These cooperative efforts generated $172 million in annual visitor spending in 2022, saving residents $11.5 million in state and local taxes. Explore the destination at visitnewbern.com.

C1A Media Contact:

Jeff Wood

252 633-5300

[email protected]

EWN Media Contact:

Andrew Shorter

252 638-8591 x232

[email protected]

Breeze Airways Media Contact:

Gareth Edmondson-Jones

917 399-9355

SOURCE: Craven 100 Alliance

View the original press release on accesswire.com
MONTREAL, QC / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / Critical Elements Lithium Corporation (TSX-V:CRE)(US OTCQX:CRECF)(FSE:F12) ("Critical Elements" or the "Corporation") is pleased to announce that it has been granted three industrial occupancy leases (storage and mining infrastructure) and tailings management facility leases, which are essential for the deployment of its unique Rose Lithium-Tantalum project (the "Rose Project" or the "Project") in Eeyou Istchee, Quebec. These leases are granted by the Ministre des Ressources naturelles et des Forets (the "Ministere") under the Act respecting lands in the domain of the State (Quebec) for a period of one year starting February 1st, 2024 and automatically renewed every year, subject to the respective terms and conditions of the leases granted.

With the obtaining of the mining lease in September 2023 (see press release dated September 18, 2023) and the granting of these three leases, Critical Elements continues to move forward with the realization of the Rose Project by securing the occupancy rights necessary for the activities inherent to a future mining operation, which remains subject to the conclusion of a strategic partnership and project financing leading to a final investment decision. Critical Elements thus crystallizes its presence in the region and at the same time ensures that it has the necessary occupancy rights for the deployment of the Project.

Jean-Sebastien Lavallee, Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation, stated: "We are grateful to the Ministere for their continued support as we move the Rose Project towards a final investment decision. Despite the current negative sentiment around lithium equities, management remains confident in the quality of the Rose Project, the investment appeal of Quebec as it develops its battery supply chain ecosystem for the future, and the future global growth of quality lithium demand. Our highly experienced lithium industry management team is well-positioned to pivot to meet the challenges of today's market and we are excited for the future of the Corporation."

About Critical Elements Lithium Corporation

Critical Elements aspires to become a large, responsible supplier of lithium to the flourishing electric vehicle and energy storage system industries. To this end, Critical Elements is advancing the wholly-owned, high-purity Rose Lithium-Tantalum project in Quebec, the Corporation's first lithium project to be advanced within a land portfolio of over 1,050 km2. On August 29, 2023, the Corporation announced results of a new Feasibility Study on Rose for the production of spodumene concentrate. The after-tax internal rate of return for the Project is estimated at 65.7%, with an estimated after-tax net present value of US$2.2B at an 8% discount rate. In the Corporation's view, Quebec is strategically well-positioned for US and EU markets and boasts good infrastructure including a low-cost, low-carbon power grid featuring 94% hydroelectricity. The project has received approval from the Federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change on the recommendation of the Joint Assessment Committee, comprised of representatives from the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada and the Cree Nation Government, received the Certificate of Authorization pursuant to section 164 of Quebec's Environment Quality Act from the Quebec Minister of the Environment, the Fight against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks, and the project mining lease from the Quebec Minister of Natural Resources and Forests under the Quebec Mining Act.

For further information, please contact:

Jean-Sebastien Lavallee, P. Geo.

Chief Executive Officer

819-354-5146

[email protected]

www.cecorp.ca

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is described in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary statement concerning forward-looking statements

This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian Securities legislation. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "scheduled", "anticipates", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "scheduled", "targeted", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking information contained herein include, without limitation, statements relating to expectations regarding Rose project- including (i) completion of the permitting process and (ii) securing a strategic partnership and project financing leading to a Final Investment Decision. Such forward-looking information and statements are based on numerous assumptions, including that general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner, that fundamentals of lithium / spodumene demand and EV market growth and capacity will continue to be strong, that project financing will be available on reasonable terms, and that governmental and other approvals required to conduct the Corporation's development activities and planned exploration will be available on reasonable terms and in a timely manner.

Although Critical Elements has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from expected results described in forward-looking information include, but are not limited to: negative operating cash flow and dependence on third party financing, uncertainty of additional financing, reliance on key management and other personnel, potential downturns in (i) general economic conditions, (ii) demand for lithium / spodumene and (iii) EV market growth, capacity and demand, actual results of exploration activities being different than anticipated, changes in exploration programs based upon results, risks generally associated with the mineral exploration industry, environmental risks, changes in laws and regulations, community relations and delays in obtaining governmental or other approvals, as well as those risk factors set out in the Corporation's Management Discussion and Analysis for its most recent quarter ended November 30, 2023 and other disclosure documents available under the Corporation's SEDAR+ profile (www.sedarplus.ca).

Forward-looking information contained herein is made as of the date of this news release.Although the Corporation has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information or implied by forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. The Corporation undertakes no obligation to update or reissue forward-looking information as a result of new information or events except as required by applicable securities laws.

SOURCE: Critical Elements Lithium Corporation

View the original press release on accesswire.com
RIO HONDO, TX / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / Trans American Aquaculture, Inc. (TAA) (OTC Pink:GRPS), a leading provider of responsibly raised and 100% American-made farm-raised shrimp, proudly announces a significant milestone. We are delighted to report that we have sold our entire harvest for 2023 and that a major east coast supermarket chain has acquired and stocked our premium shrimp products.

Our commitment to sustainable aquaculture and superior product quality aligns seamlessly with buyers' dedication to offering customers the finest and ethically sourced seafood options.

"Our team at TAA is pleased to bring our responsibly raised shrimp to store shelves. This development allows us to reach a wider audience, sharing the flavors and benefits of our premium, 100% U.S.-grown shrimp with more households on the East Coast," said Adam Thomas, CEO of TAA.

To meet the demand for our superior-quality shrimp, we have started our initial stocking programs for the 2024 harvest. This year, our plan is to deliver a continuous harvesting of our delectable and responsibly raised products from this summer through the end of the year. This initiative positions TAA to be a valued partner to leading food companies by providing ongoing shipments of our premium shrimp, for their customers.

"We are excited to get rolling on our first harvest of 2024, which not only reflects our dedication to sustainable domestic aquaculture but also represents a significant advance in meeting the growing expectations of our valued customers," expressed Mr. Thomas.

This year, we look forward to providing an abundant supply of our 100% U.S.-grown shrimp and fortifying our position as a leading provider of responsibly raised seafood.

For more information about Trans American Aquaculture and its sustainable aquaculture practices, please visit [www.transamaqua.com]. Follow their updates and progress on Twitter [@TransAmAqua].

About Trans American Aquaculture

Trans American Aquaculture OTC Pink: GRPS) is a leading sustainable aquaculture company committed to meeting the increasing global demand for responsibly sourced seafood. With advanced technology, state-of-the-art facilities, and a dedication to environmental sustainability, the company is revolutionizing the shrimp farming industry. Trans American Aquaculture strives to provide high-quality, eco-friendly shrimp to consumers while maintaining the highest standards of transparency and ethical practices.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that are intended to be covered by the "safe harbor" created by those sections. Forward-looking statements, which are based on certain assumptions and describe our future plans, strategies and expectations, can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terms such as "believe," "expect," "may," "should," "could," "seek," "intend," "plan," "goal," "estimate," "anticipate" or other comparable terms. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this news release regarding our strategies, prospects, financial condition, operations, costs, plans, and objectives are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on our current beliefs, expectations, and assumptions regarding the future of our business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Our actual results and financial condition may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause our actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements include, among others, the following: our ability to successfully market our products and services; the acceptance of our products and services by customers; our continued ability to pay operating costs and ability to meet demand for our products and services; the amount and nature of competition from other security and telecom products and services; the effects of changes in the cybersecurity and telecom markets; our ability to successfully develop new products and services; our success establishing and maintaining collaborative, strategic alliance agreements, licensing and supplier arrangements; our ability to comply with applicable regulations; and the other risks and uncertainties described in our prior filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether because of new information, future developments or otherwise.

Media Contact:



Adam Thomas

[email protected]

972-358-6037

Trans American Aquaculture, LLC

1022 Shadyside Lane

Dallas, TX 75223

SOURCE: Trans American Aquaculture, Inc

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Bernstein analysts reiterated an Outperform rating and slightly raised their price target on Disney (NYSE: DIS) from $115 to $120 ...

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CAMDEN, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- American Water (NYSE: AWK), the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the U.S., announced today that it has been ranked number 1 in the utilities industry on Forbes America's Best Large Employers 2024 list. The ranking is based on an independent survey of employees.

"American Water is honored to receive recognition on Forbes America's Best Large Employers 2024 list," said M. Susan Hardwick, President and Chief Executive Officer, American Water. "We are extremely fortunate to have such an engaged, talented and diverse workforce, focused on building a better workplace where our people can thrive.

Forbes partnered with market research firm Statista to survey more than 170,000 U.S.-based employees at companies with at least 1,000 employees. Companies with more than 5,000 employees were eligible for the category of large employers. Survey respondents were asked if they would recommend their employer to others and given the chance to rate other employers in their respective industries. All survey responses were tallied and weighted to produce a score for each company.

View the full list of Forbes America's Best Large Employers 2024 here.

About American Water

American Water (NYSE: AWK) is the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States. With a history dating back to 1886, We Keep Life Flowing by providing safe, clean, reliable and affordable drinking water and wastewater services to more than 14 million people with regulated operations in 14 states and on 18 military installations. American Waters 6,500 talented professionals leverage their significant expertise and the companys national size and scale to achieve excellent outcomes for the benefit of customers, employees, investors and other stakeholders.

For more information, visit amwater.com and join American Water on LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Instagram.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240220964783/en/

Media Contact:

Alicia Barbieri

Director, Communications and External Affairs

American Water

(856) 676-8103

[email protected]

Source: American Water
MINNETONKA, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- In a move that reaffirms its commitment to the preservation and storage of high-quality cannabis, Boveda Inc. today announced its support for the International Cannabis Quality Standards Association (ICQSA). This organization of global cannabis experts provides guidance to authorities, governments, regulators, and producers on critical cannabis industry issues, including cultivation, post-harvest practices, humidity control, packaging and labeling, finished product testing, and more.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240220521592/en/

In a move that reaffirms its commitment to the preservation and storage of high-quality cannabis, Boveda Inc. today announced its support for the International Cannabis Quality Standards Association (ICQSA). (Photo: Business Wire)

ICQSA embraces the challenges of the emerging cannabis industry to secure the advantages of system-wide quality standards, cannabis product safety, production efficiency, and an extraordinary consumer and patient experience.

It is imperative that stakeholders come together to form cohesive cannabis guidelines and standards for this industry, states the associations founder and cannabis quality assurance expert, Atiyyah Ferouz. The ICQSA serves as a platform for the international cannabis community to work collaboratively, exchange knowledge, and develop best practice guides that address the unique challenges associated with this plant.

Claire Erickson, Industry Programs Manager at Boveda, the global leader in 2-way humidity control, echoes these sentiments. Fortifying cannabis quality best practices around the world is paramount to long-term industry success. The dedication and experience of the ICQSA in advancing cannabis quality assurance mechanisms, such as water activity control, legitimizes the industry as a whole.

By developing comprehensive cannabis best practice guides and standards across the cannabis supply chain, ICQSA builds trust and credibility among consumers, regulators, and the global cannabis community, paving the way for a thriving and regulated global cannabis supply chain.

Guides will be published and made available to the public, free of charge, on the ICQSA website.

Ferouz explains, The cannabis industry is at a critical inflection point in its history. It is time that we start moving away from operating within our respective silos and work towards a more unified cannabis landscape. Boveda is aligned with that mission, and we look forward to collaborating with cannabis markets around the globe that share our quality-first approach.

About Boveda Inc: Boveda Inc. is the global leader in 2-way humidity control. The brands suite of storage solutions preserves the quality of moisture-sensitive items, including cigars, cannabis, medical devices, wooden instruments, and more. Headquartered in Minnetonka, Minnesota, Boveda invented and patented the Original Terpene Shield, which protects cannabis in storage, transport, and packaging. Innovative companies ensure an exceptional consumer experience by using Boveda to maintain the quality, consistency, and freshness of their moisture-sensitive products. For more information, visit BovedaInc.com.

About the International Cannabis Quality Association (ICQSA):

Launched in 2024, the ICQSA is dedicated solely to the advancement of cannabis quality standards. Expert stakeholders coalesce within ICQSA to solve cannabis industry issues and promote global harmonization.

To learn more or apply for membership, please visit www.ICQSA.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240220521592/en/

Rachel Albertson, Boveda

+1 605-321-4212

[email protected]

www.bovedainc.com

Source: Boveda Inc.
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Western Alliance Bank today announced the appointment of Bret Rathwick and Michael Anthony to the organizations Commercial and Industrial team. Rathwick assumes the role of Vice President, Relationship Manager at Western Alliance Banks Costa Mesa office and Anthony takes on the role of Vice President, Relationship Manager at the organizations Downtown Los Angeles office.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240220072844/en/

Bret Rathwick, Western Alliance Bank (Photo: Business Wire)

Bret and Michaels addition to the commercial banking team at Western Alliance Bank strengthens our capacity to serve the thriving commercial market in California, said Julian Parra, head of commercial and industrial banking for California at Western Alliance Bank. Their expertise aligns seamlessly with our mission to provide practical, effective solutions for middle market companies across Southern California and beyond.

Rathwick brings more than three decades of industry experience to his role. Prior to joining the Western Alliance Bank team, he served as an Area Manager at Wells Fargo, overseeing a team of commercial loan officers in Orange County. He also held roles at Citibank, Bank of America and Comerica Bank, working in various capacities, from brokerage to commercial loans and relationship management. Rathwick holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from California State University, Fresno.

Anthony brings nearly a decade of experience to the Western Alliance team. Previously, he held Vice President and Relationship Manager roles at Opus Bank, Bank of America and Pacific Premier Bank, where his responsibilities spanned everything from new business development and sales to portfolio management and more. Anthony holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with an emphasis in Finance and a Minor in Leadership from Chapman University.

To learn more about Western Alliance Bank, visit www.westernalliancebancorporation.com.

About Western Alliance Bank

With more than $70 billion in assets, Western Alliance Bancorporation is one of the countrys top-performing banking companies. Its primary subsidiary, Western Alliance Bank, Member FDIC, offers a full spectrum of tailored commercial banking solutions and consumer products, all delivered with outstanding service by banking and mortgage experts who put customers first. Major accolades include being ranked as a top U.S. bank in 2023 by American Banker and Bank Director and receiving #1 rankings on Institutional Investor's All-America Executive Team Midcap 2023-2024 for Best CEO, Best CFO, Best Company Board of Directors and Best Investor Relations Team. Serving clients across the country wherever business happens, Western Alliance Bank operates individual, full-service banking and financial brands with offices in key markets nationwide. For more information, visit Western Alliance Bank.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240220072844/en/

Media contact: Stephanie Whitlow, [email protected]

Source: Western Alliance Bancorporation
Funds will be used to accelerate US market adoption and to expand the product portfolio of the first and only Serration Angioplasty Technology

WAYNE, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Cagent Vascular, Inc., a rapidly growing commercial stage medical device company, today announced a Series C Financing close in excess of $30M. U.S. Venture Partners (USVP), led the round. Participation included new investor Blue Ridge Medical, LLC and existing investors, including Sectoral Asset Management.

We are pleased with the significant investment from U.S. Venture Partners and other new and existing investors. To date, we estimate that over 10,000 Serranator PTA Serration Balloon Catheters (Serranator) have been used to treat those suffering from Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD). This infusion of capital will increase our commercial reach, helping to provide greater access for healthcare providers and their patients, stated Carol A. Burns, CEO.

USVP is a leading Silicon Valley venture capital firm in Menlo Park, CA. At US Venture Partners, we understand the challenges facing PAD patients and are keenly aware of the need for innovation for this vulnerable patient population. As we reviewed the impressive clinical data and spoke to physicians about their patient outcomes, it was clear that Serration Angioplasty is truly innovative. This was further underscored by the strong early commercial success driven by the exceptional team at Cagent Vascular, said Casey Tansey, General Partner, US Venture Partners.

About Serranator

The Serranator PTA Serration Balloon Catheter (Serranator) has three embedded serrated elements designed to modify the plaque by creating linear, interrupted scoring along the endoluminal surface to aid arterial expansion. The Serranators unique mechanism of action has demonstrated greater lumen gain than plain angioplasty balloons. Increased lumen gain results in restored blood flow to the foot, leading to wound healing and relief of symptoms.

A recently published study in the Journal of Endovascular Therapy1 compared the degree of elastic recoil, a dramatic loss of lumen gain that occurs within 15 minutes of treatment, in Serranator-treated versus plain balloon in below-the-knee lesions. These unique results demonstrated 55% mean elastic recoil in the plain balloon group versus just 6% in the Serranator group. These data indicate a potential significant improvement for people with Chronic Limb Threatening Ischemia (CLTI), the most advanced stage of peripheral artery disease (PAD), where arteries are prone to elastic recoil post- treatment, reducing blood flow.

The Serranator has received FDA 510k Clearance and is intended for dilatation of lesions in the iliac, femoral, iliofemoral, popliteal and infrapopliteal arteries for the treatment of obstructive lesions of native or synthetic arteriovenous dialysis fistulae. The product is currently being sold in the US. The Serranator device also has CE Mark and limited distribution in Europe.

About Cagent Vascular

Cagent Vascular, founded and led by serial medical technology entrepreneurs, is the leader in Serration Technology to treat peripheral artery disease. The company has developed a transformative improvement to conventional angioplasty, which is the most commonly performed procedure to restore blood flow. Although angioplasty has been used clinically for over 50 years, there remain significant opportunities to optimize the therapy and to improve the treatment outcomes of cardiovascular disease. To learn more about how Cagent Vasculars mission to fight PAD visit www.cagentvascular.com.

The information contained herein obtained from Cagent Vascular management is believed to be reliable. This does not constitute the solicitation of the purchase or sale of securities. Except for historical information contained herein, matters discussed in this document are forward-looking statements, the accuracy of which is subject to risks and uncertainties.

This project is supported by the Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southeastern PA, an initiative of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development funded by the Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority.

_____________________________

1 Fereydooni A, Chandra V, Schneider PA, Giasolli R, Lichtenberg M, Stahlhoff S. J Endovasc Ther. 2023 Dec 7

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240220273249/en/

Lauren Pfeiffer at 610.688.2006 or [email protected]

Source: Cagent Vascular, Inc.
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- In response to media reports this week of arrest warrants related to alleged unlawful conduct by a network of individuals in El Salvador and the region, the leadership of Continental Towers El Salvador is issuing the following statement to declare its position.

Continental Towers El Salvador reiterates previously published public notices that the individual in question, Jorge Alberto Gaitan Castro, was removed from his role overseeing the groups regional tower companies in October 2021 and was completely separated from the company, said Antonieta Granillo, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Continental Towers El Salvador,Continental Towers El Salvador has had no involvement and no knowledge of the alleged private business activities of Gaitan Castro, Jorge Leonel Gaitan Paredes, or the other individuals involved in alleged conduct in question.

Ms. Granillo continued: Our company has always operated in full compliance of local and international law, including the duty to report irregularities to the authorities. Continental Towers El Salvador emphatically rejects any association with or knowledge of the alleged conduct of Gaitan Castro, Gaitan Paredes, or the other individuals under investigation.

According to news outlet Ultima Hora on February 9th, arrest warrants have been issued against Gaitan Castro and Gaitan Paredes by the countrys Attorney General in connection with a criminal investigation involving high profile figures.

Operating since 2007, Continental Towers El Salvador is a leading provider of integrated telecommunications tower solutions.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240220241567/en/

Antonieta Granillo, [email protected]

Source: Continental Towers El Salvador
WILLIAMSVILLE, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Evans Bancorp, Inc. (the Company or Evans) (NYSE American: EVBN), a community financial services company serving Western New York since 1920, announced today that its Board of Directors declared a cash dividend of $0.66 per share on its outstanding common stock.

The dividend is payable on April 9, 2024, to shareholders of record as of March 12, 2024. The Company has approximately 5.5 million shares outstanding.

About Evans Bancorp, Inc.

Evans Bancorp, Inc. is a financial holding company and the parent company of Evans Bank, N.A., a commercial bank with $2.1 billion in assets and $1.7 billion in deposits at December 31, 2023. Evans Bank is a full-service community bank with 18 branches providing comprehensive financial services to consumer, business and municipal customers throughout Western New York. Evans Investment Services provides non-deposit investment products, such as annuities and mutual funds.

Evans Bancorp, Inc. and Evans Bank routinely post news and other important information on their websites, at www.evansbancorp.com and www.evansbank.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240220366045/en/

For more information contact:

John B. Connerton

Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

(716) 926-2000

[email protected]



-OR-



Deborah K. Pawlowski/Craig Mychajluk

Kei Advisors LLC

(716) 843-3908

[email protected]

[email protected]



Media Contact:

Kathleen Rizzo Young

Group VP/Public & Community Relations Director

716-343-5562

[email protected]

Source: Evans Bancorp, Inc.
AMMAN, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Jordan on Tuesday expressed regret and disappointment at the failure of the UN Security Council to adopt a resolution on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip after the U.S. vetoed the draft resolution submitted by Algeria.

The Security Council's inability for the third time to issue a resolution to stop the escalating war in Gaza reflects the international failure to halt the humanitarian catastrophe brought by the aggressive war that Israel insists on perpetuating, said spokesperson of the Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Sufian Qudah.

In a statement, he urged the international community, especially the Security Council, to fulfill its responsibilities and issue a resolution to stop the escalating war in Gaza, which has claimed the lives of over 29,000 people, mostly women and children.

He also stressed the importance of applying the rules of international law without favoritism or discrimination. 
WOKINGHAM, England--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Ferguson plc (NYSE: FERG; LSE: FERG) announces today that it will issue its second quarter results on Tuesday, March 5, 2024. The results will be available on Fergusons website at corporate.ferguson.com at 6:45 a.m. ET/11:45 a.m. GMT.

A conference call and webcast of the analyst and investor presentation will be broadcast at 8:30 a.m. ET/1:30 p.m. GMT on the same day. Participants can register for the webcast at corporate.ferguson.com.

A slide presentation that accompanies the event will be available 15 minutes prior to the start time at corporate.ferguson.com on the Events, Results and Reports page under the Investors tab. An archived version of the webcast and slide presentation will be available for 12 months after the live event.

About Ferguson

Ferguson plc (NYSE: FERG; LSE: FERG) is a leading value-added distributor in North America providing expertise, solutions and products from infrastructure, plumbing and appliances to HVAC, fire, fabrication and more. We exist to make our customers complex projects simple, successful and sustainable. Ferguson is headquartered in the U.K., with its operations and associates solely focused on North America and managed from Newport News, Virginia. For more information, please visit corporate.ferguson.com or follow us on LinkedIn linkedin.com/company/ferguson-enterprises.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240220750067/en/

Investor Inquiries

Brian Lantz

Vice President, IR and Communications

+1 224 285 2410

[email protected]



Pete Kennedy

Director, Investor Relations

+1 757 603 0111

[email protected]



Media Inquiries

Christine Dwyer

Senior Director, Communications and Public Relations

+1 757 469 5813

[email protected]

Source: Ferguson plc
Program designed to support small businesses in low-to-moderate income neighborhoods with customized access to Clover technology from Fiserv

BROOKFIELD, Wis.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Fiserv, Inc. (NYSE: FI), a leading global provider of payments and financial services technology, is partnering with Genesis Bank, one of only two diverse multiracial Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs) in the country, to drive economic empowerment and create positive impact in local communities.

Beginning this month, small businesses located primarily in low-to-moderate income (LMI) communities served by Southern California-based Genesis Bank will have access to customized technology bundles. Specifically designed to address challenges faced by these businesses, the bundles will provide access to select Clover point-of-sale (POS) technology from Fiserv with no or low entry costs and significantly discounted subscription fees.

We are incredibly excited to be partnering with Fiserv to offer this low-cost retail solutions bundle to small- and mid-sized businesses, said Stephen H. Gordon, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Genesis Bank. As the underlying nature and complexity of technology continues to evolve, gaining access to advanced POS systems has become essential for businesses to effectively operate, compete, and grow. Genesis Bank recognizes cost burden as being a significant barrier to gaining access to such essential technology, especially for the diverse small business owners and entrepreneurs that have historically been underserved. Accordingly, we believe this affordable Clover offering will further support our mission to make an impact in the diverse, entrepreneurial LMI communities we serve across Southern California, extending our collective reach into those businesses in need of such essential technology.

The best way to help small businesses is to meet them where they are, and many of our MDI clients are already there, said Neil Wilcox, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Fiserv. By partnering with Genesis Bank, we can support their growth and help maximize their impact by providing critical financial technology resources to the businesses that play a meaningful role in creating the vibrant and entrepreneurial communities that comprise Southern California, the second largest and most diverse demographic in the U.S.

The popular Clover point-of-sale and business management system from Fiserv enables small- and mid-sized businesses to accept payments and run their business, while also offering capabilities to enhance customer experience and streamline operations. Small businesses interested in learning more about accessing Clover with no entry costs can visit https://www.mygenesisbank.com/cloverbundle.

About Genesis Bank

Genesis Bank is a California state chartered commercial bank, organized by a group of highly experienced and successful bankers, investors, and business professionals. The Bank focuses on serving the financial needs of small to mid-sized businesses and owners, and investors in income-producing multifamily and commercial real estate located in the Banks Target Markets of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties, California. Additionally, Genesis Bank is designated by the FDIC as a Minority Depository Institution (MDI), and is one of only two diverse, multiracial MDIs in the U.S., out of approximately 4,600 banks. The Bank is powered by GenTeckSM, a groundbreaking combination of best-in-class technologies, which are tightly integrated to give clients a seamless, digital first, and transparent experience. The Banks products, services, and solutions primarily include traditional commercial business, Small Business Administration (SBA), income property, and owner-occupied commercial real estate loan and deposit products, as well as treasury management, escrow, and Section 1031 exchange services and solutions. Genesis Bank is headquartered in Orange County, California, and can be found online at www.mygenesisbank.com. Genesis is an Equal Housing Lender and Member FDIC.

About Fiserv

Fiserv, Inc. (NYSE: FI), a Fortune 500 company, aspires to move money and information in a way that moves the world. As a global leader in payments and financial technology, the company helps clients achieve best-in-class results through a commitment to innovation and excellence in areas including account processing and digital banking solutions; card issuer processing and network services; payments; e-commerce; merchant acquiring and processing; and the Clover cloud-based point-of-sale and business management platform. Fiserv is a member of the S&P 500 Index and has been recognized as one of Fortune Worlds Most Admired Companies for 9 of the last 10 years. Visit fiserv.com and follow on social media for more information and the latest company news.

FISV-G

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240220153773/en/

Fiserv:

Mark Jelfs

Senior Manager, Communications

Fiserv, Inc.

262-737-8244

[email protected]

Genesis Bank:

Will Han

Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer

Genesis Bank

949-273-1226

[email protected]

Source: Fiserv
AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Keller Williams Realty, Inc. (KW), the worlds largest real estate franchise by agent count, has partnered exclusively with Coursera, a leading online learning platform, to offer the KW Real Estate Agent Professional Certificate.

Within two to four months, the foundational program can prepare users with or without a college degree or industry experience for a career in real estate.

Two powerhouses in education  Keller Williams and Coursera - are joining forces to empower individuals to build rewarding careers in real estate, said Meredith Maples, senior director of Keller Williams University.

Powered by the new partnership, the KW Real Estate Agent Professional Certificate comprises 124 hours of world-class content, including videos, readings, assessments, and hands-on projects.

The KW Real Estate Agent Professional Certificate encompasses five core courses: The Principles of Real Estate; Sales Fundamentals; Establish Clients for Life with Buyers; Establish Clients for Life with Sellers; and Manage a Real Estate Business.

This is one of the most comprehensive foundational real estate education programs available on the market today, said Maples. "The KW Real Estate Agent Professional Certificate caters to aspiring individuals and licensed agents, offering essential foundational training for success in an industry that provides limitless opportunity."

Over 142 million registered learners come to Coursera to learn job-relevant skills from 300 leading universities and industry partners. KWs certificate is part of a portfolio of more than 40 entry-level professional certificates designed to help learners become job-ready. One in four completers of these professional certificate programs secured a new job, according to Courseras 2023 Learner Outcomes Report.

This new partnership enables us to train the next generation of real estate agents and leaders at an unprecedented scale, said Marni Baker Stein, Chief Content Officer of Coursera. This program provides an accessible entry point for anyone interested in the industry.

Keller Williams top agents teach you exactly what its like to be a real estate agent, help you master the skills you need to succeed, and provide a pathway to a fulfilling career, said Stein.

To learn more about the KW Real Estate Agent Professional Certificate, visit coursera.org.

The new certificate allows aspiring individuals to fully explore a real estate career prior to committing to pre-licensing education and a new career. Upon completion of certification, Keller Successful Career Opportunities in Real Estate (KSCORE) will provide scholarships to eligible individuals in qualifying areas for pre-licensing education.

This certificate will put aspiring real estate agents in a stronger position than ever before as they embark on a new career, said Maples.

About Keller Williams

Austin, Texas-based Keller Williams, the worlds largest real estate franchise by agent count, has more than 1,100 offices and 180,000 agents. The franchise is also No. 1 in units and sales volume in the United States.

Since 1983, the company has cultivated an agent-centric, technology-driven, and education-based culture that rewards agents as stakeholders. For more information, visit headquarters.kw.com.

About Coursera

Coursera was launched in 2012 by two Stanford Computer Science professors, Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller, with a mission to provide universal access to world-class learning. It is now one of the largest online learning platforms in the world, with 142 million registered learners as of December 31, 2023.

Coursera partners with over 325 leading university and industry partners to offer a broad catalog of content and credentials, including courses, Specializations, Professional Certificates, Guided Projects, and bachelors and masters degrees. Institutions around the world use Coursera to upskill and reskill their employees, citizens, and students in fields such as data science, technology, and business. Coursera became a Delaware public benefit corporation and a B Corp in February 2021.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240220078903/en/

Darryl G. Frost

Director of Public Relations and Media Relations

[email protected] / 254-466-3627

Source: Keller Williams Realty, Inc.
Maidenform M Ushers in a New Era of Innerwear from the Beloved Hundred-Year-Old Brand

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Maidenform, Americas No. 1 shapewear brand, has reignited its brand with a sumptuous new advertising campaign, showcasing its unbelievably soft M collection designed for young-minded consumers. From the brand that wrote the book on bras, Maidenform is proudly showing off the next best thing in body basics (that are anything but basic), with youthful cuts, bold colors, and craveable comfort in its new collection, Maidenform M.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240220534952/en/

Maidenform, Americas No. 1 shapewear brand, has reignited its brand with a sumptuous new advertising campaign, showcasing its unbelievably soft M collection designed for young-minded consumers. From the brand that wrote the book on bras, Maidenform is proudly showing off the next best thing in body basics (that are anything but basic), with youthful cuts, bold colors, and craveable comfort in its new collection, Maidenform M. (Photo: Business Wire)

Maidenform M is not just a line of intimates, it is a celebration of female boldness, confidence and unapologetic individuality, said Sandra Moore, Vice President Digital Marketing, HanesBrands. We are so excited to bring M to life with this fresh campaign. It is the collective effort of a predominantly female creative and client team who crafted a vision that captures the essence of Maidenforms century-long legacy and brings it into a modern era.

Conceived by BARKER, and directed by Christine Yuan, the Maidenform M campaign unfolds in the fabulous surroundings of a WoMansion, a decadent mansion inhabited by five unique women. Each room within the WoMansion is meticulously designed, inspired by the M collection, and radiates an undeniable modernity that complements the brand's commitment to on-trend designs.

The campaign features a custom song by the talented artist, Princess Nokia, adding an empowering and distinctive touch to the entire visual experience. The commercial, shot by a female team, aims to resonate with women on a personal level, showcasing the M woman embracing life to the fullest.

Our maximalist M campaign celebrates the M woman doing exactly what she wants with a decadent spot thats deliciously, unapologetically over the top, said Sandi Harari, Chief Creative Officer at BARKER. It aligns with so many of our own values as an agency  what it means to be a woman today. It represents fully embracing who we are for ourselves and no one else's gaze. No apologies.

The campaign marks a milestone in the brands rich history, ushering in a new era of self-expression and unapologetic femininity. Maidenform M leverages a century of expertise delivering intimates innovation and touts an amazing heritage as an original American and ultimately global brand:

Maidenform is recognized as the first intimate apparel company to advertise.

is recognized as the first intimate apparel company to advertise. During World War II, Maidenform adapted its manufacturing operations to support war time efforts to create over 28,000 special communications vests for American soldiers and manufacture parachutes for military use.

adapted its manufacturing operations to support war time efforts to create over 28,000 special communications vests for American soldiers and manufacture parachutes for military use. In 1927, the company patented several cutting-edge designs including full figure bras, and a seamed-uplift bra.

In 1949, the company launched its famous I Dream ad campaign which ran for 20 years, growing the brand and cementing Maidenfor m as a household name.

m as a household name. The I Dream ad campaign was later featured in season two of Mad Men in which the fictional ad agency was asked by its client to create ads similar to Maidenforms.

M is available at incredible value at major retailers and directly to consumers through retailer websites, the brands website and in owned stores.

Maidenform

For fashion-forward women who see every layer of clothing as a form of expression, Maidenform is the go-to intimates brand offering a powerful portfolio of modern styles, backed by an unparalleled history of innovation. Maidenform is committed to empowering women to show the world who they really are  one cute bra, underwear, shapewear at a time.

Maidenform is owned by HanesBrands. For more information, visit www.maidenform.com.

ADVERTISING AGENCY CREDITS

BARKER



Chief Creative Officer - Sandi Harari

Creative Director - Maya Kagan

Associate Creative Director, Art- Nancy Dao

Creative Director, Copy- Catherine Eccardt

Senior Art Director- Angela Yen

Copywriter - Sarah Bielawski

Associate Art Director - Delany Salazar

Agency Producer - Ray Rainville

Agency Producer - Shelley Nickerson

Account Lead - Kim Tracey

Account Director - Kelsie Johnson

Account Supervisor - Lauren Young

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Production Company: Object and Animal

Director: Christine Yuan

Executive Producer: James Cunningham

Producer: Karen Chen

Director of Photography: Xiaolong Liu

Editor: Nick Rondeau (Cabin Editing Company)

Photographer: Joelle Grace Taylor (Agency Arts)

Stills Retoucher: Rob Dewey (Digismith)

Music Artist - Princess Nokia

Music Supervision + Original Music: Knock it Out Music

Music Producer: Wellington Lora

Composer: Ryan Nach

Mix Engineer: Griffin DAmato for PLUSHnyc

CLIENT CREDITS

Maidenform

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240220534952/en/

Nicole Ducouer, Director of Corporate Communications, HanesBrands

[email protected]

Source: HanesBrands
Company's SIEM Solution Gains Contextual, Granular, Smart Analytics; Refines Enterprises' Breach Detection and Mitigation

Outsmarts malicious actors by leveraging contextual data from AD and UEBA to deconstruct the exploit triad: users, entities and processes

Neutralizes threats with a correlation package containing rules for detecting prevalent attacker tools and living off the land (LOTL) threats

correlation package containing rules for detecting prevalent attacker tools and living off the land (LOTL) threats Explore the new version of Log360 now: https://mnge.it/iwb

DEL VALLE, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- ManageEngine, the enterprise IT management division of Zoho Corporation, today announced the release of a unique, ML-powered exploit triad analytics feature in its SIEM solution, Log360.

Now, enterprises can knowledgeably trace the path of adversaries and mitigate breaches by providing complete contextual visibility into the exploit triad: users, entities and processes. The feature update was unveiled at the ManageEngine User Conference at The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai International Financial Centre in the United Arab Emirates.

Addressing the Critical Need for Faster Breach Response

"Todays cyberthreats masterfully blend into the fabric of legitimate activity, weaponizing stolen credentials, mimicking trusted processes and exploiting human vulnerabilities. These insidious tactics create a critical challenge: an extended data breach life cycle. It takes an alarming 277 days to identify and contain a data breach, with expenses surging by 23% after surpassing the 200-day mark. Manual, unguided threat analysis is a losing battlea labyrinth of multi-tool chaos," said Manikandan Thangaraj, vice president of ManageEngine.

"By offering a dynamic tapestry of insights into user attributes, process lineage and threat intelligence, Log360's ML-powered exploit triad analytics transcends from merely assisting detection to enabling better comprehension. This makes it a game-changer in reducing the breach life cycle," said Thangaraj.

Highlights of ML-powered Exploit Triad Analytics

Log360s threat detection and incident response (TDIR) module, Vigil IQ, features a dual-layered threat detection system released last year. With today's announcement, security takes a step further with advanced analytics offering deeper insights and faster response times.

A three-way threat hunting core: User, device and process analytics are unified on a single console that allows security professionals to delve deep into investigation as they traverse through the Incident Workbench.

User, device and process analytics are unified on a single console that allows security professionals to delve deep into investigation as they traverse through the Incident Workbench. ML-powered contextual data enrichment: Log360's in-depth contextual analysis incorporates insights from UEBA; process tree visualization; and the risk scoring of IPs, URLs and domains.

Log360's in-depth contextual analysis incorporates insights from UEBA; process tree visualization; and the risk scoring of IPs, URLs and domains. A process hunting suite: The process flow probing capability on the Incident Workbench and the correlation rules for the spawning of suspicious processes together create a complete suite for process hunting.

Empowering the cyber investigation dashboard, the latest iteration of Vigil IQ also enhances threat detection capabilities with the introduction of the following features:

A correlation package for prevalent attacker tools and LOTL threats: Augmenting the Incident Workbench, the solution also enhances the threat detection capabilities of Vigil IQ with more than 100 out-of-the-box correlation rules for effective detection of prevalent attacker tools in the environment and LOTL attacks.

Augmenting the Incident Workbench, the solution also enhances the threat detection capabilities of Vigil IQ with more than 100 out-of-the-box correlation rules for effective detection of prevalent attacker tools in the environment and LOTL attacks. An integration with VirusTotal: The scope of the Advanced Threat Analytics feature has expanded via an integration with VirusTotal, one of the leading threat intelligence services, for enhanced visibility into external threats and risk analysis.

About Log360

Log360 is a unified SIEM solution with integrated DLP and CASB capabilities that detects, prioritizes, investigates and responds to security threats. Vigil IQ, the solution's TDIR module, combines threat intelligence, an analytical Incident Workbench, ML-based anomaly detection and rule-based attack detection techniques to detect sophisticated attacks, and it offers an incident management console for effectively remediating detected threats. Log360 provides holistic security visibility across on-premises, cloud and hybrid networks with its intuitive and advanced security analytics and monitoring capabilities. For more information about Log360, visit manageengine.com/log-management/ and follow the LinkedIn page for regular updates.

About ManageEngine

ManageEngine is the enterprise IT management division of Zoho Corporation, catering to a wide range of organizations, MSPs and MSSPs. Established and emerging enterprisesincluding 9 of every 10 Fortune 100 organizationsrely on ManageEngine's real-time IT management tools to ensure optimal performance of their IT infrastructure, including networks, servers, applications, endpoints and more. ManageEngine has offices worldwide, including in the United States, the United Arab Emirates, the Netherlands, India, Colombia, Mexico, Brazil, Singapore, Japan, China, Australia and the United Kingdom as well as 200+ global partners to help organizations tightly align their business and IT. For more information, please visit the company site, follow the company blog and get connected on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240220970504/en/

Media:

Ahana Vissa

ManageEngine

[email protected]

Source: ManageEngine
BARCELONA, Spain--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Mavenir, the Network Software Provider building the future of networks, announces new developments on its OpenBeam massive MIMO (mMIMO) portfolio, powered by Qualcomm QRU100 5G RAN platform, in continuation to previous years product launch update. Mavenir expands the OpenBeam portfolio by introducing the low-power next-generation 32TRX mMIMO variant along with a high-power 32TRX AAU.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240219034877/en/

Mavenir OpenBeam massive MIMO 32TRX Active Antenna Unit. (Photo: Business Wire)

These next-generation mMIMO 32TRX Active Antenna Units (AAUs) introduce a new breed of open and interoperable radios that are green by design. OpenBeam mMIMO AAU delivers exceptional energy efficiency  resulting in one of the leanest mMIMO AAU footprints in the industry, offering substantial OpEx savings.

In addition to the current O-RAN 7.2b specification, the products are also engineered to support ULPI (Uplink Performance Improvement), allowing network operators to improve uplink performance of massive MIMO, minimize latency, and reduce fronthaul bandwidth, especially in urban settings where network capacity demand is high.

The portfolio consists of two discrete models that accelerate 5G mid-band rollouts:

32TRX AAU low power model : Offering one of the lowest footprints in the industry, the low power mMIMO AAU delivers 200W output power with 128 antenna elements at the lowest energy consumption. The solution is optimized for deployment in dense environments, driving faster installations and lower operational overheads.

: Offering one of the lowest footprints in the industry, the low power mMIMO AAU delivers 200W output power with 128 antenna elements at the lowest energy consumption. The solution is optimized for deployment in dense environments, driving faster installations and lower operational overheads. 32TRX AAU high power model: Mavenirs high-performance mMIMO AAU capable of delivering 320W output power and offering 192 antenna elements. This platform supports larger instantaneous bandwidth, while the output power extends coverage, making it ideal for RAN sharing deployments.

The 32TRX AAU solutions deliver advanced energy-saving capabilities incorporating smart sleep-mode schemes that are activated during idle, low, and busy hour traffic. These automated capabilities can be further enhanced using AI/ML-based intelligence.

Paco Martin, Head of Open RAN at Vodafone Group: We are pleased to see the broadening of Mavenirs mMIMO portfolio with the addition of a low power, compact product fitting our single-operator and footprint-constrained sites, on top of the existing higher power leading solution. Further adoption of Qualcomm QRU100 5G RAN Platform keeps bringing high performance and power efficient Open RAN radios allowing us to deliver the best customer experience.

BG Kumar, President, Access Networks, Platforms and MDE from Mavenir said: With this continuing evolution and enhancement of our OpenBeam massive MIMO radio solutions, Mavenir is once again setting new standards in the industry for energy efficiency, sustainability and performance.

We are very pleased with this extension to Mavenirs portfolio of high performing and power efficient Massive MIMO Radios, powered by Qualcomm QRU100 5G RAN Platform, said Gerardo Giaretta, Vice President, Product Management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. This is another great milestone in our ongoing collaboration with Mavenir, driving full-scale adoption of Open and Virtualized RAN.

Mavenirs OpenBeam full radio portfolio will be displayed at the upcoming Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Feb 26-29, in Hall 2 Stand 2H60. For more on Mavenirs presence at the show visit www.mavenir.com/mwc-2024

About Mavenir

Mavenir is building the future of networks and pioneering advanced technology, focusing on the vision of a single, software-based automated network that runs on any cloud. As the industrys only end-to-end, cloud-native network software provider, Mavenir is focused on transforming the way the world connects, accelerating software network transformation for 300+ Communications Service Providers and Enterprises in over 120 countries, which serve more than 50% of the worlds subscribers.

For more information, please visit www.mavenir.com

Qualcomm is a trademark or registered trademark of Qualcomm Incorporated.

Qualcomm branded products are products of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240219034877/en/

Mavenir PR Contacts

Emmanuela Spiteri

[email protected]

Source: Mavenir
New capabilities transform any browser into a secure enterprise browser, support easy browser policy management, and enable safe and simple hybrid work and zero-trust access

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Menlo Security, the pioneer of browser security, today announced the industrys first cloud-delivered Secure Enterprise Browser solution. Building on trusted and proven elements of the Menlo Secure Cloud Browser, the SaaS solution delivers a comprehensive approach to enterprise browser security, protecting enterprise users where they work and securing applications from Internet-borne attacks. Menlo has dramatically enhanced cloud-delivered browser security with new capabilities that ensure safety without requiring users to give up the browser they love.

The Menlo Security Enterprise Browser solution is powered by the Secure Cloud Browser, which protects millions of enterprise users globally. The solution is deployed today, delivering end-to-end visibility and dynamic policy enforcement directly inside browser sessions and blocking zero-hour phishing, malware, and ransomware attacks. By combining the benefits of the Menlo Secure Cloud Browser and the new capabilities, the Menlo Secure Enterprise Browser solution provides unparalleled protection against even the most advanced and evasive threats, no matter what browser users choose.

The Menlo Secure Enterprise Browser solution includes dramatic new capabilities for:

Managing local browser security policies within Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge

Protecting users with the Menlo Secure Cloud Browser

Securing access to applications and protecting associated data down to the last mile

The new capabilities are available now:

Menlo Security Browser Posture Manager provides easy browser configuration assessment and instant attack surface analysis. Most enterprises neglect browser policy management: there are thousands of settings and updates every two to four weeks. During 2023, 175 CVEs classified as high or critical were issued and over 125 new features were added to Chromium, the open-source web browser project that underpins both Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge. The work required to track configuration settings and feature additions and the lack of automated tooling has left a significant security gap within these enterprises. Menlo Security Browser Posture Manager automates the process and enables administrators to define policies for browsers and deploy them instantly. Menlo Security Browser Posture Manager works with Microsoft InTune to set browser policies and enables compliance with CIS Benchmarks for browsers.

Menlo Browser Extension and Menlo Security Client extends effortless zero-trust access to more users, devices, and applications. The Menlo Browser Extension supports unmanaged devices and adds a self-service deployment option. The Menlo Security Client enables cloud-based access to legacy applications, going beyond web applications for users that need support for SSH and RDP.

Menlo Security Last-Mile Data Protection goes beyond traditional DLP technology, applying protection in the cloud that extends copy-paste control, user-input limits, watermarking and data masking to the endpoint. Last-mile DLP protects against releasing unprotected information to the local browser endpoints and stops it from being leaked into web applications such as ChatGPT.

Employees spend 75% of their work day in the browser, making secure browsing an essential requirement for every enterprise, said Amir Ben-Efraim, CEO and co-founder, Menlo Security. Simply put, traditional approaches to cyber security are failing. Phishing regularly evades all existing protections, and ransomware doubled in 2023 to over $1B in payments. We need a new approach, and browser security is ground zero. We have launched the industrys first cloud-delivered secure enterprise browser to finally stop these attacks, once and for all. It transforms any browser into a secure enterprise browser, adding the local browser into a layered security architecture by managing it with a curated security policy, leveraging it for zero-trust application access, and creating a digital twin of the browser in the cloud to eliminate threats.

Menlo Security provides browser security to about 8 million users across nearly 1,000 global enterprises and leading government organizations, including the U.S. Department of Defense. Enterprises large and small benefit from risk reductions that facilitate more efficient work. Users can keep the browser they love by adopting the Menlo Security browser extension. The Menlo Security Client, an optional component, adds support for legacy client-server applications. The Menlo Secure Cloud Browser empowers hybrid workers, contractors, and BYOD workers to do business.

The innovations from Menlo Security enable safe hybrid work and make zero-trust access easy, even on unmanaged desktops and devices, said Greg Pastor, Director Information Security at Remedi SeniorCare Pharmacy. We can protect users even when we dont control their device. We dont force them to use a new browser. And we worry less, because the local browser is no longer an open-door to our business. We feel assured that risk to users and applications and data is reduced because we have an enterprise browsing solution that starts with security and also increases productivity. Menlos new capabilities increase safety without adding complexity, and we have stopped worrying so much about local-browser weaknesses or duplicating costs with a replacement browser.

The Menlo Enterprise Browser solution enables a simple to adopt and unified zero-trust access model that works with enterprise-managed systems and unmanaged devices, too. Menlo accelerates governance over privileged access while moving past legacy approaches, such as virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) and remote-access VPNs.

In stark contrast to legacy VDI systems, the Menlo Security solution delivers modern secure remote access for unmanaged users and devices. It supports safe browsing, web filtering, isolated cloud browsing, exploit protection, and zero-trust access without frustrating end users and is significantly more cost effective than VDI, network infrastructure-based, or replacement browser approaches.

The Menlo Secure Enterprise Browser solution enables the workspace of tomorrow, delivering browser security to desktops and mobile work, and protecting users, applications, and data.

To learn more about how Menlo Security protects users against zero-hour phishing attacks and evasive ransomware droppers or to see how you can simplify zero-trust access, replace outdated VDI deployments, or enable hybrid workforces to adopt new tools, such as Gen AI services, visit www.menlosecurity.com.

About Menlo Security

Menlo Security protects organizations from cyber threats that attack enterprise browsers. Menlo Securitys patented Cloud-Browser Security Platform scales to provide comprehensive protection across enterprises of any size, without requiring endpoint software or impacting the end user-experience. Menlo Security is trusted by major global businesses, including Fortune 500 companies, eight of the ten largest global financial services institutions, and large governmental institutions. The company is backed by Vista Equity Partners, Neuberger Berman, General Catalyst, American Express Ventures, Ericsson Ventures, HSBC, and JPMorgan Chase. Menlo Security is headquartered in Mountain View, California. For more information, please visit www.menlosecurity.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240220221540/en/

Emily Ashley

Lumina Communications

[email protected]

Source: Menlo Security
Cefepime-Taniborbactam Superior to Meropenem for the Composite Efficacy Endpoint

Composite Efficacy Sustained at Late Follow-up Visit

Safety Profile Consistent with Meropenem

MALVERN, Pa. & PARSIPPANY, N.J. & FLORENCE, Italy--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Venatorx Pharmaceuticals, Melinta Therapeutics LLC (Melinta), and Menarini Group today announced that The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) published the results of the CERTAIN-1 Phase 3 clinical study of the investigational agent cefepime-taniborbactam for the treatment of adult patients with complicated urinary tract infections (cUTI) and acute pyelonephritis (AP), including those with bacteremia. The results showed that cefepime-taniborbactam was superior to meropenem for the treatment of complicated UTI that included acute pyelonephritis, with a similar safety profile to meropenem.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240220917017/en/

Gram-negative infections such as cUTI have become increasingly difficult to treat due to acquired bacterial resistance to multiple classes of antibiotics. Cefepime-taniborbactam has the potential to treat a broad range of patients with cUTI due to suspected or confirmed multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens including Enterobacterales and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, said Paul C. McGovern, MD, Senior Vice President at Venatorx and co-author of the publication. This Phase 3 study is the culmination of a long journey of discovery and development, and we look forward to progressing this agent through the next regulatory stages so that the drug may reach patients world-wide as expeditiously as possible.

Christine Ann Miller, President and Chief Executive Officer of Melinta Therapeutics added, We are pleased to see these results published in the New England Journal of Medicine. We look forward to leveraging our experience in marketing infectious disease products and our established commercial infrastructure, especially within the hospital and acute care settings, to make cefepime-taniborbactam available to physicians and their patients with complicated urinary tract infections if approved.

E.coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are largely involved in cUTI Gram-negative pathogens infections reaching nearly 75% in Europe. We believe that the NEJM published CERTAIN-1 Phase 3 data indicating cefepime-taniborbactam's superiority on the composite endpoint of microbiological and clinical response alongside its comparable safety profile versus meropenem provides useful insight as to its expected contribution, upon approval by relevant regulatory authorities, in the treatment of hospitalized patients with cUTI starting in Europe, said Najy Alsayed, Global Therapeutic Area Head-Infectious Diseases at Menarini Group.

About CERTAIN-1

CERTAIN-1 was a randomized, multicenter, double-blind, active-controlled, non-inferiority study of hospitalized patients (N=661) with complicated urinary tract infections (cUTI), including acute pyelonephritis (AP), comparing cefepime-taniborbactam (2.5 g every 8 hours) to meropenem (1 g every 8 hours). The primary endpoint was the composite microbiologic and clinical response at the Test of Cure (TOC) visit (Day 19-23) in the microbiological intention-to-treat (microITT) population. The non-inferiority margin was -15% and there was a prespecified superiority analysis if non-inferiority was concluded.

Efficacy Data

Cefepime-taniborbactam met the prospectively defined non-inferiority primary endpoint of composite microbiologic and clinical response versus meropenem at the TOC visit (70.6% response rate for cefepime-taniborbactam versus 58.0% for meropenem). The prespecified superiority analysis at the TOC visit demonstrated that cefepime-taniborbactam was statistically superior to meropenem for the composite endpoint (response rate difference: 12.6% [95% confidence interval (CI): 3.1, 22.2]; p=0.009) and for the microbiologic endpoint (response rate difference: 11.7% [CI: 2.9, 21.0]); the clinical endpoint response rate difference was 4.5% [CI: -2.6, 12.6]. At the Late Follow-up (LFU) visit (Day 28-35), cefepime-taniborbactam demonstrated sustained statistical superiority to meropenem for the composite endpoint (63.8% response rate for cefepime-taniborbactam versus 51.7% for meropenem (response rate difference: 12.1% [CI: 2.2, 21.9]) and for the clinical response endpoint (response rate difference: 9.9% [CI: 1.5, 18.8); the microbiologic endpoint response rate difference was 7.7% [CI: -1.6, 17.3]. Additionally, cefepime-taniborbactam maintained a numerical advantage to meropenem against resistant pathogens: cefepime-resistant (71% response rate for cefepime-taniborbactam versus 53% for meropenem), ESBL-producing (71% response rate for cefepime-taniborbactam versus 55% for meropenem) and MDR (68% response rate for cefepime-taniborbactam versus 60% for meropenem).

Safety Data

Cefepime-taniborbactam demonstrated a safety profile consistent with meropenem. Treatment-emergent adverse events occurred in 35.5% and 29.0% of cefepime-taniborbactam and meropenem treated patients respectively. Serious adverse events occurred in 2.0% of cefepime-taniborbactam patients and 1.8% of meropenem treated patients. The most frequently reported treatment-emergent adverse events were headache (6.1% with cefepime-taniborbactam versus 3.7% for meropenem), diarrhea (4.1% versus 2.3%), and constipation (3.2% versus 1.4%). Three percent of patients treated with cefepime-taniborbactam discontinued therapy due to a treatment-emergent adverse event versus 0.9% of patients treated with meropenem. The safety data for cefepime-taniborbactam was consistent with the historical safety data for cefepime.

About Cefepime-Taniborbactam

Cefepime-taniborbactam is an investigational agent that is a combination of cefepime, a fourth-generation cephalosporin, and the novel beta-lactamase inhibitor (BLI), taniborbactam, that exhibits broad coverage of both serine- and metallo-beta-lactamases. In combination with cefepime, taniborbactam is under development as a new treatment option for patients with serious bacterial infections caused by difficult-to-treat drug resistant gram-negative pathogens, including carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) and carbapenem-resistant or multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CRPA/MDR-PA).

Funding Partners and Collaborators for Cefepime-Taniborbactam

This project has been funded in part with federal funds from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, under contract number HHSN272201300019C, and Wellcome Trust under Award No. 360G-Wellcome-101999/Z/13/Z, and has continued with federal funds from the Department of Health and Human Services; Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, under contract numbers HHSO100201900007C and 75A50122C00080.

In September 2018, Venatorx entered into an exclusive license agreement with Everest Medicines to support the development, registration, and commercialization of cefepime-taniborbactam in Greater China, South Korea, and select countries in Southeast Asia. Everest will be solely responsible for the commercialization of cefepime-taniborbactam in its territory and Venatorx will be eligible to receive royalties on net sales.

In April 2020, Venatorx and the GARDP Foundation (GARDP) announced a collaboration to accelerate the development of, and access to, cefepime-taniborbactam for adult and pediatric populations. Venatorx has granted GARDP exclusive rights to distribute and sub-distribute cefepime-taniborbactam, once it is approved for clinical use, in low- and lower-middle-income countries.

In November 2023, Venatorx and Melinta entered into an exclusive License Agreement to facilitate a strategic partnership in the U.S. to commercialize cefepime-taniborbactam, a beta-lactam / beta-lactamase inhibitor (BL/BLI) combination antibiotic being developed for the treatment of complicated urinary tract infections (cUTI) and hospital-acquired bacterial pneumonia and ventilator-associated bacterial pneumonia (HABP/VABP) in adults.

In December 2023, Venatorx entered into an agreement with Menarini Group, who acquired the exclusive rights to commercialize, upon approval of relevant health authorities, cefepime-taniborbactam in 96 countries in Europe, Latin America, Middle East, Turkey and North Africa and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

About Venatorx Pharmaceuticals

Venatorx is a private, late-stage clinical pharmaceutical company focused on improving health outcomes for patients with multidrug-resistant bacterial infections and hard-to-treat viral infections. Venatorxs lead program, cefepime-taniborbactam, is a clinical-stage antibiotic that completed a Phase 3 study in adults with complicated urinary tract infections (cUTI), including pyelonephritis. In October 2022, BARDA awarded a contract of up to $318M for development and procurement of cefepime-taniborbactam for the treatment of melioidosis and multi-drug resistant infections. Cefepime-taniborbactam is currently under review by the FDA for the treatment of cUTI, including acute pyelonephritis. Venatorx is also developing an oral antibacterial, ceftibuten-ledaborbactam (formerly known as VNRX-7145), for the treatment of cUTI, including pyelonephritis, caused by certain bacteria in adult patients with limited treatment options; this product is completing Phase 1 and will advance directly to a global Phase 3 cUTI clinical trial.. For more information about Venatorx and its anti-infectives portfolio, please visit www.venatorx.com.

About Melinta Therapeutics LLC

Melinta Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to providing innovative therapies to people impacted by acute and life-threatening illnesses. We focus our expanding portfolio on serving patients with an unmet need because thats how we make the most meaningful impact. At Melinta, were visionaries dedicated to innovation while staying grounded in what matters most: patients. Our portfolio currently includes seven commercial-stage products: BAXDELA (delafloxacin), KIMYRSA (oritavancin), MINOCIN (minocycline) for Injection, ORBACTIV (oritavancin), REZZAYO (rezafungin for injection), TOPROL-XL (metoprolol succinate) and VABOMERE (meropenem and vaborbactam). For more information about Melinta Therapeutics, our commitment to patients, and to learn about our portfolio of therapies, visit www.melinta.com.

About Menarini Group

The Menarini Group is a leading international pharmaceutical and diagnostics company, with a turnover of over $4.4 billion and over 17,000 employees. Menarini is focused on therapeutic areas with high unmet needs with products for cardiology, oncology, pneumology, gastroenterology, infectious diseases, diabetology, inflammation, and analgesia. With 18 production sites and 9 Research and Development centers, Menarinis products are available in 140 countries worldwide. For further information, please visit www.menarini.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240220917017/en/

VENATORX MEDIA:

Jennifer Guinan

Sage Strategic Marketing

[email protected]

610.410.8111

MELINTA MEDIA RELATIONS:

Sharon Dilling

[email protected]

[email protected]

MENARINI GROUP PRESS OFFICE:

Valeria Speroni Cardi

[email protected]

Source: Venatorx Pharmaceuticals
Angelo Parente Tasked With Driving Further Growth

RUBBIANO, PARMA, Italy--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Lincotek has announced today the appointment of Angelo Parente as new Global General Manager of its Surface Solutions Division - a global provider of fully integrated supply chain solutions for the Energy and Aerospace markets. Angelo will take over the role from February 22nd, 2024.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240219902523/en/

NEW GLOBAL MANAGER APPOINTED TO LINCOTEK SURFACE SOLUTIONS DIVISION. ANGELO PARENTE TASKED WITH DRIVING FURTHER GROWTH. (Photo: Business Wire)

Reporting directly to Andrea Colombo, CEO of Lincotek Group, Angelo will be responsible for developing and implementing the growth strategy of the business across different regions, as well as its operational implementation.

With a degree in Aeronautical Engineering and professional experience in Italy, France and Germany, Angelo joins Lincotek with over 25 years of experience in the Aerospace, Energy and Industrial sectors, holding executive roles in Project Management, Purchasing and General Management.

In his most recent experience, Angelo held leadership positions at Baker Hughes, such as General Manager of the Power Transmission Division and Business Operations Leader - Climate Technology Solutions.

Angelos consolidated knowledge of the relevant sectors, and familiarity with leading teams in complex multicultural environments, will be key to drive further growth of Lincotek Surface Solutions Division.

"Im thrilled to join the Lincotek family and contribute to the next chapter of its successful history, said Angelo Parente. There are many opportunities ahead for the Surface Solutions Division and Im looking forward to delivering on them, together with its outstanding team across the world.

Andrea Colombo remarked: I am very excited to welcome Angelo to our Lincotek family. With his experience and proven ability to address really challenging issues across different territories and cultures, Angelo will be a key asset to help the team growing the business to the next level and to support our customers winning their challenges in the marketplace. With his involvement, I feel even more confident about the bright future of our Surface Solution business.

About Lincotek  Lincotek is a global solution provider for services in niche markets including Industrial Gas Turbines, Aerospace and Medical Device applications, as well as a leading manufacturer of industrial coating equipment and one of the most respected producers in the Additive Manufacturing field. The Group is family-owned and has more than 1,700 employees located in 20 production facilities across Europe, North America and Asia - lincotek.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240219902523/en/

Media Contact: Francesca Pedrotti, Head of Global Communication  Lincotek [email protected], +39 345 6203212

Source: Lincotek
Cure Parkinsons has awarded a grant under its International Linked Clinical Trials (iLCT) program to support a clinical study of dapansutrile in patients with early Parkinsons disease

Caroline H. Williams-Gray BMBCh MRCP PhD will serve as Principal Investigator of this Phase 2 trial at the University of Cambridge in the UK, where Dr. Williams-Gray leads the Parkinsons Disease Research Clinic. The trial will be supported by the Neuroscience Theme of the Cambridge Clinical Trials Unit and the NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre

In this trial, dapansutrile, a specific NLRP3 inhibitor, is intended to target the inflammatory response in Parkinsons, a novel therapeutic approach that potentially could modify the disease course

Patients will be treated for up to 12 months allowing for the potential to measure a disease modifying effect on motor function and non-motor symptoms

Movement-associated symptoms associated with Parkinsons disease arise after significant loss of the dopamine-producing cells of the substantia nigra area of the brain; dapansutrile has previously been found to protect substantia nigra cells in mouse models

Parkinsons disease is considered the fastest growing neurological condition in the world; currently, there are no therapeutics that can alter Parkinsons disease progression

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Olatec Therapeutics, Inc. (Olatec), a leader in the developing class of selective NLRP3 inhibitors, today announced that Cure Parkinsons granted an award to initiate a Phase 2 clinical trial investigating the potential of oral dapansutrile to slow or stop the progression of Parkinsons disease.

Parkinsons is a complex neurodegenerative disease, which as reported by Cure Parkinsons, is the fastest growing neurological condition in the world. The symptoms of Parkinsons are treated with a range of medications, but despite decades of research, currently there remains a serious unmet need for a treatment to slow, stop or reverse the progression of this disease.

The movement-associated symptoms of Parkinsons are mainly caused by the loss of dopamine-producing nerve cells (dopaminergic neurons) in the mid-brain called the substantia nigra which controls movement. This loss of dopaminergic neurons is associated with accumulation of a protein known as -synuclein within neurons, which is thought to disrupt their function. There is growing scientific literature suggesting that inflammation contributes to the damage and loss of neurons in the brain in Parkinsons patients. In particular, there is evidence that the NLRP3 inflammasome is activated within the inflammatory cells of the brain, called microglia, and this activation may be triggered by abnormal aggregates of -synuclein protein. Treatment with dapansutrile has the potential to arrest this cyclical process of cell damage thereby slowing the progression of the disease.

This investigator-initiated study entitled Anti-inflammatory Intervention with Dapansutrile (OLT1177) for Parkinsons Disease Modification (DAPA-PD): A Randomised Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Phase II Trial is targeting to commence in mid-2024, subject to completion of all contractual agreements and regulatory authorizations. The trial will seek to enroll 36 participants with early Parkinsons disease. Treatment duration will be six months with placebo control, followed by an optional, six month open-label phase. This single center study will be conducted at the John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neurosciences at the University of Cambridge in the UK. Dr. Caroline H. Williams-Gray, who leads the Cambridge Parkinsons Disease Research Clinic, is the Principal Investigator.

When asked about the study, Dr. Caroline Williams-Gray, said: There is a pressing need for a specific treatment, such as dapansutrile, which targets the most relevant aspects of the immune activation pathway in Parkinsons without causing general immunosuppression and leading to unwanted side effects. In this trial, we aim to determine dapansutriles safety and tolerability in patients with Parkinsons, and to establish whether treatment with dapansutrile can reduce inflammation in both the brain and periphery in Parkinsons. We will also investigate whether this results in a positive effect on clinical symptoms and disease progression.

Olatecs Founder and CEO, Damaris Skouras commented: The grant from Cure Parkinsons and our collaboration with Dr. Williams-Gray at the University of Cambridge provides the possibility to advance dapansutrile in its first CNS indication as a potential disease modifying treatment for Parkinsons.

About Parkinsons Disease

Over 9 million people worldwide are living with Parkinsons disease (mdabstracts.org, 2020). Currently, there are no therapeutics that can alter Parkinsons disease progression. Patients initially present with complaints of changes in movement, walking and speech; worsening physical symptoms are accompanied by the development of cognitive decline as well as a range of other non-motor symptoms including mood disturbance, bladder and bowel dysfunction, sleep problems and difficulties with blood pressure control. Medications such as levodopa can improve movement symptoms but are unable to control the wide range of non-motor symptoms that affect people with Parkinsons disease, and do not alter disease progression.

About Scientific Rationale for NLRP3 in Parkinsons Disease

The movement-associated symptoms of Parkinsons are mainly caused by the loss of dopamine-producing nerve cells (dopaminergic neurons) in an area of the midbrain called the substantia nigra which controls movement. This loss of dopaminergic neurons is associated with accumulation of a protein known as -synuclein within neurons, which is thought to disrupt their function. Once around half of the dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra are lost, typically the clinical symptoms of Parkinsons manifest, including slowness of movement, muscle stiffness and tremor. Parkinsons can also cause a wide range of non-movement related symptoms including anxiety, sleep disturbance, gut symptoms, cognitive problems and dementia. There is growing scientific literature suggesting that inflammation contributes to the damage and loss of neurons in the brain in Parkinsons. In particular, there is evidence that a complex of proteins called the NLRP3 inflammasome is activated within the inflammatory cells of the brain, called microglia, and this activation may be triggered by abnormal aggregates of -synuclein protein. Activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome causes microglia to produce inflammatory molecules which are damaging to dopaminergic neurons, and may promote further -synuclein aggregation, thus leading to a cyclical process of cell damage. Olatec believes that treatment with dapansutrile has the potential to inhibit the NLRP3 dependent neuroinflammatory process and in so doing arrest this cyclical process of cell damage thereby slowing the progression of the disease.

About Dr. Caroline Williams-Gray, Principal Investigator

Dr. Caroline Williams-Gray is a leading clinician scientist specializing in Parkinsons disease and movement disorders. She studied medicine at Cambridge University and Oxford Clinical School, graduating in 2001, and gained her PhD from Cambridge University in 2008, thereafter training in neurology in Cambridge, Norwich and Queen Square, London. Dr. Williams-Gray leads the Cambridge Parkinsons Disease Research Clinic. Dr. Williams-Grays work focuses on the theory that the immune system is a significant player in mediating the clinical variability of Parkinsons disease and its progression; and in particular that peripheral immune activation plays a critical role through exacerbating microglial activation and neuronal damage in the brain.

About Cure Parkinsons

Cure Parkinsons, a UK-registered foundation, funds, facilitates and encourages research aiming to find a cure for Parkinsons, with urgency, for people currently living with Parkinsons. It was founded in 2005 by people living with Parkinsons, who set out to find a cure. It focuses on research projects investigating disease-modifying therapies, with the potential to slow, stop or reverse the progression of Parkinsons. Cure Parkinsons partners with Van Andel Institute (VAI) and the John Black Charitable Foundation (JBCF) to fund an International Linked Clinical Trials (iLCT) initiative aiming to develop new, potentially disease-modifying Parkinsons therapies. Together, they have directly funded, or secured funding from donors and fundraisers, for over 75 million supporting clinical trials searching for a cure for Parkinsons and have pledged a total of USD $6.75 million to Parkinsons research, over three years. Under its iLCT program, Cure Parkinsons supports clinical trials based on a drug prioritization process conducted by a committee of world-leading experts. Over the last decade, the iLCT program has completed 13 trials and currently has 16 ongoing studies investigating 15 molecules.

About Dapansutrile

Dapansutrile (lab code: OLT1177) is an investigational small molecule, new chemical entity that specifically binds to and blocks NLRP3 (nucleotide-binding and oligomerization domain [NOD], leucine rich repeat-, pyrin domain-containing 3), the sensor molecule integral in the formation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. Inflammasomes are multiprotein complexes involved in intracellular surveillance of danger signals that trigger an intense inflammatory response, via generation of bioactive IL-1 and IL-18 through caspase-1 activation. Dapansutrile has been shown to prevent the formation of the NLRP3 inflammasome, which in turn inhibits the production of IL-1 and IL18. Dapansutrile has been well tolerated and shown to improve clinical outcomes in patients with acute gout flare (see The Lancet Rheumatology) and heart failure (see Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology). Dapansutrile has also been observed to have anti-inflammatory properties and other promising activity in a broad spectrum of over 20 preclinical animal models including arthritis, asthma, acute myocardial infarction (AMI), heart failure, contact dermatitis, multiple sclerosis, melanoma, pancreatic and breast cancers, spinal cord injury (SCI), Parkinsons and Alzheimers disease. For a complete list of Olatecs original publications on dapansutrile in various preclinical and clinical disease areas, please refer to Olatecs publication page, here.

About Olatec Therapeutics, Inc.

Olatec is a privately held, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a platform of oral NLRP3 inhibitors to treat and prevent a broad spectrum of acute and chronic inflammatory diseases known to be mediated by IL-1. Clinical trials include gout and diseases of aging such as type 2 diabetes, heart failure and cancer (see list of clinical trials to-date, here). In addition to the lead compound, dapansutrile, Olatecs platform of proprietary compounds includes approximately 40 analogues (OLT Analogues) being screened as viable drug candidates. A portfolio of intellectual property registrations protecting Olatecs compounds consists of over 150 patents granted. Olatecs drug development team is comprised of experienced management and international experts in translational medicine with unparalleled expertise in inflammation and immunology and has been involved in the discovery and development of first-line inflammation treatments in the market today. For more information, please visit http://www.olatec.com

Disclaimer & Forward-looking Statement

This press release is not an offer to sell and is not soliciting an offer to buy any equity interests in the Company. The information contained herein is being provided for information purposes only. The Company makes no express or implied representation or warranty as to the completeness of this information. Any forward-looking statements contained in this release are based on assumptions made by Olatec at the time this Press Release was prepared. Any forward-looking statement contained in this Press Release is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may be materially different from those contemplated in such forward-looking statements. All information with respect to industry data has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable and current, but the accuracy thereof cannot be guaranteed by the Company. Olatec does not undertake any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements contained in this Press Release to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date this Press Release was prepared, or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240220762945/en/

Olatec Contacts

Kate Allan, Corporate Development, and IR & Communications at [email protected]

Source: Olatec Therapeutics, Inc.
Representatives vote on a draft resolution during a UN Security Council meeting at the UN headquarters in New York, on Feb. 20, 2024. The United States on Tuesday vetoed a Security Council draft resolution that would have demanded an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza. The draft resolution won 13 votes in favor among the 15 members of the Security Council. The United States voted against it. Britain abstained. (Manuel Elias/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua)

UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- The United States on Tuesday vetoed a Security Council draft resolution that would have demanded an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza.

The draft resolution won 13 votes in favor among the 15 members of the Security Council. The United States voted against it. Britain abstained.

To be adopted, a Security Council draft resolution needs at least nine votes in favor and no veto from any of the council's five permanent members -- Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States.

The Algerian-drafted resolution would have demanded an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza and would have deplored all attacks against civilians. The draft would have rejected forced displacement of the Palestinian civilian population and would have demanded unhindered humanitarian access to Gaza. The draft also would have demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.

Before the vote on the draft resolution, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said the Algerian draft would jeopardize ongoing efforts toward a hostage deal. She said her delegation was working on a rival draft resolution that would call for a "temporary cease-fire" based on the formula that all hostages are released.

Russia's permanent representative to the United Nations, Vassily Nebenzia, said before the vote that Washington continues to give Israel "a license to kill." He asked Security Council members "to counter the lawlessness of Washington."

Speaking after the vote, Nebenzia said full responsibility for the consequences of Tuesday's outcome falls on Washington, no matter how hard the United States tries to evade it by talking about its "important mediation efforts."

In an explanation of vote after the voting, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, Zhang Jun, expressed his country's strong disappointment at and dissatisfaction with the outcome of the vote.

"The U.S. veto sent a wrong message, pushing the situation in Gaza into a more dangerous one," he said.

The U.S. claim that the Algerian-drafted resolution would interfere in ongoing diplomatic efforts is totally untenable, said Zhang.

The Security Council must take action to push for a cease-fire, which is its legal responsibility. The U.S. veto cannot muffle the strong call for a cease-fire and an end to the war in Gaza. The Security Council cannot stop its work to uphold justice and fulfill its responsibilities just because of the veto, he said.

French UN ambassador Nicholas de Riviere regretted that the draft resolution was not adopted given the disastrous situation on the ground.

"There is an extreme urgency to conclude, without further delay, an agreement on a cease-fire, which finally guarantees the protection of all civilians and the massive delivery of emergency aid," he said. "The human toll and humanitarian situation in Gaza are intolerable and Israeli operations must stop."

The Algerian text was the eighth Gaza-related draft resolution that the Security Council has voted on since Oct. 7, 2023. Only two draft resolutions have been adopted, neither of which calls for a cease-fire. 

Zhang Jun (C, Front), China's permanent representative to the United Nations, votes in favor of a Security Council draft resolution demanding an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza, at the UN headquarters in New York, on Feb. 20, 2024. Following the U.S. veto on a Security Council draft resolution that would have demanded an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza, the Chinese envoy said Tuesday that objection to a cease-fire in Gaza is nothing different from giving the green light to the continued slaughter. (Xinhua/Xie E)

Zhang Jun (C, Front), China's permanent representative to the United Nations, speaks in an explanation of vote after voting for a Security Council draft resolution demanding an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza, at the UN headquarters in New York, on Feb. 20, 2024. Following the U.S. veto on a Security Council draft resolution that would have demanded an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza, the Chinese envoy said Tuesday that objection to a cease-fire in Gaza is nothing different from giving the green light to the continued slaughter. (Xinhua/Xie E)
WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Rancher Government, the leader in secure Kubernetes and container management solutions, today announced the release of Rancher Government Hauler which dramatically streamlines and simplifies the process of moving assets, artifacts, and applications across the airgap from unclassified to classified environments securely.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240220064262/en/

Specifically designed to address the unique security and operational demands of the US Government and Military, Rancher Government sought to address the difficult, time and resource consuming process of fetching, packaging, and distributing assets from internet connected environments (typically low side or unclassified) to disconnected environments (typically hi side or classified); the result is Rancher Government Hauler.

At Rancher Government, our mission is to prioritize airgap users as first-class citizens on their cloud-native journey. Acknowledging the inefficiencies of the old approach, which relied heavily on SCIF-dwelling engineers manually creating BASH scripts for the 'sneakernet' process, we wanted to put the process on rails, said Brandon Gulla, VP and Chief Technology Officer at Rancher Government. With Hauler, a lightweight tool that transforms the process, we enable our DDIL/airgap customers to accelerate their mission success regardless of the connectivity limitations of their environment.

An airgap environment is one in which there is an absence of a direct or indirect connection between a computer and the internet, for security reasons. This ensures that the workloads being transferred to classified environments are not infected with malicious code or otherwise compromised. Moving assets across the airgap to classified environments involves a meticulous and highly secure process due to the sensitivity of the data and the need to prevent any unauthorized access or data breaches.

As an engineer, I'm always working in disconnected environments. I was the one writing and maintaining custom code for moving artifacts across the airgap and it's never easy, according to Zack Brady, Solutions Architect for the National Security Group at Rancher Government. Hauler has been a game changer for me and my government customers. It's great to be able to use a single binary to completely transform processes and allow teams to focus on innovating and solving complex problems.

Collecting assets, artifacts, and applications to cross the airgap domains then validating and distributing them in disconnected environments is a labor intensive and time consuming process that slows down the implementation and adoption of workloads in mission critical situations.

Rancher Government Hauler simplifies and enhances the airgap experience without mandating operators to adhere to a specific workflow. It streamlines this process by treating assets such as container images, helm charts, files, and more as content and collections. This approach enables operators to effortlessly fetch, store, package, and distribute these assets using declarative configuration files or through the command line.

Following the standards of the Open Container Initiative (OCI), Rancher Government Hauler allows operators to serve these artifacts with an embedded Docker Registry and file server which reduces the dependencies for bootstrapping airgapped and disconnected environments.

Check it out today: https://github.com/rancherfederal/hauler.

Want to learn more? View the documentation! https://hauler.dev

About Rancher Government:

Rancher Government Solutions (RGS) is specifically designed to address the unique security and operational needs of the U.S. Government and military as it relates to application modernization, containers, and Kubernetes.

Rancher is a complete open source software stack for teams adopting containers. It addresses the operational and security challenges of managing multiple Kubernetes clusters at scale, while providing DevOps teams with integrated tools for running containerized workloads.

RGS supports all Rancher products with U.S. based American citizens who are currently supporting programs across the Department of Defense, Intelligence Community, and civilian agencies.

To learn more, visit: https://ranchergovernment.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240220064262/en/

For Press Inquiries Contact

Don Poole

VP of Corporate Communications,

Rancher Government Solutions

Phone: 914.260.9717

Email: [email protected]

Rancher Government Solutions

Phone: 844.RGS.7779

Cage Code: 8GLZ3

Source: Rancher Government Solutions
Donation adds to companys unmanned systems and counter-drone technology currently in use by Ukraine forces

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Teledyne FLIR Defense, part of Teledyne Technologies Incorporated (NYSE: TDY), announced that Canadas Department of National Defence is seeking over 800 SkyRanger R70 Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), valued at more than CAD$95 million (approximately US$70 million), that Canada will donate to the government of Ukraine.

Built by Teledyne FLIR in Waterloo, Ontario, SkyRanger R70 drones feature autonomous navigation capability, plus advanced thermal and daytime sensors enabling them to detect and identify targets at long range. The advanced multi-mission drone can handle a variety of payloads up to 3.5 kilograms, including munitions.

This latest order from Canada adds to the unmanned systems and counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS) capabilities Teledyne FLIR Defense is already providing to Ukraines military through governments worldwide. Teledyne FLIR Black Hornet nano-drones are currently being used by Ukrainian forces through previous donations made by the Norwegian and British governments. They have performed successfully in numerous operations under the harshest of environments. Furthermore, via a contract with Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, Teledyne FLIR is providing advanced thermal/visual imaging systems with highly sensitive radar sensors onto a mobile platform to rapidly identify drone threats as part of a total C-UAS solution for Ukraine.

I would like to thank the Canadian government and the Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence, for turning to SkyRanger drones in their support for Ukraine, said Edwin Roks, Chief Executive Officer of Teledyne Technologies. As a world leader in small unmanned aerial systems and remote sensing solutions, Teledyne FLIR Defense is proving that tactical platforms such as SkyRanger and Black Hornet can deliver immediate covert situational awareness on todays battlefields, where and when warfighters need it most.

About Teledyne FLIR

Teledyne FLIR, a Teledyne Technologies company, is a world leader in intelligent sensing, unmanned systems, and integrated solutions for defense and industrial markets, with roughly 4,000 employees worldwide. Founded in 1978, the company develops a wide range of advanced technologies to help professionals make better, faster decisions that save lives and livelihoods. To learn more, visit teledyneflir.com or follow @flir. #AnyThreatAnywhere

About Teledyne Technologies

Teledyne Technologies is a leading provider of sophisticated digital imaging products and software, instrumentation, aerospace and defense electronics, and engineered systems. Teledyne's operations are primarily located in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Western and Northern Europe. For more information, visit Teledyne's website at www.teledyne.com.

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Media Contact:

Joe Ailinger, Jr.

Teledyne FLIR

Phone: +1 781-801-6161

Email: [email protected]

Investor Contact:

Jason VanWees

Teledyne Technologies

Phone: +1 805-373-4542

Email: [email protected]

Source: Teledyne Technologies Incorporated
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Trinity Place Holdings Inc. (NYSE American: TPHS) (the Company) announced that on February 14, 2024 the Company closed its previously announced recapitalization transactions. In connection with these transactions, the maturity date of each of the mortgage loan agreement and mezzanine loan agreement for the 77 Greenwich property was extended to October 23, 2025 with an option to extend for an additional year. At the closing, the lender under the Companys corporate credit facility purchased 25,112,245 shares of common stock of the Company and the maturity date of the Companys corporate credit facility was extended to June 30, 2026. In addition, an affiliate of the lender acquired a 5% interest in and became the manager of the joint venture that holds the Companys real estate assets and related liabilities, including the corporate credit facility, with the Company retaining a 95% interest in the joint venture, in addition to substantial federal, state and local tax net operating losses and certain intellectual property assets. The joint venture has additionally engaged the Company to act as asset manager for the joint venture for an annual management fee. The Company believes that the transactions will allow for an improved structure for a new investor to invest in the Company, which is less complex as a result of the real estate assets and substantially all liabilities being off-balance sheet. In addition, the parties have agreed to certain provisions in the stock purchase agreement to accommodate a new strategic partner that may invest in the Company.

About Trinity Place Holdings

Trinity Place Holdings Inc. is a real estate holding, investment, development and asset management company. As of February 14, 2024, the Companys real estate assets and related liabilities are held through an entity owned 95% by the Company, with an affiliate of the lender under the Companys corporate credit facility owning a 5% interest in and acting as manager of such entity. These real estate assets include (i) the property located at 77 Greenwich Street in Lower Manhattan, which is substantially complete as a mixed-use project consisting of a 90-unit residential condominium tower, retail space and a New York City elementary school, (ii) a 105-unit, 12-story multi-family property located at 237 11th Street in Brooklyn, New York, and (iii) a property occupied by a retail tenant in Paramus, New Jersey. The Company controls a variety of intellectual property assets focused on the consumer sector, a legacy of its predecessor, Syms Corp., including FilenesBasement.com, its rights to the Stanley Blacker brand, as well as the intellectual property associated with the Running of the Brides event and An Educated Consumer is Our Best Customer slogan. In addition, the Company had approximately $305.4 million of federal net operating loss carryforwards at September 30, 2023, as well as approximately $291.7 million of various state and local NOLs, which can be used to reduce its future taxable income and capital gains.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and projections about future events and are not guarantees of future performance or results and involve risks and uncertainties that cannot be predicted or quantified, and, consequently, the actual performance of the Company may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include the risks and uncertainties, as well as the other factors, described in more detail in the Companys filings with the SEC, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, as may be updated or supplemented by any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q or other filings with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such statements which speak only as of the date they are made. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update or release any revisions to any forward-looking statement or to report any events or circumstances after the date of this communication or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events except as required by law. The forward-looking statements contained herein speak only as of the date hereof, and the Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, subsequent events or otherwise, except as required by law.

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Linda Flynn, (212) 235-2191

[email protected]

Source: Trinity Place Holdings Inc.
NEW YORKNEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Two Harbors Investment Corp. (NYSE: TWO), an MSR + Agency mortgage real estate investment trust, today announced that its 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders will be held virtually on May 15, 2024, beginning at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time.

Stockholders can attend the virtual annual meeting via the internet at http://www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/TWO2024. Stockholders of record as of the close of business on March 20, 2024 will be eligible to vote their shares and submit questions electronically in advance of and during the virtual annual meeting by using the 16-digit control number included in the notice of internet availability of the proxy materials, on their individual proxy card or on the voting instruction form accompanying these proxy materials to attend the annual meeting. We recommend that stockholders log in at least fifteen minutes before the meeting to ensure they are logged in when the meeting starts.

A replay of the meeting will be available for one year following the meeting date. To listen to a replay of the annual meeting, please visit http://www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/TWO2024.

Two Harbors Investment Corp.

Two Harbors Investment Corp., a Maryland corporation, is a real estate investment trust that invests in mortgage servicing rights, residential mortgage-backed securities and other financial assets. Two Harbors is headquartered in St. Louis Park, Minnesota.

Additional Information

Stockholders of Two Harbors and other interested persons may find additional information regarding the Company at the Securities and Exchange Commissions Internet site at www.sec.gov or by directing requests to: Two Harbors Investment Corp., 1601 Utica Ave. S., Suite 900, St. Louis Park, MN, 55416, telephone (612) 453-4100.

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Margaret Karr, Head of Investor Relations, Two Harbors Investment Corp., (612) 453-4080, [email protected].

Source: Two Harbors Investment Corp.
Vertical wins further vote of confidence from the UK Government

New 8 million grant brings total support to 37 million

Award puts the UK at the forefront of novel air technology and urban air mobility

Vertical will head a consortium of leading technology organisations and research institutions: the University of Glasgow, the University of Bristol, Cranfield University and Helitune

LONDON & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Vertical Aerospace (Vertical) [NYSE: EVTL], a global aerospace and technology company that is pioneering zero emissions aviation, today announces it has been awarded 8 million ($10 million) in grant funding by the UK Government, through the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) Programme, to develop its next-generation propellers for use on its VX4 aircraft.

The project is the third awarded to Vertical by the ATI Programme and brings total UK Government grant funding to 37 million ($47 million). This demonstrates a significant vote of confidence in Verticals potential to lead the next generation in aviation.

The award puts the UK at the heart of the future global market in urban air mobility, which promises to transform how people move around and between cities, providing a clean, green and low-noise means of travel. Vertical is pioneering these efforts through the VX4, with a new, more advanced and full-scale prototype currently in production.

Industry Minister Nusrat Ghani MP added: This exciting sustainable propeller project is a fantastic example of our commitment to our world-leading aviation sector, supporting high-skilled, high-paid jobs across the UK while developing technologies of the future.

When government and industry collaborate like this, we help our aerospace sector soar to new heights, leading the charge towards net zero air travel by 2050.

The UK is a global leader in aerospace R&D and manufacturing, continuing its proud history in aviation. This specific project will bring together the UKs foremost experts and technical partners to further develop Verticals eVTOL propellor technology and propulsion system. The final technology will be lower in weight, inertia and noise than their existing propellers, and be delivered to a higher safety standard than any model currently on the market.

This project will be another major step towards delivering the next generation of novel electric aviation technologies in Britain, said Stephen Fitzpatrick, Founder and CEO of Vertical Aerospace. With the support of the ATI Programme and our consortium partners, this project will keep the UK and Vertical at the forefront of aerospace innovation, electric aviation, and urban air mobility.

This award follows Verticals recent announcement that Stephen Fitzpatrick has committed to invest a further $50 million into the business to support the continued development of the aircraft programme. Taken together, Verticals announcements over the last month deliver approximately $60 million in additional committed funding.

The total investment into the propeller project is almost 20 million, with Vertical having been awarded over 8 million, representing a contribution of 50% of Verticals eligible development costs. A further 3.5 million will be awarded to the other consortium members.

The consortium, led by Vertical, includes world-leading academic institutions: the University of Glasgow, the University of Bristol and Cranfield University, and the UKs helicopter monitoring specialists, Helitune.

Mark Scully, Head of Technology  Propulsion and Advanced Systems, ATI, noted: The project will see advancements in rotor technologies vital to the success of eVTOL aircraft developed here in the UK growing knowledge, skills and capability in the process. Through this investment the ATI Programme is enabling the development of ultra-efficient and cross-cutting technologies in a competitive global market expected to be worth 24bn to the UK up to 2050, accelerating the delivery of zero-emission aircraft on our journey to Destination Zero.

The ATI Programme is co-ordinated and managed by the Aerospace Technology Institute, the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) and Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation. Vertical has previously been awarded 26m from the ATI Programme as well as 3m from the Future Flight Challenge. The latest ATI Programme grant brings total UK Government support to 37m.

About Vertical Aerospace

Vertical Aerospace (NYSE: EVTL) is pioneering electric aviation. The Company was founded in 2016 by Stephen Fitzpatrick, an established entrepreneur best known as the founder of the OVO Group, a leading energy and technology group and Europes largest independent energy retailer. Vertical has focused on building the most experienced and senior team in the eVTOL industry, who have previously certified and supported over 30 different civil and military aircraft and propulsion systems.

Vertical received its Design Organisation Approval in 2023 underlining the UK Civil Aviation Authoritys confidence in Verticals capability to design a safe and reliable aircraft and aviation-related products to the highest standards.

Verticals top-tier partner ecosystem, including Honeywell Aerospace, Leonardo, Hanwha, Dassault Systemes, Molicel, and GKN Aerospace, is expected to de-risk operational execution and its pathway to certification allowing for a lean cost structure and enabling production at scale. Vertical has a leading pre-order book from a diverse global customer base, creating multiple potential near term and actionable routes to market. Customers include airlines, aircraft lessors, helicopter operators, mobility firms and tourism groups, including American Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Avolon, Bristow, Marubeni, Kakao Mobility, Iberojet and FLYINGGROUP, as well as Japan Airlines (JAL), Gol, Air Greenland, Gozen Holding and AirAsia, through Avolons VX4 placements.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that relate to our current expectations and views of future events. We intend such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements as contained in Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. Any express or implied statements contained in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding the receipt of anticipated funding and technology development, the design and manufacture of the VX4, our plans for capital expenditures, our liquidity, growth and profitability strategies, our ability and plans to raise additional capital to fund our operations and related timing on acceptable terms, or at all, our business strategy and plans and objectives of management for future operations, including the building and testing of our prototype aircrafts on timelines projected, certification and the commercialization of the VX4 and our ability to achieve regulatory certification of our aircraft product on any particular timeline or at all, expectations surrounding pre-orders and commitments, the features and capabilities of the VX4, the transition towards a net-zero emissions economy, as well as statements that include the words expect, intend, plan, believe, project, forecast, estimate, may, should, anticipate, will, aim, potential, continue, are likely to and similar statements of a future or forward-looking nature. Forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected, including, without limitation: our limited operating history without manufactured non-prototype aircraft or completed eVTOL aircraft customer order; our history of losses and the expectation to incur significant expenses and continuing losses for the foreseeable future; the market for eVTOL aircraft being in a relatively early stage; our potential inability to produce, certify or launch aircraft in the volumes or timelines projected; the potential inability to obtain the necessary certifications for production and operation within any projected timeline, or at all; any accidents or incidents involving eVTOL aircraft could harm our business; our dependence on partners and suppliers for the components in our aircraft and for operational needs; the potential that certain strategic partnerships may not materialize into long-term partnership arrangements; all of the pre-orders received are conditional and may be terminated at any time and any pre-delivery payments may be fully refundable upon certain specified dates; any circumstances; the inability for our aircraft to perform at the level we expect and may have potential defects; any potential failure to effectively manage our growth; our inability to recruit and retain senior management and other highly skilled personnel, our ability to raise additional funds when we need or want them, or at all, to fund our operations; our limited cash and cash equivalents and recurring losses from our operations raise significant doubt (or raise substantial doubt as contemplated by PCAOB standards) regarding our ability to continue as a going concern; we have previous identified material weaknesses in our internal controls over financial reporting which if we fail to properly remediate, could adversely affect our results of operations, investor confidence in us and the market price of our ordinary shares; as a foreign private issuer we follow certain home country corporate governance rules, are not subject to U.S. proxy rules and are subject to Exchange Act reporting obligations that, to some extent, are more lenient and less frequent than those of a U.S. domestic public company; and the other important factors discussed under the caption Risk Factors in our Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on March 22, 2023, as such factors may be updated from time to time in our other filings with the SEC. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof and accordingly undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. We disclaim any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than to the extent required by applicable law.

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Vertical Aerospace

Lyle Hill

[email protected]

+44 791 996 5716

Vertical Investors

Eduardo Royes

[email protected]

+1 646 200 8871

Source: Vertical Aerospace
Feasibility Study to Evaluate Deployment of Two Reactors at Borssele Nuclear Power Station

CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Westinghouse Electric Company announced today the signing of a contract with the Dutch government to conduct a Technical Feasibility Study (TFS) assessing the deployment of AP1000 reactors in support of their nuclear new-build strategy.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240220606575/en/

Michel Heijdra, Director-General for Climate and Energy of the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy (left), with Elias Gedeon, Westinghouse Senior Vice President of Energy Systems Commercial Operations (right) (Photo: Business Wire)

This comprehensive study will evaluate deployment of two AP1000 nuclear reactors at the Borssele Nuclear Power Station. The TFS represents a significant step forward in the country's ambitious strategy to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, aligning with the European Union's climate goals and the Dutch commitment to carbon-neutral electricity production by 2035.

We are honored to begin work with the Dutch government on this preliminary yet crucial phase to deliver the worlds most advanced, Generation III+ reactor technology, said Westinghouse Energy Systems President David Durham. With our industry-leading, globally-deployed AP1000 technology, Westinghouse is proud to support the Dutch government and offer reliable, affordable, carbon-free electricity and economic benefits to the Netherlands for decades to come.

The AP1000 reactor is the only operating Generation III+ reactor with fully passive safety systems, modular construction design and the smallest footprint per MWe on the market. In the U.S., at the Vogtle site in Georgia, one AP1000 unit achieved commercial operation in July 2023 and is producing power for the grid, while a second unit recently achieved initial criticality with commercial operation projected during the second quarter of 2024. Four AP1000 reactors are currently setting operational performance and availability records in China with eight additional reactors under construction. Poland selected the AP1000 reactor for its nuclear energy program; Ukraine has made firm commitments for nine AP1000 units, and Bulgaria selected the AP1000 technology for two units at the Kozloduy nuclear site. The technology is also under consideration at multiple other sites in Central and Eastern Europe, the United Kingdom, India and North America.

Westinghouse Electric Company is shaping the future of carbon-free energy by providing safe, innovative nuclear and other clean power technologies and services globally. Westinghouse supplied the worlds first commercial pressurized water reactor in 1957 and the companys technology is the basis for nearly one-half of the world's operating nuclear plants. Over 135 years of innovation makes Westinghouse the preferred partner for advanced technologies covering the complete nuclear energy life cycle. For more information, visit www.westinghousenuclear.com and follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and X.

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[email protected]

Source: Westinghouse Electric Company
FILE PHOTO: Oil rig pumpjacks, also known as thirsty birds, extract crude from the Wilmington Field oil deposits area near Long Beach, California July 30, 2013. REUTERS/David McNew/File Photo/File Photo

By Laura Sanicola

(Reuters) -Oil prices settled lower on Tuesday, with worries about global demand offsetting price support from the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Brent futures settled down $1.22, or 1.5%, to $82.34 a barrel. The six-month spread for Brent on Tuesday was at its highest since October, a sign of a tighter market.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude for March delivery , which expires Tuesday, settled down $1.01, or 1.3%, to $78.18 a barrel. The more actively traded April WTI contract settled down $1.30, or 1.4%, to $77.04 a barrel.

There was no settlement for WTI on Monday due to a U.S. public holiday.

The premium for prompt U.S. crude futures to the second-month contract more than doubled, hitting a high of $1.71 a barrel - its widest in roughly four months. This encourages energy companies to sell now rather than paying to store product for future months.

Crude markets were "marginally lower" in "quiet trading over the Presidents' Day holiday in the U.S. and as demand concerns offset ongoing Middle Eastern geopolitical tensions," IG market analyst Tony Sycamore said in a note.

The U.S again vetoed a draft United Nations Security Council resolution on the Israel-Hamas war, blocking a demand for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire as it instead pushes the 15-member body to call for a temporary ceasefire linked to the release of hostages held by Hamas. The U.N. has warned an assault "could lead to a slaughter."

Shipping has suffered as Iran-aligned Houthis, in support of Palestinians, have increased attacks on shipping lanes in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait. Drone and missile strikes have hit at least four vessels since Friday.

Despite the conflict in the Middle East, one of the world's major oil-producing regions, investors appear more worried about flagging global demand.

China announced its biggest ever reduction in the benchmark mortgage rate, the largest since the reference rate was introduced in 2019 and far more than analysts had expected.

"The fact that the crude market hasn't responded more positively shows you the depths of the oil demand problems in China," said John Kilduff, partner at Again Capital LLC in New York.

An International Energy Agency (IEA) report last week revised the 2024 oil demand growth forecast downward, to almost a million barrels a day less than producer group OPEC's outlook.

The IEA estimated global oil demand will grow by 1.22 million barrels per day (bpd) this year. OPEC's growth forecast is 2.25 million bpd.

The two disagree about the shift to renewable and cleaner energy. The IEA, which represents industrialized countries, predicts oil demand will peak by 2030 while OPEC expects oil use to keep rising for the next two decades.

U.S. oil refiners are running at weak levels due to seasonal maintenance and unplanned outages, but warmer winter weather may prompt refiners to ramp up rates, analysts said.

U.S. crude inventories were seen up last week, a preliminary Reuters poll showed, while the rate of refinery utilization USOIRU=ECI was expected to increase 1.1 percentage point from 80.6% of total capacity in the previous week.

"A much larger increase should not be ruled out given this years weather uncertainties," said Jim Ritterbusch, president of Ritterbusch and Associates in Galena, Illinois.

(Additional reporting by Paul Carsten in London and Colleen Howe in Beijing and Florence Tan in Singapore; Editing by Kirsten Donovan, Will Dunham, David Evans, Susan Fenton and David Gregorio)
Barclays plc (NYSE: BCS) announces that Barclays Bank UK PLC ("Barclays UK") has entered into an agreement with Tesco Personal Finance plc (operating using the trading name "Tesco Bank") to acquire the retail banking business of Tesco Bank, which includes credit cards, unsecured personal loans, deposits and the operating infrastructure. Additionally, Barclays UK will enter into a long-term, exclusive strategic partnership with Tesco Stores Limited for an initial period of 10 years to market and distribute credit cards, unsecured personal loans and deposits using the Tesco brand, as well as explore other opportunities to offer financial services to Tesco customers.



Partnering with Tesco PLC ("Tesco"), the UK's largest retailer which also operates the UK's largest loyalty scheme, represents a key opportunity to further our UK retail banking strategic ambitions. Barclays UK will market Tesco-branded credit cards, unsecured personal loans and deposits to customers through Tesco's distribution channels as well as on the open market. The acquired customer base will complement Barclays UK's current business, as well as build on the existing UK strategic partnerships with other leading retail, consumer electronics and loyalty programme brands.



The transaction involves the acquisition of approximately 8.3 billion of unsecured lending balances with a credit quality consistent with our existing UK portfolios. The transaction as a whole is expected to offer attractive financial returns over the term of the agreements and will increase the weighting of our unsecured lending business within Barclays UK.



The business being acquired includes approximately 2,800 employees, encompasses technology and operational infrastructure and made an adjusted operating profit of approximately 85 million in the 12 months ended February 20231. Barclays UK's intention is to integrate the business into its operational infrastructure over time.



If completion of the transaction were to occur at the end of July 2024, Barclays UK expects to acquire approximately 4.2 billion of gross credit card receivables and 4.1 billion of gross unsecured personal loans, together with approximately 6.7 billion in customer deposits. Tangible net assets acquired at completion of the transaction are expected to be approximately 960 million, including an expected credit loss allowance of approximately (490) million. The consideration payable by Barclays UK at completion is expected to be approximately 600 million.2



The business will be acquired through a banking business transfer under Part VII of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. Completion of the acquisition and entry into the strategic partnership is conditional on court sanction and regulatory approvals or non-objection, and is expected to occur in H2 2024.



Barclays expects that the transaction announced today will not materially impact the planned financial returns or distributions of Barclays and a further update will be given as part of the previously announced investor update on 20 February 2024.



The acquisition, which is being financed from Barclays' existing resources, is expected to reduce Barclays' CET1 ratio by approximately 0.3% upon completion (based on Barclays' CET1 ratio as at 30 September 20233).



As previously disclosed, Barclays is currently engaged in a process to sell its German consumer finance business (comprising credit cards, unsecured personal loans and deposits) as part of our ambition to simplify Barclays and support our focus on growing our key businesses. Any sale, if agreed, would be expected to be accretive to Barclays' CET1 ratio.
CNH takes minority investment in drone imaging AI company Bem Agro

Basildon, February 20, 2024

CNH continues to strengthen its tech stack with Ag Tech solutions that make farming easier, more efficient, and more sustainable for our customers. To further our offering in this field, our investment arm CNH Ventures has taken a minority stake in Bem Agro  a Brazilian startup and existing supplier to CNH.

Bem Agro uses AI to convert any type of aerial field image  including those taken from machines, drones and satellites  into Agronomic Mapping Reports. These reports provide vital data that enables farmers to make better decisions about optimizing field operations, allocating resources and increasing yield while driving improved machine performance, greater productivity and reduced running costs.

In sugarcane, grain and fiber harvesting, where farmers can face low-visibility conditions, Bem Agros maps provide guidance lines for course correction and crop damage reduction. Their weed mapping pinpoints specific areas to be sprayed, minimizing herbicide usage.

This investment follows over five years of successful commercial partnership with Bem Agro. We currently use their mapping solutions on our Case IH and New Holland brands Connected Platforms for sugarcane harvesters, tractors and sprayers in Brazil, Indonesia and Thailand. Together with Bem Agro, we aim to significantly enhance our current and future precision technology solutions, services and reach for agriculture across Latin America and Asia Pacific.

Our drive for customer-inspired innovation relies on constant dialogue with the people that use our equipment and technology. Positive feedback from our dealer network and customers was instrumental in driving this strategic investment. We are excited to expand our collaboration with Bem Agro and further empower farmers to keep Breaking New Ground.

CNH Industrial (NYSE: CNHI) is a world-class equipment and services company. Driven by its purpose of Breaking New Ground, which centers on Innovation, Sustainability and Productivity, the Company provides the strategic direction, R&D capabilities, and investments that enable the success of its global and regional Brands. Globally, Case IH and New Holland supply 360 agriculture applications from machines to implements and the digital technologies that enhance them; and CASE and New Holland Construction Equipment deliver a full lineup of construction products that make the industry more productive. The Companys regionally focused Brands include: STEYR, for agricultural tractors; Raven, a leader in digital agriculture, precision technology and the development of autonomous systems; Hemisphere, a leading designer and manufacturer of high-precision satellite-based positioning, and heading technologies; Flexi-Coil, specializing in tillage and seeding systems; Miller, manufacturing application equipment; Kongskilde, providing tillage, seeding and hay & forage implements; and Eurocomach, producing a wide range of mini and midi excavators for the construction sector, including electric solutions.
SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- A suspect was arrested early Tuesday in a shooting that left a person dead in Santa Clara, U.S. state of California, police said.

Officers responded to a shooting, the Santa Clara Police Department said on X, formerly Twitter, adding that a victim was found dead inside the home, and a male suspect was arrested nearby.

Their identities were not immediately released. No further details about the shooting were available. Police officials said there was no threat to public safety. 
Today, Coty Inc. (NYSE: COTY) (Paris: COTY), one of the worlds largest beauty companies with a portfolio of iconic brands across fragrance, color cosmetics, skin and body care, announces that it has signed a new agreement with luxury Italian fashion house, Etro, to produce and distribute its signature fragrance lines and home scent collections beyond 2040. Coty and Etro will work together to explore new categories and innovations to grow the brands beauty portfolio.

This deal establishes a long-term partnership between Coty and Etro, one that is anchored in the companies shared values of innovation, exploration, community, and creativity. The new partnership further reinforces Cotys reputation as the go-to partner for Fashion Houses and global brands looking to create or elevate their beauty portfolios.

Sue Nabi, Cotys CEO, said: We are delighted to announce our new alliance with Etro, an Italian luxury fashion house that is renowned for its timeless designs and relentless focus on quality. Etro is an iconic brand with a long-standing heritage of excellence that is reflected across every facet of its business. This agreement further underscores Cotys focus on fashion driven licenses with significant multi category potential which resonate with consumers in our key markets. We are excited to collaborate with Etro, building on the brands existing beauty offering and bringing its unique brand identity to life through new categories and launches.

Fabrizio Cardinali, Etros CEO, added: This partnership with Coty marks another invigorating chapter for Etro as we continue to bolster the evolution of our beauty portfolio. The collaboration will enable us to leverage synergies between our companies while taking advantage of Cotys expertise and industry leading capabilities. We are looking forward to working with the Coty team to explore ways of developing our beauty presence in a way which is authentic to Etro, further strengthening our ability to meet the dynamic, and ever-evolving demands of our consumer across different markets.

Coty will assume the development, production, and distribution of all Etro perfumes and fragrances. Etros signature fragrance lines, from Shantung to Paisley, are symbolic of Etros passion for fusing iconic aesthetic beauty with exquisite designs.

This partnership will cement Etros position across established markets and categories, while actively driving expansion into new opportunities and segments by leveraging Cotys expertise and global distribution footprint.
Zapata Computing, Inc. (Zapata AI or the Company), the Industrial Generative AI company, today announced that its scientists, in collaboration with Insilico Medicine, the University of Toronto, and St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital have demonstrated the first instance of a generative model running on quantum hardware outperforming state-of-the-art classical models in generating viable cancer drug candidates. The research points to a promising future of hybrid quantum generative AI for drug discovery using todays quantum devices.

In the study, the researchers utilized generative AI to develop novel KRAS inhibitors, a critical focus in cancer therapy historically deemed undruggable due to its intrinsic biochemical properties. Generative models running on classical hardware, quantum hardware (specifically, a 16-qubit IBM device), and simulated quantum hardware generated one million drug candidates each, which were then filtered algorithmically and by humans. The resulting 15 molecules were then synthesized and tested through cell-based assays. The two molecules generated by the quantum-enhanced generative model were distinct from existing KRAS inhibitors and showed a superior binding affinity over the molecules generated by purely classical models.

This project is an exciting demonstration of how quantum and classical computing can complement each other to deliver an end-to-end solution, said Yudong Cao, CTO and co-founder at Zapata AI. The collaboration between Zapata, UofT, St. Jude and Insilico is also a great example of how the startup and university ecosystems can leverage each other's advantages to drive progress. Were looking forward to taking this research further to move the discovered molecules through the drug discovery pipeline, apply our methodology to other disease targets, and extend our quantum-enhanced generative AI to other industrial use cases with complex design challenges.

The research is currently published on ArXiv as it awaits peer review. The study is a follow-up to a study published by the team in 2023, in collaboration with Foxconn, that first showed the promise of quantum generative AI for drug discovery.

This research provides further validation of the potential of Insilicos generative AI engine, Chemistry42, to be combined with quantum-augmented generative models in order to develop novel therapeutic possibilities for difficult-to-drug targets in cancer and other indications, says Alex Zhavoronkov, PhD, founder and co-CEO of Insilico Medicine. This represents an important early step toward a more advanced drug discovery future and we look forward to working with Zapata AI and Alan Aspuru-Guzik at the University of Toronto to further develop these methods."

The news also follows a recent announcement that Zapata AI has entered a new strategic partnership with D-Wave Quantum Inc. (NYSE: QBTS) (D-Wave"), with an initial focus on building quantum generative AI models that accelerate the discovery of new molecules for commercial applications. For the first time ever, weve been able to produce real effective drug lead molecules with quantum-enhanced generative AI, said Christopher Savoie, CEO and co-founder of Zapata AI. The best part is this is only the beginning. This is the same tech we are developing into a commercial product in our work with D-Wave, which we expect to bring to market quickly given the advanced commercial maturity of Zapatas generative AI technology and D-Waves annealing quantum computing. Were looking forward to expanding on this research to discover new molecules for drug discovery and other industrial applications.

I have always been excited about the potential of AI and quantum computing for drug and materials discovery, said Alan Aspuru-Guzik, a professor of Chemistry and Computer Science at the University of Toronto, as well as a co-founder and Scientific Advisor of Zapata AI. We are just starting to see how to integrate quantum computing modules into the drug discovery pipeline. It is great to see that we were able to successfully discover a new compound to inhibit KRAS. Many questions are open. Although everything you can do in this paper could also be done with a classical computer, it is exciting to see that this work sets the path for future, more powerful quantum computers to demonstrate their abilities. The global community of researchers will be able to further improve upon this first-of-a-kind experiment.

The research leveraged the QML Suite Python Package available on Zapata AIs Orquestra platform, which can be accessed here.

About Zapata AI

Zapata AI is an Industrial Generative AI company, revolutionizing how enterprises solve complex problems with its powerful suite of Generative AI software. By combining numerical and text-based solutions, Zapata AI empowers industrial-scale enterprises and government entities to leverage large language models and numerical generative models better, faster, and more efficiently delivering solutions to drive growth, savings and unprecedented insight. With proprietary science and engineering techniques and the Orquestra platform, Zapata AI is accelerating Generative AIs impact in Industry. The Company was founded in 2017 and is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. On September 6, 2023, Zapata AI entered into a definitive business combination agreement with Andretti Acquisition Corp. (NYSE: WNNR).
Graphic Packaging Holding Company (NYSE: GPK), and Clearwater Paper Corporation (NYSE: CLW) ("Clearwater Paper"), today announced that Graphic Packaging has signed a definitive agreement to sell its Augusta, Georgia bleached paperboard manufacturing facility to Clearwater Paper. The transaction value is approximately $700 million , based on Adjusted EBITDA of approximately $100 million .

" Augusta is an outstanding asset with a great team, which we concluded is a more compelling fit with Clearwater Paper's strategic growth plans than our own. Bleached paperboard plays a major role in sustainable consumer packaging, and we will continue to service growing foodservice and packaging demand with bleached paperboard from our Texarkana facility," said Michael Doss , President and Chief Executive Officer of Graphic Packaging.

Clearwater Paper Chief Executive Officer Arsen Kitch added, " Augusta is a great fit with our strategy and improves our position as a premier, independent paperboard supplier to North American converters. I look forward to welcoming the Augusta team to Clearwater Paper as we work together to build a more scaled paperboard business to service our customers."

The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and is currently expected to close in the second quarter of 2024. TD Securities is serving as Clearwater Paper's financial advisor and Pillsbury, Winthrop, Shaw, Pittman LLP is lead transaction counsel for Clearwater and Stoel, Rives LLP is providing environmental counsel. The financial advisor for Graphic Packaging is BofA Securities and Alston & Bird LLP is lead transaction counsel.
As a result of strong growth in the Americas region, Hyatt (NYSE: H) today announced new senior leadership appointments in the Americas region and subregional structure designed to further support Hyatts continued focus on growth, operational excellence and performance optimization within its largest region. With this new organizational structure, Hyatts Americas region is now comprised of two subregions: U.S. & Canada and Latin America & the Caribbean (LAC), led by two newly appointed subregional presidents, respectively: Susan Santiago and Gabriel Felip who both report to Pete Sears, Group President, Americas, effective January 2024.

In her new role as President, U.S. & Canada, Santiago is responsible for the growth and performance optimization of Hyatts owned and managed portfolio. She is in her 32nd year with Hyatt and has held numerous positions leading operational performance, most recently as Senior Vice President of Hyatts Lifestyle Division and Miraval brand.

As President, Latin America & Caribbean, Felip leads operational performance for all managed and owned Hyatt hotels in the region across all brands, including Hyatts Inclusive Collection. Felip is an industry veteran with more than 30 years of hospitality and tourism experience and previously served as Hyatts Group President of Inclusive Collection Global Operations.

Our new Americas structure enables us to further support our hotel teams and owners in more customized, regionalized ways  and this is designed to help us continue driving strong results through intentional and sustainable growth for the region, said Sears. With these changes, we continue our momentum in positioning Hyatt as the preferred hospitality brand, delivering meaningful and memorable experiences for guests and driving results for our owners.

Included in the Americas new subregional structure are three newly created roles within the operations, commercial services and finance functions, respectively: Yvette Martinez-Edwards has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Field Operations, Luxury & Miraval, reporting to Santiago, Shyla Gardner re-joins Hyatt as Vice President, Commercial Services, Latin America & the Caribbean, reporting to Asad Ahmed, Senior Vice President, Commercial Services, Americas, and Juan Pablo Puerta now serves as Senior Vice President, Finance, Latin America & the Caribbean, reporting to Liz Bauer, Senior Vice President, Finance, Americas.

With a dedicated focus on driving operational excellence within Hyatts luxury brands, Martinez-Edwards oversees Hyatts managed luxury and Miraval hotel portfolio for the Americas region. Most recently, Martinez-Edwards served as Vice President of Field Operations where she led a group of full-service Timeless Collection properties in the East region. She also previously led Hyatts sales strategy in Latin America & the Caribbean, and for the Miraval brand.

Gardner leads a cross-functional LAC Commercial Services team that provides a specialized commercial strategy for the LAC market and further develops strong brand stories that embrace Hyatts culture and key differentiators for Hyatts full LAC portfolio, including the Inclusive Collection. Prior to this role, Gardner acted as Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Playa Resorts and previously served as an Area Director of Sales and Marketing in Mexico for Hyatt.

To further support Hyatts intentional long-term growth strategy, Puerta is responsible for leading the finance function and driving property performance optimization throughout Latin America & the Caribbean. Puerta also continues to lead the function for Hyatts Inclusive Collection in the region. Prior to this role, Puerta served as the CFO of Apple Leisure Group.

For more information on Hyatt, visit hyatt.com.

The term Hyatt is used in this release for convenience to refer to Hyatt Hotels Corporation and/or one or more of its affiliates.
Paid press release content from Evertise Financial. The StreetInsider.com news staff was not involved in its creation.

Washington, DC February 20, 2024 In a bold and impassioned appeal, the Haitian Development Network (HDN) has urged the international community to reassess its approach to aiding Haiti. The organizations founder, Jacques Jonassaint, former Special Envoy of President Emile Jonassaint to the Clinton Administration. Instrumental in the signing of the historic Port-au-Prince Accord, contends that traditional methods of intervention have not only failed to address Haitis challenges but have exacerbated them.

With Haiti facing deep-rooted issues ranging from economic hardship to political instability predicted in an article published in THE HILL in 2016, Democracy cannot be imposed by force, states Jacques. Billions in aid, multiple military interventions yet Haiti is worse off today than in 1994.

At the heart of HDNs plea is a call for genuine engagement with the Haitian people. The organization emphasizes the importance of empowering Haitians to take charge of their own future. The people must understand what is at stake, he insists. They must be active participants in the democratic process.

Highlighting the need for a paradigm shift in international assistance, HDN challenges the notion of foreign military deployments. Instead, the organization advocates for investments in education, training, and sustainable development. Give a man a fish, he eats for a day; teach him how to fish, he eats for life, as the saying goes.

Recent events, including the tragic death of a Kenyan official involved in discussions on Haiti, underscore the urgency of HDNs message. With armed gangs wreaking havoc and hundreds of thousands displaced, Haiti stands at a critical juncture.

HDNs stance is not merely criticism; its a call to action. The organization urges the international community to prioritize long-term solutions over short-term fixes, in accordance with H.R.2116 Global Fragility Act passed by the 116th Congress (2019-2020).

Haitis troubles cannot be solved overnight, Haitian Development Network believes. But with sustained commitment and genuine collaboration, positive change is within reach. As Haiti grapples with multifaceted challenges, HDN remains steadfast in its mission to support the Haitian people. The organization seeks to spark meaningful dialogue, foster local capacity-building, and advocate for policies that empower Haitians to chart their own course.

For more information about the events and activities organized by HDN, please visit our website at https://hdn.org/.

Media Contact:

Name: Jacques Jonassaint

Organization: Haitian Development Network

Website: https://hdn.org/

Email: [email protected]

Location: Washington, DC

###

About the Haitian Development Network:

The Haitian Development Network (HDN) is a non-profit organization that works towards promoting economic and social development in Haiti. Our goal is to empower the Haitian people by providing them with the necessary resources and support to build a better future. To learn more about HDN and our work, please visit our website at https://hdn.org/.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ascot Resources Ltd. (TSX: AOT; OTCQX: AOTVF) (Ascot or the Company) is pleased to provide a construction update on the Companys Premier Gold Project (PGP or the Project), located on Nisgaa Nation Treaty Lands in the prolific Golden Triangle of northwestern British Columbia. Project construction was 86% complete as of December 31, 2023 (approximately 90% as of January 31, 2024) and is currently nearing completion, with first ore delivery to the mill anticipated by the end of March 2024, and first gold pour anticipated in April.

Derek White, President and CEO, commented, "With Project construction nearing completion and early commissioning underway, we eagerly anticipate progressing to the production and operations phase at the Premier Gold Mine. The Project also accomplished an impressive safety milestone having surpassed one million hours without a lost time incident, along with another quarterly reduction in total recordable incident frequency. We are also proud to have recently closed an additional financing package which we believe is sufficient for the Company to progress from construction to first gold pour, ramp-up, commercial production and steady-state operations. With the gold price still trading near US$2,000 per ounce, this is an opportune time for us to become Canadas next gold producer.

PROJECT CONSTRUCTION

Funding for Construction and Ramp-UpOn February 20, 2024, the Company announced the closing of its financing for a total of US$50 million from Sprott Resource Streaming and Royalty Corp. and/or its affiliates (Sprott Streaming) and Nebari Natural Resources Credit Fund II, LP (Nebari), as further described in the Companys news release dated January 22, 2024. Concurrently, the Company closed its previously announced bought deal private placement financing with a syndicate of underwriters co-led by BMO Capital Markets and Desjardins Capital Markets (together, the Joint Bookrunners), and including CIBC World Markets Inc., Raymond James Ltd. and Velocity Trade Capital Ltd. (collectively, with the Joint Bookrunners, the Underwriters). Under the bought deal financing, the Company issued a total of 65,343,000 common shares of the Company (the Common Shares) at a price of C$0.44 per Common Share, for gross proceeds of approximately C$29 million, which included the full exercise of the Underwriters option.

Construction Progress Key Performance Indicators (KPI)

At the end of Q4 2023, overall construction excluding mine development was 86% complete (approximately 90% as of January 31, 2024), compared with 66% complete at the end of Q3 2023. Numerous pre-commissioning activities in the mill have commenced. The Company anticipates introducing first ore into the mill by the end of March 2024, and pouring first gold in April.

Capital costs, including mining costs, incurred as of December 31, 2023 were $292 million. As of December 31, 2023, the remaining project construction capital required to complete construction and achieve the first gold pour is approximately $47 million including mine development costs but excluding certain pre-operating costs and working capital. This implies a total project capital cost of $339 million, which is slightly higher than the most recent total project budget of $334 million as reported last quarter. The increase is mainly attributable to the increase in duration of the earthworks and project indirect costs.

The Company ended December 2023 with a cash balance of C$27 million. With the aforementioned additional financing of US$50 million from Sprott Streaming and Nebari Credit Fund II, and the equity financing with gross proceeds of C$29 million, the Company believes it is well financed to complete construction of the Project, progress through the ramp-up phase to commercial production and reach nameplate capacity at the Premier Gold Mine.

SafetyThe Premier Gold Project reached an important safety milestone in Q4 of 2023: one million hours without lost time incidents (LTI). By the end of Q4 2023, this figure reached 1,143,029 hours LTI free. The total recordable incident frequency has been reduced yet again from 0.69 at the end of Q3 2023 to 0.52 by the end of Q4 2023. The frequency of total incidents including property damage, first aid injuries, and near misses, was relatively similar to Q3 2023. Reporting activity continues to improve, and the Company will continue to work on proactive safety training and measures to reduce overall incidents on site, especially with pending transition from construction to the operations phase.

Processing PlantIn Q3 2023, mechanical and electrical work in the mill was substantially advanced. In Q4 2023, work in the mill focused on piping, systems & controls as well as remaining electrical terminations.

Piping installation included work inside the mill building and also outside connections to the carbon-in-leach (CIL) tanks, and cyanide destruction and tailings thickener lines. Piping installation at the mill is over 90% complete. Electrical work progressed on completing terminations and installation of the fire detection system. Instrumentation and controls installations are advancing well. Staged commissioning has started on the Ball and SAG mills, CIL circuit, and cyclone feed pumps. As a part of the commissioning process, both Ball and SAG mills have been energized and rotated. The Ball mill has been loaded with water and successfully rotated for an 8-hour period with no issues. The SAG mill has been rotated for several hours and will undergo water load testing this week.

Tailings Storage Facility (TSF) EarthworksWith the milder-than-average winter season so far, much work was progressed on the TSF earthworks in Q4 2023 and into early 2024. The South Dam, North Dam, and Southeast Dam have been completed. The minor remaining work is focused on the smaller East Dam and spillway which is expected to complete by mid-March.

Currently the earthworks around the TSF are substantially complete, with some minor works remaining anticipated to be completed by late February.

Water Treatment Plant (WTP)Commissioning of the WTP components started in Q4 2023, with most areas being commissioned in isolation. Upon the delivery and installation of two transformers and a buffer tank in December 2023, and the 138 kV power connection in January 2024, the WTP is currently undergoing final commissioning. Normal operation of the WTP is anticipated this month. As of the writing of this release, Ascot can report that the High-Density Sludge (HDS) plant has been successfully commissioned and is awaiting final test results on the effluent water before discharge into the environment is authorized. The Moving Bed Bio-Reactor (MBBR) is mechanically and electrically complete and media is being loaded into the tanks. The plant will be brought into service mid-March in time for mill start-up.

Site InfrastructureDuring Q3 2023, most of the new electrical substation was mechanically completed, and crews completed the 138kV power line to connect to the power grid less than 500 metres away. In Q4 2023, all 138kV lines were pulled and linked up with the BC Hydro grid. Site electrification was originally planned for mid-December, but three new switches were required. Once these were delivered in early January 2024, site powerup on the 138 kV line was completed on January 14, 2024.

Off-Site InfrastructureOn October 3, 2023, the town council of Stewart, B.C. approved a Temporary Use Permit (TUP) to install a camp facility in the town to provide additional accommodations for workers at the Project. The TUP is for a three-year term with potential to renew for another three years afterwards. The Company quickly mobilized and installed living quarters with an initial capacity of 76 beds in early December. This has alleviated some of the pressure caused by the extended earthworks schedule.

On September 19, 2023, the Company acquired a full-service laboratory facility (Assay Lab) in Stewart, BC from Seacan Labs Corp. The Assay Lab will be used to perform the testing required by Ascot for mineral exploration, mining operation, and environmental monitoring. During Q4 2023, the Assay Lab was re-commissioned for use and is currently ramping up toward full capacity of 250-300 samples per day with a 24-hour turnaround.

Mine DevelopmentIn Q3 2023, the Companys underground mining contractor Procon began their initial mobilization to site and deployed senior project management personnel to coordinate storage and laydown areas ahead of operating crew mobilization.

In Q4 2023, once the Big Missouri Portal infrastructure and mine services were re-established, underground development was re-commenced. Procon advanced underground waste and ore development including the decline, which will eventually connect to the Silver Coin deposit. In advance of mill start-up in Q1 2024, Ascot is stockpiling mineralized material from Big Missouri in the Diego pit, ready for processing. Underground development rates at Big Missouri have been gradually improving, with linear advances as high as 16 metres per day achieved, and on average crews are achieving approximately 10 to 12 metres per day currently. Including development in 2022, total underground development at Big Missouri totaled 1,300 metres as of Q4 2023, and approximately 1,650 metres by February 15, 2024.

Recently in ore drive 6 at Big Missouri, the geology team noted an occurrence of coarse, visible gold in a quartz vein (see Figure 1 below). This material was within a geological wireframe approximately on dip with an existing stope shape about 20 metres away. In conjunction with exploration drilling intercepting high-grade gold mineralization outside of existing stope shapes in 2023, this occurrence provides further evidence of the potential for expansion beyond the current mine plan.

In August 2023, surface work commenced on the new Premier Portal close to the mill. In Q4 2023, Procon continued the portal face preparations including holes for cable bolts and other ground support and began clearing a pad area for service infrastructure including gensets and compressors. The underground decline development started in early December with initial rounds and placement of shotcrete arches similar to what was done at Big Missouri in 2022. Poor ground near surface and extreme cold temperatures slowed advance in January 2024, but conditions have improved in February. Mining development will be advanced down into the Premier deposit for initial mining in the Prew Zone, with ore development anticipated to begin in Q2 2024, and stope production following in Q3 2024. The ramp has been strategically laid out to allow for underground drilling on the Sebakwe Zone in 2024 and will eventually connect a footwall ramp over to the 602 area at the southern end of the Premier deposit.

RecruitmentRecruitment efforts and activity materially increased in the past quarter, as Ascot continues to have many qualified candidates applying for open positions. In January 2024, Ascot representatives attended a recruitment fair in Campbell River, BC, after it was announced that the nearby Myra Falls underground mine and mill was being placed on care & maintenance. During the job fair Ascot conducted two hundred in person and virtual interviews, and the Company has since been able to fill many open positions for skilled trades and operators.

Key senior level roles filled during Q4 2023 and recently include Operations Manager, a second Mine Superintendent, a Senior Mining Engineer, Maintenance Superintendent, Maintenance General Foreman, Mill Operations General Foreman and a number of Supervisors.

PROJECT PHOTOS

Figure 1  Visible gold in quartz vein found in ore drive 6 at Big Missouri

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0f95859f-74a5-4636-bb6b-8aa32858447e

Figure 2  TSF overview looking south

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/baa9433f-711f-4d0e-8803-7fc62c4b08c2

Figure 3  TSF South and Southeast dams complete

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fd6b8cbc-3caa-40f8-b3e0-aefbc5db4642

Figure 4  WTP commissioning

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/820ab280-80f4-4d0c-ae13-a222266c20e7

Figure 5  WTP MBBR system

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/370cc686-75a0-494e-b01d-ee718a85d15f

Figure 6  Mill piping over 90% complete

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5825c50d-248d-40ab-9fd8-1c4f48506532

Figure 7  Premier underground portal overhead

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7eef4fa5-4824-4305-ad3a-afefbafd20cc

Figure 8  Premier underground portal front view

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d1458d74-ec5d-4a40-b7fa-212e4d300137

Figure 9  Mill area overview

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d8216177-8e47-43da-8cf9-7003210ecbd4

Qualified Person

John Kiernan, P.Eng., Chief Operating Officer of the Company is the Companys Qualified Person (QP) as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical contents of this news release.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Ascot Resources Ltd.Derek C. WhitePresident & CEO

For further information contact:

David Stewart, P.Eng. VP, Corporate Development & Shareholder Communications [email protected] 778-725-1060 ext. 1024

About Ascot Resources Ltd.

Ascot is a Canadian junior exploration and development company focused on re-starting the past producing Premier Gold Mine, located on Nisgaa Nation Treaty Lands, in British Columbias prolific Golden Triangle. Ascot shares trade on the TSX under the ticker AOT. Concurrent with progressing the development of Premier, the Company continues to explore its properties for additional high-grade underground resources. Ascot is committed to the safe and responsible development of Premier in collaboration with Nisgaa Nation as outlined in the Benefits Agreement.

For more information about the Company, please refer to the Companys profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedar.ca or visit the Companys web site at www.ascotgold.com, or for a virtual tour visit www.vrify.com under Ascot Resources.

The TSX has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

All statements and other information contained in this press release about anticipated future events may constitute forward-looking information under Canadian securities laws ("forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "targeted", "outlook", "on track" and "intend" and statements that an event or result "may", "will", "should", "could", would or "might" occur or be achieved and other similar expressions. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are forward-looking statements, including statements in respect of advancement and development of the PGP and the timing related thereto, the completion of the PGP mine, the production of gold and managements outlook for the remainder of 2024 and beyond. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements, including risks associated with entering into definitive agreements for the transactions described herein; fulfilling the conditions to closing of the transactions described herein, including the receipt of TSX approvals; the business of Ascot; risks related to exploration and potential development of Ascot's projects; business and economic conditions in the mining industry generally; fluctuations in commodity prices and currency exchange rates; uncertainties relating to interpretation of drill results and the geology, continuity and grade of mineral deposits; the need for cooperation of government agencies and indigenous groups in the exploration and development of Ascots properties and the issuance of required permits; the need to obtain additional financing to develop properties and uncertainty as to the availability and terms of future financing; the possibility of delay in exploration or development programs and uncertainty of meeting anticipated program milestones; uncertainty as to timely availability of permits and other governmental approvals; and other risk factors as detailed from time to time in Ascot's filings with Canadian securities regulators, available on Ascot's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca including the Annual Information Form of the Company dated March 23, 2023 in the section entitled "Risk Factors". Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions made with regard to: the estimated costs associated with construction of the Project; the timing of the anticipated start of production at the Project; the ability to maintain throughput and production levels at the PGP mill; the tax rate applicable to the Company; future commodity prices; the grade of mineral resources and mineral reserves; the ability of the Company to convert inferred mineral resources to other categories; the ability of the Company to reduce mining dilution; the ability to reduce capital costs; and exploration plans. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and opinions of management at the date the statements are made. Although Ascot believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements and/or information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements since Ascot can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Ascot does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements, other than as required by applicable laws. The forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

Figure 1 Visible gold in quartz vein found in ore drive 6 at Big Missouri Figure 2 TSF overview looking south Figure 3 TSF South and Southeast dams complete Figure 4 WTP commissioning Figure 5 WTP MBBR system Figure 6 Mill piping over 90% complete Figure 7 Premier underground portal overhead Figure 8 Premier underground portal front view Figure 9 Mill area overview

Source: Ascot Resources Ltd.
SYDNEY, Australia, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bucking the trend of recent negative developments in the prop firm industry, leading global CFD and FX broker Axi, which launched Axi Select - their unique capital allocation programme for talented traders - has been hailed by many industry experts as the future of the industry.

Recent issues experienced in the prop trading industry have resulted in multiple firms having to pause or close down their service due to pressure from regulators, partner brokers or tech providers.

Axi Select is completely different to the industry, and as a result has legitimised the prop firm model by offering a live trading account programme, with real controls in terms of execution, transparency, and fair market conditions. Since its launch in mid-2023, Axi Select has witnessed an incredible 40% month-on-month increase in the number of active clients on their platforms.

Axi believes their Select programme is revolutionary, sustainable and is the future of the prop firm model. Greg Rubin, Head of Axi Select, stated In the last week the prop trading industry has been turned on its head completely with multiple firms having to suspend their services due to external pressures.

We foresaw this, which is why weve developed a capital allocation programme which is built on our live trading account model and has been available in over 100 countries for more than 16 years. This has given us the confidence that Axi Select is a long-term solution to the prop trading community, and not subject to the issues now faced by prop firms who offer the demo account registration fee model and are under constant pressure from regulators and their tech partners.

He continued We genuinely empathise with the thousands of talented traders who will now be denied access to their allocated funds, and we encourage anyone using the demo trading registration model to question whether their prop firm partner will be able to continue as an ongoing concern given recent events. Unfortunately, this could be the beginning of the end for the demo account prop firm model.

Axi Select offers a very attractive funding model - $1 million USD top allocation and clients can keep up to 90% of their profits  thats one of the top allocation offerings worldwide, from an award-winning globally recognised, respected, and trusted broker.

By joining Axi you dont need to pay a registration fee. Yes, you need to fund your trading account, but that money is yours to withdraw at any time and any profits you make on your funded account, you keep in addition to funds allocated by Axi.

We believe passionately that Axi Select is the best allocation programme globally said Rajesh Yohannan, Group CEO of Axi.

By using a live trading account, with real money and the emotions that accompany this, we believe you are more likely to be profitable longer term and make money from your own live account as well as the funded proportion. Our Axi Select account has all the controls we offer to our live account holders globally. This includes access to our award-winning fast, transparent, and fair-trade execution.

He added If you are a talented trader and are looking for a legitimate funding programme which is designed to truly help you succeed and profit from the financial markets, and you want the stability of an account model which has been in market for 16 years, then Axi Select is the place for you to find your Edge.

About Axi Select*

Axi Select* is a unique capital allocation programme that was specifically designed to help you succeed as a professional trader. Axi Select* offers a generous funding of up to $1 million USD as part of a structured and fair pathway to help you meet your long-term and most ambitious trading aspirations. Solidify your trading skills, knowledge and understanding of the markets and embark on your biggest trading journey ever with Axi through Axi Select.

Why Axi Select*?

100% Free to join  No registration fees

Earn 90% of profits on $1,000,000 USD of our funds

Unrestrictive trading conditions & a structured pathway that provides a fair & real opportunity for traders to become professional traders

Trading score (Edge score) to assess & assist with trading performance

Dashboard with analytics, advanced stats, and a leader board

Exclusive online trading room with live analysis and learning videos from professional traders. Ability to interact with fellow traders and share analysis/trading ideas.

Trustworthy broker with over 35+ industry awards.

How is Axi Select* different from other programmes?

Programme Axi Select Industry Standard Registration fee No Yes Pass Evaluation No Yes Restrictive Trading Conditions No Varies Number of Attempts 3 1 Leverage 100:1 Varies, majority less than 100:1 Account Type Real Trading Account Demo Additional Tools Dashboard/Leaderboard, Edge Score, Trading Room Varies

Learn more & switch to Axi Select: https://www.axi.com/select

* The Axi Select programme is only available to clients of AxiTrader Limited. CFDs carry a high risk of investment loss. In our dealings with you, we will act as a principal counterparty to all of your positions. This content is not available for AU, NZ, EU, and UK residents. For more information, refer to our Terms of Service. Other fees and minimum deposit apply.

About Axi

Axi is a global online FX and CFD trading company, trusted by thousands of ambitious customers in 100+ countries around the world. We help all types of traders, trading businesses, banks and financial organizations find the edge they need to achieve their financial goals through informed transactions made on the world's financial markets. Axi offers a wide range of assets including CFDs for several asset classes including Forex, Shares, Gold, Silver, Oil, Coffee, Indices, and other commodities.

At Axi, we are proud of our reputation as an honest, fair, and trusted broker. Our many awards and 'Great' Trustpilot reviews prove we have earned the confidence of customers who value our outstanding service, fast execution, secure payments, segregated funds, and easy withdrawals.

For further enquiries contact [email protected]

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4b7f4608-f090-471c-995d-de6c0f23438e

Axi Select Axi Select hailed as the future of prop trading as multiple demo account firms close doors due to pressures from regulators, brokers, and tech providers

Source: AxiTrader Limited
Executive Team Restructured to Position Bed Bath & Beyond, Overstock Businesses for Growth

MIDVALE, Utah, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Beyond, Inc. (NYSE: BYON), owner of Bed Bath & Beyond, Overstock, and other online retail brands designed to unlock your homes potential, today announced significant changes to its executive team. The Executive Chairman and Board of Directors approved the following changes, effective today:



Chandra Holt is joining the company as Chief Executive Officer, Bed Bath & Beyond

is joining the company as Chief Executive Officer, Bed Bath & Beyond Dave Nielsen has been appointed to Chief Executive Officer, Overstock

has been appointed to Chief Executive Officer, Overstock Adrianne Lee, Chief Financial Officer, has taken on an expanded role as Chief Financial & Administrative Officer



As the company  which rebranded from Overstock.com to Beyond in November  continues to evolve, these executive changes were designed to position both the Bed Bath & Beyond and Overstock brands for growth and success into the future.

Beyond is in the midst of a great transformation that required changes to the executive team structure in support of our strategic objectives to drive shareholder value said Marcus Lemonis, Executive Chairman of the Beyond, Inc. Board of Directors. Chandras retail and leadership expertise and proven e-commerce track record makes her an invaluable addition to our team to drive Bed Bath & Beyond forward. With Daves extensive experience in furniture and home furnishings e-commerce and retail liquidation I am confident he will quickly reignite the valuable Overstock brand. Im excited to see the collective impact Chandra, Dave, and Adriannes leadership will have on our business.

A veteran merchandiser with expertise in ecommerce, Holt held various leadership roles at Walmart and Target before joining Conns HomePlus, a specialty retailer with more than 180 retail locations across 15 states, in 2021 as President and Chief Executive Officer. Her full bio is available here.

Nielsen joined the company as Overstock in 2009 and has held several executive positions since that time and as President from 2019  present leading the companys marketing, merchandising, supply chain, technology and digital product organizations. Most recently, he served as Interim-CEO and President, overseeing company operations for Beyond, Inc. and Bed Bath & Beyond. His full bio is available here.

Lee has been Chief Financial Officer since 2020 and oversees all financial-related matters for the company, in addition to the legal, communications, investor relations, IT security functions, among others. She played an integral role in Overstocks acquisition of the Bed Bath & Beyond brand in 2023. Her full bio is available here.

About Beyond

Beyond, Inc. (NYSE: BYON), based in Midvale, Utah, is an ecommerce expert with a singular focus: connecting consumers with products they love. The Company owns the Bed Bath & Beyond brand and associated intellectual property. Bed Bath & Beyond is an online furniture and home furnishings retailer in the United States and Canada. The leading ecommerce website sells a broad range of quality, on-trend home products at competitive prices, including furniture, bedding and bath, patio and outdoor, area rugs, tabletop and cookware, decor, storage and organization, small appliances, home improvement, and more. The online shopping site features millions of products that tens of millions of customers visit each month. Beyond regularly posts information about the Company and other related matters on the Newsroom and Investor Relations pages on its website.

Beyond, Bed Bath & Beyond, Welcome Rewards, Overstock and Overstock Government are trademarks of Beyond, Inc. Other service marks, trademarks and trade names which may be referred to herein are the property of their respective owners.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements include all statements other than statements of historical fact, including but not limited to statements regarding our future performance. Additional information regarding factors that could materially affect results and the accuracy of the forward-looking statements contained herein may be found in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, filed with the SEC on February 24, 2023, Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2023, filed with the SEC on May 2, 2023, Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2023, filed with the SEC on July 31, 2023, Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2023, filed with the SEC on October 31, 2023, and in our subsequent filings with the SEC.

Beyond, Inc. Media Relations:

Sarah Factor

[email protected]
SAN JOSE, CA, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NewMediaWire  BitFrontier Capital Holdings, Inc. (OTCMKTS: BFCH), a leading provider of crypto mining hardware and liquid immersion hosting centers, today announced a new south Texas hosting facility is now on-line and at 100% capacity.

More than just a liquid immersion hosting facility, we've created a successful liquid immersion and air cooled hosting model with two industry-leading partners that can be replicated at scale for future sites. The new BFCH liquid immersion hosting facility houses 360 miners and is now up and running at 100% capacity. This facility will generate $115K/mo of recurring revenue and $35K/mo in profit.

Hosting is a very important part of our mission statement. All miner slots have been booked with a two-year lease which will provide BFCH market resilient recurring revenue. Partnering with an energy provider and a liquid immersion data center expert assures of a success model that we can replicate again and again. - Andrew Gilton, CEO of BFCH.

Power accounts for approximately 80% of the OPEX in a mobile data center like ours. Controlling power costs is key to protecting the recurring revenue stream weve developed. To keep our power budget in check, BFCH has signed a 5-year fixed price agreement with partner, 10NetZero, to provide us with power generated on site in south Texas.

10NetZero works with Oil and Gas providers to monetize stranded natural gas deposits, reducing environmental impact, and enabling them to meet ESG guidelines. Instead of allowing natural gas to be released into the atmosphere, 10NetZero can deploy equipment to harness stranded gas deposits and convert it to power right on site. By doing this, 10NetZero and their O&G customers are protecting the environment while providing a reliable source of power for this site.

Gas previously released into the atmosphere can now be harvested for applications like these, reducing emissions, and protecting the environment. 10NetZero is excited to partner with BFCH and Digital Carpenters to utilize the massive power we can generate on site to mine cryptocurrency. Were excited for the future. - Joel Fulord of 10NetZero.

To bring this site online, BFCH has partnered with Digital Carpenters, a pioneer in immersion-cooling applications for data centers. Digital Carpenters is the designer and operator of a 25 MW facility in West Texas that is the 3rd largest immersion cooled data center in the world, and the most power dense site at 3.3 KW sq. ft.

We have over 7 years of experience designing and operating data centers in the heat of south Georgia and West Texas and have anticipated what this facility will need to continue to run smoothly for BFCHs hosted customers. Were excited to partner with BFCH and 10NetZero on a modular data center deployment here in South Texas and look forward to replicating this environmentally-friendly data center model across the region. - John Mathews, Founder & CEO of Digital Carpenters.

Supporting Video https://youtu.be/xaAV-zmoAo4

About BitFrontier Capital Holdings, Inc.

BitFrontier Capital Holdings, Inc. is a leading provider of Crypto Mining Hardware and Hosting Centers. Consisting of ASIC Miners US, Inc. and Liquid Immersion Worldwide, Inc., BitFrontier is a one stop shop for purchasing the very latest mining equipment and strategically located hosting centers throughout the US.

To keep up with further announcements in between our scheduled press releases, please follow our new twitter account https://twitter.com/bfchcohttps://www.bfchco.com/https://asicminersus.com/https://www.liquidimmersionhosting.com/https://digitalcarpenters.io/https://10netzero.com/Contact- [email protected] Forward-Looking Statements. This press release may contain forward-looking statements. The words "believe," "expect," "should," "intend," "estimate," "projects," variations of such words and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements, but their absence does not mean that a statement is not a forward-looking statement. These forward-looking statements are based upon the Company's current expectations and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Among the important factors that could cause actual results to differ significantly from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements are risks that are detailed in the Company's respective filings at www.otcmarkets.com.

Source: BitFrontier Capital Holdings, Inc.
SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco commends Congressman Steven Horsford's (NV-04) unwavering commitment to closing the racial wealth gap and promoting homeownership opportunities for all communities. Horsford, the Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, spoke at the Banks Innovations in Mortgage Finance Symposium and celebrated the Banks announcement to accept VantageScore 4.0 for mortgage collateral originated by its lenders.

We appreciate Congressman Horsford celebrating our work that aims to help many underserved borrowers who have been left out by conventional models reach their dreams of owning a home and building wealth for themselves and their families, said Teresa Bryce Bazemore, President and CEO of the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco. At FHLBank San Francisco, we are dedicated to narrowing the black homeownership gap and breaking down systemic barriers to financial inclusion.

In recent public comments, Congressman Horsford, a member of the House Financial Services Committee, emphasized the significance of homeownership in building intergenerational wealth. He underscored that homeownership not only facilitates financial stability but also serves as a pathway for families to pass on wealth to future generations, thereby reshaping the path to economic empowerment.

Homeownership is one of the most meaningful and substantive ways that families build intergenerational wealth in America, said Congressman Horsford. When we have homeownership, not only is there money to send our children to college, but it also ensures that wealth can be passed on and helps give our children the opportunity to start their lives differently than many of us.

About the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco

The Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco is a member-driven cooperative helping local lenders in Arizona, California, and Nevada build strong communities, create opportunity, and change lives for the better. The tools and resources we provide to our member financial institutions  commercial banks, credit unions, industrial loan companies, savings institutions, insurance companies, and community development financial institutions  propel homeownership, finance quality affordable housing, boost economic vitality, and revitalize whole neighborhoods. Together with our members and other partners, we are making the communities we serve more vibrant, equitable, and resilient and changing lives for the better.

Source: Federal Home Loan Bank Of San Francisco
U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield (C, front) votes against a Gaza-related Security Council draft resolution at the UN headquarters in New York, on Feb. 20, 2024. The United States on Tuesday vetoed a Security Council draft resolution that would have demanded an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza.The draft resolution won 13 votes in favor among the 15 members of the Security Council. The United States voted against it. Britain abstained. (Xinhua/Xie E)

UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- The United States on Tuesday vetoed a Security Council draft resolution that would have demanded an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza.

The draft resolution won 13 votes in favor among the 15 members of the Security Council. The United States voted against it. Britain abstained.

To be adopted, a Security Council draft resolution needs at least nine votes in favor and no veto from any of the council's five permanent members -- Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States.

The Algerian-drafted resolution would have demanded an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza and would have deplored all attacks against civilians. The draft would have rejected forced displacement of the Palestinian civilian population and would have demanded unhindered humanitarian access to Gaza. The draft also would have demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.

Before the vote on the draft resolution, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said the Algerian draft would jeopardize ongoing efforts toward a hostage deal. She said her delegation was working on a rival draft resolution that would call for a "temporary cease-fire" based on the formula that all hostages are released.

Russia's permanent representative to the United Nations, Vassily Nebenzia, said before the vote that Washington continues to give Israel "a license to kill." He asked Security Council members "to counter the lawlessness of Washington."

Speaking after the vote, Nebenzia said full responsibility for the consequences of Tuesday's outcome falls on Washington, no matter how hard the United States tries to evade it by talking about its "important mediation efforts." 
FORT WORTH, Texas, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CorVel Corporation (NASDQ: CRVL), is proud to be Certified by Great Place To Work for the 4th year in a row. The prestigious award is based entirely on what current employees say about their experience working at CorVel. Great Place To Work is the global authority on workplace culture, employee experience, and leadership behaviors proven to deliver market-leading revenue, employee retention, and increased innovation.

This recognition, for the fourth year in a row, underscores the commitment and passion of the CorVel team. Achieving certification as a Great Place to Work reaffirms what we've long understood: our business flourishes when our employees are empowered to learn, grow, and advance. We are grateful to our team for their contributions in earning this recognition, said Michael Combs, CorVels President, and CEO.

"Great Place to Work Certification is a highly coveted achievement that requires consistent and intentional dedication to the overall employee experience," says Sarah Lewis-Kulin, the Vice President of Global Recognition at Great Place To Work. She emphasizes that Certification is the sole official recognition earned by the real-time feedback of employees regarding their company culture. By successfully earning this recognition, it is evident CorVel stands out as one of the top companies to work for, providing a great workplace environment for its employees."

WERE HIRING!Looking to grow your career at a company that puts its people first? Visit our careers page at: https://www.corvel.com/company/careers/

About Great Place to Work Certification

Great Place To Work Certification is the most definitive employer-of-choice recognition that companies aspire to achieve. It is the only recognition based entirely on what employees report about their workplace experience  specifically, how consistently they experience a high-trust workplace. Great Place to Work Certification is recognized worldwide by employees and employers alike and is the global benchmark for identifying and recognizing outstanding employee experience. Every year, more than 10,000 companies across 60 countries apply to get Great Place To Work certified.

About Great Place To Work

As the global authority on workplace culture, Great Place To Work brings 30 years of groundbreaking research and data to help every place become a great place to work for all. Their proprietary platform and For All Model helps companies evaluate the experience of every employee, with exemplary workplaces becoming Great Place To Work Certified or receiving recognition on a coveted Best Workplaces List.

About CorVel

CorVel Corp. applies technology including artificial intelligence, machine learning and natural language processing to enhance the managing of episodes of care and the related health care costs. We partner with employers, third-party administrators, insurance companies and government agencies in managing workers compensation and health, auto and liability services. Our diverse suite of solutions combines our integrated technologies with a human touch. CorVel's customized services, delivered locally, are backed by a national team to support clients as well as their customers and patients.

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

All statements included in this press release, other than statements or characterizations of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on the Companys current expectations, estimates and projections about the Company, managements beliefs, and certain assumptions made by the Company, and events beyond the Companys control, all of which are subject to change. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to the Companys claims management services and the Companys continued investment in these and other innovative technologies, and statements relating to the Companys workers comp service offerings. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions that could cause the Companys actual results to differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statement, including the risk that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, results of operations and financial condition is greater than our initial assessment.

The risks and uncertainties referred to above include but are not limited to factors described in this press release and the Companys filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to Risk Factors in the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended March 31, 2023, and the Companys Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended June 30, 2023, September 30, 2023, and December 31, 2023. The forward-looking statements in this press release speak only as of the date they are made. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statement for any reason.

CorVel Corporation 5128 Apache Plume Rd. Fort Worth, TX 76102 Contact: Melissa Storan Phone: 949-851-1473 www.corvel.com

Source: CorVel Corp.
NOTIFICATION AND PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF TRANSACTIONS BY PERSONS DISCHARGING MANAGERIAL RESPONSIBILITIES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE EU AND UK MARKET ABUSE REGIME

February 20, 2024

On February 13, 2024, Shell plc (the Company) was informed by Jane Holl Lute, a Person Discharging Managerial Responsibilities (PDMR), that following her share purchase on February 11, 2022, her broker allocated her shareholding for a Dividend Reinvestment Scheme (Scheme). Shares were subsequently purchased on the payment of each dividend since February 11, 2022, pursuant to the Scheme, without any active involvement by Mrs Lute at the time of those purchases. Mrs Lute recognises the need for vigilance on these matters and to remove the need to notify small trades of this nature going forward, Mrs Lute has removed her shareholding from this Scheme. The transactions provided below outline the shares purchased under this Scheme whilst Mrs Lute was a participant.

1. Details of the person discharging managerial responsibilities/person closely associated First Name(s) Jane Last Name(s) Holl Lute 2. Reason for the notification Position/status Non-executive Director Initial notification/amendments Initial Notification 3. Details of the issuer, emission allowance market participant, auction platform, auctioneer or auction monitor Full name of the entity Shell plc Legal Entity Identifier code 21380068P1DRHMJ8KU70 4. Details of the transaction(s) section to be repeated for (i) each type of instrument, (ii) each type of transaction, (iii) each date, (iv) each place where transactions have been conducted Description of the financial instrument American Depository Shares (SHEL) (1 ADS is equal to 2 ordinary shares) Identification Code GB00BP6MXD84 Nature of the transactions Purchase of shares Currency USD Price (Price for each trade provided in breakdown below) Volume Total 262 ADS (see breakdown below) Total $15,241.48 Aggregated information:Trade was undertaken on different dates as part of a Dividend Reinvestment Scheme. Date of Transactions Volume Price Total 29 March 2022 23 ADS $53.07 $1,200.48 28 June 2022 32 ADS $53.14 $1,713.31 21 September 2022 33 ADS $52.98 $1,729.43 20 December 2022 31 ADS $56.19 $1,745.75 28 March 2023 36 ADS $56.24 $2,025.48 27 June 2023 34 ADS $59.93 $2,046.19 19 September 2023 36 ADS $65.44 $2,378.39 21 December 2023 37 ADS $65.57 $2,402.45 Place of Transactions New York

Anthony ClarkeDeputy Company Secretary

ENQUIRIES

Shell Media RelationsInternational, UK, European Press: +44 20 7934 5550

LEI number of Shell plc: 21380068P1DRHMJ8KU70

Classification: Additional regulated information required to be disclosed under the laws of a Member State.

Source: Shell plc
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Finning International Inc. (TSX: FTT) (Finning or the Company or we, our or us) today announced that Christopher Patterson, a member of the companys Board of Directors (Board), has decided to step down from the Board for personal reasons, effective February 16, 2024.

Chris has been a valuable member of the Board and we have appreciated his experience and thoughtful insights over the course of his 14-year tenure, said Harold Kvisle, chair of Finnings Board of Directors. Mr. Kvisle added, On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Chris for his service and longstanding commitment to Finning, and we wish him all the best in the future.

About FinningFinning International is the worlds largest Caterpillar dealer delivering unrivalled service to customers for over 90 years. Headquartered in Surrey, British Columbia, we provide Caterpillar equipment, parts, services, and performance solutions in Western Canada, Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, the United Kingdom, and Ireland.

Contact Information:Ilona RojkovaDirector, Investor Relations Phone: 604-837-8241Email: [email protected] https://www.finning.com

Source: Finning International Inc
Through ASIAA, Taiwan joins Australia, Brazil, Chile, Israel, South Korea, and the United States in building one of the worlds largest and most powerful telescopes

PASADENA, CA, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Giant Magellan Telescope today welcomes Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics (ASIAA), a distinguished Taiwanese research institute, into its international consortium. ASIAA's inclusion expands the consortium to 14 international research institutions, underscoring Giant Magellans significance to the global astronomy community and the consortiums commitment to prioritizing global collaboration for the advancement of science.



We are thrilled to welcome ASIAA into our international consortium of distinguished partners, said Dr. Walter Massey, Board Chair of the Giant Magellan Telescope. Together, our consortium combines worldwide science expertise and engineering acumen to create a project that benefits all walks of research relating to the universe. This collective investment in the Giant Magellan Telescope is a testament that science can transcend boundaries and bind humanity together for good.

The astronomical research and instrumental development capabilities in Taiwan have received international recognition. ASIAA will contribute expertise in areas such as low noise and compact detector electronics, precision detector characterization technology, precision laser cutting technology, and many others. These contributions will prove invaluable once the telescope is commissioned in the early 2030s.

ASIAA is delighted to be a part of the Giant Magellan Telescope consortium, and the Taiwanese scientific community is prepared to contribute its expertise while also benefiting from the wealth of knowledge within the consortium, said Dr. Ue-Li Pen, the Director of ASIAA. Joining one of the thirty-meter-class telescopes has been a long-term aspiration for Taiwanese astronomers, and Giant Magellan is considered the most suitable project for this endeavor. The collaboration between ASIAA and the Giant Magellan Telescope establishes a robust foundation for astronomical research in Taiwan, with a particular emphasis on nurturing the development of new generations in the field. We also anticipate that this project will deepen collaboration between Taiwan and the six other countries in the consortium.

Construction of the telescope advances rapidly in the Chilean Atacama Desert and in labs around the world. Over the past year, fabrication commenced on the seventh and final primary mirror in Arizona, while manufacturing of the 39-meter-tall mount structure began in Illinois. Progress includes completion of the first of seven mirror covers in Germany, and near completion of the telescopes first adaptive secondary mirror in France and Italy. Other advancements were made on a suite of high-resolution imagers and spectrographs in Arizona, Australia, California, Massachusetts, South Korea, and Texas.

These optical technologies will enable the Giant Magellan to boast a remarkable tenfold increase in resolution compared to the Hubble Space Telescope and deliver up to 200 times the power of todays best telescopes. The breakthrough technologies will empower scientists worldwide, offering unparalleled insights into the evolution of the universe, the origins of chemical elements, and the discovery of life on distant exoplanets for the first time.

News of ASIAAs inclusion into the Giant Magellan Telescopes international consortium was celebrated by elected officials in the United States dedicated to scientific advancements, democratic values, and international partnerships.

US Senator of Arizona and former NASA Astronaut Mark Kelly emphasized how science collaborations can strengthen international relations. Arizona has long been a leader in astronomy and optical research, and thanks to key contributions from the University of Arizona and Arizona State University, the Giant Magellan Telescope will lead the way making the next generation of discoveries in astronomy, said Senator Kelly. We welcome the newest collaborators from Taiwan to the Giant Magellan consortium and look forward to strengthening ties between Arizona and Taiwan through our shared commitment to democracy, education, and innovation.

US Congressman of Texas and Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Michael T. McCaul, also emphasized the significance of supporting large international research initiatives. Im glad our friends in Taiwan have joined this important project, which includes top-notch research institutions like Texas A&M and The University of Texas, said Congressman McCaul. The Giant Magellan Telescope will be a ground-breaking observatory that will expand our knowledge of the universe and enable the US to maintain its dominance in ground-based optical and infrared astronomy.

ASIAA joins Arizona State University, Astronomy Australia Ltd., Australian National University, Carnegie Institution for Science, Harvard University, Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, Sao Paulo Research Foundation, Smithsonian Institution, Texas A&M University, The University of Texas at Austin, University of Arizona, University of Chicago, and the Weizmann Institute of Science in building the Giant Magellan Telescope.

About Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics

Academia Sinica is Taiwans national academy of sciences funded by the Presidential Office of Taiwan. Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics (ASIAA) is one of 32 institutes and centers of Academia Sinica and is the leading astronomical institute in Taiwan. ASIAAs mission is to conduct fundamental, groundbreaking research in theory, observation, and instrumentation for astrophysics. Research areas cover the formation and evolution of stellar and planetary systems, cosmology and galaxies, black holes and high-energy astrophysics, the solar system, and astrophysical technology. ASIAA is located on the campus of National Taiwan University at the center of the city of Taipei and is a member of several international projects, providing opportunities for our members to conduct observations or technical developments at world-leading facilities. ASIAA is a founding member of the East-Asian Core Observatory Association (EACOA) and a member of the East-Asian Observatory (EAO). To learn more, visit asiaa.sinica.edu.tw.

About Giant Magellan Telescope

The Giant Magellan Telescope is the future of space exploration from Earth. Using seven of the worlds largest mirrors, the 25.4-meter telescope will produce the most detailed images ever taken of our universe. It will uncover the cosmic mysteries of dark matter, investigate the origins of chemical elements, and verify signs of life on distant planets for the first time. Giant Magellan is the work of the GMTO Corporation, an international consortium of 14 research institutions representing Australia, Brazil, Chile, Israel, South Korea, Taiwan, and the United States. The telescope is under construction in Chile and anticipated to be completed in the early 2030s. The Universe Awaits at giantmagellan.org .

Media Contacts

Ryan Kallabis

Giant Magellan Telescope

Director of Communications and Outreach

O: +1-626-204-0554 | E: [email protected]

Mei-Yin Chou

Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica

EPO Project Scientist

O: +886-2-2366-5415 | E: [email protected]

Multimedia

Multimedia assets and media usage statement available here until March 21, 2024.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/31b24074-344f-477f-96b1-2813d3278880
ATLANTA, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gray Television Inc. (Gray, the Company, we, us, or our) (NYSE: GTN) announced today that Chief Financial Officer Jim Ryan has notified the Company of his voluntary decision to transition into retirement after 2025. Gray and Jim have agreed that he will remain with Gray as a Senior Advisor through his retirement to assist with a seamless transition of his duties.



To succeed Jim as CFO, Gray announced the hiring of Jeff Gignac, who currently serves as a Managing Director and Head of Media & Telecom Investment Banking at Wells Fargo Securities. Jeff has worked closely with Jim and the Company as one of its lead bankers for the past several years. Mr. Gignac will join Gray, initially as Executive Vice President, Finance, on April 1, 2024, and he will step into Mr. Ryans role as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer on July 1, 2024. Mr. Ryan will work closely with Mr. Gignac and the entire Gray executive team until he retires from the Company at the end of 2025.

Jim joined Gray as its CFO in 1998 upon our acquisition of Busse Broadcasting, where Jim had also served as CFO. In the ensuing 25 years, Jims role remained the same, but the position became ever more complicated as Gray grew from a small regional media company to the nations second largest broadcast company. During his tenure, Gray entirely divested its newspapers, paging, satellite uplink and other businesses, while acquiring scores of television stations through multiple transactions including those involving Bostick Broadcasting (1999), Benedek Broadcasting (2002), the University of Notre Dame (2006), Yellowstone Television (2013), Hoak Media (2014), SJL Holdings (2014), Schurz Communications (2016), Raycom Media (2019), Quincy Media (2021), Meredith Corporation (2021), and many others.

Jim has made tremendous contributions to Gray Television during his 25-year tenure, said Grays Executive Chairman and CEO Hilton Howell. He has helped guide the Company through a period of tremendous growth, innovation, and transformation that has made Gray the industry leader that we are today. His steady leadership will be missed but will not be forgotten.

Jeff Gignac will join Gray after a nearly 20-year career with Wells Fargo. Prior to his current leadership position, Jeff spent 18 years in leveraged finance, focused on the telecom, media and technology (TMT) industries. Prior to Wells Fargo, Jeff worked at Ernst & Young and Arthur Andersen. He holds a BA in Accounting from Michigan State University and is a licensed CPA in the State of Georgia.

We are fortunate that Jeff Gignac will join Grays senior leadership team as our next CFO, said Hilton Howell. Over the past several years, Jeff has led our debt financing efforts for the Raycom and Meredith transactions and the AR securitization facility. Importantly, Jeff helped to ensure that we raised capital on advantageous terms to facilitate our transformation into a leading multimedia company. With Grays current focus on deleveraging and prudent balance sheet management, Jeff is the perfect candidate to lead our finance functions for the next chapter of our corporate history.

About Gray:

Gray Television, Inc. is a multimedia company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Gray is the nations largest owner of top-rated local television stations and digital assets in the United States. Its television stations serve 113 television markets that collectively reach approximately 36 percent of US television households. This portfolio includes 80 markets with the top-rated television station and 102 markets with the first and/or second highest rated television station. Gray also owns video program companies Raycom Sports, Tupelo Media Group, and PowerNation Studios, as well as the studio production facilities Assembly Atlanta and Third Rail Studios. Gray owns a majority interest in Swirl Films. For more information, please visit www.gray.tv .

Cautionary Statements for Purposes of the Safe Harbor Provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements that are based largely on Grays current expectations and reflect various estimates and assumptions by Gray. These statements are statements other than those of historical fact and may be identified by words such as estimates, expect, anticipate, will, implied, assume and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks, trends and uncertainties that could cause actual results and achievements to differ materially from those expressed in such forward-looking statements. Such risks, trends and uncertainties, which in some instances are beyond Grays control. Gray is subject to additional risks and uncertainties described in Grays quarterly and annual reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time, including in the Risk Factors, and managements discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations sections contained therein, which reports are made publicly available via its website, www.gray.tv. Any forward-looking statements in this communication should be evaluated in light of these important risk factors. This press release reflects managements views as of the date hereof. Except to the extent required by applicable law, Gray undertakes no obligation to update or revise any information contained in this communication beyond the date hereof, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Gray Contacts:

Hilton H. Howell, Jr., Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, 404-266-5513

Kevin P. Latek, Executive Vice President, Chief Legal and Development Officer, 404-266-8333
NEW YORK, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Canon Business Process Services (Canon) has been named to the Leader category of the International Association of Outsourcing Professionals (IAOP) 2024 Global Outsourcing 100 list. The list defines the standard of excellence in outsourcing service delivery. This is the eighteenth straight year in which Canon has been named a Leader in The Global Outsourcing 100. Only two other companies, including some of the largest outsourcing and consulting companies in the world, have achieved the same record of distinction.

"In a year characterized by significant digital disruption, the 2024 Global Outsourcing 100 underscores the remarkable success and adaptability of service providers and advisors. This year's list celebrates organizations that have not only thrived but have excelled, innovated, and set new industry standards in this new era," stated Debi Hamill, CEO of IAOP. "We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Canon Business Process Services for securing a well-deserved place among the world's finest."

The Global Outsourcing 100 is a prestigious annual listing recognizing the world's top outsourcing service providers. The list serves as an indispensable resource for companies seeking to establish or expand relationships with the industry's foremost firms that provide a diverse range of outsourcing services.

About IAOP

IAOP is THE sourcing community, with collaboration at its core, that drives exceptional business and societal outcomes. Our members and affiliates worldwide are digging deep at IAOP conferences, learning at IAOP chapter meetings, getting trained and certified at IAOP courses and workshops, and connecting through IAOP social media, all with one goal: better business results. For more information and how you can become involved, visit www.IAOP.org.

About Canon Business Process Services

Canon helps clients enable business agility, digital transformation and lead an increasingly evolving workforce. We solve these challenges by leveraging our experienced team backed by Six Sigma expertise and best-in-class technology. With professionals across the U.S. and in the Philippines, we have been named a Global Outsourcing 100 Leader in 2024 by IAOP for the eighteenth straight year. Canon Business Process Services is a wholly owned subsidiary of Canon U.S.A., Inc. Learn more at cbps.canon.com and follow us on Twitter @CanonBPO.

Ken Neal Canon Business Process Services 212-502-2100 [email protected]

Source: Canon U.S.A., Inc.
New York, NY, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Linkbest (https://www.linkbest.com/), a leading comprehensive technical supported affiliate marketing company, proudly announces its 15 years of experience in the industry, solidifying its position as a trusted and reliable partner for businesses worldwide.

How can advertisers and publishers be linked in the best way through Linkbest's technological capabilities? This effort was supported by the unwavering dedication of their 24/7 professional BI strategy team, which is always ready to monitor real-time data, solve problems, and mitigate risks for clients.

Linkbest's flexible publisher dashboard and payment system attract an extensive collection of top-tier publishers by offering dynamic, customizable financial solutions. Through data-driven analysis of audience behaviors, Linkbest delivers targeted advertising and monetization strategies, boosting revenue opportunities for publishers.

"Our objective is to integrate global high-quality publisher resources and utilize them effectively and strategically to address our advertiser clients' challenges, " said Zoey Wang, director of partnership development of Linkbest.com. "Leveraging technical enhancements, including sophisticated data analytics and user-friendly dashboard infrastructure, we guarantee optimal revenue generation for both publishers and advertisers, fostering a harmonious and mutually beneficial partnership that results in a win-win outcome. "

For Linkbest's advertising partners, the platform revolutionizes the user experience by providing advanced tools for tracking the effectiveness of marketing activities, aligning publishers with specific performance requirements, offering multi-dimensional intelligent e-commerce data analysis, and ensuring secure and flexible commission structures along with versatile payment options to its international clientele.

Linkbest's commitment to transparency, innovation, and client success has established it as a trusted partner in affiliate marketing. A top e-commerce brand lauds its enduring partnership with Linkbest, emphasizing that "100% transparency through real-time promotional data monitoring is key to our mutual trust." Linkbest boasts outstanding integration partnerships across diverse sectors, including leading global flight and hotel companies, the number one electronic accessories brand, and numerous other elite global brands and organizations.

With trust from its partnered publishers and advertisers, Linkbest's "Stepping onto the Runway" campaign last winter, in collaboration with world-class luxury brands, united content creators globally to enhance consumer engagement through their influence in the electronic market. The campaign generated significant traffic, with 58% from the US, 16% from the EU, and 14% from the UK, showcasing its global reach. It notably boosted a top French luxury leather goods brand's sales by 92% MoM and increased new customer rates by 23%. Additionally, Linkbest ran targeted sub-campaigns for brands with specific promotional needs, notably increasing a French luxury brand's US market sales by 128% MoM through strategic social media and advertising efforts.

Throughout the years, Linkbest.com has forged successful partnerships with more than 2,000 esteemed global brands, creating a vast network that distinguishes them in the affiliate marketing field. Leveraging top-tier global publisher resources, a problem-solving mindset, and data-driven methodologies, Linkbest consistently raises the bar for excellence, delivering unparalleled outcomes for their clients.

Source: LINKBEST.COM
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Marimaca Copper Corp. (Marimaca Copper or the Company) (TSX: MARI) is pleased to welcome Ms. Solange Gonzalez as General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, based in the Companys Santiago, Chile office.

Ms. Gonzalez is a legal executive with nearly 20 years of experience advising Chilean and international companies across Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), securities law, corporate governance, commercial law and corporate law. Prior to joining Marimaca, Ms. Gonzalez served as Executive Legal Manager, M&A and Corporate Finance at the Falabella Group, one of Chiles largest multinational retail businesses. Prior to this, Ms. Gonzalez spent 11 years at Carey, one of Chiles leading law firms, advising local and international clients on M&A, financing and commercial transactions. While at Carey, Ms. Gonzalez spent six months as a visiting attorney at Fasken Toronto in the Global Mining Team.

Ms. Gonzalez holds an Masters of Law (LLM) in Corporate Law from the London School of Economics and Political Science, a Bachelor of Law (LLB) from the Universidad de Chile, and a Certificate in Mining Law from Osgoode Hall Law School at York University.

Hayden Locke, President and CEO of Marimaca Copper Corp. states:

We are excited to welcome Solange to the Team as we continue to advance the Marimaca Project toward first production. Solange brings a wealth of local and international legal experience to Marimaca and adds significant depth to our in-country management team as we continue to build-out our local business

Contact InformationFor further information please visit www.marimaca.com or contact:

Tavistock+44 (0) 207 920 3150Emily Moss / Adam Baynes[email protected]

Forward Looking Statements

This news release includes certain forward-looking statements under applicable Canadian securities legislation. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements reflect the beliefs, opinions and projections on the date the statements are made and are based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by Marimaca Copper, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and the parties have made assumptions and estimates based on or related to many of these factors. Such factors include, without limitation: risks related to share price and market conditions, the inherent risks involved in the mining, exploration and development of mineral properties, the uncertainties involved in interpreting drilling results and other geological data, fluctuating metal prices, the possibility of project delays or cost overruns or unanticipated excessive operating costs and expenses, uncertainties related to the necessity of financing, uncertainties relating to regulatory procedure and timing for permitting reviews, the availability of and costs of financing needed in the future as well as those factors disclosed in the annual information form of the Company dated March 27, 2023 and other filings made by the Company with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities (which may be viewed at www.sedar.com). Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Marimaca Copper undertakes no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements contained herein whether as a result of new information or future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law.

Neither the TSX nor the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Source: Marimaca Copper Corp.
Toronto, Ontario, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- College and university students gather annually for the Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario Lobby Week, where they meet with MPPs to share students' priorities. The Federation will host a press conference to officially announce the Ontario Lobby Week and the students' recommendations for 2024 Lobby Week.

WHAT: Press conference announcing the CFS-Ontario Lobby WeekWHEN: Thursday, February 22, 9:00 am.WHERE: Queens Park Media Room - Toronto, ONWHO: Mitra Yakubi, CFS-O chairperson

After decades of cuts to public funding for Post-Secondary Education and a shifting landscape moving rapidly towards privatization and austerity, students find themselves struggling to keep up with ever increasing tuition fees and the high cost of living. With the highest overall tuition fees in the country, Ontario is failing students.Yet, students know it doesnt have to be this way, and that another Post-Secondary Education System is possible.

Students are demanding that the provincial government legislate students right to organize, and respect Indigenous learners right to education. Students demand justice for graduate students, support for students with disabilities, and fairness for International students. Ultimately, students are demanding free, publicly-funded and high-quality education for all.

The Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario is the oldest and largest student organization in Ontario, representing over 350,000 college and university students in every region of the province.

-30-

For further information on the campaign or to set up an interview, contact:Mitra Yakubi, CFSO Chairperson, at [email protected] Isobel McDonald, Government Relations and Policy Coordinator, at [email protected]

Mitra Yakubi Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario [email protected]

Source: Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario
Memphis, TN, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The National Civil Rights Museum will host the fourth and final national convening entitled The Resilience: Combatting Police Violence through Policy and Public Safety on March 22, 2024 from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm at the Renasant Convention Center. As part of The Reckoning, The Resolve, The Restoration, and The Resilience series, the Museum brings together thought leaders, policymakers, surviving families, and activists to examine the historical connections of systemic racial violence and find solutions for todays challenges.

The Resilience symposium is the apex of collaboration among thought leaders and activists whose commitment to public safety, justice, and dignity are born out of love for our communities, said Museum President, Dr. Russ Wigginton. Through tough conversations, smart strategies, and ultimate determination, we are destined to build a better world for our children, but we must begin now.

During the symposium, participants will offer strategies and solutions to tackle police violence through policy-driven, community-led, and trauma-informed alternatives to traditional public safety methods. The event includes an opening panel, facilitated sessions, and a lunch roundtable discussion.

The event format includes:

Opening Panel  From Pain to Purpose: The Courageous Activism of Police Violence Victims. The panel includes Rodney and RowVaughn Wells , parents of Tyre Nichols; Sybrina Fulton , mother of Trayvon Martin; Gwen Carr, mother of Eric Garner; Philonise Floyd, brother of George Floyd. CNN political commentator and author, Symone Sanders Townsend, is the panel moderator.

The panel includes , parents of Tyre Nichols; , mother of Trayvon Martin; Gwen Carr, mother of Eric Garner; Philonise Floyd, brother of George Floyd. CNN political commentator and author, Symone Sanders Townsend, is the panel moderator. Facilitated Session I  Enhancing Public Safety through Community-Led & Trauma-Informed Alternatives. This session is led by Eric Cumberbatch of the Center for Policy Equity in New York City. His extensive portfolio of work is focused on undoing the impact of white supremacy in Black communities and placing power in the hands of the most vulnerable people.

This session is led by Eric Cumberbatch of the Center for Policy Equity in New York City. His extensive portfolio of work is focused on undoing the impact of white supremacy in Black communities and placing power in the hands of the most vulnerable people. Facilitated Session II  Advocating for Police Reform through Effective Policy Solutions. This session is facilitated by Rashawn Ray, professor, author, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, and executive director of the AIR Equity Initiative which collaboratively focuses on developing strategies to mitigate the harm caused by segregated communities with emphasis on education, workforce, safety, and health equity.

This session is facilitated by Rashawn Ray, professor, author, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, and executive director of the AIR Equity Initiative which collaboratively focuses on developing strategies to mitigate the harm caused by segregated communities with emphasis on education, workforce, safety, and health equity. Lunch Roundtable  Ending Police Violence: Strategies for Cross-Sector Collaboration. The luncheon panel includes Derrick Johnson, National President of NAACP, Raumesh Akbari, Tennessee State Senator, and is moderated by Symone Sanders Townsend.

In the face of adversity, resilience is not merely enduring; its about standing firm, adapting, and advocating for change. Its the unwavering commitment to justice, the courage to confront systemic issues, and the determination to build a safer and more equitable future for all, said Veda Ajamu, Managing Director, DEI Programs and Community Engagement.

The museum has launched this collaborative effort to include a broad spectrum of citizens from many disciplines, industries, and roles to root out the causes at a systemic level. National and local leaders committed to seeing change in their communities and enhancing relationships between citizens and law enforcement are strongly encouraged to attend.

The four-part, national convening series  The Reckoning, The Resolve, The Reconciliation, and The Resilience  is made possible by the support of FedEx, Cummins, and The Kresge Foundation. For tickets and more information, visit civilrightsmuseum.org.

About the National Civil Rights MuseumThe NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM, located at the historic Lorraine Motel where civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated, gives a comprehensive overview of the American Civil Rights Movement from slavery to the present. Since the Museum opened in 1991, millions of visitors from around the world have come, including more than 90,000 student visits annually. The Museum is steadfast in its mission to chronicle the American civil rights movement and tell the story of the ongoing struggle for human rights. It educates and serves as a catalyst to inspire action to create positive social change. A Smithsonian Affiliate and an internationally acclaimed cultural institution, the Museum is recognized as a 2019 National Medal Award recipient by the Institute of Museums and Library Services (IMLS), the top national honor for museums and libraries.

 civilrightsmuseum.org 

Connie Dyson National Civil Rights Museum 901-527-1225 [email protected]

Source: National Civil Rights Museum
DAR ES SALAAM, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian Vice President Philip Mpango on Tuesday called for the need to nurture native languages, saying they play an important role in fostering economic growth.

Speaking at the opening of the International Conference on the Role of Native Languages in Tanzania's port city of Dar es Salaam, Mpango said the use of native languages could expand the participation of many people in economic and business opportunities.

"Many people who rely on their native languages could participate in economic and business opportunities if their languages are accommodated," he said ahead of the International Mother Language Day, an annual global observance on Feb. 21 to raise awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity and promote multilingualism.

Mpango also urged the conference to deliberate on how native languages can play their role in the digital economy.

The two-day meeting has brought together retired heads of state, diplomats, policymakers, industrialists, academicians, religious leaders, youth, women, and representatives of non-governmental organizations from across the world. 
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nevada Exploration Inc. (NGE or the Company) (TSX-V:NGE; OTCQB: NVDEF) announces the assays for drillhole SGVC014A at its South Grass Valley property, property acquisition negotiations, addition of directors, and a private placement financing.

As previously released, the Company began drilling SGVC014 in March 2022. The drillhole was stopped at 574 metres due to broken ground conditions that sheared the drill rods, after which the drillhole was redrilled and sampled from 438 to 1,048 metres as SGVC014A. SGVC014A entered the targeted Hales Formation at 805 metres, which continued until the bottom of the drillhole at 1,048 metres, providing a 243-metre-thick sample of the Hales below the Goodwin contact. Though the Hales represents a highly favourable Carlin-type host unit, SGVC014A encountered little evidence that it supported pervasive hydrothermal fluid flow in this area of the project and initial logging suggested SGVC014A did not drill through a major Carlin-type deposit. The Company has received all lab assays from SGVC014A. Lab assays show generally low concentrations of Carlin-type pathfinders, including low gold values.

Plans to do further work at South Grass Valley will be determined at a future date.

Saskatchewan Property

The Company is currently negotiating to acquire a property in the Athabasca Basin of Saskatchewan.

Addition of Directors

The Company announces the addition of Sandra MacKay and Todd Hilditch to the Board of Directors.

Sandra MacKay serves as the Global Vice President, Legal and Corporate Secretary, for Copperleaf Technologies Inc. She joined Copperleaf in 2022 and brings over 30 years of corporate-commercial legal experience to the company. Ms. MacKay was previously Senior Vice President, Legal, of Uranerz Energy Corporation, a leading integrated producer of uranium in the United States, and Vice President, Legal, of Chemetics Inc., an international engineering technology company. She served as a director of URZ Energy Corp. and Azarga Uranium Corp. Ms. MacKay has held senior legal counsel positions with QLT Inc., a dual-listed biotechnology company, and Chevron Canada Limited. She has a wealth of legal experience in securities law, corporate governance, and intellectual property law matters as well as experience on a wide range of commercial transactions. Ms. MacKay holds a Juris Doctor from the University of British Columbia and is a member of the Law Society of British Columbia.

Todd Hilditch has developed a successful track record of mergers and acquisitions in the mining sector through numerous public company transactions over the past twenty-five years. Mr. Hilditch is the CEO and a director of Riley Gold Corp. He served as Chairman of the Board of URZ Energy Corp. prior to its acquisition by Azarga Uranium Corp. and served as a director of Azarga until it was acquired by enCore Energy Corp. Valuations of transactions initiated/completed with Mr. Hilditchs involvement exceed $500m and he has been involved in capital raising of over $200m. Mr. Hilditch is the President and owner of Rock Management Consulting Ltd., a private mining management services and consulting company. Mr. Hilditch graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York with a Bachelor of Science degree in Management, majoring in Finance.

Private Placement Financing

The Company announces a non-brokered private placement offering of up to 5,000,000 units (the Units) at a price of $0.11 CAD per Unit (the Offering), for total gross proceeds of up to C$550,000.

Each Unit will consist of one common share in the capital of the Company (a Common Share) and one Common Share purchase warrant (a Warrant), with each Warrant entitling the holder thereof to acquire an additional Common Share at an exercise price of C$0.20 per Common Share for 36 months after the date of issuance (the Closing Date). If after four months plus one day from the Closing Date the closing price (or closing bid price on days when there are no trades) of NGEs common shares is greater than C$0.40 per share for 10 consecutive trading days, NGE may accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants to the 30th day after the date on which NGE gives notice to the Warrant holders of such acceleration, with such notice being the issuance of a news release by the Company announcing the acceleration of the expiry date.

Proceeds from the Offering will be used for general working capital purposes.

The Offering is subject to receipt of all necessary regulatory and TSX Venture Exchange approvals. The securities issued at closing of the Offering will be subject to a four month plus one day hold period from the date of issue, as well as to any other re-sale restrictions imposed by applicable securities regulatory authorities. Subject to approval by the TSX Venture Exchange and applicable securities legislation, NGE may pay finders fees with respect to certain subscriptions from arms length subscribers in accordance with the TSX Venture Exchange Policies.

About Nevada Exploration Inc.

NGE has for the past several years been applying modern technology to systematically explore for the undiscovered second half of Nevadas gold endowment waiting to be uncovered within Nevadas valley basins. The Company is examining other opportunities in its quest to create shareholder value.

For further information, please contact:

Nevada Exploration Inc.Email: [email protected]Telephone: +1 (604) 601 2006Website: www.nevadaexploration.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Gordon Gibson, PGeo, a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed data associated with SGVC014A and has reviewed the contents of this News Release.

Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information:

This news release contains forward-looking information and forward-looking statements (collectively, forward-looking information) within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including, without limitation, the negotiation and potential acquisition of a property in Saskatchewan and the private placement financing.

In connection with the forward-looking information contained in this news release, the Company has made numerous assumptions, regarding, among other things, the assumption the Company will continue as a going concern and will continue to be able to access the capital required to advance its projects and continue operations. While the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable, these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies.

In addition, there are known and unknown risk factors which could cause the Companys actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information contained herein. Among the important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements are: the Company may not acquire a property in Saskatchewan as currently contemplated; the Company may not close the private placement on the terms currently contemplated, or at all; the risks inherent in mineral exploration; the need to obtain additional financing; the availability of needed personnel and equipment for exploration and development; fluctuations in the price of minerals; and general economic conditions.

A more complete discussion of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company is disclosed in the Companys continuous disclosure filings with Canadian securities regulatory authorities at www.sedar.com. All forward-looking information herein is qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement, and the Company disclaims any obligation to revise or update any such forward-looking information or to publicly announce the result of any revisions to any of the forward-looking information contained herein to reflect future results, events or developments, except as required by law.

Source: Nevada Exploration Inc.
OptETruck, an innovative truck fleet management system powered by HERE Tour Planning and Location Services, aims to boost efficiency and facilitates smarter trip planning at Singapores ports.

Companies that have adopted the service demonstrated about 50 percent reduction in empty truck runs.

PSA is on track to onboard more than 50 percent of the container trucks coming in and out of the ports by end of the year.

Singapore  HERE Technologies, the leading location data and technology platform, today announced that it is enabling PSA Singapore (PSA), which operates the worlds largest transhipment hub with unrivalled connectivity, to transform its container truck ecosystem in Singapore, with the goal of optimizing the movement of goods at Singapores ports.Singapore is the top maritime capital of the world[1] with the Port of Singapore as the world's second busiest port in terms of container volume. With global connectivity being key to its success, PSA is linked to more than 600 ports worldwide and handled 38.8 million Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) last year.

To maximize truck resource utilization and eliminate operational inefficiencies for Singapores container trucking community, PSA has developed OptETruck, a cloud-based transport management solution with features like automated scheduling and asset pooling for truck drivers.

Powered by HERE Tour Planning and Location Services, OptETruck allocates jobs to drivers based on their location, offering real-time optimization of routes and truck assignments. This system not only minimizes empty runs  truck trips without any freight loaded, but also ensures that drivers are allocated jobs in proximity to their current location. This improves overall transit and waiting times, drivers well-being and operational efficiency, while reducing carbon emission.

Companies that adopted OptETruck have been able to demonstrate about 50 percent reduction in empty runs. This translates to an annual reduction of approximately 10 million kg of carbon emissions, equivalent to planting 300,000 trees in a year.

Kushal Rajveer, Head of Supply Chain for Asia-Pacific at HERE Technologies said, Working closely with the Digital Transformation arm of PSA, we designed a solution that utilizes location technology to address the specific challenges of the container truck ecosystem around the Port of Singapore. Were pleased with the results from early adopters of the OptETruck, which has given PSA confidence to onboard more than 50 percent of container trucks entering and exiting Singapores ports by end of this year.

According to HERE Technologies APAC On The Move 2023 study, logistics companies within Asia-Pacific want turn-key solutions that are easy to implement without expensive, time consuming, and labour-intensive system overhauls. This collaboration between HERE and PSA directly addresses this need by providing PSA with a seamless, easy-to-implement solution tailored to their requirements.

Sriram Ramanujam, Assistant Vice President, Community and Digital Solutions at PSA added, Our close collaboration with HERE has enabled us to consistently push the boundaries of technology and efficiency in port logistics, and were thrilled by the initial results. OptETruck has met the needs of Singapores trucking community and sets the stage for a sustainable future, transforming the logistics industry into a well-connected and resilient hub, aligning perfectly with our commitment to contributing to Singapore's vision as a smart nation. We look forward to continuing this journey of pioneering innovative solutions with HERE, shaping the future of port logistics and further solidifying PSA's position as a global leader in the port and supply chain industry."

Deon Newman, Senior Vice President and General Manager for Asia-Pacific at HERE Technologies said, Together with PSA, we are crafting solutions that go beyond mere logistics optimization  were enabling PSA to set new standards in port management on a global scale. This collaboration not only enhances operational efficiency but also positions PSA at the forefront of innovation, ultimately supporting Singapore's ambition to be a smart nation. HERE is proud to enable PSA in shaping the future of port operations and smart logistics.

Media contactHERE TechnologiesCamy Cheng+65 9088 4127[email protected]

About HERE Technologies HERE has been a pioneer in mapping and location technology for almost 40 years. Today, HEREs location platform is recognized as the most complete in the industry, powering location-based products, services and custom maps for organizations and enterprises across the globe. From autonomous driving and seamless logistics to new mobility experiences, HERE allows its partners and customers to innovate while retaining control over their data and safeguarding privacy. Find out how HERE is moving the world forward at here.com.

[1] The Leading Maritime Cities of the World 2022 Report

Attachments

Pasir Panjang Terminal Aerial_Photo credit PSA Singapore PSA Pasir Panjang Terminal Aerial_Photo credit PSA Singapore

Source: HERE Europe B.V.
New York, New York -, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The 2024 Tunnel to Towers Tower Climb New York City is Sunday, June 2, and registration for this iconic event is open now!

The Tunnel to Towers Tower Climb NYC is the only opportunity to climb 104 stories or 2,226 steps from the basement of One World Trade Center to the finish line on the 102nd floor.

Finishers are rewarded with an awe-inspiring sunrise panoramic view of lower Manhattan from the top of the building that stands as a testament to the American people's strength, hope, and indomitable spirit.

Spots are limited to 1,000 climbers and last year's event sold out at a record pace, so secure your spot today.

For timing, wave details, fundraising requirements, security measures, and restricted items please visit the Tunnel to Towers Tower Climb NYC FAQ page.

The Tunnel to Towers Tower Climb New York City supports the Captain Billy Burke Jr. Foundation and the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.

The Captain Billy Burke Foundation provides tuition assistance at Burkes alma mater, SUNY Potsdam, for children of NYC firefighters.

The Tunnel to Towers Foundation provides mortgage payoffs or mortgage-free homes to Americas catastrophically injured Veterans and first responders, Gold Star families, and families of fallen first responders.

Join us for this one-of-a-kind event that honors and supports Americas heroes by registering today at T2T.org.

About the Tunnel to Towers Foundation

Born from the tragedy of 9/11, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation carries out its mission to do good, by providing mortgage-free homes to Gold Star and fallen first responder families with young children and by building specially adapted smart homes for catastrophically injured veterans and first responders. Tunnel to Towers is also committed to eradicating veteran homelessness and helping America Never Forget September 11, 2001.

Visit T2T.org to learn more and follow Tunnel to Towers on Facebook, X, and Instagram.

Attachments

Trevor Tamsen Tunnel To Towers Foundation 718-987-1931 [email protected]

Source: Stephen Siller Tunnel To Towers Foundation
Biosimilar Jubbonti approved for all indications of Prolia* reference medicine.

Sandoz continues to expand access for patients in Canada, offering denosumab biosimilar to treat osteoporosis and increase bone mass.

Health Canada approval based on robust Phase I and Phase III clinical studies.

Results confirm that Jubbonti provides same risks and benefits in terms of efficacy, safety and immunogenicity as reference medicine.

BOUCHERVILLE, Quebec, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sandoz Canada is pleased to announce that Health Canada has provided authorization to market Jubbonti (denosumab subcutaneous injection, reference medicine: Prolia*).

Jubbonti is the first and only Health Canada-approved denosumab biosimilar for osteoporosis and increasing bone mass. This human monoclonal antibody and RANK ligand inhibitor (bone metabolism regulator) is approved to treat all five indications covered by the reference medicine and is available as a 60 mg/mL solution in single-use prefilled syringe. Jubbonti should be available on the Canadian market in the coming months.

Denosumab is an important biologic therapy used by more than 500,000 patients in Canada.(1) As a pioneer in patient access, we take great pride in being the first company to introduce and bring to the Canadian market a denosumab biosimilar in the field of immunology. - Michel Robidoux, President and General Manager, Sandoz Canada

In light of the recent Health Canada approval of the denosumab biosimilar Jubbonti, I am enthusiastic that more Canadian patients suffering from osteoporosis will benefit from this class of medication. Biosimilars such as Jubbonti not only expand access to efficacious and safe medicines but should help decrease healthcare system costs. - Dr. Jean-Pierre Raynauld, MD, FRCPC, Rheumatologist

Jubbonti is Sandoz Canadas seventh biosimilar, demonstrating the companys ongoing commitment to grow its portfolio to respond to patient needs. Sandoz Canada remains committed to delivering affordable and high-quality medicines, with a plan to introduce 24 new biosimilars.

About Biosimilars A biosimilar biologic medicine, or biosimilar, is a biologic medicine that is shown to be highly similar and has no clinically meaningful differences in efficacy and safety in comparison to an original-brand (reference) biologic already authorized for sale. Biosimilars may become commercially available following the expiry of patents and data protection periods of the reference biologic medicine.

Sandoz launched the first biosimilar in Europe, in 2006, and in the Canadian market, in 2009. Since 2009, Health Canada has approved 55 biosimilars of reference biologics present on the Canadian market(2).

Biosimilars have the potential to improve access to effective treatments while reducing the current economic burden on the Canadian healthcare system, patients, physicians, and taxpayers as a whole. The Patented Medicines Pricing Review Board has estimated that biosimilars of four high-selling biologics saved Canadians an estimated $990 million over three years.(3) The broader use of biosimilar medicines, including the implementation of biosimilar transition policies, can also help public and private drug plans improve their sustainability by adding new medicine listings and expanding existing medical coverage for patients.

DisclaimerThis Media Release contains forward-looking statements, which offers no guarantee with regards to future performance. These statements are made based on managements views and assumptions regarding future events and business performance at the time the statements are made. They are subject to risks and uncertainties including, but not confined to, future global economic conditions, exchange rates, legal provisions, market conditions, activities by competitors and other factors outside of the control of Sandoz. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual outcomes may vary materially from those forecasted or expected. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of the statement, and Sandoz undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

About Sandoz CanadaAs a Canadian leader in off-patent medicines, Sandoz Canada has a product portfolio that includes over 700 generics and biosimilars spanning multiple therapeutic areas, such as anti-infective, cardiovascular, central nervous system, immunology and oncology. In 2022, Sandoz products helped over 8 million patients in Canada (source: IQVIA). With its 300 employees across the country and headquarters based in Boucherville (QC), Sandoz Canada is a trusted partner for pharmacists, physicians and hospitals for quality medicine, outstanding customer service and is committed to ensuring a reliable supply. For more information about Sandoz Canada, visit: www.sandoz.ca

About Sandoz AGSandoz (SIX: SDZ; OTCQX: SDZNY) is the global leader in generic and biosimilar medicines, with a growth strategy driven by its Purpose: Pioneering access for patients. 22,000 people of more than 100 nationalities work together to bring Sandoz medicines to some 500 million patients worldwide, generating substantial global healthcare savings and an even larger social impact. Its leading portfolio of more than 1,500 products addresses diseases from common colds to cancer. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Sandoz traces its heritage back to the year 1886. Its history of breakthroughs includes Calcium Sandoz in 1929, the worlds first oral penicillin in 1951, and the worlds first biosimilar in 2006. In 2022, Sandoz sales achieved USD 9.1 billion and core EBITDA of USD 1.9 billion.

Media relations contact [email protected] Paule Pelletier, Director, Corporate Communications+1 514 702-7699

Sandoz on social media LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/sandozcanada President and General Manager, Sandoz Canada, on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/michel-robidoux

Two photos accompanying this announcement are available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/47f59a1e-3899-4bee-bf42-b6d1680a27a4https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/dbe8aedb-dae7-4444-93b7-5eed7e66167d

 is a registered trademark used under license by Sandoz Canada.*is a trademark owned by its respective registrant.(1) Data on file, Sandoz Canada.(2) Health Canada Drug Product Database (Consulted on February 12, 2024) (3) Source: Zhang, Yvonne. Biosimilars in Canada: Policies to Promote Switching and What It Means for Payers. Patented Medicine Prices Review Board, p. 11. biosimilars-policies-promote-switching.pdf (canada.ca) (Consulted on January 9, 2024).

Michel Robidoux President and General Manager, Sandoz Canada Dr. Jean-Pierre Raynauld MD, FRCPC, Rheumatologist

Source: Sandoz Canada
Vancouver, BC, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Skyharbour Resources Ltd. (TSX-V: SYH) (OTCQX: SYHBF) (Frankfurt: SC1P) (Skyharbour or the Company) is pleased to announce that partner company Tisdale Clean Energy Corp.s (Tisdale) crew and equipment has begun mobilization for its upcoming work program at the South Falcon East Uranium Project which hosts the Fraser Lakes B uranium deposit. The South Falcon East Project lies 18 km outside the edge of the Athabasca Basin, approximately 50 km east of the Key Lake uranium mill and former mine. Tisdale entered into an option agreement with Skyharbour that was finalized last year (see news release dated January 25th, 2023) whereby Tisdale can earn up to a 75% interest in the South Falcon East project. Under the Option Agreement and assuming the 75% interest is earned, Tisdale will have issued Skyharbour 1,111,111 Tisdale shares upfront, and will fund exploration expenditures totaling CAD $10,500,000, as well as pay Skyharbour CAD $11,100,000 in cash of which $6,500,000 can be settled for shares in the capital of Tisdale (Shares) over the five-year earn-in period.



Map of South Falcon East Project Claims:

https://skyharbourltd.com/_resources/images/Sky-South-Falcon-East-20231030.jpg

The initial phase one program will consist of up to approximately 1,500 metres of drilling. The priority will be to confirm and expand the existing mineralization associated with the Fraser Lakes Zone B Uranium Deposit. Infill drilling will confirm the presence and continuity of existing mineralization in preparation for a current updated resource estimate and 3D model in the future. Step out drilling will endeavor to expand the footprint of the deposit, as the current mineralization is open in all directions. Initial focus will be on extending mineralization along strike and down dip into the basement rocks.

A secondary priority will be to begin regional exploration by following up on promising anomalies located in the T-Bone Lake area. Regional drilling will focus on the effort to add additional mineralized zones and deposits along the folded structural package that hosts the Fraser Lakes Zone B Deposit.

2024 Drill Target Areas at the South Falcon East Uranium Project:

https://skyharbourltd.com/_resources/images/2023-Drill-Target-areas-south-Falcon-East-Uranium-Project-20231030.png

We are happy to finally be getting on the ground at South Falcon East, commented Trevor Perkins, Consulting Geologist for Tisdale. This program will be the first step to confirming and expanding the Fraser Lakes Zone B Uranium Deposit. We believe that the size and grade of the existing deposit can be increased and are confident we can discover new deposits in the vicinity. We anticipate several exciting years ahead as we advance the South Falcon East Project, continued Mr. Perkins.

South Falcon East Project  Camp and Drilling Location Map:

https://www.skyharbourltd.com/_resources/images/South-Falcon-East-Camp-and-drilling-location-Map-20231030.png

The field program is anticipated to commence within days and will be carried out by TerraLogic Exploration Inc. under the supervision of Laura Tennent, Project Manager with TerraLogic Exploration, and C. Trevor Perkins, consulting geologist for Tisdale. The drill program will be operating out of Skyharbours McGowan Lake Camp at the Russell Lake project with helicopter support for the daily drilling operations. The expected budget for the initial phase one program is anticipated to be approx. CAD $1.25 million funded by Tisdale.

Terms of the Option Agreement:

Pursuant to the Option Agreement, Tisdale may acquire up to a 75% (seventy-five percent) interest in the Property, in two phases. Initially, Tisdale can acquire a 51% (fifty-one percent) interest in the Property by completing the following payments and incurring the following exploration expenditures on the Property:

1. On the closing date (Closing), paying CAD $350,000 (paid) and issuing 1,111,111 Shares to Skyharbour upfront (issued);

By the eighteen-month anniversary of Closing, completing at least $1,250,000 in exploration expenditures, and paying Skyharbour $1,450,000, of which up to $1,000,000 may be paid in Shares based on the 20-day volume-weighted average closing price calculated on the day of issuance (VWAP), at the election of Tisdale; By the second anniversary of Closing, completing an additional $1,750,000 in exploration expenditures, and paying Skyharbour $1,800,000, of which up to $1,000,000 may be paid in Shares based on the VWAP, at the election of Tisdale; By the third anniversary of Closing, completing an additional $2,500,000 in exploration expenditures, and paying Skyharbour $2,500,000, of which up to $1,500,000 may be paid in Shares based on the VWAP, at the election of Tisdale.

After acquiring a 51% interest, Tisdale may increase its interest in the Property to 75% by:

2. Completing a payment of $5,000,000 to Skyharbour by the fourth anniversary of Closing, of which up to $3,000,000 may be satisfied in Shares based on the VWAP, at the election of Tisdale, and incurring exploration expenditures on the Property of an additional $2,500,000 in each of the fourth and fifth anniversaries of Closing.

No common shares will be issuable to Skyharbour at a deemed price of less than $0.05 or such minimum price as is permitted by the Exchange at the date of issuance, nor will they be issued to Skyharbour to the extent such issuance would result in the Company becoming a new insider of Tisdale. Assuming Tisdale exercises any portion of the option and acquires an interest in Property, the parties intend to form a joint venture for the ongoing development of the Property.

South Falcon East Project Summary:

The South Falcon East Project is a uranium exploration project in the southeast Athabasca Basin and covers approximately 12,464 hectares. It lies 18 kilometres outside the Athabasca Basin, approximately 50 kilometres east of the Key Lake Mine. Historical exploration at the South Falcon East Project identified an area of U-Th-REE mineralization at the Fraser Lakes Zone B over an area comprising 1.5 km by 0.5 km along an antiformal fold nose cut by an east-west dextral ductile-brittle cross-structure adjacent to a 65 km long EM conductor.

Qualified Person:

The technical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with the Canadian regulatory requirements set out in National Instrument 43-101 and reviewed and approved by David Billard, P.Geo., a Consulting Geologist for Skyharbour as well as a Qualified Person.

About Tisdale Clean Energy Corp.:

Tisdale Clean Energy is a Canadian-based exploration company focused on the acquisition and advancement of critical energy/fuel projects.

About Skyharbour Resources Ltd.:

Skyharbour holds an extensive portfolio of uranium exploration projects in Canada's Athabasca Basin and is well positioned to benefit from improving uranium market fundamentals with twenty-five projects, ten of which are drill-ready, covering over 520,000 hectares (over 1.2 million acres) of land. Skyharbour has acquired from Denison Mines, a large strategic shareholder of the Company, a 100% interest in the Moore Uranium Project which is located 15 kilometres east of Denison's Wheeler River project and 39 kilometres south of Cameco's McArthur River uranium mine. Moore is an advanced-stage uranium exploration property with high-grade uranium mineralization at the Maverick Zone that returned drill results of up to 6.0% U 3 O 8 over 5.9 metres including 20.8% U 3 O 8 over 1.5 metres at a vertical depth of 265 metres. Adjacent to the Moore Uranium Project is Skyharbours recently optioned Russell Lake Uranium Project from Rio Tinto, which hosts historical high-grade uranium drill intercepts over a large property area with robust exploration upside potential. The Company is actively advancing these projects through exploration and drill programs.

Skyharbour has joint-ventures with industry-leader Orano Canada Inc., Azincourt Energy and Valor Resources at the Preston, East Preston and Hook Lake Projects, respectively, whereby Orano. Azincourt and Valor earned majority interests in the projects through exploration expenditures, cash payments and share issuances. Skyharbour also has several active earn-in option partners including: CSE-listed Basin Uranium Corp. at the Mann Lake Uranium Project; CSE-listed Medaro Mining Corp. at the Yurchison Project; North Shore Uranium at the Falcon Project; and TSX-V listed Tisdale Clean Energy at the South Falcon East Project which is host to the Fraser Lakes Zone B Uranium and Thorium Deposit.

Collectively, Skyharbour has now signed earn-in option agreements with partners that total to over $33 million in partner-funded exploration expenditures, over $27 million worth of shares being issued and over $19 million in cash payments coming into Skyharbour, assuming that these partner companies complete their entire earn-ins at the respective projects.

Skyharbour's goal is to maximize shareholder value through new mineral discoveries, committed long-term partnerships, and the advancement of exploration projects in geopolitically favourable jurisdictions.

Skyharbours Uranium Project Map in the Athabasca Basin:

https://www.skyharbourltd.com/_resources/maps/SKY_SaskProject_Locator_20231219_V2.jpg

To find out more about Skyharbour Resources Ltd. (TSX-V: SYH) visit the Companys website at www.skyharbourltd.com.

SKYHARBOUR RESOURCES LTD.

Jordan Trimble



Jordan Trimble

President and CEO

For further information contact myself or:

Nicholas Coltura

Investor Relations Manager

Skyharbour Resources Ltd.

Telephone: 604-558-5847

Toll Free: 800-567-8181

Facsimile: 604-687-3119

Email: [email protected]

NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THE CONTENT OF THIS NEWS RELEASE.

The securities offered have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any U.S. state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, United States persons absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable U.S. state securities laws. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in the United States, nor in any other jurisdiction.

This release includes certain statements that may be deemed to be "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that management of the Company expects, are forward-looking statements, including the Private Placement. Although management believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements, include market prices, exploration and development successes, regulatory approvals, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Please see the public filings of the Company at www.sedar.com for further information.
The iMADES Communication's LIDEResA initiative held its third edition yesterday with the aim of analysing the gender biases of artificial intelligence and the importance of its ethics in order to avoid discrimination against women.

"The limited participation of women in STEAM-related careers is a threat," said M Isabel Garcia, Director of the Women's Institute.



Maria Garzon, Founding Partner of iMADES Communication, pointed out that "the inclusion of women in the technological field is not enough; gender training of the teams is essential."



MADRID, Spain, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- "It has been proven by various indices that more egalitarian companies are more profitable. Today's society is less tolerant of purple washing and, therefore, there is a great opportunity for technology to be programmed to cut the dynamics of a society full of biases" is one of the forceful conclusions that were said yesterday afternoon by Maria Garzon, Founding Partner of iMADES Communication, the agency that organised the III edition of LIDEResA. This is an initiative launched in 2022 with the aim of valuing the talent of women and their leadership in all its aspects, as well as making visible those situations that hinder the achievement of real and effective gender equality in society.

Experts in artificial intelligence and representatives of renowned companies met yesterday afternoon at the Hotel Indigo Gran Via in Madrid to discuss "Gender and the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence." Not surprisingly, we live in a technological environment that today is discriminatory to women, as we find technological products, such as artificial intelligence, that ignore diversity and inclusion. The problem is that this technology includes gender biases at its roots that affect the development of women's human rights, which prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex.

One of the reasons for this unequal situation, according to data provided by Ma Isabel Garcia, Director of the Women's Institute, during the opening of the event, is that only 22% of artificial intelligence professionals in Spain are women and they are not in decision-making positions related to this technology. In fact, only 25% of women are represented in data positions and, according to a UNESCO report, women and girls are 4 times less likely to know how to program computers. All of this acts as a barrier to the development of more egalitarian and responsible technology.

Worrying lack of ethics in artificial intelligence

The importance of applying ethics in the development of these data-intensive technologies, such as artificial intelligence, was discussed in depth in a first round table debate in which there was a strong answer to the question "why do such gender biases exist and how are they introduced?" According to Maria Vazquez Terres, Director of Business Solutions at Microsoft Spain, "artificial intelligence is based on historical information, and digitalisation is a mirror of who we are as a society." As explained, technology and algorithms, and thus artificial intelligence, operate in the real world, learning from it and interacting with it. Therefore, these algorithms that feed artificial intelligence are influenced by the gender biases that are present in the culture from which they learn in their training process.

Beatriz Medina, Managing Director of Freeda Spain and moderator of the round table, stressed that to ensure the development of algorithms that work towards equality "it is necessary to include female profiles in data teams and developer teams because we are underrepresented." Thus, the challenge of achieving diversity in teams is a priority, according to Andres Visus Jarne, Director of Operations and Strategy at PredictLand, who said that "clients want artificial intelligence to be ethical, and for this to happen, unbiased information is key."

The need for governments to commit to the regulation of artificial intelligence in order to achieve a fair and auditable technology was also discussed. Although this is necessary, they did not want to overlook the fact that this is of no use if the ethical awareness of all the actors involved, including the consumers of technological products, is not achieved beforehand. Sara Degli-Esposti, Research Scientist in Ethics and Artificial Intelligence at the Institute of Philosophy (IFS) CSIC, pointed out that "you can have a law and codes with wonderful principles, but what is essential is that people believe in those principles."

A crucial and cost-effective technology for business

Despite all this, there is a commitment that is uniting some companies towards a new trend called "responsible artificial intelligence," an approach that prioritises the responsible impact of technology over profits and that is clear about the key role of this technology both in the business environment and in the development of a fairer and more egalitarian society.

Maria Garzon Molina, Founding Partner of iMADES Communication, gave way at the end of the day to a debate in which Noelia Moron Tabernero, Software Development Manager at Amazon, intervened and assured that "artificial intelligence in the business world is going to turn everything upside down. In the fairly near future, an approach centred on artificial intelligence will be applied to solve any operational aspect of a company." He therefore encouraged all companies, regardless of their size, to embrace a technological change that is necessary for their very survival.

In this sense, the technology company aims to bring its work in all areas related to artificial intelligence to companies that are smaller or very distant from the technology and to do so in a responsible and sustainable way, given the limitations that these smaller companies may have to implement this technology.

In addition, Estelle Raso, CEO of KPI Risk Ethics & Compliance, shared her first-person experience with regard to the implementation and use of a technology that she considers strategic for the business environment. She explained that in order to achieve a balance in the development of a fairer and more egalitarian technology, it is essential to focus on diversification and not to be afraid of risk. "AI brings risks and opportunities, but when there is a risk there is an opportunity for diversification, and in my team the risk is managed through the diversity of professional profiles that complement each other in their work," he said.

In short, gender biases persist in society, a phenomenon that is exacerbated by the use of new technological tools and processes such as artificial intelligence. Reversing this situation and making the technological environment egalitarian, inclusive and representative is an urgent challenge that must be addressed not only to avoid discrimination against women, but also to prevent this technology from setting society back in terms of human rights.

About iMADES Communication: we are an international communication, public affairs, crisis communication and reputation agency, specialised in communication strategies in processes of high media exposure. In addition, we work in an expert line of communication support for women leaders, we provide training in inclusive communication and in other areas that promote equality in the company. We develop our services both in Europe and Latin America, where we have a team specialised in strategic communication in the region.
A JetBlue passenger jet lands with New York City as a backdrop, at Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey, U.S. December 6, 2019. REUTERS/Chris Helgren/File Photo

By Rajesh Kumar Singh and Kannaki Deka

(Reuters) - JetBlue Airways has agreed to appoint two members from activist investor Carl Icahn's firm to its board, avoiding a proxy fight.

The 88-year-old Icahn, who goes after undervalued companies, has not spelled out the strategy he wants JetBlue to embrace. On Monday he disclosed a stake of about 10% in the airline, one of his first big moves of 2024.

Jesse Lynn, general counsel of Icahn Enterprises and Steven Miller, portfolio manager of Icahn Capital, will join its board, JetBlue said on Friday.

"We appreciate the constructive engagement we have had with JetBlue's board and leadership team," Icahn said in a statement.

JetBlue's shares were up about 3% in extended trading.

Shares of the New York-based airline have lost more than half their value in the past two years amid a struggle to return to sustainable profitability. The company not only faces a challenge to plot its path forward after a U.S. federal judge blocked its planned $3.8 billion acquisition of ultra-low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines, but is also grappling with higher operating costs and uneven travel demand.

JetBlue said the Icahn Group has agreed not to conduct a proxy contest or engage in any solicitation of proxies regarding any matter, including the election of directors at its annual meeting this year.

Lynn and Miller will serve as non-voting observers to the board through JetBlue's annual meeting of stockholders this spring, after which time they will join the board as full voting members.

With the additions of Lynn and Miller, the JetBlue board will expand to 13 directors, 12 of whom are expected to be independent, the airline said.

Icahn has built his reputation over the years as a corporate raider and activist shareholder, pressuring companies to make changes to their business strategies and boost their stocks.

JetBlue and Spirit have both asked for an expedited appeal of the judge's recent decision, with a U.S. appeals court set to hear arguments in June. But some analysts say the chances of a successful appeal are low.

JetBlue's new CEO, Joanna Geraghty, has vowed "aggressive action" to return the airline to profitability.

The company's proposed acquisition of Spirit, however, has become a bigger issue for some analysts. With concerns mounting over Spirit's finances, they say JetBlue would be better off walking away from the deal as it runs the risk of impairing its balance sheet.

In a regulatory filing this week, JetBlue acknowledged that its indebtedness following the merger will be substantially higher and could increase borrowing costs. Yet the company last month said the merger agreement remained in effect.

JetBlue's stock has gained 36% since the merger ruling.

Analysts at Deutsche Bank this week said Icahn's investment in the U.S. airline industry reinforced their view that the sector would likely undergo more restructuring beyond previously announced mergers.

(Reporting by Rajesh Kumar Singh in Chicago and Kannaki Deka in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'Silva, Peter Henderson and Matthew Lewis)
Road Town, British Virgin Islands--(Newsfile Corp. - February 20, 2024) - LBank Exchange, a global digital asset trading platform, listed BeeFi Social (BEEFI) on February 18, 2024. For all users of LBank Exchange, the BEEFI/USDT trading pair is now officially available for trading.





BEEFI listing banner

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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BeeFi Social (BEEFI) is an innovative SocialFi platform integrating AI and blockchain to enhance interpersonal communication and convert user activity into digital assets, boasting over 1.2 million users worldwide and offering unique features like honey chat and meetings. Its native token, BEEFI, was listed on the LBank Exchange at 10:00 UTC on February 18, 2024, with the goal of expanding its global footprint and supporting the realization of its forward-thinking objectives.

Introducing BeeFi Social

LBank Exchange is thrilled to announce the listing of BeeFi Social (BEEFI), emerging as an innovative platform at the forefront of the SocialFi movement, a blend of social networking and decentralized finance. It seeks to revolutionize how users interact on the internet by breaking down the existing 'internet islands"-isolated social platforms with limited interoperability. By leveraging blockchain technology, BeeFi enables a seamless and interconnected social experience, allowing users to maintain their digital identity across different platforms without sacrificing privacy or control over their data. This approach not only enhances user engagement but also addresses longstanding issues related to privacy, data ownership, and the monopolization of user-generated content.

The core of BeeFi's value proposition lies in its unique economic model, which incentivizes user participation through financial incentives. Unlike traditional social media platforms, where the economic benefits of user engagement primarily accrue to the platform itself, BeeFi redistributes value back to its users. Through a variety of social interactions, such as posting short videos, live streaming, and participating in the platform's marketplace, users can earn digital assets for their contributions. This model democratizes the value generation process, enabling users to benefit directly from their social influence and creative output.

BeeFi also introduces a governance model through its DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organization), allowing users to have a say in the platform's development and decision-making processes. This fosters a community-driven ecosystem where users, not just the platform's owners, contribute to its evolution. By becoming a part of the 'Honey DAO,' members can participate in governance, propose improvements, and vote on key decisions, aligning the platform's growth with the interests and feedback of its community.

Strategically collaborating with entities like Asia Television and leveraging technical support from blockchain financial partners like XpansionChain, BeeFi is poised for rapid growth. These partnerships not only enrich BeeFi's content ecosystem but also ensure its technological infrastructure is robust and scalable. As BeeFi continues to expand its features and user base, it stands as a testament to the potential of integrating social media with financial mechanisms to create a more equitable and interconnected online world. Through its innovative approach, BeeFi is not just creating a new social platform but is also setting the stage for the future of digital social and financial interaction.

About BEEFI Token

The BEEFI token serves as the backbone of the BeeFi ecosystem, a digital currency designed to facilitate transactions, incentives, and governance within its SocialFi platform. Built on blockchain technology, the BEEFI token allows users to earn through social interactions, such as content creation, community engagement, and participation in platform governance. As the primary medium of exchange on BeeFi, it embodies the platform's commitment to redistributing value to its users, enabling a decentralized economy where contributions are directly rewarded. The token's integration into BeeFi's ecosystem not only empowers users financially but also plays a crucial role in the platform's DAO, giving token holders a voice in decision-making processes and the future direction of the platform.

Based on BEP20, BEEFI has a total supply of 500 million (i.e., 500,000,000). It was listed on the LBank Exchange at 10:00 UTC on February 18, 2024. Investors who are interested in BEEFI can easily buy and sell it on the LBank Exchange now.

Learn More about BEEFI Token:

Official Website: https://beefi.net/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beefisocial?igshid=NGVhN2U2NjQ0Yg%3D%3D

Telegram: https://t.me/beefisocial

Contract: https://bscscan.com/token/0xb5553EC8Fe2C655402c5d9146a6ada23dE9b777E

About LBank

LBank is one of the top crypto exchanges, established in 2015. It offers specialized financial derivatives, expert asset management services, and safe crypto trading to its users. The platform holds over 9 million users from more than 210 regions across the world. LBank is a cutting-edge growing platform that ensures the integrity of users' funds and aims to contribute to the global adoption of cryptocurrencies.

Start Trading Now: lbank.com

Community & Social Media:

l Telegram

l Twitter

l Facebook

l LinkedIn

l Instagram

l YouTube

Press contact:

[email protected]

Business Contact:

LBK Blockchain Co. Limited

LBank Exchange

[email protected]

[email protected]

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/198531
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - February 20, 2024) - Benton Resources Inc. ("Benton" or the "Company") (TSXV: BEX) is pleased to announce that the Company will be attending the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada ("PDAC") conference on March 3-6, 2024, in Toronto, Canada. Benton's representatives, including members of senior management, technical staff, and investor relations, will be happy to meet with investors and other interested parties at its Booth 3111 (Core Shack) and 2117 (Investors Exchange) at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

Benton is also excited to announce that it has been invited to participate at the Canada's Atlantic Edge event organized by the Atlantic Canada Mining Alliance. Please see details below.

Date: Tuesday, March 5, 2024

Location: Ontario/ Niagara Room, Intercontinental Hotel, adjoins Metro Toronto Convention Centre

Time: Technical Sessions will take place at 9 am - 4:30 pm ET, followed by a B2B reception

Benton's Presentation: President and CEO Stephen Stares will be presenting at 2:10 pm ET

Benton is inviting investors to attend the event and speak to the Management. Registration is free and available at: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/canadas-atlantic-edge-mining-investment-event-pdac-toronto-2024-tickets-795240344277.

For more information on the event, please check https://www.atlanticcanadaminingalliance.com and reach out to [email protected] or [email protected].





Image 1

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About Benton Resources Inc.

Benton Resources is a well-financed mineral exploration company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol BEX. Following a project generation business model, Benton has a diversified, highly prospective property portfolio of gold, silver, nickel, copper, platinum group elements and, most recently, lithium and cesium assets. In addition, it currently holds large equity positions in other mining companies that are advancing high-quality assets. Whenever possible, BEX retains net smelter return (NSR) royalties with potential long-term cash flow.

Benton is currently focused on advancing its high-grade Copper-Gold Great Burnt Project in central Newfoundland, which has a Mineral Resource estimate of 442,000 tonnes @ 2.50% Cu Indicated and 829,000 @ 2.11% Cu Inferred. The Project has an excellent geological setting covering 25 km of strike and boasts six known Cu-Au-Ag zones over 15 km that are all open for expansion. Further potential for discovery is excellent given the extensive number of untested geophysical targets and Cu-Au soil anomalies. The Phase 1 drill program consisting of over 5,650 metres has just been wrapped and results include 25.42 m of 5.51% Cu, including 9.78 m of 8.31% Cu, and 1.00 m of 12.70% Cu from hole GB-23-12. Preparation for Phase 2 drilling is underway.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Benton Resources Inc.,

"Stephen Stares"

Stephen Stares, President

Parties interested in seeking more information about properties available for option can contact Mr. Stares at the number below.

For further information, please contact:

Stephen Stares, President & CEO

Phone: 807-475-7474

Email: [email protected]

Iryna Zheliasko, Investor Relations

Phone: 647-249-9298 ext. 322

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.bentonresources.ca

Twitter: @BentonResources

Facebook: @BentonResourcesBEX

THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE HAS NOT REVIEWED AND DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

The information contained herein contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking statements relate to information that is based on assumptions of management, forecasts of future results, and estimates of amounts not yet determinable. Any statements that express predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not statements of historical fact and may be "forward-looking statements."

Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation: risks related to failure to obtain adequate financing on a timely basis and on acceptable terms; risks related to the outcome of legal proceedings; political and regulatory risks associated with mining and exploration; risks related to the maintenance of stock exchange listings; risks related to environmental regulation and liability; the potential for delays in exploration or development activities or the completion of feasibility studies; the uncertainty of profitability; risks and uncertainties relating to the interpretation of drill results, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits; risks related to the inherent uncertainty of production and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses; results of prefeasibility and feasibility studies, and the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations; risks related to gold price and other commodity price fluctuations; and other risks and uncertainties related to the Company's prospects, properties and business detailed elsewhere in the Company's disclosure record. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Company's expectations or projections.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/197818
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 20, 2024) - Visit Cascadia Minerals Ltd (TSXV: CAM) at Booth #3126 at the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canadas (PDAC) Convention at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC) from Sunday, March 3 to Wednesday, March 6, 2024.

About Cascadia Minerals Ltd

Cascadia is a Canadian junior mining company focused on exploring for copper and gold in the Yukon and British Columbia. Cascadias flagship Catch Property in the Yukon hosts a brand-new copper-gold porphyry discovery where inaugural drill results returned broad intervals of mineralization, including 116.60 m of 0.31% copper with 0.30 g/t gold. Catch exhibits extensive high-grade copper and gold mineralization across a 5 km long trend, with rock samples returning peak values of 3.88% copper and 30.00 g/t gold.In addition to Catch, Cascadia is conducting exploration work at its PIL Property in British Columbia and the Sands of Time and Rosy properties in the Yukon, as well as evaluating additional regional opportunities. Cascadia has approximately 37 million shares outstanding and its largest shareholders are Hecla Mining Company (19.6%) and Barrick Gold (7.5%).

About PDAC

The Worlds Premier Mineral Exploration & Mining Convention is the leading convention for people, governments, companies and organizations connected to mineral exploration. In addition to meeting more than 1,100 exhibitors, 2,500 investors and 24,000 attendees in person in 2023, participants could also attend programming, courses and networking events.

The annual convention is held in Toronto, Canada. It has grown in size, stature and influence since it began in 1932 and today is the event of choice for the worlds mineral industry.

For more information and/or to register for the conference please visit: https://www.pdac.ca/convention.

We look forward to seeing you there.

For further information:

Cascadia Minerals Ltd

Andrew Carne

604-688-0111

[email protected]

www.cascadiaminerals.com
People inspect the damage after an Israeli airstrike in the Nuseirat refugee camp, central Gaza Strip, on Feb. 20, 2024. At least 12 Palestinians were killed on Tuesday during an Israeli attack on a residential square in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian medical sources. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

GAZA, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- At least 12 Palestinians were killed on Tuesday during an Israeli attack on a residential square in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian medical sources.

The medical sources told Xinhua that "the Palestinian civil defense crews transported 12 bodies of Palestinians and dozens of wounded after targeting several homes in the Nuseirat camp, which was crowded with displaced people."

"The bodies of the victims arrived in pieces at a local hospital, while the wounded were transferred to the hospital to receive treatment amid great suffering due to the running out of medicines and the limited number of medical staff present in the hospital," the sources said.

The sources said they are facing "extreme difficulty" in dealing with the large number of victims arriving at hospitals.

Earlier in the day, the Gaza-based health ministry announced that the number of Palestinian deaths as a result of Israeli attacks on the Strip had risen to 29,195 since the outbreak of the Hamas-Israel conflict. 

People inspect the damage after an Israeli airstrike in the Nuseirat refugee camp, central Gaza Strip, on Feb. 20, 2024. At least 12 Palestinians were killed on Tuesday during an Israeli attack on a residential square in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian medical sources. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

People inspect the damage after an Israeli airstrike in the Nuseirat refugee camp, central Gaza Strip, on Feb. 20, 2024. At least 12 Palestinians were killed on Tuesday during an Israeli attack on a residential square in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian medical sources. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

People inspect the damage after an Israeli airstrike in the Nuseirat refugee camp, central Gaza Strip, on Feb. 20, 2024. At least 12 Palestinians were killed on Tuesday during an Israeli attack on a residential square in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian medical sources. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

People gather at the site of an Israeli airstrike in the Nuseirat refugee camp, central Gaza Strip, on Feb. 20, 2024. At least 12 Palestinians were killed on Tuesday during an Israeli attack on a residential square in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian medical sources. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

People gather at the site of an Israeli airstrike in the Nuseirat refugee camp, central Gaza Strip, on Feb. 20, 2024. At least 12 Palestinians were killed on Tuesday during an Israeli attack on a residential square in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian medical sources. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

People collect items after an Israeli airstrike in the Nuseirat refugee camp, central Gaza Strip, on Feb. 20, 2024. At least 12 Palestinians were killed on Tuesday during an Israeli attack on a residential square in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian medical sources. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

A girl is seen among the rubble after an Israeli airstrike in the Nuseirat refugee camp, central Gaza Strip, on Feb. 20, 2024. At least 12 Palestinians were killed on Tuesday during an Israeli attack on a residential square in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian medical sources. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike in Nuseirat Refugee Camp, central Gaza Strip, on Feb. 20, 2024. At least 12 Palestinians were killed on Tuesday during an Israeli attack on a residential square in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian medical sources. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike in Nuseirat Refugee Camp, central Gaza Strip, on Feb. 20, 2024. At least 12 Palestinians were killed on Tuesday during an Israeli attack on a residential square in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian medical sources. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike in Nuseirat Refugee Camp, central Gaza Strip, on Feb. 20, 2024. At least 12 Palestinians were killed on Tuesday during an Israeli attack on a residential square in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian medical sources. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike in Nuseirat Refugee Camp, central Gaza Strip, on Feb. 20, 2024. At least 12 Palestinians were killed on Tuesday during an Israeli attack on a residential square in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian medical sources. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)
London, United Kingdom--(Newsfile Corp. - February 20, 2024) - CoinCoreX, a leading online platform specializing in financial services, announces a significant advancement in its operations to enhance international transactions. This strategic update marks a pivotal moment in CoinCoreX's commitment to providing efficient and reliable financial solutions to its global clientele.

With cutting-edge technology and process improvements, the company aims to significantly reduce transaction time significantly, making accessing its financial services more manageable for its customers.

As part of the new plan, CoinCoreX has partnered with other companies and streamlined its systems to offer its services to a broader audience. The company has also introduced real-time tracking of transactions to provide customers with transparency and trust.

CoinCoreX takes its customers' security very seriously, and the company has implemented robust measures to protect their personal information and money. The company's new plan also simplifies using its services with other financial systems, enabling customers to use CoinCoreX with other banks and institutions.

CoinCoreX's commitment to customer satisfaction is reflected in its 24/7 customer support team, available to assist customers with any questions they may have during the transaction process.

Overall, CoinCoreX's new plan is a significant step towards providing a faster, more efficient, and secure way for its customers to conduct international transactions. The company's success is evident in continually improving its services and offerings.

About CoinCoreX

CoinCoreX is an online financial platform that aims to provide accessible and reliable services to its clients worldwide. The platform focuses on efficiency and transparency in financial transactions, ensuring a seamless experience for its users. With the implementation of advanced security measures and transparent practices, CoinCoreX places a high priority on the security and satisfaction of its clients. Additionally, the platform is committed to providing exceptional customer support, with dedicated teams available to assist clients throughout their financial journey. CoinCoreX's groundbreaking strategy for international transactions continues to innovate and adapt to meet the evolving needs of its diverse client base, cementing its position as a trusted leader in the financial services industry.

Company Details

Contact Name: Eleanor Carter

Company Name: CoinCoreX

Email Address: [email protected]

Company Address: 167-169 Great Portland Street, 5th Floor, London, W1W 5PF, United Kingdom

Company Website: https://coincorex.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/197932
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - February 20, 2024) - Cypherpunk Holdings Inc.(CSE: HODL) (OTC Pink: CYFRF)(the "Company")is pleased to announce that it intends to commence a normal course issuer bid (the "NCIB"), under which it may purchase up to 7,603,359 common shares of the Company over a period of one year (the "NCIB Period"), representing approximately 5% of the Company's issued and outstanding common shares, with up to 3,041,343 common shares of the Company purchasable over any 30-day period within the NCIB Period, being 2% of the Company's issued and outstanding common shares. The NCIB is expected to commence on or about February 20, 2024, and will continue until the earlier of February 20, 2025, or the date by which the Company has acquired the maximum number of common shares which may be purchased under the NCIB.

All common shares purchased under the NCIB will be purchased on the open market through the facilities of the Canadian Securities Exchange at the prevailing market price of the common shares at the time of purchase, and shall be duly cancelled and returned to treasury.

The Company believes that the market price of the common shares may not fully reflect the value of its business and prospects, and as such it believes that purchasing its own common shares for cancellation is an appropriate strategy for increasing long-term shareholder value and represents an appropriate use of the Company's financial resources. The Company intends to appoint Canaccord Genuity as its broker to conduct the NCIB transactions on its behalf.

In furtherance of its strategic initiatives, Cypherpunk Holdings Inc. is also delighted to announce it has entered into a definitive agreement for the sale of 2.5 million shares of Animoca Brands. The shares are to be sold at a price of $0.90 AUD per share. The proceeds from this sale will be reinvested in accordance with the Company's investment strategy, aimed at maximizing returns and furthering its commitment to investing in privacy technologies, high performance compute (HPC), and the secular trend towards decentralisation.

About Cypherpunk Holdings Inc.

Cypherpunk was established to invest in companies, technologies and protocols, which enhance or protect privacy. Its strategy is to make targeted investments in businesses and assets with strong privacy attributes, often within the blockchain ecosystem, including select cryptocurrencies. Current equity investments include Animoca Brands, Samourai Wallet, Wasabi Wallet, Chia and NGRAVE.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information:

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Generally, any statements that are not historical facts may contain forward-looking information, and forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or indicates that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be" taken, "occur" or "be achieved".

There is no assurance that the Company's plans or objectives will be implemented as set out herein, or at all. Forward-looking information is based on certain factors and assumptions the Company believes to be reasonable at the time such statements are made and is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. There can be no assurance that such forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements are made based on management's beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made and the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as required by law. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements.

Officer/Director Contact

Tony Guoga

Chief Executive Officer

[email protected]

Office: 1-647-946-1300

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/198607
Halifax, Nova Scotia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 20, 2024) - EDM Resources Inc. (TSXV: EDM) ("EDM" or the "Company") today announced that it has appointed Eugene Chen as an independent director to the board effective February 16, 2024. The appointment of Mr. Chen is part of the Company's initiative to expand the skill set and broaden the experience, governance and independence to the Board of Directors.

The Company's President & CEO, Mr. Mark Haywood, commented: "On behalf of the Company, we are extremely pleased to welcome Eugene Chen to EDM's board. Eugene is a seasoned securities lawyer with a wealth of experience in the Capital markets and the mining industry in Canada. As EDM evolves from a developer to a producer, we recognize that we need to expand our skills set and experience at the board level. We look forward to working with him and are confident that he will make meaningful contributions that will help EDM in achieving its strategic objectives and in its commitment to responsibly and sustainably deliver long-term shareholder value. "

Mr. Chen is a versatile corporate lawyer with over 25 years of service to emerging and growth-oriented companies. He is known for his strong business acumen, diverse experience and responsive service as well as his innovative, practical solutions to complex business issues. As a partner in various distinguished regional and national law firms and co-founder of diverse businesses, Mr. Chen has become a trusted advisor in corporate finance, capital markets, securities and M&A matters. His expertise extends to working with entrepreneurial start-ups, rapid growth businesses and public companies, particularly those with intricate capital structures.

Mr. Chen currently leads the Capital Markets, Securities and M&A Group at McLeod Law LLP in Calgary, applying his expertise across broad sectors including mineral exploration. There, he provides strategic counsel on initial public offerings, private placements, take-over bids, stock exchange listings and regulatory compliance. He has been counsel and advised on numerous financing and M&A transactions in the mining sector involving properties throughout North America, South America and Africa and is currently a director of Fathom Nickel Inc. (CSE: FNI), a critical mineral focused mining exploration company with properties located in Saskatchewan. Passionate about the nexus of law and business, Mr. Chen excels in identifying corporate opportunities and risks, providing strategic guidance to management teams and helping ensure clients achieve their goals. His strong leadership, excellent communication, and impressive negotiation skills are enhanced by his ability to build relationships and foster consensus among diverse professional teams.

For more information on EDM's board, please visit https://www.edmresources.com/board-of-directors.

About EDM Resources Inc.

EDM is a Canadian exploration and mining company that has full ownership of the Scotia Mine and related facilities near Halifax, Nova Scotia. Through its wholly owned subsidiary, EDM also holds several prospective exploration licenses near its Scotia Mine and in the surrounding regions of Nova Scotia.

The Company's common shares are traded on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "EDM". For more information, please contact:

Mark Haywood

President & Chief Executive Officer

Kevin Farrell

Chief Financial Officer

Head Office Purdy's Wharf, 1959 Upper Water Street, Suite 1301, Nova Scotia, B3J 3N2, Canada

Telephone +1 (902) 482 4481

Facsimile +1 (902) 422 2388

Email & Web [email protected] & www.EDMresources.com

The Company's corporate filings and technical reports can be viewed on the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.Further information on EDM is also available on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/EDMresources.inc,Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/EDMresources and LinkedIn at http://www.linkedin.com/company/EDMresources.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENTS

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

This news release includes certain forward-looking statements which are not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking statements include estimates and statements that describe the Company's future plans, objectives or goals, including words to the effect that the Company or management expects a stated condition or result to occur. Forward-looking statements may be identified by such terms as "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "estimates", "may", "should", "could", "would", "will", or "plan". Since forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Although these statements are based on information currently available to the Company, the Company provides no assurance that actual results will meet management's expectations. Risks, uncertainties, and other factors involved with forward-looking information could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects, and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward-looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, the Company's objectives, goals or future plans, statements, potential mineralization, exploration and development results, the estimation of mineral resources, exploration and mine development plans, timing of the commencement of operations and estimates of market conditions. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from EDM's expectations include, among others, the degree to which mineral resource and reserve estimates are reflective of actual mineral resources and reserves, the degree to which factors are present which would make a mineral deposit commercially viable, the price of zinc, lead and gypsum, uncertainties relating to availability and costs of financing needed in the future, changes in equity markets, risks related to international operations, the actual results of current exploration activities, delays in the development of projects, conclusions of economic evaluations and changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined as well as future prices of metals, ability to predict or counteract potential impact of COVID-19 coronavirus on factors relevant to the Company's business, as well as those factors discussed in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in EDM's management's discussion and analysis of the Company's annual financial statements for the period ended December 31, 2022. Although EDM has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results to be not 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.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/198543
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 20, 2024) - Elemental Altus Royalties Corp. (TSXV: ELE) (OTCQX: ELEMF) ("Elemental Altus" or "the Company") announces that it expects to receive an initial US$12.1 million in cash and equity as a result of its secured creditor claim against Rambler Metals and Mining Limited in relation to the Company's Ming gold stream ("Ming stream").

Highlights

The initial US$12.1 million relating to the Ming stream contributes to ~US$20 million in one-off payments the Company expects to receive from across the portfolio in 2024-2025

This total of ~US$20 million in one-off payments are in addition to the Company's upcoming 2024 royalty revenue guidance, which is expected to represent material growth from 2023

Elemental Altus received an initial US$2.3 million (A$3.5 million) in shares of Firefly Metals Ltd (" Firefly ") (ASX: FFM) in February 2024

") (ASX: FFM) in February 2024 The Company will receive a further US$9.8 million (A$15 million) split equally between cash and equity in April 2025

Including US$0.5m in stream revenue received, the Company expects a minimum total return of US$12.6 million from the Ming Stream, compared to the 2022 acquisition for US$11 million A further US$0.9 million (C$1.2 million) has been held back subject to final determinations, with any remaining balance to be paid to Elemental Altus in cash



Frederick Bell, CEO of Elemental Altus commented:

"The conclusion of the process relating to the Ming stream delivers certainty moving forwards as well as material funds to redeploy in a gold sector that is trading at multi-year lows. The diversified nature of our portfolio combined with the downside protection structured into the stream means that we will receive more than our investment even in a higher-risk, higher-reward scenario where our original thesis did not play out.

Near term, Elemental Altus now expects to receive over US$60 million in combined Adjusted Revenue and milestone payments over 2024 and 2025. Combined with over US$10 million in cash and materially lower costs versus 2023, the Company is in the strongest financial position it has been in at a time when funding to the mining sector is near to cyclical lows.

We look forward to releasing our 2024 guidance, which we expect to be another consecutive record, with higher revenue expected in particular from Ballarat and Bonikro as well as maiden production from Diba."

Ming Payments

Following a formal Sales and Investment Solicitation Process ("SISP") relating to Rambler Metals and Mining Limited, the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador approved a bid from Firefly to acquire the Rambler Group for a total consideration of up to A$65 million on 11 September 2023.

The Company had the right to submit a secured claim against the total consideration being paid alongside other secured creditors. Following shareholder approval and completion of the acquisition by Firefly, the Company has now received an initial approximately A$3.5 million in Firefly shares with a further A$7.5 million in cash and A$7.5 million in equity, based on the volume weighted average price at the time, to be received in April 2025.

There is a further amount of up to C$1.2 million potentially receivable, which has been held back subject to determination of final claims. The Company expects this to occur in the coming months and any balance due to Elemental Altus will be received in cash as this process concludes.

On behalf of Elemental Altus Royalties Corp.

Frederick Bell

CEO and Director

Corporate & Media Inquiries:

Tel: +1 604 243 6511 (ext. 2700)

Email: [email protected]

Elemental Altus is a proud member of Discovery Group. For more information please visit: www.discoverygroup.ca or contact 604-653-9464.

TSX.V: ELE | OTCQX: ELEMF | ISIN: CA28619K1093 | CUSIP: 28619K109

About Elemental Altus Royalties Corp.

Elemental Altus is a revenue generating precious metals royalty company with 10 producing royalties and a diversified portfolio of pre-production and discovery stage assets. The Company is focused on acquiring uncapped royalties and streams over producing, or near-producing, mines operated by established counterparties, as well as generating royalties on new discoveries. The vision of Elemental Altus is to build a global gold royalty company, offering investors superior exposure to gold with reduced risk and a strong growth profile.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSX-V") nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX-V) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. The appointment of the new directors to the Board is subject to the approval of the TSX-V.

Cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements

This news release contains certain "forward looking statements" and certain "forward-looking information" as defined under applicable Canadian 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. Forward-looking statements and information include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the Company strengthening its position and the ability to pursue and effect opportunities to grow the Company, the ability of the Company to identify the best opportunities in an efficient manner, and the Company's ability to add value for shareholders. Forward-looking statements and information are based on forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and assumptions that, while believed by management to be reasonable, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies.

Forward-looking statements and information are subject to various known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the ability of Elemental Altus to control or predict, that may cause Elemental Altus' actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied thereby, and are developed based on assumptions about such risks, uncertainties and other factors set out herein, including but not limited to: the impact of general business and economic conditions, the absence of control over the mining operations from which Elemental Altus will receive royalties, risks related to international operations, government relations and environmental regulation, the inherent risks involved in the exploration and development of mineral properties; the uncertainties involved in interpreting exploration data; the potential for delays in exploration or development activities; the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits; the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic; the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with Elemental Altus' expectations; accidents, equipment breakdowns, title matters, labour disputes or other unanticipated difficulties or interruptions in operations; fluctuating metal prices; unanticipated costs and expenses; uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future; the inherent uncertainty of production and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses, commodity price fluctuations; currency fluctuations; regulatory restrictions, including environmental regulatory restrictions; liability, competition, loss of key employees and other related risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of important factors which could cause actual results to differ from forward-looking statements, refer to the annual information form of the Company for the year ended December 31, 2022. Elemental Altus undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements and information except as required by applicable law. Such forward-looking statements and information represents management's best judgment based on information currently available. No forward-looking statement or information 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.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/198542
New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - February 20, 2024) - Elsevier, a global leader in information analytics and scientific publishing, is pleased to announce a five-year read and publish agreement with Vanderbilt University's Jean and Alexander Heard Libraries that will advance open science and enhance access to scholarly research.

The transformative agreement, which is effective through 2028, provides Vanderbilt researchers with access to high-quality research published in Elsevier's extensive portfolio of journals. Vanderbilt researchers will also enjoy expanded open access publishing options in those journals, enhancing the visibility and impact of their work. The agreement supports a sustainable scholarly publishing model that aligns with values of openness, inclusivity and equity.

Jon Shaw , University Librarian, said: "This exciting new partnership with Elsevier strengthens our libraries' commitment to improve information access at Vanderbilt and promote collaborative scholarship across our community. The agreement not only encompasses access to Elsevier's leading peer-reviewed journals but also expands our scholars' publishing impact by extending the reach of their research."

James Tonna, VP Research Sales, Americas at Elsevier, added: "We are excited to work closely with Vanderbilt University to advance open science. This transformative agreement marks a significant step toward a more inclusive and accessible research ecosystem, fostering innovation and collaboration."

The partnership reflects the commitment of Elsevier and Vanderbilt to contribute to global knowledge sharing and to enhance interdisciplinary collaboration through open access. The five-year transformative agreement will enable researchers to build on each other's work and accelerate scientific discovery, driving positive change in the scholarly publishing landscape.

Learn more about which Elsevier journals are included in the agreement. Researchers in need of assistance should direct questions to Vanderbilt's subject librarians.

Notes for editors

About Vanderbilt University

Founded in 1873, Vanderbilt University is internationally recognized for its transformative education and research. The university's 10 schools reside on a parklike campus set in the heart of Nashville, Tennessee, providing a collaborative culture that empowers leaders of tomorrow. In addition to offering an immersive residential undergraduate experience, Vanderbilt is deeply committed to expanding the global impact of its innovation and research as it increases opportunities for faculty, students and staff to pursue bold new ideas and discoveries. Learn more at vanderbilt.edu.

About Elsevier

As a global leader in information and analytics, Elsevier helps researchers and healthcare professionals advance science and improve health outcomes for the benefit of society. We do this by facilitating insights and critical decision-making for customers across the global research and health ecosystems.

In everything we publish, we uphold the highest standards of quality and integrity. We bring that same rigor to our information analytics solutions for researchers, academic leaders, funders, R&D-intensive corporations, doctors, and nurses.

Elsevier employs 9,000 people worldwide, including over 2,500 technologists. We have supported the work of our research and health partners for more than 140 years. Growing from our roots in publishing, we offer knowledge and valuable analytics that help our users make breakthroughs and drive societal progress. Digital solutions such as ScienceDirect, Scopus, SciVal, ClinicalKey and Sherpath support strategic research management, R&D performance, clinical decision support, and health education. Researchers and healthcare professionals rely on over 2,800 journals, including The Lancet and Cell; 46,000+ eBook titles; and iconic reference works, such as Gray's Anatomy. With the Elsevier Foundation and our external Inclusion & Diversity Advisory Board, we work in partnership with diverse stakeholders to advance inclusion and diversity in science, research and healthcare in developing countries and around the world.

Elsevier is part of RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers.

Media contact

Seth Robertson

Jean and Alexander Heard Libraries

[email protected]

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/198427
Leading Membership Community for Founders Amplifies Stories of Outstanding Entrepreneurs

New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - February 20, 2024) - The Entreprenista League, a leading membership community for ambitious, entrepreneurial women, is excited to announce the winners of its 2023 Entreprenista 100 Awards. The Entreprenista Awards, presented by Chase Ink, honors the achievements of 100 women business leaders across Technology, Retail, Non-Profit, Beauty, Legal, Advertising, Food and Beverage, and more.

This year's Entreprenista 100 Awards received numerous submissions from impressive leaders of women-owned businesses across the U.S. Winners were determined by the Entreprenista leadership team alongside an esteemed selection committee made up of successful founders and business experts from within The Entreprenista League community. Applications were evaluated on growth and achievement based on their revenue, funding, operational size, impact and awareness - as well as each applicant's success story as an entrepreneur. The women-founded companies on this list collectively bring in over $650 million dollars in revenue each year and span a wide array of industries.

"When you hear about these amazing founders who are starting and growing their businesses, you realize this is not just about business - it's about championing entrepreneurs in the pursuit of their goals and dreams," said Jenny Shum, General Manager of Chase Ink. "We are excited to return as the presenting sponsor of the Entreprenista 100 Awards to support these business owners and to spotlight their incredible achievements."

The 2023 Entreprenista 100 includes an array of outstanding businesswomen who are moving the needle in their local communities and within their industries. A few stand-out stories include:

Leslie Roberson, Black Beauty Collective - Leslie's mission is to provide emerging black-owned hair and beauty brands an opportunity to showcase and scale their small businesses through her marketplace.

- Leslie's mission is to provide emerging black-owned hair and beauty brands an opportunity to showcase and scale their small businesses through her marketplace. Lauren Makler, Cofertility - Lauren and her co-founders have built an innovative fertility platform that strives to make egg freezing and third-party reproduction more accessible for all.

- Lauren and her co-founders have built an innovative fertility platform that strives to make egg freezing and third-party reproduction more accessible for all. Kristen Dunning, Gently Soap - From battling with eczema to pioneering herbal research at college, Kristen's Gently Soap was created to offer products to those with sensitive skin who often struggle to find solutions within the commercial skincare industry.

You can read the stories of the full list of The Entreprenista 100 Award winners here.

Five extraordinary women included on the list of 100 founders for 2023 will be given the additional distinction in the following five award categories:

Entreprenista of the Year - an exemplary role model who stands out across all criteria areas Innovator of the Year - a forward-thinking founder who demonstrates unparalleled ingenuity Changemaker of the Year - a trailblazer using their platform and influence to create a positive impact Community Builder of the Year - a super-connector developing and empowering a community Uplifter of the Year - a leader dedicated to nurturing the success and wellness of other women

Top award recipients will be hand-selected by a distinguished panel of business luminaries, including brand pioneers like Michelle Cordeiro Grant, founder of GORGIE and LIVELY and Alli Webb, co-founder of Drybar, as well as industry trailblazers such as Kendra Bracken-Ferguson, founder of BrainTrust, and Carrie Kerpen, co-founder of Likeable Media. See a full list of Entreprenista's 2023 judging panel.

The five top award winners will be announced live at the forthcoming Entreprenista Founders Weekend - Wealth & Wellness Retreat, a 3-day experience designed to provide the resources, connections and insights needed to propel the success, wealth and wellness of women founders. Taking place May 3-5, 2024 at The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes, Founders Weekend is open to women entrepreneurs in all industries and stages of business who want to super-charge their achievement in 2024 while forging meaningful relationships with their next business collaborator, mentor or like-minded friend. The dynamic and highly interactive event will feature high-energy networking, delicious meals, wellness experiences and speakers, workshops and panels that will truly inspire. Tickets are available now and can be purchased at foundersweekend.entreprenista.com.

The Entreprenista League was founded with the vision of inspiring and empowering both current and future women founders. It aims to facilitate community, connection, and greater financial backing and support for business owners. Through its digital and real-life community, podcast network, and events, The Entreprenista League connects and elevates women business leaders.

Chase Ink is the presenting sponsor of the Entreprenista 100 Awards. Chase Ink's portfolio of business credit cards supports growing businesses, like those included in The Entreprenista League community, by providing access to business credit that helps founders at all different stages grow and scale their businesses.

Other supporting brands and sponsors of the Entreprenista 100 and Entreprenista Founders Weekend 2024 include Public, TobinLeff, Lasio, Blessed Bananas, BetterHelp, Marriott Vacation Club, GORGIE, Optimal Bio, Inner Beauty Bybel, GlMci, Co-Communications, Particle and Socialfly.

To read more about the Entreprenista 100 Award winners visit awards.entreprenista.com or follow along on social media via #entreprenista100.

SOURCE Entreprenista Media

For Media Inquiries:

Ashley Salamanca

[email protected]

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About the company: Entreprenista Media is on a mission to empower women by sharing and celebrating their stories, fostering a community that nurtures meaningful connections, support, and access to resources. Comprising The Entreprenista League, a digital membership community, and a media platform, Entreprenista Media is home to The Entreprenista Podcast Network, hosting shows like The Entreprenista Podcast and Startups in Stilettos. The Entreprenista League empowers ambitious women entrepreneurs by boosting their online presence, facilitating connections with potential investors, mentors, clients, and customers, granting exclusive digital resources and member benefits, and granting access to virtual and in-person events designed to foster meaningful business relationships.



About Chase: Chase is the U.S. consumer and commercial banking business of JPMorgan Chase & Co., a leading financial services firm based in the United States with assets of $3.9 trillion and operations worldwide. Chase serves nearly 80 million consumers and nearly 6 million small businesses, with a broad range of financial services, including personal banking, credit cards, mortgages, auto financing, investment advice, small business loans and payment processing. Customers can choose how and where they want to bank: More than 4,700 branches in 48 states and the District of Columbia, more than 15,000 ATMs, mobile, online and by phone. For more information, go to chase.com.

Contact Info:

Name: Ashley Salamanca

Email: [email protected]

Organization: Entreprenista Media

Website: http://www.entreprenista.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/198523
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 20, 2024) - International Lithium Corp. (TSXV: ILC) (OTCQB: ILHMF) (FSE: IAH) (the "Company" or "ILC") is pleased to announce it has entered into a Purchase and Sale Agreement (the "Agreement") to acquire a 90% interest in a highly prospective grass roots copper and cobalt property in Northwestern Ontario.

The Firesteel project ("Firesteel" or the "Project" or "Property"), previously referred to as the Honeyjack project, is located less than 10 km directly west of Upsala along Highway 17 and stretches for 16 km to the Firesteel River (Figure 1 and 2).

Under the terms of the Agreement, the Company will acquire an undivided 90% right, title, and interest in Firesteel by:

Paying on the Effective Date CAD $55,000 in cash to the Vendor (paid);

Within 15 calendar days of Exchange approval of the Agreement: at the discretion of ILC, either (a) paying CAD $110,000 in cash, or (b) paying CAD $65,000 in cash and issuing common shares with an aggregate value of CAD $45,000 to the Vendor; and

Granting the right to receive the following milestone payments: if ILC establishes a Resource Calculation equal to or exceeding 10,000,000 metric tonnes at 1% Copper (the "First Resource Bonus Threshold"), ILC shall pay, at its sole discretion, any one of (i) CAD $1,000,000 in cash or (ii) such number of Common Shares having an aggregate value of CAD $1,000,000 or (iii) a combination of cash and Common Shares having an aggregate value of CAD $1,000,000; if ILC establishes a Resource Calculation equal to or exceeding 15,000,000 metric tonnes at 1% Copper (the "Second Resource Bonus Threshold"), ILC shall pay, at its sole discretion, any one of (i) a further CAD $1,000,000 in cash, or (ii) such number of Common Shares having an aggregate value of CAD $1,000,000, or (iii) a combination of cash and Common Shares having an aggregate value of CAD $1,000,000.



The Agreement was signed on February 16, 2024. No finder's fees were paid to facilitate this transaction.

Project Highlights

Resident Geologist Program site visit confirms*: up to 2.8% Cu at the Roadside 1 occurrence on Highway 17; and 5802 ppm Cu with 217.5 ppm Co and 1728 ppm Cu with 309 ppm Co at the Roadside 2, approximately 2.8 km west (along strike) from the Roadside 1 occurrence.

2.6% Cu in a historical sample* at the Roadside 2 occurrence;

in a historical sample* at the Roadside 2 occurrence; 316 mining claim units covering an area of approximately 6,600 hectares;

Excellent infrastructure and access to technical and logistical support services; and

16 km of strike potential for VMS style Cu-Co mineral deposits in parallel structures.

The Company completed a 1,392 line-km airborne magnetic and electromagnetic survey utilizing the RESOLVE frequency domain electromagnetic system. The data will be interpreted to identify near-surface highly conductive zones that may represent massive sulphide mineralization consisting of pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, pyrite and bornite as witnessed at the Roadside 1 occurrence (Figure 3).

Several conductive zones, including one coincident with the Roadside 1 and 2 occurrences, are evident in the raw data. Final products from the airborne data are expected in the next month. Following the review of this data, the Company will follow up with prospecting and ground geophysics in preparation for drill testing later in 2024.

Project Overview

The Project consists of 73 mining claims, making up 316 mining claim units covering an area of approximately 6,600 hectares in Northwestern Ontario. The property is adjacent to Highway 17, less than 10 km west of Upsala, Ontario. It stretches westward to the Firesteel River for approximately 16 km.

The Trans Canada natural gas pipeline and CP Rail corridor transects the project making for easy access to existing infrastructure (Figure 2).

The Project is located within the central Wabigoon Sub-province at the eastern limit of the Lumby Lake Greenstone Belt. The Lumby North assemblage in the vicinity of Upsala is described in "Stone, D. 2010. Precambrian geology of the central Wabigoon Subprovince area, northwestern Ontario; Ontario Geological Survey, Open File Report 5422, 130p," as mafic sequences interlayered with iron formation and quartz arenite adjacent to the Marmion batholith. It contains massive mafic flows or gabbro interspersed with thin felsic meta volcanics and rare pillowed mafic units.

On October 5, 2021, D. Campbell (RRG), accompanied by B. Holbik, completed a property visit on the Property (then known as the Honeyjack property). 17 samples were collected from historic copper and gold occurrences.

They included various styles of mineralization and alteration including: i) quartz veins with stringers, blebs and disseminations of pyrite, pyrrhotite and trace chalcopyrite, ii) silicious metasedimentary rocks and iron formations with associated sericite alteration, pyrite, pyrrhotite, trace chalcopyrite and fuchsite, and iii) lenses of semi-massive and net-textured sulphides consisting of pyrite, pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite and bornite as indicated by the bright peacock colours (Figure 3-A).

RRG collected 6 samples of semi-massive and net-textured sulphides at the Roadside 1 Cu Zone on the south side of Highway 17, centred at 677465E 5435937N. The highest copper assay returned 28637 ppm Cu.

"Historical assay results from samples taken at locations approximately 1.6 km northeast and 2.8 km southwest of the Roadside 1 Cu Zone returned values of up to 2.6% Cu, 3.327 ppm Au and 2.6% Cu, 4.294 ppm Au, respectively (Bumbu 1995). RGP collected 2 samples (21DCHJ016-017) approximately 2.8 km southwest of the Firesteel Cu Zone, returning 5802 ppm Cu and 217.5 ppm Co, respectively. Approximately 225 m north of sample 21DCHJ017, Bumbu sampling returned 1728 ppm Cu and 309 ppm Co (D. Campbell, 2022)."

* International Lithium Corp. has not independently verified samples collected under the Resident Geologist Program and as with samples referred to as "historical" above, these analytical results are collectively being treated as historical in nature until the Company can carry out its own investigations with QA/QC protocols under the supervision of a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101.

D. Campbell (RRG) summarized:

"The potential for a highly metamorphosed volcanogenic massive sulphide pyrrhotite-chalcopyrite stringer zone or a volcanic-associated sedimentary copper system, perhaps up to 20 m wide and spanning up to 1 km or more in length, should not be overlooked."

John Wisbey, Chairman and CEO of ILC, commented:

"Firesteel is primarily a copper project. Initial studies reveal highly prospective amounts of copper at Firesteel, and there is also a smaller amount of cobalt and some gold there too.

"Exposure to copper fits our battery metals strategy well and is geographically a very natural follow-on for ILC from our investment in 2022 in the nearby Wolf Ridge claims. Moreover, our flagship Raleigh Lake lithium and rubidium project is also only an hour's drive away on a major road. This is, therefore, a very good project for us to add to our exploration portfolio.

"Our key focus remains lithium, but copper is also a vital metal in the battery revolution, so we now have copper and rubidium as important metals in our projects to complement our lithium. The access to infrastructure is, like Raleigh Lake, excellent."





Figure 1: Location of the Firesteel Copper-Cobalt project relative to Thunder Bay, the Raleigh Lake Lithium-Rubidium deposits and the Wolf Ridge project area.



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3232/198562_48155afde496e847_003full.jpg





Figure 2: Firesteel Copper-Cobalt project claims outline and local infrastructure.



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3232/198562_48155afde496e847_004full.jpg





Figure 3: The Firesteel Roadside 1 occurrence. A) hand sample of semi-massive and net-textured sulphides consisting of pyrite, pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite and bornite, B) folded iron formation and metasedimentary rocks (hammer is 30 cm long), and C) cut and polished sample showing semi-massive and net-textured sulphides.



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3232/198562_3.jpg

About International Lithium Corp.

At ILC, our key mission in the next decade is to make money for our shareholders from lithium and other battery metals and rare metals while at the same time helping to create a greener, cleaner planet and less polluted cities. The world has seen significant governmental and public drive to move away from the energy market's historic heavy dependence on oil and gas. In addition, we have seen the clear and increasingly urgent wish by the USA and Canada and other major economies to safeguard their critical metals supplies and become more self-sufficient. Our Canadian projects, which contain lithium, rubidium and copper, are strategic in that respect.

We have announced separately that we regard Zimbabwe as an important strategic target market for ILC, and we hope to be able to make announcements over the next few weeks and months.

A key goal has been to become and remain a well-funded company to turn our aspirations into reality, and following the disposal of the Mariana project in Argentina in 2021 and the Mavis Lake project in Canada in January 2022, and fundraising underway in 2024, the Board considers that ILC is well placed in that respect with no debt and a strong net cash position.

The Company's interests in various projects now consist of the following, and in addition, the Company continues to seek other opportunities:

Name Metal Location Area (Hectares) Stage Current Ownership % Future Ownership percentage if options exercised or work carried out Operator or JV Partner Raleigh

Lake Li, Rb Ontario 48,500 PEA for Lithium 2023. Resource Estimate for Rubidium 2023 100% 100% ILC Firesteel Cu Ontario 6,600 Exploration 90% 90% ILC Wolf Ridge Li Ontario 5,700 Exploration 0% 100% ILC Avalonia Li Ireland 29,200 Exploration 45% 21% Ganfeng Lithium Mavis Lake Li Ontario 2,600 Resource Estimate for Lithium 2023 0% 0%

(carries an extra earn-in payment of CAD$ 0.7 million if resource targets met) Critical Resources Ltd

Forgan Lake & Lucky Lake Li Ontario Exploration 0% 1.5% Net Smelter Royalty Ultra Lithium Inc.



The Raleigh Lake Project consists of 48,500 hectares (485 square km) of mineral claims in Ontario and is ILC's most significant project in Canada. Drilling has so far been on less than 1,000 hectares of our claims. A Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) was published for ILC's lithium at Raleigh Lake in December 2023, with a detailed economic analysis of ILC's separate rubidium resource still to come. Raleigh Lake is 100% owned by ILC, is not subject to any encumbrances, and is royalty-free. The project has excellent access to roads, rail and utilities.

With the increasing demand for high-tech rechargeable batteries used in electric vehicles and electrical storage as well as portable electronics, lithium has been designated "the new oil" and is a key part of a green energy sustainable economy. By positioning itself with projects with significant resource potential and solid strategic partners, ILC aims to be one of the lithium and rare metals resource developers of choice for investors and to continue building value for its shareholders in the '20s, the decade of battery metals.

Patrick McLaughlin, P. Geo., a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101, has reviewed and approved the contents of this news release.

On behalf of the Company,

John Wisbey

Chairman and CEO

www.internationallithium.ca

For further information concerning this news release please contact +1 604-449-6520

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

Except for statements of historical fact, this news release or other releases contain certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information or forward-looking statements in this or other news releases may include the effect of results of anticipated production rates, the timing and/or anticipated results of drilling on the Raleigh Lake or Firesteel or Wolf Ridge or Avalonia projects, the expectation of resource estimates, preliminary economic assessments, feasibility studies, lithium or rubidium or copper or other metal recoveries, modeling of capital and operating costs, results of studies utilizing various technologies at the company's projects, budgeted expenditures and planned exploration work on the Company's projects, the increased value of shareholder investments, and assumptions about ethical behaviour by our joint venture partners or third party operators of projects. Such forward-looking information is based on assumptions and subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to those discussed in the sections entitled "Risks" and "Forward-Looking Statements" in the interim and annual Management's Discussion and Analysis, which are available at www.sedar.com. While management believes that the assumptions made are reasonable, there can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate. Should one or more of the risks, uncertainties, or other factors materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking information. Forward-looking information herein and all subsequent written and oral forward-looking information are based on expectations, estimates and opinions of management on the dates they are made that, while considered reasonable by the Company as of the time of such statements, are subject to significant business, economic, legislative, and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. These estimates and assumptions may prove to be incorrect and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking information should circumstances or management's estimates or opinions change.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/198562
Saguenay, Quebec--(Newsfile Corp. - February 20, 2024) - First Phosphate Corp. (CSE: PHOS) (OTC: FRSPF) (FSE: KD0) ("First Phosphate" or the "Company") is pleased to update the market on its plans for a purified phosphoric acid ("PPA") plant at the Port of Saguenay and the development of the North American lithium iron phosphate ("LFP") battery valley in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean Region of Quebec.

On November 21, 2022, First Phosphate CEO, John Passalacqua, addressed the Federation of Chambers of Commerce of the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean Region of Quebec ("FCC-SLSJ") and shared, with local business leaders and politicians, the vision for the creation of an LFP battery ecosystem in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean Region of Quebec. Mr. Passalacqua provided a further update to the FCC-SLSJ on February 8, 2024. A recording of the February 8 session is available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnarUchmXdg.

Building a PPA plant and an LFP battery ecosystem for North America is a major undertaking. Since first laying out the Company's vision in 2022, First Phosphate has taken the following progressive steps towards realizing its PPA plant at Port Saguenay and in establishing the Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean region of Quebec as the LFP battery valley of North America.

Engineering and Feasibility Study

The Company has completed its internal pre-feasibility study for its PPA plant at Port Saguenay, Quebec and is in the process of evaluating engineering firms to begin a potential formal feasibility study. All PPA production will be fully internalized and limited to the development of LFP cathode active material ("CAM") by the Company and its strategic partners so as not to disrupt existing fragile equilibria in the food phosphates and fertilizer industries.

The Company has created a full proprietary financial model for the future PPA facility and is amenable to sharing details of its pre-feasibility work with those who have the ability to add synergies to its existing network of strategic partners.

Industrial Land, Infrastructure & Port Access

The Company signed a memorandum of understanding ("MOU") with Port Saguenay Authority to secure industrial lands and deep-sea shipping access for the establishment a PPA plant:

https://firstphosphate.com/PortSaguenay

Sulfuric Acid Supply

The Company signed an MOU with with NorFalco Sales ("NorFalco"), a division of Glencore Canada Corporation to secure supply of sulfuric acid (a key component in the production of PPA) for its future industrial facilities in Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean, Quebec:

https://firstphosphate.com/norfalco

Phosphate Concentrate Feedstock

The Company successfully concentrated its phosphate ore into beneficiated phosphate concentrate at ~41% pure P205 (~97% pure apatite) in pilot production and has developed a pilot plant for the purpose of creating feedstock to produce PPA:

https://firstphosphate.com/pilotplant

PPA Production

The Company transformed its beneficiated phosphate concentrate into Merchant Grade Phosphoric Acid ("MGA") and subsequently into food/battery grade PPA at pilot scale:

https://www.firstphosphate.com/phos_acid

PPA Facility Financing

The Company established a clean, debt-free credit history and has been able to procure an LOI from the Export-Import Bank of the United States ("EXIM") to provide stable, government-backed financing for a PPA plant while limiting the amount of equity dilution to shareholders.

https://firstphosphate.com/exim

Downstream LFP Manufacturing Partnerships

The Company negotiated agreements with various LFP production technology providers for downstream offtake for its PPA production and to service various LFP market segments:

https://firstphosphate.com/abf

https://firstphosphate.com/ultion-technologies-mou

https://firstphosphate.com/IntegralsPower

https://firstphosphate.com/lithium-australia-mou

https://firstphosphate.com/sunchem

https://firstphosphate.com/ipl_jda

Local Supply Chain Development

Through Comit de maximisation des retombees economiques regionals ("CMAX"), the Company has created direct relationships with businesses, contractors and suppliers in the Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean region of Quebec that have experience with large-scale industrial projects.. The Company has obtained regional major project status from CMAX:

https://firstphosphate.com/CRP-CMAX

Indigenous Community Involvement

CEO, John Passalacqua, and Chief Geologist, Gilles Laverdiere, have personally visited all three local Innu communities (Essipit, Mastheuiatsh, Pessamit) and met with local leadership to present the project and to establish dialogue. Innu First Nations mining executive, Armand Mackenize, was appointed to the advisory board of the Company. Groupe Conseil Nutshimit-Nippour was hired for social and environmental impact analysis; and First Nations Drilling was engaged for exploration activities:

https://firstphosphate.com/armandmackenzie

https://firstphosphate.com/le-groupe-conseil-nutshimit-nippour

https://firstphosphate.com/first-nations-drilling

Clean Power from Quebec Hydro

The Company submitted formal requests to Quebec Hydro in 2023 for the allocation of clean electricity to the PPA and LFP facilities as well as requested consideration to return electricity to the hydro grid should a sulfuric acid plant be built at the Port of Saguenay. The Company's requests are with Hydro Quebec Lots #2 and #3 and awaiting response.

https://www.hydroquebec.com

Quebec Critical-Strategic Minerals List and Government Awareness

In January 2024, in response to advocacy by the Company and others, the Quebec Government recognized apatite (phosphate) as a critical and strategic mineral. Furthermore, the Company received a strong letter of support for its activities and its planned PPA plant from Mario Simard, Member of Parliament for the local riding of Jonquiere, Quebec, vice-chair of Parliament's Standing Committee on Natural Resources and critic for natural resources for the Bloc Quebecois.

https://firstphosphate.com/phosphate-added-critical-minerals-list

https://firstphosphate.com/mariosimard.pdf

Battery Ecosystem Development and Validation of the Company's Business Model

On January 30, 2024, Arianne Phosphate (DAN: TSXV) announced that "it has commenced work on a Prefeasibility Study to construct a downstream purified phosphoric acid plant in the region" and "allow the Saguenay region to establish itself within the global battery ecosystem." First Phosphate looks forward to working with all interested parties in generating awareness and support for, and building the infrastructure necessary to realize its vision of developing the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean Region of Quebec into the LFP battery valley of North America.

https://www.arianne-inc.com/news/arianne-phosphate-advances-prefeasibility-study-for-a-purified-phosphoric-acid-plant

https://firstphosphate.com/ChambresCommerce





Proposed Location of First Phosphate PPA Facility at Existing Port of Saguenay

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8917/198475_1c5ff88b64f7ca22_001full.jpg

About First Phosphate Corp.

First Phosphate is a mineral development company fully dedicated to extracting and purifying phosphate for the production of cathode active material for the Lithium Iron Phosphate ("LFP") battery industry. First Phosphate is committed to producing at high purity level, in responsible manner and with low anticipated carbon footprint. First Phosphate plans to vertically integrate from mine source directly into the supply chains of major North American LFP battery producers that require battery grade LFP cathode active material emanating from a consistent and secure supply source. First Phosphate holds over 1,500 sq. km of royalty-free district-scale land claims in the Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean Region of Quebec, Canada that it is actively developing. First Phosphate properties consist of rare anorthosite igneous phosphate rock that generally yields high purity phosphate materially devoid of high concentrations of harmful elements.

For additional information, please contact:

Bennett Kurtz, CFO

[email protected]

Tel: +1 (416) 200-0657

Investor Relations: [email protected]

Media Relations: [email protected]

Website: www.FirstPhosphate.com



Follow First Phosphate:



Twitter: https://twitter.com/FirstPhosphate

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/first-phosphate

-30-

Forward-Looking Information and Cautionary Statements

This news release contains certain statements and information that may be considered "forward-looking statements" and "forward looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. In some cases, but not necessarily in all cases, forward-looking statements and forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "targets", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "an opportunity exists", "is positioned", "estimates", "intends", "assumes", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate" or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "will" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" and other similar expressions. In addition, statements in this news release that are not historical facts are forward looking statements, including, among other things, the Company's planned exploration and production activities, the properties and composition of any extracted phosphate, the Company's plans for vertical integration into North American supply chains, including, but not limited to, the Company's ability to realize and successfully participate in its "Vertically Integrated Production Plan" and "External Downstream Producer" plan, and related disclosure, continued relations with local Innu communities, the establishment of the Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean region of Quebec as the LFP battery valley of North America, the results of feasibility studies, and the receipt of approvals and availability of financing for the proposed PPA plant,

These statements and other forward-looking information are based on assumptions and estimates that the Company believes are appropriate and reasonable in the circumstances, including, without limitation, expectations of the Company's long term business outcomes given its short operating history; expectations regarding revenue, expenses and operations; the Company having sufficient working capital and ability to secure additional funding necessary for the exploration of the Company's property interests; expectations regarding the potential mineralization, geological merit and economic feasibility of the Company's projects; expectations regarding drill programs and the potential impacts successful drill programs could have on the life of the mine and the Company; mineral exploration and exploration program cost estimates; expectations regarding any environmental issues that may affect planned or future exploration programs and the potential impact of complying with existing and proposed environmental laws and regulations; receipt and timing of exploration and exploitation permits and other third-party approvals; government regulation of mineral exploration and development operations; expectations regarding any social or local community issues that may affect planned or future exploration and development programs; expectations surrounding global economic trends and technological advancements; and key personnel continuing their employment with the Company.

There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include: limited operating history; high risk of business failure; no profits or significant revenues; limited resources; negative cash flow from operations and dependence on third-party financing; the uncertainty of additional funding; no dividends; risks related to possible fluctuations in revenues and results; insurance and uninsured risks; litigation; reliance on management and key personnel; conflicts of interest; access to supplies and materials; dangers of mineral exploration and related liability and damages; risks relating to health and safety; government regulation and legal uncertainties; the company's exploration and development properties may not be successful and are highly speculative in nature; dependence on outside parties; title to some of the Company's mineral properties may be challenged or defective; Aboriginal title and land claims; obtaining and renewing licenses and permits; environmental and other regulatory risks may adversely affect the company; risks relating to climate change; risks related to infrastructure; land reclamation requirements may be burdensome; current global financial conditions; fluctuation in commodity prices; dilution; future sales by existing shareholders could cause the Company's share price to fall; fluctuation and volatility in stock exchange prices; and risks related to market demands. There can be no assurance that any opportunity will be successful, commercially viable, completed on time or on budget, or will generate any meaningful revenues, savings or earnings, as the case may be, for the Company. In addition, the Company will incur costs in pursuing any particular opportunity, which may be significant.

These factors and assumptions are not intended to represent a complete list of the factors and assumptions that could affect the Company and, though they should be considered carefully, should be considered in conjunction with the risk factors described in the Company's other documents filed with the Canadian securities authorities, including without limitation the "Risk Factors" section of the Company's Annual Information Form dated November 29, 2023 which is available on SEDAR at www.sedarplus.ca. Although the Company has attempted to identify factors that would cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those disclosed in the forward-looking information or information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/198475
Los Angeles, California--(Newsfile Corp. - February 20, 2024) - Kartel Music is set to release 'Corridos Blicos Vol. 4 Deluxe', the latest album from the acclaimed Mexican artist Luis R Conriquez, on February 29, 2024. The upcoming album has generated significant interest, showcasing the newest developments in the corridos genre by the celebrated musician.

'Corridos Belicos Vol. 4 Deluxe'

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8846/198541_737d192794e4885e_001full.jpg

Conriquez, a native of Sonora, Mexico, has become a prominent figure in Latin music, known for his innovative approach to corridos. His journey from humble beginnings to music stardom is a source of inspiration. His unique style, which fuses traditional corrido elements with contemporary narratives, has earned him a passionate fan base and critical acclaim.

The release of 'Corridos Belicos Vol. 4 Deluxe' is more than just a new album drop; it's a significant event in the regional Mexican music scene. Conriquez's talent for weaving compelling stories into his music is expected to shine through once again, exploring themes of resilience, ambition, and the human experience.

Luis R Conriquez

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8846/198541_737d192794e4885e_002full.jpg

Beyond his music, Conriquez has established himself as a cultural icon in the corrido genre and Latin music in general. His work resonates with audiences globally, making him a pivotal figure in the evolution of regional Mexican music.

With the February 29, 2024 release date set for 'Corridos Belicos Vol. 4 Deluxe', the excitement and anticipation are palpable. This album is poised to solidify Luis R Conriquez's status as a pioneer in the corridos genre, showcasing his artistic growth and his unwavering commitment to evolving the corrido tradition.

Media Contact:

Contact Person: Alfredo Becerra

Company: Kartel Music

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kartelmusicoficial

Website: http://kartelmusic.com/

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/198541
KoBold Metals, an AI driven battery metal exploration and mining company, can spend USD$15 million in exploration and make cash payments totaling USD$500,000 over 4.5 years to earn a 75% interest in the Dumbwa portion of Midnight Sun's Solwezi Project.

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 20, 2024) - Midnight Sun Mining Corp.(TSXV: MMA) (OTCQB: MDNGF) (the "Company" or "Midnight Sun") is pleased to announce the Company has signed an earn-in agreement (the "Earn-In Agreement") with KoBold Metals Company ("KoBold"), through their respective Zambian subsidiaries, to explore the Dumbwa Target ("Dumbwa Target" or "Dumbwa"), located on the Company's Solwezi Project in Zambia.

KoBold Metals Company is a US-based, privately held, battery metal exploration and mining company that combines geoscience, data science, machine learning, and artificial intelligence to search for the critical minerals needed for the clean energy transition. KoBold is backed by technology investors including Breakthrough Energy Ventures (initiated by Bill Gates) and Silicon Valley venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, as well as institutional investors such as T. Rowe Price and Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board.

The Earn-In Agreement allows KoBold to earn a 75% interest in Dumbwa by incurring USD$15 million in exploration expenditures and making cumulative cash payments to Midnight Sun of USD$500,000 over 4.5 years.

Midnight Sun President & CEO Al Fabbro states: "KoBold has assembled one of the top global sediment-hosted copper teams - including Dr. David Broughton - and I cannot overstate how pleased we are to have them at the helm on Dumbwa. Their bench strength speaks to the quality of this outstanding tier-one exploration target and the seriousness of their approach. As evidenced by the impressive roster of keystone investors in KoBold, they are on track to become new industry leaders using incredibly sophisticated proprietary technology to fast-track the discovery of critical minerals. We look forward to KoBold applying their groundbreaking exploration approach to the Dumbwa Target and moving this important Zambian copper asset toward development together, which we view as perfectly timed to coincide with an upcoming phase of unprecedented global copper demand."

KoBold Metals Africa Chief Executive Officer, Mfikeyi Makayi, states: "KoBold is looking forward to exploring the Dumbwa Target alongside Midnight Sun as we have long been interested in the Solwezi Dome. The Dumbwa Target hosts intriguing copper-in-soil anomalies and a structural setting comparable to other major deposits in the region. The KoBold sediment-hosted copper team has decades of experience working in the African Copperbelt, which we will combine with our library of analytical tools and proprietary technology to aggressively explore at Dumbwa. We look forward to working with Midnight Sun and drilling at Dumbwa in 2024."

The Dumbwa exploration target is located in the heart of the Zambia-Congo Copperbelt, and is one of four key prospects that comprise Midnight Sun's 5062 kilometre Solwezi Project (see Figure 1). Dumbwa is located within one of three exploration licenses held by the Company; the Company anticipates continuing exploration on its other licenses as well as the portions of the license within which Dumbwa is located that are not subject to the earn-in. The Dumbwa Target area included in the KoBold agreement is 1082 kilometres. KoBold plans to initiate a drill campaign in 2024 to begin systematic exploration of structural targets at Dumbwa.

The remaining 3982 kilometres of property that make up the Solwezi Project will remain with Midnight Sun, and the Company intends to continue exploration on the other key targets outside of the area subject to the KoBold Earn-In Agreement.

See Figure 1 - "Solwezi Licences" at end of news release.

About KoBold Metals

KoBold Metals Company, a US-based exploration and mining company, is advancing 60 active projects spanning 4 continents. Founded in 2018, KoBold is backed by world-class technology investors including Breakthrough Energy Ventures (initiated by Bill Gates), and Silicon Valley venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, as well as institutional investors such as T. Rowe Price and the Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board. KoBold leverages artificial intelligence through proprietary analytical tools and big data to improve and accelerate the exploration process.

KoBold has an established presence in Zambia, including its flagship Mingomba project for which it is currently completing resource definition drilling and a pre-feasibility study. KoBold has over 40 people based in Zambia, led by Mfikeyi Makayi, CEO of KoBold Metals Africa.

Significant Terms of The Earn-In Agreement

To complete the earn-in requirements, KoBold must complete the following:

Year 1 Anniversary of the Agreement Date - Completion of a minimum of 2,000 metres of diamond core drilling, which is a firm commitment;

Year 2 Anniversary of the Agreement Date - USD$4,000,000 of exploration expenditures;

Year 3 Anniversary of the Agreement Date - USD$7,000,000 of cumulative exploration expenditures; and

Year 4.5 Anniversary of the Agreement Date - USD$15,000,000 of cumulative exploration expenditures.

In addition to these expenditure requirements, KoBold must pay Midnight Sun cash payments on the following schedule to maintain the Earn-In Agreement:

On commencement of the earn-in - USD $100,000

Year 1 Anniversary of Agreement Date - USD $100,000

Year 2 Anniversary of Agreement Date - USD $100,000

Year 3 Anniversary of Agreement Date - USD $100,000

Year 4 Anniversary of Agreement Date - USD $100,000

Commencement of the earn-in is subject to a number of conditions, including the re-assignment of the license within which the Dumbwa Target is located to the Company's subsidiary. The Earn-In Agreement provides that if the conditions are not satisfied by June 30, 2024 (unless otherwise agreed to by the parties), the Earn-In Agreement will terminate. KoBold has the right to extend the outside date by up to six months, in KoBold's sole discretion.

Formation of Joint Venture Company

Upon completion of the obligations under the Earn-In Agreement by KoBold, the parties will form a separate company (the "JV Co"), to be held initially by KoBold and the Company (or their Zambian subsidiaries) as to 75% and 25% respectively. The parties to the JV Co will be subject to the terms of a Shareholder's Agreement, a copy of which is included as an appendix to the Earn-In Agreement. The parties have agreed that the Dumbwa Target will be separated from the Company's existing license into a new license, and assigned to JV Co.

The agreed form of Shareholder's Agreement includes the following material terms:

JV Co be governed by a Board of Directors, initially consisting of two directors nominated by KoBold, and one director nominated by the Company

JV Co will propose work programs. Shareholders will have the obligation to fund their proportionate interest, or face dilution as a result of a failure to participate

A party diluted to less than a 10% interest will have their interest converted to a 1% Net Smelter Royalty capped at USD$40 million

Authority of the Board will be subject to certain matters reserved to Shareholders

The Company will have a right to participate pro rata in future issuances of shares of the JV Co

The Company's shareholding interest will be subject to drag along rights in favour of the majority shareholder (KoBold), and the Company will have the benefit of tag along rights in the event of a sale by KoBold

The JV Co will have the ability to cancel shares held by a party in the event that the party is or becomes controlled by a sanctioned entity, and will have the right to repurchase the shares for fair market value in certain other circumstances

Dumbwa Target Highlights

The Dumbwa Target features a continuous high-grade copper-in-soil anomaly, which extends for over 20 km along strike and +1 km in width, with peak values of up to 0.73% copper.

The Dumbwa Target features multiple stacked mineralized horizons, which are believed to be analogous to Barrick's Lumwana Mine, located ~40 kilometres to the west of the Solwezi Project.

Exploration work to date, which includes geochemical analysis and geophysics, indicate that systematic drilling guided by structural controls is the next step toward establishing continuity, size, and scale of an underlying system.

The Earn-In Agreement remains subject to regulatory approval as well as customary conditions and contains representations, warranties, covenants and indemnities as are typical for agreements of this nature.

Qualified Person: Darin Labrenz, P.Geo., a Qualified Person under NI 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical data and contents of this release.

About Midnight Sun

Midnight Sun is focused on exploring our flagship Solwezi Project, located in Zambia. Situated in the heart of the Zambia-Congo Copperbelt, the second largest copper producing region in the world, our property is vast and highly prospective. Our Solwezi Project is surrounded by world-class producing copper mines, including Africa's largest copper mining complex right next door, First Quantum's Kansanshi Mine. Led by an experienced geological team with multiple discoveries and mines around the world to their credit, Midnight Sun intends to find and develop Zambia's next generational copper deposit.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF MIDNIGHT SUN MINING CORP.

Al Fabbro

President & CEO

For Further Information Contact:

Adrian O'Brien

Director of Marketing and Communications

Tel: +1 604 809 6890

Em: [email protected]

NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS NEW RELEASE.

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation that are based on expectations, estimates, assumptions and projections as at the date of this news release. The information in this news release about the timing and ability of the Company and KoBold to obtain the approval of relevant regulatory bodies, if at all; timing of the commencement of the earn-in; the work expenditure amounts and timing of those expenditures incurred by KoBold, if at all; the transfer of the relevant property to a joint venture entity, if at all; the respective ownership interests of the Company and KoBold in the joint venture entity; and any other information herein that is not a historical fact may be "forward-looking statements". Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (which may, but not always, include phrases such as "anticipates", "plans", "scheduled", "believed" 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 and are intended to identify forward-looking statements.

Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure readers that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking statements, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Such factors include, among others, risks relating to the timing and ability of the Company and KoBold to remove conditional subjects of the Earn-In Agreement, including the ability to obtain and the timing of the approval of relevant regulatory bodies, if at all; risks relating to property interests; risks related to access to the project; risks inherent in mineral exploration, including the fact that any particular phase of exploration may be unsuccessful; the risk that KoBold determines not to proceed with the earn in at any time after completing the minimum work program, and before having expended the full USD$15 million for the earn in; geo-political risks; the global economic climate; metal prices; environmental risks; political risks; and community and non-governmental actions. Neither the Company nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of any such forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake, and assumes no obligation, to update or revise any such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information contained herein to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required by law.





Figure 1 - "Solwezi Licences"

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To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/198522
AMMAN, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- King Abdullah II of Jordan on Tuesday warned against the cessation of international funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), saying it is a vital lifeline for nearly 2 million people facing the risk of famine in Gaza.

The king made the remarks at a meeting in Amman with a delegation from the U.S. Senate, during which he emphasized the gravity of the situation in Gaza as the holy month of Ramadan approaches, noting that the UN agency provides essential services to Palestinian refugees in the region, according to a statement by the Royal Hashemite Court.

During the talks, the king also called for more efforts to achieve a lasting ceasefire that would end hostilities in Gaza. He cautioned about the dire consequences of the ongoing conflict, saying it would be catastrophic for the entire region.

Several of UNRWA's staff were accused by Israel of involvement in the Oct. 7 Hamas attack against Israel. Following the allegations, a number of donor countries, including the United States, Britain, and Canada, have announced their decision to suspend their funding for the agency. 
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 20, 2024) - Prismo Metals Inc. (CSE: PRIZ) (OTCQB: PMOMF) ("Prismo" or the "Company") is pleased to announce results from its ongoing exploration program at Los Pavitos, a 100% owned 5,300 ha Project in the well-mineralized Alamos region of southern Sonora State, Mexico. Exploration work reported here includes drilling of 4 new zones in an area of 1.5 by 3 km. Combined with earlier reported work (See Press Releases of October 17th and December 5th, 2023), positive results have been obtained from Las Auras, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz Southeast, La Espanola and Oromuri structures in the northern half of the property (Fig. 1). The southern half of the property will be explored in 2024 with pioneering drilling throughout the property.

The 2023 exploration program included geologic mapping, sampling and drilling designed to determine the overall mineralization style(s) and geometry of structures in the northern half of the project. This included the first ever drilling at Pavitos. Prismo drilled 2,370 meters of HQ core in 25 relatively shallow (max 171 m) holes into 7 mineralized structures up to 1.5 km long.

The final eight holes of the 2023 program are reported here. These tested four widely-spaced structures distant from areas of previously reported strong gold drill results and areas of historical artisanal mining (See Press Releases of October 17th and December 5th, 2023). The best results (2.6 g/t Gold over 0.5m and 1.18 g/t Gold over 0.5m ) come from shallow (

Additionally, a new zone with several structures was identified and sampled in the previously unexplored northeastern portion of the project area (See Table 2). Surface sampling along the northeastern projection of the gold and silver-rich Santa Cruz structure (See Press Releases of October 17th and December 5th, 2023) yielded the highest silver assay from the project to date: 1,130 g/t Ag, with 1.33 g/t Au over 0.15 meter. Other results from this new work area include numerous samples reporting anomalous gold and the pathfinder elements arsenic and bismuth (As and Bi) (Table 1). None of these structures have yet been drilled and remain priority drilling targets.

"With only 25 holes drilled into 9 structures and less than half the property sampled systematically, it's pretty exciting when the first-ever drilling in new, previously untested outlying structures reports appreciable gold. We are obviously looking forward to continued drilling on them," commented Dr. Craig Gibson, President and CEO. "Finding kilo-plus silver in the undrilled extension of a structural zone where we've previously drilled good gold and silver grades significantly adds to that excitement and reinforces our geologic concept that Pavitos saw multiple mineralizing events."





Figure 1. Los Pavitos project map with new drilling, sampling and geology on Lidar base.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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Figure 2. Drill hole map for the Los Pavitos Project. Blue circles are drill holes that have been completed, yellow highlights indicate new holes reported in this release.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7434/198513_prismoimage2.jpg

Table 1. Selected drill intercepts from the Los Pavitos project

Hole From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Au

g/t Ag

g/t Pb % Zn % Santa Cruz West LP-SC-23-15 No significant values LP-SC-23-16 No significant values Las Auras LP-AU-23-04 36.61 37.11 0.50 2.61 9.7 0.09 0.07 52.75 53.05 0.30 1.47 20.1 0.01 1.47 LP-AU-23-05 111.90 112.45 0.55 0.70 8.8 0.01 0.70 LP-AU-23-06 No significant values LP-AU-23-07 No significant values Oromuri LP-OR-23-01 108.48 109.00 0.52 1.18 0.8 0.00 0.00 Espaola LP-ES-23-01 No significant values

Au by fire assay for all holes except LP-SC-23-16 & LP-Au-23-04, by ICP. True widths unknown at this time.

2023 Pavitos Mapping and Sampling Program

To date less than half of the property has been systematically mapped and sampled, but already 5 structures traced over 0.5 to 1.5 km each have been identified along with several smaller structures, and have been shallowly drilled with positive results. There are now approximately 1,500 outcrop chip samples and 25 trenches totalling 698 meters in length have been dug with about 350 samples.

Reconnaissance work outside the area that has been systematically explored has identified several areas with anomalous gold values and appreciable pathfinder elements values or with the presence of metals associated with the mineralization at the project, areas where exploration will be continued. The exploration program has been successful with overall results that fit the mineralization model, but detailed mapping and sampling have shown that there are additional key features than at first appeared, providing expanded potential for discovery.

"The results of this first ever drill program at Los Pavitos indicate that we may be able to refine additional exploration targets through a drone based magnetic survey supported by ground-based geophysics and more detailed surface mapping," concluded Dr. Gibson.

Table 2. Drill hole data for the holes in this release

Hole Target Easting Northing Elev Azim Incl Depth (m) LPSC-23-15 Santa Cruz West 676,700 3,001,736 232 130 -50 132.00 LPSC-23-16 Santa Cruz West 676,732 3,001,777 226 130 -45 96.00 LPAU-23-04 Las Auras 674,712 3,003,803 190 210 -47 144.00 LPAU-23-05 Las Auras E 674,779 3,003,830 180 210 -45 171.00 LPAU-23-06 Las Auras E 675,339 3,003,664 190 200 -45 57.80 LPAU-23-07 Las Auras 674,884 3,003,271 175 185 -45 52.50 LPOR-23-01 Oromuri 674,420 3,002,616 196 314 -45 162.00 LPES-23-01 La Espanola 675,390 3,002,811 202 290 -47 102.00

Coordinates in UTM WGS84 using handheld Garmin GPS.

Table 3. Highlight rock chip assays from Los Pavitos

Sample Type Style Width (m) Easting Northing Au_g/t Ag g/t As_ppm Bi_ppm Southeast Santa Cruz zone













543654 Chip Oxidation 0.15 677762 3002358 1.33 1,130 >10.000 0.6 543653 Chip Oxidation 0.1 678108 3002454 0.18 77.1 1,815 0.2 Eastern zone













543669 Chip Oxidation 0.5 678,498 3,001,703 0.16 0.4 362 1.7 543668 Chip Oxidation 1.0 678,499 3,001,698 2.14 2.2 >10,000 17.4 543642 Chip Breccia 1.0 678,566 3,001,841 0.82 6.1 >10,000 7.8 543643 Chip Breccia 1.0 678,578 3,001,856 0.11 5.6 >10,000 1.9 543644 Chip Breccia 1.0 678,648 3,001,900 0.24 3.4 3,730 1.1 543646 Chip Oxidation 0.4 678,750 3,001,945 0.25 4.4 3,950 2.0 543664 Chip Veinlets 1.0 679,096 3,001,934 0.55 7.9 692 4.7 543663 Chip Veinlets 1.0 679,096 3,001,935 0.49 5.1 344 4.6 543662 Chip Veinlets 0.45 679,097 3,001,935 0.34 3.7 885 1.9 543659 Chip Veinlets 1.5 679,100 3,001,941 1.82 2.7 5,130 2.0 543661 Chip Veinlets 1.5 679,100 3,001,939 0.60 3.5 729 2.6 543671 Chip Oxidation 0.3 679,154 3,001,968 0.12 9.0 2,220 6.4 543672 Chip Oxidation 1.0 679,155 3,002,083 0.03 0.1 44 0.9 543727 Chip Vein 0.4 679,156 3,001,949 2.66 2.6 >10,000 1.7 543673 Chip Oxidation 1.0 679,311 3,002,175 0.68 0.4 17.2 1.1 543687 Chip Vein 1.0 679,353 3,002,365 0.16 16.2 416 6.0 543686 Chip Vein 1.0 679,355 3,002,365 0.34 21.9 714 2.7 543688 Chip Vein 1.0 679,356 3,002,367 0.64 22.7 673 26.3 543681 Chip Stockwork 0.5 679,544 3,001,897 0.60 3.1 923 1.3 543716 Chip Stockwork 0.5 679,547 3,001,899 0.50 4.8 953 0.9

About Los Pavitos

The Los Pavitos project is a 5,289-hectare property located in southern Sonora State, Mexico (Figure 4). Pavitos lies 25 km west of the well-mineralized Alamos District, which encompasses several active exploration and mining projects, including the past producing Alamo Dorado mine of Pan American Silver, the Piedras Verdes copper mine of Cobre de Mayo and the Alamos and Aurifero vein projects being explored by Minaurum Gold Inc. Infrastructure is excellent with paved highway access, electricity and water. The project, which was generated by geologist and Prismo Metals Board Member Rafael Gallardo, is believed to have potential for both the typical epithermal veins of the Alamos district and "orogenic" or shear-hosted gold hosted in the highly metamorphosed basement rocks that crop out sparingly below the region's extensive blanket of mid-Tertiary volcanic rocks. Los Pavitos lies along the projection of the Caborca Orogenic Gold Belt (Fig. 4) and the fabric and style of metamorphic deformation of the basement rocks is similar to that elsewhere in the belt.

Pavitos was acquired from Minera Cascabel S.A. de C.V., a Mexican exploration and services company founded by Dr. Peter Megaw, an advisor to the Company (for terms see the Company's prospectus filed on SEDAR). The company completed a NI 43-101 Technical Report on the project in March 2021 available on SEDAR. Assays have been received for 1,384 surface rock samples taken by the company (excluding control samples); a further 347 samples were taken in 25 trenches cut across the main mineralized trends.





Figure 3. Location of the Los Pavitos project in southern Sonora State in relation to the Caborca Orogenic Gold Belt.



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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QA/QC

Rock samples taken by Prismo are analyzed by multielement ICP-AES and MS methods and by fire assay by ALS Group and Bureau Veritas, both internationally recognized analytical service providers. Gold is analyzed as part of an ICP package using a 15 or 25-gram aqua regia digestion and is also analyzed by Fire Assay with an AA finish. Au overlimits >10 g/t are analyzed by fire assay with a gravimetric finish. Ag over 100g/t and Cu, Pb and Zn over 1% re-analyzed by the by overrange ICP methods. Certified Reference Materials including standard pulps and coarse blank material were inserted in the sample stream at regular intervals.

Dr. Craig Gibson, PhD., CPG., a Qualified Person as defined by NI-43-01 regulations and President, CEO and a director of the Company, has reviewed and approved the technical disclosures in this news release.

About Prismo

Prismo (CSE: PRIZ) is mining exploration company focused on two precious metal projects in Mexico (Palos Verdes and Los Pavitos) and a copper project in Arizona (Hot Breccia).

Please follow @PrismoMetals on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.

Prismo Metals Inc.

1100 - 1111 Melville St., Vancouver, British Columbia V6E 3V6

Contact:

Craig Gibson, President & Chief Executive Officer [email protected]



Jason Frame, Manager of Communications [email protected]

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements other than statements of historical fact, including without limitation, statements regarding the anticipated content, commencement and exploration program results, the ability to complete future financings, required permitting, exploration programs and drilling, and the anticipated business plans and timing of future activities of the Company, are forward-looking statements. Forward-Looking statements are 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. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct.

The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements by the Company are not guarantees of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, the state of the financial markets for the Company's equity securities, the state of the commodity markets generally, variations in the nature, the analytical results from surface trenching and sampling program, including diamond drilling programs, the results of IP surveying, the results of soil and till sampling program. the quality and quantity of any mineral deposits that may be located, variations in the market price of any mineral products the Company may produce or plan to produce, the inability of the Company to obtain any necessary permits, consents or authorizations required, including CSE acceptance, for its planned activities, the inability of the Company to produce minerals from its properties successfully or profitably, to continue its projected growth, to raise the necessary capital or to be fully able to implement its business strategies, the potential impact of COVID-19 (coronavirus) on the Company's exploration program and on the Company's general business, operations and financial condition, and other risks and uncertainties. All of the Company's Canadian public disclosure filings may be accessed via www.sedarplus.ca and readers are urged to review these materials, including the technical reports filed with respect to the Company's mineral properties.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/198513
SurgeGraph, the Longform AI writing tool, announces the launch of a comprehensive blog aimed at equipping users with the knowledge to exploit the platform's full potential for varied use cases.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 20, 2024) - SurgeGraph, a leading AI writing tool, has unveiled its latest initiative, an informative blog designed to serve as a comprehensive resource for users. This educational platform is dedicated to providing in-depth articles and tutorials that help users harness the capabilities of SurgeGraph for specific use cases.





SurgeGraph Launches Educational Blog to Empower Users With Expert Insights

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The need for this blog arose in light of the rapid evolution of SurgeGraph, which has introduced over 102 updates within a mere eight months. Amidst this rapid development, the need for a structured guide became apparent as some users faced challenges in navigating the increasingly feature-rich platform. The blog is SurgeGraph's solution to these challenges, offering clear, step-by-step instructions and insightful articles that aim to simplify the platform's extensive capabilities for users.

The inauguration of the blog is marked by the publication of five detailed use case tutorial articles. These articles are crafted to assist users in achieving precise goals, ranging from writing impactful affiliate content to creating engaging listicles. This diverse array of topics demonstrates SurgeGraph's versatility in meeting various content writing demands.

SurgeGraph is committed to regularly updating the blog with similar use case articles. This initiative is part of the company's ongoing efforts to ensure subscribers can maximize the benefits of their SurgeGraph subscription.

Complementing the blog's launch, SurgeGraph has also unveiled a revamped homepage. This redesign focuses on delivering an improved user experience through a sleeker interface, making it easier for users to navigate and obtain the information they seek. Furthermore, SurgeGraph also introduces their first ever 'About Us' page, offering a glimpse into the team behind SurgeGraph.

Interested parties are encouraged to explore the use case tutorials available on SurgeGraph's new blog and to experience the enhanced functionality of the newly designed homepage. This initiative highlights SurgeGraph's unwavering commitment to user satisfaction and its dedication to offering tools that not only enhance writing efficiency but also contribute to users' traffic growth and content strategy success.

About SurgeGraph

SurgeGraph is an AI writing tool with a mission to accelerate content writing & SEO for traffic growth. With various AI and SEO functionalities, SurgeGraph specializes in helping users quickly generate high-quality, SEO-optimized content that is loved by human readers and rank high on search engines.

Contact Info:

Name: Sara Salim

Email: [email protected]

Organization: SurgeGraph

Website: https://surgegraph.io

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/198537
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - February 20, 2024) - Visit Volta Metals Ltd. (CSE: VLTA) (FSE: D0W) at Booth #2728 at the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canadas (PDAC) Convention at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC) from Sunday, March 3 to Wednesday, March 6, 2024.

About Volta Metals Ltd.

Volta metals is a mineral exploration company based in Toronto, Ontario, focused on lithium, cesium, and tantalum. It has optioned and is currently exploring a critical minerals portfolio of lithium, cesium, and tantalum projects in northwestern Ontario, considered one of the world's most prolific, emerging hard-rock lithium districts. Company discovered 6 spodumene pegmatites within its Falcon West Lithium Project and drilled up to 15.6m at 1.24% Li2O. Mineralization remains open in all directions, and the property remains open for exploration. All properties have road access and are located on highly prospective greenstone belts Northwestern Ontario.

About PDAC

The Worlds Premier Mineral Exploration & Mining Convention is the leading convention for people, governments, companies and organizations connected to mineral exploration. In addition to meeting more than 1,100 exhibitors, 2,500 investors and 24,000 attendees in person in 2023, participants could also attend programming, courses and networking events.

The annual convention is held in Toronto, Canada. It has grown in size, stature and influence since it began in 1932 and today is the event of choice for the worlds mineral industry.

For more information and/or to register for the conference please visit: https://www.pdac.ca/convention.

We look forward to seeing you there.

For further information:

Volta Metals Ltd.

Kerem Usenmez

4169199060

[email protected]

voltametals.ca
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - February 20, 2024) - Wellfield Technologies Inc. (TSXV: WFLD) (the "Company" or "Wellfield") is pleased to announce its partnership with Banxa (TSXV: BNXA) aimed at driving growth for Coinmama, Wellfield's wholly owned subsidiary. In 2023, Wellfield completed a significant operational reorganization at Coinmama to improve efficiency and reach operational profitability, while also laying the groundwork for new product expansion and user growth initiatives. The partnership with Banxa begins new efforts for accelerated user growth, bringing Banxa's latest product enhancements to Coinmama's platform and strengthening Coinmama's position in the cryptocurrency market.

Levy Cohen, CEO of Wellfield, commented, "At Coinmama, simplifying our customers' blockchain journey is fundamental to our global appeal. Our partnership with Banxa underpins our commitment to future growth and operational strength, enhancing our trusted brand that brings millions of people onto the blockchain. Banxa's global Fiat-to-Crypto onboarding reach combined with our global brand and cutting-edge new products and services positions Coinmama for significant growth."

Holger Arians, Chairman and CEO, added, "Banxa prides itself for providing one of the industry's most robust Fiat-to-Crypto onboarding solutions for some of the biggest cryptocurrency brands like MetaMask, OKX, Trust Wallet and now Coinmama. Our recent product enhancements and regulatory milestones demonstrate Banxa's attraction as strategic partners for leading cryptocurrency businesses and we are proud to partner with Wellfield to support the growth and expansion of their globally recognized brand, Coinmama."

Direct Benefit to Coinmama Customers

Through Wellfield's partnership with Banxa, bolstered by their robust regulatory solutions and operational excellence, Coinmama customers receive access to a premier gateway for seamlessly transferring funds into the blockchain. Combined with our recently announced and future product enhancements, Banxa's efficient fund transfer process and advanced tools enable Coinmama to deliver a secure, compliant, and unparalleled journey into the blockchain ecosystem.

About Wellfield Technologies

Wellfield Technologies, Inc. (TSXV: WFLD) is a leading fintech company specializing in innovative solutions leveraging blockchain technology. Our platform Coinmama (web and Mobile app), provides seamless access to the cryptocurrency market for over 3.5 million registered users across 180 countries. We offer disruptive on-chain and web3 secure and friendly self-custody solutions through Coinmama. Additionally, Wellfield operates Tradewind Markets platform to digitize and trade real-world assets, including our flagship VaultChain" Gold and VaultChain" Silver products. Expanding our offerings for institutional clients, we present Brane Trust Company Limited aiming to operate in Alberta Canada's second qualified digital asset custodian.

Join Wellfield's digital community on LinkedIn and Twitter, and for more details, visit wellfield.io.

For further information contact:

Wellfield Technologies Inc.

Levy Cohen, CEO

[email protected]

(832) 483-2575

Ryan Graybill, Investor Relations

[email protected]

Cautionary Notice on Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking information" ("forward-looking information") within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking information and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that discusses predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking information. Forward-Looking statements in this news release include statements regarding: reentry into the UK market through third party business relationships; objectives of the Company and business; expansion of product offerings; the Company's ability to grow its user base, revenue-generating potential, and competitive differentiation through the integration of Fireblocks' and Banxa's solutions into Wellfield's subsidiary businesses; the anticipated strategic, operational and competitive benefits of recent business developments, which are based on the Company's current internal expectations, estimates, projections, assumptions and beliefs, which may prove to be incorrect. In disclosing the forward-looking information contained in this press release, the Company has made certain assumptions. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking information are reasonable, it can give no assurance that the expectations of any forward-looking information will prove to be correct. Known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: the successful completion of the Acquisition; the successful Registration of Brane Trust with the Alberta Government; the failure of the Tradewind, Coinmama, or Brane Trust acquisitions to result in the anticipated strategic, operational and competitive benefits; the ability of the Company to raise additional capital to fund future operations; compliance with extensive government regulations, domestic and foreign laws and regulations adversely affecting the Company and the decentralized finance industry generally, in Canada and abroad; and general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive and readers are encouraged to review the disclosure documents accessible on the Company's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, changes in factors affecting such forward-looking information or otherwise.

The TSX Venture Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/198532
Road Town, British Virgin Islands--(Newsfile Corp. - February 19, 2024) - LBank Exchange, a global digital asset trading platform, listed X-FILE (XFILE) on February 18, 2024. For all users of LBank Exchange, the XFILE/USDT trading pair is now officially available for trading.





XFILE listing banner

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8831/198511_11cfedfef4fb3b99_001full.jpg

X-FILE (XFILE), backed by its DEV team and the X-FILE Army, aims to transition into platform development, relying on community support to launch, with the development team holding no tokens. Its native token, XFILE, was listed on LBank Exchange at 12:00 UTC on February 18, 2024, with the goal of expanding its global footprint and supporting the realization of its forward-thinking objectives.

Introducing X-FILE

LBank Exchange is thrilled to announce the listing of X-FILE (XFILE), emerging as a groundbreaking initiative in the rapidly evolving cryptocurrency landscape, distinguished by its commitment to community ownership and decentralized governance. At its core, X-FILE is designed to empower its supporters, aptly named the X-FILE Army, with the majority stake in its future and direction. This unique approach eschews traditional crypto project launches, which often rely on presales and whitelists, in favor of a launch strategy that emphasizes organic growth through community support and word-of-mouth promotion. The project's launch is a testament to its dedication to transparency and collective decision-making, setting a new standard for participatory development in the crypto world.

From the outset, X-FILE positions itself as more than just a cryptocurrency; it is a movement aimed at revolutionizing platform development within the crypto space. The project is spearheaded by a dedicated development team that works tirelessly behind the scenes to support and protect the project's integrity, ensuring that X-FILE remains aligned with its mission to empower its community. This alignment is further evidenced by the project's strategic initiatives, which are designed to propel X-FILE into a future where the platform not only serves its community but also leads in innovation and usability.

The developmental roadmap of X-FILE is ambitious, charting a course through phased growth and expansion aimed at capturing the imagination of the crypto community. Each phase of the project is meticulously planned to build upon the last, focusing on broadening its reach, enhancing its technological foundation, and forging strategic partnerships. These efforts are all in service of creating a robust platform that stands out in a crowded market, offering unique value propositions and fostering a vibrant ecosystem around the X-FILE token.

In essence, the X-FILE project is a bold venture into uncharted territories of the crypto world, driven by a vision of community empowerment and platform excellence. Its commitment to no presales, no empty promises, and complete transparency marks a departure from conventional crypto projects, aiming instead to build a legacy of trust and innovation. As X-FILE continues to develop and expand its footprint, it invites the wider community to join in on a journey that promises not just to navigate the present landscape but to redefine it for future generations.

About XFILE Token

The X-FILE token stands as the cornerstone of an innovative cryptocurrency project, designed with a vision to democratize platform development in the digital currency space. Emphasizing community ownership, transparency, and a no-presale launch strategy, X-FILE aims to foster a robust ecosystem where decisions are driven by its supporters-the X-FILE Army. This approach not only challenges the traditional dynamics of crypto project launches but also paves the way for a future where the token and its underlying platform empower users, encourage participation, and facilitate a new era of decentralized growth and collaboration. With its unique commitment to community-led development, X-FILE token represents a significant step towards redefining what it means to be truly community-powered in the cryptocurrency world.

Based on BEP20, XFILE has a total supply of 5 billion (i.e. 5,000,000,000). The XFILE token distribution allocates 95% for launch with LP, 3% for CEX listing unlock, and 2% for marketing and operations unlock. It was listed on LBank Exchange at 12:00 UTC on February 18, 2024, investors who are interested in XFILE can easily buy and sell it on LBank Exchange now.

Learn More about XFILE Token:

Official Website: https://x-file.io/

Telegram: https://t.me/Xfilecommunitygroup

Twitter: https://twitter.com/xfileio

Contract: https://bscscan.com/token/0x28b28dDA85c60E3397933Ea50ED3522Bb25487aB

About LBank

LBank is one of the top crypto exchanges, established in 2015. It offers specialized financial derivatives, expert asset management services, and safe crypto trading to its users. The platform holds over 9 million users from more than 210 regions across the world. LBank is a cutting-edge growing platform that ensures the integrity of users' funds and aims to contribute to the global adoption of cryptocurrencies.

Start Trading Now: lbank.com

Community & Social Media:

l Telegram

l Twitter

l Facebook

l LinkedIn

l Instagram

l YouTube

Press contact:

[email protected]

Business Contact:

LBK Blockchain Co. Limited

LBank Exchange

[email protected]

[email protected]

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/198511
TOKYO, Feb 20, 2024 - (JCN Newswire) - - A junior high school(1) in Santa Rita, Samar, Republic of the Philippines, whose building was constructed with the support of Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (hereafter, Mitsubishi Motors), has held its opening ceremony.

This school building construction support project is a collaborative venture between Mitsubishi Motors and World Vision Japan, an international NGO, with the aim of improving the learning environment for children. Mitsubishi Motors contributed 4.96 million yen, together with voluntary donations(2) from Mitsubishi Motors employees, to construct a national high school building and donate equipment such as tablet arm chairs, projectors, and fans.

The opening ceremony was attended by Principal Violeta Duran and other dignitaries, as well as Takehisa Usami, Executive Vice President of Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation (hereafter, MMPC).

MMPC Executive Vice President Usami remarked, "Mitsubishi Motors began its operations in the Philippines in 1963, and since then, for the past 61 years, we have been producing and selling automobiles with the support of the people of the Philippines. This is indeed our great pleasure and pride that our support has served to help build the new national high school building. I sincerely hope that the children will experience many things in this school building and will play a role of the development of the Philippines in the future."

In 2018, Mitsubishi Motors advocated Contribution to Local Economy through Business Activities as one of its materiality. It is working to contribute to local economies in the ASEAN region through the employment, human resources development, investment, technology transfer, and exports generated by its business growth in the region. To further help resolve environmental and social issues in ASEAN, Mitsubishi Motors continues to leverage its unique technologies and services.

(1) Basic education in the Philippines consists of kindergarten, primary education (years 1-6), junior high school (years 7-10), and senior high school (years 11-12)

(2) The donation program that started in April 2009 in which Mitsubishi Motors Group employees voluntarily contribute small donation every month. The fund raised is used to benefit society.

About Mitsubishi Motors

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (TSE: 7211) - a member of the Alliance with Renault and Nissan-, is a global automobile company based in Tokyo, Japan, which has about 30,000 employees and a global footprint with production facilities around the world. Mitsubishi Motors has a competitive edge in SUVs, pickup trucks and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and appeals to ambitious drivers willing to challenge convention and embrace innovation. Since the production of our first vehicle more than a century ago, Mitsubishi Motors has been a leader in electrification - launched the i-MiEV - the world's first mass-produced electric vehicle in 2009, followed by the Outlander PHEV - the world's first plug-in hybrid electric SUV in 2013. For more information on Mitsubishi Motors, please visit the company's website at www.mitsubishi-motors.com/en/.

Copyright 2024 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
GREELEY, Colo. , Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- AdapTable Meals, a leading brand providing convenient, pre-seasoned meal solutions, is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with Magnetic Creative, which will serve as the company's new agency of record (AOR). This collaboration marks a significant milestone for AdapTable Meals as it continues to expand its presence in the retail market. In a move to make its products more accessible to consumers nationwide, AdapTable Meals is also excited to announce its upcoming availability in select Costco warehouses later this month.

AdapTable Meals Announces Magnetic Creative as New Agency of Record and Expansion into Costco Stores

"AdapTable Meals consistently delivers on the 'Full on Flavor, Light on Effort' promise with strong, continued growth momentum in the pre-seasoned and value-added space across multiple proteins, including beef, chicken, and pork," said Eduardo Noronha , President, JBS Value Added. "Among our retail partners, we're excited that AdapTable Meals will soon be available at select Costco locations, and we hope to reach more consumers and provide them with convenient, pre-seasoned meal options."

AdapTable Meals has already established a strong retail presence across the United States , with its products available at numerous major retailers including Kroger, Safeway, and Food Lion. By expanding to Costco, AdapTable Meals aims to build on its brand promise of quality, convenience, and value. Magnetic Creative's expertise in consumer packaged goods will play a critical role in facilitating the brand's expansion into new retail channels and growth opportunities.

Founded in 2008, Magnetic Creative has delivered value to an esteemed roster of global brands including Chili's, Ford, MTV, KitchenAid, Nexgrill/Megamaster, and many others. This partnership is poised to elevate AdapTable Meals' brand presence both in-store and online through innovative marketing strategies and creative solutions.

To learn more about Magnetic Creative, visit the agency's website at www.MagneticCreative.com .

Find an AdapTable Meals retailer near you, including its new Costco locations, by using the Store Locator tool at www.AdapTableMeals.com .

For media inquiries, please contact:

[email protected]

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SOURCE Magnetic Creative
Agreement Establishes Materials Processing Center, a Point of Care Facility and Professional Training to Support Biomedical Manufacturing in the State

CHARLESTON, W.Va. , Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Advanced Development of Additive Manufacturing Inc. (A.D.A.M.), a provider of 3D printing systems for customized bone implants, today announced a multi-party Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), building the foundation for a transformative biomedical manufacturing collaboration between cross-functional private and public sector stakeholders in West Virginia .

The collaborative agreement represents a significant economic development opportunity for West Virginia as the collaboration between A.D.A.M., Marshall Advanced Manufacturing Center, West Virginia Department of Economic Development, Necessity Ventures, and the Civil-Military Innovation Institute (CMI2).

"Execution of this MOU marks a significant milestone in the company's journey to revolutionize additive manufacturing, and we are excited to be expanding our facilities in West Virginia ," said Denys Gurak , CEO and Founder of A.D.A.M. "Our team is thrilled to develop and grow local partnerships to drive innovation in biomedical technology."

The memorandum outlines several impactful initiatives, including establishing a materials processing facility in the Huntington area, a point-of-care facility, and a series of training and workforce development initiatives that could create up to 50 jobs.

"Our West Virginia investment is an important step forward in advancing additive manufacturing as we will mainly focus on producing biomaterials through 3D printing for biomedical technology applications," Gurak said.

The collaboration extends throughout West Virginia with engagement with CMI2, a non-profit defense innovation organization focusing on rapid development and technology transition to meet warfighter needs. CMI2 boasts operations in Morgantown , Clay , and Shepherdstown .

"I have every expectation this investment will add jobs to West Virginia's growing biomedical manufacturing industry, and CMI2 is excited to be part of the consortium making it happen," said Dr. Zenovy Wowczuk, founder of CMI2. "We look forward to working with A.D.A.M.'s leadership team to support the continued development and commercialization of this essential 3D printing technology."

Manufacturing investments in West Virginia are championed by Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and the Senator was instrumental in assisting A.D.A.M. 's market-entry into the state.

"The biotechnology that A.D.A.M. wants to expand has the potential to improve our nation's healthcare system, support economic growth, and further cement West Virginia's leadership in advanced manufacturing initiatives. As West Virginia continues to attract innovative businesses, I will continue to advocate for policies and work with state and local partners to encourage additional growth and investment in our state," U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) said.

A.D.A.M. is a Ukrainian-American start-up that provides on-demand 3D bioprinting of custom surgical implants. The company is working closely with the WV Department of Economic Development and other key stakeholders in the state to maximize impact and integration to future initiatives.

"The partnership with A.D.A.M. and other stakeholders represents a pivotal moment for advancing additive manufacturing," said Derek Scarbro , Marshall Advanced Manufacturing Center Director. "Together, we will establish cutting-edge training programs to support these facilities and shape the future of this industry."

West Virginia's manufacturing history and innovation ecosystem, combined with Marshall University's expertise in advanced manufacturing, set the stage for the innovative partnership with A.D.A.M. The collaboration contemplated in the MOU aims to optimize the supply chain for 3D-printed biomaterials, starting with bone implants for orthopedic surgeries.

The collective group will be moving forward on site selection for material processing facilities, implementation of point-of-care manufacturing in West Virginia for both military and rural applications, and commercial opportunities.

About Advanced Development of Additive Manufacturing Inc.:

A.D.A.M. is a venture-backed start-up specializing in on-site 3D printing of biomaterials. The company's end-to-end platform starts with the procurement and processing of raw materials, which is utilized in their 3D printing of a final customized biomaterial managed by a proprietary Quality Management System and software that allows any point-of-care location to manufacture their own custom implants on demand. In this manner, healthcare providers are able to enhance control and efficiency. With a global presence, A.D.A.M. is at the forefront of revolutionizing additive manufacturing in the biomedical sector. For more information, please visit adambioprinting.com

Media Contact:

Alex Gamota

6175150721

[email protected]

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SOURCE A.D.A.M. (Advanced Development of Additive Manufacturing Inc.)
The "Made in Italy " luxury brand is showcasing its materials at February programs in Italy , Korea and Switzerland

Appearances taking place at museum, fashion and classic-car events around the world

MILAN , Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Alcantara, the "Made-in- Italy " luxury lifestyle brand, is making headline appearances at museum, fashion and classic-car events around the world in February.

Alcantara will present its 2025 spring-and-summer fashion collection this month at the international LINEAPELLE exhibition in Milan . "Alcantara: Beyond Boundaries," an art exhibit opens in Seoul, Korea , while a vintage Fiat Panda outfitted with an Alcantara interior will be on display at The I.C.E. St. Moritz in Switzerland .

The Massimo Osti Studio brand also has debuted online its Chapter 1: Alcantara fashion collection of clothing and accessories featuring the Italian material.

More than 1,200 companies from as many as 40 different countries are expected to attend LINEAPELLE ( February 20-22 ). Lilac with nuances of brown and green is the predominant color within the color-palette of Alcantara's spring/summer 2025 collection. The collection blends traditional techniques such as layering, perforation and printing with more innovative ones such as intricate screen printing, three-dimensional applications and special embroidery treatments. www.lineapelle-fair.it/en

Alcantara is partnering with the Platform-L Contemporary Art Center in Korea to present "Alcantara: Beyond Boundaries," an exhibit celebrating Eastern and Western art culture m.platform-l.org/. Open to the public February 22 through March 10 , the exhibit features work from Jaden Cho , a talented young Korean designer along with the art of sculptors, designers and architects from Alcantara's own art collection.

In addition, a vintage Fiat Panda 4x4 equipped with a unique Alcantara interior designed by Spinzi, a creative studio in Milan , will be on display February 23-24 at The I.C.E., the International Concours d'Elegance that takes place annually on frozen Lake St. Moritz  an open-air playground for car and lifestyle enthusiasts outside of St. Moritz in Switzerland . www.theicestmoritz.ch/

Chapter 1 by Massimo Osti Studio is a five-piece collection of clothing and accessories made in Alcantara that debuted on Valentine's Day and is available exclusively online at www.massimoosti.com/en/chapter-01/?country=us. It includes a parka, a backpack and a jacket with concealable hood. The garments are laser cut to significantly reduce the use of seams that are replaced by heat-sensitive mesh tape.

Alcantara S.p.A.  www.alcantara.com

Founded in 1972, Alcantara represents one of the leading Made in Italy brands. A registered trademark of Alcantara S.p.A. and the result of unique, proprietary technology, Alcantara is a highly innovative material offering an unparalleled combination of sensory, aesthetic and functional qualities. Alcantara is the chosen material for leading brands in many fields of application: fashion and accessories, the automotive industry, interior design, home decor and consumer-electronics.

For further information:

https://www.alcantara.com/

instagram.com/alcantara_company/

twitter.com/alcantaraspa

facebook.com/alcantara.company

youtube.com/alcantaracompany

Press kit: https://www.alcantara.com/press-area/

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SOURCE Alcantara S.p.A.
Free Event Scheduled Tuesday, March 26 th at 12:00 Noon MDT

DENVER , Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Indian College Fund (College Fund) is hosting a free, online book and author event for the public featuring the PEN Awardwinning Native American author, Mona Susan Power , on March 26 from 12-1 Mountain Daylight Time . Power will discuss her new book, A Council of Dolls, with College Fund President, Cheryl Crazy Bull.

Mona Susan Power is the author of four books of fiction: The Grass Dancer (awarded the PEN/Hemingway prize), Roofwalker, Sacred Wilderness, and her most recent novel, A Council of Dolls (longlisted for the National Book Award). She has received numerous fellowships in support of her work, including an Iowa Arts Fellowship, James Michener Fellowship, Radcliffe Bunting Institute Fellowship, Princeton Hodder Fellowship, USA Artists Fellowship, McKnight Fellowship , and Native Arts and Cultures Foundation Fellowship. Her short stories and essays have been widely published in journals, magazines and anthologies, and her essay, "Bloodthread," is forthcoming in The Georgia Review. Power was born and raised in Chicago , is an enrolled member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe (Ihakthuwana Dakhota), and currently lives in Minnesota .

The profoundly moving and unforgettable new novel spans three generations of Yanktonai Dakota women from the 19th century to the present day. Power takes the reader to the mid-century metropolis of Chicago , the windswept ancestral lands of the Dakota people, and bleak and brutal Indian boarding schools. A Council of Dolls is the story of three women, told in part through the stories of the dolls they carried.

Sissy, born in 1961, has a difficult relationship with her beautiful and volatile mother, but her life is also filled with beautiful things, including a new a doll called Ethel Sissy received for Christmas. Ethel whispers advice and kindness in Sissy's ear, and in one especially terrifying moment, the doll maybe even saves Sissy's life.

Lillian, born in 1925 in her ancestral lands during a time of terrible change, clings to her sister, Blanche, and her doll, Mae. When the sisters are forced to attend an "Indian school" far from their home, Blanche refuses to be cowed by the school's abusive nuns. But when tragedy strikes the sisters, Mae finds a way to defend the sisters.

Cora, born in 1888 during the brutal legacy of the "Indian Wars," is not afraid of the white men who remove her to a school across the country to be "civilized." When teachers burn her beloved buckskin and beaded doll, Winona , Cora discovers the spirit of Winona may not be entirely lost.

A Council of Dolls is a modern masterpiece: gorgeous, quietly devastating, and hopeful. Mona Susan Power shines a light on the damage wrought by Indian boarding schools and historical massacres that echo throughout generations of Indigenous people. With stunning prose, she artfully weaves a spell of love and healing with her storytelling.

To register for this free event, please visit www.collegefund.org/bookclub.

About the American Indian College Fund  The American Indian College Fund has been the nation's largest charity supporting Native higher education for 34 years. The College Fund believes "Education is the answer" and provided $17.4 million in scholarships and other direct student support to American Indian students in 2022-23. Since its founding in 1989 the College Fund has provided more than $319 million in scholarships, programs, community, and tribal college support. The College Fund also supports a variety of academic and support programs at the nation's 35 accredited tribal colleges and universities, which are located on or near Indian reservations, ensuring students have the tools to graduate and succeed in their careers. The College Fund consistently receives top ratings from independent charity evaluators and is one of the nation's top 100 charities named to the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance. For more information about the American Indian College Fund, please visit www.collegefund.org .

Photo  PEN Awardwinning author Mona Susan Power , an enrolled member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe (Ihakthuwana Dakhota), will discuss her latest novel, A Council of Dolls, March 26 at 12:00 noon Mountain Daylight Time with Cheryl Crazy Bull, President and CEO of the American Indian College Fund. Registration is free and open to the public. To join the conversation visit https://bit.ly/monabookclubFB.

Journalists The American Indian College Fund does not use the acronym AICF. On second reference, please use the College Fund.

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SOURCE American Indian College Fund
CAIRO, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Egypt expressed deep regret on Tuesday for the inability of the United Nations Security Council to pass a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip after a U.S. veto.

The United States earlier in the day vetoed a resolution submitted by Algeria for the Arab Group in New York calling for a ceasefire in the Palestinian enclave, where more than 29,000 people have been killed in Israeli attacks since Oct. 7.

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the outcome "has come to question the credibility of the rules and working mechanisms of the current international architecture, especially the Security Council, which is entrusted with the responsibility of preventing and settling conflicts and halting wars."

Egypt strongly denounced the "selectivity and double standards in dealing with wars and armed conflicts in various regions of the world," it noted.

The statement reiterated Egypt's commitment to ensure the sustainable delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza and its rejection of any measures that would lead to the displacement of Palestinians outside their territories.

The ongoing Israeli air and ground strikes on Gaza came in retaliation to a surprise attack by Hamas, the Gaza-ruling faction, on Israel which killed about 1,200 people on Oct. 7.

Algeria's draft resolution was backed by 13 out of the 15 Security Council members, while the United States vetoed against it and Britain abstained.

Before the vote on the draft resolution, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said the Algerian draft would jeopardize ongoing efforts toward a hostage deal. She said her delegation was working on a rival draft resolution that would call for a "temporary ceasefire" based on the formula that all hostages are released. 
RADNOR, Pa. , Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Avantor, Inc. (NYSE: AVTR), a leading global provider of mission-critical products and services to customers in the life sciences and advanced technology industries, announced that Michael Stubblefield , President and CEO, will participate in a fireside chat at the 44th Annual TD Cowen Health Care Conference in Boston on Tuesday, March 5, 2024 , at approximately 10:30 a.m. Eastern Standard Time .

To hear a live audio webcast of the session, visit Events & Presentations in the Investor section of Avantor's website, ir.avantorsciences.com. A replay of the webcast will be available for 30 days.

About Avantor

Avantor, a Fortune 500 company, is a leading global provider of mission-critical products and services to customers in the biopharma, healthcare, education & government, and advanced technologies & applied materials industries. Our portfolio is used in virtually every stage of the most important research, development and production activities in the industries we serve. Our global footprint enables us to serve more than 300,000 customer locations and gives us extensive access to research laboratories and scientists in more than 180 countries. We set science in motion to create a better world. For more information, please visit www.avantorsciences.com.

Global Media Contact

Emily Collins

Vice President, External Communications

Avantor

332-239-3910

[email protected]

Investor Relations Contact

Christina Jones

Vice President, Investor Relations

Avantor

805-617-5297

[email protected]

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SOURCE Avantor and Financial News
The acquisition will enable Crest Foods to initiate its next phase of growth

CHICAGO , Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Brown Gibbons Lang & Company (BGL) is pleased to announce the sale of Crest Foods, a leading provider of dairy stabilizers, contract packaging, and branded and private label dry food manufacturing, to Harwood Private Equity (Harwood), an investor in lower middle market companies. BGL's Food & Beverage, Debt Capital Markets, and Real Estate teams together served as the exclusive financial advisor to Harwood. The specific terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

The acquisition provides Crest Foods with a partner who can lead the company into its next phase of growth.

The transaction highlights BGL's ability to offer a full suite of integrated advisory services to both buy-side and sell-side food & beverage companies, including acquisition financing and real estate financing solutions.

Founded in 1946, Crest Foods is a leading provider of food manufacturing, packaging, and product development services to branded and private label customers. The company operates three business lines:

Ingredients : Develops proprietary stabilizer formulations and recipes for dairy products, including cottage cheese, cream cheese, yogurt, and dairy protein- and plant-based beverages.





: Develops proprietary stabilizer formulations and recipes for dairy products, including cottage cheese, cream cheese, yogurt, and dairy protein- and plant-based beverages. Contract Packaging : Provides packaging services to branded and private-label dry food companies.





: Provides packaging services to branded and private-label dry food companies. Consumer Products: Specializes in outsource product development and turn-key manufacturing services for branded food companies.

The acquisition provides Crest with a partner who can lead the company into its next phase of growth while maintaining its dedication to providing value-added services to its blue-chip customer base and leading consumer brands.

Harwood is a leading investor in lower middle market companies with investment experience across a variety of industries, including food and beverage, life sciences, precision manufacturing, media, and healthcare services.

In conjunction with the acquisition, BGL facilitated a sale-leaseback of the affiliated 575,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art contract packaging, distribution, and warehousing facility in Ashton, IL , via TPG Angelo Gordon's Net Lease business.

About Brown Gibbons Lang & Company

Brown Gibbons Lang & Company (BGL) is a leading independent investment bank and financial advisory firm focused on the global middle market. The firm advises private and public corporations and private equity groups on mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, financial restructurings, business valuations and opinions, and other strategic matters. BGL has investment banking offices in Chicago , Cleveland , Los Angeles , and New York , and real estate offices in Chicago , Cleveland , and San Antonio . The firm is also a founding member of Global M&A Partners, enabling BGL to service clients in more than 35 countries around the world. Securities transactions are conducted through Brown, Gibbons, Lang & Company Securities, LLC, an affiliate of Brown Gibbons Lang & Company LLC and a registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA and SIPC. For more information, please visit www.bglco.com.

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SOURCE Brown Gibbons Lang & Company
QINGDAO, China , Feb. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- During the Spring Festival, eight overseas students from Grenada , the southernmost island country in the Windward Islands of the East Caribbean , visited the Yangjiashanli Rural Revitalization Demonstration Area in Shandong's Qingdao to experience traditional Chinese folk customs such as writing Spring Festival couplets and blessings, making paper-cuts, and pasting Spring Festival couplets with the villagers, according to the Information Office of Qingdao Municipal People's Government.

At the event, overseas students enthusiastically immersed themselves in Chinese New Year festivities by writing Chinese characters on red paper, participating in the traditional tea ceremony, and crafting paper-cut window decorations.

In Huangni Lane Village , overseas students engaged in discussions with local children and villagers, enjoyed cultural performances and delighted the community with their own talents, including singing Chinese songs like "Friends" and Grenada's "Happy Birthday Grenada."

On Chinese New Year's Eve , they joined villagers in making dumplings, setting off firecrackers, and watching the Spring Festival Gala, immersing themselves in the most traditional Chinese New Year customs. The next morning, they visited local villagers to extend their New Year greetings in Chinese, bringing blessings from afar.

In September 2023 , Grenada Red Mud Village and Huangni Lane in Yangjiashanli, Tieshan Street , established a friendly village relationship, becoming the first international friendship village in Shandong Province .

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SOURCE Information Office of Qingdao Municipal People's Government
DOVER, Del. , Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- At their meeting held today, the Board of Directors of Chesapeake Utilities Corporation (NYSE: CPK) declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.59 per share on the Company's common stock. The $0.59 per share dividend will be paid on April 5, 2024 to all shareholders of record at the close of business on March 15, 2024 .

With this dividend, Chesapeake will have paid dividends to its shareholders without interruption for 63 years and has increased its annualized dividend every year since 2004.

About Chesapeake Utilities Corporation:

Chesapeake Utilities Corporation is a diversified energy delivery company, listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Chesapeake Utilities Corporation offers sustainable energy solutions through its natural gas transmission and distribution, electricity generation and distribution, propane gas distribution, mobile compressed natural gas utility services and solutions, and other businesses. For more information, visit www.chpk.com.

Please note that Chesapeake Utilities Corporation has no affiliation with Chesapeake Energy, an oil and natural gas exploration company headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma .

For more information, contact:

Heidi Watkins

Shareholder Services Manager

[email protected]

302.538.4764

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SOURCE Chesapeake Utilities Corporation
Top Owner-Operator Acknowledged for Demonstrating Economic Development and Philanthropic Excellence in Local Community

PHOENIX , Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the International Franchise Association (IFA) named Chris Shimer of Capriotti's Sandwich Shop in Philadelphia, PA , a 2023 Franchisee of the Year. Shimer was recently honored at the 64th IFA Annual Convention in Phoenix, AZ , for being an outstanding franchise establishment owner-operator.

"Franchisees of the Year exemplify what franchising is all about  providing opportunity, serving others, and fulfilling the American Dream," said Matthew Haller , President and CEO of the International Franchise Association. "We are proud to recognize Chris Shimer with the highest honor IFA awards to individual franchisees, and I have no doubt his work is changing lives and making a lasting community impact."

The Franchisee of the Year Award recognizes leading franchise owners from IFA member brands whose outstanding performance and contributions help protect, enhance, and promote the franchise business model. Nominated by their parent company, individuals are selected for their involvement in their communities, embodying the entrepreneurial spirit, fostering a strong and healthy culture with their workforce, and assisting their fellow franchisees when called upon.

After nearly two decades in the nuclear power industry, Chris embraced a significant career change driven by his motivation and entrepreneurial spirit. Transitioning from a stable career to entrepreneurship, Chris opened his first Capriotti's in October 2020 in Philadelphia , eventually expanding to operate four successful locations. Beyond business operations, Chris actively engages with the community, sponsoring events like Thanksgiving 5K runs and contributing to local schools, showcasing his commitment to making a meaningful impact. Looking ahead, Chris envisions further growth, highlighting the positive impact franchise partners like him have on both brand success and community welfare.

"Chris's unwavering commitment to excellence, coupled with his deep-rooted passion for serving both customers and communities, truly embodies the values that define Capriotti's," said Ashley Morris , CEO of Capriotti's. "This prestigious recognition not only highlights his outstanding achievements but also underscores the positive impact our franchise partners bring to the table. We are honored to have Chris as part of the Capriotti's family, and we look forward to witnessing his future growth and successes."

There are over 800,000 franchised businesses across the U.S. , providing over 8.7 million direct jobs and generating over $850 billion in economic output. According to Oxford Economics, franchising on average provides higher wages and better benefits than non-franchised businesses, as well as greater entrepreneurial opportunities to minorities, women, veterans, and other underrepresented communities.

About Capriotti's Sandwich Shop

Founded in 1976, Capriotti's Sandwich Shop is an award-winning national franchised restaurant chain that remains true to its 40-year tradition of slow-roasting whole, all-natural turkeys in-house every day. Capriotti's cold, grilled, and vegetarian subs, cheesesteaks and salads are available at more than 175 locations across the United States . Capriotti's signature sub, The Bobbie, was voted "The Greatest Sandwich in America" by thousands of readers across the country, as reported by AOL.com. Capriotti's fans can also download the CAPAddicts Rewards app for iOS and Android, where they can earn and redeem rewards. Capriotti's plans to grow to over 500 locations by 2025 and was ranked on Fast Casual's Top Movers & Shakers List each of the last four years (2020-23). For more information, visit capriottis.com. Like Capriotti's on Facebook, follow on Twitter or Instagram.

Media Contact: Regan Lee , Fishman Public Relations, 847-945-1300 or [email protected]

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SOURCE Capriotti's Sandwich Shop
Experience building world-class products to further reach of Clarifai's cutting edge enterprise AI platform

WASHINGTON , Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Clarifai , a global leader in AI development and a pioneer of the full-stack AI platform, today announced that Amith Nair will join as President and COO, guiding enterprise customers through the shift from AI exploration to building AI faster and realizing meaningful value.

"We're thrilled to add Amith to our team and the timing is perfect," said Matt Zeiler , Ph.D., Founder and CEO of Clarifai. "AI is here, now what? Companies are struggling to operationalize AI amid a lack of skills, duplicated efforts and lack of oversight. Clarifai was built to deliver and Amith will ensure we are best supporting developers and teams in running AI at scale in minutes, not months."

Nair brings decades of experience in providing world class products, both emerging and established, navigating market shifts and tying both back to delivering predictable operational efficiency. Prior to Clarifai, Nair served in senior leadership positions in product, operations and marketing strategy at Cohesity, HashiCorp and Microsoft.

"AI is top of mind for most enterprises and is increasingly becoming a differentiator and a competitive advantage. However, even some of the largest companies are yet to operationalize AI at scale while optimizing for speed, energy and cost. We make companies successful with AI and help them grow their ROI," said Nair. "With over a decade of enterprise-hardened experience and one million AI models, Clarifai is perfectly positioned to enable enterprises to operationalize AI, which is what the next phase is all about."

Founded in 2013, Clarifai's end-to-end platform eradicates those challenges and enables teams to improve efficiency, reduce costs and unlock value instantly. The U.S. government is one of many customers, proving that the product has been battle tested under extreme conditions with required precision.

"Adding Amith to Clarifai as COO is a game changer! His background in developer experience and deep infrastructure is perfect to further connect Clarifai with the modern AI developer," said Matt Murphy , partner at Menlo Ventures. "His impact will accelerate Clarifai's leadership in helping companies bring speed, efficiency and simplicity to their Generative AI initiatives."

Some of the world's best companies already build with Clarifai, including those at Humana, Lowe's and NVIDIA. Clarifai was recognized in the 2023 Gartner Critical Capabilities for Cloud AI Developer Services Report .

About Clarifai

Clarifai simplifies how developers and teams create, share, and run AI at scale by providing companies with a cutting-edge platform to build enterprise AI faster, leveraging today's modern AI technologies like Large Language Models (LLMs) and Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG), data labeling, inference, and more. Founded in 2013, Clarifai is available in cloud, on-premise, or hybrid environments and has been used to build more than one million AI models with more than 380,000 users in 170 countries. Learn more at www.clarifai.com .

Contact: [email protected]

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SOURCE Clarifai
ARLINGTON, Va. , Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Eagle Hill Consulting again has been named a top workplace on the Vault Consulting 50 ranking for 2024, an annual rating of the top firms to work for in North America . Eagle Hill also earned high marks for the company's commitment to employee experience and diversity.

Eagle Hill Consulting again has been named a top workplace on the Vault Consulting 50 ranking for 2024.

Based on scores from employees, Eagle Hill this year landed the number three spot for work/life balance and hours in the office. In the diversity category, Eagle Hill earned the number five spot for diversity for women, along with high marks for diversity for LGBTQ+ individuals, military veterans, and those with disabilities. Read more about Eagle Hill's rankings.

The Vault rankings cement Eagle Hill as one of the best consulting firms in the nation that attracts employees who want a high achieving career, along with a culture that values employee wellness and diversity.

"Eagle Hill recently celebrated its 20th anniversary, and we're incredibly proud that we've built a lasting culture that puts our clients and employees on equal footing," says Melissa Jezior , Eagle Hill president and chief executive officer. "From the day we opened our doors, we focused on building a company that provides a rock-solid quality of life for our team and is a place where employees with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and ideas can thrive. We've exceeded our own expectations when it comes to our culture, and we're going to build on our success so the next 20 years continue to deliver premier service and innovative thinking to our clients."

The Vault findings are aligned with Eagle Hill's own employee survey that finds 95 percent of employees say they feel respected and valued by colleagues, while 94 percent indicate that the company has a collaborative culture. In the company's most recent client satisfaction survey, 96 percent of clients say they would work with Eagle Hill again.

The Vault Consulting 50 rankings are an independent assessment of verified consulting employees in North America . Vault calculated the 2024 Vault Consulting 50 rankings based on a wide range of factors. More information about Vault's methodology is available here.

Eagle Hill's founders broke from the pack of large, traditional consulting companies to establish a firm that is collaborative, unified and possesses an entrepreneurial spirit. The company considers itself a community of consultants rather than a traditional consultancy, which means Eagle Hill is uniquely positioned to help solve client business problems across various industries.

Learn about Eagle Hill's current career opportunities here.

Learn about the Eagle Hill community.

See Eagle Hill's unconventional employee career paths.

Explore what a year in the life at Eagle Hill looks like.

Read Eagle Hill research and insights.

View about Eagle Hill's Living Labs.

Eagle Hill Consulting LLC is a woman-owned business that provides unconventional management consulting services in the areas of Strategy & Performance, Talent, and Change. The company's expertise in delivering innovative solutions to unique challenges spans across the private, public, and nonprofit sectors. A leading authority on employee sentiment, Eagle Hill is headquartered in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, with employees across the U.S. and offices in Boston and Seattle . More information is available at www.eaglehillconsulting.com.

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SOURCE Eagle Hill Consulting LLC
SILVER SPRING, Md. , Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is providing an at-a-glance summary of news from around the agency:

Today, the FDA published an interview with Dr. June Raine , CEO of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the UK's regulator of medicines, medical devices and blood components for transfusion. The interview was conducted in advance of her meeting in London with a delegation of the FDA's senior leaders, including the FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf . After the meeting, the FDA Office of Global Policy and Strategy checked in with Dr. Raine again to get her thoughts about that visit.



, CEO of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the regulator of medicines, medical devices and blood components for transfusion. The interview was conducted in advance of her meeting in with a delegation of the senior leaders, including the FDA Commissioner Dr. . After the meeting, the checked in with again to get her thoughts about that visit. Today, the FDA is reminding sponsors of device studies and manufacturers of devices to carefully evaluate the third parties they engage to conduct performance testing and to independently verify all testing results before submitting to the FDA. The FDA has identified an increase in submissions containing unreliable data generated by third-party test labs, including from numerous facilities based in China and India . This alarming trend has resulted in the FDA being unable to reach a substantial equivalence determination or otherwise authorize marketing for medical devices whose submissions include such data.



To protect patients and healthcare providers from substandard products and ensure that U.S. patients have access to safe, effective, and high-quality medical devices, the FDA is pursuing various actions to identify and confront data integrity violations including through our Bioresearch Monitoring Program. At the same time, the FDA is calling upon the medical device industry to be vigilant and proactive about ensuring the integrity of all data they include in medical device submissions.



and . This alarming trend has resulted in the FDA being unable to reach a substantial equivalence determination or otherwise authorize marketing for medical devices whose submissions include such data. To protect patients and healthcare providers from substandard products and ensure that patients have access to safe, effective, and high-quality medical devices, the FDA is pursuing various actions to identify and confront data integrity violations including through our Bioresearch Monitoring Program. At the same time, the FDA is calling upon the medical device industry to be vigilant and proactive about ensuring the integrity of all data they include in medical device submissions. On Friday, the FDA published an Outbreak Advisory for an investigation of E. coli O157:H7 linked to raw cheddar cheese. The FDA recommends that consumers, restaurants, and retailers do not eat, sell, or serve Raw Farm -brand Raw Cheddar Cheese (block or shredded) and to throw it away. This is an ongoing investigation and the FDA will update the Advisory should additional consumer safety information become available.



-brand Raw Cheddar Cheese (block or shredded) and to throw it away. This is an ongoing investigation and the FDA will update the Advisory should additional consumer safety information become available. On Friday, the FDA approved osimertinib (Tagrisso, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP ) with platinum-based chemotherapy for patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (la/mNSCLC) whose tumors have EGFR exon 19 deletions or exon 21 L858R mutations, as detected by an FDA-approved test. The most common adverse reactions ( 20% incidence) in patients receiving osimertinib plus platinum-based chemotherapy were leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, lymphopenia, rash, diarrhea, stomatitis, nail toxicity, dry skin, and increased blood creatinine. View full prescribing information for osimertinib.



) with platinum-based chemotherapy for patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (la/mNSCLC) whose tumors have EGFR exon 19 deletions or exon 21 L858R mutations, as detected by an FDA-approved test. The most common adverse reactions ( 20% incidence) in patients receiving osimertinib plus platinum-based chemotherapy were leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, lymphopenia, rash, diarrhea, stomatitis, nail toxicity, dry skin, and increased blood creatinine. View full prescribing information for osimertinib. On Friday, Jonathan Nyce , 73, of Collegeville, Pennsylvania , was sentenced to 97 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $500 special assessment for carrying out a years-long scheme to defraud pet owners of money by falsely claiming to sell drugs that could cure canine cancer. A federal jury convicted Nyce of wire fraud and the interstate shipment of misbranded animal drugs in December 2022 . The case was brought by the Department of Justice , acting on behalf of the FDA.

Additional Resources:

Media Contact: FDA Office of Media Affairs, 301-796-4540

Consumer Inquiries: 888-INFO-FDA

The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The agency also is responsible for the safety and security of our nation's food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, radiation-emitting electronic products, and for regulating tobacco products.

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SOURCE U.S. Food and Drug Administration
NASHVILLE, Tenn. , Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- GEODIS, a leading global logistics provider, today announced it completed a complex air cargo transport featuring oversized thermocompressors via Antonov AN-124, the world's largest cargo aircraft. Arriving from Lisbon , the aircraft undertook 13 flights over seven days, transporting urgently needed oversized freight in Colombia on behalf of a leading client.

The just-in-time logistics operation entailed transporting 249 pieces of oversized, overweight cargo totaling 776 tons and 4,455 cubic meters to the southeast part of Colombia . GEODIS originally planned to mobilize the cargo in Cartagena and transport it to the end destination via the La Orquidea Bridge in Boyaca, the only road transport option for freight of this size and weight along the route. However, when the bridge collapsed in August 2023 , GEODIS had to quickly develop and execute an alternative solution to transport the cargo via air to complete the urgent project on time.

The monumental project involved a complex planning and negotiation process between GEODIS and Antonov. After evaluating various air charter solutions, GEODIS identified the Antonov AN-124 as the only aircraft option that would be large enough to mobilize the cargo given its extra dimension and weight characteristics. The planning process included securing the aircraft given its limited availability amid the Russia - Ukraine conflict and the Antonov's focus on humanitarian aid.

"With 13 total flights, including a long international journey and 12 domestic trips, this unprecedented operation faced consistent challenges to overcome," said Carlos Palacios , Manager Director of GEODIS in Colombia . "Despite the complexities, our team at GEODIS and our collaboratorsincluding Antonov, the Colombian Air Force and the individual airports involvedwere able to successfully come together to keep essential materials moving across the country at a critical time for our client's operations."

Once securing the Antonov AN-124, GEODIS evaluated and defined specific airports that would meet the technical conditions required to maneuver this type of aircraft. Ultimately, GEODIS selected Barranquilla (AOL) and Apiay (AOD) in Colombia due to the validation of payload and technical conditions of the runway. Additionally, in Apiay (a military base for the Colombian Aerospace Force), GEODIS facilitated a study to determine the correct maneuvers for landing and takeoff, the location of the aircraft as to not interrupt military base operations, fuel supply capacity and the availability of an alternate facility during ground time.

Given the scope of the operation both at origin and destination, the cargo was prepared in Cartagena and transported by land to Barranquilla before being transported on the Antonov AN-124. While the Antonov AN-124 has a capacity of 100 tons, the maximum payload accepted was 65 tons to land in Apiay. Therefore, GEODIS oversaw adjustments to the flight plans and load with Antonov, which ultimately meant transporting the cargo over 12 domestic flights. GEODIS and Antonov adjusted the load to mobilize the 12 separate pieces, including removing crates from the parts, placing 12 additional lashing points inside the aircraft, removing stairs to fit the biggest piece of cargo onto the plane and more.

"Given the constant changes, urgency of timeline and sensitive nature of the cargo, this project marks one of the biggest accomplishments for our GEODIS in Colombia team," said Palacios. "Together with our collaborators, we proved that with flexibility and world-class talent we can overcome extreme challenges and execute exceptional air operations on behalf of our clients."

GEODIS  www.geodis.com

GEODIS is a leading global logistics provider acknowledged for its expertise across all aspects of the supply chain. As a growth partner to its clients, GEODIS specializes in four lines of business: Global Freight Forwarding, Global Contract Logistics, Distribution & Express Transport, and European Road Network. With a global network spanning nearly 170 countries and more than 49,400 employees, GEODIS is ranked no. 5 in its sector across the world. In 2022, GEODIS generated 13.7 billion in revenue. GEODIS is a company owned by SNCF group.

MEDIA CONTACT

Lauren McKirgan

FINN Partners for GEODIS

615 780 3361

[email protected]

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SOURCE GEODIS
COPENHAGEN, Denmark , Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Hedia announced today the appointment of their new CEO Lars Christian Lund .

Lars has a strong track record of scaling market leading global MedTech companies. Prior to joining Hedia Lars was Senior Vice President in 3Shape (3D scanners and CAD/CAM software solutions) where he was on the senior leadership team with global responsibility for several commercial functions and earlier 5 years at Ambu (Medical Equipment Manufacturing) and 9 years with Unomedical now Convatec Infusion Care.

Hedia is entering the next phase, focusing on successful commercialization of their Hedia Diabetes Assistant ( HDA ) as well as launching the Glooko -integrated holistic diabetes management solution later this year.

The company is deeply grateful for the passion and contribution of Peter Lucas , Co-founder and current CEO, as he hands over the reins to Lars. Hedia is happy to be able to rely on his invaluable advice as Co-founder and shareholder moving forward.

Lars Christian Lund said, "I am really excited about joining Hedia at such a pivotal time. The market validation has been extremely strong on our integrated product, and I am confident that the products Hedia has in the pipeline are going to be a game-changer in the regulated digital health space."

Hedia.com  LinkedIn  Facebook

About Hedia

Hedia is a leading digital therapeutics company within diabetes, committed to help people with insulin-dependent diabetes gain control of their condition. Making life with diabetes easier has been the incentive from the beginning of building Hedia Diabetes Assistant and the solution is today available in 11 countries. Based on habits of the individual person with diabetes and personalized input, our diabetes app generates insulin recommendations by taking many aspects of diabetes management into account  such as recording blood glucose readings, keeping track of active insulin, measuring carbs, calculating an insulin dosage, keeping track of activity and recording blood ketones.

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SOURCE Hedia
Man Convicted of $300 Million Securities Price Manipulation and Wire Fraud Cryptocurrency Conspiracy

A federal jury in the Southern District of Florida convicted a Pennsylvania man today for manipulating the price of a security and scheming to defraud investors in connection with the purchase of Hydrogen Technologys cryptocurrency, HYDRO.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Shane Hampton, 32, of Philadelphia, served as the head of financial engineering at Hydrogen Technology and orchestrated a months-long scheme to manipulate the price of HYDRO. Hampton and his co-conspirators hired an outside firm, Moonwalkers Trading Limited of South Africa, to run an automated trading system or bot to manipulate the price of HYDRO on a cryptocurrency exchange in the United States by flooding the market with fake and fraudulent orders from October 2018 to April 2019.

Hampton and his co-conspirators executed approximately $7 million in wash trades and placed over $300 million in spoof trades for HYDRO through the bot. Collectively, these spoof and wash trades were designed to, and did, fraudulently induce retail investors to purchase HYDRO so that Hampton and his co-conspirators could sell Hydrogen Technologys own holdings of HYDRO for over $1.5 million over the course of a seven-month period.

The jury convicted Hampton of conspiracy to commit securities price manipulation and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 29 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the conspiracy to commit securities price manipulation conviction and 20 years in prison for the conspiracy to commit wire fraud conviction. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Hampton is the fourth defendant to be convicted as part of the case. Michael Kane, the CEO of Hydrogen Technology, pleaded guilty to the same charges and is awaiting sentencing; Andrew Chorlian, an engineer at Hydrogen Technology, also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit securities price manipulation and wire fraud and is awaiting sentencing; and Tyler Ostern, the CEO of Moonwalkers Trading Limited, also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit securities price manipulation and wire fraud and has been sentenced to two years in prison.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Departments Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, and Assistant Director Michael D. Nordwall of the FBIs Criminal Investigative Division made the announcement.

The FBI Miami Field Office investigated the case. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Morales for the Southern District of Florida assisted in the investigation of the case.

Trial Attorney Andrew Jaco and Assistant Chief Scott Armstrong of the Criminal Divisions Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.

This story has been published on: 2024-02-20. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
ABUJA, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- At least six people were killed and 10 others sustained injuries in an attack by gunmen in a village in Nigeria's northern state of Katsina, police said Tuesday.

The gunmen stormed the village of Nasarawa in the Faskari local government area of Katsina State late Monday with heavy arms, including AK-47 rifles, said Abubakar Aliyu, the spokesperson for the police in the state, in a statement.

"In total, six people were shot dead and about 10 injured. The gunmen also set ablaze three houses and about 10 motor vehicles," said the statement, noting that most residents had already settled down for night rest at the time of the attack.

The village has been cordoned off by a team of police personnel deployed to comb the surrounding bushes for the possible arrest of the perpetrators for diligent prosecution, read the statement.

Armed attacks have been a primary security threat in Nigeria's northern and central regions, leading to deaths and kidnappings in recent months. 
PITTSBURGH , Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- "My wife checks her glucose level three times a day and has a nurse who visits to check her INR levels once a week. I thought there should be a simple way for my wife to check both levels together," said an inventor, from Laveen, Ariz. , "so I invented the BLOOD METER. My design allows you to monitor glucose and INR levels with one convenient unit."

The invention provides an effective way to monitor blood glucose levels as well as INR levels within the home. In doing so, it offers an alternative to using separate monitors or meters. As a result, it enhances safety and efficiency and it provides added peace of mind. The invention features a two-in-one design that is easy to use so it is ideal for diabetics who are taking blood thinners. Additionally, it is producible in design variations.

The original design was submitted to the Phoenix sales office of InventHelp. It is currently available for licensing or sale to manufacturers or marketers. For more information, write Dept. 22-PHO-3032, InventHelp, 100 Beecham Drive , Suite 110, Pittsburgh, PA 15205-9801, or call (412) 288-1300 ext. 1368. Learn more about InventHelp's Invention Submission Services at http://www.InventHelp.com.

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SOURCE InventHelp
TOKYO , Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Horizon Capital, a U.S. private-equity firm with $1.6 billion AUM investing primarily in fast-growing tech and export-oriented companies in Ukraine , announced that its latest fund, HCGF IV has accepted a $20 million commitment from JICA. The investment was announced during the Japan-Ukraine Economic Reconstruction Promotion Conference in Tokyo yesterday, with a signing ceremony held at JICA's office. This is the first investment that Horizon Capital has attracted from Japan , joining the firm's esteemed U.S. and European investor base with circa $700 billion in capital.

JICA's investment will catalyze financing primarily to fast growing, asset light, exporting technology companies, a sector that has demonstrated extraordinary resilience following the onset of the full-fledged invasion two years ago. The Fund is the largest and leading fund raised over the past few years and is notable given its strategy of investing now, not when hostilities end, to maximize its contribution to Ukraine's ongoing resilience, including supporting growth, creating high-value jobs, expanding the tax base, increasing availability of capital for SMEs, and promoting gender smart investing. HCGF IV is the first fund in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) to be awarded 2X Flagship Fund status, 1 of circa 10 globally attaining the highest 2X Challenge designation for funds, and an estimated 1 of 2 such funds led by a female Founding Partner & CEO. 2X Challenge was launched as a bold commitment to invest in the world's women and promote gender equality in finance.

Lenna Koszarny , Founding Partner and Chief Executive Officer, said: "We are thrilled to welcome JICA to our esteemed group of investors backing our latest fund. This significant commitment is a testament to the global success, recognition and resilience of the tech and export-oriented sectors in Ukraine . It reflects a strong vote of confidence in the visionary entrepreneurs we partner with, who are at the forefront of driving economic growth and innovation in the Region. We are grateful for JICA's support, which expands our ability to deliver stellar returns, as well as amplifies our impact in delivering sustainable development, job creation and promote gender-smart investing, at a time when our Region needs it most."

Mikio Hataeda, Senior Vice President of JICA, said: "We are pleased to announce our commitment to Horizon Capital Growth Fund IV, to support the transformative potential of Ukraine and Moldova's tech and export-oriented sectors. This investment aligns with JICA's mission to finance sustainable development and economic resilience in emerging markets, but also illustrates our staunch support for Ukraine in face of the brutal war led by Russia . We are confident that our partnership with Horizon Capital will contribute to the growth of innovative enterprises in the region, fostering job creation and advancing gender equality in line with the 2X Challenge standards."

Horizon Capital is the leading private equity firm in Emerging Europe with $1 .6 billion in assets from investors with a capital base of circa $700 billion, raising over $800 million in growth capital in just over six years. The firm's investment strategy focuses on backing visionary entrepreneurs leading fast-growing, primarily tech and export-oriented businesses in Ukraine and Moldova . Its funds managed have backed over 170 companies employing around 80,000 people to date.

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is an incorporated administrative agency in charge of administering Japan's Official Development Assistance (ODA), is one of the world's largest bilateral aid agencies supporting socioeconomic development in developing countries in different regions of the world. It supports developing countries in addressing their development challenges through flexible combination of various cooperation modalities, such as Technical Cooperation, Finance and Investment Cooperation, and Grants. JICA has 96 overseas offices and operates in approximately 140 countries and regions of the world.

Media Contact - Alona Kotsiubynska ; [email protected]; +380 93 297 9487

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2342848/Horizon_Capital.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2342849/Horizon_Capital.jpg

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SOURCE Horizon Capital
C$ unless otherwise stated TSX/NYSE/PSE: MFC SEHK: 945

TORONTO , Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - Manulife Financial Corporation ("MFC") announced today that it intends to issue $1.1 billion principal amount of 5.054% fixed/floating subordinated debentures due February 23, 2034 (the "Debentures"). MFC intends to file a prospectus supplement to its existing base shelf prospectus in respect of this issue.

The Debentures will bear interest at a fixed rate of 5.054% until February 23, 2029 and thereafter at a rate of 1.44% over Daily Compounded CORRA. The Debentures mature on February 23, 2034 .

Subject to prior regulatory approval, MFC may redeem the Debentures, in whole or in part, on or after February 23, 2029 at a redemption price equal to par, together with accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the date fixed for redemption. The Debentures will constitute subordinated indebtedness, ranking equally and rateably with all other subordinated indebtedness of MFC from time to time issued and outstanding (other than subordinated indebtedness which has been further subordinated in accordance with its terms).

The offering is being done on a best efforts agency basis by a syndicate co-led by RBC Capital Markets, BMO Capital Markets, and CIBC Capital Markets. The offering is expected to close on February 23, 2024 .

MFC intends to use the net proceeds from the offering of the Debentures for general corporate purposes, including investment in subsidiaries and potential future redemptions of existing securities.

The Debentures have not been and will not be registered in the United States under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or the securities laws of any state of the United States and may not be offered, sold or delivered, directly or indirectly, in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, a " U.S. person" (as defined in Regulation S under the Securities Act) absent registration or an applicable exemption from such registration requirements. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy securities in the United States and any public offering of the securities in the United States must be made by means of a prospectus.

About Manulife

Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services provider, helping people make their decisions easier and lives better. With our global headquarters in Toronto, Canada , we provide financial advice and insurance, operating as Manulife across Canada , Asia , and Europe , and primarily as John Hancock in the United States . Through Manulife Investment Management, the global brand for our Global Wealth and Asset Management segment, we serve individuals, institutions, and retirement plan members worldwide. At the end of 2023, we had more than 38,000 employees, over 98,000 agents, and thousands of distribution partners, serving over 35 million customers. We trade as 'MFC' on the Toronto , New York , and the Philippine stock exchanges, and under '945' in Hong Kong.



Not all offerings are available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit manulife.com.

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SOURCE Manulife Financial Corporation
WASHINGTON , Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson is available in limited opportunities to discuss her mission beginning at 8 a.m. EST on Monday, Feb. 26 . The interviews will take place ahead of Dyson launching to the International Space Station in March.

The virtual interviews will stream live on NASA+, NASA Television, and the agency's website. Learn how to stream NASA TV through a variety of platforms including social media.

Interested media must submit a request to speak with Dyson no later than 12 p.m. Friday, Feb. 23 , to the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston newsroom at 281-483-5111 or [email protected].

Dyson is scheduled to launch aboard the Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft Thursday, March 21 , and will spend approximately six months aboard the space station. She will travel to the station with Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy and spaceflight participant Marina Vasilevskaya of Belarus , both of whom will spend approximately 12 days aboard the orbital complex.

During her expedition, Dyson will conduct scientific investigations and technology demonstrations that help prepare humans for future space missions and benefit people on Earth. Among some of the hundreds of experiments ongoing during her mission, Dyson will continue to study how fire spreads and behaves in space with the Combustion Integrated Rack, as well as contribute to the long-running Crew Earth Observations study by photographing Earth to better understand how our planet is changing over time.

After completing her expedition, Dyson will return to Earth this fall with Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub on the Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft.

Learn more about International Space Station research and operations at:

https://www.nasa.gov/station

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SOURCE NASA
Global healthcare leader advances mission of Going for Zero heart attacks and strokes by promoting awareness of atrial fibrillation and its high stroke risk

"Watch this documentary-style film short and, within five minutes, OMRON will teach you about AFib, how to identify your own risk, and what you can do about it"

KYOTO, Japan , Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In observance of Heart Health Month, global healthcare leader OMRON Healthcare today released The Sound of AFib, a film short that is the centerpiece of a global campaign to promote awareness of atrial fibrillation (AFib), the most common type of heart arrythmia1, and how to reduce the high stroke risk associated with the condition.

The Sound of AFib is a compelling documentary-style film short now available for online viewing. OMRON took a creative approach to spark discussion of the condition, introducing an AFib patient and a cardiologist to a composer who creates an original composition and uses musical notes to illustrate what AFib is doing to the patient's heart rhythm.

Accompanying the aging of populations worldwide, AFib prevalence is rising as a global epidemic2. The risks of stroke are rising with it. Research shows that up to forty percent of AFib patients are asymptomatic3. These patients may not experience symptoms commonly associated with AFib and are likely unaware of the heart health risk they are living with every day.

"AFib is an irregular heart rhythm that is commonly misdiagnosed and often misunderstood. In this film, OMRON explores how the universal language of music illustrates the condition. The result is a surprisingly moving way to raise AFib awareness," said Dr. Faizel Osman , professor of cardiology.

For The Sound of AFib, OMRON united an AFib patient (Marie, a 47 year-old mom of two who survived a stroke caused by AFib), a cardiologist with expertise in atrial fibrillation ( Dr. Osman ), and a composer, (Mr. Steven Aswin ), who uses music to translate the patient's ECG into an original composition, demonstrating a heartbeat in harmony until AFib disrupts the heart's natural rhythm.

The result is a powerful lesson in understanding what AFib can do to one's heart rhythm and how to listen to your heart to identify this high stroke-risk condition.

Global health organizations cite raising awareness and advocacy as key paths to educate about AFib and urge those who may have the condition to act and reduce their risk4.

"AFib is the most common heart rhythm disorder worldwide. Diagnosis of this dangerous condition, which carries five times5 higher stroke risk, is often missed," said Dr. Osman . "The irregular pattern of AFib makes it difficult to detect. If the patient knows what to look for, that could make a world of difference. Raising that level of awareness is the focus of this film by OMRON."

"Knowing how to listen to your heart to identify AFib is step one to reduce your stroke risk," said Dr. Osman . "Step two is to use technology that can capture the condition at the time you're feeling your heart race or flutter. That means having medical technology you can access anytime, anywhere whether you are feeling the symptoms or simply want to be proactive."

OMRON Healthcare offers a first-of-its-kind blood pressure monitor with built-in ECG that captures essential data to help doctors diagnose AFib and assess how to treat it. Company representatives say they are developing new technologies to allow everyone to easily record ECGs

"It's known that cardiovascular diseases are still the leading cause of death worldwide. Since our first blood pressure monitor in 1973, we've been at the forefront of advocating home blood pressure management's importance, and we recognize it's insufficient for reaching zero cerebral and cardiovascular risks. Early atrial fibrillation detection is key to preventing arrhythmia-related strokes. By launching this global awareness campaign, we emphasize atrial fibrillation risks and endorse home ECG recordings," said OMRON Healthcare President and CEO Ayumu Okada .

"Our vision persists: Going for ZERO, aiming for Zero Cerebrovascular and Cardiovascular Events. To realize the vision, OMRON Healthcare has developed and introduced a wide range of devices and services that enable anyone to easily record ECG, enhance to raise the awareness of the importance of early detection of AFib. We're dedicated to contributing to global well-being by reducing the risks of brain and heart diseases worldwide," said Okada.

To watch The Sound of AFib and gain access to free information about AFib, visit OMRON's The Sound of AFib Awareness Campaign website.

About OMRON Healthcare, Inc.

OMRON Healthcare, Inc., is the world's leading manufacturer and distributor of personal heart health products and an innovator in technologies supporting respiratory and pain management care. With 50 years of medical device category leadership, OMRON is passionate about empowering people to take charge of their health at home through precise technology. Its market-leading products include a full range of home blood pressure monitors, nebulizers, and TENS devices. The company's mission is Going for Zero, the elimination of heart attacks and strokes. With more than 350 million devices sold globally, OMRON provides the world's most recommended blood pressure monitors by healthcare professionals. OMRON Healthcare has always strived to improve lives and contribute to a better society by developing innovations that help people prevent, treat, and manage their medical conditions, and we provide products and services in over 110 countries. For more information, visit OmronHealthcare.com.

_______________________________________

1CDC, Atrial Fibrillation https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/atrial_fibrillation.htm

2 AHA Journals, Epidemiology of Atrial Fibrillation in the 21st Century https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.120.316340

3 PubMed, Asymptomatic vs Symptomatic Atrial Fibrillation https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25974193/

4World Heart Federation, Confronting the World's Number One Killer https://world-heart-federation.org/wp-content/uploads/World-Heart-Report-2023.pdf

5 AHA Journals, Risks of Stroke and Mortality in Atrial Fibrillation https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/STROKEAHA.119.025554

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SOURCE OMRON Healthcare
The acquisition accelerates Podium's vision to bring iconic universities and employers together to reimagine ways for undergrads to gain work experience and land their dream jobs.

AUSTIN, Texas and LOS ANGELES , Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Podium Education (Podium), the nation's fastest-growing experiential education company for universities, has acquired Untapped , the all-in-one early career talent platform that connects students with top companies.

The acquisition, which comes off the back of a record growth year for Podium, will link over 1 million undergraduate students from Podium's 60+ partner universities - including Arizona State University, University of Massachusetts Amherst and the University of Miami - with early career job and internship opportunities on the Untapped platform.

Untapped works with hundreds of the world's leading companies - including JP Morgan, Stripe and Twitch - and will accelerate Podium's mission to supercharge the undergraduate degree by providing all students with real-world experience before graduation. Untapped's employer partners will have the opportunity to engage with Podium students as soon as Summer 2024.

"Access continues to be the biggest barrier college students have to gaining work experience. By combining the Podium university network and the Untapped employer network, we are unlocking the first-ever integrated pathway from classroom to career. Podium can now provide college students, regardless of their major, with in-demand skills, real-world experience, and a direct connection to great careers. This is the bridge we have always wanted to build," said Brooks Morgan , CEO and Co-Founder of Podium Education.

Adam Gefkovicz and Tariq Meyers , co-founders of Untapped, will join Podium's executive team, continue leading Untapped, and scale the employer network. Adding Untapped's early career network, Podium now partners with over 100 companies and nonprofits worldwide.

"We built Untapped to broaden access to transformative careers and give early career talent the tools they need to take control of their future," said Untapped Co-CEO Adam Gefkovicz in a statement. "Tariq, myself, and the entire team at Untapped are beyond excited to join Podium and deliver an expanded experience to our students and employers. We couldn't imagine a better next chapter for our candidates, customers, team members and investors. We would not be here today if not for the support we received from them along the way."

Podium's early career platform, which now includes Untapped, is available at no cost to university partners.

Since 2019, Podium has partnered with over 60 of the largest and most well-known universities to offer its career accelerator platform. The platform includes a fully-digital program that features co-designed projects with leading corporations and global non-profits including Intel and charity: water. Participating undergrads build in-demand skills in areas like Tableau and Shopify by working on projects directly with industry partners. Additionally, students work in small groups with other students from over 60 countries, earn between 1-6 credits, and are awarded micro-credentials and certifications.

"Offering opportunities to gain real work experience as an embedded part of the undergraduate experience exemplifies what our students expect from a premier education," said Todd Nicolet , Vice Provost for Digital and Lifelong Learning at UNC-Chapel Hill. "Our program provides a valuable career trajectory and earning potential for our students before graduation."

Independently, Untapped has supported 730,000+ early career candidates and has brokered over 50,000 job placements in the past 6 years. By joining Podium, Untapped's customers, which include Wells Fargo, Roku, Mattel and Coinbase, will now be able to engage directly with undergrads in the classroom and to scale early career recruitment at universities across the nation. Under the expanded brand, students will enjoy the benefit of showcasing their resumes to leading employers and having access to more potential career opportunities.

"Untapped is an incredible platform for identifying and hiring talented students," Vivian Chen , Early Talent Programs, Recruiting Manager at Lyft. "Our team does so much with the platform, from targeted sourcing to building our brand with candidates by using live events, as well as reviewing applications. We're excited about the path ahead as this acquisition will enable us to go deeper into the candidate experience and access an incredible volume of students from the diverse and varied backgrounds we deeply value at Lyft."

The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

About Podium Education

Podium Education is the leading experiential education company that supercharges the undergraduate degree through real-world, project-based experiences for all students. Podium has over 60 university partners including Georgetown University, University of Michigan and Texas A&M University. Podium's career accelerator platform includes a fully-digital program that enables students to build global skills and experience while working alongside peers from 50+ countries. Students from all backgrounds and majors explore the in-demand fields of digital marketing, coding, and data analytics through co-designed projects with top global companies such as Intel, charity: water, the Recording Academy, and more. For more information, visit https://podiumeducation.com and LinkedIn .

About Untapped

Untapped is an all-in-one early career software and talent marketplace for the world's best employers to hire qualified and diverse intern and new grad talent at scale. Companies like Atlassian, JPMorgan, DoorDash, The Trade Desk, HashiCorp and more use Untapped to source talent, host recruiting events, build employer brand, post jobs, review inbound applications and measure recruiting efficiency. Untapped has over 730,000 candidates using the platform to break into transformative careers. Untapped is backed by leading investors such as Sequoia Capital, Owl Ventures, Lachy Groom, Fifth Down Capital, Zoom Ventures, Four Rivers and others. For more information, visit www.untapped.io and LinkedIn .

Media Contact

Alyssa Miller

[email protected]

973-615-1292

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SOURCE Podium Education
Following its successful debut in Walmart stores in September 2023 , Pudgy Penguins' Pudgy Toys line has increased availability to 3,100 total Walmart locations across the U.S.

This new expansion will include 30 different Pudgy Toys including Lil Pudgys Igloo Collectibles and Action Figures, all exclusive to Walmart

Through the introduction of OverpassIP, holders who submitted their Pudgy Penguins for licensing will receive royalties from their inclusion in the new expansion.

MIAMI , Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Pudgy Penguins , the IP and brand-development company behind the series of globally-recognized characters, today announced that its line of collectible toys, Pudgy Toys , will expand its Walmart relationship with the addition of 1,100 new locations that will carry the line and the introduction of new Walmart toy exclusives. This is a major milestone for Pudgy Toy's collaboration with Walmart and demonstrates the continued success of Pudgy Penguins' retail strategy, turning the digital collectible characters into toys, to reach the consumer market at scale.

Pudgy Penguins launched Pudgy Toys, a line of plushies, figurines, and physical collectibles inspired by its NFT collection in May 2023 on e-commerce platforms and the brand quickly became a number one seller on Amazon in three separate categories and won Toy Insider's Top Summer Toy in 2023. In September 2023 , Pudgy Toys debuted in 2,000 Walmart locations.

"Our strategic collaboration with Walmart has allowed Pudgy Penguins to reach new heights in the consumer market. The expansion into additional Walmart locations, alongside exclusive toy offerings, underscores the enduring appeal of Pudgy Penguins characters," said Luca Netz , CEO of Pudgy Penguins. "By blending traditional digital platforms with innovative blockchain technology, we're giving a new class of consumers tailored interactive experiences while elevating the online Web3 community."

Pudgy Toys will now be available at 3,100 U.S. Walmart stores with new Walmart exclusives including five collectible Pudgy figurines and 25 Lil Pudgys mystery igloos with unique Pudgy characters inside. Each toy comes with a QR code that unlocks traits and collectibles inside of Pudgy World , an online, open-world game that is powered by the Layer 2 blockchain, zkSync Era , where players can customize penguin characters, complete story-driven quests, and more.

Since all of the existing and upcoming Pudgy Toys are connected to existing pieces of NFT IP, the NFT holders will continue to receive royalty payments from Pudgy Penguins' recently announced licensing platform, OverpassIP, where holders can submit their NFTs to be considered for future Pudgy Toy launches and other projects.

OverpassIP is a revolutionary step for not only NFTs but also blockchain technology, by creating a novelty approach to IP licensing. The OverpassIP technology has simplified the licensing process for Pudgy holders by opting them into automatic royalty tracking, which in turn has created real-world utility and value for said holders. The latest Walmart drop is a prime example of royalties being passed along to the Pudgy holders who have opted into licensing their NFTs for this iteration of Pudgy Toys. OverpassIP is still in Beta, however, its creation and implementation is an evolution of the digital asset ecosystem to expand into real-world deployment, unlocking new avenues for community engagement and value creation specifically for the NFT community.

Walmart will carry 30 different Pudgy Toys including Lil Pudgys Igloo Collectibles and Action Figures. The Pudgy Toys range between $2.99-$11.97 . Pudgy Penguins has refined and enhanced the packaging design for this new toyline, featuring the debut of a novel Blind Box Collection Series for their plush toys. The open Beta of Pudgy World can be accessed at www.PudgyWorld.com . Pudgy Toys, made by PMI Kids' World, can be found at select Walmart stores nationwide and at Walmart.com .

About Pudgy Penguins

Pudgy Penguins is dedicated to making Web3 accessible to everyone by creating innovative products that enable seamless onboarding. Their focus on community empowerment and building brand awareness has made them the leading IP in the Web3 space while also disrupting the traditional IP sphere. They're committed to impacting the everyday consumer and shaping the future of IP, Web3, and beyond. Visit pudgypenguins.com to learn more.

Instagram: @pudgypenguins

Twitter: @pudgypenguins

YouTube: @pudgypenguinsofficial

Pudgy Penguins Media Contact

Sunshine Sachs Morgan & Lylis

[email protected]

MGroup

[email protected]

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SOURCE Pudgy Penguins
Industry veteran Marci Auston brings more than three decades of built environment experience to leadership of Slate, part of the Elements brand

DENVER , Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Slate, the largest office interior solutions company in the region and a studio within the Elements brand family, today announced a new leadership structure with industry veteran Marci Auston at the helm. As head of Slate and part of the Elements ownership team, Auston is responsible for supporting the company's mission of providing future-focused workplace solutions that engage people and empower organizations.

"Marci has built her entire career demonstrating the power of place, and I am confident that she and the leadership team at Slate will continue pushing us to elevate our client experience and deliver workplace experiences that inspire," said Traci Lounsbury , CEO of Elements. "The expertise derived from each member of Slate's leadership team allows us to offer unparalleled creative approaches to help our customers reimagine the future of work across a variety of industries."

Slate is the result of the 2022 merger of Elements and OfficeScapes, two powerhouse furniture dealerships in the region. Auston, formerly the principal of OfficeScapes, assumed the role of president following the merger. In this capacity, she succeeded Bob Deibel and is now leading Slate into the future as an integral part of the newly merged entity. With over 30 years of experience in the commercial furnishings industry, Auston brings valuable expertise to her new position.

"Marci has been an invaluable partner and collaborator throughout her entire career at OfficeScapes," said Bob Deibel , former president of OfficeScapes. "Her forward vision always helped us deliver industry-leading innovation and value to our clients. She is exactly the right resource to lead Slate successfully into the future."

Under the new leadership structure, Auston has been named president along with her team consisting of Pauline Bargell , vice president of sales, Jenna Brovsky , vice president of sales, Jennifer Richards , vice president of client services, Christina Lovato , vice president of project operations, Darin Corrie , vice president of warehouse operations and Lisa Blackman , vice president of design. As a holistic entity, the leadership team will continue helping customers navigate their needs within the built environment with multiple products and services, from furniture to design. The new Slate leadership team reinforces the company's strength as one of the region's largest woman-owned businesses.

Auston brings a wealth of experience creating high-performing workplaces that people want to come to every day. Over three decades with OfficeScapes (now Slate), Auston earned a reputation for empowering clients to create true connections to their workplace by creating commute-worthy workplaces with a focus on human-centric design. An active volunteer in both community service and business arenas of the Denver community, she is a graduate of the prestigious Leadership Denver program and is currently on the Downtown Denver Partnership's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility Committee. She holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science from Metropolitan State University.

Under Auston's leadership this year, Slate is expanding its commitment to the employee and client experience with exciting new business and service ventures that will be announced later this year.

For more information on leadership for Slate or the other studios under the Elements umbrella, visit: https://www.elementsofplace.com/about/teams/

About Slate

Slate is the region's largest office interior solutions company, dedicated to providing future-focused workplace solutions that engage people and empower organizations. With unwavering dedication to creating inspiring spaces that go far beyond the office, spanning hospitality, healthcare, education, and biosciences. Slate is poised to redefine the way all businesses envision and create their environments. The comprehensive interior solutions company will be structured with Elements as the parent company and five studios under the umbrella.

About Elements

Elements is a recognized leader in next-generation commercial interiors, completing major projects for Fortune 100 and Fortune 500 clients, as well as small businesses. The studios of Elements, through a human-centered approach, bring storytelling to the built environment through thoughtful design, consulting, furnishings, and construction because people need inspirational places to be their best. This holistic approach to the built environment creates a seamless experience and exceptional results for customers. For more information about Elements and its services throughout Colorado and Wyoming , visit https://www.elementsofplace.com/.

Contact:

Sarah Cullen

[email protected]

303-931-1910

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SOURCE Workplace Elements, LLC
BRISTOL, Pa. , Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Robern has announced significant debuts to the Craft Series, including four vanities with six new top options and two mirrors. Additionally, Robern optimized its range of storage solutions to existing designs by converting the original static drawers to working drawers to the Helden and Sendai vanities, and increasing available options with 24-, 36-, and 48-inch sizes to the Skaarsgard vanity and 30- and 48-inch sizes to the Sendai vanity. Drawing inspiration from earlier, celebrated eras of design and emerging new trends, these latest designs continue the Robern Craft Series commitment to transforming bathrooms into luxury spaces that not only look beautiful, but also instill a sense of joy, confidence, and satisfaction to those who use them.

Vanities 2024

Four vanities  Alisal, Rosebrook, Willowmere, and Wyndale  join the sophisticated traditional and contemporary choices found within the Robern Craft Series. Visually captivating, the artful silhouettes also reflect the many cabinetmaking details Robern employs within its manufacturing processes:

Solid Oak frame construction, with solid Oak legs, and full plywood back panels.

A meticulous, hand-stained finish, including the cabinet interiors in true European fashion.

Vanity doors equipped with adjustable Blum slow close hinges.

hinges. Dovetail constructed vanity drawers equipped with Blum full extension, slow close slides.

slides. Integrated, discreet storage solutions with removable glass dividers on select drawer models.

Meticulously engineered and assembled to Robern's exacting standards, the designs are available in six new optional Silestone tops: Eternal Gold Calacatta; White Zeus Extreme; Pietra; Eternal Serena; Calypso; and Eternal Marquina.

Alisal

Reflecting a relaxed, contemporary vibe, the Alisal Vanity evokes an industrial edge with its weathered wood finish choices contrasted by creative styling and handcrafted details. The beautifully crafted wood cabinet is expertly constructed from solid Oak with mitered corner joints and laid in a subtle, continuous horizontal veneer pattern. The dimensional drawer design has an integrated metalwork plate pull adding a striking geometric effect. The faux front top drawer and lower plumbing drawer are flanked by smaller side working drawers for ample storage and is raised on a low-slung, metal sleigh leg base. Alisal is available in 36-inch and 56-inch sizes, and in two versions: Greige Oak with Brushed Pewter hardware or Weathered Oak with Antique Bronze hardware.

Rosebrook

The Rosebrook cabinet is a fluid form with warm wood shading and soft polished pulls. Taking its cues from traditional design elements, the Rosebrook vanity is offered in 36-inch and 56-inch versions and is crafted from solid Oak. The veneer-work is a visual delight of diagonal laid paneling decorating the doors and sides and flat cut veneers surrounding the door frames in simple juxtaposition. The cabinet's rounded sides feature four working doors fitted with cast, stainless steel pulls, its lengths curled inward to fit the hand. A hand-applied, raised metal inlay accentuates the doors and centered faux front panel, its straight detailing contrasting the cabinet's curved, engaging design. When opened, the Rosemont center doors expose one adjustable shelf, while the side interiors offer open shelving for additional storage and is raised on slightly tapered legs that terminate to metal end capped feet. The Rosemount is available in Gray Oak with Brushed Pewter hardware or Light Oak with Aged Brass hardware.

Willowmere

Reflecting the art of traditional cabinetmaking makes the Willowmere vanity a classic addition to any bathroom interior. The cabinet is crafted from solid oak and laid with highly figured Oak veneers. The panel door fronts and sides are a mitered frame-within-frame design, with the interior sitting slightly back from the outer frame creating an interactive play of light as it carries across the surfaces. The two-door, 36-inch size vanity and four-door 72-inch double vanity are fitted with stainless steel ring pulls and when opened, feature spacious interiors with adjustable shelving and a plumbing cutout. The Willowmere is raised on solid Oak legs that terminate to stainless steel endcaps. Willowmere is available in Drifted Matte Brown with Iron Black hardware or Weathered Oak Drift with Antique Bronze hardware.

Wyndale

The Wyndale vanity is a dynamic, individual form horizontally laid up in a reeded Oak paneling on the doors and sides contrasted by a vertical lay up on the drawers creating exceptional surface movement. The 36-inch version features two doors with an open interior. The 72-inch double vanity features three centered, working drawers, with the top drawer including two glass dividers, and are flanked by doors that house plumbing shelves. Simple, oval cast stainless steel knobs adorn the cabinet doors and drawers, again flipped in direction to continue the playful contrast of texture and materials. Raised on four angled and tapered solid Oak legs, with a slight reveal between the cabinet and angled base adding to its modern, visual charm, the Wyndale is offered in Honey Oak with Aged Brass hardware or Dark Burnt Oak with Brushed Pewter hardware.

Mirrors 2024

The new Craft Series Arch Framed Mirror and Pill Metal Mirror broaden the design assortment under the acclaimed collection umbrella. The Arch Framed and the Pill Metal Mirrors both boast unbeveled mirrors surrounded by sleek, steel metal frames. The mirrors are offered in Polished Stainless Steel, Matte Black, or Brass finishes. The timeless frames are versatile options to the already diverse Craft Series compilation but beyond the aesthetic and utilitarian importance the mirrors bring to interiors, the familiar forms also create the welcoming atmosphere that only a well-appointed backdrop can accomplish. Designed for but not limited to bathrooms, the Arch Framed Mirror and Pill Metal Mirror are also a decorative solution for the foyer, living room, bedroom, or kitchen.

THE CRAFT SERIES  THE COLLECTIONS

Branching out beyond the more modern aesthetic represented within the Robern brand portfolio, The Craft Series was introduced in 2021, with additions in 2022 and 2023, broadening Robern's product scope with forms that reference 19th and 20th traditional and contemporary design. Organic textural elements and intriguing decorative touches to surprise and delight, the solution-based Craft Series is a compelling catalog of bathroom couture designed to reflect the lifestyles of today's sophisticated consumer.

Vanities and Linen Cabinets

Bergman

Taking its cues from the glamour of 1950s Hollywood , Bergman creates a sense of high style by juxtaposing deep wood stains against contrasting metal finishes. The solid Oak and Oak veneer Bergman vanity is shown with the Robern Rounded Corner Metal Mirror.

Bodo

Reflecting the organic beauty and nature-inspired surroundings that are part and parcel to the Aspen and Vail lifestyle, Bodo strips away undue ornamentation. The figured Oak and straightforward character allow the prominent form to take centerstage with its open, truss beam vanity heightening its engaging, rustic appeal.

Chestnut Hill

Chestnut Hill is inspired by the vintage furnishings of storied New England homes, the beauty of well-crafted form, and the sense of familiarity and acquired sophistication of early American design that still plays a prominent role in the interiors of today. Chestnut Hill is also a versatile option with three vanity sizes to easily accommodate most space needs.

Helden

Helden has an air of casual refinement, its natural honeyed tones and soft rounded corners drawing attention to the organic beauty of the materials selected and the craft employed to create Helden's approachable form. The Oak floating vanity is matched with the Robern Pill Wood Mirror.

Islamorada

Inspired by the elegance of the Modern era designs that emerged with the Art Deco movement, the Islamorada Vanity and Linen Cabinet was introduced in 2023 and offers rich painted finish options, and Aged Brass handle and leg hardware featuring eye-catching, stepped detailing. The matching 80" high Islamorada Linen Cabinet imparts the same simplicity of form, engaging finishes, and Aged Brass pulls and capped feet.

Mackey

Inspired by the raw, edgy appeal of unfinished industrial furnishings and fixtures, Mackey reflects that same forgiving style allowing the metal ground the designs while incorporating textural elements to accentuate the forms' natural beauty and strength of line. The Mackey vanity and enclosed linen cabinet are expertly crafted from stainless steel and is shown with the Mixed Metal Mirror.

Sendai

Blending industrial design elements with the understated sophistication of Japanese form, the Sendai vanity and accompanying linen cabinet and Robern Thin Frame Mirror are pared down forms. Sendai is simply dressed in rich wood finishes with contrasting mixed metals and decorative touches and offered in a range of sizes for versatile options.

Skaarsgard

Based on the clean, understated forms of Nordic design, Skaarsgard draws its strength from natural wood and burnished metals for a look that is warm and inviting. Appropriately scaled with purity of line and minimal decoration, the Skaarsgard Oak vanity and linen cabinet creates a modern oasis that is understated and elegant with a range of sizes for versatile placement from powder room to grand bathroom suite.

Sinca

Introduced in 2023, the Sinca Vanity and Linen Cabinet combine classic midcentury elements such as louvered doors and tapered legs with modern comforts including ample storage and slow-close hinges. The distinctive vertical louvered door front detail and rich wood finishes add warmth, texture, and the timeless appeal of midcentury design. The vanity and 80" Linen Cabinet are raised on tapered, self-leveling Oak legs finished in Oak veneers and met on each side by a single wood stretcher in a simple decorative detail.

Medicine Cabinets

In 2022, Robern introduced three new medicine cabinets, a first for the series. The new Medicine Cabinets feature clean, minimalist styles in a choice of sizes and a variety of rich singular and mixed metal finishes to coordinate and complement surroundings. The medicine cabinets can be recessed or surface mounted and offered with an optional Electric Upgrade package to assist with tasks, enhance storage capabilities, and keep essentials charged and within reach.

Mirrors

Long renowned for its mirror designs, Robern took another fashionable turn in this arena with a series of handcrafted, decorative mirrors that offer tasteful traditional and contemporary bathroom options. Drawing inspiration from motifs and sophisticated details found throughout the series, the elegant mirrors include an industrial inspired form introduced in 2022, which joined the earlier scalloped and inverted contour mirrors, oversized round and pill-shaped designs, wood and metal rectangular frames, and a commanding mirror in classic Triptych style all featured in the original 2021 launch.

About ROBERN

Robern. Designed to feel beautiful.

Handcrafted in Philadelphia since 1968. Robern has become a symbol of American craftsmanship, weaving thoughtful technology and seamless design to redefine the luxury bathroom and reimagine the spaces that make us feel beautiful. At Robern, beauty isn't just seen, it's felt.

Robern, along with sister brands, Kallista plumbing, and Ann Sacks Tile & Stone, Inc., is a wholly owned subsidiary of Kohler Co. and part of the company's Luxury Brands & Wellness division.

For additional information on Robern products, customers may call 1 (800) 877-2376 or visit www.robern.com.

CONTACT: Robin L. Richter

Kohler Co. Public Relations

+ (920) 457-4441, x. 72340

[email protected]

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SOURCE ROBERN
SACRAMENTO, Calif. , Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Rhombus, a leading provider in cloud-managed physical security solutions, is thrilled to announce the expansion of its US-based support services with the opening of a new office in Charlotte, North Carolina . This strategic move aims to serve Rhombus customers with enhanced access to world-class support.

"At Rhombus, we believe in building long-term partnerships with our customers. From the initial purchase to deployment and beyond, we are dedicated to ensuring the success of our clients every step of the way," said Omar Khan , Chief Operating Officer at Rhombus.

Known for its vibrant culture, Charlotte offers a dynamic backdrop for Rhombus to connect with customers and immerse itself in the local community. The city's rich history, diverse culinary scene, and thriving arts culture make it an exciting and fitting location for the new support center. The new office, located at 615 South College Street , will be the hub for Rhombus' dedicated East Coast Customer Support Team, which is committed to providing 24/7 support.

"We've been incredibly impressed by the support provided by the Rhombus team. The presence and partnership of a dedicated Account Manager, who efficiently manages all our support tickets and handling notes, has significantly elevated our experience. Irrespective of the site requiring assistance, the team consistently possesses the requisite information to offer prompt solutions." says Erica White , Senior Vice President of Technology and Strategic Initiatives at Article Student Living, a leader in the student housing industry. "We're thrilled about the expanded access to Rhombus support with their new East Coast office."

At Rhombus, support doesn't end with issue resolution; the company takes a proactive approach to customer success. The Rhombus platform performs ongoing health monitoring with automated ticket creation, allowing the Customer Support Team to address issues before they escalate. Customers also benefit from dedicated points of contact on the Rhombus Account Management Team and proactive check-ins from the Customer Success Team to maximize the value of their security systems.

Rhombus is excited to become an integral part of the Charlotte community and looks forward to serving customers on the East Coast more effectively. With this expansion, Rhombus reaffirms its dedication to delivering unparalleled support and ensuring the security and satisfaction of all its valued customers.

About Rhombus

Rhombus is a unified, cloud-based physical security platform that brings security cameras, access control, sensors, alarms, and integrations together under a single pane of glass. Backed by Cota Capital, Caden Capital, Tru Arrow Partners, Lemnos Labs, and Promus Ventures, Rhombus is on a mission to make the world safer with simple, smart, and powerful physical security solutions. To learn more, visit rhombus.com.

Contact Information:

Rhombus

Sarah Lathe

[email protected]

(650) 826-2764

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SOURCE Rhombus
GENEVA, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- The World Health Organization (WHO) said Tuesday that it has transferred 32 critical patients, including two children, from the Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza in two life-saving missions in the past two days.

An estimated 130 sick and injured patients and at least 15 health workers remained inside the hospital, WHO spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic told a press briefing in Geneva.

The WHO voiced concerns over their safety and well-being and warned that further disruption to lifesaving care for the sick and injured would lead to more deaths.

The Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis has ceased to function following Israel's military raid on Feb. 14, after a week-long siege, said the UN health agency.

The Nasser Hospital had no electricity or running water, and medical waste and garbage were creating a breeding ground for disease, said the WHO. Describing the situation there as "heartbreaking", WHO staff Chris Black said that the hospital was surrounded by burnt and destroyed buildings, and heavy layers of debris, with no stretch of intact road.

The dismantling and degradation of the Nasser Hospital was a massive blow to Gaza's health system, said the agency. Other facilities in the south have been already operating well beyond maximum capacity and were barely able to receive more patients, it added.

Jasarevic said the WHO hoped to see the Nasser Hospital and other health facilities in Gaza protected, rebuilt, and properly supplied. This could only be achieved if there was a ceasefire and unimpeded access to health workers, patients, and humanitarians, he added.

The WHO repeated its calls for the protection of patients, health workers, health infrastructure and civilians. 
SALT LAKE CITY , Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Utah State Board of Education has reviewed and recommended Collaborative Classroom's SIPPS program under the Utah Literacy Initiative, further advancing literacy education in the state. The program received a perfect score on the Evidence-Informed Core Criteria Checklist, highlighting its efficacy in supporting literacy development for students in Utah .

SIPPS is a comprehensive, research-based intervention program designed to address the diverse literacy needs of students in grades K12. By providing explicit instructional routines and structured literacy approaches, SIPPS equips educators with the tools necessary to accelerate student growth in foundational reading skills.

"We are gratified that SIPPS has been endorsed by the Utah State Board of Education," said Kelly Stuart , CEO and President of Collaborative Classroom. "This approval underscores our commitment to providing evidence-based resources that empower educators and improve student outcomes in literacy across the state of Utah ."

With its approval under the Utah Literacy Initiative, SIPPS becomes a valuable asset for educators seeking to enhance their literacy instruction and intervention efforts. The program's alignment with Utah's literacy standards ensures that educators can effectively implement evidence-based practices to support student success in reading.

"We commend Utah educators for their dedication to promoting literacy excellence in their classrooms," said Marine Freibrun , Manager of Educational Partnerships at Collaborative Classroom. "As schools and districts in Utah continue to prioritize literacy instruction, we remain committed to providing ongoing support and resources to help educators meet the diverse needs of their students."

About SIPPS

SIPPS is a research-based intervention program designed to support K12 students in developing foundational literacy skills. With its structured instructional routines, SIPPS provides educators with the tools they need to deliver effective intervention and accelerate student growth in reading.

About Collaborative Classroom

Collaborative Classroom is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring that all students become proficient readers, writers, and critical thinkers. Through its evidence-based programs and professional learning opportunities, Collaborative Classroom supports educators in creating inclusive learning environments where every student can thrive.

Since 1980, Collaborative Classroom's programs have impacted over 8 million students and 328,000 teachers nationwide, fostering academic excellence and promoting equity in education.

For more information about Collaborative Classroom and its SIPPS program, visit https://www.collaborativeclassroom.org/ .

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SOURCE Collaborative Classroom
New North Carolina location is latest addition to steadily growing family law firm

BELMONT, N.C., Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Sodoma Law , a full-service family law firm, known for its client-centric advocacy in divorce and custody cases, is announcing the opening of Sodoma Law Belmont , in Gaston County, NC , to be led by Sodoma Law managing attorney Chelsea Gajewski . In addition to this newest location, Sodoma Law offices include its headquarters in Charlotte, NC in the historic Graham building , as well as Sodoma Law Union in Monroe, NC ; Sodoma Law North in Cornelius, NC ; Sodoma Law York in Rock Hill, SC ; and Sodoma Law Greenville in Greenville, SC .

"Chelsea's drive and determination to succeed for our clients, our community and our colleagues has been evident since she joined Sodoma Law following her graduation from law school," said Nicole Sodoma , Managing Principal, Sodoma Law. "But her efforts don't stop with our practice; she also teaches, mentors and leads initiatives that positively benefit family law within North Carolina , in particular with the North Carolina Bar Association as well as local bar organizations. She is an ideal advocate for our Gaston County clients and has already shown to be an outstanding addition to the Gaston County community."

While the Sodoma Law Belmont office is focused on all aspects of family law and divorce, clients benefit from Sodoma Law's comprehensive mediation, appellate, assisted reproductive technology, real estate, business, and estate planning practices as well.

The new office arrives just a year after the opening of Sodoma Law Greenville in Greenville, SC .

About Sodoma Law

Sodoma Law is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina , with additional NC locations in Monroe , Union County ; Cornelius , North Mecklenburg County ; and in South Carolina in Rock Hill , York County , Greenville , Greenville County , and Belmont , Gaston County . The firm's areas of practice include Family Law , Adoption , Mediation , and Estate Planning . Sodoma Law includes multiple certified Parenting Coordinators and attorneys with substantial Guardian ad Litem experience.

Connect with Sodoma Law: Facebook | X | LinkedIn | YouTube

Contact:

Ariane Wolff , Warner Communications

[email protected]

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SOURCE Sodoma Law, P.C.
NEST Program Addresses Barriers Rural Cancer Patients Face to Access Supportive Cancer Care Specialists in 7 Middle Tennessee Counties

Tennessee Oncology Kicks Off NEST With Community Advisory Board Recruitment

Practice Awarded $1.5 Million from Tennessee Health Department Practice Transformation and Extension Grant to Fund Program Development , Implementation, and Evaluation

NASHVILLE, Tenn. , Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Tennessee Oncology, a nationally recognized independent oncology practice with 35 clinics, has launched a community-based participatory research project to improve breast and prostate cancer patient access to three vital supportive care services via telehealth in seven rural counties in Middle Tennessee. The seven counties are divided into three regions and include Robertson , Dickson, Putnam , Dekalb , Warren , Bedford , and Coffee counties.

NEST (Navigated, Embedded, Supportive Care, Via Telehealth), which will be implemented through Tennessee Oncology's McKay Institute for Oncology Transformation, is supported by a $1.5 million Practice Transformation and Extension grant from the Tennessee Department of Health to address barriers rural cancer patients face to see specialists for palliative care, psychology, and integrative oncology services. To kick off the program, Tennessee Oncology is recruiting Middle Tennessee cancer patients, caregivers, survivors, and patient advocates to participate in the program's design as part of Community Advisory Boards (CABs). CABs will help identify best practices to connect with cancer patients locally.

"Healthcare programs are often very one directional, but with NEST we will be empowering the community we intend to serve, to offer their perspectives on both challenges and solutions to shape the telehealth supportive services program," said Sandhya Mudumbi , M.D., the medical director of Tennessee Oncology's palliative care program. "By starting with people in the community, NEST will be an enduring, sustainable program that helps cancer patients in medically underserved communities get the supportive care they need and deserve."

Dr. Mudumbi serves as the program director for the project and will also lead region 3 ( Warren , Bedford , and Coffee counties). Working alongside her are Richard Martin III, M.D., Director of Health Equity and Community Engagement at Tennessee Oncology, leading Region 1 ( Robertson and Dickson), and Johnetta Blakely , M.D., Executive Director for Health Economics and Outcomes Research, leading Region 2 ( Putnam and Dekalb ).

"Developing supportive services with community-based participatory research has never been done before in community oncology, and we're proud to be the first to undertake such an innovative and meaningful approach. This will help build a foundation where community engagement is incorporated into other important practice initiatives at Tennessee Oncology," said Dr. Martin .

A lack of access to smartphones, broadband access, digital literacy, and cultural factors are all barriers that hamper patients living in rural and medically underserved communities from accessing supportive cancer care that can enhance their cancer care journey. To overcome these barriers, Tennessee Oncology's NEST consists of the following:

Navigated: Telehealth navigators will help patients understand the technology used in a telehealth visit with a doctor and improve patients' comfort level with these digital telehealth tools.

Telehealth navigators will help patients understand the technology used in a telehealth visit with a doctor and improve patients' comfort level with these digital telehealth tools. Embedded: Embed telehealth workflows and equipment within seven Tennessee Oncology satellite clinics in Middle Tennessee counties so patients have the necessary broadband connection to have appointments with specialists without having to travel to Nashville or Clarksville to receive these specialized services.

Embed telehealth workflows and equipment within seven Tennessee Oncology satellite clinics in Middle Tennessee counties so patients have the necessary broadband connection to have appointments with specialists without having to travel to or to receive these specialized services. Supportive Care: Palliative care, psychology, and integrative oncology services, together incorporate patient-centered, evidenced-based practices including symptom management, lifestyle changes and counseling, and therapy to improve the patient and caregiver's quality of life. Together they offer a therapeutic presence and support that enhances the cancer care journey for patients, caregivers, and oncologists.

Palliative care, psychology, and integrative oncology services, together incorporate patient-centered, evidenced-based practices including symptom management, lifestyle changes and counseling, and therapy to improve the patient and caregiver's quality of life. Together they offer a therapeutic presence and support that enhances the cancer care journey for patients, caregivers, and oncologists. Via Telehealth: Patients will have appointments via a laptop in private rooms staffed by certified Medical Assistants with supportive care physicians, advance practice providers, or psychologists and licensed counselors who are in different clinic locations.

During the Covid-19 pandemic when Tennessee Oncology rapidly deployed telehealth services, patient participation in palliative care, psychology, and integrative oncology grew. And while about 40 percent of these service lines' patients still have telemedicine appointments, patients in rural communities, who may be struggling financially and experiencing access barriers, often miss out on the full extent of telehealth and accessing these services. In 2022, only 1.5 percent of breast cancer patients and 2.7 percent of prostate cancer patients accessed palliative care in rural and underserved Tennessee counties. And none of these patients had a psychology or integrative oncology appointment.

Tennessee Oncology will collaborate with University of Alabama-Birmingham's Ronit Elk , Ph.D., a nationally renowned researcher who has deep expertise in community-based participatory research, and in developing culturally appropriate palliative care programs in the deep South, on this project. The program's year one goals including creating a solid foundation for community engagement by getting CABs organized for all three regions, holding CAB meetings, organizing focus groups and developing the program through their input.

"NEST was born from what we learned using telehealth to connect our patients with cancer care services during the pandemic," said Natalie Dickson , MD, President and Chief Strategy Officer, Tennessee Oncology . "During the pandemic, practices quickly set up and used telehealth to connect patients to physicians and use of our supportive care services rose. With NEST, we will build on what we learned during the pandemic by engaging community members and building trustful relationships to create best practices that overcome technological and cultural barriers to using telehealth services so patients in hard-to-reach counties can get the cancer care services they need."

About Tennessee Oncology:

Tennessee Oncology, one of the nation's largest community-based cancer care practices, is home to one of the leading clinical trial networks in the country. Established 1976 in Nashville, Tennessee Oncology's mission remains unchanged: To provide access to high-quality cancer care and the expertise of clinical research for all patients, at convenient locations within their community and close to their home. Our growing network of physicians and locations is based on this mission. For more information, visit www.tnoncology.com.

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SOURCE Tennessee Oncology
LONDON , Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- TerraPay, a global money movement company, is pleased to announce the appointment of Ruben Salazar Genovez , recently the Global Head of Visa Direct, as President.

As a seasoned veteran of the payments industry with experience at Visa, Citibank, Barclays and Mastercard, Mr Salazar Genovez has established himself as a respected leader in the payments industry. Prior to joining TerraPay, he served as the Head of Visa Direct globally where he successfully spearheaded various initiatives contributing to the growth and transformation of Visa's money movement offering.

As President of TerraPay, Mr Salazar Genovez will be responsible for defining the company's strategic vision for global expansion and the development of its payments infrastructure and non-card network capabilities. Leveraging his deep expertise in the payments sector, he will drive the implementation of innovative strategies to further strengthen TerraPay's position as a leading player in cross-border money movement and non-traditional payments.

Ruben Salazar Genovez , President, TerraPay, said: "I am truly honored to join TerraPay as President during such an exciting phase of its journey. TerraPay has already demonstrated its ability to revolutionize cross-border payments, and I am excited to contribute to the next chapter of its success. With a strong foundation in place, I am confident that we can accelerate our global expansion and develop new, innovative solutions that will shape the future of the payments landscape."

TerraPay's Board of Directors is confident that Mr Salazar Genovez's extensive experience and strategic insights will be instrumental in driving the company's growth and expanding its global footprint. His appointment reflects TerraPay's commitment to attracting top-tier talent to fuel its ambitious global expansion plans.

Ambar Sur , Founder and Chief Executive Officer, TerraPay, said: " Ruben Salazar is an exceptional addition to our leadership team, and we are thrilled to welcome him as President of TerraPay. His deep knowledge of the payments industry, coupled with his proven track record in driving global growth, will be invaluable as we continue to expand our presence worldwide. We are confident that under Ruben's leadership, TerraPay will continue to revolutionize the payments and money movement landscape and meet evolving customer demands."

Ani Sane , Co-Founder and Chief Business Officer, TerraPay, said: "Ruben's servant leadership approach and client-centric perspective will help us accelerate our commercial efforts and strategic partnerships, deepening our participation in the market. We are delighted to welcome Ruben to the TerraPay family."

About TerraPay:

TerraPay simplifies the movement of money everywhere  providing a single connection to the most expansive cross-border payments network regulated in 30 global markets and enabling payments to 140+ receive countries, 210+ send countries, 7.5Bn+ bank accounts and 2.1Bn+ mobile wallets. TerraPay is on a mission to connect a borderless financial world, making moving money everywhere instant, reliable, transparent and fully compliant. TerraPay pushes the boundaries for global businesses  ranging from banks, fintechs and money-transfer operators to travel businesses, creator economy platforms and e-commerce marketplaces  while driving financial inclusion in even the most inaccessible markets. Founded in 2014, TerraPay is headquartered in London , with global offices in Bangalore , Dubai , Miami , Bogota , Dar es Salaam, Kampala , Hague , Dakar , Joburg, Nairobi , Milan , Singapore and is expanding rapidly, having received funding from leading investors, including the IFC (the World Bank), Prime Ventures, Partech Africa and Visa.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2341807/TerraPay.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1222771/TerraPay_Logo.jpg

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SOURCE TerraPay
LAS VEGAS , Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Thrive Aviation proudly announces the addition of the Praetor 500 to its managed charter fleet under aircraft owner, Munday Aviation. This strategic expansion not only underscores the company's commitment to providing top-notch luxury travel, but also highlights its expanding managed aircraft business model. Through Thrive's partnership with Munday Aviation, this is the second factory delivered airplane within a little over 6 months; highlighting the strength and success of the partnership and Thrive's management business model.

Christopher B Munday  owner of Munday Aviation, stated "Thrive Aviation has been an incredible Partner and has done everything and more that they promised us." Munday continued, "entrusting them with a second Aircraft, our new Praetor 500, was an easy decision."

The Praetor 500 is the world's most technologically advanced business jet in its class. With its remarkable range and incredible speed, the Praetor 500 shatters conventional expectations for the capabilities in its category. It is set to redefine the private aviation experience for Thrive Aviation's clientele.

Rickey Oswald , Chief Operating Officer at Thrive Aviation, said this about the continued partnership with Munday Aviation, "Working with Mr. Munday on their first airplane acquisition was exciting for Thrive as it spearheaded the managed fleet business model for us. The fact that Mr. Munday is adding additional planes speaks volumes to the relationship we've built and the product offering we have as an aircraft management company." Oswald continued, "the Praetor 500 is an incredible airplane and fits extremely well within our fleet, we are excited about the opportunities this aircraft presents and look forward to continuing to deliver on enhanced flying experiences for our passengers."

The Praetor 500 outpaces competitors with its range, speed, and superior amenities. Its debut into Thrive Aviation's charter fleet cements Thrive Aviation's esteemed reputation for elevated flight experiences and operational excellence.

About Thrive Aviation

Thrive Aviation is a U.S. owned and globally operated curator of private aviation services, recognized as one of the Nation's Top 20 charter operators. Thrive's innovative aircraft and fleet management strategy has fueled its ability to provide bespoke asset-management, superior service, and elevated flight experiences for its guests and partners around the world. With corporate headquarters in Henderson, Nevada's exclusive Green Valley Corporate Center , the operator serves the North American and global markets from its operational base in Las Vegas, NV. Thrive Aviation's owned/operated and managed fleets of light, super-mid, large cabin, and ultra-long-range aircraft have steadily emerged as some of the industry's most coveted aircraft.

Learn more at: www.flythrive.com

Contact: [email protected]

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SOURCE Thrive Aviation
NEW YORK , Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of Toyota Industries Group's continuing effort to support sustainability, Toyota Industries Compressor Parts America (TICA) has selected Radiowell for sustainable disposition of its used communication equipment.

The "largest manufacturer of vehicle compressors for air conditioning systems," TICA produces nearly 5 million units for the automotive industry and strives to "Make the earth a better place to live, enrich lifestyles, and promote a compassionate society," according to its website.

A spokesperson for TICA says, "Toyota has several environmental partners supporting our efforts toward environmental sustainability. Selecting Radiowell afforded us an opportunity to further minimize waste while enhancing biodiversity through reforestation."

TICA selected Radiowell because of its ongoing commitment to engage with partners who have a shared vision of the value of sustainable solutions. Many of their surplus radios were in turn donated to the American Red Cross via the Radiowell GRANT program and will be used to support the communication needs of emergency service providers in more than 60 Pennsylvania counties. And as part of Radiowell's "1 Radio = 1 Tree" program, TICA's used radios will result in further support of the reforestation of the Appalachia Mountains initiative.

Radiowell covers the costs incurred to plant trees in exchange for the opportunity to recycle unwanted but usable two-way radios as well as related equipment. "The planet's health is of utmost importance to us, and we strive to limit functional, yet unwanted communication equipment from being discarded and populating our nation's landfills," said Radiowell spokesperson Andrew Park .

Click here for further information about Radiowell's GRANT to the American Red Cross. Companies and government agencies seeking solutions for their used radio equipment should complete the Sell Used Radios form to learn how their decommissioned radios can be repurposed for maximum value and minimal environmental impact. Radiowell specializes in asset disposition of end of life radios.

About Radiowell:

Founded in 1998, Radiowell began as a passion project and has continued to grow into America's largest buyer of used two-way radio equipment. Radiowell is a conscience-driven company dedicated to repurposing decommissioned used radio equipment. Radiowell buys surplus radios or used two-way radios as well as wireless equipment, thus offering interested parties opportunities to reuse, repair, or recycle their unwanted, outdated, or unneeded equipment. Interested donation recipients may learn more about Radiowell's GRANT program here.

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SOURCE Radiowell
TULSA, Okla. , Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The University of Tulsa announces a new Master of Engineering degree in Energy Transition. The McDougall School of Petroleum Engineering in the university's College of Engineering & Computer Science is internationally recognized as one of the top petroleum engineering schools in the country for its groundbreaking contributions to the energy industry. This new degree program will further propel the college in its long history as a pioneer in the energy sector.

The University of Tulsa is offering a new Master of Engineering degree in Energy Transition to advance energy solutions.

The college is determined to help reduce carbon dioxide emission. However, the industry faces drawbacks such as lack of infrastructure, disconnect between where the energy is located and needed and storage challenges. The university is committed to advancing clean and reliable energy solutions that benefit people around the world. "This graduate degree offers energy professionals the opportunity to learn about how their skill sets can be applied in various energy transition fields," said Mohan Kelkar , chair of petroleum engineering.

"With concerns about climate change becoming more intense, transition to different energy sources becomes more vital. It is imperative for future generations to prepare for this expansion," said Andreas A. Polycarpou , dean of the College of Engineering & Computer Science. "Energy transition means diversification of energy sources from fossil fuels. The principles learned in this degree can successfully be applied in energy transition."

The University of Tulsa's distinguished faculty includes accomplished scholars, dedicated educators and experts in their respective fields, such as Kelkar and the recent announcement that National Academy of Engineering member Jim Brill has joined the faculty. With a commitment to fostering academic excellence, the program will invest in infrastructure, workforce development and education to ensure that Oklahoma , and the United States , remain at the forefront of the global energy transition.

About The University of Tulsa's College of Engineering & Computer Science

The University of Tulsa's College of Engineering & Computer Science welcomes students from around the world to partake in the university's elite educational experience in the sciences, engineering and technological fields, providing modern, high-quality educational opportunities for all students. Under the direction of Inaugural Dean Andreas A. Polycarpou , the college serves over 1,800 students. Degree programs include petroleum, chemical, electrical and mechanical engineering, cyber studies, computer science and mathematics.

For more information, visit utulsa.edu/ECS

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SOURCE The University of Tulsa
Emerging Pet Specialty Brand Shows Neighbor Appreciation at Flagship Store with Deals and Pet Adoption Opportunities

ANN ARBOR, Mich. , Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Wag N' Wash, a specialty retailer focused on the wellbeing of pets, is hosting a weekend-long Neighbor Appreciation Event at its flagship location in Ann Arbor at 353 N Maple Rd. In keeping with the company's mission of caring for dogs and cats from head to tail, Wag N' Wash of Ann Arbor is a one-stop, neighborhood pet store that offers a full-service grooming salon, self-serve pet wash as well as thousands of high-quality, brand name products including food, treats, toys and other pet care essentials.

Wag N' Wash of Ann Arbor invites all pets and pet owners to take part in its Neighbor Appreciation Event Saturday, February 24 , through Sunday, February 25 . The event details are as follows:

All Weekend: 20% off all in-store and online purchases; for online purchases, use code 892D7 (restrictions apply).

20% off all in-store and online purchases; for online purchases, use code 892D7 (restrictions apply). Saturday, February 24 from 12:00  2:00 PM : Huron Valley Humane Society will be bringing in adoptable cats and dogs. Neighbors can interact with the animals in hopes of them finding forever homes.

will be bringing in adoptable cats and dogs. Neighbors can interact with the animals in hopes of them finding forever homes. Saturday, February 24 from 3:00  6:00 PM : Cascades Humane Society will be bringing in adoptable cats and dogs. Neighbors are invited to create connections with the animals in hopes of them finding their new family.

will be bringing in adoptable cats and dogs. Neighbors are invited to create connections with the animals in hopes of them finding their new family. Sunday, February 25 from 12:00  2:00 PM : GEM Greyhounds of eastern Michigan will be in-store with some adoptable retired racers. Learn how to care for the dogs and play with some pups looking for their forever homes.

"Every time we have the opportunity to celebrate our neighbors, it serves as a way of expressing our gratitude for being a part of our brand," said Chris Rowland , CEO of Wag N' Wash and Pet Supplies Plus. "We're honored to have such a fantastic community behind us and encourage Ann Arbor -area residents to stop by, take advantage of the deals, and get to know some of the adoptable pets."

The Ann Arbor store made brand history when it opened last September as it marked the first location in Michigan and also serves as Wag N' Wash's flagship store. As community partners, the Wag N' Wash team continues to establish connections with other local community organizations to strengthen the bond between companion pets and their guardians through proper products, services, education, and supporting a healthy pet lifestyle.

Neighbors will also have the opportunity to use the full-service grooming salon and self-serve pet wash during the event. At Wag N' Wash, self-serve pet washes have a pet wash attendant who provides the pet parent with an apron, shampoo, conditioner, brushes and cologne spray. In addition to having a full-service grooming salon staffed by professional groomers, Wag N' Wash also offers specialty services like nail trims, ear cleanings, and more. Although services play a substantial role in the retailer's success, Wag N' Wash is equally committed to providing pet parents a wide selection of high-quality dog and cat food, treats, toys apparel, collars, leashes and other pet care necessities.

In February of 2022, Wag N' Wash was acquired by PSP Group, LLC which is also the parent company of Pet Supplies Plus, the largest independent pet franchise in North America with over 700 stores across the U.S. Since then, Wag N' Wash has doubled in store count with 24 locations currently open and 40 more in various stages of development. Although separate entities, the brands are rooted in and operate from the same proven business model and have the billion-dollar backing of 30+ years of franchise and industry experience.

Both Pet Supplies Plus and Wag N' Wash are actively seeking single and multi-unit owners to join their growing families. To learn more about the Pet Supplies Plus franchise opportunity, visit petsuppliesplusfranchising.com. To learn more about the Wag N' Wash franchise opportunity, visit wagnwashfranchising.com.

Wag N' Wash of Ann Arbor is open Monday  Saturday, from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. , and Sunday, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. For more information about Wag N' Wash of Ann Arbor , please call 734-325-9554, or visit www.wagnwash.com.

About Wag N' Wash

Wag N' Wash Natural Pet Food & Grooming, a full-line dog grooming and self-wash specialty retail destination, has a mission to recognize, promote and foster the positive impact that companion pets and their humans have on each other. Wag N' Wash provides full-service grooming, self-wash facilities, baked dog treats, natural food, supplements, and toys. In 2020, Wag N' Wash was ranked on Denver Business Journal's Colorado-Based Franchisors List, Franchise Times Top 200+ List and Included on Franchise Gator's Top 100 Franchisees List for the third year. Today, there are 24 Wag N' Wash locations open across the nation. To learn more about Wag N' Wash, please visit https://www.wagnwashfranchising.com/.

Media Contact: Emily Eastin , Fishman Public Relations, [email protected]

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SOURCE Wag N' Wash
Former Bausch & Lomb executive to focus on medical products investment opportunities

CHICAGO , Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Water Street Healthcare Partners, an investment firm dedicated to building market leaders in health care, today announced that Joe Gordon has joined its team as an executive advisor. The health care leader, who most recently served as an executive with Bausch + Lomb, will work with Water Street on opportunities to invest in and grow medical products businesses.

Mr. Gordon's experience spans key areas of health care, including medical devices, pharmaceuticals, surgical and consumer products. As a member of Bausch + Lomb's executive management team, he played a critical role in formulating the eye health company's strategy. He also served as president of its global consumer healthcare, surgical and vision care businesses, overseeing $3.8 billion in annual sales and operations across 100 countries. Mr. Gordon previously held leadership positions in sales, marketing, and customer operations with Pfizer.

"I am fortunate to work in an industry where I have the opportunity to contribute to people's care and well-being. As I considered my next career step, Water Street stood out for its approach to building businesses that positively impact health care. I'm excited to join its team and look for new opportunities to collaborate with medical products businesses that are interested in a partner to support their goals for growth," said Mr. Gordon .

In addition to medical products and diagnostics, Water Street is pursuing opportunities to invest in businesses specializing in health care services and pharmaceutical and life sciences. Its target investments range in size from $50 million to $500 million in value. The health care firm currently manages more than $6 billion of capital dedicated to investing in and growing health care businesses.

About Water Street

Water Street Healthcare Partners is a strategic investor dedicated to building businesses in three critical health care sectors: medical products and diagnostics, pharmaceutical and life sciences, and health care services. The firm has completed more than 165 investments and acquisitions to build 45+ companies contributing to improved patient care, innovation, and a more efficient health care system. Working closely with leadership teams, Water Street contributes its industry experience and network of resources to support businesses' growth objectives. Based in Chicago , Water Street's team is a distinctive blend of highly experienced health care executives, investment professionals, and functional specialists. For more information, visit waterstreet.com.

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SOURCE Water Street Healthcare Partners
BENTON HARBOR, Mich. , Feb. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Whirlpool Corporation board of directors has appointed Richard J. Kramer , former chairman, chief executive officer and president of The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, to the board, effective February 19, 2024 . Kramer will serve on the corporate governance and nominating committee and the human resources committee.

"As a former CEO with tangible experience driving corporate strategy, we believe Rich Kramer is an excellent addition to our board," said Marc Bitzer , chairman and CEO of Whirlpool Corporation. "His significant experience in accounting, finance and capital structure, as well as mergers and acquisitions makes him an invaluable resource for Whirlpool Corporation."

Kramer, 60, was tapped to lead The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company in 2010 and held the role until his retirement in January 2024 . Kramer had been with Goodyear since 2000, where he held various positions including chief operating officer and president, North American Tire. Previously, Kramer was with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP where he was a partner.

Mr. Kramer is also a director of CNH Industrials N.V.

About Whirlpool Corporation

Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE: WHR) is committed to being the best global kitchen and laundry company, in constant pursuit of improving life at home. In an increasingly digital world, the company is driving purposeful innovation to meet the evolving needs of consumers through its iconic brand portfolio, including Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Maytag, Consul, Brastemp, Amana, Bauknecht, JennAir, Indesit and InSinkErator. In 2023, the company reported approximately $19 billion in annual sales, 59,000 employees and 55 manufacturing and technology research centers. Additional information about the company can be found at WhirlpoolCorp.com.

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SOURCE Whirlpool Corporation
Tunisian President Kais Saied (R) shakes hands with President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Odile Renaud-Basso during their meeting in Tunis, Tunisia, on Feb. 19, 2024. Saied on Monday met with visiting President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Odile Renaud-Basso to discuss developing cooperation and partnership between Tunisia and the EBRD, said a statement released by the presidency. (Tunisian Presidency/Handout via Xinhua)

TUNIS, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Tunisian President Kais Saied on Monday met with visiting President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Odile Renaud-Basso to discuss developing cooperation and partnership between Tunisia and the EBRD, said a statement released by the presidency.

Saied stressed the importance of further strengthening the mechanisms of consultation and dialogue between Tunisia and the EBRD to finance promising projects in Tunisia in the sectors of renewable and clean energies, water desalination, health, infrastructure and new technologies.

Saied also expressed the state's keenness to provide legislative guarantees and a suitable environment for foreign investments.

In a statement released by the EBRD on Feb.16, Renaud-Basso expressed her institution's strong commitment to Tunisia.

"We stand ready to back the authorities in their reform efforts to deliver growth and employment opportunities, especially for young people and vulnerable groups, and to support Tunisia's green economy transition," said the statement.

Since it began operations in Tunisia in 2012, the EBRD has invested over 2.1 billion euros in 69 projects and provided support to more than 1,200 SMEs through European Union-funded technical assistance, according to the statement. 

Tunisian President Kais Saied (1st R) meets with President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Odile Renaud-Basso (2nd R) in Tunis, Tunisia, on Feb. 19, 2024. Saied on Monday met with visiting President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Odile Renaud-Basso to discuss developing cooperation and partnership between Tunisia and the EBRD, said a statement released by the presidency. (Tunisian Presidency/Handout via Xinhua)
FILE PHOTO: A Chinese national flag waves outside Beijing No. 2 Intermediate People's Court where Australian writer Yang Hengjun is expected to face trial on espionage charges, in Beijing, China May 27, 2021. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins

By Kirsty Needham

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian writer Yang Hengjun will not appeal a suspended death sentence in China because the process would delay the possibility of supervised medical care, his family said in a statement on Wednesday.

A pro-democracy blogger and spy novelist, Yang is an Australian citizen born in China who was working in New York before his arrest at Guangzhou airport in 2019.

A Beijing court this month handed Yang a suspended death sentence on espionage charges, shocking his family and supporters, after five years in detention in Beijing and three years after his closed-door trial.

The sentence was described as an "outrage" by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and threatens a recent rebound in bilateral ties that followed several years of strained relations between Beijing and Canberra.

Yang's family, including his two Australian-based sons and close friends, said in a statement on Wednesday that Yang had decided to waive his legal right to appeal the suspended death sentence.

There were no grounds to believe the Chinese court could remedy "the injustice of his sentence", the statement released to media, including Reuters, said. Chinese courts have a conviction rate of 99.9% and acquittals are rare.

"Commencing an appeal would only delay the possibility of adequate and supervised medical care, after five years of inhumane treatment and abject medical neglect," it added, noting Yang had developed a serious kidney condition.

"Yang's decision to forgo the appeals process does not in any way change the fact that he is both innocent and morally unbreakable," the family said.

TWO-YEAR REPRIEVE

China's foreign ministry has previously said the Beijing court had heard the trial in strict accordance with Chinese law and ensured Yang's procedural rights, and Australia's consular rights.

A suspended death sentence in China gives the accused a two-year reprieve from being executed, after which it is automatically converted to life imprisonment.

His family urged the Australian government to seek his release on medical parole, or a transfer to Australia.

Although the details of the case have not been officially released, Yang's long-time friend, Sydney-based scholar Feng Chongyi, said the verdict read in court alleged he had given secrets to Taiwan in 1994.

Yang worked for China's Ministry of State Security for a decade starting in 1989, including in Hong Kong and Washington, before quitting and moving to Australia.

"The absurdity of the 30 year-old espionage accusations that have been dredged up against him speaks to the prosecution's failure to extract any kind of confession," the family said, in their first comment on the matter.

Yang is "an Australian political prisoner who has been sentenced to death because of his writings in support of individual freedoms, constitutional democracy and rule-of-law", they said.

Yang wrote about Chinese and U.S. politics as a high-profile blogger, and was a visiting scholar at Columbia University.

Australia would continue to advocate for Yang, Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in a statement to Reuters.

"The Australian Government understands and respects the difficult decision that Dr Yang has made with regard to his appeal," she said.

(Reporting by Kirsty Needham; Editing by Sharon Singleton)
Mainland Chinese tourists walk in front of the skyline of buildings at Tsim Sha Tsui, in Hong Kong, China May 2, 2023. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu

SHANGHAI/SINGAPORE (Reuters) -China announced its biggest ever reduction in the benchmark mortgage rate on Tuesday, as authorities sought to prop up the struggling property market and broader economy.

The 25-basis point cut to the five-year loan prime rate (LPR) was the largest since the reference rate was introduced in 2019 and far more than analysts had expected.

"This is the biggest signal. In other words, the largest interest rate cut cycle in history has begun," said Yan Yuejin, analyst at E-House China Research and Development Institution. The cut will directly impact the real estate sector by lowering mortgage costs, he said.

The five-year loan prime rate (LPR) was lowered by 25 basis points to 3.95% from 4.20% previously, while the one-year LPR was left unchanged at 3.45%.

Most new and outstanding loans in China are based on the one-year LPR, while the five-year rate influences the pricing of mortgages.

In a Reuters poll of 27 market watchers conducted this week, 25 expected a reduction to the five-year LPR. They projected a cut of five to 15 basis points.

The deeper-than-expected cut also suggests Beijing is no longer as concerned about the negative effects of lower lending rates on the currency or banks as they were last year.

A central bank-backed newspaper said on Tuesday that the benchmark mortgage rate cut would not create a negative impact on banks' net interest margins.

At the same time, diminished spillover effects from other major economies, particularly the United States where the Federal Reserve is now expected to cut rates, allowed Beijing to provide more monetary policy support.

Still, authorities are likely to remain wary of pressure on the yuan from lower domestic rates.

The Chinese currency fell to its lowest since Nov. 20 after the LPR announcement but has since trimmed losses.

Sources told Reuters that China's major state-owned banks stepped in to the market selling dollars for yuan, in an attempt to arrest weakness.

In stock markets, while the property and banking sectors made gains, the rates decision failed to shore up broader investor confidence.

China last trimmed the five-year LPR in June 2023 by 10 basis points.

Beijing has stepped up efforts to rescue the ailing property sector, but the measures have come in fits and starts, weighing heavily on a sector that drives a quarter of the economy and on the stock market. New home prices saw their worst declines in nine years in 2023, while the stock market is languishing after hitting five-year lows.

Government-backed media last week reported that state banks have boosted lending to residential projects under the "white list" mechanism aimed at injecting liquidity into the crisis-hit sector.

Most analysts and investors are waiting for more measures to boost consumption and put a floor under property prices, their hopes higher after authorities replaced the chairman of the market regulator just before the Lunar New Year break.

"I think this move is more signal than substance," said Ben Bennett, Asia-Pacific investment strategist at Legal and General Investment Management in Hong Kong. "Most people aren't buying houses because mortgage costs are too high, they're worried about developers going bankrupt and house prices falling."

"But it does signal a determination to support the housing market. We need to see if this is followed up with more cash injections into lenders, housing projects and developers."

More easing could be coming. Recent deposit rate cuts and the reduction to bank reserves are giving commercial banks space to reduce borrowing costs to support the economy.

While the new mortgage reference rate comes into effect immediately, existing mortgage holders will not benefit from any reduction in loan repayments until next year, as mortgage rate repricing is on a yearly basis.

The LPR, which banks normally charge their best clients, is set by 20 designated commercial banks who submit proposed rates to the central bank every month.

(Reporting by Winni Zhou and Tom Westbrook; Additional reporting by Rae Wee; Editing by Sam Holmes and Vidya Ranganathan)
FILE PHOTO: FILE PHOTO: Chinese tourists arrive during a welcome ceremony of the first batch of Chinese tourists under a five-month visa-free entry scheme at Bangkok's International Airport, Thailand, September 25, 2023. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha/File P

By Sophie Yu and Orathai Sriring

BEIJING/BANGKOK (Reuters) -Chinese travellers flocked to tourist hot-spots across Asia over the Lunar New Year break, with visitor numbers and spending in destinations including Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia exceeding pre-COVID levels.

Visa-free access for Chinese tourists to the Southeast Asia countries boosted traffic and signalled a robust revival in travel since Beijing lifted strict COVID restrictions in early 2023 that had all but shut China's borders for three years.

The increase provides welcome relief to countries that rely on the Chinese and their spending, although the outlook for a sustained recovery in overseas travel is overshadowed by a sluggish mainland economy and volatile markets that have seen consumers tighten their belts at home.

"Despite the macroeconomic headwinds, we believe Chinese citizens are still willing to spend on travel-related experiences ... we think travel-related spending could continue to outpace this overall domestic consumption," HSBC said in a research note.

Bookings to Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia combined jumped more than 30% from Feb. 10-17 compared with 2019, according to travel website operator Trip.com, with Chinese visitors to Hong Kong, Macau, Japan and South Korea also increasing.

The holiday in 2024 lasted for eight days, one day more than the Lunar New year break in 2019.

Reflecting the boost from visa waivers, hotel bookings for Bangkok tripled over the period from Feb. 10-13 year-on-year, while those for Singapore jumped nine-fold, according to travel platform LY.com.

Spending in Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia combined on the Chinese mobile payment platform Alipay increased 7.5% in the period from Feb. 9-12 from 2019 levels and nearly 7-fold from last year, Alipay said.

However, overall consumer spending only recovered to 82% of levels four years ago, the company said.

Data from the Tourism Authority of Thailand put the number of Chinese tourist arrivals over the holiday at nearly 244,000, beating forecasts, and up more than six-fold from 2023. Spending was about 8.6 billion baht ($239 million) versus 1.3 billion baht in 2023.

MIDDLE EAST SURGE

As Chinese scour for new adventures, the Middle East proved a popular Lunar New Year destination, with travel to Saudi Arabia up more than nine-fold from 2019 levels and bookings to United Arab Emirates climbing 60%, Trip.com said.

The gambling hub of Macau, the only place in China where citizens can legally gamble in casinos, was visited by more than a million Chinese tourists over the holiday, with average hotel occupancy rates reaching 95%, according to official data.

The jump in tourists bodes well for some of the world's largest casino operators in the former Portuguese territory, including Sands China and Wynn Macau.

JP Morgan said in a note it expected daily gross gaming revenues for the peak of the holiday to hit $124 million for the first time in more than four years - higher than the $112 million generated during the October 2023 Golden Week holiday.

Mass gaming rates were forecast to have reached 120% of pre-COVID levels, it said, adding that it expects February gross gaming revenues to rise by at least 80% year-on-year to $2.36 billion, the highest in more than four years.

Across the border in Hong Kong, leader John Lee said on Tuesday more than 1.2 million Chinese tourists visited the city over Lunar New Year, with hotel occupancy rates reaching 90% in the first few days.

South Korea's Justice Ministry said more than 114,000 Chinese visitors entered the country during the holiday, up 4% from 2019, while some travel agents noted tourists were increasingly opting to travel on their own rather than in groups, which meant fewer organised trips to mega-stores.

"With drops in the number of group tourists, we dont get to see Chinese tourists carrying big shopping bags anymore," an official at a travel agency in Seoul told Reuters, requesting not to be named as he is not authorized to speak to media.

That trend was also seen in Thailand.

"Vendors said there were not many buyers. We also see Chinese tourists carrying very little things. In the past, they went shopping and came back with a pile of things," said Paisarn Sukjarean, president of the Thai Hotels Association's Northern Upper Chapter.

In Japan, department store operator Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings said that through to Feb. 14 "duty-free sales were significantly higher than the previous year, partly due to the Chinese New Year".

A shift in holiday tastes was reflected in some data as travellers sought more experience-based trips, with Alipay reporting Chinese tourists globally spent 70% more on food and beverages compared with pre-COVID levels.

Trip.com said overseas car rentals on its platform jumped 53% compared to 2019 and tickets for scenic experiences abroad soared more than 130%.

($1 = 36.0300 baht)

(Additional reporting by Brenda Goh in Shanghai, Heekyong Yang in Seoul, Rocky Swift in Tokyo and Jessie Pang in Hong Kong; Writing by Anne Marie Roantree; Editing by Miral Fahmy and Christina Fincher)
Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde attends a ceremony as the remains of the Democratic Republic of the Congo's first Prime Minister Patrice Emery Lumumba were symbolically handed over to the murdered leader's c

KINSHASA (Reuters) -Democratic Republic of Congo's prime minister, Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde, resigned on Tuesday, triggering the dissolution of his government, the presidency said in a statement.

The prime minister tendered his resignation to President Felix Tshisekedi eight days after the validation of his mandate as a national deputy. He will now join parliament as a member of the assembly.

"The resignation has been accepted. However, the president has asked (Lukonde's) government to continue handling current affairs" until a new government is formed, the presidency said in another statement later on Tuesday.

It did not specify Lukonde's reasons for resigning.

Lukonde was appointed premier of the mineral-rich central African country in February 2021.

After he was re-elected in December, Tshisekedi named a representative to identify a majority coalition within the National Assembly with a view to forming the next government.

(Reporting by Ange Kasongo and Yassin Kombi, Writing by Sofia Christensen,Editing by Chris Reese and Timothy Heritage)
OSLO (Reuters) - Estonia's Prime Minister Kaja Kallas said on Tuesday that her country had successfully halted a hybrid operation by Russia's security services on Estonian territory.

"We know the Kremlin is targeting all of our democratic societies," Kallas said in a post on social media X.

Public broadcaster ERR on Tuesday reported that Estonia's internal security service (ISS) had detained 10 people as part of a criminal investigation linked to the vandalisation last year of a car belonging to the country's interior minister.

(Reporting by Terje Solsvik, editing by Louise Rasmussen)
People sit in the courthouse during the trial of four senior members of Egyptian security services over their suspected role in the disappearance and murder of Italian student Giulio Regeni in Cairo in 2016, in Rome, Italy, February 20, 2024. REUTERS/Gugl

By Crispian Balmer

ROME (Reuters) - The trial of four Egyptian security agents accused of kidnapping and murdering an Italian student in Cairo resumed in Rome on Tuesday, 2-1/2 years after the last hearing, with defence lawyers once more seeking to bury the case.

Giulio Regeni, a postgraduate student at Britain's Cambridge University, disappeared in the Egyptian capital in January 2016. His body was found almost a week later and a post-mortem examination showed he had been tortured before his death.

Italian prosecutors allege four Egyptian officials were involved in the killing, but have been unable to track them down to issue summons. As a result they are being tried in absentia.

Proceedings opened in October 2021, but were immediately suspended after the judge accepted arguments from court-appointed defence lawyers that the trial would be void if there was no evidence the defendants knew they had been charged.

Prosecutors appealed the decision and Italy's top court dismissed the concern last year, saying Egypt's failure to cooperate in locating the suspects should not stymie the trial.

On Tuesday, defence lawyers again urged the trial be annulled. They said it was not clear if the suspects were still alive and questioned if they had been correctly identified.

The judges will review the request and the next hearing was set for March 18.

Italian and Egyptian prosecutors initially investigated the case together, but came to different conclusions.

Egypt said the killing was the work of gangsters and denied any state involvement in Regeni's disappearance or death.

Italian prosecutors say Major Magdi Sharif, from Egypt's General Intelligence, Major General Tarek Sabir, the former head of state security, police Colonel Hisham Helmy and Colonel Ather Kamal, a former head of investigations in Cairo city, were responsible for the "aggravated kidnapping" of Regeni.

Sharif has also been accused of "conspiracy to commit aggravated murder". The four men have never responded publicly to the accusations.

SABOTAGE

Regeni had been in Cairo to research Egypt's independent unions for his doctoral thesis. Associates say he was also interested in the long-standing domination of Egypt's economy by the state and military. Both subjects are sensitive in Egypt.

Prosecutors say they have evidence showing that Sharif got informants to follow Regeni and eventually had him arrested in a Cairo metro station. The charge sheet says Sharif, and other, unidentified Egyptian officials, then tortured Regeni over several days, causing him "acute physical suffering".

When the trial opened in 2021, prosecutor Sergio Colaiocco told the court that Egypt had tried to sabotage the probe and had prevented the suspects from being informed of the charges.

The case has strained diplomatic ties between Italy and Egypt. But Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on Tuesday it was vital to have good relations with Cairo as they worked together to ease suffering in the Gaza Strip.

"The truth must be ascertained, the guilty parties must be held accountable. However, this has nothing to do with what is happening in Israel, in the Gaza Strip, and in the Middle East," Tajani told reporters.

"If we want to save human lives, we must do so together with the Egyptians," he added.

(Reporting by Crispian Balmer; Additional reporting by Angelo Amante; Editing by Keith Weir, Sharon Singleton and Ros Russell)
FILE PHOTO: The GM logo is seen on the facade of the General Motors headquarters in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., March 16, 2021. REUTERS/Rebecca Cook/File Photo

By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -General Motors said Tuesday it has temporarily paused sales of its 2024 model year Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon mid-size trucks to address intermittent software quality issues.

The Detroit automaker said a fix has been identified and implemented and began shipping the vehicles to dealers on Monday. "We expect this hold to lift shortly so we can begin delivering vehicles to customers as quickly as we can," GM said in a statement.

This issue does not impact 2023 Colorado or Canyon vehicles on dealer lots or in customers hands and no recall is planned, the automaker said.

GM sold 93,539 Colorado and Canyon trucks in 2023 in the United States, down about 20% over 2022.

GM has faced other software issues in recent months.

GM CEO Mary Barra said last month a software issue had prompted the automaker to temporarily halt sales of its Chevrolet Blazer EV.

GM said on Tuesday that it is "working around the clock to alleviate the software quality issues a portion of our customer experienced in Blazer EV. We are making progress."

Barra said at a conference last week the Detroit automaker has "already revamped the software development process and more importantly the validation process.... Right now, we're going through a little bit of a learning, pain or learning, pains as we make this transition."

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
A cargo ship boat model is seen in front of the words "Red Sea" in this illustration taken January 9, 2024. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

By Jonathan Saul, Mohamed Ghobari and Renee Maltezou

LONDON/ADEN/ATHENS (Reuters) -The Greek-flagged bulk cargo vessel Sea Champion arrived in the southern Yemeni port of Aden on Tuesday after being attacked in the Red Sea in what appeared to have been a mistaken missile strike by Houthi militia, shipping and military sources said.

Shipping risks have escalated due to repeated drone and missile strikes in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait by the Iran-aligned Houthis since November. U.S. and British forces have responded with several strikes on Houthi facilities but have so far failed to halt the attacks.

The U.S. military's Central Command said late on Tuesday that the Houthis had fired two anti-ship ballistic missiles at the Sea Champion, a U.S.-owned bulk carrier. It said one of the missiles detonated near the ship causing minor damage.

The Sea Champion, which was ferrying corn from Argentina to Aden, the seat of Yemen's internationally recognised government, was attacked twice on Monday, with a window damaged but no crew injuries, Greek shipping ministry sources said.

The U.S. Central Command said the Sea Champion has delivered humanitarian aid to Yemen 11 times in the past five years.

A port source in Aden and a separate shipping source said the vessel was unloading part of its cargo of some 9,229 tonnes of corn in Aden, before it heads to the northern Yemeni port of Hodeidah, an area controlled by the Houthis, where it was meant to discharge the remaining load of some 31,000 tonnes.

The port source in Aden, who declined to be identified, said the attack on the vessel was a mistake. A separate port source in Hodeidah, who also declined to be identified, said the Houthis informed them that the attack was not intentional.

Houthi officials could not be immediately reached for comment.

The vessel's Athens-based operator Mega Shipping and Greek shipping ministry officials declined to comment on the vessel's arrival.

The Sea Champion was anchored in Aden port with its last position updated at 1211 GMT, according to data from ship tracking and maritime analytics provider MarineTraffic.

The Houthis, who control Yemen's most populous regions, have attacked vessels with commercial ties to the United States, Britain and Israel, shipping and insurance sources say.

CONCERNS GROW OVER RUBYMAR

Despite retaliatory Western attacks on them in Yemen, the Houthis have vowed to continue striking ships linked to Israel in solidarity with Palestinians until Israeli forces stop their war in the Gaza Strip.

So far, no ships have been sunk nor crew killed from the Houthi attacks in a sea lane accounting for about 12% of global maritime traffic.

Nonetheless, concerns were mounting over the fate of the Rubymar ship, which was hit by missiles in the Gulf of Aden on Sunday, despite the crew evacuating onto another vessel.

In a maritime advisory seen by Reuters, commercial ships were cautioned to stay away from the area of the abandoned vessel amid fears it might sink.

A U.S. defense official said the vessel had not sunk.

Stephen Cotton, General Secretary of the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF), the leading union organisation for seafarers, said the Rubymar attack should be a wake-up call "to immediately prioritise seafarers' safety, before we see human lives lost on the Red Sea".

He said an immediate, permanent ceasefire in the war between Israel and Gaza's ruling Palestinian Islamist group Hamas was a critical step towards guaranteeing safe transit through the Red Sea.

There was also alarm that commercial ships could face new perils including the possibility of sea mines being deployed, maritime security sources said.

The U.S. military's Central Command (CENTCOM) conducted strikes on various targets on Monday and Tuesday, including what was believed to be the first unmanned underwater vessel (UUV) used since Houthi attacks began.

"These actions will protect navigational rights and freedoms and make international waters safer," CENTCOM said.

While many ships are diverting around southern Africa to avoid the Red Sea, some have continued to sail through.

French container shipping group CMA CGM said on Tuesday its Jules Verne vessel had transited the Red Sea under French naval escort, after suspending crossings for security risks earlier this month.

The European Union on Monday launched a naval mission to the Red Sea to "safeguard freedom of navigation" there amid hopes of more protection and support for commercial shipping.

France has provided navy escorts in recent weeks for some shipping traffic including French-linked vessels.

(Reporting by Jonathan Saul in London, Mohammed Ghobari and Reyam Mukhashaf in Aden, Renee Maltezou in Athens and Maha El Dahan in Dubai, and Lisa Baertlein in Los Angeles; editing by William Maclean, Mark Heinrich and Sonali Paul)
NEW YORK (Reuters) -Investment firm Buxton Helmsley Group (BHG) said it nominated four candidates to the board of directors of Fossil Group, after the fashion design company's stock lost three-quarters of its value over the last year.

Buxton Helmsley, which has a roughly 1.4% stake in Fossil, said the company, known for its fashionable watches, needs fresh blood to help rebuild trust with investors.

"Given the board's abysmal judgment and failure to oversee management for years, the need for immediate change at Fossil is abundantly clear," Alexander Parker, Buxton Helmsley's senior managing director, told Reuters.

Parker said management and the board, which currently has eight members, made strategic mistakes that have hurt all shareholders.

Fossil regularly engages with shareholders, values constructive feedback and routinely considers board composition and refreshment, a representative for the company said, adding it will review BHG's nominations.

"Fossil has repeatedly offered to engage with BHG, but each offer was rejected by BHG," the representative, Christine Greany, said.

Fossil's stock price has dropped 29% so far this year. Over the last 52 weeks, the Richardson, Texas-based company's stock tumbled 76% as revenue and net income fell.

Fossil shares closed at $1.04 on Friday, valuing the company at $55 million. The share price rose nearly 1% to close at $1.05 on Tuesday.

Buxton Helmsley said its nominees to the board are lawyer Pamela Corrie, who was general counsel at GE Capital; Charles Garcia, who worked in the financial services industry at firms including BlackRock; former Justice Department official Deirdre O'Connor, who worked with companies entering bankruptcy; and accountant Rumbi Bwerinofa-Petrozzello, who has expertise in audit and financial forensics.

(Reporting by Svea Herbst-Bayliss; Editing by Leslie Adler and Bill Berkrot)
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel will cap the number of Muslim citizens who take part in peak prayers at Jerusalem's Al Aqsa Mosque during the upcoming Ramadan holy month, the police minister said on Tuesday, citing concern the flashpoint site could see protests at the Gaza war.

Al Aqsa, one of Islam's holiest shrines, is part of East Jerusalem, captured by Israel in a 1967 war and the focus of Palestinian statehood hopes. The site is also revered by Jews as a vestige of their two ancient temples.

Rules about access have been a frequent source of friction, including for Muslims who make up 18% of Israel's population, particularly during Ramadan, which begins this year around March 10.

Israel has imposed restrictions in the past - mostly on younger Palestinians from Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank. More than four months into the Gaza war, worries about flare-ups are spiralling.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said his bid to bar most Muslim citizens from Friday prayers during Ramadan was overruled by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Still, he said a cap of 40,000 to 50,000 would be imposed, having successfully argued against officials who wanted 120,00 to 150,000 admitted.

ARAB LEADERS CONDEMN CAP

"My position in principle was accepted over (those who thought) a whole promenade of Israeli Arabs should be allowed in," he told Army Radio on Tuesday.

The measure drew condemnation from Arab leaders, including opposition lawmaker Ahmad Tibi, who said the far-right Ben-Gvir is an "arsonist, but who has above him someone who is responsible and is handing him a jerrycan of petrol".

Ben-Gvir voiced disappointment that Netanyahu had not accepted his proposal to empower police to enter the Al Aqsa compound and remove any flags or signs erected in support of Hamas, the Palestinian Islamists Israel is fighting in Gaza.

Citing the plight of hostages held in Gaza, Ben-Gvir argued it would be a "picture of defeat" to allow such displays of Hamas solidarity in the city Israel deems its capital, a status not recognised widely abroad.

Israel has clamped down on entry by Palestinians since Hamas triggered the Gaza war with a cross-border killing and kidnapping spree on Oct 7. A police spokesperson did not immediately detail plans for any Palestinian access to Al Aqsa.

Many Arab citizens of Israel identify as Palestinians and, during the last Gaza war of 2021, some rioted. This war has not seen such sectarian strife. Ben-Gvir credited his "zero tolerance" for incitement, a policy critics say entails excessive monitoring of Arab citizens.

(Writing by Dan Williams; Editing by Sharon Singleton)
CAIRO, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Energy giant British Petroleum (BP) planned 1.5-billion-U.S. dollar new investments for development and exploration activities in Egypt, the Egyptian presidency said on Monday.

The announcement was made after a meeting in Cairo between Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and BP Chief Executive Officer Murray Auchincloss in Cairo, said the statement.

During the meeting, Auchincloss announced that there is a potential for an additional 5 billion U.S. dollars in investments over the coming years, according to the statement.

He affirmed BP's keenness on further boosting its investment in the field of oil and gas exploration in Egypt, adding that Egypt stands as a priority destination for the company's exploration investments.

For his part, Sisi said that BP's activities are aligned with Egypt's goal of transforming into a regional hub for energy production and trade.

He underscored the state's commitment to facilitating the operations of international companies and the private sector in this domain.

On its website, BP said it has invested more than 35 billion U.S. dollars in Egypt over the past 60 years. 
General view of high-rise buildings, UniCredit tower and Vertical Forest building, shrouded in smog in Milan, Italy, February 20, 2024. REUTERS/Claudia Greco

By Claudia Greco and Alessandro Parodi

MILAN (Reuters) - Pietro De Luca lives in Italy's finance and fashion capital Milan but often thinks of moving to a cleaner city with his wife and three children to escape high pollution and the health risks it causes.

"It stinks! I smell a constant stench of smog, I cough, I feel my throat burning," said De Luca, who lives in a second floor apartment in Milan's eastern Citta Studi district.

Levels of fine particulates and other pollutants in Milan rank among the highest in Europe, data from the European Union's Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service and Italian environmental lobby Legambiente showed this month.

Some residents are wearing face masks outdoors to reduce exposure to the dirty air.

Roberto Lorenzutti, who used to live in Milan, says he breathes much better since he left. He had an opportunity to work remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic, and relocated to the island of Sardinia.

"In Milan you have to try and survive in this swamp for five days a week, and get yourself out for the weekend to get a breath of fresh air," he said.

Milan and surrounding cities in Italy's affluent northern region of Lombardy have responded by activating measures on Tuesday to limit the use of the most polluting vehicles during the main hours of the day.

Milan, a city of just over one million people, lies within the densely populated Po Valley, which houses almost one third of Italy's population.

The valley's 17 million inhabitants make it one of the most polluted areas in Europe, for which Italy was in 2020 found in breach of EU clear air directives by the EU Court of Justice.

The problems are caused by dense agricultural and industrial activity in the valley, amplified by its geography which traps the air, said Valentina Bosetti, professor of Environmental and Climate Change Economics at the city's Bocconi University.

In Milan, the levels of air pollutants PM2.5, PM10 and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) last year all breached the guidelines set by the World Health Organization, Legambiente noted.

The issue is a long-standing one for the area and Giorgio Maione, Lombardy regional councillor for the environment, says progress has been made, citing a 39% reduction in PM10 concentration and 45% in NO2 over the past two decades.

Milan environment councillor Elena Eva Maria Grandi, however, said that pollution levels remain very high, and asked for closer cooperation between municipal and regional authorities to evaluate emergency measures for a city that will co-host the Winter Olympics in 2026.

"We are very worried, it is evident," she said.

(Additional reporting by Emilio Parodi, Alvise Armellini and Alberto Chiumento; editing by Keith Weir and Mark Heinrich)
Cattle is pictured on the livestock carrier ship Al Kuwait docking in Cape Town harbour, transporting 19,000 cattle from Brazil to Iraq, in Cape Town, South Africa, February 20, 2024. REUTERS/Esa Alexander

CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - A "death ship" carrying thousands of cattle whose foul smell caused a stink in top tourist city Cape Town is expected to continue its voyage to Iraq later on Tuesday, port officials said.

The ship, en route from Brazil and carrying an estimated 19,000 cattle, docked in Cape Town on Sunday, bringing with it a nauseating odour that permeated the city centre. Some residents thought a large nearby sewerage works had conked out or their nostrils were being assailed by domestic plumbing problems, a Reuters witness said.

A local city councillor, however, confirmed on Monday that the smell was indeed from the "Al Kuwait" vessel, which was immediately boarded by inspectors from the National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) on Sunday evening.

"According to the latest update from the vessel agent and the terminal operator, the estimated departure of the vessel remains 20 February 2024," port operator Transnet said in a statement on Tuesday.

Transnet said the vessel docked for animal feed, vessel stores, bunkers and medical assessments on the bovines.

The NSPCA, which campaigns against the live transport of animals, dubbed the vessel a "Kuwaiti death ship" and attributed the smell to the awful conditions animals endured, having spent two and a half weeks on board, with a build-up of faeces and ammonia.

"The faeces that the cattle were standing is already basically up to the top of their hooves in some pens," Grace le Grange, a senior inspector who boarded the vessel, told Reuters.

"In general the cattle themselves were not in a physically bad condition in terms of weight-wise, but our concern is what happens when they get back onto the ocean," she said.

Le Grange said several animals had to be euthanised due to injuries.

(Reporting by Wendell Roelf; Editing by Leslie Adler)
KYIV (Reuters) - Ukraine has begun an investigation into the alleged shooting by Russian troops of three Ukrainian soldiers captured on the southern front line, prosecutors said on Tuesday, the second such inquiry announced since Sunday.

According to the prosecutor's general office, the three Ukrainian PoWs were shot dead on Sunday near Robotyne, a village wrested back from Russian invasion forces during a Ukrainian counteroffensive last year.

It said in a post on the Telegram messaging app that a criminal proceeding was looking into "the fact of violation of the laws and customs of war, combined with premeditated murder".

Reuters sent a request for comment to Russia's defence ministry.On Sunday, Kyiv said it was investigating the alleged fatal shooting by Russians of six unarmed Ukrainian soldiers after Ukrainian forces withdrew from the embattled town of Avdiivka, in Russia's biggest battlefield success in nine months.

(Reporting by Yuliia Dysa; editing by Mark Heinrich)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Jerusalem, February 18, 2024. REUTERS/Ronen Zvul

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on Tuesday that Israel would not pay any price for the return of hostages still held in Gaza amid ongoing negotiations to secure their release.

Asked about the 134 hostages who remain in Gaza, Smotrich told Kan Radio that their return was "very important" but that they could not be released "at any cost".

He said the way to free them was by ramping up the military pressure on Gaza and defeating Hamas, the armed group that governs the blockaded strip.

His remarks drew rebukes from opposition leader Yair Lapid and minister Benny Gantz and angered some families of hostages who have been trying to up the pressure on the government to strike a deal.

But shortly after the radio interview Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office published a statement echoing Smotrich's position.

"There is a lot of pressure on Israel from home and abroad to stop the war before we achieve all of our goals, including a deal to release the hostages at any cost," Netanyahu said. "We are not willing to pay any price, certainly not the delusional cost that Hamas demands of us, which would mean defeat for the state of Israel."

The remarks came as the United States plans to send its Middle East envoy to the region for continued talks between the U.S., Egypt, Israel and Qatar that seek to broker a ceasefire and the release of hostages.

Israel said 1,200 people were killed and 253 more were abducted into Gaza during the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attack on its towns. Since then, Israel's air, ground and sea offensive has killed nearly 29,000 Palestinians with thousands more trapped under the rubble, according to Palestinian authorities, and laid much of the blockaded enclave to waste.

The most significant release of hostages has so far happened during the only, week-long negotiated pause in the war in November, when Hamas freed 110 Israelis and foreigners it had captured.

(Reporting by Henriette Chacar; Editing by Nick Macfie)
FILE PHOTO: A pedestrian walks past the New Zealand parliament building known as the Beehive in central Wellington, New Zealand, July 3, 2017. REUTERS/David Gray/File Photo

By Lucy Craymer

WELLINGTON (Reuters) -New Zealand parliamentarian and Green Party member Efeso Collins died during a charity event in Auckland on Wednesday, the Green Party said in a statement.

Collins, 49, was participating in a ChildFund Water Run to raise money to bring clean drinking water to countries in the Pacific when he collapsed and died.

Aotearoa (New Zealand) and the Green Party have lost one of the kindest, most dedicated champions of fairness and equality, Green Party co-leaders James Shaw and Marama Davidson said in a statement.

Efeso devoted his life to serving and making a difference to the lives of those he met, including his constituents, colleagues, friends, and family. He held the deepest respect of the members of all political parties and communities, they said.

New Zealand's Parliament will sit this afternoon for political party leaders to make brief comments and then it will adjourn until Feb. 27 as a mark of respect.

Collins, who was born in Auckland, New Zealand, and was of Tokelauan and Samoan heritage, served three terms on the Auckland Council. He was elected to parliament as a member of the Green Party in the 2023 election.

He held the Samoan alii chief title of Faanana from the village of Satufia, Satupaitea in Savaii.

Collins was married and had two children.

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said in a statement he was saddened by the news of Collins' sudden death.

"Efeso was a good man, always friendly and kind, and a true champion and advocate for his Samoan and South Auckland communities," he said.

(Reporting by Lucy Craymer; Editing by Josie Kao)
By Camillus Eboh

ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigeria's defense chief General Christopher Musa said on Tuesday that reports into a military drone attack that killed at least 85 civilians in northern Kaduna state in December will be released by the end of the month.

President Bola Tinubu ordered a thorough investigation following the attack, which had been targeting insurgents and bandits.

The army and air force have been called on to tackle growing threats in Nigeria's northwest and central region posed by armed criminal gangs that spray villages with bullets and carry out mass kidnappings. The military is also battling an Islamist insurgency in the northeast.

"We are here to protect innocent citizens, not to attack them. There was a mistake, and we are addressing such issues," General Musa told reporters in Abuja.

"The reports are ready and would be released probably before the end of this month. We had some delays," the defence chief said, adding that it had been difficult getting the names of casualties.

General Musa said the West African nation was seeking to manufacture weapons as most countries were reluctant to sell armaments to Nigeria due to human rights concerns. He did not mention the countries.

He added that the Niger Republic has withdrawn its troops from a Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), made up of forces from Benin, Cameroon, Chad and Nigeria, to defend its own borders.

The troops were part of a regional army seeking to end the insurgency that has killed thousands and displaced millions more.

(This story has been corrected to fix the month of the attack to December, not November, in paragraph 1)

(Writing by Chijioke Ohuocha; Editing by Sharon Singleton)
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), speaks during an interview with Reuters in Larkana, Pakistan, January 16, 2024. REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro/File Photo

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) -Two major Pakistan political parties said on Tuesday that they had reached a formal agreement to form a coalition government, ending ten days of intense negotiations after an inconclusive national election did not return a clear majority.

The agreement between Bhutto Zardari's Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) of three-time Premier Nawaz Sharif ends days of uncertainty and negotiations after the Feb. 8 elections produced a hung national assembly.

Bhutto Zardari confirmed at a late night press conference in Islamabad that former premier Shehbaz Sharif, who was seated beside him, would be the coalition's candidate for prime minister.

He added that his father Asif Ali Zardari will be the alliance's candidate for the country's president.

Shehbaz Sharif, the younger brother of Nawaz, said the two parties had the numbers to form government, and also had the support of other smaller parties.

PML-N is the largest party with 79 seats and PPP is second with 54. They, along with four other smaller parties, have a comfortable majority in the legislature of 264 seats.

The delay in forming a government in the nuclear-armed nation of 241 million has caused concern as Pakistan is grappling with an economic crisis amid slow growth and record inflation, rising militant violence, and needs a stable administration with the authority to take tough decisions.

Bhutto Zardari said the parties would push to form government as soon as possible.

According to the country's constitution, a session of parliament has to be called by Feb. 29 after which a vote for a new prime minister will take place.

(Reporting by Gibran PeshimamEditing by Alistair Bell)
By Guy Faulconbridge

MOSCOW (Reuters) -President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday Russian troops would push further into Ukraine to build on their success on the battlefield after the fall of the town of Avdiivka where he said Ukrainian troops had been forced to flee in chaos.

The town, which once had a population of 32,000, fell to Russia on Saturday, Putin's biggest battlefield victory since Russian forces captured the city of Bakhmut in May 2023.

Television footage released by Russia's defence ministry showed that almost every house in Avdiivka had been branded with war.

Putin said on Tuesday the Ukrainian order to withdraw from the town had been announced after Ukrainian troops had already begun to flee in chaos. He said that all captured Ukrainian soldiers should be accorded their rights under international conventions on prisoners.

"As for the overall situation in Avdiivka, this is an absolute success, I congratulate you. It needs to be built on," Putin told Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu in the Kremlin.

"But that development must be well-prepared, provided with personnel, weapons, equipment and ammunition," Putin said. "It seems to be self-evident, but nevertheless I draw your attention to it."

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told CNN that Avdiivka would not have fallen had Kyiv received weapons held up by the U.S. Congress' failure to approve a large aid package.

"We wouldn't (have lost) Avdiivka if we had all the artillery ammunition that we needed to defend it. Russia does not intend to pause or withdraw...Once Avdiivka is under their control, they undoubtedly will choose another city and begin to storm it," Kuleba said.

Ukrainian troops, he said, were "making miracles...but the reason they have to sacrifice themselves and die is that someone is still debating a decision. I want everyone to remember that every day of debate in one place means another death in another place."

The U.S. Senate this month passed a $95 billion aid package that includes funds for Ukraine, but House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson has declined to bring it up for a vote on the floor of the House.

MONTHS OF FIGHTING

Ukraine said it withdrew its soldiers to save them from being fully surrounded after months of fierce fighting. The Ukrainian military said there had been casualties, but that the situation had stabilised somewhat after the retreat.

Each side said the other had suffered huge losses.

After the failure of Ukraine to pierce Russian front lines in the east and south last year, Moscow has been trying to grind down Ukrainian forces just as Kyiv ponders a major new mobilisation.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy appointed a new commander last week to run the war.

Putin sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in February 2022, triggering full-scale war after eight years of conflict in eastern Ukraine between Ukrainian forces on one side and pro-Russian Ukrainians and Russian proxies on the other.

Avdiivka, called Avdeyevka by Russians, has endured a decade of conflict. It holds particular symbolism for Russia as it was briefly taken in 2014 by Moscow-backed separatists who seized a swathe of eastern Ukraine, but was then recaptured by Ukrainian troops who built extensive fortifications.

Avdiivka sits in the industrial Donbas region, 15 km (9 miles) north of the Russian-controlled Ukrainian city of Donetsk. Before the war, Avdiivka's Soviet-era coke plant was one of Europe's biggest.

Shoigu said Russian forces had also taken control of the village of Krynky in Ukraine's southern Kherson region. Ukraine's southern military command said its troops had held their positions on the left bank of the River Dnipro and that Russian attacks were unsuccessful.

Neither side gives death tolls for the war.

(Reporting by Reuters; editing by Andrew Osborn, Ron Popeski and Mark Heinrich)
Loblaw logo and stock graph seen displayed in this illustration taken, May 3, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

(Reuters) -Canadian food and pharmacy retailer Loblaw Companies said on Tuesday it expects to invest over C$2 billion ($1.48 billion) this year to create more than 7,500 jobs.

While the investment is in line with last year's, the retailer plans to create roughly 1,500 more jobs in 2024.

Loblaw plans to use the investment to improve its store network by renovating more than 700 stores and building more than 40 others.

The retail chain in November beat third-quarter profit estimates on steady demand for essentials amid surging food prices in the country.

($1 = 1.3479 Canadian dollars)

(Reporting by Annett Mary Manoj in Bengaluru; Editing by Devika Syamnath)
FILE PHOTO: A combine harvests wheat in a field of a local agricultural enterprise in the Cherlaksky district of the Omsk region, Russia, September 8, 2023. REUTERS/Alexey Malgavko/File Photo

(Reuters) - Russia's agriculture minister said late on Tuesday that Moscow had completed its initiative of shipping 200,000 metric tonnes of free grain to six African countries, as promised by President Vladimir Putin in July.

Russia shipped 50,000 tonnes each to Somalia and the Central African Republic and 25,000 tonnes each to Mali, Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe and Eritrea, Agriculture Minister Dmitry Patrushev told Putin during a meeting, according to transcript on the Kremlin's website.

Putin had promised to deliver free grain to the six countries at a summit with African leaders in July, soon after Moscow withdrew from a deal that had allowed Ukraine to ship grain from its Black Sea ports despite the war Russia has been waging.

The deal, known as the Black Sea grain initiative, had helped lower prices on the global market. But Putin argued it was failing to get supplies to the countries in most urgent need.

"After the Russia-Africa summit, we have been maintaining relations (with African countries and building cooperation," Patrushev told Putin. "As a result, we were able to deliver this volume of wheat to these countries quite quickly."

He also told Putin that Russia expects to export up to 70 million metric tonnes of grain in the 2023-2024 agricultural year. In the previous season, Russia shipped 66 million tonnes worth almost $16.5 billion, he added.

The 2023-2024 agricultural year started July 1, 2023, and lasts until June 30, 2024.

(Reporting by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Editing by Josie Kao)
CONAKRY, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Guinea's transitional president General Mamady Doumbouya on Monday dissolved the government led by Prime Minister Bernard Goumou.

According to a decree read on television by Minister Secretary General of the Presidency Amara Camara, secretaries general, heads of cabinet and deputy secretaries general are responsible for managing current affairs before the establishment of a new government.

The reason for the dissolution was not mentioned in the decree. 
Sweden's Defense Minister Pal Jonson speaks during the Society and Defense National Conference in Salen, Sweden, 8 January, 2024. Pontus Lundahl/TT News Agency/via REUTERS/File Photo

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Sweden's defence ministry said on Tuesday the Nordic country will donate military aid to Ukraine worth some 7.1 billion Swedish crowns ($682 million), including the transfer of equipment and fresh cash for arms procurement.

It will be Sweden's 15th round of aid for Ukraine and the Nordic country's biggest such package to date, taking its overall aid since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022 to around 30 billion crowns.

"We will continue to support Ukraine for as long as it takes," Defence Minister Pal Jonson told a press conference.

The package includes around 2 billion crowns worth of artillery ammunition as well as anti-aircraft artillery and recoilless rifles, Sweden said.

It also includes maritime assault vessels and other vessels, and underwater arms such as mines and subsea drones.

As part of the package Sweden also earmarks cash for the purchase of material through international Ukraine funds, and 1 billion crowns for the purchase of around 10 new armoured combat vehicles that will be ready for delivery to Ukraine in 2026.

($1 = 10.4054 Swedish crowns)

(Reporting by Anna Ringstrom, editing by Terje Solsvik)
ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkish authorities have detained six people suspected of spying on Uyghurs in Turkey for China's intelligence service, and another suspect was being sought by police, state-run Anadolu news agency reported on Tuesday.

Prosecutors in Istanbul identified seven people believed to be gathering information on notable individuals from the Uyghur community and some associations tied to them in Turkey, Anadolu said, without providing further details.

Some 50,000 Uyghurs are estimated to live in Turkey, the largest Uyghur diaspora outside Central Asia. Turks have close ethnic, religious and linguistic ties to the Uyghurs, a mostly Muslim people who speak a Turkic language.

Beijing has come under scrutiny - including from Ankara - over its treatment of its Uyghur minority. The Chinese embassy in Turkey did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Anadolu report.

Last month, Turkish authorities detained 34 people suspected of being linked to Israel's Mossad intelligence service and of targeting Palestinians living in Turkey. The MIT intelligence service has since carried out other operations against suspected Mossad agents in Turkey.

(Reporting by Ece Toksabay; writing by Burcu Karakas; editing by Tuvan Gumrukcu and Mark Heinrich)
Delegates hold up placards in support of Palestine at the Labour Party's conference in Liverpool, Britain, September 25, 2018. REUTERS/Hannah McKay/File Photo

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's opposition Labour Party has called for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, a change of policy that seeks to avoid another parliamentary rebellion over an issue that has caused deep internal divisions.

Lawmakers will vote on Wednesday on an opposition Scottish National Party motion calling for an immediate ceasefire. That threatened to reprise a row in Labour after nearly a third of its lawmakers defied the leadership last year to back calls for a ceasefire.

Labour drafted its own amendment that calls for an "immediate humanitarian ceasefire". It also added some conditions to it in accordance with the positions of other Western nations, in a shift of policy after the party previously only called for a lasting ceasefire.

"Our amendment calls for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, in line with our allies. We need the hostages released and returned. We need the fighting to stop now. We need a massive humanitarian aid programme for Gaza. And any military action in Rafah cannot go ahead," a spokesperson said.

With Labour well ahead in opinion polls, the party is expected to form the next government at a national election later this year.

But its response to the war in Gaza has caused conflict among the parliamentary party and its supporters.

A similar motion tabled by the SNP in November saw Labour leader Keir Starmer suffer the biggest rebellion of his leadership when 56 Labour members of parliament voted to back it.

Labour's amendment calls on the House of Commons to "support Australia, Canada and New Zealand's calls for Hamas to release and return all hostages".

The amendment also "condemns the terrorism of Hamas" and says that "Israel cannot be expected to cease fighting if Hamas continues with violence".

The war in Gaza started last October when Hamas fighters burst into southern Israel, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and seizing more than 250 hostages.

Since then the Israeli military response has resulted in the deaths of more than 29,000 Palestinians, according to Palestinian health authorities.

(Reporting by Andrew MacAskill, editing by Elizabeth Piper and Kate Holton)
Algerias Ambassador to the United Nations Sofiane Mimouni speaks before a vote on a U.N. Security Council resolution to demand an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, at U.N. headquarters in New

By Michelle Nichols

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) -The United States on Tuesday again vetoed a draft United Nations Security Council resolution on the Israel-Hamas war, blocking a demand for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire as it instead pushes the 15-member body to call for a temporary ceasefire linked to the release of hostages held by Hamas.

Thirteen council members voted in favor of the Algerian-drafted text, while Britain abstained. It was the third U.S. veto of a draft resolution since the start of the current fighting on Oct. 7. Washington has also used its veto to block an amendment to draft resolution in December.

"A vote in favor of this draft resolution is support to the Palestinians right to life. Conversely, voting against it implies an endorsement of the brutal violence and collective punishment inflicted upon them," Algeria's U.N. Ambassador Amar Bendjama told the council before the vote.

U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield signaled on Saturday that the U.S. would veto the draft resolution over concerns it could jeopardize talks between the U.S., Egypt, Israel and Qatar that seek to broker a pause in the war and the release of hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

"Demanding an immediate, unconditional ceasefire without an agreement requiring Hamas to release the hostages will not bring about a durable peace. Instead, it could extend the fighting between Hamas and Israel," Thomas-Greenfield told the council ahead of the vote.

The Algerian-drafted resolution vetoed by the U.S. did not link a ceasefire to the release of hostages. It separately demanded an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.

"The message given today to Israel with this veto is that it can continue to get away with murder," Palestinian U.N. envoy Riyad Mansour told the council.

Israel's U.N. Ambassador Gilad Erdan said the word ceasefire was being mentioned "as if it is a silver bullet, a magical solution to all of the region's problems."

"A ceasefire achieves one thing and one thing only - the survival of Hamas," Erdan told the council. "A ceasefire is a death sentence for many more Israelis and Gazans."

TEMPORARY CEASEFIRE

The U.S. has now proposed a rival draft resolution calling for a temporary ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war and opposing a major ground offensive by its ally Israel in Rafah, according to the text seen by Reuters on Monday. It said it plans to allow time for negotiations and will not rush to a vote.

Until now, Washington has been averse to the word ceasefire in any U.N. action on the Israel-Hamas war, but the U.S. text echoes language that President Joe Biden said he used last week in conversations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The U.S. draft resolution would see the Security Council "underscore its support for a temporary ceasefire in Gaza as soon as practicable, based on the formula of all hostages being released, and calls for lifting all barriers to the provision of humanitarian assistance at scale."

This is the second time since Oct. 7 that Washington has proposed a Security Council resolution on Gaza. Russia and China vetoed its first attempt in late October.

Washington traditionally shields Israel from U.N. action. But it has also abstained twice, allowing the council to adopt resolutions that aimed to boost aid to Gaza and called for extended pauses in fighting.

The war began when fighters from the Hamas militant group that runs Gaza attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and capturing 253 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. In retaliation, Israel launched a military assault on Gaza that health authorities say has killed nearly 29,000 Palestinians with thousands more bodies feared lost amid the ruins.

In December, more than three-quarters of the 193-member U.N. General Assembly voted to demand an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. General Assembly resolutions are not binding but carry political weight, reflecting a global view on the war.

(Reporting by Michelle NicholsEditing by Alistair Bell)
FILE PHOTO: U.S. envoy to the coalition against Islamic State Brett McGurk attends the Kuwait International Conference for Reconstruction of Iraq, in Bayan, Kuwait February 13, 2018. REUTERS/Stephanie McGehee

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Middle East envoy Brett McGurk will travel to the region this week for continued talks on securing the release of hostages held by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas in Gaza, a senior Biden administration official said on Tuesday.

McGurk, who participated in earlier negotiations, will visit Egypt on Wednesday and Israel on Thursday, the official said.

The meetings are the latest in ongoing talks between the United States, Egypt, Israel and Qatar that seek to broker a pause in the war and the release of more than 100 hostages held by Hamas following its deadly Oct. 7 attack on Israel.

Meanwhile, the U.S. is also proposing a draft United Nations Security Council resolution calling for a temporary ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war and opposing a major ground offensive by its ally Israel in Rafah, after signaling a U.S. veto on a rival resolution on Tuesday that it said could jeopardize talks.

The United States does "not plan to rush" to a vote in order to allow time for negotiations, a senior U.S. administration official told Reuters on Monday, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

U.S. officials have said the ongoing hostage talks have been productive but have required more ongoing work.

(Reporting by Steve Holland; writing by Susan Heavey; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)
FILE PHOTO: A screenshot taken on February 19, 2024 shows a take down notice that a group of global intelligence agencies issued to a dark web site called Lockbit. Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

By James Pearson and Karen Freifeld

LONDON/NEW YORK (Reuters) -An international law enforcement operation led by Britain's National Crime Agency and the FBI has arrested and indicted members of the Lockbit ransomware gang, in an unprecedented police operation that has struck one of the world's most notorious cybercrime gangs.

The United States has charged two Russian nationals with deploying Lockbit ransomware against companies and groups around the world. Police in Poland and Ukraine made two arrests.

The NCA, U.S. Department of Justice, FBI and Europol gathered in London to announce the disruption of the gang, which has targeted over 2,000 victims worldwide, received more than $120 million in ransom payments and demanded hundreds of millions of dollars, the DOJ said.

Britain's National Crime Agency Cyber Division, with the U.S. Department of Justice, the FBI and other law enforcement agencies seized control of websites used by Lockbit the gang and U.S. and British authorities said. The agencies also took the extraordinary step of using Lockbit's own website to release internal data about the group itself.

We have hacked the hackers," Graeme Biggar, director general of the National Crime Agency, told journalists. "We have taken control of their infrastructure, seized their source code and obtained keys that will help victims decrypt their systems,

The takedown, dubbed Operation Cronos was an international coalition of 10 countries, he said. Together, we have arrested, indicted or sanctioned some of the perpetrators and we have gained unprecedented and comprehensive access to Lockbits systems.

As of today, Lockbit is effectively redundant, he added. Lockbit has been locked out.

A representative for Lockbit did not respond to messages from Reuters seeking comment.

Obtained in New Jersey, the unsealed indictment charges Artur Sungatov and Ivan Kondratyev, also known as Bassterlord, with using Lockbit ransomware to target victims in manufacturing, logistics, insurance and other companies in five states and Puerto Rico, as well as in semiconductor and other industries around the world.

Additional criminal charges against Kondratyev were unsealed on Tuesday related to his use of ransomware in 2020 against a victim in California, the Justice department said.

Both men were also sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury.

In November last year, Lockbit published internal data from Boeing, one of the world's largest defence and space contractors, and said the U.S. arm of China's ICBC had paid a ransom following an attack that disrupted trades in the U.S. Treasury market.

In early 2023, Britains Royal Mail faced severe disruption after an attack by the group.

LOCKBIT CAUSED BILLIONS IN DAMAGES

Ransomware is malicious software that encrypts data; Lockbit and its affiliates makes money by coercing its targets into paying ransom to decrypt or unlock that data with a digital key. The gang's digital extortion tools have been used against some of the worlds largest organisations in recent months.

Its affiliates are like-minded criminal groups that Lockbit recruits to wage attacks using those tools. Those affiliates carry out the attacks, and provide Lockbit a cut of the ransom, which is usually demanded in the form of cryptocurrency, making it harder to trace.

Operation Cronos seized 34 of Lockbit's servers, arrested two members of the gang, froze 200 cryptocurrency accounts, and closed 14,000 "rouge accounts" used online to launch Lockbit's operations, the police agencies said.

Lockbit has caused monetary losses totaling billions, the NCA's Biggar said, to businesses who not only had to pay ransom payments, but also had to shoulder the cost of getting their systems back online.

Before it was taken down, Lockbit's website displayed an ever-growing gallery of victim organisations that was updated nearly daily. Next to their names were digital clocks that showed the number of days left to the deadline given to each organisation to provide ransom payment.

On Tuesday, the Lockbit leak website had been transformed by the NCA, FBI and Europol into a leak site about the criminal gang itself, onto which international police agencies published internal data from inside the group, and countdown clocks threatening to reveal upcoming sanctions and the identity of Lockbits ringleader, LockbitSupp.

(Reporting by James Pearson in London and Karen Freifeld in New York; Additional reporting by Katharine Jackson and Christopher Bing in Washington; Editing by Chris Sanders and Lisa Shumaker)
FILE PHOTO: Manhattan skyline is seen during sunset in New York City, New York, U.S. March 29, 2023. REUTERS/Amanda Perobelli

By John Kruzel

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday turned away a bid by landlords to challenge rent stabilization laws in New York City that cap rent hikes and make it harder to evict tenants.

The justices declined to hear appeals by property owners and industry groups of lower court rulings that found the price and eviction controls did not violate what is known as the "takings clause" of the U.S. Constitution's Fifth Amendment, which bars the government from taking property without compensating owners.

New York City's modern rent stabilization system, enacted in 1969, was designed to address a shortage of affordable housing by capping rent increases and curbing the authority of property owners to evict tenants.

The law, which was passed by New York state legislature and is implemented by the city, generally applies to buildings constructed before 1974 with at least six units, covering nearly one million apartments - around half of all apartment rentals in New York City. A city government panel each year decides the percentage increase landlords can charge for rent-stabilized units.

According to proponents, rent stabilization measures protect communities by reducing tenant dislocation and homelessness, and by allowing residents to have long-term homes in a neighborhood.

The New York law was amended in 2019 to expand tenant protections, drawing legal challenges from landlords and trade associations seeking higher investment returns and more control over their property.

The Manhattan-based 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected that constitutional challenge in several recent rulings, prompting appeals to the Supreme Court.

The "takings clause" states that private property shall not be "taken for public use, without just compensation."

Challengers to rent stabilization laws have said their "takings clause" argument is supported by a Supreme Court decision from 2021. In that case, the justices ruled that a California regulation allowing union organizers to enter agricultural properties without an employer's consent was akin to the government taking private property for public use without just compensation in violation of the Fifth Amendment.

(Reporting by John Kruzel; Editing by Will Dunham)
CAIRO (Reuters) - A vessel sustained "superficial damage" after being hit by a drone in the Red Sea, 60 nautical miles north of Djibouti, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said on Monday.

British Maritime Security Firm Ambrey also said early on Tuesday that a Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier was physically damaged by an unmanned aerial vehicle in an incident approximately 60 nautical miles north of Djibouti.

It was unclear if the two incidents reported by UKMTO and Ambrey were related to the same vessel.

The attack resulted in minor damage to the vessel's accommodation superstructure, UKMTO said in an advisory note.

"The crew are reported to be safe and the vessel is proceeding to its next port of call," the advisory said.

The Iran-aligned Yemeni Houthis have carried out repeated drone and missile strikes since November in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait, saying they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza war.

The Gaza conflict has spilled over into other parts of the Middle East. Lebanon's Iran-aligned Hezbollah has traded fire with Israeli troops along the border, and Iraqi-armed groups have attacked U.S. forces in Iraq.

U.S. and British forces have responded with multiple strikes on Houthi facilities but have so far failed to halt the attacks.

(Reporting by Hatem Maher, Adam Makary, Yomna Ehab and Enas Alashray; Editing by Sandra Maler and Stephen Coates)
By Roushni Nair and Praveen Menon

(Reuters) -Virgin Australia's Jayne Hrdlicka stepped down as chief executive on Tuesday, ahead of plans to relist Australia's second largest carrier that have been in the works since it was taken out of administration four years ago.

Hrdlicka, who was CEO for four years, led the airline when it purchased by U.S. private equity firm Bain Capital in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a statement, Virgin said the time was right for Hrdlicka to hand over, as the airline had returned to profitability in fiscal 2023, and had a strong first half in fiscal 2024.

"I have decided the time is right for me to signal CEO transition for this great airline and ultimately to pass the baton on," Hrdlicka said in the statement, adding that the airline is in the midst of its next phase of transformation and there was "an IPO to deliver".

Bain had said in January last year that it would explore re-listing Virgin, which it bought for A$3.5 billion including liabilities after it was placed in voluntary administration, the closest Australian equivalent to Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Bain was targeting an A$1 billion listing, but the plans were delayed, Reuters reported last year.

The listing would be the largest new share sale on the Australian exchange in almost two years since GQG Partners raised A$1.18 billion in a 2021 listing.

An executive leading the IPO plans resigned in October last year.

Hrdlicka, who is also the chairman and board president of Tennis Australia, was the airline's first female chief executive.

"Her leadership was fundamental to repositioning the airline back to its roots as a value carrier, returning Virgin Australia to profitability for the first time in 11 years," Virgin Australia Chairman Ryan Cotton said.

The airline said it intends to commence a global search process for a new CEO.

(Reporting by Roushni Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Miral Fahmy)
FILE PHOTO: Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley speaks during a campaign visit ahead of the Republican presidential primary election in Camden, South Carolina, U.S. February 19, 2024. REUTERS/Rand

By Gram Slattery

GREENVILLE, South Carolina (Reuters) - Republican candidate Nikki Haley pledged to press ahead with her long-shot presidential bid on Tuesday, saying "we don't anoint kings in this country" and that she had no intention of dropping out after Saturday's nominating contest in South Carolina.

"I feel no need to kiss the ring. And I have no fear of Trump's retribution," she said in a speech in Greenville, South Carolina, where she is expected to lose to former President Donald Trump in this weekend's primary in her home state.

Trump has an overwhelming lead in national polls, and his allies have ratcheted up pressure on Haley to drop out of the race after she lost the first four nominating contests by huge margins. Her insistence on continuing her White House bid has angered Trump's campaign, which has mocked her and threatened to cut off donors who continue to give her money.

During her speech on Tuesday, Haley slammed Trump for being too old, divisive and self-absorbed to be an effective leader. She also sharply criticized his history of insulting military veterans and appeared to choke up when discussing her husband, Michael Haley, a service member who is deployed overseas.

Still, she added that she was not a "Never Trumper." She said she had a "handful" of problems with the former president, while she said she had "countless" issues with Democratic President Joe Biden.

"We don't anoint kings in this country. We have elections," Haley said in her speech. "Thats why I refuse to quit. South Carolina will vote on Saturday. But on Sunday, Ill still be running for president. Im not going anywhere."

Haley, who served as governor of South Carolina from 2011 to 2017, is down some 60 points to Trump nationally, according to an average maintained by polling and analysis website FiveThirtyEight. Earlier on Tuesday, Trump's campaign released a memo arguing that the former president was on track to mathematically clinch the nomination by March 12 based on current data.

Haley used the speech in part to respond to criticism that she is hurting Trump by staying in the race. Most of Trump's issues, she said, were self-inflicted.

If she were campaigning with the hope of raising her profile to set up another presidential run in four years, Haley said she would have dropped out already.

Haley's deep-pocketed allies have begun to turn their attention to several states and territories that vote in early March, some of which have a high proportion of well-educated suburbanites. That demographic made up Haley's core base of support in the opening primary contests.

Haley's campaign itself has rolled out leadership teams in at least seven states that vote on March 5 - a primary date known as "Super Tuesday" - as well as a leadership team in Georgia, where voters go to the polls on March 12.

(Reporting by Gram Slattery, editing by Ross Colvin and Bill Berkrot)
ABUJA, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- At least nine people were killed after a truck and a bus collided in Nigeria's southwestern state of Ogun early Tuesday, traffic police said.

Seven others were injured in the incident, which occurred on a bridge along the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, Florence Okpe, a spokesperson for the Federal Road Safety Corps in Ogun, told reporters in the state capital of Abeokuta.

The incident was caused by "overspeeding and route violation, which led to a head-on collision between the truck and the bus," Okpe said, citing a traffic police investigation.

She added that the injured victims were rushed to a nearby hospital.

While cautioning motorists against traffic violations and speeding, the official noted the enormous dangers associated with the infractions and advised road users to always abide by traffic rules and regulations. 
FILE PHOTO: Leon Black, then Chairman and CEO Apollo Global Management, LLC, takes part in Private Equity: Rebalancing Risk session during the 2014 Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, California April 29, 2014. REUTERS/Kevork Djansezian/F

By Jonathan Stempel

NEW YORK (Reuters) -A woman who accused billionaire Leon Black of raping her two decades ago at the Manhattan mansion of disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has ended her lawsuit against the Apollo Global Management co-founder.

Cheri Pierson dismissed her claims in a so-called stipulation of discontinuance filed with a New York state court in Manhattan on Thursday.

The dismissal is with prejudice, meaning Pierson cannot sue again, and she cannot recoup her costs. Black dropped a related appeal on Friday.

A lawyer for Pierson did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Danya Perry, a lawyer for Black, confirmed the dismissal of Pierson's case.

Black's legal team rejected Pierson's claims as baseless from the outset. "I have never met Ms. Pierson," Black said in a statement provided by a spokesperson on Tuesday. "I have no further comment."

In her November 2022 complaint, Pierson alleged that Epstein arranged for her in 2002 to give Black a massage for $300.

She said Black, who was 8 inches (20.32 cm) taller and weighed more than twice as much, physically overwhelmed her and left her in "excruciating pain."

Black, 72, was worth $13.6 billion on Tuesday according to Forbes magazine.

He is still pursuing a malicious prosecution lawsuit against the Wigdor law firm, which represented Pierson and two other women who said Black raped them, which he denies.

The lawsuit by one of the women, former Russian model Guzel Ganieva, was dismissed last May, while a lawsuit by an autistic woman who chose to remain anonymous is still pending.

Black left Apollo, the private equity firm, in 2021 after a review by an outside law firm found he had paid Epstein $158 million for tax and estate planning.

He also reached a $62.5 million settlement with the U.S. Virgin Islands, where Epstein had a home, to avoid a possible lawsuit.

Epstein died by suicide in August 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking.

The case is Pierson v Black, New York State Supreme Court, New York County, No. 952002/2022.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Matthew Lewis and Stephen Coates)
Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of Alexei Navalny, reacts on the day of a meeting of European Union foreign ministers in Brussels, Belgium February 19, 2024. REUTERS/Yves Herman/Pool

MOSCOW (Reuters) -The X account of Yulia Navalnaya, widow of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, was briefly suspended on Tuesday due to what the social media company said was an error caused by a system to prevent manipulation and spam.

"Our platform's defence mechanism against manipulation and spam mistakenly flagged @yulia_navalnaya as violating our rules," X said in a statement.

"We unsuspended the account as soon as we became aware of the error, and will be updating the defence."

Navalnaya, who has said she wants to continue her late husband's political struggle against President Vladimir Putin, opened the account on Monday.

It has so far attracted more than 150,000 followers and a video statement she posted on it on Monday has been viewed nearly 5 million times.

(Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Guy FaulconbridgeEditing by Andrew Osborn and Peter Graff)
CAIRO (Reuters) -British maritime security firm Ambrey said that a container ship targeted by Yemen's Houthis on Tuesday was Liberia-flagged and headed for Somalia.

The Iran-aligned Houthi militia said it had targeted an Israeli cargo ship, the "MSC Silver", in the Gulf of Aden, next to the Red Sea, with a number of missiles.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea did not elaborate, but in a statement said the group had also used drones to target a number of U.S. warships in the Red Sea and Arabian Sea as well as sites in the southern Israeli resort town of Eilat.

"The Houthis characterised the vessel as Israeli. The operator was publicly listed as (in) cooperation with ZIM and regularly called (at) Israeli ports," the Ambrey advisory note said.

Zim Integrated Shipping Services Ltd, commonly known as ZIM, is a publicly held Israeli international cargo shipping company headquartered in Israel.

The Houthis, who control Yemen's most populous regions, have attacked vessels with commercial ties to the United States, Britain and Israel, prompting retaliatory Western strikes on Houthi military sites in Yemen.

The Houthis have vowed to continue targeting ships linked to Israel in solidarity with Palestinians until Israeli forces stop their war in Gaza.

"There is no danger to international or European navigation so long as there are no aggressive operations, and thus, there is no need to militarise the Red Sea," Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdul Salam said in a post on X on Tuesday.

"What the world is impatiently waiting for is not the militarisation of the Red Sea, but rather an urgent and comprehensive declaration of a ceasefire in Gaza, for humanitarian reasons that are clear to anyone."

(Reporting by Mohamed Ghobari; writing by Adam Makary and Muhammad Al Gebaly; editing by Alexandra Hudson, Mark Heinrich and Nick Macfie)
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 20, 2024 Registration No. 333-177657

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM F-6/A

POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 FOR DEPOSITARY SHARES EVIDENCED BY

AMERICAN DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS

___________

FUJITSU LIMITED

(Exact name of issuer of deposited securities as specified in its charter)

___________

N/A

(Translation of issuer's name in English)

___________

Japan

(Jurisdiction of incorporation or organization of issuer)

CITIBANK, N.A.

(Exact name of depositary as specified in its charter)

388 Greenwich Street

New York, New York 10013

(212) 723-5435

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of depositary's principal executive offices)

_____________________

CITIBANK, N.A.  DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS DEPARTMENT

388 Greenwich Street

New York, New York 10013

(877) 248-4237

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code of agent for service)

_____________________

It is proposed that this filing become effective under Rule 466:  immediately upon filing.  on April 2, 2024 at 8:30 A.M. (EST).

If a separate registration statement has been filed to register the deposited shares, check the following box: 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

Title of Each Class of Securities to be Registered Amount to be Registered Proposed Maximum Offering Price Per Unit* Proposed Maximum Aggregate Offering Price** Amount of Registration Fee American Depositary Shares each representing the right to receive one (1) share of common stock of Fujitsu Limited. N/A N/A N/A N/A

* Each unit represents 100 American Depositary Shares.

** Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee. Pursuant to Rule 457(k), such estimate is computed on the basis of the maximum aggregate fees or charges to be imposed in connection with the issuance of American Depositary Shares.





PART I

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Cross Reference Sheet

Item 1. DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED

Item Number and Caption Location in Form of American Depositary Receipt ( Receipt ) Filed Herewith as Prospectus 1. Name of Depositary and address of its principal executive office Face of Receipt - Introductory Article 2. Title of Receipts and identity of deposited securities Face of Receipt - Top center. Terms of Deposit: (i) The amount of deposited securities represented by one American Depositary Share ( ADS ) Face of Receipt - Upper right corner. (ii) The procedure for voting, if any, the deposited securities Reverse of Receipt - Paragraphs 12, 14 and 17 (iii) The procedure for collecting and distributing dividends Face of Receipt - Paragraphs 4 and 8; Reverse of Receipt - Paragraphs 13, 14 and 17 (iv) The procedure for transmitting notices, reports and proxy soliciting material Reverse of Receipt - Paragraphs 11 and 12 (v) The sale or exercise of rights Reverse of Receipt - Paragraphs 13 and 14 (vi) The deposit or sale of securities resulting from dividends, splits or plans of reorganization Face of Receipt - Paragraphs 4 and 8; Reverse of Receipt  Paragraphs 13, 14, 16 and 17 (vii) Amendment, extension or termination of the deposit arrangements Reverse of Receipt  Paragraphs 18 and 19 (no provision for extension) (viii) The rights that holders of Receipts have to inspect the transfer books of the Depositary and the list of Receipt holders Face of Receipt - Paragraph 3 (ix) Any restrictions on the right to transfer or withdraw the underlying securities Face of Receipt - Paragraphs 2, 4, 5, and 6

I-1

(x) Any limitation on the Depositarys liability Face of Receipt - Paragraphs 1 and 8; Reverse of Receipt - Paragraphs 12, 15 and 17 3. Fees and charges that a holder of Receipts may have to pay, either directly or indirectly Reverse of Receipt  Paragraph 20

Item 2. AVAILABLE INFORMATION Reverse of Receipt - Paragraph 11

Based on the reasonable good faith belief of the Depositary after exercising reasonable diligence, the registrant represents that, as of the date hereof, Fujitsu Limited (the  Company ) publishes in English the information contemplated in Rule 12g3-2(b) under the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the  Exchange Act ), on its internet website or through an electronic information delivery system generally available to the public in the Company's primary trading market. As of the date hereof the Company's internet website is www.fujitsu.com. The information so published by the Company cannot be retrieved from the Commission's internet website, and cannot be inspected or copied at the public reference facilities maintained by the Commission.

I-2

prospectus

IN ACCORDANCE WITH GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS III. B OF FORM F-6, THIS PAGE AND THE FORM OF AMERICAN DEPOSITARY RECEIPT ATTACHED AS AN EXHIBIT TO THIS POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO FORM F-6 REGISTRATION STATEMENT CONSTITUTE THE PROSPECTUS RELATING TO THE AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES TO BE ISSUED PURSUANT TO THIS POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO FORM F-6 REGISTRATION STATEMENT.

I-3

PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item 3. EXHIBITS

(a) The agreement between Citibank, N.A., as depositary (the  Depositary ), and all holders and beneficial owners from time to time of American Depositary Shares registered hereunder.  Filed herewith as Exhibit (a).

(b) Any other agreement to which the Depositary is a party relating to the issuance of the American Depositary Shares registered hereunder or the custody of the deposited securities.  None.

(c) Every material contract relating to the deposited securities between the Depositary and the issuer of the deposited securities in effect at any time within the last three years.  None.

(d) Opinion of Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP, counsel for the Depositary, as to the legality of the securities to be registered.  Previously filed.

(e) Certification under Rule 466.  Filed herewith as Exhibit (e).



Item 4. UNDERTAKINGS

(a) The Depositary hereby undertakes to make available at the principal office of the Depositary in the United States, for inspection by holders of the Receipts, any reports and communications received from the issuer of the deposited securities which are both (1) received by the Depositary as the holder of the deposited securities, and (2) made generally available to the holders of the underlying securities by the issuer.

(b) The Depositary undertakes to prepare a separate document stating the amount of any fee charged and describing the service for which it is charged and to deliver promptly a copy of such fee schedule without charge to anyone upon request. The Depositary undertakes to notify each registered holder of a Receipt thirty days before any change in the fee schedule.

II-1

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that all the requirements for filing on Form F-6 are met and has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment No. 2 to Form F-6 Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of New York, State of New York, on the 20th day of February, 2024.

Legal entity created by the agreement set forth in the American Depositary Receipts evidencing American Depositary Shares representing the right to receive shares of common stock of Fujitsu Limited. CITIBANK, N.A., as Depositary By: /s/ Rosemary Asafo-Adjei Name: Rosemary Asafo-Adjei Title: Vice President

II-2

Index of Exhibits

Exhibit Document Sequentially Numbered Page (a) Form of ADR (d) Previously Filed (e) Rule 466 Undertaking

ATTACHMENTS / EXHIBITS

e619281_ex99-a.htm

e619281_ex99-e.htm
A CV-22B Osprey arrives at Yokota Air Base, Japan, April 5, 2018. (Stars and Stripes)

YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan  The U.S. militarys fleet of Osprey tiltrotor aircraft, grounded since December after a fatal crash off the Japanese coast, could be flying again within weeks, according to a media report citing unnamed military officials.

A CV-22B Osprey from Yokotas 21st Special Operations Squadron went down Nov. 29 during a routine training mission off Yakushima, an island in southern Japan.

Investigators probing the crash, which killed eight airmen, are looking at a possible mishap involving the aircrafts propeller rotor gearbox, the officials said in a Tuesday report by NBC News.

Preliminary findings determined the crash was likely the result of equipment failure, not pilot error, Stars and Stripes previously reported.

Twenty service members, including those killed the Japan crash, have died in Osprey mishaps the past two years.

Four Marines perished March 18, 2022, in a Norway accident attributed to pilot error.

Three months later, another five Marines died in Southern California crash investigators blamed on a hard clutch engagement associated with the gearbox.

Three Marines died and five were injured Aug. 27 in Australia in a crash still under investigation.

The Osprey grounding could have lasted as long as a year but the aircraft could fly again soon, possibly within weeks, according to the officials quoted by NBC.

Air Force Special Operations Command did not immediately respond to phone calls early Tuesday seeking comment.

Four hundred Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps Ospreys have been grounded since Dec. 6 in the wake of Novembers crash. Japan also grounded its fleet of 14 Ospreys.

The Osprey is a fast-moving airframe that can take off like a helicopter and then tilt its engines and propellers to fly like an airplane.

The tiltrotor stand-down is one of the largest military aircraft groundings in terms of affecting three services flight operations, but its not the longest.

When the Osprey was still in development, two crashes in 2000 killed 23 Marines and led the Corps to ground the program for nearly 18 months.
U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Michael S. Cederholm, incoming commanding general of I Marine Expeditionary Force, left, and U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Bradford J. Gering, outgoing commanding general of I MEF, render honors during a pass and review during the I MEF change of command ceremony at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, Feb. 16, 2024. Lt. Gen. Bradford J. Gering relinquished command of I MEF to Lt. Gen. Michael S. Cederholm. (Fred Garcia, U.S. Marine Corps/TNS)

(Tribune News Service)  Lt. Gen. Michael S. Cederholm, selected almost 11 months ago to take over the Marines largest warfighting unit, finally took the helm at Californias Camp Pendleton, calling the I Marine Expeditionary Force Americas hammer.

We come to fight, and we come to win, Cederholm said during the long-delayed change of command ceremony held Friday, Feb. 16. Im excited to get after it and get into the attack.

Cederhom, who previously served at the Pentagon as the Marine Corps deputy commandant for aviation, is taking over the command of the nearly 44,000 Marines and sailors from Lt. Gen. Bradford J. Gering, who had assumed the duties in August when a stall in the Senate confirmation process for general officers kept Cederholm from taking his job.

Cederhom had been nominated for the post by President Joe Biden in March. At least 300 senior military officers within the Department of Defense were impacted by the delay, with some only now taking their new jobs at bases across the nation and beyond.

Before leading the I Marine Expeditionary Force, Gering led the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing at Miramar, one of the forces 11 subordinate units. The posting in August to Camp Pendleton delayed his promotion to lieutenant general and his orders to take over as deputy commandant of aviation.

Fridays ceremony included a moment of silence for five Marines  known as the Flying Tigers from Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361 who were killed when their CH-53 Super Stallion crashed on Feb. 6 in Eastern San Diego County.

Senior military leaders at the ceremony included Gen. Christopher J. Mahoney, assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, and Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro. There were also city officials from towns bordering the base and representatives from support groups in Southern California that have adopted battalions within the I Marine Expeditionary Force.

San Clemente Mayor Victor Cabral sat beside Del Toro during the ceremony; he said it was essential to be there, particularly in the wake of the assault of three off-duty Marines by a group of about 20 local teens in the citys Pier Bowl last summer. It was caught on video and made the rounds on social media.

We have an excellent relationship with the Marines and have for decades, Cabral said. After what happened, maybe it soured it a bit. It was important to be there and show how theyre important to us.

During his brief command, Gering continued with innovation and increased cooperation with the Navys Third Fleet by continuing the forces presence in the Indo-Pacific, Del Toro said.

I am filled with pride knowing that IMEF is a firm pillar of our Marine Corps and, indeed, our national defense, Del Toro said, adding that the world is facing more and more instability from countries such as China and Russia, which remain active threats.

There are 30,000 Marines and sailors deployed globally as we continue to face threats in the Middle East and the Pacific, Del Toro said. This is not commonplace; this is real special. And the American people simply cant forget that.

He spoke about the importance of modernization and technology in combat and how that provides the United States with an edge in combat.

Under Gerings leadership, Marines completed a deployment to Australia, where they trained alongside the Australian Defense Force in 11 different exercises. Another group trained in the second iteration of the Marine Rotational Force in Southeast Asia, where they worked with various international forces to ensure security cooperation.

Also in the last several months with Gering, the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit trained with the Navys Boxer Amphibious Ready Group and is preparing to deploy.

Mahoney, who is the Marines acting commandant while Gen. Eric Smith, who earlier this year was appointed commandant but is recovering from a heart attack, was previously also the commanding general for the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego. He also remarked about the 7-month delay in Cederholm taking his role, but spoke to the Corps resiliency.

We live by the maxim, Next Marine up, and Gering was the next Marine up, he said.

Mahoney said he looked forward to what Cederholm would accomplish as commanding general of the I Marine Expeditionary Force.

Your strategic vision, your operational acumen and your truck-stop wisdom has become legendary, Mahoney said. I know you will continue to push forward.

Cederholm, 58, is an aviator by training and was the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing commander before heading to the Pentagon in 2022. The son of a Marine helicopter pilot, he and his wife have five children.

Im honored to serve you and will 24/7, 365 days a year, Cederholm told the units gathered Friday on the parade field representing the I Marine Expeditionary Force. I stand in awe of the sacrifice you make and will make. I truly look forward to writing the next chapter. I MEF is Americas hammer. Love you guys.

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A vehicle enters Camp Foster, Okinawa, April 3, 2020. (Kameron Herndon/U.S. Marine Corps)

Japanese police arrested a university student detained by U.S. authorities after he drove onto a U.S. military base on Okinawa last week, according to an Okinawa Police spokesman.

The Japanese student drove onto Camp Foster around 1:22 p.m. Thursday, the police spokesman told Stars and Stripes by phone Tuesday.

The unidentified male student, 19, of Okinawa city, entered Gate 3, and was detained by U.S. military personnel, the spokesman said. Some Japanese government spokespeople may speak to the media only on condition of anonymity.

Okinawa police officers took the student to a police station, where he was questioned and officially arrested at 10:07 p.m. on suspicion of violating the status of forces agreement between Japan and the United States by entering the base without approval, the spokesman said.

A Japanese suspect did not provide the proper identification and attempted to come onto Camp Foster, 2nd Lt. Kelsey Enlow, a spokesperson for Marine Corps Installations Pacific, confirmed by email Wednesday. After refusing to follow verbal commands from the Gate Guards, the barriers went up and the individual was prevented from entering the installation. Military police responded to the incident and called Japanese police who took custody of the individual. We commend the gate guards for acting in a timely manor and following proper procedure.

Police are investigating the reason he entered the base, the Japanese police spokesman said.

Police forwarded the case to the Naha prosecutors office on Friday, he said.

Stars and Stripes reporter Kelly Agee contributed to this report.
Prosecutors, not police, decide charges under the Japanese justice system. (Stars and Stripes)

Japanese police arrested an Okinawa-based Marine over the weekend on suspicion of assaulting a nightclub employee.

Pfc. Julio Mendoza Jr., 19, of the 9th Engineer Support Battalion, 3rd Marine Logistics Group at Camp Kinser, was taken into custody Sunday, a police spokesman told Stars and Stripes by phone Tuesday.

Mendoza, according to police, hit a club employee in Naha at 3:52 a.m. after the club staff tried to force him to leave, the spokesman said.

Mendoza entered a club staff room and assaulted the employee, the spokesman said. Other workers detained the Marine and handed him over to the police.

Mendoza told police he was drunk and doesnt remember what happened, according to the spokesman.

The case has been sent to the prosecutors. Mendoza was released from custody on Monday, the spokesman said.

The Marine Corps is fully cooperating with Japanese law enforcement on this matter, Capt. Brett Vannier, a spokesman for 3rd Marine Logistics Group, told Stars and Stripes by email Tuesday. The allegations against the Marine are not in keeping with Marine Corps standards and do not reflect the deep value we have for the community and our long-standing relationship.
The guided-missile destroyer USS Halsey, seen here last month in the Pacific Ocean, took part in a two-day exercise in the Bay of Bengal before heading to India for the Milan exercise on Feb. 19, 2024. (Ismael Martinez/U.S. Navy)

A U.S. guided-missile destroyer joined Japanese and Australian warships for weekend drills before heading to India for a separate, five-day exercise, according to the Navy.

The USS Halsey, Japanese destroyer JS Sazanami and the Australian frigate HMAS Warramunga trained together Saturday and Sunday in the Bay of Bengal, which borders Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Myanmar and Sri Lanka, the U.S. 7th Fleet said in a news release Monday.

The brief exercise included ship maneuvers, communications drills and information-sharing aimed at improving the collective ability of the three nations to maintain maritime security and readiness to respond to any regional contingency, according to the release.

After the exercise concluded, the Halsey relocated Monday to Visakhapatnam, India, to join the Milan exercise, 7th Fleet said in a separate news release that day.

That training, led by the Indian navy, includes more than 50 participating countries with sea and harbor phases scheduled to run until Feb. 27, 7th Fleet spokesman Lt. Luka Bakic told Stars and Stripes by email Tuesday.

The sea phase includes ship maneuvers, air-defense drills, communications drills, gunnery exercises, war scenarios and high-end tactical training, according to 7th Fleet.

The Halsey will be the only U.S. ship participating, Bakic said in a follow-up message.

The destroyers presence near India follows weeks of Navy activity in the South China and Philippine Seas.

The guided-missile destroyer USS John Finn on Friday joined the Sazanami and the Japanese guided-missile destroyer JS Shimakaze for a similar exercise in the South China Sea, Bakic said.

That exercise came just a week after the littoral combat ship USS Gabrielle Giffords teamed up with the Philippine patrol vessel BRP Gregorio Del Pillar for their own drills Feb. 9 in the South China Sea.

A day earlier, the John Finn and Gabrielle Giffords joined the Sazanami and Warramunga for two days of training in the South China Sea.

Despite the frequency and proximity of the various exercises, 7th Fleet has repeatedly said that theyre not related.

Nearly all of our maritime activities on a day-to-day basis are conducted in concert with allies and partners, Bakic said. We are focused on ensuring that we maintain the capabilities to deter, defend, and, if necessary, defeat aggression.
The FBI wanted poster for D.B. Cooper. (FBI)

Richard McCoy is a name thats well known to aficionados of the 52-year-old D.B. Cooper case, the only unsolved skyjacking in U.S. history.

The Vietnam War veteran was a suspect for a while  and he certainly proved he had the chops to pull off the audacious crime.

On Nov. 24, 1971, a man who came to be known as D.B. Cooper hijacked a Northwest Orient flight out of Portland, parachuted from the plane with $200,000 in ransom and disappeared. Four months later, McCoy closely followed the Cooper skyjacking modus operandi when he took over a United Airlines Boeing 727 shortly after it took off from Newark.

He later died in a shootout with law enforcement.

The FBI long ago concluded that McCoy was not D.B. Cooper, but in a new report McCoys son now insists his father was responsible for the infamous Northwest Orient skyjacking.

The tabloid publication The Sun reported over the weekend that the FBI has quietly reopened the D.B. Cooper case and is focusing on McCoy. In the article, McCoys son Rick said he has turned over to the FBI an old parachute found in his late grandmothers house and provided agents with a DNA sample.

The FBI, which closed the Cooper case in 2016, has not immediately responded to a message from The Oregonian/OregonLive.

But Larry Carr, the recently retired FBI agent who headed the D.B. Cooper investigation for years, told The Oregonian/OregonLive on Tuesday he was not aware of the FBI conducting any type of investigation into McCoy.

Carr added:

I know it wasnt McCoy, though. Im sure its just more of the same with people wanting their 15 minutes [of fame].

The FBI investigated hundreds of possible suspects over the years, and amateur sleuths fascinated by the case have continued to come up with people they believe might have been the skyjacker. McCoy, the FBI acknowledges on its website, is still a favorite suspect among many.

Theres a good reason for that.

On April 7, 1972, Richard McCoy, wielding a hand grenade and a pistol, directed United Airlines Flight 855 to land in San Francisco, where officials provided him with the $500,000 and four parachutes he demanded  all very similar to the D.B. Cooper hijacking.

After the plane took off again, McCoy donned a jumpsuit, a helmet and a parachute  an upgrade from the Cooper job, where the parachute-wearing hijacker bailed out in a business suit and black brogans. McCoy jumped out over Utah.

The FBI quickly identified McCoy as a suspect in the United Airlines skyjacking and tracked him down. A jury convicted McCoy of air piracy, but he escaped from prison, leading to the 1974 shootout that killed him.

Ever since, hes been discussed and debated by people in the large community of D.B. Cooper case followers.

A former federal agent wrote a 1991 book, D. B. Cooper: The Real McCoy, that claimed McCoy was Cooper. The argument is convincing, Publishers Weekly wrote.

The FBI disagreed, writing that McCoy was ruled out because he didnt match the nearly identical physical descriptions of Cooper provided by two flight attendants and for other reasons.

The federal law-enforcement agency believes the Northwest Orient skyjacker likely died on the night of the crime, somewhere out in the vast Pacific Northwest forest.

McCoys widow, Karen, admitted in 1992 that she helped her husband with the 1972 United Airlines skyjacking but denied he was D.B. Cooper. Karen McCoy died in 2020.

Pilot and Cooper case devotee Dan Gryder told The Oregonian/OregonLive that he found the parachute in Rick McCoys grandmothers house that Rick said hes turned over to the FBI. (Gryder, who posts videos on YouTube about aviation issues, was ordered last year to pay $1 million in a defamation suit over online comments he made about a Texas pilot. He called the lawsuit frivolous and said hes appealing the judgment.)

Gryder would not say whether Rick McCoy had provided DNA to the FBI or had handed over the parachute to the agency, stating, I cannot comment on that.

Rick McCoy could not be reached for comment.

Gryder said he was certain the recently discovered parachute, which he called a green modified military surplus bailout rig, was from the batch handed over to D.B. Cooper on November 24, 1971.

That rig is literally one in a billion, he said.

Is he also certain Richard McCoy was D.B. Cooper, despite the FBI concluding years ago that he wasnt?

Absolutely, Gryder said. No doubt about that.

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DOHA, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Monday that international representatives have reached consensus on some key issues concerning Afghanistan after a two-day meeting in Doha, but obstacles remain.

"We want an Afghanistan in peace, peace with itself and peace with its neighbours and able to assume the commitments and the international obligations of a sovereign state," Guterres said at a press conference after the meeting.

However, Guterres pointed out that overcoming some obstacles is still necessary to break the deadlock on the Afghanistan issue.

On the one hand, "Afghanistan remains with a government that is not recognized internationally and in many aspects not integrated into the global institutions and global economy," he said.

On the other hand, there is a common international perception of deteriorating human rights, particularly for women and girls in the country, Guterres said.

Guterres stated that a common road map must be developed to address the concerns of the international community and the Afghan authorities.

The meeting, chaired by Guterres, was attended by representatives from more than 20 countries and international organizations including China, Russia, and the United States. Taliban, the de facto authorities in Afghanistan, did not attend.

According to the UN chief, the conditions set by Taliban authorities to attend the meeting were "not acceptable."

"These conditions first of all denied us the right to talk to other representatives of the Afghan society and demanded a treatment that would, to a large extent, be similar to recognition," Guterres said. 
The bell of the USS Jacob Jones, an American destroyer sunk during World War I. The shipwreck was discovered by a British dive team in 2022. (Rick Ayrton)

The crew of the USS Jacob Jones spotted the German torpedo coming at them from 1,000 yards away.

The American destroyer was steaming alone in the Atlantic, 25 miles from Bishop Rock, off the southwest coast of Britain, unaware that it was being stalked by a U-boat, an enemy submarine.

Someone yelled, Torpedo! The ship tried to veer out of the way. But the torpedo struck home, blew up and the Jacob Jones sank in eight minutes, taking 64 sailors down with it.

The USS Jacob Jones was struck by a torpedo fired from a German submarine in World War I. (Naval History and Heritage Command)

It was 4:21 p.m. on Dec. 6, 1917, eight months after the United States entered World War I. The Jacob Jones became the first U.S. destroyer to be lost to enemy action, the Navy says.

Last month, at the behest of the Naval History and Heritage Command in Washington, a British government diving unit retrieved the ships bell from the wreck, almost 400 feet below the waters surface, where it had rested for more than a century.

Plans are to return the bell to the command at the Washington Navy Yard as soon as this spring. It will go to the commands underwater archaeology lab for conservation.

Weve been told the clapper is still in place, and that the bell rang during handling, Alexis Catsambis, head of the Underwater Archaeology Branch, said last week.

The British Defense Ministrys Salvage and Marine Operations raised the bell  which still bears the imprints Jacob Jones and 1915  on Jan. 15 with the grabbing arm of an underwater robot, the ministry and the history command said.

The ship is a war grave, retired Rear Adm. Samuel J. Cox, director of the history command, said on Feb. 12. This is just an opportunity to remember the sacrifice of those sailors.

What they did escorting the convoys is basically what won the war, he said, referring to U.S. ships that helped guard cargo vessels loaded with goods for U.S. allies in Europe.

The wreck was found in 2022 by private divers from the British Darkstar technical dive team. Finding the USS Jacob Jones was the sort of thing that fills the dreams of most divers, Dom Robinson, one of the divers, said in an email last week.

We were also acutely aware of the history and how many young sailors had died on the wreck but were pleased that we  finally located their resting place, he said.

The USS Jacob Jones was sunk by the German submarine U-53 on the night of Dec. 6, 1917. (Naval History and Heritage Command/Smithsonian Institution)

The 80-pound brass bell was on its side when they first spotted it in the dark water. We flipped it upright so we could read the name and confirm the identity, he said.

The divers filmed and photographed the discovery, and received extensive publicity. Cox praised the Darkstar team for its care but was alarmed by all the attention. The Navy usually does not disturb a wreck site, he said, but this case was unusual.

The bell was laying out there and had this kind of take me stamped on it, Cox said. Just about every wreck from World War I, World War II [in waters around Britain] has had anything valuable stripped from it.

Bronze, brass, especially, he said. Its gone.

He added, We didnt want to take the chance of someone running off with the bell.

The command had originally planned to investigate the wreck with partner organizations this summer, Catsambis said.

We wanted to visit the site, and document it, and get some good imagery of it, as well as recover the bell, he said on Feb. 13.

Then, the command heard that the British Defense Ministry was testing a new underwater robotic vehicle, he said.

And they were able and willing to lend a hand, which I think is a particularly fitting part of the story, seeing as Jacob Jones was there doing the same 100 years ago, he said.

Survivors of the sinking of the USS Jacob Jones. (Courtesy of Commander Donald J. Robinson and the Naval History and Heritage Command)

The bell is in the custody of Wessex Archaeology in Salisbury, England, about 90 miles southwest of London, awaiting its return to the United States.

The Jacob Jones was built at the New York Shipbuilding Corp. in Camden, N.J., and was launched on May 29, 1915, according to the Navy. After the United States entered World War I in April 1917, the destroyer began escorting convoys and rescuing survivors of ships torpedoed by enemy submarines.

On Dec. 6, the destroyer was en route from Brest, France, to the Irish seaport of Queenstown, now Cobh, when it was attacked by the German submarine, U-53, which had already damaged or sunk 70 ships during the war.

The sub fired a single torpedo.

The destroyers crew spotted it streaking toward them, occasionally breaking the surface as it closed in. Officers ordered full speed ahead and turned the ship hard to try to get out of the way. Lt. Cmdr. David W. Bagley, the skipper, later reported:

The torpedo  jumped clear of the water at a short distance from the ship, submerged 50 or 60 feet from the ship and struck approximately 3 feet below the waterline. 

I attempted to send out an S.O.S. message by radio, but the mainmast was carried away, antennae falling and all electric power failed. 

The ship sank about 4:29 p.m. (about eight minutes after being torpedoed). As I saw her settling rapidly, I ran along the deck and ordered everybody I saw to jump overboard.

The ship sank stern first and [twisted] slowly through nearly 180 degrees as she swung upright. From this nearly vertical [position], bow in the air  she went straight down.

The frigid water was soon filled with American sailors struggling to survive.

Many of the 110 men on the ship had been killed when the torpedo exploded. Others were trapped below deck and went down with the wreckage. Some were pulled under by the suction of the sinking vessel. Still others died of exposure on life rafts and their bodies were dropped into the ocean, Bagley reported.

About 20 minutes after the sinking, U-53 surfaced a few miles away. It slowly approached to within 800 yards, picked up two badly injured U.S. sailors, then submerged. (The two sailors survived.)

The subs commander, Hans Rose, radioed the approximate location of the sinking to the U.S. base at Queenstown and asked to be given an hour to get out of the area, according to accounts of the incident on the history commands website.

Rose was a daring commander. By the end of the war, he had sunk or damaged 91 ships and had earned the Pour le Merite decoration, also called the Blue Max, for gallantry, according to the uboat.net website.

The German submarine U-53, which torpedoed the USS Jacob Jones, is seen in the harbor of Newport, R.I., in 1916, before the United States entered World War I. (Naval History and Heritage Command)

In the summer of 1916, before the United States entered the war, Rose steered U-53 into the harbor of Newport, R.I., for an unannounced visit.

He paid courtesy calls to Navy officials and hosted visitors aboard his submarine. His boat was photographed with the crew standing on deck.

One of the other ships in the harbor that day was the USS Jacob Jones.

After World War I, a second destroyer named Jacob Jones was built at the same New Jersey ship yard. During World War II, it conducted scout and escort duties similar to its namesake a generation before.

At dawn on Feb. 28, 1942, according to the Navy, it was torpedoed and sunk by a German U-boat off the coast of Delaware.
U.S. Africa Command is looking into allegations that an airstrike last week killed Cubans being held hostage by the Somali militant group al-Shabab. (U.S. Africa Command)

STUTTGART, Germany  U.S. Africa Command said Tuesday that it is investigating claims that two Cuban hostages were killed in an airstrike last week in Somalia that was aimed at the al-Shabab militant group.

The strike occurred Thursday near Jilib, in the south of the country, AFRICOM said in a statement, adding that it was aware of the reports.

We do not have further information at this time about these reports, but we do take all claims of civilian casualties seriously, the statement said. The command will continue to assess the results of this operation and will provide additional information as available.

The AFRICOM message came in response to a Saturday statement by al-Shabab saying that two Cuban doctors it took hostage in 2019, Assel Herrera and Landy Rodriguez, had been killed instantly in the strike.

The doctors were abducted nearly five years ago during an operation in Kenya, where they were working.

Al-Shabab, the largest recognized terrorist organization in Africa, has been at war with Somalias weak national government for two decades. The organization has a track record of taking civilians and foreign workers hostage.

In January, the group captured multiple people when a helicopter contracted by the United Nations was forced to land in al-Shabab territory after mechanical problems.

Over the years, the U.S. has stepped up its support for Somalia, where American special operations troops train government forces. The command also routinely carries out airstrikes against al-Shabab targets.

Still, al-Shabab has proved resistant to international efforts against it.

In 2023, Somalia experienced a 22% increase in deaths stemming from Islamic militant violence, reaching a record high of 7,643, the African Center for Strategic Studies reported in its annual assessment of violence on the continent.

That tally represents a tripling of the number since 2020, the report said.
Venezuelas President Nicolas Maduro (right) shakes hands with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov upon his arrival at the Miraflores Presidential Palace in Caracas on Feb. 20, 2024. (Gabriela Oraa, AFP via Getty Images/TNS)

(Tribune News Service)  Just days after the death in an Arctic penal colony of Russias most prominent opposition leader, Alexei Navalny, Sergei Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, embarked on a Latin American tour with the first stop in Cuba on Monday and scheduled visits to Venezuela and Brazil.

Just like Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is believed to have never mentioned Navalnys name publicly, its difficult to find any mention of the fierce Putin critic in Cubas state media, which did not report his death Friday ahead of Lavrovs visit.

Instead, Cuban official media outlets, controlled by the Communist Party, welcomed the Russian minister as a true friend of Cuba.

For us, it is a pleasure to welcome you back to Cuba, said Cubas hand-picked president, Miguel Diaz-Canel, in remarks reported by Granma, the islands biggest daily newspaper. We do so with the feeling that we are receiving a true friend of Cuba, someone who has shown tremendous sensitivity and understanding toward our problems, and with whom we have always had a fluid exchange relationship.

Lavrov, in turn, repeated that Cuba is our traditional partner and our most important ally in Latin America and the Caribbean and promised to continue expanding trade, investments and economic cooperation.

The top Russian diplomat also railed at the United States and the West for employing blackmail, ultimatums, threats, the use of brute military force and sanctions to preserve their domination, he told reporters in Havana.

A U.S. State Department official told the Herald Lavrovs visit did not bode well for U.S.-Cuba relations.

As we have noted previously, closer collaboration between the Cuban government and Russian military is not in Cubas interest and will negatively impact the U.S.-Cuba bilateral relationship, the official said.

The official noted that Lavrovs trip follows closely the visit by Belarus Minister of Defense Viktor Khrenin to Havana in late January and fresh reports of Cubans fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine.

In September, hacked documents showed Russia was recruiting impoverished Cuban men to join its army, lured by promises of $2,000-a-month salaries and Russian citizenship for their families. The Cuban government said it had dismantled the recruiting ring at the time and promised stiff punishments to those involved.

However, according to Ukrainian officials cited in a recent Wall Street Journal report, the recruiting efforts continued, and hundreds of Cubans are fighting in Ukraine. Some, like Raibel Palacio, the first Cuban mercenary whose death has been confirmed by family members, traveled to Russia in November, two months after the Cuban government said it had arrested 17 people involved in the recruiting network.

We are concerned that Cuba continues to allow its citizens to be exploited in support of Russias war of aggression in violation of international law, including the UN Charter, the State Department official said.

An economic lifeline

As Russias international isolation has increased over its invasion of Ukraine, it has strengthened its diplomatic and military ties with Cuba.

Military and security officials frequently meet both in Moscow and Havana. And Cuba has leaned on the relationship to ask Russia for credit and investments to lift the islands economy from its current crisis. Cuban authorities promised Russian investors exclusive deals last year, like long-term land leases.

The Russian government has donated wheat, cooking oil and medical supplies to the island and given money to repair the islands old train railroad system.

But despite the intense diplomatic activity  this is Lavrovs ninth trip to the island as foreign minister since 2004  Russia, a sanctioned country waging war, has yet to make more significant economic concessions to its Caribbean partner. Privately, Russian officials have joined calls on Cuban authorities to expand economic reforms to improve the islands business climate, the Miami Herald learned.

The Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry said in a statement about Lavrovs visit to Cuba that key achievements in economic cooperation between the two countries over the past year will help Russian economic operators to play a more active role in the implementation of Cubas large-scale plans for socio-economic development until 2030.

Russian tourism to the island has increased lately, with around 10 daily flights to Havana and other cities. Russians can now pay with their Mir bank cards while in Cuba.

In press remarks, Lavrov said his government has granted Cuba, which is struggling with frequent electricity blackouts, two credits to buy fuel and crude oil derivatives. The second has only been formalized. But the supply is continuing, the minister said.

Meet with Maduro In Venezuela

Lavrov continued his tour Tuesday in Venezuela, a strategic partner and Russian ally, where he is expected to meet the countrys strongman, Nicolas Maduro, according to a statement by the Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry. On Wednesday, he will attend a G-20 Summit, the first held in Brazil.

The leaders of the three Latin American nations on the tour have one thing in common: They are unlikely to challenge the Russian minister on Navalnys death, which President Joe Biden and others have said was Vladimir Putins governments responsibility.

The authoritarian rulers of Cuba and Venezuela are holding hundreds of dissidents and opposition members in their countries prisons.

And Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who in the past made controversial remarks suggesting Ukraine to cede Crimea to Russia, has avoided condemning Navalnys death.

Asked about the death of the prominent dissident, Lula da Silva urged against speculation and trivializing accusations.

Why this hurry to accuse someone? he told reporters in a press conference during a trip to Ethiopia on Sunday. So he died in prison. I dont know if he was sick, if he had any problems.

He also did not mention Navalny by name.

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People get on board a MV-22B Osprey aircraft in Tarampitao Airfield in Rizal, Palawan, on Aug. 21, 2023, as a part of the Indo-Pacific Endeavor 2023 between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Australian Defense Force called Exercise Alon. (Jam Sta Rosa/AFP/Getty Images/TNS)

(Tribune News Service)  The U.S. and the Philippines conducted a joint air patrol over areas facing the disputed South China Sea in another display of a stronger defense alliance, drawing Chinas rebuke as maritime tensions linger.

The Philippine air force said in a Facebook post that it conducted the patrol with the U.S. Pacific Air Forces on Monday over the western part of the Southeast Asian nations main island.

This cooperative activity aims to bolster cooperation between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and their U.S. counterparts, the Philippine air force said in its post, which also included photos and videos of the patrol.

The Chinese militarys Southern Theater Command, in a Weibo statement, described the air patrol as a publicity stunt, and accused the Philippines of disrupting order in the South China Sea by enlisting countries outside the region. China also said its troops will maintain a high degree of vigilance and resolutely defend national sovereignty.

The Philippines under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has bolstered its longstanding defense alliance with the U.S., while publicizing and protesting Chinas moves in the South China Sea which Beijing claims almost in its entirety. Washington and Manila have also recently conducted sea patrols in the disputed area.

With assistance from Felix Tam and Philip Glamann.

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Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles walks past Royal Australian Navy sailors aboard the HMAS Canberra in Sydney on Feb. 20, 2024. (David Gray, AFP via Getty Images/TNS)

SYDNEY (Tribune News Service)  Australia plans to more than double the size of its naval combat fleet while scaling back the number of troubled BAE Systems Plc Hunter-Class frigates it builds, in a drive to meet the challenges in the Indo-Pacific region.

The government will increase warship funding in the May budget by $7.3 billion over the next decade, Defense Minister Richard Marles said Tuesday. The aim is to provide a larger and more lethal fleet that complements conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines.

Under the plan, released at the HMAS Kuttabul base in Sydney, the Navy will have 26 warships by the mid-to-late 2040s from the current 11, making it the countrys largest fleet since the end of the Second World War, according to Marles, who is also deputy prime minister. It will comprise:

Three upgraded Hobart class destroyers.

Six Hunter class frigates versus the previous nine.

11 new general purpose frigates that will progressively replace the six remaining Anzac class frigates.

Six new large operationally crewed surface vessels.

Australia, an open, trading island nation flanked by the Pacific and Indian Oceans, relies on secure sea lanes to move goods in and out of the country. The overhaul reflects an increasingly contested region amid Chinas growing power.

The current fleet is the oldest the Navy has ever operated and the program released Tuesday called for immediate action to boost its air-defense, long-range strike, presence and anti-submarine warfare capabilities.

Tuesdays announcement has been almost a year in the making. In April 2023, the center-left Labor government revealed the findings of a review into the military that found the defense forces were not fully fit for purpose.

As part of the governments response to those findings, Marles announced a short, sharp review of Australias surface fleet led by former U.S. Adm. William H. Hilarides. It was his findings and the governments view of them that were announced Tuesday.

The Hunter Frigates developed by BAE Systems were a particular focus, with Australian Broadcasting Corp. reporting that repeated delays and design problems with the vessels had pushed delivery of the first ship into the 2030s.

Nuclear subs

Simultaneously, Australia is working with the U.S. and U.K. to build and equip a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines for Canberra to field, potentially as early as the 2030s, as part of the Aukus agreement signed in 2021.

The 2023 defense review had recommended a greater emphasis on domestic manufacturing and Marles today reinforced that the plan involved a continuous shipbuilding program through the decades ahead.

South Australia and Western Australia will be the centerpieces of vessel construction, with the latter focused on the Henderson Naval precinct.

Western Australia, including the capital, Perth, is an important political battleground for the Labor government, which currently holds power with a majority of just two seats in the lower house of Parliament.

Off the shelf

The government Tuesday highlighted that not only was it boosting the size of the fleet, its bringing forward the timeline. The first Hunter-Class frigate is still due in the early 2030s, but Australia will also purchase 11 general purpose frigates off the shelf.

The first of those will be delivered this decade and to ensure speed, quality and best price, the first three will be built abroad. Options considered include vessels from Spain, Germany, South Korea and Japan. A decision is anticipated next year.

Australias modern society and economy rely on access to the high seas, trade routes for out imports and exports, and the submarine cables for the data which enables our connection to the international economy, Marles said.

The Royal Australian Navy must be able to ensure the safety and security of our sea lines of communication and trade routes.

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An ambulance waits outside a hospital in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, Feb. 20, 2024. (Christopher Green/Stars and Stripes)

CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea  Twelve South Korean military hospitals opened their doors to civilian patients with urgent medical needs Tuesday as thousands of interns and resident physicians in the country resigned in protest of a government proposal to increase medical school enrollments.

None of the listed hospitals are on U.S. military bases; however, the strike could affect U.S. civilians who are encouraged to seek off-base health care so that military doctors can prioritize active-duty troops and their families.

Armed Forces Daejon Hospital in Daejon city, roughly 80 miles south of Seoul, and the Navy Pohang Hospital in Pohang city, about 160 miles south of the capital, were among the facilities admitting emergency patients, according to a list provided by the Ministry of National Defense on Tuesday.

The process for admitting civilian patients into the military hospitals was streamlined and medical staff made necessary preparations to care for them, Defense Ministry spokesman Jeon Ha Gyu told reporters at a news briefing Tuesday.

The openings come as 6,415 resident physicians from 100 hospitals submitted resignations to protest the plan to increase enrollment quotas to accommodate 2,000 additional students starting next year.

Of those who resigned, 1,630 walked off the job, according to a Ministry of Health and Welfare news release Tuesday.

Interns and resident physicians argued they were not consulted about the proposal, which they say will reduce the quality of education and may prompt frivolous medical services, according to a report from the Korean Medical Association on Monday.

Park Min-soo, second vice minister of health and welfare, said Tuesday he had serious concern and deep regret for the disruptions in medical treatment.

The government will do its best to operate an emergency treatment response system to minimize damage to patients, Park told reporters at a briefing. It can never be justified to leave the patients side to oppose a policy 

South Korean medical schools in the 1980s had more students enrolled than they have now, and the country is in urgent need of more doctors, Park said.

He said 25 surgeries had been canceled in the country due to the lack of medical staff as of Monday.
CANBERRA, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- A galaxy powered by the fastest-growing black hole ever recorded is the brightest known object in the universe, a joint research has found.

A team led by researchers at the Australian National University (ANU) detailed the 2022 discovery of the black hole, which devours the equivalent of one Sun every day, and the subsequent discovery that the galaxy it powers is the brightest object in the known universe.

The black hole, which was first detected in 2022, exists in a quasar -- the core of a distant galaxy powered by a supermassive black hole that adds material to itself -- and has a mass approximately 17 billion times greater than that of our sun.

The study published on Monday confirmed it is the brightest known object in the universe.

Researchers said it was a surprise that the black hole remained undetected for so long.

"The incredible rate of growth also means a huge release of light and heat," Christian Wolf, lead author of the study from the ANU, said in a media release.

"So, this is also the most luminous known object in the universe. It's 200 trillion times brighter than our sun."

The light from the black hole traveled 12 billion light years to reach Earth.

The researchers found that a disc around the black hole measures seven light years across -- 50 percent larger than the distance between our solar system and the next star in the galaxy.

Wolf described the disc as a holding pattern for the material waiting to be devoured by the black hole where temperatures exceed 10,000 degrees Celsius.

The research was done in collaboration with the University of Melbourne, European Southern Observatory and France's Sorbonne University. 
Yulia Navalnaya at a concert-rally in support of Alexei Navalny on September 6, 2013. Navalnaya, the widow of Navalny, Russian President Vladimir Putins most formidable opponent, vowed to carry on her husbands crusade against the Russian regime. (Wikimedia Commons)

RIGA, Latvia  Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of Alexei Navalny, Russian President Vladimir Putins most formidable opponent, vowed on Monday to carry on her husbands crusade against the Russian regime, striving to build a free, peaceful, happy Russia, a beautiful Russia of the future, which my husband dreamed of so much.

Navalnaya, 47, made her announcement in a video statement on YouTube, in which she accused Russian authorities of fatally poisoning Navalny in the Arctic prison where he died suddenly on Friday at age 47.

Putin did not only murder the person, Alexei Navalny, she said, clad in black and her voice occasionally trembling during the dramatic video address. He wanted, along with him, to kill our hope, our freedom, our future.

Navalnaya also accused the Russian authorities of refusing to hand over Navalnys body to his 69-year-old mother so they could cover up the cause of death.

They lie pathetically, and wait for the traces of another Putins Novichok to disappear there, said Navalnaya, referring to the class of nerve agent that international investigators said Russian security agents used in an August 2020 attempt to assassinate her husband.

My husband could not be broken, and thats exactly why Putin killed him, in the most cowardly way, she continued. He did not have the courage to look him in the eye or even say his name. And now they are also cowardly, hiding his body, not showing him to his mother, not giving it to her.

Three days after Navalnys sudden death Friday, the location of his body was still unclear, and his mother, Lyudmila Navalnaya, was again rebuffed by morgue officials in the Arctic town of Salekhard, 33 miles from the prison colony where he died, Navalnys press secretary said.

Navalnys grieving family and political team have demanded the return of his remains since Saturday but have faced an extended, almost surreal, struggle to recover his body or even to establish its location - with Russian officials seemingly determined to obstruct any independent investigation into the cause of death.

Navalnaya was in Brussels on Monday to address European Union foreign ministers who invited her in a show of solidarity, and as a follow-up to her emotional appearance at the Munich Security Conference on Friday, shortly after the news broke of her husbands death.

At the meeting in Brussels, she sat next to the European Unions foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, surrounded by diplomats and officials, looking exhausted but determined.

Vladimir Putin & his regime will be held accountable for the death of Alexei, Borrell posted on X, formerly Twitter. As Yulia said, Putin is not Russia. Russia is not Putin.

A European diplomat said Navalnaya called on the European Union to sanction 500 Russian oligarchs supporting Putins reelection, to prevent sanctions evasion by Russias elite, and she urged efforts to map the financial flows from Putins inner circle. Navalnaya also met with European Council President Charles Michel.

Across Russia on Monday, initial crackdowns on mourners displaying their grief in public appeared to ease. By 7:15 p.m., 32 people had been detained in 16 cities and towns, according to a watchdog group, OVD-Info, which tracks arrests. In all, about 400 people have been detained since Friday, the group said.

In Moscow on Monday night, a steady trickle of mourners continued to pay respects to Navalny by laying flowers at the Solovetsky stone, a memorial for victims of the Soviet gulags, under the watchful eye of a dozen or so police officers. Heaps of red roses and carnations covered the monument, framing portraits of Navalny.

Navalny was a very important person to us, said Tanya, 37, who works at a publishing company and arrived at the memorial with her 2-year-old daughter and a friend. Everyone believed that nothing bad would happen, that he would break through all obstacles. In todays Russia, we just dont know what more we can do - some people are giving up,

Coming here to lay flowers makes me feel like Im not alone, added Tanya, who asked to be identified only by her first name because of fear of repercussions.

In her video statement, Navalnaya vowed that she and her husbands team would find out those directly responsible for her husbands death and expose exactly how it was done. Well name names and show faces. But the main thing we can do for Alexei and for ourselves is to keep fighting, she said.

I will continue the work of Alexei Navalny, Navalnaya proclaimed.

She also directly addressed one of the resonant questions in the West about her husband: Why did he return to Russia in 2021 risking arrest and death, when he could have lived peacefully in exile?

He could not, she said, fighting back tears. Alexei loved Russia more than anything else in the world, loved our country, loved you. He believed in us, in our strength, in our future and in the fact that we deserve the best.

On Friday, after news of her husbands death emerged, Navalnaya met with the Belarusian opposition leader, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, who is also the wife of a jailed opposition politician and political prisoner.

Tikhanovskaya took the place of her husband, Sergey Tikhanovsky, as a presidential candidate in August 2020, after he was arrested that May - two days after he announced his plan to run in the elections against Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko. Tikhanovsky remains in prison and Tikhanovskaya lives in exile in Lithuania.

Eleven days later, on Aug. 20, 2020, Navalny was poisoned with a chemical nerve agent. Navalny later teamed up with Bellingcat, the investigative news group, and managed to prove that a team of agents from Russias Federal Security Service, or FSB, was responsible for tracking and poisoning him.

Navalnys mother, Lyudmila Navalnaya, has not been allowed to see his body. She traveled on Saturday to the Polar Wolf prison just above the Arctic Circle in the Yamalo-Nenets region, where he died, and to the local morgue. Prison officials gave her a paper showing a time of death - 2:17 p.m. - but morgue officials denied they had the body.

After the Russian newspaper in exile Novaya Gazeta Europe reported that Navalnys body was indeed at the morgue in Salekhard, the regional capital, Lyudmila Navalnaya and Navalnys lawyers went to the morgue early Monday morning and were again denied access, Navalnys press secretary, Kira Yarmysh, who lives outside Russia, posted on X.

They were not allowed to go in. One of the lawyers was literally pushed out, Yarmysh wrote. When the staff was asked if Alexeis body was there, they did not answer.

Members of Navalnys team have also called his death a murder, while many world leaders, including President Biden, have said Putin bears responsibility for his death.

Amid fears that the real cause of death may never be known, Yarmysh accused officials from Russias Investigative Committee, which handles major crimes, of stalling.

They lie, buy time for themselves and do not even hide it, Yarmysh said Monday morning.

Later Monday, she said that Russias Investigative Committee had refused requests from the mother and lawyer to surrender the body, and told them it would be retained for at least two more weeks. Investigators claimed that the body would undergo some sort of chemical examination for another 14 days, Yarmysh posted on X.

On Saturday, Lyudmila Navalnaya was initially told by prison officials that her son died of sudden death syndrome, but Investigative Committee officials later offered contradictory accounts, stating that the cause was unknown.

Putin, who has long made a point of never uttering Navalnys name, has not commented abut his death. Navalny was barred from running in the 2018 Russian presidential election against Putin, after his unexpectedly strong showing in the 2013 Moscow mayoral race. Navalny faced numerous criminal charges, which he and many independent analysts said were trumped up for political retribution.

Putins spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said Monday that Putin had made no reaction to Navalnys death and that the Kremlin was not engaged in the matter of the return of his body to his family. Asked whether the Kremlin was concerned about ensuring a thorough investigation, Peskov replied: Those actions that are stipulated by Russian legislation are being carried out.

The investigation into Navalnys death is underway, he said. But the results have not yet been made public. It is not known about them.

Peskov also criticized world leaders who said the Russian president was responsible for Navalnys death, calling it absolutely unacceptable to make such blatantly boorish statements.

Russian political analyst Tatiana Stanovaya, founder of the R.Politik analytical group who is based in France,, said that Navalnaya would face difficulties in trying to fill her husbands shoes and become a major political figure with resonance inside Russia.

Despite possible recognition and respect from the international community, lacking substantial support within Russia could significantly curtail her effectiveness as a political figure, she said, adding that Tikhanovskaya struggled to be relevant within Belarus, even as she was feted by Western leaders.

Her success will hinge on her capacity to develop a unique political style, articulate her vision, and assemble a professional team that does not put off potential supporters, Stanovaya said.

A pro-Kremlin blogger, Sergei Markov, claimed without any evidence that Navalny had been an agent of British intelligence and the CIA, and warned that Yulia Navalnaya could share his fate.

She should be more careful, Markov wrote on Telegram. The U.S. and British intelligence services are now very cruel. Our advice to her is to escape somewhere quiet.

Tens of thousands of Russians have signed appeals for Navalnys body to be returned to his family and for them to be granted access to the video-camera and body-camera footage from the prison and its staff.

More than 56,000 signed a petition organized by OVD-Info to the Investigative Committee demanding the return of his body to the family, and more than 21,000 people signed a petition mounted by Nobel Peace Prize laureate and longtime Novaya Gazeta editor Dmitry Muratov, demanding that the family be granted access to the prison surveillance footage.

Independent Russian media outlet Mediazona published video Sunday of a convoy of two police cars and a prison van, traveling on Friday night from the Polar Wolf prison toward Salekhard, possibly carrying Navalnys body.

Novaya Gazeta Europe, quoting an ambulance paramedic, reported that Navalnys body was initially taken to a district hospital in Salekhard, instead of directly to the morgue as is customary in the case of prison deaths. The body was later transferred to the morgue, according to the paramedic.

Rauhala reported from Brussels and Ebel from Moscow. Natalia Abbakumova and Mary Ilyushina in Riga, Latvia, contributed to this report.
Russian Opposition Leader Alexei Navalnys mother Lyudmila Navalnaya speaks near the prison colony in the town of Kharp, Russia. (Screen capture taken from video provided by the Navalny Team)

RIGA, Latvia  Alexei Navalnys mother, Lyudmila Navalnaya, appealed to President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday to direct authorities in the northern Yamalo-Nenets region to hand over the opposition leaders body for burial.

Its been five days, and I still cant see him; they dont give me his body, and they dont even tell me where he is, Navalnaya said in a video statement, standing in front of the Polar Wolf high-security prison where her son died Friday.

I appeal to you, Vladimir Putin, the resolution to the issue depends solely on you, she said. Let me finally see my son. I demand that Alexeis body be immediately handed over so that I can humanely bury him. The video was posted on Navalnys YouTube channel.

The director of Navalnys Anti-Corruption Foundation, Ivan Zhdanov, also published a letter written by Navalnaya and addressed to Putin.

Navalnys spokeswoman, Kira Yarmysh, said Monday that local investigators refused to hand over the body to his family and that it would be held for two weeks to carry out chemical expertise. Yarmysh said Navalnys team believes authorities are delaying the release of the body to hide the traces of the murder.

The direct appeal to the Russian leader, whom Navalnys family and allies have blamed personally for his death, mirrored a plea from Navalnys wife, Yulia Navalnaya, to Putin in August 2020 asking the president to allow her to fly him to Germany for treatment after he fell ill from poisoning.

After Navalny fell unconscious on a flight from Moscow to Tomsk, doctors at a hospital in the Siberian city of Omsk put him into a medically induced coma, and local authorities refused to allow Yulia Navalnaya or Navalnys personal doctors into the room to see him.

A day later, Yulia Navalnaya wrote a letter to Putin demanding to see her husband and transport him to a hospital in Berlin, essentially saving his life. Medical experts later concluded that he was poisoned with a military-grade nerve agent.

On Monday, Yulia Navalnaya announced that she will continue her husbands work in fighting Putins hold on power, and she directly blamed the Russian leader for Alexeis death. My husband could not be broken, and thats exactly why Putin killed him in the most cowardly way, she said.

Cryptically, she added: We know exactly why Putin killed Alexei three days ago. Well tell you about it soon.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Tuesday called Navalnayas remarks boorish and unfounded but brushed them off, noting that Navalnaya had just been widowed.

Yulia Navalnaya issued a quick retort on X, previously Twitter. I dont care how the killers press secretary comments on my words, she posted. Give back Alexeis body and let him be buried with dignity. Dont stop people from saying goodbye to him.

Shortly after the post, Navalnayas new account on X was briefly suspended, for unclear reasons, but then restored.

Yulia Navalnaya on a visit to Brussels on Monday urged European leaders to hold Putin accountable for her husbands death.

And on Tuesday in Washington, John Kirby, a White House spokesperson, said the Biden administration would announce a major sanctions package on Friday in response to Navalnys death and to Russias war in Ukraine.

Whatever story the Russian government decides to tell the world, its clear that President Putin and his government are responsible for Mr Navalnys death, Kirby told reporters in a virtual briefing..

He declined to provide details on how the new sanctions would differ from earlier punitive measures but said the package was not only designed to hold Mr. Putin accountable for two years of war in Ukraine, but also specifically supplemented with additional sanctitons regarding Mr. Navalnys death.

Ryan reported from Washington. Robyn Dixon and Natalia Abbakumova in Riga, Latvia, and Francesca Ebel in Moscow contributed to this report.
A volunteer provides food to a Ukrainian truck driver, in the parking lot near the Korczowa Polish-Ukrainian border crossing, on Dec. 5, 2023. Truck drivers have been stranded by a blockade that has caused disruption. Truckers have been stuck in Korczowa, one of the crossings blocked by protesting Polish hauliers who complain about what they say is unfair competition from Ukrainian companies. (Wojtek Radwanski/AFP/Getty Images/TNS)

(Tribune News Service)  A border blockade by Polish farmers is hurting Ukraines ability to defend itself as the country awaits essential supplies in its fight against Russia, a senior official in Kyiv said.

The transit of humanitarian deliveries, perishable goods and fuel were being blocked from the Polish side of Ukraines border at six crossing points, Deputy Infrastructure Minister Serhiy Derkach said on the ministrys Facebook page on Monday.

This is a direct impact on our defense capability, Derkach said. Almost 3,000 trucks are stuck waiting to enter Ukraine, he said, adding that there was no such pileup on the Ukrainian side of the frontier.

Polish authorities pushed back, saying deliveries of military aid and other essentials are taking place under police escort and given priority at the border, according to Michal Derus, a spokesman for the National Revenue Administration in the eastern city of Lublin.

Ukraines infrastructure minister, Oleksandr Kubrakov, condemned instances of protesters blocking civilian passengers at the border, saying that women and children affected by the war should not become hostages of business interests. He cited a video circulating on social media showing demonstrators preventing a passenger bus from crossing the border.

Kubrakov met with the head of Polands National Security Bureau, Jacek Siewiera, to discuss the blockade. Decrying what they call the illegal flow of Ukrainian food products, farmers plan to expand protests on Tuesday with tactics including tractor blockades in major cities in Poland. Theyll aim to close off all of the border crossings with Ukraine, railway links and ports on the Baltic Sea.

The unfolding protests present a political conundrum for Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who just weeks after taking office in December managed to quell a months-long blockade by truck drivers. His administration is striking a balance between assuaging a group that has political power in Poland while not disrupting needed aid to Kyiv.

Farmers have demanded that the government seal off the border, calling an influx of Ukrainian goods smuggling, citing what they call low-quality products such as grain and rapeseed. Agriculture Minister Czeslaw Siekierski, who has sought a compromise, called the demands unrealistic.

Ukraine, which is grappling with an intensifying shortage of ammunition and other military aid, relies on shipments via Poland as a primary transit route.

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Maksim Kuzminov, right, with representatives of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, Andrii Yusov, at left, and Artem Shevchenko, left and right respectively, during a news conference at the Ukraine Media Center. (Defence Intelligence of Ukraine)

A mans corpse, found riddled with bullets and run over by a vehicle in Spain last week, was identified as that of Russian military pilot Maksim Kuzminov, who flew his Mi-8 helicopter to Ukraine in a dramatic defection in August, Ukrainian officials said.

His apparent murder  after a very public threat to his life last year on Russian state television  has raised questions about whether this was a Russian-ordered assassination carried out on European soil.

News of Kuzminovs violent demise emerged just days after the sudden death in prison of Russian political opposition leader Alexei Navalny, which European and U.S. officials have framed as evidence of the Russian governments unchecked brutality.

The spokesman for Ukraines intelligence service, Andriy Yusov, confirmed to The Washington Post on Tuesday that the body found at the entrance to a residential complex in Villajoyosa, in Alicante, was Kuzminovs.

Russian officials have not claimed responsibility for the killing. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on the case Tuesday, saying it was not on the Kremlins agenda.

But Sergei Naryshkin, the head of Russias foreign intelligence service, spoke to Russian journalists Tuesday, saying that Kuzminov was dead the moment he started planning his defection.

In Russia, it is common to speak well of the dead or say nothing at all. This traitor and criminal already became a moral corpse at the moment when he was planning his dirty and terrible crime, Naryshkin said, according to reports in Russian state news agencies Tass and Ria.

In October, Dmitry Kiselyov, host of the state television news program Vesti Nedeli, aired a segment on Kuzminovs defection. The report ended by quoting three masked men in camouflage, identified as special forces members of Russian military intelligence, stating that they had been given the order to eliminate Kuzminov.

We will find the man and punish him to the full extent of the law of our state for treason, said one. We have long arms.

He will not live to see the trial, said another.

Russian propagandists celebrated the pilots reported death Tuesday.

Pro-Kremlin blogger Sergei Markov posted on Telegram that Kuzminov was eliminated.

We will not rejoice in anyones death. But this news can save many lives, because it reminds everyone: Save your lives and never cooperate with the Ukrainian neo-fascist regime in anything, he said.

Oleksiy Danilov, secretary of Ukraines National Security and Defense Council, warned that the killing of Kuzminov could embolden Russia to take more such actions.

If the Russians feel so empowered within the European Union that they start killing people, the question becomes quite complex. This is not the first instance where Russians behave this way, he told Ukrainska Pravda newspaper late Monday.

As a result of one of the most brazen cases in Europe, Russian agent Vadim Krasikov is serving life imprisonment in Germany for fatally shooting former Chechen rebel Zelimkhan Khangoshvili in Berlins Kleiner Tiergarten park in 2019. German prosecutors said during his trial that Krasikov probably acted on the orders of Russian state security services.

The Kremlin has repeatedly denied involvement, but Russian President Vladimir Putin appeared to undercut those denials with an oblique comment in his interview this month with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson.

Putin suggested that he might be open to a swap involving the release of Evan Gershkovich  a Wall Street Journal correspondent being held on spying charges that he and the State Department vehemently deny  in exchange for a person serving a sentence in a country allied to the U.S.

Putin described Krasikov as a person who, due to patriotic sentiments, eliminated a bandit in one of the European capitals.

Whether he did it of his own volition or not, that is a different question, Putin added.

British authorities also blamed Russian security services for the fatal poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko, a former Federal Security Service officer and Putin critic, in London in 2006, and again when former Russian intelligence agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were poisoned in Salisbury, England, in 2018. The Skripals survived, but a British citizen, Dawn Sturgess, died after handling the discarded perfume bottle that contained the nerve agent.

Spains Interior Ministry on Tuesday would not confirm the identity of the body found in Villajoyosa. Investigators had initially believed the person who died was a Ukrainian by a different name.

In the course of the investigation that is being carried out, it has come to our attention that the identity of this person could be false and could be that of another individual. The Guardia Civil is proceeding to verify this, but we are unable to provide any further information at this time, the ministry said in a statement.

Spanish media cited sources inside the Guardia Civil confirming that the body was Kuzminovs. Witnesses told local media that gunmen shot him several times, then ran him over and escaped in a car.

Ukraine announced with great fanfare in August an intelligence operation that persuaded Kuzminov to fly his Mi-8 helicopter loaded with jet parts into Ukraine to defect. The two crew members with him were unaware of the plot and were shot by Ukrainian forces when they refused to surrender, according to officials.

The Ukrainian government later announced that the pilot had received a $500,000 reward in local currency and encouraged other Russian service members to follow suit.

Kuzminov recounted how his defection came about in a September interview published by Ukraines Defense Intelligence.

I contacted representatives of Ukrainian intelligence, explained my situation, to which they offered this option: Come on, we guarantee your safety, guarantee new documents, guarantee monetary compensation, a reward,  he said.

According to a Ukrainian intelligence official, Kuzminov ignored instructions from the Ukrainian government not to leave the country, where security services could have provided him with a degree of protection.

Kuzminov did not want to stay in Ukraine, the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive internal discussions. The Russian pilot broke protocol by leaving for Spain, the official added.

Shane Harris in Washington and Paul Schemm in London contributed to this report.
Israeli soldiers simulate close-quarters combat in terrorist tunnels. Gaza officials accused Israel of endangering lives in its raid of Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis and turning it into a military barracks, while Israel described a precise and targeted operation to take out Hamas fighters operating in and around the complex and to search for hostages. (Israel Defense Forces)

Israeli and Palestinian officials traded claims Monday about the unfolding situation at Nasser Hospital, southern Gazas largest health facility.

Gaza officials accused Israel of endangering lives in its raid of the hospital in Khan Younis and turning it into a military barracks, while Israel described a precise and targeted operation to take out Hamas fighters operating in and around the complex and to search for hostages. The Washington Post could not immediately verify either sides claims.

Gazas Health Ministry said 136 patients and 25 staffers were stuck without electricity, water, food and resources for medical needs. The update came a day after the head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said the hospital is not functional anymore, and Gaza officials said eight patients had died since Israeli troops stormed the complex on Friday and a power outage shut off the oxygen.

Israel said it was working to ensure that the hospital remains functional and that no civilians are harmed. Israeli forces arrested hundreds of suspected militants, according to spokesman Eylon Levy, including at least 20 who Israel believes participated in Hamass Oct. 7 attack. Levy said Monday that some militants were disguised as health-care workers, adding that troops found large quantities of weapons in the hospital and a vehicle allegedly used in the attack on Israel.

Interrogations of suspects led Israel to confirm that hostages were held at the hospital, Levy said, while interviews with previously released hostages yielded valuable information about the conditions in which hostages were held. Levy said Israel believes that the bodies of deceased hostages were also held there. He did not provide specific evidence from the scene to substantiate the claims.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told Sens. Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) that Israeli troops have operated with great precision around Nasser and another hospital, al-Amal, to apprehend militants, with no resulting civilian casualties, a statement from his office said about the senators Tel Aviv visit Sunday.

The Nasser Hospital raid comes as Israeli officials outlined a timetable for a potential ground invasion in Rafah, Gazas southernmost city and possibly Hamass final stronghold.

On Sunday, Benny Gantz, the opposition leader and a member of Israels war cabinet, said if by Ramadan our hostages are not home, the fighting will continue everywhere, to include the Rafah area, referencing the Muslim holy month of fasting that begins this year on March 10. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pledged to attack Rafah, saying Hamass remaining brigades, weapons and smuggling routes are spread throughout the city.

Humanitarian groups have warned that a full-scale Israeli offensive in Rafah, where nearly 1.5 million Palestinians are sheltering, could have disastrous consequences because the medical sector is already stretched to its breaking point.

It was not immediately clear Monday whether humanitarian and medical aid was getting to Nasser Hospital. Tedros said WHO teams were prevented Friday and Saturday from entering the hospital to check on patients. He said the teams were there to deliver fuel alongside partners.

Israel said it delivered humanitarian aid, including medicines, fuel and a backup generator, and accused Hamas of withholding its delivery. Gazas Health Ministry accused Israel of being stubborn about the entry of aid into the health complex. The Post could not independently verify the claims.

Heres what else to know

- The Israel Defense Forces claimed strikes on two warehouse sites near Sidon, southern Lebanon, on Monday, targeting what they described as Hezbollah weapons storage facilities. Mohammad Layla, who said he was the owner of one of the struck warehouses, said the building housed an electricity generator company. What arms cache? This is the Infinite Power Company.  Weve been open for a year, Layla told a local TV station, Al Jadeed, while standing near the site still ablaze in the town of Ghaziyeh. You can go in and see, its all electricity generators. Look at what happened to the office and what happened to the merchandise. Photos and video, including some posted by Lebanon state media, showed a large fire column and billowing smoke erupting from a blown-up site in Ghaziyeh.

- The top U.N. court began public hearings Monday into the legality of Israels occupation of Palestinian territory. The International Court of Justice kicked off six days of public hearings as it prepares to consider the legality of Israels occupation of Palestinian territory. The proceedings could add to the political pressure on Israel over the war in Gaza, though the focus is on a broader issue: control of the occupied West Bank, annexed East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip. The United States is set to participate on Wednesday with other countries. Israel will not attend.

- Israel rejected the ICJ proceedings. Netanyahus office said in a statement Monday that the hearings were an infringement on Israels right to defend itself against existential threats and accused Palestinian officials of using the hearings to dictate the results of the diplomatic settlement without negotiations.

- The U.S. military said a missile from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen hit and damaged a Belize-flagged, British-owned ship, the MV Rubymar, in the Gulf of Aden on Sunday, causing the crew to issue a distress call and abandon ship. A merchant vessel and coalition warship assisted the crew, who were safely transported to a nearby port, U.S. Central Command said. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea on Monday said a Houthi operation targeted a British ship, putting it at risk of sinking - a claim that The Post couldnt independently verify.

- The U.N. Security Council is expected to vote again this week on a cease-fire resolution for Gaza. The vote on the resolution drafted by Algeria is scheduled for Tuesday, but the United States - one of five permanent council members with veto power - has said it wont support the measure, which calls for a humanitarian cease-fire. The Associated Press reported Monday that the United States circulated an alternative resolution that supports a temporary cease-fire.

- Israels government approved a declaration Sunday that says the country wont recognize a Palestinian state. Netanyahu said the decision came in light of remarks that have been heard recently in the international community about an attempt to unilaterally force a Palestinian state on Israel. A peace plan being developed by the United States and Arab nations calls for a timeline on establishing a Palestinian state.

- Norway will help transfer funds frozen by Israel to the Palestinian Authority. The Palestinian Authority relies on tax revenue collected by Israel on its behalf to fund public services in the Palestinian territories. But after Hamass Oct. 7 attack, Israel refused to transfer the share of the funds earmarked for Gaza, and the Palestinian Authority said it would not agree to receive incomplete funds. Now, Norway says the Palestinian Authority agreed to receive the rest of the funds from Israel, with Norway holding the frozen funds until both parties agree to release them.

- At least 29,092 people have been killed in Gaza and 69,028 injured since the war began, according to Gazas Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. Israel estimates that about 1,200 people were killed in Hamass Oct. 7 attack and says that 236 soldiers have been killed since the start of its military operation in Gaza.
TOKYO, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- The amount of stimulants and other illegal substances seized by Japanese authorities at ports and airports nationwide in 2023 came to 2,406 kilograms, the country's second-largest seizure, local media reported Tuesday.

The figure was a 79 percent jump from the previous year, marking the country's second-biggest seizure of illegal drugs, with the largest recorded in the pre-pandemic year of 2019, public broadcaster NHK said, citing finance ministry data.

Meanwhile, the number of drug trafficking cases uncovered in 2023 was 815, down 22 percent from 2022.

The number of cases involving passenger planes nearly tripled from the previous year to 262, due to an increase in passenger air travel that occurred after coronavirus restrictions were eased, the report said.

In 2023, a seizure record was set when 704 kilograms of stimulants were pulled from a cargo ship that arrived in Tokyo Bay from the United Arab Emirates. 
Displaced Palestinian children gather to receive food at a government school in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on Feb. 19, 2024. (Mohammed Abed, AFP/Getty Images/TNS)

(Tribune News Service)  The United States proposed a U.N. Security Council resolution warning against an Israeli assault on Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip and calling for a temporary cease-fire, according to a copy of the draft text seen by Bloomberg.

A major offensive in Rafah would result in further harm to civilians and their further displacement including potentially into neighboring countries, which would have serious implications for regional peace and security, the text says.

The U.S. has so far been reluctant to back cease-fire proposals in the four-month old conflict. But frustration has grown with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has signaled he would move ahead with a full-scale invasion of the city despite demands from U.S. President Joe Biden and European leaders to first establish a plan to ensure the safety of civilians.

Rafahs population has swelled from some 250,000 to more than 1 million as Palestinians from across the territory seek refuge there. The U.N.s Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths said last week an invasion would be catastrophic.

The draft proposal follows previous signals from the U.S., which holds council veto power, that it would likely block a push from Algeria demanding an immediate humanitarian cease-fire, saying this could jeopardize ongoing negotiations for a pause in the war. That vote could come as soon as Tuesday.

Israel has been at war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip since the Oct. 7 invasion of southern Israel, during which some 1,200 people were killed and more than 200 were taken hostage. Since the fighting began, more than 29,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to health officials in the Hamas-run territory.

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An MQ-9 Reaper drone is remotely piloted by airmen at Creech Air Force Base, Nev., on Aug. 30, 2023. (Victoria Nuzzi/U.S. Air Force)

Houthi rebels shot down an American intelligence-gathering drone off Yemens coast on Monday, a Pentagon spokeswoman confirmed.

U.S. military officials believe the MQ-9 Reaper drone was shot down by a Houthi surface-to-air missile before it crashed into the Red Sea, Sabrina Singh, a Pentagon spokeswoman, told reporters Tuesday. The drone had not yet been recovered, she said.

The shoot-down marked the second U.S. Reaper drone that the Iran-backed Houthi rebels have shot down in recent months amid escalating violence in the region, sparked in part by the groups attacks on commercial shipping vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

The Houthis claim their attacks as retaliation for Israels war in Gaza, which it began in the wake of the Oct. 7 attack on Israelis by Hamas militants.

The Houthis last shot down a U.S. military drone in November, another MQ-9, which crashed into the Red Sea, the Pentagon said at that time. The rebel group, which has controlled much of Yemen since 2014, had previously shot down Reapers in 2017 and 2019.

Reaper drones each cost about $30 million and are primarily flown by the Air Force to conduct intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations. They can be armed with up to eight Hellfire missiles, according to the Air Force. Singh said Tuesday that she was uncertain whether the drone shot down Monday was armed.

The spokeswoman said the Pentagon would continue to fly drones over Yemen to gather intelligence as it continues to conduct strikes on the Houthis in response to their attacks on ships.

A locator map shows Yemen and its capital, Sanaa. (AP)

Army Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, who leads U.S. Central Command, is using them to keep commercial mariners safe [and] to keep our U.S. service members safe in the Red Sea and in the Gulf of Aden, she said. Of course, theres a certain amount of risk incurred, but its something that were going to continue to do to ensure that freedom of navigation can continue to be upheld, that the rule of law can be upheld, and that commercial shipping can continue.

The downing of the drone came as the Houthis continued their attacks Monday on shipping vessels. The group shot two anti-ship ballistic missiles at a Greek-flagged, U.S.-owned grain carrier on Monday, which sustained minor damage but completed its transit to Aden, Yemen, to deliver the grain after the attack, according to CENTCOM, which is responsible for U.S. military operations in the region.

The group attacked another commercial vessel later Monday with a one-way attack drone, causing minor damage and no injuries, CENTCOM said.

The U.S. military, meanwhile, continued to strike Houthi targets on Monday and Tuesday to stop some of the attacks. The U.S. military struck a Houthi surface-to-air missile launcher and a grounded one-way attack drone on Friday. U.S. ships and aircraft also destroyed 10 attack drones in the air late Friday and early Saturday and intercepted an anti-ship cruise missile launched at the USS Laboon guided-missile destroyer on Saturday, CENTCOM said.

Singh vowed the Pentagon would continue to attack the Houthis Iran-supplied weapons.

Every single day that we initiate another dynamic strike we are taking another surface-to-air missile off the map for them, she said. We are [often] being able to stop them, but  sometimes attacks do get through.  We do have the battle damage assessments that we have been able to make an impact to some of their capabilities. It is steps. It is progress, and were going to keep holding them accountable until they stop.
A gavel rests inside the court room of the 100th Air Refueling Wing base legal office at RAF Mildenhall, England, in May 2019. (Joseph Barron/U.S. Air Force)

VERNON CENTER, N.Y. (Tribune News Service)  DNA evidence has led to the arrest of a 66-year-old man in the the rape and murder of a German woman over 45 years ago when he was stationed in West Germany in the Army.

Members of the U.S. Marshals Service arrested James Patrick Dempsey on Feb. 13.

DNA evidence suggests Dempsey, then 20, raped and murdered Barbel Gansau, 35, in June 1978.

Dempsey is being held without bail prior to the extradition.

In addition to being a flight risk, Dempsey poses a significant danger to the community, Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen C. Green said in court documents.

German authorities say they will try Dempsey as a young adult, which, under their system, means between the ages of 18 and 21. If convicted by the German court Dempsey faces up to 10 years in prison.

According to papers filed with the U.S. District Court Northern District of New York, Gansau had locked her door but kept the window on her first-floor apartment open to allow her cats to enter and leave as they pleased. She lived in Ludwigsburg, about 10 miles north of Stuttgart. The attacker had allegedly shoved the window open and entered, stabbing Gansau 37 times in the arms, legs and face after the rape.

German investigators had found a fingerprint on the windowsill and DNA at the crime scene but were unable to place a single suspect from the American servicemen they interviewed in the crime.

U.S. Army records in the extradition records state Dempsey had developed an alcohol problem. This exhibited in aggressive behavior and Dempsey underwent alcohol treatment from June 1-6, 1978. Gansau was killed sometime between June 8, 1978, and June 11, 1978, the papers say. Dempsey was discharged later that year and returned to the United States, where he continued to have problems with alcohol.

Dempsey had served from November 1976 to December 1978 and was stationed in Ludwigsburg, as part of the 34th Signal Battalion, from late 1977 to late 1978. When he was back in the U.S. he was arrested for DUI and unauthorized use of a vehicle and was fingerprinted. This was in 1979 when Dempsey was 22.

On Jan. 29, 2021, some 43 years after Barbel Gansaus murder, the FBI contacted their German counterparts with a piece of extraordinary news. On April 14, 2021, the FBI gathered trash from Dempseys residence in the United States to assist the German investigation, according to the extradition package.

On June 24, 2022, the Stuttgart Lower Court issued a warrant for Dempseys arrest on aggravated murder charges, according to the extradition papers. The German government then submitted a formal request to U.S. authorities, through diplomatic channels, for Dempsey to be arrested and sent to Germany to stand trial.

The U.S., under its extradition treaty with Germany, filed the necessary paperwork and on Feb. 9, a federal magistrate judge issued an arrest warrant in the case.

(c)2024 The Oneida Daily Dispatch, N.Y.

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An international coalition of law enforcement agencies in 11 countries announced Tuesday that it had taken control of computers and software at the heart of the worlds most prolific ransomware group, giving victims hope that they wont be forced to make ransom payments to recover data stolen from their computer systems.

The infrastructure seized from the LockBit ransomware gang included hundreds of electronic keys needed to recover the stolen data, as well as the site on the dark web, where LockBit leaked data from victims who refused to pay ransoms in cryptocurrency, officials said.

The law enforcement effort, dubbed Operation Cronos, was led by the United Kingdoms National Crime Agency and included the FBI and other enforcement agencies. The coalition then used the groups site to mimic its previous operation and begin leaking information about LockBit, posting a countdown timer for files still to come, including one teasing forthcoming information about the anonymous frontman for the gang.

Its a thing of beauty. The NCA and FBI are trolling LockBit aggressively, said Don Smith, vice president at Secureworks, which had its analysis of the group republished by the authorities on the hackers site.

Criminals who hack into the internal networks of targeted organizations use ransomware to encrypt the data there and render it unusable. They demand money for the decryption key and sometimes not to publish data they have stolen. According to the Justice Department, LockBit malware has been used to extort more than $120 million in ransom payments from more than 2,000 victims.

The first sign of the takeover appeared late Monday, when a notice appeared on LockBits site that read: This site is now under the control of The National Crime Agency of the UK, working in close cooperation with the FBI and the international law enforcement task force, Operation Cronos. 

U.K. and U.S. officials said they won control of 200 financial accounts holding an undisclosed amount of cryptocurrency, the programming source code used to encrypt data and sneak it out of corporate networks, and records of electronic chats with the LockBit affiliates who conducted the actual hacking. One accused participant was arrested in Ukraine and another in Poland, with both now in American custody, while an indictment was unsealed against two others who are presumed to be inside Russia.

LockBit malware has been responsible for about a quarter of all ransomware attacks in the past two years, Secureworks estimated. LockBit is widely believed to be operated from Russia, though its ties to the Russian government, if any, are uncertain.

In 2022, it was the most-deployed piece of ransomware in the world, according to the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.

LockBit has published data stolen from aerospace giant Boeing and upset financial markets with an attack on the financial services division of a major Chinese bank, ICBC. The tool was also used to cripple Britains mail service last year, disrupting international parcel exports for a week. It has hit numerous U.S. cities, school systems and counties, recently including Fulton County in Georgia, where former President Donald Trump faces charges related to his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

Fulton County officials said Wednesday that some of its services, including technology used in its justice system, remained disrupted more than two weeks after the attack  requiring that certain meetings take place in person rather than over the phone or other communications platforms.

NCA Director General Graeme Biggar called LockBit the most harmful cybercrime group in the world. Through our close collaboration, we have hacked the hackers; taken control of their infrastructure, seized their source code, and obtained keys that will help victims decrypt their systems. As of today, LockBit are locked out, he said in a statement.

Officials did not reveal how they succeeded in seizing LockBits site, but one person close to the operation said it may have taken as long as a year. With ransomware groups hitting critical infrastructure and extorting as much as $1 billion annually, many acting from within Russias borders, tech-enabled takedowns have become a top priority, sometimes getting assistance from intelligence and military agencies, as well as law enforcement.

Previous takedowns and arrests have broken some crime rings or dented them. But because some of the top groups operate in a decentralized fashion, essentially offering their services for hire to cybercriminals seeking to penetrate an organization, other ransomware groups were able to offer similar services. In this case, the investigators are threatening the hackers themselves, known as affiliates, warning them on the seized site that they may be in touch and inviting them to come forward first.

LockBit became the top ransomware operation by giving its affiliates, who keep about 80% of the ransoms, unusual latitude to negotiate with their targets and publish the pilfered data themselves. Other ransomware gangs handle such duties on behalf of the hackers.

That deeper collaboration between LockBit and the affiliates may have helped investigators penetrate the network. The coalition said it also had gained control of 28 servers belonging to affiliates.

LockBit is one of the most significant ransomware threats, and many would argue it to be the most prolific group today, Jason Nurse, a cybersecurity expert at the University of Kent in England, said in an email. These groups are well-funded, operate like a business and are extremely careful in their approach, he added.

In 2022, LockBit issued an apology after it said its ransomware was used to target a childrens hospital. It offered the hospital a code to unlock its systems  and reportedly issued policy guidance that banned criminals from using its software in attacks where damage to the files could lead to death.

But the loose affiliate model means that every few months, someone installed LockBit on a sensitive target anyway, researchers said.

British law enforcement agencies have previously warned against focusing too much on tackling individual variants of ransomware. Disrupting individual ransomware variants is akin to treating the symptoms of an illness, and is of limited use unless the underlying disease is addressed, the NCA said.

But U.K. and U.S. officials hope that LockBit and its affiliates will disband their operations, at least temporarily, out of concern that the authorities will be able to identify them and arrest at least those affiliates who are outside Russia and China.
After the fifth session of the coordination committees of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) failed to result in any major progress, the former remains hopeful of reaching a consensus over matters pertaining to the government formation in today's meeting.

Speaking to private news channel, PPP's Information Secretary Faisal Karim Kundi reiterated the decision made by the party's central executive committee against being a part of the federal cabinet in the future government.

"[Our] experience with the PML-N during the 16-month alliance was not pleasant," Kundi said while stressing that there's no formula for holding the office of the prime minister for three years and two years by either party's candidates.

However, he underscored that the party holds the right to contest for other constitutional posts.

The bilateral talks between the PPP and the PML-N, after none of the parties was able to secure a simple majority in the February 8 polls, have dragged on for days with the former maintaining its stance against being included in the cabinet, according to media reports.

On Monday, the parties held a three-hour session and were initially set to meet for a second round later in the day, which was later deferred to Tuesday (today).

Though the draft of recommendations was finalised a day earlier, both parties decided to consult their respective leadership before the meeting slated for today.

However, the PPP's committee did not come up for the meeting, and later it was decided to hold talks on Tuesday.

Sources said the Bilawal Bhutto-led party was of the view that when party Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari had made the commitment that the PPP would support the PML-N in the election of prime minister, the party would fulfil the commitment without being a part of the cabinet.

The PML-N and PPP committees, sources added, had prepared a draft of recommendations regarding government formation and are likely to convert the draft into a written agreement today.

Talking to the media persons on Monday, senior PML-N Senator Azam Nazir Tarar said talks were going on positively and the two sides would meet again today.

Tarar underscored that they have decided on certain aspects regarding the PPPs inclusion in the federal cabinet during the meeting attended by PML-N's Senator Ishaq Dar, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan whereas the PPP was represented by Syed Murad Ali Shah, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Saeed Ghani, Nadeem Afzal Chan, Nawab Sanaullah Zehri, Shuja Khan and Sardar Bahadur Khan Sehar.

MQM-P eyes NA deputy speaker post, three ministries

Meanwhile, a delegation of Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) also held a meeting with a PML-N team where the two sides agreed to continue to remain in touch for the formation of government in the Centre.

The MQM-P delegation comprised Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori, Senior Convener Syed Mustafa Kamal and Dr Farooq Sattar, while Dar, Sadiq and Malik represented the PML-N.

After the meeting, the MQM-P spokesperson said that they had sought the support of PML-N in Parliament on a three-point package of amendments to the Constitution.

"On top of our priorities is get constitutional protection to devolution of powers and resources at the grassroots level," he said.

Meanwhile, the sources said that the MQM-P with 17 seats in the National Assembly is set to add another four womens reserve seats, taking the tally to 21. It has also been learnt that so far no agreement has been reached on the share of MQM-P in the federal government.

However, the MQM-P leadership is interested in a deputy speakership in the National Assembly and at least three ministries including the Port and Shipping, Housing and Works and Information.

In addition, the leading party in Karachi would also get the chairmanship of some standing committees of the house.

The MQM-P spokesperson said that during the meeting, the two sides discussed matters particularly the problems being faced by the Sindh population both in rural and urban areas.

PML-N, PPP, BAP finalise formation of Balochistan govt

Meanwhile, the PML-N and PPP leadership in consultation with the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) finalised details for the formation of government in Balochistan province. These three parties have a decisive majority in the Balochistan Assembly.

The sources said that it had also been finalised the Balochistan chief minister would be from the PPP. However, unlike in the past, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), having 10 seats in the province, has already announced it will become part of the Balochistan government.

In the meantime, the PPP leadership has called all Balochistan Assembly members belonging to the party in Islamabad as the party succeeded in roping in three independent members Liaquat Lehri, Asfand Yar Kakar and Maulvi Noorullah in Balochistan after the trio met with Zardari.
Senator Mushtaq Ahmed of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) has alleged that the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) actions during the recent elections amounted to treason and called for the chief election commissioner's trial under Article 6.

The senator made these comments on the floor of the Upper House of parliament during a session on Tuesday, presided over by Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani.

The Senate was holding a debate on the alleged irregularities in the recently held elections after an adjournment motion was submitted on the situation arising after the polls.

In a passionate speech, Senator Mushtaq Ahmed declared the recent elections "fake" and accused multiple institutions, including the election commission, the government, and judiciary, of depriving the people of their right to fair representation.

Senator Mushtaq demanded the resignation of the chief election commissioner (CEC), alleging that the electoral process was marred by widespread rigging and lacked transparency. "The CEC should apologise to the nation for the worst rigging in history," he remarked.

The JI leader also called for accountability, stating that the election commission's actions amounted to treason and suggested that Article 6 should be invoked against the CEC. He said those who rigged the elections were traitors and were the entire country's criminals.

Furthermore, Senator Mushtaq also questioned what sort of election it was that pushed the nation into crises, alleging that "the bullet kidnapped the ballot". He also emphasised that it was not acceptable that a few government officials sitting behind closed doors took decisions about the nation.

He also criticized the exorbitant cost of elections, demanding that the nation's poor taxpayers' Rs500 million spent on the polls be returned. He further claimed that the expense on election for one provincial assembly seat was Rs25 million.

The senator condemned the constantly escalating prices of essential utilities such as electricity and gas, adding that the revenue generated through this increase was being diverted to the election commission.

Senator Mushtaq also raised concerns about the suppression of digital rights and the closure of social media platforms during the elections, emphasizing the need for the restoration of 'X' that had been shut down for three days. He pointed to instances of electoral irregularities, including the defeat of Jamaat-e-Islami's Karachi leader, Hafiz Naeemur Rehman, in a constituency where protests erupted over alleged discrepancies.

Senator Mushtaq's impassioned address underscored the deep-seated concerns surrounding the electoral process and its implications for democratic principles in Pakistan. As discussions continue, stakeholders remain vigilant in addressing the grievances and ensuring transparency and accountability in future elections.
PHNOM PENH, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia and Canada on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the establishment of bilateral consultations between foreign ministries of the two countries, according to a news release from the Cambodian Foreign Ministry.

The deal was inked in Phnom Penh between Chhouk Bunna, director-general of the General Department of Europe, Americas, and Africa-Middle East of the Cambodian Foreign Ministry, and Alan Bowman, director-general for Southeast Asia and Oceania of Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development, the news release said.

Prior to the signing, Bowman held talks with Cambodian Foreign Ministry's Secretary of State Chum Sounry, touching on the promotion of relations and cooperation in both bilateral and multilateral frameworks.

Sounry termed the signing as another milestone in Cambodia-Canada bilateral relations, the news release said.

Both sides also discussed agenda and mutually convenient date for the first session of bilateral consultations to be held within this year, according to the news release.

Bowman was on a working visit to Cambodia from Monday to Wednesday. 
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Barrister Gohar Khan has demanded that Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja immediately resign, saying that the CEC failed to hold elections in a free, fair and transparent manner.

After meeting Khan sahib today, the PTI demands that the CEC resign, he has no right to stay in the position for a single day, Barrister Gohar Khan said at a media talk outside Adiala Jail.

He demanded that all the inquiries into poll discrepancies should be impartial and without any interference. We want the election results to be in accordance with the mandate of the public, Gohar added.

Barrister Gohar Khan has warned that the International Monetary Fund programme would be damaged if the poll results were not in accordance with Form 45s.

He said Pakistan could not afford further political turmoil and demanded that the same could only be prevented by the announcement of free poll results.

Gohar Khan has called former Rawalpindi commissioner Liaqat Ali Chattha a whistleblower who unveiled details about poll rigging.

We demand that his life and his childrens security must be ensured so that he can take part in any inquiry, he said.

Last week, Chattha had accused the Election Commission of Pakistan and Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa of involvement in the rigging  a claim denied by the electoral watchdog and the top judge.

PTI leader Barrister Gohar Ali Khan says the Election Commission of Pakistan failed to fulfil its responsibility in every step of the way.

At a press conference in Islamabad, he said Form 45s were the ECPs responsibility and the returning officers were bound to announce results according to these documents.
Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar has expressed commitment to extend all possible support to investors to facilitate more Foreign Direct investment.

He was addressing the signing ceremony of a joint venture agreement between Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation and the US-based Miracle Saltworks Collective Incorporation to increase in the value of Himalayan Pink Salt and its export.

He said investment of two hundred million dollars in this project is reposing confidence in government's economic policies.

Anwaar ul Haq Kakar expressed resolve to utilize full potential of mining sector to accelerate economic growth.

He said the government has introduced comprehensive reforms to provide level playing field for investors with transparent regulations, streamlined procedures and robust legal frameworks.

Anwaar ul Haq Kakar also praised role of Special Investment Facilitation Council to create an enabling environment and facilitate foreign direct investment.

Speaking on the occasion, Caretaker Minister for Energy Muhammad Ali said state of the art crushing and packaging plant will pave way for export and processing of pink salt.

He said Pakistan has over fifty billion tons reserves of pink salt, whereas only four million tons is being extracted.

The Minister said minerals currently contribute to one percent of the GDP and the target is to take this figure to roughly five percent in next five years.

Earlier, Managing Director of the Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation Asad Ahmed and President of US-based Miracle Saltworks Collective Inc Ahmed Nadeem Khan signed the agreement for value addition of Himalayan Pink Salt.

The ceremony was witnessed by the Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, Energy Minister Muhammad Ali and relevant senior authorities.
Elizabeth Windsor (49), also shoved a pregnant woman to the ground and punched a university student in the throat

An Australian woman attacked nine complete strangers on the streets of Dublin, pushing over victims including an 85-year-old woman and a terrified four-year-old boy.

Elizabeth Windsor (49), also shoved a pregnant woman to the ground as she waited at a bus stop and punched a university student in the throat.

Windsor had come to Ireland as a tourist when she suffered a severe mental break and carried out a spate of horrible random, unprovoked assaults, a court heard.

Judge John Hughes adjourned sentencing at Dublin District Court. Windsor pleaded guilty to assault charges over a four-month period between January and April last year.

The court heard a member of the public flagged down gardai on Parnell Square at 1.20pm on January 21 2023 after Windsor assaulted a four-year-old boy by pushing him at nearby Coles Lane. He had no visible injuries but was distraught and upset, a garda said.

In a victim impact statement, his mother said the attack affected the boy to this day. He had since experienced fear in crowds and had panic attacks when in Dublin city centre.

Hes afraid that that bad lady who hit him will be there, the victims mother said. She instilled fear in my child.

A woman was walking on Aston Quay on February 28 last year when she was approached by Windsor who pushed her with both hands into the chest, causing her to stagger and fall into another woman behind her. The accused gave the victim a disgusted look before walking away.

At 10.45am, on March 7, gardai found a US tourist lying in the road at Dame Street and helped her up. She had been crossing the road when Windsor stepped into her path and shoved her, causing her to fall.

On March 29 last year, a UCD student was walking on Inns Quay, Dublin 7 when the accused came in the opposite direction, carrying luggage. Windsor stepped into her path and punched her in the throat before walking away.

This victim said in an impact statement she had been going to visit her elderly father. She was left winded and in a lot of pain following the assault.

I grabbed my throat and tried to breathe, I couldnt understand, why did this happen to me? Why did she punch me in the throat? she said.

On March 31, the accused violently pushed an 85-year-old woman to the ground at Phibsborough Road. Later on the same day, a woman was walking on a street in Dublin 7 when she was approached by Windsor who was holding her phone in the air. The accused shoved the phone into the front of the ladys throat".

Windsor approached a woman waiting to get a bus to work at Sherrard Street Lower on April 1 and pushed her to the ground. The woman, who was pregnant at the time, was visibly shaken but thankfully there were no injuries, the garda said.

Windsor was born and raised in China before moving to Australia where she worked as a town planner for 10 years, her solicitor Philip Denieffe said. She came to Ireland as a tourist in December 2022.

Windsor was diagnosed with schizophrenia and it was unclear when the symptoms first appeared but she suffered a severe mental break while travelling here, Mr Denieffe said. She went from owning her own home in Melbourne to being homeless on the streets of Dublin.

There was no rationality to the assaults which were all similar and Windsor was apologetic but could not offer any explanation. She accepted that though there were no serious physical injuries, they were horrible experiences for anybody". The victims were complete strangers to the accused, who was not in her right mind.

When she appeared in court she had been in custody since last April and had been in the Central Mental Hospital. She was on regular medication now and doing much better, Mr Denieffe said.

The court heard arrangements were being made with the Australian embassy to fly Windsor home there after the case is finalised.

Judge Hughes said at the age of 85, people were often frail and afraid while out walking without being pushed over. The assault on the four year old would have been terrifying, he said.

He remanded the accused in custody to March, for compensation and finalisation.
Neville Griffin (49) panicked but stopped the car within seconds after the garda fell to the road

A taxi driver who drove off as a garda who was attempting to apprehend a passenger held onto the car has been given a fully suspended sentence.

Neville Griffin (49) panicked but stopped the car within seconds after the garda fell to the road.t

Lawyers for Griffin said the offence was reckless, momentary and no serious harm was caused.

Griffin of Kippure Park, Finglas, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to endangerment at River Road, Dublin 7 on January 3, 2021. He has five previous convictions.

Imposing sentence, Judge Martin Nolan said it was very hard to know why Griffin did what he did, but he acknowledged that it was a spur of the moment decision.

He described the incident as a total misjudgement and said he thinks Griffin deserves a chance.

Judge Nolan sentenced Griffin to two years' imprisonment, but suspended the sentence in its entirety on strict conditions.

Griffin brought 1,500 with him to court as a token of remorse. One of the conditions of the suspended sentence was that a further 3,500 be offered to the injured party within 12 months.

Judge Nolan said what Griffin did was extremely dangerous but that he had been saved from going into custody by his relatively good history.

Detective Garda Selina Proudfoot told Derek Cooney BL, prosecuting, that on the day, gardai were involved in the pursuit of a motor vehicle unconnected to Griffin around Finglas. The car stopped at Scribblestown Road and the three occupants took off running.

Gda Proudfoot said the injured garda was pursuing one of the males who scaled a wall onto River Road. The garda followed and he saw the man get into a passing taxi. He caught up with the taxi which had the window open, stating that he was a garda.

The garda grabbed a hold of the passenger with one hand and the taxi door with his other hand. The taxi took off and the garda let go of the man but continued to hold onto the car.

The garda believed the driver would stop but when they did not, he let go and fell onto the road. He heard another car coming behind and rolled onto the grass verge believing he would be run over, but it was garda colleagues in the car coming behind him.

Griffin stopped a short distance away. He told a garda who caught up with him that he did not know the young male, had panicked on seeing the garda as he did not want to get involved and just wanted to get away.

The garda received medical treatment and was sent home with anti-inflammatory drugs. He was out of work for seven weeks, felt pain in his legs and was limping.

The court heard the garda was at the time playing Gaelic for his county and had been due to resume training but could not do that.

Gda Proudfoot agreed with Cathal McGreal BL, defending, that the distance between picking up the male and dropping him off was short and took less than 28 seconds.

She agreed Griffin has been in no trouble since and expressed apologies and remorse on several occasions. In interview,

Griffin told gardai that he had told the young man to get out when he realised what was happening. He said he had panicked and did not want to get involved.

Mr McGreal said his client was a family man who was a rock to those around him. He said in the intervening time since his prior offences in 2011, he had lived a good life and kept out of trouble. He handed in testimonials speaking to Griffins good character.

He said Griffin had caused a minor injury to the gardai by a stupid and reckless act that took a moment. He said the harm caused was not serious but the consequences were different to the harm.

He said the consequences for the victim had been unintended and his client should not be punished for unintended results.

Judge Nolan said if a garda was holding onto the door and you did not stop, it was foreseeable that if you accelerated away, injuries may ensue. No one knows if they will be serious or minor, he said.

Mr McGreal said the injuries had not been serious and the offence was momentary.

A victim impact statement was handed into Judge Nolan but not read in open court.
Court previously heard how Sandra Hehir (56) was in receipt of the Covid payment and the widow's pension

A sister of convicted drug dealer and gang "patriarch" Christy Keane, who was caught with 124,000 in crime cash in her attic, was told by her husband that tens of thousands of euro in her bank accounts had come from "gambling", the Special Criminal Court has heard.

Sandra Hehir's defence counsel asked the court to suspend all or a significant part of any sentence it imposes.

Hehir (56) with an address at Assumpta Park, Island Road, Limerick City, pleaded guilty in October before the non-jury court to laundering the money at her home in June 2020.

She pleaded guilty that on June 17, 2020, at the same address she handled, acquired and/or possessed cash to the value of 124,055, knowing or believing (or being reckless as to whether) property in the said premises was the proceeds of criminal conduct.

The charge came under Section 7 of the Criminal Justice (Monday Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010.

At the Special Criminal Court, defence counsel Padraig Dwyer SC said Hehir had been told by her now deceased husband that the money that went through her accounts had come from gambling. However, she accepted that, in all probability, it had been the proceeds of crime.

Sandra Hehir

Mr Dwyer said his client denied any criminal involvement, had entered a guilty plea and had expressed her regret.

Counsel said a probation report for Hehir, who has no previous convictions, was a positive one and that she had no impediments such as mental health or addiction issues.

Counsel said Sandra Hehir was now predominantly estranged from her siblings and works as a hairdresser.

Mr Dwyer said his client had letters of reference describing her as a valuable staff member who is a good person and who was co-operative with the probation service.

Counsel said the probation service found it unlikely that Sandra Hehir would be in this position again and that if the court is going to suspend all or some of her sentence, it could take comfort in that rehabilitation appears to have been achieved.

Mr Dwyer asked the court to suspend all or a significant part of any sentence imposed, adding that his client had never been before a court before and that it would be a great shock and surprise if she ever got into trouble again.

Mr Justice Michael MacGrath, presiding at the three-judge court, adjourned the matter to Monday, February 26, for sentence finalisation.

At a previous hearing, Fiona Murphy SC, prosecuting, told the court that five other counts of money laundering could be taken into consideration. The barrister said that a nolle prosequi - a decision not to prosecute - will be entered on three other counts.

The non-jury court heard in December that Sandra Hehir had accumulated 68,000 in savings over five years and had withdrawn 70,000 to pay the balance of her mortgage, a position that gardai said was not in line with her legitimate income.

Sergeant Cathal O'Sullivan told Ms Murphy that a 2020 garda anti-money laundering operation was designed to target the Keane Organised Crime Group in Limerick, particularly Christy Keane and his nephew, Warren Hehir.

Sgt O'Sullivan told the court that when Sandra Hehir's house was searched on June 17, 2020, 124,055 in 13 separate bundles was found secured in a plastic sheet in the attic. A "tick-list" was also found relating to substantial sums of money owed.

Sandra Hehir told gardai that the money in the attic was from savings she made since her husband died. The sergeant said the defendant made reference to her son, Warren and his wife, Vicky Hehir, paying for renovations to the house in Garryowen in Limerick but that she would not say any more than that.

Limerick gang boss Christy Keane.

An investigation was launched by gardai into Kilmurry Court in Garryowen and it was established that Sandra Hehir had purchased the property in August 2017 for 128,000 and that 39,000 had been paid by her as a deposit for the house.

The sergeant said that the defendant Sandra Hehir is the sister of Christy Keane - the "patriarch" of the Keane Organised Crime Group - and the mother of Warren Hehir.

Sandra Hehir was interviewed by gardai and denied she made the purchase of the house on behalf of her son, Warren.

Information received from the Revenue Commissioners showed that Sandra Hehir was in receipt of the Covid payment and the widow's pension. She was also employed as a hairdresser and together with her pension she earned a total of 35,000 annually.

The defendant's financial accounts were frozen and garda established she had accumulated 68,000 in savings over various accounts in the last five years. Sandra Hehir would stop using an account once it reached 20,000 and would open another one, said the witness.

Sgt O'Sullivan said 70,000 was withdrawn from a bank account in March 2018 and was used by the defendant to pay off the remainder of a mortgage on her own property, which she told gardai was the proceeds of a life assurance policy that she had for her late husband.

"In respect of that life assurance policy for her husband, an analysis was done of the Hehir lifestyle and she should never have been able to afford it," he said.

The defendant told gardai she was married for 30 years until her husband passed away in 2017. She said she was earning 600 a week from her hairdressing job and made money from "jobs at home" but was unable to tell gardai how much that was. "She said she would use her husband's life assurance policy to pay off the mortgage at her own address," he said.

The court heard that the Keane gang and its associates are involved in the distribution of drugs and suspected of the importation of firearms on a national and international level, he said. The court heard they had been involved in an ongoing feud with the McCarthy-Dundon gang since 2000 and that there had been 19 murders.

Sandra Hehir

Last July, Sandra Hehirs son, Warren Hehir (33)  described in court as a mid-level member of the Keane crime gang - pleaded guilty to money laundering that on dates between August 8, 2019, and June 17, 2020, he possessed, used, converted, transferred or handled cash to the value of 59,000, knowing or believing or being reckless as to whether the property was the proceeds of criminal conduct, in discharging sums due and owing in respect of works carried out on Kilmurry Court, Garryowen, Limerick between August 8, 2019, and June 17, 2020.

Warren Hehir of Bruach na Sionna, Castleconnell, Co Limerick, also pleaded guilty that on June 17, 2020 at The Path, Garryowen, he handled, acquired or possessed a Rolex watch knowing, believing or being reckless as to whether the watch was the proceeds of criminal conduct.

Last month, Warren Hehir was jailed for five years and three months imprisonment with the final 12 months suspended. Hehir had 54 previous convictions at the time of his sentencing that included money laundering and drug offences.

His wife, Vicky Hehir (31), also known as Victoria O'Halloran, of Bruach na Sionna, Castleconnell, Co Limerick, pleaded guilty to one charge of money laundering in relation to the 59,000 for the works carried out at Kilmurry Court.

Mr Justice MacGrath said to impose a custodial sentence on Victoria Hehir would be "unduly harsh" on her three children and would have a disproportionate effect on them.

Mr Justice MacGrath sentenced Victoria Hehir to two years in prison, fully suspended, on condition that she refrain from any contact with members of the Keane gang or any organised crime group and reside away from the Keane strongholds in the Garryowen and Kilmurry areas of Limerick.
About 200 protesters held a rally outside Leinster House on September 20 as the Dail resumed following the summer recess, leading to several arrests.

Dean Hickson, 21yrs, of Griffith Parade, Finglas, Dublin pictured leaving the Criminal Courts of Justice (CCJ) on Parkgate Street in Dublin after he appeared before the Dublin District Court. Pic: IrishPhotoDesk.ie

A young man has appeared in court charged with intimidating independent TD Michael Healy-Rae and trying to impede the politician from entering Government buildings during an "aggressive" protest.

About 200 protesters held a rally outside Leinster House on September 20 as the Dail resumed following the summer recess, leading to several arrests.

Afterwards, the Kerry TD condemned the conduct of some demonstrators as he and an intern from his office attempted to leave the area.

Following a garda investigation, Dean Hickson (21) appeared at Dublin District Court today.

Pearse Street Garda Chloe Rochfort obtained directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to charge him under section nine of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act.

Mr Hickson, of Griffith Parade, Finglas East Dublin, is accused of intimidating Michael Healy-Rae at Kildare Street Dublin 2, on September 20.

Kerry TD Michael Healy-Rae.

The DPP directed summary disposal in the District Court, which can impose a 12-month sentence and a fine, rather than a trial at the Circuit Court level, which can impose a sentence of up to five years.

Judge Paula Murphy accepted jurisdiction after hearing a summary of the prosecution evidence.

Court Garda Sergeant James Ward said it was alleged that "The accused was among a number of aggressive protesters outside Leinster House during an anti-government, anti-immigration protest."

At one point, the CCTV footage captured someone "throwing a plastic bottle in the direction of Michael Healy Rae, narrowly missing his head".

During the investigation, the accused was identified from the video footage "as the person who deliberately impeded the injured party from entering Government buildings, a place of work".

Judge Murphy ordered him to appear again on April 16 to enter a plea. Mr Hickson, who is unemployed, was granted legal aid but did not address the court.

His solicitor, Donal Quigley, said he was instructed to tell the judge that his client "did not block anyone going in or out".

The defence was also granted an order for disclosure of prosecution evidence, including video footage.

Healy-Rae (57), was not required to attend the proceedings today but could be called as a witness to testify if the case proceeds to a contested hearing.
A Co Armagh man accused of murdering his three-year-old son was remanded into custody yesterday after breaching his only bail condition.

Lisburn Magistrates Court heard that 28-year-old Craig Rowland is on bail for the alleged murder of his infant son Lewis Oliver Rowland who died on October 20, 2018.

But despite having a condition that he is to reside at his home address, the alleged killer travelled to Wales to visit relatives.

A detective sergeant told the court how police in Wales had received a tip-off on Wednesday that Rowland was at an address. When officers spoke to him, Rowland initially claimed he was not subject to any bail conditions but eventually admitted that he was. Following that, the PSNI were alerted.

Rowland, from Millington Park in Portadown, is charged with both the murder and manslaughter of Lewis Oliver Rowland on October 20, 2018.

Both Rowland and the childs mother Laura Graham, (31), from the same address, have admitted a further charge of child cruelty in that having custody, charge or care of Lewis, they allegedly wilfully neglected the child on November 20, 2015, in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury to health.

In court, the detective sergeant told District Judge Rosie Watters she was objecting to Rowland being freed on bail again due to concerns that he would abscond.

He faces a lengthy custodial sentence if he is convicted, said the detective, highlighting that despite knowing his bail condition Rowland travelled to Wales without permission and then deliberately lied to police.

Defence counsel Conor Lunny told the court Rowland is from Wales originally and the majority of his family still live there so on February 6, he went to visit his elderly granny who is undergoing cancer treatment.

Emphasising that Rowland has attended all other court hearings, the barrister told the judge the alleged killer has been on bail without incident for the best part of a year.

Although he conceded that Rowland should have told his legal team of his travel intentions so that a proper bail variation application could have been made, Mr Lunny respectively suggested that given Rowlands adherence to bail thus far, such an application may well have been granted.

District Judge Watters said given the fact Rowland is on Crown court bail: I think that a Crown court judge should make the decision.

Its such a serious offence and theres only one condition that he didnt keep to it, said the judge who concluded she was refusing bail because Im concerned about him not turning up for trial.
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia's exports edged up by 8.7 percent year on year to 122.43 billion ringgit (25.55 billion U.S. dollars) in January, official data showed Tuesday.

The Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry said in a statement that the export growth was boosted by higher shipments of petroleum products, machinery, equipment and parts, iron and steel products as well as manufactures of metal.

Exports to major trading partners, namely the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the United States, the European Union and Japan, recorded expansion, it said.

Malaysia's trade in the month rebounded with a double-digit expansion of 13.3 percent to 234.73 billion ringgit.

Its imports for the month also increased by 18.8 percent to 112.3 billion ringgit. The country's trade surplus amounted to 10.12 billion ringgit.

In January, exports of manufactured goods, which accounted for 84.7 percent of total exports, improved by 9.3 percent year on year to 103.65 billion ringgit. Almost all manufactured goods recorded double-digit export expansion.

Exports of mining goods (7.9 percent share) for the month declined by 4.9 percent year on year to 9.72 billion ringgit following reduced exports of liquefied natural gas.

Exports of agriculture goods (6.7 percent share) rebounded with a double-digit expansion of 17.5 percent to 8.24 billion ringgit, mainly driven by robust exports of palm oil and palm oil-based agriculture products. (1 ringgit equals 0.21 U.S. dollar) 
Keith Noonan had 76 previous convictions for offences including assault, possession of knives and public order breaches

A man went to a creche in Dublin and claimed he was there to speak to one of the children before reaching into his tracksuit bottoms and carrying out a sex act on himself.

Father-of-two Keith Noonan (38) had beckoned to have a girl brought over to him when the manager saw him masturbating, a court heard.

Judge John Hughes jailed him for five months after hearing that while none of the children had seen anything, they were among the most vulnerable members of society.

Noonan, with an address at a city hostel for the homeless, pleaded guilty to offensive conduct of a sexual nature.

Dublin District Court heard on July 9, 2021, he went to the door of the childcare centre where he was encountered by the manager.

Noonan told him he wanted to speak to a child or children, then beckoned that he wanted a particular young girl to be brought over to him.

The manager then observed Noonan with his hand down the front of his tracksuit bottoms, masturbating. Noonan then left the scene.

He had initially denied the charge, but changed his plea as evidence was being given at his non-jury trial.

Noonan had 76 previous convictions for offences including assault, possession of knives and public order breaches.

The judge asked if any victim-impact evidence was needed, but a state solicitor said he did not think there were any victims, as such.

Defence barrister Fergal McMorrow said the children didnt see anything.

Judge Hughes asked if there were any mental health issues in the background for the accused. Mr McMorrow said his client instructed that there are no such difficulties.

He had addiction issues and no longer had contact with his family. His previous convictions were mostly for minor matters, and this offence seems to be something of an outlier, the barrister said.

While some of the most vulnerable members of society were present, it could have been an awful lot worse than it turned out, the court heard.

Judge Hughes said the charge was not one that enabled him to put the accused on the sex offenders register, otherwise I almost certainly would have.

The judge ordered that if the accused appeals the sentence and takes up bail, he must stay away from the location of the offence, as well as all schools, creches, childcare facilities and places of education. He is to have no contact with children without notifying gardai.
The deceased had just returned from a wake for his close friend, Derek Coakley-Hutch  a nephew of veteran Dublin criminal Gerry The Monk Hutch

A victim of the Hutch-Kinahan gangland feud was shot up to 13 times at close range just a short distance from his home six years ago with his mother witnessing flashes from the fatal gunshots, an inquest has heard.

James Molyneux (27) was killed after leaving his home in Dublins north inner city to visit a friend in the nearby James Larkin House flats complex off the North Strand around 9pm on January 30, 2018.

Molyneux, who was nicknamed Buda, was a known associate of the Hutch criminal gang which became involved in a bloody feud following the murder of a leading member of the Kinahan drugs cartel, David Byrne, in a daring attack at the Regency Hotel in Whitehall in February 2016.

The deceased had just returned from a wake for his close friend, Derek Coakley-Hutch  a nephew of veteran Dublin criminal Gerry The Monk Hutch  who had been shot 10 days earlier as he sat in a car at a halting site near Cloverhill Prison in west Dublin.

Jason Molyneux's sister Donna (left) and mother Liz (right) pictured leaving the Dublin District Coroner's Court. Picture Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin

Gardai believe that Coakley-Hutch was also shot as part of the Hutch-Kinahan feud that erupted following Byrnes murder.

The shooting in the Regency Hotel was, in turn, seen as revenge for the murder of Gary Hutch in Spain in 2015 and sparked a violent feud that has claimed the lives of at least 18 people to date including Molyneux.

The victims mother, Liz Molyneux, who lived with her son and daughter, Donna, in North William Street, Dublin 1, told a sitting of Dublin District Coroners Court on Tuesday that her son had returned home earlier that evening having attended a wake for his friend with his young son.

She told the inquest that he had not gone out earlier that morning as he believed people were watching their home and keeping track of his movements.

However, she said he had left in the afternoon to get a haircut and to pick up a suit before going to a removal in a nearby church.

Ms Molyneux said her son had been sitting on the couch with a friend in their home when he left alone at around 8.45pm to meet another friend.

She recalled trying to contact him on his phone but getting no response.

Ms Molyneux said she was putting her boots on to go out to look for him when she heard a bang that she thought sounded like a banger going off.

She told the hearing that she ran out onto her balcony and saw a flash followed by a few more bangs and flashes.

Ms Molyneux said she saw someone running back and forth looking like they were in a panic.

The inquest heard she just knew that it was her son who had been shot and she shouted out at the gunman: You dirty scumbag.

She described jumping over a railing to rush to her sons assistance where she held his head in her hands but got no response.

Ms Molyneux remembered another woman, who came on the scene, felt her sons head and told her she could still detect a pulse.

I said be strong, Jason, be strong, and he squeezed my hand, she recalled.

Ms Molyneux was able to give a brief description of her sons assailant who was carrying a gun in his right hand.

She particularly noticed that he was running with his knees raised high up like he was jumping hurdles but did not see where he went.

Asked by coroner Clare Keane if she had been worried about her son given his concern about people watching his home, Ms Molyneux replied: Of course.

Donna Molyneux, sister of Jason 'Buda' Molyneux pictured leaving the Dublin District Coroner's Court this afternoon. Picture: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin

However, she said her son had never said if he was worried about himself.

Ms Molyneux subsequently said she recalled seeing a white van parked near their home the previous two days but had not really noticed the vehicle at the time.

A white Renault Kangoo van believed to have been used by the assailant and an accomplice was subsequently discovered near the Tom Clarke Bridge in Ringsend where attempts had been made to set it on fire.

The deceaseds sister, Donna Molyneux, told the inquest that she was also at home when she heard a bang that was very loud and very bright.

The sky lit up, she remarked. I just knew it was him who was shot.

Jason Molyneux

She met someone later that evening who said they had witnessed the shooting and overheard the victim crying out: Dont do it.

However, Ms Molyneux said the individual claimed they had only seen the feet of her brothers assailant.

The witness also highlighted how she had heard a large number of whistles from the road outside her home at the time of the shooting.

She claimed the number of whistles were too many to be coming from one mouth.

In reply to questions from Dr Keane, she said she believed the whistles were to alert people to what was going to happen and to let them know which way was clear.

She rang for an ambulance and her brother was rushed to the nearby Mater Hospital but he was pronounced dead a short time later.

Asked about her brothers form earlier that day, she replied that it was as normal as it could be coming from your friends wake.

In a statement provided to the coroner, Aaron Coughlan, said the victim had called over to see him and had just left his apartment when he heard several bangs and rushed outside to see his friend lying on the ground.

He did not look like he was shot but just knocked out as if he had fallen, said Mr Coughlan.

He recalled seeing the deceaseds mother with her son and calling out, Bud, Bud, Bud before asking the witness to fetch a glass of water.

Mr Coughlan said his friend might have the weight of the world on his shoulders but would not show it.

He told gardai that he had not spoken to anyone that day who would have known the deceased.

Mr Coughlan said his friend had called to him to collect some money which he needed for the following day.

Former State pathologist, Marie Cassidy who carried out a postmortem on Molyneuxs body said there were 13 bullet entry wounds including four to the left side of his head.

Prof Cassidy said the victim has died from multiple gunshot injuries including rapidly fatal wounds to his brain and well as extensive injuries to several vital organs including the lungs, heart, bowel, liver and spleen.

She estimated that at least 12 bullets had struck Mr Molyneux with most having been fired while he was in an upright position.

Asked by the coroner how far away his assailant was, Prof Cassidy said it was probably a couple of metres but she could not be any more precise.

Inspector Ken Hoare told the inquest that Molyneuxs death was still an open Garda investigation.

While several arrests had been made in relation to the killing, Insp Hoare said no charges had been brought against anyone although a file on the case had been forwarded to the DPP.

We remain committed to bringing the assailant to justice, he added.

Insp Hoare said the killing had been the subject of a comprehensive investigation and gardai were satisfied that a number of people had been working in support of the gunman.

He confirmed that gardai also believed Molyneuxs killing was directly related to the murder of David Byrne.

Molyneux, a father of one, was known to gardai for his involvement in serious and organised crime and had over 120 criminal convictions to his name.

A jury of five men and three women returned a verdict of unlawful killing by person or persons unknown.

Offering her condolences to the deceaseds family, the coroner said there was no doubt that he had suffered a violent and atrocious end.

Dr Keane observed that his death must have been all the more difficult for his relatives because of their proximity to the scene of the fatal shooting on the night.

Im sure you are still living with it every day, she remarked.
Asked by Judge Cody whether the incidents were connected, Mr Meagher responded that they werent but they both involved similar behaviour.

A 74-year-old GP who pleaded guilty to engaging in threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour in a road rage incident is facing a separate and unconnected charge of assaulting a man.

Portlaoise based doctor Annette Brennan appeared before Portlaoise District Court on Thursday where she was due to be sentenced over her behaviour at the Gandon Inn in Cappakeel on December 4, 2021 following a car accident.

However, solicitor Philip Meagher, acting on behalf of Brennan, informed Judge Andrew Cody that Brennan had appeared before the court earlier this week on a charge relating to a separate alleged incident dating from February 2023.

The charge arising from that incident is one of having assaulted Shane Costello, contrary to section 2 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, at Lake Road, Graigueaverne, Ballybrittas on February 23 last year.

Mr Meagher said the matter relating to the assault charge had been put back for finalisation to a sitting on May 14.

Asked by Judge Cody whether the incidents were connected, Mr Meagher responded that they werent but they both involved similar behaviour.

Mr Meagher also submitted that a psychiatric report had been prepared for consideration in the matter.

Asked by Judge Cody whether a video recording of the incident at the Gandon Inn had been played during previous court proceedings, Mr Meagher indicated it had not.

Noting that the guilty plea to the charge of engaging in threatening and abusive behaviour had been entered before Judge Shalom Binchy, Judge Cody agreed to put the public order charge back to May 14 for finalisation on the same day the assault matter is to be heard.

When the road rage matter originally came before the court, Judge Binchy heard Brennan had also been charged with an assault on motorist Richard Robinson in addition to the public order charge.

The charge was contrary to Section 2 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, 1997.

Appearing on behalf of Brennan on that occasion, solicitor Philip Meagher said there was a plea in respect of the section 6 public order charge and, on that basis, the State had agreed to withdraw the section 2 assault charge. Sgt Michael Tarpey for the prosecution confirmed this to be the case.

Annette Brennan caught on camera shouting abuse at a motorist at Cappakeel

A video of the incident at the Gandon Inn circulated widely on social media in the wake of the incident. In it, Brennan can be seen waving her finger in the other drivers face and shouting: F**k, f**k, f**k, as he appeals to her: Please step back from my vehicle.

Closing the door of a vehicle, Brennan then approaches the driver saying: Do you think Im going to f**king step away from you.

You f**k off! You f**k off!

The other driver responds: Im telling you now  Im asking you to step away. Step away from me!

As the other driver finishes the last part of that sentence, Brennan begins a phone call to the local garda station in a more reasonable voice.

Hello. This is Dr Annette Brennan, she says. I would be grateful if you could send gardai here.

As Brennan is talking on the phone, a bystander asks if there is a child in there [in the mans car], to which he responds: Yes, there is a child in there 

She crashed into my car and theres a child in the car and shes talking to me like that.
The pair were held after police identified them as the beneficiaries of fraudulent bank transfers made using the victims phone

SPANISH police have arrested a Romanian couple after an Irish woman had her handbag stolen in an Ibiza nightspot and 86,000 taken out of her bank account.

The pair were held after police identified them as the beneficiaries of fraudulent bank transfers made using the victims phone.

It was inside the bag taken from a nightclub in the upmarket area of San Jose in Ibiza along with her bank cards and ID.

The suspects were arrested on suspicion of fraud and receiving stolen property.

No personal details including the age of the Irish woman, believed to have been on holiday in Ibiza, have yet been released by the Civil Guard.

Police have not said if they also suspect the couple held could also have been behind the theft of the handbag containing the valuables.

They have not revealed either how the fraudulent transfers could have been carried out and whether the victim had left any clues to her phone banking passwords in the bag that was stolen.

A spokesman for the Civil Guard at its Balearic Islands HQ in the Majorcan capital Palma confirmed: Officers have arrested a Romanian couple as the suspected authors of crimes of fraud and receivership of stolen property in San Jose.

At the end of 2023 the victim, an Irish woman, reported her handbag had been taken in a disco in the locality with her documentation, bank cards and mobile phone inside and 86,000 had been stolen from her through bank transfers.

The Civil Guard began an investigation into the transfers from her bank account, and discovered the beneficiaries were a man and a woman who were a couple.

They were arrested and hauled to court.

The judge they appeared before released them on bail but banned both of them from leaving Spain.

The criminal investigation will continue while they remain on bail before officials decide on charges and a future trial.

Neither suspect has been named. The nightspot where the handbag theft occurred has not been named either.
Father of two Kelly pleaded guilty at Ennis Circuit Court to the possession of three child abuse images and one video at his west Clare home in May 2018.

Spanish police intervened and met with a west Clare man after being alerted to comments he made online that he had a sexual interest in young girls and was going to try a 10-year old girl while on holiday in Spain, a court has heard.

In May 2018, Spanish police also seized a mobile phone belonging to family man and college graduate Liam Kelly (45) of Clonadrum, Mullagh, and an analysis of the phone detected a small number of child abuse images.

Arising from the subsequent garda investigation, father of two Kelly pleaded guilty at Ennis Circuit Court to the possession of three child abuse images and one video at his west Clare home in May 2018.

Sgt Claire Haugh of Ennis Garda Station told the court that at interview, Kelly had denied viewing the images he had received online from a UK national.

Sgt Haugh said the images included individual naked females, aged two to three, aged from three to four and aged five. Sgt Haugh said a video showed a nine- to ten-year-old girl removing her underwear.

She said that Kelly had stated in a 2018 online chat that he was sexually interested in girls aged from eight to 13.

An analysis of a laptop showed that Kelly was involved in various chat-rooms that were indicative of a sexual interest in children.

Sgt Haugh said Kelly told gardai that he was on such platforms with a view to outing paedophiles.

She said gardai rejected this after an analysis of the laptop seized showed Kelly expressing a sexual interest in young children. Counsel for the State, Lorcan Connolly BL said that there are references to paedo or ped in the online chats.

Judge Francis Comerford described engagement with child abuse material as evil and described Kellys excuse that he was trying to entrap predatory paedophiles as fairly implausible and nonsense.

In evidence, Sgt Haugh said South Wales police initially discovered the online chat in May 2018 between Kelly and another man that resulted in the Spanish police intervention.

Sgt Haugh said Kelly told the user that he was going to Spain the following day and referred to a 10-year-old child and I am going to try her.

She said that in the context of earlier exchanges it was entirely reasonable to assume that Mr Kelly was intent on engaging in sexual activity with this child.

Sgt Haugh said that South Wales police informed gardai through Interpol, and gardai in turn contacted their Spanish counterparts, who met with Kelly at his hotel on May 23, 2018.

Judge Comerford said there is no evidence that the child in Spain on holidays was put at risk but talking in those terms is revolting.

Sgt Haugh said that the online chat between Kelly and the man from the UK comprised 153 messages discussing sexual activity with young girls.

She said that while Kelly was in Spain, Detective Garda John Casey of Ennis garda station secured a search warrant for Kellys home at Mullagh.

Counsel for the State, Mr Connolly, said that an analysis of a laptop at the home didnt yield any child abuse images but showed the user involved in various chatrooms that were indicative of a sexual interest in children.

Mr Connolly said that in one online chat there was evidence of 32 users online simultaneously and Kelly had different private chats with people with various handles with a sexual interest in children.

Sgt Haugh agreed with Mr Connolly that the private chats Kelly had under his handle were indicative of sharing thoughts and views and encouraging an interest in paedophilia.

Sgt Haugh said that Kelly has no previous convictions and is an applied physics and electronics graduate and works for a manufacturing company.

Counsel for Kelly, Bernard Madden SC described his client as a family man and there was no evidence of financial gain out of this and no history of violence.

He said that since the images were discovered six years ago, Kelly has not come to garda attention again.

Mr Madden asked that Kelly be further remanded on bail to allow him receive therapeutic treatment.

Judge Comerford acceded to the application with no promises and warned that if Kelly doesnt avail of treatment he will be going to jail, it is as simple as that.

The judge said that completed therapy would have beneficial effects for society. He said that the most aggravating factors in the case were evidence around the online chats used to rebut Kellys claim that he was trying to entrap paedophiles rather than the child abuse material offences before the court.

Judge Comerford said the child abuse material offence was at the lower end when one sees other offenders coming before the courts with thousands of images but all such images are horrible.

He noted that Kelly has shown no remorse "and his wife wanted him to engage with a clinical psychologist but he didnt want to do that.

The judge lifted reporting restrictions in the case and Mr Madden expressed concern for the impact on Kellys children that publication of his name would have on them.

Judge Comerford said that identification is part of the deterrent effect against such offences.

He said: I appreciate it is very difficult for the children of the accused. It isnt good at all. But there is no basis for reporting restrictions. It is a particularly heinous crime.

Judge Comerford remanded Kelly on continuing bail and the case will be mentioned again on March 8 at Ennis Circuit Court.
Mr Rynne, 39, was found slumped unconscious outside a nearby McDonalds restaurant

A street drinker who assaulted a man days before he died in hospital has been fined 200.

Belfast Magistrates Court heard Dylan Quaile, 29, struck out at Gareth Rynne in the city centre early on the morning of August 14, 2022.

Mr Rynne, 39, was found slumped unconscious outside a nearby McDonalds restaurant several hours later.

He was taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital, but his condition deteriorated and he died three days later.

Quaile, of Boyhill Park in Maguiresbridge, Co Fermanagh, was initially arrested and questioned on suspicion of either his murder or manslaughter.

However, he pleaded guilty today to a charge of common assault.

Prosecutors said detectives carried out a trawl of CCTV footage in a bid to establish the victims movements before he was discovered at around 8am.

Despite gaps in the footage, Mr Rynne and the defendant were seen together hours earlier on Callender Street, close to a storage point for Marks & Spencer cages.

The prosecution case is that Dylan Quaile strikes out at Gareth Rynne in that recess area, a Crown lawyer said.

You cant necessarily see the assault, but you can see an arm moving across and can then see Gareth Rynne going to the ground.

The defendant leaves at that stage, and the injured party emerges a few moments later.

Quaile was subsequently arrested and accepted being in the footage.

He told police that he could not recall the incident due to a combination of heavy drinking and taking medication tablets.

With detectives unable to account for Mr Rynnes subsequent movements, the court heard there is no established link between the assault and his death.

Defence solicitor Pearse McDermott acknowledged: This was a very tragic incident for the deceased and his family.

He described his client as a street drinker and an acquaintance of Mr Rynne who had been in the victims company on the night of the incident.

Mr MacDermott added: He accepts the assault, but there is no connection between that and the deceaseds ultimate death.

Imposing a 200 fine on Quaile, District Judge John Rea offered his condolences to the victims family.

He added: The offence itself is not significant enough to merit a custodial sentence.
Kayleigh Kinsella (25) did not get the seriousness of having the implement on her in a public place, a court heard.

A woman caught with a pair of scissors in her bag on a Dublin street told gardai there was a threat on her life and she had them for self-defence.

Kayleigh Kinsella (25) did not get the seriousness of having the implement on her in a public place, a court heard.

Judge Kevin Staunton said it was stupid behaviour but he would leave her without a criminal record if she stayed out of trouble for a year.

Kinsella pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a weapon.

Dublin District Court heard that gardai on duty at Aston Quay on November 7 last year saw a group of people hanging around and suspected them of partaking in drug dealing.

The accused was stopped and searched.

When gardai found scissors on her she told them there was a threat on her life and that was why she carried them in her bag, the court heard.

Kinsella had no previous convictions.

The accused, a lone parent, had no involvement in drugs whatsoever and no drugs were found on her, defence solicitor Michael Kelleher said.

In relation to the threat, people had come to her home and broken windows on a number of occasions.

Mr Kelleher said he did not think Kinsella had quite got the seriousness of carrying an implement, even for her own self-defence. The offence would not be repeated, he said.

This is stupid behaviour as opposed to anything else, Judge Staunton said.

He said he would strike the charge out if Kinsella did not come to any more garda attention in the next year.
Fraudsters links to socialite and an infamous Dublin crime boss

Celtic Tiger socialite Marcus Sweeney was associated with the west Dublin crime gang

Wesley Williams was sentenced to two and a half years in prison

A businessman jailed last week for his part in laundering 1.4m had to negotiate a peace deal between an infamous criminal gang who threatened to kill Celtic Tiger socialite Marcus Sweeney.

Wesley Williams was sentenced to two- and-a-half years in prison after he pleaded guilty to his role in the bogus investment scheme carried out between 2012 and 2014.

The married father of four was also recently named in the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) case against Evergreen Wealth Management Property Holdings owned by Sweeney.

Sweeney with late model Katy French

Described at the time as an associate of Sweeney, Williams was referred to as an individual who has been investigated as part of Operation Mantel and is suspected to have been involved in the laundering of 1.42 million.

Celtic Tiger playboy Sweeney had also been associated with the leader of a gang described as the biggest distributor of drugs in west Dublin over the last 15 years, but had fallen foul of the infamous crime boss.

Williams, along with a well-known car dealer who cant be named for legal reasons, was told to use his connections to broker a deal between Sweeney and his investors.

The car dealer together with Wesley Williams was instructed to act as negotiator and representative of the creditors in recovering their investment to Evergreen.

A deal was struck in early 2020 in which a repayment scheme was agreed  but the Dublin crime boss was the only one to benefit, according to CAB.

Sweeneys dealings with the crime family led to serious threats and intimidation and at one point he was officially notified by gardai that there was an immediate threat to his life.

It was heard at Dublin Circuit Court last week that Williams had no previous convictions and had a long employment history in his family business.

He ended up on the radar of gardai after an operation was set up in October 2012, investigating the transfer of 4m from victims in Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands into Irish bank accounts.

Williams (46) was a co-signatory to one of these bank accounts into which 1.4 million was paid, none of which was ever recovered.

Wesley Williams was sentenced to two and a half years in prison

A garda witness said the money was sent by the victims who believed they were making an investment and that they would have access to the bank account.

The account was controlled by Williams and a co-accused, Silvio Rabbitte (55), who received 350,000 from the account he shared with Williams, as co-directors of a company called One Stop Shop Catering Ltd.

The court heard that on October 30, 2012, four transactions totalling 420,000 came from two German accounts into the bank account of which Rabbitte and Williams were both signatories.

On 9 November, 2012 another 1 million came into the account from Germany.

The money was quickly dispersed from the One Stop Shop account, with Rabbitte receiving 350,000, the court heard. Williams also got money, along with other parties.

Rabbitte was given a fully suspended sentence of two years after his counsel said he had been duped and ought to have known that the scheme was too good to be true.

He said Rabbitte was a successful businessman who became involved in land dealings with Williams during the Celtic Tiger era.

After some initial success, these business deals started to fail and Williams owed Rabbitte a large sum of money, defence counsel said.

He then had been approached by Williams and now convicted swindler Simon Gold for a plan in which they would get a commission for allowing investment cash go through their account.

Gold (59) was jailed for seven-and-a-half years in 2019 after he was found guilty by a jury of money laundering between January 2010 and October 2012.

The former psychic, who spent four years behind bars, told the Sunday World in July 2022 after a court appearance: Listen, dont worry, justice has been served and the public are quite safe Im out.

Businessman Silvio Rabbitte was involved in land dealings with Williams

Before his conviction on the 1.6m money laundering charges, Gold, who was involved in fraud and dodgy business practices for years, had 17 previous convictions, 12 of which were in the UK.

These include convictions for burglary, theft, larceny and escaping from lawful custody.

Its over and done with now. As far as Im concerned, Ive paid my price. I dont have hundreds of victims out there looking for my blood, hopefully, he said.

The trial judge sentencing Williams this week said he was at the higher end of misbehaviour in the criminal enterprise of inducing others to part with their monies.

Williams provided the apparatus of bank accounts to get away with the money.
Many of the women sported black t-shirts emblazoned with the slogan Welcome Home John ODonoghue.

THE party finally got started to celebrate the release of convicted drug-dealer and Limerick gangland figure John ODonoghue from prison this weekend.

Friends and family who turned up outside Portlaoise Prison after last Fridays decision to quash his conviction for a machete attack were left disappointed.

But he was eventually released the next day after the paperwork was sorted, on Saturday evening and given a heros welcome.

Many of the women sported black t-shirts emblazoned with the slogan Welcome Home John ODonoghue.

Convicted drug dealer John O'Donoghue released from Portlaoise Prison

He posed for pics with relatives as champagne corks were popped outside the prison before being driven back to Rathkeale where an open-invitation party was staged in his honour.

The venues bar was stacked with trays of shots for the guests ahead of his arrival and the drinks were flowing later as the party got into full swing.

ODonoghue, named by the Criminal Assets Bureau as a key figure in the international drugs trade, was surrounded dancing revellers with their arms up in the air to the tune of R Kellys The World's Greatest.

Preparations for the shindig began as soon as news broke of his legal victory on Friday when the three-judge panel ruled gardai had failed to seek out CCTV of the incident in 2017.

He had got a ten-year sentence in 2021 after being convicted by a jury of assault causing harm at Limerick Circuit Court.

His appeal lodged in January was the first one on the list in 2022.

It was eventually heard last November at which it was argued gardai had failed to look for CCTV in the area.

His legal team also argued that the jurys decision to find him guilty of assault causing but acquitting him of producing a machete was conflicting.

Shots served at John O'Donoghue's release party

Ms Justice Tara Burns said on Friday that the court would uphold O'Donoghue's complaint regarding the failure of the trial judge to direct an acquittal".

She said this was on the basis of an unfairness arising in the investigation which deprived him of a "reasonable prospect of a defence".

It seems to us that there were significant failings regarding the investigation into CCTV in this case and that a realistic prospect of a defence existed in relation to this missing CCTV.

During his two years behind bars, it also emerged in a CAB case that ODonoghue is regarded as having been a significant player in a money laundering scheme.

In their evidence ODonoghue was described as a close associate of Mike Nash, who was named as one of three men running car business set up to launder the drug gangs cash in Limerick.

The senior investigating officer also described ODonoghue as being closely associated with Eds McCarthy, a leading figure in the McCarthy-Dundon gang.

John O'Donoghue on his release

In the CAB case against Bawn Motors, it was highlighted how ODonoghue had established himself as a key figure in the international drugs trade and has extensive criminal contacts with the wider Traveller community.

The affidavit reveals how ODonoghue took part in a meeting in January 2019 in a Rathkeale pub with Christy Keane, Dermot Plum McManus and others.

I believe that this meeting was arranged to discuss criminal activity arrangements between ODonoghue and this grouping, stated the senior officer.
A total of 34,700 in cash, suspected controlled drugs with an approximate value of 5,000, and a number of electronic devices and financial documents were seized

Two people have been arrested and nearly 40,000 in cash and drugs seized by gardai as part of a European-wide investigation into an organised criminal gang.

Officers with the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB) took part in a joint action day last month alongside law enforcement authorities in Lithuania and the UK.

Members of the Bureau, supported by the Garda National Dog Unit, carried out planned searches at three locations in Ireland as part of the crackdown on the gang involved in the sale and supply of controlled drugs and associated money laundering offences

A total of 34,700 in cash, suspected controlled drugs with an approximate value of 5,000, and a number of electronic devices and financial documents were seized during searches.

Two people were also arrested on suspicion of having committed offences contrary to the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010.

They were detained under the provisions of Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act 2007 and questioned at a garda station in the south of the country.

They were subsequently released and a file is being prepared for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

According to the Lithuanian Criminal Police Bureau, the investigation had identified and led to the detention of the suspected leaders and most active members of the gang.

During the investigation, data was obtained that a citizen of the Republic of Lithuania assembled an organised group of persons, under whose leadership he systematically carried out drug smuggling and distribution in very large quantities, Lithuanian police said.

The group used various means of transport to carry out smuggling and to hide criminals (including) cargo trucks and their trailers, minibuses, passenger cars and their professionally equipped hiding places.

As part of a large-scale probe in 2021 and 2022 officers of the Lithuanian Criminal Police Bureau and French law enforcement carried out two international arrest operations.

As a result of these criminal acts, the direct perpetrators of smuggling - truck drivers - JV, a citizen of the Republic of Lithuania and JV, a citizen of the Republic of Latvia, were found guilty in France and sentenced to prison terms, Lithuanian authorities stated.

Last month, simultaneous operations were carried out in Lithuania, Ireland and the UK the led to the arrests of two Lithuanian citizens, including the suspected leader of the gang.

Two other Lithuanian citizens, who organised and carried out the smuggling and distribution of narcotic and psychotropic substances, were detained in Ireland, with one Lithuanian was detained in the UK.

Officers of the Lithuanian Criminal Police Bureau and the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau conducted eight searches of the suspects premises and cars in Ireland and Lithuania, authorities added.

During the searches, 64,700 in cash, different types of drugs and three cars with a total value of over 200,000 were found and seized.
MANILA, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- The impacts of climate change, including slow and sudden onset weather events, "are reducing" the ability of countries to meet their Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), according to a report released on Tuesday.

The report, titled "People and Planet: Addressing the Interlinked Challenges of Climate Change, Poverty, and Hunger in Asia and the Pacific," warned that "more severe and frequent" climate-related hazards will result in reduced agricultural and labor productivity, loss of livelihoods and human displacement.

Those hazards strain socio-economic and environmental systems, and hinder efforts to promote food security and alleviate poverty, said the report released by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), and the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

"The Asia and Pacific region has made steady progress in increasing food security, reducing the prevalence of malnutrition, and making improvements in health and well-being," ADB Managing Director-General Woochong Um said.

"However, further gains are being hampered by multiple crises, including the increasing effects of climate change, the lingering impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the cost-of-living crisis," Um said.

The report also listed promising solutions for the Asia-Pacific region that reflect the interlinkages between climate, poverty and food insecurity. One example is food systems approaches that, if designed properly, could support sustainable livelihoods for millions of farmers, ensure food security, and reduce the environmental and climate impacts of food production.

There is an urgent need to develop stronger social protection systems for vulnerable people, to help tackle the underlying causes of poverty and food insecurity, and to strengthen their adaptive capacity to the impacts of climate change, the report said. 
Valdo Calocanes crimes were horrific and have shocked a nation. He brutally killed three innocent people, and violently attacked three other victims.

The family of a young woman stabbed to death in Nottingham last year have welcomed a court of appeal review over the unduly lenient sentence of the killer, Valdo Calocane.

Calocane was sentenced to an indefinite hospital order for killing Grace OMalley-Kumar (19), her pal Barnaby Webber (19) and school caretaker, Ian Coates (65) in the terrifying stabbings last June.

Ms OMalley-Kumar was a medical student and a talented sportswoman who came from a well-known Irish family.

He pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility. He also pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of three other people, one of whom was so severely injured he needs permanent care.

The UKs Attorney General, Victoria Prentis, said she would refer the sentence for reconsideration after members of the public came together and complained, seeking a review.

Valdo Calocane

The families of the victims said: We were very glad to hear that the attorney general has agreed with us that the sentencing given to Valdo Calocane, who so viciously and calculatedly killed our loved ones, was wrong.

We are optimistic that when this reaches the Royal Courts of Justice for its appeal there will be an outcome that provides some of the appropriate justice that we have been calling for.

During the sentencing hearing in January, OMalley-Kumars father, Dr Sanjoy Kumar, told Calocane he was a a cold, cowardly and calculating killer, and praised his daughter who heroically and valiantly fought you. Like a hero, she put herself in harms way.

Webbers mother, Emma Webber, said she had utter rage and pure hatred for her sons killer, while Coatess son described Calocane as a selfish monster who decided to go on a spree killing.

Ian Coates, Barnaby Webber and Grace OMalley-Kumar were killed (Nottinghamshire Police/PA)

The Attorney General responded this week by saying: Valdo Calocanes crimes were horrific and have shocked a nation. He brutally killed three innocent people, and violently attacked three other victims. Their experiences will stay in our minds for a long time to come.

This was a case that evoked strong feelings amongst so many people and it was no surprise that I received so many referrals under the unduly lenient sentence scheme to consider the hospital order handed to Calocane.

My duty as a law officer in considering whether sentences may be unduly lenient is to act independently of government, even when it is not easy or popular.

Having received detailed legal advice and considered the issues raised very carefully, I have concluded that the sentence imposed against Calocane, for the offences of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility and attempted murder, was unduly lenient and will be referred to the court of appeal.

My thoughts remain with all of Calocanes victims, as well as their families and friends, who have shown such immeasurable strength during this devastating time.
Edin Gacanin was one of the super cartel members at Daniel Kinahans 2017 wedding at the Burj al Arab hotel in Dubai

Bosnia's foreign minister had denied allegations that he has associated with the leader of a Kinahan-linked drugs cartel and has vowed to resign if the claims are proved to be true.

Elmedin Konakovic has claimed he has become a target of elements in the media that have made serious accusations that he has ties to the Tito and Dino drug gang.

The leader of the gang, Edin Gacanin who is described by US authorities as one of the worlds most prolific drug traffickers, was one of the super cartel members at Daniel Kinahans 2017 wedding at the Burj al Arab hotel in Dubai along with mob-bosses Raffaele Imperiale and Ridouan Taghi.

The Bosnian native, who was arrested in November 2022 in Dubai after his extradition was requested by the Netherlands, is reported to have cut a deal with Dutch prosecutors and was sentenced to seven years in prison last December.

Edin Gacanin

Now, Konakovic has been forced to deny claims in a Europol document circulating in Bosnia and Herzegovina media that connects the Tito and Dino drug cartel to the Kinahan bolthole of Dubai.

Describing the allegations as a serious attack on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and on the credibility and position it holds, Konakovic staged a press conference after claims emerged that three years ago in Dubai he met with Gacanin.

This has caused suspicion and serious accusations in the media, according to the Sarajevo Times, which Konakovic has publicly denied.

Along with the rejection of the media claims, Konakovic said he has verdicts from the courts of Bosnia and Herzegovina that prove he has been a direct target of those media for a long time.

There is no evidence of a connection with a drug group, he claims, while all trips to Dubai can be substantiated with plane tickets and hotel receipts, the Times reports.

It has been claimed that an invitation to visit the United Arab Emirates in 2021 has formed the basis for the story, in which Konakovic is presented as the head of a drug gang.

Daniel Kinahan

At the beginning of that year, through people who are close to NiP (People and Justice party) a group of citizens living in the United Arab Emirates contacted the partys headquarters with the idea of inviting the leadership, headed by me, to an official visit to the institutions of the Emirates, Konakovic has said.

However, an official invitation never came , and we never left, Konakovic said.

The (claims) that appeared in the media, that I met with the (drug gang) Dino, is a notorious lie, he insisted. Everything can be verified where I have been and travelled. I have never met the representatives of this cartel. I had to google to see what those people look like.

Konakovic has said that he will now ask Europol to examine the authenticity of the document in which he is named in order to establish the truth whether he really is at the top of an organised drug gang, or just a victim of the judicial-media mafia.

In order to clear this up, we will communicate with Europol on a daily basis. We will ask all their bosses, commanders, and operatives to investigate that story, Konakovic has said.

He has also invited the media to further investigate the claims, as you can imagine how it would look to some parliamentarian to read in the media that the minister goes to the wedding of a serious criminal.

I called to ask you to research and write on this topic daily, he said, as he addressed the media. Do research, communicate with agencies, ask whether Bosnia and Herzegovina has a corrupt minister who is connected to drug cartels, or whether it has a judicial-media mafia.

Konakovic said that while he has been to Dubai several times, all the trips can be verified.

"I went on my honeymoon there for the first time, so I went through a travel agency, and I have all the proof, I paid for everything myself. I went again the following year to a cheaper hotel.

Rafaelle Imperiale

So I went to an apartment with a Bosnian and Herzegovinian and he is a member of a completely different party. And he is a witness if necessary.

"The only time I didn't pay for the tickets was when I went to the Forum, which was organised by Abu Dhabi, then they paid for everything. That's the only time they paid for my ticket, said Konakovic.

In December of last year, it was reported that Gacanin had cut a deal with Dutch prosecutors and was sentenced to seven years in prison.

The Bosnian native had been wanted for smuggling 2,400 kilos of cocaine, according to Dutch publication NCR.

He was also fined 1 million as part of his conviction details of which were in an anonymised judgement from a Rotterdam court the previous month.

Gacanin was one of the super cartel members at Daniel Kinahans wedding in 2017 at the Burj al Arab hotel in Dubai along with mob-bosses Raffaele Imperiale and Ridouan Taghi.

He had been arrested in November 2022 in Dubai after his extradition was requested by The Netherlands but released some months later when the bid failed.

In March last year Gacanin was described as "one of the worlds most prolific drug traffickers in an announcement by the US Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control.

He is the head of a Bosnian-Dutch gang  known as the Tito and Dino cartel  who are involved in smuggling cocaine from South America into Europe.

In the statement at the time by the US authorities, they cited Gacanins ties to the Kinahan Organized Crime Group.

"Edin Gacanin (Gacanin) is one of the worlds most prolific drug traffickers.

A native of Sarajevo, Gacanin is the leader of the Tito and Dino Cartel, which includes his family members and his friends from BiH (Bosnia and Herzegovina).

"In addition to narcotics trafficking efforts across multiple countries, Gacanins cartel is involved in money laundering and is closely linked to the Kinahan Organized Crime Group, a Transnational Criminal Organization previously designated by OFAC... for its role as a significant transnational criminal organization.

His arrest in November of 2021 was one of 49 in a multi-national police operation announced by Europol against the gang.

But just two months after his arrest was Gacanin was freed on bail despite attempts by the authorities in The Netherlands to have him extradited.

Rafaelle Imperiale, who had been on the run for five years, was arrested in Dubai in August 2021 and was extradited to Italy in March 2022.

Italy's extradition request was initially rejected but after the Italian Minister of Justice flew to Dubai to personally hand over a new extradition request it went ahead

In December 2019, Dutch Maroc-Mafia boss Riduoan Taghi and extradited shortly afterwards to The Netherlands where is trial for ordering murders is continuing.
He was second only to head moderator Nathan Bake who was jailed for 16 years last week

A man who helped run a global child abuse website on the dark web has been jailed in the UK for five years and four months

Sussex man, Martin Yates (48) from Eastbourne, was the assistant moderator of the now shut-down The Annex site which had around 90,000 global members.

The Annex allowed members to share and discuss some of the most extreme kinds of abuse material, involving hurtcore and the sexual abuse of babies and toddlers.

Yates, who was identified by the National Crime Agency (NCA) as part of an investigation targeting those who ran the site, held the rank of assistant moderator between January and September 2020.

He was second only to head moderator Nathan Bake who was jailed for 16 years last week.

Both men played key roles in ensuring the site continued to run smoothly. Yates was responsible for enforcing the rules by promoting or dropping other users.

Nathan Bake and Kabir Garg were also jailed for their roles in the operation of the site

He also provided access to private and exclusive sections of the site and advised on security measures. He also passed on training to others about the role that he himself had received.

However, his own personal security was compromised as his username on the site yates704 appeared in chat logs recovered by NCA investigators who found 6,000 private messages between yates704 and other users of The Annex.

The conversations varied from fantasy roleplay involving the sexual abuse of children, as well as more official conversations around the moderation of the site, advice on how to post indecent images of children and techniques to evade law enforcement.

NCA officers identified Yates using these details and the fact that he told other users his first name, his age and that he lived in Eastbourne as well as the email addresses associated with him.

After he was arrested at his home in Eastbourne in July 2022, Yates made full admissions to being the controller of his moderator account, that he was a staff member on The Annex and that he had shared child abuse material as part of his role.

He was charged and pleaded guilty to six counts at Hastings Magistrates Court in November last year, including one of arranging or facilitating the sexual abuse of children, four of making and distributing indecent images of children, and one of possession of prohibited images of children.

Yates was sentenced at Lewes Crown Court yesterday to five years and four months imprisonment, placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life and give a lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Jen Cruickshank, NCA Senior Investigating Officer from the National Crime Agency, said the Annex would not have been able to run without people like Martin Yates.

He played a pivotal role in maintaining its upkeep and ensuring users from across the globe could continue accessing its horrific content, without coming to the attention of law enforcement, Cruickshank said.

Sites such as these directly and openly encourage users to commit sexual offences against children, and those who run or access them assume they are protected by anonymity.

However, the NCA has the determination and technical capability to target those who pose a sexual risk to children and use the dark web to try and hide themselves.

We continue to work closely with international partners to ensure offenders like Yates are identified and brought to justice.

The NCA worked with a number of international partners to target this group of moderators of the site that was run by American William Spearman, who was sentenced to life in prison in the US in January.

Kabir Garg, a psychiatrist from London, was further down the chain and sentenced to six years in prison last summer.
The death, three weeks ago, follows the high-profile case of Aoife Johnston, also 16, who died after attending UHL in December 2022

Beautiful, kind and loving  familys devastation after sudden death of teenage girl (16) at Limerick hospital as inquiry is launched

Another inquiry has been launched into the sudden death of a second teenage girl in the Accident and Emergency department of University Hospital Limerick three weeks ago.

The 16-year-old girl died suddenly on January 29, hours after she was rushed to UHL suffering from breathing difficulties.

The girl, a much-loved only child, died in front of her mother in what an informed source described as deeply traumatic circumstances.

It is the latest tragedy under review at UHL following the death of Aoife Johnston (16) from Shannon, Co Clare,

Aoife died after enduring a 12-hour wait on a trolley in the overcrowded A&E in UHL.

The Sunday World understands that in the latest case the girl had been initially admitted to the resuscitation area but was deemed well enough to be transferred to a trolley in a corridor.

However, her condition deteriorated further and following repeated pleas from her mother, a doctor ordered she be moved back to the packed resuscitation area.

She was placed on a trolley in the middle of the resuscitation room as there was no room in any individual berth.

An informed source said that on arrival in the resuscitation area her condition deteriorated rapidly and her mother made increasingly anguished cries for help.

As medics rushed to revive the teenager, a patient was transferred out of a resuscitation berth and she was moved in to their place. However, prolonged efforts to revive the girl failed.

A source close to the family described the young girl as a beautiful, kind and loving child who brought joy, love and laughter to the lives of her family and friends.

Her mother was totally devoted to her. They adored one another and her mothers loss is unimaginable, a family friend said.

An inquiry has been launched into the circumstances surrounding the tragedy and the care the girl received at the hospital on the day of her death.

The girl was admitted with a severe chest infection in early January. She was treated for over two weeks and was discharged home.

Aoife Johnston (16) from Co Clare died in December 2022 in University Hospital Limerick.

Within days her condition deteriorated and she was rushed back to hospital.

On the day of her death, January 29, University Hospital Limerick was by far the busiest in the country.

Figures released by the Irish Nursing and Midwifery Organisation (INMO) showed 113 patients were waiting for beds at UHL during morning rounds, 54 of those in the emergency department.

Overall 61 more patients were waiting for a bed in Limerick than the next busiest facility, Cork University Hospital, that day.

In a statement, UHL Hospital Group offered its sincere condolences to the family on their devastating loss.

We can confirm that a preliminary assessment has been carried out in line with the HSE Incident Management Framework and the findings from this assessment will be shared with the family pending the results of a post-mortem examination, said the statement.

Under the HSE Incident Management Framework, all major incidents are initially put through a preliminary assessment which will then assist in classifying the seriousness of each incident.

When a patient suffers harm it is regarded as a Category 1 incident and will be subject to a review.

In the case of Aoife Johnston, a review into her death at UHL has led to an independent judge-led investigation.

Aoife died from sepsis complications of bacterial meningitis after waiting 12 hours in a severely overcrowded emergency department on December 19, 2022.

An HSE internal review found overcrowding in the hospital was endemic.

The boarding of patients who are deemed ill enough to be admitted to a ward in the emergency department is a planned part of patient flow in UHL, the review said.

It added: There is little apparent understanding of the risks and inefficiencies caused to patient care by a crowded environment by the hospital system in terms of the impact on the emergency medicine doctors assessing and managing patients and the nursing staffs ability to provide safe care.

The use/misuse of the resuscitation area for all monitored interventions leads to crowding and an overemphasis on activity in this area. There are insufficient emergency department nursing staff to provide adequate monitoring and care to the patients in the department.

There are insufficient doctors to care for the numbers and acuity of patients presenting in the timescale expected by the triage system, the hospital and the community.

There is a high turnover of staff, both nursing and emergency medicine junior doctors, which leads to low experience levels and low situational awareness.

In the week following the teenagers death in January, UHL experienced the worst overcrowding in its history.

On February 7, a record 150 patients who were deemed ill enough to be admitted were left on trolleys or chairs without a hospital bed at UHL.

On February 1, the teenagers devastated family and friends gathered for her funeral.

The same day, during a debate in the Seanad, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly defended the Governments handling of the overcrowding crisis in Limerick.

An inquiry has been launched into the death of a 16-year-old girl at University Hospital Limerick

In 2019, the hospital budget was 265m. It is now 315m. There has been a large increase in money, workforce and beds, said Mr Donnelly.

In the emergency department, extra emergency medicine consultants have been sanctioned.

Responding to a motion by senators calling for the Government to do more to alleviate the pressures in UHL, Mr Donnelly said: The core message is that we will continue to invest in UHL and in the hospital group. We will continue to invest in the workforce and in beds.

We have seen the team in UHL respond in recent weeks and drive down the number of patients on trolleys.

There were eight patients on trolleys in UHL this morning (February 1).

In the past week, the average has been about six. The team has responded well and we need to acknowledge that.

In response to Mr Donnellys claims about just eight patients being treated on trolleys in UHL on February 1, the INMO said there were 78 people on trolleys in UHL on the morning of February 1.
Ben revealed this week that he and his wife had welcomed new daughter Olympia on January 9.

Una Healys ex-husband Ben Foden has said that the singer is really happy for him and his new wife Jackie after the couple welcomed their second child together.

Former England rugby star Ben married American businesswoman Jackie in August 2019  the same day his divorce from Una was finalised  after two months of dating.

The pair revealed this week that their daughter Olympia was born on January 9.

They are also parents to three-year-old daughter Farrah, whom they welcomed together in 2021, while Ben also shares custody of Aoife (11) and Tadhg (8) with his ex-wife.

Speaking to OK! Magazine, Ben revealed that Una is delighted for the couple as he praised her for "taking the reins" with Aoife and Tadhg.

Shes really happy for us welcoming another baby into the family. Weve been co-parenting for the last five years and I think were pretty good at it now, he said.

Me having another baby wont change anything and I appreciate how much she takes the reins with Aoife and Tadhg.

For us, its all about communication and I think she also appreciates the reprieve we give her when the kids visit for a few weeks during the summer and at Christmas.

Ben admitted that his two eldest children have yet to meet baby Olympia, nicknamed Pia, but will hopefully come face to face with her later this year.

Weve FaceTimed and called a couple of times though, he shared, adding: Im also going back to England for the England V Ireland rugby game, which will be around when Aoifes birthday is. So, Ill see them then again but in terms of them meeting Pia, itll be summer.

Jackie admitted that while her pregnancy was quite uncomfortable, it all worked out in the end for her and Ben.

She explained: Olympia felt like a huge baby. I could barely move towards the end, so I was happy to have her out. I was limping because I had tendonitis (inflamed tendon) in my hip. Plus, I was itching like crazy, especially during the night so I wasnt getting any sleep.

We also had three miscarriages before Olympia. We started trying to get pregnant around August 2022, then tried again in November, then March 2023 and then April 2023 with Olympia. I was essentially pregnant for over a year and a half, so its just nice to have my body back."

The 39-year-old had a planned C-section as she was diagnosed with cholestasis (a reduction or blockage of flow of bile from your liver) and was "so uncomfortable and itchy before giving birth.

"I tried to wait as long as possible but the doctors advised me that January 9 was as far as I could go. Looking back, Im glad I didnt wait any longer. She was 8lb 3oz; if we had let her go full-term they said shed have been over 10lb!

"I was so excited to finally get a good nights sleep now the itching has stopped. Its also nice that we can split things now and Ben can take care of Olympia too. Its been a long road to get here, but obviously all worth it. We feel so happy and complete."
New research commissioned by InternetNZ shows a massive number of New Zealanders are concerned about young children accessing inappropriate content online.

A staggering 73 per cent of New Zealanders surveyed say they are either extremely or very concerned about young children accessing inappropriate content - making it the top concern for the fifth year in a row.

Some groups are more concerned about the issue than others, with 80 per cent of women either extremely or very concerned about young children accessing inappropriate content, and those aged between 30-49 registered a rate of 77 per cent.

The research shows a deep and ongoing concern in Aotearoa about the Internet - especially when it comes to the safety of children, says InternetNZ chief executive, Vivien Maidaborn.

"This is a perfect reflection of a regulatory system that was designed before the Internet.

"The challenge is for current regulators to get together and coordinate strongly to use current legislation and to form a unified view of what new legislation might be required."

The research, conducted by Verian (formerly Kantar Public) also reveals nearly one in five New Zealanders have personally experienced online harm or harassment. 24 per cent of young people aged 18-29, 25 per cent of Maori, and 29 per cent of people with a long-term disability or impairment have personally experienced online harm or harassment.

"These stats confirm what we already know.

"The Government needs to prioritise changes to protect people.

"Our laws and processes are not adequate for the online world, and are not helping to keep people safe from harm," says Vivien .

"Work begun by the last Government needs to be followed through on to find a new approach that minimises the harm caused by content and abuse" says Vivien

The annual Internet Insights research encomapasses a range of topics, including internet use, user concerns, online safety, AI, and flexible working.

The full findings of the Internet Insights research are available on the InternetNZ website. https://internetnz.nz/new-zealands-internet-insights/new-zealands-internet-insights-2023/
Dermatologists are alarmed that 'Sephora kids' - an offshore trend of very young children using adult skincare products - appears to be happening here too.

The trend involved children on social media using skincare products with potentially harmful active ingredients for young skin, such as exfoliating acids and retinol.

Beauty retailer Mecca told RNZ it has noticed increasing numbers of younger and younger children coming into its stores to try products.

"Some [are] convinced they need an advanced, active-packed skincare routine before they've left primary school."

Dermatologist Dr Louise Reiche says it was a big issue overseas.

Dr Reiche says that she had seen a rise in Aotearoa of children concerned about their skin.

"There is definitely a notable increase in younger people, and progressively more and more younger, who are anxious about their look," she says.

"It seems to have a relationship with social media exposure."

The trend comes from 'Get Ready With Me' videos on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.

Skincare brands used by influencers Katie Fang, Hyram, Mikayla Nogueira and Alix Earle such as Drunk Elephant, Glow Recipe, Bubble and The Ordinary are the most popular for Gen Alpha.

But Reiche says it could be dangerous for children to use adult skincare products.

She says the ingredients in these products could harm their skin's natural barrier and lead to irreversible skin problems.

"These chemicals can irritate skin, and lead to an increased risk in infection and significant allergies," she says.

She says that most children do not need any skincare products at all.

Child psychologist Dr Emma Woodward says the trend was priming children with insecurities.

"Children are really susceptible to messaging," she says.

"Companies, with profit in mind, know that younger children are more vulnerable, so they see them as a really good target market."

Mecca says while there were no restrictions on who can purchase products at its stores, age was "just one of many factors that we need to consider when it comes to our skin".

"Mecca's focus is on spending time with our customers to understand their skin concerns and then helping them find the best products for them based on their needs."

- RNZ / Pretoria Gordon
Vaccinators whose names were published on a US website after a Te Whatu Ora data leak are feeling nervous and under threat, says a nurses' union.

Te Whatu Ora has been notifying at least 12,000 people - mostly vaccinators - who had their names released in last year's breach.

The Nurses Organisation kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku says several nurses had been in touch after getting a call.

"[They're] nervous that their information's out there in the world and somewhat feeling threatened. They were doing the best job possible and it's turned on them so they're feeling vulnerable and really let down," she says.

Te Whatu Ora says most of them had only their names published.

But Kerri says that was enough to make them worry.

The husband of one nurse had received an abusive message about his wife because she was a vaccinator, Kerri says.

It could be a coincidence, but it did show that those kind of threats were out there, she says.

"It highlights the anxiety and the situation that these nurses are feeling at the moment."

Kerri says many nurses who had received a call from Te Whatu Ora had in turn been calling fellow vaccinators to warn them they may be on the list.

Te Whatu Ora had apologised for the breach and says it was working on making its systems better so a similar incident could not happen again.

Chief executive Margie Apa says last week the victims of the leak had been doing their best to keep the country safe.

Support would be in place for any of the who needed it, she says.

Barry Young, a former Te Whatu Ora employee, has been charged over the leak.

- RNZ / Rowan Quinn
An Oranga Tamariki staffer accused of indecent behaviour towards youths in their care is still employed by the agency.

Two staff members were stood down in June after allegations of sexual misconduct towards youths in their care at two unnamed residences.

One of the two was arrested in September, following a joint investigation by police and Oranga Tamariki.

The 34-year-old was charged with offending against four young people in May and June last year, and pleaded not guilty to nine charges in October.

The man - whose name is suppressed - is accused of indecent assault, as well as sniffing and licking his cellphone while watching indecent material with a young person.

The other worker was also accused of sexual misconduct, but there are no details of any charges.

Spokesperson Tusha Penny says one of the two was no longer employed by Oranga Tamariki, but would give no further details.

"Following two allegations against two staff members working in residences in June 2023, the staff members were removed from the residence and have not returned," Tusha says.

"One is no longer employed by Oranga Tamariki.

"We cannot comment on active employment matters."

The 34-year-old is due to reappear in the Hutt Valley District Court next week.

- RNZ / Soumya Bhamidipati
BNZ have spent the last four years successfully running the annual appeal and collected several thousand bags, filled with essentials to donate to women that have been affected by domestic abuse.

This year, however, the Love Grace Handbag appeal will be run by the women of New Zealand.

Kylie-Ann Kearney, this year's organiser, first ran an appeal in 2020 when she saw a Facebook post from the UK Love Grace Handbag Appeal and wanted to do something similar in New Zealand.

After getting the go ahead from Grace Millanes cousin Hannah, who runs the Love Grace charitable appeal in the UK, Kylie-Ann reached out to her network of friends to ask for help.

Seven locations around New Zealand were organised, and during the appeal collected over 1000 bags to be donated to the womens refuges around NZ.

This year Kylie-Ann wanted to go bigger and decided to reach out to the community of loyal followers on the Love Grace NZ Facebook page that was created back in 2020.

The overwhelming response was incredible, and the amount of support received has been enough to help make this appeal nationwide.

Kylie-Ann Kearney commented Without the support of all the women who have contacted me to join my team for this years Love Grace Handbag appeal, I would not have been able to pull this off.

We hope to continue to grow this appeal and raise awareness of male violence against women in NZ.

The appeal which runs between Valentines day and International Womens day (14th February to 8th March) has 36 locations New Zealand wide that will accept donations.

That is 38 amazing women who have put their hand up to coordinate the appeal in their area, and 66 businesses that have agreed to be drop off points during the appeal.

What is truly amazing about this, is that none of these women know each other.

They are doing it out of the goodness of their hearts, their desire to create change, to help as many women as possible currently escaping domestic violence, and to commemorate the life of Grace Millane.

Violence against women is not OK.

In the memory of Grace Millane, the Love Grace charitable appeal was set up by her family to combine Graces love for handbags with a legacy to end violence against women.

In association with Womens Refuges, we are collecting handbags and filling them with useful items for women in need.

All updates will be shared on the New Zealand Love Grace Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/lovegracenz/

If you are wanting to donate a bag during the appeal dates you can check our drop off points here.

For further information on what items to fill the bags with download this years flyer.

For more information on the Love Grace UK charity visit their website - https://www.lovegrace.co.uk/
A Chinese passenger jet C919 is displayed at the Singapore Airshow in Singapore, Feb. 20, 2024. Chinese passenger jet C919 debuted in a flight demonstration at the Singapore Airshow, which kicked off on Tuesday. Two C919 narrow-body aircraft and three ARJ21 jetliners developed by the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd (COMAC) attended the airshow. (Photo by Then Chih Wey/Xinhua)

SINGAPORE, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese passenger jet C919 debuted in a flight demonstration at the Singapore Airshow, which kicked off on Tuesday.

Two C919 narrow-body aircraft and three ARJ21 jetliners developed by the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd (COMAC) attended the airshow.

Two Chinese air-service companies, the Tibet Airlines and Henan Civil Aviation Development and Investment Group, signed orders for 40 units of C919 and 16 units of ARJ21 aircraft at the airshow.

The COMAC noted that they will carry out promotion activities at the airshow to enhance networks with clients and partners.

Aerobatic teams from India, Indonesia, Australia, South Korea, and an Airbus A350-1000 also contributed performances at the airshow.

Singapore Air Force sent its F-15 fighter jet and Apache attack helicopter to perform aerobatics at the event.

The airshow, attended by over 1,000 participating companies, is expected to attract 50,000 trade attendees from over 50 countries and regions.

The Singapore Airshow has set up a country pavilion for 40 Chinese aerospace enterprises for the first time, according to the organizer.

The Aerospace Times Feipeng Company from east China's Jiangsu Province brings their cargo delivery unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to the Singapore Airshow.

"It is the first time for us to attend an airshow abroad. We hope to create more connections with overseas clients and provide them with new cargo delivery solutions featuring low cost and high efficiency," said Liu Zefeng, general manager of the UAV company.

The airshow will last till Sunday. 

A Chinese passenger jet C919 is displayed at the Singapore Airshow in Singapore, Feb. 20, 2024. Chinese passenger jet C919 debuted in a flight demonstration at the Singapore Airshow, which kicked off on Tuesday. Two C919 narrow-body aircraft and three ARJ21 jetliners developed by the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd (COMAC) attended the airshow. (Photo by Then Chih Wey/Xinhua)

A Chinese passenger jet C919 performs at the Singapore Airshow in Singapore, Feb. 20, 2024. Chinese passenger jet C919 debuted in a flight demonstration at the Singapore Airshow, which kicked off on Tuesday. Two C919 narrow-body aircraft and three ARJ21 jetliners developed by the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd (COMAC) attended the airshow. (Photo by Then Chih Wey/Xinhua)

A Chinese passenger jet C919 is displayed at the Singapore Airshow in Singapore, Feb. 20, 2024. Chinese passenger jet C919 debuted in a flight demonstration at the Singapore Airshow, which kicked off on Tuesday. Two C919 narrow-body aircraft and three ARJ21 jetliners developed by the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd (COMAC) attended the airshow. (Photo by Then Chih Wey/Xinhua)

A Chinese passenger jet C919 performs at the Singapore Airshow in Singapore, Feb. 20, 2024. Chinese passenger jet C919 debuted in a flight demonstration at the Singapore Airshow, which kicked off on Tuesday. Two C919 narrow-body aircraft and three ARJ21 jetliners developed by the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd (COMAC) attended the airshow. (Photo by Then Chih Wey/Xinhua)

A Chinese passenger jet C919 performs at the Singapore Airshow in Singapore, Feb. 20, 2024. Chinese passenger jet C919 debuted in a flight demonstration at the Singapore Airshow, which kicked off on Tuesday. Two C919 narrow-body aircraft and three ARJ21 jetliners developed by the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd (COMAC) attended the airshow. (Photo by Then Chih Wey/Xinhua)

This photo taken on Feb. 20, 2024 shows an interior view of a Chinese passenger jet C919 at the Singapore Airshow in Singapore. Chinese passenger jet C919 debuted in a flight demonstration at the Singapore Airshow, which kicked off on Tuesday. Two C919 narrow-body aircraft and three ARJ21 jetliners developed by the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd (COMAC) attended the airshow. (Photo by Then Chih Wey/Xinhua)

A Chinese passenger jet C919 performs at the Singapore Airshow in Singapore, Feb. 20, 2024. Chinese passenger jet C919 debuted in a flight demonstration at the Singapore Airshow, which kicked off on Tuesday. Two C919 narrow-body aircraft and three ARJ21 jetliners developed by the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd (COMAC) attended the airshow. (Photo by Then Chih Wey/Xinhua)

This photo taken on Feb. 20, 2024 shows an interior view of a Chinese passenger jet C919 at the Singapore Airshow in Singapore. Chinese passenger jet C919 debuted in a flight demonstration at the Singapore Airshow, which kicked off on Tuesday. Two C919 narrow-body aircraft and three ARJ21 jetliners developed by the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd (COMAC) attended the airshow. (Photo by Then Chih Wey/Xinhua)

A Chinese passenger jet C919 is displayed at the Singapore Airshow in Singapore, Feb. 20, 2024. Chinese passenger jet C919 debuted in a flight demonstration at the Singapore Airshow, which kicked off on Tuesday. Two C919 narrow-body aircraft and three ARJ21 jetliners developed by the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd (COMAC) attended the airshow. (Photo by Then Chih Wey/Xinhua)

Aircrafts of aerobatic team Black Eagles of South Korea Air Force perform during the aerial display of the Singapore Airshow held in Singapore's Changi Exhibition Centre on Feb. 20, 2024. The airshow kicked off on Tuesday and will last until Feb. 25. It is attended by over 1,000 participating companies and is expected to attract 50,000 trade attendees from over 50 countries and regions. (Photo by Then Chih Wey/Xinhua)

Helicopters of aerobatic team Sarang of Indian Air Force perform during the aerial display of the Singapore Airshow held in Singapore's Changi Exhibition Centre on Feb. 20, 2024. The airshow kicked off on Tuesday and will last until Feb. 25. It is attended by over 1,000 participating companies and is expected to attract 50,000 trade attendees from over 50 countries and regions. (Photo by Then Chih Wey/Xinhua)

Aircrafts of aerobatic team Black Eagles of South Korea Air Force perform during the aerial display of the Singapore Airshow held in Singapore's Changi Exhibition Centre on Feb. 20, 2024. The airshow kicked off on Tuesday and will last until Feb. 25. It is attended by over 1,000 participating companies and is expected to attract 50,000 trade attendees from over 50 countries and regions. (Photo by Then Chih Wey/Xinhua)

Aircrafts of aerobatic team Black Eagles of South Korea Air Force perform during the aerial display of the Singapore Airshow held in Singapore's Changi Exhibition Centre on Feb. 20, 2024. The airshow kicked off on Tuesday and will last until Feb. 25. It is attended by over 1,000 participating companies and is expected to attract 50,000 trade attendees from over 50 countries and regions. (Photo by Then Chih Wey/Xinhua)

An Embraer E195-E2 passenger aircraft sits on the tarmac as part of the static display of the Singapore Airshow held in Singapore's Changi Exhibition Centre on Feb. 20, 2024. The airshow kicked off on Tuesday and will last until Feb. 25. It is attended by over 1,000 participating companies and is expected to attract 50,000 trade attendees from over 50 countries and regions. (Photo by Then Chih Wey/Xinhua)

Helicopters of aerobatic team Sarang of Indian Air Force perform during the aerial display of the Singapore Airshow held in Singapore's Changi Exhibition Centre on Feb. 20, 2024. The airshow kicked off on Tuesday and will last until Feb. 25. It is attended by over 1,000 participating companies and is expected to attract 50,000 trade attendees from over 50 countries and regions. (Photo by Then Chih Wey/Xinhua)

This photo taken on Feb. 20, 2024 shows a scene during aerial display of the Singapore Airshow held in Singapore's Changi Exhibition Centre. The airshow kicked off on Tuesday and will last until Feb. 25. It is attended by over 1,000 participating companies and is expected to attract 50,000 trade attendees from over 50 countries and regions. (Photo by Then Chih Wey/Xinhua)

A visitor views the exhibits on display at the Singapore Airshow held in Singapore's Changi Exhibition Centre on Feb. 20, 2024. The airshow kicked off on Tuesday and will last until Feb. 25. It is attended by over 1,000 participating companies and is expected to attract 50,000 trade attendees from over 50 countries and regions. (Photo by Then Chih Wey/Xinhua)

An Airbus A350 passenger aircraft flies during the aerial display of the Singapore Airshow held in Singapore's Changi Exhibition Centre on Feb. 20, 2024. The airshow kicked off on Tuesday and will last until Feb. 25. It is attended by over 1,000 participating companies and is expected to attract 50,000 trade attendees from over 50 countries and regions. (Photo by Then Chih Wey/Xinhua)

A F-15SG fighter aircraft of Republic of Singapore Air Force performs during the aerial display of the Singapore Airshow held in Singapore's Changi Exhibition Centre on Feb. 20, 2024. The airshow kicked off on Tuesday and will last until Feb. 25. It is attended by over 1,000 participating companies and is expected to attract 50,000 trade attendees from over 50 countries and regions. (Photo by Then Chih Wey/Xinhua)

An aircraft of aerobatic team Black Eagles of South Korea Air Force performs during the aerial display of the Singapore Airshow held in Singapore's Changi Exhibition Centre on Feb. 20, 2024. The airshow kicked off on Tuesday and will last until Feb. 25. It is attended by over 1,000 participating companies and is expected to attract 50,000 trade attendees from over 50 countries and regions. (Photo by Then Chih Wey/Xinhua)
A person has been taken to hospital following a crash involving an electric bicycle in Welcome Bay on Tuesday morning.

"Police received reports of a collision on Welcome Bay Road at around 8.25am this morning," says a police spokesperson.

"This was a traffic incident involving a vehicle and an electric bicycle.

"One person was transported to hospital by ambulance staff for further medical treatment.

"The scene has since been cleared."

At the scene?

Phone 0800SUNLIVE or email newsroom@thesun.co.nz
Police are searching for the occupants of a vehicle that were in a crash in Mount Maunganui this afternoon.

Police were notified of a single-vehicle crash on Kaniere Street in Mount Maunganui.

The crash was reported to Police at 2.20pm.

The occupants of the vehicle appeared to have left the scene on foot.

Police are currently working to locate them.

The traffic flow hasn't been impacted by the collision.

Enquires are ongoing to determine what happened.

At the scene?

Phone 0800SUNLIVE or email newsroom@thesun.co.nz
There were over 1.1 million attempts to access websites known to harbour child sexual abuse material in New Zealand last year, according to data released by the Department of Internal Affairs.

The DIAs child exploitation team conducted 47 investigations into child sexual exploitation in 2023 resulting in 15 prosecutions, 209 devices seized and over 1 million websites blocked.

-Over one million websites were blocked by the Department of Internal Affairs in 2023 for harbouring child sexual abuse material.

-DIA spokesman Tim Houston is extremely worried by the volume of material being shared.

-Data shows a 283 per cent increase in online abuse material reported in 2021 to 2023 compared to 2018 to 2020.

Close to 3 million pieces of material were discovered including horrific images of child sexual abuse and other objectionable content.

Spokesman Tim Houston says the volume of child sexual abuse material being shared is extremely worrying.

The content we are seizing and prosecuting against is not innocent pictures of children, it is serious and abhorrent sexual abuse of children, he says.

It contains situations and acts that no human being should see or know exist, let alone have to experience and then have distributed online for the despicable satisfaction of online offenders.

The investigations resulted in 35 children safeguarded from harm and 414 child victims identified.

There have been 1,149,570 attempts to access websites known to harbour child sexual abuse material were blocked by an internet filtering system.

The strong partnerships we have with other agencies in NZ Police, Customs and Oranga Tamariki has been critical in taking children out of potentially harmful environments, Tim says.

If you are seeking out this material, please reach out for the help and support that is available, otherwise you will be found, stopped and held accountable.

DIA worked with NZ Police, Customs and Ministry of Justice in 2023 to develop a support package for non-offending partners and family members impacted by a child sexual exploitation investigation.

The work the team has done this year has been extremely important in combating the ongoing increase of child sexual abuse material in New Zealand and globally, Tim says.

It has made a remarkable difference for New Zealand children, but it cant stop here.

Online child sexual exploitation is increasing in New Zealand, with the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children recording a 283 per cent rise in reports of material in 2021 to 2023 compared to 2018 to 2020.

Tim says evolving technology was presenting new challenges including disturbingly realistic AI-generated abuse material.

AI generated content is becoming easier to create, which normalises and encourages the physical abuse of children, he says.

It takes significant resource and time to determine whether a child is AI-generated or not and takes our investigators away from identifying real-world children who are at risk.

He also raises concerns about more platforms using End-to-End Encryption, a security method that keeps communications secure which reduces the ability to detect illegal activity occurring.

As this becomes more prevalent, a lot of child exploitation will go unreported and offenders will increasingly operate with impunity, Tim says.

- Stuff/ Ripu Bhatia
Serious injuries and worker fatalities have prompted a call from one of New Zealands largest energy distributors for the construction industry to follow the code for electrical safe distances.

Electricity lines company, Powerco, is again urging the construction industry to educate themselves and their workers about safe distances from power lines following a fatality.

Last August, a worker delivering timber to a construction site in Auckland was killed after a raised crane touched power lines.

Powerco launched a worker safety campaign in late 2022, urging the construction industry to follow the minimum safe distances from power lines set out in the NZ Code of Practice (NZECP34  Electrical Safe Distances). Learn about the code at powerco.co.nz/building.

That followed two life-changing incidents in 2022.

A 28-year-old Auckland scaffolder suffered a massive electric shock and needed both his arms amputated after the metal pole he was holding struck power lines while he was dismantling scaffolding. In a separate incident, in Dunedin, a 34-year-old received serious injuries after a live electric cable was severed during construction work.

Powerco electricity general manager Karen Frew says the company is concerned the construction industry  from property developers, designers and surveyors, through to builders, scaffolders and roofers  are putting their lives and those of others at risk from working and building too close to power lines, poles and other electricity equipment.

Our hearts go out to the families of these workers. These are horrific, life-changing, incidents were trying to help avoid by educating the construction industry about the minimum safe distances.

From design through to construction  whether its a permanent or a temporary structure  you must follow the minimum safe distances set out in the New Zealand Code of Practice for electricity safe distances to help avoid electrocution or serious injury.

The minimum distance between a structure  whether thats a building, scaffolding, a fence, a driveway or marquee  and an overhead line varies depending on the voltage the line is carrying.

The structure needs to be clear of lines both underneath and to the side.

Karen Frew says there are also a concerning number of cases where structures are being built too close to overhead power lines, or land recontoured dangerously close to existing power poles and lines.

Its sheer luck that the tradespeople building those sites werent seriously injured or electrocuted when they were being constructed.

Before designing, planning or carrying out any work under or near power lines, poles, stay wires or other electricity network equipment, contact 0800 Powerco (0800 769 372) if the work is in Powercos electricity network area and the team can help with the plans.

If the work is outside Powercos area, its best to contact the local electricity lines company for advice.

A map of lines companies can be found at ena.org.nz/lines-company-map. If, in doubt, keep at least 10m  the length of a bus  away from lines.

Powerco is New Zealands second largest electricity and gas distribution utility with over 900,000 customers (across 457,000 connections) connected to its networks. Powercos electricity networks are in Western Bay of Plenty, Thames, Coromandel, Eastern and Southern Waikato, Taranaki, Whanganui, Rangitikei, Manawatu and the Wairarapa.
Kiwi groms from around the country are lining up the final event of the Billabong Grom Series this weekend with six series titles on the line come Sunday.

Piha Beach provides the setting for the final event after stops at Mount Maunganui and Whangamata.

The swell is expected to offer similar conditions compared with the first two events.

A 1.0m swell and light winds is forecasted for Saturday with conditions expected to challenge participants on Sunday as the swell builds and wind swings onshore.

In the Under 18 Boys division, Taranaki surfer Spencer Rowson is looking for back-to-back wins in the final event of the series after a standout performance a fortnight ago in Whangamata.

At home in powerful west coast waves, he will be one to watch in the final showdown at Piha this weekend, but with Tai Murphy of Whakatane right on his toes the Under 18 Boys division will be a guaranteed edge of your seat finish.

The Under 18 Girls Division is a head-to-head battle with current leader Leia Millar (Piha and Whangamata surfer Pia Rogers.

With Rogers unavailable for the final event due to representing New Zealand at the ISA World Surfing Games in Puerto Rico it will be Piha local Poppy Arkle and Mount surfer Sophia Brock looking to take the top spot at this weekends final event.

The Under 16 Boys Division is the most hotly contested with the top surfers all in with a chance of taking out the series.

Dunedins Alexis Owen has been on form all series alongside Sam Frazerhurst and looks forward to another win however Tyler Stenzel has been on form taking the win in the Mount and with a big performance this weekend could sneak up and grab the series with a big performance this weekend.

Raglan surfer and Series leader Maya Mateja is unavailable for the final event so Lola Groube, Chloe Groube and Alani Morse will be looking to take the lead.

They will however need to get past an inform local surfer, Kyra Wallis which will be no easy feat.

Mount Maunganuis Sol Fritchley is being chased by a big pack of surfers in the Under 14 Boys Division. The young natural foot surfer won the first two events of the series and he will be impossible to beat should he advance to the semifinals or further.

Pihas Ella Withers holds the upper-hand in the Under 14 Girls Division but far north surfer Jade Nias Phillips can seal her own fate with a win which may be enough to leap frog Withers and take the series.

Action will take place from 8:00am each day with surfing running through to late afternoon.

Please see below for current 2024 Billabong Grom Series presented by Oceanbridge standings after two of three events.

Under 18 Boys Top 5

1 Spencer Rowson

2 Tai Murphy

3 Tao Mouldey

4 Joe Goodjohn

5 George Laery



Under 16 Boys Top 5

1 Alexis Owen

2 Sam Frazerhurst

3 Tyler Stenzel

4 Harrison Biddle

5 Jaxon Willows

Under 14 Boys Top 5

1 Sol Fritchley

2 Jesse Frazerhurst

3 Vitor Bauermann

4 Jaxon Pardoe

5 Lennox Lindsay

Under 18 Girls Top 5

1 Leia Millar

2 Pia Rogers

3 Poppy Arkle

4 Sophia Brock

5 Skylar McFetridge

Under 16 Girls Top 5

1 Maya Mateja

2 Lola Groube

3 Alani Morse

4 Chloe Groube

5 Kyra Wallis

Under 14 Girls Top 5

1 Ella Withers

2 Jade Nias Phillips

3 Nami Marsden

4 Jayda Bramley

5 Millie Dyck
Eugenio Cabezas Tuesday, 20 February 2024, 23:38 Compartir Copiar enlace

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The rapid intervention of two Local Police officers in the Axarquia town of Torrox on the eastern stretch of Malaga province avoided tragedy when a fire broke out following a gas leak in the home of a 57-year-old German couple earlier this month.

The incident happened in the early hours of 3 February, when the police patrol received a call reporting a strong smell of gas in the vicinity of the property in Montealegre, a rural area of Torrox near the neighbouring town of Competa.

The officers arrived on the scene within minutes where they were able to evacuate the couple as well as residents of nearby properties. They then put out the flames using fire extinguishers and cut off the electricity supply to avoid a possible explosion. Nobody was hurt in the fire thanks to the two officers rapid intervention, did not spread. The fire brigade also arrived on the scene.

Residents in the area were "very grateful" to the police officers and the German couple have sent a letter of thanks to the mayor of Torrox, Oscar Medina, congratulating the officers, whose job falls under the jurisdiction of the town hall, for such a good service to the community".
Juan Cano Malaga Tuesday, 20 February 2024, 14:33 | Updated 15:31h. Compartir Copiar enlace

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A man has been arrested after allegedly injuring his ex-girlfriend with a knife and leading police on a dangerous chase from Malaga city to Antequera where he smashed into other vehicles.

The woman had dropped her child off at a school in the Cruz del Humilladero area in Malaga city last Friday 16 February when she returned to her car and was allegedly confronted by her ex-partner, whom she had taken out a restraining order against. She was about to drive off when the man allegedly got in the passenger seat and threatened her with a knife.

She pushed the knife away, causing a cut to her hand, and got out of the car to call for help. The man, a 51-year-old of Moroccan origin, also got out of the car and fled.

Police tried to locate him but were unsuccessful. The next day, Saturday 17 February, a Local Police patrol found him driving a black Volkswagen Polo with a young man in the passenger seat in the western area of Malaga city. The man allegedly took off at speed hitting another car and almost running over a man on a scooter crossing the street in front of the provincial police station.

The driver fled onto the Malaga ring road in the direction of Almeria and then the A-45 (Las Pedrizas) in the direction of Antequera. According to sources, the man allegedly drove in a reckless manner, constantly swerving so patrol cars pursuing him would crash, and even trying to ram them several times.

Near Antequera, the driver left the dual carriageway and drove in the opposite direction on a local road where he allegedly almost collided head-on with a motorcyclist and one of the police cars. When slowing down, the young man in the passenger seat jumped out of the moving car. Police stopped him, and he told officers the driver prevented him from getting out of the car during the chase and threatened him when he tried to apply the handbrake. The driver eventually crashed and was arrested by the Guardia Civil in the Antequera area.

Attention to victims

The 016 telephone number for victims of gender-based violence is active 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, as well as the email 016-online@igualdad.gob.es or the WhatsApp channel via the number 600 000 016. It is an anonymous, confidential and free resource, available in 53 languages and accessible to people with disabilities.

In cases of abuse victims can also phone 112 or the emergency numbers of the National Police (091) and Guardia Civil (062). If it is not possible to make a call, they can contact officers through the Alertcops application, from which an alert signal will be sent to the police with a geolocation.
Karim with Jeison after he was given the bicycle (left) and the two brothers from Marbella playing on the beach (right).

Irene Quirante Tuesday, 20 February 2024, 14:07 Compartir Copiar enlace

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Jeison is 22 years old and earns his living as a Glovo delivery man. He started out with a borrowed bike and after "many hours of work", managed to save just over 200 euros to afford a better one. But that prized possession was stolen last Friday, 16 February, when he left it outside the door of a restaurant he had gone into to pick up an order in Marbella.

"I was very upset because it was the tool I had to work with; imagine, to have it stolen in a moment," Jeison said. That desperation led him to share his predicament on social media through the account Marbella Se Queja, from which he asked for help if anyone could locate his bicycle.

Jeison arrived in Marbella in August last year after leaving his home country Venezuela due to its complicated political and economic situation. There, he left his parents to join his older sister on the Costa del Sol, with the aim of finding a job.

What the young man did not imagine was that with that Instagram post he would touch the heart of a family in Marbella. Sara, the mother of Karim and Cayetano, seven and twelve, said that they decided they should give the older brother's bicycle as a gift when they heard about the theft.

"They found out because I was very emotional about it, my younger son saw tears came to my eyes when I read the story on the internet and he asked me what was wrong," Sara said. Karim almost begged his mother to give away his bicycle. "It's a good bike that we had at home and that Karim couldn't use yet because I bought it thinking about when he was older," Sara said.

Sara found Jeison's mobile number and arranged to meet on Saturday in Nueva Andalucia. "Karim asked me, 'Mummy, can I give it to him?' He was jumping up and down with joy," Sara added.

"It made me so happy; am very grateful," Jeison said. Sara pointed out that he kept telling her the bike was much better than the one he had previously. "For me it was just a gesture; I always taught my children that you have to give without expecting anything in return," she added.
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Marcellus, NY  A local, long-time grocers plan to sell his store to Stewarts Shops could soon be on ice.

Richard Nojaim, who has run Nojaim Brothers grocery store for more than four decades in the heart of the village, struck a deal late last year to sell the place to Stewarts, the convenience store chain known for its ice cream.
A popular campground in Central New York sitting under a giant, steel diamond will be closed for the 2024 camping season while a lawsuit is ongoing with the current landowners.

Ace of Diamonds Mine and Campground in Middleville has announced their mine, campground and gift shop, will be closed until further notice. The land the mine sits could be lost to the highest bidder at auction due to a legal dispute within the family that owns the attraction.

For over 60 years, three generations of the Smith family have run the small family business which is one of a few places in the world you can find unique quartz crystals, known as Herkimer diamonds. Rock hounds and gem hunters come from all over the country to search for Herkimer Diamonds here.

Ace of Diamonds Mine and Campground, NYS RT 28, Middlevillew, NY. Gary Walts | newyorkupstate.comGary Walts | newyorkupstate.com

Anna Jane Smith now runs the campground. She is the daughter of Ted Smith who took over the business from her grandfather Don who opened the campground. Annas cousins, as beneficiaries of her uncles trust, have filed a lawsuit against her and her father over the real estate of Ace of Diamonds.

The lawsuit claims that the plaintiffs have not received payment commensurate with their share of the ownership interest for the lease of the land Ace of Diamonds sits on.

According to Anna in a GoFundMe post, neither her uncle nor her cousins have materially participated in the family business or mining. She is seeking to raise a million dollars to help retain the land.

In her public plea, she posted,

It is difficult to put into words what this land means to me. For me, the mine is not just a place where I run a business. It is my childhood home where I lived from birth until approximately age 5. It was my dads residence for decades. It was my first apartment where I lived for years while attending college. It is the location of a lifetime of daily memories with my dad, my family, and my friends...the place of countless campfires with friends, the place I learned to drive stick shift as a teen with my dog BoBo as co-pilot, where I learned how to mine crystals and run an excavator alongside my dad, and celebrated many birthdays. When I look at the gravel roads and piles of rocks that my dad created, I see more than rubble...I see thousands of hours of hard work, sacrificed weekends and holidays, forgone vacations, and missed family functions. My father put his heart and soul into that place and it is beyond heartbreaking to be on the verge of losing it all.

While the campground and mine are closed, the Ace of Diamonds online shop remains open.

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CORDOBA, Spain, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- China is willing to work with Spain to build a bilateral relationship with strategic determination, providing new impetus for the rejuvenation and development of both countries and injecting new vitality into China-Europe ties, visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here on Sunday.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks at a joint press conference with his Spanish counterpart Jose Manuel Albares.

China regards Spain as a trustworthy and good partner in the European Union (EU), Wang added.

Expounding on the broad consensus, Wang said both sides agreed that the strategic mutual trust is the solid cornerstone for the development of China-Spain relations.

Last year, the two countries celebrated their 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations. The two heads of state drew a strategic blueprint for the development of bilateral ties, and pragmatic cooperation has shown vigorous vitality, Wang said.

The two sides will continue the momentum of high-level exchanges, create a favorable political atmosphere, reaffirm their mutual respect for each other's core interests and major concerns, and understand and support each other in their efforts to safeguard national unification and ethnic unity, Wang noted.

He said China appreciates Spain's adherence to the one-China principle.

"We both agree that opening-up and cooperation are the inherent driving force for the development of China-Spain relations," Wang said.

The two sides are willing to expand cooperation in new areas such as electric vehicles, green energy and digital economy, provide a fair, impartial and non-discriminatory business environment to each other's enterprises, continuously improve the quality and resilience of two-way investment, and help each other in their economic transformation and upgrading, Wang said.

China has announced the lifting of restrictions on imports of Spanish deboned beef from cattle under 30 months of age, Wang added. He welcomed Spain to make good use of such platforms as the China International Import Expo, China International Consumer Products Expo, and the China International Fair for Trade in Services to promote its exports of more quality products to China.

Wang said that the two sides agreed that people-to-people exchanges are valuable in boosting China-Spain relations. Last year, the two countries hosted "Year of Culture and Tourism" events. The "Exhibition of Civilization of Qin Dynasty and Han Dynasty" and the "Dali Art Exhibition" attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors.

China has unilaterally rolled out a visa-free policy for Spanish tourists to China, and Spain is also ready to adopt more measures to facilitate personnel exchanges between the two countries, Wang said.

The giant panda is an ambassador of friendship between the Chinese and Spanish people, Wang said, noting that a popular children's song composed by Spanish musicians for Chulin, the first giant panda born in Madrid in 1982, is familiar to several generations of Spanish children.

China will send a pair of young pandas to Spain after the current loan agreement expires and the panda family in Madrid returns to China, in a bid to sustain the "panda bond" between the two peoples that has lasted more than four decades, Wang said.

Wang said the two sides agreed that maintaining a stable China-Europe relationship aligns with their common interests. China appreciates Spain's contributions to advancing China-Europe exchanges and cooperation when it held the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU in the second half of last year, he said, adding that China anticipates and believes that Spain will continue to play an active role in the EU.

The two countries are ready to promote China-Europe joint actions to cope with global challenges such as climate change, food security and public health, shouldering due international responsibilities in a world full of uncertainties, he said.

"We deeply felt that the international community is increasingly worried about the future and destiny of humanity and has a stronger desire for peace, stability and development," Wang said, adding that both China and Spain are steady forces for maintaining the international order and promoting global development.

China is ready to join hands with Spain to demonstrate a sense of responsibility, coordinate closely, gather broader consensus and put forth more effective solutions to push for political settlement of hotspot issues and make greater contributions to building a better future for mankind, Wang said.

Noting that next year marks the 20th anniversary of China-Spain comprehensive strategic partnership, Wang said China is willing to work with Spain, by upholding the spirit of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, to push for more positive results in exchanges and cooperation in diverse sectors and bring bilateral ties to a new level. 
Malting barley continues to be in high demand from the Irish Drinks industry

The Teagasc Boortmalt Malting Barley Conference was held today, Tuesday, 20 February in Enniscorthy, County Wexford

Pictured at the Teagasc Boortmalt Malting Barley Conference today, Tuesday 20 February 2024 in Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford were from (L to R) : Edward Burgess, Specialist on the Teagasc Agricultural Catchments Programme; Michael Hennessy, Head of Crops Knowledge Transfer, Teagasc; Dr Richie Hackett, Research Officer at Teagasc; Ciaran Hickey, Teagasc Tillage Advisor; Edward Neale, Ballycarney Grain; Eoin McDonald, Cooladine Farms; and Rebecca Bayley, Advisor on the Teagasc/Boortmalt Joint Programme.

Malting barley continues to be in high demand from the Irish Drinks industry

The conference attendees included farmers and industry professionals involved in producing over 300,000 tonnes of malting barley to supply the Irish drinks sector every year.

The tillage sector has known for some time there are issues with barley seed supply in 2024, and the conference heard that even though seed is scarce, the malting sector has secured sufficient quantities to grow the required tonnage in 2024. Eoin McDonald, an agronomist from Cooladine Farms Ltd, said; The industry moved early to secure seed supplies and we are confident there is sufficient. However we are conscious of the overall seed shortage and are encouraging growers to plant in excellent soil conditions to make the most of the available seed.

Jonathan Roberts, a procurement manager in Boortmalt, told the conference the demand for malting barley is growing every year. Jonathan Roberts said; The growth in the drinks industry is continuing and our customers are delighted with the quality of Irish barley. However, he added there are sustainability requests coming through the supply chain, particularly around carbon footprinting. Consumer demands and corporate responsibility in the area of sustainability, especially around carbon footprinting is becoming a stronger driver for change in the industry. He added; Boortmalt are aware that Irish grown malting barley has a low carbon footprint and there are practices which can help to lower the footprint in the future. Jonathan said Boortmalt will be communicating the next steps with farmers over the coming months.

Rebecca Bayley, the Teagasc Boortmalt joint advisor, presented data from demonstration trials over the past few years. The data from these on-farm trials mirror what we would expect from replicated trials. In the plant growth regulators trial, it clearly shows there is no benefit from the application in crops with normal plant counts.

Malting barley is grown widely across the Slaney river catchment and Eddie Burgess from the Agricultural Catchments Programme in Teagasc, told the conference there was a substantial improvement in water quality in the Slaney catchment in the past couple of years. Eddie Burgess did point out that due to the light/porous soil type in the catchment, nitrate leaching continues to be high and all farmers have a part to play in reducing nitrate leaching.

Dr Richie Hackett, a crops researcher in Oak Park, Teagasc, outlined where liquid nitrogen, or Urea Ammonium Nitrate (UAN) fits into the production of malting barley crops. Richie Hackett said that the liquid nitrogen will work equally as well as other nitrogen sources, but growers need to be careful using the product in dry conditions as it is more susceptible to volatilisation than CAN.

End
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Quote: shankar.balan Originally Posted by

It is better you take this as an opportunity to move towards an upgrade. Of course, I guess you can see about making it an EV if you are that attached to the vehicle.

https://Youtu.be/oN9wrYbvVvg?si=XSODNewxEyLLTgLz An interesting thought. However I really think the Swift Dzire has kind of gone past its sell by date.It is better you take this as an opportunity to move towards an upgrade. Of course, I guess you can see about making it an EV if you are that attached to the vehicle.



I fail to understand why should the govt not allow replacement of old ICE with a new one, since this single step (cost Rs. 1 Lakh) fully takes care of the pollution/aging of the vehicle. How could the Chassis being old be a cause of concern w.r.t. pollution norms?



Quote: Fuldagap Originally Posted by To be honest, such a caveat can only be answered by an enthusiastic & well read govt official or by a thorough agent (who would know a well read govt official). I'm not sure even filing an RTI request would render this info.



What's sure is this, RTO needs to endorse & permit the change in engine before anybody changes his car's engine. People used to change their cars from petrol to diesel a lot. I'm sure some would be doing that even now. However, to use the change in engine to avoid the 15 year ban in no way sounds even remotely mainstream.



If you don't know any concerned govt official through friends, try getting in touch with an agent. Visit the RTO and agents would approach you by themselves like honey bees.

Agents nearby your residence can also be found via Google search. Approaching the RTO officially might not be useful. If you are really serious about it then you need to deviate from the normal approach to things to achieve it.



A Maruti service center can give an estimate of the costs involved. In 2008, I saw a poster at a dealer's office at Ahmedabad advertising plonking a new Maruti engine in an old car, even the price was mentioned which I don't remember now.



It's indeed a food for thought if this is really possible or not.



Thinking of visiting the local RTO tomorrow and gaining access to some top honcho there and get some logical answer.



If pollution is a factor of old engines, then replacement of engine should solve that problem. Or not? I appreciate your pointing in the direction of northwayms.com, but it's conversion kit price tag of 6-8 Lakhs is way too much.I fail to understand why should the govt not allow replacement of old ICE with a new one, since this single step (cost Rs. 1 Lakh) fully takes care of the pollution/aging of the vehicle. How could the Chassis being old be a cause of concern w.r.t. pollution norms?Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I did call up Rana Motors MASS in Noida and they quoted a price of Rs. 1 Lakh for a brand new ICE in my Maruti Dzire.Thinking of visiting the local RTO tomorrow and gaining access to some top honcho there and get some logical answer.If pollution is a factor of old engines, then replacement of engine should solve that problem. Or not? Last edited by Eddy : 20th February 2024 at 10:14 . Reason: Merged. Please use the edit / multiquote functionality instead of back to back posts within 30 mins on the same thread.
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Visit to the Steam Engine Plant at Steyl | The Netherlands



As part of my model engine building, I am a member of a Dutch Model Steam forum. One of the gents on the forum, Willum, had organised these workshops. We had one of these workshops in my garage! (



Several of these workshops have been held at a unique place; In the engine room of an old monastery in Steyl, the Netherlands. I have participated in one of those as well. But as we spent the whole day working on our brazing techniques, we hardly had time to look at the magnificent surroundings. So Willum organised a tour for us, just to look at the steam engines, boilers and some of the other parts of this fascinating place.



Steyl is a small village just south of Venlo, near the German border and on the river Maas. Steyl is located in the province of Limburg. Traditionally the south of the Netherlands, and in particular Limburg has always had a Roman Catholic orientation. Which also meant there used to be hundreds of monasteries. All kinds of congregations. Both my parents came from traditional, very large Roman Catholic families. In those days it was customary for a lot of the kids to join the church in one way or the other. Which meant I had lots of aunts who became nuns and uncles who were priests.



The "Kulturkampf" in Germany, the confrontation between church and state that was directed, among other things, against all Catholic ideas and Catholic cultural heritage, is the reason why the German priest Arnold Janssen came to the tolerant Netherlands in 1875. The political situation in Germany did not permit the establishment of a mission house. In Steyl, he founded the Congregation of the Divine Word - Societas Verbi Divini (SVD), the missionaries of Steyl. There he built the Mission House St. Michael. In 1879 the SVD sent its first missionaries to China and from China the first items came to Steyl. Missionaries were sent to more countries and the collection of items grew, becoming the basis and beginnings of the present-day museum.



Some of the Catholic congregations could be very secluded, with virtually no interaction with ordinary people. From all that I have seen here, this was not the case in Steyl. The congregation was very active in all sorts of things. One of their big activities was book printing. To print in volume, they needed the power of steam. Over the years the steam engines, and to some extent the boilers have been moved between different buildings. There have also been different steam engines and boilers. What is left today is more or less how it was ultimately decommissioned a couple of decades ago.



By then the steam engines were driving generators, rather than a complicated system of overhead pulleys and belts.



So let's have a look: Check the various walls, and you will see several religious artefacts, and reminders of who owned and ran this place!



This is the main steam engine;







This is a two-cylinder steam engine, 230 HP, built in 1909. It was in use till 1956.



Recognize that manufacturer:







This is the company we still know today as Hanomag!



This steam engine is a bit different from others in the sense it has both inlet- and exhaust valves. You can't see them, they are built into that large cylinder you see. But you can see the mechanical lever and cam system that drives it.











Originally, in this engine room, they had three steam engines. Not sure what happened to the third. There is still a photograph which shows all three engines.







The control console







Massive flywheel. Made out of two halves. If you look closely you might just spot some very large bolts and nuts holding the two halves together. In those days they did have the techniques to cast these large flywheels in one go as well. But another consideration is transportation. All of the components were brought to the monastery by train and the last couple of miles by horse and cart. So size and weight of each component was something to take into consideration.







If you look closely at the various images and the video below, you might notice that the two cylinders have different diameters. The steam expanded twice, first in the smaller of the two cylinders and then in the larger diameter. Thus more power could be extracted from the same volume of steam. Once the steam leaves the second cylinder it goes into a condenser where it is cooled down to water again. From there it gets pumped back into the boiler again. So these sorts of steam engines don't use any water. Just a bit of leakage here and there. They told us, less than a bucket during a day of running. Steam trains use all their water and need to replenish it. They can't be fitted with condensers.



This steam engine drives a Direct Current (DC) generator. Manufactured by Bermann Electricitats-Werke AG. It delivers 165kW, 230V at 580 rpm.







My friend Ruud made a nice little video and he was happy to share it with me.



The steam engine is running on compressed air. Unfortunately, the boilers are beyond repair. Still, a steam engine running on air is just about identical to running it on steam. Sounds identical and nothing gets hot. This engine had one condenser.



Towards the end, you see a simple pump. This is down at the condenser and this pump feeds the water back towards the boiler. (Technically it goes into a feedwater tank first and from the feedwater tank it goes into the boiler)



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMeuGvzYYy0



Next to the more traditional steam engine is a steam turbine.











The steam turbine was manufactured by BBC. (Brown Boveri company).

BBC still manufactures steam turbines (and boilers?). They are also well known for manufacturing exhaust turbochargers. I have sailed on several ships that had BBC turbochargers. Massive ones, more than 1,5m in diameter!



This one was built in 1956, delivers 700HP at 6500 RPM and drives a three-phase AC generator.



Next door to the engine room is the boiler room. Over the years there have been different boilers. The steam engine used saturated steam, but the steam turbine required superheated steam.



In simple terms, once the water is heated to the boiling point, it is vaporized and turned into saturated steam. When saturated steam is heated above boiling point, dry steam is created and all traces of moisture are erased. This is called superheated steam. Superheated steam is a gas. It's invisible. You do need a very different boiler to create superheated steam. It comes equipped with a, you guessed it, a superheater!!



Here you see the two boilers. Notice the tiling on the outside of the boiler? These boilers were heavily insulated of course. Any heat escaping through radiation means a loss of efficiency.







I spotted a photograph of the removal of one of the old boilers. It gives you some idea of what a boiler looks like on the inside.







You might have this image of a larger cylindrical vessel when talking about boilers. Those are not the sort of boilers used in these applications.







Here you see a side-view drawing. It will give you some idea (I hope) of what a boiler looks like. There is only one cylindrical vessel, a so-called steam drum not even that large. You see it in the top right-hand corner. The walls of the boiler are lined with pipes. These so-called water tubes are fed with boiler feedwater from the bottom. This is where the water gets heated up from the flames in the middle of the boiler. The water starts boiling, becomes saturated steam and is subsequently fed through the superheater.







A couple of shots inside the boiler;



Here we are looking inside the steam drum. You can see some of the water tubes







some of the intricate piping







One of these boilers would be in use to provide the steam turbine with steam, the other one would be on standby. Initially, these boilers were coal-fired. You can still see the automatic coal feed inside the boiler furnace. (sorry no images). The more power was needed, the more steam needed to be produced, so more coal needed to fed into the furnace. This was already automated on these boilers.



The specification of the boilers:

Manufacturer: Steinmuller , Gummersbach Germany.

Year of construction: 1952 and 1954.

Original with automatic coal supply on a running burner network. Adapted to gas burners in 1970.

Capacity: 6 tons of steam/hour.

Pressure: 22 Atmosphere.

Temperature: 350 C

Efficiency: coal 83.5%, gas 92%.



Here you see the first gas burner on the right-hand burner. The left boiler had a more modern gas burner arrangement.







Some more details;



The safety valves on the top of the boiler. I was a bit surprised to see how the weights could be moved so easily. Safety valves are supposed to be set to a very specific value. They are checked by the authorities and sealed to the best of my knowledge. But it could be the rules were very different in the days when these boilers were still running. I seem to recall from my naval college days, that in those days, boilers, irrespective of size or volume, in private use and ownership were not controlled/checked at all.







The boiler sight glass. This indicates the water level of that steam dream at the top. These boilers have a relatively small amount of water in the steam drum. So when the water levels drop, you need to act immediately. In the drawing shown above, you can see some sort of lever sticking out of the steam drum. This was an automatic level guard. If the water level dropped too much, this lever would pull some large shutters in the chimney shut. That means the flames in the furnace would start going down. Just a safety feature. Remarkable, both these boilers had only one sight glass each. These days at least two independent ones are mandatory.







Lots of valves. This is the main steam distribution setup. Steam was not used only for running the steam engine/turbine. It was also used for heating and various other means.







Of course, these boilers are not in use. But they look immaculate!







This image is taken from the top of the boiler. Below you can see some steam models on display







Some close-ups







Some of you might recall I have participated in several workshops on Brazing techniques". I use brazing mostly when working on model engines, but it is an extremely useful technique to connect different kinds of metal and or alloy.As part of my model engine building, I am a member of a Dutch Model Steam forum. One of the gents on the forum, Willum, had organised these workshops. We had one of these workshops in my garage! ( https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/diy-d...ml#post5434131 (My Car Hobby: Jaguar XJR, Mercedes W123, Alfa Romeo Spider, Jeep Cherokee & Mini One) ).Several of these workshops have been held at a unique place; In the engine room of an old monastery in Steyl, the Netherlands. I have participated in one of those as well. But as we spent the whole day working on our brazing techniques, we hardly had time to look at the magnificent surroundings. So Willum organised a tour for us, just to look at the steam engines, boilers and some of the other parts of this fascinating place.Steyl is a small village just south of Venlo, near the German border and on the river Maas. Steyl is located in the province of Limburg. Traditionally the south of the Netherlands, and in particular Limburg has always had a Roman Catholic orientation. Which also meant there used to be hundreds of monasteries. All kinds of congregations. Both my parents came from traditional, very large Roman Catholic families. In those days it was customary for a lot of the kids to join the church in one way or the other. Which meant I had lots of aunts who became nuns and uncles who were priests.The "Kulturkampf" in Germany, the confrontation between church and state that was directed, among other things, against all Catholic ideas and Catholic cultural heritage, is the reason why the German priest Arnold Janssen came to the tolerant Netherlands in 1875. The political situation in Germany did not permit the establishment of a mission house. In Steyl, he founded the Congregation of the Divine Word - Societas Verbi Divini (SVD), the missionaries of Steyl. There he built the Mission House St. Michael. In 1879 the SVD sent its first missionaries to China and from China the first items came to Steyl. Missionaries were sent to more countries and the collection of items grew, becoming the basis and beginnings of the present-day museum.Some of the Catholic congregations could be very secluded, with virtually no interaction with ordinary people. From all that I have seen here, this was not the case in Steyl. The congregation was very active in all sorts of things. One of their big activities was book printing. To print in volume, they needed the power of steam. Over the years the steam engines, and to some extent the boilers have been moved between different buildings. There have also been different steam engines and boilers. What is left today is more or less how it was ultimately decommissioned a couple of decades ago.By then the steam engines were driving generators, rather than a complicated system of overhead pulleys and belts.So let's have a look: Check the various walls, and you will see several religious artefacts, and reminders of who owned and ran this place!This is the main steam engine;This is a two-cylinder steam engine, 230 HP, built in 1909. It was in use till 1956.Recognize that manufacturer:This is the company we still know today as Hanomag!This steam engine is a bit different from others in the sense it has both inlet- and exhaust valves. You can't see them, they are built into that large cylinder you see. But you can see the mechanical lever and cam system that drives it.Originally, in this engine room, they had three steam engines. Not sure what happened to the third. There is still a photograph which shows all three engines.The control consoleMassive flywheel. Made out of two halves. If you look closely you might just spot some very large bolts and nuts holding the two halves together. In those days they did have the techniques to cast these large flywheels in one go as well. But another consideration is transportation. All of the components were brought to the monastery by train and the last couple of miles by horse and cart. So size and weight of each component was something to take into consideration.If you look closely at the various images and the video below, you might notice that the two cylinders have different diameters. The steam expanded twice, first in the smaller of the two cylinders and then in the larger diameter. Thus more power could be extracted from the same volume of steam. Once the steam leaves the second cylinder it goes into a condenser where it is cooled down to water again. From there it gets pumped back into the boiler again. So these sorts of steam engines don't use any water. Just a bit of leakage here and there. They told us, less than a bucket during a day of running. Steam trains use all their water and need to replenish it. They can't be fitted with condensers.This steam engine drives a Direct Current (DC) generator. Manufactured by Bermann Electricitats-Werke AG. It delivers 165kW, 230V at 580 rpm.My friend Ruud made a nice little video and he was happy to share it with me.The steam engine is running on compressed air. Unfortunately, the boilers are beyond repair. Still, a steam engine running on air is just about identical to running it on steam. Sounds identical and nothing gets hot. This engine had one condenser.Towards the end, you see a simple pump. This is down at the condenser and this pump feeds the water back towards the boiler. (Technically it goes into a feedwater tank first and from the feedwater tank it goes into the boiler)Next to the more traditional steam engine is a steam turbine.The steam turbine was manufactured by BBC. (Brown Boveri company).BBC still manufactures steam turbines (and boilers?). They are also well known for manufacturing exhaust turbochargers. I have sailed on several ships that had BBC turbochargers. Massive ones, more than 1,5m in diameter!This one was built in 1956, delivers 700HP at 6500 RPM and drives a three-phase AC generator.Next door to the engine room is the boiler room. Over the years there have been different boilers. The steam engine used saturated steam, but the steam turbine required superheated steam.In simple terms, once the water is heated to the boiling point, it is vaporized and turned into saturated steam. When saturated steam is heated above boiling point, dry steam is created and all traces of moisture are erased. This is called superheated steam. Superheated steam is a gas. It's invisible. You do need a very different boiler to create superheated steam. It comes equipped with a, you guessed it, a superheater!!Here you see the two boilers. Notice the tiling on the outside of the boiler? These boilers were heavily insulated of course. Any heat escaping through radiation means a loss of efficiency.I spotted a photograph of the removal of one of the old boilers. It gives you some idea of what a boiler looks like on the inside.You might have this image of a larger cylindrical vessel when talking about boilers. Those are not the sort of boilers used in these applications.Here you see a side-view drawing. It will give you some idea (I hope) of what a boiler looks like. There is only one cylindrical vessel, a so-called steam drum not even that large. You see it in the top right-hand corner. The walls of the boiler are lined with pipes. These so-called water tubes are fed with boiler feedwater from the bottom. This is where the water gets heated up from the flames in the middle of the boiler. The water starts boiling, becomes saturated steam and is subsequently fed through the superheater.A couple of shots inside the boiler;Here we are looking inside the steam drum. You can see some of the water tubessome of the intricate pipingOne of these boilers would be in use to provide the steam turbine with steam, the other one would be on standby. Initially, these boilers were coal-fired. You can still see the automatic coal feed inside the boiler furnace. (sorry no images). The more power was needed, the more steam needed to be produced, so more coal needed to fed into the furnace. This was already automated on these boilers.The specification of the boilers:Manufacturer: Steinmuller , Gummersbach Germany.Year of construction: 1952 and 1954.Original with automatic coal supply on a running burner network. Adapted to gas burners in 1970.Capacity: 6 tons of steam/hour.Pressure: 22 Atmosphere.Temperature: 350 CEfficiency: coal 83.5%, gas 92%.Here you see the first gas burner on the right-hand burner. The left boiler had a more modern gas burner arrangement.Some more details;The safety valves on the top of the boiler. I was a bit surprised to see how the weights could be moved so easily. Safety valves are supposed to be set to a very specific value. They are checked by the authorities and sealed to the best of my knowledge. But it could be the rules were very different in the days when these boilers were still running. I seem to recall from my naval college days, that in those days, boilers, irrespective of size or volume, in private use and ownership were not controlled/checked at all.The boiler sight glass. This indicates the water level of that steam dream at the top. These boilers have a relatively small amount of water in the steam drum. So when the water levels drop, you need to act immediately. In the drawing shown above, you can see some sort of lever sticking out of the steam drum. This was an automatic level guard. If the water level dropped too much, this lever would pull some large shutters in the chimney shut. That means the flames in the furnace would start going down. Just a safety feature. Remarkable, both these boilers had only one sight glass each. These days at least two independent ones are mandatory.Lots of valves. This is the main steam distribution setup. Steam was not used only for running the steam engine/turbine. It was also used for heating and various other means.Of course, these boilers are not in use. But they look immaculate!This image is taken from the top of the boiler. Below you can see some steam models on displaySome close-ups Last edited by bblost : 20th February 2024 at 11:20 . Reason: as requested.
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Temple Run to Srisailam, Siddheshwar and Akkalkot



As a kid I used to visit Srisailam with my family every 2-3 years in one of the LTC trips(when govt used to provide LTC every 2 or 4 years, not sure if that still exists, but I did enjoy those trips and I got to visit many places all over India). Those were times when we used to take the APSRTC buses from Hyderabad and stay in the tourism hotels or govt rest houses. We mostly took the free darshan queue and it barely took 15-20 mins for darshan, that too till the end and we could touch the shivlingam. We've been lucky to visit at night also, just before the doors were closed with no one around. On some occasions we did use other modes of darshan with direct entry, but the free queue used to be a quick one too.



My last trip to Srisailam was when Andhra Pradesh (AP) and Telangana (TS) were one state, so I wasn't sure if there would be any major changes except for roads. On many of the past trips we drove in own car and at times in rental vehicles, so while it wasn't a tiring journey, we used to take darshan at night or next day and return back to Hyderabad and then back home. At times we took the APTDC packages, which included bus journey and hotel accommodation. Since the crowds were less a decade or two back, the hotels and the area in general was more cleaner as compared to today. We used to stop on the way to take photos of the dam and surrounding areas, without worrying about getting stuck in a traffic jam. Life was much easier in the earlier days (my parents once even walked over the dam to visit the temple taking the jungle route and now I feel I missed that chance as a chose to sit in a car and wait for them)



Before I move into details of the trip, let me first cover the other two temples also. We were visiting Solapur and going to stay there for 4-5 days, so we decided to visit Akkalkot and also Siddheshwar (which was in Solapur itself). Akkalkot is around 45 mins to 1 hr from Solapur, so it's like a half day trip. We started around noon (though the best time is to start early and come back by noon). We parked in the parking lot on the other side of the road. The temple area was crowded, but there are people who take you from a shortcut for Rs 100, if you don't want to spend time getting pushed and pushing other people in the regular queue. These folks take you right inside the main area from where you have to get into a regular queue. We couldn't go too close as it was completely packed with no space to stand for few seconds also, so had to take darshan from a distance and then we decided to return.



On the way back, we visited an arms museum in the Akkalkot Palace. The museum houses lot of sword and toys from last 100-200 years, but it is in a really bad shape. The arms are 99% rusted and with no maintenance, and a big piece of history is lost to damage. The guard said it's undergoing maintenance, though the museum part look untouched. The toys and other items are largely damaged and I'm not sure what could be done to preserve them. I wish everyone takes inspiration from the royal/heritage locations in Rajasthan and see how they preserve their historical artifacts. I don't know if the current generation shows interest in history except from what is told in books but preserving historical sites would probably give them a different perspective. There is a ticket that has to be taken (15-20 Rs I guess per person, I didn't pay so don't recall exactly )



From there were were back in Solapur in less than an hour. The next day we went to Siddheshwar temple late in the evening. There weren't many people and there is also some construction going around it. There is a lake on one side of the temple. There is lot of history about this temple, which I had never heard before visiting it, but for now will keep that aside for another day.



Now back to Srisailam. Before I go into the journey, some facts about Srisailam



The temple in Srisailam is called Sri Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Temple and it has two difference temples (or structures). First it is a Shakti Peeth and second it's one of the twelve Jyotirlinga's in India. There are 18 Shakti Peetha's all over India. There is also an Adi Shankaracharya Temple in the same area.



The town of Srisailam is located in Nallamala hills and houses two tiger reserves - Nagarjunsagar Srisalam Tiger Reserve (NSTR) and the more recently created Amrabad Tiger Reserve (ATR) after the split of Andhra Pradesh. The NSTR is the largest reserve in India by area. Both reserves have got some tours, but I've never been on any of them and haven't heard of any tiger sightings, the way you hear about other reserves in India.



The other aspect of Srisailam is Power Generation. The Srisalam Power project built over Krishna river also marks the boundaries of AP and TS. The project had two sides - left bank and right bank projects which subsequently went to TS and AP, after the split. The right bank project has capacity of 770 MW whereas the left bank has a capacity of 660 MW. On paper, it is said that the there is a potential to take this to even higher levels, but not sure if there are any plans to increase it.



We hired an Innova to do this journey and opted for an overnight stay there. We started around 8:30 in the morning. The plan was to reach by afternoon. The roads in Hyderabad and outskirts are really world class. While many of you would be using these roads on daily basis, for me, it was a different sight as I was traveling on them after more than a decade. The ORR has speed limits for each lane and at times there are cops hiding in the bushes with their speed guns. Like most other toll roads, payment is done via fast tag. At the first toll we crossed there was an ICICI bank van just ahead of the toll booth, for people who wished to purchase it (say if you have an older car that didn't get a fast tag during RTO passing process). We soon had to exit ORR and had take an exit for a smaller highway that led to Srisailam. As soon as you exit ORR, the visuals are noticeably different and all the glamour of Hyderabad goes away. The roads are narrower and the scenery changes significantly. The next few hours was uneventful as such and we stopped at one point to take coffee. We soon reached a place called Dindi, which has a dam, creating a reservoir (for irrigation I guess). The road I had taken earlier was at lower levels and was a very narrow one, which often got flodded during rains. But now there is a bridge/newer road, so the problem of flooding would not arise. We didn't stop here and continued ahead reaching the hill section where the jungle area starts.



Once you are in the final 70-80 kms, the speed is reduced and you will encounter traffic. Our travel dates coincided with a long weekend and that added to the traffic woes once we were in the forest area. The initial part was fine and the traffic was moving at a good pace. Once you cross from TS the AP side, the roads are even narrow and probably haven't been maintained in the last few years (or even decades). There is a checkpost as you enter AP and you have to pay at the toll booth. The bridge over Krishna is a very old one (as you would see in the dash cam video) and looks same as how it was probably 15-20 years back. There is hardly any water and while are not supposed to stop and block traffic, they still stop for photos of the Dam. The next part of journey is again through forest areas and eventually we started seeing returning traffic getting backed up and at one point we thought the blockage was for few kms. Thankfully there weren't many people going into Srisailam compared to the ones coming out. We finally reached Sakshi Ganapati temple and decided that we'll stop while returning. There is a saying that you should stop here and tell Lord Ganesha that we visited his parents abode and to request him to remind them of our prayers (Sakshi or Saksh means witness to the visit). Hence many people stop here on the way back.



There is also a place called Shikaram about which there is another saying that if you can spot the top of the gopuram/golden part in between Nandi's horns, you will achieve nirvana. We didn't plan to go there this time, but have been to it when didn't used to be so crowded. We never could see the golden part during the earlier visits, but it used to be a fun thing to do as kids.



As we reached closer the traffic in our direction was also getting backed up. There is an entry fee to the devasthanam area (Rs 100) charged by local authorities and has to be paid in cash (no fast tag here). As soon as we crossed the gates, there were cars all around and we could not move ahead. Since we stayed the Haritha (AP Tourism Hotel), we decided to walk from the point of traffic jam as it wasn't that far. The driver later called and said there's no way for him to come into the hotel area, so he will spend the night wherever he finds parking. The hotel quality and maintenance has gone down considerably, but we could not find any other place, so had to go with whatever was available. The food quality is also less than average and expecting cleanliness is like asking for too much. This wasn't the case earlier though. The same APTDC hotel(s) used to be clean and tidy, even if they were not fancy and luxurious.



Since we had reached in afternoon, we decided to do the ropeway/cable car attraction which was not very far from the hotel. There are shared autos, that will take you there for Rs 20 or you can block the entire auto for 100-120 or so. When we reached there, there was a long queue and the person at ticket counter was telling everyone that it would be at least 1 hr to reach down and maybe 2 hrs to come back up due to the rush. We didn't want to get stuck, so we had tea and headed back to the hotel.



We had taken two types of darshan - sparsha for Rs 500 (where you can go inside and touch the shivalingam) and sheeghra (fast) for Rs 150. Except for the free darshan, everything else is to be booked online. I don't know if they allow booking on the spot, but there may be limited tickets for walk-in devotees. Our first one was for that same night and second one was for next day morning. We had darshan for that night, but we were able to go for the earlier slot around 7-7:30 PM. We initially thought very few people might be taking sparsha darshan tickets, but soon realized that the whole world comes for the Rs 500 one only, so except for the fact that you can go inside, there is not a lot of difference in terms of the push and pull that happens. One has to stand in different holding areas and someone from the temple will come at regular intervals and keep opening the gates for the next section. One new thing I found out was that all male devotees have to remove their shirts or vests and keep only a white cloth or not keep anything. I don't remember this happening earlier (fancy clothing was never allowed even earlier) but maybe rules have changed. After almost an hour of push and pull situation we finally made it inside and probably got 5 seconds to get darshan before being pushed out by the guards. Over the years the temple has seen an exponential increase in devotee numbers, so there is a bit of rudeness in their attitude. Can't blame them altogether, but there must be a better solution to solve this problem. I still recall the earlier visits when we used to sit in the temple premises for few hours, have food and then go back to the hotel room which probably is not possible today (maybe there are days when there are very few people and you can still do that).



It was almost 9 by the time we came out and we heard from some people that on one of the previous nights they had to stop darshan due to the heavy rush and on one night, the sparsha darshan took 4 hrs. So we were lucky to be out in 2 hrs. Photography is not allowed in the temple premises (you can take once you are outside, but as per instructions you are not allowed to take phone. However, I saw people switching off their phones and keeping in their pockets. I don't remember seeing photography restrictions during my earlier visit, but smartphones were not there 2 decades back, so that would explain the lack of restrictions.



We came out, and went to buy some laddoos and then headed back to the hotel. There is a small restaurant in the hotel. We were tired so instead of looking for more options, ate whatever was available and then went back to our rooms, thought I would recommend skipping it if possible as the quality is actually bad.



The next morning we decided to skip the fast darshan and started our journey back to Hyderabad stopping at Sakshi Ganapati and a place called Paladhara Panchadhara. At this place there is a constant water supply coming from below the ground level and you have to take the stairs down from the main road to reach the stream level. As per locals, Adi Shankaracharya had stayed here while meditating, so there is a small temple as well. The water stream is perennial and while people used to fill their water bottles for regular use, in this visit I found people washing their feet, faces, hands as well (almost like taking a shower). We just filled up one bottle as an old custom and left from there. The way back to Hyderabad was the same route, traffic was varying and as we came closer to Hyderabad it increased as well. We had stopped for lunch at one of the restaurants on the highway, and then for some tea before reaching Hyderabad. We saw lot of Kia Carnival's and Sonet's on the way and looks like these two have become very popular in this region.



We had a train to catch the next day, so it was time to relax and get ready for the next day.



Below is the high level view of the route we followed for Srisailam.







Video of drive to Srisailam

https://youtu.be/dkTKlJ6thfk



Akkalkot Palace, where the museum is housed





Lake View From Siddheshwar Temple





some more views Siddheshwar Temple









Buildings of hyderbad





Monopole transmission towers





Dindi Dam. The road looks new, there used to be a narrow road earlier at a lower level that used to get flooded during monsoons





View of dam





Old bridge connecting AP and TS across the river





Another view





View of Dam from Ropeway starting point







Size of tea, probably smaller that cutting chai





Paladhara Panchadhara





View of the stream coming from the rocks





Another view of dam from AP side





A hotel on the TS side





Foggy and Cloudy but green view





The rocks looks like some animal, but maybe I imagined too much





On the way back Hyderabad





Hyderabad road views





Seeing Ikea in North America is nothing different than seeing a grocery store, but in India, its a different feeling.

I was in India during Dec-Jan for vacation. This was a trip after almost 6 years, so bound to be a hectic trip, with a family function and lots of travel. One of the things planned was to visit Srisailam in Andhra Pradesh, Akkalkot and Siddheshwar Temple in SolapurAs a kid I used to visit Srisailam with my family every 2-3 years in one of the LTC trips(when govt used to provide LTC every 2 or 4 years, not sure if that still exists, but I did enjoy those trips and I got to visit many places all over India). Those were times when we used to take the APSRTC buses from Hyderabad and stay in the tourism hotels or govt rest houses. We mostly took the free darshan queue and it barely took 15-20 mins for darshan, that too till the end and we could touch the shivlingam. We've been lucky to visit at night also, just before the doors were closed with no one around. On some occasions we did use other modes of darshan with direct entry, but the free queue used to be a quick one too.My last trip to Srisailam was when Andhra Pradesh (AP) and Telangana (TS) were one state, so I wasn't sure if there would be any major changes except for roads. On many of the past trips we drove in own car and at times in rental vehicles, so while it wasn't a tiring journey, we used to take darshan at night or next day and return back to Hyderabad and then back home. At times we took the APTDC packages, which included bus journey and hotel accommodation. Since the crowds were less a decade or two back, the hotels and the area in general was more cleaner as compared to today. We used to stop on the way to take photos of the dam and surrounding areas, without worrying about getting stuck in a traffic jam. Life was much easier in the earlier days (my parents once even walked over the dam to visit the temple taking the jungle route and now I feel I missed that chance as a chose to sit in a car and wait for them)Before I move into details of the trip, let me first cover the other two temples also. We were visiting Solapur and going to stay there for 4-5 days, so we decided to visit Akkalkot and also Siddheshwar (which was in Solapur itself). Akkalkot is around 45 mins to 1 hr from Solapur, so it's like a half day trip. We started around noon (though the best time is to start early and come back by noon). We parked in the parking lot on the other side of the road. The temple area was crowded, but there are people who take you from a shortcut for Rs 100, if you don't want to spend time getting pushed and pushing other people in the regular queue. These folks take you right inside the main area from where you have to get into a regular queue. We couldn't go too close as it was completely packed with no space to stand for few seconds also, so had to take darshan from a distance and then we decided to return.On the way back, we visited an arms museum in the Akkalkot Palace. The museum houses lot of sword and toys from last 100-200 years, but it is in a really bad shape. The arms are 99% rusted and with no maintenance, and a big piece of history is lost to damage. The guard said it's undergoing maintenance, though the museum part look untouched. The toys and other items are largely damaged and I'm not sure what could be done to preserve them. I wish everyone takes inspiration from the royal/heritage locations in Rajasthan and see how they preserve their historical artifacts. I don't know if the current generation shows interest in history except from what is told in books but preserving historical sites would probably give them a different perspective. There is a ticket that has to be taken (15-20 Rs I guess per person, I didn't pay so don't recall exactlyFrom there were were back in Solapur in less than an hour. The next day we went to Siddheshwar temple late in the evening. There weren't many people and there is also some construction going around it. There is a lake on one side of the temple. There is lot of history about this temple, which I had never heard before visiting it, but for now will keep that aside for another day.Now back to Srisailam. Before I go into the journey, some facts about SrisailamThe temple in Srisailam is called Sri Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Temple and it has two difference temples (or structures). First it is a Shakti Peeth and second it's one of the twelve Jyotirlinga's in India. There are 18 Shakti Peetha's all over India. There is also an Adi Shankaracharya Temple in the same area.The town of Srisailam is located in Nallamala hills and houses two tiger reserves - Nagarjunsagar Srisalam Tiger Reserve (NSTR) and the more recently created Amrabad Tiger Reserve (ATR) after the split of Andhra Pradesh. The NSTR is the largest reserve in India by area. Both reserves have got some tours, but I've never been on any of them and haven't heard of any tiger sightings, the way you hear about other reserves in India.The other aspect of Srisailam is Power Generation. The Srisalam Power project built over Krishna river also marks the boundaries of AP and TS. The project had two sides - left bank and right bank projects which subsequently went to TS and AP, after the split. The right bank project has capacity of 770 MW whereas the left bank has a capacity of 660 MW. On paper, it is said that the there is a potential to take this to even higher levels, but not sure if there are any plans to increase it.We hired an Innova to do this journey and opted for an overnight stay there. We started around 8:30 in the morning. The plan was to reach by afternoon. The roads in Hyderabad and outskirts are really world class. While many of you would be using these roads on daily basis, for me, it was a different sight as I was traveling on them after more than a decade. The ORR has speed limits for each lane and at times there are cops hiding in the bushes with their speed guns. Like most other toll roads, payment is done via fast tag. At the first toll we crossed there was an ICICI bank van just ahead of the toll booth, for people who wished to purchase it (say if you have an older car that didn't get a fast tag during RTO passing process). We soon had to exit ORR and had take an exit for a smaller highway that led to Srisailam. As soon as you exit ORR, the visuals are noticeably different and all the glamour of Hyderabad goes away. The roads are narrower and the scenery changes significantly. The next few hours was uneventful as such and we stopped at one point to take coffee. We soon reached a place called Dindi, which has a dam, creating a reservoir (for irrigation I guess). The road I had taken earlier was at lower levels and was a very narrow one, which often got flodded during rains. But now there is a bridge/newer road, so the problem of flooding would not arise. We didn't stop here and continued ahead reaching the hill section where the jungle area starts.Once you are in the final 70-80 kms, the speed is reduced and you will encounter traffic. Our travel dates coincided with a long weekend and that added to the traffic woes once we were in the forest area. The initial part was fine and the traffic was moving at a good pace. Once you cross from TS the AP side, the roads are even narrow and probably haven't been maintained in the last few years (or even decades). There is a checkpost as you enter AP and you have to pay at the toll booth. The bridge over Krishna is a very old one (as you would see in the dash cam video) and looks same as how it was probably 15-20 years back. There is hardly any water and while are not supposed to stop and block traffic, they still stop for photos of the Dam. The next part of journey is again through forest areas and eventually we started seeing returning traffic getting backed up and at one point we thought the blockage was for few kms. Thankfully there weren't many people going into Srisailam compared to the ones coming out. We finally reached Sakshi Ganapati temple and decided that we'll stop while returning. There is a saying that you should stop here and tell Lord Ganesha that we visited his parents abode and to request him to remind them of our prayers (Sakshi or Saksh means witness to the visit). Hence many people stop here on the way back.There is also a place called Shikaram about which there is another saying that if you can spot the top of the gopuram/golden part in between Nandi's horns, you will achieve nirvana. We didn't plan to go there this time, but have been to it when didn't used to be so crowded. We never could see the golden part during the earlier visits, but it used to be a fun thing to do as kids.As we reached closer the traffic in our direction was also getting backed up. There is an entry fee to the devasthanam area (Rs 100) charged by local authorities and has to be paid in cash (no fast tag here). As soon as we crossed the gates, there were cars all around and we could not move ahead. Since we stayed the Haritha (AP Tourism Hotel), we decided to walk from the point of traffic jam as it wasn't that far. The driver later called and said there's no way for him to come into the hotel area, so he will spend the night wherever he finds parking. The hotel quality and maintenance has gone down considerably, but we could not find any other place, so had to go with whatever was available. The food quality is also less than average and expecting cleanliness is like asking for too much. This wasn't the case earlier though. The same APTDC hotel(s) used to be clean and tidy, even if they were not fancy and luxurious.Since we had reached in afternoon, we decided to do the ropeway/cable car attraction which was not very far from the hotel. There are shared autos, that will take you there for Rs 20 or you can block the entire auto for 100-120 or so. When we reached there, there was a long queue and the person at ticket counter was telling everyone that it would be at least 1 hr to reach down and maybe 2 hrs to come back up due to the rush. We didn't want to get stuck, so we had tea and headed back to the hotel.We had taken two types of darshan - sparsha for Rs 500 (where you can go inside and touch the shivalingam) and sheeghra (fast) for Rs 150. Except for the free darshan, everything else is to be booked online. I don't know if they allow booking on the spot, but there may be limited tickets for walk-in devotees. Our first one was for that same night and second one was for next day morning. We had darshan for that night, but we were able to go for the earlier slot around 7-7:30 PM. We initially thought very few people might be taking sparsha darshan tickets, but soon realized that the whole world comes for the Rs 500 one only, so except for the fact that you can go inside, there is not a lot of difference in terms of the push and pull that happens. One has to stand in different holding areas and someone from the temple will come at regular intervals and keep opening the gates for the next section. One new thing I found out was that all male devotees have to remove their shirts or vests and keep only a white cloth or not keep anything. I don't remember this happening earlier (fancy clothing was never allowed even earlier) but maybe rules have changed. After almost an hour of push and pull situation we finally made it inside and probably got 5 seconds to get darshan before being pushed out by the guards. Over the years the temple has seen an exponential increase in devotee numbers, so there is a bit of rudeness in their attitude. Can't blame them altogether, but there must be a better solution to solve this problem. I still recall the earlier visits when we used to sit in the temple premises for few hours, have food and then go back to the hotel room which probably is not possible today (maybe there are days when there are very few people and you can still do that).It was almost 9 by the time we came out and we heard from some people that on one of the previous nights they had to stop darshan due to the heavy rush and on one night, the sparsha darshan took 4 hrs. So we were lucky to be out in 2 hrs. Photography is not allowed in the temple premises (you can take once you are outside, but as per instructions you are not allowed to take phone. However, I saw people switching off their phones and keeping in their pockets. I don't remember seeing photography restrictions during my earlier visit, but smartphones were not there 2 decades back, so that would explain the lack of restrictions.We came out, and went to buy some laddoos and then headed back to the hotel. There is a small restaurant in the hotel. We were tired so instead of looking for more options, ate whatever was available and then went back to our rooms, thought I would recommend skipping it if possible as the quality is actually bad.The next morning we decided to skip the fast darshan and started our journey back to Hyderabad stopping at Sakshi Ganapati and a place called Paladhara Panchadhara. At this place there is a constant water supply coming from below the ground level and you have to take the stairs down from the main road to reach the stream level. As per locals, Adi Shankaracharya had stayed here while meditating, so there is a small temple as well. The water stream is perennial and while people used to fill their water bottles for regular use, in this visit I found people washing their feet, faces, hands as well (almost like taking a shower). We just filled up one bottle as an old custom and left from there. The way back to Hyderabad was the same route, traffic was varying and as we came closer to Hyderabad it increased as well. We had stopped for lunch at one of the restaurants on the highway, and then for some tea before reaching Hyderabad. We saw lot of Kia Carnival's and Sonet's on the way and looks like these two have become very popular in this region.We had a train to catch the next day, so it was time to relax and get ready for the next day.Below is the high level view of the route we followed for Srisailam.Video of drive to SrisailamAkkalkot Palace, where the museum is housedLake View From Siddheshwar Templesome more views Siddheshwar TempleBuildings of hyderbadMonopole transmission towersDindi Dam. The road looks new, there used to be a narrow road earlier at a lower level that used to get flooded during monsoonsView of damOld bridge connecting AP and TS across the riverAnother viewView of Dam from Ropeway starting pointSize of tea, probably smaller that cutting chaiPaladhara PanchadharaView of the stream coming from the rocksAnother view of dam from AP sideA hotel on the TS sideFoggy and Cloudy but green viewThe rocks looks like some animal, but maybe I imagined too muchOn the way back HyderabadHyderabad road viewsSeeing Ikea in North America is nothing different than seeing a grocery store, but in India, its a different feeling. Last edited by aditya_rao : 19th February 2024 at 10:06 . Reason: continuation of draft
What just happened? As ransomware gangs go, none are as well-known or notorious as LockBit. But the most prolific ransomware group in the world has just had its website taken over and operations disrupted by law enforcement agencies from 12 countries in a joint operation.

LockBit's website is currently showing a banner that states it is under the control of the National Crime Agency of the UK, working in close cooperation with the FBI and the international law enforcement task force named Operation Cronos.

In addition to the Europol logo and the US and UK flags, the banner shows the other law enforcement agencies involved are from Australia, Canada, Germany, Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands, Japan, France, and Switzerland.

An NCA spokesperson and a US Department of Justice spokesperson confirmed that the agencies had disrupted the gang and said the operation was "ongoing and developing."

LockBit has been behind over 1,700 attacks on organizations in the United States from virtually every sector, from government and financial to transport, healthcare, and education. LockBit even claimed responsibility for an attack on a Chicago children's hospital earlier this month, demanding an $800,000 ransom from the nonprofit.

Internationally, LockBit has caused chaos by hitting the Port of Lisbon, the UK's Royal Mail service, Foxconn's Mexico facility, and the Italian Revenue Service in recent years. There was also the case of the ransomware being used against a UK fencing company last year (that still ran Windows 7), compromising sensitive military data.

LockBit was one of the first to offer ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) to other criminals, who must send the gang part of the ransomware payments taken from victims. Since resurfacing in late 2019, researchers at Recorded Future have attributed nearly 2,300 attacks to the group, writes The Record. The second most prolific group, Conti, has been linked to 883 attacks.

A security advisory issued by an international coalition last year revealed that organizations had paid around $91 million to LockBit criminals since January 5, 2020. It said LockBit was one of the most prominent and dangerous ransomware threats in the world today.

BleepingComputer writes that LockBitSupp, the threat actor who runs the LockBit operation, has updated his account on the Tox messaging service to show a message stating that the FBI breached the ransomware operation's servers using a PHP exploit.

LockBit's affiliate panel has also been taken down. It shows a message from law enforcement stating that LockBit's source code, chats, and victim information were also seized.

"Law Enforcement has taken control of Lockbit's platform and obtained all the information held on there. This information relates to the Lockbit group and you, their affiliate. We have source code, details of the victims you have attacked, the amount of money extorted, the data stolen, chats, and much, much more," the message states.

"You can thank Lockbitsupp and their flawed infrastructure for this situation [...] we may be in touch with you very soon. Have a nice day. Regards, The National Crime Agency of the UK, the FBI, Europol, and the Operation Cronos Law Enforcement Task Force."
Security information and event management (SIEM) centralizes security alerts through data aggregation and data normalization to provide an integrated view of security events for review and action. A threat detection system allows organizations to detect threats in real time, manage incident response, comply with regulations, and streamline line security operations to strengthen their security posture.

What are the benefits of SIEM?

Organizations need to identify and address security vulnerabilities and threats that disrupt operations. SIEM solutions can provide a holistic view of the security landscape since they ingest event data from various sources across the entire IT infrastructure. They can identify potential threats and vulnerabilities that might go unnoticed when analyzing events in isolation, improving security incident detection.

Security teams can respond promptly and efficiently since they have real-time visibility into security events. SIEM solutions streamline the incident response by providing centralized access to event data, tools, and collaboration capabilities, minimizing the impact before these threats can cause lasting damage.

SIEM solutions also help organizations stay aligned with industry-specific regulations, enhancing compliance management. They can automate manual tasks, reducing the workload for security teams and the costs associated with security management, including financial and reputational damages.

Outlined below are the top 5 best SIEM solutions in 2024.

1 Splunk Enterprise Security

Overview

Splunk protects businesses and elevates security operations with its automated investigations and responses. It can provide visibility into all digital systems, enabling organizations to respond to incidents before they can disrupt business operations. It can also proactively monitor when issues arise with security and observability capabilities so mission-critical assets stay secure and reliable.

It is trusted by the world's leading organizations. It can mitigate risk at scale through its SIEM solution called Splunk Enterprise Security, which offers ML-powered analytics to help SecOps, ITOps, and engineering teams collaborate effectively to combat threats and protect the business. It provides high-fidelity alerts to shorten triage times and raise true positive rates, helping them prioritize actions to address the most critical threat.

Splunk Enterprise Security improves the detection of sophisticated threats like low-and-slow attacks that traditional SIEM tools miss. It provides out-of-the-box alignments to leading cybersecurity frameworks, helping teams transform valuable security concepts into foundational cornerstones of security operations.

It is built on an open and scalable data platform, enabling teams to stay agile in the face of evolving threats and business needs and increasing flexibility and compatibility across tools and technologies.

Key Features

Threat Topology

Analysts can gauge the extent of a security incident by mapping all the associated risks, and threat objects through threat topology. They can discover the scope of an incident and pivot between the affected assets and users in the investigation so they can plan their response immediately.

MITRE ATT&CK Framework Matrix

Splunk Enterprise Security can provide situational awareness to security analysts around an incident in the context of the MITRE ATT&CK Matrix. It also leverages machine learning and 1400+ out-of-the-box detections to detect advanced threats for frameworks like NIST, CIS 20, and Kill Chain.

Security Dashboards

It delivers data-driven insights through the Security Posture dashboard so users can gain full-breadth visibility across the organization. They can configure the dashboard with the KPIs they need and monitor the changes over 24 hours.

It also features an Executive Summary dashboard for senior leaders so they can monitor the overall health of the security program with the ability to filter security metrics, giving them increased visibility.

In addition, an Incident Review dashboard is also included to provide a starting point for users to investigate an incident. They can sort the events by severity to remediate them based on priority.

It also features a Risk Analysis dashboard so security teams can track and categorize assets by risk. They can prioritize assets with increased activity over assets that only contain confidential information to reduce alert noise. They can also gain visibility into the anomalies across users' behavior through the Access Anomalies dashboard, displaying the concurrent authentication attempts from different IPs.

Risk Based Alerting

Risk-based alerting reduces false-positives detection rates. The SIEM tool sends out alerts when risks and behavior thresholds are exceeded based on the risk attributed to users and systems.

Adaptive Response Actions

Splunk can accelerate response and remediation against any notable event through adaptive response actions.

Investigation Workbench

Users can also centralize all threat intelligence, security context, and relevant data for fast and accurate assessments of incidents by switching to the investigation workbench.

Splunk Enterprise Security predicts, identifies, and solves problems in real time. It can gather the entire context needed for efficient investigations by ingesting data from multi-cloud and on-premises deployment, accelerating threat detection to build stronger digital resilience. Organizations can leverage this SIEM solution to improve digital resilience across cloud, multi-cloud, and hybrid environments.

2 Wazuh

Overview

Wazuh is a security platform that offers unified XDR and SIEM protection for endpoints and cloud workloads. It is a free and open source solution that safeguards workloads across a wide range of environments such as on-premises, virtualized, containerized, and cloud-based. It is used for threat detection, incident response, File Integrity Monitoring (FIM), and regulatory compliance.

Wazuh has been recognized as the best SIEM solution, delivering on its promise to provide simple and quick detection and remediation of security threats. It enables enterprises to gain insights throughout their IT infrastructure, improve security, and save operating costs. Wazuh is a comprehensive security platform with no licensing fees but charges only for special support services. It provides automatic updates and health checks through the Wazuh cloud service while making cybersecurity accessible to organizations of all sizes.

Wazuh SIEM solution is easy to deploy and integrates easily with third-party tools. It provides endpoint security agents that monitor various systems, as well as central components that process and analyze the data generated by these agents.

Wazuh SIEM has more than 20 million downloads each year and over 100,000 enterprise users, making it the most widely used open source security solution. It is designed to protect digital assets and improve cybersecurity posture.

Key features

Security log analysis

Wazuh collects, analyzes, and stores event logs from endpoints, network devices, and applications to identify potential threats, anomalies, or Indicators of Compromise (IOCs). It adds contextual information to its alerts to speed up investigation and reduce response times. This enables security analysts to effectively analyze security logs.

Security configuration assessment

Wazuh scans monitored endpoints against the Center for Internet Security (CIS) benchmark to identify misconfigurations and security flaws while suggesting remediation actions. This allows security teams to detect and remediate misconfigurations within the IT infrastructure, as well as meet compliance requirements.

Alerting and notification

Wazuh sends alerts and notifications in real-time when security events occur, which helps security teams respond quickly and minimize the impact of security threats. Wazuh correlates events from multiple sources, which makes it a single point of access for security analysis and investigation. It also provides customizable dashboards and reports that can be tailored to meet the needs of the organization.

Reports and insights

Wazuh provides valuable insights into security events. Security teams can use reports generated by the Wazuh SIEM to demonstrate compliance with various regulatory standards such as PCI DSS, GDPR, NIST, TSC, and HIPAA. These reports can be scheduled for auto-generation at a preferred time.

3 LogRhythm SIEM

Overview

LogRhythm SIEM detects and remediates security incidents quickly, streamlining incident investigation and response with a visual analyst experience. It creates an easy-to-follow security narrative that aggregates user or host data and activity into one view, making it easier to gain actionable insight to address security incidents faster.

It leverages the Machine Data Intelligence Fabric to contextualize and enrich data at the time of ingestion, translating complex data into simple language conducive to an accurate analysis. It offers embedded modules, dashboards, and rules to help teams deliver on the mission of their security operations center (SOC) at a low total cost of ownership.

Key Features

Built for Speed

LogRhythm SIEM synchronizes with third parties to obtain the most updated threat data to use during threat detection. It is built for speed, so teams identify threats, collaborate on investigations, and remediate threats with agility. It leverages machine learning, machine data intelligence, and search analytics to reduce the time it takes to discover threats.

Moreover, with advanced machine analytics, teams can accurately detect malicious activity, eliminating meaningless alarms and alarm fatigue. The SIEM tool features risk-based prioritized alarms that surface critical threats.

Log Collection

LogRhythm SIEM offers universal collection services that allow teams to collect data and store it in a single location, making it easier to find answers, identify IT and security incidents, and troubleshoot issues. Teams can also supplement traditional log collection with exclusive features like file integrity monitoring and registry integrity monitoring.

User Analytics

LogRhythm SIEM can detect user anomalies through its embedded deterministic user and entity behavior analysis monitoring. This protects organizations from insider threats that can potentially cause irreparable damage to the company.

Orchestration and Automation

The SIEM solution can also accelerate team efficiency and productivity through its security orchestration, automation, and response (SOA). Teams can overcome endless manual task lists by automating workflow, reducing the time to detect and respond with the ability to handle alerts and threats in real time.

4 QRadar SIEM

Overview

QRadar SIEM helps security teams face today's threats proactively with advanced AI, threat intelligence, and access to cutting-edge content, amplifying their efficiency and expertise. It accelerates threat detection and response and reduces operational complexity.

The SIEM solution can analyze millions of events in near real-time by using analytics, prebuilt use cases, application vulnerability data, and X-Force Threat Intelligence to deliver high-fidelity alerts, ensuring complete visibility across the security ecosystem.

Key Features

Network Threat Analysis

QRadar SIEM combines depth and breadth of visibility with high-quality data and analytics to help teams analyze network activity in real time. This eliminates the blind spots so users can identify suspicious behavior before threats become disruptions. This also eliminates silos between tools, enabling broad threat visibility detection and response in a unified solution.

User Behavior Analytics

IBM's SIEM tool can help identify risky users and generate meaningful insights through user behavior analytics. It establishes a baseline of behavior patterns so teams can better detect threats to the organization. Teams can react more quickly to suspicious activity, from identity theft to hacking or malware.

Threat Intelligence

Teams can understand the latest threat landscape with the threat intelligence sources of QRadar SIEM. They can detect events like communication between endpoints and known malware distribution sites or anonymous proxy connections to a business partner portal.

IBM's SIEM solution is highly recognized in the security industry, with awards from G2, TrustRadius, and the Cybersecurity Breakthrough Award. It helps analysts hunt for cyber threats in near real time by turning disparate data sets into action.

5 Securonix Unified Defense SIEM

Overview

The Securonix Unified Defense SIEM is built on a highly scalable Data Cloud that can accommodate massive data demands with an adaptable data storage model. It provides easy access to critical details before, during, and after a breach, giving teams the visibility they need to investigate threats. It streamlines data management and eliminates performance issues found in tiered storage models.

Key Features

Highly Scalable

It offers a robust and cost-effective architecture with a scalable, single-tiered data storage model. It can meet the data demands of modern enterprises, making data available and searchable.

Broad Threat Coverage

The SIEM tool Securonix can continuously deliver threat content as as-a-service, unlocking broad threat content for SOC teams. It gives access to extensive threat research from its world-class Threat Labs that act as an extension to the team.

Better Collaboration and Intelligence Sharing

Teams can harness the power of their peers and partners when using the Unified Defense SIEM. It provides on-demand context and autonomous threat sweeps, making knowledge sharing and investigations easier. They can take a more proactive approach to defense with tools to understand when systems are vulnerable to threats.

Unified Defense SIEM streamlines the user experience to deliver detection, investigation, and response in a single interface. It provides consistent data across TDIR processes with a threat coverage analyzer to understand security gaps based on their SOC maturity and a content library to update systems with the latest protection against threats.

Conclusion

SIEM consolidates security data from diverse sources to provide a single point of access for security analysis and investigation. Companies that adopt the threat system improve their threat detection, respond to incidents faster, and enhance their compliance management, mitigating risks effectively while bettering their cybersecurity defenses. Choose from the top 5 best SIEM solutions in 2024 to get a holistic view of the security landscape and respond proactively.

 2024 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

* This is a contributed article and this content does not necessarily represent the views of techtimes.com
Amidst a wave of cyber disruptions, Cambridge University and numerous other academic institutions throughout the UK grappled with extensive interruptions caused by a DDoS onslaught. The attack specifically aimed at crippling the Janet Network.

(Photo : Markus Spiske from Unsplash)

Google researchers discovered that a new Spica backdoor malware is currently used in phishing by the notorious ColdRiver hackers, which is believed to be state-sponsored by Russian government.

Facing Disruption due to a DDoS Assualt

Cambridge University and several other higher education institutions across the UK faced significant disruption due to a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) assault.

As per Varsity's report, the attack targeted the Janet Network, an essential platform facilitating the exchange of extensive research data among scholars, rendering certain network segments inaccessible.

A communication sent to internet users affiliated with Cambridge University, attributed to Stuart Rankin, the institution's head of user services, acknowledged the DDoS attack and asserted its ramifications extended to other academic institutions.

This caused widespread disruptions across numerous UK higher education establishments. Reports indicate that students across various colleges have received alerts about the ongoing attack, impacting their ability to access critical IT services including CamSIS and Moodle.

In correspondence addressed to internet users, Dr. Stuart Rankin, Head of User Services at the University's research computing services center, disclosed the nature of the incident as a Distributed Denial of Service attack.

Rankin described the attack as a deliberate inundation of data orchestrated by a vast network of compromised machines on the internet. He revealed that several UK universities, not just Cambridge, are in the crosshairs of this attack.

Following a Cyberattack on the British Library

This incident occurs amidst ongoing efforts to restore the University Library's electronic legal deposit systems. These restoration endeavors follow a cyberattack on the British Library, the system's operator, back in October.

In the wake of the attack, the library found itself bereft of over ten million journal articles and nearly 800,000 books, maps, journals, and music scores for eleven weeks. The complete recovery of systems is anticipated to span 'several months' before all records are reinstated to their former accessibility.

Also Read: Bank of America Vendor Hacked, Customer Data at Risk

Being one of the UK's esteemed legal deposit libraries, UL holds a unique privilege: receiving digital copies of all electronically published works, typically stored within electronic legal deposit systems.

However, the recent cyberattack-induced outages have disrupted access to these copies for both students and researchers. This service, facilitated by the British Library through terminals in Legal Deposit Libraries, has been among the many digital services impacted by the cyberattack.

The spokesperson emphasized the UL's proactive approach to finding alternative sources for materials, including avenues like Inter-Library loans and content procurement. They further encouraged students, researchers, and all patrons of University Library services to seek assistance from library staff as needed.

The assault on the systems of the British Library was traced back to the Rhysida hacker group with affiliations to Russia. They issued a demand for a ransom of 20 bitcoins in exchange for restoring services and returning the pilfered data.

Rory Keatling, the Chief Executive of the British Library, described the attack and its aftermath as a challenging period, stating that the recovery process would be gradual and would require considerable time.

Related Article: Data Breach Alert: 'ResumeLooters' Hack 65 Legitimate Job Sites, Stealing Personal Info of 2 Million Users

 2024 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
GlobalFoundries has successfully obtained $1.5 billion in funding through the CHIPS Act for its expansion initiatives in the United States. They are planning to allocate this financial support towards enhancing production capabilities catering to the automotive, aerospace, and AI sectors.

(Photo : ROSLAN RAHMAN/AFP via Getty Images)

This picture shows a view on the Singapore facility of chipmaker GlobalFoundries during the Singapore Fab expansion grand opening in Singapore on September 12, 2023. The world's third-largest contract chipmaker GlobalFoundries opened a $4 billion manufacturing plant in Singapore on Tuesday as part of a global expansion to help ease an industry supply crunch.

Obtaining CHIPS Act Funding

The Biden administration's decision to grant this funding underscores the significance of bolstering semiconductor manufacturing within the country under the CHIPS Act.

GlobalFoundries, which emerged as a separate entity from AMD in 2009, will also leverage an additional $1.6 billion in loans from the CHIPS Program Office to fund three distinct projects aimed at advancing semiconductor production.

As stated in its press release, GlobalFoundries is set to embark on the construction of a new fabrication facility in Malta, New York, aiming to introduce "high-value technologies currently unavailable in the US."

This facility will serve as a hub for chip production catering to various sectors including automotive, aerospace, defense, and AI applications. Construction of the new facility is slated to commence in 2025.

Secondly, GlobalFoundries has outlined plans to enhance its existing facility in Malta by integrating technologies from its plants in Singapore and Germany. The goal is to ramp up semiconductor production for automotive applications.

This expansion initiative is projected to triple the capacity of GlobalFoundries' Malta campus within the next decade. Upon completion of all phases of these projects, GlobalFoundries anticipates boosting wafer production to 1 million annually across its facilities.

Lastly, the remaining portion of the funding will be allocated toward the modernization of an existing fab located in Burlington, Vermont.

US Expansion

The primary objective is to establish the first US-based plant capable of high-volume manufacturing of next-generation gallium nitride on silicon semiconductors, vital for electric vehicles, smartphones, the power grid, and other key technologies.

Notably, the plant will operate using entirely carbon-free energy sources, with an on-site solar system expected to meet up to nine percent of its annual power requirements.

Through collaborative efforts with public-private partnerships, GlobalFoundries has outlined ambitious plans to inject more than $12 billion into its sites over the coming decade and beyond.

Facilitating this initiative, New York is extending its support to the Malta projects through $575 million in performance-based Green CHIPS tax credits, complemented by a minimum investment of $30 million from the New York Power Authority.

According to Reuters, these endeavors are anticipated to generate approximately 1,500 manufacturing roles and around 9,000 jobs in construction over the next decade. These positions are slated to offer equitable wages and inclusive benefits, including childcare support.

Also Read: Biden Admin's CHIPS Act Could Make iPhones, Androids More Expensive! Here's Why

In alignment with the overarching goals of the CHIPS Act, this substantial investment aims to fortify domestic semiconductor supply chains.

GlobalFoundries underscores the significance of this investment, noting that only four companies worldwide possess the capacity to deliver "current and mature foundry capabilities" at its scale outside of China, with GlobalFoundries being the sole US-based entity among them.

Related Article: US Commits $162 Million to Boost Microchip Technology's Semiconductor Production

 2024 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
One of the latest features of Android Auto is getting Google's AI to help with message summaries, with the renowned internet company recently explaining how it would work for users. To date, Google has not yet released the Android Auto's AI message summarization feature, but it will soon arrive said the company, offering a way to get informed while on the drive.

This feature is also best known for being a highlight of Google Assistant, the previous AI-powered assistive tech of the company before its Gemini AI.

Here's How Android Auto AI Message Summaries Work

A recent support document from Google expounds on Android Auto's latest technology that helps summarize messages sent to one's Android smartphone while connected to the hands-free driving system. First off, this current technology is powered by Android Auto, also stating that it is not yet widely available for all devices, regions, countries, and languages.

You can receive message summaries of long messages on your Assistant-enabled Android device. Google

Through artificial intelligence, users may get a summarized version of their messages that the feature would announce while driving after tapping "Play aloud." However, the summarization would only work for "one long message or multiple messages from the same sender or group."

Google considers a message long if it has over 40 words.

Read Also: Google Gemini to Fix Issues, Bring Selected Assistant Features Back for All

Google to Bring Android Auto's AI Features Soon

9to5Google said that the Google Assistant-powered version of this feature is coming later this year, centering on the Android Auto AI features to deliver. Users may choose to opt in or turn off this feature via the Android Auto platform by going to Settings > Notifications > and turning on or off the Play AI option.

Google's AI and What it Has to Offer

For this year alone, Google already announced massive things to expect from its artificial intelligence developments, some that are already available, and more coming in the future. Alongside Samsung's Galaxy S24 series unveiling, Google is also bringing new features for the smartphone via the cloud, paired with the Android Auto AI features including message summarization.

The latest from Google is the Gemini AI, and while the company announced its arrival right before the year ended in late December, 2024 was the time when people got to fully experience it. Google regarded this as the most advanced AI technology from its development yet, centering on a multimodal model that is capable of bringing faster results, improved capabilities, and more.

Some users already got a preview of the Assistant AI helping summarize messages while connected to Android Auto, but it is not yet entirely accurate in its current iteration said the company. The massive capabilities of Google's generative AI powers Android Auto's new feature, reading aloud the message summaries for users for an uninterrupted driving experience.

Related Article: Google AI is Now on Android Auto, Assistant to Summarize Messages, But There's A Catch

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A Greek farmer takes part in a protest in Athens, Greece, on Feb. 20, 2024. Thousands of farmers protested in the center of Athens on Tuesday over increased production costs, requesting more state aid to stay in business. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos)

ATHENS, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of farmers protested in the center of Athens on Tuesday over increased production costs, requesting more state aid to stay in business.

"No farmers, no food, no future," farmers chanted after several weeks of symbolic blockades in national highways and border crossings, driving some 150 tractors in front of the parliament.

The mobilizations of farmers in many European countries this winter is a battle for survival, unionists said in press statements.

"They force us to leave our land. Let us make a living," Paschalis, one of the protesters who intend to stay in the streets of Athens overnight, told Xinhua.

In 2023, electricity costs increased by 84 percent, and the prices of fertilizers have also skyrocketed, local media quoted Giannis Vagkos, one of the unionists, as saying.

Farmers' unions have had several rounds of talks lately with the Greek government. The government has announced a package of measures aimed at easing farmers' burden, including immediate compensations for damages from natural disasters, as well as lower prices and tax relief for electricity and fuel used in the primary sector.

But protesters on Tuesday said the measures were inadequate to help them continue cultivating their fields. They ask for more generous discounts in energy costs; more subsidies on supplies, fertilizers and animal feed; more protection of domestic production from "unfair competition" by stopping the labelling of non-Greek-made produce as Greek.

And 54.2 percent of people supported their call for more aid, according to an opinion poll released on Monday on local Action 24 television channel.

But the government said that currently, there is no fiscal room to give more.

On Tuesday, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis met with visiting European Parliament President Roberta Metsola and discussed a series of issues, including the demonstrations of farmers from France to Poland and Greece in recent weeks, according to a government statement.

"They are making many requests, which I think are fair, about the speed of green transition in the primary sector," Mitsotakis said during the meeting.

"It is important to address this pan-European situation and make it clear that we intend to leave nobody behind," said Metsola. 

Greek farmers take part in a protest in Athens, Greece, on Feb. 20, 2024. Thousands of farmers protested in the center of Athens on Tuesday over increased production costs, requesting more state aid to stay in business. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos)

A Greek farmer on a tractor takes part in a protest in Athens, Greece, on Feb. 20, 2024. Thousands of farmers protested in the center of Athens on Tuesday over increased production costs, requesting more state aid to stay in business. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos)

Greek farmers take part in a protest in Athens, Greece, on Feb. 20, 2024. Thousands of farmers protested in the center of Athens on Tuesday over increased production costs, requesting more state aid to stay in business. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos)

Greek farmers take part in a protest in Athens, Greece, on Feb. 20, 2024. Thousands of farmers protested in the center of Athens on Tuesday over increased production costs, requesting more state aid to stay in business. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos)

Greek farmers take part in a protest in Athens, Greece, on Feb. 20, 2024. Thousands of farmers protested in the center of Athens on Tuesday over increased production costs, requesting more state aid to stay in business. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos)

Greek farmers take part in a protest in Athens, Greece, on Feb. 20, 2024. Thousands of farmers protested in the center of Athens on Tuesday over increased production costs, requesting more state aid to stay in business. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos)
A study by researchers from the University of Minnesota and George Mason University has reportedly claimed that US cybersecurity laws on breach notifications have little to no effect on curbing data breach incidents in the country.

The legislation that requires businesses to tell customers if their data has been compromised, known as breach notification laws (BNLs), enacted by governments of all 50 states, has reportedly been discovered by the study as ineffective after comparing data on data breach incidents before and after the enactment of the laws.

The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse (PRC), a group organizing information on corporate data breaches since 2005, reportedly provided the researchers with the data, including details about the number of compromised records, the locations, causes, and the names of the affected firms.

(Photo : THOMAS SAMSON/AFP via Getty Images)

An agent of the operational center of the French National Cybersecurity Agency (ANSSI) checks datas on a computer in Paris on November 24, 2022.

The study also reportedly looked into how BNLs affected the numbers and severity of fraud and identity theft based on alternative data from the FTC's Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book to assess how BNLs affected the number and size of data breaches in various US states between 2005 and 2019.

According to reports, the study provides a solid foundation for the conclusion that BNLs have no significant e impact on data breaches or the subsequent abuse of compromised data.

Furthermore, the study's findings show no longer-term drop in data misuse following breaches. These non-effects are accurately estimated nulls that hold authentic across many organizations, periods, types of data breaches, and BNL types.

Read Also: Sensitive US Military Data Exposed in DOD Email Leak, Affecting More Than 20K Individuals

Breach Notifications vs. Data Breach

As per Techxplore, Bran N Greenwood, one of the researchers who conducted the study, claims the results show how glaringly significant the lack of effect is regarding BNLs and data breach incidents.

The study reportedly points to the lack of public information dissemination and seemingly varied notification criteria as a possible cause of BNL's inefficiency. The researchers then suggested issues might be resolved by a different federal system, enabling a national BNL to accomplish objectives that state BNLs have ostensibly failed to attain.

Growing Cybercrime Vulnerability

The study's results come as various sectors continue to struggle against threat actors and data breaches; according to reports, in 2023, 133 million health records were made public due to data breaches, primarily due to hacking attacks against healthcare providers and their suppliers.

According to an investigation by The HIPAA Journal, there were an average of two health data intrusions or thefts of at least 500 records daily in the US last year.

Healthcare, in particular, is vulnerable to data breaches, with hospitals' growing digital footprint proving to be the cause due to its unexpected repercussions, according to John Riggi, cybersecurity adviser for the American Hospital Association.

This growing digital footprint supposedly gives hackers many chances to breach hospital networks and take crucial systems hostage for significant ransom payments.

Related Article: Facebook Marketplace Records Leaked, 200,000 User Data Now in a Hacking Forum

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The UK government has announced its plan to prohibit the use of mobile phones in schools across England, which aligns with similar measures taken by France and Italy to enhance classroom focus and minimize disruption.

The UK Plans to Ban Phones in Schools

According to recent statistics from Ofcom, nearly all children in the UK own a mobile phone by the age of 12, raising concerns about online bullying, distraction, and classroom disturbances.

The move comes in response to growing evidence from Unesco linking excessive screen time with reduced educational performance and negative impacts on children's well-being.

The new guidance issued by the UK government empowers headteachers to enforce a ban on mobile phone usage throughout the school day, including break times. This initiative aims to provide a consistent approach across all schools and address parental concerns regarding children's electronic device usage.

How the UK Will Implement the Ban

Various approaches will be used to implement the ban, such as prohibiting phones on school premises, requiring students to hand in phones upon arrival, or securely locking away phones during school hours.

The goal is to create a conducive learning environment free from distractions, enabling both students and teachers to focus on academic activities.

UK Education Secretary Gillian Keegan emphasized the role of schools as learning environments and highlighted mobile phones as unwanted distractions in classrooms. The government aims to equip teachers with the necessary tools to improve behavior and enhance the quality of education.

UK Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan underscored the importance of balancing digital opportunities with children's well-being and education.

"Growing up in today's digital world provides immense opportunities but this should not come at the expense of our children's well-being or education. That is why we have passed world leading legislation to make the UK the safest place in the world for young people to be online," Donelan said in a statement.

Read Also: Authorities Warn UK Households That Received 'Clover Cleaf' Plug as Christmas Present-Why Is It So Dangerous?

Following France, Italy, and Portugal

Data from the UK government reveals that around a third (29%) of secondary school pupils report unauthorized mobile phone usage during lessons, prompting the need for stricter regulations. Strategies such as providing lockers with charging points, have been implemented by schools to prevent phones from entering classrooms.

"The government is right to be taking decisive action on the use of phones in schools with our research indicating that 44% of parents are concerned about the amount of time their children spend on electronic devices and more than three quarters of parents support a ban on phones in schools. This is the number one concern for parents, according to the National Parent Survey," said Chief executive of Parentkind Jason Elsom.

Aside from France and Italy, the UK's decision to ban mobile phones in schools is also similar to the action taken by Portugal.

Related Article: London Tech Executive's Christmas Nightmare: Thief Taunts and Violates Privacy via Ring Camera After Assault





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Tech giant Samsung is preparing to release another game-changing update that will improve how you share and enjoy audio across your Galaxy ecosystem.

According to a recent press release, Samsung is looking to extend Auracast support beyond its smart TVs to a variety of Galaxy phones and tablets, including the highly anticipated Galaxy S24 series.

Auracast Support for Galaxy Phones

Auracast, a feature introduced last year for Samsung Smart TVs and Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, has proven popular among users, allowing them to turn their devices into shared radio stations.

Samsung is now poised to democratize this experience by expanding Auracast support to a broader range of devices, beginning with the upcoming Galaxy S24 series.

With the expansion of Auracast support, users will soon be able to broadcast audio to multiple Auracast-enabled earphones directly from their Galaxy phones and tablets.

Imagine easily sharing your favorite songs or podcasts with friends or family members, all from the comfort of your handheld device or tablet.

Read Also: Samsung to Unveil New AI-Powered Kitchen Products, Applications at CES 2024

New Features for Samsung Users

The upcoming update will also add new features to the Galaxy Buds lineup, such as 360 Audio and Auto Switch. 360 Audio allows users to immerse themselves in a surround sound experience that was previously only available on phones and tablets but is now available on TVs as well. This feature promises to provide a theater-like audio experience from the comfort of your own home.

Another innovative feature is Auto Switch, which ensures that devices connect seamlessly. Whether watching content on your Samsung TV with Galaxy Buds or taking a call on your Galaxy phone, Auto Switch automatically switches the connection to provide a hassle-free experience.

Samsung AI-Powered Features

Samsung's commitment to improving connectivity and the user experience does not end there. The company is also introducing free AI-powered features to enable barrier-free communication.

Real-time translation capabilities on the Galaxy S24 series and Galaxy Buds integration promise to transform cross-language conversations. With Interpreter mode, users can receive real-time translations through their earbuds while conversing with others, eliminating the need to pass devices around.

Galaxy AI's integration into Samsung's ecosystem reinforces the company's vision of seamless connectivity and intelligent features. Whether pairing your Galaxy Buds with the latest Galaxy S24 series, connecting to your Samsung TV, or joining a conference call on your Galaxy Book, Samsung's ecosystem promises to improve every aspect of your audio experience.

The rollout of these updates is scheduled to begin in late February, with Samsung gradually introducing enhanced connectivity features to users of various Galaxy Buds models.

Samsung is poised to redefine how users interact with the Galaxy ecosystem through seamless device integration and AI-powered enhancements. Stay tuned for more updates as Samsung continues to innovate in audio technology.

Stay posted here at Tech Times.

Related Article: Samsung Plans to Bring Affordable and Cheaper Foldables by 2024-What to Expect?

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In a coordinated international effort, the US and UK authorities have taken down LockBit, a notorious cybercrime gang infamous for ransomware attacks that block user access to computer systems in exchange for a ransom payment.

'Operation Cronos' Against LockBit Gang

According to Reuters, the rare international law enforcement operation, dubbed "Operation Cronos," was conducted by Britain's National Crime Agency, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation, Europol and a coalition of international police agencies.

"This site is now under the control of the National Crime Agency of the UK, working in close cooperation with the FBI and the international law enforcement task force, 'Operation Cronos'," a post on Lockbit's extortion website on Monday said.

While the agencies have confirmed their involvement in disrupting the activities of the LockBit gang, they have also emphasized that the operation was ongoing and "developing," an indication of a sustained effort to dismantle the criminal network.

LockBit, known for its extensive ransomware attacks targeting organizations in various sectors, have reportedly hacked some of the world's largest organizations in recent months.

It has been described by US officials as one of the world's top ransomware threats, having targeted over 1,700 organizations in the US alone, which spanned to industries such as financial services, education, transportation, and government agencies.

The gang's modus operandi involves stealing sensitive data from its victims and extorting large sums of money under the threat of releasing the stolen information publicly. LockBit operates as a sophisticated cybercriminal enterprise, recruiting affiliates to carry out attacks using its digital extortion tools.

The collaborative effort to combat cybercrime on a global scale is underscored by the involvement of law enforcement agencies from France, Japan, Switzerland, Canada, Australia, Sweden, the Netherlands, Finland, and Germany.

Read Also:Yakult Australia Data Breach Sees Employee Files Leaked in Dark Web; DragonForce Blamed For the Attack

Lockbit's Eponymous Malicious Software

Discovered in 2020 within Russian-language cybercrime forums, LockBit emerged with its eponymous malicious software, sparking speculation among security analysts about its Russian origins. Despite this, the gang has not openly aligned with any government, nor has any nation officially linked it to state sponsorship.

The group, as stated on its now-defunct darkweb platform, claimed a base in the Netherlands, emphasizing its apolitical stance and sole focus on financial gain.

Before its removal, LockBit's website showcased an expanding roster of victimized organizations, updated almost daily. Alongside these entities were digital countdown clocks, ticking away the time remaining for each organization to meet ransom demands.

Don Smith, vice president of Secureworks, a division of Dell Technologies, told Reuters that LockNit stood as the most prevalent and dominant ransomware operator within a fiercely competitive underground market.

In context, data from leak sites revealed LockBit commanded a 25% share of the ransomware market, surpassing its closest competitor, Blackcat, at approximately 8.5%, according to Smith.

Related Article:Russian Ransomware Group BlackCat Seized by US: Decryption Tool Distributed to Over 500 Victims





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(Photo : Photo by Paula Bronstein /Getty Images) Handicapped orphans sit in their chairs waiting for lunch at the Ba Vi orphanage March 15, in Ba Vi, Vietnam.

A new study of rat brain cells shows that the herbicide Agent Orange can damage the central nervous system in a similar way to neurodegenerative diseases.

During the Vietnam War, U.S. military forces sprayed Agent Orange in Vietnam to remove dense vegetation that provided cover for enemy forces and to destroy crops that might feed the enemy. However, its widespread use resulted in severe environmental contamination and long-term health effects for both military personnel and civilians exposed to it.

"The first people who screamed alarm were mothers who gave birth to these infants with many mutations," Suzanne De La Monte, a scientist specializing in neuropathology at Brown University, told Tech Times in an interview. "They weren't even involved in the war; they were just civilians nearby."

Agent Orange contains two main components: 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T. While 2,4-D is still used today as a herbicide to control broadleaf weeds in various environments such as lawns, agricultural fields, and forestry sites, it has been linked to adverse health effects. Meanwhile, 2,4,5-T was banned due to toxicity concerns, and its use was phased out beginning in the late 1970s.

Recent research has shown that exposure to Agent Orange may be linked to a higher risk of Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases in Vietnam War veterans and civilians exposed to Agent Orange during the war. In an earlier study, De La Monte and her colleagues saw that short-term exposure of immature human brain cells to 2,4-D or 2,4,5-T caused various types of damage to the cells and triggered early signs of degeneration. The chemicals altered the expression of certain proteins that are typically disrupted in Alzheimer's disease.

Now, the team built on this knowledge and looked at how the herbicide affects brain tissue. They used slices of rat brains to understand how the herbicide toxins would interact with the many components of brain tissue, including brain cells, blood vessels, and tissue structures. The researchers used a combination of 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T to simulate the effects of Agent Orange. The scientists were attempting to understand the impact of exposure on both military personnel and civilians who were exposed to Agent Orange over many years due to its lingering presence in the environment.

"We exposed brain tissue to these Agent Orange toxins, one by one, and then together and then looked at the consequences focusing on exactly the same things that take place in Alzheimer's disease," adds De La Monte.

When asked if the doses used in the lab represent realistic environmental or wartime exposures, De La Monte believes they do, based on the calculations she and her team performed. "The doses we used were probably comparable to what someone would get if they were spraying or right in the vicinity of being sprayed," she explains.

Their results showed that both 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T caused damage and degeneration to neurons, the cells responsible for transmitting signals in the brain. The chemicals also led to the death of endothelial cells, which line blood vessels. Additionally, they resulted in damage to the white matter in the brain's tissue.

When it comes to Alzheimer's disease, the researchers found higher levels of two key proteins, amyloid-beta protein precursor and amyloid-beta, in the brain samples that had been treated with 2,4-D, 2,4,5-T, or a combination of the two. In Alzheimer's disease, these proteins tend to accumulate in the brain, forming the plaques that are a hallmark of the disease. The increase in these two proteins after exposure to the chemicals suggests a possible link between their presence and the development of Alzheimer ''s-like symptoms.

To Ray Dorsey, a physician specializing in neurology who wasn't involved in the study, these results are yet another piece of evidence about the impact of toxins on brain health. "This is just the latest study to tie environmental toxicants in our food, water, and air to brain diseases, which are the world's leading source of disability," he says. "If we see this with Agent Orange and Alzheimer's disease in the lab, we should be asking what is occurring with other pesticides in humans in our environment. What other weed killers are contributing to what other diseases?"

As for the next steps, De La Monte is working on looking at the combined effect of other factors, such as drinking and smoking, and how that plays with Agent Orange's impact on human health. "I feel very strongly about supporting the veterans," De La Monte concludes. "They gave their lives, they did whatever they were told, and at least we can give them back health care for their bad health that resulted from having been exposed."

Barbara Pinho is a freelance science journalist. Her work work has appeared in New Scientist, Chemistry World, Discover, Chemistry & Industry News, National Geographic. Her website is https://www.barbarapinho.com/

 2024 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
(Photo : MIGUEL MEDINA/AFP via Getty Images) A groundbreaking artificial intelligence system can predict the onset of psychosis before it happens, potentially revolutionizing early detection in mental healthcare.











A new artificial intelligence system that predicts the onset of psychosis before it strikes holds the potential to revolutionize early detection in mental health care.

Paranoia, disorganized thinking, hallucinations, or sudden changes are a few among the many ways a psychotic episode can take shape. It has been estimated that over 5% of people will experience a psychosis event at some point in their lifetime. Advances in neuroimaging techniques, like magnetic resonance imaging or MRI, have enabled researchers to examine with greater detail the structural and chemical underpinnings of psychiatric diseases, which were previously less understood.

Shinsuke Koike, the corresponding author of a Molecular Psychiatry study and Associate professor at the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at the University of Tokyo, said inan interview with Tech Times that the performance of the new system "established machine learning's ability to differentiate between MRI brain scans of people at high risk of psychosis and healthy controls."

The Link Between Psychosis and Brain Structure

Research using structural MRI scans has found a connection between a higher risk for psychosis and changes in brain structure. People moving from a high-risk state to psychosis showed a gradual decrease in gray matter volume in certain brain areas. Similarly, thinner cortex has been linked to schizophrenia or the start of psychosis symptoms.

Building on the understanding that changes in brain structure can forecast real-life outcomes, the researchers in this study taught a machine-learning (ML) classifier to recognize patterns in participants' brain anatomy. Using a dataset of MRI brain scans, including 120 clinically high-risk individuals who developed psychosis and 799 healthy individuals, the ML algorithm was trained. Remarkably, the classifier accurately distinguished between healthy individuals and those at risk of psychosis, achieving an impressive accuracy rate of 85%.

A dataset of 2000 MRI brain scans of young adult and adolescent participants -1165 at high risk and 1029 healthy individuals-was collected from 21 sites across 15 different countries to test its prediction ability. For a better analysis of brain changes across various stages of psychosis development, the participants of the high-risk group were divided into three categories: those who developed psychosis, those who did not develop psychosis, and those with uncertain follow-up status.

At this stage, the researchers encountered a unique challenge: harmonizing all brain scan data collected from multiple sources into a composite dataset to train the ML algorithm. Koike pointed out that MRI research of psychotic disorders is already complex due to significant variations in brain development across populations. Disparities in the making and building of MRI machines just added to the existing difficulties. "It's like taking a picture with a digital camera, which could be an iPhone, iPad, or an Android. Even if you click a picture of the same thing, the take-home photograph is quite different. Similarly, in MRI, different machines, different protocols, and different parameters give rise to different brain scan images," he added.

The data from 21 sites were harmonized by ENIGMA CHR Working Group- an international group that investigates structural brain alterations in those at clinically high risk for psychosis- using ComBat, a statistical tool.

Primed and ready with a consolidated dataset, the classifier compared brain scans, identified the healthy controls, and predicted the onset of psychosis before it occurred with a striking 73% accuracy!

Adolescent development ushers in a string of bodily changes, including a brain-wide decline in gray matter volume, cortical surface area, and cortical thickness by about 10%. Thus, the time frame from adolescence to early adulthood is a high-risk period for the development of psychosis. Often the most common age for a first psychotic episode. This brief transition period, therefore, presents a crucial window for intervention and prevention of psychosis.

Machine learning approaches have shown proficiency in identifying individuals with schizophrenia based on subtle differences in brain structures appearing on MRI brain scans but haven't been able to identify cases before their occurrence.

Brain development patterns of adolescents with a high risk of psychosis differ from those of healthy individuals, with the former group exhibiting altered non-linear age associations with cortical thickness. The new ML classifier tool, built upon these insights, analyzes nuances in MRI brain scans and interprets said knowledge to predict the risk of psychosis before its onset. It provided researchers with a handy tool for the development of early intervention techniques that can identify adolescents who need help dealing with psychosis and its symptoms.

Future Prospects For Mental Health Diagnoses

The increase in public discourse around mental health issues and disorders over the last couple of decades has led to significant progress in the field of psychiatry. However, there is a lack of clinical methods like blood tests for identifying mental ailments, nor are there any clear guidelines for the use of neuroimaging for diagnosis.

With no biological markers to rely on, the onus of identifying whether a person will go on to develop symptoms of psychosis falls entirely on the clinicians or psychiatrists. The clinician has to meet the patient, talk about their difficulties, and then, based on subclinical signs, such as changes in behavior, emotion, and thinking ability, decide whether an individual is at high risk or healthy, said Koike.

While the classifier's scope is currently confined to the training and test datasets, the findings represent a significant milestone. They mark one of the earliest instances where machine learning accurately pinpointed brain differences between healthy individuals and those at high risk of psychosis but have not yet experienced it. Koike and the team are now focused on refining classifiers capable of handling new datasets, aiming to integrate them into everyday clinical practice.









Sanjukta Mondal is a a chemist turned science journalist. Her work has appeared in The Hindu, Biospace and other publications. Find her online at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanjukta-mondal-181b3517b

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Julian Assange's wife Stella Assange is seen outside the United Kingdom (UK) High Court in London, Britain, Feb. 20, 2024. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange began his final legal challenge in the UK on Tuesday against his extradition to the United States on espionage charges. (Xinhua)

LONDON, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange began his final legal challenge in the United Kingdom (UK) on Tuesday against his extradition to the United States on espionage charges.

The UK approved his extradition to the United States in 2022 under then Home Secretary Priti Patel after a judge initially blocked it on Assange's mental health concerns. Assange and his lawyers have appealed since then.

In a two-day hearing that ends on Wednesday, two judges at the UK High Court, namely Victoria Sharp and Justice Johnson, will hear his final appeal against being sent to the United States.

Assange, 52, is wanted in the United States on allegations of disclosing national defense information following WikiLeaks's publication of hundreds of thousands of leaked military documents relating to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars a decade ago, which included an Apache helicopter video footage documenting the U.S. military gunning down Reuters journalists and children in Baghdad's streets in 2007.

Assange has been held at southeast London's high-security Belmarsh Prison since 2019. Lawyers for the United States said earlier that he would be allowed to transfer to Australia, his home country, to serve any prison sentence he may be given.

If the two judges at the UK High Court rule in Assange's favor, a full appeal hearing will be scheduled to consider his challenge and could lead to a new decision about his extradition.

If he loses the case on Wednesday, Assange's legal team has promised to apply for an emergency injunction at the European Court of Human Rights.

According to his legal team, Assange is not attending the hearing as he is unwell. His wife Stella Assange warned last week that his health was "in decline, physically and mentally."

Holding a placard saying "FREE JULIAN ASSANGE" among hundreds of protesters outside the High Court, local resident Aya Sycamore told Xinhua that she believes the case is "politically motivated." "He did nothing wrong, so he doesn't deserve to be in prison. He deserves to be free," she said.

"This is really wrong to keep an innocent man who only meant well for everybody to tell about the atrocities committed by the Americans," said Ela Ciecierska, also a local resident.

Edward George Green, who came from Birmingham on Tuesday morning, told Xinhua that Assange's being extradited to the United States will set "a horrible precedent" that could see people who want to "uncover the truth about war crimes" end up being imprisoned.

On Tuesday evening, hundreds of people gathered in the Republic Square in Paris, France, calling for the release of Assange. On the same day, rallies of varying sizes in support of Assange also took place in other French cities such as Bordeaux and Toulouse.

Jean-Luc Melenchon, leader of the left-wing French party "Unbowed France" (LFI), attended the rally in Paris. "France should grant him (Assange) political asylum and decorate him for his service to the nation. It is urgent to put an end to his martyrdom and that of his family," he said on X. 

Julian Assange's wife Stella Assange is seen outside the United Kingdom (UK) High Court in London, Britain, Feb. 20, 2024. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange began his final legal challenge in the UK on Tuesday against his extradition to the United States on espionage charges. (Xinhua)

A supporter of Julian Assange is seen outside the United Kingdom (UK) High Court in London, Britain, on Feb. 20, 2024. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange began his final legal challenge in the UK on Tuesday against his extradition to the United States on espionage charges. (Xinhua)

Supporters of Julian Assange are seen outside the United Kingdom (UK) High Court in London, Britain, Feb. 20, 2024. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange began his final legal challenge in the UK on Tuesday against his extradition to the United States on espionage charges. (Xinhua)
They simply had nowhere to evolve: a Russian paleontologist on the progress of scientific ideas about dinosaurs

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Defeat in the FA Cup: Klopp breaks off interview  I have no nerves for you

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ST. PETERSBURG, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese smartphone retailers have beefed up their presence in the Russian market, accounting for 79 percent of the country's total imports of such products in 2023, a recent study showed.

The total volume of smartphones imported into Russia in 2023 increased by 13 percent to 29.5 million devices, Russian newspaper Vedomosti reported on Tuesday, citing data collected by Russia's GS Group.

According to the study, the share of Chinese devices in Russia's total smartphone imports reached 79 percent last year, up 4 percent from 2022 and 29 percent from 2021.

In 2023, the largest number of smartphones imported into Russia was from China's Xiaomi, whose market share was nearly 30 percent. Other Chinese smartphone brands, Tecno and Infinix, respectively ranked second and fourth in terms of shipments to Russia. 
MEXICO CITY, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Monday lamented the death of five Argentine tourists and a Mexican in a road accident in the southeast of the country on Sunday.

On the stretch of road that connects the Tulum resort with the town of Puerto Aventuras, "Argentine brothers and a Mexican man lost their lives," said the president, noting that the governor of Quintana Roo is already "attending to this very regrettable case."

According to preliminary data, rainfall conditions and speeding caused the vehicle carrying the Argentines to lose control and collide head-on with a tourist transport vehicle.

The attorney general's office of Quintana Roo said on Sunday that investigation is underway to determine the causes of the accident. 
Residents free to return to village evacuated over Iceland volcano



Reykjavik, Feb 19 (AFP) Feb 19, 2024



Icelandic police said Monday that residents of a fishing village evacuated due to multiple volcanic eruptions were allowed to return, adding that they believed few would stay overnight due to the state of the town.

The roughly 4,000 residents of Grindavik on the Reykjanes peninsula in southwest Iceland had to be evacuated on November 11 after hundreds of earthquakes damaged buildings and opened up huge cracks in roads, shrouding the village's future in doubt.

The quakes were followed by a volcanic fissure on December 18 that spared the village, but a second on January 14 opened right on the town's edge, sending orange lava flowing into the streets and reducing three homes to ashes.

On February 8 a third eruption near the village started, sending an estimated 15 million cubic metres of lava flowing out in the first seven hours.

Lava from the third eruption crossed over a key water pipe, cutting of hot water -- which is also used to heat houses -- in the southern part of the peninsula, known as Sudurnes, home to some 28,000 inhabitants.

On Monday, the chief of police of Sudurnes, Ulfar Ludviksson, decided that residents and those working in the village were once again free to return to the town and could stay as long as they wanted.

In a statement, Ludviksson made clear that residents and workers enter the town "at their own risk" and stressed that the town was "not a place for children."

Police added that the town's infrastructure is in state of disrepair, the hot water pipe supplying the town is leaking -- meaning heating is limited -- and there is no cold water and therefore no drinking water.

"The police chief does not expect many... to choose to stay in the town overnight. They are allowed to do so, but the police chief does not recommend it," the statement said.

The town remains closed to anyone but residents, workers or those that need to help residents.

Iceland is home to 33 active volcano systems, the highest number in Europe.

It straddles the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a crack in the ocean floor separating the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates.

But until March 2021, the Reykjanes peninsula had not experienced an eruption for eight centuries.

Further eruptions occurred in August 2022 and in July and December 2023, leading volcanologists to say it was probably the start of a new era of seismic activity in the region.
World needs 'trillions' for climate action: COP28 president



Paris, Feb 20 (AFP) Feb 20, 2024



The world needs "trillions" of dollars to spur on the green transition and tackle global warming, the head of last year's COP28 climate talks said Tuesday, warning that political momentum can evaporate without clear action.

COP28 president Sultan Al Jaber hailed progress made at UN negotiations last year in Dubai, where countries agreed to triple global renewables capacity this decade and "transition away" from polluting fossil fuels.

But the deal lacked important details, including on funding, putting the onus on this year's COP29 meeting in Azerbaijan.

With impacts accelerating as global heat records are smashed, experts say that funding agreed this year will also play an important role in encouraging governments to toughen up their decarbonisation targets.

Jaber said finance was "the key enabler of positive change at the speed and scale" needed.

"But not normal scale finance -- we need finance at every level," he said, at an event in Paris organised by the International Energy Agency (IEA).

Countries are expected this year to hammer out a new target for the amount of annual support rich nations will provide to poorer ones for their energy transitions and adaptation to climate impacts from 2025.

The failure of wealthy nations to meet their previous goal of $100 billion per year by 2020 has soured trust, with indications the target was likely reached only in 2022.

Needs already far outstrip the money available. The UN-backed climate finance expert group has estimated that emerging economies except China will need to spend around $2.4 trillion a year by the end of the decade.

"The world must now raise the bar to address the challenge we face," Jaber said.

"We need to start thinking trillions, not billions."



- 'Believe in numbers' -

Recognition of the scale of support needed has put the focus on expanding sources of funding.

The World Bank and International Monetary Fund are under pressure to initiate sweeping reforms to align their lending with the Paris deal goal of capping global warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels.

Other initiatives under discussion include new taxation, especially on polluting industries, as well as redirecting fossil fuel subsidies into green development.

The United Arab Emirates, Azerbaijan and the 2025 COP host Brazil are launching an initiative to maintain global focus on keeping the 1.5C goal alive.

Jaber warned that there was a risk that "political momentum can dissipate and then fade away or disappear between COPs".

IEA chief Fatih Birol said the energy agency, which has become a key player in promoting the energy transition, would offer countries help to beef up emissions-cutting targets, with enhanced decarbonisation plans expected this year and in 2025.

He also announced a new mechanism from March 1 to measure the gap between countries' goals and the actions being taken.

"We trust the governments that they will do what they said they will do, but at the IEA, we believe in numbers," he said.
The NSW government has outlawed line fishing of the iconic blue groper after two separate spearfishing incidents in Sydney and Jervis Bay sparked widespread community outrage.

The puppy dogs of the sea are the official fish of NSW  the only state to have one  and are known for their friendly nature, even eating from the hands of swimmers.

Fishing for blue gropers will be made illegal. Credit: Brook Mitchell

Blue gropers are a protected fish species. Spearfishing of blue, brown and red groper has been prohibited since 1969, while commercial fishing of blue, brown and red groper has been prohibited since 1980, although line fishing of gropers was permitted.

But the new rules will change this. Now, anyone taking a blue groper by any method will face a $500 penalty infringement notice or a maximum court-imposed fine of $22,000 or imprisonment for six months.
An urgent cross-government audit of public land to find locations for new housing is yet to sign off on a single one, nine months after it began, with the minister in charge saying it is unreasonable to ask for a time frame.

Premier Chris Minns said the audit would be completed within months when he tasked government agencies with identifying surplus land in May, as part of his priority of improving housing supply in the state.

This questioning is just unreasonable: Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper objected to a Liberal line of questioning. Credit: Dominic Lorrimer

Bureaucrats told a budget estimates hearing on Tuesday the ongoing review had canvassed 4300 sites, of which 300 had progressed to a due diligence stage. Not all of those sites would be suitable for housing, they said, and none have been decided by the government.

Lands and Property Minister Stephen Kamper brushed off questions from the Liberal opposition about whether the government had projections for when the scheme might progress. I cant give you a date for when a house is going to be built, he said. This questioning is just unreasonable.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size The government ordered the shutdown of schools during COVID, disrupting the social and educational progress of children. The impacts are profound and ongoing. See all 4 stories . Teenagers from disadvantaged backgrounds are still struggling to make up lost ground years after pandemic-era school closures, while experts warn the full impact of 1.2 million children missing out on months of in-person learning remains unclear. The Sydney Morning Herald convened a panel of top educators to assess the impact of COVID-19 on students after the federal government failed to include the decision to close schools in its independent inquiry into how the nation managed the pandemic. It could take years before we see the full effect of closures, but for disadvantaged students it could impact their whole lives, said Peter Shergold, a former top public servant and chair of the NSW Education Standards Authority. The roundtable of experts discussed the ongoing impact of mass school closures during the pandemic. Credit: Dylan Coker I think COVID has set us back [in education] ... and the learning gaps are going to widen, he said. The panel included four education leaders and experts - Shergold, chief executive of the Australian Education Research Organisation, Jenny Donovan, chief executive of NSW Catholic Schools, Dallas McInerney, and the principal at Fairvale High School, Kathleen Seto. Shergold said there is an obligation for governments to examine the social and educational damage as a result of school closures, which stretched for seven weeks in 2020 and more than three months in 2021.

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The latest round of international testing shows the results of Australian teens held steady when compared with 2018; however, the entrenched achievement gap between rich and poor students continues to widen. In the past two years, about 55 per cent of students in NSW have missed one day of school every fortnight, while the proportion of students dropping out of school has hit a ten-year-high. About 27 per cent of NSW students did not finish year 12 in 2022. McInerney said that if confronted by another pandemic, we should not upend the school environment like we did three years ago. We should do something very different. The COVID fallout: Education This month marks four years since Chinas COVID-19 outbreak was deemed a public health emergency of international concern, heralding the start of a traumatic period many of us would prefer to forget. While a federal government inquiry is examining some national responses to the crisis, key decisions made by states will not be properly scrutinised. The Herald is concerned our political leaders have not adequately studied the lessons  good and bad  of our most recent experience, and we plan to ask tough questions over the coming months about the pandemics impact on education, health, border closures and lockdowns and policing. This is the final part of our three-part series looking at the impact of COVID on education. The forum discussions held in December with nine expert panellists were broken up into two sessions: one examining the wellbeing and behaviour of students, the second on academic and learning disruption. Australian Education Research Organisation chief executive Jenny Donovan said high school students were among those most affected by school shutdowns, with early evidence from check-in assessments showing they fell three months behind in their learning. But we also have academic blind spots, too, she said. With the change in the way NAPLAN results are reported, cancelled assessments in 2020 and lower participation in national tests, it is difficult to know the extent children fell behind. Last years literacy and numeracy tests showed one in three NSW students are failing to read at the level expected for their grade. The way NAPLAN is reported changed in 2023, making comparisons with previous years difficult.

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The latest PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) report shows Australian teenagers from disadvantaged families lag their advantaged peers by five years of schooling, while Indigenous students are four years behind non-Indigenous students. Donovan said the learning disruption has put a sharp spotlight on the scale of the learning gap, and the need to turn the tide on absenteeism and ensure classrooms are well managed to strengthen the focus on learning. Loading Teachers cant close gaps or improve the learning progress of students who arent there. Bad habits that emerged during the pandemic have become ingrained, she said. We now see patterns of attendance where students dont attend a day week, every week. Its somehow become accepted by families. Weve now got almost a sense that attendance is voluntary, non-compulsory, you dont have to be there. Seto, whose school community in Fairfield West endured months of the harshest pandemic lockdowns, said the effects of remote learning are being felt heavily by her students entering their senior years.

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The kids who were in years 9 and 10 during the lockdowns, theyre the ones that are suffering the most. I see issues with coming late to school, not attending every day and our school has strong attendance data compared to similar schools, she said. What I am also finding is students writing is not as extensive or as in-depth as it was a few years ago. They arent handing the teachers as many draft essays to read. So theyre the group that have suffered a lot in terms of their regulation, their writing skills, really all sorts of academic skills. Herald panellists (from left to right): Australian Education Research Organisation chief executive Jenny Donovan, Catholic Schools NSW chief executive officer Dallas McInerney, Fairvale High School principal Kathleen Seto and NSW Education Standards Authority chair Professor Peter Shergold. Credit: Dylan Coker Many of them missed out on learning key algebra and maths concepts in-person which has a knock-on effect for students completing their HSC, Seto said. During the pandemic many of our students stopped school and went to work instead because their parents, many who were essential workers, would get sick and have to stay home. The [closures] exacerbated just how great the divide is, she said. Once regular in-person classes resumed, making sure students mobile phones were locked away during the day helped reset social engagement in the playground, Seto said. Extracurricular sport and activities also boosted physical activity and being social with peers, she said. If confronted by the same circumstances in future, we should not upend the school environment like we did three years ago. We should do something very different. Dallas McInerney, CEO of Catholic Schools NSW

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Shergold, who led a major independent review into the pandemic response, said unilateral decisions made by state governments to close entire school systems must be examined to improve government responses in future. He warned that the Higher School Certificate is increasingly at risk of being sidelined in the post-COVID era as universities scramble to make early offers to students by bypassing ATARs. Its just one of a whole series of educational consequences that youre starting to see play out, he said, including higher school drop-out rates. His report published in late 2022, entitled Fault Lines, found people experiencing social inequalities bore the brunt of the pandemic. We started to use the shutdown of schools as if this was the key way to contain the virus, rather than ensuring the availability of vaccination, enhanced testing and high standards of school hygiene, he said. Taking students out of in-person classes was justified in the first months, but schools should have stayed open once more was known about the virus, Shergold said. Tough action, including closing schools, was judged politically popular by many state leaders, his report said.

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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 What does it feel like to live in Brisbane in 2024? Weve taken a snapshot of the citys performance to assess its quality of life and liveability. See all 13 stories . Brisbane has more suburbs with good tree cover than any other state capital. But as an increasing number of people call south-east Queensland home, maintaining that coverage while also building the homes and infrastructure needed for a growing population is a key challenge. Four years ago, researchers at RMIT found the Brisbane City Council area had 53.9 per cent urban forest cover  down 1.6 percentage points from 2016. Brisbane has more suburbs with good tree cover than other state capitals. Credit: Tony Moore The most recent assessment of Brisbane canopies was completed in 2021, showing 79 per cent of suburbs had more than 20 per cent tree cover, higher than Hobart (71 per cent), Darwin (66 per cent), Canberra (58 per cent), Greater Sydney (44 per cent), Melbourne (30 per cent), Adelaide (26 per cent), and Perth (22 per cent). Urban planner Dr Tony Matthews, from Griffith Universitys Cities Research Institute, said trees were needed to provide shade, clean air, and visual amenity. We have good green cover, but the issue is to prevent the loss, Matthews said. This is one problem Brisbane is trying to manage. The other is intentional land clearing for greenfield residential development out in the suburbs, where everyone is on 350sq m blocks, so they are all built gutter to gutter and there is no green space.

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What the aerial images show Over the past 15 years, Nearmap has combined aerial photography with artificial intelligence to monitor tree species, moisture, building types and soil as cities evolve. Trees impact liveability in so many ways, said Nearmaps vice president of AI, Dr Michael Bewley. Upper Kedron, where new housing estates have become established  along with the trees. Credit: Nearmap They take the edge off the hottest days substantially, they provide mental health benefits, and they encourage people to get out and walk about. In Brisbane, the biggest gains in tree cover between 2019 and 2023 were in Upper Kedron and Newstead. The biggest losses were in Pallara and McDowall. At Upper Kedron, where almost 1000 homes have been built since 2014, the tree coverage increased from 35 per cent in 2019 to 45 per cent in 2023, while the percentage of buildings rose from 9 per cent of land to 10 per cent.

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Bewley said it was an example of how well-chosen and carefully planned trees could replace the few sapling streets on site. Its a real art form, and plenty of local governments are now getting good at this: thinking about which species goes where and how soil is available to grow them, he said. At Newstead, developers have long-term plans for new apartment towers, with outdoor spaces included in their projects. Credit: Nearmap At older Newstead, the increase in tree canopy comes off a much lower base  from 6 per cent to 8 per cent  while the urban area increased from 32 per cent to 35 per cent. Bewley puts it down to the age of the developments and their outdoor areas. There are just quite a number of trees that have grown considerably larger in that timeframe, he said. Pallara is the epicentre of greenfield development in south-east Queensland. Credit: Nearmap

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But the loss of tree cover is most pronounced at Pallara, where small farms have been replaced by residential estates. There, the urban area has increased from 5 per cent to 14 per cent at the expense of tree canopy (35 per cent down to 30 per cent). They [houses] go up, very, very, quickly, and then there is that delay as you wait, hopefully, for the trees to grow, Bewley said. Pallara looks like a classic example of a new build going in. Between 2019 and 2023, McDowall, in Brisbanes northern suburbs, lost trees as it gained housing. Credit: Nearmap In McDowall, on Brisbanes northside, tree cover has dropped from 22 per cent to 20 per cent, while the urban area has increased from 22 per cent to 23 per cent. McDowall lost a large number of trees, and you can see its through a process of new builds, Bewley said. While people concentrated on cities, he said, each suburb is a fascinating story in its own right.

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From new housing developments to urban infill, to little saplings that are nurtured to grow into larger trees. Individual suburbs can have an impact on the overall story. The plan for the future The South-East Queensland Regional Plan outlines how the urban footprint will expand by 5000 hectares to allow 900,000 new homes, units and townhouses for another 2.2 million people by 2046. Regional biodiversity corridors in the 2023 South-East Queensland Regional Plan. Credit: Queensland Government The planning document features regional biodiversity corridors meant to be protected from development. There are also tree-cover targets for councils to create more shade, reduce the heat-island effect and improve air quality. Councils must achieve a minimum of 15 per cent tree cover in the city centre, 25 per cent in urban residential areas and commercial areas, and 50 per cent in suburban residential areas. Brisbane City Council says it has about 45 per cent tree cover across the city, and its City Plan offers added protection to significant landscape trees and sensitive habitats.

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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 What does it feel like to live in Brisbane in 2024? Weve taken a snapshot of the citys performance to assess its quality of life and liveability. See all 13 stories . Data shows Brisbanes reputation as one of Australias greenest cities is well deserved. However, experts have questioned whether the city has the right mix when it comes to public open space. Professor Nicholas Osborne has been studying the health benefits of open space, particularly green space, at the University of Queenslands school of public health. Osborne said that, from a health point of view, the benefits of having access to public green space were clear. There was vitamin D absorption from the sun  a third of Australians were deficient in vitamin D, Osborne said  along with the exercise and psychological benefits. New Farm Park is one of Brisbanes most popular, but not all parks are created equal. Credit: Dan Peled One of the greatest determinants of health is your postcode, more than your genetic code. If youre richer, youre more likely to be healthy, he said. In Sydney, you see that gradient from east to west across the city. The further west you go, the further down you go on the socioeconomic spectrum and then you see the rise of those chronic diseases.

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So, how do you unpick that? Thats the trick. Is it just that youre richer, leading to better health, or is it the green space youre in? What we try to do as researchers is unpick that kind of triangle between socioeconomic status, your exposure to green space and your health. Osborne admitted experts still had a lot to learn and it was increasingly clear the type of public space mattered as much as its accessibility (more on that later). Were pretty happy with that notion that green space is good for you, but we still dont know how it works, he said. We could save millions of dollars if we just found out its physical exercise, or 90 per cent of it is physical exercise, and we just build running tracks everywhere and have parks that are designed to get people physically active. I think theres probably more to it than that, but we havent accumulated that evidence yet. Whatever the health attributes of green space, Brisbane appeared to be doing pretty well on the accessibility front.

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A Brisbane City Council spokeswoman said the goal, under its city plan, was for all Brisbane residents to be within a 750-metre walk of a park or green space. The vast majority of Brisbane residents currently fall within this 750-metre distance, she said. As the population of Brisbane continues to grow, council continues to plan for new parks in areas where this aim is not met. But research undertaken by the Australian Urban Observatory, based at the RMIT Centre of Urban Research in Melbourne, shows greater Brisbane is inequitable when it comes to access to public open space. According to its 2021 Liveability Report for Brisbane, which will be released this week, Brisbane ranked second among Australias largest 21 cities, behind Townsville and ahead of Bendigo. But the study also showed an uneven spread: a patchwork of results, as the interactive map above shows, with some of the more car-dependent suburbs faring the worst.

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Brisbane is one of the greenest cities in the country, Osborne said. Part of it is we live in the subtropics and things really grow quickly here  theres plenty of sunshine at this latitude, where youre in the northern climes, but its also because some of the cities to the south are older, and they werent quite as planned. It was not just ease of natural growth, Osborne said, but the floral diversity in the subtropics that put Brisbane in good stead. Brisbane is one of the greenest cities in Australia but faces challenges, going forward. Credit: Tammy Law Osborne said evidence was mounting that physical access to biodiversity was a key health benefit, meaning just being around certain plants could improve ones life. Theres been a rise in allergic diseases over the past 20 years and nobody really knows why, he said.

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One of the things we have noticed is that people living in low-income countries that dont take antibiotics, that have large families, and live close in proximity to domesticated animals, dont seem to have these diseases like asthma, food allergy, rhinitis, hay fever. We living in the West who might have small families, or might live alone, take loads of antibiotics, dont get out into green space that much, dont have a cow in the shed  our immune system seems to be compromised because of this and it starts looking for things to attack. Ten thousand years ago, there were plenty of bugs that we came in contact with that our immune system had to attack. Now, instead of going looking for those bugs, it attacks a peanut protein, for instance, and thinks its a bad thing. Then, you develop an allergy to peanuts. Hence the need for more exposure to nature, Osborne said.

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In this article, we look at the 10 cigarette brands with the least chemicals in the world. You can skip our detailed analysis on some of the most harmful chemicals used in this tube-shaped tobacco product, and head over directly to the 5 Cigarette Brands With The Least Chemicals In The World.

According to the American Lung Association, cigarettes contain about 600 ingredients which, when they burn, create over 7,000 chemicals. Of these, at least 69 are known to be linked to cancer. Some of the most toxic chemicals present in cigarettes include acetone, found in nail polish removers; arsenic, used for rat poison; toluene, a chemical used in paint manufacturing; tar, which is also used to pave roads; and nicotine which is commonly used as an insecticide.

A 2021 publication by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, a non-profit organization, stated that about 80% of the worlds smokers lived in low and middle income countries, and that if current trends were to continue, about a billion people could die from smoking related diseases in the 21st century. In 2020, more than 5.2 trillion cigarettes were sold to over a billion consumers, with a global retail volume estimated to be worth $717 billion.

China is the largest market for cigarettes in the world, with a retail value of $232.8 billion in 2020. Indonesia, Turkiye, Japan, Egypt, Vietnam, and Bangladesh were other countries with higher retail volumes of cigarettes that year. Cigarette sales grew 7.5% in the Asia-Pacific, and increased 15.3% in the Middle East and North Africa region between 2006 and 2020. These trends go on to show that emerging markets in Asia and Africa are critical for the tobacco industry, while cigarette consumption is beginning to decline in the developed world due to stronger government regulation.

Cigarette Smoking in the United States

The United States is also among the top smoking nations in the world. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) measured the sales volume of cigarettes sold by domestic manufacturers to wholesalers and retailers across the country at $173.5 billion in 2022.

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More than 480,000 Americans die from smoking cigarettes each year, accounting for one in five deaths in the country, as noted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  making it the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States. In 2021, more than 28 million Americans smoked cigarettes, while over 16 million lived with a smoking-related disease. However, on the brighter side, the percentage of Americans who smoke has come down drastically from 20.9% of the population in 2005 to 11.5% in 2021.

The drop has likely been triggered by an increased awareness about the risks associated with smoking  in particular by tar and nicotine found in them. These are two of the most harmful substances found in cigarettes. According to a report, about 70% of the tar remains in the lungs after a smoker inhales cigarette smoke, while nicotine is what gets individuals addicted to cigarettes  making it difficult for them to quit even if they want to.

Alternatives to Smoking

Considering the risks involved, a lot of people have begun looking for healthier options in cigarettes that contain low tar and nicotine, as well as alternatives to smoking cigarettes with products such as snuff, snus, and nicotine pouches. That being said, even consuming cigarettes with low amounts of harmful chemicals and using alternatives like smokeless tobacco have risks and can lead to deadly diseases.

Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM) in September 2023 unveiled its zero-tobacco heat stick that is used with its IQOS device, which heats small packets of tobacco in the stick instead of burning it. The company believes the new product is likely to reduce health risks compared to smoking cigarettes. According to Reuters, the heat stick may also help Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM) in avoiding taxes currently affecting its tobacco products.

Last year, Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM) acquired Swedish Match, a Stockholm-based nicotine pouch maker, for a deal worth $16 billion. The Swedish company has made huge strides over the last few years to reduce the harm associated with tobacco products, with its wide range of smoke-free products  the most prominent being ZYN, its nicotine pouch. The acquisition is part of Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM)s strategy to be a predominantly smoke-free corporation by 2025.

Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO), based in Richmond, also made inroads in the nicotine pouch industry in 2019, after purchasing 80% stake in Swiss tobacco firm Burger Sohnes global businesses for an agreement valued at $372 million. The deal, which will involve Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) distributing Burger Sohnes nicotine pouch brand On in the US and Canada, is the companys latest attempt to develop a portfolio of products beyond cigarettes. According to a report, On was well received in the American market, especially among female consumers. By the end of 2020, the number of stores in the US selling the brand had nearly doubled by when it was first launched by Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) in 2019.

The British American Tobacco p.l.c. (NYSE:BTI) has been shifting focus toward alternatives to smoking as well, and has dedicated itself to the commercialization of its reduced-risk product line of vapes, tobacco heating products, and oral offerings such as the tobacco-free nicotine pouches, moist snuff, and snus. According to the companys website, these products have found traction among the general public. Revenues for vapes were 55% higher in 2022 compared to 2021, while sales were also up 24% for its tobacco-heating device, glo, during the same time period.

10 Cigarette Brands With The Least Chemicals In The World

defotoberg / Shutterstock.com

Methodology

Cigarette brands with the least chemicals in the world are listed based on the amounts of tar and nicotine present in various brands. We searched for cigarettes with the lowest concentration of these two chemicals on online cigarette selling websites like KiwiCigs, CigsClub, and Tobacco Near. Features and ingredients of cigarettes were mentioned on these websites.

Since most of the cigarettes shortlisted had identical, lower concentration levels of nicotine and tar, we used price ranges of these cigarettes as a tiebreaker, with those priced lower outranking the pricey ones. Prices were taken from the above three mentioned sources, with prices varying on each source. Therefore, we have mentioned the price ranges of these cigarettes in the list section, depending on how they were priced on these sources. We searched for prices of these individual cigarettes on their manufacturer's websites, but they were not listed in a majority of the cases, and so we had to consider how they were being priced at online stores.

Slim cigarettes were omitted from our rankings because they are not as widely used and available in the market as the regular cigarettes are.

Please note that the prices can vary from place to place and we don't guarantee their accuracy.

By the way, Insider Monkey is an investing website that tracks the movements of corporate insiders and hedge funds. By using a similar consensus approach, we identify the best stock picks of more than 900 hedge funds investing in US stocks. The top 10 consensus stock picks of hedge funds outperformed the S&P 500 Index by more than 140 percentage points over the last 10 years (see the details here). Whether you are a beginner investor or professional one looking for the best stocks to buy, you can benefit from the wisdom of hedge funds and corporate insiders.

Lets now head over to the list of the cigarette brands with the least chemicals in the world.

Top 10 Cigarette Brands With The Least Chemicals In The World:

10. Davidoff

Product: Davidoff White

Tar: 1 mg

Nicotine: 0.1 mg

Price Range (per carton): $56.9 - $77

Davidoff White is among cigarette brands with the least chemicals in the world. While Davidoff is a Swiss brand, its cigarettes segment has been owned by the UKs Imperial Tobacco since 2006. A pack of Davidoff White contains 20 cigarettes.

9. Dunhill

Product: Dunhill Fine Cut Signature Blend

Tar: 1 mg

Nicotine: 0.1 mg

Price Range (per carton): $34.1 - $44.9

London-based Dunhill is one of the most popular cigarette brands in the world. These cigarettes are manufactured by Alfred Dunhill, Ltd. and British American Tobacco p.l.c. (NYSE:BTI). Dunhills fine cut signature blend cigarettes have extremely low amounts of nicotine and tar.

8. Winston

Product: Winston One (White)

Tar: 1 mg

Nicotine: 0.1 mg

Price Range (per carton): $30.1 - $43.4

Winston One is the lightest offering in the brands range of cigarettes, with just 1 mg of tar and 0.1 mg of nicotine. It is suitable for users who are looking for light tobacco flavor, and a relatively less harmful product to smoke compared to others that have a high concentration of harmful chemicals. Winstons cigarettes are manufactured in the United States by Imperial Tobaccos subsidiary, ITG Brands.

7. Kent

Product: Kent Lights Nr. 1 (White)

Tar: 1 mg

Nicotine: 0.1 mg

Price Range (per carton): $32.1 - $37.5

Kent finds itself among cigarette brands with the least chemicals in the world due to one of its products, Lights Nr. 1 (White). These cigarettes come in a king size box, with 20 cigarettes of 8 mm diameter in each box. Kents cigarettes are manufactured by R.J. Reynolds in the United States, and by the British American Tobacco p.l.c. (NYSE:BTI) elsewhere.

6. Parliament

Product: Parliament One

Tar: 1 mg

Nicotine: 0.1 mg

Price Range (per carton): $33.2 - $36.5

Parliaments cigarettes are sold in more than 30 countries. In 2016, its production volume was over 45 billion cigarettes. Apart from being low on nicotine and tar concentration, its Parliament One cigarettes are a symbol of luxury and excellence, and offer a unique and satisfying smoking experience to users.

Click to continue reading and see the 5 Cigarette Brands With The Least Chemicals In The World.

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Disclosure: None. 10 Cigarette Brands With The Least Chemicals In The World is originally published on Insider Monkey.
CBD loves to see people broaden their horizons and embark on new adventures. We wish more people would do it in fact  but we wont name names today  so we were delighted to learn this week that former federal Liberal MP Julia Banks is going back to school. Well, sort of.

We most recently heard from Banks just last week when she told the ABCs Nemesis doco  and its not the first time she has expressed such views  that former prime minister Scott Morrisons approach to working with women during his years in power left something to be desired.

Former Liberal MP Julia Banks. Credit: Kristoffer Paulsen

He has a really weak if no regard  particularly bizarre ... for working women with children, Banks told the ABCs cameras.

In the very next frame, for the record, Morrison denied having a problem with women, arguing that his record working with female MPs and ministers supported his view.
Police are searching for three males accused of kicking a little penguin at the St Kilda Esplanade.

Victorias Conservation Regulator said a witness reported seeing the trio kick the penguin in the middle of the tram tracks at the corner of Alfred Square and The Esplanade in St Kilda, about 11.30pm on December 8 last year.

The witness disturbed the group and moved the penguin to the beach near St Kilda Pier, before reporting the incident to local authorities, who alerted the wildlife watchdog.

The Conservation Regulator has released CCTV footage of the trio they believe may assist with the investigation.
Carrolls decision comes as the agency juggles heightened public concerns and debate over crime, soaring domestic violence offences, and sweeping reforms recommended by a damning inquiry into a police culture of sexism, racism and misogyny. Amid recent internal tensions over her leadership, Carroll said she brought her decision forward to put a stop to the speculation and chatter that had been a distraction to police work. What they said Carroll declined to nominate a successor from her high-ranking colleagues, including Steve Gollschewski, Shane Chelepy and Cheryl Scanlon, saying there were many leaders in the agency. I hinted at it before today, but I hadnt formally had the discussion, Carroll said when asked at what stage she had raised the decision with Ryan before their meeting on Tuesday morning.

Loading Appearing with Carroll and Premier Steven Miles at the announcement, Ryan said these hints had come over the last few days, and that he offered her his full support if she wanted another term. While noting he did not want to pre-empt the formal recruitment process, which he hoped would be done as quickly as possible, Ryan brushed off a question about whether an outsider would be best. Police union president Ian Leavers echoed the comments of Ryan and Carroll. Speaking at an LNP media conference in Cairns, deputy opposition leader Jarrod Bleijie suggested, without evidence, that Carroll was being walked out the door, and that Ryan should be too.

What you need to know Gollschewski, special co-ordinator for the Reform Implementation Taskforce, is considered the next most experienced leader after Carroll, while Chelepy has more than three decades of experience, including leading disaster management. I just want someone who is a Queenslander, understands Queensland, and who is going to back the front line. Police Union President Ian Leavers Scanlon, meanwhile, has had roles overseeing internal investigations and the response to youth crime. In December, she announced the FBIs arrest of an American man in relation to the Wieambilla murders of two police officers and a member of the public. Under the laws for appointing a police commissioner, Carrolls successor must be chosen for a term of three to five years, in a process requiring approval by the chair of the Crime and Corruption Commission.
Inside, Middlegate Station is a low-lit mix of bar, restaurant and mini-market where locals sip beer and munch on burgers amid a decor rife with Wild West memorabilia, horned skulls and a ceiling pinned with dollar bills. A red supermarket shopping basket filled with zucchini and squash has a hand-written sign taped to it. FREE!!! it says. In the mini-mart you can buy bottles of house-made Middlegate Madness hot sauces, or a Bible. What catches our eye, though, is the Middlegate Monster. This enormous multi-layered burger comes with onion rings, fries and a free T-shirt if you can eat it all. Rules: You cannot use the restroom once the challenge begins. There is no time limit. You must eat everything but the skewers. If you cant keep the Monster down, you lose. If you cant keep the Middlegate Monster down, you lose. Two of us step up to the challenge. After all, how big can one burger get? Answer: bigger than your head. Long story short: neither of us has the T-shirt. Very few have, according to the locals. Middlegate Station is also an Official Stamp Location where you can get your Route 50 Survival Guide validated. This little tourism passport includes information on eight of the major towns along the loneliest road and space on each for an official stamp. At the end of your trip, tear off the postage-paid postcard at the back of the booklet and Nevada Tourism will send you a Highway 50 Survivor souvenir and certificate.

Not that todays Route 50 is something to survive any more. Carving its way across the middle of Nevada it stitches together Genoa in the west to the towns of Fallon, Austin, Eureka, Ely and Baker. Between them, vast stretches of, at least in Lifes opinion, naught. But nothing could be further from the truth. Route 50 is a cornucopia of far-flung delights, from the stones and rocks people have rearranged to spell out names and messages along the side of the highway to the 6000-year-old rock art petroglyphs at Grimes Point, the surreal appearance of a massive sand dune at the Sand Mountain Recreation Area and on to the Lehman Caves and Dark Skies of the Great Basin National Park. Genoa Bar is the states oldest. There is beauty in the nothingness, too, of course. Perhaps not if youre trundling along in a 19th-century wagon train and looking at how far you have to go, but Route 50 is a well-maintained highway which brings those vast Wild West vistas under some sort of control. Australians, particularly, will appreciate the desolate, almost frightening, beauty of a sky that reaches down to the horizon like an upturned bowl  and of a road that runs across it, dead straight, no deviations, like the slice of scalpel. And then come the towns, dotted along the slice like sutures. Pretty, manicured Genoa, for instance, is Nevadas oldest town, founded in 1851 and home to the Genoa Bar, the states oldest thirst parlour since 1853.

Or the wonderfully named Eureka (the Friendliest Town on the Loneliest Road), once a 19th-century boomtown that boasted 50 mines yielding gold, silver, lead, and zinc. Its a prosperity thats obvious along the main road through town, dotted as it is with opulent brick buildings  such as the Eureka Opera House and the Italianate-style Eureka Courthouse  that wouldnt look out of place in any major city. Take time out, as we did, to visit the Afterlife antiques and oddities shop, which boasts of having dead peoples things for sale and where you might even get a ghost tour. Eureka: the Friendliest Town on the Loneliest Road. Credit: iStock One of the major attractions for someone with my surname is the town of Austin. Once one of central Nevadas most prosperous mining camps it is today more of a blink-and-youll-miss-it kind of town. As you might imagine, there is now plenty of pictorial evidence of this Austin in that Austin. We spend the night in the Austin motel and eat out at Grandmas (Austins Living Room). It is about the only place in town to eat unless you like whipping up a feast from gas station shelves. The food isnt fancy but its tasty and theres plenty of it. Loading

Austin isnt quite yet a ghost town but its heading that way. An on-life-support town, perhaps. Even the Official Highway Survival Guide is forced to stoop to mentioning that the towns interpretive park (which itself is a bit of a ghost as we didnt find it) has some spiffy restroom facilities. If thats not 21st-century speak for the end is nigh I dont know what is. At Great Basin National Park the Milky Way, galaxies and constellations sparkle like diamonds on black velvet. Credit: iStock Perhaps the best thing about Austin is the story of the Sazerac Lying Club. In 1873, journalist Fred H. Hart was editor of the local Reese River Reveille, based in Austin, a town which was, according to Hart, a quiet place in which anything of a startling nature  seldom transpires. Stuck for news, Hart repaired (as journalists are wont) to the local watering hole, The Sazerac. Here, he discovered a feast of exaggerated stories and downright lies, told by local ranchers, miners, and stage drivers. Hart began recording the tales and the Sazerac Lying Club was born, with members competing for the title of Monumental Liar of America. An eponymously titled book followed in 1878 and was a huge success. At the far eastern end of Nevadas section of Route 50 is Baker, a small, arty community where the white clapperboard Bristlecone General Store offers groceries, decent coffee, general tourism advice and a small but perfectly formed selection of books. For more substantial fare, dinner at the Sugar, Salt and Malt restaurant directly opposite is excellent.

Loading We hike in the Great Basin National Park and join an underground tour of the nearby Lehman Caves but one of the top attractions here are the stars. Like the Warrumbungles in Australia, this is an international Dark Sky Park where the Milky Way, galaxies and constellations sparkle like diamonds on black velvet. Life was wrong. Even in the nothing, there is something. The writer was a guest of Travel Nevada. THE DETAILS

We flew United Airlines from Los Angeles (LAX) to Reno-Tahoe International Airport. United flies to LAX daily from all major Australian airports. See www.united.com for details. STAY The Silver Legacy Resort, Reno has rooms from $US61.50 a night ($94.40). See caesars.com The Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort from $US317.41 a night. See hyatt.com The Cozy Mountain Motel in Austin from $US115 a night. See cozy-mountain-motel.business.site The Stargazer Inn, in Baker from $US124.85 a night. See stargazernevada.com All the above include taxes and charges. Some US hotels and resorts charge a hefty resort fee. Check the small print before booking.
Washington: The US has proposed a temporary ceasefire in Gaza as Israel prepares to expand its operations, but has once again vetoed the immediate ceasefire called for by other members of the United Nations Security Council.

As global support to end the war intensifies, the US voted against an Arab-backed UN resolution demanding an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, where at least 29,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israels air and ground offensive.

Israeli female soldiers pose for a photo on a position on the Gaza Strip border, in southern Israel, on Monday. Credit: AP

Instead, the US proposed an alternative resolution that suggests a temporary ceasefire as soon as practicable; calls for the lifting of all restrictions on the delivery of humanitarian aid; and requires the release of hostages taken by Hamas in the October 7 attack.

It has also warned against Israels planned offensive in Rafah, where more than a million Gazans are currently taking shelter after Israel designated it a safe zone.
if the people of Biafra want Republic of Biafra, it will be a reality during my administration. ----Donald Trump Donald Trump I wi...
In this article, we will look at the 15 cleanest countries in Europe. We will also discuss Europe's environmental performance and economic outlook. If you want to skip our detailed analysis, you can directly go to the 5 Cleanest Countries in Europe.

Environmental Performance of European Countries

The European Union has set ambitious goals for its member countries to become carbon neutral by 2050. Achievement of this goal is linked to factors including increased use of renewable energy, reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, and improved recycling of waste products. The European Union has conceptualized the environmental quality of life based on three indicators: the macro-level that accounts for the overall European environment, the meso level comprising the quality of residential areas, and the micro-level accounting for the population living in energy poverty areas.

According to a report by the European Environment Agency and Eurofound, the disparity between the performance of European countries has decreased over the past two decades. However, the speed of progress varies among the member states, mainly due to the economic turbulence caused by the Russia-Ukraine war. Moreover, the progress towards green transition also varies on the geographical front, with northern and a few Western European Countries, including Sweden and Estonia, outperforming other member states in energy efficiency. On the bright side, the progress of low-performing countries, including Malta and other Eastern European countries, has been catching up on most performance indicators. Notably, none of the member states excel in all indicators, indicating heterogeneity of climate change policy across Europe.

Regarding the macro-level indicators set by the European Union to overview the environmental progress, years of life lost to air pollution is a key indicator. According to the report, Bulgaria, Romania, and Hungary performed the best in curbing air pollution and decreasing the years of life lost to air pollution. Bulgaria showed the greatest improvement among these three countries, from 2,285 lives lost per 100,000 inhabitants in 2005 to 1,606 lives lost in 2019. Quick adoption and adherence to the European Commission directive on Air Quality and Cleaner Air 2010 contributed to this improvement. You can also look at the 25 Cleanest Countries In the World In 2023 and 12 Most Promising Clean Energy Stocks According to Analysts.

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Moreover, regarding the progress toward the transition to renewable energy resources, Sweden, Austria, Finland, and Latvia are the top-performing member states. The progress of Sweden is attributed to its free market strategy for the energy supply market, which increases competitiveness and subsequently leads to cheaper renewable energy prices. Moreover, the strong adherence to emission taxation and supportive government policies for green entrepreneurs also contribute to the progress. On the other hand, Malta and the Netherlands are the slowest to transition toward renewable energy resources. The Netherlands has a large reserve of natural gas supply and has only recently started investing in renewable energy resources. Whereas. Malta must capitalize on its potential to produce renewable energy and rely heavily on imported natural oil and gas.

Economic Outlook of Europe

The European economy has contracted slightly after a strong post-pandemic expansion between 2021 and 2022. According to the European Commission, the GDP growth for the autumn of 2023 was projected to be 0.6%, which was 0.2% lower than the one forecasted for the spring of the same year. The growth rates are expected to improve to 1.3% in 2024 due to rising real wages, increased external demand, and a supportive investment landscape. You can also look at 25 European Cities with Most Affordable Monthly Rents.

In addition, inflation in the euro area is declining as well. According to the report, inflation rates declined to 2.9% in October 2023 from a staggering 10.6% a year ago. Moreover, headline inflation is expected to fall from 5.6% in 2023 to 3.2% and 2.2% in 2024 and 2025, respectively. Europe's robust labor market, sustained growth in wages, and expected rise in consumption rates contribute to the decline in inflation rates.

Waste Management Companies in Europe

Veolia Environment SA (EPA:VIE) is a multinational European company headquartered in Paris, France. The company provides services in three main areas: water management, energy services, and waste management. The water segment of Veolia Environment SA (EPA:VIE) comprises the provision and supply of drinking water and the management of water waste. The company also manufactures wastewater treatment systems and equipment. On February 7, Veolia Environment SA (EPA:VIE) announced its partnership with the Professional Pickleball Association as an official sustainability provider. During the three-year partnership, Veolia Environment SA (EPA:VIE) will help the Pickleball Association to make pickleball Americas leading green sport.

Suez SA (EPA:SEV), previously known as Suez Environment, is a leading player in Europe's waste management sector. The company is based in France and provides environmental services, including waste treatment, wastewater management systems, drinking water provision and supply, water cycle management, and water regulation. Suezs SA (EPA:SEV) operations are multinational, with services spanning the Asia Pacific, the Americas, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. On January 22, Suez SA (EPA:SEV) reported the appointment of Kathleen Wantz-O'Rourke as Group Chief Financial Officer and member of the Executive Committee. Kathleen Wantz-O'Rourke has extensive experience in the industry and has served as a chief financial officer for SIEMENS in Australia, France, Belgium, and Germany. Wantz-O'Rourke will assume office at Suez SA (EPA:SEV) on March 15.

FCC Environment Limited is another waste management company, headquartered in the United Kingdom. FCC Environment Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas SA (BME:FCC). FCC Environment Limited operates on a recycling model and aims to reduce the amount of waste that goes into landfills. They also provide municipal services, land development services, and green energy through recycling waste. On December 13, 2023, FCC Environment Limited reported that FCC Servicios Medio Ambiente, one of its affiliates, had agreed to acquire Urbasers affiliate in the United Kingdom. Urbaser UK also operates in the environment sustainability market. As per the report, the transaction value of this acquisition is expected to be 398 million, including debt and equity. The deal is expected to close in the second quarter of 2024 and is subject to customary closing conditions.

With this context, let's look at the 15 cleanest countries in Europe.

15 Cleanest Countries in Europe

Copyright: jenifoto / 123RF Stock Photo

Our Methodology

To make the list of the 15 cleanest countries in Europe, we relied on 3 main indicators, including air quality index, wastewater treatment level, and average mismanaged solid waste. We used the IQAir World Report 2022 to collect air quality index data and the Environment Performance Indicator (EPI) Report 2022 for wastewater treatment levels and average mismanaged solid waste.

IQAir World report ranks countries based on the annual average of PM2.5 concentration measured in g/m, and the EPI ranks 180 countries based on 40 different indicators and gives each country a sub-rank for corresponding indicators.

Next, we computed the average ranking for our three indicators and sorted our data for European countries. Once we had the average ranking for all European countries mentioned in our datasets, we sorted them in descending order. In cases where two countries had similar average rankings, we used the annual average PM2.5 Concentration level as a tie-breaker.

It is important to note that a country with a higher average wastewater treatment level indicates a cleaner country. Similarly, a country with a higher level of mismanaged solid waste indicates a less clean country. Moreover, a lower annual average PM2.5 concentration level means healthier air to breathe compared to a higher concentration level of PM2.5.

Please note that we have excluded Ukraine from our list due to the ongoing geopolitical situation in the country.

By the way, Insider Monkey is an investing website that tracks the movements of corporate insiders and hedge funds. Using a consensus approach, we identify the best stock picks of over 900 hedge funds investing in US stocks. The top 10 consensus stock picks of hedge funds outperformed the S&P 500 Index by more than 140 percentage points over the last 10 years (see the details here). Whether you are a beginner investor or a professional looking for the best stocks to buy, you can benefit from the wisdom of hedge funds and corporate insiders.

15 Cleanest Countries in Europe

15. Portugal

Average Wastewater Treatment Level: 78

Average Mismanaged Solid Waste: 95.94

Annual Average PM2.5 Concentration (g/m): 8.1

Average Ranking: 19.7

First on our list is Portugal, with an average rating of 19.7 and an air quality index of 8.1g/m. It is a southwestern European country situated on the Iberian Peninsula, characterized by its cold, rocky mountains. Portugal has a developed solid and water waste management system, thus making it rank 15th on our list of 15 cleanest countries in Europe.

14. Germany

Average Wastewater Treatment Level: 78

Average Mismanaged Solid Waste: 95.94

Annual Average PM2.5 Concentration (g/m): 11

Average Ranking: 19.3

Germany ranks 14th on our list of the cleanest countries in Europe, with an average rank of 19.3. Germany is a Western European country characterized by forests, rivers, and beaches. It has an air quality index of 11g/m and ranks well on the wastewater treatment level and mismanaged solid waste indicator.

13. Austria

Average Wastewater Treatment Level: 78

Average Mismanaged Solid Waste: 96.94

Annual Average PM2.5 Concentration (g/m): 10.6

Average Ranking: 19.3

Austria ranks as the 13th cleanest country in Europe and has an average rank of 19.3. It is a landlocked country with a population of over 9 million people. Austria has 9 provinces and a total area of about 84,000 square kilometers.

12. Ireland

Average Wastewater Treatment Level: 78

Average Mismanaged Solid Waste: 95.94

Annual Average PM2.5 Concentration (g/m): 7.7

Average Ranking: 17.7

With an average rank of 17.7 and an air quality index of 7.7g/m, Ireland ranks 12th on our list of the cleanest European countries. Islands and low-lying mountains mainly characterize the country's landscape.

11. United Kingdom

Average Wastewater Treatment Level: 78

Average Mismanaged Solid Waste: 95.94

Annual Average PM2.5 Concentration (g/m): 8.9

Average Ranking: 16.7

Comprising England, Wales, and Scotland, the United Kingdom is an island nation in northwestern Europe. The United Kingdom has a developed system for waste management with an average mismanaged waste indicator of 95.94 and an average wastewater treatment level of 78. It ranks 11th on our list with an average ranking of 16.7.

10. Latvia

Average Wastewater Treatment Level: 42.7

Average Mismanaged Solid Waste: 67.9

Annual Average PM2.5 Concentration (g/m): 10.1

Average Ranking: 16

Situated on the Baltic Sea between Estonia and Lithuania, Latvia ranks 10th on our list of cleanest European countries. Beaches and dense forests characterize the country. According to the European Commission, Latvia's population was approximately 1,883,000 in 2023.

9. Netherlands

Average Wastewater Treatment Level: 78

Average Mismanaged Solid Waste: 95.94

Annual Average PM2.5 Concentration (g/m): 11

Average Ranking: 15.3

The Netherlands ranks as the 9th cleanest European country, with an average rating of 15.3 and an air quality index of 11g/m. The Netherlands is situated in the northwestern part of Europe and is known for its flat, plain landscape.

8. Switzerland

Average Wastewater Treatment Level: 78

Average Mismanaged Solid Waste: 95.94

Annual Average PM2.5 Concentration (g/m): 10

Average Ranking: 15.3

Switzerland is a mountainous central European country. The country is known for its tourist destinations and ski resorts. Switzerland ranks as the 8th cleanest country in Europe, with an average rating of 15.3.

7. Iceland

Average Wastewater Treatment Level: 78

Average Mismanaged Solid Waste: 95.94

Annual Average PM2.5 Concentration (g/m): 3.4

Average Ranking: 15.3

Iceland is a Nordic island country renowned for its scenic beauty characterized by massive Glaciers, hot springs, and frozen lava fields. It ranks 7th on our list and is one of the least air-polluted countries in the world, with an air quality index of 3.4g/m.

6. Norway

Average Wastewater Treatment Level: 78

Average Mismanaged Solid Waste: 95.94

Annual Average PM2.5 Concentration (g/m): 7

Average Ranking: 13.7

Norway is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe characterized by mountains and glaciers. Norway ranks 6th on our list of 15 cleanest countries in Europe, with an air quality index of 7g/m.

Click to see and continue reading the 5 Cleanest Countries in Europe.

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Disclosure. None: 15 Cleanest Countries in Europe is originally published on Insider Monkey.
In this article, we are going to discuss the 15 highest quality Champagne brands under $300. You can skip our detailed analysis of the global Champagne market, the largest bubbly producer in the world, and Champagne in Formula 1, and go directly to the 5 Highest Quality Champagne Brands Under $300.

Champagne has become the absolute model of sparkling wine thanks to a very special history, climate, and subsoil, to courageous, inventive, and triumphant men and women, and to a savoir-faire that has been perfected over the generations. Over the years, the prestigious bubbly has been a go-to for the effluent, and has also inspired many artists, painters, photographers, writers, musicians, and the world of cinema. It is said that even Winston Churchill himself drank two bottles of bubbly everyday. Champagne has thus gained international fame by conveying a certain image of France and its art of living, and as an accessible luxury.

Global Champagne Market:

The French Champagne is widely considered to be the Best Sparkling Wine in the World, and its sales have bubbled to their highest point yet. For the first time ever, sales of the luxurious libation topped $6.5 billion in 2022, as French houses saw their exports surge to keep up with the roaring post-lockdown demand. The figure is 1.6% higher from 2021, as the total shipments hit 326 million bottles, according to a statement by Comite Champagne, a trade organization for the industry.

Just over 57%, or 187.5 million bottles, of that Champagne made its way abroad that year, a boost in the stats from both 2021, with an increase of 1.4%, and a decade ago, when exports made up only 45% of total sales.

The statement also notes that 2022 brought a bountiful harvest that was robust in quantity and quality, and those grapes should help replenish Champagne stocks to meet the current demand for bubbly. Many houses, including Moet Hennessy, which were running out of their finest golden elixir last year, will be looking to replenish their stash.

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France ranks among the Top Wine Producing Countries in the World.

Largest Champagne Producer in the World:

Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE (OTC:LVMUY), through its various houses, is the largest producer of Champagne in the world. The consolide MHCS boasted an annual revenue of over $2.2 billion in 2022. Commonly referred to as LVMH or Louis Vuitton, Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE (OTC:LVMUY) is a French luxury conglomerate formed after the $4 billion merger of the renowned fashion house Louis Vuitton and wines and spirits company Moet Hennessy in 1987. In April 2023, LVMH also became the first European company to surpass $500 billion in market value, when the company reported a 17% rise in first-quarter sales, more than double the analysts expectations.

Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO), the largest spirits maker in the world, also owns a 34% stake in Moet Hennessy. It was announced in October last year that Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) and LVMH are undoing their distribution agreement signed in France in 1998. The spirits giant will take over distribution of a number of its brands in France, without however ending its partnership with Moet Hennessy.

Both Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) and Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE (OTC:LVMUY) ranked among the Largest Alcohol Companies in the World in 2023.

Champagne in Formula 1:

Spraying Champagne on the podium of an F1 race is something that every driver in the sport dreams of. In the case of some drivers like Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher, the contents of hundreds of bottles have been emptied on top of numerous podiums around the world.

In the 70+ years of F1, several Champagne brands have been sprayed at the post-race celebrations. However, the sport switched to 'Ferrari Trento' Champagne in 2021 in a bid to save cost. In doing so, the podium ceremony has become significantly cheaper for Formula 1, with a three-liter bottle of the sparkling wine costing around 300 ($322).

That means around $1,288 worth of champagne is sprayed on the podium at the end of every race. In comparison, the 'Carbon' Champagne bottles used in 2017, 2018, and 2019 cost nearly thrice as much per piece as the entire current podium bottles combined - at around 3,000 ($3,222) per bottle. Ferrari Trento has a contract with F1 until the end of 2025 and is likely to stay.

While being colloquially referred to as 'Champagne', the content of the Trento bottles used on the podium is not technically so. Champagne is a sparkling wine that specifically originates from the Champagne region of France, while a sparkling wine made anywhere else on Earth cannot be called Champagne by definition - similar to the difference between Scotch and regular whiskey. Since the Trento sparkling wine originates in Italy, it cannot be called Champagne by the very definition of the word.

With that said, here are the Top Champagne Brands Under $100.

15 Highest Quality Champagne Brands Under $300

Methodology:

To collect data for this article, we have referred to sources such as VinePair, WinePros, Food & Wine, Reddit etc., looking for the Best Champagnes Under $300. We picked wines that appeared multiple times in these sources, assigned them a score based on their number of appearances, and ranked them accordingly. When two Champagnes had the same score, we ranked them by the price (excluding tax) on Wine-Searcher.

By the way, Insider Monkey is an investing website that tracks the movements of corporate insiders and hedge funds. By using a similar consensus approach, we identify the best stock picks of more than 900 hedge funds investing in US stocks. The top 10 consensus stock picks of hedge funds outperformed the S&P 500 Index by more than 140 percentage points over the last 10 years (see the details here). Whether you are a beginner investor or professional one looking for the best stocks to buy, you can benefit from the wisdom of hedge funds and corporate insiders.

15. Philipponnat Clos des Goisses 2010

Insider Monkey Score: 3

Price: $249

Clos de Goisses is not only the oldest walled vineyard in the Champagne region, but also the steepest. Made from 55% Pinot Noir and 45% Chardonnay, this 2010 vintage possesses a creamy, deep, and crystalline texture with elegant aromas of white fruits. The wine is aged for about ten years at a constant temperature of 12C in the Houses historic cellars in Mareuil-sur-Ay.

14. Perrier-Jouet Belle Epoque Brut 2011

Insider Monkey Score: 3

Price: $205

Known for one of the most recognizable bottles in the category, the 2011 Belle Epoque from Perrier-Jouet is a stunning centerpiece from the 200th anniversary of this classic Champagne house that you definitely won't want to miss. Made from a blend of approximately 50% Chardonnay, 45% Pinot Noir, and 5% Pinot Meunier, this Best Quality Champagne is aged for a minimum of five years, usually much longer, prior to release.

Influential in the world of bubbly for more than two centuries, Perrier-Jouet was among the first Champagne houses to regularly stamp its cork with the date of a blend, also known as its vintage.

13. Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame 2006

Insider Monkey Score: 3

Price: $191

An exclusive blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from eight classic Grands Crus, this is a full-bodied, round, rich, and mouth-filling Champagne, but also a refined prestige cuvee  it reveals a fascinating purity, precision, and freshness.

Veuve Clicquot has been around for more than two centuries, and its history and quality have made it one of the most sought after Champagnes in the world. The brand is often associated with luxury and prestige, which is why its bottles can be quite expensive.

12. Laurent-Perrier NV Grand Siecle No. 24

Insider Monkey Score: 3

Price: $186

The ethereal and beautifully lifted #24 is a brilliant blend of 11 grand crus, 55% Chardonnay, and 45% Pinot Noir from the powerhouse years of 2004, 2006, and 2007. This animated and full-bodied Champagne has a solid core of fruit that makes it so serious and structured.

In 1999, Laurent-Perrier was listed on the French stock exchange, but the de Nonancourt family retained 57% of the shares. The United States imported 67,000 9-liter cases of the Laurent-Perrier Champagne in 2021.

Laurent-Perrier NV Grand Siecle No. 24 is widely regarded as one of the Best Champagnes Under $200.

11. Moet & Chandon Grand Vintage 2012

Insider Monkey Score: 3

Price: $78

The 2012 Grand Vintage  the 74th release from this great house  evokes the transition from spring to summer. It offers superb harmony, accompanied by softness and freshness. The 2012 combines depth and brilliance, expressing notes of ripe fruits, peach, mango, and banana, being rounded out with hints of white pepper and honeysuckle.

Moet & Chandon merged with the cognac producer Hennessy in 1971 to form Moet Hennessy, which then merged with Louis Vuitton in a $4 billion deal to form LVMH in 1987. An annual production of 30 million bottles means that a bottle of the company is uncorked every second somewhere on earth, making Moet & Chandon one of the Best-Selling Champagne Brands in the World.

10. Bollinger RD Extra Brut 2002

Insider Monkey Score: 4

Price: $290

Made from 23 different crus, 71% of which are Grands Crus and 29% Premiers Crus, Cuvee R.D. is a vintage Extra Brut Champagne aged on lees, offered for tasting just after disgorgement. The ageing time for this full-bodied, broad, and enveloping expression is particularly long, over three times longer than the appellation regulations, in order to tirelessly transform the aromas until a perfect wine alchemy is obtained.

Since 1829, Bollinger has been producing great Champagnes with a powerful, sophisticated, and complex style.

9. Laurent-Perrier Cuvee Rose NV

Insider Monkey Score: 4

Price: $88

In 1968, Bernard de Nonancourt paved the way for a new generation of Champagnes and gave its noble credentials to the category of roses, by choosing a completely new wine, a maceration rose. This NV Champagne is entirely Pinot Noir from 10 crus in the Montagne de Reims. Laurent-Perrier's signature style, conceived by Bernard de Nonancourt, aims to provide freshness and elegance in a glass. The Champagne house boasts an annual production of around 7 million bottles.

Laurent-Perrier Cuvee NV ranks among the Best Rose Champagnes Under $100.

8. Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve NV

Insider Monkey Score: 4

Price: $58

The Charles Heidsieck NV Brut Reserve is elaborated with 150 different wines from most of 60 crus. Composed of 40% each Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and 20% Meunier, the wine pours a youthful golden hue and is rounded and ripe with classic aromas of lemon curd, toasted brioche, and fresh peach. At only $58 a bottle, Charles Heidsieck NV Brut Reserve is one of the Best Affordable Champagnes in the market.

Established in 1851, Charles Heidsick was taken over by the Descours family in 2011, with the aim of ensuring its international renown.

7. Piper Heidsieck Rare Millesime 2002

Insider Monkey Score: 5

Price: $258

A limited release, flagship wine from Piper-Heidsieck, the 2002 vintage is an elegant, exquisite Champagne with subtle nuances of honey, toasted brioche, and a little floral character. Full-bodied and nicely balanced, this wine is a blend of 70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims region.

In the late 1980s, Piper-Heidsieck became part of the Remy Cointreau wine and spirits group. An estimated 45,000 9-liter cases of the iconic brand were exported to the U.S. in 2021.

6. Ruinart Blanc de Blancs NV

Insider Monkey Score: 5

Price: $96

Full bodied, supple, and extremely smooth, Ruinart Champagnes combine delicacy, and subtle freshness. Exclusively made from Chardonnay, Ruinart Blanc de Blancs is a delicate wine balancing freshness and roundness.

Now part of the LVMH group, the Ruinart House does not have significant vineyard holdings, so a high percentage of production grapes are purchased from growers. Ruinart wines tend to be Chardonnay dominated, silky, and refined.

At $96 a bottle, Ruinart Blanc de Blancs NV is placed among the Best Champagnes for the Price.

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Disclosure: None. 15 Highest Quality Champagne Brands Under $300 is originally published on Insider Monkey.
Industrial real estate investment trusts (REITs) own and manage income-generating industrial properties, such as warehouses, distribution centers, logistics facilities, and manufacturing plants, and generate income by leasing the properties.

Investors in industrial REITs can benefit from the demand for space in the logistics and manufacturing sectors. The growth of e-commerce and the need for efficient supply chain management have contributed to the growth of the space in recent years. Similar to other REITs, industrial REITs are required to distribute a significant portion of their income to shareholders in the form of dividends.

If you're interested in investing in industrial REITs, here are two you could buy today.

Terreno Realty Corporation

Terreno Realty Corporation (NYSE:TRNO) owns and manages a portfolio of 259 industrial properties containing 16 million square feet across six major coastal U.S. markets  Seattle, the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Miami, Washington D.C., and Northern New Jersey / New York City.

Terreno currently pays a quarterly dividend of $0.45 per share, equating to an annualized dividend of $1.80 per share and giving its stock a yield of about 2.87% at the time of this writing.

While its yield is not eye-popping, it's important to note that Terreno has raised its dividend at a compound annual growth rate of 12.5% since its 2011 initiation, making it a quality dividend-growth stock.

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Investing in real estate just got a whole lot simpler. This Dara Khosrowshahi-backed startup will allow you to become a landlord in just 10 minutes, and you only need $100.

Commercial real estate has historically outperformed the stock market, but few investors have the capital or resources needed to invest in this asset class. A platform backed by industry giant Marcus & Millichap is changing that, allowing individuals to invest in commercial real estate with as little as $5,000.

LXP Industrial Trust

LXP Industrial Trust (NYSE:LXP) owns and manages a portfolio of 110 warehouse and distribution properties containing over 52 million square feet across growth markets in the Sunbelt and Lower Midwest regions, including Phoenix, Atlanta, Memphis, Houston, Nashville, and Chicago. It's also worth noting that LXP counts Amazon as one of its largest tenants with a total of six leases.

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LXP currently pays a quarterly dividend of $0.13 per share, equating to an annualized dividend of $0.52 per share and giving its stock a yield of about 6.03% at the time of this writing. The company has also raised its annual dividend for four consecutive years and is on pace for 2024 to mark the fifth consecutive year with an increase, making it both a high-yield and dividend-growth stock.

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Commercial real estate has historically outperformed the stock market, but few investors have the capital or resources needed to invest in this asset class. A platform backed by industry giant Marcus & Millichap is changing that, allowing individuals to invest in commercial real estate with as little as $5,000.

Collecting passive income from real estate just got a whole lot simpler. A new real estate fund backed by Dara Khosrowshahi gives you instant access to a diversified portfolio of rental properties, and you only need $100 to get started.

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In this article, we are going to discuss the 25 best whiskeys in the world in 2024. You can skip our detailed analysis of the global whiskey market, the dawn of the American single malt, and the recent acquisition in the whiskey industry, and go directly to the 10 Best Whiskeys in the World in 2024.

Whiskey has been the drink of choice for many Americans since time immemorial, a constant companion as they have gone through life changing and trend setting phases throughout history. Its rise in the country was due in large part to the fact that it didnt have to be imported. Unlike rum, which was made from sugarcane and molasses shipped from British-controlled islands in the Caribbean to distilleries in New England, whiskey could be distilled anywhere in America from domestically sourced raw ingredients. Corn, in particular, was plentiful in the New World. In fact, during the time of Andrew Jackson, it was believed that God had made corn for America and Americans for corn. Thus, they naturally thought of whiskey as their national drink.

Global Whiskey Market:

Whiskey is one of the Most Consumed Alcohols in the World, with the global whiskey market valued at $64 billion in 2022 and expected to reach $91.3 billion by 2028, with a CAGR of 6% during the forecast period.

The consumption of alcohol is shifting away from beer and wine and millennials are more likely to experiment with other alcoholic beverages, resulting in the growth of a cocktail culture. As a result of this tendency, the use of whiskey as a premium ingredient has increased. Product innovations, such as flavored whiskeys, and organic and sustainable options are also some of the major factors propelling the market.

2022 was also a great year for Scotch whisky, and exports of Scotlands native spirit hit $7.5 billion last year, the highest figures ever. Exports by volume rose substantially as well, with the number of 700 ml bottles shipped overseas up by 21%, to 1.67 billion.

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Similarly, as we mentioned in our article  25 Best Bourbon Whiskeys Under $50  Bourbon is a $9 billion signature industry in Kentucky that generates more than 22,500 jobs. And if were looking at production and consumption, the state receives more than $286 million in tax revenue each year from its iconic whiskey.

The positive economic impact of the beloved golden liquor is something we seldom consider when having a drink, but, given the facts, maybe its time we all raised a glass to it.

The Dawn of the American Single Malt:

Bourbon has long held the title of Americas national spirit, but the American single malt is now the fastest growing whiskey category in the United States. Although distillers in the U.S. have been producing single malt for only three decades, the category has already achieved a significant milestone last year  an imminent legal definition, furnished by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau.

Today there are more than 200 different expressions of American single malt whiskey from more than 100 distilleries. In 2023, The Brown-Forman Corporation (NYSE:BF-B)-owned Jack Daniels also added the first American single malt to its ever-growing lineup of Tennessee whiskey, proof of just how far this still lesser known category has come. And last October, Jack just announced another version of it.

The initial single malt was called Jack Daniels Single Barrel Twice Barreled Special Release American Single Malt  as the name indicates, it was a single barrel expression released in limited quantities as part of the Jack Daniels Special Release Collection. This new Jack Daniels American Single Malt joins the permanent lineup, despite it only being available at airports.

According to The Brown-Forman Corporation (NYSE:BF-B), a bottle of Jack Daniels Single Malt is priced at $100 for a 1 liter bottle, and while there are currently no plans to release it in domestic markets, that could change in the future.

The Brown-Forman Corporation (NYSE:BF-B) ranks among the Largest Alcohol Companies in the World in 2023.

Recent Acquisition in the Whiskey Industry:

In August 2023, the brewing giant Molson Coors Beverage Company (NYSE:TAP) made its first spirits acquisition with the purchase of Bourbon and rye whiskey producer Blue Run Spirits. The Chicago-based beer company said that the deal marked another step in its evolution into a total beverage company. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

The addition of Blue Run expands Molson Coors Beverage Company (NYSE:TAP)s footprint in spirits as it seeks to premiumise its portfolio. Furthermore, Molson Coors Beverage Company (NYSE:TAP) has established the Coors Spirits Co. to house its existing spirits business, which includes Five Trail Blended American Whiskey, Barmen 1873 Bourbon, and future innovation. Molson Coors Beverage Company (NYSE:TAP), which owns Coors Light and Miller Lite brands, is counted among the Best Alcohol Stocks to Own According to Hedge Funds.

With that said, here are the Best Global Whiskeys in 2024.

25 Best Whiskeys in the World in 2024

Photo by Adam Wilson on Unsplash

Methodology:

To collect data for this article, we have referred to a number of sources, such as Liquor, VinePair, Mens Journal, related Reddit threads etc., looking for the Best Whiskeys to Buy in 2024. To make sure we give you the best of the best, we shortlisted whiskeys that appeared multiple times in the aforementioned sources, assigned them a score based on their number of appearances, and ranked them accordingly. When two whiskeys had the same score, we ranked them by the price (excluding tax) of their 750 ml bottles.

Note: Prices have been sourced primarily from Wine-Searcher. As liquor prices can vary greatly across the United States, we cannot guarantee their accuracy.

By the way, Insider Monkey is an investing website that tracks the movements of corporate insiders and hedge funds. By using a similar consensus approach, we identify the best stock picks of more than 900 hedge funds investing in US stocks. The top 10 consensus stock picks of hedge funds outperformed the S&P 500 Index by more than 140 percentage points over the last 10 years (see the details here). Whether you are a beginner investor or professional one looking for the best stocks to buy, you can benefit from the wisdom of hedge funds and corporate insiders.

25. Bowmore 15 Year Old

Insider Monkey Score: 3

Matured in a combination of Bourbon and sherry casks, Bowmore 15 Year Old Scotch Whisky has rich flavors of dried fruits, treacle toffee, and dark chocolate. Established in 1779, Bowmore is Islay's first distillery, crafting a collection of perfectly balanced single malt whiskies which defy expectations.

Owned by Beam Suntory, Bowmore is included among the Best-Selling Scotch Whisky Brands in the World.

24. Nikka From the Barrel

Insider Monkey Score: 3

Nikka From The Barrel is a blended whisky created to deliver full flavors and richness of whisky from barrels which only blenders can sniff and taste. Founded in 1934, Nikka has become one of the Most Popular Whiskey Brands in the World, producing a large range of single malt and blended whiskies between its two distilleries  Yoichi and Miyagikyo.

23. Henry McKenna Single Barrel

Insider Monkey Score: 3

Henry McKenna Single Barrel is the only extra aged Bottled-in-Bond Single Barrel Bourbon, indicating it meets exacting U.S. government standards for age and proof. This is one of the longest aged Bottled-in-Bond whiskeys available today, resting in the barrel through 40 Kentucky seasons.

22. Four Roses 135th Anniversary Limited Edition Small Batch

Insider Monkey Score: 4

Bottled at 108 proof, Four Roses 2023 limited edition is an experience of subtle flavors and complex layers. Aromas of allspice, vanilla, and elegant oak mingle with a hint of cinnamon and clove on the nose.

Acquired by the Japanese Kirin Holdings Company in 2002, Four Roses ranks among the Highest Quality Bourbon Brands in the US.

21. Russells Reserve 13 Year Old

Insider Monkey Score: 4

Bottled at 114.8 barrel proof, Russells Reserve 13 Year Old Bourbon is a distinctive sip, exhibiting sweet and woody notes that give way to rich flavors of honey, chocolate, and nougat throughout.

This expression was first released in 2021 as a limited one time product. But with a very limited bottle count and Bourbon enthusiasts yearning for more, the company announced a second release along with declaring that it would become an annual limited release.

20. Compass Box Hedonism

Insider Monkey Score: 4

Exclusively matured in American oak barrels, this delightful blended grain whisky is a smooth and creamy offering from Compass Box. For over 20 years, Compass Box has been relentlessly focused on reinventing Scotch whisky, with every new blend designed to help make the world of whisky a more interesting place.

Compass Hedonism is included among the Best Whiskies to Drink in 2024.

19. Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Batch C923

Insider Monkey Score: 4

To sip Barrel Proof is to experience Bourbon in its purest form  uncut, straight from the barrel, and without chill filtering. Aged for 12 years, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof is a bold and honest expression of what charred oak barrel aging can do for Bourbon, from the man who originated the process.

Elijah Craig is credited as the first distiller to age his whiskey in charred oak barrels, earning his place in history as the 'Father of Bourbon'. The charred barrel transformed the clear liquid inside into an intense amber whiskey made rich with the flavors of the wood, which we now recognize as Bourbon.

18. Green Spot

Insider Monkey Score: 4

A non age statement Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey comprising pot still whiskeys aged between seven and ten years. This whiskey has been matured in a combination of new and refill Bourbon casks, as well as sherry casks.

Part of Pernod Ricard since 1988, Green Spot is a return to the source of Irish whiskey.

17. Jack Daniels Coy Hill Single Barrel

Insider Monkey Score: 5

Named after the highest-elevated rolling hill on the Jack Daniel Distillery property, this rare high-proof release honors the art of the whiskey-making process, as well as showcases how a barrel house location along with the extreme weather and maturation conditions produces an exceptional whiskey flavor.

16. Bunnahabhain 12 Year Old

Insider Monkey Score: 5

This 12 year old Islay single malt was the beginning of the Bunnahabhain core range, launched to fanfare and praise alike. Non-chill filtered and natural in color, this whisky boasts an alluring balance of sweet fruit, nuts, vanilla, and a delicate coastal influence.

What makes Bunnahabhain unique is that even though it is located on the island of Islay, it focuses on creating non-peated whiskies, putting it more in competition with Speyside and other whisky regions than traditional Islay powerhouses.

At around $67 a bottle, Bunnahabhain sits among the Best Whiskies in the World for the Money.

15. Pappy Van Winkle 15 Year Old

Insider Monkey Score: 6

One of the most coveted Bourbons on the market, this legendary expression is a testament to the artistry, patience, and unwavering commitment to quality that define the Pappy Van Winkle legacy.

Another incredibly rare and Top Shelf Whiskey Brand produced at the Buffalo Trace distillery, Pappy Van Winkle has been admired by Bourbon connoisseurs for years thanks to its wheated mash bill. Though tens of thousands of new bottles are released each November, the secondary market for Pappy continues to soar, and in 2018, one bottle of Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve 23-year-old Bourbon even began auctioning at $20,000.

Pappy 15 is a Whiskey You Have to Try Before You Die.

14. GlenDronach Revival 15 Year Old

Insider Monkey Score: 6

The expression embodies The GlenDronach's signature style of Spanish Sherry Cask maturation in fine Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso sherry casks from Andalucia, quietly growing in stature for 15 years in the darkness of the distillerys dunnage warehouses.

Glendronach was purchased by Jack Daniel's producer Brown-Forman in 2016, along with its acquisition of The BenRiach Distillery Company.

13. Aberlour Abunadh

Insider Monkey Score: 6

Meaning the original in Gaelic, Abunadh is a whisky hand-made from start to finish with each batch being created to ensure a rich and complex flavor of moist raisin, and homemade fruit cake. Bottled at cask strength, this Speyside whisky is known for its robust and full-bodied character.

Owned by Chivas Brothers, a subsidiary of Pernod Ricard, Aberlour is among the Best-Selling Scotch Single Malts. The brands single malts are made from expertly crafted new spirit, usually double cask matured for at least 12 years in the finest hand-picked Oloroso Sherry butts and American Oak casks. Aberlour was actually Pernod Ricard's first Scotch whisky distillery purchase.

Aberlour A'Bunadh, with its cask strength intensity, is ranked among the Best Whiskies to Drink Straight.

12. Loch Lomond 18 Year Old

Insider Monkey Score: 6

Named Whisky of the Year 2024 by Whisky Exchange, this single malt has been matured in three types of American oak casks for 18 years, creating its full-bodied and fruity character. A perfect representation of Loch Lomonds signature style, this whisky is bottled at 46% and non-chill filtered to keep things as nature intended.

11. Talisker 10 Year Old

Insider Monkey Score: 6

Aged for a minimum of 10 years in American oak casks, this welcome member of Diageo's Classic Malts series has been recognised numerous times for its excellence. The Talisker 10 bagged a gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2017, and was also awarded 'Best Islands Single Malt' at the 2017 World Whiskies Awards.

Established in 1830, Talisker whisky has been made by the sea in the oldest Single Malts Scotch Whisky distillery on the shores of the Isle of Skye. This Top Whisky Brand was acquired by the Distillers Company in 1925 and is now part of Diageo.

Click to continue reading and see the 10 Best Whiskeys in the World in 2024.

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Disclosure: None. 25 Best Whiskeys in the World in 2024 is originally published on Insider Monkey.
The Macallan Colour Collection comes to global travel retail

After its debut at Singapore Changi Airport in October 2023, the Colour Collection from the Macallan has launched globally, exclusive to travel retail locations. Interactive pop-ups featuring the collection are currently running at Hong Kong, Beijing Capital, Shanghai Pudong, and John F. Kennedy airports.

The Macallan Colour Collection of five age statement whiskies is intended to celebrate the brands commitment to natural colour, showcasing the range of tones from the various maturation times in sherry-seasoned oak casks.

The interactive pop-ups use augmented reality to tell the story behind the range, including the series of immersive art exhibitions inspired by the vineyards of Jerez, Spain, which was created by US graphic designer David Carson to celebrate the launch of the collection.

Promotions, activations, and live tastings have also been launched at airports in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

Jeremy Speirs of Edrington, the Macallans parent company, said: The Macallan Colour Collection has received an overwhelmingly positive response from both retailers and consumers globally since launching last year. Its clear that consumers are enjoying being able to engage with the brand through our extensive programme of activity.

The significant investment behind the Colour Collection launch underlines our unwavering commitment to the channel and were excited to bring this impressive new collection to life to even more consumers over the coming months.

2024 is an important year for the Macallan as it marks its 200th anniversary. The brand launched celebrations earlier this year with a new expression , and has announced a collaboration event with Cirque du Soleil in May at the Macallan Estate.

20 February 2024 - Lucy Schofield
8 Forts named after Shivaji in Mah have been sent to UN for UNESCO recognition





HYDERABAD/PUNE,

ON THE occasion of Chhatrapati Shivaji Jayanti, Union Minister Kishan Reddy paid floral tributes to the statue of Shivaji near Mahatma Gandhi Bus station, Gowliguda here in Hyderabad. Along with Kishan Reddy, former State Minister Etala Rajinder, MLAs Venkataramana Reddy and Rakesh Reddy and many senior BJP leaders participated. Union Minister Kishan Reddy said that 394th birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is being celebrated in a grand manner. The Central Government also organises massive Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti celebrations in Maharashtra. Shivaji Maharaj was a valiant and brave man who faced many enemies and led an exemplary administration the Union Minister said. The Minister also reiterated that 8 forts named after Shivaji in Maharashtra have been sent to the United Nations for UNESCO recognition on behalf of the Government of India and the Department of Culture. In January this year the Government announced that, Maratha Military Landscapes of India will be Indias nomination for recognition as UNESCO World Heritage List for the year 2024-25.

The twelve component parts of this nomination are, Salher fort, Shivneri fort, Lohgad, Khanderi fort, Raigad, Rajgad, Pratapgad, Suvarnadurg, Panhala Fort, Vijay durg, Sindhudurg in Maharashtra and Gingee Fort in Tamil Nadu. These components, distributed across diverse geographical and physiographic regions, showcase the strategic military powers of the Maratha rule. There are more than 390 forts in Maharashtra out of which only 12 forts are selected under the Maratha Military Landscapes of India, of these eight forts are protected by the Archaeological Survey of India. The inception of the Maratha Military ideology dates back to 17th Century during the reign of the Maratha King Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj by the 1670 CE and continued through subsequent rules until Peshwa rule till 1818 CE. At present in India there are 42 World Heritage sites, out of which 34 are cultural sites, seven are natural sites whereas one is mixed site. In Maharashtra there are six World Heritage Sites, five cultural and one natural.

CM Shinde, Deputy CMs pay tribute at Shivneri Fort: MAHARASHTRA Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as well as Deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar paid tribute to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on his birth anniversary on Monday at Shivneri Fort in Pune. The legendary warrior king was born in 1630 in Shivneri in the districts Junnar tehsil. Shinde and the two deputy CMs attended various programmes to mark the occasion, including the cradle ceremony at the fort. Addressing the gathering at the event, Shinde lauded the contribution of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and said he was an able administrator and king of commoners (Rayatecha Raja ). Shinde said the nomination of 11 forts from Maharashtra in the UNESCO World Heritage sites by Prime Minister Modi was a matter of pride for the State. Mah Governor Ramesh Bais pays tribute to Chhatrapati Shivaji: Governor Ramesh Bais paid floral tributes to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on his 394th birth anniversary at Raj Bhawan on Monday.
STRONGER VOTE





SEEKING a stronger mandate in elections is a perfectly normal political desire for organisations as well as individuals. Yet, when Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi talks of seeking a stronger mandate, there is a qualitative difference in this wish and the normal wish. Outwardly, the words Mr. Narendra Modi has used may appear like normal expressions. But when a Prime Minister seeks a stronger mandate in the peculiar Indian conditions, the suggestion is that the so-called anti-incumbency factors do not affect the prospects in the case of Mr. Narendra Modi of his Government of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) or the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) -- even after passage of two terms of cumulative ten years. Thus, the Prime Ministers expression of desire to win a bigger mandate in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections displays a rare kind of confidence in the performance of his own Government and the maturity of the Indian voters to decide what is right and what is wrong. This qualifying attribute actually underlines Indias current political discourse with well-pronounced social and cultural dimensions. The question, thus, goes far beyond the numerical superiority the BJP is seeking for itself -- at least 370 seats in the Lok Sabha for itself, and over 400 seats cumulatively for the NDA. Seen from this perspective, the strong element of confidence the ruling combine senses has a logic of its own and does not represent just a propagandist political bragging.

For, when a Prime Minister makes a statement about increased numbers from the floor of Parliament, and later in the national leadership meet of the BJP, a clear logic appears to be at work -- beyond propaganda. For, as the nation knows, the Prime Minister is not known to make false, propagandist assertions on the floor of Parliament. For, he realises that each of his words would be taken very seriously by the people across political lines -- and appreciated or criticised knowingly. The barrage of developmental statistics the Modi Government dishes out in support of the work it has done in the past ten years is certainly impressive, to say the least. On every possible front, the Modi Governments performance supersedes that of his predecessor-Government -- the economic growth is fabulous, the start-up ecosystem is operating at full speed with numbers of unicorn companies going up every passing week, the diplomatic performance is superlative, the defence preparedness is far improved, the social assistance to the needy has climbed to new peaks, womens empowerment is experiencing a new high, the cultural renaissance has reached rare high and fine levels ...! Another high in the Prime Ministers list is the unified sentiment expressed by the nation with Ram Lallas Pran Pratishtha at Ayodhya temple.

The overall effect of all these positive developments is singular -- both, for the Prime Minister politically, and for the people generally. The confidence that the Prime Minister will return to power for the third consecutive term with stronger mandate, thus, stems from this realisation on his part as well as on the part of the people. Mr. Modi has used the word stronger that goes beyond the mere numerals. In other terms, stronger means with more pronounced in socio-political dimensions. Superficial observers will certainly link the Prime Ministers assertion to bigger numbers. But those who have a deeper sense of India (that is Bharat) will love to talk in terms of not just electoral expression but also nationalistic ideals. For, seen from that angle, the new mandate for Mr. Narendra Modi will mean a greater freedom to take more courageous decisions in larger interest -- with clear reference to the ideal story of India.
Dance of death 3 killed in separate hit-n-run incidents





Special Correspondent

FATALITIES in hit-n-run cases on the thoroughfares of the Second Capital continue unabated with three more innocent persons losing their lives in separate incidents on Sunday. In the first incident that took place in the New Kamptee area, a middle-aged man was killed after a motorcyclist crashed head-on with his motorbike near B N Patil Dhaba on the Nagpur-Jabalpur Highway. Identified as Dilip Ganpatrao Pardhi (54), the deceased was a resident of Plot No 58, Baradwari, Kapsi Khurd, Pardi. Pardhi was returning home on his motorbike (MH-40/AY-2517) around 5.30 pm. Suddenly, a youth riding a motorcycle (CG-25/L-5761) crashed head-on with his motorbike. Pardhi fell off the vehicle and suffered grievous injuries. Fearing arrest, the youth sped away.

Pardhi was rushed to Mayo Hospital where the doctors declared him brought dead. After recording the statement of Shriram (49), younger brother of the deceased, New Kamptee Police registered a case under Sections 279, 337, 304(A) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), read with Sections 184 of the Motor Vehicle (MV) Act, against the youth and launched a search for him. In a similar mishap, 60-year-old Shivbahadursingh Thakur, a resident of Krishna Heritage Apartment, Godhni, lost his life after a speeding motorcyclist hit him in front of Axis Bank, Rabindranath Tagore Road in Civil Lines. Thakur was returning home from the office of Maharashtra State Board for Secondary & Higher Secondary Education on his motorcycle (MH-31/FN-5441) around 6.15 pm. In front of Axis Bank, a young man riding a motorbike at a high speed hit Thakur from the front injuring him seriously.
Duty to rebuild temple that is India: PM





Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Yogi Adityanath and Acharya Pramod Krishnan takes part in a puja during foundation stone-laying ceremony of Shri Kalki Dham at Anchora Kamboh in Sambhal on Monday. (PTI)

SAMBHAL (UP) :

Today, our ancient sculptures are also being brought back from abroad and a record number of foreign investments are also coming. This change is proof that the wheel of time has turned and a new era is knocking at our doors. It is time that we welcome this with an open heart. - PM

THE wheel of time has turned for the country as it records many firsts and sets an example for the world, PM Modi asserted on Monday and said God has given him the duty to rebuild the temple that is India. Addressing a gathering after laying the foundation stone of the Shri Kalki Dham temple here in Uttar Pradesh, he said on the day of the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple in Ayodhya, he had stated that a new cycle has started from January 22. When Lord Shri Ram ruled, his influence lasted for thousands of years. Similarly, with the enthronement of Ram Lalla, a new journey began for India for the next thousand years, he said. Seeking the blessings of seers and religious leaders present at the programme, Prime Minister Modi also said, God has given me the duty to rebuild a rashtriaya rupi mandir (the temple that is India). While on one hand places of pilgrimage are being developed, on the other, cities are getting hi-tech infrastructure, he said and added that today, if temples are being built, new medical colleges are also coming up across the country.

Today, our ancient sculptures are also being brought back from abroad and a record number of foreign investments are also coming. This change is proof that the wheel of time has turned and a new era is knocking at our doors. It is time that we welcome this with an open heart, Modi said. The Prime Minister said for the first time India is in a position where it is not following others but setting an example. For the first time, in the field of technology and digital technology, India is being looked at as a centre of possibilities, he said and added that the country has been recognised as an innovation hub. We have become the fifth largest economy in the world for the first time, the Prime Minister said and added that we have also reached the South Pole of the Moon. Referring to the pran pratishtha ceremony of the idol of Ram Lalla at the newly built temple in Ayodhya, he said, Just last month, the country saw the end of 500 years of wait. That divine experience of Ram Lallas presence, that divine feeling, still makes us emotional. Meanwhile, we have also witnessed the inauguration of the first huge temple in Abu Dhabi, on Arab soil, hundreds of kilometres away from our country, he said.

It is during this period that we have also seen the splendour of Vishwanath Dham flourish. It is during this period that we are seeing the rejuvenation of Kashi. In this period, we have seen the glory of Mahalok of Mahakaal. We have seen the development of Somnath and reconstruction of the Kedar Valley, Modi said. We are imbibing the mantra of development with heritage, he added. Modi, who was accompanied by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Kalki Dham Peethadheeshwar Acharya Pramod Krishnam, also mentioned to the gathering that Kalki is the pioneer of change in this cycle. PM Modi lauds Shivaji on birth anniversary: PRIME Minister Narendra Modi paid tributes to the Maratha empire founder Shivaji on his birth anniversary on Monday. Tributes to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on his Jayanti.

A visionary leader, fearless warrior, protector of culture and embodiment of good governance, his life inspires generations, he said on X. Modi has often lauded Shivaji for his military and administrative genius and had invoked the much-admired Maratha king in his speech at the BJP convention on Sunday as well. Born in 1630, Shivaji fought the reigning Muslim kings of his time, including the Mughals, to carve out his kingdom which went to become one of the most powerful empires in the years to come. He is praised not only for his military skills but also administrative acumen. The Shri Kalki Dham is being constructed by the Shri Kalki Dham Nirman Trust whose chairman is Krishnam. Addressing the gathering before Modi, Chief Minister Adityanath said, We are seeing a new India that has guarantee of jobs for youngsters and also the guarantee of your faith. This is Modi ki Guarantee. The people who played with faith could neither give employment nor respect to the faith of the country. Today, India and its traditions are getting respect on the global stage, he said.

What was impossible in the past has become possible because of the leadership we have. We all feel proud because of it, the Chief Minister said. Krishnam, who was expelled by the Congress for anti-party remarks days after he had met Modi and invited him to lay the foundation stone, said, The foundation of the Kalki Dham, where the God (Kalki) will come, has been laid by Prime Minister Modi. The time for the re-establishment of Ram Rajya has come. When we imagine a picture formed by uniting gyan yog, karm yog and bhakti yog of Lord Krishna, that picture is of Prime Minister Modi, he added. JOIN
Farmers reject Centres proposal of procuring pulses at MSP for 5 yrs





CHANDIGARH,

A DAY after a meeting with Union Ministers, farmer leaders taking part in the Delhi Chalo agitation on Monday rejected the Centres proposal of procuring five crops at MSP, saying it wasnt in farmers interest and announced that they will march towards the national capital on February 21. Earlier, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), which spearheaded the 2020-21 farmers stir, rejected the Governments offer. In the fourth round of talks with farmer leaders on Sunday, a panel of three Union Ministers proposed buying of pulses, maize and cotton crops by Government agencies at minimum support price (MSP) for five years after entering into an agreement with farmers.

Earlier on Monday, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said farmers will hold a discussion on the Centres proposal but will not budge from their demand for a law guaranteeing MSP. Later in the day, Jagjit Singh Dallewal, a leader of SKM (Non-Political) that is spearheading the Delhi Chalo march along with the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, said, After holding a discussion in our two forums, it has been decided that the Centres proposal is not in the interest of farmers and we reject this proposal. When asked if their call for the march to Delhi still stands, Pandher said, We will move to Delhi peacefully at 11 am on February 21. We appeal to the Government that either resolve our issues or remove barricades and allow us to proceed to Delhi to protest peacefully, he said.

Protesting farmers from Punjab have been camping at Shambhu and Khanauri points on the States border with Haryana since February 13 when their Delhi Chalo march was halted by police. Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal, Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Minister Arjun Munda, and Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai held the fourth round of talks with the farmer leaders over their demands.
Gold jewellery worth Rs 50.23 lakh seized





Our Correspondent

MAHASAMUND,

IN yet another successful operation by Singhoda police of the district, a significant amount of gold pieces, jewellery and cash were seized from a car during a routine checking drive at the Rehtikhol inter-state check-post. As much as 837.240 gram of gold jewellery, valued at Rs 50.23 lakh, along with cash amounting to Rs 19.50 lakh, was recovered under section 102. The case has been promptly reported to the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) for further investigation and action. During the routine checking at the interstate check-post, Singhoda police intercepted a Scorpio vehicle with two occupants. Upon inquiry about the contents of the vehicle, they initially attempted to mislead the police.

However, they later confessed to transporting gold. Upon inspection of the vehicle, police discovered four gold pieces. Acting on the information provided by the occupants, two another persons travelling on motorcycle ahead of them were intercepted, leading to the discovery of gold jewelery and cash concealed in a packet. Both the suspects were served notices under section 91 of the Criminal Procedure Code to produce documents related to the gold and cash. As they failed to provide the required documents, the police recovered the gold and cash. In addition to the seizure of assets, a Scorpio vehicle valued at Rs 8 lakh, a motorcycle valued at Rs 80,000, and five mobile handsets valued at Rs 1.25 lakh were seized during the operation. The total value of the recovery amounted to Rs 79.78 lakh.
Locals no to shifting of Mangla from Kamlapur to Borban camp





By Kaushik Bhattacharya

Locals at Kamlapur near elephant camp in Gadchiroli are opposing shifting of the 32-year-old female elephant Mangla to Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR) based Borban camp in Nagpur. Shifting of Mangla to Borban camp will take some more time as the locals at Kamlapur camp are opposing the decision. We are holding talks with them on the issue. Soon, we will take a decision, said a senior forest official who is aware about the development of the shifting process. Nagpur Forest Division established an elephant camp at its Chorbaoli Range for development of eco-tourism in PTR and for deep forest patrolling with the help of elephants. In the first phase, PTR got two male elephants named Bhima (30) and Subramanaya (29) from Karnatakas Motigodu and Dubare elephant camps. Two more elephants were supposed to come from Karnataka including one male and one female elephant. However, the Maharashtra Forest Department failed to find out any female elephant from camps in Karnataka, meanwhile the department has decided to get the female elephant from Gadchirolis Kamlapur camp.

The process of shifting of the female elephant was already in itiated but in the recent development the process has delayed due to the objection raised by the locals. As per the information received by some locals from Kamlapur, the new born calf of Mangala was died in suspicious circumstances soon after delivery last year. It was raised questions over the working of the Kamlapur camp. As per the information, there are eight elephants are residing in Kamlapur camp including two male and six female and Mangala is the eldest one in the camp.
Navalnys Murder





By Gwynne Dyer

VLADIMIR Putins regime had been assassinating Chechen warlords, defectors from the Russian Intelligence services and sundry wayward oligarchs for years, but its first political murder was the hit on high-profile journalist Anna Politkovskaya, who was gunned down in her Moscow apartment in 2006. and so it has been ever since. Attacks on Russian ex-Intelligence agents on foreign soil, however, are conducted more discreetly, by poisonings, not by mob-style shootings, e.g. Alexander Litvinenko, killed in London by radioactive polonium-200 dropped in his tea, and Sergei Skripal, poisoned by the nerve agent novichok smeared on his doorknob (but survived) in Salisbury, England. At home, by contrast, the murders were public and brazen. The leader of the Opposition to Putins dictatorship, Boris Nemtsov, was killed in 2014 as he crossed the bridge from Red Square to the south bank. Four bullets in Nemtsovs back and all the security cameras in the area turned off for maintenance: it was a clear message to all protesters. Putins revenge on Yevgeny Prigozhin, who led an abortive mutiny against the Army leadership last August, was not only public; it was explosive. Prigozhins business jet was bombed on its way to Saint Petersburg two months later, killing him and nine others. Which bring us to the latest death, that of Alexei Navalny last Friday.

Putins henchmen had already tried to kill Navalny once in 2020, breaking into his hotel room and smearing his underwear with novichok while he was on a speaking tour in Siberia. He nearly died on the plane back to Moscow, but the pilot made an emergency landing and he survived. He was evacuated to Germany and made at least a partial recovery, but as de facto leader of the democratic Opposition in Russia he felt obliged to go back. As he once told The Guardian, If I want people to trust me, then I have to share the risks with them and stay here. It was a mistake, although a very brave one. As soon as he got off the plane back in Moscow in 2021 he was arrested, and the regime set about dismantling the modest political network that he had managed to create. His colleagues and helpers either got out of the country in time or they went to jail. Navalny himself disappeared into the gulag, surfacing in various prisons from time to time, while the state conducted a series of sham trials (with him present on video) that yielded ever longer prison sentences. By the time he died they were up to 19 years, but that was irrelevant. As he said himself, he would be in jail until he died or the regime ended.

Well, it was the former, and there is no reason to doubt that he was killed on Putins orders. Nothing as important as that happens in Russia without Putins say-so. It doesnt matter whether Navalny died from poisoning, from the after-effects of a beating, or from malnutrition and exposure. If Putin had not wanted him dead, he would still be alive. QED. The Russian Internet is already filling with speculations about why Putin killed him now, when he was already neutralised. Navalny posed no serious threat to the Russian strongman any more (if he ever did), and one would have thought that Putin didnt need any more negative publicity. But that ignores the role of Putins injured vanity. Strongmen hate to be mocked, and Navalnys specialty was slick, sarcastic videos portraying the Great Leader and his cronies as massively corrupt and incompetent nobodies who had stumbled on great power almost accidentally but were determined to keep it. Putin was so obsessed with Navalny that he could never bring himself to mention the mans name in public, but he was no longer a threat.

The repression in Russia in the past few years has been so harsh that almost everybody is keeping their heads down now. The revolution has been postponed indefinitely, and Navalny died in vain. This begs Lenins famous question: If not now, when? If not us, who?, but nobody wants to answer it right now. Theres a war on: most people close ranks, and those who know better keep their mouths shut. This doesnt mean that Putin will be in power forever, or that Russia can never be a modern democratic society. Of course it can. It might have made it the first time, in the 1990s, if Boris Yeltsin had not been a venal drunk and the United States had not ensured his re-election to the presidency in 1996. There will be another chance for Russia sooner or later, and another after that if they mess it up again. And one day there will be statues of Alexei Navalny in Moscow.
NCW chief visits Sandeshkhali Seeks Presidents Rule in WB, Mamatas resignation





KOLKATA,

NATIONAL Commission for Women (NCW) Chairperson Rekha Sharma on Monday called for resignation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and imposition of Presidents Rule following allegations of sexual abuse by TMC leaders in Sandeshkhali. Sharma, who led a delegation of NCW to the unrest-hit area in North 24 Parganas district, said the visit was aimed at bolstering confidence among women to speak out about their experiences. Amid ongoing tensions in Sandeshkhali over protests against TMC-led atrocities and sexual harassment, police maintained a strong presence as normalcy struggled to return to the area. After speaking with women in Sandeshkhali, its clear the situation is dire. Numerous women shared their harrowing experiences; one even reported being raped inside a TMC party office. We demand Presidents Rule in Bengal, which we will also include in our report, Sharma stated to PTI. The demand for imposition of Presidents Rule in West Bengal came days after the National Commission for Scheduled Caste (NCSC) recommended the same in its report submitted to President Droupadi Murmu on alleged harassment of women by TMC supporters in Sandeshkhali. I think the Chief Minister should resign, Sharma said while talking to reporters.

She accused the Mamata Government of attempting to suppress womens voices to conceal the truth and emphasised the need for the arrest of Shajahan Sheikh, an absconding TMC leader allegedly involved in the atrocities, to encourage more women to come forward with complaints. I am in Sandeshkhali for the entire day to hear from women. But the culprit must be arrested. Once (Shajahan) Shiekh is arrested, I believe more women will come out with their complaints. We have to instil confidence in them. I will talk to the police, Sharma told reporters soon after reaching the area. Sharmas visit comes after a two-member team of the commission took stock of the situation in the area last week and submitted a report. The NCW Chairperson alleged that neither the District Magistrate nor the Superintendent of Police were present there to meet her. The administration and the police are not listening to complaints of women and they do not do anything. Only one woman has come out and registered her statement before a magistrate.

We want more women to come in the front. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has never allowed her officers to meet teams of central officers as she is trying to hide the truth. But the truth will come out, Sharma said. The two-member NCW teams report revealed a troubling pattern of negligence and complicity by the State Government and law enforcement officials. We want to talk to the victims and will then meet the West Bengal Governor and then the President in New Delhi. Even if only one incident takes place, it is shameful, Sharma said. She alleged that the TMC Government was not allowing the State administration to cooperate with Central agencies. The NCW chiefs remarks drew a sharp rebuttal from the ruling TMC, which accused the panel of echoing the BJPs agenda and wondered why the panel failed to show similar promptness in BJP-ruled states. Reacting to Sharmas allegations, the TMC asked why Sharma does not go to BJP-ruled States where similar allegations were raised.

Senior State minister Shashi Panja asked, Why didnt she visit Madhya Pradeshs Morena, where a pregnant woman was gangraped and set ablaze? Why didnt the NCW respond when female wrestlers protested against BJP MPs alleged sexual misconduct? Why did the commission ignore complaints of atrocities against women in Manipur? Panja claimed that the West Bengal Government has taken all necessary steps to control the situation and several have been arrested. Manipur was burning for the last several months. Did the BJP Chief Minister resign? Did they impose Presidents Rule there? The commission should act impartially and should not act as an extended office of the BJP, she said. The panel is just parroting the agenda of the BJP, TMC State vice president Jaiprakash Majumdar said. Sharma, however, declined to comment on the remarks by the TMC. A large number of women in Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district had accused Trinamool Congress strongman Shajahan Sheikh and his supporters of land-grab and sexually assaulting them under coercion. Shajahan has been absconding after a mob, allegedly affiliated to him, attacked ED officials on January 5.
In the midst of a relatively steady week, the United States market has shown resilience with a 21% increase over the past year, bolstered by projections of annual earnings growth at 15%. In this environment, dividend stocks stand out for their potential to provide investors with a stable income stream, particularly those with solid yields up to 5.6%.

Top 10 Dividend Stocks In The United States

Name Dividend Yield Dividend Rating Premier Financial (NasdaqGS:PFC) 6.04%  AGCO (NYSE:AGCO) 5.63%  Peoples Bancorp (NasdaqGS:PEBO) 5.39%  Sierra Bancorp (NasdaqGS:BSRR) 4.77%  First Interstate BancSystem (NasdaqGS:FIBK) 7.15%  Ennis (NYSE:EBF) 4.93%  Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY) 4.81%  Best Buy (NYSE:BBY) 4.99%  Dillard's (NYSE:DDS) 4.96%  ALLETE (NYSE:ALE) 4.81% 

Click here to see the full list of 179 stocks from our Top Dividend Stocks screener.

We're going to check out a few of the best picks from our screener tool.

Simply Wall St Dividend Rating: 

Overview: ALLETE, Inc. is an energy company that manages a diverse portfolio of electricity generation and transmission operations, with a market capitalization of approximately $3.37 billion.

Operations: ALLETE, Inc.'s revenue is primarily derived from its Regulated Operations segment, which generated $1.22 billion, complemented by contributions from Allete Clean Energy at $450.1 million.

Dividend Yield: 4.8%

ALLETE (NYSE: ALE), a dividend-paying utility, exhibits financial prudence with a decreasing debt to equity ratio, now at 52.9%, and its dividends appear sustainable with a payout ratio of 62.1% and cash payout ratio of 39.6%. Over the past decade, ALE has provided reliable and stable dividends, reflecting disciplined financial management despite a high net debt to equity ratio of 49.2%. Earnings have modestly increased by an average of 2.8% annually over five years, with recent acceleration to 24% growth over the past yearoutpacing the five-year average. Profit margins have seen slight improvement; however, revenue growth projections remain modest and interest payments are less comfortably covered by earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT).

Story continues

NYSE:ALE Dividend History as at Feb 2024

Simply Wall St Dividend Rating: 

Overview: Ennis, Inc. is a company that specializes in the manufacturing and sale of business forms and various business products within the United States, with a market capitalization of approximately $525 million.

Operations: Ennis, Inc. generates its revenues primarily through its print segment, which accounted for $425.367 million.

Dividend Yield: 4.9%

Ennis (NYSE: EBF) stands out as a debt-free company, having eliminated its debt from a 10.4% ratio five years ago. This clean balance sheet is complemented by a consistent performance in earnings, which have grown annually by 4.6% over the past five years and recently accelerated to 6.9%. EBF's dividend reliability is underscored by its decade-long history of stable and growing payouts, supported by both earnings and cash flows with payout ratios of 57.9% and 43.6%, respectively, ensuring sustainability despite forecasted revenue declines in the near term.

NYSE:EBF Dividend History as at Feb 2024

Simply Wall St Dividend Rating: 

Overview: AGCO Corporation is a global manufacturer and distributor of agricultural equipment and replacement parts, with a market capitalization of approximately $8.19 billion.

Operations: AGCO Corporation's revenue is primarily generated from three geographical segments: North America contributes $3.75 billion, South America adds $2.23 billion, and the largest share comes from Europe/Middle East at $7.54 billion, with Asia/Pacific/Africa also contributing a smaller portion.

Dividend Yield: 5.6%

AGCO Corporation, a player in the agricultural equipment sector, exhibits financial prudence with its debt levels showing a healthy decline over five years and maintaining a satisfactory net debt to equity ratio. Notably, the company's earnings have expanded robustly during this period, although the most recent year's growth didn't keep pace with its five-year trend. Dividend sustainability is reinforced by AGCO's conservative payout ratio and solid coverage by free cash flow. While dividends have seen a decade of growth, investors should note that both revenue and earnings are projected to dip in the coming years. Nevertheless, AGCO's interest obligations are comfortably met by its earnings before interest and taxes.

NYSE:AGCO Dividend History as at Feb 2024

Final Thoughts

Harness the analytical prowess of the Simply Wall St screener to discover a spectrum of dividend-paying stocks tailored to your investment strategy. Explore the 179 names from our Top Dividend Stocks screener here.

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.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com
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Youve gotten all of your forms together. Your deductions and exemptions have been calculated. You even reached out early to your CPA to book an appointment. Sounds like you are ready for whatever tax season has to throw your way. Only theres one little snag: you owe the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) some money, and its not going to be a small amount.

Learn More: The 7 Worst Things You Can Do If You Owe the IRS

Try This: 6 Unusual Ways To Make Extra Money (That Actually Work)

Theres any number of tax-related reasons why you might need to send the IRS a check. There are also a few things you should do right away if you have an outstanding balance with the government. Here are five things to do immediately if you owe the IRS money in 2024.

Artfully79 / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Dont Ignore the Debt

Just because you pretend that you didnt see the final figure added up on your calculator  or you ignored the notices that were mailed out to you  does not mean that the money you owe will suddenly disappear.

Ignoring your tax debt wont make it go away, said Steve Crews, a representative of Golden Road Reborn. In fact, it can lead to increased penalties and interest charges. The IRS charges a failure-to-pay penalty of one half of one percent for each month, or part of a month, up to a maximum of 25% of the amount of tax that remains unpaid.

Prompt action can help avoid additional penalties and interest, added David Brillant, a tax and trust and estate attorney with the Brillant Law Firm. Contacting the IRS to discuss installment plans or temporary delays in payment can demonstrate goodwill and may provide temporary relief.

Brilliant gave the example that under the People First Initiative announced in March 2020, the IRS relaxed certain payment requirements temporarily, a precedent indicating potential future leniency under specific circumstances.

Find Out: This Is the One Type of Debt That Terrifies Dave Ramsey

Read Next: Billionaires vs. the Middle Class: Who Pays More in Taxes?

Sponsored: Owe the IRS $10K or more? Schedule a FREE consultation to see if you qualify for tax relief.

Story continues

AleksandarNakic / Getty Images

Explore Payment Options

If you owe money to the IRS, the good news is that you usually do not have to pay in full right away. There are ways to come up with a payment plan that works for you and your family, but you need to be upfront and honest about your financial situation.

If you cant pay your tax debt in full, the IRS offers several payment options, explained Crews. You may qualify for a payment plan, such as an installment agreement, which allows you to pay monthly. For debts under $50,000, you can apply for a long-term payment plan online.

Brilliant added, reviewing your tax position for any overlooked deductions or credits with a tax professional could identify areas to reduce the overall tax liability.

Be Aware: IRS Increases Gift and Estate Tax Exempt Limits  Heres How Much You Can Give Without Paying

PeopleImages / iStock.com

Consider an Offer in Compromise

If you find yourself in debt to the IRS, do not worry: other taxpayers have been in your position prior to 2024, which is why there is the option to do an Offer in Compromise (OIC).

An Offer in Compromise might be an option if youre unable to pay your full tax liability or doing so creates financial hardship, Crews said. This agreement allows you to settle your tax debt for less than the full amount you owe.

For cases of extreme economic hardship, Brilliant offered that its worth applying for an Offer in Compromise, because it might allow for a settlement for less than the full amount owed, if the taxpayers situation qualifies, a process Ive guided clients through successfully on multiple occasions.

Drazen Zigic / iStock/Getty Images

Seek Penalty Relief

The IRS can hand out penalties to taxpayers that owe them money, but they can also offer various forms of penalty relief  that is, if you have a clean and upstanding record with them in prior tax seasons.

The IRS provides penalty relief for taxpayers who meet certain conditions, such as first-time penalty abatement or reasonable cause, said Crews. If you believe you qualify, dont hesitate to ask for relief.

Getting the Currently Not Collectible status may work if you can show paying would cause real financial hardship, which pauses collection efforts temporarily, explained Ashley Connell, the founder of Lease Extensions and a member of ALEP (Association of Leasehold Enfranchisement Practitioners). These choices take lots of paperwork and sometimes haggling with the IRS, but they can be a huge help if you qualify.

courtneyk / Getty Images

Get Professional Help

If you find there is truly no way out of paying the money you owe to the IRS, it might be time to reach out to someone who knows the tax business inside and out. That could be an attorney, accountant or someone else you trust to help you sort out your ongoing and outstanding tax debt with the government.

If youre unsure about how to proceed, consider consulting a tax professional, Crews said. They can help you understand your options, negotiate with the IRS on your behalf and ensure youre taking the right steps to resolve your tax debt.

More From GOBankingRates

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 5 Things To Do Immediately If You Owe the IRS Money in 2024
Donald Trump surprised the world by winning the US presidential election in 2016, establishing a mystique as somebody who can break rules, violate norms, take crazy risks, and still win.

The mystique is gone.

Since 2018, Trump has endured a string of losses that should bury the idea that Trump somehow defies gravity in politics and business. The latest legal judgment against him, a gigantic $355 million fine for business fraud in New York state, could threaten the entire enterprise Trumps father Fred established in the 1920s if it survives an appeal.

More setbacks seem likely. Trump faces 91 criminal charges in four separate cases and has astronomical legal bills. While hes cruising to the Republican presidential nomination, and even leading the Democratic contender, President Joe Biden, in some polls, Trump is also amassing a record as a serial loser. Seven prominent examples:

The 2018 midterm elections. Voter disgust with Trump in the second year of his presidency helped Democrats flip 40 seats and recapture the House of Representatives from Trumps Republican party. While its normal for the presidents party to lose ground in the midterms, exit polls in 2018 revealed unusually high levels of opposition to Trump, which fueled record turnout. Control of the House allowed Democrats to block Trumps legislative agenda for the last two years of his presidency.

The 2020 presidential election. Trump was the first incumbent to lose a reelection bid since George H. W. Bush in 1992.

The 2020 Senate race. Control of the Senate in the 2020 election came down to two runoff races in Georgia that werent concluded until early January 2021. Two Democratic challengers ended up beating two incumbent Republicans, an improbable Hollywood ending for Democrats that gave them a one-vote majority and control of both houses of Congress. Many analysts, including Republicans, blamed Trumps election denialism and his squabbling with fellow Republicans for the Georgia Senate losses. Those two Senate seats allowed Democrats to pass a huge stimulus bill in 2021 and a massive set of green energy incentives in 2022 that never would have happened had Republicans kept control of the Senate.

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Former US President Donald Trump speaks to the press as he arrives at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City on February 15, 2024. (ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images) (ANGELA WEISS via Getty Images)

The 2022 midterms. Trump endorsed a variety of Republicans in 2022, including many incumbents with no chance of losing. In competitive races, however, most of Trumps choices lost, including Senate candidates Herschel Walker in Georgia, Mehmet Oz in Pennsylvania, and Blake Masters in Arizona, allowing Democrats to keep the Senate. Republicans did win control of the House, but just barely, with Democrats overperforming. Once again, exit polls showed that Trumps involvement hurt Republicans. The GOPs tiny majority set the stage for the defenestration of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy last October  and the subsequent paralysis that Joe Biden is now exploiting in his reelection campaign.

Trump Organization fraud case. In December 2022, a New York jury convicted Trumps real-estate company on 17 charges of tax fraud and other crimes. Thats the same case in which former CFO Allen Weisselberg pled guilty to tax crimes. A judge fined the company $1.6 million, the maximum allowed. Prosecutors didnt charge Trump personally.

Drop Rick Newman a note, follow him on Twitter, or sign up for his newsletter.

E. Jean Carroll lawsuits. Last year, a federal jury found that Trump sexually abused and defamed the New York writer, ordering him to pay her $5 million. Trump continued to lambaste Carroll publicly, and in January, another jury ordered Trump to pay Carroll an additional $83.3 million. Trump has finally stopped attacking Carroll.

New York state fraud lawsuit. Last September, a judge found that Trump, his company, and several executives defrauded banks and insurance companies by substantially and repeatedly overstating the value of certain properties. On Feb. 17, the same judge hit Trump with $355 million in fines, plus interest likely to push the total over $450 million.

Trump famously said in 2016 that he could shoot somebody on Fifth Avenue in New York and suffer no consequences. He and his supporters should reassess. During the last few years, Trump has repeatedly suffered consequences for cheating, bullying, lying, and overestimating his capabilities. The stakes are about to get higher still.

In March, Trump will face a New York City criminal trial related to hush money payments during the 2016 election that Trump claimed as business expenses. A guilty verdict could entail up to four years in prison. Pending are one federal trial on Trumps role in the Jan. 6, 2021, riots at the US Capitol and another on his misuse of classified documents after he left the White House. Then theres the Fulton County, Georgia, trial on election fraud.

If Trump once seemed like he could get away with anything, he doesnt anymore. Trump seems to win points with his supporters for mouthing off to judges and prosecutors, but hes losing cases and an enormous amount of money. Some analysts speculate that Trump's legal catastrophes may force him to declare personal bankruptcy.

As for the 2024 election, Trump seems set to defy the rules again by becoming the only major presidential candidate being prosecuted  and possibly convicted  of serious crimes while campaigning. He could even beat Biden in November and claim a second presidential term. But Trump is no longer an underdog, a dynasty destroyer, or a swamp-drainer. The establishment he wants to destroy is fighting back and racking up a sizable string of victories.

Rick Newman is a senior columnist for Yahoo Finance. Follow him on Twitter at @rickjnewman.

Click here for political news related to business and money policies that will shape tomorrow's stock prices.

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No lights, no siren: Inside the lifesaving work of the Houston SPCA Animal Rescue Ambulance
Nationwide Building Society (LON:NBS  Get Free Report) reached a new 52-week high on Monday . The company traded as high as 132 ($166.71) and last traded at 132 ($166.71), with a volume of 500 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at 132 ($166.71).

Nationwide Building Society Stock Performance

The firm has a market cap of 1.29 billion, a P/E ratio of 0.80 and a beta of 0.29. The companys 50-day moving average is GBX 5,700.01 and its two-hundred day moving average is GBX 5,707.87.

Nationwide Building Society Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Nationwide Building Society, together with its subsidiaries, provides retail financial services in the United Kingdom. The company offers current, savings, and individual savings accounts; residential mortgages; overdrafts, personal loans, car loans, and home improvement loans; and credit cards. It also provides loans to registered social landlords, loans made under the private finance initiatives, and commercial real estate loans.

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Shares of CarMax, Inc. (NYSE:KMX  Get Free Report) have earned a consensus rating of Hold from the ten ratings firms that are presently covering the company, MarketBeat.com reports. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have issued a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 1-year price target among analysts that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $77.40.

KMX has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their target price on shares of CarMax from $70.00 to $60.00 and set an underweight rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, November 29th. Truist Financial upped their target price on shares of CarMax from $72.00 to $75.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research note on Friday, December 22nd. Wedbush restated an outperform rating and set a $90.00 price objective on shares of CarMax in a research note on Friday. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada increased their price objective on shares of CarMax from $80.00 to $83.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Friday, December 22nd.

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Insider Activity at CarMax

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

In related news, CEO William D. Nash sold 102,775 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $75.09, for a total value of $7,717,374.75. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 177,180 shares in the company, valued at approximately $13,304,446.20. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website . In other CarMax news, SVP Jon G. Daniels sold 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $77.56, for a total value of $775,600.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 1,525 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $118,279. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink . Also, CEO William D. Nash sold 102,775 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $75.09, for a total transaction of $7,717,374.75. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 177,180 shares in the company, valued at $13,304,446.20. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . In the last ninety days, insiders sold 151,704 shares of company stock worth $11,233,876. Insiders own 1.66% of the companys stock.

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of KMX. Fairfield Bush & CO. bought a new position in shares of CarMax during the first quarter worth approximately $106,000. American Century Companies Inc. increased its holdings in shares of CarMax by 11.8% during the first quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 23,475 shares of the companys stock worth $2,264,000 after purchasing an additional 2,483 shares during the period. Panagora Asset Management Inc. increased its holdings in shares of CarMax by 80.1% during the first quarter. Panagora Asset Management Inc. now owns 16,980 shares of the companys stock worth $1,638,000 after purchasing an additional 7,550 shares during the period. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS increased its holdings in shares of CarMax by 6.3% during the first quarter. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS now owns 21,633 shares of the companys stock worth $2,087,000 after purchasing an additional 1,285 shares during the period. Finally, Yousif Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of CarMax by 1.2% during the first quarter. Yousif Capital Management LLC now owns 26,032 shares of the companys stock worth $2,512,000 after purchasing an additional 299 shares during the period.

CarMax Price Performance

KMX opened at $71.88 on Thursday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.71, a current ratio of 2.45 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.01. CarMax has a 12 month low of $55.76 and a 12 month high of $87.50. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $72.81 and a 200 day simple moving average of $72.47. The stock has a market cap of $11.35 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.82, a P/E/G ratio of 1.59 and a beta of 1.60.

CarMax (NYSE:KMX  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, December 21st. The company reported $0.52 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.42 by $0.10. CarMax had a net margin of 1.87% and a return on equity of 7.72%. The business had revenue of $6.15 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $6.29 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $0.24 EPS. The firms quarterly revenue was down 5.5% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts expect that CarMax will post 2.88 EPS for the current year.

About CarMax

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CarMax, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a retailer of used vehicles in the United States. It operates in two segments, CarMax Sales Operations and CarMax Auto Finance. The company offers customers a range of makes and models of used vehicles, including domestic, imported, and luxury vehicles, as well as hybrid and electric vehicles; and extended protection plans to customers at the time of sale, as well as sells vehicles that are approximately 10 years old and has more than 100,000 miles through wholesale auctions.

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Azimuth Capital Investment Management LLC lifted its holdings in Target Co. (NYSE:TGT  Free Report) by 2.3% in the third quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 45,434 shares of the retailers stock after purchasing an additional 1,023 shares during the quarter. Azimuth Capital Investment Management LLCs holdings in Target were worth $5,024,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in TGT. Tower View Wealth Management LLC raised its holdings in Target by 82.8% during the 3rd quarter. Tower View Wealth Management LLC now owns 234 shares of the retailers stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 106 shares during the last quarter. Sittner & Nelson LLC raised its holdings in Target by 150.6% during the 2nd quarter. Sittner & Nelson LLC now owns 213 shares of the retailers stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 128 shares during the last quarter. First Capital Advisors Group LLC. bought a new stake in Target during the 2nd quarter worth about $31,000. WFA of San Diego LLC bought a new stake in Target during the 2nd quarter worth about $33,000. Finally, Penserra Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in Target during the 4th quarter worth about $35,000. 78.33% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Insider Transactions at Target

In other news, insider Matthew L. Zabel sold 4,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $131.33, for a total transaction of $525,320.00. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 16,486 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,165,106.38. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 0.23% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several analysts have weighed in on the company. BMO Capital Markets boosted their price objective on Target from $120.00 to $130.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a report on Thursday, November 16th. Roth Mkm restated a neutral rating and set a $140.00 price objective on shares of Target in a report on Thursday, November 16th. Gordon Haskett upgraded shares of Target from a hold rating to a buy rating and set a $170.00 target price on the stock in a report on Wednesday, February 7th. Jefferies Financial Group reduced their price target on shares of Target from $165.00 to $135.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, November 14th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on shares of Target from $148.00 to $155.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, January 4th. Fourteen analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fourteen have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $154.92.

View Our Latest Report on Target

Target Stock Up 1.1 %

NYSE:TGT traded up $1.66 on Tuesday, hitting $150.17. 1,159,632 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,386,937. The company has a market cap of $69.33 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.08, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.16 and a beta of 1.11. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $142.00 and a 200-day moving average price of $127.94. Target Co. has a 52 week low of $102.93 and a 52 week high of $172.67. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.19, a current ratio of 0.86 and a quick ratio of 0.18.

Target Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Sunday, March 10th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, February 21st will be paid a dividend of $1.10 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, February 20th. This represents a $4.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.93%. Targets dividend payout ratio is presently 56.12%.

Target Profile

(Free Report)

Target Corporation operates as a general merchandise retailer in the United States. The company offers apparel for women, men, boys, girls, toddlers, and infants and newborns, as well as jewelry, accessories, and shoes; and beauty and personal care, baby gear, cleaning, paper products, and pet supplies.

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Azimuth Capital Investment Management LLC lessened its position in Edwards Lifesciences Co. (NYSE:EW  Free Report) by 2.3% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 90,483 shares of the medical research companys stock after selling 2,099 shares during the quarter. Azimuth Capital Investment Management LLCs holdings in Edwards Lifesciences were worth $6,269,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Truvestments Capital LLC grew its stake in shares of Edwards Lifesciences by 260.0% in the 2nd quarter. Truvestments Capital LLC now owns 270 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $25,000 after buying an additional 195 shares during the period. Castleview Partners LLC purchased a new position in shares of Edwards Lifesciences during the 1st quarter valued at about $25,000. Compass Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in Edwards Lifesciences in the 4th quarter worth approximately $31,000. Northwest Capital Management Inc bought a new stake in shares of Edwards Lifesciences during the second quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Finally, Jackson Grant Investment Advisers Inc. purchased a new position in Edwards Lifesciences during the third quarter valued at $38,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 79.25% of the companys stock.

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Edwards Lifesciences Price Performance

EW stock traded up $0.45 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $86.55. The stock had a trading volume of 607,267 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,099,221. The companys 50 day moving average price is $77.76 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $73.53. Edwards Lifesciences Co. has a 1-year low of $60.57 and a 1-year high of $94.87. The stock has a market cap of $52.02 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 37.43, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.32 and a beta of 1.04. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.09, a quick ratio of 2.40 and a current ratio of 3.38.

Insider Activity at Edwards Lifesciences

Edwards Lifesciences ( NYSE:EW Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 6th. The medical research company reported $0.64 EPS for the quarter, meeting analysts consensus estimates of $0.64. The company had revenue of $1.53 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.50 billion. Edwards Lifesciences had a net margin of 23.35% and a return on equity of 23.56%. The companys quarterly revenue was up 13.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $0.64 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Edwards Lifesciences Co. will post 2.76 EPS for the current fiscal year.

In other Edwards Lifesciences news, VP Daveen Chopra sold 3,500 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $70.00, for a total value of $245,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now owns 23,950 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,676,500. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In other Edwards Lifesciences news, Director Michael A. Mussallem sold 29,350 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $74.62, for a total value of $2,190,097.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 4,486 shares in the company, valued at $334,745.32. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, VP Daveen Chopra sold 3,500 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $70.00, for a total value of $245,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 23,950 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,676,500. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 174,889 shares of company stock valued at $13,685,420 in the last quarter. Insiders own 1.29% of the companys stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Morgan Stanley raised their price objective on shares of Edwards Lifesciences from $80.00 to $95.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, February 7th. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Edwards Lifesciences from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 13th. Wolfe Research cut Edwards Lifesciences from a peer perform rating to an underperform rating and set a $57.00 target price on the stock. in a research report on Tuesday, November 28th. Truist Financial increased their target price on Edwards Lifesciences from $78.00 to $84.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Friday, December 22nd. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus increased their target price on Edwards Lifesciences from $70.00 to $83.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 7th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating and nine have given a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Edwards Lifesciences currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $87.38.

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Edwards Lifesciences Company Profile

(Free Report)

Edwards Lifesciences Corporation provides products and technologies for structural heart disease and critical care monitoring in the United States, Europe, Japan, and internationally. It offers transcatheter heart valve replacement products for the minimally invasive replacement of aortic heart valves under the Edwards SAPIEN family of valves system; and transcatheter heart valve repair and replacement products to treat mitral and tricuspid valve diseases under the PASCAL PRECISION and Cardioband names.

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Barclays PLC (LON:BARC  Get Free Report) announced a dividend on Tuesday, February 20th, Upcoming.Co.Uk reports. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 29th will be paid a dividend of GBX 5.30 ($0.07) per share by the financial services provider on Wednesday, April 3rd. This represents a yield of 3.56%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, February 29th. This is a boost from Barclayss previous dividend of $2.70. The official announcement can be seen at this link.

Barclays Stock Performance

Shares of Barclays stock opened at GBX 159.58 ($2.01) on Tuesday. Barclays has a 52 week low of GBX 128.12 ($1.61) and a 52 week high of GBX 198.86 ($2.50). The stock has a 50 day moving average price of GBX 147.82 and a two-hundred day moving average price of GBX 146.75. The stock has a market capitalization of 24.21 billion, a PE ratio of 469.35, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of -1.09 and a beta of 1.37.

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Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, insider Anna Cross sold 74,044 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of GBX 143 ($1.80), for a total value of 105,882.92 ($133,320.22). In other news, insider Nigel Higgins acquired 200,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Thursday, December 7th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of GBX 139 ($1.75) per share, for a total transaction of 278,000 ($350,037.77). Also, insider Anna Cross sold 74,044 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of GBX 143 ($1.80), for a total value of 105,882.92 ($133,320.22). 0.23% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts recently issued reports on the company. Citigroup reaffirmed a buy rating on shares of Barclays in a research report on Wednesday, January 31st. Shore Capital reiterated a buy rating on shares of Barclays in a report on Tuesday. Finally, Berenberg Bank reiterated a buy rating and set a GBX 240 ($3.02) price target on shares of Barclays in a report on Thursday, January 25th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, Based on data from MarketBeat, Barclays presently has a consensus rating of Buy and a consensus price target of GBX 247 ($3.11).

Check Out Our Latest Research Report on Barclays

About Barclays

(Get Free Report)

Barclays PLC provides various financial services in the United Kingdom, Europe, the Americas, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. The company operates through two segments, Barclays UK and Barclays International divisions. It offers financial services, such as retail banking, credit cards, wholesale banking, investment banking, wealth management, and investment management services.

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Brandes Investment Partners LP boosted its position in Rogers Communications Inc. (NYSE:RCI  Free Report) (TSE:RCI.B) by 43.1% during the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 21,810 shares of the Wireless communications providers stock after buying an additional 6,574 shares during the quarter. Brandes Investment Partners LPs holdings in Rogers Communications were worth $837,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in RCI. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of Rogers Communications by 62.8% during the third quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 700 shares of the Wireless communications providers stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 270 shares during the period. Stonehage Fleming Financial Services Holdings Ltd acquired a new stake in shares of Rogers Communications during the third quarter worth about $29,000. Nelson Van Denburg & Campbell Wealth Management Group LLC raised its position in shares of Rogers Communications by 26.7% during the first quarter. Nelson Van Denburg & Campbell Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 1,760 shares of the Wireless communications providers stock worth $99,000 after purchasing an additional 371 shares during the period. Macquarie Group Ltd. acquired a new stake in shares of Rogers Communications during the first quarter worth about $82,000. Finally, Tower Research Capital LLC TRC acquired a new stake in shares of Rogers Communications during the third quarter worth about $100,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 44.25% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts have recently commented on the company. StockNews.com raised Rogers Communications from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research report on Monday, November 13th. Barclays dropped their target price on Rogers Communications from $55.00 to $52.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, February 12th. Finally, Desjardins raised Rogers Communications from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Friday, November 10th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Rogers Communications has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $52.00.

Rogers Communications Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE RCI traded up $0.12 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting $45.77. 54,959 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 381,632. The company has a quick ratio of 0.84, a current ratio of 0.89 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.81. Rogers Communications Inc. has a 12 month low of $36.55 and a 12 month high of $50.00. The companys 50 day moving average price is $46.54 and its 200 day moving average price is $42.65. The firm has a market capitalization of $24.19 billion, a PE ratio of 38.04, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.37 and a beta of 0.62.

Rogers Communications Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 3rd. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 11th will be paid a $0.3742 dividend. This is a boost from Rogers Communicationss previous quarterly dividend of $0.36. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 8th. This represents a $1.50 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.27%. Rogers Communicationss payout ratio is 122.50%.

Rogers Communications Profile

(Free Report)

Rogers Communications Inc operates as a communications and media company in North America. It operates through three segments: Wireless, Cable, and Media. The company offers mobile Internet access, wireless voice and enhanced voice, device financing, device protection, global voice and data roaming, wireless home phone, bridging landline, machine-to-machine and Internet of Things solutions, and advanced wireless solutions for businesses, as well as device shipping services; and postpaid and prepaid services under the Rogers, Fido, and chatr brands.

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Brandywine Global Investment Management LLC reduced its position in Duke Energy Co. (NYSE:DUK  Free Report) by 19.5% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 402,153 shares of the utilities providers stock after selling 97,278 shares during the quarter. Brandywine Global Investment Management LLC owned about 0.05% of Duke Energy worth $35,494,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other large investors have also made changes to their positions in DUK. Fairfield Bush & CO. purchased a new position in shares of Duke Energy in the 1st quarter worth $40,000. Cibc World Market Inc. raised its position in Duke Energy by 1.2% in the first quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. now owns 47,250 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $5,276,000 after purchasing an additional 581 shares during the period. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC raised its position in Duke Energy by 29.5% in the first quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 9,751 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $1,089,000 after purchasing an additional 2,223 shares during the period. Covestor Ltd raised its position in Duke Energy by 447.8% in the first quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 1,260 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $141,000 after purchasing an additional 1,030 shares during the period. Finally, Mather Group LLC. raised its position in Duke Energy by 5.2% in the first quarter. Mather Group LLC. now owns 6,505 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $726,000 after purchasing an additional 322 shares during the period. 63.68% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have commented on the company. Bank of America lowered Duke Energy from a buy rating to a neutral rating and cut their price objective for the company from $105.00 to $96.00 in a research report on Monday, February 12th. StockNews.com raised Duke Energy from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research report on Friday, November 3rd. KeyCorp lifted their target price on Duke Energy from $106.00 to $107.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, January 4th. Morgan Stanley lifted their target price on Duke Energy from $93.00 to $95.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 21st. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada raised Duke Energy from a sector perform rating to an outperform rating and lifted their target price for the stock from $101.00 to $113.00 in a research report on Wednesday, January 10th. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $100.00.

Insider Transactions at Duke Energy

In related news, EVP Louis E. Renjel sold 3,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $92.57, for a total transaction of $277,710.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 14,213 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,315,697.41. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.11% of the companys stock.

Duke Energy Stock Performance

DUK stock traded up $0.35 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $92.23. The company had a trading volume of 517,538 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,051,932. The company has a quick ratio of 0.49, a current ratio of 0.74 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.50. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $96.07 and a 200 day moving average price of $92.28. Duke Energy Co. has a fifty-two week low of $83.06 and a fifty-two week high of $100.39. The firm has a market capitalization of $71.08 billion, a PE ratio of 25.88, a P/E/G ratio of 2.92 and a beta of 0.48.

Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK  Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, February 8th. The utilities provider reported $1.51 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.53 by ($0.02). The company had revenue of $7.21 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.24 billion. Duke Energy had a net margin of 9.78% and a return on equity of 8.93%. The businesss revenue was down 1.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $1.11 earnings per share. Analysts anticipate that Duke Energy Co. will post 5.97 earnings per share for the current year.

Duke Energy Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 18th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 16th will be given a dividend of $1.025 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, February 15th. This represents a $4.10 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.45%. Duke Energys dividend payout ratio is presently 115.49%.

Duke Energy Company Profile

(Free Report)

Duke Energy Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as an energy company in the United States. It operates through two segments, Electric Utilities and Infrastructure (EU&I) and Gas Utilities and Infrastructure (GU&I). The EU&I segment generates, transmits, distributes, and sells electricity in the Carolinas, Florida, and the Midwest; and uses coal, hydroelectric, natural gas, oil, solar and wind sources, renewables, and nuclear fuel to generate electricity.

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'It's an absolute war zone': Kevin O'Leary blasts California as the worst managed, least competitive state in America and calls San Francisco 'a rat hole.' Why he's hating on the Golden State

Blessed with stunning coastlines and splendid weather, California is renowned for its scenic beauty, dynamic urban centers and diverse cultural fabric.

But Shark Tank star Kevin OLeary is not a fan of the Golden State. He recently labeled it as the worst managed and most uncompetitive state in the country.

Dont miss

OLeary's comments emerged during a recent Fox Business interview when he was asked about the push for a $50 per hour federal minimum wage by Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif.

The problem with that narrative is it does not discuss the real root issue, OLeary said.

He specifically criticized San Francisco, describing the city as an absolute warzone and citing it as an example of how you can get to being a rat hole over 10 years.

He suggested that rather than focusing on minimum wage issues, California's politicians should improve how the state is run.

So why not discuss better management of the resources versus just continuing to pay for inefficiency and lack of executional skills? That place is a loser state  the number one loser state on my list of winners and losers, he stated.

Cost of living crisis

Lee proposed the minimum wage hike as part of her campaign for a U.S. Senate seat. Considering the current federal minimum wage stands at $7.25 an hour, her proposal is notably ambitious.

California already boasts one of the highest minimum wages in the country at $16 an hour. Additionally, there are specific industries with higher minimum wage rates set to take effect later in the year: fast food restaurant employers will see an increase to $20 an hour effective April 1, 2024, and healthcare facility employers will have their minimum wage increased to $25 an hour on June 1, 2024.

Story continues

Lee argues that her push for a $50 minimum wage stems from the state's high cost of living.

In the Bay Area, I believe it was the United Way, came out with a report that very recently $127,000 for a family of four is just barely enough to get by, she said during a recent debate in San Francisco. Another survey very recently: $104,000 for a family of one, barely enough to get by  low income because of the affordability crisis. And so just do the math.

Read more: Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now cash in on prime real estate  without the headache of being a landlord. Here's how

For an individual working 40 hours a week at $50 an hour, their annual earnings would amount to $104,000. To put things in perspective, the median household income in America was $74,580 in 2022, according to the Census Bureau.

Of course, not everyone has the opportunity to work 40 hours a week even if they want to. According to Labor Department data reported on by USA Today, 4.2 million Americans worked part-time in December because their employers cut their hours or they could find only part-time work.

When asked how her $50 minimum wage proposal would be economically sustainable for small businesses, Lee emphasized her entrepreneurial background, stating, I owned and ran a small business for 11 years, Ive created hundreds of jobs.

She added, I know what worker productivity means, and that means that you have to make sure that your employees are taken care of and have a living wage.

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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
Brandywine Global Investment Management LLC trimmed its position in shares of Newmont Co. (NYSE:NEM  Free Report) by 4.2% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 1,119,360 shares of the basic materials companys stock after selling 49,411 shares during the quarter. Brandywine Global Investment Management LLC owned 0.14% of Newmont worth $41,360,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Azimuth Capital Investment Management LLC boosted its stake in Newmont by 0.6% during the third quarter. Azimuth Capital Investment Management LLC now owns 140,065 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $5,175,000 after buying an additional 785 shares during the period. V Square Quantitative Management LLC boosted its stake in Newmont by 85.0% during the third quarter. V Square Quantitative Management LLC now owns 12,094 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $447,000 after buying an additional 5,555 shares during the period. Rathbones Group PLC boosted its stake in shares of Newmont by 90.9% during the third quarter. Rathbones Group PLC now owns 92,219 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $3,408,000 after purchasing an additional 43,916 shares during the period. BNP PARIBAS ASSET MANAGEMENT Holding S.A. boosted its stake in shares of Newmont by 2.4% during the third quarter. BNP PARIBAS ASSET MANAGEMENT Holding S.A. now owns 1,890,836 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $69,866,000 after purchasing an additional 43,884 shares during the period. Finally, Mirabella Financial Services LLP boosted its stake in shares of Newmont by 5,976.0% during the third quarter. Mirabella Financial Services LLP now owns 565,070 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $20,879,000 after purchasing an additional 555,770 shares during the period. 79.53% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Insider Activity at Newmont

In other Newmont news, COO Robert D. Atkinson sold 5,500 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $41.26, for a total value of $226,930.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief operating officer now directly owns 54,251 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,238,396.26. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 0.07% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of analysts have recently issued reports on NEM shares. TD Securities lowered shares of Newmont from a buy rating to a hold rating and set a $46.00 target price for the company. in a research note on Tuesday, January 9th. Raymond James lowered their price objective on shares of Newmont from $59.00 to $57.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Friday, October 27th. UBS Group lowered their price objective on shares of Newmont from $42.00 to $40.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, December 13th. Macquarie initiated coverage on shares of Newmont in a research note on Tuesday, November 21st. They issued an outperform rating and a $45.00 price objective for the company. Finally, National Bank Financial reaffirmed an outperform overweight rating on shares of Newmont in a research note on Wednesday, January 3rd. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $54.25.

Get Our Latest Research Report on NEM

Newmont Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:NEM traded down $0.16 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $33.27. 3,093,011 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 10,198,518. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $37.21 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $38.07. Newmont Co. has a 1 year low of $31.61 and a 1 year high of $52.76. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.31, a quick ratio of 1.72 and a current ratio of 2.12. The company has a market cap of $26.44 billion, a P/E ratio of -32.46, a PEG ratio of 2.46 and a beta of 0.52.

Newmont Company Profile

(Free Report)

Newmont Corporation engages in the production and exploration of gold. It also explores for copper, silver, zinc, and lead. The company has operations and/or assets in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Peru, Suriname, Argentina, Chile, Australia, and Ghana. As of December 31, 2022, it had proven and probable gold reserves of 96.1 million ounces and land position of 61,500 square kilometers.

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Gray Television, Inc. (NYSE:GTN  Get Free Report) has been assigned a consensus rating of Hold from the five brokerages that are presently covering the company, MarketBeat reports. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, one has issued a hold recommendation and three have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1-year target price among analysts that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $12.80.

Several analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on Gray Television from $6.00 to $7.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a research note on Friday, February 9th. TheStreet downgraded Gray Television from a c rating to a d+ rating in a research note on Friday, November 10th. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded Gray Television to a sell rating in a research note on Thursday, December 14th.

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Gray Television Stock Down 4.0 %

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Gray Television

Shares of Gray Television stock opened at $8.31 on Tuesday. The business has a 50-day moving average of $8.89 and a 200-day moving average of $7.97. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.08, a current ratio of 1.20 and a quick ratio of 1.20. The company has a market capitalization of $793.27 million, a PE ratio of 11.38, a P/E/G ratio of 0.21 and a beta of 1.70. Gray Television has a 1-year low of $5.97 and a 1-year high of $13.73.

A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Skylands Capital LLC raised its position in shares of Gray Television by 5.3% during the 2nd quarter. Skylands Capital LLC now owns 286,100 shares of the companys stock worth $2,254,000 after purchasing an additional 14,450 shares during the period. Capital Management Corp VA lifted its stake in Gray Television by 9.1% in the third quarter. Capital Management Corp VA now owns 2,433,123 shares of the companys stock valued at $16,837,000 after buying an additional 203,398 shares during the last quarter. Fidelis Capital Partners LLC acquired a new position in shares of Gray Television during the third quarter valued at $87,000. Bank of Montreal Can acquired a new stake in shares of Gray Television in the 2nd quarter worth about $327,000. Finally, National Bank of Canada FI lifted its position in Gray Television by 14,444.4% in the 3rd quarter. National Bank of Canada FI now owns 130,900 shares of the companys stock valued at $881,000 after purchasing an additional 130,000 shares during the last quarter. 77.01% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Gray Television

(Get Free Report

Gray Television, Inc, a television broadcasting company, owns and/or operates television stations and digital assets in the United States. It also broadcasts secondary digital channels affiliated to ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX, as well as various other networks and program services, including CW Plus Network, MY Network, the MeTV Network, Circle, Antenna TV, Telemundo, and Cozi; and local news/weather channels in various markets.

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Shares of Restaurant Brands International Inc. (NYSE:QSR  Get Free Report) (TSE:QSR) have been given an average recommendation of Moderate Buy by the twenty-seven brokerages that are presently covering the company, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, ten have given a hold recommendation and sixteen have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 12 month price target among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $81.33.

Several brokerages have recently issued reports on QSR. Scotiabank reduced their price objective on Restaurant Brands International from $81.00 to $80.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, February 14th. Guggenheim increased their target price on Restaurant Brands International from $70.00 to $74.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 14th. Stifel Nicolaus increased their target price on Restaurant Brands International from $72.00 to $80.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research report on Thursday, January 4th. Oppenheimer increased their target price on Restaurant Brands International from $83.00 to $89.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Friday, January 5th. Finally, Barclays reduced their target price on Restaurant Brands International from $86.00 to $75.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, October 23rd.

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Restaurant Brands International Stock Up 1.5 %

Shares of NYSE:QSR opened at $77.19 on Thursday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.07, a current ratio of 1.15 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.82. Restaurant Brands International has a 52-week low of $59.99 and a 52-week high of $79.94. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $76.92 and its 200-day simple moving average is $71.46. The company has a market capitalization of $24.12 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.47, a P/E/G ratio of 2.34 and a beta of 0.92.

Restaurant Brands International (NYSE:QSR  Get Free Report) (TSE:QSR) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 13th. The restaurant operator reported $0.75 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.73 by $0.02. Restaurant Brands International had a return on equity of 32.52% and a net margin of 16.95%. The business had revenue of $1.82 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.80 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $0.72 earnings per share. The businesss revenue was up 7.8% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Restaurant Brands International will post 3.37 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Restaurant Brands International Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 4th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, March 21st will be paid a dividend of $0.58 per share. This represents a $2.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.01%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 20th. This is a positive change from Restaurant Brands Internationals previous quarterly dividend of $0.55. Restaurant Brands Internationals dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 58.36%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Restaurant Brands International

In other Restaurant Brands International news, insider Duncan Fulton sold 1,218 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $73.23, for a total transaction of $89,194.14. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 14,330 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,049,385.90. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In other Restaurant Brands International news, insider Duncan Fulton sold 1,218 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $73.23, for a total transaction of $89,194.14. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 14,330 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,049,385.90. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, insider Thomas Benjamin Curtis sold 2,682 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $76.55, for a total value of $205,307.10. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 23,322 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,785,299.10. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 33,874 shares of company stock worth $2,577,347 in the last 90 days. 1.25% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Pacifica Partners Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Restaurant Brands International by 196.0% in the 4th quarter. Pacifica Partners Inc. now owns 370 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 245 shares during the last quarter. Missouri Trust & Investment Co bought a new stake in shares of Restaurant Brands International in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $28,000. Rise Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Restaurant Brands International by 88.3% in the 4th quarter. Rise Advisors LLC now owns 371 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $29,000 after purchasing an additional 174 shares during the last quarter. Oakworth Capital Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Restaurant Brands International in the 4th quarter worth approximately $30,000. Finally, Montag A & Associates Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Restaurant Brands International in the 4th quarter worth approximately $30,000.

Restaurant Brands International Company Profile

(Get Free Report

Restaurant Brands International Inc operates as a quick-service restaurant company in Canada, the United States, and internationally. It operates through four segments: Tim Hortons (TH), Burger King (BK), Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen (PLK), and Firehouse Subs (FHS). The company owns and franchises TH chain of donut/coffee/tea restaurants that offer blend coffee, tea, and espresso-based hot and cold specialty drinks; and fresh baked goods, including donuts, Timbits, bagels, muffins, cookies and pastries, grilled paninis, classic sandwiches, wraps, soups, and other food products.

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Brunswick Co. (NYSE:BC  Get Free Report) EVP John G. Buelow sold 2,426 shares of Brunswick stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $87.12, for a total transaction of $211,353.12. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 14,199 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,237,016.88. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website.

Brunswick Stock Performance

Shares of BC stock opened at $86.42 on Tuesday. The firms 50 day moving average price is $89.10 and its 200-day moving average price is $81.65. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.95, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a current ratio of 1.43. Brunswick Co. has a one year low of $66.47 and a one year high of $99.68. The firm has a market cap of $6.03 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.52 and a beta of 1.55.

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Brunswick (NYSE:BC  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, February 1st. The company reported $1.45 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.66 by ($0.21). The business had revenue of $1.36 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.44 billion. Brunswick had a return on equity of 29.78% and a net margin of 6.57%. Brunswicks quarterly revenue was down 14.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $1.99 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Brunswick Co. will post 7.44 EPS for the current year.

Brunswick Increases Dividend

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 15th. Shareholders of record on Monday, February 26th will be issued a dividend of $0.42 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 23rd. This is a positive change from Brunswicks previous quarterly dividend of $0.40. This represents a $1.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.94%. Brunswicks dividend payout ratio is 26.89%.

Several analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Raymond James lowered shares of Brunswick from an outperform rating to a market perform rating in a research report on Thursday, January 4th. StockNews.com raised shares of Brunswick from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Friday, October 27th. Truist Financial dropped their price objective on shares of Brunswick from $115.00 to $105.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Friday, February 2nd. B. Riley raised shares of Brunswick from a neutral rating to a buy rating and upped their price objective for the company from $100.00 to $108.00 in a research note on Tuesday. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus upped their price objective on shares of Brunswick from $88.00 to $97.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 17th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $95.09.

Check Out Our Latest Analysis on BC

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Brunswick

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of BC. Valley National Advisers Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Brunswick in the 3rd quarter valued at $25,000. Principal Securities Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Brunswick in the 4th quarter valued at $28,000. Johnson Financial Group Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Brunswick in the 4th quarter valued at $30,000. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. grew its position in shares of Brunswick by 104.7% in the 4th quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. now owns 520 shares of the companys stock valued at $36,000 after buying an additional 266 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Fred Alger Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Brunswick in the 1st quarter valued at $40,000. 94.44% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Brunswick

(Get Free Report)

Brunswick Corporation designs, manufactures, and markets recreation products worldwide. It operates through three segments: Propulsion, Parts & Accessories, and Boat. The Propulsion segment provides outboard, sterndrive, and inboard engines for independent boat builders and governments through marine dealers and distributors, specialty marine retailers, and marine service centers; and propulsion-related controls, rigging, and propellers to original equipment manufacturers and aftermarket retailers, distributors, and distribution businesses.

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Guardian Capital LP lessened its stake in shares of Canadian Natural Resources Limited (NYSE:CNQ  Free Report) (TSE:CNQ) by 4.3% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 2,316,491 shares of the oil and gas producers stock after selling 104,400 shares during the quarter. Canadian Natural Resources comprises about 5.6% of Guardian Capital LPs holdings, making the stock its 3rd biggest holding. Guardian Capital LP owned 0.21% of Canadian Natural Resources worth $150,503,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of CNQ. Mission Wealth Management LP grew its stake in shares of Canadian Natural Resources by 3.6% during the 3rd quarter. Mission Wealth Management LP now owns 4,796 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $310,000 after purchasing an additional 168 shares during the period. Raymond James Trust N.A. grew its stake in shares of Canadian Natural Resources by 2.3% during the 1st quarter. Raymond James Trust N.A. now owns 8,432 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $523,000 after purchasing an additional 191 shares during the period. Rothschild Investment LLC IL grew its stake in shares of Canadian Natural Resources by 1.4% during the 3rd quarter. Rothschild Investment LLC IL now owns 14,926 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $965,000 after purchasing an additional 200 shares during the period. Clarius Group LLC grew its stake in shares of Canadian Natural Resources by 4.0% during the 2nd quarter. Clarius Group LLC now owns 5,310 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $299,000 after purchasing an additional 203 shares during the period. Finally, Stokes Family Office LLC grew its stake in shares of Canadian Natural Resources by 2.1% during the 3rd quarter. Stokes Family Office LLC now owns 10,387 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $672,000 after purchasing an additional 215 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 73.88% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities research analysts recently commented on CNQ shares. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price objective on shares of Canadian Natural Resources from $95.00 to $96.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Friday, November 3rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on shares of Canadian Natural Resources from $101.00 to $102.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Thursday, January 11th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $94.00.

Canadian Natural Resources Trading Down 0.3 %

NYSE:CNQ traded down $0.20 on Tuesday, reaching $62.92. The stock had a trading volume of 1,123,492 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,040,738. The company has a market cap of $67.51 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.23 and a beta of 1.53. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.25, a current ratio of 0.91 and a quick ratio of 0.65. The firms fifty day moving average is $63.70 and its two-hundred day moving average is $63.89. Canadian Natural Resources Limited has a 12-month low of $48.81 and a 12-month high of $68.74.

Canadian Natural Resources Company Profile

(Free Report)

Canadian Natural Resources Limited acquires, explores for, develops, produces, markets, and sells crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids (NGLs). The company offers light and medium crude oil, primary heavy crude oil, Pelican Lake heavy crude oil, bitumen (thermal oil), and synthetic crude oil (SCO).

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Clearstead Advisors LLC trimmed its position in shares of Genpact Limited (NYSE:G  Free Report) by 20.8% during the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 1,380 shares of the business services providers stock after selling 362 shares during the period. Clearstead Advisors LLCs holdings in Genpact were worth $50,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of G. American Century Companies Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Genpact by 57.2% in the 1st quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 18,403 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $801,000 after purchasing an additional 6,699 shares in the last quarter. Bank of Montreal Can boosted its stake in shares of Genpact by 16.8% in the 1st quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 23,398 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $1,031,000 after purchasing an additional 3,364 shares in the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP raised its holdings in Genpact by 0.3% in the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 1,683,950 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $73,273,000 after buying an additional 5,331 shares during the last quarter. Sei Investments Co. raised its holdings in Genpact by 6.2% in the 1st quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 104,775 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $4,560,000 after buying an additional 6,151 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Aviva PLC bought a new position in Genpact in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $2,219,000. 96.33% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts recently issued reports on the company. Robert W. Baird restated a neutral rating and issued a $38.00 price objective on shares of Genpact in a research note on Friday, December 15th. Needham & Company LLC restated a buy rating and issued a $40.00 price objective on shares of Genpact in a research note on Friday, February 9th. StockNews.com cut Genpact from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, February 15th. Mizuho assumed coverage on Genpact in a research report on Tuesday, January 30th. They set a neutral rating and a $40.00 price target on the stock. Finally, Citigroup upped their price target on Genpact from $35.00 to $36.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 17th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $40.11.

Genpact Trading Down 0.1 %

Genpact stock opened at $35.91 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.37, a current ratio of 1.44 and a quick ratio of 1.91. Genpact Limited has a one year low of $29.41 and a one year high of $48.58. The stock has a market capitalization of $6.51 billion, a PE ratio of 10.47, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.68 and a beta of 1.11. The businesss fifty day moving average is $35.12 and its 200 day moving average is $35.33.

Genpact Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 26th. Investors of record on Monday, March 11th will be given a dividend of $0.153 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 8th. This is a boost from Genpacts previous quarterly dividend of $0.14. This represents a $0.61 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.70%. Genpacts dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 16.03%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Genpact news, SVP Heather White sold 11,450 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, January 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $36.00, for a total value of $412,200.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 21,175 shares of the companys stock, valued at $762,300. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Insiders own 2.62% of the companys stock.

About Genpact

(Free Report)

Genpact Limited provides business process outsourcing and information technology (IT) services in India, rest of Asia, North and Latin America, and Europe. It operates through three segments: Financial services; Consumer and Healthcare; and High Tech and Manufacturing. The company offers CFO advisory services; and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) services, such as data management, carbon accounting, human rights assessment, sustainability diligence, and ESG reporting.

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Consolidated Edison (NYSE:ED  Free Report) had its target price decreased by UBS Group from $99.00 to $94.00 in a research note issued to investors on Friday morning, Benzinga reports. UBS Group currently has a neutral rating on the utilities providers stock.

ED has been the subject of a number of other research reports. LADENBURG THALM/SH SH initiated coverage on Consolidated Edison in a research report on Wednesday, January 3rd. They issued a neutral rating and a $92.50 price objective for the company. Morgan Stanley raised their target price on Consolidated Edison from $71.00 to $73.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 21st. KeyCorp upgraded Consolidated Edison from an underweight rating to a sector weight rating in a research report on Thursday, January 4th. Barclays cut their target price on Consolidated Edison from $88.00 to $86.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research report on Monday, January 22nd. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada cut their target price on Consolidated Edison from $94.00 to $93.00 and set a sector perform rating for the company in a research report on Friday. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have given a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Consolidated Edison has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $88.75.

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Read Our Latest Research Report on ED

Consolidated Edison Price Performance

Shares of ED stock opened at $87.32 on Friday. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $90.46 and a two-hundred day moving average of $89.66. The company has a current ratio of 1.01, a quick ratio of 0.94 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.04. Consolidated Edison has a 12 month low of $80.46 and a 12 month high of $100.92. The company has a market capitalization of $30.17 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.16, a P/E/G ratio of 8.23 and a beta of 0.37.

Consolidated Edison (NYSE:ED  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 15th. The utilities provider reported $1.00 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.98 by $0.02. Consolidated Edison had a return on equity of 8.41% and a net margin of 17.19%. The company had revenue of $3.44 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.70 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $0.81 EPS. The companys quarterly revenue was down 14.6% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts expect that Consolidated Edison will post 5.31 EPS for the current year.

Consolidated Edison Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 15th. Investors of record on Wednesday, February 14th will be issued a $0.83 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, February 13th. This represents a $3.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.80%. This is a positive change from Consolidated Edisons previous quarterly dividend of $0.81. Consolidated Edisons dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 46.24%.

Institutional Trading of Consolidated Edison

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Penserra Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Consolidated Edison by 11,130.0% in the second quarter. Penserra Capital Management LLC now owns 2,246 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $202,000 after purchasing an additional 2,226 shares in the last quarter. PGGM Investments grew its holdings in Consolidated Edison by 45.5% during the 3rd quarter. PGGM Investments now owns 53,476 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $4,574,000 after acquiring an additional 16,729 shares during the period. Strs Ohio grew its holdings in Consolidated Edison by 7.8% during the 2nd quarter. Strs Ohio now owns 26,424 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $2,388,000 after acquiring an additional 1,921 shares during the period. JPMorgan Chase & Co. grew its holdings in Consolidated Edison by 13.8% during the 2nd quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 1,456,379 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $131,657,000 after acquiring an additional 176,887 shares during the period. Finally, ST Germain D J Co. Inc. acquired a new stake in Consolidated Edison during the 2nd quarter worth $92,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 64.53% of the companys stock.

About Consolidated Edison

(Get Free Report)

Consolidated Edison, Inc, through its subsidiaries, engages in the regulated electric, gas, and steam delivery businesses in the United States. It offers electric services to approximately 3.6 million customers in New York City and Westchester County; gas to approximately 1.1 million customers in Manhattan, the Bronx, parts of Queens, and Westchester County; and steam to approximately 1,530 customers in parts of Manhattan.

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Dark Forest Capital Management LP boosted its position in iShares MSCI Australia ETF (NYSEARCA:EWA  Free Report) by 4.7% during the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 122,894 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after buying an additional 5,470 shares during the quarter. Dark Forest Capital Management LP owned 0.14% of iShares MSCI Australia ETF worth $2,643,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI Australia ETF by 100.2% in the 2nd quarter. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC now owns 1,271 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 636 shares during the last quarter. CWM LLC increased its stake in iShares MSCI Australia ETF by 98.1% during the second quarter. CWM LLC now owns 1,373 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 680 shares during the last quarter. US Bancorp DE acquired a new stake in shares of iShares MSCI Australia ETF during the first quarter worth $38,000. Coastal Investment Advisors Inc. bought a new position in shares of iShares MSCI Australia ETF in the 2nd quarter worth about $50,000. Finally, Headlands Technologies LLC acquired a new position in shares of iShares MSCI Australia ETF in the 3rd quarter valued at about $64,000. 59.24% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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iShares MSCI Australia ETF Price Performance

Shares of NYSEARCA:EWA traded up $0.02 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $23.75. The stock had a trading volume of 565,628 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,931,450. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $23.74 and its 200 day simple moving average is $22.47. iShares MSCI Australia ETF has a 1-year low of $20.46 and a 1-year high of $24.67.

About iShares MSCI Australia ETF

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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Acadian Asset Management LLC raised its position in DHT Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:DHT  Free Report) by 24.4% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 3,439,131 shares of the shipping companys stock after purchasing an additional 675,337 shares during the quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLCs holdings in DHT were worth $35,399,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. IFP Advisors Inc purchased a new stake in DHT in the 2nd quarter valued at about $38,000. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC raised its holdings in shares of DHT by 51.5% in the 2nd quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 6,296 shares of the shipping companys stock valued at $54,000 after buying an additional 2,140 shares during the period. LSV Asset Management acquired a new position in DHT during the 2nd quarter worth about $55,000. CWM LLC increased its stake in DHT by 3,696.2% during the third quarter. CWM LLC now owns 6,985 shares of the shipping companys stock worth $72,000 after purchasing an additional 6,801 shares during the period. Finally, Tower Research Capital LLC TRC increased its stake in DHT by 64.5% during the 3rd quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 10,598 shares of the shipping companys stock worth $80,000 after buying an additional 4,155 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 59.26% of the companys stock.

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DHT Trading Down 0.7 %

NYSE DHT traded down $0.08 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, reaching $11.23. 412,587 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,225,436. The businesss fifty day simple moving average is $10.65 and its 200 day simple moving average is $10.22. DHT Holdings, Inc. has a 1-year low of $7.30 and a 1-year high of $12.13. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.83 billion, a PE ratio of 11.65 and a beta of -0.32. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39, a quick ratio of 2.94 and a current ratio of 3.54.

DHT Increases Dividend

DHT ( NYSE:DHT Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 6th. The shipping company reported $0.22 earnings per share for the quarter, meeting analysts consensus estimates of $0.22. The company had revenue of $94.50 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $95.78 million. DHT had a net margin of 28.78% and a return on equity of 15.52%. DHTs revenue for the quarter was down 19.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $0.38 EPS. On average, research analysts anticipate that DHT Holdings, Inc. will post 1.42 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, February 28th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, February 21st will be given a dividend of $0.22 per share. This is a boost from DHTs previous quarterly dividend of $0.19. This represents a $0.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 7.84%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 20th. DHTs payout ratio is presently 76.77%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of analysts have recently weighed in on the company. TheStreet raised DHT from a c+ rating to a b- rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 6th. Truist Financial raised their target price on shares of DHT from $14.00 to $17.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Friday. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $12.67.

Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on DHT

About DHT

(Free Report)

DHT Holdings, Inc, through its subsidiaries, owns and operates crude oil tankers primarily in Monaco, Singapore, and Norway. As of March 16, 2023, it had a fleet of 23 very large crude carriers. The company was incorporated in 2005 and is headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda.

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Forest Avenue Capital Management LP bought a new position in shares of Matson, Inc. (NYSE:MATX  Free Report) in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund bought 49,000 shares of the shipping companys stock, valued at approximately $4,347,000. Matson comprises approximately 2.0% of Forest Avenue Capital Management LPs portfolio, making the stock its 23rd biggest position.

Several other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. LPL Financial LLC boosted its stake in Matson by 1.0% in the third quarter. LPL Financial LLC now owns 14,487 shares of the shipping companys stock valued at $1,285,000 after acquiring an additional 143 shares during the last quarter. Dark Forest Capital Management LP boosted its position in shares of Matson by 317.4% in the 3rd quarter. Dark Forest Capital Management LP now owns 24,763 shares of the shipping companys stock worth $2,197,000 after purchasing an additional 18,830 shares during the last quarter. Brandywine Global Investment Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Matson by 14.4% during the third quarter. Brandywine Global Investment Management LLC now owns 107,154 shares of the shipping companys stock worth $9,507,000 after purchasing an additional 13,489 shares during the period. Hsbc Holdings PLC increased its holdings in Matson by 94.8% in the third quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC now owns 21,440 shares of the shipping companys stock valued at $1,911,000 after purchasing an additional 10,433 shares during the last quarter. Finally, CI Investments Inc. acquired a new position in Matson in the third quarter valued at about $167,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 85.04% of the companys stock.

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Matson Stock Down 1.2 %

Shares of NYSE:MATX traded down $1.46 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $115.56. 168,836 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 257,311. The company has a current ratio of 1.11, a quick ratio of 1.11 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $113.00 and a 200-day moving average price of $98.50. Matson, Inc. has a 52 week low of $56.51 and a 52 week high of $122.99. The company has a market cap of $4.06 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.45 and a beta of 1.15.

Matson Announces Dividend

Analyst Ratings Changes

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 7th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, February 8th will be issued a $0.32 dividend. This represents a $1.28 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.11%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, February 7th. Matsons dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 14.71%.

Several research firms have recently issued reports on MATX. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their target price on Matson from $102.00 to $108.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research report on Friday, January 19th. StockNews.com cut shares of Matson from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Saturday, February 10th. Finally, Wolfe Research increased their target price on shares of Matson from $113.00 to $116.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Tuesday, October 24th.

View Our Latest Stock Analysis on MATX

Insider Transactions at Matson

In related news, SVP Christopher A. Scott sold 952 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $98.93, for a total value of $94,181.36. Following the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 10,974 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,085,657.82. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. In other news, SVP Richard S. Kinney sold 997 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $96.30, for a total transaction of $96,011.10. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 9,427 shares in the company, valued at approximately $907,820.10. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, SVP Christopher A. Scott sold 952 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $98.93, for a total value of $94,181.36. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 10,974 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,085,657.82. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 1.90% of the stock is owned by insiders.

About Matson

(Free Report)

Matson, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides ocean transportation and logistics services. The company's Ocean Transportation segment offers ocean freight transportation services to the domestic non-contiguous economies of Hawaii, Alaska, and Guam, as well as to other island economies in Micronesia.

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Key Insights

Given the large stake in the stock by institutions, Advanced Medical Solutions Group's stock price might be vulnerable to their trading decisions

51% of the business is held by the top 12 shareholders

Ownership research along with analyst forecasts data help provide a good understanding of opportunities in a stock

Every investor in Advanced Medical Solutions Group plc (LON:AMS) should be aware of the most powerful shareholder groups. We can see that institutions own the lion's share in the company with 72% ownership. That is, the group stands to benefit the most if the stock rises (or lose the most if there is a downturn).

Given the vast amount of money and research capacities at their disposal, institutional ownership tends to carry a lot of weight, especially with individual investors. Therefore, a good portion of institutional money invested in the company is usually a huge vote of confidence on its future.

In the chart below, we zoom in on the different ownership groups of Advanced Medical Solutions Group.

View our latest analysis for Advanced Medical Solutions Group

What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Advanced Medical Solutions Group?

Institutional investors commonly compare their own returns to the returns of a commonly followed index. So they generally do consider buying larger companies that are included in the relevant benchmark index.

As you can see, institutional investors have a fair amount of stake in Advanced Medical Solutions Group. This implies the analysts working for those institutions have looked at the stock and they like it. But just like anyone else, they could be wrong. 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 Advanced Medical Solutions Group's historic earnings and revenue below, but keep in mind there's always more to the story.

Story continues

Institutional investors own over 50% of the company, so together than can probably strongly influence board decisions. Advanced Medical Solutions Group is not owned by hedge funds. Octopus Investments Limited is currently the largest shareholder, with 13% of shares outstanding. With 6.5% and 5.2% of the shares outstanding respectively, Canaccord Genuity Wealth (International) Limited and Charles Stanley & Co. Ltd, Asset Management Arm are the second and third largest shareholders. Furthermore, CEO Andrew Meredith is the owner of 0.8% of the company's shares.

Looking at the shareholder registry, we can see that 51% of the ownership is controlled by the top 12 shareholders, meaning that no single shareholder has a majority interest in the ownership.

Researching institutional ownership is a good way to gauge and filter a stock's expected performance. The same can be achieved by studying analyst sentiments. There 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 Advanced Medical Solutions Group

While the precise definition of an insider can be subjective, almost everyone considers board members to be insiders. 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.

Insider ownership is positive when it signals leadership are thinking like the true owners of the company. However, high insider ownership can also give immense power to a small group within the company. This can be negative in some circumstances.

Our data suggests that insiders own under 1% of Advanced Medical Solutions Group plc in their own names. It seems the board members have no more than UK4.3m worth of shares in the UK457m company. We generally like to see a board more invested. However it might be worth checking if those insiders have been buying.

General Public Ownership

With a 11% ownership, the general public, mostly comprising of individual investors, have some degree of sway over Advanced Medical Solutions Group. While this size of ownership may not be enough to sway a policy decision in their favour, they can still make a collective impact on company policies.

Private Equity Ownership

Private equity firms hold a 13% stake in Advanced Medical Solutions Group. This suggests they can be influential in key policy decisions. Some investors might be encouraged by this, since private equity are sometimes able to encourage strategies that help the market see the value in the company. Alternatively, those holders might be exiting the investment after taking it public.

Next Steps:

While it is well worth considering the different groups that own a company, there are other factors that are even more important.

I always like to check for a history of revenue growth. You can too, by accessing this free chart of historic revenue and earnings in this detailed graph.

Ultimately the future is most important. You can access this free report on analyst forecasts for the company.

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.
Giverny Capital Inc. lowered its holdings in Brookfield Co. (NYSE:BN  Free Report) by 9.6% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 14,671 shares of the companys stock after selling 1,552 shares during the period. Giverny Capital Inc.s holdings in Brookfield were worth $459,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Brookfield during the 4th quarter worth about $3,727,998,000. Bank of Montreal Can acquired a new stake in shares of Brookfield during the 2nd quarter worth about $1,847,395,000. 1832 Asset Management L.P. acquired a new stake in shares of Brookfield during the 4th quarter worth about $775,028,000. Mackenzie Financial Corp acquired a new stake in shares of Brookfield during the 4th quarter worth about $739,834,000. Finally, Norges Bank acquired a new stake in Brookfield in the 4th quarter worth about $483,001,000. Institutional investors own 58.22% of the companys stock.

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Brookfield Price Performance

Shares of NYSE BN traded down $0.01 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $40.34. 3,513,788 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,483,736. The company has a market capitalization of $66.15 billion, a P/E ratio of 65.08 and a beta of 1.50. The company has a quick ratio of 0.99, a current ratio of 1.15 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.35. Brookfield Co. has a 52-week low of $28.25 and a 52-week high of $41.60. The companys 50-day simple moving average is $39.57 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $35.39.

Brookfield Increases Dividend

Brookfield ( NYSE:BN Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 8th. The company reported $0.83 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.69 by $0.14. The business had revenue of $24.52 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.15 billion. Brookfield had a return on equity of 3.22% and a net margin of 1.18%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 1.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.12 EPS. Equities research analysts forecast that Brookfield Co. will post 3.75 EPS for the current year.

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 28th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, March 13th will be issued a $0.08 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, March 12th. This is a positive change from Brookfields previous quarterly dividend of $0.07. This represents a $0.32 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.79%. Brookfields dividend payout ratio is 45.16%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

BN has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Canaccord Genuity Group raised their target price on shares of Brookfield from $41.00 to $42.50 and gave the company a hold rating in a report on Friday, February 9th. Scotiabank raised their target price on Brookfield from $49.00 to $50.00 and gave the stock a sector outperform rating in a research report on Friday, February 9th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lifted their price objective on Brookfield from $36.00 to $37.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a research report on Friday, November 10th. Royal Bank of Canada upped their price target on Brookfield from $52.00 to $53.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Monday, February 12th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets upped their price target on Brookfield from $42.00 to $44.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Friday, February 9th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seven have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $47.45.

Check Out Our Latest Analysis on BN

Insider Transactions at Brookfield

In other Brookfield news, major shareholder Gp Ltd Bcp sold 3,922,786 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $2.20, for a total value of $8,630,129.20. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 23,352,826 shares in the company, valued at $51,376,217.20. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. In related news, major shareholder Gp Ltd Bcp sold 3,922,786 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $2.20, for a total transaction of $8,630,129.20. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 23,352,826 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $51,376,217.20. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Director Ocm Growth Holdings Llc sold 562,500 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $12.06, for a total value of $6,783,750.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 16,742,168 shares in the company, valued at $201,910,546.08. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 6,545,283 shares of company stock valued at $22,555,512. Company insiders own 11.00% of the companys stock.

About Brookfield

(Free Report)

Brookfield Corporation is an alternative asset manager and REIT/Real Estate Investment Manager firm focuses on real estate, renewable power, infrastructure and venture capital and private equity assets. It manages a range of public and private investment products and services for institutional and retail clients.

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IGM Financial (TSE:IGM  Get Free Report) had its target price boosted by stock analysts at TD Securities from C$39.00 to C$41.00 in a research note issued on Tuesday, BayStreet.CA reports. The firm presently has a buy rating on the financial services providers stock. TD Securities target price would suggest a potential upside of 16.21% from the companys current price.

Other equities analysts also recently issued reports about the company. Royal Bank of Canada upped their price target on IGM Financial from C$43.00 to C$44.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a research report on Friday. National Bankshares upped their target price on IGM Financial from C$44.00 to C$46.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Monday, February 5th. BMO Capital Markets upped their target price on IGM Financial from C$35.00 to C$36.00 in a research report on Friday, November 3rd. CIBC cut their target price on IGM Financial from C$50.00 to C$42.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, October 26th. Finally, Scotiabank upped their target price on IGM Financial from C$40.00 to C$44.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 31st. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, IGM Financial has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of C$42.17.

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View Our Latest Research Report on IGM Financial

IGM Financial Stock Up 0.5 %

IGM Financial Company Profile

Shares of IGM stock traded up C$0.18 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching C$35.28. 108,804 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 173,345. The stocks 50 day moving average is C$35.58 and its 200-day moving average is C$35.33. The company has a market cap of C$8.40 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.78, a P/E/G ratio of 4.24 and a beta of 1.56. The company has a current ratio of 20.77, a quick ratio of 0.31 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 38.24. IGM Financial has a fifty-two week low of C$30.34 and a fifty-two week high of C$43.97.

(Get Free Report)

IGM Financial Inc operates as a wealth and asset management company in Canada. It operates through Wealth Management, Asset Management, and Strategic Investments and Other segments. The company offers financial advisory services; and IG Living Plan that provides financial planning services, such as investment vehicles, insurance products, mortgage and banking solutions, and charitable giving program.

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InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (LON:IHG  Get Free Report) declared a dividend on Tuesday, February 20th, Upcoming.Co.Uk reports. Investors of record on Thursday, April 4th will be paid a dividend of $1.04 per share on Tuesday, May 14th. This represents a yield of 1.04%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, April 4th. This is a positive change from InterContinental Hotels Groups previous dividend of $0.48. The official announcement can be accessed at this link.

InterContinental Hotels Group Trading Up 5.3 %

Shares of IHG stock opened at GBX 8,328 ($104.86) on Tuesday. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of GBX 7,313.60 and a 200 day moving average price of GBX 6,492.79. InterContinental Hotels Group has a twelve month low of GBX 5,086 ($64.04) and a twelve month high of GBX 8,342 ($105.04). The company has a market capitalization of 13.76 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 2,814.95, a PEG ratio of 0.92 and a beta of 0.97.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Separately, Berenberg Bank downgraded shares of InterContinental Hotels Group from a buy rating to a hold rating and cut their target price for the company from GBX 6,500 ($81.84) to GBX 6,000 ($75.55) in a research note on Monday, November 13th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, InterContinental Hotels Group presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of GBX 6,106.67 ($76.89).

About InterContinental Hotels Group

(Get Free Report)

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC owns, manages, franchises, and leases hotels in the Americas, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Greater China. The company operates hotels under the Six Senses, Regent, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Vignette Collection, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, Hotel Indigo, voco, HUALUXE, Crowne Plaza, Iberostar Beachfront Resorts, EVEN, Holiday Inn Express, Holiday Inn, avid, Atwell Suites, Staybridge Suites, Holiday Inn Club Vacations, and Candlewood Suites brand names.

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Kimco Realty Corp (NYSE:KIM  Get Free Report) has earned an average rating of Moderate Buy from the eight analysts that are covering the company, MarketBeat.com reports. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and four have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12 month price target among analysts that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $22.18.

Several equities research analysts have recently issued reports on KIM shares. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft started coverage on Kimco Realty in a research report on Tuesday, January 30th. They issued a hold rating and a $23.00 price target on the stock. Piper Sandler raised their price target on Kimco Realty from $24.00 to $26.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 20th. TheStreet raised Kimco Realty from a c+ rating to a b- rating in a research report on Thursday, December 7th. Stifel Nicolaus raised their price target on Kimco Realty from $20.50 to $21.75 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 29th. Finally, Mizuho raised their price target on Kimco Realty from $20.00 to $22.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 10th.

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Get Our Latest Research Report on Kimco Realty

Kimco Realty Trading Down 0.7 %

Kimco Realty Announces Dividend

Shares of NYSE:KIM opened at $19.63 on Tuesday. The company has a market cap of $12.17 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.25, a P/E/G ratio of 3.77 and a beta of 1.47. The stocks 50-day moving average is $20.73 and its 200-day moving average is $19.25. Kimco Realty has a 52-week low of $16.34 and a 52-week high of $22.83. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.79, a quick ratio of 2.72 and a current ratio of 5.05.

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 21st. Shareholders of record on Thursday, March 7th will be paid a dividend of $0.24 per share. This represents a $0.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.89%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 6th. Kimco Realtys dividend payout ratio is 94.12%.

Insider Activity

In other news, Director Frank Lourenso sold 8,890 shares of Kimco Realty stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $19.42, for a total value of $172,643.80. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 203,534 shares in the company, valued at $3,952,630.28. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. 2.20% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Creative Planning lifted its holdings in Kimco Realty by 2.5% during the 2nd quarter. Creative Planning now owns 31,227 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $616,000 after buying an additional 767 shares in the last quarter. Shell Asset Management Co. lifted its holdings in Kimco Realty by 12.8% during the 2nd quarter. Shell Asset Management Co. now owns 16,916 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $334,000 after buying an additional 1,922 shares in the last quarter. Kentucky Retirement Systems Insurance Trust Fund acquired a new position in Kimco Realty during the 3rd quarter worth $385,000. Mitsubishi UFJ Trust & Banking Corp raised its position in shares of Kimco Realty by 0.7% during the 2nd quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Trust & Banking Corp now owns 371,374 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $7,323,000 after acquiring an additional 2,466 shares during the last quarter. Finally, First Republic Investment Management Inc. raised its position in shares of Kimco Realty by 1.7% during the 2nd quarter. First Republic Investment Management Inc. now owns 67,086 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $1,323,000 after acquiring an additional 1,135 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 90.42% of the companys stock.

About Kimco Realty

(Get Free Report

Kimco Realty Corp. is a real estate investment trust (REIT) headquartered in New Hyde Park, N.Y., that is one of North Americas largest publicly traded owners and operators of open-air shopping centers. As of December 31, 2018, the company owned interests in 437 U.S. shopping centers comprising 76 million square feet of leasable space primarily concentrated in the top major metropolitan markets.

Further Reading

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Longbow Finance SA decreased its holdings in Humana Inc. (NYSE:HUM  Free Report) by 0.3% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 30,107 shares of the insurance providers stock after selling 103 shares during the period. Humana comprises approximately 1.8% of Longbow Finance SAs investment portfolio, making the stock its 18th biggest holding. Longbow Finance SAs holdings in Humana were worth $14,648,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Sunbelt Securities Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Humana during the 1st quarter valued at $28,000. WFA of San Diego LLC bought a new position in Humana during the 2nd quarter worth $29,000. Larson Financial Group LLC raised its position in Humana by 81.0% during the 2nd quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 76 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $34,000 after purchasing an additional 34 shares during the last quarter. Householder Group Estate & Retirement Specialist LLC bought a new position in Humana during the 3rd quarter worth $39,000. Finally, Baystate Wealth Management LLC raised its position in shares of Humana by 84.1% in the 2nd quarter. Baystate Wealth Management LLC now owns 81 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $37,000 after acquiring an additional 37 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 91.86% of the companys stock.

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Humana Price Performance

Shares of Humana stock traded up $0.35 on Tuesday, hitting $367.27. 689,748 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,417,684. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $420.45 and a 200 day simple moving average of $467.35. Humana Inc. has a 52 week low of $342.69 and a 52 week high of $541.21. The stock has a market capitalization of $44.31 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.59, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 0.46. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.63, a quick ratio of 1.59 and a current ratio of 1.59.

Humana Dividend Announcement

Humana ( NYSE:HUM Get Free Report ) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, January 25th. The insurance provider reported ($0.11) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.76 by ($0.87). Humana had a net margin of 2.34% and a return on equity of 19.44%. The company had revenue of $26.46 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $25.47 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $1.62 earnings per share. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 17.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts expect that Humana Inc. will post 16.03 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 26th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 29th will be issued a $0.885 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 27th. This represents a $3.54 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.96%. Humanas dividend payout ratio is presently 17.86%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms have recently weighed in on HUM. Cantor Fitzgerald lowered Humana from an overweight rating to a neutral rating and lowered their price objective for the stock from $597.00 to $391.00 in a research report on Friday, January 26th. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Humana from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Friday, January 26th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut shares of Humana from a buy rating to a hold rating and reduced their price objective for the company from $595.00 to $360.00 in a report on Thursday, January 25th. UBS Group reissued a neutral rating and set a $370.00 target price (down from $530.00) on shares of Humana in a research report on Friday, January 26th. Finally, Truist Financial reissued a hold rating and issued a $550.00 price objective on shares of Humana in a report on Friday, January 19th. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $506.72.

View Our Latest Report on HUM

Humana Company Profile

(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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Longbow Finance SA cut its stake in Occidental Petroleum Co. (NYSE:OXY  Free Report) by 0.3% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 258,889 shares of the oil and gas producers stock after selling 898 shares during the quarter. Occidental Petroleum comprises about 2.0% of Longbow Finance SAs holdings, making the stock its 15th largest position. Longbow Finance SAs holdings in Occidental Petroleum were worth $16,797,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in OXY. Steward Financial Group LLC bought a new stake in Occidental Petroleum during the second quarter worth about $25,000. Annis Gardner Whiting Capital Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Occidental Petroleum in the 3rd quarter valued at about $26,000. Resurgent Financial Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Occidental Petroleum in the 4th quarter valued at about $35,000. Financial Freedom LLC bought a new stake in shares of Occidental Petroleum in the 4th quarter valued at about $38,000. Finally, PCA Investment Advisory Services Inc. bought a new position in Occidental Petroleum during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $44,000. 77.54% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research analysts have commented on the company. Mizuho lowered Occidental Petroleum from a buy rating to a neutral rating and set a $63.00 price target for the company. in a research report on Wednesday, January 3rd. Raymond James reduced their target price on Occidental Petroleum from $70.00 to $68.00 and set a strong-buy rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, January 24th. Truist Financial reduced their target price on Occidental Petroleum from $80.00 to $77.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Friday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price target on Occidental Petroleum from $78.00 to $73.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, December 8th. Finally, Morgan Stanley upgraded Occidental Petroleum from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and set a $68.00 price target on the stock in a research note on Monday, December 11th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have given a hold rating, six have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $70.06.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, major shareholder Berkshire Hathaway Inc acquired 3,200,799 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 13th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $56.55 per share, for a total transaction of $181,005,183.45. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 238,533,189 shares in the company, valued at approximately $13,489,051,837.95. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. In the last quarter, insiders acquired 8,720,708 shares of company stock worth $505,766,000. Corporate insiders own 0.35% of the companys stock.

Occidental Petroleum Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE OXY traded down $1.24 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting $59.28. 13,108,681 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 9,802,419. Occidental Petroleum Co. has a one year low of $55.12 and a one year high of $67.67. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $58.43 and a two-hundred day moving average of $61.15. The firm has a market capitalization of $52.14 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.48, a PEG ratio of 1.75 and a beta of 1.64. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.84, a quick ratio of 0.69 and a current ratio of 0.92.

Occidental Petroleum (NYSE:OXY  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 15th. The oil and gas producer reported $0.74 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, hitting analysts consensus estimates of $0.74. Occidental Petroleum had a return on equity of 20.63% and a net margin of 16.24%. The business had revenue of $7.53 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.93 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $1.61 EPS. Occidental Petroleums revenue for the quarter was down 9.6% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts forecast that Occidental Petroleum Co. will post 4.03 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Occidental Petroleum Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 8th will be paid a $0.22 dividend. This represents a $0.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.48%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 7th. This is a positive change from Occidental Petroleums previous quarterly dividend of $0.18. Occidental Petroleums dividend payout ratio is presently 18.41%.

Occidental Petroleum Profile

(Free Report)

Occidental Petroleum Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of oil and gas properties in the United States, the Middle East, North Africa, and Latin America. It operates through three segments: Oil and Gas, Chemical, and Midstream and Marketing.

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Mariner LLC cut its stake in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY  Free Report) by 7.5% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 1,682,927 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after selling 135,646 shares during the quarter. Mariner LLC owned approximately 0.08% of Bristol-Myers Squibb worth $97,677,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in BMY. Norges Bank acquired a new position in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb in the 4th quarter valued at $1,873,696,000. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb by 114,228.7% in 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 period. Capital International Investors increased its holdings in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb by 12.8% in the 2nd quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 69,296,006 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $4,431,517,000 after acquiring an additional 7,878,833 shares during the period. Bank of Montreal Can acquired a new position in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb in the 2nd quarter valued at $208,647,000. Finally, Cowa LLC increased its holdings in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb by 9,777.8% in the 1st quarter. Cowa LLC now owns 1,657,894 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $1,211,000 after acquiring an additional 1,641,110 shares during the period. 74.98% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

BMY has been the topic of several recent research reports. StockNews.com raised shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 13th. Daiwa Capital Markets lowered shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb from an outperform rating to a neutral rating and reduced their target price for the company from $68.00 to $54.00 in a report on Thursday, November 2nd. BMO Capital Markets lowered shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb from an outperform rating to a market perform rating and set a $60.00 target price on the stock. in a report on Friday, October 27th. Morgan Stanley cut their price objective on shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb from $56.00 to $50.00 and set an underweight rating on the stock in a report on Friday, October 27th. Finally, Redburn Atlantic lowered shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb from a buy rating to a neutral rating and cut their price objective for the stock from $77.00 to $54.00 in a report on Tuesday, February 6th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, fifteen have issued a hold rating, three have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Bristol-Myers Squibb has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $61.17.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Stock Up 0.2 %

NYSE:BMY traded up $0.11 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $49.97. The stock had a trading volume of 6,593,040 shares, compared to its average volume of 15,593,112. The company has a current ratio of 1.43, a quick ratio of 1.31 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.24. Bristol-Myers Squibb has a 1-year low of $47.58 and a 1-year high of $71.98. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $50.42 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $54.15. The company has a market cap of $101.05 billion, a PE ratio of 12.93, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.51 and a beta of 0.38.

Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Friday, February 2nd. The biopharmaceutical company reported $1.70 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.55 by $0.15. The company had revenue of $11.48 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $11.19 billion. Bristol-Myers Squibb had a return on equity of 50.95% and a net margin of 17.83%. The businesss revenue was up .6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $1.82 EPS. Analysts predict that Bristol-Myers Squibb will post 6.61 EPS for the current year.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 5th were paid a $0.60 dividend. This represents a $2.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.80%. This is a boost from Bristol-Myers Squibbs previous quarterly dividend of $0.57. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, January 4th. Bristol-Myers Squibbs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 62.18%.

Bristol-Myers Squibb announced that its Board of Directors has initiated a share repurchase program on Thursday, December 7th that permits the company to buyback $3.00 billion in shares. This buyback authorization permits the biopharmaceutical company to buy up to 2.9% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are generally a sign that the companys leadership believes its stock is undervalued.

Insider Activity

In other news, CEO Christopher S. Boerner bought 3,071 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, November 28th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $48.86 per share, with a total value of $150,049.06. Following the completion of the acquisition, the chief executive officer now directly owns 79,384 shares in the company, valued at $3,878,702.24. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In other Bristol-Myers Squibb news, CEO Christopher S. Boerner bought 3,071 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, November 28th. The stock was bought at an average cost of $48.86 per share, with a total value of $150,049.06. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 79,384 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,878,702.24. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, CEO Christopher S. Boerner bought 2,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 5th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $49.78 per share, with a total value of $99,560.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 82,672 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,115,412.16. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Corporate insiders own 0.08% of the companys stock.

About Bristol-Myers Squibb

(Free Report)

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company discovers, develops, licenses, manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells biopharmaceutical products worldwide. It offers products for hematology, oncology, cardiovascular, immunology, fibrotic, and neuroscience diseases. The company's products include Eliquis, 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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Martin Marietta Materials (NYSE:MLM  Free Report) had its price objective increased by Citigroup from $573.00 to $635.00 in a research note published on Friday morning, Benzinga reports. Citigroup currently has a buy rating on the construction companys stock.

A number of other brokerages have also issued reports on MLM. Stifel Nicolaus raised their target price on shares of Martin Marietta Materials from $510.00 to $598.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 19th. Seaport Res Ptn upgraded shares of Martin Marietta Materials from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, October 25th. Truist Financial lifted their price target on shares of Martin Marietta Materials from $550.00 to $610.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Thursday, February 15th. Raymond James lifted their price target on shares of Martin Marietta Materials from $505.00 to $555.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, January 25th. Finally, StockNews.com lowered shares of Martin Marietta Materials from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Friday, February 9th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has issued a hold rating and eleven have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $546.62.

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Check Out Our Latest Research Report on MLM

Martin Marietta Materials Stock Up 0.8 %

Shares of NYSE MLM opened at $539.87 on Friday. Martin Marietta Materials has a 1 year low of $317.94 and a 1 year high of $550.79. The firms 50 day moving average price is $504.53 and its 200 day moving average price is $461.94. The firm has a market cap of $33.37 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.67, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.63 and a beta of 0.94. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.49, a quick ratio of 2.50 and a current ratio of 3.35.

Martin Marietta Materials (NYSE:MLM  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, February 14th. The construction company reported $4.63 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $3.96 by $0.67. Martin Marietta Materials had a net margin of 17.25% and a return on equity of 15.77%. The firm had revenue of $1.61 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.62 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $3.04 earnings per share. Martin Marietta Materialss revenue was up 8.9% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Martin Marietta Materials will post 21.12 earnings per share for the current year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Martin Marietta Materials

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. FIL Ltd lifted its holdings in shares of Martin Marietta Materials by 5.0% during the 4th quarter. FIL Ltd now owns 63,445 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $31,653,000 after acquiring an additional 2,993 shares in the last quarter. DZ BANK AG Deutsche Zentral Genossenschafts Bank Frankfurt am Main increased its stake in Martin Marietta Materials by 49.5% during the 4th quarter. DZ BANK AG Deutsche Zentral Genossenschafts Bank Frankfurt am Main now owns 21,740 shares of the construction companys stock worth $10,846,000 after buying an additional 7,194 shares during the period. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio increased its stake in Martin Marietta Materials by 1.8% during the 4th quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio now owns 25,865 shares of the construction companys stock worth $12,904,000 after buying an additional 461 shares during the period. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV increased its stake in Martin Marietta Materials by 25.6% during the 4th quarter. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV now owns 1,637 shares of the construction companys stock worth $817,000 after buying an additional 334 shares during the period. Finally, Chartwell Investment Partners LLC increased its stake in Martin Marietta Materials by 8.4% during the 4th quarter. Chartwell Investment Partners LLC now owns 14,000 shares of the construction companys stock worth $6,985,000 after buying an additional 1,082 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 93.22% of the companys stock.

Martin Marietta Materials Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Martin Marietta Materials, Inc, a natural resource-based building materials company, supplies aggregates and heavy-side building materials to the construction industry in the United States and internationally. It offers crushed stone, sand, and gravel products; ready mixed concrete and asphalt; paving products and services; and Portland and specialty cement for use in the infrastructure projects, and nonresidential and residential construction markets, as well as in the railroad, agricultural, utility, and environmental industries.

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Martin Marietta Materials (NYSE:MLM  Free Report) had its price objective increased by Stephens from $575.00 to $605.00 in a report released on Friday morning, Benzinga reports. They currently have an overweight rating on the construction companys stock.

Several other research analysts have also recently commented on MLM. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised Martin Marietta Materials from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and boosted their target price for the stock from $490.00 to $530.00 in a research note on Tuesday, December 12th. Citigroup lifted their price target on Martin Marietta Materials from $573.00 to $635.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Friday. StockNews.com downgraded Martin Marietta Materials from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Friday, February 9th. Stifel Nicolaus lifted their price target on Martin Marietta Materials from $510.00 to $598.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, December 19th. Finally, Raymond James lifted their price target on Martin Marietta Materials from $505.00 to $555.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, January 25th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has issued a hold rating and eleven have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $546.62.

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Read Our Latest Report on MLM

Martin Marietta Materials Trading Up 0.8 %

MLM opened at $539.87 on Friday. Martin Marietta Materials has a 12 month low of $317.94 and a 12 month high of $550.79. The stock has a market capitalization of $33.37 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 28.67, a PEG ratio of 2.63 and a beta of 0.94. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.49, a current ratio of 3.35 and a quick ratio of 2.50. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $504.53 and a 200 day moving average price of $461.94.

Martin Marietta Materials (NYSE:MLM  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, February 14th. The construction company reported $4.63 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.96 by $0.67. Martin Marietta Materials had a return on equity of 15.77% and a net margin of 17.25%. The firm had revenue of $1.61 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.62 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $3.04 EPS. Martin Marietta Materialss revenue for the quarter was up 8.9% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts expect that Martin Marietta Materials will post 21.12 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Trading of Martin Marietta Materials

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. FMR LLC raised its stake in Martin Marietta Materials by 225.3% during the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 1,833,959 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $752,803,000 after acquiring an additional 1,270,116 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in Martin Marietta Materials during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $308,705,000. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. raised its stake in Martin Marietta Materials by 4,244.5% during the 4th quarter. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. now owns 277,182 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $138,289,000 after acquiring an additional 270,802 shares during the last quarter. Morgan Stanley raised its stake in Martin Marietta Materials by 51.6% during the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 737,821 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $249,362,000 after acquiring an additional 251,047 shares during the last quarter. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised its stake in Martin Marietta Materials by 9.7% during the 3rd quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 2,042,537 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $838,421,000 after acquiring an additional 181,136 shares during the last quarter. 93.22% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Martin Marietta Materials

(Get Free Report)

Martin Marietta Materials, Inc, a natural resource-based building materials company, supplies aggregates and heavy-side building materials to the construction industry in the United States and internationally. It offers crushed stone, sand, and gravel products; ready mixed concrete and asphalt; paving products and services; and Portland and specialty cement for use in the infrastructure projects, and nonresidential and residential construction markets, as well as in the railroad, agricultural, utility, and environmental industries.

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Motley Fool Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. (NYSE:ARE  Free Report) during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund purchased 32,896 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock, valued at approximately $3,293,000.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of ARE. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. increased its stake in Alexandria Real Estate Equities by 8.6% in the 1st quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. now owns 4,377 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $881,000 after purchasing an additional 348 shares in the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. increased its stake in Alexandria Real Estate Equities by 242.4% in the 1st quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 4,499 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $906,000 after purchasing an additional 3,185 shares in the last quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. increased its stake in Alexandria Real Estate Equities by 14.4% in the 1st quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 4,753 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $957,000 after purchasing an additional 598 shares in the last quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC increased its stake in Alexandria Real Estate Equities by 11.7% in the 1st quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC now owns 5,903 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $1,187,000 after purchasing an additional 620 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Cetera Advisor Networks LLC increased its stake in Alexandria Real Estate Equities by 7.3% in the 1st quarter. Cetera Advisor Networks LLC now owns 1,086 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $219,000 after purchasing an additional 74 shares in the last quarter. 86.36% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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Alexandria Real Estate Equities Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE ARE traded down $0.60 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $118.68. The stock had a trading volume of 348,047 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,098,927. The businesss fifty day moving average is $124.01 and its two-hundred day moving average is $113.27. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50, a current ratio of 0.26 and a quick ratio of 0.26. The company has a market cap of $20.77 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 220.89, a PEG ratio of 2.73 and a beta of 1.06. Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. has a twelve month low of $90.73 and a twelve month high of $160.72.

Alexandria Real Estate Equities Increases Dividend

Alexandria Real Estate Equities ( NYSE:ARE Get Free Report ) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, January 30th. The real estate investment trust reported ($0.54) EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $2.29 by ($2.83). Alexandria Real Estate Equities had a net margin of 3.59% and a return on equity of 0.46%. The firm had revenue of $757.22 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $740.16 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $2.14 earnings per share. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 13.0% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts expect that Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. will post 9.46 EPS for the current year.

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 12th. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 29th were given a $1.27 dividend. This represents a $5.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.28%. This is a boost from Alexandria Real Estate Equitiess previous quarterly dividend of $1.24. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, December 28th. Alexandria Real Estate Equitiess dividend payout ratio is 940.76%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Alexandria Real Estate Equities

In other news, insider Daniel J. Ryan sold 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $118.07, for a total transaction of $1,180,700.00. Following the sale, the insider now owns 166,308 shares in the company, valued at $19,635,985.56. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In other news, insider Daniel J. Ryan sold 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $118.07, for a total transaction of $1,180,700.00. Following the sale, the insider now owns 166,308 shares in the company, valued at $19,635,985.56. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, EVP Kristina Fukuzaki-Carlson sold 2,500 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $117.03, for a total value of $292,575.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 30,070 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,519,092.10. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 17,354 shares of company stock worth $2,053,571 over the last three months. Company insiders own 0.96% of the companys stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

ARE has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft started coverage on Alexandria Real Estate Equities in a research note on Tuesday, January 30th. They set a buy rating and a $140.00 target price on the stock. StockNews.com upgraded Alexandria Real Estate Equities from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Friday, February 2nd. JMP Securities reiterated a market outperform rating and set a $140.00 price target on shares of Alexandria Real Estate Equities in a report on Wednesday, January 31st. Wedbush reiterated an outperform rating and set a $140.00 price target on shares of Alexandria Real Estate Equities in a report on Wednesday, January 31st. Finally, Mizuho upped their price target on Alexandria Real Estate Equities from $145.00 to $154.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, January 3rd. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $137.13.

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About Alexandria Real Estate Equities

(Free Report)

Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc (NYSE: ARE), an S&P 500 company, is a best-in-class, mission-driven life science REIT making a positive and lasting impact on the world. As the pioneer of the life science real estate niche since our founding in 1994, Alexandria is the preeminent and longest-tenured owner, operator, and developer of collaborative life science, agtech, and advanced technology mega campuses in AAA innovation cluster locations, including Greater Boston, the San Francisco Bay Area, New York City, San Diego, Seattle, Maryland, and Research Triangle.

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Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming the power sector, offering unprecedented opportunities for efficiency and innovation. But as AI applications proliferate, new challenges are emerging. How will industry navigate the potential and challenges that accompany this digital revolution?

Recent efforts to overhaul the long-established energy system in alignment with decarbonization and decentralization have introduced new intricacies and ambiguities, ushering in additional unknowns and intensifying the demand for dynamic adaptation. But, these attributes are emerging alongside sectoral digitalizationbroader automation and problem-solving using digital tools. And while just one of a plethora of emerging aspects of digitalization, artificial intelligence (AI) has quickly gained prominence, inspiring fear and awe for its transformative potential. AI itself is not completely new: Swiss researchers suggest its advent in the power sector emerged as expert systemscomputer systems emulating human decision-makingand neural networks more than 30 years ago. While the recent AI boom stems from parallel breakthroughs in hardware performance, computational vision, and neuroscience, AIs definition has only grown murkier. Some definitions highlight its applicability as a system, a tool, or a solution, while others refer to it as a category that encapsulates a set of varying technologies. These, too, are disputed, but they mostly always include expert systems, machine learning (ML), deep learning, reinforcement learning, computer vision, and natural language processing. For the sake of some standardization, Graeme Booth, head of Digital Technology at the UK Net Zero Technology Centre (NZTC), in a recent report, suggested renaming it altogether. The term AI is being confused and proliferates the internet, he noted. What were seeing is more akin to augmented intelligenceperhaps a better phrase as its not that the machine has intelligence and sentience, but instead that it can automate and assist many of our processes in a way that we never conceived possible, using machine learning, predictive analytics, and pattern recognition primarily. The proliferation of generative AI is augmenting our creativity, and with that comes fictional content, which, quite often, needs a human touch to refine. Most definitions also regularly underscore AIs human-defined inputs. The current International Organization for Standardization/International Electrotechnical Commission (ISO/IEC) 22989 definition of an AI system, for example, presents it as: An engineered system that generates outputs such as content, forecasts, recommendations or decisions for a given set of human-defined objectives. At its core, and particularly for the power sector, AI techniques use a range of computational techniques to mimic human-style reasoning and problem-solving, most notably with neural networks that mimic the structure and connections of human brains, Dr. Jeremy Renshaw, senior technical executive of AI, Quantum, and Nuclear Innovation at the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), recently explained to Congress. [caption id="attachment_215307" align="aligncenter" width="740"]

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1. The artificial intelligence (AI)aided new energy paradigm. Note: RES = renewable energy sources, DSO = distribution system operator, and TSO = transmission system operator. Courtesy: V. Franki, D. Majnaric, A. Viskovic, A Comprehensive Review of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Companies in the Power Sector. Energies, 2023.[/caption]

A Flourishing Industry

Despite misgivings about how it is defined, the adoption of AI in the power sector has experienced a remarkable surge. Seeking a way to quantify the various AI solutions that have emerged, researchers from Croatia at the start of 2023 pinned down at least 220 AI-based companies, including startups and industry heavyweights, that operate in the global power sector. The trend shows that the growing researcher interest in applying AI-based techniques in the power sector is accompanied by a growing number of companies following suit in real business applications, it concluded. And as EPRIs Renshaw noted, AI has already successfully pervaded all parts of the power sector with wide applicability (Figure 1) with the intent to improve safety, reliability, and efficiency as well as to reduce time and cost. Swiss researchers who analyzed more than 259,000 research articles between 1982 and 2022, meanwhile, categorized the applications in neat buckets: reasoning, planning, learning, communication, perception, and integration and interaction (Figure 2). Our findings indicate that, as of now, the focus is predominantly on AI applications in power retail (55%), transmission (14%), and generation (13%), they noted. [caption id="attachment_215309" align="aligncenter" width="740"]

2. Researchers from Switzerland, who set out to understand where interest is burgeoning in AI applications, found that global AI research trends for the power sector focused keenly on learning, followed by planning. Courtesy: F. Heymann, H. Quest, T. Lopez Garcia, C. Ballif, M. Galus, Reviewing 40 years of artificial intelligence applied to power systemsA taxonomic perspective, Energy and AI, 2024.[/caption]

AI for Power Generation

In generation, applications generally seek to optimize power plant operations and maintenance (O&M) or detect anomalies, exploiting advances in deep learning. Other applications center on forecasting, which is used for unit commitment, generation scheduling, economic dispatch, reserve estimation, and power system reliability. Predictive maintenance appears to be emerging as a burgeoning focus. AI tools can parse through substantial amounts of data and potentially identify early-stage trends in data that may lead to identification of future malfunctions and notify power plant and grid operators to schedule preventive maintenance ahead of these potential equipment failures, Renshaw noted. EPRI has already applied such principles to wind turbine gearboxes to predict the onset of failures such that lower-cost preventive maintenance activities can be performed instead of larger-scale and more expensive repairs. In just one of the hundreds of examples sector-wide, American Bituminous Powers (AMBITs) 80-MW Grant Town Power ProjectWest Virginias only remaining coal refusefired facilityhas partnered with robotics firm Gecko Robotics to leverage data-collecting robots (Figure 3), data integration, analytic tools, and software modules to give plant managers incredible clarity, Gecko Robotics co-founder and CEO Jake Loosararian told POWER. There is no more guessworkwe can predict exactly what will fail, automate repair pans using AI to maximize budgets and increase the useful life of customer infrastructure. [caption id="attachment_215310" align="aligncenter" width="740"]

3. Grant Town, a coal refuse plant in West Virginia, deployed Cantilever, Geckos end-to-end industrial asset management solution, to pinpoint damaged boiler tubes. Gecko says the robotic inspection-assisted analysis generated 28 million data points in an eight-hour data turnaround. Courtesy: Gecko[/caption] Asset optimizationefforts to maximize asset efficiency and reliability to balance performance with maintenance needsis another major focus area. Stacey Jones, ABBs global portfolio leader for Asset Performance Management (APM) solutions, told POWER ABBs APM system is layered with AI and ML. The first layer is more condition monitoring, which is simple threshold monitoring, which is not AI, and then some first principles models. Then, for our next layer of advanced protection, we have what we call our advanced prediction softwareAPM 360, she explained. This is where we start to bring in the AI in the ML to essentially use the data to train a model thats looking for certain behavior or a set of characteristics, and anytime we diverge outside of that, then were going to throw out an alert, and ideally, you catch it.

AI for Transmission and Distribution

AI applications in transmission networks, meanwhile, currently revolve heavily around transmission system expansion planning. Approaches so far have focused on sizing and siting transmission assets using heuristic and metaheuristic optimization techniques. However, applications with learning attributes are also burgeoning on the operations side, for example, to bolster fault protection or dynamic line rating. Splight, an AI grid management firm, suggested these prospects for AI are slated to thrive given the Federal Energy Regulatory Commissions Order 881, which requires a transition from traditional static to the dynamic concept of ambient-adjusted ratings (AARs) for transmission lines. In the context of the power grid, AI algorithms are poised to revolutionize how we handle temperature data and make real-time adjustments to line ratings, providing an elegant solution to the intricate challenge of implementing dynamic line rating, the company said. AIs potential lies in real-time line rating adjustments and optimizing grid capacity utilization, which, in turn, improves efficiency while allowing the seamless integration of renewables. In addition, AI enables cost savings, enhances safety, and because it provides accurate load forecasting, it could bolster data-driven decision-making that caters to decarbonization, it said. Distribution networks, too, are exploiting learning and planning, using various types of optimization algorithms for line routing and substation placement. AI is also assisting in automated fault location in distribution systems, stability analysis, and automated control. AI-based controllers are in addition well-suited for microgrid environments, though microgrid modeling also exploits the ability to compensate for non-complete or inexact models, and reinforcement learning. Researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz in November notably unveiled a specific flavor or reinforcement learningconstrained policy optimization (CPO)to optimize how microgrids pull from various alternate sources of power. Unlike traditional systems using model predictive control (MPC), which bases decisions simply on the available conditions at the time of optimization, the CPO approach takes into account real-time conditions and uses machine learning to find long-term patterns that affect the output of renewables, such as the varying demand on the grid at a given time and intermittent weather factors that affect renewable sources, the university explained.

Broader Applications for AI Sector-wide

On the business front, AI applications are thriving in market operations and trading, such as for price forecasting, using probabilistic time series forecasting, and optimized aggregation and bidding of flexible demand. AI applications in the power retail business are meanwhile helping to predict electricity demand and peak loadscrucial inputs to power system planningusing learning attributes like multi-linear regression or artificial neural network models. AI applications to mitigate longstanding business risks are also thriving. Paramount among these are for cybersecurity. By analyzing patterns and trends, AI algorithms can predict potential failures, cyber threats, and demand fluctuations, enabling proactive risk mitigation. AI offers the opportunity to be both an offensive and defensive force-multiplier for cybersecurity applications, noted EPRIs Renshaw. In tandem, AI shows promise for wildfire risk evaluation and detection. These include analyzing satellite data to identify areas of higher risk as well as conducting real-time analysis of observation station camera data to look for smoke and trigger faster responses to deal with fires at earlier stages when they are easier to contain, he said. In addition, AI tools appear to be contributing to emissions reduction. Competitive generator Vistra, for example, in 2020 piloted a McKinsey QuantumBlack multilayered neural-network model to learn about the effects of complex nonlinear relationships (such as temperature and humidity) using two years worth of data gleaned from Vistras coal-fired Martin Lake Power Plant in Texas. It then deployed a heat rate optimizer (HRO) that enabled Martin Lake to run 2% more efficiently in just three months, saving the plant $4.5 million and abating 340,000 tons of carbon. Vistra has since rolled the HRO out to at least another 67 power-generation units across 26 plants, for an average 1% improvement in efficiency. Finally, AI applications are also evolving for emissions monitoring. Beyond plant-based Predictive Emission Monitoring System (PEMS) solutions, such as pioneered by ABB in the late 2000s, at least one entityClimate TRACE, a coalition originally funded in part by a Google.org grantis monitoring power plant emissions from space, leveraging AI to "analyze over 90 trillion bytes of data from more than 300 satellites, more than 11,000 sensors, and numerous additional sources of emissions information from all over the world." In 2023, it reported the worlds thermal power plants emitted 98.36 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissionsor 21.82% of total global emissions.

Steep Barriers for an AI Expansion

While lauded for its efforts to boost accountability, Climate TRACE has also triggered some apprehension in the power sector that satellite monitoring unveils sensitive emission data, illustrating two key barriers associated with AI: data privacy and data security. On the flip side, data sharing and accessibility are also growing concerns, given the hurdles many organizations encounter in obtaining high-quality data due to proprietary constraints, data silos, or apprehensions about disclosing sensitive information. Another barrier is trusting the data itself. Data is at the heart of all AI technologies. Without sufficient quantity, quality, and cleanliness of data, AI systems can potentially produce erroneous results, Renshaw noted. That concern is especially growing prevalent as generative AI gains traction in the power industry. While a statistical model makes predictions based on rationale, a generative AI system can hallucinate, meaning it returns inaccurate responses, because they lack constraints that limit possible outcomes. Obviously, if youre in an engineering environment, if youre trying to solve operational issues, those arent good, William Hendricks, vice president of sales for Cognites Americas business, noted in June during POWERs 2023 Connected Plant Conference. To tackle that concern, Cognite last year launched an intuitive, composable, visual workspace dubbed Industrial Canvas, a collaborative environment that leverages contextualized data and generative AI. Yet another emerging glaring issue concerns bias. The datasets that are used to train AI models may suffer from bias, which is then transferred into the AI model. This can cause existing biases in data to be perpetuated or reinforced in the AI models used. As such, AI practitioners need to be aware of such potential biases and attempt to remove or eliminate their effects, such as using alternative datasets and cleaning the data, Renshaw explained. Threats posed by bias are emerging specifically with the rise of AI in electricity market operations, given potential market abuse and distortions through automated or algorithmic trading. However, approaches that use AI to detect anomalies in power markets also appear to be evolving. Along with bias, another barrier experts have highlighted concerns the massive task of data contextualizationthe connection of data, using efficient data mining and data alignment, from various point solutions and systems within the organization to get a deeper data story. Renshaw, meanwhile, highlighted the lack of explainability as another key weakness in AI models. A model can provide an answer, but few can provide an explanation or context clues of why it provided the response that it did, he said. AI explainability is a rapidly developing field and will continue to improve. On the business side of AI, costs are also a growing concern. Cloud infrastructure costs, if you decide to go to the cloud, its a huge expense that I dont think anybody saw coming, and now its a big portion of our budgets, ABBs Jones noted. While securing the right skill to sustain AI solutions poses another challenge, Jones also highlighted a larger need for change management. Change management involves systematically guiding individuals, teams, and organizations through the transition from existing practices to new processes and technologies. Its key goals are to overcome cultural resistance and foster buy-in. If you dont put the change management in place, something new like this will fall flat, Jones said.

Looming Regulations

While the industry grapples with how to best leverage AI amid its bittersweet potential, the government has stepped up in notable ways to offer guidance, with an aim to foster the responsible use of AI. In October 2023, President Joe Biden issued Executive Order (EO) 14110, which establishes new standards for AI safety and security, protects privacy, and promotes innovation and competition. In the three months following the order, federal agencies have used the Defense Production Act to compel AI developers to provide vital information to the Department of Commerce. The Commerce Department, at the end of January, also proposed a rule that would require U.S. cloud providers to alert the government when foreign clients train the most powerful models, which could be used for harmful activity. In addition, nine U.S. agencies recently completed risk assessments, providing a basis for continued action to ensure the U.S. remains at the forefront of safely integrating AI into vital aspects of society, like the U.S. electric grid, the White House noted in January. Within the energy sector, the EO instructs the DOE [Department of Energy] to address AI systems threats to critical infrastructure by coordinating with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to set rigorous standards, subject to so-called red team testing that simulates worst-case scenarios to ensure safe deployment of AI systems within energy infrastructure, all prior to the public release of the technology, explained law firm Foley and Lardner in December. The DOE is now beginning to establish rules and regulatory compliance in accordance with this executive order, a process that will take at least the next nine months. The EO follows the separate issuance of Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Playbooks by the DOE in August 2022 and NIST in January 2023 to help inform AI leaders, practitioners, and procurement teams, and better incorporate trustworthiness considerations in the design, development, and use of AI systems. States, too, are considering potential regulation. During a June 2023 National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners webinar, New York State Public Service Commissioner Diane Burman noted any regulations for AI in the energy space would need to be pinned to an informed framework that considers use cases, current systems, and processes. It wasnt but just a few years ago that we struggled with getting drones to be utilized within the utility space for system planning and other things, she noted. Part of the challenge is also having the expertise with staff and then looking at data quality, access, and privacy issues, she said. Elsewhere around the world, the European Union in June 2023 enacted the worlds first comprehensive AI law, a risk-based approach that requires providers of high-risk AI systems in critical industries, like power, to complete an assessment to ensure systems conform with mandatory requirements for trustworthiness. Some European experts suggest the law will impose steep compliance costs on the energy sector, though they acknowledge more detailed data is needed on AI system costs, which could provide a clearer picture of the laws impact on profitability.

Sonal Patel is a POWER senior associate editor (@sonalcpatel, @POWERmagazine).
Ontario Teachers Pension Plan Board raised its stake in NewMarket Co. (NYSE:NEU  Free Report) by 3.6% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 15,365 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock after buying an additional 531 shares during the period. Ontario Teachers Pension Plan Boards holdings in NewMarket were worth $6,992,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in NEU. BlackRock Inc. increased its stake in shares of NewMarket by 0.9% during the 3rd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 586,006 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock worth $176,290,000 after purchasing an additional 5,352 shares in the last quarter. First Trust Advisors LP boosted its position in NewMarket by 23.9% during the first quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 288,937 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock worth $93,725,000 after acquiring an additional 55,691 shares during the last quarter. LSV Asset Management boosted its position in NewMarket by 62.7% during the third quarter. LSV Asset Management now owns 229,568 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock worth $104,463,000 after acquiring an additional 88,476 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp boosted its position in NewMarket by 2.9% during the first quarter. State Street Corp now owns 204,125 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock worth $66,638,000 after acquiring an additional 5,847 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP boosted its position in NewMarket by 8.0% during the second quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 137,410 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock worth $55,257,000 after acquiring an additional 10,213 shares during the last quarter. 60.99% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

Separately, StockNews.com lowered shares of NewMarket from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research report on Sunday, February 4th.

NewMarket Trading Up 0.4 %

NYSE NEU traded up $2.61 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, reaching $600.66. 19,675 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 46,372. NewMarket Co. has a 1-year low of $334.36 and a 1-year high of $608.45. The businesss fifty day simple moving average is $570.17 and its 200 day simple moving average is $509.75. The stock has a market capitalization of $5.76 billion, a PE ratio of 14.85 and a beta of 0.43. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60, a quick ratio of 1.60 and a current ratio of 2.85.

About NewMarket

(Free Report)

NewMarket Corporation, through its subsidiaries, primarily engages in the manufacture and sale of petroleum additives. The company offers lubricant additives for use in various vehicle and industrial applications, including engine oils, transmission fluids, off-road powertrain and hydraulic systems, gear oils, hydraulic oils, turbine oils, and other applications where metal-to-metal moving parts are utilized; engine oil additives designed for passenger cars, motorcycles, on and off-road heavy duty commercial equipment, locomotives, and engines in ocean-going vessels; driveline additives designed for products, such as transmission fluids, axle fluids, and off-road powertrain fluids; and industrial additives designed for products for industrial applications consisting of hydraulic fluids, grease, industrial gear fluids, and industrial specialty applications, such as turbine oils.

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Occidental Petroleum (NYSE:OXY  Free Report) had its price objective trimmed by Truist Financial from $80.00 to $77.00 in a research note published on Friday, Benzinga reports. The firm currently has a buy rating on the oil and gas producers stock.

OXY has been the subject of several other reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price target on Occidental Petroleum from $78.00 to $73.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a report on Friday, December 8th. Stephens restated an overweight rating and issued a $74.00 price target on shares of Occidental Petroleum in a report on Thursday, February 15th. Mizuho downgraded Occidental Petroleum from a buy rating to a neutral rating and set a $63.00 price target for the company. in a report on Wednesday, January 3rd. Morgan Stanley upgraded Occidental Petroleum from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and set a $68.00 price target for the company in a report on Monday, December 11th. Finally, Wolfe Research downgraded Occidental Petroleum from an outperform rating to a peer perform rating in a report on Friday, November 10th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have assigned a hold rating, six have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $70.06.

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Occidental Petroleum Trading Up 0.7 %

NYSE OXY opened at $60.52 on Friday. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $58.43 and a 200 day simple moving average of $61.15. The company has a market capitalization of $53.23 billion, a PE ratio of 15.48, a P/E/G ratio of 1.75 and a beta of 1.64. The company has a current ratio of 0.92, a quick ratio of 0.69 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.84. Occidental Petroleum has a 12 month low of $55.12 and a 12 month high of $67.67.

Occidental Petroleum (NYSE:OXY  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 15th. The oil and gas producer reported $0.74 EPS for the quarter, meeting analysts consensus estimates of $0.74. The business had revenue of $7.53 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.93 billion. Occidental Petroleum had a return on equity of 20.63% and a net margin of 16.24%. The firms revenue was down 9.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $1.61 earnings per share. Research analysts forecast that Occidental Petroleum will post 4.03 EPS for the current year.

Occidental Petroleum Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 8th will be paid a $0.22 dividend. This is a positive change from Occidental Petroleums previous quarterly dividend of $0.18. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 7th. This represents a $0.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.45%. Occidental Petroleums dividend payout ratio is currently 18.41%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Occidental Petroleum

In other Occidental Petroleum news, major shareholder Berkshire Hathaway Inc acquired 3,200,799 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 13th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $56.55 per share, for a total transaction of $181,005,183.45. Following the completion of the purchase, the insider now directly owns 238,533,189 shares of the companys stock, valued at $13,489,051,837.95. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this link. Insiders have acquired 8,720,708 shares of company stock worth $505,766,000 over the last 90 days. Company insiders own 0.35% of the companys stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Occidental Petroleum

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Annis Gardner Whiting Capital Advisors LLC bought a new position in Occidental Petroleum during the 3rd quarter worth $26,000. Orion Capital Management LLC bought a new position in Occidental Petroleum during the 3rd quarter worth $27,000. Steward Financial Group LLC bought a new position in Occidental Petroleum during the 2nd quarter worth $25,000. TLW Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in Occidental Petroleum during the 4th quarter worth $28,000. Finally, Grove Bank & Trust increased its stake in Occidental Petroleum by 86.0% during the 4th quarter. Grove Bank & Trust now owns 519 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $31,000 after acquiring an additional 240 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 77.54% of the companys stock.

About Occidental Petroleum

(Get Free Report)

Occidental Petroleum Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of oil and gas properties in the United States, the Middle East, North Africa, and Latin America. It operates through three segments: Oil and Gas, Chemical, and Midstream and Marketing.

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Ontario Teachers Pension Plan Board increased its stake in shares of Vornado Realty Trust (NYSE:VNO  Free Report) by 1.7% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 234,500 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after purchasing an additional 4,002 shares during the quarter. Ontario Teachers Pension Plan Board owned 0.12% of Vornado Realty Trust worth $5,318,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Global Retirement Partners LLC lifted its holdings in Vornado Realty Trust by 49.8% during the 3rd quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 1,672 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $36,000 after buying an additional 556 shares during the last quarter. Selway Asset Management purchased a new stake in shares of Vornado Realty Trust in the 3rd quarter valued at about $45,000. Whittier Trust Co. raised its stake in Vornado Realty Trust by 1,227.7% during the 3rd quarter. Whittier Trust Co. now owns 2,058 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $47,000 after acquiring an additional 1,903 shares during the last quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust raised its stake in Vornado Realty Trust by 170.0% during the 1st quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 1,277 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $58,000 after acquiring an additional 804 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Spire Wealth Management raised its stake in Vornado Realty Trust by 32.2% during the 2nd quarter. Spire Wealth Management now owns 3,410 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $62,000 after acquiring an additional 830 shares during the last quarter. 75.86% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Vornado Realty Trust news, Director Russell B. Wight, Jr. sold 20,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $28.04, for a total transaction of $560,800.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 2,380,174 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $66,740,078.96. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. In related news, Director Michael D. Fascitelli sold 262,945 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, December 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $29.54, for a total value of $7,767,395.30. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 1,306,546 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $38,595,368.84. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, Director Russell B. Wight, Jr. sold 20,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $28.04, for a total value of $560,800.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 2,380,174 shares in the company, valued at $66,740,078.96. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 8.03% of the companys stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms have commented on VNO. Piper Sandler upped their price objective on Vornado Realty Trust from $16.00 to $25.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 20th. Citigroup upped their price objective on Vornado Realty Trust from $12.00 to $18.00 and gave the company a sell rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 28th. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their target price on Vornado Realty Trust from $18.00 to $20.00 and gave the stock a sell rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 7th. BMO Capital Markets upgraded Vornado Realty Trust from an underperform rating to a market perform rating and boosted their target price for the stock from $25.00 to $31.00 in a research report on Friday, December 15th. Finally, TheStreet upgraded Vornado Realty Trust from a d+ rating to a c- rating in a research report on Thursday, December 28th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and five have issued a hold rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Vornado Realty Trust has a consensus rating of Reduce and an average target price of $23.56.

View Our Latest Report on Vornado Realty Trust

Vornado Realty Trust Price Performance

VNO stock traded down $0.80 on Tuesday, reaching $25.28. The company had a trading volume of 793,089 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,515,798. Vornado Realty Trust has a 1 year low of $12.31 and a 1 year high of $32.21. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.82, a quick ratio of 4.95 and a current ratio of 4.95. The companys fifty day moving average is $27.75 and its 200 day moving average is $24.48. The company has a market cap of $4.81 billion, a P/E ratio of 113.39 and a beta of 1.58.

Vornado Realty Trust (NYSE:VNO  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Monday, February 12th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.04 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.59 by ($0.55). Vornado Realty Trust had a net margin of 5.82% and a return on equity of 3.22%. The company had revenue of $441.89 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $453.82 million. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.72 EPS. Vornado Realty Trusts quarterly revenue was down 1.1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts forecast that Vornado Realty Trust will post 2.36 earnings per share for the current year.

Vornado Realty Trust Cuts Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 27th. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 15th were paid a dividend of $0.30 per share. This represents a $1.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.75%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, December 14th. Vornado Realty Trusts dividend payout ratio is presently 521.74%.

Vornado Realty Trust Company Profile

(Free Report)

Vornado is a fully integrated real estate investment trust (REIT) with a portfolio of premier New York City office and retail assets and the developer of the new PENN DISTRICT. While concentrated in New York, Vornado also owns the premier assets in both Chicago and San Francisco. Vornado is a real estate industry leader in sustainability, with over 27 million square feet of LEED-certified buildings and over 23 million square feet at LEED Gold or Platinum.

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PAX Financial Group LLC increased its position in Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO  Free Report) by 90.1% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 7,440 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 3,526 shares during the quarter. PAX Financial Group LLCs holdings in Novo Nordisk A/S were worth $677,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Stone House Investment Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S by 55.3% during the 2nd quarter. Stone House Investment Management LLC now owns 177 shares of the companys stock worth $29,000 after purchasing an additional 63 shares in the last quarter. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S during the 2nd quarter worth $29,000. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC grew its holdings in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S by 165.3% during the 1st quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 199 shares of the companys stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 124 shares in the last quarter. Lee Financial Co acquired a new stake in Novo Nordisk A/S in the second quarter valued at about $32,000. Finally, Steward Financial Group LLC acquired a new stake in Novo Nordisk A/S in the second quarter valued at about $37,000. 6.41% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts recently weighed in on NVO shares. UBS Group started coverage on Novo Nordisk A/S in a research note on Tuesday, January 16th. They issued a neutral rating on the stock. TD Cowen raised their price objective on Novo Nordisk A/S from $105.00 to $115.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Monday, December 4th. Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed an overweight rating and issued a $140.00 price objective on shares of Novo Nordisk A/S in a research note on Wednesday, February 14th. Finally, Morgan Stanley assumed coverage on Novo Nordisk A/S in a research note on Tuesday, January 23rd. They issued an overweight rating and a $120.00 price objective on the stock. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Novo Nordisk A/S currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $121.25.

Novo Nordisk A/S Trading Up 1.9 %

Shares of NVO stock opened at $124.01 on Tuesday. The company has a market cap of $556.50 billion, a P/E ratio of 45.84, a PEG ratio of 2.01 and a beta of 0.41. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $108.51 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $89.26. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19, a quick ratio of 0.64 and a current ratio of 0.82. Novo Nordisk A/S has a fifty-two week low of $67.66 and a fifty-two week high of $124.64.

Novo Nordisk A/S Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a Semi-Annual dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 2nd. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 25th will be issued a $0.664 dividend. This is an increase from Novo Nordisk A/Ss previous Semi-Annual dividend of $0.22. This represents a yield of 0.9%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 22nd. Novo Nordisk A/Ss payout ratio is presently 22.92%.

Novo Nordisk A/S Profile

(Free Report)

Novo Nordisk A/S, a healthcare company, engages in the research, development, manufacture, and marketing of pharmaceutical products worldwide. It operates in two segments, Diabetes and Obesity care, and Rare Disease. The Diabetes and Obesity care segment provides products in the areas of insulins, GLP-1 and related delivery systems, oral antidiabetic products, obesity, glucagon, needles, and other chronic diseases.

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Pinkerton Retirement Specialists LLC lessened its stake in shares of KB Home (NYSE:KBH  Free Report) by 8.1% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 5,939 shares of the construction companys stock after selling 520 shares during the period. Pinkerton Retirement Specialists LLCs holdings in KB Home were worth $275,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Harbour Investments Inc. bought a new position in KB Home in the 2nd quarter valued at $26,000. Bessemer Group Inc. bought a new stake in KB Home during the second quarter valued at about $34,000. Fifth Third Bancorp boosted its position in KB Home by 40.9% during the third quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 930 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $43,000 after purchasing an additional 270 shares in the last quarter. Lazard Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in KB Home during the first quarter valued at about $40,000. Finally, Parallel Advisors LLC boosted its position in KB Home by 29.4% during the second quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC now owns 1,276 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $66,000 after purchasing an additional 290 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 91.27% of the companys stock.

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KB Home Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:KBH traded down $0.49 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $60.78. The stock had a trading volume of 84,178 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,207,747. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $61.05 and a 200-day moving average price of $53.44. The stock has a market cap of $4.87 billion, a PE ratio of 8.70, a PEG ratio of 0.75 and a beta of 1.73. KB Home has a 1-year low of $33.92 and a 1-year high of $64.00.

KB Home Dividend Announcement

KB Home ( NYSE:KBH Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 10th. The construction company reported $1.85 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.70 by $0.15. The firm had revenue of $1.67 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.63 billion. KB Home had a return on equity of 15.63% and a net margin of 9.21%. The businesss revenue was down 13.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $2.47 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts expect that KB Home will post 7.59 earnings per share for the current year.

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, February 22nd. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 8th will be paid a dividend of $0.20 per share. This represents a $0.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.32%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, February 7th. KB Homes dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 11.36%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other KB Home news, EVP Brian J. Woram sold 83,272 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $60.53, for a total transaction of $5,040,454.16. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 156,119 shares of the companys stock, valued at $9,449,883.07. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. In other news, EVP Brian J. Woram sold 83,272 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $60.53, for a total value of $5,040,454.16. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 156,119 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $9,449,883.07. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP Brian J. Woram sold 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $59.55, for a total value of $595,500.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 156,119 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,296,886.45. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 373,635 shares of company stock valued at $22,400,005. Insiders own 4.44% of the companys stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

KBH has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft downgraded KB Home from a hold rating to a sell rating and dropped their price objective for the company from $55.00 to $46.00 in a research report on Friday, December 8th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on KB Home from $49.00 to $55.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 8th. Evercore ISI increased their price target on KB Home from $67.00 to $76.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, January 11th. UBS Group increased their price target on KB Home from $63.00 to $79.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, January 11th. Finally, Seaport Res Ptn upgraded KB Home from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a research note on Friday, November 3rd. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $58.18.

Read Our Latest Stock Report on KBH

KB Home Profile

(Free Report)

KB Home operates as a homebuilding company in the United States. It operates through four segments: West Coast, Southwest, Central, and Southeast. It builds and sells various homes, including attached and detached single-family residential homes, townhomes, and condominiums primarily for first-time, first move-up, second move-up, and active adult homebuyers.

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Pinkerton Retirement Specialists LLC cut its stake in Unum Group (NYSE:UNM  Free Report) by 49.9% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 5,422 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 5,411 shares during the period. Pinkerton Retirement Specialists LLCs holdings in Unum Group were worth $267,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Resurgent Financial Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Unum Group in the second quarter worth about $25,000. Huntington National Bank raised its stake in shares of Unum Group by 1,076.4% in the second quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 647 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $31,000 after acquiring an additional 592 shares during the last quarter. Bangor Savings Bank raised its stake in shares of Unum Group by 100.0% in the third quarter. Bangor Savings Bank now owns 664 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $33,000 after acquiring an additional 332 shares during the last quarter. Arlington Trust Co LLC bought a new position in shares of Unum Group in the third quarter worth about $38,000. Finally, FinTrust Capital Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Unum Group by 125.9% in the third quarter. FinTrust Capital Advisors LLC now owns 1,229 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $60,000 after acquiring an additional 685 shares during the last quarter. 79.37% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Insider Activity

In other news, EVP Puneet Bhasin sold 8,188 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, November 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $42.39, for a total value of $347,089.32. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 54,318 shares in the company, valued at $2,302,540.02. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Corporate insiders own 0.77% of the companys stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research firms recently weighed in on UNM. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised shares of Unum Group from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and set a $55.00 price target for the company in a research note on Wednesday, January 3rd. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price target on shares of Unum Group from $47.00 to $52.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 31st. StockNews.com raised shares of Unum Group from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 31st. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on shares of Unum Group from $61.00 to $64.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, February 1st. Finally, Truist Financial dropped their price target on shares of Unum Group from $59.00 to $54.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Friday, November 3rd. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $55.44.

Get Our Latest Stock Report on Unum Group

Unum Group Trading Up 1.2 %

NYSE UNM traded up $0.58 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $49.31. 102,727 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,399,221. The firm has a market cap of $9.62 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.51, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.74 and a beta of 0.87. Unum Group has a fifty-two week low of $36.27 and a fifty-two week high of $52.15. The company has a quick ratio of 0.29, a current ratio of 0.27 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36. The stocks 50-day moving average price is $46.23 and its 200 day moving average price is $46.87.

Unum Group (NYSE:UNM  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 30th. The financial services provider reported $1.79 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.86 by ($0.07). The company had revenue of $3.15 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.14 billion. Unum Group had a net margin of 10.36% and a return on equity of 16.03%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 4.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $1.43 EPS. Analysts predict that Unum Group will post 8.21 EPS for the current year.

Unum Group declared that its Board of Directors has approved a stock buyback program on Tuesday, October 31st that allows the company to buyback $500.00 million in shares. This buyback authorization allows the financial services provider to reacquire up to 5.2% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are typically a sign that the companys management believes its stock is undervalued.

Unum Group Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 16th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 26th were issued a $0.365 dividend. This represents a $1.46 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.96%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, January 25th. Unum Groups dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 22.50%.

Unum Group Profile

(Free Report)

Unum Group, together with its subsidiaries, provides financial protection benefit solutions primarily in the United States, the United Kingdom, Poland, and internationally. It operates through Unum US, Unum International, Colonial Life, and Closed Block and Corporate segments. The company offers group long-term and short-term disability, group life, and accidental death and dismemberment products; supplemental and voluntary products, such as individual disability, voluntary benefits, and dental and vision products; and accident, sickness, disability, life, and cancer and critical illness products.

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Provence Wealth Management Group boosted its holdings in shares of Elevance Health, Inc. (NYSE:ELV  Free Report) by 21.8% in the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 699 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 125 shares during the period. Provence Wealth Management Groups holdings in Elevance Health were worth $304,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Glenview Trust co raised its position in Elevance Health by 12.4% during the third quarter. Glenview Trust co now owns 1,340 shares of the companys stock valued at $583,000 after purchasing an additional 148 shares in the last quarter. Aigen Investment Management LP increased its holdings in Elevance Health by 158.3% during the 3rd quarter. Aigen Investment Management LP now owns 5,685 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,475,000 after purchasing an additional 3,484 shares during the period. Sugarloaf Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in Elevance Health by 32.8% during the 3rd quarter. Sugarloaf Wealth Management LLC now owns 255 shares of the companys stock valued at $111,000 after purchasing an additional 63 shares during the period. Chiron Investment Management LLC increased its holdings in Elevance Health by 52.8% during the 3rd quarter. Chiron Investment Management LLC now owns 39,982 shares of the companys stock valued at $17,409,000 after purchasing an additional 13,817 shares during the period. Finally, Robertson Stephens Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in Elevance Health by 0.8% during the 3rd quarter. Robertson Stephens Wealth Management LLC now owns 3,529 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,537,000 after acquiring an additional 28 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 87.80% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts have weighed in on the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price objective on Elevance Health from $569.00 to $552.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, November 17th. Cantor Fitzgerald boosted their price objective on shares of Elevance Health from $547.00 to $580.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, February 14th. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their target price on shares of Elevance Health from $572.00 to $574.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, January 25th. Finally, StockNews.com lowered shares of Elevance Health from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, January 25th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $567.90.

Insider Activity at Elevance Health

In related news, Director Ramiro G. Peru sold 753 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $500.00, for a total value of $376,500.00. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 9,109 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,554,500. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. 0.35% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Elevance Health Price Performance

Elevance Health stock traded up $1.56 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $514.19. The stock had a trading volume of 36,246 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,097,609. The firms 50 day moving average is $482.48 and its 200 day moving average is $466.28. Elevance Health, Inc. has a one year low of $412.00 and a one year high of $514.34. The firm has a market capitalization of $120.83 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.37, a P/E/G ratio of 1.15 and a beta of 0.78. The company has a current ratio of 1.44, a quick ratio of 1.41 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.59.

Elevance Health (NYSE:ELV  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 24th. The company reported $5.62 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $5.60 by $0.02. Elevance Health had a net margin of 3.49% and a return on equity of 20.47%. The business had revenue of $42.45 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $42.19 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $5.23 EPS. The businesss revenue was up 7.0% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Elevance Health, Inc. will post 37.14 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Elevance Health Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 22nd. Investors of record on Friday, March 8th will be issued a $1.63 dividend. This is an increase from Elevance Healths previous quarterly dividend of $1.48. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 7th. This represents a $6.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.27%. Elevance Healths dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 23.52%.

About Elevance Health

(Free Report)

Elevance Health, Inc operates as a health benefits company. The company operates through four segments: Commercial & Specialty Business, Government Business, CarelonRx, and Other. It supports consumers, families, and communities across the entire care journey connecting to the care, support, and resources to lead healthier lives.

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Shares of Rio Tinto Group (LON:RIO  Get Free Report) have been given an average rating of Moderate Buy by the six analysts that are currently covering the company, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and four have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1 year price target among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is GBX 6,000 ($75.55).

Several research firms have issued reports on RIO. Berenberg Bank restated a buy rating and set a GBX 6,000 ($75.55) target price on shares of Rio Tinto Group in a research report on Thursday, November 23rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. restated a neutral rating on shares of Rio Tinto Group in a research report on Thursday, November 23rd.

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Insider Activity

Rio Tinto Group Trading Down 2.3 %

In other news, insider Jakob Stausholm sold 3,868 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of GBX 5,557 ($69.97), for a total transaction of 214,944.76 ($270,643.11). Insiders own 14.69% of the companys stock.

LON:RIO opened at GBX 5,304 ($66.78) on Thursday. The company has a market cap of 66.30 billion, a P/E ratio of 1,301.68, a P/E/G ratio of -0.64 and a beta of 0.67. The stocks fifty day moving average price is GBX 5,561.58 and its two-hundred day moving average price is GBX 5,273.01. Rio Tinto Group has a 1 year low of GBX 4,509.50 ($56.78) and a 1 year high of GBX 6,277 ($79.04). The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 26.39, a current ratio of 1.99 and a quick ratio of 1.34.

Rio Tinto Group Company Profile

(Get Free Report

Rio Tinto Group engages in exploring, mining, and processing mineral resources worldwide. The company operates through Iron Ore, Aluminium, Copper, and Minerals Segments. It offers aluminum, copper, iron ore, diamonds, gold, borates, titanium dioxide, salt, silver, molybdenum, and lithium. The company also owns and operates open pit and underground mines, refineries, smelters, and concentrator facilities, as well as power stations, research, and service facilities.

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EQB (TSE:EQB  Get Free Report) had its price target increased by stock analysts at Scotiabank from C$99.00 to C$111.00 in a note issued to investors on Tuesday, BayStreet.CA reports. The firm currently has an outperform rating on the stock. Scotiabanks price objective points to a potential upside of 20.64% from the stocks previous close.

EQB has been the topic of a number of other research reports. National Bank Financial restated an outperform market weight rating on shares of EQB in a research note on Friday, December 8th. Cormark lifted their price objective on shares of EQB from C$92.00 to C$97.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Monday, December 11th. National Bankshares lifted their price objective on shares of EQB from C$90.00 to C$98.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 20th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods dropped their price objective on shares of EQB from C$102.00 to C$101.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, November 23rd. Finally, Raymond James lifted their price objective on shares of EQB from C$97.00 to C$110.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Monday, December 11th. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Buy and a consensus price target of C$102.50.

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Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on EQB

EQB Stock Up 3.7 %

EQB Company Profile

Shares of TSE EQB traded up C$3.26 during trading on Tuesday, reaching C$92.01. 30,340 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 49,991. The stock has a market capitalization of C$3.51 billion, a PE ratio of 9.88, a P/E/G ratio of 0.34 and a beta of 1.67. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of C$89.15 and a 200-day simple moving average of C$80.15. EQB has a 52-week low of C$53.86 and a 52-week high of C$94.10.

(Get Free Report)

EQB Inc, through its subsidiary, Equitable Bank, provides personal and commercial banking services to retail and commercial customers in Canada. The company accepts term deposits and guaranteed investment certificates, high interest savings accounts, institutional deposit notes and covered bonds, as well as specialized financing solutions.

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Shake Shack (NYSE:SHAK  Free Report) had its target price lifted by Oppenheimer from $80.00 to $108.00 in a report issued on Friday morning, Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an outperform rating on the stock.

SHAK has been the topic of a number of other reports. Raymond James upgraded Shake Shack from an outperform rating to a strong-buy rating and set a $78.00 price objective on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, December 6th. Robert W. Baird boosted their price objective on Shake Shack from $67.00 to $82.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 13th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft started coverage on Shake Shack in a research note on Thursday, October 19th. They set a hold rating and a $62.00 price objective on the stock. Barclays decreased their price objective on Shake Shack from $72.00 to $59.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, October 23rd. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus decreased their price objective on Shake Shack from $62.00 to $60.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, November 14th. Twelve research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, three have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Shake Shack presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $80.11.

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Shake Shack Stock Down 0.1 %

Shares of NYSE SHAK opened at $98.29 on Friday. Shake Shack has a one year low of $52.01 and a one year high of $99.85. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52, a current ratio of 2.04 and a quick ratio of 2.01. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $74.31 and its 200-day moving average price is $66.60. The stock has a market capitalization of $4.16 billion, a PE ratio of 213.67 and a beta of 1.75.

Shake Shack (NYSE:SHAK  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 15th. The company reported $0.02 EPS for the quarter. Shake Shack had a return on equity of 3.67% and a net margin of 1.82%. The firm had revenue of $286.20 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $280.45 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned ($0.06) EPS. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 20.0% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Shake Shack will post 0.51 EPS for the current year.

Insider Activity

In other news, Director Jeffrey Flug sold 771 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $75.07, for a total transaction of $57,878.97. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 5,740 shares in the company, valued at approximately $430,901.80. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In the last three months, insiders have sold 1,075 shares of company stock worth $80,852. 10.06% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Shake Shack

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD boosted its holdings in Shake Shack by 4.3% during the 4th quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 19,525 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,448,000 after acquiring an additional 807 shares during the period. Nuveen Asset Management LLC boosted its holdings in Shake Shack by 1.5% during the 4th quarter. Nuveen Asset Management LLC now owns 113,870 shares of the companys stock valued at $8,440,000 after acquiring an additional 1,706 shares during the period. Public Sector Pension Investment Board lifted its holdings in Shake Shack by 67.9% in the 4th quarter. Public Sector Pension Investment Board now owns 77,815 shares of the companys stock worth $5,768,000 after buying an additional 31,479 shares during the period. Harbert Fund Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in Shake Shack in the 4th quarter worth approximately $508,000. Finally, Baird Financial Group Inc. lifted its holdings in Shake Shack by 1.4% in the 4th quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 10,915 shares of the companys stock worth $809,000 after buying an additional 148 shares during the period. 91.70% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Shake Shack

(Get Free Report)

Shake Shack Inc owns, operates, and licenses Shake Shack restaurants (Shacks) in the United States and internationally. Its Shacks offers hamburgers, chicken, hot dogs, crinkle cut fries, shakes, frozen custard, beer, wine, and other products. The company was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

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Anglo American Platinum (JSE:AMS) Full Year 2023 Results

Key Financial Results

Revenue: R124.6b (down 24% from FY 2022).

Net income: R13.0b (down 74% from FY 2022).

Profit margin: 11% (down from 30% in FY 2022). The decrease in margin was driven by lower revenue.

EPS: R49.53 (down from R187 in FY 2022).

All figures shown in the chart above are for the trailing 12 month (TTM) period

Anglo American Platinum Earnings Insights

Looking ahead, revenue is forecast to stay flat during the next 3 years compared to a 4.6% growth forecast for the Metals and Mining industry in South Africa.

Performance of the South African Metals and Mining industry.

The company's shares are up 5.8% from a week ago.

Risk Analysis

What about risks? Every company has them, and we've spotted 3 warning signs for Anglo American Platinum (of which 1 is a bit concerning!) you should know about.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
Brandes Investment Partners LP cut its position in shares of Shinhan Financial Group Co., Ltd. (NYSE:SHG  Free Report) by 0.4% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 313,508 shares of the banks stock after selling 1,304 shares during the period. Brandes Investment Partners LPs holdings in Shinhan Financial Group were worth $8,305,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of SHG. Financial Management Professionals Inc. grew its position in Shinhan Financial Group by 2,900.0% in the third quarter. Financial Management Professionals Inc. now owns 1,050 shares of the banks stock valued at $28,000 after acquiring an additional 1,015 shares during the period. Paradigm Asset Management Co. LLC bought a new stake in Shinhan Financial Group in the third quarter valued at $40,000. Janiczek Wealth Management LLC grew its position in Shinhan Financial Group by 46.7% in the third quarter. Janiczek Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,601 shares of the banks stock valued at $42,000 after acquiring an additional 510 shares during the period. Allworth Financial LP boosted its stake in Shinhan Financial Group by 51.6% in the third quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 1,628 shares of the banks stock worth $43,000 after purchasing an additional 554 shares in the last quarter. Finally, BNP Paribas Arbitrage SNC boosted its stake in Shinhan Financial Group by 339.4% in the third quarter. BNP Paribas Arbitrage SNC now owns 2,039 shares of the banks stock worth $47,000 after purchasing an additional 1,575 shares in the last quarter. 2.81% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities analysts have commented on SHG shares. Bank of America raised Shinhan Financial Group from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 16th. StockNews.com lowered Shinhan Financial Group from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Tuesday.

Shinhan Financial Group Trading Down 2.1 %

NYSE SHG traded down $0.69 on Tuesday, reaching $32.56. The company had a trading volume of 42,719 shares, compared to its average volume of 147,367. The stocks 50 day moving average is $30.19 and its 200-day moving average is $28.08. The stock has a market cap of $16.70 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 5.69, a PEG ratio of 0.89 and a beta of 0.89. The company has a quick ratio of 1.01, a current ratio of 1.01 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.37. Shinhan Financial Group Co., Ltd. has a 52 week low of $24.99 and a 52 week high of $33.98.

Shinhan Financial Group Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, February 22nd. Investors of record on Friday, January 1st will be issued a $0.3953 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, February 22nd. This represents a $1.58 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.86%. Shinhan Financial Groups dividend payout ratio is presently 20.89%.

About Shinhan Financial Group

(Free Report)

Shinhan Financial Group Co, Ltd. provides financial products and services in South Korea and internationally. The company operates through six segments: Banking, Credit Card, Securities, Life Insurance, Credit, and Others. It offers retail banking services, including demand, savings, and fixed deposit-taking; checking accounts; mortgage and home equity, and retail lending; electronic banking and automatic teller machines (ATM); and bill paying, payroll and check-cashing, currency exchange, and wire fund transfer services.

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Dark Forest Capital Management LP lifted its holdings in shares of SPDR S&P Retail ETF (NYSEARCA:XRT  Free Report) by 149.9% during the third quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 46,994 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after purchasing an additional 28,186 shares during the quarter. Dark Forest Capital Management LPs holdings in SPDR S&P Retail ETF were worth $2,860,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria S.A. increased its position in shares of SPDR S&P Retail ETF by 9.9% during the second quarter. Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria S.A. now owns 22,109 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $1,404,000 after acquiring an additional 1,993 shares during the last quarter. Mizuho Securities USA LLC bought a new stake in SPDR S&P Retail ETF in the second quarter valued at about $66,938,000. Maven Securities LTD increased its holdings in SPDR S&P Retail ETF by 98.3% in the second quarter. Maven Securities LTD now owns 68,711 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $4,380,000 after buying an additional 34,061 shares during the last quarter. Barclays PLC increased its holdings in SPDR S&P Retail ETF by 5.6% in the third quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 1,148,276 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $69,884,000 after buying an additional 61,342 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund increased its holdings in SPDR S&P Retail ETF by 29.7% in the second quarter. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund now owns 6,558,000 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $418,072,000 after buying an additional 1,500,000 shares during the last quarter.

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SPDR S&P Retail ETF Trading Down 0.8 %

SPDR S&P Retail ETF stock traded down $0.56 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting $73.01. The stock had a trading volume of 1,157,730 shares, compared to its average volume of 6,954,488. The stock has a market cap of $489.17 million, a P/E ratio of 8.88 and a beta of 1.31. SPDR S&P Retail ETF has a 12 month low of $56.20 and a 12 month high of $74.36. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $70.80 and a 200 day moving average price of $65.24.

SPDR S&P Retail ETF Company Profile

SPDR S&P Retail ETF (the Fund) seeks to replicate as closely as possible the performance of the S&P Retail Select Industry Index (the Index). The Index is an equal weighted market cap index. The Index represents the retail sub-industry portion of the S&P Total Market Index. The Fund invests in industries, such as apparel retail, automotive retail, food retail, department stores, Internet retail, general merchandise stores, drug retail, and hypermarkets and super centers.

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Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (NYSE:RGR  Get Free Report) is set to issue its quarterly earnings data after the market closes on Wednesday, February 21st. Investors interested in participating in the companys conference call can do so using this link.

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. Stock Down 1.0 %

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. stock opened at $43.24 on Tuesday. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $44.23 and its 200 day simple moving average is $48.14. The stock has a market cap of $766.21 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.51 and a beta of 0.32. Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. has a 12-month low of $42.86 and a 12-month high of $61.34.

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Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Raymond James & Associates increased its position in shares of Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. by 65.6% in the 1st quarter. Raymond James & Associates now owns 10,952 shares of the companys stock valued at $762,000 after buying an additional 4,339 shares in the last quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. raised its position in shares of Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. by 37.0% during the first quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. now owns 15,661 shares of the companys stock worth $1,090,000 after purchasing an additional 4,233 shares during the period. Bank of New York Mellon Corp grew its position in shares of Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. by 2.5% in the 1st quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 366,955 shares of the companys stock valued at $25,548,000 after purchasing an additional 8,850 shares during the period. Cetera Advisor Networks LLC increased its stake in Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. by 14.6% during the 1st quarter. Cetera Advisor Networks LLC now owns 5,864 shares of the companys stock worth $408,000 after purchasing an additional 745 shares in the last quarter. Finally, MetLife Investment Management LLC raised its holdings in Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. by 53.6% during the 1st quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC now owns 9,505 shares of the companys stock worth $662,000 after buying an additional 3,317 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 64.23% of the companys stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages recently weighed in on RGR. TheStreet lowered shares of Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. from a b- rating to a c rating in a report on Friday, November 3rd. StockNews.com lowered Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research report on Friday, November 3rd.

Get Our Latest Research Report on Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc.

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, and sells firearms under the Ruger name and trademark in the United States. It operates through two segments, Firearms and Castings. The company provides single-shot, autoloading, bolt-action, and sporting rifles; rimfire and centerfire autoloading pistols; single-action and double-action revolvers; and firearms accessories and replacement parts, as well as manufactures lever-action rifles under the Marlin name and trademark.

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Shares of Tanger Inc. (NYSE:SKT  Get Free Report) have been given a consensus recommendation of Hold by the six ratings firms that are covering the stock, Marketbeat.com reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have assigned a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the company. The average twelve-month price target among analysts that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $24.67.

A number of research firms recently weighed in on SKT. Compass Point lowered shares of Tanger from a buy rating to a neutral rating and set a $26.00 price objective on the stock. in a research report on Wednesday, November 8th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded shares of Tanger from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and lifted their price objective for the company from $27.00 to $29.00 in a research report on Monday, December 18th.

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View Our Latest Report on SKT

Insider Buying and Selling

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Tanger

In related news, insider Steven B. Tanger sold 64,212 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $25.50, for a total value of $1,637,406.00. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 1,062,771 shares in the company, valued at approximately $27,100,660.50. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link . Insiders own 3.70% of the companys stock.

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P raised its stake in Tanger by 4,051.4% in the 3rd quarter. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P now owns 1,453 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $33,000 after purchasing an additional 1,418 shares during the last quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC raised its stake in Tanger by 151.5% in the 1st quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 1,846 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $37,000 after purchasing an additional 1,112 shares during the last quarter. West Tower Group LLC acquired a new position in Tanger in the 2nd quarter valued at about $40,000. Point72 Hong Kong Ltd acquired a new position in Tanger in the 1st quarter valued at about $74,000. Finally, Advisory Services Network LLC raised its stake in Tanger by 84.7% in the 1st quarter. Advisory Services Network LLC now owns 3,845 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $75,000 after purchasing an additional 1,763 shares during the last quarter. 84.94% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Tanger Stock Performance

Shares of Tanger stock opened at $28.64 on Tuesday. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $27.35 and its 200-day simple moving average is $25.04. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.02 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.13, a PEG ratio of 3.58 and a beta of 1.83. Tanger has a 12 month low of $17.22 and a 12 month high of $29.04. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.43, a current ratio of 0.19 and a quick ratio of 2.04.

Tanger Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 15th. Investors of record on Wednesday, January 31st were given a $0.26 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, January 30th. This represents a $1.04 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.63%. Tangers dividend payout ratio is presently 113.04%.

About Tanger

(Get Free Report

Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc (NYSE: SKT), a leading operator of upscale open-air outlet centers, fully or partially owns and/or manages a portfolio of 37 centers, including the newly opened Tanger Outlets Nashville. Tanger's operating centers, which comprise over 14 million square feet, are located in 20 states and in Canada and are leased to over 2,900 stores operated by more than 700 different brand name companies.

Further Reading

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Ontario Teachers Pension Plan Board decreased its position in Trane Technologies plc (NYSE:TT  Free Report) by 4.0% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 2,167,981 shares of the companys stock after selling 90,228 shares during the quarter. Trane Technologies makes up 4.8% of Ontario Teachers Pension Plan Boards portfolio, making the stock its 7th biggest holding. Ontario Teachers Pension Plan Boards holdings in Trane Technologies were worth $439,905,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Acadian Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Trane Technologies during the first quarter worth about $178,000. Blair William & Co. IL grew its position in shares of Trane Technologies by 3.0% during the first quarter. Blair William & Co. IL now owns 16,727 shares of the companys stock worth $2,554,000 after purchasing an additional 495 shares in the last quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Trane Technologies during the first quarter worth about $219,000. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its holdings in Trane Technologies by 0.4% during the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 18,133,851 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,769,040,000 after buying an additional 77,924 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Mackenzie Financial Corp grew its holdings in Trane Technologies by 3.8% during the 1st quarter. Mackenzie Financial Corp now owns 956,177 shares of the companys stock valued at $146,008,000 after buying an additional 34,591 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 80.66% of the companys stock.

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Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Trane Technologies news, CFO Christopher J. Kuehn sold 2,767 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $268.31, for a total transaction of $742,413.77. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 54,788 shares of the companys stock, valued at $14,700,168.28. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. In other news, CFO Christopher J. Kuehn sold 2,767 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $268.31, for a total transaction of $742,413.77. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 54,788 shares in the company, valued at $14,700,168.28. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, SVP Keith A. Sultana sold 1,637 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $267.74, for a total value of $438,290.38. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 42,374 shares of the companys stock, valued at $11,345,214.76. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 6,895 shares of company stock valued at $1,859,452 over the last quarter. 0.39% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities analysts have weighed in on the company. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on Trane Technologies from $200.00 to $246.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a report on Tuesday, December 19th. The Goldman Sachs Group raised their price objective on Trane Technologies from $253.00 to $287.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Monday, February 5th. Stephens raised their price objective on Trane Technologies from $235.00 to $280.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 6th. Barclays raised their price objective on Trane Technologies from $222.00 to $226.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, November 2nd. Finally, Citigroup raised their price objective on Trane Technologies from $246.00 to $269.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Monday, December 11th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have assigned a hold rating and five 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 $231.71.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on TT

Trane Technologies Price Performance

Shares of Trane Technologies stock traded up $2.35 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, reaching $274.52. 636,907 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,105,096. The business has a 50-day moving average of $252.08 and a 200 day moving average of $223.94. Trane Technologies plc has a fifty-two week low of $162.04 and a fifty-two week high of $278.81. The stock has a market capitalization of $62.34 billion, a PE ratio of 30.96, a PEG ratio of 2.13 and a beta of 1.03. The company has a quick ratio of 0.78, a current ratio of 1.13 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.57.

Trane Technologies (NYSE:TT  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 1st. The company reported $2.17 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.13 by $0.04. Trane Technologies had a return on equity of 32.01% and a net margin of 11.45%. The firm had revenue of $4.42 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $4.43 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $1.82 earnings per share. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 8.6% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts predict that Trane Technologies plc will post 10.18 EPS for the current year.

Trane Technologies Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 29th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 1st will be paid a dividend of $0.84 per share. This is a boost from Trane Technologiess previous quarterly dividend of $0.75. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, February 29th. This represents a $3.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.22%. Trane Technologiess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 34.13%.

About Trane Technologies

(Free Report)

Trane Technologies plc, together with its subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, sells, and services of solutions for heating, ventilation, air conditioning, custom, and custom and transport refrigeration in Ireland and internationally. It offers air conditioners, exchangers, and handlers; airside and terminal devices; air sourced heat pumps, auxiliary power units; chillers; coils and condensers; gensets; dehumidifiers; ductless; furnaces; home automation products; humidifiers; indoor air quality assessments and related products; large and light commercial unitary products; refrigerant reclamation products; thermostats/controls; transport heater products; variable refrigerant flow products; and water source heat pumps.

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Employers (NYSE:EIG  Get Free Report) had its target price increased by analysts at Truist Financial from $53.00 to $55.00 in a research report issued on Tuesday, Benzinga reports. The firm currently has a buy rating on the financial services providers stock. Truist Financials price target suggests a potential upside of 19.64% from the companys previous close.

Separately, StockNews.com downgraded Employers from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Friday, October 27th.

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Employers Price Performance

Shares of NYSE EIG traded up $0.95 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $45.97. The stock had a trading volume of 16,854 shares, compared to its average volume of 131,089. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $40.43 and a two-hundred day moving average of $39.59. Employers has a 12 month low of $35.43 and a 12 month high of $46.78. The company has a market capitalization of $1.18 billion, a PE ratio of 10.26 and a beta of 0.22.

Employers (NYSE:EIG  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, February 16th. The financial services provider reported $1.40 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.00 by $0.40. Employers had a net margin of 13.88% and a return on equity of 10.54%. The business had revenue of $225.70 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $215.38 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.25 earnings per share. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 1.8% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts expect that Employers will post 3.5 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Trading of Employers

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC boosted its holdings in Employers by 55.0% during the 3rd quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 93,757 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $3,746,000 after acquiring an additional 33,282 shares during the period. Truist Financial Corp bought a new stake in Employers during the 2nd quarter valued at $410,000. LSV Asset Management boosted its position in Employers by 18.7% during the 3rd quarter. LSV Asset Management now owns 207,700 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $8,298,000 after buying an additional 32,700 shares during the period. Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund purchased a new position in shares of Employers in the third quarter valued at about $608,000. Finally, Assenagon Asset Management S.A. raised its stake in shares of Employers by 33.4% during the third quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 169,086 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $6,755,000 after acquiring an additional 42,378 shares during the last quarter. 78.57% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Employers

(Get Free Report)

Employers Holdings, Inc, through its subsidiaries, operates in the commercial property and casualty insurance industry primarily in the United States. The company operates in two segments, Employers and Cerity. It offers workers' compensation insurance to small businesses in low to medium hazard industries under the Employers and Cerity brands.

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V Square Quantitative Management LLC increased its position in shares of Ingersoll Rand Inc. (NYSE:IR  Free Report) by 135.9% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 5,702 shares of the industrial products companys stock after buying an additional 3,285 shares during the quarter. V Square Quantitative Management LLCs holdings in Ingersoll Rand were worth $363,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in IR. American Century Companies Inc. raised its position in Ingersoll Rand by 12.0% in the first quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 15,601 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $786,000 after purchasing an additional 1,675 shares during the period. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. grew its stake in shares of Ingersoll Rand by 47.6% in the first quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 9,880 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $497,000 after acquiring an additional 3,185 shares in the last quarter. Private Advisor Group LLC acquired a new position in shares of Ingersoll Rand in the first quarter worth $327,000. Panagora Asset Management Inc. grew its stake in shares of Ingersoll Rand by 62.2% in the first quarter. Panagora Asset Management Inc. now owns 28,937 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $1,457,000 after acquiring an additional 11,096 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Yousif Capital Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Ingersoll Rand by 1.7% in the first quarter. Yousif Capital Management LLC now owns 57,771 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $2,909,000 after acquiring an additional 988 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 94.54% of the companys stock.

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Insider Buying and Selling at Ingersoll Rand

In other news, insider Andrew R. Schiesl sold 13,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $71.89, for a total value of $934,570.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 45,263 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,253,957.07. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. 0.83% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Ingersoll Rand Stock Performance

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

NYSE IR traded down $1.63 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $87.84. The company had a trading volume of 296,941 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,610,969. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.27, a quick ratio of 1.67 and a current ratio of 2.22. Ingersoll Rand Inc. has a 1-year low of $51.84 and a 1-year high of $92.32. The company has a market cap of $35.56 billion, a PE ratio of 47.09, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.12 and a beta of 1.43. The business has a 50 day moving average of $79.26 and a 200-day moving average of $71.21.

Several research firms have commented on IR. UBS Group boosted their price target on shares of Ingersoll Rand from $78.00 to $93.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Monday, January 29th. Cfra boosted their price target on shares of Ingersoll Rand from $68.00 to $85.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research note on Friday. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Ingersoll Rand from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Monday. Citigroup boosted their target price on shares of Ingersoll Rand from $79.00 to $86.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Monday, December 11th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on shares of Ingersoll Rand from $73.00 to $83.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 19th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Ingersoll Rand presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $78.45.

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Ingersoll Rand Profile

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Ingersoll Rand Inc provides various mission-critical air, fluid, energy, specialty vehicle, and medical technologies in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, India, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. It operates through two segments, Industrial Technologies and Services, and Precision and Science Technologies.

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V Square Quantitative Management LLC grew its holdings in Hewlett Packard Enterprise (NYSE:HPE  Free Report) by 125.3% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 22,820 shares of the technology companys stock after purchasing an additional 12,691 shares during the period. V Square Quantitative Management LLCs holdings in Hewlett Packard Enterprise were worth $396,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the business. Authentikos Wealth Advisory LLC purchased a new position in Hewlett Packard Enterprise in the third quarter valued at about $31,000. McIlrath & Eck LLC boosted its holdings in Hewlett Packard Enterprise by 90.2% in the second quarter. McIlrath & Eck LLC now owns 1,910 shares of the technology companys stock worth $32,000 after acquiring an additional 906 shares in the last quarter. Ritter Daniher Financial Advisory LLC DE acquired a new stake in Hewlett Packard Enterprise in the third quarter worth about $33,000. First Manhattan Co. boosted its holdings in Hewlett Packard Enterprise by 89.4% in the first quarter. First Manhattan Co. now owns 2,413 shares of the technology companys stock worth $40,000 after acquiring an additional 1,139 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Glassman Wealth Services lifted its holdings in shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise by 72.0% during the second quarter. Glassman Wealth Services now owns 2,444 shares of the technology companys stock worth $41,000 after purchasing an additional 1,023 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 81.15% of the companys stock.

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Insider Buying and Selling at Hewlett Packard Enterprise

In related news, SVP Kirt P. Karros sold 26,127 shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $16.07, for a total transaction of $419,860.89. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 26,130 shares of the companys stock, valued at $419,909.10. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other news, SVP Kirt P. Karros sold 26,127 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $16.07, for a total value of $419,860.89. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 26,130 shares of the companys stock, valued at $419,909.10. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CFO Jeremy Cox sold 1,773 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $16.93, for a total value of $30,016.89. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 14,374 shares of the companys stock, valued at $243,351.82. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 303,575 shares of company stock worth $4,989,141. 0.53% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Trading Down 0.5 %

Hewlett Packard Enterprise stock traded down $0.08 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $14.85. 314,738 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 11,289,662. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $16.11 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $16.44. Hewlett Packard Enterprise has a 12-month low of $13.65 and a 12-month high of $18.14. The firm has a market cap of $19.31 billion, a PE ratio of 9.68, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.57 and a beta of 1.20. The company has a current ratio of 0.87, a quick ratio of 0.66 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (NYSE:HPE  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, November 28th. The technology company reported $0.52 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.50 by $0.02. Hewlett Packard Enterprise had a return on equity of 9.83% and a net margin of 6.95%. The company had revenue of $7.35 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.36 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned ($0.23) EPS. Hewlett Packard Enterprises revenue for the quarter was up 5.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts expect that Hewlett Packard Enterprise will post 1.6 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 11th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, December 13th were paid a $0.13 dividend. This is an increase from Hewlett Packard Enterprises previous quarterly dividend of $0.12. This represents a $0.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.50%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, December 12th. Hewlett Packard Enterprises dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 33.77%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts recently commented on HPE shares. Sanford C. Bernstein downgraded Hewlett Packard Enterprise from an outperform rating to a market perform rating and decreased their target price for the stock from $20.00 to $17.00 in a report on Tuesday, January 16th. StockNews.com upgraded Hewlett Packard Enterprise from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 31st. Barclays reduced their price target on Hewlett Packard Enterprise from $16.00 to $15.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, November 29th. Finally, Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on Hewlett Packard Enterprise from $15.00 to $16.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 29th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $17.60.

Check Out Our Latest Research Report on Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Profile

(Free Report)

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company provides solutions that allow customers to capture, analyze, and act upon data seamlessly in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia Pacific, and Japan. It operates in six segments: Compute, HPC & AI, Storage, Intelligent Edge, Financial Services, and Corporate Investments and Other.

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Shares of Voya Financial, Inc. (NYSE:VOYA  Get Free Report) have received a consensus rating of Moderate Buy from the eight ratings firms that are presently covering the stock, Marketbeat.com reports. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the company. The average 1 year price objective among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $81.89.

Several equities research analysts recently weighed in on VOYA shares. The Goldman Sachs Group restated a neutral rating and set a $82.00 target price on shares of Voya Financial in a research note on Monday, January 8th. StockNews.com upgraded Voya Financial from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Saturday, December 30th. Royal Bank of Canada lowered their price objective on Voya Financial from $85.00 to $83.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, February 8th. Finally, Morgan Stanley lowered their target price on shares of Voya Financial from $84.00 to $79.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, February 7th.

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Check Out Our Latest Report on VOYA

Institutional Trading of Voya Financial

Voya Financial Stock Up 1.2 %

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Arizona State Retirement System lifted its position in Voya Financial by 1.5% in the 3rd quarter. Arizona State Retirement System now owns 27,980 shares of the asset managers stock valued at $1,859,000 after purchasing an additional 403 shares during the last quarter. Caprock Group LLC bought a new stake in Voya Financial during the 3rd quarter valued at $204,000. Retirement Systems of Alabama boosted its position in Voya Financial by 12.0% during the 3rd quarter. Retirement Systems of Alabama now owns 249,079 shares of the asset managers stock worth $16,551,000 after acquiring an additional 26,640 shares during the period. Virginia Retirement Systems ET AL bought a new position in shares of Voya Financial in the second quarter worth $52,413,000. Finally, State Board of Administration of Florida Retirement System increased its holdings in shares of Voya Financial by 34.5% during the third quarter. State Board of Administration of Florida Retirement System now owns 166,440 shares of the asset managers stock valued at $11,060,000 after purchasing an additional 42,705 shares during the period. 96.10% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Shares of Voya Financial stock opened at $69.32 on Thursday. The firms 50 day moving average price is $71.89 and its 200-day moving average price is $70.12. The company has a market cap of $7.24 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.77, a PEG ratio of 0.38 and a beta of 1.08. The company has a quick ratio of 0.29, a current ratio of 0.29 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.55. Voya Financial has a 52-week low of $62.79 and a 52-week high of $77.78.

Voya Financial Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, March 27th. Stockholders of record on Monday, February 26th will be given a $0.40 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 23rd. This represents a $1.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.31%. Voya Financials payout ratio is 29.47%.

Voya Financial Company Profile

(Get Free Report

Voya Financial, Inc operates as a retirement, investment, and employee benefits company in the United States. Its Wealth Solutions segment offers tax-deferred employer-sponsored retirement savings plans and administrative services; and individual retirement accounts, and other retail financial products and services, as well as financial planning and advisory services.

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(Bloomberg) -- ANZ Group Holdings Ltd. won its fight to overturn a competition watchdog decision to block its A$4.9 billion ($3.2 billion) purchase of Suncorp Group Ltd.s banking arm.

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The Australian Competition Tribunal announced its decision in the Federal Court in Sydney on Tuesday. It will now require final approval from the Queensland state government and Treasurer Jim Chalmers.

This is a significant milestone and an important step forward in the process, however we still have further conditions to meet, ANZ Chief Executive Officer Shayne Elliott said in a statement. We strongly believe that the acquisition presents significant opportunities for ANZ, Suncorp Bank and our customers, as well as major public benefits including for Queensland.

Suncorp shares gained 6.1% as at 12:04 p.m. Sydney time, hitting the highest price since September 2018. ANZs shares slipped 3.5%.

E&P Capital banking analyst Azib Khan said the acquisitions completion was expected to weigh on ANZs relative share price performance.

We also believe the acquisition will add to ANZs cost challenges and that the acquisition will not significantly shift the dial in terms of ANZs capital allocation, he wrote in a note.

National Interest

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission had rejected the deal in August after ANZ had attempted to buy Suncorps bank in 2022 as part of plans to expand its retail banking franchise.

The ACCC and Bendigo Bank, which also opposed the merger, said the acquisition would reduce competition in the home loan market by making it easier for the major banks to engage in successful coordination.

The tribunal said the move wouldnt substantially lessen competition as the potential for coordination had reduced due to material asymmetry in major banks market shares. The body was also satisfied the proposed acquisition represented a net public benefit, as any adverse impacts from a reduction in competition were unlikely to outweigh efficiencies forecast to arise.

Story continues

The emergence of Macquarie as a maverick in the market and the increasing use of brokers has reduced consumer-choice frictions, facilitating greater customer switching, Justice John Halley said when delivering the ruling, broadcast live on YouTube.

Still, Treasurer Chalmers said a decision over final approval would be announced in due course.

I will carefully and methodically consider whether the proposed acquisition is in the national interest, he said in a statement.

Applicants and other interested parties can seek a review by applying to the Federal Court.

What Bloomberg Intelligence Says:

ANZ is set to be Australias second largest bank by assets after an independent tribunal rejected the competition watchdogs blocking of the A$4.9 billion takeover of Suncorp Bank. A successful deal will add about 4% to the ANZs profit. The deal dilutes ANZs ROE as the targets nearly A$80 billion in assets earn a return of 0.6%, vs. ANZs 0.7% in 2023. Suncorp said it would return most of the A$4.1 billion cash proceeds to shareholders, lifting the dividend yield to 30% based on the Feb. 19 close Matt Ingram, senior industry analyst

--With assistance from Tim Smith, Sarah Gill and Georgina McKay.

(Updates with share move, Bloomberg Intelligence comment.)

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(Bloomberg) -- Apple Inc.s Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams is on a rare visit to Taiwan to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Foxconn, the company that helped build the iPhone empire by assembling those devices to exacting standards in factories across China.

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In Taipei on Tuesday night, Williams was joined by Apples senior vice president of operations, Sabih Khan, as a guest of honor at a gala celebration, according to people familiar with the matter. Also present were SoftBank Group Corp. Chief Executive Officer Masayoshi Son and Arm Holdings Plc boss Rene Haas, the people said, asking not to be named as the event was private.

It was an uncommon trip for Williams, whose last public appearance in Taiwan was in 2017 for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.s 30th anniversary celebration. The occasion was also a rare moment for Taiwan to host so many leaders from the global tech industry at a single event. Foreign executives often opt for low-key visits to Taiwan so as to avoid a reaction from China, which claims the island as part of its territory.

Williams is among Apples most senior executives under CEO Tim Cook, who hasnt visited Taiwan in an official capacity in more than a decade of leading the company. Cook makes regular trips to China, which hosts Apples key production base and is one of the firms largest markets. But hes mostly avoided Taiwan, and he last made a public appearance on the island in 2008 for Foxconn founder Terry Gous wedding.

Representatives for Apple, SoftBank and Arm did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Also known as Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Foxconn is a mainstay in Apples production and assembly chain, helping to navigate challenges like the logistics and supply snarls caused by the pandemic. Apple has leaned on Foxconn and other Taiwanese partners more recently to shift some iPhone assembly to India, as it grapples with how to diversify its supply chain in the face of escalating US tech restrictions on China.

Story continues

SoftBanks Son and Foxconns Gou have been longtime business partners. Foxconn helped assemble SoftBanks humanoid robot Pepper, though that project eventually faltered.

Taiwans Vice Premier Cheng Wen-tsan and Minister of Economic Affairs Wang Mei-hua joined Foxconns celebrations, with Chairman Young Liu hosting the event.

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House Speaker does not seem to understand her role
That release could not be found.
(Bloomberg) -- A deal between the European Union and Mercosur that makes everyone happy may not be possible so the South American trade bloc is mulling breaking the treaty into parts, Argentinas foreign minister said.

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President Javier Mileis top diplomat, Diana Mondino, offered the grim assessment after meeting her French counterpart, Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne, in Buenos Aires.

We lament that they do not see the enormous potential this would have for both parties to be able to grow, Mondino said of the EU at a joint press conference Monday afternoon.

Negotiations between Mercosur and Europe are ongoing despite hitting a wall in recent months. Opposition is particularly stiff in France, where farmers have blockaded highways over a deal they they say would enable cheap imports from countries with lower environmental standards. The South American bloc and the EU have been in talks to clinch an accord for more than two decades and an agreement was announced in 2019 but never implemented.

Mercosur  made up of Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and soon Bolivia  discussed the idea of shifting their focus from Europe to other regional trading groups when foreign ministers of those countries met in Paraguay last month, Mondino said. She acknowledged that Argentina, under the administration of former President Alberto Fernandez, had been the primary opponent of an EU deal before Milei took office in December.

Sejourne reiterated Frances opposition to the treaty in its current form, saying there cannot be any advances without France. The diplomat stressed that there had to be political agreements between the South American bloc and Europe  and not with Asia.

Story continues

In response, Mondino said Argentina would work with all countries.

--With assistance from Simone Iglesias.

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A thriving business friendly and favourable tax environment, progressive legislation, and a highly skilled diverse talent pool cement Bahrain's attractiveness as a leading destination for investment.

MANAMA, Bahrain, Feb. 20, 2024 /CNW/ -- Bahrain Economic Development Board (Bahrain EDB), supported by Team Bahrain, has achieved a remarkable milestone securing a record level of investments upwards of USD 1.7 billion in 2023, marking a massive influx equivalent to a year-on-year increase of 55% compared to the USD 1.1 billion in investments generated by Bahrain EDB in 2022. The investments for 2023, which stem from 85 local and international projects, are projected to generate over 5,700 employment opportunities over a three-year period across priority sectors in the interest of promoting economic diversification and sustainable growth.

Bahrain EDB Logo

The highest level of investments was attracted into the financial services sector, demonstrating the sector's strength, resilience, and ability to attract leading global players. 2023 was additionally a record year for the financial services sector, which overtook oil and gas as the largest contributor to Bahrain's economy representing 17.5% of real GDP. The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector also secured a healthy pipeline of investments, which is set to spur further innovation within the sector. Enhancing digital transformation efforts across all sectors of Bahrain's economy with targeted plans and initiatives, as well as digitising government services and adopting artificial intelligence-led solutions has continued to be an area of priority for the government.

Manufacturing followed closely, underscoring Bahrain's innate capabilities in advanced manufacturing backed by its strategic location as a gateway to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) market and beyond. Alongside a host of new tourism projects, the island nation's rich cultural heritage, deep-rooted history of hospitality and island-living laid-back lifestyle have continued to cement Bahrain's appeal as a premier travel destination. The logistics sector was not far behind in attracting strong investment projects, reflecting Bahrain's rapidly growing transport and logistics activities.

Story continues

Khalid Humaidan, the former Chief Executive of Bahrain EDB, was appointed Governor of the Central Bank of Bahrain, having assumed the new position as of February 1st, 2024. In his capacity as Governor, he will remain a member of the board of directors of Bahrain EDB, which comprises members from the public and private sectors.

Khalid Humaidan, Governor of the Central Bank of Bahrain, stated, "2023 is a milestone year for Bahrain EDB. Backed by the agile support of Team Bahrain, a record upwards of USD 1.7 billion in direct local and international investments were attracted into multiple sectors, which will effectively contribute to sustainable economic growth, boosting employment and training opportunities within the local workforce."

"Bahrain's FDI stock relative to GDP is well above the global average rate at around 82%, which stands as a testament to the robust trust investors place in Bahrain's competitive value proposition. FDI remains a strong contributor to Bahrain's continued success story as an agile, steadily growing, and diversified economy," he added.

Minister of Sustainable Development, H.E. Noor bint Ali Alkhulaif joined as Chief Executive of Bahrain EDB In addition to her role as minister, H.E. Noor bint Ali Alkhulaif will provide executive guidance to the investment promotion agency to ensure it continues to achieve its mandate of supporting strategic initiatives that enhance the existing investment climate, driving in solid local and global investments, and actively encouraging leading global companies to set up in Bahrain.

Bahrain remains committed to fostering a supportive ecosystem for investors, with forward looking policies aimed at simplifying business operations, offering unique competitive advantages leading to success stories with local roots and global impact. These factors, combined with a highly skilled, bi-lingual, and diverse talent pool, advanced infrastructure, and strategic location, continue to cement Bahrain as an attractive destination for global investors around the world.

About Team Bahrain

Team Bahrain, a curated approach that champions the private and public sector working closely together to create an innovative an attractive investment environment for businesses to succeed, remains a cornerstone of Bahrain's value proposition. Whether bidding to pass a new regulation or analysing the feasibility of launching a niche idea to market  Team Bahrain works with empathy and drive connecting investors to the key decision makers that matter.

About Bahrain Economic Development Board (Bahrain EDB)

The Bahrain EDB is an investment promotion agency with the overall responsibility of attracting investment into the Kingdom and supporting initiatives that enhance the investment climate. The Bahrain EDB works with the government and both current and prospective investors to ensure that Bahrain's investment climate is attractive, to communicate the key strengths, and to identify where opportunities exist for further economic growth through investment.

The Bahrain EDB focuses on several economic sectors that capitalise on Bahrain's competitive advantages and provide significant investment opportunities. These sectors include financial services, manufacturing, technology and innovation, tourism, education, healthcare, logistics and transport.

For more information on the Bahrain EDB visit www.bahrainedb.com

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Today

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Tonight

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The logo of Beijing Automotive Group (BAIC) is seen during the Auto China 2016 auto show in Beijing

BEIJING (Reuters) - BAIC BluePark New Energy Technology, the electric vehicle arm of Beijing Automotive Group (BAIC), plans to launch its first sedan in partnership with Huawei Technologies this year, as Huawei steers into the EV market.

The first model co-developed with Huawei is scheduled to hit the Chinese market this year, BAIC BluePark said on Monday, in response to an investor question.

The car will be "a high-end intelligent sedan to meet consumers' demand for premium mobility experiences," the state-owned automaker added, without giving specifics.

The tie-up signals Huawei's bigger EV footprint that has seen the Chinese technology giant, the target of U.S. sanctions since 2019, encroaching on the territory of established EV makers.

Aito, an EV marque co-founded by Huawei and carmaker Seres in late 2021, topped Li Auto for the first time in sales in January, helped by the introduction of revamped M7 in September.

Huawei has also built the S7 sedan with Chinese automaker Chery Auto under a new marquee, Luxeed, that it intends to take on Tesla's Model S.

In November, Huawei revealed plans to move core technologies and resources in its four-year-old smart car operations to a new joint venture owned up to 40% by automaker Changan Auto, which makes Avatr-branded cars with Huawei.

A shortage of a component belonging to a computing unit that powers Huawei's advanced driver assistance systems has resulted in delayed deliveries of flagship models from some of its partners including Changan, Chery and Seres, Reuters reported earlier this year.

(Reporting by Qiaoyi Li, Zhang Yan and Brenda Goh; Editing by Stephen Coates)
Amidst the chief ministers intervention into the crisis, hundreds of letters pertaining to Aadhaar deactivation started flooding. Most of them are by the Matuas in East and West Burdwan districts, where dozens of families have pressed the panic button.

Suprobhat Gayen, district president of All India Matua Mahasanghas East Burdwan unit, said, Most of the recipients of such fictitious letters in Jamalpur, Memari were from our communities. This we have guessed as digital NRC, an initial step purposely geared up to push back our men to Bangladesh.

Today, at least 110 families residing in Kenna, Uday Pally, Bishnupur and Maheshdanga refugee colonies in Memari received Aadhar deactivation letters. Similarly, about 300 families in Gopalpur, Ayodhya and Mankar Panchayat areas in Kanksa and Galsi-1 block of West Burdwan suffered the same fate. Santosh Chatterjee, postmaster of Gopalpur post office, said, On Friday and Saturday, we distributed 100 such letters booked in bulk by the Unique Identification Authority of India.

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At least 80 persons residing in villages such as Jaugram, Abujhati, Ajhapur in Jamalpur block of the district had received letters initially from the UIDAIs Ranchi regional office that stated: You havent complied with the basic entreaties requisite for staying in India. The UIDAI communication maintained multiple issues for different people. For some, it mentioned: You havent updated your Aadhaar database and for some others it stated: The tenure of your visa period for staying in India has expired, and some received just a single line of information that read: your Aadhaar card is deactivated. The letters maintained the Rule 28-A of countrys Aadhaar (enrolment & update) Regulations- 2016 while issuing such notices to the individuals. The help desk number of UIDAIs Ranchi office meanwhile denied sending such letters and termed those as might be fictitious or mischievous. The postal authorities said such letters were posted in bulk from the Business Post Centre (Pin-122016), Gurugram, Haryana but the envelopes were bearing printed senders address at Bangaluru (Pin-560001) leading to further ambiguity on the issue.

The East Burdwan district administration meanwhile has taken up the issue with serious concern. The DM, East Burdwan, Bidhan Chandra Roy said, We are maintaining a vigil on the developments there and our officials in the field are visiting the families. Alok Majhi, MLA, Jamalpur today visited the panicked families. He said, I conveyed the message of our Didi, Mamata Banerjee to the families and assured them that our government will stand beside them out and out.
Amid fund constraints and a cumulative opening deficit of Rs 1962.90 crore, the House at Kolkata Municipal Corporation echoed with recommendations of increasing the income of the civic body.

Councillors of both, the ruling party and the Opposition, asserted ways that could add to the income of the municipal corporation and help it stay afloat during financial burdens.

Speaking during the post introductory session of KMCs annual budget for 2024-2025, councillor of Ward 24, Ellora Saha underscored the problems of illegal parking of vehicles suggesting that proper parking fees be taken from the owners to solve the issue and help generate more revenue for the civic body. The councillor also underscored how commercial units are being run at immovable properties. The councillor suggested that through proper steps, the income could add to the income of the civic body.

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Another councillor of the ruling party, Ratna Sur made similar assertions underscoring that there are several stretches of land that are actually owned by the civic body but are encroached at present. According to the councillor, if those land parcels are brought under the possession of the civic body, it would bring income to the municipal corporation.

Echoing the suggestions, Left councillor of Ward 103, Nandita Roy, recommended a time-bound parking with proper charges for private and commercial vehicles that lay parked on the city roads indefinitely without the parking fees being paid. The councillor also made many other suggestions like a dedicated hospital for patients of tuberculosis, list of unassessed properties, issues of hot mix being used on roads, increasing population but vacancies in solid waste management department not being filled up accordingly, paid leaves for 100 days workers on certain public holidays and so on.

One of the other points on which some of the other councillors of the ruling party and the opposition agreed to, was the allocation of some maintenance funds in each borough. According to Trinamul Congress councillor of ward number two, Dr Kakoli Sen, on many occasions, it is observed that a small work gets obstructed due to fund problems. The councillor, therefore, suggested that some amount be allocated to each ward or at least borough wise for maintenance that could be utilized for such works. BJP councillor Vijay Ojha also felt that after the deduction of 18 percent of GST from the borough fund of rupees 25 lakh, the remaining amount turns out to be insufficient for carrying out the works of various wards.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanaths visionary leadership, excellent resources in Uttar Pradesh, strong infrastructure and ease of doing business are being praised by leaders of various industry groups, including ones based abroad.

Representatives of various industry groups expressed their views during the UP: An Emerging Destination for Foreign Investment in India conclave on the second day of Ground Breaking Ceremony(GBC@IV) held here on Tuesday.

Chairman of Lulu Group M.A Yusuf Ali, Sharaf Group Vice Chairman Major General (Retd) Sharafuddin Sharaf, Air Liquide MD Benoit Renard, Dorna CEO Carmelo Espeleta and representative of Greenko Group were prominent among the entrepreneurs who appreciated the excellent investment environment in the state.

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Yusuf Ali said that foreign investment has excellent investment potential in many sectors including the food processing sector. Investors look for four things before investing: visionary leadership, resources, good infrastructure and ease of doing business. We have all these things available in India and Uttar Pradesh, he stated.

Major General (Retd) Sharaf said whether it is an individual, a family or a society, they are ready to invest their money only when they are completely assured of a good return from the venture.

Our relationship with India and UP will prove to be a milestone. This is because we treat each other like a family.

Benoit Renard said, Whenever needed we got the required support from India and UP for our decision to invest in a venture. On behalf of Air Liquide Group, I would like to express our strong commitment towards progressive investment in India in the coming years.

Carmelo Espeleta appreciated the opportunity provided by the UP government to host an important event like MotoGP India. He said that MotoGP created 12,000 employment opportunities. Eighty per cent of the spectators came to watch the event in UP from outside. In particular, 5,000 international staff and journalists participated from abroad. The year 2023 marks an important milestone for MotoGP, he stated.

The representative of Greenko Group said, We are a new company in green energy sector. We have been successful in producing 10 gigawatts so far. Till now, we have invested USD 12 billion in various states of the country. For the first time, India is transitioning from an energy importing country to an energy exporting one. We have facilitated a total of 8 pumped-storage based projects in different states.

He expressed happiness that while in other states it takes at least two to two and a half years to clear the first approval stage, Uttar Pradesh is the first state to get them this approval within six months. This investment will not only make India self-reliant, but also make UP a leader in green energy, he further pointed out.
A four-year-old child was reunited with his parents, thanks to the efforts of the staff of the Neb Sarai Police Station under the south district, a police official said on Tuesday.

On Monday, the police personnel at the police station received a call about an abandoned minor boy at street no 26, Sangam Vihar in South Delhi. A police team rushed to the spot took the boy into their custody and consoled him while making efforts to find his family, their address, and related information.

Subsequently, a police team, including a sub-inspector, an ASI, a head constable, and a woman constable led by the station house officer (SHO) was constituted to track down the family. The police took the help of the Zonal Integrated Police Network (ZIPNET) for leads into the case and to locate the childs family.

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The police deployed local sources to collect human intelligence on the matter while conducting a door-to-door inquiry and scanning the CCTV footage of the area.

After untiring efforts, the police finally could access the details of the family and found that the boy belonged to L- block Sangam Vihar. The family was immediately contacted. They recognised the boy following which the kid was reunited with his family.

The police personnel involved in the efforts are being suitably rewarded for the good work, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) South District, Ankit Chauhan said.
The Delhi Police in the presence of Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena and Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora on Tuesday destroyed illegal drugs worth Rs 1,600 crore in the international market.

The illicit drugs were destroyed as per the procedure at the incinerator located at the SSI industrial area in Jahangirpuri at the GT Karnal road.

These banned drugs included Ganja, heroin, charas, cocaine, Doda Post and Psychotropic Substance, and others.

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The Delhi Police said the process of destroying the illegal drugs will continue in the future in this manner as part of the fight against this menace.

As per the Additional Commissioner of Police, Crime, Sanjay Bhatia, the total volume of the illegal drugs destroyed was 10631.745 kilograms.

According to the notification of the Government of India, the Ministry of Finance (Department of Revenue), and the order of the Supreme Court, various committees were formed by the Delhi Police to destroy the illegal drugs recovered from the drug smugglers.

As per the vision envisaged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the union government is vigorously pursuing a policy of Zero Tolerance against drugs.

The Union Home Minister Amit Shah has time and again conveyed his resolve to root out the menace of drugs and has constantly emphasized taking stringent action against all drug traffickers and eradicating this evil from the country.

Accordingly, the campaign against drugs is being sincerely implemented by the Delhi Police under the guidance of the LG Delhi and the Delhi Police chief.

Various operations and campaigns are being run by the districts and units of Delhi Police to crack down on the menace of drugs, and directions have been given to take strong actions against the narco-offenders.
Ankara, Turkey--(Newsfile Corp. - February 20, 2024) - Visit BARKOM GROUP INC. at Booth #7024N at the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canadas (PDAC) Convention at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC) from Sunday, March 3 to Wednesday, March 6, 2024.

About BARKOM GROUP INC.

BARKOM GROUP was established in 1987 Ankara, Turkey to serve the drilling industry locally and globally as the manufacturer of drill rigs and equipment for the mining exploration.From the very beginning the vision of keeping up with the innovation and being pioneer to innovations allowed us to be who we are and to get where we are now. Always looking at the bigger picture by not ignoring every little detail and feedback gathered from the sites all around the world with a dedicated team from manufacturing to after sales helped us keep and increase the market share. Introducing our market to what is available across the globe as the distributor of the product range that we do not manufacture made a complete range of equipment we are able to offer today. Leading the industry in manufacturing is encourged by getting there first. First heat treated drill rods, being the first and only R&D center in the industry, first and only ATEX certified drill rigs, only manufacturer of multi purpose drill rigs in our country are some of the firsts we achieved along the way and carried the experience across the globe. Throughout a difficult path in a competitive industry, one thing we never compromise is quality. We do know very well what it takes for a single piece of core sample in the box and never compromise from quality of a piece of equipment to get there. It was about time for us to be a part of the oldest gathering in the exploration industry. Come and meet us at PDAC 2024 and let us share our experiences and get the opportunity to have a chat on what we can supply and add value in any way we can to your business.

About PDAC

The Worlds Premier Mineral Exploration & Mining Convention is the leading convention for people, governments, companies and organizations connected to mineral exploration. In addition to meeting more than 1,100 exhibitors, 2,500 investors and 24,000 attendees in person in 2023, participants could also attend programming, courses and networking events.

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The annual convention is held in Toronto, Canada. It has grown in size, stature and influence since it began in 1932 and today is the event of choice for the worlds mineral industry.

For more information and/or to register for the conference please visit: https://www.pdac.ca/convention.

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BARKOM GROUP INC.

Ceren Pasin

+90 538 394 95 86

cpasin@barkomas.com

www.barkomas.com
The Annual Day celebrations of the Junior School of Springdales, Dhaula Kuan New Delhi on Tuesday culminated in the prize-distribution ceremony. The celebrations can be summed up as a fusion of academics and cultural extravaganza blended with lots of fun.

The event was presided over by Mrs Deepa Grover, former headmistress of the Springdales School Dhaula Kuan and a member of the Springdales Education Society.

Principal of the School Mrs. Ritu Madan, welcoming the audience to the Ruby Jubilee Annual Day Celebrations in her address, said under the enlightened and humane education aptly conceptualised by the learned founder, Late Mrs. Rajni Kumar, and carried forward by founder principal Dr Jyoti Bose, the school is scaling newer and greater heights.

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Speaking on the occasion, the Chairman of the Managing Board of the School, Dr. A Sankara Reddy, reiterated that Springdalian education is one of the finest in the country.

Greeting the audience on the occasion, he said it was a privilege and a matter of pride for him to be the chairman of such a reputed institution.

The Annual Report of the junior school presented by the principal, headmistress, and Junior prefects highlighted the achievements of the school, the laurels it earned, and innovations during the passing year.

Former headmistress and chief guest Mrs. Grover, after giving away Special Awards to the multifaceted students for their excellence in the spheres of academics, performing arts, public speaking, and art, praised their dedication and congratulated their parents.

She encapsulated the true essence of Springdalian Education, which has always been child-centered, integrated, and skill-based, and further emphasised that the school is a Dale of Happy Children and that schooling at the Springdales emphasises creating young enlightened citizens who work with verve and vitality and are an asset to the society.

Meanwhile, the Junior Choir of the school kept the audience spellbound with their rendition of The Tiger Anthem, an ode to Indias National animal.

The anthem was sung for the first time to mark the 50th anniversary of Project Tiger with a message to raise awareness about the urgent need to save the majestic creature from extinction.

The children also sang How Far Ill Go, a song from Walt Disney`s animated feature film Moana, which carries a powerful message of perseverance, resilience, and finding one`s own way in the world.

Toward the end of the event, a mesmerising dance presentation was put up by the students Celebrating Diversity with a fusion of Mexican and Odissi dance forms.

Vote of Thanks was proposed by madam principal Mrs Madan with a compliment to the students and the staff for their spectacular performance.
Celebrating a milestone in his illustrious career, Bollywood stalwart Ajay Devgn marked the 25th anniversary of his action-packed thriller Kachche Dhaage. The veteran actor took to Instagram on Monday, treating fans to a nostalgic reel featuring snippets from the iconic film. Released on February 19, 1999, Kachche Dhaage starred Ajay Devgn alongside Saif Ali Khan, Manisha Koirala, and Namrata Shirodkar in pivotal roles, under the direction of Milan Luthria, who made his directorial debut with the film.

Despite its primarily folk and Punjabi musical roots, the movie struck a chord with audiences across linguistic boundaries, thanks to the melodious compositions by the legendary Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and poignant lyrics penned by Anand Bakshi.

Advertisement View this post on Instagram A post shared by Milan Luthria (@milan.a.luthria)

The narrative revolves around Ajay Devgns character, a daring smuggler navigating the treacherous terrain along the Rajasthan-Pakistan border. Shot against the breathtaking backdrops of Rajasthans deserts and Switzerlands scenic landscapes, the film captivated audiences upon its release on February 10, 1999, in Mumbai.

Interestingly, Kachche Dhaage shares its title with a 1973 film directed by Raj Khosla, featuring Vinod Khanna, Moushumi Chatterjee, and Kabir Bedi. However, the storyline of Ajay Devgns version bears resemblances to Jackie Chans 1987 action-adventure Armor of God.

Looking ahead, Ajay Devgns cinematic journey continues with Neeraj Pandeys much-anticipated directorial venture, Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha, opposite the talented Tabu. Set against the backdrop of a unique musical love story intertwined with epic romantic drama spanning two decades, from 2002 to 2023, the film promises a captivating cinematic experience. Scheduled for a multi-language release, Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha also features Saiee Manjrekar and Shantanu Maheshwari in pivotal roles, and is slated to hit theaters on April 26, 2024.
Sahil Khan, the charismatic actor who shot to fame with his debut film Style, has stunned his fans and followers by revealing his recent marriage to his long-time girlfriend. The news broke out through Sahils social media accounts, where he shared a heartfelt post introducing his new wife to the world.

Known for his role in Style alongside Sharman Joshi, Sahil Khan had seemingly faded from the limelight in recent years. However, he has since built a successful empire for himself and is now making headlines once again, this time for his personal life.

In a video posted on his Instagram, Sahil and his wife can be seen enjoying a romantic vacation, likely in the Maldives. With smiles on their faces, Sahil proudly introduces his partner as his beautiful wife, marking a significant moment in their relationship.

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See his post on Instagram:

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sahil Khan (@sahilkhan)

While this may come as a surprise to many, Sahil has been hinting at his relationship on social media for some time now. Despite his previous marriage to Negar Khan in 2004, which ended after a year, Sahil seems to have found love once again.

In addition to his personal life, Sahil has also announced his return to showbiz after a hiatus. Teaming up once again with Sharman Joshi, the duo is collaborating on a new project, marking their reunion after 20 years.

Fans and well-wishers have flooded Sahils social media with congratulatory messages, expressing their happiness for the newlyweds and excitement for his upcoming projects.

As Sahil Khan embarks on this new chapter of his life, both personally and professionally, his fans eagerly anticipate what the future holds for the beloved actor.
Actor Kajol expressed her condolences on Tuesday over the passing of her web show The Trial co-star Rituraj Singh.

Taking to Instagram, Kajol shared a picture on her stories and wrote, My deepest condolences to the family prayers.

Rituraj Singh passed away last night in Mumbai at the age of 59, as confirmed by a close friend of the late actor Amit Behl to ANI.

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The TV actor had been battling pancreatic disease and was recently in the hospital. He succumbed to a cardiac arrest.

Actor Arshad Warsi took to X to pay tribute, writing, I am deeply saddened to hear about Ritu Rajs passing. We lived in the same building, he was part of my first film as a producer. Lost a friend and a great actor will miss you brother

In Badrinath Ki Dulhania, Rituraj portrayed the role of Badris father (played by Varun Dhawan).

Film director Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri took to X and wrote, Rituraj, my friend, how did you make it even possible? Kitna baaki tha Artists never die. Om Shanti.

Notably, Rituraj has appeared in several television shows, including Hitler Didi, Shapath, Aahat, Adaalat, and Diya Aur Baati Hum, among others.

Apart from that, he also appeared in films like Badrinath Ki Dulhania, Satyamev Jayate 2, and Yaariyan 2.

He was part of several web series including The Trial, Indian Police Force, Made in Heaven, and Bandish Bandits, among others. (ANI)
Paul McCartneys iconic stolen bass has finally found its way back home after an incredible half-century journey. The 1961 electric Hofner violin-shaped bass, estimated to be worth a staggering 10 million ($12.6 million), vanished into thin air decades ago, leaving a trail of mystery and intrigue behind it.

The remarkable reunion was possible through the relentless efforts of Hofner executive Nick Wass and journalist Scott Jones, who teamed up for a five-year search. McCartney, the former Beatle, had reached out to Hofner for assistance in locating his beloved instrument, igniting a quest filled with determination and hope.

McCartneys attachment to the bass runs deep; he purchased it for a mere 30 ($37) back in 1961 during The Beatles formative years in Hamburg, Germany. The bass featured prominently in the bands early hits like Love Me Do and Twist and Shout, becoming an integral part of their legendary sound.

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The journey to recover the bass gained momentum when Jones, inspired by McCartneys performance at Glastonbury Festival in 2022, joined forces with Wass. Their investigation led to a series of breakthroughs, including a crucial tip from sound engineer Ian Horne, who revealed that the bass had been stolen in London in 1972.

Further twists and turns eventually led the team to the Guest family, who unknowingly possessed the long-lost bass. Cathy Guest, upon learning of the instruments significance, promptly reached out to McCartneys studio, setting the stage for its triumphant return.

In a heartwarming turn of events, Cathys son, Ruaidhri Guest, shared the news of the basss return on social media, sparking widespread excitement and admiration. The instrument, once overlooked and undervalued, now holds immense sentimental and historical significance as it returns to McCartneys possession.

The saga of Paul McCartneys stolen bass serves as a testament to the enduring power of music and the unwavering dedication of those who refuse to let a piece of history fade into obscurity. As McCartneys official website expressed, gratitude abounds for all involved in the remarkable journey that brought the bass back into its rightful owners hands.
Vidya Balan, the ever-charming Bollywood star, recently took to social media to showcase her affection for Malayalam cinema in a fun and endearing manner. Known for her engaging reels and entertaining skits, Balan delighted her fans with a humorous enactment of a scene from the classic 1991 film Mookilla Rajyathu.

In her latest reel, Vidya Balan expressed her deep connection to Malayalam cinema, revealing that she had been immersing herself in the world of Malayalam films for the past two weeks. With a caption that read, Been watching Malayalam films obsessively for the past 2 weeksso this is my fun ode to my roots #LoveMalayalamCinema, she paid homage to her roots in a light-hearted and affectionate manner.

Watch the reel here:

Advertisement View this post on Instagram A post shared by Vidya Balan (@balanvidya)

Balans journey with Malayalam cinema dates back to her early days in the industry. While pursuing her masters degree, she played the female lead in the Malayalam film Chakram, alongside veteran actor Mohanlal. Although the film faced production difficulties and was eventually shelved, it marked the beginning of Balans association with Malayalam cinema. Over the years, she went on to sign on for 12 other Malayalam language films, showcasing her versatility as an actor.

Despite setbacks such as Chakram not seeing the light of day and Kalari Vikraman failing to secure a theatrical release, Balans love for Malayalam cinema remained unwavering. She even made a guest appearance in the Malayalam film Urumi.

As fans eagerly await Balans return as the beloved character Manjulika in Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, the actress continues to spread love and joy through her delightful social media posts. Her playful homage to Malayalam cinema serves as a reminder of her enduring connection to her roots and her willingness to explore diverse realms of storytelling.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has come out in support of the Sikh IPS officer, who was allegedly called Khalistani by BJP workers, during Suvendu Adhikaris visit to Sandeshkhali.

The IPS officer, who was wearing a turban, was deployed to stop the protesting BJP workers from visiting Sandeshkhali. As BJP leaders indulged in an argument with the IPS officers, someone shouted Khalistani, which prompted strong reactions from the officer who advised the BJP leaders to leave his religion alone.

Condemning the incident, Banerjee accused the BJP of indulging in divisive politics and overstepping constitutional boundaries.

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Today, the BJPs divisive politics has shamelessly overstepped constitutional boundaries. As per BJP every person wearing a TURBAN is a KHALISTANI. I VEHEMENTLY CONDEMN this audacious attempt to undermine the reputation of our SIKH BROTHERS & SISTERS, revered for their SACRIFICES and UNWAVERING DETERMINATION to our nation, she wrote on X.

The Bengal CM also said that stern action will be taken against those trying to disrupt the social harmony of the state

We stand firm in protecting Bengals social harmony and will take stern lawful measures to prevent any attempts to disrupt it, Banerjee added.

Today, the BJPs divisive politics has shamelessly overstepped constitutional boundaries. As per @BJP4India every person wearing a TURBAN is a KHALISTANI. I VEHEMENTLY CONDEMN this audacious attempt to undermine the reputation of our SIKH BROTHERS & SISTERS, revered for their pic.twitter.com/toYs8LhiuU  Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) February 20, 2024

The alleged incident took place on Monday and a purported video of it has since gone viral on social media.

The video shows SSP Jaspreet Singh and BJP leaders, including MLA Agnimitra Paul indulging in a heated argument after the officer was called Khalistani.

I will take action on this. Just because I am wearing a turban, you assumed I am a Khalistani? You cannot say anything about my religion. Has anybody said anything about your religion? Then why did you comment on my religion? the angry officer told the MLA.

Nobody is making any comments on religion, only you are making. If any police person is wearing a turban, are they assumed as Khalistani? Im not discussing your faith; dont bring up mine either. How dare you label me a Khalistani! Is this your level? he added.

Punjab Congress leader Pratap Singh Bajwa has called for a strong action against BJP workers for trying to portray Sikhs as Khalistanis.

This is shameful beyond words. BJP workers in West Bengal are calling a Sikh IPS officer Khalistani just because he is doing his duty. Is this what BJP thinks about Sikhs? A strong action should be taken against those trying to create this hooliganism and portraying Sikhs as Khalistanis,

Meanwhile, the BJP has said that none of its leaders called the police officer Khalistani.

We never do such things. We do nationalist politics, oppose Pakistanis and Khalistanis but we never said such things to the officer, Suvendu Adhikari said.
The Congress has endorsed former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Naths son Nakul Naths candidature from Chindwara. Congress general secretary Jitendra Singh, who is in Madhya Pradesh amid buzz over Kamal Naths likely BJP switch, said, He is a strong candidate from there (Chhindwara) and will definitely contest the elections.

He also dismissed rumours of Kamal Naths BJP move, saying it was spread by the the saffron party.

There is nothing like this. All these rumours (of Kamal Nath leaving Congress) have been spread by the BJP. He is our senior leader and he will attend the meeting today regarding the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, he added.

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Last week, Nakul Nath reportedly removed Congress from his X bio and there was a strong buzz that Kamal Nath could join the BJP. He also announced to contest the Lok Sabha elections from Chindwara but there was no official confirmation in this regard from the Congress leadership.

The father-son duo, according to reports, is angry with the party leadership after Kamal Nath was blamed for the dismal performance in the last years Assembly elections. He was also replaced as the state Congress chief by Jitu Patwari.

Earlier today, senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh has said that Kamal Nath will remain in the Congress.

Kamal Nath is, was, and will remain in the Indian National Congress. Modigodimedia should stop spreading lies, Singh said in a post on X.

Meanwhile, Kamal Nath has also played down the rumours of his exit from the Congress party, saying he will inform the media if anything like this happens.

Why are you all getting excited? It is not about denying. I will inform you all if there is something like that, said Kamal Nath on Saturday, while speaking to the media.
MP and National Conference chief Dr Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday asked the government to end repression of rights of people in J&K and called for the release of thousands of Kashmiri youth languishing in jails across the country.

Abdullah asked the government to release the Kashmiri youngsters languishing in jails across the country, saying the humanitarian gesture will go a long way towards curbing alienation.

He said this while interacting with media persons at Srinagar railway station from where he traveled to Sangaldan in the train that was virtually flagged off by PM Narendra Modi from a function in Jammu.

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Abdullah said that people are eagerly waiting for Kashmir to be connected with the rest of the country by rail network.

Today is a blessed day that this train reached Sangaldan and the Prime Minister inaugurated it; I hope that this rail link will be fully completed by June-July this year, he said.

Listing the advantages of the project, he said that besides enhancing the mobility of the commuters, it will give a boost to the local fruit industry by enabling the local agricultural produce to reach local and national markets on time.

Recalling the day when the train was brought to Jammu, he said that he had met the then Railway Minister and requested him to extend the railway line beyond Jammu.

He said that the concerned minister, who conceded to his request, had made a provision of Rs 100 crore for the extension of the railway line up to Udhampur.

In response to a question asked by the LG in his welcome address regarding the claim of peace, stone pelting and the end of strike calendars, Abdullah said, If the situation has really improved, as they claim, then why are thousands of our children in jails? What is their fault? Is this peace? So I advise them to stop oppressing people, free our youth and give them a chance to live their lives with dignity. We want peace and nothing else.

He further said, Ghulam Nabi Azads claims that Farooq Abdullah goes to meet the Prime Minister and the Home Minister during night are fabricated. Why do I need to go during the night? I am a member of parliament and I am dealing with public issues in broad daylight. I appeal to the Prime Minister and Home Minister to see who is spying for Azad in the PMOs office and home. Azad cannot get away by making false and obnoxious statements. How can a person who is not loyal to his party and ideology be loyal to anybody? People are the best judge.

In response to the question asked about the parliamentary elections and the National Conference candidates, Abdullah said, We have been waiting for the elections for a long time now. We hope that apart from the parliamentary elections, panchayat, municipal and assembly elections will also be held in Jammu and Kashmir. As far as the National Conference candidates and whether I contest the election from Srinagar or not, it will be decided by the party. These are not individual decisions.
A heated debate broke out in the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly on the issue of government jobs on Tuesday, during the budget session.

During the debate, Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu challenged Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur to present a documentary proof in the House in which the Congress said that his government would provide government jobs to one lakh people in a year.

Earlier, Jai Ram Thakur said the Congress had said it would provide one lakh government jobs within a year.

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This led to an uproar in the House.

BJP member Trilok Jamwal also said that the Congress had announced one lakh government jobs to be announced in the first cabinet meeting. However, no government employment has been given.

The chief minister objected to this and said the Congress did not say this, but conceded that one lakh employment opportunities would be created in a year.

Jai Ram Thakur immediately responded saying Congress had talked about providing one lakh government jobs and even read the guarantee given in this regard.

Reacting to it, the chief minister again reiterated that Congress did not make any such promise.

If Jai Ram Thakur has any evidence, he should prove it and sign and place that document on the table of the House, said the chief minister.

Anything circulating on social media these days cannot be considered as evidence and has no credibility, said the chief minister. He accused the leader of the Opposition of misleading and spreading false propaganda on social media and that the government will take action on it.
Global Market Insights Inc.

Beeswax Industry size is expected to register 5.7% CAGR between 2024 and 2032 propelled by the increasing demand for natural and sustainable products.

Selbyville, Delaware, Feb. 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Beeswax Market Size is projected to record a valuation of USD 945.7 million by the end of 2032, as per a recent study by Global Market Insights Inc.

The rising demand for natural and eco-friendly products across industries, such as cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and food will drive the market growth. Beeswax, known for its versatile applications and sustainable nature, is increasingly preferred over synthetic alternatives. The growing shift of the beauty and personal care sector towards organic ingredients will also escalate the product demand.

Request for a sample of this research report @ https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/7142





Moreover, the expansion of the health and wellness sector is favoring the utilization of beeswax in herbal and medicinal products, reflecting a broader trend of sustainable and nature-based solutions. For example, in December 2023, Cuban researchers introduced Abexol, an innovative digestive supplement derived from beeswax, designed specifically to address digestive conditions. The growing awareness of the environmental impacts of conventional waxes and the rising preference for biodegradable materials will add to the market growth.

Conventional beeswax to accumulate substantial share

Conventional beeswax market is anticipated to reach significant value during the forecast period, owing to widespread use in various industries, such as cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and food. Conventional beeswax maintains its popularity due to its versatile applications and cost-effectiveness. Several industries also prefer this beeswax given its consistency and availability. Additionally, growing incorporation in traditional and established formulations across diverse sectors will boost the segment growth.

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Beeswax to gain prominence in pharmaceutical applications

The pharmaceuticals application segment in the beeswax market will witness expansion from 2024 to 2032, driven by the increasing preference for natural ingredients in pharmaceutical formulations. Beeswax, known for its medicinal properties and versatile applications, is utilized in pharmaceutical products, such as ointments, creams, and pills. The rising awareness of the benefits in wound healing, skin care, and various therapeutic applications will also drive the product demand. The natural, safe, and sustainable characteristics of beeswax will further accelerate its application scope in the pharmaceutical sector.

Make an inquiry for purchasing this report @ https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/7142

Europe to record higher consumption

Europe beeswax market is expected to depict significant CAGR during the forecast period. The growth can be attributed to the escalating demand for natural and sustainable ingredients across diverse industries. The cosmetic and personal care sectors are witnessing higher usage of beeswax due to its versatility and eco-friendly characteristics. The growing emphasis on environmental consciousness is leading to the multifaceted uses of beeswax in various industries. Additionally, the rising preference for natural products in pharmaceuticals and food applications will fuel the product demand in the region.

Beeswax Market Participants

Some of the prominent beeswax companies include Koster Keunen, British Wax Refining Company, Strahl and Pitsch, New Zealand Beeswax Ltd. These industry players are launching new initiatives and programs to increase their product portfolio and customer reach. For instance, in April 2023, Koster Keunen launched a video titled The Bee Story, highlighting its sustainable beeswax program.

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Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Tuesday said India has shaken off the label of the sleeping giant and its rise is continual, incremental and unstoppable.

Addressing students at the 37th Convocation of the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) here, Dhankhar said, All of you are graduating into an India on the rise, India that had shaken off the label of the sleeping giant, Indias rise is continual, incremental and unstoppable.

Highlighting the countrys growth, he said, We are no longer the nation defined by its potential. We are a nation realising its potential. We are a nation enabling global powers to realise their potential. We are a nation that is defining how human resource potential can be exploited.

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Underlining the enabling ecosystem, the VP called upon them to seize this incredible momentum, harness the transparency, leverage the economic boom, and turn opportunities into personal masterpieces.

Citing that extraordinary infrastructural growth, widespread technology penetration, rapid pace of digitisation and a commitment to transparent and accountable governance were no longer buzzwords but ground reality, Dhankhar drew attention to Indias economic vitality.

Our resilient financial ecosystem, fuelled by an inclusive digital payment system, has become a global model, not only do we use it, we export it, he said.

Referring to the G20 Summit held in New Delhi as a testament to Indias leadership, the VP made note of how Indias commitment to inclusivity and participation was now resonating globally.

From engaging all states and union territories across the nation to inducting the African Union as a G20 member and launching the Global Biofuel Alliance, India emerged as the voice of the Global South, he said.

Reminding students that they were entering a world increasingly driven by new trends in disruptive technology, Dhankhar advised them to embrace such technologies to become true footsoldiers of Bharat@2047.

Underscoring Indias dynamic startup culture that has garnered global attention, the VP said, Some of the greatest innovations and breakthroughs have come from individuals who dared to think differently, who fearlessly challenged the status quo.

Exhorting students to look beyond a narrow definition of success, Dhankhar called upon them to explore the vast landscape of possibilities that lay before them, and to prioritise collaboration over competition as the guiding principle.

Embrace your individuality, pursue your passions, and redefine success on your own terms, he added.
Strongly defending Indias strong ties with Moscow, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has asserted that just as India does not expect Europe to have a view of China that is identical to its own, the Western world should understand that India cannot have a view of Russia that is identical to the European one.

Let us accept that there are natural differences in relationships, he made this remark in an interview to a leading German economic daily, Handelsblatt during his visit for the Munich Security Conference.

Underlining the fact that every country conducts a relationship based on its past experiences, Mr Jaishankar said Russia has never hurt Indias interests while the relations of powers like Europe, the US, China or Japan with Russia have all seen ups and downs. We have had a stable and always very friendly relationship with Russia. And our relationship with Russia today is based on this experience. For others, things were different, and conflicts may have shaped the relationship. We, on the other hand, had a politically and militarily much more difficult relationship with China, for example, he added.

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He did not agree with a suggestion that Indias ties with Russia have caused a strain on India-Europe relations. Both sides have communicated their positions clearly and have not emphasised their differences.

Mr Jaishankar recalled that when the fighting started in Ukraine, Europe shifted a large part of its energy procurement to the Middle East  until then the main supplier for India and other countries. What should we have done? In many cases, our Middle East suppliers gave priority to Europe because Europe paid higher prices. Either we would have had no energy because everything would have gone to them. Or we would have ended up paying a lot more because you were paying more. And in a certain way, we stabilised the energy market that way, he added.

When pointed out that Russia is still the most important arms supplier to India, he said, In terms of inventory, yes, because many Western countries have long preferred to supply Pakistan, and not India. But that has changed in the past ten or fifteen years with the USA, for example, and our new purchases have diversified with the USA, Russia, France and Israel as the main suppliers.

Asked if he would like support from Europe in the border conflict with China in 2020, the Indian minister shot back, My point is: just as I do not expect Europe to have a view of China that is identical to mine, Europe should understand that I cannot have a view of Russia that is identical to the European one. Let us accept that there are natural differences in relationships.

On India-EU resuming negotiations on a free trade agreement, he said FTAs are very complex, and one with the EU is the most complex in the world for any country because it also discusses many non-trade issues.
The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) on Tuesday boycotted the all-party meeting convened at Sultan Bathery in Wayanad in the context of increasing number of wild animal attacks in the hilly district.

The UDF representatives boycotted the meeting, urging Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to visit Wayanad. They also demanded the resignation of Forest Minister AK Saseendran.

The UDF members said that the discussions in the all-party meeting regarding the serious threat being faced by the people should take place in the presence of the Chief Minister.

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After boycotting the meeting, Congress MLA T Siddique said that the need of the hour in Wayanad is not discussion but action. He said the UDF has boycotted the all-party meeting considering the sentiments of the people of Wayanad.

The people of Wayanad should be able to live here.The people of Wayanad are now being thrown to wild animals like flies.The chief minister should visit Wayanad. The Forest Minister should be removed from the post and the charge of the district should be taken away from him, Siddique said.

Forest Minister AK Saseendran, Local Self Government Minister MB Rajesh and Revenue Minister Rajan attended the meeting.

Meanwhile, the Youth Congress workers waved black flags at the ministers who reached Wayanad to attend the all -party meeting.

It is worth noting that three persons have been killed in wild animal attacks in Wayanad in the recent weeks.
Senior Congress leader KC Venugopal on Tuesday categorically said the discussion on seat-sharing between the Congress and Samajwadi Party (SP) for the upcoming Lok Sabha (LS) elections are in the final stage.

The statement of the Venugopal, Congress national general secretary in-charge of organization, came a day after SP president and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav that he would join the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra (BJNY), which is currently in the state, only after an arrangements on seat-sharing for the general elections.

In response to questions on seat-sharing with the SP, he said, It is in the final stage. Anytime it can be finalized. The discussion is going on.

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The senior Congress leader further said, We are in process. Our alliance team is there. Congress president has appointed a team of alliance. They are discussing it with everybody. We hope that solution will come.

Notably, the Congress National Alliance Committee (NAC) headed by Mukul Wasnik has been holding meetings with the parties of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc on seat-sharing.

Earlier, the panel had held meetings with the senior leaders of the SP in the national capital.

On Monday, chief of the SP said, There were several rounds of talks between the two parties which have exchanged lists of candidates. Yet nothing concrete has happened. Let an agreement emerge, only then will I join the Congress yatra.
The Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on Tuesday passed the Maratha Reservation Bill, which was tabled in the house during the special session that began earlier today. The bill, which seeks to extend 10 per cent reservation to Marathas above the 50 per cent cap, was passed unanimously.

Vijay Wadettiwar, who is the Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Assembly, said that the Opposition parties support the Maratha communitys reservation demand.

The Maratha Reservation Bill will now be tabled in the state Legislative council and if passed, it will become a law.

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We all are of similar views here on the Maratha reservation so I will not make may political statement here. With the co-operation of you all, we could do it. I kept my promise which I made to the Maratha community. I thank all my colleagues including my both DCMs and other ministers. Today is a day of fulfilment of our promises, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said.

Our aim was to work on a war footing, day and night, to bring this issue to a proper conclusion. The Maharashtra government is fully committed to giving reservation to the Marathas and today we are doing this. Devendra ji and Ajit Pawar ji always used to tell me that by whatever means we have to give reservation to the Maratha community. Devendra ji had once given reservation to the Maratha community while being the Chief Minister and that reservation was also upheld in the High Court. But unfortunately for some reason it was struck down by the honorable Supreme Court the CM further stated.

Therefore, this time we have reconstituted the Backward Classes Commission and conducted a survey as per the order of the Supreme Court and after collecting the necessary data, we are now planning to give them reservation. We have tried to fulfil the rules and regulations in every way and now we are ready to give this reservation, he added.

OBC community members stage protests

Earlier in the day, members of the OBC community staged a protest against the unfair decision of CM Shinde to give their reservation to Maratha community.

They said that while they are not against the Maratha quota demand but it was wrong to take reservation from the OBC community.

We are not against Maratha reservation but Manoj Jaranges demand to take reservation from OBC is wrong. He blackmailed the government to end the political reservation of OBC. The government can give separate reservations to Marathas but OBC reservation should not be given, said one of the protesting members of the OBC community.
After Supreme Court declared INDIA alliance candidate Kuldeep Kumar new Chandigarh mayoral elections winner, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said that presiding officer Anil Masih was just a pawn and Prime Minister Narendra Modi was behind the BJPs conspiracy.

Masih is just a pawn in the BJPs conspiracy to murder democracy, Modi is the face behind it, Gandhi wrote on X.

His remarks came after Supreme Court slammed Masih for defacing eight ballots of the Opposition members and declare BJP candidate as winner of the Chandigarh mayoral elections.

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The court quashed the results and ordered re-counting of votes, which resulted in the victory of the AAP candidate.

The top court noted that the eight ballots on which the presiding officer Anil Masih had made a marking and declared invalid were validly cast in favour of INDIA alliance candidate.

A bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud said that the presiding officer must be held accountable for unlawfully altering the course of the election and making false statement before the court.

The conduct of the presiding officer has to be deprecated at two levels. Firstly, by his conduct, he has unlawfully altered the course of the Mayoral election. Secondly, making a solemn statement before this court on February 19, 2024, the presiding officer has expressed a patent falsehood for which he must be held accountable, the bench said.

Reacting to the courts judgment, Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said that public will now stop Modis hunger for power.

This gentleman who goes abroad and talks big about the Mother of Democracy, it his pawn who has murdered democracy in front of the camera. Today the Supreme Court has stopped the Murder of Democracy in India. Now the public will stop Modis hunger for power, Ramesh said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid foundation stones of multiple development projects worth over Rs 32,000 crores in Jammu on Tuesday.

Addressing a gathering, he said the occasion was not limited to Viksit Bharat-Viksit Jammu alone but included lakhs of people from educational institutions from all around the country.

In a significant step towards upgrading and developing education and skilling infrastructure across the country, the Prime Minister inaugurated, dedicated to the nation and laid foundation stones of several projects worth about Rs 13,375 crores.

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The Jammu and Kashmir projects relate to sectors including health, education, rail, road, aviation, petroleum, and civic infrastructure, among others. He distributed appointment orders to about 1500 new Government recruits of Jammu and Kashmir.

Mr Modi interacted with beneficiaries of various government schemes as part of the Viksit Bharat Viksit Jammu programme. He praised a clear articulation of the benefits of government schemes by the beneficiaries who interacted with him.

The Prime Minister said the government is committed to reach the doorstep of every beneficiary and no deserving beneficiary will be left behind. I have full faith in you. We will surely create a Viksit Jammu Kashmir. Dreams that were lying unfulfilled for 70 years will be accomplished by Modi soon, said the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister said that Jammu and Kashmir is moving forward with a pledge of becoming Viksit, leaving behind the days of despair and separatism. Tuesdays projects worth Rs 32,000 crore will give a boost to education, skill, jobs, health, industry and connectivity, he said.

The Prime Minister dedicated to the nation permanent campuses of IIT Bhilai, IIT Tirupati, IISER Tirupati, IIITDM Kurnool; academic and residential complex in IIT Patna and IIT Ropar; two permanent campuses of Central Sanskrit University  at Devprayag (Uttarakhand) and Agartala (Tripura).

He inaugurated permanent campuses of IIM Visakhapatnam, IIM Jammu and IIM Bodh Gaya and inaugurated the Indian Institute of Skills (IIS)  a pioneer skill training institute on advanced technologies in Kanpur.

The Prime Minister inaugurated and dedicated to the nation, improved infrastructure like hostels, academic blocs, administrative buildings, libraries, auditoriums etc in multiple higher educational institutes across the country like IIT Jammu, NIT Delhi, IIT Kharagpur, NIT Durgapur, IISER Behrampur, NIT Arunachal Pradesh, IIIT Lucknow, IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, Central University of Kerala Kasaragod, among others.

The Prime Minister laid foundation stones of multiple projects for upgrading the infrastructure in several higher educational institutes across the country.

These projects included construction of the permanent campus of Sindhu Central University and IIIT Raichur; the construction of academic block, hostel, faculty quarter etc in IIT Bombay; construction of Hostel and Staff Quarter in IIT Gandhinagar, and construction of Girls hostel in BHU, among others.

The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for a new terminal building at Jammu Airport. To be spread over a 40,000 sqm area, the new terminal building will be equipped with modern facilities catering to about 2000 passengers during peak hours.

In another project, the Prime Minister dedicated to the nation various rail projects in Jammu & Kashmir including the new rail line between Banihal-Khari-Sumber-Sangaldan (48 Km) and the newly electrified Baramulla-Srinagar-Banihal-Sangaldan section (185.66 Km).

The Prime Minister flagged off the first Electric Train in the valley and train service between Sangaldan station & Baramulla station.

Among road projects, the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of two packages (44.22 KM) of Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway connecting Jammu to Katra.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said Jammu and Kashmir is now moving towards overall development after abrogation of Article 370 that was the biggest roadblock in its balanced progress.

Modi was addressing a massive public meeting after inaugurating and laying the foundation stone of projects worth Rs.32,000 crores.

Braving rain and bad weather, thousands of men and women from across the union territory reached the MAM Stadium to listen to Modi.

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Modi said; It is because of the abrogation of Article 370, I have urged the people to help BJP win 370 seats and NDA win 400+ seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Article 370 was the biggest hurdle in the development of Jammu and Kashmir. The BJP government has removed it and now the UT is moving towards overall balanced development.

In an indirect attack at the Abdullah and Mufti clans, Modi said J&K has been a victim of dynastic rule for decades and the youth was the biggest victim. The dynasts were only concerned about their families, not about your interests, your familiesI am happy that Jammu and Kashmir has now got freedom from this dynastic politics. Women have also got their rights after abrogation of Article 35A that denied basic rights to the womenfolk.

Common people of J&K got assurance of social justice mentioned in the Constitution for the first time after abrogation of Article 370.

Record number of schools, colleges, universities have been established in the country in the last 10 years and in J&K alone, 50 new degree colleges were set up.

There was a time when schools were burnt, today schools are being decorated. Today, health facilities are improving rapidly in Jammu and Kashmir. Before 2014, there were 4 medical colleges in Jammu and Kashmir, now there are 12 medical colleges, he said.

Referring to the coming movie Article 370, Modi said, I have heard that a film on Article 370 is going to be released this week. It is a good thing as it will help people in getting correct information.

Dedicating to people the projects related to several sectors including health, education, rail, road, aviation, petroleum, civic infrastructure, etc; Modi said this is the first time in J&K that the government has reached peoples doorstep, this is Modis guarantee, he said amid applause from the audience.

Modi said, In December 2013, when I had participated in BJPs Lalkar rally here, I raised the question of why educational institutions like IIT and IIM cannot be built in Jammu. We fulfilled those promises and today there is an IIT, IIM and AIIMS in Jammu. That is why people believe Modi ki guarantee yani guarantee pura hone ki guarantee.

Referring to the days of terrorism, Modi said; Earlier, only disappointing news of bombs, kidnappings and separation used to come from Jammu and Kashmir, but now Jammu and Kashmir is developing and moving forward. Your dreams of 70 years will be fulfilled by Modi in the coming years.

Modi said, The previous governments never respected our soldiers. The Congress government kept lying to soldiers for the past 40 years that they will implement one rank, one pension. It is the BJP government which fulfilled this promise and brought the OROP.

Modi interacted with beneficiaries of various government schemes as part of the Viksit Bharat Viksit J&K. These beneficiaries had come from far-flung places of J&K.

Among the new projects, the PM flagged off the first Electric Train in the valley and also the train service between Sangaldan In the Ramban district of Jammu and the Baramulla station in North Kashmir. NC Chief Farooq Abdullah, who is sitting MP from Srinagar, travelled in the inaugural run of the train and praised Modi for its launch.

Speaking on the occasion, Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha said incidents of terrorism have reduced by 75%. Top terrorist commanders have been eliminated. Now the protest calendar is not issued, and stone pelting is now history. Markets, schools, and universities now remain open throughout the year.

Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said; Appeasement politics ended after PM Modi came to power. Kashmiri Pandits, daughters of Jammu and Kashmir, Gujjars, Paharis and others got their rights. After removing Article 370, you proved Modi hai to mumkin hai
Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated the campus of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Bhilai. The inauguration of IIT Bhilai coincided with the unveiling of the worlds highest bridge from Jammu to Srinagar.

The ceremony also included the unveiling of newly constructed buildings for Kendriya Vidyalayas in Kurud and Kawardha. Spanning across 400 acres, IIT campus has been developed at a total cost of 879.22 crore, with a capacity to accommodate 2500 students.

In his address, Prime Minister Modi emphasised the importance of investing in educational institutions like IIT Bhilai, which currently hosts over a thousand students across 11 branches of engineering. He lauded the collaborative efforts that brought the campus to fruition, laying the foundation for a new era of innovation and excellence.

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Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, who joined the event from IIT Bhilai, expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister for his dedication to elevating the educational landscape of Chhattisgarh.

The sprawling 400-acre campus stands as a testament to the governments commitment to fostering excellence in technical education.

Member of Parliament Vijay Baghel and MLA Doman Lal Korasewada highlighted the transformative impact of IIT Bhilai on the regions educational infrastructure. Former Minister Premprakash Pandey and other luminaries underscored the campuss role in shaping the future of engineering education in India.

The event also commemorated the inauguration of 220 development projects nationwide, with a special focus on bolstering educational institutions across the country.

The dedication of IIT Bhilai represents a significant step forward in realizing the governments vision of empowering Indias youth with world-class educational opportunities.

As the country looks towards a future driven by knowledge and innovation, the inauguration of IIT Bhilai serves as a beacon of hope, inspiring generations to pursue excellence in the field of technology and engineering.
After announcing his decision to float a new political outfit, Swami Prasad Maurya on Tuesday resigned from the primary membership of the Samajwadi Party.

Swami also resigned from the membership of the State Legislative council as a SP member with immediate effect.

While the letter of leaving SP has been sent to party president Akhilesh Yadav this morning and thereafter Swami sent his resignation letter to the chairman of the Legislative Council.

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Yesterday, Swami Prasad Maurya had attacked Akhilesh Yadav , after the SP President categorically stated that people join his party to take political benefits. Swami immediately replied that he will leave all the benefits given by SP.

Swami on Monday launched a new political outfit named Rashtriya Shoshit Sanaj Party with a new flag. He is slated to address a rally at Talkatora Stadium in Delhi on February 22.

Swami Prasad Maurya had recently resigned from the post of National General Secretary of the party, alleging neglect in SP. He had said in his letter to Akhilesh Yadav that Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar and Dr Ram Manihar Lohia were in favor of social justice and had given the slogan of 85 versus 15. But, Samajwadi Party is continuously making this slogan ineffective.

Trying to minimise the impact of the resignation of Swami from the party post, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav had commented that it was a party affair and it will be solved amicably.

Swami had been in news for criticising Sanatan Dharma particularly Ramcharitmanas due to which several cases were registered against him in different police stations of the state.

Swamis daughter Dr Sanghamitra Maurya is BJP MP from Badaun.
City Voices (ES)

Our reliance on smartphones has become so great that most people would struggle to get through an average day without one. Theyre vital for communication, work, travel and even accessing ones own finances.

And while you go about your day, your device is working hard too, continuously tracking your every move and feeding it back to big tech providers like Google.

Whether researching an ailment, shopping for groceries, photographing precious memories or divulging your innermost secrets to a friend - your trusty device is there through it all. Watching and listening.

And feeding back to its parent company (Google). Even an inactive Android device is contacting Google 40 times an hour (increasing to 90 times an hour when in use).

Yet this probably doesnt evoke the shock it should. Theres a collective, defeatist consent that personal information is no longer truly private information; a currency for convenience.

A YouGov / TASO survey from 2022 revealed that 77% of Brits are worried about online technology companies using their individual data  but a market dominated by a handful of conglomerates relentlessly pedalling convenience in an age of the perpetually burnt-out means were sleepwalking into a privacy nightmare.

Advertisers relish the granularity of an individuals data, relentlessly stalking consumers with an irresistible product until they acquiesce and buy, regardless of whether they can afford it. While certainly not good for ones wallet, this merely teases the exploitation and persuasion power that mass data collection holds.

Firstly, any information harvested can potentially be used for malicious intent. In Kazakhstan, data collected by a university was leaked detailing the names, phone numbers and tax codes of every female student who was still a virgin [February 2024]. An incredibly distressing violation of privacy for the victims and their families.

Closer to home, in September 2023 the ICO announced it will conduct a review into female fertility trackers after their poll revealed 59% of women using them were concerned about how their data is used, with many concerned it was being sold to third parties without their knowledge/consent.

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But what can purchasers do with this information? For one, they can target women who are struggling to conceive with content and products, capitalising on a distressing time, and desire to start a family, for profit.

On an even darker level, simply look into the Roe v Wade case, which shows how health data can be accessed by state authorities and used against the individual.

Even if the current government shows no signs of utilising such information, one must consider the future. The data collected about you now can absolutely be used against you in the future  once the data exists it cannot be truly erased.

How to take back control

By rolling out privacy features, big tech companies mislead users into a false sense of security that they have control over their data. Disabling targeted ads in your Google account doesnt stop Google collecting information, in fact amending most privacy options only affects what you see as the end user, not what information Google can harvest.

Therefore, I recommend switching to privacy-focused alternatives to the Google products you use.

Tracking code is embedded into Google Android smartphones at operating system level  the only way to stop all tracking on their smartphones is to replace the operating system.

I used my knowledge as a software developer to create a non-profit tracker-free Android operating system,/e/OS, which can be flashed free of charge to any Android phone to replace Google. If that feels too technical, you can purchase Android smartphones with /e/OS pre-loaded from Murena.com, where we sell tracker-free Android smartphones only.

I also urge anyone using social media who is concerned about their privacy to question if its essential. Social media platforms are essentially just giant trackers, and often a distraction. If you must use something, I recommend Mastodon. Furthermore, Whatsapp is owned by Meta (Facebook and Instagrams parent company) and has a chequered past for user privacy  try Telegram instead.

Finally, replace Googles search engine with a privacy-focused alternative like Mojeek, which still offers quality results without intrusion.

Being more mindful of data privacy is similar to being more eco-conscious, in that it requires more thought to shop responsibly and recycle waste correctly, but the consequences of not doing so are far-reaching for future.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath emphasised on Tuesday that Uttar Pradesh has undergone a significant transformation in the past six to seven years, asserting, This is the new Uttar Pradesh of new India, Viksit Uttar Pradesh of Viksit Bharat.

Speaking at the FDI conclave titled UP: An Emerging Destination for Foreign Investment in India held at the Indira Gandhi Pratishthan, the CM reflected on the states evolution, stating, Seven years ago, Uttar Pradesh was labeled as a BIMARU state, perceived as a hindrance to the nations progress. However today, Uttar Pradesh has shed this label, emerging as a state of Unlimited Potential.

Elaborating on his contention, he said, We possess prakrati (nature), parmatma (God), and pratibha (the talent of our youth). Through this confluence, we are propelling Uttar Pradesh forward under the guidance and leadership of the prime minister. Over the past seven years, we have accomplished significant milestones, including doubling the states economy and per capita income.

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During the conclave, the chief minister, along with Union ministers and other dignitaries, released a booklet. A short film illustrating Uttar Pradeshs transformation was also screened at the event. He assured that the state government was fully committed to meeting the targets set by the Prime Minister within specified timelines. Aligned with the prime ministers directives, we are determined to propel Uttar Pradesh as the growth engine of India, he affirmed.

Reflecting on Uttar Pradeshs remarkable turnaround from its BIMARU state label, Yogi credited the transformation to prime ministers visionary leadership. We embraced the prime ministers vision as our mission, implementing targeted policies across various sectors and fostering a conducive environment marked by exemplary law and order, he explained.

The tangible outcomes of these efforts are evident, with Uttar Pradesh now emerging as the second-largest economy in the nation, jumping from its previous sixth position. Additionally, the state has become a revenue surplus state and earned the distinction of being the first to introduce FDI and the Fortune Global 500 policy.

The chief minister highlighted a significant achievement, noting that between 2019 and 2023, Uttar Pradesh attracted four times the amount of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) compared to the cumulative FDI received from 2000 to 2017 over a span of 17 years. This remarkable increase underscores the confidence investors have in Uttar Pradesh, attributable to its secure environment and transparent government policies.

Citing examples, he noted that esteemed Fortune Global 500 companies such as Samsung, Microsoft, LG, PepsiCo, Nayara Energy, Reliance Industries, Tata, Hindustan Unilever, Haier, and Ikea are actively expanding their operations in Uttar Pradesh. The success of the Global Investors Summit (GIS) 2023, which garnered investment proposals totaling US$ 400 billion, further underscores Uttar Pradeshs status as a premier destination for FDI.

To facilitate and encourage investment, the government has formulated policies offering exemptions in various areas such as land-capital subsidy, stamp duty, registration, and electricity duty. Uttar Pradesh has thus emerged as an enticing prospect for Fortune Global 500 companies seeking growth opportunities.

Inviting investors from both domestic and international arenas, the chief minister extended assurances of a secure investment environment and urged them to capitalize on the states facilitative measures.

He underscored a significant initiative undertaken by Uttar Pradesh, aimed at simplifying bureaucratic processes that were previously cumbersome and time-consuming.

He highlighted the implementation of the Nivesh Mitra single window portal, which now serves as a dedicated platform for investors. The Nivesh Sarathi portal is diligently monitoring MoUs to ensure investor satisfaction. The incentive monitoring system for investors is working effectively in UP.

On this occasion, Cabinet Minister Nand Gopal Gupta Nandi, Anil Rajbhar, Minister of State Jaswant Saini, Chief Secretary Durga Shankar Mishra, Infrastructure and Industrial Development Commissioner Manoj Kumar Singh, and Principal Secretary Anil Kumar Sagar, among others, were present.
Afrequent discussion today is the future of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Humans, while enjoying AIs technological advantages, fear its many downsides: such as its contribution to increased unemployment, deep fake scams, and possible rogue takeovers of human digital communication. To my mind, the opposite, that is humans mimicking robots or computer programmes in their thinking and demeanour, is of greater concern.

AI programmes are crafted to curate social media content in a manner that captivates the users attention for long hours. Social media posts that gain the most traction through a binary like-or-dislike scheme are promoted, while meaningful journalism and art fall by the wayside. Forcing such polarised responses makes for easy computation of data, but snatches away the deeper satisfaction of an enriching conversation based on well thought-out, comprehensive answers.

Computers are based on the stark binary system of the numerals 0 and 1, combinations of which are used to execute various programmes. Humans, on the other hand, are delightfully nuanced with hues of grey. No two humans are created exactly alike.

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Yet, humans nowadays are more enthralled by repetitive digital content on their screens than even another unique human being sitting beside them. In todays capitalistic milieu, even as each business is encouraged to create its USP (Unique Selling Point) to garner funds from investors, ironically, humans are increasingly pressurised to conform to the wider collective. Where hardline governments and rigid social structures exist, they try to get citizens to act as a herd of docile and regimented beings. Critical thinking and asking questions are not encouraged.

The greatest human qualities like outspokenness, courage and curiosity are seen as irritants by those in power, as they seek to dominate others. All this leads to more and more robotic conformation. Rather than adding richness and diversity with our unique perspectives, we become simple ones and zeros, at variance with the natural world around us. Humans have integrated tightly with their biological environments for centuries. Circadian rhythms, maternal instincts and the hyperactive senses of certain animals are just some of the natural concepts that AI is not currently capable of understanding or mimicking.

The American psychoanalyst Dr Clarissa Pinkola Estes powerfully highlighted how important it was to be natural. In her celebrated book women who run with the wolves, she reasoned that many mental stresses and illnesses experienced by women were brought on by them being constantly conditioned to behave in a particular way ~ for example to sit in a ladylike manner, not laugh too loudly, and so on. She felt that the undue suppression of natural instincts ~ for example a desire to laugh throatily at a funny incident ~ was not healthy. Speaking of naturalness, we know that the real world, unlike the streamlined world of computer programs, is highly chaotic.

While scientific models of physics do give us sets of predictable rules and laws, nature is equally full of unpredictability. Professor Edward Lorenz worked out that even a small change in the starting point of a mathematical weather model could have an enormous impact on the outcome. Since change is constant in the universe, an exact starting point of a model cannot truly be determined. His talk titled Predictability: Does the Flap of a Butterflys Wings in Brazil Set Off a Tornado in Texas? led to the familiar term butterfly effect i.e., small actions having powerful impacts. The natural world is defined by transience and the ephemeral nature of things. AI follows specific scripts that will never change unless they are continuously reprogrammed. So, it can never truly mimic the ebb and flow of life. If humans lose their spontaneity and naturalness, they begin to resemble AI more! Likewise, in our workplace, what sets humans apart from computer programs is the passion we bring to a job and the discretion we use.

A security guard who stops a frail elderly gentleman, whom he fully recognizes and who poses no security risk, from entering a building just because the gentleman forgot his building pass, is behaving mechanically. It is the discretion and kindness we bring to the job that truly separates us from programmed tasks that even AI can do. Another attractive quality in humans is originality. This is valued in all spheres, from music to films to writing. So much so that plagiarism checks are an integral part of any editing.

Yet now there is a tendency to allow ChatGPT to formulate a standardised language for your message and when you type an email, readymade, mundane, cliched phrases land up magically at your fingertips so that you do not have to make the effort to think. These phrases serve the purpose. But they do not have the beautiful flair like us for using diverse, rich, adjectives or the nuanced writing that we would ourselves create. To retain our human faculties, we need to resist this automation.

The qualities of love and reverence that humans exhibit through their mannerisms and art cannot be replaced by an algorithm. Love drives so much positive action in the world that philosophers and poets alike equate it with the very Almighty. Its broad spectrum can include different facets; the fierce maternal instinct to protect a young one or the ability of a soldier to sacrifice their life to guard something of value or the romantic love that transcends all social barriers.

AI just cannot modify its pre- programmed instructions out of an act of love unlike humans who base many of their life choices on the stirrings of their hearts. Whom to marry, where to live, a woman sacrificing her career prospects to be with someone she loves, parents sacrificing their own needs so that their kids can lead a better life and so on. Similarly, the value of art lies in the meaning that a spectator draws from it and how they connect to it. Banksys art is considered beautiful and special because of his life story and social messages.

He paints stealthily in public areas across the world and his powerfully themed art is discovered without his identity being known till date. AI can replicate his drawings but not his mystique. While better using AI to address efficiency and time concerns, we should also focus on improving our own abilities. If we do not allow our minds and thoughts to widen and evolve, we do run the risk of being overtaken by a mere programme.

AI programmes are constantly evolving and increasingly getting better and more sophisticated. Many humans, on the other hand, are allowing their finer thinking to regress, and basic instincts to take over. This is evident from the rapidly increasing divisions we see in society based on caste, creed, and religion. Rather than building up the human spirit to transcend boundaries we are mostly at war with one another. Even as AI gets better, humans allow their own enviable potential to deteriorate.

To conclude, what protects humans best from AI is merely being human. Being warm, engaged, reverent, loving and keeping ones naturalness and sense of humour intact. On the other hand, when we do things mechanically, or treat other humans merely as numbers or constrict our imaginations, we bring ourselves closer and closer to AI

(The writer is Delhi-based medical practitioner)
In September 2021, General Bipin Rawat, then CDS, had announced that India was contemplating establishing its own Conventional Rocket Force (CRF). Last year the government confirmed its intent to create CRFs. The process of determining the structure of this organization would currently be underway between the three services. Inputs indicate that the force is likely to be a tri-services command on similar lines as the Strategic Forces Command (SFC). This may not be the right approach.

The intentions of creating CRFs are multi-fold. Firstly, it is to reduce asymmetry with China, which possesses a similar organization, secondly it is to enhance capabilities for non-contact warfare and finally to act as both, a deterrent and a means of retaliation to strikes on Indian soil. A classic example on employment of missiles as a weapon, in the Indian context, was post the Balakote strike when India compelled Pakistan to release Wing Commander Abhinandan unharmed, by threatening to launch a collection of missiles against its strategic assets, in case it refused to do so. The effectiveness of missiles has been proved in the ongoing RussoUkraine conflict, where both sides have employed every possible type of conventional missile to inflict maximum damage on the adversary. These are weapons with immense destructive power which can be launched with pinpoint accuracy thereby limiting collateral damage, while keeping operations below the nuclear threshold. Missiles are ideal for suppressing the enemys air defence systems, post which air power would be effective. Apart from being cost effective in destroying the enemys war-waging potential, they also have a major psychological impact on the population. It is well established that future warfare would witness excessive employment of missiles. Wars would commence with missile and rocket strikes on choke points, air defence systems and air bases, communication centres, artillery gun positions as also logistics and ammunition dumps intending to isolate forward troops located in their well-prepared defences.

Troops along the forward line would be tackled subsequently. For any operational commander, the capabilities of the CRF deployed in his theatre should be such that it enables him to influence the battle at longer ranges and also shape the battlefield to suit his plans. From the above it flows that the CRF would be intended largely for land-based targets. Hence it should not be an all arms force akin to the SFC, but under the army, responsible for land operations. Simultaneously it could also be employed for engaging targets which the air force seeks, including air bases, radar installations and the like. In a period when the armed forces are discussing jointness, integration and theaterization, individual services possessing their own CRFs are meaningless. Another factor to be considered is the high cost of procurement, storage and maintainability of long-range vectors.

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Add to this their limited shelf life. This is another reason why individual services should not attempt to create their own missile forces and a common CRF should cater for needs of the three services. Thus, reports mentioning that the air force and army are both procuring Pralay missiles implies duplication in every form including expenditure, manning and training. If the armed forces cannot coordinate employment of long-range vectors at the operational level, where jointness would be better managed, then the very concept of integration and theaterization needs reconsideration. Some of the rockets being maintained by the CRF may be similar in nature to that of the SFC. China has maintained ambiguity in the form that its Peoples Liberation Army Rocket Force (PLARF) employs both nuclear and non-nuclear missiles. The PLARF is the fourth arm of the Chinese armed forces and controlled directly by their Central Military Commission.

To follow the same pattern is an option but that would imply duplication or the CRF being an extension of the SFC. Further, it would restrict its exploitation by commanders on the ground as their employment would need strategic clearance. Segregating the CRF from the SFC would also authenticate Indias nofirst use nuclear policy. Hence, the CRF should cater to non-nuclear missiles and be available to the operational commander in his planning and conduct of battle. Since the SFC maintains missiles which are both nuclear and nonnuclear there is a need to consider which range of missiles should remain with the SFC and which with the CRF. Ideally, the CRF should possess missiles which can influence the operational battle as also be readily available to the commander.

Missiles intended for strategic targets would involve a far higher level of clearance to engage and hence should remain under the SFC. Once the demarcation has been established it would be possible to determine the number of tailormade units of the CRF which would need to be raised to meet different operational requirements of the forces (depending on which front they are to be deployed). Once they are segregated in employment, determining the size of warheads would not be a difficult decision. The next issue is differentiating between artillery rocket forces and the CRF. Ideally, the artillery should possess the ability to influence operations at the tactical level.

Hence, artillery munitions, including rockets, should be up to a maximum of 100 Kms. This implies that the Pralay, Nirbhay and Agni series of missiles with conventional warheads can be considered to form part of the CRF, while the artillery continues with its guns extending to the Pinaka rocket system. Within the army, it is the artillery which has the experience of operating rockets and missiles. It also has command and control structures capable of integrating a variety of detection and post-strike damage assessment sources. Further, it currently handles existing BrahMos missile regiments. Hence, raising CRF units as part of the artillery would enable exploiting existing expertise as also reducing training costs. A major benefit for India is that its missile development and production programme is fully indigenous.

Thus, once the structure of the force, type and range of vectors is determined, further development in this field would gain clarity. The armed forces need to look beyond the horizon and work in unison to establish common CRFs for joint operations. The intent must remain to cut costs, reduce duplication and exploit existing expertise. Different structures and equipment profile of CRFs for western and northern theatres are essential.

(The writer is a retired Major-General of the Indian Army
With less than 50 days remaining until South Koreas parliamentary elections in April, concerns over the proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI)-generated deepfake videos and images are mounting, prompting heightened vigilance from election authorities.

According to the National Election Commission (NEC), the countrys election watchdog, 129 pieces AI-generated media content had been detected from January 29 to the end of last week, constituting a violation of the newly revised election law.

This law prohibits the use of deepfakes for electoral campaigning purposes, with penalties of up to seven years in prison or fines of 10 million won ($7,500) for offenders, reports Yonhap news agency.

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The NECs crackdown on deepfakes represents a proactive response to the evolving landscape of disinformation, as facilitated by advancements in AI technology.

The revised legislation, passed by the National Assembly in December, aims to curb the spread of false information and safeguard the integrity of the electoral process against emerging threats.

Deepfake manipulations have already been used in past elections, both domestically and internationally, raising concerns those AI-created videos and images are one of the biggest threats to democracy, especially in the form of fake news and misleading public opinion.

For instance, during the provincial elections in 2022, an AI-generated video circulated on social media depicting President Yoon Suk Yeol endorsing a local candidate from the ruling party.

In January, New Hampshire voters received an AI-generated robocall impersonating U.S. President Joe Biden, advising them not to vote in the states presidential primary election.

As AI technology continues to evolve and proliferate, experts warn of the growing sophistication and speed of deepfake production, outpacing traditional verification processes employed by election authorities. It is hard for the authorities to combat deepfake proliferation due to the unmatched speed of deepfake creation compared to verification efforts.

The speed of production of believable fakes through deepfake technologies is much faster than that of the NECs verification process, said Kim Myuhng-joo, a professor at Seoul Womens University. Its unmatchable.

Furthermore, the continuous evolution of deepfake technology poses additional hurdles for detection and mitigation, calling for a multifaceted approach that prioritises rigorous verification protocols.
Members of the Sikh community in the UK have slammed the University of Birmingham for confusing them with Muslims in a social media post, saying that these mistakes should not happen in 2024.

The University deleted and apologised for the post incorrectly claiming that a recent langar (community meal) event hosted by its Sikh students was part of an Islamic awareness week, The Birmingham Mail newspaper reported on Monday.

Students within the universitys Sikh Society hosted the event earlier this month, serving free vegetarian meals on the campus.

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But they were left disappointed when a staff member tagged their event in a post with the text Discover Islam Week, which is an annual awareness campaign run by the universitys Islamic Society.

It is disappointing There is clearly an issue with the training and education given to the staff, Jasveer Singh, a member of Sikh Press Association, told the newspaper.

Singh said that aspects of Sikhism are taught at the University, which has lecturers from the community and regularly hosts Sikh events.

Social media users described the mistake as embarrassing that left them utterly gobsmacked.

The university sincerely apologises for any offence or upset this has been caused. We recognise this post was incorrect. It was identified shortly after being posted and immediately deleted, a University of Birmingham spokesperson said.

The university respects and celebrates the diversity of our community and continually works to provide a welcoming and inclusive environment. We have made contact with relevant individuals and groups to apologise directly and listen to their views.

Singh said that the University owes a wider apology to two groups for the mistake.
US Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Richard Verma on Tuesday said his country will stay engaged with the Indian government on the issue of the alleged plot to kill Khalistan supporter Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in America.

I know we raised our concerns with the Government of India. There is a committee of inquiry looking into the matter, and we will stay engaged with the government and look forward to their findings. And theyve taken it very seriously, and were grateful for that, he said at an event titled The Long View from DC: The India-US Partnership hosted by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) here.

The US Justice Department had recently alleged that an Indian government official was involved in the foiled plot to assassinate Pannun.

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Highlighting the growth of ties between India and the US, he said that the two nations, which earlier had no defence sales, were now major defence partners and were conducting complex exercises in every facet. He said that the bilateral trade between India and the US has witnessed a 100 per cent rise in the last 10 years.

Speaking about the Indian diaspora in the US, Mr Verma said, People-to-people ties, America boasts well over 4 million Americans of Indian descent, including a vice president and a leading presidential candidate. Last year, the US embassy here issued over 1 million visas and now there are nearly 270,000 Indian students in the United States. I could go on and on through all the categories of our work together. But its safe to say we have done well. It has not been perfect. But I say this with all humility. It has been transformative and impactful and it has brought greater peace and stability to the Indo-Pacific region

He noted that the world is better off when the US and India are cooperating fully and strongly together on the world stage. Calling India and the US post-colonial democratic powers governed by a constitutional framework, he said the two nations aspire for equality, social inclusion, and racial and minority rights and other areas.

Our security cooperation will become even more important in the years ahead. The threats we face are real. But building our collective capabilities is increasing our sharing of information and improving maritime domain awareness and interoperability. For example, we will ensure India continues to be a provider of net security across the Indo-Pacific region and beyond. And the US will continue to be at Pacific power for the decades ahead, security cooperation, he added.
Global Market Insights Inc.

Bioresorbable Polymers Industry size is expected to register 14.7% CAGR between 2024 and 2032 propelled by the growing pharmaceutical industry.

Selbyville, Delaware, Feb. 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bioresorbable polymers market size is predicted to reach USD 5.19 billion by 2032, as per a recent study by Global Market Insights Inc.

The market is driven by the increased environmental consciousness that has prompted a shift towards sustainable materials. Bioresorbable polymers, being biodegradable and eco-friendly, have gained prominence. The demand for medical implants and devices with reduced long-term environmental impact has surged, fostering R&D for the bioresorbable polymers.

Stringent regulations on conventional plastics and a growing emphasis on circular economies are encouraging industries to adopt bioresorbable alternatives. In 2023, the Indian government launched new rules for Plastic Waste Management to deal with plastic pollution. These drivers collectively contribute to the robust growth and development of the bioresorbable polymers market.

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Biodegradability of polyglycolic acid to promote its uptake

The polyglycolic acid (PGA) segment is anticipated to witness substantial growth through 2032 as it is a synthetic polymer with excellent biocompatibility and biodegradability. It has found widespread application in medical and healthcare sectors. The demand for PGA is particularly high in the production of absorbable sutures, owing to its superior tensile strength and predictable absorption rates. As R&D continue to enhance the properties of PGA, it will cater to the evolving needs of medical and pharmaceutical industries, augmenting the segment share.

Usage in pharmaceuticals for drug delivery systems

The bioresorbable polymers market share from pharmaceuticals segment is expected to record strong demand through 2032 owing to the growing focus on the development of drug delivery systems and implants. Bioresorbable help in drug delivery, ensuring controlled release and targeted administration. The inherent biocompatibility of these polymers reduces the risk of adverse reactions, making them particularly suitable for pharmaceutical applications. Moreover, the ability of bioresorbable polymers to break down into harmless byproducts within the body eliminates the need for additional surgeries for implant removal, enhancing patient convenience.

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Stringent regulations in Europe to push industry expansion

Europe bioresorbable polymers market size will expand significantly through 2032, driven by a combination of regulatory support, research initiatives, and a strong emphasis on sustainability. European countries are adopting stringent regulations aimed at reducing the environmental impact of plastics, fostering the demand for bioresorbable alternatives. Moreover, the presence of key players and research institutions dedicated to advancing technologies has created a conducive environment for innovation and development. The medical and pharmaceutical sectors in Europe are actively embracing bioresorbable polymers for various applications, contributing to the region's leadership in the global market.

Some of the key players in the global bioresorbable polymers market are Evonik Industries AG, Poly-Med, Inc., Mitsui Chemicals, Inc., Foster Corporation, KLS Martin Group, Ashland Global Holdings, and Corbion N.V.

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About Global Market Insights

Global Market Insights Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider, offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy, and biotechnology.

CONTACT: Aashit Tiwari Corporate Sales, USA Global Market Insights Inc. Toll Free: +1-888-689-0688 USA: +1-302-846-7766 Europe: +44-742-759-8484 APAC: +65-3129-7718 Email: sales@gminsights.com




Job Title: Senior Programme Advisor  Green Agri-business and Finance

Organisation: Royal Danish Embassy in Kampala

Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda

About US:

The Royal Danish Embassy in Kampala is the diplomatic mission of The Kingdom of the Denmark. The Danish Embassy in Kampala connects Denmark and Uganda. The Embassy handles projects backed by Danish International Aid, supports Danish companies in Uganda as well as Danish citizens.

Job Summary: The Danish Embassy seeks to recruit a Senior Programme Advisor to manage and drive our work on green agri-business, small-holder farmers, agri-finance and climate change adaptation. The core partners in these areas are aBi Development and aBi Finance, currently with a total budget of UGX 65bn. If you have solid hands-on experience in project cycle management, development cooperation as well as agribusiness, agri-finance and climate, we would like to hear from you!

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Drive implementation of projects throughout the programme cycle, including results frameworks, monitoring, performance targets and oversight.

Lead the continuous development and improvement of green agri-business and finance portfolio through close contact with implementing partners.

Actively ensure proper financial management, reviewing audits and ensuring compliance with Danish rules. Ensure high quality grants administration and reporting, including financial and narrative reporting.

Ensure coordination and synergies with like-minded programmes through dialogue and partnerships with key stakeholders, incl. development partners and the Government of Uganda.

Participate in partners governance structure, e.g. represent and support the Embassy on board of directors, board committees and shareholder/member meetings.

Ensure compliance with EU rules under a delegated partnership. The position is part of a delegated partnership with the EU, and the tasks contribute to this.









Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

The applicant for the Senior Programme Advisor  Green Agri-business and Finance job must hold a Masters degree in agriculture, business, climate, development management, finance, economics, or a related field.

At least 10 years experience as programme manager and in administration and management of grants. Experience working for another development partner is a plus.

At least 3 years experience working in the area of agriculture, agri-business, agri-finance, climate change, environment or related fields.

Experience working with partner organisations in relation to grants management. Experience in corporate governance is a plus, and so is experience working with EU grants.

Experience in financial management, including developing and monitoring budgets and financial reporting. Proficiency in Microsoft Excel.

Behavioural Competencies:

Good interpersonal skills and a collaborative way of working.

Strong communication skills in writing and speaking.

Ability to work independently and proactively

What We Offer

An exciting position with meaningful work and great responsibility.

Influence of own tasks and planning of work and a high level of independence in the performance of tasks.

Committed colleagues working together in an open and informal environment.

How to Apply:

All candidates should please send an updated CV and cover letter, including contact details for 3 work-related referees, to email address kmtambrecruitment@um.dk with the subject DK  Programme Advisor Agribusiness. In the cover letter, please relate your profile to the responsibilities, experiences and qualifications described above. Your e-mail must not exceed 2 MB.

All relevant applicants are encouraged to apply for the position, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, personal background, etc. Please do not attach copies of certificates, diplomas or reference letters, do not indicate your age, and do not attach photographs to your CV or cover letter.

While we appreciate all applicants for their interest in working with us, only those selected for interviews will be contacted.

Deadline: 8th March 2024

For more of the latest jobs, please visit https://www.theugandanjobline.com or find us on our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/UgandanJobline
There is a potential rise of the new age emerging art spaces in India. This trend marks a significant shift from traditional galleries to more dynamic, inclusive venues. These new-age centers are not confined to the metropolitan hubs alone but are flourishing in tier-II cities as well, bringing a fresh perspective to India's cultural landscape.



Among these pioneering venues, Arthshila is one of such art spaces which is expanding exponentially in the length and breadth of the country.Setika Singh, the Executive Director of Takshila Foundation the associate body of

Takshila Educational Society (TES), a non-profit working in the space of education, rural

development, art and culture discusses Arthshila in length.

1. Can you provide insights into the unique artistic offerings and programs that set Arthshila apart?

Arthshila distinguishes itself as an immersive platform dedicated to cultivating creativity and sharing artistic ideas. As an initiative of the Takshila Educational Society, it is India's pioneering arts center open to the public free of charge, focusing on architecture, cinema, design, literature, performing arts, and visual arts across five diverse locationscurrently functional in Ahmedabad, Santiniketan and Delhi, and coming up shortly in Patna and Goa. Each location offers a unique array of curated performances, seminars, conferences, workshops, exhibitions, and interactions, tailored to inspire and engage curious minds. Additionally, Arthshila publishes art-related content through its dedicated imprint that publishes books and a biannual journal Arthart, and hosts art residencies at the Arthshila Art Studios located at the Parivartanin Narendrapur, Siwan in Bihar. These initiatives contribute to Arthshila's vision of uniting the arts and the community through enabling platforms.





2. How does Arthshila contribute to the local economy and cultural development?

Arthshila contributes to the local economy and cultural development in several ways:

1. Economic Impact: By hosting various events, exhibitions, and workshops, Arthshila attracts visitors and tourists, leading to increased spending in the local area. Additionally, it creates employment opportunities for local artists, artisans, and support staff. The venue is free of cost for both the artists and the audience.

2. Cultural Enrichment: Arthshila's diverse programs and offerings enrich the cultural landscape of the community. Through art exhibitions, performances, and educational initiatives, it promotes cultural exchange, appreciation, and preservation of traditional and contemporary art forms. This fosters a sense of ownership and identity among local residents and helps preserve cultural heritage.

3. Community Engagement: Arthshila serves as a hub for community engagement and interaction. By organizing public events, discussions, and collaborations with local artists and organizations, it strengthens social bonds and fosters a sense of belonging among residents. Additionally, Arthshila plays a crucial role in bringing curated art and cultural activities into tier 2 cities like Patna and Goa, and smaller townships such as Santiniketan, which often have less exposure to art activities compared to major cities like Mumbai, Delhi and Ahmedabad. This effort helps democratize access to cultural experiences and promotes inclusivity in the arts.





3. How do you manage funds as you are a self funded organisation?

Yes, we are a self-funded registered trust whose parent organization Takshila Educational Society has built a corpus for Arthshila Trust and its sustainability.





4. Can you share success stories or examples of how Arthshila has positively impacted an art form or artists?

Arthshila's impact on art forms and artists is evident in various ways

Art Symposia and Art Camps: Arthshila has organized 16 art symposia since 2018, providing a platform for young students and senior artists to engage with art studios equipped with painting, graphic art,sculpture and ceramics facilities. For instance, the Arthshila All India Art Students Camp 2023 saw 24 students from 12 different art colleges across 8 Indian states coming together for a 10-day exploration of printmaking and ceramics. Led by esteemed mentors Lipi Biswas and Arpan Mukherjee, this immersive experience facilitated skill development and creative exchange among budding artists.

Art Residencies: Collaborating with organizations like Khoj and FICA, Arthshila has facilitated various art residencies which have hosted 15 emerging artists. These residencies offer artists dedicated time and space to focus on their work, fostering artistic experimentation and growth.

Numerous folk and tribal art symposia have been organized to convene synergies of traditional art practices from across the country. Our recent effort in this domain are the Arthshila Seed Workshops that foster jugalbandi between multiple varied indigenous art genres. Its first offering Arthshila Seed Workshop on Dhulichitran and Kashidakari 2023, invited artists from diverse floor painting stylesDhulichitra, Aripan, PidiyaLekhan, Mandana, and Aipanand traditional embroiderersSujani, Mochi, Kutch and Kashmirito exchange techniques and stories embedded within their craft. This cultural exchange not only enriched the participants' artistic practices, but also preserved and celebrated traditional art forms.

Through the above initiatives, Arthshila continues to impact art forms and artists, nurturing creativity, fostering skill development, and facilitating cross-cultural exchange within the artistic community.

6. What are the future plans of Arthshila?

Arthshila has exciting plans for the future, aiming to expand its reach and deepen its impact on the arts community. Here are some key upcoming initiatives:

Expansion of Centers: Arthshila is set to launch two new centers in 2024, located in Patna and Goa. These new additions will further extend Arthshila's presence and offer enhanced opportunities for artists and art enthusiasts in these regions.

Creation of Public Spaces: Arthshila is dedicated to creating public spaces where people can experience and engage with art, literature, cinema, and more. By breaking down barriers and reducing the gap between the general public and the world of art and culture, Arthshila hopes to make artistic experiences more accessible and inclusive for all.

Support for Young Artists: In addition to its larger programs and events, Arthshila plans to provide smaller experimental performance opportunities for young artists. These platforms will offer emerging talents the chance to showcase their work, gain exposure, and connect with audiences in a supportive environment.

Synergy with other Takshila Initiatives: Arthshila is committed to maintaining synergy with other Takshila initiatives. This includes hosting events like the exhibition by Takshila Fine Art Scholarship 2022 batch artists at Arthshila Ahmedabad, organizing literary session in collaboration with Ektara across different centers, and facilitating the movement of exhibitions and workshops between locations. By fostering collaboration between various Takshila endeavors, Arthshila aims to create a vibrant ecosystem that nurtures artistic talent and promotes cultural exchange.

With these upcoming initiatives, Arthshila continues to demonstrate its commitment to fostering artistic innovation, promoting cultural enrichment, and creating opportunities for artists and art lovers alike.

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In a significant move towards fostering collaboration and innovation within the real estate industry, Stylework, a leading flexi-space aggregator platform, proudly announces its participation as a title sponsor in Prarambh 2024, an esteemed event organised by RE/MAX India. Prarambh 2024, RE/MAX India's annual convention, unfolded over three days from February 9 to 11 at Le Meridien, Calangute, Goa. The event served as a platform for celebrating achievements, sharing best practices, offering educational opportunities, and nurturing collaboration within the RE/MAX network.

With a keen focus on promoting technology adoption and innovation while addressing the evolving needs of the industry, Prarambh 2024 emerged as a pivotal gathering for various businesses from the real estate industry. As part of this event, Stylework aimed to achieve several strategic objectives, such as demonstrating its position as a trailblazer in providing tech-enabled flexi workspace solutions for different industries, particularly highlighting the relevance to RE/MAX networks. In addition to this, Stylework leveraged Prarambh 2024 as an opportunity to robust partnerships and collaborations within the real estate sector.

Stylework's Founder and CEO Sparsh Khandelwal, Chief Growth Officer Renuka P, Chief Business Officer Mukul Ronak Das, Chief Technology Officer Shubham Kulshrestha, Chief Product Officer Vishal Narvekar and Head of Marketing Jayant Mishra attended the event, and their presence underscored Stylework's active commitment to serve the best to their clients.

Other significant participants at Prarambh 2024 included Jan Repa, Area VP of RE/MAX LLC, USA, Pedro Viriato from RE/MAX Brazil, Ishaque Ahmed Siddiqui from RE/MAX Saudi Arabia, and over 200 RE/MAX partners from 45+ Indian cities.

Sparsh Khandelwal, founder and CEO of Stylework, shared his valuable thoughts on the event by saying, "Prarambh 2024 was a landmark event, and Stylework's partnership wasn't just about sponsorship. It was about forging a future. As India's largest network of real estate partners, collaborating with Stylework, India's leading aggregator for workspaces, was a natural fit. This isn't just about offering flexible solutions; it's about real problem-solving for our ecosystem. Together, we can empower our RE/MAX network to address the evolving needs of businesses and individuals, shaping the real estate landscape in India and globally."

Aditya Agarwal, CEO, RE/MAX India, expressed his gratitude and delight, stating, "The real estate industry thrives on collaboration, and Prarambh 2024 exemplified that spirit. Stylework's participation brought together RE/MAX's global network of business owners with India's leading tech-driven workspace platform. This collaboration isn't just about trends, it's about transformation. By leveraging Stylework's ecosystem and platform, we can unlock a world of possibilities for our partners, enabling them to serve clients seamlessly and adapt to the changing working world. This is just the beginning of a powerful partnership that will redefine commercial real estate and flexible workspace solutions, not just in India, but across the globe."

Anchal Saxena, Chairman of RE/MAX India, highlights the tremendous success of Prarambh 2024 by stating, As RE/MAX Prarambh 2024 draws to a close, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who contributed to its resounding success. It has been a joyous occasion to reunite with our RE/MAX India family and witness the enthusiasm and dedication of each participant. The insightful discussions, invaluable learning sessions, and memorable celebrations mark the commencement of a promising journey in the industry ahead. Together, we embark on this path of success, fueled by collaboration and driven by passion.

During the event, the main agenda of discussion from Stylework was how their ecosystem and platform could benefit RE/MAX India's clients and their partners to expand their business horizons. Furthermore, there was a panel discussion and networking session that was focused on the intersection of coworking and the future of corporate estate. The event also included an exhibition booth to foster the networking of Stylework with their clients and what are the offerings that the company provides.

About Stylework

Stylework is a Tech Enabled Flex Space Aggregator, known for offering Co-working, managed/tailored offices spaces, flexible and fixed workspace to individuals and businesses from startups to big corporates. It focuses on uplifting remote work and a hybrid working model with a global view. It provides a wide range of services like this, including a membership plan model. The success and insights gained from involvement and participation in events such as the Prarambh 2024 strengthen Stylework's position as an essential player in shaping the future of work.

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Equity markets gave stellar returns in the current financial year and have touched fresh lifetime highs in recent weeks. But, the coming year could well be one of moderate stock market returns, says Shridatta Bhandwaldar, head of equity at Canara Robeco Mutual Fund. The fund house is very bullish on the manufacturing theme and has just launched a fund around the same. In an interview with THE WEEK, Bhahdwaldar said one should be inclined toward large caps than mid and small-caps from a 6-12 months perspective.

Canara Robeco has launched a new fund focusing on the manufacturing sector. What gives you confidence that the manufacturing theme doing well now?

Today, there is a marketplace. Right from mobiles to auto to pharma products, everywhere there is growing demand and a lot of that we were importing. The basic factors of production, whether it is labour costs, logistics costs, the regulatory environment is in place now. Your per capita is increasing, you are going to grow as a country at 10 per cent nominal GDP growth at least, which means your manufactured goods in electronics, for example, might keep growing at 15-20 per cent. So, the policy initiative is supportive through PLI (production-linked incentives), through tax reduction, GST, and the customs duties on certain sectors.

Corporate balance sheets are in place and that balance sheet will be used to deploy back in the businesses. Private capex is here to stay. The government is also ensuring that the public capex is staying elevated. Also, in the backdrop of Covid, the Ukraine-Russia conflict, what is happening in the Middle East, there is no way the supply chain for the next 20 years will remain the same way they were in the past 20 years. There is a good opportunity for us to participate in a sizable manner here, given the available labour, our wage bills, logistics and infrastructure, and policy support. Banks are there to support you now, as there are very less NPAs (non-performing assets).

This will be a very long-term theme?

I think it will play out over the next 15-20 years. Just imagine, five years back we were hardly exporting cables and conductors. Today, you have $500-$600 million of exports. So those companies are growing at 20 per cent. Hence, this (manufacturing) is going to be a very powerful theme. What we are basically looking at from an investors' angle is that if you are comfortable, invest five rupees out of 100 rupees in this. If the thesis plays out and the probability is 70-80 per cent that this will play out, you will make a disproportionate amount of money.

Post Covid markets have gone up significantly. Now when you look at manufacturing as a theme, do you see value in some of these sectors because a lot of these stocks, like electronic manufacturing companies, have gone up a fair bit?

Your value in any space or market is always a function of earnings longevity, capital efficiency and near-term earnings growth. If I am expecting anywhere between 15-20 per cent earnings growth, which is superior to market by at least 3-5 per cent, then even if I pay a little higher in some of these spaces today, it won't matter. We are convinced that the earnings pool is likely to grow significantly over the next 5-10 years.

In the past few months, we have seen sharp market volatility, and significant ups and downs on some days. What is your view?

That is the nature of the market when sometimes a lot of non-institutional participation is higher. That is how I will technically describe this and that is where you are seeing more volatility. Fundamentals don't justify that (valuation) in a lot of stocks. But that is the nature of the market. That is where we keep saying that don't judge any fund or any market movement from even a year's perspective sometimes. The near term is more driven by narratives and noise, the longer term is always purely driven by earnings and capital efficiency.

What is your view on public sector stocks? We have seen a significant run-up there

There are businesses in PSUs that are good and there are businesses that are very average. The good businesses you should own of course, because in those cases there is likely to be capex for some period. And if you get it at a valuation where it is likely to compound 15-20 per cent, you should buy them. But to paint this as if every manufacturing company will do well, it will not happen.

I think that (PSU rally) to some degree also happened because your starting valuation point was really low and there is a lot of liquidity, so people are thinking that every company will deliver the same. My hunch is there will be different buckets in that, so you have to stick to buckets where the business models are good.

When markets are extremely bullish, research kind of takes a back seat. Where do you see the markets right now?

As the earnings moderate; the financial year 2024 saw 25-30 per cent earnings growth, because you had huge margin tailwinds. In the financial year 2025, you will not have any margin tailwinds. So your topline has to grow at 15 per cent for your earnings to grow at 20-25 per cent, which is very unlikely. So that is where we are seeing that in FY2025, 2026, you will have more closer to 13-15 per cent earnings growth. And as time passes and the market realizes that earnings are not necessarily playing out in some of these spaces where people are exuberant, stocks will actually go down or collapse or will consolidate depending on the sector you are talking about. So we are expecting it to be a more moderate return year clearly.

But, structurally we are not negative for a simple reason that from your business cycle, credit growth cycle, from a balance sheet expansion cycle, you are on the right side and political stability is there. I see enough number of midcap and smallcaps, which have not done anything in the last one year in the same bullish phase. So it is just a matter of valuations or exuberance in pockets that needs to correct.

What kind of impact could elections this year have on the markets?

The election is largely discounted by the market right now. I don't think there are even 5 per cent people who are saying that the same government is unlikely to return. So, it means the risk is on the other side. If the political stability were not to continue or if they were to get just 270 seats, probably market will be very disappointed, at least to start with and that will be a buying opportunity.

Should your money be right now in largecaps or mid and smallcaps?

We are actually incrementally recommending that for next 6-8 months, or a year, there is no reward to be in midcap smallcaps vis-a-vis large caps. It will be low-to-moderate return year and if it is a moderate return here then why do you want to go in illiquid portfolio incrementally from an allocation perspective. If you are a five-year investor, stay put.

Other than manufacturing, what are the other themes you are bullish on?

BFSI (banking, financial services and insurance) we are still constructive on particularly the larger private sector names, or even larger insurance companies. Again, consumption has not been doing well. But I think there is nothing structurally that is broken. So it is an opportunity to actually participate. Technology space is a little tough to call out right now because it is just too dependent on the US market and how the US plays out. So, we are not making that call; we are kind of neutral on IT today.
A Bengaluru-based electric vehicle startup has won a deal to export its energy storage systems for solar farms in Greece. This is seen a breakthrough for an Indian firm since Europe has a competitive renewable energy market.



Pravaig, known for making high precision batteries for its EVs, had unveiled Defy EV SUV in 2022. Priced at Rs 39.5 lakh, Defy EV has a range of 500km with a top speed of 210 kmph top speed.

It had also signed an MoU with Saudi Arabia to build a manufacturing plant to produce left-hand drive EVs for the Gulf and European region as well as the US.

In the latest Greece deal, the company will sell batteries with a capacity of 20 MwH.

"Pravaig Dynamics has successfully closed a deal to export its first batch of energy storage systems for solar farms to Greece. This ground-breaking export not only marks India's entry into the global market for solar farm storage solutions but also signifies a significant stride in international economic cooperation," the company stated.

Though the current order size is small, the startup hopes to ink larger contracts in the future.

"This export represents a crucial turning point for India in the realm of renewable energy and international diplomacy. By demonstrating our capabilities in designing and manufacturing cutting-edge technology for solar farm storage solutions, we are not only promoting sustainable energy practices but also strengthening diplomatic ties with countries like Greece," said Siddhartha Bagri, CEO of Pravaig Dynamics India.
Matt Damon is keen to reprise one of his most famous roles as Jason Bourne in a future movie.



The Hollywood star, who is garnering praise for his role in "Oppenheimer", has done four movies in the Robert Ludlum-written espionage series and last appeared in 2016's "Jason Bourne".

In an appearance on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert", Damon, 53, confirmed that director Edward Berger, best known for "All Quiet on the Western Front", is working on a new story.

"There is a great director named Edward Berger, Damon said. (All Quiet on the Western Front') is a fantastic film, and he's wonderful and he said he had an idea. I would love to work with him, so he's working on it. Look, I'm as anxious as you are to see if this thing (happens) I hope it's great and that we can do it.

The actor, however, is open to handing over the baton to a different actor in the near future.

At a certain point somebody is going to need to take it over, he said. I'm not getting any younger," he said.

Damon next stars in Netflix thriller Animals, which will be directed by friend and collaborator Ben Affleck. They will produce it through their production company, Artists Equity.

The actor first played the titular character of a CIA assassin in 2002 film "The Bourne Identity" and followed it up with "The Bourne Supremacy" in 2004, "The Bourne Ultimatum" in 2007 and "Jason Bourne" in 2016.
(Bloomberg) -- Bitcoin has become easier to trade on US crypto exchanges compared with platforms overseas, a shift in liquidity attributed to the impact of the nations new exchange-traded funds for the largest digital asset.

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US trading venues on average accounted for almost half of bids and asks within 2% of Bitcoins mid-price so far this year, a period that straddles the launch of the US spot ETFs, data from research company Kaiko show.

In 2023 non-US platforms had the lions share of Bitcoin market depth based on this metric. A higher number of bids and asks within 2% of the mid-price points to better liquidity, allowing orders to be executed without unduly ruffling prices.

Nine US Bitcoin ETFs debuted on Jan. 11, while the more than decade-old Grayscale Bitcoin Trust converted into an ETF the same day. The group  which includes offerings from BlackRock Inc. and Fidelity Investments  has wooed a net $5 billion of investor inflows so far. The anticipation and rollout of the products stoked a doubling in Bitcoins price over the past 12 months.

Increased Liquidity

Bitcoins positive price action has been most pronounced during US trading hours as market participants take advantage of the increased liquidity, especially in the hour running up the 4 p.m. US market close, said Matthew Sigel, head of digital-asset research at VanEck, one of the spot ETF issuers.

Some observers view the spot Bitcoin ETFs as an inflection point, arguing they will widen crypto adoption. Optimists expect digital-asset trading volumes to revive from the stunted levels left after the collapse of the FTX exchange and its sister hedge fund Alameda Research amid the 2022 bear market.

Story continues

The impact of the ETFs is already visible. For instance, 57% of Bitcoin trading against the greenback is in US market hours now compared with 48% a year ago, according to Kaiko Senior Analyst Dessislava Aubert.

Open Interest

In the derivatives sector, open interest at Chicago-based CME Groups Bitcoin futures market is climbing back toward the record level hit when the ETFs won approval. The increase in outstanding contracts is a sign of greater interest in crypto-related exposure and hedging among US institutions.

The new ETFs calculate their net asset value against dedicated benchmarks at the US close each weekday, a process that helps with Bitcoin price discovery.

Such a transparent and dependable reference point enables investors to pool large trades at a designated time, potentially reducing their impact on the market, said David Lawant, head of research at crypto prime broker FalconX.

Lawant said investors need to watch ETF inflows closely, as prices are now more likely to recede when buy flows recede.

Bitcoin was steady at $52,236 as of 7:37 a.m. Wednesday in Singapore, near the highest level in more than two years.

(Updates with market prices in the final paragraph.)

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The unending cycle of violence in Manipur has prompted the union home ministry to take some hard decisions like the suspension of the Free Movement Regime on the India-Myanmar border, but now all eyes are on whether it will withdraw the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with 24 Kuki insurgent groups for violation of ground rules. A decision is expected to be taken by New Delhi by month end.

According to the agreement, the cadres of the armed groups are expected to restrict their movements to the designated camps and keep their arms locked in safe rooms. The Manipur government has claimed a violation of the SoO ground rules even as security agencies have reported missing arms and ammunition during the long months of violent ethnic clashes in the state starting last May. This has not only led to demands by ruling party legislators in the state to end the SoO agreement and allow security forces to begin operations against the armed insurgents, but also has put the MHA in a tough spot with its long term plans to restore peace in the strife torn state.

The SoO with the umbrella group Kuki National Organisation and the United Peoples Front has been part of the union home ministrys overarching efforts to bring peace and stability in the Northeast - with less boots on the ground and withdrawal of the Armed Force (Special Powers) Act from most areas.

But days ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, it still seems a far cry and an uphill task for security forces to reign the violence and lessen their presence in Manipur where 200 companies (more than 2,000 security personnel) of central armed police forces and 175 columns of Army and Assam Rifles are deployed on the ground.

Kuldiep Singh, former CRPF DG and security advisor to Manipur government, said the home ministry will take a call on the demand for withdrawal of the SoO.

He said peace talks are being held by the interlocutors from the Centre with Meitei and Kuki communities. However, he termed the recent violence in Churachandpur district unfortunate where the official residence of the deputy commissioner was torched. There are hotspots both in the valley and the hill areas where violence takes place every now and then.

He also said investigations are going on to ascertain whether there was direct incitement to violence.

For now, the suspension of the free movement regime has given some reprieve to security forces who have been battling threats from armed insurgent groups moving across the porous border smuggling arms and drugs.

There is some resistance by tribal groups in Nagaland and Mizoram to the decision to suspend the free movement upto 16 km, but the FMR will remain suspended like it was done during Covid pandemic, said a security official.

At the same time, work has begun to undertake the mammoth task to fence the porous border- with basic issues like land acquisition, clearing of jungles and awarding of contracts being discussed by the home ministry.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said Article 370, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir, was the biggest hurdle in the development of the state, and its abrogation in 2019 was a step in the right direction.

Addressing the gathering at the Maulana Azad Stadium in Jammu, he said, Jammu and Kashmir is now on the path of enduring peace and progress; a journey obstructed by those in power for seven decades. In scrapping Article 370, we have demolished a longstanding barrier hindering the development of Jammu and Kashmir.

Without naming the Abdullahs and Muftis, PM Modi said the families who held power for 70 years, prioritised their own interests, neglecting the welfare of the people, particularly the youth.

He started his speech with a Dogri couplet by Padma Sachdev, and expressed his satisfaction at witnessing the end of the dynastic rule that had prevailed in Jammu and Kashmir for seven decades.

He lamented the lack of concern shown by the previous rulers towards the underprivileged sections of society and welcomed a new era of inclusivity and opportunity.

He also announced the production of a film on Article 370, aimed at educating the public about its significance.

He highlighted the shift in J&K's narrative, away from conflict and towards a focus on education, connectivity, and overall development. Jammu and Kashmir is emerging as an educational hub, eliminating the need for the youth to seek opportunities elsewhere, he said.

He urged the people to support the BJP with 370 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls and over 400 seats for the NDA coalition.

Today's huge response of the people of Jammu is a real morale booster for every citizen of the country," he said. "I am told that people are watching my speech in 280 blocks on the big screen as well.

He said that during his foreign trip to Gulf countries recently, he was told that J&K's hospitality and mesmerising atmosphere was awesome. "This has happened after the successful G-20 presidency and meetings in the country and Srinagar," he said.

Underlining the growing tourism sector in J&K, Modi emphasised the region's potential as a premier destination, promising significant infrastructural improvements that would rival global standards.

He said, in the past years, two crore tourists visited J&K which created livelihood opportunities for many. "I assure you as far as infrastructure, people would forget Switzerland and prefer Jammu and Kahsmir as infrastructure is going to get a big boost," he said. "This is Modi's guarantee and this will continue."

He said that 10 years ago, there was no concept of the development that J&K has achieved. "There are two IITs, two AIIMS, one of which has been inaugurated by me today in Jammu.

"The number of medical colleges has increased from 4 to 12. There are 650 PG medical seats today, besides 45 nursing and paramedical colleges," Modi said.

Earlier, he spoke to the beneficiaries of various schemes, including Ayushman Bharat, Jan Jeevan, and Sehat Scheme, and sought their feedback.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered the recounting of Chandigarh Mayoral polls and directed that the eight votes which were allegedly defaced by the presiding officer be treated as valid. The apex court ordered to declare results based on the recounting.



Hearing the case, Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud asked the judicial officer appointed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court for the ballot papers invalidated by presiding officer Anil Masih. The chief justice, examining the ballot papers said all eight votes were polled for AAP-Congress candidate Kuldeep Kumar.

Mr.Masih, yesterday you told us that you put the lines because the ballot papers were defaced. Where is the ballot paper defaced?, the Chief Justice asked. Masih checked the ballots along with his lawyer. Masihs lawyer argued that the presiding officer is entitled to sign the ballot papers. "He is entitled to sign. In the first one, there is a small dot, some are folded from the top. He has by virtue of that line tick, he has identified for disqualification. He may be right or wrong. That is his assessment, Masihs lawyer Mukul Rohatgi argued.

Rohatgi argued that Masih was looking at the cameras to check whether it was working since there was commotion. There was a commotion and he was checking if the camera was working. It is not as if it was a guilty man looking at the camera, he said.

Anil Masih on Monday admitted before the court that he tampered with the ballot papers. Masih revealed that he put 'X' marks on eight 'defaced' ballot papers.

On February 5, the court had hit out at the returning officer, observing that it was obvious that he defaced the ballot papers and that he should be prosecuted, adding that his action amounted to "murder and mockery" of democracy. The court had also ordered preservation of ballots and the video of the poll proceedings.

The mayor polls were held on January 30 and BJP candidate Manoj Sonkar defeated AAP-Congress alliance candidate Kuldeep Kumar. Sonkar polled 16 votes while Kumar secured 12. Eight votes were declared invalid. However, just ahead of the Supreme Courts hearing, Sonkar resigned from the mayor post and three AAP councillors joined the BJP.

In the 35-member Corporation, the BJP has 14 councillors, AAP has 13 councillors and the Congress seven.
In what comes as a shot in the arm for the Aam Aadmi Party, the Supreme Court, on Tuesday, declared its candidate Kuldeep Kumar to be the lawful winner in the Chandigarh mayoral elections held on January 30.

The BJP had won the Chandigarh mayoral polls defeating the AAP-Congress alliance candidate after the returning officer Anil Masih declared as invalid eight votes of the coalition partner. Manoj Sonkar of the BJP defeated Kumar after polling 16 votes against his rival's 12 to bag the mayor's post. Sonkar, however, resigned a few days ago while three AAP councillors defected to the BJP.

The apex court bench, comprising Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, noted that the eight votes that the returning officer declared to be invalid were valid and that they were cast in favour of Kumar.

The court said 20 voters were cast in favour of Congress-AAP candidate and 16 in favour of the BJP candidate.

The court also ordered the prosecution of returning officers for misdemeanour. It directed the registrar judicial to issue a notice to him to show cause as to why steps should not be initiated against him.

Reacting to the development, AAP national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal thanked the Supreme Court for saving democracy.

Thank you SC for saving democracy in these difficult times!, he said in a tweet.

Delhi Minister and AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj hit out at the BJP after the SC order, saying the Supreme Court has exposed the Central government. "The biggest political party of the world, BJP was seen doing malpracticeson camerain a mayoral election. This is a matter of concern for the country. What would the party be doing where there is no camera and no microphone? How can you trust the Central government at all those places? Supreme Court has exposed the Central government in this matter. Central government's topmost advocate represented the presiding officer before the Supreme Court."
Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher on Tuesday said the Centre should convene a daylong Parliament session to bring a legislation on the minimum support price (MSP) for crops, a key demand of protesting farmers.

He also asked the Centre to accept the other main demands of the farmers, including farm loan waiver.

Pandher's statement came a day after the farmer leaders taking part in the "Delhi Chalo" agitation rejected the BJP-led Centre's proposal for procuring pulses, maize and cotton at the MSP by government agencies for five years, saying it was not in favour of farmers.

In the fourth round of talks with the farmer leaders on Sunday, a panel of three Union ministers proposed that government agencies would buy pulses, maize and cotton at the MSP for five years after entering into an agreement with farmers.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha are spearheading the "Delhi Chalo" march.

Talking to reporters at the Shambhu border point between Punjab and Haryana, Pandher, who represents the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, said, "We demand that a law to guarantee the MSP be brought. If the prime minister has the will power, a daylong session of Parliament can be convened. No opposition party will oppose it."

"I demand that all opposition parties make their stand clear that if the Centre brings a law on the MSP, they will vote for it. Be it the Shiromani Akali Dal or the Congress -- they should make their stand clear. The Trinamool Congress, led by Mamata Banerjee, and other parties should also make their stand clear," he added.

Pandher said farmers have three big demands -- a legal guarantee on the MSP for all crops, the implementation of the "C2 plus 50 per cent" formula as recommended by the Swaminathan Commission and loan waiver.

He said at the meeting with Union ministers Arjun Munda, Piyush Goyal and Nityanand Rai, the farmers proposed that a law on the MSP be enacted by convening a special session of Parliament.

On the issue of loan waiver, he said according to government reports, farmers have a total debt to the tune of Rs 18.5 lakh crore.

He requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make an announcement that the farm loans would be waived, while a mechanism for the same could be worked out later.

"The BJP claims that the present prime minister is a strong prime minister. If he makes an announcement on waiving the debt of 80 crore farmers and farm labourers, it will stamp the BJP's claim that he really is a strong prime minister," Pandher said.

Replying to a question on the "Delhi Chalo" march, the farmer leader said "our announcement (of going to Delhi on Wednesday) stands".

To another question, he said no demand of the farmers has been accepted by the Centre.

On the issue of death of two farmers during the protest, Pandher said the Punjab government should announce a policy in this regard and sought compensation and jobs for a family member of each deceased.

A 72-year-old farmer, who was part of the protest at the Khanauri border point, died of cardiac arrest on Sunday. Earlier, a 63-year-old farmer died of a heart attack at the Shambhu border.

Ashok Bulara, another farmer leader, said the government should frame a law on the MSP, waive farm loans and give rates in accordance with the "C2 plus 50 per cent" formula recommended by the Swaminathan Commission.

"Either accept our demands or we should be allowed to move towards Delhi for a peaceful protest," he said.

Meanwhile, Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar accused Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann of jeopardising the efforts of both the farmer leaders and the Union ministers to arrive at a solution.

Mann, who heads the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in the state, had joined the meeting between the Union ministers and farmer leaders on Sunday.

It is "most unfortunate" that the negotiations between the farmers and the Centre have not fructified, Jakhar said.

On Monday's developments, he claimed that now, not only would Mann be able to show the Centre in "bad light", but also succeed in redirecting the farmers, who initially wanted to march to Chandigarh, to Delhi.

"Sure enough, he has succeeded in this mission by jeopardising the sincere efforts of both the farmers and the central ministerial team to arrive at a solution," Jakhar said.

Meanwhile, farmer outfits owing allegiance to the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, which had spearheaded a 2020-21 stir against three farm laws that have since been repealed, held protests at toll plazas in Punjab to press the Centre to accept their demands.

Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) general secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan said the farmers staged sit-ins at 23 toll plazas in 13 districts and forced officials not to charge a toll fee from commuters.

On Monday evening, SKM (Non-Political) leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal had said, "After holding discussions on two of our forums, it has been decided that the Centre's proposal is not in the interest of farmers and we reject it."

The protesting farmers have been staying put at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana, after their "Delhi Chalo" march was stopped by security forces.

They began their march on February 13 but were stopped by the security forces, which led to clashes at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points.
Keen to ramp up its influence among the littoral nations, a major highlight of the ongoing Indian Navys flagship exercise Milan 2024 in Vishakhapatnam is Indias offer of its submarine rescue capabilities to friendly countries.

With submarine operations by various military powersincluding Chinagrowing by the day in the Indian Ocean and its nearby region, the Indian offer is aimed to endow the country with a strategic advantage.

Many nations have expressed keen interest in making use of Indias capability. While we already have an implementing agreement with Singapore, many other countries like South Africa and Japan may follow suit, said Rear Admiral K. Venkatraman, Flag Officer Submarines (FOSM).

The FOSM is the Class Authority and Safety Class Authority for all classes of submarines in the Indian Navy.

Of the about 40 countries across the world that operate submarines, only six nations have developed the capability to deploy a Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV).

India has two DSRVsone for the east coast and another for the western seaboard, respectively stationed at Vishakhapatnam and Mumbai. India acquired these vehicles in 2018 and in 2019. These vehicles can conduct rescue operations in submarines up to about 1,000 metres of depth.

Submarine rescue involves first locating a distressed or sunk submarine and then rescuing the survivors. Trapped personnel in submarines have three ways to come outusing the escape hatch, escaping from the torpedo tubes or being rescued by DSRVs.

DSRVs are either ship-mounted or air-transportable. India has both the capabilities.

In 2021, an India DSRV had also headed to participate in the rescue operations of the ill-fated Indonesian Navy submarine Nanggala-402 which sank on April 24, 2021 in the waters north of Bali.

From the time of receiving a distress call from a submarine, the current Indian Navy capabilities can actually undertake rescue operations in 72-96 hours, a navy official said.

In another underscoring of the ongoing Atmanirbharta or self-reliant effort, a major component of the DSRV technology has been indigenously shaped at the Hindustan Shipyard Ltd, Vishakhapatnam, which has spearheaded the development while the core technology has been supplied by M/s James Fishes Defence, UK.

The 12th edition of the Milan exercise that began on February 19 is set to conclude on February 27. It comprises a harbor phase and a sea phase where the participating navies will conduct advanced air defence, anti submarine and anti surface warfare drills.

With more than 50 nations participating, about 15 warships and one maritime patrol aircraft from friendly foreign countries are taking part in the event. Indian Navys 20 ships including aircraft carriers INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya and nearly 50 aircraft including MiG 29K, LCA Tejas and P8I will also participate in the exercise.
Authorities have lifted curfew restrictions entirely from Banbhoolpura in Haldwani on Tuesday morning. According to official order, the curfew was lifted with effect from 5am on Tuesday.



Curfew was lifted entirely from Banbhoolpura 12 days after the restrictions were first clamped following violence over the demolition of an "illegal" madrasa. During the days the curfew remained in force, the administration gave relaxation for varying durations.

The violence broke out on February 8 after the demolition of the madrasa in Banbhoolpura. Locals hurled stones and petrol bombs at municipal workers and police on the day, forcing many personnel to seek refuge at a police station, which the mob then set on fire.

In the violence, six rioters were killed and more than 100 people, including police personnel and media persons, were injured, according to the police. 68 people have so far been arrested in connection with the violence. Their properties have also been attached.

Police have issued lookout notice against the key accused behind the violence, Abdul Malik and his son Abdul Moid. According to police, Malik had constructed the madrasa and had vehemently opposed its demolition.

-with PTI inputs.
The Maharashtra Assembly unanimously passed the Maratha reservation bill providing a 10 per cent quota for Marathas in education and government jobs. The bill extends the quota for Marathas above the 50 per cent reservation cap.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde tabled the bill in the Assembly, which was similar to the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Act, 2018, introduced by then Devendra Fadnavis government.

A special session of the Assembly was convened on Tuesday to pass the reservation bill. The government in the morning approved the draft bill providing separate reservation for the Maratha community in education and government jobs. Reportedly, this is the third time in 10 years a bill has been passed to provide reservation to Marathas.

The Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission on Friday submitted a report on its survey on the social, economic, and educational backwardness of the Maratha community. The massive exercise covered nearly 2.5 crore families. The Maharashtra State Socially and Educationally Backward Bill 2024 also proposed that after the reservation comes into effect, its review could be taken after 10 years.

Tabling the bill, Shinde said, We don't think on the basis of caste or religion. If such a situation comes with any other community, my stand as CM will be similar to what is my stand for the Maratha community, ANI reported. He added, We all are of similar views here on the Maratha reservation so I will not make may political statement here. With the cooperation of you all, we could do it. I kept my promise which I made to the Maratha community. I thank all my colleagues including my both DCMs and other ministers.

Shinde said that the government worked on a war footing for providing this reservation and though the reservation was provided during Devendra Fadnavis's regime, it was struck down by Supreme Court. The Shinde government had to convene the special session as Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil, who is on a hunger strike at Antarwali Saarati village in Jalna district, recently took out a march to Mumbai urging the government to include Marathas in the OBC category.

According to reports, Maharashtra already provides 10 per cent quota for the Economically Weaker Section and 85 per cent of beneficiaries of EWS are from the Maratha community.

-with PTI inputs.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in Jammu on Tuesday, his second visit to the erstwhile state since the abrogation of Article 370. In his much-hyped visit, the Prime Minister will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of ambitious projects worth over Rs 32,000 crore.

During his visit, the Prime Minister will dedicate to the nation the AIIMS in Samba district and address a mega public rally at Maulana Azad Stadium at around 11.30 am. The AIIMS Jammu, the foundation of which was laid by Prime Minister Modi in February 2019, is being established under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana.



Modi will distribute appointment orders to about 1,500 new government recruits of Jammu and Kashmir and will also interact with beneficiaries of various government schemes as part of the 'Viksit Bharat Viksit Jammu' programme.



He will also launch multiple development projects, including for education, railway, aviation, and road sectors. Besides laying the foundation stone for a new terminal building at Jammu Airport, will also flag off the first Electric Train in the valley.



The worlds highest railway bridge over Chenab will also be inaugurated by the Prime Minister. The 1.3 km-long rail bridge, located 359 metres above the Chenab, is 35 metres higher than the Eiffel Tower in Paris and forms a crucial link in the 111-km KatraBanihal stretch, which forms a part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Line (USBRL) Project. He is also set to inaugurate north Indias first river rejuvenation project  the Devika River project in Udhampur.



The Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of important road projects including two packages (44.22 KM) of Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway connecting Jammu to Katra; Phase two for four-laning of Srinagar Ring Road; five packages for upgrading the 161 km long Srinagar-Baramulla-Uri stretch of NH-01; and the construction of Kulgam Bypass and Pulwama bypass on NH-444.

This visit holds particular significance as it coincides with the commencement of the BJP's Lok Sabha election campaign in the region. It is also expected to re-energise the state BJP unit. His presence will boost the party's efforts to retain the two Lok Sabha seats  Jammu and Udhampur. Both seats are strongholds of the party and lack a formidable opposition.

Besides, the party has also set its sights on the newly crafted seat of Anantnag- Poonch. Recently, the Centre amended the ST list to include the Paharis, which BJP hopes will help it get votes in the Anantnag LS seat.



The state unit has done everything to make the visit a momentous one. Billboards and hoardings carrying Modi's pictures and BJP flags have come up across the city, especially along the Jammu-Airport road to welcome the prime minister. "There is a huge amount of excitement on the eve of the prime minister's official visit to Jammu, with people eagerly awaiting his arrival. The people of Jammu and Kashmir have a natural connect with him," Union minister Jitendra Singh on Monday after reviewing the arrangements.

Security has been heightened in Jammu and police and para-military forces are maintaining a strict vigil.

(With inputs from Tariq Bhat)
Following orders from the Calcutta High Court, West Bengal Opposition leader Suvendhu Adhikari reached Sandeshkhali to meet with villagers. Adhikari reached Sandeshkhali on a boat and he was accompanied by BJP MLA Shankar Ghosh.



Earlier today, Adhikari was stopped by police from visiting Sandeshkhali. The West Bengal government moved an appeal before the division bench of the High Court challenging Monday's order of Justice Kausik Chanda. However, The division bench presided by Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam refused to interfere into the single bench order that allowed Adhikari and another BJP MLA Shankar Ghosh to visit Sandeshkhali on Tuesday.

The Calcutta High Court had on Monday granted permission to Suvendhu Adhikari to visit Sandeshkhali and directed him not to give any provocative speech or create any law and order situation in the restive area.

However, CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat was stopped from going to Sandeshkhali citing law and order issues. The CPI(M) leader was stopped at Dhamakhali ferry ghat on her way to Sandeshkhali, PTI reported. Karat was reportedly told by police that her presence in Sandeshkhali could lead to breach of peace there.

A large number of women in the Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district have accused Trinamool Congress strongman Shajahan Sheikh and his supporters of "land-grab and sexually assaulting" them under coercion.

Shajahan has been absconding after a mob, allegedly affiliated with him, attacked Enforcement Directorate officials who had gone to search his premises in connection with a ration scam on January 5.

Meanwhile, West Bengal Governor C.V. Anand Bose has opened a peace home in Raj Bhavan for Sandeshkhali victims. Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to Governor, Sandip Rajput told ANI that the governor has issued a helpline number and they have been receiving several calls. A peace home has been opened in Raj Bhavan in Kolkata to accommodate the victims of Sandeshkhali. The food and water will be made available for free" He added many people have expressed their desire to come and Raj Bhawan is ready to accommodate them. "The Governor has said that we will provide transport. Transport services will also be provided if required. 100-200 can be accommodated," Rajput told ANI.
Right On Brands, Inc.

DALLAS, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Right on Brands, Inc. (OTC PINK: RTON), a fully reporting SEC company and a leading developer of a diverse range of hemp-based and THCA products, announced today that it is opening its 11th licensed store at 1102 Ranch Road Suite 218, Forney Texas. Forney, which is in Kaufman County, is the fastest-growing county in the country. The population of the county to the east grew 18% from 2016 to 2021, according to census estimates.



The 800-square-mile county is seeing more than 30,000 new homes being built or in early development stages in its six biggest cities. Calculating for 4 people per household, the county is preparing for a population increase of about 120,000 more people in the next 18 months. The company is excited to open the first Endo Dispensary in Kaufman County.

We have several more stores committed and are on track to have 25 operating stores by the end of 2024, which will be a combination of corporate-owned and franchise locations.

Right on Brands remains committed to operating within the bounds of legal compliance, emphasizing that its products are legal in all 50 states. The companys expansive product line, combined with a robust strategic growth plan, positions Right on Brands as a key player in the burgeoning hemp and THCA markets.

About ENDO Brands:



ENDO Brands, Humbly Hemp, and ENDO Dispensary & Wellness Neuro Science Research Centers Inc. all share the same goal of providing our customers with the best products in the health and wellness space. As the field of health and wellness products expand, Right on Brands will be there with industry-leading wellness Products. Endo Brands has 10 operating stores.

About Right on Brands



Right On Brands, Inc., (OTC Pink: RTON) is a Dallas based, consumer goods company specializing in the brand development and distribution of hemp-based products smokables, oils and topical products. We will soon be adding a line of non-cannabis product to our health and wellness line. There are 9 in Texas and 1 in Florida.

Story continues

To learn more please visit: https://rightonbrands.com/ www.endobrands.com www.endodispensaryrowlett.com

email: mike@rightonbrands.com

Corporate Sales: Mike Brown (214) 299-9528

ENDO Brands Corporate Store:

ENDO Brands at Lakeview Plaza

6501 Dalrock Road

Suite 100

Rowlett, Texas 75089

214-299-9528

AUSTIN LOCATION

12412 Limerick at the corner of

Limerick and Parmer Lane

Austin, Texas

512-621-0649

LAREDO LOCATION

Endo Laredo

2413 Jacaman Rd

Laredo, Texas 78041

956-568-2300

PLANO LOCATION

601 W. Parker Road

Plano, Texas 75023

469-366-9694

EAST DALLAS LOCATION

9585 Scyene Rd Ste J

Dallas, Texas 75227

214-7929204

MIAMI LOCATION

10850 SW 104th St

Miami, Florida 33156

786-703-1276

ROCKWALL/HEATH

5739 Horizon Road

Rockwall, Texas 75087

214-623-7993

ROCKWALL

316 S Goliad suite 115

Rockwall, Texas 75087

469-314-1117

HOUSTON LOCATION

3301 Louetta Rd Ste 109

Spring, Texas 77388

713858-3120

ROCKWALL FAR SOUTH

10689 SH 205

Rockwall, Texas 75032

Store number coming soon

FORNEY TEXAS LOCATION

1102 Ranch Road. Suite 218

Forney, Texas 75216

Store number coming soon

Forward-Looking Statements:

This press release contains information that constitutes forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All such forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from any future results described by the forward-looking statements. Risk factors that could contribute to such differences include those matters more fully disclosed in the Company's reports filed with the SEC. The forward-looking information provided herein represents the Company's estimates as of the date of this press release, and subsequent events and developments may cause the Company's estimates to change. The Company specifically disclaims any obligation to update the forward-looking information in the future. Therefore, this forward-looking information should not be relied upon as representing the Company's estimates of its future financial performance as of any date subsequent to the date




Shashi Tharoor, a prolific author and a diplomat-turned-politician, was conferred France's highest civilian honour 'Chevalier de la Legion d'honneur' at a ceremony in New Delhi on Tuesday.

Author of several books and the Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram, Tharoor was conferred the prestigious award at the French Embassy by French Senate President Gerard Larcher. The French government had announced the award for Tharoor, a former Union minister, in August 2022 but was conferred on him on Tuesday.

"The highest French civilian award came in recognition of Dr Tharoor's tireless efforts to deepen Indo-French ties, commitment to international peace and cooperation, and as a long-standing friend of France," a statement issued by the French Embassy said.

Conferring the honour on Tharoor, Chairman of the French Senate Larcher said, "Through his outstanding career as a diplomat, author and politician, Shashi Tharoor has embraced the world with a thirst for knowledge and an intelligence that has led him to live several lifetimes in one, and all of them in service to India and a better world."

"Dr Tharoor is also a true friend of France, a Francophone with a keen understanding of France and its culture. Through this award, which I have the privilege to confer, the French Republic recognises your accomplishments, your friendship, your love of France, your commitment to a fairer world," Larcher said.

Receiving the recognition, Tharoor said he was immensely honoured to accept the Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur (Knight of the Legion of Honour).

"As someone who admires France, its people, their refinement, their language, and their culture, especially their literature and cinema, I am deeply humbled to be conferred your country's highest civilian honour.

"To my mind, the conferral of this award to an Indian is an acknowledgement of the deepening of Franco-Indian relations and the continuity of the warmth that has been a feature of this relationship for a very long time," Tharoor said.

This honour, in a sense, is not just a celebration of individual achievement but "also reflects the collective efforts of both our countries in fostering cultural exchange and diplomatic ties, a relationship forged through the pillars of mutual respect, admiration, and collaboration that have allowed this unique association to flourish over the years", he said.

"I look forward to continuing my own efforts towards nurturing this friendship and promoting further cooperation between India and France, for the betterment of our shared global community and to safeguard the common values that underpin our basic humanity," Tharoor added.

In his address, the Congress MP also recounted the defining moment of his French trip in 2002 for the Belles Etrangeres sponsored by the Centre National du Livre.

"Our Indian group of writers, returning from a reception at the majestic Hotel de Ville, found themselves accidental witnesses to the interment of the nineteenth-century novelist Alexandre Dumas, more than a century after his death, in the magnificently lit Pantheon," he recalled.

The Roman columns of this great Parisian monument were bathed in purple, red and blue light, a military band played outside, while an honour guard escorted the coffin of the author of The Three Musketeers to its final resting place, Tharoor recounted.

"Ananthamurthy, the veteran novelist who was the doyen of our group, put it simply to me. 'The French,' he said, really know how to honour their writers'. May I now add: I am glad they are honouring ours, too," Tharoor said.

Instituted in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte, the Legion d'honneur is the highest civilian award given by the French Republic for outstanding service to France, regardless of the nationality of the recipients.

The President of the French Republic is the Grand Master of the Order of the Legion of Honour.

French envoy to India Thierry Mathou, India's G20 sherpa Amitabh Kant and Congress leader Anand Sharma, among others, attended the ceremony.
The Sulthanpur district court granted bail to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a defamation case filed against him in 2018. The Congress leader was granted bail after he surrendered in the court today.



Talking to presspersons, Gandhis advocate Santosh Pandey said, Rahul Gandhi surrendered in the court today. He surrendered and the court took him into custody for 30-45 minutes. After that, his bail application was submitted and was accepted by the court. The further date has not been given yet, ANI reported. Pandey said Rahul Gandhi is innocent and he has not made any defamatory statement.

The case was filed by Vijay Mishra on August 4, 2018, against Gandhi for allegedly making objectionable comments against Shah at a press conference in Bengaluru on May 8 that year during the Karnataka elections.

The complainant referred to Gandhi's comment that the BJP claims to believe in honest and clean politics but has a party president who is an "accused" in a murder case. Shah was the BJP president when Gandhi made the remark. About four years before Gandhi's remark, a special CBI court in Mumbai had discharged Shah in a 2005 fake encounter case when he was a minister of state for home in Gujarat.

Gandhi could not attend the last hearing in the special MP-MLA court on January 18 as he was busy with his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.

"The BJP is the biggest party of the country. Calling its (then) president a murderer is unjustifiable," Mishra told reporters on Tuesday.

-with PTI inputs.
Astronomers have identified what could be the brightest object in the universe - a quasar with a voracious black hole at its core, consuming the equivalent of a sun each day.

This record-breaking quasar radiates with a brilliance 500 trillion times greater than our own sun. The black hole steering this cosmic spectacle is over 17 billion times more massive than our familiar star, as revealed by an Australian-led research team in a recent publication in the journal Nature Astronomy.

Despite appearing as a mere speck in images, this quasar comprises a tumultuous environment. The swirling disk encircling the black hole, comprised of luminous gases and matter from engulfed stars, resembles a celestial hurricane.

Lead author Christian Wolf of Australian National University described the quasar as "the most violent place that we know in the universe," emphasizing the extraordinary nature of this discovery.

Initially spotted by the European Southern Observatory during a sky survey in 1980, the object, known as J0529-4351, was initially misconstrued as a star. It was only last year that it was correctly identified as a quasar, thanks to observations conducted by telescopes in Australia and Chile's Atacama Desert.

Professor Priyamvada Natarajan from Yale University expressed excitement about the revelation, highlighting that the quasar had been "hiding in plain sight" and was previously misclassified as a star.

Further analysis and computer modeling have demonstrated that the quasar is devouring the equivalent of 370 suns annually, signifying a staggering rate of consumption. The research team estimates the black hole's mass to be between 17 and 19 billion times that of our sun, with additional observations required to comprehend its growth rate.

Situated 12 billion light-years away, this extraordinary quasar has existed since the early stages of the universe, offering a compelling glimpse into the cosmos.
Defending long-standing ties between India and Russia, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said that both nations share a "stable" relationship. While speaking at the Munich Security Conference, EAM said that India don't have a European view of Russia.

Speaking to a leading German economic daily, Handelsblatt, Jaishankar shared the challenges faced by India to manage its energy supplies since the advent of Russia-Ukraine war.

"Both sides have communicated their positions clearly and have not emphasised their differences," said EAM.

With Russia-Ukraine war, Europe shifted a large part of its energy procurement to the Middle East- until then the main supplier for India and other countries but in a certain way we stabilized the energy market, he added.

India-Russia ties were under scanner since Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine.

"If no one bought crude oil from Russia, and everyone bought crude oil from other countries, the prices on the energy market would have shot up even further," he told the newspaper.

EAM also insisted on mediating talks with Russia and Ukraine to end war in the region. "We have already helped with very specific issues...However, we do not believe that we should initiate anything in this direction on our own," he said.

Over the last 18 months, India has emerged as one of the largest importers of Russian oil--a stand defended by India even after criticism from the West amid the ongoing war.
Panaji, Feb 20 (PTI) The Goa government on Tuesday announced setting up of a blended finance facility in partnership with the World Bank that will enable the coastal state to access and mobilise concessional finance to implement low-carbon and climate-resilient investments.



Chief Minister Pramod Sawant in presence of the World Bank officials and other institutions announced the setting up of the facility.

Given the wide range of sectors identified by the blended finance facility framework, the Goa government's environment department signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) Deputy Chairman G S Rawat, Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) Chairman and Managing Director S Ramann, and Power Finance Corporation (PFC) Chairperson and Managing Director Parminder Chopra.

The blended finance facility was announced at the 2024 edition of the World Bank's India Climate and Development Partners' Meet, an annual conference of thought leaders and changemakers in the climate sector.



The conference is being held in Panaji from February 19 to 21, and is jointly hosted by the Goa government and the World Bank.

"Resilience is a crucial aspect of our vision for a balanced Goa that bridges economy and ecology and balances our aspirations for the health of our ecosystems and the development and wellbeing of our people," Sawant said.





"This blended finance facility will enable us to embed and operationalise greater resilience in our planning, investments and infrastructure. We look forward to empowering our communities with the new technologies and business models that will be crucial in our response to climate change," he said.

This includes operationalisation of Goa's State Action Plan on Climate Change (2023-2033) which entails building institutional and technical capacity, investing in resilient infrastructure, re-skilling for high-productivity jobs, and orienting the local economy around more resilient livelihoods, the CM said.

Jennifer Sara, Global Director, Climate Change Global Practice, World Bank, said the key sectors that will benefit from blended finance investments include e-mobility and related infrastructure, renewable energy, biodiversity conservation, coastal protection and green tourism.





"Blended finance innovations can help mobilise high-risk projects that generate positive, measurable social and environmental results, including better and more sustainable products and services for consumers," she said.



The conference organisers in a release said this will be a first-of-its-kind, climate-focused, multi-sectoral facility at a sub-national level that will enable Goa to access and mobilise concessional finance to implement low-carbon and climate-resilient investments.



"Blended finance- inclusive of public, private, international, and domestic climate finance- has the potential to help Goa and other coastal states in India build greater resilience to the impacts of a rapidly warming climate," the release said.



The facility will play key roles in assisting projects with existing funding and/or established commercial viability to access financing, and channelise financing to projects/sectors with no existing funding, below market rate returns, or unattractive risk/return profile, it added.

Abhas K Jha, Practice Manager, South Asia Region Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management at the World Bank, said this facility has the potential to be replicated and scaled in India at the sub-national level.



Done right, it helps private gains to reinforce public good and unlock a multi-trillion-dollar opportunity to fund green growth and create new jobs, he said.



Goa has received Rs 700 crore fund from the IIT alumni council to replace the existing fleet of vehicles, state Environment Minister Aleixo Sequeira said on the occasion without elaborating.



He said that the per capita emission, number of vehicles and consumption of electricity in Goa is a cause of concern, which the state government is addressing.



The India Climate and Development Partners' Meet has brought together policymakers, financial institutions, businesses and community representatives, to discuss opportunities for leveraging finance for adaptation, replicating successful state-driven climate solutions, and mainstreaming climate considerations in government investments and budgets.

The areas of deliberation and mutual collaboration at the conference include innovation in climate financing, leveraging technology for climate action, sustainable cooling, community-led resilience and coastal resilience, the release said.
Kolkata, Feb 20 (PTI) The RP Sanjiv Goenka Group, with revenue exceeding USD 4 billion, has expressed interest in exploring investment opportunities in the Northeast, including renewable energy.



The group officials had a preliminary one-on-one meeting with the Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), B L Verma.



He was in Kolkata for an investment roadshow for the northeast and met a few business houses from the region to understand the sectors and how the government can assist in taking forward the projects.



According to sources, the RP Sanjiv Goenka Group has expressed willingness to explore hydropower opportunities besides evaluating other sectors.



Hydropower holds immense potential in the Northeast. Arunachal Pradesh government already had signed MoUs with central public sector undertakings to construct 13 projects likely to generate 13,000 MW of power and draw investment worth Rs 1.4 lakh crore.



CESC Ltd, the flagship company of the group, had already announced that it was exploring possibilities to make substantial investments in renewable energy generation of up to 3 GW in a hybrid portfolio through its subsidiaries in more than one state in the country.



The company's green ambition envisages a mix of solar, wind, and green hydrogen projects.



"We are carrying out a study exploring increasing our renewable energy footprint and partially meeting renewables purchase obligations of our distribution business," the company had said recently.



The company was looking to acquire over 50,000 acres of land in Rajasthan and Gujarat to fuel its 3 GW green energy dream with solar power.



About 250 acres in Bikaner is under physical possession and an application has been submitted for Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation registration and transmission connectivity is in advanced stages of acquisition for another 2,000 acres, the company had stated earlier.



The group has interests in business sectors including power (CESC), IT services First Source), carbon black (PCBL), retail (Spencer's), FMCG, real estate, education, and sports.
MUMBAI, India, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- JMD ALL CAR MALL (JMD ACM), a car leasing company of the JMD Group, has successfully raised equity from Mitsubishi Corporation (MC), Japan, through the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). This capital infusion is expected to support JMD ACM's ambitious business expansion and market development plans. The company has consistently demonstrated its commitment to providing innovative and customer-centric leasing solutions, and this investment will fuel its efforts to reach new heights in the industry.



Mr. Drupad Menda, Founder, JMD ACM, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, saying, "We are pleased to welcome Mitsubishi Corporation on board as a valued partner. This investment is an important step in validating our business model and supporting our growth. With the support of MC, we aim to enhance our service offerings, expand our presence, and deliver exceptional value to our customers in a growth market."



JMD ACM will strategically deploy its new funds to expand services, innovate and diversify leasing options, penetrate new markets, fortify existing ones, and use advanced technology for operational optimization and improved customer experiences. Additionally, the company will strengthen partnerships and aim to offer more flexible and efficient leasing solutions. It's committed to embracing EV leasing and smart fleet management as part of its sustainability strategy, focusing on sustainable growth, and enhancing value for clients and partners.



This investment marks a significant milestone for JMD ACM, underscoring its commitment to redefining the car leasing landscape.



About JMD Group of Companies:



JMD Group of Companies was established in 1997. A trailblazer in the automobile industry with a legacy spanning two decades, it has strived to bring the best in automobiles and financial services to its extensive clientele. Having established itself as a leader in automobile dealerships, JMD Group recognizes the evolving needs of consumers in the dynamic automotive market. The decision to diversify into the car leasing sector was a natural progression, aligning with the company's vision to offer comprehensive mobility solutions to its valued customers.



With a dedicated team of over 300 employees and an extensive retail network that spans across  New Car Dealerships, Used Car Deals, Car Service Stations, Automobile Financing, and Insurance gives the group a distinct advantage towards redefining the car leasing landscape with a commitment to innovation, customer-centric solutions, and industry leadership.



JMD Car Leasing specializes in a 360-degree customer-centric approach and caters to the varied needs of corporates by providing them customized tailor-made schemes per their requirements. For more details, please visit our website at www.jmdcarleasing.com.



(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
Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh) [India], February 20: Bajaj Allianz General Insurance, one of the leading private general insurers in India, today has announced the inauguration of its new office in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh. As the lead insurer for the state of Uttar Pradesh, this strategic expansion aligns with the company's commitment to bridging the insurance gap in the state and further strengthening its economic growth. Ayodhya's emerging significance is expected to play an integral role in the overall Indian economy. Bajaj Allianz aims to play a pivotal role in Ayodhya's growth by providing financial security to its citizens.



Following the highly anticipated inauguration of the Ram Mandir, Ayodhya is poised to emerge as a prominent hub for millions of visitors and devotees annually. This development will create significant demand for comprehensive insurance solutions, catering to individuals, families, and businesses across various sectors like hospitality, tourism, healthcare, banking, and infrastructure amongst others. Bajaj Allianz, with its diverse product portfolio, will address these evolving needs and contribute to Ayodhya's thriving economic landscape.



The opening of its Ayodhya office signifies a deliberate effort by Bajaj Allianz to launch efforts aimed at enhancing insurance coverage throughout the state. The company is dedicated to playing a significant role in achieving the objective of transforming Uttar Pradesh into an economy worth $1 Trillion. Through its presence in Ayodhya, Bajaj Allianz seeks to become a pivotal contributor to the area's economic development and promote the financial prosperity of its citizens.



Commenting on the inauguration of the new office, Mr. Tapan Singhel, MD & CEO, of Bajaj Allianz General Insurance, said, India is currently in the midst of a rapid economic boom, and the insurance industry is poised to play a pivotal role in ensuring financial security for individuals and businesses alike. Uttar Pradesh is at the forefront of this growth, and a significant contributor to the Countrys GDP. Ayodhya will play a significant part in this continued growth story. As the lead insurer in Uttar Pradesh, serving the citizens of Ayodhya and businesses holds immense significance for us. We believe this new office will play a pivotal role in bridging the insurance gap and further providing financial security for the citizens.



We want to make a difference in Ayodhya. We already have a significant presence in UP and with the new office opening, we are confident that we will extend financial security and provide significant financial protection in the lives of the citizens, specifically in Ayodhya by bringing them under the ambit of insurance. We are dedicated to addressing the diverse insurance needs of our customers, enabling them to lead worry-free lives with dignity.



The newly opened office will offer a broad range of insurance products across all lines of business and all customer touchpoints. Along with this, the Bajaj Allianz team will engage in educating customers, guiding them toward the most suitable products that align with their specific needs, and ensuring they attain sufficient insurance coverage. Bajaj Allianz General Insurance remains steadfast in its commitment to making its products and services accessible throughout the nation. By focusing on digitalization, personalized offerings, and community engagement, and by leveraging its extensive distribution channels, the company is dedicated to serving its customers effectively and at the same time also contributing to the noble cause of promoting societal well-being on a larger scale.



About Bajaj Allianz General Insurance



Bajaj Allianz General Insurance stands as India's premier private general insurance company. It is a collaborative effort between Bajaj Finserv Limited, India's most diversified non-bank financial institution, and Allianz SE, the world's leading insurer and largest asset manager. Bajaj Allianz General Insurance provides a wide range of general insurance products, including motor insurance, home insurance, and health insurance, along with distinctive insurance offerings like coverage for pet insurance, weddings, events, cybersecurity, and the film industry. The company commenced its operations in 2001 and has consistently expanded its reach to be in close proximity to its customers. Presently, it maintains a presence in nearly 1,500 towns and cities across India. Notably, Bajaj Allianz General Insurance holds the issuer rating of [ICRA]AAA from ICRA Limited, signifying the highest level of assurance regarding the punctual fulfilment of financial commitments.



(Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with PNN and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.). PTI PWR

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Tredence was selected as a data engineering and data science services leader among 16 global specialist analytics providers.



SAN JOSE, Calif. and BENGALURU, India, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Tredence, the global data science and AI solutions company, has been recognized as a 'Leader' in the Information Services Group's (ISG) Provider Lens Analytics Services 2023 report for the second year running. The technology analyst firm evaluated 16 specialist service providers, selecting Tredence as a Leader in the data engineering and data science services categories. The company ranked highest in Portfolio Attractiveness out of 16 established speciality service providers.



ISG recognized Tredence's leadership in migrating, modernizing, and monetizing enterprise data and building and deploying scalable vertical artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) solutions. Tredence's teams leverage domain, data science, and AI expertise to create customized data models and AI solutions that solve complex enterprise industry challenges, typically speeding time to value by 50% while also speeding time to scale.



"Tredence has partnered with leading enterprises to solve last-mile AI challenges, bridging the gap between insight creation and value realization," said Sumit Mehra, Co-founder and CTO of Tredence. "Our investments in building more than 100+ accelerators, innovating new AI solutions, developing strategic alliances, and operating a comprehensive learning academy have paid off by establishing Tredence as a leader in the data, analytics, and AI space. As a result, we can continuously bring cutting-edge solutions to our sophisticated enterprise client base."



"Tredence is a trusted partner to clients seeking to accelerate their data and analytics modernization journey. Enterprises are racing to build the analytics and AI competencies they'll need to scale thousands of models in the near future so that they can run and grow a data-driven business. Tredence's business model, client service approach, and white-labeled domain and functional algorithms are all designed to deliver greater value to enterprise clients. Tredence should be a top choice for industry companies seeking to out-compete in the AI-driven marketplace," said Prashant Kelker, Chief Strategy Officer, ISG.



"The analytics industry is extremely competitive, with both global consulting consultancies and specialist firms jockeying for enterprise business. Those firms that can partner with enterprises to help them evolve from using descriptive to AI-powered predictive and prescriptive analytics to run and grow their businesses will help architect the new AI economy," said Gowtham Kumar Sampath, Assistant Director and Principal Analyst, ISG.



Visit the Tredence website to learn more about how we modernize data analytics for our clients or download a copy of the ISG report.



About Tredence



Tredence is a global data science and AI solutions provider focused on solving the last-mile problem in AI  the gap between insight creation and value realization. Tredence leverages strong domain expertise, data platforms and accelerators, and strategic partnerships to provide tailored, cutting-edge solutions to its clients. Tredence is 2,500-plus employees strong with offices in San Francisco Bay Area, Chicago, London, Toronto, and Bengaluru, with the largest companies in Retail, CPG, Hi-tech, Telecom, Healthcare, Travel, and Industrials as clients.



For more information, please visit www.tredence.com and follow us at Tredence on LinkedIn.



About ISG



ISG (Information Services Group) is a leading global technology research and advisory firm. A trusted business partner to more than 700 clients, including 75 of the top 100 enterprises in the world, ISG is committed to helping corporations, public sector organizations, and service and technology providers achieve operational excellence and faster growth. The firm specializes in digital transformation services, including automation, cloud and data analytics; sourcing advisory; managed governance and risk services; network carrier services; technology strategy and operations design; change management; market intelligence and technology research and analysis.



For more information, visit www.isg-one.com



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Chennai, Feb 20 (PTI) The Japan International Cooperation Agency on Tuesday said it has signed a loan agreement amounting to about Rs 2,809 crore for the construction of the second phase of the Chennai Peripheral Ring Road Project.



The loan amount translates into 49,847 million Japanese Yen.

The Chennai Peripheral Ring Road is placed as one of the priority projects in the 'Comprehensive Integrated Master Plan for Chennai-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor (2015)' based on an agreement between the Government of Japan and Government of India, a release from JICA said.



The objective of the project is to meet the rapidly increasing traffic demand in the Chennai metropolitan area, ease congestion, reduce transportation time by about 40 minutes from/to Chennai and Ennore ports (through the phase 1 and 2 of the project), and enhance connectivity to the southern part of the state by constructing the 26.3 km Peripheral Ring Road and introducing Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS).



"JICA signed the loan agreement for the 1st phase of the project in March 2018, and supported the construction of Section 1 (24.5km in total), which is the northernmost part of the Peripheral Ring Road. Subsequently, in this 2nd phase of the project, JICA contributes to construction of Section 5, which is the southernmost part of the Peripheral Ring Road, and introduction of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) from Sections 2 to 5," it said.



The Official Development Assistance (ODA) loan agreement was signed between Vikas Sheel, Additional Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance and Saito Mitsunori, Chief Representative, JICA India, it said.



The executing agency of the project is Tamil Nadu Highways and Minor Ports Department.
FILE PHOTO: The logo of Brazilian mining company Vale SA is seen in Sao Goncalo do Rio Abaixo

By Fabio Teixeira

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Mining giant Vale is looking at expanding the use of industrial batteries to power ports and mining sites, said the firm's Energy and Decarbonization director Ludmila Nascimento, in a move that would boost an industry still in early stages in Brazil.

Since last year the firm has used a battery system installed at its Ilha Guaiba Terminal (TIG) port, in Rio de Janeiro state, as a cost-cutting measure.

"We can replicate it to other Vale operations, not just at ports," Nascimento told Reuters on Friday, adding the company could eventually use that technology at mining sites.

While the TIG project took around four years, the system could be replicated to three other ports the firm operates more quickly, said Nascimento.

She said that once the batteries are acquired, installing them in a port could be done in a matter of months.

At TIG, Vale uses batteries with a combined capacity of 10 megawatt-hours to store energy during the day and use it during hours of peak demand, when power is more expensive.

Other ports would use batteries with the same or slightly higher capacity, said Nascimento.

The fact that Vale, one of Brazil's biggest firms used the system for seven months without fail could allay fears in the country that the technology is unreliable, said Chief Executive Sergio Jacobsen, of Micropower Energy, which supplied it.

The system led to a 40% cut on what TIG pays for energy distribution, said Vale in a statement, which will add up to around 3 million reais ($605,000) in savings per year. The upfront investment, undisclosed by Vale, was made by Micropower Energy, which will be paid back with money from the energy savings.

The large-scale battery business in Brazil is still in its early stages, but in other countries the technology is more widely used, said Jacobsen.

The storage system at TIG is the second largest in Brazil, said Jacobsen, with the first being a 60-MWh one inaugurated by energy distributor Isa Cteep last year.

Story continues

As Brazil becomes more reliant on wind and solar power, it will need to store energy that would otherwise go to waste during hours when supply outpaces demand, he said.

($1 = 4.9614 reais)

(Reporting by Fabio Teixeira; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)
Kathmandu, Feb 20 (PTI) A 35-year-old Indian national was arrested from Nepal's international airport here for possessing almost a kilogramme of concealed semi-liquid gold-like material, the police said on Tuesday.

Police arrested Sharif Ahmed Abdul Gafur on Monday with 855 grams of gold from the Tribhuvan International Airport here.

Gafur landed from Dubai through a Flydubai flight with the gold concealed in three plastic bags, the Nepal Police said in a statement.

He was arrested after the police recovered the yellow metal from him during a security check at the arrival gate.

The police have initiated further investigation by taking the Indian national into custody.
Seoul, Feb 20 (AP) Russian President Vladimir Putin has gifted North Korean leader Kim Jong Un a Russian-made car for his personal use in a demonstration of their special relationship, North Korea's state media reported Tuesday.

The report didn't say what kind of vehicle it was or how it was shipped. But observers said it could violate a UN resolution that bans supplying luxury items to North Korea in an attempt to pressure the country to abandon its nuclear weapons.

Kim's sister, Kim Yo Jong, and another North Korean official accepted the gift Sunday and she conveyed her brother's thanks to Putin, the Korean Central News Agency said. Kim Yo Jong said the gift showed the special personal relationship between the leaders, the report said.

North Korea and Russia have boosted their cooperation significantly since Kim travelled to Russia last September for a summit with Putin. During Kim's visit to Russia's main spaceport, Putin showed the North Korean leader his personal Anrus Senat limousine and Kim sat in its backseat.

According to Russia's state-run Tass news agency, Aurus was the first Russian luxury car brand and it's been used in the motorcades of top officials including Putin since he first used an Anrus limousine during his inauguration ceremony in 2018.

Kim, 40, is known to possess many foreign-made luxury cars believed to have been smuggled into his country in breach of the UN resolution.

During his Russia visit, he travelled between meeting sites in a Maybach limousine that was brought with him on one of his special train carriages.

During an earlier Russia trip in 2019, Kim had two limos waiting for him at Vladivostok station  a Mercedes Maybach S600 Pullman Guard and a Mercedes Maybach S62. He also reportedly used the S600 Pullman Guard for his two summits with then-President Donald Trump in Singapore in 2018 and Vietnam in 2019. In 2018, Kim used a black Mercedes limousine to return home after a meeting with South Korea's then-President Moon Jae-in at a shared Korean border village.

Kim's possession of such expensive foreign limousines shows the porousness of international sanctions on the North. Russia voted for the ban on supplying luxury good to North Korea, even though as a permanent Security Council member, it could have vetoed the resolution.

The expanding ties between North Korea and Russia come as they are locked in separate confrontations with the United States and its allies  North Korea for its advancing nuclear program and Russia for its protracted war with Ukraine. The US, South Korea and their partners accuse North Korea of sending conventional arms to Russia for its war in Ukraine, in return for high-tech Russian weapons technologies and other support.

After its foreign minister returned home following a Russian visit in January, the North's state media reported Putin expressed his willingness to visit the North at an early date. (AP) SCY

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By Emily Setty, Senior Lecturer in Criminology, University of Surrey; and Jonny Hunt, Senior Lecturer in Applied Social Science, University of Bedfordshire

London, Feb 20 (The Conversation) Young men are more likely than older men to think that feminism has done more harm than good, according to a new survey, suggesting a backward step in attitudes to gender equality. Young women aged 16-29 are also slightly more likely than women aged 30-59 to say that feminism has done more harm than good.

The survey, conducted by Kings College London and Ipsos, also found a growing divergence in attitudes towards feminism, masculinity and gender equality between young men and young women.

On the surface, the findings chime with our experiences of conducting research directly with young people on these topics and delivering relationships and sex education in schools. But in both our work and the survey data, the reality is more nuanced than these headline findings suggest.

Most of the survey sample  including the younger age groups  do not sit at the more divided extremes of the response options. While 16% of men aged 16-29 thought feminism had done more harm than good, more than double this proportion, 36%, thought it had done more good than harm.



Whos a feminist?



In our recent experience of working in schools delivering and evaluating an educational session designed to address harmful sexual behaviour in schools, we asked the young people how many would identify themselves as a feminist. In response, there were often just two or three hands raised, often accompanied by an odd snide comment from one of the boys.

Both boys and girls seem disinclined to endorse feminism, with this perhaps counter-intuitive tendency among young women having been seen for some time.

But when we probe a little deeper and ask if they believe in equality between genders or what they understand by feminism, a different picture emerges.

The young people we work with often have a firm understanding of the inequality that exists between men and women. They typically endorse the idea that people should not be restricted or disadvantaged by their gender, but that possible disadvantage as a result of gender is nuanced and flows in both directions: both boys and girls are affected by gender stereotypes and pressures.

The girls in the room are quick to point out the double standards which, they feel, means they are judged more harshly and experience more social shaming connected to their bodies and sexual behaviour than boys. They talk about the effect of gender inequality on their ability to make free choices and to feel safe in their day-to-day lives. Unwanted attention, sexual harassment and feeling unsafe are still a rite of passage for teenage girls.

The boys, meanwhile, with the demands of masculinity thrust upon them, rarely consider themselves powerful or privileged. They are often insecure in their bodies, embarrassed and out of their depth  especially in their intimate and sexual relationships where they are expected to take control.

We have found that young people have a straightforward desire for authentic and healthy relationships be that with their same- or opposite-sex peers. They find it difficult to translate these aspirations into reality, however, as they navigate existing social and cultural expectations and pressures surrounding gender and relationships.

Boys and young men, in particular, are pulled between ideas of traditional masculinity and demands to be emotionally self-aware and sensitive.



The role of adults



When thinking about young peoples attitudes to feminism, we need to acknowledge that it is older generations who write the social scripts for boys and girls. It is older generations who frame sex, still, as something boys do to girls  as one of us found when interviewing teachers about how they educate boys about consent.

And it is older adults  such as the 37-year-old social media influencer Andrew Tate  who preach that feminism has gone too far. Media coverage of the Kings College and Ipsos Mori survey has emphasised the finding that one in five young men we surveyed approved of him. But this means that only a minority of boys and young men who said they had heard of Tate had a positive view of him.

More than half of the young men said they found Tates views offensive. This finding reflects what we are encountering in our research work: a dwindling interest in Tate among young people.

In our experience, most young people are open-minded, inclusive and tolerant. They are critical thinkers when allowed to think for themselves rather than being fed easy answers by the adults around them or, as seemed to be the case in this survey, asked to select between options framed as competing interests between men and women.

Our research underscores the need for a youth-centric approach to tackling issues relating to gender and relationships with young people that does not tell them what to think, but more how to think in ways that respond to their concerns. The adults in young peoples lives  parents, teachers and others  should think about, and talk to them about, why influencers like Tate gain traction.

Young people need support, based on open and constructive dialogue, to navigate gender and relationships in an ethical, mutual and positive, rather than risk-averse and divisive, way. (The Conversation) SCY

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Tokyo, Feb 20 (AP) Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on Tuesday that his country needs long-range missiles and other ammunition to end Russia's invasion, and said he expects a US aid package that's stalled in Congress to come through, speaking at a news conference the day after he attended a conference in Tokyo on reconstructing Ukraine.

Ukraine has modern equipment, training soldiers and fighting at NATO standards and that European countries and the United States are supporting us, absolutely," Shmyhal said.

But, he said, the country needs more long-range missiles for air defense against Russia on the frontline, Shmyhal said.

Unfortunately, now they prevail in the air and unfortunately this leads to some consequences from the frontline, but I should say that we have no refuses from our partners to supply military equipment to Ukraine," he said.

In many western countries, military support for Ukraine is facing pushback over growing costs as the war approaches the two-year mark.

The United States has provided Ukraine with about $111 billion, largely in weapons but also equipment and humanitarian assistance, and a new aid package of $95 billion is stalled in Congress after passing the Senate.

When Ukraine begins fielding F-16 fighter jets later this year, we will balance the situation on the battlefield and it will be much easier for us, he said. But currently, with the ongoing shortage of long-range artillery and missile equipment, if it will be stopped, if it will be delayed, this is the main danger for us on the battlefield.

The US National Guard has it is continuing to train Ukrainian pilots on the jets despite the end of funding for other military aid efforts.

Japan hopes to build momentum for global support for Ukraine as the war drags on and attention has been diverted to the conflict in Gaza. Japan has focused on reconstruction aid, in part due to constitutional restraints on providing lethal weapons.

The previous day, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida vowed a long-term commitment to Ukraine's reconstruction at the Japan-Ukraine Conference for Promotion of Economic Growth and Reconstruction.

About 300 people and 130 companies from the two countries attended the conference, and more than 50 deals were signed, including a Japanese pledge of 15.8 billion yen ($105 million) in new aid for Ukraine to fund demining and other urgently needed reconstruction projects in the energy and transportation sectors, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry.

Shmyhal said Ukraine understands Japan's restrictions on weapons export policy and welcomed Japan's commitment.

Wrapping up his three-day visit amid tight security, Shmyhal was to visit a Nissan Motor Co factory near Tokyo before leaving Japan later Tuesday. (AP) SCY

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Budapest, Feb 20 (AP) A vote in Hungary's parliament on ratifying Sweden's bid to join NATO could come as early as Monday, according to a senior member of the country's governing Fidesz party. It would bring an end to more than 18 months of delays by the nationalist government that have frustrated Hungary's allies.

In a letter on Tuesday to the speaker of the parliament, the head of the Fidesz caucus, Mate Kocsis, requested that a vote be scheduled for the opening day of the spring session, which begins on Monday.

Kocsis wrote that Fidesz, which has repeatedly blocked a vote on the matter, will opt to support Sweden's bid to join the trans-Atlantic military alliance.

Hungary is the only one of NATO's 31 existing members not to have ratified Sweden's bid. The Hungarian government faces mounting pressure to act after delaying the move for more than 1 1/2-year since admitting a new country to the military alliance requires unanimous approval.

On Sunday, a bipartisan group of US senators visited Hungary and announced they would submit a joint resolution to Congress condemning alleged democratic backsliding in the country and urging Prime Minister Viktor Orban to move forward on approving Sweden's accession as soon as possible.

Sen. Chris Murphy, a Democrat from Connecticut, said in Budapest on Sunday that members of the Hungarian government and Fidesz had refused to meet with the delegation  something he called strange and concerning  but said that the onus was on the long-serving leader to push for a vote.

We are wise enough about politics here to know that if Prime Minister Orban wants this to happen, then the parliament can move forward, he said.

Orban has faced isolation over his obstruction of key decisions by his international allies, including putting up roadblocks to EU funding for cash-strapped Ukraine. But in a state of the nation speech in Budapest on Saturday, Orban indicated that Hungary's legislature might soon relent.

It's good news that our dispute with Sweden is nearing a conclusion, he said. We are moving towards ratifying Sweden's accession to NATO at the beginning of the spring session of Parliament.

Reacting to the news of the vote, Sweden's Defence Minister, Pal Jonson said in Stockholm that Sweden naturally welcome this.

It is of course very welcome, Jonson said. (AP)

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London, Feb 20 (AP) Julian Assange's lawyers will begin their final UK legal challenge on Tuesday to stop the WikiLeaks founder from being sent to the United States to face spying charges.

The 52-year-old has been fighting extradition for more than a decade, including seven years in self-exile in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London and the last five years in a high-security prison.

Dozens of supporters holding Free Julian Assange signs and chanting there is only one decision  no extradition held a noisy protest outside the High Court in London, where Assange's attorneys will ask two High Court judges to grant a new appeal hearing, his last legal roll of the dice in Britain.

If the judges rule against Assange, he can ask the European Court of Human Rights to block his extradition  though supporters worry he could be put on a plane to the US before that happens.

Supporters plan to demonstrate outside the neo-Gothic court building on both days and march to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's Downing Street office at the end of the hearing.

Judges Victoria Sharp and Jeremy Johnson could deliver a verdict at the end of the two-day hearing on Wednesday, but they're more likely to take several weeks to consider their decision.

This hearing marks the beginning of the end of the extradition case, as any grounds rejected by these judges cannot be further appealed in the UK  bringing Assange dangerously close to extradition, the press freedom group Reporters Without Borders said.

Assange, an Australian citizen, has been indicted on 17 charges of espionage and one charge of computer misuse over his website's publication of classified US documents. US prosecutors say he helped US Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning steal diplomatic cables and military files that WikiLeaks later published, putting lives at risk.

To his supporters, Assange is a secrecy-busting journalist who exposed US military wrongdoing in Iraq and Afghanistan and is entitled to First Amendment protections. They argue that the prosecution is politically motivated and he won't get a fair trial in the US.

His wife Stella Assange  a lawyer whom he married in prison in 2022  says his health has deteriorated during years of confinement.

His health is in decline, mentally and physically. His life is at risk every single day he stays in prison, and if he's extradited, he will die, she told reporters last week.

Assange's legal troubles began in 2010, when he was arrested in London at the request of Sweden, which wanted to question him about allegations of rape and sexual assault made by two women. In 2012, Assange jumped bail and sought refuge inside the Ecuadorian Embassy, where he was beyond the reach of UK and Swedish authorities  but was also effectively a prisoner in the tiny diplomatic mission.

The relationship between Assange and his hosts eventually soured, and he was evicted from the embassy in April 2019. British police immediately arrested him for breaching bail in 2012. He has been held in London's Belmarsh Prison throughout his extradition battle.

Sweden dropped the sex crimes investigations in November 2019 because so much time had elapsed.

Assange's lawyers say he could face up to 175 years in prison if convicted, though American authorities have said the sentence is likely to be much shorter than that.

A UK district court judge rejected the US extradition request in 2021 on the grounds that Assange was likely to kill himself if held under harsh US prison conditions. Higher courts overturned that decision after getting assurances from the US about his treatment. The British government signed an extradition order in June 2022.

Meanwhile, the Australian parliament last week called for Assange to be allowed to return to his homeland.

Regardless of where people stand, this thing cannot just go on and on and on indefinitely, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said. (AP) NPK

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United Nations, Feb 20 (AP) The United States vetoed an Arab-backed UN resolution on Tuesday demanding an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war in the embattled Gaza Strip.

The vote in the 15-member Security Council was 13-1 with the United Kingdom abstaining, reflecting the wide global support for ending the more than four-month war that started with Hamas' surprise invasion of southern Israel that killed about 1,200 people and saw 250 others taken hostage.

Since then, more than 29,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's military offensive, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which doesn't distinguish between civilians and combatants but says the majority are women and children.

It was the third US veto of a Security Council resolution demanding a cease-fire in Gaza.

The Biden administration had said it would veto the resolution because of concerns it would interfere with efforts to arrange a deal between the warring parties aimed at bringing at least a six-week halt to hostilities and releasing all hostages.

In a surprise move ahead of the vote, the United States circulated a rival UN Security Council resolution that would support a temporary cease-fire in Gaza linked to the release of all hostages, and call for the lifting of all restrictions on the delivery of humanitarian aid. Both of these actions would help to create the conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities, the draft resolution obtained by The Associated Press says.

US deputy ambassador Robert Wood told several reporters Monday that the Arab-backed resolution is not an effective mechanism for trying to do the three things that we want to see happen  which is get hostages out, more aid in, and a lengthy pause to this conflict.

With the US draft, what we're looking at is another possible option, and we'll be discussing this with friends going forward, Wood said. I don't think you can expect anything to happen tomorrow.

A senior US official said later Monday that, We don't believe in a rush to a vote. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity ahead of council discussions on the US draft, said, We intend to engage in the coming days in intensive negotiation around it.  That's why we're not putting a timeline on a vote, but we do recognize the urgency of the situation.

Arab nations, supported by many of the 193 UN member countries, have been demanding a cease-fire for months.

Tunisia's UN Ambassador Tarek Ladeb, this month's chair of the 22-nation Arab Group, told UN reporters last Wednesday that a cease-fire is urgently needed.

He pointed to some 1.5 million Palestinians who sought safety in Gaza's southern city of Rafah and face a catastrophic scenario if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu goes ahead with his announced plan to evacuate civilians from the city and move Israel's military offensive to the area bordering Egypt where Israel says Hamas fighters are hiding.

In addition to a cease-fire now, the Arab-backed draft resolution demands the immediate release of all hostages, rejects the forced displacement of Palestinian civilians, calls for unhindered humanitarian access throughout Gaza, and reiterates council demands that Israel and Hamas scrupulously comply with international law, especially the protection of civilians. Without naming either party, it condemns all acts of terrorism

In a tough message to Israel, the US draft resolution says Israel's planned major ground offensive in Rafah should not proceed under current circumstances. And it warns that further displacement of civilians, including potentially into neighbouring countries, a reference to Egypt, would have serious implications for regional peace and security.

US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, in a statement Sunday, explained that the United States has been working on a hostage deal for months. She said US President Joe Biden has had multiple calls over the last week with Netanyahu and the leaders of Egypt and Qatar to push the deal forward.

Though gaps remain, the key elements are on the table, she said, and the deal remains the best opportunity to free the hostages and have a sustained pause that would enable lifesaving aid to get to needy Palestinians.

The 15 Security Council members have been negotiating on the Arab-backed resolution for three weeks. Algeria, the Arab representative on the council, delayed a vote at US request while US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was recently in the region, hoping to get a hostage deal. But Qatar said Saturday the talks have not been progressing as expected. And the Arab Group decided over the weekend that they had given the US enough time and put their resolution in final form for a vote.

What will happen after the US casts its veto remains to be seen. The Arab Group could take their resolution to the UN General Assembly, which includes all 193 UN member nations, where it is virtually certain to be approved. But unlike Security Council resolutions, assembly resolutions are not legally binding.

The Security Council will then likely start discussing the much-lengthier US draft resolution, which would for the first time not only condemn Hamas' October 7 attack but its hostage taking and killing, murder, and sexual violence including rape. Some council members blocked the condemnation of Hamas in two previous council resolutions on Gaza.

The US draft doesn't name Israel, but in a clear reference the draft condemns calls by government ministers for the resettlement of Gaza and rejects any attempt at demographic or territorial change in Gaza that would violate international law. (AP) GRS

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Cape Town, Feb 19 (AP) Aid organisations fear a new humanitarian crisis in the restive eastern Congo region, where the renowned armed rebel group M23 is in the midst of a new advance that threatens to cut off a major city and leave millions of people struggling for food and medical help.

Eastern Congo has been beset by conflict for years, with M23 among more than 100 armed groups vying for a foothold in the mineral-rich area near the border with Rwanda. Some have been accused of carrying out mass killings.

There's been an upsurge in fighting in recent weeks between M23 rebels and Congo army forces, and it comes as the United Nations plans to withdraw peacekeepers from the region by the end of the year.

Tensions are also rising between Congo and Rwanda, with them blaming each other for supporting various armed groups. Congo accuses Rwanda of backing M23.

This weekend, the US State Department condemned what it called the worsening violence." A group of aid agencies has estimated that 1 million people have already been displaced by fighting in the last three months.



WHO ARE M23?

The March 23 Movement, or M23, is a rebel military group mainly made up of ethnic Tutsis that broke away from the Congolese army just over a decade ago. They staged a large offensive in 2012 and took over the provincial capital of Goma near the border with Rwanda, the same city they are threatening again.

The conflict has regional complications, with neighbouring Rwanda also accused by the US and UN experts of giving military aid to M23. Rwanda denies that but effectively admitted on Monday that it has troops and missile systems in eastern Congo. Rwanda said that is to safeguard its own security because of what it claims is a buildup of Congo army forces near the border. Rwanda has rejected calls from the US to withdraw.

There are also ties to the Rwandan genocide of 30 years ago, with M23 and Rwanda saying separately that they are fighting a threat from a Congolese rebel group that is connected to the Congo army and partly made up of ethnic Hutus who were perpetrators of the 1994 genocide.



CONGO-RWANDA TENSIONS

Relations between Congo and its eastern neighbour have been fraught for decades. Hundreds of thousands of Rwandan Hutu refugees had fled to Congo, then Zaire, in the aftermath of the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Among them were soldiers and militiamen responsible for the slaughter of 800,000 minority Tutsis and moderate Hutus.

Two years after the genocide, Rwanda and Uganda invaded eastern Congo to try and root out what remained of those genocide perpetrators, which led to the toppling of then Congo President Mobutu Sese Seko.

Tensions between Congo and Rwanda escalated in 2021 with the resurgence of M23 attacks on Congolese soldiers after nearly a decade of relative inactivity due to a 2013 peace deal. The presence of so many armed groups is believed to be connected to illegal mining, with eastern Congo rich in gold and other minerals.



WHAT'S HAPPENED IN RECENT WEEKS?

M23 launched new attacks late last year and has ramped them up in recent weeks. The group is now threatening to take the key town of Sake, about 27 kilometres west of Goma. That could cause food and aid supplies to be cut off from Goma, which had a population of around 600,000 a few years ago, but now holds more than 2 million people, according to aid agencies, as people flee violence in surrounding towns and villages.

The advance of rebels on Sake poses an imminent threat to the entire aid system in eastern Congo, the Norwegian Refugee Council said. It said 135,000 people were displaced in just five days in early February.

The violence has also sparked protests from the capital, Kinshasa, to Goma, with angry demonstrators saying the international community is not doing enough to push back against M23 and not taking a hard enough stance against Rwanda.



WHAT'S AT STAKE?

The new fighting could lead to an escalation of regional tensions and involve more countries. As the UN winds down its 25-year peacekeeping mission in eastern Congo, a multi-national force under the southern African regional bloc is set to step in.

That force will include soldiers from regional power South Africa, Malawi and Tanzania. They will help the Congo army forces, but it might put them in direct conflict with Rwanda.

There's also the humanitarian cost. The International NGO Forum in Congo, a group of non-governmental organizations working in the region, said the escalation in fighting has involved artillery attacks on civilian settlements, causing a heavy toll and forcing many health and aid workers to withdraw.

Eastern Congo already had one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, with nearly 6 million people previously displaced because of conflict, according to the UN Refugee Agency.

There are concerns a new disaster could largely go unnoticed because of the attention on the war in Gaza and Russia's invasion of Ukraine. (AP)

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Islamabad, Feb 19 (PTI) Pakistan President Dr Arif Alvi on Monday expressed regret on the expulsion of "competent people" from politics and the need to uphold respect for public mandate and ensure political inclusion, in a veiled reference to former prime minister Imran Khan who is in jail.

Alvi was a senior member of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party before Khan made him the country's President in 2018.

Khan, who is in jail after being convicted in corruption cases, has been barred from contesting elections and was also disqualified from holding any public office for 10 years.

Addressing the third edition of Hosting Business Net 2024, a platform aimed at promoting financial inclusion and digital transformation whilst acknowledging the contributions of companies within this sector, the president highlighted the integral link between financial inclusion and political participation.

"Financial inclusion is unattainable without the political engagement of the populace, Alvi remarked. He commended the confidence exhibited by millions of young voters in the democratic process.

Emphasising the importance of respecting mandates, the president attributed the closure of social media websites in Pakistan to a deficiency in intellectual capacity to handle criticism.

"It is regrettable that competent people are being ousted from the political arena, he lamented, he said in a veiled reference to jailed former prime minister Khan.

Last Saturday, Alvi urged urged politicians, various parties, and Pakistani institutions to "respect and recognise this huge mandate of citizens," apparently indicating that they should allow Khan's PTI to form the government as independent candidates, mostly supported by the party who have won 92 in the National Assembly.

The event was attended by members of the business and diplomatic community. The president said that the Pakistani people were a vibrant nation that had been blessed with abundant natural resources, adding that the country needed to invest in their intellectual development and capacity building.

The president cited the example of China which had lifted millions of its people out of poverty by investing in their education and health. He said that financial inclusion was not possible without the political inclusion of the people.

He opined that technology should be utilised for internet voting (i-voting) and Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). The president also hailed millions of young voters who had expressed their confidence in the democratic system.
Mumbai, Feb 20 (PTI) A 40-year-old State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) constable allegedly attempted suicide by shooting himself with a colleague's rifle near a shopping centre in suburban Malad, an official said on Tuesday.

The constable, identified as Venkat Padalwar, was said to be suffering from schizophrenia, a psychiatric disorder, he said, adding the cop is currently recuperating in a hospital and reported to be out of danger.

According to the Malad police station official, the incident took place on Monday evening when Padalwar was on duty at The Mall shopping centre during Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti celebrations.

The SRPF constable shot himself on his left hand using a colleague's a rifle and was rushed to Shatabdi Hospital. The immediate trigger for the suicide attempt was not yet known, he added.
(Bloomberg) -- Brookfield Asset Management Ltd. is beginning early-stage discussions about its next infrastructure product, two months after it closed a record fund that its deploying into transportation, telecom and other hard assets.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The worlds second-largest alternative asset manager has started informal talks with investors for the sixth vintage of the flagship Brookfield Infrastructure Fund, aiming to launch next year, according to people familiar with the matter who asked not to be identified because the matter is private. The timing is subject to change, one person said.

Brookfield received $30 billion in commitments for its infrastructure strategy in a process that closed in late 2023  $28 billion for the fund and $2 billion for related co-investment vehicles. A representative for the firm declined to comment.

The Toronto-based manager has $154 billion of fee-paying assets across its infrastructure, renewables and climate-transition businesses, accounting for one-third of the $457 billion in capital from which it draws fees.

Brookfields infrastructure unit pitches the funds as a way for investors to play major trends shaping the global economy, including the clean-energy transition, digitization and artificial intelligence. Like rival Blackstone Inc., it has poured money into data centers to capitalize on growing interest in AI.

Stakeholders have made commitments to net zero targets and are grappling with energy, security, supply chain resiliency and meeting the exponentially growing demand for data, Chief Executive Officer Bruce Flatt told analysts on Feb. 7, adding that meeting these challenges will require trillions of dollars in investments.

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Some investors are drawn to infrastructure funds owning businesses that generate steady, contracted revenue that rises over time. Alternative asset managers amassed close to $90 billion for infrastructure funds and spent more than $300 billion on deals in the asset class last year, according to Preqin data.

In January, BlackRock Inc. agreed to buy Adebayo Ogunlesis Global Infrastructure Partners for about $12.5 billion.

The Canadian firms most recent fund, Brookfield Infrastructure Fund V, is about 40% deployed across six investments, Flatt said earlier this month. Holdings include Triton International Ltd., which leases intermodal shipping containers. The fund also has a pending deal to acquire American Tower Corp.s thousands of telecommunications sites in India.

Brookfield Asset has also tapped former Worldpay CEO Ron Kalifa to help lead a new financial infrastructure group focused on opportunities in digital infrastructure within its private equity arm.

The firm launched an infrastructure fund tailored to wealthy individuals last year, garnering $2 billion.

We are bullish on Brookfield Infrastructure as we expect the easing rate environment to revive investor interest in yield and growth-oriented companies, Frederic Bastien, an analyst at Raymond James, said in an email.

Brookfield is the worlds largest infrastructure and renewables manager with around $300 billion of assets.

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Indore, Feb 20 (PTI) A 48-year-old woman and her son sustained severe burns after a fire broke out in their house in Madhya Pradesh's Indore city on Tuesday, police said.

The blaze erupted on the first floor of the two-storey structure under the Pardeshipura police station area, an official said.



Anita Goel and her son Mayank (25) sustained severe burns and were rushed to a nearby hospital, he said.

The ground floor of the structure has shops, the official said.



The fire department doused the flames, and the cause for the fire is yet to be ascertained, he said.
Mumbai, Feb 20 (PTI) The NCP led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Tuesday challenged in the Bombay High Court the state assembly speaker's decision to not disqualify 10 MLAs from the Sharad Pawar camp.

The petitions requested the high court to quash Speaker Rahul Narwekar's recent order by declaring it bad in law, and also disqualify all the 10 legislators.

The petitions were filed by Anil Patil, chief whip of the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, through advocate Shrirang Varma, challenging the "legality, propriety and correctness" of the order passed by Narwekar dismissing the disqualification petitions filed against the MLAs belonging to the Sharad Pawar faction.

A division bench led by Justice G S Kulkarni said it would hear the matter on Wednesday.

Narwekar had last week ruled that the faction led by Ajit Pawar is the real Nationalist Congress Party, but didn't disqualify MLAs of either faction.

The speaker has wrongly arrived at the conclusion that the split in the NCP was intra-party dissent. As the speaker has ruled that the NCP led by Ajit Pawar is the real political party, then the disqualification petitions should have been allowed too, as per the petitions.

Ajit Pawar and his uncle Sharad Pawar are locked in a turf war after Ajit and 8 MLAs joined the Shiv Sena-led Maharashtra government in July 2023.

Both the factions were fighting over primarily two issues -- who the party belongs to and whether the MLAs from the opposite faction attract disqualification under Section 2(1)(A) of the Tenth Schedule.

The Election Commission on February 7 decided the dispute in favour of Ajit Pawar, recognising the faction led by him as the "real NCP" and also allotted it the party's 'clock' symbol.

The EC later granted the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) as the name for the group.

Narwekar on February 15 held that the NCP faction led by Ajit Pawar was the real NCP and that the anti-defection provisions in the Constitution cannot be used to stifle internal dissent.

The Supreme Court on Monday directed that the Election Commissions order of February 7 granting the name of 'Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar' for the group led by Sharad Pawar will continue till further orders.
New Delhi, Feb 20 (PTI) The RWA of the Signature View Apartments in Mukherjee Nagar here, which has been declared unsafe for habitation, has written to the DDA requesting it to allow immediate payment of rent to those residents who are willing to evacuate.

According to the letter dated February 15, it has been almost 15 months since the IIT-Delhi report recommended immediate evacuation and dismantling of the towers in the housing society to save lives of allottees/residents.

"Almost 70 per cent of the residents have expressed their willingness to vacate and hand over the possession of the flats for the reconstruction, subject to payment of rent immediately on the evacuation. The DDA neither acknowledged the offer/proposal of the majority of the allottees/residents nor came with any alternative plan to redress the concern," said the letter by the residents' welfare association (RWA) of the society.

The Delhi Development Authority is aware that few residents have approached the Delhi High Court in November last year and the matter is getting delayed for want of reply of the DDA, it said.

The court considering the seriousness and gravity of the matter has always given short dates to take conclusive view and pass final orders at the earliest, it further stated.

"Considering the gravity of the problem and the risk it carries, DDA's approach of delaying the court proceedings is putting the lives of residents in great risk. We once again appeal that our request for immediate payment of rent with evacuation is allowed to those who are willing to evacuate. An immediate reply to the petition in the Delhi HC be filed to take the matter to conclusion," the statement added.

The apartment complex in Mukherjee Nagar, built in 2007-09 with 336 MIG and HIG flats, has some construction issues and is up for demolition by the DDA.

Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena, who is also the chairman of the DDA, had earlier ordered the agency to redevelop the apartments and extend support to the thousands of residents facing grave danger to life and property.

As part of the rehabilitation plan, three options have been given to the residents, a DDA official had earlier said.

A 2021-2022 study conducted by the IIT-Delhi at the behest of the DDA found the building to be structurally unsafe.
Noida, Feb 20 (PTI) Commuters in Greater Noida may have to face traffic diversions on Wednesday in view of a protest march called by the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Tikait), the local police has cautioned.

Farmers have planned to converge at the Knowledge Park metro station on tractors and private vehicles. Thereafter, they will take out a march that will pass the India Expo Mart, Sharda University, LG roundabout and Moser Bear roundabout to culminate at the Collectorate in Surajpur, according to police.

In view of the situation and in order to ensure smooth traffic movement, diversions, if required, may be placed from Galgotia Cut, Pari Chowk, LG Roundabout, Moser Bear Roundabout, Durga Talkies Roundabout and Surajpur Chowk, police said.

"Emergency vehicles will be allowed to pass safely during traffic diversions. Please use alternative routes to avoid inconvenience and in case of traffic inconvenience, you can contact the traffic helpline number 9971009001," police said in the advisory.

Earlier in the day, BKU national spokesperson Rakesh Tikait had announced that farmers' will stage protests outside collectorate offices in every district of the state.

Tikait made the announcement while addressing a farmers' congregation at Sisauli in Muzaffarnagar.

"After February 21's march, we have programmes on February 26 and 27 in support of the issues raised by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political). Our tractors would move towards Delhi from all directions till the Ghazipur border," he said.

"We will not go into Delhi but park our tractors on the highways at the border. The government has time and it should negotiate with the farmers' committee (the SKM (Non-Political) team interacting with the Union Ministers)," he said.

Tikait also called upon the farming community to prepare for an "aandolan" if they have to save their lands.
New Delhi, Feb 20 (PTI) Delhi Police has arrested three people, who allegedly used to change the IMEI numbers of stolen mobile phones, and later sold them to earn profits, officials on Tuesday said.

The police have recovered 79 snatched, robbed and stolen mobile phones and one high-tech laptop loaded with IMEI changing software from the possession of the accused, they said.

"Small percentage of snatched, robbed or stolen mobile phones are recovered. Where do these mobile phones go? Why is it so difficult to track them even though they have a unique identifier like IMEI?" Deputy Commissioner of Police (west) Vichitra Veer said.

The officer said that teams were formed to investigate the case properly and nab the accused.

"A team of the Hari Nagar Police Station on Saturday apprehended one person named Narabjeet Singh (26) and recovered one stolen mobile phone from him," the DCP said.

It was found during investigation that the mobile phone recovered was stolen from the Hari Nagar area, but the IMEI number was found changed, police said.

Singh disclosed during interrogation that his associate Manish (23) was involved in changing IMEI of the (stolen) mobile phones, the DCP said.

"The changed IMEI mobile gets virtually a new identity, making it impossible to detect. At the instance of Narabjeet Singh, accused Manish was arrested and several mobile phones, one laptop loaded with IMEI changing software were recovered. Both told police that another person Molu was involved in selling those mobile phones in the market. We arrested Molu (32) from Tilak Nagar," he said.

The DCP said the police registered an FIR against the accused and began further further investigation into the matter.

There are four cases registered against the accused, the officer added.
Westerly, RI (02891)

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Rain showers this morning with some sunshine during the afternoon hours. High near 50F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

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Partly cloudy skies. Low 32F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph.
URI physics professor Gaurav Khanna is one of several school researchers to take part in the expected 2035 launch of the Laser Interferometer SPace Antenna (LISA), a collaboration between international scientists under the auspices of the European Space Agency. Courtesy of URI
Prominent political commentator and elections analyst Nate Silver says he majorly doubts President Joe Biden can win reelection later this year. According to Silver, who is the founder of forecasting website FiveThirtyEight, President Biden has transitioned from being a reasonably clear favorite a year ago to probably the underdog in the current political climate.

Silver attributes this shift to a combination of factors including Bidens low approval ratings, a lack of effective strategies to improve his standing, and public concerns regarding his age and capabilities. Silver argues that the Presidents reluctance to engage in a normal reelection campaign, characterized by accepting interviews and other high-profile opportunities, may necessitate his withdrawal from the race.

Biden should stand down if he wasnt going to be able to run a normal reelection campaign, emphasizing the importance of activities such as conducting a Super Bowl interview for a candidates visibility and public engagement. He further argued that the Democrats might have to consider Biden as a below replacement-level candidate due to rational concerns about having a Commander-in-Chief who would be 86 years old by the end of a second term.

Silver suggests that Bidens stepping aside could allow the Democratic Party to select a new nominee at their convention in August, potentially improving their chances against Trump. He also recommended that Biden should attempt to complete at least four challenging interviews in the coming weeks to demonstrate his capabilities.

This really isnt too much to ask. These are the sorts of interviews that every other recent president has done, Silver wrote on Substack, concluding that if he cant, its awfully audacious to ask Americans to make him president for another four years.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
Newly uncovered documents from the National Archives reveal that President Joe Bidens great-great-grandfather was pardoned by none other than President Abraham Lincoln. The incident, dating back to the Civil War on March 12, 1864, involved Moses J. Robinette, a civilian employee of the Union Army, according to an investigation by The Washington Post.

The incident leading to the pardon occurred near Beverly Ford, Virginia, along the Rappahannock River, where Robinette and another Union Army civilian, John J. Alexander, got into a physical fight that resulted in Alexander suffering knife wounds. Robinette was subsequently charged with attempted murder and incarcerated near Florida.

In a bid to secure Robinettes release, three U.S. Army officers, described as friends of Robinette, directly appealed to President Lincoln. They presented the case as an act of self-defense, highlighting Robinettes role as a staunch Union supporter and a devoted family man, pleading for mercy on behalf of his motherless Daughters and sons.

Their petition, emphasizing Robinettes loyalty to the Union and his disproportionate punishment, first passed through the hands of West Virginia Senator Waitman T. Willey. Senator Willey endorsed the plea and forwarded it to the White House for Lincolns consideration. Upon review, Lincoln granted the pardon, noting, Pardon for unexecuted part of punishment. A. Lincoln. Sep. 1. 1864.

This act of clemency allowed Moses J. Robinette to return to his family, where he lived until 1903.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
Delays in weapons deliveries from Western allies to Ukraine are opening a door for Russian battlefield advances, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says, making the fight very difficult along parts of the front line where the Kremlins forces captured a strategic city last weekend ahead of the wars two-year anniversary.

Zelenskyy and other officials have often expressed frustration at the slowness of promised aid deliveries, especially since signs of war fatigue have emerged. European countries are struggling to find enough stocks to send to Kyiv, and U.S. help worth $60 billion is stalled over political differences. That appears to be playing into the hands of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Even so, more help is heading Ukraines way, as Sweden announced Tuesday its biggest aid package so far and Canada said it was expediting the delivery of more than 800 drones.

Zelenskyy, in his daily video address late Monday, said Russia has built up troops at some points along the 1,500-kilometer (930-mile) front line, apparently aiming to pounce on any perceived defensive weaknesses.

They (the Russians) are taking advantage of delays in aid to Ukraine, he said after visiting the command post in the area of Kupiansk, in the northeastern Kharkiv region, on Monday.

He said Ukrainian troops keenly felt a shortage of artillery, air defense systems and long-range weapons.

Ukrainian forces withdrew from the strategic eastern city of Avdiivka at the weekend, where they had battled a fierce Russian assault for four months despite being heavily outnumbered and outgunned.

But Oleksiy Danilov, head of Ukraines National Security and Defense Council, said that while the situation on the battlefield is hard, especially due to a lack of ammunition, the situation on the eastern front is not catastrophic.

We fight and will continue to fight, he told news outlet Ukrainska Pravda. We have only one request to our partners: to help with weapons, with ammunition, and with air defense.

He claimed that Russia racked up heavy losses of troops and equipment in the fight for bombed-out Avdiivka. His claim could not be independently verified.

Analysts predicted a lull in Russian attacks in the Avdiivka area. The Kremlins forces will require time to rest and refit, the U.K. Ministry of Defense said in an assessment Tuesday. The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington think tank, also expected an operational pause by Russia in the area.

Zelenskyy said talks with foreign partners are focusing on how to resume and extend support.

Sweden, which is poised to join NATO, said Tuesday it will donate military aid to Ukraine worth 7.1 billion kronor ($681 million). That includes 30 boats, some of which are fast and powerful military assault craft, and underwater weapons.

The deal also includes artillery ammunition, Leopard tanks, shoulder-borne anti-aircraft defense systems, anti-tank missiles, grenade launchers, hand grenades and medical transport vehicles, as well as underwater drones and diving equipment.

By supporting Ukraine, we are also investing in our own security, Defense Minister Pal Jonson told a news conference in Stockholm. If Russia were to win this terrible war, we would have significantly greater security problems than we have today.

The Canadian government said Monday it will dispatch more than 800 drones to Ukraine starting as early as this spring. They are part of a previously announced 500 million Canadian dollars ($370 million) in military help for Ukraine.

Ukraine last year received $42.5 billion from foreign partners, of which $11.6 billion was in non-repayable grant aid, Ukraines Ministry of Finance said Tuesday.

The grant assistance was provided by the U.S., Japan, Norway, Germany, Spain, Finland, Switzerland, Ireland, Belgium, and Iceland, it said. The U.S. provided the biggest amount of non-repayable grant aid, with $11 billion.

Long-term concessional financing amounted to $30.9 billion, which included loans from the European Union ($19.5 billion), the International Monetary Fund ($4.5 billion), Japan ($3.4 billion), Canada ($1.8 billion), the U.K. ($1 billion), the World Bank ($660 million) and Spain ($50 million).

Meanwhile, a Russian Lancet drone struck a house in Ukraines northern Sumy region Tuesday, killing five members of the same family, the regional administration said.

A mother, her two sons and two other relatives who were visiting died as a result of the strike in Nova Sloboda, a village bordering Russia.

Ukraine shot down all 23 Shahed drones that Russia launched on Monday night over various regions of the country, the countrys air force said.

Air force spokesman Yurii Ihnat said Russian aircraft activity had dropped off after Ukraine recently shot down a number of enemy warplanes.

The air force commander, Mykola Oleschuk, said on Monday that his troops destroyed Su-34 and Su-35 bomber jets. Over the weekend he said that other Russian jets were shot down.

(AP)
Significant milestone in Cal Nano's production capabilities and manufacturing capacity

New lease for 19,500 sq. ft. facility, an upgrade from current 3,500 sq. ft. facility

Both facilities will be maintained in the near term to ensure operational continuity

Los Angeles, California--(Newsfile Corp. - February 20, 2024) - California Nanotechnologies Corp. (TSX V: CNO) (OTC Pink: CANOF) ("Cal Nano" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has signed a new lease agreement for an additional manufacturing facility in Santa Ana, California. This marks a significant milestone in the expansion of the Company's production capabilities and footprint, and positions Cal Nano for continued growth and innovation within the advanced materials industry.

The newly secured lease encompasses an approximate 19,500 square foot facility, spanning a five-year term with a base monthly rent of US$31,185, exclusive of utilities. Situated approximately a 20-minute car commute from the Cerritos-based facility, this new location represents a substantial upgrade from Cal Nano's current approximately 3,500 square foot site, which it expects to continue operating in the near term. The expansion plan is expected to allow the Company to meet growing market demands, start delivering parts for customers, expand capabilities with newly purchased equipment, and ensure continuity.

"After outgrowing our current facility of ten plus years, we are excited to announce this key development," stated CEO Eric Eyerman. "The expanded footprint enables Cal Nano to install larger equipment, serve an expanding customer base, and undertake more projects at higher volumes. Our new space is expected to enable us to push the boundaries of material science and innovation in the development of next-generation products that demand more advanced materials."

Central to the decision in selecting this new location was its existing high electrical amperage capacity, allowing Cal Nano to set up and more cost effectively operate its cutting-edge spark plasma sintering (SPS) and cryomilling technologies. In addition, by retaining both facilities, the Company aims to ensure uninterrupted operations by housing existing equipment at the current site while deploying its other machinery and resources at the newly leased facility over time.

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The first equipment expected to be installed will be the used cryomill purchased in mid-2023, a second larger used cryomill purchased in early February 2024, along with the associated cryogenics and material handling infrastructure needed to support the higher throughput operations. The newly purchased cryomilling equipment reflects a significant increase in production capacity and efficiency, increasing from the existing 25 gallons limit to a combined potential of 160 gallons when fully installed and operational. Cal Nano believes that the base milling equipment, which still requires the implementation of Cal Nano's intellectual property and upgrades, was acquired at an attractive price point, representing a fraction of the cost of comparable new models. Cal Nano continues to explore the potential purchase of larger scale SPS equipment for installation at the facility as well.

Cal Nano strives to be a North American leader in SPS and cryomilling R&D and production services. To the best of the Company's knowledge, no other facilities in North America possess the capability to support both growing technologies in commercially producing state-of-the-art materials for new markets.

About California Nanotechnologies Corp.

At Cal Nano, we envision a world in which our advanced technologies are used to help make the most innovative products on this planet and beyond. Global leaders trust us to help push the boundaries of applied material science by utilizing our unique technical expertise and vision. Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, Cal Nano hosts advanced processing and testing capabilities for materials research and production needs. Customers range from Fortune 500 companies to startups with programs spanning aerospace, renewable energy, defense, and semiconductors.

For further information, please contact:

California Nanotechnologies Corp.

Eric Eyerman, CEO

T: +1 (562) 991-5211

info@calnanocorp.com

Otis Investor Relations Inc.

Brandon Chow, Principal & Founder

T: +1 (647) 598-8815

brandon@otisir.com

Reader Advisory

Except for statements of historical fact, this news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. In particular, forward-looking information in this press release includes, but is not limited to: future financial results, including anticipated profitability and/or lack thereof; statements about future plans, including statements about the planned expansion of the Company's manufacturing capacity, and new sites for the Company's production and headquarters; demand for the Company's services by current and future customers, including existing and future orders for the Company's SPS equipment and the anticipated revenue therefrom; and the expected future performance of the Company. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. We cannot guarantee future results, performance or achievements. Consequently, there is no representation that the actual results achieved will be the same, in whole or in part, as those set out in the forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made, and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking information. Some of the risks and other factors that could cause the results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking information include, but are not limited to: general economic conditions in Canada, the United States and globally; expansion into the new manufacturing facility; a significant change in demand for the Company's services and products; industry conditions, governmental regulation, including environmental regulation; the effects of product development and need for continued technological change; the effect of government regulation and compliance on the Corporation and the industry; research and development risks; reliance on key personnel; operations in foreign jurisdictions; protection of intellectual property rights; contractual risk; third-party risk, risk of technological or scientific obsolescence; dependence of technical infrastructure; unanticipated operating events or performance; failure to obtain industry partner and other third party consents and approvals, if and when required; the availability of capital on acceptable terms; the need to obtain required approvals from regulatory authorities; stock market volatility; competition for, among other things, capital, skilled personnel and supplies; changes in tax laws; and the other risk factors disclosed under our profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Readers are cautioned that this list of risk factors should not be construed as exhaustive.

The forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. We undertake no duty to update any of the forward-looking information to conform such information to actual results or to changes in our expectations except as otherwise required by applicable securities legislation. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/198404
San Francisco has welcomed Kelly Wong, a noncitizen immigrant from Hong Kong, into its Elections Commission  despite her own inability to vote legally in the United States. Wong is now the first noncitizen to serve on the commission, following the citys decision in 2020 to eliminate the citizenship requirement for city boards, commissions, and advisory bodies.

The ceremony, held at San Francisco City Hall, was presided over by Board of Supervisors president Aaron Peskin, who praised Wongs dedication to immigrant rights and voter engagement.

Wong said: There are always voices inside my head. Like, You cant do it. Youre not competent. Youre an immigrant. This is not your country. Thats not true. If I can do it, you can do it.

Ive seen how language and cultural barriers prevent immigrants with limited English proficiency from fully exercising their right to vote, Wong remarked.

Drawing from her personal experiences, Wong shared her struggles with navigating unfamiliar voting systems as a foreigner. Even though Im fluent in English, I still encounter challenges in navigating a new system, let alone participating in political conversation and activities, she said.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
Russian President Vladimir Putin has gifted North Korean leader Kim Jong Un a Russian-made luxury limousine for his personal use, both countries announced Tuesday, in another sign of their expanding cooperation.

Observers said the shipment violates a U.N. resolution that bans supplying luxury items to North Korea, in an attempt to pressure the country to abandon its nuclear weapons.

Kims sister, Kim Yo Jong, and another senior North Korean official accepted the gift Sunday and she conveyed her brothers thanks to Putin, the Korean Central News Agency said. Kim Yo Jong said the gift showed the special personal relationship between the leaders, the report said.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin gave Kim Jong Un a high-end Aurus Senat limousine that he showed to the North Korean leader when they met for a summit in Russia in September. Kim was shown the Anrus limousine at Russias main spaceport.

Kim liked the car, and so the decision was made to present it to him as a gift, Peskov said, according to Russias state-run Tass news agency. North Korea is our neighbor, our close neighbor.

Tass earlier reported that Aurus was the first Russian luxury car brand, and its been used in motorcades of top officials since Putin first used an Anrus limousine during his inauguration ceremony in 2018.

Kim, 40, is known to possess many foreign-made luxury cars believed to have been smuggled into his country in breach of the U.N. resolution.

During his Russia visit, he traveled between meeting sites in a Maybach limousine that was brought with him on one of his special train carriages.

During an earlier Russia trip in 2019, Kim had two limos waiting for him at Vladivostok station  a Mercedes-Maybach S600 Pullman Guard and a Maybach S62. He also reportedly used the S600 Pullman Guard for his two summits with then-President Donald Trump in Singapore in 2018 and Vietnam in 2019. In 2018, Kim used a black Mercedes limousine to return home after a meeting with South Koreas then-President Moon Jae-in at a shared Korean border village.

Kims possession of expensive foreign limousines shows the porousness of international sanctions on the North. Russia, a permanent Security Council member, voted for the ban on supplying luxury goods to North Korea, along with other international sanctions adopted in response to the Norths nuclear and missile tests.

North Korea and Russia have boosted their cooperation significantly as they are locked in separate confrontations with the United States and its allies  North Korea for its nuclear program and Russia for its war with Ukraine. Russia, along with China  another U.N. Security Council member  has repeatedly stymied the U.S. and others bids to toughen U.N. sanctions on North Korea over its prohibited missile tests in recent years.

The U.S., South Korea and their partners accuse North Korea of sending conventional arms to Russia for its war in Ukraine, in return for high-tech Russian weapons technologies and other support. Such arms transfers would violate multiple U.N. resolutions banning any weapons trade involving North Korea.

After its foreign minister returned home following a Russia visit in January, the Norths state media reported Putin expressed his willingness to visit the North at an early date.

(AP)
Not content to have others tell their story, KnowUs, a project of Agudath Israel of America, has erected large billboards across the Manhattan skyline. The billboards, depicting a yarmulke-wearing teen and the words Our boys will not be educated to hate America, celebrate how American Orthodox Jewish children are taught to be upright, peaceful, and patriotic to their country.

Before every bite they take, and from the moment they open their eyes, every Orthodox Jewish boy and girl is taught to express gratitude, constantly. No one will agree with everything their country does. But living in a country that stands for freedom, justice, and equality and protects the free exercise of religion begs that inculcated gratitude, said Mr. Avrohom Weinstock, Agudahs Chief of Staff and Director of KnowUs.

After publicly confronting protracted coverage by The New York Times which sought to portray Orthodox Jews as backward and benighted, and after what media and observers credit as denying The Times the Pulitzer Prize for this coverage, KnowUs is proactively sharing an authentic perspective about the Orthodox Jewish community and its education.

That Orthodox Jews are, as a rule, eminently peaceful, upstanding citizens, speaks to the unique education they receive, said Rabbi David Zwiebel, Agudahs Executive Vice President. In addition to the rigorous intellectual environment that yeshivas nurture, and the essential role they play in ensuring Jewish continuity, yeshivas proven ability to raise generations of caring, patriotic human beings is something in which we take great pride, and indeed something other educational systems would do well to model.

At a time when our cathedrals of higher education, especially the most elite, have devolved into bastions of anti-American and anti-Israel fueled confusion, yeshiva education stands in sharp relief, said Agudah Board of Trustee member, Mr. Chaskel Bennett. Following the horrors of October 7th, American Orthodox Jews reacted to tragedy not with violent demonstrations, but with an outpouring of charity, prayer, and a tenacious resolve to support those in need. G-d bless America.
The United States vetoed an Arab-backed U.N. resolution Tuesday demanding an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war in the embattled Gaza Strip.

The vote in the 15-member Security Council was 13-1 with the United Kingdom abstaining, reflecting wide global support for ending the more than four-month war that started with Hamas surprise invasion of southern Israel that killed about 1,200 people and saw 250 others taken hostage.

It was the third U.S. veto of a Security Council resolution demanding a cease-fire in Gaza.

The Biden administration said it vetoed the Arab-backed resolution because it may interfere with ongoing U.S. efforts to arrange a deal between the warring parties that would bring at least a six-week halt to hostilities and release all hostages taken during Hamas surprise Oct. 7 attack in southern Israel.

In a surprise move ahead of the vote, the United States circulated a rival U.N. Security Council resolution that would support a temporary cease-fire in Gaza linked to the release of all hostages, and call for the lifting of all restrictions on the delivery of humanitarian aid. Both of these actions would help to create the conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities, the draft resolution obtained by The Associated Press says.

U.S. deputy ambassador Robert Wood told several reporters Monday that the Arab-backed resolution is not an effective mechanism for trying to do the three things that we want to see happen  which is get hostages out, more aid in, and a lengthy pause to this conflict.

With the U.S. draft, what were looking at is another possible option, and well be discussing this with friends going forward, Wood said. I dont think you can expect anything to happen tomorrow.

A senior U.S. official said later Monday that We dont believe in a rush to a vote. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity ahead of council discussions on the U.S. draft, said, We intend to engage in the coming days in intensive negotiation around it.  Thats why were not putting a timeline on a vote, but we do recognize the urgency of the situation.

Arab nations, supported by many of the 193 U.N. member countries, have been demanding a cease-fire for months as Israels military offensive has intensified in response to the Hamas attack.

In addition to a cease-fire now, the Arab-backed resolution demanded the immediate release of all hostages, rejects the forced displacement of Palestinian civilians, calls for unhindered humanitarian access throughout Gaza, and reiterates council demands that Israel and Hamas scrupulously comply with international law, especially the protection of civilians. Without naming either party, it condemns all acts of terrorism

In a tough message to Israel, the U.S. draft resolution says Israels planned major ground offensive in Rafah should not proceed under current circumstances. And it warns that further displacement of civilians, including potentially into neighboring countries, a reference to Egypt, would have serious implications for regional peace and security.

Thomas-Greenfield, in a statement Sunday, explained that the United States has been working on a hostage deal for months. She said U.S. President Joe Biden has had multiple calls over the last week with Netanyahu and the leaders of Egypt and Qatar to push the deal forward.

Though gaps remain, the key elements are on the table, she said, and the deal remains the best opportunity to free the hostages and have a sustained pause that would enable lifesaving aid to get to needy Palestinians.

The 15 Security Council members have been negotiating on the Arab-backed resolution for three weeks. Algeria, the Arab representative on the council, delayed a vote at U.S. request while U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was recently in the region, hoping to get a hostage deal. But Qatar said Saturday the talks have not been progressing as expected. And the Arab Group decided over the weekend that they had given the U.S. enough time and put their resolution in final form for a vote.

What will happen after the U.S. casts its veto remains to be seen. The Arab Group could take their resolution to the U.N. General Assembly, which includes all 193 U.N. member nations, where it is virtually certain to be approved. But unlike Security Council resolutions, assembly resolutions are not legally binding.

The Security Council will then likely start discussing the much-lengthier U.S. draft resolution, which would for the first time not only condemn Hamas Oct. 7 attack but its hostage taking and killing, murder, and sexual violence including rape. Some council members blocked the condemnation of Hamas in two previous council resolutions on Gaza.

The U.S. draft doesnt name Israel, but in a clear reference the draft condemns calls by government ministers for the resettlement of Gaza and rejects any attempt at demographic or territorial change in Gaza that would violate international law.

(AP)
Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez was once touted by U.S. authorities as a key ally in the war on drugs. Now, federal prosecutors say the political leader ran his Central American nation as a narco-state, collecting millions of dollars from violent cartels to fuel his rise to power.

Nearly two years after his arrest and extradition to the U.S., Hernandez went on trial Tuesday in Manhattan federal court on drug trafficking and weapons charges. Jury selection began late in the morning for a trial Judge P. Kevin Castel projected would last two to three weeks.

Its a stunning fall from grace for a political leader long viewed  by Democratic and Republican administrations alike  as beneficial to American interests in the region, including combatting the illegal drug trade and helping slow the waves of migrants crossing the southern U.S. border.

That Hernandez is being tried in the U.S. rather than his native country underscores Honduras institutional weakness, says Raul Pineda Alvarado, a Honduran political analyst and former three-term congressman from Hernandezs National Party.

For Hondurans it signifies how weak our democracy is in terms of the separation of powers, he said. Politicians are not subject to any control.

Federal authorities say that for nearly two decades, Hernandez profited from drug trades that brought hundreds of thousands of kilos of cocaine into the U.S., even at times working with the powerful Sinaloa cartel in Mexico.

The millions of dollars in drug money that began flowing to Hernandez starting around 2004, in turn, powered his rise from a congressman representing his rural home province in western Honduras to president of the National Congress and then two consecutive presidential terms from 2014 to 2022, prosecutors say.

In exchange for bribes that propped up his political aspirations, U.S. prosecutors say, drug traffickers were allowed to operate in the country with near impunity, receiving information to evade authorities and even law enforcement escorts for their shipments.

During his first winning presidential campaign, Hernandez solicited $1.6 million from a drug trafficker to support his run and those of other politicians in his conservative political party, federal prosecutors say.

His brother also received a $1 million campaign donation from notorious Sinaloa boss Joaquin El Chapo Guzman on the promise the cartels drug shipments would find safe passage through Honduras if Hernandez was elected.

Federal prosecutors in New York spent years working their way up through Honduran drug trafficking organizations before reaching the person many believed was at the very pinnacle  Hernandez.

He was arrested at his home in Tegucigalpa, the Honduran capital, in February 2022, just three months after leaving office, and was extradited to the U.S. in April that year.

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said at the time that Hernandez abused his position as president to operate the country as a narco-state.

Hernandezs lawyers declined to comment ahead of the trial, in which prosecutors are expected to rely on testimony from drug traffickers and corrupt Honduran law enforcement officials and politicians.

The former president, who earned a masters degree from the State University of New York at Albany, has steadfastly maintained his innocence, saying the allegations are revenge from drug traffickers he had extradited to the U.S.

Hernandez faces federal charges including drug trafficking conspiracy and possession of machine guns and destructive devices.

Meanwhile his co-defendants  the former head of the Honduran national police, Juan Carlos Bonilla, and Hernandezs cousin, Mauricio Hernandez Pineda  both pleaded guilty in recent weeks to drug trafficking charges in the same Manhattan courthouse where his trial is occurring.

(AP)
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Gazans have begun receiving text messages promising financial rewards in exchange for valuable information regarding hostages held by Hamas and other terror groups within Gaza. A message circulating on Palestinian social media platforms urges individuals to contribute any knowledge they might have about the hostages or their captors, hinting at a significant monetary reward and a brighter future for their families.

Are you interested in a better future for your family, and in a handsome financial reward? Do you have information about the hostages or who is holding them? Dont hesitate to get in touch with us at the following number, the message says.

Accompanying the text are links for alternative communication methods with the sender, as well as a link displaying images of the hostages, aiming to jog the memory or conscience of potential informants.

The origin of these messages, presumably from a faction of Israels security apparatus, remains unconfirmed, but it is similar  and more direct  to Israels previous approach of dispersing leaflets over Gaza, offering rewards for details on the whereabouts of hostages.

Current estimates suggest that 130 Oct. 7 hostages remain in Gaza, though not all of them are alive. 105 hostages were released during a weeklong ceasefire in November, and Israeli forces have managed to rescue three hostages alive, while also recovering the bodies of 11 individuals, which includes three hostages tragically killed by mistake after they escaped from their Hamas captors.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
Terrorists threw an explosive device at an Israeli car on the way from Chomesh to the Shavei Shomron yishuv in Binyamin on Monday evening.

Five people were in the car, residents of the Chomesh yishuv. In a neis, only one passenger was slightly injured.

One of the passengers was Aviya Antman, who survived the terror attack in Chomesh in 2021 which killed Yehudah Dimentman, Hyd, a 25-year-old husband and father.

In the video below, he explains how he miraculously survived his second terror attack.

The IDF stated: A short while ago, terrorists threw an explosive device toward an Israeli car next to the village of Burqa in Binyamin. Security forces rushed to the area and provided emergency medical aid to the injured Israeli. The forces are searching the area for suspects.

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)
Over the past 30 years, the Hezbollah terror organization dug a tunnel network that is far more extensive and sophisticated than the Hamas tunnel network under the Gaza Strip, according to an investigative report by the Liberation French newspaper published on Sunday.

Hezbollah constructed tunnels, cut into stone using North Korean technology, that extend for hundreds of kilometers and reach depths of 40 to 80 meters. One of the largest is 45 kilometers (28 miles) in length. Some tunnels are very narrow, designed to allow terrorists to infiltrate Israel, and others are wider to accommodate Iranian short-range ballistic missiles such as the Fateh-110. Other tunnels, situated under strategic areas, are filled with explosives.

The excavations for the tunnels began in the 1980s but were accelerated during the 1990s to house Hezbollah soldiers in the event of Israeli activities in the area.

According to the report, on October 8th, 2023, the day Hezbollah began attacking Israel, it published a video depicting another Israeli nightmare, a fictitious attack in the Galil carried out by the elite Radwan unit via a tunnel from Lebanon.

General Olivier Passot, who served as a liaison officer in southern Lebanon for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), told the French newspaper that as early as the 1960s, perhaps even earlier, Palestinian groups who had taken refuge in Lebanon began digging the first tunnels and Hezbollah expanded the network in the 1980s and especially in the late 1990s.

According to the report, the Hezbollah tunnels were not a matter of digging in the sand and laying concrete as Hamas later did to create the Gaza network. In southern Lebanon, the rock has to be drilled by hand, either with jackhammers or with hydraulic machines, which are quieter. Every worker can dig an average of 15 meters per month.

They were still in the being constructed then, Passot said. We saw drilling machines, electrical cables, and ventilation systems, and it was possible to walk upright in them.

According to a report by the Alma-Israel Research Center, after the 2006 Lebanon War, Hezbollah created a defense plan in the event of an Israeli invasion, with dozens of operational centers equipped with local underground networks and inter-regional tunnels linking the nerve centers of Beirut, the Beqaa Valley and southern Lebanon.

The cumulative length of the tunnels would reach several hundred kilometers. Israeli researchers have identified proximity tunnels, simple corridors that would enable elite Shiite troops to carry out hit-and-run attacks on Israeli settlements, as in the video released by Hezbollah, and larger, tactical tunnels designed to enable Iranian-made Fateh-110 short-range ballistic missiles to be fired from underground.

In a report published in June 2023, Alma also mentions the existence of explosive tunnels, dug under strategic points, sealed and left without detectable activity for years, they are filled with explosives that can be detonated at a moments notice to create a devastating and terrifying earthquake, landslides and a deluge of earth and stonesa tactic used during the First World War.

In December 2018, Israel announced that it had discovered six attack tunnels dug about 40 meters deep beneath the Blue Line.

The report also notes that Israel shelled southern Lebanon after October 7th with phosphorus bombs in order to set fire to the pine groves to uncover underground tunnels. At least 12 entrances were found and bombed.

According to Passot, who toured some tunnels, its reasonable to assume that Israel located them using acoustic and seismic sensors. It would take weeks to dig through the rock to insert cameras inside.

He added that Lebanese authorities deny the tunnels existence. However, the entrances to the largest tunnels are said to be hidden under private properties, such as large farms or factories, allowing them to bring in heavy machinery and evacuate earth without attracting attention. In addition, the Lebanese environmental group Green Without Borders, which is on the US sanctions list, is believed to have served as a cover for digging underground tunnels and warehouses.

Hezbollah buys land and turns some of them into so-called nature reserves, Passot added. We believe they set up training camps or weapon caches in them and probably included shafts leading to these tunnels. Israel, which was present in the area, managed to limit this spread until 2000, but Hezbollah reorganized in 2006 and had another 18 years to arrange this territory.

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)
Each year as spring approaches, wildflowers erupt across Israel, a splash of color before the punishing Middle Eastern summer. Nowhere is the show more dramatic than in southern Israel, near Gaza, where brilliant red anemones [] burst forth with such intensity that rolling hills seem to be covered in red carpets.

Along the Gaza border, the flowers, which look like poppies, have been crowned with their own festival, Darom Adom, or Scarlet South. Its been a major economic engine and source of local pride for nearly two decades, bringing hundreds of thousands to a little-visited and conflict-scarred part of Israel.

This year, even as explosions ring out and tanks churn across the fields as the war in Gaza drags into its fifth month, the flowers have burst forth with intensity. But the festival has been canceled, another war casualty.

For festival organizer Vered Libstein, everything is different.

Libstein lived in Kfar Azza, a kibbutz on the Gaza border hit hard by the Oct. 7 Hamas attack that started the war. She lost her husband, Ofir Libstein, her 19-year-old son, Nitzan, her mother, Bilha Epstein, and her nephew, Netta Epstein.

Ofir Libstein was on the kibbutzs local security team and one of the first confirmed deaths on Oct 7. It took 12 days to find Nitzans body.

Seeing the dramatic red blooms return after so much loss pierces her heart, Libstein said as she walked through a field.

On one side its hard, but on the other side it just proves to us that life is stronger than everything, and it renews itself, and well need to find the strength to renew ourselves as well, she said.

Libstein founded the Darom Adom festival with her husband 19 years ago, around the time when Palestinian terrorists started launching frequent rockets into Israel from Gaza. The flowers were a way to build pride and attract visitors.

In 2013, an Israeli conservation group ran a popular vote that named the red anemone Israels national flower.

The Darom Adom Festival started as a volunteer hotline helping hikers find the most concentrated blooms. It quickly grew, spawning its own tourism company and becoming one of Israels largest nature events, Libstein said.

It usually features a packed schedule of concerts, organized hikes, bike rides, races, kids events, foodie markets, art galleries and farm visits. Events are spread over four weeks in January and February, when the blooms are at their peak.

In recent years, Darom Adom has drawn over 400,000 visitors and accounted for more than 80% of local tourism income for the year, according to the financial paper Globes.

Anemones grow across Israel, in whites, purples and pinks, but in the south they only bloom in bright scarlet. The festival name is also a nod to the red alert sirens that warn of incoming rockets.

Although the festival was canceled this year, some local businesses and artisans have organized pop-up markets. Israelis can order anemone bulbs to grow at home, though some are still making the trek south.

Its really beautiful, to see this blooming, because when we came here everything was totally burned, said Moshe Federman, who spent three months as a reserve soldier at the nearby site of the music festival where 364 people were killed.

While charred remains of trees still dot the landscape, riots of red flowers peak out from between the slender trunks of new eucalyptus saplings. A few weeks ago, relatives of those killed at the music festival planted trees on the Jewish holiday honoring trees.

Nearby, a memorial at the music festival site has photos of the victims arranged on stands in a semi-circle around a stage, as if they were dancing together. Its become a pilgrimage site for visitors to grapple with the aftermath of the bloodiest day in Israels history.

Federman said it was strange to be back as a civilian with his wife, seeing the newly planted trees and wildflowers. He paused next to a tree in honor of a victim he knew.

Its growing anew. I guess thats part of life, he said.

As Anat Katz, a New Yorker visiting her daughter who lives in Tel Aviv, walked around the memorial, she said the flowers were beautiful, but their red blooms felt too bright, reminding her of blood and death.

The flower is pulling at our strings both ways, the beauty and the conflict of it, she said.

We see them popping up everywhere we go, so that feels a little hopeful in a place that feels like a real hit in the stomach, Katz added. Theres something that feels cyclical, how theyre alive right now, how theyre blooming at a time when it doesnt feel like theres a lot of blossoming.

Today, Libstein visits the south sporadically. She lives with much of the Kfar Azza community in a hotel north of Tel Aviv. She is helping oversee their move into mobile homes on a kibbutz about 20 kilometers (12 miles) east of Kfar Azza, while their houses, many of which were badly damaged, are rebuilt.

Its strange to be among the flowers she and her husband helped turn into a symbol of the region, without him and away from the home she loves during the most beautiful time of year.

The yellow dandelions blooming among the anemones remind her of the 134 hostages believed still held in Gaza, she said. Yellow ribbons have emerged as a symbol of the protests demanding their release.

Libstein said even though nature is marking the passage of time, its impossible to move on while members of her community are still held captive.

Its a symbol to us about the importance of blooming again, but it will take a long time, she said.

(AP)
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / CCL Industries Inc. ("the Company") (TSX:CCL.A)(TSX:CCL.B), a world leader in specialty label, security and packaging solutions for global corporations, government institutions, small businesses and consumers, today announced that Geoffrey Martin, Chief Executive Officer, and Sean Washchuk, Chief Financial Officer, will participate in the Raymond James 45th Annual Institutional Investor Conference in Orlando, Florida, on March 5, 2024.

Mr. Martin is scheduled to participate in a webcast at 8:05 am on March 5, 2024. Management will also host institutional investor meetings, which can be arranged by contacting Raymond James.

For more information on CCL, visit our website - www.cclind.com or contact:

Sean Washchuk

Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

416-756-8526

Business Description

CCL Industries Inc. employs approximately 25,300 people operating 205 production facilities in 43 countries with corporate offices in Toronto, Canada, and Framingham, Massachusetts. CCL is the world's largest converter of pressure sensitive and specialty extruded film materials for a wide range of decorative, instructional, functional and security applications for government institutions and large global customers in the consumer packaging, healthcare & chemicals, consumer electronic device and automotive markets. Extruded & laminated plastic tubes, aluminum aerosols & specialty bottles, folded instructional leaflets, precision decorated & die cut components, electronic displays, polymer banknote substrate and other complementary products and services are sold in parallel to specific end-use markets. Avery is the world's largest supplier of labels, specialty converted media and software solutions for short-run digital printing applications for businesses and consumers available alongside complementary products sold through distributors, mass market stores and e-commerce retailers. Checkpoint is a leading developer of RF and RFID based technology systems for loss prevention and inventory management applications, including labeling and tagging solutions, for the retail and apparel industries worldwide. Innovia is a leading global producer of specialty, high performance, multi-layer, surface engineered films for label, packaging and security applications. The Company is partly backward integrated into materials science with capabilities in polymer extrusion, adhesive development, coating & lamination, surface engineering and metallurgy; deployed as needed across the four business segments.

SOURCE: CCL Industries Inc.





View the original press release on accesswire.com




Israeli officials on Tuesday denied a report by the Saudi news agency Elaph that Israeli security officials believe that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar fled to Egypt via tunnels in Rafah, along with other leaders, including his brother Muhammed.

The report, which quoted only one source, added that the Israeli security officials expressed concerns that Hamas leaders who escaped to Egypt took Israeli hostages along with them.

According to the same source, for several years, Israel has been monitoring eight main tunnels between Rafah and Egypt that are large enough to transport cars and small trucks and through which weapons, missiles, and

various Iranian technologies were transferred to the Gaza Strip. The tunnels were also used to send terrorists for training in Iran and Lebanon.

According to the same source, the tunnels that connect Rafah to Egypt were the main way Iranian weapons were transported to the Gaza Strip.

The IDF also said on Tuesday that it has no information that Sinwar escaped the Strip.

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva recalled his ambassador to Israel for consultations hours after he was publicly reprimanded by Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz at Yad Vashem.

Additionally, Israeli Ambassador Daniel Zonshine was summoned for a reprimand in Rio de Janeiro.

According to CNN Brasil, Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira spoke firmly but politely in the 30-minute meeting, saying that the public reprimand was a spectacle and beyond normal diplomatic practice and also expressed dissatisfaction with the fact that Katz spoke to the press in Hebrew without providing an interpreter in Portuguese, forcing Ambassador Federico Mayer to stand there without knowing what was being said.

At Yad Vashem, Katz said that Lula was a persona non grata in Israel until he retracted his statements and apologized. However, Lula reportedly has no intention of retracting his statements.

Late Tuesday afternoon, Katz wrote a harshly worded message to Lula on Twitter in Portuguese, saying: Millions of Jews around the world are waiting for your apology. How dare you compare Israel to Hitler? Is it necessary to remind you what Hitler did? He took millions of people to ghettos, stole their property, used them as forced laborers and then, with endless brutality, began to systematically murder them. First with gunshots, then with gas  an industry for exterminating Jews in an orderly and cruel way.

Israel embarked on a defensive war against the new Nazis who murdered any Jew they saw. It didnt matter to them whether they were elderly, babies, or disabled. They murdered a girl in a wheelchair. They kidnapped babies. If we didnt have an army, they would have murdered tens of thousands more. How embarrassing. Your comparison is outrageous, delusional. A shame on Brazil and a spit in the face of Brazilian Jews.

Its not too late to learn history and apologize. Until then  you will remain persona non grata in Israel!

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)
The IDF says it recently completed the withdrawal of the 646th Brigade, their last reserve brigade, from the Gaza Strip, signaling the nearing end of its offensive in Khan Younis, a key focus of recent military efforts.

The 646th Brigade, a reserve paratroopers unit, has been active in various parts of Gaza, including central regions and, more recently, Khan Younis in the south. During their activities, the combat soldiers eliminated many terrorists, located weapons and destroyed a strategic underground tunnel route of the Hamas terrorist organization that crosses through the Gaza Strip from north to south.

With the beginning of the ground operation, the brigade combat team operated on terror targets in the area of the central camps, in Bureij, Nuseirat and the Towers neighborhood belonging to Hamas operatives. At the end of their mission in the central camps, they continued to operate in the southern Gaza Strip in the Khan Yunis area. In their activity, they completed an operation in the Abasan area, in which they eliminated a large number of terrorists and located and confiscated large quantities of weapons. During the operation dozens of terrorists who hid within the civilian population were detained.

The brigade completed its mission in the Gaza Strip last week.

This withdrawal is part of a broader strategy to reduce the presence of reservist forces in Gaza, shifting the ongoing combat responsibilities to the standing army. In doing so, officials are attempting to mitigate the economic impact on Israel by allowing reservists to return to civilian life, thereby aiding in the countrys economic recovery. Additionally, it provides the soldiers with a necessary respite in anticipation of potential future deployments, given the expectation of continued conflict in Gaza throughout the year and concerns over escalating tensions in the north with Hezbollah.

Despite the conclusion of the main offensive in Khan Younis, IDF officials have indicated that operations in the region are not yet fully complete, and the exact timeline for the completion of their remaining objectives remains undetermined.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
Harav Dovid Cohen Shlita will deliver a shiur on End-of-Life Issues and Halacha for medical professionals, pre-health students, and the public. Rabbi Cohen is the recipient of the Rabbi Raphael Zalman Levine Endowed Distinguished Talmudic Scholar Award presented by Touro University. The shiur will take place at Touros Lander College for Women, 227 West 60th St, NYC on February 26, 2024 at 7 pm and will be available virtually as well.

Culled from the Ravs real-life experience, the lecture, will explore complex issues and questions that regularly arise, including:

The controversy regarding brain death and halacha

What are the criteria that define the obligation to keep a terminally ill person alive, and when do they no longer apply?

A discussion of the laws of goses , including controversies regarding pulling the plug,

, including controversies regarding pulling the plug, To operate or not? Without an operation, the patient will survive for a limited period of time; whereas the operation may completely effect a cure or result in death.

Pikuach Nefesh is one of the most basic issues in Halacha. It even supersedes Shmiras Shabbos. It is important to define what halachic death is all about. The question of whether or not brain death is truly death has been an issue for many decades. We shall take a stand on these issues, said Rav Cohen.

Posek and Advocate

Born in Brooklyn, Rav Cohen attended Yeshiva Rabbeinu Chaim Berlin, where he became a talmid of Rav Yitzchak Hutner, ztl, and forged close ties with a roster of Torah giants. His position as Rav of Congregation Gvul Yaavetz in Brooklyn is the springboard from which he was launched to prominence as the eminence grise of contemporary American poskim. As the Mara Dasra of Ohel Childrens Home and Family Services, Nefesh International, Hatzolah of Flatbush, Central Hatzolah, and Camp Munk, as well as Dean of the Long Island Commission of Rabbis, his fingerprint is apparent in many critical aspects of communal Jewish life.

A fearless advocate for the underdog, Rav Cohen has championed the cause of agunos, and has been an outspoken defender of victims of abuse. His abiding ahavas Yisroel and profound understanding of the pain of mental illness have made him the address for those seeking nuanced and authoritative piskei halacha in this sensitive area. Author of over seventy sefarim on Gemara, Tefila, Nach, and Machshava, Rav Cohen is a widely sought-after speaker and scholar in residence. His effortless mastery over vast areas of Torah and secular knowledge, combined with his deep comprehension of the interface of halacha and real life, have dazzled audiences worldwide.

Prestigious Award

Touro Universitys Rabbi Raphael Zalman Levine Endowed Distinguished Talmudic Scholar Award is generously endowed by Mr. Joel Margolis of Albany, New York, to honor individuals who have made exceptional contributions in the field of Torah Scholarship and dissemination. The first recipient of the award was HaRav Asher Weiss. Rav Dovid Cohen is the second recipient of this award and this is the second lecture Rav Cohen is delivering as the recipient.

Rabbi Levine of blessed memory had enormous respect for those exceptional individuals who provide clear and decisive halachic guidance to our community. How very appropriate that this award, in his memory, goes to an extraordinary scholar who has provided lucid and timely guidance to so many people for so many decades, said Mr. Joel Margolis.

Zalman Levine, a musmach of Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik of Brisk and Rabbi Chaim Ozer Grodzinski, and devoted student of Rabbi Boruch Ber Leibowitz, came to the United States in 1923. After a brief teaching career at the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary and Yeshiva Torah Vodaath, he moved to Albany. Eschewing any rabbinic titles, he spent the next six decades deeply involved in studying and teaching Torah, while supporting his family, first as an insurance salesman and then, for several decades, as a deeply respected staff member of the New York State Comptrollers Office.

When Rabbi Levine arrived in Albany, the concept of a Torah scholar serving as a lay communal leader was unheard of, and his pioneering role set an example for others. Not only was Zalman Levine a devoted communal lay leader and an accomplished Torah scholar, but he also enjoyed the deep friendship of several generations of North American Torah luminaries.

For more information and to register to attend virtually, visit www.touro.edu/ravcohen
In a world filled with possibilities, are you ready to embark on a journey of self-discovery and change? Rabbi Shmuel Stern, the esteemed leader and head of the Kollel in Beit Shemesh, has arrived in New York for a limited time, offering his profound insights and guidance.

To book an appointment call 917-414-0685

Rabbi Shmuel Stern, a righteous scholar, born and raised in Bnei Brak, carries with him a heritage of wisdom passed down from generations of revered scholars. His expertise extends beyond traditional teachings; he delves into the depths of the human psyche, unlocking hidden potentials and talents.

Through the ancient wisdom of Jewish tradition, Rabbi Stern illuminates the intricate connection between the hand and the mind. Modern science has confirmed the profound link between the brain and the hand, revealing that each fingerprint unveils a unique neural pattern. This revelation underscores the importance of understanding our innate abilities and predispositions.

To book an appointment call 917-414-0685

By unraveling the mysteries encoded within our fingertips, Rabbi Stern helps individuals identify their inherent strengths and talents. Moreover, through careful observation of behavioral patterns, he guides individuals in harnessing acquired skills and strategies developed throughout their lives.

From significant life events to personal traumas, Rabbi Stern addresses the discrepancies between ones innate potential and acquired experiences. He believes that by acknowledging and understanding our subconscious, we gain mastery over our lives.

To book an appointment call 917-414-0685

Contrary to mere fortune-telling, Rabbi Stern focuses on fostering profound self-awareness. He specializes in helping individuals choose careers aligned with their talents and learning styles, as well as navigating the complexities of personal growth and spiritual development.

Numerous educators and spiritual leaders in Israel and Beit Shemesh refer individuals to Rabbi Stern for his unique insights. Even experienced therapists sometimes struggle to pinpoint the root cause of issues, whereas Rabbi Stern can discern underlying issues with a mere glance at ones palm.

To book an appointment call 917-414-0685

Consider the case of a 14-year-old boy caught stealing, whose behavior stumped his parents. After consulting with Rabbi Stern, it was revealed that the boy had experienced a traumatic event, leading to his aberrant behavior. Similarly, a 25-year-old groom, divorced three times, sought guidance from Rabbi Stern, who identified his distorted perception of reality as the underlying issue.

In another instance, a woman misdiagnosed with schizophrenia found solace and healing through Rabbi Sterns intervention. His recommendation for a second opinion led to a correct diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

Even individuals facing seemingly insurmountable challenges find hope and clarity through Rabbi Sterns guidance. He offers spiritual remedies and practical advice based on timeless Jewish teachings, empowering individuals to overcome obstacles and achieve fulfillment.

Dont miss this rare opportunity to consult with Rabbi Shmuel Stern during his visit to the United States. Whether you seek clarity in your personal life, guidance in career choices, or spiritual solace, Rabbi Stern offers a beacon of hope and transformation. Schedule your appointment today and embark on a journey of self-discovery and growth.

To book an appointment call 917-414-0685
Abbott Laboratories has experienced significant revenue growth from product sales, particularly in the health care sector. They have shown consistency in expanding sales growth by segment and focusing on innovation in healthcare products. However, the company faced challenges in 2023 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a decrease in net income. Despite external risks like global supply chain disruptions and legal challenges, Abbott remains committed to sustainable business practices and long-term growth through strategic investments in research and development.

Executive Summary

Financials

Revenue growth has been consistent over the past three years. The primary drivers behind this trend include recognizing revenue from product sales upon transfer of control, providing service agreements, and estimating variable consideration for discounts and rebates. Operating expenses have increased slightly over time from 34,650 to 35,291, with a notable rise in Selling, General, and Administrative expenses from 11,248 to 11,324. This indicates a shift in cost structures towards these areas. The companys net income margin decreased from 2022 to 2023. In 2023, the net earnings were $5,723 million, compared to $6,933 million in 2022. The companys performance is worse compared to industry peers.

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Management Discussion and Analysis

Management has invested in information systems and technology, as well as in the protection of products and data to prevent cybersecurity incidents. They also focus on research and development to launch new products and technologies. However, success is not guaranteed. Management assesses the companys competitive position by focusing on research and development for new products. They highlight potential disruptions like cybersecurity threats and economic volatility in the market. Major risks include disruptions to global supply chain affecting operations and acquiring businesses leading to expenses. Mitigation includes managing supply chain complexities and taking actions to reduce risks.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Risk Assessment

Abbott Laboratories key performance metrics, sales growth by segment, have increased over the past year. This growth aligns with the companys long-term goals of expanding revenue streams. The companys ROI exceeds its cost of capital, generating value for shareholders. The companys common equity is listed on various exchanges, including the New York Stock Exchange and SIX Swiss Exchange. There were 32,449 shareholders as of January 31, 2024. The companys market share and plans for expansion or consolidation are not mentioned in the provided information.

External factors such as global supply chain disruptions, economic volatility, geopolitical instability, and legal challenges pose significant risks to Abbotts operations and financial performance. These factors could impact the availability of raw materials, distribution channels, and overall profitability. Abbott assesses and manages cybersecurity risks by identifying threats, analyzing vulnerabilities, and prioritizing risks. They use technical controls, cybersecurity professionals, training, and disaster recovery plans. Risks are integrated into their enterprise risk management program, and they engage with third-party assessors for continuous improvement. Yes, Abbott is involved in various legal proceedings and estimates a possible loss of $30-45 million. ABT has recorded an accrual of $40 million. Management believes these issues will not have a material adverse effect on Abbotts financial position.

Corporate Governance and Sustainability

The composition of the board of directors includes a principal executive officer, principal financial officer, and principal accounting officer and controller. There are no notable changes mentioned in leadership or independence. Abbott integrates diversity and inclusion through employee networks, tying executive compensation to diversity outcomes, and releasing annual DE&I reports. ABT shows commitment to board diversity through talent management reviews focusing on diversity and succession planning. Abbott discloses its human capital strategy, emphasizing diversity and career development. It reports on employee demographics and global health initiatives. This demonstrates the companys commitment to responsible business practices and sustainability through talent engagement and healthcare advancements.

Forward Guidance

The companys forward-looking guidance aligns with its strategic initiatives and priorities outlined in the annual report, focusing on sustaining growth and innovation in the healthcare product line. Abbott Laboratories is leveraging the trend of innovation in healthcare products to drive future growth. By focusing on developing and selling a broad line of health care products, the company aims to capitalize on the increasing demand for innovative healthcare solutions. Yes, Abbott Laboratories forward-looking statements suggest a commitment to long-term growth and competitiveness through potential investments in research, development, and expansion of their health care product line.

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Shore Capital reiterated their buy rating on shares of SEGRO (LON:SGRO  Free Report) in a research report released on Friday morning, Marketbeat reports.

Separately, Berenberg Bank reiterated a hold rating and issued a GBX 863 ($10.87) price target on shares of SEGRO in a report on Thursday, February 8th. Two equities 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, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of GBX 911.60 ($11.48).

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SEGRO Trading Up 1.8 %

SEGRO Increases Dividend

Shares of LON SGRO opened at GBX 864.80 ($10.89) on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 48.83, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a current ratio of 0.48. The businesss 50 day moving average price is GBX 862.52 and its 200-day moving average price is GBX 788.35. SEGRO has a fifty-two week low of GBX 675 ($8.50) and a fifty-two week high of GBX 913 ($11.50). The company has a market cap of 10.64 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -317.94, a PEG ratio of 2.12 and a beta of 0.74.

The company also recently disclosed a dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 3rd. Shareholders of record on Thursday, March 14th will be issued a dividend of GBX 19.10 ($0.24) per share. This is an increase from SEGROs previous dividend of $8.70. This represents a yield of 2.29%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 14th. SEGROs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently -992.65%.

SEGRO Company Profile

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SEGRO is a UK Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT), listed on the London Stock Exchange and Euronext Paris, and is a leading owner, manager and developer of modern warehouses and industrial property. It owns or manages 10.3 million square metres of space (110 million square feet) valued at 21.0 billion serving customers from a wide range of industry sectors.

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StockNews.com lowered shares of West Pharmaceutical Services (NYSE:WST  Free Report) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note published on Friday morning.

Several other research analysts have also weighed in on WST. UBS Group dropped their price objective on shares of West Pharmaceutical Services from $400.00 to $375.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research note on Friday. KeyCorp increased their price target on shares of West Pharmaceutical Services from $440.00 to $470.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 13th. Stephens dropped their price target on shares of West Pharmaceutical Services from $420.00 to $390.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, October 27th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group upgraded shares of West Pharmaceutical Services from a hold rating to a buy rating and increased their price target for the stock from $323.00 to $536.00 in a research note on Wednesday, February 7th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $411.00.

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West Pharmaceutical Services Stock Up 3.2 %

West Pharmaceutical Services stock opened at $362.05 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $26.79 billion, a PE ratio of 45.95, a P/E/G ratio of 3.53 and a beta of 1.05. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.05, a quick ratio of 2.89 and a current ratio of 3.70. The firms 50 day moving average price is $362.62 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $368.20. West Pharmaceutical Services has a twelve month low of $303.79 and a twelve month high of $415.73.

West Pharmaceutical Services (NYSE:WST  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 15th. The medical instruments supplier reported $1.83 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.78 by $0.05. The firm had revenue of $732.00 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $740.43 million. West Pharmaceutical Services had a net margin of 20.12% and a return on equity of 21.77%. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 3.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $1.77 EPS. On average, research analysts predict that West Pharmaceutical Services will post 8.88 EPS for the current fiscal year.

West Pharmaceutical Services Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 7th. Investors of record on Wednesday, January 31st were issued a dividend of $0.20 per share. This represents a $0.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.22%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, January 30th. West Pharmaceutical Servicess dividend payout ratio is currently 10.15%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CAO Chad Winters sold 1,013 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Friday, December 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $349.00, for a total transaction of $353,537.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 1,270 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $443,230. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. 1.13% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Trading of West Pharmaceutical Services

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Sunbelt Securities Inc. bought a new stake in West Pharmaceutical Services in the 1st quarter valued at $25,000. RVW Wealth LLC bought a new stake in West Pharmaceutical Services in the 3rd quarter valued at $38,000. Planned Solutions Inc. bought a new stake in West Pharmaceutical Services in the 4th quarter valued at $39,000. International Assets Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in West Pharmaceutical Services in the 3rd quarter valued at $53,000. Finally, Addison Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in West Pharmaceutical Services by 37.9% in the 3rd quarter. Addison Advisors LLC now owns 142 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock valued at $53,000 after purchasing an additional 39 shares during the period. 91.23% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

About West Pharmaceutical Services

(Get Free Report)

West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc designs, manufactures, and sells containment and delivery systems for injectable drugs and healthcare products in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. It operates in two segments, Proprietary Products and Contract-Manufactured Products.

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Restaurant Brands International (NYSE:QSR  Free Report) (TSE:QSR) had its target price boosted by JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $78.00 to $82.00 in a report published on Friday, BayStreet.CA reports. They currently have an overweight rating on the restaurant operators stock.

A number of other brokerages also recently commented on QSR. Royal Bank of Canada reduced their price target on Restaurant Brands International from $91.00 to $90.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, February 14th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft assumed coverage on Restaurant Brands International in a report on Thursday, October 19th. They issued a buy rating and a $75.00 price target for the company. BMO Capital Markets upped their price objective on Restaurant Brands International from $85.00 to $90.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 14th. Barclays cut their price objective on Restaurant Brands International from $86.00 to $75.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, October 23rd. Finally, TD Cowen restated an outperform rating and set a $90.00 price objective on shares of Restaurant Brands International in a research note on Tuesday, February 13th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have assigned a hold rating and sixteen have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $81.33.

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Restaurant Brands International Price Performance

QSR stock opened at $77.19 on Friday. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $76.92 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $71.46. Restaurant Brands International has a 12-month low of $59.99 and a 12-month high of $79.94. The company has a current ratio of 1.15, a quick ratio of 1.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.82. The company has a market cap of $24.12 billion, a PE ratio of 20.47, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.34 and a beta of 0.92.

Restaurant Brands International (NYSE:QSR  Get Free Report) (TSE:QSR) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, February 13th. The restaurant operator reported $0.75 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.73 by $0.02. Restaurant Brands International had a return on equity of 32.52% and a net margin of 16.95%. The company had revenue of $1.82 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.80 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.72 earnings per share. The companys revenue was up 7.8% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts predict that Restaurant Brands International will post 3.37 EPS for the current year.

Restaurant Brands International Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 4th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, March 21st will be paid a dividend of $0.58 per share. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 20th. This is a positive change from Restaurant Brands Internationals previous quarterly dividend of $0.55. This represents a $2.32 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.01%. Restaurant Brands Internationals dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 58.36%.

Insider Activity

In other news, CEO Joshua Kobza sold 17,635 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, January 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $76.55, for a total value of $1,349,959.25. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 415,328 shares in the company, valued at $31,793,358.40. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In related news, CEO Joshua Kobza sold 17,635 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, January 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $76.55, for a total transaction of $1,349,959.25. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 415,328 shares in the company, valued at $31,793,358.40. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, insider Thomas Benjamin Curtis sold 2,682 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, January 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $76.55, for a total value of $205,307.10. Following the sale, the insider now owns 23,322 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,785,299.10. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 33,874 shares of company stock worth $2,577,347 over the last quarter. Corporate insiders own 1.25% of the companys stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Restaurant Brands International

Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Bank of New York Mellon Corp grew its position in shares of Restaurant Brands International by 0.9% in the first quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 301,806 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $17,623,000 after purchasing an additional 2,830 shares during the last quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. grew its position in shares of Restaurant Brands International by 2.6% in the first quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 9,183 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $536,000 after purchasing an additional 229 shares during the last quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. grew its position in shares of Restaurant Brands International by 12.6% in the first quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 5,164 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $301,000 after purchasing an additional 577 shares during the last quarter. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund grew its position in shares of Restaurant Brands International by 73.6% in the first quarter. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund now owns 7,076 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $413,000 after purchasing an additional 3,000 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP grew its position in shares of Restaurant Brands International by 99.3% in the first quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 373,323 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $21,798,000 after purchasing an additional 185,998 shares during the last quarter.

About Restaurant Brands International

(Get Free Report)

Restaurant Brands International Inc operates as a quick-service restaurant company in Canada, the United States, and internationally. It operates through four segments: Tim Hortons (TH), Burger King (BK), Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen (PLK), and Firehouse Subs (FHS). The company owns and franchises TH chain of donut/coffee/tea restaurants that offer blend coffee, tea, and espresso-based hot and cold specialty drinks; and fresh baked goods, including donuts, Timbits, bagels, muffins, cookies and pastries, grilled paninis, classic sandwiches, wraps, soups, and other food products.

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Southern (NYSE:SO  Free Report) had its target price lowered by BMO Capital Markets from $75.00 to $72.00 in a research note issued to investors on Friday morning, Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an outperform rating on the utilities providers stock.

Several other research firms also recently commented on SO. Morgan Stanley raised their price objective on shares of Southern from $66.00 to $67.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Tuesday, November 21st. Mizuho cut their price objective on shares of Southern from $76.00 to $73.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, November 21st. Barclays cut their price objective on shares of Southern from $68.00 to $67.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, January 17th. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Southern from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Friday, November 3rd. Finally, Citigroup assumed coverage on shares of Southern in a research note on Friday, December 8th. They issued a buy rating and a $82.00 target price on the stock. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating, five have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $73.46.

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Southern Stock Up 0.5 %

Southern stock opened at $66.48 on Friday. Southern has a twelve month low of $61.56 and a twelve month high of $75.80. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $69.58 and a 200-day moving average price of $68.72. The company has a market capitalization of $72.53 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.31, a P/E/G ratio of 4.14 and a beta of 0.50. The company has a quick ratio of 0.56, a current ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.62.

Southern (NYSE:SO  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, February 15th. The utilities provider reported $0.64 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.59 by $0.05. Southern had a net margin of 15.79% and a return on equity of 11.40%. The firm had revenue of $6.05 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.90 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $0.26 EPS. The companys revenue was down 14.2% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts predict that Southern will post 4.01 EPS for the current year.

Southern Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, March 6th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 20th will be given a dividend of $0.70 per share. This represents a $2.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.21%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 16th. Southerns dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 77.14%.

Insider Activity

In related news, insider David P. Poroch sold 10,099 shares of Southern stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $69.96, for a total value of $706,526.04. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 28,691 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,007,222.36. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In related news, insider David P. Poroch sold 10,099 shares of Southern stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $69.96, for a total value of $706,526.04. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 28,691 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,007,222.36. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, EVP Christopher Cummiskey sold 899 shares of Southern stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $67.06, for a total transaction of $60,286.94. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 22,502 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,508,984.12. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 25,998 shares of company stock worth $1,817,613. 0.37% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Southern

A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. FIL Ltd bought a new stake in shares of Southern during the 4th quarter valued at about $3,765,000. Hobbs Group Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Southern during the 4th quarter valued at about $102,000. SageView Advisory Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of Southern during the 4th quarter valued at about $585,000. Sanibel Captiva Trust Company Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Southern during the 4th quarter valued at about $16,067,000. Finally, Harbour Investments Inc. lifted its position in Southern by 4.5% during the 4th quarter. Harbour Investments Inc. now owns 28,310 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $1,985,000 after acquiring an additional 1,226 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 62.85% of the companys stock.

Southern Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

The Southern Company, through its subsidiaries, engages in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity. The company also develops, constructs, acquires, owns, and manages power generation assets, including renewable energy projects and sells electricity in the wholesale market; and distributes natural gas in Illinois, Georgia, Virginia, and Tennessee, as well as provides gas marketing services, gas distribution operations, and gas pipeline investments operations.

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QINGDAO, China, Feb. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- During the Spring Festival, eight overseas students from Grenada, the southernmost island country in the Windward Islands of the East Caribbean, visited the Yangjiashanli Rural Revitalization Demonstration Area in Shandong's Qingdao to experience traditional Chinese folk customs such as writing Spring Festival couplets and blessings, making paper-cuts, and pasting Spring Festival couplets with the villagers, according to the Information Office of Qingdao Municipal People's Government.

Overseas students and villagers play games together.

At the event, overseas students enthusiastically immersed themselves in Chinese New Year festivities by writing Chinese characters on red paper, participating in the traditional tea ceremony, and crafting paper-cut window decorations.

In Huangni Lane Village, overseas students engaged in discussions with local children and villagers, enjoyed cultural performances and delighted the community with their own talents, including singing Chinese songs like "Friends" and Grenada's "Happy Birthday Grenada."

On Chinese New Year's Eve, they joined villagers in making dumplings, setting off firecrackers, and watching the Spring Festival Gala, immersing themselves in the most traditional Chinese New Year customs. The next morning, they visited local villagers to extend their New Year greetings in Chinese, bringing blessings from afar.

In September 2023, Grenada Red Mud Village and Huangni Lane in Yangjiashanli, Tieshan Street, established a friendly village relationship, becoming the first international friendship village in Shandong Province.

Overseas students and villagers make dumplings together.

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/celebrating-chinese-new-year-in-beautiful-countryside----grenada-overseas-students-visit-yangjiashanli-302065672.html

SOURCE Information Office of Qingdao Municipal People's Government
STAG Industrial (NYSE:STAG  Free Report) had its target price hoisted by Royal Bank of Canada from $39.00 to $40.00 in a research note published on Friday morning, Benzinga reports. They currently have a sector perform rating on the real estate investment trusts stock.

A number of other analysts also recently weighed in on STAG. Robert W. Baird reaffirmed a neutral rating and set a $41.00 price target (up previously from $38.00) on shares of STAG Industrial in a report on Friday, January 5th. Raymond James cut their price target on shares of STAG Industrial from $39.00 to $37.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, October 31st. Six 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, STAG Industrial has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $38.14.

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STAG Industrial Stock Performance

STAG Industrial Announces Dividend

NYSE STAG opened at $39.10 on Friday. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $38.29 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $36.30. STAG Industrial has a 12-month low of $31.01 and a 12-month high of $39.61. The company has a quick ratio of 1.79, a current ratio of 1.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.76. The company has a market capitalization of $7.11 billion, a P/E ratio of 36.20, a P/E/G ratio of 9.01 and a beta of 1.03.

The business also recently disclosed a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 15th. Investors of record on Thursday, March 28th will be given a dividend of $0.1233 per share. This represents a $1.48 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.79%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, March 27th. STAG Industrials dividend payout ratio is 137.04%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Jeffrey M. Sullivan sold 19,650 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $38.84, for a total transaction of $763,206.00. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. In other STAG Industrial news, CAO Jaclyn Paul sold 12,900 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, December 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $38.57, for a total value of $497,553.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 10,916 shares in the company, valued at approximately $421,030.12. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, EVP Jeffrey M. Sullivan sold 19,650 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $38.84, for a total transaction of $763,206.00. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 87,890 shares of company stock worth $3,333,708 in the last three months. 1.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On STAG Industrial

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA boosted its stake in shares of STAG Industrial by 1.4% in the 3rd quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 4,286,953 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $147,943,000 after purchasing an additional 59,463 shares during the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. boosted its stake in shares of STAG Industrial by 2.8% in the 3rd quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 2,728,355 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $94,156,000 after purchasing an additional 73,224 shares during the last quarter. Centersquare Investment Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of STAG Industrial by 446.2% in the 2nd quarter. Centersquare Investment Management LLC now owns 531,504 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $19,070,000 after purchasing an additional 434,194 shares during the last quarter. Cumberland Partners Ltd bought a new stake in shares of STAG Industrial in the 3rd quarter valued at $4,573,000. Finally, Barclays PLC boosted its stake in shares of STAG Industrial by 684.2% in the 2nd quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 1,346,788 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $48,323,000 after purchasing an additional 1,175,049 shares during the last quarter. 88.68% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

STAG Industrial Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

We are a REIT focused on the acquisition, ownership and operation of industrial properties throughout the United States. We seek to (i) identify properties for acquisition that offer relative value across all locations, industrial property types, and tenants through the principled application of our proprietary risk assessment model, (ii) operate our properties in an efficient, cost-effective manner, and (iii) capitalize our business appropriately given the characteristics of our assets.

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CRH plc (NYSE:CRH  Get Free Report) has been assigned a consensus recommendation of Moderate Buy from the five brokerages that are covering the stock, MarketBeat reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 1 year price target among analysts that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $60.70.

Several analysts have commented on the stock. Truist Financial started coverage on shares of CRH in a research report on Thursday, December 14th. They issued a buy rating and a $81.00 target price for the company. The Goldman Sachs Group began coverage on CRH in a report on Monday, November 6th. They set a neutral rating and a $58.00 price objective on the stock. DA Davidson started coverage on CRH in a research report on Friday, January 19th. They set a buy rating and a $82.00 target price for the company. Finally, StockNews.com raised shares of CRH from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Friday.

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Institutional Investors Weigh In On CRH

CRH Price Performance

A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted its position in CRH by 0.3% in the first quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 269,338 shares of the construction companys stock worth $10,790,000 after purchasing an additional 724 shares during the period. Bank of New York Mellon Corp raised its holdings in shares of CRH by 0.8% in the 1st quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 262,579 shares of the construction companys stock worth $10,519,000 after buying an additional 2,011 shares in the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. acquired a new position in shares of CRH in the 1st quarter worth approximately $1,541,000. Bank of Montreal Can raised its holdings in shares of CRH by 3.1% in the 1st quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 27,121 shares of the construction companys stock worth $1,113,000 after buying an additional 816 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Prudential Financial Inc. boosted its stake in shares of CRH by 24.6% in the 1st quarter. Prudential Financial Inc. now owns 8,328 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $334,000 after purchasing an additional 1,643 shares in the last quarter. 8.21% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

CRH opened at $77.59 on Tuesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.96, a current ratio of 1.34 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35. CRH has a fifty-two week low of $46.06 and a fifty-two week high of $77.96. The business has a 50-day moving average of $70.13 and a 200-day moving average of $61.98.

About CRH

(Get Free Report

CRH plc, through its subsidiaries, manufactures and distributes building materials in Ireland and internationally. It operates through three segments: Americas Materials, Europe Materials, and Building Products. The company manufactures and supplies cement, lime, aggregates, precast, ready mixed concrete, and asphalt products; concrete masonry and hardscape products comprising pavers, kerbs, retaining walls, and related patio products; It also offers precast concrete and polymer-based products, such as underground vaults, drainage pipes and structures, utility enclosures, and modular precast structures to the water, energy, communication, transportation, and building structures markets; and construction accessories, such as engineered anchoring, fixing, and connection solutions, as well as lifting systems, formwork accessories, and other accessories used in construction applications.

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Shares of Veralto Co. (NYSE:VLTO  Get Free Report) have been given a consensus recommendation of Hold by the nine research firms that are covering the firm, MarketBeat reports. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and four have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1 year price objective among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $87.63.

A number of brokerages recently commented on VLTO. Argus began coverage on Veralto in a research note on Tuesday, January 9th. They set a buy rating and a $90.00 price target for the company. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price objective on Veralto from $78.00 to $91.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research note on Thursday, February 8th. Stifel Nicolaus lowered their price objective on Veralto from $83.00 to $82.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, January 23rd. Wolfe Research assumed coverage on Veralto in a research note on Wednesday, December 13th. They issued a peer perform rating for the company. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft assumed coverage on Veralto in a research note on Wednesday, January 10th. They issued a hold rating and a $79.00 price objective for the company.

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Veralto Trading Down 0.6 %

NYSE:VLTO opened at $86.09 on Tuesday. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $79.47. Veralto has a 12-month low of $65.51 and a 12-month high of $89.00. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.89, a current ratio of 1.64 and a quick ratio of 1.40.

Veralto (NYSE:VLTO  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 6th. The company reported $0.87 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.80 by $0.07. The firm had revenue of $1.29 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.25 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.80 earnings per share. Veraltos quarterly revenue was up 3.2% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Veralto will post 3.26 earnings per share for the current year.

Veralto Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a  dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, January 31st. Investors of record on Friday, December 29th were paid a dividend of $0.09 per share. This represents a dividend yield of 0.43%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, December 28th.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Banyan Capital Management Inc. purchased a new position in Veralto during the 4th quarter worth $697,000. Perkins Coie Trust Co purchased a new position in Veralto during the 4th quarter worth $559,000. Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV purchased a new position in Veralto during the 4th quarter worth $285,000. WealthPLAN Partners LLC purchased a new position in shares of Veralto in the 4th quarter valued at $277,000. Finally, Covea Finance bought a new position in shares of Veralto in the 4th quarter worth $1,382,000.

Veralto Company Profile

(Get Free Report

Veralto Corporation provides technology solutions that monitor, enhance, and protect resources worldwide. Its technologies address challenges across regulated industries, including municipal utilities, food and beverage, pharmaceutical, and industrials. The company core offerings include water analytics, water treatment, marking and coding, and packaging and color.

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Shares of California Water Service Group (NYSE:CWT  Get Free Report) have been given an average recommendation of Reduce by the three brokerages that are presently covering the company, Marketbeat reports. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 12-month target price among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $56.50.

Several brokerages have weighed in on CWT. StockNews.com raised California Water Service Group to a sell rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 1st. TheStreet downgraded California Water Service Group from a b- rating to a c+ rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 14th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lowered shares of California Water Service Group from an equal weight rating to an underweight rating and lowered their target price for the stock from $56.00 to $47.00 in a research note on Wednesday, October 25th.

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California Water Service Group Price Performance

California Water Service Group Increases Dividend

Shares of CWT opened at $47.52 on Tuesday. The businesss 50-day moving average is $48.97 and its two-hundred day moving average is $49.56. The company has a market capitalization of $2.74 billion, a P/E ratio of 66.00 and a beta of 0.49. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74, a quick ratio of 0.75 and a current ratio of 0.79. California Water Service Group has a fifty-two week low of $44.83 and a fifty-two week high of $61.59.

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 23rd. Stockholders of record on Monday, February 12th will be paid a dividend of $1.12 per share. This is a positive change from California Water Service Groups previous quarterly dividend of $0.26. This represents a $4.48 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 9.43%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 9th. California Water Service Groups dividend payout ratio is presently 155.56%.

Insider Transactions at California Water Service Group

In related news, Director Thomas M. Krummel sold 555 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, January 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $51.90, for a total value of $28,804.50. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 26,066 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,352,825.40. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. In related news, insider Michelle R. Mortensen sold 675 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $52.56, for a total value of $35,478.00. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 8,983 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $472,146.48. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, Director Thomas M. Krummel sold 555 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, January 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $51.90, for a total transaction of $28,804.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 26,066 shares in the company, valued at $1,352,825.40. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 1,785 shares of company stock valued at $93,947 in the last ninety days. 0.88% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Trading of California Water Service Group

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Rosenberg Matthew Hamilton acquired a new stake in California Water Service Group in the 3rd quarter valued at about $28,000. Harbour Investments Inc. acquired a new stake in California Water Service Group in the 4th quarter valued at about $31,000. Banque Cantonale Vaudoise acquired a new stake in California Water Service Group in the 2nd quarter valued at about $32,000. Belpointe Asset Management LLC raised its holdings in California Water Service Group by 58.6% in the 1st quarter. Belpointe Asset Management LLC now owns 731 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $43,000 after acquiring an additional 270 shares during the last quarter. Finally, AdvisorNet Financial Inc raised its holdings in California Water Service Group by 42.2% in the 4th quarter. AdvisorNet Financial Inc now owns 741 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $38,000 after acquiring an additional 220 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.63% of the companys stock.

California Water Service Group Company Profile

(Get Free Report

California Water Service Group, through its subsidiaries, provides water utility and other related services in California, Washington, New Mexico, Hawaii, and Texas. The company is involved in the production, purchase, storage, treatment, testing, distribution, and sale of water for domestic, industrial, public, and irrigation uses, as well as for fire protection services.

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The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. (NYSE:THG  Get Free Report) has received an average recommendation of Moderate Buy from the six brokerages that are presently covering the stock, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and four have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 12 month price objective among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $140.00.

A number of equities research analysts recently commented on THG shares. Oppenheimer increased their target price on shares of The Hanover Insurance Group from $135.00 to $150.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Friday, February 2nd. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods boosted their target price on The Hanover Insurance Group from $124.00 to $137.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 6th. Piper Sandler increased their price target on The Hanover Insurance Group from $143.00 to $147.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Monday, February 12th. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded The Hanover Insurance Group from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, January 11th.

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The Hanover Insurance Group Stock Performance

The Hanover Insurance Group Increases Dividend

Shares of The Hanover Insurance Group stock opened at $135.88 on Tuesday. The Hanover Insurance Group has a one year low of $103.82 and a one year high of $144.26. The company has a market capitalization of $4.86 billion, a PE ratio of 144.55 and a beta of 0.68. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32, a quick ratio of 0.39 and a current ratio of 0.39. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $126.93 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $118.51.

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 29th. Stockholders of record on Friday, December 15th were issued a $0.85 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, December 14th. This is a positive change from The Hanover Insurance Groups previous quarterly dividend of $0.81. This represents a $3.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.50%. The Hanover Insurance Groups dividend payout ratio is currently 361.71%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, SVP Warren E. Barnes sold 500 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $131.14, for a total value of $65,570.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 3,612 shares in the company, valued at approximately $473,677.68. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Corporate insiders own 2.50% of the companys stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On The Hanover Insurance Group

Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in THG. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its stake in shares of The Hanover Insurance Group by 0.3% during the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 3,690,436 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $472,893,000 after buying an additional 10,204 shares during the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. raised its position in The Hanover Insurance Group by 1.6% during the first quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 3,235,297 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $483,743,000 after acquiring an additional 50,073 shares in the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. lifted its holdings in The Hanover Insurance Group by 7.6% in the second quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 1,428,403 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $161,452,000 after acquiring an additional 100,515 shares during the period. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA boosted its position in The Hanover Insurance Group by 27.8% in the 4th quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 1,214,520 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $147,467,000 after purchasing an additional 264,483 shares in the last quarter. Finally, State Street Corp grew its stake in shares of The Hanover Insurance Group by 0.7% during the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 1,145,013 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $129,421,000 after purchasing an additional 8,158 shares during the period. 84.89% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

The Hanover Insurance Group Company Profile

(Get Free Report

The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc, through its subsidiaries, provides various property and casualty insurance products and services in the United States. The company operates through four segments: Core Commercial, Specialty, Personal Lines, and Other. The Commercial Lines segment offers commercial multiple peril, commercial automobile, workers' compensation, and other commercial lines coverage.

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High Liner Foods (TSE:HLF  Get Free Report) will be posting its quarterly earnings results after the market closes on Wednesday, February 21st. Analysts expect High Liner Foods to post earnings of C$0.30 per share for the quarter.

High Liner Foods Trading Up 0.1 %

TSE:HLF opened at C$11.96 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 78.16, a current ratio of 2.43 and a quick ratio of 0.38. The company has a market cap of C$398.39 million, a P/E ratio of 8.48 and a beta of 0.84. High Liner Foods has a 1 year low of C$10.11 and a 1 year high of C$15.87. The stocks fifty day moving average price is C$11.55 and its two-hundred day moving average price is C$11.38.

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High Liner Foods Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 15th. Investors of record on Friday, December 15th were given a $0.15 dividend. This represents a $0.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.02%. This is a boost from High Liner Foodss previous quarterly dividend of $0.13. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, November 30th. High Liner Foodss dividend payout ratio is 42.55%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms have recently weighed in on HLF. Cormark lowered their price objective on shares of High Liner Foods from C$21.00 to C$17.00 in a research report on Friday, November 10th. BMO Capital Markets set a C$11.50 price objective on High Liner Foods and gave the company a market weight rating in a report on Monday, November 13th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada reduced their price target on shares of High Liner Foods from C$15.00 to C$13.00 and set a sector perform rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, November 10th.

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About High Liner Foods

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High Liner Foods is the leading North American processor and marketer of value-added frozen seafood. Their retail branded products are sold throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico under the High Liner, Fisher Boy, Sea Cuisine and C. Wirthy & Co labels, and are available in most grocery and club stores.

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ALLETE (NYSE:ALE  Get Free Report) updated its FY 2024 earnings guidance on Tuesday. The company provided EPS guidance of 3.600-3.900 for the period, compared to the consensus EPS estimate of 4.080. The company issued revenue guidance of -.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms recently commented on ALE. Guggenheim raised shares of ALLETE from a sell rating to a neutral rating and set a $58.00 price objective on the stock in a research note on Monday, January 22nd. Sidoti lowered ALLETE from a buy rating to a neutral rating and set a $64.00 target price for the company. in a report on Wednesday, January 10th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and four have assigned a hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, ALLETE presently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $58.50.

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ALLETE Stock Down 0.2 %

ALLETE Increases Dividend

NYSE ALE opened at $58.60 on Tuesday. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $60.09 and a 200-day moving average price of $56.90. ALLETE has a one year low of $49.29 and a one year high of $66.69. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50, a quick ratio of 0.78 and a current ratio of 1.22. The company has a market capitalization of $3.37 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.60, a P/E/G ratio of 1.75 and a beta of 0.77.

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 1st. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 15th will be given a dividend of $0.705 per share. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, February 14th. This represents a $2.82 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.81%. This is a positive change from ALLETEs previous quarterly dividend of $0.68. ALLETEs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 65.43%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On ALLETE

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of ALE. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. lifted its stake in shares of ALLETE by 1.3% during the 1st quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. now owns 17,411 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $1,166,000 after acquiring an additional 228 shares during the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. bought a new stake in shares of ALLETE during the first quarter worth $204,000. HighTower Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of ALLETE by 10.9% during the first quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC now owns 4,374 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $293,000 after purchasing an additional 431 shares during the period. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund bought a new position in shares of ALLETE in the first quarter worth about $1,252,000. Finally, Great West Life Assurance Co. Can increased its stake in ALLETE by 11.7% in the 1st quarter. Great West Life Assurance Co. Can now owns 30,291 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $2,085,000 after buying an additional 3,163 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 75.94% of the companys stock.

ALLETE Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

ALLETE, Inc operates as an energy company. The company operates through Regulated Operations, ALLETE Clean Energy, and Corporate and Other segments. It generates electricity from coal-fired, biomass co-fired / natural gas, hydroelectric, wind, and solar. The company provides regulated utility electric services in northwestern Wisconsin to approximately 15,000 electric customers, 13,000 natural gas customers, and 10,000 water customers, as well as regulated utility electric services in northeastern Minnesota to approximately 150,000 retail customers and 14 non-affiliated municipal customers.

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Brunswick Co. (NYSE:BC  Get Free Report) CFO Ryan M. Gwillim sold 9,036 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $87.10, for a total value of $787,035.60. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 28,966 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,522,938.60. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink.

Brunswick Stock Down 1.9 %

BC stock opened at $86.42 on Tuesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 1.43 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.95. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $89.10 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $81.65. The company has a market cap of $6.03 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.52 and a beta of 1.55. Brunswick Co. has a twelve month low of $66.47 and a twelve month high of $99.68.

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Brunswick (NYSE:BC  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 1st. The company reported $1.45 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.66 by ($0.21). Brunswick had a net margin of 6.57% and a return on equity of 29.78%. The company had revenue of $1.36 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.44 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $1.99 earnings per share. The firms revenue for the quarter was down 14.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts anticipate that Brunswick Co. will post 7.44 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Brunswick Increases Dividend

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 15th. Investors of record on Monday, February 26th will be issued a dividend of $0.42 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 23rd. This is a positive change from Brunswicks previous quarterly dividend of $0.40. This represents a $1.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.94%. Brunswicks payout ratio is presently 26.89%.

Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Savant Capital LLC increased its holdings in shares of Brunswick by 7.0% during the 2nd quarter. Savant Capital LLC now owns 6,501 shares of the companys stock worth $563,000 after acquiring an additional 424 shares during the last quarter. Hunter Associates Investment Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Brunswick by 85.0% during the 2nd quarter. Hunter Associates Investment Management LLC now owns 6,243 shares of the companys stock worth $538,000 after acquiring an additional 2,868 shares during the last quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. grew its holdings in Brunswick by 127.6% in the 3rd quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 866,226 shares of the companys stock valued at $68,432,000 after buying an additional 485,588 shares in the last quarter. Mesirow Institutional Investment Management Inc. grew its holdings in Brunswick by 12.1% in the 3rd quarter. Mesirow Institutional Investment Management Inc. now owns 167,736 shares of the companys stock valued at $13,251,000 after buying an additional 18,150 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Daiwa Securities Group Inc. acquired a new position in Brunswick in the 3rd quarter valued at $927,000. 94.44% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Ratings Changes

BC has been the topic of several recent research reports. Stifel Nicolaus raised their price target on Brunswick from $88.00 to $97.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, January 17th. B. Riley raised Brunswick from a neutral rating to a buy rating and increased their target price for the company from $100.00 to $108.00 in a research note on Tuesday. Truist Financial cut their target price on Brunswick from $115.00 to $105.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, February 2nd. Morgan Stanley cut their target price on Brunswick from $84.00 to $77.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, October 27th. Finally, StockNews.com raised Brunswick from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Friday, October 27th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $95.09.

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Brunswick Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Brunswick Corporation designs, manufactures, and markets recreation products worldwide. It operates through three segments: Propulsion, Parts & Accessories, and Boat. The Propulsion segment provides outboard, sterndrive, and inboard engines for independent boat builders and governments through marine dealers and distributors, specialty marine retailers, and marine service centers; and propulsion-related controls, rigging, and propellers to original equipment manufacturers and aftermarket retailers, distributors, and distribution businesses.

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B2Gold (NYSEAMERICAN:BTG  Get Free Report) (TSE:BTO) is scheduled to announce its earnings results on Wednesday, February 21st.

B2Gold Stock Down 0.8 %

NYSEAMERICAN:BTG opened at $2.52 on Tuesday. The firms fifty day moving average price is $3.08. B2Gold has a 52 week low of $2.43 and a 52 week high of $4.40. The company has a quick ratio of 1.12, a current ratio of 2.18 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01. The company has a market cap of $3.28 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.64 and a beta of 1.13.

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B2Gold Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 18th. Investors of record on Monday, December 4th were given a dividend of $0.04 per share. This represents a $0.16 annualized dividend and a yield of 6.35%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, December 1st. B2Golds dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 61.54%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On B2Gold

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Creative Planning bought a new position in shares of B2Gold in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $66,000. Eaton Vance Management bought a new stake in B2Gold during the 1st quarter worth approximately $65,000. Jefferies Financial Group Inc. bought a new stake in B2Gold during the 4th quarter worth approximately $63,000. Schonfeld Strategic Advisors LLC bought a new stake in B2Gold during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $62,000. Finally, Townsquare Capital LLC bought a new stake in B2Gold during the 4th quarter worth approximately $62,000. Institutional investors own 51.52% of the companys stock.

Several analysts recently commented on the stock. StockNews.com downgraded shares of B2Gold from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Monday, November 20th. Raymond James cut their price objective on shares of B2Gold from $5.00 to $4.50 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, November 28th. Finally, CIBC downgraded shares of B2Gold from an outperform rating to a neutral rating and cut their price objective for the company from $4.20 to $3.60 in a research report on Thursday, January 25th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, B2Gold has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $5.57.

Check Out Our Latest Research Report on B2Gold

About B2Gold

(Get Free Report)

B2Gold Corp. operates as a gold producer with three operating mines in Mali, the Philippines, and Namibia. It operates the Fekola Mine in Mali, the Masbate Mine in the Philippines, and the Otjikoto Mine in Namibia. The company also has an 25% interest in the Calibre Mining Corp.; and approximately 19% interest in BeMetals Corp.

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Rathbones Group PLC increased its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI Japan ETF (NYSEARCA:EWJ  Free Report) by 20.6% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 176,523 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after acquiring an additional 30,170 shares during the period. Rathbones Group PLC owned approximately 0.08% of iShares MSCI Japan ETF worth $10,643,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the business. Stone House Investment Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of iShares MSCI Japan ETF during the second quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Coastal Investment Advisors Inc. purchased a new position in shares of iShares MSCI Japan ETF during the second quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. purchased a new position in shares of iShares MSCI Japan ETF during the second quarter valued at approximately $38,000. Concourse Financial Group Securities Inc. raised its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI Japan ETF by 425.4% during the third quarter. Concourse Financial Group Securities Inc. now owns 641 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $39,000 after purchasing an additional 519 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Indiana Trust & Investment Management CO purchased a new position in shares of iShares MSCI Japan ETF during the third quarter valued at approximately $48,000.

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iShares MSCI Japan ETF Trading Up 0.6 %

Shares of EWJ stock opened at $68.05 on Tuesday. iShares MSCI Japan ETF has a 12 month low of $54.56 and a 12 month high of $68.08. The stock has a market cap of $14.52 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.76 and a beta of 0.68. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $65.15 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $62.42.

About iShares MSCI Japan ETF

iShares MSCI Japan ETF (the fund), formerly Ishares Msci Japan Index Fund, is an exchange-traded fund. The Fund seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of publicly traded securities in the Japanese market, as measured by the MSCI Japan Index (the Index).

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(Bloomberg) -- Chinas ruling Communist Party will play a bigger role in steering its vast technology industry, the latest sign that Beijing intends to exert more influence over swathes of the worlds No. 2 economy.

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The Party will refine a mechanism through which top decision makers on the Central Committee steer technological work, according to a CCTV report on a central government meeting led by President Xi Jinping. While it didnt go into details, the pronouncement suggests Beijing will accelerate its role in funneling resources toward priority sectors such as semiconductors and artificial intelligence in a technological race with the US.

Shares in chipmakers from industry leader Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. to Advanced Micro-Fabrication Equipment Inc. slid more than 2% as investors pondered the ramifications of greater state control, which has yielded mixed results so far.

Under Xi, the Party and the state-backed sector have played an increasingly important role in industries from finance to markets and technology, especially as a blistering crackdown on firms such as Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. and Ant Group Co. curtailed the power of private enterprise. That effort has only expanded during the post-Covid downturn and subsequent property crisis, as Beijing struggled to control the narrative, contain the fallout in real estate and devise stimuli to resuscitate the economy.

But many still consider the golden era of Chinese tech to be the decade before 2020, when companies including Alibaba and Tencent Holdings Ltd. delivered innovations from payments to live-streaming and short videos. Innovation cannot be directed by the state, said Vey-Sern Ling, managing director at Union Bancaire Privee.

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Read More: Xi Calls for China to Speed Basic Research to Counter US Curbs

Technology was just one of a plethora of issues discussed during the meeting Xi chaired, according to a readout of the event from the official Xinhua News Agency. The discussions also zeroed in on the need for consistency in policy direction  a major concern of industry players and critics whove complained of seeming capriciousness in regulations and a lack of coordination between different agencies.

In technology, the central government has accelerated a broad effort to elevate the state sector and drive research into scientific advancements since the US began waging a trade campaign to curb China. Xi earlier tapped his top deputy, former Vice Premier Liu He, to oversee development of Chinas own chip technologies.

Thats had inconsistent results. An effort to drive semiconductor production capacity stalled under alleged graft and inefficiencies, but last year Huawei Technologies Co. stunned observers by designing an advanced smartphone chip few thought possible for China.

To develop Chinas own high-tech/semiconductor industries, China needs to pour in all the resources it has, plus more, said Hao Hong, chief economist at Grow Investment Group. But there is no guarantee that the state could pick the winners. There is currently excess capacity in EVs, new energy industries, among many other industries. These are the results of state-led investment. Also, the state fund investment in semis since 2017 has been largely fruitless.

Xi and his lieutenants have consistently called for China to accelerate scientific research and replace foreign technologies with homegrown alternatives. Thats considered an increasingly vital priority as Washington escalates restrictions on Chinas access to the most advanced technology and chips, especially those made by Nvidia Corp. to accelerate AI training.

Read More: China Secretly Transforms Huawei Into Powerful Chip War Weapon

--With assistance from Charlotte Yang, Alan Wong and Kelly Li.

(Updates with share action from the third paragraph)

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Provence Wealth Management Group bought a new stake in iShares J.P. Morgan EM High Yield Bond ETF (BATS:EMHY  Free Report) in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund bought 2,500 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $85,000.

Several other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Marshall Wace LLP acquired a new position in iShares J.P. Morgan EM High Yield Bond ETF in the 4th quarter valued at about $15,305,000. Flow Traders U.S. LLC raised its stake in iShares J.P. Morgan EM High Yield Bond ETF by 360.3% in the 2nd quarter. Flow Traders U.S. LLC now owns 125,800 shares of the companys stock valued at $4,419,000 after purchasing an additional 98,470 shares during the last quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. raised its stake in iShares J.P. Morgan EM High Yield Bond ETF by 14.7% in the 1st quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 47,188 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,663,000 after purchasing an additional 6,038 shares during the last quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. raised its stake in iShares J.P. Morgan EM High Yield Bond ETF by 16.4% in the 3rd quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 32,129 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,094,000 after purchasing an additional 4,527 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Bank of New York Mellon Corp increased its stake in shares of iShares J.P. Morgan EM High Yield Bond ETF by 49.6% during the 1st quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 26,446 shares of the companys stock valued at $932,000 after acquiring an additional 8,770 shares during the last quarter.

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iShares J.P. Morgan EM High Yield Bond ETF Trading Down 0.4 %

Shares of BATS EMHY traded down $0.15 on Tuesday, reaching $36.28. 23,364 shares of the company traded hands. iShares J.P. Morgan EM High Yield Bond ETF has a fifty-two week low of $48.44 and a fifty-two week high of $51.12. The company has a 50 day moving average of $36.12 and a 200 day moving average of $35.01.

iShares J.P. Morgan EM High Yield Bond ETF Company Profile

The iShares J.P. Morgan EM High Yield Bond ETF (EMHY) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in high yield fixed income. The fund tracks an index comprising USD denominated emerging markets high yield bonds. EMHY was launched on Apr 3, 2012 and is managed by BlackRock.

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Provence Wealth Management Group purchased a new stake in shares of Invesco S&P 500 Low Volatility ETF (NYSEARCA:SPLV  Free Report) in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund purchased 2,500 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $147,000.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of SPLV. New York Life Investment Management LLC increased its stake in Invesco S&P 500 Low Volatility ETF by 9.8% in the 2nd quarter. New York Life Investment Management LLC now owns 49,219 shares of the companys stock worth $3,091,000 after purchasing an additional 4,375 shares in the last quarter. CWM LLC increased its stake in Invesco S&P 500 Low Volatility ETF by 160.7% in the 2nd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 127,097 shares of the companys stock worth $7,983,000 after purchasing an additional 78,352 shares in the last quarter. Atlantic Private Wealth LLC purchased a new position in Invesco S&P 500 Low Volatility ETF in the 2nd quarter worth about $111,000. Cox Capital Mgt LLC increased its stake in Invesco S&P 500 Low Volatility ETF by 8.7% in the 3rd quarter. Cox Capital Mgt LLC now owns 6,365 shares of the companys stock worth $374,000 after purchasing an additional 507 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Keystone Financial Group increased its stake in Invesco S&P 500 Low Volatility ETF by 282.2% in the 3rd quarter. Keystone Financial Group now owns 55,594 shares of the companys stock worth $3,268,000 after purchasing an additional 41,047 shares in the last quarter.

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Invesco S&P 500 Low Volatility ETF Price Performance

SPLV traded up $0.26 on Tuesday, hitting $63.49. The company had a trading volume of 166,332 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,147,765. The companys fifty day moving average price is $62.83 and its 200 day moving average price is $61.20. Invesco S&P 500 Low Volatility ETF has a 1-year low of $57.17 and a 1-year high of $64.52. The stock has a market cap of $9.29 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.07 and a beta of 0.69.

Invesco S&P 500 Low Volatility ETF Profile

The Invesco S&P 500 Low Volatility ETF (SPLV) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the S&P 500 Low Volatility index. The fund tracks a volatility-weighted index of the 100 least-volatile stocks in the S&P 500. SPLV was launched on May 5, 2011 and is managed by Invesco.

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V Square Quantitative Management LLC lifted its holdings in Edison International (NYSE:EIX  Free Report) by 85.4% in the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 6,247 shares of the utilities providers stock after buying an additional 2,877 shares during the quarter. V Square Quantitative Management LLCs holdings in Edison International were worth $395,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in EIX. Parallel Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of Edison International by 5.0% in the 2nd quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC now owns 3,306 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $230,000 after buying an additional 156 shares during the last quarter. Bleakley Financial Group LLC grew its holdings in shares of Edison International by 2.4% in the second quarter. Bleakley Financial Group LLC now owns 7,052 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $490,000 after acquiring an additional 162 shares in the last quarter. First Trust Direct Indexing L.P. grew its holdings in shares of Edison International by 2.5% in the third quarter. First Trust Direct Indexing L.P. now owns 6,604 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $418,000 after acquiring an additional 162 shares in the last quarter. CarsonAllaria Wealth Management Ltd. lifted its position in shares of Edison International by 3.9% during the third quarter. CarsonAllaria Wealth Management Ltd. now owns 4,432 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $281,000 after acquiring an additional 165 shares in the last quarter. Finally, MML Investors Services LLC raised its position in shares of Edison International by 0.4% in the first quarter. MML Investors Services LLC now owns 44,495 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $3,141,000 after buying an additional 180 shares in the last quarter. 88.17% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Edison International Price Performance

EIX stock traded up $0.28 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $66.59. The company had a trading volume of 50,356 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,579,205. The company has a market capitalization of $25.54 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.66, a P/E/G ratio of 3.58 and a beta of 0.97. Edison International has a 12-month low of $58.82 and a 12-month high of $74.92. The company has a quick ratio of 0.75, a current ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.89. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $68.85 and a 200 day moving average price of $67.36.

Edison International Increases Dividend

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, January 31st. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 29th were paid a $0.78 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, December 28th. This represents a $3.12 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.69%. This is a boost from Edison Internationals previous quarterly dividend of $0.74. Edison Internationals payout ratio is presently 97.20%.

A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on the company. Evercore ISI upgraded Edison International from an in-line rating to an outperform rating and lowered their price target for the company from $74.00 to $68.00 in a research report on Monday, October 23rd. StockNews.com lowered shares of Edison International from a hold rating to a sell rating in a report on Friday. Morgan Stanley boosted their price objective on shares of Edison International from $52.00 to $53.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a report on Tuesday, November 21st. Mizuho cut their target price on shares of Edison International from $76.00 to $75.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, January 25th. Finally, Guggenheim raised shares of Edison International from a neutral rating to a buy rating and boosted their price objective for the company from $66.00 to $84.00 in a research report on Monday, January 22nd. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Edison International presently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $72.91.

Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on Edison International

Edison International Company Profile

(Free Report)

Edison International, through its subsidiaries, generates and distributes electric power. The company supplies electricity to approximately 50,000 square mile area of southern California to residential, commercial, industrial, public authorities, agricultural, and other sectors. It also provides decarbonization and energy solutions to commercial, institutional, and industrial customers in North America and Europe.

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Stokes Family Office LLC trimmed its stake in Tanger Inc. (NYSE:SKT  Free Report) by 13.5% during the third quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 9,143 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after selling 1,433 shares during the quarter. Stokes Family Office LLCs holdings in Tanger were worth $207,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. BlackRock Inc. raised its position in shares of Tanger by 2.2% during the second quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 18,889,097 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $416,882,000 after acquiring an additional 399,522 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its holdings in Tanger by 0.3% in the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 16,577,247 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $226,777,000 after purchasing an additional 44,744 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp increased its holdings in Tanger by 1.3% in the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 6,538,718 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $144,310,000 after purchasing an additional 82,202 shares during the last quarter. FMR LLC increased its holdings in Tanger by 33.1% in the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 4,315,625 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $97,533,000 after purchasing an additional 1,072,443 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Ameriprise Financial Inc. increased its holdings in Tanger by 10.6% in the first quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 2,744,425 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $53,417,000 after purchasing an additional 261,933 shares during the last quarter. 84.94% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Insider Transactions at Tanger

In other news, insider Steven B. Tanger sold 64,212 shares of Tanger stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $25.50, for a total value of $1,637,406.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 1,062,771 shares in the company, valued at $27,100,660.50. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Corporate insiders own 3.70% of the companys stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages have issued reports on SKT. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded Tanger from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and increased their price target for the stock from $27.00 to $29.00 in a report on Monday, December 18th. Compass Point cut Tanger from a buy rating to a neutral rating and set a $26.00 price objective for the company. in a research report on Wednesday, November 8th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $24.67.

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Tanger Trading Up 3.4 %

Tanger stock opened at $28.64 on Tuesday. Tanger Inc. has a 52 week low of $17.22 and a 52 week high of $29.04. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.43, a quick ratio of 2.04 and a current ratio of 0.19. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.02 billion, a P/E ratio of 31.13, a PEG ratio of 3.58 and a beta of 1.83. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $27.39 and a 200 day simple moving average of $25.07.

Tanger Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 15th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, January 31st were issued a dividend of $0.26 per share. This represents a $1.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.63%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, January 30th. Tangers dividend payout ratio is presently 113.04%.

Tanger Company Profile

(Free Report)

Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc (NYSE: SKT), a leading operator of upscale open-air outlet centers, fully or partially owns and/or manages a portfolio of 37 centers, including the newly opened Tanger Outlets Nashville. Tanger's operating centers, which comprise over 14 million square feet, are located in 20 states and in Canada and are leased to over 2,900 stores operated by more than 700 different brand name companies.

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Rathbones Group PLC boosted its position in Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY  Free Report) by 28.0% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 72,222 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 15,803 shares during the period. Rathbones Group PLCs holdings in Eli Lilly and Company were worth $38,793,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Fairfield Bush & CO. acquired a new position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company in the first quarter valued at about $107,000. Roundview Capital LLC raised its position in Eli Lilly and Company by 2.6% in the first quarter. Roundview Capital LLC now owns 2,056 shares of the companys stock valued at $589,000 after purchasing an additional 53 shares during the period. Merit Financial Group LLC purchased a new stake in Eli Lilly and Company in the first quarter valued at $210,000. NewEdge Advisors LLC raised its position in Eli Lilly and Company by 9.9% in the first quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 53,052 shares of the companys stock valued at $15,193,000 after purchasing an additional 4,774 shares during the period. Finally, Barometer Capital Management Inc. purchased a new stake in Eli Lilly and Company in the first quarter valued at $561,000. 81.38% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have recently issued reports on LLY shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reaffirmed an overweight rating on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research report on Wednesday, November 8th. BMO Capital Markets upped their target price on Eli Lilly and Company from $710.00 to $865.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 7th. Citigroup upped their price objective on Eli Lilly and Company from $525.00 to $675.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Monday, October 23rd. Truist Financial increased their target price on Eli Lilly and Company from $650.00 to $850.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 7th. Finally, Barclays upped their price target on Eli Lilly and Company from $680.00 to $810.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, February 7th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Eli Lilly and Company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $655.50.

Insider Transactions at Eli Lilly and Company

In related news, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 78,573 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 31st. The shares were sold at an average price of $648.07, for a total transaction of $50,920,804.11. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 99,333,810 shares of the companys stock, valued at $64,375,262,246.70. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Insiders sold a total of 195,055 shares of company stock worth $125,254,657 over the last three months. 0.13% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Eli Lilly and Company Stock Performance

NYSE LLY opened at $788.06 on Tuesday. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $640.51 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $594.83. Eli Lilly and Company has a 12-month low of $309.20 and a 12-month high of $794.47. The company has a quick ratio of 0.82, a current ratio of 1.05 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.59. The company has a market capitalization of $748.11 billion, a P/E ratio of 134.84, a P/E/G ratio of 1.73 and a beta of 0.32.

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 6th. The company reported $2.49 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.30 by $0.19. Eli Lilly and Company had a net margin of 15.36% and a return on equity of 50.78%. The firm had revenue of $9.35 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $8.95 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $2.09 EPS. The companys revenue was up 28.1% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts anticipate that Eli Lilly and Company will post 12.5 earnings per share for the current year.

Eli Lilly and Company Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 8th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, February 15th will be given a dividend of $1.30 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, February 14th. This is a boost from Eli Lilly and Companys previous quarterly dividend of $1.13. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.66%. Eli Lilly and Companys dividend payout ratio is 89.66%.

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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River Road Asset Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Enterprise Products Partners L.P. (NYSE:EPD  Free Report) by 8.5% during the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 413,640 shares of the oil and gas producers stock after buying an additional 32,390 shares during the quarter. River Road Asset Management LLCs holdings in Enterprise Products Partners were worth $11,321,000 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 EPD. Fairfield Bush & CO. bought a new position in shares of Enterprise Products Partners during the 1st quarter worth $31,000. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. lifted its stake in shares of Enterprise Products Partners by 2.6% during the 1st quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. now owns 6,571,535 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $169,611,000 after purchasing an additional 169,059 shares during the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Enterprise Products Partners by 4.7% during the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 25,050,292 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $646,548,000 after purchasing an additional 1,114,690 shares during the last quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Enterprise Products Partners by 3.2% during the 1st quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. now owns 89,367 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $2,307,000 after purchasing an additional 2,804 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Sei Investments Co. lifted its stake in shares of Enterprise Products Partners by 76.5% during the 1st quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 888,439 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $22,931,000 after purchasing an additional 385,008 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 26.54% of the companys stock.

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Enterprise Products Partners Trading Up 0.7 %

Shares of Enterprise Products Partners stock traded up $0.18 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $27.43. The companys stock had a trading volume of 771,257 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,361,788. Enterprise Products Partners L.P. has a twelve month low of $24.66 and a twelve month high of $27.95. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $26.63 and a 200-day moving average of $26.72. The stock has a market cap of $59.57 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.81 and a beta of 1.02. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.97, a quick ratio of 0.65 and a current ratio of 0.92.

Enterprise Products Partners Increases Dividend

Enterprise Products Partners ( NYSE:EPD Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 1st. The oil and gas producer reported $0.72 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.68 by $0.04. Enterprise Products Partners had a return on equity of 19.77% and a net margin of 11.12%. The business had revenue of $14.62 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $12.43 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $0.65 EPS. The companys quarterly revenue was up 7.1% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts forecast that Enterprise Products Partners L.P. will post 2.63 EPS for the current year.

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 14th. Investors of record on Wednesday, January 31st were paid a dividend of $0.515 per share. This is a positive change from Enterprise Products Partnerss previous quarterly dividend of $0.50. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, January 30th. This represents a $2.06 annualized dividend and a yield of 7.51%. Enterprise Products Partnerss dividend payout ratio is presently 81.75%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts have commented on the company. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated an outperform rating and issued a $35.00 price target on shares of Enterprise Products Partners in a research note on Tuesday, February 13th. Raymond James dropped their target price on Enterprise Products Partners from $32.00 to $31.00 and set a strong-buy rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, November 1st. Truist Financial dropped their price objective on Enterprise Products Partners from $33.00 to $31.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, November 1st. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on Enterprise Products Partners from $31.00 to $32.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Tuesday, February 6th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus raised their price objective on Enterprise Products Partners from $35.00 to $36.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Friday, February 2nd. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, ten have given a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Buy and an average price target of $32.15.

Check Out Our Latest Analysis on EPD

Enterprise Products Partners Profile

(Free Report)

Enterprise Products Partners L.P. provides midstream energy services to producers and consumers of natural gas, natural gas liquids (NGLs), crude oil, petrochemicals, and refined products. The company operates through four segments: NGL Pipelines & Services, Crude Oil Pipelines & Services, Natural Gas Pipelines & Services, and Petrochemical & Refined Products Services.

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River Road Asset Management LLC cut its stake in shares of RB Global, Inc. (NYSE:RBA  Free Report) (TSE:RBA) by 68.2% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 133,120 shares of the business services providers stock after selling 285,364 shares during the quarter. River Road Asset Management LLC owned 0.07% of RB Global worth $8,320,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Headlands Technologies LLC bought a new stake in shares of RB Global during the 3rd quarter worth $26,000. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of RB Global during the 2nd quarter worth $45,000. Belpointe Asset Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of RB Global by 134.7% during the 1st quarter. Belpointe Asset Management LLC now owns 913 shares of the business services providers stock worth $51,000 after acquiring an additional 524 shares in the last quarter. WASHINGTON TRUST Co purchased a new stake in shares of RB Global in the third quarter valued at $56,000. Finally, Ronald Blue Trust Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of RB Global by 139.1% in the third quarter. Ronald Blue Trust Inc. now owns 947 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $57,000 after purchasing an additional 551 shares in the last quarter. 90.24% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Insider Buying and Selling at RB Global

In other RB Global news, insider Darren Jeffrey Watt sold 1,094 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $65.94, for a total transaction of $72,138.36. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 14,880 shares in the company, valued at $981,187.20. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. In other news, insider Darren Jeffrey Watt sold 1,094 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $65.94, for a total value of $72,138.36. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 14,880 shares of the companys stock, valued at $981,187.20. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, CRO James J. Jeter sold 3,750 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $64.84, for a total value of $243,150.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive now directly owns 23,140 shares in the company, valued at $1,500,397.60. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 243,212 shares of company stock worth $15,139,394 over the last three months. Corporate insiders own 4.32% of the companys stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of analysts have recently issued reports on the company. National Bankshares increased their target price on RB Global from $71.00 to $73.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Friday, November 10th. StockNews.com upgraded RB Global from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Friday, February 9th. Scotiabank increased their price objective on RB Global from $74.00 to $76.00 and gave the stock a sector outperform rating in a report on Tuesday, February 6th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada cut their price objective on RB Global from $75.00 to $73.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Friday, November 10th. One equities research 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, RB Global currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $71.83.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on RB Global

RB Global Stock Down 1.3 %

NYSE RBA traded down $0.87 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $68.05. 162,963 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 763,201. RB Global, Inc. has a 12 month low of $51.07 and a 12 month high of $69.60. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $65.41 and a 200 day simple moving average of $63.71. The company has a current ratio of 1.31, a quick ratio of 1.18 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.63. The company has a market capitalization of $12.44 billion, a P/E ratio of 82.05, a PEG ratio of 5.17 and a beta of 0.83.

RB Global Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 9th will be issued a dividend of $0.27 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, February 8th. This represents a $1.08 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.59%. RB Globals dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 128.57%.

RB Global Profile

(Free Report)

RB Global, Inc, an omnichannel marketplace, provides insights, services, and transaction solutions for buyers and sellers of commercial assets and vehicles worldwide. Its marketplace brands include Ritchie Bros., an auctioneer of commercial assets and vehicles offering online bidding; IAA, a digital marketplace connecting vehicle buyers and sellers; Rouse Services, which provides asset management, data-driven intelligence, and performance benchmarking system; SmartEquip, a technology platform that supports customers' management of the equipment lifecycle; Xcira that provides live simulcast auction technologies; and Veritread, an online marketplace for heavy haul transport solution.

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River Road Asset Management LLC lessened its holdings in shares of Black Hills Co. (NYSE:BKH  Free Report) by 30.2% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 102,343 shares of the utilities providers stock after selling 44,354 shares during the period. River Road Asset Management LLC owned about 0.15% of Black Hills worth $5,178,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the business. State of Wyoming purchased a new position in shares of Black Hills during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $27,000. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Black Hills by 87.3% during the 3rd quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 562 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $28,000 after acquiring an additional 262 shares during the period. ST Germain D J Co. Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Black Hills during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $30,000. Lindbrook Capital LLC grew its holdings in shares of Black Hills by 678.4% during the 3rd quarter. Lindbrook Capital LLC now owns 685 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $35,000 after acquiring an additional 597 shares during the period. Finally, Belpointe Asset Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Black Hills by 60.6% during the 1st quarter. Belpointe Asset Management LLC now owns 652 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $41,000 after acquiring an additional 246 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 86.64% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research firms have weighed in on BKH. Scotiabank upped their target price on Black Hills from $57.00 to $58.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a report on Friday, February 9th. Royal Bank of Canada cut their price target on Black Hills from $61.00 to $57.00 and set a sector perform rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, February 9th. Bank of America cut their price target on Black Hills from $60.00 to $49.00 and set an underperform rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, November 20th. Finally, Mizuho upgraded Black Hills from an underperform rating to a neutral rating and set a $53.00 price target on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, November 21st. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and four have assigned a hold rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Black Hills has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $55.80.

Black Hills Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:BKH traded up $0.66 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting $52.74. The company had a trading volume of 34,666 shares, compared to its average volume of 575,709. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.15, a current ratio of 0.70 and a quick ratio of 0.56. The company has a market cap of $3.60 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.29 and a beta of 0.65. Black Hills Co. has a 12-month low of $46.43 and a 12-month high of $66.85. The company has a fifty day moving average of $52.91 and a two-hundred day moving average of $52.65.

Black Hills (NYSE:BKH  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 8th. The utilities provider reported $1.17 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.06 by $0.11. Black Hills had a return on equity of 8.09% and a net margin of 11.25%. The business had revenue of $591.70 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $863.67 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $1.11 EPS. On average, equities research analysts expect that Black Hills Co. will post 3.9 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Black Hills Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 1st. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 16th will be given a dividend of $0.65 per share. This is a positive change from Black Hillss previous quarterly dividend of $0.63. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, February 15th. This represents a $2.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.93%. Black Hillss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 66.33%.

About Black Hills

(Free Report)

Black Hills Corporation, through its subsidiaries, operates as an electric and natural gas utility company in the United States. It operates in two segments, Electric Utilities and Gas Utilities. The Electric Utilities segment generates, transmits, and distributes electricity to approximately 220,000 electric utility customers in Colorado, Montana, South Dakota, and Wyoming; and owns and operates 1,482 megawatts of generation capacity and 9,024 miles of electric transmission and distribution lines.

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Brandes Investment Partners LP decreased its stake in Enel Chile S.A. (NYSE:ENIC  Free Report) by 27.6% in the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 2,797,166 shares of the utilities providers stock after selling 1,066,422 shares during the period. Brandes Investment Partners LPs holdings in Enel Chile were worth $8,280,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the business. LPL Financial LLC purchased a new position in shares of Enel Chile during the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. Centiva Capital LP purchased a new stake in shares of Enel Chile in the 4th quarter worth $25,000. Osaic Holdings Inc. increased its stake in Enel Chile by 429.2% in the 2nd quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. now owns 7,790 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 6,318 shares in the last quarter. Jane Street Group LLC bought a new position in shares of Enel Chile during the 3rd quarter valued at about $27,000. Finally, Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. bought a new position in shares of Enel Chile in the 3rd quarter valued at about $34,000. 3.14% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Enel Chile Price Performance

NYSE ENIC traded up $0.01 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $2.98. 172,430 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 702,017. Enel Chile S.A. has a 52-week low of $2.13 and a 52-week high of $3.89. The firms 50-day moving average is $3.05 and its 200-day moving average is $3.09. The company has a market capitalization of $4.12 billion, a PE ratio of 2.68 and a beta of 1.16.

Enel Chile Cuts Dividend

Analysts Set New Price Targets

The firm also recently announced a semi-annual dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 18th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 1st were given a dividend of $0.0276 per share. This represents a yield of 10.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, January 18th. Enel Chiles payout ratio is currently 26.13%.

Separately, StockNews.com lowered shares of Enel Chile from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Saturday.

Read Our Latest Analysis on Enel Chile

Enel Chile Company Profile

(Free Report)

Enel Chile SA, an electricity utility company, engages in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity in Chile. The company operates through Generation, and Distribution and Networks Segments. It generates electricity through various sources, such as hydroelectric, thermal, wind, solar, and geothermal power plants.

Further Reading

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Brandes Investment Partners LP lowered its position in China Yuchai International Limited (NYSE:CYD  Free Report) by 17.4% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 1,238,045 shares of the companys stock after selling 260,954 shares during the quarter. Brandes Investment Partners LPs holdings in China Yuchai International were worth $12,504,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of CYD. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of China Yuchai International during the second quarter valued at approximately $182,000. Moran Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of China Yuchai International during the second quarter valued at approximately $112,000. Quadrant Capital Group LLC purchased a new stake in shares of China Yuchai International during the second quarter valued at approximately $167,000. Susquehanna International Group LLP boosted its stake in shares of China Yuchai International by 69.9% during the first quarter. Susquehanna International Group LLP now owns 31,200 shares of the companys stock valued at $246,000 after purchasing an additional 12,831 shares during the period. Finally, BlackRock Inc. boosted its stake in shares of China Yuchai International by 0.9% during the first quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 296,320 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,338,000 after purchasing an additional 2,602 shares during the period.

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China Yuchai International Price Performance

Shares of China Yuchai International stock traded up $0.06 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $8.67. 296 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 13,596. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $8.48 and a 200-day moving average of $9.42. China Yuchai International Limited has a 12 month low of $6.92 and a 12 month high of $12.50.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Separately, StockNews.com raised China Yuchai International from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Saturday, November 25th.

Check Out Our Latest Research Report on CYD

China Yuchai International Profile

(Free Report)

China Yuchai International Limited, through its subsidiaries, manufactures, assembles, and sells diesel and natural gas engines for trucks, buses and passenger vehicles, marine, industrial, and agriculture applications in the People's Republic of China and internationally. It operates through two segments, Yuchai and HLGE.

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(Bloomberg) -- Chinas supply of tin  used in everything from packaging to circuit boards  has been dealt another blow after a key mining region in neighboring Myanmar raised export taxes.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Wa state, an autonomous area in Myanmar controlled by an armed ethnic group, has placed a tax in kind of 30% on all tin concentrate exports from Feb. 7, according to a notice from its economic planning committee viewed by Bloomberg. Previously, only better quality concentrate was subject to the tax, while poorer grades were charged less onerous cash duties, researcher Mysteel Global said.

Myanmar is the worlds third largest producer of tin ore, and the expanded levies mean industries including food processing and semiconductors will face higher costs. Areas controlled by the United State Wa Army accounted for around a third of Chinas supply of the metal in 2022, according to the International Tin Association.

Its the latest in a series of restrictions to affect tin, the only one of six major metals on the London Metal Exchange to have risen this year. Indonesia, which vies with China as the worlds biggest miner of tin, has already banned ore exports as part of the governments campaign to develop processing at home. Mining protests in Peru last year also curbed availability.

Resource nationalism and concerns over environmental degradation are increasingly imposing constraints on the flow of metals across the world. The United Wa State Army halted tin mining last year to conserve deposits and reduce pollution and accidents, leaving the processors that turn ore into concentrate to run down their stockpiles.

Then there are Beijings own efforts to shut down cyber-scam operations on its border, which have threatened to delay the resumption of mining in Myanmar.

Story continues

As inventories in the country deplete, exports to China could see a bigger drop starting next month, said Mysteel analyst Ding Wenqiang. And while global supplies of the refined metal remain ample, stockpiles monitored by the LME began dropping in December.

LME tin has risen over 3% this year and the new tariff regime in Myanmar is supporting prices, Shanghai Metals Market said in a note.

On the Wire

Chinese banks cut a key reference lending rate for mortgages by the most on record, ramping up support for the beleaguered property sector.

The US bid to loosen Chinas grip on key metals for electric vehicles is stalling.

BHP Group said demand from its top customer China is healthy despite weakness in its housing sector.

Spending by Chinese consumers during the Lunar New Year holiday was more patchy than the data suggest.

China lifted restrictions on Spanish beef imports, adopted in 2001, during Foreign Minister Wang Yis visit to Spain. The two countries also agreed to expand cooperation in EVs, green energy and the digital sector.

In China, Lunar New Year is traditionally a time to take stock and to look ahead. The tea leaves make for grim reading.

The Weeks Diary

(All times Beijing unless noted.)

Tuesday, Feb. 20:

Chinas loan prime rates, 09:15

Wednesday, Feb. 21:

CCTDs weekly online briefing on Chinese coal, 15:00

Thursday, Feb. 22:

Nothing major scheduled

Friday, Feb. 23:

Chinas new home price for January, 09:30

China weekly iron ore port stockpiles

Shanghai exchange weekly commodities inventory, ~15:30

EARNINGS: Yancoal

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
River Road Asset Management LLC increased its position in Global Payments Inc. (NYSE:GPN  Free Report) by 23.4% in the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 77,049 shares of the business services providers stock after buying an additional 14,635 shares during the quarter. River Road Asset Management LLCs holdings in Global Payments were worth $8,891,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. FMR LLC boosted its position in shares of Global Payments by 40.7% during the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 9,346,779 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $1,078,525,000 after acquiring an additional 2,703,434 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new position in shares of Global Payments during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $261,300,000. Pzena Investment Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Global Payments during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $197,875,000. Boston Partners boosted its position in shares of Global Payments by 40.5% during the 3rd quarter. Boston Partners now owns 5,142,771 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $591,613,000 after acquiring an additional 1,481,714 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Nomura Holdings Inc. bought a new position in shares of Global Payments during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $131,733,000. 85.23% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Global Payments Price Performance

Shares of Global Payments stock traded down $2.81 on Tuesday, reaching $131.38. The companys stock had a trading volume of 555,201 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,922,349. The company has a market capitalization of $33.89 billion, a P/E ratio of 35.50, a PEG ratio of 0.83 and a beta of 1.00. Global Payments Inc. has a 52-week low of $94.05 and a 52-week high of $141.77. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $130.99 and a 200-day moving average price of $122.38. The company has a quick ratio of 0.99, a current ratio of 0.99 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67.

Global Payments Announces Dividend

Global Payments ( NYSE:GPN Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 14th. The business services provider reported $2.65 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.64 by $0.01. The business had revenue of $2.43 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.18 billion. Global Payments had a return on equity of 11.44% and a net margin of 10.22%. The businesss revenue was up 7.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $2.30 earnings per share. Analysts expect that Global Payments Inc. will post 10.98 EPS for the current year.

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 29th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 15th will be given a $0.25 dividend. This represents a $1.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.76%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 14th. Global Paymentss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 26.46%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

GPN has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. Wedbush raised their price target on Global Payments from $130.00 to $160.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 10th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price target on Global Payments from $145.00 to $159.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Thursday, February 15th. Evercore ISI lowered their price target on Global Payments from $185.00 to $180.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, February 15th. BMO Capital Markets lowered their price target on Global Payments from $138.00 to $137.00 and set a market perform rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, February 15th. Finally, KeyCorp raised their price target on Global Payments from $135.00 to $155.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Monday, January 8th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and twenty have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $151.92.

Read Our Latest Report on GPN

About Global Payments

(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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Zuleika Gold Limited (ASX:ZAG  Get Free Report) insider Hui (Annie) Guo acquired 10,000,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 15th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of A$0.03 ($0.02) per share, with a total value of A$280,000.00 ($183,006.54).

Zuleika Gold Stock Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19, a quick ratio of 6.24 and a current ratio of 1.76.

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Zuleika Gold Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

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Zuleika Gold Limited engages in the exploration and development of gold properties in Australia. Its flagship project is the 100% owned Zuleika Gold project that covers an area of approximately 220 square kilometers located in the Kalgoorlie  Menzies goldfields. The company was formerly known as Dampier Gold Limited and changed its name to Zuleika Gold Limited in February 2021.

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Acadian Asset Management LLC increased its position in shares of General Electric (NYSE:GE  Free Report) by 213.8% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 337,523 shares of the conglomerates stock after acquiring an additional 229,952 shares during the quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLCs holdings in General Electric were worth $37,301,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in GE. Provence Wealth Management Group increased its position in shares of General Electric by 19.3% in the third quarter. Provence Wealth Management Group now owns 3,106 shares of the conglomerates stock worth $343,000 after acquiring an additional 503 shares in the last quarter. V Square Quantitative Management LLC purchased a new position in General Electric in the third quarter valued at about $197,000. Rathbones Group PLC boosted its position in shares of General Electric by 11.0% in the third quarter. Rathbones Group PLC now owns 219,817 shares of the conglomerates stock worth $24,301,000 after buying an additional 21,740 shares during the period. CI Investments Inc. boosted its position in shares of General Electric by 27.0% in the third quarter. CI Investments Inc. now owns 8,257 shares of the conglomerates stock worth $913,000 after buying an additional 1,754 shares during the period. Finally, Cambridge Financial Group Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of General Electric in the third quarter valued at about $6,285,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 74.83% of the companys stock.

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Insider Activity

In other General Electric news, SVP Michael J. Holston sold 13,601 shares of General Electric stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $135.55, for a total value of $1,843,615.55. Following the sale, the senior vice president now owns 48,339 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $6,552,351.45. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. In related news, SVP Michael J. Holston sold 22,055 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $144.87, for a total value of $3,195,107.85. Following the sale, the senior vice president now owns 56,284 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,153,863.08. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, SVP Michael J. Holston sold 13,601 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $135.55, for a total transaction of $1,843,615.55. Following the sale, the senior vice president now owns 48,339 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $6,552,351.45. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.67% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms have recently commented on GE. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on shares of General Electric from $124.00 to $136.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Wednesday, December 20th. StockNews.com upgraded shares of General Electric from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, February 1st. Barclays increased their price target on General Electric from $144.00 to $153.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 24th. TheStreet raised General Electric from a c+ rating to a b+ rating in a report on Tuesday, January 23rd. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada cut their price objective on General Electric from $150.00 to $148.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, January 24th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $132.00.

Check Out Our Latest Report on General Electric

General Electric Price Performance

NYSE:GE traded up $0.27 on Tuesday, reaching $149.43. The stock had a trading volume of 1,183,786 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,155,341. The company has a quick ratio of 0.85, a current ratio of 1.18 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69. The company has a market capitalization of $162.63 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.82, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.22 and a beta of 1.25. General Electric has a 1-year low of $81.65 and a 1-year high of $150.36. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $131.20 and a 200-day moving average price of $119.80.

General Electric (NYSE:GE  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 23rd. The conglomerate reported $1.03 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.90 by $0.13. General Electric had a net margin of 13.95% and a return on equity of 10.88%. The firm had revenue of $19.42 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $17.27 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $1.24 EPS. General Electrics revenue was up 15.4% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts forecast that General Electric will post 4.53 EPS for the current year.

General Electric Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 25th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, December 28th were given a dividend of $0.08 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, December 27th. This represents a $0.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.21%. General Electrics dividend payout ratio is 3.82%.

General Electric Profile

(Free Report)

General Electric Company operates as a high-tech industrial company in Europe, China, Asia, the Americas, the Middle East, and Africa. It offers gas and steam turbines, full balance of plant, upgrade, and service solutions, as well as data-leveraging software for power generation, industrial, government, and other customers.

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Cardiff Park Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Dover Co. (NYSE:DOV  Free Report) in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor acquired 2,065 shares of the industrial products companys stock, valued at approximately $288,000.

Several other large investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Brandywine Global Investment Management LLC boosted its holdings in Dover by 3.1% in the 3rd quarter. Brandywine Global Investment Management LLC now owns 71,037 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $9,910,000 after purchasing an additional 2,145 shares during the period. V Square Quantitative Management LLC boosted its holdings in Dover by 157.9% in the 3rd quarter. V Square Quantitative Management LLC now owns 2,316 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $323,000 after purchasing an additional 1,418 shares during the period. Rathbones Group PLC boosted its holdings in Dover by 24.2% in the 3rd quarter. Rathbones Group PLC now owns 23,211 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $3,238,000 after purchasing an additional 4,516 shares during the period. BNP PARIBAS ASSET MANAGEMENT Holding S.A. boosted its holdings in Dover by 15.9% in the 3rd quarter. BNP PARIBAS ASSET MANAGEMENT Holding S.A. now owns 313,711 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $43,766,000 after purchasing an additional 43,057 shares during the period. Finally, Invesco Ltd. boosted its holdings in Dover by 14.9% in the 3rd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 1,025,505 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $143,068,000 after purchasing an additional 133,241 shares during the period. 83.97% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Insider Buying and Selling at Dover

In other news, CFO Brad M. Cerepak sold 14,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $142.00, for a total value of $1,988,000.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 35,938 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,103,196. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other news, CFO Brad M. Cerepak sold 14,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $142.00, for a total value of $1,988,000.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 35,938 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,103,196. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, VP Anthony K. Kosinski sold 664 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Thursday, November 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $141.64, for a total transaction of $94,048.96. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 5,333 shares in the company, valued at approximately $755,366.12. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 1.30% of the companys stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of brokerages have weighed in on DOV. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price target on shares of Dover from $171.00 to $162.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, October 25th. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price objective on shares of Dover from $146.00 to $153.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a report on Friday, February 2nd. Barclays raised their price objective on shares of Dover from $150.00 to $163.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Monday, February 5th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on shares of Dover from $140.00 to $167.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Tuesday, December 19th. Finally, StockNews.com raised shares of Dover from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Monday, February 12th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $168.18.

View Our Latest Research Report on Dover

Dover Price Performance

DOV traded down $1.16 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting $160.30. The company had a trading volume of 171,245 shares, compared to its average volume of 933,904. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.59, a quick ratio of 0.90 and a current ratio of 1.40. The company has a market capitalization of $22.43 billion, a PE ratio of 21.47, a P/E/G ratio of 1.65 and a beta of 1.26. Dover Co. has a twelve month low of $127.25 and a twelve month high of $164.09. The firms 50-day simple moving average is $152.73 and its 200-day simple moving average is $144.18.

Dover (NYSE:DOV  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 1st. The industrial products company reported $2.45 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.44 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $2.11 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.16 billion. Dover had a net margin of 12.52% and a return on equity of 25.95%. The companys quarterly revenue was down 1.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $2.16 EPS. Equities research analysts predict that Dover Co. will post 9.07 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Dover Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 15th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 29th will be given a $0.51 dividend. This represents a $2.04 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.27%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, February 28th. Dovers payout ratio is presently 27.13%.

Dover Profile

(Free Report)

Dover Corporation provides equipment and components, consumable supplies, aftermarket parts, software and digital solutions, and support services worldwide. The company's Engineered Products segment provides various equipment, component, software, solution, and services that are used in vehicle aftermarket, waste handling, industrial automation, aerospace and defense, industrial winch and hoist, and fluid dispensing end-market.

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Shares of John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund (NYSE:PDT  Get Free Report) saw unusually-high trading volume on Tuesday . Approximately 71,626 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 43% from the previous sessions volume of 126,052 shares.The stock last traded at $11.00 and had previously closed at $10.88.

John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund Price Performance

The company has a 50-day moving average of $10.76 and a 200 day moving average of $10.29.

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John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, February 29th. Shareholders of record on Monday, February 12th will be paid a $0.0825 dividend. This represents a $0.99 annualized dividend and a yield of 8.99%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 9th.

Institutional Trading of John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund

About John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Landscape Capital Management L.L.C. bought a new stake in shares of John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund during the third quarter valued at approximately $346,000. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. raised its stake in shares of John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund by 25.8% during the third quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 63,054 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $607,000 after acquiring an additional 12,938 shares in the last quarter. Shaker Financial Services LLC bought a new stake in shares of John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund during the third quarter valued at approximately $1,561,000. Bridge Advisory LLC raised its stake in shares of John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund by 5.6% during the third quarter. Bridge Advisory LLC now owns 474,319 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $4,563,000 after acquiring an additional 25,254 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Cohen & Steers Inc. raised its stake in shares of John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund by 43.7% during the second quarter. Cohen & Steers Inc. now owns 353,691 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $4,166,000 after acquiring an additional 107,493 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 7.95% of the companys stock.

(Get Free Report)

John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund is a closed ended equity mutual fund launched and managed by John Hancock Investment Management LLC. It is co-managed by John Hancock Asset Management. The fund invests in the public equity markets of the United States. It seeks to invest in stocks of companies operating across diversified sectors, with an emphasis on the utilities sector.

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Dark Forest Capital Management LP grew its holdings in shares of Markel Group Inc. (NYSE:MKL  Free Report) by 631.2% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 1,945 shares of the insurance providers stock after buying an additional 1,679 shares during the period. Dark Forest Capital Management LPs holdings in Markel Group were worth $2,864,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in MKL. CWM LLC boosted its position in shares of Markel Group by 40.7% during the second quarter. CWM LLC now owns 114 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $158,000 after purchasing an additional 33 shares in the last quarter. Ossiam boosted its position in shares of Markel Group by 106.3% during the second quarter. Ossiam now owns 262 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $362,000 after purchasing an additional 135 shares in the last quarter. Scotia Capital Inc. boosted its position in shares of Markel Group by 3.0% during the second quarter. Scotia Capital Inc. now owns 914 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $1,264,000 after purchasing an additional 27 shares in the last quarter. Lincoln Capital LLC boosted its holdings in Markel Group by 0.5% in the second quarter. Lincoln Capital LLC now owns 17,729 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $24,522,000 after acquiring an additional 81 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Xponance Inc. boosted its holdings in Markel Group by 16.5% in the third quarter. Xponance Inc. now owns 545 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $803,000 after acquiring an additional 77 shares in the last quarter. 76.96% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Insider Activity at Markel Group

In related news, CEO Thomas Sinnickson Gayner purchased 100 shares of Markel Group stock in a transaction on Friday, February 2nd. The stock was acquired at an average price of $1,414.74 per share, for a total transaction of $141,474.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 45,039 shares in the company, valued at approximately $63,718,474.86. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. In related news, CEO Thomas Sinnickson Gayner purchased 100 shares of Markel Group stock in a transaction on Friday, February 2nd. The stock was acquired at an average price of $1,414.74 per share, for a total transaction of $141,474.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 45,039 shares in the company, valued at approximately $63,718,474.86. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, Director A. Lynne Puckett purchased 72 shares of Markel Group stock in a transaction on Friday, February 2nd. The stock was bought at an average price of $1,409.28 per share, with a total value of $101,468.16. Following the transaction, the director now owns 960 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,352,908.80. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. 1.75% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities research analysts have commented on MKL shares. StockNews.com downgraded Markel Group from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Friday, November 3rd. Citigroup began coverage on Markel Group in a report on Wednesday, November 22nd. They issued a sell rating and a $1,275.00 target price on the stock. Truist Financial lowered their price target on Markel Group from $1,550.00 to $1,400.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a report on Friday, November 3rd. Jefferies Financial Group downgraded Markel Group from a buy rating to a hold rating and lowered their price target for the company from $1,680.00 to $1,500.00 in a report on Monday, February 5th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed a sector perform rating and set a $1,475.00 price target on shares of Markel Group in a report on Friday, February 2nd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and four have assigned a hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $1,412.50.

Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on Markel Group

Markel Group Stock Performance

Markel Group stock traded up $7.23 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, reaching $1,468.73. 10,986 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 54,296. The stock has a market capitalization of $19.42 billion, a PE ratio of 9.94 and a beta of 0.70. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.28, a current ratio of 0.63 and a quick ratio of 0.63. Markel Group Inc. has a 12-month low of $1,186.56 and a 12-month high of $1,560.00. The businesss 50-day moving average is $1,428.93 and its 200-day moving average is $1,446.32.

Markel Group Company Profile

(Free Report)

Markel Group Inc, a diverse financial holding company, engages in marketing and underwriting specialty insurance products in the United States, Bermuda, the United Kingdom, rest of Europe, Canada, the Asia Pacific, and the Middle East. The company offers general and professional liability, personal lines, marine and energy, specialty programs, and workers' compensation insurance products; and property coverages that include fire, allied lines, and other specialized property coverages, including catastrophe-exposed property risks, such as earthquake and wind.

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W. P. Carey (NYSE:WPC  Get Free Report) had its price objective cut by equities research analysts at Wells Fargo & Company from $66.00 to $61.00 in a research note issued on Tuesday, Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an equal weight rating on the real estate investment trusts stock. Wells Fargo & Companys price target would suggest a potential upside of 6.70% from the stocks previous close.

A number of other research firms have also recently issued reports on WPC. Raymond James cut shares of W. P. Carey from an outperform rating to a market perform rating in a research note on Monday, February 12th. JMP Securities cut shares of W. P. Carey from an outperform rating to a market perform rating in a research report on Monday, November 13th. StockNews.com began coverage on shares of W. P. Carey in a research report on Thursday, January 4th. They issued a hold rating for the company. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada dropped their price objective on shares of W. P. Carey from $68.00 to $65.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research report on Monday, February 12th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have assigned a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $65.80.

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Check Out Our Latest Report on WPC

W. P. Carey Price Performance

NYSE WPC traded down $0.23 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $57.17. 301,182 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,433,826. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.89, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a current ratio of 0.62. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $63.39 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $60.77. The company has a market cap of $12.50 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.38, a P/E/G ratio of 7.26 and a beta of 0.89. W. P. Carey has a 1-year low of $51.36 and a 1-year high of $83.75.

W. P. Carey (NYSE:WPC  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Friday, February 9th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.66 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.52 by $0.14. The company had revenue of $410.38 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $413.04 million. W. P. Carey had a return on equity of 7.78% and a net margin of 40.68%. The companys quarterly revenue was up 2.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $1.29 earnings per share. As a group, analysts anticipate that W. P. Carey will post 4.57 EPS for the current year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On W. P. Carey

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Nelson Van Denburg & Campbell Wealth Management Group LLC raised its holdings in shares of W. P. Carey by 20.6% in the 1st quarter. Nelson Van Denburg & Campbell Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 786 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $63,000 after purchasing an additional 134 shares during the period. Arbor Capital Management Inc. ADV raised its holdings in shares of W. P. Carey by 1.5% in the 1st quarter. Arbor Capital Management Inc. ADV now owns 9,465 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $706,000 after purchasing an additional 143 shares during the period. Family Legacy Inc. raised its holdings in shares of W. P. Carey by 1.9% in the 2nd quarter. Family Legacy Inc. now owns 8,500 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $574,000 after purchasing an additional 161 shares during the period. Kerntke Otto McGlone Wealth Management Group raised its holdings in shares of W. P. Carey by 2.6% in the 2nd quarter. Kerntke Otto McGlone Wealth Management Group now owns 6,507 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $440,000 after purchasing an additional 162 shares during the period. Finally, Lido Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of W. P. Carey by 3.2% in the 1st quarter. Lido Advisors LLC now owns 5,292 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $410,000 after purchasing an additional 166 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 62.62% of the companys stock.

About W. P. Carey

(Get Free Report)

Celebrating its 50th anniversary, W. P. Carey ranks among the largest net lease REITs with a well-diversified portfolio of high-quality, operationally critical commercial real estate, which includes 1,413 net lease properties covering approximately 171 million square feet and a portfolio of 86 self-storage operating properties, pro forma for the Spin-Off of NLOP, as of September 30, 2023.

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LPL Financial LLC trimmed its stake in SPDR Gold Shares (NYSEARCA:GLD  Free Report) by 6.5% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 2,823,445 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after selling 197,602 shares during the quarter. LPL Financial LLC owned approximately 0.94% of SPDR Gold Shares worth $484,080,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Intrepid Capital Management Inc. bought a new stake in SPDR Gold Shares during the second quarter worth $27,000. Johnson Midwest Financial LLC raised its holdings in shares of SPDR Gold Shares by 350.0% in the 3rd quarter. Johnson Midwest Financial LLC now owns 180 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 140 shares during the period. Northwest Capital Management Inc acquired a new stake in SPDR Gold Shares in the 2nd quarter valued at about $35,000. First Command Advisory Services Inc. acquired a new position in SPDR Gold Shares during the third quarter worth approximately $34,000. Finally, WFA of San Diego LLC bought a new stake in SPDR Gold Shares in the second quarter valued at approximately $36,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 40.99% of the companys stock.

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SPDR Gold Shares Stock Performance

Shares of NYSEARCA GLD traded up $1.30 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting $187.64. 2,485,621 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 5,982,979. SPDR Gold Shares has a 12 month low of $168.19 and a 12 month high of $193.18. The companys 50 day moving average price is $188.27 and its 200 day moving average price is $182.88.

About SPDR Gold Shares

SPDR Gold Trust (the Trust) is an investment trust. The investment objective of the Trust is for the Shares to reflect the performance of the price of gold bullion, less the Trusts expenses. The Trusts business activity is the investment of gold. The Trust creates and redeems Shares from time to time, but in one or more Baskets (a Basket equals a block of 100,000 Shares).

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Regal Investment Advisors LLC raised its position in Kinder Morgan, Inc. (NYSE:KMI  Free Report) by 1.7% during the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 127,580 shares of the pipeline companys stock after purchasing an additional 2,194 shares during the period. Regal Investment Advisors LLCs holdings in Kinder Morgan were worth $2,115,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Rheos Capital Works Inc. acquired a new position in Kinder Morgan in the third quarter valued at $4,642,000. Cohen & Steers Inc. boosted its position in shares of Kinder Morgan by 1,217.2% during the 2nd quarter. Cohen & Steers Inc. now owns 10,094,105 shares of the pipeline companys stock valued at $173,820,000 after purchasing an additional 9,327,755 shares in the last quarter. Virginia Wealth Management Group Inc. lifted its stake in Kinder Morgan by 1.6% in the third quarter. Virginia Wealth Management Group Inc. now owns 201,278 shares of the pipeline companys stock valued at $3,337,000 after buying an additional 3,085 shares during the period. Bahl & Gaynor Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Kinder Morgan by 69.2% during the 3rd quarter. Bahl & Gaynor Inc. now owns 3,955,216 shares of the pipeline companys stock worth $65,577,000 after buying an additional 1,617,250 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bank of Hawaii grew its position in shares of Kinder Morgan by 10.7% during the 2nd quarter. Bank of Hawaii now owns 24,291 shares of the pipeline companys stock worth $418,000 after buying an additional 2,339 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 62.33% of the companys stock.

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Kinder Morgan Stock Down 0.1 %

Shares of KMI traded down $0.02 on Tuesday, reaching $17.09. The companys stock had a trading volume of 2,523,882 shares, compared to its average volume of 15,195,101. The stock has a market capitalization of $37.99 billion, a PE ratio of 15.99, a PEG ratio of 4.80 and a beta of 0.91. The company has a current ratio of 0.35, a quick ratio of 0.30 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.88. Kinder Morgan, Inc. has a twelve month low of $15.89 and a twelve month high of $18.30. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $17.39 and a 200-day moving average of $17.14.

Kinder Morgan Dividend Announcement

Kinder Morgan ( NYSE:KMI Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, January 17th. The pipeline company reported $0.28 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.30 by ($0.02). Kinder Morgan had a net margin of 15.59% and a return on equity of 7.57%. The company had revenue of $4.04 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.40 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.31 EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was down 11.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts predict that Kinder Morgan, Inc. will post 1.19 EPS for the current year.

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 15th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, January 31st were paid a $0.2825 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, January 30th. This represents a $1.13 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.61%. Kinder Morgans payout ratio is 105.61%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts recently issued reports on the stock. US Capital Advisors raised shares of Kinder Morgan from a hold rating to an overweight rating in a research note on Friday, November 17th. StockNews.com downgraded Kinder Morgan from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 14th. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $20.50.

View Our Latest Report on KMI

Insider Activity

In other Kinder Morgan news, VP Denise R. Mathews sold 30,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $17.55, for a total value of $526,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now directly owns 79,217 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,390,258.35. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In other news, VP Dax Sanders sold 50,000 shares of Kinder Morgan stock in a transaction on Friday, December 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $17.63, for a total transaction of $881,500.00. Following the sale, the vice president now directly owns 309,069 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,448,886.47. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, VP Denise R. Mathews sold 30,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $17.55, for a total transaction of $526,500.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 79,217 shares in the company, valued at $1,390,258.35. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 87,500 shares of company stock worth $1,543,000 over the last quarter. Insiders own 12.64% of the companys stock.

Kinder Morgan Profile

(Free Report)

Kinder Morgan, Inc operates as an energy infrastructure company in North America. The company operates through four segments: Natural Gas Pipelines, Products Pipelines, Terminals, and CO2. The Natural Gas Pipelines segment owns and operates interstate and intrastate natural gas pipeline, and underground storage systems; natural gas gathering systems and natural gas processing and treating facilities; natural gas liquids fractionation facilities and transportation systems; and liquefied natural gas gasification, liquefaction, and storage facilities.

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Cardiff Park Advisors LLC lowered its holdings in Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE:YUM  Free Report) by 20.9% during the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 2,043 shares of the restaurant operators stock after selling 540 shares during the quarter. Cardiff Park Advisors LLCs holdings in Yum! Brands were worth $255,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of YUM. Tokio Marine Asset Management Co. Ltd. increased its holdings in shares of Yum! Brands by 4.2% in the third quarter. Tokio Marine Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 5,689 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $711,000 after buying an additional 229 shares during the period. Adviser Investments LLC increased its holdings in Yum! Brands by 13.8% during the 3rd quarter. Adviser Investments LLC now owns 1,710 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $214,000 after purchasing an additional 207 shares during the period. Handelsbanken Fonder AB increased its holdings in Yum! Brands by 34.6% during the 2nd quarter. Handelsbanken Fonder AB now owns 110,261 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $15,277,000 after purchasing an additional 28,336 shares during the period. Steward Financial Group LLC purchased a new position in Yum! Brands during the 2nd quarter valued at about $151,000. Finally, Mitsubishi UFJ Kokusai Asset Management Co. Ltd. increased its holdings in Yum! Brands by 10.1% during the 2nd quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Kokusai Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 238,262 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $33,011,000 after purchasing an additional 21,860 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 80.17% of the companys stock.

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Yum! Brands Stock Performance

YUM stock traded up $0.33 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $134.21. The companys stock had a trading volume of 533,337 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,806,829. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $130.16 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $127.47. Yum! Brands, Inc. has a 1 year low of $115.53 and a 1 year high of $143.24. The firm has a market capitalization of $37.62 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.07, a PEG ratio of 2.12 and a beta of 1.09.

Yum! Brands Increases Dividend

Yum! Brands ( NYSE:YUM Get Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, February 7th. The restaurant operator reported $1.26 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.39 by ($0.13). Yum! Brands had a negative return on equity of 17.76% and a net margin of 22.57%. The business had revenue of $2.04 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.11 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $1.31 EPS. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up .8% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts forecast that Yum! Brands, Inc. will post 5.73 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 8th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, February 21st will be given a dividend of $0.67 per share. This is an increase from Yum! Brandss previous quarterly dividend of $0.61. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 20th. This represents a $2.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.00%. Yum! Brandss dividend payout ratio is presently 43.29%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms recently issued reports on YUM. Royal Bank of Canada lowered their price objective on Yum! Brands from $145.00 to $141.00 and set a sector perform rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, February 9th. Citigroup upped their price objective on Yum! Brands from $164.00 to $166.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Thursday, February 8th. Wells Fargo & Company cut Yum! Brands from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating and decreased their price objective for the stock from $150.00 to $135.00 in a report on Thursday, January 11th. Oppenheimer raised Yum! Brands from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and set a $154.00 price objective on the stock in a report on Friday, January 5th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on Yum! Brands from $130.00 to $133.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Friday, February 9th. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have assigned a 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 $144.75.

Read Our Latest Research Report on Yum! Brands

Insider Transactions at Yum! Brands

In other news, VP David Eric Russell sold 9,919 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, February 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $129.63, for a total transaction of $1,285,799.97. Following the transaction, the vice president now owns 18,661 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,419,025.43. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. In other Yum! Brands news, CEO David W. Gibbs sold 3,756 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $129.21, for a total value of $485,312.76. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 57,325 shares in the company, valued at $7,406,963.25. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, VP David Eric Russell sold 9,919 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $129.63, for a total transaction of $1,285,799.97. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now owns 18,661 shares in the company, valued at $2,419,025.43. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 17,467 shares of company stock valued at $2,264,717. 0.31% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Yum! Brands Profile

(Free Report)

Yum! Brands, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, develops, operates, and franchises quick service restaurants worldwide. The company operates through four segments: the KFC Division, the Taco Bell Division, the Pizza Hut Division, and the Habit Burger Grill Division. It operates restaurants under the KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and The Habit Burger Grill brands, which specialize in chicken, pizza, made-to-order chargrilled burgers, sandwiches, Mexican-style food categories, and other food products.

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By Stefanno Sulaiman, Devjyot Ghoshal and Joe Brock

JAKARTA (Reuters) - When a Chinese rocket malfunctioned shortly after launch in April 2020, destroying Indonesia's $220 million Nusantara-2 satellite, it was a blow to the archipelago's efforts to strengthen its communication networks. But it presented an opportunity for one man.

Elon Musk - the owner of SpaceX, the world's most successful rocket launcher  seized on the failure to prevail over state-owned China Great Wall Industry Corp (CGWIC) as Jakarta's company of choice for putting satellites into space.

The Chinese contractor had courted Indonesia - Southeast Asia's largest economy and a key space growth market - with cheap financing, promises of broad support for its space ambitions and the geopolitical heft of Beijing.

A senior government official and two industry officials in Jakarta familiar with the matter told Reuters the malfunction marked a turning point for Indonesia to move away from Chinese space contractors in favour of companies owned by Musk.

Nusantara-2 was the second satellite launch awarded by Indonesia to CGWIC, matching the two carried out by SpaceX at that time. Since its failure, SpaceX has launched two Indonesian satellites, with a third set for Tuesday; China has handled none.

SpaceX edged out Beijing through a combination of launch reliability, cheaper reusable rockets, and the personal relationship Musk nurtured with Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Reuters found. Following a meeting between the two men in Texas in 2022, SpaceX also won regulatory approval for its Starlink satellite internet service.

The SpaceX deals mark a rare instance of a Western company making inroads in Indonesia, whose telecommunications sector is dominated by Chinese companies that offer low costs and easy financing. The successes came after Indonesia resisted U.S. pressure to abandon its deals with Chinese tech giant Huawei, citing its dependence on Beijing's technology.

Story continues

Details of this shift, which were described to Reuters by a dozen people, including Indonesian and U.S. officials, industry players and analysts, have not previously been reported. Some of them spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorised to talk to media.

"SpaceX has never failed in launching our satellites," said Sri Sanggrama Aradea, head of the satellite infrastructure division at BAKTI, an Indonesian communications ministry agency.

The April 2020 incident makes it "hard" for Jakarta to turn to CGWIC again, he added.

SpaceX, CGWIC and Pasifik Satelit Nusantara - a key shareholder in the Nusantara-2 project - did not respond to questions for this story.

China's Foreign Ministry said in response to Reuters questions that "Chinese aerospace enterprises are continuing their space cooperation with Indonesia in various forms." It did not elaborate.

Presidential office spokesperson Ari Dwipayana said the government prioritises efficient and capable technology that meets the need of Indonesians when awarding contracts.

The tussle between SpaceX and China offers a window into a much larger battle to dominate a rapidly expanding space industry.

The global satellite market - including manufacturing, services and launches - was worth $281 billion in 2022, or 73% of all space business, according to U.S. consultancy BryceTech.

SPACE RACE

China launched a record 67 rockets last year, out of 223 globally, according to a report by Harvard professor and orbital tracker Jonathan McDowell. The vast majority were launched by CGWIC.

That put China only behind the United States, which had 109 launches, 90% of which were done by SpaceX, the report found.

Washington and Beijing are also competing over satellite-based communications networks.

SpaceX's Starlink, which owns around 60% of the roughly 7,500 satellites orbiting earth, is dominant in the satellite internet sphere. But, last year, China began launching satellites for its rival Guowang broadband mega-constellation.

U.S. military officials have said China wants to use satellites and space technology to spy on rivals and increase military capabilities.

China's Foreign Ministry said in a statement to Reuters the U.S. allegations were a smear and that Washington was using the concerns as a pretext to expand its influence in space.

Unlike its Chinese counterpart, NASA relies primarily on privately owned rockets from firms such as SpaceX, which has billions of dollars in U.S. government contracts.

But the U.S. government and military are concerned about their reliance on SpaceX, especially given Musk's muscular business style, according to one current and one former U.S. official working on space policy.

While legacy U.S. defence contractors like Boeing and Lockheed Martin typically consult the State Department before making foreign deals, Musk and SpaceX dealt directly with Jakarta, the two officials said.

In response to Reuters' questions, a Lockheed Martin spokesperson said the company "works closely with the U.S. Government, our allied nations and international customers". Boeing declined to comment and the State Department did not respond to requests for comment.

Pentagon spokesperson Jeff Jurgensen declined to answer specific questions about SpaceX, but said the Department of Defense's "many space industry partnerships have a proven track record of success".

Nicholas Eftimiades, a former U.S. intelligence officer and expert on Chinese espionage operations at the Atlantic Council, a Washington-based think tank, said SpaceX's CEO had ruffled some feathers in the U.S. capital: "Elon Musk does things his way and some officials don't like that".

Nonetheless, Musk's deals bucked a long-running trend of Western firms losing out to Chinese businesses in Indonesia, a sprawling archipelago of over 17,000 islands that is home to more than 270 million people.

Widodo said in October that Beijing is set to become the largest foreign direct investor in Indonesia within two years, surpassing Singapore.

Chinese companies dominate the internet and 5G market, so Beijing was the obvious partner for satellite launches until the 2020 incident, said Andry Satrio Nugroho, an economist at the Jakarta-based Institute for Development of Economics and Finance think-tank.

"Indonesia has a close relationship with China across many sectors. It's difficult to break China's dominance."

STARBASE MEETING

In May 2022, Jokowi, as the powerful Indonesian president is popularly known, visited a SpaceX facility in Boca Chica, Texas.

"Welcome to Starbase," Musk said, smiling and shaking hands with the president, who was seeking Tesla investment in Indonesia's nickel sector.

Widodo's two-hour visit included 30 minutes of talks with Musk at an office packed with miniature rockets and then a tour of the production area, according to an Indonesian official with direct knowledge.

The president has long sought to build an EV industry in Indonesia, which has the world's biggest reserves of nickel, a key element in electric batteries. The term-limited leader leaves office in October, but experts say Widodo will remain a major power broker after the candidate he tacitly supported to be his successor claimed victory in the Feb. 14 presidential election.

Widodo told Reuters last year that to woo Musk, he has also offered tax breaks, a concession to mine nickel and a subsidy scheme on EV purchases. But a Tesla EV or battery factory in Indonesia, which Widodo has publicly asked for, have not materialised.

Instead, days after the trip, according to a source with direct knowledge, Indonesian officials began discussing another of Musk's businesses: Starlink.

During the Texas meeting, Musk asked Widodo to let Starlink into Indonesia, the source said.

Telkomsat, a subsidiary of state-owned telecoms firm Telkom, was supportive, its former chief executive Endi Fitri Herlianto told Reuters.

For months, the telco had sought regulatory approval so that Telkomsat could use Starlink services for cellular backhaul, or connecting mobile base stations to its network, Herlianto said.

Officials were concerned about the potential impact on domestic telcos if a permit was granted. The plan made no headway - until the Boca Chica visit.

"GAME CHANGER"

Less than a month after the Texas meeting, Telkom announced its subsidiary had received Starlink landing rights.

Indonesia's communication ministry told Reuters that Starlink is only permitted to operate a backhaul service with Telkomsat and that it does not have the right to retail consumer internet services.

Musk "put that ask on the table then and there, so things started," said the source with knowledge of Indonesian discussions, referring to the May meeting.

Widodo's spokesperson, Dwipayana, confirmed that Musk and the president discussed opportunities in Indonesia, adding that officials are still in communication with the billionaire about future investments by his businesses, including Tesla.

Telkom did not respond to requests for comment.

Last June, SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket pushed into orbit the 4.5-tonne Satellite of the Republic of Indonesia (SATRIA-1) - Southeast Asia's largest satellite.

Nia Satwika, a SATRIA-1 project manager, said SpaceX offered lower costs and had higher availability of launch slots when compared with other operators.

"They are a game changer," she said, referring to SpaceX's ability to reuse parts of its rockets - a crucial cost advantage over rivals.

(Reporting by Stefanno Sulaiman, Devjyot Ghoshal and Joe Brock; Additional reporting by Joey Roulette and Joe Cash; Editing by Katerina Ang)
Brandywine Global Investment Management LLC trimmed its position in shares of The Bank of New York Mellon Co. (NYSE:BK  Free Report) by 5.8% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 458,919 shares of the banks stock after selling 28,206 shares during the period. Brandywine Global Investment Management LLC owned approximately 0.06% of Bank of New York Mellon worth $19,573,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Kistler Tiffany Companies LLC lifted its stake in shares of Bank of New York Mellon by 4.9% in the 2nd quarter. Kistler Tiffany Companies LLC now owns 4,764 shares of the banks stock valued at $212,000 after purchasing an additional 224 shares during the period. King Luther Capital Management Corp increased its position in shares of Bank of New York Mellon by 0.6% in the 2nd quarter. King Luther Capital Management Corp now owns 38,109 shares of the banks stock valued at $1,697,000 after buying an additional 224 shares in the last quarter. Pinkerton Retirement Specialists LLC increased its position in shares of Bank of New York Mellon by 0.4% in the 2nd quarter. Pinkerton Retirement Specialists LLC now owns 63,013 shares of the banks stock valued at $2,805,000 after buying an additional 240 shares in the last quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors Inc. increased its position in shares of Bank of New York Mellon by 1.7% in the 1st quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 14,451 shares of the banks stock valued at $717,000 after buying an additional 245 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Arjuna Capital increased its position in shares of Bank of New York Mellon by 0.5% in the 3rd quarter. Arjuna Capital now owns 48,446 shares of the banks stock valued at $2,066,000 after buying an additional 251 shares in the last quarter. 81.29% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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Insider Activity at Bank of New York Mellon

In other news, VP Catherine Keating sold 4,498 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $54.81, for a total transaction of $246,535.38. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now owns 123,490 shares of the companys stock, valued at $6,768,486.90. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. In other news, VP Hanneke Smits sold 15,425 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $55.16, for a total transaction of $850,843.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now owns 119,656 shares of the companys stock, valued at $6,600,224.96. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, VP Catherine Keating sold 4,498 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $54.81, for a total transaction of $246,535.38. Following the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 123,490 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $6,768,486.90. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.10% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Bank of New York Mellon Stock Performance

BK stock traded down $0.04 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $55.11. 1,433,568 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 4,216,740. The Bank of New York Mellon Co. has a 1-year low of $39.65 and a 1-year high of $56.42. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $53.62 and a 200-day simple moving average of $47.75. The stock has a market capitalization of $42.38 billion, a PE ratio of 13.89, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.14 and a beta of 1.12. The company has a current ratio of 0.72, a quick ratio of 0.71 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.87.

Bank of New York Mellon (NYSE:BK  Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Friday, January 12th. The bank reported $1.28 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.12 by $0.16. The company had revenue of $4.31 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $4.30 billion. Bank of New York Mellon had a net margin of 10.01% and a return on equity of 11.62%. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 10.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $1.30 EPS. On average, equities analysts forecast that The Bank of New York Mellon Co. will post 5.23 earnings per share for the current year.

Bank of New York Mellon Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 2nd. Investors of record on Monday, January 22nd were paid a $0.42 dividend. This represents a $1.68 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.05%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, January 19th. Bank of New York Mellons payout ratio is 42.32%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

BK has been the subject of a number of research reports. Citigroup increased their target price on Bank of New York Mellon from $60.00 to $65.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, February 14th. Morgan Stanley upgraded Bank of New York Mellon from an underweight rating to an equal weight rating and increased their target price for the stock from $52.00 to $62.00 in a report on Tuesday, January 30th. UBS Group increased their target price on Bank of New York Mellon from $54.00 to $62.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, January 9th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded Bank of New York Mellon from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and set a $54.50 target price for the company in a report on Monday, December 18th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $54.75.

View Our Latest Stock Analysis on Bank of New York Mellon

Bank of New York Mellon Profile

(Free Report)

The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation provides a range of financial products and services in the United States and internationally. The company operates through Securities Services, Market and Wealth Services, Investment and Wealth Management, and other segments. The Securities Services segment offers custody, trust and depositary, accounting, exchange-traded funds, middle-office solutions, transfer agency, services for private equity and real estate funds, foreign exchange, securities lending, liquidity/lending services, and data analytics.

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Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO  Get Free Report) was the target of unusually large options trading on Tuesday. Stock investors bought 27,328 call options on the stock. This is an increase of approximately 29% compared to the typical daily volume of 21,109 call options.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts recently commented on NVO shares. TD Cowen lifted their price target on Novo Nordisk A/S from $105.00 to $115.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Monday, December 4th. Morgan Stanley began coverage on Novo Nordisk A/S in a research report on Tuesday, January 23rd. They issued an overweight rating and a $120.00 price target on the stock. Cantor Fitzgerald restated an overweight rating and issued a $140.00 price target on shares of Novo Nordisk A/S in a research report on Wednesday, February 14th. Finally, UBS Group began coverage on Novo Nordisk A/S in a research report on Tuesday, January 16th. They issued a neutral rating on the stock. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $121.25.

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Hedge Funds Weigh In On Novo Nordisk A/S

Novo Nordisk A/S Trading Down 2.3 %

Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Jennison Associates LLC lifted its position in Novo Nordisk A/S by 100.3% during the third quarter. Jennison Associates LLC now owns 23,419,405 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,129,761,000 after purchasing an additional 11,727,507 shares during the last quarter. Polen Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in Novo Nordisk A/S in the third quarter worth about $718,995,000. FMR LLC lifted its holdings in Novo Nordisk A/S by 122.7% in the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 12,077,501 shares of the companys stock worth $1,098,328,000 after buying an additional 6,654,614 shares during the period. Morgan Stanley lifted its holdings in Novo Nordisk A/S by 96.5% in the third quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 9,215,098 shares of the companys stock worth $838,021,000 after buying an additional 4,526,199 shares during the period. Finally, Loomis Sayles & Co. L P increased its stake in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S by 91.7% during the third quarter. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P now owns 9,097,808 shares of the companys stock valued at $827,354,000 after purchasing an additional 4,350,862 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 6.41% of the companys stock.

NVO traded down $2.81 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $121.20. The companys stock had a trading volume of 3,084,781 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,936,192. Novo Nordisk A/S has a twelve month low of $67.66 and a twelve month high of $124.76. The company has a quick ratio of 0.64, a current ratio of 0.82 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19. The stocks fifty day moving average price is $108.51 and its 200-day moving average price is $89.26. The firm has a market capitalization of $543.89 billion, a P/E ratio of 45.84, a PEG ratio of 2.01 and a beta of 0.41.

Novo Nordisk A/S Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a Semi-Annual dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 2nd. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 25th will be issued a $0.664 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 22nd. This represents a dividend yield of 0.9%. This is an increase from Novo Nordisk A/Ss previous Semi-Annual dividend of $0.22. Novo Nordisk A/Ss dividend payout ratio is currently 22.92%.

Novo Nordisk A/S Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Novo Nordisk A/S, a healthcare company, engages in the research, development, manufacture, and marketing of pharmaceutical products worldwide. It operates in two segments, Diabetes and Obesity care, and Rare Disease. The Diabetes and Obesity care segment provides products in the areas of insulins, GLP-1 and related delivery systems, oral antidiabetic products, obesity, glucagon, needles, and other chronic diseases.

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Ontario Teachers Pension Plan Board increased its position in shares of AutoZone, Inc. (NYSE:AZO  Free Report) by 341.5% in the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 159,285 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 123,208 shares during the quarter. AutoZone makes up 4.4% of Ontario Teachers Pension Plan Boards investment portfolio, making the stock its 12th largest holding. Ontario Teachers Pension Plan Boards holdings in AutoZone were worth $404,582,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other large investors have also modified their holdings of the company. LPL Financial LLC raised its stake in AutoZone by 5.1% during the 3rd quarter. LPL Financial LLC now owns 9,225 shares of the companys stock valued at $23,431,000 after purchasing an additional 445 shares during the last quarter. Regal Investment Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of AutoZone by 86.4% in the 3rd quarter. Regal Investment Advisors LLC now owns 192 shares of the companys stock valued at $488,000 after buying an additional 89 shares in the last quarter. Brandes Investment Partners LP raised its stake in shares of AutoZone by 9.4% in the 3rd quarter. Brandes Investment Partners LP now owns 10,960 shares of the companys stock valued at $27,839,000 after buying an additional 941 shares in the last quarter. CI Investments Inc. raised its stake in shares of AutoZone by 0.7% in the 3rd quarter. CI Investments Inc. now owns 834 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,118,000 after buying an additional 6 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Pearl River Capital LLC raised its stake in shares of AutoZone by 23.2% in the 3rd quarter. Pearl River Capital LLC now owns 552 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,402,000 after buying an additional 104 shares in the last quarter. 90.34% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Insider Buying and Selling

In other AutoZone news, VP Charles Pleas III sold 3,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $2,717.36, for a total transaction of $8,152,080.00. Following the sale, the vice president now directly owns 3,416 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,282,501.76. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. In other news, VP Charles Pleas III sold 3,000 shares of AutoZone stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $2,717.36, for a total value of $8,152,080.00. Following the sale, the vice president now directly owns 3,416 shares in the company, valued at $9,282,501.76. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, COO Thomas B. Newbern sold 7,800 shares of AutoZone stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $2,551.62, for a total transaction of $19,902,636.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief operating officer now owns 2,519 shares in the company, valued at $6,427,530.78. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 14,807 shares of company stock valued at $38,827,861 in the last 90 days. 2.50% of the stock is owned by insiders.

AutoZone Price Performance

Shares of NYSE AZO traded down $6.46 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $2,721.37. The companys stock had a trading volume of 35,227 shares, compared to its average volume of 155,039. The stock has a market cap of $47.05 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.80, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.42 and a beta of 0.70. AutoZone, Inc. has a one year low of $2,277.88 and a one year high of $2,855.21. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $2,673.20 and its 200-day simple moving average is $2,597.70.

AutoZone (NYSE:AZO  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, December 5th. The company reported $32.55 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $31.57 by $0.98. AutoZone had a net margin of 14.62% and a negative return on equity of 57.23%. The business had revenue of $4.19 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.19 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $27.45 EPS. AutoZones quarterly revenue was up 5.1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts predict that AutoZone, Inc. will post 149.73 EPS for the current year.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

AZO has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. StockNews.com upgraded shares of AutoZone from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Monday. William Blair restated an outperform rating on shares of AutoZone in a research note on Wednesday, December 13th. TheStreet cut shares of AutoZone from a c rating to a d+ rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 20th. Wedbush reiterated an outperform rating and set a $2,750.00 target price on shares of AutoZone in a research report on Wednesday, November 29th. Finally, Barclays dropped their target price on shares of AutoZone from $2,800.00 to $2,779.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Monday, February 12th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fourteen have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $2,857.12.

Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on AZO

About AutoZone

(Free Report)

AutoZone, Inc retails and distributes automotive replacement parts and accessories in the United States, Mexico, and Brazil. The company provides various products for cars, sport utility vehicles, vans, and light trucks, including new and remanufactured automotive hard parts, maintenance items, accessories, and non-automotive products.

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Centerspace (NYSE:CSR  Get Free Report) saw strong trading volume on Tuesday . 70,778 shares traded hands during trading, an increase of 4% from the previous sessions volume of 67,883 shares.The stock last traded at $55.64 and had previously closed at $56.08.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages have issued reports on CSR. Piper Sandler cut their target price on Centerspace from $65.00 to $57.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, November 10th. Royal Bank of Canada raised Centerspace from a sector perform rating to an outperform rating and boosted their target price for the company from $58.00 to $63.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 16th. Finally, Compass Point raised Centerspace from a neutral rating to a buy rating and set a $65.00 target price on the stock in a research report on Monday, November 6th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Centerspace has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $64.71.

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Centerspace Stock Performance

Centerspace Announces Dividend

The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $56.08 and a 200-day simple moving average of $56.98. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62, a current ratio of 0.14 and a quick ratio of 0.14. The stock has a market cap of $838.44 million, a PE ratio of 20.47, a P/E/G ratio of 1.71 and a beta of 0.94.

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 12th. Investors of record on Friday, December 29th were paid a $0.73 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, December 28th. This represents a $2.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 5.24%. Centerspaces dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 106.57%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Centerspace

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Lazard Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Centerspace in the 4th quarter valued at $27,000. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC lifted its stake in shares of Centerspace by 82.7% in the 3rd quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 740 shares of the companys stock valued at $45,000 after purchasing an additional 335 shares during the last quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors acquired a new stake in shares of Centerspace in the 2nd quarter valued at $46,000. Quadrant Capital Group LLC lifted its stake in shares of Centerspace by 311.6% in the 2nd quarter. Quadrant Capital Group LLC now owns 1,033 shares of the companys stock valued at $63,000 after purchasing an additional 782 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Russell Investments Group Ltd. acquired a new stake in shares of Centerspace in the 1st quarter valued at $66,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 78.97% of the companys stock.

Centerspace Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Centerspace is an owner and operator of apartment communities committed to providing great homes by focusing on integrity and serving others. Founded in 1970, as of September 30, 2023, Centerspace owned interests in 71 apartment communities consisting of 12,785 apartment homes located in Colorado, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota.

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ClariVest Asset Management LLC cut its stake in shares of KBR, Inc. (NYSE:KBR  Free Report) by 7.2% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 40,340 shares of the construction companys stock after selling 3,123 shares during the period. ClariVest Asset Management LLCs holdings in KBR were worth $2,378,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of KBR. VisionPoint Advisory Group LLC bought a new stake in KBR during the second quarter valued at about $27,000. National Bank of Canada FI increased its holdings in shares of KBR by 930.0% in the second quarter. National Bank of Canada FI now owns 515 shares of the construction companys stock worth $34,000 after purchasing an additional 465 shares during the last quarter. Fred Alger Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of KBR in the third quarter worth about $36,000. Spire Wealth Management grew its position in KBR by 110.6% in the second quarter. Spire Wealth Management now owns 697 shares of the construction companys stock worth $45,000 after acquiring an additional 366 shares in the last quarter. Finally, CWM LLC grew its position in KBR by 113.6% in the third quarter. CWM LLC now owns 814 shares of the construction companys stock worth $48,000 after acquiring an additional 433 shares in the last quarter.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts recently commented on KBR shares. UBS Group dropped their price target on KBR from $65.00 to $63.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Friday, February 2nd. The Goldman Sachs Group dropped their target price on KBR from $75.00 to $66.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Friday, November 3rd. Citigroup boosted their target price on KBR from $62.00 to $67.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Friday, January 26th. KeyCorp started coverage on KBR in a research report on Wednesday, January 10th. They set an overweight rating and a $63.00 target price for the company. Finally, StockNews.com lowered KBR from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Friday, November 3rd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $67.71.

KBR Stock Down 0.4 %

NYSE:KBR traded down $0.24 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $55.05. The companys stock had a trading volume of 278,056 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,222,708. The company has a market capitalization of $7.43 billion, a P/E ratio of -34.99, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.31 and a beta of 0.94. KBR, Inc. has a 12 month low of $49.37 and a 12 month high of $65.87. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.97, a quick ratio of 0.98 and a current ratio of 0.98. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $53.96 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $56.34.

KBR (NYSE:KBR  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 20th. The construction company reported $0.69 EPS for the quarter, hitting analysts consensus estimates of $0.69. The company had revenue of $1.73 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.78 billion. KBR had a negative net margin of 2.82% and a positive return on equity of 25.18%. KBRs revenue for the quarter was up 7.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.69 earnings per share. Equities analysts predict that KBR, Inc. will post 2.87 EPS for the current fiscal year.

KBR Profile

(Free Report)

KBR, Inc provides scientific, technology, and engineering solutions to governments and commercial customers worldwide. The company operates through Government Solutions and Sustainable Technology Solutions segments. The Government Solutions segment offers life-cycle support solutions to defense, intelligence, space, aviation, and other programs and missions for military and other government agencies in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia.

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Fuller & Thaler Asset Management Inc. lessened its position in Primo Water Co. (NYSE:PRMW  Free Report) by 1.4% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 7,811,069 shares of the companys stock after selling 113,268 shares during the period. Fuller & Thaler Asset Management Inc. owned about 4.90% of Primo Water worth $107,793,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. BlackRock Inc. increased its position in Primo Water by 24.7% during the third quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 11,600,023 shares of the companys stock worth $145,580,000 after purchasing an additional 2,296,515 shares during the last quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. increased its position in Primo Water by 9.8% during the first quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 11,581,085 shares of the companys stock worth $165,030,000 after purchasing an additional 1,031,066 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its position in Primo Water by 4.5% during the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 10,977,201 shares of the companys stock worth $137,764,000 after purchasing an additional 470,410 shares during the last quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased its position in Primo Water by 3.2% during the second quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 8,885,512 shares of the companys stock worth $111,424,000 after purchasing an additional 278,524 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Ameriprise Financial Inc. increased its position in Primo Water by 3.3% during the first quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 5,466,541 shares of the companys stock worth $83,911,000 after purchasing an additional 176,290 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 83.87% of the companys stock.

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Primo Water Price Performance

PRMW traded down $0.03 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $15.23. The stock had a trading volume of 392,432 shares, compared to its average volume of 817,228. The firm has a market capitalization of $2.45 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.58, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.75 and a beta of 1.09. The company has a quick ratio of 0.67, a current ratio of 0.84 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.98. Primo Water Co. has a 1-year low of $12.27 and a 1-year high of $16.42. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $14.91 and a two-hundred day moving average of $14.55.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several brokerages have recently weighed in on PRMW. TD Securities decreased their target price on shares of Primo Water from $26.00 to $23.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, January 11th. StockNews.com lowered shares of Primo Water from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research note on Sunday. TheStreet upgraded Primo Water from a c+ rating to a b- rating in a research report on Monday, December 4th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on Primo Water from $18.00 to $19.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Tuesday. Finally, CIBC upgraded Primo Water from a neutral rating to an outperform rating and boosted their price objective for the stock from $17.50 to $20.00 in a research report on Friday, November 3rd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Primo Water presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $19.50.

View Our Latest Stock Report on Primo Water

Primo Water Profile

(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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K2 Principal Fund L.P. decreased its holdings in Solitario Resources Corp. (NYSEAMERICAN:XPL  Free Report) (TSE:SLR) by 3.9% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 850,000 shares of the basic materials companys stock after selling 34,953 shares during the quarter. K2 Principal Fund L.P.s holdings in Solitario Resources were worth $454,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in XPL. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. lifted its position in Solitario Resources by 235.2% during the first quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 99,761 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $84,000 after purchasing an additional 70,000 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of Solitario Resources by 36.6% during the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 1,973,804 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $1,666,000 after buying an additional 529,335 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp lifted its position in shares of Solitario Resources by 410.8% during the 1st quarter. State Street Corp now owns 59,186 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $50,000 after buying an additional 47,600 shares in the last quarter. Citadel Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Solitario Resources by 151.1% during the 3rd quarter. Citadel Advisors LLC now owns 52,799 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 31,768 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Solitario Resources during the 1st quarter valued at about $30,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 21.81% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Separately, HC Wainwright lowered their price target on shares of Solitario Resources from $0.90 to $0.80 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Monday, October 23rd.

Solitario Resources Stock Performance

Shares of XPL traded down $0.00 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $0.51. 27,046 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 38,093. Solitario Resources Corp. has a 52-week low of $0.48 and a 52-week high of $0.77.

Solitario Resources Company Profile

(Free Report)

Solitario Resources Corp., an exploration stage company, engages in the acquisition and exploration of zinc and other base metal properties in North and South America. The company holds a 50% operating interest in the Lik zinc-lead-silver property located in Northwest Alaska; 39% interest in the Florida Canyon zinc project located in northern Peru; and 85% interest in the Chambara exploration project located in Peru.

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River & Mercantile Asset Management LLP decreased its position in shares of The Charles Schwab Co. (NYSE:SCHW  Free Report) by 12.2% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 63,758 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 8,826 shares during the period. River & Mercantile Asset Management LLPs holdings in Charles Schwab were worth $3,501,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Signet Financial Management LLC grew its position in Charles Schwab by 0.3% during the 4th quarter. Signet Financial Management LLC now owns 49,378 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $4,111,000 after purchasing an additional 139 shares in the last quarter. Main Street Financial Solutions LLC boosted its stake in shares of Charles Schwab by 2.6% during the 2nd quarter. Main Street Financial Solutions LLC now owns 6,475 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $367,000 after buying an additional 162 shares during the period. Investment Advisory Services Inc. TX ADV boosted its stake in shares of Charles Schwab by 0.5% during the 4th quarter. Investment Advisory Services Inc. TX ADV now owns 32,642 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $2,718,000 after buying an additional 164 shares during the period. Wunderlich Capital Managemnt boosted its stake in shares of Charles Schwab by 0.4% during the 2nd quarter. Wunderlich Capital Managemnt now owns 38,856 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $2,202,000 after buying an additional 172 shares during the period. Finally, United Services Automobile Association boosted its stake in shares of Charles Schwab by 0.5% during the 2nd quarter. United Services Automobile Association now owns 34,807 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,973,000 after buying an additional 173 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 81.61% of the companys stock.

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Insider Activity at Charles Schwab

In related news, Chairman Charles R. Schwab sold 16,390 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, January 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $63.94, for a total value of $1,047,976.60. Following the sale, the chairman now owns 61,331,688 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,921,548,130.72. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In other Charles Schwab news, General Counsel Peter J. Morgan III sold 7,162 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, November 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $60.72, for a total transaction of $434,876.64. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, Chairman Charles R. Schwab sold 16,390 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, January 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $63.94, for a total transaction of $1,047,976.60. Following the sale, the chairman now directly owns 61,331,688 shares in the company, valued at $3,921,548,130.72. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 43,760 shares of company stock valued at $2,731,159 over the last quarter. 6.60% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on SCHW shares. Redburn Atlantic started coverage on shares of Charles Schwab in a research note on Friday, December 1st. They set a sell rating and a $52.00 target price for the company. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lowered shares of Charles Schwab from an outperform rating to a market perform rating and reduced their price objective for the company from $75.00 to $70.00 in a research note on Thursday, January 18th. The Goldman Sachs Group reaffirmed a neutral rating and issued a $71.00 price objective (up previously from $70.00) on shares of Charles Schwab in a research note on Wednesday, January 3rd. Barclays reduced their price objective on shares of Charles Schwab from $68.00 to $64.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, January 18th. Finally, Raymond James reduced their price objective on shares of Charles Schwab from $78.00 to $75.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, January 18th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Charles Schwab currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $69.69.

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Charles Schwab Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:SCHW traded down $0.57 on Tuesday, hitting $63.83. 2,466,417 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 8,183,814. The companys 50 day moving average price is $65.63 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $59.96. The Charles Schwab Co. has a one year low of $45.00 and a one year high of $81.32. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.87, a quick ratio of 0.66 and a current ratio of 0.66. The firm has a market capitalization of $113.09 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.35, a PEG ratio of 3.40 and a beta of 0.99.

Charles Schwab (NYSE:SCHW  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 17th. The financial services provider reported $0.68 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.64 by $0.04. Charles Schwab had a net margin of 26.90% and a return on equity of 22.07%. The company had revenue of $4.46 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.49 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.07 EPS. The businesss revenue was down 18.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts expect that The Charles Schwab Co. will post 3.33 earnings per share for the current year.

Charles Schwab Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 23rd. Investors of record on Friday, February 9th will be paid a $0.25 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, February 8th. This represents a $1.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.57%. Charles Schwabs payout ratio is currently 39.37%.

About Charles Schwab

(Free Report)

The Charles Schwab Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a savings and loan holding company that provides wealth management, securities brokerage, banking, asset management, custody, and financial advisory services. The company operates in two segments, Investor Services and Advisor Services.

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Orchard Funding Group plc (LON:ORCH  Get Free Report)s stock price reached a new 52-week low on Tuesday . The company traded as low as GBX 20.66 ($0.26) and last traded at GBX 22.45 ($0.28), with a volume of 25449 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at GBX 22.80 ($0.29).

Orchard Funding Group Stock Down 1.5 %

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 195.63, a current ratio of 1.74 and a quick ratio of 1.86. The company has a market capitalization of 4.79 million, a P/E ratio of 280.63 and a beta of 0.16. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of GBX 33.18 and a 200-day moving average price of GBX 36.19.

Orchard Funding Group Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Orchard Funding Group plc, through its subsidiaries, provides insurance premium finance, professional fee funding, finance, and secured property lending services in the United Kingdom. It operates in two segments, Standard Lending and Toyota Products. The company offers credit to businesses and consumers for spreading the cost of their insurance premiums; and professional customized fee funding solutions to accounting firms, professionals, and small businesses to provide extended credit to their business clients.

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Bishop Rock Capital L.P. lowered its stake in MSCI Inc. (NYSE:MSCI  Free Report) by 72.1% during the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 778 shares of the technology companys stock after selling 2,012 shares during the quarter. MSCI makes up 1.6% of Bishop Rock Capital L.P.s investment portfolio, making the stock its 14th largest holding. Bishop Rock Capital L.P.s holdings in MSCI were worth $399,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Schechter Investment Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of MSCI during the 3rd quarter valued at about $434,000. Alphinity Investment Management Pty Ltd lifted its holdings in MSCI by 3.0% in the 3rd quarter. Alphinity Investment Management Pty Ltd now owns 430,676 shares of the technology companys stock worth $220,971,000 after purchasing an additional 12,495 shares during the last quarter. Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund lifted its holdings in MSCI by 69.9% in the 2nd quarter. Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund now owns 2,622 shares of the technology companys stock worth $1,230,000 after purchasing an additional 1,079 shares during the last quarter. SeaTown Holdings Pte. Ltd. increased its position in shares of MSCI by 9.5% during the third quarter. SeaTown Holdings Pte. Ltd. now owns 66,896 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $34,323,000 after purchasing an additional 5,796 shares during the period. Finally, Truist Financial Corp increased its position in shares of MSCI by 18.3% during the second quarter. Truist Financial Corp now owns 28,742 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $13,489,000 after purchasing an additional 4,454 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 88.61% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of brokerages have weighed in on MSCI. Edward Jones assumed coverage on MSCI in a research report on Friday, December 22nd. They issued a buy rating on the stock. Redburn Atlantic downgraded MSCI from a neutral rating to a sell rating and lowered their price target for the stock from $620.00 to $470.00 in a report on Tuesday. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on MSCI from $615.00 to $660.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, January 31st. Morgan Stanley upgraded MSCI from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and increased their price target for the stock from $526.00 to $600.00 in a report on Wednesday, December 13th. Finally, Barclays increased their price target on MSCI from $600.00 to $700.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 31st. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, MSCI presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $578.21.

MSCI Trading Down 2.0 %

Shares of MSCI traded down $11.25 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, reaching $557.50. The companys stock had a trading volume of 214,453 shares, compared to its average volume of 499,016. The stock has a market cap of $44.09 billion, a P/E ratio of 39.50, a PEG ratio of 2.87 and a beta of 1.10. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $560.99 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $534.00. MSCI Inc. has a 1-year low of $451.55 and a 1-year high of $617.39.

MSCI (NYSE:MSCI  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 30th. The technology company reported $3.68 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.29 by $0.39. The business had revenue of $690.11 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $662.64 million. MSCI had a negative return on equity of 111.17% and a net margin of 45.42%. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 19.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm posted $2.84 EPS. Research analysts anticipate that MSCI Inc. will post 14.75 EPS for the current year.

MSCI Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, February 29th. Investors of record on Friday, February 16th will be issued a dividend of $1.60 per share. This is a boost from MSCIs previous quarterly dividend of $1.38. This represents a $6.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.15%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, February 15th. MSCIs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 44.44%.

MSCI Profile

(Free Report)

MSCI Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides critical decision support tools and solutions for the investment community to manage investment processes worldwide. The Index segment provides indexes for use in various areas of the investment process, including indexed financial product, such as ETFs, mutual funds, annuities, futures, options, structured products, and over-the-counter derivatives; performance benchmarking; portfolio construction and rebalancing; and asset allocation, as well as licenses GICS and GICS Direct.

Further Reading

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Net Operating Revenues : $3.181 billion for Q4 2023, a 1.2% increase year-over-year.

Net Income : $46 million for Q4 2023, a significant decrease from $414 million in Q4 2022.

Adjusted EBITDA : $386 million for Q4 2023, compared to $404 million in Q4 2022.

Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities : Increased to $90 million for Q4 2023 from $9 million in Q4 2022.

Debt Management : Extinguished approximately $402 million in notes and completed a $1.000 billion Senior Secured Notes offering.

Same-Store Admissions : Increased by 1.9% in Q4 2023 compared to the same period in 2022.

Annual Net Loss: $(133) million for 2023, compared to net income of $46 million in 2022.

On February 20, 2024, Community Health Systems Inc (NYSE:CYH) released its 8-K filing, detailing its financial and operating results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2023. The company, which is the largest publicly owned hospital operator in the United States, saw a slight increase in net operating revenues for the fourth quarter, reaching $3.181 billion, up from $3.142 billion in the same period of 2022. However, net income attributable to CYH stockholders sharply declined to $46 million, or $0.35 per share (diluted), from $414 million, or $3.18 per share (diluted), in the prior year's quarter.

Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was reported at $386 million, a decrease from $404 million in Q4 2022. Despite the drop in net income and adjusted EBITDA, the company experienced a substantial increase in net cash provided by operating activities, which was $90 million for the quarter, up from $9 million in the same period last year. Community Health Systems Inc also managed its debt by extinguishing approximately $402 million in notes and completing a $1.000 billion offering of Senior Secured Notes due 2032.

On a same-store basis, admissions and adjusted admissions saw increases of 1.9% and 3.6%, respectively, compared to the fourth quarter of 2022. For the full year, net operating revenues totaled $12.490 billion, a 2.3% increase over the previous year. However, the company reported a net loss of $(133) million, or $(1.02) per share (diluted), for the year ended December 31, 2023, compared to net income of $46 million, or $0.35 per share (diluted), for 2022.

Story continues

Community Health Systems Inc's financial achievements are significant as they reflect the company's ability to grow revenue in a challenging healthcare environment. The increase in same-store admissions suggests a strong demand for the company's services, which is crucial for a healthcare provider. However, the decline in net income and adjusted EBITDA highlights the challenges faced by the company, including higher costs for supplemental reimbursement programs, increased rates for outsourced medical specialists, and higher costs for professional liability insurance.

CEO Tim L. Hingtgen commented on the results, stating:

"Operational and financial results improved in 2023 as patient demand for our services increased, resulting in growth in same-store admissions, adjusted admissions, surgeries and ER visits. Our staff recruitment and retention initiatives generated solid gains in the number of bedside nurses and other patient care positions in our hospitals, which significantly reduced contract labor utilization. We also experienced growth that is directly attributable to our investments in facility expansions, physician recruitment and service line development. We expect this progress and momentum to continue in 2024.

Community Health Systems Inc (CYH) Reports Mixed 2023 Financial Results

Community Health Systems Inc's performance in 2023 demonstrates resilience in the face of industry-wide challenges. The company's strategic initiatives, including facility expansions and physician recruitment, have contributed to its growth. However, the financial results also underscore the need for ongoing vigilance in managing costs and navigating the complexities of healthcare reimbursement.

For more detailed financial information and the full earnings report, please refer to the 8-K filing.

Explore the complete 8-K earnings release (here) from Community Health Systems Inc for further details.

This article first appeared on GuruFocus.


Alithya Group (TSE:ALYA  Get Free Report) had its price objective increased by equities research analysts at Cormark from C$2.75 to C$3.50 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Tuesday, BayStreet.CA reports. Cormarks target price would suggest a potential upside of 93.37% from the companys previous close.

A number of other research analysts have also recently issued reports on the company. Echelon Wealth Partners set a C$2.70 price objective on Alithya Group and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Monday, February 5th. National Bankshares cut their price objective on Alithya Group from C$2.75 to C$2.00 and set a sector perform rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, November 15th. Finally, Desjardins cut their price objective on Alithya Group from C$3.15 to C$2.70 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, November 15th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of C$3.03.

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Read Our Latest Research Report on ALYA

Alithya Group Price Performance

About Alithya Group

Shares of TSE ALYA traded down C$0.11 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching C$1.81. 33,363 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 48,060. The firm has a market cap of C$159.95 million, a PE ratio of -4.11, a PEG ratio of 0.66 and a beta of 0.49. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is C$1.74 and its 200-day simple moving average is C$1.96. Alithya Group has a 12 month low of C$1.34 and a 12 month high of C$3.00. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 84.83, a quick ratio of 1.32 and a current ratio of 0.69.

(Get Free Report)

Alithya Group Inc provides strategy and digital technology services in Canada, the United States, and Europe. The company's business strategy services include strategic consulting, digital transformation, organizational performance, and enterprise architecture services. It also provides application services, such as digital applications DevOps, legacy systems modernization, control and software engineering, cloud infrastructure, quality assurance, and automated testing; enterprise solutions comprising enterprise resource planning, corporate performance management, customer relationship management, and human capital management; and data and analytics solutions, including business intelligence, data management, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning, as well as internet of things.

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Fairfax Financial (TSE:FFH  Get Free Report) had its target price upped by stock analysts at Royal Bank of Canada from C$1,085.00 to C$1,200.00 in a note issued to investors on Tuesday, BayStreet.CA reports. The firm currently has an outperform rating on the stock. Royal Bank of Canadas target price suggests a potential downside of 12.50% from the companys previous close.

A number of other brokerages also recently commented on FFH. CIBC increased their price target on shares of Fairfax Financial from C$1,400.00 to C$1,500.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, October 26th. BMO Capital Markets raised their target price on shares of Fairfax Financial from C$1,400.00 to C$1,550.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, January 25th. Cormark lifted their price objective on shares of Fairfax Financial from C$1,500.00 to C$1,600.00 in a report on Tuesday, November 7th. Scotiabank lifted their price target on shares of Fairfax Financial from C$1,650.00 to C$1,900.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday, January 31st. Finally, National Bankshares lifted their price objective on shares of Fairfax Financial from C$1,800.00 to C$2,000.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Friday, January 26th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Buy and a consensus target price of C$1,641.67.

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Fairfax Financial Stock Performance

Insider Transactions at Fairfax Financial

Shares of TSE:FFH traded down C$3.56 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting C$1,371.41. The company had a trading volume of 28,861 shares, compared to its average volume of 114,548. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 33.72, a current ratio of 3.22 and a quick ratio of 0.93. The company has a market cap of C$31.71 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.23, a PEG ratio of 0.27 and a beta of 0.87. Fairfax Financial has a 12-month low of C$863.55 and a 12-month high of C$1,428.02. The company has a fifty day moving average of C$1,285.51 and a two-hundred day moving average of C$1,204.70.

In other Fairfax Financial news, Senior Officer Jean Cloutier sold 500 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$1,239.50, for a total value of C$619,750.00. Following the sale, the insider now owns 762 shares of the companys stock, valued at C$944,499. In other news, Senior Officer Jean Cloutier sold 500 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, November 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$1,239.50, for a total value of C$619,750.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 762 shares of the companys stock, valued at C$944,499. Also, Director R. William Mcfarland sold 4,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, November 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$14.85, for a total transaction of C$59,400.00. Company insiders own 3.61% of the companys stock.

Fairfax Financial Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited, through its subsidiaries, provides property and casualty insurance and reinsurance, and investment management services in the United States, Canada, Asia, and internationally. The company operates through Property and Casualty Insurance and Reinsurance, Life insurance and Run-off, and Non-Insurance Companies segments.

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Visionary Wealth Advisors trimmed its position in Phillips 66 (NYSE:PSX  Free Report) by 4.3% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 69,984 shares of the oil and gas companys stock after selling 3,176 shares during the period. Visionary Wealth Advisors holdings in Phillips 66 were worth $8,409,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC raised its stake in Phillips 66 by 100,843.8% in the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 9,979,304 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $1,038,646,000 after purchasing an additional 9,969,418 shares during the last quarter. Barclays PLC boosted its holdings in Phillips 66 by 416.9% in the 2nd quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 7,451,470 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $710,721,000 after acquiring an additional 6,009,826 shares during the period. Norges Bank acquired a new position in shares of Phillips 66 in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $364,237,000. Wellington Management Group LLP raised its position in shares of Phillips 66 by 62.1% during the 1st quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 7,188,087 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $620,979,000 after acquiring an additional 2,753,700 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bank of Montreal Can acquired a new stake in shares of Phillips 66 during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $109,888,000. 71.83% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on Phillips 66 from $151.00 to $163.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, February 1st. TD Cowen increased their price target on Phillips 66 from $134.00 to $150.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Monday, December 4th. Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co. raised Phillips 66 from a hold rating to a buy rating and increased their price target for the stock from $115.00 to $130.00 in a research note on Monday, October 30th. StockNews.com raised Phillips 66 from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Saturday, February 10th. Finally, Wolfe Research raised Phillips 66 from a peer perform rating to an outperform rating and set a $146.00 target price for the company in a research note on Tuesday, October 31st. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $138.21.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Phillips 66 news, EVP Richard G. Harbison sold 21,934 shares of Phillips 66 stock in a transaction on Monday, February 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $146.27, for a total value of $3,208,286.18. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 24,941 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,648,120.07. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. In other news, EVP Richard G. Harbison sold 21,934 shares of Phillips 66 stock in a transaction on Monday, February 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $146.27, for a total value of $3,208,286.18. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 24,941 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,648,120.07. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, CFO Kevin J. Mitchell sold 31,700 shares of Phillips 66 stock in a transaction on Friday, December 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $130.21, for a total value of $4,127,657.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now directly owns 103,351 shares of the companys stock, valued at $13,457,333.71. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 63,587 shares of company stock worth $8,671,094 in the last 90 days. 4.57% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Phillips 66 Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:PSX traded down $2.60 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $141.21. 1,842,804 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,215,957. Phillips 66 has a 1-year low of $89.74 and a 1-year high of $149.52. The company has a market capitalization of $62.13 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.30, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.82 and a beta of 1.38. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $136.42 and its 200-day simple moving average is $123.58. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.58, a quick ratio of 0.96 and a current ratio of 1.29.

Phillips 66 Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 1st. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 20th will be given a dividend of $1.05 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 16th. This represents a $4.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.97%. Phillips 66s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 27.15%.

Phillips 66 Profile

(Free Report)

Phillips 66 operates as an energy manufacturing and logistics company in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and internationally. It operates through four segments: Midstream, Chemicals, Refining, and Marketing and Specialties (M&S). The Midstream segment transports crude oil and other feedstocks; delivers refined petroleum products to market; provides terminaling and storage services for crude oil and refined petroleum products; transports, stores, fractionates, exports, and markets natural gas liquids; provides other fee-based processing services; and gathers, processes, transports, and markets natural gas.

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Guardian Capital LP decreased its position in The Toronto-Dominion Bank (NYSE:TD  Free Report) (TSE:TD) by 12.3% in the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 1,527,275 shares of the banks stock after selling 213,279 shares during the period. Toronto-Dominion Bank makes up about 3.4% of Guardian Capital LPs holdings, making the stock its 7th largest holding. Guardian Capital LPs holdings in Toronto-Dominion Bank were worth $92,439,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Raymond James Trust N.A. grew its holdings in shares of Toronto-Dominion Bank by 1.7% during the 1st quarter. Raymond James Trust N.A. now owns 9,868 shares of the banks stock worth $784,000 after purchasing an additional 161 shares during the period. Western Wealth Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Toronto-Dominion Bank by 2.2% during the 2nd quarter. Western Wealth Management LLC now owns 7,436 shares of the banks stock worth $461,000 after purchasing an additional 162 shares during the period. Daymark Wealth Partners LLC grew its holdings in shares of Toronto-Dominion Bank by 4.1% during the 3rd quarter. Daymark Wealth Partners LLC now owns 4,314 shares of the banks stock worth $260,000 after purchasing an additional 170 shares during the period. Centaurus Financial Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Toronto-Dominion Bank by 7.7% during the 1st quarter. Centaurus Financial Inc. now owns 2,447 shares of the banks stock worth $147,000 after purchasing an additional 174 shares during the period. Finally, State Street Corp grew its holdings in shares of Toronto-Dominion Bank by 2.3% during the 1st quarter. State Street Corp now owns 8,058 shares of the banks stock worth $483,000 after purchasing an additional 184 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 51.52% of the companys stock.

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Toronto-Dominion Bank Stock Down 0.3 %

Shares of Toronto-Dominion Bank stock traded down $0.18 on Tuesday, hitting $59.76. 2,387,356 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 3,045,164. The stock has a market cap of $106.06 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.44, a PEG ratio of 1.71 and a beta of 0.87. The company has a quick ratio of 1.00, a current ratio of 1.00 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.09. The firms 50-day moving average is $61.49 and its 200 day moving average is $60.66. The Toronto-Dominion Bank has a 52-week low of $54.69 and a 52-week high of $68.61.

Toronto-Dominion Bank Increases Dividend

Toronto-Dominion Bank ( NYSE:TD Get Free Report ) (TSE:TD) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, November 30th. The bank reported $1.35 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.39 by ($0.04). The firm had revenue of $13.19 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $9.02 billion. Toronto-Dominion Bank had a net margin of 10.65% and a return on equity of 14.68%. The businesss revenue was up 7.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.64 earnings per share. Equities analysts anticipate that The Toronto-Dominion Bank will post 5.81 earnings per share for the current year.

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, January 31st. Investors of record on Wednesday, January 10th were given a dividend of $0.7506 per share. This is a positive change from Toronto-Dominion Banks previous quarterly dividend of $0.73. This represents a $3.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.02%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, January 9th. Toronto-Dominion Banks dividend payout ratio is currently 68.19%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts have recently issued reports on TD shares. Scotiabank cut Toronto-Dominion Bank from a sector outperform rating to a sector perform rating in a report on Wednesday, December 20th. Bank of America cut Toronto-Dominion Bank from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a report on Monday, December 18th. CIBC cut Toronto-Dominion Bank from a sector outperform rating to a neutral rating in a report on Wednesday, November 22nd. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded Toronto-Dominion Bank from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Monday, December 4th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Toronto-Dominion Bank currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $89.33.

Check Out Our Latest Report on TD

Toronto-Dominion Bank Company Profile

(Free Report)

The Toronto-Dominion Bank, together with its subsidiaries, provides various financial products and services in Canada, the United States, and internationally. It operates through four segments: Canadian Personal and Commercial Banking, U.S. Retail, Wealth Management and Insurance, and Wholesale Banking.

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Guardian Capital LP grew its stake in shares of Thomson Reuters Co. (NYSE:TRI  Free Report) (TSE:TRI) by 8.6% in the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 234,313 shares of the business services providers stock after acquiring an additional 18,465 shares during the period. Thomson Reuters accounts for about 1.1% of Guardian Capital LPs investment portfolio, making the stock its 25th biggest holding. Guardian Capital LPs holdings in Thomson Reuters were worth $28,797,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Checchi Capital Advisers LLC raised its stake in shares of Thomson Reuters by 3.4% during the third quarter. Checchi Capital Advisers LLC now owns 6,052 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $741,000 after acquiring an additional 201 shares in the last quarter. Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria S.A. increased its holdings in Thomson Reuters by 44.2% during the second quarter. Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria S.A. now owns 14,965 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $2,009,000 after buying an additional 4,590 shares during the period. Legacy Wealth Asset Management LLC increased its holdings in Thomson Reuters by 44.8% during the third quarter. Legacy Wealth Asset Management LLC now owns 12,603 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $1,542,000 after buying an additional 3,901 shares during the period. Cumberland Partners Ltd increased its holdings in Thomson Reuters by 2.1% during the third quarter. Cumberland Partners Ltd now owns 227,831 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $27,958,000 after buying an additional 4,738 shares during the period. Finally, FMR LLC increased its holdings in Thomson Reuters by 26.3% during the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 5,657,244 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $692,059,000 after buying an additional 1,179,155 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 17.31% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

TRI has been the topic of several research reports. Scotiabank lifted their price objective on shares of Thomson Reuters from $142.00 to $159.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a report on Friday, February 9th. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their price objective on shares of Thomson Reuters from $149.00 to $153.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a report on Friday, February 9th. Barclays cut their price objective on shares of Thomson Reuters from $135.00 to $130.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, November 2nd. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price target on shares of Thomson Reuters from $192.00 to $201.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Friday, November 3rd. Finally, UBS Group initiated coverage on shares of Thomson Reuters in a report on Tuesday, November 7th. They issued a buy rating and a $153.00 price target on the stock. Eleven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $149.23.

Thomson Reuters Price Performance

NYSE TRI traded down $2.42 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $157.33. 195,190 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 305,770. Thomson Reuters Co. has a 52-week low of $117.46 and a 52-week high of $161.57. The company has a market capitalization of $71.26 billion, a PE ratio of 27.04, a PEG ratio of 4.17 and a beta of 0.65. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.26, a current ratio of 0.90 and a quick ratio of 1.05. The firms 50-day moving average is $147.85 and its 200-day moving average is $135.97.

Thomson Reuters (NYSE:TRI  Get Free Report) (TSE:TRI) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 8th. The business services provider reported $0.98 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.92 by $0.06. Thomson Reuters had a net margin of 39.67% and a return on equity of 14.01%. The business had revenue of $1.82 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.82 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $0.76 EPS. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 2.8% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts forecast that Thomson Reuters Co. will post 3.58 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Thomson Reuters Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 8th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, February 21st will be issued a $0.54 dividend. This is a positive change from Thomson Reuterss previous quarterly dividend of $0.49. This represents a $2.16 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.37%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 20th. Thomson Reuterss dividend payout ratio is currently 33.57%.

Thomson Reuters Profile

(Free Report)

Thomson Reuters Corporation engages in the provision of business information services in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. It operates in five segments: Legal Professionals, Corporates, Tax & Accounting Professionals, Reuters News, and Global Print. The Legal Professionals segment offers research and workflow products focusing on legal research and integrated legal workflow solutions that combine content, tools, and analytics to law firms and governments.

Further Reading

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Shares of BlackRock U.S. Carbon Transition Readiness ETF (NYSEARCA:LCTU  Get Free Report) saw an uptick in trading volume on Tuesday . 154,343 shares traded hands during trading, an increase of 200% from the previous sessions volume of 51,414 shares.The stock last traded at $54.53 and had previously closed at $54.96.

BlackRock U.S. Carbon Transition Readiness ETF Trading Down 0.7 %

The company has a market capitalization of $1.81 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.18 and a beta of 1.02. The firms 50 day moving average price is $52.98 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $50.01.

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Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of LCTU. Harbour Investments Inc. grew its position in shares of BlackRock U.S. Carbon Transition Readiness ETF by 88.7% during the 4th quarter. Harbour Investments Inc. now owns 7,433 shares of the companys stock worth $389,000 after purchasing an additional 3,493 shares in the last quarter. High Falls Advisors Inc acquired a new position in shares of BlackRock U.S. Carbon Transition Readiness ETF during the 4th quarter worth approximately $272,000. Townsquare Capital LLC grew its position in shares of BlackRock U.S. Carbon Transition Readiness ETF by 19.0% during the 4th quarter. Townsquare Capital LLC now owns 21,243 shares of the companys stock worth $1,112,000 after purchasing an additional 3,396 shares in the last quarter. Comerica Bank grew its position in shares of BlackRock U.S. Carbon Transition Readiness ETF by 32.1% during the 4th quarter. Comerica Bank now owns 4,952 shares of the companys stock worth $259,000 after purchasing an additional 1,204 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada grew its position in shares of BlackRock U.S. Carbon Transition Readiness ETF by 74.4% during the 4th quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 77,222 shares of the companys stock worth $4,042,000 after purchasing an additional 32,931 shares in the last quarter.

About BlackRock U.S. Carbon Transition Readiness ETF

The BlackRock U.S. Carbon Transition Readiness ETF (LCTU) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the Russell 1000 index. The fund is an actively-managed portfolio of large- and mid-cap US firms in the Russell 1000 Index that are selected and weighted with a preference for lower carbon emissions.

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Rodgers Brothers Inc. increased its stake in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY  Free Report) by 7.5% during the third quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 57,623 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after purchasing an additional 4,033 shares during the period. Rodgers Brothers Inc.s holdings in Bristol-Myers Squibb were worth $3,344,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the stock. Brown Shipley& Co Ltd lifted its position in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb by 1.8% during the 2nd quarter. Brown Shipley& Co Ltd now owns 9,161 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $38,000 after buying an additional 164 shares during the period. Riversedge Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb by 3.2% during the 3rd quarter. Riversedge Advisors LLC now owns 5,691 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $330,000 after buying an additional 178 shares during the period. Vicus Capital increased its holdings in Bristol-Myers Squibb by 3.9% during the 3rd quarter. Vicus Capital now owns 4,824 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $280,000 after purchasing an additional 179 shares in the last quarter. Front Row Advisors LLC increased its holdings in Bristol-Myers Squibb by 17.5% during the 4th quarter. Front Row Advisors LLC now owns 1,222 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $88,000 after purchasing an additional 182 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Ascent Wealth Partners LLC increased its holdings in Bristol-Myers Squibb by 3.1% during the 2nd quarter. Ascent Wealth Partners LLC now owns 6,147 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $393,000 after purchasing an additional 182 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 74.98% of the companys stock.

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Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Bristol-Myers Squibb news, CEO Christopher S. Boerner bought 2,000 shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 5th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $49.78 per share, for a total transaction of $99,560.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the chief executive officer now owns 82,672 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,115,412.16. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. In other news, CEO Christopher S. Boerner purchased 2,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 5th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $49.78 per share, for a total transaction of $99,560.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the chief executive officer now directly owns 82,672 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,115,412.16. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, CEO Christopher S. Boerner purchased 3,071 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 28th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $48.86 per share, for a total transaction of $150,049.06. Following the completion of the acquisition, the chief executive officer now owns 79,384 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,878,702.24. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Corporate insiders own 0.08% of the companys stock.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Trading Up 0.3 %

Shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb stock traded up $0.17 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $50.03. 4,864,344 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 15,541,540. The company has a quick ratio of 1.31, a current ratio of 1.43 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.24. Bristol-Myers Squibb has a twelve month low of $47.58 and a twelve month high of $71.98. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $50.42 and a 200-day moving average price of $54.15. The firm has a market capitalization of $101.17 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.92, a P/E/G ratio of 1.51 and a beta of 0.38.

Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, February 2nd. The biopharmaceutical company reported $1.70 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.55 by $0.15. The business had revenue of $11.48 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $11.19 billion. Bristol-Myers Squibb had a return on equity of 50.95% and a net margin of 17.83%. The firms quarterly revenue was up .6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.82 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Bristol-Myers Squibb will post 6.61 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Bristol-Myers Squibb declared that its board has approved a stock repurchase plan on Thursday, December 7th that permits the company to repurchase $3.00 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization permits the biopharmaceutical company to buy up to 2.9% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are usually a sign that the companys management believes its shares are undervalued.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 5th were issued a dividend of $0.60 per share. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, January 4th. This is a positive change from Bristol-Myers Squibbs previous quarterly dividend of $0.57. This represents a $2.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.80%. Bristol-Myers Squibbs payout ratio is currently 62.18%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts recently weighed in on the company. Bank of America cut Bristol-Myers Squibb from a buy rating to a neutral rating and dropped their price target for the company from $68.00 to $60.00 in a report on Wednesday, January 3rd. Redburn Atlantic cut Bristol-Myers Squibb from a buy rating to a neutral rating and dropped their price target for the company from $77.00 to $54.00 in a report on Tuesday, February 6th. William Blair cut Bristol-Myers Squibb from an outperform rating to a market perform rating in a report on Friday, October 27th. TheStreet cut Bristol-Myers Squibb from a b- rating to a c+ rating in a report on Thursday, November 9th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft began coverage on Bristol-Myers Squibb in a report on Thursday, November 9th. They set a hold rating and a $55.00 price target for the company. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, fifteen have given a hold rating, three have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $61.17.

View Our Latest Stock Report on BMY

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company Profile

(Free Report)

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company discovers, develops, licenses, manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells biopharmaceutical products worldwide. It offers products for hematology, oncology, cardiovascular, immunology, fibrotic, and neuroscience diseases. The company's products include Eliquis, 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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Ontario Teachers Pension Plan Board raised its position in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY  Free Report) by 42.9% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 68,413 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after purchasing an additional 20,550 shares during the quarter. Ontario Teachers Pension Plan Boards holdings in Bristol-Myers Squibb were worth $3,971,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Rodgers Brothers Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb by 7.5% in the third quarter. Rodgers Brothers Inc. now owns 57,623 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $3,344,000 after buying an additional 4,033 shares in the last quarter. LPL Financial LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb by 4.6% in the third quarter. LPL Financial LLC now owns 2,026,052 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $117,592,000 after buying an additional 88,447 shares in the last quarter. Clearbridge Investments LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb by 0.4% in the third quarter. Clearbridge Investments LLC now owns 112,446 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $6,526,000 after buying an additional 459 shares in the last quarter. Azimuth Capital Investment Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb by 1.0% in the third quarter. Azimuth Capital Investment Management LLC now owns 130,362 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $7,566,000 after buying an additional 1,240 shares in the last quarter. Finally, V Square Quantitative Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb by 32.1% in the third quarter. V Square Quantitative Management LLC now owns 17,018 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $988,000 after buying an additional 4,140 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 74.98% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research firms recently issued reports on BMY. Barclays decreased their price target on shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb from $60.00 to $51.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, October 27th. TheStreet downgraded shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb from a b- rating to a c+ rating in a research note on Thursday, November 9th. William Blair downgraded shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb from an outperform rating to a market perform rating in a research note on Friday, October 27th. Daiwa Capital Markets downgraded shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb from an outperform rating to a neutral rating and decreased their price target for the company from $68.00 to $54.00 in a research note on Thursday, November 2nd. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 13th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, fifteen have issued a hold rating, three have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $61.17.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Stock Up 0.4 %

Bristol-Myers Squibb stock traded up $0.20 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting $50.06. 5,333,714 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 15,556,854. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.24, a quick ratio of 1.31 and a current ratio of 1.43. Bristol-Myers Squibb has a 12 month low of $47.58 and a 12 month high of $71.98. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $50.42 and a two-hundred day moving average of $54.15. The company has a market cap of $101.23 billion, a PE ratio of 12.92, a P/E/G ratio of 1.51 and a beta of 0.38.

Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY  Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Friday, February 2nd. The biopharmaceutical company reported $1.70 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.55 by $0.15. Bristol-Myers Squibb had a net margin of 17.83% and a return on equity of 50.95%. The company had revenue of $11.48 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $11.19 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $1.82 EPS. The firms quarterly revenue was up .6% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts expect that Bristol-Myers Squibb will post 6.61 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 5th were given a dividend of $0.60 per share. This represents a $2.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.79%. This is a positive change from Bristol-Myers Squibbs previous quarterly dividend of $0.57. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, January 4th. Bristol-Myers Squibbs dividend payout ratio is presently 62.18%.

Bristol-Myers Squibb declared that its Board of Directors has approved a stock buyback plan on Thursday, December 7th that authorizes the company to repurchase $3.00 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the biopharmaceutical company to repurchase up to 2.9% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are often a sign that the companys leadership believes its stock is undervalued.

Insider Buying and Selling at Bristol-Myers Squibb

In other news, CEO Christopher S. Boerner purchased 2,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 5th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $49.78 per share, with a total value of $99,560.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 82,672 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,115,412.16. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In other news, CEO Christopher S. Boerner purchased 2,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 5th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $49.78 per share, with a total value of $99,560.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 82,672 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,115,412.16. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Christopher S. Boerner purchased 3,071 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, November 28th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $48.86 per share, with a total value of $150,049.06. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 79,384 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,878,702.24. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Insiders own 0.08% of the companys stock.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company Profile

(Free Report)

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company discovers, develops, licenses, manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells biopharmaceutical products worldwide. It offers products for hematology, oncology, cardiovascular, immunology, fibrotic, and neuroscience diseases. The company's products include Eliquis, 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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Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund decreased its position in Bank of America Co. (NYSE:BAC  Free Report) by 32.8% in the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 2,239,000 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 1,094,400 shares during the period. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Funds holdings in Bank of America were worth $61,304,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other large investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Fort Sheridan Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Bank of America by 0.8% in the 4th quarter. Fort Sheridan Advisors LLC now owns 39,526 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,309,000 after purchasing an additional 303 shares during the period. BHK Investment Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Bank of America by 2.4% during the 2nd quarter. BHK Investment Advisors LLC now owns 14,140 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $406,000 after acquiring an additional 333 shares during the period. Fort Point Capital Partners LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Bank of America by 2.2% during the 1st quarter. Fort Point Capital Partners LLC now owns 15,918 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $656,000 after acquiring an additional 336 shares during the period. Covestor Ltd lifted its holdings in shares of Bank of America by 10.4% during the 2nd quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 3,705 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $107,000 after acquiring an additional 348 shares during the period. Finally, Investors Asset Management of Georgia Inc. GA ADV lifted its holdings in shares of Bank of America by 0.7% during the 2nd quarter. Investors Asset Management of Georgia Inc. GA ADV now owns 53,343 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,530,000 after acquiring an additional 350 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.06% of the companys stock.

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Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, major shareholder Of America Corp /De/ Bank bought 5,398 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 27th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $10.56 per share, with a total value of $57,002.88. Following the completion of the acquisition, the insider now owns 5,398 shares of the companys stock, valued at $57,002.88. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this link. 0.27% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Bank of America Stock Down 0.1 %

BAC traded down $0.04 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $34.05. The company had a trading volume of 17,015,868 shares, compared to its average volume of 41,245,105. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.15, a current ratio of 0.80 and a quick ratio of 0.80. Bank of America Co. has a 12 month low of $24.96 and a 12 month high of $35.10. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $33.29 and its 200 day moving average price is $30.18. The company has a market cap of $269.46 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.05, a PEG ratio of 1.55 and a beta of 1.39.

Bank of America (NYSE:BAC  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, January 12th. The financial services provider reported $0.70 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.69 by $0.01. The business had revenue of $22 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $23.70 billion. Bank of America had a net margin of 15.42% and a return on equity of 11.38%. The firms revenue for the quarter was down 10.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.85 earnings per share. Equities analysts anticipate that Bank of America Co. will post 3.14 EPS for the current year.

Bank of America Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 29th. Investors of record on Friday, March 1st will be given a dividend of $0.24 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, February 29th. This represents a $0.96 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.82%. Bank of Americas dividend payout ratio is 31.27%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts have recently commented on BAC shares. Odeon Capital Group downgraded shares of Bank of America from a buy rating to a hold rating and set a $33.90 price objective for the company. in a report on Tuesday, January 16th. Oppenheimer lifted their price target on shares of Bank of America from $49.00 to $50.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Tuesday, January 30th. Barclays lifted their price target on shares of Bank of America from $39.00 to $43.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Tuesday, January 2nd. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their price target on shares of Bank of America from $30.00 to $33.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Friday, December 1st. Finally, Morgan Stanley raised shares of Bank of America from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and lifted their price target for the company from $32.00 to $41.00 in a report on Tuesday, January 30th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Bank of America has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $35.53.

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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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(Bloomberg) -- Currys Plcs largest shareholder Redwheel backed the British electronics retailer saying it supports the decision to reject a recent 700 million ($885 million) offer from Elliott Investment Management.

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The business is worth substantially more than the 62 pence a share that Elliott offered last week, Ian Lance, co-head of the UK Value & Income Team at Redwheel in London, said in an emailed statement Tuesday. Redwheel holds 14.6% of Currys.

Currys has found itself facing a potential bidding war after Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com Inc. followed Elliott by saying its considering an offer. The retailer is attracting interest after losing almost 60% of its value in three years as shoppers cut back on pricey electronics during Britains cost-of-living crisis.

Read More: Elliott, JD.Com Bidding War Boosts Shares in Retailer Currys

The investment company said the offer for Currys highlights a wider problem with the UK equity market which no longer seems to fulfill its primary purpose of price discovery and efficient capital allocation.

Its likely that overseas corporate buyers will continue to step in and take advantage due to the depressed valuations of UK equities, the investor said. Redwheel urged authorities to take action to encourage investors to buy UK equities and prevent British companies falling into foreign hands.

Read More: Currys Takeover Fight Puts Spotlight on Cheap European Retailers

Redwheel, formerly known as RWC Partners, was founded in 2000 and manages about $18 billion across equities and convertible bonds. It isnt the only firm to push for a higher valuation on Currys. An unnamed investor said the company should refuse to engage with Elliott unless the firm offers at least 75 pence a share, Sky News reported. Analysts at Peel Hunt say they struggle to see the board engaging on anything less than 80 pence.

Story continues

Retail magnate Mike Ashley is the fourth-largest shareholder in Currys with a stake of more than 6%, while also owning about a quarter of AO World, an online rival that sells washing machines, fridges and other household appliances.

(Updates with context from sixth paragraph.)

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The parent company behind the viral Stanley cup tumblers has been hit with a number of lawsuits over the last week by customers who say the brand failed to disclose that their products contained lead.

The proposed class action lawsuits, filed in U.S. District Court in Washington state come weeks after Stanley confirmed that the sealing material they use to secure the vacuum insulation at the base of their products contains some lead.

Rest assured that no lead is present on the surface of any Stanley product that comes into contact with the consumer nor the contents of the product, the company said in a release at the time.

Stanley tumblers displayed on a shelf at a Dick's Sporting Goods store on Feb. 2, 2024 in Daly City, California. The wildly popular Stanley mugs are going viral again, this time many of the users are claiming that the products contain lead.

Concerns about lead in the cups starting circulating after a number of consumers performed at-home lead tests on their tumblers and posting the results on social media, USA TODAY previously reported.

While they have apparently received varying results, there have been no reputable, consistent indications that the cups contain lead in the inner portion that holds liquid. And there have been no known reports of the cups causing any health issues for consumers.

Still some customers were not put to ease. Heres what we know about the lawsuits.

Customers say the should have been warned

The separate suits were brought forth by two women, one from California and one from Nevada, who purchased one or more Stanley tumblers from a big box retail store.

The women allege that the companys failure to warn purchasers of the potential presence of lead violated their right to make an informed decision about whether to purchase a cup in the first place.

Stanley calls claims 'meritless'

According to a statement obtained by USA TODAY Tuesday, Stanley will "vigorously defend itself against meritless claims."

As we have shared, there is no lead present on the surface of any Stanley product that comes into contact with the consumer nor the contents of the product," the statement said.

What do the lawsuits against Stanley allege?

The Nevada litigant accuses the company of engaging in a campaign of deceiving customers, according to the lawsuit.

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Stanley knew or reasonably should have known about this lead issue for years but chose to conceal it from the public presumably to avoid losing sales, the lawsuit states.

The California plaintiff says that Stanley has continued to conceal the known risks and failed to warn of known or scientifically knowable dangers and risks associated with ingesting lead, which is known to be dangerous even in trace amounts, the lawsuit alleges.

The average consumer, they argue, would have no reason to suspect that the cup had lead in it, alleging that the only way to confirm the presence of lead was through the individual purchase of scientific tests or reviewing third party scientific testing.

According to the lawsuit, the company also failed to consider that the vacuum seal could break and expose the user to lead, continuing to promote the products use during strenuous activities that could increase the risk of the cup being dropped and/or damaged."

Stanley offers a lifetime warranty to customers in the rare occurrence the base cap of a product comes off due to ordinary use and exposes this seal, assuring that their products meet all regulatory requirements."

"Stanley tests for and validates compliance on all products through FDA accredited third-party labs that verify our products follow strict guidelines, including but not limited to BPA/BPS, PFOS, and phthalate regulatory requirements," the statement reads.

Both women assert that the Stanley tumblers they purchased are effectively worthless because they do not perform or possess the basic capabilities advertised, adding that they would have not purchased the tumblers if they had known about the lead.

What does the lawsuit against Stanleys parent company seek?

The women, who have filed the lawsuits on behalf of all Stanley customers, seek monetary compensation, a corrective advertising campaign, a product recall, and barring the company from selling the cups until lead levels are removed or fully disclosed, according to the lawsuits.

They also stated they would consider ordering and use Stanley products in the future if the company guaranteed they had fixed the latent defect at issue here.

Do Stanley cups have lead in them?

A drop containing lead is used on the bottom cap to seal the insulated cups, the company confirmed.

The bit of lead is enclosed in stainless steel, meaning the lead does not sit on the surface of the tumbler, nor does it come in contact with your drink inside, USA TODAY previously reported.

If you turn your insulated Stanley over, you will see a small circular cap on the bottom exterior of the cup. It is beneath this external seal that some lead can be found.

Multiple videos testing the cups for lead do swab this bottom portion after removing the cap cover, as opposed to the inside of the cup.

Contributing: Mary Walrath-Holdridge

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Stanley cup lawsuits: Customers sue over lead in tumblers
Utilities and other companies in the electric power sector are using data to solve the dilemma of decarbonizing the power grid while also diversifying their generation resources.

Utilities and power generators know that collecting data is critical to their operations. The process has grown in importance as the power grid diversifies, with more renewable energy being added to existing thermal generation. Software and other tools are providing the electric power industry with more data from a variety of sources, supporting the ability of energy producers to make better decisions when it comes to their assets. Capturing real-time performance data promotes reliability and resiliency of the power supply, and helps optimize operations to better serve customers. As the power sector decarbonizes, the mix of generation types will change in obvious and non-obvious ways, said Allan Schurr, chief commercial officer of Houston, Texas-based Enchanted Rock, an energy company that serves several industries and is known for its innovative microgrid designs (Figure 1). The obvious changes are increased wind and solar energy, along with storage to time shift these variable resources to meet load. The non-obvious changes are the shift in conventional resources operation from baseload to low-capacity factor, dispatchable capacity to balance supply and demand in infrequent tail eventssuch as heat waves and polar vorticeswhen extreme load and limited renewables are available. [caption id="attachment_215298" align="aligncenter" width="740"]

1. Enchanted Rock recently commissioned the companys largest dual-purpose microgrid in the U.S. to date. This project, serving a water treatment plant, is the first of three community microgrids in California that will deliver a combined 146 MW of fast-response, dispatchable power back to the grid during peak demand and provide reliable power for vulnerable communities historically impacted by frequent outages. Courtesy: Enchanted Rock[/caption] Schurr told POWER, In these periods, the performance of conventional resources must be assured and data analytics will be needed to ensure performance when its needed. For example, in extreme heat, derating of transmission lines due to high temperatures and loading could create a need for more local dispatchable capacity. Likewise, extreme cold can be difficult to forecast given growing electric heating, so the forecast error needs to be expanded and appropriate contingency addressed. In both of these instances, data analytics increases asset performance and system operations through real-time sensing, modeling, and decision support. Schurr and other industry experts who spoke with POWER noted the importance of having real-time, accurate operational data that can provide the necessary insights to make informed decisions about power generation and delivery. They agreed that utilities must invest in data validation and verification technologies to ensure the quality of their data.

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Energy Efficiency

Julian McConnell, director of owners engineering at Bureau Veritas, a France-based testing, inspections, and certification company that works with the electric power sector, told POWER, Efficiency in the energy context is all about delivering energy with as little loss as possible in transit. Data helps operators monitor everything thats happening in real time, which means they can adjust operations to save energy or costs. Power plant operators taking a proactive monitoring approach will likely have a smoother operation overall with less downtime. By using data to fine-tune operations, power plants not only save on costs but also contribute to a greener environment by reducing unnecessary energy use. As the sources of power become far more distributed, digitalization is vital to effectively manage and balance decentralized generation infrastructure, said Philippe Beauchamp, director of utility solutions at Eaton. The predictive diagnostic and network modeling capabilities of power engineering and analysis tools are major enablers. These types of solutions help utilities make sense of their collected data to better plan for capacity additions, forecast production, optimize energy storage, support reliable operations, and closely manage the health of energy assets to support more resilient power. Renewable energy (Figure 2) also benefits from data integration. The interconnection backlog for projects such as solar and wind farms can be reduced by better scenario planning, and through grid simulations that provide more visibility into the impact of renewables on the transmission and distribution system. Having that data available should support faster deployment, and overall growth, of renewable energy projects. [caption id="attachment_215295" align="aligncenter" width="740"]

2. Adding more renewable energy to the power generation mix, including solar, wind, and hydro, requires data-driven solutions to help integrate this generation to the power grid. Source: Shutterstock[/caption] At Eaton, we see a vast opportunity for utilities to harness data to accelerate DER [distributed energy resource] integration and pave the way toward a low-carbon future, said Beauchamp. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, there was over 1,400 gigawatts of total generation and storage capacity in U.S. interconnection queues at the end of 2022, and projects spend approximately 3.7 years waiting in line. Regulatory bodies like the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and regional operations are looking to speed up interconnection requests. Beauchamp continued, An accurate and holistic digital model of the grid is essential to manage change and efficiently plan for the future, because these models create a foundation for utilities to simulate various scenarios and automate complex engineering processes. For example, every interconnection request requires a system impact study to establish the upgrades needed [and estimated costs] to support a safe, reliable electric grid. Traditionally, this type of analysis can take even highly trained and experienced engineers weeks or months to accomplish. Today, the combination of accurate system modeling and integration capacity analysis software tools are helping improve efficiency and reduce human error by allowing engineers to run simulations and automate system impact analysis in a matter of minutes.

Software Platforms

Several companies, such as Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based Pearl Street Technologies, and Denver, Colorado-based Nira Energy, are developing software platforms designed to help solve those interconnection challenges. Pearl Street has worked with groups such as Southern Co. and the Southwest Power Pool to facilitate processes and studies around interconnection. Nira enables developers to have insight into the methodologies used by utilities and power grid operators when those groups determine grid interconnection points. Meanwhile, California-based PXiSE Energy Solutions, working with energy companies worldwide, provides grid control technology for DER and renewable energy integration. GE Vernovas Digital business in August of last year said it had acquired Greenbird Integration Technology AS, a data integration platform company focused on utilities. GE Vernova said the acquisition highlights the companys commitment to investing in technologies and talent that help accelerate the sustainable energy grid. GE Vernova said it would use Greenbirds technology and data integration experts to expand the capabilities of GEs GridOS software portfolio for grid orchestration, making it faster and easier to connect and integrate energy data across IT [information technology] and OT [operational technology] systems. At the time, Scott Reese, CEO of GE Vernovas Digital division, said, Utilities have an urgent need to connect data from multiple sources to gain visibility and effectively automate their grid operations. Fragmented data is a major obstacle to modernizing the grid and is holding the energy transition back. The Greenbird acquisition brings the proven ability to connect multiple data sources and accelerates our vision for GridOS that is making energy security a reality for many of the worlds leading utilities. Data and AI [artificial intelligence] are key to helping utilities run a reliable and resilient grid, and this acquisition is a massive accelerant to making that vision a reality for utilities of all sizes. GE Vernova said the GridOS orchestration software platform and application suite supports grid security and reliability, and provides resiliency and flexibility. The group said, The software portfolio uses a federated data fabric to pull together energy data, network modeling, and AI-driven analytics from across the grid. The company noted that the platform connects modern software like Advanced Energy Management System (AEMS), Advanced Distribution Management Solutions (ADMS), and Distributed Energy Resource Management System (DERMS), creating new opportunities for grid automation. In a practical example, GE Vernova said the need for more connected and integrated data will come from the electric vehicle (EV) segment (Figure 3). As more EVs hit the road, the vehicles will both draw from and possibly contribute to the grid as rolling batteries that can be tapped when demand is high and supply is low. Integration of data from multiple sources like charging stations as well as operations, forecasting, billing, and other systems can support the success of future use cases such as vehicle-to-grid (V2G) while keeping the grid safe. [caption id="attachment_215296" align="aligncenter" width="740"]

3. As more electric vehicles hit the road, the need for more connected and integrated data to account for the added power demand, and to see where that demand is located, will grow in importance. Courtesy: Greenlots[/caption]

Optimizing the Power Grid

Energy analysts agree that the U.S. power grid needs upgrades. Finding cost-effective solutions to improve infrastructure is a continuing challenge. Otto Lynch, vice president and head of Power Line Systems at Bentley Systems, said data can be utilized to support decarbonization of power generation, and perhaps reduce the need to retire some thermal facilities that could still support the electricity supply. A digital twin of the electric grid could certainly lead to the complete decarbonization of electric power generation. However, this is not wise, Lynch said. As Texas, Germany, and several others have discovered, converting to completely [or mostly] renewable electric generation is a recipe for potential disaster; the wind doesnt always blow, the sun doesnt always shine, ice storms can freeze up windmills and cover solar panels. Like any wise investor, diversification is key. Lynch said thermal power plants should not be retired, but rather kept available for when demand for power exceeds supply. Do not decommission a coal or a natural gas power generation facility, Lynch said. Keep it in reserve for when it is needed. While you cant simply flip a switch and turn on a coal plant, proper planning could forecast when it may be needed and it could be ready in such events. Of course, having a digital twin of the grid and with real-time understanding of what the demand is along with what generation is available will lead to an effective balance of generation sources, which would lead to an overall reduction in carbon-based electric power generation. Lynch told POWER utilizing data can help power generators and grid operators overcome some of the limitations of infrastructure put in place decades ago. That includes, as noted earlier, the use of a digital twin of the grid to direct power plant operators to efficiently generate electricity as customer demand fluctuates. Lynch noted that the U.S. electric grid is a patchwork of transmission and distribution lines built in many different entities over the past century. All of it was built to different standards, said Lynch. Much of our grid was built more than 50 years ago, and at that time, they did not plan on moving as much power as we are today. Lynch said, Transmission lines are usually thermally limited. That is, they are designed for a simultaneous combination of ambient temperature, wind, sun angle [solar radiation], and electrical loading [amps]. The combinations of these factors determine the operating temperatures of the conductors. A high ambient temperature with a high electrical loading and a high solar radiation with very little wind will result in a very high operating temperature of the conductors. Lynch continued: The higher the operating temperatures of the conductors, the more the conductors will sag [putting them closer to the ground, vegetation, and other obstacles]. Lines that were designed in the 1970s and before were mostly only designed for a 120F operating temperature. It is normal today to run transmission lines at 212F, 250F, and in some cases, even hotter. Prior to the 1970s, the National Electrical Safety Code [NESC] prescribed certain clearances to be met at the 120F design temperature. In the 1970s, the NESC reduced these minimum clearances but they were specified to be met at the actual maximum operating temperature of the conductors. This allowed more power to be transmitted over the existing transmission lines. Lynch told POWER, Our grid [in the U.S. and worldwide] is currently operating at full capacities for the given constraints set forward by codes and laws. Rerouting this new source of renewable power back to where the demand [came] for the decommissioned power plants is not easy. Just like moving the fuse panel in your house from one end to the other, this requires a great amount of work. We are having to do what I have said many times over the past few decades, we have to basically rewire America,  he said. In many cases, it will require new transmission lines. Many are proposed, but of course, they cannot be permitted fast enough. We will need to rerate many existing transmission lines. A digital twin of the entire grid will allow these decisions to be made quickly, effectively, and efficiently.

Stability and Reliability

Managing power supply and demand is more challenging as more diverse generation resources are added to the grid (Figure 4). That challenge becomes greater as power producers and grid operators explore ways to improve the reliability and resiliency of generation assets, along with power lines and substations. [caption id="attachment_215297" align="aligncenter" width="740"]

4. Energy analysts agree the power grid needs upgrades to add more reliability and resiliency to the power supply. Data is helping the electric power sector generate more complete and accurate models to support better long-term planning to balance electricity supply and demand. Courtesy: Greenlots[/caption] Data is essential for maintaining a carefully calculated balance between supply and demand to ensure a stable and reliable grid supply. Its the enabler for better management of the grid, especially when adapting to variable energy sources, said McConnell. Data fuels the analysis required to determine how much generation is predicted to be needed to meet a forecasted load. Regardless of location, data-driven insight is critical for preventing power outages and enhancing the overall efficiency and quality of the transmission and distribution aspects of the grid. Beauchamp told POWER, Data is foundational to generate a complete, accurate grid model that enables effective long-term planning strategies for balancing energy demand and supply. These models can provide accurate insight into non-wires alternatives to reduce grid congestion, leverage DERs, manage peak demand to offset capital investments, and sustainably meet new energy demands. Beauchamp continued: These critical capabilities hinge on the ability to gather intelligence at the edge of utility networks for localized processing, automation, and controlbefore unifying collected data using software that can support the modeling of new devices, power sources, microgrids, power electronics, and storage. Data is key for predicting the availability of variable renewable energy sources such as solar and wind, which in turn allows for better planning of energy production, said McConnell. Data is critical when assessing weather patterns for example; renewable energy operators want to understand if theres going to be a significant amount of wind or what cloud coverage looks like in regard to forecasted solar production. Data also helps guide the optimal use of batteries and other energy storage systems to ensure that renewable energy is used more effectively. McConnell noted the use of machine learning (ML) and AI also is expected to grow in the electric power sector. Machine learning and artificial intelligence systems can also be leveraged to increase the precision and effectiveness of forecasted renewable energy resource availability outlooks, and these complex systems require data to generate predictive output results, he said. McConnell told POWER, A decentralized approach allows distribution network participants to both use energy and produce it themselves to feed it back into the grid, or to, in some cases, even operate their own small microgrids. This approach contributes to an overall more flexible bulk electric system and also helps reduce reliance on large, centralized power plants. For example, when considering power plant outage scenarios, it can be advantageous to have distributed energy resources that can quickly and efficiently ramp up if a large power plant goes offline, supporting the load that would normally be served by the large power plant.

Regulatory Environment

McConnell said datas value also is enhanced as energy systems come under more federal, state, and local regulation. Data is essential for regulatory compliance purposes, he said. Examples of this could be records an owner or operator is required to keep in order to prove they meet the NERC-CIP [North American Electric Reliability Corp.-Critical Infrastructure Protection] standards that are applicable to their facility type and impact level, or ongoing data recording required to meet specific jurisdictional ISO [International Organization for Standardization] requirements. Compliance data requirements vary depending on a variety of different factors and its important for power generation asset owners and operators to remain up to date with the latest requirements, making sure they are keeping the appropriate data to support regulatory compliance efforts in their organization. Beauchamp, whose company supports the power generation industry worldwide, said maintenance of the power grid will rely even more on data collection due to the impacts of extreme weather. In North America, because of the wide diversity of its geography with large, less densely populated territories, most of the distribution grid is overhead and exposed to extreme weather events, said Beauchamp. As these extreme weather events become more frequent, it is especially important to fortify the electric grid. In fact, the White House recently announced the largest-ever investment in Americas electric grid to help U.S. utilities accelerate these types of weather-hardening projects. Beauchamp said that advanced self-healing smart grid technologies utilize real-time data to help utilities reduce the duration and impact of sustained power outages. These types of data-driven enhancements provide utilities the world over with the valuable insights, reviewable event data, and the automation needed to enable more efficient operations, prevent costly failures, and reduce downtime. For example, feeder automation software precisely monitors fault location data to perform isolation and service restoration, said Beauchamp. This technology helps utilities automatically reconfigure or heal the grid by detecting, isolating, and rerouting powerturning sustained outages into momentary ones. Mathias Burghardt, member of the executive committee and head of Infrastructure for Ardian, a France-based global investment group that works in the energy industry, in a recent report said, Harnessing the data potential of our energy systems is imperative if we are to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement and progress towards Net Zero. Currently, only a minority of our electricity is supplied by renewables, but demand in the European Union is set to increase by 50% by 2050. Geopolitical crises such as the war in Ukraine have heightened the urgency of the energy transition, pushing investors and governments to seek solutions to provide citizens and businesses with clean, affordable, and secure energy. Burghardt explained, Only by adopting a digital strategy and harnessing the potential of data can energy systems overcome the challenges between production, transmission, distribution, and consumption, and said digitization should be at the heart of any discussions about investments in clean energy. To enable such investments, regulatory changes will also need to be encouraged to promote innovation, Burghardt said. Schurr agreed, and said data collection is key for power generators as they navigate the energy transition. The growing challenge for electric utilities is to manage three objectives concurrently: reliable power, affordable prices, and decarbonized energy supply, he said. Decentralized power generation must be better integrated into distribution planning and operations so that the advantages of dispatchable local supply, including bringing more renewables online and providing power closer to the point of use, can be exploited by utilities for the benefit of all customers. To achieve this integration, real-time communications are needed, but data about these distributed assets current state and potential operation can feed supply and delivery planning models and reduce the cost to meet reliability standards. Darrell Proctor is a senior associate editor for POWER (@POWERmagazine).
AN INQUIRY has begun after a second teenage girl died in the emergency department at University Hospital Limerick (UHL).

Hospital bosses initiated "a preliminary assessment" following the tragedy, in which the 16-year-old died hours after she was taken to the hospital.

It's understood she was suffering from breathing difficulties on Monday, January 29 last. She had been admitted with a severe chest infection earlier in the same month, and had spent two weeks in UHL.

The death comes following the passing of another local 16-year-old Aoife Johnston from Shannon, in December 2022.

She passed away after waiting for 12 hours on a trolley in the emergency department.

In this latest case, the Irish Independent reports this Tuesday morning, that the teenager, from County Limerick, had been put in the resuscitation area but was deemed well enough to be transferred to a trolley in a corridor.

But her condition deteriorated and it's understood she was moved back to the resuscitation area.

Tributes poured in from across Limerick and further afield following her "sudden passing". Teachers and school pupils spoke of how she would "light up any room".

"The world won't be as bright a place without her," said one local.

The girl has been described as a beautiful, kind and loving child who brought joy, love and laughter to the lives of her family and friends.

Her mother was totally devoted to her. They adored one another and her mothers loss is unimaginable, a family friend said.

In a statement released this Tuesday, UHL Hospital Group offered its sincere condolences to the family on their devastating loss.

We can confirm that a preliminary assessment has been carried out in line with the HSE Incident Management Framework and the findings from this assessment will be shared with the family pending the results of a post-mortem examination, the statement read.

It is understood that the results of the preliminary assessment will determine whether or not a full investigation takes place.

On the day of her death, January 29, UHL was the busiest in the country.

Some 113 patients were waiting for beds that day, according to data released by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Association (INMO).

Of these, almost half of those waiting for beds - 54 - were in the emergency department.

In the case of Aoife Johnston, a review into her death at UHL has led to an independent judge-led investigation.

She died from sepsis complications of bacterial meningitis after waiting 12 hours in a severely overcrowded emergency department.

UHL experienced the worst overcrowding in its history in early January 2023 - a move which saw up to 11,000 people march in protest through Limerick.

Two weeks ago, on February 7, the hospital broke a new record for overcrowding with 150 patients without a bed in the Dooradoyle-based facility, making it the worst day for hospital overcrowding in any Irish hospital since the union began counting trolleys in 2006.

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation assistant director of industrial relations for the Midwest and Western regions, Mary Fogarty, called the situation "unacceptable and dangerous".

Charlotte Keane of the Mid-West Hospital Campaign, which has pushed for the re-opening of EDs at Ennis, St John's and Nenagh said the group is "deeply saddened" by the loss of the teenager.

"We are appealing to Minister Stephen Donnelly to intervene and reopen the emergency departments in the Mid-West region to try and prevent this from happening again," Ms Keane added.
An English teenager who carried just over half a million euro worth of cannabis into Ireland from America has been jailed for three and half years.

Aaron Brock (19) who is from Manchester, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to having the drugs, 29.3 kg of cannabis worth an estimated 586,000, at Dublin Airport on July 9, 2023. He had just come off a flight from Los Angeles. He has no previous convictions.

Judge Martin Nolan said Brock had been under financial debt due to his own activities. Pressure was applied and he succumbed to that pressure, he said.

He took into account Brocks young age at the time. He said sometimes young people do very stupid things and this was a huge misjudgement. He said he didnt believe Brock would re-offend in the future.

Judge Nolan jailed Brock for three and half years after noting that as an English national, he would doubt that he would have too many visitors in prison.

Garda Tanya Shinkins told Pieter Le Vert BL, prosecuting, that Brock told gardai on arrest that he had run up a 10,000 debt due to gambling.

He said he was under threat to pay the money back and he was worried for his safety and that of his family. Brock claimed he had no other way out.

Gda Shinkins said she believed Brock was due to hand over the drugs to someone in Dublin before returning home to Manchester.

Giollaiosa O Lideadha SC, defending, said his client accepts that it was a substantial amount of drugs.

He asked the court to take into account his very young age at the time, the fact that he has no previous convictions, he co-operated with the garda investigation and pleaded guilty at an early stage.
Irish Government support for cross-border projects is welcome, but funding for Northern Ireland public services and infrastructure should come from the UK Government, DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has said.

The Irish Government has announced 800 million euro for funding projects benefiting Northern Ireland, including 50 million euro for the redevelopment of Casement Park GAA stadium in west Belfast and 600 million euro towards the proposed upgrade of the A5 road.

Stormonts Infrastructure Minister John ODowd said he would now be working with his officials with a clear intention of delivering the A5 project.

Sir Jeffrey said the A5 announcement was the restoration of a promise the Irish Government had first made in June 2007.

He said: Whilst the overall cost of this cross-border project has significantly increased over the years we welcome the decision taken by the Irish Government to restore their funding commitment.

The DUP leader added: Whilst we welcome support from the Irish Government for genuine cross-border projects that demonstrate mutual benefit to both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, it is not the job or the responsibility of the Republics Government to provide financial support for the provision of public services and general Northern Ireland infrastructure.

That is a matter for the UK Government and must be done so in accordance with our needs base as set out in evidence provided to the UK Government.

He added that the Irish Government support for the Casement Park does not deal with the substantive funding gap that exists as a result of the massive increase in costs over the period.

Sir Jeffrey said: It is right that the GAA receives its allocation from the Northern Ireland Executive as previously agreed and in line with the allocations to the three supporting bodies but we cannot see how significant additional UK taxpayer resources will be available at a time when other vital public services are in need of additional resource and capital allocations.

It will be for the UK Government to clarify its position in the coming period.

Mr ODowd said the Dublin support for the A5 scheme confirms that the willingness is there to help get this road built.

He said: Too many lives have been cut short or forever changed by serious injury as a result of road traffic collisions on the A5 and too many families are living with the devastating consequences.

I have met with grieving families and witnessed their heartache at first hand, which is why getting shovels on the ground is a priority for me.

Now that we have confirmation that funding is available from the Dublin government, I will work with my officials regarding the Planning Appeals Commission Advisory Report recommendations with a clear intention of delivering this long-awaited project.

The minister appealed for those who were behind legal challenges to the project to set them aside.

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said the Irish funding announcement would supercharge projects which had been talked about for years.

He said: The commitment to the A5 is substantial and is higher than previously reported, underscoring the urgent need to get this road built.

I also welcome the financial commitment to Casement Park, this will be a transformative project for West Belfast and for Ulster GAA, stimulating investment in a community that deserves it.

It is time to put narrow politics aside and get behind redeveloping this site.
Security personnel stands guard in front of an entrance gate of Kyushu Electric Power's Sendai nuclear power station in Satsumasendai, Japan

By Yuka Obayashi

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Kyushu Electric Power will wait until after the United States resumes issuing export licences for new liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects before deciding on whether to invest in the Lake Charles project, an executive said.

U.S. President Joe Biden froze approvals for LNG exports from new projects late last month to big markets in Europe and Asia in order to take a "hard look" at environmental and economic impacts of the booming business.

The United States became the largest LNG exporter last year, and its exports are expected to double by the end of the decade.

The Lousiana-based Lake Charles project of Energy Transfer was among those affected projects. Before Biden's freeze, Kyushu Electric had said it was considering investing in the project, among others, to secure LNG supplies.

Asked about whether Kyushu would hold off on the decision until the U.S. pause is lifted, Executive Officer Takashi Mitsuyoshi told Reuters it would likely do so.

"We were a bit surprised by the decision," he said. "I assume we won't be able to make a decision until then."

Kyushu remained in talks with Energy Transfer, he added, including on signing a long-term purchase agreement.

Japan is the world's second-biggest LNG importer after China. Given the difficulty to start new LNG projects amid the global push toward decarbonisation, Mitsuyoshi said the company was now seeking to secure LNG supplies by buying stakes into development projects, rather than just relying on imports through long-term contracts.

"While Europe and China are actively securing resources, Japan's presence in the resource business is declining," Mitsuyoshi said.

"Like global oil majors, Japanese trading companies are gradually moving away from the resource business, and with environmental issues making it difficult to initiate new LNG projects, I don't think we can achieve the same level of stable procurement as before if we solely remain in a buyer position."

Story continues

The company is in talks with state-owned Japan Bank For International Cooperation (JBIC) and Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC) for financial support for the possible U.S. deal, but no final decision on the investment or purchase agreement has been made, Mitsuyoshi added.

The Lake Charles project is only one of the options for the company to secure supplies as some of its contracts, including Donggi-Senoro in Indonesia and Sakhalin-2 in Russia, are expiring in 2027-2032.

Mitsuyoshi declined to comment on whether it plans to renew the Sakhalin-2 contract.

The utility has reduced its reliance on LNG, thanks to restarts of four nuclear power reactors and the utilisation of more renewable energy in Kyushu, Japan's southwestern main island.

After peaking at nearly 6 million metric tons in the aftermath of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, Kyushu Electric's annual LNG demand has fallen to under 2 million tons in the fiscal year ending March.

To better manage supply, the utility has started using two LNG storage tanks in Indonesia and has formed a new trading unit to quickly respond to market changes.

"We want to grow trading flow to reinforce hedging and other functions," Mitsuyoshi said.

(Reporting by Yuka Obayashi; Editing by Katya Golubkova and Miral Fahmy)
Contour Network connects global banks to global businesses. Xalts will launch an application ecosystem for embedded trade finance solutions on top of Contour's rails.

Singapore, Singapore--(Newsfile Corp. - February 20, 2024) - Accel and Citi Ventures-backed fintech Xalts, which is used by financial institutions and businesses to build and manage digital finance applications, has today announced its acquisition of Contour Network, owned by a consortium of global banks, to accelerate digitisation in trade and supply chain finance.

Contour started in 2017 as a pilot by eight global banks with a focus to digitize trade. Currently, over 22 banks and 100+ global businesses use Contour for digital trade finance solutions.

Xalts, which is used by institutions to build multi-party applications for digitisation and tokenization, plans to leverage Contour's industry standard workflows and integrations to facilitate communication and transactions between businesses and financial institutions in the network.





Xalts founders (L to R) Supreet Kaur and Ashutosh Goel

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8814/198516_81eb9c61847a48a8_002full.jpg

As global trade goes from strength to strength and traditional supply chains reorganize, Xalts is taking inspiration from Silicon Valley startups to accelerate digitisation in trade & supply chain finance. Ashutosh Goel, CEO of Xalts commented: "We want to create a Plaid for Trade. Our vision is to expand the scope of Contour's network which is trusted by banks and corporates, and build it into a rail that enables businesses to access digital solutions for trade and supply chain finance offered by banks, fintechs and technology partners. Combining our platform with Contour's Network will allow participants to develop and deploy customized solutions quickly."

The initial focus for Xalts will be on embedded solutions for trade and supply chain finance. These will enable banks, logistics companies and technology companies to offer integrated solutions to businesses, using a single platform.

Story continues

Many global and regional banks have been making a push for deeper integrations with their clients and global platforms. "Our platform also enables institutions to build new innovative applications and products by leveraging blockchain and tokenization. We partner with leading blockchains and integrate with multiple infrastructure providers to help our clients build tokenization applications," said Supreet Kaur, COO of Xalts. "Contour will also enable network members to work with us to launch applications in this space."

Xalts was founded in 2022 by Ashutosh Goel and Supreet Kaur, former senior executives at HSBC and Meta. Currently with a team of over 50 across offices in Singapore, Hong Kong, India, UAE and UK, Xalts counts large financial institutions, regulatory bodies and technology companies as its clients.

Abhinav Chaturvedi, Partner, Accel added: "Accel has backed innovative companies globally in this space. Xalts has demonstrated that they have the right vision and a team that can execute at a global scale very quickly."

"Citi has long been a leader in driving innovation in financial services. We invested in Contour in 2020 and led the seed round for Xalts in 2022. The combination of these two companies into one firm with an expanded vision and a great leadership team will accelerate innovation in global trade finance," said Everett Leonidas, Director, Citi Ventures.

About the company: Xalts was founded in 2022 by former HSBC and Meta executives, Ashutosh Goel and Supreet Kaur, and are backed by Accel and Citi Ventures. The company has offices in Singapore, Hong Kong, India, UAE and UK. To learn more about Xalts, visit https://xalts.io/.

Contact Info:

Name: Bilal Mahmood

Email: b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com

Organization: Xalts

Website: https://www.xalts.io/

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/198516
Near record wind speeds resulted in multiple international flights over the weekend exceeding 800 miles per hour  far faster than the 500 mph to 600 mph speeds at which commercial flights usually travel.

Powerful, 265 mile-per-hour winds propelled three planes on international routes, allowing them to reach speeds greater than 800 miles per hour and arrive at their destinations early.

The wind speed was the second-highest ever recorded, according to the National Weather Service.

"For those flying eastbound in this jet, there will be quite a tail wind," the National Weather Service's Baltimore-Washington office wrote on X on Saturday, referring to the jet stream.

The fast-moving flights included Virgin Atlantic Flight 22, which departed from Washington Dulles International Airport at 10:45 p.m. Saturday and landed in London 45 minutes early, according to flight tracking website FlightAware.

At 11:20 p.m. at a cruising altitude of 33,350 feet, the aircraft reached a top speed of 802 miles per hour, according to the site.

United Airlines Flight 64 from Newark to Lisbon was also aided by the jet stream, a narrow band of strong wind that flows at an aircraft's cruising altitude. The plane flew as fast as 838 miles per hour and landed in Lisbon 20 minutes early, also according to FlightAware.

The fastest moving flight of the day was American Airlines Flight 120 from Philadelphia to Doha, Qatar, which reached a max speed of 840 miles per hour. It arrived 27 minutes early, FlightAware data shows.

By comparison, the British Airways Concorde flew at a cruising speed of 1350 miles per hour, more than twice the speed of sound, making it from New York to London in under three hours in February 1996. Concorde was taken out of service in 2003.
Sweet Lew's Cafe in Freehold is among the businesses that say they have been hurt by the borough's paid parking program.

FREEHOLD - Visitors to the borough during the next five weeks won't have to pay to park during the day in three municipal lots, officials said Monday, ceding to downtown merchants who said the new paid parking program was cutting into business.

At least one business owner, Keith Lewis at Sweet Lew's Cafe on Main Street, said customer traffic has increased noticeably since the so-called paid parking holiday went into effect last week.

"When we started (the holiday) last week on Tuesday, we already started seeing an uptick," Lewis said Monday afternoon. "Yesterday was good, today was bangin'."

The details:

Motorists can park for free all day Sunday, Monday and Tuesday and until 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday in the McGackin Triangle, Borough Hall and Market Yard parking lots.

They will need to pay $2 an hour from 4 p.m. until 11 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday in those three lots.

Paid street parking remains in effect every day from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Growth in Freehold: Plan calls for sprawling farm in west Freehold to be 160 new homes

Freehold Borough has installed parking meters downtown to free up space in an increasingly crowded area.

It marks a shift for the borough, which has attracted new restaurants and visitors in recent years, creating growing pains that were familiar to trendy towns like Red Bank and Asbury Park.

Hoping to free up parking spaces and generate revenue for maintenance, officials last September began charging motorists $1 an hour from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and $2 an hour from 5 p.m. to 3 a.m. each day to park in the three lots. It meant 40% of the town's 1,400 spaces were paid.

A newly installed parking meter on South Street in Freehold Borough. The town has installed parking meters in the downtown to free up space in an increasingly crowded area.

Thinking twice about Freehold

Store owners, however, said business this winter slowed down, and they think paid parking was a chief reason.

In addition to the extra expense, they said, visitors complained that the technology, operated by Flowbird, was cumbersome. While they no longer needed to scrounge up dimes and quarters to put into a meter, they now needed to either download an app onto their phone or walk to a kiosk, enter their license plate number and insert coins or cards.

Story continues

Freehold history: Freehold music store ending its 73-year-long song, shutting doors for good

Paul Sagnay, 33, of Jackson, hopped out of his white SUV on Monday, took a picture of his license plate and started to walk toward the kiosk until he was informed he wouldn't have to pay.

Sagnay used to live in Freehold and said the paid parking program makes him think twice about visiting.

"Sometimes I think about it, honestly," he said. "It's a bunch of places. It kind of makes me double-think about coming. It actually does. Should I find somewhere closer to my location?"

Freehold: Last coffee for Nestle as plant shuts. Here's what could happen next.

Not afraid to make changes

Mayor Kevin Kane said the borough was trying to find a balance. Freehold ushered in paid parking in part because downtown restaurant owners had worried that parking was becoming so scarce, particularly on weekend nights, that customers were canceling reservations.

Five months later, officials met with restaurant owners who said the policy had gone too far and was keeping daytime visitors away. Officials decided to scale back the paid parking hours until April 1 and see if it would jump-start business.

He couldn't stand sitting in a cubicle. Now Freehold business owner stands on your roof

Freehold Borough Mayor Kevin Kane at special council meeting on July 27, 2021

"The initial thought was that (the change) is working," Kane said. "We're going to continue to assess. We said we weren't going to be afraid to make changes as we implement it."

Lewis, who has owned Sweet Lew's for 33 years, said business was down 30% from the same time last year, forcing him to cut back on employees' hours.

He considered other factors that might have been behind the tailspin. But paid parking emerged as his top guess.

"We were having a fine year until September '23, and then it literally dropped off the edge of the table," he said.

Michael L. Diamond is a business reporter who has been writing about the New Jersey economy and health care industry for more than 20 years. He can be reached at mdiamond@gannettnj.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Freehold brings back free parking, but only on certain times and days
Historic spikes in crime and high-profile prosecutions against law enforcement have sparked longstanding criticism against Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker. However, a recent deadly mass shooting after the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl parade & rally has ignited a political firestorm against her office.

Recently, police union leaders have openly questioned her record on gunfire at Crown Center.

And lately we notice that otherwise progressive locals are starting to question "systemic" issues that contribute to local violence and crime . . . Critics are calling out the prosecutor in that regard.

Accordingly . . .

LIKE IT OR NOT, LOCAL CRITICISM OF THE PROSECUTOR IS STARTING TO TAKE HOLD AS SHE IS ATTEMPTS TO DEFEND HERSELF IN THE MEDIA!!!



Strangely . . . Only one local news outlet has prominently featured her defense so far.

We might push this post down later given a presser happening in a few moments but for now . . . Here's the crux of her argument and more info . . .



"My office is demonstrating through this data that we are handling more homicide cases than we've ever handled," Jackson County Prosecuting Attorney Jean Peters Baker said in a statement. "And we are handling them more effectively. Our outcomes on these cases are strong with results that rival or surpass the average for such charges in the state of Missouri."



During 2023, Bakers office disposed of 102 homicides with 93 convictions, including 77 via guilty plea a conviction rate of nearly 91.2%.



Another 19 cases went to trial, with Jackson County prosecutors securing a conviction in 16 of those 19 cases, while two were referred to a special prosecutor, two were dismissed for lack of evidence, one resulted in an insanity plea and the defendant died in another case.



The average sentence in those cases, whether resolved by plea or trial, was 27.6 years a 19% increase from 2019 when the average sentence was 23.2 years and roughly 2.1 years longer than the average sentence for a homicide conviction among all Missouri Department of Corrections inmates at the end of the last fiscal year on June 30, 2022.



Despite a perception that Jackson County is lenient on violent offenders, the data suggests the county prosecutors office is highly effective at prosecuting such cases and the commensurate sentences are 8% longer than the state average.



Baker was quoted in the report describing a recent conversation with a law-enforcement official who believed Jackson County homicide convictions typically resulted in a 10-year sentence from her office: "I was floored that his perceptions were so off. But his perceptions are part of a general refrain that is not in line with the data. Those views may be formed because prosecutors generally work without media and without law enforcement alongside of us."

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .
Our main question . . .

WHY WOULD AN ELECTED OFFICIAL WASTE TIME DEFENDING SUSPECTS WHO ALLEGEDLY COMMITTED ONE OF THE WORST DEADLY PARADE SHOOTINGS IN LOCAL HISTORY?!?



Your guess is as good as mine but . . .

WHILST THE FAMILY OF THE VICTIM PLAN A FUNERAL & SO MANY OTHERS RECOVER, MAYOR Q OFFERS HIS DEFENSE OF JUVENILE SHOOTER SUSPECTS!!!

Discretion is often the better part of valor and there MIGHT be some worthwhile discussion of the racial assumptions in this case . . . For instance . . .

The vast majority of Black kids in Kansas City are GOOD KIDS. Full stop. That's what's missing from this conversation and that's what Mayor Q might have reminded people watching partisan mass shooting drama unfold.



So many people who think crime stats are the most important representation of the real world mistakenly spend too many hours looking for perpetrators often fail to understand so many (most) people those numbers DON'T include.

Yes, there is a deadly local crime problem that's primarily impacting KC's Black Community . . . Locals are obliged to look at stats and inform themselves about their implications but then we NEED to take a step back and realize that the overwhelming majority of people we see in our day to day lives are not criminals, don't commit mass shootings and are living in circumstances remarkably similar to our own.

A message of unity would've been far more powerful in the aftermath of tragedy.

Instead . . . Here's Mayor Q being very polite as he lashes out at political opposition, continues his crusade against gun rights and quizzically defends the honor of suspected mass shooters:



"I have respect for the governor. We get along well," Lucas told Kraske. "I disagree strongly with how he would describe that situation. I certainly do think this was criminal activity. It was lawlessness, and I think that that's troubling. But thugs is a dog whistle in the most classic sense."



"I've seen this dog whistle time and again. There's this kind of giant conservative theory on social media now that the reason these mug shots haven't been shown is because the purported defendants are Black, and if it were a White defendant we would have just shown them. That is absolutely preposterous. There are protections to juveniles," he added.





Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .
Right now hottie Demi inspires us to take a peek in our backyard and around the world for community news, pop culture and top headlines.



Check TKC news gathering . . .

Kansas City Kind With Cash

More than $1.2M in donations pour in after shooting after Chiefs parade, rally In less than five days, more than $1.2 million in donations have been made to three different charities and funds established for victims, families and law enforcement following last week's shooting.

Show-Me Hold For Help

Records show rising call center wait times for Missouri Medicaid, food assistance * Missouri Independent Missourians in need of help accessing public benefits saw wait times for the state's long-overloaded call center increase in the final months of 2023. The average hold time for the state phone line dealing with food assistance interviews reached 1 hour and 12 minutes in December, more than double what they had been in August, [...]

Rock Chalk Photo Op

Kansas governor celebrates Black history, seeks support for voting rights, health care agenda - Kansas Reflector TOPEKA - Gov. Laura Kelly asked a crowd in the Capitol rotunda on Monday to work diligently with her to protect voting rights in Kansas against campaigns to diminish the influence of Black people in electoral politics. "Everyone in this room knows that there is no more sacred right," the Democratic governor said.

Burning Questions With Local Fire Honcho

Four Inane Questions with North Kansas City Fire Chief Dave Hargis Dave Hargis. // Courtesy photo Dave Hargis has been putting out fires in the field or behind the scenes for nearly four decades. "I started in the fire service in 1986 as a volunteer in the small town where I grew up and still live," he says.

More Deets On Crispy Tacos

KCK fire crews investigate Sunday fire at Spanish Gardens Taco House No one was hurt in the fire.

Vaxx Deets Spike More Questions

Largest-ever COVID vaccine study links shot to small increase in heart and brain conditions A new study published in the journal Vaccine found that the COVID vaccine was linked to a slight increase in neurological, blood and heart-related medical conditions. Experts weighed in.

Diva Shares Fashions & More

Demi Rose In Gold Starfish Bikini Reveals Her 'Favorite Artist' Instagram sensation Demi Rose puts her voluptuous body on display while wearing a barely-there gold bikini top with starfish cups!

Prez & Lincoln Connection Closer Than We Thought

Joe Biden's paternal great-great grandfather got a pardon from Abraham Lincoln 160 years ago, records reveal America's 16th (and arguably greatest-ever) president also pardoned the current chief executive's paternal great-great-grandfather after he was sentenced to hard labor at a military prison, newly unearthed documents show.

Trucker Talk Pushed Back

'Chicago Ray' walks back trucker NYC boycott, but says 'leave Trump alone' On Monday morning, truck driver "Chicago Ray" walked back his call for truckers across the country to boycott NYC over the $350M fraud judgement against former President Trump.

Republicans All Over The Place

A guide to the 5 GOP factions roiling the House It can get dizzying to watch Speaker Mike Johnson navigate - or at least try to - the various camps in his GOP. Here's a handbook.

Russian Politics Persist After Death

Evening Report - Questions hang over Navalny death A quick recap of the day and what to look forward to tomorrow {beacon} Evening Report  Associated Press Questions hang over Navalny's death Russian opposition leader Alexei Navlany's sudden death in an Arctic prison last week leaves unanswered questions as leaders in the U.S. sound the alarm about the Russian government.

More Arguments Against Holy Land

At World Court, Palestinians seek end to Israeli occupation The United Nations' top court on Monday opens a week of hearings on the legal consequences of Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories, with more than 50 states due to address the judges.

Vlad Moves Forward

Live updates: Russia advances in Ukraine as Navalny's family demand answers The Russian flag has been raised in the eastern town of Avdiivka in Donetsk, hours after Ukrainian forces beat a hasty retreat from the ruins of a town they've been defending for a decade. Follow for live updates.

She Didn't Take Him Seriously Before & Now She Warns . . .

Hillary Clinton claims Trump will withdraw US from NATO if elected: 'He means what he says' Former President Trump will try to withdraw the U.S. from NATO if he wins the White House, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warned on Saturday.

What's The Dumbest

Crime To Commit In Lone Star State?!?

Texas man shot, killed after stealing BBQ pit from owner: authorities A Harris County, Texas man took matters into his own hands Sunday when he shot and killed a man trying to steal his BBQ pit from his home, law enforcement officials said.

Fashionista Forced To Squeeze Into Accommodations

IG Model Gracie Bon Says Airplanes Need Bigger Seats, Her Butt Doesn't Fit IG model Gracie Bon wants to make them bigger, but she's not talking about her butt cheeks, she's talking about airplane seats.

Midtown Expands By Way Of Trendy Mexican Food

KC's Tiki Taco Opens New Location & is Recognized As One Of 2024's Hottest Startups Tiki Taco recently opened a third location in downtown Overland Park and has been recognized as one of 2024's hottest startups.

Winter Seems To Conclude

Mid-week warmup will bring high temps into the 60s Above-normal temperatures are expected through the rest of February and definitely through the rest of this week

Lil Tjay - Good Life is the song of the day and this is the OPEN THREAD for right now.
For President's day we share a truism . . .

EVERYBODY LOVES IT WHEN REPUBLICANS START SLAP FIGHTING!!!

Both progressives and our Republican friends always enjoy this kind of display . . . Because, like it or not, the GOP does "angry" better than anybody else.



Here's a peek at recent dust-up:



Ashcroft and Eigel both alluded to Kehoes support for boosting either sales taxes or gas taxes to fund the states transportation infrastructure. Eigel said to have somebody stand up on this stage today, who has backed the largest tax increases in Missouri history, tried to present themselves as a tax cutter  that's why people hate politicians, folks.



Ashcroft also said proceeds from the gas tax were unaccountable to the public since they are under the control of appointed Highways and Transportation Commission members  as opposed to the legislature. He also chastised the growth in the state budgets over the past few years, driven largely by an influx of federal money coming to the state.



And when people talk about wanting to have low taxes, you can't have low taxes and double and triple the size of your government, Ashcroft said. It doesn't work when people say they want lower taxes, but they grow your government. Well, they're just saying something that just ain't true.



Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .
Recently, we talked about the guy working to clear his name . . . Like it or not, there's a political facet to this story that "activists" have seized upon.

Here at TKC we merely link this news item in order to note that the guy pictured WAS NOT involved in any gunfire . . . Check better reporting:



"State Senator Hoskins later deleted the post and did not response to questions from the bureau about it.



"Two teens have been arrested and charged in the shooting, but Kansas City Police havent released any personal information about them.



"Scott Charton, a political activist, posted a collection of screenshots in which the X accounts of state Sens. Hoskins, Nick Schroer and Rick Brattin, as well as the X account for their group, the Missouri Freedom Caucus, made similar false claims that the KC shooting was tied to illegal immigration.



"The photos in posts that were shared by Missouri Freedom Caucus members showed the arrest of Denton Loudermill, a native of Olathe, Kansas, who had been detained by police for public intoxication and for failing to leave the crime scene.



" 'At least one of those arrested is an illegal immigrant, the account for the Missouri Freedom Caucus posted. 'Close our borders!' "



"The caucus account later deleted that post."

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . .

Missouri GOP officials delete posts falsely tying KC shooting to illegal immigration Following the mass shooting in Kansas City that left one dead and 22 other injured, unfounded reports began circulating on social media and were boosted by prominent elected officials that the shooting was perpetrated by an undocumented immigrant.

Kansas City Chiefs fan seen in cuffs was not shooter: 'I was just enjoying myself like everybody else' A Kansas City Chiefs fan who was detained after the deadly shooting at the team's victory parade has spoken out to clear his name - saying: "I was just enjoying myself like everybody else."

Developing . . .
Q In my early 20s I met a great girl on a ski trip. She was the friend of a friends girlfriend. We were a group of 10 people who rented a ski chalet together. We were all connected but we didnt know everyone.

She and I hit it off almost immediately. She was always smiling, friendly and very personable on the first night, and a fabulous skier. We were up and out early on the first morning, and it was clear she and I were of equal caliber, so we naturally paired up.

We had an incredible five days together, culminating in passionate kissing on the last night. Living in separate cities, we werent blindly gunning for a long-distance romance. But we continued the conversation.

It fizzled quickly; it was too hard to sustain on too little time together. We lost touch and went on with our lives. We both married and had children.

Its 20 years later and we somehow connected through social media. Were both still partnered up, but our conversations are flirty and heavy with what feels like an evergreen romance.

Am I supposed to do something with this?

Black diamond romance

A No. You barely knew her two decades ago; youre both married to other people and both living your own lives.

Theres no reason why you cant be social media friends, but rein in the flirtation and romance. Ask yourself this: would your wife be hurt if she happened on your chat messages? You dont know the state of this womans relationship; she may be unhappy and looking for an out. Dont get involved. Focus on your own relationship.

Q My sister-in-law has opted to take her kids and move out to the country. Her husband is onboard with the idea. He works for a large company, mainly remotely, but travels one week out of every month. The move would add four hours on to that journey and potentially an overnight depending on departure and arrival times.

For the time being, she is a stay-home mom with three young children. She has found a school and programs for two of them, which would allow her more freedom to focus on the one with special needs.

My concern is that they have found a house that is remote, and she doesnt like to drive at night. Shes also uncomfortable when her husband is away, feels insecure and uneasy. In the city, we would have them over almost weekly, but when he is away, theyre over all the time.

Im worried that the weeks when he is away, she will be all alone and scared. We can make it a point to have them down for a visit, or go out there to visit with her, but it wont always work. Im worried about her.

Worried family

A You are so thoughtful and accommodating. There must be a very good reason for your sister-in-law to want to move away from the city  and all her friends and family. I am sure she weighed all the pros and cons before entertaining this big move.

Since it sounds as though you have a close relationship, offer to take her out, just the two of you, and have a good talk about her whys. Tell her that you support her and her children, and you will continue to do so as best possible, even from a distance.

Remind your brother-in-law that you would love to know his schedule in advance so you can be as available as possible. I am sure he will appreciate you watching over his family during the weeks he is out of town.

FEEDBACK Regarding the mean girls (Dec. 6):

Reader: I can tell you why girls are so mean after puberty  theyre pushing their female social expectations while undergoing the hormone screw-up of puberty. Its risk-taking. Besides, girls who are mean get more attention for being mean.

I wonder how their parents would react if they saw videos of their girls behaving this way? As a high school teacher, anytime I caught anyone being overtly mean, individual or group, I would talk to them privately first; then Id warn them that I was talking to their parents; and that if the behaviour continued, Id get evidence, show it to their parents, and gently call them out in front of their classmates.

It usually worked.

Lisi: Tween and teenage girls value friendship and group social interaction above all else. They are so afraid of rejection and isolation, that they are mean to others who they deem a threat.
When you visit Tbilisi, a stop at Art-Cafe HOME is a must. This cafe in the heart of Georgia's capital offers a special experience, far from just a place for coffee. Art-Cafe HOME combines art, culture, and delicious food and drinks in a way that truly reflects the spirit of Tbilisi.

The cafe is decorated with art that tells the stories of Tbilisi's history and artistic heritage. The atmosphere is welcoming, making you feel right at home. It's a popular spot for both art lovers and those who appreciate a good coffee, fostering a lively and friendly vibe.

In this blog post, we will explore Art-Cafe HOME and show you why it's a place you should visit in Tbilisi.

A Taste of Georgian Cuisine

Art-Cafe HOME serves a variety of Georgian foods, known for their authenticity and flavor. The menu offers a wide range of choices, pleasing different palates. Whether craving a sweet or savory item, the cafe provides an array of options. Fresh, local ingredients are used to prepare each dish, a testament to the cafe's commitment to quality.

This dedication to excellence makes Art-Cafe HOME a top destination for food enthusiasts in Tbilisi.

A Social Gathering Place

Art-Cafe HOME is a social center where people from various backgrounds gather. The cafe is frequented by artists, students, tourists, and local families, creating a dynamic environment. It regularly hosts events, reinforcing its role as a communal space in Tbilisi. For those seeking social interaction or simply enjoying a lively setting, Art-Cafe HOME is the ideal location.

Experiencing Georgian Hospitality

The staff at Art-Cafe HOME are known for their friendly service and passion for sharing Georgian culture. They readily recommend dishes and share stories about the art and the city. This personal touch enhances the visit, making guests feel genuinely welcomed.

This level of hospitality is representative of the wider culture in Tbilisi, known for its warmth and friendliness.

Related Article: Here's Why Klementinum Library in Prague is One of the Most Beautiful Libraries on Earth

Why Art-Cafe HOME is Special

Art-Cafe HOME's central location in Tbilisi makes it an accessible spot for city explorers. The combination of art, excellent cuisine, and a welcoming atmosphere offers visitors a distinctive experience. The cafe is a window into the culture of Tbilisi, offering more than just a meal. It's a destination where guests can spend time enjoying the local flavors and artistic environment.

The cafe reflects the city's appreciation for art and good food, capturing the essence of Tbilisi.

Planning Your Visit

To fully enjoy Art-Cafe HOME, planning your visit is recommended. Allow ample time to savor the food and explore the art. Engage with the staff to learn about the artworks and their connection to the city. Visiting Art-Cafe HOME means experiencing Tbilisi's culture. Each visit can offer a new perspective, influenced by the art, the people, and the conversations you engage in.

Combining art, delicious food, and a friendly atmosphere, it offers a unique look into the heart of the city. For both tourists and locals, visiting Art-Cafe HOME is an opportunity to connect with Tbilisi's culture. It's a place to relax, enjoy good food, and immerse yourself in the city's artistic heritage. Include Art-Cafe HOME in your Tbilisi itinerary for an unforgettable experience that captures the city's true character.

Read Also: This is Why You Should Check this Famous 'Hobbit Hotel' in Mexico
In a disruption to air travel, Lufthansa, a major German airline, has cancelled about 900 flights. This decision affects over 200,000 passengers across Europe. The cancellations are due to a 35-hour strike by the airline's staff, starting from 8 pm tonight and ending at 7 a.m. on Wednesday.

Lufthansa Hit by Major Strike, Cancels 900 Flights

The strike, organized by the union Verdi, is primarily over pay disputes. The staff is demanding a 12.5 percent increase in wages, while Lufthansa has offered 10 percent. This disagreement has led to the strike, which is causing massive cancellations of Lufthansa flights.

According to The Sun, airports like Frankfurt, Munich, Hamburg, Berlin, Cologne, Dusseldorf, and Stuttgart are experiencing the brunt of these disruptions. Lufthansa has informed passengers that only 10 to 20 percent of its flights will operate, especially on Feb. 20.

Passengers affected by the cancellations are being contacted through email or the Lufthansa app. The airline is advising travelers not to go to the airport unless their flight is confirmed to be on schedule. Due to the strike, there will be no staff at the rebooking counters.

This is not the first time Lufthansa has faced flight cancellations due to strikes. Earlier this month, 25,000 ground staff went on strike at several airports, leading to the cancellation of 80-90% of flights.

The airline has made arrangements for affected passengers. Those whose flights have been cancelled can rebook their flights free of charge. Additionally, domestic travelers in Germany can use their flight tickets to travel on Deutsche Bahn trains instead.

Lufthansa's strike is causing significant travel disruptions, not just in Germany, but across Europe. The airline is working to manage the situation and minimize the inconvenience to its passengers.

Related Article: Lufthansa Ground Staff Set for Major Strike; Thousands of Flights at Risk

Lufthansa Flight Ends in Tragedy as Passenger Dies

A tragic incident occurred on a Lufthansa flight from Bangkok to Munich when a 63-year-old man died after coughing up a significant amount of blood. The flight, LH773, was forced to return to Bangkok just 90 minutes after takeoff.

The man, a German national, was already in poor health when he boarded the plane. Karin Missfelder, a nursing specialist, noticed his condition and alerted the crew. Despite this, the decision was made to proceed with the flight. The man's Filipina wife mentioned they had rushed to the plane, which may have contributed to his distress.

As per The Independent, during the flight, the man's condition worsened rapidly, with blood gushing from his mouth and nose. Flight attendants and a Polish doctor on board attempted to help, but their efforts were in vain. The passenger was pronounced dead on the flight, leading to the decision to return to Bangkok.

Passengers experienced a chaotic situation upon returning to the airport, with little support or information provided. The deceased's wife had to go through customs alone, adding to the distress of the situation.

Lufthansa confirmed the incident, stating that despite the immediate response and efforts of the crew and a doctor, the passenger could not be saved. The airline expressed condolences to the family and regret for the inconvenience caused to other passengers.

The decision to depart despite the man's evident health issues, and the lack of support for passengers afterward, has raised concerns about Lufthansa's handling of the situation.

Read Also: Hero Passenger Helps Land Lufthansa Flight at Dublin Airport After Co-Pilot Falls Ill
Barclays is to return at least 10 billion to shareholders over the next three years as part of plans unveiled by boss C.S. Venkatakrishnan today.

The dividend and buyback pledge came as the banking giant revealed that its profits fell 6% to 6.6 billion last year.

Hotels group IHG has also reported results today, while the focus for US investors will be on the earnings of retailers The Home Depot and Walmart.

FTSE 100 Live Tuesday

Barclays steps up investor returns

China cuts key lending rate

Bailey says summer rate cut bets 'not unreasonable'

Market snapshot: Pound higher

15:41 , Daniel O'Boyle

Take a look at todays market snapshot with the pound up to $1.266

The Body Shop names central London stores set to shut

15:05 , Daniel O'Boyle

A restructuring plan for the The Body Shop UK has been outlined, with seven stores set to close today and more to follow, with some of the central London branches among the first to go.

The Body Shop appointed administrators for the UK business last week and measures to "secure the future" of the chain in Britain has been announced.

Read more here

Investors cheer Barclays overhaul but concerns raised over further job losses

14:19 , Daniel O'Boyle

Barclays has delivered a boost to its shareholders, but raised concerns over further job losses after setting out plans to overhaul the bank.

It is aiming to save about 1 billion from making the bank more efficient this year, and targeting about 2 billion worth of savings in total by 2026.

The fresh cost-cutting drive will see Barclays simplify its structure by reorganising divisions and putting less emphasis on its weighty investment bank.

Read more here

Huge immersive game based on TV's The Cube set to open in Canary Wharf

13:54 , Daniel O'Boyle

An immersive competitive socialising venue based on the TV game show The Cube is to open at Canary Wharf later this year.

Groups of four will have to grapple with challenges in 21 perspex cubes spread over four floors at the 23,000 sq ft space.

Story continues

It will be the second The Cube attraction in the UK following the opening of the original Manchester site in 2022, which has already hosted 150,000 players.

The ITV show hosted by Phillip Schofield ran for 11 series from 2009 and 2021 with prize money that peaked at 1 million.

Read more here

Probe launched into baby formula milk market amid concerns over high prices

12:58 , Daniel O'Boyle

A new probe into the supply of baby formula milk has been launched by Britains competition watchdog after it found that prices had soared by 25% in the past two years.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it has begun a market study into formula supply following findings last November of an initial review into the sector.

It said last autumn that the baby formula market was highly concentrated, with just two companies accounting for 85% of sales.

Read more here

Lloyds Bank creates new account aimed at budding Gen-Z investors

12:42 , Daniel O'Boyle

A new account aimed at Generation Z adults taking their first step into investing has been created by Lloyds Bank.

Invest Wise carries no admin fee for 18 to 25-year-olds and account holders can operate it alongside their everyday banking in the Lloyds Bank app.

From the age of 26, the admin fee is 40 per year.

Read more here

Superdry shares rise as founder holds talks with US investor

11:59 , Daniel O'Boyle

Shares in Superdry shot higher on Tuesday morning amid reports a US investor is in talks about a deal to buy the troubled fashion chain.

New York investment management firm Davidson Kempner is in discussions with Superdry co-founder and chief Julian Dunkerton over potentially backing a deal to take the brand private, according to Sky News.

It is understood that talks are at a preliminary stage and there is no guarantee of an agreement between the parties.

Read more here

GSKs Julie Brown to join drinks giant Diageos board

10:59 , Daniel O'Boyle

Guinness and Smirnoff vodka maker Diageo has appointed Julie Brown as a non-executive director with effect from August 5.

On appointment, Brown, who has been chief financial officer and executive director of drugs giant GSK since May last year and prior to that worked at fashion brand Burberry Group as finance chief, will succeed Alan Stewart as chair of the audit committee.

Stewart will retire from the board immediately prior to the drinks giants AGM in September.

Read more here

Bailey: Market bets on Summer rate cuts 'not unreasonable'

10:53 , Daniel O'Boyle

Andrew Bailey said current market expectations, for interest rate cuts to come in June or August, are not unreasonable.

Bailey said: We dont endorse the market curve. And the curve moves around. Sometimes it says the first cut is June, sometimes the first cut is August.

I think you can tell from that profile, that its not unreasonable for markets to think that.

Bailey pushes back on calls for timed guidance on rate cuts

10:52 , Daniel O'Boyle

Andrew Bailey pushed back on MPs calls to publish guidance on when the Bank expects to cut interest rates, resembling the US Federal Reserves dot plot graphs.

He said: The Federal Reserve publishes dot plots, but it changes the guidance and the dot plots. The European Central Bank has said its too soon to talk about rate cuts

Weve changed our policy to make clear the question is now for how long would we need to before we start rate cuts?

Bailey: Recession was a 'very weak' one

10:43 , Daniel O'Boyle

Andrew Bailey says the UKs end-of-year recession was a very weak one, and suggested that there was too much discussion of the slump given its relatively small size.

Bailey said: There was a lot of emphasis on recession, and not a lot of emphasis on the fact there is a strong story on the labour market and household income.

We have a very precise definition of a recession in this country: two successive quarters of negative GDP growth.

The two successive quarters I think cumulatively add up to minus 0.5%. If you look at recessions going back to the 1970s, this is the weakest one.

[object Object] (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

BoE's Greene: Service sector showing signs of inflation slowdown

10:35 , Daniel O'Boyle

Megan Greene, the newest member of the Monetary Policy Committee, said she changed her vote from hike to hold at the last Bank of England meeting because she saw less signs of inflation persistence in the service sector.

She said: I think we have learned something about persisitence. When youre looking at services inflation, different measures of services, theyre all trending down except one, which is the most energy=intensive sector.

I think weve learned enough for me to change my vote, but we know that theres still risks around wages.

Theres still expectations of wage growth around 5.4%, thats higher than were forecasting.

Bailey: Inflation does not need to be at 2% for Bank to start cutting rates

10:31 , Daniel O'Boyle

Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey says that inflation does not need to be at the 2% target before the Bank cuts interest rates.

The comments helped drive gilt yields lower, with the 10-year yield falling to 4%.

The Governor of the Bank of England is currently speaking before the Treasury Committee.

He added that the UK economy is showing distinct signs of uptourn this year, after finishing 2023 in recession.

(PA)

Mobico shares reverse amid results delay, miners impact FTSE 100

10:30 , Graeme Evans

Mobico shares are down sharply in the FTSE 250 after the National Express business delayed its 29 February results by up to a month so it can finish an accounting review of its recently-expanded German rail business.

It added that the division, which now spans seven routes in North Rhine-Westphalia, has been impacted by industry-wide driver shortages as well as lower energy cost recovery than previously anticipated.

Other businesses, including the UK coach service, have traded in line with expectations as Mobico continues to forecast 2023 underlying earnings of between 175 million and 185 million.

Shares fell 11% or 9.35p to 75p, down 40% in the past year after suspending its dividend in October alongside a downgrade to results guidance.

Elsewhere in the FTSE 250, trading platform Plus500 rose 33p to 1864p after it reported results ahead of City expectations and said it would return $175 million (139 million) to shareholders through buybacks and dividends.

Dominos Pizza benefited from a broker upgrade to lift 6% or 20.2p to 367.2p, but the wider FTSE 250 fell 66.92 points to 19,149.98.

Mining stocks weighed on the FTSE 100 Index, which fell 6.69 points to 7721.81 after closing at a year-to-date high last night.

Rio Tinto lost 129p to 5299p, Anglo American fell 41.8p to 1736.2p and Glencore retreated 7.85p to 387.55p ahead of results tomorrow.

Shares in Chile-based copper miner Antofagasta fell 2.5p to 1762.5p after it said that plans for a dividend equivalent to 50% of 2023 earnings showed its confidence in future prospects.

Work starts on new 50-storey South Bank resi tower

09:44 , Joanna Bourke

Construction has started on what will be the tallest new residential tower currently under development in prime central London.

The 50-storey South Bank block, comprising 250 flats, will sit within the large mixed-use Bankside Yards scheme next to Blackfriars station. Work on the latest block is due to complete in late. Read more HERE

Market snapshot: FTSE 100 edges into positive territory

09:18 , Daniel O'Boyle

The FSTE 100 could be in for another 2024-high close, as it edged into positive territory.

Take a look at todays market snapshot:

Venkatakrishnan "optimistic" on UK

09:11 , Daniel O'Boyle

Barclays has handed 3 billion back to shareholders in the last year via dividends and share buybacks even though profits slipped from 7 billion to 6.6 billion.

The bank has just bought most of Tesco Bank to expand in the UK. Questions about its investment banking arm remain however, with some shareholders thinking it too much of a drain on capital.

The bank said today it aims to return 10 billion to shareholders by 2026 with cost cuts of 2 billion.

CEO C. S. Venkatakrishnan said the investment bank is "focused and competitive and will remain part of the bank, though it should be simpler and slimmed down.

He is "optimistic" about the strength of the UK economy. There is an impairment charge of 1.9 billion however up from 1.2 billion last time, suggesting that some borrowers are struggling to keep up with loans.

Read more here

Barclays jumps at top of FTSE 100, Plus500 higher on results cheer

08:29 , Graeme Evans

Shares in Barclays have jumped 6%, up 8.4p to 157.4p after the banking groups results included a pledge to return 10 billion to shareholders up to 2026.

Among other blue-chip companies reporting today, Holiday Inn business IHG was 18p higher at 7928p and Antofagasta fell 25.5p to 1739.5p during a weaker session for the mining sector.

The FTSE 100 index was 10.60 points lower at 7717.90, while the FTSE 250 index fell 59.43 points to 19,157.47.

National Express owner Mobico slumped 17% or 14.6p to 69.75p at one point after it said its results will be delayed by an accounting review of its German rail business. The stock later recovered to stand 5% lower.

Trading platform Plus500 moved the other way, rising 3% or 57p to 1888p after posting robust annual results.

US credit card giants in $35 billion merger

08:02 , Daniel O'Boyle

US bank Capital One is to buy credit card giant Discover Financial to create the countrys biggest credit card company.

In the most valuable merger of 2024 so far, Capital One will pay $35 billion in stock for Discover, to create a business worth almost $90 billion.

Capital one boss Richard Fairbank said: Our acquisition of Discover is a singular opportunity to bring together two very successful companies with complementary capabilities and franchises, and to build a payments network that can compete with the largest payments networks and payments companies.

(AFP/Getty Images)

Plus500 results significantly ahead of market expectations

07:56 , Daniel O'Boyle

Stock trading app Plus500 appeared to weather the retail market slowdown last year, as it reported results significantly ahead of market expectations.

Profits before tax were down to $336.2 million, but much of the decline came in the first half of the year against more difficult comparatives. Profits rose in the second half.

Other trading businesses like CMC Markets and IG Group have taken much bigger hits.

The business announced a $100 million buyback and $75 million in dividends.

Plus500 bosses have previously suggested they are looking at listing the business in the US.

Boss David Zruia said: During the period, we achieved a record high average deposit per active customer reflecting our on-going focus on higher value customers and the intuitive nature and reliability of our market-leading technology.

Kiefer Sutherland partners with Plus500 (Handout)

Former Burberry finance chief Julie Brown to join Diageo board

07:54 , Joanna Bourke

Guinness and Smirnoff vodka maker Diageo has appointed Julie Brown as a non-executive director with effect from August 5.

On appointment, Brown, who has been CFO of GSK since May last year and prior to that worked at fashion brand Burberry Group, will succeed Alan Stewart as chair of the audit committee.

Stewart will retire from the board immediately prior to Diageos AGM in September.

The incoming NED has also previously worked at Smith & Nephew and AstraZeneca.

Lok'nStore makes progress on new self storage store pipeline

07:42 , Joanna Bourke

AIM-listed self storage company Lok'nStore has said it is delivering on its strategy of opening more new sites in the under supplied market.

The firm, which reported that self-storage revenue rose 4.9% and price per square foot gained 4% in the six months to January 31, operated at over 43 locations as at December.

Today it said recent new sites include in Basildon, Kettering, and upcoming ones are in Staines and Bromborough. It has also received formal planning permission for a new store in Barking.

IHG sees big profit growth as it announces huge buyback

07:28 , Daniel O'Boyle

Hotels giant IHG is targeting revenue and margin growth over the next five years, as it announced an $800 million buyback today.

The owner of the InterContinental, Kimpton and Holiday Inn brands announced the buyback as profits rose to $1.01 billion. That was partly driven by the continued rebound in travel demand, especially in Asia where the post-pandemic recovery had previously been lagging, but an improvement in margins also helped.

IHG says it thinks revenue could rise by a mid-to-high single-digit percentage annually in the medium-to-long term, and margins will continue to get better by about 1-1.5 percentage points a year, which would suggest profits growing by about 60% to $1.6 billion within five years.

Todays buyback, meanwhile, means the business has now returned $1 billion to shareholders this year.

CEO Elie Maalouf, who took over last year, said: "I was honoured to take over as IHG's group CEO in July and would like to thank our teams for delivering an excellent set of results. Travel demand was strong across all markets, with RevPAR up 16% on last year and 11% ahead of the 2019 pre-pandemic peak.

Kimpton Fitzroy London (IHG Handout)

As we look ahead, our evolved strategic priorities and clear plans will further reinforce IHG Hotels & Resorts as the hotel company of choice for guests and owners. The travel industry has attractive, long-term drivers of demand, and the strength of our brand portfolio and enterprise platform will continue to boost our RevPAR and system size growth. Combined with our scale and cost base efficiencies, this will further expand fee margin.

IHG's strong cash generation supports investment in growth initiatives, sustainably increasing our ordinary dividend and the regular return of surplus capital such as through buybacks. We look forward to an important next chapter of growth for IHG that creates long-term sustainable value for our shareholders and benefits our employees, hotel owners and communities."

FTSE 100 steady as China cuts key lending rate, US retail giants in focus

07:17 , Graeme Evans

Chinas efforts to stimulate its economy continued today when the countrys central bank cut a key lending rate by more than expected.

The five-year loan prime rate, which is used as a reference in mortgage pricing, was cut by a quarter percentage point to 3.95%.

However, there was disappointment that the one-year rate used in pricing corporate loans was unchanged at 3.45%.

Stock markets in Hong Kong and mainland China recovered from an earlier dip to stand slightly higher, led by a rise of 0.4% for the Shanghai Composite.

The FTSE 100 index closed at its highest level of the year last night and is set for a steady session today after IG Index forecast a decline of just seven points to 7720.

US markets were closed yesterday for a public holiday, with the main interest of todays session likely to be the earnings of retail giants Home Depot and Walmart before the opening bell.

Barclays 2023 profit falls 6% to 6.6 billion, launches new 1 billion share buyback

07:14 , Michael Hunter

Barclays kicked off a busy week of earnings news from UK banks this week with a 6% fall in annual profit for 2023 of 6.6 billion.

The high street lenders total income for the year rose 2% to 25.4 billion.

Bad loans rose to 1.9 billion from 1.2 billion, with the credit impairment charge for the UK steady at 0.3 billion.

There was also a payday for shareholders, with total returns to investors of 3 billion in the year, up 37%.

It also announced a fresh 1 billion share buyback ahead of full details later of a new three-year plan to overhaul the business, designed to cut costs.

C. S. Venkatakrishnan, chief executive, said: Our new three-year plan, which we will be announcing at the Investor Update today, is designed to further improve Barclays' operational and financial performance, driving higher returns, and predictable, attractive shareholder distributions".

Recap: Yesterday's top stories

06:56 , Daniel O'Boyle

Good morning from the Evening Standards City desk.

It is a starkly contrasting tale of two city property surveys this morning. So is it the best of times, or the worst of times, for Londons property market?

According to agents Benham and Reeves, which have picked the bones of the latest Land Registry data, prices fell 5.7% in the capital last year, more than any other region in the land, and painfully more than the 1% average across the UK as a whole.

But the picture could not be more different this month, according to the latest data on asking prices from Rightmove. It sees a 2.8% monthly increase in January, suggesting that the bounce back in London is stronger than virtually anywhere else in the UK.

It is no great surprise that London is more geared to changes in mortgage rates than anywhere else in the country.

Buyers have to raise colossal sums to get on the property ladder so when rates go up, as they did dramatically in the year from the summer of 2022, the market is disproportionately hit. But over the past three months lenders have been falling over themselves to cut rates, easing the pressure on London first time buyers who have to stump up an average of almost a third of a million pounds.

If the anecdotal stories from estate agents are to be believed this could turn out to be a spectacularly busy spring buying season.

There are still some headwinds  thousands of existing mortgage holders on fixed deals have yet to be exposed to the pain of remortgaging.

But by the summer the bulk of those deals will have been done, certainly all the old two-year fixes on legacy rates dating back to the era of virtually free money.

How long this resurgence in demand lasts and whether it will flow through to a sustained bounce in actual sale prices later in 2024 remains to be seen.

Here are the rest of yesterdays top stories:
The Indiana Senate Committee on Corrections and Criminal Law voted on Tuesday to advance a bill aimed at stopping the city of Garys 25-year-long lawsuit against handgun makers.

Supporters and opponents of the bill clashed during more than two hours of discussion and testimony. The bill now awaits a vote by the full Senate.

Gary Mayor Eddie Melton urged members of the committee to vote down the legislation, which he framed as a legislative overreach and an unfair usurpation of the citys authority.

This is that camel sticking the nose under the tent, Melton, who served in the Indiana Senate until December, told the committee. Local governments have the right to fight back against bad actors, and I repeat, bad actors who they believe are harming their community.

House Bill 1235 would remove the ability of cities, states and other political subdivisions in Indiana to sue gun and ammunition manufacturers in nearly all cases, reserving sole authority to do so for the state attorney general. The legislation, which was passed by the Indiana House 68-27 vote in January, would apply retroactively to pending lawsuits, of which there is currently only one. Its author, Rep. Chris Jeter, R-Fishers, has been explicit about his singular intention to quash the Gary suit, first filed by the city in 1999.

Gary brought a nuisance suit against 11 handgun manufacturers, one wholesaler, and five retailers, claiming that the defendants engaged in illegal activity, including allowing straw purchases of firearms, that has fueled violent crime in the city.

Courtney Curtis, assistant executive director at the Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council, did not take a stance on the bill, but explained to the committee that gun violence has increased in Northwest Indiana in recent years. She noted that the rate of minors killed by firearms in the region is more than double the national rate.

Sen. Rodney Pol. D-Chesterton, who has worked on the lawsuit in his role as a city attorney for Gary, introduced two amendments during Tuesdays committee meeting that would have weakened the bill. One would have maintained the ability of subdivisions to sue gun makers over unlawful activity, and the other would have removed the retroactive aspect of the legislation, allowing the citys lawsuit to proceed unimpeded.

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The idea that we would go back in time to 25 years (ago), to make this retroactive back to that date, I think, slaps the judiciary in the face. Pol told the committee. I think it slaps all of our political subdivisions in the face.

Courts have consistently allowed the lawsuit to proceed, even as new legislation has curtailed the civil liability of gun makers. In 2005, shortly after Congress granted industry businesses broad civil protections at the federal level with the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, the defendants unsuccessfully moved to dismiss the lawsuit. In 2015, then-Indiana Governor Mike Pence signed a law making an existing civil immunity statute for the gun industry retroactive, prompting another motion to dismiss that was ultimately unsuccessful.

Both amendments were rejected by the committee, with four of the five Republican committee members voting against them. Sen. Liz Brown, R-Fort Wayne, joined Pol and Sen. Greg Taylor, D-Indianapolis, in voting yes on both items.

Brown drew an analogy between the Gary suit and a lawsuit filed in November against automakers Hyundai and Kia by her home city. Attorneys for Fort Wayne claimed that the companies vehicles lack features designed to prevent them from being stolen, leading to rampant car theft and related crimes.

When Corrine Youngs, policy director and legislative council to Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita, argued for reserving the power to sue gun makers for Rokitas office because it makes sense in these regulatory situations to have one decision maker for the state of Indiana, Brown pushed back.

I guess Im having a hard time figuring out where we should not allow locals to take this decision and where we should, Brown told Youngs.

I think its a better position for the state to be representing the entirety of the whole state in the Hyundai suit, Youngs replied.

Brown ultimately joined her GOP colleagues in voting for the bill. She explained that she did so because the committee approved an amendment she proposed that allows local governments to sue firearm businesses for contract or zoning violations. She told the committee that she plans to vote against the bill on the Senate floor.

Sen. Susan Glick, R-LaGrange, joined the Democrats in voting no during the committee meeting.

I am voting no on this bill because this is pending litigation, Glick said. It is in front of the courts and I believe that the legislature is getting out of their lane and theyre going into an area thats going to open a Pandoras box that we dont need to be involved in.

adalton@chicagotribune.com
Those people are our people too. The words of UNC Senator David Nakhid, following the deadly
The tempo of Russian offensive operations near Avdiivka has reportedly dramatically slowed following the Russian seizure of Avdiivka.

The Washington-based Institute for the Study of War said this in its latest report, according to Ukrinform.

ISW experts, referring to the statement by spokesman for the Tavria operational and strategic grouping of troops Dmytro Lykhoviy as of February 19, said that the number of Russian attacks in the Avdiivka direction significantly decreased in the past day and that Russian forces are currently regrouping and conducting clearing operations in Avdiivka.

As noted, Ukrainian officials reported that Ukrainian forces have withdrawn to a new line of defense, which Ukrainian forces previously prepared in advance and fortified at several levels.

Read also: Ukraine reports 81 combat clashes on battlefield in last 24 hours

The report says that Russian forces will likely have to conduct an operational pause before resuming significant offensive operations in the Avdiivka direction or will have to transfer additional reinforcements from other sectors of the front to the area to prevent operations near Avdiivka from culminating. Russian forces have reserves available for such reinforcement in other sectors, but ISW has observed no indication that the Russian command is moving those reserves toward Avdiivka at this time. Lykhoviy and Ukrainian Khortytsia Group of Forces Spokesperson Captain Ilya Yevlash, on the contrary, stated that the Russian command will likely transfer Russian forces accumulated around Avdiivka to other, unspecified areas of the frontline in the near future. Yevlash stated that it will likely take Russian forces at least a week to transfer units from Avdiivka into battle in unspecified frontline areas.

ISW has not yet observed any indications of how Russian forces will choose to allocate their manpower currently deployed to the Avdiivka area, ISW experts said.

According to the latest update from British intelligence, Russian troops likely lack the combat effectiveness to immediately exploit the capture of Avdiivka and will require a period of rest and refit.

In coming weeks Russia will likely seek to gradually extend its territorial control beyond Avdiivka, the UK Ministry of Defense said.

As reported by Ukrinform, in the Avdiivka sector, Ukrainian troops have strengthened their positions on new defensive lines and are successfully repelling Russian attempts to launch an offensive.

Photo: Kostiantyn and Vlada Liberov
Company Logo

GCC Elevator and Escalator Market

GCC Elevator and Escalator Market

Dublin, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "GCC Elevator and Escalator Market - Size & Growth Forecast 2024-2029" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The GCC elevator and escalator market by new installations accounted for 7.9 thousand units in 2023 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.60% to 2029

Otis, Schindler, TK Elevator, and KONE are the top 4 manufacturers in the GCC elevator and escalator market, with a share of 61%. The relatively basic technology necessary for manufacturing elevator components such as cabin/doors, guide rails, and installation, together with easy access to raw materials, presents a highly scalable investment opportunity with potential for localization along the value chain. They are localizing component manufacturing, such as controls and motors, to fulfill the demand of existing elevator manufacturers in the GCC, with the possibility of exporting to neighboring MENA markets.

Saudi Arabia has recently launched four new special economic zones (SEZs) to promote growth in key sectors such as advanced manufacturing, cloud computing, and medical technology. These SEZs include the King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) SEZ, Jazan SEZ, Ras Al Khair SEZ, and a Cloud Computing SEZ located in King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST).

Saudi Arabia's Special Economic Zones (SEZs) aim to attract businesses with tax reductions, exemptions, and regulations for foreign talent. These strategic locations cover sectors like logistics, shipbuilding, and food. Aligned with the Saudi Vision 2030, these SEZs are expected to boost construction projects and infrastructure development, further supporting the growth of the GCC elevator and escalator market.

The Oman Over Time Museum in the Wilayat of Manah hosted the eighth gathering of tourism ministers from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations. The GCC common tourist visa, shared among member countries such as Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and The United Arab Emirates (UAE), facilitates streamlined entry for visitors.

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This initiative encourages cross-border tourism, allowing travelers holding a GCC tourist visa to explore multiple regional countries. A common tourist visa simplifies travel logistics and enhances the experience for individuals exploring the diverse attractions of the Gulf nations and promoting tourism, cultural exchange, and economic cooperation.

The upcoming 2024 U23 Asian Cup, scheduled to be hosted by Qatar, is anticipated to stimulate the advancement of diverse infrastructure projects nationwide. Moreover, Qatar has bid to host the 2027 Asian Cup and has already been granted the rights to host the 2030 Asian Games. This wave of events is set to catalyze the construction of several high-rise buildings, thereby projecting to act as a catalyst for the GCC elevator and escalator market growth.

Saudi Arabian Standards, Metrology And Quality Organization (SASO), in March 2018, announced that all the new elevators in residential and commercial buildings should be certified by the civil defense authority. Maintenance companies will evaluate existing installations. It is informed that all elevators should meet international standards. According to SASO, the main factor for elevator malfunctioning was engineering offices were unable to look into construction companies to ensure safety standards. About 55 authorizations are provided to companies, of which 22 are specially for maintenance companies.

Key Attributes:

Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 148 Forecast Period 2023 - 2029 Estimated Market Value in 2023 8 Thousand Units Forecasted Market Value by 2029 10.9 Thousand Units Compound Annual Growth Rate 4.5% Regions Covered Middle East

Key Vendors

Otis

TK Elevator

Schindler

KONE

Mitsubishi Electric

Fujitec

Hyundai Elevator

Hitachi

Other Prominent Vendors

Delmon United

Atlas Elevator

AL-Modayan Elevators

Marafie Elevators & Escalators

Hosting Elevator

Ahmadiah Contracting & Trading Co.

Sigma Elevator

Orona

Kleemann

United Elevators

Toshiba Elevator and Building Systems Corporation

Alfa Elevator Co. LLC

Sodimas Elevator Company

Almuftah Group

Bayern Systems

Gulf Elevators & Escalators Company (GEEC)

Johnson Lifts and Escalators

Europe Elevators

BEC Group

Elevator Market Segmentation

Machine Type

Hydraulic and Pneumatic

Machine Room Traction

Machine Room Less Traction

Others

Climbing

Elevators

Industrial Elevators

Carriage Type

Passenger

Freight

Capacity

2-15 Persons

16-24 Persons

25-33 Persons

34 Persons and Above

End-User

Commercial

Residential

Industrial

Others

Public Transit

Institutional

Infrastructural

Escalator Market Segmentation

Product Type

Parallel

Multi Parallel

Walkway

Crisscross

End-User

Public Transit

Commercial

Others

Institutional Sector

Infrastructure

Industrial

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/5z8nb7

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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CONTACT: CONTACT: ResearchAndMarkets.com Laura Wood,Senior Press Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./ CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900




Genvor to Showcase Next-Generation Plant Health Solutions at Leading Industry Event

CHAPEL HILL, NC / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2024 / Genvor Incorporated (OTCQB:GNVR) ("Genvor" or the "Company"), a developer of sustainable plant health solutions leveraging patented peptides, today announced that management will attend the BioSolutions Conference & Expo taking place March 4-6, 2024 in Visalia, California.

Now in its 9th year, the BioSolutions Conference & Expo is a production-focused event offering North American growers, advisers, and researchers the latest information and real-world guidance on implementing biological solutions and technology tools in specialty crop production.

Chad Pawlak, Chief Executive Officer of Genvor, plans to participate in one-on-one meetings with industry participants, investors and the media throughout the conference.

BioSolutions Conference & Expo

Date: March 4-6, 2024

Location: Visalia Marriott and Convention Center | Visalia, California

Event Website: https://www.biosolutionsconference.com

Pawlak commented: "Biologicals, such as the peptide-based plant health solutions we are pioneering at Genvor today, are positioned to revolutionize the future of agriculture. To that end, the BioSolutions Conference & Expo represents an excellent venue to share Genvor's story with key industry participants - including strategics, the trade media, regulators and investors. I look forward to a productive day of meetings at the event as we strive to create sustainable, long-term value for our shareholders."

For more information or to register for the event, please visit the conference website . To schedule a one-on-one meeting at the conference, please email your request to GNVR@mzgroup.us or call Lucas A. Zimmerman at (949) 259-4987.

About Genvor

Genvor Incorporated (OTCQB:GNVR) is a developer of sustainable plant health solutions, with a portfolio of patented peptides to provide crops with anti-pathogen and enhanced nutritional properties through next-generation biological foliar application as well as transgenic seed traits. Supported by globally renowned scientists and a USDA partnership, Genvor leverages its licensing-first business model with active trait developments underway for a variety of crops including corn, citrus, rice, cotton, soybean, flax, and potato. To learn more, please visit www.genvor.com or follow us on LinkedIn , Facebook or Instagram .

Story continues

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements include information about management's view of the Company's future expectations, plans and prospects, including future business opportunities or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may," "believe," "future," "plan" or "planned," "will" or "should," "expected," "anticipates," "eventually" or "projected." You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. Certain of these risk factors and others are included in documents the Company files with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to, the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, as well as subsequent reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Investor Relations Contact:

Lucas A. Zimmerman

Managing Director

MZ Group - MZ North America

(949) 259-4987

GNVR@mzgroup.us

www.mzgroup.us

SOURCE: Genvor Incorporated





View the original press release on accesswire.com




The implementation of a Texas ban on diversity initiatives in public higher education has triggered significant transformations across college campuses, signaling potential shifts in the future of campus environments.

Campus Transformation

At the University of Texas, with its nearly 52,000-student population, the repercussions of one of the nation's most comprehensive bans on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives are keenly felt. The removal of longstanding multicultural centers and the dissolution of related student groups leave minority students feeling isolated, while white students navigate new boundaries.

READ MORE: Kentucky Senate Passes Bill Restricting DEI in Higher Education

The void left by the closure of the Multicultural Center is particularly poignant, erasing a decades-long effort to serve historically marginalized communities on campus. For students like Nina Washington, a senior at the University of Texas, the disappearance of this vital resource represents a return to old ways, where politics, behaviors, and emotions are reminiscent of a less inclusive era.

Washington expressed her concern, noting that the dim lighting and vacant offices were just the beginning of the changes she observed upon returning to her favorite study spot from winter break. The term "Multicultural Center" was removed from its prominent place on the wall, effectively dismantling an initiative initiated in the late 1980s. The aim was to cultivate a feeling of inclusion for communities that have historically been marginalized. Additionally, the center's staff members were gone, and its student groups dissolved.

Impact on University Communities

The ban, signed by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, prohibits public higher education institutions from influencing hiring practices based on race, sex, color, or ethnicity. It also prohibits promoting differential treatment or special benefits based on these categories, as well as training and activities conducted in reference to race, color, ethnicity, gender identity, or sexual orientation.

As a result, cultural identity centers, once promoted to attract minorities, have shuttered, and university websites have reframed diversity and inclusion language to focus on "access" and "community engagement." Professors find themselves navigating self-censorship and fear, editing syllabi and watching their speech to comply with the uncertain scope of the law.

Professors and students alike are grappling with the law's implications, unsure of how to navigate compliance. The Hispanic Faculty Association, for instance, faces prohibitions on meeting during working hours, using campus spaces without a fee, and communicating through university email. Meanwhile, student groups have been stripped of university funding, creating financial burdens in maintaining identity communities and cultural traditions.

Despite the challenges, student advocates like Alexander De Jesus from Texas Students for DEI are striving to support their peers and maintain inclusive spaces on campus. However, the prevailing climate of fear and anger underscores the profound impact of the Texas law on university communities and the broader implications for diversity and inclusion efforts in public higher education.

Uncertainty and Adaptation

The law's impact extends beyond immediate closures and policy changes. Professors and students are adjusting to a new normal where speech is monitored, syllabi are edited, and identities are policed. The uncertainty surrounding the law's scope has created an atmosphere of caution and trepidation, where individuals tread carefully to avoid repercussions.

For professors like Karma Chavez, a professor of Mexican American and Latino/a Studies at the University of Texas, the restrictions on speech and association are palpable. Chavez, serving as co-president of the Hispanic Faculty Association, disclosed limitations imposed on the group. They are barred from gathering during work hours and face charges for utilizing campus facilities. Even communication through university email has been curtailed.

The limitations imposed by the law have created a chilling effect on campus, stifling open dialogue and impeding efforts to foster inclusivity. As students and faculty navigate these uncertain waters, the future of diversity and inclusion in Texas public higher education hangs in the balance.

RELATED ARTICLE: Utah Enacts Legislation Against DEI Initiatives: Balance Between Policy Concerns and Academic Freedom
In response to a social media post alleging the university's involvement in licensing student data, University spokesperson Colleen Mastony clarified that student data has never been up for sale. Mastony attributed the misinformation to a third-party vendor who inaccurately represented the university's stance on data sharing.

On Thursday of last week, an employee at Google shared a screenshot on the social media platform X, capturing a sponsored message they had received on LinkedIn. The message, from an unknown company, said the University of Michigan was "licensing academic speech data and student papers" that could "be very useful for training or tuning LLMs," or large language models, which are used to train artificial intelligence.

READ ALSO: College Board Settles for $750,000 Over Illegally Selling Student Data

Mastony clarified that the papers and recordings mentioned in the message were provided voluntarily by students, who had given signed consent. These materials were sourced from two research studies conducted between 1997 to 2000 and 2006 to 2007. Importantly, the content did not contain any identifiable personal information or names.

Details of the Allegation

The controversy surrounding the University of Michigan erupted when a sponsored message on LinkedIn suggested that the institution was offering academic speech data and student papers for licensing purposes. This raised concerns about potential privacy violations and ethical implications of selling student data.

The message, shared by an unknown company, claimed that the University of Michigan was providing access to a comprehensive dataset that included 829 student papers, 65 speech events, and 85 hours of audio recordings. It further stated that this data could be valuable for training or tuning large language models (LLMs), an integral component of artificial intelligence technology.

Protecting Student Privacy

Upon investigation, Mastony clarified that the referenced papers and recordings were voluntarily contributed by students as part of two research studies conducted between 1997 to 2000 and 2006 to 2007. Importantly, these contributions were made with signed consent, and the content provided did not contain any identifiable personal information.

Furthermore, Mastony emphasized that the papers and recordings have long been available for free to academics and have been utilized as educational resources to enhance writing skills and articulation in academia.

Commitment to Ethical Data Practices

The University of Michigan's swift response to the allegations underscores its commitment to upholding ethical standards and protecting student privacy. By promptly addressing the misinformation and clarifying the circumstances surrounding the data in question, the university aims to reassure its academic community and the public about its data handling practices.

Moving forward, the university will continue to prioritize transparency and accountability in its data practices. It reaffirms its dedication to protecting student privacy and promoting responsible data stewardship in the age of advanced technologies like artificial intelligence.

Preserving Trust and Integrity

In conclusion, while the controversy surrounding the alleged sale of student data has raised valid concerns, the University of Michigan's clarification demonstrates its unwavering commitment to ethical conduct and data privacy. By maintaining transparency and upholding rigorous ethical standards, the university seeks to preserve trust and integrity within its academic community and beyond.



This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of clear communication and ethical considerations in the rapidly evolving landscape of data usage. As universities engage with new technologies and collaborative ventures, maintaining trust with students and stakeholders remains paramount. The University of Michigan's proactive approach in addressing this situation sets a precedent for responsible data practices in academia.

RELATED ARTICLE: College Students, Children Under 13 Not Safe from Facebook's Data Harvesting
In the wake of student protests across various campuses regarding the Israel-Hamas conflict, several colleges and universities have faced heightened tensions surrounding their responses to these demonstrations. Recent actions by institutions such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Stanford University, and Brown University have come under scrutiny, prompting discussions about the balance between free speech and campus safety.

MIT's Response: Striking a Balance

Last week, MIT found itself embroiled in controversy after suspending the Coalition Against Apartheid, a student group, for organizing a demonstration without adhering to campus protocols. While MIT President Sally Kornbluth stressed that the suspension was not related to the content of the group's speech, critics argue that it may have implications for free expression on campus. The Coalition Against Apartheid has vehemently contested the suspension, asserting that it undermines their right to engage in peaceful protest.

READ ALSO: Columbia University Temporarily Suspends Student Groups Amid Israel-Hamas War Protests

The decision reflects MIT's efforts to strike a balance between upholding free speech and maintaining order on campus. However, it has reignited debates about the boundaries of student activism and the role of universities in addressing contentious issues. As MIT navigates this delicate situation, it faces pressure to ensure that its actions are consistent with its commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive academic environment.

Stanford's Stance: Upholding Campus Safety

Similarly, Stanford University grappled with a prolonged sit-in protest by students advocating for Palestinian rights. After months of occupation, university officials intervened, urging the protesters to vacate the premises. This move, which followed concerns about the protest's impact on campus safety, has elicited mixed reactions. While some view it as a necessary step to uphold order and protect the well-being of the campus community, others criticize it as an infringement on students' right to dissent.

The situation at Stanford underscores the challenges faced by college leaders in responding to student protests while balancing competing interests. As the university seeks to address the underlying issues driving the demonstrations, it must navigate complex legal, ethical, and moral considerations. By engaging in dialogue with stakeholders and fostering a climate of open communication, Stanford aims to uphold its commitment to academic freedom while ensuring the safety and well-being of its students.

Brown's Dilemma: Addressing Divestment Demands

At Brown University, students engaged in a hunger strike to protest the university's investment practices related to the arms industry. Despite their efforts, university administrators declined to consider their demands, citing the high threshold for divestment decisions. This decision has sparked further debate about the role of universities in addressing contentious issues and the boundaries of student activism.

Brown's response highlights the complexities inherent in addressing divestment demands and balancing competing interests. While the university acknowledges the importance of student activism, it must also consider its fiduciary responsibilities and the potential impact of divestment decisions on its financial stability. By engaging in constructive dialogue with students and stakeholders, Brown seeks to find common ground and address the underlying concerns driving the protests.

Mixed Reactions and Ongoing Dialogue

The responses from college leaders have drawn varied reactions from students, faculty, and observers. While some applaud the measures as necessary for maintaining campus order and safety, others criticize them as attempts to suppress dissenting voices. Free speech advocates, in particular, have voiced concerns about the potential chilling effect on student activism and the broader implications for academic freedom.

As tensions persist on campuses across the country, dialogue and engagement between students, administrators, and stakeholders remain crucial. Finding a balance between upholding free expression and ensuring campus safety poses a complex challenge for college leaders. Moving forward, continued discussions and efforts to address the underlying issues driving student protests are essential to fostering a supportive and inclusive campus environment.

RELATED ARTICLE: Controversy at University of Michigan: Student Vote on Israeli-Palestinian Resolutions Halted Amid Election
The University of Chichester's recent decision to suspend recruitment for its groundbreaking African history master's program and terminate its founder's employment has sparked a wave of controversy and legal scrutiny from students and equality advocates alike.

Allegations of Discrimination and Breach of Contract

A group of 14 students, including those enrolled in the course and conducting related PhD research, allege discrimination and breach of contract. After exhausting internal complaint procedures, they turned to legal action. Leigh Day, a prominent law firm representing the students, issued a letter of intent to sue the university on February 15, citing violations of their rights and contractual obligations.

READ ALSO: Adam Harris Explores the Persistent Challenges Black Students Face in Higher Education

The move to suspend the Master of Research (MRes) in the history of Africa and the African diaspora, initiated in July 2023, dealt a significant blow to the aspirations of students and the career trajectory of its founder, Professor Hakim Adi. Adi, widely recognized as the first African-British historian to hold a UK professorship in history, established the course in 2017 with the aim of fostering greater representation of African and Caribbean heritage historians in academia. Shortly after the program's suspension, Adi was informed of the termination of his employment at Chichester, leading to further outcry among students and supporters of the program.

Challenges to University's Justification

While the University of Chichester cited financial concerns as the primary reason for discontinuing the course, claiming that it incurred significant costs with minimal student enrollment, Leigh Day has challenged the university's justification. The law firm argues that the university failed to adequately promote the MRes program, leading to lower-than-expected enrollment figures. Furthermore, they contend that Adi's employment predates the establishment of the course and should not be associated with its performance. Additionally, many PhD students enrolled in the program directly from the MRes, indicating its importance in facilitating further academic pursuits.

In a linked case, the Black Equity Organisation (BEO) - a civil rights charity - has issued a judicial review claim that challenges the university's decision to suspend the course on the grounds that a consultation or equality impact assessment was not carried out. The BEO asserts that the closure of the course undermines efforts to address historical gaps and promote inclusivity in academia, emphasizing the broader implications of the university's decision.

Call for Support

In response to the legal challenges, the Black Equity Organisation (BEO) initiated a crowdfunding campaign to support its legal efforts, urging individuals and organizations to contribute to the cause. Kehinde Adeogun, Director of Legal Services for BEO, emphasized the importance of addressing historical injustices and promoting diversity in higher education.

University Response and Commitment

In response to the legal challenges and public outcry, the University of Chichester refuted the claims made by Leigh Day, asserting that the MRes program suspension only applies to new applicants pending review. They assured existing students of support to complete their studies and emphasized their commitment to providing alternative teaching and supervision arrangements to mitigate the impact of the course closure.

The legal challenges to the closure of Chichester's African history master's program underscore broader concerns about discrimination, academic freedom, and inclusivity in higher education. As students and advocacy groups pursue legal avenues to challenge the decision, the university faces increased scrutiny over its decision-making processes and commitment to diversity and representation in academia. The outcome of these legal actions may have significant implications for the future of African history studies and diversity initiatives in higher education institutions across the UK.

RELATED ARTICLE: UK's New Skilled Visa Rules Could Harm Academia
February 20 2024

Evolving plans for a wellness-centred community south of Forres has taken a step forward with Moray Council hosting an exhibition of its latest plans.

Emphasising outdoor space and food growing to promote physical activity and improve mental health Dallas Dhu will provide a mix of affordable homes and student accommodation, with a variety of self-build plots as part of an exploration of more innovative forms of house building.

Working with Altyre Estate and Grampian Housing Association will deliver 24 affordable homes and release 10 serviced plots suitable for anything from a tiny house to a terrace of co-housing units or a custom self-build. Robin Livingstone from Fraser/Livingstone Architects commented: We want to encourage the evolution of an inclusive community including growing families, singles, couples, and downsizers. Enabling individuals and groups to deliver homes built for the needs of residents is key to making that work.

We see the potential to explore collaborative design principles within the house designs, the possibility of common spaces, shared landscaping and in the construction methods and environmental credentials.

A variety of materials and forms are being explored for the finalised designs ranging from black and red stained timber cladding to render and natural timber to bring variety to the streetscapes.
President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari, leading a delegation, visited the Rawalpindi Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ) and congratulated the newly elected President Tariq Ali Virk, Secretary General Asif Bashir Chaudhry and other office bearers of the Union

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Feb, 2024) President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari, leading a delegation, visited the Rawalpindi Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ) and congratulated the newly elected President Tariq Ali Virk, Secretary General Asif Bashir Chaudhry and other office bearers of the Union.

Speaking on the occasion, Ahsan Bakhtawari said that the journalistic community has an important role in guiding the society and highlighting the economic potential of the country, adding that ICCI would work with RIUJ to promote the business and economic interests of Pakistan.

He said that the journalistic community should highlight the investment potential in various sectors of Pakistan's economy that would help attract foreign investment to Pakistan.

Tariq Ali Virk said that the RIUJ and ICCI will continue to work together to resolve the key issues of the business community and create a conducive business environment in the country.

He said that the business community and journalists are facing many common problems and they should work together to get their issues addressed.

Afzal Butt, President, Federal Union of Journalists said that they enjoy very friendly relations with ICCI which has always supported them in promoting the cause of their community.

He said that the visit of the ICCI delegation to congratulate the new office bearers of RIUJ is a morale booster for them.

Zafar Bakhtawari, President ICCI and Secretary General UBG Pakistan said that a hospital should be built in Islamabad for the business community and journalists to provide them free medical treatment.

Anwar Raza, President, National Press Club Islamabad said that ICCI is maintaining close relations with the journalistic community and hoped that journalists and the business community would work together to promote trade and exports of the country.
Senate Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training on Tuesday granted approval to the International Institute for Technology, Culture, and Health Sciences Bill 2024

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Feb, 2024) Senate Standing Committee on Federal education and Professional Training on Tuesday granted approval to the International Institute for Technology, Culture, and Health Sciences Bill 2024.

The committee meeting held at Parliament House, was chaired by Senator Irfan Siddiqui.

The session began with the deliberation of the private member's bill titled "The Higher Education Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2024," presented by Senator Shahadat Awan during the Senate session on 1st January 2024.

This bill, referred to the committee for consideration and report, seeks to establish parliamentary oversight on the functioning of the HEC through the submission of an annual report to both houses. The Committee unanimously approved the Bill.

Additionally, the Committee gave its approval to the "The International Institute of Technology, Culture, and Health Sciences Bill 2024," introduced by Senator Fawzia Arshad in the Senate session on 19th February 2024.

As this was the final meeting of the standing committee before dissolution, the Chairman Committee, Senator Irfan Siddiqui expressed gratitude to committee members, the Secretary Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training, and the Chairman HEC for their unwavering support over the past three years.

The committee members, along with officials from the Ministry and HEC, also commended Senator Irfan Siddiqui's leadership for ensuring the seamless functioning of the committee proceedings.

The committee meeting witnessed the presence of Senators Fawzia Arshad, Falak Naz, Engr Rukhsana Zuberi, Shahadat Awan, the Chairman of HEC, and senior officials from the Federal Education Ministry.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

Dakar, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Feb, 2024) Fifteen of the 20 candidates who were approved to stand in Senegal's delayed February presidential poll have called for the new vote to be held no later than April 2.

President Macky Sall, whose term officially runs out on that day, announced a postponement of the February 25 vote just hours before official campaigning was due to begin.

The move plunged Senegal into its worst political turmoil in decades.

Last week, the top constitutional body overturned the decision.

However, it has left open the question of whether the election will be organised before Sall leaves office, or if the ballot will feature the same candidates.

Fifteen of the original contenders signed a letter, seen by AFP on Monday, stating that "the new polling date and the date for the handover between the president and his successor must be held no later than April 2".

They added that the list of 20 Names approved in January should remain the same.

Two of the signatories confirmed the letter's authenticity to AFP.

Sall has said he intends to respect the Constitutional Council's ruling and will "carry out the consultations necessary to organise the presidential election as soon as possible".

The letter's signatories expressed "bitterness that, since the decision of the Constitutional Council, no action has been taken by the authorities to implement it".

The document was signed by some of the leading contenders, including detained anti-establishment candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye and former Dakar mayor Khalifa Sall, who is not related to the president.

It was not signed by Prime Minister Amadou Ba, who is the presidential camp's own candidate.

- 'Brilliant victory' -

One of the two women candidates in the race said Monday that she was withdrawing because of questions over her dual French-Senegalese nationality.

Senegal's constitution does not allow dual nationals to run for the presidency.

Rose Wardini, a gynaecologist and active member of civil society, said she would provide "all evidence" to the courts concerning her exclusively Senegalese nationality.

She also called for the election to be held before April 2.

Karim Wade, a former minister and son of ex-president Abdoulaye Wade, had been excluded from the race because of his dual French and Senegalese nationality.

He accused two judges on the Constitutional Council of corruption, which was later used by the presidential camp to justify the postponement of the election.

The coalition supporting his possible bid appeared on Monday to be pinning its hopes for victory on the dialogue promised by President Sall.

The coalition will "participate fully in the national dialogue" which must be held "without delay," said Amadou Lamine Thiam, who chairs the pro-Wade parliamentary group.

He said that Wade, who has been living in exile in Qatar for several years, would soon return to Senegal, and called on his supporters to give him "an unprecedentedly warm welcome" in the run-up to his "brilliant victory" in the election.
Giant Magellan Telescope

Through ASIAA, Taiwan joins Australia, Brazil, Chile, Israel, South Korea, and the United States in building one of the worlds largest and most powerful telescopes

Giant Magellan Telescope Founders Map

Credit: Giant Magellan Telescope  GMTO Corporation

PASADENA, CA, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Giant Magellan Telescope today welcomes Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics (ASIAA), a distinguished Taiwanese research institute, into its international consortium. ASIAA's inclusion expands the consortium to 14 international research institutions, underscoring Giant Magellans significance to the global astronomy community and the consortiums commitment to prioritizing global collaboration for the advancement of science.



We are thrilled to welcome ASIAA into our international consortium of distinguished partners, said Dr. Walter Massey, Board Chair of the Giant Magellan Telescope. Together, our consortium combines worldwide science expertise and engineering acumen to create a project that benefits all walks of research relating to the universe. This collective investment in the Giant Magellan Telescope is a testament that science can transcend boundaries and bind humanity together for good.

The astronomical research and instrumental development capabilities in Taiwan have received international recognition. ASIAA will contribute expertise in areas such as low noise and compact detector electronics, precision detector characterization technology, precision laser cutting technology, and many others. These contributions will prove invaluable once the telescope is commissioned in the early 2030s.

ASIAA is delighted to be a part of the Giant Magellan Telescope consortium, and the Taiwanese scientific community is prepared to contribute its expertise while also benefiting from the wealth of knowledge within the consortium, said Dr. Ue-Li Pen, the Director of ASIAA. Joining one of the thirty-meter-class telescopes has been a long-term aspiration for Taiwanese astronomers, and Giant Magellan is considered the most suitable project for this endeavor. The collaboration between ASIAA and the Giant Magellan Telescope establishes a robust foundation for astronomical research in Taiwan, with a particular emphasis on nurturing the development of new generations in the field. We also anticipate that this project will deepen collaboration between Taiwan and the six other countries in the consortium.

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Construction of the telescope advances rapidly in the Chilean Atacama Desert and in labs around the world. Over the past year, fabrication commenced on the seventh and final primary mirror in Arizona, while manufacturing of the 39-meter-tall mount structure began in Illinois. Progress includes completion of the first of seven mirror covers in Germany, and near completion of the telescopes first adaptive secondary mirror in France and Italy. Other advancements were made on a suite of high-resolution imagers and spectrographs in Arizona, Australia, California, Massachusetts, South Korea, and Texas.

These optical technologies will enable the Giant Magellan to boast a remarkable tenfold increase in resolution compared to the Hubble Space Telescope and deliver up to 200 times the power of todays best telescopes. The breakthrough technologies will empower scientists worldwide, offering unparalleled insights into the evolution of the universe, the origins of chemical elements, and the discovery of life on distant exoplanets for the first time.

News of ASIAAs inclusion into the Giant Magellan Telescopes international consortium was celebrated by elected officials in the United States dedicated to scientific advancements, democratic values, and international partnerships.

US Senator of Arizona and former NASA Astronaut Mark Kelly emphasized how science collaborations can strengthen international relations. Arizona has long been a leader in astronomy and optical research, and thanks to key contributions from the University of Arizona and Arizona State University, the Giant Magellan Telescope will lead the way making the next generation of discoveries in astronomy, said Senator Kelly. We welcome the newest collaborators from Taiwan to the Giant Magellan consortium and look forward to strengthening ties between Arizona and Taiwan through our shared commitment to democracy, education, and innovation.

US Congressman of Texas and Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Michael T. McCaul, also emphasized the significance of supporting large international research initiatives. Im glad our friends in Taiwan have joined this important project, which includes top-notch research institutions like Texas A&M and The University of Texas, said Congressman McCaul. The Giant Magellan Telescope will be a ground-breaking observatory that will expand our knowledge of the universe and enable the US to maintain its dominance in ground-based optical and infrared astronomy.

ASIAA joins Arizona State University, Astronomy Australia Ltd., Australian National University, Carnegie Institution for Science, Harvard University, Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, Sao Paulo Research Foundation, Smithsonian Institution, Texas A&M University, The University of Texas at Austin, University of Arizona, University of Chicago, and the Weizmann Institute of Science in building the Giant Magellan Telescope.

About Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics

Academia Sinica is Taiwans national academy of sciences funded by the Presidential Office of Taiwan. Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics (ASIAA) is one of 32 institutes and centers of Academia Sinica and is the leading astronomical institute in Taiwan. ASIAAs mission is to conduct fundamental, groundbreaking research in theory, observation, and instrumentation for astrophysics. Research areas cover the formation and evolution of stellar and planetary systems, cosmology and galaxies, black holes and high-energy astrophysics, the solar system, and astrophysical technology. ASIAA is located on the campus of National Taiwan University at the center of the city of Taipei and is a member of several international projects, providing opportunities for our members to conduct observations or technical developments at world-leading facilities. ASIAA is a founding member of the East-Asian Core Observatory Association (EACOA) and a member of the East-Asian Observatory (EAO). To learn more, visit asiaa.sinica.edu.tw.

About Giant Magellan Telescope

The Giant Magellan Telescope is the future of space exploration from Earth. Using seven of the worlds largest mirrors, the 25.4-meter telescope will produce the most detailed images ever taken of our universe. It will uncover the cosmic mysteries of dark matter, investigate the origins of chemical elements, and verify signs of life on distant planets for the first time. Giant Magellan is the work of the GMTO Corporation, an international consortium of 14 research institutions representing Australia, Brazil, Chile, Israel, South Korea, Taiwan, and the United States. The telescope is under construction in Chile and anticipated to be completed in the early 2030s. The Universe Awaits at giantmagellan.org .

Media Contacts

Ryan Kallabis

Giant Magellan Telescope

Director of Communications and Outreach

O: +1-626-204-0554 | E: rkallabis@gmto.org

Mei-Yin Chou

Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica

EPO Project Scientist

O: +886-2-2366-5415 | E: cmy@asiaa.sinica.edu.tw

Multimedia

Multimedia assets and media usage statement available here until March 21, 2024.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/31b24074-344f-477f-96b1-2813d3278880




SHIJIAZHUANG, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Feb, 2024) Until a few years back, locals in China's Xiong'an New Area, also dubbed the "city of the future," were perhaps not much into drinking coffee, but today it has evolved into a daily staple for many, with local coffee shops serving as hubs for networking, business discussions and exchanging entrepreneurial ideas.

The Migu Cafe in Xiong'an is an innovative space, blending a coffee shop, reading nooks, and a technology and innovation experience center by China mobile. Just at the cafe's entrance, a coffee-making robot captivates the attention of passersby.

With its bulging body and flexible arms, this machine skillfully carries out the entire process of making hand-brewed coffee, including weighing and grinding beans, placing coffee powder, and pouring hot water.

"Just wait a few minutes and you can enjoy a cup of coffee laced with technology. The robot can make as many as 500 cups of coffee in a single day," shop manager Wang Ying said, adding that since the opening of the shop last October, the robot has attracted many customers.
Marvel Comics visionary Stan Lee pauses in a storage aisle in the American Heritage Center at the University of Wyoming in 1994. Lee began a relationship with the AHC in 1977 and, for the next 30 years, he corresponded regularly with AHC directors, sending documents, photographs, videos and audio recordings nearly every year. His donations now constitute a unique collection, with 126 cubic feet of materials, from which displays will be created for the Stan Lee, Beyond the Book exhibition that opens May 1. (Photo from Stan Lee Papers, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming)

The American Heritage Center (AHC) at the University of Wyoming is preparing its highly anticipated Stan Lee, Beyond the Book exhibition, honoring the legendary author, editor and Marvel Comics visionary.

This immersive exhibition, set to open May 1, will provide visitors with an intimate glimpse into the extraordinary life and enduring legacy of Stan Lee. The exhibition will offer attendees a firsthand look at the remarkable impact of Lee on popular culture, from comic books to film and TV. The exhibition, housed at the AHC on UWs campus in Laramie, will run through Nov. 1.

Stan Lee, Beyond the Book will reveal Lee the person, from his childhood to his later years. The exhibition will include documents, photographs and artifacts that have not been preserved elsewhere. Displays will explore Lees impact on the comic book industry; relations with his fans; the creative processes he and his teams followed; development of comic book characters; his involvement in social and political issues; personal memorabilia; and other aspects of his life, vision and career.

Stan Lees legacy is not only in the stories he told, but in the imagination and inspiration he ignited in countless individuals, says Professor Paul Flesher, the AHCs director. We are honored to share his remarkable journey and achievements through this extraordinary exhibition.

Although Lees story cannot be told without the characters he created, this is neither a comic book exhibition nor a Marvel film exhibition.

The Stan Lee Papers are a prized collection at the AHC, Flesher says. For decades, Stan regularly sent materials to the center for preservation, providing an ongoing record of his development as an individual, a writer and artist, an entertainer and a businessman. This exhibition provides for his fans a deep dive into Stan and his achievements.

From his humble beginnings in New York City to his pioneering work in the comic book industry and film world, the exhibition will chronicle Lees journey, highlighting his creativity, innovation and lasting influence.

Born Stanley Martin Lieber Dec. 28, 1922, Lee rose from poverty to become one of the most iconic figures in popular culture history. His contributions to Marvel Comics -- including co-creating beloved characters such as the Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, Iron Man and the X-Men -- have left an indelible mark on generations of fans worldwide.

Lee began a relationship with the AHC in 1977, more than 45 years ago. The relationship was personal and, for the next 30 years, he corresponded regularly with AHC directors and visited campus twice. He sent to the AHC documents, photographs, videos and audio recordings nearly every year. Even though he never earned a college degree, he called UW my university because of this connection. His donations now constitute a unique collection, with 126 cubic feet of materials.

The Stan Lee, Beyond the Book exhibition invites visitors to explore the life, work and enduring legacy of a true visionary. For more information about the exhibition and related events, visit the AHC website at www.uwyo.edu/AHC, call Flesher at (307) 766-2474, or email pflesher@uwyo.edu.

Stan Lee, Beyond the Book, an exhibition opening May 1 at the University of Wyomings American Heritage Center, will reveal Lee the person, from his childhood to his later years. The exhibition will include documents, photographs and artifacts that have not been preserved elsewhere. (Photo from Stan Lee Papers, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming)

The finding aid for the Stan Lee collection is at https://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:80444/xv636387?q=stan%20lee.

About the University of Wyomings American Heritage Center

UWs AHC is home to thousands of collections spanning diverse topics in American history and culture. With a mission to preserve and promote access to our shared heritage, the center serves as a vital resource for researchers, educators and the public alike.

The AHC is one of the nations 10 largest nongovernmental archives. It holds over 95,000 cubic feet of materials in more than 4,000 collections. As the AHC is a public institution, these materials are available for anyone to consult by visiting the reading room in person or via remote means. More than 99 percent of the holdings are available without restriction.

Founded in 1945, the AHC has expanded significantly over the decades and now has 10 key collecting areas. While its primary focus is on the American West, other significant collecting areas include popular culture, transportation (from the transcontinental railroad onward), journalism, ranching, authors, conservation and mineral extraction. The popular culture collections range from early radio to TV to Hollywood. Although the centers Hollywood and TV collections focus on behind-the-camera positions (directors, producers, composers, etc.), the center holds materials from a number of stars, including Jack Benny, Barbara Stanwyck and Buddy Ebsen.

Details on Stan Lee, Beyond the Book, a Celebration of the Marvel Comics Trailblazer

The University of Wyomings American Heritage Center announces the opening of the Stan Lee, Beyond the Book exhibition, showcasing the life and legacy of the iconic author, editor and Marvel Comics visionary. The exhibition, set to open May 1, will run through Nov. 1, offering visitors an intimate glimpse into the world of Stan Lee.

Exhibition

-- Opening date: May 1, 2024

-- Venue: American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming

-- Duration: May 1-Nov. 1, 2024

The exhibition aims to delve into the persona of Stan Lee, highlighting his personal and professional journey from childhood to his later years. While celebrating his iconic characters, the exhibition is not solely a showcase of comic books or Marvel films but a comprehensive exploration of Stan Lee, the individual.

Fan/Comic Convention

In addition to the exhibition, the University of Wyoming will host a two-day fan/comic convention, Stan Lee Super Con, over Labor Day weekend, Aug. 31-Sept. 1. This event will celebrate Lees rich legacy and the vibrant world of comic books, inviting enthusiasts of all ages to come together for a weekend of panels, workshops and special guests.

-- Title: Stan Lee Super Con

-- Dates: Aug. 31-Sept. 1 (Labor Day weekend)

-- Venue: University of Wyoming campus, Laramie, Wyo.

The two-day convention will include theming and events centered on the works of Stan Lee, including special guests, speakers, panel discussions, costume contests, various memorabilia and toy vendors.

Stan Lee meets Spider-Man, one of the beloved characters he co-created for Marvel Comics. (Photo from Stan Lee Papers, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming)

Unique Collection

The Stan Lee Papers, generously donated to the AHC by Lee himself, constitute a treasure trove of over 126 cubic feet of materials, including manuscripts, correspondence, photographs and audio recordings. These materials, curated meticulously from Lees personal archives, offer a rare insight into his creative processes, interactions with fans and the multifaceted facets of his life.

Student-Led Curatorial Team

Curated by three exceptional students from the University of Wyoming, in collaboration with the AHCs experienced staff, the exhibition promises a fresh perspective on Stan Lees legacy. Selected from the universitys top talent pool, these students embarked on extensive research last June to bring forth a captivating narrative that honors Lees enduring impact.

Celebrating a Lifelong Connection

Stan Lees relationship with the AHC dates back to 1977, spanning over four decades. Despite being born and raised in New York, Lee considered the University of Wyoming his alma mater, attributing this sentiment to his profound connection with the AHC. His regular correspondence, regular donations to his collection and two campus visits solidified his bond with the institution.

Public Access and Engagement

The exhibition will be open to the public free of charge, inviting fans and enthusiasts to immerse themselves in the extraordinary legacy of Stan Lee. Visitors will have the opportunity to explore the exhibition in person.

Recent Media

https://trib.com/news/state-regional/stan-lee-university-of-wyoming-archives-interns-exhibit/article_c97c2888-2a6c-11ee-b1a1-ffc0ab826736.html

www.saratogasun.com/story/2023/11/16/news/getting-to-know-stan-lee/12914.html

Contact Information

Chad Baldwin

AVP, Marketing and Communications

University Public Relations

University of Wyoming

Phone: (307) 766-2929

cbaldwin@uwyo.edu



Paul V.M. Flesher

Director, American Heritage Center

University of Wyoming

Phone: (307) 766-2474

pflesher@uwyo.edu



Promotions, Advertising

Fran Evans

Independent Coordinator

Phone: (918) 404-4999

fran.evans@franinc.com



Fan/Comic Convention

Scott Kinney

CEO, Heritage Event Co.

Phone: (310) 612-9213

kidkosmic@yahoo.com



American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming

2111 E. Willett Drive

Laramie, WY 82072

Phone: (307) 766-4114

ahcref@uwyo.edu
Vietnam Edible Oil Market for Foreign Firms

The edible oil market in Vietnam is growing rapidly. In this light, we analyze the opportunities for foreign investors.

According to data from Statista, the edible oil market in Vietnam is estimated to grow annually by a CAGR of 7.29 percent between 2024 and 2028.

The rapid pace of urbanization in Vietnam, along with rising living standards and consumer awareness of the health benefits of quality cooking oils, has led to an increase in demand for edible oils in recent years.

Cooking oil use in Vietnam has grown by roughly 0.5 percent per year since 2017. This saw Vietnam become the 52nd biggest consumer of edible oils in 2021. With this in mind, the Vietnam Briefing looks at how the edible oils market in Vietnam is developing.

Growth drivers

Health-conscious consumers

Since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, Vietnamese have been more interested in their health, with a growing interest in their personal nutrition. Cooking oil often contains vitamins A, D, E, and K and depending on the type can provide consumers with broad health benefits.

Food processing industry growth

The domestic food processing industrys average annual growth rate between 2023 and 2027 is expected to come in at around 8.22 percent and this is driving up demand for cooking oil which is used in processing a range of foods.

In the production and processing plants of the food industry in Vietnam, cooking oil is considered an indispensable key ingredient in the production of fried foods. Furthermore, cooking oil is also utilized in the preparation of bread and cakes as it retains moisture making pastries softer and smoother.

Opportunities

Imports

Vegetable oils popular among Vietnamese customers include palm oil (the major ingredient in vegetable oil), soybean oil, olive oil, sesame oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil, and canola oil. However, Vietnamese domestic firms generally only manufacture soybean oil, peanut oil, and sesame oil. These oils account for around 30 percent of market demand, while palm oil accounts for roughly 70 percent.

Because of the shortfall, Vietnams cooking oil sector must expand imports from overseas to fulfill local consumer demand. Notably, Malaysia and Indonesia are two countries that export substantial volumes of cooking oil to Vietnam. Foreign investors could benefit from this opportunity by supplying Vietnam with other types of oil not produced in the country.

Sustainability

Increasing awareness among Vietnamese consumers has required cooking oil products to be produced in an environmentally friendly manner.

Most cooking oil processing, manufacturing, and refining facilities in Vietnam still have significant constraints. Production lines utilizing outdated technology have resulted in poor product quality, resulting in a waste of both time and resources.

Upgrading the quality of local manufacturing facilities to be environmentally friendly could be another appealing investment opportunity. Investing in factories with contemporary technology and production equipment systems that do not harm the environment may be one of the keys to enhancing product quality and boosting output.

Key domestic players

Calofic Corporation

Cai Lan Vegetable Oil Company Limited (CALOFIC) is a joint venture between the Ministry of Industry and Trades Vietnam Vegetable Oil Industry Corporation (VOCARIMEX) and the Singapore-based Wilmar Group.

This joint venture began in 1996 with an initial investment of US$22 million, which was later expanded to US$261 million. The company accounted for 47.7 percent of the market in 2019. The firm produces and processes vegetable oil in Vietnam mostly from domestic raw resources.

Vocarimex

Vietnam Vegetable Oil Industry Corporation (VOCARIMEX) is a market leader in Vietnams vegetable oil sector. The corporation has currently created over 50 cooking oil product lines, with more than 90 percent of Vocarimexs raw materials imported (mostly palm and soybean oil).

Vocarimex currently produces more than 81 percent of total domestic refined oil output, accounting for more than 85 percent of the domestic vegetable oil market.

Tuong An Vegetable Oil

The company was established in 1977 and now accounts for around 20 percent of the Vietnamese cooking oil market. Tuong An Vegetable Oil is currently a leading respectable entity in the manufacture and sale of plant-based oils and fats.

In 2016, KIDO Group finalized the acquisition of 65 percent of Tuong An. Since then, Tuong An has separated its components into two categories: 100 percent imported raw materials such as palm oil, palm stearin, and soybean oil (crude oil), and locally produced ingredients like peanut oil, and coconut oil.

Looking forward

A lack of supply and a shift in consumer awareness regarding cooking oil has created excellent prospects for foreign investors to enter this market in Vietnam.

For more information on how to go to market in Vietnam, contact the business advisory experts at Dezan Shira and Associates.
Straits Research - Market Research Strategy | Strategy Consulting | Business Research | Business Consulting | Market Research

The body armor industry is steadily changing due to technological advancement. Innovative methods like liquid body armor, dragon skin, and DEFCON have increased demand over the past few years. Additionally, modular tactical vests and double-sided combat uniforms are in greater demand because they provide excellent protection.

New York, United States, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Body armor combines a vest, helmet, and shield soldiers wear to protect from piercing blows, bullets, and other weapons. The body armor, which was historically designed for military personnel, is being enthusiastically adopted by security guards, law enforcement officials, and even some civilians. The rising demand for protective gear among civilians as a result of an increase in terrorism and anti-national activities is one of the main factors fueling the growth of the body armor market.

Download Free Sample Report PDF @ https://straitsresearch.com/report/body-armor-market/request-sample

Greater Demand for Increasing Soldier Safety and Ensuring Survivability Drives the Global Market

According to Straits Research, The global body armor market size was valued at USD 2.2 billion in 2021. It is expected to reach USD 3.78 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 6.20% during the forecast period (20222030). Operations involving counter-insurgency, counter-terrorism, and guerrilla warfare are a few examples of modern military strategies that could leave soldiers mortally wounded. Similar circumstances can be found in the world of law enforcement, where criminals, felons, and other lawbreakers have the potential to fatally hurt corresponding officers, necessitating the purchase of personal protection suits and related equipment. As a result, there is a growing need for ballistic protection equipment and clothing to shield military forces around the globe.

Increasing Spending by Industry Leaders to Create Lightweight Body Armor Creates Tremendous Opportunities

To address the problems with heavy armor, body armor manufacturers are creating lightweight armor systems. The U.S. Department of Defense's programs to develop next-generation body armor, such as the Torso & Extremities Protection (TEP) and Warrior Web Program (WWP), are currently in the development stage of lightweight armor. The market for armor material is experiencing demand for material technologies that maximize cost, weight, and protection. Body armor designers use cutting-edge manufacturing processes like flexible steel fiber meshes, molded glass ceramics, ceramic composite matrixes, and new bonding materials to create lightweight personal protection armor.

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Regional Analysis

North America is the most significant shareholder in the global body armor market and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.7% during the forecast period. The local market is expected to expand due to government military programs like the Extremity Protection program and Soldier Protection System-Torso, which provide the armed forces with full body armor. In 2020, the United States ranked first in terms of military spending. The substantial budget earmarked for military applications and services has further fueled the development and use of body armor in the North American market .

Asia-Pacific is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7%, generating USD 1,194.0 million during the forecast period. The extensive efforts being made to modernize conventional systems and the rise in armed conflict and border disputes in the Asia-Pacific region's emerging economies, such as China, India, and South Korea, are driving the demand for body armor in this region. For instance, in order to safeguard paramilitary, defense, and law enforcement personnel from ammunition and small arms, the first Indian Standard (IS) on BRJ was released in January 2019. The standard could provide a framework for how the jackets are distributed in the South East Asian market. The Asia-Pacific region's need for personal protection for ground troops and consistent government spending on purchasing competitive arms and personal protection equipment is expected to energize the region's market expansion prospects.

Key Highlights

Based on level, the global body armor market is bifurcated into level I, level IIA, level II, level IIIA, level III, and level IV. The level IV segment is the highest contributor to the market and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.8% during the forecast period.

Based on the application, the global body armor market is bifurcated into defense, law enforcement protection, and civilians. The defense segment owns the highest market share and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.2% during the forecast period.

Based on the material, the global body armor market is bifurcated into steel, UHMWPE, aramid, and composite ceramics. The composite ceramics segment is the highest contributor to the market and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.3% during the forecast period.

Based on product type, the global body armor market is bifurcated into soft armor, hard armor, and accessories. The soft armor segment owns the highest market share and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.0% during the forecast period.

Based on product style, the global body armor market is bifurcated into covert and overt. The overt segment is the highest contributor to the market and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.5% during the forecast period.

North America is the most significant shareholder in the global body armor market and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.7% during the forecast period.

Competitive Players

The global body armor markets major key players are Aegis Engineering Ltd, Armored Republic, LLC, Bae Systems, Ballistic Body Armour Pty, Ceradyne Inc. (Subsidiary Of 3m), Craig International Ballistics Pty Ltd, Hellweg International, Keijo Limited Company Pacific Safety Products, Point Blank Enterprises, Inc., and Safariland, LLC.

Market News

In October 2022,CROSHIELD, a Croatian body armor manufacturer, supplied body armor to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence.

In August 2021, KIHOMAC Armor Systems announced the release of their new Ceridium Body Armor Plates.

Global Body Armor Market: Segmentation

By Level

Level I

Level IIA

Level II

Level IIIA

Level III

Level IV

By Applications

Defense

Law Enforcement Protection

Civilians

By Material

Steel

UHMWPE

Aramid

Composite Ceramics

By Product Type

Soft Armor

Hard Armor

Accessories

By Product Style

Covert

Overt

By Regions

North America

Europe

Asia-Pacific

South America

The Middle East and Africa

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Two of Epsteins Closest Advisers Are Sued by His Victims
Early primary results indicate that the 2024 U.S. presidential election will be a rematch of the 2020 contest between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, with voters choosing between someone who would be the countrys oldest president (Biden) or its second-oldest president (Trump).

Many voters are unhappy with the choice. An ABC News/Ipsos poll earlier this month found 59% of Americans think both presumptive nominees are too old to serve another term.

Every indication seems to be that most Americans are not looking forward to a replay of 2020, University of Georgia political scientist Charles Bullock told VOA. If either party could come up with a quality, younger nominee, that person would win by a landslide.

Connecticut mother Rebecca Urrutia agrees.

The age of our candidates is extremely concerning, she said. Its proof that our two-party system has completely crashed and burned.

Are we voting for two men who are in their 80s, or are we voting for the people theyve chosen to be their vice presidents? she added. The chance they wont be able to finish their term because of dementia, senility or other health reasons isnt unbelievable. Something in our system is broken, and we have to fix it.

How did this happen?

Robert Collins, professor of urban studies and public policy at Dillard University in New Orleans, believes Americans feel like theyre not being given a real choice.

For many of us, it feels like a Back to the Future situation, he told VOA, referencing the 1985 movie. Its a choice between the same two old guys we had last time, and a lot of Americans are left wondering how this happened and if it means something is wrong with our democracy.

Collins says the candidates advanced ages are an inconvenient accident rather than a trend.

I dont think anyone in the last few election cycles has said, Lets go look for the oldest guys! he said and laughed. Rather, it just so happened that Trumps message resonated most among Republicans, and that Biden was the compromise candidate from a 2020 primary field crowded with younger Democratic candidates.

The University of Georgias Bullock believes structures of the American political system are partly to blame for candidates trending older.

Some of this problem has to be attributed to the way Congress is elected, he said. Gerrymandering has created less competitive districts. That, in combination with no congressional term limits, means you have politicians who can stay in office for decades without ever being seriously challenged. The result is that much of our countrys leadership, not just our presidential candidates, are older.

Potential impact

Regardless of the reasons, age is an issue in this election. Seventy-one-year-old Norma Rodrigues of Miami, Florida, says thats not right.

Just as age shouldnt be an issue in any workplace when it doesnt affect capacity, it shouldnt matter in politics either, she told VOA. Rather, we should vote on traits like character, empathy and trustworthiness.

Rodrigues says the rematch between two older candidates is not indicative of a broken political system, though it does highlight a flaw.

I think it illustrates a lack of political engagement among younger generations of Americans, she explained. Maybe its caused by a deep disappointment with the candidates, or with what their elected officials have been able to accomplish after taking office.

Age perception between the candidates

While the age gap between President Biden and former President Trump is less than four years, the gap in how Americans view their age is wide.

The ABC News/Ipsos poll that found 59% of Americans think both candidates are too old, and an additional 27% said only Biden is too old. In contrast, only 3% of Americans said only Trump is too old to serve again.

Whether its fair or not, I think Biden reads to Americans as being older than Trump, explained Collins from Dillard University. His walk is a little stiffer, his speech is a little slower, and hes more soft-spoken than Trump. Its an issue his campaign needs to figure out how to fix.

Democratic voter Deborah Theobald from the U.S. state of Georgia says age is definitely a big issue for me in this election, but apparently these two are all weve got to choose between.

So maybe we should talk about competency instead, she continued. Biden surrounds himself with great people, and he has a vice president who, should she have to take over, is prepared. Trump, on the other hand, tried to hang his last vice president during his January 6 insurrection, and is overall incompetent at hiring. Thats why Im voting for Biden.

Theobald was referring to Trump's failure to urge his supporters to stand down when they began chanting "Hang Mike Pence" during the January 6 riot.

Republican voter Jill Dani from Merritt Island, Florida, wants a younger candidate but will stick with Trump over Biden.

I think the Republican Party needs a new face to lead the party, which is why Ill vote for Nikki Haley in the primary, Dani told VOA. But if Trump beats her, you had better believe Ill vote for him in the general election. This election, and getting rid of Biden and the Democrats, is too important to skip.
Poverty levels in Argentina skyrocketed to 57.4% in January, the highest rate in 20 years, according to a study by the Catholic University of Argentina released over the weekend.

The study quickly unleashed a series of accusations between Argentina's former Vice President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner and the government of President Javier Milei, who came to power announcing a series of shock measures aimed at tackling the country's severe crisis.

According to the report, about 27 million people in Argentina are poor, and 15% of those are mired in "destitution," meaning they cannot adequately cover their food needs.

The UCA's social debt observatory is considered an independent and prestigious research space whose reports on poverty cover a larger geographical area than those conducted by Argentina's national statistics agency, INDEC. It also applies a methodology that addresses the problem with a more multidimensional approach, and its findings are seldom questioned by politicians and economists.

According to the center's latest report, the increase in poverty levels in January is partly due to the devaluation of the Argentine peso applied by the Milei government shortly after taking office on December 10. This resulted in an increase in the price of the country's basic basket  which includes food, services and non-food goods  and the basic food basket.

The greatest impact, the study concludes, was experienced by working- or middle-class households that do not receive benefits through social programs.

Milei, an ultra-liberal economist who is implementing a series of shock measures, including a sharp reduction in public spending, said the fact that "six out of every 10 Argentines are poor" constitutes "the true inheritance of the caste model," which is what he calls the political class who has governed Argentina for the last 20 years.

He later said that his government "would give its life" to bring about a change in the socioeconomic reality of Argentina.

Former Vice President Fernandez de Kirchner (2019-2023), who also governed between 2007 and 2015, attributed the poverty problem largely to the policies of conservative President Mauricio Macri (2015-2019), who succeeded her in office, and to the adjustments applied by the current administration.

She said that starting in 2018, "with a debt in dollars and the return of the IMF [...], we went backwards." The reality presented by the study, Fernandez de Kirchner said, "shows that today, we are worse off than in 2004."

The government responded to Fernandez de Kirchner asking her to "be silent."

Presidential spokesman Manuel Adorni said Monday during his daily press conference, that the former president is "one of the most relevant figures in the last 20 years of Argentina's decline."
Maritime security organizations reported a drone attack late Monday on a cargo ship in the Red Sea, the latest in a string of attacks as Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen disrupt maritime traffic in the region.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said an official from the ship reported its being hit by a drone, resulting in superficial damage to the accommodation superstructure.

The UKMTO report said the incident happened about 110 kilometers north of Djibouti, and that the crew was safe and the ship was traveling to its next port of call.

British maritime security firm Ambrey reported an attack in the same area, identifying the ship as a Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier.

In another attack Monday, the Greek-flagged, U.S.-owned bulk carrier Sea Champion reported being targeted twice by missiles, with one causing minor damage to the ship and the other landing in the water nearby.

The ship was carrying grain from Argentina to Yemens port of Aden.

UKMTO said the attack, which happened about 185 kilometers east of Aden, left evidence of shrapnel and damage to paintwork. There were no reported injuries.

The U.S. military said Monday the crew of a third ship, which was struck late Sunday by two anti-ship ballistic missiles fire from Houthi-controlled territory in Yemen, had abandoned the vessel and was taken to a nearby port by a merchant ship.

The Belize-flagged, UK-owned Rubymar made a distress call after the attack, and a U.S.-led coalition warship responded along with the merchant ship to provide help.

Security firm LSS-SAPU, which is responsible for safety on the Rubymar, told Reuters that the ship was taking on water.

A Houthi spokesman claimed responsibility for the attack, saying the militants had fired a number of missiles at the Rubymar.

The Houthi attacks have disrupted global shipping in the region since November, with some carriers now avoiding the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, a key passage to the Suez Canal. Instead, some cargo companies are sending their vessels an extra 6,400 kilometers around Africa, inflating the cost of shipping and adding about 10 days of travel time in each direction.

The Houthis have said their attacks are in solidarity with Palestinians amid the war in Gaza.

The U.S. and British militaries have intercepted some of the Houthi attacks, while also carrying out strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen.

The European Union announced Monday it was launching its own naval mission to protect Red Sea shipping.

"Europe will ensure freedom of navigation in the Red Sea, working alongside our international partners," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Some information for this story came from Agence France-Presse and Reuters.
Australia Tuesday announced a multibillion overhaul of its navy, which senior officials say is in response to increasing geostrategic uncertainty.

Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles told reporters Tuesday that the overhaul would give the navy the largest surface fleet since World War II.

The total cost of the plan over the next 10 years is estimated at $35.25 billion.

The revamp of Australias naval fleet intends to more than double the number of warships. Analysts say the reforms will help prepare the military for possible armed conflict in the Indo-Pacific region and a growing unease in Canberra about Chinas military and territorial ambitions.

Under the Australian plan, there will be up to 11 new general-purpose frigates and a fleet of drone-like boats that can be operated remotely without sailors on board.

A review last year found Australias defense force was no longer fit for purpose and that the navy needed a more strategic combination of smaller and larger warships.

Vice Admiral Mark Hammond, the chief of the Australian navy, told reporters in Sydney that the new plan would create, in time, the most lethalsurface combatant force the country had seen in generations.

Against the backdrop of increasing geostrategic uncertainty this is a consequential investment in national security, he said.

The Canberra government aims to grow Australias fleet of warships from 11 to 26 vessels by the late 2040s.

Marcus Hellyer, head of research at Strategic Analysis Australia, a defense and security consultancy, told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. that the new plan should reverse years of neglect in the navy.

It is really important because - I do not want to get too melodramatic - but we are at risk of not having a navy. The chickens have come home to roost from over a decade of terribly bad decision making between the previous government and the senior leadership of defense. So, between the two of them they have got us into a terrible position.

Australia is also pushing ahead with plans to acquire nuclear-powered submarines under the AUKUS accord with the United States and Britain.

Analysts say that Chinas increasing assertiveness is a key motivation behind the trilateral AUKUS agreement, but China has accused the three countries of a Cold War mentality, saying the alliance was embarking on a path of error and danger.
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Global Linear Resistors Market

Global Linear Resistors Market

Dublin, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Linear Resistors Market (2023 Edition): Analysis By Type, Material (Carbon Film, Metal Film, Metal Oxide Film, Others), By Application, By Region, By Country: Market Insights and Forecast (2019-2029)" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The Global Linear Resistors Market is currently undergoing a significant transformation, according to a newly released research report now available on our platform. This comprehensive document provides an extensive evaluation of the industry, examining its evolution from 2019 and offering forecasts up to the year 2029.

The analysis covers the market's segmentation by Type, with Fixed Resistor and Variable Resistor leading the landscape, and dives deep into the Materials used, including Carbon Film, Metal Film, Metal Oxide Film, among others. Additionally, it critically assesses Applications across Electricals and Electronics, Automotive, Telecommunication, and other sectors that are driving the market.

Market Insights and Regional Forecasts

Evidence from within the report indicates that the global market for Linear Resistors has experienced robust growth with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3% from 2019 to 2022. The market's valuation stood at USD 4 Billion in 2022 and is projected to soar to USD 7.4 Billion by 2029, powered largely by advancements in the electronics and automotive industries.

A resurgence of demand in the Americas, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC), and Middle East Africa (MEA)

Precise analysis and forecasts for market expansion in 10 key countries, including United States, Canada, Brazil, Germany, United Kingdom, France, China, Japan, India, and South Korea

The report further underscores the competitive landscape of the market, with a focus on the strategic initiatives, mergers, acquisitions, and new product developments adopted by industry leaders.

Story continues

Technological Advancements and Miniaturization Trend Elevate Market Demand

Technological innovations have played a quintessential role in shaping the demand for Linear Resistors. The advent of high-performance electronic components requiring precision resistors for applications such as signal processing is significantly propelling the market. Additionally, the trend toward miniaturization in the electronics sector has catalyzed the demand for compact, surface-mount linear resistors.

Key Attributes:

Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 250 Forecast Period 2024 - 2029 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2024 $4.81 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2029 $7.43 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 9.0% Regions Covered Global

Scope of the Report

The report analyses the Linear Resistors Market by Value (USD Million).

The report presents the analysis of Linear Resistors Market for the historical period of 2019-2022, the estimated year 2023 and the forecast period of 2024-2029.

The report analyses the Linear Resistors Market By Type (Fixed Resistor and Variable Resistor)

The report analyses the Linear Resistors Market By Material (Carbon Film, Metal Film, Metal Oxide Film and Other Materials)

The report analyses the Linear Resistors Market By Application (Electricals and Electronics, Automotive, Telecommunication and Other Applications)

The key insights of the report have been presented through the frameworks of SWOT and Porter's Five Forces Analysis. Also, the attractiveness of the market has been presented by region, By Types, by mode of operation & by end users.

Also, the major opportunities, trends, drivers and challenges of the industry has been analyzed in the report.

The report tracks competitive developments, strategies, mergers and acquisitions and new product development.

Analyst Recommendations

Expand the Production of Surface Mount Technology (SMT) in Linear Resistor.

Expand the Online Presence of Linear Resistors

Competitive Positioning

Companies' Product Positioning

Market Position Matrix

Market Share Analysis of Linear Resistors Market

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The European Union on Monday officially launched its mission to protect maritime traffic in the Red Sea, which has been disrupted by Houthi rebel attacks, the European Commission president said.

Several countries have expressed their intention to participate in this mission, called Aspides (shield in ancient Greek), including Belgium, Italy, Germany and France. Spain has indicated that it will not participate.

Europe will ensure freedom of navigation in the Red Sea, in coordination with our international partners, EC President Ursula von der Leyen posted on X from an EU foreign ministers meeting in Brussels.

We have just approved the launch of the naval military operation Aspides, of which Italy will have command of the forces, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani confirmed on X.

The mission is planned for one year but may be renewed.

It will be up to the mission's command to determine when it will have sufficient resources to be fully operational. That should take "a few weeks," according to a European diplomat.

The German frigate Hessen left on February 8 for the Red Sea, with a crew of 240. It will be in a state of permanent alert and will be able to respond to possible attacks with remotely controlled missiles, drones and boats.

Greek general command

Belgium has announced its intention to send its frigate Marie-Louise. France has said it is ready to make one of its frigates already present in the Red Sea available to the Aspides mission.

The EU agreed in January on the principle of a maritime surveillance and patrol mission in the Red Sea, provided that its mandate was purely defensive.

Greece will assume general command of this mission and Italy will assume operational command at sea, a European diplomatic source explained Friday.

It will be able to fire to defend merchant ships or defend itself but will not be able to target objectives on land against Houthi rebel positions in Yemen, according to diplomats.

The Houthis, who control large areas of Yemen, say they have been carrying out attacks on ships in the Red Sea in solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, where Israel is waging war against Gaza's Hamas rulers in retaliation for an October 7 attack on Israel.

These attacks in the Red Sea triggered retaliatory strikes by U.S. and British forces, the latest of which took place Saturday.
On February 8, Russias science and higher education minister, Valery Falkov, congratulating scientists on the Day of Russian Science, referred to Russian scientists Ivan Sechenov and Alexander Butlerov, as well as the Soviet scientist Leonid Kantorovich, as Nobel laureates:

"The pride of Russia is our Nobel laureates - Sechenov, Butlerov, Kantorovich, and many others."

That is partly false.

Ivan Sechenov wasnt a Nobel Prize laureate. Alexander Butlerov died five years before the first Nobel Prize was awarded. Leonid Kantorovich received the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel. Whether that prize should be considered a true Nobel is a matter of some controversy.

Sechenov, a Russian psychologist, physiologist and medical scientist, was born in 1829 and died in 1905.

He is not among the 965 individuals listed on the Nobel Prize website as having received the honor since it was first awarded in 1901.

In listing Sechenovs main awards, TASS, Russias largest state-owned news agency, does not include the Nobel:

Knight of the Order of St. Stanislaus 1st class, St. Vladimir Equal to the Apostles 3rd class, St. Anna 3rd class. For a course of lectures On Animal Electricity, he was awarded the Demidov Prize (1863).

According to Encyclopedia Britannica, Russian chemist Aleksandr Butlerov helped advance the theory of structure in chemistry. He was born in 1828 and died in 1886, five years before the first Nobel Prizes were awarded in 1901.

According to the Nobel Prize website, a deceased person cannot be nominated for the award:

[A] Nobel Prize cannot be awarded posthumously. However, since 1974, if the recipient dies after the prize has been announced they can still be awarded it.

Leonid Kantorovich (1912-1986) was a Soviet mathematician and economist who helped create linear programming.

In 1975, Kantorovich and Tjalling Koopmans, a Dutch-American mathematician and economist, were awarded the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel for their contributions to the theory of the optimum allocation of resources.

The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel is often informally called the Nobel Prize in Economics. This prize was established by the Sveriges Riksbank, Swedens central bank, in 1968, in memory of Alfred Nobel, founder of the Nobel Prize. It has been awarded for achievements in the field of economic sciences since 1969.

The Nobel Prize site says that [T[he prize in economic sciences is awarded by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Stockholm, Sweden, according to the same principles as for the Nobel Prizes that have been awarded since 1901.

Among the recipients of the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel are Ben Bernanke (2022), the former chair of the Federal Reserve, the U.S. central bank; Paul Krugman (2008), an American economist who is the Distinguished Professor of Economics at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York and a columnist for The New York Times; Milton Friedman (1976), the American economist widely regarded as the founder of monetarism; and Friedrich von Hayek (1974), the Austrian economist noted, as Encyclopedia Britannica put it, "for his criticisms of the Keynesian welfare state and of totalitarian socialism."

Nevertheless, the Sveriges Riksbank prize is the subject of controversy since, unlike the Nobel Prizes for physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature, and peace, it was not established by Alfred Nobel in his last will and testament in 1895.

Four members of Alfred Nobels family formally distanced themselves from the Swedish central bank-sponsored award. Peter Nobel, the great-grandnephew of the founder and a Swedish human rights lawyer, called the Prize in Economic Sciences "a PR coup by economists to improve their reputation ... most often awarded to stock market speculators.

It should be noted that Nobel Prize founder Alfred Nobel was a Swedish chemist best known for inventing dynamite and other explosives.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson will visit Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Budapest on Friday, three days ahead of the Hungarian parliament's expected vote on approving Sweden for membership in NATO.

Orban said on Tuesday that it would be a "pleasure" to welcome Kristersson to Budapest, saying in a post on the X platform that they will be discussing how to strengthen "the defense and security policy cooperation between Hungary and Sweden."

He added that during the meeting, they would also talk about "plans for the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, and the EU's Strategic Agenda."

Hungarys ruling party Tuesday proposed holding the February 26 vote on the ratification of Swedens NATO bid and said it would support Swedens accession. Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson said the development is very welcome.

Sweden, along with Finland, applied to join the Atlantic alliance in May 2022 in response to Russias invasion of Ukraine. Finland became a NATO member in April of last year.

Lawmakers from Prime Minister Orbans Fidesz party had repeatedly stalled voting on Swedens NATO bid. They also had been angry with Sweden for criticizing a backsliding of democracy in Hungary. According to the Associated Press, Orban indicated in a state of the nation speech in Budapest last Saturday that lawmakers might soon relent.

Over the weekend, a bipartisan group of U.S. senators visited Hungary to press the government on the matter, but no member of the government met with them.

The U.S. lawmakers also said they would introduce a resolution in Congress urging the Orban government to act on Swedens ratification.

Accepting new members to the alliance must be a unanimous decision by the existing members and Hungary is the only NATO member that has yet to approve Swedens bid.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. VOAs Henry Ridgwell contributed to this report.
The widow of Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny has vowed to continue his fight. Protesters in Jerusalem scuffle with police and call for the hostages return. WHO says they were shocked by what they found at Gaza's Nasser hospital. And tracking polar bears using collars with video cameras.
Norway says it will transfer tax funds to the Palestinian Authority that have been frozen for months because of a dispute with Israel.

Under interim peace agreements dating back to the early 1990s, Israel collects taxes and customs on behalf of the PA, which administers parts of the occupied West Bank and also helps pay for public services in Gaza.

After Hamas' October 7 attack triggered the war in Gaza, Israel reduced the transfers by the amount that is spent on the territory. The PA refused to accept the partial transfers, even though it relies on the taxes to cover most of its budget.

Under the agreement announced Sunday, Israel will transfer all the funds to Norway. The Scandinavian country will in turn transfer funds for the West Bank to the Palestinian Authority while holding those destined for Gaza.

"The temporary scheme will play a crucial role in preventing the Palestinian Authority from collapsing financially," it said in a statement Sunday. The transfer will allow the PA to pay salaries to teachers, health workers and other public employees.

"Ensuring that the Palestinian Authority does not collapse and can provide essential services to the population is vital to safeguarding the very existence of the Authority, promoting a political process and realizing a future two-state solution," Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said.

There was no immediate comment from Israel or the Palestinian Authority.

Israel has reduced the tax transfers in the past to protest the PA's payments to families of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel and those slain in the conflict, including militants who killed Israeli civilians.

Israel says such payments reward and incentivize violence, while the Palestinians view them as a source of social welfare for people harmed by the conflict.

The United States, Israel's top ally, is pushing for a postwar settlement in which a revitalized Palestinian Authority would govern the West Bank and Gaza ahead of eventual statehood. Netanyahu has rejected that idea, saying Israel must maintain open-ended security control over both territories.

Hamas seized power in Gaza in 2007 after a prolonged political crisis, driving forces loyal to the PA out in a week of street battles and confining the PA's authority to parts of the occupied West Bank.

Norway played a key role in brokering the 1993 Oslo Accords that launched the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. But no serious or substantive peace talks have been held since Netanyahu returned to office in 2009, and his government is opposed to the creation of a Palestinian state.
Papua New Guinea will give the military the power to arrest, Prime Minister James Marape said Monday, following at least 26 deaths in an intertribal ambush that occurred Sunday in remote Wapenamanda.

Arrest powers are normally reserved for police.

The death toll was initially 53, but security forces revised the number to 26.

The deaths were mainly among the Sikin and Kaikin tribes, which have been fighting with the Ambulin tribe, according to NBC News.

Reuters reported that although the death toll was lowered, it is likely to be revised up again. Papua New Guinea Police Commissioner David Manning is set to travel to the Enga province where the attacks took place and where social media images of the attack included bodies stacked on a truck.

The attacks were a "disgraceful act of cruelty," Manning said.

Marape condemned the attacks, urging tribes to find peaceful means to resolve conflicts.

"There is no prize to be engaged in tribal fights.  Lay down your arms," he said.

Marape also had a warning for "youths holding guns," saying they would be arrested and face life in prison.

During a video press conference, Marape also expressed his anger at the attacks.

"To lose one life, let alone many lives, does not evade our consciousness and our concern," he said.

He added that as prime minister, he is "deeply moved" and "very angry."

The move to give military officials the power to arrest will accompany plans to establish a special police unit, Marape, said, adding that up to 200 officers would be part of it. The unit would be trained in Australia and used in Papua New Guinea to deal with "domestic terrorists."

Australia said in December it would provide $200 million for police training. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Monday the news of the attacks was "very disturbing" and reiterated the countrys support for the Pacific Island nation.

Japan has also vowed support Monday for defense forces, saying it would fund the purchase of dozens of police vehicles.

Papua New Guinea, with hundreds of tribes speaking more than 800 languages, has seen increasing outbreaks of violence from warring tribes over the years. This violence has worsened as weaponry has become more advanced.

Last year in the Enga province, 60 people were killed.

George Kakas, a senior officer in the Papua New Guines police force, told ABC News that "these tribesmen have been killed all over the countryside, all over the bush."

John Luther, a leader of Akom village that saw some of its warriors killed in the ambush, told The Associated Press that they do not plan to retaliate.

"We've lost a lot of lives. I don't feel like we should be able  to retaliate," Luther said.

"We're already weak in numbers," he added, saying he wouldn't let his people go out and fight again.

According to Luther, villagers were ambushed from a school building while they were on a mission to avenge a death that occurred in a nearby allied village. He claims the military armed and aided the ambush.

Oliver Nobetau, a research fellow at the Lowy Institute, expects the violence to worsen.

"Revenge killings tend to be a normal thing that happens," he said, and "tribal violence is something that is prevalent."

He added that the government, which has limited resources, will attempt to deploy the police when it can.

Enga Governor Peter Ipatas said he warned security forces that tribal fighting was imminent and "to make sure they took appropriate action to ensure this didn't occur."

Some information for this report was provided by The Associated Press and Reuters.
Polish farmers blocked border crossings with Ukraine, spilled Ukrainian grain and burned tires on Tuesday as they intensified a nationwide protest against the import of Ukrainian foods and European Union environmental policies.

Farmers from Spain to Italy to Belgium have been protesting recently, worried that EU's Green Deal plan to place limits on the use of chemicals and on greenhouse gas emissions will result in a reduction in production and income. They are also in revolt against competition from non-EU countries, in particular Ukraine, a large producer of agricultural goods.

Polish farmers drove their tractors through Gdansk, Krakow and other cities, honking their horns in the noisy protest. They said their action would become ever more dramatic until their demands are met. Elsewhere they blocked the entrances to highways.

They want Prime Minister Donald Tusk's government to withdraw Poland from the Green Deal and to stop the import of agricultural imports from Ukraine. A sign on one tractor in Gdansk accused the government of caring more about Ukraine than Polish farmers. "Such a policy ruins farmers," another sign said.

The farmers spilled Ukrainian grain from a train in Medyka, a Polish border town, sparking deep concern from Ukrainian authorities. Economy minister Yulia Svyrydenko said Kyiv hoped for a "robust response" from the European Commission.

Ukrainian authorities in the past have said border blockades threatened humanitarian material passing into the country.

"Spilling grain from a freight train onto the tracks, blocking passenger traffic is not a protest. It's a violation of public order," Svyrydenko wrote on X, formerly Twitter. "Given the ongoing Russian aggression, maintaining the functionality of our land borders is of utmost importance. It is crucial that the border not be held hostage to such actions."

The protests are a growing source of tensions between Ukraine and neighbors across its Western border who support its efforts to fight off Russia's invasion but are facing pressure from farmers. The farmers say Ukrainian grain and other food imports are damaging their livelihoods by creating a glut on the market that pushes down prices.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy singled out the protesting Polish farmers in his nightly address Monday, saying their actions indicated an "erosion of solidarity."

"Near Kupiansk, close to the Russian border, where enemy artillery does not cease, news from the border with Poland seems outright mocking," said Zelenskyy.

According to Zelenskyy, Ukraine exports only 5% of its grains through the Polish border. "So in reality, the situation is not about grain, but rather about politics," he said.

In response to the protests, Ukrainian drivers started a rally near three crossing points with Poland, the Ukrainian media outlet Suspilne reported. "The blockade of Ukraine is a betrayal of European values," a sign on one truck said.

More protests were expected Thursday in central Europe.
Vladimir Putin gave Kim Jong Un a luxury Russian Aurus limousine as a gift because the North Korean leader liked the car when the Russian president showed it to him last year, the Kremlin said on Tuesday.

When Kim visited eastern Russia in September, Putin showed Kim one of the black armored limousines that he uses. Kim sat beside Putin in the car at the Vostochny Cosmodrome and appeared to enjoy it.

"When the head of the DPRK (North Korea) was at the Vostochny cosmodrome, he looked at this car, Putin showed it to him personally, and like many people, Kim liked this car," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said when asked about the gift.

"So this decision was made," Peskov said. "North Korea is our neighbor, our close neighbor, and we intend, and will continue, to develop our relations with all neighbors, including North Korea."

Russia has stepped up ties with North Korea and other countries hostile to the United States such as Iran since the start of the war with Ukraine - relations that are a source of concern to the West.

The United States has accused North Korea of supplying Russia with artillery shells and missiles used in Ukraine. Moscow and Pyongyang deny the U.S. accusations but vowed last year to deepen military relations.

The Russian-made limousine was delivered to Kim's top aides by the Russian side on Feb. 18, North Korea's official KCNA news agency said.

'Special personal relations'

Kim's sister "courteously conveyed Kim Jong Un's thanks to Putin to the Russian side, saying that the gift serves as a clear demonstration of the special personal relations between the top leaders," KCNA reported.

South Korea's foreign ministry said it was closely monitoring the cooperation between Russia and North Korea while urging both countries to comply with U.N. Security Council resolutions.

"Security Council sanctions on North Korea prohibit directly or indirectly supplying, selling or moving all transportation vehicles internationally categorized as HS Code 86 through to 89 regardless of their origin to North Korea including luxury cars," ministry spokesperson Lim Soo-suk told a media briefing.

According to the carmaker's website, the car is Russia's first full-size luxury sedan. It is also Putin's presidential car.

When Kim visited the Vostochny Cosmodrome, Kim himself drove to the site in a Maybach limousine brought onboard a special train he traveled in from Pyongyang.

Kim is believed to be an avid automobile enthusiast and has a large collection of luxury foreign vehicles, which are likely smuggled in.

The Maybach and others he has been seen in including several Mercedes limousines, a Rolls-Royce Phantom and a Lexus sports utility vehicle fall under luxury goods that U.N. Security Council resolutions ban from export to North Korea.

On Tuesday, KCNA separately reported that a delegation of North Korea ruling party officials returned from Russia and three delegations, representing information technology, fisheries and sports, departed for Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday welcomed a $683 million military aid package from Sweden, which comes as Ukrainian leaders continue to push for more international help in their fight against Russia's full-scale invasion.

Zelenskyy called Sweden's support "a significant contribution to Ukraine's resilience in the face of Russian aggression and a powerful investment in preserving peace and freedom in Europe."

"Artillery ammunition, air defense, grenade launchers, combat boats, armored vehicles, and other items are meeting some of our frontline warriors' most pressing needs," Zelenskyy posted on social media.

Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson said the aid package was the largest yet his country is supplying to Ukraine, and that the equipment and weapons meet "some of Ukraine's most pressing needs."

"Ukraine is not only defending its own freedom but that of all of Europe," Jonson said. "Sweden will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes. Russia cannot be allowed to win this war."

Ukrainian Prime Minister Shmyhal said Tuesday that while Ukraine's military has gotten U.S. and European support, it needs more long-range missiles to bolster its air defenses against Russian attacks.

"Unfortunately, now they prevail in the air and unfortunately this leads to some consequences from the frontline," Shmyhal said.

Zelenskyy said Monday after visiting the front line near the northeastern city of Kupiansk that Russia is exploiting delays in military aid to Ukraine.

"There is now an extremely difficult situation in several parts of the front line, precisely where Russian troops have concentrated maximum reserves," Zelenskyy said.

Ukraine's biggest supplier of military aid, the United States, has not delivered a new round of aid since December when funding ran out.

U.S. President Joe Biden has struggled to push a $95 billion package of international security assistance for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan through Congress over the opposition of numerous Republican lawmakers.

Biden said Monday he would be willing to meet with House Speaker Mike Johnson to discuss the issue.

"Sure I'd be happy to meet with him, if he has anything to say," Biden told reporters Monday.

At the same time, Biden swiped at Republican lawmakers for not continuing to fund

Ukraine's two-year fight to defend itself against Russia's invasion.

"The way they're walking away from the threat of Russia. The way they're walking away from NATO. The way they're walking away from meeting our obligations ... I've never seen anything like it," Biden said.

A spokesperson for Johnson said the speaker had been trying to meet with Biden for weeks. Raj Shah welcomed Biden's "openness to meeting with Speaker Johnson about the best path forward for securing the nation," and said, "It's long overdue."

With bipartisan support, the Democratic-controlled Senate approved the spending package. Johnson, leader of the narrow Republican majority in the House of Representatives, has balked at sending the measure to the House floor for a vote, in part because former President Donald Trump opposes the new aid.

Johnson has complained that the foreign assistance package contains no new controls to block the influx of tens of thousands of illegal migrants crossing from Mexico into the United States. But Senate Republicans, at the behest of Trump, blocked consideration of a bipartisan proposal to tighten migration restrictions.

Russia sanctions

Ukraine's military reported fresh Russian drone attacks Tuesday, while pressure built toward new sanctions against Russia following the death of imprisoned opposition leader Alexey Navalny.

Ukraine's air force said the country's air defenses destroyed all 23 Russian drones. The intercepts happened over multiple regions of Ukraine, including Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson and Mykolaiv.

The Russian attack also included four guided missiles. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.

Shmyhal on Tuesday urged Japan and the European Union to enact new sanctions against Russia.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said Monday that Russian President Vladimir Putin "will be held accountable" for Navalny's death.

Biden said Monday his administration is considering additional Russia sanctions, and he blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Russian leader's "thugs" for Navalny's death last week.

"We already have sanctions," Biden told reporters at the White House, "but we're considering additional sanctions, yes."

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.
A Russian court said Tuesday U.S. journalist Evan Gershkovich will remain in pre-trial detention until March 30.

The court rejected an appeal to an earlier decision to extend The Wall Street Journal reporters detention through that date while he faces espionage charges.

Gershkovich and the newspaper have denied the allegations. Russia has not provided evidence to support the charges.

The U.S. State Department also has declared Gershkovich wrongfully detained.

The 32-year-old Gershkovich was arrested while on a reporting trip in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg in March 2023.

Also Tuesday, Russian media reported that authorities in Yekaterinburg detained a woman with U.S.-Russian dual citizenship on allegations she provided financial assistance to Ukraine.

"The Federal Security Service in Yekaterinburg suppressed the illegal activities of a 33-year-old resident of Los Angeles, who has dual citizenship of Russia and the United States," the TASS news agency quoted Russias Federal Security Service (FSB) as saying.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy in Moscow told VOA it is aware of the reports but declined further comment on the situation.

Some information for this story came from Agence France-Presse and Reuters.
General Motors faced more software problems across its lineup that forced it on Monday to issue a second stop-sale order on its vehicles in the last three months. But the automaker was able to find a fast fix in the most recent instance.

The stop-sale affects all 2024 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon midsize trucks. On Tuesday, GM spokesman Kevin Kelly told the Detroit Free Press the stop-sale was to address "intermittent software quality issues" and that "a fix has been identified and implemented into vehicles and they began shipping out to dealers yesterday. We expect this hold to lift shortly so we can begin delivering vehicles to customers as quickly as we can."

The 2024 Colorado ZR2 Bison rock crawling on an off-road trail.

Kelly declined to be more specific on the timing for when GM will lift the stop-sale order beyond "shortly."

This latest software glitch follows a December stop-sale order of 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EVs so that GM could find a fix to owner-reported software problems that include intermittent issues with in-vehicle screens and problems using DC fast charging. GM, which had started shipping Blazer EVs to dealers in July 2023, was still working on that fix.

Last week, the Free Press first reported that GM had a large number of its 2024 midsize pickups parked near the Wentzville Assembly Plant in Missouri, where it builds them. The pickups were there because the vehicles have software glitches and cannot be sold.

Kelly said late on Monday, We are disappointed when we choose to pause sales, but we are committed to quality and the customer experience, therefore software updates will continue to be part of the process as our vehicles become more and more technologically advanced."

He added that GM had its software leadership team "urgently working to overcome any issues in the short term."

GM's long-term plan includes, "revamping the software development process and more importantly the validation process," Kelly said.

The stop-sale order was not hampering production at Wentzville Assembly, which also builds GM's cargo vans. GM had stopped building the vans after a fire at a supplier last fall had tentatively made metal frames used on the vans unavailable. Kelly said GM has resumed van production at a low rate and expects to be back to normal rate in a few weeks.

Story continues

Kelly said there has been no impact to midsize pickup production due to the stop-sale and the vehicles that have been in storage will go through a thorough cleaning and validation process before shipping to dealers.

Last Thursday, CEO Mary Barra spoke at the Wolfe Research Global Auto and Auto Tech Conference in New York and said she has some regrets from last year, including fixing glitches with new in-vehicle software. Barra said she regretted not bringing in GM's new software team sooner.

I wish I would have brought in the team we have now, earlier," Barra said. GM hired former Apple executive Mike Abbott in May 2023. "Mike Abbott has brought in an incredible team: hired people from Google, from Apple, from Meta and many tech companies. Weve already revamped the software development process and, more importantly, the validation process.

Once GM implements that process with every future vehicle, the software will "exceed customers expectations" and differentiate GM from competitors, Barra promised. She did not offer further details.

More: Letter indicates GM and UAW closing in on dates for $50,000 buyout program

More: Fain: UAW will unionize at least 1 nonunion automaker in 2024

Contact Jamie L. LaReau: jlareau@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @jlareauan. Read more on General Motors and sign up for our autos newsletter. Become a subscriber.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: GM orders stop-sale of 2024 Chevrolet Colorado, GMC Canyon pickups
The Taliban have reportedly allowed female high school graduates in Afghanistan to enroll in state-run medical institutes for the new academic year that begins in March.

The enrollment process has begun in more than a dozen Afghan provinces, following a directive from the Ministry of Public Health in Kabul, the Taliban-run official Bakhtar news agency said Tuesday. It provided no further information.

There was no immediate comment from de facto Afghan authorities on the ministrys reported directive.

The Taliban have banned girls education beyond the sixth grade and barred women from working in public and private sectors since reclaiming power in Afghanistan in August 2021.

The reported health ministry directive could be a sign of relief for girls who graduated before the Taliban takeover to resume their education and pursue employment in the health sector, one of the few areas where women are still permitted to work.

Aid groups say the restrictions on womens education and work have hurt an already fragile Afghan health sector as the country has not produced a single doctor for over a year.

The United Nations has repeatedly warned that Afghanistan faces a shortage of qualified health workers in general and women in particular.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres reiterated Tuesday that the Taliban must reverse the outrageous ban on girls access to education and the ban on womens employment.

Women & girls must be able to fully & meaningfully participate in all aspects of Afghan life  from seats in classrooms to the tables where decisions are made, Guterres wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

He made the statement a day after hosting an international conference in Qatar, where envoys from 25 countries, as well as the European Union, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, discussed engagement with Afghanistans de facto Taliban authorities.

Guterres stressed the need for girls education while briefing reporters on the conference's outcomes in Doha, the capital of the Gulf state. He said it would be inconceivable for him if his three granddaughters could not attend secondary school and could not go on to university.

I would like all the granddaughters and daughters in Afghanistan to enjoy exactly the same rights that my granddaughters will hopefully enjoy in my country, said the secretary general.

In a report this month, Human Rights Watch warned that a sharp reduction in foreign financial and technical development has severely harmed the Afghan healthcare system.

The U.S.-based watchdog said the Talibans sweeping restrictions on womens employment have fueled the crisis.

Women have been banned from most civil service jobs, from employment with nongovernmental organizations and the United Nations except for specific positions in health care and education, and from some private sector jobs, the report said.

It noted that the curbs on women and girls have gravely impeded" their access to health services and have blocked almost all training of future female healthcare workers in Afghanistan.
The US vetoes a UN resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. Julian Assange fights extradition to the US and theres a break in the case of the assassination of Haitis president. We look at the loss of Adiivka and what it means to Ukrainians, and how polar bears are doing on dry land.
A panel of United Nations experts is calling for the international community to officially recognize "gender apartheid" as a crime against humanity, highlighting the severe oppression of women and girls under regimes like the Taliban in Afghanistan.

The five-member group of experts from the United States, China, Mexico, Uganda and Serbia, affiliated with the U.N. human rights body, say this recognition is already long overdue.

Gender apartheid is not merely a theoretical possibility or legal construct but a real threat and lived reality for millions of women and girls around the world  a reality that is currently not explicitly codified in international law, the experts said in a U.N. statement on Tuesday.

Drawing attention to Afghanistan as a stark example, the experts claim the de facto Taliban government has institutionalized a system of gender-based discrimination, oppression, and domination.

Since seizing power, the Taliban have barred women and girls from secondary education, most workplaces, many recreational activities and unaccompanied travel over longer distances.

State laws, policies and practices that relegate women to conditions of extreme inequality and oppression, with the intent of effectively extinguishing their human rights, reflect the very core of apartheid systems, the U.N. experts said.

They urge the U.N.'s General Assembly Sixth Committee to consider adding gender apartheid under Article 2, which addresses the prevention and punishment of crimes against humanity.

Over the past year, several human rights groups and womens rights activists have made similar calls, urging the international community to take action against the Talibans repressive policies.

Adapted from the international law on racial apartheid, gender apartheid emphasizes that discrimination has been made the system of governance itself, Karima Bennoune, a professor of international law at the University of Michigan Law School, wrote in comments to VOA.

Afghan women human rights defenders stress that the Taliban are not simply failing to uphold womens rights  oppression of women is central to their system of governance and a core part of their philosophy, Bennoune said.

Despite a lack of international recognition and terrorism sanctions, Taliban authorities defend their gender-based restrictions as rooted in Islamic and traditional values.
A United Nations-led international conference ended Monday with consensus on the goals Taliban rulers must meet but little progress on how the world should coordinate engagement with the unrecognized government.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres convened special representatives to Afghanistan from 25 countries as well as the European Union, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization for a two-day conference in Qatars capital, Doha.

The Taliban refused to attend, saying participation was unbeneficial if the U.N. did not see them as the sole representatives of Afghanistan.

However, Rosemary di Carlo, U.N. undersecretary-general for political and peacebuilding affairs, met separately with a Taliban representative from the groups Doha-based political office.

At the press briefing after the event, Guterres rejected the notion that the U.N. failed to bring Afghanistans de facto rulers to the table because of ineffective communication, saying the conditions the Taliban had placed were unacceptable.

These conditions, first of all, denied us the right to talk to other representatives of the Afghan society and demanded a treatment that would, I would say, to a large extent be similar to recognition, Guterres said.

Supporting the Taliban, Russia said the hardline groups decision to not attend, as they were offered to take part only in a marginal part of the meeting, was valid.

Questioning the selection of the few Afghan civil society members invited, the Russian delegation refused to engage with them.

At Afghan authorities' request, Russian representatives decided to abstain from the conveners meeting with the participation of so-called Afghan civil society participants, who were, by the way, chosen in a nontransparent manner, behind Kabuls back, a Russian Embassy statement posted on social media said.

Speaking to reporters at U.N. headquarters in New York, Russias permanent representative to the world body, Vassily Nebenzia, told reporters his country was not abandoning the issue of Afghan womens rights. He defended the Russian decision to reject meeting Afghan activists as a pragmatic choice.

There are other things for Afghanistan that should be dealt with and should be attended to  and we have to engage with those people who rule Afghanistan now," he said.

Consensus and criticism

The meeting, convened to discuss the recommendations of a U.N.-sponsored, independent assessment of Afghanistan, saw complete consensus on the goals outlined in last years review, Guterres said.

These goals include having an Afghan government that is inclusive, rather than the all-male, predominantly Pashtun Taliban setup; ending the restrictions on womens mobility and their right to study and work; and preventing Afghanistan from becoming a terrorist hotbed.

Chinas special envoy for Afghanistan, Yue Xiaoyong, however, signaled some disagreements as well.

Some of the members also emphasized the need to unfreeze the overseas assets of $7 billion to Afghanistan - the need to lift the unilateral sanction[s] by United States, Yue told reporters on the sidelines of the event.

The U.S. froze $7 billion of Afghan central bank funds after the Taliban took control of the country in August 2021. In 2022, the Biden administration put half the money in a Switzerland-based trust account called Fund for the Afghan People, which a board oversees. The remaining money is locked in the U.S.

Yue said foreign nations should not impose themselves on Afghanistan.

The international community, they are coming to help, not to impose, not to put pressures, but show respect to Afghanistan so that all sides can come to have engagement, to have dialogue, he said.

China is the only country that has sent an ambassador to Kabul under the Taliban rule and has received a Taliban ambassador as well. Still, Beijing insists it has not recognized the Taliban government.

Special envoy

The Doha huddle also discussed the appointment of a U.N. special envoy to Afghanistan, a position the independent assessment recommends.

According to U.N. documents, the envoy will focus on diplomacy between Afghanistan and international stakeholders and advancing intra-Afghan dialogue.

Most members of the Security Council support the idea; China and Russia abstained from voting on it.

The Taliban oppose such an appointment, arguing that the U.N. Assistance Mission to Afghanistan, or UNAMA, already exists.

We need to have clear consultations with the Taliban in order to have a clarification of the role of that envoy, of who can be that envoy, in order to make it attractive from the point of view of the Taliban, the secretary-general said.

A source told VOA that delegates agreed the special envoy should be from the region and have knowledge of Islam, the religion of most Afghans.

More engagement

Despite the Talibans absence, the secretary-general said the conference was extremely useful and hoped the rulers in Kabul would join next time.

Responding to a VOA question on how the Talibans future participation would be possible if they insisted on recognition, Guterres suggested more engagement.

With different levels of organizing the meetings, I think we will find easily a solution to allow for the participation of the Taliban, he said.

Asif Durrani, Pakistan's special representative for Afghanistan, told VOA in Doha that the U.N. and the Taliban would have to try harder to ensure the de facto rulers come to the next meeting.

The Taliban are a reality, so you have to devise ways and means to do business with them. But at the same time, they also have to take certain responsibilities, Durrani said.

Speaking to VOA on the sidelines in Doha, Rina Amiri, U.S. special envoy for Afghan women, girls and human rights, said the demand to ensure womens rights would stay on the table.

I can assure you that on the issue of womens rights and human rights, we have said its central and its nonnegotiable, she said.

VOA U.N. Correspondent Margaret Besheer contributed to this report.
Israel's military on Tuesday reported intense fighting in the Khan Younis area of the Gaza Strip, while the United States vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution that calls for an immediate humanitarian cease-fire, scaled up aid access and rejects the forced displacement of Palestinians.

"Demanding an immediate, unconditional cease-fire without an agreement requiring Hamas to release the hostages will not bring about a durable peace," said U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield of the Algerian-drafted resolution.

For weeks, the United States, Egypt, Qatar and Israel have been involved in delicate negotiations aimed at the release of all hostages and an extended pause in the fighting.

"Instead, it could extend the fighting between Hamas and Israel, extend the hostages' time in captivity, an experience described by former hostages as 'hell,' and extend the dire humanitarian crisis Palestinians are facing in Gaza," Thomas-Greenfield said, adding "none of us want that."

Algeria first presented the 15-member Security Council with its text three weeks ago and has delayed a vote to give those negotiations time. But the country's Ambassador Amar Bendjama said silence is no longer an option and it is time for the council to act.

"We are rapidly approaching a critical juncture where the call to halt the machinery of violence will lose its significance," he said of Israel's impending incursion on the southern city of Rafah, where 1.5 million Palestinians are sheltering.

"Today, every Palestinian is a target for death, extermination and genocide," he said. "We should ask ourselves: how many innocent lives must be sacrificed before the council deems it necessary to call for a cease-fire?"

The Algerian text had strong council support  13 members voted for it, Britain abstained, and the U.S. cast its veto. It is the third time Washington has used its council veto to block a cease-fire measure.

"The call for a cease-fire should have been agreed to a long time ago," Palestinian envoy Riyad Mansour said. "What fresh hell needs to be crossed for this council to finally demand a cease-fire?"

Israel's envoy called the idea of a cease-fire "absurd" and not a magic solution.

"So why is the council charged with security so fixated on aiding these monsters staying in power?" Ambassador Gilad Erdan asked, warning Hamas would attack Israel again given the chance.

And he urged the council as a whole to condemn the Hamas terror attack of October 7, which it has so far not done. Several council members said in their remarks that the council should take this step.

US counter-proposal

The United States is proposing its own draft resolution, which several diplomats said had not yet been officially circulated at the council.

Seen by VOA, it calls for a temporary cease-fire "as soon as practicable" and based on a formula of all hostages being released. It also notes the "urgent need for a viable plan" to protect civilians from an Israeli offensive in Rafah.

The U.S. proposal "underscores that such a major ground offensive should not proceed under current circumstances" and "rejects any other effort at forced displacement of the civilian population in Gaza."

"Colleagues, this is not, as some members have claimed, an American effort to cover for an imminent ground incursion," Thomas-Greenfield said of their text. "Rather, it is a sincere statement of our concern for the 1.5 million civilians who have sought refuge in Rafah."

Thomas-Greenfield told reporters that the United States would work with other council members in good faith to get their resolution "over the finish line."

Israel has warned it plans to carry out an offensive in Rafah, the area of southern Gaza along the Egyptian border. Israeli officials say the operation is necessary to target Hamas members there. The officials have also mentioned evacuations of civilians without providing any detailed plans.

United Nations officials have repeatedly said no place is safe for civilians to go in Gaza.

Egypt objects to the evacuation of Palestinians into its territory, saying it would amount to their forced displacement. Israel denies that is its intention.

Satellite images show that Egypt has started building a high-security buffer zone near the border with Gaza in case of a mass exodus.

The World Health Organization said Tuesday it led an evacuation of 32 critically ill patients from the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis "amid ongoing hostilities and access restrictions."

The WHO said hospital staff requested the transfers after an Israeli military raid last week left the facility "non-functional."

"The dismantling and degradation of the Nasser Medical Complex is a massive blow to Gaza's health system. Facilities in the south are already operating well beyond maximum capacity and are barely able to receive more patients," the WHO said in a statement. "WHO repeats its calls for the protection of patients, health workers, health infrastructure, and civilians. Hospitals must not be militarized, misused, or attacked."

The World Food Program said it is pausing deliveries in northern Gaza, until safe conditions are in place for distribution. About 300,000 people are believed to still be living in the north, in dire conditions including looming famine.

WFP said it resumed deliveries on Sunday after a 3-week suspension after an aid truck was hit in an airstrike. But chaotic situations with crowds climbing aboard their trucks, looting and violence, including gunfire, had impeded food distribution and made it too unsafe.

Israel began its military campaign to eliminate Hamas after the group's fighters crossed into southern Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 people according to Israeli officials and taking about 250 others hostage. Hamas, designated a terror group by the U.S., the U.K. and EU, is believed to still be holding about 130 hostages in Gaza, including 30 who are believed to be dead.

Israel released video Monday of what it believes is hostage Shiri Bibas and her two young boys, Ariel, 4, and Kfir, 9 months, being led along a dirt street in Khan Younis shortly after their October 7 abduction. Their father, Yarden Bibas, is also still held hostage.

Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, the military's chief spokesperson, said the army found the videos in security cameras seized during its offensive in Khan Younis.

Israel's military campaign has killed 29,195 Palestinians and injured 69,170 others, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza.

Some material in this report came from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse.
The World Health Organization warns that Gazas health system is hanging by a thread as health facilities throughout the Palestinian enclave cease to function, restrictions to access increase, medical supplies dwindle and cuts in other humanitarian aid essential for patient care grow.

Gazas Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, where an Israeli military operation is ongoing, is one of the latest casualties. WHO, together with the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), and the Palestine Red Crescent Society, recently conducted a high-risk mission to the medical facility to bring fuel and other essential supplies and evacuate patients in danger from the facility.

The transfer of patients was requested by the hospital staff after the facility became nonfunctional following a military raid February 14, after a week-long siege, WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic said Tuesday.

Weak and frail patients were transferred amidst active conflict near the aid convoy. Road conditions hindered the swift movement of ambulances, placing the health of patients at further risk, he said.

Rik Peeperkorn, WHO representative for the Occupied Palestinian Territory who was part of the medical team, said the three-day mission was frustrated at every turn by military personnel around the compound.

In a telephone interview from Cairo on Monday, Peeperkorn told VOA that his team had requested access to the hospital several times to talk to the staff, do a quick medical assessment, plan a medical evacuation and transfer patients when needed.

He said the team was not allowed access for the first two days but was granted access to the hospital on the third day. He said the team managed to transfer 14 critical patients  eight nonwalking and six walking, along with two patient companions  to four other hospitals in the area.

WHO estimates that 130 sick and injured patients and at least 15 doctors and nurses remain inside the hospital.

Peeperkorn described conditions in the hospital as dire and deteriorating.

The ICU is not functional," he said. The hospital has no electricity. We brought in some medical supplies. It has actually very little food and water, no basic supplies for oxygen, no running water, and there is garbage everywhere, creating a breeding ground for disease. There is also heavy damage everywhere.

The limb reconstruction, which was the pride of Nasser Medical Complex, where a lot of amputations were prevented by excellent surgeons, is not functional anymore. Currently, you can say that the hospital, which is the largest referral hospital south of central Gaza, is not functional, he said.

OCHA reports that the situation in Al Amal Hospital, also in Khan Younis, is also critical, following a four-week siege by the Israeli military. Food supplies reportedly are almost exhausted, and fuel reserves are dwindling.

Another serious issue is malnutrition. A joint WHO, UNICEF, World Food Program report issued Monday warns that a steep rise in malnutrition among children and pregnant and breastfeeding women in Gaza Strip poses grave threats to their health.

It finds that 15% or one in six children under the age of 2 is acutely malnourished. Of those, almost 3% suffer from severe wasting. The report says that is the most life-threatening form of malnutrition, which puts young children at highest risk of medical complications and death unless they receive urgent treatment.

Peeperkorn notes that before Israels invasion of Gaza, following Hamas brutal attack on Israel on October 7, in which 1,200 people were killed and 240 taken hostage, malnutrition was never an issue in Gaza, adding that currently, particularly in the north, we are seeing incredibly concerning cases of malnutrition among children.

But looming over those and myriad other problems is the fear of a military incursion by Israel on Rafah in southern Gaza, where 1.5 million people are living in overcrowded, unsanitary conditions.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the military operation will go ahead at the start of Ramadan in three weeks if Hamas does not release the hostages.

Fear is what I read in all peoples eyes, including in my national staff and their families, Peeperkorn told VOA. Like everyone else in Gaza, they have been forced to move four, five, six times, forced to flee from the north and middle area to the so-called safer area in the south.

There is no place safe in Gaza. There are approximately 1.5 million people in Rafah. Where do these people go? There is no place to go, he said.



When we are talking about an incursion on Rafah, we are talking about a humanitarian disaster on top of another ongoing humanitarian disaster. That is unthinkable. It will have a terminal, catastrophic effect if that were to happen, Peeperkorn said.
A judge in Haiti responsible for investigating the July 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise indicted his widow, Martine Moise, ex-Prime Minister Claude Joseph and the former chief of Haiti's National Police, Leon Charles, among others, in a report released Monday.

The indictments are expected to further destabilize Haiti as it struggles with a surge in gang violence and recovers from a spate of violent protests demanding the resignation of current Prime Minister Ariel Henry.

Nearly 50 suspects were indicted in the 122-page report issued by Walther Wesser Voltaire, who is the fifth judge to lead the investigation after previous ones stepped down for various reasons, including fear of being killed.

Charles, the former police chief who now serves as Haiti's permanent representative to the Organization of the American States, faces the most serious charges: murder, attempted murder, possession and illegal carrying of weapons, conspiracy against the internal security of the state, and criminal association.

Meanwhile, Martine Moise and Joseph are accused of complicity and criminal association.

Charles could not be immediately reached for comment, and a spokesman for Martine Moise's attorney did not return messages for comment.

Meanwhile, Joseph, the former prime minister, shared a statement with The Associated Press accusing Henry of undermining the investigation and benefitting from the president's death.

"Henry ... is weaponizing the Haitian justice system, prosecuting political opponents like me. It's a classic coup d'etat," Joseph said. "They failed to kill me and Martine Moise on July 7th 2021, now they are using the Haitian justice system to advance their Machiavellian agenda."

Joseph again called on Henry to resign and noted that while he was still prime minister, he invited the FBI to help local authorities investigate the killing and wrote the U.N. and OAS for help.

"I won't stop my fight. Justice must be served," he said.

In his report, the judge noted that the former secretary general of the National Palace, Lyonel Valbrun, told authorities that he received "strong pressure" from Martine Moise to put the president's office at the disposal of Joseph because he needed it to "organize a council of ministers."

Valbrun also testified that two days before her husband was killed, Martine Moise visited the National Palace and spent nearly five hours, from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m., removing "a bunch of things."

He also said that two days after Jovenel Moise was slain, Martine Moise called to tell him that, "Jovenel didn't do anything for us. You have to open the office. The president told Ti Klod to create a council of ministers; he will hold elections in three months so I can become president, now we will have power."

While the document did not identify Ti Klod, the former prime minister, Claude Joseph, is known by that name.

The judge also stated in his report that Martine Moise "suggested" she took refuge under the marital bed to protect herself from the attackers, but he noted that authorities at the scene found that not "even a giant rat  whose size measures between 35 and 45 centimeters" could fit under the bed.

The judge said the former first lady's statements were "so tainted with contradictions that they leave much to be desired and discredit her."

Others who face charges including murder are Christian Emmanuel Sanon, a Haitian-American pastor who visualized himself as Haiti's next president and said he thought Moise was only going to be arrested; Joseph Vincent, a Haitian-American and former informant for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Dimitri Herard, presidential security chief; John Joel Joseph, a former Haitian senator; and Windelle Coq, a Haitian judge whom authorities say is a fugitive.

Sanon, Vincent and Joseph were extradited to the U.S., where a total of 11 suspects face federal charges in the slaying of Haiti's president.

Meanwhile, more than 40 suspects are languishing in prison in Haiti awaiting trial, although it was not immediately clear how quickly one would be held following Monday's indictments.

Another 11 suspects have been extradited to the U.S. and charged in the slaying, with three of them already sentenced.

U.S. prosecutors have described it as a plot hatched in both Haiti and Florida to hire mercenaries to kidnap or kill Moise, who was 53 when he was slain at his private home near the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince.

The attack began late July 6 and ended July 7, according to witnesses.

Martine Moise and others who were interrogated had said they heard heavy gunfire starting around 1 a.m. that lasted between 30 to 45 minutes before armed men burst into the bedroom of the presidential couple.

Moise said she was lying on the ground when she heard the attackers yell, "That's not it! That's not it! That's not it!"

She said the suspects made a video call to identify the exact location of what they were searching as they killed the president. She added that she was face down when the suspects tilted her head and tugged on one of her toes "to ensure that she wasn't alive."

Once they left, Moise said she dragged herself on the ground and whispered to her husband that she was going to try and go to the hospital.

"That's when she noticed that the president was dead and that his left eye had been removed from the socket," the report stated.

Moise said a group of about 30 to 50 police officers were supposed to guard the presidential residence, but the judge noted that only a handful of officers were present that night. One officer told the judge that he heard explosions and a voice through a megaphone saying, "Do not shoot! It's a DEA operation! US Army! We know how many officers are inside. Exit with two hands lowered."

Another officer said the head of security of the first lady found her "in critical condition" surrounded by her two children. He said he also saw an undetermined number of people coming out of the president's residence "with briefcases and several envelopes in their possession."

The report quotes Inspector General Andre Vladimir Paraison saying that the president called him at 1:46 a.m. and told him, "Paraison! Man, hurry up! I'm in trouble! Come quickly and save my life." He said he encountered heavily armed men and couldn't access the residence immediately.

The judge said some police officers at the residence were disarmed and handcuffed, while others "had time to throw themselves down a ravine" for safety.

He noted how "none of the police providing security to the head of state was in danger. Unfortunately, the head of state was assassinated with ease."
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange begins what could be his last chance to stop his extradition from Britain to the United States on Tuesday after more than 13 years battling the authorities in the English courts.

U.S. prosecutors are seeking to put Assange, 52, on trial on 18 counts relating to WikiLeaks' high-profile release of vast troves of confidential U.S. military records and diplomatic cables.

They argue that the leaks imperiled the lives of their agents and that there is no excuse for his criminality. Assange's many supporters hail him as an anti-establishment hero and a journalist who is being persecuted for exposing U.S. wrongdoing.

Assange's legal battles began in 2010, and he subsequently spent seven years holed up in Ecuador's embassy in London before he was dragged out and jailed in 2019 for breaching bail conditions. He has been held in a maximum-security jail in southeast London ever since, even getting married there.

Britain finally approved his extradition to the U.S. in 2022 after a judge initially blocked it because concerns about his mental health meant he would be at risk of suicide if deported.

His lawyers will try to overturn that approval at a two-day hearing in front of two judges at London's High Court in what could be his last chance to stop his extradition in the English courts. His wife, Stella, last week described it as a matter of life and death.

They will argue that Assange's prosecution is politically motivated and marks an impermissible attack on free speech, as the first time a publisher has been charged under the U.S. Espionage Act.

His supporters include Amnesty International, Reporters Without Borders, media organizations that worked with WikiLeaks, and Australian politicians, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who last week voted in favor of a motion calling for his return to Australia.

Pope Francis even granted his wife an audience last year.

'His life is at risk'

If Assange wins permission in the latest case, a full appeal hearing will be held to again consider his challenge. If he loses, his only remaining option would be at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), where he has an appeal already lodged pending the London ruling.

Speaking last week, Stella Assange said they would apply to the ECHR for an emergency injunction if necessary. She said her husband would not survive if he was extradited.

"His health is in decline, physically and mentally," she said. "His life is at risk every single day he stays in prison  and if he is extradited, he will die."

Assange's brother Gabriel Shipton compared the WikiLeaks founder with Alexey Navalny, the Russian opposition activist who died in prison Friday while serving a 19-year sentence.

"I know exactly what it feels like to have a loved one unjustly incarcerated with no hope," he told the BBC. "To have them pass away, that's what we live in fear of: that Julian will be lost to us, lost to the U.S. prison system or even die in jail in the U.K."

WikiLeaks first came to prominence in 2010 when it published a U.S. military video showing a 2007 attack by Apache helicopters in Baghdad that killed a dozen people, including two Reuters news staff.

It then released thousands of secret classified files and diplomatic cables that laid bare often highly critical U.S. appraisals of world leaders from Russian President Vladimir Putin to members of the Saudi royal family.
(Bloomberg) -- Goldman Sachs Ryan OConnor is joining New York-based exchange-traded fund provider Global X ETFs as chief executive officer, the company announced Tuesday.

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OConnor was most recently global head of ETF product at Goldman Sachs Asset Management, according to a press release. He also spent more than a decade at State Street Global Advisors.

The leadership change comes after several executives have left the New York-based company in recent months. Among them are Jon Maier, Global Xs chief investment officer, Ronnie Riven, head of finance and Crystal Christy, the head of human resources, the Wall Street Journal reported earlier.

Global Xs former CEO Luis Berruga stepped down in November after roughly five years at the helm. Thomas Park, the co-chief executive officer of Mirae Asset Global Investments US, led the firm on an interim basis.

The company is currently the 13th largest ETF issuer in the US by asset size, with about $43 billion across its suite of thematic funds, including a uranium fund and an infrastructure development fund, according to Bloomberg Intelligence.

After taking in more than $14 billion in 2021, Global X took in roughly $3.7 billion in 2022, as investor interest for thematic strategies that were popular during the pandemic waned. So far this year, Global Xs funds have taken in a net $384 million.

The firm is now looking to become a clear-cut leader in the ETF industry, said Hyeon-Joo Park, founder and global strategy officer of Mirae Asset Financial Group, in the press release. Now is the right time to bring in new leadership.

OConnors new role is effective as of April 8.

Mirae Asset acquired Global X in 2018.

Story continues

(Adds in date of OConnors start. Earlier versions corrected 2022 net inflow in sixth paragraph and corrected spelling of Goldman Sachs in headline and lede.)

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Washingtons reaction, followed by that of its main allies, to the "Conference for the Victory of Israel" and the standing ovation given to Rabbi Uzi Sharbaf in the presence of 12 serving ministers has profoundly reshuffled the cards in the Middle East.

This rabbi had been sentenced to life imprisonment in Israel for killing Arabs. He claims to be an extension of the "Stern Gang", which murdered the British Colonial Minister in 1944 and the United Nations special envoy Count Folke Bernadotte in 1948.

His group survived throughout the Cold War, carrying out massacres and atrocities in Africa and Latin America under the guise of fighting communism. At the time, the Anglo-Saxons found these criminals useful to their plans [1]. This is no longer the case, and neither London nor Washington, who know what theyre capable of, can let it turn against them.

This "Conference for the Victory of Israel" was a direct threat to the Anglo-Saxons who are trying to bring Benjamin Netanyahu to his senses [2]. In the .hours that followed, Washington took extraordinary measures against the Jewish supremacists it had previously accommodated, including a ban on the collection and transfer of funds via Western banks. London, Berlin, Paris and finally its major allies followed suit.

US President Joe Biden tried one last time to talk Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu into agreeing to a six-week ceasefire. Netanyahu did not change his position, confirming his intention to continue the war and attack Rafah. At best, he agreed to send a delegation to Cairo to resume the negotiations that had been interrupted in Paris. In the end, Joe Biden, stunned to hear him announce a new massacre of civilians, exclaimed before numerous witnesses that Netanyahu was an "asshole" (sic).

Meanwhile, Israel continued its campaign against the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). After calling for the Agency to be dissolved because 12 of its employees (i.e. 0.09% of its employees in Gaza) had allegedly taken part in Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, the IDF claimed that Hamas had set up its headquarters in a tunnel under UNRWAs Gaza headquarters. And when the agencys director, Philippe Lazarini, claimed ignorance of the accusations, Israeli ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan tweeted: "Its not that you dont know, its that you dont want to know. We have shown the terrorists tunnels under UNRWA schools and provided evidence that Hamas is exploiting UNRWA. We implored you to carry out a comprehensive search of all UNRWA facilities in Gaza. But not only did you refuse, you chose to bury your head in the sand. Assume your responsibilities and resign today. Every day, we find more proof that in Gaza, Hamas=the UN and vice-versa. You cant trust anything the UN says, or anything they say about Gaza.

Deprived of funding, the Agency was preparing to close its doors. It informed the Lebanese and Jordanian governments that it would no longer be able to help not only Gazans and West Bankers, but also the hundreds of thousands of refugees they were hosting.

Suddenly, the Anglo-Saxon turnaround changed the mood. Some countries restored their funding for UNRWA, while Iran called for calm. Attacks on US military bases became rare. The Anglo-Saxons and the Axis of Resistance, last months irreconcilable enemies, were talking again via intermediaries and perhaps directly. Interrupted negotiations resumed everywhere.

This lull will probably be short-lived, but for the time being, Westerners have the same interests as all the peoples of the Middle East: to halt the murderous madness of the revisionist Zionists. Washington no longer perceives an Israeli defeat as its own defeat. It no longer feels obliged to help it, against its will, in the massacre of Gazans. On the contrary, an Israeli victory would be a defeat for the United States, incapable of maintaining peace and complicit in a massacre.

This about-turn changes everything.

In Tel Avivs war cabinet, the certainty of enjoying impunity in all circumstances has vanished: without Washingtons support, Hezbollah would make mincemeat of Israel.

In Lebanon, in fact, the former no longer appears to be extremist when it calls for the application of Resolution 1701 in its entirety. It will withdraw its forces from southern Lebanon if Israel also withdraws its forces from the border - not from the demarcation line, but from the border.

Neither the United States nor France makes any further reference to their Israeli-Lebanese peace proposals. For Washington, anything for a separate peace and a division of the Axis of Resistance. For Paris, the same thing, but with a more complex legal framework, referring to the Naqoura Agreement (1996) and Resolution 1701 (2006). On the contrary, they hope that Hezbollah will keep up the pressure on the IDF on the northern border to prevent them from attacking Rafah in the Gaza Strip.

The Middle East heavyweights Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Iran, putting their differences on the back burner, are coming together to face the enemy of them all: the revisionist Zionists. Saudi Arabia and Iran renewed their ties a year ago, thanks to the goodwill of the Peoples Republic of China [3].

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan traveled to Egypt to meet his counterpart, Abdel Fattah al-Sissi, with whom he had previously refused to speak. Indeed, in 2013, General al-Sissi had overthrown President Mohamed Morsi, except that the latter had rigged his election [4] and 40 million Egyptians had demonstrated against him, then 33 million celebrated his overthrow [5].

Egypt urgently organized a vast camp capable of accommodating 1 million Gazans in Sinai. The al-Arjani group is due to complete the earthworks and fencing on February 23 [6]. Palestinians could be allowed to flee the Israeli bombs and take refuge there. Turkey and Saudi Arabia would come to their aid.

Of course, no one wants to see the Palestinians expelled from their land. So, everyone is planning what to do next: how to topple Benjamin Netanyahu and the revisionist Zionists who surround him?

We can therefore expect a political cataclysm in Israel in the coming weeks. If Benjamin Netanyahu disappears from the political scene, the Ukrainian Volodymyr Zelensky will also find himself in the hot seat.

The question is whether, in this disarray, each protagonist will keep his or her commitments and pursue the common plan to its conclusion, or whether certain players will take advantage of the confusion to impose their solutions.
Photo: David Livingston/FilmMagic

Rider Strong, Will Friedle, and Danielle Fishel devoted the entirety of their February 19 episode of Pod Meets World to their experiences with Boy Meets World guest star and convicted sexual abuser Brian Peck. The co-hosts were joined by family therapist Kati Morton to discuss the time Friedle said they were on the wrong side of everything. Peck guested on two season-five episodes of Boy Meets World and developed a friendship with both Friedle and Strong. The cast felt a need to address Peck because his episodes are coming up in the podcast (the pods format is usually more episode-recap-oriented), and because Pecks story will be featured in an upcoming docuseries about past alleged abuse on multiple Nickelodeon sets. Fishel said both Strong and Friedle were contacted for statements on Peck for this docuseries, Quiet on Set.

I didnt really go to parties. I didnt really do that stuff. But I was working a lot after Boy Meets World and this guy had so ingratiated himself into my life, I took him to three shows after Boy Meets World, Friedle said. The person he presented was this great, funny guy who was really good at his job, and you wanted to hang out with. I saw him every day, hung out with him every day, talked to him every day. Strong also said he used to hang out with Peck all the time, despite being 20 years apart in age.

Fishel conjectured that many adults on the set of Boy Meets World avoided questioning the relationship because they didnt want to come across as homophobic. The other adults on set, who maybe could have or should have said  Why is this guy going to Riders house for a party? There was probably a part of them that didnt say it because they were afraid it was going to be taken as homophobia, she said, instead of, This is a boundary, gay or not. This is a boundary between adults and kids.

In 2003, Peck was charged with and eventually convicted of a lewd act against a child and oral copulation of a person under 16. Friedle said Peck immediately began spinning his arrest where it wasnt his fault, it was clearly the fault of his victim. Strong said Peck described himself as a victim of jailbait, and downplayed the severity and number of offenses. Back then, you couldnt Google to find out what people were being charged with, he said. So in retrospect, he was making a plea deal and admitting one thing  which is all he admitted to us  but it looks like he was being charged with a series of crimes, which we did not know.

Friedle and Strong both wrote letters to the judge in support of their friend and appeared in court at sentencing. Were sitting in that courtroom on the wrong side of everything  The victims mother turned and said, Look at all the famous people you brought with you. And it doesnt change what you did to my kid, Friedle said. I just sat there wanting to die. It was like, What the hell am I doing here? It was horrifying all the way around.

We werent told the whole story, but it doesnt change the fact that we did it, Friedle said. I still cant get the words out to describe all of the things that Im feeling inside of myself.

Vulture has attempted to contact Peck for comment.
(Bloomberg) -- Greek farmers are escalating their protests by driving their tractors to Athens after Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said theres no fiscal space to offer further financial relief.

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Some 140 tractors entered the city, with police stopping traffic on central roads to allow the protesters get to Syntagma Square in front of Greek parliament. Many others arrived by bus.

The disruption has also hit Athens public transportation, which has been forced to adjust schedules. The farmers plan to stay at Syntagma Square overnight and return to their bases on Wednesday morning. Leaders from opposition parties also visited the protesters.

In recent months, farmers across Europe have been protesting over issues including soaring costs, mounting bureaucracy, new European Union regulations in its Green Deal and imports diluting their markets. Elsewhere, Indian farmer groups have taken to the streets this month to demand price guarantees and in the US farmers are complaining theyre priced out by big companies.

Greeces farmers are asking for tax relief and a renegotiation of the Common Agricultural Policy  the EUs subsidy regime  while they also complain for not been fully compensated for last years flood damage in the Thessaly region, the countrys largest agricultural area.

Following talks last week, farmers already were:

granted lower power bills for the next 10 years in a bid to ease their production costs, and

promised a first tranche of a rebate on fuel tax in March.

Before that, Mitsotakis had said that initial compensation for those who suffered from natural disasters will be capped at 10,000 ($10,810) instead of a previous 2,000.

Story continues

Read More: Greece Offers Cheaper Power to Farmers to Avert Athens Protest

While the premier has acknowledged that many of the farmers demands are justified, hes also made clear that the government doesnt have any leeway.

We have nothing more to give, Mitsotakis said in a Star TV interview Monday night. And I think that the farmers also recognize this and know very well that already the government probably exceeded the limits of their expectations, especially in the issue of electricity.

Still, the prime minister sees these protests as a way for him to put extra pressure on Brussels to change the CAP when European leaders eventually discuss the issue.

In January, agriculture ministers of nine Mediterranean countries, including France, Italy and Greece, signed a joint letter to declare their support in discussions on the climate crisis and other common concerns such as the need for a simplification of the CAP. The group is expected to reconvene on Feb. 26 in Brussels.

(Updates with protest details from second paragraph.)

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Flex Force represents Highlander's third acquisition in the counter-UAS technologies space and adds a unique and proven portable drone defense capability to High Point Aerotechnologies.

BOISE, Idaho, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- High Point Aerotechnologies ("High Point"), a portfolio company of Highlander Partners, today announced the acquisition of Portland, Oregon-based Flex Force Enterprises ("Flex Force"). Flex Force is a pioneer in drone defeat and countermeasure technologies and makes the widely known Dronebuster counter-unmanned aircraft system (c-UAS) jammer. This strategic acquisition expands High Point's extensive arsenal of drone mitigation solutions and reinforces its position at the forefront of the rapidly growing drone security market.

High Point Aerotechnologies (PRNewsfoto/High Point Aerotechnologies)

Since 2016, Flex Force has delivered innovative drone defense and remote and stabilized weapons solutions for governments around the world. Its novel technologies in robotics, signal processing, and software are used by law enforcement agencies, military organizations, and private security companies globally. The Dronebuster - a compact, lightweight and cost-effective counter-drone tool is the most widely deployed handheld system in the world and adds another configuration to High Point's robust product family.

"The acquisition of Flex Force underscores our unwavering commitment to empowering our clients with the full array of cutting-edge technologies, ensuring they defend with confidence," stated Al White, CEO of High Point. "A variety of layered defense solutions is required to address the drone threats of today and tomorrow, and I am looking forward to what our teams will build together."

"We are incredibly excited to join forces with High Point," said Jacob Sullivan, Flex Force Founder and CEO. "U.S. and allied governments have deployed our solutions around the globe for years to defend their most critical assets. As the threat posed by drones expands beyond armed conflict, we look forward to continuing to develop cost-effective and innovative solutions for our partners."

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Ben Slater, Chairman of High Point Aerotechnologies commented, "This acquisition demonstrates our continued commitment to developing a leading presence across the UAS and c-UAS markets. Flex Force, with its highly innovative approach to drone defense and strong partnerships across the military and security industries, will be a key asset to our efforts for years to come."

Slater added, "As the global field of defense technology continues to accelerate rapidly, we are committed to advancing the capabilities of the United States and its allies with a focus on interoperable, attritable solutions and scaled manufacturing across a growing offering of UAS, c-UAS and software/AI products."

About High Point Aerotechnologies

High Point Aerotechnologies is a global leader in counter-uncrewed autonomous systems (CUxS) solution development across air, land, and maritime domains. Its innovative physical solutions and DefenseOS open architecture software environment enable operations at machine speed to detect, identify, track and defeat UAS and other conventional and autonomous threats. High Point offers an array of integrated, interoperable solutions to provide fixed, mobile, and distributed CUxS capabilities for civilian, military and critical infrastructure clients. High Point has active solutions deployed in more than 15 countries worldwide. Learn more at highpointaerotech.com.

About Highlander Partners

Highlander Partners, L.P. is a Dallas-based private investment firm with more than $3 billion in assets under management. The firm focuses on making investments in businesses in targeted industries in which the principals of the firm have significant operating and investing experience. Highlander Partners employs a buy and build investment approach, creating value by helping companies grow both organically and through acquisitions. For more information, visit www.highlander-partners.com.

Flex Force

Flex Force

Highlander Partners. (PRNewsFoto/Highlander Partners, L.P.) (PRNewsFoto/HIGHLANDER PARTNERS_ L_P_)

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Catacombs are large underground cemeteries used by Christian and Jewish communities between the 2nd and the first half of the 5th century.

The largest complex of catacombs is found in Rome, hosting approximately 60 excavations. Visiting these ancient cemeteries through their long tunnels and passages, allows tourists and locals to explore the rituals, customs, and traditions of the ancient Romans.

The ancient term to designate these monuments is coemeterium, which derives from Greek and means dormitory, as for Christians the burial of the corpses is a temporary moment awaiting the final resurrection. In fact, while the pagans used to cremate the bodies of the dead, the Christians chose to be buried believing in Christs resurrection and the day of judgement.

In Ancient Rome, a law prohibited burying the dead inside the city for architectural and health reasons. Therefore, the construction of the first catacombs began when Pope Zephyrinus, in charge between 199 A.D and 217 A.D, entrusted deacon Callisto with the task of supervising the cemetery of the Via Appia, marked as the location where the most important pontiffs of the 3rd century were buried.

These underground structures were excavated into tuff, a fragmental rock easy to dig into, as it consists of the smaller volcanic detritus which is usually less stratified than solid grounds. For this reason, catacombs are mostly found in central Italy, as well as in its islands, as there is a high concentration of tuffaceous soils.

The access to the catacombs consists of stairs that lead to enclosed galleries with vaulted ceilings that extend to a vast network of corridors and chambers.

The burials of the ordinary Christian bodies are found in niches along the walls of the galleries called loculi, that are covered with marble slabs or bricks. There are also various spaces designed to host kids, due to the high infant mortality at the time, as well as some large loculi to bury entire families.

The loculi represented the most humble and egalitarian sepulchral system to respect the sense of community across the Christian community; however, there are also more complex tombs, such as arcosolia, which involve the excavation of an arched niche larger than loculi in spaces called cubicles, that are mostly found in burial chambers rather than across the walls.

Furthermore, the catacombs are decorated with narrative and symbolic art such as paintings, mosaics, and engravings on the loculi recalling the stories of the Old and New Testament. In fact, the marble plates covering the loculi are often engraved with symbols related to the life of the deceased, such as the tool used for their profession, or the food consumed in their remembrance. In addition, most of the symbols refer to eternal salvation, such as the doves, palms, peacocks, phoenix, and lambs.

The architectural and artistic structure of catacombs reflect the iconographic Christian tradition that attracts tourists from all over the world and locals to discover, explore and live through ancient Romes customs and rituals. If youre coming to Rome, consider visiting its catacombs as they could deliver an unforgettable experience and expand your vision of the past. Here is a list of the must-see catacombs in Rome:

1) Catacombs of San Callisto

They are considered the most beautiful, imposing, and famous catacombs in Rome. It is the first burial place of Christians and considered an archaeological treasure in the heart of Appia Antica. It houses a network of tunnels that extends for more than 20 kilometers including the burial places of 16 popes and dozens of Christian martyrs.

crypt of the Popes, preserving the remains of five martyred and then sanctified Popes, as well as the crypt of Santa Cecilia. To reach these catacombs you can take the metro B to the Address: Via Appia Antica, 110 Two important crypts characterize these catacombs: the, preserving the remains of five martyred and then sanctified Popes, as well as the. To reach these catacombs you can take the metro B to the Colosseo stop and then take the 118 bus to the Catacombe S. Callisto stop.Via Appia Antica, 110

Opening hours: Every day except for Wednesday (9am to 12pm) - (2pm to 5pm)

2) Catacombs of San Sebastiano

It was the first underground cemetery to be called catacomb, as it was initially named ad catacumbas, which means near the hollows. It was later dedicated to the martyr and saint Sebastian, a soldier persecuted by Roman Emperor Diocletian after discovering he had been converting many soldiers to Christianity and who is buried in these catacombs.

The galleries extend for 12 kilometers and are filled with decorations that distinguish the deceased corpses from one another using different symbols and marks of red paint. Here you will find the Baroque Basilica of Saint Sebastian, one of the seven pilgrimage destinations in Rome. In the first chapel on the left there is a marble statue of St. Sebastian and next to it there is the crypt where his remains are kept.

In the chapel of the right apse, other sacred relics are kept: a stone with an imprint attributed to Jesus Christ; some of the arrows that pierced St. Sebastian, the column to which the Saint was tied, and finally the hands of St. Callisto and St. Andrea. To reach these catacombs you can take the metro B to the Colosseo stop and then take the 118 bus to the Basilica S. Sebastiano stop.

Address: Via Appia Antica, 136

Opening hours: From Monday to Sunday (9:30am to 5pm)

3) Catacombs of Santa Priscilla

Known in all the ancient topographical and liturgical documents, its entrance is next to the convent of the Benedictine Sisters of Priscilla. Due to the number of martyrs buried here, this cemetery was called regina catacumbarum, meaning the queen of the catacombs. In fact, they are located 35 meters below the ground level and house about 40 thousand burials, including six Popes: St. Marcello I, St. Sylvester I, St. Liberio, St. Siricio, St. Celestino I and Vigilio.

Some of the most important spaces in these catacombs are the Cubicle of the Velata, depicting redemption scenes from the Old Testament, the Greek Chapel, representing the franctio panis, which is the act of breaking bread and a sacred gesture alluding to Eucharistic food, as well as the most ancient depiction of the Virigin Mary with baby Jesus, found on the ceiling of a niche that housed a venerated tomb. To reach these catacombs you can take the 63 bus to the Priscilla stop, then youll only have to walk 5 minutes until the destination.

Address: Via Salaria, 430

Opening hours: From Tuesday to Sunday (9am to 12pm) - (2pm to 5pm)

4) Catacombs of Praetextatus

They are the most famous from an artistic and iconographic point of view and can only be visited through appointment. The main gallery composing the catacombs is called Spelunca Magna, which means large caveand is believed to having been an abandoned cistern later adapted as an underground burial ground.

In the cubicle of Coronatio, there is the depiction of Jesus crowning with thorns, as well as the Resurrection of Lazarus. In addition, the entrance of the gallery presents the famous sarcophagus of Emperor Balbino, depiction of the myth of Achilles, and other scenes from the Old and New Testament. To reach these catacombs you can take the metro B to the Colosseo stop and then take the 118 bus to the Catacombe di S. Callisto stop. Once there you will only have to walk for 5 minutes until destination.

Address: Via Appia Pignatelli, 11

Opening hours : Every day (8am to 8pm)

5) Catacombs of Santa Tecla

They are located near the Basilica of San Paolo and are famous for the frescos depicting Jesus with two apostles on his sides. In 2010, the oldest depictions of apostles Peter, Andrew and John were found, being at least 1,700 years old.Although they are not among the largest in Rome, these catacombs are very important from an archaeological point of view. In fact, there are only 22 rooms, but they are almost all entirely covered in beautiful frescoes. If you want to visit, youll need to request an appointment. To reach these catacombs you can take the 75 bus to the Marmorata/Vanvitelli stop and then switch to the 23 bus until the Ostiense/Valco S. Paolo stop. At this point, you will only have to walk for 4 minutes before reaching the destination.

Address: Via Silvio D'Amico, 42

Opening hours: Visit available under request

If you think youve explored all of Rome, there is even more to see beneath the surface, where the ancient world is still preserved to this day. When walking through the dark and humid corridors, the loculi and inscriptions with the names of the deceased will make you think about the life of the past and will offer you an unforgettable experience.

Main Ph: Alessandra C84 / Shutterstock.com
With its buzzing streets bursting with colours and sounds, Naples has always been a place where diverse cultures twirl together in a rhythmic dance.

Todays artistic scene of the city is a reflection of centuries-long history, where every passing or settling nation would leave traces of their unique voices, instruments, and verses in the Neapolitan culture or napoletanita.

The roots of the Neapolitan music reach back to Ancient Rome when it became a central way of expression during festivals that later intertwined with Christian and Islamic art traditions, the culture of Normans and Spaniards, and even the American culture during the post-war period. Let us follow those musical traces and see the threads which the Neapolitan music tapestry is woven from!

The first thing that you might think of when talking about folk Italian music is tarantella that often accompanies a famous traditional dance. In fact, tarantella is one of the key genres in the folk music culture of Naples, alongside a less famous tammuriata.

Central to the Neapolitan sound are the traditional instruments that dictate the dynamic of folk songs widespread in Naples and the Campania region. In those songs, the familiar sound of the mandolins and tambourines is accompanied by mouth harps, recorders, and less-known regional instruments. One of them is putipu, a friction drum that is often depicted in the hands of Pulcinella, a famous Neapolitan puppet character.

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The range of sounds also included triccheballacche and scetavajasse, percussion instruments that created a characteristic sound. The revival of folk music became a key feature of Italian left-wing culture in the 1960s and was seen as a counterculture to capitalism since traditional songs were free of commercialism. This process was associated with itinerant musicians who popularized the forgotten traditional songs sung in the local dialect. Eugenio Bennato is one of the most famous Italian folk musicians who greatly contributed to the revival of the genre in the 60s.

The music of Naples had not only absorbed different folk traditions with a wide variety of genres. The Italian opera has its roots in the Baroque era. In the 18th century, the city gained the status of the conservatory of Europe since it had become the main destination for aspiring opera musicians.

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The famous Italian composers, such as Bellini and Rossini, drew their inspiration from the lively city of Naples where the most prestigious music theatre in the world of that time, Teatro di San Carlo, was founded. Giuseppe Verdi was also associated with the Teatro di San Carlo.

Having become the centre of European music, Naples attracted many foreign composers such as Hasse, Haydn, and Gluck. The golden voice of Italian opera, Enrico Caruso, is also originally from Naples. The Great Age of the Neapolitan opera gave birth to opera buffa, a comedy in music form. Today, Teatro di San Carlo still attracts leading artists and classical music lovers from all over the world. Do not miss your opportunity to visit this music temple and enjoy opera when in Naples!

The town inspired many celebrated musicians who were not afraid to experiment with different genres to find their own voice. Renato Carosone is famous for his unique blend of Neapolitan traditional music and jazz; his artistry and many of his song became international hits, such as Tu Vuo Fa LAmericano, Mambo Italiano and other.

Pino Daniele is another musician you have most certainly heard of. By blending Neapolitan folk with the elements of blues and jazz, he managed to create a unique sound that resonated with global audience. Nino Rota is an Oscar nominated Italian composer, who drew inspiration from the vibrant spirit of Naples and often included Neapolitan music elements into his art.

Naples has always stood out in the music scene of Italy and today is not an exception. On your walk around Naples, you will most likely hear very upbeat music coming from the cars and houses of the locals. Long and rich history of napoletanita gave birth to a subgenre popular in Naples and almost unknown in other corners of Italy. We are talking about neomelodica, a subgenre of Neapolitan music that talks about everyday life in the quarters of the town. Neomedica is a very popular genre on the Internet. Gianni Celeste, Rosario Miraggio, and Tony Colombo are one of the most popular musicians within this genre who have hundreds of thousands of followers both on YouTube and Instagram.

The Neapolitan music scene is full of renowned musicians who gained popularity not only in Italy but across the world. One of the promoters of Neapolitan song is the Italian Sanremo Music Festival, a contest that gathers millions of viewers in front of their TVs to celebrate art. This years edition of Sanremo has brought a new name on a bigger scene, a young Neapolitan rapper Geolier who performed a song in a local dialect and charmed many viewers, as well as provoked controversy

Having inherited the unique folk sounds and classical motifs, the music of today provides a retrospective on all the historical and political processes that were happening in the region throughout the centuries. All we must do is pay close attention to every sound that is never an accident, but a trace of rich musical heritage.

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Nestled in the heart of Rome, the Testaccio Market offers an authentic slice of Roman life and stands as a cornerstone of Italian culinary tradition.

This vibrant market isn't merely a destination for sourcing fresh ingredients; it's a cultural journey that epitomizes the essence of Roman cuisine and the community's love for food. For food enthusiasts and tourists alike, exploring the Mercato di Testaccio is akin to discovering the soul of Italy's gastronomic delights.

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A Storied Past: The History of Testaccio Market

Tracing its origins to the late 19th century in Piazza Testaccio, the market has evolved significantly. Relocated in 2012 to a modern facility, it has retained its historical charm while embracing the future. This blend of old and new makes the Testaccio Market a pivotal site for understanding the evolution of Roman food markets and their role in the local community.

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The Quintessential Market Experience

As you step into the Testaccio Market, you're immediately enveloped by a symphony of senses. The market is a tapestry of over 100 stalls, each presenting the finest local produce and crafts that Rome has to offer.

Fresh Produce : The market is celebrated for its exceptional variety of seasonal Italian fruits and vegetables , showcasing the rich biodiversity of the region.

: The market is celebrated for its exceptional variety of , showcasing the rich biodiversity of the region. Artisanal Cheeses and Meats : A paradise for cheese and meat lovers, the market offers an exhaustive selection of Italian cheeses and charcuterie , from mozzarella di bufala to pecorino romano and beyond.

: A paradise for cheese and meat lovers, the market offers an exhaustive selection of and , from to and beyond. Fresh Seafood : Reflecting Rome's culinary diversity, the market's seafood stalls offer fresh, locally-sourced fish and shellfish, essential ingredients in many traditional Roman recipes .

: Reflecting Rome's culinary diversity, the market's seafood stalls offer fresh, locally-sourced fish and shellfish, essential ingredients in many . Roman Street Food : A highlight of the market is its array of street food vendors , serving up authentic Roman snacks like suppli and trapizzino, offering a taste of local cuisine at its most genuine.

: A highlight of the market is its array of , serving up like suppli and trapizzino, offering a taste of local cuisine at its most genuine. Handcrafted Goods: Beyond edibles, the Testaccio Market features artisans selling a variety of products, from bespoke crafts to fresh flowers, enhancing the market's appeal.

Culinary Innovation and Tradition

The Testaccio Market is a dynamic space where tradition meets innovation. Young chefs and food entrepreneurs bring contemporary twists to classic Roman dishes, making the market a laboratory of culinary creativity. This fusion of the traditional and the modern positions the market as a key player in the evolution of Roman cuisine.

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A Community Hub: The Culture of Testaccio

More than a marketplace, Testaccio is a vibrant community center. It's a place where vendors and customers share stories and recipes, embodying the Italian passion for food. For visitors, the market offers an unparalleled opportunity to engage with the local culture and experience the warmth of Roman hospitality.

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Commitment to Sustainability

In line with modern values, the Testaccio Market champions sustainable and organic food practices, prioritizing locally-sourced and eco-friendly products. This commitment not only supports Italian agriculture but also promotes a healthier planet.

Visiting the Testaccio Market

Open Monday through Saturday, the best time to visit is in the morning, when the market buzzes with energy and the stalls are brimming with fresh offerings. Whether you're a culinary enthusiast, a culture-seeking tourist, or a local in pursuit of quality, the Testaccio Market is a must-visit destination that offers a comprehensive taste of Rome.

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A Taste of Authentic Roman Life

The Testaccio Market is more than a marketplace; it's a living museum of Italian culinary culture, a place where food tells the story of Rome's past, present, and future. It encapsulates the vibrancy of Roman life, offering visitors a profound experience that goes beyond mere shopping. A visit to the Testaccio Market is an essential journey for anyone eager to explore the depths of Roman cuisine and culture, promising memories and flavors that will last a lifetime.

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Linda Wenhold was blown away by the Patriot Academys classes, which tap into a growing fear among some evangelical Christians that their faith and its rightful place at the center of American culture and government were under siege.
At first, there were no birds, just a cloudy sky spitting rain at the corner of Ninth and F streets NW. Id been told that they come at dusk, thousands of starlings in a great flock. Fast, informative and written just for locals. Get The 7 DMV newsletter in your inbox every weekday morning. ArrowRight Its like theyre doing flight patterns, a homeless woman named Susan had told me a few days earlier. Its neat to watch.

Susans been living on the streets for 10 years, first in Maryland and for the past eight months in the District, spending her days just outside the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery.

They call me the Queen of the Smithsonian, Susan said.

Shes come to know the people who travel that stretch of Ninth Street, the busy office workers, the maintenance folks, the cops and parking enforcement officers, the other homeless people . . .

And the birds. Its like watching an air show, Susan said. Its beautiful. I mean, it makes a hell of a mess, but its beautiful.

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So it does. In spring and summer, starlings pair off. They scatter across the city and start their own little starling households. But when breeding season is over, in the fall, they come together again. Dozens become hundreds. Hundreds become thousands. Thousands become tens of thousands.

Theres a big advantage to living in a big group when youre not breeding, said John Fitzpatrick, director of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. You are 10,000 or 50,000 pairs of eyes.

The spectacular pulsating clouds of starlings are called murmurations. Those are anti-predator formations, John said. They ball up as tightly as possible when a falcon is chasing them. One of the reasons they can move around like that is that they are incredibly attuned to what everybody else is doing. They can make very sharp movements as if in unison. There is no cosmic command for all of them to turn right at once. They just have a really fast reaction to what the next guy is doing.

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Of course, its likely that what the next guy is doing is pooping. The starlings have chosen to nest in trees that line the east side of Ninth Street. The droppings are fierce. A savvy entrepreneur could open a guano mine there. Or put down a canvas and create an avian Jackson Pollock masterpiece.

You dont want to walk through there, and you dont want to park there at night, Susan said. Some pedestrians open their umbrella as they brave the block-long stretch.

The Downtown Business Improvement District is aware of the issue, said the BIDs Rachel Hartman. The BID met with the D.C. Health Department to discuss it.

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There is also a colony of starlings on whats called Reservation 172, a sliver of green at New York Avenue and H Street NW. Those trees are cared for by the National Park Service. The Gallery Place trees are the Districts.

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Rachel said theyve discussed netting the trees or pruning the branches to make them a less desirable place to roost. The Districts Urban Forestry Administration has dealt with starlings in the past by spraying an eye-irritating fog into the trees for several nights in a row. It worked temporarily, but the birds came back the next year.

John from the ornithology lab suggests having a falcon fly in their midst  which would be exciting, he said. What that would do is bust up their reliance on that as a safe place. Now, it will just push the problem to somebody else, of course.

Starlings are an invasive species. About 100 were brought from Europe in the 1890s and released in New Yorks Central Park by a man who thought that every bird species mentioned by William Shakespeare should have a claw-hold in the Americas. It worked for starlings. Today, there are more than 200 million in North America.

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I did not know this about starlings: They are incredible mimics. Not quite as good as an African gray parrot but in that same league, John said. People with pet starlings report that they can reproduce the sounds of doors slamming, police sirens and other noises of human civilization.

On Monday night, I stood in the shelter of the Gallery Place Metro entrance and looked up past the escalators at the darkening sky. Then I saw them: a few birds, a few more. They darted and pitched with acrobatic abandon. When Id reached the street, I saw that they were moving west, toward a construction crane that towered over F Street.

They landed on the crane, spread themselves along the jib and perched on its cables. The thousands of spiky black birds looked like iron filings drawn to a magnet.

And then, driven by some inscrutable bird ESP, the flock moved east to the trees near the Smithsonian galleries, where they settled in for another night in their adopted homeland.

Name the panda Elvis

As if we needed any more reasons the National Zoo should name the panda cub after Elvis Presley, Arlingtons Mary Reynolds weighs in with additional unimpeachable logic.

The black-and-white coat of a giant panda serves as camouflage in its native snowy, rocky China, Mary wrote. Elvis Presleys white jumpsuit outfits with sequins, metal studs, jewel-encrusted belts, bellbottoms, capes and gold medallions were perfect camouflage for Las Vegas.

Twitter: @johnkelly
A brown bottle of Aesop hand soap was once the ultimate bathroom brag but a flash of purple and copper is the latest symbol of skin health wealth.

Distinctive containers of skincare brand Augustinus Bader have been spotted in the TV series Succession and in GRWM (get ready with me) videos with Victoria Beckham, Hailey Bieber and supermodel Amber Valletta.

German Professor Augustinus Bader with Victoria Beckham in 2019, before the launch of their skincare collaboration. Credit: Getty

Beckham went beyond hashtag support and collaborated with the brand on a collection of make-up primers and a serum.

A journalist in London once told me that the last thing the most beautiful women in the world think about is me because they see my products before they go to bed, Bader says.
Chinese artificial intelligence (AI)-based logistics company Westwell inaugurates on Tuesday an international headquarters in Hong Kong as a springboard to global expansion.

The Shanghai-based company, which designs and develops AI chips and autopilot control systems for AI-powered autonomous vehicles for the logistics industry, will also set up a research centre in the city.

"Hong Kong's strategic location, its well-established infrastructure and its status as an international finance centre enables innovation and technology companies to establish connections with the global markets," said Kay Yang Ming, Westwell's global strategic affairs vice-president. "And our major clients, such as Hutchison Port Holdings and China Merchants Ports, are also based in Hong Kong."

Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team.

At an opening ceremony scheduled for late Tuesday morning the new headquarters will be inaugurated by Westwell executives and government officials Professor Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, and Lillian Cheong Man-lei, Under Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry.

A tanker docked at the Laem Chabang Port, in Chonburi Province, Thailand. Photo: Vijitra Duangdee alt=A tanker docked at the Laem Chabang Port, in Chonburi Province, Thailand. Photo: Vijitra Duangdee>

The Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises (Oases), which works to attract high-potential and strategic enterprises to Hong Kong from industries including fintech, artificial intelligence and data science, facilitated the move.

Westwell launched its flagship product, the Q-Truck, an autonomous, battery-powered commercial vehicle, in 2018, two years after the company was formed.

After five rounds of fundraising last year, the company has a valuation of 7 billion yuan (US$973 million), with investors including China-based Essence Securities and InnoStar Venture under Shanghai-based conglomerate Fosun Group.

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In 2020, Westwell made progress in the overseas market by collaborating with Hutchison Ports to introduce its autonomous trucks at Thailand's Laem Chabang Port. The company also signed an agreement with the Port of Felixstowe, part of the Hutchison Ports network, to deploy 100 Q-Trucks at the UK's largest container port. To date, 34 trucks have been delivered.

Westwell employs more than 700 staff, with 80 per cent focusing on research and development, Yang said. It intends to collaborate with Hong Kong universities and research institutes to accelerate the research and application of AI and autonomous driving technology, promoting smart and green technology, she added.

Discussions have taken place with the University of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, but no concrete plans have been finalised, Yang said.

Westwell's future plans include expanding into "semi-closed loop" environments, such as autonomous transport between airports and logistics parks. But specific details about potential partners have not been disclosed.

The company conducted extensive research into autonomous driving ecosystems worldwide during its global expansion planning, she said. Westwell believes being situated in Hong Kong will create business opportunities thanks to the Hong Kong government's efforts to support research and development, accelerate digital transformation and leverage technology to upgrade industrial infrastructure.

In October 2023, Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu outlined plans in his Policy Address for the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) to introduce an autonomous transport system by 2025 to carry passengers along the Airport City Link connecting AAHK's Skycity complex and the Hong Kong Port Island of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge. It plans to extend the system to Tung Chung Town Centre in 2028 as part of a plan to strengthen Hong Kong as a global aviation hub.

Hong Kong has established a number of innovation centres and incubation programmes. The Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation, which operates the Science and Technology park, offers various tax incentives and other entrepreneurial support measures to attract innovative companies in various fields, Yang said.

This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright  2024 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

Copyright (c) 2024. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
Australia will acquire a fleet of drone ships still in prototype under an ambitious $11 billion federal government plan that would more than double the navys number of warships in coming decades but shrink the size of the fleet in the short term.

Military experts applauded the government for spending extra money on high-end naval capabilities, but warned the reduction in the size of the navy fleet until the early 2030s could leave the nation exposed as China rapidly expands its military and asserts itself in the South China Sea.

Under the plan announced by Defence Minister Richard Marles, the navy will acquire up to 11 new general-purpose frigates and a surprise new fleet of drone-like optionally crewed vessels currently being tested as prototypes by the United States Navy, in which most of the functions can be automated or controlled remotely.

The shake-up, which will add $1.7 billion to the defence budget over the next four years and $11 billion over a decade, would expand the navys fleet of warships from 11 to 26 vessels by the mid-2040s.
The gap between house prices and apartment prices has widened to a record high, making it harder for first home buyers to afford the dream of a detached family home with a backyard.

The difference between median house values and unit values was 16.7 per cent across the combined capital cities in March 2020. Now it has reached 45.2 per cent, CoreLogic figures show.

CoreLogic research director Tim Lawless said even though housing affordability has been worsening, the most expensive option  houses rather than apartments  has still been the most popular. Capital city house values have risen faster than unit values since COVID hit and over the past year.

I would have thought, that as affordability constraints became more obvious, there would be more of a deflection of demand towards units, he said.
From 11 to 15 February 2024, the World Customs Organization (WCO), with the financial support from the Customs Cooperation Fund - Japan, provided technical assistance to the National Board of Revenue (NBR) and Bangladesh Customs and VAT in Dhaka, Bangladesh. This mission aimed to support the full implementation of the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) programme in Bangladesh and to improve the security and efficiency of the country's international trade.

The mission began with opening remarks by the Chairman of the NBR, highlighting the importance of the AEO programme and the challenges of its effective implementation, as well as a strong commitment to provide further benefits to AEOs.

The Sessions during the five-day workshop covered various topics, including the WCO SAFE Framework of Standards, the implementation of the AEO programme in Bangladesh, validation guidance, Mutual Recognition Arrangements/Agreements, training and capacity building, discussion with other sections within the NBR, and meeting with all AEO accredited private sector entities. Based on the findings gained from the fruitful discussions with the AEOs, the NBR will provide training to both the AEOs and NBR officers to promote the AEO programme more effectively, thereby enhancing compliance and facilitating international trade.

This mission provided a valuable opportunity for NBR officers to enhance their capacity on the AEO programme and its implementation in Bangladesh. The mission concluded with the WCO experts highlighting the importance of a strong and continuous partnership between Customs and Businesses, and the NBR identifying areas for further improvement.
Key Insights

HUTCHMED (China)'s significant private equity firms ownership suggests that the key decisions are influenced by shareholders from the larger public

A total of 7 investors have a majority stake in the company with 50% ownership

Institutional ownership in HUTCHMED (China) is 29%

A look at the shareholders of HUTCHMED (China) Limited (LON:HCM) can tell us which group is most powerful. We can see that private equity firms own the lion's share in the company with 39% ownership. That is, the group stands to benefit the most if the stock rises (or lose the most if there is a downturn).

Clearly, private equity firms benefitted the most after the company's market cap rose by UK81m last week.

Let's delve deeper into each type of owner of HUTCHMED (China), beginning with the chart below.

View our latest analysis for HUTCHMED (China)

What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About HUTCHMED (China)?

Many institutions measure their performance against an index that approximates the local market. So they usually pay more attention to companies that are included in major indices.

As you can see, institutional investors have a fair amount of stake in HUTCHMED (China). This implies the analysts working for those institutions have looked at the stock and they like it. But just like anyone else, they could be wrong. It is not uncommon to see a big share price drop if two large institutional investors try to sell out of a stock at the same time. So it is worth checking the past earnings trajectory of HUTCHMED (China), (below). Of course, keep in mind that there are other factors to consider, too.

We note that hedge funds don't have a meaningful investment in HUTCHMED (China). Our data shows that Hutchison Whampoa (China) Limited is the largest shareholder with 39% of shares outstanding. With 2.5% and 2.3% of the shares outstanding respectively, M&G Securities Limited and General Atlantic Service Company, L.P. are the second and third largest shareholders.

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We did some more digging and found that 7 of the top shareholders account for roughly 50% of the register, implying that along with larger shareholders, there are a few smaller shareholders, thereby balancing out each others interests somewhat.

While it makes sense to study institutional ownership data for a company, it also makes sense to study analyst sentiments to know which way the wind is blowing. 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 HUTCHMED (China)

The definition of an insider can differ slightly between different countries, but members of the board of directors always count. Management ultimately answers to the board. However, it is not uncommon for managers to be executive board members, especially if they are a founder or the CEO.

Insider ownership is positive when it signals leadership are thinking like the true owners of the company. However, high insider ownership can also give immense power to a small group within the company. This can be negative in some circumstances.

We can report that insiders do own shares in HUTCHMED (China) Limited. This is a big company, so it is good to see this level of alignment. Insiders own UK23m worth of shares (at current prices). Most would say this shows alignment of interests between shareholders and the board. Still, it might be worth checking if those insiders have been selling.

General Public Ownership

The general public-- including retail investors -- own 31% stake in the company, and hence can't easily be ignored. While this size of ownership may not be enough to sway a policy decision in their favour, they can still make a collective impact on company policies.

Private Equity Ownership

With an ownership of 39%, private equity firms are in a position to play a role in shaping corporate strategy with a focus on value creation. Some might like this, because private equity are sometimes activists who hold management accountable. But other times, private equity is selling out, having taking the company public.

Next Steps:

I find it very interesting to look at who exactly owns a company. But to truly gain insight, we need to consider other information, too. Take risks for example - HUTCHMED (China) has 1 warning sign we think you should be aware of.

But ultimately it is the future, not the past, that will determine how well the owners of this business will do. Therefore we think it advisable to take a look at this free report showing whether analysts are predicting a brighter future.

NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the last twelve months, which refer to the 12-month period ending on the last date of the month the financial statement is dated. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
The digital age is upon us and the power industry is a key participant in this exciting time. Significant work routines and asset management processes have already been transformed. Power plant operations are among the areas where advanced technology has had a big impact.

Power plant lifecycles are complex. Power companies spend significant time and money evaluating electricity market supply and demand trends simply to understand if new or upgraded assets are needed. Then, decision-makers must review all the options before choosing the type of generation they want to use to fill gaps. The planning, designing, and executing of projects can take many years and often requires many millions or even billions of dollars in investments. Once construction is complete and units are commissioned, the assets are expected to last decades, which requires ongoing investments in operations, maintenance, and security. Finally, when assets near their end of life, decisions must be made on when and how to carry out the decommissioning process and repurpose sites. Its truly an amazing journey from start to finish. The fact that we live in a high-tech world today makes managing power plant lifecycles both easier and more difficult. When technology is designed well, incorporated into plants appropriately, and works properly, it can provide the data and insight needed to fine tune the most complicated operations, improving efficiency and maximizing profit. But when things go wrong, it can leave technicians and managers scratching their heads and feeling lost troubleshooting equipment and components that they may not fully understand. Still, the benefits far outweigh the risks, and outside experts are always available to help solve complex problems, allowing todays advanced technology to help power companies reach broader goals, including improving reliability, enhancing sustainability, promoting decarbonization, and adding business value.

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How Digitalization Has Changed the Power Industry

Energy and power companies are accelerating their digital transformation to manage new project ventures, lower operational risk, reduce downtime, increase efficiency, meet regulatory compliance, and remain competitive. Innovative software solutions are available today for the energy and power industry that enable intelligent planning, designing, and executing of projects, as well as operating, maintaining, and securing of assets. For example, digital tools are available to help maintenance planners perform their jobs better. One innovative solution allows planners to understand and compare costs and hours for corrective, preventive, and condition-based maintenance. This allows teams to perform the right type of maintenance (Figure 1) to maximize productivity while minimizing cost. Managers can also collect and decipher data on overdue work orders to better understand the consequences of delays and prioritize future actions. [caption id="attachment_215321" align="aligncenter" width="740"]

1. Traditional preventive maintenance schemes can improve equipment reliability and planning corrective maintenance around observable operating issues also makes sense, but many companies have found condition-based maintenance to be the best option for improving plant performance and reducing unplanned outages. Source: Envato Elements[/caption] The success of complex engineering projects requires a connected digital ecosystem, where unstructured information is transformed into smart digital assets that increase efficiency and improve safety while lowering costs and delivering expected business returns. Innovative project engineers have found great value in all-encompassing project execution platforms. Rather than using a tangled web of in-house-developed tools, commercial software, and spreadsheets to manage projects haphazardly, leading organizations have found a centralized portfolio and project management environment more effective. Such a system seamlessly connects data between different disciplines, standardizes processes across an enterprise, and provides crystal clear visibility into the performance of every project in real time. Sound health, safety, and environment (HSE) management is crucial to sustainable power plant operations. However, many power companies are still using paper, spreadsheets, and word processor tools to document and manage the execution of safety-critical plant processes. Information is often scattered in various folders and databases throughout the organization, reducing the effectiveness of programs and leaving companies vulnerable to regulatory scrutiny. Digital solutions are available to help minimize risks, and enable HSE and process safety teams to reduce incidents and effectively meet internal and external compliance requirements. Forward-thinking operations managers are using digital tools to acquire a valuable, data-driven experience that encapsulates easily consumable, timely information regarding past events, present facts, and future predictions. These systems can seamlessly connect safety-critical operational processes, procedures, and permits; alarm management methodology; maintenance work orders; real-time and historical process data; engineering schematics; and technical documentation with laser scanning data, 3D models, and cybersecurity safeguards to enable a robust and comprehensive digital twin for the entire operation. To bring it all together and maximize the value of these new digital capabilities, a system that delivers a unified, role-based view of the physical and digital realities across facilities is available. This integrated view provides real-time visibility into asset performance, safety, security, and quality to enable better-informed decisions that increase productivity, operational integrity, profitability, and sustainability. It features a digital infrastructure that connects data across the entire asset lifecycle, enabling managers to achieve more with digital twins, third-party software, and legacy systems.

Modernizing Legacy Systems

Anyone with a computer or cell phone knows that technology is constantly evolving. What passed for state-of-the-art several years ago may be considered obsolete today. While there are probably people in the world who still carry a flip phone, anyone with a smart phone could tell them that the new technology is far superior to the old and the capabilities of each are hardly comparable. The same is true of technology in power plants. Operational technology (OT) and industrial control systems (ICSs) provide the backbone for power plant operations today. Both are generally part of a specialized hardware and software ecosystem used in industrial environments (Figure 2), including power plants, to monitor and control physical processes. [caption id="attachment_215322" align="aligncenter" width="740"]

2. Technology is fundamental to efficient and reliable power plant operations today. Source: Envato Elements[/caption] While OT and ICSs have been in use for decades, a lot has changed over the years. New OT systems benefit from advances in networking technologies, enabling greater connectivity and interoperability between different devices and systems. Better connectivity facilitates real-time data exchange, remote monitoring, and centralized management, leading to improved efficiency and decision-making. Cybersecurity has also been improved over time. Traditional OT and ICS systems often lacked robust security measures, making them vulnerable to cyber threats. New OT incorporates stronger cybersecurity practices, including secure protocols, authentication mechanisms, encryption, and intrusion detection systems. This helps protect critical infrastructure from cyberattacks and ensures the integrity and availability of OT systems. New OT also leverages concepts developed in the information technology (IT) domain, such as cloud computing, big data analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning. With these improvements to OT systems, organizations can gain valuable insights, optimize operations, and enable more advanced automation. Modern OT architectures are also designed to be more scalable and flexible, facilitating easier integration of additional devices, sensors, and components, which allows companies to adapt to changing requirements without major disruptions. But perhaps the biggest change in OT and ICS systems today involves analytics and decision-making enhancements. New OT systems can collect and process large volumes of real-time data from various sources, enabling advanced analytics, which empowers organizations to make data-driven decisions, optimize operations, reduce downtime, and enhance overall performance. Upgrading legacy systems for this reason alone could pay dividends.

Data, Data, and More Data

Power plant OT systems generate and collect a significant amount of data from various sources, such as sensors, meters, control systems, and monitoring devices. The data includes information about system pressures, temperatures, and flows; equipment status; environmental conditions; maintenance records; and more. The volume of data generated and stored by all the power plants in the world is almost unfathomable (Figure 3). Large power plants or those with extensive monitoring systems may have many terabytes in their databases, depending on the plant capacity, and frequency and duration of data collection. [caption id="attachment_215323" align="aligncenter" width="740"]

3. Data is constantly flowing into power plant monitoring and control systems. Gleaning sound insight from the terabytes of information, however, often requires advanced analytical tools. Source: Envato Elements[/caption] Yet, all this data is important and necessary to fully capitalize on the benefits of advanced analytics. Thats why its so important to eliminate unstructured, duplicated, and disconnected data and documentation, while ensuring data accuracy, integrity, and reliability. Consolidating digital data sources will reduce storage requirements, while still allowing intelligent information to be gleaned from databases. Investing in a comprehensive digital transformation strategy can accelerate a companys continuous improvement efforts.

Workforce Challenges

Power companies are facing workforce challenges across the board. Some studies suggest the percentage of power industry workers eligible for retirement is as high as 40%, but finding replacement workers is difficult. For example, Public Service Enterprise Group Inc. (PSEG), a diversified energy company headquartered in Newark, New Jersey, had close to 500 active job openings in March 2023. While some of the openings were due to a growth in capital work, the companys Chief Human Resources Officer reported a turnover rate on retirements of about 3% in 2022, which amounts to a lot of jobs in a workforce of about 12,500. Many other power companies have reported similar statistics. In some circles, especially among younger generations, the power industry is perceived to be antiquated and boring, but that is far from the truth. As has already been noted, advanced technology and innovative systems are at the heart of most power plants. Furthermore, many power companies are addressing the workforce shortage by implementing new technology that captures and utilizes knowledge from soon-to-be retirees, and reduces the need for skilled labor. Meanwhile, technology workers are in high demand, not only in the energy and power industries, but also in almost every other sector of the economy. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts overall employment in computer and information technology occupations will grow 15% from 2021 to 2031, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. Furthermore, the BLS says the median annual wage for this group was more than double the median annual wage for all occupations in 2021, which is at least partly a reflection on the demand for these workers. While that may make it hard to hire in-house workers to implement and maintain OT and ICS projects, it shows the value of having a trusted contractor that has the experts needed to manage these systems.

Regulatory, Policy, and Stakeholder Considerations

Power companies have a keen focus on reliability and for good reason. Customers dont appreciate it when their power is off. Thats why tools that improve reliability are so important. There are many digital solutions available today that increase power plant reliability, and many more that are likely to be available soon based on AI and machine learning solutions. Yet, many observers worry about the effect AI may have on operations, especially how it could impact the workforce and jobs. Regulators and policy-makers are contemplating the best way to provide oversight on AI applications. A Harvard Business Review (HBR) article suggested that the degree of trust in AI varies with the kind of decisions its used for. When a task is perceived as relatively mechanical and boundedthink optimizing a timetable or analyzing imagessoftware is regarded as at least as trustworthy as humans, it said. But when decisions are thought to be subjective or the variables change (as in legal sentencing, where offenders extenuating circumstances may differ), human judgment is trusted more, in part because of peoples capacity for empathy. In the OT world, AI will most likely be used more for mechanical and bounded decisions. Still, the HBR article said more stringent AI regulations are on the horizon (at least in Europe and the United States). With that in mind, companies will need new processes and tools, such as system audits, documentation and data protocols (for traceability), AI monitoring, and diversity awareness training to meet changing regulations. A number of companies already test each new AI algorithm across a variety of stakeholders to assess whether its output is aligned with company values and unlikely to raise regulatory concerns, the article notes.

Creating a Sound Digital Strategy

While it is always prudent to examine all options and chose a course of action only after weighing pros and cons thoroughly, there is significant risk in moving too slowly down the digital transformation path. Todays power and energy markets are very competitive, and its easy to fall behind in the race to stay relevant. To achieve their mission of supplying dependable electricity to customers around the clock, power companies must plan, design, execute, operate, maintain, and secure assets in a reliable, sustainable, cost-effective, and responsible way. To keep stakeholders happy, they must complete projects on time and on budget. Digital technology provides the tools necessary to accomplish those goals. A sound digital strategy is required to effectively guide an organizations digital transformation and leverage digital technologies. Among the first items companies must focus on is developing a clear vision with specific goals and desired outcomes. The digital strategy should articulate how digital technologies will support the organizations overall objectives. A companys digital strategy must also align with its broader business strategy (Figure 4). A customer-centric focus is crucial, and its not always intuitive who the customers are. For example, customers for most power plant digital solutions will be internal to the company, rather than external. Operators and maintenance workers are often the people who will benefit most from technology being deployed at a power plant, so understanding their needs, preferences, and behaviors is necessary to ensure the technology selected is a good fit. Customer insights and feedback must be used help drive decision-making and shape digital deployment for these initiatives to be successful. [caption id="attachment_215326" align="aligncenter" width="740"]

4. Many power companies are adding more sustainable resources to their mixes; therefore, digital strategies must also be flexible to accommodate ever-changing conditions. Source: Envato Elements[/caption] Given the rapid pace of technological advancements, a good digital strategy must embrace agility and flexibility. It should allow for iterative and incremental improvements, enabling the organization to experiment, learn, and pivot when necessary. A data-driven approach is essential. In other words, decisions should have data behind them. This involves leveraging analytics, machine learning, and other data-driven technologies to extract insights, identify trends, and uncover opportunities for optimization and innovation. A successful digital strategy prioritizes building organizational capabilities and fostering a digital culture. It involves ensuring the necessary talent, skills, and resources are in place to drive digital initiatives. It also promotes a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous learning, encouraging employees to embrace digital transformation. Lastly, an effective digital strategy incorporates mechanisms for measuring and monitoring before and after performance. It establishes key performance indicators (KPIs) aligned with strategic goals and regularly assesses progress. It should also include considerations for security and risk management assessments. These hallmarks collectively contribute to a well-rounded digital strategy that positions an organization for success.

Taking the Next Step

Technology is constantly changing, and to keep up, power companies must change too. Incorporating innovative new digital technology into all aspects of a business will improve a companys bottom line. Even before a decision is made to add a new asset to a companys portfolio, technology can be used to evaluate options and provide insight on the best path forward. Digital solutions are available to enhance the planning, designing, and executing of projects. Once visions become reality, other solutions can improve operations, maintenance, and security. Throughout the full asset lifecycle, technology is the key to peak performance. Aaron Larson is POWERs executive editor.
(Bloomberg) -- Indian farmer groups rejected a government offer to guarantee minimum prices for some crops currently traded with no such safeguard, and are expected to resume the ongoing protest on Wednesday.

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The farmers, who are seeking price guarantees for 23 crops, traveled toward the Indian capital last week demanding that the government fulfills that promise, made at the end of the 2021 protest. After multiple rounds of talks, the federal government offered to guarantee minimum prices on a small number of crops, including pulses. Growers had temporarily halted their protests to consider the proposal.

India is keen to reduce its dependence on water-heavy crops like rice and is encouraging farmers to diversify their cultivations. Speaking to reporters at the protest site, one of the group leaders said that the share of the crop basket covered by the governments offer is too small and it would not be fair to accept the deal.

The proposal is not in favor of the farmers nor for their benefit, said Jagjit Singh Dallewal on late Monday evening. Another group of farmers, who initiated a nation-wide strike last week, stated that the proposal fell short of their expectations. The groups have a list of additional demands including loan waivers and pension schemes.

Farmers form a significant voting bloc in India, which is expected to hold its national vote around April.

Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda and Food Minister Piyush Goyal, who were involved in the Sunday negotiations with the farmers groups, werent immediately available for comment.

Last week, authorities used tear gas and water cannons in an attempt to disperse tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered at the Punjab-Haryana border. Roads leading to the national capital have been barricaded with concrete blocks and concertina wire.

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Why Indias Farmers Are Marching on Delhi Again: QuickTake

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The family of an Irish tourist who died from peritonitis are suing a hospital in Portugal's Algarve region for 500,000.

Robbie Byrne was pronounced dead when his plane landed at Dublin Airport less than 48 hours after he sought urgent medical attention and was rushed to the main public hospital in Faro in southern Portugal.

Mr Byrne's friends had called for an ambulance when he woke up with crippling stomach pains just over halfway through their week-long holiday.

The 27-year-old's mother, Sonya, claimed her son's treatment at the Algarve University Hospital Centre amounted to little more than "hours of abandonment on a trolley", insisting Robbie's deaht death could have been avoided with better medical care.

Mr Byrne, from Sallynoggin, Dublin, died during the early hours of June 18th, 2022.

"Ive worked tirelessly to try to get answers since my son died, but Ive never spoken publicly until now," Ms Byrne said.

"Robbie had a burst appendix, and the poison burnt his oesophagus and burnt a hole through his bowel.

"He was a slight asthmatic, but otherwise a healthy young lad. All of this came on very suddenly.

"Hed gone out with his friends the Wednesday night, and they called for an ambulance after waking up early and hearing him wailing with pain."

She claimed her son's friends were told not to follow the ambulance to the hospital due to measures put in place due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but "after he returned home, he told them he had been left alone in a corner on a trolley".

Robbie said he had been left without his glasses, and was unable to communicate with hospital staff as he did not speak Portuguese.

"None of us knew how sick my son was because he hadnt got the information that could and should have saved his life, in my opinion," Mrs Byrne said, adding: "Im so angry now I have the fuller picture."

Having checked himself out of the hospital, Mr Byrne got a flight back to Ireland. However, he died before he landed in Dublin.

'Prolonged pain'

The family's counsel, Alexandre Martins, confirmed he lodged a lawsuit on behalf of Sonya and her husband Nicky last month at a civil court in Lisbon.

"From being treated at the hospital until his death, Robert experienced nearly 48 hours of suffering, without even being prescribed medication to alleviate it," Mr Martins said.

"This prolonged pain and the pain his parents suffered, knowing the circumstances in which their son died, must be compensated.

"We would understand it if Robert had been in the middle of a desert, but theres no way to explain how anyone can be abandoned inside a hospital in a civilised country," he added.

Mr Martins claimed the hospital in Faro gave Robbie a "non-urgent bracelet", and left him "without care or information".

"Information is essential in a case like this. He was unaware that his life was at risk and, feeling abandoned, ended up turning his back on the hospital without knowing the risk he was running," Mr Martins said.

The lawsuit has been filed against the local health authority, which operates the hospital to which Robbie was taken, and the doctor who examined him in the Emergency Department.

In legal papers, Mr Martins claims the doctor examined Robbie just after midday on June 16th, 2022, and noted in his clinical observations that the Dubliner had a hard abdomen which could be an acute abdomen.

However, the doctor did not inform Robbie of the severity of his conditions, nor did he carry out any more tests, or administer pain relief medicine.

Traumatised

"My son should never have been allowed on that plane. He fainted at the airport in the boarding area, and they asked for an ambulance and got the Red Cross," Ms Byrne said.

"His friends who were with him at the time saw things I dont want to know about and have still left them traumatised today.

"Our compensation demand stands at 500,000 because I wanted to go to the highest level.

"This is not about money, but about hitting a big corporation where it hurts most, which is in their pockets. Theyll never ever feel the pain we do, which is never going to go away."

She added: "We want and need justice to make sure we get change. People go away on holiday to Portugal, and Im concerned theyre not being looked after properly.

"My opinion is my sons death was preventable. I dont want anyone else to go through what we have as a family. I want to fix the wrongs so other people dont end up like my boy, and thats why weve launched this legal action."

In a statement, the local health authority said it "naturally regretted" this "personal tragedy", but said the fact the lawsuit had already been lodged meant it could not comment fully on the matter.

"From the preliminary assessment carried out internally, there is no indication or suspicion that calls into question the quality of the services provided.

"The [patient] abandoned the service, which is why we stand ready, with serenity and complete availability, to clarify this situation in the appropriate instances when required," the statement added.
High Court reporters

A man is suing a convicted paedophile and other members of the abuser's family claiming he was the victim of assault and battery and emotional suffering while in foster care with the family.

Michael Dilger is suing Keith Burke, from Addergoolemore, Dunmore, Co Galway, who was jailed for seven and a half years in 2018 for the rape of three girls who were in the same foster home between 2003 and 2011.

He was a son of the foster carers and was aged between 14 and 18 at the time while the girls were all under the age of 10.

Mr Dilger is now suing Keith Burke along with his parents, Kathleen and Gerry Burke, who were the foster carers, and another family member Daniel Burke. He is also suing the HSE and the Child and Family Agency (CFA).

He claims, as against the Burkes, that certain members of the foster family perpetrated acts of assault and battery and inflicted emotional suffering upon him.

As against the HSE and the CFA, he claims they failed to ensure that the Burke parents were fit and suitable people to carry out the duties of foster parents.

It is also claimed those bodies failed to provide for any or any adequate assessment or inspection, periodic or otherwise, of persons approved by them to carry out the duties of foster parents to ascertain any abusive potential of such persons or their families. The claims are denied.

The matter came before Mr Justice Garrett Simons by way of a pre-trial application for discovery of certain documents from the HSE and the CFA.

The same application had previously come before the Deputy Master of the High Court who directed discovery of certain documents.

These included documents or notes in relation to any investigations, inspections, risk assessments, safety plans checks, and/or enquiries made or steps taken as to the suitability of the Burke parents for fostering.

Also ordered to be disclosed were all documents or notes evidencing the response of the HSE and CFA insofar as it related to the Burke fostering arrangements and information about the "behaviour and proclivities" of Keith until Mr Dilger left the foster home.

The HSE and CFA asked Mr Justice Simons to discharge the Deputy Master's discovery order.

They claimed they had a concern as to the adverse implications which the making of that discovery would have for certain individuals who had been in care with this foster family in or around the same time as Mr Dilger.

They claimed the discovery orders were disproportionately wide given the extremely sensitive nature of the documents which would be involved. It would be more appropriate to confine discovery to the file relating to the foster parents themselves and the social work file of Mr Dilger, it was argued.

Mr Justice Simons agreed to discharge the Deputy Master's order and replace it with orders directing the discovery of all documents contained in the social work file held by the HSE and the CFA in relation to Mr Dilger personally.

He also ordered discovery of all documents contained in the social work file held in relation to the foster parents, the content of which may be redacted to exclude any extraneous reference to third parties.

Mr Dilger was entitled to apply for further and better discovery when he has received and reviewed this information, the judge said.

Earlier, he said the fact that a document may be confidential is something which goes to whether an order for discovery is necessary.

Where a discovery application for confidential documentation is made, the court should only order discovery in circumstances where it becomes clear that the interests of justice in bringing about a fair result of the proceedings require such an order, he said.
Dozens of people attended a protest in South Mayo on Sunday evening to voice their opposition to refugees being housed in a local building.

The Claremorris Ballindine Says No (CBSN) group held their protest outside the old Eircom building on the Convent Road in Claremorris.

The building has been undergoing work over the past week and members of the group believe these renovations are being undertaken to facilitate the arrival of refugees.

However, the owner of the premises, Sean Cleary, posted a comment on a CBSN Facebook post, saying works were carried out to secure the property by installing CCTV, alarms and fixing the fencing around it. He wished to dispel some of the rumour and scaremongering surrounding the low level of construction activity at his premises last week.

The works to this derelict structure this week have been to secure the property, and to this end, additional cameras have been installed inside and out, and the burglar alarm has been upgraded along with some fencing, Mr Cleary wrote.

I own this building a number of years and initially bought it with the intention of developing a Language School. However, due to Covid, the change to online learning and the lack of housing for a student population, this is no longer a viable option.

While this is a very versatile building and lends itself to many commercial/office uses, the desire is to renovate the structure to a residential apartment development and potentially a small housing development.

I believe this will enhance the streetscape and provide some living accommodation in a very desirable location.

Racism and targeting of foreigners is an unacceptable behaviour, and needs to be called out! Likewise posting outlandish fake news behind a mask is unacceptable!

However, in a Facebook post on Sunday, the group shared an email from Mayo County Council chief executive Kevin Kelly that was sent to councillors on Wednesday, January 17, where he said the old Eircom building had been offered as accommodation for Ukrainian refugees.

CBSN originally announced that its meeting would be held at Mount St Michael Secondary School (MSM) in Claremorris, but the school emphatically denied that it had agreed to hold the meeting.

CBSN published a Facebook post on Monday, February 12, saying it was hosting a public meeting at MSM as part of its campaign of opposition against the proposal to house refugees in the former Eircom building.

MSM then released a statement on social media on February 14 denying that any knowledge of the public meeting.

We the Board of Management (BOM), in conjunction with the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), wish to provide clarity pertaining to a post/message circulating on social media with respect to a proposed public meeting that is scheduled for Sunday, February 18, 2024, at Mount St Michael Secondary School.

The BOM or the SLT of Mount St Michael Secondary School have not received any request for permission by any individual or group of individuals for the use of the school or its associated facilities/grounds for a public meeting and as such will not be making the school or its facilities available for a proposed public meeting. We have reported this matter of misinformation to Claremorris Gardai.

In a previous CBSN post regarding the building there were comments alluding to setting the building on fire.

I hope nothing happens to the building in these dangerous times, one user commented.

I hope its set alight, another said.

Is McGuire and Patterson invited? one person wrote.

Claremorris-based Independent councillor Richard Finn was in attendance at the meeting on Sunday evening and believes there is a lot of fake news circulating around the issue.

50% of the people who were at it were from the local area. I was speaking to one woman who drove all the way down from Dublin to be there. Its the same people all the time at these protests, except for a few people who might live nearby, Cllr Finn told the Western People.

Cllr Richard Finn said there were a lot of rumours and fake news circulating around the issue of refugees.

We dont want to go down the route where we are vilifying property owners, or anyone who wants to upgrade their properties. There is a lot of fake news circulating, but I believe thats down to how poor the Government have handled it along with our TDs. Were all being left in the dark.

If you are to ask me, I dont think refugees will be housed in that building, but its all up in the air. However, people have genuine concerns about international protection applicants coming in.
I remember very well the evening of Friday, November 3, 1995. How could I possibly forget it? For the first and last time, I was a guest on the panel of The Late Late Show  with Gay Byrne then in charge of RTE Televisions signature programme. The show was devoted exclusively to the position of the Catholic Church in Ireland with the audience jam-packed with the great, the good and the not-so-good of Catholic Ireland.

People may remember it as the night that Fr Brian Darcy and Cardinal Cathal Daly famously clashed with different perspectives on Catholicism in Ireland, each representing different planets as we might say now. That was almost 30 years ago but, truth be told, the same discussion now would, I suspect, generate similar orbits.

It wouldnt happen now, of course  the programme not the planets  because the interest in religion and in Catholicism wouldnt attract the same audience much less sustain it for a few hours. As media people tell us, theres no compelling interest in religion in Ireland now. And if anyone knows, they know. As the market research shows, theres no media audience for religion anymore. The discussion has moved on.

Ive forgotten what I said on the night but a report on the programme I came across recently reminds me that I remarked that Catholic clergy and laity were "living in two different worlds and speaking two very different, mutually incomprehensible languages". Apparently, I also commented that in Irish Catholicism "something would have to die before something new might be born".

I either said nothing else or anything else I said wasnt worth reporting. And yet, I find myself still singing from an almost identical hymn sheet  different planets, same story, change or decay.

The clash between Daly and Darcy drew the most comment. Orchestrated by Gaybo who had an uncanny ability to generate media copy, a row between a cardinal and Irelands most popular media priest was too delicious a prospect not to have its embers fanned into a flame. Daly was cross-questioned on women in the Church and the celibacy requirement for priests and surrendered several hostages to fortune.

After the dust settled on the Daly-Darcy fracas, what I remember is the anger of some of the women present who took exception to Dalys defence of Pope John Paul II. Daly argued in response to the womens criticism of the then pope that John Paul had done more in terms of dialogue with women than any other pope in history. While it might be said that the level of engagement by popes with the womens issues wasnt (in the pre-John-Paul years) set very high and Daly was right, at the same time it wasnt the most productive line to take.

While fighting grimly not to let the side down is always an admirable strategy, not giving an inch (or even allowing for different opinions) though commendable to loyal supporters is almost always unwise. As one report suggested, while Daly was factually correct, he didnt "acknowledge the exponentially increased expectations on the part of women". We can know our history and yet not realise how much has changed.

In 30 years everything seemed to have changed while, for the most part, things have more or less remained the same. In the unlikely event of a senior bishop appearing now on The Late Late Show, and being challenged by a group of women enraged by their part-exclusion from their rightful role in the Catholic Church (more than 60 years after the Second Vatican Council), the same drama would be played out. The bishop would refuse to give an inch on a settled centuries-long, unchanging and unchangeable tradition on women priests, clerical celibacy and the other hot-button issues of the day  and those who sing from a different hymn sheet  frustrated by a Church that insists (as they would see it) on living in the past  would not be slow to sponsor a different creed.

There are many imponderables at work here. Why do bishops on the rare occasions they feature on the media feel the need to parrot an uncompromisingly defensive position that seems forever intent on closing off avenues of obvious and necessary reform for the future of the Church?

Why can they not even admit, as surely they must know, that there is no compelling theological reason why women cant be ordained? Or, even if that was not the case, why they insist on what the Jesuit theologian, Gerry OHanlon, calls "an almost pathological, fetish-like refuge in mantras about the impossibility of doctrinal development?"

Its not just that this obstructionist approach is so completely at odds with the Churchs history and tradition but that, in a number of key areas that shout to the house-tops for resolution, there is no theological impediment at all. And yet, in a Church that accepts that teaching was not handed over by the apostles as "a deposit of faith" but that emerged gradually over the centuries, some church leaders insist on implying that there is an unchanging tradition that is beyond their authority to question.

Do they not know that there is an unholy impatience with trumpeting as progress towards change what are generally regarded as merely token and cosmetic developments  votes at synod for a few nominal women or representational membership of a few Vatican dicasteries  especially when, in more central and compelling developments, there is a reluctance on decidedly specious grounds to release the ball though were well over the line.

And do they not know how embarrassing it is to listen to bishops getting themselves in a twist trying to hold a line that most Catholics have already crossed? And, in the exchange, compounding the unenvied reputation of the Catholic Church as the only significant institution in Irish society that refuses to accept the equality of women.

Its a salient reminder that in the 30 years since the Darcy/Daly spat, very little has actually changed.
Agriculture Leader Also Expanding into Multiple New European Markets in 2024

BOSTON, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Indigo Ag, the innovative leader and trusted partner in sustainable agriculture, today announced a major expansion of its regional partnership in Turkiye with Galeri Ziraat, one of the country's leading distributors of crop input products and dedicated to working with growers to improve the efficiency of sustainability in agriculture. The agreement coincides with a significant expansion into new European markets this season.

Indigo Ag logo

Indigo Ag has successfully worked with Galeri Ziraat over the past two years to rapidly expand its leading range of innovative, microbial seed coatings within Central Anatolia in Turkiye. The new distribution agreement allows Galeri to replicate this strong growth at the national level, increasing grower access to Indigo's vast portfolio including biotrinsic i30 FP in Maize/Corn, biotrinsic i177 FP in Cotton and biotrinsic i39 FP in Winter Wheat for next autumn season.

These easy-to-use biological seed coating products have been proven to improve the treated crop's nutrient use efficiency, and water stress protection during the critical phase of grain filling, leading to stable and increasing yields. According to most recent performance data collated from Turkish commercial growers in 2022 and 2023, the use of biotrinsic i30FP increased maize yields by an average of 6%. biotrinsic i177FP delivered an average yield increase of 10% in cotton, and biotrinsic i39FP delivered an average increase of 11% in winter cereals.

Commenting on the announcement, Georg Goeres, Global Biological Head at Indigo Ag said, "This agreement with Galeri Ziraat is a major milestone in the development of our international business in Turkiye and Europe. It reflects the market's growing trust and confidence in Indigo's biologicals portfolio, and we are delighted to be expanding our relationship with one of Turkiye's leading companies. Galeri Ziraat shares our passion for providing growers with the tools they need to naturally grow their yields and manage drought challenges and extreme weather stressors. This agreement paves the way for the further development of our product offerings for Turkiye's growers along with our marketing and technical support".

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The agreement in Turkiye marks the beginning of an exciting chapter for Indigo Ag as it plans further expansion to new countries throughout Europe, positively impacting the yields of thousands of growers across the region. In 2024, the company plans to make biotrinsic seed coatings available to farmers in Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, and Spain. As Indigo Ag extends its reach across Europe, it remains dedicated to cultivating a more sustainable and resilient future for global agriculture.

ABOUT INDIGO AG

Indigo Ag is the sustainable agriculture partner that helps farmers and agribusinesses optimize today's yields and profitability, while nourishing the soil for better tomorrows and helping corporations reach their sustainability goals.

By harnessing science and technology, Indigo Ag's sustainability programs unlock access to high value revenue streams while promoting practices that help land keep its value for future generations. Indigo is currently the only company offering corporations high quality agricultural carbon credits and scope 3 emissions reductions at scale. Our innovative biologicals boost plant growth to help maximize yields, even in tough conditions. And their state-of-the-art digital software facilitates greater efficiency, accuracy and profitability for crop transactions.

Founded in 2013, Indigo Ag is focused on creating more profitable farmers and more sustainable companies. Operating across 14 countries, the company is delivering on its mission of harnessing nature to help farmers sustainably feed, fuel and clothe the planet.

About Galeri Ziraat

Galeri Ziraat's expert engineers have been collaborating with growers in Turkiye since 2014, providing a broad scope of products and services to improve efficiency in agricultural production. From seed to tree and from planting to harvest  the company supports growers with both product solutions and engineering expertise in the field.

Plant nutrition is a key factor for increasing soil fertility, directly impacting crop yield quantity and quality. To maximize soil efficiency, it is necessary to balance fertilization and to thoroughly analyse plant nutrition. At Galeri Ziraat, the team provides professional field services to ensure more effective production, ensuring every seed sewn and every sapling planted in the ground is a step forward for the grower.

It is a known fact that Turkiye's population is increasing. Galeri Ziraat endeavours to meet the food needs of the country's growing population by maximizing plant productivity, and product quality to improve yields and profitability for growers.

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/indigo-ag-signals-major-expansion-of-international-biological-business-with-galeri-ziraat-partnership-in-turkiye-302065683.html

SOURCE Indigo Ag
By Cillian Sherlock and Grainne Ni Aodha, PA

RTEs director-general has defended his decision to give an exit package to Rory Coveney, saying the national broadcaster could have been ordered to pay double the amount if the former strategy director had taken a wrongful dismissal case.

Kevin Bakhurst said there were absolutely no grounds to sack Mr Coveney, who was described as the driving force behind an ill-fated musical which lost the organisation 2.2 million.

Mr Coveney, the brother of enterprise minister Simon Coveney, received a package when he resigned and his role was made redundant in July last year  the same week Mr Bakhurst took the helm.

Mr Bakhurst said RTE expects to recoup the cost of the payment to Mr Coveney by July this year, leading to speculation the payment was approximately one years salary, or about 200,000.

Former RTE director of strategy Rory Coveney (Brian Lawless/PA)

Mr Bakhurst described Toy Show The Musical, which went ahead without formal board approval, as a disaster, but said: Its not all down to Rory Coveney.

He added: It was not enough on its own to fire him over. So if you cant fire someone in a semi-state, you have to find another way of exiting them from the organisation in a way that provides value to licence-fee payers.

Mr Bakhurst would not comment on the exact figure provided to Mr Coveney, but suggested that the organisation could potentially have paid out double what was given if Mr Coveney had taken a wrongful dismissal case with the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC), which the director-general said was typically about two years pay.

He said the amount paid out was also considerably less than Mr Coveney would have received under an RTE voluntary exit programme.

RTE director-general Kevin Bakhurst speaks to the media with RTE board chairwoman Siun Ni Raghallaigh (Niall Carson/PA)

He told RTEs Drivetime: Were not in America, you cant just fire people willy nilly with no repercussions.

You know, had I gone down that route, RTE would have a liability, which is substantially more than what we ended up paying.

Mr Bakhurst also claimed on Monday that he had previously told reporters last year that Mr Coveney was given an exit payment.

When asked at the time if Mr Coveney had received an exit fee going out the door, Mr Bakhurst told reporters on his first day in the job that there was no ex gratia payment and added that it was not fair to talk about individuals.

Media Minister Catherine Martin speaking at Government Buildings (Niall Carson/PA)

He said: He didnt get a payment going out the door but he is entitled as other people are to statutory-level payments when they leave an organisation.

Recalling the comment on Monday, Mr Bakhurst said that statutory was a technical term and that what he actually meant was that Mr Coveney had been given an appropriate fee based on his 16 years at the organisation and compared to what he would receive at the WRC.

Mr Bakhurst also confirmed that former chief financial officer Richard Collins was given a payment to leave the organisation, after independent mediation which included a confidentiality clause.

The director-general has come under fresh scrutiny about the payouts and confidentiality agreements.

Labour senator Marie Sherlock said there had been a convenient retrofitting of the truth and the public were led to believe that Mr Coveney resigned of his own volition.

Mr Bakhurst told reporters on Monday that he stands by everything he has done since he took the top job at the embattled national broadcaster.

Asked whether he would resign, he said No, absolutely not. I stand entirely by what Ive done about trying to move the organisation forward with a new leadership team and make payments which are in the best interest and the best value for RTE.

It was also recently disclosed that, before Mr Bakhursts tenure, a 450,000 exit package was given to former RTE chief financial officer Breda OKeefe, without the knowledge of the full executive board.

Fine Gael TD and member of the Oireachtas media committee Alan Dillon said the details of all exit packages of all executives dating back to 2016 should be published.

Speaking after summoning Mr Bakhurst, and chairwoman of the RTE board Siun Ni Raghallaigh, to her department on Monday, Media Minister Catherine Martin said she asked them to explore all options to provide further transparency.

This included requesting individuals involved to waive their rights under confidentiality agreements.

Asked if Mr Bakhurst should resign, she said: I think Kevin is the best person to be as DG in RTE. I think he has implemented substantial reform and has a body of work to do now, and a strategic vision, and following through on reform needed.

Mr Bakhurst has said he is seeking updated advice on how far we can push transparency on exit packages, given obligations regarding GDPR, Irish employment law and the individual rights of every RTE employee.

Mr Bakhurst said it may well be part of the discussion to ask former executives to waive confidentiality agreements relating to their exit packages.

However, he said it would undermine future trust in the organisation if it decided to walk away from mediated legal agreements.

He added: Ive never in my whole career been asked to break the law and I dont think its a great idea to start doing that now.

He also said confidentiality agreements are standard in mediation processes and can result in cost savings.

When I came into the job there was enormous pressure on me to bring new leadership to this organisation.

And the only way to exit people from semi-states  and thats not just RTE, its any semi-state  you have to have really strong grounds to fire somebody and if you dont have that grounds, you have to find a negotiated settlement.

Ms Martin said confidentiality agreements should be avoided in any future severance arrangements at RTE and that caps on exit payments should be introduced.

The minister also said RTE had committed to a reform which would require board approval for future exit packages.

She would not provide a figure on what the cap on exit payments should be, but said it should be at the higher level and packages should not be extraordinary.

Elsewhere, Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe said he was open to working with Ms Martin on the workable proposal to cap exit payments at RTE.

The Government will publish two reports commissioned by Ms Martin on the governance of RTE this month.
Louth actor Anthony Kinahan brings his heartfelt but very funny play Unguarded, about the pitfalls of surrogacy, to Ballina Arts Centre this Saturday. Drawing on memories of his own childhood, and his personal experience of fatherhood, he guides us through the rollercoaster experience of not having legal rights to your own child.

Anthony was drawn to the subject by the plight of two friends, a lesbian couple whose children were born through surrogacy in the sense that one of them was the biological mother (it was her egg that was fertilised in vitro) and the other was the birth mother.

In this case, as Anthonys friends discovered, only one of them is recognised in law as the true mother.

This is because, under Irish law, only the birth mother is the mother of the child. An infertile woman who has her child via surrogacy cannot be recognised as the mother. This means in the case of divorce or widowhood she has no legal relationship with her own child. The situation is even more precarious for parents who are neither biologically related nor gestational parents, as will always be the case for one partner in male gay relationship.

It is this anomaly that explains the title of Anthonys play: Unguarded.

Anthony was raised with four siblings not far from Dundalk, and as a child was a bit of a clown".

"I liked making people laugh. As the fourth of five children, you have to make yourself heard!

He sang in the church choir and joined the amateur musical society in Dundalk at age 11.

It was my mothers idea.

He loved it.

In one of those quirks of fate, in 1998, the arts services in Dundalk received cross-border peace funding and decided to put on a youth production of Romeo and Juliet  because what could be more appropriate  in Dundalk Town Hall. Anthony, now 16, auditioned and got the part of Romeo. It changed his life.

As soon as he walked out on stage, he knew he was at home.

This was what I was born to do. It became a burning desire; acting was something I had to pursue.

He went on to take communication studies at Dublin City University.

But really what I did was the drama society. I lived and breathed it, it was my full-time job. I made lifelong friends there, and learned skills I might not have learned if Id gone straight into actor training: production, directing, writing.

Anthony met his partner when they were both 17, in 1999. In 2003, they got engaged, but as a gay couple, it was an expression of commitment but with no end goal".

"Civil partnership was not even invented then," he says.

Then in 2004, the UK brought in civil partnership, and Anthony and his fiance went north to get married.

We put all our people on a bus to Belfast, had a lovely ceremony, then brought them back down to Dundalk for the reception. We were, of course, aware that as soon as wed crossed the border, we were no longer in a civil partnership, but we still had great craic.

At that point, he says, it was for us not a very political thing".

"It was when we were interested in becoming parents, five years later, that it became political.

In 2009, Anthony and his civil partner were living in London, where Anthony was doing an MA in acting and his partner was a special needs assistant.

After that, it was out into the big bad world as a jobbing actor.

He earned his bread and butter as London tour guide, walking from one royal palace to another, come rain, hail or shine  not a job for the faint-hearted". By now, he and his partner were ready for parenthood and considering adoption.

Yet if they adopted, returning to Ireland would be a problem. Gay parents were allowed to adopt in the UK, but in Ireland, they were unprotected by Irish law, which meant simple things like signing school and medical forms would be a legal minefield.

They didnt want to live in exile, so they gave up the idea of adoption and moved back home. The crash had just happened, so half the theatre companies in Ireland were gone. Anthony got a job as the manager of the National Leprechaun Museum, which was better than being a tour guide, he says, because at least it was indoors. And then he laughs, and says: No, it was fun. There was a lot of performative storytelling involved, and I have a big interest in Irish myths. But then it was time to move on

Next came a five-year stint at the Project Arts Centre as a barman, but picking up a lot of acting parts, stage and screen, finding his way back into the scene.

Meanwhile, he and his partner had joined the nascent fight for marriage equality. It was a hard slog in the early days.

None of the politicians wanted to back it until they were sure the majority supported it.

At the same time, they hadnt given up their dream of raising a child together, and in 2012 they became the first same-sex foster parents in Louth.

Fostering instead of adoption was a hard decision, says Anthony, but it came down to the fact that we realised we had a spare room, we were privileged, and we could give someone that wasnt privileged a better start. We stopped thinking of it as we want to be parents but as we can help someone else.

Dean, who is neurodiverse, came to them when he was 12. A year later came the marriage equality referendum. Anthony remembers seeing all the 'No' posters go up.

It was a hard place to be, he remembers, especially when Dean saw one of the posters displayed outside the estate where he lived with his foster parents.

Two men cant replace a mothers love, read the poster.

Dean turned to Anthony, puzzled.

Why are they saying that? he asked.

It was a painful moment, but it redoubled Anthonys determination to campaign for a 'Yes' vote. On the night of the referendum, he was exhausted.

I remember closing my laptop, totally drained, not knowing the result, just knowing wed done all we could. Wed addressed the Citizens Assembly, wed been on the Late Late, wed canvassed, wed manned stalls...

The rest, of course, is history.

Anthony left bar work in 2017 because he was finally getting enough acting work. The screen jobs paid best, but his love was physical theatre, so he joined the theatre company Quintessence, in Dundalk, and then, as Artist in Association in Drogheda Arts Centre, penned his first one-man play, Unguarded.

It was the story that poured out of me when I sat down to write, he says.

He was influenced by a variety of things: his friends, his campaigning work, his experience of fatherhood, his love for musicals, the fact that his son is neurodiverse.

Ballina itself is one of Anthonys influences.

When I was a kid, my family came here on holidays from Louth and I had a brilliant time. There was a kids club in my play which is based on the one I went to in Downhill Inn as a 12-year-old boy.

Now he is back, in Ballina Arts Centre, multi-role-playing the father of 12-year-old boy and the boy himself. Welcome back, Anthony!

* Anthony Kinahan brings his one-man play Unguarded to Ballina Arts Centre on Saturday, February 24th, at 8pm. Tickets: 18/16.
Today

Partly sunny, breezy, and noticeably colder; gusty winds add a chill. A sprinkle or flurry possible, mainly north and west.

Tonight

Partly cloudy, windy, and cold. Brisk winds add a chill. There could be an early flurry, especially north and west.

Tomorrow

Partly sunny but brisk and chilly with wind chills near or below freezing for much of the day. A sprinkle or flurry possible, mainly north and west.
MT. PENN BOROUGH, Pa.  A special Mount Penn Borough Council meeting was held Monday night.

It came after a meeting was held Monday morning with local state lawmakers, the borough and the Antietam School District regarding a traffic study that needs to take place before renovations can happen at the Mount Penn Primary Center.

Council said the night meeting was held for two main reasons. One was to discuss the details of Monday morning's meeting to make sure that everyone on council was on the same page and to see if anyone had any questions. The second reason, council explained, was to make any potential changes to Tuesday's meeting agenda based on what took place Monday.

A joint statement that was issued from those at Monday morning's meeting was also read aloud.

"Through extensive discussion and open communication, we were able to come to an agreement that will allow Antietam School District to begin phased construction at the Mt. Penn Primary Center and to satisfy Mt. Penn Borough requirements under the Zoning Hearing Board decision and statewide Uniform Construction Code," the statement said.

2:08 Mt. Penn Borough, Antietam School District reach agreement following mediation with lawmakers An agreement was reached Monday allowing Antietam School District to begin phased construction at the Mt. Penn Primary Center.

The joint statement was issued by officials from the Antietam School District, Mount Penn Borough, Sen. Judy Schwank (D-Berks) and state Rep. Mark Rozzi (D-Berks).

The proposed plan is to renovate Mount Penn Primary Center to make it the district's high school for next year. The existing Antietam Middle Senior High School in Lower Alsace Township was damaged by flooding over the summer.

"We are all committed to working collaboratively to overcome the challenges facing our community," the joint statement said.

The borough had called for a traffic study due to zoning requirements to make sure the primary center would be able to operate as the high school.

The district's superintendent previously expressed concerns that a traffic study would delay the construction timeline, forcing students to begin the year virtually.

Several people spoke during public comment, asking about the traffic study.

Corrine Hauk, a parent in the district, attended the Monday night meeting.

"I think there was just a lot of passions in the room tonight," Hauk said, "and I hope based on what they said and the release that was made this morning and the meeting that was done this morning, that we can, in good faith, move forward and have a good solution for the kids next year."

Tianna Schaefer was also in attendance.

"I've been very concerned for a number of months about where my daughter specifically will receive her education next year," said Schaefer.

Mount Penn Borough Council is set to meet again Tuesday at 7 p.m.
SPRING TWP., Pa. - Penn State Berks associate professor Michele Ramsey is remembering 20-year-old Will Zhu, of Portland, Oregon, who was in a class she teaches.

"He was just joyful and kind and happy," said Ramsey.

The coroner said Zhu died in a crash early Saturday morning on Tulpehocken Road near Clary Drive, across from the school's residence halls in Spring Township.

"He was always willing to talk, he was always smiling, he was happy and always kind," said Ramsey.

Police said the car went off the road and struck a tree.

The school said three others were hurt.

A makeshift memorial has formed.

"I felt he really was interested in taking what he learned at college, so that he could make for a better way in life, not just for himself, but he could shape the world to be a better place," said Ramsey.

The school's chancellor said the entire Penn State Berks community extends its heartfelt condolences to Will's family, friends and all who knew him.

Counseling services are available.

"I know that everybody in our class is going to miss him, but I also want everyone to know that the college community is going to miss him and his friends, his faculty and staff here are really going to miss him and we wish the family well," Ramsey said.

Police said those who were hurt suffered non-life-threatening injuries and were taken to Reading Hospital.

The investigation is ongoing.
BETHLEHEM TWP., Pa.  At its bimonthly meeting Monday evening, the Bethlehem Township Board of Commissioners passed the revised final plan for a new Wawa location in the township.

Offered by Bethlehem-based developer Collaboration 3A, the Wawa at 3608 Nazareth Pike (Route 191) has been in the works for more than two years.

The proposal calls for a 6,300-square-foot Wawa convenience store with 16 gasoline pumps on a 4-acre tract between Dunkin' and Josh Early Candies. The site is split between the township's General Commercial and Commercial Enhancement Overlay zoning districts.

Traffic and the potential for contaminated stormwater runoff from gasoline pumps were issues at previous meetings related to the project, but the Wawa was discussed only briefly on Monday night.

According to Bethlehem Township Community Development Director Amanda Jensen, removing all references to a "fire department connection that was left on the plan in error" was the only change made to the final revised plan. The commissioners passed this plan by a unanimous vote.

Miller Farm development

In other news, the commissioners passed two motions granting variances for a housing development on the current Miller Farm site.

Offered by developer Kay Builders, "Fields at Farmersville" calls for the construction of 109 homes and townhomes at 3107 Farmersville Road, across from the Bethlehem Township Community Center.

The first motion approved the developer's waiver request to reduce the width of several "cartways" within the housing development.

According to township documents, Scherman Road  a major east-west road within the development  will be reduced from 36 feet to 32 feet in width. Two other roads, the north-south Miller Road and cul-de-sac Local Court A at the project's northwestern corner, will be reduced from 32 feet to 28 feet in width.

Board Vice President John Gallagher objected to reducing the width of the narrower roads, arguing it would compromise parking availability within the development for visitors and people with disabilities.

On the other hand, board President John Merhottein said narrower roads could prevent drivers from speeding through residential areas  a problem he says the township has received many calls about.

Ultimately, the motion passed by a 4-1 vote with Merhottein and Commissioners Jan Beatty, Michael Hudak and DeAnn Lawrence voting in favor, while Gallagher dissented.

The second motion dealt with the township's stormwater controls ordinance, which requires "a maximum inside slope of earthen detention basin embankments to be four horizontal and one vertical." The developer had proposed three horizontal to one vertical slopes in some areas of the development.

The commissioners' motion approved the developer's waiver request by a unanimous vote.

The Bethlehem Township Board of Commissioners will next meet on Monday, March 4.
Coherent Corp. Chief Executive Officer Dr. Vincent "Chuck" Mattera Jr. plans to retire after 20 years with the laser and networking company.

"Dr. Mattera's intention to retire does not reflect a dispute or disagreement with the company," Coherent said in a statement Tuesday.

The company also reiterated its financial forecasts and said a search for Mattera's successor will begin immediately.

Coherent has a plant in Palmer Township, and is based in Saxonburg, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh.

Mattera, 68, has been CEO for eight years. He is the third chief executive of what is now known as Coherent, founded in 1971 as II-VI (two-six) Inc. He has been chairman of Coherent's board since November 2021.

Mattera was in charge in 2022 as II-VI combined with Coherent Inc. to become Coherent Corp., a global company that serves the industrial, communications and electronics markets.

The company's annual revenue has grown from $150 million in fiscal 2004 to more than $5 billion in fiscal 2023.

"I am most proud of the tremendous progress we have made to integrate our two organizations," Mattera said in a company statement.

"Throughout Chuck's tenure, he played a critical role in leading the development and execution of our strategic growth plans, helping transform the company into a true market leader," Enrico DiGirolamo, lead independent director on the company's board, said.

Coherent makes networking equipment, lasers, materials for semiconductors and more high-tech products.

Shares in the company are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol COHR. The price was $56.68 at 9:46 a.m. Tuesday, down $3.03 from Monday's close. At that price, the company has a market capitalization of $8.6 billion.
The sale of two Lehigh County mobile-home parks came down to location and migration, according to Northmarq, the real estate firm that represented the sellers.



The formula is familiar to locals: the Lehigh Valley is near a lot of big places and a lot of people want to move here.



Lehigh and Northampton county residents may not welcome more people, more traffic and more competition for housing, but Northmarq's Anthony Pino cites facts, not sentiment, that made the acreage a good investment.



It all comes down to "being there," there being in the middle of the East Coast megalopolis that stretches from Virginia through New England.



That increased the value of Red Maple Acres, a 202-lot park at 1190 Grange Road in Lower Macungie Township, and Mayo's Mobile Home Park at 7454 Continental Circle in Upper Macungie. Mayo's has 75 lots for a total of 277 trailer spaces sold.



"We can offer several reasons that helped to make this acquisition a good investment," Pino, associate broker of Manufactured Housing Investment Sales, said in an email statement.



"First, the Lehigh Valley stands within one truck shift of 100 million people. Second, the region's proximity to major transit arteries -- such as I-78, I-476, and I-81 -- allows for commuter/transport access to Philadelphia, New York, Newark, Trenton and Wilmington," Pino said.



"Third, the region's labor force has increased at a rate 15 times faster than the state as a whole over the same period," he said, adding, "Fourth, the area generates the 65th largest GDP (Gross Domestic Product) in the U.S.A. out of 384 qualifying regions."



"And fifth, the Lehigh Valley is among the top 4% in net internal migration and net domestic migration nationally," he said.



Red Maple was built in 1960, according to the Northmarq statement, and Mayo's was built in 1950. The combined parks cover 64 acres and are 98% occupied. They are about two miles apart in western Lehigh County.



Northmarq represented sellers Red Maples LLC and Mayo Homes Co. It did not disclose the prices or the buyer.



Pino handles manufactured-housing investment sales for the Midwestern and Eastern U.S. Before joining Northmarq, he worked at Cushman & Wakefield, and before that, at CMG Financial.
(Bloomberg) -- Iron ore slumped to a three-month low despite extra support for Chinas housing market as investors fretted that steel demand wouldnt stage a strong recovery after the Lunar New Year break.

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Futures sank more than 5% in Singapore to hit the lowest intraday price since early November, following a drop in the weeks opening session. The weakness came even after Chinese banks cut a key reference rate for mortgages by a record amount, throwing more weight behind property-sector rescue efforts.

The reality is that post-holiday demand is still not strong, said Han Jing, a senior analyst at SDIC Essence Futures Co. Molten-iron output remains lower than expectation, hence a price correction was expected.

Iron ore is one of the wost-performing major commodities so far in 2024 as investors assess prospects for Chinese demand. The property crisis has been a major drag on the second-largest economy over the past couple of years despite a series of stimulus measures aimed at resolving the issue.

Headwinds from Chinas property sector  30% to 35% of Chinas steel demand and 20% to 25% of Chinas total GDP, with related sectors included  will likely persist, albeit at a more moderated pace than last year, Commonwealth Bank of Australia analyst Vivek Dhar said in a note.

The iron ore market is expected to broadly balanced in 2024, BHP Group Ltd. said in a summary as it released earnings. Still, the worlds biggest miner cautioned there were multiple uncertainties around that outlook, including over how Chinas regulators managed the local steel industry this year.

Iron ore traded 4.9% lower at $121.10 a ton at 4:21 p.m. in Singapore after hitting a low of $120.95 In China, iron ore in Dalian fell, with rebar and hot-rolled coil in Shanghai.

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HANOVER TWP., Pa.  For some, it's hard to believe, but it's been 25 years to the day since a violent chemical explosion reverberated through the Lehigh Valley and parts of the Poconos.

That thunderous blast at Concept Sciences in Hanover Township, Lehigh County, left five people dead and 14 others injured.

The explosion also wiped out the building where it happened and damaged at least 11 other buildings around it.

It was a dark, cold night in the Lehigh Valley on Feb. 19, 1999, but Concept Sciences had hope of turning out a lucrative product.

It would be the company's first large-scale commercial batch of hydroxylamine, which is used in the manufacture of semiconductors. However, that hope quickly turned to ruins when an explosion at Concept Sciences shook the Lehigh Valley physically and figuratively.

And its aftershock would be felt for years to come.

Hundreds of emergency crews raced to the plant located off Roble Road in Hanover Township.

"I did, and it was a fast run," said John Conklin, who was just three months on the job as Lehigh County's director of emergency management services at the time.

"At the time, I was at Walmart in Whitehall shopping with my son and my wife," said firefighter Garren Knoll. "And we heard an explosion. All the drop ceiling tiles had had popped up in the place, and dust was falling down."

It turned into a scene of a debris and destruction.

"The blast may have even registered on the Richter scale," 69 News anchor Rob Vaughn reported at the time.

Five miles south, Lehigh University would register the explosion as a .7 magnitude earthquake.

Still, not all was lost.

"We did have some crews that managed to save a couple of people that were in trapped inside of the building," Knoll said.

He says the incident is still used for training. It also sparked the creation of what's now known as Lehigh County's special operations team.

"Concept Sciences was the birth of what you see today," Conklin said.

Twenty-five years later, there are no signs of the explosion on Roble Road. Another industrial building has taken Concept Sciences' place, and there's no plaque or dedication on site.

But inside Han-Le-Co's fire house, photos of the aftermath and a melted fire extinguisher honor the injured and the lives lost.

"No one's ever really ever prepared for an incident of this magnitude," Knoll said.

Federal investigators said the blast likely happened due to high concentration and temperature in a tank with hundreds of pounds of the unstable chemical.

Concept Sciences' founder faced charges and a hefty fine, but those were dropped when it became unclear if the production process was covered under manufacturing regulations.

Four of the victims families confidentially settled lawsuits against the company's primary financial backers.
L. SAUCON TWP., Pa. - Imagine you purchase a new home and within a month people start showing up at your door looking for puppies they say they purchased online. However, you have no idea what they're talking about.

Bill Moyer of Lower Saucon Township says it's happened eight times now.

"It was probably in October somebody came to our house. We had no idea who it was. Ringing the doorbell, Moyer said. They said we're here to pick up a dog."

In Ring doorbell video from Feb. 6, provided to 69 News, you can see an unidentified man come for a dog. We're blurring his face.

"Oh my God, you can hear the man say when hes told by Moyer its a scam.

The business is called Ginger Malinois. There are videos and pictures on its Facebook page with various people and puppies which appear to be lifted from various social media accounts. Some posts have comments alleging this page is a scam.

Domain information for the business website shows it was created only back in December of last year.

69 News received a copy of a complaint letter from the Better Business Bureau, which was sent to Moyer's home. In that complaint a woman from Arizona says she used Zelle to send $850 for a dog she never received.

"So we contacted the Better Business Bureau and said, hey, this person doesn't live here but they're using our address, Moyer said.

Moyer says he's been in contact with Lower Saucon Police since the first incident.

We reached out to Ginger Malinois but haven't heard back.

Moyer wants to get the word out to help stop this from happening again: It's very upsetting."

The Better Business Bureau says pet scams make up more than a quarter of the complaints they receive and that 80% of sponsored pet advertisements may be fake.

If you've been affected, you can contact them as well as the Pennsylvania Attorney General's office. You can also file a police report.
Primark, an Irish clothing retailer with a Bethlehem warehouse, has opened a second distribution center in Florida.

The North Jacksonville center covers more than 550,000 square feet. Primark's Bethlehem warehouse is at 2485 Commerce Center Blvd., on former Bethlehem Steel land off Route 412. It covers about 677,000 square feet.

The new warehouse will serve southern states including Florida and Texas, according to a Primark statement.

The retailer also announced leases for four new stores in Virginia, Maryland, Tennessee and Texas. Those stores will receive goods from the Bethlehem and Florida warehouses.

"We've seen growing demand for Primark stores across the U.S., particularly in our southern locations," Kevin Tulip, president of Primark US, said.

Primark will import merchandise through the Jacksonville Port Authority, a seaport within a one-day truck drive of almost 100 million U.S. customers, the company said.

Primark has doubled its warehouse capacity since 2013.

Primark's closest retail locations to the Lehigh Valley are in the Philadelphia area.

The "fast fashion" retailer operates 24 U.S. stores and plans to have 60 by 2026. What is now Primark was founded as a single store in Dublin, Ireland, in 1969.

It now has about 400 stores in 15 countries and employs about 72,000 people.
Prior to the contentious presidential campaigns of today the White House race in 1800 started it all.

"John Adams is a blind, bald, crippled, toothless man."

"If Thomas Jefferson wins, murder, robbery, rape, adultery, and incest will be openly taught and practiced."

Those were actual words written and spoken as part of the presidential political ads of 1800.

"During Adams' first, single term in office, hard core partisan newspapers developed throughout America. They would present the entire world's events, or at least European and American events, in a partisan perspective," said Pulitzer Prize-winning author Ed Larson.

Think MSNBC and FOX.

In his book "A Magnificent Catastrophe: The Tumultuous Election of 1800, America's First Presidential Campaign," Larson chronicles that race between incumbent President John Adams and Vice President Thomas Jefferson and the end of a national party.

"They had to change the government into a partisan government and that's what occurred with the 1800 election and then was confirmed immediately thereafter with the adoption of the 12th amendment," he said.

The amendment changed the electoral voting system and had the President and Vice President run as a team.

"While he is not busy importing mistresses from Europe, he is trying to marry one of his sons to a daughter of King George," was just some of the negative things said back then.

The race, which Jefferson won, was a rematch of the two-month campaign won in 1796, after George Washington declined to run for a third term.
College-bound students considering attending a university in Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) now have more time to make a decision.

All 14 of the State System's schools either use rolling admissions to continuously review applications, or are extending the commitment deadline from May 1 to at least May 15.

The deadline extension comes amid nationwide delays due to the new FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form.

The U.S. Department of Education significantly overhauled the FAFSA form this year, and it was eventually rolled out on Dec. 31.

The rollout caused delays of 5-6 months, meaning colleges and universities across the country are not receiving financial data from FAFSA until mid-March. The colleges then have to use that information to distribute financial aid offers to prospective students and their families.

The traditional commitment deadline in the U.S. is May 1, commonly reffered to as National College Decision Day.

PASSHE includes Kutztown University in Berks County and East Stroudsburg University in Monroe County.
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP)  El Salvador President Nayib Bukele and his New Ideas party have won the supermajority the leader needs in Congress to govern as he pleases, electoral officials announced Monday.

The announcement comes after a painstaking vote counting process, which has raised the hackles of electoral watchdogs and the countrys weak opposition, who cite irregularities.

Bukele handily won re-election Feb. 4 with 84.7% of the vote. What had remained up in the air was if Bukeles New Ideas party would be equally as successful in legislative elections. On Monday, officials announced that New Ideas won 54 seats of the 60 congressional seats. Allied parties won an additional three seats.

Despite not having the final results, the leader had already declared victory in the presidency and in the congress the night of the election, saying El Salvador has broken all the records of all democracies in the entire history of the world.

Never has a project won with the number of votes we have won today," Bukele said. It is literally the highest percentage in all of history.

Now  with the vote actually certified  the supermajority effectively gives the self-described worlds coolest dictator even firmer control of all three branches of government.

The 42-year-old leader is massively popular in El Salvador due to his war on the countrys gangs, which resulted in a sharp drop in violence. But Bukele has also been accused of undemocratic moves, including carrying out an electoral reform that critics say stacked the vote in favor of his New Ideas party, particularly in legislative and local elections.

Last year, the congress passed electoral reforms that reduced the number of seats in the unicameral chamber to 60 from 84, a move expected to favor New Ideas.

Bukele needs congress to continue emergency measures approved month-to-month for his gang crackdown. Previously, the leader clashed with opposition parties in congress blocking his initiatives, even showing up to congress with armed military officers.

Now, he doesn't need any other party," said Eduardo Escobar, a lawyer with the nongovernmental organization Citizen Action who explained that before the election Bukele would at least have to pull on support from allied parties.

Congressional control will also potentially allow him to alter the constitution  which bans leaders from holding consecutive terms  to stay in power.

While constitutional lawyers argue its illegal to make such changes, Bukele already sparked controversy by running for reelection. His partys majority in congress and a friendly court they stacked allowed him to dodge the constitutional ban.

In an interview with the Associated Press earlier this month, Bukeles vice president left the possibility of seeking a third term open if the countrys constitution is changed.

New Ideas grip on congress could also allow the leader to address the countrys slowing economy and rising poverty rates. It will also permit the party to boot out critical voices from courts, and a number of other government offices.

But electoral observers and critics continue to raise alarm about the process it took to get there.

The vote count has become a subject of scrutiny after a number of irregularities and glitches resulted in the collapse of the system transmitting results. Because of the chaos, El Salvadors electoral body called for a manual count of the legislative election votes and part of the presidential votes.

Members of the opposition have highlighted alleged irregularities, such as ballots being marked with pen instead of the designated crayon or not being folded. Some of those parties, highly unpopular among Salvadorans, have called for another round of voting.

Electoral observers from the Organization of American States continued to raise alarms about lags and lack of control by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal on vote counting which left decisions in the hands of the representatives of the political parties.

The New Ideas party assumed a dominant and intimidating attitude against people representing other parties and against observers, the OAS said, citing one instance in which party members blocked observers from witnessing vote counts. It also denounced attacks against hundreds of journalists.

It stopped short of calling for a new round of voting, as some opposition parties have.

Still, Escobar, the Citizen Action lawyer, said he still hasn't seen evidence of systematic or widespread irregularities that could significantly impact Bukele's firm grip on power.

Have there been irregularities? Yes, surely, Escobar said. My question is how much could (the irregularities) have actually impacted the results? ... Sure, that could have had an impact, but not so much that it could totally change the trend of voters favoring Bukele and his party.

Janetsky contributed from Mexico City.

Follow APs coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america
The White House continues to warn Israel against expanding its offensive into Rafah, the southernmost city in the Gaza Strip.

National Security spokesperson John Kirby said Tuesday that if Israels military doesnt properly account for the safety of Palestinian refugees there, an operation in Rafah would be a disaster.

The war began when Hamas-led militants rampaged into southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostage. About a fourth of some 130 captives still being held are believed to be dead. Israel has laid waste to much of the Palestinian territory in response. Gazas health ministry estimates more than 29,000 Palestinians have been killed.

More than half of the territorys 2.3 million people have sought refuge in Rafah, many crowding into sprawling tent camps and overflowing U.N. shelters near the Egyptian border.

Top Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh was in Cairo on Tuesday as the U.S., Egypt and Qatar try to mediate another cease-fire so that aid can flow and hostages can be released, but there were no expectations of a breakthrough.

Currently:

 Hamas warns of death sentence to Palestinians, delivers medications to Israeli hostages

 US vetoes Arab-backed UN Security Council cease-fire resolution

 Israel orders new evacuations in northern Gaza, where UN says 1 in 6 children are malnourished.

 South Africa tells top UN court that its accusing Israel of apartheid against Palestinians.

 Israel says Brazils president unwelcome until he apologizes for comparing Gaza war to Holocaust.

 Find more of APs coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war.

Here's the latest:

QATAR SAYS HAMAS IS DELIVERING MEDICATION TO ISRAELI HOSTAGES

The Qatari Foreign Ministry said Hamas has started delivering medication for the approximately 100 hostages held in Gaza, a month after the medications arrived in Gaza.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Dr. Majed Al-Ansari said Tuesday evening that Hamas confirmed they had begun to deliver the medications to the hostages in exchange for medicines and humanitarian aid for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

France and Qatar mediated a deal in January for the shipment of medicine for dozens of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. The deal was the first agreement between Israel and the militant group since a weeklong cease-fire in November, but there was no evidence that the medications had arrived.

France said it took months to organize the shipment of the medicines. Qatar, which has long served as a mediator with Hamas, helped broker the deal that will provide three months worth of medication for chronic illnesses for 45 of the hostages, as well as other medicine and vitamins.

UN WORLD FOOD PROGRAM SUSPENDS AID IN NORTHERN GAZA

The United Nations World Food Program announced a pause in food and aid deliveries to northern Gaza on Tuesday after its drivers faced gunfire and violence from desperate residents swarming the trucks.

The convoys faced complete chaos and violence due to the collapse of civil order, according to a statement from the program. WFP had attempted to resume aid deliveries in northern Gaza after a three-week pause following an Israeli strike on an aid convoy.

In a rare public criticism of Israel, a top U.S. envoy, David Satterfield, said this week that its targeted killings of Gaza police commanders guarding truck convoys have made it virtually impossible to distribute the goods safely.

The WFP said 1 in 6 children under age 2 are acutely malnourished and people are dying of hunger-related causes.

In these past two days our teams witnessed unprecedented levels of desperation, the WFP said.

Hamas government media office described the WFP decision as a death sentence for hundreds of thousands of people in northern Gaza. It called on all UN agencies to return and avert catastrophic consequences of the famine there.

HOUTHI REBEL STRIKES ON RED SEA SHIPPING COSTING US MILLIONS

Yemens Iran-backed Houthi rebels are still able to launch attacks in a crucial Red Sea corridor despite a month of U.S.-led airstrikes.

The rebels claimed more attacks Tuesday night after seriously damaging a ship and apparently downing an American drone worth tens of millions of dollars in recent days. The U.S. shot down 10 bomb-carrying Houthi drones, as well as a cruise missile heading toward a U.S. destroyer over the last day, Central Command said Tuesday. The U.S. military also targeted a Houthi surface-to-air missile launcher and a drone prior to its launch.

The Houthi have said they aim to prevent Israeli ships from navigating the Red Sea until Israel ends its war in the Gaza Strip, even though few of the ships targeted have any direct links to Israel. Their guerrilla-style attacks show the difficulty of suppressing asymmetrical warfare, and the U.S.-led campaign to protect the shipping route has boosted the rebels standing in the Arab world.

So far, no U.S. sailor or pilot has been wounded, but the U.S. continues to lose drones worth tens of millions of dollars and fire off million-dollar cruise missiles to counter the Houthis, who are using far-cheaper weapons that experts believe largely have been supplied by Iran.

Based off U.S. militarys statements, American and allied forces have destroyed at least 73 missiles before they were launched, as well as 17 drones, 13 bomb-laden drone boats and one underwater explosive drone, according to a tally by The Associated Press. Those figures dont include the initial Jan. 11 joint U.S.-U.K. strikes that began the monthlong campaign. The American military also has shot down dozens of missiles and drones already airborne as well since November.

BRITAIN'S PRINCE WILLIAM LAMENTS SHEER SCALE OF HUMAN SUFFERING

LONDON  Prince William, the heir to the British throne, called Tuesday for an end to fighting in the Gaza Strip as soon as possible, lamenting the terrible human cost since the Hamas-led Oct. 7 attack in southern Israel and the desperate need for increased humanitarian support for Gaza.

William stopped short of calling for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza as the House of Commons prepares for a vote on that issue on Wednesday. The message, written in white on a black background, was placed under Williams cypher on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Sometimes it is only when faced with the sheer scale of human suffering that the importance of permanent peace is brought home, William said.

William used careful language focused on universal humanity rather than taking sides. The prince plans to meet with aid workers active in the region and, separately, join a discussion at a synagogue with young people of different faiths who are fighting antisemitism.

Even in the darkest hour, we must not succumb to the counsel of despair, William said. I continue to cling to the hope that a brighter future can be found and I refuse to give up on that.

US VETOES ARAB-BACKED UN CEASE-FIRE RESOLUTION

The U.S. vetoed an Arab-backed U.N. resolution Tuesday demanding an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war in the embattled Gaza Strip.

The vote in the Security Council reflected wide global support for ending the more than four-month war that started with Hamas surprise invasion of southern Israel that killed about 1,200 people and saw 250 others taken hostage. Israel's military response has killed more than 29,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which doesnt distinguish between civilians and combatants but says the majority are women and children.

It was the third U.S. veto of a Security Council resolution demanding a cease-fire in Gaza.

In a surprise move ahead of the vote, the U.S. circulated a rival U.N. Security Council resolution that would support a temporary cease-fire in Gaza linked to the release of all hostages, and call for the lifting of all restrictions on the delivery of humanitarian aid. Both of these actions would help to create the conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities, the draft resolution obtained by the AP says.

U.S. deputy ambassador Robert Wood told several reporters Monday that the Arab-backed resolution is not an effective mechanism for trying to do the three things that we want to see happen  which is get hostages out, more aid in, and a lengthy pause to this conflict.

UN AID AGENCY SAYS ISRAEL HASN'T SHOWN EVIDENCE ITS WORKERS JOINED RAMPAGE

JERUSALEM  The head of the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees says the United Nations still has not received any evidence from Israel supporting its claims that 12 of the agencys employees participated in the Oct. 7 rampage that sparked the war.

Israel released a document last month identifying the 12 workers along with the allegations against them and accusing some of participating in kidnappings. But it has released little of the evidence collected against the workers.

The allegations prompted key donors, including the U.S., to suspend funding to the main provider of aid in Gaza.

Philippe Lazzarini, the director of UNRWA, has dismissed the 10 surviving workers; the agency says the other two were killed in fighting. The U.N. has also opened two investigations. But in a podcast Tuesday, Lazzarini said Israel still has not presented formal evidence to the U.N.

The UN has never, never, ever received any written dossier, despite our repeated call for cooperation from the Israeli authorities, he said, asking that anyone with evidence share it with the investigation team.

Israel has long accused UNRWA of tolerating Hamas activities in and around U.N. facilities and in some cases even cooperating with the militant group. Lazzarini has denied this and says his agency has safeguards to discipline any employee who violates the U.N. ideals of neutrality.

UNICEF SAYS 1 IN 6 CHILDREN ARE ACUTELY MALNOURISHED IN NORTHERN GAZA

One in six children are acutely malnourished in the isolated and largely devastated northern Gaza, according to a UNICEF study, while Israel has vowed to expand its five-month offensive against Hamas to the enclaves southernmost city of Rafah.

The report by the Global Nutrition Cluster says more than 90% of children under 5 in Gaza eat two or fewer food groups a day, known as severe food poverty. A similar percentage are affected by infectious diseases, with 70% experiencing diarrhea in the last two weeks. More than 80% of homes lack clean and safe water, with the average household having 1 liter (1 quart) per person per day.

The U.N. Security Council is set to vote on a U.N. resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire Tuesday, but the U.S. said it would veto it because its trying to arrange a deal on its own that would bring a truce and the release of hostages held by Hamas.

The number of Palestinians killed during the war in Gaza has risen to 29,195, according to the Health Ministry in Gaza, which does not distinguish between civilian and combatant casualties in its count. A quarter of Gazas residents are starving. About 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed and around 250 abducted in Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7 that sparked the war.

WHO SAYS 32 CRITICAL PATIENTS TRANSFERRED FROM SOUTHERN GAZA

GENEVA  The World Health Organization says 32 patients in critical condition have been transferred from Nasser Medical Complex in southern Gaza to the European Gaza Hospital to the north and field hospitals over the last two days.

The U.N. health agency said Tuesday that four Palestinian Red Crescent Society ambulances carried out the transfers after Nasser became non-functional following a weeklong siege and a military raid on the complex on Wednesday.

Nasser Hospital has no electricity or running water, and medical waste and garbage are creating a breeding ground for disease, WHO said in a statement. Some 130 sick and injured patients and at least 15 doctors and nurses remain inside the hospital.

WHO reiterated its call that medical personnel, patients, health infrastructure and civilians should be protected and that hospitals must not be militarized or attacked.

The dismantling and degradation of the Nasser Medical Complex is a massive blow to Gazas health system, WHO said. Facilities in the south are already operating well beyond maximum capacity and are barely able to receive more patients.

LEBANESE WAREHOUSE HIT IN ISRAELI STRIKE BURNS FOR THE SECOND DAY

GHAZIEH, Lebanon  Firefighters in southern Lebanon were still battling a diesel fuel fire in a warehouse that was destroyed by Israeli jets.

The Israeli militarys Arabic spokesperson Avichay Adraee said the attack Monday targeted a weapons warehouse belonging to the militant group Hezbollah.

The strike that wounded 14 people was one of the largest near a major Lebanese city since clashes between the Israeli military and Hezbollah along the Lebanese-Israeli border erupted after the Israel-Hamas war on Oct. 7.

Mohamad Khalifa, the owner of the warehouse, denied that the facility belonged to Hezbollah.

This is a company registered for 11 years that works with electricity generators, open from morning until night, receiving customers all day, he told the AP. There is nothing hidden here. The claim that this has weapons is a lie.
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP)  A tribal clash in Papua New Guineas remote highlands in which at least 26 people were killed has put a growing internal security problem under the microscope in the strategically vital South Pacific island nation that has garnered closer military attention from the United States and China.

The rival powers are increasingly keen to strike security pacts with the developing nation whose international significance has grown in tandem with China's increased regional influence.

Here's a look at some key issues surrounding Papua New Guinea's internal security concerns:

PAPUA NEW GUINEA, THE COUNTRY

Papua New Guinea is the most populous South Pacific island nation after Australia and was a colony of that near neighbor until independence in 1975.

The government estimates Papua New Guineas population at around 10 million people, although a United Nations study, based on data including satellite photographs of roof tops, estimated in 2022 it could be as high as 17 million. An accurate census has not been held in the nation in decades.

Its a diverse country rich in resources including gold, nickel and natural gas with more than 800 Indigenous languages. Most of the population scrapes by as subsistence farmers.

WHY IS THERE TRIBAL WARFARE?

Civil unrest in the capital Port Moresby and Lae, the nations second most populous city, made headlines last month when at least 15 people were reportedly killed during rioting and looting in street protests over a public service pay dispute.

But tribal warfare has a long history across the country and is becoming more lethal with an influx of illegal modern firearms in the highlands and increasing use of mercenary sharpshooters.

Some villagers accuse security forces of taking bribes from tribal warlords to help defeat rivals who dont pay for protection.

The latest tribal battle occurred in gold-rich Enga province. Another hotspot for tribal violence is Hela province. Both are among resource-rich western areas of the country where tribal conflict has escalated in recent decades, said Paul Barker, executive director of the Port Moresby-based policy think tank Institute of National Affairs.

Natural resources create jealousies and conflicts around how the wealth should be distributed, who was entitled to mining royalties and which landowners deserved compensation.

Other traditional triggers for tribal conflict include accusations of sorcery following sudden deaths such as car wrecks and payback for casualties from previous tribal wars.

WHY IS THE WORLD CONCERNED ABOUT PAPUA NEW GUINEA'S DOMESTIC SECURITY TURMOIL?

Joe Biden was to become the only sitting U.S. president to ever visit Papua New Guinea in May last year but cancelled at short notice to focus on debt limit talks in Washington, D.C. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken took Bidens place and signed a new security pact that sparked Papuan student protests over concerns that it undermined the country's sovereignty.

Chinese President Xi Jinping had visited in 2018 when Port Moresby hosted the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders summit.

The United States and its influential ally in the region, Australia, have been rapidly building bridges with Papua New Guinea and its island neighbors in response to China signing a security pact with the Solomons Islands in 2022 that raised the prospects of a Chinese naval foothold being established in the South Pacific.

China later failed in an ambitious attempt to get 10 Pacific island nations including Papua New Guinea, the Solomons nearest neighbor, to sign a sweeping deal covering everything from security to fisheries.

Australian and Papuan prime ministers signed a security pact in December that strengthened Australias place as the preferred security partner in the region.

The main dividend for Papua New Guinea was the help Australia offered to address its internal security concerns by increasing the police force from 6,000 to 26,000 members and to support the court and prison systems.

But Papua New Guineas Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko revealed last month that his government had begun early talks with China on its offer of policing assistance weeks after the street riots in Port Moresby and Lae.

Papua New Guinea had previously said the United States and Australia were its preferred security partners while China would remain an economic partner.
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP)  A judge in Haiti responsible for investigating the July 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise has indicted his widow, Martine Moise, ex-prime minister Claude Joseph and the former chief of Haitis National Police, Leon Charles, among others, according to a report obtained Monday.

The indictments are expected to further destabilize Haiti as it struggles with a surge in gang violence and recovers from a spate of violent protests demanding the resignation of current Prime Minister Ariel Henry.

Dozens of suspects were indicted in the 122-page report issued by Walther Wesser Voltaire, who is the fifth judge to lead the investigation after previous ones stepped down for various reasons, including fear of being killed.

Charles, who was police chief when Moise was killed and now serves as Haitis permanent representative to the Organization of the American States, faces the most serious charges: murder; attempted murder; possession and illegal carrying of weapons; conspiracy against the internal security of the state; and criminal association.

Meanwhile, Joseph and Martine Moise, who was injured in the attack, are accused of complicity and criminal association.

Charles could not be immediately reached for comment, and Martine Moises attorney did not return a message for comment,

Meanwhile, Joseph, the former prime minister, shared a statement with The Associated Press accusing Henry of undermining the investigation and benefitting from the president's death.

Henry ... is weaponizing the Haitian justice system, prosecuting political opponents like me. Its a classic coup detat, Joseph said. They failed to kill me and Martine Moise on July 7th 2021, now they are using the Haitian justice system to advance their Machiavellian agenda.

Joseph again called on Henry to resign and noted that while he was still prime minister, he invited the FBI to help local authorities investigate the killing and wrote the U.N. and OAS for help.

I wont stop my fight. Justice must be served, he said.

In his report, the judge noted that the former secretary general of the National Palace, Lyonel Valbrun, told authorities that he received strong pressure from Martine Moise to put the presidents office at the disposal of Joseph because he needed it to organize a council of ministers."

Valbrun also said that two days before her husband was killed, Martine Moise visited the National Palace and spent nearly five hours, from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m., removing a bunch of things.

He said that two days after Jovenel Moise was slain, Martine Moise called to tell him that, Jovenel didnt do anything for us. You have to open the office. The president told Ti Klod to create a council of ministers; he will hold elections in three months so I can become president, now we will have power.

While the document did not identify Ti Klod, the former prime minister, Claude Joseph, is known by that name.

The judge also stated in his report that Martine Moise suggested she took refuge under the marital bed to protect herself from the attackers, but he noted that authorities at the scene found that not even a giant ratwhose size measures between 35 and 45 centimeters could fit under the bed.

The judge said the former first ladys statements were so tainted with contradictions that they leave something to be desired and discredit her."

Others who face charges including murder are Christian Emmanuel Sanon, a Haitian-American pastor who visualized himself as Haiti's next president and said he thought Moise was only going to be arrested; Joseph Vincent, a Haitian-American and former informant for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Dimitri Herard, presidential security chief; John Joel Joseph, a former Haitian senator; and Windelle Coq, a Haitian judge whom authorities say is a fugitive.

Sanon, Vincent and Joseph were extradited to the U.S., where a total of 11 suspects face federal charges in the slaying of Haiti's president. At least three of them already have been sentenced.

Meanwhile, more than 40 suspects are languishing in prison in Haiti awaiting trial, although it was not immediately clear how quickly one would be held following Monday's indictments. Among them are 20 former Colombian soldiers.

Milena Carmona, wife of Jheyner Alberto Carmona Florez, told The Associated Press that he is innocent.

Whats happening is that this crime is a conspiracy of great magnitudes in which powerful people are behind the scenes running everything, and thats why they're not given freedom, she said of the former soldiers.

U.S. prosecutors have described it as a plot hatched in both Haiti and Florida to hire mercenaries to kidnap or kill Moise, who was 53 when he was slain at his private home near the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince.

The attack began late July 6 and ended July 7, according to witnesses.

Martine Moise and others who were interrogated said they heard heavy gunfire starting around 1 a.m. that lasted between 30 to to 45 minutes before armed men burst into the bedroom of the presidential couple.

Moise said she was lying on the ground when she heard the attackers yell, Thats not it! Thats not it! Thats not it!

She said the suspects made a video call to identify the exact location of what they were searching as they killed the president. She added that she was face down when the suspects tilted her head and tugged on one of her toes to ensure that she wasnt alive.

Once they left, Moise said she dragged herself on the ground and whispered to her husband that she was going to try and go to the hospital.

Thats when she noticed that the president was dead and that his left eye had been removed from the socket, the report stated.

Moise said a group of about 30 to 50 police officers were supposed to guard the presidential residence, but the judge noted that only a handful of officers were present that night. One officer told the judge that he heard explosions and a voice through a megaphone saying, Do not shoot! Its a DEA operation! US Army! We know how many officers are inside. Exit with two hands lowered."

Another officer said the head of security of the first lady found her in critical condition surrounded by her two children. He said he also saw an undetermined number of people coming out of the presidents residence with briefcases and several envelopes in their possession.

The report quotes Inspector General Andre Vladimir Paraison saying that the president called him at 1:46 a.m. and told him, Paraison! Man, hurry up! Im in trouble! Come quickly and save my life. He said he encountered heavily armed men and couldnt access the residence immediately.

Officers at the scene said they found cars, windows and doors at the president's private home riddled with bullet holes, along with surveillance cameras cut off and a broken lock on the double-wooden door leading to the presidential bedroom.

The judge said some police officers at the residence were disarmed and handcuffed, while others had time to throw themselves down a ravine for safety. In addition, the police officer overseeing presidential security was accused of receiving $80,000 to bribe certain officers to remain inactive" during the assassination, according to the report.

The judge noted how none of the police providing security to the head of state was in danger. Unfortunately, the head of state was assassinated with ease.

Coto reported from San Juan, Puerto Rico. Associated Press reporter Astrid Suarez in Bogota, Colombia contributed.
Kenya Airways Cargo took delivery of its first Boeing 737-800 freighter last month and has another one arriving soon. (Photo: Kenya Airways)

Kenya Airways will double the size of its cargo fleet with the arrival this quarter of two Boeing 737-800 converted freighters from the United States, part of an effort to capture growing freight demand in Africa and the Middle East.

Each plane is nearly 25% larger than the airlines existing freighters, which essentially means Kenya Airways Cargo is adding 150% capacity.

The first 737-800 aircraft was delivered to Kenya Airways in mid-January, and the second will be ferried to the airlines Nairobi base in a few weeks, said Robert Convey, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Miami-based Aeronautical Engineers Inc., which was responsible for transforming the used aircraft to carry containers rather than passengers.

Kenya Airways is acquiring the aircraft under long-term leases from GA Telesis, an aerospace services and leasing company also based in South Florida. GA Telesis, which began its freighter leasing business in 2021, said it acquired the aircraft last year and sent them to AEI to install the conversion kit, including a large cargo door.

GA Telesis has secured a dozen conversion slots from AEI and used at least seven of them so far. Last year it sent two 737-800 cargo jets to Bluebird Nordic in Iceland.

Kenya Airways operates two Boeing 737-300 converted freighters, which are 25 years of age, around eastern Africa. The 737-800 received last month entered passenger service 22 years ago and was operated for several years by airlines in Russia, according to aircraft databases.

The 737-800s are being designated for extended-range routes. Kenya Airways in November said the new freighters will be deployed to Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates; Jeddah and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Dakar, Senegal; Lagos, Nigeria; Ndjamena, Chad; Mogadishu, Somalia; Mumbai, India; Free Town, Sierra Leone; and Monrovia, Liberia.

So far the first converted freighter has shuttled between Nairobi; Sharjah; Harare, Zimbabwe; and Lusaka, Zambia, with occasional stops in Mogadishu and Mumbai, according to Flightradar24. On Feb. 9, Kenya Airways began weekly service between Sharjah and Mogadishu and said the frequency would increase to twice per week in April. GSA Cargo LLC in the UAE is providing sales and logistics support for the route.

Story continues

UAE, being a multimodal logistics hub, acts as a primary gateway to Africa, and having a dedicated Kenya Airways Cargo freighter to offer this service helps cut transit times and offer scheduled main deck capacity into several remote destinations across the region. This service would cover a market characterized by narrowbody belly-only options, lengthy transit times, and expensive rates, GSA Cargo CEO Kannan Nachiappan said in a news release.

The new aircraft offer up to 26 tons of cargo capacity versus 21 tons for the 737-300 and can fly up to seven hours.

Kenya Airways said the new free trade agreement among African nations is expected to spur more demand for air transport of fresh produce, textiles, electronics, pharmaceuticals and other goods.

Africa has a 2% share of the global air cargo market, according to the International Air Transport Association. Middle East carriers control 13% of cargo traffic. Demand in Africa dipped 1.8% in 2023 versus the prior year, but was up 6.7% against the 2019 baseline.

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Reconfiguring Racial Capitalism: South Africa in the Chinese Century

When: Thursday, 22 February 2024 Where:

WiSER Seminar room, 6th Floor Richard Ward Building or use the registration link for the zoom session Start time: 13:00 Enquiries: Sarah Nuttall Sarah.Nuttall@wits.ac.za RSVP: Registration Link

WiSER invites you to a hybrid book discussion on Reconfiguring Racial Capitalism: South Africa in the Chinese Century

Since the turn of the millennium, the return of the Peoples Republic of China to the African continent has been framed as a neocolonial scramble or revival of south-south cooperation. An ethnography of Chinese capitalist projects in Johannesburg, Reconfiguring Racial Capitalism: South Africa in the Chinese Century recasts these relations of power as racial capitalism in a global moment of Chinese ascendance. The book draws on historical analysis and ethnographic research sited at a Chinese wholesale mall along Johannesburgs old gold mining belt to offer a palimpsestic method for reading the colonial present. It argues that Chinese migrants act within global structures of white supremacy, anti-Blackness, capitalism, and colonialism that they did not create but perpetuate. The incorporation of Chinese from margins to center expands and fortifies racial capitalism and empire while urging a deprovincialization of critical terms based in Euro-American contexts. The book offers an ethnographic analysis of Chinese capitalism as racial capitalism, while also engaging South African theorizations of racial capitalism. A study of Chinese racial formations, it explores the emergence of racial and imperial forms after whiteness.

Mingwei Huang is an assistant professor of Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH and former research affiliate with the Centre for Indian Studies in Africa at Wits. Her first book Reconfiguring Racial Capitalism: South Africa in the Chinese Century, is coming out with Duke University Press in October 2024. She has published in Scholar & Feminist Online, Radical History Review, International Journal of Cultural Studies, Public Culture, Verge, and Made In China, as well as edited volumes Anxious Joburg: Space, Affect, and Experience in a Global South City (Wits University Press/NYU Press, 2020) and New World Orderings: China and the Global South (Duke University Press, 2022).
CenterBook Partners LP acquired a new stake in Hewlett Packard Enterprise (NYSE:HPE  Free Report) in the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund acquired 98,079 shares of the technology companys stock, valued at approximately $1,704,000.

A number of other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of HPE. Marshall Wace LLP grew its position in shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise by 1,591.9% during the 2nd quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 4,939,064 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $82,976,000 after purchasing an additional 4,647,141 shares in the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. grew its position in shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise by 3.1% during the 2nd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 135,598,978 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $2,278,063,000 after purchasing an additional 4,124,642 shares in the last quarter. California Public Employees Retirement System grew its position in shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise by 110.0% during the 2nd quarter. California Public Employees Retirement System now owns 7,551,246 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $126,861,000 after purchasing an additional 3,954,621 shares in the last quarter. Two Sigma Advisers LP grew its position in shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise by 302.9% during the 1st quarter. Two Sigma Advisers LP now owns 4,865,700 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $77,511,000 after purchasing an additional 3,658,100 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Hawk Ridge Capital Management LP grew its position in shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise by 152.4% during the 2nd quarter. Hawk Ridge Capital Management LP now owns 5,979,631 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $100,458,000 after purchasing an additional 3,610,364 shares in the last quarter. 81.15% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

HPE has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Morgan Stanley boosted their price target on shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise from $15.00 to $16.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 29th. Sanford C. Bernstein lowered shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise from an outperform rating to a market perform rating and cut their target price for the stock from $20.00 to $17.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 16th. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 31st. Finally, Barclays cut their target price on shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise from $16.00 to $15.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, November 29th. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $17.60.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Stock Performance

Hewlett Packard Enterprise stock opened at $14.93 on Tuesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.66, a current ratio of 0.87 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35. The company has a market capitalization of $19.41 billion, a PE ratio of 9.69, a P/E/G ratio of 2.57 and a beta of 1.20. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $16.11 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $16.44. Hewlett Packard Enterprise has a twelve month low of $13.65 and a twelve month high of $18.14.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (NYSE:HPE  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, November 28th. The technology company reported $0.52 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.50 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $7.35 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $7.36 billion. Hewlett Packard Enterprise had a net margin of 6.95% and a return on equity of 9.83%. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 5.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted ($0.23) earnings per share. Research analysts expect that Hewlett Packard Enterprise will post 1.6 EPS for the current year.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 11th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, December 13th were paid a dividend of $0.13 per share. This represents a $0.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.48%. This is an increase from Hewlett Packard Enterprises previous quarterly dividend of $0.12. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, December 12th. Hewlett Packard Enterprises dividend payout ratio is 33.77%.

Insider Activity

In other news, CFO Jeremy Cox sold 4,887 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $16.37, for a total transaction of $80,000.19. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 29,934 shares of the companys stock, valued at $490,019.58. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In other Hewlett Packard Enterprise news, EVP John F. Schultz sold 209,748 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $16.40, for a total value of $3,439,867.20. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 278,118 shares in the company, valued at $4,561,135.20. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CFO Jeremy Cox sold 4,887 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $16.37, for a total transaction of $80,000.19. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 29,934 shares in the company, valued at approximately $490,019.58. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 303,575 shares of company stock valued at $4,989,141. Insiders own 0.53% of the companys stock.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Profile

(Free Report)

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company provides solutions that allow customers to capture, analyze, and act upon data seamlessly in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia Pacific, and Japan. It operates in six segments: Compute, HPC & AI, Storage, Intelligent Edge, Financial Services, and Corporate Investments and Other.

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Rodgers Brothers Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT  Free Report) by 7.0% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 150,008 shares of the healthcare product makers stock after buying an additional 9,771 shares during the period. Abbott Laboratories comprises 2.5% of Rodgers Brothers Inc.s investment portfolio, making the stock its 7th largest holding. Rodgers Brothers Inc.s holdings in Abbott Laboratories were worth $14,528,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of ABT. Zevenbergen Capital Investments LLC grew its stake in Abbott Laboratories by 0.6% during the 3rd quarter. Zevenbergen Capital Investments LLC now owns 21,419 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $2,074,000 after acquiring an additional 130 shares in the last quarter. Public Employees Retirement Association of Colorado grew its stake in Abbott Laboratories by 9.8% during the 2nd quarter. Public Employees Retirement Association of Colorado now owns 1,415,759 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $154,346,000 after acquiring an additional 126,547 shares in the last quarter. Rockland Trust Co. grew its stake in Abbott Laboratories by 1.5% during the 3rd quarter. Rockland Trust Co. now owns 91,868 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $8,897,000 after acquiring an additional 1,343 shares in the last quarter. Whittier Trust Co. grew its stake in Abbott Laboratories by 1.4% during the 3rd quarter. Whittier Trust Co. now owns 373,375 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $36,161,000 after acquiring an additional 5,058 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Riverview Capital Advisers LLC purchased a new position in Abbott Laboratories during the 2nd quarter valued at about $210,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 73.70% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

ABT has been the topic of several research analyst reports. TheStreet raised Abbott Laboratories from a c+ rating to a b- rating in a research note on Thursday, December 21st. Barclays boosted their price target on Abbott Laboratories from $133.00 to $141.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Friday, January 26th. Citigroup boosted their price target on Abbott Laboratories from $123.00 to $126.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, January 25th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on Abbott Laboratories from $116.00 to $121.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 13th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada restated an outperform rating and issued a $128.00 target price on shares of Abbott Laboratories in a report on Wednesday, February 14th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $120.00.

Abbott Laboratories Stock Performance

Shares of ABT stock traded up $2.84 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $116.85. 3,944,444 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 5,344,876. Abbott Laboratories has a fifty-two week low of $89.67 and a fifty-two week high of $116.85. The stock has a market capitalization of $202.86 billion, a P/E ratio of 34.97, a P/E/G ratio of 2.75 and a beta of 0.75. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $111.59 and a 200-day moving average price of $104.00. The company has a quick ratio of 1.23, a current ratio of 1.74 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38.

Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 24th. The healthcare product maker reported $1.19 EPS for the quarter, hitting analysts consensus estimates of $1.19. Abbott Laboratories had a return on equity of 20.84% and a net margin of 14.27%. The company had revenue of $10.24 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $10.19 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $1.03 earnings per share. The companys quarterly revenue was up 1.5% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts predict that Abbott Laboratories will post 4.61 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Abbott Laboratories Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 15th. Investors of record on Friday, January 12th were paid a $0.55 dividend. This represents a $2.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.88%. This is a positive change from Abbott Laboratoriess previous quarterly dividend of $0.51. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, January 11th. Abbott Laboratoriess dividend payout ratio is presently 67.48%.

Insider Activity at Abbott Laboratories

In other Abbott Laboratories news, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 15,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Thursday, December 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $108.00, for a total value of $1,620,000.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 65,027 shares in the company, valued at $7,022,916. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In other Abbott Laboratories news, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 15,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Thursday, December 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $108.00, for a total value of $1,620,000.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 65,027 shares in the company, valued at $7,022,916. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 42,500 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, January 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $112.50, for a total value of $4,781,250.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 65,027 shares in the company, valued at $7,315,537.50. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 1.10% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

About Abbott Laboratories

(Free Report)

Abbott Laboratories, together with its subsidiaries, discovers, develops, manufactures, and sells health care products worldwide. It operates in four segments: Established Pharmaceutical Products, Diagnostic Products, Nutritional Products, and Medical Devices. The 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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ARLINGTON, Va., Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Stateside Associates, the largest state and local government affairs firm, announced today that Kurt Daudt is joining the firm in a full-time role and is being promoted to Vice President.

Kurt Daudt, Vice President at Stateside Associates

Daudt has been working with Stateside since 2019 in a primarily consultative role, delivering diverse public affairs solutions to clients, while serving in the Minnesota House of Representatives. In his new role at Stateside, Daudt is joining the leadership team, helping to guide its political practice, and working to expand Stateside's national advocacy and strategic consulting efforts.

"Bringing Kurt on full time and elevating him to Vice President was an easy, but milestone, decision for us," said Michael Behm, Stateside's Co-CEO. "His invaluable guidance, knowledge of the legislative arena and leadership over the past four years have been an important contribution to the success of our rapidly growing firm. We are thrilled to welcome him to the team in this new, expanded capacity."

While serving in the Minnesota House of Representatives, Daudt served as Speaker of the House from 2015 to 2019, where he led the largest Republican majority in over a decade. Most recently he served as House Republican Minority Leader and leaves the legislature with a range of public policy achievements, experience and a wealth of leadership relationships in all 50 states.

"Kurt is respected by policymakers and leaders across the country and on both ends of the political spectrum," said Johnathan Lozier, Senior Vice President. "His experience, rich network of legislative relationships and policy expertise position him as a key asset for our firm."

Kurt has been very active in several national state officials organizations during his legislative career, serving on the National Conference of State Legislature's (NCSL) Executive Committee and its Foundation for State Legislatures' Board of Directors, the Executive Committee of the Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC) and the State Legislative Leaders Foundation (SLLF).

Story continues

Prior to his service in the legislature, Daudt served as Isanti County Commissioner from 2004 to 2010 and as Township Board Supervisor for Stanford Township from 1998 to 2004. He is a founding member of Project 24, a non-profit which has raises money to build orphanages in Kenya.

He can be reached at kd@stateside.com. Click here for his full bio.

In addition, Stateside is excited to announce the following staff promotions.

Meaghan O'Brien has been promoted to Senior Director, State Issues. Erin Seu, Esq. has been promoted to Senior Counsel, State Issues. Patrick McGarry, Jr. has been promoted to Senior Associate, State Issues. Mark Salters has been promoted to Legislative Director. Alex Aceto has been promoted to Senior Issue Manager. Zoe Salzburg has been promoted to Senior Issue Manager. Matthew Lidz has been promoted to Senior Issue Manager. Louis Messier has been promoted to Senior Issue Manager. Matthew Wallack has been promoted to Issue Manager. Katlin Cooper has been promoted to Issue Manager. Robbie Adhikari has been promoted to Issue Manager. Tyler Knolhoff has been promoted to Issue Manager. Kana Niccolini has been promoted to Issue Manager. Damian Walsh has been promoted to Senior Regulatory Associate.

About Stateside Associates

Stateside Associates is the leader in state and local government affairs. With a client first approach, Stateside Associates offers a full-service suite of state and local government relations services through strategic planning, direct advocacy, innovative issue monitoring, lobbying referral, public sector sales, and engaging with public officials, Groups and grass tops.

Stateside Associates' almost 100 employees and partners include experienced issue managers, former state legislative staff members, and regulatory attorneys. Since its founding in 1988, Stateside Associates has been championing companies, government and non-profit clients, and trade associations from all diverse industries across the 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

To learn more about Stateside Associates, visit Stateside.com.

For More Information,

Contact: Johnathan Lozier, Senior Vice President and Principal

Phone: (703) 525-7466 ext. 292

Email: jbl@stateside.com

Stateside Associates is the largest national state and local government affairs firm. With a client first approach, Stateside Associates offers a full-service suite of state and local government relations services through strategic planning, direct advocacy, innovative issue monitoring, lobbying referral, public sector sales, and engaging with public officials, Groups and grass tops. (PRNewsfoto/Stateside Associates)

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Agnico Eagle Mines (TSE:AEM  Get Free Report) (NYSE:AEM) had its price target lifted by analysts at National Bankshares from C$84.00 to C$85.00 in a note issued to investors on Tuesday, BayStreet.CA reports. The brokerage presently has an outperform rating on the stock. National Bankshares price objective indicates a potential upside of 30.21% from the stocks current price.

A number of other analysts have also recently issued reports on AEM. Cormark reduced their target price on shares of Agnico Eagle Mines from C$97.00 to C$90.00 in a research note on Tuesday. National Bank Financial restated an outperform overweight rating on shares of Agnico Eagle Mines in a research note on Wednesday, January 3rd. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus boosted their price objective on Agnico Eagle Mines from C$91.00 to C$94.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Friday, January 26th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Buy and an average target price of C$86.00.

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Agnico Eagle Mines Stock Performance

Insider Buying and Selling at Agnico Eagle Mines

Shares of Agnico Eagle Mines stock traded up C$0.82 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching C$65.28. The companys stock had a trading volume of 529,990 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,129,775. The stock has a market cap of C$32.38 billion, a P/E ratio of 9.37, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 6.41 and a beta of 1.04. The companys 50 day simple moving average is C$68.41 and its 200 day simple moving average is C$66.77. Agnico Eagle Mines has a one year low of C$59.36 and a one year high of C$82.90. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 10.57, a quick ratio of 0.89 and a current ratio of 1.99.

In related news, Director John Merfyn Roberts sold 2,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, November 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$67.86, for a total transaction of C$135,720.00. In related news, Director John Merfyn Roberts sold 2,000 shares of Agnico Eagle Mines stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$67.86, for a total value of C$135,720.00. Also, Director Sean Boyd sold 72,379 shares of Agnico Eagle Mines stock in a transaction that occurred on Sunday, December 31st. The shares were sold at an average price of C$72.69, for a total transaction of C$5,261,229.51. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 87,504 shares of company stock worth $6,354,862. 0.11% of the stock is owned by insiders.

About Agnico Eagle Mines

(Get Free Report)

Agnico Eagle Mines Limited, a gold mining company, exploration, development, and production of precious metals. The company's mines are located in Canada, Australia, Finland and Mexico, with exploration and development activities in Canada, Australia, Europe, Latin America, and the United States.

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Brandes Investment Partners LP increased its holdings in shares of Ambev S.A. (NYSE:ABEV  Free Report) by 5.1% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 5,224,315 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 254,347 shares during the period. Brandes Investment Partners LPs holdings in Ambev were worth $13,479,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. LPL Financial LLC raised its stake in Ambev by 8.9% in the second quarter. LPL Financial LLC now owns 42,202 shares of the companys stock valued at $134,000 after buying an additional 3,464 shares in the last quarter. 1900 Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in Ambev by 8.4% in the third quarter. 1900 Wealth Management LLC now owns 50,942 shares of the companys stock valued at $131,000 after buying an additional 3,953 shares in the last quarter. Peapack Gladstone Financial Corp raised its stake in Ambev by 4.9% in the first quarter. Peapack Gladstone Financial Corp now owns 85,567 shares of the companys stock valued at $241,000 after buying an additional 3,974 shares in the last quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp increased its position in shares of Ambev by 0.8% during the third quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 502,445 shares of the companys stock worth $1,296,000 after purchasing an additional 3,985 shares in the last quarter. Finally, PNC Financial Services Group Inc. increased its position in shares of Ambev by 3.8% during the second quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 113,671 shares of the companys stock worth $361,000 after purchasing an additional 4,116 shares in the last quarter. 8.37% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Ambev Price Performance

Shares of Ambev stock traded up $0.06 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $2.61. 11,281,212 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 8,214,556. The company has a quick ratio of 0.79, a current ratio of 1.11 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.03. Ambev S.A. has a fifty-two week low of $2.42 and a fifty-two week high of $3.23. The stock has a market capitalization of $41.11 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.17, a P/E/G ratio of 2.58 and a beta of 1.09. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $2.73 and a 200 day moving average price of $2.72.

Ambev Cuts Dividend

Analyst Ratings Changes

The business also recently disclosed an annual dividend, which was paid on Monday, January 8th. Investors of record on Tuesday, December 26th were given a dividend of $0.1443 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, December 22nd. This represents a dividend yield of 3.7%. Ambevs dividend payout ratio is currently 144.45%.

ABEV has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Citigroup initiated coverage on Ambev in a research report on Thursday, December 7th. They set a buy rating on the stock. Morgan Stanley raised Ambev from an underweight rating to an equal weight rating in a report on Friday, December 8th. StockNews.com began coverage on Ambev in a report on Friday, January 26th. They issued a buy rating on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group began coverage on Ambev in a report on Wednesday, November 22nd. They issued a hold rating and a $2.86 price objective on the stock. Finally, TheStreet raised Ambev from a c+ rating to a b- rating in a report on Friday, December 1st. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Ambev presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $3.30.

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About Ambev

(Free Report)

Ambev SA, through its subsidiaries, engages in the production, distribution, and sale of beer, draft beer, carbonated soft drinks, other non-alcoholic beverages, malt, and food products. It offers beer primarily under the Skol, Brahma, Antarctica, Brahva, Budweiser, Bud Light, Beck, Leffe and Hoegaarden, Bucanero, Cristal, Mayabe, Presidente, Presidente Light, Brahma Light, Bohemia, The One, Corona, Modelo Especial, Stella Artois, Quilmes Clasica, Pacena, Taquina, Huari, Becker, Cusquena, Michelob Ultra, Busch, Pilsen, Ouro Fino, Banks, Deputy, Patricia, Labatt Blue, Alexander Keith's, and Kokanee brands.

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A number of research firms have changed their ratings and price targets for Informatica (NYSE: INFA):

2/16/2024  Informatica was upgraded by analysts at The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. from a neutral rating to a buy rating. They now have a $44.00 price target on the stock, up previously from $26.00.

2/15/2024  Informatica had its price target raised by analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $33.00 to $38.00. They now have an overweight rating on the stock.

2/15/2024  Informatica had its price target raised by analysts at UBS Group AG from $27.00 to $37.00. They now have a neutral rating on the stock.

2/12/2024  Informatica had its price target raised by analysts at Citigroup Inc. from $28.00 to $33.00. They now have a neutral rating on the stock.

2/8/2024  Informatica had its price target raised by analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $23.00 to $33.00. They now have an overweight rating on the stock.

Informatica Stock Down 7.4 %

Shares of Informatica stock traded down $2.51 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $31.58. The companys stock had a trading volume of 1,146,993 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,216,523. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.89, a current ratio of 1.66 and a quick ratio of 1.66. The stock has a market capitalization of $9.19 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -68.65, a PEG ratio of 6.56 and a beta of 1.05. Informatica Corp has a 1-year low of $13.29 and a 1-year high of $36.00.

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Insider Transactions at Informatica

In other news, CEO Amit Walia sold 85,996 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $34.14, for a total value of $2,935,903.44. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 2,537,995 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $86,647,149.30. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other Informatica news, EVP Ansa Sekharan sold 50,000 shares of Informatica stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $27.39, for a total transaction of $1,369,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 498,268 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $13,647,560.52. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Amit Walia sold 85,996 shares of Informatica stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $34.14, for a total value of $2,935,903.44. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 2,537,995 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $86,647,149.30. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 53.90% of the companys stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Informatica

A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of INFA. Wellington Management Group LLP increased its stake in shares of Informatica by 30.5% in the 1st quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 8,339,728 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $164,626,000 after purchasing an additional 1,949,022 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its stake in shares of Informatica by 26.1% in the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 5,308,121 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $150,698,000 after purchasing an additional 1,098,246 shares in the last quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD increased its stake in shares of Informatica by 13.8% in the 1st quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 1,308,984 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $21,468,000 after purchasing an additional 159,066 shares in the last quarter. Kennedy Capital Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Informatica by 32.5% in the 3rd quarter. Kennedy Capital Management LLC now owns 1,211,455 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $25,525,000 after purchasing an additional 297,289 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Shannon River Fund Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Informatica by 10.4% in the 4th quarter. Shannon River Fund Management LLC now owns 894,928 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $25,407,000 after purchasing an additional 84,537 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 38.76% of the companys stock.

Informatica Corporation is an independent provider of enterprise data integration software and services. The Companys product portfolio centers on data offers a range of solutions, both on-premise and in the cloud, for data integration, data quality, big data, master data management, data security, data exchange and data preparation, among others.

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Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. (NYSE:PAA  Get Free Report) has earned an average recommendation of Hold from the nine brokerages that are covering the firm, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, three have given a hold recommendation, three have assigned a buy recommendation and one has assigned a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 12 month price objective among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $16.90.

Several research firms recently commented on PAA. TD Securities boosted their price target on Plains All American Pipeline from $16.00 to $17.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Monday, November 6th. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price objective on shares of Plains All American Pipeline from $15.00 to $17.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research report on Thursday, November 16th. StockNews.com raised shares of Plains All American Pipeline from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Friday, December 22nd. Finally, Truist Financial lifted their target price on Plains All American Pipeline from $17.00 to $21.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Monday, November 6th.

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Institutional Trading of Plains All American Pipeline

Plains All American Pipeline Stock Performance

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in PAA. IFP Advisors Inc boosted its stake in Plains All American Pipeline by 14.8% during the 3rd quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 5,226 shares of the pipeline companys stock valued at $80,000 after purchasing an additional 674 shares in the last quarter. ProShare Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in Plains All American Pipeline by 1.7% in the 2nd quarter. ProShare Advisors LLC now owns 42,727 shares of the pipeline companys stock valued at $602,000 after acquiring an additional 724 shares during the last quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp boosted its position in shares of Plains All American Pipeline by 49.9% during the 2nd quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 2,376 shares of the pipeline companys stock valued at $34,000 after purchasing an additional 791 shares in the last quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC grew its stake in shares of Plains All American Pipeline by 1.1% in the 1st quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC now owns 92,381 shares of the pipeline companys stock worth $1,152,000 after purchasing an additional 976 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Bank of New York Mellon Corp raised its holdings in shares of Plains All American Pipeline by 0.8% in the 2nd quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 127,118 shares of the pipeline companys stock worth $1,792,000 after purchasing an additional 1,002 shares in the last quarter. 41.13% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Shares of PAA stock opened at $16.13 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65, a quick ratio of 0.84 and a current ratio of 0.95. The firm has a market capitalization of $11.31 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.60 and a beta of 1.59. Plains All American Pipeline has a one year low of $11.28 and a one year high of $16.36. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $15.44 and a 200 day moving average price of $15.34.

Plains All American Pipeline (NYSE:PAA  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Friday, February 9th. The pipeline company reported $0.42 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.36 by $0.06. Plains All American Pipeline had a return on equity of 10.52% and a net margin of 2.39%. The business had revenue of $12.70 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $14.30 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $0.33 EPS. The businesss revenue for the quarter was down 2.0% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Plains All American Pipeline will post 1.26 EPS for the current year.

Plains All American Pipeline Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 14th. Investors of record on Wednesday, January 31st were given a $0.3175 dividend. This represents a $1.27 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 7.87%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, January 30th. This is a positive change from Plains All American Pipelines previous quarterly dividend of $0.27. Plains All American Pipelines dividend payout ratio is currently 91.37%.

About Plains All American Pipeline

(Get Free Report

Plains All American Pipeline, L.P., through its subsidiaries, engages in the pipeline transportation, terminalling, storage, and gathering of crude oil and natural gas liquids (NGL) in the United States and Canada. The company operates in two segments, Crude Oil and Natural Gas Liquids (NGL). The Crude Oil segment offers gathering and transporting crude oil through pipelines, gathering systems, trucks, and at times on barges or railcars.

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Bank of Georgia Group (LON:BGEO  Get Free Report)s stock had its buy rating reiterated by research analysts at Jefferies Financial Group in a research report issued to clients and investors on Tuesday, Digital Look reports. They presently have a GBX 5,900 ($74.29) target price on the stock. Jefferies Financial Groups price objective suggests a potential upside of 39.64% from the stocks previous close.

Bank of Georgia Group Price Performance

Shares of BGEO stock remained flat at GBX 4,225 ($53.20) during trading on Tuesday. 83,120 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 59,144. The company has a market capitalization of 1.93 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 388.68, a P/E/G ratio of 0.88 and a beta of 1.09. The firms 50-day moving average price is GBX 3,826.84 and its two-hundred day moving average price is GBX 3,577.43. Bank of Georgia Group has a 1 year low of GBX 2,218.14 ($27.93) and a 1 year high of GBX 4,360 ($54.90).

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Bank of Georgia Group Company Profile

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Further Reading

Bank of Georgia Group PLC, through its subsidiaries, provides various banking products and services in Georgia. It operates through three segments: Retail Banking, Corporate and Investment Banking, and BNB. The Retail Banking segment offers consumer loans, mortgage loans, overdrafts, credit cards, and other credit facilities; funds transfer and settlement services; and customers' deposits for individuals and legal entities under the Express, Bank of Georgia, MSME, and SOLO brands.

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Guardian Capital LP reduced its holdings in Bank of Montreal (NYSE:BMO  Free Report) (TSE:BMO) by 5.0% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 2,593,957 shares of the banks stock after selling 137,587 shares during the quarter. Bank of Montreal accounts for 8.2% of Guardian Capital LPs portfolio, making the stock its largest position. Guardian Capital LP owned about 0.36% of Bank of Montreal worth $219,834,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in BMO. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Bank of Montreal by 3.0% in the 1st quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 7,432 shares of the banks stock worth $877,000 after acquiring an additional 219 shares during the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Bank of Montreal by 5.5% in the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 426,005 shares of the banks stock worth $50,256,000 after acquiring an additional 22,030 shares during the last quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Bank of Montreal in the 1st quarter worth $225,000. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Bank of Montreal by 6.1% in the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 22,478,058 shares of the banks stock worth $2,651,736,000 after acquiring an additional 1,293,280 shares during the last quarter. Finally, USS Investment Management Ltd grew its holdings in shares of Bank of Montreal by 2.1% in the 1st quarter. USS Investment Management Ltd now owns 145,939 shares of the banks stock worth $17,199,000 after acquiring an additional 3,071 shares during the last quarter. 43.89% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research firms recently issued reports on BMO. Bank of America raised Bank of Montreal from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a research report on Monday, December 18th. National Bank Financial upgraded Bank of Montreal from a sector perform rating to an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 20th. Finally, StockNews.com lowered Bank of Montreal from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research note on Thursday, February 15th.

Bank of Montreal Price Performance

NYSE BMO traded up $0.65 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $94.84. 222,026 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 655,709. The company has a market cap of $68.79 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.53, a P/E/G ratio of 1.60 and a beta of 1.15. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12, a quick ratio of 0.96 and a current ratio of 0.96. Bank of Montreal has a 1-year low of $73.98 and a 1-year high of $100.12. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $95.09 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $87.10.

Bank of Montreal (NYSE:BMO  Get Free Report) (TSE:BMO) last announced its earnings results on Friday, December 1st. The bank reported $2.07 EPS for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $2.07. The business had revenue of $6.16 billion for the quarter. Bank of Montreal had a return on equity of 12.55% and a net margin of 6.41%. As a group, analysts anticipate that Bank of Montreal will post 9.7 EPS for the current year.

Bank of Montreal Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, February 27th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, January 30th will be issued a $1.1137 dividend. This is an increase from Bank of Montreals previous quarterly dividend of $1.11. This represents a $4.45 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.70%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, January 29th. Bank of Montreals payout ratio is presently 103.59%.

Bank of Montreal Company Profile

(Free Report)

Bank of Montreal provides diversified financial services primarily in North America. It operates through Canadian P&C, U.S P&C, BMO Wealth Management, and BMO Capital Markets segments. The company's personal banking products and services include deposits, mortgages, home lending, consumer credit, small business lending, credit cards, cash management, financial and investment advice, and other banking services; and commercial banking products and services comprise various of financing options and treasury and payment solutions, as well as risk management products.

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Brandes Investment Partners LP lessened its holdings in shares of China Yuchai International Limited (NYSE:CYD  Free Report) by 17.4% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 1,238,045 shares of the companys stock after selling 260,954 shares during the period. Brandes Investment Partners LPs holdings in China Yuchai International were worth $12,504,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of CYD. UBS Group AG boosted its stake in shares of China Yuchai International by 2.3% in the 4th quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 95,400 shares of the companys stock valued at $675,000 after purchasing an additional 2,182 shares in the last quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC boosted its stake in shares of China Yuchai International by 293.6% in the 3rd quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 3,397 shares of the companys stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 2,534 shares in the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. boosted its stake in shares of China Yuchai International by 0.9% in the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 296,320 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,338,000 after purchasing an additional 2,602 shares in the last quarter. Royal Bank of Canada boosted its stake in shares of China Yuchai International by 1,245.3% in the 1st quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 3,000 shares of the companys stock valued at $35,000 after purchasing an additional 2,777 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Credit Suisse AG acquired a new stake in shares of China Yuchai International in the 2nd quarter valued at $45,000.

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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Separately, StockNews.com upgraded shares of China Yuchai International from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Saturday, November 25th.

China Yuchai International Stock Up 0.7 %

NYSE CYD traded up $0.06 on Tuesday, hitting $8.67. 296 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 13,596. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $8.48 and a two-hundred day moving average of $9.42. China Yuchai International Limited has a 1-year low of $6.92 and a 1-year high of $12.50.

China Yuchai International Company Profile

(Free Report)

China Yuchai International Limited, through its subsidiaries, manufactures, assembles, and sells diesel and natural gas engines for trucks, buses and passenger vehicles, marine, industrial, and agriculture applications in the People's Republic of China and internationally. It operates through two segments, Yuchai and HLGE.

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Shares of Carrier Global Co. (NYSE:CARR  Get Free Report) have received a consensus recommendation of Hold from the fourteen research firms that are presently covering the company, Marketbeat.com reports. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, six have assigned a hold recommendation and five have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average twelve-month price target among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $58.29.

CARR has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Citigroup boosted their price objective on shares of Carrier Global from $52.00 to $56.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Monday, December 11th. Oppenheimer decreased their target price on Carrier Global from $60.00 to $58.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Monday, October 23rd. Royal Bank of Canada decreased their price target on shares of Carrier Global from $63.00 to $60.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, February 7th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price objective on Carrier Global from $63.00 to $57.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, February 7th.

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Carrier Global Stock Down 3.7 %

CARR stock opened at $54.00 on Tuesday. Carrier Global has a 12 month low of $40.28 and a 12 month high of $60.04. The company has a market cap of $48.51 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 34.18, a PEG ratio of 2.27 and a beta of 1.42. The company has a current ratio of 2.73, a quick ratio of 2.40 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.58. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $56.08 and a two-hundred day moving average of $54.39.

Carrier Global (NYSE:CARR  Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, February 6th. The company reported $0.53 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.51 by $0.02. Carrier Global had a net margin of 6.10% and a return on equity of 27.19%. The company had revenue of $5.10 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.22 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $0.40 earnings per share. Carrier Globals quarterly revenue was down .1% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts forecast that Carrier Global will post 2.81 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Carrier Global Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 9th. Investors of record on Thursday, December 21st were issued a dividend of $0.19 per share. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, December 20th. This is an increase from Carrier Globals previous quarterly dividend of $0.19. This represents a $0.76 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.41%. Carrier Globals dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 48.10%.

Insider Activity at Carrier Global

In other news, VP Ajay Agrawal sold 16,500 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, December 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $57.99, for a total value of $956,835.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now owns 89,920 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,214,460.80. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In other Carrier Global news, VP Kevin J. Oconnor sold 26,551 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $53.77, for a total transaction of $1,427,647.27. Following the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 66,083 shares in the company, valued at $3,553,282.91. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, VP Ajay Agrawal sold 16,500 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $57.99, for a total value of $956,835.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 89,920 shares of the companys stock, valued at $5,214,460.80. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 397,590 shares of company stock worth $21,586,315 in the last three months. Insiders own 0.38% of the companys stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Carrier Global

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in CARR. Knuff & Co LLC acquired a new stake in Carrier Global during the 2nd quarter valued at $25,000. McClarren Financial Advisors Inc. increased its position in Carrier Global by 86.7% during the 4th quarter. McClarren Financial Advisors Inc. now owns 435 shares of the companys stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 202 shares in the last quarter. DiNuzzo Private Wealth Inc. acquired a new position in Carrier Global in the 4th quarter valued at about $25,000. Covestor Ltd lifted its holdings in Carrier Global by 121.2% in the 1st quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 553 shares of the companys stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 303 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Avalon Trust Co acquired a new stake in shares of Carrier Global during the 2nd quarter worth about $27,000. 91.47% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Carrier Global Company Profile

(Get Free Report

Carrier Global Corporation provides heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC), refrigeration, fire, security, and building automation technologies in the United States, Europe, the Asia Pacific, and internationally. It operates through three segments: HVAC, Refrigeration, and Fire & Security.

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Raymond James lowered shares of Carvana (NYSE:CVNA  Free Report) from a market perform rating to an underperform rating in a research note released on Friday morning, MarketBeat Ratings reports.

Several other research firms also recently weighed in on CVNA. Piper Sandler reduced their price objective on shares of Carvana from $48.00 to $38.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a report on Monday, November 6th. JMP Securities reaffirmed a market outperform rating and issued a $60.00 price objective on shares of Carvana in a report on Tuesday, January 16th. William Blair reaffirmed a market perform rating on shares of Carvana in a report on Friday, November 17th. Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed an underperform rating and issued a $24.00 price objective on shares of Carvana in a report on Friday, December 1st. Finally, Morgan Stanley dropped their price target on shares of Carvana from $37.00 to $32.00 and set an underweight rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, November 17th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have given a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $37.27.

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Carvana Stock Down 8.9 %

Insiders Place Their Bets

CVNA stock opened at $52.48 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $10.48 billion, a P/E ratio of -8.65 and a beta of 3.19. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $48.71 and a 200 day simple moving average of $42.04. Carvana has a fifty-two week low of $6.45 and a fifty-two week high of $62.59.

In other news, insider Paul W. Breaux sold 20,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $59.00, for a total value of $1,180,000.00. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 144,819 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,544,321. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In other news, VP Stephen R. Palmer sold 4,515 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $49.57, for a total value of $223,808.55. Following the transaction, the vice president now owns 69,108 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,425,683.56. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, insider Paul W. Breaux sold 20,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $59.00, for a total value of $1,180,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 144,819 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,544,321. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 17.12% of the companys stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Carvana

A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in CVNA. Studio Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Carvana in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $47,000. Legal & General Group Plc grew its stake in shares of Carvana by 1.1% in the 4th quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 88,157 shares of the companys stock valued at $4,667,000 after buying an additional 924 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its stake in shares of Carvana by 7.0% in the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 10,023,579 shares of the companys stock valued at $530,648,000 after buying an additional 655,603 shares in the last quarter. Nuveen Asset Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Carvana by 1.9% in the 4th quarter. Nuveen Asset Management LLC now owns 268,503 shares of the companys stock valued at $14,215,000 after buying an additional 4,892 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD grew its stake in shares of Carvana by 3.2% in the 4th quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 5,346,602 shares of the companys stock valued at $283,050,000 after buying an additional 165,379 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 56.71% of the companys stock.

Carvana Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Carvana Co, together with its subsidiaries, operates an e-commerce platform for buying and selling used cars in the United States. Its platform allows customers to research and identify a vehicle; inspect it using company's 360-degree vehicle imaging technology; obtain financing and warranty coverage; purchase the vehicle; and schedule delivery or pick-up from their desktop or mobile devices.

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CenterBook Partners LP boosted its holdings in Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG  Free Report) by 80.0% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 1,044 shares of the restaurant operators stock after buying an additional 464 shares during the period. CenterBook Partners LPs holdings in Chipotle Mexican Grill were worth $1,912,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Coppell Advisory Solutions LLC acquired a new stake in Chipotle Mexican Grill during the second quarter worth about $32,000. IMA Wealth Inc. increased its position in Chipotle Mexican Grill by 185.7% during the 1st quarter. IMA Wealth Inc. now owns 20 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $34,000 after purchasing an additional 13 shares in the last quarter. Horizon Bancorp Inc. IN raised its holdings in Chipotle Mexican Grill by 240.0% in the second quarter. Horizon Bancorp Inc. IN now owns 17 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $36,000 after buying an additional 12 shares during the period. Annis Gardner Whiting Capital Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Chipotle Mexican Grill during the third quarter valued at approximately $38,000. Finally, Cornerstone Planning Group LLC purchased a new stake in Chipotle Mexican Grill during the second quarter worth approximately $39,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 91.19% of the companys stock.

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Chipotle Mexican Grill Price Performance

CMG opened at $2,598.43 on Tuesday. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $2,370.95 and its 200 day moving average price is $2,108.88. The stock has a market cap of $71.25 billion, a P/E ratio of 58.59, a P/E/G ratio of 2.24 and a beta of 1.29. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. has a 12 month low of $1,470.05 and a 12 month high of $2,725.83.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Chipotle Mexican Grill ( NYSE:CMG Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 6th. The restaurant operator reported $10.36 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $9.73 by $0.63. The business had revenue of $2.52 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.49 billion. Chipotle Mexican Grill had a net margin of 12.45% and a return on equity of 44.41%. The companys revenue was up 15.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $8.29 earnings per share. Equities analysts anticipate that Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. will post 53.1 EPS for the current year.

A number of equities analysts have recently commented on CMG shares. Piper Sandler raised their target price on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from $1,930.00 to $2,226.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 16th. KeyCorp upped their target price on Chipotle Mexican Grill from $2,250.00 to $2,750.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 7th. Citigroup raised their price target on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from $2,699.00 to $3,016.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 7th. BTIG Research upped their price target on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from $2,650.00 to $2,750.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, February 7th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada raised their price objective on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from $2,185.00 to $2,425.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Friday, December 1st. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have assigned a hold rating and sixteen have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Chipotle Mexican Grill presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $2,377.92.

Read Our Latest Analysis on Chipotle Mexican Grill

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, insider Roger E. Theodoredis sold 898 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $2,622.25, for a total value of $2,354,780.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 1,529 shares in the company, valued at $4,009,420.25. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. In other news, Director Albert S. Baldocchi sold 750 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $2,608.51, for a total transaction of $1,956,382.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 37,271 shares in the company, valued at approximately $97,221,776.21. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, insider Roger E. Theodoredis sold 898 shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $2,622.25, for a total transaction of $2,354,780.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 1,529 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,009,420.25. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders have sold 5,837 shares of company stock worth $14,012,071. 0.96% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Chipotle Mexican Grill Profile

(Free Report)

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, owns and operates Chipotle Mexican Grill restaurants. The company offers burritos, burrito bowls, quesadillas, tacos, and salads. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Newport Beach, California.

Further Reading

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PEACHTREE CORNERS, Ga., February 20, 2024--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Guided Therapeutics, Inc. (OTCQB: GTHP), the maker of the LuViva Advanced Cervical Scan, announced today that a group of prominent cervical cancer doctors are in the final stages of completing the clinical data report that will be submitted for approval by the Chinese National Medical Products Administration (NMPA). The data quality assurance review team is being led by Dr. Sui Long, Director of the Gynecology Hospital at Fudan University and includes physicians from Qilu Hospital at Shandong University and two hospitals in Shanghai. The quality assured data report is expected by the end of this month with final statistics from the study to be available early in March. According to Dr. Sui, "We are eager to complete the validation of this innovative technology and submit an application to the NMPA, and we are confident that LuViva will represent the next generation of early cervical cancer detection technology, with its advantages of accuracy, ease of use and immediate results."

Based on the progress described above, the Companys Chinese co-manufacturing partner and distributor for China, Shandong Yaohua Medical Instrument Corporation (SMI) will start making significant commercialization payments to Guided Therapeutics. Beginning with a payment to GTHP of $500,000 in March, total payments for 2024 are expected to be more than $4 million and will consist of royalty payments, as well as payments for devices and associated disposables. SMIs CEO, Mr. Yaohua Li reported that "We already have pre-orders from multiple provinces in China for nearly 100 devices and thousands of disposables. This makes us very optimistic about the future of LuViva sales in China."

"We are delighted to gain the support of Chinas elite Gyn physicians for Luvia, and look forward to the imminent filing of the clinical data with the Chinese NMPA," said Mark Faupel, President and CEO of Guided Therapeutics.

Story continues

About Guided Therapeutics

Guided Therapeutics, Inc. (OTCQB: GTHP) is the maker of a rapid and painless testing platform based on its patented biophotonic technology that utilizes light for the early detection of disease at the cellular level. The Companys first product is the LuViva Advanced Cervical Scan, a non-invasive device used to detect cervical disease instantly and at the point of care. In a multi-center clinical trial with women at risk for cervical disease, the technology was able to detect cervical cancer up to two years earlier than conventional modalities, according to published reports. For more information, visit: www.guidedinc.com.

The Guided Therapeutics LuViva Advanced Cervical Scan is an investigational device and is limited by federal law to investigational use in the U.S. LuViva, the wave logo and "Early detection, better outcomes" are registered trademarks owned by Guided Therapeutics, Inc.

Forward-Looking Statements Disclaimer: A number of the matters and subject areas discussed in this news release that are not historical or current facts deal with potential future circumstances and developments. The discussion of such matters and subject areas is qualified by the inherent risks and uncertainties surrounding future expectations generally and also may materially differ from Guided Therapeutics actual future experience involving any of or more of such matters and subject areas. Such risks and uncertainties include those related to the early stage of commercialization of products, the uncertainty of market acceptance of products, the uncertainty of development or effectiveness of distribution channels, the intense competition in the medical device industry, the sufficiency of capital raised in prior financings and the ability to realize their expected benefits, the uncertainty of future capital to develop products or continue as a going concern, the uncertainty of regulatory approval of products, and the dependence on licensed intellectual property, as well as those that are more fully described from time to time under the heading "Risk Factors" in Guided Therapeutics reports filed with the SEC, including Guided Therapeutics Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022 and subsequent filings.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240220053013/en/

Contacts

Mark Faupel

Guided Therapeutics

770-242-8723
Clearbridge Investments LLC raised its stake in Sempra (NYSE:SRE  Free Report) by 109.0% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 12,154,272 shares of the utilities providers stock after acquiring an additional 6,338,545 shares during the quarter. Sempra comprises approximately 0.8% of Clearbridge Investments LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 19th biggest holding. Clearbridge Investments LLC owned approximately 1.93% of Sempra worth $826,855,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Advisors Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in Sempra by 5.4% during the 3rd quarter. Advisors Capital Management LLC now owns 1,468 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $228,000 after acquiring an additional 75 shares during the last quarter. Savant Capital LLC boosted its stake in Sempra by 3.2% during the 2nd quarter. Savant Capital LLC now owns 2,782 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $405,000 after acquiring an additional 85 shares during the last quarter. Plancorp LLC lifted its stake in Sempra by 4.7% in the first quarter. Plancorp LLC now owns 1,992 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $335,000 after buying an additional 90 shares in the last quarter. Summit X LLC lifted its stake in Sempra by 4.7% in the second quarter. Summit X LLC now owns 2,108 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $307,000 after buying an additional 95 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Mendel Money Management lifted its stake in Sempra by 3.7% in the second quarter. Mendel Money Management now owns 2,850 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $415,000 after buying an additional 102 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 84.83% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

SRE has been the topic of a number of research reports. Morgan Stanley cut their price target on shares of Sempra from $75.00 to $73.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, November 21st. Mizuho cut their price target on shares of Sempra from $83.00 to $79.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, January 25th. StockNews.com lowered shares of Sempra from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research note on Tuesday. LADENBURG THALM/SH SH initiated coverage on shares of Sempra in a research note on Wednesday, January 3rd. They issued a buy rating and a $81.50 price target on the stock. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded shares of Sempra from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and increased their target price for the stock from $78.00 to $86.00 in a report on Tuesday, December 12th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has issued a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $81.83.

Sempra Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE SRE traded up $0.85 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting $71.34. 389,385 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,639,280. The company has a quick ratio of 0.55, a current ratio of 0.61 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.86. The firm has a market capitalization of $44.89 billion, a PE ratio of 16.30, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.94 and a beta of 0.72. Sempra has a 12 month low of $63.75 and a 12 month high of $79.51. The companys 50 day moving average price is $73.12 and its 200 day moving average price is $71.70.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, CEO Jeffrey W. Martin sold 34,190 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $70.83, for a total value of $2,421,677.70. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 2 shares of the companys stock, valued at $141.66. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Company insiders own 0.24% of the companys stock.

About Sempra

(Free Report)

Sempra operates as an energy infrastructure company in the United States and internationally. It operates through four segments: San Diego Gas & Electric Company, Southern California Gas Company, Sempra Texas Utilities, and Sempra Infrastructure. The San Diego Gas & Electric Company segment provides to San Diego and southern Orange counties; and natural gas service to San Diego County.

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Equities research analysts at StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Comstock (NYSE:LODE  Get Free Report) in a note issued to investors on Sunday. The brokerage set a sell rating on the stock.

Comstock Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:LODE opened at $0.47 on Friday. Comstock has a 52 week low of $0.27 and a 52 week high of $0.99. The stock has a market capitalization of $55.76 million, a P/E ratio of -1.82 and a beta of 2.07. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $0.49 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $0.46. The company has a quick ratio of 2.64, a current ratio of 2.64 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.08.

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Hedge Funds Weigh In On Comstock

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. XTX Topco Ltd bought a new position in Comstock in the 2nd quarter valued at $26,000. Virtu Financial LLC grew its holdings in Comstock by 71.9% in the second quarter. Virtu Financial LLC now owns 46,053 shares of the companys stock worth $34,000 after purchasing an additional 19,270 shares during the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. acquired a new position in Comstock during the 2nd quarter valued at about $44,000. Mission Wealth Management LP purchased a new position in shares of Comstock in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $47,000. Finally, Prosperity Financial Group Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Comstock in the second quarter worth $84,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 5.17% of the companys stock.

Comstock Company Profile

Comstock Inc engages in systemic decarbonization business in Nevada. It operates through Renewable Energy, Metals and Mining, and Strategic and Corporate Investments segments. The company produces aviation, and marine fuel; carbon neutral ethanol, oil, gasoline, renewable diesel, and other renewable replacements.

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Rodgers Brothers Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Curtiss-Wright Co. (NYSE:CW  Free Report) by 2.3% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 11,850 shares of the aerospace companys stock after acquiring an additional 270 shares during the period. Rodgers Brothers Inc.s holdings in Curtiss-Wright were worth $2,318,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. First Horizon Advisors Inc. raised its stake in shares of Curtiss-Wright by 1,100.0% in the 3rd quarter. First Horizon Advisors Inc. now owns 144 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $28,000 after buying an additional 132 shares in the last quarter. Point72 Asset Management L.P. bought a new stake in shares of Curtiss-Wright in the 2nd quarter worth $28,000. Montag A & Associates Inc. raised its stake in shares of Curtiss-Wright by 67.0% in the 3rd quarter. Montag A & Associates Inc. now owns 152 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $30,000 after buying an additional 61 shares in the last quarter. FSC Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Curtiss-Wright in the 3rd quarter worth $32,000. Finally, Wellington Shields & Co. LLC acquired a new position in shares of Curtiss-Wright in the 4th quarter worth $43,000. Institutional investors own 80.82% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts recently issued reports on CW shares. Stifel Nicolaus lifted their target price on Curtiss-Wright from $244.00 to $255.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Friday. Truist Financial lifted their price target on Curtiss-Wright from $225.00 to $250.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Thursday, December 14th. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded Curtiss-Wright from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a report on Wednesday, November 15th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Curtiss-Wright has an average rating of Buy and a consensus price target of $240.50.

Curtiss-Wright Stock Up 0.7 %

Shares of CW stock traded up $1.75 on Tuesday, reaching $235.46. 40,613 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 153,393. Curtiss-Wright Co. has a 12-month low of $157.72 and a 12-month high of $238.73. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.45, a quick ratio of 1.50 and a current ratio of 2.13. The company has a market capitalization of $9.00 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.45 and a beta of 1.18. The businesss 50 day moving average price is $223.31 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $211.50.

Curtiss-Wright (NYSE:CW  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 15th. The aerospace company reported $3.16 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.92 by $0.24. The firm had revenue of $785.79 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $737.09 million. Curtiss-Wright had a return on equity of 16.61% and a net margin of 12.46%. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 3.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $2.92 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts forecast that Curtiss-Wright Co. will post 10.17 earnings per share for the current year.

Curtiss-Wright Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 15th. Investors of record on Thursday, March 28th will be given a dividend of $0.20 per share. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 27th. This represents a $0.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.34%. Curtiss-Wrights payout ratio is 8.70%.

Curtiss-Wright Company Profile

(Free Report)

Curtiss-Wright Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides engineered products, solutions, and services to the aerospace, defense, general industrial, and power generation markets worldwide. It operates through three segments: Aerospace & Industrial, Defense Electronics, and Naval & Power.

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DigitalBridge Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of Sun Communities, Inc. (NYSE:SUI  Free Report) by 4.3% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 92,249 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after purchasing an additional 3,786 shares during the quarter. Sun Communities accounts for 1.1% of DigitalBridge Group Inc.s portfolio, making the stock its 20th largest position. DigitalBridge Group Inc. owned approximately 0.07% of Sun Communities worth $10,917,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Eagle Bay Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Sun Communities in the second quarter valued at about $27,000. Lindbrook Capital LLC increased its stake in Sun Communities by 120.2% during the 3rd quarter. Lindbrook Capital LLC now owns 229 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 125 shares in the last quarter. Spire Wealth Management raised its holdings in Sun Communities by 102.2% during the 3rd quarter. Spire Wealth Management now owns 465 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $55,000 after buying an additional 235 shares during the period. Covestor Ltd lifted its stake in Sun Communities by 25.8% in the second quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 503 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $66,000 after buying an additional 103 shares in the last quarter. Finally, First Manhattan Co. acquired a new position in shares of Sun Communities in the first quarter valued at approximately $131,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 94.79% of the companys stock.

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Sun Communities Stock Performance

SUI stock traded up $0.25 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $130.25. 377,482 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 809,152. Sun Communities, Inc. has a 12 month low of $102.74 and a 12 month high of $158.04. The company has a current ratio of 2.65, a quick ratio of 2.65 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.94. The firm has a market capitalization of $16.21 billion, a P/E ratio of 71.04, a P/E/G ratio of 7.01 and a beta of 0.80. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $130.33 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $123.47.

Sun Communities Announces Dividend

Insiders Place Their Bets

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, January 16th. Investors of record on Friday, December 29th were given a dividend of $0.93 per share. This represents a $3.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.86%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, December 28th. Sun Communitiess dividend payout ratio is 203.28%.

In other news, CEO Baxter Underwood sold 2,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, November 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $128.99, for a total transaction of $257,980.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 66,896 shares of the companys stock, valued at $8,628,915.04. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 2.06% of the companys stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms recently commented on SUI. Barclays cut their price objective on shares of Sun Communities from $157.00 to $155.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, January 26th. Truist Financial downgraded Sun Communities from a buy rating to a hold rating and increased their price objective for the stock from $130.00 to $143.00 in a report on Tuesday, January 16th. Evercore ISI boosted their target price on Sun Communities from $128.00 to $132.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Monday, November 27th. BMO Capital Markets decreased their price objective on Sun Communities from $143.00 to $140.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Monday, January 22nd. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lowered their target price on shares of Sun Communities from $129.00 to $123.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a report on Monday, November 13th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $141.00.

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Sun Communities Company Profile

(Free Report)

Established in 1975, Sun Communities, Inc became a publicly owned corporation in December 1993. The Company is a fully integrated REIT listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol: SUI. As of September 30, 2023, the Company owned, operated, or had an interest in a portfolio of 670 developed MH, RV and Marina properties comprising approximately 180,170 developed sites and approximately 48,030 wet slips and dry storage spaces in the U.S., the UK and Canada.

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Eaton Vance Risk-Managed Diversified Equity Income Fund (NYSE:ETJ  Get Free Report) announced a monthly dividend on Thursday, February 1st, Wall Street Journal reports. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 22nd will be given a dividend of 0.0579 per share on Thursday, February 29th. This represents a $0.69 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 8.35%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, February 21st.

Eaton Vance Risk-Managed Diversified Equity Income Fund has decreased its dividend by an average of 8.7% annually over the last three years.

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Eaton Vance Risk-Managed Diversified Equity Income Fund Stock Performance

ETJ opened at $8.32 on Tuesday. Eaton Vance Risk-Managed Diversified Equity Income Fund has a 1-year low of $7.20 and a 1-year high of $8.46. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $7.97 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $7.87.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Eaton Vance Risk-Managed Diversified Equity Income Fund

About Eaton Vance Risk-Managed Diversified Equity Income Fund

A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Guggenheim Capital LLC lifted its position in Eaton Vance Risk-Managed Diversified Equity Income Fund by 16.8% in the first quarter. Guggenheim Capital LLC now owns 868,485 shares of the companys stock worth $8,581,000 after purchasing an additional 124,935 shares during the period. Invesco Ltd. lifted its position in shares of Eaton Vance Risk-Managed Diversified Equity Income Fund by 13.8% during the 3rd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 744,555 shares of the companys stock valued at $5,718,000 after acquiring an additional 90,404 shares during the last quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. lifted its position in shares of Eaton Vance Risk-Managed Diversified Equity Income Fund by 7.0% during the 1st quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 445,776 shares of the companys stock valued at $3,544,000 after acquiring an additional 29,132 shares during the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE lifted its position in shares of Eaton Vance Risk-Managed Diversified Equity Income Fund by 14.1% during the 1st quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 186,808 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,485,000 after acquiring an additional 23,072 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Advisors Asset Management Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Eaton Vance Risk-Managed Diversified Equity Income Fund during the 1st quarter valued at $1,112,000.

(Get Free Report)

Eaton Vance Risk-Managed Diversified Equity Income Fund is a closed ended equity mutual fund launched and managed by Eaton Vance Management. The fund invests in the public equity markets of the United States. It primarily invests in common stocks and purchases out-of-the-money, short-dated S&P 500 index put options and sells out-of-the-money S&P 500 Index call options of the same term as the put options with roll dates that are staggered across the options portfolio.

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Ebiquity plc (LON:EBQ  Get Free Report)s share price reached a new 52-week low during trading on Monday . The company traded as low as GBX 30 ($0.38) and last traded at GBX 31 ($0.39), with a volume of 102429 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at GBX 31 ($0.39).

Ebiquity Price Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 66.10, a quick ratio of 1.23 and a current ratio of 1.87. The company has a market cap of 42.23 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -1,033.33, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.75 and a beta of 0.19. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of GBX 33.09 and a 200-day simple moving average of GBX 37.35.

About Ebiquity

(Get Free Report)

Ebiquity plc provides media consultancy and investment analysis services in the United Kingdom, Ireland, North America, Continental Europe, and the Asia Pacific. It offers analysis and advisory services in the areas of media management, media performance, marketing effectiveness, technology advisory, and contract compliance services.

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Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY  Free Report) had its price objective upped by Morgan Stanley from $805.00 to $950.00 in a report published on Friday morning, MarketBeat.com reports. They currently have an overweight rating on the stock.

Other analysts have also recently issued research reports about the stock. Truist Financial increased their price target on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $650.00 to $850.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 7th. UBS Group reiterated a buy rating and set a $710.00 price target (up previously from $612.00) on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research note on Friday, October 20th. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an overweight rating and set a $815.00 price target on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research note on Wednesday, February 14th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. restated an overweight rating on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research note on Wednesday, November 8th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $700.00 to $825.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 6th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $655.50.

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Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on Eli Lilly and Company

Eli Lilly and Company Price Performance

Eli Lilly and Company stock opened at $782.06 on Friday. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $640.51 and its 200-day simple moving average is $594.83. The company has a market capitalization of $742.42 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 134.84, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.73 and a beta of 0.32. Eli Lilly and Company has a 1 year low of $309.20 and a 1 year high of $794.47. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.59, a quick ratio of 0.82 and a current ratio of 1.05.

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 6th. The company reported $2.49 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.30 by $0.19. The business had revenue of $9.35 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $8.95 billion. Eli Lilly and Company had a net margin of 15.36% and a return on equity of 50.78%. The businesss revenue was up 28.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $2.09 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Eli Lilly and Company will post 12.5 earnings per share for the current year.

Eli Lilly and Company Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 8th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 15th will be issued a dividend of $1.30 per share. This is an increase from Eli Lilly and Companys previous quarterly dividend of $1.13. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.66%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, February 14th. Eli Lilly and Companys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 89.66%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Eli Lilly and Company

In other Eli Lilly and Company news, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 78,573 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, January 31st. The shares were sold at an average price of $648.07, for a total transaction of $50,920,804.11. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 99,333,810 shares in the company, valued at approximately $64,375,262,246.70. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In the last three months, insiders sold 195,055 shares of company stock worth $125,254,657. 0.13% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Eli Lilly and Company

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Lipe & Dalton acquired a new stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company during the 4th quarter worth about $26,000. Thompson Investment Management Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company during the 3rd quarter worth about $27,000. Retirement Group LLC boosted its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 159.1% during the 2nd quarter. Retirement Group LLC now owns 57 shares of the companys stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 35 shares during the last quarter. Tidemark LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company during the 4th quarter worth about $29,000. Finally, Core Wealth Advisors Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 188.2% during the 4th quarter. Core Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 49 shares of the companys stock worth $29,000 after purchasing an additional 32 shares during the last quarter. 81.38% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Eli Lilly and Company

(Get Free Report)

Eli Lilly and Company discovers, develops, and markets human pharmaceuticals worldwide. It offers Basaglar, Humalog, Humalog Mix 75/25, Humalog U-100, Humalog U-200, Humalog Mix 50/50, insulin lispro, insulin lispro protamine, insulin lispro mix 75/25, Humulin, Humulin 70/30, Humulin N, Humulin R, and Humulin U-500 for diabetes; and Jardiance, Trajenta, and Trulicity for type 2 diabetes.

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Environmental Waste International Inc. (CVE:EWS  Get Free Report)s stock price traded up 50% during trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as C$0.02 and last traded at C$0.02. 512,000 shares changed hands during trading, an increase of 571% from the average session volume of 76,339 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$0.01.

Environmental Waste International Price Performance

The firm has a market cap of C$4.47 million, a P/E ratio of -1.00 and a beta of 0.03. The stocks 50-day moving average price is C$0.01 and its 200 day moving average price is C$0.02.

Environmental Waste International Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Environmental Waste International Inc, together with its subsidiaries, researches, designs, develops, sells, and maintains systems based on the patented Reverse Polymerization process, Microwave Delivery System, and Hybrid Microwave Process in Canada and the United States. The company provides systems for feed tire reduction, biological wastewater sterilization, shipboard food waste sterilization/dehydration, and batch-based infectious medical waste sterilization.

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Fairfax Financial (TSE:FFH  Get Free Report) had its price target upped by Royal Bank of Canada from C$1,085.00 to C$1,200.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Tuesday, BayStreet.CA reports. The firm presently has an outperform rating on the stock. Royal Bank of Canadas price objective would suggest a potential downside of 12.50% from the companys previous close.

Several other brokerages have also recently weighed in on FFH. Cormark boosted their price target on shares of Fairfax Financial from C$1,500.00 to C$1,600.00 in a research report on Tuesday, November 7th. National Bankshares boosted their price target on shares of Fairfax Financial from C$1,800.00 to C$2,000.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Friday, January 26th. Scotiabank boosted their price objective on shares of Fairfax Financial from C$1,650.00 to C$1,900.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday, January 31st. BMO Capital Markets boosted their price objective on shares of Fairfax Financial from C$1,400.00 to C$1,550.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, January 25th. Finally, CIBC boosted their price objective on shares of Fairfax Financial from C$1,400.00 to C$1,500.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, October 26th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Buy and a consensus price target of C$1,641.67.

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Read Our Latest Report on Fairfax Financial

Fairfax Financial Price Performance

Insiders Place Their Bets

FFH traded down C$3.56 on Tuesday, hitting C$1,371.41. 28,861 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 114,548. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of C$1,285.51 and a 200-day moving average price of C$1,204.70. The company has a current ratio of 3.22, a quick ratio of 0.93 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 33.72. The stock has a market cap of C$31.71 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.23, a P/E/G ratio of 0.27 and a beta of 0.87. Fairfax Financial has a fifty-two week low of C$863.55 and a fifty-two week high of C$1,428.02.

In other Fairfax Financial news, Senior Officer Jean Cloutier sold 500 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$1,239.50, for a total transaction of C$619,750.00. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 762 shares in the company, valued at C$944,499. In other news, Senior Officer Jean Cloutier sold 500 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$1,239.50, for a total transaction of C$619,750.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 762 shares of the companys stock, valued at C$944,499. Also, Director R. William Mcfarland sold 4,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$14.85, for a total value of C$59,400.00. Insiders own 3.61% of the companys stock.

About Fairfax Financial

(Get Free Report)

Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited, through its subsidiaries, provides property and casualty insurance and reinsurance, and investment management services in the United States, Canada, Asia, and internationally. The company operates through Property and Casualty Insurance and Reinsurance, Life insurance and Run-off, and Non-Insurance Companies segments.

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Pearl River Capital LLC cut its position in Federal Realty Investment Trust (NYSE:FRT  Free Report) by 14.4% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 10,298 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after selling 1,734 shares during the period. Pearl River Capital LLCs holdings in Federal Realty Investment Trust were worth $933,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of FRT. RB Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in Federal Realty Investment Trust in the first quarter worth $272,000. American Century Companies Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Federal Realty Investment Trust by 119.6% during the first quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 19,465 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $2,376,000 after acquiring an additional 10,601 shares during the period. MetLife Investment Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Federal Realty Investment Trust by 25.4% during the first quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC now owns 19,396 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $2,368,000 after acquiring an additional 3,929 shares during the period. Panagora Asset Management Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Federal Realty Investment Trust by 3.9% during the first quarter. Panagora Asset Management Inc. now owns 5,123 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $625,000 after acquiring an additional 193 shares during the period. Finally, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS raised its holdings in shares of Federal Realty Investment Trust by 7.7% during the first quarter. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS now owns 9,467 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $1,156,000 after acquiring an additional 679 shares during the period. 87.92% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Insider Activity at Federal Realty Investment Trust

In related news, CEO Donald C. Wood sold 345 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $99.91, for a total value of $34,468.95. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 209,259 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $20,907,066.69. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In other Federal Realty Investment Trust news, CEO Donald C. Wood sold 345 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $99.91, for a total value of $34,468.95. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 209,259 shares in the company, valued at approximately $20,907,066.69. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, COO Jeffrey S. Berkes sold 4,870 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, November 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $94.86, for a total transaction of $461,968.20. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief operating officer now owns 65,470 shares of the companys stock, valued at $6,210,484.20. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 1.00% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Federal Realty Investment Trust Stock Performance

Shares of Federal Realty Investment Trust stock opened at $100.42 on Tuesday. The company has a 50 day moving average of $102.49 and a 200-day moving average of $97.20. Federal Realty Investment Trust has a 1-year low of $85.27 and a 1-year high of $109.86. The company has a current ratio of 2.64, a quick ratio of 2.64 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.60. The company has a market cap of $8.33 billion, a PE ratio of 35.86, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.36 and a beta of 1.23.

Federal Realty Investment Trust (NYSE:FRT  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Monday, February 12th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.76 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.64 by ($0.88). Federal Realty Investment Trust had a return on equity of 8.35% and a net margin of 20.93%. The firm had revenue of $291.50 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $292.05 million. During the same period last year, the company posted $1.58 EPS. The businesss revenue was up 4.2% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Federal Realty Investment Trust will post 6.77 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Federal Realty Investment Trust Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 15th. Investors of record on Wednesday, March 13th will be paid a $1.09 dividend. This represents a $4.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.34%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, March 12th. Federal Realty Investment Trusts payout ratio is 155.71%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts recently commented on the stock. Truist Financial upgraded shares of Federal Realty Investment Trust from a hold rating to a buy rating and raised their price objective for the stock from $108.00 to $117.00 in a report on Tuesday, January 16th. Barclays boosted their price target on shares of Federal Realty Investment Trust from $119.00 to $120.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, January 19th. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price target on shares of Federal Realty Investment Trust from $103.00 to $97.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, November 13th. Evercore ISI raised shares of Federal Realty Investment Trust from an in-line rating to an outperform rating and boosted their price target for the stock from $104.00 to $108.00 in a research report on Monday, November 27th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft assumed coverage on shares of Federal Realty Investment Trust in a research report on Tuesday, January 30th. They set a hold rating and a $109.00 price target on the stock. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Federal Realty Investment Trust presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $111.67.

Read Our Latest Report on FRT

Federal Realty Investment Trust Profile

(Free Report)

Federal Realty is a recognized leader in the ownership, operation and redevelopment of high-quality retail-based properties located primarily in major coastal markets from Washington, DC to Boston as well as San Francisco and Los Angeles. Founded in 1962, Federal Realty's mission is to deliver long-term, sustainable growth through investing in communities where retail demand exceeds supply.

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Lockbit's website has been replaced with a notice that says it is now 'under the control of law enforcement'

A Russia-linked cyber gang responsible for hacking Royal Mail has been locked out of its own website after a cyber raid led by Britains National Crime Agency (NCA) and the FBI.

LockBits website was taken down late on Monday night and replaced with a notice that said it is now under the control of law enforcement.

Anyone trying to log into LockBits website is now met with the message: We may be in touch with you very soon. Have a nice day.

Police investigators claimed to have broken into the gangs IT systems, frozen 200 cryptocurrency accounts linked to the group and made multiple arrests.

The crackdown was a joint operation between the FBI, NCA and Europol to disrupt a hacking group that has targeted major businesses and extorted hundreds of millions of dollars in recent years.

It comes more than a year after LockBit, a criminal gang with ties to Russia, hacked Royal Mail and knocked out its international delivery service for weeks.

A Lockbit attack on Royal Mail disrupted deliveries in January 2023

American prosecutors said LockBit had extorted a total of $120m from ransom victims in the US alone.

Graeme Biggar, director general of the NCA, said: As of today, LockBit are locked out. We have damaged the capability and most notably, the credibility of a group that depended on secrecy and anonymity.

Law enforcement officials from Europol arrested two individuals believed to be members of LockBit in Poland and Ukraine.

US authorities have charged five Russians in relation to LockBit. Two of the suspects charged by the US are in custody: Mikhail Vasiliev, who is being held in Canada awaiting extradition, and Ruslan Magomedovich Astamirov, who is in the US.

The remaining three, Artur Sungatov, Ivan Kondratyev and Mikhail Pavlovich Matveev, are at large.

Mr Biggar said that while a large number of the cyber criminals were based in Russia, the agencies had not seen evidence of state sponsored support. However, he said authorities there appeared to be turning a blind eye to the hacking gang.

Mr Biggar said: Theres clearly some tolerance of cyber criminality within Russia.

Story continues

We have not seen the Russian authorities crack down and arrest the cyber criminals we know operate in their jurisdiction, so we can read into that they tolerate that activity.

Hundreds of people are thought to have been involved in running the group.

Home Secretary James Cleverly says the NCA has delivered a major blow to ransomware criminals - Jonathan Brady/PA

The NCA said they had identified a hierarchy within the organisation, but would not comment on the extent to which it had targeted those individuals.

James Cleverly, the Home Secretary, said: The National Crime Agencys world leading expertise has delivered a major blow to the people behind the most prolific ransomware strain in the world.

The NCA said the infrastructure supporting LockBits tool that was used to steal data, known as StealBit, based in three countries, has also been seized.

US officials said they had seized control of key servers used by LockBit.

On the gangs former dark web page, a post signed by police said: This site is now under the control of the National Crime Agency of the UK, working in close cooperation with the FBI and the international law enforcement task force, Operation Cronus.

The new web page carried the logos of the FBI, NCA, Europol and multiple European police agencies, as well as forces from Australia, Japan and Canada.

Deputy US attorney general Lisa Monaco said in a statement: Using all our authorities and working alongside partners in the United Kingdom and around the world, we have now destroyed the online backbone of the LockBit group, one of the worlds most prolific ransomware gangs.

However, an alleged spokesman for the group posted on an encrypted messaging forum that its backup servers remain operational.

LockBit, which emerged in 2020, uses ransomware to scramble a victims IT systems and steal data before demanding a payment for its release. It also sells its hacking tools to other gangs.

The group attempted to extort 66m in cryptocurrency from Royal Mail during an attack in January 2023.

The postal giant refused to pay but the incident ended up costing the business 10m as a result of repairs and upgrades to its IT system.

Aerospace company Boeing is among those targeted by LockBits ransomware - PETER CZIBORRA/REUTERS

LockBit leaked files it had stolen from Royal Mail. However, most were innocuous and did not contain any sensitive or customer information.

In addition to Royal Mail, LockBits ransomware has been used to target Taiwanese semiconductor manufacturing giant TSMC and aerospace company Boeing.

The group was also responsible for hacking the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, which is one of the worlds largest lenders.

Paul Foster, head of the NCAs national cybercrime unit, said that LockBits popularity was partly because it was so easy to use.

He said: LockBit had established itself as the preeminent ransomware strain over the last four years and one of the reasons for this was its intuitive platform and its relative ease of use.

That means just with a few simple clicks even the less technically savvy cybercriminals used LockBit to deploy ransomware.

Another key reason for their past criminal success was the marketing and branding that underpinned LockBit. They had a slick website and they had loyal customers.

The gang behind the software used marketing tactics including paying $1,000 to customers who had the logo tattooed on themselves and promising to pay anyone who spotted errors in their code.

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Forest Avenue Capital Management LP grew its position in shares of Cheniere Energy, Inc. (NYSE:LNG  Free Report) by 46.9% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 67,682 shares of the energy companys stock after acquiring an additional 21,600 shares during the quarter. Cheniere Energy comprises about 5.1% of Forest Avenue Capital Management LPs investment portfolio, making the stock its 8th largest holding. Forest Avenue Capital Management LPs holdings in Cheniere Energy were worth $11,233,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. HHM Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Cheniere Energy during the third quarter valued at $25,000. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL acquired a new position in shares of Cheniere Energy during the first quarter valued at $27,000. Rise Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Cheniere Energy in the third quarter worth about $29,000. Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc. lifted its holdings in Cheniere Energy by 203.4% in the third quarter. Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc. now owns 176 shares of the energy companys stock worth $29,000 after purchasing an additional 118 shares during the period. Finally, McIlrath & Eck LLC lifted its holdings in Cheniere Energy by 1,484.6% in the second quarter. McIlrath & Eck LLC now owns 206 shares of the energy companys stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 193 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 85.86% of the companys stock.

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Cheniere Energy Stock Performance

NYSE LNG traded up $0.32 on Tuesday, reaching $160.69. The companys stock had a trading volume of 1,355,661 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,652,828. Cheniere Energy, Inc. has a twelve month low of $135.30 and a twelve month high of $183.46. The company has a current ratio of 1.54, a quick ratio of 1.43 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.02. The company has a market capitalization of $38.29 billion, a PE ratio of 3.17, a PEG ratio of 0.66 and a beta of 0.96. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $163.57.

Cheniere Energy Dividend Announcement

Analysts Set New Price Targets

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 23rd. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, February 6th will be issued a dividend of $0.435 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, February 5th. This represents a $1.74 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.08%. Cheniere Energys payout ratio is presently 3.44%.

LNG has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Mizuho upped their price objective on shares of Cheniere Energy from $187.00 to $195.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Friday, December 15th. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Cheniere Energy from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a report on Thursday, November 9th. Finally, Barclays upped their price objective on shares of Cheniere Energy from $192.00 to $194.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, January 17th. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, Cheniere Energy presently has a consensus rating of Buy and an average price target of $198.70.

View Our Latest Report on Cheniere Energy

Cheniere Energy Company Profile

(Free Report)

Cheniere Energy, Inc, an energy infrastructure company, primarily engages in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) related businesses in the United States. It owns and operates the Sabine Pass LNG terminal in Cameron Parish, Louisiana; and the Corpus Christi LNG terminal near Corpus Christi, Texas. The company also owns Creole Trail pipeline, a 94-mile pipeline interconnecting the Sabine Pass LNG terminal with various interstate pipelines; and operates Corpus Christi pipeline, a 21.5-mile natural gas supply pipeline that interconnects the Corpus Christi LNG terminal with various interstate and intrastate natural gas pipelines.

Further Reading

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Forest Avenue Capital Management LP purchased a new stake in shares of Peabody Energy Co. (NYSE:BTU  Free Report) during the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm purchased 201,700 shares of the coal producers stock, valued at approximately $5,242,000. Peabody Energy accounts for approximately 2.4% of Forest Avenue Capital Management LPs investment portfolio, making the stock its 21st largest holding.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in BTU. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Peabody Energy by 49.2% during the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 7,873,533 shares of the coal producers stock valued at $193,137,000 after buying an additional 2,595,279 shares during the last quarter. First Republic Investment Management Inc. increased its position in shares of Peabody Energy by 2,249.0% during the 1st quarter. First Republic Investment Management Inc. now owns 2,104,738 shares of the coal producers stock worth $51,629,000 after purchasing an additional 2,015,138 shares in the last quarter. Gendell Jeffrey L grew its holdings in shares of Peabody Energy by 209.2% during the second quarter. Gendell Jeffrey L now owns 1,849,681 shares of the coal producers stock worth $40,064,000 after purchasing an additional 1,251,518 shares during the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE raised its stake in shares of Peabody Energy by 2,630.4% in the first quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 1,189,512 shares of the coal producers stock worth $30,452,000 after acquiring an additional 1,145,947 shares during the last quarter. Finally, PointState Capital LP acquired a new position in shares of Peabody Energy during the first quarter valued at $27,379,000. Institutional investors own 82.33% of the companys stock.

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Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, major shareholder Elliott Investment Management sold 1,750,000 shares of Peabody Energy stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $23.35, for a total transaction of $40,862,500.00. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 15,480,000 shares in the company, valued at approximately $361,458,000. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. In other news, CFO Mark Spurbeck sold 4,827 shares of Peabody Energy stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $24.94, for a total transaction of $120,385.38. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now directly owns 68,638 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,711,831.72. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, major shareholder Elliott Investment Management sold 1,750,000 shares of Peabody Energy stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $23.35, for a total value of $40,862,500.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 15,480,000 shares of the companys stock, valued at $361,458,000. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 5,457,502 shares of company stock valued at $130,185,357 over the last quarter. 0.20% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Peabody Energy Trading Down 3.2 %

BTU traded down $0.77 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $23.61. 2,218,279 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 4,295,435. Peabody Energy Co. has a one year low of $17.71 and a one year high of $28.54. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.10 billion, a P/E ratio of 4.90 and a beta of 1.00. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.09, a quick ratio of 1.70 and a current ratio of 2.06. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $25.00 and its 200 day simple moving average is $24.02.

Peabody Energy (NYSE:BTU  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, February 8th. The coal producer reported $1.33 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.41 by ($0.08). Peabody Energy had a net margin of 15.36% and a return on equity of 21.45%. The business had revenue of $1.24 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.22 billion. During the same period last year, the business posted $2.65 EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was down 24.1% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts forecast that Peabody Energy Co. will post 3.83 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Peabody Energy Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, March 13th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, February 22nd will be given a $0.075 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, February 21st. This represents a $0.30 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.27%. Peabody Energys payout ratio is 6.02%.

Peabody Energy Profile

(Free Report)

Peabody Energy Corporation engages in coal mining business in the United States, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, India, Brazil, Belgium, Chile, France, Indonesia, China, Vietnam, South Korea, and internationally. The company operates through Seaborne Thermal Mining, Seaborne Metallurgical Mining, Powder River Basin Mining, and Other U.S.

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Frontier Asset Management LLC bought a new position in shares of General Electric (NYSE:GE  Free Report) during the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor bought 4,471 shares of the conglomerates stock, valued at approximately $494,000.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of General Electric by 122,242.2% in the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 13,438,063 shares of the conglomerates stock worth $878,644,000 after acquiring an additional 13,427,079 shares during the period. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of General Electric in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $635,274,000. State Street Corp increased its holdings in General Electric by 17.3% in the first quarter. State Street Corp now owns 48,490,012 shares of the conglomerates stock worth $4,639,533,000 after buying an additional 7,157,356 shares during the last quarter. Egerton Capital UK LLP bought a new position in General Electric during the second quarter valued at approximately $418,951,000. Finally, BlackRock Inc. grew its position in General Electric by 4.4% in the second quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 70,480,887 shares of the conglomerates stock worth $7,742,325,000 after acquiring an additional 2,974,946 shares in the last quarter. 74.83% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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General Electric Price Performance

GE stock traded down $0.17 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $148.99. The company had a trading volume of 2,056,523 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,181,708. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $131.20 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $119.80. General Electric has a fifty-two week low of $81.65 and a fifty-two week high of $150.36. The company has a market cap of $162.15 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.82, a P/E/G ratio of 2.22 and a beta of 1.25. The company has a current ratio of 1.18, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69.

General Electric Dividend Announcement

General Electric ( NYSE:GE Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, January 23rd. The conglomerate reported $1.03 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.90 by $0.13. General Electric had a net margin of 13.95% and a return on equity of 10.88%. The business had revenue of $19.42 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $17.27 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.24 EPS. The firms quarterly revenue was up 15.4% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts expect that General Electric will post 4.53 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 25th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, December 28th were issued a $0.08 dividend. This represents a $0.32 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.21%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, December 27th. General Electrics payout ratio is currently 3.82%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, SVP Michael J. Holston sold 22,055 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $144.87, for a total transaction of $3,195,107.85. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 56,284 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,153,863.08. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. In related news, SVP Michael J. Holston sold 22,055 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $144.87, for a total value of $3,195,107.85. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 56,284 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,153,863.08. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, SVP Michael J. Holston sold 13,601 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, February 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $135.55, for a total value of $1,843,615.55. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 48,339 shares in the company, valued at $6,552,351.45. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.67% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

GE has been the subject of several analyst reports. Citigroup lifted their price objective on shares of General Electric from $135.00 to $148.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Monday, December 11th. StockNews.com raised General Electric from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Thursday, February 1st. Royal Bank of Canada reduced their target price on General Electric from $150.00 to $148.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, January 24th. TheStreet raised General Electric from a c+ rating to a b+ rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 23rd. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on shares of General Electric from $144.00 to $148.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 24th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, General Electric currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $132.00.

Read Our Latest Stock Report on General Electric

About General Electric

(Free Report)

General Electric Company operates as a high-tech industrial company in Europe, China, Asia, the Americas, the Middle East, and Africa. It offers gas and steam turbines, full balance of plant, upgrade, and service solutions, as well as data-leveraging software for power generation, industrial, government, and other customers.

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GrafTech International (NYSE:EAF  Free Report) had its price target decreased by Royal Bank of Canada from $3.00 to $2.00 in a research report report published on Friday morning, Benzinga reports. Royal Bank of Canada currently has a sector perform rating on the stock.

Other analysts have also issued reports about the stock. UBS Group assumed coverage on shares of GrafTech International in a research report on Tuesday, January 16th. They issued a neutral rating and a $2.00 price target for the company. BMO Capital Markets cut their price objective on shares of GrafTech International from $2.00 to $1.50 and set a market perform rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, February 15th. TheStreet lowered shares of GrafTech International from a c- rating to a d+ rating in a research report on Monday, November 6th. Finally, Citigroup cut their price objective on shares of GrafTech International from $4.00 to $2.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, January 10th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $1.88.

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Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on EAF

GrafTech International Stock Performance

Shares of EAF opened at $1.39 on Friday. GrafTech International has a one year low of $1.18 and a one year high of $5.82. The company has a 50-day moving average of $1.76 and a two-hundred day moving average of $2.77. The stock has a market cap of $356.99 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -1.39 and a beta of 1.10. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 11.90, a current ratio of 3.54 and a quick ratio of 1.81.

GrafTech International (NYSE:EAF  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 14th. The company reported ($0.27) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of ($0.14) by ($0.13). The company had revenue of $137.10 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $141.20 million. GrafTech International had a negative return on equity of 39.57% and a negative net margin of 41.14%. GrafTech Internationals revenue for the quarter was down 44.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.17 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts expect that GrafTech International will post -0.24 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Activity

In other news, major shareholder Gp Ltd Bcp sold 3,922,786 shares of GrafTech International stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $2.20, for a total value of $8,630,129.20. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 23,352,826 shares of the companys stock, valued at $51,376,217.20. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Insiders have sold a total of 5,732,780 shares of company stock valued at $12,598,389 over the last 90 days. 0.38% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On GrafTech International

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. grew its stake in shares of GrafTech International by 6.3% in the second quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 3,833,535 shares of the companys stock worth $19,321,000 after acquiring an additional 226,874 shares during the last quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. grew its stake in shares of GrafTech International by 94.5% in the second quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 312,001 shares of the companys stock worth $1,572,000 after acquiring an additional 151,588 shares during the last quarter. Hodges Capital Management Inc. boosted its stake in GrafTech International by 34.7% during the second quarter. Hodges Capital Management Inc. now owns 381,100 shares of the companys stock worth $2,426,000 after buying an additional 98,248 shares in the last quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank boosted its stake in GrafTech International by 36.7% during the third quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank now owns 51,186 shares of the companys stock worth $196,000 after buying an additional 13,730 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Rhumbline Advisers boosted its stake in GrafTech International by 9.6% during the second quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 285,166 shares of the companys stock worth $1,437,000 after buying an additional 24,959 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 92.83% of the companys stock.

About GrafTech International

(Get Free Report)

GrafTech International Ltd. research, develops, manufactures, and sells graphite and carbon-based solutions worldwide. The company offers graphite electrodes to produce electric arc furnace steel and other ferrous and non-ferrous metals; and petroleum needle coke, a crystalline form of carbon used in the production of graphite electrodes and synthetic graphite.

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Fuller & Thaler Asset Management Inc. raised its holdings in Graphic Packaging Holding (NYSE:GPK  Free Report) by 10.3% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 12,207,562 shares of the industrial products companys stock after purchasing an additional 1,138,587 shares during the quarter. Graphic Packaging accounts for approximately 1.6% of Fuller & Thaler Asset Management Inc.s investment portfolio, making the stock its 7th biggest holding. Fuller & Thaler Asset Management Inc. owned 3.99% of Graphic Packaging worth $271,984,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in GPK. OLD Point Trust & Financial Services N A purchased a new position in Graphic Packaging in the 2nd quarter valued at about $26,000. ST Germain D J Co. Inc. acquired a new stake in Graphic Packaging in the 2nd quarter valued at about $29,000. AllSquare Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Graphic Packaging during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $31,000. FinTrust Capital Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of Graphic Packaging by 870.7% during the 3rd quarter. FinTrust Capital Advisors LLC now owns 1,291 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $29,000 after buying an additional 1,158 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Roffman Miller Associates Inc. PA acquired a new stake in shares of Graphic Packaging during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $57,000. 99.67% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Graphic Packaging Trading Down 0.2 %

NYSE GPK traded down $0.04 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, reaching $24.63. 2,162,489 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,871,673. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.90, a quick ratio of 0.46 and a current ratio of 1.17. The stock has a market capitalization of $7.54 billion, a PE ratio of 11.16, a PEG ratio of 0.35 and a beta of 0.84. Graphic Packaging Holding has a 1-year low of $20.07 and a 1-year high of $27.56. The businesss fifty day simple moving average is $25.10 and its 200 day simple moving average is $23.16.

Graphic Packaging Dividend Announcement

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 5th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 15th will be paid a dividend of $0.10 per share. This represents a $0.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.62%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 14th. Graphic Packagings dividend payout ratio is currently 18.10%.

Several research firms recently weighed in on GPK. Raymond James downgraded shares of Graphic Packaging from a strong-buy rating to a market perform rating in a report on Monday, November 27th. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Graphic Packaging from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 13th. Finally, Bank of America upgraded shares of Graphic Packaging from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 31st. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $27.00.

Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on Graphic Packaging

Graphic Packaging Company Profile

(Free Report)

Graphic Packaging Holding Company, together with its subsidiaries, provides fiber-based packaging solutions to food, beverage, foodservice, and other consumer products companies. It operates through three segments: Paperboard Mills, Americas Paperboard Packaging, and Europe Paperboard Packaging. The company offers coated unbleached kraft (CUK), coated recycled paperboard (CRB), and solid bleached sulfate paperboard (SBS) to various paperboard packaging converters and brokers; and paperboard packaging products, such as folding cartons, cups, lids, and food containers primarily to consumer packaged goods, quick-service restaurants, and foodservice companies; and barrier packaging products that protect against moisture, hot and cold temperature, grease, oil, oxygen, sunlight, insects, and other potential product-damaging factors.

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Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund increased its position in Public Storage (NYSE:PSA  Free Report) by 4.7% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 119,132 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after buying an additional 5,300 shares during the quarter. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund owned 0.07% of Public Storage worth $31,394,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in PSA. AMI Investment Management Inc. bought a new stake in Public Storage in the first quarter valued at approximately $267,000. Blair William & Co. IL boosted its holdings in Public Storage by 7.3% in the first quarter. Blair William & Co. IL now owns 2,668 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $1,041,000 after acquiring an additional 182 shares during the last quarter. Prudential PLC bought a new stake in Public Storage in the first quarter valued at approximately $1,374,000. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Public Storage in the first quarter valued at approximately $398,000. Finally, Candriam Luxembourg S.C.A. boosted its holdings in Public Storage by 19.0% in the first quarter. Candriam Luxembourg S.C.A. now owns 13,506 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $5,271,000 after acquiring an additional 2,156 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 78.75% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

PSA has been the topic of several analyst reports. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their target price on Public Storage from $307.00 to $340.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Thursday, January 11th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft assumed coverage on Public Storage in a report on Tuesday, January 30th. They set a sell rating and a $250.00 price target on the stock. Truist Financial raised their price objective on shares of Public Storage from $285.00 to $315.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, December 28th. Evercore ISI raised their price objective on shares of Public Storage from $268.00 to $271.00 and gave the stock an in-line rating in a research report on Monday, November 27th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company downgraded shares of Public Storage from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating and raised their price objective for the stock from $270.00 to $280.00 in a research report on Tuesday, December 12th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $293.00.

Insider Activity at Public Storage

In other Public Storage news, insider Nathaniel A. Vitan sold 265 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $282.17, for a total transaction of $74,775.05. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 13,021 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,674,135.57. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. In other Public Storage news, insider Nathaniel A. Vitan sold 265 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $282.17, for a total transaction of $74,775.05. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 13,021 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,674,135.57. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, Director John Reyes sold 50,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, December 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $275.98, for a total value of $13,799,000.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 174,192 shares in the company, valued at $48,073,508.16. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 10.90% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Public Storage Stock Up 1.0 %

NYSE PSA traded up $2.70 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $284.22. The companys stock had a trading volume of 712,282 shares, compared to its average volume of 712,779. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $291.23 and its 200 day simple moving average is $274.26. Public Storage has a twelve month low of $233.18 and a twelve month high of $316.48. The company has a current ratio of 0.98, a quick ratio of 0.98 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.54. The firm has a market capitalization of $49.98 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.80, a PEG ratio of 3.87 and a beta of 0.55.

Public Storage Company Profile

(Free Report)

Public Storage, a member of the S&P 500 and FT Global 500, is a REIT that primarily acquires, develops, owns, and operates self-storage facilities. At September 30, 2023, we had: (i) interests in 3,028 self-storage facilities located in 40 states with approximately 217 million net rentable square feet in the United States and (ii) a 35% common equity interest in Shurgard Self Storage Limited (Euronext Brussels: SHUR), which owned 267 self-storage facilities located in seven Western European nations with approximately 15 million net rentable square feet operated under the Shurgard brand.

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Hsbc Holdings PLC lifted its position in shares of iShares MSCI South Korea ETF (NYSEARCA:EWY  Free Report) by 131.8% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 2,373,131 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after purchasing an additional 1,349,156 shares during the quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC owned 4.07% of iShares MSCI South Korea ETF worth $139,873,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Focused Wealth Management Inc bought a new position in shares of iShares MSCI South Korea ETF during the second quarter worth $25,000. Headlands Technologies LLC bought a new stake in iShares MSCI South Korea ETF in the 2nd quarter valued at $27,000. Patriot Investment Management Group Inc. bought a new stake in iShares MSCI South Korea ETF in the 4th quarter valued at $47,000. Advisors Preferred LLC bought a new stake in iShares MSCI South Korea ETF in the 2nd quarter valued at $51,000. Finally, Global Retirement Partners LLC lifted its position in iShares MSCI South Korea ETF by 100.0% in the 3rd quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 1,014 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $59,000 after acquiring an additional 507 shares in the last quarter.

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iShares MSCI South Korea ETF Price Performance

NYSEARCA:EWY traded up $0.11 on Tuesday, hitting $64.30. 529,485 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,545,497. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $62.41 and a 200-day moving average price of $61.42. iShares MSCI South Korea ETF has a 52 week low of $54.49 and a 52 week high of $67.95. The company has a market cap of $3.75 billion, a P/E ratio of 7.39 and a beta of 1.05.

About iShares MSCI South Korea ETF

iShares MSCI South Korea Capped ETF (the Fund) is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the MSCI Korea 25/50 Index (the Index). The Index consists of stocks traded primarily on the Stock Market Division of the Korean Exchange.

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iShares Europe ETF (NYSEARCA:IEV  Get Free Report) shares hit a new 52-week high during trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $53.33 and last traded at $53.25, with a volume of 15461 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $52.95.

iShares Europe ETF Stock Performance

The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $52.26 and a 200-day simple moving average of $50.03. The stock has a market cap of $1.78 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.45 and a beta of 0.92.

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Hedge Funds Weigh In On iShares Europe ETF

Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Balentine LLC acquired a new position in shares of iShares Europe ETF during the 4th quarter worth about $25,000. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC boosted its stake in shares of iShares Europe ETF by 84.0% during the 4th quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 565 shares of the companys stock worth $30,000 after buying an additional 258 shares during the last quarter. Provence Wealth Management Group acquired a new stake in iShares Europe ETF in the 3rd quarter valued at about $32,000. Baystate Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in iShares Europe ETF by 511.3% in the 3rd quarter. Baystate Wealth Management LLC now owns 758 shares of the companys stock valued at $36,000 after purchasing an additional 634 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Coastal Investment Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in iShares Europe ETF in the 2nd quarter valued at about $39,000.

iShares Europe ETF Company Profile

iShares Europe ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares S&P Europe 350 Index Fund, is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the S&P Europe 350 (the Index). The Index measures the performance of the stocks of companies in the countries, which includes Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

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Reliance Steel & Aluminum (NYSE:RS  Free Report) had its price objective increased by KeyCorp from $300.00 to $362.00 in a research report sent to investors on Friday morning, Benzinga reports. KeyCorp currently has an overweight rating on the industrial products companys stock.

Separately, StockNews.com raised shares of Reliance Steel & Aluminum from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Thursday, November 23rd.

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Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on Reliance Steel & Aluminum

Reliance Steel & Aluminum Price Performance

RS opened at $326.43 on Friday. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $285.09 and a 200 day simple moving average of $273.80. The firm has a market cap of $18.76 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.44 and a beta of 0.86. Reliance Steel & Aluminum has a twelve month low of $229.12 and a twelve month high of $333.33. The company has a current ratio of 5.66, a quick ratio of 3.23 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.15.

Reliance Steel & Aluminum (NYSE:RS  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 15th. The industrial products company reported $4.73 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $3.92 by $0.81. The business had revenue of $3.34 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.31 billion. Reliance Steel & Aluminum had a net margin of 9.02% and a return on equity of 17.53%. The businesss revenue was down 7.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business earned $5.87 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that Reliance Steel & Aluminum will post 19.21 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Reliance Steel & Aluminum Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 22nd. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 8th will be issued a dividend of $1.10 per share. This is a positive change from Reliance Steel & Aluminums previous quarterly dividend of $1.00. This represents a $4.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.35%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 7th. Reliance Steel & Aluminums dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 17.69%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, CEO Karla R. Lewis sold 5,374 shares of Reliance Steel & Aluminum stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $278.87, for a total value of $1,498,647.38. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 83,884 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $23,392,731.08. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. In other news, Director James Donald Hoffman sold 10,000 shares of Reliance Steel & Aluminum stock in a transaction dated Thursday, November 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $272.49, for a total value of $2,724,900.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 94,042 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $25,625,504.58. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, CEO Karla R. Lewis sold 5,374 shares of Reliance Steel & Aluminum stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $278.87, for a total transaction of $1,498,647.38. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 83,884 shares in the company, valued at $23,392,731.08. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 26,614 shares of company stock valued at $7,357,934 in the last ninety days. Corporate insiders own 0.71% of the companys stock.

Institutional Trading of Reliance Steel & Aluminum

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. United Capital Management of KS Inc. lifted its position in Reliance Steel & Aluminum by 0.8% in the 3rd quarter. United Capital Management of KS Inc. now owns 26,668 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $6,993,000 after purchasing an additional 219 shares during the last quarter. Natixis bought a new stake in Reliance Steel & Aluminum in the 2nd quarter valued at about $166,000. Teacher Retirement System of Texas lifted its position in Reliance Steel & Aluminum by 18.0% in the 3rd quarter. Teacher Retirement System of Texas now owns 61,340 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $16,085,000 after purchasing an additional 9,355 shares during the last quarter. Paulson Wealth Management Inc. lifted its position in Reliance Steel & Aluminum by 3.3% in the 3rd quarter. Paulson Wealth Management Inc. now owns 1,361 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $357,000 after purchasing an additional 44 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Kennedy Capital Management LLC lifted its position in Reliance Steel & Aluminum by 48.0% in the 2nd quarter. Kennedy Capital Management LLC now owns 60,425 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $16,411,000 after purchasing an additional 19,589 shares during the last quarter. 80.87% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About Reliance Steel & Aluminum

(Get Free Report)

Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co operates as a diversified metal solutions provider and the metals service center company in the United States, Canada, and internationally. The company distributes a line of approximately 100,000 metal products, including alloy, aluminum, brass, copper, carbon steel, stainless steel, titanium, and specialty steel products; and provides metals processing services to general manufacturing, non-residential construction, transportation, aerospace, energy, electronics and semiconductor fabrication, and heavy industries.

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Longbow Finance SA trimmed its stake in NVR, Inc. (NYSE:NVR  Free Report) by 39.3% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 1,276 shares of the construction companys stock after selling 827 shares during the quarter. Longbow Finance SAs holdings in NVR were worth $7,609,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Berkshire Hathaway Inc bought a new stake in NVR in the second quarter worth $70,568,000. Arizona State Retirement System raised its stake in shares of NVR by 0.5% in the second quarter. Arizona State Retirement System now owns 886 shares of the construction companys stock worth $5,627,000 after purchasing an additional 4 shares during the last quarter. ING Groep NV raised its stake in shares of NVR by 21.5% in the third quarter. ING Groep NV now owns 3,810 shares of the construction companys stock worth $22,720,000 after purchasing an additional 675 shares during the last quarter. Truist Financial Corp raised its stake in shares of NVR by 2.7% in the second quarter. Truist Financial Corp now owns 228 shares of the construction companys stock worth $1,448,000 after purchasing an additional 6 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Fortis Capital Management LLC increased its position in NVR by 6.8% during the third quarter. Fortis Capital Management LLC now owns 219 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $1,307,000 after acquiring an additional 14 shares during the last quarter. 84.49% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Insider Transactions at NVR

In other news, Director Susan Williamson Ross sold 125 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $6,298.13, for a total value of $787,266.25. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 405 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,550,742.65. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In related news, CFO Daniel David Malzahn sold 2,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $7,252.83, for a total transaction of $14,505,660.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 13,209 shares of the companys stock, valued at $95,802,631.47. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, Director Susan Williamson Ross sold 125 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, November 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $6,298.13, for a total value of $787,266.25. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 405 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,550,742.65. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 7,704 shares of company stock valued at $54,562,781 over the last 90 days. Company insiders own 8.60% of the companys stock.

NVR Stock Performance

NVR traded up $50.38 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $7,441.03. The company had a trading volume of 7,509 shares, compared to its average volume of 19,612. The company has a quick ratio of 3.90, a current ratio of 6.10 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.21. The business has a 50-day moving average of $7,112.90 and a two-hundred day moving average of $6,435.57. The company has a market cap of $23.74 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.95, a P/E/G ratio of 3.55 and a beta of 1.12. NVR, Inc. has a 1 year low of $5,000.90 and a 1 year high of $7,617.24.

NVR (NYSE:NVR  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 30th. The construction company reported $121.56 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $121.50 by $0.06. The business had revenue of $2.39 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.61 billion. NVR had a return on equity of 38.50% and a net margin of 17.09%. The businesss quarterly revenue was down 10.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $133.44 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts predict that NVR, Inc. will post 471.75 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

NVR announced that its Board of Directors has initiated a share repurchase plan on Thursday, November 9th that authorizes the company to buyback $750.00 million in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the construction company to purchase up to 4% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback plans are usually an indication that the companys board of directors believes its stock is undervalued.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts recently commented on the company. StockNews.com cut NVR from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Thursday, February 15th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upgraded NVR from a sell rating to a hold rating and upped their price objective for the company from $4,900.00 to $6,300.00 in a research report on Friday, December 8th.

Read Our Latest Research Report on NVR

NVR Profile

(Free Report)

NVR, Inc operates as a homebuilder in the United States. The company operates through, Homebuilding and Mortgage Banking segments. It engages in the construction and sale of single-family detached homes, townhomes, and condominium buildings under the Ryan Homes, NVHomes, and Heartland Homes names. The company markets its Ryan Homes products to first-time and first-time move-up buyers; and NVHomes and Heartland Homes products to move-up and luxury buyers.

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Assessing the Sustainability of Littelfuse Inc's Upcoming Dividend

Littelfuse Inc (NASDAQ:LFUS) recently announced a dividend of $0.65 per share, payable on 2024-03-07, with the ex-dividend date set for 2024-02-21. As investors look forward to this upcoming payment, the spotlight also shines on the company's dividend history, yield, and growth rates. Using the data from GuruFocus, let's look into Littelfuse Inc's dividend performance and assess its sustainability.

What Does Littelfuse Inc Do?

Warning! GuruFocus has detected 4 Warning Sign with LFUS.

High Yield Dividend Stocks in Gurus' Portfolio

This Powerful Chart Made Peter Lynch 29% A Year For 13 Years

How to calculate the intrinsic value of a stock?

Littelfuse is a primary provider of circuit protection products (such as fuses and relays) into the transportation, industrial, telecommunications, and consumer electronics end markets. The firm is also increasing its power semiconductor business, where it predominantly serves industrial end markets and is breaking into electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Littelfuse has 17,000 global employees.

Littelfuse Inc's Dividend Analysis

A Glimpse at Littelfuse Inc's Dividend History

Littelfuse Inc has maintained a consistent dividend payment record since 2010, distributing dividends on a quarterly basis. The company has increased its dividend each year since 2010, earning the title of a dividend achievera distinction awarded to companies that have increased their dividend annually for at least the past 14 years. Below is a chart showing annual Dividends Per Share for tracking historical trends.

Littelfuse Inc's Dividend Analysis

Breaking Down Littelfuse Inc's Dividend Yield and Growth

As of today, Littelfuse Inc currently has a trailing dividend yield of 1.01% and a forward dividend yield of 1.05%, indicating an expected increase in dividend payments over the next 12 months. Over the past three years, Littelfuse Inc's annual dividend growth rate was 9.20%, which decreased slightly to 8.70% per year over a five-year period. However, over the past decade, the annual dividends per share growth rate stands at an impressive 11.50%.

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Considering Littelfuse Inc's dividend yield and five-year growth rate, the 5-year yield on cost for Littelfuse Inc stock as of today is approximately 1.53%.

The Sustainability Question: Payout Ratio and Profitability

To assess the sustainability of the dividend, one needs to evaluate the company's payout ratio. The dividend payout ratio provides insights into the portion of earnings the company distributes as dividends. A lower ratio suggests that the company retains a significant part of its earnings, thereby ensuring the availability of funds for future growth and unexpected downturns. As of 2023-12-31, Littelfuse Inc's dividend payout ratio is 0.22.

Littelfuse Inc's profitability rank, at a perfect 10 out of 10, suggests good profitability prospects. The company has reported positive net income for each year over the past decade, further solidifying its high profitability.

Growth Metrics: The Future Outlook

Littelfuse Inc's robust growth rank of 10 out of 10 suggests that the company's growth trajectory is strong relative to its competitors. The company's revenue model is also strong, with a revenue per share and a 3-year revenue growth rate that outperforms approximately 81.52% of global competitors, increasing by an average of 17.00% per year.

The 3-year EPS growth rate showcases Littelfuse Inc's ability to grow its earnings, critical for sustaining dividends in the long run, with an average annual increase of 23.90%, outperforming approximately 64.17% of global competitors. Additionally, the company's 5-year EBITDA growth rate of 19.30% outperforms approximately 66.56% of global competitors.

Next Steps

In conclusion, Littelfuse Inc's consistent dividend payments, robust dividend growth rate, sustainable payout ratio, strong profitability, and impressive growth metrics paint a promising picture for value investors. The company's commitment to shareholder returns, coupled with its financial health and market position, suggests that its dividends are well-positioned for the future. Investors seeking high-dividend yield stocks may find Littelfuse Inc to be an attractive option and can explore further using GuruFocus's High Dividend Yield Screener.

This article, generated by GuruFocus, is designed to provide general insights and is not tailored financial advice. Our commentary is rooted in historical data and analyst projections, utilizing an impartial methodology, and is not intended to serve as specific investment guidance. It does not formulate a recommendation to purchase or divest any stock and does not consider individual investment objectives or financial circumstances. Our objective is to deliver long-term, fundamental data-driven analysis. Be aware that our analysis might not incorporate the most recent, price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative information. GuruFocus holds no position in the stocks mentioned herein.

This article first appeared on GuruFocus.


Manulife Financial (TSE:MFC  Free Report) (NYSE:MFC) had its target price lifted by CIBC from C$30.00 to C$34.00 in a report released on Friday morning, BayStreet.CA reports. CIBC currently has a neutral rating on the financial services providers stock.

Several other research firms have also recently weighed in on MFC. BMO Capital Markets raised shares of Manulife Financial from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and raised their target price for the company from C$31.00 to C$35.00 in a research note on Thursday, February 15th. TD Securities raised their target price on shares of Manulife Financial from C$34.00 to C$35.00 and gave the company an action list buy rating in a research note on Thursday, February 15th. Cormark raised shares of Manulife Financial from a market perform rating to a buy rating and lifted their price objective for the stock from C$33.00 to C$36.00 in a research note on Friday. Veritas Investment Research reiterated a reduce rating on shares of Manulife Financial in a report on Friday. Finally, Desjardins upgraded shares of Manulife Financial from a hold rating to a buy rating and upped their price target for the company from C$29.00 to C$36.00 in a report on Friday. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating, five have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of C$35.00.

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Manulife Financial Stock Down 0.1 %

Manulife Financial Increases Dividend

Shares of MFC stock opened at C$33.30 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of C$60.27 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 4.75, a PEG ratio of 11.85 and a beta of 1.10. Manulife Financial has a one year low of C$23.69 and a one year high of C$33.59. The companys fifty day moving average price is C$29.42 and its 200-day moving average price is C$26.81. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 56.70, a current ratio of 22.91 and a quick ratio of 2.58.

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 19th. Investors of record on Wednesday, February 28th will be given a dividend of $0.40 per share. This represents a $1.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.80%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 27th. This is a positive change from Manulife Financials previous quarterly dividend of $0.37. Manulife Financials dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 20.83%.

About Manulife Financial

(Get Free Report)

Manulife Financial Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides financial products and services in Asia, Canada, the United States, and internationally. The company operates through Wealth and Asset Management Businesses; Insurance and Annuity Products; and Corporate and Other segments. The Wealth and Asset Management Businesses segment offers investment advice and solutions to retirement, retail, and institutional clients through multiple distribution channels, including agents and brokers affiliated with the company, independent securities brokerage firms and financial advisors pension plan consultants, and banks.

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Mariner LLC grew its stake in shares of Chevron Co. (NYSE:CVX  Free Report) by 5.0% in the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 1,287,194 shares of the oil and gas companys stock after acquiring an additional 61,614 shares during the period. Mariner LLC owned about 0.07% of Chevron worth $217,047,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Windsor Advisory Group LLC lifted its stake in Chevron by 24.0% in the 3rd quarter. Windsor Advisory Group LLC now owns 3,720 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $627,000 after purchasing an additional 720 shares in the last quarter. Dechtman Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Chevron during the 2nd quarter valued at $648,000. Altrius Capital Management Inc grew its holdings in Chevron by 2.1% in the 3rd quarter. Altrius Capital Management Inc now owns 21,333 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $3,597,000 after acquiring an additional 434 shares during the last quarter. Tsfg LLC grew its holdings in Chevron by 5.3% in the 3rd quarter. Tsfg LLC now owns 3,473 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $586,000 after acquiring an additional 176 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Berkeley Capital Partners LLC grew its holdings in Chevron by 13.1% in the 2nd quarter. Berkeley Capital Partners LLC now owns 14,333 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $2,255,000 after acquiring an additional 1,661 shares during the last quarter. 68.87% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Chevron Stock Performance

NYSE CVX traded down $0.48 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $154.15. 4,393,043 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 8,744,799. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $149.00 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $154.14. The company has a current ratio of 1.25, a quick ratio of 0.97 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12. The firm has a market capitalization of $291.00 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.66, a P/E/G ratio of 0.83 and a beta of 1.13. Chevron Co. has a 52 week low of $139.62 and a 52 week high of $172.88.

Chevron Increases Dividend

Chevron ( NYSE:CVX Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, February 2nd. The oil and gas company reported $3.45 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.19 by $0.26. Chevron had a net margin of 10.63% and a return on equity of 15.24%. The business had revenue of $47.18 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $50.93 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $4.09 earnings per share. The companys revenue for the quarter was down 16.5% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts predict that Chevron Co. will post 13.03 EPS for the current year.

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 11th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 16th will be issued a dividend of $1.63 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, February 15th. This represents a $6.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.23%. This is an increase from Chevrons previous quarterly dividend of $1.51. Chevrons payout ratio is currently 57.39%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of brokerages have issued reports on CVX. Jefferies Financial Group raised shares of Chevron from a hold rating to a buy rating and set a $184.00 price target on the stock in a report on Monday, January 8th. UBS Group lowered their price target on shares of Chevron from $194.00 to $185.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, December 14th. Raymond James lowered their price target on shares of Chevron from $200.00 to $175.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research report on Monday, October 30th. Scotiabank cut shares of Chevron from a sector outperform rating to a sector perform rating and set a $170.00 price target for the company. in a research report on Tuesday, January 16th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada lifted their target price on shares of Chevron from $185.00 to $190.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Monday, February 5th. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $180.95.

Read Our Latest Analysis on Chevron

Chevron Company Profile

(Free Report)

Chevron Corporation, through its subsidiaries, engages in the integrated energy and chemicals operations in the United States and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Upstream and Downstream. The Upstream segment is involved in the exploration, development, production, and transportation of crude oil and natural gas; liquefaction, transportation, and regasification associated with liquefied natural gas; transportation of crude oil through pipelines; and processing, transportation, storage, and marketing of natural gas, as well as a gas-to-liquids plant.

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Ontario Teachers Pension Plan Board decreased its stake in Douglas Emmett, Inc. (NYSE:DEI  Free Report) by 7.4% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 358,774 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after selling 28,828 shares during the period. Ontario Teachers Pension Plan Board owned about 0.22% of Douglas Emmett worth $4,578,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Douglas Emmett by 3,231.3% during the second quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 3,198 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $40,000 after purchasing an additional 3,102 shares during the period. Quantbot Technologies LP acquired a new position in shares of Douglas Emmett during the first quarter worth $40,000. Advisory Services Network LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Douglas Emmett by 94.7% during the first quarter. Advisory Services Network LLC now owns 3,695 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $46,000 after purchasing an additional 1,797 shares during the period. Covestor Ltd lifted its holdings in shares of Douglas Emmett by 150.2% during the second quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 4,806 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $60,000 after purchasing an additional 2,885 shares during the period. Finally, CWM LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Douglas Emmett by 73.2% during the second quarter. CWM LLC now owns 6,366 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $80,000 after purchasing an additional 2,691 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 97.37% of the companys stock.

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Douglas Emmett Stock Performance

DEI traded down $0.20 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting $13.55. The company had a trading volume of 495,717 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,236,735. Douglas Emmett, Inc. has a 52 week low of $10.09 and a 52 week high of $16.12. The company has a current ratio of 4.91, a quick ratio of 3.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.44. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $14.22 and its 200 day moving average price is $13.21.

Douglas Emmett Dividend Announcement

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, January 17th. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 29th were paid a $0.19 dividend. This represents a $0.76 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.61%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, December 28th. Douglas Emmetts dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently -292.31%.

A number of equities analysts have recently commented on DEI shares. Piper Sandler lifted their price target on shares of Douglas Emmett from $13.00 to $17.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Wednesday, December 20th. Jefferies Financial Group upgraded shares of Douglas Emmett from an underperform rating to a hold rating and boosted their target price for the company from $10.00 to $15.00 in a report on Tuesday, January 2nd. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $14.11.

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Insider Buying and Selling at Douglas Emmett

In other Douglas Emmett news, Director William E. Simon, Jr. sold 91,000 shares of Douglas Emmett stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $13.95, for a total value of $1,269,450.00. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Insiders own 13.40% of the companys stock.

Douglas Emmett Company Profile

(Free Report)

Douglas Emmett, Inc (DEI) is a fully integrated, self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust (REIT), and one of the largest owners and operators of high-quality office and multifamily properties located in the premier coastal submarkets of Los Angeles and Honolulu. Douglas Emmett focuses on owning and acquiring a substantial share of top-tier office properties and premier multifamily communities in neighborhoods that possess significant supply constraints, high-end executive housing and key lifestyle amenities.

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Provence Wealth Management Group bought a new stake in shares of Invesco S&P 500 Low Volatility ETF (NYSEARCA:SPLV  Free Report) in the third quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm bought 2,500 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $147,000.

A number of other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of SPLV. Missouri Trust & Investment Co increased its holdings in shares of Invesco S&P 500 Low Volatility ETF by 112.1% during the 2nd quarter. Missouri Trust & Investment Co now owns 507 shares of the companys stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 268 shares during the period. Buck Wealth Strategies LLC bought a new position in shares of Invesco S&P 500 Low Volatility ETF during the 3rd quarter worth about $36,000. Spotlight Asset Group Inc. bought a new position in shares of Invesco S&P 500 Low Volatility ETF during the 2nd quarter worth about $41,000. Meitav Investment House Ltd. bought a new position in shares of Invesco S&P 500 Low Volatility ETF during the 2nd quarter worth about $43,000. Finally, Retirement Group LLC increased its holdings in shares of Invesco S&P 500 Low Volatility ETF by 38.6% during the 4th quarter. Retirement Group LLC now owns 729 shares of the companys stock worth $47,000 after purchasing an additional 203 shares during the period.

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Invesco S&P 500 Low Volatility ETF Stock Performance

Shares of NYSEARCA:SPLV traded up $0.26 on Tuesday, hitting $63.49. 166,332 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,147,765. The companys 50 day moving average price is $62.83 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $61.20. Invesco S&P 500 Low Volatility ETF has a one year low of $57.17 and a one year high of $64.52. The firm has a market capitalization of $9.29 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.07 and a beta of 0.69.

Invesco S&P 500 Low Volatility ETF Profile

The Invesco S&P 500 Low Volatility ETF (SPLV) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the S&P 500 Low Volatility index. The fund tracks a volatility-weighted index of the 100 least-volatile stocks in the S&P 500. SPLV was launched on May 5, 2011 and is managed by Invesco.

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Ranch Capital Advisors Inc. lifted its holdings in Cardinal Health, Inc. (NYSE:CAH  Free Report) by 1.7% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 21,491 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 351 shares during the period. Cardinal Health makes up 1.3% of Ranch Capital Advisors Inc.s portfolio, making the stock its 21st biggest position. Ranch Capital Advisors Inc.s holdings in Cardinal Health were worth $1,866,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Zurich Insurance Group Ltd FI increased its stake in Cardinal Health by 2,761.9% during the 2nd quarter. Zurich Insurance Group Ltd FI now owns 538,038 shares of the companys stock valued at $50,882,000 after buying an additional 519,238 shares during the period. Summit X LLC raised its position in Cardinal Health by 6.8% during the second quarter. Summit X LLC now owns 3,685 shares of the companys stock valued at $348,000 after acquiring an additional 234 shares in the last quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC raised its position in shares of Cardinal Health by 9.3% in the third quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC now owns 84,096 shares of the companys stock valued at $7,301,000 after purchasing an additional 7,174 shares during the period. Alberta Investment Management Corp raised its position in shares of Cardinal Health by 4,446.0% in the second quarter. Alberta Investment Management Corp now owns 209,116 shares of the companys stock valued at $19,776,000 after purchasing an additional 204,516 shares during the period. Finally, Forsta AP Fonden raised its position in shares of Cardinal Health by 65.5% in the third quarter. Forsta AP Fonden now owns 93,200 shares of the companys stock valued at $8,092,000 after purchasing an additional 36,900 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 86.01% of the companys stock.

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Insider Transactions at Cardinal Health

In other news, CEO Deborah Weitzman sold 36,642 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $106.31, for a total transaction of $3,895,411.02. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 35,202 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,742,324.62. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. 0.15% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

CAH has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. TheStreet downgraded shares of Cardinal Health from a b- rating to a c+ rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 27th. Argus upgraded Cardinal Health from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Friday, February 9th. Wells Fargo & Company assumed coverage on Cardinal Health in a research report on Thursday, December 14th. They set an underweight rating and a $96.00 price target for the company. UBS Group increased their price objective on Cardinal Health from $122.00 to $125.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Monday, February 5th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on Cardinal Health from $101.00 to $112.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Friday, November 17th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating, five have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $101.38.

Read Our Latest Stock Report on Cardinal Health

Cardinal Health Trading Up 1.1 %

CAH stock traded up $1.12 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $105.57. The company had a trading volume of 582,814 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,197,284. The business has a 50-day moving average of $104.08 and a 200-day moving average of $97.69. Cardinal Health, Inc. has a one year low of $68.53 and a one year high of $111.40. The stock has a market cap of $25.68 billion, a PE ratio of 41.12, a PEG ratio of 0.90 and a beta of 0.69.

Cardinal Health (NYSE:CAH  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 1st. The company reported $1.82 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.56 by $0.26. Cardinal Health had a negative return on equity of 57.44% and a net margin of 0.30%. The firm had revenue of $57.45 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $57.02 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.32 earnings per share. The companys revenue was up 11.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts forecast that Cardinal Health, Inc. will post 7.29 EPS for the current year.

Cardinal Health Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 15th. Stockholders of record on Monday, April 1st will be given a dividend of $0.5006 per share. This represents a $2.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.90%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 28th. Cardinal Healths payout ratio is 78.74%.

Cardinal Health Profile

(Free Report)

Cardinal Health, Inc operates as a healthcare services and products company in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, and internationally. It provides customized solutions for hospitals, healthcare systems, pharmacies, ambulatory surgery centers, clinical laboratories, physician offices, and patients in the home.

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River & Mercantile Asset Management LLP lifted its stake in shares of Target Co. (NYSE:TGT  Free Report) by 100.1% during the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 17,572 shares of the retailers stock after buying an additional 8,792 shares during the period. River & Mercantile Asset Management LLPs holdings in Target were worth $1,943,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors have also bought and sold shares of TGT. Tower View Wealth Management LLC raised its position in Target by 82.8% during the 3rd quarter. Tower View Wealth Management LLC now owns 234 shares of the retailers stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 106 shares during the last quarter. Sittner & Nelson LLC raised its position in shares of Target by 150.6% in the 2nd quarter. Sittner & Nelson LLC now owns 213 shares of the retailers stock worth $28,000 after acquiring an additional 128 shares in the last quarter. First Capital Advisors Group LLC. bought a new position in shares of Target in the 2nd quarter worth about $31,000. WFA of San Diego LLC bought a new position in shares of Target in the 2nd quarter worth about $33,000. Finally, Penserra Capital Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Target in the 4th quarter worth about $35,000. 78.33% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of analysts recently commented on TGT shares. Gordon Haskett raised Target from a hold rating to a buy rating and set a $170.00 target price for the company in a research report on Wednesday, February 7th. Jefferies Financial Group cut their price target on Target from $165.00 to $135.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, November 14th. Telsey Advisory Group lifted their price target on Target from $145.00 to $160.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, November 16th. The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a buy rating on shares of Target in a research note on Thursday, February 1st. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on Target from $148.00 to $155.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, January 4th. Fourteen research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fourteen have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $154.92.

Insider Buying and Selling at Target

In other Target news, insider Christina Hennington sold 4,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, November 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $130.55, for a total transaction of $522,200.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 38,451 shares of the companys stock, valued at $5,019,778.05. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.23% of the companys stock.

Target Stock Up 0.8 %

Shares of NYSE TGT traded up $1.20 on Tuesday, reaching $149.71. 1,788,501 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 3,405,539. Target Co. has a 12 month low of $102.93 and a 12 month high of $172.67. The businesss 50 day simple moving average is $142.00 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $127.94. The company has a market cap of $69.12 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.08, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.16 and a beta of 1.11. The company has a quick ratio of 0.18, a current ratio of 0.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.19.

Target Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Sunday, March 10th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, February 21st will be paid a dividend of $1.10 per share. This represents a $4.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.94%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, February 20th. Targets dividend payout ratio is 56.12%.

Target Company Profile

(Free Report)

Target Corporation operates as a general merchandise retailer in the United States. The company offers apparel for women, men, boys, girls, toddlers, and infants and newborns, as well as jewelry, accessories, and shoes; and beauty and personal care, baby gear, cleaning, paper products, and pet supplies.

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River & Mercantile Asset Management LLP reduced its holdings in shares of Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE:LVS  Free Report) by 6.3% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 74,907 shares of the casino operators stock after selling 4,996 shares during the period. River & Mercantile Asset Management LLPs holdings in Las Vegas Sands were worth $3,435,000 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 LVS. Spire Wealth Management grew its stake in shares of Las Vegas Sands by 197.4% in the second quarter. Spire Wealth Management now owns 452 shares of the casino operators stock worth $26,000 after acquiring an additional 300 shares during the period. Coppell Advisory Solutions LLC bought a new stake in shares of Las Vegas Sands in the second quarter worth approximately $29,000. Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV grew its stake in shares of Las Vegas Sands by 95.0% in the second quarter. Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV now owns 546 shares of the casino operators stock worth $32,000 after acquiring an additional 266 shares during the period. Headlands Technologies LLC bought a new stake in shares of Las Vegas Sands in the third quarter worth approximately $27,000. Finally, Western Pacific Wealth Management LP bought a new stake in shares of Las Vegas Sands in the third quarter worth approximately $29,000. 39.16% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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Las Vegas Sands Price Performance

Shares of LVS stock traded down $2.15 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $53.10. The company had a trading volume of 2,471,469 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,997,278. Las Vegas Sands Corp. has a 52-week low of $43.77 and a 52-week high of $65.58. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $50.33 and its 200-day moving average price is $49.55. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.96, a current ratio of 1.31 and a quick ratio of 1.30. The company has a market capitalization of $40.02 billion, a P/E ratio of 34.53, a P/E/G ratio of 2.96 and a beta of 1.16.

Las Vegas Sands Announces Dividend

Las Vegas Sands ( NYSE:LVS Get Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, January 24th. The casino operator reported $0.57 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.61 by ($0.04). Las Vegas Sands had a return on equity of 34.40% and a net margin of 11.77%. The company had revenue of $2.92 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.89 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted ($0.19) EPS. Las Vegas Sandss quarterly revenue was up 161.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts forecast that Las Vegas Sands Corp. will post 2.74 earnings per share for the current year.

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 14th. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 6th were given a $0.20 dividend. This represents a $0.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.51%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, February 5th. Las Vegas Sandss dividend payout ratio is presently 50.00%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of brokerages have recently commented on LVS. Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on shares of Las Vegas Sands from $59.00 to $61.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 7th. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Las Vegas Sands from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Friday, December 8th. UBS Group raised their price objective on shares of Las Vegas Sands from $71.00 to $77.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Thursday, November 16th. Finally, Susquehanna started coverage on shares of Las Vegas Sands in a report on Friday, December 15th. They issued a positive rating and a $59.00 price objective on the stock. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, Las Vegas Sands has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $68.82.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on LVS

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Las Vegas Sands news, major shareholder Miriam Adelson sold 12,253,628 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, December 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $43.23, for a total transaction of $529,724,338.44. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 41,134,164 shares in the company, valued at $1,778,229,909.72. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.91% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Las Vegas Sands Profile

(Free Report)

Las Vegas Sands Corp., together with its subsidiaries, develops, owns, and operates integrated resorts in Macao and Singapore. It owns and operates The Venetian Macao Resort Hotel, the Londoner Macao, The Parisian Macao, The Plaza Macao and Four Seasons Hotel Macao, Cotai Strip, and the Sands Macao in Macao, the People's Republic of China; and Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.

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River & Mercantile Asset Management LLP reduced its stake in shares of TopBuild Corp. (NYSE:BLD  Free Report) by 40.3% in the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 9,300 shares of the construction companys stock after selling 6,290 shares during the period. River & Mercantile Asset Management LLPs holdings in TopBuild were worth $2,340,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted its stake in TopBuild by 2.6% in the first quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 75,512 shares of the construction companys stock worth $13,697,000 after purchasing an additional 1,891 shares during the last quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. increased its position in shares of TopBuild by 26.1% during the first quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. now owns 1,598 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $290,000 after buying an additional 331 shares during the period. Bank of Montreal Can grew its holdings in TopBuild by 3.8% in the first quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 4,993 shares of the construction companys stock worth $998,000 after purchasing an additional 184 shares during the period. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS grew its holdings in TopBuild by 10.5% in the first quarter. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS now owns 12,067 shares of the construction companys stock worth $2,189,000 after purchasing an additional 1,151 shares during the period. Finally, Great West Life Assurance Co. Can grew its holdings in TopBuild by 9.1% in the first quarter. Great West Life Assurance Co. Can now owns 18,097 shares of the construction companys stock worth $3,375,000 after purchasing an additional 1,503 shares during the period. 95.58% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded shares of TopBuild from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and upped their target price for the stock from $312.00 to $387.00 in a research note on Thursday, December 14th. Loop Capital upgraded shares of TopBuild from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Monday, January 8th. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their target price on shares of TopBuild from $369.00 to $419.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Thursday, January 11th. Evercore ISI raised shares of TopBuild from an in-line rating to an outperform rating and upped their target price for the company from $308.00 to $368.00 in a report on Thursday, November 9th. Finally, Truist Financial cut shares of TopBuild from a buy rating to a hold rating and increased their price objective for the stock from $290.00 to $410.00 in a research note on Thursday, January 4th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, TopBuild currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $341.67.

TopBuild Price Performance

BLD traded down $7.60 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $379.26. 128,689 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 221,224. The company has a market cap of $12.05 billion, a PE ratio of 20.10, a P/E/G ratio of 1.87 and a beta of 1.67. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $371.75 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $306.73. TopBuild Corp. has a 1 year low of $184.50 and a 1 year high of $403.34. The company has a current ratio of 2.50, a quick ratio of 2.02 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.58.

Insider Activity at TopBuild

In related news, VP Luis Francisco Machado sold 1,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, December 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $374.65, for a total transaction of $374,650.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 7,921 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,967,602.65. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In other TopBuild news, CEO Robert M. Buck sold 2,500 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, December 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $374.60, for a total transaction of $936,500.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 66,830 shares in the company, valued at $25,034,518. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, VP Luis Francisco Machado sold 1,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, December 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $374.65, for a total transaction of $374,650.00. Following the transaction, the vice president now owns 7,921 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,967,602.65. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 8,000 shares of company stock valued at $2,643,240. Corporate insiders own 0.46% of the companys stock.

TopBuild Profile

(Free Report)

TopBuild Corp., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the installation and distribution of insulation and other building material products to the construction industry. The company operates in two segments, Installation and Specialty Distribution. It provides insulation products and accessories, glass and windows, rain gutters, afterpaint products, fireproofing products, garage doors, fireplaces, closet shelving, roofing materials, and other products; and insulation installation services.

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River Road Asset Management LLC lessened its holdings in Black Hills Co. (NYSE:BKH  Free Report) by 30.2% in the third quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 102,343 shares of the utilities providers stock after selling 44,354 shares during the period. River Road Asset Management LLCs holdings in Black Hills were worth $5,178,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of BKH. State Street Corp raised its stake in Black Hills by 16.1% in the first quarter. State Street Corp now owns 6,059,252 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $466,684,000 after purchasing an additional 838,590 shares in the last quarter. Zimmer Partners LP acquired a new position in Black Hills in the second quarter valued at about $39,326,000. Capital Research Global Investors acquired a new position in Black Hills in the first quarter valued at about $45,758,000. Macquarie Group Ltd. raised its stake in Black Hills by 14.6% in the second quarter. Macquarie Group Ltd. now owns 2,502,209 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $182,085,000 after purchasing an additional 318,024 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Millennium Management LLC raised its stake in Black Hills by 145.2% in the second quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 338,736 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $24,650,000 after purchasing an additional 200,587 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 86.64% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts have commented on BKH shares. Mizuho raised Black Hills from an underperform rating to a neutral rating and set a $53.00 target price for the company in a research note on Tuesday, November 21st. Royal Bank of Canada lowered their price objective on Black Hills from $61.00 to $57.00 and set a sector perform rating for the company in a research note on Friday, February 9th. Scotiabank upped their target price on Black Hills from $57.00 to $58.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a report on Friday, February 9th. Finally, Bank of America reduced their target price on Black Hills from $60.00 to $49.00 and set an underperform rating on the stock in a report on Monday, November 20th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and four have given a hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Black Hills currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $55.80.

Black Hills Stock Performance

Shares of BKH stock traded up $0.66 on Tuesday, hitting $52.74. 34,666 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 575,709. The company has a current ratio of 0.70, a quick ratio of 0.56 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.15. The firm has a market capitalization of $3.60 billion, a PE ratio of 13.29 and a beta of 0.65. Black Hills Co. has a one year low of $46.43 and a one year high of $66.85. The firms 50 day moving average is $52.91 and its two-hundred day moving average is $52.65.

Black Hills (NYSE:BKH  Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, February 8th. The utilities provider reported $1.17 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.06 by $0.11. Black Hills had a return on equity of 8.09% and a net margin of 11.25%. The business had revenue of $591.70 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $863.67 million. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $1.11 EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that Black Hills Co. will post 3.9 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Black Hills Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 1st. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 16th will be given a dividend of $0.65 per share. This represents a $2.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.93%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, February 15th. This is an increase from Black Hillss previous quarterly dividend of $0.63. Black Hillss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 66.33%.

About Black Hills

(Free Report)

Black Hills Corporation, through its subsidiaries, operates as an electric and natural gas utility company in the United States. It operates in two segments, Electric Utilities and Gas Utilities. The Electric Utilities segment generates, transmits, and distributes electricity to approximately 220,000 electric utility customers in Colorado, Montana, South Dakota, and Wyoming; and owns and operates 1,482 megawatts of generation capacity and 9,024 miles of electric transmission and distribution lines.

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Suncor Energy (TSE:SU  Get Free Report) (NYSE:SU) will be announcing its earnings results after the market closes on Wednesday, February 21st. Analysts expect the company to announce earnings of C$1.09 per share for the quarter.

Suncor Energy Stock Performance

TSE:SU opened at C$44.58 on Tuesday. The stock has a market cap of C$57.95 billion, a P/E ratio of 7.20, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.15 and a beta of 1.51. The company has a current ratio of 1.24, a quick ratio of 0.83 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 36.93. The stocks 50-day moving average is C$43.18 and its 200-day moving average is C$44.43. Suncor Energy has a 1-year low of C$37.09 and a 1-year high of C$48.26.

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Suncor Energy Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 22nd. Investors of record on Friday, December 22nd were given a dividend of $0.545 per share. This is a positive change from Suncor Energys previous quarterly dividend of $0.52. This represents a $2.18 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.89%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, November 30th. Suncor Energys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 35.22%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Royal Bank of Canada increased their price objective on shares of Suncor Energy from C$51.00 to C$53.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Friday, November 10th. Desjardins cut their price objective on shares of Suncor Energy from C$49.00 to C$45.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, January 23rd. BMO Capital Markets cut their price objective on shares of Suncor Energy from C$51.00 to C$50.00 in a research report on Tuesday, December 12th. National Bankshares decreased their price target on shares of Suncor Energy from C$74.00 to C$57.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, January 10th. Finally, CIBC decreased their price target on shares of Suncor Energy from C$47.00 to C$46.00 and set a sector perform rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, January 16th. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Suncor Energy has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of C$53.19.

Get Our Latest Analysis on Suncor Energy

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, Senior Officer Karen Liane Keegans bought 2,674 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 12th. The stock was acquired at an average price of C$29.73 per share, for a total transaction of C$79,498.02. In other news, Senior Officer Karen Liane Keegans purchased 2,674 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 12th. The shares were purchased at an average price of C$29.73 per share, with a total value of C$79,498.02. Also, Senior Officer Shelley Powell sold 9,452 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$42.60, for a total transaction of C$402,655.20. 0.01% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

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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The fact that multiple Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT) insiders offloaded a considerable amount of shares over the past year could have raised some eyebrows amongst investors. When evaluating insider transactions, knowing whether insiders are buying versus if they selling is usually more beneficial, as the latter can be open to many interpretations. However, when multiple insiders sell stock over a specific duration, shareholders should take notice as that could possibly be a red flag.

Although we don't think shareholders should simply follow insider transactions, we would consider it foolish to ignore insider transactions altogether.

See our latest analysis for Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

The Chief Operating Officer, Frank St. John, made the biggest insider sale in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for US$3.2m worth of shares at a price of US$474 each. While insider selling is a negative, to us, it is more negative if the shares are sold at a lower price. The good news is that this large sale was at well above current price of US$424. So it may not tell us anything about how insiders feel about the current share price.

All up, insiders sold more shares in Lockheed Martin than they bought, over the last year. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last 12 months, below. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date!

If you like to buy stocks that insiders are buying, rather than selling, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).

Insider Ownership Of Lockheed Martin

Another way to test the alignment between the leaders of a company and other shareholders is to look at how many shares they own. We usually like to see fairly high levels of insider ownership. Lockheed Martin insiders own about US$48m worth of shares. That equates to 0.05% of the company. While this is a strong but not outstanding level of insider ownership, it's enough to indicate some alignment between management and smaller shareholders.

Story continues

So What Do The Lockheed Martin Insider Transactions Indicate?

It doesn't really mean much that no insider has traded Lockheed Martin shares in the last quarter. Our analysis of Lockheed Martin insider transactions leaves us cautious. The modest level of insider ownership is, at least, some comfort. So these insider transactions can help us build a thesis about the stock, but it's also worthwhile knowing the risks facing this company. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 1 warning sign for Lockheed Martin you should know about.

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies.

For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions of direct interests only, but not derivative transactions or indirect interests.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
Ranch Capital Advisors Inc. grew its position in The Southern Company (NYSE:SO  Free Report) by 2.7% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 16,974 shares of the utilities providers stock after purchasing an additional 448 shares during the period. Ranch Capital Advisors Inc.s holdings in Southern were worth $1,099,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in SO. Prudential PLC grew its position in shares of Southern by 23.4% in the first quarter. Prudential PLC now owns 19,438 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $1,409,000 after purchasing an additional 3,689 shares during the last quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust raised its position in shares of Southern by 33.5% during the first quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 1,727 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $126,000 after buying an additional 433 shares during the last quarter. Covestor Ltd increased its position in shares of Southern by 63.0% during the first quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 1,902 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $138,000 after purchasing an additional 735 shares during the period. NewEdge Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of Southern by 0.4% during the first quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 49,925 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $3,621,000 after purchasing an additional 221 shares during the period. Finally, Mackenzie Financial Corp boosted its stake in Southern by 35.8% during the first quarter. Mackenzie Financial Corp now owns 907,132 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $65,776,000 after buying an additional 239,325 shares in the last quarter. 62.85% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Southern Trading Up 1.0 %

Southern stock traded up $0.64 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $67.12. 3,820,966 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 4,752,624. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.62, a quick ratio of 0.56 and a current ratio of 0.77. The Southern Company has a fifty-two week low of $61.56 and a fifty-two week high of $75.80. The firm has a market capitalization of $73.23 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.31, a PEG ratio of 4.14 and a beta of 0.50. The firms 50 day moving average is $69.58 and its 200-day moving average is $68.72.

Southern Dividend Announcement

Southern ( NYSE:SO Get Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Thursday, February 15th. The utilities provider reported $0.64 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.59 by $0.05. The firm had revenue of $6.05 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.90 billion. Southern had a return on equity of 11.40% and a net margin of 15.79%. The companys quarterly revenue was down 14.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $0.26 earnings per share. On average, analysts predict that The Southern Company will post 4.01 earnings per share for the current year.

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, March 6th. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 20th will be paid a dividend of $0.70 per share. This represents a $2.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.17%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 16th. Southerns payout ratio is presently 77.14%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, EVP Christopher Cummiskey sold 899 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $67.06, for a total transaction of $60,286.94. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 22,502 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,508,984.12. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. In related news, EVP Christopher Cummiskey sold 899 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $67.06, for a total transaction of $60,286.94. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 22,502 shares in the company, valued at $1,508,984.12. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CEO Stephen E. Kuczynski sold 5,000 shares of Southern stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $66.94, for a total value of $334,700.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 129,552 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,672,210.88. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 25,998 shares of company stock valued at $1,817,613. 0.37% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on SO shares. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price target on shares of Southern from $75.00 to $72.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research note on Friday. Scotiabank lowered Southern from a sector outperform rating to a sector perform rating and set a $78.00 price target on the stock. in a research note on Friday, November 3rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on Southern from $69.00 to $72.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 29th. Mizuho reduced their target price on shares of Southern from $76.00 to $73.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, November 21st. Finally, BMO Capital Markets reduced their target price on shares of Southern from $75.00 to $72.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research note on Friday. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating, five have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $73.46.

Get Our Latest Analysis on Southern

About Southern

(Free Report)

The Southern Company, through its subsidiaries, engages in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity. The company also develops, constructs, acquires, owns, and manages power generation assets, including renewable energy projects and sells electricity in the wholesale market; and distributes natural gas in Illinois, Georgia, Virginia, and Tennessee, as well as provides gas marketing services, gas distribution operations, and gas pipeline investments operations.

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Invesco Ltd. lessened its holdings in shares of The Toronto-Dominion Bank (NYSE:TD  Free Report) (TSE:TD) by 4.5% during the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 4,704,852 shares of the banks stock after selling 222,309 shares during the period. Invesco Ltd.s holdings in Toronto-Dominion Bank were worth $283,514,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Fairfield Bush & CO. bought a new stake in shares of Toronto-Dominion Bank in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $26,000. BlackRock Inc. grew its stake in shares of Toronto-Dominion Bank by 6.3% in the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 914,064 shares of the banks stock valued at $72,595,000 after buying an additional 54,121 shares in the last quarter. U.S. Capital Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Toronto-Dominion Bank in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $200,000. Raymond James Trust N.A. lifted its holdings in Toronto-Dominion Bank by 1.7% in the 1st quarter. Raymond James Trust N.A. now owns 9,868 shares of the banks stock worth $784,000 after purchasing an additional 161 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Cetera Investment Advisers lifted its holdings in Toronto-Dominion Bank by 21.8% in the 1st quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 12,022 shares of the banks stock worth $955,000 after purchasing an additional 2,154 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 51.52% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms recently weighed in on TD. Scotiabank lowered Toronto-Dominion Bank from a sector outperform rating to a sector perform rating in a report on Wednesday, December 20th. Bank of America lowered Toronto-Dominion Bank from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a report on Monday, December 18th. CIBC lowered Toronto-Dominion Bank from a sector outperform rating to a neutral rating in a report on Wednesday, November 22nd. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded Toronto-Dominion Bank from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Monday, December 4th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $89.33.

Toronto-Dominion Bank Stock Up 0.3 %

Shares of TD stock opened at $59.94 on Tuesday. The firm has a market cap of $106.38 billion, a PE ratio of 14.44, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.71 and a beta of 0.87. The company has a quick ratio of 1.00, a current ratio of 1.00 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.09. The Toronto-Dominion Bank has a 12 month low of $54.69 and a 12 month high of $69.07. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $61.49 and a 200-day moving average of $60.66.

Toronto-Dominion Bank (NYSE:TD  Get Free Report) (TSE:TD) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, November 30th. The bank reported $1.35 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.39 by ($0.04). The firm had revenue of $13.19 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $9.02 billion. Toronto-Dominion Bank had a net margin of 10.65% and a return on equity of 14.68%. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 7.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $1.64 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts predict that The Toronto-Dominion Bank will post 5.81 EPS for the current year.

Toronto-Dominion Bank Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, January 31st. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, January 10th were given a dividend of $0.7506 per share. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, January 9th. This is a boost from Toronto-Dominion Banks previous quarterly dividend of $0.73. This represents a $3.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 5.01%. Toronto-Dominion Banks payout ratio is currently 68.19%.

Toronto-Dominion Bank Profile

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The Toronto-Dominion Bank, together with its subsidiaries, provides various financial products and services in Canada, the United States, and internationally. It operates through four segments: Canadian Personal and Commercial Banking, U.S. Retail, Wealth Management and Insurance, and Wholesale Banking.

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Want to see what other hedge funds are holding TD? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The Toronto-Dominion Bank (NYSE:TD  Free Report) (TSE:TD).

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Theratechnologies (TSE:TH  Get Free Report) will announce its earnings results before the market opens on Wednesday, February 21st.

Theratechnologies Stock Performance

Shares of TH stock opened at C$2.23 on Tuesday. The firm has a market capitalization of C$109.72 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -1.34, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of -8.50 and a beta of 1.75. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 562.07, a current ratio of 0.41 and a quick ratio of 0.64. The business has a fifty day moving average of C$2.31 and a 200 day moving average of C$2.18. Theratechnologies has a 1 year low of C$1.22 and a 1 year high of C$5.84.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

Separately, Cantor Fitzgerald restated an overweight rating on shares of Theratechnologies in a research note on Friday, January 12th.

About Theratechnologies

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Theratechnologies Inc, a biopharmaceutical company, focuses on the development and commercialization of various therapies to address the unmet medical needs in the United States, Canada, and Europe. The company offers EGRIFTA and EGRIFTA SV for the reduction of excess abdominal fat in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients with lipodystrophy; and Trogarzo, a recombinant humanized monoclonal antibody, which is an injection for the treatment of multidrug resistant HIV-1 infected patients.

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Shares of Xenia Hotels & Resorts, Inc. (NYSE:XHR  Get Free Report) have received a consensus rating of Hold from the seven analysts that are covering the firm, MarketBeat Ratings reports. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have issued a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 12-month target price among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $14.33.

Several brokerages have weighed in on XHR. Wolfe Research initiated coverage on Xenia Hotels & Resorts in a research note on Wednesday, January 10th. They issued a peer perform rating on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on Xenia Hotels & Resorts from $13.00 to $14.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Friday, December 22nd. Morgan Stanley raised their price target on Xenia Hotels & Resorts from $10.00 to $11.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 7th. KeyCorp lowered their price objective on Xenia Hotels & Resorts from $17.00 to $15.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, December 13th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price objective on Xenia Hotels & Resorts from $13.00 to $14.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 2nd.

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Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Xenia Hotels & Resorts Stock Performance

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Xenia Hotels & Resorts by 3.3% during the third quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC now owns 48,626 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $573,000 after purchasing an additional 1,551 shares in the last quarter. Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund bought a new stake in Xenia Hotels & Resorts in the third quarter valued at about $750,000. Inspire Investing LLC grew its holdings in shares of Xenia Hotels & Resorts by 22.5% during the second quarter. Inspire Investing LLC now owns 25,758 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $317,000 after purchasing an additional 4,727 shares during the last quarter. Campbell & CO Investment Adviser LLC bought a new position in shares of Xenia Hotels & Resorts during the third quarter valued at approximately $341,000. Finally, Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank grew its holdings in shares of Xenia Hotels & Resorts by 7.7% during the third quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank now owns 43,605 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $514,000 after purchasing an additional 3,099 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 91.16% of the companys stock.

Shares of Xenia Hotels & Resorts stock opened at $13.23 on Thursday. The businesss fifty day simple moving average is $13.32 and its 200-day simple moving average is $12.41. Xenia Hotels & Resorts has a 52 week low of $10.90 and a 52 week high of $15.16. The company has a quick ratio of 2.94, a current ratio of 2.94 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.02. The firm has a market cap of $1.39 billion, a PE ratio of 32.27 and a beta of 1.43.

Xenia Hotels & Resorts Company Profile

(Get Free Report

Xenia Hotels & Resorts, Inc is a self-advised and self-administered REIT that invests in uniquely positioned luxury and upper upscale hotels and resorts with a focus on the top 25 lodging markets as well as key leisure destinations in the United States. The Company owns 32 hotels and resorts comprising 9,511 rooms across 14 states.

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Harvey Jones accounts for 2021 reveal pre-tax profits of 1.3m on sales of 19.3m - Harvey Jones

Luxury kitchen company Harvey Jones is facing collapse unless it secures emergency funding, as the business said it was preparing to appoint administrators.

The London-based business has lined up insolvency experts at Interpath, with talks underway to secure a last-ditch deal with potential new investors.

Having filed a notice to appoint administrators earlier this month, Harvey Jones management is now in a race to raise cash or find a buyer.

Founded in 1977, Harvey Jones kitchens are made entirely by hand in Cambridgeshire, with some of its products costing tens of thousands of pounds.

Overall, the company runs 28 showrooms across the UK and claims to have created more than 15,000 kitchens since its launch.

Its accounts for the last financial year are currently overdue, although its struggles represent growing turmoil across the sector as kitchen suppliers battle soaring costs.

Harvey Jones runs 28 showrooms across the UK and claims to have created more than 15,000 kitchens since its launch - Harvey Jones

Mereway Kitchens  which supplied retailers such as John Lewis  was rescued for 500,000 last August but has since collapsed again into administration.

Harvey Jones potential administration comes less than two years after the company changed ownership in a management buyout.

Its accounts for 2021 reveal pre-tax profits of 1.3m on sales of 19.3m, with the company employing 115 workers.

It is understood that a takeover remains a possibility, as rival supplier Naked Kitchens has approached Harvey Jones bosses about buying the business.

A spokesman for Harvey Jones said: We are reviewing options to restructure the business on a sustainable basis, including discussions with key stakeholders and potential new investors.

We have filed court documents that will protect the business while these discussions remain ongoing, to allow us time to reach a successful conclusion, to enable us to achieve our growth plans for 2024.

Harvey Jones showrooms, which are located in the likes of London, Bath and Birmingham, remain open and the company is continuing to trade.

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Weather Alert

...Elevated Fire Danger Today and Tuesday... ...Hard Freeze Expected Tonight... The combination of very dry air and northwest winds gusting up to 20 mph will create an elevated risk of uncontrolled fire spread this afternoon. Relative humidity values will fall to 20 to 35%, with the lowest humidity levels over the Ozark Foothills of southeast Missouri. A more substantial fire danger is expected Tuesday, as southwest winds increase significantly, with gusts of 25 to 40 mph forecast Tuesday afternoon. Relative humidity values Tuesday afternoon will fall to 25 to 35%. If you are planning outdoor burning today and Tuesday, use extra caution and have fire suppression equipment ready. Tonight, very cold and dry surface high pressure will allow temperatures to drop into the middle and upper 20s throughout the region. Although the growing season has not officially started, tender vegetation could be impacted by these cold temperatures. Please take necessary actions to protect any tender vegetation tonight.
Supporters and opponents of a Republican-backed Indiana bill aimed at stopping the city of Garys 25-year-long lawsuit against handgun makers clashed during a lengthy Senate committee hearing on Tuesday.

The committee heard more than two hours of discussion and testimony.

Gary Mayor Eddie Melton urged members of the Senate Committee on Corrections and Criminal Law to vote down the legislation, which he framed as a legislative overreach and an unfair usurpation of the citys authority.

This is that camel sticking the nose under the tent, Melton, who served in the Indiana Senate until December, told the committee. Local governments have the right to fight back against bad actors, and I repeat, bad actors who they believe are harming their community.

House Bill 1235 would remove the ability of cities, states and other political subdivisions in Indiana to sue gun and ammunition manufacturers in nearly all cases, reserving sole authority to do so for the state attorney general. The legislation, which was passed by the Indiana House 68-27 vote in January, would apply retroactively to pending lawsuits, of which there is currently only one. Its author, Rep. Chris Jeter, R-Fishers, has been explicit about his singular intention to quash the Gary suit, first filed by the city in 1999.

Gary brought a nuisance suit against 11 handgun manufacturers, one wholesaler, and five retailers, claiming that the defendants engaged in illegal activity, including allowing straw purchases of firearms, that has fueled violent crime in the city.

Courtney Curtis, assistant executive director at the Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council, did not take a stance on the bill, but explained to the committee that gun violence has increased in Northwest Indiana in recent years. She noted that the rate of minors killed by firearms in the region is more than double the national rate.

Sen. Rodney Pol. D-Chesterton, who has worked on the lawsuit in his role as a city attorney for Gary, introduced two amendments during Tuesdays committee meeting that would have weakened the bill. One would have maintained the ability of subdivisions to sue gun makers over unlawful activity, and the other would have removed the retroactive aspect of the legislation, allowing the citys lawsuit to proceed unimpeded.

Story continues

The idea that we would go back in time to 25 years (ago), to make this retroactive back to that date, I think, slaps the judiciary in the face. Pol told the committee. I think it slaps all of our political subdivisions in the face.

Courts have consistently allowed the lawsuit to proceed, even as new legislation has curtailed the civil liability of gun makers. In 2005, shortly after Congress granted industry businesses broad civil protections at the federal level with the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, the defendants unsuccessfully moved to dismiss the lawsuit. In 2015, then-Indiana Governor Mike Pence signed a law making an existing civil immunity statute for the gun industry retroactive, prompting another motion to dismiss that was ultimately unsuccessful.

Both amendments were rejected by the committee, with four of the five Republican committee members voting against them. Sen. Liz Brown, R-Fort Wayne, joined Pol and Sen. Greg Taylor, D-Indianapolis, in voting yes on both items.

Brown was the only Republican on the committee to criticize the bill, and drew an analogy between the Gary suit and a lawsuit filed in November against automakers Hyundai and Kia by her home city. Attorneys for Fort Wayne claimed that the companies vehicles lack features designed to prevent them from being stolen, leading to rampant car theft and related crimes.

When Corrine Youngs, policy director and legislative council to Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita, argued for reserving the power to sue gun makers for Rokitas office because it makes sense in these regulatory situations to have one decision maker for the state of Indiana, Brown pushed back.

I guess Im having a hard time figuring out where we should not allow locals to take this decision and where we should, Brown told Youngs.

I think its a better position for the state to be representing the entirety of the whole state in the Hyundai suit, Youngs replied.

____
Increase in retail crime is truly shocking, says North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner

An increase in retail crime has been described as truly shocking by the North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner.

Last week British Retail Consortium (BRC) released new figures showing a dramatic increase in both theft and violence against retail workers across the UK.

According to the latest crime survey, incidents of abuse and theft have sharply risen, with daily occurrences reaching 1,300 in the year 2022/23, up from 870 the previous year.

It comes despite significant investment in crime prevention by retailers, totalling 1.2bna rise from 722m the previous year.

These investments include advanced security measures such as CCTV, additional security personnel, and body-worn cameras.

However, the cost of theft alone has surged to 1.8bn, contributing to a total crime cost of 3.3bn, effectively doubling the financial burden on retailers compared to the previous year.

The BRCs annual crime survey highlights the scale of violence and abuse faced by people working in retail, which include racial abuse, sexual harassment, physical assault, and threats with weapons.

According to retail workers the abuse is on par with levels seen during the pandemic, when staff bore the brunt of some peoples frustration with Covid safety measures.

With 60% of retail respondents rating the police response to incidents as poor or very poor, there is growing dissatisfaction within the sector regarding law enforcements handling of these issues.

In response, there are widespread calls for the government to introduce a standalone offence for assaulting, threatening, or abusing retail workers, akin to legislation already in place in Scotland.

Commenting on the figures the North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Andy Dunbobbin said: These figures from the British Retail Consortium that incidents against staff have risen by 50% in a year and thefts have doubled are truly shocking.

Shop assistants and colleagues have a right to go to work and feel safe, and business owners have a right to know that the police are there for them if the worst happens.

North Wales Police, with my full support, introduced the We Dont Buy Crime campaign last year and officers are active in the community in advising businesses on how to make their premises and operations more secure, and ensuring goods and property can be marked, making it harder for them to be sold on.

More widely, we also need to look at the social reasons behind this rise and how we can ensure that offenders are dissuaded from causing further crime.

This means a collaborative and whole systems approach with the Police, alongside commissioned and support services, which is at the heart of my co-operative plan for fighting crime in North Wales.

Helen Dickinson OBE, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium, said: Despite retailers investing huge sums in crime prevention, violence and abuse against retail workers is climbing.

With over 1,300 incidents every day, government can no longer ignore the plight of ordinary, hardworking retail colleagues.

Teenagers taking on their first job, carers looking for part-time work, parents working around childcare. And while the violence can be over in a moment, the victims carry these experiences with them for a lifetime.

And we all know the impact does not stop there  it affects their colleagues, friends, and the family our colleagues go home to. This is a crisis that demands action now.

Criminals are being given a free pass to steal goods and to abuse and assault retail colleagues.

No one should have to go to work fearing for their safety. The Protection of Workers Act in Scotland already provides additional protection to retail workers, so why should our hardworking colleagues south of the border be offered less protection?

It is vital that government takes action  introducing a new standalone offence for assaulting or abusing a retail worker.

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Mega loser state: Kevin OLeary says he'll never invest in NY after its $355M Trump fraud ruling  believes 'there's no victim,' calls decision unjustifiable. Here's where he likes instead

In a pivotal ruling by a New York judge, former U.S. President Donald Trump and his company have been found guilty of fraudulently inflating the value of their assets, misleading banks and insurers. Trump has been ordered to pay nearly $355 million in fines.

Shark Tank star Kevin OLeary says the ruling has left him shocked.

Dont miss

I can't even understand or fathom the decision at all. There's no rationale for it, he said during a recent interview with Fox Business.

He proceeded to reproach the state of New York over this decision.

It doesn't matter what the governor says. New York was already a loser state, like California is a loser state, he remarked.

OLeary went on to say that he considers several states "loser states" thanks to their policies, high taxes and uncompetitive regulation  with New York leading the loser pack.

And now, hes steering clear of investing in New York, affirming, I would never invest in New York now.

Where is the victim?

OLeary criticized the courts decision because he doesnt see a victim in this case.

Every investor is worried because where is the victim? Who lost money? This is some arbitrary decision the judge made. This policy and what this says  what does this say about the bar, the legal bar in New York? Aren't they going to question this judge? What is this? $355 million as a penalty plus interest at 9% and there's no victim? OLeary questioned, adding that theres nothing New York governor Kathy Hochul can say to justify this decision.

Story continues

The judge in question, for his part, explained his reasoning in a 92-page decision issued on Feb. 16. The civil suit, which was brought forward by New York State Attorney Letitia James, sought monetary penalties and injunctive relief against Trump, his two oldest sons and his organization. The judge concluded that the Trump organization submitted blatantly false financial data to to borrow more and at lower rates.

The judge went on to add that unless judicially restrained, he expected the Trumps to continue to engage in the acts in question going forward  hence the fairly hefty judgment.

That being said, this isnt OLearys first time dismissing the Trump case. In a January interview with CNN, he argued that all real estate developers are interested in maximizing their property valuations, suggesting that Trumps actions reflect a broader industry issue rather than an isolated incident.

Forget about Trump, every single real estate developer everywhere on Earth does this. They always talk about their asset being worth a lot and the bank says no. That's just the way it is, he stated. If you're going to sue this case and win, you've got to sue every real estate developer everywhere.

Read more: Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now cash in on prime real estate  without the headache of being a landlord. Here's how

Winner states

Previously, OLeary has also labeled California and Delaware as loser states. Since hes not putting money to work in those states, where would he go?

I'm going to Oklahoma, North Dakota, West Virginia, he disclosed, noting that his staff has met with the governors of these states.

He also highlighted Tennessee as a notable example.

Look at Tennessee right now. Fastest growing city in America  Nashville. Winner state, good policy, competitive taxes. You've got to start thinking about this in the context of winners and losers, he explained.

New York? Mega loser state.

What to read next

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
World Socialist Web Site reporters spoke to some of the demonstrators attending the 250,000 strong protest in London, UK on Saturday against Israels genocidal onslaught on Gaza.

Some of the interviews are here and a compilation of video interviews are below.
The Sri Lankan government declared last week that its cabinet had approved proposals to amend its recently passed Online Safety Act (OSA). Cabinet spokesman Bandula Gunawardena told the media on February 13 that the government had received proposals from relevant industry professionals and that there would be amendments to the legislation. He did not elaborate further.

Sri Lankan social media activists hold placards with slogans against the proposed Online Safety Bill during a protest near the Sri Lankan parliament in Colombo, Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024. [AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena]

The OSA, which was bulldozed through parliament last month, is a far-reaching attack on basic democratic rights that criminalises anyone using social media to voice their opposition to the government and the capitalist system. The measures were signed into law by the Sri Lankan parliamentary speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena on February 1.

The decision to amend the legislation was in response to long-running public opposition from the Asia Internet Coalition (AIC), an alliance of major global internet and technology corporations. The AIC said it would not cooperate with any investigation by the government-appointed Online Safety Commission. AIC members include Amazon, Apple, Booking.com, Expedia Group, Google, GoTo, Grab, LINE, LinkedIn, Meta, Rakuten, X, and Yahoo. The AICs demands have nothing to do with defending the democratic rights of Sri Lankan citizens but ensuring that nothing interferes with their companys profits.

One of the proposed changes, according to the Colombo-based Sunday Times, absolves the ISP [Internet Service Provider], intermediary or their officer employee or agent of civil or criminal liability for anything done or omitted to be done with reasonable care and in good faith in complying with any Commission direction or for doing anything it might have to do in relation to a declared online location under the OSA.

The Online Safety Commission includes five people and a chairman who can be removed by the Sri Lankan president with the consent of the Constitutional Council, which reviews and approve senior government posts. In other words, the OSA Commission will be a political tool of President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The governments announcement last September of the original bill saw broad-ranging opposition from workers, students, social media, and free speech activists with 45 fundamental rights petitions lodged with Sri Lankas Supreme Court.

After reviewing the petitions, the court proposed 35 limited amendments and ruled that if they were adopted the bill could be passed with a simple parliamentary majority. If they were not accepted, the bill would need a two-thirds majority to become law.

The government responded by claiming that the suggested amendments had been incorporated by the attorney general and pushed it through parliament using its simple majority.

In fact, the government ignored several of the courts amendments. This was pointed out in a letter by L. T. B. Dehideniya, chairman of the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission and a former senior justice, who cited five clauses. Wickremesinghes cabinet responded by declaring that the OSA was now law and its measures would be implemented until the suggested new amendments were made.

Irrespective of the final form of these additional amendments, the anti-democratic and repressive character of the new laws will remain.

As Clause 12 states: Any person, whether in or outside Sri Lanka, who poses a threat to national security, public health or public order or promotes feelings of ill-will and hostility between different classes of people, by communicating a false statement, commits an offence and shall on conviction be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or to a fine not exceeding five hundred thousand rupees [$US1600] or to both such imprisonment and fine.

Clauses such as, promoting ill-will and hostility between different classes can be used to penalise any political party that advocates for the working class to mobilise its political and industrial strength to oust the government or the capitalist system.

Other broad-ranging clauses define the following as criminal offenses, which could be used to persecute and jail political opponents. These include, communication of false statement amounting to contempt, wantonly giving provocation by false statement to cause riot, disturbing a religious assembly by a false statement, and circulating false report with intent to cause mutiny or an offence against the State.

The OSA will be managed by the Public Security Ministry, currently headed by Tiran Alles, who is notorious for mobilising the police to break up demonstrations of workers, students and government opponents.

Sri Lanka Minister for Public Security Tiran Alles addressing a media conference in Colombo. [Photo: Tiran Alles/Facebook]

Addressing a community police committee meeting on February 12, Alles said, A certain group in the country is using social media to attack us, a reference to activists opposing his ministrys repressive Yukthiya (Justice) campaign.

Under the pretext of suppressing drugs and crime, this brutal police operation, which has been condemned by numerous human rights organisations, has arbitrarily arrested over 50,000 people since mid-December, many of them poor.

As long as I hold this ministerial position, Alles declared, I will not yield to the demands of these groups or the international community.



Wickremesinghes desperate efforts to impose its so-called Online Safety Act flows from its fear of the growing mass opposition of workers, students and the poor to his governments International Monetary Fund-dictated austerity measures.

From January 3 to 5, tens of thousands Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) workers held a nationwide sick-leave protest. The government responded by imposing its Essential Public Services Act, leading to 66 employees being suspended from their jobs. CEB management has also banned employees from using social media.

Last week hundreds of thousands of health workers walked out on strike, the third time this year, to demand higher allowances. Wickremesinghe reacted by imposing its essential services laws against the health employees and mobilising soldiers as strikebreakers.

Neither the health sector trade union leadership nor the CEB trade union bureaucracy has mobilised their members in united national industrial action to challenge these reactionary laws or fight the governments attacks.

Wickremesinghes Online Safety measures run parallel with other anti-democratic measures and are aimed at crushing working-class resistance to its social attacks. Its next draconian lawthe Anti-Terrorism Billwill soon be presented to parliament for ratification.

Wickremesinghe moves towards dictatorial methods of rule, which are fully endorsed by all factions of Sri Lankas ruling elite, are an expression global processes and the rapid shift towards extreme-right, anti-democratic regimes in the US, Europe and India.

While the opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) have made limited criticisms of the governments repressive laws, their comments are aimed at containing the growing anti-government opposition and covering up their own political records.

SJB leaders were in the Wickremesinghes United National Party and until recently, assisted in the implementation of various repressive measures against workers and the poor. Likewise, the JVP, which has been in and out of previous governments, has supported previous emergency measures and so-called anti-terror laws.

The working class can defend democratic rights only by mobilising its industrial and political strength, independent of all capitalist parties and the trade unions, and rallying behind them the oppressed masses. The defence of democratic rights is bound up with the struggle for socialist policies against the capitalist profit system.
The pseudo-left tendencies within and around the Left Party are reacting to the mass demonstrations against the neo-fascist Alternative for Germany (AfD) and the increase in strikes and protests here and internationally with a further shift to the right. They fear that the opposition to fascism and the anger over social inequality, anti-refugee agitation and a pro-war policy supported by all the establishment parties will slip out of the control of the government and trade union bureaucracy and take on independent forms.

Protesters in Frankfurt: The sign reads, "Never again 1933!" [AP Photo/Michael Probst]

While the Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei (Socialist Equality Party, SGP) is fighting to develop the protests and strikes into a conscious movement of the working class against the government and capitalism, the main pseudo-left groupsMarx 21, SAV and RIOare defending the very organisations responsible for right-wing politics and the rise of the fascists. Their orientation towards the ruling parties, the trade unions and the bourgeois state is not directed against the AfD, but aims to suppress an independent socialist movement of the working class against capitalism, fascism and war

Marx 21 and the call for the bourgeois state to act

This is particularly evident in Marx 21s call for an AfD ban. The state capitalist tendency originated as a satellite of Britains Socialist Workers Party (SWP). In a commentary, Janine Wissler, who moved seamlessly from the state capitalists to become co-chair of the Left Party, declares that a state party ban on the AfD would be a hard blow against the most powerful right-wing structure in decades. An AfD ban would not only close the money tap but would also entail a comprehensive ban on [its] activities. The AfD and direct successor organisations would no longer be allowed to be active.

In order to avoid appearing as a completely uncritical supporter of an oppressive state apparatus that is riddled with right-wing forces, Marx 21 notes pro forma that the demand for a ban was also associated with many pitfalls. For example, the state apparatus had repeatedly shown in the past that it is blind in the right eye. Only to then reiterate her demand: If an anti-fascist movement rallies behind a ban campaign, we should not be sectarian and defiant.

Opposition to the conception that the bourgeois state can play a role in the fight against the right has nothing to do with sectarianism but is an elementary prerequisite for building a truly anti-fascist movement. The state apparatus is not only blind in the right eye, but a centre of the right-wing conspiracy. Germanys police, military and secret services are permeated by far-right forces and play a central role in the rise of the AfD.

This is most evident when looking at the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, as Germanys domestic secret service is called. For years, it was led by a fascist, Hans-Georg Maassen, who met with representatives of the AfD on several occasions to discuss his agencys reports about anti-constitutional groups. Maassen had been appointed by the establishment parties to head the domestic intelligence service in order to strengthen the right-wing networks and direct the state apparatus even more openly towards the illegalisation of Marxism and the suppression of all left-wing opposition.

It is the height of historical falsification for Marx 21 to justify the call for the bourgeois state to act against the fascists in the name of Leon Trotsky. It cannot be our strategy to focus solely on a social revolution that will then do away with fascism, the group writes. In the spirit of Trotskys image of the primary struggle against the revolver of fascism in the hand and the hardly less important struggle against the slow-acting poison of capitalism, our goal must first be to knock the weapon out of the opponents hand.

The assertion that Trotskyalongside Lenin the most important leader of the October Revolution and founder of the Left Opposition and the Fourth Internationalrelied on the bourgeois state to suppress fascism turns reality on its head. Trotsky fought vehemently against the Social Democratic Party (SPD) position that the bourgeois state and its organs could be used to fight fascism. In What Next? Trotsky characterised the SPDs policy as a slavish orientation towards the state, police and Reichswehr (Armed Forces) in the struggle against Hitler, (calling on the state, Help! Intervene!) concluding, In this manner the reformists who have outlived their own day work for the fascists along bureaucratic lines.

History confirmed Trotskys warning. Hitler was brought to power in January 1933 by a conspiracy between politics, big business and the military. On March 23, 1933, all the bourgeois parties voted in favour of the Enabling Act and handed Hitler and the Nazis dictatorial powers.

Trotsky did not make the revolver-poison comparison to justify support for the reactionary forces that then helped Hitler to power, as Marx 21 suggests. It comes from a letter to a German worker-communist from December 1931, which was published under the title Wie wird der Nationalsozialismus geschlagen? (How will National Socialism be defeated? published in English as The impending danger of fascism in Germany). In it, Trotsky advocates the tactic of the united front against the Stalinist policy of social fascism.

The Communist Party (KPD), under Stalins influence, strictly refused to stand up for a united front against the Nazis with the SPDwhich, unlike today, was still supported by a considerable section of the working class. Instead, it advocated an ultra-left line that equated social democracy with fascism, divided and confused the working class and exposed large sections of the petty bourgeoisie to Hitlers fascist demagogy. The KPD not only rejected any co-operation with the SPD against the fascist danger, but in some cases even made common cause with the Nazisfor example when it supported the referendum initiated by the NSDAP (Nazi party) in 1931 to overthrow the SPD-led state government of Prussia.

Trotsky fought against this disastrous policy. He declared that the Central Committee of the KPD starts out with the idea that it is impossible to vanquish Fascism without first defeating the social democracy. While this was absolutely correct on a historical scale, Trotsky wrote, this did not at all mean that with its aid, that is, by simple repetition, one can solve the questions of the day.

An idea, correct from the point of view of revolutionary strategy as a whole, Trotsky goes on, turns into a lie and at that into a reactionary lie, if it is not translated into the language of tactics.

Since it was not possible that the KPD would defeat both social democracy and fascism in the coming months, the rejection of the united front amounted to the KPD leadership considering the victory of fascism inevitable. It is in this context that Trotsky cites the revolver-poison comparison. In order to knock the revolver out of the Nazis hands, a united front with the SPD had to be advocated.

Trotsky did not advocate mixing the programmes of the KPD and SPD. He rejected the slander by the KPD that he was demanding it support the semi-dictatorial regime of Heinrich Bruning as a lesser evil, as the SPD did. The question of whether Hitler or Bruning were the lesser evil made no sense, for the system against which we are fighting needs all these elements. But these elements are momentarily involved in conflicts with one another, and the party of the proletariat must take advantage of these conflicts in the interest of the revolution.

The tactic of the united front served this purpose. When one of my enemies sets before me small daily portions of poison and the second, on the other hand, is about to shoot straight at me, then I will first knock the revolver out of the hand of my second enemy, for this gives me an opportunity to get rid of my first enemy. But that does not at all mean that the poison is a lesser evil in comparison to the revolver.

The united front as advocated by Trotsky served to free the workers from the paralysing influence of social democracy in the face of the fascist danger and to win them over to a revolutionary socialist programme against capitalism. The letter, which Marx 21 significantly neither mentions nor quotes exactly, states: And this common front of direct struggle against fascism, involving the entire proletariat, must be utilized in the flank attacks against the social democracy, which are for all that no less effective.

Trotsky insisted that ultimately only a social revolution could stop fascism. He understood like no other that fascism was a product of the capitalist crisis and can only be stopped by the independent mobilisation of the working class. He opposed the capitalist policy of fascism and war with the strategy of world socialist revolution. This remains the only viable perspective today.

Unlike in the 1930s, however, there is no mass fascist movement and no mass workers parties today, but the role of the state and the bourgeois parties is the same. Just like back then, the bourgeois institutions and parties, which today include the SPD, are reacting to the capitalist crisis by turning towards fascism. They have systematically strengthened the AfD and integrated it into parliamentary work at federal and state level. The AfDs programmemass deportations, massive military armament and support for the genocide in Gazahas long been put into practice by them.

When the governing parties and the trade unions now intervene in the mass protests against the AfD under the slogan Together for Democracy, their aim is to cover their own right-wing agenda and subordinate the protests to the state apparatus.

SAV glorifies the trade unions and a Left Party-SPD-Green alliance

This orientation is supported by all the pseudo-left. The SAV (Socialist Alliance), originated as the German affiliate of Britains Militant Tendency/Socialist Party. Like Marx 21, it is an integral part of the Left Party, and is also fuelling illusions in the bourgeois state in its articles on the protests. A consistent ban on all fascist organisations and their dismantling, the confiscation of their property and the imprisonment of Nazi perpetrators of violence and racist agitators who are currently on the loose, combined with a clear stance by the state against racism and support for anti-fascist networking and educational work, would help in the fight against the right, reads one article.

The SAV knows exactly how absurd it is to ascribe such characteristics to the state apparatus, which is riddled with right-wing extremists and is waging a veritable war against anti-fascists and left-wingers. However, this is not the strategy of the bourgeois parties or those in economic power, the article states tersely. The demand for a ban on the AfD by the state was therefore not being made.

This does not change the reactionary orientation. While Marx21 explicitly calls for the state to act against the fascists, the SAV does so indirectly by fuelling illusions in the nominally left governing parties and by calling out to the Left Party and the trade unions. The SPD and Greens represent a democratic antithesis to the AfD, the SAV suggests in a statement entitled How do we stop the AfD and the shift to the right?

At the same time, it appeals to the Left Party to intervene more actively in the protests in order to put a stop to them: The Left Party must decide whether it will passively support the protests and position itself as another democratic party alongside the SPD and the Greens or whether it will distance itself from them, intervene with its own demands and take a clear stance against austerity policies and state racism.

The very admission that its parent organisation, the Left Party, is de facto no different from the SPD and the Greens exposes the SAV as an essentially right-wing, bourgeois tendency. As the leading parties in the federal coalition government, the SPD and the Greens are constantly stepping up the pro-war course against Russia and in the Middle East, boosting rearmament and making the working class pay for it. Only last week, the federal coalition passed the largest war budget since the end of the Second World War, accompanied by fierce attacks in the areas of health, education and social welfare.

At the same time, the coalition government is implementing the fascists programme on refugee policy. On January 18, it passed the Repatriation Improvement Act, which further restricts the rights of refugees and prepares for the mass deportations demanded by the AfD. Asylum seekers without the right to remain who have been living and working here for years can now be picked up without warning, detained for almost a month and forcibly deported. The police are not only allowed to search their accommodation and mobile phones, but also the accommodation of neighbours without a warrant.

The Left Party is not positioning itself against cutbacks and state racism, as the SAV would have us believe, but is vehemently in favour of them. Wherever it governs at state level together with the SPD and the Greens, it is particularly aggressive in implementing its anti-refugee and anti-working-class programme. Thuringia, in particularwhere the Left Party has its only state premier, Bodo Ramelowis notorious for conducting brutal deportations, has high deportation rates and assists the strengthening of the AfD by the establishment parties, in which the Left Party is also actively involved.

The same right-wing orientation of the pseudo-left can be seen in their glorification of the trade unions. The SAV claims these play a central role in building a movement that removes the breeding ground for the AfD and can overcome the conditions from which right-wing forces benefit. The trade unions bring together workers with and without a migration background and explain to their members the clash of interests between workers and capitalists.

This is nothing but cloud cuckoo land. In fact, the trade unions have long been exclusively on the side of the capitalists in the class struggle. By selling out labour disputes and strikes and systematically suppressing the class struggle, they are the ones creating the breeding ground for the fascists and defending capitalist relations on an extreme right-wing basis. They explicitly support the governments reactionary policies.

Just a few days ago, the leadership of the Confederation of German Unions (DGB) and leading works council representatives renewed their pact with the government and the corporations at the invitation of Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. The aim is to push ahead with the right-wing war and austerity policies and suppress the growing opposition to them in the working class.

RIOs united front with right-wing bourgeois forces

The Revolutionary Internationalist Organisation (RIO) is the German offshoot of the Morenoite Trotskyist Fraction-Fourth International (FT-CI). Although not formally part of the Left Party, it takes on the task of lending this right-wing orientation towards the governing parties and trade unions an independent or even anti-capitalist-revolutionary veneer. In an editorial on the mass protests on its website Klasse Gegen Klasse (Class Against Class), it emphasises the need for an anti-fascism from below instead of from above and declares: The governing coalition parties, the unions and corporations are not allies in the fight against the right.

Only to then propagate an alliance with precisely these right-wing forces! What we have in mind ... not just a united front among the left, writes RIO. It is not enough for all left-wing forces to coordinate actions against the right. This would not reach the millions of people who are prepared to take to the streets against the AfD, but who have not yet broken with the government and its organisations in the expanded state.

In other words, RIOs united front includes even the nominally right-wing capitalist parties that feign support for the anti-AfD demonstrations. And organisations such as the trade unions and Fridays for Future (FFF), which RIO praises particularly vehemently. RIO does this in the full knowledge that it is supporting a right-wing and pro-militarist agenda in every respect.

The parties of the coalition government had moved so far to the right that they are implementing an AfD-lite programme, writes Klasse gegen Klasse. And the Left Party was also pursuing a policy geared towards government participation, which, together with the SPD and the Greens, was responsible for the fact that in no other federal state were as many deportations carried out as in Berlin. FFF had an adapted attitude towards the government, which was expressed in its support for the Greens and in the pro-Israeli position of FFF Germany.

The same applied to the trade unions, whose leaders have called for pro-Israeli rallies together with the government, the Left Party and the Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU). Nevertheless, the leadership of the large mass organisations such as the trade unions and the climate movement must be forced to radicalise their demands and methods and break off their relations with the bourgeois parties.

This has something of political schizophrenia about it. The leaders of the FFF and the trade unions, such as Luisa Neubauer (Greens/FFF) or DGB chairwoman Yasmin Fahimi (SPD), are themselves bourgeois politicians and will never sever their ties with themselves and the parties to which they belong. They are reacting to the protests by pursuing their pro-capitalist and militaristic programme, which is essentially the same as that of the AfD, ever more aggressively.

The term united front is used by RIO to disguise this reality. As explained above, the united front tactic proposed by Trotsky in the early 1930s in Germany aimed to unite the working class in the face of the fascist threat, both to overcome the fatalism of the KPD and to free the workers from the paralysing influence of social democracy and win them over to a revolutionary socialist programme.

RIOs front is aimed at the opposite goal and serves to subordinate the workers to right-wing bourgeois organisations. The trade unions todayjust like the SPD and the Left Partyare no longer reformist organisations that represent the interests of their members, at least in day-to-day issues, but are a kind of corporatist mafia that organises the destruction of jobs and wages in the interests of the state and big business, suppresses strikes and social struggles in order to enforce the governments pro-war policy against growing resistance.

Anti-working-class roots

When the pseudo-left glorifies these forces as allies in the struggle against fascism, this is not a misunderstanding, but is rooted in their own class orientation and political history.

The Trotskyist Fraction-Fourth International (FT-CI), to which RIO has belonged since 2011, is not a Trotskyist tendency despite its name. It follows the traditions of the Argentinian Pabloite Nahuel Moreno, who pursued the liquidation of the Fourth International in Latin America and repeatedly subordinated the working class to bourgeois and petty-bourgeois nationalistsfrom Juan Peron in Argentina to Fidel Castro in Cubawith disastrous political consequences.

Marx 21 emerged from the International Socialist Tendency (IST), founded by Tony Cliff, which declared its hostility to the Fourth International and Trotskyism more than sixty years ago. At that time, it labelled the Soviet Union as state capitalist and refused to defend it in the event of an attack by the imperialist powers. Like earlier varieties of state capitalism, Cliffs stance was an accommodation to imperialism and a form of anti-communism garnished with leftist phrases.

As a former member of the Committee for a Workers International (CWI), the SAV has its roots in the British Militant Tendency, which is notorious for attributing a progressive character to even the most right-wing social democratic organisations. Until the mid-1990s, the SAV worked within the SPD, trying to give it a left-wing and even socialist veneer. It plays the same role today in relation to the Left Party.

With their orientation towards the capitalist state and right-wing bourgeois parties and organisations, Marx21, SAV and RIO do not speak for the interests of the international working class. They articulate the interests of wealthy middle-class layers who, in the deepest crisis of capitalism since the 1930s, are moving far to the right and fear an independent revolutionary movement of the workers. The struggle against fascism, just like the struggle against militarism, social cuts and war, requires a ruthless reckoning with these pro-capitalist and historically anti-working-class currents and their reactionary concepts.
Postal workers in Britain have spoken with the World Socialist Web Site about the necessity for a mass campaign in the working class in defence of heroic journalist and publisher Julian Assange.

The Wikileaks founder faces imminent extradition by the UK to the United States to stand trial under the Espionage Act for exposing the war crimes of the major powers in Afghanistan and Iraq, the attack on democratic rights and spying by intelligence agencies and the backing of ruthless dictatorships around the world.

In a High Court hearing Tuesday and Wednesday, Assange is seeking leave to appeal an order for his extradition. If this is denied, he will have exhausted all legal avenues in the British courts to challenge his extradition and can be rendered to the US.

Free Assange protest in London

The Postal Workers Rank-and-File Committee (PWRFC) has appealed for resolutions to be passed in workplaces and for messages of support for Julian Assange demanding an end to the extradition proceedings against him and his immediate and unconditional freedom.

Members of the PWRFC have made their own appeals for their colleagues to come out strongly in defence of Assange.

Ian is a postal worker in north-west England:

What Julian Assange and Wikileaks has exposed is how governments have been withholding the truth, entering illegal wars and misleading people; that is why he must be set free.

I remember the impact of the Collateral Murder video of the US helicopter mowing down civilians and journalists. Id already taken part in the protests against the Iraq war in 2003. It confirmed and validated the opposition to the illegal wars and all the lies. What was brought home was the reality of the crimes against innocent civilians.

This made the truth available online via the internet, including in remote and poorer countries in the world. Wikileaks exposures encouraged people to take up a fight for change against corrupt governments and their powerful backers.

This has been a very long persecution of Julian Assange, to wear him down and break his resistance through torture.

The same playbook was used before against workers fighting for their rights. Des Warren is an example; he led a fight against the lumpcasualised labourin the building workers strike in the early 1970s. He was charged under archaic conspiracy laws and thrown in jail [Warren was one of the Shrewsbury 24 building workers framed up under 200 trumped up charges].

It was akin to the treatment of the Tolpuddle Martyrs in the early nineteenth century [the Dorset labourers who were convicted and transported to Australia for swearing an oath to form a union in 1834, eventually pardoned and brought home by a campaign waged by a mass working-class movement.]

I read Des Warrens book, The Key to my Cell. They broke his health through the medication they gave him while he was inside; the treatment he received was abhorrent. He was imprisoned by the Tories and kept in jail under Labour. I first learned about his case as I started to become involved in industrial organisation. It taught me about the role of the state and the corruption in the trade unions who abandoned him.

This is not a thing of the past. Weve seen in our own recent strike at Royal Mail the widespread victimisation of union reps and members who were sacked or suspended and hung out to dry by the Communication Workers Union.

Nothing would change under any Labour government. We would have the same struggles. [Labour leader Sir Keir] Starmer is no better than [Prime Minister Rishi] Sunak; that is shown in his support for the genocide against the Palestinians. The British government is responsible for their plight. They washed their hands of the Palestinians in 1948 and now they are trying to wash their hands of Assange by handing him over to the US.

The persecution of Assange is connected to the mass protests against the killing of women and children in Gaza because they want to criminalise the fight for a peaceful and better world.

George is a postal worker in Scotland:

There are a lot of things at stake in the fight for the freedom of Julian Assange. The British justice system is on trial with these trumped-up charges of espionage to extradite him to America. He is a political prisoner. They have already kept him in prison for five years. What is at stake is the future of genuine journalism and freedom of the press, both in the UK and globally.

I learned about Julian Assange and Wikileaks from the beginning and I also followed Chelsea Manning. The footage of the Collateral Murder video of the US Apache helicopter firing on civilians with the pilots shouting Light them up will stay with me and it was shared around my workplace. That and the photographs of the torture in the Abu Ghraib prison summed up the illegal war against Iraq led by the US and Britain.

Assange is paying a terrible price for telling the truth. For our generation that was like the photo from the Vietnam war of the girl running from her village which had been torched by napalm. The importance of the truth is to stop such atrocities happening again.

The British legal system is prepared to bring itself into disrepute over the imprisonment and extradition of Assange to the US. Sunak wants to give the police more powers to stop the protests [against the war in Gaza]. There is a connection between the two.

There is no real parliamentary opposition to speak of, with Starmers Labour Party trying to smear mass protests as antisemitic for wanting to stop a genocide. This is happening across Europe and the world.

Workers also face being criminalised in the fight for their jobs and terms and conditions; we have seen this at Royal Mail with the mass victimisation of reps during our dispute. They did not want us to win, the optics of us being on strike and winning public support. They wanted to make an example of us.

It was more than pay. It was the terms and conditions being taken away for future generations. You were always aware on the picket line that the slightest excuse would be used by the police to make arrests because of all the anti-strike laws. The CWU threw the framed-up union reps under the bus with the Falconer Review headed up by the Labour peer and Tony Blairs ex-flat mate. This included having to sign Non-Disclosure Agreements.

I have more in common with workers in Palestine or Lebanon who only want a decent, peaceful life and future for their children than I do with the British government backing these war crimes and destroying their homes.

I see a clear connection between the US and British persecution of Assange and the deliberate and targeted killing of journalists in Gaza by the Israeli Defence Forces. These journalists have sacrificed everything for the right of the world to know about the genocide taking place in real time.

For exposing war crimes such as in Iraq, Julian Assange is in prison while the perpetrators are at large and have enriched themselves. Remember Tony Blair as the Middle East peace envoy!

As a journalist and defender of human rights it was Assanges duty to expose the horrific war crimes perpetrated by an invading army against civilians. Holding an Australian citizen for five years in inhuman conditions has taken a devastating effect on his physical and mental health to the point of nearly killing him. Free Assange!

Read and share The fight to free Assange is a fight against war! Send in your own message of support for stopping the extradition of Julian Assange and demanding his immediate and unconditional freedom.
Palestinians mourn their relatives, including children and infants murdered in the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip, outside a morgue in Rafah, southern Gaza, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024. [AP Photo/Fatima Shbair]

The official death toll of Israels genocide in Gaza has reached 29,000, Gazas health ministry said Monday, amid ongoing relentless bombing and mass starvation caused by Israels blockade of food, water, and medical care.

In addition to the 29,092 people who have been killed, a further 7,000 have been missing for more than two weeks and presumed dead, bringing the actual death toll to 36,000.

When the number of dead, missing, and wounded are added up, the figure comes to over 100,000, or four percent of the population of Gaza.

Some 107 Palestinians were killed in Gaza between Sunday and Monday, and another 145 were injured.

This massive death toll is only set to intensify with Israels looming assault on Rafah, where over one million people are sheltering.

As the death toll soars, the conflict is only expanding in geographic scope, with Israeli warplanes carrying out two strikes inside the city of Sidon, Lebanon, killing 14 people.

Virtually the entire population of Gaza faces severe hunger, UNICEF warned Monday, with children and pregnant women facing the greatest vulnerability.

The Gaza Strip is poised to witness an explosion in preventable child deaths which would compound the already unbearable level of child deaths in Gaza, said Ted Chaiban, UNICEF Deputy Executive Director for Humanitarian Action and Supply Operations. If the conflict doesnt end now, childrens nutrition will continue to plummet, leading to preventable deaths or health issues which will affect the children of Gaza for the rest of their lives and have potential intergenerational consequences.

In northern Gaza, one in six children under the age of two faces acute malnutrition, warned the report. Hungry, weakened, and deeply traumatized children are more likely to get sick... Its dangerous, and tragic, and happening before our eyes, warned Mike Ryan, head of the WHOs Health Emergencies Programme.

In the south, five percent of children under 2 years old are acutely malnourished, the report said.

The UN report added that prior to the assault on Gaza, just 0.8 percent of children under 5 years of age were acutely malnourished. This figure has surged to 15.6 percent, pointing to what UNICEF said was an unprecedented increase in malnutrition.

The report found that 90 percent of children under the age of 2 and 95 percent of pregnant and breastfeeding women face severe food poverty, meaning they have consumed two or less food groups in the previous day - and the food they do have access to is of the lowest nutritional value.

It added, 95 percent of households are limiting meals and portion sizes, with 64 percent of households eating only one meal a day.

The UN noted that, On average, households surveyed had access to less than one liter of safe water per person per day. According to humanitarian standards, the minimum amount of safe water needed in an emergency is three liters per person per day, while the overall standard is 15 liters per person, which includes sufficient quantities for drinking, washing, and cooking.

A staggering 70 percent of children under 5 had suffered from diarrhea over the past two weeks, representing a 23-fold increase since before the start of the war.

In a separate report, the UN reported that experts were appalled by reported human rights violations against Palestinian women and girls.

The report found that Palestinian women and girls have reportedly been arbitrarily executed in Gaza, often together with family members, including their children, according to information received.

It quoted UN experts as saying, We are shocked by reports of the deliberate targeting and extrajudicial killing of Palestinian women and children in places where they sought refuge, or while fleeing. Some of them were reportedly holding white pieces of cloth when they were killed by the Israeli army or affiliated forces.

The experts added, We are particularly distressed by reports that Palestinian women and girls in detention have also been subjected to multiple forms of sexual assault, such as being stripped naked and searched by male Israeli army officers. At least two female Palestinian detainees were reportedly raped while others were reportedly threatened with rape and sexual violence.

The experts added, Taken together, these alleged acts may constitute grave violations of international human rights and humanitarian law, and amount to serious crimes under international criminal law that could be prosecuted under the Rome Statute, the experts said. Those responsible for these apparent crimes must be held accountable, and victims and their families are entitled to full redress and justice.

The experts included Reem Alsalem, Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, its causes and consequences, as well as Francesca Albanese, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967.

The systematic torture of Palestinian detainees is being boldly publicized on Israeli TV, where detainees are shown blindfolded and shackled, many in the stress positions pioneered by the United States at Abu Ghraib.

Israeli television also ran a report documenting the fact that Israeli troops have constructed a highway that will effectively cut the Gaza Strip in two, between Gaza City in the North and Khan Younis in the south, effectively destroying Gaza as a unified geographical entity.

On Monday, the International Court of Justice opened a hearing on the legality of Israels occupation of Gaza and the West Bank. At the hearing, representatives from Palestine documented, in detail, that the present genocide takes place as part of a systematic effort to exert total Israeli control over all of the occupied territories, and fully annex them into the Israeli state.
Transparency Market Research

Microarray scanners find applications in crop genetics, aiding in the development of genetically modified organisms.

Wilmington, Delaware, United States, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Transparency Market Research Inc. - The global microarray scanners market is estimated to flourish at a CAGR of 7.5% from 2023 to 2031. Transparency Market Research projects that the overall sales revenue for microarray scanners is estimated to reach US$ 1.7 billion by the end of 2031. The integration of AI algorithms with microarray scanners enhances data analysis, interpretation, and pattern recognition, leading to more accurate and actionable insights in genomic research and diagnostics.

The trend towards decentralized testing drives demand for portable microarray scanners, enabling rapid and cost-effective molecular analysis at the point of care, especially in resource-limited settings. Advancements in microfluidic technology enable the development of miniaturized microarray scanners, offering higher throughput, reduced sample volumes, and increased automation, catering to the demand for high-efficiency genomic analysis.

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Increasing emphasis on biomarker discovery for early disease detection and treatment monitoring fuels demand for microarray scanners, facilitating comprehensive profiling of genetic markers associated with various health conditions. The application of microarray scanners in forensic genomics for DNA profiling, kinship analysis, and forensic identification is gaining traction, driven by advancements in sample preparation techniques and analytical methodologies.

Microarray Scanners Market: Competitive Landscape

The microarray scanners market features a dynamic competitive landscape driven by technological advancements, market penetration strategies, and regulatory compliance. Key players such as Agilent Technologies, Illumina, Inc., and PerkinElmer, Inc. dominate with their diversified product portfolios and extensive global reach.

Story continues

Emerging contenders like Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. and Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. disrupt the market with innovative solutions and strategic partnerships.

Niche players focusing on specialized applications contribute to the competitive diversity. As the demand for high-throughput analysis and precision in genomics research grows, companies continuously innovate to secure market share and meet evolving customer needs in this dynamic sector. Some prominent players are as follows:

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.

Agilent Technologies

Illumina Inc.

PerkinElmer Inc.

Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.

GE Healthcare (General Electric Company)

Molecular Devices, LLC. (Danaher Corporation)

Innopsys Inc.

Berthold Technologies GmbH & Co. KG.

Product Portfolio

Agilent Technologies offers a comprehensive portfolio of analytical instruments, software, services, and consumables, empowering scientists and researchers worldwide. With a focus on precision and innovation, Agilent enables advancements in life sciences, diagnostics, and applied chemical markets, driving discovery and improving human health.

Illumina Inc. pioneers genomics solutions with its cutting-edge sequencing and array technologies. Their product portfolio encompasses platforms for genetic analysis, sequencing systems, and software solutions, revolutionizing genomic research and clinical diagnostics worldwide with unparalleled accuracy and scalability.

PerkinElmer Inc. delivers innovative solutions across life sciences, diagnostics, and applied markets. Their product portfolio includes instrumentation, reagents, software, and services enabling advancements in drug discovery, environmental analysis, and clinical diagnostics, empowering researchers and clinicians to address critical healthcare and environmental challenges with confidence.

Key Findings of the Market Report

Fluorescence microarray scanners dominate the microarray scanners market, owing to their high sensitivity and widespread use in various genomic applications.

Gene expression application segment leads the microarray scanners market due to its pivotal role in understanding cellular functions and disease mechanisms.

Diagnostic laboratories lead the microarray scanners market, relying on these tools for genetic testing, disease diagnosis, and research applications with precision.

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Microarray Scanners Market Growth Drivers & Trends

Ongoing breakthroughs in genomic research drive demand for microarray scanners, facilitating high-throughput analysis of genetic variations and gene expression patterns.

Increasing incidence of genetic diseases fuels the adoption of microarray scanners for diagnosis, prognosis, and personalized treatment planning.

Microarray scanners play a pivotal role in drug discovery processes by enabling rapid screening of molecular targets and identifying potential therapeutic compounds.

With a shift towards personalized healthcare, microarray scanners facilitate precise molecular profiling and treatment selection based on individual genetic makeup.

Continuous advancements in microarray scanning technologies, such as improved sensitivity, resolution, and automation, enhance efficiency and accuracy in genomic analysis, driving market growth.

Global Microarray Scanners Market: Regional Profile

North America leads the market, buoyed by robust investment in research and development, advanced healthcare infrastructure, and high adoption rates of genomic technologies. Companies like Agilent Technologies and Illumina, Inc. dominate the region with their cutting-edge microarray scanner solutions, catering to the burgeoning demand for precision medicine and genomic research.

In Europe, stringent regulatory frameworks and a robust scientific community drive market growth. Leading players such as PerkinElmer, Inc. and Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. leverage their expertise in life sciences to offer innovative microarray scanning technologies, addressing diverse research and diagnostic needs across the continent.

The Asia Pacific region presents immense growth potential, fueled by expanding healthcare expenditure, rising awareness of personalized medicine, and growing research activities in genomics. Local players and global giants like Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. capitalize on these opportunities, introducing advanced microarray scanning solutions tailored to regional requirements and driving market expansion.

Microarray Scanners Market: Key Segments

By Product Type

Fluorescence Microarray Scanners

Charge-coupled Devices Microarray Scanners

Colorimetric Microarray Scanners

Others

By Application

Gene Expression

Drug Discovery

Others

By End User

Hospitals

Diagnostic Laboratories

Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Companies

Academic & Research Institutes

By Region

North America

Latin America

Asia Pacific

Europe

Middle East & Africa

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On Wednesday, four University of Texas at Austin students, Evan Scope Crafts, Sameeha Rizvi, Valkyrie Church and an unnamed student who wishes to remain anonymous, accepted sanctions imposed by University administrators for a December 8 protest they conducted in the office of Allan Cole, the dean of the Steve Hicks School of Social Work.

The Student Union at the University of Texas at Austin [Photo by Gusegn / CC BY-SA 3.0

In accepting the sanctions, Scope Crafts, a PhD candidate, told media that he was not in a position to disrupt his degree: I am four and a half years into a PhD; I cant afford to lose what I have put into this at this point, noting, I feel like Im being essentially forced to take the sanctions.

The protest consisted of calling for the reinstatement of two student teaching assistants who were fired by Cole on November 22 after sending out a letter to their students expressing their disapproval of the university administrations response in the wake of Israels genocidal campaign against Gaza after Hamass attack on October 7.

In response to the protest the four students were accused by the university administration of disruptive conduct and unauthorized entry into the office of Allan Cole.

The protest consisted of around 10 to 15 people, in which they entered Coles office and Scope Crafts read a letter aloud that condemned the firing of the two teaching assistants and demanded their immediate reinstatement. Cole hastily left the office and entered another room, shutting the door. After reading the two-page document, the students left. The students were later questioned about the protest by campus police.

According to Scope Crafts, the four students received a letter on January 17 stating the university was investigating them for intentionally causing a disruption inside a school administrators office.

Scope Crafts told the Texas Tribune, This is an attack on the civil liberties of all UT students. This is an attack on anybody whos trying to fight for the rights of oppressed groups in the United States and abroad.

Sameeha Rizvi, who graduated from UT Austin in December, stated, It seemed to be a chance, once again, to just censor and stop students from being able to organize effectively, especially where the administration doesnt want to listen.

The two teaching assistants, Callie Kennedy and Parham Daghighi, in coordination with their course professor Lauren Gulbas, composed the November 16 letter titled Mental Health and the Violence in Gaza, in which they expressed their concern for the psychological impact to students in the wake of the US-backed Israeli genocidal campaign in Gaza, and listed several resources which students could contact, including counseling services and other mental health organizations.

Kennedy and Daghighi wrote: We wanted to send a message to acknowledge the mental health implications of the current escalation of violence in Gaza. As your teaching assistants, we feel it is important to be clear that we do not support the Universitys silence around the suffering many of our students, staff and faculty are experiencing on campus.

The letter additionally addressed a provocative incident which occurred on October 12 on the UT Austin campus, in which three men harassed members of the Palestine Solidarity Committee (PSC) at an educational conference held at Welch Hall.

The men, standing outside the room where the meeting was held, shouted obscenities and called PSC members and event attendees f**king terrorists. One of the men claimed he was traveling soon to Israel to kill Arabs. Another stated he was a soldier in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and attempted to enter the room, but PSC members prevented the men from opening the door. The members then requested the men leave, after which they left without further incident. The university appears to have taken no action.

Kennedy, in composing the letter, stated, The message fully aligned with the scope of the course and our responsibility as teaching assistants, adding, Ive had many positive and close professional working relationships with other faculty. She said. I did not fear any sort of retribution ... perhaps that was naive.

A week later the university sent an email stating the two were fired, calling their letter inappropriate and unprompted.

Accepting the sanctions without challenge, the four students were essentially made out to be criminals by the university. They received a deferred suspension lasting until December 21, which means they can continue their course study at the campus, but will be immediately expelled if found to be in violation of any rules as set forth by the University of Texas system.

In addition, the students are prohibited from having any contact with any staff in the Dean of Social Work office suite and, perhaps the most humiliating of the imposed punishments, the students must agree to write a three-page letter reflecting on their actions. Sameeha Rizvi was exempted from writing a report as she graduated in December and is no longer a student at the university.

The firings of Kennedy and Daghighi and punishment of the student protesters are completely reactionary and antidemocratic, and follow the general response of universities and the ruling class as a whole around the country, which have sought to cast any and all opposition to the US/Israeli genocide in Gaza as antisemitic.

The turn by Washington and Europe to genocide as a tool of state policy has made clear the ruling class is willing to utilize increasingly antidemocratic methods against the millions of youth and workers protesting the murderous campaign against Gaza.
Over 100 striking federal government workers picketed an entrance to the grounds of the Canadian Parliament in Ottawa last week to protest against the arrest of one of their union representatives and press for the resumption of negotiations in their increasingly bitter five-week job action.

Last month, 500 chronically underpaid support workers at armed forces bases and installations in Ontario and Quebec began a strike in pursuit of a significant wage increase, job security and a nationwide equitable pay grid.

The workers at the Bagotville, Montreal, St-Jean and Valcartier military installations in Quebec and those in Kingston, Ottawa, and Petawawa, Ontario are members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) affiliated Union of National Defence Employees.

Picket line of striking Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services workers. [Photo: PSAC]

The picketing at Parliament Hill followed the February 7th arrest of Alex Silas, PSCAs Regional Executive Vice-President in the National Capital Region. On that day, about 215 picketers spilled into the street, blocking traffic in front of the Department of National Defences Joint Intelligence Operations Centre. The union had called a press conference in front of the building to provide reporters with a strike update.

But before Silas could even begin his report, Ottawa police moved in to handcuff and arrest him. Outraged workers immediately surrounded the police cruiser where Silas had been deposited, calling for his immediate release and preventing the patrol car from departing.

Police eventually managed to transport Silas to a police station where he was criminally charged with mischief, intimidation by blocking or obstructing a roadway, causing a disturbance by impeding, and counselling an uncommitted indictable offence. Strikers later arrived at the station to demand Silas release. The union official subsequently tweeted that he was released late that same day. He will appear in court to contest the charges at a future date. My arrest took place at a peaceful demonstration as part of a legal strike action of workers fighting for a fair contract, said Silas.

Over the course of the strike, Ottawa police have become increasingly aggressive as the employerCanadian Forces Morale and Welfare Serviceshas mobilized strike-breakers to replace work performed by the civilian support workers. Multiple police cruisers now appear at legally constituted union picket lines to intimidate the strikers and threaten them with arrest.

Union workers who are not involved in the strike have begun to organize solidarity pickets at other military installations. In Toronto, a demonstration in support of the strikers was held at the Denison Armoury Drill Hall. And earlier this month, outside of Montreal, hundreds of workers from Quebec Federation of Labour (FTQ) affiliates joined strikers to disrupt a parade of new recruits at the St-Jean Garrison.

Worker unrest at Canadian military installations has unsettled senior officials in governing circles at a time when opposition to the federal governments support of the genocidal attacks on a helpless population in Gaza by the Israel Defence Forces continues to grow among whole swathes of the population.

The police crackdown against the legal strike by the civilian workers comes at the same time that Ottawa police have stepped up oppressive measures against pro-Palestinian demonstrations and marches in the city. Even Ottawa municipal by-law officers have been mobilized as an auxiliary force to suppress the unrest. Anyone now using a megaphone at any demonstration within the city limits faces a $490 ticket. Already, a number of spokespeople from official human rights organizations as well as pro-Palestinian activists have been ticketed. Silas was also one of those ticketed for the alleged offence.

The police have been emboldened to act so aggressively by all levels of government, which unconditionally back Israels genocidal assault on Gaza and the suppression of any opposition to it. The ruthless repression meted out to striking workers and anti-genocide protesters stands in stark contrast to the kid-glove treatment extended by the political establishment to the far-right Freedom Convoy, which was allowed to occupy downtown Ottawa for almost a month two years ago in January and February 2022 to demand the scrapping of all remaining COVID public health measures.

The fascist Convoy, whose instigators explicitly called for the establishment of an authoritarian junta, was patronized by a significant faction of the ruling elite who seized on it as a means to bull-dozer over public opposition to the elimination of all anti-COVID measures and to push establishment politics sharply to the right.

Its most prominent spokesman was the now far-right leader of the official opposition Conservative Party, Pierre Poilievre. The Trudeau Liberal government, which ultimately invoked the Emergencies Act to disperse the Convoy, adopted its program wholesale by junking all remaining pandemic measures with the support of the trade union-sponsored New Democrats. A subsequent Public Order Emergencies Commission endorsed the Trudeau governments unprecedented use of the draconian Emergencies Act and urged the strengthening of the states repressive apparatus under conditions of mounting social unrest.

As the World Socialist Web Site correctly warned at the time, the use of the states powers of repression, while ostensibly aimed at the far right, would ultimately be turned far more brutally against the working class.

Convoy leaders received a steady flow of information from sympathetic police and government officials from all levels including the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS). During Commission testimony, a RCMP report obtained by the CBC revealed that the police agency was aware of significant sympathy for the Convoy within its own ranks. The potential exists for serious insider threats [T]hose who have not lost their jobs but are sympathetic to the movement and their former colleagues may be in a position to share law enforcement or military information to the convoy protests, it warned.

Police sympathy for the far-right was clearly voiced in another intelligence report on the Convoy from the Ottawa Police Service, created by a Sgt. Chris Kiez. It consisted of an explicit justification for the Convoy occupation, based entirely on a political screed by right-wing media commentator Rex Murphy. Absurdly, the only threat identified by Kiez in his report was that of Islamic State! Kiez, it was subsequently discovered, had made repeated social media posts that repeated far-right canards. In one he railed against teachers, calling them the most vile of the left-Marxist set.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford, an erstwhile Donald Trump enthusiast, also helped block police action against the Convoy, while privately assuring its supporters that he was working to rid the province of all COVID mitigation measures. That is until big business demanded his government put an end to Convoy supporters blockade of the Ambassador Bridge between Windsor, Ontario and Detroit, because it was crippling Canada-US trade.

The strike at several major military bases in Ontario and Quebec is a significant event. The workers are federal public servants but are not under the umbrella of either the Treasury Board or the Department of National Defence. Instead, they are employed by Non-Public Funds, a separate agency that oversees workers who are not part of the core federal civil service. As a result, these workers bargain separately from the 155,000 PSAC workers in the core public sector and were not part of the contract settlement with those workers after brief strike action last spring.

The workers provide support to military personnel in financial planning, managing their insurances, recreational activities, warehousing and retail and food services. They are paid significantly less than their counterparts performing similar duties in both the private and public sectors.

PSAC officials have pointed out, for example, that shipping and receiving clerks at the Petawawa military base make only $17.19 per hour, barely above the minimum wage. And that amounts to only half of the earnings paid to public sector workers doing similar duties in the core civil service.

Such discrepancies are common in virtually every area of comparison with core civil servants. In addition, significant pay discrepancies also exist amongst workers in the Non-Public funds sector itself, depending on what particular military base that they are employed at. The demand for an across-the board national pay-grid for similar work at all military bases stems from such gross inequities.

The stepped-up suppression of strike activities against the civilian military base workers cannot be separated from the assault on democratic rights on every front. The Trudeau government and entire political establishment are seeking to advance the interests of Canadian imperialism by supporting Israel in its war on the Palestinians, and participating in US wars and preparations for war against Russia, China and in the Middle East.

This orientation by the ruling class necessitates a response from the striking workers that breaks out of the limited collective bargaining framework imposed by the PSAC union bureaucracy through the establishment of rank-and-file strike committees. These committees must fight to win support for their struggle among other sections of workers and develop it as a political and industrial counter-offensive by the working class against capitalist austerity, war, and attacks on democratic rights, and for decent-paying, secure jobs for all.
Pro-Palestinian protesters at University College Dublin denounced Bernie Sanders as a Zionist for opposing a ceasefire in Gaza and as a genocide denier for refusing to back South Africas case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

At a February 15 discussion between Bernie Sanders and David McWilliams of the Irish Times during the Dalkey Book Festival, the left-posturing senator from Vermont was promoting his book, Its OK To Be Angry At Capitalism.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont on Capitol Hill in Washington, June 8, 2023. [AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana]

During the event that attracted 1,000 people, he said that he was trying to persuade the Biden administration to call for a humanitarian pause or ceasefire in order to provide the desperately needed aid. However, referring to the International Court of Justice provisional ruling on January 26 that there are legal grounds for accusing Israel of carrying out a genocide against the Palestinian people, Sanders said he is just a little bit queasy about the use of the word genocide. We have to be careful about it.

One audience member shouted, It is a genocide. Another demanded of Sanders, Whats your definition of genocide? A third made a longer denunciation from the floor, saying, Bernie, you have funded Zionism yourself. You have funded the Israeli settler state. Here you are, pretending you arent. It is disgusting. Liar, liar, genocide denier! He concluded, It is disgusting. Its reprehensible. You are a child killer, you are a genocide denier. The United States military industrial complex are the largest murderers in the world. It does not matter if it is a Democrat or a Republican. You have murdered people around the world.

Others in the hall chanted, Resistance is an obligation in the face of occupation, and Occupation is terrorism.

Outside protesters had chanted earlier, its okay to be angry about capitalism, what about Zionism?

The next evening at Trinity College, Sanders was to speak at an event organised by the Sanders Institute and the New York Ireland Project, introduced by another Irish Times journalist, Fintan OToole. Tickets were priced at 45.

Pro-Palestinian activists gathered chanting, Bernie Sanders you cant hide, youre denying genocide. and USA, what do you say? How many kids have you killed today?

Inside, Sanders spoke without challenge for most of the proceedings, during which he said he was working hard to change Bidens position on Israel while insisting he would do my best to defeat Trump, understanding that Biden has not done by any means what I would like to see him do.

A female protester in the hall moved towards the platform, asking, Why wont you call for a ceasefire? She referenced Sanders statement to CNN in November last year that he didnt believe you can have a permanent ceasefire with an organisation like Hamas.

As security blocked her, OToole said she could ask the question. Sanders then replied that he wasnt going to answer the question because I dont like people disrupting me. He continued that he had previously talked about his views on Gaza and was doing everything I can. An audience member yelled, No youre not.

According to Trinity News, someone sitting in the audience asked Sanders about a ceasefire, to which he contemptuously suggested that the man should call Mr. Netanyahu and say, you know, Bibi, I think you should have a ceasefire. Amid other calls for a ceasefire from the audience, Sanders said you can call [for] whatever you want, but the best role he could play was blocking aid to Israel.

Boasting of his motion calling for the latest $14 billion tranche of US military aid to Israel to be suspended, he claimed pathetically, My dream would be that the president finally wakes up to what I think the American people want and to say, you know what Mr Netanyahu, youre not going to get another nickel until you stop that damn war and treat the Palestinian people with the respect and dignity they deserve.

He continued, I have nightmares about what is going on, it is a horror. Believe it or not, Im trying to do my best to end that war. One of a small number of demonstrators in the hall shouted, Its not a horror, its a genocide.

Around 20 protesters delayed Sanderss car from leaving the university, chanting, Bernie Sanders you cant hide, youre supporting genocide, and Ceasefire now. A dozen Gardai (police officers) formed a blockade and Sanders was then driven away.

Sanderss reputation as a left and his ability to act as a shield and apologist for the Democratic Party have been massively discredited by his barely concealed support for Israels genocide in Gaza.

A November 29, 2023, WSWS article by Barry Grey was titled, Bernie Sanders: The left face of genocide. It noted that Sanders is seeking to present himself as an even-handed advocate for both the Israeli state and the Palestinians, citing his November 22 op-ed in the New York Times headlined, Justice for the Palestinians and Security for Israel, and referencing his statement to CNN opposing calls for a ceasefire.

Sanders comments were praised by Israeli officials, and Israeli government spokesman Eylon Levy shared a clip of the interview on X/Twitter, Grey wrote. Sanders November 22 Times op-ed called for an extended humanitarian pause rather than a ceasefire and made no mention of genocide, war crime, ethnic cleansing or Biden. In the end, Grey summed up, Sanders offers a list of proposals similar in substance to the public positions of President Biden and Secretary of State Blinken. They do not include a permanent halt to Israeli bombing, the immediate withdrawal of all Israeli forces from Gaza, or the removal of the Netanyahu government.

The longer Israels campaign of mass murder and ethnic cleansing has continued, the more exposed Sanders has become, especially over his backing for Genocide Joe while claiming to have differences with him over Gaza. A February 1 article in New York magazine offers an extended apologia for Sanders under the title, Bernies Pressure Campaign: Hes getting louder about Americas role in Israels war, pushing his own party to act before its too late.

Interviewing Sanders, Gabriel Debenedetti notes that the two spoke less than 24 hours after Joe Biden had struggled to make it through a Virginia rally that was meant to be focused on abortion rights. Fourteen times, the president [had] been interrupted by protesters chanting Genocide Joe or demanding a cease-fire.

Sanders response was to claim that we are doing our best to turn the administration around and this was working even if the results werent yet visible. Sanders was now receiving flak in the US, with an open letter signed by hundreds of his former campaign staffers urging him to introduce a cease-fire resolution in the Senate and to cut off military aid to Israel.

Sanders resolution opposing the release of $14 billion in aid to Israel was his defensive response and was backed by only 11 senators. People have never questioned the Israeli governments motives, and were asking them to do that for the very first time, he said in justification.

Meanwhile, Sanders defence of Biden continues, most recently in his refusal to back a call by Our Revolutiona campaign group founded to support his own presidential campaign in 2016calling on Michigan voters to spurn Biden in the states February 27 Democratic primary by voting uncommitted.

Sanders told the HuffPost he was supporting Biden, with spokeswoman Anna Bahr saying in a statement, Bernie is supporting the Presidents re-election and wants him to do well in the Michigan primary and elsewhere.
On February 12, the third tranche of Labors new industrial relations law was given final approval by the Australian parliament. The measures, known as Closing Loopholes No. 2, were originally intended to be legislated last year along with other Fair Work Act (FWA) amendments, but were split into a separate bill when minor opposition emerged among the Senate cross-bench.

Tony Burke, Australian Labor governments industrial relations minister (left), presents Closing Loopholes bill to federal parliament, September 4, 2023. [Photo: Tony Burke Facebook]

The changes, hailed as a massive worker win by the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), are ostensibly aimed at improving the wages and conditions of vulnerable workers, engaged as casuals, under sham contracting arrangements, or in the gig economy, as well as self-employed truck drivers.

This is a fraud. The real purpose of Labors new laws is to defend the right of corporations to implement ever-harsher forms of exploitation, establishing a lower tier of employee-like workers without most of the basic rights required by existing workplace rules.

Moreover, the proliferation of casual jobs and other precarious working arrangements is a direct product of the mass destruction of full-time jobs kickstarted by the union-backed Hawke-Keating Labor governments in the 1980s and 1990s, and enforced by the union bureaucracy ever since.

Now, under conditions of an ongoing cost-of-living crisis and a global upsurge of strikes and protests, Labor is concerned that these millions of highly exploited workers will take up a struggle against their increasingly impossible circumstances. The unions have negligible coverage and influence over these workers, especially in the gig economy, meaning the apparatus cannot apply the same methods of class suppression that have ensured industrial peace for corporations and governments for decades.

Similar considerations were behind this Labor governments first major industrial relations bill, introduced in late 2022. Its multi-employer bargaining laws were aimed at delivering low-paid sections of workers, including in aged care, early childhood education and cleaning, into the grip of the union bureaucracy and the enterprise bargaining system.

The 2022 legislation also strengthened Australias already draconian anti-strike laws, granting stepped-up powers to the pro-business Fair Work Commission (FWC) to intervene in disputes, halt industrial action, and impose the demands of business through arbitration.

The Closing Loopholes legislation is designed to build upon that, further entrenching the industrial courts and the union bureaucracy as the arbiters of every workplace dispute, keeping workers on the sidelines.

While the intractable bargaining laws remain untested in the FWC, they have been wielded by companies, and, more commonly, by union officials, as a threat in several major disputes.

Workers are told that, if they reject a regressive company offer and continue with industrial action, the dispute will be declared intractable and they will have to settle for whatever the FWC decides, likely a worse deal than what they have already turned down.

The new legislation includes a revision to intractable bargaining, that requires that a determination handed down by the FWC cannot leave workers worse off on any single clause (except relating to wage increases) than the previous enterprise agreement. The exception to this is where management and the union have already agreed to such a term.

All experience shows that no faith can be placed in such provisions. Only the credulous would believe that the FWC, a pro-business tribunal, could not stretch the definition of what will leave workers worse off and what will not. To the extent that the change has any significance, it solidifies the legislations overall thrust of relying ever-more directly on the union bureaucracy to enforce cuts.

The complexity of the new provisions, and the fact that, in almost every case, they will only be enforced after employees apply to the FWC, is designed to force workers into the grip of the unions. Otherwise, workers will not have the resources to carry out detailed and likely protracted legal battles in the pro-business industrial tribunal in order to defend basic rights.

Around one third of the 2.5 million Australian workers engaged as casuals are in fact working regular hours more typically associated with full- or part-time work, but have no paid, sick or holiday leave, and no guarantee that their employment will continue beyond their current shift.

Under the existing laws, employers were required to offer conversion to full- or part-time employment for casuals employed for at least 12 months who had worked a regular pattern of hours for at least 6 months.

The new legislation reduces the waiting time to 6 months for employers other than small businesses, and does not stipulate a minimum length of time to establish a regular pattern of hours.

But it will now be up to employees to request such a conversion, a potentially intimidating prospect for casual workers, whose employment is precarious by definition. It also requires these workers to know that they have a legal right to do so.

While employers are not allowed to cut workers hours or sack them to avoid these provisions, it would again be up to the workers to prove that was the reason behind their dismissal. Employers will also be able to refuse a conversion request on the basis of fair and reasonable operational grounds, which they will not be required to specify.

Employers are not required to increase the hours of a casual worker who converts to permanent, so these measures will do nothing to help the more than 977,000 workers deemed underemployed by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

University of Adelaide law professor Andrew Stewart told the Australian Financial Review, I dont expect that this will result in a substantial reduction in the proportion of Australian workers who are casuals.

Labors new laws will allow the Fair Work Commission to set minimum standards for gig workers on a given digital platform (e.g., Uber, DoorDash, or other businesses in which work is assigned through an app), if those workers are determined to be employee-like. An application would need to be made by a union to start this process.

Only the most basic conditions, essentially limited to wages and union rights, can be included in these standards. Roster and overtime provisions are specifically prohibited. Penalty rates, minimum shift lengths, and payment for time spent waiting between orders are also stipulated against, although the FWC has the discretion to include such terms where appropriate.

When making a minimum standards order, the FWC will be required to avoid unreasonable adverse impacts upon the national economy, or the innovation, productivity or viability of business. In other words, the needs of gig workers for a liveable wage and basic workplace rights must not be allowed to impinge upon the profit interests of corporations.

The section of the new legislation that has attracted the most media attention in recent weeks deals with the so-called right to disconnect. A last-minute addition, demanded by the Greens, the measures are ostensibly aimed at giving workers the right to ignore work-related communications outside of business hours.

But the way this is implemented would seem to render it virtually unenforceable.

Employers will not be prohibited from attempting to contact workers, instead, it will be up to individual employees to decide (and prove, if challenged) that it is reasonable to ignore the communication.

Among the factors that must be considered in determining what is reasonable is the reason for the contact or attempted contact, which the employee may have no way of knowing if they are not reading messages or answering phone calls.

The limited character of the right to disconnect measures has not prevented an outpouring of vitriol from business lobbyists and the corporate press.

Nick Cater, writing in the Australian, said the amendment was a victory for the anti-work ethic which has been gathering since the Covid-19 panic. Workers should not be annoyed by late-night calls from the boss, he argued, but recognise it as reassurance that their work is valued.

Cater did not just demand that workers must be on call 24-7. He continued: We must revisit the meaning of retirement after a century of rising life expectancy. Workers in their late 50s or early 60s should be able to look forward to something other than a 25-year holiday. In other words, every last drop of profit-producing labour must be wrung out of workers, until the day they die.

While this is a particularly hysterical example, it makes clear what is behind big-business objections to Labors industrial relations law. They believe the government is not doing enough to boost productivity, that is, to drive up corporate profits through a deepening assault on jobs, wages and conditions.

Labor does not disagree with the premise. The conflict represents a difference of opinion between two sections of the ruling elite about how best to achieve it, while simultaneously preventing any challenge from the working class.

The latest industrial relations laws show that Labor is once again placing its trust in the union apparatus, aided by the FWC, to enforce its wage-slashing austerity agenda and head off mounting tensions in the working class.

The global class struggle is reemerging after decades of union-enforced quiescence. In Australia and everywhere, the fight against increasingly oppressive living and working conditions is forcing workers into conflict with a joint union-management-government offensive.

Taking this on will require new and genuine organisations of struggle. That means the construction of independent rank-and-file committees, controlled by workers themselves, as the basis for a unified political and industrial struggle and the development of a new, independent movement of the working class.
IYSSE stall at VU Werribee

Over the past two weeks, International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) members have been campaigning at orientation events at Australian universities.

IYSSE members have found widespread shock and anger over the Israeli onslaught against Gaza, which is helping to politicise the younger generation. Numbers of students have participated in the weekly demonstrations against the genocide, which are the longest running anti-war movement in the country since at least the Vietnam war.

There is also widespread anger over the worst cost-of-living crisis in decades, compounded by the mass illness and death due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Young people are animated by the climate catastrophe, and increasingly aware of a threat of fascism, as well as of a catastrophic nuclear war.

The IYSSE has been raising that the central question is how capitalist barbarism can be opposed.

IYSSE stall at the University of Newcastle

IYSSE members have spoken to hundreds of students and distributed thousands of copies of its statement, Capitalism leads to genocide and waryouth and students must fight for world socialism!

That statement outlines the need for a socialist perspective oriented to the international working class. This program is counterposed to the bankrupt perspective of the fake left who promote the illusion that the same pro-imperialist parties and governments funding and supporting the genocide in the US, Australia, Britain and elsewhere can be pressured through endless protest into calling for a ceasefire.

Dozens signed up as members of IYSSE clubs at Victoria University (VU) in Melbourne, Macquarie University (MQ) in Sydney and the University of Newcastle in regional New South Wales so far.

Orientation events will continue around the country over the coming weeks.

The IYSSE received comments from several students over the last two weeks.

Yara, originally from Lebanon, spoke to IYSSE members at VUs Werribee campus in Melbournes working-class southwestern suburbs.

Whats happening in Gaza is so hard and so sad, because many people and many kids are getting killed. We have to stop these things, we have to stand with the people of Gaza, she said.

Yara

People all around the world are waking up. They see whats happening there on social media. Israel is lying about Palestinians to manipulate people, saying that they are bad or terrorists, things like this.

The student added: The US and Israel want to take the land away from the Palestinian people. Its wrong! Theres a long history of this. There has never been a real end to Israels deeds, for many, many years, because the US works together with it.

A first-year environmental studies student at MQ, Leo, told the IYSSE: I think that Israel is using the threat of one organisation that comes from Palestine as an excuse to commit a genocide and kill so many people. Most of the people in Gaza are children who could not be members of Hamas, and yet theyre being killed daily.

Leo said the role of the Labor government of Anthony Albanese in Australia, who have supported Israels onslaught, is really upsetting. The student continued: Its really scary that, instead of looking at the thoughts of a majority of our population, especially a majority of young people who are strongly against this genocide happening, they are trying to do what just benefits them, rather than the people theyre supposed to represent.

Commenting on the student strikes against the genocide that took place last year, Leo said: Its really upsetting that theyre branding young people as terrorists and as antisemites.

I think that its just that young people are looking at the world around them and are seeing hardshipand using their very powerful voices, even though most of us are made to believe that we do not get to have a say in things like this.

In response to the IYSSEs call for a global anti-war movement, Leo said: People can see this for what it is, which is just control over the Middle East and Israel kind of doing the dirty work of a lot of other countries such as the US to keep trade routes open and to keep capitalism running while killing so many people.

So, I think its very valuable that there is a community and society of people who want that to change.

Ali, a first-year MQ student originally from Bangladesh, said: Its a genocide thats taking place in Gaza. Its forcefully taking land of people. Its bombing them unnecessarily, bombing hospitals, taking everything from them.

The student said the support from the imperialist powers for Israel comes down to economic ties. Ali added: Theyre not supporting the ones who are in need, but only supporting the ones who are aligned with them. They have certain interests with Israel.

United States president, their defence minister, their visit to Israeleverything is about supporting Israel. Theyre not saying its not correct and the bombing should stop. Theyre openly supporting them.

Ali denounced the Australian governments support for the genocide and drew out the historical role that Israel has played for the imperialist powers as their proxy in the Middle East. This historical background, the student said, is hidden in the media.

The media is basically brainwashing people. When youre not going into the background, youre not going to the depth of it, you cannot do anything about it. Theyre just limiting people to a certain piece of knowledge.
One of the critical byproducts of the forever COVID policies implemented by the ruling elites, abandoning any fight against the pandemic and even dismantling monitoring of COVID cases by public health agencies, has been the emergence of a layer of principled health care experts, data analysts and researchers who are providing real-time information on the actual state of the pandemic.

The COVID-19 infection trackers maintained by Dr. Mike Hoerger and data scientist Jay Weiland, with modeling based on wastewater levels of SARS-CoV-2, have documented the massive scale of infections that have been sweeping across the United States and the rest of the world. Their weekly reports underscore the continuing high rates of daily infections, giving a glimpse into the public health catastrophe that is taking place under a complete media blackout of the pandemic.

Viral sleuths like Ryan Hisner, Raj Rajnarayanan and others have turned to their social media channels, which function as information hubs to accumulate information on the latest subvariants and their mutations. Many of their initial reports, such as on Pirola in August and then JN.1 in September 2023, were critical in giving the world a substantive alert on the massive wave of infections that has since washed over the globe, while national public agencies like the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) were taking pains to cover up these developments.

Greg Travis [Photo by Greg Travis]

Health care expert and data analyst Greg Travis has been maintaining the only excess death tracker available to the public, meticulously documenting the clinical and, by extension, the societal impact of the ongoing pandemic in the US. Not only do his charts and graphs cover nearly every category of deathall cause, deaths with disease, cardiovascular, cancer, COVID, influenza, suicide, and othersbut the data is sub-categorized by state, region, and age categories, including year and month of death.

The data for these plots and figures has been extracted from the WONDER database of death certificates submitted by individual states to the CDC. In a real sense, his analysis provides graphic evidence of the real impact of the ruling elites criminal pandemic policies on the health and well-being of Americans.

Figure 1: COVID deaths in the US for all ages by year. [Photo by @greg_travis Excess Death Explorer]

Travis is highly critical of the CDC and public health leadership, who have systematically covered up the pandemic at the behest of the ruling elites. He has used his social media platform to highlight the devastation wrought by the SARS-CoV-2 virus and expose the policies that have sought to normalize mass infection and death.

For instance, his recent February 15 Twitter (now X) post shows there were over 2,400 excess deaths among children during the pandemic attributable to COVID. In the same period, just 578 children died of influenza (CDC Wonder data).

With respect to all ages, the pre-pandemic baseline for annual influenza deaths stood at around 8,300 per year from 2015 to 2020. For the 2021 flu season, the figure dropped to around 1,000 deaths, mostly because of the initial response to the COVID pandemic, which saw widespread masking, remote learning in schools, and isolation and quarantine recommendations.

Figure 2: COVID versus Flu deaths per month from April 2022 to December 2023. [Photo by @greg_travis Excess Death Explorer]

However, by 2022 the CDC had ended many of the restrictions, and the baseline for annual flu deaths climbed back to pre-pandemic baselines. Meanwhile, COVID killed 246,000 people in 2022 and another 77,000 in 2023, a figure nearly 10 times higher than the flu. Most of these deaths occurred among the elderly. The corporate media has toed the line and maintained a complete silence on the implication of these figures.

The recent report written by Travis in collaboration with Arijit Chakravarty, scientist and CEO of Fractal Therapeutics, on How to Hide the Pandemic, provides needed context on the methods employed by the CDC and public health agencies to minimize the threat posed by the pandemic. It amounts to a public health alert on the dangers posed by such agencies charged with protecting the public in the present terminal state of capitalism. Indeed, it underscores the analysis made by the World Socialist Web Site that the CDC is a pillar of the state apparatus.

Earlier this month, we spoke with Greg Travis on the state of the pandemic in the US and the information provided by his tracker on the impact of COVID on the population.

Travis explained that based on death certificate reports, during the initial 2023/2024 winter wave of COVID there were around 6,000 COVID deaths from September through November. In December, the figures jumped to above 8,000 and he expected that in January they will reach 10,000.

Furthermore, on the question if these were considered deaths from COVID or with COVID, he said:

That is not a discussion I frankly engage in. The distinction is entirely artificial and was invented during the pandemic as a way to downplay COVID. Obviously, a death from COVID is a death that would not have occurred had the individual not been infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. However, the problem is that the attribution of a cause of death is complex. Its very rare for there to be a single cause of death. Instead, there is a chain of events with some trigger that ultimately lead to that death. When someone brings up the issue of with versus from, its a signal that the individual is not prepared to discuss matters in good faith.

Travis added:

The average death certificate where the individual died from a disease has about four or five causes listed, all of which contributed to the persons demise. Trying to parse out how each cause contributed to that death is complex. We are only now beginning to understand more fully how a long chain of health events can play out over years or decades. The egregious notion of whether someone died with or of COVID was introduced to confuse the lay public not familiar with how difficult it really is to ascribe any cause to a death.

One of Travis main concerns about how public health officials are messaging COVID is that it was held out to the public as a disease that only affected the elderly. In other words, the signal to younger people was that they were effectively immune and neednt worry about what amounted to an old persons disease.

However, as he explained, every disease, every cause of death exhibits a very characteristic J-curve, where it hits the very young heavily, and then it goes down for older children and young adults, and then it keeps going up the older you get.

Thats not only true with diseases such as the flu, but its also even true with natural disasters like hurricanes  and nobody would say that because young people are at no risk statistically from hurricanes so there is no need to do anything about climate change or even put-up flood walls. You can easily see what kind of rabbit hole you go down when you apply such ridiculous reasoning to major social issues.

Figure 3: Death to age gradient during extreme storms 1999-2023. (Red curve denotes the J-Curve) [Photo by @greg_travis Excess Death Explorer]

Travis said, Naturally, when death certificates are accrued over a given time, a vast majority will be among older people. Even with age adjustments, looking at total excess deaths, these can completely obscure the signal about whats happening to those among the younger demographics.

Travis used the history of polio infections in the US in the first half of the 20th century as a case in point.

When polio infections and deaths were at their peak, it didnt affect the excess death figures at all. If we were to simply look at excess deaths, we would conclude that there was nothing wrong. But no one said polio wasnt serious and, in fact, there was a robust vaccination campaign to address the problem. So, if we want to assess the significance or impact of a given disease, we should compare it to the impact of other diseases within the same age group. And when you compare COVID in children to other diseases, COVID shoots to the top. Children dont normally die, but when they do, they die from COVID.

When the bar graphs for COVID versus Influenza deaths among children under 18 are placed side by side, a clear picture emerges. First, most of the pediatric-related flu deaths in 2020 occurred before the pandemic had taken off and the lockdowns were implemented. Secondly, flu deaths among children dropped by nearly 90 percent when the US was in some form of lockdown. It was objectively shown for the first time in modern human history that the flu could be eliminated. And finally, it showed how much deadlier COVID has been by comparison.

Figure 4: COVID versus Influenza deaths among children under 18 years of age. (The red bar denotes 300 deaths level on each graph.)] [Photo by @greg_travis Excess Death Explorer. ]

As Travis also showed, children under 18 are the only demographic that has seen a steady rise in excess death in all four pandemic years, with a figure of zero percent in 2020 (i.e., at the 2015-2019 baseline) to six percent above the baseline in 2021, 14 percent above in 2022, and 16 percent above in 2023. Adding to their vulnerability, children are also the least vaccinated age group in America, in terms of COVID.

Figure 5: Excess Deaths from Disease by Demographics during the Pandemic. [Photo by @greg_travis Excess Death Explorer]

This rise in excess deaths corresponded to the policy of the availability of remote learning versus compulsory infection policies. The black line notes expected deaths and the shaded light green area in winter of 2020 indicates excess lives saved (because anti-COVID efforts cut death rates from other respiratory illnesses). With the reopening of schools and in-person education, rates of excess deaths quickly rebounded.

Figure 6: Excess deaths from underlying disease among 5- to 17-year-olds. [Photo by . @greg_travis Excess Death Explorer.]

However, among young working adults (18 to 44 years of age), he noted, excess death from disease remains high, with nearly 12,500 more deaths in 2023 than the pre-pandemic normal. In particular, this group had the highest rate of excess deaths of any age group in 2021. More than 75,000 excess deaths occurred in that year among young adults, who were told they had to return to work despite many not being vaccinated and having to face the brunt of the ongoing waves of infection. Astounded by the figures, Travis bluntly noted that young adults shouldnt be dying at this rate.

Figure 7: Excess deaths from disease in 18- to 44-year-olds by state and month in the ten most populous states during the pandemic. [Photo by @greg_travis Excess Death Explorer.]

One point that Travis wanted to emphasize is the class character of these deaths. He emphasized that while the demographic of 18 to 44 represents the blue collar workers who are constantly exposed through their work to the virus, the percent of excess deaths among those that are 45 to 75 years of age has declined almost to baseline. Travis calls this demographic more representative of the managerial class, such as factory superintendents, upper-level corporate management, newspaper editors, the publishers of fancy magazines like New Yorker and The Atlantic, as well as healthcare administrators and tenured academics. For them, indeed, the pandemic is over.

Evidence for the impact of the pandemic on the working class has been documented in a few studies that dared to address this issue, including the drastic decline in their life expectancy, although these studies are often couched in racial terms to cover for the class nature of society that the pandemic has exposed. Travis graphics offer some support for these conclusions, but would require analyzing county-level data and documentation on the social aspects of these excess deaths that the CDC data fails to capture.

Travis then highlighted the overall excess deaths in the US by year of the pandemic, comparing it to the baseline period before the pandemic bracketed by various age groups. What becomes readily apparent is the sustained massive loss of life that had such a devastating toll on older people. Even in 2023, though the estimates remain to be finalized due to delays in reporting deaths, deaths are still more than 200,000 above the baseline from 2019.

Figure 8: All cause death per year among all ages in the US. [Photo by @greg_travis Excess Death Explorer]

Travis cautioned that restricting ones examination of the data to all-cause mortality fails to capture granular data on COVID, other diseases or the overall public health-related crisis plaguing the US. It was one reason why he included the various categories of death, such as death from disease, overdose, accidents, etc., in his explorer, to provide access to such vital information.

In addition, Travis separates out deaths according to age bands, instead of using the more common technique of age-adjusting deaths. Age-adjusting deaths causes the effects of large rises in death rates among younger populations to be obscured by large normal background deaths among older populations. For instance, although deaths per month among the young during the pandemic have jumped 20 to 30 percent on average above expected baseline levels and remained elevated, because of the relatively small total number of deaths they get hidden in the overall excess deaths. Figure 9 shows the surge in monthly deaths over the expected baseline during the pandemic.

Figure 9: Deaths from accidents, suicide, drug and alcohol overdose among 18- to 44-year-olds. [Photo by @greg_travis Excess Death Explorer]

Given that COVID is known to have a propensity to cause vascular and cardiac inflammation, which leads to higher rates of cardiac events, Travis then showed the graphics on cardiac/circulatory deaths in the US among all ages. As anticipated, rates of cardiac events in the first three years of the pandemic exceeded the expected rates, underscoring the findings in studies by pandemic researchers such Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly and others that COVID infections put people at risk for cardiovascular events and other health complications.

However, what was also disturbing was that such events appeared to have a seasonality congruent with peaks in the flu season. In other words, Travis identified the flu, as well as COVID, as a trigger event for cardiac events, with at times a 15 percent rise in such events. Although never discussed by public health officials, such seasonality has been documented in the literature with most studies reporting winter peaks in cardiovascular-related hospitalizations and mortality. Event rates in winter are typically 10 to 20 percent greater than during summer troughs.

In a 2018 New England Journal of Medicine article, the authors reported that people were six times more likely to have a heart attack in the week after being diagnosed with the flu. The CDC also recently posted an update in its flu section based on an August 2020 study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine of more than 80,000 patients hospitalized for a flu infection. Among the elderly, there was a 12 percent chance of an acute cardiovascular event within a week of hospitalization. Notably, cardiovascular deaths have remained the leading cause of death in the US for decades.

Figure 10: Cardiovascular and circulatory deaths in all ages. [Photo by @greg_travis Excess Death Explorer]

Travis made the point that his findings make it clear that infection control is essential, not just for the control of SARS-CoV-2, but to reduce the transmission of all these airborne pathogens.

And if we control infections, we drive these cardiovascular deaths right down. I think thats something that really needs to be talked about. This would reinforce the case for things like ventilation in all public buildings and universal masking, which are a lot of things that the people who get to call the shots dont want to talk about. But these are the inconvenient truths that are emerging that COVID is not the flu and flu is not just a cold that causes sniffles.

One cant help but describe this work as monumental and of significant benefit to the working class, for whom such data and analysis are vital for their well-being. It also enhances their political understanding to appreciate the necessity of a public health infrastructure rooted in the principles of epidemiology and prevention of disease.

Travis work also functions as critical forensic evidence that demonstrates without a shred of doubt that the policies the CDC and the White House, and every other health agency across the globe, including the World Health Organization, have knowingly endangered life. They have placed the interests of the capitalist class and its financial prerogatives ahead of the well-being of the working class, which has faced the brunt of a pandemic that has seen close to 30 million excess deaths in the last four years of endless waves of infections.

However, principled scientists and researchers who call to eliminate or mitigate these infections cannot fight the ruling class with their present political understanding. Although meticulously scientific in conducting their work on the pandemic, they have little knowledge of the science of society: scientific socialism and the historical-materialist analysis of the class struggle. This was made all too clear when Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly made a plea to Senator Bernie Sanders at a recent congressional hearing for the federal government to invest more in preventing and treating Long COVID.

Nothing will materialize from such calls when the entire state apparatus is hell bent on prosecuting the next war and every resource is spent to arm Israel in its genocidal campaign while expanding the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and more broadly in the Middle East. The only social force on which scientists can turn to and rely on to grasp and act on the lessons of the ongoing COVID-19 catastrophe and warnings of future pandemics is the international working class.
Julian Assange [Photo by David G. Silvers, Cancilleria del Ecuador / CC BY-SA 2.0

On Tuesday and Wednesday, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will seek leave to make his final appeal to the High Court in Britain for the right to argue against his extradition to the United States on charges under the Espionage Act carrying a life sentence. A rejection would leave him no other options through the UK legal system and could put him on a plane to the US the same day.

Assanges freedom must be demanded by workers and youth in Britain, the US, his native Australia and throughout the world.

He has been hounded by the intelligence agencies of the imperialist powers for 14 years for exposing war crimes, industrial-scale human rights abuses and anti-democratic intrigues. For nearly five of those years, he has been held in the UKs Belmarsh maximum security prison, in life-threatening conditions, and denied his basic rights, including bail.

The case of Assange embodies the struggle against imperialist war, the authoritarian measures used to suppress anti-war sentiment and the propaganda lies used to justify it all.

He was targeted by Washington and London for publishing leaked documents detailing the crimes of the US government and its allies in Afghanistan and Iraq, and their conspiracies with dictatorships around the world. Assange sought to warn the population of the brutality the ruling class was capable of. He described WikiLeaks as the intelligence agency of the people.

Those warnings are now being daily and horrifically confirmed by the NATO-Russia war in Ukraine, where hundreds of thousands have likely lost their lives, and in the Israeli genocide in Gaza, already responsible for at least 30,000 deaths, mainly women and children. Both are rooted in the drive by the imperialist powers for a new redivision of the globe, its people and its resources, which marks the ever-deeper descent into a third world war.

The persecution of Assange, which includes a CIA assassination plot and which has ravaged his health and stolen over a decade of his life already, has been the spearhead of a crackdown on opposition to war, in preparation for the eruption of military violence now underway. It was intended to set a chilling precedent that anyone who gets in the way of the war plans of the imperialist powers will be silenced and destroyed.

The attempt to brutally silence journalists that began with Assange has now led to a policy of mass murder. Nearly 100 media workers and many of their family members have been killed by the Israel Defense Forces in the space of just four months, in a clear campaign of targeted assassinations to stop the truth of the genocide being reported. In Israel, Britain, the United States, Europe and throughout the world, draconian legislation is being used to criminalise anti-genocide protests, with thousands arrested.

If wars can be started by lies  peace can be started by truth, Assange told a rally against the occupation of Afghanistan in Londons Trafalgar Square in 2011. There has been no shortage of wars and lies since.

In Ukraine, the NATO powers claim to be defending sovereignty and democracy by working with fascist forces to dragoon the population into a fight to the last man designed to weaken and destabilise Russia.

In Gaza, they support Prime Minister Netanyahus cynical invocation of Israels right to self-defence as a justification for the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians.

Assanges fate, the fight for his freedom, depends on the development of a mass anti-war movement against the imperialist pyromaniacs responsible for these catastrophes.

That movement has begun, with mass protests of millions across the world demanding an end to Israels genocide in Gaza, which is only the first stage of a war across the Middle East, waged by the US and its satellites against Iran and its allies in Yemen, Syria and Lebanon, to secure American hegemony over the oil-rich region.

This mass movement must place the demand for Assanges freedom at the centre of the fight against genocide and war.

Under these conditions, Assange cases will take on explosive political dimensions in its next stage, whether in the form of an appeal before the UK High Court, or a defence mounted in the United States. His tormentors in Washington may think they can act with impunity, but they have not reckoned on the enormous popular sympathy for Assange and WikiLeaks.

The working class and young people are at the beginning of an election year in which the two main parties presented to themRepublican and Democratic in the US, Conservative and Labour in Britainare despised. Neither countrys ruling class is in a strong position to mount an unprecedented, legally obscene extradition and prosecution.

It will be lost on no one that while they persecute Assange, the US and its allies have mounted a chorus proclaiming the death in custody of Alexei Navalny as the ultimate proof of the criminal character of the Putin regime, shedding an ocean of tears over this racist crook. And millions will not accept the ruling elites right to punish someone who has revealed previous war crimes when they are mobilising week after week against the newest crimes sanctioned in Gaza by Genocide Joe Biden and Rishi Sunak.

After more than a decade of the relentless persecution of Julian Assange by the imperialist powers, it is time for workers and young people to draw the lessons of the struggle for his freedom. At this critical juncture, it is urgently necessary to unite the fight against war with the struggle to free Julian Assange.

Like all great defense campaigns of the past, the fight to free Julian Assange can only succeed to the extent that it mobilizes the working class, linking the struggle to free Assange with the struggle against war and the fight by millions of workers all over the world against the brutal attacks on jobs, wages, essential services and basic democratic rights.

This involves a conscious rejection of all the political forces, from Labour in the UK to the Democratic Party in the US, that have led both the Gaza genocide and Assanges persecution.

The World Socialist Web Site, the International Committee of the Fourth International and its affiliated Socialist Equality Parties will continue to wage an unwavering and determined struggle to rally the working class in this fight.
New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters undertook a four-day tour of three Pacific Islands states beginning on February 7, hard on the heels of a visit to Australia that saw a strengthening of security and defence ties between the two key US allies in the region.

New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters [AP Photo/Rick Rycroft]

Central to the discussions with Australian ministers was the AUKUS (Australia-UK-US) military agreement, part of the US-led architecture aimed at preparing for war against China. It includes arming Australia with hypersonic missiles and nuclear-powered submarines. New Zealand is seeking to join pillar two of the agreement, involving non-nuclear technology sharing.

Peters trip is part of a coordinated campaign by the US and Australia to block Chinese influence among the Pacific island states, which are insignificant economically but are strategically important due to the large areas of the southwest Pacific that they occupy. Australian foreign minister, Penny Wong, since assuming office, has engaged in multiple visits throughout the region to cajole and bully Pacific island governments.

On his latest tour, Peters travelling with Shane Reti, who holds the Pacific Peoples and Health portfolios, met with Tongas acting prime minister and the prime ministers of Cook Islands and Samoa. All three countries are vulnerable, impoverished micro-states considered by New Zealands ruling elite as part of its sphere of influence and are being pressured to join the escalating US-led confrontation with China.

It was Peters second tour of the Southwest Pacific following his December visit to Fiji where he met with Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, Tuvalu Prime Minister Kausea Natano, and Henry Puna, then secretary-general of the Pacific Islands Forum.

Peters first stop-over was in Tonga, 2,400 kms from Auckland with a population of 108,000. Tonga is ruled by a reactionary hereditary monarchy with a parliament composed of 17 elected commoner MPs and nine representatives of the elite privileged nobles.

Peters arrived amid a constitutional crisis. A week earlier Tongas King Tupou VI, who is deeply unpopular, declared he had lost confidence in Prime Minister and Defence Minister Huakavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni and Foreign Minister Fekita Utoikamanu. Attorney-General Linda Folaumoetui advised the prime minister and Cabinet that the letter revoking the ministerial appointments was unconstitutional, leading to an ongoing standoff.

While the issues involved in the dispute are not being publicly aired, Peters would doubtless have registered New Zealands concern about political instability. In 2006 when pro-democracy riots devastated the capital Nukualofa, Australia and New Zealand dispatched troops to defend their strategic and economic interests and prevent the crisis from spiraling out of their control.

Seeking to push back against Chinas influence, the US has recently established an embassy in Tonga. The imperialist powers profess concern about the countrys economic reliance on Beijing. Roughly 80 percent of Tongas foreign debt, more than $US120 million, equivalent to a quarter of its annual GDP, is held by China. This year Tonga will spend more on servicing debt than on health. The debt burden is set to balloon over the next five years as the deadline looms on loans.

In a post-Cabinet press conference, Peters referenced the debt that was incurred by some policies that were maybe wise and some not so wise. He offered nothing apart from opening a new pharmaceutical warehouse partially funded by a $2.4 million New Zealand contribution. Tongas head pharmacist Levaitai Asaeli said while she welcomed the facility, the country needed at least 20 pharmacists to meet the health needs of people. Tonga only has seven.

The Tongan government said Peters discussed priority areas for cooperation in climate change, cyber security, health and education. Acting Prime Minister Samiu Vaipulu described New Zealand as a trusted friend, citing security risks and regional geopolitical pressures and the importance of working together.

The Cook Islands, Peters second stop, with just 17,000 inhabitants, is a neo-colonial realm country of New Zealand. While self-governing, Wellington provides colonial oversight, including over foreign affairs, defence and security. Washington announced last year that it would recognise the Cook Islands and Niue as sovereign states, portending more direct intervention in their affairs.

Touting climate change as a focus, Peters delivered $NZ16.5 millionanother paltry offering ostensibly to help fight the resulting crisis. Climate change already impacts the Cook Islands, including coastal erosion from sea level rise.

Official discussions were reportedly dominated by the Cook Islands governments proposal for a trilateral security and defence deal involving NZ and Australia. Details have not been released but Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown stated on January 26 it would support expansion of cooperation in cyber security and air and maritime border security, building on extensive military and surveillance activity by the imperialist powers.

The proposal is clearly aimed against China, which provides tens of millions of dollars in loans and development aid. Beijing has also sought to establish a form of security cooperation with the islands. In December, Cook Islands Police Inspector Maeva Kirikava visited Beijing along with senior police from Tonga, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Kiribati, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea. Chinas Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong hosted a meeting with them titled Ministerial Dialogue on Police Capacity Building and Cooperation Between China and Pacific Island Countries.

Samoa, Peters final stop, provides the majority of Pacific Island immigrants and seasonal workers to New Zealand. The election of Wellington-educated Fiame Naomi Mataafa as prime minister in 2021 immediately saw the abandonment of a Chinese-backed port development in a realignment towards New Zealand and the US. Fiame said the $US100 million project would have significantly added to the countrys exposure to China.

Peters signed a renewed New Zealand-Samoa Statement of Partnership, which pledges a major expansion of security engagement. It says the two countries will; Strengthen cooperation, including on information and assessment exchange in: police and law enforcement, law and justice, maritime security, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, cybersecurity, health security, and border security.

Missing from the New Zealand governments anodyne official press briefings was any reflection of the issues of central concern to the Pacific: the threat of a looming and catastrophic nuclear war and expansion of the AUKUS pact.

Radio NZ reported on February 12 that keeping the Pacific nuclear-free, in line with the 1985 Treaty of Rarotonga, was a recurring theme from the island leaders. The Treaty prohibits signatories, which include Australia and New Zealand, from placing nuclear weapons within the South Pacific.

Fiame openly addressed regional concerns about AUKUS, calling on Canberra and Wellington to ensure that the provisions under the maritime treaty are taken into consideration, and saying; We dont want the Pacific to be seen as an area that people will take licence of nuclear arrangements. Cook Islands PM Brown confirmed that the Pacific leaders were all in agreement.

Peters two trips into the region since taking office last November represent a further move to corral the tiny island states behind the local imperialist powers and the US.

The far-right National-ACT-NZ First coalition government, following its Labour predecessor, is strengthening New Zealands integration into US war plans on every front. It fully supports the US-NATO war in Ukraine against Russia, Israels genocidal assault on Gaza, and has sent military personnel to support the bombing of Yemen.

One significant outcome of last months meeting of Australian-NZ foreign and defence ministers was a declaration that the ANZUS alliance could be revived. Under the 1951 ANZUS Treaty Australia and New Zealand, as minor imperialist powers, served as policemen for the US in the region.

In 1986 Washington suspended its obligations to New Zealand under ANZUS in response to the Lange Labour governments ban on nuclear-powered vesselsa move warmly welcomed as a landmark stance across the Pacific.

Now, NZ Defence Force chief Air Marshal Kevin Short told a parliamentary committee last week that under conditions in which Australia is reshaping' its defence force for a singular threat from a singular directionthat is, ChinaCanberra is being very open and frank about pressuring New Zealand to upgrade its military.

The consolidation of the defence alliance with Australia is a further assurance that the NZ ruling elite will step up in the US-led drive for control of the vast Pacific region that was a bloody and decisive theatre of conflict in World War II.
On Sunday, a spirited rally against the Israeli genocide in Gaza took place in the Detroit enclave of Hamtramck, Michigan. Home to a large population of workers from Yemen, Bangladesh and Pakistan, Hamtramck is reportedly the first majority-Muslim city in the US with an all-Muslim city council. Once an auto manufacturing powerhouse, the small city has been economically devastated by plant closures.

The rally gave voice to the anger and outrage of the local population against the destruction in Gaza. The official death toll is now over 29,000, mostly women and children.

Speakers at the rally and march denounced the US-Israeli bombing that has expanded into Lebanon and Yemen. A local government representative announced that a mile-long stretch of Holbrook Avenue, one of the main streets in the city, is being renamed Palestine Avenue.

Hundreds marched Sunday in Hamtramck, Michigan, an enclave within Detroit, to protest Israeli genocide in Gaza.

The main demand of the march was for a ceasefire, and some organizers called for an uncommitted vote at the Michigan Democratic primary on February 27 to show opposition to President Joe Biden.

On Tuesday, the US will veto a ceasefire resolution in the UN, despite the Netanyahu governments vow to carry out a full-scale ground offensive against Rafah, where nearly 1.5 million Palestinian refugees are confined.

Several speakers denounced the continued support for Israel by the Biden administration and urged those in attendance to vote against Biden by writing uncommitted on their ballots. US Democratic Congressperson Rashida Tlaib announced on Saturday that she endorsed a group called Listen to Michigan campaigning for the uncommitted ballot.

If you want us to be louder, then come here and vote uncommitted, stated Tlaib in a Twitter/X video she posted on Saturday.

The initiative is being led by Tlaibs sister, Layla Elabed, which is making a special appeal to the Arab and Muslim communities in Dearborn and Hamtramck as a way of expressing their opposition to the war. Elabed has claimed that voting uncommitted is our vehicle to return political power back to us.

The mayor of Hamtramck is on record supporting the uncommitted campaign, with his spokesman telling the rally to do likewise. He said that Hamtramck was the first city in the US to pass a ceasefire resolution.

Tlaib, whose family is Palestinian, has tweeted in support of uncommitted after initially distancing herself from the campaign. Last November Tlaib was censured for her opposition to the Israeli genocide by Congress with the support of Democrats. The Listen to Michigan campaign has been endorsed by the mayors of Dearborn, Dearborn Heights and Hamtramck, all with Democratic-controlled cities with large Arab American populations. A number of Democratic state legislators, city councilors and the Detroit branch of the Democratic Socialists of America have followed suit.

At the rally the Wayne State University chapter of the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) received a warm response from the young people in attendance. Scores purchased literature and left their names to become involved.

Larry Porter, the assistant national secretary of the Socialist Equality Party, spoke at the rally and opposed the false orientation of its organizers. Porter explained to the crowd that the SEP rejected the view that placing pressure on the government or calling on Congress was a solution.

We support the position of the Palestinian trade unions, who have called for international action against this war, he said. And for that reason, our program is very different from one of putting pressure (on the government) or calling your congressman as the solution. We believe that the issue is mobilizing the working class all over the world. That is the only class that is going to provide a real solution to this war.

Porter went on to denounce not only Biden but both political parties who support the war. Referring to an earlier speaker, he said, As the older gentleman said, look at the governments that are supporting this: France, Germany, Britain. They are all supporting this policy. We have no confidence in any of them. That is why we say about the Biden administration, it is headed by Genocide Joe. But it is also the entire Democratic Party as well. Both the Democrats and Republicans are supporting a new holocaust.

IYSSE campaigners spoke to attendees at the rally. Cassie Mason told the WSWS she came to the demonstration to show her opposition to the slaughter of innocent Palestinians. For the last few months, its hard for me to talk about it, to even explain how I feel. Its, its just I never imagined living in a world where I would have to wake up every day and see people, innocent people and children losing their lives, stated Cassie. Children losing their lives when we can do something about it, and people just arent. I dont know how people are going about their regular lives right now.

Like many young workers, the death and devastation have come as a shock. In school we were just taught how beautiful the world is now compared to the things that we learned about in the past, like the Holocaust and the genocides of the past, she continued. We were told that things were going to be so much different, moving into the future and better. And I think every day we wake up and its a little bit worse.

Cassie said she visited a concentration camp in Austria but never expected horrors of this nature would develop again. Actually, Ive been to a concentration camp. Ive been to Mauthausen Camp, and I stood outside of a gas chamber. I just, I cant imagine that thats happening all over again.

The WSWS also spoke to Gema and Gaston, who felt the Yemenis were at least standing up against the genocide. Im here to support Palestine and to support Yemen, said Gema. I mean, Yemen, what can we say? Theyre fighting their own war, theyre fighting their own starvation, and yet they are the only people that are not just laying down and funding this war.

Gaston added that the media denounces Yemen, They never say they are doing this because of Palestine and the genocide in Gaza. Just saying that theyre disrupting trade, but they dont mention why ... anyone who opposes their views they will fund against. It has always been that way.

A WSWS reporter pointed to the reactionary policies of the Egyptian and Jordanian governments, who back the US. Gaston drew the connection of the US overthrow of governments who do not carry out US ruling class interests and the coup attempt in the US. Yeah, said Gaston, the US does stuff like that. What was the guys name who worked for the CIA? He said about Trump, Thats not how I would have done the coup? I think it was John Bolton.

They have done this before, he continued. This is what the US does. It is not just a Middle Eastern issue. Gema agreed and pointed to Latin America and Africa.
Market.Us

The Military Wearables Market is witnessing rapid technological advancements, with a focus on enhancing soldier performance, situational awareness, and survivability. Innovations include smart textiles, augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) systems, and advanced sensors.

New York, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to Market.us, The global military wearables market is poised for significant growth, with an anticipated value of USD 3.77 billion by 2033, demonstrating a steady Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 1.8% from 2024 to 2033.

Military wearables encompass a range of electronic devices integrated into soldiers' uniforms and gear, including augmented reality headsets, smartwatches, fitness trackers, sensors, exoskeletons, and more. These technologies play a crucial role in enhancing soldiers' capabilities by enabling real-time communication, data transfer, vital sign monitoring, navigation, and physical task assistance. Leading military powers such as the United States, China, and Russia are heavily investing in military wearables technology, with a focus on soldier modernization programs and the adoption of augmented reality and virtual reality for training and operations.

The market for military wearables, encompassing a diverse range of technologies and applications, is experiencing notable growth driven by a confluence of factors. Military organizations worldwide are increasingly adopting wearable devices to enhance the effectiveness, safety, and situational awareness of their personnel. These wearables, which include smart helmets, augmented reality (AR) glasses, body-worn sensors, and advanced communication systems, offer a myriad of benefits ranging from real-time battlefield data analysis to improved soldier health monitoring.

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Military Wearables Market

Key Takeaways

The global military wearables market is expected to reach USD 3.77 billion by 2033, with a steady Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 1.8% from 2024 to 2033.

In 2023, the Land forces segment held a dominant market position in the Military Wearables Market, capturing more than a 78% share.

Vision & Surveillance held the largest market share in 2023 ( 23% ) due to the critical need for enhanced situational awareness in modern warfare.

Headwear dominated the market in 2023 ( 40% ), including helmets, head-up displays, and communication headsets, crucial for protection and advanced communication.

APAC held a dominant market position in 2023 (35% share) due to significant military advancements and increasing defense budgets, with a focus on modernizing military capabilities.

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Factors Affecting the Growth of the Military Wearables Market

Technological Advancements: Advancements in sensor technologies, miniaturization, and material science have enabled the development of sophisticated military wearables. These technologies include smart textiles, body-worn sensors, augmented reality (AR) devices, biometric monitoring systems, and communication devices. As these technologies continue to improve, the military wearables market is expected to expand.

Need for Enhanced Situational Awareness: Situational awareness is crucial in military operations, and wearable devices can provide real-time data and information to enhance soldiers' awareness of their surroundings. Military wearables such as head-up displays (HUDs) and smart glasses can overlay digital information onto the soldier's field of view, providing critical data, navigation assistance, and communication capabilities. The demand for such devices to improve situational awareness is a driving factor for market growth.

Soldier Health and Performance Monitoring: Military wearables can monitor soldiers' vital signs, activity levels, fatigue, and overall health, allowing commanders and medical personnel to assess their well-being and make informed decisions. These wearables can also provide early warnings for heat stress, dehydration, and other health risks. The focus on soldier health, performance optimization, and injury prevention is driving the adoption of wearable technologies in military settings.

Communication and Connectivity: Reliable communication and connectivity are essential for military operations. Military wearables equipped with communication capabilities, such as integrated radios or data transmission systems, enable seamless communication between soldiers, commanders, and units. The demand for improved communication and coordination in the field is fueling the growth of wearable communication devices in the military.

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Regional Analysis

In 2023, the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region emerged as a dominant force in the Military Wearables Market, securing a formidable market position by capturing over 35% of the total market share. This remarkable achievement underscores the region's growing significance in the global defense industry and its increasing investment in advanced military technologies.

Several factors contributed to APAC's strong foothold in the military wearables market. Firstly, the region's dynamic geopolitical landscape, characterized by ongoing territorial disputes and security challenges, has spurred governments to bolster their defense capabilities through the adoption of cutting-edge technologies. As a result, APAC countries have been proactive in exploring and deploying innovative wearable solutions to enhance the effectiveness and agility of their armed forces.

Moreover, the rapid economic growth and technological advancement witnessed across many APAC nations have provided a conducive environment for the development and adoption of military wearables. Rising defense budgets, coupled with a burgeoning defense industry ecosystem, have facilitated the research, development, and procurement of state-of-the-art wearable technologies tailored to meet the region's specific defense requirements.

Military Wearables Market Region

Report Segmentation

By End User Analysis

The dominance of the Land forces segment in the Military Wearables Market in 2023, capturing over 78% of the market share, can be attributed to several factors. Land forces, comprising armies and ground troops, often operate in diverse and challenging environments where situational awareness, communication, and protection are paramount. As a result, there is a high demand for wearable technologies that enhance soldier capabilities, improve communication, and provide real-time data insights on the battlefield. Wearable devices such as smart helmets, body-worn sensors, and communication systems are integral components of modern land force equipment, driving the segment's significant market share.

By Technology Analysis

Similarly, the Vision & Surveillance segment's dominance in 2023, capturing more than 23% of the market share, underscores the critical importance of visual and surveillance technologies in military operations. Vision-enhancing wearables, including night vision goggles, thermal imaging devices, and augmented reality glasses, play a vital role in enhancing situational awareness, target acquisition, and reconnaissance capabilities for ground troops. As military operations increasingly rely on accurate and timely visual information, the demand for vision and surveillance wearables continues to grow, driving the segment's market dominance.

By Wearable Type Analysis

Furthermore, the Headwear segment's leading position in 2023, capturing over 40% of the market share, highlights the significance of head-mounted wearable devices in military applications. Headwear, such as helmets and head-mounted displays, serves as a platform for integrating various technologies, including communication systems, display screens, and sensors, into a single wearable device. These devices not only provide protection to soldiers but also serve as a vital interface for accessing critical information, receiving commands, and interacting with digital overlays in the battlefield environment. The versatility and functionality offered by headwear wearables contribute to their widespread adoption and dominance in the military wearables market.

Military Wearables Market Share

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Top Market Leaders

BAE Systems PLC

Elbit Systems Ltd.

Thales Group

Saab AB

General Dynamics Corporation

Rheinmetall AG

L3Harris Corporation

Aselsan A.S.

Teledyne Flir LLC

Lockheed Martin Corporation

Other key players

Recent Developments

1. BAE Systems PLC:

February 2023: Partnered with Microsoft Azure to develop and integrate wearable augmented reality solutions for military applications, aiming to enhance situational awareness and decision-making.

June 2023: Unveiled the Tactica X wearable augmented reality headset designed for infantry soldiers, offering real-time data overlay and improved battlefield visibility.

August 2023: Announced a collaboration with the UK Ministry of Defence to develop next-generation wearable communication systems for soldiers, focused on secure and reliable data transmission.

2. Elbit Systems Ltd.:

March 2023: Launched the XACT wearable combat system, integrating communication, navigation, and situational awareness tools into a single platform for improved soldier performance.

October 2023: Signed a contract with the Israeli Ministry of Defense to supply advanced soldier systems, including wearable health monitoring devices and tactical communication solutions.

December 2023: Partnered with Rafael Advanced Defense Systems to develop integrated wearable solutions for aircrew, combining Elbit's communication expertise with Rafael's missile and countermeasure technologies.

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Impactful Driver:

One of the most impactful drivers shaping the Military Wearables Market is the increasing focus on enhancing soldier effectiveness and survivability on the battlefield. Modern warfare scenarios are characterized by dynamic and complex environments, where soldiers face evolving threats and challenges. As a result, defense organizations worldwide are prioritizing investments in wearable technologies aimed at equipping soldiers with advanced capabilities, enhancing situational awareness, and improving mission effectiveness. The imperative to enhance soldier lethality, agility, and survivability drives the demand for innovative wearable solutions, making it a significant driver in the military wearables market.

Key Trend:

A key trend shaping the Military Wearables Market is the convergence of wearable technologies with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) capabilities. This trend is driven by the growing demand for intelligent and adaptive wearable solutions capable of processing and analyzing vast amounts of data in real-time. By integrating AI and ML algorithms into wearable devices, defense organizations can unlock new capabilities such as predictive analytics, anomaly detection, and autonomous decision-making. This trend not only enhances the functionality and effectiveness of military wearables but also enables proactive and data-driven decision-making on the battlefield, making it a key trend in the market.

Major Challenges:

One of the major challenges facing the Military Wearables Market is ensuring interoperability and compatibility among diverse wearable devices and systems. Military organizations often operate with heterogeneous equipment sourced from different manufacturers and suppliers, leading to interoperability challenges and integration issues. Ensuring seamless communication and data exchange between various wearable devices, sensors, and command systems poses significant technical and logistical challenges. Moreover, maintaining cybersecurity and data integrity across interconnected wearable devices is another major challenge, given the growing threat of cyberattacks and information warfare. Addressing these interoperability and cybersecurity challenges is crucial for ensuring the effective deployment and operation of military wearables in integrated battlefield environments.

Key Market Segments

By End User

Land Forces

Naval Forces

Air Forces

By Technology

Communication & Computing

Network and Connectivity Management

Navigation

Vision & Surveillance

Exoskeleton

Monitoring

Power and Energy Source

Smart Textiles

By Wearable Type

Headwear

Eyewear

Wristwear

Hearables

Bodywear

By Geography

North America The US Canada

Europe Germany France The UK Spain Italy Russia Netherland Rest of Europe

APAC China Japan South Korea India Australia New Zealand Singapore Thailand Vietnam Rest of APAC

Latin America Brazil Mexico Rest of Latin America

Middle East & Africa South Africa Saudi Arabia UAE Rest of MEA



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(Bloomberg) -- Ben Chakir, who was most recently head of Israel investment banking at Credit Suisse, is joining Mizuho Financial Group Inc., according to people with knowledge of the matter.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The Tel Aviv-based banker is set to help Mizuho cover fast-growing Israeli companies, said one of the people, who requested anonymity discussing confidential information.

He joined Credit Suisse in 2020 and previously worked for Rothschild & Co., The Nuriel Group and Discount Capital, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Chakir and representatives for Mizuho and UBS Group AG, which is in the process of integrating Credit Suisse, didnt immediately respond to requests for comment.

A slew of companies with Israeli roots have gone public on US exchanges in recent years, including Playtika Holding Corp., Mobileye Global Inc., Monday.com Ltd., Enlight Renewable Energy Ltd. and Oddity Tech Ltd.

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2024 Bloomberg L.P.
Nevada Exploration Inc.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nevada Exploration Inc. (NGE or the Company) (TSX-V:NGE; OTCQB:NVDEF) announces the assays for drillhole SGVC014A at its South Grass Valley property, property acquisition negotiations, addition of directors, and a private placement financing.



As previously released, the Company began drilling SGVC014 in March 2022. The drillhole was stopped at 574 metres due to broken ground conditions that sheared the drill rods, after which the drillhole was redrilled and sampled from 438 to 1,048 metres as SGVC014A. SGVC014A entered the targeted Hales Formation at 805 metres, which continued until the bottom of the drillhole at 1,048 metres, providing a 243-metre-thick sample of the Hales below the Goodwin contact. Though the Hales represents a highly favourable Carlin-type host unit, SGVC014A encountered little evidence that it supported pervasive hydrothermal fluid flow in this area of the project and initial logging suggested SGVC014A did not drill through a major Carlin-type deposit. The Company has received all lab assays from SGVC014A. Lab assays show generally low concentrations of Carlin-type pathfinders, including low gold values.

Plans to do further work at South Grass Valley will be determined at a future date.

Saskatchewan Property

The Company is currently negotiating to acquire a property in the Athabasca Basin of Saskatchewan.

Addition of Directors

The Company announces the addition of Sandra MacKay and Todd Hilditch to the Board of Directors.

Sandra MacKay serves as the Global Vice President, Legal and Corporate Secretary, for Copperleaf Technologies Inc. She joined Copperleaf in 2022 and brings over 30 years of corporate-commercial legal experience to the company. Ms. MacKay was previously Senior Vice President, Legal, of Uranerz Energy Corporation, a leading integrated producer of uranium in the United States, and Vice President, Legal, of Chemetics Inc., an international engineering technology company. She served as a director of URZ Energy Corp. and Azarga Uranium Corp. Ms. MacKay has held senior legal counsel positions with QLT Inc., a dual-listed biotechnology company, and Chevron Canada Limited. She has a wealth of legal experience in securities law, corporate governance, and intellectual property law matters as well as experience on a wide range of commercial transactions. Ms. MacKay holds a Juris Doctor from the University of British Columbia and is a member of the Law Society of British Columbia.

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Todd Hilditch has developed a successful track record of mergers and acquisitions in the mining sector through numerous public company transactions over the past twenty-five years. Mr. Hilditch is the CEO and a director of Riley Gold Corp. He served as Chairman of the Board of URZ Energy Corp. prior to its acquisition by Azarga Uranium Corp. and served as a director of Azarga until it was acquired by enCore Energy Corp. Valuations of transactions initiated/completed with Mr. Hilditchs involvement exceed $500m and he has been involved in capital raising of over $200m. Mr. Hilditch is the President and owner of Rock Management Consulting Ltd., a private mining management services and consulting company. Mr. Hilditch graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York with a Bachelor of Science degree in Management, majoring in Finance.

Private Placement Financing

The Company announces a non-brokered private placement offering of up to 5,000,000 units (the Units) at a price of $0.11 CAD per Unit (the Offering), for total gross proceeds of up to C$550,000.

Each Unit will consist of one common share in the capital of the Company (a Common Share) and one Common Share purchase warrant (a Warrant), with each Warrant entitling the holder thereof to acquire an additional Common Share at an exercise price of C$0.20 per Common Share for 36 months after the date of issuance (the Closing Date). If after four months plus one day from the Closing Date the closing price (or closing bid price on days when there are no trades) of NGEs common shares is greater than C$0.40 per share for 10 consecutive trading days, NGE may accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants to the 30th day after the date on which NGE gives notice to the Warrant holders of such acceleration, with such notice being the issuance of a news release by the Company announcing the acceleration of the expiry date.

Proceeds from the Offering will be used for general working capital purposes.

The Offering is subject to receipt of all necessary regulatory and TSX Venture Exchange approvals. The securities issued at closing of the Offering will be subject to a four month plus one day hold period from the date of issue, as well as to any other re-sale restrictions imposed by applicable securities regulatory authorities. Subject to approval by the TSX Venture Exchange and applicable securities legislation, NGE may pay finders fees with respect to certain subscriptions from arms length subscribers in accordance with the TSX Venture Exchange Policies.

About Nevada Exploration Inc.

NGE has for the past several years been applying modern technology to systematically explore for the undiscovered second half of Nevadas gold endowment waiting to be uncovered within Nevadas valley basins. The Company is examining other opportunities in its quest to create shareholder value.

For further information, please contact:

Nevada Exploration Inc.

Email: info@nevadaexploration.com

Telephone: +1 (604) 601 2006

Website: www.nevadaexploration.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Gordon Gibson, PGeo, a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed data associated with SGVC014A and has reviewed the contents of this News Release.

Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information:

This news release contains forward-looking information and forward-looking statements (collectively, forward-looking information) within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including, without limitation, the negotiation and potential acquisition of a property in Saskatchewan and the private placement financing.

In connection with the forward-looking information contained in this news release, the Company has made numerous assumptions, regarding, among other things, the assumption the Company will continue as a going concern and will continue to be able to access the capital required to advance its projects and continue operations. While the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable, these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies.

In addition, there are known and unknown risk factors which could cause the Companys actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information contained herein. Among the important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements are: the Company may not acquire a property in Saskatchewan as currently contemplated; the Company may not close the private placement on the terms currently contemplated, or at all; the risks inherent in mineral exploration; the need to obtain additional financing; the availability of needed personnel and equipment for exploration and development; fluctuations in the price of minerals; and general economic conditions.

A more complete discussion of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company is disclosed in the Companys continuous disclosure filings with Canadian securities regulatory authorities at www.sedar.com. All forward-looking information herein is qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement, and the Company disclaims any obligation to revise or update any such forward-looking information or to publicly announce the result of any revisions to any of the forward-looking information contained herein to reflect future results, events or developments, except as required by law.




French food can intimidate American restaurant-goers. But at Bistro 55 in North Augusta, the legendary quality of French cuisine doesnt require formalwear.

The idea of a bistro is your neighborhood restaurant, co-owner Lilo Benz said. It becomes very entertaining and very familiar for people. This is what we have here.

When he and his wife moved to Augusta in 2016, the Benzes sought a restaurant that served Continental cuisine reminiscent of Benzs native France. They found it at DiVino Ristorante Italiano, 465 Railroad Ave., in North Augustas Hammonds Ferry development next to SRP Park. Owners Marion and Andrea Petruzzi moved from Florence, Italy, to North Augusta to establish the restaurant in 2016.

After DiVinos veteran chef, Leonardo Accorsi, died of a heart attack in 2022, the Petruzzis decided to close the restaurant in 2023. That gave Benz an idea.

We never thought about opening a restaurant, he said. Thats not what my background is, but my brother-in-law was in the restaurant business.

Bistro 55's pave de boeuf is served with potatoes au gratin and steamed asparagus in a black pepper cognac sauce.

Maurice Cohen, a French native who had been a restaurateur in the Los Angeles area, moved across the country to help transform an Italian restaurant into an icon of French life  the bistro.

Many Americans associate French food with small portions artistically plated and drizzled with balsamic glaze. Now, more French restaurants offer traditional specialties retaining the flavor of haute cuisine but without the starched-napkin formal setting.

People are getting tired of the big, fancy restaurant and a bunch of people in France want the old, old bistro thats been there a hundred years," Cohen said. Now, everywhere you go is bistro, bistro, bistro.

Close enough to taste it: Customers are getting Heart Attacks, and liking them, at Dearing restaurant

DiVinos classic lasagna is still on the dinner menu in tribute to the Petruzzis. Most of the rest is French, with meat regionally sourced from Chatel Farms near Reidsville in south Georgia.

Bistro 55s pave de boeuf is a rump steak carefully trimmed of fat and served with potatoes au gratin and steamed asparagus in a black pepper cognac sauce.

Sole meuniere, a favorite of legendary TV chef Julia Child, is a filet of sole served in lemon butter with boiled potatoes and green beans. Wild rice and green beans accompany Bistros canard a lorange, a roasted half-duck in tangy orange sauce.

Bistro 55 isnt the only restaurant in the area with escargot, but there are few places better to give the appetizer a try. The baked-in-shell snails in garlic butter was a provincial food favorite in France before becoming one of the countrys unlikely culinary symbols.

Bistro also features new menu items each week, ranging from entrees such as a cassoulet or beef bourguignon to new desserts. The restaurants newest is a bread pudding, not too soggy nor too sweet, cooked in the style of past generations of chefs who would mix their remaining bits of bread into re-baked desserts.

Bistro 55 in North Augusta, S.C., on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024.

But quality meals can get you just so far. Hostess Paulette Edery, also French, helps create a welcoming environment for guests that Cohen joked might led to changing the restaurants name to Chez Paulette.

Thats what you want in a restaurant. You dont want to go to a restaurant and see people at the door who dont smile, dont say, Hi. Right away your experience is going to be bad, Cohen said. Even if you have the best food in the world, something is going to stay with you. But when you come in and people are nice, they welcome you, you feel good. All of a sudden, the food is better, the drinks are better.

Bistro 55 is open for dinner Mondays through Saturdays from 5 to 10 p.m. and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays for brunch and lunch.

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: C'est bon! North Augusta restaurant switches from Italian to French
Investigators say new genetic genealogy technology helped crack the cold case

Robert Alexander/Getty Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport

 Annie Anderson, 51, has allegedly been identified as the child's mother

 Genetic genealogy and other new technologies led to the arrest

 "Baby Skylar" was allegedly first discovered by a janitor

Investigators in Phoenix made a long-awaited break in a 2005 cold case surrounding a dead baby who was left in an airport bathroom.

Phoenix police alleged Monday that a woman being held in Washington named Annie Anderson had admitted to the crime. Anderson, 51, faces a first-degree murder charge and will soon be extradited to Maricopa County in Arizona, according to reports by local ABC 15, CBS 5 and NBC News 12.

Authorities have been searching for the mother since 2005 when the baby was found dead in a restroom trash can at the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. The baby girl, who was found wrapped in a hotel bag, became known as Baby Skylar as investigators searched for her mother.

The baby was first discovered by a janitor, according to the East Valley Tribune at the time.

Investigators said at the time there was a huge amount of suspects to sift through, given that the airport averaged a reported 100,000 people per day, according to the Tribune. Investigators estimated that the baby, who still had her umbilical cord attached at the time she was found, had been in the restroom for up to 11 hours because that was the last time the bathroom had been cleaned before she was discovered.

She just literally was welcomed into the world only to be murdered, Troy Hillman, a retired homicide detective with the Phoenix Police Department said, according to CBS 5. It was just horrific.

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Investigators had turned to several new technologies while attempting to track down the mother over the last two decades.

In 2017, investigators began using a tool called Snapshot, which used DNA found on the baby to make a sketch of the childs mother, according to Fox 10. Then in 2021, investigators began using genetic genealogy, which ultimately led to a break in the case, Phoenix police said Monday, according to NBC.

Anderson was taken into custody on a warrant for her arrest, according to the outlet. CBS reports that police confirmed Anderson was the mother after interviewing the 51-year-old woman in Washington.

This didnt have to be this way, Hillman, the homicide detective said, according to the outlet, and somebody needed to explain why they did what they did.

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Read the original article on People.
Welcome to our recap of The Bachelor Season 28, Episode 6! In this episode, Joey Graziadei takes his 10 remaining ladies to Montreal, Canada. Eight of them will have a group date exploring some of Montreal native Jesse Palmers favorite locations. Sadly, Joey decides to send one hopeful home in the middle of the date, because shes just not his person. (Could her loathing for Maria have played into it?) Then two of the ladies each get their own romantic one-on-one dates before one seeming frontrunner self-eliminates. Here are some of the highlights from The Bachelor Season 28, Episode 6.

Joeys feeling insecure

Photo: Disney/Jan Thijs

Bonjour from Montreal, yall! Joes struggling. Though hes really looking forward to seeing the ladies this week, hes falling for multiple women, and it scares him.

Joeys scared to death of revealing his feelings to the women hes feeling strongest about. Hes worried they dont feel the same and will leave because they dont share his feelings. Oh, sweetie! Have you seen this show? Hardly anybody ever does that. These women are so competitive theyd scratch each others eyes out just to get to sit next to you.

The last time he really opened up was with Charity Lawson, Season 20s Bachelorette. As we all know, Charity chose Dotun Olubeko over Joey, leaving him heartbroken. But this time, Joeys in the drivers seat. He gets to choose. Just choose wisely, Joey.

Jenns excited to be in Montreal. Im excited to chug a gallon of maple syrup, she laughs as they walk down the street. And I would love to ride a moose. Both bad ideas, Jenn. All that syrup would definitely make you sick, and you need to keep your distance from the moose. Those guys will kill you if you get in their way. Theyre huge, wild animals, not house pets.

As Maria is bragging about speaking French (shes from Canada), the ladies run into Jesse, who greets them, Bienvenue a Montreal! Jesse tells us hes Canadian and speaks fluent French. I didnt know that.

Jesses favorite hometown locations

Photo: Disney/Jan Thijs

Jesse lists the names of the women who will be on the group date: Daisy, Katelyn, Kelsey A., Jenn, Rachel, Lexi, Lea, and Jess. That means Maria and Kelsey T. have the coveted one-on-one dates this week. How long do you think until Jess starts whining about it not being fair?

Jesse tells the lucky eight ladies, Joeys enlisted me to show you all the best spots here in my neighborhood in Old Montreal  The first clue is right here, he says, handing a card to Jenn.

Its in French, she says. I cant read that.

All right, ladies, Jesse finishes. Joeys waiting for you. Bon chance [good luck].

They bump into Joey just down the street. They open the date card together and read, Montrez-moi votre amour pour cette ville, et rendezvous a my boutique souvenir peferee. Google translates this message as, Show me your love for this city, and go to my favorite souvenir shop. Youve gotta love technology.

One of the stops is at Jesses favorite restaurant, where they get to make poutine. Its gravy over French fries with cheese curds. Ive always wanted to try it.

But Jesse has dropped off some odd ingredients for them to try. Jenn decides to make her poutine with fries, pineapple, chocolate sauce, and sriracha. Ugh. Maybe she should throw some maple syrup in there, too, since shes so anxious to try it. That looks disgusting.

One goes home, one gets a rose

Photo: Disney/Richard Middlesworth

When its time for the evening portion of the date, the women march out of the hotel in close formation, like little toy soldiers. Gotta get em all in the shot, I guess.

Theyre all starting to feel the pressure. Seeing the relationships hes built with some of the other girls weighs heavily on some of them. Everyone is feeling insecure and needs to get some alone time with Joey tonight.

When Jess finally gets time with Joey, she lays it all on the line and tells him shes definitely falling for him. She wants that one-on-one time so they can go deeper. But as shes telling him all of this, Joeys face looks sad. Uh oh.

I just dont think its right to keep you here, he finally says, as her face falls. Im so sorry. And with that, he walks her out. Didnt see that coming. And neither did she. Im not a Jess fan (I think shes immature), but I feel bad for her. And so does Joey, who feels incredibly guilty. But its better to be honest.

When Joey returns to the other women, theyre stunned to hear that Jess is gone. But Joey feels like hes making progress. And he gives the rose to Jenn. Ugh. I just think shes a hateful bitch. Whether or not you like Maria, she doesnt deserve to be treated the way Jenn has been attacking her.

And is anyone else struggling to tell Jenn and Lea apart? Theyre both very pretty girls with long, dark hair, and they both hate Maria. I can never tell whos who. Does anyone else have this issue?

Joey and Kelsey T. join Cirque de Soleil

Photo: Disney/Richard Middlesworth

The next day is Kelsey Ts one-on-one date with Joey. Shes very nervous. Joey and Kelsey are going to be training with the Cirque de Soleil. Very cool! They walk into a room where a woman is practicing with an aerial hoop. The stunts they learn look totally fun, and theyre having a good time together. But poor Joey is getting dizzy and sick.

When Joey and Kelsey move on to the evening portion of the date, Kelsey voiceovers that shes really happy and could see herself with Joey. When they sit down, Kelsey admits, I do have feelings, and theyre deepening. She mentions that with hometowns coming up, she wants him to know that she hasnt always had the best relationship with her family, especially her dad.

We were really close growing up, Kelsey says. Then, he stopped talking to me for a while. For a very long time. Apparently, her dad wanted her to focus on their religion, but in her heart, I knew it wasnt where I wanted to be.

He didnt support her decision to go to college, and because she didnt practice his religion, she wasnt allowed to live in his house anymore. She went to live with her mom, and she and her dad stopped talking. Thats f*cked up. Your mom and dad should be there for you no matter what.

Her relationship with her dad has affected Kelseys trust in relationships. Things are better with him now, but its hard to trust him.

But Kelsey feels like Joey understands, and that means a lot. He offers her the rose, and she accepts it.

Marias princess date

Photo: Disney/Richard Middlesworth

A man comes into the room asking for Maria. Monsieur Joey awaits your presence, he says.

Downstairs, Joey stands next to a vintage white stretch limo. In the car, Maria tries to get Joey to speak French, telling him to say, Voulez vous coucher avec moi? [Do you want to sleep with me?] He thinks shes trying to teach him dirty words, but hes totally entertained. He never knows what shell do or say next.

Their first stop is a boutique called Claudette, and Claudette says that Joey has arranged for Maria to choose a special gown for a special date. Today is all about you.

Joey helps choose her dress, and she says, I feel like a princess. I feel so beautiful and elegant.

Back in the car, Maria tells Joey, Say je taime, and he says it. She gasps because she got him to say I love you in French. Thats so nice, she says, kissing him on the cheek. Thank you!

What does it mean? Joey asks.

She just says, Merci.

When they pull up to a helicopter, Maria asks nervously, Were not jumping out, are we? But he assures her theyre not jumping. They drink champagne and fly over the city. Ive never seen Montreal this way, Maria says. Its so beautiful!

That evening, they head into a theater with a marquis that reads, Je ressens tout, which loosely translates, I have all the feels.

When Joey asks Maria how shes feeling, she admits, I feel so happy when Im with you, and I love every moment.

You make me happy, too, Joey responds. Finally, he picks offers her the rose, and she accepts.

An unexpected goodbye

Photo: Disney/Richard Middlesworth

Back at the hotel, Lexi is worried about the conversation she had with Joey on the group date. He said he sees a two to three-year engagement and then wants to be married for at least a couple of years before starting a family. Lexis concerned because of her endometriosis. It may be difficult for her to get pregnant, so she doesnt want to wait. She needs to talk to Joey.

I have a pit in my stomach, she says. She has a connection with Joey, but isnt sure theyre on the same page about having children. Lexis body is a ticking clock.

She goes to Joeys room and knocks. When he answers, she says she just needs to chat for a second.

I know you want a long engagement, she says. And that you want to take some time before kids  but thats not something that I have the privilege to do  with my health situation.

When they were in Malta, she opened up to Joey. It was the first time shed shared with anyone about her health. But as someone in her 30s with her health issues, having a family is going to be a higher priority than Joeys ready for.

I think it would be unfair to keep me here, she continues, when Im just on a different timeline.

He was hoping they could work things out, but Joey realizes that Lexi needs to persue her dream. Youre going to get everything you want, he says. Youre gonna make a remarkable mother.

Im shocked. Lexi was one of my frontrunners from the start. Joeys crushed  It doesnt feel right to let someone that special just walk out.

The Rose Ceremony

Photo: Disney/John Fleenor

Now that someone Joey saw a future with has left, hes scared others might follow. It doesnt feel good, he says.

Daisy gets Joey to give her a foot massage. Thats bold. Joeys never given anyone a foot massage before. Daisy warns him, I like it multiple times a night, and I prefer it hard. Hmmm, are we still talking about feet? Joey is charmed and says he has zero doubts that any time he sees Daisy, shes going to make me feel special. It reminds me why Im here.

Once Joeys had his ego restored by several women, Jesse enters with his clinking glass (of Doom). Finally! I was afraid we would run out of time.

As they take their places, someone notices there are only three roses on the podium. Yikes! That means two women are leaving tonight. Out of 10 women, three already have roses, Jess was let go, Lexi left voluntarily, and three will get one, so thats two leaving.

Roses go to Daisy, Kelsey A., and Rachel. Goodbye, Katelyn and Lea. Good! Now I wont have to figure out which is Lea and which is Jenn.

When Jesse tells the two ejectees to take a moment and say your goodbyes, ironically, Lea turns to hug Maria. Doesnt she hate Maria?

Dont cry, ladies. Theres always Bachelor in Paradise.

Raising his glass to the remaining six women, Joey announces, I dont think Ive seen enough of Canada quite yet. We are going to Jaspar [Alberta].

See you next week in Jaspar, eh?

The Bachelor Season 28 airs Mondays at 8/7c on ABC.

TELL US  WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THE BACHELOR SEASON 28, EPISODE 6? WERE YOU DISAPPOINTED TO SEE LEXI GO HOME? WHO DO YOU THINK JOEY WILL CHOOSE IN THE END? DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE?

The post The Bachelor Season 28, Episode 6 Recap: Just Say Je Taime appeared first on Reality Tea.
I would like to truly thank the Bezos Earth Fund for supporting our conservation work in Africa, said Dr. Jane Goodall

Bezos Earth Fund Lauren Sanchez and Jeff Bezos

The Bezos Earth Fund is joining forces with the Jane Goodall Institute USA to continue and expand conservation efforts in the Congo Basin, PEOPLE can exclusively announce.

As part of the partnership, the organization  which was created by a commitment of $10 billion from the Amazon founder  has provided a $5 million grant to JGI to continue and expand its "evidence-based, community-led conservation efforts to protect forests and biodiversity" in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo, according to a press release.

In a video message, Jeff Bezos fiancee Lauren Sanchez, the Bezos Earth Fund Vice Chair, said she is thrilled to partner with Dr. Jane Goodall, one of her environmental heroes."

Jeff and I were privileged to experience the Congo Basins rich biodiversity and breathtaking beauty firsthand, which fueled our determination to protect it, Sanchez said in a statement. Now, they're "teaming up to help safeguard it now and for future generations. Simply put, the world cant afford to lose the Congo Basin.



The Congo Basin is a critically important region essential to the healthy functioning of our shared planet, per the press release.

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The partnership will increase JGI's efforts to safeguard the integrity and significant environmental carbon value of the larger Congo Basin rainforest as well as preserve the cultures and values of local and Indigenous communities."

I would like to truly thank the Bezos Earth Fund for supporting our conservation work in Africa," the 89-year-old conservationist said in a statement. The protection of these forests, with their rich biodiversity, is crucial not only for the survival of the great apes, but also in efforts to slow down climate change.

Vincent Calmel Dr. Jane Goodall

Related: Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez Visit Colombia to Learn About Deforestation After $10B Earth Fund Commitment

JGI has been a leader in community-led conservation since 1977, as noted in the news release.

Over the years, the institute has supported local communities, governments and more with resources, facilitating tools, and trainings that help to inform land-use and conservation action planning, implementation of these plans, and other decision-making on and monitoring of landscapes across these regions.

In addition to working with Indigenous peoples and local communities, JGI will also collaborate with the Congolese Institute for the Conservation of Nature in the DRC and Ministry of Forest Economy in the RoC.

Bezos Earth Fund Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez with grantees

Related: Dolly Parton Awarded $100M Prize by Jeff Bezos 'To Do Good Things'

We are very grateful for this support and partnership with the Bezos Earth Fund, Anna Rathmann, executive director, Jane Goodall Institute USA said in a statement. Not only can JGI continue to advance our efforts with this generous funding, but the project will contribute significant environmental benefit and biodiversity protection to the larger Congo Basin rainforest through this community-led work, with the added benefit of preserving the natural heritage of this incredibly rich region of Africa.



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Ana Maria Knezevic has been missing since Feb. 5, Spanish authorities say

National Center for the Disappeared in Spain Ana Maria Knezevic

 Text messages sent from Ana Maria Knezevic's phone raised the suspicion of her friend and her brother

 Knezevic was going through a divorce and taking a break in Madrid, per reports

 Her husband traveled to his native Serbia shortly before her disappearance, according to Knezevic's brother



A Florida woman has disappeared in Spain during what was supposed to be a break from a divorce she was going through, her friends and family say, according to Local 10, Fox 13 and The Associated Press.

Ana Maria Knezevic, 40, traveled to Spain in December and had been staying at an apartment in Madrid, Fox 13 and The Associated Press report.

She was last heard from two weeks ago, according to the outlets.

A bulletin from Spain's Ministry of Interior said she disappeared on Feb. 2.



Prior to Knezevic's disappearance, a man in a helmet allegedly disabled security cameras at her apartment building, authorities say, according to Fox 13. The man allegedly sprayed the surveillance cameras with black paint, building management says, according to Local 10.

The next day, Knezevic's friend Sanna Rameau and brother Juan Henao received text messages from her phone, which they say raised their suspicions that something had happened to her.

In one text message, which was published by CBS News, a note purportedly from Knezevic said she had met someone wonderful the day before and was now headed to a summer house outside Madrid.

Amazing connection, the message read. Like I never had before.

The message also said her signal was "spotty."

"She wouldn't do this ... it is very unsafe and crazy behavior," Rameau told the Associated Press. Rameau said the tone of the message was impersonal, detached and did not sound like Knezevich.

The missing woman was scheduled to travel to Barcelona on Feb. 5, per The Associated Press. Rameau said she had traveled with Knezevic before and its not in her nature to disappear before a trip, per Local 10.

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Knezevich's husband David Knezevich traveled to Serbia in January, Henao told authorities, The Associated Press reports.

Authorities have not been able to reach David, Local 10 reports.

Rameau says Ana Knezevich never mentioned being scared of David or alleged any abuse, according to The Associated Press.

Police in Madrid and Fort Lauderdale, Fla., reportedly launched investigations but have not commented further, per the Associated Press.



A GoFundMe has been set up to help Knezevich's family work with a private investigator to find her.

Anyone with information about her whereabouts is asked to contact the U.S. State Department at 1-888-407-4747.



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True to his compulsive nature, Godzilla could not be ignored forever by the Oscars.

The King of the Monsters, first uncorked by Toho Studios 70 years ago, left a historical footprint on this years nominations. The acclaimed Godzilla Minus One is the first Japanese production ever nominated for Best Visual Effects and the first Godzilla movie nominated in any Oscar category. And director Takashi Yamazaki is the first filmmaker nominated for visual effects since Stanley Kubrick won his only Oscar for the effects in 2001: A Space Odyssey in 1969.

To have my name next to Stanley Kubrick, no matter how niche or specific the list is, it means so much, Yamazaki said. I came into the film industry because of movies like Star Wars and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. But I started on the visual effects side and transitioned into writing and directing. So if there is any category to be nominated in, this is the one it was meant to be. Im very flattered and honored by it. (Our Zoom interview with Yamazaki was translated by interpreter Mikey McNamara.)

Godzilla Minus One director Takashi Yamazaki (Toho Studios)

Yamazaki, who exudes boyish enthusiasm at age 59, headed up the comparatively small 35-artist team that rendered about 600 VFX shots at the Japanese effects house Shirogumi. His and his teams hardest egg to crack was to create the most photorealistic Godzilla ever that nonetheless still honored the man-in-a-rubber-suit aesthetic and odd charm of the original 1954 classic.

Instead of doing all these complex muscle simulations, we opted for a much simpler animation tactic, Yamazaki said. In the rendering process, we only moved his bones, and that tactic gave us a much closer visual expression to the rubber-suit version of Godzilla. We closely studied exactly how he moved in the early films, the way he walked, while also infusing some of our own interpretation.

Yamazaki also was inspired by his movie heroes. Just as Steven Spielberg took cues from the original Godzilla while preparing Jaws, Yamazaki rewatched the iconic killer shark movie while sketching the arc of his script.

In terms of the team on the boat (in Godzilla Minus One), there is some resemblance, he said. Theres the skipper and the academic character. I didnt intend to copy Jaws, but in the end result, there are some similarities.

He added with a smile, Hopefully Steven doesnt get too mad.

An avid reader of books about movie productions, Yamazaki was aware of the tremendous challenge that Spielberg faced in shooting on water. As I was filming, I was thinking, Well, Spielberg went through all this a few decades ago. For us, we were also having to match real waves with computer-generated waves in the same shots. Had the whole thing been rendered in CG, it would have been easier. That was the toughest part  matching the level of detail and resolution of the water and trying to make it feel consistent.

In the tradition of the original Godzilla (and Spielbergs work), Yamazaki conveys profound drama through reaction shots of the cast, especially his lead actor, Ryunosuke Kamiki, who plays a surviving kamikaze pilot wracked with guilt in post-war Japan. The Eternal Zero, a provocative 2013 film by Yamazaki, was also about the plight of kamikaze pilots. And while praised for its humanistic angle, the film was also criticized in Japan because of its perceived nationalism.

But now, Yamazakis monster movie offers a more sophisticated critique of Japans sacrifices, resilience and catharsis in the aftermath of the atomic bombs. Godzilla Minus One, as more than one clever observer has pointed out, can also be viewed as a sequel to Oppenheimer. In archival footage, theres even an appearance by American general Douglas MacArthur.

Speaking on the ability of science fiction to comment on the real world, the director explained, Ive always been struck by the story of how Ridley Scott pushed really hard for Alien not to be just thrown in the horror bucket. That is inspiring to me. Godzilla has a tendency to be looked at as, Its just big creatures smashing buildings. But theres another layer of human drama that I wanted to infuse and make a part of the whole experience. Audiences can handle both.

Yamazaki cant help but smile at the fact that another Scott film, Napoleon, is also nominated for Best Visual Effects. As is The Creator, directed by Gareth Edwards, who made the 2014 version of Godzilla. In a recent joint interview, Edwards told Yamazaki, I watched your amazing film and spent the whole time very, very jealous.

Its a really surreal experience, Yamazaki said. You look at the other nominees and its like weve wandered into this festival of the gods. For me, Ive considered Industrial Light & Magic to be the highest standard of what VFX means  always on the cutting edge of technology and visual expression. And this year, there are four films that have some ILM involvement and then our film. Its hard to process. Were just humbled to join this exclusive club.

This story first appeared in the Down to the Wire issue of TheWraps awards magazine. Read more from the issue here.

The post Godzilla Minus One Director Flattered and Honored by Historic Oscar Nomination: It Means So Much appeared first on TheWrap.
The new mom is soaking up all the moments she can before her little ones grow up

John Nacion/Variety via Getty Hilary Swank

Hilary Swank is reflecting on the challenges and rewards of being a mom of twins!

On Monday, the Oscar-winning actress, 49, spoke exclusively to PEOPLE at the premiere of her new film Ordinary Angels at the SVA Theatre in New York.

In April 2023, Swank and her husband Philip Schneider welcomed twins, daughter Aya and son Ohm.

Nights are admittedly "hard" with twins, but Swank also knows there will be a time when she'll look back at this period with a different perspective.

Michael Loccisano/Getty Hilary Swank

I think that being a mother of twins, I never have had a singleton, so I don't know what that's like," she explained. "But I know that the sleepless nights are hard and when you have one that might sleep through the night, the other one's not, so it's kind of this trade-off every night."

But I know this is also a season, and it too will pass, and I try and remind myself that there's going to be a day when I'm like, Oh, I'd love to wake up right now and just hold you. So just trying and hold on to that.

She's already looking forward to the next challenge: when the twins are more mobile.

Well, they're only crawling, so it's not like we're out of control or anything, she tells PEOPLE.

Allen Fraser/Lionsgate Hilary Swank in Ordinary Angels

In the Lionsgate film, Swank stars as Sharon Stevens, a "fierce but struggling hairdresser in small-town Kentucky who discovers a renewed sense of purpose when she meets Ed (Alan Ritchson), a widower working hard to make ends meet for his two daughters," according to an official synopsis.



She starts out as a member of an alcoholism support group, but then cleans up her act to help the widower whose 5-year-old who is waiting for a liver transplant.

"What unfolds is the inspiring tale of faith, everyday miracles and ordinary angels, the synopsis adds.

Jamie McCarthy/WireImage 'Ordinary Angels' New York premiere

Ordinary Angels also stars Tamala Jones, Amy Acker, Drew Powell, Skywalker Hughes and Emily Mitchell, and is directed by Jon Gunn.



Related: Hilary Swank Reflects on Taking 3 Years Off to Be with Her Father: It Was One of the Most Important Times of My Life

During an appearance on Today on Monday ahead of the premiere, the new mom revealed the special meaning behind her babies names.

"Aya was a Syrian refugee we met in Lebanon. So she was just this courageous, brave young girl full of life going through a really difficult time. My husband and I were like, shes so beautiful, what a great name," she shared.

As for son Ohm, Swank said, "Ohm is considered the first universal sound and unites all people, and that sounds very fitting."



Ordinary Angels arrives in theaters on Thursday.



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Jason Karels previously pleaded guilty but mentally ill to the 2022 murders of his three young children

GoFundMe Debra Karels and her three children, Bryant, 5, Cassidy, 3 and Gideon, 2.

 Jason Karels pleaded guilty last December to three counts of first-degree murder after drowning his children Bryant, 5, Cassidy, 3 and Gideon, 2

 The bodies of the children were discovered by their mother, who went to pick them up after they'd spent the weekend with their father

 Eric Kalata, a lawyer on the prosecution team, described Karels actions as brutal, evil, and sinister"

After being convicted of the murders of his three young children in December, Jason Karels was sentenced in an Illinois courtroom to life in prison without the possibility of parole on Friday.

Karels, 36, pleaded guilty but mentally ill on Dec. 15, 2023, to three counts of first-degree murder in connection with the 2022 drowning deaths of his three children, ages 5, 3 and 2, according to a statement shared by the Lake County States Attorneys Office.

Prosecutors said Karels drowned Bryant, 5, Cassidy, 3 and Gideon, 2, at his Round Lake Beach, Ill., home on June 13, 2022. Officers who were called to the scene by the mother of the children said they found a note from Karels that said, If I cant have them neither can you.

Related: Man Pleads Guilty to Drowning His 3 Kids After Leaving Note for Wife: 'If I Can't Have Them, Neither Can You'

Karels was arrested later that evening near Joliet, Ill., following a 17-minute pursuit by Illinois State troopers, authorities said. The chase led to Karels vehicle crashing near Interstate 80. Police said he made statements to police officers regarding his role in the triple homicide.

Round Lake Beach Police Chief Gilbert Rivera said during a press conference at the time that, [Karels] also said he attempted to commit suicide several times after the deaths of the children, PEOPLE previously reported.

The mother, identified as Debra Karels, told CBS Chicago in 2022 that she and Karels were in the middle of a divorce because he constantly played games and neglected his family. Debra added that she discovered the dead bodies of her children lying on a bed that day when she went to pick them up after they spent the weekend with her estranged husband, according to the outlet.

Related: Ill. Dad Allegedly Drowned 3 Young Children During Custodial Visit: 'Cannot Fathom the Pain'

Eric Kalata, a lawyer on the prosecution team, described Karels actions as brutal, evil, and sinister, according to the release. He said that Karels caused terror in the final moments of life for his children, and that Karels used them as pawns in a scheme of revenge.

In victim impact statements that were read in court at the sentencing hearing, the family described the three children as beautiful, innocent children who did not deserve what happened to them, calling Karels a monster who destroyed many lives, according to the states attorneys office.

OFFICE OF THE STATE'S ATTORNEYLAKE COUNTY, ILLINOIS Jason Karels

The family also reportedly said that Karels was supposed to love and protect them at all costs and instead, he did the opposite. The statements further described the loss as a wound that will remain unhealed forever, per the release.

Lake County Community Action collectively created a GoFundMe campaign to financially support Debra following her childrens deaths.

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Our thoughts are first, with the family today, States Attorney Eric Rinehart said in the release. This has been a devastating case for the family and community. They will always have this Offices support. The law enforcement officers from Round Lake Beach performed unbelievably in the most difficult of circumstances imaginable. We are thinking of them too.



If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

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NurExone Biologic Inc

Innovations and know-how in exosome production suited for many clinical applications

TORONTO and HAIFA, Israel, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NurExone Biologic Inc. (TSXV: NRX) (Germany: J90) (the Company or NurExone), a pioneering biopharmaceutical company, proudly underscores its expanding Intellectual Property (IP) portfolio, which will serve as the foundation for its strategic goal of licensing the innovative ExoTherapy platform to interested biotech companies.

NurExones Intellectual property portfolio describes the ExoTherapy platforms comprehensive technology and processes for the production of nanodrugs including large scale production of exosomes, loading of active molecules and the composition of the exosomes themselves. The loading technology was presented to the public in the press release of February 12, 2024. Today the Company is highlighting its innovative bioreactor and biological processes for:

High yield repeatable production of exosomes Production of natural and potent exosomes (not synthetically engineered)

Dr. Lior Shaltiel, CEO of NurExone, emphasized, Exosomes are known for their innate regenerative abilities and are becoming increasingly important in both the healthcare sectors and even aesthetics. With our proprietary production and loading advantages, NurExone is advancing development of nanodrugs that use exosomes as a Bio-delivery system, beginning with ExoPTEN. In addition, our ExoTherapy platform is expected to have broad appeal to the pharma industry for a wide range of potential collaborations which are expected to yield cutting edge nanodrugs and a stable revenue stream for the company.

Scientific results and initiatives have demonstrated efficiency of the Companys large-scale production process, its effectiveness of the Companys proprietary small-interfering RNA (siRNA) sequences as therapeutic agent and the technology for loading veracity of therapeutic molecules into exosomes. Aspects of the companys platform which relate to Extracellular Vesicles (EVs) production are described in a growing intellectual property portfolio with two PCT applications currently in National Phases.

Story continues

The first application disclosed unique three-dimensional (3D) porous scaffold that induce physiological changes in the cells, which result in enhanced secretion of EVs and in improved biological effect of the Evs on mammalian cells. This international patent application is currently pending in US, EU, AU, SG and IL. The second international patent application further elaborate the EV composition produced by the 3D system as well as the treatment of diseases and disorders associated with such composition. This international patent application is currently pending in US, EU, AU, IL and IN.

Both applications, once granted, will provide NurExone patent protection over unique and effective platform that will maximize EVs quality. These EVs will be used for the development and manufacturing of diverse medicament for various diseases as will be developed by the NurExone team. Such developments are the basis of additional patent families.

NurExone has an exclusive license from the Technion (Israel Institute of Technology) over novel patent family that claim a system and method for producing Extracellular Vesicles (EVs) from stem cells for other types of indications as well. Professor Shulamit Levenberg, Director of the Technion Center for 3D Bioprinting and Chief Scientific Advisor at NurExone, and her team lab is behind this technology. This patent family bundled together two international patent applications.

About NurExone Biologic Inc.

NurExone Biologic Inc. is a TSXV listed pharmaceutical company that is developing a platform for biologically-guided exosome-based therapies to be delivered, non-invasively, to patients who have suffered Central Nervous System injuries. The companys first product, ExoPTEN for acute spinal cord injury, was proven to recover motor function in 75% of laboratory rats when administered intranasally. ExoPTEN has received Orphan Drug Designation from the FDA with first-in-human expected in 2025. The NurExone platform technology is expected to offer novel solutions to drug companies interested in noninvasive targeted drug delivery for other indications.

For additional information, please visit www.nurexone.com or follow NurExone on LinkedIn , Twitter , Facebook , or YouTube .

For more information, please contact:

Dr. Lior Shaltiel

Chief Executive Officer and Director

Phone: +972-52-4803034

Email: info@nurexone.com

Thesis Capital Inc.

Investment Relation - Canada

Phone: +1 905-347-5569

Email: IR@nurexone.com

Dr. Eva Reuter

Investment Relation - Germany

Phone: +49-69-1532-5857

Email: e.reuter@dr-reuter.eu

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, including statements about the Company's future plans and intellectual property, the scientific and development and commercial activities to be carried out by the company, the efficient loading of exosomes, future potential manufacturing, clinical, licensing and marketing activities and the treatment of certain conditions. Wherever possible, words such as "may", "will", "should", "could", "expect", "plan", "intend", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "predict" or "potential" or the negative or other variations of these words, or similar words or phrases, have been used to identify these forward-looking statements. These statements reflect management's current beliefs and are based on information currently available to management as at the date hereof. Forward-looking statements involve significant risk, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from the results discussed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Certain assumptions include the ability of the Company to commercialize its intellectual property internally and through licensing and that the Company has the appropriate team in order to realize commercialization. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks related to the Company's early stage of development, lack of revenues to date, government regulation, market acceptance for its products, rapid technological change, dependence on key personnel, protection of the Company's intellectual property and dependence on the Company's strategic partners. These factors should be considered carefully and readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure readers that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required by law.

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.




Nope, Jon Stewart isnt walking back his criticism of President Joe Biden last week during his Daily Show return. If anything, Stewart kind of doubled down during his second episode Monday night, before spending the bulk of his opening segment tearing into Tucker Carlsons Russia propaganda tour.

Stewart opened his second show back on the Comedy Central late night series by diving right into the backlash to his first (specifically citing this Hollywood Reporter story). Stewart had generated plenty of headlines  and big ratings  in an episode where he mocked Biden for his apparent age-related cognitive issues. Some progressives have slammed the segment, accusing Stewart of inadvertently helping Bidens presumed election rival, Donald Trump.

More from The Hollywood Reporter

The response to the first show last Monday was universally glowing  OK, maybe not universal, Stewart said (video below) while showing screenshots of critical tweets. But [the backlash was] on Twitter! Everything on Twitter gets a backlash. Ive seen Twitter tell Labradoodles to go fuck themselves. I just think its better to deal head on with whats an apparent issue to people. I mean  were just talking here! It was just one fucking show! It was 20 minutes! I did 20 minutes in one fucking show! But I guess as the famous saying goes: Democracy dies in discussion. But look: I have sinned against you, Im sorry. It was never my intention to say out loud what I saw with my eyes and then brain.

Then Stewart pivoted to Carlsons widely panned interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin and glowing Moscow travelogue clips that saw the former Fox News personality praising Putins regime for the ecstatic quality of a subway station and the prices at a grocery store.

See, $104 for groceries sounds like a great bargain unless you realize Russians earn less than $200 a week, Stewart said. But thats the kind of context that a  what did you call yourself earlier? A journalist would have provided. But heres the reality: You fucking know all this because you arent as dumb as your face would have us believe. Perhaps if your handlers had allowed, you would have seen there is a hidden fee to your cheap groceries and orderly streets. Ask Alexei Navalny or any of his supporters.

The question is: Why is Tucker doing this? Stewart continued, and then turned serious: Its because the old civilizational battle was communism versus capitalism  thats what drove the world since World War II. Russia was the enemy then. But now they think the battle is woke versus un-woke. And in that fight, Putin is an ally to the right. Hes their friend. Unfortunately, he is also a brutal and ruthless dictator. So now they have to make Americans a little more comfortable with that. I mean, liberty is nice, but have you seen Russias shopping carts? And Tucker would have gotten away with it if it werent for those meddling assassins [allegedly killing Navalny].

During his monologue last week, Stewart had lamented about Biden and Trump, These two candidates, they are both similarly challenged. And it is not crazy to think that the oldest people in the history of the country to ever run for president might have some of these challenges  Were not suggesting neither man is vibrant, productive or even capable. But theyre both stretching the limits of being able to handle the toughest job in the world. Whats crazy is thinking that were the ones, as voters, who must silence concerns and criticisms. It is the candidates job to assuage concerns, not the voters job not to mention [them]  Look, Joe Biden isnt Donald Trump. He hasnt been indicted as many times, hasnt had as many fraudulent businesses or been convicted in a civil trial for sexual assault or been ordered to pay defamation charges or stiffed blue-collar tradesmen  The stakes of this election dont make Donald Trumps opponent less subject to scrutiny. It actually makes him more subject to scrutiny. If the barbarians are at the gate, you want Conan standing on the ramparts, not chocolate chip cookie guy.

Yet Mary Trump  a vehement critic of her uncle  wrote on X: Not only is Stewarts both sides are the same rhetoric not funny, its a potential disaster for democracy. While former MSNBC host Keith Olbermann tweeted, Well after nine years away, theres nothing else to say to the bothsidesist fraud Jon Stewart bashing Biden, except: Please make it another nine years.

In any case, Stewarts return delivered big ratings for Comedy Central. The Daily Show viewership shot up to 1.85 million viewers, the biggest audience for the show in nearly six years.

Best of The Hollywood Reporter
Jon Stewart on Carlsons fealty to Putins Russia: They think the battle is woke versus unwoke. And in that fight, Putin is an ally to the right. Hes their friend.

Jon Stewart on Carlsons fealty to Putins Russia: They think the battle is woke versus unwoke. And in that fight, Putin is an ally to the right. Hes their friend. Photograph: YouTube

While other late-night hosts were off for Presidents Day, Jon Stewart once again resumed his chair at the Daily Show to defend his monologue about Joe Bidens age and talk Tucker Carlsons interview with Vladimir Putin.

Related: Honest, critical, sane: Jon Stewarts welcome return to The Daily Show

The Daily Show

Jon Stewart opened his monologue on The Daily Show, his second since returning on Mondays through the election, to defend his first, in which he expressed voter concerns over Joe Bidens age and mental fitness for office. The bit drew heated criticism from some Democrats, such as the former MSNBC host Keith Olbermann, who called him a bothsidesist fraud on X, formerly Twitter.

But that was on Twitter, everything on Twitter gets a backlash, said Stewart. Ive seen Twitter tell Labradoodles to go fuck themselves.

I just think its better to deal head-on with whats an apparent issue to people, he added.

I guess as the famous saying goes  democracy dies in discussion, he joked. I have sinned against you. Im sorry. It was never my intention to say out loud what I saw with my eyes and then brain. I can do better. I can have learning!

Related: Seth Meyers on Trump: Hell have to Zoom in to rallies from the court

Stewart then transitioned to his main segment of the night, on the former Fox News host Tucker Carlsons interview with the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, offering a lesson in world-class fealty to power.

Step one: lie about what your job is  not journalism, as Carlson claimed  and what your duty is (not to inform people, either). As Carlson claimed: Freedom of speech is our birthright. We were born with the right to say what we believe.

Ah, disguise your deception and capitulation to power as noble and moral and based in freedom, Stewart noted.

In the on-location report from Moscow, Carlson praised the citys art deco subway stations and the efficiency of its grocery stores, reacting to fresh-baked bread with such enthusiasm that Id hate to think what wouldve happened if he had found a bagel, said Stewart. And he spoke to Putin with a facial expression Stewart could only describe as a mixture of shame, arousal and Im gonna say irregularity  for instance, like youre constipated while jerking off to a Sears catalog.

Related: Putin tells Tucker Carlson the US needs to stop supplying weapons to Ukraine

Carlson claimed the experience of shopping for weekly groceries for $104 radicalized him against US leaders  it will radicalize you, unless you understand basic economics, Stewart corrected. You see, $104 for groceries sounds like a great bargain, unless you realize that Russians earn less than $200 a week.

Heres the reality: you fucking know all this, because you arent as dumb as your face would have us believe, Stewart continued, addressing Carlson directly. Perhaps if your handlers had allowed, you wouldve seen that theres a hidden fee to your cheap groceries and orderly streets. Ask Alexei Navalny or any of his supporters.

In recent days, Russian state police have cracked down on pro-democracy protesters, arresting anyone who publicly mourned the opposition leader who mysteriously died in prison last week.

The difference between our urinal-caked, chaotic subways and your candelabra, beautiful subways is the literal price of freedom, said Stewart. But the goal that Carlson and his ilk are pushing is that theres really no difference between our systems. In fact, theirs might be a little bit better. The question is why, why is Tucker doing this?

Stewart theorized that its because the old civilizational battle between communism and capitalism has shifted. Now, they think the battle is woke versus unwoke. And in that fight, Putin is an ally to the right. Hes their friend, he said. Unfortunately, he is also a brutal and ruthless dictator. So now they have to make Americans a little more comfortable with that. I mean liberty is nice, but have you seen Russias shopping carts?
We must admit  finding out that Kandi Burruss was leaving The Real Housewives of Atlanta was like a dagger to the heart. The Grammy winner spent 14 consecutive years holding a peach, and it wasnt without conflict.

Throughout her time on the show, Kandi has feuded with a few big hitters, especially NeNe Leakes and Phaedra Parks. Shes also bumped heads a few times with former Miss USA Kenya Moore and the always fashionable Marlo Hampton.

But despite all of the arguing, she did have some fun moments. While filming, the superstar welcomed both of her youngest children, Blaze and Ace, started several businesses, wrote a smash hit for Kim Zolciak, and even began acting in scripted projects. So, after 14 years of being one of the faces of the Real Housewives, whats Kandis favorite moment? Read on to find out.

Kandi spills the beans about her absolute favorite RHOA moment

Although Kandi has had a handful of exciting moments on the show to be thankful for, theres one she cant stop thinking about. Meeting my husband through the show [is] a huge one for me, Kandi told Paige DeSorbo, who was hosting the green carpet Sunday night for E! News.

Our season where we took the Africa trip is where I met Todd [Tucker]. I didnt meet him on camera, but thats where I met him.

Now that Kandi is out of the fold and doesnt see a return to RHOA in the near future, whats next for the series?

Well, Porsha Williams Guobadia is on her way back and is already getting the drama stirred up. Veteran Housewife Kenya has been teasing her return for the last few weeks, while Sheree Whitfield and Phaedra have expressed their interest in returning.

Outside of Porsha and Kandis casting announcements, theres been nothing official from Bravo regarding Season 16. However, Andy Cohen recently revealed that hes heard the fans pleas and noted that the casting process is going superb.

Stream previous seasons of RHOA on Peacock.

TELL US  DID YOU ENJOY WATCHING KANDIS WEDDING ON BRAVO? WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE MOMENT WITH HER?

The post Kandi Burruss Reveals Favorite RHOA Moment After 14 Seasons appeared first on Reality Tea.
The mom of four brought 3-month old son Rocky Thirteen along to see his dad Travis Barker in concert in Brisbane on Monday

kourtney Kardashian/Instagram Kourtney Kardashian holds baby Rocky's stroller backstage at a Blink-182 concert in Australia

Kourtney Kardashian Barker's mom duties don't stop  even at a Blink-182 show!

On Monday, Kardashian, 44, shared a series of snaps of herself with her 3-month-old son Rocky Thirteen's stroller as she brought him and siblings Penelope, 11, and Reign, 9, backstage at husband Travis Barkers band's concert the Qudos Bank Arena in Brisbane, Australia.

The Kardashians star posted a carousel of images of her time supervising the kids during the family outing, describing it as, the chaos , in the caption.

In the first photo, Kardashian was seen standing backstage with baby Rocky by her side in his stroller as she placed one hand on the handlebar while looking to the side. Behind her were blurry images of Penelope and Reign as they ran around excitedly together.

Related: Kourtney Kardashian Enjoys Time with Penelope and Reign in Australia While Touring with Husband Travis Barker

This was followed by a snap of Kardashian looking lovingly down at Rocky, her first child with Barker, 48, while smiling at him.

The Poosh founder was next seen taking a mirror selfie with daughter Penelope. Kourtney then struck a pose with her hand on her hip backstage as Reign was captured in front of her in another blurry image as he played with his big sister.

A final photo showed the 9-year-old smiling as he stood in front of a giant poster of Blink-182 backstage.

Kourtney Kardashian/Instagram Kourtney Kardashian and daughter Penelope

Related: Kourtney Kardashian Shares New Snap with Daughter Penelope, 11, at Sydney Restaurant: 'My Little Lady'

While backstage, Kardashian managed to take a brief break from mom duties as she caught Barker performing onstage.

On her Instagram Story, the mom of four posted a clip watching her husband from the side of the stage during his concert as he was joined by his Blink-182 bandmates Tom DeLonge and Mark Hoppus.

Last night was fun, Kardashian wrote in the caption, while tagging Barker.

Kourtney Kardashian/Instagram Travis Barker performs onstage during Blink-182's concert in Brisbane

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Kardashian and Barker welcomed their baby boy on Nov. 1, 2023.

Along with Penelope and Reign, she also shares son Mason, 14, with ex Scott Disick, while Travis is father to son Landon, daughter Alabama plus stepdaughter Atiana, all of whom he shares with ex-wife Shanna Moakler.

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Crossing several borders at once, the coming-of-age romance Langue Etrangere leaps over state lines, overcomes language barriers and defies heteronormative boundaries to tell the story of two 17-year-old pen pals who fall for one another while visiting their mutual homes to brush up on their German and French.

Directed by Claire Burger  herself a native of the Franco-German frontier city of Forbach  this tender and at times tense drama is carried by superb young leads Lilith Grasmug and Josefa Heinsius, the latter making her screen debut. They play a pair of teenage girls whose cross-cultural exchange induces sexual and political awakenings they cant always control, bringing them together but also tearing them away from their families. Premiering in Berlins main competition, Burgers touching third feature is a small film with a big heart that could cross outside of Europes borders as well.

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Whats fascinating about Burgers approach to such well-trod terrain as the international romance (everything from Green Card to Spanglish to the recent Emily in Paris comes to mind) is how there seem to be few real cultural barriers left between the shy, inhibited Fanny (Grasmug), whos from France, and the outspoken and political Lena (Heinsius), whos from Germany. Theyre both somewhat bilingual already, have spent time in the others country, and when they dont understand the meaning of a certain expression they can always use a translation app to find it. Such fluidity also extends to their budding sexuality  they never discuss if theyre gay or straight, and they may be a little bit of both. For many of todays cosmopolitan teenagers, the traditional boundaries we grew up with no longer exist.

The foreign language in Burgers script, which she wrote in collaboration with Lea Mysius (The Five Devils), is therefore more of a psychological one: not grasping what the other is saying, even if you can translate the words themselves. Langue Etrangere is very much about Fanny and Lena reaching a deeper understanding as they try to survive one anothers families and wind up falling in love.

It takes a while for that to happen. At first, Fanny travels to Lenas native Leipzig to spend a few weeks in her high school class so she can improve her German. She arrives at a household in disarray: Lenas mother, Susanne (Nina Hoss, great as usual), has just separated from her long-term boyfriend and drowns her sorrows in too many glasses of white wine. Lena has little tolerance for her mothers whining and barely welcomes her new guest (My pen pal is not pally, Fanny tells her mom over the phone). But when she sees how fragile Fanny can be, especially when she breaks down crying early on, Lena decides to introduce her to some friends and show her around Leipzig.

The contrast between the two is glaring: Lena is bold and has a rebellious streak, while the timid Fanny seems to be shaken by problems back home in France, where she claims she attempted suicide. A scene where their two classes meet via Zoom reveals where those problems may stem from, with Fannys French classmates mocking her as soon as they get the chance. Its an uncomfortable sequence, as well as a telling one about the behavioral differences between the two countries. Burger also lands a few laughs when the kids are given the chance to ask the other class questions in the opposing language. (German question: Why are the French always on strike? Dont you guys like to work?)

But Langue Etrangere is less about those differences than about the growing intimacy between the two girls, who spend a lot of time hanging out in Lenas jacuzzi, creating a sexual tension that bubbles up when they take mushrooms at a party and engage in a three-way frolic with a boy  who seems to be there as a mere prop to get them closer together. Neither girl discusses her feelings aloud, because thats the one language they cant master, and Fanny heads back to France before anything is said between them.

The film then switches to Strasbourg, where Fannys mother (Chiara Mastroianni) and father (Jalal Altawil) lead more seemingly stable lives, though its clear they have a hard time dealing with their volatile daughter. When Lena shows up to continue the exchange in a French class, she sees right away how Fanny is an outcast in her own school. One mean girl welcomes Lena with a Nazi salute, which the latter responds to admirably with an intelligent political analysis. If theres a single cultural lesson to be gleaned from Burgers movie, its that German teens are rather kind and French teens can be totally awful.

Much of the second half hinges on the two girls searching for Fannys supposed hidden stepsister, who she claims is an anarchist involved in Strasbourgs black block movement. Like many things Fanny says, it doesnt seem entirely credible, at least to the viewer. But Lena is blinded by her own attraction and gets carried away in the search, which leads them to cut school and visit anarchist bars, creating more tension in Fannys home.

The movie gets increasingly political as the plot thickens, although the girls activism feels like another means to bring them closer together, even if Burger may have had more sincere intentions there. Shes better at depicting the jolt of emotions that hit Lena and Fanny when they can no longer ignore their feelings, leading to a finale where their respective barriers are dropped and the two finally manage to communicate clearly.

Shot in grainy handheld by Julien Poupard (Les Miserables), who uses a color palette of cloudy blues and grays, the film is very much a performance-based affair in which the excellent Grasmug and Heinsius do much of the heavy lifting. Theyre well-supported by vets Hoss and Mastroianni, with the former providing the films one laugh-out-loud sequence when she completely loses it during a family lunch involving her ex.

Burgers two prior features, Party Girl (co-directed with Marie Amachoukeli and Samuel Theis) and Real Love, were both set in her hometown of Forbach  a border village where people switch easily between French and German, whether its the language or the customs. In Langue Etrangere, her most accomplished work to date, the director movingly reveals how such shifting identifies put two girls on a path to find each other and, ultimately, themselves.

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Theres a storm brewing in Miami, and Larsa Pippen is at the center of it. She and Marcus Jordan broke up, but now shes dealing with her Real Housewives of Miami castmates calling the whole thing staged. Larsa isnt too happy about any of it.

The Miami power couple shocked the world when they deleted all traces of each other from social media. Larsa eventually confirmed that the two had called it quits, but theyve both been quiet about the reasons behind the split. Meanwhile, Marysol Patton and Alexia Nepola, who rarely keep their opinions to themselves, took to their podcast and called out the whole thing as a bunch of staged nonsense.

A clap back from Larsa

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During a recent episode of Marysol and Alexias podcast, they both cast doubt on the Marcus and Larsa break-up. Marysol called it a scam, and they both suggested that it was all a big publicity stunt.

Everybody knows its staged, Alexia said on the podcast. And this is why were even talking about it because its so ridiculous at this point.

Larsaa responded via a statement to Page Six, and said theres no truth to their commentary. She felt that Alexia and Marysol were just being messy for no reason, so she slammed them for even talking about it.

It is unfortunate that they would criticize a very personal matter that affects me and my family, Larsa continued.

Although Season 6 of Real Housewives of Miami still has a few episodes left, the reunion has already been filmed. We wont get to see this play out on TV right away. But, these ladies definitely just secured a storyline for Season 7.

You can catch the remaining episodes of Season 6 of Real Housewives of Miami on Bravo, Wednesday nights at 9/8c.

TELL US  WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON ALEXIA AND MARYSOLS ACCUSATIONS? DO YOU THINK LARSA AND MARCUS STAGED THEIR BREAK-UP?

The post Larsa Pippen Responds to RHOM Stars Insinuating She Faked Marcus Jordan Split appeared first on Reality Tea.
Spring is in the air, and when it comes to trending colors, silhouettes, footwear and of course, your Derby headpiece, two classic Kentucky Derby fashion shows come to mind  The Kentucky Derby Festival's Dillards Spring Fashion Show and the Kentucky Derby Museum's Hat Show.

To help you look your very best for the 150th Kentucky Derby, here is everything you need to know about these two fashion events.

What will you find at the 2024 KDF Dillard's Spring Fashion Show

At the 2023 KDF Dillard's Fashion Show, the spring color palette features saturated, vibrant colors as well as updated twists on '90s neon. Also there's the femme fatales and ingenues, with ultra-feminine looks from edgy suits to sheer fabrics and florals. And also Red-carpet ready styles with ruffles and big bows. March 30, 2023

Way more than floral prints and seersucker suits, this annual premiere Kentucky Derby Festival spring event held at Caesars Southern Indiana features the latest women's and men's fashions and accessories trends for the 2024 Kentucky Derby season. And, of course, that will include fancy fascinators, elegant wide-brim hats, and chic chapeaus.

This year's high-energy runway show will feature fashions from Dillard's, several local boutiques, and other retailers. Some of the Kentucky Derby Festival's official products will also be featured at the event.

Where and when is the KDF Dillard's Spring Fashion Show?

Scenes at the 2022 Kentucky Derby Festival/Macy's Spring Fashion Show at Caesars Southern Indiana Thursday night. March 31, 2022

The spring fashion event will be held on Thursday, March 28 at Caesars Southern Indiana, 11999 Casino Center Dr. SE, Elizabeth, Indiana. The doors to the casino's massive showroom open at 6:45 p.m. and dinner is served at 7 p.m. Ticket holders have an hour to dine and socialize before the runway show kicks off at 8 p.m.

What can I do at the Dillard's Spring Fashion Show pre-show?

The 2022 Kentucky Derby Festival/Macy's Spring Fashion Show at Caesars Southern Indiana Thursday night. Local boutiques included AFM Threads, Charlies Boutique, Dada Apparel Co., Darling State of Mind, GUESS?, Inc., Magnolia & Fig, Mamili, Noted, Pretty Is As Pretty Does, Sapphire Boutique and That Cute Little Shop. Today's Woman and WHAS11 were media sponsors. Millennium Events produced the show. March 31, 2022

More than just a fashion show, the event is a fun night out with friends for those 21 years and older. The pre-show kicks off at 5 p.m. with boutique shopping and cocktails. Before the doors open for the runway show, vendors from various boutiques will be set up on the second floor of the casino, and cash bars will be available.

What are my ticket options for Dillard's Spring Fashion Show?

Model Michele Weaver of Heyman Talent shows off a Derby look at the 2022 Kentucky Derby Festival/Macy's Spring Fashion Show. Contributing sponsors are Guess ? Inc., Caesars Southern Indiana, J Michael's Spa & Salon and Radley London. March 31, 2022

Did we mention you need to act fast because tickets sell out quickly? There are two different ticket options and you'll want to jump on these fast.

Main Floor tickets, which include dinner, are $150 or $1,000 for a table of 10 (includes reserved dinner seating and show).

Or you can skip the dinner and pick up a ticket for a general admission seat in the balcony for $75 (includes hors doeuvres and two drink tickets).

You can purchase your tickets at kdf.org. And sorry but no, there are no tickets available at the event.

What can you expect at the 2024 Kentucky Derby Museum Hat Show?

Scenes from the Kentucky Derby Museum Hat Showcase on Sunday, March 26, 2023

You'll get an exclusive look at the latest couture designs from the Kentucky Derby Museums featured milliners at this one-of-a-kind event. Before the models hit the runway during this high-energy runway show, guests are treated to unlimited mimosas, complimentary screwdrivers, and bloody marys as well as brunch bites.

After the runway show, the Kentucky Derby Museum's featured milliners will be available to help you plan your signature look.

Where and when is the Kentucky Derby Museum Hat Show?

Kentucky Derby Museum runway Hat Show

The fashion show and spring Derby celebration take place at the Kentucky Derby Museum, 704 Central Ave. from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 24.

Who are the 2024 Kentucky Derby Museum Featured Milliners?

Wide brimmed hat by Christine Moore onwer of Cam Hats.

This year's featured milliners include Christine Moore of Christine A. Moore Millinery, Jenny Pfanestiel of Forme Millinery Company, Ilana Kogan of The Hat Doctor, Mary Julia Kaiser of Derbyologie, and Melisa Huff of Mamili and Mad Hatter 502.

How much are tickets to the 2024 Kentucky Derby Museum Hat Show?

Shopping at the Kentucky Derby Museum Hat Show

VIP tickets are $125 and include a reserved front-row seat and a swag bag. Premier tickets are $75 and can be purchased online at derbymuseum.org.

Rach features reporter Kirby Adams at kadams@courier-journal.com.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Get tickets for Kentucky Derby Festival fashion show, museum hat show
Nicholas Jordan, 25, is accused of murdering Samuel Knopp, 24, and Celie Rain Montgomery, 26

Samuel Knopp/Facebook; Colorado Springs Police Department/X; Colorado Springs Police Department From left: Samuel Knopp, Celie Rain Montgomery and Nicholas Jordan

A man suspected of killing two people Friday in a dorm on the University of Colorado campus in Colorado Springs was roommates with one of the victims, according to police.

Nicholas Jordan, 25, was arrested Monday morning in Colorado Springs on two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the deaths of Samuel Knopp, 24, a student at the university, and Celie Rain Montgomery, 26, who was not enrolled at the school, according to a statement from the Colorado Springs Police Department.

Police said the victims were found after officers were called around 6 a.m. Friday on a report of a shooting at Crestone House, a dorm located on the campus.

Investigative efforts continue to indicate this was an isolated incident between individuals who were known to one another and not a random attack against the school or other students at the university," police previously said.

Related: Suspect Arrested After 2 People Shot to Death in Dorm at University of Colorado in Colorado Springs

Colorado Springs police said in a statement to PEOPLE that Jordan and Knopp were roommates.



Chancellor Jennifer Sobanet said in a statement shared to the universitys website on Sunday that Knopp "was a senior studying music and a beloved member of the Visual and Performing Arts department. He was an accomplished guitar player and an extremely talented musician.

She added, Celie, although she was not a student, will be mourned by our campus community.

As we mourn the loss of Samuel Knopp and Celie Montgomery, my hope is that we will come together as a community, support one another and share in our grief, the chancellor said. Please remember that you are not alone.

Further information about the relationship between Montgomery and the others as well as a possible motive had not been released as of Tuesday afternoon.

Jordan, of Detroit, Mich., was taken into custody without incident Monday in Colorado Springs after members of the police departments Motor Vehicle Theft Unit spotted him in a vehicle, police said. A warrant for his arrest had been signed on Friday.

Online jail records show Jordan was booked into the El Paso County Jail on Tuesday and was being held on $1 million bond. Its unclear if he has entered a plea or retained an attorney to speak on his behalf.

Police said the investigation remains ongoing.



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Nikki Haley met her husband Michael in college and the pair share two children

Nikki Haley Instagram Nikki Haley and Michael Haley in 2022.

Nikki Haley and her husband, William Michael Haley, have been married since 1996.

They first met in college seven years prior and went on to have two children together: daughter Rena and son Nalin. Nikki  who was a candidate for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination  has been open about how much her husband and family mean to her.

"I would be lost without him," Nikki wrote about Michael in her 2012 memoir, Can't Is Not an Option: My American Story.

Throughout their decades together, the couple have weathered both triumphs and challenges, including Michael's deployment during Nikki's tenure as South Carolina governor. Michael, a major in the National Guard, served another yearlong deployment in Djibouti, Africa, that began in June 2023.

After campaigning for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, she dropped out of the race in March, telling a South Carolina crowd that she was "filled with gratitude" for their support.

So who is Nikki Haley's husband? Here's everything to know about Michael Haley and his relationship with the politician.

Michael was adopted as a child

Nikki Haley Instagram Nikki Haley and Michael Haley in 2021

Michael was born in Ohio. According to Nikkis memoir, Michaels biological father was an alcoholic who had trouble with the law, and the home his family shared didn't have electricity or running water. When Michael was a toddler, he and his four siblings were placed in foster care. Their mother was set to regain custody until she got into a car accident and sustained a traumatic brain injury that left her unable to care for the children.

Michael and his siblings were placed once more in foster care. Bill Haley, a steel mill manager, and Carol Haley, a teacher, adopted 4-year-old Michael and his younger sister Lee Anne. Michael's other three siblings were adopted by different families.

The Haleys eventually moved from Ohio to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, where Michael graduated from high school. Nikki wrote that Michael didn't reconnect with the rest of his siblings for more than 15 years after his adoption.

Nikki has credited Michael's story with influencing her anti-abortion political stance.

"In politics people assume that if you're a Republican you're prolife because the party tells you to be," she wrote in Can't Is Not an Option. "I'm prolife because I get a chance to spend every day with the love of my life knowing that I am blessed that someone saved his life."

They met in college while he was dating someone else

Nikki Haley Instagram Nikki Haley and William Michael Haley celebrating Valentine's Day in 2024.

In 1989, Nikki, then 17, began school at Clemson University; Michael, then 19, was enrolled at nearby Anderson University. Michael's roommate, John, happened to be Nikkis friend from her hometown and introduced the pair. They hit it off right away and became fast friends, spending almost an entire weekend together. After Michael told Nikki he had a girlfriend, however, she didn't pursue him.

The next weekend, they saw each other at a party. Even though Michael attended with his girlfriend, he kept going over to talk to Nikki. "I wanted no part of it, but I thought it was funny that every time she walked away he came over to check on me," she wrote in Can't Is Not an Option. "Boys."

The following week, Nikki heard that Michael and his girlfriend had split up. "I can't say I was heartbroken by the turn of events," she recalled.

They started hanging out, and Michael impressed Nikki with his honesty and gratitude  and his honesty may have saved their fledgling relationship. Michael told her he was interested in dating her and another girl at the same time, to which she responded, "I don't date people who also date other people, and wished him luck with the other girl.

That was all that she needed to say: He never dated the other girl, and Nikki and Michael were inseparable from that point on. Michael even transferred to Clemson University to spend more time with her.

Nikki changed Michael's nickname

Win McNamee/Getty Nikki Haley and her husband Michael Haley attend the third day of the 2012 Republican National Convention

Before college, Michael was called Bill, short for his first name, William. However, after he and Nikki began dating, she didn't think "Bill" fit him. When she learned his middle name, she began calling him Michael.

"Everyone who knows him before I did knows him as Bill," she wrote, "and everyone who met him after I did knows him as Michael."

Nikki converted to Christianity for Michael

Sameer Sehgal/Hindustan Times/Getty Nikki Haley along with her husband Michael Haley paying obeisance at Golden Temple in 2014

Born to Ajit Singh and Raj Kaur Randhawa, two immigrants from India, Nikki was raised in the Sikh faith. When she and Michael married in 1996  after initially postponing their wedding because of Hurricane Fran  they had two ceremonies: one Sikh and one Christian at St. Andrew By-the-Sea, a Methodist church in Hilton Head.

In 2010, Nikki told The New York Times that she was baptized at St. Andrew By-the-Sea before their wedding; their children Rena and Nalin were also baptized in the Methodist Church. She also said her family attended both Methodist and Sikh services.

Michael is in the National Guard

Kim Foster-Tobin/The State/Tribune News Service/Getty Nikki Haley and Michael Haley in 2015

Michael is a major in the South Carolina National Guard and served a yearlong deployment to Afghanistan in 2012 while Nikki was serving as governor, making him one of the first spouses of a governor to enter active duty in a war zone.

"This deployment is the reason I joined the National Guard," Michael said in a statement at the time, according to The Augusta Chronicle. "The only thing that gives me pause is the yearlong deployment away from family. But in the end, I can't help but to think giving one year along with my fellow soldiers, as many have done before me, to secure a life of freedom for my family is well worth all that comes with it."

In June 2023, Michael was deployed to Djibouti for a year. "It's so many mixed emotions, Nikki told reporters after his deployment ceremony, per ABC News. There's so much pride. As a wife, a military spouse, this is when we start the yearlong prayer of making sure they go there, they do their job effectively, they do it in a way that's strong, and that they come home safely."

While Nikki was still running in the presidential primary, her campaign said Michael was the first spouse of a candidate to be deployed during a presidential run. "I am just one of many military spouses that are watching their loved ones leave today, and we feel an amazing sense of pride," she added. "We feel an amazing sense of service. And we may feel an amazing sense of sadness. But at the same time, we could not be happier to see them going and doing what they in their blood are meant to do. And so we're proud."

They share two children together

Nikki Haley Instagram Nikki Haley with her husband Michael Haley and their kids, Rena and Nalin

Nikki and Michael welcomed their first child, daughter Rena, on June 8, 1998, two years after tying the knot. Their second child, son Nalin, was born on Sept. 6, 2001, in South Carolina.

While neither of her children have an interest in following her career into politics, they were both supportive of their mother's race. Rena showed up for her GOP debates in her father's absence, while Nalin worked on Nikki's campaign.

In an interview with FOX News' Harris Faulkner, the two kids opened up about how Michael and Nikki raised them to have an appreciation for their country while still creating a sense of normalcy despite their father being in the National Guard and their mother working in public service.

"They always taught us how to love and respect this country and really understand what it means to be blessed to live in America," Nalin said.

Rena added, "They worked very hard to keep it very normal for us, we weren't in TV a lot and they made it very home."

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Just days after Bravo confirmed that Porsha Williams Guobadia would return to The Real Housewives of Atlanta, shocking allegations have surfaced about her husband Simon Guobadia. It involves fraud, felony charges, and potential deportation.

According to court documents obtained by All About The Tea, Simon is facing a complicated immigration case and is at risk of deportation from the United States. His case dates back to the 1980s when he first arrived in the United States from Nigeria. Allegedly, Simon was involved in numerous financial crimes before we were introduced to him on RHOA.

Simons complicated immigration status

Simons legal troubles started back in 1985. He arrived in the United States on a visitors visa. However, Simon overstayed his allotted time in the country but tried to gain citizenship by marrying a United States citizen. However, the marriage wasnt real. The Immigration and Naturalization Service clocked that his marriage was phony, and they initiated deportation proceedings.

Allegedly, Simon left the US on his own accord once the marriage idea didnt work. He returned a year later with a six-month visitors visa but again overstayed his welcome. During his second adventure in the United States, Simon got busted for bank and credit card fraud on several occasions. He faced felony charges, prompting the United States to initiate deportation proceedings for a second time.

While the government was working on deporting Simon, he allegedly obtained a green card using a fake identity. He applied for a Special Agricultural Worker immigration program and failed to include his criminal history. The green card got approved, which seemingly allowed him to stay in the United States under a false identity.

A fight for citizenship

According to the outlet, Simon tried to apply for naturalization in 2016. He wanted to become a full citizen of the United States rather than just being a green card holder. However, the government refused to approve his application. They said his temporary resident status was unlawfully granted.

Over the last three years, Simon has tried multiple times to convince the government to overturn their decision. It hasnt worked, which has left Simons immigration status in limbo. Allegedly, hes not a citizen, and his green card was obtained under fraudulent circumstances.

This sounds like the type of court case that would consume a lot of time and money. So, if the allegations about Simons immigration status are true, we should expect to see the storyline play out on Season 16 of Real Housewives of Atlanta. Filming is expected to start soon.

TELL US  DO YOU THINK SIMONS ALLEGED LEGAL TROUBLES WILL BE A STORYLINE ON RHOA SEASON 16? WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON HIS COMPLICATED IMMIGRATION STATUS?

The post Porsha Williams Guobadias Husband Simon Fighting Deportation After Criminal Past appeared first on Reality Tea.
Nvidia (NVDA) reported its fourth quarter earnings after the bell on Wednesday, beating analysts' expectations on the top and bottom lines.

For the quarter, Nvidia reported adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $5.16 on revenue of $22.1 billion. Analysts were expecting EPS of $4.60 on revenue of $20.4 billion. That's a massive jump from the same period last quarter when Nvidia reported EPS of $0.88 on $6.1 billion a year ago. To put a finer point on Nvidia's performance, the company reported $27 billion in revenue for all of 2022.

The company also guided higher than analysts' expectations for the first quarter, saying it anticipates revenue of $24 billion, plus or minus 2%. Wall Street was expecting $21.9 billion for the quarter.

Accelerated computing and generative AI have hit the tipping point. Demand is surging worldwide across companies, industries and nations, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said in a statement.

Shares of Nvidia were up more than 15% in Thursday trading following the report.

Our Data Center platform is powered by increasingly diverse drivers  demand for data processing, training, and inference from large cloud-service providers and GPU-specialized ones, as well as from enterprise software and consumer internet companies. Vertical industries  led by auto, financial services and healthcare  are now at a multibillion-dollar level," Huang said in the statement.

Despite the across-the-board beat, Nvidia did have at least one negative comment in its report, with CFO Colette Kress warning that data center revenue out of China fell "significantly" in Q4 due to US licensing requirements. The US has blacklisted the sale of certain Nvidia chips to China on fears that they could be used for military applications.

Nvidia's all-important Data Center business, which includes sales of its high-powered GPUs for AI applications, saw revenue of $18.4 billion, beating analysts' expectations of $17.2 billion. The company reported revenue of $3.62 billion in the same quarter last year. Overall, Nvidia's Data Center revenue jumped 217% for the year.

Story continues

While Nvidia's Data Center segment is driving the ship, its gaming business is still an important piece of the company. Revenue for the division topped out at $2.9 billion. Investors were expecting revenue of $2.7 billion, up from $1.8 billion last year.

Nvidia's stock price has skyrocketed more than 200% over the last 12 months, easily outpacing rivals AMD (AMD) and Intel (INTC), thanks to its position as the world's leading AI chipmaker.

Nvidias growth, however, faces challenges from all sides. The companys chief rival, AMD, is investing heavily in its own AI chips, including its new MI300X. According to AMD, the chip surpasses Nvidias H100 in certain workloads, but Nvidia has refuted those claims, saying AMDs testing was incomplete. Intel also has its own server chips and continues to build on their capabilities.

Nvidias customers are also increasingly looking to develop their own specialized AI chips to ease their reliance on Nvidias offerings. Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Tesla (TSLA) are just a few of the big-name firms that either currently offer or are actively developing their own in-house AI chips.

And that could prove especially problematic as the company said more than half of its Data Center revenue in Q4 came from large cloud providers for internal workloads and external customers.

But Nvidia isnt taking this threat lying down. According to Reuters, the company has met with Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, and OpenAI to discuss building custom chips for them.

Subscribe to the Yahoo Finance Tech newsletter. (Yahoo Finance)

Daniel Howley is the tech editor at Yahoo Finance. He's been covering the tech industry since 2011. You can follow him on Twitter @DanielHowley.

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The Sympathizer HBO Max streaming release date is right around the corner, and viewers are wondering when they can start streaming the TV series.

Developed by Park Chan-wook and Don McKellar, Sympathizer is an upcoming war drama television series adapted from Viet Thanh Nguyens award-winning 2015 novel of the same name. It is produced by A24, Team Downey, Rhombus Media, Cinetic Media, and Moho Film. Heres when the show is coming out on HBO Max.

When is The Sympathizer HBO Max release date?

The Sympathizer HBO Max streaming release date is Sunday, April 14, 2024.

This series follows the gripping story of a North Vietnamese plant embedded within the South Vietnamese army during the Vietnam War. After the wars conclusion, he is compelled to flee to the United States, where he assimilates into a community of South Vietnamese refugees. However, he remains loyal to his original cause and continues to spy and report back to the Viet Cong.

This series is executive produced by Park Chan-wook, Don McKellar, Robert Downey Jr., Susan Downey, Baek Ji-Seon, Amanda Burrell, Niv Fichman, Kim Ly, Ron Schmidt, and Viet Thanh Nguyen.

The main cast members of The Sympathizer include Hoa Xuande as the Captain, Fred Nguyen Khan as Bon, Toan Le as the General, Duy Nguyen as Man, Vy Le as Lana, and Alan Trong as Sonny. Other cast include Ky Duyen, Sandra Oh, Kieu Chinh, Kayli Tran, VyVy Nguyen, Scott Ly, and Marine Delterme. Robert Downey Jr. also stars in several antagonist roles in this miniseries.

When is The Sympathizer coming out via streaming?

The Sympathizer is available to watch via streaming on HBO Max on Sunday, April 14, 2024. Viewers will be able to stream it at this time.

Current HBO Max subscribers will be able to watch the series when it airs.

The Sympathizers official synopsis reads:

An espionage thriller and cross-culture satire about the struggles of a half-French, half-Vietnamese communist spy during the final days of the Vietnam War and his resulting exile in the United States.

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The Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour global concert continues and fans need information about the front row tickets. So, heres what you need to know about where you could buy them and how much they cost.

How much do Taylor Swift front row tickets cost?

The front-row floor ticket prices close to the stage vary from $746 to as high as around $20,000 depending on the locations and venues.

The tickets for the Eras Tour concerts can be bought from Vividseats. You could go through all the concert dates and choose your preferred cities, venues, and boxes to get your passes.

The Singapore concert scheduled for March 2 and beyond sells its floor tickets for $746. But this is probably the lowest amount you could buy the Eras Tour tickets for. The Singapore concert dates are scheduled between March 2 and March 9.

After that, the pop star will move The Eras Tour to Europe from May 9 onwards, where the front row ticket prices would vary yet again. The concert in Gelsenkirchen, Germany has front-row tickets on the lower end selling from $798. But most European venues have priced them up to $3000.

The Eras Tour will move to the United States from October 18 onwards where the front row tickets start in the $2800+ range and go as high as $5301. The Indianapolis concert also has a section priced at $12,006.

Lastly, The Eras Tour will move to Canada from November 14 onwards, where the front-row tickets start from around $2100 and go up to $20,522. Be sure to get your hands on these passes before they sell out.

For more updates, learn whether Travis Kelce proposed to Taylor Swift.

The post Taylor Swift: How Much Do Front Row Tickets Cost for the Eras Tour? appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More.
Toilet: Ek Prem Katha is a 2017 Indian Hindi-language comedy-drama film directed by Shree Narayan Singh. Co-produced by Akshay Kumar and Neeraj Pandey, the film features Akshay Kumar and Bhumi Pednekar in lead roles. It sheds light on the pressing issue of sanitation in India. It particularly focuses on the challenge of open defecation prevalent in rural areas.

The movie underscores the cultural and religious barriers contributing to Indias toilet problem. Despite being a basic necessity, toilets in rural regions remain a stark reality. This lack not only frustrates women but also exposes them to the risk of sexual harassment.

Inspired by the true story of Anita Narre from Madhya Pradesh, who took a stand against the absence of a toilet in her husband Shivrams home. The film amplifies the urgent need for improved sanitation facilities across the country. Anitas refusal to return to her marital home without a toilet symbolized empowerment. It also sparked conversations about the importance of access to proper sanitation for all.

What was the daily ritual for Nandgaons women?

The story is set in the quaint village of Nandgaon, nestled in the heart of Uttar Pradesh. A daily ritual unfolded where a group of women ventured to a nearby field at the crack of dawn to attend to natures call amidst the shelter of bushes. This practice stemmed from the unfortunate lack of toilets in their village.

Meanwhile, in the same village, Keshav found himself entangled in a peculiar predicament. His father, Pandit Vimalnath Sharma, a deeply religious and superstitious man, held firm beliefs regarding his marriage. He believed that marrying a black buffalo would pave the path to prosperity for his son. Yet, fate had other plans as Keshav crossed paths with Jaya, a bright, educated college-going girl. Love blossomed between them, with Keshav soon convincing Jaya to marry him.

However, Keshavs father strongly believed in astrology and said Keshavs wife must have two thumbs on her left hand. Despite this tough condition, Keshav came up with a clever solution. He made a fake thumb for Jaya to wear as a ring. This made it seem like she had two thumbs on her left hand, even though it was unreal.

Why did Jaya return to her parents home?



Another problem soon arose. Jaya, used to modern comforts, struggled with the lack of a basic necessity  a toilet. Despite Keshavs efforts to find temporary solutions, Jayas discomfort continued. Her frustration peaked when she got accidentally locked in a train toilet, leading her to return to her parents home to find comfort from the difficult situation.

Determined to fix things, Keshav took on the challenge. Despite facing strong opposition from his father and other villagers, Keshav, with Jayas support, contacted the authorities to build a toilet in their front yard. Initially, many doubted them, but they kept going. Eventually, their persistence paid off, and the toilet was successfully built, marking a significant step forward for the village. However, once the construction is complete, Keshavs father and the village head plan to demolish the toilet while Keshav is asleep. However, Keshav wakes up just in time to stop the demolition and protect the toilet from destruction.

Toilet: Ek Prem Katha ending: Did Keshav and Jaya get a divorce?

Jaya decides to file for divorce, citing the lack of a toilet in their home as the main reason. The case gains significant media attention, prompting politicians and government officials to take action and expedite the construction of toilets in Keshavs village. Despite this, Keshavs father remains stubborn and refuses to have a toilet in his house.

One day, Keshavs mother injures her hip while going to the fields to defecate and insists on using the toilet that Keshav built in the front yard. Reluctantly, Keshavs father helps his mother to the toilet and realizes its importance.

On the day of the divorce hearing, the judge receives a notice from the Chief Ministers office, urging them not to grant the divorce as toilet construction in the village would begin the next day. The couple leaves the court happily together. Keshavs father apologizes to Jaya for his stubbornness. In the end, villagers are seen lining up to use mobile toilets outside their village while toilet construction progresses throughout the village.

The post Toilet: Ek Prem Katha Ending Explained & Spoilers: How Did Bhumi Pednekars Movie End? appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More.
Adapted from the beloved Will Trent book series by renowned crime novelist Karin Slaughter, the American police procedural crime drama television series Will Trent was brought to life by Karin Slaughter, Liz Heldens, and Daniel T. Thomsen. Premiering on January 3, 2023, the series has since captivated the hearts and souls of its viewers. Today, on February 20, 2024, the show delighted fans with a belated Valentines gift as it debuted its second season. Centered around Will Trent, who endured a challenging upbringing in foster care after being abandoned as a child, the series follows his journey as he became a Special Agent in the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. If you are wondering whether there will be a Will Trent Season 3, then weve got you covered.

Heres all the Will Trent Season 3 date information we know so far, and all the details on when it is coming out.

Is there a Will Trent Season 3 release date?

Will Trent Season 3 does not have an official release date, but it will likely be announced in the future.

As of the current moment, there is no official announcement regarding the status of Will Trent Season 3. The series has neither been confirmed for renewal nor canceled at the time of writing. Despite just premiering its second season today, fans eager for more are already anticipating official news about the shows next chapter. However, the creators have chosen to keep details about the potential third season under wraps. This leaves fans in suspense, eagerly awaiting official updates about the future of the show.

Will Trent has garnered world acclaim, securing a solid 7.6/10 rating on IMDb. The show holds an amazing 82% Average Audience Rating and a remarkable 89% Tomatometer Rating on Rotten Tomatoes. If Will Trent gets the green light for the third season, fans might be able to catch Will Trent Season 3 on screens by mid-2025 or late 2025, considering filming and the writing has not yet begun.

This date is an estimation based on the information we have so far. ComingSoon will provide an update to this story once we receive official details.

Will Trents cast includes Ramon Rodriguez, Erika Christensen, Iantha Richardson, Jake McLaughlin, Sonja Sohn, and others.

Where is Will Trent Season 3 coming out?

Will Trent Season 3 is likely to come out on ABC (American Broadcasting Company), the same as the previous ones.

The official synopsis for Will Trent reads:

Special Agent Will Trent was abandoned at birth and endured a harsh coming-of-age in Atlantas overwhelmed foster care system. Determined to make sure no one feels as he did, he now has the highest clearance rate.

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Tucker Carlson said Tuesday that former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, a staunch supporter of Ukraines defense against Russian invasion, agreed to an interview with the former Fox News host about it  for the price of $1 million.

Carlson gave his first interview following his trip to Russia  and controversial interview with President Vladimir Putin  to Glenn Beck on Blaze TV, denying that he supports the authoritarian regime. At the same time, Carlson called Ukraines defense against the Russian invasion a shakedown and a money laundering scheme, and accused Johnson of being one of its many profiteers.

So Im over in Moscow, Im waiting to do this interview, it gets out that were doing it, and Im immediately denounced by this guy called Boris Johnson, Carlson said. And Boris Johnson calls me a tool of the Kremlin or something  so I put in a request for an interview with [Johnson], because hes constantly denouncing me.

Tucker: "Boris Johnson calls me a tool of the Kremlin or something. So I put in a request for an interview with Boris Johnson. Finally one of his advisors gets back to me and says he will talk to you but it's going to cost you a million dollars. He wants a million dollars." pic.twitter.com/Y7qADbx2H4  TheBlaze (@theblaze) February 20, 2024

Carlson said the answer had always been no  but since hes friends with many people who know the Brexit architect, he reached out to double down on his request after returning from his trip to Moscow.

Finally an adviser gets back to me and said, He will talk to you, but its going to cost you a million dollars. He wants a million in U.S. dollars, gold or bitcoin  this just happened yesterday or two days ago! Carlson said to an audibly incredulous Beck. Then he will explain his position on Ukraine. So he attacks me without explaining how Im wrong, of course, or how hes right  this is the guy, by the way, who at the request of the U.S. government, stopped the peace deal in Ukraine a year and a half ago, and is for that reason responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people.

As Beck guffawed, Carlson said he couldnt believe it either.

I said, I just interviewed Vladimir Putin  Im not defending Putin, but [he] didnt ask me for a million dollars! So youre telling me that Boris Johnson is a lot sleazier, a lot lower than Vladimir Putin. So this whole thing is a freaking shakedown.

By this whole thing, Tucker seemed to mean Western support for Ukraines defense against the invasion  as he went on to question the merit of further spending.

Why $60 billion dollars? [Its] not going to allow Ukraine to prevail over Russia. No honest person thinks thats gonna work, Carlson said. This is a money laundering operation, a lot of people involved are making money off of it, and if youre making money off of war, you can deal with God on that. Because thats really immoral. Like thats actually really, really wrong. And a lot of people are, including Boris Johnson.

A message sent Tuesday to the office of the current prime minister was not immediately returned.

Watch the entire exchange in the embedded video above, and more of Carlsons interview with Beck below:

Tucker on NSA surveillance: "I got a call from a NYT reporter asking when I was interviewing Putin. And there's no way they could have known that. I didn't tell anybody. They clearly did it again. They leaked it to the NYT in an effort to scuttle the interview." pic.twitter.com/tbzboGEjZ1  TheBlaze (@theblaze) February 20, 2024

The post Tucker Carlson Says Boris Johnson Demanded $1 Million for an Interview About Ukraine: Whole Thing Is a Shakedown | Video appeared first on TheWrap.
To The Wonder follows the story of Neil and Marina, whose first meeting turns into a passionate romance, which leads to them settling down and starting a new life in Oklahoma. But as time passes, their spark fades, and Marina and her daughter decide to return to France, whereas Neil reconnects with his childhood friend.

Heres how you can watch and stream To The Wonder via streaming services such as Amazon Prime Video.

Is To The Wonder available to watch via streaming?

Yes, To The Wonder is available to watch via streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

Neil and Marinas relationship struggles to stand on its own, leading to them going their separate ways. Thats when an old flame from Neils past arrives and a love blossoms between the two, until his concerns about Marina start to surface.

The cast members include Ben Affleck as Neil, Olga Kurylenko as Marina, Rachel McAdams as Jane, Javier Bardem as Father Quintana, and many others.

Watch To The Wonder streaming via Amazon Prime Video

To The Wonder is available to watch on Amazon Prime Video.

Amazon Prime Video is a top-notch streaming platform consisting of a number of acclaimed movies and series, along with originals produced by Amazon MGM Studios.

You can watch via Amazon Prime Video by following these steps:

Go to Amazon Prime Video Select Sign in and Create your Amazon account Sign up for a Prime Video membership: $14.99 per month or $139 per year with an Amazon Prime membership

$8.99 per month for a standalone Prime Video membership

Amazon Prime is the online retailers paid service that provides fast shipping and exclusive sales on products, so the membership that includes both this service and Prime Video is the companys most popular offering. However, you can also opt to subscribe to Prime Video separately.

To The Wonders synopsis is as follows:

After falling in love in Paris, Marina and Neil come to Oklahoma, where problems arise. Their churchs Spanish-born pastor struggles with his faith, while Neil encounters a woman from his childhood.

NOTE: The streaming services listed above are subject to change. The information provided was correct at the time of writing.

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A man who was wrongfully convicted and incarcerated for over six years was awarded $10 million in damages by a jury in Detroit.

Alexandre Ansari, who was awarded last Friday, was wrongfully serving a life sentence over claims that in 2012 he shot and killed Ileana Cuevas, a 15-year-old girl, and wounded two others in Detroit, according to a lawsuit filed by Ansari in the United States District Court, Eastern District of Michigan Southern Division.

"Once I got the verdict back, my heart dropped. And I'm like, 'Dang, I got to spend the rest of my life in here for something I didn't do.' And you know, I tried to kill myself," Ansari told Linsey Davis on "ABC News Live Prime." "It felt like nobody didn't put all the evidence together to see that I wasn't the person in the first place. So things started getting overwhelming for me."

PHOTO: Alexandre Ansari told ABC News that he looks forward to living the life he missed out on while incarcerated. (Wolf Mueller Law)

Ansari, 39, was exonerated in 2019 by the Wayne County Circuit Court after it determined that Moises Jimenez, a former Detroit police detective withheld evidence for Ansaris trial that would have implicated someone else as the shooter, according to the County of Wayne Office of the Prosecuting Attorney.

"Mr. Ansaris criminal conviction was dismissed in Wayne County Circuit Court by Judge Thomas Hathaway in 2019," the county prosecutor told ABC News in a statement. "The jury found that Alexandre Ansari's constitutional rights were violated by a Detroit police detective by concealing evidence in the fatal shooting of a 15-year-old girl."

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Jimenez received an anonymous tip that linked the shooter to the Mexican Drug Cartel, according to the complaint that released Ansari. He withheld the evidence from Ansaris 2013 trial, according to the lawsuit. Jimenezs attorneys told ABC News that the former detective claims that he provided all evidence he uncovered during his investigation and plans to appeal the $10 million lawsuit verdict.

PHOTO: Alexandre Ansari, 39, was awarded $10 million after being held behind bars for over six years for a crime that he didn't commit. (Wolf Mueller Law)

"Additionally, there was an Internal Memorandum in the trial prosecutors file which confirmed that she had received the information which was the subject of the litigation," Jerry Ashford, chief of litigation for the City of Detroit Law Department, who is representing Jimenez, told ABC News in a statement. "This was always a witness identification case where two witnesses identified Plaintiff [Ansari] as the shooter. The witnesses never recanted."

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There have been no reported arrests connected to the shooting since Ansaris exoneration. Ansari was wrongfully arrested for the crime when he was 27 years old, according to Wolf Mueller, Ansaris attorney. Mueller told ABC News that Jimenez's appeal will go nowhere.

"If he put the cartel leader away for murder, he would be sentenced, just like Alex, to life without parole," Mueller told Linsey Davis on "ABC News Live Prime." "And he feared retaliation from the cartel, so he hid the evidence and purposely directed the investigation away from the cartel leader."

Ansari told ABC News that he looks forward to enjoying his life of freedom.

"Live a life that I missed," Ansari said. "Just invest and try to give back to the universe."

Detroit man awarded $10 million after wrongful conviction originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
After opening the garage door of his family's mid-century brick shed one afternoon early this month, Bob Bee pointed to the 85-year-old John Deere Model B in the corner.

The tractor started it all. Well, at least it's the origin story of Bob, 71, and his older sister Liz (Bee) Harrison, 75.

After purchasing the John Deere new in 1939, Bob and Liz's father, Francis Bee, worked it so hard on his family's Northern Colorado farm that he made himself sick.

"The doctor told him he needed to take a break," Bob recalled. "So, he went down to Colorado Springs where his brother worked as a county agent. He walked into his office ..."

"... And our mother was his secretary," Liz chimed in.

Francis asked his brother, John, if he could deliver his mail to the office the following day. It was all a ruse to see John's secretary, Sylvia, again and ask her on a date.

It worked out in the end, and the two wed in 1942. They settled on Francis' family farm near Fort Collins and had seven children, including Liz and Bob. The rest is history and  like most things history-related in the Bee family  signs of the family's life are sprinkled around their sprawling 19th-century farm.

After being in the Bee family for 130 years and serving as a preserved look into the past as the Bee Family Centennial Farm Museum for the past 15, however, the family is looking toward a future where they may no longer be its stewards.

Late last year, after another season managing the nonprofit museum, leading its summer and fall farm tours and caring for its menagerie of animals, Bob, Liz and Liz's husband, Rich Harrison  who all live on the property  announced that the Bee Family Centennial Farm Museum would not reopen in 2024.

An original 1894 frame house is pictured on the Bee Family Centennial Farm Museum in Fort Collins on Feb. 15.

My husband and I are both in our mid-70s ... were all in our 70s. And its getting to be a lot more work every year, Liz said.

The museum's costs have gone up in recent years, including everything from chicken feed to mailing permits to its utility bills, Liz said.

A new federal regulation governing the handling, care, treatment and transportation of birds covered by the Animal Welfare Act also went into effect this month, which Bob says would have required the farm  which included its turkeys and chickens on tours  to be inspected and keep a veterinarian on retainer.

"People are sad," Liz said of the public's reaction to news of the museum's closure.

But this is not necessarily the end of the road for the historic Bee Farm. After 130 years, how could it be?

'They dont just have all the stuff. They have all the stories.'

Before Adam Thomas was an associate teaching professor in Colorado State University's history department, he was a graduate student there working toward his master's degree in history.

It was there that one of his professors gave him an assignment that was a little different. There was this family  the Bees  who needed help documenting the history of their farm in order to get it on the National Register of Historic Places, according to Thomas.

This was back in March 2001  "calving season," Thomas recalled, "... not a particularly pleasant time of year."

Thomas, who is originally from Pennsylvania, said he went to the Bee farm expecting the big red barns and buck and rail fences of his home state. Instead, he was greeted by the Bees' vast network of various farm buildings.

There was the homestead's original 1894 house, the turn-of-the-century horse barn, loafing and wagon sheds, a 1920s-era chicken house and a migrant worker shack that likely dates back to the 1930s. The tidy World War II-era house Liz and Bob grew up in was impossible to miss, as was the mid-century farmhouse Francis and Sylvia moved their family to in 1957.

An old 1942 home is seen on the Bee Family Centennial Farm Museum in Fort Collins on Feb. 15.

There were garages and sheds filled with vintage cars  often purchased new by Bee family members or their in-laws  ranging from a 1924 Ford Model T to the 1939 John Deere B and a forest green 1945 Chevy truck that Francis purchased right after WWII. For generations, the still-running truck hauled grain and sugar beets, shuttled 4-H calves off to the county fair and even carried the very bricks that were used to construct the shed it now sits in, according to Liz.

"I started to realize how many structures were on the property and how they each represented a different part of history," Thomas said. "Then (Liz) started showing me the vastness of their collection  from tractors, trucks and automobiles, down to thimbles, needs and thread.

They dont just have all the stuff. They have all the stories to go along with it," Thomas added. "I was hooked after that."

Thomas got to work helping Liz pull together the farm's extensive history, which started when Bob and Liz's great-great uncle and great-great aunt, Al and Lizzie Morse, bought its original 160 acres and built its tiny, still-standing two-room farmhouse back in 1894.

After Al's death in 1899, John Bee  who was married to Lizzie's sister, Fanny  took over the farm with his son, Arleigh Bee (Liz and Bob's grandfather). Fanny and John sold their own homestead to the North Poudre Irrigation Company in 1902 and moved their two-story farmhouse to the property that year.

Over the years, farming duties were passed down through the family from John to Arleigh, to Arleigh and his son Francis and, ultimately, to Bob and his brother, Philip.

After a century in the same family, the Bee Family Farm was officially designated as a centennial farm as part of the Colorado Department of Agriculture's Centennial Farms & Ranches Program. It is one of 14 Larimer County Centennial Farms and Ranches, according to History Colorado.

Following its centennial designation, Liz said she and her father started going through things on the farm.

Our dad saved everything. When his parents passed away, everything was just saved and stored. I mean, there was a place to put things and they never moved, so they kept things," Liz explained.

When Francis died in 1996, "the question became, 'what do we do with everything?'" Liz continued. "I hated to see it get split up and go different directions. It was time to do something with it.

With Thomas' help, the family pulled together the farm's history and successfully nominated it for the National Register of Historic Places. It was designated in 2002.

Around that same time, Bob and Philip stopped farming and 140 of the farm's original 160 acres were placed in a conservation easement and sold to CSU's Agricultural Research, Development and Education Center.

Six years later, after taking on the arduous task of gathering and organizing more than a century of accumulated farm artifacts into its network of buildings, the farm museum opened. From May through October each year, the museum hosted public tours and school field trips showing its visitors a rare frozen-in-time glimpse of Northern Colorado farm life.

Its been rewarding to do this," Liz said. "I think weve learned a lot  a lot of history.

Bob Bee and Liz (Bee) Harrison pose in front of the 1942 home they grew up in on the Bee Family Centennial Farm Museum in Fort Collins on Feb. 15.

While the farm museum has closed and Bob and Liz have already sold off some of its animals, they plan to keep the farm buildings and artifacts untouched for now. They will also keep its nonprofit status active in hopes that someone might step in to pick up the baton.

That could mean a volunteer group takes over the museum's operations or a fundraising effort raises enough money to cover the costs of a museum director, Liz suggested.

"We're just exploring our options," she added.

It would be really nice if somebody could come in and take over and keep the history part of it going to teach people, but if nobody has that interest or that ability, it will probably be gone," Bob added.

Since its inception, the farm and museum has run off a shoestring budget and been carried largely on the backs of Liz, Rich and Bob, said Thomas, who has served on the museum's board of directors roughly 10 to 15 of the last 23 years.

"I'm heartbroken (that they're closing)," Thomas said. "I love that place."

"On the other hand, I admire the Bee family so much  particularly Liz  because they sacrificed a lot. That land could have easily been developed, but they sacrificed a lot to tell the history of their family and the history of farming in Colorado. They do deserve a break."

In the end, however, Thomas likens this latest chapter for the Bee Farm to "a moment of institutional transition." After more than 20 years helping shepherd its history, the professor is currently working with CSU's Public and Environmental History Center to organize a meeting of potential stakeholders in hopes that they can identify some possible solutions for the farm's predicament.

"While it's closing to the public for the summer, we don't see this as an end," Thomas said.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Fort Collins history: After 130 years, Bee Farm's future unknown
These 31 Funny Tweets Had Me Cackling All Week Long, And I'm 97.777% Certain They Will For You, Too

Welcome back, y'all! March is right around the corner, but we still have time to reflect on all the funny tweets from this cold February week. So, let's get right into 'em:

1.

when twins arent identical im like ok then what was the point of all that https://t.co/Ppl35CNwpZ  B  (@isabellayonce) February 12, 2024

Twitter: @isabellayonce

2.

My parents have been married 60 years. My mom told me she has been giving my dad the same Valentines Day card for TWENTY years. And the beauty is he has no idea. He reads it in its entirety every year. And then she puts it back in a drawer for next year. Freaking genius.  Lady Lawya (@Parkerlawyer) February 13, 2024

Twitter: @Parkerlawyer

3.

4.

this fucking convo between my coworker who quit and my boss is killing me bc bro quit with a breakup text and my boss responded like a serial killer pic.twitter.com/htPEm9983j  Ivy (@brzie_) February 15, 2024

Twitter: @brzie_

5.

My mom had a seizure yesterday and just asked me do you think i burned calories from all the shaking HELLO  annabelle :3 (@oomfabelle) February 12, 2024

Twitter: @oomfabelle

6.

7.

OH BOY is she in for some surprises pic.twitter.com/7H3gIVZDea  Joe Holder (@JoeHolder_) February 16, 2024

Twitter: @JoeHolder_

8.

Covered the dang dog like its an enchilada https://t.co/E23H5ph3Ow  dillard (@dillythebish) February 16, 2024

Twitter: @dillythebish

9.

10.

When my ex randomly decided to become a rapper, my therapist laughed and said, So youre dating Tariq from Abbot Elementary. pic.twitter.com/SXGhUR0CAB  brittny pierre (@sleep2dream) February 16, 2024

Warner Bros. Pictures / Via Twitter: @sleep2dream

11.

not surprised men think 54 seconds is a long time https://t.co/umabKeYPEE  that blonde from nashville, esq. (@thehaileemurphy) February 12, 2024

CBS / Via Twitter: @thehaileemurphy

12.

13.

Its kinda crazy that now were old enough for my friends to be holding the serious roles lmao like girl how you the director of marketing you mad grown  Sade (@_munchkinn) February 13, 2024

Twitter: @_munchkinn

14.

contemplating the occasion upon which this would be an appropriate card to give someone pic.twitter.com/gY4ZPzZhzj  emile zola sour candies (@wagyucube) February 13, 2024

Twitter: @wagyucube

15.

Id rather die than buzz an employee to give me deodorant pic.twitter.com/AgFzPbhJLA  comfy (@ihatethiskid) February 13, 2024

Twitter: @ihatethiskid

16.

Never seen a more perfect picture of scaring the hoes https://t.co/wTqe2GGA59  2023 National Champions (@Miserable_PhD) February 19, 2024

Jordan Pettitt - WPA Pool/Getty Images / Via Twitter: @Miserable_PhD

17.

The black eyed peas used to casually walk around like this https://t.co/pfnV89wDbB  MIMI ZIMA  (@MIMI_ZIMA) February 15, 2024

Max Cisotti/Dave Benett/WireImage / Via Twitter: @MIMI_ZIMA

18.

once again it is 4pm, too early for a beer, too late for a coffee, and so i find myself roaming the streets desperate to spend $8 on a mysterious third beverage  erin chack (@ErinChack) February 19, 2024

Twitter: @ErinChack

19.

The true measure of wealth is not your private equity portfolio, its this: pic.twitter.com/UWzvjXxJcj  WookieeIndex (@WookieeIndex) February 13, 2024

Twitter: @WookieeIndex

20.

jason is giving yoo hoo big summer blowout pic.twitter.com/9YzpgBML0A  lauren  miami(Florida!!!) n3 (@folklaurens) February 14, 2024

Twitter: @folklaurens

21.

Punxsutawney Phil, YOU ARE LIKE PAPA pic.twitter.com/U0xferLJTs  erin  (@erincuo18) February 13, 2024

Twitter: @erincuo18

22.

Twitter: @drunkyotes

23.

Twitter: @MatttGFX

24.

Me in the womb wasting time instead of saving money and buying land pic.twitter.com/A9Rl35ogVF  chebetonsteroids (@Iam_ronoh) February 15, 2024

SciePro via Shutterstock / Via Twitter: @Iam_ronoh

25.

Twitter: @OTD2point0

26.

Twitter: @EverythingOOC

27.

This tree looks like it's sneaking out of the woods.  pic.twitter.com/2uuzylpAHL  Karen Knight (@KarenKn12866337) February 18, 2024

Twitter: @KarenKn12866337

28.

Anyway heres the text my grandpa sent when my great grandma died pic.twitter.com/ETnU9cnXUh  grace (@gracefurby) February 18, 2024

Twitter: @gracefurby

29.

babe wake up someones 9/11 just dropped pic.twitter.com/9iOcejah7e  gon (@chinesegon) February 18, 2024

Twitter: @chinesegon

30.

raven baxter at 7am on a monday morning at school pic.twitter.com/GUI8inyUJc  manicpixiememequeen (@mpmemequeen) February 19, 2024

Monica Schipper/Getty Images / Via Twitter: @mpmemequeen

31.

Me: I hate country music Beyonce: *drops two country songs*Me: pic.twitter.com/5VSJb0zLg3  Prostitution Whore (@Pr0sttti0nWh0re) February 12, 2024

Disney / Via Twitter: @Pr0sttti0nWh0re

If you liked these tweets, don't forget to follow the creators! And if you're looking for more, feel free to scroll through our most recent roundups:

30 Funny Tweets From The Week To Keep You Laughing And Smiling Through Valentines Day

If You Don't Let Out A Little Laugh At These 30 Funny Tweets From The Week, I Will Personally Come Heckle You In Your Sleep For Being A Lame Sourpuss
PureWow Editors select every item that appears on this page,, and the company may earn compensation through affiliate links within the story You can learn more about that process here. Yahoo Inc. may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below.

Read the original article on Purewow.

As avid award show watchers, weve seen our fair share of funny celebrity reactions during the ceremonies. Seriously, who could forget Ben Afflecks bored facial expression at the 2023 Grammys?!

At the 2024 BAFTAs, actresses Ayo Edebiri (one of our favorite new stars), Phoebe Dynevor, Sophie Wilde and Mia McKenna Bruce personally met Prince William backstage. And if we had to pick our favorite moment from this years BAFTAs, The Bear actress Edebiris facial expression as she talked to the Prince of Wales would surely be near the top of the list.

Below, William (who attended the ceremony solo this year) can be seen excitedly talking to the four BAFTAs Rising Star nominees. And Edebiris face...well...says a lot about whatever is going on. (She seems to be silently saying, Is this really happening?! We can only imagine how she mustve been feeling meeting the famous royal.)

JORDAN PETTITT/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Luckily, the rest of the interaction mustve been a bit less shocking. Another pic shows Edebiri in her gorgeous peach gown smiling at How to Have Sex star Mila McKenna-Bruce (the Rising Star winner) as William congratulates the young actress on her win.

JORDAN PETTITT/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

In a separate video shared by Reuters on X, social media users were given some context behind the royal meet-and-greet. The clip shows the Prince of Wales introducing himself to the four ladies. Very nice to see you guys, he says in the vid. Honestly, the category was so strong, all of you, its like, who is going to pull this off? Its incredible.

Prince William met the winners of the BAFTA Film Awards after he attended the ceremony alone following his wife Kates recent surgery https://t.co/KgzorQqa2u pic.twitter.com/JiQqunqRXK  Reuters (@Reuters) February 19, 2024

Then, William congratulates How to Have Sex star Mila McKenna-Bruce on her win (and admits that he hasnt seen the movie yet). It looks like you had a lot of fun all the way through it, the royal dad of three continues.

I've got a lot of films to catch up on, William adds and Edebiri proceeds to nod and smile enthusiastically. Normally I get quite ahead of the award ceremony and I get to see quite a few of them. I havent managed to get that many through, so now Ive got a list. And the clip ends with the future king walking away to greet the other nominees.

Oh, to have been a fly on the wall backstage at the BAFTAs.

Prince William Appeared Confident at BAFTAs Without Wife Kate Middleton, According to Body Language Expert

Stay up-to-date on every breaking royal family story by subscribing here.
(Bloomberg) -- Occidental Petroleum Corp. is exploring the sale of Western Midstream Partners as it looks to pay down debt, according to a Reuters report.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Western Midstream Partners is Occidentals US natural gas-focused pipeline operator that has a market value of more than $18 billion, Reuters reports, citing people familiar with the matter.

This comes amid a flurry of deal activity in the oil and gas space. Occidental said in December it inked a deal to buy Texas shale driller CrownRock LP for $10.8 billion.

Oil executives are facing pressure from investors to keep buybacks and dividends flowing even as the North American shale sector matures and growth slows. With many of the best production sites already tapped, companies flush with cash from the post-pandemic run-up in oil prices are increasingly buying rivals to secure new places to drill.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
Standing before rows of dried pasta at the supermarket can be a recipe for decision paralysis. Seeking out the cheapest option or a specific shape of pasta is one thing, but looking for the highest quality pasta is not always a straightforward or obvious task, as not all brands of boxed penne are created equal. You might even find yourself taking out your phone to Google reviews of two familiar Italian imports, Barilla and De Cecco, much to the chagrin of your fellow shoppers.

Instead of hemming and hawing, make the following mental note: While both companies use pure semolina flour, De Cecco is technically higher quality. Why? The brand uses machines made of bronze to cut its pasta; a process known in Italy as trafilata al bronzo. Barilla's original line of pasta uses Teflon, which, while a bit cheaper, turns out pasta that doesn't perform quite as well on your plate. The comparisons don't stop there, however. There are even more details to consider when deciding between the two.

Read more: 14 Of The Oldest Cereals Still On Shelves

That Bargain Will Cost You Your Sauce

De Cecco pasta at store - Bloomberg/Getty Images

If you take a close look at Barilla and De Cecco pastas side by side, you'll notice a difference in texture. The former is shiny and smooth, while the latter is rough to the touch and is covered in what looks like little specks of pale dust. That coating isn't just for looks; it means the pasta was run through a bronze die to create porousness, which helps sauces cling to it. As Chef Michael DeHaven of Ohio's Cut 132 explained to Yahoo! Life, bronze "tends to pull on the pasta dough as it moves through the die, leaving tiny abrasions." Consequently, De Cecco and other bronze-died pasta might appear larger than its counterparts.

Meanwhile, Teflon's nonstick surface makes for slick, nonporous pasta. James Beard-nominated cookbook author Nancy Harmon Jenkins griped in a 1997 New York Times article that Teflon-died pasta is a gateway for "slippery, slimy, overcooked" strands. The material is less expensive to produce and maintain, but that so-called bargain comes at a cost when you consider all that good sauce that will slide off the noodles. So, while a September 2023 Statista survey revealed that Barilla is Italy's most popular store-bought pasta brand, its manufacturing process is second-best.

Price Talk

Bronze-died pasta shells - Bartosz Luczak/Shutterstock

The price difference between Barilla and De Cecco might not be as extreme as you think. For instance, Kroger sells De Cecco cavatappi for $1 more than Barilla's version online. As one Reddit user put it, "De Cecco may be one of the more expensive supermarket brands, but it's still really cheap in absolute terms." They added that it's "well worth paying an extra buck or two per pack." Another user concurred that "[bronze-died pasta] with quality ingredients truly makes a difference in getting that al dente texture."

If you're lucky  or unlucky, as far as decision-making is concerned  your local grocery store might carry Barilla's Al Bronzo line of "micro-engraved" bronze-died bucatini, mezzi rigatoni, penne rigate, fusilli, spaghetti, and linguine, which released in 2023 and is closer in price to De Cecco. And of course, if you're willing to shell out the big bucks (or at least a few dollars more) in the name of a premium plate of pasta, you might consider seeking out fancier al bronzo brands like Rummo, Rustichella d'Abruzzo, or A.G. Ferrari, which are available nationwide.

Read the original article on Daily Meal.
A Lunar New Year spending boom offers glimmers of hope for Chinas retail outlook for 2024.

According to the latest official data, domestic travel and spending saw significant increases from 2019; however, this years holiday was one day longer than that of 2019.

More from WWD

During this years eight-day holiday, 474 million trips were made domestically, up 19 percent compared to 2019; holiday spending reached 632.69 billion renminbi, or $87.9 billion, a 7.7 percent increase compared to 2019.

Despite a flight shortage that left some travelers stranded in Hainan, the duty-free paradise remained a popular destination during the holiday.

According to data from Haikou customs, 2.49 billion renminbi, or $345.8 million, worth of duty-free goods were sold on the island during the Lunar New Year, with an average ticket value of 8,358 renminbi, or $1,161, spent at retail outlets, representing an increase of 60 percent year-over-year.

The number of mainland travelers to Hong Kong exceeded 1.25 million this year, surpassing 2019 levels, according to local officials. However, many of these have become money-pinching day trips focused on sightseeing rather than splurging on luxury goods, according to local media reports.

Outbound tourism still needs more time to recover. Based on travel platform Fliggys analysis, international bookings quadrupled compared to the same period in 2023, but only recovered to a little more than 50 percent of 2019 levels. Around 3.6 million mainland Chinese tourists traveled abroad this year, with South East Asian countries being the most popular destinations, according to official data.

Based on Global Blues January data, in the European market, Chinese luxury spending remains 20 percent below pre-COVID-19 levels.

[Chinese tourism spending in Europe] is likely to remain lackluster in 2024 in the absence of group tours, said a recent HSBC report, citing a European Travel Commission report that listed mainland China as the only market witnessing a significant decrease in the number of individuals planning long-distance travel in 2024.

This is mainly on account of higher travel costs and limited vacation time, wrote HSBC. Based on the official calendar, Labor Day in May and National Day in October, which grants five and seven days of rest, are the two public holidays that allow Chinese tourists to travel long haul for the remainder of the year.

As thousands of Chinese  2.29 billion, to be exact  flock back to their hometowns during the February holiday, online interest in lower-tiered cities spurred a consumption frenzy.

According to Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, 7.8 million short videos related to small-town retail scenes helped boost online consumption sales by 1.18 billion renminbi, or $163.9 million.

For luxury players, holiday-themed window displays, dragon-adorned products and customized WeChat red packet designs have become tried-and-true tactics that can help brands gain visibility during the critical holiday season.

But anecdotal evidence suggests that luxury players are facing a bumpy road ahead due to broader economic concerns. During the pre-Lunar New Year shopping period, Bernstein observed a nearly 50 percent footfall decline at Shanghais key luxury retail malls, including Plaza 66 and IFC. By counting the number of shoppers inside and lining outside the stores, Bernstein ranked Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Moncler, Dior and Celine as the top five brands in terms of footfall.

The top three brands by traffic, namely Chanel, Vuitton and Moncler, accounted for 50 percent of total footfall, up from 35 percent of total footfall in 2023, the Bernstein report said.

As the February Lunar New Year holiday is a significant gifting occasion, precious jewelry sales also fared well. But based on Bernsteins tracking, Tiffany & Co. was the only jewelry brand to see footfall increase year-over-year at the two surveyed malls.

As Chinese consumers tend to invest in gold jewelry for good luck and prosperity during Lunar New Year, sales of gold, silver and jewelry increased over 10 percent year-over-year during Lunar New Year, according to data from the Ministry of Commerce.

Based on a new study from RTG, despite the property downturn and job woes, Chinas consumer confidence remains resilient.

Based on RTGs survey in key cities of 1,000 Chinese consumers ages 18 to 25, more than 67 percent of the respondents expressed optimism in the future. Forty-three percent of those polled expressed an intention to make luxury purchases in the first half of 2024.

New first-tier cities in China, especially Chengdu, stands out in this trend. Its rapid development as a luxury hub saw many luxury brand pop-ups over the years, said the RTG report.

But CICC Research, Chinas third-largest investment bank, said this years holiday retail resurgence reflects an uneven recovery of post-pandemic consumption.

Chinese citizens are willing to spend, but their pockets are not ready. Without enough effective demand, citizens are more prone to hold back on spending until the next holiday time slot, explained CICC.

Future consumption may continue to improve, but it still depends on what will truly drive recovery momentum. Thus, one must pay attention to policy implementation that can help stabilize growth, CICC explained.

Best of WWD
A man in Connecticut is facing 15 counts of animal cruelty for allegedly dumping cats. Arthur Palace, the accused, surrendered himself to authorities recently. The investigation began in September last year after an officer discovered two crates filled with 15 cats on River Road while en route to work.

Bridgeport man charged with animal cruelty for dumping cats in Stratford

The Bridgeport resident is facing 15 charges of animal cruelty, as per News 12 Connecticut. Arthur Palace, who is accused of abandoning cats in Stratford, has voluntarily turned himself in.

The investigation commenced in September 2023 after an officer stumbled upon two crates containing 15 cats on River Road. This led to an intervention by Stratford Animal Control, which successfully rescued the felines. Subsequently, the animal control officials initiated fundraising efforts via social media to support the veterinary expenses of the cats.

In addition, Stratford police acknowledged Detective Jennifer Murolos pivotal role in Palaces arrest. Captain Jerry Pinto stated, Detective Murolo did a great job, and we wouldnt be where we were without her, so its all on her.

Palace has posted a $50,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court next month, News 12 Connecticut reported.

Further, the police emphasized that there are a number of animal shelters in the area where people can surrender their pets instead of abandoning them in the middle of nowhere. Such concerning actions endanger the welfare of innocent creatures.

This case highlights the significance of responsible pet ownership and the consequences of neglectful behavior towards animals. It also underscores the ongoing need for public awareness and support for animal welfare initiatives to prevent such occurrences in the future.

With the cooperation of law enforcement and the diligent efforts of animal control officials, justice is being pursued for the welfare of the abandoned cats.

The post Connecticut Man Charged With Cat-Dumping appeared first on CatTime.
Japanese food is a wondrous blend of subtle and intense flavors unlike any other global cuisine. Sushi, sashimi, hibachi -- there are many different cooking styles and delicious dishes found in Japanese food. One style you're sure to find on nearly every Japanese restaurant menu in America is tempura, lightly battered (usually) vegetables or shrimp served with a tangy dipping sauce. Tempura batter is so distinct from other fried foods that you can even use it as an ice cream topping.

Only, tempura isn't a purely Japanese creation at all. Instead, it's one of history's longest-surviving examples of verifiable fusion cuisine -- in this case, between Japan and Portugal. Tempura's origin story involves the intersection of Catholicism, Japanese tastes, and the Sengoku Jidai period of the 16th and 17th centuries. The ever-popular technique of frying in oil, in general, was supposedly introduced to Japan by Portuguese sailors and missionaries.

Read more: 15 Tricks For Making The Most Crispy Chicken Thighs Ever

Tempura Exists Because A Portuguese Ship Crash-Landed In Japan

bowl of mixed tempura vegetables - Lauripatterson/Getty Images

To understand where tempura came from, you must also understand a little about Japanese history during the Sengoku period. Japan had virtually no contact with Europeans until the early 1540s when a Portuguese ship veered off route and crashed on the island of Tanegashima. Over the next several decades, the Portuguese -- particularly the Jesuit Catholic order -- would interweave themselves with the highest levels of Japanese society and culture.

This is where tempura comes into play. Portugal was a Catholic country, and Catholicism forbids the eating of meat during Lent. As a result, Portuguese sailors and missionaries in Japan started frying vegetables and seafood in sesame oil when they couldn't eat red meat. Japanese cooks saw this and adapted the dish to Japanese tastes by lightening it with cold water to create the airy bubbles tempura is known for today.

Tempura Outlasted The Presence Of The Portuguese In Japan

plate of tempura shrimp and vegetables - Proformabooks/Getty Images

As for where the word "tempura" comes from, it's a bastardization of the term "ad tempora cuaresme," meaning in the time of Lent (or possibly "quatuor tempora," meaning "Ember Days," of which Lent is one). Interestingly, it's one of the few times during the period Japanese cuisine adapted to Western ideas about food; red meat, in particular, was outright banned in Japan for centuries thanks to the strong presence of Buddhism within the country.

All Westerners were expelled from Japan in 1639 under the edicts of the Tokugawa shogunate -- although the Dutch were still allowed to trade from a small manmade island off the port of Nagasaki. But some of the cooking concepts introduced by the Portuguese remained, and tempura was one of them. This expulsion may be why we don't have hard evidence of tempura's origin; many records of Western influence on Japanese life were destroyed during the expulsion period. But historians feel comfortable making educated guesses here, and there's no evidence to refute this as tempura's origin story, so who are we to argue?

Read the original article on Daily Meal.
Serious tequila enthusiasts identify strongly with their favorite brands. Now, a tequila is transforming the equation, using an immersive experience to create customized, unique decanters that reflect the personality of their owners. And its not just any tequilaits Clase Azul, one of the most awarded, sought-after, and beloved tequilas in the world. The customization experience, called Cosmos, is debuting exclusively at Clase Azul La Terraza Los Cabos, the luxury house of the brands Mexican-owned and -operated hospitality arm, Clase Azul Destinations.

Each Decanters Design Is Determined by the Customers Unique Personality

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Cosmos dives deep into three different aspects of each participants personality through an immersive questionnaire. Energy determines the base color of the decanter: black for lunar energy or white for solar. Elements of ones personality are connected to the fundamental elements of nature: fire, earth, air, and water. Understanding how the subject faces change, and adapts to it, determines the element and the decanters tonality.

For air, dashes of light blue; for water, a deep-blue hue with copper overtones. Earth gets a brown and green mineral tint, while fire has a reddish rust color with shades of burnt sienna. Lastly, the customers birthdate is represented on the decanters base in one of 12 symbols designed by the Cosmos creative team. While the decanters will be designed based on customers personalities, the team has sole control over the design process and does not take requests.

A Tequila Worthy of Its Decanter

As exciting and innovative as the decanter is, the liquid inside is thrilling as well. Each one-liter decanter contains an anejo expression of Clase Azuls world-famous tequila, aged for 12 months in American whiskey casks and then finished in Champagne casks. The tequila and the decanters are exclusively available at the Clase Azul Los Cabos boutique at The Shoppes at Palmilla, part of the Clase Azul Destination in Los Cabos, Mexico.

Decanters That Can Evolve Along With Us

The Cosmos experience is a reflection of Mexican philosophy and lifestyle. Mexico has always been home to many cultures, which have different ways of seeing and understanding human existence, says Hector Gaytan, vice president of destinations and boutiques at Clase Azul. The Clase Azul Cosmos experience will allow customers to look inward to explore and understand who they are, [and] will allow them to embrace their individuality by seeing it expressed in a custom tequila decanter they can take home.

Jonatan Gonzalez, creative innovation vice director, adds that the decanters are not meant to be a one-time-only experience: The experience seeks to create a decanter that reflects who you are while participating in the experience, he says. Like you, this reflection can change over time. One can visit the Cosmos experience and revisit the following year and end up with completely different decanters. Each decanter, and its accompanying experience, retails for $850.

Cosmos is Clase Azuls first customization experience, and one of the many facets of the Clase Azul La Terraza Los Cabos luxury destination. Visitors will encounter the La Terraza restaurant, a boutique, a mixology experience at El Bar, and an omakase and immersive tasting experience called A Taste of Culture. Clase Azul is Mexican-owned and -operated and supports Mexicos artisanal community through Fundacion Causa Azul, a nonprofit organization collaborating with artisan communities to improve their quality of life and preserving Mexican folk art as part of the countrys cultural heritage and legacy. In addition to its iconic tequilas, Clase Azul has just released its third mezcal, Clase Azul San Luis Potosi, which is made in Estacion Ipina, a small community of around 250 inhabitants.

For more information on the Cosmos experience and Clase Azul La Terraza Los Cabos, visit claseazul.com.

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In a heartwarming act of heroism, firefighters in Minnesota pulled off a successful rescue operation and saved a dog who fell into an icy lake. The Baldwin Fire Department sprung into action following a distress call on a Sunday morning from concerned neighbors. They reported that the dog was stranded in the frigid waters of Little Elk Lake, situated to the northwest of Minneapolis.

Minnesota firefighters rescue dog from icy lake

Upon arrival, rescuers found the dog, named Hades, in a dire state. He was battling the cold and struggling to keep afloat. Swiftly springing into action, the firefighters managed to extricate Hades from the icy waters, ensuring his immediate transfer to the fire station. There, they dried him off and warmed him up.

The fire department documented the rescue operation on Facebook, sharing images of Hades swaddled in blankets and receiving oxygen care  per Scripps News. Following the initial rescue and stabilization efforts, Hades was further attended to by a local animal shelter, which then facilitated his transfer to an animal hospital for comprehensive medical evaluation. Fortunately, the medical team confirmed that Hades didnt suffer any respiratory issues, such as gurgling sounds in his lungs, from his icy plunge. The focus then shifted to restoring his body temperature to normal levels.

By Sunday evening, the Mille Lacs County Animal Care & Protection announced that they had found the dogs owner, allowing for a happy reunion. They praised the team effort that led to saving the dog from his scary experience in the icy water. Though shaken by his icy ordeal, his second chance to wag his tail is a testament to the incredible teamwork that saved him, said the shelter.

While it remains a mystery how Hades ended up in such a dangerous situation, his story serves as a reminder of the quick and compassionate response of the local community and rescue teams in times of need.

The post Dog Fell in Icy Lake, Firefighters Came to the Rescue appeared first on DogTime.
What do you picture when you see the letter X? Maybe it's a game of tic-tac-toe, a wrong answer on a test, or even the end of a treasure hunt. The letter X can indicate a ton of different things, including a high-quality beer.

XXXX is a popular brand of beer made in Queensland, Australia -- not to be confused with XXX, a common symbol for things that are NSFW. This 140-year-old company, pronounced "four ex" when said out loud, has kept its inventory simple all these years: Drinkers have a choice between XXXX Gold, Dry, and Bitter, along with three flavored Summer Bright Lagers, and one alcohol-free beer called XXXX Zero.

The beer company's unique name is a reference to the process of barrel-aging beer. While the beer mixture fermented inside beer barrels, the Xs -- also known as brewer's marks -- indicated how strong that batch of beer was. According to XXXX's website, the brewers perfected the recipe in 1893, adding an extra mark to its strength and quality. Since then, the company proudly rebranded to showcase all four Xs in its name and logo.

Read more: 10 Of The Healthiest Beers You Can Drink

This Eye-Catching Beer Comes From The Land Down Under

Mr. Fourex beer mascot - Instagram/dvk1979

XXXX is the self-proclaimed "favorite beer" of Australians. While every brand likely feels that way about their product, this particular beer has the data to back it up. Launched in 1991, XXXX Gold eventually became the best-selling mid-strength beer in Australia, a position it proudly fights for year after year. All three of the brand's full-strength lagers are made with Australian malted barley and contain between 3.5%-4.2% alcohol content per 375ml serving.

The beer gained such popularity that an entire vacation destination was dedicated to sipping it. Back in 2012, XXXX bought (well, rented) an island off the coast of the Great Barrier Reef. The beer brand transformed Pumpkin Island into a men-only destination -- while this claim of "no girls allowed" was mostly a marketing ploy to encourage its largest demographic to take a vacation to the island with their male friends, XXXX's tropical getaway did host over 3,000 men during its three-year lease. Nowadays, Pumpkin Island is a private retreat for anyone who can afford it, and XXXX drinkers will have to plan their own tropical getaways with their best buds.

Beer Drinkers Are Seriously Divided Over The Taste Of XXXX

Can of XXXX Gold beer on a large stone in a rockpool - Instagram/lachieepopham

Sadly, for those in the United States who are curious about XXXX, it is somewhat difficult to get your hands on this boozy Australian delicacy -- although some locals may claim that you are better off without it. In a Reddit post on the r/beer thread, one user enquired about how to import XXXX beer to the U.S., claiming they would "pay top dollar ... [and] drive up to 500 miles to buy it too." The user claimed that their Aussie husband is a big fan of XXXX Bitter, which commenters seemed to poke fun at.

One user responded, "This is a red flag. I suspect that your husband is no longer allowed to return to Australia, most likely for crimes against humanity." Another commenter egged on, "I'd pay top dollar to be 500 miles away from XXXX." Clearly, even though the brand produces one of the most widely consumed beers in Australia, not everyone who has tasted XXXX is a fan. For non-locals hoping to make that decision for themselves, you may have to take a trip to the land down under for a taste of XXXX.

Read the original article on Daily Meal.
From its rugged Maritime Provinces, northwards to Prince Edward Island and Labrador, to the historical cities of Montreal and Quebec on the St Lawrence Seaway, down to Toronto and The Great Lakes, and all the way west to spectacular Vancouver, Canada is a cruise-lovers dream. But with such an incredible breadth of options, it can be tricky to choose  so weve narrowed down the best sailings taking place this year and next, to help you find the Canada cruise that ticks all your boxes.

Quebec and the St Lawrence River

Theres special, and then theres breathtaking. The St Lawrence River is the latter. Inaccessible for traditional ships in winter, this cruise on an ice-strengthened vessel is an exclusive ticket into a less-trammeled world, where the waters, once turbulent, freeze into ice, and where the forests wear a constant blanket of white.

Youll start in Quebec, North Americas only walled city, then strike out eastwards along the river. There are stops for hiking, snowshoeing, dog sledding and ice fishing (great opportunities for seeing caribou, elk and even the Northern Lights), until eventually you find yourself on the Saint Pierre and Miquelon archipelago, the only French territory in North America.

Book it: Ponant (020 7660 4089; uk.ponant.com) offers the 12-night cruise called The St Lawrence River in the Heart of the Boreal Winter, from 17,590 per person, calling at La Baie, Sept-Iles, Gaspe, Magdalen Islands, Sydney and Saint Pierre. Departs from Quebec on February 22 2025. International flights extra.

Autumn colour on the East Coast

Anticipation is often half the pleasure  very much the case on this cruise, which originates in the UK and spends five days crossing the Atlantic before arriving in Canada. First stop is St Johns, the charmingly old-world capital of Newfoundland, then its onto the contrastingly vibrant city of Halifax in Nova Scotia, then into Saguenay Fjord. Four species of whale call this stretch home, but at this time of year youre more likely to have your eyes on the towering, forest-covered cliffs, carpeted as theyll be in some of the regions finest autumn colours.

Morning sunrise over St John's Harbour in Newfoundland - Michael Winsor/Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism

Book it: Fred Olsen (0800 083 3281; fredolsencruises.com) offers the 26-night Canada in the Fal cruise from 3,699 per person, calling at St Johns, Halifax, Corner Brook, Gaspe, Port Saguenay, Quebec, Trois-Rivieres, Montreal and Southampton. Departs Southampton on October 3 2024.

The Northwest Passage

There are few journeys more epic than this. Following a route which has challenged explorers for centuries, this cruise meanders through the Canadian Arctic Wilderness, a wild place where the elements rule. Starting in Iceland, youll briefly visit Greenland before crossing the Labrador Sea into The Davis Strait. As the ship sails west towards the Pacific, there are onboard lectures on topics such as the wildlife of Northern Labrador, Inuit culture and the history of Arctic exploration, and passengers have the option to take part in various projects, too, including helping to photograph and track whales, and observing the clouds as part of a climate study.

Negotiating ice floes at Croker Bay in Nunavut, in the Northwest Passage - Kim Rormark/Hurtigruten

Book it: Hurtigruten (020 4571 1378; hurtigruten.com) offers the 26-night The North West Passage  In The Wake of The Great Explorers (Westbound) cruise from 16,667 per person, calling at Nuuk, Dundas Harbour, Smoking Hills, Nome and Vancouver. Departs Reykjavik on August 8 2024. International flights extra.

Greenland to Nova Scotia

With a profound focus on ancient history, this itinerary takes in both the 1,000-year-old Norse settlement at LAnse aux Meadows (Meadows Cove) on the northernmost tip of Newfoundland (the only authenticated Viking site in the Americas), and the huge vertical cliffs of Archean rocks  reputedly the oldest stones in Canada  on Lady Franklin Island. Its also a rare opportunity to learn more about the Inuit people, who share stories of the spirits and traditions of their homeland during stops at the likes of Torngat Mountains National Park (whose name means place of spirits), and to traverse spectacular Disko Bay, the iceberg capital of the world.

The spectacular harbour at Lunenburg, Nova Scotia - Destination Canada

Book it: Swan Hellenic (020 7846 0271; swanhellenic.com) offers the 15-night Greenland to Nova Scotia Canadian Arctic Explorer cruise from 13,481 per person, calling at Ilulissat, Sissimut, Nuuq, Iqaluit, Lady Franklin Island, Torngat Mountain National Park, Hebron, Lanse Aux Meadows and Halifax. Departs Kangerlussuaq on September 15 2025. International flights extra.

The Great Lakes

With stops in the United States as well as Canada, this cruise combines urban skylines and uninhabited islands to give you a truly varied introduction to the Great Lakes. Starting in Toronto, the route crosses Lakes Ontario, Erie, Huron and Michigan, giving a fascinating overview of the waterways shipping history, as well as the complex ecosystems of their sheltered bays. The ships early ports of call  thundering falls at Niagara, migrating birds at Point Pelee, and a protected state park at Mackinac Island  sit in stark contrast to the lively cities of Detroit and Milwaukee, while the Welland Canal, which lifts ships between Lakes Ontario and Erie, is one of 19th-century Canadas greatest engineering feats.

Take a cruise to enjoy a varied introduction to the Great Lakes - Getty

Book it: Viking Cruises (0800 014 7538; vikingcruises.co.uk) offers the eight-day Niagara and the Great lakes cruise from 7,695 per person, calling at Welland Canal, Point Pelee, Detroit, Alpena, Mackinac Island, Milwaukee. Departs Toronto on April 25 2024. International flights included.

British Columbia

The 6.4 million-hectare Great Bear Rainforest in British Columbia  home to grizzly, black and spirit bears, as well as coastal wolves, humpbacks and orcas  is one of the most distinctive and biologically diverse places on the planet, and an ideal region to discover by water. The exact itinerary of this cruise varies, but generally begins in the indigenous community of Bella Bella then threads its way across the fractured fingers of the coastline, dipping for two days into the Fiordland Conservancy, and taking in Kynoch Inlets spectacular rock faces and waterfalls, Princess Royal Island, and Khutze Inlets abundance of bird life.

Spot bears in British Columbia from the safety of a ship - Alamy

Book it: Canada As You Like It (020 8742 8299; canadaasyoulikeit.com) offers the eight-night Great Bear Rainforest Cruise (British Columbia) trip from 5,560 per person, calling at Kynoch Inlet, Princess Royal Island and Khutze Inlet. Departures between August to October from Bella Bella. International flights extra (return flights Vancouver to Bella Bella included).

How to get there

Various airlines  including Air Canada (aircanada.com) and Lufthansa (lufthansa.com)  fly direct from London to various Canadian cities, with returns starting at 522 (Vancouver), 444 (Quebec), 410 (Toronto) and 460 (Halifax).

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Kamalaya Koh Samui

Sunshine would have been too much after three years that felt like one long dark tunnel. I arrive, exhausted, on Koh Samui during a monsoon, the wet jungle swaying with the energy of renewal. That night, a lullaby of raindrops helps me drift off to sleep. The far-off storm flashing on the horizon expels my subliminal rage. I awaken, refreshed, to birdsong.

Rage is one of many emotions that have compacted inside me like coal. For years I have suppressed feeling, lived day to day, hour to hour firefighting, awaiting a break in the clouds. The pandemic had promised to be a productive time for redrafting my novel, but nothing could have prepared me for what was to come. It transpired that my octogenarian father, who suffered from Parkinson's, had been tricked out of his longtime home and wine estate in Piedmont by the very family he had bankrolled and employed all his life. Due to loopholes, destroyed documents, and the painfully slow Italian legal system, we were told the situation was hopeless.

Kamalaya Koh Samui Christopher Wise

Kamalaya Koh Samui Christopher Wise

I moved into my father's house to defend his rights. I taught myself Italian law, investigated, tracked down documents and witnesses. Weeks turned into months, then years. Both of my parents became fully dependent on me. There is no way to explain the trauma, isolation, and loss of identity that can come from being a caregiver. Simple tasks become monumental feats. Complex logistics, emergency room visits, medications, incontinence, repetition, and aggression became my life. I mined every inch of my being for patience, annihilating myself and my needs until I was numb.

But my suppressed side, anesthetized every night by red wine, always woke me at 3 a.m. The next day I would jack myself up on caffeine and nicotine, ignoring my back problems, chronic allergies, and migraines. I buried my grief: over losing a father figure, my childhood home, my book, the baby I had planned (now impractical), and the brutal three-year-wide bite that had been taken out of life. While packing up my father's estate, I was overcome with an urgent desire to flush the poison of the previous three years from my cells.

My solution is the trip to Koh Samui, to visit Absolute Sanctuary, but I almost don't make it. My father has had a bad fall. By the time I reach the lotus pink buildings and palms encircling the infinity pool, the stress is affecting my short-term memory. I hate that my fatigued spirit feels out of sync with the benevolent staff and the happiness-inducing scents of Thailand. Weak and with nothing to organize for the first time in years, I hand myself over to wellness consultant Aurelie Gauthier for a seven-day semifasting detox, working on the gut to help switch off an excess of cortisol and encourage serotonin production. My daily regimen includes green shots, detox juices, broth, ginger tea, and two alkalizing gluten-free vegan meals. The resort has a strict no-smoking, no-alcohol policy to boot.

Chris Caldicott/Absolute Sanctuary

Kamalaya Koh Samui

Propped up by nicotine and caffeine for so long, I'm hit by a tsunami of exhaustion as soon as I remove the stimulants. I go deaf in my right ear and fall into a kind of narcolepsy for days, setting my alarm for treatments to which I stagger in my pajamas. On the second day, a caffeine-withdrawal migraine leads to uncontrollable vomiting. You've been silencing your body for so long, Aurelie explains. This is the first time you've given it a chance to speak.

After a day, we restart the program. I sweat out negativity in the infrared sauna, coughing it from my chest and blowing it from my nose. I am massaged back into existence one limb at a time, supported by petite Thai women who stretch and pummel me with so much force and power while caring for me with such gentle compassion. By the end of the week, I've lost almost nine pounds, detoxed from caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine, and regained my sense of vision and smell.

Kamalaya, in the island's south, is where I go for my second retreat. The word means lotus realm in Sanskrit, and that's what I find: a lotus-strewn wellness utopia and heavenly bubble cut off from the world. More upmarket ashram than spa, it is built around giant boulders and babbling streams, with ornamental pools and waterfalls that flow down to a sliver of beach. Prayer flags and devotional marigolds bless the teak pagodas hung with brass lanterns, the candlelit shrines of Buddha and Ganesh, and the clay-colored rooms.

Kamalaya Koh Samui Christopher Wise

Kamalaya is populated by more than a hundred masters of traditional Chinese and Thai medicine, Ayurveda, and functional medicine. Naturopath Kate Upton encourages me to continue the detox I started at Absolute Sanctuary in addition to the burnout program here, with extensive menus of kaleidoscopic dishes that promote healing rather than abstention. Sessions of Reiki the previous week have soothed my exhausted giving right side and primed my starved receiving left side, so I am ready for vitamin IVs, ozone therapy, acupuncture, Taoist abdominal massage, physiotherapy, and sessions with a life-enhancement mentor.

Treatment rooms are purposefully monastic, decked in Tibetan art and saffron textiles. In a traditional Chinese medicine session, my practitioner, Pitchaya Kitti, explains that I have an imbalance of elements. My pulse is too fast and my tongue is purple, a sign of stagnated chi and long-term low mood. Pitchaya inserts needles into my forehead, sternum, stomach, thighs, and ankles, then uses a technique often practiced on stroke patients to reopen the body's nine sensory portals and combat depression, which shoots a sudden jolt of electricity up from my left ankle. At night I join other guests sipping virgin mojitos in Soma Restaurant. We eat silently at our own tables, each in a separate golden orb of candlelight and thought while staffers serve as charming go-betweens, serving fragrant pumpkin-okra curry, lentil dosa, and cauliflower rice.

Going to bed early and rising at dawn, I feel recalibrated to the natural order of the earth. Every I go, I am struck by beautythe song of the Asian palm swifts on the branches, the fragility of fernsand my own clarity of thought. A voice seems to come from my gut. It says: It's time to let go. In Lanna Samunphrai Ron Abdominal Massage, an ancient organ-stimulating therapy from northern Thailand, a fire is lit on my belly, an act that makes my body sacred. As the flame dances like a torch of energy from my navel, I vow to listen, be kind and care for it as fiercely as if it were a loved one.

You deserve a beautiful life, says Srinivas Bhat, my life enhancement mentor and a sage former monk from Chennai, with such passionate conviction that I break down and cry. You are very strong and powerful but you are exhausted. You must stop resisting life, surrender yourself to the flow of the universe. Healing, he says, is embracing your pain so it can extinguish itself. When he lays his hands on my head, it's as if he has lit a wick in my mind that heats and glows. During guided meditation, my chair seems to levitate off the ground. The pain and grief is embedded so deep, it's as if two tectonic plates in me are parting. I cry and shake with my eyes closed. Afterwards, I feel woozy and as pink and raw as a dragon fruit. I curl up in a towel on my balcony, the sound of monsoon rain massaging my brain. I wake three hours later, somehow changed. That night, after dinner, glowing lanterns line my path like benevolent souls guiding me safely home.

This article appeared in the March 2024 issue of Conde Nast Traveler. Subscribe to the magazine here.

Originally Appeared on Conde Nast Traveler
If you reflexively throw your clothes in the hamper after every wear, it may be time to rethink your laundry habits.

There are no hard-and-fast rules when it comes to how often to wash or rewear an article of clothing  its really a personal choice, said Carolyn Forte, executive director of the Good Housekeeping Institutes Home Care and Cleaning Lab.

But I suspect most people probably wash  or even dry clean  their clothing more often than needed, she told HuffPost. Americans do a lot of laundry and tend to put many things in the wash after a wear or two.

Not only can laundering your clothes too frequently decrease the longevity of the garment, it also has a significant impact on the environment.

The average American household does about 300 loads of laundry a year. A single load can use anywhere from 7 to 25 gallons of water, depending on the machine (older models use even more). Washing your clothes in hot water increases energy usage, and using the dryer  instead of air drying  is a big energy guzzler, too. And dont get us started on dryer sheets.

At the same time, its important not to wait too long between washes, as that may lead to some potential skin issues, yeast infections and odor problems.

Sweat, oils, dead skin cells and microorganisms like bacteria or fungi can be transferred over to clothing, dermatologist Dr. Joshua Zeichner, associate professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, told HuffPost. As the soiled garment sits, it gives microorganisms time to grow and multiply. These microorganisms can grow on the garment and be transferred back to your body if you wear it again.

One example: Rewearing sweaty socks can cause athletes foot or worsen an existing case, Zeichner said.

Dr. Aanand Geria, a dermatologist at Geria Dermatology in Verona, New Jersey, said not washing your clothes often enough can also lead to folliculitis and acne flare-ups.

Dirty clothes can trap oil, dead skin cells and other debris against the skin, leading to clogged pores and acne breakouts, he told HuffPost. The bacteria and sweat accumulating on unwashed clothes can also cause a foul odor that can be difficult to remove, even after washing.

But some articles of clothing dont need to be laundered as often as others. We talked to experts to find out which items should be washed every time, which can be reworn and which other factors should be taken into consideration.

What To Wash After Every Wear

One rule of thumb from Zeichner: Generally speaking, the closer a garment is to your skin, the more often it should be washed, he said. Intimates that are exposed to heavy sweat or potential body soils should be washed daily. 

That includes things like underwear, socks, undershirts and workout clothes, Forte said. But if you didnt break a sweat in your activewear, you can probably get away with rewearing it  just let the pieces air out in between.

And anything else that is visibly dirty, stained or has an odor can be thrown in the laundry, cleaning expert Becky Rapinchuk  the woman behind Clean Mama  told HuffPost.

What To Wash Every Few Wears

Clothing that comes into contact with your skin but isnt sweaty or soiled can be worn a second time without washing, Zeichner said.

Pants, sweaters, blouses, bras and pajamas can usually be worn a few times before washing, Forte said. Especially if theyve been worn for a short period of time without any sweating or soil.

If youre just hanging around the house or work from home and dont perspire much, you can probably wear your clothes three or four times before washing them, Miami dermatologist Dr. Annie Gonzalez previously told Brightly.

Jeans can also be worn at least a few times before washing. In fact, Theyll last longer and generally look better when softened up with wear, Rapinchuk said. And some experts say you can wait 10 wears or more between washes.

One caveat: If youre someone who doesnt wear underwear, you should wash your pants or leggings before wearing them again due to the direct contact with your genitals, New York City dermatologist Anthony Rossi previously told CNN.

What You Can Wash Less Frequently

Clothing that doesnt make close, sustained contact with the body doesnt need to be washed all that often.

Outerwear like coats, jackets and items worn over other clothing, like bathrobes and sweaters, can go longer between washes as they tend to be worn for shorter periods of time, Forte said.

The same goes for the dressier pieces in your closet that you may only wear occasionally.

Things like suits, evening gowns, and cocktail dresses are typically made of delicate fabrics that require special care, Geria said. They can often be worn multiple times before cleaning, especially if they are not heavily soiled or stained.

But if you really worked up a sweat  like, say, dancing the night away at an outdoor wedding  then you may choose to hand wash or dry clean the garment before wearing it again.

How To Keep Clothes Fresh Between Washes

Catherine Falls Commercial via Getty Images

Planning to rewear items a few times before tossing them in the laundry? Here are some expert-backed tips and tricks to keep in mind.

Between wears, dont just tuck the garment away in a drawer or the back of your closet. Hang it somewhere more open or even outdoors, if you have the space to do so. You can also use a garment steamer or spray the item with a product like Febreze Clothing Odor Eliminator, Forte suggested.

Rapinchuk recommends briefly throwing an outfit that needs a little refresh in a warm dryer with a damp washcloth or towel.

Give it 15 minutes or so to tumble and hang it back up to wear again! she said.

To extend the time between washes, you can also try spot-cleaning stains or hanging a garment in the bathroom while you shower as another way of steaming it, sustainable fashion expert Orsola de Castro previously told The Guardian.

For denim that needs a refresh, some people swear by sticking their jeans in the freezer overnight. It wont kill most bacteria, as some have claimed  but if it makes the jeans feel cleaner to you, then we wont stop you. This post originally appeared on HuffPost.
(Bloomberg) -- Oil fell as concerns about a longer period of elevated interest rates weighed on broader sentiment, countering signs of a tightening physical oil market.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Amid a lack of clear supply-and-demand catalysts, crude has been mirroring broader markets. West Texas Intermediates more-active April contract slid almost 2% from Fridays close as equities also retreated.

Despite the intraday decline, oil remains near the top of the range it has traded in since early November. Increasing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and efforts by OPEC+ to trim output have been jostling with bearish headwinds such as weak consumption, most notably from top importer China. However, the price difference between monthly contracts has been widening, indicating a more robust outlook in parts of the physical market.

The market is in a bit of a wait-and-see mode for now, said Rob Thummel, senior portfolio manager at Kansas-based Tortoise Capital Advisors LLC. The next thing traders are looking out for is what OPEC+ decides to do at their next output policy meeting.

Read More: Russia Crude-Export Data Show Compliance with OPEC+ Cuts Pledge

The group and its allies will decide in early March on whether to extend output cuts into the second quarter. The curbs got off to a slow start in January, with data compiled by OPEC showing that Iraq, the groups second-largest producer, pumped more than its quota. The nation will improve its compliance after completing a review of external estimates of its production, Oil Minister Hayyan Abdul Ghani said in an interview in Cairo on Monday.

Meanwhile, tensions in the Red Sea continue to simmer, with the crew of a ship abandoning the vessel after the attack on Sunday evening, the first such evacuation since the Yemen-based group started targeting ships late last year.

Story continues

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A lingering, bad smell in your home can be a frustrating headache to deal with  and sometimes it could also be a sign of something more serious.

Its important to know the difference between the everyday annoyances of rotting produce in your fridge and the hazardous odors that could be an indicator of a much deeper issue. There are some odors that are not just unpleasant, but potentially dangerous to sniff in a home. If left unchecked, these kinds of smells can lead to health risks, costly repairs and damage.

Here are the odors that home repair, plumbing and heating experts say you should never ignore:

1. Smoke

Image Source via Getty Images

Where there is smoke, there could be fire. Courtney Klosterman, home insights expert at Hippo, said if you smell smoke, you should investigate its source immediately.

The smell of smoke, even when youre not cooking or burning anything, could indicate a fire hazard hidden within walls or in the attic, or nearby the exterior of the home, she said.

2. Rotten Egg Smell In The Air

M-production / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Natural gas is odorless, so utility companies add a sulfur-like or rotten egg smell to alert you of a gas leak, Klosterman said.

So if youre smelling rotten egg smell in the air of your home, thats a serious concern. Natural gas leaks can lead to explosions or poisoning. If you detect this smell, turn off the gas if you can do so safely, and call your gas company immediately.

Philadelphia-based plumber Kelly Ireland recommends having a gas leak detector on hand so that you can check if it is a foul grease smell or a gas leak smell.

3. Sewage Smells From Your Bathroom

Douglas Sacha / Getty Images

Ireland said that if you encounter this foul smell, you should immediately check your traps, because it could be a problem with your sewage line or trap. A P-trap is a U-shaped pipe underneath your sink or drain that is meant to trap water.

Ireland said the sewage smell issue often comes from unused guest bathrooms.

When that trap dries out, it allows a gas smell to go in, she said. So really all you need to do with that is every other week, maybe turn the water on, fill that trap up.

If you continue to ignore the sewage smell, it can not only be unpleasant, but hazardous to your health, Klosterman said.

4. Persistent Urine Smells From Your Toilet

Aleksandr Zubkov / Getty Images

Ireland said the smell of ammonia or urine could be a sign of a broken wax ring at the base of your toilet. The wax ring is supposed to be the watertight seal that prevents sewer gas from coming out into the room.

It could be oozing out underneath the toilet and you dont realize that its oozing out until either you have a spot on your ceiling, or it starts coming out from the bottom of your toilet, Ireland said.

When I go into a bathroom and I smell that, I always check to see if the toilet is rocking. Because usually if its rocking, its a sure sign that you have a broken wax ring, Ireland added.

5. Rotten Egg Smell From Your Running Water

simonkr via Getty Images

If you always smell a rotten egg smell when running your shower water, your water heater could be breaking down, Ireland said.

If you start smelling that smell, it means the metals on the inside of the water heater are breaking down. So usually youll have to replace parts, like anode rods, Ireland said.

Once your water heater starts breaking down, you may soon start dealing with lukewarm water that does not heat up properly, so dont ignore this sign.

Addressing the issue sooner saves you from that giant bill of like, Oh well, I waited too long and now the water heaters leaking because the insides corroded so much that now it doesnt hold, Ireland said.

6. Musty Or Moldy Smells

Wildroze / Getty Images

A home with a musty or moldy smell often indicates the presence of mold or mildew, which thrives in damp environments. This can be a health risk, especially for those with allergies or respiratory issues, Klosterman said.

Ireland said if you notice a weird musty smell, the cause is often a slow leak happening inside the walls of your home. Look for yellowish spots on your wall and splitting at the seams of drywall, because those are signs of the water source, she said.

You dont want to let mold freely grow. Klosterman noted that whether or not your home insurance policy will cover your mold outbreak can depend on the homeowners role in maintaining the home, which is why its important to do regular home maintenance.

7. Burning Smells Around Appliances Like Your Dryer

Grace Cary via Getty Images

Klosterman said a burning smell could indicate an electrical fault in your appliances, wiring or outlets, and in worst-case scenarios, these faults could lead to electrical fires. Take your clothes dryer, as one common example.

If theres a burning smell, that means the lint needs to be cleaned out of that [dryer]. You dont want that to catch on fire, said Duane Enoch, owner of Green Air Concepts Heating and Air Conditioning in Ardmore, Pennsylvania.

You should regularly be cleaning your dryers lint filter and dryer vents, because a failure to clean was the leading cause of why clothes dryer fires happened in U.S. homes from 20182020, according to the U.S. Fire Administration.

If you smell burning plastic or any electrical odor without an identifiable source, disconnect power and contact an electrician, Klosterman said. Take time to familiarize yourself with the location of the electrical circuit breakers in the home. Each breaker should be individually labeled to designate the area where electricity is being channeled.

8. Sweet, Syrupy Smells From Your Air Conditioning Unit

Chet_w / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Sometimes, hazardous smells can be sweet.

An unusual, sweet smell could indicate a coolant leak from your refrigerator or air conditioning unit. This requires immediate attention to prevent the unit from failing and to avoid the potential spread of refrigerant, which can be harmful, Klosterman said.

Thats why Klosterman said you should clean your filters every season in air conditioning and heating units, and vacuum refrigerator coils every six months to remove debris that could contribute to wear and tear.

Ultimately, these smells are warning signs of larger hazards that should not be ignored. So the next time you smell something weird and funky from an unknown source, dont ignore it  start paying attention.

This post originally appeared on HuffPost.
A psychological method for describing the differences between cultures

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The Cultural Dimensions Theory was developed by Geert Hofstede and his colleagues to explain the way different cultures impact the people who live in them. The study started as an examination of Hofstedes colleagues across IBMs offices around the world. At the time, he only included four dimensions in his theory, which he published in 1980: Power Distance, Individualism versus Collectivism, Masculinity versus Femininity, and Uncertainty Avoidance.

Then, with the help of Michael Harris Bond, a Canadian social psychologist working in Hong Kong, he added Long-term Orientation versus Short-Term Orientation in the 1980s. And in 2010, through his work with Michael Minkov, a Bulgarian linguist, Indulgence versus Restraint was added.

Let's dive into the six dimensions that make up the theory, their significance in psychology, and take a look at some real world examples.

Who Is Geert Hofstede?

Geert Hofstede was a social psychologist who was born in 1928 in the Netherlands. World War II, a defining event in his life, began when he was 12. He became an engineer during the years the country struggled to rebuild but soon became fascinated by the human's role in the system, and, therefore, decided to turn his attention to psychology.

He did a PhD in organizational behavior and landed a job at IBM International where he first started conducting his research on the companys culture in the late 1960s. That led to his first book, 1980s Cultures Consequences: International Differences in Work-Related Values, which was the beginning of cross-cultural psychology as a serious discipline.

Hofstede was named one of the 20 most influential business thinkers of the 20th century by the Wall Street Journal and numerous universities have bestowed honorary doctorates on him. He died on February 12, 2020.

The Six Cultural Dimensions

Hofstedes research helps people understand the differences between world cultures along six dimensions. The dimensions are as follows:

Power Distance

This is the degree to which people in a society expect to be equal. Carl Nassar, PhD, LPC, a professional counselor in Denver, CO, had this to say about power distance. Theres inequality in all cultures, but ask yourself: Are you in a culture where youve got a relatively equal distribution of power (a 'low power distance index') or a culture where the power is held by the few and dictated to the many (a 'high power distance index')?







Takeaway

Low Power Distance cultures see inequality as needed sometimes, but their goal is for relationships to be as equal as possible. In High Power Distance cultures, on the other hand, inequality is the basis of society.







Individualism vs. Collectivism

This is the degree to which people focus on their groups. Individualistic societies, like the United States, strongly value personal achievement and focus on individual needs, whereas in collectivist societies, achievements and decisions are made with the group in mind.

How focused is the culture on I instead of on we? says Nassar. Do individuals look out for themselves (its every person for themselves), or do we look out for each other (well rise together and well fall together.)

Masculinity vs. Femininity

This is the preference for masculine versus feminine traits in a society.







Takeaway

In Hofstede's theory, masculine traits include assertiveness, competitiveness, power, and material success, while feminist traits include nurturing relationships, a good quality of life, and caring for others.









As Nassar observes, Its no surprise to learn the [United States] has a low femininity score. In masculine cultures, differences in gender roles are very dramatic, whereas in feminine cultures, the roles are fairly fluid.

Uncertainty Avoidance

This dimension deals with how much a society can cope with uncertainty of the future.

While every culture must deal with this, cultures with high uncertainty avoidance rely on their set rules and structures about the way things are done to deal with it, whereas those with low uncertainty avoidance are more relaxed.

As Nassar shares, this dimension boils down to, Are you willing to take risks and deal with the anxiety this causes, or do you prefer to create structures that keep things organized but also reduce risk and opportunity?

Long-Term vs. Short-Term Orientation

This dimension looks at the extent to which people are willing to forego short-term gains for future rewards, in particular, by emphasizing the virtues of persistence, saving, and thrift. On the opposite end of the spectrum is foregoing future rewards for short-term gains in the past or the present, with an emphasis on immediate gratification and quick results.







Takeaway

The [United States], like its stock market, Nassar says, tends to be all about making it now and letting tomorrow take care of itself. This makes the [United States] a culture with a short-term orientation.







Indulgence vs. Restraint

This dimension deals with how much your culture satisfies human needs or desires versus how much you hold back on your desires to satisfy societal norms. As Nassar puts it, Hows your impulse control? Do you tend to go for instant gratification, or do you hold off, in part through social norms, deferring gratification

For instance, indulgent cultures tend to focus more on individual well-being and personal freedom, whereas happiness and freedom are not given the same level of importance in restrained cultures.

The Significance of Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions

Hofstedes Cultural Dimension Theory continues to be the go-to theory for understanding cultures around the globe. As Alyssa Roberts, a practicing psychologist, researcher, and writer at Practical Psychology shares, Hofstedes research is so incredibly relevant to this day that it continues to be the basis for assessing how a culture behaves and what kind of cultural adaptation people from different countries need to undergo in order to fully adapt [to a new country].

Hofstedes theory can tell you a lot about the different cultures of the world by dividing them along these six dimensions.

The significance of the theory comes down to this: For most of humanitys 200,000 year history on this planet, we grew up in villages..., Nassar says. But, beginning some 20,000 years ago, and accelerating over the past 500 years, the collective village cultures of the earth were overrun by a consumer culture, a culture that abandoned the security we found with each other and replaced it with the security of individual fiscal wealth.

Real-World Applications and Examples

Roberts has spent a lot of time in different places around the world, and that has driven home the value of Hofstedes Six Cultural Dimensions. Shes provided examples of each dimension in action here:

Power Distance can be very different between cultures. In some Latin American countries, children are taught from a young age to use formal titles when addressing parents, teachers, or other authority figures, Roberts says. This ingrained hierarchy contrasts with Nordic cultures where children call teachers by their first names.

Individualism vs. Collectivism emerged for Roberts when she worked with immigrant families in the United States. Those from collectivist societies like China prioritized family cohesion and group goals over individual pursuits. However, their American-born children tended to absorb more individualistic values causing intergenerational conflicts.

Masculinity vs. Femininity is seen in whether cultures are more equal or more traditional. As Roberts explains, I counseled a couple struggling to adjust after moving from egalitarian Sweden to traditional India. The wife felt increasing constraints around appropriate 'feminine' roles contrasting with the overlapping gender roles in Scandinavia.

Uncertainty Avoidance is experienced by all cultures but some are more prone to take risks than others. A Japanese exchange student experiencing intense homesickness and difficulty adapting to ambiguous college social norms [was evidence of this], observes Roberts. This reflected the security his uncertainty-avoidant native culture provided around social structures and rules. And the lack of uncertainty-avoidant social norms he experienced at his new college.

Long-Term vs. Short-Term Orientation is the extent to which a culture prepares for the future. Above, Nassar provided one example of short-term orientation: the United States. Roberts provides another examples, the forward-thinking mindset instilled in many Asian cultures, which is oriented toward the long-term.

Indulgence vs. Restraint is experienced in how much people are free to be themselves in public. For Roberts, this underpinned an Egyptian clients chronic stress. She found the German culture of strict social restraints and norms around fun-seeking to be at odds with the indulgent festivity permeating Egyptian social life.

Final Thoughts

While these dimensions are a popular tool for cross-cultural psychologists and businesses, its important to remember that these dimensions are generalizations. Therefore, they may not describe everyone from a specific culture.

Nonetheless, Hofstedes Cultural Dimensions Theory has stood the test of time to show the six dimensions that affect the ways people from different cultures interact.

Read the original article on Verywell Mind.
MILAN  According to British writer Nick Foulkes, Ira von Furstenberg was big in her day and her ways, as somebody like the Kardashians are today. A princess by birth and model, actress and designer by choice, von Furstenberg died on Monday aged 83. Her full name read Virginia Carolina Theresa Pancrazia Galdina zu Furstenberg.

Fascinated by her aristocratic heritage, colorful life and influence in the fashion and art worlds, Foulkes in 2019 penned the book Ira: The Life and Times of a Princess on her life growing up in Venice, her fairy-tale wedding in Venice to Prince Alfonso of Hohenlohe at 15 years old, her glamorous travels and fashion magazine shoots, and her glitzy Place Vendome apartment post-divorce.

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The awareness about her in a world that was pre-Internet was quite astonishing. The volume of newspaper cuttings I went through was quite extraordinary, Foulkes told WWD at the time.

She was the daughter of Clara Agnelli, who was the sister of Fiat heir Gianni Agnelli. Von Furstenbergs father, Prince Tassilo von Furstenberg, was the son of a Hungarian countess and a prince of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and her maternal grandmother was Princess Virginia San Faustino, an American.

When her marriage to Prince Alfonso of Hohenlohe, the jetsetting playboy who turned the sleepy fishing village of Marbella into a glamorous resort in the 1950s, was over  creating a major scandal at the time as she was also accused of adultery  Ira von Furstenberg married the Brazilian playboy-industrialist Francisco Matarazzo Baby Pignatari, 23 years her senior, in Reno, Nevada in 1961, but that ended in a divorce as well  in Las Vegas after three years.

In his biography, Foulkes recounted her struggles with motherhood and marriage and the tragedy in 2006 of losing her son Christoph in a prison in Bangkok, aged 50, accused of having counterfeited a visa to enter the country to save time. Her other son, Hubertus, became a ski Olympian for Mexico.

Shes got this rebellious streak and was a very independent woman at a time where it was still a very masculine world. She took a lot of decisions that were considered brave in those days, writes Foulkes.

She defied conventions as an adolescent model for Emilio Pucci, occasionally walking the runways and posing for Helmut Newton and Cecil Beaton. Ira was a great family friend and knew my father since she was 14 years old, said Emilios daughter Laudomia Pucci.

Von Furstenberg was a couture client, Diana Vreelands darling, and championed Karl Lagerfeld during the early stages in his career. She became a P.R. for Valentino and was rumored to become Prince Rainier of Monacos second wife after the death of Grace Kelly.

Ive known Ira forever, we even worked together on my first perfume, said Valentino Garavani. Beautiful and always smiling, Ira possessed an unwavering passion for everything she did set her mind to. Whether it was her work, her hobbies or her personal pursuits, she approached each endeavor with wholehearted enthusiasm and dedication.

Diane von Furstenberg , who was her sister-in-law through her first marriage to Egon von Furstenberg, said: When I first met Egon, she was the famous sister. She had gotten married in Venice and was a movie star. She was the big sister and the aunt to my children. She was part of Italys jet set, very gregarious. She was a lot of fun and loved to laugh. She never complained. She said that last week when she herself was in Venice, Ira von Furstenbergs son came to visit and they talked with her.

The late Princess pursued an acting career under the aegis of the famous producer Dino de Laurentiis, racking up around 30 movies in the late 1960s and 70s.

Over the years, she collected art by Roy Lichtenstein, Jean Dubuffet, Max Ernst, Josef Albers and Yves Klein.

Traveling around the world, spending her life between Paris, Biarritz and London, after abandoning acting, she started designing home decor objects, many of them combined with gems and semiprecious stones, calling this line Objets Uniques. To wit, she made more than 800 one-of-a-kind pieces, each signed and numbered  vases, boxes, Indian jeweled hand mirrors, picture frames, bookends, animal figurines and trays, for example, which made it into the New Yorks Chinese Porcelain Company and the Thyssen Museum.

She said she began designing when she couldnt find a gift she liked for her friends Anne and Kirk Douglas, so she decided to make one.

Among her several charity initiatives, she was a patron of the Children of Africa Foundation.

My whole life is filled with Ira-shaped moments, said French event organizer Francoise Dumas, whose chance encounter on a photoshoot led to a lifelong friendship with the late aristocrat.

Having extensively traveled with von Furstenberg, the events maven recalled a citizen of the world who spoke six languages, had perpetual zest for life and was at ease everywhere thanks to her endless desire to discover new countries and new people, a trait she admired the most.

According to Dumas, it isnt possible to portray von Furstenberg without speaking of her great creativity, expressed most recently in her line of precious objects.

Von Furstenbergs passing is a page of an epoch that has turned, said veteran press officer Jacques Babando. He formed a friendship with a woman he described as sunlight personified after working on her exhibition at the Jacquemart-Andre museum in 2014. She was a true artist in every meaning of the word: curious, full of fantasy, capricious, funny, exacting, surprising.

The adjective solar came up most often when describing her, the first quality that struck Parisian art dealer Pierre Passebon, who met von Furstenberg and Dumas during a jaunt in Tangiers in 1986.

The second was how lightly she wore both her wealth and lineage, a sunny character who always offering bons mots and took life with a dose of humor that was not politically correct at times, he recalled.

Although as blue-blooded as it gets, von Furstenberg was a good friend who was always ready to offer her help and was absolutely not bourgeois, remembered Passebon. She wasnt stuck in one society, Ira went anywhere.

 With contributions by Lisa Lockwood (New York) and Lily Templeton (Paris)

Ira Von Furstenberg. (Photo by: Universal Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

"Italian actress Ira von Furstenberg (Virginia Carolina Theresa Pancrazia Galdina zu Furstenberg) styling her hair under the hair-drier at the hairdresser's shop before her wedding. Venice, 21st September 1955 (Photo by Carlo BavagnoliMondadori via Getty Images)"

(Original Caption) Sirmione, Italy: Royal Honeymoon--And Sun. Graced by the autumnal sun, newly weds, Princess Ira Virginia Furstenberg and Prince Alfonson Hohenlobe-Langenburg, enjoy their honeymoon on the shore of Lake Garda in Northern Italy. The schoolgirl Princess, whose features belie her age of 15, and her automobile salesman "Dream Prince" were married in Venice. They plan to live in Mexico City.

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Launch Gallery: Princess Ira von Furstenberg Through the Years: A Life in Photos

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Julian Assange put people at grave and imminent risk by including the names of people who helped the US in unredacted classified documents which he indiscriminately and knowingly published to the world, a court has heard.

The WikiLeaks founder failed to appear in the High Court for a second day running in his long-standing battle against extradition to the US, where he is accused of leaking confidential military secrets.

The 52-year-old Australian, who faces 17 charges of espionage and one of computer misuse, is wanted by US authorities over an alleged conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defence information following the publication of hundreds of thousands of leaked documents relating to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.

His lawyers said that if extradited, he would face a flagrant denial of justice by prejudiced judges, and was being prosecuted for ordinary journalistic practice.

A judge ruled in 2021 that Assange should not be sent to the US, given there was a real risk of suicide, but ruled against him on all other issues.

Assange, who is in Belmarsh jail in London, is now seeking permission to challenge the judges dismissal of other parts of his case.

Read the events from court today below:

Key Points

Welcome to our live coverage

Tuesday 20 February 2024 18:26 , Holly Evans

Welcome to our live coverage of Julian Assanges final bid in an attempt to secure a UK appeal against his extradition to the US.

Well be bringing you all the latest updates here.

Who is Julian Assange and what secrets is he accused of leaking?

Tuesday 20 February 2024 18:32 , Holly Evans

Seven years ago, Julian Assange stood outside the Ecuadorian embassy and greeted his supporters with a fist in the air - he couldnt have thought a prolonged legal battle against extradition to the US would have continued until this week.

The 52-year-old Australian was at the embassy in London seeking asylum as Swedish authorities wanted to speak to him over a rape allegation which was later dropped.

He feared that leaving the UK would lead to him being sent to the US where he was soon to be charged with conspiring to hack into military databases to acquire sensitive information following the publication of files on WikiLeaks.

Read the full explainer from Lydia Patrick and Alex Ross here:

Who is Julian Assange and what secrets is he accused of leaking?

Julian Assanges wife joins protest outside High Court as he begins last-ditch bid to fight extradition

Tuesday 20 February 2024 18:40 , Holly Evans

Protesters have gathered outside the High Court in London in support of Julian Assange as the WikiLeaks founder started his last-ditch bid to avoid extradition to the US.

Among those outside the Royal Courts of Justice on Tuesday morning were former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and Mr Assanges wife, Stella, who told a crowd: They just cannot get away with this.

The 52-year-old is making a last-ditch appeal at the two-day hearing against being to the US, where he faces charges for conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defence information after the publication of intelligence files on WikiLeaks.

Read the full article here

Protests as Julian Assange begins last-ditch attempt to fight US extradition

Extradition would be retribution for his political opinions, say Assange lawyers

Tuesday 20 February 2024 18:43 , Holly Evans

During the first day of the hearing on Tuesday, Mark Summers KC argued the US prosecution of Assange would be retribution for his political opinions, meaning it would be unlawful to extradite him under UK law.

The barrister said: This is a paradigm example of state retaliation for the expression of political opinion.

The district judge did not address it, had she done so, it would have been fatal to her decision.

In written submissions, Mr Summers and Edward Fitzgerald KC, also for Assange, added: The evidence showed that the US was prepared to go to any lengths, including misusing its own criminal justice system, to sustain impunity for US officials in respect of the torture/war crimes committed in its infamous war on terror, and to suppress those actors and courts willing and prepared to try to bring those crimes to account.

Mr Assange was one of those targets.

US had allegedly plotted to kill or kidnap Assange

Tuesday 20 February 2024 18:50 , Holly Evans

The High Court was told that the US had planned to kill or kidnap Julian Assange.

Mark Summers KC, for the WikiLeaks founder, said: What the evidence now shows is that the US developed a plan to try to either kill or rendition Mr Assange to the USA.

What evidence the district judge heard on that came from protected witness two and it was truly breathtaking.

(PA)

Mr Summers said there was a plan to kidnap or poison Assange in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, where he remained for around seven years.

He continued: With respect to the district judge, there were red flags everywhere.

The barrister later said the plan only fell apart when the UK authorities werent very keen on the thought of rendition, or a shootout, in the streets of London.

Editor of Wikileaks criticises court proceedings: What are they trying to hide?'

Tuesday 20 February 2024 19:01 , Holly Evans

Kristinn Hrafnsson, editor-in-chief of WikiLeaks, took to the stage during the lunch break to reflect on the mornings proceedings.

He said he had been sent to an overflow room, along with many journalists, who missed parts of the mornings proceedings due to an insufficient audio feed.

If this is how you practise open justice, then I dont have much faith in the court system here. It is absurd that journalists are not able to observe one of the most important cases for journalists in modern times, he said.

He added that the case had been put in one of the smallest court rooms in the building.

How on earth is that possible with all the massive interest in this case? What are they trying to hide? Mr Hrafnsson said.

Kristinn Hrafnsson editor-in-chief of WikiLeaks, addresses supporters outside the Royal Courts of Justice (PA)

The many twists and turns of Julian Assanges lengthy fight against extradition

Tuesday 20 February 2024 19:13 , Holly Evans

The WikiLeaks founder faces extradition to the US over an alleged conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defence information.

Here is a timeline of some key dates spanning more than a decade of legal woes for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

Read the full article here

The many twists and turns of Julian Assanges lengthy fight against extradition

Watch: Julian Assange's wife appears to compare WikiLeaks founder to Alexei Navalny

Tuesday 20 February 2024 19:40 , Holly Evans

Julian Assanges wife calls for husbands freedom

Tuesday 20 February 2024 20:15 , Holly Evans

The first day of the hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice was attended by dozens of journalists and members of the public, with scores of supporters of Assange gathering outside the central London courthouse from 8am.

Addressing the crowd ahead of the hearing, Assanges wife Stella Assange said: We dont know what to expect, but youre here because the world is watching.

They just cannot get away with this.

Julian needs his freedom and we all need the truth.

Stella Assange leaving the Royal Courts of Justice (PA)

What has Assange been doing up till now?

Tuesday 20 February 2024 20:40 , Holly Evans

Assange has been restricted in his movements for almost 14 years.

It started when Swedish authorities issued an arrest warrant for Assange in 2010 as they investigating an allegation of rape against him while he was in the country - and asked the UK to extradite Assange.

Assange was arrested by British police and after he lost an appeal against extradition he sought asylum in the Ecuadorean Embassy in London, claiming the Swedish case would lead him to being sent to the US.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange gestures on the balcony of the Ecuadorian embassy (AP)

Assange spent seven years in the embassy before in 2019 he was detained by police again for breaching bail conditions connected to his arrest for the Swedish case. In the same year, Swedish authorities dropped their case against Assange.

Assange was given a 50-week prison sentence - and has remained at Belmarsh prison since, fighting his extradition to the US.

What has Assange been doing up till now?

Tuesday 20 February 2024 20:52 , Holly Evans

Assange has been restricted in his movements for almost 14 years.

It started when Swedish authorities issued an arrest warrant for Assange in 2010 as they investigating an allegation of rape against him while he was in the country - and asked the UK to extradite Assange.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange gestures on the balcony of the Ecuadorian embassy (AP)

Assange was arrested by British police and after he lost an appeal against extradition he sought asylum in the Ecuadorean Embassy in London, claiming the Swedish case would lead him to being sent to the US.

Assange spent seven years in the embassy before in 2019 he was detained by police again for breaching bail conditions connected to his arrest for the Swedish case. In the same year, Swedish authorities dropped their case against Assange.

Assange was given a 50-week prison sentence - and has remained at Belmarsh prison since, fighting his extradition to the US.

Labour MP calls Assange case an attack on journalism'

Tuesday 20 February 2024 21:20 , Holly Evans

Speaking on stage outside the Royal Courts of Justice, Labour MP for Coventry South Zarah Sultana said: We know Julian is being targeted for exposing US war crimes.

This isnt just an attack on Julian, this is an attack on journalism, on the free press.

Everyone who cares about free speech should care about this case, should care about the persecution of Julian, should care about the charges being dropped.

Thank you, solidarity, and lets keep fighting, she finished, to cheers and whistles from the crowd.

Supporters travel from Australia to protest outside London court

Tuesday 20 February 2024 22:00 , Holly Evans

Jodie Asard travelled with her son from Adelaide, Australia, to support Assanges appeal case.

Outside the Royal Courts of Justice, Ms Asard said: Weve come over from Australia to stand with our brothers and sisters here and to represent Australia and to make sure that the Australian Government knows that 88% of Australians want Julian Assange free and to be brought home.

Its probably the trial of the century to be honest in regards to free speech, free press and our right to know, so thats why Im here to stand with Julian and all these people here to call for him to be completely, safely released.

Ms Asard added that the way Assange had been kept in a three-by-two metre cell in Belmarsh prison was criminal.

He is being abused, in my opinion, institutionally abused by our Western governments, she added.

Supporters of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange gather outside the Royal Courts of Justice (EPA)

Assange supporters describe hearing as most important freedom of speech case in the 21st century

Tuesday 20 February 2024 23:00 , Holly Evans

One speaker on a stage outside the Royal Courts of Justice welcomed protesters to the most important freedom of speech case in the 21st century.

He was greeted with cheers and claps from the crowd of protesters. Tim Dawson, deputy general secretary at the International Federation of Journalists, then took to the stage.

He said: Be under no illusions, if this prosecution is successful, other vital cases will never come to light.

Free Julian Assange, support journalism and safeguard free speech, he finished, to claps and cheers from the audience.

Lawyer for the US says Assange put safety of individuals at serious risk'

00:00 , Holly Evans

James Lewis KC, for the US, said in written submissions that Assanges conduct is consistently and repeatedly misrepresented in the appeal bid.

The barrister described the amount of classified material provided to Assange as unprecedented, adding: The appellant threatened damage to the strategic and national security interests of the United States and put the safety of individuals at serious risk.

Mr Lewis, who is expected to make oral arguments on behalf of the US on Wednesday, added that the original judge ruled Assange was not being prosecuted for political reasons but because he is alleged to have committed serious criminal offences.

Julian Assange is fighting against extradition to the United States (Dominic Lipinski/PA) (PA Wire)

This decision is unimpeachable and there is no error to show that the district judge got it wrong, he continued.

He added that it was simply not credible that a journalist would be immune from criminal prosecution in these circumstances.

Watch: Protests outside High Court where Julian Assange fighting US extradition

01:00 , Holly Evans

Watch live: Protests outside High Court where Julian Assange fighting US extradition

Letters: The treatment of Julian Assange could be the end of democracy

02:00 , Holly Evans

If Julian Assange is extradited to America, that will be the end of democracy in Britain. Assange has done nothing wrong; we should all be very grateful for his exposure of the murderous actions of American troops.

America, in my opinion, does not have a justice system, it has a legal system designed purely for the enrichment of the legal profession. I have more respect for the oldest profession than I do for the legal profession. It should never be a question of whether it is legal or illegal, it should be a question of whether it is right or is it wrong.

Read the full article here

Letters: The treatment of Julian Assange could be the end of democracy

What is WikiLeaks?

03:00 , Holly Evans

Assange founded the website WikiLeaks in 2006. Using his computing skills, he created an online platform for people to anonymously submit classified leaks such as documents and videos.

Since its birth it has released around 10 million classified documents, including files on US military activities in the US.

It rose to prominence in April 2010 when it published a classified video showing a 2007 US helicopter attack in Iraqs capital Baghdad that killed a dozen people, including two Reuters journalists.

On the Afghanistan war, its claimed more than 90,000 classified US military documents were released and on the invasion of Iraq around 400,000 confidential US files.

(Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

The leaks, described as the largest security breaches of their kind in US military history, angered and embarrassed US politicians and military officials who claimed the disclosure put lives at risk.

But defenders of the website say it reveals unreported incidents including the killing of civilians.

Julian Assanges wife appears to compare WikiLeaks founder to Alexei Navalny

04:00 , Holly Evans

Julian Assanges wife appears to compare WikiLeaks founder to Alexei Navalny

Julian Assanges brother says WikiLeaks founder is suffering with health deteriorating in prison

05:00 , Holly Evans

Julian Assanges brother has said the WikiLeaks founders health is deteriorating in Belmarsh Prison as he prepares to face his final bid for appeal against extradition to the US.

Assange, 51, has been held in Londons high-security Belmarsh Prison for almost five years while US authorities seek to extradite him to face trial on espionage charges linked to the publication of hundreds of thousands of documents relating to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.

In a January 2021 ruling, then-district judge Vanessa Baraitser said that Assange should not be extradited, but authorities in the US subsequently brought a successful challenge against this decision.

Read the full article here

Julian Assanges brother says health is deteriorating in Belmarsh prison

The many twists and turns of Julian Assanges lengthy fight against extradition

06:00 , Holly Evans

The WikiLeaks founder faces extradition to the US over an alleged conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defence information.

Here is a timeline of some key dates spanning more than a decade of legal woes for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

Read the full article here

The many twists and turns of Julian Assanges lengthy fight against extradition

US bid to prosecute Julian Assange is state retaliation, court told

07:00 , Holly Evans

The United States bid to prosecute Julian Assange is state retaliation, the High Court has heard in his final bid for an appeal in the UK.

The WikiLeaks founder faces extradition to the US over an alleged conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defence information following the publication of hundreds of thousands of leaked documents relating to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.

In a January 2021 ruling, then-district judge Vanessa Baraitser said that Assange should not be sent to the US, citing a real and oppressive risk of suicide, while ruling against him on all other issues.

Read the full article here

US bid to prosecute Julian Assange is state retaliation, court told

Assange misses first day of hearing due to illness

08:03 , Athena Stavrou

Julian Assange missed the first day of his extradition hearing on Tuesday due to illness, his lawyer said.

Assange, 51, has been held in Londons high security Belmarsh Prison for almost five years while US authorities seek to extradite him to face trial on espionage charges linked to the publication of hundreds of thousands of documents relating to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.

In a January 2021 ruling, then-district judge Vanessa Baraitser said that Assange should not be extradited, but authorities in the US subsequently brought a successful challenge against this decision.

Lawyers for deeply controversial figure Assange will now ask for the go-ahead to challenge the original judges dismissal of other parts of his case against extradition in the two-day hearing.

The barrister said at the outset of the hearing on Tuesday that the Wikileaks founder is not attending the hearing as he is unwell.

It comes after his brother, Gabriel Shipton, told TalkTV that Assanges health was delicate and deteriorating ahead of the hearing.

(AP)

Full story of yesterdays hearing as Assange prepares for final day

09:00 , Athena Stavrou

Julian Assanges extradition hearing is entering its second and final day today, following a highly interesting opening day on Tuesday.

Hundreds of supporters, including his wife Stella Assange and former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, gathered outside the Royal Courts of Justice at the start of a two-day hearing on Tuesday.

Ahead of the hearing, Ms Assange told the crowd: They just cannot get away with this. Julian needs his freedom and we all need the truth.

Mark Summers KC told judges Dame Victoria Sharp and Mr Justice Johnson that the US prosecution of Mr Assange would be retribution for his political opinions, meaning it would be unlawful to extradite him under UK law.

The barrister said: This is a paradigm example of state retaliation for the expression of political opinion. The district judge did not address it, had she done so, it would have been fatal to her decision.

Read the full story by The Independents Crime Correspondent Amy-Clare Martin:

Lawyers say prosecution of Assange is state retaliation in bid to halt extradition

Pictures: Supporters rally outside High Court on first day of hearing

10:00 , Athena Stavrou

Demonstrators chanted free Julian Assange outside the Royal Courts of Justice (Guy Bell/Shutterstock)

Supporters of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange gather outside the Royal Courts of Justice (EPA)

(PA)

Watch: No evidence Julian Assange's WikiLeaks publication harmed anyone, lawyer claims

11:00 , Alexander Butler

Protesters brave wet weather

12:00 , Amy-Clare Martin

Hundreds of protesters braved the wet weather to rally in support of Julian Assange on the second day of a last-ditch appeal bid.

Supporters carrying banners and yellow ribbons gathered outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, where the WikiLeaks founders legal team are seeking permission to appeal his extradition to the US to face spying charges.

Crowds were chanting free, free Julian Assange and no extradition as the doors to the historic court were opened on Wednesday.

High Court judges Dame Victoria Sharp and Mr Justice Johnson are expected to hear submissions for the US on the final day of the two-day hearing.

It comes after lawyers for Assange insisted his prosecution Mr Assange is state retaliation by the US and he is at risk of a flagrant denial of justice if he is extradited in a hearing on Tuesday.

Assange put people at grave and imminent risk, court hears

12:01 , Amy-Clare Martin

Clair Dobbin KC, for the US, told the court the US prosecution of Mr Assange was based on law and evidence and not his political opinions.

She insisted that the WikiLeaks founder put people at grave and imminent risk by including the names of individuals who assisted the US in unredacted classified documents which he indiscriminately and knowingly published to the world.

These were documents that disclosed to the world the unredacted names of human sources who had provided information to the US, she said, adding that this separates Mr Assange from the New York Times and other news outlets which also published information exposed by WikiLeaks.

She added that WikiLeaks and Mr Assange had explicitly solicited classified documents and sought to recruit and work with computer hackers to obtain information illegally.

In written submissions, Ms Dobbin and James Lewis KC described the leak as one of the largest compromises of classified information in the history of the United States.

They continued: It is specifically alleged against the appellant that by publishing this information on the WikiLeaks website, he created a grave and imminent risk that the human sources named therein would suffer serious physical harm.

Opinion: Enough is enough  its time to set Julian Assange free

13:00 , Alan Rusbridger

Enough is enough  its time to set Julian Assange free | Alan Rusbridger

Watch live from High Court as Julian Assange appeals against extradition to US

14:00 , Alexander Butler

Watch from High Court as Julian Assange appeals against extradition to US

Assanges case is unarguable, US says

14:06 , Jane Dalton

US authorities are opposing Mr Assanges bid for an appeal, telling the court his case is unarguable and should not be allowed to proceed to a full hearing.

Lawyer Clair Dobbin KC, for the US, urged the judges to consider the fundamental assumption of good faith on the part of states with which the UK has long established extradition relations.

The US is one of the most long-standing partners of the UK, she told the court. She insisted that then-district judge Vanessa Baraitser, in her 2021 ruling, had rejected outright that that the appellant should treated as a journalist of someone akin to a journalist, adding that US law did not protect journalists from breaking the law.

Assange put innocent lives at risk and went beyond journalism, US lawyers say

14:55 , Jane Dalton

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange should face espionage charges in the United States because he put innocent lives at risk and went beyond journalism in his effort to solicit, steal and indiscriminately publish classified official US documents, lawyers for the American government have argued.

American prosecutors allege Assange encouraged and helped US Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning to steal diplomatic cables and military files that WikiLeaks later published, putting lives at risk.

Lawyer Clair Dobbin told the High Court that Assange damaged US security and intelligence services, and created a grave and imminent risk by releasing the hundreds of thousands of documents  risks that could harm and lead to the arbitrary detention of innocent people, many of whom lived in war zones or under repressive regimes.

She said that in encouraging Manning and others to hack into government computers and steal from them, Assange was going a very considerable way beyond a journalist gathering information.

He was not someone who has just set up an online box to which people can provide classified information, she said. The allegations are that he sought to encourage theft and hacking that would benefit WikiLeaks.

Prosecution over publishing names, not political views, says US

15:55 , Jane Dalton

Assange is being prosecuted for publishing sources names and not his political opinions, lawyers representing the United States have told the High Court.

Clair Dobbin told the court: The appellants prosecution might be unprecedented, but what he did was unprecedented.

Assange indiscriminately and knowingly published to the world the names of individuals who acted as sources of information to the US, Ms Dobbin said.

It is these facts which distinguish him, not his political opinions, she added.

She said his prosecution was based on the rule of law and evidence.

Protesters outside the court (AP)

Assange not in court for second day

16:10 , Jane Dalton

Assange was again not in court again today, nor watching remotely because he was unwell, his lawyers and his wife Stella Assange said.

His lawyers say he could be given a sentence of up to 175 years, but it is likely to be up to 40 years. US prosecutors have said it would be no more than 63 months.

If Assange wins this case, a full appeal hearing will be held.

If he loses, his only remaining option would be at the European Court of Human Rights and his wife has said his lawyers would apply to the European judges for an emergency injunction if necessary.

Judges reserve decision

16:25 , Jane Dalton

The hearing has now ended and the judges have risen.

Dame Victoria Sharp told the court they would reserve their decision.

Protesters stage sit-in at court

17:25 , Jane Dalton

Around 20 environmental protesters have been staging a sit-in inside the Royal Courts of Justice after the two-day hearing for Assange finished.

Court staff have begun removing them from the building.

Earlier, pro-Assange protesters demonstrated in front of the court.

Protesters claim to stage peoples assembly in High Court

18:20 , Jane Dalton

The protesters who staged a sit-in at the court were campaigning for what they said was a makeover of the justice system.

Their demands encompassed the rights of protesters against climate change and the bombardment of Gaza, as well as the banks and water companies.

More than 100 people sat down in the central hall at the Royal Courts of Justice, claiming to hold peaceful Peoples Assemblies or Citizens Juries.

The Assembly has been prompted by the Attorney Generals application, being heard in court today, to stop juries acquitting people taking direct action against climate change and for peace in Gaza, the organisers said.

But it will also include consideration of the wider legal landscape, including the Post Office scandal, the lack of legal accountability for the bosses of the banks responsible for the financial crisis of 2008, the bosses of the oil and water companies that have caused so much destruction to our land, air and waters, and for the Ministers responsible for violations of international agreements, including the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, the Refugee Convention and UN rulings on Gaza.

Taking photographs in court is illegal, but the group posted photos online of their sit-in.

18:42 , Jane Dalton

We are closing our live coverage for now.
Who is Julian Assange and what secrets is he accused of leaking?

Seven years ago, Julian Assange stood outside the Ecuadorian embassy and greeted his supporters with a fist in the air - he couldnt have thought a prolonged legal battle against extradition to the US would have continued until this week.

The 52-year-old Australian was at the embassy in London seeking asylum as Swedish authorities wanted to speak to him over a rape allegation which was later dropped.

He feared that leaving the UK would lead to him being sent to the US where he was soon to be charged with conspiring to hack into military databases to acquire sensitive information following the publication of files on WikiLeaks.

Julian Assange greets supporters outside the Ecuadorian embassy in London - where he remained for seven years while fighting extradition to Sweden and US (AP)

But now the US appears on the verge of bringing him across the Atlantic unless he is successful in his final bid to appeal against the extradition at a two-day hearing taking place at the Royal Courts of Justice this week.

Here we explain who Assange is, how it got to this stage and what could happen next:

Who is Julian Assange?

Julian Assange was born in Townsville, Australia, and had a nomadic childhood, travelling across more than 30 towns and cities in his native country with his parents separating before he was born.

A keen student of programming and maths, he quickly gained a reputation as an astute computer programmer which led to him becoming skilled in hacking.

In 1996, he pleaded guilty to 24 hacking charges in Australia before being fined, only avoiding a prison sentence after promising not to do it again.

He went on to study at the University of Melbourne between 2003 and 2006 but did not complete a degree.

Julian Assange sought refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy in London in 2012 and remained there until 2019, when he was arrested and sent to Belmarsh, where he has been ever since (PA Archive)

As a teenager, Assange married a woman called Teresa but the pair later separated. He is now married to Stella Assange, a lawyer who met him in 2011 when she was hired as part of his legal team.

What is WikiLeaks?

Assange founded the website WikiLeaks in 2006. Using his computing skills, he created an online platform for people to anonymously submit classified leaks such as documents and videos.

Since its birth it has released around 10 million classified documents, including files on US military activities in the US.

It rose to prominence in April 2010 when it published a classified video showing a 2007 US helicopter attack in Iraqs capital Baghdad that killed a dozen people, including two Reuters journalists.

Demonstrators show their support to Assange before the appeal hearing on Tuesday morning (AFP via Getty Images)

On the Afghanistan war, its claimed more than 90,000 classified US military documents were released and on the invasion of Iraq around 400,000 confidential US files.

The leaks, described as the largest security breaches of their kind in US military history, angered and embarrassed US politicians and military officials who claimed the disclosure put lives at risk.

But defenders of the website say it reveals unreported incidents including the killing of civilians.

What is Assange charged with by the US?

Back in 2019, the US authorities reacted to the continued publishing of documents from WikiLeaks by charging him with conspiracy to commit computer intrusion for agreeing to break a password to a classified US government computer.

In a press release issued by the US Office of Public Affairs, which can be seen here, it said the charge related to Assanges alleged role in one of the largest compromises of classified information in the history of the United States.

Later in the same year, he was then charged with an 18-count indictment superseding the previous that alleged he had repeatedly sought, obtained and disseminated information that the US classified due to the serious risk that unauthorised disclosure could harm the national security of the US.

Following the issuing of an indictment, the US began extradition authorities to bring Assange to the US. His lawyers claim that he will face up to 175 years in jail if convicted.

What has Assange been doing up till now?

Assange has been restricted in his movements for almost 14 years.

It started when Swedish authorities issued an arrest warrant for Assange in 2010 as they investigating an allegation of rape against him while he was in the country - and asked the UK to extradite Assange.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange gestures on the balcony of the Ecuadorian embassy prior to speaking, in London, (AP)

Assange was arrested by British police and after he lost an appeal against extradition he sought asylum in the Ecuadorean Embassy in London, claiming the Swedish case would lead him to being sent to the US.

Assange spent seven years in the embassy before in 2019 he was detained by police again for breaching bail conditions connected to his arrest for the Swedish case. In the same year, Swedish authorities dropped their case against Assange.

Assange was given a 50-week prison sentence - and has remained at Belmarsh prison since, fighting his extradition to the US.

How has Assange prevented extradition to the US up till now?

Assange and his supporters have resisted strongly to extradition to the US - and their campaign looked to have been successful when Judge Vanessa Baraitser refused his extradition because of fears that he could take his own life in January 2021.

The decision was met with joy by his supporters, however it was to be short-lived.

In December of the same year, US authorities won an appeal at Londons High Court against the decision, after giving a package of assurances about the conditions of Assanges detention if convicted, including a pledge he could be transferred to Australia to serve any sentence.

Stella Assange leads the protest outside the High Court on Tuesday where the last bid to stop extradition under UK appeal process takes place (PA)

In a further blow to his supporters, in June 2022, home secretary Priti Patel approved the extradition, and last year a judge at Londons High Court turned down his request for an appeal.

A two-day hearing this week is Assanges last chance to appeal in the UK legal process. If he succeeds, his case will go to a full appeal.

If he loses, the only remaining block to his extradition lies with the European Court of Human Rights - a move his legal team have already said they would take.

Assanges brother, Gabriel Shipton, said he was going through an immense amount of suffering while being held in prison and said his health was deteriorating.

Who are his supporters?

Assanges fight against US extradition has attracted wide support from around the world, including country leaders and media freedom activists.

At the protest which took place outside the Royal Courts of Justice on Tuesday morning, Assanges wife Stella led a round of speakers which included former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, Tim Dawson, the deputy general secretary of the International Federation of Journalists, Labour MP for Coventry South Zarah Sultana and MP for Poplar and Limehouse, Apsana Begum.

In September 2020, 160 former and current world leaders and diplomats signed a letter demanding the UK government prevent his extradition. Support has also come from former Argentina president Alberto Fernadez and former Brazilian leader Lula Da Silva.

Rights groups such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the American Civil Liberties Union have called for his release.
"I know God was watching over him."

Source Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office

Some Tampa, Florida apartment dwellers got the surprise of the year when they spotted a kangaroo on the loose in the complex.

The Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office posted about the incident on their departments Facebook page, with the title, A Kangaroo? On the Loose? You read that right!

In a call released by HCSO, a 911 dispatcher answers saying, Did you need police, fire or medical?

The uncertain caller responds, Police, I guess? Theres a kangaroo in my . . .uh . . . apartment complex.

Deputies responded to the call and the large kangaroo was trapped inside the pool area of the apartment complex.

HCSOs Agriculture Unit was involved in the kangaroo containment and helped reunite the animal - whose name is Hopper - with its owner, Dunia Ramirez.

Source Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office

I'm glad that he decided to go that way because I live next to a busy avenue and I know God was watching over him, Ramirez told Tampas Fox 13.

Ramirez, who said she received veterinary training in Cuba, cares for two kangaroos in her home - Hopper and Jack.

Theyre both very chill, very relaxed, and I think they absolutely love [to be] each others companion, Ramirez told Fox 13.

She said she suspects Hopper escaped after someone doing work in her backyard accidentally left the gate open but she hopes her pets newfound fame might create an opportunity for other members of the community to meet the animals.

Possession of many wildlife species as a personal pet in Florida is allowed but requires a permit, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.







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Read the original article on Southern Living.
Its not every day that the first vintage from a brand-new winery receives 100 points from Robert Parkers Wine Advocate, especially for a white wine, but Ivan Massonnat was able to do just that with the release of his Domaine Belargus 2018 Quarts du Chaume. Although he grew up helping his grandfather harvest grapes in the Savoie, Massonnat didnt drink wine until the age of 20. This drew him into an obsession that, unlike most gentlemen who make a fortune in private equity, may have implications far beyond the walls of his own wine cellar. Five years in, Domaine Belargus is one of the most celebrated wineries in his home country, with Massonnatt recently being named one of Frances 50 best winemakers by Le Figaro. Seeing enormous potential in the Loire Valley, and especially the area around Anjou, he would like to see the elevated style of Chenin Blanc become the standard bearer rather than the exception, bringing the renown of this region back to the days before the French Revolution, when it was home to Frances finest wines.

Anjou was a very strong French province in the medieval times. For example, the Count of Anjou in the 12th century was Henry II, King of England, Massonnat tells Robb Report. Until the phylloxera crisis, Chenin reigned supreme, and the region was known for its fine, age-worthy white wines made of Chenin, either dry or sweet, which were served on royal tables all across Europe. Passionate about Anjou and its Chenin, Massonnat points out that the Loire has all the hallmarks of a great region such as Burgundy including a long history of winemaking and two signature grapes, one red and one white, Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc, which he, like most French speakers, shortens to just Chenin.

More from Robb Report

Tending to the land in Rucheres

After buying a vacation house in the area 20 years ago, Massonnat was drawn to Anjou and the subregion called Anjou Noir (thanks to its dark schist soils) because of its similarity to Burgundy. It is home of the oldest, smallest, and most prestigious appellations of Chenin in the Loire, he says. These include Coulee de Serrant, Roche-aux-Moines, Savennieres, Quarts-de-Chaume, Chaume, and Bonnezeaux, which are all within a 12-mile radius of Angers. Fascinated by the mosaic of micro-terroirs, he decided to create an estate dedicated to Chenin. Because Anjou is known for its sweet versions of the grape, which have fallen out of style, there were quite a few vineyards for sale. So many, actually, that I could dream of acquiring truly exceptional plots, a bit like diamonds in the rough, he says. After a search that began in 2015, he was able to purchase three different properties and vineyards in what he calls the hot spots of Anjou Noir.

One of the sites he acquired, the steep and rocky Coteau des Treilles vineyard, was previously owned by renowned winemaker Jo Pithon, who continues working with Massonnat as a consultant. We visited last summer, and it is truly breathtaking. Its hidden within a wooded natural reserve that is home to over 2,200 natural species, including the blue Lysandra bellargus butterfly for which the domain is named. This vineyard, like his others, is farmed organically and biodynamically; Massonnat finds biodynamic wines, especially whites, to be more vibrant and energetic. I am convinced that the vine is a living entity and that if it is growing in a diverse, balanced environment it will produce better, more intense fruit flavors, he says.

One of Massonnats goals with Belargus was to break the glass ceiling of the Loire, charging a price he felt was more commensurate with the wines quality. The first vintage of Belargus was released with some bottles above the $100 mark and although Massonnat was expecting market pushback, he says that what happened next was like a fairy tale. It was an instant success. Thanks to the incredible scores and reviews our first vintage gathered, we were identified as a bargain by Burgundy buyers.

The renowned winemaker who previously owned the Treilles vineyard still works with Massonnat

Joking that he doesnt personally ride the tractor, Massonnat has high praise for his 15-person team, which includes Pithon, a pioneer of organic viticulture in the Loire, in a consulting role alongside winemaker Adrien Moreau, who previously worked at Cheval Blanc, Haut-Brion, Harlan Estate, and Roederer. He also employs a naturalist who oversees maintaining biodiversity in the vineyards and surrounding woods and is responsible for cover crops and beekeeping. That said, having sold his remaining shares in his private equity firm more than a year ago, Massonnat is a full-time vigneron who is involved in all aspects of production from vineyard to cellar and also personally represents Belargus throughout the more than 30 countries worldwide in which it is sold.

Domaine Belargus released its 2020 vintage in advance of the 2019, which was much smaller than usual due to frost but which Massonnat describes as having rare intensity, and we dont disagree. The current releases are Domaine Belargus 2019 Rucheres, Veau, and Bonnes Blanche. Coming from a tiny walled vineyard with purple shale and slate soils, Domaine Belargus 2019 Rucheres has a lush texture and enticing saline note alongside stone fruit and floral flavors. Domaine Belargus 2019 Bonnes Blanche offers intense acidity and soft touches of fennel pollen and jasmine on the palate; it will continue to age perfectly in bottle for another seven to 10 years. Domaine Belargus 2019 Veau is a rare dry wine hailing from the Quarts-de-Charme appellation, which is better known for sweet wine. Aromas of lavender and beeswax give way to flavors of apricot and almond with a touch of sea spray set into a wine with an alluringly soft texture. If these are any indication of the Loire Valleys overall potential, it may just reclaim its former glory within a generation.

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Breeze Airways is now flying into New Bern, North Carolina and has discounted fares until Feb. 21 to celebrate.

JeremyMasonMcGraw/Getty Images

Breeze Airways will add its 50th destination this spring with new flights from the coast of North Carolina, and is putting fares on sale across its network to celebrate.

Starting May 24, the low-cost airline will launch flights between the Coastal Carolina Regional Airport in New Bern, North Carolina, and both Hartford, Connecticut, and Orlando, Florida the airline shared with Travel + Leisure.

The new airport  Breezes fifth in the Carolinas  is the 14th new destination the carrier has added for this year, joining other cities like Denver, Madison, WI, and San Diego.

This is really impressive in less than three years: Breeze now offers more nonstop destinations than any other airline from 11 of our cities, Breeze CEO David Neeleman said during a news conference on Tuesday, adding New Bern is a great place to go.

In addition to its new city, Breeze will also add new flights between Huntsville, Alabama, and Los Angeles, California on June 14. That new route will mark the first nonstop flight between these two cities in 50 years, according to the airline.

To celebrate the new flights, Breeze is offering 20 percent off all roundtrip base fares for travelers who book by 11:59 p.m. PT on Feb. 21 by using the promo code A220 at checkout. The sale is valid for travel from March 6 through Sept. 3.

Breeze, which was first created in 2021 by former JetBlue founder Neeleman, has rapidly expanded in the years since and now flies to 50 cities across 27 states. And the airline isnt done growing with plans to fly to international destinations in the near future.

That will really expand our business because theres some great destinations out there that our guests would love to go to, Neeleman said on Tuesday.

The new routes come as Breeze committed to using an all-Airbus A220 fleet for its scheduled service by the end of 2024. The airline currently operates a fleet of both the Airbus A220-300 aircraft as well as the Embraer 190 and 195 aircraft, which Neeleman said would transition to being used for charter service.

The airline uses a low-cost model and offers three fare options: Nice, Nicer, and Nicest, which includes Breeze Ascent complete with perks like checked baggage, complimentary snacks and beverages, and in-seat AC power and USB and USB-C charging ports.

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Photo: Art: Arko/Sarah Myerscough Gallery, UK.

When the Austrian designer Martin Eisler fled Nazi-occupied Vienna for Buenos Aires in 1938, Latin America was transforming. Immigration, an economic boom, and industrialization would give rise to a new global elite. And they needed furniture. So Eisler teamed with Carlo Hauner, an Italian furniture manufacturer living in Brazil, to establish Forma, a brand that could meet the demand. In just a few years time, they created a range of wares that, R & Companys Zesty Meyers explains, basically helped complete the industrialization of Sao Paulo. A stellar example? The 1952 Costela, or Rib chair, in which a wrought-iron metal base clad in steam-bent wood ribs (originally local Brazilian walnut) cradled its sitter in a relaxed repose.

Photo: Floto \+ Warner.

It captures the dialogue between immigrants and the territory at this moment of industrial development, says curator Ana Elena Mallet, who included the piece in Crafting Modernity, through September 22 at MoMA, a show that examines midcentury Latin American design. They were looking at Le Corbusiers ideas; at the Bauhaus, but working with local materials, traditions, and know-how. Another rare pair is on view at R & Company, in an exhibition on Forma running through April 19.

Photo: Arturo Zavala Haag.

The chair was produced off and on, with slight variations in the cushions and the width of the wooden slats, by Forma until 2003, when the company was dissolved. Since then, reissues have proliferated. There are the official-ish versions, like those made for some years with Studio Mais Moveis or Tacchinis 2019 reboot, in ash, from $5,532but true originals (Meyers estimates there are around 200) can be identified by the proportions of the base, type of the wood, and ideally a stamp or label underneath.

Photo: Joe Kramm/courtesy of R & Company.

Tastemakers, like artist Doug Meyer, who still has a pair he scored in 2001, consider them investment pieces. While he rates them a mere 3 out of 10 on the comfort scale (theyre low to the floor with no arms, making them quite ungraceful to get up from), he explains the appeal: Its a sculptureyou can count on it to create drama in a space.

Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest

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Meghan Markle cozy winter fashion on her and Prince Harry's trip to Canada last week was a hitfrom her matching Aritiza beanie and scarf to her cream Calvin Klein puffer coat. And, despite the freezing cold temperatures every day, the Duchess of Sussex's hair and makeup was on point.

Meghan's hair colorist, Kadi Lee of Highbrow Hippie (a salon in Venice, California), shared on her Instagram the details behind Meghan's Canada hair, which she calls "chocolate chestnut brunette."

Karwai Tang

Lee writes, "This mixture of red and golden undertones makes a dynamic shade of brunette that not only gives skin the healthiest glow, especially during the colder months of winter, it also provides the hair with a next level high power shine." She also noted Meghan's "bounciest, long lasting blowout" was done by her colleague Hector.

The comments on Highbrow Hippie's Instagram post were full of praise for Lee. "When I saw this color, I immediately thought of you. This is the best her hair has ever looked!!" one commenter wrote. Another commented "Absolutely stunning. So shiny and healthy. GOALS."

Karwai Tang - Getty Images

Lee has been working with the Duchess of Sussex for some time; after Meghan attended the Ms. Foundation Gala in New York City in May, Lee shared the behind-the-scenes of Meghan's "warm and rich brunette" color.

"Kadi's philosophy is healthy hair above all," Lee's bio reads on Highbrow Hippie's site. "Over the span of her 20 year career, Kadi has seen the damaging effect of color when done carelessly, and had developed a careful & thoughtful technique and approach that keeps hair health & integrity front of mind. Her skill set shines with this approach, slow and natural beauty."

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London, UK --News Direct-- Oriole Resources PLC

Oriole Resources PLC (AIM:ORR) CEO Tim Livesey joined Proactive's Stephen Gunnion with an update on the company's Senala gold project in Senegal after its partner at the project AGEM Senegal Exploration, part of Managem Group, completed a six-year earn-in period.

Livesey said over the six years, AGEM aimed to earn up to 70% ownership through an $8 million investment but concluded the period with a roughly 59% stake.

The Senala project, described as a "legacy asset" by Livesey, is part of Oriole's portfolio despite a recent focus on Cameroon. As the partnership moves forward, Livesey said Oriole will evaluate its involvement based on forthcoming work plans and budget proposals from the joint venture, considering the substantial investments required for further development.

Oriole Resources PLC is an AIM-listed gold exploration company, operating in West Africa. In Cameroon, the company has a gold resource at the Bibemi project and has identified multi-kilometre gold and lithium anomalism within the district-scale Central Licence Package project. In Senegal, Managem Group is earning into Orioles advanced Senala gold project. 

Contact Details

Proactive UK Ltd

+44 20 7989 0813

uk@proactiveinvestors.com

View source version on newsdirect.com: https://newsdirect.com/news/oriole-resources-mulls-options-for-senela-project-in-senegal-after-partner-completes-earn-in-275471951
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Two years after they started production on the show that brought them together, Meghann Fahy and Leo Woodall are finally Instagram-official. The too-cute couples characters on The White Lotus season two didnt interact much on the show (she was a happy housewife mentally manipulating her super-rich husband; he was a a possible criminal using sex to stave off poverty), but clearly love bloomed in Sicily.

Heres a complete timeline of their relationship, starting with where they are now and going back to where it all began:

February 20, 2024: Their love hits the gram! Fahy uploaded a picture of the two of them (seen from behind), walking with their arms around each other in downtown New York City. Fahys sweatshirt reads Pizza Shark Cape Cod, and she referenced the cheesy dish in her caption, which reads, .

For good measure, she tagged Woodall, who commented on the post, Who is he?!

February 8, 2024: Theyre papped going into Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Celebrity Sightings In Los Angeles - February 08, 2024 RB/Bauer-Griffin

January 15, 2024: The whole White Lotus gang attends the HBO & Max Post Emmys Reception, but its clear Woodall and Fahy are there together together.

HBO & Max Post Emmys Reception  Party Jeff Kravitz

November 2023: They make out at the Bowery Hotel and sidewalk smooch while out in New York, among other paparazzi-caught moments. Theyre just like really in love, OKAY?

July 2, 2023: Its not as if theyre trying to hide it. The pair look awfully on-a-date at the drinks reception for the South Bank Sky Arts Awards at The Savoy Hotel in London, England.

The South Bank Sky Arts Awards 2023 - Drinks Reception Dave Benett/Getty Images

January 12, 2023: Andy Cohen asks directly about the rumors when Fahy comes on Watch What Happens Live, and while the actor doesnt confirm anything, she doesnt deny it either.

September 11, 2022: After filming wraps, Woodall posts a dump of behind-the-scenes moments, captioned thats amore. The very first pic is a mirror selfie of himself with Fahy.

April 22, 2022: The cast quickly bonds, and Woodall pops up on Fahys Instagramalong with costars Haley Lu Richardson and Adam DiMarco.

February 2022: The cast of The White Lotus season two begins filming in Sicily. This is a breakout role for Woodall, who now stars on Netflixs adaptation of One Day, and a more adult direction for Meghann Fahy, who rose to fame on The Bold Type. She previously dated Billy Magnussen for three years.

Originally Appeared on Glamour
A minister repeatedly raised concerns about potential war crimes committed by UK special forces in Afghanistan with senior figures within the Ministry of Defence  telling Ben Wallace something stinks  and was unable to disprove an alleged cover-up of killings when he investigated.

Veterans minister Johnny Mercer was speaking to an inquiry into dozens of killings of Afghan civilians by the SAS between 2010 and 2013. He told the inquiry on Tuesday that he did not want to believe reports that the elite British soldiers had killed unarmed Afghans, but he was unable to find something to disprove these allegations.

He said that when he investigated the matter with the senior figures within UK special forces (UKSF) they were unable to answer basic questions and he did not believe them.

When he was a junior minister in the Ministry of Defence from 2019, Mr Mercer raised concerns about rumours of potential UKSF crimes with the director of judicial engagement policy with the MoD, Peter Ryan, the chief of defence staff, Nick Carter, and the secretary of state for defence Ben Wallace.

Minister Johnny Mercer said senior figures within the UK special forces failed to probe claims of war crimes (PA)

He said that the chief of defence staff and the secretary of defence tasked him with getting to the bottom of it.

Mr Mercer told the independent investigation he was aware of allegations against a special forces unit, known to the inquiry as UKSF1, from as far back as 2009.

When he tried to investigate the claims during his time as a junior minister, he found that there was a lack of professional curiosity to get to the bottom of it.

The director of special forces and the chief of general staff also assured Mr Mercer that the allegations were untrue, the veterans minister told the inquiry.

He said the director of special forces did not have the professional curiosity that I expected him to have. He said he became concerned about why senior figures within the MoD could not provide evidence to disprove the allegations.

Members of UKSF have been accused of killing unarmed Afghans, planting weapons on them, falsifying reports and then covering up the crimes.

Mr Mercer then told Mr Wallace that he did not believe the director of special forces and the chief of general staff, telling him: Something stinks.

He added: I was very clear that there should be something to refute these allegations, just something. The absence of anything is what pricks your conscience.

Mr Mercer said he was also told that there was no full motion video available of certain special forces operations that were under investigation. This was something that was not plausible because operations had to be recorded on full motion video, Mr Mercer said.

The veterans minister raised his concerns about the lack of video records to Mr Wallace and the director of special forces, the inquiry heard. Mr Wallace repeatedly told me there was no new evidence, Mr Mercer added.

The inquiry will examine whether special forces had a policy of executing males of fighting age who posed no threat in Afghanistan between 2010 and 2013.

Afghan families have accused UK special forces of conducting a campaign of murder against civilians, while senior officers and personnel at the MoD sought to prevent adequate investigation.

Tessa Gregory, lawyer on behalf of the Afghan families, said: Today we have learned that, whilst the secretary of state for defence was telling the court in proceedings brought by our clients that there was nothing to see, a serving minister was raising allegations of the gravest nature.

The bereaved families urge all those with relevant information to come forward to assist the inquiry in ascertaining the truth.

No charges were brought under Operation Northmoor - which was set up in 2014 to examine allegations of executions by special forces, including those of children.

A further RMP investigation, codenamed Operation Cestro, saw three soldiers referred to the Service Prosecuting Authority, but none of them were prosecuted.

The inquiry continues.
According to a new lawsuit filed by Colorados attorney general last week, Kroger and Albertsons  two of the countrys largest supermarket companies, which have been petitioning the Federal Trade Commission to approve a mega-merger for over a year  allegedly illegally colluded to weaken striking workers leverage in 2022 by agreeing to no-poach and non-solicitation agreements.

Despite being competitors, Kroger and ACI [Albertsons Companies, Inc] have already colluded to suppress the wages and benefits of workers, Colorado Attorney General Philip J. Weiser wrote in the suit. In January 2022, unionized employees at 78 King Soopers stores in Colorado. Fearful that striking workers might flee to ACI, and that concerned customers would too, Kroger reached out to ACI to make a nefarious bargain.

Weiser alleges that that an Albertsons labor relations executive reached out to a member of Kroger leadership, informing them they would not hire striking King Soopers employees; Kroger manages various supermarket chains across the country, including Marianos, Fred Meyer, Harris Teeter, Pick 'n Save and King Soopers, while ACI manages stores including Safeway, Vons and Jewel-Osco. We dont intend to hire any King Soupers [sic] employees and we have already advised the Safeway division of our position and the division agrees, Albertsons senior vice president of labor relations wrote in an email quoted in the complaint.

Kroger and ACI have decided that collusion is more profitable than competition, Weiser wrote.

This lawsuit isnt the only factor complicating the long-planned Kroger and Albertsons merger, which both company leadership and many financial analysts predicted would be completely buttoned up by early 2024. Now, as the deal continues to unfold under FTC and state scrutiny, lawsuits and union resistance also continue to mount  but will it have any impact as detractors continue to warn about the monopolization of Americas grocery landscape?

The Colorado lawsuit  which is aimed at blocking the merger and uses the allegations of the 2022 strike-time collusion as one example as to why the deal should be curtailed  comes off the heels of a similar suit filed by Washington states attorney general, Bob Ferguson, in early January. That suit, which was filed in King County Superior Court, asserted that the merger eliminates Krogers closest competitor and decreases customer choice by significantly increasing the concentration of stores owned by the same company throughout Washington.

This merger is bad for Washington shoppers and workers, Ferguson said in a statement at the time. Free enterprise is built on companies competing, and that competition benefits consumers. Shoppers will have fewer choices and less competition, and, without a competitive marketplace, they will pay higher prices at the grocery store. Thats not right, and this lawsuit seeks to stop this harmful merger.

Fergusons lawsuit was endorsed by United Food & Commercial Workers, Local 3000, which represents Kroger and Albertsons employees in Washington, northeast Oregon and northern Idaho, The Seattle Times reported. Similarly, UFCW Local 7  which led the King Soopers strike in 2022  has rallied behind Weiser, indicating widespread national unease about the merger from both workers and state representatives.

In an interview with HuffPost, Kim Cordova, the president of UFCW Local 7, said that her union only became aware of the emails between Kroger and Albertsons leadership via Weisers lawsuit. She told the publication that the union immediately filed unfair labor practice charges against both companies with the National Labor Relations Board, which investigates union-busting allegations. The union is also considering suing, she said.

We will never know what concessions we could have got from these employers absent the alleged no-poach and no-solicitation pacts, Cordova said. We did well [with our contracts] but we could have done even better.

While Albertsons did not return a request for comment, Kroger told HuffPo that the Colorado complaint has mischaracterized the facts surrounding the strike of 2022.There was not then, and there is not now, non-solicitation or so-called no-poach agreements between Kroger and Albertsons, the spokesperson said. Employees at both companies regularly join our teams from  and exit our companies for opportunities to work at  Albertsons, Kroger, Walmart, Amazon, Costco and other retailers.

While Kroger has maintained that a merger will actually result in lower prices for consumers, the lawsuits do add more pressure to the already-strained proceedings surrounding the deal, which are still in the works. As Reuters reported last month, the FTC has now asked Kroger to supply more information about the proposed merger, while a Washington Analysis, a research firm in Washington, D.C., that focuses on political and regulatory policy, has put the odds of the merger successfully closing at 35% per the New York Times.

However, leadership from both supermarket giants seem confident the deal will take place later this year.

We believe our merger with Albertsons and the comprehensive divestiture to C&S will result in the best outcomes for customers, associates and our communities, The Kroger Co. said in a January release.

In light of our continuing dialogue with the regulators, we are updating our anticipated closure timeline. We currently anticipate that the closing will occur in the first half of Kroger's fiscal 2024, it said. While this is longer than we originally thought, we knew it was a possibility and our merger agreement and divestiture plan accounted for such potential timing.








Recently, we wrote about the wildest, most memorable coworkers people ever had, and now we're back for even more. Here are the terrifying, heartbreaking, and downright bizarre coworker stories the BuzzFeed Community shared.*

*We also included some responses from this Reddit thread.

1."I had a technician that worked for me kill his wife, who also worked for me, with a hammer. He came to work as if nothing had happened, told me that she was sick and wouldn't be in, and put the hammer into his toolbox. Imagine my surprise when the cops showed up a couple of hours later looking for him."

u/tigertony

2."I worked with a girl who faked kidney failure, dialysis, surgery, the whole bit, to take advantage of the company's sick leave policy. She'd come back from weekends sunburned but always had a story of why she was outside during the weekend (i.e. watching her brother play kickball). She was found out when we contacted her parents to try to get her hospital room number so that we could send her get-well flowers."

u/Ad_the_Inhaler

The CW

3."During one summer in college, I worked at a summer camp where the counselors' ages ranged from high schoolers (you had to be at least 15 to work there) to young adults. One year, a counselor who was in her 20s was fired because she was texting a bunch of the teenaged girl counselors asking them to have sleepovers with her and her husband, about their sexual history, to send pictures of themselves to her and her husband, and just other inappropriate things. She would even give their numbers to her husband, and he would text them. She was immediately fired, and the parents of the girls understandably wanted to press charges, but law enforcement said they couldn't since nothing physically happened. I hope those two are on some watchlist because I fear what will happen when they manage to find a victim."

meringue88

4."I delivered pizza for Papa John's for about four years. Obviously you see a lot of people come and go during that amount of time, but one guy stood out. He got lost on all his runs, even basic short hops down major roads. ... After a few days of this, the manager finally decided to let him go. He grabbed his car topper and spiked it at the ground, then came around front and tried to throw it through the front window. ... She got a restraining order on him, and we thought that was that. Fast-forward a month or two."

"I am the closing driver, and the only other person working is the shift lead, who's in the cash office counting down tills. I am walking out the front door with a big delivery. As I start to load the bag into my car, I notice several police sirens, and I can tell they're moving pretty fast. I look over my right shoulder at the main thoroughfare we were located on and see two cop cars flying down the street. I instinctively track left to follow them, but they don't go where I think they should be. I become aware that something wild is happening right now as I see a pickup fly up over the curb into our parking lot and hurtle toward the store with the cops following. The car slams into the front floor-to-ceiling windows and through the front counter. The truck is completely inside the store when it comes to a stop. Cops fly out and swarm the vehicle. I hear screaming about a grenade. Up 'til that point, I've been standing less than 10 feet from where all this happened, and it suddenly hits me how close I came to getting hit, and I finally get the fuck out of the area.

Turns out my old coworker was severely off balance. He had started fucking with a cop at the Denny's down the road, hit a cruiser with his truck, then backed up and hit it again, then took off, and they gave chase. For some reason, he decided to end their chase at the place he'd worked for several days."

DrewBlood

5."I had a colleague who was married with three children. We knew each other enough to say hello and make small talk, during which we learned that our daughters shared a first name. From that point on, we'd often talk about our families and home life to the point where I considered him a friend. A few months later, he told me his wife was leaving him for another man. He was distraught but seemed like he was trying to accept it as much as possible. A friend and I met him for coffee one evening and talked with him about his divorce. He was sad but resigned; he even said he loved her very much, that he just wanted her to be happy, and had no intention of dragging out the divorce. Two days later, I learned that he had gone to the boyfriend's apartment where his wife and kids were."

"He confronted the boyfriend, then killed him with a gun, then shot himself in the head. Thank God the wife and children were spared. I'm still baffled that there had been no signs of what he had been planning."

jlmoore10

6."At my first job ever, I worked with a coworker who did meth in the bathroom. Meth. He had worked there for two years and never got caught. One day he came up to me after the store closed (this was a grocery store) and asked if I could cover the last hour of his shift since he covered an hour for me earlier this week. I said sure, and he was so excited that he took a bottle of windex off the shelf and took a drink of it."

u/DeadlyToaster

Fox

7."I worked at a monkey lab, and Mark, the night security guard, would take the security truck, pick up some booze, drive 80 miles to San Francisco, pick up a sex worker, drive the 80 miles back to his trailer, drink more, get laid, drive the sex worker back to San Francisco, and then would return to work still drunk, right before the morning crew showed up. On a fairly regular basis."

u/gornzilla

8."Back in the early '80s at a private tow pound in New York City, I witnessed a guy take off another guy's left arm with a machete, just above the elbow, in one stroke. The guy that had his arm sliced off was a pretty big dude, and the guy with the machete was a little guy. ... The big guy would mercilessly tease the little guy and had recently taken to smacking him on the back of the head whenever the opportunity presented itself. On the fateful day, after getting smacked in the head, the little guy warned him that if he ever touched him again, he would cut off his arm. The big guy couldn't resist, and as the little guy walked by a few minutes later, he smacked him on the head."

"The little guy went straight to the boss's office and asked to borrow $20 in advance on his salary which the boss was glad to do as up until that day, the little guy was one of his best workers. The little guy walked a couple of blocks to a hardware store, bought a machete and had it sharpened, wrapped it up in a newspaper and returned to the tow pound. The big guy was sitting in his tow truck with his left arm out of the window, and I was about 12 feet away when the little guy slid the machete from his makeshift newspaper scabbard and delivered the single blow. He then placed the machete on the floor and sat down in a chair to wait for the cops.

There was lots of blood, screams from the big guy, yelling for ice to put the severed arm in, freaking pandemonium, and the whole time, the little guy just sat there and waited for the cops to arrive."

u/Xhoodlum

9."Back in the day where dial-up internet ruled, I worked for a large airline. One of my coworkers would often work late, and apparently, he liked to surf porn. He later explained to me that this was because the airline paid for wired broadband, so he could surf at high speed."

"Anyway, he worked late one night and went about his (apparently) regular late-night porn surf. He was especially fond of erotic stories featuring young Asian women. You may be wondering how I know this: It was because he printed these stories (to take home later?) and in his post-whack daze, left them on the printer.

So, the following morning, the Christianity-as-a-lifestyle lady that sat directly next to the printer got a fun bonus when she went to print something  a thick stack of erotica. To give context to her outrage, this is a woman who would take her breaks to pray, kept multiple pictures of Jesus at her desk, and would wedge bible verses into conversation.

Oddly, this didn't get the gentleman fired. ... The head of our department promised David that next time, he would be fired. To go along with that, David was now under constant scrutiny. Whenever David left the office for any length of time, the head of the department would wander over and start probing David's machine for incriminating evidence. This put a big damper in David's private internet time, at least for a little while. Six months later, the heat had died down quite a bit, and David started right back up again. His desires had apparently shifted, and now young Asian women no longer sufficed. His preferences had migrated to photos of barely legal Asians. No doubt you realize how I knew this  yes, buried several folders deep, David was keeping his digital spank-bank on his company owned computer.

If you think this is the point where the story ends, and David gets the pink-slip, you'd be wrong. Our mutual employers desire to fire him was only equaled by their desperate need for qualified employees. So, David stayed. The head of the department told him that next time, he would most certainly be fired.

As is often the case with companies, the airline we worked for was owned by an even larger company. ... The folks working at the parent company...treated everyone at the airline with a casual disregard that would shock royalty. ... David ended up working with a member of the IT department for the parent company. While they worked together on some connectivity project, the guy from the parent company made it a point to insult David, David's work, and the network it ran on. ... David took this as a challenge, and went about running a just recently released NTLM password cracker on the parent company's network. To no one's surprise, David was able to harvest a large portion of the parent company's usernames and passwords. The next time those parent company guys gave David any crap, he was going to show them.

A few days later, David ended up back on the phone with the same IT guy from the parent company. As expected, he was just as abusive to David as ever. David pulled out his secret weapon, and told the IT guy in intimate detail how easy it was for him to get the parent company's passwords, and how their network wasn't any more secure than the airline's.

The next day, David, our department head, and the CEO of the airline went into an office, and David was unceremoniously shit-canned. The IT guy from the parent company had labeled David as a hacker and went to the head of the parent company to make sure David's career was over. Not satisfied with simply terminating David, the FBI was also called in to look into the hacking, as well as allegations that David was trafficking in child pornography. That's right, David's cache of barely-legal porn was now the subject of an FBI investigation. His coworkers were compelled to give statements to the feds, and his direct supervisor, when asked about the ages of the women in David's porno stash, emphatically replied, 'With Asian girls, you never can tell!'

The feds were never able, or never interested in building a case against David, and he quietly moved on to other work."

u/somedudewhatever

NBC

10."I worked for a car dealership, and one of the representatives in the buy center (where people could come in and sell their cars to the dealer group to become used car inventory) would walk around carrying his steering wheel. It was a quick release steering wheel  like what people usually put on a race car  but inexplicably, he'd put it on his CRV and would just take it off every day when he parked and take it around with him. He didn't work there very long, but it made an impression... So when he ended up on the news for murdering his ex-girlfriend, it made it a lot easier to remind curious coworkers who he was."

"'Who was that?' 'The one who carried the steering wheel around.' 'OH! THAT GUY!'"

melissan40168c557

11."When I was in high school, I worked at Best Buy. In the back warehouse there was a cardboard crusher, and one day another employee and I were throwing boxes down into it. All of a sudden, the machine jams and starts making an awful noise. Apparently, someone had put a wooden pallet down the chute, but before I could say or do anything, the guy I'm working with says, 'I got it.' He then proceeds to dive head first into the cardboard crusher and ride the 12-foot steel chute like a slide. The warehouse manager saw what just happened and lost his shit. He came running across the warehouse screaming, 'Did he just jump in there? He did not just jump in there!' The manager runs over and hits the emergency stop button, and the guy comes out of the Cardboard Crusher wondering what the big deal was. Should probably mention, too, that that employee was missing the tops of two fingers because he had cut them off in shop class."

[deleted]

12."A guy from my office robbed a bank in the middle of the day while driving one of the company's vehicles that had been assigned to him  which was caught on camera."

stategirl43

HBO

13."I worked with a guy at a fast food restaurant who turned out to be a neo-Nazi. One day he and another coworker quit to go traveling together. A couple weeks later, we find out during police questioning that he had brutally murdered the coworker friend with a machete and set his body on fire several states over."

kevinsimons

14."In the conference room, during a meeting, my boss gets up, walks to the corner of the room, and while still talking, unzips his pants and pisses in a fake plant. He then sits back down like nothing happened, still mid-sentence."

u/birdsdofly

15."I had a coworker who got caught performing sex acts in the parking lot with his drug dealer. Who caught him? A 15-year-old hostess! It was her first and last night working there! Poor thing  it was also her first job. The guy in the car performing just never came back in!"

lhoos4685

16."A longtime coworker at McDonald's said you would not get burned if you stuck your hand in the fryer oil and pulled it out really quickly. I said you would. He showed me. He got burned."

[deleted]

17."I once went and hung out with a coworker at their house. She told me she has to let her dog hump her leg. The dog has a 'specific' whine for when it wants to hump her leg. About 30 minutes into us hanging out, the dog whines  my coworker put a blanket on her leg and then let her dog go to town. After the dog was 'finished,' she made several comments about how happy her dog was, and thats why she lets her do it. We never hung out again."

strwbrryflds8

18."A nurse I worked with was found unresponsive in the bath stall. This incident had clear indicators of IV drug use. A syringe/injection set found on the floor, and blood was running down the inside of her arm. ... Rather than management jumping to 'Holy $***, weve got a problem,'...we kept her alive and woke her up in the ED. Our manager listened to her tearful explanation of being tired, having sick kids, and not sleeping, and allowed her to go sleep in a call room. Not kidding. It takes another month before the cognitive dissonance dissolves. Extensive audits were done  they were found to have diverted an estimated tens of thousands mg/equivalent of morphine."

traumadrama

19."One of my first jobs was at an amusement park, and if you were a 'good employee' (showed up on time and sober), you would get advanced pretty quickly. Soon I was in charge of giving people breaks and training new employees, which was a pretty sweet job (you got to basically do what you wanted as long as everyone got their break on time) and paid slightly more. One day I go to give a break to a new guy. He smiles and takes his bag full of change (containing 12 grand in ones/fives/tens/twenties this late in the day) and runs off to presumably lock it in the little safes they give us to hold the money. The guy never came back."

"Security and management come by, they ask me a bunch of questions about him, and eventually they realize that he gave completely fake information and worked one day so he could steal a couple thousand dollars. They never found the guy."

u/kremmy

CBS

20."When I was 14, I worked at a floral business who basically hired anyone. My duty for that day was to stand in one of the greenhouses and shove seeds into little soil pots all day. I was partnered up with this guy probably in his early 20s...typical burnout with the 24/7 confused look who would spend all day telling everyone about how much of a badass he was. My boss was fucking unhinged. He had an incredibly short temper. His typical reaction to someone doing something wrong would be to throw his hat then break things (including but not limited to plants, chairs, a tow motor once, etc.). Anyways, apparently the kid I was working with fucked something up, and the boss had just noticed it."

"He came storming into the greenhouse, red in the face. He started yelling at the kid for something he had done previously, then began kicking shit over and eventually telling him to 'GET THE FUCK OUT AND DON'T COME BACK. YOU'RE FIRED.' Instead of this kid walking out with his head down, he runs up to the boss, rips his shirt off, and yells, 'IF I CAN DO 100 PUSH-UPS IN ONE MINUTE, I KEEP MY JOB.' He wasn't asking, he was telling. He drops down and begins doing the fastest push-ups I've ever witnessed. He mumbled his way to 100, put his shirt back on, walked back to the bench, and continued planting seeds like nothing ever happened. Boss never said another word."

u/bulletproof_tiger

21."I worked for a state agency about 20 years ago. New Division Director sent out a long and very stern email telling employees that there would be zero tolerance for porn on company computers. Fast-forward two years and our IT group reported him for having porn on his office computer. I cant wrap my head around how he thought he wouldnt be found out. Of course he was fired."

judithf46009c74f

22.Relatedly... "I had a coworker who stayed late to watch porn. Another coworker caught him USING MY COMPUTER. He couldn't even use his own computer to do it!"

hennypennystegosaurus

23."I will never forget the day our GM almost got us shut down. I worked at a Fuddruckers, and he brutally murdered an opossum that was outside our back doors on the patio by hitting it over the head a few times with a hammer and then stabbing it repeatedly with a prep knife...in front of about 20 elderly women."

u/ieatbrainz

CBS

Finally, let's end on some lighter ones that are just completely unhinged:

24."I work at a printing company. We often print on foil paper. That's aluminum foil laminated to regular paper. On the press, the rolls spin pretty fast and are up to five feet in diameter. They are essentially massive, 1,500-pound capacitors. One guy stands there holding his hand to the roll as it spins and waits for an unsuspecting passerby. When the victim walks by, he reaches out to them and shoots a thick, crackling arc of static electricity at them, up to a foot away. He literally has a bright lightening bolt shooting from his fingertips."

u/andrewse

25."I work in a fairly large factory. This one guy, upon getting fired, rode his motorcycle all around the shop floor. The shop foremen chased him around for, like, 10 minutes before he finally left. Pretty epic goodbye, I'd say."

u/theGreyjoy

New Line Cinema

26."I used to work in a big factory. One guy got fired for missing too many days. There was a rumor going around that he was going to streak through the factory floor. No one really believed it, but the guy was a bit of a loose cannon so the HR guys escort him off the premises with a security guard... Ten minutes later, he climbed over a fence, naked, to get back in and proceeded to run around the factory holding his privates yelling 'wwwhhhooooooo!'"

u/smokingbanman

27."At my last internship...a coworker army crawled out of her cubicle, through the hall way, and onto the elevator. Nobody ever saw her again."

[deleted]

What's your wildest coworker or boss story? Let us know in the comments.

Submissions have been edited for length/clarity.
After Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, Kensington Palace released a statement on behalf of Prince William and Kate Middleton condemning the attack and saying that they were profoundly distressed by events unfolding. And today, Prince William has released a personal statement on the subject as he carried out the first of two visits to recognize the human suffering relating to the conflict.

I remain deeply concerned about the terrible human cost of the conflict in the Middle East since the Hamas terrorist attack on 7 October. Too many have been killed, the Princes statement said. I, like so many others, want to see an end to the fighting as soon as possible. There is a desperate need for increased humanitarian support to Gaza. Its critical that aid gets in and the hostages are released. Sometimes it is only when faced with the transparent scale of human suffering that the importance of permanent peace is brought home.

The statement concluded, Even in the darkest hour, we must not succumb to the counsel of despair. I continue to cling to the hope that a brighter future can be found and I refuse to give up on that.

Williams words were released by spokesperson as he arrived at the headquarters of the British Red Cross to hear about humanitarian efforts taking place in the region. There, he was connected via video call to teams operating in the area supporting the humanitarian response in Gaza.

WPA Pool - Getty Images

Next week, the Prince will join a conversation at a synagogue with young people from communities who are advocating against hatred and antisemitism. Further details of this visit currently remain embargoed.



The Prince and Princess were profoundly concerned by events that unfolded in late 2023 and continue to hold all the victims, their family and friends in their hearts and minds, Kensington Palace said. The Princess is currently unable to carry out royal duties as she is recovering from major abdominal surgery. Back in October, Prince William wrote a personal letter to the United Kingdom's Chief Rabbi, Sir Ephraim Mirvis, wherein he reflected on his 2018 trip to Israel, and wrote, "I do hope though that in time, voices calling for peace, common understanding and co-existence can once again come to the fore."

Buckingham Palace has previously expressed the Kings deep concern over the situation in the Middle East, and King Charles has also met with Rabbi Mirvis, the UK's Chief Rabbi, and charity representatives operating in the Middle East, including Gaza. Additionally, the King has spoken with President Herzog of Israel and King Abdullah of Jordan.

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Sweden's Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel are undertaking a three-day visit to California.

Per Swedish royal family, "The trip is made at the request of the government and the purpose is to broaden and develop relations with California in innovation, green transition and emerging technologies with a focus on artificial intelligence (AI). During the visit, the Crown Princess will also inaugurate Sweden's new Consulate General in San Francisco." They will be joined by Johan Forsell, the Swedish Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, for some of their engagements.

Clement Morin

The trip kicked off yesterday, with a visit to the Marine Mammal Center and hiking the Rodeo Beach Coastal Trailhead, where the couple snapped a few photos in front of the Golden Gate Bridge. For the occasion, Princess Victoria wore a Stutterheim raincoat, and Axel Arigato sneakersthe right choices for the rainy and windy San Francisco weather.

Mosebacke Lightweight Raincoat

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After, the royal couple met students at The Scandinavian School and Cultural Center, and attended a reception at the Swedish congregation in San Francisco, where they met Swedes who live in the San Francisco Bay Area. "You Swedes abroad are all ambassadors for our country and you are all important pieces of the puzzle in the work to strengthen the ties between countries," the Crown Princess said in a speech.

Today, the royals will meet California Governor Gavin Newsom, visit the new Swedish Consulate General's office, and meet San Francisco Mayor London Breed. In addition, Victoria and Daniel will also learn about driverless cars and OpenAI. The Swedish couple's visit will conclude with time in Palo Altoincluding a visit to Stanford Universitytomorrow and Thursday.

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For the 10th anniversary of Talbots partnership with Dress for Success, longtime Talbots model and Real Housewives of New York City cast member Ubah Hassan readily stepped in to support this years philanthropic campaign.

The Somalia-born Hassan was raised in Canada and started modeling in New York. To date, Talbots shoppers and staffers have raised upwards of $10 million for the nonprofit that champions unemployed and underemployed women.

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Hassan has modeled for Talbots since 2015, but she had a stint with them a few years before that too. After being hired for a 2012 shoot, Hassan said it was later determined that she was too skinny and young-looking. But the Talbots team encouraged her to get back in touch in a few years once she looked more mature. She thought they were just trying to be nice, and said she told her agent not to charge the company for the two days shed worked. But Talbots insisted on paying her.

Fast forward to 2015. I got a call for a casting and I have not stopped working with them. I am so incredibly lucky to work with this brand. It is a very womens empowerment-focused company. Many of the people have worked there for 20 or 30 years, Hassan said. I really like this environment, because it shows that the company really values the people, who work there.

That applies to the creative side too, including models, art directors, stylists and others. It tends to create this very beautiful and meditative way of working. Seeing the same people all the time, you get to know about their husbands, kids, lives and holidays, Hassan said.

Talbots also celebrates birthdays, surprising models with birthday cake and drinks, she said. Bravo also marks holidays by sending flowers, Tiffany trinkets and Andy [Cohen] sent us a beautiful cashmere sweater that said, Im a Housewife or something like that. As for whether Hassan will return for another season on RHONYC, she said, We dont know. They havent told us anything yet.

Sometimes the funny moments dont make it onto the show, she said. You have to tell the story and its only 45 minutes [in each episode].The girls are really hilarious and funny, she said.

All of the cast complain about food and they love to eat, said Hassan, who used to own a cafe in Canada. Coming from the modeling industry, she said, It was very refreshing to see women, who are vocal, love to eat and are very powerful.

Not knowing what the final edit will be is the scariest part, according to Hassan. For instance, you and I are talking right now, but they could just mute you and people would only hear me talking. The audience might then wonder why you arent talking to me, when I am being so nice to you.

So are the RHONYC cast members as cut-throat as it is made out to be? Hassan said, Nah, I didnt feel that way at all. When we were done filming, I missed the crew. I would say, My god, can you just come over and we can breakfast together? They would come over in the morning to have croissants. I live alone so I was very happy they came to my house.

Despite their on-air fights, Hassan said Erin Lichy is her favorite castmate and they spend time together. There is some soul connection between Erin and I. I love her laugh. She laughs a lot about my stupid jokes and how my English is not very good. And I love, when I make someone laugh. She also absolutely loves me, Hassan said.

Jenna Lyons is another favorite, she said.

Having come to the U.S. with $150 and making her own way in the world, Hassan said she admires self-starters and those who overcome challenges. The model, who is Muslim, said that some people do not approve of her job, or being unmarried and living in New York. However, her mothers opinion is the only one she cares about, and she is always supportive, Hassan said. As human beings, our tongues are very powerful. My mother told me, Your words can heal or kill so be really careful.

Fielding unsolicited opinions from others is another matter. Addressing how she gets backlash sometimes on social media, Hassan said, Anyone can write a message to you. They use really mean words.But as long as I am doing the right thing, I dont really listen to peoples opinions.

On the other hand, meeting fans at BravoCon was the most fun thing that she has ever done, she said. Some women came up to me crying to say their relationships with their moms completely changed, after they saw the episode of me and my mom, Hassan said. It was three days of pure laughter, joking, taking pictures, eating and meeting people.

After traveling to London earlier this month for a LOreal shoot, she returned to New York in time to catch a few New York Fashion Week shows and to dole out some dating advice on Valentines Day at a event at Soho House. Hassan advises that if text messages need to be screenshot for further analysis from friends: Hes not the one.

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When we stock up on potatoes, the plan is often to use them over a period. However, they sit in our pantry, and before we know it, some of them start to look a bit off, showing signs of wrinkling or shriveling. It's a common scenario in many households, which brings us to the question of whether it's safe to consume these wrinkly potatoes.

According to experts at the University of Illinois, it's better to err on the side of caution and discard the shriveled taters. When stored for a long time, especially if the storage conditions are not ideal (like in a warm place), potatoes begin to lose their moisture. This moisture loss leads to the skin becoming loose and wrinkly. Furthermore, in warm conditions, the spuds may also start to sprout -- the potato's way of trying to grow and reproduce. While this is a natural process, it's a clear indicator that the potato is not in its prime state for consumption.

The main concern with consuming wrinkly potatoes is the potential health risk they pose. Visible signs of decay, such as wrinkling and sprouting, are a sign of the development of solanine, a natural toxin produced by potatoes. According to Healthline, solanine in small amounts doesn't usually affect humans, but its concentration can increase significantly in decaying or sprouting potatoes, leading to the risk of solanine poisoning. Symptoms can range from gastrointestinal distress to more severe reactions, including heart and nervous system issues, depending on the amount ingested.

Read more: 23 Types Of Potatoes And When To Use Them

Best Practices For Storing Potatoes

Hessian sack full of potatoes - Vandervelden/Getty Images

To ensure your potatoes stay fresh for as long as possible, proper storage is key. The ideal way to store potatoes is in a cool, dark, and well-ventilated space. The perfect temperature is around 45 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit. However, since getting such a cool environment is challenging in most homes, storing potatoes at room temperature (65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit) is a practical alternative. At this temperature range your spuds can keep fresh for one to two weeks.

Light is another critical factor to consider. Potatoes should be stored in the dark to prevent the development of chlorophyll, which turns them green. While the green color itself is not harmful, it indicates a higher concentration of solanine, which, as mentioned earlier, can be toxic. Ventilation is equally important in preventing moisture buildup, which can lead to rot. Storing potatoes in a breathable container, such as a paper bag, a mesh bag or sack, or a cardboard box, allows for adequate airflow while protecting them from light.

Lastly, it's important to regularly check your stored potatoes for any signs of spoilage or sprouting. Removing the affected potatoes promptly can prevent the spread of decay and extend the freshness of the remaining potatoes. By following these storage guidelines, you can significantly prolong the life of your potatoes, reducing waste and ensuring that you always have fresh potatoes ready for your next meal.

Read the original article on Tasting Table.
Do you want just clitoral hood or glans as well?

The whole infernal packet.

This gynecological checklist is the focal point of an exchange between Alfie Blessington (Christopher Abbott), the estranged husband of Bella Baxter (Emma Stone,) and a doctor in Poor Things, the latest film from director Yorgos Lanthimos. Alfie has summoned the doctor to perform a genital-cutting operation on Bella after learning she had a stint as a sex worker in Paris. A dead woman resurrected by an eccentric surgeon, Bella has returned to Alfies sprawling baroque estate after he informs her that they were married in her previous life. However, she quickly finds that he is exceptionally cruel and escapes after overhearing that hes arranged to remove her clitoris to quell her sexual habits.

Im pretty sure people watched it and had no idea it was actually a thing, Dr. Nicole Warren (Ph.D., MSN, MPH, FAAN, CNM), an associate professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing said of the disturbing scene. So I was impressed that they [the filmmakers] knew that and wielded it.

Though the scene is brief, largely buried under other, more drawn-out interactions regarding female genitalia, its significance is undeniable. Its a reference that speaks to a very real, very horrifying practice that continues to plague millions of women and girls around the world.

Since it debuted in December, Poor Things has garnered 11 Oscar nominations, including best picture, best director and best actress. Its also left audiences somewhat polarized. Some have feted it as a triumphant take on feminism amid what seems to be Victorian-era Europe, stuffed with steampunk fantasy, velvety colors and quirky charm. Others have dubbed Poor Things as gratuitously raunchy, citing its many and motley sex scenes; we get an assortment: bondage, leg humping, instructional (a father hires Bella to teach his two sons about sex.)

Regardless of your thoughts on Poor Things'" message, and what it does or doesnt accomplish, theres no denying that its a film steeped in some genuine themes about the female experience. We see Bella engaging in several multi-contextual relationships with men, who almost exclusively exist to exert some level of control over her: the pseudo-father figure who seeks to keep her away from the world; the paramour who shows her how to globetrot but tries to contain her zeal for liberation; the doting fiance who doesnt have a clue how to excite her. And though none of these instances of control will likely sit well with the progressive viewer, Alfies desire to control Bella by physically mutilating her is the most barbaric.

Poor Things

Watching Poor Things, Warren said she felt the filmmakers did their due diligence.

At some point the camera actually cuts to a tool to do the procedure, and it made me think theyd done their homework to recognize that this was a way  used in the U.S. and the U.K. and other high resource settings  to control womens sexuality, said Warren, who is also the Associate Director of Womens Health at the HEAL Clinic.

The films theme of cutting is introduced from its onset. We see Dr. Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe) slicing at splayed cadavers for a room full of medical students  My father once told me, Always carve with compassion, he says.

Godwins home is inhabited by a menagerie of sutured creatures from past experiments  a chicken with a pigs head and a goose with a dogs body, for example  along with Bella, his most treasured work of reanimation. After Godwin swaps her brain for that of her unborn child, he renders her mind childlike, though her anatomy remains the same.

But despite what it retains in realism insofar as it relates to womanhood, Poor Things is ultimately a fantastical movie. So whats the reality of female genital mutilation as it exists today?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), which has a zero tolerance stance on female cutting  which is observed annually on Feb. 6, per The United Nations  female genital mutilation (FGM) has no health benefits. It only harms those it is done to via the removal and damage of normal female genital tissue. The WHO adds that more than 200 million girls and women alive presently have been subject to female genital mutilation across 30 countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East where it is often practiced as a normative ritual or social norm. As seen in Poor Things, the Western world also has a history of physically altering girls and women as a consequence of their undesirable behavior, as Warren observed. Its important for people to understand that clitorectomies  partial or total  were common in the U.S., in the West through the early 19th century and into the 20th century in the U.S., she said.

It could be a girl who appears to be masturbating too much, could be a girl whose behavior was just considered unacceptable in some way, too rambunctious, maybe too flirtatious. Warren continued. A woman could also be cut for not responding to her husbands advances as she was expected to, Warren said, noting how it could be employed to both curb sexuality and align it. For instances of clitorectomies and other forms of female genital mutilation performed in the West, Warren said that it was largely done, not as as routine practice, but in response to behavior deemed to be abnormal or unsavory.

The common thread no matter what century you're talking about, no matter what context, she said, is there's an overarching theme of trying to control behavior so that someone can achieve social acceptability.

As Dr. Christina Pallitto, a scientist and the Technical Lead on Female Genital Mutilation at the WHO noted, using the practice as a way to keep young girls and women chaste and virginal is a main reason for its enduring prevalence today. There are other driver and social norms as well, Pallitto observed. Its very complex why its done and why its maintained over generations and the pressure of community members on others to maintain the practice.

Speaking about the medicalization of female genital mutilation, Pallitto clarified, When we talk about medicalization it's not necessarily that it's done by a doctor. And its largely harmful because it perpetuates the practice by legitimizing it, drawing upon the respect we typically hold for health care providers.

What we also know is that it may be reported as medicalized FGM, but the people that are considered health providers aren't actually licensed health providers as well, she said. So they may wear a white coat. It may be sort of somebody who is helping in a health facility who may you know, then off-site perform FGM but they have absolutely no training. They're not actually any kind of licensed provider.

It's still a harmful practice. It still causes harm regardless of who's performing it, Pallitto added.

Warren also spoke candidly about the stigma surrounding female genital mutilation, both within some of the ethnic communities that practice it and in the U.S., where it is considered a human rights violation and is illegal to perform on a child under the age of 18. I've heard anecdotes from some women in the places where the cutting is associated with coming of age ceremonies and gifts and new clothes. I have heard anecdotes of women saying, Yes it was painful yes it was horrible but it was also one of the proudest most wonderful days of my life, and I don't know why you're making such a big deal about this. I have other issues that I need help with, so can you please stop talking about the status of my genitals?

Poor Things

We don't really leave room for that right  certainly not in healthcare interactions  and we need to listen, Warren continued, noting how the focus of her work has been improving care for people who have already been cut. Primary prevention or stopping cutting altogether, also needs to be met by other techniques, Warren said. Offering therapies is one useful method of providing support to those who have already been adversely affected. Additional difficulties arise, Warren noted, for those people who migrate from countries where cutting is normal to places where its not.

What we are really good at is giving women shock and disgust and horror, she said. We traumatize them again, we shame them again, we stigmatize them right back into silence and they are subjected to more harm because they don't have access to these evidence-based therapies that we know could work for them. So we are making a problem worse by not being prepared to care for them. There's the harm of the original cut and then there's the harm of the neglected treatment.

The consequences of female genital mutilation, which the WHO categorizes into four major types, can be intensely physically damaging. In the immediate aftermath of being cut, women and girls can be subject to hemorrhaging, infection, shock and death, amongst other issues. Long-term effects include keloids and scarring, urinary issues, sexual dysfunction and vaginal and menstrual problems.

Dr. Ivona Percec, (MD, Ph.D.) a plastic surgeon at the University of Pennsylvania, also noted the potential for survivors of female genital mutilation to develop psychological complications. Theres not just a personal trauma, but theres also a generational trauma, Percec said of women who live in communities where cutting is commonplace. The older you are, the more you remember, the more traumatic it is.

Percec, who developed a reconstructive procedure for survivors of female genital mutilation that can increase sexual function, spoke about the variation in patients she sees. Everybody comes at a different psychological and physical stage, she said. Some women know what its like to have an orgasm, some people dont even know what an orgasm is. So each case is tailored to the woman and what theyre trying to achieve. I have them use vibrators and things like that. Read books and learn about their bodies, learn about what pleasure is.

Poor Things

Perhaps equally as important as offering forms of therapy and healing for women affected by female genital mutilation is educating the public on the risks it poses, as well as the significant prevalence of it in todays world. I think its certainly something that we need to highlight and discuss more openly, Percec said. I think talking about it in a very open, non-political but culturally sensitive way is the way it should be done.

In Warrens view, this is part of what Poor Things has accomplished through Bellas character. Responding to criticisms of the films sexually graphic nature, Warren said, Bellas a lot of things but shes definitely sex-positive.

Clitoral oppression is just one sort of oppression she was subjected to. [Alfie] didnt want her to keep reading, he didnt want her to keep asking questions. I think sexual oppression is just one of many ways in which we try to silence women.
When Nate Phinney packed up his ice fishing gear in Watertown, South Dakota and set out for a nearby lake on Feb. 9, he wasnt expecting the scene he found when he arrived  some 1,000 to 1,500 dead snow geese piled up and frozen into the lakes surface. The carnage that he filmed at the scene was jarring enough to amass millions of views on social media. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sean Weaver (@seanweaverdwc) Phinney has been fishing and hunting in this area for years, and the sight of dead birds frozen into the water wasnt exactly a new one, he tells Outdoor Life. Usually, those geese would be spread out all over the lake, and you wouldnt see them until spring because theyd be covered up by snow, Phinney says, explaining that die-offs from avian influenza during recent migrations have left lots of dead geese scattered across the state. Except we dont have any snow this year, and the lakes sort of thawed back out in early December, so you get that effect of windrows of dead geese on one side of the lake. Its kind of a shock. Phinney is friends with waterfowler Sean Weaver, whose over 44,000 Instagram followers were equally shocked by the video when Weaver posted the footage to his Instagram account. The video has since racked up 2.4 million views. Weaver witnessed similar scenes back in early December when the migration came through eastern South Dakota, he tells Outdoor Life. As he explains in the caption of Phinneys video, these birds  mostly juvenile snows  probably died around December and have been stuck in the ice for months. That hypothesis is supported by the fact that South Dakota lakes have been mostly frozen since then and the bulk of the northward spring migration hasnt reached the area yet. This is just one lake that went through a die-off on a roost in December, Weaver says. I recorded several lakes in early December with huge die-offs like this. This is not an isolated incident. There were dozens, if not hundreds, of lakes in eastern South Dakota that had dead snow geese on them in early December. The new strain of avian influenza, which has wreaked havoc on wild bird populations, domestic poultry, and even trickled into mammal species, remains uncharted territory, according to Weaver. Thats because no one really understands the breadth of avian influenzas impact on wild bird populations yet  especially because the death toll is constantly rising. When weve had bird die-offs in the past from cholera or botulism, theyre these isolated spots and isolated incidents. Its not continent-wide die-offs of snow geese, Weaver says. Avian influenza has been running through the wild population for two years now. It has always been endemic to wild birds but its never been deadly to wild birds, at least nowhere near this capacity. We dont know what the ramifications of something like this will be with bird populations, and frankly, no one has ever tackled quantifying and calculating it. Read Next: Were Experiencing the Deadliest Bird Flu Outbreak in History. Heres What All Bird Hunters Need to Know Despite the lack of grasp on the lasting impacts of avian influenza on continent-wide waterfowl numbers, the immediate impact is glaringly obvious to any waterfowl hunter, bird watcher, ice angler, or passerby who takes a closer look at whats frozen into the lakes surface. Its not a pretty sight. Thats the most dead snow geese I have ever seen, Phinney says. To see that many dead birds in one scene and knowing thats mostly from disease, its eye-opening.

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Dr. Warikoo will oversee the Ovation Fertility Cincinnati laboratory as well as a new andrology lab that opened in February 2024.

Pradeep Warikoo, PhD, HCLD, ELD, CC (ABB)

Ovation Fertility Cincinnati Lab Director

Nashville, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pradeep Warikoo, PhD, HCLD, ELD, CC (ABB), has joined the Ovation Fertility team as laboratory director of Ovation Fertility Cincinnati, effective February 1, 2024. Dr. Warikoo comes to Ovation from the Bethesda Fertility Center Reproductive Study Lab in Cincinnati, where he has served as scientific director for more than 25 years.

Ovations expansion in the Cincinnati area involves a close partnership with our partner physicians at the Institute for Reproductive Health, which combined with Bethesda Fertility Center effective February 1, says Conor Beardsley, President of Ovation Fertility. We are thrilled to add Dr. Warikoo to our growing roster of experienced lab directors who are leading the field of reproductive science with outstanding outcomes and innovative research. He is a well-known leader in the field with decades of experience, and we look forward to his contributions to our continued advancements of the state of the art in IVF.

In addition to overseeing all operations of Ovation Fertility Cincinnatis IVF and andrology laboratories, Dr. Warikoo will lead Ovations newest standalone andrology laboratory, which opened in the former Bethesda Fertility Center satellite clinic at 10506 Montgomery Rd, Suite 305, in Cincinnati, on February 15.

Becoming part of Ovation is a wonderful opportunity for me and my team, says Dr. Warikoo. This change opens the door to a wealth of knowledge and resources to equip our lab and team members to better serve our patients who need advanced assisted reproductive technologies to have children. Im also excited about the opportunities to collaborate with all of Ovations highly respected scientists to share knowledge and analyze data that can lead to new discoveries and raise the scientific bar for the field of reproductive medicine.

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Dr. Warikoo has been directing IVF laboratories for more than three decades, starting at the Southern California Fertility Institute in Santa Monica in 1989, and later, at FIRST IVF in Saginaw, Michigan. In 1993, Dr. Warikoo was invited to establish the IVF program at the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville, where he also taught OBGYN residents as an associate professor. He currently serves as a clinical associate professor at Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicines Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in Fairborn, Ohio.

Dr. Warikoo received his Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Delhi in India and conducted post-doctoral research at the Primate Research Center at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. He is board certified by the American Board of Bioanalysis as a High Complexity Laboratory Director, Embryology Laboratory Director and Clinical Consultant. Dr. Warikoos research interests are in oocyte maturation and cryopreservation, blastocyst development and preimplantation diagnosis. His research has been published in several peer-reviewed journals and book chapters.

About Ovation Fertility

Bringing the Joy of Parenthood Through Innovative Science

Ovation Fertility is a national network of reproductive endocrinologists and scientific thought leaders focused on reducing the cost of having a family through more efficient and effective fertility care. Ovations IVF and genetics laboratories, along with affiliated physician practices, work collaboratively to raise the bar for IVF treatment, with state-of-the-art, evidence-based fertility services that give hopeful parents the best chance for a successful pregnancy. Physicians partner with Ovation to offer their patients advanced preconception carrier screening; preimplantation genetic testing; donor egg and surrogacy services; and secure storage for their frozen eggs, embryos and sperm. Ovation also helps IVF labs across America improve their quality and performance with expert off-site lab direction and consultation. Learn more about Ovations vision of a world without infertility at www.OvationFertility.com.

About US Fertility

US Fertility, the nations largest partnership of physician-owned and physician-led top-tier fertility practices, is united under a shared mission: to drive innovation and leverage best practices both to enhance the patient experience and improve treatment outcomes. To date, US Fertility has helped 130,000 babies be born through its fertility services. Our collective clinical and operational expertise provides our fertility partner practices with advanced business and digital solutions that streamline and enhance the delivery of exceptional patient care. https://www.usfertility.com

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CONTACT: Amy Hall Ovation Fertility 214.893.8214 AHall@OvationFertility.com




Though its particularly eye-catching, and crafted by none other than noted Southern California Institute of Architecture founding director Ray Kappe, Julian Reis has still been trying to offload his Beverly Hills residence for almost a year now with no takers. One of the last homes completed before the modernist masters death in November 2019 at age 92, the contemporary estate once was offered for as much as $22 million and previously listed for rent at $35,000 per month, but now has returned to the open market with an asking price thats just a dash less than $16 million.

If the CEO of SuperOrdinarya Los Angeles-based incubator he launched to help cosmetic and personal-care brands break into the Chinese marketplacedoes get anywhere near the ask, he still can expect a hefty loss. Records show Reis, who also cofounded the global beauty brand Skin Laundry in 2013 with his ex-wife Yen Reis, paid L.A.-based hotelier Bob Ghassemieh $19 million for the place a little more than two years ago, back in winter 2021.

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A sunken living room has floor-to-ceiling walls of glass opening to al fresco lounging and entertaining areas.

Secluded behind a gated driveway and high hedgeson almost three-quarters of an acre set stop a promontory overlooking Benedict Canyon, just minutes from The Beverly Hills Hotelthe architectural wood-and-glass structure features six bedrooms and nine baths in 9,000 square feet of living space boasting concrete, redwood and teak accents throughout. Posh amenities include a glass elevator to all three levels, plenty of wall space for displaying art, a gym, movie theater and climate-controlled wine cellar.

Visitors are greeted by steps that travel past a water feature before emptying out at the front door. From there, an entrance hallway displaying a floating staircase leads to a sunken living area sporting several lounge spaces and Fleetwood sliding glass doors spilling out to the backyard. A dining area connects to the sleek Bulthaup kitchen, which is outfitted with an eat-in island and hidden appliances.

A pickleball court is just one of the homes many outdoor amenities.

Upstairs, the master retreat comes complete with not one but two private balconies overlooking city, canyon and ocean views, as well as dual walk-in closets and a luxe bath; and outdoors, the greenery-encased grounds are spotlighted by a pool and spa flanked by a pool house equipped with a bath and locker room, along with a barbecue station nestled alongside an al fresco dining area, pickleball court and stairs leading to a secret pergola. Theres also a detached one-bedroom, one-bath guesthouse, plus a spacious motorcourt and an attached three-car garage out front.

The listing is held by Bryce Pennel of Douglas Elliman.

Click here for more photos of the Ray Kappe-designed house.

Ray Kappe House Beverly Hills

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Founded in the early 1970s in Tokyo by Japanese designer Rei Kawakubo, Comme des Garcons continues to be a major force within the fashion industry. Over the years, the boundary-pushing fashion house (also commonly known as CdG) has opened stores worldwide and produced a flurry of memorable shoe collaborations with brands like Nike, Converse and New Balance.

CdG x Junya Watanabe

Comme des Garcons first teamed up with Nike in 2000 through Kawakubos protege Junya Watanabe (his eponymous label operates as an extension of CdG ). Together, they released a version of Nikes quirky, lesser-known Air Kukini. The unconventional slip-on shoe featuring futuristic elastic webbing was redone in monotone gray and black.

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CdG x Junya Watanabe Nike Air Kukini, 2000. Courtesy

CdG x Junya Watanabe Nike Waffle Racer, 2002

Next up, Watanabe put his spin on the classic 70s Waffle Racer silhouette, initially drawing inspiration from the timeless all-white T-shirt. He would later reimagine the runner in more vibrant colorways.

CDG x Junya Watanabe Nike Waffle Racer. eBay

CdG PLAY x Converse Chuck Taylor All-Star, 2009

The avant-garde fashion houses streetwear label released its first Converse collection in 2009. The collaboration featured low and high Chuck Taylor All-Stars in both black and off-white colorways with the signature CdG red heart with eyes motif emblazoned on the lateral side of each shoe.

CDG PLAY x Converse, circa 2009. Converse

CdG x Supreme x Vans Pinstripe, 2012

In 2012, Comme des Garcons SHIRT linked with Supreme to create pinstripe variations of Vans beloved Sk8-Hi and Authentic silhouettes.

Vans x Supreme x Comme Des Garcons SHIRT.

Supreme

CdG x Supreme x Vans Sk8-Hi Harold Hunter, 2014

Just two years later, the dynamic trio joined forces again to pay homage to the late New York skateboarder Harold Hunter, displaying a famous photograph of Hunter in action on both the medial and lateral sides of the Vans Sk8-Hi.

Vans x Supreme x Comme Des Garcons SHIRT. Farfetch

CdG x Chuck 70, 2015

Flash forward to 2015, Comme des Garcons PLAY took the Chuck 70 and added a bigger, bolder heart that disappeared into the midsole.

Converse x Comme des Garcons Chuck 70. Converse

CDG x Timberland x Supreme, 2015

Also in 2015, the Comme des Garcons Shirt brand linked with Supreme to put their touch on the iconic Timberland 6-inch work boot. Coming in wheat and black colorways, the reworking combined a waterproof nubuck leather upper embossed with a subtle polka-dot print and Supreme and Comme des Garcons co-branding on the padded collar.

Supreme x Comme des Garcons Shirt x Timberland 6-Inch Premium Waterproof Boot in wheat. Supreme

The black 6-inch boot in collaboration with Supreme, Timberland and Comme des Garcons Shirt. Supreme

CdG x Supreme x Nike Air Force 1, 2017

The Comme version of the Nike Air Force 1 Low in collaboration with Supreme took the iconic white sneaker and added a distinctive eyeball graphic to the ankle area.

Supremes Nike Air Force 1 collaboration with Comme des Garcons Shirt. Supreme

CdG x Nike Flyknit Racer, 2017

Introduced at the Comme des Garcons fall 17 show during Paris Fashion Week, the CdG Flyknit saw the crisp white toe box of Nikes sporty Flyknit Racer adorned with a black bow tie.

Comme Des Garcons Flyknit Racer. The RealReal

CdG x Nike Dunk High Clear, 2017

Also of note that year was the release of the clear Nike Dunk High that Comme Des Garcons reimagined. The daring shoe constructed with translucent TPU underlays was inspired by Hans Christian Andersens famous folktale The Emperors New Clothes, in which the main character is duped into purchasing invisible clothing.

Comme Des Garcons Nike Dunk High Clear.

An on-foot look at the Comme des Garcons x NikeLab Dunk Hi. Nike

CdG x Nike Air Moc, 2017

Another eye-catching shoe to hit the catwalk for 2017 was the Nike Air Moc. The eccentrics hybrid sneaker bootie boasted a snowy white leather upper with drawstring pulls in the back and chunky textured soles.

Comme Des Garcons Nike Air Moc. Courtesy

CdG x NikeLab Air VaporMax, 2017

One of the most highly-anticipated releases at the time, the brands reworking of the Nike Air VaporMax dropped on the first day of New York Fashion Week 2017. Offered in black and white colorways, the laceless model features a Flyknit upper with a Comme Des Garcons logo panel above the Swoosh and ultra-chunky air bubble outsoles.

Comme Des Garcons x NikeLab Air VaporMax. Fight Club

CdG Air Max 180, 2018

Arriving in 2018, came a rare colorful tie-up with the Swoosh. Before Barbiecore was all the rage, Comme dressed the Air Max 180 in vibrant shades of neon pink. The collab was comprised of three editions.

All three styles of the Comme des Garcons x Nike Air Max 180 sneakers. End

Comme des Garcons x Nike Air Max 180 in white/pink. End

CdG x Nike ACG Air Mowabb, 2018

This 2018 collaboration between Comme Des Garcons Homme Plus and Nikes All Conditions Gear reinterprated the Air Mowabb. The 90s trail-inspired model came in tonal black and white colorways with mixed material construction.

Comme Des Garcons x Nike ACG. Grailed

CdG x Nike Shox TL, 2019

One of the most brand-heavy releases came in 2019 when Comme Des Garcons adorned Nikes Shox silhouette in lace logo chains that wrapped around the upper and sole.

Nike x Comme des Garcons black Shox sneakers with namesake lace locks at the spring 19 show. WWD/Rex/Shutterstock

Nike Shox TL Comme des Garcons released in June 2019. StockX

CdG x New Balance 550, 2022

When the New Balance 550 suddenly blew up in 2022, Comme Des Garcons Homme came out with its own rendition of the popular shoe. Naturally, the silhouette dropped in black and white colorways with minimal branding on the heel counter.

The lateral side of the Comme des Garcons x New Balance 550. Dover Street Market

The heels view of the Comme des Garcons x New Balance 550. Dover Street Market

CdG x Converse One Star, 2022

In 2022, Converse and Comme linked up again on a One Star release. This collaboration saw the heart motif stamped next to the signature star and turned on its side. Unsurprisingly, black and off-white colorways were released.

The lateral side of the Comme des Garcons x Converse One Star. Converse

CdG x Nike Air Max 97, 2022

Comme Des Garcons served up striking black and gray renditions of the beloved Air Max 97 featuring distressed leather in 2022.

The Comme des Garcons x Nike Air Max 97. Nike

CdG x New Balance 1906R, 2023

In 2023, we got another minimalist New Balance collaboration from Comme Des Garcons Homme in the form of the 1906R.

comme des garcons, comme des garcons new balance 1906R, sneaker collab

CdG x Nike Air Max TL 2.5, 2024

Comme des Garcons teased its latest Nike sneaker at its fall/winter 2024 menswear show in Paris last month. Taking the Air Max TL 2.5, CdG stripped away the big Swoosh seen on the sportswear giants shoe and added a puffy tongue, plus a matte air sole unit for a more streamlined look. The style will be released later this year.

The new Comme des Garcons x Nike Air Max TL 2.5 sneakers. YANNIS VLAMOS

The new Comme des Garcons x Nike Air Max TL 2.5 sneakers.









YANNIS VLAMOS

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The last time the CDC changed its COVID-19 isolation recommendations was in 2021, when it reduced the isolation time for infected people from 10 days to five days. (Getty Images)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has dropped its isolation guidelines for people with COVID-19 infections, the agency confirmed Friday following speculation about proposed changes first reported by the Washington Post. Under the new guidelines, people would no longer be expected to isolate themselves for five days. Instead, they would be allowed to return to their normal schedules once theyve been free of fever for at least 24 hours without taking medication. This is similar to recommendations for other respiratory viruses such as influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Heres more about the change  and what it means.

 Why is the CDC changing its COVID isolation guidelines?

There are three key reasons behind the change from five days of isolation to 24 hours after being fever-free without medication. First, the current dominant variant nationwide, JN.1, which is responsible for more than 90% of cases, doesnt appear to be causing more severe illnesses than previous strains.

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Second, at the population level, there appears to be an increase in hybrid immunity to COVID-19 because of higher vaccination rates and more exposure to the coronavirus. A CDC study found that immunity has gone up in the general population due to vaccinations and past infection, but its important to note that the level of immunity was lowest in older adults compared to other age groups.

Four years since its emergence, COVID continues to spread through our communities and periodically mutate, leading to spikes in cases, Dr. Greg Schrank, an epidemiologist at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, tells Yahoo Life. What has changed since the start of the pandemic is that the risk posed by COVID-19 infection is now much lower for most people. He adds: Despite an estimated large increase in COVID-19 disease across the U.S. starting last fall, the peak number of hospitalizations was lower than the previous two winter seasons.

Third, there are concerns that many people werent following the isolation recommendations to begin with. Currently, most people are not testing and isolating in the same manner as when the current isolation guidance was issued in 2021, says Schrank. More recently, some states  namely, Oregon and California  had already broken away from the guidelines without appearing to have higher infections, deaths or hospitalization rates.

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 When was the last time the CDC revised its isolation guidelines?

The last time the agency changed its COVID-19 isolation recommendations was in 2021, when it reduced the isolation time for infected people from 10 days to five days. At the time, the CDC stated the change was motivated by scientific research, which showed that most of the viruss transmission happened early in the course of illness, usually in the first two days before having symptoms and during the two to three days after symptoms show up. But there were also concerns that longer isolation times would cripple the economy by keeping people out of work.

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 Why it matters

The changes to the CDCs isolation recommendations matter because they would influence public behavior and could increase infection risks, especially for more vulnerable groups. Although two states have dropped the five-day isolation guidelines and it appears those guidelines arent being followed by everyone, there are still concerns about abandoning the recommendations altogether.

As reports of the new CDC guidelines first spread in February, many health experts expressed unhappiness with the change because it could mislead members of the public into thinking they dont need to worry about COVID-19 anymore. Under the revised guidelines, more vulnerable people such as older adults and those who are immunocompromised may face increased risk as many more people go about their daily routines while still infectious. (This week the CDC issued recommendations that older Americans get another COVID shot this spring.)

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 The big picture

With the COVID-19 pandemic nearing its fifth year, the changes to the isolation guidelines are an attempt to manage a public health issue that is no longer considered an emergency. That said, experts are quick to point out that COVID continues to be a health concern, particularly for vulnerable populations.

The COVID-19 virus can infect anyone, even after a previous illness or vaccination, Dr. Tammy Lundstrom, chief medical officer at Trinity Health, tells Yahoo Life. Because various strains are circulating at different times, it is possible to have multiple episodes of COVID illness.

An infection, even a mild one, carries the risk of long COVID (also called post-COVID conditions), which affects about 7% of American adults. Over 8 million Americans are living with this condition, with symptoms such as fatigue, breathing problems and brain fog.

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COVID-19 is also responsible for over 1.1 million deaths and 6.8 million hospitalizations over the past four years  and the numbers are rising, with over 20,000 hospitalizations and 1,500 deaths each week. Clearly, the pandemic isnt over, and experts say its unwise to pretend that it is, noting that its still important to take steps to control COVID, just as people should for every other serious infectious disease.

Schrank has the same advice for the public that he has shared since 2020, when the pandemic started: Get vaccinated. If you are sick, stay home as best as possible until you feel well and any fever resolves. If you must be around others, wear a well-fitting mask to protect those around you while you still may be contagious. Staying up-to-date with vaccination is most important for vulnerable people just as it is for other infectious diseases, he says.

Nsisong Asanga is a writer, public health physician and field epidemiologist.

This article was first published on Feb. 20, 2024, and has been updated.
Seek out some nature-influenced restoration on a camping trip to Ashland, New Hampshire.

Thomas H. Mitchell/Getty Images

If you're looking to reduce stress, you might want to consider taking a camping trip. A recent survey of campers by Campspot found that 93 percent of campers felt more relaxed after a camping trip versus another kind of vacation.

Campspot has fittingly put together a list of the calmest camping spots in America, weighing factors like campground density (that is, how many campgrounds are in the area, not how crowded they are!), the ratings of campgrounds, the price of campgrounds, campground amenities and proximity to water and dark sky parks. Crunching all that data, the best place for a calming "camp-cation" is Ashland, New Hampshire.

Located about 90 minutes north of Boston, Ashland is the gateway to New Hampshire's Lake Region, with a small downtown for provisions and 12 campgrounds (available via Campspot) within 25 miles. The immediate area is known for its various hiking trails and the Little Squam Lake and Squam Lake, where you'll find the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center, which offers wildlife cruises on the lake. White Mountain National Forest, home to Mt. Washington, the tallest mountain in the Northeast, is just a 30-minute drive from Ashland, and it's a perfect spot for stargazing.

Need some more camping inspiration? Check out the top 10 destinations from Campspot's ranking below.



Ashland, New Hampshire Auburn, Maine Grand Rapids, Michigan Rehoboth Beach, Delaware Knoxville, Tennessee Port Aransas, Texas New Braunfels, Texas Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin Lake George, New York Navarre, Florida

As part of the research, Campspot also looked into what makes campers feel relaxed. The most important element is fresh air, followed by natural water features and a clear view of the night sky. Interestingly, Campspot reports that "91 percent of campers wanted access to the internet of some kind," with one in three campers saying "internet access at a campground is a contributing factor to a feeling of relaxation."

Well, there's always airplane mode if you want to pretend to be off the grid!



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Read the original article on Travel & Leisure.
It's that time of year again when my colleagues and I are calling town clerks to get the details for town meeting, coming up in early March. At our own morning meeting, the talk turned to Australian ballots, the term town clerks inevitably use to describe elections held in conjunction with town meeting. Not just "ballots." Not "paper ballots." No, it's "Australian ballots." Why?

Rather than Google an answer, I decided to call one of my favorite town clerks, Kristin Beers in Milton, who told me she didn't know why it's called Australian ballot, but that I could probably just Google it, or call the Secretary of State's Office. Kristin did have some interesting insights into the Australian ballot, however, which has replaced the town meeting in Milton entirely. No votes from the floor.

A South Burlington resident fills out a ballot at Orchard School in South Burlington on Town Meeting Day, Tuesday, March 7, 2023.

"We are 100% Australian ballot, that's how we vote for everything," Kristin said. "Some towns do both, discuss and vote in person and also vote by Australian ballot. Some don't use ballots at all."

Kristin said she's heard her fellow town clerks voice opinions strongly both ways  in favor of Australian ballots and against them. She has been at meetings where some clerks would question whether voters can really understand what the articles they're voting on mean without a thorough, in-person discussion at town meeting. Those same clerks admit, however, that it's hard to find a day and time when everyone will come out and participate in that discussion.

Milton offers an informational meeting the night before the election, where voters can ask questions about what's going to be on the Australian ballot they use to vote the next day. Seems like a good compromise. But I still needed to know, why "Australian" ballot?

Former Free Press reporter wrote the definitive treatment of the Australian ballot

I could have Googled, as Kristin suggested, or I could have called the secretary of state. But instead, I checked our archives where I found a master's thesis on the Australian ballot by my former colleague, Tim Johnson. It must be close to 3,000 words. I remember Tim as a somewhat grumpy, but very good and very thorough reporter, and his story on the Australian ballot from 2014 bore that memory out.

Tim explained the Australian ballot has two key features: It's uniformly printed in advance of the election, by an electoral or governmental authority, and voters cast it in secret. That's an Australian innovation, which debuted in the 1850s, then made its way to Europe, New Zealand and the United Kingdom in the 1860s and 1870s, finally reaching the United States in the late 1880s.

Kentucky and Massachusetts were the first states to enact Australian ballot laws, in 1888, followed by most other states over the next decade, including Vermont. Before the Aussies came up with their electoral innovation, Tim explained, elections were "BYOB," bring your own ballot.

Tim quoted a former state archivist, who described the process. Political parties printed their own ballots, with only their candidates listed, and passed them out to voters.

"Partisan ballots were sometimes printed on paper of distinctive color, or most notoriously, in St. Johnsbury, on paper with zebra stripes," Tim wrote. "If you were a worker in a factory whose owner favored the zebra-stripe candidates and you were spotted on Election Day casting a different kind of ballot, woe to you."

Whoa, bring on the Australian ballot.

The Republican ballot published in the Aug. 4, 1890 edition of the Burlington Free Press can be seen in the left-hand column.

Tim also learned that newspapers "had contracts with the parties they supported and published their ballots for readers to clip out." As an example, the Burlington Free Press, staunchly Republican in 1890, printed the Republican ticket in the left-hand column on Page 4 in the Aug. 29, 1890 edition.

Deadly to town meetings? Some people really don't like the Australian ballot

That debate Kristin mentioned between town clerks who favor floor votes at town meetings over secret ballots at elections has been going on for a long time. Tim quotes a UVM professor of political science who wrote in 1964, "While the use of the Australian ballot in general elections is wise, it is another matter to use it in Town Meeting. Its use destroys the chief characteristic of the gathering, the necessity for everyone interested to be there to vote in person on specific issues..."

Fifty years later, Tim notes, another renowned UVM political scientist, Frank Bryan, called the Australian ballot "deadly" to the tradition of town meetings.

"Understand. The Australian ballot takes away your right to legislate  to be part of the lawmaking process  and it doesn't even replace it with a deliberative body that represents you," Bryan said. "It simply allows you to vote up or down, yes or no, on an issue prepared by the selectboard or in many cases by a small group of private citizens with a special interest."

As with so many other things in Vermont, Tim points out we seem to be the only ones holding on to a term or tradition. Maine doesn't reference the "Australian ballot." Neither does Connecticut or New Hampshire or Massachusetts. Even the Aussies have stopped talking about the Australian ballot, according to Tim, who interviewed a Vermont state official who was originally from Australia. He had never heard of the Australian ballot, until he came to Vermont.

"Somehow, everyone came to accept it, learned to live with it, and stopped talking about it  except around here," Tim wrote.

Contact Dan DAmbrosio at 660-1841 or ddambrosi@gannett.com. Follow him on X @DanDambrosioVT.

This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Vermont insists on calling its town meeting ballots 'Australian'
What do I know? Im not an art critic, says Patrick Marber, the playwright and director. But I wouldnt put it on my wall.

We are discussing a body of work by a young artist active in Vienna before the First World War. At first, his pictures seem unremarkable: mountain vistas, landscapes with church spires, a view of the grand opera house on the Ringstrasse in the Austrian capital. Conventional and amateurish, certainly, but inoffensive.

Then, you notice his signature: A Hitler.

Before he became a genocidal dictator, Adolf Hitler was an impoverished, sallow youth, drifting around Vienna  where hed moved, in 1908, at the age of 18  with dreams of becoming an artist. Twice, he was rejected by the citys Academy of Fine Arts, yet this provincial German nationalist  who, by 1909, was sleeping under bridges and in homeless shelters  persisted with a brush, making small watercolour views of Vienna on postcards that a friend flogged for a pittance.

The discovery of one such street scene, from c1912, is, explains Marber, the inciting incident of Nachtland, a new satire by Marius von Mayenburg, directed by Marber for the Young Vic, set in present-day Germany.

Nachtland is a new play satirising the discovery of a painting by Hitler - Sebastian Nevols

What should a pair of siblings who find this toxic artwork in their late fathers attic do with it? Keep it  or, as the dead mans daughter-in-law suggests, set it alight? That painting is the starting point for a series of arguments about whether we can separate the creator from his or her creation  which is a very hot topic, Marber says. Its eternally complicated.

Of course, there is a third option: put it up for sale. In recent years, paintings attributed to Hitler have appeared on the market with increasing frequency. In 2014, a buyer reportedly from the Middle East paid 130,000 (103,000) for a view of Munichs town hall attributed to Hitler that was offered by Nurembergs Weidler auction house. The following year, Weidler sold 14 more such paintings and drawings for almost 400,000 (286,000)  including a watercolour of Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria that fetched the highest price of 100,000 (71,000), and went to an anonymous Chinese buyer. Paintings attributed to Hitler have been auctioned in Britain, too.

Given that aesthetic quality is hardly the main determinant of their value, what is driving this shadow-market, as its described by the art historian Christian Fuhrmeister, of Munichs Central Institute of Art History, who specialises in this area? Who is buying Hitlers art  and why? And should such sales be banned?

Hitler photographed in a crowd listening to Austria's declaration of war in August 1914, Vienna - Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

If the market in Hitlers paintings is murky, thats because there is very little reliable data about them. In the 1980s, a little-known American collector of them, Billy F Price, published Adolf Hitler: The Unknown Artist, which purported to be a catalogue raisonne. Yet, while some people still refer to it, it has long been discredited for including misattributions and fakes  including a nude watercolour of Hitlers niece, Geli Raubal, possibly by the forger Konrad Kujau, who, in the early 1980s, faked Hitlers diaries.

Most of Hitlers paintings, moreover, are hidden away in private collections, where they cannot be studied by scholars to establish the characteristics of his hand. As for the oft-repeated estimate that Hitler produced between 2,000 and 3,000 artworks during his lifetime, it is surely incorrect, since most of his paintings date from before the First World War (he left Vienna for Munich in 1913); to reach such a tally, he would have been improbably prolific. A more realistic total, says Fuhrmeister, is around 400 works on paper.

The only thing on which experts agree is that, artistically, Hitler was a non-entity. He aspired to paint like the exquisite 19th-century watercolourist Rudolf von Alt but lacked the skill. The people in his compositions appear awkward; and although, initially, some of his pictures can seem competent, their style is anonymous and bland  reflecting the fact that he often copied from a small book of city views distributed in 1908 to commemorate Emperor Franz Josephs 60th birthday. Its trad stuff, says Marber, who points out that the young Hitler was hardly excited by contemporaneous developments in avant-garde Viennese art by the likes of Gustav Klimt. If you saw it on the Bayswater Road, it would fit in nicely.

Items in the 2015 Hitler collection sold by a Nuremberg auction house - CHRISTOF STACHE/AFP via Getty Images

Deborah Rothschild, who curated an exhibition examining Hitlers early years in Vienna, held at the Williams College Museum of Art in Massachusetts in 2002, agrees. His paintings, she tells me, are very mundane, very old-fashioned  and, she adds, once he became the Fuhrer [and] they became valuable, he disclaimed them. Why? She laughs. Because theyre embarrassing  It reminds me of that Hannah Arendt quote about the banality of evil  They dont carry any message of anti-Semitism or racism; theyre just scenes. Just nothing.

As a result, theyre easily forged. Its much harder to duplicate, say, a Mondrian or a Malevich  but, with Hitler, its an invitation to print money, says Fuhrmeister, who, like fellow art historian Stephan Klingen, receives an email every few weeks from someone who claims to own a watercolour by Hitler. We get very bad photos of very bad paintings, adds Klingen, bluntly. If you had a grandfather who tried to be a painter, this is not interesting for the world. But if you write Hitler under these paintings, they become interesting  for the market. According to one estimate, 98 per cent of Hitlers paintings that appear for sale are fakes.

Although Weidler did not respond to my request for comment, and the biggest and most reputable auction houses dont touch this material with a bargepole, some auctioneers are willing to defend their right to trade in Hitlers paintings. Bill Panagopulos is president of Alexander Historical Auctions in Maryland, which, in 2022, sold a wristwatch, engraved with the initials AH, which once belonged to Hitler, for $1.1 million (900,000).

Painting titled Tank Battleground by Adolf Hitler, dated 1916 - Photo12/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Over the years, this son of a Greek emigrant (whose home town, Kalavryta, was the site of a massacre committed by the Nazis in 1943) has sold five or six paintings by Hitler (as well as, he tells me, Hitlers toilet seat, for $19,000 [14,000], as preposterous as that is). One postcard, he tells me, was indisputably real, thanks to the presence, on the back, of a wartime date; another picture had excellent provenance, and came from the family of an SS man who stole it out of the Berghof, Hitlers mountain retreat. Panagopulos has also sold artefacts linked to Joseph Stalin, Mao Zedong, and Pol Pot. The worst thing you can do is forget these cretins, he says.

He rejects a common misconception that collectors of Hitlers paintings support the far Right: Neo-Nazis are too stupid and too poor to buy this material. They dont want a period Nazi flag; they want a new one that they can march down the street with, and p-ss everybody off.

Rather, he continues, those who buy Hitlers art are the same people who collect Confederate cannons, or lunchboxes, or stamps: its just a collector mentality People love curiosities. Coveting a painting by Hitler is akin to, say, hankering after his top hat, or Hermann Gorings silk underwear  both of which have also come up at auction within the past decade.

There is an endless titillation among private collectors who want to luxuriate in coming face-to-face with evil, says Marc Cave, the director of the National Holocaust Centre and Museum in Nottinghamshire, who hopes to expose the inadequacies of the people who like this stuff. Cave feels uncomfortable about presenting Nazi memorabilia in museums  for fear, he says, that it becomes titillation for the neo-fascists. But he would never ban the sale or display of Hitlers art. Id rather provoke a conversation [and] belittle it, he tells me, by, for instance, inviting a contemporary artist to draw or paint over it. Construction through destruction, perhaps, he says.

Hitlers paintings are very mundane, very old-fashioned. As Fuhrer, he disclaimed them - Keystone/Getty Images

In 2008, thats exactly what the British artists Jake and Dinos Chapman did. Having acquired 13 watercolours attributed to Hitler, the brothers reclaimed them by adding drawings of rainbows, flowers, and other hippyish motifs, before exhibiting the results at Londons White Cube gallery.

Although, as Jake once recalled, they received criticism from all sides for their defacement of original works with sacred historical value, he tells me now: We worked on the drawings in an intelligent and meaningful way. The idea was, he explains, to rectify every one of these flat, banal, unremarkable and soulless works of art that we could get our mitts on, by adding anything pretty and demeaning to the Teutonic aesthetic in order to make the f---er turn in his grave.

In Nachtland, when a character proposes that the painting in the attic should be destroyed, the response is: Only Nazis burn art. But then it becomes a conversation about, well, yeah, but this isnt art: its rubbish, Marber says. For Jake Chapman, banning or burning any art, no matter how abysmal, is a slippery slope. Instead, maybe painting rainbows and flowers over Hitlers work is the kind of punishment that best cuts to an artists heart.

Nachtland is at the Young Vic, London SE1, until April 20. Info: youngvic.org

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What did Taylor Swift think when Travis Kelce serenaded her when You Belong With Me came on at the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl after-party? She was very, very smitten by the whole thing and even spoke about it at the party, which took place at Resorts World Las Vegas Zouk Nightclub. The Chainsmokers Andrew Taggart, who was DJing, and his girlfriend, Mari Fonseca, talked with Kelce and Swift about the moment. The conversation was filmed, and Fonseca shared footage on her TikTok.

Regarding Kelces grand gesture, Swift said, That was the most romantic thing ever.

Kelce said to Taggart, You played it, and I was literally coming out of the bathroom. Im like, Yes! It was perfect timing.

Swift continued, saying, And we met in the middle, and I was like, what is happening in my life right now? Kelce kissed her cheek as Swift went on to praise Taggarts DJing.

Heres footage of that You Belong With Me moment that The Chainsmokers shared to their TikTok:

Zouk Nightclub

Swift is now in Australia, where she will be performing shows on her Eras tour for the next two weeks. Before the Super Bowl, Kelce hinted he might join her.

Kelce did not arrive with Swift in Melbourne before her first show, as he attended the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl parade in Kansas City, Missouri. The event took a tragic, horrific turn when a shooting occurred at a rally following the parade. One person was killed, and at least 21 others were injured. Three people have been taken into custody, per officials.

Kelce shared a statement to X, formerly known as Twitter, in the hours after. He wrote, I am heartbroken over the tragedy that took place today. My heart is with all who came out to celebrate with us and have been affected. KC, you mean the world to me.

I am heartbroken over the tragedy that took place today. My heart is with all who came out to celebrate with us and have been affected. KC, you mean the world to me.  Travis Kelce (@tkelce) February 15, 2024

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Frank Allsman and Michael Ferguson have lived together in Atlantic Highlands since 2014. Theyve immersed themselves in local activities and have gotten to know plenty of folks around town.

So they were floored by what happened earlier this month.

We had a constable coming to our house, serving us subpoenas like criminals, banging on our door, in front of all of our neighbors, Allsman said.

The subpoenas ordered them to appear before a judge Tuesday, Feb. 20, in state Superior Court in Monmouth County to prove that their Atlantic Highlands home is their full-time residence. Dozens of others have been ordered to do the same as part of a lawsuit filed by James Murphy, who lost Novembers mayoral election by five votes.

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First Avenue in Atlantic Highlands, NJ.

The Republican candidate, who already requested a recount that certified Democrat Lori Hohenleitner winning by a count of 847 to 842, contends in his claim that illegal votes were received and that legal votes were improperly rejected.

Though Allsman and Ferguson, who are married, were not given specific reasons for being subpoenaed, it may have to do with Fergusons work as a doctor in New York City. He has an arrangement with New York University that allows him to dorm there overnight as needed.

I dont pay taxes in New York, I dont vote in New York, all of my bills are from New Jersey, Ferguson said. Shouldnt they have done their homework on this?

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'A Trump, copycat sore-loser issue'

Ferguson said he had to cancel appointments with patients to appear at the hearing. Allsman, who works in financial technology, also had to take a day off from work and said he spent 12 hours assembling a folder of documents proving their full-time residency.

Im coming with tax returns, drivers licenses, car registrations, our credit cards, our utility bills, bank accounts, every single thing in our life that has our address, he said. So other than them coming here to make sure my pillows warm at night, Im not sure what else they want me to prove.

Murphy has declined to respond to repeated requests to be interviewed about the election and his contesting of it.

I find this to be very much a Trump, copycat sore-loser issue, Ferguson said, referencing Donald Trump's accusations of widespread voter fraud (which were dismissed by the courts) in the 2020 presidential election.

Lori Hohenleitner

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Hohenleitner was sworn in Jan. 1. Murphy remains a member of the Borough Council, the sole Republican on that body.

Im shocked and surprised that this is the route that Mr. Murphy is taking, since he probably knows who we are, Allsman said. I find it a little bit insulting too, that we are getting accused of this basic voter fraud. I find it very difficult that hes choosing to do it this way, dividing the community.

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'Not how your treat your neighbors'

That sentiment was echoed by others who received subpoenas.

Were sad, were disappointed and were angry because were residents and it's very easily provable that we are, Norah Zaidan said.

Zaidan was raised in Atlantic Highlands, then later moved back there with her husband George in 2010. They purchased their current home in 2012. For an 18-month spell around 2015, they lived in Connecticut while George worked there, but never relinquished their Atlantic Highlands home; she said they moved back permanently in 2016.

Its very frustrating, and the bigger picture is, OK if I dont win, all these people are cheating, Norah Zaidan said. They say, Oh, we have to make sure the votes are good, but whats behind those votes are people. And its not just people  were neighbors. This is a town of 4,000 people. I never cared who was Republican or Democrat because typically everyone is working toward the same goals for the town.

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Mary Ellen Connerty, who along with her husband David has lived at her current home since 2021, expressed exasperation at the process.

My husband and I were both served in an unorthodox manner  the supbeonas were left in our doorknobs without any envelopes, she said. This did not have to be done this way. A letter explaining Murphys position, whether you agree with it or not and that hes exercising his right to challenge and this is what we need from you, would have gone much further with me than what happened. This was so unnecessary in terms of how it unfolded.

Connerty said we own a small studio (apartment) in New York City, so I guess that was a trigger point for them (the subpoenas). Weve had that since 2016.

David Connerty works in New York City, she said, and they spend one or two nights a week there.

It really didnt have to be done this way, Mary Ellen Connerty said. And you know, hes a neighbor. Thats not how you treat your neighbors.

Jerry Carino is community columnist for the Asbury Park Press, focusing on the Jersey Shores interesting people, inspiring stories and pressing issues. Contact him at jcarino@gannettnj.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Atlantic Highlands voters taken to court; GOP candidate won't concede
Mississippi vacationers frustration with the annual traversal through Mobile on the way to Gulf of Mexico beaches is finished.

Travelers can sing farewell to that part of the trip that formerly carried them past Lucedale on U.S. 98 through the gritty innards of Mobile, down to interstate highways 65 and 10.

This I discovered recently on my first trek through that area in a year. I was caught unawares traveling southeast toward Mobile, when suddenly thrust onto the new Alabama 158 bypass around Wilmer, Semmes and the section of Mobile that always caused beaucoup heartburn. The bypass opened in October.

Mac Gordon

Surely you recall the old route past the wonderful fruit and vegetable stand at Wilmer, then into Semmes and several miles through urban Mobiles guts until you reached I-65 south and on to I-10 east or west. (I guess for nostalgias sake and a desire to hit Wilmers famous fruit stand, you can still take that route.)

Ive asserted for years that the state of Alabama was derelict in not establishing a Mobile bypass. Several years ago on this subject, I wrote, There is no passage in this part of America more in need of a bypass arrangement than this one.

The state of Alabama must shoulder the blame for this monumental oversight that is the reason for dozens of accidents annually and time lost by motorists.

The bypass was some 20 years in the making and suffered countless delays in construction, many of the environmental flavor.

"This new controlled access route will alleviate some of the stop-and-go traffic that creates variable speeds, resulting in increased crashes, said Alabama Department of Transportation engineer Jenifer Eubanks in a release.

In 2007, ALDOT began work on the first of several projects to move most of the traffic off Highway 98 to a safer, four-lane divided facility slightly north of the existing route. The first project was eight miles long and crossed numerous wetlands and streams.

The project became a source of construction and storm-water-related pollution, as the pristine beaches of the Escatawpa River became covered with a film of clay and Big Creek Lake lost its credibility for providing safe drinking water to Mobile, ALDOT said.

The undertaking faced several lawsuits, regulatory enforcement actions and a frustrated public. After millions of dollars were spent on remediation, restoration and regaining regulatory compliance, funding to complete the corridor was no longer available. This forced the projects indefinite postponement  once for a decade.

This new route should save 30-45 minutes on trips to and from the Gulf beaches of Alabama and Florida. Of course, youd save more time and money with journeys to the flourishing Mississippi coastal towns.

We have traditionally used three routes going between homes in Mississippi and Georgia, one through Jackson, Meridian and Montgomery (on Hwy. 80) to Georgia; and another across U.S. 84 east to Dothan, Alabama, and then into Georgia.

The third option, U.S. 98 to Lucedale, Mobile and I-10 east, had become unworkable, but with this new $200 million (the final funding was a $65 million BP settlement payout), 14-mile bypass, whose eastern terminus is at Saraland and the western at Semmes, its back in play.

Without agreements on the myriad environmental concerns, the pathways opening could have been delayed even longer, said Mobile City Commissioner Connie Hudson.

"They've really gone above and beyond to try to protect the waterways that drain into the Big Creek Lake, which is our water reservoir, so I think everybody is satisfied, Hudson said. The environmentalists are satisfied that all of the precautions have been taken and now we have this beautiful new road."

 Mac Gordon, a native of McComb, is a retired newspaperman. He can be reached at macmarygordon@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: MS beachgoers can rejoice over new route to beaches
President Biden raised over $42 million in January and entered February with over $130 million in cash on hand, his campaign says  a record-setting total for a Democratic candidate at this point in a presidential election cycle.

The sum, raised through Mr. Biden's main campaign committee, his two joint fundraising committees and the Democratic National Committee, comes as polling shows the president with an underwater approval rating and tied  or trailing  former President Donald Trump in what seems likely to be a general election rematch.

The Biden campaign said January was its strongest grassroots fundraising month since launching in April 2023 and 97% of its donations since then have been under $200.

"While Team Biden-Harris continues to build on its fundraising machine, Republicans are divided  either spending money fighting Donald Trump, or spending money in support of Donald Trump's extreme and losing agenda," said Biden-Harris campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez.

Polling shows Mr. Biden's age, 81, has been a concern for voters. In a February CBS News poll, just over a third of voters said they believe he could finish a second term or that he has the mental and cognitive health to serve as president.

While Democratic base voters have said preventing Trump from winning another term is a higher priority, most independents in the poll believe either that only Trump, 77, has the mental and cognitive health to serve as president  or that neither of them do.

In the three days after the Iowa caucuses in mid-January, when Trump won the Republican contest by 30 points, Mr. Biden's campaign said it raised $1 million each day. It also said the campaign averaged $1 million in 24-hour-hauls at the end of January.

A majority of the fundraising emails sent at the end of January were centered around Trump, who handily won the month's two GOP nominating contests in Iowa and New Hampshire.

"After the results in Iowa and New Hampshire, Donald Trump has all but locked up the Republican nomination for president. It's clear we will have to come together to defeat him again," read one Biden campaign fundraising email sent on Jan. 31.

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Quit entertaining these crazy-butt ideas: This South Carolina teacher earns $158K and is very close to retirement, paid-off home  but is considering more debt for renovations. Should she?

Patience is a virtue: one that could come in handy in certain financial situations, according to personal finance guru Dave Ramsey.

Dina, a 59-year-old teacher from Pawleys Island, S.C., is months away from retirement and a fully paid-off home but is considering more debt to finance some renovations. In a recent episode of The Ramsey Show, Dina said a home equity line of credit (HELOC) or reverse mortgage was on the table.

Dont miss

Ramsey was stunned. Quit entertaining these crazy-butt ideas, he told her. He told Dina she could be jeopardizing her financial future if she isnt willing to be patient.

To borrow or not to borrow

A lifetime of good choices and regularly seeking money advice put Dinas family in a good financial position. She claimed her household income is $158,000, while she and her husband have no debt besides a small mortgage, dont eat out much and drive old cars.

The mortgage is worth $41,000. Dina said her savings over the next few months, combined with $28,000 in a tax-sheltered annuity, should be enough to pay the mortgage off fully by August 2024.

Dina planned to complete one final school year and retire at the age of 60.

However, the condition of their house is getting in the way of a fairytale ending. Their family home is roughly 24 years old and in need of some repairs.

Dina said the siding needed to be replaced, and the family wanted to add a sunroom to the back of the house. She didn't have estimates for how much these renovations would cost but is willing to consider a HELOC or reverse mortgage to finance them.

Story continues

Ramsey isnt a fan of that idea. Where is that woman who called and said she [regularly] listened to [my] show!? he asked.

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Like Dina, many seniors consider complex financial instruments to tap into the value of their homes.

A reverse mortgage is a loan that allows seniors to convert some of their home equity into cash. The borrower doesnt need to pay interest or principal while they live on the property, but the loan becomes due with accumulated interest when they move away permanently or pass away.

There are about 480,000 reverse mortgages outstanding in the U.S., according to a 2023 report by the National Consumer Law Center (NCLC).

Industry experts believe these instruments could see more adoption in the coming years as seniors tap into their enormous housing wealth. However, Ramsey called getting a reverse mortgage a bad idea, and the NCLC report said, reverse mortgages end in foreclosure much more often than they should.

Instead of borrowing money, Ramsey recommended some patience.

Delay retirement

Dina could afford her renovations if she postponed her retirement and financed it herself, Ramsey said.

Considering her household income and the fact that mortgage payments wont be an additional burden after August, Ramsey estimated that Dina can pay for her renovations within a couple of years if she just worked a little longer. He also recommended getting a quote on the renovations so that she and her husband can create a detailed plan for the projects.

Work two more years, who cares? Ramsey said. His co-host Jade Warshaw agreed: If you can save to pay off the house, you can save to do these improvements; its just going to take a little time.

A little patience should save Dinas retirement nest egg.

What to read next

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
The most luminous object ever detected has been spied in the distant Universe.

It's a quasar - the bright core of a galaxy that is powered by a gargantuan black hole some 17 billion times the mass of our Sun.

Known as J0529-4351, the object's power was confirmed in observations by the Very Large Telescope in Chile.

Scientists, reporting in the journal Nature Astronomy, say the black hole has a voracious appetite, consuming the mass equivalent to one Sun every day.

J0529-4351 was actually recorded in data many years ago but its true glory has only just been recognised.

"We have discovered an object which has previously not been recognised for what it is; it's been staring into our eyes for many years because it's been glowing at its brightness for longer than humankind has probably existed. But we've now recognised it, not as being one of the many foreground stars in our Milky Way but as a very distant object," Christian Wolf, from the Australian National University (ANU), told BBC News.

J0529-4351: Studying the light from the quasar allowed astronomers to assess not just its brightness but its distance, too

The term quasar is used by astronomers to describe a particular type of AGN, or Active Galactic Nucleus. It's the very energetic core of a galaxy which is being powered by an immense black hole that's pulling matter towards itself at a prodigious rate.

As this material is accelerated around the hole, it is torn apart and emits a huge amount of light, so much so that even an object as distant as J0529-4351 is still visible to us.

This quasar's emission has taken a staggering 12 billion years to reach the detectors at the VLT.

Everything about the object is astonishing.

The scientists involved say the energy emitted makes the quasar over 500 trillion times more luminous than the Sun.

All that light is coming from a hot accretion disc that measures seven light-years in diameter. That's roughly 15,000 times the distance from the Sun to the orbit of Neptune.

All galaxies seem to have a supermassive object at their core, which probably means such objects are intrinsic to the evolution of those galaxies.

"In simple language, it means that without these black holes, our galaxy as we know it wouldn't be what it is today. In fact, all galaxies would be very different without their supermassive black holes. In fact, it may even be possible that all galaxies form around these supermassive black holes," ANU PhD student and co-author Samuel Lai told BBC News.

The puzzle is how some of the black holes got so big so early in the Universe. This is leading scientists to consider a scenario in which the objects grew directly out of the gas that existed just after the Big Bang, perhaps even before the first stars formed.

The VLT is a collection of telescopes in the high Atacama Desert in Chile
Danny Masterson, the star of "That '70s Show" who was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison after being found guilty of raping two women in 2003, has recently been moved from a maximum security prison in California.

According to USA TODAY, Masterson was moved from Corcoran State Prison in Central California, which once held cult leader Charles Manson, to a minimum security male-only prison in the state due to safety concerns.

Here's everything to know.

Who is Danny Masterson?

Danny Masterson, 47, is an American actor born on March 13, 1976, in Albertson, New York.

Masterson, 47, is an American actor born on March 13, 1976, in Albertson, New York. Masterson starred with Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis, Laura Prepon, Wilmer Valderrama and Topher Grace in "That '70s Show" from 1998 until 2006. He is also known for his roles as Milo Foster in "Men at Work" and Jameson "Rooster" Bennett in "The Ranch."

Masterson is a member of the Church of Scientology. He is currently married to model and actor Bijou Phillips. The couple has one child, 10-year-old Fianna Francis Masterson.

Phillips filed for divorce from Masterson in September 2023 after nearly 12 years of marriage, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split, per USA TODAY. Philips is reportedly seeking spousal support, restoration of her name to Bijou Phillips and full legal and physical custody of their daughter, with Masterson receiving child visitation.

What did Danny Masterson do?

Masterson was convicted in September 2023 of raping two women and was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison. The Associated Press reports that both attacks took place in Masterson's Hollywood-area home in 2003 when the actor was at the height of his fame.

Masterson was also accused of allegedly raping a longtime girlfriend, but a jury could not reach a verdict on the third count.

This mug shot provided by the California Department of Corrections on Dec. 27, 2023, shows inmate Danny Masterson. Authorities said the 47-year-old Masterson had been admitted to North Kern State Prison.

During the trial, prosecutors alleged that Masterson used his prominence in the Church of Scientology to avoid consequences for the attacks. The three women were also members at the time and blamed the church for their hesitancy in reporting their experience to the police, AP adds.

The church released a statement following the trial denying ever harassing the women. It also said it has no policy prohibiting or discouraging members from reporting criminal conduct of anyone  Scientologists or not  to law enforcement.

In December, authorities confirmed the actor had been admitted to North Kern State Prison in California. Prison records show Masterson will be eligible for parole in July 2042. The actor will be 66 years old by then.

Where is Danny Masterson now?

Masterson was recently transferred from Corcoran State Prison in Central California, per USA TODAY, and was moved to the California Men's Colony, a male-only state prison in San Luis Obispo, California.

How much is Danny Masterson worth?

According to a Marca article from 2023, Masterson reportedly has a net worth of approximately $8 million.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Who is Danny Masterson? What did he do? Everything to know
A zookeeper at a university in Nigeria was killed by a lion he was feeding on Monday afternoon, the college said in a statement.

Olabode Olawuyi was responsible for the zoo at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), according to the BBC, and had been caring for the lions since they were born on the campus around nine years ago, a university spokesperson said. Colleagues who went to his aid were unable to save him, the school added.

Woman Arrested After Her Pet Lion Starred in Viral Bentley Stunt

Extremely graphic images appearing to show Olawuyis body in the aftermath of the attack have been shared online. The lion involved in the attack at the university in the southwestern Osun state has since been killed.

Abbas Akinremi, the president of the universitys student union, told Nigerias Vanguard newspaper that the incident was caused by unfortunate human error on the part of the deceased. He forgot to lock the gate after feeding the lion, Akinremi alleged. He was a good and humble man, who attended to us nicely whenever we went to the zoo. The incident is unfortunate, and we pray to God to give the family the fortitude to bear the loss.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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PANAMA CITY  A historic sailing schooner destroyed more than five years ago by Hurricane Michael is weeks away from finally being able to rebuild.

In an annual meeting on Sunday, members of a local nonprofit organization announced they expect to finally gain access in March to an approximately $1.2 million reimbursement grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to rebuild the Governor Stone, a two-masted, fore-and-aft rigged, centerboard, shallow-draft schooner that was obliterated in October 2018 by the Category 5 Storm.

Dubbed the Friends of the Governor Stone, the group is responsible for preserving the historic ship.

The Governor Stone was heavily damaged during Hurricane Michael in 2018 when it was capsized in her slip at St. Andrews Marina. Funds for its reconstruction are expected to finally be available in March.

"It has been a very, very frustrating experience," Colleen Reilly, president of the organization, said of what it has taken to get to this point. "We found out that with each step of the process with FEMA, there were actually 10 steps within each step.

"We would clear one hurdle, and then another one would come up. ... There were very specific rules that we had to follow."

Past reports note that the schooner, which was built in Pascagoula, Mississippi, in 1877, was designed to sail coastal waters and cross sandbars.

It has passed through multiple owners and has sunk four times  the latest during Hurricane Michael, while it was docked at the St. Andrews marina. It was dismasted, capsized and broken apart.

Though Reilly is both relived and excited for the Governor Stone's reconstruction to be right around the corner, she said her group now faces another, unexpected hurdle: The schooner needs to be moved to a new location.

It currently is being housed at St. Andrews Elementary School, which also is slated to soon begin construction.

"Unfortunately, at the very same time that we would be starting reconstruction, we've been advised that we have to either vacate the property where the boat is now and move it to a different property in order to continue the rebuild, or we would have to shut down the project until (construction at the school) is complete," Reilly said. "We're not in a position to do that because we could risk loosing our grant."

More on the historic schooner: Panama City nonprofit to prepare historic Governor Stone for restoration with a deep clean

She noted the group is narrowing down where it will relocate the ship. It also still needs about $2,500 to pay for moving fees, as well as volunteers to help.

To donate to the Friends of the Governor Stone, or for more information on the schooner and organization, visit www.governorstone.org.

"She's got such a rich history," Reilly said of the ship. "Being the last of the original 2,000 Gulf Coast schooners in existence ... we have to rebuild her, and we have to keep that history going."

This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Friends of Governor stone to soon begin rebuild of historic schooner
The Florida House of Representatives rolled out a major elections bill Monday night that reduces the number of mail-in ballot drop-off boxes for the 2024 election and revives the runoff primary in 2026, when Florida will elect a new governor.

As written, the proposal (PBC SAC 24-06) from the State Affairs Committee limits drop-off boxes to the county supervisors main office, branch offices, and early-voting sites. The limitation prohibits boxes at city halls, civic centers, county courthouses, fairgrounds if they are not an early voting site.

Thats going to affect a lot of voters. Its going to limit the ability (to vote) in Pinellas, Sarasota, Broward, said Brad Ashwell of All Voting is Local, a non-partisan voting rights advocacy group. Tuesday morning, Ashwell said he hadnt had time to fully digest the impact of the 44-page committee bill, which will be heard in committee Wednesday.

But he did conclude that one line in the bill that limits drop-off box locations will have a significant impact on voter participation: "There are counties that are going to see a dramatic reduction" in drop boxes, Ashwell said.

The bill's main focus is to revive Florida's runoff election and set requirements and schedules for a three-election cycle of a first primary, a second (or runoff) primary and a general election.

The Legislature temporarily eliminated runoff primaries in the wake of the 2000 election debacle with a bill that reinstated the second primary in 2004 if the Legislature failed to readdress the issue. Lawmakers formally eliminated runoffs starting with the 2006 election, citing costs.

The new proposal designates the first primary as an elimination election. If no candidate wins a majority of the votes, a second primary between the top two finishers is held as a nomination election.

The proposed change in drop-off box locations comes as the nations third largest state prepares for a November election that likely will feature a rematch between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. Also on the November ballot is Republican U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, whose reelection bid will help determine which party controls the Senate.

The bill also sets rules for how the parties will nominate candidates to be Floridas governor when Gov. Ron DeSantis term ends in January 2027, after two terms in which he emerged as one of the nations leading cultural war warriors, spearheading initiatives on how sex and history are taught, and limiting access to voting and abortion.

The 2026 GOP primary could be a crowded field: Three current cabinet members, at least two members of Congress, and other former officials appear to be maneuvering for the nomination to succeed DeSantis.

Gwen Graham reads her father's children's book "Rhoda the Alligator" to a small audience at Hearth and Soul on Sunday, Dec. 20, 2020.

The bill immediately sparked comments from Republicans and Democrats in Washington, who also happen to be scions of two leading political families.

Former Tallahassee U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham lost the 2018 Democratic gubernatorial nomination 34%-31% to former Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum.

When no primary candidate gets more than 50% of the vote, runoffs allow for the strongest candidate in the general election. My Dad would not have been Governor without the runoff. Bringing back runoffs would be good for Florida and democracy. https://t.co/H2p2f9I0wO  Gwen Graham (@GwenGraham) February 20, 2024

She posted on social media that runoffs ensures the strongest candidate makes it to the general election ballot. Graham had split the moderate Democratic vote with former Miami Beach Mayor Phil Levine, enabling Gillum, then under FBI investigation for alleged City Hall corruption, to win with a plurality of the vote. He later was acquitted in federal court.

Graham notes that without a primary, her father  former Gov. and later-U.S. Sen. Bob Graham  would never have become governor. The younger Graham is currently an assistant secretary of education in the Biden administration.

Meantime, U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, the subject of a so-far whispered gubernatorial campaign by his Tallahassee supporters, immediately criticized the bill for promoting runoffs, which he said are expensive and empower establishment candidates over firebrands. He also said he had no interest in the Governor's Mansion.

1. Runoff elections cost taxpayers millions, increase targets for fraudsters and empower establishment candidates over firebrands. They are a bad idea.



2. You guys in Tallahassee didnt have to do this. I have no plans to run for Governor. https://t.co/rOsoPcGM0r  Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) February 19, 2024

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) leading guests past the Speaker of the House office and into Statuary Hall and the Capitol Rotunda on Tuesday, Feb 13, 2024 prior to the House Republicans narrowly securing a historic vote to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, rallying GOP members after a first failed effort.

Charles Zelden, who teaches history and political science at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, suspects Republican leaders are focused on preventing a firebrand from capturing the partys nomination in 2026, similar to what happened to Graham and the Democrats in 2018.

They are worried about an insurgency MAGA type. Theres a reason Matt Gaetz isnt happy with this bill. It makes his job to run for governor harder, Zelden said.

Zelden added that runoffs attract fewer voters, are self-selective, and not necessarily representative of the whole electorate.

It comes down to what is it that you want, when the selection appears to be an establishment candidate or a firebrand, he said.

James Call is a member of the USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida Capital Bureau. He can be reached at jcall@tallahassee.com. Follow him on X: @CallTallahassee

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Florida GOP wants runoff primaries for 2026, fewer drop boxes for 2024
It is back to the future, at least temporarily, for Massachusetts Maritime Academy cadets as they prepare for this years sea term.

Every year, cadets go on a six-week training cruise to learn, hands-on, a variety of maritime skills on its training ship, the TS Kennedy.

This year, it was hoped Mass. Maritime cadets would be cruising on TS Patriot State II, a new state-of-the-art training ship. Delivery of the $300 million vessel was delayed because of the pandemic. It was to arrive last summer, then January, and is now expected by the start of summer 2024.

To accommodate the new ship, the dock area at Mass. Maritime is undergoing a $15 million renovation.

Crews work on installing rebar Thursday that will be covered with concrete to support bollards rated to hurricane strength as the tie down spots for the new training ship at Massachusetts Maritime Academy as upgrades to the pier continue.

The sea term  January through February during the winter semester  was also delayed and will be conducted during the spring semester because the academy flip-flopped the semesters this year.

Even if the Patriot State II was delivered as scheduled in January, logistical preparations required to conduct a training voyage would not have been completed in time for a January cruise, Rear Admiral Francis McDonald, academy president, said.

The academy will have one more sea term voyage on the Kennedy, which has served the academy since 2003.

The Kennedy is currently being used by the Texas A&M Maritime Academy and will arrive at Mass. Maritime for the spring sea term cruise, scheduled to begin on April 20.

TS Kennedy once a cargo ship

The Kennedy, originally a cargo ship for the Merchant Marine, was built in 1967, said Mass. Maritime Capt. Elizabeth Simmons, vice president of external affairs.

It was converted into a training ship, the T.S. Enterprise, for the academy in 2003, and after a $10 million renovation in 2009, it was renamed the T.S. Kennedy in honor of the late U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy.

These used freighters and tankers were converted into training ships that carried 500 to 600 students and about 150 crew and faculty," McDonald said. "Still, (the Kennedy) was a 30-year-old vessel. We were sailing on yesterdays technology, actually the day before yesterdays technology.

A new set of pilings face out into Buzzards Bay at Massachusetts Maritime Academy Thursday as upgrades to their pier on under way to accommodate the new training ship expected to arrive in early summer of this year.

The Kennedy is owned by the federal government but is housed and maintained by Mass. Maritime Academy, which also uses it for training purposes, as will be the case for the State Patriot II.

In times of emergencies or crises, such as hurricanes and even war, the federal government may call the ship for special duty.

Recent emergencies, such as Hurricane Katrina, showed how out-of-date the ship was, McDonald said.

From steam-powered to diesel-electric: Mass. Maritime updates training

Technical training on the cruises involves standing watch, learning engineering by working in the engine room, navigation and overall ship maintenance, said Simmons.

While it was still a valuable learning experience, it was done on a ship that is almost obsolete.

For example, the Kennedy is a steam-powered vessel, so engine room work is done on steam-powered engines. Additionally, the ship was not specifically designed for training.

The new ship is diesel-electric powered and was built to support training needs and emergency needs, said McDonald. It is like going from a Fulton steamboat to a Tesla.

The Patriot State II will be more efficient for training purposes. One example is that the ship has two bridges.

With just one bridge, which is usually staffed by two or three people, 10 people can be crammed in for training purposes.

With the second bridge, as many as 20 people can be trained at once.

There are a number of other modern technological features that are on all ships today but that were missing from the Kennedy, such as a navigation simulator.

Throughout the ship, we can maximize the ability to train and keep people engaged, said McDonald. This is the core of what we do. It is experiential education at its best.

In addition, there is a helicopter landing port toward the stern of the ship.

Mass. Maritime dock renovations needed to accommodate new ship

The Patriot State II is about the same size as the Kennedy but a little shorter and a little wider. The new ship has a larger surface area, making it more susceptible to high winds.

That is one reason why a major renovation of the dock needs to be done.

The dock must be able to withstand up to Category 1 hurricane winds, said Capt. Allen Metcalfe, vice president of operations, who oversees the dock renovations.

Six new 14-by-22-foot fenders will be installed at the pier, along with new bollards  the structures to which the ship is tied at the dock  that can support up to 200 tons.

New pilings are being installed.

Piling covers fill the pier awaiting installation at Massachusetts Maritime Academy on Thursday. The pier is getting a $15-million renovation to accommodate the new TS Patriot State II that is scheduled to arrive in early summer of this year.

Because the new ship is diesel-electric powered, a shoreside power system will be installed with a 2-megawatt line that will run under the ground some 15,000 feet to a transformer that can drop 25,000 volts to the new ship, which needs 6,600 volts to operate, said Metcalfe.

Special construction on the dock is necessary to install a roll-on-roll-off ramp so that, in emergency situations, vehicles can be loaded onto the ship.

Metcalfe said he expects the project to be completed by late spring before the Patriot State II arrives in the summer.

This project at Mass. Maritime is only part of a larger effort by the federal government to support maritime education.

They recognized the need for well-trained civilian mariners for our economy and our national security, said McDonald.

He noted that the $300 million that went to the building of the Patriot State II is just part of the 1.5-billion-dollar allotment to build a fleet of five training vessels for the five maritime academies in the United States.

SUNY Maritime already has one of these new training vessels and Mass. Maritime will be the second to receive one.

Maine Maritime Academy, California State University Maritime Academy and Texas A&M Maritime are next in line.

The Cape Cod Times mobile app gets you to the heart of the matter  fast. Whether breaking news, sports, entertainment or weather get succinct, personalized coverage along with award-winning videos, captivating photography, and interactive user features. Download the app.

This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Mass. Maritime Academy's TS Patriot State II ship to arrive in summer
Is the United States about to pull the plug on its support for Israel in its struggle with Hamas? Washington has put forward a draft United Nations Security Council resolution calling for a temporary ceasefire in Gaza. Additionally, it opposes a major ground offensive in Rafah, where one million Palestinians now live after fleeing south from the fighting.

Until now, the Americans have resisted using the word ceasefire, believing Israel was justified to pursue Hamas terrorists responsible for the October 7 massacres on self-defence grounds. But as the civilian death toll has mounted and amid pro-Palestinian protests around the world, President Biden has for weeks called for greater restraint by the Israel Defence Forces.

This sentiment was implied in a rare intervention in foreign policy by the Prince of Wales yesterday. He called for an end to the fighting as soon as possible, and said there was a desperate need for increased humanitarian support to Gaza and for hostages to be released.

The American resolution is less problematic for Israel than the Algerian-drafted motion demanding an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. This was vetoed by Washington over concerns it could jeopardise negotiations to engineer a pause in the war and the release of hostages held by Hamas.

But the fact remains that the government of Benjamin Netanyahu is now under massive international pressure to bring this conflict to a swift end and avoid any mass civilian casualties by attacking Rafah.

Israel has signalled its intention to proceed against the enclave, where it suspects that Hamas chiefs are now holed up, and has set a three-week deadline for the remaining hostages to be freed.

More could be done by Egypt to relieve pressure by opening its border, but it does not want a refugee crisis of its own and is even reinforcing the frontier.

But the practical impact of a ceasefire would be to allow the people responsible for October 7 to get away with the atrocity and regroup. Unless the Palestinians, under pressure from Arab nations, are prepared to acknowledge the right of Israel to exist without its people constantly feeling threatened, this historic conflict will never end.

No amount of cleverly worded resolutions at the UN or in the Commons, where Labour will support a ceasefire, will resolve anything until those who want to see the Jewish state wiped off the map end their warped hatred.

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From deep water pools to lap swim and spray features, Iowa City residents are being asked to provide input for the new City Park Pool.

The city recently unveiled four preliminary designs ranging in cost from $17 million to $19.5 million as part of phase two of a project that will completely replace the 75-year-old public pool.

The Iowa City City Council voted last year to replace the pool because of structural and safety concerns. Much of the current city facility is non-ADA compliant while the pool is also losing water at an alarming rate. The city hopes to address those concerns with accessible parking and travel routes, with a new pool open for business by the summer of 2026.

The city Parks and Recreation division wants feedback on each design, with a deadline of March 8. The survey can be accessed online in English, Spanish, French, Mandarin and Arabic at https://illinois.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8owNX62rNX9yGAm.

Around 6,000 households were expected to participate in a random sample survey, though a printing error produced an invalid QR code. The city advises those who received a postcard to participate in the random sample by entering their address on the online survey instead.

More: New swimming hole? Iowa City plans to build new City Park pool replacing 75-year-old structure

Lap pools, kid areas and cost estimates

Each design features a new pool, a new bathhouse, added deck space and shade, diving boards, and other amenities.

The existing playground areas will remain the same, and the overall footprint of the pool will only grow in small increments.

Overall cost, capacity and size vary, with pool capacity ranging from 825 people to about 1,100.

Three of the designs would feature pools with a capacity of just under 500,000 gallons  a noticeable reduction between 34% and 41% in water usage from the current pool. The fourth option would allow room for 750,000 gallons of water, equal to the current capacity.

A dog swims back towards the poolside with tennis ball in mouth during the annual dog paddle hosted by Friends of the Animal Center Foundation and the Iowa City Animal Care & Adoption Center, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2019, at City Park Pool in Iowa City, Iowa.

Option A features a zero-depth entry activity pool with a current channel, bubbler, and spray features attached to a six-lane, 50-meter lap pool. A separate deep water pool would include high and low diving boards. This option would cost an estimated $18.39 million with a maximum capacity of 975 people and 495,600 gallons of water.

Option B offers three separate pools  one six-lane, 50-meter lap pool, a zero-depth entry activity pool, and a separate deep water pool with low and high diving boards.

Option B, according to the plans, allows for more programming options while each pool can operate independently of one another. The maximum capacity of the three pools in option B is 881 persons and 458,555 gallons of water and is expected to cost $17.94 million.

Option C includes an "L" shaped combined lap and activity pool and a separate deep water pool with low and high diving boards. The "L" shaped pool would feature zero-depth entry in the activity area that can be opened up for 2-3 lanes of lap swimming. The lap lanes would be at a depth deep enough for swimming and water fitness. An attached rectangular activity pool would include a play structure and bubbler/spray features.

The maximum occupancy for Option C would be 825 persons and 443,700 gallons of water, which would cost an estimated $17.25 million.

The fourth proposed design  Option D  closely resembles the current pool in design and size, but doesn't include a children's activity area, nor does it have accessible zero-depth entry or a separate program area.

This option would replace the pool with a similar design  anchored by one large pool and a separate wading pool.

Option D includes the most 50-meter lap lanes, with eight or nine, but because the activity area would not be separated, the lap lanes won't always be available. The estimated capacity for Option D is 1,082 persons and 751,575 gallons of water, which is expected to cost $19.52 million.

More: Iowa City favorite named one of the best restaurants in US. What to know before you go.

The proposed City Park Pool design concept A, as pictured, is part of a set of designs now available for public input through March 8 as Iowa City explores its options to replace the quickly aging 75-year-old pool.

Moving forward

The city will use phase two to gather community feedback, which includes a drop-in open house on Feb. 29 at the Mercer Aquatic Center. Architects will be available to answer questions and discuss each design from 5:30-7:30 p.m.

The architects and Parks and Recreation division will then report findings their findings to the city council, which will funnel into design selection later this year, likely during one of the councils two meetings in April.

That design will then be put out for bid.

Construction is expected to begin after the summer season. The City Park pool will be closed for all of 2025, with an anticipated open date of 2026.

More: The 5 Iowa City restaurants that should be on the USA TODAY Restaurants of the Year list

The Iowa City City Council voted to build a new city pool during their meeting in September, citing a number of issues with the current structure, including devastating damage and leakage, that make renovations less ideal than replacement.

Why is the pool being replaced?

City Park Pool is an iconic landmark in Iowa City, but its problems have been growing for years.

The current pool has been losing more water than expected each day, and its outdated infrastructure and storage area have been hazardous for employees and residents. The pool lost more than 10 million gallons of water from 2021 through the fall of 2023.

The proposed City Park Pool design concept B, as pictured, is part of a set of designs now available for public input through March 8 as Iowa City explores its options to replace the quickly aging 75-year-old pool.

Throughout a months-long process in 2023, community members packed council chambers, voicing concerns that their favorite swimming spot would be turned into a waterpark.

The council approved the pool replacement in September, opting against a large-scale renovation because of the high cost and difficulty.

The history of City Park Pool is important, Williams Architects senior project manager Andrew Caputo told the council in September. I know personally as an architect, history is something that is cherished in the community. History has a role to play in the design process.

The proposed City Park Pool design concept C, as pictured, is part of a set of designs now available for public input through March 8 as Iowa City explores its options to replace the quickly aging 75-year-old pool.

Ryan Hansen covers local government and crime for the Press-Citizen. He can be reached at rhansen@press-citizen.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @ryanhansen01.

This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: See what Iowa City is considering for the new City Park Pool.
More than a year after Kentucky alcohol regulators raided prominent vintage bourbon seller Justins House of Bourbon, the case in still in limbo.

Justins has sued Kentucky ABC over the raids and has attempted to have the case to shut the vintage seller down thrown out entirely.

A Frankfort judge returned more than 600 bottles of rare bourbons and other whiskeys but Justins is still barred from selling any of it.

The whiskey seller has accused the state of damaging several bottles, including one worth more than $100,000.

And one of Justins House of Bourbons owners has gone to court trying to get his own bourbon back, including one bottle signed by Julian Van Winkle.

With a hearing scheduled for Feb. 21 on a possible conflict of interest, heres an update on how the high-profile case in the world of Kentucky bourbon started and where it stands now.

How the Justins House of Bourbon case started

Justins House of Bourbon is owned by Justin Thompson and Justin Sloan, with Lexington developer Lee Greer as a silent partner. Tom Bullock, attorney for Thompson and Sloan, did not respond to a request for comment for this story, neither did Greer. Kentucky ABC officials do not comment on open cases, according to a state spokesperson.

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At issue are more than 600 bottles of whiskey allegedly worth more than $2 million, according to Justins House of Bourbon.

The bottles, which included more than 70 bottles each of premium bourbons Blantons and Weller, were seized by Kentucky Alcohol Beverage Control agents on Jan. 17, 2023, at the Justins stores at 601 W. Main St. Lexington and 101 W. Market St. in Louisville.

Justins House of Bourbon at 601 West Main St. in downtown Lexington, photographed Jan. 19, 2023. The vintage liquor was raided by the ABC after complaints alleging several violations associated with Justins House of Bourbon for the improper acquisition, possession, transport, and sale of bourbon, including Vintage Distilled Spirits. Janet Patton/jpatton1@herald-leader.com

A closed sign on the front door of Justins House of Bourbon at 601 West Main St. in downtown Lexington, photographed Jan. 19, 2023. The vintage liquor was raided by the ABC after complaints alleging several violations associated with Justins House of Bourbon for the improper acquisition, possession, transport, and sale of bourbon, including Vintage Distilled Spirits. Janet Patton/jpatton1@herald-leader.com

Dozens more cases of rare and expensive bourbons including Weller and imported Blantons were confiscated in a simultaneous January 2023 raid at a warehouse in Washington D.C. where Justins operates BourbonOutfitter.com, shipping out bottles ordered online.

At the time, the raids made waves throughout the bourbon world; vintage bottle collectors and tourists frequently included stops at the stores while visiting Kentucky distillers. The Kentucky case involved complaints alleging several violations associated with Justins House of Bourbon for the improper acquisition, possession, transport, and sale of bourbon, including Vintage Distilled Spirits, according to ABC comments at the time.

How does Kentuckys vintage spirit law work for selling antique bourbons?

The D.C. case file alleged 11 code violations including illegally transporting alcohol into the district and unlawfully obtaining product from outside the U.S. Federal alcohol investigators placed hundreds of bottles of imported Blantons in voluntary detention while the case was sorted out.

When investigators raided the Justins House of Bourbon warehouse in Washington, D.C., they voluntarily detained hundreds of bottles of Blantons and other bourbon pending further investigation. Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration case file

The D.C. case file said that Sazerac, which makes Blantons, Weller and other premium bourbons at its Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, told federal investigators the company had been dealing with a widespread counterfeit of their product and that it was originating from the Netherlands. A federal investigator, who said an agent already was working in Kentucky on counterfeit Sazerac bourbons, told D.C. alcohol officials: Sazerac product is more lucrative than heroin right now.

How to spot counterfeit Pappy and other pricey bourbons, from an expert

While the case in the District of Columbia has been settled, with Justins House of Bourbon agreeing to pay $3,000 in fines and admitting to reduced violations, the Kentucky case has yet to be decided.

And things have gotten messy.

Justins House of Bourbon sues Kentucky ABC over store raids

Two of the stores owners have been arguing in Franklin Circuit Court, so far unsuccessfully, to have the Kentucky ABC case thrown out. No criminal charges have been filed.

In August 2023, Kentucky ABC charged Justins House of Bourbon with nine counts of administrative violations of Kentucky alcoholic beverage laws and moved to shut down the stores, which remain open and licensed. According to the state, Justins House of Bourbon:

 Failed to report vintage distilled spirits purchases to the state;

 Illegally transported bottles between its two Kentucky stores;

 Illegally shipped bottles in and out of the state;

 Unlawfully bought and sold alcoholic beverages;

 And failed to place a sticker on vintage distilled spirits purchases on bottles to indicate they were from the secondary market.

According to the state, Justins also bought and sold rare bourbons that did not qualify as vintage.

Last July, shortly before the ABC notice of violation, Thompson and Sloan  but not Greer  sued the Kentucky ABC saying the bottles had been improperly seized and asked Franklin Circuit Court to declare the Kentucky Vintage Distilled Spirits law allow the purchase of rare but not necessarily old bottles.

Like money laundering: Thousands of new bourbons sold via Ky. spirits law loophole

Bourbon CEO: Kentucky vintage law fueling secondary, smuggled & counterfeit market

Franklin Circuit Court Judge Thomas D. Wingate has so far declined to wade into the controversy over whether Kentuckys Vintage Spirits law covers current bottles such as Pappy Van Winkle, Weller and Blantons as well as pre-Prohibition era whiskeys and other collectible dusties.

But Wingate did give Justins House of Bourbon one big win: The store got its bottles back. It just cant sell them.

State admits bottles came into contact with rainwater and mildew

The move came after Wingate learned that some of the seized bottles may have been damaged in a water leak at an evidence facility in Louisville. Wingate expressed grave concern about the way the bottles were stored after the state admitted that some of the seized property has come into contact with rainwater and mildew, according to court records.

In court, Wingate questioned what would happen if the state was found liable, noting that there is a potential $200,000 cap on damages.

They claim (the bottles are worth) $2.5 million, you got sovereign immunity. I guess he could sue the Director of the officer or something like that, right?, Wingate said, according to a court record.

Wingate ordered the bottles be cataloged, photographed and returned to Justins for storage. The store is prohibited from selling or displaying the bottles and must make them available for ABC inspection at any time.

Boxes of seized bourbon were returned to Justins House of Bourbon in September. But the bottles are still part of an ongoing Kentucky ABC case and cannot be sold. Court filing

Once the seized bottles were returned, Justins House of Bourbon employees removed them from the states boxes and put them on shelves labeled by the store location where they were originally seized in January 2023. Court filing

But his order made clear that this move was only to address the storage and not a ruling on the case against Justins: The Courts decision to order return of the bottles to Plaintiffs for storage has no impact on the Courts opinion on the validity of the administrative action and shall in no way be interpreted as the Court expressing opinion on the administrative action.

All 640 bottles were transported in boxes to the Lexington store on Sept. 8, documented with photos, and signed for by Justin Sloan. The bottles then were placed on shelves in a storage area and photographed again.

Accusations of bottles damaged by Justins House of Bourbon

Almost immediately, both sides cried foul: The attorneys for Justins accused ABC board member Allyson Taylor of trying to insert a liability shield into the receipt signed for the bottles.

Wingate struck out language that specified the bottles were in good, undamaged condition when received.

Then Justins claimed, with photographic evidence in a filing, that several bottles were damaged while in ABCs custody: A near-priceless bottle of Old Taylor bourbon, for which there are only two known in existence ... was returned to (Justins) wet and partially-evaporated due to leakage and/or heat exposure. Another bottle of Red Hook Rye, valued at approximately $100,000 was returned by the (state) with a cracked and destroyed wax seal ... Another bottle of Pacific Union bourbon was returned ... with damage and white scrapes all over the label ... These are just a few examples of dozens, in which the Plaintiffs millions of dollars worth of inventory suffered torn and scratched labels, obvious water damage, content evaporation or faded labels due to heat exposure, wrinkled and dented seals, and broken wax.

In a court filing in Franklin Circuit Court, Justins House of Bourbon alleged that evaporation seen in this extremely rare bottle of Old Taylor 101 occurred while it was in state custody. Kentucky Alcohol Beverage Control officials dispute that claim. Court filings

However, the ABC disputed all of this and submitted its own photos, showing the same bottles as they appeared in Justins before they were taken into custody in 2023, with closeups of the bourbon level in the near-priceless Old Taylor, of the cracked wax on the Red Hook Rye, and of the scratches on the Pacific Union label.

A bottle of Old Taylor 101, photographed by Kentucky Alcohol Beverage Control in Justins House of Bourbon before it was seized. In Franklin Circuit Court, Justins alleged the near-priceless bottle, one of only two known to exist, was damaged while in ABC custody. The state produce this photo to rebut that claim. Court filing

All the damage ... including the alleged evaporation evidenced by the amount of spirits in the bottle of Old Taylor ... can be seen in these photographs, the ABC responded. Two of the bottles  the Red Hook and Pacific Union  were seized from Lexington and only boxes of bottles from the Louisville store were damaged, the state said.

And while the bottle of Old Taylor 101 was seized from the Louisville store, ABC said, its investigators took the extra precaution and kept it in a safe, unopened and not exposed to rainwater.

The question of when any bottles were damaged and who is responsible has not yet been decided.

The ABCs attorneys filed a motion for contempt against Justins, arguing that the bottles should have been left in the boxes where they were organized by groups.

More than 600 bottles of bourbon seized by Kentucky Alcohol Beverage Control in January 2023 from Justins House of Bourbons stores in Lexington and Louisville have been returned. But the vintage retailer still cant sell them. Court filings

Outside of the boxes, Plaintiffs can point to damage that existed before the bottles were seized or scuff up or otherwise damage bottles due to accidental mishandling or even deliberate actions and claim that the Department caused the damage, the state argued.

Wingate again sided with Justins and denied the contempt order.

Lee Greer asks for bourbon bottles back

Perhaps prompted by concern for the bottles, in January, Justins House of Bourbon investor Lee Greer petitioned the court. He wanted certain bottles, including one signed by Julian Van Winkle, return directly to him, claiming that they are his personal property and extremely valuable: Two bottles of Society of Bourbon Connoisseurs (19 years); one bottle of Old Fitzgerald 12-year Blackhawk Barrel Proof; and one bottle of Old Rip Van Winkle  Van Winkle Private Selection 15 & 20 year.

A rare bottle of Rip Van Winkle bourbon, signed by Pappy Van Winkle founder Julian Van Winkle, is part of the inventory being held in the Justins House of Bourbon case. Justins investor and Lexington developer Lee Greer petitioned Judge Thomas D. Wingate in Franklin Circuit Court to get the bottle back, alleging it is his personal property, but the judged denied the move and ordered it stay with the 600-plus other bottles while the case is decided by Kentucky Alcohol Beverage Control Board. Court filing

The ABC objected, pointing out that Greer is not a party to this matter, has made no motion to intervene ... and has no standing to move this Court. ABC also said that since all the bottles, including these, are still part of an ongoing ABC case (and that Greer isnt a party to that either) his motion is groundless.

All four bottles had been on display in Justins Rare and Vintage Spirits room and three have price tags, with the fourth saying Ask Ryan or Caro, Justins employees, according to ABC court filings.

And if they do belong to Greer, and not to Justins House of Bourbon, then offering them for sale in the store would be illegal, ABC said.

This time, Wingate sided with the ABC for now, denying Greers motion. The court will not entertain dividing the bottles and making it more difficult to check on them but Wingate did put the matter on hold until the ABC case is decided.

Where does the ABC case against Justins House of Bourbon stand now?

In February, Justins House of Bourbon filed a motion asking Wingate to lift his stay issued last fall, saying that the administrative process is an exercise in futility, with biased decision makers.

On Feb. 16 Wingate denied the motion and kept in place the stay while the administrative process at the Kentucky Department of Alcohol Beverage Control plays out.

But Wingate said in his order that the Court understands Plaintiffs frustrations with the longevity of the administrative process. The Court directs the agency to expedite this matter.

That could be difficult, given that the state may have to find another hearing officer. Why? Because the current one has volunteered he might have a conflict of interest because he has his own bourbon collection. A conference is scheduled for Feb. 21 on the matter.

Meanwhile, Doc Crows, a second Kentucky vintage seller accused by the ABC of violating the Vintage Spirits law in October, last week formally admitted that the violations occurred and agreed to pay $5,000 in fines rather than face a 100-day closure.
If we want to find a potential multi-bagger, often there are underlying trends that can provide clues. 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. Put simply, these types of businesses are compounding machines, meaning they are continually reinvesting their earnings at ever-higher rates of return. Speaking of which, we noticed some great changes in Tootsie Roll Industries' (NYSE:TR) returns on capital, so let's have a look.

Understanding Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)

If you haven't worked with ROCE before, it measures the 'return' (pre-tax profit) a company generates from capital employed in its business. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for Tootsie Roll Industries:

Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT)  (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)

0.12 = US$112m  (US$1.1b - US$106m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2023).

So, Tootsie Roll Industries has an ROCE of 12%. That's a relatively normal return on capital, and it's around the 10% generated by the Food industry.

See our latest analysis for Tootsie Roll Industries

roce

Historical performance is a great place to start when researching a stock so above you can see the gauge for Tootsie Roll Industries' ROCE against it's prior returns. If you're interested in investigating Tootsie Roll Industries' past further, check out this free graph of past earnings, revenue and cash flow.

So How Is Tootsie Roll Industries' ROCE Trending?

Tootsie Roll Industries has not disappointed with their ROCE growth. Looking at the data, we can see that even though capital employed in the business has remained relatively flat, the ROCE generated has risen by 42% over the last five years. So our take on this is that the business has increased efficiencies to generate these higher returns, all the while not needing to make any additional investments. The company is doing well in that sense, and it's worth investigating what the management team has planned for long term growth prospects.

Story continues

The Key Takeaway

As discussed above, Tootsie Roll Industries appears to be getting more proficient at generating returns since capital employed has remained flat but earnings (before interest and tax) are up. Since the stock has only returned 7.6% to shareholders over the last five years, the promising fundamentals may not be recognized yet by investors. Given that, we'd look further into this stock in case it has more traits that could make it multiply in the long term.

Before jumping to any conclusions though, we need to know what value we're getting for the current share price. That's where you can check out our FREE intrinsic value estimation that compares the share price and estimated value.

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.
Officials in Tennessee have arrested a woman captured in videos allowing a child to do Brazilian waxes on her nude adult clients.

In a now-deleted Instagram post, the business owner boasted on social media about the childs actions, leading to an investigation by Memphis police.

When I say Im passing down Deeds & LLCs to my creations I mean that. Ms. Khloe did her thang today, user @jasminedemiracle wrote. She literally helped me wax 24 client starting from 7:25-5pm. She made a total of $744 and Im going to put the money towards whatever her future dreams and aspirations are.

Jasmine Moss, 30, was arrested by Memphis police after a video of her allowing her 5-year-old daughter to perform bikini waxes on adult women went viral. (Photos: Getty Images, Memphis Police Department)

Screenshots of the original post have been circulating throughout different social media platforms. It shows the child spreading the wax on the clients intimate areas. Atlanta Black Star will not publish the images because they feature a minor. The post sparked backlash from the public, who questioned the owners decision-making.

In a statement released on Sunday, Memphis Police announced that the agency is working with the Department of Children Services to investigate the matter. Officials warn the public not to screenshot, download, or save the photos.

We can confirm that an investigation has commenced in this case, a spokesperson told WREG. Pursuant to state and federal laws, we are unable to provide specifics about cases involving the children and families we serve.

According to the report, the state Department of Commerce and Insurance received dozens of complaints about the business owner earlier this week.

Police identified the woman in the video as Jasmine Moss on Tuesday and announced Moss has been arrested and charged with child neglect and abuse. The 30-year-old is currently being held in a Memphis jail without bond.

Many on social media have urged the department to arrest Moss clients who allowed the child to do their Brazilian waxes.

Memphis Mother Arrested After Photos of Five-Year-Old Child Daughter Performing Brazilian Waxes on Adult Women Go Viral
CAMBRIDGE  Michelle Carpenter-Wilkinson and Stevie Fairchild were recently recognized for their work and dedication to improve the community by the Cambridge Area Chamber of Commerce.

As the executive director of Heaven of Hope, Carpenter-Wilkinson received the Distinguished Public Service Award. The award is given annually to an individual who demonstrates outstanding personal contributions by ways of active service, leadership and cause.

Michelle Carpenter-Wilkinson received the Distinguished Public Service Award from Jennifer Vincent.

She has worked for 28 years for Haven of Hope as an advocate for victims of crime. She is the founder and chair of essential organizations such as Marsys Law Task Force and the Southeastern Ohio Human Trafficking Coalition.

Chamber president Jennifer Vincent said, We thank you, Michelle, for your creative thinking of new and better ways to assist victims of crime and putting our community first. She exemplifies what it means to serve selflessly and wholeheartedly.

The 2024 Community Impact Award was given to Stevie Fairchild, who has advocated for the needs of homeless youth and families for more than 40 years. She was instrumental in establishing the Samaritan Center, a non-profit organization founded in 2008 that helps families transition to permanent, safe housing. She oversees those who stay at the shelter, helping them find employment, housing, and mental health services.

Jennifer Vincent presented Stevie Fairchild with the 2024 Community Impact Award.

Fairchild receives and disburses FEMA Emergency Food and Shelter Program dollars for Guernsey County under the direction of the Samaritan Center Board.

Her volunteer and fundraiser work includes Night in a Box, Guernsey County Counsel of Coordinated Services, Homeless Coalition, Region 7 Continuum of Care, United Way Womens Initiative, Cambridge Furniture Bank, and is a local board member of FEMA-EFSP.

Many evenings and weekends, Fairchild and her family will meet United Way representatives to load furniture for the homeless who just gained housing. She also assists with clothing, linens, cookware and more for homeless students and their families. She has volunteered her time over and over to help students of East Central Ohio Service Center McKinney  Vento program and she fundraises for homeless prevention dollars.

Vincent said, Stevies contributions to our community make Guernsey County a better place to live.

Representatives from the Columbus Zoo delighted the crowd with demonstrations from some of its animal ambassadors at the Cambridge Area Chamber of Commerce annual dinner, at the Pritchard Laughlin Civic Center.

Geno Riley acted as emcee for the evening, and the Columbus Zoo was on hand with sloth, owl, and penguin animal ambassadors.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Jeffersonian: Two women recognized at annual chamber dinner
Jim McKinney, the owner of Milliron Auto Parts, and his wife Tammy cut the ceremonial ribbon Monday afternoon to celebrate the company's 70th anniversary.

Milliron Auto Parts celebrated its 70th anniversary Monday with Richland Area Chamber-Economic Development and a crowded room full of people who stopped by for the ribbon cutting at noon at the popular 2375 Ohio 39 business.

Jim McKinney, the owner of Milliron Auto Parts, might not be a blood relative to the late Grant Milliron or Grant's son Karl Milliron but said he worked for both of them coming to the auto parts business 26 years ago and will always consider them like family.

"In 1997 Karl hired me to take cars apart at Milliron Auto Parts, and now I am the owner. Many of you likely dont know this, but I quit high school a couple of months before I was supposed to graduate. I did not go to college. I am living proof that if you work hard, stay focused on your goals and surround yourself with good people you will achieve that which you are seeking," he posted on the company's Facebook page on Jan. 1.

Greater Cleveland Auto Show opens Friday with hundreds of vehicles on display

"I would like to thank Karl and Jill Milliron. Karl and I have been, and remain to be partners in other businesses - and more importantly, the type of friends that I prefer to call family," he said. "Milliron Auto Parts has been a staple in the community since I can ever remember, and I intend to do my very best to keep the same values and commitment to our customers, employees and the community."

McKinney told media he bought 50% of the business about three years ago and there was a five-year plan for him to take 100% of the company ownership when Grant unexpectedly died on July 26, 2023, at the age of 87.

"So we accelerated our time period and I bought the rest of it Jan. 1," he said.

The business acquires end-of-life vehicles and removes what's good that can sold and reused in automobiles then recycles the rest. It's good for the environment and we do it in a very clean fashion," McKinney said.

McKinney said Karl Milliron is like "his big brother."

He said Karl took him under his wing and brought him to where he is today.

The company employs 24. His wife Tammy oversees the office and the books. A daughter, Tiffany is over human resources, and one of two sons, Mitchell works as a salesman in the business, McKinney said.

The company began 70 years ago on Feb. 19, 1954.

In 1954, Grant and his dad decided to open a salvage yard business with a business plan written out on one piece of paper and $1,000. From there, his business ventures grew and multiplied and, he would tell you, his success was due to the sovereign hand of God who helped him connect to the right people at the right time and, especially, due to the loving support of his wife, Mary. Milliron Industries became one of the leading innovative scrap companies in the world. He worked until age 87 and cared deeply for his employees," Grant's obituary said.

McKinney said the auto parts business began with Grant Milliron acquiring a few vehicles and selling parts off of them. "That grew into, Grant had built a landfill and a trash business then turned into a trucking industry for Karl which serves the industry and Karl and I have been very involved in the industry and a software company that I am still CEO of that is worldwide now that is also a part of this industry and many other things," he said. "But all of those businesses spawned from a few cars here 70 years ago (Monday)," he added.

Customers come to the business to buy car parts from a counter or they can pull parts themselves which is quite a bit cheaper, he said.

Richland County Commissioner Tony Vero said the Milliron name and Milliron business is synonymous with Shelby "and we wish you nothing but the best in the next 70 years."

lwhitmir@gannett.com

419-521-7223

X (formerly Twitter): @lwhitmir

This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Ribbon cutting celebrated Monday at auto parts business on Ohio 39
Its already illegal on the federal level, but Mississippi House members have moved forward a bill for a statewide ban on machine gun modifying technology.

House Bill 903 was passed unanimously by the House Judiciary B Committee Thursday.

If passed, it would issue a ban on the possession, sale and manufacturing of firearm modifiers such as Glock switches and auto sears, to name a few. Violation of the proposed law would be a felony, carrying a potential jail time of up to 10 years and a fine of up to $3,000. Additional convictions could get someone 15 years in prison and up to $5,000 in fines.

It would also allow for district attorneys to prosecute these cases on the state level.

We are going to follow federal law as far as the criminalization and possession of these types of devices that convert a semi-automatic firearm to a fully automatic firearm, said Rep. Jansen Owen, R-Pear River County, who presented the bill to the committee. We're going to adopt a federal statute on this and make sure to give our local prosecutors some tools in their arsenal.

A Glock 27 .40 caliber handgun is shown in this file photo. Mississippi House Judiciary B Committee passed a bill to ban machine modifying technology, which can convert handgun and semi-automatic rifles into automatic weapons.

Another Bill Jud. B passed last week Mississippi House Committee passes Purple Alert bill. See what that means

The bill also received letters of support from the Mississippi Sheriffs Association, the Mississippi Police Chiefs Association and the Mississippi Prosecutors Association, among others.

Jackson Police Chief Joseph Wade, who supports the bill, told the Clarion Ledger Monday that since June, his officers have recovered between 20 and 30 modified firearms, and that one of those was as recent as last month.

We're running across more and more guns that have been modified specifically with Glock switches, Wade said. Its not only dangerous to citizens that we're trying to protect, but it's dangerous to law enforcement, as we carry out our duties on a daily basis.

A Glock switch is a small device that can be attached to the rear of the slide on a Glock, converting the semi-automatic pistol into a machine pistol.

Wade said that those DAs in the state should also have the opportunity to prosecute cases that involve local crimes.

I just think that it would give us another tool in our toolbox, Wade said. If there is a case that they would not or could not prosecuted on the federal level, they'll at least get them on the state level. The key is to get the criminal element off the street, and to get that very, very dangerous weapon off the streets as well.

Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens did not respond to calls made seeking comment on Monday afternoon.

MS Lawmakers consider suffrage bills MS lawmakers working to give voting rights to ex-cons: "It's just frustrating"

Grant McLaughlin covers state government for the Clarion Ledger. He can be reached at gmclaughlin@gannett.com or 972-571-2335.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: MS House committee hopes for statewide ban on machine gun modifying tech
FORT LIBERTY  Dropping munitions from drones and finding ways to combat mold in buildings on post are a few examples of how Fort Liberty leaders say theyre using innovation to ensure soldiers and families want to stay on Fort Liberty.

The garrison and 18th Airborne Corps command teams hosted a State of Fort Liberty roundtable discussion Thursday to provide updates on the installation and its soldiers.

Fort Liberty is the worlds most populated Army installation, serving more than 282,000 soldiers and civilians.

Its where about 43% of the Armys operational forces are stationed, said Lt. Gen. Christopher Donahue, senior commander for Fort Liberty and the 18th Airborne Corps.

Our priorities remain  warfighting, and taking care of our people, Donahue said.

Lt. Gen. Christopher Donahue, senior commander for Fort Liberty and the 18th Airborne Corps, make remarks during a "state of Fort Liberty" roundtable discussion Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024.

Deployments

Donahue said the Corps headquarters unit deployed in support of missions in Sudan during the past year, while three subordinate division headquarters and multiple brigades deployed to other areas.

Two of the Corps' division headquarters, which includes Fort Liberty's 82nd Airborne Division, are deployed to Europe, he said.

Other units are deployed to the U.S. Central Commands area of responsibility, he said.

The 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade is deployed to the Middle East under Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve, which advises and assists partner forces in the region to defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.

Also deployed to the Middle East is a Fort Liberty Patriot missile battalion.

I cant predict anything thats going to happen in the future. ... But I do know we have to be ready, Donahue said. As I look across every day, every threat that could pop up ... I am confident that we are ready to go and solve any problem.

Command Sgt. Maj. Bryan Barker, the senior enlisted leader for the 18th Airborne Corps, said formations at Fort Liberty stand ready to answer any call if needed.

The main reason we exist here ... is to be that credible force that our adversaries fear that prevents them from taking those miscalculated steps that would lead us into a World War III potentially, and so the formations stand ready on Fort Liberty to answer that call, Barker said.

Command Sgt. Maj. Bryan Barker, far right, makes comments during a "state of Fort Liberty" discussion Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024, while Lt. Gen. Christopher Donahue, center, and Command Sgt. Maj. Gregory Seymour, far left, listen.

Fort Liberty troops among those deploying to Middle East

Drone munition drop and training

Donahue said that when troops arent deployed, theyre constantly training.

Fort Liberty is one of the first installations to drop live munitions from drones, he said.

The bottom line is, we went out and made the right 3-D printed ... elements, to be able to control various explosives, Donahue said. We got it tested. We got it certified and we can now go out and train on it and use it in live fire training.

Donahue said one priority for the chief of staff of the Army is transformation.

Between the Army Futures Command and U.S. Army Forces Command, leaders are radically infusing new capabilities into units, he said.

Donahue said he thinks the right systems for deterrence, whether unmanned systems or electronic warfare, are being integrated.

Were at an inflection point ... as we look across the world and we look at what our adversaries are thinking, doing, we know that we have to change, he said.

Recent conflicts in Ukraine and Sudan have proved that forces cant hide, Donahue said.

So, how are you going to be able to move quickly, protect yourself, survive, find our adversary, neutralize your adversary and then continue to move and accomplish what you need to? he said.

Donahue said plans were just finished for a Joint Deployment Warfighting Center on Fort Liberty.

The facility will replace 26 facilities that Donahue said would cost more to update than building a new facility.

Barracks

Col. John Wilcox, Fort Libertys garrison commander, said the garrisons mission is to focus on the quality of life of soldiers, along with preparing for rapid deployment.

Quality of life ensures providing adequate living spaces, leaders said.

Last year, Smoke Bomb Hill barracks hit a tipping point when faulty heating and ventilation systems led to mold, causing leaders to deem most of the buildings substandard and move 1,189 soldiers out in August and September 2022,

Barker said the renovated barracks are almost ready for troops.

Wilcox said furniture should be moved in by March 15.

Donahue said mold is a problem across the entire southeast, which is why 3rd Infantry Division soldiers at Fort Stewart, Georgia, created a mold sensor.

The tool was developed by soldiers who participated in the Corps Dragons Lair Challenge, which is a Shark Tank style competition for soldiers to present ideas that help solve tactical issues or problems on installations.

Donahue said the mold sensor streams live data to tell leaders when conditions for mold exist, which he said is helpful for empty barracks when troops are deployed.

Wilcox said many of Fort Libertys barracks were built before 1970.

He said that leaders are balancing the post having a shortage of barracks space along with removing buildings that reach the end of their lifespan.

Managing barracks is a multi-year, multi-decade approach with a current investment plan calling for three new barracks to be built on post within the next 10 years, Wilcox noted.

It wont answer all the needs, so we are looking for additional options, he said.

Barker said that leaders have identified about 180 homes in the St. Mere Eglise neighborhood on post that soldiers can live in when barracks are renovated.

Command Sgt. Maj. Gregory Seymour, the senior enlisted leader for Fort Liberty garrison, said the post's Directorate of Public Works is looking to provide bedroom furniture in those homes, while the installations housing partner, Corvias, will help provide living room furniture.

Leaders are also identifying areas off-post for soldiers to live, Barker said.

Command Sgt. Maj. Gregory Seymour makes remarks during a "state of Fort Liberty" discussion Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024, while Col. John Wilcox and Lt. Gen. Christopher Donahue listen.

Smoke Bomb Hill barracks renovation complete. Here's what's next for housing on Fort Liberty

Child development centers and other projects

Other ongoing initiatives and upcoming projects that leaders highlighted Thursday include finding solutions for child development center waitlists for families.

Donahue said the demand for the centers' services is high.

Wilcox said Fort Liberty has asked the Army for three more child development centers to serve about 330-350 kids.

He and Donahue said the facilities need to be staffed with quality childcare workers who meet federal requirements.

Donahue said Fayetteville State University and Fayetteville Technical Community College are helping build up quality people through degrees, certifications and programs to meet the federal requirements.

Wilcox said child development center staffing is at about 90%, and military leaders are working with Fayetteville and Cumberland County leaders to recruit childcare workers from local communities.

Donahue and Wilcox said road repairs are also a focus, with Manchester Road and others slated for upgrades.

In speaking on the quality of life for soldiers and families, Donahue said Fort Libertys Directorate of Family Morale, Welfare and Recreation not only hosts an annual July 4 celebration but also brings in musicians like Gary Sinise throughout the year.

Wilcox estimated that MWR hosts about 400-600 events each month for families.

"This installation remains ready to answer the nations call, and we strive every day to improve the quality of life on this installation to attract more talent and retain it here, he said.

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

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Fort Liberty leaders on training, barracks, childcare
The reason a conventional two-state solution, while well intentioned, cannot work should be obvious. The West Bank and Gaza are not contiguous. To consider them a single unified Palestinian state would foster the demand for a land bridge across Israel to connect the two parts. Israel could never agree to being cut in two. A single Palestinian authority based on the West Bank cannot be expected to govern both parts fairly.

Whats needed is a three-state solution. Recognizing that Gaza needs to be independent from the West Bank would be the first step. The next step would be to recognize the legitimacy of the West Bank with the understanding that residents of existing Jewish settlements in the West Bank be no longer recognized as citizens of Israel, but as citizens of the new state with the same rights and privileges currently enjoyed by Arabs living in Israel. Of course, any settlers that would prefer to be Israeli citizens rather than citizens of the new West Bank State should be allowed to return to Israel.

People search for victims in the rubble of the Baraka family home in Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip after it was hit in an Israeli air strike on Sunday, February 18, 2024, amid ongoing battles between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas in the besieged Palestinian territory.

Further, the battle with Hamas and Hezbollah should not be Israels alone. Terrorists like Hamas and Hezbollah have been operating with impunity from states and territories like Yemen, Gaza and the West Bank. It is because Arab states and territories have shown themselves to be unable, unwilling or more likely afraid to close the terrorist bases on their land that terrorism continues.

Opinion: Hamas Instagram post indicates fracture in resolve and its unwillingness to compromise

Finally the burden of a cease-fire should not be Israels alone to bear. For any cease-fire to be effective, Hamas and Hezbollah must agree to it in good faith with the understanding that they begin providing for the needs of the civilians in Gaza rather than rearming.

Irving A. Gelb

North Bergen

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Israel-Hamas war: Three-state solution must be considered
NEW YORK  Startling video shows a group of NYPD cops being attacked by migrants at a shelter on Randalls Island.

Migrants surrounded about five uniformed officers and threw bottles and debris at them as the cops tried to apprehend a disorderly man inside the shelter last Thursday, the video shows.

At one point, someone hurls a backpack, striking a cop in her head with it. A few moments later, a shelter resident with crutches tries to poke an officer.

Shelter residents are seen screaming at the officers in Spanish. Cops are holding up their batons to deflect the objects being thrown at them.

Cops were called to the shelter around 11 a.m. when a man began arguing with security guards and was acting in a disorderly fashion, an NYPD spokesman said.

The man, wearing a white T-shirt, was not a shelter resident, a source said.

In the video, the man sits on the floor while hes surrounded by officers and struggles with cops who are trying to handcuff him, inflaming witnesses watching the arrest.

By the end of the two-minute clip, shelter security guards are called in to surround the officers, who pick up the struggling man and remove him from the tent shelter.

Security! Surround the cops! Surround the cops! someone can be heard yelling off camera.

None of the officers were injured, police said. It wasnt immediately clear if the man taken into custody was charged.

The video is another example of the ongoing strife between police and the citys migrant population.

The division has become a lightning rod for criticism over the already-polarizing migrant crisis in New York City, with calls for the migrants involved in such incidents to be deported.

On Jan. 27, a group of migrants was caught on surveillance camera beating on an NYPD lieutenant and cop outside a migrant shelter in Times Square.

On Jan. 27, a group of migrants was caught on surveillance camera beating on an NYPD lieutenant and a cop outside a migrant shelter in Times Square. As of Feb. 14, eight migrants have been arrested for assaulting those officers.

The Randalls Island shelter is the citys biggest facility to house asylum seekers coming into New York. It can hold up to 3,000 people.

_____
The Biden administration is compounding its biggest foreign policy mistake by falling into a trap that has bedeviled U.S. policymakers often in the past.

The initial mistake was embracing a dangerous, profoundly unreliable foreign leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, who heads a reckless and extremist government, as a full partner. It was a decision that any student of Netanyahu knew would end in disasterno matter how well intentioned the impulse behind it in the wake of the October 7 terror attacks may have been.

Netanyahu is untrustworthy. He has a proven record of manipulation, deceit, and mendacity. He is a sworn enemy of peace in the region. He has treated Palestinians with disdain and disrespect ever since he entered politics. And the extremists in his coalition are even worserabid theocratic nationalists who believe that Israeli lives are infinitely more valuable than those of their closest neighbors.

The secondary error that the Biden team is now making is that, after the catastrophic consequences of its policy have become painfully clear, it is seeking to fix the mistake not by undoing it but by augmenting its policy with incremental measures. You cant fine-tune a massive error into being a success. That is a lesson the United States learned in Vietnam, in Iraq, and in Afghanistan.

We say this as genuine admirers of the Biden administrations foreign policy to date and with the greatest respect for the foreign policy judgment of Biden and his team. When Biden chose to pull out of Afghanistan, even though the exit was badly botched, we praised the decision to leave and to finally bring Americas longest war to an end. We consider the effort to engineer, finally, a real pivot in the focus and priorities of the U.S. to the Indo-Pacific region and to bolster that move with the creation of new alliances, deepened friendships, active diplomacy, and sound measures to counter Chinese competition to be one of the most important, best-executed strategic shifts in recent U.S. foreign policy history, and to be one with important benefits for the world as a whole.

Bidens courage and leadership in the wake of Russias brutal, unprovoked invasion and massive escalation of its war in Ukraine is in the best tradition of American presidents. Revitalizing and expanding NATO willunless undone by Donald Trump and the MAGA GOPbear national security benefits for all in the Western alliance for decades to come. Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, national security adviser Jake Sullivan, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, CIA Director Bill Burns, and their associates are quite simply the very best, most experienced, wisest group of foreign policy and national security professionals the U.S. has seen in over three decades. Theyre among the best ever.

But their Israel-Gaza policy now threatens to overshadow all of that and to become a mistake that haunts them into the pages of history.

Like many such errors, it began with a sound impulse. Israel, a close ally, had been brutally attacked. It was only natural that the U.S. would respond in their moment of need with an offer of assistance. But almost from the outset, the degree to which that assistance was offered without clear conditions opened the door for Netanyahu to take advantage of the U.S. and to do so in ways that would result in a devastating loss of innocent human life, an ever-worsening humanitarian crisis, and deep damage to Americas standing in the world and the Biden administrations standing with millions of U.S. citizens.

While the U.S., from the outset, sought to influence Israel to take steps to reduce the loss of human life in Gaza and later actively worked to find acceptable deals for the release of hostages that might also come with some form of extended pause in the fighting, time after time its efforts were rebuffed by Netanyahu. Nevertheless, whenever he was asked, Biden asserted the U.S. would not set preconditions for aid to the Israelis. Biden administration officials regularly defended Israels actions even when they were clearly indefensible. And the crisis for the people of Gaza and, secondarily but nonetheless importantly, for the Biden administration grew worse with every passing day.

Within weeks, it was clear that Netanyahu would say one thing in meetings with Americans and do something else altogether. Eventually he and his supporters would make statements that flew directly and outrageously against U.S. wishes and in opposition to American interests. They spoke about ethnically cleansing Gaza of Palestinians. They said the war would continue indefinitely. They rejected the idea of a two-state solution.

Gradually, frustration within the Biden administration began to grow. Behind the scenes, divisions hardened among senior officials about the wisdom of throwing in with Netanyahu. Anger at him rose as it became clear that he not only refused to be held accountable for the security debacle that took place under his watch but that he also saw continuing the war as the only way he could maintain power. Further, of course, there were persistent questions about Netanyahus motives because he was so closely aligned with Bidens political opponents in the U.S., Donald Trump and the GOP.

The frustration came out in statements calling for Israeli restraint. The vice president made a particularly clear call for this during a trip to the region in December. During her visit, Harris articulated a U.S. vision for postwar Gaza and the region that was ignored, then derided by Netanyahu.

Later, the U.S. would tweak the Israelis in comparatively small ways. Biden refused to speak to the Israeli prime minister for a while. Sanctions against four Israeli West Bank settlers were effectively a slap on the wrist, easily ignored by Netanyahu. (We think it would have been more effective and appropriate to sanction extremist Israeli Cabinet ministers who were fomenting anti-Palestinian violence and promoting ethnic cleansinglike, for example, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir or Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.)

But of course none of these measures worked. They did not address the core problem. The U.S. could try to cajole and persuade Netanyahu, but the two nations interests were not aligned from the outset, and Netanyahu had absolutely zero meaningful incentive to succumb to U.S. entreaties or admonitions. Netanyahu is a liar, a user, an exploiter, and a malignant narcissist, just like his U.S. political ally Trump. Furthermore, he seems intent on actively seeking a confrontation with President Biden to serve his political survival.

By now it should be clear that the lipstick of rhetorical admonitions did not improve the appearance of this particular pig of a gross policy miscalculation. Nonetheless, as recently as a few days ago, a senior U.S. official said to one of us that we could not be tougher with Netanyahu because we would lose our leverage with him.

What leverage? He does not listen. He has ignored much if not all of our guidance. We may have achieved minor gains on humanitarian issues but at what cost? Nearly 30,000 Palestinians are dead. More will die if a ground operation in Rafah is launched, as appears to be imminent. Tens of thousands are at risk of starvation or disease. Israels abuses in Gaza are among the worst we have seen in recent historyfar worse in terms of civilian toll than even Russias war crimes in Ukraine. And all of this is, undeniably, uncomfortably and, indeed, shamefully, being enabled by the United States.

When a major mistake is made, the first step is to stop making it worse. Recognize it for what it is. And change course. For the U.S., this means being direct and open in its criticism of Netanyahu. It means Biden, who is more popular than Netanyahu in Israel, taking his message directly to the Israeli people. It means making it clear that our goal is peace and stability and that we will support itbut it means that not only is Hamas gone but that Israel and the Palestinian Authority get new leadership. It means using our diplomatic leverage to get the release of the hostages and then to declare mission accomplished and to take a big step back away from this conflict, turning key remaining issues over to regional partners and international institutions.

It means working with the Saudis to use the carrot of a normalization agreement to set up a plausible process toward an independent demilitarized but secure Palestinian state. In this regard, it means recognizing a Palestinian state and making work toward it a centerpiece of U.S. regional policy. It means backing international institutions capable of providing aid.

Perhaps most consequentially, it means walking back Bidens error of saying aid to Israel would be unconditional. It must be conditional. All aid is conditional. And it is vitally important that Netanyahu understand that America is not giving him a blank check and that the U.S. will no longer underwrite activities that are contrary to our interests or in violation of international law.

(It is also essential to understand that whatever our critique of the Biden administrations Israel-Gaza policy to date, the only hope of undoing recent mistakes and achieving positive results lies with maintaining Americas current leadership. Donald Trump, as we have both written elsewhere, would be many times worse, many times more accommodating to the extremist elements in Netanyahus government.)

The bond between the American and the Israeli people is and should remain unbreakable. But we should not make the mistake of confusing the Israeli people with a dangerously radical government led by an accused criminal. We must recognizethe president must recognizethat the old U.S.-Israel relationship that Biden first got to know as a young senator is a thing of the past, a Cold War relic. We must accept that if Americas goal is regional stability, there is no path to get there that does not involve dignity and self-determination for the Palestinian people. We must understand that to the world and to the rising generation of American voters, not only is this the right path, but it is one that we have strayed from for far too long.

The only way to fix a broken policy is to end it. It is time to start anew with both the U.S.-Israel relationship and with the U.S.-Palestine relationship. If this administration can do that, it can add this area of Middle East policy to its long list of foreign policy triumphs. If it cannot, it is quite possible it will haunt Bidens legacy for many years to come.
The Chicago Park District has voted to name a section of the Montrose Beach Dunes Natural Area after Monty and Rose, a beloved pair of piping plovers whose unlikely love story captured the hearts of Chicagoans.

The stretch of the lakefront, now dubbed the Monty and Rose Wildlife Habitat, is part of a 3.1-acre expansion of the protected land in Lincoln Park. The Park Districts board of commissioners voted on the name Wednesday, which coincided with Valentines Day.

Monty and Rose achieved local celebrity status in 2019 when they became the first of their endangered species to raise a family in Chicago in more than 60 years. The lovebirds returned to the area each summer to nest, garnering scores of enthusiastic followers until Montys death in 2022.

Monty and Rose may one day be counted amongst the great love stories, yet today we celebrate the love affair that Chicago and Chicagoans have for nature and conservation, Chicago Piping Plovers said in a Facebook post last week.

Monty and Roses son, Imani, returned to Montrose in 2022 and 2023, according to the Chicago Bird Alliance. Last year, only about 250 piping plovers were summering in the Great Lakes region.

The Park District announced the expansion of the Montrose Beach Dunes Natural Area in 2021 to support wildlife conservation efforts. Because there are so few protected sand beaches in Illinois, the habitat is critical to shorebirds, according to the Park District.

Part of the expansion includes the spot where Monty and and Rose met.

From one bird love story to another, diverse bird species are reclaiming once industrialized areas of our beloved city, including the steel mills and landfills in Chicagos Southeast Side and the once contaminated riverways, and calling our urban parks home, Park District Superintendent and CEO Rosa Escareno said in a news release.
Key Insights

Significantly high institutional ownership implies Rockwell Automation's stock price is sensitive to their trading actions

The top 25 shareholders own 47% of the company

Insiders have bought recently

A look at the shareholders of Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE:ROK) can tell us which group is most powerful. We can see that institutions own the lion's share in the company with 78% ownership. In other words, the group stands to gain the most (or lose the most) from their investment into the company.

Given the vast amount of money and research capacities at their disposal, institutional ownership tends to carry a lot of weight, especially with individual investors. Therefore, a good portion of institutional money invested in the company is usually a huge vote of confidence on its future.

Let's take a closer look to see what the different types of shareholders can tell us about Rockwell Automation.

View our latest analysis for Rockwell Automation

What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Rockwell Automation?

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.

Rockwell Automation already has institutions on the share registry. Indeed, they own a respectable stake in the company. This suggests some credibility amongst professional investors. But we can't rely on that fact alone since institutions make bad investments sometimes, just like everyone does. 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 Rockwell Automation's historic earnings and revenue below, but keep in mind there's always more to the story.

Story continues

Since institutional investors own more than half the issued stock, the board will likely have to pay attention to their preferences. Rockwell Automation is not owned by hedge funds. Looking at our data, we can see that the largest shareholder is The Vanguard Group, Inc. with 12% of shares outstanding. BlackRock, Inc. is the second largest shareholder owning 8.7% of common stock, and State Street Global Advisors, Inc. holds about 4.0% of the company stock.

Our studies suggest that the top 25 shareholders collectively control less than half of the company's shares, meaning that the company's shares are widely disseminated and there is no dominant shareholder.

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 plenty of analysts covering the stock, so it might be worth seeing what they are forecasting, too.

Insider Ownership Of Rockwell Automation

The definition of an insider can differ slightly between different countries, but members of the board of directors always count. Company management run the business, but the CEO will answer to the board, even if he or she is a member of it.

Most consider insider ownership a positive because it can indicate the board is well aligned with other shareholders. However, on some occasions too much power is concentrated within this group.

Our most recent data indicates that insiders own less than 1% of Rockwell Automation, Inc.. As it is a large company, we'd only expect insiders to own a small percentage of it. But it's worth noting that they own US$65m worth of shares. It is good to see board members owning shares, but it might be worth checking if those insiders have been buying.

General Public Ownership

With a 21% ownership, the general public, mostly comprising of individual investors, have some degree of sway over Rockwell Automation. While this size of ownership may not be enough to sway a policy decision in their favour, they can still make a collective impact on company policies.

Next Steps:

While it is well worth considering the different groups that own a company, there are other factors that are even more important. For instance, we've identified 1 warning sign for Rockwell Automation that you should be aware of.

If you would prefer discover what analysts are predicting in terms of future growth, do not miss this free report on analyst forecasts.

NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the last twelve months, which refer to the 12-month period ending on the last date of the month the financial statement is dated. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
Owasso police are conducting a very active and thorough investigation into a teen's death while they wait for autopsy and toxicology results.

Police are investigating the Feb. 8 death of a 16-year-old Owasso High School student, an officer confirmed Monday.

The student died one day after being involved in a fight on school grounds, but what killed the teen is unclear, said Lt. Nick Boatman, a spokesman for Owasso Police. The town of about 40,000 people is a northern suburb of Tulsa.

He said police are conducting a very active and thorough investigation while they wait for autopsy and toxicology results. Boatman said he cannot comment on any possible charges related to the case until officers receive more information from medical examiners.

We do not want to make any rash conclusions about any part of the investigation or the cause of death, he said in an email. Unfortunately, its just going to take time.

Boatman said a parent reported the fight to police after seeking medical treatment for the teen on Feb. 7. The student was initially released from the hospital, then was rushed back the following day and pronounced dead, Boatman said.

Police expect to receive more information from the student's autopsy soon, but complete toxicology results could take weeks, Boatman said. No one at the Oklahoma Office of the Chief Medical Examiner immediately responded to messages for comment Monday about the investigation into the teens death.

Boatman declined to disclose any other information, including the teens name, because of the ongoing investigation.

The Oklahoman could not immediately reach relatives of the teen to confirm the students identity.

Reports, questions about Owasso High School student's death draws national attention

Questions about the teens death have drawn national attention. 2 News in Tulsa reported that the teen and a classmate were beaten in a school bathroom by three older students. The television station spoke with a woman who said her daughter was the other student injured in the fight.

The woman, who was not named in the news report, claimed school officials did not seek emergency medical care for the student who later died.

Jordan Korphage, a spokesman for Owasso schools, said in an email that students who are involved in physical altercations are screened by a registered nurse. Students who need further care are taken to a medical facility by ambulance or by a parent or guardian, he said.

Those protocols were followed during this incident, he said.

Korphage said he could not say anything else about the student or what happened because of the police investigation.

More: No one shows up to speak for or against Ryan Walters' new DEI, drag queen rules proposals

Oklahoma schools Superintendent Ryan Walters said in a statement that he was also waiting to learn more from police. The safety and security of our students is my top priority, as well as the first responsibility of Oklahoma schools, Walters said.

He said he had offered extra resources to the district through a statewide mental health program.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma school beating: 16-year-old student death under investigation
The 25-year-old student arrested on murder charges in the shooting at the University of Colorado campus in Colorado Springs was rooming with one of the two victims, authorities said Tuesday.

Nicholas Jordan, of Detroit, was taken into custody on Monday on two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the shooting that killed Samuel Knopp, a 24-year-old student at the university, and Celie Rain Montgomery, 26, who was not enrolled in the school. Their bodies were found in an on-campus dormitory Friday after shots were reported.

Jordan and Knopp were roommates, Ira Cronin, spokesperson for the Colorado Springs Police Department, confirmed to USA TODAY. "Other aspects of their relationship (are) tied to our ongoing investigation, and we wont be revealing that at this time," Cronin said.

Jordan's bond was increased from $1 million to $5 million at his first court hearing Tuesday after prosecutor Robert Willett said the suspect is a safety risk, appeared to be trying to leave the state  he hails from Detroit  and had a gun when arrested Monday.

Jordan is being represented by a lawyer from the state public defender's office, which does not comment on its cases. Police have said the shooting was an isolated event and that Jordan knew Knopp and Montgomery.

Here's what we know so far:

Celie Rain Montgomery, 26, and Samuel Knopp, 24, were found dead inside a dorm room at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs on Feb. 16, 2024, according to the Colorado Springs Police Department.

Shots heard, school under lockdown

Officers with the campus police department were called to Crestone House, an on-campus dormitory, after shots were heard around 6 a.m. Friday.

Inside a dorm room, officers found two bodies, triggering an hourslong campus lockdown as investigators worked to determine whether there was an active shooter.

At the request of the university police, the Colorado Springs Police Department took over the investigation. By Friday night, officers had Jordan's name and obtained a warrant for his arrest.

A police officer stands outside a University of Colorado dorm on Feb. 16, 2024.

"This incident does not appear to be a murder-suicide and both deaths are being investigated as homicides," the city police said Friday in a post on X.

On Sunday afternoon, the department publicly identified Knopp and Montgomery and said, "Investigative efforts so far continue to indicate this is an isolated incident between parties that were known to one another and not a random attack against the school or other students at the university."

Police arrest suspect without incident

Police said officers from the motor vehicle theft unit spotted Jordan in a car less than 3 miles from campus Monday morning and arrested him without incident shortly afterward.

Jordan was being held in the El Paso County Jail on a $1 million bond as of Tuesday morning, according to the county jail website.

A mugshot from the Colorado Springs Police Department shows Nicholas Jordan, 25, who has been arrested in the fatal shooting of his roommate Samuel Knopp, 24, and Celie Rain Montgomery, 26.

It's unclear whether Jordan has a criminal history. Searches of state criminal history databases in Colorado and Michigan did not yield any results apart from his murder charges this week.

The University of Colorado at Colorado Springs has declined to provide details about Jordan's academic history, including his time and area of study.

Chris Valentine, a spokesperson for the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, said in an email he was "not able to provide any additional information related to the people involved in this event other than to confirm that both Knopp and Jordan were both students of UCCS at the time of the incident."

Campus mourns Knopp and Montgomery

The university was closed over the weekend and classes were canceled Monday, though dozens of people gathered for a memorial walk at the school of more than 11,000 students and nearly 2,000 faculty and staff.

"As we mourn the loss of Samuel Knopp and Celie Montgomery, my hope is that we will come together as a community, support one another and share in our grief. Please remember that you are not alone," Chancellor Jennifer Sobanet wrote in an email to students.

Sobanet described Knopp as an "accomplished guitar player and an extremely talented musician" who was "a beloved member of the Visual and Performing Arts department."

Although Montgomery was not a student, she will be "mourned by our campus community," Sobanet said.

Montgomery was a student in the Pueblo Community College culinary arts program for one semester in fall 2020, according to Amy Matthew, a spokesperson for the school.

The Pueblo Community College family extends heartfelt condolences to the family of former PCC student Celie Montgomery, as well as to the family of Samuel Knopp," Patty Erjavec, president of Pueblo Community College, said in a statement. "These deaths, and the ensuing unimaginable pain, are happening much too often in an environment where teaching and learning should be our only concern.

The shooting comes a week after another student died on campus. The Scribe, the school's student newspaper, reported that on the night of Feb. 12, nursing student Mia Brown died after having a medical emergency at the rec center.

Contributing: Associated Press; Sarah Al-Arshani and Jorge L. Ortiz, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Colorado Springs shooting: Nicholas Jordan was roommates with victim
Fire damaged a two-story structure seen here Tuesday at the back of the property at 150 Chilean Ave.

Two homes in Palm Beach were damaged and remained without power Tuesday after an incident the evening before sparked fires and brought a massive emergency response to Midtown's Chilean Avenue.

The town received multiple emergency calls about 4:45 p.m. Monday for a pair of fires, which involved a blown transformer and a live power line on the ground at properties across the street from each other at 145 and 150 Chilean Ave., Palm Beach Fire Rescue spokesperson Joe Sekula said.

When the transformer went, power backed up into the two houses, causing the fires, he said, citing information from Florida Power & Light Co.

Gas, electricity and water were shut off to the area while Fire Rescue crews got both fires under control. Utilities were restored to surrounding homes by about 9 p.m. Monday, Sekula said. In a statement to Palm Beach Daily News Tuesday afternoon, an FPL spokesperson said the incident affected 875 customers Monday, and all power was restored Tuesday to all customers for whom service could be restored safely.

Past Coverage: Utilities shut off in area as Palm Beach crews battle fires at homes on Chilean Avenue

The power line came down and a water line feeding into the house at 145 Chilean Ave. broke, causing extensive water and fire damage to a second-floor bathroom in that home, Sekula said. Crews cut into the roof of that home to create ventilation, then covered the roof with a tarp once the blaze was out, he said. No one was home at the time of the fire.

At 150 Chilean Ave., embers and flames were seen on the outside of an apartment at the back of the property, and there was smoke inside, Sekula said. Crews quickly doused that fire, he said.

While officials search for the incident's cause, Town Engineer Patricia Strayer said it was not related to work in the area to move Florida Power & Light Co. transmission lines underground. The crews performing that work were not on site Monday because of Presidents Day, she said, noting that those crews don't touch the overhead wires until all of the underground infrastructure is completed and ready for the conversion.

Fires were reported on the properties 145, right, and 150 Chilean Ave., left, on Monday.

Historic Palm Beach homes affected by fires

Both homes are in the ocean block of Chilean Avenue in the busy and historic Midtown area of Palm Beach. Both also carry historic significance, records show.

The house at 150 Chilean Ave. is a landmarked home built in 1929 and designed by architect Charles E. Snyder in the Moorish style. According to Palm Beach Daily News archives, the Town Council in 2009 voted to award the house landmark status.

In her book Landmark Architecture of Palm Beach, Barbara D. Hoffstot wrote of the property: This heavily Moorish-influenced house was constructed as the residence of the architect. It is notable for its elaborate meshre-beeyeh with cinquefoil-arched windows projecting over a lattice door and its slender minaret decorated with Arabic script in low relief. A pointed arch defines the driveway and trefoil arched windows decorate the side facade. The two-story apartment with garage in the rear has its own small minaret.

The home at 145 Chilean Ave., which Sekula said sustained more significant damage, was built in 1924, according to the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser's records.

The home was built by B.G. Zablocki for its original owner, W.J. Stuart, but the architect is not known, said Amanda Capote, archives and programming associate for the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach.

According to Palm Beach Daily News and Palm Beach Post archives, Zablocki worked with noted Palm Beach architect Agnes Ballard.

According to his 1953 obituary in The Palm Beach Post, Zablocki moved to West Palm Beach in 1920. He was born in Poland in 1873 and lived in Russia, where he met his wife, Marie Herboldt.

Notable projects built by Zablocki include the original West Palm Beach Library and the first Casino on the beach in Lake Worth. A 1926 ad for his business said Zablocki was a construction designer and civil engineer "specializing in Spanish building."

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Monday night fires damage two 1920s-era Palm Beach homes
Vladimir Putin has gifted a Russian-made limousine to his North Korean counterpart Kim Jong-un, the latest signal of deepening relations between two countries that are otherwise increasingly isolated on the global stage.

North Korean state media said the car was hand-delivered by a Russian delegation over the weekend, and on Tuesday the Kremlin confirmed that Mr Putin had sent a full-sized luxury sedan limousine by Aurus, Russias first luxury car brand.

Mr Putins present to Mr Kim is likely to be in violation of Moscow-backed United Nations Security Council sanctions against Pyongyang, which prohibit the supply of luxury goods including all transportation vehicles to the nation.

KCNA reported that the car was received on 18 February by Mr Kims sister and close aide, Kim Yo-jong, as well as other senior North Korean officials.

Ms Kim courteously conveyed Kim Jong-uns thanks to Mr Putin to the Russian side, saying that the gift serves as a clear demonstration of the special personal relations between the top leaders of the DPRK (North Korea) and Russia and as the best one.

Mr Kim, who is said to be an avid automobile enthusiast with a large collection of luxury foreign cars, was pictured inspecting Mr Putins presidential Anrus Senat limousine when he travelled to Russia last year on a rare trip outside North Korea.

A commercial version of Putin's Aurus Senat limousine at the Moscow International Motor Show (AFP via Getty Images)

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the decision to present the car was made after Mr Kim lavished praise on Mr Putins own Aurus Senat Limousine.

When the head of the DPRK [North Korea] was at the Vostochny cosmodrome, he looked at this car, Putin showed it to him personally, and like many people, Kim liked this car, Mr Peskov said when asked about the gift.

So this decision was made, Mr Peskov added. North Korea is our neighbour, our close neighbour, and we intend, and will continue, to develop our relations with all neighbours, including North Korea.

Russias invasion of Ukraine has contributed to closer ties between North Korea and Russia  two increasingly isolated regimes under numerous Western sanctions and locked in separate confrontations with the United States and its allies. Various reports have emerged of Pyongyang supplying artillery, rockets and ballistic missiles to Moscow to sustain its war in Ukraine.

Kim Jong-un and Vladimir Putin at the Vostochny cosmodrome in September 2023 (AP)

The Kremlin has neither confirmed nor denied its use of North Korea-made weapons in its invasion of Ukraine. North Korea has denied shipping arms to Russia, which would also be a violation of UN sanctions.

Since Mr Kims visit to Russia in September, exchanges of delegations between the two countries have become more frequent.

On Tuesday, KCNA separately reported that a delegation of North Koreas ruling party officials returned from Russia and three delegations, representing information technology, fisheries and sports, departed for Russia.

In January, a high-ranking North Korean delegation travelled to Russia to advance talks on what North Korean media said was a forthcoming visit by Mr Putin to North Korea. It would be his first to the country in the last 20 years.

Mr Kim has expressed his strong support for Russias war in Ukraine and said the two nations needed to unite against Western powers. In October last year, Mr Kim wished Mr Putin victory over the imperialists anti-Russia scheme in a letter to mark the 75th anniversary of their countries bilateral relations, state media reported.

Kim Jong-un arriving in Artyom, near Vladivostok in 2023 (AP)

International sanctions that ban the supply of luxury goods to North Korea have not prevented Mr Kim from maintaining a fleet of high-end cars, believed to have been smuggled into his country over the years.

Mr Kim has been seen being driven in a Maybach armoured limousine and also drove himself in it in Russia after it was brought there on board a special train.

In 2018, he was seen travelling in a black Rolls-Royce to meet a US delegation and two armoured Mercedes-Maybach S600 Guard vehicles were delivered to North Korea from the Netherlands, according to the Washington-based Center for Advanced Defense Studies.

It said that more than 800 luxury cars were imported by the country from 2015 to 2017 alone and a majority of them were from Russian companies.

Brought over for an earlier trip in 2019 to Russia, Mr Kim has two limos ready for his use at Vladivostok station, a Maybach S600 Pullman Guard and a Mercedes Maybach S62. He also used a S600 Pullman Guard for his two summits with then-president Donald Trump in Singapore in 2018 and Vietnam in 2019.
Local leaders are calling on California Governor Gavin Newsom to declare a statewide emergency as the land continues to shift throughout the seaside community of Rancho Palos Verdes.

The city has already declared a local emergency due to an ongoing constant landslide that has destroyed homes, warped roadways and threatened to uproot life for many homeowners.

But the situation in Rancho Palos Verdes is now more dire than ever following another round of torrential rainfall last month, followed by another round of heavy rain this week.

The historic Wayfarers Chapel, also known as The Glass Church, was closed indefinitely last week after the ground near the property continued to shift. Aerial footage from nearby the church showed a large bulge on Rancho Palos Verdes Drive South, the adjacent coastal roadway that operates as a critical artery and emergency route for the citys residents.

Aerial footage from Feb. 15, 2024, shows cars travel over Rancho Palos Verdes Drive, which was left bulging from an ongoing landslide.

City officials say the land is sliding at an accelerated rate, with some estimates of as much as 10 feet per year.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency previously authorized millions to remediate the ongoing slides by using underground wells that will divert water from the ground to the ocean. But that project isnt supposed to begin until next year.

Now the city council wants to expedite that timeline.

Effort underway to save famed Southern California glass chapel

The City Council plans to formally request Newsom declare a state of emergency on Tuesday during its regularly scheduled meeting in hopes that he will help clear the way for immediate work to be done to stabilize the slumping earth.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn, whose district includes Rancho Palos Verdes, is calling for Newsom to visit the area and see the destruction up close.

I think if the Governor came here and saw the buckling streets, the homes sinking and cracking apart, and the historic Wayfarers Chapel on the verge of collapsing, he would understand the urgency of this request, Hahn said in a news release issued Monday afternoon. This is a crisis that is getting worse by the day, and I urge Governor Newsom to visit us and see it with his own eyes.

Following a destructive rainstorm that pummeled Southern California, a massive landslide is threatening a neighborhood in Rancho Palos Verdes on Feb. 8, 2024. (KTLA)

Local leaders also plan to urge the governor to write to President Joe Biden and ask him to consider declaring a federal emergency, which would provide even more resources to address the ongoing coast slides.

On Monday, The Federal Government issued a major emergency declaration for the San Diego area, which was drenched by last months storms and battered by major floods.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
Shielded by the darkness, a spiky creature climbed around a rocky forest of Vietnam. The animals night might have started like any other  but it wasnt going to end that way.

A beam of light swept through the trees. The spiky animal froze; its short limbs clinging to the vine.

It had been discovered.

Scientists ventured into the rocky forest of Lao Cai Province on several wildlife surveys in 2022 and 2023, according to a study published Feb. 19 in the peer-reviewed journal ZooKeys.

On these nocturnal surveys, researchers found five geckos they didnt recognize, the study said. They studied the lizards and quickly realized theyd discovered a new species: Cyrtodactylus luci, or Lucs bent-toed gecko.

Lucs bent-toed geckos are considered medium-sized, reaching about 7.7 inches in length, the study said. They have copper eyes with a yellow, eyelash-like fringe of scales. Spiky bumps are scattered across their bodies.

A Cyrtodactylus luci, or Lucs bent-toed gecko.

Discover more new species

Thousands of new species are found each year. Here are three of our most eye-catching stories from the past week.

 Mountain creature  with 'massive' head and blue eyes  discovered

 Venomous 1-foot-long creature found hunting in forest of Ecuador

Winged 'fairy' creature found preserved inside amber

A photo shows a Lucs bent-toed gecko. It has a light brown body with darker brown blotches. Yellow spikes dot its back and limbs. Its fingers and toes appear to bend in the middle.

Lucs bent-toed geckos were found at night on karst limestone cliffs and in the trees and vines of a nearby forest, the study said.

A Cyrtodactylus luci, or Lucs bent-toed gecko, in the wild.

Researchers said they named the new species after Luc Van Pham, a zoologist who contributed greatly to the study of biodiversity in Vietnam.

So far, Lucs bent-toed gecko has only been found at one site in Lao Cai Province, the study said. This province is along the Vietnam-China border and about 150 miles northwest of Hanoi.

The new species was identified by its spikes, scale pattern, coloring and other subtle physical features, the study said. DNA analysis found the new species had at least 9% genetic divergence from other bent-toed geckos.

The research team included Tung Thanh Tran, Quyen Hanh Do, Cuong The Pham, Tien Quang Phan, Hanh Thi Ngo, Minh Duc Le, Thomas Ziegler and Truong Quang Nguyen.

Mountain creature  with thin fingers  found lurking under rock. Its a new species

Rare winged creature  with magical red body  discovered as new species in China

2-foot-long creature  with distinct eyelashes  found hunting. Its a new species
A University of Colorado at Colorado Springs student has been arrested following an alleged double homicide in a campus dorm room on Friday, according to the Colorado Springs Police Department.

Nicholas Jordan, 25, of Detroit, Michigan, is suspected of two counts of first-degree murder. One of the two people killed in the alleged murders was a 26-year-old woman from Pueblo.

The two victims were identified by the El Paso County Coroner's Office as Celie Rain Montgomery of Pueblo and 24-year-old Samuel Knopp of Parker.

University spokesperson Jenna Press confirmed to the Chieftain Tuesday that Jordan was a UCCS student at the time of the shooting.

A police officer stands outside a dorm in the Village at Alpine Valley housing, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024, as police investigate a shooting on the University of Colorado Colorado Springs campus in Colorado Springs, Colo.

UCCS police initially responded to the scene after receiving a call of shots fired just before 6 a.m. Friday. The call came from Crestone House, a dormitory located on the campus.

UCCS police officers located the room from which the shots originated and located an adult female and an adult male, both of whom were deceased.

Jordan and Knopp were roommates, Ira Cronin, spokesperson for the Colorado Springs Police Department, confirmed to the Chieftain. "Other aspects of their relationship (are) tied to our ongoing investigation, and we wont be revealing that at this time," Cronin said.

University police requested assistance from the CSPD's homicide unit, which took over the investigation from university police. A warrant was obtained Friday evening charging Jordan with two counts of first-degree murder.

Jordan was located in a vehicle and arrested Monday morning without incident in the 4900 block of Cliff Point Circle East, just a few miles from the university.

He is currently being held on a $1 million bond in the El Paso County Jail.

Jordan appears in court

During an advisement hearing Tuesday afternoon in which Jordan appeared virtually while in custody at the El Paso County Jail, an attorney for the Fourth Judicial District Attorney's Office asked that his bond be modified to $5 million cash-only, noting that he believed that Jordan, who he reiterated was not from Colorado, posed a major flight risk and a danger to the public.

Nick Rodgers of the Colorado State Public Defender Office asked that the issue of bond be preserved until a later date, which Judge Shannon Gerhart granted. However, Gerhart advised Jordan that a mandatory protection order is in place, ordering that he cannot have contact with, harass, or intimidate any witnesses or victims in the case. Gerhart also ordered Jordan to surrender his passport if he has one.

Rodgers also asked for the arrest affidavit, which is currently sealed, to be released to the public defender's office but to remain sealed to the public. Meanwhile, the deputy DA stated the DA's office would have no objection to unsealing the affidavit to the public. Gerhart stated she would leave any further unsealing of records to the judge who will preside over the case moving forward.

Campus mourns shooting victims

The university was closed over the weekend and classes were canceled Monday, but dozens of people participated in a memorial walk honoring the victims, as reported by USA Today.

"Sam (Knopp) was a senior studying music and a beloved member of the Visual and Performing Arts department. He was an accomplished guitar player and an extremely talented musician," said University Chancellor Jennifer Sobanet in a university-wide email Monday. "Celie (Montgomery), although she was not a student, will be mourned by our campus community."

Sobanet emphasized that investigative efforts so far "continue to indicate this is an isolated incident between parties that were known to one another and not a random attack against the school or other students at the university. "

"I know we are all mourning, so please, remember that you are not alone. The entire Mountain Lion community is here to support you," she said. "Tomorrow, we will take our first steps, processing and mourning along our healing journey. I encourage you to set aside time to process the tragic events of this past week, both as an individual and in a group setting."

Montgomery was a student in the Pueblo Community College culinary arts program for one semester in the fall of 2020, Amy Matthew, a spokesperson for the school, told the Chieftain.

The Pueblo Community College family extends heartfelt condolences to the family of former PCC student Celie Montgomery, as well as to the family of Samuel Knopp," PCC President Patty Erjavec, said in a statement. "These deaths, and the ensuing unimaginable pain, are happening much too often in an environment where teaching and learning should be our only concern.

All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in court. Arrests and charges are merely accusations by law enforcement until, and unless, a suspect is convicted of a crime.

Questions, comments, or story tips? Contact Justin at jreutterma@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formally known as Twitter, @jayreutter1. Support local news, subscribe to The Pueblo Chieftain atsubscribe.chieftain.com.

This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Pueblo woman identified as victim in alleged Colorado Springs murder
By Francois Murphy

VIENNA (Reuters) - Ryanair expects to be at least seven Boeing deliveries short this summer, CEO Michael O'Leary told Reuters on Tuesday.

"We still think it's somewhere between seven and 10 but there's a risk it could be worse than that. A lot depends on what comes out of the FAA review which is due to complete, I think, in two weeks' time," he said in an interview.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) launched an audit of Boeing's 737 production line following a Jan. 5 accident where a door plug blew off in mid-flight from a Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9. It has also prohibited Boeing from increasing its MAX production rate without FAA permission.

Ryanair, Europe's largest airline by passenger numbers and one of Boeing's main customers, has ordered more than 350 MAX jets in recent years, but has none of the MAX 9 variant.

"I certainly wouldn't say the worst could be 10. It could be more than that. But we've no idea," O'Leary said.

The company is getting weekly updates from Boeing and in the last three updates there has been no change, he said.

"The (Boeing) management team in Seattle don't appear to have a grip on the situation at the moment. In their defence it's in the lap of the FAA and we would like to see some a more expeditious outcome coming from both the FAA oversight and then Boeing ... getting their act together," he said.

A bigger shortfall in plane deliveries by a cut-off date of July 10 could impact Ryanair's passenger traffic outlook further, he said. Ryanair's business year runs until the end of March.

"If we are left short more than seven aircraft then we're looking again at our full-year traffic," O'Leary said.

"Our full-year traffic this year is about 183.5 (million passengers). Next year we're looking at something just over 200 million and we've pared that back from kind of 205 to maybe 201. There's a risk to maybe the 200 - it might be 199, 199.5. We don't know," he said.

(Reporting by Francois Murphy; editing by Jason Neely)
A slow Amber Alert process was widely believed to have failed 10-year-old Hailey Owens, the victim of a 2014 Springfield abduction and murder whose case helped enact systematic change.

Software developer Josh Schisler was a legislative assistant for Sen. Eric Burlison, R-Battlefield, when he sponsored Hailey's Law, mandating upgrades to the way law enforcement pursues abducted children. The bill was passed in 2019 and Schisler began concocting innovative ways he believed would help prevent similar tragedies.

The Kansas City resident is now the founder of US.Watch, a web-based search and rescue platform created in the wake of Haileys death to coordinate the public search for abducted children during Amber Alerts across the country. With the help of co-developer and Dent County Sheriff's Deputy Mike Skaggs and fellow Salem resident and victim advocate Zach Sanders, the software has experienced marked growth.

"Our ultimate goal is to save kids," Schisler told the News-Leader in a phone interview Monday.

Days before the 10th anniversary of Owens' Feb. 18, 2014, death, their efforts appear to have helped stymie a child abduction in California.

Long Beach authorities said 4-year-old Justin Chan was kidnapped from his family's car on Tuesday around 5:45 p.m. when his father stepped out to do a DoorDash delivery and a man stole his car with the child inside. Following a swift Amber Alert, the car was found with Chan inside a little more than two hours later by Reagan Dunn, a 20-year-old Los Angeles resident.

Justin Chan

Dunn told authorities she received the Amber Alert to her phone and clicked on the link that directed her to a social media link by the California Highway Patrol with more information. In the below comments on the platform X, formerly known as Twitter, a hyper-diligent Deputy Skaggs posted a video and link to US.Watch, which Dunn clicked to help enhance the search. When she located the car, she called the police, who soon surrounded the car and safely retrieved the child.

Within 10 minutes, approximately 140,000 Californians viewed the video brief for Justins Amber Alert, and more than 4,600 joined the search, said Sanders, whose program uses an algorithm with nearly two decades of AMBER Alert data from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to target citizen search efforts to locations where abducted children are most likely to be found.

The software helps users navigate their designated Amber Alert zone areas, connect with law enforcement, collaborate with other citizen searchers, and tune into a live broadcast for updates for information and instruction.

Hailey's Law, a bill signed by Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, has since helped law enforcement agencies to include links to sites like US.watch with their Amber Alerts. Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper Jason Crites, who was recently named by America's Watch Child Advocate of the Year, has also been instrumental in the growth of the program working in concert with law agencies across the nation.

US.Watch doesn't a have marketing budget and isn't backed by big donors, as it is in the early stages of its growth, but that a small "scrappy team" has contributed to effectiveness. The goal, Schisler said, is to have the US.Watch links directly in most Amber Alerts.

"(Helping finding Justin Chan) is proof of the efficacy of the system and will help other children be found," he said.

Hailey Owens' killer remains on death row

Craig Wood appears in court in this 2018 News-Leader file photo.

Hailey, a Westport Elementary fourth-grader, was abducted while walking home from a friend's house when authorities say Craig Wood, a total stranger, yanked the girl into his truck before taking her back to his home on Stanford Street, where he raped and murdered her.

In the days after Hailey was killed, an estimated 10,000 people showed up for a candlelight march on Commercial Street in honor of the girl. Family said she was a bubbly, friendly, selfless girl who enjoyed music, baking and shopping.

Craig Wood was convicted of first-degree murder in the case and sentenced in 2018 to death. He is currently on death row.

Ryan Collingwood covers a wide range of topics for the News-Leader with an emphasis on public safety. He can be reached by phone at 417-258-8174 and email at rcollingwood@news-leader.com. You can also follow Ryan on social media at X.com/rwcollingwood

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Hailey Owens' 'Hailey's Law' helps find kidnapped California child
Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny had a long history of political activism and anti-corruption advocacy from leading protests to publishing exposes of government fraud. But his fight was cut short. Navalny died in an Arctic penal colony at age 47, Russias Federal Penitentiary Service announced Friday.

According to the statement, Navalny felt unwell after a walk and lost consciousness; the medical staff at the institution couldnt revive him. His death comes a month before Russias presidential elections in March.

MORE: White House to target Russia with 'major sanctions' in response to Navalny's death

Surviving numerous arrests and a poisoning, Navalny has been the highest-profile critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin and his 24-year rule. Born in 1976, Navalny started his career in politics and activism at the same time Putin came to power.

Heres a look at how Navalny went from being a government critic and anti-corruption blogger to leading Russias most prominent resistance movement in decades.

2000s

Navalny, who earned two degrees in economics and law and was a practicing lawyer, joined the Russian liberal Yabloko party in 2000.

In those years, he also formed a movement to protect the rights of Moscow residents and fought against construction that harmed their lives, according to his campaign website. In 2007, he was expelled from the party for what was viewed as his overly nationalistic views.

PHOTO: In this June 18, 2011, file photo, Russian opposition politician and blogger Alexey Navalny speaks to activists in a summer camp called Anti-Seliger in the Khimki forest, outside Moscow. (AFP via Getty Images, FILE)

In 2008, he focused his efforts primarily on anti-corruption activities by publishing corruption allegations against state-run corporations such as gas distribution company Gazprom.

2011

Navalny established the Anti-Corruption Foundation, a nonprofit organization revealing government corruption.

Ahead of the parliamentary elections in Russia, Navalny and his associates urge the Russian public to vote for any party but the ruling United Russia Party. Yet, United Russia got more than half of the seats in the parliament. As a result, in December 2011, people took the streets of Moscow and other cities for what was one of the biggest protests in years. Navalny was among at least 25,000 protesters. Along with hundreds of people, he was arrested and sentenced to 15 days in jail.

2013

As Navalnys popularity grew, in 2012 he was charged with two different cases of embezzlement and fraud. Navalny called the allegations false and politically motivated. Despite the charges, he managed to run for mayor of Moscow and gathered 27% of the votes in 2013.

MORE: Top Putin Critic Found Guilty of Embezzlement, Barring Him From 2018 Presidential Run

Navalny received suspended sentences for both cases. In 2016, he announced hed run for the presidency, which he was banned from because of the convictions.

PHOTO: In this Jan. 17, 2021, file photo, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny is seen at the passport control point at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport. (Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP via Getty Images, FILE)

2020

In August 2020, Navalny fell ill and lost consciousness on a flight over Siberia and the plane made an emergency landing in the city of Omsk. Hospitalized in an induced coma, after some resistance from Russia, he was flown to Germany due to a suspicion of poisoning. Doctors in Germany and other laboratories in Europe confirmed that Navalny was poisoned with a Soviet-era nerve agent. His recovery took more than five months.

Upon his return to Russia in 2021, Navalny was detained in a Moscow airport after officials claimed that his recovery in Germany violated the terms of his suspended sentence. He would join the hearings mostly virtually from jail and be regularly placed in solitary confinement.

PHOTO: In this May 24, 2022, file photo, opposition leader Alexei Navalny appears on a screen set up at a courtroom of the Moscow City Court via a video link from his prison colony during a hearing of an appeal, in Moscow. (Alexander Nemenov/AFP via Getty Images, FILE)

2023

In mid-2023, a judge sentenced Navalny to 19 years in prison for extremism charges, in addition to the nearly 12-year sentence he was already serving in a penal colony east of Moscow. Later the same year, he was transported to a colony north of the Arctic Circle to a "special regime" facility.

2024

Russian authorities announced Feb. 16 that Navalny had died. Three days later his wife, Yulia Navalnya, accused Putin for being involved in Navalny's death and promised to continue his work.

Timeline of Alexei Navalnys life and activism originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
The Southern Baptist Convention on Tuesday ousted churches for having a woman pastor and over abuse-related reports, solidifying the recent trend for churches and their involuntary exit from the denomination.

The churches  Immanuel Baptist Church in Paducah, Kentucky; Grove Road Baptist Church in Greenville, South Carolina; West Hendersonville Baptist Church in Hendersonville, North Carolina; and New Hope Baptist Church in Gastonia, North Carolina  join 14 other churches the nation's largest Protestant denomination disfellowshipped since the reformulation of an SBC group to review reports against churches.

Recommendations from that SBC group, called the SBC Credentials Committee, have now led to the ouster of six churches for abuse-related reports and six churches in which a woman is a senior or lead pastor. The figures point to the increasing debate over the status of women pastors in the SBC versus the denomination's response to clergy abuse, an issue that largely fueled the credentials committees reform five years ago.

The SBC Executive Committee announced a decision to disfellowship the four churches in a meeting Tuesday in Nashville following an executive session to discuss and vote on a recommendation against the churches. The SBC Executive Committee, comprised of about 20 staff and an 86-member board of elected representatives, manages denomination business outside of the SBC annual meeting.

SBC Executive Committee members listen as Josh Wester, for the abuse reform task force, speaks during the SBC Executive Committee conference at the SBC building in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, Feb. 19, 2024.

The credentials committee recommended the ouster of Grove Road Baptist in South Carolina and West Hendersonville Baptist in North Carolina following abuse-related reports against the churches. Representatives of the two churches could not immediately be reached for comment.

The executive committee approved the ouster of Immanuel Baptist in Kentucky due to a woman, Katie McKown, serving as the churchs senior minister. Immanuel Baptist expressed disappointment at Tuesday's decision in a statement posted to social media.

"The life of Immanuel is informed by the Baptist tenets of the autonomy of the church and the priesthood of all believers," said Immanuel Baptist. "We share our affirmation and support of the decisions to call Rev. Katie McKown to serve with and among us."

The stated reasons for the ouster of New Hope Baptist in North Carolina was due to the church's "lack of reported financial participation" in the SBC for five years and lack of cooperation with a credentials committee inquiry into a "faith and practice" concern. The latter reason is related to the church's stance on women's ordination, said New Hope Baptist pastor Brandon McKoy in a statement on Wednesday.

Some New Hope Baptist members continued to donate to certain annual SBC fundraisers for missionaries, but the church's participation in the SBC beyond that ceased a while ago due to "a growing divergence in our fundamental beliefs and values," McKoy said in the statement.

"The formal notification of our removal from the SBC's affiliation is a confirmation of a path we chose many years agoa path towards a more inclusive, welcoming, and loving community," said McKoy. "Our disaffiliation from the SBC marks not an end but a continuation of our commitment to living out the inclusive and loving ministry that Jesus modeled."

Other recent SBC Executive Committee: New nonprofit to lead SBC abuse reform efforts after delays in launch of abuser database

Churches ousted for abuse-related reports

The Nashville-based SBC disfellowshipped 18 total churches since the convention refashioned its credentials committee in June 2019 to better evaluate churches for racist behavior or mishandling abuse.

In previous abuse-related cases, the executive committee disfellowshipped churches for hiring registered sex offenders or for the pastors questionable or problematic past, such as a more recent case with Freedom Church in Vero Beach, Florida.

Among the latest additions, West Hendersonville Baptist in North Carolina employed a pastor who is biblically disqualified according to SBC standards on abuse response.

That pastor, Jerry Mullinax, faced discipline in 2003 when he taught at a middle school and reportedly sent improper emails to a female student, according to news reports. The North Carolina Board of Education revoked Mullinaxs teaching license in 2004.

The ouster of Grove Road Baptist followed "a lack of intent to cooperate in resolving a concern regarding the pastors mishandling of an allegation of sexual abuse," said the SBC Executive Committee in a statement.

When the SBC Executive Committee approves a churchs ouster, that church can appeal the decision before the full convention at the SBC annual meeting. Freedom Church appealed its ouster at the 2023 SBC annual meeting but to no avail. Southern Baptist voting delegates, called messengers, rejected Freedom Churchs appeal despite the absence of key information about the case, including the extent of the credentials committees review versus its reliance on a similar decision by the Florida Baptist Convention.

Different protocols among state Southern Baptist conventions also contribute to variability in the churches that come under review at the national level. For example, some state conventions have adopted a similar model to the SBC at the national level for reviewing abuse-related claims against churches.

Freedom Church case deep dive: The story of this Florida church's ouster shows the pitfalls facing the SBC on abuse reform

Churches ousted over women pastors

More recently, a broader debate over the status of women pastors in the SBC has led to added responsibilities for the credentials committee.

Last year, the executive committee approved the ouster of five churches for having women pastors, including Saddleback Church, the Southern California megachurch, and Fern Creek Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky. Those latter two churches appealed their ouster at the 2023 SBC annual meeting, but messengers overwhelmingly voted against the churchs reentry.

In the most recent case of Immanuel Baptist in Kentucky, the churchs senior minister, Katie McKown, started leading the church in May. Prior to her time at Immanuel Baptist, McKown was the first woman pastor of a Southern Baptist church in Scottsville, Virginia.

The credentials committee has only recommended the ouster of churches in which women serve as lead or senior pastors, not associate-level pastors. The SBC is currently sorting through its posture on affiliation with churches with women pastors. The convention will vote for a second and final time at this years SBC annual meeting in June in Indianapolis whether to approve a measure seeking to enshrine a ban on women pastors. Meanwhile, the SBC Cooperation Group is studying how the denomination should best align its constitutional standards for church affiliation with its doctrinal statements of belief.

Linda Barnes Popham speaking at the Southern Baptist Convention at the New Orleans Ernest N Morial Convention Center. Tuesday, June 13, 2023.

Though much remains to be seen, previous ousters have already set a precedent. Following the SBCs decision to uphold Fern Creeks ouster, the Kentucky Baptist Convention rendered a similar verdict against the Louisville church.

Liam Adams covers religion for The Tennessean. Reach him at ladams@tennessean.com or on social media @liamsadams.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Top SBC panel ousts churches over woman pastor, abuse response
Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley has vowed to remain in the race, regardless of the outcome of Saturday's South Carolina primary, where she is badly trailing Donald Trump.

Difficult polls in her home state - on top of three consecutive losses to Mr Trump - have fuelled speculation that Ms Haley may drop out of the race soon.

"I'm not," she said in Greenville, South Carolina. "Far from it."

She pledged to at least finish the 16 races on Super Tuesday - 5 March.

"I refuse to quit," Ms Haley said to applause. "South Carolina will vote on Saturday. But on Sunday, I'll still be running for president. I'm not going anywhere."

Mr Trump is spending time in South Carolina to ensure he wins by a large margin and further cements his position as the Republican frontrunner.

He and Ms Haley have been in a head-to-head contest for the Republican nomination since Florida Governor Ron DeSantis suspended his campaign in January.

At a town hall event on Tuesday night also in Greenville, Mr Trump said he believed Ms Haley did not know "how to get out" of the race.

"She just can't get herself to get out," Mr Trump said. "If she was doing well, I'd understand it. But she's doing very poorly."

But Ms Haley, the former South Carolina governor, has been unable to catch Mr Trump. Recent polls from South Carolina show she is some 30 points behind the former president. Nationally, that margin is even wider.

Still, Ms Haley has continued her campaign in earnest, scheduling a flurry of events across the country. She has gone so far as to announce campaign teams in Texas, Georgia, Vermont and California.

The former governor embraced her underdog position during her remarks in Greenville on Tuesday, dismissing the "political elites and party bosses" who have discounted her campaign.

She again cast herself as the younger, more stable alternative to both Mr Trump and President Joe Biden - calling them two "old men" on Tuesday.

And the former UN Ambassador who served under Mr Trump continued to sharpen her critiques of her former boss, calling him a "disaster", and assessing that he is "more unstable and more unhinged" than he was during his first turn in the White House.

"He's completely distracted," she said, alluding to his many legal problems. "And everything is about him."

Ms Haley's long-shot bid has been fuelled by hefty donations from deep-pocketed donors. Campaign officials said earlier this month that she had raised $16.5m (13m) in January.

"We are going to have the resources to go the distance," Betsy Ankney, Ms Haley's campaign manager, told reporters last month.

But Saturday's vote could be the last chance for Ms Haley to prove to prospective voters that she can go the distance and truly challenge Mr Trump, even if she is committed to seeing the results on Super Tuesday.

If she is unable to rally support in her home state, the narrow path to a nomination will narrow even further.

There will be 16 contests on Super Tuesday - 5 March - that account for 874 Republican delegates. That's more than a third of the 2,429 total delegates to be awarded this year.

A candidate must win half that total to become the Republican nominee. Thus far, Ms Haley has won 17 delegates.

Despite the long odds, Ms Haley remained committed to the process and said the US is not holding "a Soviet style election where there's only one candidate and he gets 99% of the vote".

"We don't anoint kings in this country," she added. "We have elections and Donald Trump of all people should know, we don't rig elections."

More on the US election
The Wall That Heals, a three-quarter-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, coupled with a mobile education center, is coming in April to Plesant Harbour of Peoria's Lake Pleasant and will be open 24 hours a day to the public for free.

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, a nonprofit that first unveiled the replica in 1996, announced that it will make a stop in Lake Pleasant on April 11-14 and will be located at 8708 W. Harbor Blvd. The Wall That Heals is meant to honor more than 3 million Americans who served in the U.S. Armed Forces during the nearly 20-year-long Vietnam War and is engraved with the names of 58,281 men and women who died for their country in Vietnam.

A hand gliding across the names of the fallen Vietnam Soldiers of the Wall That Heals.

The wall replica stands 7.5 feet high and is 375 feet wide. It is transported and housed in a 53-foot trailer that travels from community to community. It is currently en route to Baldwin Park, California, after making a stop in Wailuku, Hawaii.

When parked, the trailer opens up and turns into a mobile education center with multiple exhibits on its side that tell the story of the Vietnam War and the wall. One of the sides of the education center includes a digital photo display of "Hometown Heroes," people who lived in the area that have their names marked on the wall. There is also a digital photo display honoring veterans who came back home from Vietnam and later died. Families can apply to have their veteran included on these displays by visiting VVMF's website.

The education center also includes video displays that teach about the history and impact of the wall, educational exhibits told through items representative of those left at The Wall in Washington, D.C., a replica of the "In Memory" plaque, a map of Vietnam, and a chronological timeline of the war. The exhibits aim to tell the story of the controversial conflict and American experiences in a historical and cultural context. Visitors are also able to do rubbings of individual service member's names on The Wall.

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund is pleased to bring 'The Wall That Heals' mobile exhibit to Pleasant Harbor in Peoria, AZ to allow local veterans and their family members a chance to experience The Wall, said Jim Knotts, president, and CEO of VVMF. Hosting 'The Wall That Heals' provides an opportunity to honor and remember all those who served and sacrificed in the Vietnam War and educate visitors on the continuing impact of the Vietnam War on America.

The Wall That Heals has been displayed in more than 700 U.S. communities since its debut in 1996, including a 1999 tour of the four provinces of Ireland and a 2005 trip to Canada. It is the largest replica of The Wall in Washington, D.C., which was built by VVMF in 1982, and is the only traveling exhibit affiliated with the wall. More information about the exhibit can be found on VVMF's website.

Help for vets: Phoenix veteran received assistance to get back on his feet. He now wants to help others

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Traveling Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall coming to Arizona
A state trooper and a construction worker were killed in separate crashes along the same stretch of a Georgia highway, state police say.

Trooper Chase Redner was investigating a crash on Interstate 75 when a driver hit him early Tuesday, Feb. 20, according to the Georgia Department of Public Safety.

It happened just after midnight near Mt. Zion Boulevard in Clayton County, WSB-TV and WANF reported, citing public safety officials.

Redner was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta where he died, the department said.

The Department of Public Safety sends its sincerest condolences and prayers to TFC Redners family and co-workers, officials wrote in a news release. Please keep TFC Redners family in your prayers as they cope with the loss of their loved one.

Redner joined DPS in 2017 after graduating from the 103rd Trooper School, according to the department.

Troopers said he was called to investigate a pedestrian crash that killed a construction worker hours earlier.

A sedan hit the worker at about 10 p.m. Monday, Feb. 19, near Mt. Zion Boulevard as they worked on the interstate, Georgia State Patrol said.

Troopers said a Kia Forte was heading north on I-75 when it veered into a construction zone and hit the worker, who died at the scene.

Authorities havent released the workers identity, and its not clear if the driver will face charges.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said he was devastated by the loss of Redner, whos the second state trooper to be killed in the line of duty in less than a month.

Today we are reminded of the painful price paid by far too many heroes for our safety and the well-being of the places we call home, Kemp said in a statement Tuesday. May God bless and protect all all those who serve.

Investigators said both crashes remain under investigation.

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United Nations experts are raising the alarm over what they say are credible allegations of egregious human rights violations by Israeli forces against Palestinian women and girls in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

The human rights experts on Monday said that they received reports describing Palestinian women and girls being arbitrarily executed in the Gaza Strip, where Israel has for more than four months carried out a military offensive as retaliation for Hamas deadly Oct. 7 attack on the country, which reportedly killed around 1,200 people. According to Gaza health authorities, Israels assault on the territory has killed more than 29,000 Palestinians, most of whom are women and children.

We are shocked by reports of the deliberate targeting and extrajudicial killing of Palestinian women and children in places where they sought refuge, or while fleeing, the experts said in a statement released by the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, or OHCHR. Some of them were reportedly holding white pieces of cloth when they were killed by the Israeli army or affiliated forces.

The experts are part of what is known as the U.N. Human Rights Councils Special Procedures. The group is the largest body of independent fact-finding experts in the U.N. human rights system, and is usually tasked with addressing either specific situations in a particular country or more thematic issues worldwide. Though the Human Rights Council is responsible for appointing the experts to the Special Procedures group, the experts are neither paid U.N. staffers nor associated with a government.

According to the experts, Israeli forces have arbitrarily detained hundreds of Palestinian women and girls since Oct. 7, including human rights defenders, journalists and humanitarian workers. Israeli forces have allegedly subjected many detained women from Gaza to inhuman treatment, such as keeping some in a cage in the rain and cold. Detained Palestinian women and girls also allegedly face severe beatings and are denied menstrual products, food and medicine.

Palestinians mourn relatives killed in the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip at a hospital in Rafah, on Feb. 9, 2024.

Palestinians mourn relatives killed in the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip at a hospital in Rafah, on Feb. 9, 2024.

The experts said that they were particularly distressed by reports of Palestinian women and girls experiencing multiple forms of sexual assault, such as being stripped naked and searched by male Israeli army officers.

At least two female Palestinian detainees were reportedly raped while others were reportedly threatened with rape and sexual violence, the experts said, adding that Israeli forces also allegedly took photos of female detainees in degrading circumstances and uploaded them online.

An unknown number of Palestinian women and children, including girls, have reportedly gone missing after contact with the Israeli army, the experts said, stressing that some missing children have allegedly been forcibly separated from their parents and, in at least one instance, an infant was reportedly brought into Israel.

Taken together, these alleged acts may constitute grave violations of international human rights and humanitarian law, and amount to serious crimes under international criminal law that could be prosecuted under the Rome Statute, the experts said. The Rome Statute established the International Criminal Court for the purpose of investigating allegations of war crimes and prosecuting offenders.

Those responsible for these apparent crimes must be held accountable and victims and their families are entitled to full redress and justice, the experts added.

Separately, at the International Court of Justice, Israel is facing accusations by South Africa of committing genocide against Palestinians, with the Middle Eastern country fervently defending itself.

Meanwhile, an estimated 55,000 women in Gaza are pregnant, but the enclave has seen a 300% increase in miscarriage because of the severe lack of neonatal and maternal health care since Israels offensive began. More Palestinian women are also dying in childbirth due to the lack of prenatal care, while more babies are being born prematurely. Many newborns are dying without access to incubators.

In a statement on Monday, Israel said that it forcefully rejects the allegations cited by the Special Procedures, calling the claims despicable and unfounded. The statement accused the experts of ignoring allegations of Hamas militants engaging in sexual and gender-based violence on and since Oct. 7.

It is clear that the co-signatories are motivated not by the truth but by their hatred for Israel and its people, the statement read.

At the time of the sexual violence allegations against Hamas last year, the OHCHR said that the agency had requested access to Israel and the Palestinian territories so it could collect information from the October attack and conduct a thorough investigation. The OHCHR said that Israel did not respond to its request, and Israel said it would not cooperate with the body because it believed the OHCHR had preexisting biases against the country.

The OHCHRs statement came one day before the U.S., for the third time, vetoed a resolution from the 15-member U.N. Security Council that called for a cease-fire in Gaza. The vote for the Arab-backed resolution was 13-1, with the United Kingdom abstaining.

The U.S., Israels top ally, has instead proposed a draft resolution that would support a temporary cease-fire linked to the release of more than 100 hostages who remain with Hamas after their capture from Israel, and would call for lifting all of Israels restrictions on humanitarian aid delivery.

We dont believe in a rush to a vote, a senior U.S. official told The Associated Press on Monday, despite the some 1.5 million Palestinians forcibly backed into the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah facing a potential Israeli ground invasion.

Need help? Visit RAINNs National Sexual Assault Online Hotline or the National Sexual Violence Resource Centers website.
UPDATE: The Indiana Election Commission at its Feb. 27, 2024 meeting dismissed challenges against the following candidates: Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Jennifer McCormick and Sarah Shydale. The commission voted to remove the following candidates from primary ballots: John Rust, Tamie Dixon-Tatum, Scott A. King, Jonathan D. Brown and B. Nicholas Dossett.

UPDATE: The challenge filed against U.S. Rep. Jim Banks was withdrawn on Feb. 22, 2024 ahead of the Indiana Election Commission meeting.

The Indiana Election Commission must decide 30 primary ballot challenges against candidates trying to run for office in 2024, from president of the United States to Warrick County Superior Court judge.

The four commission members  two Republicans and two Democrats  are recommended by their party's state chair and then appointed by the governor, according to the commission's website.

Among the many cases they will hear next week, those tied to former President Donald Trump and Republican U.S. Senate hopeful John Rust are likely to draw the most attention.

Here's why Trump, Rust and some other primary candidates that have been challenged. The Indiana Election Commission meets Feb. 27 at 10 a.m.

Former President Donald Trump pumps his fist during a campaign event ahead of the Iowa Caucus on Sunday, Jan. 14, 2024, at Simpson College in Indianola.

Donald Trump

Office sought: President of the United States

Party: Republican

Reason challenged: The challenge against Trumps eligibility states that, under the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, a person is unable to be president if they shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion. The challenge cites statements Trump made on Jan. 6, 2021, and the report from the House Select Committee that investigated the attack on the U.S. Capitol as evidence that he did just that. The U.S. Supreme Court is currently considering whether to overturn the Colorado Supreme Court's decision to keep Trump off the presidential ballot in that state under the same rationale.

Joe Biden

Office sought: President of the United States

Party: Democratic

Reason challenged: The challenge alleges that Biden did not meet petition signature requirements due to fraudulent and incomplete signatures.

John Rust

Office sought: U.S. Senate

Party: Republican

Reason challenged: Six people submitted challenges to Rusts candidacy  all tied to Rust not meeting the states party affiliation statute. According to the law, candidates must vote in their desired partys last two primary elections or get approval from their county party chair to get on the primary ballot. Rust has not met either of those requirements. The statute is the subject of Rusts lawsuit against the state, which is before the Indiana Supreme Court.

Jim Banks

Office sought: U.S. Senate

Party: Republican

Reason challenged: The challenge against U.S. Rep. Jim Banks alleges that the congressman has not met the threshold requirements for petition signatures. Candidates for president, U.S. Senate and governor have to submit 500 petition signatures from each of Indianas nine congressional districts. Banks submitted more than 9,000 petition signatures from across the state ahead of the Feb. 9 filing deadline, according to the Indiana Elections Division.

Former Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction Jennifer McCormick attends a protest gathering of teachers from across the state on Thursday, April 13, 2023, at the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis.

Jennifer McCormick

Office sought: Governor

Party: Democratic

Reason challenged: Tamie Dixon-Tatum, who is also seeking the governors office as a Democrat, submitted the complaint against McCormicks campaign. Dixon-Tatum alleges that Indiana Democratic Party Chair Mike Schmuhl told Tatum that McCormick would be the partys nominee even if she did not meet the petition requirements. Sam Barloga, a spokesperson for the party, told IndyStar on Friday that Dixon-Tatums claim is "unequivocally false."

Tamie Dixon-Tatum

Office sought: Governor

Party: Democratic

Reason challenged: The challenge against Dixon-Tatum is that she did not meet the number of signatures required to file to run for governor. As of the filing deadline, Dixon-Tatum, the civil and human rights director for the city of Anderson, had less than half the verified signatures she needed, according to the Indiana Election Division.

Jonathan D. Brown and Scott A. King

Office sought: U.S. House District 5

Party: Republican

Reason challenged: Two people challenged both Brown's and Kings candidacies for the states 5th Congressional District primary, citing Indianas party affiliation statute. Both challenges state that Brown and King did not vote in the Republican Partys last two primary elections.

Sarah Shydale

Office sought: State House District 97

Party: Democratic

Reason challenged: Two people challenged Shydales bid, alleging that she lived at an address outside the district and did not register to vote in the district until December. Indiana law states a candidate must have lived in their district for at least one year prior to running for office.

B. Nicholas Dossett

Office sought: Warrick County Superior Judge No. 2

Party: Republican

Reason challenged: The challenge filed against Dossett alleges that the candidate does not meet Indiana's party affiliation statute and states that Dossett did not vote as a Republican in the last two primary elections.

Contact IndyStar's state government and politics reporter Brittany Carloni at brittany.carloni@indystar.com or 317-779-4468. Follow her on Twitter/X @CarloniBrittany.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana primary election 2024: Candidates face ballot challenges
Yulia Navalnaya vowed on Monday to continue her husband's fight against the Kremlin - Navalny Team

Elon Musk has restored Alexei Navalnys widows Twitter account after the billionaire received a torrent of criticism for suspending it.

Yulia Navalnaya set up an account on the social media platform, now known as X, on Monday and amassed almost 100,000 followers in 24 hours.

Before her page was blocked, she shared a video accusing Vladimir Putin of killing her husband along with a moving clip of her mother-in-law pleading with the Russian leader to release his body.

Mr Navalny, 47, the imprisoned opponent of Mr Putin, died in the Arctic jail where he was serving a three-decade sentence on Friday after he felt ill and lost consciousness, the prison service said.

On Tuesday, her page was briefly inaccessible. A notice said it had been suspended, with a further note adding: X suspends accounts which violate the X rules. Her account was reinstated 45 minutes later.

The social networks safety account later said its defence mechanism against manipulation and spam mistakenly flagged the account for breaching its rules.

We unsuspended the account as soon as we became aware of the error, and will be updating the defence, it wrote.

Since he bought Twitter for $44 billion in 2022, Mr Musk has insisted he is dedicated to free speech and has restored controversial accounts including that of conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and former president Donald Trump.

Last week, Mr Musk said suggestions he is a Putin sympathiser were absurd after he urged Republican senators to oppose a Ukraine aid bill because there is no way in hell that Mr Putin could lose the war.

Following the suspension of Ms Navalnayas account, Mr Musk received a barrage of criticism.

The Anti-Corruption Foundation, an organisation established by Mr Navalny, wrote: Hey Elon Musk! Please explain exactly which rules were violated by @yulia_navalnaya.

Lord Cameron, the Foreign Secretary, is among those in the West who have called on Mr Putin to be held accountable for his death.

Our platform's defense mechanism against manipulation and spam mistakenly flagged @yulia_navalnaya as violating our rules. We unsuspended the account as soon as we became aware of the error, and will be updating the defense.  Safety (@Safety) February 20, 2024

The Kremlin has denied involvement and railed against suggestions the Russian President is behind his killing.

The final post on Ms Navalnayas account before it was temporarily taken down showed Mr Navalnys mother outside the penal colony in which her son had died, calling on Mr Putin to release his body so she could bury him.

In the moving video, Lyudmila Navalnaya spoke to the camera in front of the prison as small snowflakes swirled in the air.

For a fifth day I cannot see him, they arent giving me his body and dont even tell me where he is, Ms Navalnaya said.

I appeal to you, Vladimir Putin. Resolving this issue depends on you alone. Let me finally see my son.

I demand that Alexeis body be released immediately so that I can bury him in a humane way.

The suspension came as Ms Navalnaya, who is determined to continue her husbands campaigning, urged the European Union not to recognise next months Russian elections.

Putin killed my husband exactly a month before the so-called elections, she told the Foreign Affairs Council of the European Union, according to the transcript.

These elections are fake, but Putin still needs them. For propaganda. He wants the whole world to believe that everyone in Russia supports and admires him. Dont believe this propaganda, she said on Monday.

On Tuesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, said Ms Navalnayas allegations against Mr Putin were absolutely unfounded and boorish.

The Telegraph has approached X for comment.

03:14 PM GMT

Thats all for today

Thank you for tuning in to todays live blog. Well be back tomorrow to bring you all the latest updates from the war in Ukraine.

Key moments from today:

The mother of Alexei Navalny urged Vladimir Putin to release the body of her son immediately in her first comments since his death in an Arctic prison.

Russian security services arrested an American woman on suspicion of high treason and raising funds for the Ukrainian army.

Russian forces are taking advantage of Western allies delays in providing Ukraine with additional military aid, Volodymyr Zelensky has said.

Russia has been accused of executing wounded Ukrainian soldiers following Kyivs retreat from Avdiivka.

02:55 PM GMT

Twitter mistakenly flagged account of Navalny's widow

Twitter has said its defence mechanism mistakenly flagged the account of Alexei Navalnys widow.

Our platform's defense mechanism against manipulation and spam mistakenly flagged @yulia_navalnaya as violating our rules. We unsuspended the account as soon as we became aware of the error, and will be updating the defense.  Safety (@Safety) February 20, 2024

02:47 PM GMT

Navalnys mother demands Putin to release sons body immediately

The mother of Alexei Navalny urged Vladimir Putin to release the body of her son immediately in her first comments since his death in an Arctic prison.

Lyudmila Navalnaya, Navalnys mother, travelled to the remote IK-3 prison colony on Saturday, the morning after his death was announced, and has since been barred from seeing his body.

I appeal to you, Vladimir Putin, the solution to the issue depends only on you, she said in a video published by his team.

Let me finally see my son. I demand that Alexeis body be released immediately so that I can bury him in a humane way.

Dressed in black and standing near the prison colony where her son spent his final weeks, she added: For the fifth day, I cannot see him, they dont give me his body and I am not even told where he is.

02:00 PM GMT

Pictured: A Russian pilot fires rockets over Ukraine

A Russian air force Su-25 ground attack jet fires rockets during a mission over Ukraine - AP

01:59 PM GMT

Estonia thwarts hybrid operation by Russia

Kaja Kallas, Estonias prime minister, has said her country successfully stopped a hybrid operation by Russias security services on Estonian territory after the arrest of 10 people last year.

We know the Kremlin is targeting all of our democratic societies, she wrote on Twitter, adding that her countrys response would be to reveal their methods and in turn deter them.

Estonias Internal Security Service (ISS) detained 10 people last year who were linked to a criminal investigation into the vandalisation of a car belonging to the countrys interior minister.

The ISS believed they acted on behalf of the Russian intelligence services.

Today, the ISS said the purpose of the hybrid operation was to sow fear and create tension in Estonian society.

Estonia has successfully stopped a hybrid operation by Russia's security services on our territory.



We know the Kremlin is targeting all of our democratic societies.



Our answer: be open and reveal their methods. This is the way to deter harmful actions and make us resilient.  Kaja Kallas (@kajakallas) February 20, 2024

01:24 PM GMT

Russia needs period of rest after taking Avdiivka, says MoD

Russian forces require a period of rest and refit following their capture of Avdiivka, the Ministry of Defence reported.

Kremlin troops raised their flag over the Eastern Ukrainian city this weekend after Ukraine withdrew following months of fighting, in which Moscow lost more than 17,000 soldiers.

It is likely that Russian forces lack the combat effectiveness to immediately exploit the capture of Avdiivka the MoD said in its daily report. In coming weeks Russia will likely seek to gradually extend its territorial control beyond Avdiivka.

The ministrys assessment echoes that of the Institute for the Study of War, who yesterday concluded that Russia will likely have to conduct an operational pause after taking Avdiivka or will have to transfer additional reinforcements from other sectors of the front.

01:07 PM GMT

Yulia Navalny's Twitter suspended

Twitter has suspended Yulia Navalny's account

12:25 PM GMT

Ukraine forces on the front lines

A Ukrainian soldier takes his position on the frontline near Klishchiivka the Donetsk region, Ukraine - Iryna Rybakova/AP

Ukrainian servicemen carry shells for a tank, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine's in Luhansk region - Reuters/Yan Dorbronosov

12:11 PM GMT

FSB arrests US citizen for treason

Russian security services arrested an American woman on suspicion of high treason and raising funds for the Ukrainian army.

The FSB in the central Urals city of Yekaterinburg said it had suppressed the illegal activities of a 33-year-old woman, a resident of Los Angeles with dual Russian citizenship, and taken her into custody.

The woman detained on Tuesday was identified as Ksenia Karelina by the independent news website Mediazona. She is accused of collecting funds used to purchase tactical medical items, equipment, means of destruction and ammunition for the Ukrainian army, the FSB said, for which she faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

In addition, she is accused of repeatedly participating in public events in support of Ukraine in the US

Ms Karelina is reported to be married to an American and received US citizenship in 2021. She was detained on a trip back to Russia, where she graduated from Federal University in Yekaterinburg, to see her parents.

She is the latest American to be detained in Russia amid concerns Vladimir Putin is using foreign nationals as a bargaining tool.

12:01 PM GMT

Update: five killed in Russian drone attack

A Russian drone attack on Ukraines northerly Sumy region hit a residential building on Tuesday, killing five people, authorities said.

Citing updated data, the regional military administration said on the Telegram: As a result of the hit, a family was killed: a mother and two sons, as well as two distant relatives.

See post at 8.43 am for more details.

11:09 AM GMT

Polish farmers dump Ukrainian grain at border protests

Polish farmers have dumped supplies of Ukrainian grain at the border, further escalating tensions over cheap European grain imports.

Farmers blocked a railway track at the Medyka-Shehyni border crossing with Ukraine, dumping grain from a train, according to local reports.

Ukraines deputy prime minister Oleksandr Kubrakov condemned the emptying of Ukrainian grain on rail tracks as a political provocation aimed at dividing our nations.

The farmers today stepped up their month-long protest on the border with Ukraine by blocking almost almost all traffic in protest against EU measures that permit cheap grain imports from Ukraine, which they say are threatening their livelihoods by undercutting them.

Kyiv has accused the farmers of damaging Ukraines defence capabilities, with Volodymyr Zelensky saying the situation at the border demonstrated the erosion of solidarity on a daily basis.

He added that only five per cent of Ukraines agricultural exports passed through the border with Poland, adding that the dispute was more about politics than about grain.

This is the second time in a month that Polish has dumped grain at the border, with the previous incident forcing Polands agricultural minister to apologise. The ongoing tensions risk stoking further discontent between the allies.

On the morning of February 20, protesting Polish farmers at the border blocked the railway near the Medyka-Szehiny checkpoint and spilled part of the grain from a freight train onto the tracks, Suspilne reported.



: Suspilne pic.twitter.com/hb0rpjsJpo  KyivPost (@KyivPost) February 20, 2024

10:41 AM GMT

Putin gifts Kim Jong Un luxury 350,000 limousine

Kim Jong-un (L) and Vladimir Putin taking a ride in Putin's presidential Aurus Senat limousine

Vladimir Putin has sent Kim Jong Un a luxury limousine worth an estimated 350,000.

The North Korean leader took a shine to the black Aurus armoured car when he visited eastern Russia last year, prompting Putin to send him one as a present.

Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, said: When the head of the DPRK (North Korea) was at the Vostochny cosmodrome, he looked at this car, Putin showed it to him personally, and like many people, Kim liked this car.

North Korea is our neighbour, our close neighbour, and we intend, and will continue, to develop our relations with all neighbours, including North Korea.

Russia has stepped up ties with North Korea and other countries hostile to the US such as Iran since the start of the war with Ukraine.

The United States has accused North Korea of supplying Russia with artillery shells and missiles used in Ukraine. Moscow and Pyongyang deny the US accusations but vowed last year to deepen military relations.

The Russian-made limousine was delivered to Kims top aides on Feb 18, North Koreas official KCNA news agency said.

09:55 AM GMT

Russia taking advantage of Western aid delays, says Zelensky

Russian forces are taking advantage of Western allies delays in providing Ukraine with additional military aid, Volodymyr Zelensky has said.

The situation is extremely difficult in several parts of the frontline, where Russian troops have amassed maximum reserves, Mr Zelensky said, following Mondays visit to the frontline in northeastern Kupiansk. They are taking advantage of the delays in aid to Ukraine.

The Ukrainian presidents comments come after the loss of Avdiivka, Russias most significant offensive gain so far this year, and amid ongoing wrangling in Washington to secure more funding for Kyivs war effort.

Republicans in the US House of Representatives, swayed by Donald Trump, continue to oppose a $95 billion aid package voted for by the Senate that includes aid for Ukraine.

Joe Biden said yesterday he is willing to meet with Mike Johnson, the Republican House of Representatives Speaker, who has opposed the bill on the grounds that it fails to address the security of the US southern border.

Mr Johnson has repeatedly demanded a one-to-one meeting with the President to discuss the aid package.

09:36 AM GMT

Sweden to donate 542 million aid package to Ukraine

Sweden has announced it will donate 7.1 billion Swedish kronor (542 million) worth of aid to Ukraine.

The package, announced by Swedens defence ministry, is the 15th round of aid the country has supplied, and its biggest to to date, taking its overall support since Russias full-scale invasion to around 30 billion kronor (2.3 billion).

Pal Jonson, the countrys defence minister, told a press conference: We will continue to support Ukraine for as long as it takes, .

The package includes around 153 million worth of artillery ammunition as well as anti-aircraft artillery and recoilless rifles, Sweden said. It also includes maritime assault vessels and other vessels, and underwater arms such as mines and underwater drones.

09:10 AM GMT

Russian spy chief brands murdered defector a moral corpse

Maksim Kuzminov, the 28-year-old Russian pilot of the Mi-8 helicopter who surrendered to Ukraine

Russias spy chief has called a murdered defector a moral corpse, Russian news agencies reported.

A Russian pilot, who defected to Ukraine and was found shot dead in a garage in Spain last week, was a moral corpse when he planned his crimes, Sergei Naryshkin, the director of Russias Foreign Intelligence Service, reportedly said.

In Russia it is customary to speak either good of the dead or nothing at all, Mr Naryshkin is reported to have said. This traitor and criminal became a moral corpse at the very moment when he planned his dirty and terrible crime.

Maxim Kuzminovs body was found on Feb 13 in the town of Villajoyosa, near Alicante in southern Spain. He had been shot multiple times.

The pilot landed in Ukraine with his Mil Mi-8 helicopter last August before defecting, and moving to Spain, where he lived with a Ukrainian passport under a different name, EFE news agency reported.

08:43 AM GMT

Two dead after Russian bombing attack

Russian attacks have left two dead in Sumy after a fire broke out in an apartment building, local officials said.

The 5am strike using artillery and aviation followed 252 strikes on the region yesterday, in which four people were injured, Ukraines military reported.

Elsewhere, Ukraine shot down all 23 Shahed attacked drones launched by Russia overnight, its air force announced.

The drones were fired from the Russian port town of Primorsko-Akhtarsk, while two missiles were launched from Belgorod and Zaporizhzhia.

One of the downed drones caused a fire to break out at an industrial facility in Poltava, Ukrainian officials reported.

Filip Pronin, the regions governor, said the attack led to a substantial blaze that required 85 firefighters to extinguish it. No casualties were reported.

08:21 AM GMT

Pictured: Zelensky visits wounded soldiers on the front line

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy poses for a picture with an injured Ukrainian serviceman in a hospital after his visit a frontline - REUTERS

08:11 AM GMT

Pictured: the US-Russian citizen arrested by Moscow

The FSB released a video of the arrest of a Los Angeles resident in Yekaterinberg, Russia - FSB

08:09 AM GMT

Russia accused of executing prisoners of war after Ukraine retreat

Russia has been accused of executing wounded Ukrainian soldiers following Kyivs retreat from Avdiivka.

In new evidence of possible war crimes, the relatives of six soldiers found dead following Russias takeover of the city said they were executed after surrendering, the BBC reported.

The Russian military pledged to evacuate wounded Ukrainian soldiers from their base  called Zenith, on the south-eastern outskirts of Avdiivka  but instead shot them, the Kyiv Independent reported, citing Ukraines 110th Brigade.

Ivan Zhytnyk, Andriy Dubnytsky and Georgiy Pavlov have been identified by relatives as three of the dead soldiers, the BBC said.

Oleksandr Syrsky, the new Ukrainian army chief, ordered a retreat from the city in order to save soldiers lives.

Russia had bombarded Avdiivka since October last year and finally took the city this weekend after forcing Ukrainian reinforcements to withdraw, in what is being viewed as a symbolic victory ahead of the two-year anniversary of Moscows full-scale invasion.

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A portion of Lexingtons popular Legacy Trail will soon go under a major, busy Lexington street.

As part of the widening of Newtown Pike between New Circle Road and Interstate 75/Interstate 64, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will build an underpass below Newtown Pike at Citation Boulevard.

The underpass will cost $1.5 million, said Natasha Lacy, a spokeswoman for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.

Construction on the widening of Newtown Pike and the underpass was scheduled to begin earlier this month but was delayed due to weather and other issues. The project, including the building of the underpass, will take between two and three years to complete, transportation officials have said.

The widening of Newtown Pike is necessary due to the uptick in truck traffic along that route. The Lexington road will be widened to six lanes in that area, said Chris Evilia, director of the Lexington Metropolitan Planning Organization, which helps plan long-term state and federal transportation projects.

Users of the Legacy Trail, which stretches from the Kentucky Horse Park in Scott County to downtown Lexington, have long complained about the intersection at Citation and Newtown along the 22-mile trail. It can take a long time to cross Newtown Pike at Citation Boulevard.

Its also dangerous.

With the widening of the road to six lanes, thats too much ground to cover for cyclists and pedestrians to safely cross Newtown Pike, transportation planners said.

Thats a long way to cross, Evilia said. Its anything but comfortable given the volume of truck traffic at that intersection.

The issue of safety at that section of the Legacy Trail came to a head in 2021 when a section of the trail was closed along Newtown Pike during the construction of an Amazon facility. Legacy Trail users said they were given little or no notice of the partial closure of the trail. The trail was re-routed along the shoulder of Newtown Pike during the construction of the Amazon building.

Evilia said constructing an underpass or overpass for the trail has long been discussed and in the plans for future improvements to Newton Pike even prior to the 2021 kerfuffle around the partial closure and detour of the Legacy Trail.

Evilia said the transportation cabinet hopes to keep the trail open during construction of the underpass and will post detours before construction begins.

They are going to focus on (building) during the overnight hours if there is a closure, Evilia said.

As part of the widening project, there will be additional bike and pedestrian paths built along that section of Newtown Pike, he said.
Justice Department Announces Charges and Arrest in Two Separate Illicit Technology Transfer Schemes to Benefit Governments of China and Iran

In two separate cases out of U.S. Attorneys Offices on opposite coasts, several individuals are charged  one of whom was arrested yesterday  in connection with sophisticated schemes to transfer sensitive technology, goods, and information for the benefit of hostile foreign adversaries, in violation of U.S. law.

In the Eastern District of New York, two Iranian nationals are charged with conspiring to export equipment used in the aerospace industry to the Government of Iran, in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), in connection with an alleged conspiracy to illegally export U.S. goods and technology without the required licenses.

In the Central District of California, a man was arrested for allegedly stealing trade secrets developed for use by the U.S. government to detect nuclear missile launches and track ballistic and hypersonic missiles.

One year ago, I launched the Disruptive Technology Strike Force to strike back against adversaries trying to steal our nations most powerful technology and use it against us, said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. Since then, working with our partners at the Commerce Department, we have arrested more than a dozen corporate executives, engineers, distributors, and other high-profile targets on charges that include sanctions and export control violations, and other offenses involving the unlawful transfer of sensitive information and technology. Todays charges against three additional defendants for seeking to illegally transfer U.S. software and semiconductor technology with military applications to benefit Iran and China highlight the critical importance of our fight against this national security threat.

The FBI continues to take aggressive investigative action to hold accountable those who seek to violate sanctions and illegally provide sensitive technology to foreign adversaries, said FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate. Stealing U.S. trade secrets and technology, especially when it can be used for military purposes, will not be tolerated. We will continue to work closely with our partners in the Disruptive Technology Strike Force to stop such activity and protect the national security of the United States.

In its first year, the Disruptive Technology Strike Force has strengthened enforcement and disrupted numerous criminal schemes to smuggle highly-sensitive technology that foreign adversaries wield to advance their military and other malign agendas, said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Departments National Security Division. The cases announced today underscore the commitment of the Justice Department and our partners to disrupt illegal efforts to siphon off U.S. ingenuity and to safeguard American security and innovation. 

In the just one year since the launch of the Disruptive Technology Strike Force, weve stood up over a dozen local investigative cells, opened scores of investigations, and brought criminal charges against more than a dozen individuals and companies associated with nation-state adversaries, said Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod. Todays announcement provides the latest example of our unwavering mission  keeping our countrys most sensitive technologies out of the worlds most dangerous hands.

United States v. Bazzazi (EDNY)

According to court documents, between January 2008 and August 2019, Abolfazi Bazzazi, 79, of Iran, and his son Mohammad Resa Bazzazi, 43, of Iran, and their co-conspirators sought to evade U.S. sanctions and export laws by working to procure goods and technology, including aeronautical ground support equipment, ultraviolet flame detectors, and firefighting equipment, from U.S. companies for end users in Iran, including the Government of Iran, without obtaining the required licenses or other authorization from the U.S. Department of the Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).

As alleged, the Bazzazis devised an intricate scheme to evade U.S. export laws in obtaining U.S. equipment and technology to be exported to Iran and for the Government of Iran which has been designated by the United States government as a state sponsor of terrorism, said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York. The defendants allegedly attempted to obtain commercial and military aircraft items from multiple U.S. companies that supply the military, aerospace, and firefighting industries. These charges demonstrate the resolve of this office and the Department of Justice to prosecute those who seek to aid the Government of Iran, in violation of U.S. sanctions.

According to the indictment, the defendants sought to obtain components that could be used by Irans aerospace industry. Additionally, they disguised the final destination of U.S. goods by attempting to forward them through intermediaries in Europe and elsewhere. As alleged, the Bazzazis acted on behalf of the Government of Iran.

The Bazzazis are charged with conspiracy to violate the IEEPA, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison; and smuggling goods from the United States, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. The defendants remain at large.

The Commerce Departments Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) and FBI are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Francisco J. Navarro, Jonathan P. Lax, Nomi D. Berenson, and Adam Amir for the Eastern District of New York are prosecuting the case, with assistance provided by Trial Attorney Adam Small of the National Security Divisions Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.

United States v. Gong (CDCA)

As alleged, Chenguang Gong, 57, of San Jose, California, was arrested yesterday in San Jose and is expected to make his initial appearance today in the Northern District of California. Gong is a native of China and became a United States citizen in 2011.

Gong is charged in a criminal complaint with theft of trade secrets. According to court documents, Gong transferred more than 3,600 files from the research and development company where he worked  identified in court documents as the victim company  to personal storage devices during his brief tenure with the company last year. The files Gong allegedly transferred include blueprints for sophisticated infrared sensors designed for use in space-based systems to detect nuclear missile launches and track ballistic and hypersonic missiles, and blueprints for sensors designed to enable U.S. military aircraft to detect incoming heat-seeking missiles and take countermeasures, including by jamming the missiles infrared tracking ability. Some of these files were later found on storage devices seized from Gongs temporary residence in Thousand Oaks, according to the affidavit in support of the complaint.

Together with the U.S. government and others, the affidavit states, the victim company has invested tens of millions each year for more than seven years to develop the technology, and it would be extremely damaging economically to the victim company if the technology were obtained by its competitors and dangerous to U.S. national security if obtained by international actors.

We will do everything to protect our nations security, including from foreign threats, said U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada for the Central District of California. Mr. Gong, who had previously sought to provide the Peoples Republic of China with information to aid its military, stole sensitive and confidential information related to detecting nuclear missile launches and tracking ballistic and hypersonic missiles. We know that foreign actors, including the PRC, are actively seeking to steal our technology, but we will remain vigilant against this threat remain vigilant against this threat by safeguarding the innovations of American businesses and researchers.

The FBI is committed to protecting our nations critical technologies and to pursuing those who look to steal trade secret information for their benefit or for the benefit of foreign adversaries, said Assistant Director in Charge Donald Alway of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office. The theft of trade secrets, especially of sensitive military technology, undermines our national security, erodes U.S. competitiveness in the global market, and harms the businesses and individuals who have invested time, resources, and creativity into developing innovative technologies. Our actions today send a strong message that anyone willing to steal proprietary information from U.S. businesses will face consequences in the criminal justice system.

As alleged in the affidavit, the victim company hired Gong in January 2023 to work at one its laboratories as an application-specific integrated circuit design manager responsible for the design, development and verification of its infrared sensors. Beginning on approximately March 30, 2023, and continuing until his termination on April 26, 2023, Gong transferred thousands of files from his work laptop to three personal storage devices, including hundreds of files after he had accepted a job on April 5, 2023, at one of the victim companys main competitors.

Many of the files Gong allegedly transferred contained proprietary and trade secret information related to the development and design of a readout integrated circuit that allows space-based systems to detect missile launches and track ballistic and hypersonic missiles while providing resilience and a readout integrated circuit that allows aircraft to track incoming threats in low visibility environments. Gong also allegedly transferred trade secret files relating to the development of next generation sensors capable of detecting low observable targets while demonstrating increased survivability in space, as well as the blueprints for the mechanical assemblies used to house and cryogenically cool the victim companys sensors. This information was among the victim companys most important trade secrets worth hundreds of millions of dollars, according to the complaint, and many of the files were marked [VICTIM COMPANY] PROPRIETARY, FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY, PROPRIETARY INFORMATION, and EXPORT CONTROLLED.

During the investigation, the affidavit states, the FBI discovered that, between approximately 2014 and 2022 while employed at several major technology companies in the United States, Gong submitted numerous applications to Talent Programs administered by the Peoples Republic of China government. The affidavit explains that the PRC has established talent programs through which it identifies individuals located outside the PRC who have expert skills, abilities, and knowledge that would aid in transforming the PRCs economy, including its military capabilities. To entice applicants, the PRC government rewards Talent Recruits with significant financial and social incentives, noting that the salaries often meet or exceed salaries the Talent Recruits draw through their non-PRC employment.

In 2014, while employed at a U.S. information technology company headquartered in Dallas, Texas, the affidavit states that Gong sent a business proposal to a contact at the 38th Research Institute of the China Electronics Technology Group Corporation, a high-tech research institute in China focused on both military and civilian products. In his proposal, translated from Chinese, Gong described a plan to produce high-performance analog-to-digital converters similar to those produced by his employer, noting that the global market for those products is basically monopolized by several companies in the United States and that the export of those items from the United States requires a government export license. On May 8, 2023, the FBI executed a search warrant at Gongs temporary residence in Thousand Oaks, California, and recovered several digital devices containing hundreds of documents marked as confidential or proprietary belonging to the U.S. information technology company, the affidavit alleges.

In another Talent Program application in September 2020, the affidavit states, Gong proposed to develop low light/night vision image sensors for use in military night vision goggles and civilian applications. In a video presentation included with Gongs submission, Gong used a video containing the model number of a sensor developed by an international defense, aerospace, and security company where Gong worked from 2015 to 2019.

According to the affidavit, Gong also travelled to China several times to seek Talent Program funding to develop sophisticated analog-to-digital converters. In his Talent Program applications, Gong underscored that the high-performance analog-to-digital converters he proposed to develop in China had military applications, explaining that they directly determine the accuracy and range of radar systems and that [m]issile navigation systems also often use radar front-end systems. In a 2019 email, translated from Chinese, Gong remarked that he took a risk by traveling to China to participate in the Talent Programs because [he] worked for . . . an American military industry company[] and thought he could do something to contribute to Chinas high-end military integrated circuits. The affidavit states that Gong continued to seek funding from Chinese government programs through at least March 2022.

BIS and the FBI are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nisha Chandran and David Lachman for the Central District of California are prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance provided by Trial Attorney Brendan Geary of the National Security Divisions Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.

These cases were coordinated through the Disruptive Technology Strike Force, an interagency law enforcement strike force co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce designed to target illicit actors, protect supply chains, and prevent critical technology from being acquired by authoritarian regimes and hostile nation-states. Under the leadership of the Assistant Attorney General for National Security and the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Enforcement, the Strike Force leverages tools and authorities across the U.S. government to enhance the criminal and administrative enforcement of export control laws.

An indictment and a criminal complaint are merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

This story has been published on: 2024-02-20. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
(Bloomberg) -- The operator of Saudi Arabias stock exchange said foreign investors exposure to the bourse isnt high enough, showing that theyre missing out on returns that have beaten most emerging-market peers.

Most Read from Bloomberg

While flows have been positive for the the past five years, the representation of foreign investors in the market is still, in my opinion, not at the level we would anticipate, Khalid Al-Hussan, the chief executive officer of Saudi Tadawul Group Holding Co., told Bloomberg Television at the Saudi Capital Market Forum 2024.

The kingdom makes up 4.3% of the MSCI Emerging Markets Index, an increase from about 1.5% when it was first included in the benchmark in 2019 and has outperformed ever since. The Tadawul All Share Indexs gains have extended this year, with the benchmark rising for the past 13 days, the longest such streak since 2003.

Saudi Arabias market has been thrust into the spotlight amid a rush of in-demand initial public offerings which isnt showing any signs of slowing down. The number of emerging-market funds with exposure to the country has been picking up amid plans to diversify the economy and a steady stream of reforms designed to encourage more foreign participation.

Still, these investors remain underweight relative to the benchmark.

The operator is doing what it can to promote Saudi Arabian stocks by informing international investors about the market and its regulatory and operating framework, Al-Hussan said. It is also expanding its offering of securities to add depth, such as last years introduction of single stock options contracts.

Al-Hussan said there is more than enough liquidity to support new listings, with almost 60 applications under review.

Story continues

Saudi Is the New China for Investors Hunting Down Growth

The historical IPO coverages is just the testament of what is the capacity of the Saudi capital market, Al-Hussan said. What we have seen in previous IPOs, and the daily liquidity in the market gives us the confidence that the Saudi capital market, specifically the exchange, can strongly observe any required liquidity by any new IPOs coming.

--With assistance from Sarah Halls and Gaia Lamperti.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
Now that Alabamas supreme court on Friday took the remarkable step of declaring that frozen embryos are children, a conservative group is trying to derail an expected 2024 ballot initiative in Florida that would enshrine abortion rights in that Sunshine States constitution.

On Monday, a religious civil rights law firm alerted the Florida Supreme Court to the neighboring states recent ruling in an attempt to have the high court block the amendment from reaching voters as it currently stands.

Earlier this month, the conservative-leaning Florida court heard arguments on the proposed constitutional amendment. It will decide by April 1 whether to approve the language in the measure, which states, No law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patients health, as determined by the patients healthcare provider.

Anti-abortion groups and the states own attorney general have asked the Florida high court to stop the proposal, with AG Ashley Moody submitting a court filing that decries the ballot question as a devious ploy to trick voters into creating the near-equivalent of abortion on

demand in the State of Florida.

Among the groups opposing the abortion rights measure is the attorney Mathew D. Staver and his law firm, Liberty Counsel, who take credit for drafting the notorious Florida Amendment 2 that voters approved in 2008 strictly defining marriage as solely between a man and a womanone that was struck down by a federal court and ultimately led to the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision guaranteeing the right to gay marriage in 2015.

Although Liberty Counsel already presented arguments to the Florida Supreme Court in the current abortion rights ballot initiative, its now trying to bolster its cause by pointing to the Alabama ruling to make the case that personhood status should actually be more expansive than it already is.

The Alabama Supreme Court considered whether three couples could sue for wrongful death after their frozen embryos were destroyed, and it decided the matter by asserting that the states Wrongful Death of a Minor Act applies to all unborn children, regardless of their location, including those in a cryogenic nursery. The 7-2 decision is among the first to tackle the personhood status of what it called extrauterine childrenthat is, unborn children

who are located outside of a biological uterus at the time they are killed.

The decision is the latest move in conservatives ongoing legal battle across the country to severely restrict abortion rights ever since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.

A 2022 legal paper by Penn State law professor Dara E. Purvis noted that general personhood statutes are typically more concerned with embryos and fetuses in utero, and only implicitly potentially apply to stored embryos. Arizona and Louisiana are the rare exceptions, she noted.

The Florida ballot initiatives attempt to secure abortion rights before viability, however, is setting up a battle on what viability meansand thats where Alabamas court decision comes in. In court papers, the Florida AG is arguing that viable has a broader understandingcapable of living, whether or not dependent on another person. If Floridas supreme court is receptive to the argument that personhood status should also extend to embryos, this could give conservative groups more ammunition to restrict abortion rights elsewhere.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky argued delays in military aid make the situation extremely difficult on the front lines in Ukraines war with Russia.

The situation is extremely difficult in several parts of the front line, where Russian troops have amassed maximum reserves, Zelensky said Monday in his nightly address, reporting on his visit to a command post in the Kupiansk sector of the Kharkiv region in Ukraine.

Russians are taking advantage of the delays in aid to Ukraine, he added.

Zelensky outlined specific needs and very tangible issues that Ukrainian troops face, including a deficit of artillery and a need for front-line air defense and longer-range weapons.

We are working with our partners as hard as possible to resume and extend support. I would like to thank all Ukrainians, all our companies and partners who have already set up production of weapons, shells, drones and electronic warfare  new production that is ramping up, he said.

Of course, we still cannot meet all the needs on our own, but every month adds to Ukraines strength and capabilities, the Ukrainian president continued. I thank everyone who works for this.

His warning comes as U.S. aid for Ukraine remains stalled in Congress, despite warnings from officials about the dire situation in the region.

The Senate last Tuesday passed a $95 billion emergency defense spending bill, including $60 billion for Ukraine, in a 70-29 vote that got the support of nearly half of the Republican conference.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), however, said he would not put the bill on the floor for a vote, demanding hard-line conservative border policies to be included, and the House now has left for a recess without taking action on Ukraine  which President Biden has criticized the House GOP for repeatedly.

Its about time they step up  dont you think?  instead of going on a two-week vacation, Biden said Friday. Two weeks theyre walking away. Two weeks. What are they thinking? My God, this is bizarre.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal echoed Zelenskys call Tuesday, warning of the need for long-range missiles and other ammunition in his countrys war against Russia, The Associated Press reported.

Unfortunately, now they prevail in the air, and unfortunately this leads to some consequences from the front line, but I should say that we have no refuses from our partners to supply military equipment to Ukraine, Shmyhal said of Russia, speaking at a news conference the day after he attended a conference in Tokyo on reconstructing Ukraine.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
In 2018, GoDaddy founder Bob Parsons was sitting with two self-styled shamans in Hawaii, one of whom had brewed a small pot of psilocybin tea. The pot held three cups, enough for three people, but Parsons was feeling indulgent. He drank the entire vessel, down to the drop. Then he ate the tea bags.

I was sailing, the billionaire says.

Psychedelics have become a cliched pastime for the ultra-rich, with Elon Musk and Google founder Sergey Brin reportedly among the devotees.

I wonder when you realize you have everything you could possibly want, but you still have the vulnerabilities of being human and are eventually going to die, maybe the psychedelic experience sort of fills that gap, says Jerrold Rosenbaum, director of the Center for the Neuroscience of Psychedelics at Mass General Hospital.

But Parsons is not just a bored rich man licking toads. Until his four-day psychedelic whirlwind, he suffered from crippling post-traumatic stress, which he attributes to a rough childhood and the horrors he lived through in Vietnam.

I grew up in East Baltimore, mean streets, mean streets, he told a state legislative panel in Arizona this week. [The] guy across the street from me was beat to death. They found him and his teeth in different parts of the house.

In two interviews with The Daily Beast, Parsons, 73, elaborated on the turbulent life that led him to natural medicine. As a kid, he was the victim of an armed robbery. At 17, he enlisted in the Marine Corps with two of his buddies; one of them was stabbed to death before he could deploy, the other lost three of his limbs in combat. Parsons himself was evacuated from the war after he set off a tripwire and eviscerated his legs and left elbow.

He says psychedelics helped him process the trauma. Now he is funding more research into the drugs. Last year, The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation gave $6 million to the University of California, Berkeley. The couple has distributed millions more to Mount Sinai Health System and the Bronx VA, among other institutions. In Arizona, Parsons is pushing to legalize psychedelic-assisted therapy centers.

Rosenbaum lauded Parsons commitment to funding scientific research, though he cautioned that psychedelics are not a panacea. Even for the conditions that weve studied, not everybody gets better, he said. We dont know how long it lasts or how you maintain it or how often you have to do it.

Rosenbaum emphasized that patients should be screened for family histories of bipolar disorder, psychosis, and other mental illnesses. I would worry a bit about people who really need to have more comprehensive care, he said.

Parsons, convinced of the upside, has become a champion of the drugs. After his 2018 experience, he finally relinquished decades of repressed pain. It was over, he says, pausing for several moments. It was over.

Below, Parsons shares more details about his work. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

The Daily Beast: Im curious about the environment you grew up in. Can you tell me a little bit more about your childhood?

Parsons: I grew up in East Baltimore. My parents were both gamblers but not very good at it, so my family was always broke. I mean, stark broke. My mother had an untreated nervous breakdown when I was about 8 years old. And when I was 8, my father for some reason or another transferred me to Catholic school, and not because he was going to church. The nuns there, all of them were nuts. They were pretty brutal with their punishment and their treatment.

I was transferred back to public school in seventh grade, and then to high school. And I was a terrible student. Senior year, I didn't think Id graduate. I joined the Marine Corps with two buddies, and I came back and showed my teachers my orders, and they all passed me. It was mostly, I would say, a pity pass.

The Daily Beast: Tell me about your experience once you deployed.

Parsons: I served with a Marine Corps rifle company during the Vietnam War. And when I left for there, I was a pretty happy guy, and, you know, pretty gregarious and so forth. And then, I saw combat. And when I came back, I was a different guy. I mean, I had PTSD to beat the band. The guy who came back had a flash temper and was very intense, didnt smile an awful lot.

My experience also had positive effects. It helped me focus. I carried myself in my work to block out the PTSD, and I was able to accomplish what I did with literally nothing.

Bob Parsons at the iConic Conference in Washington, D.C, in 2015. Paul Morigi/NBCUniversal via Getty

The Daily Beast: How did the PTSD impact your personal life?

Parsons: PTSD cost me, without a doubt, two marriages. I mean, both of those ex-wives were good women and good partners, and they held on as long as they could. And then I got the boot. And then my third wife, Renee, she hung on and really tried to work with me on this. And I read this book called How to Change Your Mind, by Michael Pollan, about what psychedelics can do and how they work and how healing they can be. And the book was like shining a flashlight in a dark room.

So Renee linked me up with two guides that travel under the radar and help people, particularly veterans with PTSD. So I worked with them for the better part of a week and took three different psychedelics. It was a lot of tears. I mean, you deal with everything, it all comes back. And I mean, it is hard.

The Daily Beast: Can you walk me through the experience of taking the drugs? How does it feel when they start to kick in, and where does your brain go?

Parsons: You're sitting there with your guide and you take the drug. Probably about 40 minutes to an hour later it starts to take hold and you can feel a buzz and a warmth and you see things. For example, I walked into what I thought was this very regular water closet, with just, you know, a white commode and a closet all painted white inside. When I went in there, it was the most ornate and beautiful thing.

The Daily Beast: Did the psychedelics stir up any specific memories?

Parsons: One of the memories I had forgotten, because I had blocked it out, was from the last couple months of my deployment. I was in troop processing in Okinawa, where Id put guys on flights to come home and verify their units on the way to Vietnam. And I would look at these guys, and I knew they were all going to units with the heaviest combat. I knew a lot of them would be cut to ribbons, and none of them would come home the way they arrived. The mushrooms brought out the fact that it bothered me horrifically. I mean, I was back there. I could see them. And I cried. I cried as hard as I can ever remember crying. But now I can talk about it.

How Psychedelic Hype Is Hurting More People Than We Realize

The Daily Beast: How else did the drugs change you?

Parsons: After I was finished, people could not believe the change in me. My son told his wife, You know, dad keeps calling and he's just so nice and so happy. I think he found out that hes going to die soon. So anyhow, when I took psychedelics, it had been 49 years since the war. And I finally came home.

The Daily Beast: After that experience, would you say you felt like a new person or that you finally felt like yourself again?

Parsons: Id say both. Because theres some issues I believe the psychedelics helped correct that I always had. You know, like so many of us, I grew up tough, and I carried all that to the Marine Corps. So when I went into the Marine Corps, I was probably halfway to PTSD, and the war did the rest.

The Daily Beast: Were the psychedelics a one-time cleansing for your brain? Or are they something that you continue to use for ongoing treatment?

Parsons: I went through it another time with two guys from my squad. One was a machine gunner and one was the squad leader. And, you know, I'm happy to say I went ahead and brought them both home.

The Daily Beast: Tell me about the bill to legalize therapy centers in Arizona. Are you optimistic that it will pass?

Parsons: I feel like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz. There are a lot of different personalities involved when it comes to the government. Do I think it will pass? Yeah, but thats more of a hope than a know.

The Daily Beast: Maybe this is stereotypical, but I would guess that Arizona is more conservative about this kind of thing. Has that been your experience?

Parsons: It can be. But marijuana was passed for therapeutic use, and five years later, it was opened up for recreational use. Arizona is a little more liberal about that kind of stuff than you might think.

The Daily Beast: Youre writing a book, Fire in the Hole! Can you explain that title?

Parsons: Im a descendent of coal miners, and they use that term when they send a charge to loosen some rock. And when I was in the Marine Corps and we'd find an enemy tunnel, we would never go down it. We would just set a charge and throw some plastic explosives down in it. When you look at the rest of my life, how it happened, how it came about, that term just works.

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Take down notice issued by a group of global intelligence to Lockbit

By Christopher Bing and James Pearson

WASHINGTON/LONDON (Reuters) - One of the world's biggest criminal hacking gangs woke up on Tuesday to a startling discovery: Law enforcement, after taking over their main website on Monday, were now threatening to reveal their personal details and data about their cybercrime organisation.

The group, Lockbit, had become notorious in cybercrime circles for using malicious software called ransomware to digitally extort victims, relying on underground marketing campaigns to boost its profile. At one point, Lockbit had promised $1,000 to anyone who tattooed their logo on themselves, according to cybersecurity researchers.

The group's ringleader, known by the online moniker "LockbitSupp," had also become so confident in their own anonymity that, according to Britain's National Crime Agency (NCA), they had promised $10 million to the first person who could find and unmask them.

The international law enforcement operation, which had posted on the extortion website on Monday that it had taken control, on Tuesday announced it had re-engineered Lockbit's core online system -- mimicking the countdown clock that Lockbit used in extortion attempts and posing its own $10 million challenge, according to a review of Lockbit's darkweb site.

The core online system was re-engineered to target the hackers in the same way they had terrorised victims: with an advent calendar-like series of tiles, each marked with a countdown timer that, upon reaching zero, published stolen data.

Across the websites front page, where victim names once stood, law enforcement agencies replaced the text and links with internal data obtained by hacking the hackers themselves.

The resulting display was a smorgasbord of law enforcement action against Lockbit which included indictments, sanctions, a tool with which victims can decrypt their data, and a new countdown with two days left on the clock which asked: "Who is LockbitSupp? The $10 million question".

Before it was taken down, Lockbit's website had displayed an ever-growing gallery of victim organisations that was updated nearly daily. Next to the names were digital clocks showing the number of days left to the deadline given to each organisation to provide ransom payment.

The unique law enforcement operation was the result of a years-long investigation by international police agencies and was designed to undermine the group's credibility in the criminal underground, officials said.

"Lockbits affiliates should be very concerned right now, especially as law enforcement continues to make decryptors available to victims," said Charles Carmakal, Mandiant Consulting's chief technology officer.

The United States has charged two Russian nationals with deploying Lockbit ransomware against companies and groups around the world. Police in Poland and Ukraine made two arrests.

Before it was seized by police, Lockbit was able to extort multiple hacking victims at the same time through its website, which listed breached companies next to the countdown timer.

Once the counter expired, the cybercriminals would often publish caches of stolen data from the victimized company  historically, these exposures included personal private information of customers, medical records, internal billing data and the communications of internal staff, among other things.

These leaks were intended to harm the reputation of victims and put them in legal jeopardy, experts told Reuters, netting Lockbit over $120 million in ransom payments.

On Tuesday, Graeme Biggar, director general of the NCA, told journalists that the true cost, including money spent by organisations and corporations scrambling to regain access to their networks and the impact on business, could amounted to losses totalling billions.

(Reporting by Christopher Bing in Washington and James Pearson in London; editing by Chris Sanders and Leslie Adler)
A coalition of international law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.K.s National Crime Agency, have disrupted the operations of the notorious LockBit ransomware gang.

LockBit's dark web leak site  where the group publicly lists its victims and threatens to leak their stolen data unless a ransom demand is paid  was replaced with a law enforcement notice on Monday.

Since it first emerged as a ransomware operation in late 2019, LockBit has become one of the worlds most prolific cybercrime gangs, targeting victims around the world and netting millions of dollars in extorted ransom payments.

Hattie Hafenrichter, a spokesperson for the U.K.s National Crime Agency, confirmed to TechCrunch that LockBit services have been disrupted as a result of international law enforcement action." A message on the downed leak site confirmed that the site is "now under the control of the National Crime Agency of the U.K., working in close cooperation with the FBI and the international law enforcement task force, 'Operation Cronos'."

At the time of writing, the site now hosts a series of information exposing LockBits capability and operations, including back-end leaks and details on LockBit's alleged ringleader, known as LockBitSupp.

A photo of the now-seized LockBit dark web site. Image Credits: TechCrunch (screenshot)

Operation Chronos is a task force headed by the NCA and coordinated in Europe by law enforcement agencies Europol and Eurojust. The ransomware takedown operation also involved other international police organizations from Australia, Canada, France, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States.

In its announcement on Tuesday, Europol confirmed that the months-long operation has "resulted in the compromise of LockBits primary platform and other critical infrastructure that enabled their criminal enterprise." This includes the takedown of 34 servers across Europe, the U.K. and the United States, along with the seizure of more than 200 cryptocurrency wallets.

It's not yet known how much cryptocurrency was stored in these wallets, or how much the authorities seized.

Separately, the U.S. Justice Department unsealed indictments against two Russian nationals, Artur Sungatov and Ivan Gennadievich Kondratiev, for their alleged involvement in launching LockBit cyberattacks.

The DOJ previously charged three other alleged LockBit ransomware members: Mikhail Vasiliev, a dual Russia-Canadian national, is currently in custody in Canada awaiting U.S. extradition; and Russian national Ruslan Magomedovich Astamirov is in custody in the U.S. awaiting trial. A third suspected member, Mikhail Pavlovich Matveev, aka Wazawaka, is believed to live in the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad and remains subject to a $10 million U.S. government bounty for information that leads to his arrest.

Two alleged LockBit actors have also been arrested in Poland and Ukraine at the request of the French judicial authorities.

Prior to Monday's takedown, LockBit claimed on its dark web leak site that it was "located in the Netherlands, completely apolitical and only interested in money."

As part of Operation Cronos, law enforcement agencies say they have obtained decryption keys from LockBit's seized infrastructure to help the ransomware gang's victims regain access to their data.

Allan Liska, a ransomware expert and threat intelligence analyst at Recorded Future, tells TechCrunch that this action "is absolutely the end of the LockBit operation in its current form."

"While the main spokesperson for the LockBit operation, LockBitSupp, wont be arrested, his operation is crippled, and his infrastructure is completely exposed. Based on past takedowns like this, this will have serious impact on his reputation and his ability to attract new affiliates in the future," Liska said.

According to the DOJ, LockBit has been used in approximately 2,000 ransomware attacks against victim systems in the U.S. and worldwide, and has received more than $120 million in ransom payments.

Matt Hull, head of threat Intelligence at U.K.-based cybersecurity firm NCC Group, told TechCrunch that the company recorded more than a thousand victims of LockBit during 2023 alone, or 22% of all ransomware victims we identified for the whole year.

LockBit and its affiliates have claimed responsibility for hacking some of the worlds largest organizations. The group last year claimed responsibility for attacks against aerospace giant Boeing, chipmaker TSMC and U.K. postal giant Royal Mail. In recent months, LockBit has claimed responsibility for a ransomware attack on the U.S. state of Georgia's Fulton County, which has disrupted key county services for weeks, and for cyberattacks targeting Indias state-owned aerospace research lab and one of India's largest financial giants.

Monday's takedown is the latest in a series of law enforcement actions targeting ransomware gangs. In December, a group of international law enforcement agencies announced they had seized the dark web leak site of the notorious ransomware gang known as ALPHV, or BlackCat, which claimed a number of high-profile victims, including news-sharing site Reddit, healthcare company Norton and London's Barts Health NHS Trust.

Read more on TechCrunch:
Washington State Department of Transportation engineers and officials continue to try to determine the cause of the embankment failure as a section of eastbound Interstate 82 remains closed. (Photo courtesy of WSDOT)
FILE - The new logo for United Airlines is shown during a news conference in New York, Monday, May 3, 2010. United Airlines says a flight heading from San Francisco to Boston had to be diverted Monday, Feb. 19, 2024, after the plane suffered damage to one of its wings.
A new exhibit at the Henry Art Gallery showcases work by the acclaimed conceptual artist Hank Willis Thomas, who subverts the language of advertising and visual culture to address racism and commodification. This work is called "Save your skin," from the series "Unbranded: A Century of White Women. (Courtesy of Hank Willis Thomas / Collection of the Jordan Schnitzer Family Foundation; image by Aaron Wessling Photography)
By Lisa Barrington, Brenda Goh and Joe Brock

SINGAPORE (Reuters) -Singapore on Tuesday kicked off Asia's biggest aviation gathering with orders for China's COMAC and Boeing planes as the industry grapples with a rebound in post-pandemic travel demand in the face of severe supply constraints.

More than 1,000 companies from more than 50 countries are participating in the biennial commercial and defence-focused Singapore Airshow, led by Western industry giants such as Airbus, Boeing and Lockheed Martin and their Chinese competitors such as COMAC and AVIC.

Russian companies such as Russian Helicopters and Irkut that attended past editions of the show are not participating this year amid the war in Ukraine. However, Israeli companies Israel Aerospace Industries and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, which dropped out of the Dubai Airshow in November amid the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, are in attendance.

Trade delegates donned hats and sunglasses on a hot, clear day to watch flying displays featuring military aircraft from Singapore, Australia, India, Indonesia, South Korea and the United States, as well as the COMAC C919 commercial jet and an Airbus A350-1000 powered by 35% sustainable aviation fuel.

COMAC, which brought its self-developed C919 narrow-body jet outside Chinese territory for the first time to the show, posted the first aircraft orders of the event on Tuesday morning, with China's Tibet Airlines finalising an order for 40 C919 single-aisle planes and 10 ARJ21 regional jets, and China's Henan Civil Aviation Development and Investment Group ordering 6 ARJ21s.

Royal Brunei Airlines later announced a firm order for four Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, while the U.S. planemaker also held a signing ceremony to mark a recently placed order for 45 of the wide-body planes by Thai Airways.

Given its timing early in the year, there are typically fewer major order announcements at the Singapore air show than at its counterparts in Paris, Farnborough and Dubai.

Story continues

By the end of 2023, travel demand had made a near-full recovery from pre-pandemic levels in 2019, with domestic travel running 4% higher than pre-COVID levels and the international market lagging at 88% mostly because of China's slower rebound, according to International Air Transport Association data.

"We see 2024 as a real return to normal," said Steven Townend, the CEO of Singapore-based aircraft lessor BOC Aviation. "The industry is growing, airlines are making money again on a global basis. For 2024, we're really positive."

SUPPLY CHAIN STRUGGLES

Major suppliers, planemakers and engine producers have struggled to keep up with the rebound in demand after the sharp downturn during COVID-19 led to job losses, freight snarls and an industry skills shortage.

Boeing, in particular, is under scrutiny after the mid-air blowout of a cabin panel on an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX on Jan. 5 led the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration to take the unprecedented step of freezing production of its best-selling single-aisle plane at 38 per month.

Airbus this month announced a further delay in entry to service of its long-range A321XLR single-aisle jet to the third quarter from the second. Suppliers told Reuters that Airbus is producing about 50 A320neo family jets a month compared with a production plan that had foreseen 58 by end-2023.

Christian Scherer, the CEO of Airbus' commercial aircraft business, said on Tuesday there were many "pinch points" in the aerospace supply chain.

"The production ramp-up is putting pressure into the supply chain everywhere and it is our job to tackle it," he told reporters, adding that Airbus had deployed several dozen supply chain engineers to unlock bottlenecks.

The production issues are delaying the ability of airlines to replace older jets with more fuel-efficient models as the industry looks to meet its goal of "net zero" emissions by 2050.

Airlines are also looking to buy as much sustainable aviation fuel as possible to reduce their carbon emissions, even though it costs up to five times as much as conventional jet fuel.

In Singapore, travellers will bear the cost of the transition towards green jet fuel, its transport minister said on Monday, as he announced the city-state's plans for a levy on departing flight ticket prices from 2026.

(Reporting by Lisa Barrington, Brenda Goh and Joe Brock; Writing by Jamie Freed; Editing by Michael Perry and Gerry Doyle)
Members of the House convene on the first day of the legislative session at the Washington state Capitol on Jan. 8 in Olympia. (Lindsey Wasson / The Associated Press)
By Joseph White

DETROIT (Reuters) - Stellantis could build electric vehicles based on technology from Chinese affiliate Leapmotor in Europe, North America or other markets where it needs competitively-priced models to compete with Chinese EV makers, Chief Executive Carlos Tavares said on Tuesday.

"At one point in time, Western governments may be tempted to block Chinese exports," Tavares said. "We have the opportunity to assemble Leapmotor cars inside the bubble. It could be Europe it could be North America."

Stellantis is considering building Leapmotor EVs in Italy, Automotive News Europe reported earlier this week. "There's no reason to exclude any country that has a Stellantis plant," Tavares said.

The pressure to cut electric vehicle costs will force consolidation among global automakers, Tavares told reporters during a videoconference from New York. But said he has no significant deals under discussion himself.

"We have enough on our plate," Tavares said.

Earlier this month, Stellantis denied rumors that it was considering a combination with French automaker Renault.

Tavares said there could ultimately be as few as five major automakers as incumbents try to achieve economies of scale to compete with BYD and other rising Chinese automakers.

"You can discuss whether its a good thing to fight against big Chinese companies like BYD with an anti-trust lock that prevents the Western companies from getting together," Tavares said.

Automakers are under pressure "to sell EVs at the price of ICE," Tavares said, using the acronyn for the internal combustion engine. "As long as we cannot sell EVs at the price of ICE while making a profit, we are not doing what consumers are expecting of us."

BYD and Chinese EV makers have a 30% production cost advantage over Western automakers, Tavares said.

Tariff "protection will not help," he said.

If Chinese automakers decide to build factories in Mexico to send vehicles to the United States, the Mexican government will welcome that investment, he said.

Washington will have to choose between breaking the rules of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement, or potentially adding to pressure on Mexican workers to migrate to the United States for jobs, he said.

(Reporting By Joe White; editing by Barbara Lewis)
Our directory features more than 18 million business listings from across the entire US. However, if we're missing your business, add your business by clicking on Add Your Business.
Top 7 fundasi golgheteri

Atacantii sunt de regula cei care sunt in prim-plan si asta pentru ca ei sunt cei care fac spectacol si ridica publicul in picioare. Se intampla asta in primul rand datorita faptului ca marcheaza goluri. De aceea, ei ajung sa castige si trofeele individuale, cum ar fi prestigiosul Balon de Aur. Foarte multa lume uita insa de fundasi, care au si ei [citeste mai departe]
Retete cu legume de primavara

Primavara este poate cea mai buna perioada pentru a ne bucura din plin de legume proaspete. Consumul de fructe si legume de sezon este minunat si benefic pentru sanatate, dar si pentru buget. Inspira-te, asadar, din unele dintre cele mai delicioase retete cu legume de primavara.De ce este bine sa prepari retete cu legume de primavaraConsumul [citeste mai departe]
pcess609 / Getty Images

The IRS Free File program provides free tax filing services to many lower and middle income taxpayers through IRS trusted partners. To qualify for IRS Free File guided tax software, individuals, families, or couples filing jointly cannot have more than $79,000 in adjusted gross income (AGI).

Check Out: Trump-Era Tax Cuts Are Expiring  How Changes Will Impact Retirees

Read Next: Owe Money to the IRS? Most People Dont Realize They Should Do This One Thing

Many people think the IRS Free File program is only for simple tax returns with W-2 income reported on a 1040-EZ. But IRS Free File also works with other types of income and for taxpayers with complicated returns, according to a news release published on the IRS.gov website.

In addition to serving taxpayers with W-2 income, the IRS Free File program also accommodates taxpayers with self-employment income, part-time business income, hobby income, and income from gigs, such as shopping for Instacart or driving for Uber. You can also report estimated quarterly taxes you paid through the year, which can reduce your overall tax liability as a gig worker or business owner.

Along with reporting business and gig income, you can deduct your business expenses using Free File, and, through the software, get professional guidance on what you can deduct.

You can also fill out the appropriate forms and schedules to claim common credits, including:

American opportunity tax credit.

Lifetime learning credit.

Earned income credit.

Child and dependent care credit.

Learn More: Billionaires vs. the Middle Class: Who Pays More in Taxes?

Sponsored: Owe the IRS $10K or more? Schedule a FREE consultation to see if you qualify for tax relief.

How To Use IRS Free File

If you believe you qualify for IRS Free File, visit IRS.gov/freefile to get started. Click the blue Explore Free Guided Tax Software button. Then, you can choose to browse the list of Trusted Partners or enter a name to find a Trusted Partner you already know.

Story continues

Keep in mind that IRS partners may have their own restrictions, including lower income limits or availability in select states.

If you used IRS Free File last year, the same tax software company will reach out to you via email with a link to the companys Free File website. By using this link, filing your tax return will be free if you do not exceed the AGI limit.

If you dont qualify for guided tax prep, you can still file your taxes for free electronically using the IRS Free File fillable forms. If youre using Free File Fillable forms, youll need to understand how to do your own taxes.

More From GOBankingRates

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Taxes 2024: How To File for Free Even With a Complicated Return
Hungarys tourism sector has received five professional awards from China, one of the top sources of tourists in the country, the Hungarian Tourism Agency (MTU) said.

Chinas National Geographic Traveller has recognised Hungary as a gold-tier Quality Destination, while the Chinese edition of The Voyage Magazine has chosen Hungary as the New Emerging Destination of the Year, MTU said in a statement.



Meanwhile, MTU finished in the top three in the best regional innovations category of Chinas National Tourism News competition, and Hungary was recognised among the top five study trip destinations.



Also, Tongcheng Travel, one of Chinas leading booking services, acknowledged Chinese-Hungarian tourism partnerships with the Best Partner of 2023 title, MTU said.



The number of Chinese tourists arriving in Hungary quadrupled last year compared with 2022, MTU said, adding that tourism from China is expected to grow further this year.



MTI Photo: Szilard Koszticsak



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A Dutch woman stabbed her partner to death in a rented apartment in central Budapests Kazinczy Street, the website police.hu said.

Budapest police received several calls reporting a man was bleeding heavily in the apartment early in the morning, according to the website.



Paramedics were unable to save the mans life, they said in a statement. The police said that a middle-aged Dutch couple got into a fight, which led to the woman stabbing her partner, who died on the spot.



The police took the woman into custody and launched legal proceedings against her on homicide charges, police.hu said.



According to the latest media reports, the expat couple got into fight at around 2pm. During the incident, the 44-year-old woman stabbed her 54-year-old partner twice in the shoulder, he suffered such serious injuries that he died in the flat.



In her police statement the woman said she has no memory of the incident.



Photo: Police.hu



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A pro-government pundit welcomes a military-industrial agreement under preparation between Sweden and Hungary, as more noteworthy than the planned parliamentary vote on Swedens NATO membership.

In his annual State of the Nation address to a public of Fidesz faithful on Saturday, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said Swedens bid to join NATO may be ratified by Parliament early in its spring session (starting on Monday next week).



Meanwhile, a three-member US Senate delegation that came to Hungary apparently to urge ratification complained that they hadnt been received by any government or Fidesz officials. Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said Hungary makes her decisions on her own without needing pressure from abroad.



In Magyar Nemzet, Otto Gajdics praises Prime Minister Orban, for inspiring enthusiasm and calm in his speech on Saturday. Western media, he writes, concentrated on the Prime Ministers words on an early ratification of Swedens accession to NATO, but what is more important to us, intense negotiations have been underway for weeks between Sweden and Hungary on a giant industrial-military deal. And the agreement is imminent, he adds.



On Index, Gergely Borsi reports that although no specifics have been disclosed about the negotiations between Hungary and Sweden, it is believed that new deliveries of Swedish Gripen fighter jets may be part of the planned agreement. Hungarian Air Force pilots have flown Gripens for two decades and their licence expires this year. Borsi also writes that preparations are underway for an early visit by Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson to Budapest.



MTI Photo: Szilard Koszticsak



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The Royal Thai Embassy in Budapest organised the Muaythai Day event on 15 February 2024 at Vilmos Endre Sportcentrum, in collaboration with the Hungarian Muaythai Federation and Thai President Foods (Hungary).

This event was organised to celebrate the National Muaythai Day, which was designated to be on February 6 since 2011. The event aims to introduce Muaythai which is a cultural heritage of Thailand, to the Hungarian community especially to the children and youth.







The celebration included an opening ceremony with speeches by Mr. Nopakhun Luichant, Charge d'Affaires a.i. of the Royal Thai Embassy in Budapest, which layout a short briefing of the history of Mauthai Day, followed by the remarks of Mr. Dudok Karoly, President of the Hungarian Muaythai Federation.



The stage performances showcased Muaythai movements from the Hungarian Muaythai Federation and the traditional umbrella dance.







Additionally, Mr. Dudok Karoly led the Muaythai workshop throughout the day with approximately 150 primary and secondary school students. Apart from that, this event also gained attention from Hungarian media, including M1 Channel - at 41.07minutes, which reported on this event during the evening news broadcast as shown in the link below.



This very first celebration of Muaythai Day in Hungary was well-received, particularly by the Hungarian children and youth, marking significant step in promoting Muaythai to gain more popularity and recognition within Hungary and worldwide.



More:

Royal Thai Embassy in Budapest
Sarah was born in Giza, Egypt in 1997. Following the Arab Spring, she moved with her family to Qatar, where she started exploring visual arts to express her experience as a young immigrant.

Sarah's creative practice focuses on liminality, identity, and collective trauma. Her works were displayed in two solo exhibitions, multiple group ones around Budapest, as well as at Oyoun Berlin in MENA Art Gallery's last exhibition Land, Safety, & Grief. Additionally, her work was featured on the first issue of Fusayfsa' Journal and Low Tides Zine.



Currently, Sarah uses her background in Art and Psychology, to explore ways to connect the two fields through facilitating workshops in her art circle, Inner Brush, in Budapest, where she is currently based.



Social Media Accounts: Instagram, Facebook, website.



1. When did you arrive in Hungary and what brought you here?



I arrived in Hungary in September 2017 to start my undergraduate degree at McDaniel College, where I studied Art and Psychology as part of their Liberal Arts Program. It was mostly the search for a program that provides this combination of fields in English that brought me here and I'm very glad it did!



2. Have you ever been an expatriate elsewhere?



Yes, I lived in Doha, Qatar with my family; we moved there when I was 15 and I lived there until I moved to Budapest.



3. What surprised you most about Hungary?



From my experience, I can mostly just talk about Budapest. Even though I have been here for quite some time, I am still mindblown by the beauty of this city and its architecture, my favourite thing to do is to go on Margit hid and just look at the skyline between the hills on one side and the parliament on the other. I also recently started exploring more around the country and have been discovering a different side of beauty in Hungary's nature.



4. Friends are in Budapest for the weekend - what must they absolutely see and do?

I would definitely take them to the castle district since it gives a great view of the city on both sides and if the time allows, I would suggest a day trip to Szentendre too. Most definitely would end up with a tea or a drink at Zsivago or Harom Hollo.



5. What is your favourite Hungarian food?

Marhaporkolt is my favourite and anything with Nokedli would make me happy. I also love smoked sausages here a lot!



6. What is never missing from your refrigerator?

Anyone who has been to my house would probably say yogurt and they would be absolutely right.



7. What is your favourite Hungarian word?

I like the word mizu, it just sounds like such a cute way to start the conversation.



8. What do you miss most from home?

The sun, the company, and the food.



9. What career other than yours would you love to pursue?

I had the goal of becoming a professional musician but I think visual arts have won me over after all.



10. Where did you spend your last vacation?

I spent new year's at Balaton and it was such a great experience, although it was very cold that I couldn't enjoy the view by the lake as much as I would have liked but it really has a different charm in winter.



11. Where do you hope to spend your next holiday?

I would like to go back home and explore Siwa Oawsis since I haven't had the chance to visit it yet.



12. Apart from temptation what can't you resist?

Chips



13. What was your favourite band, film, or hobby as a teen?

My favourite hobby was playing classical guitar, I still do it but very occasionally.



14. Books or films?

Films



14. Morning person or night person?

Morning person



15. Which social issue do you feel most strongly about?

Mental health, I am very interested in a reform movement of how we currently approach mental health issues and how as a society, we pathologize symptoms of a dysfunctional system rather than fixing the root causes of what makes people suffer.



16. Buda or Pest?

Buda



17. What would you say is your personal motto?

"The only way out is through" - Robert Frost
This week Im sharing on some additional February meetings. Our last Friday February Conversation occurs this Friday Feb. 23 and the topic is pesticide resistance and integrated pest management. Dr. Matheus Ribeiro and Dr. Travis (TJ) Prochaska are going to lead us in discussion sharing insights from research and experience. If youre dealing with pest (weed/insect/disease) issues in a particular field and interested in the topic of resistance management, this conversation will be of interest and helpful. It will be from 10 a.m. until noon at the 4-H Building on the York County Fairgrounds. Please let me know if youre interested in attending by calling 402-362-5508.

On-Farm Research Update

On-Farm Research Updates begin this week depending on which location works best for you. At these meetings, the farmers share on the research they conducted with the Extension Agency. That along with the discussion is what makes this meeting so meaningful and one of my favorite winter meetings. Topics include: nutrient management studies, biological products, cultural practices, cover crops, product and production practice studies, RegenAg, and also includes studies using the latest precision ag technologies. The meetings at all locations begin at 9 a.m. (Registration at 8:30 a.m.). Locations include: ENREEC near Mead (Feb. 20); Beatrice Holiday Inn (Feb. 21); York at Holthus Convention Center (Feb. 27); and Kearney at the Extension Office (Feb. 28). There is no charge, but please RSVP for our meal count and to ensure enough materials at: https://go.unl.edu/2024ofr.

2024 Nebraska Extension Soil Health Conferences

The 2024 Nebraska Extension Soil Health Conferences are being held at two locations this year: West Point at the Nielsen Community Center on Feb. 29 and the Fairgrounds in Hastings on March 5. Speakers differ for the two conferences but the themes of leading researchers sharing, farmers and industry panel discussions, networking opportunities, and exhibitor area will be at both locations. At the Hastings location, Ill be sharing our on-farm research efforts with using clover in corn/soybeans with two farmers: Mike Spray of Clay Center and Jay Goertzen of Henderson. The conferences begin at 9 a.m. (Registration at 8:30 a.m.) and CCA credits are available. There is no charge but an RSVP is needed for lunch. You can find more details on the speakers and can register at: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/enreec/nebraska-soil-health-conference/.

Regenerative Ag Conference

Regenerative Ag Conference will be held Feb. 28 at Concordia University in Seward at the Janzow Campus Center Cattle Conference Room (Building #21 on Campus Map). The program begins at 9 a.m. (Registration at 8:30 a.m.). This event for producers and crop consultants will be an opportunity to learn about regenerative ag practices, what funding is available for these practices, and how to utilize them to be more profitable and sustainable. It will feature speaker Mitchell Hora, farmer and CEO of Continuum Ag, Keith Berns of Green Cover Seed, and a farmer panel: Dennis Fitzke (Edgar), Aaron Studebaker (Davey), and James Hank McGowan (McCool Junction). The day will also include a screening of the film To Which We Belong. Its hosted by the Upper Big Blue, Little Blue, Lower Big Blue, and Lower Platte South NRDs, in collaboration with Green Cover Seed. There is no charge but RSVP is needed as space is limited: https://www.upperbigblue.org/regenerative-ag.

Returning to the Farm Workshop

Returning to the Farm is a workshop series for families who are in the transition process of bringing members back to the farm or ranch. Its one of the more important programs Extension offers and I can say it was helpful for me and my family to attend. It will begin with a two-day workshop in Kearney for multi-generational families on March 8 and 9 at the office of Nebraska Extension in Buffalo County, 1400 E 34th St. The series assists families and agricultural operations with developing financial plans and successful working arrangements to meet their unique needs. It will guide families in developing estate and transition plans, setting personal and professional goals, and improving the communication process between family members. The workshop fee is $75 per person on or before March 1. March 2, the fee increases to $85 per person. Registration includes dinner on March 8 and lunch on March 9; it also includes two follow-up virtual workshops. More information and registration at: https://cap.unl.edu/rtf24.

Upcoming Events

Feb. 20: On-Farm Research Update, 9 a.m., ENREEC near Mead

Feb. 20: Land Application Training, 9 a.m., Dawson County Extension, Lexington

Feb. 20: Pesticide Training, 2 p.m., Dicks Place, Lawrence

Feb. 20: Pesticide Training, 1 p.m., Fairgrounds, Central City

Feb. 21: York County Corn Growers Tour, 8:30 a.m., RSVP 402-362-5508

Feb. 21: On-Farm Research Update, 9 a.m., Holiday Inn, Beatrice

Feb. 21: Farm Transition Planning Workshop, 1:00 p.m., Fairgrounds, Central City

Feb. 21: Part 107 Remote Pilot Knowledge Test Prep, WCREEC North Platte, 402-460-0742

Feb.22-23: Nebraska Women in Ag Conference, Kearney

Feb. 22: Pesticide Training, 1 p.m., Fairgrounds, Aurora

Feb. 22: Pesticide Training, 1:30 p.m., Fairgrounds, Minden

Feb. 23: Friday Conversations: Understanding Pest Resistance and a Systems Approach to Management, 10 a.m., 4-H Building Fairgrounds, York

Feb. 23: Pesticide Training, 1 p.m., First Bank of Nebraska, Syracuse

Feb. 27: On-Farm Research Update, 9 a.m., Holthus Convention Center, York

Feb. 27: Pesticide Training, 1 p.m., Fairgrounds, Weeping Water

Feb. 28: Pesticide Training, 9 a.m., Community Center, Davenport

Feb. 28: Regenerative Ag Conference, 9 a.m., Janzow Center Concordia University, Seward, RSVP: 402-362-6601

Feb. 28: Part 107 Remote Pilot Knowledge Test Prep, Extension Office Hastings, 402-460-0742

Feb. 28: On-Farm Research Update, 9 a.m., Extension Office at Fairgrounds, Kearney

Feb. 28: Chemigation Training, 1 p.m., Community Center, Davenport

Feb. 29: Eastern Nebraska Soil Health Conference, 8:30 a.m., West Point Nielsen Community Center

Feb. 29: Land Application Training, 9 a.m., Madison County Extension, Norfolk
Valentines Day arrived in the Capitol with my personal priority bill, LB1035, on the agenda. LB1035 will allow Nebraska to participate in a prescription drug donation program. Currently, Nebraska has an unused prescription drug take-back program that spends around half a million a year to incinerate, on average, 30,000 pounds of medication each year. This stark number does not even account for all the medication destroyed in-house at long-term care facilities. Some of the prescriptions now being destroyed could be diverted into the donation program. As you may recall from my previous article, this program is aimed at helping people who are uninsured or underinsured and at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level access medicine they need. LB1035 was debated on the floor and advanced to the next round of debate by a vote of 34-0. I am pleased that so many of my colleagues recognize the benefit of providing low-income Nebraskans with medication for chronic and acute conditions. Without this access to medication, they may have otherwise ended up in emergency care at great cost to the state. This especially makes sense when considering that the prescriptions provided to them would have otherwise been destroyed.

Id like to share summaries of the last two bills I introduced this session. LB1296 and LB1299 both deal with electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), commonly referred to as vaping devices. Vaping devices, e-cigarettes, or ENDS have exploded in popularity among both adults and minors. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Nebraska ranks 14th among 50 states in the rate at which adults vape nicotine. The University of Michigans Institute for Social Research has been tracking substance use among 8th, 10th and 12th graders for 49 years. For 48 years alcohol use was the number 1 substance used by youth in these grade levels. The study added nicotine vaping in 2017. Guess what? By 2022 nicotine vaping had passed alcohol in the substance used most by 8th graders and 10th graders. This is a problem and one I promised to address.

LB1296 was introduced to bring a regulatory framework to Nebraska for vaping products. I worked on this legislation with Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers. The federal government, who should be the primary regulator of these products, has failed to effectively regulate these products during the past decade and a half. LB1296, as introduced, would have relied upon a list put forward by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to help select which vaping products are legitimate and which are not. Unfortunately, we later learned that the FDA list was not a workable solution. We are now working to amend LB1296 to improve it.

The primary goals of LB1296 are to protect Nebraskans by preventing vaping products from being both marketed and sold to minors; eliminating the direct, online sales from questionable and unregulated manufacturers overseas to Nebraska consumers; and ensuring that the manufacturers and retailers of these products are compliant with federal and state laws. I am hopeful that we will soon be able to send an amended version of LB1296 to the floor for debate. Id like to point out that despite misinformation shared online, LB1296 is not promoting a ban of vaping products, nor is it proposing an across the board elimination of flavored products. It simply puts some regulations in place to protect consumers and minors.

The second vaping related bill that I introduced this session was LB1299. It would replace our current tax on vape with a 20 percent wholesale tax. The Legislature is discussing how to best reform our income, inheritance, property, sales taxes and excise taxes on nicotine products. Knowing this, I wanted to ensure that all the stakeholders in the vaping industry could come forward to share their viewpoints at a public hearing. Our current tax on vaping products is far below taxes on other nicotine products. The tax on a vape product that is equivalent to a pack of cigarettes is only $0.05. A pack of cigarettes are taxed at $0.64. I feel that we need to bring the tax on vaping products more in line with other nicotine products. LB1299 is currently in the Revenue Committee being discussed. I look forward to hearing their thoughts on LB1299 when they report it out of the committee.
(Bloomberg) -- The chairman of Temenos AG said the company isnt going to give itself a deadline for naming a new chief executive officer as the embattled Swiss fintech fights off shortseller allegations and pressure from investors.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The problem with a fixed timeline is that you are forced to take anyone to comply with the timeline, Chairman Thibault de Tersant said in an interview on Tuesday. Still, the search shouldnt take a very long time.

The company is looking for a permanent replacement for CEO Max Chuard, who was pushed out in January 2023 after more than 20 years at the company following pressure from activist investor Petrus Advisers. Interim CEO Andreas Andreades has held that role since last year, and Petrus on Friday renewed calls for Andreades to also leave the company.

Temenos, whose shares lost a third of their value after a report by Hindenburg Research last week, got close to hiring a new CEO last year, but that appointment fell through. The company is now dealing with the fallout of claims of financial irregularities and manipulated earnings, which the Swiss companys management has denied.

On Monday, Temenos said it would conduct an independent examination of Hindenburgs claims, overseen by the board. The company is looking to hire two law firms, one in Switzerland and one in the US, as well as an accounting firm.

Read More: Temenos Announces Independent Review of Hindenburg Claims

The expectation from our investors, clients and employees is for us to have complete clarity. I dont believe you can do more than that, it is the best process, de Tersant said in the Bloomberg interview. At this stage I have zero indication that any of these allegations are true.

Story continues

Speaking at the companys capital markets day on Tuesday, de Tersant also addressed Hindenburgs claim that the company had pulled forward contracts to inflate revenue, and said it was a normal practice in the industry because of the way renewal agreements work with banks.

The initial shortseller report sent shares tumbling by about a third last week, before the stock pared some of the losses on Monday. Shares were falling 5.79% to 62.14 Swiss francs in Zurich and have declined about 19% this year.

--With assistance from James Cone.

(Updates with details from capital markets day and shares)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
In a scary experience for passengers mid-air, an IndiGo flight bound from New Delhi to Srinagar encountered severe turbulence amidst heavy rainfall. It caused a harrowing experience for passengers aboard. Departing from Delhi airport at 5:25 pm on Monday, February 19, flight 6E6125 encountered turbulent conditions because of the heavy rainfall. Some of the passengers captured the moment gripping their seats tightly as the aircraft shook persistently. Passengers Thanked god and the Pilot for saving their lives. Turbulence in flights is a common incident which happens generally because of the weather conditions.

Statement by Indigo

Acknowledging the situation Indigo issued a statement. The statement said, IndiGo flight 6E6125 from Delhi to Srinagar faced severe turbulent weather en route. The crew followed all operational protocols and the flight landed safely in Srinagar. We regret the inconvenience caused to passengers due to the inclement weather.

IndiGo flight 6E6125 from Delhi to Srinagar faced severe turbulent weather en route. The crew followed all operational protocols and the flight landed safely in Srinagar. We regret the inconvenience caused to passengers due to the inclement weather: IndiGo  ANI (@ANI) February 20, 2024

Jammu and Kashmir Heavy Rainfall

In Jammu and Kashmir, rainfall and snowfall persisted for the second consecutive day, leading to the suspension of traffic along the 270-km Jammu-Srinagar national highway. Landslides and rockfalls occurred at numerous points in Ramban district, necessitating the closure of the key roadway. Additionally, two interstate highways were shut down preventatively due to fresh snowfall in Bhaderwah's higher elevations in Doda district. The abrupt closure left scores of travelers stranded, prompting authorities to caution against travel until the highways are cleared and weather conditions improve.
New Delhi: Actress Kiara Advani steps into the spotlight as she officially joins the star-studded cast of Farhan Akhtar's highly awaited film, Don 3, sharing the screen with Ranveer Singh. The announcement, shared across social media platforms by the film's creators, sets ablaze a fervor of excitement among fans. Renowned for her versatile performances spanning romance, intensity, and comedy, Kiara's venture into the action genre sparks significant interest.

Fans, eager to witness her adaptation to the adrenaline-fueled world of Don, flood the comments section of the announcement posts on Social Media with their enthusiasm. With her proven talent across various cinematic genres, Kiara's transition into action cinema is eagerly anticipated, adding an intriguing dimension to the much-anticipated movie.

Following Kiara's confirmation as the leading lady in Don 3, thrilled fans swarm the comments section, showering her with love, admiration, and anticipation for her pivotal role. Comments pour in, with one expressing, "Ab aag lagegi theatres mai!" while another jubilantly exclaims, "Congratulations, dear!" Excitement peaks with remarks like, "The Perfect Don's Junglibilli," "OMGGGGGG CAN'T WAITTTTT," and "CANT WAIT."

Fans eagerly express, "Wow, finally, congratulations Ki!" and eagerly anticipate, "Can't wait to see you in D3 @advani_kiara." "Excited to see the new pair of Kiara & Ranveer finally gonna be blockbuster can't wait anymore".The celebratory mood continues with messages such as "Congratulations Kii" and "OMGGGGG." Supportive wishes flow in, saying, "New Junglibilli... all the best." Innocence meeting Rage 100...great fusion....exciteddd" "I can't wait to see her in this thrilling movie. I'm sure she'll bring her A-game and deliver a captivating performance. Get ready for some high-octane action and Kiara's undeniable charm on the big screen. It's going to be an exhilarating ride!"

Directed by the visionary filmmaker Farhan Akhtar, Don 3 promises to deliver another adrenaline-fueled installment, setting the stage for a remarkable cinematic journey. Produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani, known for their track record of crafting exceptional projects that delight audiences, eagerness runs high for what promises to be a masterpiece for the highly awaited installment of the iconic franchise.
New Delhi: Kunal Bahl, an Indian entrepreneur, was born on October 13, 1983, in New Delhi, India. His family hailed from a business background, with his father being an engineer and his mother a dentist. Bahl attended Delhi Public School, R.K. Puram, where he displayed early signs of leadership and entrepreneurial spirit.

Education And Career Beginnings:

After completing his schooling, Bahl pursued a Bachelor's degree in Manufacturing Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania. During his time at university, he showed a keen interest in entrepreneurship and business management. He later earned an MBA from The Wharton School, where he met his future business partner, Rohit Bansal.

Founding Of Snapdeal:

In 2010, Bahl and Bansal founded Snapdeal, an e-commerce platform that would go on to become one of India's largest online marketplaces. The idea for Snapdeal stemmed from Bahl's frustration with the lack of access to a wide range of products in India compared to the United States. Determined to fill this gap, he and Bansal embarked on their entrepreneurial journey.

Challenges And Growth:

The early days of Snapdeal were not without challenges. Bahl and Bansal faced stiff competition from established players in the e-commerce industry. However, their determination and innovative approach helped them overcome obstacles. Snapdeal differentiated itself by focusing on providing a wide variety of products at competitive prices, backed by excellent customer service.

Rise To Prominence:

Through strategic partnerships, aggressive marketing, and a customer-centric approach, Snapdeal rapidly gained popularity among Indian consumers. The platform offered a diverse range of products, including electronics, fashion, home essentials, and more, catering to the evolving needs of its customers.

Achievements And Recognition:

Under Bahl's leadership, Snapdeal achieved remarkable success, attracting investments from prominent venture capitalists, and earning accolades for its contribution to India's e-commerce landscape. Bahl's vision and relentless pursuit of excellence propelled Snapdeal to become one of the leading e-commerce platforms in India.

Legacy And Impact:

Kunal Bahl's journey with Snapdeal serves as an inspiration to aspiring entrepreneurs, demonstrating the power of vision, perseverance, and innovation in building a successful business. His commitment to providing value to customers and creating opportunities for sellers has left a lasting impact on India's e-commerce ecosystem.

From humble beginnings to building a billion-dollar company, his journey reflects the possibilities that arise when passion meets opportunity. As Snapdeal continues to thrive, Kunal Bahl's legacy as a visionary leader in the Indian business landscape remains firmly established.
New Delhi: Two Haryana men, who allegedly duped people by hacking food and grocery delivery app Swiggy account, were arrested, a Delhi Police official said.

The accused Aniket Kalra (25) and Himanshu Kumar (23), used Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system to hack people's Swiggy accounts, police said on Monday.

After hacking the victim's account, the accused used to place grocery orders from their account and later sold the items at a lower price.

The accused were arrested when a woman from Sultanpur complained of being cheated of Rs 97,197 from her Lazy Pay account linked with the Swiggy account by some unidentified people.

The complainant received a call in the middle of the night from an Automated Telephony Interactive Voice Response (IVR) System in Pre-Recorded Voice Responses informing her that someone is attempting to access her Swiggy account. After, her Lazypay account which was linked with her Swiggy account was hacked and used to place online orders totalling Rs 97,197. This information was discovered through technical analysis of call details and financial transactions conducted during the investigation.

Further, CDR analysis of the calling number revealed that the mobile number from which the complainant received the call is an application-based generated number connected with IVR System. Simultaneously, details from Swiggy were obtained and it came to notice that the alleged orders were delivered in Gurugram, said the Deputy Commissioner of Police (south) Ankit Chauhan.

The miscreants used mobile numbers registered on fake ownership to deliver the products. The team worked on all the available aspects of the case. The efforts of the team bore fruits when during IMEI search, the location of the suspect was zeroed in Sector 7, Gurugram, Haryana, said the DCP.

Modus Operandi Used By Hackers To Hack Into Swiggy Account

The police conducted raids and apprehended both Aniket and Himanshu. During interrogation, Aniket revealed that he had previously worked for Zomato and Swiggy as a delivery boy and the modus operandi these accused had used was to dupe people through IVR calling system.

Thereafter, he started buying grocery items from online selling platforms at a lower price through offers and then used to sell them in the market, thus saving 5 per cent-10 percent on every order. Further, he along with co-accused Ansh, a resident of Punjab met on telegram and they both started duping people through IVR Calling system, said the DCP.

Ansh has every detail of people who have linked their credit card/debit card/internet banking with their Swiggy account. Ansh used to target victims by hacking their Swiggy account through pre-recorded voice responses and thereby accessing confidential data of victims. Then Aniket used to link a phone number registered on fake ownership with the Swiggy account of the victim and then used to place orders of Grocery items for as much amount as available in the account of the victim, said the DCP.

To prevent any police action, they used to provide the random addresses of Gurugram to deliver the items. Aniket and his friend Himanshu used to sell the grocery items in the local market at a discounted price and then used to send 50 percent profit to Ansh via cash depositing machines or various UPI Ids, said the DCP.

Himanshu, who has a medical shop in Gurugram, used to transfer the cheated amounts to various UPI IDs and accounts, and under the guise of the medical shop.

Further investigation of the case is in progress to trace the co-accused and to link other cases, the DCP added.

Meanwhile, Swiggy, reacting to the incident said, "This modus operandi is predominantly linked to Lazypay as a payment instrument and it has released a solution to delink user wallets and BNPL (Buy now pay later) accounts automatically on new device logins as well as contact number changes to prevent frauds. It is also in the process of scaling other security measures including 2 factor authentication."
For most middle and upper-middle-class homes in India, domestic workers are an integral part of households. These are the people who work for their employers to make their life at home easier, by taking up the bulk of their domestic chores. And when they are cleaning your homes, taking care of your babies, and cooking your meals, at the end of the month, they are only left with a salary which is often inadequate for running their households and no security. There are no social security benefits like pension and ESI (Employees State Insurance).

The National Platform for Domestic Workers (NPDW), which was constituted in 2012, recently held a press conference. According to a report in the Indian Express, the meeting was held "to raise the demand for a legislation that will cover those who are part of the informal sector, with specific cover for domestic workers." Members of NPDW demand, the same report mentions, that places where domestic helps work be treated as 'workplaces' and that it should be ensured that they get minimum wages and social security benefits like pensions.

To make matters worse, a large majority of employers of these helps - often the elite and nouveau rich - believe in the traditional divide between who they consider as "masters" and "servants". It's a common practice to see helps eating later than their employees, sitting or even sleeping on the floors, rather than chairs and beds, and eating out of different utensils among other practices - in fact, such scenes are so common that it doesn't even strike many people that there's something amiss in these practices.

'We Need Security, What Will Happen When We Get Old?'

Alka Kumari, a domestic help working in Saket, shares, "I work in three houses a day and I end up making Rs 18,000 a month. My husband has lost his job and the entire responsibility of my family - my husband, three children and my father-in-law - is dependent on my earnings. I work tirelessly the whole day and when I get back home after 6 pm, I have to do my household chores too. My entire month's salary gets used up and there's nothing left for savings. We need a minimum wage and some form of security."

Another help, Zohra Biwi, who works in Noida, voices a common concern. "What will happen to us when we become old and are physically not capable of toiling and earning our living? Without any security, any pension our future is bleak. We need some sort of safety net."

Domestic Workers' Rights: Where India Stands

Giving his inputs on the matter, Mritunjay Kumar, Assistant Professor Of Law, Himachal Pradesh National Law University, Shimla, shares that domestic workers in India, for a long time, have demanded the entitlement of minimum wage. Mritunjay Kumar shares, "As per the ILO Domestic Workers Convention, 2011, 'each member is required to take measures to ensure that domestic workers have minimum wage coverage'. However, India has not ratified this Convention yet. Sections 2 (k) and 2 (z) of the Code on Wages, 2019 define employee and worker in relation to establishment and industry. Therefore, it is generally believed that domestic workers may not be covered in the definitions of establishment or industry."

Kumar adds, "However, the right of domestic workers to the minimum wage may be secured through juristic fiction, if the definition of establishment under Section 2 (m) of the Code is broadly interpreted, especially taking into account the solemn purpose of the law to secure social welfare, to cover the place of domestic work as the place where occupation is carried on. There is another alternative, i.e., if the Parliament of India, through amendment, specifically broaden the definition of establishment to cover the domestic work within its ambit. In that case, the minimum wage for domestic workers may be easily secured by the legislative will in India."
NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police has heightened security measures at the Tikri, Singhu, and Ghazipur border points in anticipation of the farmers' 'Delhi Chalo' march scheduled for Wednesday. To ensure preparedness, security personnel have been directed to stay alert, and mock drills were conducted on Tuesday.

Farmers Reject Centre's Proposal, 'Delhi Chalo' Agitation Continues

The move follows the rejection by protesting farmers of the Centre's proposal to purchase pulses, maize, and cotton crops through government agencies at the minimum support price (MSP) for five years. Despite the proposal made during the fourth round of talks, farmer leaders expressed dissatisfaction, deeming it unfavourable to the farmers' interests.

Border Points Sealed

Delhi Police officials have cautioned commuters about possible traffic congestion as security personnel maintain a vigilant presence at the three borders. The Tikri and Singhu border points in Delhi and Haryana have been sealed with heavy police deployment and multi-layered barricades. The Ghazipur border may also be shut on Wednesday if deemed necessary, according to officials.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (outer) Jimmy Chiram assured sufficient deployment of forces, including paramilitary personnel, at the Delhi-Haryana borders. Security personnel have been instructed to prevent any protesters or vehicles from entering Delhi. Mock security drills have been conducted to ensure preparedness.

Farmers Stand Firm Against MSP Proposal

In a setback to the ongoing talks, farm union leaders announced their rejection of the Centre's proposal to buy pulses, maize, and cotton at MSP for five years through government agencies. Farmer leaders Sarwan Singh Pandher and Jagjit Singh Dallewal made the announcement at the Punjab-Haryana's Shambhu border, emphasizing that the proposal was not in the farmers' interest.

Next Steps: Discussions And Opinions

Following the rejection, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher stated that they would discuss the proposals with fellow farmers and seek expert opinions. The proposed crops for purchase at assured MSP include three pulses - arhar, tur, and urad, along with cotton and maize. The situation remains tense as the 'Delhi Chalo' agitation continues, and security measures are intensified at the borders.
IGNOU 37th Convocation 2024: Indira Gandhi National Open University is hosting its 37th Convocation today, on February 20, 2024. The ceremony will take place at the Baba Saheb Ambedkar Convention Centre in New Delhi. The main event will be attended by the Honble Vice President of India, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar. The 37th Convocation will also be conducted at various regional centers of IGNOU, including the Srinagar Center at the University of Kashmir. Students who completed their study programs in December 2022 and June 2023 will receive their certificates during today's convocation. The event will be live-streamed starting from 9:30 am.

IGNOU Academic Certificate 2024: Heres how to download via digilocker

Step 1: Open the DigiLocker app.

Step 2: Log in using the credentials required.

Step 3: Choose the education category and click on Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU).

Step 4: Click the certificate tab.

Step 5: Fill out the relevant information and download the certificate.

IGNOU 37th Convocation 2024: Live streaming

The IGNOU 37th Convocation Ceremony will take place today, February 20, 2024. The event will be livestreamed on the Gyan Darshan Channel, Swayam Pracha Channel, and other social media channels.
New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Punjab has received a shot in the arm as suspended Congress MP Preneet Kaur is likley to switch sides and join the saffron party. She had voted against TMC MP Mahua Moitra in the Ethics Committee of Lok Sabha over the cash-for-query allegation, claiming she stood by the truth. Preneet Kaur is a Congress MP from Patiala Lok Sabha constituency in Punjab. She is the spouse of former Congress stalwart and ex-Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh.

She was suspended by the Congress party in February 2023 for alleged anti-party activities. The party had sought an explanation from her why she should not be expelled. She faced the wrath of the party after Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Raja Warring accused her of helping the BJP in Punjab.

She had distanced herself from the Congresss activities since her husband was removed from the chief ministers post by the Congress in 2021. She did not participate in Rahul Gandhis Bharat Jodo Yatra as well. Her husband, Captain Amarinder Singh had floated his own party before the Punjab Assembly elections. However, after a poor performance, he merged his party with the BJP.

Preneet, a four-time Congress MP from Patiala since 1999, lost only in 2014. She was the minister of state for external affairs in the UPA-2 government. She is a popular leader in her constituency, with strong social ties due to her approachability and bond with grass-roots workers.

She has already swayed nearly half of the Congress councillors, and in 2022, the BJP captured the civic body with Sanjiv Bittu as mayor. Even though the civic bodys term has expired, most councillors in the city and rural area Congress workers still back her.

Amarinder Meets Modi

Former Punjab Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Capt Amarinder Singh had a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday. Amarinder Singh said he discussed various issues pertaining to Punjab, including the farmers problems, with the Prime Minister.

He expressed hope that the farmers issue would be settled soon, to the satisfaction of all. Amarinder Singh was accompanied by his daughter and Punjab BJP Mahila Morcha chief Jai Inder Kaur.

The farmer unions, who are demanding a law on MSP, have rejected the governments proposal. Farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal said on Monday that the forums decided to reject the proposal after deliberations. If the government is not giving legal guarantee of MSP, it means that the farmers of the country will keep being exploited. This is not acceptable, he said.

SAD-BJP Alliance Talks

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the BJP had parted ways in 2020 over the farm law protests, but rumours of a reunion between the BJP and its oldest NDA partner have been circulating since the Union government scrapped the three controversial farm laws in 2021. Now with the Lok Sabha elections nearing, there is again talk of secret negotiations between the SAD and the BJP to restore their alliance.

The alliance talk in Punjab coincides with the BJPs plans to reforge ties with its old southern ally Telugu Desam Party (TDP) of Chandrababu Naidu and its welcome to Nitish Kumar of the Janata Dal (United) back into the NDA fold.

In Punjab, there have been occasional hints of the former allies coming together, but nothing concrete has happened yet. The reason is that there are significant hurdles that the BJP and the SAD have to clear, given the changed political landscape in the state.

After breaking free from the alliance, the BJP has aggressively wooed the states rural voters, especially in the Malwa region that was once an Akali bastion. During their 25-year alliance, the SAD contested 10 seats of the 13 in Punjab, leaving Hoshiarpur, Gurdaspur, and Amritsar to the BJP.

The BJP is unlikely to settle for this arrangement anymore, especially given that the SAD has lost its clout and the BJP has gained momentum ahead of the national polls.
NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to finalize its comprehensive strategy for Uttar Pradesh today. The decision comes at a crucial time as the party gears up for the electoral battle in one of India's most politically significant states. Uttar Pradesh has a total of 80 Lok Sabha seats and is considered key to power in Delhi. The state has played a key role in keeping Narendra Modi at the helm in Delhi.

Electoral Strategy and Rally Plans

As the electoral code of conduct is about to be enforced, the BJP's plan will outline the number of rallies to be held across Uttar Pradesh. The strategy aims to cover every Lok Sabha constituency in the state, ensuring a widespread campaign led by the party's top leadership.

Key Leaders to Convene

The meeting, expected to be the largest before the announcement of candidates, will feature prominent figures such as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and BJP President JP Nadda. Their discussions will focus on organizing rallies that encompass every constituency, setting the stage for a comprehensive electoral campaign.

Pre-Parliamentary Board Meeting

Ahead of the upcoming Parliamentary Board meeting, today's gathering in Delhi marks a pivotal moment for the UP BJP unit. The session aims to align state-level strategies with the central leadership's directives, ensuring a unified approach to the elections. Attendees include Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Baijayant Panda, Dharmapal Singh, Bhupender Chaudhary, both Deputy Chief Ministers, and various regional and state officials.

Responsibilities and Agenda

The Delhi meeting's outcomes will guide the BJP's efforts in Uttar Pradesh, with officials tasked with implementing the agreed-upon agenda. This strategic planning session is essential for the BJP as it seeks to consolidate its presence and campaign effectively in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

2019 And 2014 Poll Results

In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP had won 71 seats riding on the Modi wave while in the 2019 elections, the party managed to won 62 seats, nine down from the 2014. Thus, the BJP is planning to win all the 80 seats this time to keep its mission 400 on. The BJP is aiming to win 370 seats itself and at least 30 seats for its allies thus hoping to achieve its objective of 'Abki Bar 400 Par'.
On Tuesday, the Maharashtra Assembly passed a bill that guarantees a 10% reservation in jobs and education for the Maratha community. Earlier, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde presented the Maratha quota bill in the states assembly. Meanwhile, Maratha Quota activist Manoj Jarange has refused to end the strike arguig that it did not meet the expectations of his community. He said that they deserved reservation under OBC. Jarange was on a fast-unto-death protest for the demand of the Maratha quota and asked the government to set up a committee to look into the members of the community from the Marathwada region who are OBC (Other Backward Classes) antecedents. Heres a timeline of the decade-long movement:

1981: The first protests demanding the Maratha reservation under the leadership of Annasaheb Patil started, which included demands for a separate reservation for the community. Also, the community has been requesting Kunbi caste certificates to qualify for inclusion in the OBC category for reservations. Kunbis, traditionally linked to agriculture, fall within the OBC classification in Maharashtra.

2008: In July, the committee headed by retired Judge RM Bapat gave a report not favouring reservations for Marathas.

2014: A committee led by Narayan Rane presented a report to the government, asserting that 32 percent of the state's population belonged to the Maratha community, requiring economic upliftment and warranting a reservation. Under the leadership of then Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, the government endorsed a plan to allocate 16 percent of government jobs and educational institution seats for Marathas, along with 5 percent for Muslims.

However, the ordinance faced legal opposition and was contested before the Bombay High Court, leading to the court issuing a stay on its implementation.

2018: Justice MG Gaikwad, leading the nine-member Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission, presented its findings. Subsequently, the Maharashtra government, under the leadership of then Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, enacted the Maharashtra State Reservation for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) Act on November 30, based on the commission's recommendations.

2019: The Act was then challenged before the Bombay High Court, which upheld the constitutional validity of the Maratha quota but reduced it to 12% in education and 13% in government jobs. However, this raised the total reservation limit to 64 percent and 65 percent, respectively.

2022: The Supreme Court upheld the 10% quota for economically weaker sections. In April of the same year, the Supreme Court rejected the review plea filed by the Maharashtra government.

During that period, the Maharashtra government established a committee led by former Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court, Dilip Bhosale, to examine the directives of the Supreme Court.

2023: The committee chaired by Bhosale suggested that the government led by then Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray should submit a review petition to the Supreme Court regarding the Maratha reservation matter. The government indeed filed the petition, but it was rejected in April of that year.

2024: On Tuesday, the Maharashtra Assembly approved the Maratha Reservation Bill, granting the community a 10 percent reservation in education and government employment. The Maharashtra State Socially and Educationally Backward Bill 2024 received unanimous support, except for objections from Chhagan Bhujbal, a minister from the Nationalist Congress Party, who opposes the legislation. The Chief Minister is set to present the bill in the Legislative Council for approval, after which it will be enacted into law.
A Comac C919 is displayed during the Singapore Airshow at Changi Exhibition Centre in Singapore

A Comac C919 is displayed during the Singapore Airshow at Changi Exhibition Centre in Singapore

By Brenda Goh

SINGAPORE (Reuters) -China's Tibet Airlines on Tuesday finalised an order for 40 C919 and 10 ARJ21 jets from COMAC designed to be suitable for high-altitude plateaus, becoming the launch customer for a new variant the Chinese state-owned planemaker is developing.

The two companies signed the deal on the sidelines of the biennial commercial and defence-focused Singapore Airshow.

The announcement came after Tibet Airlines and COMAC in December announced that they would jointly research a shortened variant of the C919 that will seat 140-160 passengers and can take off and land at high-altitude airports.

Chinese state-backed Henan Civil Aviation Development and Investment Group on Tuesday also signed an agreement with COMAC for six models derived from the smaller ARJ21 regional jet specialised for firefighting, medical services and emergency management.

COMAC's C919 is in Singapore on its first trip outside Chinese territory, and the Chinese planemaker is positioning the jet as a viable alternative to the Airbus A320neo and Boeing's 737 MAX single-aisle jet families, as they struggle to meet demand for new planes, and Boeing grapples with a string of crises.

The plane is only certified within China and the first of now four C919s began flying with China Eastern Airlines last year.

COMAC has received more than 1,000 C919 orders so far, state media reported in September, mostly from Chinese airlines and lessors.

Gao Dongyue, an executive at Tibet Airlines, told Reuters that research to develop the C919 high-altitude variant was ongoing but that they could not yet disclose a timeline.

"We have a lot of experience in this area," he said. "And we're taking into consideration all possible routes that could be suitable for the plane."

Tibet Airlines mainly flies domestically but also has routes to places such as Kathamandu in Nepal.

In September, GallopAir, a new Brunei-based airline, said it planned to buy 30 aircraft from COMAC, including the C919, which would mark the narrow-body jet's first overseas purchase.

Story continues

Little is known about GallopAir, which is expected to be only the second Brunei-based airline operator after national carrier Royal Brunei Airlines. The company has said it intends to provide flights in the Brunei DarussalamIndonesiaMalaysiaPhilippines East ASEAN growth area.

Once completed, the deal would make GallopAir the second international operator of Chinese-made aircraft after Indonesian low-cost carrier TransNusa, which operates a small fleet of the ARJ21 regional jets.

COMAC also brought the ARJ21 to Singapore for a flying display. The company commenced commercial operations for the ARJ21 in 2016 and has delivered 127 planes so far.

(Reporting by Brenda Goh; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Gerry Doyle)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Jammu today where he will launch multiple development projects, including for education, railway, aviation, and road sectors, worth over Rs 32,000 crore ahead of this year's assembly elections. The Supreme Court had asked the Election Commission of India to hold polls in J&K before September 2024. The elections are pending in J&K since 2018 President Rule and abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.

With various infrastructure projects, the Narendra Modi government not only aims to improve the Union Territories lifestyle but also boost the BJP's poll prospect there. In a statement, Prime Minister's Office said the projects relate to several sectors, including health, education, rail, road, aviation, petroleum, and civic infrastructure, among others.

At around 11:30 AM, Prime Minister Modi will address a public function at the Maulana Azad Stadium, Jammu and will inaugurate, dedicate to the nation and lay the foundation stone of multiple development projects and distribute appointment orders to about 1500 new Government recruits of Jammu and Kashmir. Prime Minister will also interact with beneficiaries of various government schemes as part of the Viksit Bharat Viksit Jammu programme.

Boost To Education Sector

In a significant step towards upgrading and developing education and skilling infrastructure across the country, Prime Minister Modi will inaugurate, dedicate to nation and lay the foundation stone of several projects worth about Rs 13,375 crore. The Prime Minister will dedicate to nation permanent campus of IIT Bhilai, IIT Tirupati, IISER Tirupati, IIITDM Kurnool; academic and residential complex in IIT Patna and IIT Ropar; two permanent campuses of Central Sanskrit University - at Devprayag (Uttarakhand) and at Agartala (Tripura). Prime Minister will inaugurate permanent campuses of IIM Visakhapatnam, IIM Jammu and IIM Bodh Gaya. He will also inaugurate Indian Institute of Skills (IIS) - a pioneer skill training institute on advanced technologies in Kanpur.

Prime Minister Modi will also inaugurate and dedicate to nation improved infrastructure like hostels, academic blocs, administrative building, library, auditorium etc in multiple higher educational institutes across the country like IIT Jammu, NIT Delhi, IIT Kharagpur, NIT Durgapur, IISER Behrampur, NIT Arunachal Pradesh, IIIT Lucknow, IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, Central University of Kerala Kasaragod, among others.

He will lay the foundation stone of multiple projects for upgrading the infrastructure in several higher educational institutes across the country. These projects include construction of permanent campus of Sindhu Central University and IIIT Raichur; construction of academic block, hostel, faculty quarter etc in IIT Bombay; construction of Hostel and Staff Quarter in IIT Gandhinagar, construction of Girls hostel in BHU, among others.

Health Sector

In a step that will provide comprehensive, quality and holistic tertiary care health services to the people of Jammu and Kashmir, Prime Minister Modi will inaugurate All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Vijaypur (Samba), Jammu. The institute, whose foundational stone was also laid by the Prime Minister in February 2019, is being established under the Central sector scheme Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana.

Established at a cost of over Rs 1,660 crore and in an area spanning over 227 acres, the hospital is equipped with facilities like 720 beds, Medical College with 125 seats, Nursing College with 60 seats, AYUSH Block with 30 beds, residential accommodation for faculty and staff, hostel accommodation for UG and PG students, Night Shelter, Guest House, Auditorium, Shopping Complex etc. The state-of-the-art hospital will provide high quality patient care services in 18 Specialities and 17 Super Specialities including Cardiology, Gastro-enterology, Nephrology, Urology, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Medical Oncology, Surgical Oncology, Endocrinology, Burns & Plastic Surgery. The Institute will have an Intensive Care Unit, Emergency & Trauma Unit, 20 Modular Operation Theatres, Diagnostic Laboratories, Blood Bank, Pharmacy etc. The Hospital will also leverage Digital Health Infrastructure to reach out to far flung areas of the region.

Connectivity Push - Air, Railways, Road

Prime Minister Modi will lay the foundation stone for a new terminal building at Jammu Airport. To be spread over 40,000 sqm area, the new terminal building will be equipped with modern facilities catering to about 2000 passengers during peak hours. The new terminal building will be environment friendly and will be built such that it showcases local culture of the region. It will strengthen air connectivity, boost tourism and trade and accelerate economic growth of the region.

Prime Minister Modi will dedicate to the nation various rail projects in Jammu & Kashmir including the new rail line between Banihal-Khari-Sumber-Sangaldan (48 Km) and the newly electrified Baramulla-Sringar-Banihal-Sangaldan section (185.66 Km). The Prime Minister will also flag off the first Electric Train in the valley and also train service between Sangaldan station & Baramulla station.

The commissioning of the Banihal-Khari-Sumber-Sangaldan section is significant as it features the usage of Ballast Less Track (BLT) all along the route providing a better riding experience to the passengers. Also, Indias longest transportation tunnel T-50 (12.77 Km) lies in this portion between Khari-Sumber. The rail projects will improve connectivity, ensure environmental sustainability and boost the overall economic development of the region.

During the programme, Prime Minister Modi will lay the foundation stone of important road projects including two packages (44.22 KM) of Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway connecting Jammu to Katra; Phase two for four-laning of Srinagar Ring Road; five packages for upgrading the 161 km long Srinagar-Baramulla-Uri stretch of NH-01; and the construction of Kulgam Bypass & Pulwama bypass on NH-444.

The two packages of Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway, once completed will facilitate the visit of pilgrims to the holy shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi, and will also boost economic development in the region; The Phase two for four-laning of Srinagar Ring Road involves upgrading the existing Sumbal-Wayul NH-1. This brownfield project of length 24.7 Km, will reduce the traffic congestion in and around the Srinagar city. It will improve connectivity to popular tourist destinations like Manasbal Lake and Kheer Bhawani Temple, and also reduce travel time to Leh, Ladakh; The project for upgradation of 161 km long Srinagar-Baramulla-Uri stretch of NH-01, is of strategic importance. It will also boost the economic development of Baramulla & Uri; Kulgam Bypass & Pulwama bypass on NH-444 connecting Qazigund - Kulgam - Shopian - Pulwama - Badgam - Srinagar will also boost road infrastructure in the region.

CUF Petroleum Depot

Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone for a project to develop CUF (Common User Facility) Petroleum depot at Jammu. The state of art fully automated depot which will be developed at a cost of about Rs 677 crore, will have storage capacity of about 100000 KL for storing Motor Spirit (MS), High Speed Diesel (HSD), Superior Kerosene Oil (SKO), Aviation Turbine fuel (ATF), Ethanol, Bio diesel and winter grade HSD.

Other Projects

Prime Minister MOdi will also inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of several development projects worth more than Rs 3,150 crore for strengthening the civic infrastructure and provisioning of public facilities across Jammu and Kashmir. The projects to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi include, Road projects & Bridges; Grid Stations, receiving stations transmission line Projects; Common Effluent Treatment Plants and Sewage Treatment Plants; Several Degree College buildings; Intelligent Traffic Management system in Srinagar city; Modern Narwal Fruit Mandi; Drug Testing Laboratory at Kathua; and Transit accommodation - 224 flats at Ganderbal and Kupwara. The projects whose foundation stone will be laid include development of five new Industrial Estates across Jammu and Kashmir; Data Centre/ Disaster Recovery Centre for Integrated Command and Control Centre of Jammu Smart City; Up-gradation of Transport Nagar at Parimpora Srinagar; Up-gradation of 62 road projects and 42 bridges and project for development of transit accommodation - 2816 flats at nine locations in districts Anantnag, Kulgam, Kupwara, Shopian & Pulwama, among others.
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New Delhi: The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday expressed its displeasure over the involvement of Shahjahan Sheikh, Pradhan of the Zila Parishad, in the violence and sexual abuse that has erupted in the Sandeshkhali area in West Bengal, as well as the state polices inability to arrest him for more than 19 days. A division bench of Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya was hearing a petition by the State, challenging the orders of coordinate benches of the High Court, which revoked the imposition of section 144 CrPC orders in the area and allowed LoP Suvendu Adhikari, along with another opposition MLA to visit the area and meet the affected people.

Here Are 10 Latest Updates On Sandeshkjali Case:

1. Senior BJP leader and LoP in West Bengal Assempbly Suvendu Adhikari reached Sandesh khali in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district after being granted permission by a division bench of the Calcutta High Court to visit the restive area.

2. Calcutta HC while hearing the state government's plea said, "He can't be defying the law. If one person can hold the entire population to ransom, the ruling dispensation should not support him."

3. "He is just a representative of the public. He is bound to do good to the public. There is prima facie material to show he has done damage to the public. He is on the run after committing alleged crimes," the HC added.

4. The division bench, headed by Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam, did not intervene in the single benchs decision that also allowed another BJP MLA, Shankar Ghosh, to join Adhikari in Sandeshkhali.

5. Sandeshkhali, a riverine region near the Sunderbans, about 100 km from Kolkata, has been the site of protests against some TMC leaders who are accused of sexual crimes and land grabbing.

6. The West Bengal government challenged the single benchs order of Justice Kausik Chanda, who had put on hold the ban on gatherings of more than five people in Sandeshkhali under Section 144 of CrPC.

7. The division bench, which included Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya, instructed the BJP leader to make sure that only security personnel, who were assigned to them, accompanied them and not any party supporters or members.

8. The division bench also ordered the Basirhat police chief and the West Bengal government to follow the single benchs orders. On Monday, Justice Chanda had asked the state to provide enough security forces to prevent any mishap during Adhikaris visit to Sandeshkhali village in Sandeshkhali block II in North 24 Parganas district.

9. After arriving at Sandeshkhali, CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat on Tuesday questioned the authorities silence on alleged abuse of women at TMC office in Sandeshkhali, saying, Why was peace not disturbed when women were repeatedly summoned to the TMC office and abused?

10. We came here to meet the women because they had invited us. They alleged that they were called to the TMC office and TMC goons molested them sexually. The Kolkata High Court lifted Section 144 yesterday. When we reached here, the police said that the peace would be disrupted, Why was peace not disturbed when women were repeatedly summoned to the TMC office and abused? she said.
New Delhi: Often, when an incident occurs, the trail of CCTV footage starts making waves on social media. In the age of social media trials, this adversely impacts the privacy of both the victim and the accused. Taking note of that, Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora has issued an order to district DCPs and unit heads to ensure that the CCTV footage is not shared with anyone. In case of a breach, the officers will be responsible for the supervision lapse.

According to reports, the DCP pointed out several such incidents and arrived at a conclusion after analysing such instances of unwarranted circulation of sensitive CCTV footage. Arora issued directives to all Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) of districts and units to ensure strict adherence to these instructions.

In cases where CCTV footage of a crime is leaked, the responsibility will fall solely on the Station House Officers (SHO), and strict action will be taken against them. Only cropped snapshots or still images, showcasing the best possible description of the suspect, should be shared strictly for the purpose of facilitating quick identification.

For serious crimes, Arora noted that, in addition to the local police, special staff from the district and, in limited instances, teams from the Crime Branch/Special Cell may visit the crime scene. These units are also expected to adhere to the instructions, and local police should share snapshots or still images of the footage with them to address their inquiries.

Earlier, many such videos went viral on social media. Most recently, in the Najafgarh case where a CCTV video showed two gunmen entering the salon and one of them shooting a man when the latter was probably pleading for his life. Another was the footage of a 16-year-old girl who was stabbed more than 20 times by a man outside her home in Delhis JJ Colony last year.
New Delhi: The tales of rising from humble beginnings to achieving great success are immensely inspiring and serve as powerful motivators. These narratives exemplify the triumph of the human spirit, demonstrating that perseverance and dedication can overcome any obstacle. Among these narratives are the remarkable journeys of individuals who have transitioned from poverty to prosperity, including numerous IAS and IPS officers.

These individuals, through their relentless struggle, unwavering determination, and steadfast consistency, have transformed their lives from rags to riches. While they may now enjoy the fruits of their labor and appear to lead glamorous lives, their path to success was far from easy. Many had to endure arduous challenges and toil tirelessly to realize their dreams. One such individual whose story deserves recognition is IAS Surabhi Gautam.

Surabhi's life journey is a testament to her remarkable achievements and serves as a beacon of inspiration for many. Not only has she attained the esteemed position of an IAS officer, securing an impressive All India Rank of 50, but she has also distinguished herself as a brilliant and influential figure by clearing examinations such as GATE, BARC, ISRO, SAIL, SSC-CGL, and IES, achieving an extraordinary All India Rank of 1 in the latter.

Born into a disadvantaged family, Surabhi faced numerous hurdles on her path to success. Financial constraints prevented her from receiving an English-medium education, compelling her to attend a Hindi-medium school until the 12th standard. Additionally, she grappled with frequent health issues during her formative years, requiring regular visits to the doctor.

Her challenges persisted into her college years, where she encountered difficulties due to her limited proficiency in English. Despite these obstacles, she demonstrated her academic prowess by emerging as the top performer in her university exams during the first semester. Subsequently, she tackled and triumphed over various technical examinations, as she shared during a TEDx presentation.

Surabhi's journey of resilience and perseverance reached a significant milestone at the age of 20 when she secured a coveted position at the prestigious BARC. The rigorous selection process for BARC is renowned for its difficulty, yet Surabhi's determination saw her through. At the age of 21, she achieved the remarkable feat of securing All India Rank 1 in the Indian Engineering Services (IES) examination, subsequently commencing her tenure at the age of 22.

Her relentless pursuit of excellence culminated in another remarkable achievement at the age of 25, when she successfully cleared the Civil Services Examination (CSE) with an impressive All India Rank of 50. Throughout her journey, Surabhi has remained steadfast in her belief that there are no shortcuts to success and that hard work is the ultimate key to achievement.

Surabhi Gautam's story serves as a powerful reminder of the transformative power of resilience, determination, and perseverance. Her unwavering commitment to her goals and her refusal to be deterred by adversity inspire countless individuals to pursue their dreams relentlessly, regardless of the challenges they may face.
The leader of the Maratha reservation movement, Manoj Jarange Patil, who is fasting for his cause, expressed his approval of the bill passed by the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, but argued that it did not meet the expectations of his community. He said that they deserved reservation under OBC for those who had proof of being kunbi, and for those who did not, he demanded a law of "Sage Soyare". He announced a meeting of the Maratha community at noon on Wednesday.

Jarange Patil wanted all Marathas to be treated as Kunbi, a caste under the OBC category in Maharashtra, and to get reservation accordingly. However, the government decided that only those who had documents from the Nizam era to certify their Kunbi status would be eligible for this.

He urged everyone to join him at Antarvali sarati for the meeting and said that he was firm on his demand for "Sage Soyare".

He said that he welcomed the reservation, but it was not what they wanted. He said that the reservation given by the government would only benefit a few Marathas, while the rest would be left out. He said that he would announce the next phase of the protest on Wednesday and that they would fight for what they deserved. He also refused to take any medical treatment and removed the drip from his hand.

The Maratha Reservation Bill, which aimed to give 10 per cent reservation to Marathas above the 50 per cent limit, was unanimously passed by the lower house of the state legislature on Tuesday. The CM would now present the bill in the upper house for approval, after which it would become a law.

The opposition leader in the state assembly, Vijay Wadettiwar, said that the opposition parties also supported the reservation for the Maratha community. The state government had called a special one-day session of the state legislature to table and discuss this bill.

The bill for the 10 per cent Maratha quota approved by the Mahayuti government of Eknath Shinde on Tuesday was similar to the one introduced by the previous government of Devendra Fadnavis in 2018 under the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Act. This was the third time in ten years that the state had brought a bill for the Maratha quota.

The CM, Eknath Shinde, said that he was the CM of the whole state and that he did not discriminate on the basis of caste or religion. He said that he would have the same stand for any other community as he had for the Maratha community. He said that the PM always said Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas.

He said that he would not make any political statement here as they all had the same views on the Maratha reservation. He said that he had fulfilled his promise to the Maratha community and thanked his colleagues, including his two deputy CMs and other ministers. He said that today was a day of keeping their promises.

He said that their goal was to work hard and fast to resolve this issue. He said that the Maharashtra government was fully committed to giving reservation to the Marathas and that they had done it today. He said that Devendra ji and Ajit Pawar ji always told him that they had to give reservation to the Maratha community by any means.

He said that Devendra ji had given reservation to the Maratha community once when he was the CM and that it was upheld by the High Court. But he said that it was unfortunate that it was struck down by the SC for some reason.
Renowned TV actor Rituraj Singh passed away at the age of 59 due to a cardiac arrest in the early hours of February 20, as confirmed by his close friend and colleague, Amit Behl. The sad news was shared by Behl, who revealed that Singh suffered a cardiac arrest at 12:30 am on February 20. Additionally, it was disclosed that the actor had been dealing with pancreas-related issues and was undergoing treatment for the same.

Rituraj K Singh was recently known for his role as Yashpal in the popular TV serial 'Anupamaa' starring Rupali Ganguly. With an illustrious career in both television and film, Singh had previously worked in well-known TV series such as 'Banegi Apni Baat,' where he shared the screen with actors like R Madhavan, late Irrfan, and Surekha Sikri. His presence was also felt in TV soaps like 'Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai,' 'Trideviyaan,' 'Diya Aur Baati Hum,' and others. He was part of the film 'Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania,' alongside Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt.

The sudden demise of Singh has sent shockwaves throughout the industry, prompting colleagues and friends to express their condolences and share fond memories on social media.

I am so saddened to know that Ritu Raj passed away. We lived in the same building, he was a part of my first film as a producer. Lost a friend and a great actor will miss you brother  Arshad Warsi (@ArshadWarsi) February 20, 2024

Rituraj Singh leaves behind a legacy of impressive work, creating a void in the hearts of his fans and fellow colleagues. His untimely departure marks a substantial loss for the Indian television industry.
New Delhi: Bollywood superstar Salman Khan and global star Ram Charan joined forces to unveil the much-anticipated trailer of 'Operation Valentine.' The political thriller, inspired by the Indian Air Force, marks Varun Tej's Hindi cinema debut and is slated for release on March 1, 2024.

In a never-seen-before daring avatar of an Air Force Pilot, Varun Tej's on-screen performance promises to be exhilarating. The trailer, showcasing aerial action sequences, has garnered immense praise from netizens, setting high expectations for the film. Varun's dedication to portraying the role authentically, with rigorous prep and real-life Air Force Pilot advice, is evident throughout the trailer.

Fans have flooded the comments section, expressing excitement over Varun Tej's unconventional script choices and enigmatic glimpses with remarks like, "This hero always selects different scripts" and "Varun Tej never disappoints... goosebumps.

'Operation Valentine,' poised against the backdrop of courage and patriotism, highlights Varun Tej's versatility and on-screen talent. The film promises to be a gripping saga inspired by true events, celebrating the spirit of India's Air Force heroes. Gear up for the big screen release on March 1st.

Watch the trailer here:
New Delhi: Elon Musk, the founder of Neuralink announced on Monday that the first human recipient of a brain-chip implant from the company has shown complete recovery. The individual can now control a computer mouse solely with their thoughts.

"Progress is good, and the patient seems to have made a full recovery, with no ill effects that we are aware of. Patient is able to move a mouse around the screen by just thinking," Musk mentioned during a Spaces event on the X social media platform. (Also Read: Kolkata Resident Falls Victim To Online Investment Fraud And Loses Rs 20 Lakh; Read Full Story)

Musk stated that Neuralink is currently focused on maximizing the number of mouse button clicks achieved by the patient. Last month, the company achieved success in implanting a chip in its inaugural human patient after gaining approval to recruit participants for human trials in September. (Also Read: Beware iPhone Users! Dont Put Your iPhone In A Bag Of Rice; Heres Apples Advice)

According to Neuralink, the study employs a robot to precisely position a brain-computer interface implant in a section of the brain responsible for generating movement intentions. The primary objective is to empower individuals to manipulate a computer cursor or keyboard through their thoughts.

Musk has ambitious plans for Neuralink, aiming to streamline the surgical insertion process of its chip devices to address conditions such as obesity, autism, depression, and schizophrenia.

Neuralink, valued at approximately $5 billion last year has come under scrutiny for its safety protocols. Reuters recently reported that the company was fined for breaching U.S. Department of Transportation regulations related to the transportation of hazardous materials. (With Reuters Input)
New Delhi: Online investment scams have been on the rise lately, posing a growing risk to individuals looking to invest their money online. These scams, known for their deceptive tactics and false promises of high returns have become increasingly common. As more people turn to the internet for investment opportunities, scammers have adapted their methods making it harder for unsuspecting investors to detect fraudulent schemes.

In a recent event, Sandeep Sarkar from Kolkata was victimized by an online stock trading scheme which resulted in a staggering loss of Rs 20 lakh. Initially unaware of the potential financial harm, he joined an online community offering advice for enhancing his online trading activities. However, he soon realized the substantial financial setback, as reported by The Indian Express report. (Also Read: Beware iPhone Users! Dont Put Your iPhone In A Bag Of Rice; Heres Apples Advice)

As per police statements, both the 58-year-old man and his 27-year-old son are battling cancer, and opted to invest in stocks to enhance their financial support for treatment. They routinely invested using his demat account. (Also Read: Microsoft To Expand AI And Cloud Infrastructure In Spain, Says Vice Chair Brad Smith)

In December, I came across a link on Facebook inviting people to attend a free online course on stock trading. I attended the course to learn new things and the organisers then added me to a WhatsApp group. I was even given a certificate on attending the course which I later realised was fake, Sarkar was reported as saying.

He further added, The webinars organisers added me to a WhatsApp group where I would get suggestions about stocks which were doing good in the market. I also saw other members sharing their experience on the group. The organisers soon suggested that if we invested through an institutional trading platform we would benefit more.

The fraudsters segregated the members of the group into smaller groups of six, labeling it as the 'Unified Organisational Trading Plan.' They instructed participants to utilize the online platform 'Zoksa' for investments.

They suggested that we should sell off all our insurance policies and stocks that we were investing in and then invest through them. At that time, my Zoksa account showed that my money was invested in US stocks and my investments had reached Rs 1 crore. So, I kept investing through the company, Sarkar stated.

The situation took a turn for the worse when Sarkar attempted to withdraw his investment but was unsuccessful. After raising the issue with the group, he received only Rs 10,000 from the scammers, sparking suspicion. Subsequently, he was informed that he would need to pay Rs 13 lakh in taxes to withdraw his funds and obtain a tax certificate.

The unfortunate experience of Sarkar highlights the dangers posed by online investment scams, particularly to vulnerable individuals seeking financial stability amid challenging circumstances such as illness. His story underscores the importance of exercising caution and skepticism when engaging in online investment activities.
JAKARTA (Reuters) - Chinese short video app TikTok is still violating Indonesia's rule that bans in-app transactions, a cabinet minister said on Tuesday, after it took control of the country's biggest e-commerce platform to restart its online shopping business.

TikTok had been forced to close its relatively new e-commerce service, TikTok Shop, in Indonesia after the country banned online shopping on social media platforms last year, citing the need to protect smaller merchants and users' data.

Indonesian tech conglomerate GoTo said last month that TikTok, owned by China's ByteDance, had completed a deal agreed in December to buy 75.01% of Tokopedia for $840 million.

Teten Masduki, the Indonesian minister for small-medium enterprises (SMEs), who spoke frequently against TikTok Shop prior to last year's ban, told reporters that TikTok still had not complied with the regulation.

"The trade minister has to reprimand TikTok so that it complies with the regulation, if not then ... the government's authority is undermined," he said.

A TikTok representative in Indonesia did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

The trade ministry said it was still considering how best to respond to the issue.

TikTok said last year it intended to invest billions of dollars in Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, the region's biggest economy.

(Reporting by Bernadette Christina; Writing by Stanley Widianto; Editing by Stephen Coates)
US markets are closed today for the Presidents Day holiday. However, investors will soon be treated to the quarterly earnings reports from the likes of AI leader Nvidia and retail powerhouse Walmart, which will be the focus as the December reporting season comes to a conclusion.

Tuesday 20th February: How did Walmart Fair Through the Holiday Season?

Walmart Inc. is anticipated to report increased sales for the fourth quarter of its fiscal 2024 year, but experts predict lower profits and lower earnings per share from the holiday period.

In its fiscal Q4 report, the company is anticipated by Wall Street to show revenue of around $170.2 billion, a 6% YoY increase. Operational income is expected to grow 12% YoY for a rise of $6.761 billion, and the EPS is forecast to be $1.65, an 8% YoY rise.

Walmarts stock has been trading at record highs this month, at over $170 per share. The company announced in January that it will divide its shares three to one in order to lower the price and make them more affordable for staff members.

Walmart reported a number of solid quarters in 2023, helped by increased sales of basic goods like food and fuel. Although recent credit card statistics looked encouraging for the store, Walmarts recent gains will likely be slowed by reduced food costs and a downturn in general merchandise sales. Investors will be keenly observing Walmarts comments about the current status of consumer spending.

Walmarts shares are up more than 6.90% since the beginning of the year.

Daily Walmart Chart  Source: ActivTrader

Tuesday 20th February: Will Home Depot Confound Expectations of a Disappointing Quarter?

When Home Depot Inc. releases its most recent earnings report before the markets open on Tuesday, it is expected to reveal a decrease in both profit and revenue, weighed down by reduced sales volumes as consumers prioritize their spending.

Last quarter, the company reported profits that were higher than expected, even though the companys sales were down for the period. The company revised its full-year sales projections down by 3% to 4% due to weaker customer demand.

Story continues

Zacks Investment Research reports that the consensus EPS expectation for the quarter is $2.76, based on predictions from 15 analysts. The EPS for the same quarter in the previous year was $3.3.

Home Depots shares are up more than 5% since the beginning of the year.

Daily Home Depot Chart  Source: ActivTrader

Tuesday 20th February: Palo Alto Networks Looks Set For Strong Results

Based on projections from 14 analysts, Zacks Investment Research reports that the average EPS estimate for Palo Alto for the quarter will be around $0.58, up from $0.34 in the same quarter last year. The company anticipates sales for the second quarter of its fiscal year in the range of $1.9551.985 billion, indicating an 1820% rise in revenue from the previous year.

Strong momentum from transaction wins is likely what will have helped Palo Altos second-quarter results and boosted its top line. The robust demand for form factor hardware productsespecially models driven by machine learning that provide enterprises zero-trust network securityis anticipated to have had a role in the quarters success.

Palo Alto Networks shares are up more than 26.80% since the beginning of the year.

Daily Palo Alto Networks Chart  Source: ActivTrader

Wednesday 21st February: All Eyes on Nvidia

As the leading manufacturer of chips for artificial intelligence worldwide waits to report its earnings this Wednesday, investors are watching for a huge bump in the share price if the results are as promising as expected.

Since January 1, Nvidias stock has increased by more than 46% due to excitement about AIs potential for business. The $570 billion gain in market capitalization more than triples Intels market worth. Shares of Nvidia, whose processors are regarded as the gold standard in the AI business, increased by over 240% in 2023. The company last week also surpassed Alphabet, the parent firm of Google, to take the third spot as the most valuable US company.

The consensus expectation from 33 analysts is that Nvidia will report profits of $4.56 per share and an increase in quarterly sales to $20.378 billion from $6.05 billion a year earlier.

Nvidias shares are up more than 50.70% since the beginning of the year.

Daily Nvidia Chart  Source: ActivTrader

Thursday 22nd February: Can Intuit Corp continue its steady growth on the back of AI?

The provider of tax and accounting software is expected to report its earnings on Thursday after the market closes.

Last quarter revenues were $2.98 billion, up 15% over the previous year, whereby the top line supposedly benefited from significant increase in the Small Business and Self-employed division. The CEO at the time attributed its accelerated innovation across the global platform to a strategy involving greater use of AI and data.

Intuit is expected to announce profits of $2.29 per share, representing a 4.09% increase over the prior year, and sales of $3.39 billion, representing an 11.36% increase over the same period last year.

Intuit Corps shares are up more than 8.60% since the beginning of the year.

Daily Intuit Corp Chart  Source: ActivTrader

Thursday 22nd February: Can Nestle still compete after price hikes?

The Swiss global food and beverage manufacturing company is scheduled to disclose financial results on Thursday before the bell.

Late last year, the company reported lower-than-expected nine-month sales growth as increased product costs put buyers off, causing shares to fall, but the company expects volumes to turn positive again by the end of this year. At which point, the company confirmed their full-year 2023 projection of organic sales growth of 7% to 8% and an underlying trading operating profit margin of 17.0% to 17.5%. They also suggested that Earnings per share in constant currency were predicted to climb by 6%-10%.

Earnings per share are expected to come in at 5.76, representing growth of 11.8% year over year, and a revenue estimate of $27.90 billion, up from $25.25 billion last quarter.

Nestles shares are down more than 2.15% since the beginning of the year.

Daily Nestle Chart  Source: ActivTrader

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(Bloomberg) -- The Canadian government will provide up to C$2 billion ($1.5 billion) in low-cost financing to accelerate homebuilding for middle-income families in British Columbia, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Tuesday.

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The investment adds to the provinces commitment to provide C$2 billion in loans and C$950 million in spending as part of a program dubbed BC Builds, unveiled by Premier David Eby last week.

Trudeau said the federal financing will be available through the apartment construction loan program. Combined with the provincial investment, the loans will help build a minimum of 8,000 to 10,000 additional new homes for the middle class, he said.

The prime minister praised Eby for taking concrete visionary action with BC Builds.

What youre doing here is transformative and I am hoping that other provinces take careful note of the leadership that youve shown, he said at a news conference alongside the premier in Vancouver.

Read More: British Columbia Hatches $1.5 Billion Loan Plan for Homebuilding

The federal governments involvement highlights the rising urgency in addressing Canadas housing shortages, which are acute in British Columbia. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, Trudeaus main opponent, has built a sizable lead in polls in part due to public frustration over housing costs.

The funding announced Tuesday comes from the C$15 billion announced by the Trudeau government in its fall budget update, where it committed to creating 30,000 more purpose-built rental units through the apartment construction loan program.

The budget update pledged to use this funding to encourage provinces and territories to develop ambitious housing plans.

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Ebys BC Builds initiative aims to identify owners of low-cost land, bring them together with contractors and developers and then work with local governments to expedite planning approval. The program will define middle income earners, toward whom the housing is targeted, depending on the community.

(Adds quote, details.)

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Amidst a backdrop of modest growth, the Canadian market has seen a 1.6% increase over the past week, while its performance over the last year has remained relatively steady. With expectations for annual earnings growth to be around 12% in the coming years, investors may find particular value in dividend stocks that not only offer attractive yields but also demonstrate stability and potential for long-term appreciation in various market conditions.

Top 10 Dividend Stocks In Canada

Name Dividend Yield Dividend Rating IGM Financial (TSX:IGM) 6.41%  Canadian Western Bank (TSX:CWB) 4.80%  Richards Packaging Income Fund (TSX:RPI.UN) 3.82%  Manulife Financial (TSX:MFC) 4.80%  First National Financial (TSX:FN) 5.99%  North West (TSX:NWC) 3.91%  iA Financial (TSX:IAG) 3.30%  Savaria (TSX:SIS) 3.11%  Imperial Oil (TSX:IMO) 2.97%  Secure Energy Services (TSX:SES) 3.74% 

Click here to see the full list of 20 stocks from our Top Dividend Stocks screener.

Underneath we present a selection of stocks filtered out by our screen.

Simply Wall St Dividend Rating: 

Overview: Hemisphere Energy Corporation is a Canadian company engaged in the acquisition, exploration, development, and production of petroleum and natural gas interests, with a market capitalization of approximately CA$137 million.

Operations: Hemisphere Energy Corporation generates its revenue primarily from the sale of petroleum and natural gas, totaling CA$64.813 million.

Dividend Yield: 7.2%

Hemisphere Energy, operating debt-free, presents an intriguing case for dividend investors. Over the past five years, HME has transitioned into profitability with a notable increase in earnings and an improvement in net profit margins. While its dividends are well-covered by both earnings and cash flows, indicating sustainability, there's a cautionary note: the company has not increased its dividend payments since initiation two years ago and faces forecasts of declining revenue and profits. Despite these challenges, HME offers a dividend yield that stands above many Canadian peersa factor that may appeal to income-focused investors.

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TSXV:HME Dividend History as at Feb 2024

Simply Wall St Dividend Rating: 

Overview: Gildan Activewear Inc. is a multinational clothing company that specializes in the manufacturing and sales of apparel products across regions including the United States, North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America, with a market capitalization of approximately CA$7.88 billion.

Operations: Gildan Activewear Inc.'s revenue is primarily generated from its apparel segment, which amounted to $3.13 billion.

Dividend Yield: 2.2%

Gildan Activewear, a player in the apparel industry, offers a mixed bag for dividend seekers. The company's debt has crept up over five years, and profit margins have dipped recently. However, Gildan has demonstrated earnings growth historically and maintains dividends that are comfortably supported by both earnings and cash flow, suggesting sustainability. Dividend growth is part of its history but comes with volatility. While its yield isn't top-tier in Canada's market, Gildan's ability to cover interest payments robustly indicates financial prudence.

TSX:GIL Dividend History as at Feb 2024

Simply Wall St Dividend Rating: 

Overview: Suncor Energy Inc. is an integrated energy company with operations spanning across Canada and international markets, currently holding a market capitalization of approximately CA$57.43 billion.

Operations: Suncor Energy Inc. generates its revenue primarily through three segments: Oil Sands, which brought in CA$23.07 billion; Refining and Marketing, with revenues of CA$32.03 billion; and Exploration and Production, contributing CA$2.75 billion.

Dividend Yield: 4.9%

Suncor Energy stands out for its solid financial health, with a declining debt to equity ratio and earnings that have grown notably over the past five years. The company's dividends benefit from this strength, evidenced by a sustainable payout ratio and consistent coverage by both earnings and cash flow. Despite dividends experiencing some volatility over the last decade, recent improvements in profit margins indicate a positive trend. However, investors should note that Suncor's dividend yield isn't among the highest in Canada, and forecasts suggest potential declines in both revenue and profits in the coming years.

TSX:SU Dividend History as at Feb 2024

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Harness the power of the Simply Wall St screener to navigate the landscape of Canadian dividend stocks with ease. Access the full spectrum of 20 Top Dividend Stocks by clicking on this link.

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.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com
(Bloomberg) -- Chilean President Gabriel Borics efforts to cut red tape for new investments would help the country more than double its wind-power capacity during the next decade, one of the worlds largest wind turbine makers estimates.

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Vestas Wind Systems A/S expects to see about 10 gigawatts of wind power in the nation by 2033, according to Andres Gismondi, the companys head for the southern cone region of South America. That would be up sharply from roughly 4.8 GW of installed capacity at the end of 2023, data from BloombergNEF show.

The technology has been relatively slow to take off in the country, in part due to the obstacles of obtaining permits, Gismondi said. According to Vestas, it takes between three and five years in Chile to obtain all of the required approvals before construction  twice as long as other countries in the region. Even once the building phase starts, it takes about 50% longer due to Chile-specific constraints, including logistics and port capacity, he said.

Obtaining permits has become increasingly complex in recent years, Gismondi said in an interview.

The countrys government has taken note, announcing earlier this year two separate bills that would speed up processes and reform environmental approval systems. Many economists and analysts have said that Chiles growing bureaucracy has become one of its chief obstacles to economic growth, going so far as to coin the phrase permisologia to refer to the long process of obtaining permits.

Read more: Chiles Boric Bets on Cutting Red Tape to Boost Economic Growth

Installed wind capacity in the country at the end of 2023 was about half the size of the solar sector, BNEF data show. Solar power has benefited as panel prices drop. Still, Gismondi said the renewable sources should be seen as complementary, not competing. He pointed to opportunities for wind projects in areas with strong winds during the night when solar plants cant produce.

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For wind power to really take off, the country also needs to build more transmission lines to better connect the cities to windy, faraway parts of the country, like Patagonia, he added. A freeze for power prices since 2019 after a bout of social unrest has also impeded the sectors recent growth, as has strong opposition from local communities.

To counter that community pushback, Vestas is looking to install larger mills that may produce more power with less environmental impact than multiple small turbines, Gismondi said.

The turbines that we are going to install in Chile in the future are going to twice as big  and much quieter, he said.

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HONG KONG, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Witnessed by the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau (ITIB) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government, Westwell, a global leader in artificial intelligence, has officially announced the establishment of its International Headquarters and Overseas Research and Development (R&D) Center in Hong Kong, China, with the aim of leveraging Hong Kong as a gateway to expand its global business.

The unveiling of Westwells International Headquarters and Overseas R&D Center

Released by the HKSAR Government in December 2022, the "Hong Kong Innovation and Technology Development Blueprint" outlined 4 major directions for innovation and technology (I&T) development. Key areas include developing a digital economy, building a Hong Kong Smart City, and fostering a diverse and healthy environment that encourages collaborative innovation, providing fertile ground for the development and innovation of cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence.

During the ceremony, Prof. Sun Dong, Secretary of ITIB, stated that, "The HKSAR Government successfully attracted Westwell to Hong Kong in 2023. Westwell has successfully expanded its business in Hong Kong and international markets by leveraging Hong Kong's global status, leading to rapid business growth. It is delightful to see that Westwell has officially established its international Headquarters and Overseas R&D Center today, and I believe that Westwell will continue its pragmatic approach to establish roots in Hong Kong, actively explore international markets, and become a leading company with even greater international recognition in the near future."

As a representative of Chinese technological companies on the global stage, Westwell adheres to the "AInergy" strategy, providing fully digitalized and green solutions for various sectors such as seaports, dry ports, airports, railway hubs and factories. Westwell has also pioneered multiple smart vehicles such as Q-Truck, E-Truck, and Q-Tractor, continuously redefining industry transformation with technology. So far, Westwell increased efficiency and sustainable productivity value to nearly 200 users in 18 countries and regions worldwide.

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Over the past year, not only has Westwell's Hong Kong subsidiary actively promoted the establishment and development of its local business, but it has also expanded its operations to countries such as Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands, comprehensively accelerating its global expansion. For instance, Westwell signed an agreement with Hutchison Ports Port of Felixstowe last year for 100 battery-powered autonomous Q-Trucks, jointly building the largest fleet of "cabin-free" autonomous and new energy vehicles (NEV) for commercial use to date.

Kenny Tan, Founder and Chairman of Westwell, stated that, "Westwell pursues not only technological innovation but also opportunities to leverage these innovations to serve the world's sustainable development needs. Establishing our international headquarters in Hong Kong marks a strategic move in Westwell's globalization strategy, and will enable us to better serve international users and further advance our international expansion plans. We are confident in our ability to create a strong international headquarters and plan on putting our R&D Center to good use. Over the next five years, Westwell will invest HK$300 million to provide approximately 500 jobs for global talents, 70% of which will be dedicated to R&D. This initiative will accelerate Hong Kong's pace of technological innovation and realize Westwell's dream of participating in international competition and achieving a global reach.

"Westwell chose Hong Kong not only for its advantageous geographical location and position as a hub for international finance, trade, and shipping, but also the HKSAR Government's robust support of innovation with fresh thinking and industry-oriented approach. What's more, the international and highly open research environment facilitates Westwell in integrating global research resources to drive technological innovation and business expansions."

Tan emphasized that moving forward, Westwell's Overseas R&D Center will focus on collaborating with local universities and research institutions in Hong Kong to promote the research and application of AI and autonomous vehicle technologies, continuously activating "innovation cells" for green and smart technologies to accelerate the development of Hong Kong's I&T ecosystem.

In the Year of the Dragon, Westwell will use Hong Kong as its new strategic base to align with the "golden age" of Hong Kong's I&T development. By leveraging its advantages in technology, talent, and market, it will collaborate with global users and ecosystem partners to drive development. Finally, with outstanding business maturity and innovative capabilities, Westwell will contribute to the construction of an international I&T center in Hong Kong on multiple fronts, propelling the global logistics industry towards a future of smart and sustainable solutions, fostering prosperity for global factors of production.

About Westwell Holdings (Hong Kong) Limited

Westwell Holdings (Hong Kong) Limited is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Westwell. Adhering to the philosophy of "From Human To Human", Westwell is committed to increasing the efficiency and value in the global logistics industry in its evolution towards sustainability and digitalization. To date, Westwell has provided its products and services to nearly 200 users in 18 countries and regions around the world.In 2018, Westwell launched its flagship product Q-Truck,the world's first fully autonomous new energy vehicle (NEV) for commercial use. The battery-swappable version was released in 2022. Currently, the Q-Truckhas been commercialized and mass-produced in China, the United Kingdom, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, Mexico, and more.

Cision

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SOURCE Westwell
Capital Ones (COF) $35 billion purchase of Discover (DFS) would create one of the largest US credit card companies and a formidable new rival to American Express (AXP), Visa (V), and Mastercard (MA).

The question now is whether regulators will let it stand.

The deal offers a test of how the Biden administration will treat a union of two financial giants at a time when a lot of other mergers hang in the balance due to antitrust reviews, from the tie-ups of air carriers Alaska (ALK) and Hawaiian (HA) to grocery chains Kroger (KR) and Albertsons (ACI) to amusement park giants Six Flags (SIX) and Cedar Fair (FUN).

"Currently, the big card networks in the US are Visa, Mastercard, Amex, and Discover," said Brian Quinn, a professor at Boston College Law School. "Any merger among those networks would definitely draw a high degree of scrutiny by regulatory agencies."

Read more: Capital One review: A wealth of personal finance products and credit-monitoring tools

Capital One would likely become the biggest credit card lender in the US if regulators sign off on its purchase of Discover. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

The purchase of Discover would likely make Capital One the biggest credit card lender in the US, bigger than even banking colossus JPMorgan Chase (JPM) in that measure. The company is probably best known for its ubiquitous TV ads that ask, "Whats in your wallet?"

Capital One would also gain a sizable credit card payment network of more than 300 million cardholders, allowing it to more heavily influence the fees that merchants pay when consumers swipe their cards at the register.

Read more: Credit card fees explained: 8 types you should know

Capital One, at the moment, utilizes other networks run by Visa or Mastercard for most of its cards.

Dan Dolev, an analyst with Mizuho Securities, said in a note late Monday that "we believe the merger could potentially pose some risks" to Visa and Mastercard, noting that Capital One is already the third-largest issuer of cards for those two companies.

Capital One CEO Richard Fairbank, who would run the combined firm, outlined his arguments in favor of the deal in a Monday night press release and a Tuesday morning call with analysts.

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He called the deal "a singular opportunity to bring together two very successful companies with complementary capabilities and franchises" and pledged "to build a payments network that can compete with the largest payments networks and payments companies."

"We believe that we are well positioned for approval, but of course, we can't discuss our conversations with our regulators," added Fairbank on Tuesday.

Capital One predicts the deal will result in cost savings of $2.7 billion and close in late 2024 or early 2025 if it gets that regulatory approval.

But thats still a big "if."

Capital One CEO Richard Fairbank. (Photo by Marvin Joseph/The The Washington Post via Getty Images) (The Washington Post via Getty Images)

The Biden administration has made it clear that it is seeking to limit the concentration of power in key industries.

Just last month, it scored a victory when a federal judge sided with the Justice Department and blocked the union of JetBlue and Spirit, the sixth-largest and seventh-largest airlines in the US, arguing that removing Spirit as an independent carrier would mean higher prices for consumers.

Another complication for Capital One is that this merger  the biggest announced so far this year anywhere in the world  will also shake up the banking industry at a time when that industry is also under increasing scrutiny following the failures of several sizable regional lenders in 2023.

By adding Discover, which provides most of its banking services online, Capital One would leapfrog several other rivals and become the sixth-largest bank by assets in the US.

It would have more than $600 billion in assets, putting it just behind Minneapolis lender US Bancorp (USB) but ahead of Pittsburgh lender PNC Financial Services Group (PNC) and Wall Street giant Goldman Sachs (GS). PNC boss William Demchak has been vocal about his plan to get bigger as a way of surviving long term.

William Demchak, CEO of PNC Financial Services Group. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images) (Tom Williams via Getty Images)

Even though industry giants JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America (BAC), Citigroup (C), and Wells Fargo (WFC) would all still be considerably bigger than Capital One, Washington is expected to give this deal a lot of extra attention.

The Justice Department has already said that it plans to widen the criteria it uses when evaluating bank mergers, while the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has made it clear that it wont be putting any bank mergers on the fast track.

Those statements came after regulators allowed JPMorgan to purchase the failing First Republic last May, a decision that generated some controversy in Washington as some argued it placed more power in fewer hands.

One such critic of that JPMorgan deal, Senator Elizabeth Warren, came out against the Capital One-Discover union on Tuesday, saying on the social media platform X that the tie-up "threatens our financial stability, reduces competition, and would increase fees and credit costs for American families." Warren asked regulators to block it.

The merger of @CapitalOne and @Discover threatens our financial stability, reduces competition, and would increase fees and credit costs for American families.



This Wall street deal is dangerous and will harm working people.



Regulators must block it immediately.  Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) February 20, 2024

"We expect a significant amount of regulatory scrutiny given we have not seen a bank merger of this size in several years, excluding forced mergers of failing banks," Kevin Barker, a managing director for Piper Sandler, said in a note late Monday.

The companies "likely will claim that the merger would allow them to compete with the larger Visa, Mastercard, and AmEx, but there will be pushback, at a minimum because the head of the antitrust division promised to closely scrutinize banking mergers," added Michael A. Carrier, a professor at Rutgers Law School.

Quinn, the professor at Boston College Law School, said that "whether this will pass regulatory scrutiny will depend on a number of things.

"Will Capital One continue to issue cards through other networks it does not own? Will Capital One use Discover to leverage consumers? Lots of factual questions still unanswered. My initial thought is that this deal will pass muster, though Ive been wrong plenty in the past."

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WASHINGTON (AP)  The White House said Tuesday it is preparing additional major sanctions on Russia in response to opposition leader Alexei Navalny's death last week in an Arctic penal colony.

National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the sanctions, on the eve of the two-year anniversary of Russias invasion of Ukraine, will be a substantial package covering a range of different elements of the Russian defense industrial base, and sources of revenue for the Russian economy that power Russias war machine, that power Russias aggression, and that power Russia's repression.

National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the U.S. had not determined how Navalny had died, but insisted that the ultimate responsibility lay with Putin.

Regardless of the scientific answer, Putins responsible for it, he told reporters.

Russian authorities have said the cause of Navalnys death is still unknown and have refused to release his body for the next two weeks as the preliminary inquest continues, members of his team said.

The Treasury Department declined to comment on the details of the upcoming sanctions. Brian Nelson, the department's Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, is in Europe this week to continue working on Russia sanctions ahead of the invasion's two-year anniversary.

The global coalition imposing unprecedented sanctions on Russias war machine has thrown sand in the gears of the Kremlins efforts to equip and supply its military. President Biden recently expanded Treasurys authorities to target those funding Russias war production efforts  even if theyre located in third countries  and Treasury is aggressively pursuing those who attempt to evade our sanctions," the Treasury department said last week. "Multilateral sanctions and export controls have forced hard tradeoffs for Putin and damaged his ability to project power now and in the future.

So far, the U.S. and its allies have sanctioned thousands of Russian people and firms, frozen Russian Central Bank funds, banned certain Russian goods, restricted Russian banks access to SWIFT  the dominant system for global financial transactions  and imposed a $60-per-barrel price cap on Russian oil and diesel, among other measures.

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Policy experts have advanced an array of proposals meant to further starve Russia of the money it needs to continue its invasion  from seizing the nations Central Bank funds housed largely in Europe to lowering the Group of Seven price cap in Russian oil.

A February working paper from the International Working Group on Russian Sanctions at Stanford University calls for heavier sanctions in Russias energy market  from lowering the current $60 price cap on Russian-produced oil to $30, as well as completing the EU and G7 ban on Russian hydrocarbons.

Asked about more sanctions on Russia during a Council on Foreign Relations media briefing Tuesday, Stephen Sestanovich, a senior fellow for Russian and Eurasian studies at the organization, said the choices are rather limited  but its not zero.

Sestanovich said it is also possible that the U.S. and allies could lower the price cap on Russian oil, since it is an area where the U.S. and EU have not been particularly aggressive.

They could try to go lower and put the squeeze on and force the Russians to sell more oil at a discount, he said, adding that he anticipates the U.S. to impose more personal sanctions on Russian officials.

Charles Kupchan, also a CFR senior fellow and professor of international affairs at Georgetown University said, sanctions are always in the quiver, but theyre not going to matter that much  because lets be honest, the sanctions have not had a huge impact on the Russian economy.

What will make a big difference is military and economic assistance to Ukraine, full stop, Kupchan said.
Josh Brooks spent 10 months searching for an apartment for under $700 a month before finding a place he's happy with on Karl Road in North Linden.

Columbus home buyers aren't the only ones suffering sticker shock. Central Ohio rents are also rising among the fastest in the nation.

The median rent for a Columbus apartment was $1,298 at the end of the year, up 3.8% from a year earlier, the third highest jump in the nation behind New York City and northern New Jersey, according to the real estate service Yardi Matrix.

More: Central Ohio needs more homes, so why aren't we seeing them?

Even in the least expensive parts of town, average rents are approaching $1,000 a month. According to Yardi, the best apartment prices in central Ohio are in North Linden, where the average rent is $956 a month, followed by the Far South Side ($960), Whitehall ($974) and the Southwest Side ($998).

Central Ohio renters on a tighter budget who are used to finding places for $700 or $800 a month are finding the pickings increasingly thin.

Judy Winston has been living with family in North Linden for six months while looking for a place to rent for around $700 or $750 a month.

I cant find anything in that range  nothing, said Winston, who relies largely on federal Supplemental Security Income. Everything is $1,100 or $1,200.

Josh Brooks spent 10 months searching for a place in a similar price range before finally finding a spot hes happy with in a Karl Road apartment complex.

I tried Facebook, I tried Zillow and Apartments.com. I tried a site called Roomies.com, said Brooks, a recent Ohio State University graduate.

The last thing I tried was Google maps. I opened it up, typed in apartments, scrolled around and found apartments. If they had a website, I opened it up, I didnt care where. I checked all parts of the city  north, south, east and west.

Josh Brooks found an affordable apartment in North Linden, but recently learned his rent is rising $30 a month $670 a month.

On the other end of the scale, apartments in the priciest parts of the Columbus area are topping $1,600 a month on average, according to Yardi: Columbus' Victorian Village ($1,823), New Albany ($1,687), Grandview Heights ($1,678) and Powell ($1,658).

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Some good news for renters: the average Columbus rent of $1,298 is well below the national average of $1,709 and the pace of rent hikes in Columbus has declined from double-digits two years ago. Average Columbus rents even declined a bit at the end of the year, said Rob Vogt, a partner in the Columbus-based apartment consultant service VSI.

Still, Columbus rents are rising much higher than last year's national average of 0.3%, and show no sign of stopping.

Yardi forecasts rents to rise 2.4% in Columbus this year, followed by annual increases of 4% each of the following four years, turning a $1,000-a-month apartment into a $1,170-a-month apartment four years later.

Experts say Columbus rents are rising for a number of reasons, including construction failing to keep pace with demand.

Housing construction has risen the past few years, but remains well below where experts say it needs to be. Instead of building 18,000 or 19,000 homes and apartments a year to keep up, central Ohio has been building 12,000 to 13,000 residences.

A lack of new homes has pushed up apartment prices, but so have other costs, such as labor, financing and materials.

"The cost of development is through the roof," said Tre Giller, president and chief executive officer of Metro Development, one of the largest apartment builders in Columbus. "It's everything  water, sewer, sidewalks. We've been talking about this for 15 or 20 years. We've got to do something about it."

To illustrate, Giller pointed to two of the company's recent apartment projects, both in Delaware County: Seattle House, in Delaware itself, which opened in 2020, and Ravines at Meadow Ridge, in Sunbury, which Metro started last year. In the three years or so between the projects, which are very similar, the cost per apartment rose 46%, Giller said.

"Rents are a function of the market and costs," he said. "We saw tremendous increases in costs from 2020 to 2023."

More: Latest of more than 1,000 new apartments opens near East 5th Avenue in Italian Village.

Vogt expects Columbus-area rents to continue rising this year, at a modest pace, with one exception.

"The suburban market continues to remain robust, very strong," he said. "But vacancy rates are skyrocketing Downtown with all the new product coming on."

Now leasing signs are up outside the Stella Apartments in Italian Village on Monday. Rents in Columbus have been among the fastest growing in the country.

Vogt said about 11% of Downtown apartments are empty, the highest rate in a decade and more than twice Yardi's estimate of 5% for all of central Ohio.

With a string of new places opening, both in the core of Downtown and across the river in Franklinton, renters can find deals Downtown as landlords seek to fill up the buildings. The sweeteners can includer one or two months free rent in some newly opened buildings, including Preston Centre on East Broad Street, One at the Peninsula next to COSI, and the latest phase of Gravity on West Broad Street.

"I do see some real dark clouds on the horizon Downtown," Vogt said.

Elsewhere in Columbus and central Ohio, though, Vogt expects rents to continue to climb as long as construction lags.

For some renters, enough is enough.

The Powell-area apartment that TJ Huddleston and his wife rented rose from $900 to $1,200 a month in three years, prompting the couple to search for another apartment. Every two-bedroom apartment they found that they liked in the area was $1,600 to $2,000 a month, leading to a radical decision.

"About halfway through the search, I started to do the math and figured we could buy a house," Huddleston said.

Last year, the couple found a house in Reynoldsburg that kept total monthly payments, including mortgage, taxes and insurance, under $1,500.

"There are definitely cheaper apartments out there, but it's a grab bag," Huddleston said. "And it's nice to know we dont have to worry about the apartment search  the most dreadful time of the year."

jweiker@dispatch.com

@JimWeiker

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus-area apartment rent increases among highest in nation
Two of the nation's largest credit card lenders are merging, and some investors are worried about what the deal might mean for Mastercard (NYSE: MA). Shares of the global payment network processor are down 3% as of 10:30 ET Tuesday.

Is Capital One buying its own rails?

On Monday, Capital One Financial (NYSE: COF) announced it had made a deal to acquire Discover Financial Services (NYSE: DFS) for $35.3 billion in stock. The purchase is primarily about adding new customers for Capital One, but the company, which currently relies on Mastercard and other payment processing networks, also seems intrigued by Discover's competing network.

In the press release, Capital One noted that Discover has built a "rare and valuable" global payment network with 70 million merchant acceptance points in more than 200 countries. Today, Discover is the smallest of four major U.S.-based payment networks, but Capital One called the deal "a key foundation" in its "quest to build a global payments company."

Capital One sees opportunities to extract about $1.2 billion in network synergies through the acquisition. Those savings are likely, at least in part, to come via Mastercard's margin, as Capital One could grow Discover into a competing network or at least use the network to extract better terms from its existing partners.

Mastercard has a large number of customers, but seeing Capital One build out the Discover network would create a new headache for the brand. As a result, investors are selling off Mastercard shares on Tuesday.

Is Mastercard a buy after the Capital One/Discover announcement?

The threat is real, but Mastercard investors should not go into a full panic. Capital One first has to get the deal past regulators and closed, and even then, it will likely move slowly in integrating Discover and adopting its network. Capital One is unlikely to jeopardize its existing business by downgrading its current customers to what, as of now, is an inferior network, and it will require years of investment to build Discover into a proper rival to Mastercard.

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At worst, the deal could cause a slow Capital One transition away from Mastercard and Visa (NYSE: V) on a portfolio-by-portfolio basis. And even if that happens, Discover being owned by a credit card bank would likely make it less appealing to other lenders, which would help to lock in MasterCard business elsewhere.

Mastercard has been a big winner for long-term shareholders: It beat the market by more than 300 percentage points over the past decade. The Capital One/Discover deal creates new uncertainty for it, but there are plenty of opportunities for Mastercard to continue to deliver for investors for the foreseeable future.

Should you invest $1,000 in Mastercard right now?

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Discover Financial Services is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Lou Whiteman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Mastercard and Visa. The Motley Fool recommends Discover Financial Services and recommends the following options: long January 2025 $370 calls on Mastercard and short January 2025 $380 calls on Mastercard. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Why Mastercard Stock Is Falling Today was originally published by The Motley Fool
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A gray market for Ozempic is booming in China which has the worlds largest obese population of more than 200 million adults, The Wall Street Journal reported. Recent speculation about Chinese and American celebrities weight loss has cemented Ozempics reputation as a miracle drug for obesity in China.

Ozempic is only approved for treating diabetes and not weight loss in China, but e-commerce platforms in the country have made it easy for users to buy the drug by merely stating they have diabetes without presenting proof. Ozempic also sells for much cheaper in China, costing around $139 for a monthly dose on JD.com, the Journal reported, compared to more than $900 in the U.S. without insurance.

SIGNALS

Semafor Signals: Global insights on today's biggest stories.

Ozempic is cheaper in China because of Beijings negotiating power

Sources: Nature, Business Insider

Ozempic is much cheaper in China than the U.S. because foreign drugmakers have to directly negotiate product prices with the Chinese government to enter its lucrative pharmaceutical market under Beijings 2017 initiative to increase access to medicines. This means that drugmakers need to swallow hefty price cuts to get their products listed on Chinas list of drugs that are covered by state-funded medical insurance, Business Insider reported. While some experts praise the policy to keep medicines affordable, drugmakers worry that slashed prices could hinder research and development costs. However, the sheer size of Chinas [healthcare] market  the worlds second-largest  means that companies can recoup their research costs, one pharma marketing executive told Insider.

Domestic and American drugs aim to shake up Chinese market

Sources: Financial Times, Yicai Global

Novo Nordisks Ozempic is currently the only foreign-made semaglutide drug approved in China, but both Chinese and American players are hoping to chip away at its regional dominance. As many as 70 similar domestically-produced weight-loss drugs are being trialed in China, the Financial Times reported, and U.S.-based Eli Lilly is awaiting approval from Beijing for its Ozempic rival Tirzepatide. One analyst told the FT that Chinese rivals would not make much of a dent on Ozempics sales in China, largely owing to its dominance in the weight loss market. Experts project that in 2031, Novo Nordisk will account for $2 billion of the total of $4.2 billion in estimated sales of weight-loss drugs in China.

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China is still dealing with an obesity stigma, particularly for women

Sources: Hedgehog Commune, The China Project, Sixth Tone

A growing body positivity movement in China is seeing a boom in social media influencers advertising plus-size clothing brands, currently estimated to make up a $10 billion industry, according to Hedgehog Commune, a media analytics blog. However, fat shaming is still prevalent in the country, and recent social media trends have promoted unrealistic body expectations, including one that saw adult women squeezing themselves into childrens clothing, according to the China Project. A 2021 report from state-owned lifestyle site Sixth Tone revealed rising eating disorder cases among young females.
Dutch-owned MT Chemical Challenger weighs 16,000 tonnes and is fitted with four rigid aluminium sails - NICK GAMMON/AFP

An oil tanker equipped with sails has embarked on a landmark voyage from Rotterdam to test the potential of wind power in the shipping industry.

The Dutch-owned MT Chemical Challenger, which weighs 16,000 tonnes, has been fitted with rigid aluminium sails that are designed to cut fuel consumption by up to 20pc.

Built in Japan and equipped with four 16-metre-high sails, the ships owner hopes the technology will reduce engine usage.

Niels Grotz, chief executive of Chemship, said: As an avid sailor myself, I have been thinking for a long time how we can make our industry more sustainable.

Today we launch our first wind-assisted chemical tanker, which we hope will serve as an example to the rest of the world.

Chemship chief Niels Grotz hopes his wind-powered tanker will serve as an example to the rest of the world - NICK GAMMON/AFP

His company operates a fleet of tankers that transports chemicals and other products between ports in the Gulf of Mexico and the Mediterranean.

The use of sail power could be a key tool in reducing the shipping industrys industry reliance on fossil fuels, as vessels are responsible for around 1.5bn tonnes of CO2 a year  around 3pc of the global total.

New guidelines by the International Maritime Organisation said shipping emissions need to be cut by at least 40pc by 2030 if the Paris Climate Accords are to be achieved.

Mr Grotz said: Shipping has always been extremely competitive and it will be a struggle to reach these targets.

But we have to bring down CO2 emissions  and we decided were not just going to sit and wait for something magical to happen.

The company said the sails on the ship will reduce emissions by up to 850 tonnes a year, which is the same as around 500 cars.

The rigid aluminium sails are equipped with a system of vents and holes to maximise airflow - NICK GAMMON/AFP

Although not the first modern ship to be kitted out with rigid sails, Chemship said their Chemical Challenger is the worlds first chemical tanker ship with sails.

Last year, British firm Cargill also put a wind-assisted cargo ship to sea.

Built similar to an aeroplane wing, the rigid aluminium sails are equipped with a system of vents and holes to maximise airflow in winds of up to 38mph (33 knots).

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Rens Groot, sales manager at Econowind, said: This system called a ventilated wingsail increases the winds power by five times  and gives the same power as an imaginary sail of around 30 by 30 metres.

Sails on ships are also reopening long-forgotten routes that fell out of favour as steam and fuel replaced wind power.

Once again, modern-day sailors will have to look for the wind, for instance along the Brouwer route, said Groot, referring to a sailing route around the Cape of Good Hope, first pioneered by Dutch explorer Hendrik Brouwer around 1611.

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Perth, Western Australia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 20, 2024) - Winsome Resources (ASX: WR1) will be front and centre at the World's Premier Mineral Exploration and Mining Convention in Toronto next month.

Hosted by Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC), the convention brings together more than 30,000 people from more than 130 countries.

Managing Director Chris Evans said a strategic contingent of Winsome Resources representatives will attend the three-day conference this year to share more detailed information on the Company's recent MRE announcement.

"We are delighted to be attending PDAC again this year as the global conversation around lithium demand and the growing need for renewable technologies continues to heat up," Chris said. "Our team is excited to meet with local representatives and global industry leaders next month, in what has been a tumultuous time for the mining industry.

"I look forward to discussing Winsome's story and the changes in lithium demand around the world at PDAC, and I encourage anyone attending to come visit the team at booth number 2143."

The PDAC Convention begins on 3 March 2024. For more information, visit www.pdac.ca/convention

For further information please contact:

MEDIA

Marissa Taddeo - SPOKE

marissa@hellospoke.com.au

+61 401 019 885

ABOUT WINSOME RESOURCES

Winsome Resources (ASX: WR1) is a Perth-based, lithium focused exploration and development company with four project areas in Quebec, Canada. All of Winsome's projects - Adina, Cancet, Sirmac-Clappier and Tilly are 100% owned by the Company. Recently the Company acquired a further 47km2 of claims at the Tilly Project, located near Adina, and 29 claims of the Jackpot Property, immediately north of Adina.

The most advanced of Winsome's projects - Adina and Cancet, provide shallow, high grade lithium deposits and are strategically located close to established infrastructure and supply chains.

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In addition to its impressive portfolio of lithium projects in Quebec, Winsome Resources owns 100% of the offtake rights for lithium, caesium and tantalum from Power Metals Corp. (TSXV: PWM) Case Lake Project in Eastern Ontario, as well as a 19.6% equity stake in PWM. The Company recently divested Decelles and Mazerac, two early-stage projects located near the Quebec mining town of Val-d'Or, to PWM in exchange for an increased shareholding.

Winsome is led by a highly qualified team with strong experience in lithium exploration and development as well as leading ASX listed companies.

More details: www.winsomeresources.com.au

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/196594
WENZHOU, China, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- ZK International Group Co., Ltd. (Nasdaq: ZKIN) ("ZKIN," "ZK International" or the "Company"), a leading provider of advanced steel products, is pleased to announce the receipt of the second subscription in its $5 million private placement offering from the CF Opportunity Fund Ltd., which is a Bahamas-based fund.

(PRNewsfoto/ZK International Group Co., Ltd.)

This investment marks a pivotal moment in the Company's journey toward expansion and innovation.

On November 27, 2023, ZK International sealed a securities purchase agreement (the "Agreement") with CF Opportunity Fund Ltd. Under this Agreement, the Investor committed to purchasing and the Company agreed to issue and sell US$5 million of ordinary shares of the Company (the "Private Placement").

Structured to be completed in three subscriptions, this Private Placement sets the stage for accelerated growth.

Strengthening Progress: The additional investment of US$2 million, calculated at 175% of the closing bid price as of the trading day immediately preceding the Agreement's date, reinforces CF Opportunity Fund's dedication to ZK and its confidence in the Company's capacity for growth.

The Private Placement was exempted from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") pursuant to Regulation S under the Securities Act.

Mr. Jiancong Huang, Chairman and CEO of ZK International Group, commented on the milestone: "We are pleased to announce the receipt of the second subscription in our $5 million private placement. This financing will provide vital capital to support our growth initiatives and strategic objectives. We look forward to leveraging these funds to drive long-term value for our shareholders." The Chairman adds, "Our commitment to excellence and innovation remains unwavering. Through cutting-edge R&D, strategic expansion, and a relentless pursuit of excellence, we are positioning ZK International for future growth and success."

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For more information please visit www.ZKInternationalGroup.com. Additionally, please follow the Company on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Weibo. For further information on the Company's SEC filings please visit www.sec.gov.

About ZK International Group Co., Ltd.:

ZK International Group Co., Ltd. is a China-based engineering company building and investing in innovative technologies for the modern world. With a focus on designing and implementing next-generation solutions through industrial, environmental and software engineering, ZKIN owns 28 patents, 21 trademarks, 2 Technical Achievement Awards, and 10 National and Industry Standard Awards.

ZKIN's core business is to engineer and manufacture patented high-performance stainless steel and carbon steel pipe products that effectively deliver high quality, highly-sustainable and environmentally sound drinkable water to the Chinese, Asia and European markets. ZK International is Quality Management System Certified (ISO9001), Environmental Management System Certified (ISO1401), and a National Industrial Stainless Steel Production Licensee. It has supplied stainless steel pipelines for over 2,000 projects, which include the Beijing National Airport, the "Water Cube" and "Bird's Nest", which were venues for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. ZK International is preparing to capitalize on the $850 Billion commitment made by the Chinese Government to improve the quality of water, which has been stated to be 70% unfit for human contact.

Safe Harbor Statement

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, words such as "may," "will," "expect," "believe," "anticipate," "intend," "could," "estimate" or "continue" or the negative or other variations thereof or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements. In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, projections or other characterizations of future events or circumstances are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond the control of ZK International. Actual results may differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements due to risks and uncertainties, as well as other risk factors that are included in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Although ZK International believes that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements are reasonable, any of the assumptions could prove inaccurate and, therefore, there can be no assurance that the results contemplated in forward-looking statements will be realized. In light of the significant uncertainties inherent in the forward-looking information included herein, the inclusion of such information should not be regarded as a representation by ZK International or any other person that their objectives or plans will be achieved. ZK International does not undertake any obligation to revise the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/zk-international-group-co-ltd-and-the-cf-opportunity-fund-complete-the-second-tranche-of-the-5-million-financing-priced-at-1-58-per-share-302065872.html

SOURCE ZK International Group Co., Ltd.
Believe it or not, you can get a mortgage with 1% down

If, like most first-time home buyers, youre strapped for cash, a low down payment option for financing your home is an enticing possibility. Home prices have escalated in recent years, and loan programs are in place to help buyers overcome the challenge of coming up with the significant funds required for a down payment.

Many homebuyers share the misconception that they must make a down payment of 20% to buy a home, but the typical down payment for a first-time home buyer was 8%, according to the National Association of Realtors 2023 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers.

Dig deeper: How much money do I need to buy a house?

Numerous loan programs are in place that allow for significantly lower down payments from 3% to 5%.

In 2023, however, several lenders introduced mortgage loans with a down payment requirement of just 1%.

What is a 1% down payment loan?

A 1% down payment loan refers to a mortgage that requires borrowers to make a down payment of as little as 1% of the purchase price of the home.

So far, only a handful of lenders offer this 1% down payment program. These loans are limited to borrowers who meet the credit requirements for the loan and earn less than 80% of their areas median income.

The lenders that introduced a 1% down payment option are offering this program through the Fannie Mae HomeReady and the Freddie Mac Home Possible loan programs, each of which allows for a total down payment of 3%. Technically, these 1% down payment loans are 3% down payment loans, with the lender paying the other 2% of the down payment in the form of a grant.

Conventional mortgages, which are loans that are not backed by a government agency such as the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) or the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), typically require private mortgage insurance (PMI) on loans with a down payment of less than 20%. However, some lenders may waive the mortgage insurance requirements or wrap the costs into the loan for some programs. Otherwise, youll need to calculate PMI premiums into your monthly housing payment.

How to qualify for a 1% down mortgage

Although individual lenders may have other qualifications for you to apply for a 1% down payment loan, there are generally two main requirements to meet:

You must have a minimum FICO credit score of 620. Your income must be less than 80% of the median income in your county.

You can look up your areas median income on the Fannie Mae website and search by address. For example, the area median income for loan purposes in Washington, D.C., is $150,400, and the income limit for the HomeReady program is $120,320. In areas with a lower cost of living, such as Rochester, N.Y., area median income is $97,300, and the income limit for the loan program is $77,840.

If you qualify for a 1% down payment loan based on your credit score and income, then youll need to check out additional requirements with a lender. Both the Home Possible and HomeReady loan programs are open to repeat buyers as well as first-time buyers, but some lenders may have limits on the amount of the loan, whether youre buying a single-family home or condo or a two- or three-unit residence, and whether you currently own another property.

Lenders will also qualify you based on your ability to repay the loan, so they will review your debt-to-income ratio, which compares your gross monthly income to the minimum payments on all your debt, to assess whether you can make the mortgage payments.

Dig deeper: How to get a mortgage in 2024

Lenders that offer 1% down payment mortgages

National lenders

National lenders such as Rocket Mortgage, Guild Mortgage, Zillow Home Loans, and United Wholesale Mortgage have announced their participation in 1% down payment loan programs, and other local and regional lenders may offer them as well. For example, Riverbank Finance offers a 1% down payment loan program in Michigan.

Rocket Mortgages ONE+ loan is available only on single-unit primary residences and is limited to loans of $350,000 or less. Borrowers must pay PMI with this loan program.

The 1% down payment loan from Zillow Home Loans, currently available only in Arizona, also requires borrowers to pay PMI.

United Wholesale Mortgage offers loans through partners such as mortgage brokers and financial institutions. They limit their contribution to the down payment to $4,000, whereas Rockets limit is $7,000.

Local lenders

Riverbank Finances 1% down payment loan program, which is also limited to a maximum of $4,000, does not require PMI. This financial institution allows borrowers to use gift funds for their 1% down payment. They also require borrowers to live in the home as their primary residence, to not own another residential property, and to have a debt-to-income ratio of 50% or less.

Read more: Best mortgage lenders for first-time home buyers

Pros and cons of 1% down payment loans

Pros

The main advantage of a 1% down payment loan is to limit the amount of cash needed to buy a home. Other pros include:

You can use your cash for other needs, including closing costs or an emergency fund.

You gain 2% in home equity without using your own funds.

Cons

Still, there are some disadvantages to a 1% down payment loan, including:

You may not qualify for the program due to income restrictions.

With a low down payment, you have less equity in your property. If home values decline, you could end up owing more on your loan than your property is worth.

Alternatives to a 1% down payment loan

If your income is too high for a 1% down payment loan or your credit score is too low, you may want to look at alternative mortgage options that also have a low down payment requirement.

In fact, even if you do qualify for a 1% down payment loan, you should compare other loan programs to be certain that you are getting the best possible option for your individual circumstances.

Other low or no down payment options include:
Tuesday

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 10 a.m., Chapter 5 Club, 136 N. Main St., Fremont.

Letters to the Churches of Revelation, 10 a.m., Lighthouse, 84 W. Sixth St., Fremont.

Ready for Kindergarten, 10-11 a.m., Keene Memorial Library, 1030 N. Broad St., Fremont. The program is designed for children ages 1-5 and their caregivers. Stories, art, manipulatives and sensory stations will help build the skills needed for kindergarten.

Supportive Singles, 11:30 a.m., Mels Diner, 4240 N. Broad St., Fremont. For more information, call 402-660-8474.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, noon, Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Business Improvement District No. 1 Committee meeting, noon, second floor meeting room, 152 E. Sixth St., downtown Fremont. The meeting is open to the public.

Narcotics Anonymous Steps of Freedom meeting, 1 p.m., LifeHouse, 723 N. Broad St., Fremont. The hotline number is 402-459-9511.

Fremont Eagles Club open, 3 p.m. to midnight, 649 N. Main St., Fremont. The club may stay open later or close early depending on business. There will be a trustees meeting at 4 p.m.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 5:15 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Mens and Womens Bible Study, 6 p.m., Lighthouse, 84 W. Sixth St., Fremont.

Narcotics Anonymous Freedom Works Group, 7 p.m., Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 1440 E. Military Ave., Fremont.

Wednesday

Dodge County Board of Supervisors, Dodge County Board of Equalization and Dodge County Board of Corrections meetings, 9 a.m., board room, third floor, Dodge County Courthouse, 435 N. Park Ave., Fremont. The meetings are open to the public.

Spanish Networking Group meeting, 10-11 a.m., RTG Medical, 4611 E. 22nd St., Fremont. The meeting is open to all bilingual professionals.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, noon, Chapter 5 Club, 136 N. Main St., Fremont.

Mens Bible Study, 1 p.m., Lighthouse, 84 W. Sixth St., Fremont.

Fremont Eagles Club open, 3 p.m. to midnight, 649 N. Main St., Fremont. The club may stay open later or close early depending on business. There will be a contractors meal and meeting. The social hour will begin at 6 p.m.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 5:15 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Narcotics Anonymous, 7 p.m., Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 1440 E. Military Ave., Fremont. The hotline number is 402-459-9511.

Alcoholics Anonymous, 8 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, 136 N. Main St., Fremont.

Thursday

Mens Bible Study, 8 a.m., Lighthouse, 84 W. Sixth St., Fremont.

Alcoholics Anonymous big book study, 10 a.m., Chapter 5 Club, 136 N. Main St., Fremont.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, noon, Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Fremont Eagles Club open, 3 p.m. to midnight, 649 N. Main St., Fremont. The club may stay open later or close early depending on business. The kitchen will be open from 5:30-7 p.m. The menu will include hamburgers, cheeseburgers, tacos and soup. Everyone is welcome.

Fremont Therapy & Wellness Business After Hours and Ribbon Cutting Celebration, 4-6 p.m., 410 N. Bell St., Fremont.

Keene Memorial Library Lego Club, 4-5 p.m., Keene Memorial Library, 1030 N. Broad St., Fremont. Lego bricks will be supplied.`

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 5:15 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

WinItBack Patriots meeting, 6 p.m., at Milady Coffeehouse Event Center  East Wing, Sixth Street and Park Avenue, Fremont. Attendees should arrive early if they wish to order a sandwich or beverage. Enter through the south (back) door. The guest speaker will be John Walz from Hastings. Walz is running against Adrian Smith in the primary for Nebraskas 3rd District in Congress. All are welcome. For more information, call Doug Wittmann at 402-317-1270.

Civil Air Patrol, 7 p.m., 1201 W. 23rd St., in yellow hangar at Fremont Airport.

Narcotics Anonymous Freedom Works Group, 7 p.m., Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 1440 E. Military Ave.

Pioneer Amateur Radio Club, 6 p.m. supper, 7 p.m. meeting, Gambinos Pizza, 1900 E. Military Ave., Fremont.

Tally Ho Toastmasters, 7-8 p.m., Midland Universitys Anderson Building, Ninth and Clarkson streets, Fremont. Everyone is welcome to learn skills in communication, self-confidence and leadership. For more information, call 402-936-3479.

Narcotics Anonymous Back to Basics meeting, 7:30 p.m., First Evangelical Lutheran Church, 201 N. Davis St., Oakland

Alcoholics Anonymous big book study, 8 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.
A 35-year-old Carter Lake man was arrested on suspicion of motor vehicle homicide due to drunk driving Sunday following a two-vehicle crash in northwest Douglas County.

Joshua E. Kuhl, who is being held in the Douglas County Jail, was also arrested on two counts of suspicion of causing serious injuries while driving under the influence of alcohol. The Douglas County Sheriff's Office said Sunday that Kuhl has two previous convictions for driving while intoxicated.

One person died and two others were seriously injured in the crash that occurred at about 1 a.m. at the intersection of 168th Street and Nebraska 36, according to a spokesman for Douglas County Sheriff's Office. The names of the dead and injured are being withheld pending notification of families.

Investigators determined that a Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck driven by Kuhl was northbound on 168th Street when it went through a stop sign. The pickup truck collided with a Subaru Outback with three occupants that was westbound on Nebraska 36.

Kuhl, the lone occupant of the pickup, was taken to the Creighton University Medical Center-University Campus at 24th and Cuming streets for minor injuries. All four occupants of the Subaru were taken to the Nebraska Medical Center, including one person who was in extremely critical condition and later died.

The report from the Sheriff's Office said Kuhl's blood-alcohol level was at least 0.15. Under state law, anyone with a blood-alcohol level of 0.8 is considered too impaired to drive.

Medical personnel from Bennington, Irvington and Omaha responded to the scene. The crash remains under investigation by the Sheriff's Office.

Top Journal Star photos for February 2024
Multiple people were injured following a traffic crash involving at least three vehicles near Doherty High School late Tuesday morning, accord
Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold is targeting AI-generated "disruptors"  such as "deepfakes"  as her office prepares for this year's elections.
The Court of Appeals has upheld the murder conviction of Sir Mario Owens, one of the final three men on Colorado's death row, after concluding he received a fair trial despite an unusual series of connections one juror had to his case.
Beginning in March, Bustang transportation services will discontinue one of its rush hour transit options from Colorado Springs to Denver, according to a Monday announcement from the Colorado Department of Transportation.

Officials said beginning on March 1, Bustang will discontinue its rush-hour transportation route from Colorado Springs to the Denver Tech Center.

According to CDOT, the route  which currently services one trip per day, will be redirected to the Bustang's South Line between Colorado Springs and Denver Union Station, which stops at the DTC.

According to CDOT spokesperson Bob Wilson, the decision to discontinue the route relied on a drastic decrease in ridership since its creation in 2019.

Wilson said the route was initially created to complement the construction of the Interstate 25 South Gap Project  a four-year project of widening the 18-mile stretch of highway between Castle Rock and Monument.

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Wilson said the department wanted to provide a second option for Colorado Springs Commuters who didn't want to sit in traffic.

Between the widening project's conclusion and the societal shift to remote work following the pandemic, the department witnessed a drastic decrease in route ridership, averaging three riders a day over the past year, Wilson said.

According to CDOT officials, commuter's dependent on transportation from Colorado Springs to the DTC can utilize the Bustang's South Line.

"(the South Line) Covers a similar alignment  just with different stops near the Tech Center  customers can find good alternate options for their trips, including connections to local transit services at SkyRidge and Colorado Stations," officials said.

For more route information, bus schedules and stops, Click or Tap Here.
Police have arrested a suspect they say was involved in a double homicide on the University of Colorado Colorado Springs campus Friday morning.

In a news release Monday afternoon, Colorado Springs police identified the suspect as 25-year-old Nicholas Jordan of Detroit, who was arrested on suspicion of two counts of first-degree murder.

Investigators obtained a warrant for Jordan's arrest on Friday night and arrested him Monday morning in the 4900 block of Cliff Point Circle East on the city's north side, not far from the UCCS campus.

Officers found Jordan in a vehicle at 7:52 a.m., and the Tactical Enforcement Unit arrested him at 8:37 a.m. without incident, police said.

UCCS spokeswoman Jenna Press confirmed Jordan was a student at the university at the time of the incident.

Just before 6 a.m. on Friday, UCCS police received a shots-fired call from the Crestone House dormitory on campus. When they located the room that the shots reportedly came from, they found two people dead inside of apparent gunshots, police said. The official cause and manner of their respective deaths have not yet been released.

Celie Rain Montgomery, 26, of Pueblo, and Samuel Knopp, 24, of Parker, were autopsied and identified by the El Paso County Coroners Office on Saturday, according to a Sunday news release from police.

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Knopp was a senior music student at the university, UCCS Chancellor Jennifer Sobanet said in a statement Sunday.

Montgomery, who was not a registered student at the university, was a freelance copywriter, according to her memorialized LinkedIn page. Sobanet stated that Montgomery, too, "will be mourned by the campus community."

Colorado Springs police on Monday again stressed the homicides were "an isolated incident between individuals who were known to one another and not a random attack against the school or other students at the university."

Police have not released further details about the suspect, citing the case's "active and fluid nature," in a news release Sunday.

The University of Colorado Colorado Springs will hold a healing walk Monday afternoon. The event begins at 2 p.m. at Roaring Fork dining hall and will continue to the mountain lion statue in El Pomar Plaza by the Kraemer Family Library.

The Colorado Springs community is invited to attend the walk.

The investigation is ongoing, and anyone with any information or anyone who is a witness to the investigation is asked to call the Colorado Springs Police Department at 719-444-7000; or if you wish to remain anonymous, you may contact the Crime Stoppers Tip Line at 719-634-STOP (7867) or 1-800-222-8477.
A unity walk on the University of Colorado Colorado Springs campus Monday afternoon signaled the first step in the healing process for a community still reeling from the news that three people died on campus in the span of one week.

"Healing will take time. Rebuilding the trust and safety of our campus will take time, but we are in this together," UCCS Chancellor Jennifer Sobanet told hundreds of people  mostly university students, staff and faculty  who gathered at the heart of campus in the El Pomar Plaza.

Earlier in the afternoon the crowd marched, mostly in solemn silence and carrying flowers and paper signs reading "UCCS Strong" and "Mountain Lion Strong," from the Roaring Fork dining hall on campus to the plaza in what the university called a "healing walk" to honor the lives of three people, including two students, who died on campus last week.

Just before 6 a.m. on Friday, UCCS police received a shots-fired call from the Crestone House dormitory on campus. When they located the room the shots reportedly came from, they found a man and a woman dead inside of apparent gunshots, police said.

The official cause and manner of their respective deaths have not yet been released, but local law enforcement is investigating them as homicides.

The El Paso County Coroner's Office over the weekend autopsied and identified the victims: Celie Rain Montgomery, 26, of Pueblo, and Samuel Knopp, 24, of Parker, according to a Sunday news release from police.

Earlier on Monday, Colorado Springs police announced they arrested a suspect in connection with Friday's double homicide, 25-year-old Nicholas Jordan of Detroit.

The deaths of Knopp and Montgomery added to what was already a tragic week for UCCS. On Feb. 12, Mia Brown, a senior in the nursing program, died suddenly of a medical emergency at the campus recreation center.

Students who participated in Monday's walk said it was a chance for them to unite and support each other in their grief.

"It's a sense of community on campus, for all of us to come together to walk in spite of this situation," UCCS freshman Skylar Kloes said.

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Friends and faculty remembered Knopp as a friendly and well-known face on campus.

A senior music student, Knopp was an "extraordinary guitarist and total virtuoso," recalled Glen Whitehead, a music professor and chairman of the UCCS Music, Visual and Performing Arts department.

"He was such a bright, enthusiastic person and he could make friends with literally anyone," said Andrew Alvey, a UCCS junior and a friend of Knopp's.

Students also remembered nursing student Brown as a vibrant and lively person.

"She really lit up the room. She always had a bubbly personality," said Rhianna Broeker, a UCCS freshman who was in the same sorority, Pi Beta Phi, with Brown.

According to her memorialized LinkedIn profile, Montgomery, who was not a registered student at the university, was a freelance copywriter.

The Gazette's attempts to reach family members and friends of Knopp's and Montgomery's, who identified themselves as such on social media sites like Facebook and X (formerly known as Twitter), were unsuccessful Monday.

At the end of the march students laid flowers on the landmark mountain lion statue in the El Pomar Plaza and wrote messages of love and remembrance on paper signs.

UCCS Student Body President Axel Brown, UCCS Chief of Police Dewayne McCarver and Sobanet agreed the last week was the most tragic in the university's history since it opened in 1965.

In 2015, the university also mourned the loss of UCCS police officer Garrett Swasey, who was killed in the line of duty when he responded to calls of an active shooter at Planned Parenthood in Colorado Springs on Nov. 27 of that year.

"As painful as this has been for all of us  this has been incredibly unifying, in my eyes," McCarver told the crowd Monday. "We're going through a tragedy together. We are going to face it together and we're going to come out stronger together."

The university will erect a formal memorial for its students Knopp and Mia Brown in the University Center on campus.
The suspect in the shooting death of two people in a University of Colorado Colorado Springs dorm room appeared in court Tuesday afternoon where his bail was increased from $1 million to $5 million cash-only.

Nicholas Jordan, 25, was arrested Monday morning, three days after he allegedly shot and killed two people in Crestone House, a dormitory in the Alpine Village community on UCCS campus. The Colorado Springs Police Department said he is from Detroit and was found in a vehicle about 3 miles west of campus.

In court on Tuesday prosecution argued that Jordan presented a flight risk and was planning to flee the state. The district attorney also said that Jordan was a potential danger to the community due to the nature of the charges and that a firearm was allegedly found in his vehicle at the time of his arrest.

In the bond agreement Jordan is required to relinquish his passport. Bond may be argued again at Jordan's first appearance at the end of the week.

Colorado Springs police confirmed on Tuesday morning that Jordan was a roommate with one of the victims.

Samuel Knopp, 24, and Celie Rain Montgomery, 26, were found dead with at least one gunshot wound each just after 6 a.m. Friday by UCCS campus police. Reports of shots fired came in at 5:59 a.m.

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According to police, Knopp and Jordan were roommates, though the motive and what led to the shooting remain unclear. Both Jordan and Knopp were registered students of the university at the time of the shooting. CSPD noted all three knew each other.

Jordan's next court appearance is set for Feb. 23.
The primary draw application period for Colorado big-game licenses opens March 1, and Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) urges hunters to review the changes in license requirements and fees in the 2024 Colorado Big Game brochure.

To begin, big-game license allocation for bear, deer, elk, and pronghorn has been changed from 65% for residents and 35% for nonresidents to 75% for residents and 25% for nonresidents. High-demand hunt codes stay at 80% for residents and 20% for nonresidents.

Additionally, there will be mandatory testing for chronic wasting disease (CWD). CPW will require the submission of CWD test samples from deer harvested during rifle seasons from specific hunt codes. Hunters can also voluntarily submit their animal's head for testing if they would like to know if it has CWD and pay a testing fee of $25. Testing fees for voluntary submissions will be waived for all moose statewide and deer from some hunt codes.

There will also be big game license reductions in the Severe Winter Zone in Northwest Colorado, due to the effects of the severe winter of 2022-23. Rifle antlered licenses were limited in Game Unit Managements (GMUs) 3, 301, 4, 441, 5, 14, 214 and 11, 211, 12, 13, 131, 231, 23, 24. CPW also created new hunt codes to allow for limited antlered rifle licenses for the 2nd and 3rd seasons for the 2024 and 2025 hunting seasons.

The Bear's Ears herd suffered high elk mortality, so all either-sex hunt codes within DAU E-02 are replaced with antlered-only hunt codes. Also, CPW will institute an antler point restriction for all antlered elk taken on Ranching For Wildlife properties located in the Bears Ears and White River elk herds for the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 hunting seasons.

The 2022-23 winter had a significant impact on the pronghorn population, so doe pronghorn hunting will be closed for the 2024-2025 season.

Hunters can find more information about changes for the 2024 season in the Big Game Regulation Brochure.
Gazette file photo Senate President Steve Fenberg, D-Boulder, one of the prime movers behind a bill to exempt key legislative activities from Colorados open-meetings law.
A drone captures a beautiful image of the golden cupola of the Colorado state capital building in Denver.
Get involved

In crafting a master plan for Fishers Canyon Open Space, the Colorado Springs parks department expects to post an online survey Feb. 23. A first public meeting is tentatively scheduled for late April, with exact date, time and place to be announced.

Look for updates on the city webpage: coloradosprings.gov/fisherscanyon
A northwest Iowa man convicted of felling one of the oldest oak trees in the state must pay tens of thousands of dollars of restitution for the tree and to replace dozens of others in a public wildlife area, according to court records.

A jury found Jason Levant Ferguson, 41, of Rolfe, guilty of felony theft and 50 timber violations late last year.

He illegally cut down and stole trees from the Stoddard Wildlife Management Area in Pocahontas County, including a bur oak that was estimated to be about 175 years old.

Jason Ferguson allegedly admitted to taking a massive bur oak from state property. (Courtesy of Iowa Courts Online)

The tree  at about 95 feet tall and six feet wide at its base  was thought to be about the size of the state record bur oak and was still growing.

Ferguson had planned to use the trees to build a house and for firewood, court records show.

Although Ferguson faced many years in prison for the crimes, a judge sentenced him to probation last month and fined him about $25,000.

In a subsequent order, the judge recently ordered Ferguson to pay an additional $33,000 for restitution. About $25,500 of that amount is meant to compensate the state for the oak tree, and about $7,700 will pay for the replanting of 55 trees in the wildlife area.

Fergusons attorney did not respond to a request to comment for this article. The attorney had argued in various ways that Ferguson was entitled to harvest trees from public property for his basic survival needs.
after-sales service

the relationship with the seller

large and small, based in France or Germany, and so forth

but as composed of businesses that want (and are willing to pay for) quite different things

1. According to the passage, companies that sell bulk chemicals, paper, and steel tend to fail to view their customer base as being segmented in which of the following ways?

Blue portion

bold portion

red

blue

Companies that sell soap, perfume, candy bars, and other consumer products are expert at decommoditizing them: finding and capturing the value of intangible benefits as well as building strong brand identification. But companies that sell unspecialized products such as bulk chemicals, paper, and steel to businesses tend to be unsophisticated in these matters. Many of these companies strive to churn out more product more cheaply and then to sell as much as possible at the market price. Viewing themselves as commodity producers, they are inclined to overlook the nonfunctional features of their productsdelivery speeds,, etc.As a result, such companies leave large amounts of money on the table. They would be far better off if they looked to marketing-oriented businesses and embraced the notion that buyers care not only about a products price but also about the way it is sold to them, the services that accompany it, and. If these manufacturers were to take that approach, they would find themselves thinking about their customer base not as they have traditionally segmented it. This would in turn help manufacturers focus on the segments whose business they can win and retain most profitably.Let us check the optionsA. According to the size of the businesses in each segmentThis is the way it was traditionally segmented.B. According to the buying power of the businesses in each segmentThere is no mention of buying power.C. According to the common wants of the businesses in each segmentThein the para speaks of the different things the businesses want. So, the segment should be done as per their common wants.CorrectD. According to the length of their relationship with the businesses in each segmentTheportion may tempt one towards this answer. But these portions just talk of services and relations that buyer wants with the seller. It no where suggests that the segments have to be divided as per the length of relationship, for example those working together for 10 years different from those working for 20 years. Also, the portion of para speaking about these segments is only after the blue portion.E. According to the regional characteristics of the businesses in each segmentAgain, traditional segments,portion._________________
A person can learn a lot from a dog: obedience, loyalty, the value of companionship and the importance of turning around three times before lying down.

OK, maybe not that last one.

But also being undaunted and confident while carrying a big stick?

Meet Eva, a 7-year-old Belgian Malinois who has become an icon in her neighborhood in Normal, Illinois, a daily sight each morning and a definition perhaps, for all the rest of us, of a better life.

Eva, says Peggy Trainor, of the Pleasant Hill subdivision neighborhood, is a daily reminder of what (U.S. President) Teddy Roosevelt once said ... that we can go far if we speak softly and carry a big stick.

Especially the stick.

Its the same every day.

So routine, repetitive and yet amusing to watch, motorists now are known to wave, honk and smile at Eva (pronounced Ava) and her prime keeper, chief feeder and daily walker, Rob Ward.

Some people just stop and stare, says Rob.

As traffic in all four lanes is moving along and life in Bloomington-Normal is awakening to another day, theres Eva on the sidewalk, rather dignified, in a steady prance, head up, majestic, eyes scanning  with a 5-foot-long stick in her mouth.

Not just any stick.

HER stick.

The SAME stick.

Every day, for FIVE years now.

She goes out of the house every day and looks for 'her stick,' says Rob. Then we head out. She knows the route. She could walk it herself, if needed. With her stick.

The EXACT same stick for five years, you ask?

The center part of it is now worn down from her carrying it, says Rob. She will drop it to sniff around somewhere, but when done, she then picks it back up and continues on.

Dogs, of course, have always enjoyed a good stick, an instinctual thing that, according to canine experts, is similar to finding a bone, is a perfect texture to gnaw on, has an earthy smell that is attractive to a dog, and especially to a Rottweiler, or Labrador, or Spaniel.

And Eva ...

Watching her is just a good way to start my day, says Peggy Trainor.

She looks so proud carrying that stick, says Chuck Blystone, also of the neighborhood. For years, I have passed them as I hurry off to work. Makes me laugh every time I see it.

Our grandchildren run to the front window when Eva walks past, offers another neighbor, John Lutes. Through the eyes of a child, they have seen the fascination. They look and love that dog and her l-o-n-g stick.

One morning, as Rob Ward tells it, a mom and two young girls even pulled over and handed them a card.

It read, hand-scrawled in elementary crayon: To Stick Dog: You are so funny. We watch you every day. Sophia (the baby) cries when you dont show up. We need you!

It continued, You are a great thing to look forward to on the way to school. Every day we look for you.

Yup. So cute. Doggone, cute. And meant.

The Eva daily routine is always the same.

A Belgian malinois  that's the one that is highly intelligent, bred for personal protection and/or police work, is high energy, the one that smells your luggage at an airport for drugs or contraband  theyre also highly routine and disciplined in their rituals, too.

Five years ago, as a puppy, Eva picked up a stick one day and the habit started, says Rob.

She demands the same stick for morning walks, but interestingly would rather walk without it on the evening walk.

With the stick in her mouth, she can work out the perfect center-balance-point so that the stick is even to the ground as she walks. She even, says Rob, maneuvers through narrow spaces by turning her stick diagonally.

Its when people began to stop us and comment how it makes their day ... he adds, thats when we knew it was special.

Walk with a quiet confidence? An ability to balance things, even mired with a cumbersome stick? A good life of loyalty, being a great companion, to the delight of others, and at the same time, with an ability to put it all down occasionally to explore new things?

Teddy Roosevelt, live on!

Eva, too.

And potentially, maybe even a bit of inspiration for all the rest of us as well.

___
Superior Court Judge Allen Baddour has ordered the Greensboro Police Department to publicly release body-worn camera footage taken when police responded to an altercation between City Manager Taiwo Jaiyeoba and two of his adult daughters on Dec. 28.

In an email sent to N.C. Court Manager Brittany Robbins on Tuesday morning and forwarded to attorneys, Baddour directed that the footage be blurred and muted at certain spot to protect a minor depicted in the video. He also approved the blurring of any identifying information about the house (like a street number).

The judge is giving the department three weeks to release the footage, at the request of city attorneys, and denied a request from the city to reconvene the hearing.

The decision comes a day after Baddour heard arguments from News & Record attorney Mike Tadych, who requested release of the footage, and attorneys for the city of Greensboro, who opposed the release.

I appreciate Judge Baddours review of the recordings and the balance of his decision, Tadych said on Tuesday. Im glad the citizens of Greensboro will see some of what the City Council saw to, perhaps, gain a better understanding of what happened at City Manager Jaiyeobas home on Dec. 28 of last year. Transparency and accountability go hand-in-hand.

On Tuesday afternoon, the city sent to the court manager its request to reconvene the hearing. The City would like the opportunity to present additional arguments to the Court in light of the Court having seen the videos, wrote Tony Baker, Chief Deputy City Attorney for Greensboro, in an email.

The manager replied: Judge Baddour is respectfully denying your request to reconvene the hearing.

The News & Record had requested nine hours of video in total but the judge ruled against the release of some of that footage.

The excluded parts include video taken within police vehicles, which the judge found to be investigative material, as well as footage of police escorting Jaiyeobas daughters to get their belongings the night after the altercation because the release of that material would not advance any compelling public interest.

The case has raised questions of whether Jaiyeoba received special treatment on the night police came to his home.

Amiel Rossabi, an attorney representing the Greensboro Police Officers Association, contends the case was handled differently because it involved the city manager. Rossabi represents five officers depicted in the footage requested by the News & Record. He has also called for the full release of footage.

Officers listed Jaiyeoba and his daughters, ages 19 and 25, as all being victims but did not name any perpetrators. No charges were filed against anyone in the incident.

All three were listed as having minor injuries. Jaiyeoba was seen wearing an arm sling in public after the incident.

Police generated a report in the departments digital system but blocked access of the online document to the public and employees inside the department. Chief Deputy City Attorney Tony Baker said in court Monday the city has taken similar action for sensitive cases, such as those related to drugs and sexual abuse or involving public figures.

Greensboro Police Department Public Information Officer Annette Ayres said the decision on who qualifies as a public figure is at the thoughtful discretion of department leaders.

On Friday, the department also acknowledged Jaiyeoba called Police Chief John Thompson the night that police were called to his home but said the manager did not ask for any special treatment.

Thompson told officers on the scene that the watch commander, the highest ranking officer on duty at the time, would be going to the house. He also instructed officers to deescalate the situation, according to a statement from the department.

Jaiyeoba has referred to the situation as a family matter and asked for the public to respect his privacy.

Parents often have disagreements with their adult kids, and my family is no different, Jaiyeoba said via a statement in January.

The Greensboro City Council has agreed with Jaiyeobas assessment and has stood by him since the matter became public.

Another judge agreed to allow council members to view body-worn camera footage last week. Following that viewing, the council reiterated support for the manager in a statement.

It is our collective opinion that the domestic disturbance was thoroughly investigated, the statement read. Greensboro Police Department in consultation with the District Attorneys office determined that no charges were warranted. Furthermore, in our view, the city manager did not receive preferential treatment.
GREENSBORO  Seven people were arrested and warrants were issued for four others after a search Friday by Greensboro Police and North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement (ALE) at the Secrets Cabaret club in Greensboro.

Investigators found evidence that suspects were involved in the illicit sale of controlled substances and alcoholic beverages and that firearm violations were occurring outside and within this illegal business, according to a joint news release from the two agencies.

Secrets Cabaret is located at 2507 West Gate City Blvd.

Investigators seized alcoholic beverages, illicit drugs, money and five firearms, one of which was stolen, the release said.

Authorities arrested:

Linda Jamison Newsome, 53, of High Point, who was charged with 10 counts of possession of alcohol for sale without an ABC permit, five counts of maintaining a dwelling for controlled substances, three counts of possession of a controlled substance with the intent to sell or deliver marijuana, three counts of selling a schedule VI-controlled substance, three counts of delivering schedule VI-controlled substance and conspire to sell/deliver cocaine.

Danny Vernard Washington, 41, of Goldsboro, was charged with two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, NCGS 74C-2(a) unlicensed armed security without a permit, and simple possession of marijuana.

Jonathan Freeman Winton, 31, of Greensboro, was charged with NCGS 74C-13(a) armed security without permit.

Nequareus Drevon Roberts-Simon, 24, of Thomasville, was charged with NCGS 14-269(a1) carrying a concealed weapon.

Kuchina Hazel, 25, of Piedmont, S.C., was charged with simple possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Andre Cornelius, 34, of Charlotte, was charged with unauthorized possession of spirituous liquor.

Zariyah Sophia Hogan, 21, of Midlothian, Va., was charged with simple possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Warrants were also issued for:

Antonio Omid Wall, 37, of Rockingham, for five counts of maintaining a dwelling for controlled substance.

Christopher Lee Martin Jr., 32, of Rocky Mount, for unauthorized possession of spirituous liquor and possess alcohol for sale without an ABC permit.

Jasmine Marie Carmon, 26, of Greenville, for possession of a controlled substance with the intent to sell or deliver marijuana, sell schedule VI-controlled substance and deliver schedule VI-controlled substance.

Frank Chessy Seator, 25, of Greensboro, for possession with the intent to deliver marijuana, sell schedule VI-controlled substance and deliver schedule VI-controlled substance.
One good way to get rid of a tick is to flush it down the toilet. Now, theres an alternative.

The Guilford County Division of Public Health is among 16 health departments across North Carolina that are helping NC State University recruit citizen scientists for a study documenting tick species that people encounter in the state.

The NC State study requests that people mail in ticks they come into contact with naturally in North Carolina. Specifically, this is for ticks that participants pull off of themselves, not off animals or plants. It doesnt matter if the tick bit the person or if it is free-crawling.

Scientists can collect ticks all day long and never really encounter the ones that people are encountering in their natural lives, said researcher Dayvion Adams. He is the doctoral student at NC State who is running the study.

The ticks Adams collects will be tested for pathogens, such as Lyme disease. He said people mailing in their ticks need to understand this is just for science and not for personal diagnosis: They wont be getting back information back about their own particular ticks test results. Everything is being kept anonymous.

Adams said the study is prompted in part by wanting to better understand why Lyme disease rates have been slowly climbing in the state over the past 20 or so years, given that it was once much less common here.

The highest rates of Lyme disease in the United States are in New England. Typical symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue and a rash, but if left untreated it can spread to the joints, heart and nervous system, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

We have lots and lots of Lyme disease starting to sprout up in North Carolina, and we dont really know why, Adams said.

He mentioned a variety of factors that could be contributing to the increase.

It could related to more blacklegged ticks slowly spreading southward from pockets in northwest and northeast North Carolina. Those are the ticks that can transmit Lyme disease to people. Otherwise, Lonestar ticks and American dog ticks, which can carry other diseases, are more common in the state.

Some other possible factors for the increase in Lyme disease in North Carolina include increasing deer populations, climate change, growing suburbs and people spending more time outdoors.

The other question Adams wants to explore with this study is simply a test of how well it works to ask people to send in their ticks.

Adams said if he gets a few hundred ticks in the mail over the couple years of the study, he would count that as success. Thus far, he said, about 20 to 30 ticks have been sent to the school. Some counties started this past summer, while others like Guilford are more recent additions. Any and all counties are welcome, he said.

He plans to proactively share his findings with all the counties that participate.

We are taking the data from the people, and we want to put the data back in the hands of the people, he said.

Here in Guilford County, people 18 and up can pick up free kits from the Environmental Health Division on the third floor of the Guilford County Department of Health and Human Services at 1203 Maple St. in Greensboro during office hours (8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday)

The environmental health division sees helping with the distribution of the kits as an opportunity to support research that will help the citizens of Guilford County be safe in their outdoor environment.

Each kit includes a postage-paid return envelope to send the tick to the NC State researchers, collection tubes with alcohol and a short survey. There is no pay for participating in the study. People can submit findings as many times as they run into ticks, each time with a new kit.

Adams said the important thing for avoiding tick-borne diseases is to pull any tick off right away.

For Lyme disease, the risk of disease is very low if a tick has been attached for fewer than 24 hours, according to the CDC.

Once removed, Adams said, ticks may be placed in alcohol in the tubes, alive or otherwise.

Just plop them in  theyll die, he said.
(Molly Carnahan)

As I sit here in the States and reflect on the last four years of my life, a smile comes to my face. When we got orders for Guam in 2014, I didnt know what to expect, and I admit I was a little scared. The island of Guam was to be my home for four years. There was so much to learn and explore on this island. Guam is full of love and beauty. So, I want to share my top five favorite things about Guam.

First, my all-time favorite place on Guam is Marbo Caves. Every time I went, I swear I could sit there on the cliff line and stare out into the ocean forever. Marbo Caves is known for its swimming hole in the cave, but for me, the cliff line lookout is really where its at. When you look out into the ocean, it will bring a sense of peace and calmness to you. I recommend bringing your camera and a towel to sit on so you can enjoy the view.

Gab Gab Beach is definitely a close second. It is, in my opinion, the best place to snorkel. I remember snorkeling there and looking at all the beautiful fish. Suddenly, I look below and see a sea turtle swimming right underneath me. It was such a surreal experience. So, if you havent checked out Gab Gab beach down on Naval Base Guam, then definitely head there soon. Be sure to bring a beach chair and snorkel gear!

If you are looking for an adventure, then try out the Spanish Steps hike! The view at Spanish Steps, which is located on Naval Base Guam, is one I will never forget. The hike to get there can be a little crazy, but it definitely is worth it. During the hike, you will get to climb down a ladder and scale ropes. As you walk down the trail, you will see coconut crabs and some caves. But the best part is the spectacular view at the end of the hike! Beautiful water and rocks make it a great place to swim and snorkel. When I went, I was able to see a little baby reef shark! Definitely bring a camera, swimsuit and good hiking shoes.

One of the things I learned how to do on Guam was paddle board. The island is great place to paddleboard because of the calm, crystal-clear water. You can be paddleboarding and look down and see amazing tropical fish. My all-time favorite place for paddle boarding is Matapang Beach down in Tumon. The water is calm and it is great for any beginner who is learning how to board. My dog Skip loved riding on the board with me (Yep, thats Skip and me on the cover of this magazine.). If you want to try it out, I recommend the SUP Shack. They are located on Matapang Beach and they give lessons and will rent a board to you. Check them out on Facebook. I promise you wont regret this experience!

One of the things I miss the most about the island is the food. Its life changing on Guam. On any given morning, you could find me enjoying some fried rice at Kings or a breakfast burrito at Pikas Cafe. The best lunch spot is poolside at the Hilton Tree Bar eating one of their delicious cheeseburgers. My two favorite local dinner spots would have to be Meskla Dos and Mosas!

The onion rings at Meskla Dos will change your life, and Mosas lamb burger is out-of-this-world good. If you are looking for a sweet treat, then you will want to head to Hagan Daz at the Fiesta Resort and get their fondue sampler. I can promise that you will not leave Guam hungry. They have something for everyone!

All I have from the last four years are happy memories and maybe some sand in my backpack. The memories are of awesome people, places and food. If you ever have the opportunity to visit or live on Guam, do it! It just might steal your heart, too.
A drone photo taken on Feb. 14, 2024 shows people visiting the Yinxu, also known as the Yin Ruins, in Anyang City of central China's Henan Province. (Photo by Ma Xiaoran/Xinhua)

The new building of the Yinxu Museum at the Yin Ruins, the site of the last capital of the Shang Dynasty (1600 B.C.-1046 B.C.), will open to the public on Feb. 26.

The announcement was made at a press conference held by the National Cultural Heritage Administration on Monday in Beijing.

The museum, located in the city of Anyang in central China's Henan Province, will showcase nearly 4,000 items or sets of cultural relics, including bronzeware, pottery, jade objects, and oracle bones.

The exhibition features a vast quantity and diverse range of cultural artifacts, with over three-quarters of the relics making their debut appearances.

The Yin Ruins is the first documented late Shang Dynasty capital site in China, as confirmed by archaeological excavations and oracle bone inscriptions. It is also the ancient capital site with the highest frequency of archaeological excavations and the longest duration of exploration in China.

The expanded Yinxu Museum is the first national major archaeological museum to comprehensively present the Shang civilization.
Democratic governor candidate Ryan Busse has picked Helena lawyer Raph Graybill to be his running mate.

Graybill, 34, has a law practice in Helena and ran as the Democratic nominee for attorney general in 2020. Prior to that he was former Democratic Gov. Steve Bullocks chief legal counsel.

In an interview Monday, Graybill said hes running because Montana has become an increasingly hard place to survive for young families like his.

Many of the things that make the state so special to live in for new Montanans (and) old Montanans  our great Constitution and our basic affordability  are going to hell in a handbasket, and the government's doing nothing or making it worse, Graybill said.

Pointing to public education budget crunches causing teacher layoffs, skyrocketing property taxes for homeowners and tax cuts for corporations he says are borne on the backs of working-class residents, Graybill said Republican Gov. Greg Gianfortes administration has been the catalyst.

The government is either watching the fire burn or pouring the gas on it, Graybill said.

Since his bid in 2020 for attorney general, which he lost to Republican Austin Knudsen by 17 points, Graybill has worked in the family law practice his great-grandfather started more than a century ago. Hes focused on beating back laws passed by the Gianforte administration that have been found unconstitutional, successfully litigating against 14 pieces of legislation struck down by the courts, including significant limitations on access to abortion in Montana.

There is a full-on assault on our constitutional rights in Montana over the last three and a half years, and I have spent three and a half years going to courtrooms across the state and standing up for ordinary people, nurses, teachers, firefighters, students, to try to vindicate our constitutional rights, Graybill said. But ultimately, the courts are not the way out of this. Its movements and it's elections.

Graybill has represented Planned Parenthood of Montana in several of the legal challenges that have found bills the Legislature passed to limit access to abortion unconstitutional, and he points to abortion care access as an issue he thinks will resonate with voters.

I know people didn't vote for this massive government intrusion in private lives, Graybill said.

Property taxes are also a major issue Graybill identified as frustrating voters. Following massive increases in property valuations predicted in late 2022 by legislative analyst staff, Montanans' property taxes rose by a median of about 20% statewide last year. Graybill cited the administrations lack of action before the last legislative session and Gianforte's finger-pointing at local county budgets to blame as moves that have angered people.

Elections, particularly where you have an incumbent, are about one question: Should this person be rehired based on what we know?  With the property tax, to me, I would not re-hire someone that allows a festering problem to get worse, blames somebody else, and then despite having total control over the problem, does nothing about it, Graybill said.

Graybill said after attending several of Busses events, he was inspired to join the campaign.

I think Ryan is the right guy for this moment. Ryan has tapped into something going on in the state. He's been hitting it hard since the summer. He is fundamentally good person who I trust and I am just thrilled to get to do it with him, Graybill said.

Graybill said he sees some significant differences between now and the 2020 election cycle, where Republicans took every statewide office on the ballot by commanding margins. The pandemic severely limited in-person campaigning that cycle, he said, and he hopes to tap into anger over things like rising property taxes and the increasing unaffordability of housing in Montana to sway persuadable voters.

The core personality trait of Montanans is independence, and what I see in the Gianforte campaign now is this arrogance and sense of invulnerability that Oh voters will just vote for me because I'm a Republican, and I don't have to do anything else, Graybill said.

Graybill was born and grew up in Great Falls. He went to Columbia University and then Yale Law School, where he prosecuted terrorism suspects at Guantanamo. That was followed by the University of Oxford, where he was a Rhodes Scholar. He also spent four years in the New York City Police Department as an auxiliary police officer.

Graybill is active in the Lutheran church. He and his wife, Marisa, have three young children.
Details of Beltran parole

The Montana Department of Pardons and Parole granted parole for Raul Beltran in late 2020, with numerous restrictions and conditions, including the highest level of parole supervision, according to board records.

Unless judges put restrictions on parole at sentencing, offenders are eligible for parole in Montana after serving a fourth of their sentences. That doesnt necessarily mean they are granted parole, but they are eligible.

The judge in the Helena case sentenced Beltran in 2006 to 20 years in prison with 20 more suspended, but said he could not be paroled until he completed all phases of sex-offender treatment in prison.

He would have been parole eligible in November 2010 but had not met all treatment requirements, and even if he had, the board can and does weigh the nature of offenses and public safety in its decisions.

The board held a hearing on Beltran in August 2020 and granted a parole plan through a compact with Texas. Beltran had family in Texas, a job lined up and living arrangements and wanted to move there.

But Texas parole investigators discovered there were minors in the home he planned to stay at and would not take Beltran.

The Montana Parole Board rescinded its approval of that plan but did grant parole in Montana  Butte specifically  during a hearing in October 2020, according to board records.

In addition to many standard conditions, Beltran would have to continue counseling in the community and meet higher supervision requirements if requested by parole officers.

He could have no unsupervised contact with minors, could not hold jobs dealing with children, and was specifically prohibited from being in Lewis and Clark County, where the 2005 rape occurred, the board said.

Beltran was released from prison on parole on Dec. 18, 2020, with about five years left on his 20-year custodial sentence. His recent arrest occurred with 22 months remaining.

Beltran is currently jailed with bail set at $500,000. Even if he were to be released, he would be returned to the Montana State Prison because the Parole Board chairman placed a security hold on him after his recent arrest.

That means his case would again be reviewed by the Parole Board and the board could revoke parole even without a conviction in the new case.
FORSYTH  A lawsuit alleging incompetence and neglect at almost every level of management and operation has been filed against the owners of a Forsyth group home where one resident was killed and two others severely beaten in a psychotic rampage.

The attacks had been carried out early on the morning of Jan. 26, 2022, by Carson H. Hagood, who was also a resident of the Hickory Point Terrace facility at 260 E. Lucile Ave.

Hagood, 42, was found not guilty by reason of insanity at a Macon County Circuit Court hearing in September of 2023. Judge Lindsey Shelton ordered him to be detained at a secure treatment facility, and the length of detention could last up to 60 years subject to regular reviews to check on his condition.

Resident Lynn Umphreys, 58, was killed by Hagood and the two badly injured residents were identified as Kara Norrington, 48, and 56-year-old Susie Lauderdale.

The lawsuit was brought on behalf of Lauderdale by her brother and co-guardian Mark Lauderdale and filed Aug. 11 in Macon County Circuit Court, a month before the criminal hearing Sept. 12 when the judge ruled on Carsons insanity.

The lawsuit, seeking unspecified monetary damages of more than $50,000, lists a catalog of injuries suffered in the attack by Lauderdale, who is described as having Down syndrome and intellectual disability.

The lawsuit says: Susie was diagnosed with multiple rib fractures, a subdural hematoma, a subarachnoid hemorrhage, pulmonary contusion and extensive bruising and lacerations as a result of Carsons attack.

At all times relevant to this complaint, Carson Hagoods overall clinical condition required that he receive assistance, supervision, monitoring, care-planning, interventions, and medication administration to prevent, mitigate, and control his risk for physical violence within the home, including toward Susie.

The lawsuit also says the home and its staff had the same obligations toward Lauderdale so that she remain safe within the home and free from physical violence from her roommates, including Carson Hagood.

And the lawsuit continues: As a direct and proximate result of one or more of the defendants negligent acts or omissions, Susie suffered injuries of a personal and pecuniary nature including, but not limited to, conscious pain and suffering, disability and disfigurement, physical and emotional trauma, medical expenses, and other related expenses and, as such, Susie has been placed at risk for future additional harms.

Lawsuit targets

The lawsuit targets both the home and various corporate entities associated with its management and ownership, naming J&J Maupin Group Homes, Inc., J&J Maupin Enterprises, Inc., and a Step Forward, Inc. A request for comment left with the homes management met with no response.

The estate of Carson Hagood is also listed in the legal filing as a respondent-in-discovery, a legal term meaning a person or organization believed to have information relevant to the court case.

The lawsuit further claims that the home had a bottom-line obligation to pull Lauderdale out of the facility when it knew or should have known her safety was at risk, and/or it should have removed Hagood when it knew or should have known he posed a risk of physical violence to himself or others.

The lawsuit includes a supporting letter from a doctor who reviewed medical records involved in the case and said Lauderdale was injured because the standards of care she should have received were violated.

Attorney Patricia Hudson of the Chicago law firm Taxman, Pollock, Murray & Bekkerman is handling the suit. She says an amended lawsuit is also due to be filed this week fine-tuning the scope of the allegations, but the targets of the lawsuit would remain the same.

Urgent concerns

Carson had been represented at the criminal hearing by Macon County Chief Public Defender Michelle Sanders who said in court that she had concerns about the standard of care at the group home.

We would also point out that despite urgent concerns that Mr. Hagood was expressing himself to be suicidal and capable of doing harm to others, he was allowed free range of the facility where he was being held without having the proper safeguards put in place for him, she told the judge.

Hagoods mother Linda, who lives near Taylorville, has also made claims that her son was not properly cared for or supervised. Speaking after the criminal court case, she said he had not been taking his medications while at the same time he was warning of urges he felt to kill himself and hurt others.

Hagood said she had raised these concerns with the group home and both she and her other son, Shawn Perkins (Hagoods legal guardian), had pleaded for him to be transferred to a secure hospital before the attacks.

I just see it as a human tragedy all this could have been avoided, Linda Hagood told the Herald & Review.

The lawsuit is being heard before Judge Erick Hubbard and he has scheduled a case management conference for May 23. The purpose of such a conference is for the judge to meet with attorneys to check on the progress of the case, set deadlines and to plan for how the case will move forward towards a trial.

How cybercrime losses have more than doubled in 2 years How cybercrime losses have more than doubled in 2 years Total and average losses among cybercrime victims are rising
The president of the United States is said to wear seven hats: chief citizen, commander in chief, chief diplomat, chief executive, chief host, chief legislator and chief politician. An eighth, informal hat might be voice of the nation. In honor of Presidents' Day on Monday, we share inspiration, wisdom and some humor from our former leaders.

"It is far better to be alone, than to be in bad company." -- George Washington (1789-1797)

"Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence." -- John Adams (1797-1801)

In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand still like the rock. -- Thomas Jefferson (1801-1805)

It is easier to do a job right than to explain why you didnt. -- Martin Van Buren (1837-1841)

"The test of leadership is not to put greatness into humanity, but to elicit it, for the greatness is already there." -- James Buchanan (1857-1861)

"Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the ax." -- Abraham Lincoln (1861-1865)

"Nothing brings out the lower traits of human nature like office seeking." -- Rutherford B. Hayes (1877-1881)

"The truth will set you free, but first it will make you miserable." -- James A. Garfield (1881)

"In the time of darkest defeat, victory may be nearest." -- William McKinley (1897-1901)

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." -- Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909)

"If you see 10 troubles coming down the road, you can be sure that nine will run into the ditch before they reach you." --- Calvin Coolidge (1923-1929)

"Blessed are the young for they shall inherit the national debt." -- Herbert Hoover (1929-1933)

"When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on." -- Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933-1945)

"You want a friend in Washington? Get a dog." -- Harry S. Truman (1945-1953)

Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it. -- Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-1961)

"Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future." -- John F. Kennedy (1961-1963)

"You aren't learning anything when you're talking." -- Lyndon B. Johnson (1963-1969)

Tell the truth, work hard and come to dinner on time. -- Gerald R. Ford (1974-1977)

"Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it." -- Ronald Reagan (1981-1989)

"I do not like broccoli. And I haven't liked it since I was a little kid, and my mother made me eat it. And I'm president of the United States, and I'm not going to eat any more broccoli." -- George H. W. Bush (1989-1993)

"There is nothing wrong in America that can't be fixed with what is right in America." -- Bill Clinton (1993-2001)

"Some folks look at me and see a certain swagger, which in Texas is called 'walking.'" -- George W. Bush (2001-2009)

"Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek." -- Barack Obama (2009-2017)
Superior Court Judge Allen Baddour has ordered the Greensboro Police Department to publicly release body-worn camera footage taken when police responded to an altercation between City Manager Taiwo Jaiyeoba and two of his adult daughters on Dec. 28.

In an email sent to N.C. Court Manager Brittany Robbins on Tuesday morning and forwarded to attorneys, Baddour directed that the footage be blurred and muted at certain spot to protect a minor depicted in the video. He also approved the blurring of "any identifying information about the house (like a street number)."

The judge is giving the department three weeks to release the footage, at the request of city attorneys.

The decision comes a day after Baddour heard arguments from News & Record attorney Mike Tadych, who requested release of the footage, and attorneys for the city of Greensboro, who opposed the release.

This is good news for citizens of Greensboro, said Dimon Kendrick-Holmes, executive editor of the News & Record and North Carolina editor for Lee Enterprises. We requested the bodycam footage from the city managers house because people still have questions about what happened and how the situation was handled by the city.

The News & Record requested nine hours of video in total but the judge ruled against the release of some of that footage.

This included video taken within police vehicles, which the judge found to be investigative material, as well as footage of police escorting Jaiyeobas daughters to get their belongings the night after the altercation because the release of that material would not advance any compelling public interest.

The case has raised questions of whether Jaiyeoba received special treatment on the night police came to his home.

Amiel Rossabi, an attorney representing the Greensboro Police Officers Association, contends the case was handled differently because it involved the city manager. Rossabi represents five officers depicted in the footage requested by the News & Record. He has also called for the full release of footage.

Officers listed Jaiyeoba and his daughters, ages 19 and 25, as all being victims but did not name any perpetrators. No charges were filed against anyone in the incident.

All three were listed as having minor injuries. Jaiyeoba was seen wearing an arm sling in public after the incident.

Police generated a report in the departments digital system but blocked access of the online document to the public and lower-level employees. Chief Deputy City Attorney Tony Baker said in court Monday the city has taken similar action for sensitive cases, such as those related to drugs and sexual abuse or involving public figures.

Greensboro Police Department Public Information Officer Annette Ayres said the decision on who qualifies as a public figure is at the "thoughtful discretion" of department leaders.

On Friday, the department also acknowledged Jaiyeoba called Police Chief John Thompson the night that police were called to his home but said the manager did not ask for any special treatment.

Thompson told officers on the scene that the watch commander, the highest ranking officer on duty at the time, would be going to the house. He also instructed officers to "deescalate" the situation, according to a statement from the department.

Jaiyeoba has referred to the situation as a family matter and asked for the public to respect his privacy.

Parents often have disagreements with their adult kids, and my family is no different, Jaiyeoba said via a statement in January.

The Greensboro City Council has agreed with Jaiyeobas assessment and has stood by him since the matter became public.

Another judge agreed to allow council members to view body-worn camera footage last week. Following that viewing, the council reiterated support for the manager in a statement.

It is our collective opinion that the domestic disturbance was thoroughly investigated, the statement read. Greensboro Police Department in consultation with the District Attorneys office determined that no charges were warranted. Furthermore, in our view, the city manager did not receive preferential treatment.
Count on Ron Rash to use his stories to take his readers on a trip back in time, usually to some place in North Carolina, as he did most famously in his novel Serena when he took us to the North Carolina forested mountains in the early 1900s.

He has done it again in his latest book, The Caretaker, which mostly takes place in and around the mountain town of Blowing Rock in 1950. However, Rashs book opens on a frozen river in Korea where an American soldier from Blowing Rock, Jacob Hamilton, and a North Korean combatant are engaged in a brutal hand-to-hand knife fight.

In what may be the best description of the horrors of war that I have ever read, Rash describes in his first chapter how the two warriors fought each other, their own desperate exhaustion and the frozen river.

On the ice above the river, the soldier lunged, not to stab but to knock Jacob off balance. Jacob fell and the ice cracked. The other man was on top now. Jacob raised his left arm and their forearms locked a moment before the Koreans blade raked Jacobs wrist. Another stab sent the knife into Jacobs left shoulder and his arm went limp as more ice fractured. Jacob felt a sudden distance from everything around him, even his own heaving breaths. The bayonet slipped out of his hand. World and time unbuckled into a luminous vanishing, his body a burdensome shell so easily shredded. Let it all go, it wont hurt long.

As the North Korean raised his knife, Jacobs right arm shoved the man off balance. The blade tip pierced the ice as Jacob twisted free. Inside the moons circle of light, the soldier pried his knife from the ice and Jacob picked up the bayonet. Almost ceremonially, they knelt before each other.

Their breathing stopped, widening the silence. Rising into a crouch, the North Korean slipped, fell backward, his flexed elbows breaking the ice and plunging him into the water. Half submerged but still wielding the knife, the man sought purchase, lifted one arm into the ice, and then the second. Jacob dropped his bayonet, crawled forward, and shoved the Korean under. When the head thrashed to the surface, Jacob, flat against the ice now, grabbed a fistful of hair and shoved harder, deeper.

The wounded American soldier, Jacob Hamilton, is a central character in Rashs book. Back in Blowing Rock, before he was drafted and sent to fight in Korea, Jacob built a friendship with Blackburn Gant, the caretaker of a church graveyard. Because of a severe bout with polio, Gants face became disfigured to the extent that people found it impossible to look at him. Jacob befriended Blackburn, and the two established a firm friendship.

Jacob fell deeply in love with Naomi, but his parents never accepted her and, in fact, had essentially disowned both Jacob and Naomi. Before he left for Korea, he begged his parents to help take care of Naomi while he was away. But they refused.

With Jacob in Korea, Blackburn became Naomis only friend. As he recovered from his wounds in Korea, Jacob was anxious to return to Blowing Rock and to Naomi, and their child who was growing in Naomis womb.

Before arriving home, he learned from his parents that Naomi had died in childbirth and was buried in a casket placed in a grave dug by his friend Blackburn.

But with Naomi believed to be dead, Jacob found it impossible to settle into anything close to a happy life.

Ron Rash and his great storytelling gifts give his readers a satisfying end to Jacobs struggle. One that is not to be missed.
SALISBURY - Investigators have gotten one step closer to solving Rowan Countys oldest documented unsolved murder, according to a news release from the Rowan County Sheriff's Office (RCSO).

Hair evidence recovered from the forgotten case file of an unidentified murdered infant discovered on March 20, 1971, underwent testing at Astrea Forensics, a private laboratory in California who specializes in processing hair for DNA. Preliminary results proved that DNA is still present in the hair, allowing further testing to be done to hopefully help in identifying the victim.

Detectives have not been successful in locating anyone in the community who remembers helpful details in the case, however they have identified the exact spot at which the baby was found.

In 1971, the property located at 1015 Dunns Mountain Road just outside of Granite Quarry was the site of an abandoned quarry. The dirt road that led to the quarry was used by some as a trash dumping site, which is where the infants body was located.

Detectives identified the person who located the body as Arthur Joe Trexler who passed away in 1984 at the age of 76. Today, the property is owned by Piedmont Diving and Rescue Association and the quarry location is used as a diving facility.

Details of the death are gruesome and outlined in the medical examiners report. In it, Dr. Elizabeth Mayrand, the Medical Examiner for Rowan County at the time, listed the cause of death as a stab wound to the head.

On all official records, the African American infant was named Unknown Baby Girl Found in Trash Dump. Her remains were held at the medical examiners office for a year, and she was cremated on March 21, 1972 at Rowan Memorial Hospital, a common practice in the 1970s.

Investigators with the sheriffs office have named the girl, Baby Eva, in order to put a name to the case. The name was derived from the Christian Bibles Eve, which in Hebrew means life. With the name, the sheriff hopes to give her back at least symbolically what was tragically taken away from her shortly after birth.

Detectives are being assisted by agents with the North Carolina SBIs Cold Case Investigation Team who are funding the DNA testing. For now, theyll have to wait on further results from Astreas analysts before progressing with the case.

If anyone has any information to aid in the investigation, please contact Lt. Ryan Barkley at (704-216-8711).
Editors Note: For coverage of the primary election, The Independent Tribune sent questions to each group of candidates. Answers appear as is, with the exception of editing for grammatical/spelling errors. This allows voters to see the candidates through their own words and gives equal opportunity for the candidates to respond. The online edition published answers in full while the print edition will be edited for brevity.

Republican candidate Brian Echevarria is campaigning for N.C. House District 82. He is running against incumbent Rep. Kevin Crutchfield in the March primary for the right to take on Democratic candidate Sabrina Berry in the general election in November.

District 82 incumbent Kristin Baker is not seeking reelection.

1. Tell us a little about your background. How long have you lived in the district?

Brian Echevarria: I have lived in Harrisburg since 2006. A brief snapshot of my life can be found at FamilyIsOurStory.com

2. For newcomers: What made you want to run for N.C. House and do you have any prior experience holding elected office?

I am a grassroots, We the People kind of guy. While I have been active in my faith and church and served as Chairman of the Cabarrus County GOP, I have not held public office.

3. What made you decide to get involved in politics and run for office?

Looking at my children, my aging parents, and the wife I promised to care for, I asked myself, what do you want life to look like ten years from today? Considering how things are going, I knew it was time to get more involved.

4. Why do you think you are the most qualified candidate for the position?

In addition to my years as a financial advisor, experience in business, and traditional values, I have the will, conviction, faithfulness, vision, and ability to best represent our interest in Raleigh.

5. What do you think are the biggest issues impacting residents living in the district?

Besides cities like Charlotte acting as sanctuary cities, the rising property taxes are slaughtering homeowners. North Carolina needs a homestead exemption to protect us from aggressively rising property taxes. No one should be taxed out of their home.

6. How do you think you can make a difference in Raleigh for the people of the district?

Along with everything above. I will never forget that the decisions I make and the legislation I help pass will eventually walk through your front door and reach your kitchen table.
A silk scarf painting inspired by the Chinese Spring Festival is on display at an exhibition in Athens by Greek artist Sofia Fotiadou.

The exhibition, called "Out of the box - Fearless" began on Feb. 16 at the Sianti Gallery in the center of the Greek capital.

The silk scarf is called 'The Dance of Spring,' Fotiadou told Xinhua in a recent interview.

The artist explained that in the painting, flowers are scattered on a green background and the use of yellow symbolizes wealth and prosperity in Chinese culture.

Fotiadou first created the painting using oil on canvas. Next, she collaborated with local company Hellenic Silk to have her work reproduced on silk.

The Greek artist believes that there is a special connection between Greece and China, two countries with ancient civilizations, and a bright future of bilateral cooperation.

Fotiadou said that participating in the 2019 Beijing Biennale was the most important moment of her artistic career so far.

Images of the trip to China are imprinted on her mind, she said: "It looked like a huge dragon, sleeping on hills and gorges, swaying, and stretching."

The artist sent good wishes to the Chinese people on the occasion of the New Year of the Dragon, adding: "I would like to wish that it will be a wonderful year, that it will be a year of peace and health for the whole world."
Editors Note: For coverage of the primary election, The Independent Tribune sent questions to each group of candidates. Answers appear as is, with the exception of editing for grammatical/spelling errors. This allows voters to see the candidates through their own words and gives equal opportunity for the candidates to respond. The online edition published answers in full while the print edition will be edited for brevity.

Amanda Wortman is one of six Republican candidates running in the March primary. The top four vote-getters will then face off against four Democratic candidates in November, for the right to four seats on the Board.

1. Tell us a little about your background. Do you currently or have you ever had any children in the school system?

Amanda Wortman: I am a mom of five children, four of which are still in the Cabarrus county School system. All of my children are very different, I have one that graduated early to one with an IEP and everything in between. We have utilized program choice and been through a realignment. There isn't an area within our schools that we have not had engagement with.

2. For newcomers: What made you want to run for school board and do you have any prior experience holding elected office? For incumbents: What has the school board accomplished since youve been in office and why do you think voters should re-elect you?

In a quest to champion positive change in our educational system, I decided there is more I can do from within the Board of Education. Motivated by a deep belief in the transformative power of education, my goal is to contribute actively to shaping policies that enhance learning environments, foster inclusivity, and pave the way for a brighter future for our students. I have not held any public office before.

3. Why do you think you are the most qualified candidate for the position?

As a mother of five children ranging from 13 to 19 years old, I recognize the importance of diverse programs tailored to accommodate various learning styles. My focus is to ensure equal, quality education for every student. With a background in serving our community as a Paramedic and co-managing our familys commercial electrical business for the past 23 years, I grasp the needs of our community and appreciate the significance of fiscal responsibility. Bringing firsthand knowledge of our countys budgeting and funding dynamics, I am well-acquainted with the intricacies that drive our educational system. My experience allows me to navigate the complexities, ensuring effective allocation of resources to meet the diverse needs of our schools. With this insight, I am committed to fostering transparency, accountability, and optimal utilization of funds to elevate our educational standards. Im committed to ensuring that our resources are spent wisely and plan to prioritize smart investments for the benefit of our students and community.

4. Is there a particular issue that motivates you to serve on the board of education?

My decision to serve on the board of education is driven by three priorities that are interconnected for creating a thriving school environment. 1. Securing resources and opportunities for every student, alongside empowering parents to actively engage in their childrens education. 2.Collaborating with legislators to address teacher pay, retention, and fostering a positive work environment. 3. Adopting a preemptive approach to school safety by ensuring the allocation of funds for comprehensive safety measures.

5. What steps would you take to ensure equity and inclusivity in our schools?

Inclusive Policies: As a parent that has been involved with advocating for our current non-discriminatory policy, we need to continually assess and implement policies that prevent discrimination and promote inclusion, such as anti-bullying measures and accommodations for students with disabilities.

Accessible Learning Environments: Ensure physical accessibility and provide resources for students with disabilities to fully participate in educational activities.

Community Engagement: Foster partnerships with families and communities to address barriers to equity and inclusivity, to meet the needs of all students

Equitable Resources: Allocate resources fairly to meet the needs of all students, no matter what section or area of the county that the students come from.

Affirming Spaces: Create a safe and affirming environment where students feel valued, respected, and supported regardless of their background.

Continuous Evaluation and Improvement: Regularly assess the effectiveness of equity initiatives and make adjustments based on feedback and data-driven analysis.

6. What do you think are the biggest issues impacting students and parents within the school system? Why is that?

Some of the biggest issues impacting students and parents within the school system include:

School Safety and Security: Implementing measures to ensure the physical safety of students and staff, including prevention of violence and response to emergencies.

Special Education and Inclusion: Ensuring equitable access to resources and support for students with disabilities, IEPs, 504 plans, and promoting inclusion within mainstream classrooms.

Mental Health and Well-being: Increasing awareness and support for students' mental health needs, including anxiety, depression, and stress.

Bullying and Harassment: Addressing issues of bullying, cyberbullying, and harassment to create safe and inclusive learning environments for all students.

Academic Pressure: Balancing academic rigor with students' well-being and mental health, and reducing stress related to standardized testing and college admissions.

Parental Engagement and Communication: Strengthening communication and collaboration between schools and parents to support student success and address concerns effectively.

Teacher Quality and Retention: Supporting professional development opportunities for teachers, addressing teacher shortages, and promoting retention of effective educators. Working with educators to ensure their continuing education is useful and impactful for their classroom.

7. If you could change one thing within the school system right now, what would it be and why?

If I could change one thing within the school system right now, it would be to implement more personalized and flexible learning approaches tailored to individual student needs and interests. This would involve moving away from a one-size-fits-all model of education and embracing diverse learning styles, abilities, and backgrounds. By prioritizing personalized learning, we can better engage students, address their unique learning challenges, and foster a deeper sense of ownership and motivation in their educational journey. Ultimately, this shift would lead to more equitable outcomes and better prepare students for success in an increasingly diverse and dynamic world.

Teachers play a pivotal role in shaping students' educational experiences and outcomes. By providing ongoing training, resources, and mentorship opportunities, we can empower teachers to stay current with best practices, effectively address diverse student needs, and navigate evolving challenges in education. By focusing on this main priority, we can address two needs in one, and focus on the classroom as a whole.

8. How do you plan to handle conflicts or disagreements among CCS board members?

Handling conflicts or disagreements among school board members requires a diplomatic and proactive approach. Here's my plan:

I would encourage open and respectful communication among board members to address concerns and differing viewpoints effectively. I would make sure that each board member not only reads the actual policy book, but comprehends what it contains. Remind board members of the shared mission and goals of the school district, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and unity in achieving these objectives. When necessary, encourage, compromise, and negotiate to reach mutually acceptable solutions that serve the best interests of the students and community. I would emphasize the importance of confidentiality and respect for differing opinions, to maintain trust and a working relationship within the board.

9. An individual school board member has no authority; only the board has a whole can make decisions for the district. What skills or traits will allow you to contribute to effective operations of the board as a whole?

I would use basic skills that most professionals should have in their skillset. That includes strong communication skills (being able to not only clearly express my own thoughts, but actively listen to other opinions), being able to collaborate and see the bigger picture when necessary, critical thinking skills for analyzing data and complex information, maintain a positive attitude for problem solving and working toward resolving issues, maintain a high ethical standard for conduct and integrity, having an understanding of the roles and responsibilities that a school board member must have, and be willing to adapt to changing environments for unforeseen challenges.

10. After your first full year in office, what would be a good benchmark to show that youve made an impact?

Positive feedback from students, parents, teachers, and community members indicating increased satisfaction with the overall educational experience and governance of the district. An increase in student achievement metrics such as standardized test scores, graduation rates, and college readiness indicators, demonstrating progress in advancing educational excellence within the district. Progress towards achieving key goals and objectives outlined in the district's strategic plan, with measurable milestones indicating advancement towards long-term priorities and initiatives.
More Australian properties are poised to have stronger mobile coverage as the Australian Government amended its Telecommunications in New Developments (TIND), which prescribes new housing developments of 50 lots or more should consider mobile coverage during planning.

If the new TIND policy is adopted and implemented by state and territory governments, it would gather developers, mobile network operators, and mobile infrastructure providers to engage with each other as early as possible to discuss coverage for new developments, Australian media reported.

Last October, a government consultation paper revealed that internet and mobile connectivity services may soon become a utility requirement for housing developers, treating it in a similar way to water and electricity, which are vital resources for households.

According to a statement issued by Communications minister Michelle Rowland last weekend, "new rules reflect existing expectations about access to essential utilities  water, electricity, and fixed line telecommunications services  in new housing developments, highlighting the critical importance of mobile connectivity for modern life."

She added network operators and infrastructure providers would benefit by engaging with agencies earlier with the rezoning processes.

Other changes in the TIND policy include advising developers that building multi-unit buildings should provide for in-building pathways where cabling is required and allowing NBN Co to spread backhaul costs across different developments in the area.

The policy was developed by the Mobile Telecommunications Group, formed by the Planning Ministers' Meeting in July 2023.

Rowland said the group is preparing a final report for release in the coming months.

These new guidelines will help bring mobile coverage into the national planning framework, and provide clear guidance to property developers about the importance of mobile coverage, she said.

The Commonwealth will continue engaging constructively with the states and territories to develop nationally consistent planning rules across all jurisdictions."
WikiLeaks founder and publisher Julian Assange has been unable to appear in court in person due to being ill on the first day of a final hearing to decide if he would be able to make a full appeal against being extradited to the US.

His lawyer Ed Fitzgerald told the British High Court on Tuesday that the case against him was political retaliation for having published documents that embarrassed the US administration.

Assange has been in custody in the UK since April 2019 when he was arrested following an American request to the British Government to extradite him.

In December 2023, the UK High Court announced it would hold a two-day public hearing on 20 and 21 February for the Australian's final appeal against being sent to the US.

Fitzgerald said the case against Assange was politically motivated.

Mr Assange was exposing serious criminality. He is being prosecuted for undertaking the ordinary journalist practice of obtaining and publishing classified information that is both true and of public interest, he said.

If proof is offered that political reasons are behind the case, then the extradition treaty between the US and the UK cannot be invoked to extradite Assange.

If a ruling goes against Assange at this hearing, then he could be sent to the US within a few days.

Assange's lawyer also referred to an alleged CIA plot to kidnap and poison the WikiLeaks founder, saying that there were chances such efforts would be renewed if he were extradited to the US.

The US will present its case on Wednesday, the second and final day of the hearing, with the outcome to be announced later.

An earlier High Court decision on 6 June 2023 which refused Assange permission to appeal against his extradition.

A second appeal was filed on 13 June. Assange's extradition was given the green light in June 2022 by then British Home Secretary Priti Patel.
Brendan Maree as Vice President and Country Manager for Australia and New Zealand

COMPANY NEWS: ProHance, a new-age workplace analytics and operations enablement platform, has announced the appointment of Brendan Maree as Vice President and Country Manager for Australia and New Zealand.

Based in Sydney, Marees extensive experience and expertise will play a pivotal role in advancing the companys growth and success, and in reinforcing ProHances presence in the Australia and New Zealand region. With a clear vision for 2024, his primary focus will be on securing marquee customers and introducing the company's innovative performance analytics, operational insights and productivity enhancement solutions to the regions private sector enterprises and public sector agencies.

Brendan Marees appointment is a crucial step in showcasing the transformative potential of ProHances offering in the region.

Maree, said, I am excited to join ProHance and to contribute to the companys growth through introducing our suite of solutions which offer organisations comprehensive omni-channel operations management and a productivity platform that empowers enterprises and outsourcing companies to optimise their back-office, middle-office, and contact centre operations.

Australian and New Zealand businesses now have the opportunity to implement real-time visibility capabilities enabling them to gain insights into team engagement and effectively allocate resources through data-driven decisions.

Maree joins ProHance with more than 25 years experience in the IT industry during which time he has played critical roles in accelerating revenue, driving strategic recruitment, engaging with telecom operators, and establishing new partnerships, highlighting his ability to drive growth and build strong teams.

Prior, he was Vice President at 8x8 for more than five years during which time he accelerated revenue and recruited new partners while nurturing a high-performing team. He also worked for more than ten years at Interactive Intelligence in several senior positions, including as Senior Vice President for Japan and Asia Pacific where he propelled the companys regional market share in the region. Earlier in his career, Maree previously worked at Avaya as Channel Manager for SMB products.

Ankur Dhingra, CEO, ProHance, said, "We are confident that Brendan Maree's extensive experience and strategic mindset will significantly contribute to ProHances success in the Australia and New Zealand market."

Last year, ProHance announced that the company is serving 350,000 users in over 150 companies in 25 countries reinforcing its commitment to transform the workforce and operational management landscape within the SaaS industry.
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At Alef Sausage in north suburban Mundelein, owner Marina Mikhaylova makes cold cuts the old-fashioned Ukrainian way, using traditional ingredients like beef and pork. As for vegetarian options, she says, "We don"t do anything plant based. People stopped buying it."

The boom in meat alternatives has fizzled, for multiple reasons. For starters, the marketing efforts behind some prominent brands backfired by scolding the carnivores among us, who far outnumber the vegans.

At the same time, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and other red-meat-loving conservatives have joined with big cattle producers alarmed about the environmental advantages of lab-grown products to bash them as "fake meat," and push for new, anti-competitive laws banning them.

The long list of ingredients like pea protein and potato starch on some of the plant-based meat labels hasn"t helped, either. Health-conscious consumers are steering clear of anything ultra-processed these days.

Perhaps most importantly, the sausages that got so much attention a few years ago just didn"t taste that good.

The result has been a steep market correction. The stock price of Beyond Meat, which traded in the triple digits as recently as 2021, has cratered to a little over $6 per share. Impossible Foods, which isn"t publicly traded, recently got into a scrap with Bloomberg News over a thumbs-down story about the industry.

In Chicago last month, Archer Daniels Midland warned investors of accounting irregularities centered on its unit providing soy protein and other ingredients to plant-based meat makers. Alarmed shareholders rushed for the exits.

No question, the movement to replace meat with substitutes has run into headwinds. But stay tuned: We see better times ahead for an industry still in its infancy.

Consumers should keep an open mind as innovative new options appear in restaurants and supermarkets. Meat 2.0 is coming, and next-generation products have the potential to win over the same crowd that tried Meat 1.0 and then, understandably, went back to ordering Big Macs.

As for politicians like DeSantis looking for easy targets to rile up constituents, give it a rest. States have no business outlawing healthy products declared safe by federal watchdogs, and that includes the lab-grown meats that have barely started to reach consumers. Politicians need to let the competitive marketplace determine winners and losers.

Despite leading a state that produces more meat than Florida, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has taken a smarter approach than DeSantis. His administration actively recruited Upside Foods to north suburban Glenview, congratulating it for being the first company to sell "cultivated meat" in the U.S.  a brief foray presumably aimed more at gauging public reaction than making money. "Their pioneering leadership makes them a perfect fit for the region," Pritzker declared.

The new, 187,000-square-foot Upside Foods factory is indeed pioneering. It is expected to produce millions of pounds of ground chicken each year by growing meat directly from animal cells. The product is not vegetarian, and has similar qualities to any other ground chicken, but no birds are raised and slaughtered to produce it.

Ideally, the Food and Drug Administration and Agriculture Department would work together to advance this new industry. More likely, the incumbent meat industry will continue to fight tooth and nail against the upstarts over labeling and other issues, playing one regulator against another, which could slow growth.

Food-industry experts such as David Lockwood of Lockwood Consulting describe the development of meat alternatives as an inexorable global trend. Even as sales of conventional meat are expected to grow by double digits over the next decade, there will be demand for alternatives, Lockwood said. "The next few years are not looking great, but the market is still growing. Small organizations are creating new things."

At last month"s Fancy Food Show in Las Vegas, where Mundelein"s Alef Foods doled out sausage samples, Dominique Leach of Lexington Betty Smokehouse was handing out samples of her Chicago company"s line of Wagyu beef hot dogs. While her South Side barbecue restaurant serves meat, meat and more meat, its menu also offers a vegetarian option, she noted. "Chicago seems to be embracing the plant-based scene. You don"t want to turn people away."

As Leach was grilling her hot dogs, Prime Roots was sampling out plant-based cold cuts with a surprisingly similar texture to the savory products of Alef Foods and Lexington Betty. This 7-year-old business uses koji, an environmentally friendly ingredient akin to mushrooms, instead of the more commonplace soy or wheat gluten. Last year, it received an additional $30 million in venture funding to expand into restaurants and deli counters nationwide.

"A lot of me-too products haven"t prioritized nutrition and taste," explained Kimberlie Le, Prime Roots" co-founder. "There is a new wave of plant-based products."

The wave has hit a trough for now. But if federal regulators do their job and hostile politicians stay out of the way, this promising industry should be back on the upswing shortly.

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Most coverage of Friday's verdict from a Manhattan courthouse has focused on the $350 million plus that rogue judge Arthur F Engoron has demanded Trump cough up - for a "crime" which has no known victims and no identifiable proceeds. Confiscating (with interest) close to half-a-billion dollars for no good reason is certainly unusual, even by the standards of US "justice".

But that's not what caught my eye about Arthur F Wankeron's judgment. The truly striking passage was this (page 90, just before the sign-off):

The Court hereby enjoins Donald Trump and the Trump Organization and its affiliates from applying for loans from any financial institution chartered by or registered with the New York Department of Financial Services for a period of three years.

This struck a chord with me. As many of you know, a little over a week ago, the District of Columbia Superior Court ordered me to pay one million dollars in punitive damages to climate mullah Michael E Mann. So I'm currently living the dimestore version of Trump's travails.

Nobody seemed to think the former president had much chance of winning in this particular venue. So most of the commentary had airily assumed he'd be obliged to kick it upstairs to the appellate court, where he'll surely win. Several legal scholars said the same of my own case. For my own part, I was too focused on the trial to give much attention to what came next. But one hears so much breezy chit-chat in America about appealing this and appealing that that one takes one's appellate rights for granted.

Not so. In order to appeal, a losing party has to post a bond for the amount at issue. That's true for federal and state courts, although there are variations hither and yon: some jurisdictions require you merely to post a bond for the original judgment, others to cover the likely interest that will pile up as your appeal works it way through the choked septic tank of American "justice"; California, for example, won't entertain an appeal until you bond 150 per cent of the amount of the judgment.

This is no small thing, even for those of us at the nickel-and-dime end of the Great American Judicial Shakedown - and especially not when, at the lower-court phase, justice has been comprehensively weaponised against one side of the country's political divide. But to be clear: to appeal Judge Wankeron's decision Trump needs to come up with a bond for at least $350 million.

So, just to complicate the issue, Wankeron forbids him from doing business with any financial institution registered in the State of New York. Which is rather a lot of them, it being the home of Wall Street - and of almost all the big players: J P Morgan Chase, Citigroup, Morgan Stanley...

Oh, to be sure, the First National Bank of Dead Moose Junction in Aroostook County, Maine isn't registered in New York. But are they where you go when you need surety for 350 mil?

American "justice", as I have held for virtually the entire twelve years of the Mann case, is evil. The "fifth trial judge" didn't care for the cut of my jib, but I'm a foreigner, and never more foreign than when in a US "court". And the seven-and-a-half billion non-Americans around the planet are united by very little else other than a firm conviction that US "justice" is bonkers.

But this Judge Wankeron is taking it to a whole new level. It's not very difficult, after all, to ramp up the judgment to a number it would be impossible to get a bond for. But why take the chance? Hit Trump for a third-of-a-billion - and take the additional precaution of forbidding him from doing business with any entity in a position to guarantee anything like that amount. It's not just the punishment, but increasingly about closing off options to resist the punishment.

And, by the way, this Trump fellow is what other countries call the Leader of the Opposition: we're talking about the guy running against the ruling party in this year's election. The "banana republic" jibes don't capture the scale of what's going on here - for what ramshackle basket-case in Latin America has ever had the need to confiscate half-a-billion from its political opponent and pass it off as "justice"? We are way beyond bananas here.

The manifest perversion of justice represented by this New York decision is so brazen that the US Supreme Court really should step in and end it now. But they won't, will they? For the last three decades, the American "right" has abandoned every other societal lever in order to focus on getting one more rock-ribbed "originalist" onto the big bench - to the point where we have a six-three so-called "conservative majority". At which point, we're suddenly assured that Chief Justice John Roberts' priority is to avoid the court being dragged into "controversy".

Which is odd. Because the purpose (indeed, the definition) of a court is to adjudicate "controversies". Look it up: it's in your Constitooti-tootin'-tution. No controversy, no court, no need for one. Here's me with the great Shannon Bream a couple of years ago:

But, as I said to Shannon somewhere or other back then, a prioritisation of avoiding "controversy" is surely controversial in itself. And so Roberts's determination that his court not be seen as "political" has mysteriously led to the most politicised courts anywhere in the western world: New York... Georgia... DC... Colorado... Your State Here.

Indeed, there is so little equality before the law in America that a central tenet of that equality - the right to a lawyer - is utterly dead. If you make the mistake of representing Trump, you'll be disbarred and/or criminally charged.

So that's the continuum - from my lousy million to Trump's third-of-a-billion. And, as Giuliani and Peter Navarro and vdare.com and a whole bunch of others have discovered, there's a place for you somewhere between those two numbers.

This is the criminalisation of opposition - a core definition of unfree societies, but one which Letitia James, the disgraceful Attorney-General of New York, is enthusiastically signing on to. By pretending that what's happening is normal - as Nikki Haley and Conservative Inc are doing - you do no service to the remnants of the republic.

Mark's international bestseller America Alone: The End of the World as We Know It. If you haven't read the book during its first seventeen years, well, you're missing a treat. It's still in print in hardback and paperback. (Buy it at a 77% discount by clicking here or order in KINDLE edition at a 47% discount by clicking here. Sales help fund JWR)

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Mark Steyn is an international bestselling author, a Top 41 recording artist, and a leading Canadian human rights activist. Among his books is "The Undocumented Mark Steyn: Don't Say You Weren't Warned". (Buy it at a 49% discount by clicking here or order in KINDLE edition at a 67% discount by clicking here. Sales help fund JWR)
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WEIRTON, West Virginia  Most people in this town will tell you they'd rather have taken a physical punch to the gut than get the news they received yesterday when Cleveland-Cliffs Steel announced it was idling its tinplate production plant, a move that directly cost 900 people their jobs.

It isn't just those workers who face catastrophic uncertainty; this closure also jeopardizes the jobs of thousands more people whose businesses supported the plant: the barber shops, gas stations, mom-and-pop grocery stores, the machine shops that make the widgets for the steel industry. And there's also the demise of the tax base, which affects the school district and the quality of the roads.

Thirty years ago, more than 10,000 people worked here at Weirton Steel. Now, the last 900 workers left have just lost their jobs.

"It's just another scar to add on what people in power have done to our lives and our community over the past 40 years," said one employee who declined to give his name, adding, "Honestly, how many times does this story have to be told before someone in power cares about our lives."

He points to different buildings downtown, and all of them for him were "used to be this" and "used to be that."

Ryan Weld of Wellsburg, 43, grew up in downtown Weirton right behind the local funeral home.

"When I was growing up in the '80s, the mill was still going at full tilt with Weirton Steel employing 10,000 people, including my grandfathers," he said.

The Republican state senator said things started to slow down here in the mid to late '90s after the North American Free Trade Agreement was enacted: "That dramatically changed the landscape of downtown, went from a bustling the last age group that remembers the shops and stores and restaurants of downtown."

He believes NAFTA, signed by President Bill Clinton in 1993, essentially made it hard for companies like Weirton Steel, which had to follow strict and expensive Environmental Protection Agency guidelines compete with places like Mexico. The towns all up and down the Steel Valley died hard.

"The legacy of the federal government and its refusal to properly enforce trade laws is nothing but empty mills and unemployed workers," Weld said. "That was true in the '80s and '90s, and that is true today."

Forty years ago, the Democratic Party started to slowly shed its working-class base, but not quickly: Democratic officials would still show up for decades at union rallies, putting their arms around workers' shoulders and telling them they have their back while at the same time enacting regulations and trade agreements that stripped them of their livelihoods and dignity and made ghettos of their once beloved communities.

By the 2012 Obama reelection, they traded their New Deal Democrat legacy voters for ascendant groups: minorities, young people, college-educated elites, and single women, all done without so much as a Dear John letter.

The Republicans inherited them, but most of their strategists running messaging and campaigns had no idea what to do with them, at least on the national level.

And then there is the press covering the voter who will decide the next president: Few if any of them come from places like Weirton or Youngstown, Ohio, so they have little understanding of their worldview. Things that give people from here purpose, such as living close to extended family, are not as valuable to someone who has been transient for most of a career.

In short, we are heading once again into an election where very few people in Washington truly understand how remarkably devastating this mill closure is. Instead, it is a wire story at best, soon forgotten if measured at all. They truly do not understand how much the loss of the dignity of work has changed American politics. That this tone-deafness is still happening 14 years after Barack Obama was given notice in the 2010 midterm elections and eight years after Donald Trump won the presidency is pretty staggering.

The Democrats once attracted these voters, but they've moved on to the social justice crowd and don't appear to want to anymore. I'm not sure if Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) does, the press does not, and the new "very online right" is certainly not the reflection of a center-right voter in middle America. The online right just seems hell-bent on making them seem like Taylor Swift conspiracy theorists. (P.S. They're not.)

Jeff Brauer, a political science professor at Keystone College, said Washington elites on both sides of the aisle, media elites, and now online conspiracy elites just don't get Middle America even after this recent economically and politically difficult decade.

"Few things bond people/citizens together like trying to make a living in the real world, the dignity of work, and raising a family," he explained, adding these bonds that cut across all divides  geographic, racial/ethnic, religious, gender, ideological/party, and even at times socioeconomic.

"If there is one thing we have learned over the past decade, it is that this bond over the difficulties of making an honest living can and does create unlikely coalitions of voters," he said. "Even disparate voters from the likes of Bernie Sanders supporters to Trump supporters can agree on this."

Indeed, economic dignity and survival make strange bedfellows.

Brad Todd, founding partner of OnMessage and co-author with me of The Great Revolt: Inside the Populist Coalition Reshaping American Politics, said one thing is for certain about 2024: "We are about to read a million new stories that quote zero people who are actually going to decide the election."

Brauer said the dignity of work is at the very core of the American experience, "Yet the elites of this country still just don't understand, while average Americans just keep getting financially squeezed more and more."

Weld said it is incumbent on local elected officials such as himself to be the advocates of Middle America.

"I do what I do because of that. The empty buildings were already there when I was in college and high school, and it pisses me off," he said. "I don't think anyone fought hard enough for that from happening. We shouldn't keep having to read again, again, another story about a town dying hard and a vacancy of no one caring."

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Salena Zito is a CNN political analyst, and a staff reporter and columnist for the Washington Examiner. She reaches the Everyman and Everywoman through shoe-leather journalism, traveling from Main Street to the beltway and all places in between.
MATTOON  Lake Land College has announced the new Recruitment and Advancement of the Next Generation of Engineers (RANGE) program that is set to kick off this summer.

Made possible through an Illinois Community College Board Innovative Bridge and Transition grant, the RANGE program will provide wrap around support services to 15 select freshmen STEM students to ensure their success during their time at Lake Land College and when they transfer.

Lake Land is currently recruiting high school seniors who plan to major in engineering or related STEM fields to fill these 15 positions.

There will be an informational Zoom meeting from 7-8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 28, accessed by visiting lakelandcollege.zoom.us/j/91467651086 and entering 914 6765 1086 as the meeting I.D.

During the summer, the 15 students will attend a RANGE orientation at Lake Land College. RANGE students can also enroll in a free summer bridge course to assess and enhance their skills prior to the start of the Fall 2024 semester.

When classes begin this fall, RANGE students will be in a cohort and share the same class schedules. The cohort will also attend weekly RANGE meetings to learn from alumni and professional engineering speakers, discuss transfer information, discover local internship opportunities and benefit from regular well-being check-ins. Each RANGE student will also be awarded a $2,100 scholarship.

Students interested in applying for the RANGE program can do so until April 1 by visiting lakelandcollege.edu/range/.
MATTOON  Retired publisher Bill Hamel enjoyed a 45-year-career with the Mattoon Journal Gazette, played a leading role in a long list of community efforts, and always reminded people to "feed the birds" at wintertime.

Those who worked with William B. Hamel, Jr. at the Journal Gazette & Times-Courier and in the community shared memories of him on Monday as news spread of his death at age 93 on Sunday.

"Bill Hamel was definitely Mr. Mattoon. He loved the community and the newspaper," said Bill Lair, retired editor of the JG-TC.

Hamel's ties to the Mattoon newspaper went back to his boyhood when his father, William Sr., was publisher. The young Hamel hung out at the old Journal Gazette building at 1711 Charleston Ave. and began delivering advertising proofs to businesses on his motor bike when he was 12.

Returning to Mattoon in 1955 following military service, Hamel began his full-time career with the Journal Gazette by taking an advertising job. Hamel, who graduated with a journalism degree from the University of Illinois in 1953, became publisher in 1965 a few years after his father died.

Local historian Carolyn Cloyd said Hamel's death is the end of an era in Mattoon.

"Bill Hamels father, William Hamel Sr., came to Mattoon in 1924, began working for the Mattoon Journal Gazette in 1927, and became publisher in 1939," Cloyd said. "Bill Jr. began working for the paper before his fathers untimely death in 1962, so there was a Hamel at the newspaper for 73 years until Bill Junior retired in 2000. Their impact on our community was huge."

Bob Sampson, now editor of the Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society, was one of the many reporters who worked for Hamel over the decades.

Sampson said he received his first newspaper job from Hamel in December 1971 and a later became good friends with him. Sampson said he owes much to Hamel and the newspaper he published.

"Mattoon was blessed to have such a community-minded, dedicated, and compassionate leader leading one of the best small-town newspapers in Illinois," Sampson said. "His smile will be missed. His good works both known and anonymous continue to benefit his beloved Mattoon.

Hamel's work with the newspaper and in the community expanded to the east side of Coles County overtime as the Mattoon Journal Gazette and Charleston Times-Courier both became part of Howard Publications in the early 1970s. The JG-TC is now part of Lee Enterprises.

Lair said it was tough for Hamel, in some ways, when the Journal Gazette and Times-Courier combined news staffs in the mid-1970s and then when the Journal Gazette switched from an afternoon delivery newspaper to morning.

"But when he saw the combined results and expanded coverage the first night, he said he 'got goosebumps.' I think he got a lot of goosebumps from the newspaper over the years," Lair said.

Two editions of the Journal Gazette that Hamel was especially proud of were the bicentennial edition in July 1976 with more than 100 pages and the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II edition in September 1995 with more than 80 pages, Lair said.

In the office, Lair said Hamel was known for almost always being upbeat and for greeting everyone with a smile each morning.

Out in the community, Hamel was known for writing his Odds and Ends column and for running a cheerful reminder to "feed the birds" on the front page every day during the winter through his retirement on Dec. 20, 2000.

Hamel's concern for the natural world including speaking out against proposals in the early to mid-1990s for a third landfill in Coles County and for a low-level nuclear waste site in Martinsville. Neither proposal won regulatory approval.

The American Cancer Society, Bagelfest, the Humane Association and the United Way are just some of the organizations and causes that he played leading roles in through the newspaper and his community service.

John Barger, a local attorney, said he was honored to serve with Hamel and his wife, Glennie, (who passed away on Feb. 3, 2015) on the Neal Foundation Board. He said they worked together on a project involving planting new trees around the Cumberland County Courthouse in Toledo.

"Bill was a wonderful human being and I am better for having known him," Barger said. "I will miss him."

Close A Monitor Sign Service crew manually lifts some of the 4-foot-tall steel letters into place on a concrete base on Tuesday for a new Mattoon welcome sign in the city's Wolf Park at the northwest corner of Broadway Avenue and 19th Street/U.S. Route 45. The letters will be lit within by LED bulbs and have green acrylic covers. The sign was created and installed via approximately $30,00 in tourism grant money from the city's hotel and motel tax revenue fund. Monitor Sign Service use a crane to move some of the 4-foot-tall steel letters into place on a concrete base on Tuesday for a new Mattoon welcome sign in the city's Wolf Park at the northwest corner of Broadway Avenue and 19th Street/U.S. Route 45. The letters will be lit within by LED bulbs and have green acrylic covers. Monitor Sign Service used a flatbed trailer to transport the 4-foot-tall steel letters that it installed on Tuesday for a new Mattoon welcome sign in the city's Wolf Park at the northwest corner of Broadway Avenue and 19th Street/U.S. Route 45. The letters will be lit within by LED bulbs and have green acrylic covers. Photos: New Mattoon welcome sign installed Monitor Sign Service installed a new Mattoon welcome sign on Tuesday at the city's Wolf Park at the northwest corner of Broadway Avenue and 19th Street/U.S. Route 45. The sign's steel letters are each 4-feet tall and form a 30-foot-wide "Mattoon" sign. The letters will be lit within by LED bulbs and have green acrylic covers. The sign was created and installed via approximately $30,00 in tourism grant money from the city's hotel and motel tax revenue fund. A Monitor Sign Service crew manually lifts some of the 4-foot-tall steel letters into place on a concrete base on Tuesday for a new Mattoon welcome sign in the city's Wolf Park at the northwest corner of Broadway Avenue and 19th Street/U.S. Route 45. The letters will be lit within by LED bulbs and have green acrylic covers. The sign was created and installed via approximately $30,00 in tourism grant money from the city's hotel and motel tax revenue fund. Monitor Sign Service use a crane to move some of the 4-foot-tall steel letters into place on a concrete base on Tuesday for a new Mattoon welcome sign in the city's Wolf Park at the northwest corner of Broadway Avenue and 19th Street/U.S. Route 45. The letters will be lit within by LED bulbs and have green acrylic covers. Monitor Sign Service used a flatbed trailer to transport the 4-foot-tall steel letters that it installed on Tuesday for a new Mattoon welcome sign in the city's Wolf Park at the northwest corner of Broadway Avenue and 19th Street/U.S. Route 45. The letters will be lit within by LED bulbs and have green acrylic covers.
Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed on Monday that the guarantee ability of land element should be enhanced to ensure the high-quality development of regions which enjoy competitive strengths, and that the grassroots emergency management capacity should be further improved.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks when presiding over the fourth meeting of the central commission for deepening overall reform of the 20th CPC Central Committee, which he heads.

The meeting reviewed and adopted guidelines regarding land administration system reform, promoting the overall green transition of China's economic and social development, enhancing grassroots emergency management capacity, and accelerating the formation of fundamental systems that support comprehensive innovation. It also reviewed and adopted the commission's work report for year 2023 as well as the commission's key work tasks in 2024.

During the meeting, Xi stressed that the land administration system should be optimized to more effectively coordinate with macroeconomic policies and regional development so that the land element can be utilized for greater precision and higher efficiency. Efforts should be made to enhance the ability of the land element to guarantee high-quality development in regions that enjoy competitive strengths.

Xi said that promoting the overall green transition of China's economic and social development is a fundamental policy to address problems related to resources, the environment and ecology, and that China will pursue such a transition in a comprehensive, coordinated, innovative and sound approach.

Aiming for the national goals of peaking carbon emissions before 2030 and reaching carbon neutrality before 2060, efforts will be made to coordinatively promote carbon emission reduction, pollution reduction, green development expansion and economic growth, and to integrate the concept of green development throughout the entire process of economic and social development, according to Xi.

He urged efforts to strengthen the grassroots emergency management capacity to promptly and effectively handle various disasters and accidents, and to secure the bottom line of safety.

Xi also called for efforts to accelerate the building of basic systems for comprehensive innovation by closely focusing on the outstanding issues that restrict the deep integration of science and technology with the economy.

Li Qiang, Wang Huning and Cai Qi, members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and deputy directors of the commission for deepening overall reform, attended the meeting.

China should improve fiscal, tax, financial, investment and pricing policies and relevant market-oriented mechanisms to support green and low-carbon transformation, and provide policy support and institutional guarantees for green transformation, the meeting said.

China should also improve the guarantee mechanism, increase basic investment, and strengthen emergency response and rescue capacities of various regions in line with local conditions such as population size, economic scale, characteristics of disasters and accidents, and the degree of safety risks, according to the meeting.

On comprehensively supporting innovation, the meeting called for conducting the policy alignment assessment of newly unveiled measures and newly established systems to ensure policy synergy.

In the past year, China organized and implemented the reform of the Party and state institutions, improved the systems for Party leadership, optimized the responsibility allocation of institutions in key areas, including technology and finance, with reform tasks at the central level basically completed, the meeting said.

This year is another important year of comprehensively deepening reform, according to the meeting.

It is not only a continuation of the comprehensive deepening of reform since the third plenary session of the 18th CPC Central Committee, but also a new chapter of the new journey to promote Chinese modernization, the meeting said.

China should continue to implement reform measures that help expand domestic demand, improve structure, boost confidence, ensure people's livelihoods, and forestall and defuse risks.

Efforts should focus on addressing the most critical and urgent issues, and removing institutional obstacles that hinder the smooth progress of Chinese modernization.

The meeting underlined the importance of fully motivating all sectors for reform, further building consensus on reform, and mobilizing the whole Party and whole country to advance and implement major reform tasks.
While the third-floor classroom that houses the Nebraska Business focus program at Standing Bear High School currently looks like any other room, it soon will look as though it came straight from campus.

The hope is that the space will feel like it's an extension of the University of Nebraska-Lincolns College of Business, to give students an experience theyre proud of, according to Lindsay Tillinghast, UNLs director of Nebraska Business at Standing Bear.

Outside of the classroom, a large Nebraska N will be painted, and inside, a quote selected and paid for by financial services company D.A. Davidson will be added to the walls. Another N will be placed on the glass window beside the door.

Its like youre on campus even when youre not physically there, Tillinghast said.

The focus program, which will be available to juniors and seniors, wont officially launch until next year, as Standing Bear opened in August to only freshmen and sophomores. However, the space is currently being used for a pre-pathway program, which uses the World of Business class to introduce underclassmen to the business focus program.

Students are getting some pre-exposure experiences, Tillinghast said.

Nebraska Business is the 10th focus program at Lincoln Public Schools. It was chosen as one of the next programs following a 2018 recommendation from a high school task force committee and community members to increase opportunities for students interested in business and health sciences. The Bryan College of Health Sciences focus program was introduced at Northwest High School last year.

Students who participate in the full program will be able to receive college credit through the university. So far, about 15 students have enrolled in it for next year.

However, Tillinghast believes this is just the tip of the iceberg, and she said the pilot program has had good interest despite only being available to freshmen and sophomores.

I feel like we've had a really good start and got buy-in from the students, she said. There's definitely a lot of interest from families that are coming. So it's just kind of playing the waiting game a little bit.

For now, one of the main focuses is how to incorporate aspects of the focus program into the World of Business class, according to Jacob Shaffer, the business department chair at Standing Bear.

As part of the pre-pathway program, students are able to learn from not only Shaffer, but also university professors. Throughout the one-semester course, students will have six guest speakers and will compete in an entrepreneurial quick pitch competition on campus at the end of the year.

Shaffer is also hoping to find opportunities to collaborate with other teachers at Standing Bear who focus on varying curricular areas, including those in the world language department.

Its just trying to figure out ways in which the business focus program can have some impacts on a lot of the different other subject areas, he said.

When the focus program is officially up and running, students will be able to walk away with knowledge on marketing, entrepreneurship, finances and much more  all things that students could benefit from whether they pursue a business degree or not, Tillinghast said.

Those are all skills that you're able to get through taking business classes and being part of a program like this, she said. That's the area that we've really focused on, is students walking away with skills regardless of what career area they choose to go into.

Shaffer agreed, noting that he's most excited to teach students these business concepts and help them find the path they want to be on.

"I love business," he said. "And I think everything is business, whether someone goes and studies in the medical field, engineering, arts, whatever the case may be, there are always business concepts that apply."

Photos: Lincoln Public Schools' 36th annual spelling bee LPS Spelling Bee, 2.10 LPS Spelling Bee, 2.10 LPS Spelling Bee, 2.10 LPS Spelling Bee, 2.10 LPS Spelling Bee, 2.10 LPS Spelling Bee, 2.10 LPS Spelling Bee, 2.10 LPS Spelling Bee, 2.10 LPS Spelling Bee, 2.10 LPS Spelling Bee, 2.10 LPS Spelling Bee, 2.10 LPS Spelling Bee, 2.10 LPS Spelling Bee, 2.10
Simon Rezac, a longtime employee of the Lancaster County Clerk of the District Court, was appointed Tuesday to lead the department after the departure of recently elected Troy Hawk.

Rezac, who has worked for the office for 20 years, was approved to fulfill Hawks term on a 3-2 vote, with commissioners Matt Schulte and Christa Yoakum saying they supported different finalists.

Eleven people had applied to fill Hawks term and the board had narrowed that group to three finalists they interviewed last week.

The other finalists were Lin Quenzer, who has been the city ombudsman in the mayors office since 2000 and ran against Hawk for clerk of the district court in 2022; and Kris Beckenbach, who works as a legal assistant for Baylor, Evnen, Wolfe & Tannehill, and ran for county clerk in 2022.

Schulte tried to amend the motion appointing Rezac to instead appoint Beckenbach. It died for lack of a second.

Schulte said he didnt support hiring Rezac because not long ago hed submitted a document saying he was going to retire in a few months, and he was also concerned that Rezac didnt think the office needed any improvements, yet both the other candidates had suggestions.

I dont want to hire someone whos going to retire right away, Schulte said.

Yoakum said the office would have continued to operate well no matter who they chose because of the staff, but she was looking for something different in the top candidate and found it in Quenzer.

Rick Vest, Sean Flowerday and Roma Amundson voted for Rezac.

Vest said the decision was one of the hardest hes had to make in a long time but noted that voters expressed appreciation for the job Hawk did when they reelected him, and Hawk wrote a letter of recommendation for Rezac.

Flowerday also spoke of Rezacs years in the office.

I think his experience cant be overlooked, he said.

Hawk announced in December that he was leaving the position hes held since 2013. Just a year earlier, he was elected to his third term.

He left Jan. 15 to become legal counsel for the Nebraska Department of Education. His salary will be $105,990, less than the $117,980 district court clerk salary in 2024.

Rezac will be paid $117,980 when he assumes his new position on Feb. 28.

He was hired as an account clerk in the district court clerks office in 1994 and in 2003 was promoted to administrative service officer. In that role he prepares and monitors the budget and daily deposits, oversees personnel and payroll information, submits reports to county, state and federal offices, and reviews and enters judgments into the computer system.

Before joining the clerk's office, he spent 22 years in the Air Force, where he had financial and supervisory responsibilities.

The board had 45 days to appoint a replacement, who will serve in the position at least through Jan. 7, 2027, following the 2026 election.

The clerk of the district court oversees three budgets totaling just more than $2.7 million and performs four major functions for the county: serving as district court clerk, clerk for the separate juvenile court, the jury commissioner and the record keeper for the Lancaster County Mental Health Board.

Top Journal Star photos for February 2024
RAFAH, Gaza Strip  Israel's assault in Gaza has killed more than 29,000 Palestinians since Oct. 7, the territory's Health Ministry said Monday, marking another grim milestone in one of the deadliest and most destructive military campaigns in recent history.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vows to continue the offensive until "total victory" against Hamas after the militants' Oct. 7 attack on Israeli communities. He and the military have said troops will move soon into the southernmost town of Rafah on the Egyptian border, where over half of Gaza's 2.3 million people have sought refuge from fighting elsewhere.

Meanwhile, the United States circulated a rival U.N. Security Council resolution that would support a temporary cease-fire in Gaza after rejecting an Arab-backed resolution demanding an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in the territory.

The U.S. draft resolution, obtained Monday by The Associated Press, would underscore that a temporary cease-fire as soon as practicable requires the release of all hostages taken from Israel after Hamas Oct. 7 attack, and calls for the lifting of all restrictions on the delivery of humanitarian aid.

The Security Council is expected to vote Tuesday on the Arab-backed draft resolution circulated by Algeria, which represents the 22 Arab nations in the U.N.s most powerful body.

The United States, Israel's top ally, says it is still working with mediators Egypt and Qatar to try to broker another cease-fire and hostage release agreement. But those efforts appear to have stalled in recent days, and Netanyahu angered Qatar by calling on it to pressure Hamas and suggesting it funds the militant group.

The conflict has also brought near daily exchanges of fire between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group that frequently threaten to escalate.

Israeli warplanes on Monday carried out at least two strikes near the southern port city of Sidon in one of the largest attacks near a major city, wounding 14 people, Lebanese state media said. The Israeli military said it attacked Hezbollah arms depots near Sidon in retaliation for a drone that exploded in an open field near the northern Israeli city of Tiberias earlier Monday.

Humanitarian crisis

In Gaza, the Health Ministry said the death toll rose to 29,092 since the start of the war, about two-thirds of them women and children. More than 69,000 Palestinians have been wounded, overwhelming the territory's hospitals, less than half of which are even partially functioning. The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count.

In Hamas cross-border raid on Oct. 7, an estimated 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed, and militants took 250 people captive, according to Israeli authorities.

After a round of exchanges for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel in November, about 130 remain captive, a fourth of them believed to be dead.

With thousands of Palestinians detained by Israel since the war began, an Israeli human rights group reported that Palestinians inside Israeli prisons face daily violence from guards, who enter cells and beat inmates with batons, kicks and fists without provocation in abuse it said could amount to torture.

Physicians for Human Rights-Israel said in a report Monday that detainees reported guards urinating on them and forcing them to kiss the Israeli flag and to strip. Prisoners are also held in overcrowded cells and deprived of water for long periods, it said.

The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed concern about hundreds of Palestinian women and girls in Israeli detention. It said there were credible reports that at least two were raped, and others "subjected to multiple forms of sexual assault," including being stripped naked and searched by male officers and being photographed "in degrading circumstances."

Hearing at The Hague

The Palestinian foreign minister on Monday accused Israel of apartheid and urged the United Nations' top court to declare that Israels occupation of lands sought for a Palestinian state is illegal and must end immediately and unconditionally for any hope for a two-state future to survive.

The remarks came at historic hearings into the legality of Israels 57-year occupation. The case opened against the backdrop of the Israel-Hamas war, which immediately became a focal point of the day  even though the hearings were meant to center on Israels open-ended control over the occupied West Bank, the Gaza Strip and annexed east Jerusalem.

Palestinian Foreign Affairs Minister Riad Malki told the International Court of Justice that 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza, half of them children, are besieged and bombed, killed and maimed, starved and displaced.

"More than 3.5 million Palestinians in the West Bank, including in Jerusalem, are subjected to colonization of their territory and racist violence that enables it," he added.

International law expert Paul Reichler, representing the Palestinians, told the court that the policies of Israel's government are aligned to an unprecedented extent with the goals of the Israeli settler movement to expand long term control over the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and in practice to further integrate those areas within the territory of Israel.

The hearings follow a request by the U.N. General Assembly for a non-binding advisory opinion into Israels policies in the occupied territories. Judges will likely take months to issue an opinion.

Today in history: Feb. 19 1473: Nicolaus Copernicus 1878: Thomas Edison 1942: Franklin D. Roosevelt 1976: Gerald R. Ford 1997: Deng Xiaoping 2008: Fidel Castro 2017: Anthony Davis 2017: Jamie Dantzscher 2021: Joe Biden 2021: Kim Kardashian West
The widow of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny vowed on Monday to continue his fight against the Kremlin, while authorities denied his mother access to a morgue where his body is believed to be held after his death last week in an Arctic penal colony.

With her voice cracking at times in a video posted on social media, Yulia Navalnaya accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of killing her husband in the remote prison and alleged that officials' refusal to hand over the body to her mother-in-law was part of a cover-up.

Russian authorities said the cause of Navalny's death Friday at age 47 is still unknown. The results of any investigation are likely to be questioned abroad; many Western leaders already said they hold Putin responsible for the death.

Navalny's death deprived the Russian opposition of its most well-known and inspiring politician less than a month before an election that is all but certain to give Putin another six years in power. It dealt a devastating blow to many Russians, who saw Navalny as a rare hope for political change amid Putin's unrelenting crackdown on the opposition.

Navalny was imprisoned since January 2021, when he returned to Moscow after recuperating in Germany from a nerve agent poisoning he blamed on the Kremlin. He received three prison terms since his arrest on charges he rejected as politically motivated.

"They are cowardly and meanly hiding his body, refusing to give it to his mother and lying miserably while waiting for the trace of" poison to disappear, Navalnaya said, suggesting her husband might have been killed with another nerve agent.

She urged Russians to rally behind her "to share not only the grief and endless pain that has enveloped and gripped us, but also my rage."

She continued: "The main thing that we can do for Alexei and ourselves is to keep fighting.  We all need to get together in one strong fist and strike that mad regime."

On Monday, Ivan Zhdanov, the director of Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation, said Navalny's body would not be given to his mother for 14 days while a chemical examination of it takes place, according to a Russian investigator.

Navalny spokesperson Kira Yarmysh said the Investigative Committee, the country's top criminal investigation agency, informed Lyudmila Navalnaya that the official probe into the death was extended.

"They lie, buy time for themselves and do not even hide it," Yarmysh posted on social media.

With authorities offering no more information on the death after the brief initial statement, many Russians speculated about what might have happened to Navalny. Independent Russian outlets released reports attempting to shed light on his death. Some called into question the official narrative  but their reports were not possible to verify.

Meeting with EU

In Brussels on Monday, Navalny's widow met with European Union foreign ministers and other officials. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the bloc was mulling sanctions against Russia and he also called for an independent international investigation into the causes of Navalny's death.

He said responsibility for Navalny's death lies with "Putin himself, but we can go down to the institutional structure of the penitentiary system in Russia," to impose asset freezes and travel bans.

President Joe Biden said Monday his administration is also considering imposing additional sanctions on Russia.

Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski described Navalnaya as "very dignified, very composed," and urged his EU counterparts to act on Navalnaya's request that the bloc impose sanctions on more of Putin's backers, beyond the oligarchs and other senior Russian officials already being targeted.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov slammed the accusations from Western leaders as "boorish" and "inadmissible."

"Those statements can't do any harm to the head of our state, but they certainly aren't becoming for those who make them," Peskov said in a call with reporters.

Yarmysh said Navalny's 69-year-old mother and his lawyers were not allowed into the morgue in Salekhard, the capital of the Arctic Yamalo-Nenets region, on Monday morning. The staff didn't answer when they asked if the body was there, Yarmysh said.

Asked when Navalny's body could be handed over to his family, Peskov responded that the Kremlin was not involved in those proceedings.

Observers said the law allows authorities to keep the body for a long time if the investigation is ongoing and block any requests for an independent forensic study.

Navalny ally Ivan Zhdanov denounced the Russian authorities as "lackeys and liars."

"It's clear what they are doing now  covering up the traces of their crime," he wrote Monday.

Since Navalny's death, police in Russia detained almost 400 people as they streamed to ad-hoc memorials and monuments to victims of political repression with flowers and candles to pay tribute to Navalny, according to OVD-Info, a group that monitors political arrests. The U.S. and British ambassadors also mourned Navalny's death at a memorial in Moscow.

Authorities cordoned off some of the memorials across the country and removed flowers at night, but they kept appearing.

Russia's Federal Penitentiary Service claimed Navalny felt sick after a walk Friday and became unconscious at the penal colony where he was being held. An ambulance arrived, but he couldn't be revived, the service said.

After the last verdict that handed him a 19-year term, Navalny said he understood he was "serving a life sentence, which is measured by the length of my life or the length of life of this regime."

In her video statement, Navalnaya said: "By killing Alexei, Putin killed half of me, half of my heart and half of my soul."

"But I still have the other half, and it tells me that I have no right to give up. I will continue the work of Alexei Navalny," she declared.

Today in history: Feb. 19 1473: Nicolaus Copernicus 1878: Thomas Edison 1942: Franklin D. Roosevelt 1976: Gerald R. Ford 1997: Deng Xiaoping 2008: Fidel Castro 2017: Anthony Davis 2017: Jamie Dantzscher 2021: Joe Biden 2021: Kim Kardashian West
Two people were arrested following a shooting that left two men dead Tuesday at a bowling alley in the northeast Nebraska town of Bloomfield, according to the Nebraska State Patrol.

Alias Reed, 25, of Bloomfield and Reed's girlfriend Kaylyne Sweazy, 27, were arrested after the fatal shooting at Curt's Lanes and Dining at 112 W. Grant St, the State Patrol said in a Tuesday night news release.

The State Patrol and Knox County Sheriff's Office are holding a news conference Wednesday morning.

Local authorities received the report of the shooting at about 9:30 a.m. Tuesday. Investigators believe it happened during an altercation between Reed and the victims, the State Patrol said. Reed and Sweazy were found at their home a short time later.

Reed, who was lodged in the Knox County jail, was booked on suspicion of two counts of first-degree murder, according to the State Patrol. Sweazy, who was taken to the Antelope County jail, was arrested on suspicion of tampering with evidence.

The State Patrol, along with the Knox County Sheriff's Office and Bloomfield Police Department, is investigating.

More details on the male victims were not released Tuesday.

Officials said there is no ongoing threat to the public. Troopers were posted around Bloomfield on Tuesday to ensure community safety.

Top Journal Star photos for February 2024
Half of the Nebraska State Board of Education isnt running for reelection following several tumultuous years with controversial proposals and rising public scrutiny.

Patsy Koch Johns, Lisa Fricke, Patti Gubbels and Jacquelyn Morrison didnt file for reelection by the Feb. 15 deadline for incumbents. At least one board member called the past four years contentious as the board has dealt with a long list of hot button issues such as health education standards, COVID-19 protocols and library book bans.

Elizabeth Tegtmeier, board president, said the loss of the four incumbents will definitely change the dynamic of the board, which consists of eight members.

It will be interesting to see what happens this fall. I think that having no incumbents running is a little unusual, Tegtmeier said. If you look at our races two years ago, there were three incumbents that ran. So I do think its a little uncommon that we dont have any incumbents running this time.

While incumbents had to file for election by Feb. 15, new candidates have until March 1 to file with the state.

The majority of the remaining board incumbents lean conservative. But Tegtmeier said its important for board members to leave politics out of the job, especially because its a nonpartisan position.

I believe the reason that this board has been able to function as well as it has been is because we really leave politics at the door, she said. We focus on the matters in education that we are all wanting to move forward with. And so we dont talk a lot about campaigns and politics  it would not be productive.

Koch Johns and Fricke have been on the board since 2016 while Gubbels and Morrison have served since 2020.

Koch Johns announced in August that she wouldnt be seeking another term for her District 1 seat on the board, which represents Lincoln and northwest Lancaster County.

She began her Nebraska teaching career in 1976 at Cozad High School and remained there until she was hired at Lincoln High School in 2000. In 2006, Koch Johns was named the Nebraska Teacher of the Year, and in 2012, she was honored with the Governors Excellence in Arts Education Award.

On Monday, Koch Johns said she felt like eight years on the board was enough time for her and she wants to move on to other ways of being involved in education, though she doesnt know exactly what yet. She said the past four years have been more challenging because of controversial topics like the health standards.

I would have liked it better if there was more positive public participation, Koch Johns said. But thats the way it is in the world. When people think something is wrong, they are fired up by it.

Koch Johns said one disappointment she had was the handling of the proposed health standards. The proposal was halted indefinitely in 2021 after months of public backlash around sex education and inclusion of gender identity content.

I dont think we did everything right. And (students) need to be taught the right things  how to protect themselves and how to not be influenced by other kids (who) are participating in dangerous activities, Koch Johns said. And I was so hopeful that parents would see that and come and join us and help us define that process. I feel theres some unfinished business and I hate walking away from that.

The Omaha World-Herald was unable to reach Fricke on Monday for comment about her tenure. Fricke represents District 2, which covers several counties in Southeast Nebraska, including Sarpy, Cass, Otoe, Johnson and Nemaha. She worked as a Nebraska teacher for 36 years.

She was also involved in the states Special Education Accountability Commission for three years and is a current member of the Educator Health Alliance.

Gubbels represents a part of northeast Nebraska with her District 3 seat, covering several counties including Madison, Stanton, Washington and Platte, along with west Douglas County. She previously served on the Norfolk Public Schools board before joining the state board in 2020. She also has experience teaching education and psychology courses at a number of Nebraska colleges.

Gubbels said her goal was to only serve one term on the state board. Shes now running to get back on the Norfolk school board.

The last four years have been pretty contentious, Gubbels said. I feel like I want to keep contributing to education where I can, but at this point in my life, it just feels like its better for me to be contributing in my local community.

The Omaha World-Herald was unable to reach Morrison for comment. Morrison represents District 4, which is eastern Douglas County. Shes an attorney and works as the deputy chief of staff for economic development with the city of Omaha. Shes also a member of the Office of Violence Prevention Advisory Council.

The next regular Nebraska State Board of Education meeting is scheduled at 9 a.m. on March 8 at the Nebraska Department of Education office, 500 S. 84th St. in Lincoln.

Top Journal Star photos for February 2024
Assyrian, Greek, Armenian Genocide Recognition and Education in Australia

SYDNEY and CANBERRA, Australia -- The New South Wales (NSW) Legislative Council debated and unanimously passed a motion calling on Australia's largest state's government to expand Holocaust education to include the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek genocides and establish a museum to create further awareness, the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU) reported.

The motion, presented to the Legislative Council in the last sitting week of 2023 by the Hon. Chris Rath MLC, was debated on February 7, 2024.

Members from across the political aisle spoke on the historic motion, including Hon. Daniel Mookhey MLC (ALP), Dr. Amanda Cohn MLC (GRNS), Hon. Susan Carter MLC (LIB), Hon Mark Buttigieg MLC (ALP), Hon. Jacqui Munro MLC (LIB), Hon. Anthony D'Adam MLC (ALP) and Hon. Stephen Lawrence MLC (ALP).

In particular, powerful statements were made in support of expanding genocide education to incorporate the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek genocides in the curriculum and establishing a museum to create awareness about the genocides, by Rath, Munro, Cater and Buttigieg.

Rath, the youngest ever member of the NSW Legislative Council -- appointed in March 2022 -- said, "All of us as Australians -- students and children -- know a lot about the Holocaust, and rightly so. Many, many years later I learned about the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek genocides. They are still not well known and not well taught, which is a very sad thing and exactly what the motion is about."

ANC-AU Executive Director Michael Kolokossian welcomed the historic undertaking by the NSW Upper House.

"The Armenian-Australian community thanks Mr. Rath and his colleagues in the Legislative Council for ensuring New South Wales continues to lead the way after being the first state legislature to recognize the Armenian Genocide and the Republic of Artsakh," Kolokossian said. "The teaching of the darkest chapter of Armenian history is the next step to ensuring we have a more vocal citizenry when future attempts to exterminate our race -- as we witnessed with the recent ethnic cleansing of Artsakh -- are attempted by criminal autocratic regimes."

Meanwhile, the day before on February 6, the organizational wing of the Liberal Party of Australia officially adopted a party policy that, among other things, condemns the genocide of the Armenians, Assyrians and Greeks and calls for the Commonwealth government to officially recognize the genocides, the ANC-AU reported.

The motion was spearheaded by the Young Liberal Movement of Australia President, Dimitry Chugg-Palmer, who was present at the 2023 Federal Council, the organizational wing's highest forum for debating federal policies. Due to time constraints, the motion was referred to the Liberal Party's Advisory Committee on Federal Policy in 2023, where an overwhelming number of attendees voted in favor of the motion.

Kolokossian thanked Chugg-Palmer for his steadfast support and readiness to advance the interests of Armenian-Australians.

"This is a mammoth step for recognition of the Armenian Genocide in Australia. Whilst the views of the Federal Council are not binding on the party's parliamentary wing, it sends a clear and strong message to elected Liberal parliamentarians that the organization's 80,000 members and over 2,000 branches believe the party should stand on the right side of history and recognize the Armenian Genocide," Kolokossian said.

The Liberal Federal Council now joins the State Parliaments of New South Wales (1997), South Australia (2009), Tasmania (2023), the Australian Greens and several other state and territory Labor and Liberal Party branches in formally adopting a policy on the Armenian Genocide.

The full motion adopted read:

That this Federal Council calls on the Australian Parliament to:
The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) has released regulations on the study of the Party's history.

The introduction of the regulations holds significant importance in promoting regular, long-term study of the Party's history, and encouraging the entire Party and society to draw wisdom and inspiration from the Party's history, according to a circular issued by the CPC Central Committee.

Comprising six chapters and 34 articles, the document outlines general principles, leadership structures, responsibilities, content, and methods for the study of the Party's history.

Serving as the core internal guidelines of the CPC for organizing and conducting the study program, the regulations delineate four primary objectives of the study program: strengthening understanding, conviction, integrity, and diligence through continued study of the Party's history, according to the Institute of Party History and Literature of the CPC Central Committee.

The document prioritizes the study of the Party's new theories in the program, noting that the main methods for conducting the study of history include self-directed learning by Party members and organized group learning sessions.

The regulations point out the need to develop an accurate understanding of the underlying trends and defining features of the CPC's history of evolution, correctly understand the major events, meetings, and figures in Party history, properly address the mistakes and setbacks that have occurred on the Party's path forward, resolutely oppose and resist historical nihilism, and make official history the consensus of the entire Party and society.

In line with directives from the CPC Central Committee, Party committees at all levels are tasked with earnestly fulfilling their responsibilities, implementing effective measures, and ensuring the practical application of the provisions outlined in the regulations.
Units of five law enforcement departments, including Kenosha County, chased nearly a dozen stolen high-end vehicles through Kenosha County Sunday at speeds up to 130 miles per hour.

The Kenosha County Sheriffs Department was advised shortly after 6:30 a.m. Sunday that law enforcement was in pursuit of about 10 stolen Range Rovers, BMWs and Audis. The vehicles were about to enter Kenosha County at high rates of speed, according to Sgt. Colin Coultrip, the Kenosha County public information officer.

Units with the Wisconsin State Patrol, the West Allis Police Department, Milwaukee County Sheriffs Department and Racine County Sheriffs Office were taking part in the chase.

Kenosha deputies set themselves up along Interstate 94 to block traffic and assist in the pursuit.

While in Racine County the tires of one southbound fleeing vehicle were successfully spiked and the vehicle ultimately crashed just south of County Highway C on the interstate. The suspected driver was taken into custody without issue, according to Coultrip.

While actively pursing the initial group of suspected stolen cars at over 100 miles per hour, a second group of vehicles also headed south passed the marked squad cars at speeds in excess of 130 miles per hour, according to Coultrip.

All the second group vehicles, reportedly stolen from a car dealership in the Milwaukee area, made it into Illinois where Kenosha deputies involvement ended.

The pursuits were very abnormal because we did have nine, 10 different vehicles fleeing from law enforcement who had their lights and sirens on, Coultrip said Monday afternoon during a press conference. Its something weve never seen and we dont want to see again because of the great danger it put to all the motorists on the interstate.

Coultrip said the matter is under investigation to determine whether or not the matter involves organized crime and who else is involved.

Another incident

On Monday around 7:30 a.m., Lake County, Ill., sheriffs deputies said they were investigating an Audi Q5 reported stolen from a dealership in Illinois. The Illinois department asked Kenosha County sheriffs deputies to check an address off Antioch Road, according to Coultrip.

Coultrip said he located the vehicle on County Highway N at West Frontage Road and then followed it. Kenosha deputies along with the Wisconsin State Patrol conducted a high-risk stop on West Frontage Road just south of County Highway K. Two passengers remained with the vehicle, but the driver reportedly fled on foot through the field north of a water tower.

A perimeter was established and Deputy Terry Tifft and Deputy Matt Kasulke, along with their partners K-9 Riggs and K-9 Arlo, assisted. Riggs, 10, tracked the suspect and he was taken into custody.

The stolen Audi was recovered and returned to its owner without damage. One passenger had outstanding warrants, and illegal narcotics and paraphernalia were located in the vehicle.

K-9 units

All of our K-9 units provide such a great support to our community, Coultrip said, adding the department will ask county supervisors during Wednesday nights meeting for permission to raise funds for additional K-9 units.

Its a great resource where were able to bring fugitives to justice. Were able to search for people .... whether theyre missing or in danger, we can search for them instantly, Coultrip said.

Each K-9 unit can cost tens of thousands of dollars for training, medical and feeding needs. The department hopes to add one or two more when Riggs, who turns 11 this spring, retires.

Pretty soon its going to be K-9 Riggs time to retire. Now were looking to get resources and funding and donations in order keep our K-9 unit up and replace K-9 Riggs and get him living the retired life soon, Coultrip said.

Kenosha County has a total of five K-9 units.

Riggs sparked headlines in recent years after he was shot in the head and survived while helping capture a murder suspect. He now has his own plush toy. The mini version of the highly-trained canine comes with a collar and a bone-shaped, paw-stamped black badge with the inscription K-9 Hero, along with a black vest with his moniker.

Earlier this winter, the Kenosha County Boards Judiciary and Law Committee received its first look at Riggs plush. It unanimously approved creating a special fundraising account, allowing the sheriffs department to accept cash and electronic donations from the community or anyone who wants to support the K-9 unit.

Funds raised will only be used for expenses that benefit the K-9 unit and its mission, Coultrip said.

IN PHOTOS: Hero K-9 Riggs is released from the veterinary hospital Riggs Riggs Riggs Riggs Riggs Riggs Deputy Terry Tifft and K9 Riggs


(GV Wire Composite/Paul Marshall)

A new California bill would require gun owners to register their firearms annually with the California Department of Justice, paying an annual fee for each gun.

State Sen. Anthony Portantino (D-Burbank) introduced Senate Bill 1160. He says that annual registration would create a gun database in California.

"SB 1160 will give the state better data and help us understand how many firearms are in private hands and who owns them," Portantino said. "Currently we only have rough estimates on how many firearms are in California. This important step toward registration will also increase accountability and responsible gun ownership as we collectively endeavor to increase public safety."

Guns used by law enforcement personnel in the line of duty would be exempt from the yearly registration and fee under the bill. However, police officers would have to register and pay the fee for their personal firearms.

Related Story: California's Ammo Background Check Law Goes Back in Effect

Annual Fee Based on Program Costs

The DOJ would set the annual registration fee for each gun based on the program's cost. Bill language prohibits the fee to exceed the cost of the program. The bill does not estimate the cost.

Owning an unregistered gun would be considered an infraction under the law punishable by a $1,000 fine.

The database of gun registration would be shared among law enforcement agencies.

"This statute, which requires gun owners to register each firearm annually, is an important tool to remind all citizens of the civic responsibility that comes with owning a firearm," said attorney Brian Hennigan, who suggested the bill idea to Portantino. Hennigan suggested the bill alongside Loyola Law School Professor Laurie Levenson.

Related Story: AG Bonta Says California's Strict Gun Control Keeps People Safer
1. Yes. It will be convenient and the fares are cheap. I plan to use the transit system often.

2. Yes. I have a vehicle, but I may still use the service now and then, especially in bad weather.

3. No. I dont use the current bus service, and I dont plan to use the micro-transit service either.

4. No. It may be fine in town, but it still involves a transfer for longer trips. That wont work.

5. Unsure. Its hard to say. It depends on how well the service works once its in place.

Vote

View Results
All 271 proposals submitted by Chinese lawmakers during the annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC) in March 2023, have been deliberated by nine special committees of the NPC.

In addition, a total of 8,314 suggestions made by national lawmakers during the same period were referred to and handled by 204 organizations, with deputies receiving feedback. Out of these suggestions, 19 were selected as key recommendations and processed under the supervision of NPC special committees.

Around 46.5 percent of all suggestions focused on accelerating the creation of a new development pattern and pursuing high-quality development, approximately 15.9 percent were about improving people's well-being and 11.9 percent were related to invigorating China through science and education and developing a strong workforce for the modernization drive.

In his suggestion, Pan Jiaofeng, an NPC deputy and President of the Institutes of Science and Development under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, had proposed initiating work on autonomous driving standards ahead of schedule.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) together with the National Development and Reform Commission later processed the suggestion. Joint efforts were made by the two departments to study the suggestion, actively communicate with the deputy and brief him about its progress, seek opinions on the resolution, and provide very detailed written responses.

"During the process of handling the suggestion, we fully incorporated and drew insights from the proposed suggestions put forward by the deputy," said Guo Shougang, an official with the MIIT.

Guo noted that China has released a standard system for intelligent connected vehicles (ICVs), as well as regulations on production access for such vehicles and piloting on-road driving, which will accelerate the industrialization process of ICVs.
(Yangsan City)

Starting with the Wondong Water Parsley Festival, Yangsan City announced that it plans to hold a variety of flower festivals from Wondong to Mulgeum with beautiful natural scenery and abundant attractions.

The Wondong Water Parsley Festival will be held in the Wondong-myeon area of Yangsan-si starting February 23, and during the festival period, visitors can enjoy fragrant Wondong water parsley, known as clean and pollution-free food.

The opening ceremony, held on February 23rd at the Ssangpo Plum Multipurpose Plaza, will feature a variety of programs, including a pre-ceremony pungmul performance, water parsley and water parsley rice cake tasting, and a singing contest.

A local food store will also be operated where you can purchase agricultural products, such as water parsley and strawberries.

Next, the Wondong Plum Festival, Yangsans representative spring flower festival, will be held from March 9 to 17 at the Ssangpo Plum Multipurpose Plaza and the Wondong Weekend Market. During the festival, the city plans to operate an agricultural specialty product market, photo zone, and experience booth, as well as various performances by local artists.

In particular, this year, they plan to run a plum guksi restaurant, which is a food with Wondongs unique characteristics, and offer plum noodles, corn makgeolli, and water parsley pancakes for the first time.

Following the Wondong Plum Festival, the Mulgeum Cherry Blossom Festival, held along the Cherry Blossom Road in Hwangsan Park, will begin with traffic restrictions on March 25th and the opening event will be held for two days from March 30th to 31st.

This years Mulgeum Cherry Blossom Festival will feature a spectacular opening celebration performance by setting up a large-scale special stage in Hwangsan Camping Site.

In order to turn it into a family healing festival, various citizen experience events, and participation programs will be operated to greatly revitalize the local economy around Mulgeum Station.

In particular, since the Mulgeum Cherry Blossom Festival is held for the first time since the KTX has opened at Mulgeum Station, the number of tourists visiting Yangsan is expected to increase significantly compared to previous years.

In addition, the Cherry Blossom Road (Nakdong-ro between Mulgeumseobu Underpass and Hwangsan Campground Entrance) is closed to vehicles and is operated for pedestrians only, and the control period is from March 25th to April 3rd.
This spring the history of La Crosses North Side will come to life  thanks to a collaborative effort among several UW-La Crosse classes. Students studying photography, art education, history and marketing will expand and amplify the Hear, Here oral history project that started nearly a decade ago.

My Photo II class was asked to illustrate several of the Hear, Here stories through photography, says UW-L student Trinity Rietmann, an art education major. I was able to learn a lot about the history of La Crosse and improve my research and photography skills at the same time."

The original Hear, Here project started in downtown La Crosse in 2015. Developed by UW-L History Professor Ariel Beaujot and her students, Hear, Here captures audio stories from people of all backgrounds at specific city locations, accessed by dialing a toll-free number at orange street signs. Now expanding to the North Side of La Crosse, the project will include about 70 North Side stories and many more visual and educational elements courtesy of new campus collaborations.

The La Crosse North Side Hear, Here project is set to launch from 1-4 p.m. April 20.

Who are the Hear, Here collaborators?

 Ariel Beaujot's history students as recording and conducting interviews to develop the stories

 Kate Hawkes' art students are creating narrative photography for the stories

 Lisa Lenarz' art methods students are developing art-integrated curriculum based on select stories.

 Marc Mankes art students are designing promotional materials.

 Nese Nasifs marketing class is creating a launch for the event and social media promotions of the project.

 Sierra Rooney, Art, is the project manager for Hear, Here.

Associate Professor Kate Hawkes students are taking photos to accompany the stories on the Hear, Here website whether portraits of the story narrators, images to illustrate stories, or uncovering historic photographs and imagery from UW-L Murphy Library Special Collections.

It is a great opportunity for students to gain professional experience, engage with the community and work collaboratively between departments, says Hawkes. I think students really love getting out of the classroom, photographing on location, and searching the archives. I remember, at the archive, one student in the archive excitedly saying, I feel like we are solving a mystery!

Rietmann took photos of various North Side locations where the stories were set. Although some spots are now empty lots where buildings once stood, she enjoyed figuring out creative ways to bring them back to life. In particular, she loved photographing horses to help tell a story narrated by William Koch about how ice was harvested using horses from the Black River and another about the use of well-trained horses when responding to fires. Although it was a tricky assignment and the horse photos ultimately werent used, the experience deepened her knowledge of what it is like to be a professional photographer.

Unlike people, horses do not follow instructions for posing. You pretty much have to catch them doing their thing, says Rietmann. I shot a ton of photos and only a few of them ended up being decent shots, but that's okay. You're never going to get the perfect photo on the first try, and photographing the horses was a great reminder of that.

Hawkes says the experience builds students skills of visual communication and solving problems creatively and critically.

I am interested in this project because students get real world experience collaborating and producing their work for the public, says Hawkes. It is concrete, and many unforeseen issues and questions arise that we talk through and solve together. It cannot be replicated in an isolated classroom.

A first for everything, including art lesson plans

UW-L student Maddy Atkinsons class is creating art lesson plans for teachers revolving around the Hear, Here stories. The class project was Atkinsons first time creating formal art lesson plans and materials, an activity she describes as a great experience for a future career in teaching.

This has given me a different perspective on how to write lesson plans, thinking about what materials are on hand or affordable for the majority of teachers, the time frame teachers are working with, and what prepared materials are necessary, says the art education major.

An overarching consideration for pre-service teachers in the art education program is to experience what it means to be a "teaching artist" that is part of their community, explains Lisa Lenarz, UW-L associate professor of art.

When students have authentic opportunities to engage in learning that's connected to their community, it has the potential to be more meaningful and long-lasting than learning that's purely theoretical in nature, she says.

Once complete, the art education materials created in the Hear, Here classes will be accessible to the larger community, says Lenarz.

Our hope is through the developed curriculum, others will be able to elongate their experiences with these community members' stories and/or local places through art making experiences, she says.

In addition to learning, students in Lenarzs class have also found the project to be engaging. When testing one of the lesson plans a student had made based on Hunter Wagner's Hear, Here story of urban hiking, students experimented with a technique called frottage (crayon rubbings). It required they be blindfolded and use senses other than sight to document place and texture in the hallways of the Truman Lowe Center for the Arts. Atkinson recalls relying on classmates to guide her through the halls using only their voice. In addition to experimenting with a drawing technique, she says, "It was a good trust exercise."

Teachers: Find lesson plans

The art education materials created in the Hear, Here classes will be accessible to the larger community at www.hearherelacrosse.org/curriculum

Partner with a UW-L classroom

Take advantage of instructor expertise and provide students with real-world experiences through the UW-L Community Engaged Learning (CEL) Program. Community members can submit project ideas for partnership on the UW-L Community Idea Exchange: www.UW-Lax.edu/community/UW-L-community-idea-exchange-submission.

Related links:
George Howe, age 63, of La Crescent, MN, passed away unexpectedly on February 14, 2024.

He was born in La Crosse, WI to his beloved parents, the late Alice (Schneider) and Thomas Howe.

Survivors include his wife, Cheryl, of La Crescent; two children: Ryan of La Crescent and Rachel (Graham Miller) of La Crosse, WI; five siblings: Jenny (Chris) Ovide of Wauwatosa, WI, John (Susan) Howe of Eden Prairie, MN, Lolly Howe of Ojai, CA, Cari Howe of Los Angeles, CA, and Stephanie Howe of Milwaukee, WI. Nieces and nephews are Tom (Whitney) and son Ari, Erin and Kelsey Prestby, Jonathon, Sarah and Laura Howe, Yvette Starke, Harlan Howe-Tinder and Martilia and Lex Marechal. Furthermore, he is survived by his father and mother-in-law Jack and Carole Bast of La Crosse; brothers-in-law Chris Bast of La Crosse and Neil Bast of Larchmont, NY, and many cousins, aunts and uncles.

George grew up on North Ridge near La Crescent, Minnesota, graduating from La Crescent High in 1978. He attended Winona State University, earning a bachelor's degree in Environmental Science with emphasis in biology, chemistry and geology. He went on to earn two Masters of Science degrees from the University Wisconsin-La Crosse, first in Biology with a river studies emphasis (1991), and later, in Education (2002), with certification in biology, chemistry and earth science.

In 1986, George was hired by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service as a Fisheries Research Biologist where he was lead-author on numerous scientific publications. He was involved in local government from 1999-2004, working as chairman and supervisor for Dresbach Township. He led efforts to fund the construction of a railway overpass and road project in Dresbach, eliminating 5 dangerous railroad crossings.

In 2000, George left research to pursue his greatest passions, land conservation and environmental education. While working on his second master's degree, George founded the Southern Bluffs Chapter of the Minnesota Land Trust, leading efforts to permanently protect nearly 1,000 acres of private woodlands, prairies and natural habitats, per the wishes of the landowners, and preserving these places for generations to come.

George taught biology at the high school level for two years before joining Mississippi Valley Conservancy (MVC) in 2004, filling the position of Conservation Director; there, he led efforts protecting nearly 14,000 acres of land in southwestern Wisconsin, conducted over 100 public outreach and educational activities, and co-produced MVC's Mysteries of the Driftless, an educational documentary film which won a Regional Emmy in 2014. Furthermore, George secured over $11 million in state, federal, and local grant funds to complete 27 land and conservation easement acquisition projects in western Wisconsin.

In 2015, George, along with his friend and colleague, Tim Jacobson, founded the organization that is now known as Sustainable Driftless, Inc. (SDI) in 2016. SDI is dedicated to inspiring resource conservation, vibrant communities, and sustainable growth in the Driftless Region. The organization produced the feature-length, nature documentary, Decoding the Driftless, which was recognized at the 22nd Upper Midwest Regional Emmy Awards in the Twin Cities. George was especially proud that his son, Ryan, contributed original music for the soundtrack of Decoding the Driftless.

George also took pride in returning to University of Wisconsin-La Crosse as an educator and inspired hundreds of students in the Sustainability & Environmental Studies Program as a regular guest presenter each semester. For over ten years, he enthusiastically taught introductory students to appreciate the Driftless region, biodiversity, and the importance of curiosity. George was working on a short film, Driftless Escapes. The film will showcase all four seasons throughdazzling aerial, ground and underground adventures across the region. Continued fund-raising for conservation education was high on his list of priorities, among many things left unfinished.

His existing and unfinished work stand as a monument to his love for the land and his desire to share that love with others.

George was especially known for his light-hearted, bubbly, and outgoing personality. He acquired many friends in his 63 years and was always making new connections wherever he went. Whether he was fundraising for his next film or taking in some live music, George cherished the people and relationships he had. The people closest to George knew him to be exceptionally caring and compassionate -- if there was a need, he was there with his best advice and a home-cooked meal. George was also known for his ability to lighten the mood with a good joke (or a bad one, depending on who you ask). His unique sense of humor came from his late father, Tom, and paternal grandfather, George (his namesake), who both very much enjoyed a good laugh. His ability to connect and the loyalty he showed to the people and places he loved earned him a very special place in many hearts.

George was a fierce and passionate advocate for local land conservation and preservation specifically for his home in La Crescent, MN which his family lovingly named Great Spirit Bluff. He was part of the third generation to live on Great Spirit Bluff and his love for nature stemmed from the inspirational land where he was raised. He passed on his land ethic to his children and countless others who were inspired by the beautiful scenic vistas of his home.

George felt a strong spiritual connection to nature and practiced his faith with deep appreciation for its intricate complexity and beauty. His many projects on the bluff reflected this deep appreciation for the native ecosystems and intrinsic value of the land. George established 5 acres of native prairie and managed many more acres of forests and nature preserves with the help of his family and friends. Thanks to George, Great Spirit Bluff is protected forever with help from the Minnesota Land Trust and will be safeguarded for generations to come.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, February 24, 2024 at Roncalli Newman Center, 1732 State St., La Crosse. Father Billy Dodge will officiate. Visitation will be held at the Schumacher  Kish Funeral & Cremation Services, 111 S. Oak St., La Crescent, MN on Friday from 4-6 PM and again at the church on Saturday from 10 AM until the time of service.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Sustainable Driftless, Inc, P.O. Box 1231, La Crosse, WI 54602 or visit www.sustainabledriftless.org
Senate Republicans rejected four of Gov. Tony Evers appointments to the UW Hospital Board and state natural resources board Tuesday, leading the Democratic governor to promptly appoint four replacements.

Unfortunately, with these legislative Republicans, bipartisanship and common sense always seem to take two steps forward and two steps back, and that trend continued today when Senate Republicans took up yet another group of exceptionally qualified citizen appointees and fired them for simply doing their jobs, Evers said in a statement.

The Senate rejected former Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton, former Rep. Sondy Pope of Mount Horeb, and former Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals president Candice Owley, appointees to the UW Hospital Board, known formally as the UW Hospital and Clinics Authority. The chamber also rejected Evers appointment of Todd Ambs to the states natural resources policy board.

GOP lawmakers did not offer a reason for rejecting the UW Hospital Board appointees, but Republican members of the Senate Health Committee last year questioned the appointees about their views on abortion policy.

Ambs served as deputy secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources before retiring in December 2021. He was appointed by Evers to fill one of the seats left vacant after Senate Republicans fired four members of the board in October.

Republicans have taken aim at Ambs for online criticism he made in the past of the Republican Party and former President Donald Trump.

We are asking (Evers) to send us appointees who are willing to work with all, Sen. Mary Felzkowski, R-Irma, said before the vote to reject Ambs appointment.

In a statement, Ambs said the argument that he cannot work with Republicans is patently false.

I know how to work in a bipartisan manner, Ambs said. The majority party in the Wisconsin State Legislature does not. In fact, they seem to think that bipartisan is some sort of lethal virus because they avoid it like the plague.

Appointments for Owley and Ambs were rejected along party lines. Felzkowski and Sens. Rob Cowles, R-Green Bay, and Joan Ballweg, R-Markesan, joined Democratic lawmakers in voting against firing Lawton. Sen. John Jagler, R-Watertown, and Cowles voted against rejecting Popes appointment.

Senate Republicans have now fired 13 of Evers appointees.

Evers said the efforts to oppose his appointees upend basic functions of democracy, obstruct the peaceful and respectful transfer of power, and threaten, intimidate, and even baselessly fire individuals who may not share their political beliefs or who dare to publicly disagree with them.

Shortly after Tuesdays vote, Evers appointed former Port Washington High School teacher Deb Dassow to the natural resources board. He also appointed Ryan Neibauer, political director with IBEW Local 494, and former state Reps. Deb Kolste and Donna Seidel to the UW Hospital Board.

While todays decision is a disappointment, I know that the individuals who are taking up these positions will similarly perform to the highest standards of public service Wisconsinites expect, Evers said.

Today in history: Feb. 20 1907: Theodore Roosevelt 1938: Anthony Eden 1962: John Glenn 1998:Tara Lipinski 2005: Sandra Dee 2012: Dmitry Medvedev 2012: John Glenn 2021: Naomi Osaka 2021: United Airlines 2022: Russia Ukraine War
The Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism has sent artist and cultural delegations to 13 cities in nine countries to celebrate the Chinese New Year and promote cultural exchange and mutual understanding.

As part of the "Happy Chinese New Year" cultural program, the cultural delegations kicked off their trips in San Francisco, the U.S., in late January. They proceeded to visit cities in North America, South America, and Europe, achieving unprecedented outreach in terms of the numbers of cities visited, activities held, engagement levels, and overall event scales.

Over 100 cultural ambassadors were selected from prestigious institutions like the Central Conservatory of Music, Beijing Chinese Orchestra, Beijing Dance Academy, Beijing Vocational College of Opera and Arts, and various intangible cultural heritage institutions. They were divided into groups and hosted nearly 70 activities including artistic performances, photo exhibitions, cultural fairs, and tourism promotions. Notably, the "Happy Chinese New Year" festivities were held in London, Edinburgh, Mexico City, and Lima for the first time.

Major outdoor celebrations in locations such as Trafalgar Square in London, National Art Center of Mexico (Cenart), Rotermann Square in Tallinn, Estonia, and Allou! Fun Park in Athens, Greece, attracted over 800,000 spectators.

By Sunday, the "Happy Chinese New Year" events had generated over 30 million topic-related posts and video views online, reaching over 100 million users on various streaming platforms.
On 19 February authorities in Mexicos Jalisco state announced the death of a teenager who was injured in a shootout in San Pedro Tlaquepaque municipality the previous day, bringing the death toll to seven.

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On 19 February Brazils justice & public security minister,, authorised the deployment of the national guard (Forca Nacional) to support the manhunt for two convicts who escaped from a federal prison last week.

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In an indictment leaked on 19 February, Haitian judge Walther Wesser Voltaire, who is investigating the July 2021 assassination of former president Jovenel Moise (2017-2021), announced charges against his widow, Martine Moise, and former prime minister Claude Joseph (2021), among some 50 individuals.

Analysis:

Voltaire is the fifth investigating judge in charge of the case after his predecessors quit citing concerns for their personal safety. The charges, which were made public by Haitian online media AyiboPost in a leaked 122-page document, represent a potential breakthrough in the investigation into Moises murder  the mastermind of which has yet to be identified. Over 40 people have been arrested in Haiti in relation to the murder, including former Colombian soldiers, but until now no-one had been formally charged in Haiti. The investigation, which is taking place alongside a parallel investigation in the US, for which 11 defendants have been named and a handful have pleaded guilty, could further exacerbate tensions in Haiti. This comes as the country is already facing an unprecedented security crisis and as the caretaker prime minister, Ariel Henry, who has previously been accused of involvement in the plot through alleged links to a key suspect, Joseph Felix Badio, recently saw massive protests demanding his resignation.

According to the document Martine Moise, who was wounded in the deadly assault, and Joseph, who briefly led the country following Moises murder before Henry took over, are both charged with complicity and criminal association.

The indictment also includes charges against former police chief (2004-2005; 2020-2021) Leon Charles , Haitis current representative to the Organization of American States (OAS). Charles faces charges including murder, attempted murder, possession and illegal carrying of weapons, and conspiracy.

, Haitis current representative to the Organization of American States (OAS). Charles faces charges including murder, attempted murder, possession and illegal carrying of weapons, and conspiracy. According to the indictment Martine Moise refused to cooperate with requests to answer questions about her husbands killing and made statements so full of contradictions that they ultimately discredited themselves. These include claims that she hid under the couples bed to protect herself from the assailants. Investigators suggested there was not enough room to fit under the bed.

The indictment does not directly accuse Moise of plotting the murder. It also does not provide direct evidence of her involvement. Instead, it cites testimony from Badio, who according to the document, was working for the plotters, as claiming that she was scheming with others to take over the presidency. Badio was arrested in October last year, having been on the run for over two years, and has also been charged.

Badio was cited as saying that various groups were seeking to remove Moise. Under one of these schemes, following Moises departure, Joseph would remain prime minister during the transition period and would organise elections in which Martine Moise would run as a presidential candidate.

Some of the names which feature in the indictment include those who have been charged in the US in relation to the separate investigation taking place there. Among others these include: Joseph Vincent , a Haitian American, John Joel Joseph , a former Haitian senator (who have both issued guilty pleas), and Christian Emmanuel Sanon , a US-Haitian pastor, who conspirators reportedly sought as Moises replacement, according to US charges.

, a Haitian American, , a former Haitian senator (who have both issued guilty pleas), and , a US-Haitian pastor, who conspirators reportedly sought as Moises replacement, according to US charges. The US Department of Justice has previously suggested that the motives behind the plot relate to money and power; through ousting Moise, his replacement would serve the co-conspirators political goals and financial interests.

Looking Ahead: With Martine Moise yet to respond to the charges, in a statement to the Miami Herald, Joseph accused Henry of weaponising the Haitian justice system to persecute opponents in a classic coup detat, claiming the caretaker prime minister was the main beneficiary of the plot.
A group of environmental organizations is seeking an official declaration that American horseshoe crabs are endangered.

The groups have requested the declaration with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The U.S. agency administers the Endangered Species Act, which was established in 1973.

The American horseshoe crab  known as a living fossil  is one of the oldest living creatures on Earth. It is believed to date back at least 450 million years. Scientists do not actually consider horseshoes true crabs. This is because they are more closely related to spiders and scorpions than to other sea creatures.

If NOAA approves the endangered declaration, it would generally make it unlawful for people to harm or kill a horseshoe crab without an official permit to do so.

Research suggests horseshoe crab populations in the U.S. have decreased sharply over the past 30 years. For example, growth numbers for the animals are down two-thirds from 1990 in an area of the Delaware Bay. Environmental groups say this body of water in the northeastern state of Delaware once held the largest population of horseshoe crabs.

Research also shows that egg densities for the animals have fallen more than 80 percent over the past 40 years. The reproduction drops are linked to environmental changes causing other sea creatures to eat their larvae and eggs, researchers say.

A collection of 23 environmental groups have joined to seek the endangered declaration. The request, or petition, also seeks the establishment of a critical habitat for horseshoe crabs to be protected.

The request names numerous threats to the animals  all of which are blamed on human activities. These include harvesting the crabs to be used for bait, use in biomedical activities, habitat loss and climate change.

A spokesperson for NOAA confirmed to Reuters news service the agency was examining the groups petition, but did not comment further.

Will Harlan is a senior scientist at the Arizona-based Center for Biological Diversity. He told Reuters, "We're wiping out one of the world's oldest and toughest creatures." His group is one of those seeking the endangered declaration.

Drug manufacturers harvest horseshoe crabs in large numbers for their blue-colored blood. The blood is used to test and develop drugs and medical devices. The petition states that in 2022, nearly 1 million of the animals were used for medical purposes.

Current law permits the biomedical industry to capture small amounts of horseshoe crab blood before releasing the animals alive to areas where they were collected.

However, NOAA says between 10 to 15 percent of harvested animals die during this process. Harlan said non-industry research suggests this rate is even higher. Those estimates show that 30 percent of horseshoe crabs captured for blood collection die in the process.

Harlan noted that while synthetic blood versions are widely used in Europe, American companies have been slow to use them.

The petition says the other main cause of population drops is overharvesting of horseshoe crabs for commercial fisheries. Environmental activists say this is likely to continue, with no sign of recovery even after harvesting limits were established.

Im Bryan Lynn.

Reuters reported this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for VOA Learning English.

__________________________________________

Words in This Story

fossil  n. something (such as a leaf, skeleton, or footprint) from a plant or animal that lived in ancient times and that you can see in old rocks

larvae  n. the form of some creatures, such as insects, before they develop into a different form

habitat  n. the natural environment for plants or animals

bait  n. food that is used to try to attract fish or animals in order to catch them

wipe out  v. to destroy

synthetic  adj. a group of products made from artificial substances, often copying a natural product from ancient times

commercial  adj. related to buying and selling things
COZAD  On Wednesday, the Wilson Public Library welcomed Peter Osborne, director of the Robert Henri Museum, who shared updates on construction progress at the museum.

Osborne foresees September or October as the likely time frame for completion, barring any setbacks such as severe weather.

The new museum will be constructed just north of the current gallery.

Osborne shared pictures of how the new museum will look inside and outside. Emphasizing the significance of the project, Osborne also delved a bit into the rich history of Robert Henri and the legacy of the museum in Cozad.

Osborne expounded upon the features involved in the museums construction, highlighting key features such as enhanced security systems and state-of-the-art climate control measures aimed at preserving the artwork on display. Notably, despite recommendations to dismantle the current museum structure, Osborne expressed a desire to retain it as an archive building once the new museum is completed.

With an eye toward expansion, Osborne disclosed plans to equip museum staff and volunteers with walkie-talkies to facilitate communication within the larger premises. Furthermore, the relocation of the gift shop to the new museum premises promises added convenience for patrons.

Osborne said the museum has raised $230,000 for its endowment.

In a reflection on visitor preferences, Osborne shared that a significant majority, approximately 75%, express a keen interest in the museums extensive painting collection. Expressing a broader aspiration to attract more visitors from beyond Nebraskas borders, Osborne recounted several stories of visitors from various corners of the country arriving in Cozad.

Among these anecdotes, Osborne recounted a memorable encounter with visitors from Cozad, Ohio, in 2023. He also noted a diverse array of guests hailing from major cities such as New York City, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Im absolutely certain this new museum will be a game changer, Osborne said. Its going to bring even more people from all over the country to our new museum.
Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Preston Love Jr. of Omaha will visit four west central Nebraska cities Feb. 27 and a fifth Feb. 29 during a weeklong meet and greet greater Nebraska tour.

Love, who finished a distant third to former Republican Sen. Ben Sasse in a four-way 2020 election, hopes to succeed GOP Sen. and former Gov. Pete Ricketts in finishing the term from which Sasse resigned in January 2023.

Love will start Feb. 27 with events at 9:30 a.m. at Madelines Cafe & Bakery in Lexington and 11:30 a.m. at Gothenburgs Mi Ranchito restaurant.

Hell speak with North Platte residents at 1:30 p.m. at The Cedar Room, 505 N. Dewey St.

After his North Platte stop, Love will finish his Feb. 27 schedule with a 5:30 p.m. MT meet-and-greet at The Driftwood restaurant in Ogallala.

Hell speak at 4 p.m. CT Feb. 29 at Bolo Beer Company in Valentine after completing his westward swing the previous day in Scottsbluff. Hell start his statewide tour Feb. 26 in Grand Island, Hastings and Kearney and end it March 1 in ONeill.

Love and Todd Newbold of Omaha have entered the May 14 Democratic primary to serve the last two years of Sasses term. Ricketts, appointed by Gov. Jim Pillen after Sasses resignation, currently faces John Glen Weaver of Omaha for the GOP nod.

Republican Sen. Deb Fischer of Valentine is separately running for re-election to a full six-year Senate term. Shes currently opposed for the GOP nomination by Arron Kowalski of Grand Island, independent Dan Osborn of Omaha and Legal Marijuana NOW candidate Kenneth Peterson of Beatrice.

Love, the son of the late noted Omaha jazz musician and music critic Preston Love Sr., served as campaign manager for the Rev. Jesse Jackson during the latters 1984 Democratic presidential primary campaign.

He announced a write-in Senate campaign in 2020 after the Nebraska Democratic Party withdrew its support from Chris Janicek of Omaha, who had won the partys primary nod to oppose Sasses re-election bid that year.

When Love entered the race, the state Democratic organization endorsed him, making him the first Black in to receive a major partys backing for a Nebraska Senate bid.

Sasse, who would resign two years into his second term to become University of Florida president, defeated Janicek by more than a 2-to-1 margin to win a second term in the November 2020 general election. Love won 58,411 write-in votes to edge out Libertarian Gene Siadek.
 Flash

Yemen's Houthi group announced Monday evening that they launched missile attacks against two U.S. ships in the Gulf of Aden, saying the hits were "accurate."

In a televised statement aired by the group's satellite TV channel al-Masirah, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said the attacks against American ships, Sea Champion and Navis Fortuna, were "accurate and direct," without specifying the damages or casualties.

According to Sarea, the attacks brought the total number of Houthi operations during the past 24 hours to four. The first targeted a British ship resulting in its complete sinking. The second shot down a U.S. MQ9 drone in the airspace of Hodeidah Governorate, while the last two attacks targeted two American ships.

"Our operations in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea will escalate and will not stop unless (Israeli) aggression (on Hamas) stops and the siege on the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip is lifted," the Houthi military spokesperson said in the statement.

Earlier in the day, Britain's Maritime Trade Operations agency said the crew had safely departed the attacked Britain-registered vessel.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Central Command said in a brief statement posted on social media platform X that the British cargo vessel was hit by two ballistic missiles fired from Houthi-controlled areas in northern Yemen.

"Between 9:30 and 10:45 p.m., Feb. 18, two anti-ship ballistic missiles were launched from Iranian-backed Houthi terrorist-controlled areas of Yemen toward MV Rubymar, a Belize-flagged, UK-owned bulk carrier. One of the missiles struck the vessel, causing damage," the U.S. Central Command said.

"The ship issued a distress call and a coalition warship along with another merchant vessel responded to the call to assist the crew of the MV Rubymar. The crew was transported to a nearby port by the merchant vessel," the U.S. Central Command added.

Shortly before the Houthi forces' televised statement, the Houthi forces accused the United States and Britain of launching an airstrike on the area of Al-Jabanah in the port city of Hodeidah, which is under Houthi control.

Residents there said an explosion occurred in an empty location.

On Saturday, the U.S. Central Command conducted "five successful strikes in self-defense" against Houthi targets, including mobile missiles and "for the first time" underwater drones.

It said its strikes since January against the Houthi forces aimed to degrade the Houthi military capabilities.

However, Houthis, in response, have increased and expanded their attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since last November to include the U.S. and British navy ships recently.

The Houthi forces have been controlling the strategic Hodeidah on the Red Sea since the 2018 UN-sponsored Stockholm Agreement, which was backed by the United States and Britain, forcing the Yemeni internationally recognized government out.
The Soviets have opened a new phase in space exploration with the launch of the worlds biggest space station, Mir.

The successful launch of Mir comes just over three weeks after the American space shuttle Challenger disaster, in which seven astronauts died.

At next weeks Communist Party congress in Moscow the Mir project is likely to be hailed as proof that the Soviets are leading the peaceful exploration of space.

Mir, which means both peace and world in Russian, is intended to provide a base for a permanently manned complex orbiting the Earth.

It succeeds the Soviet Salyut models, the last of which, Salyut 7, was launched in April 1982 and is still in orbit.

The Americans also had a space station, Skylab, which suffered damage on its initial launch and eventually proved too costly to maintain and fell back to Earth in 1979.

Soviet officials say their new craft represents the transition from research to large-scale production activities in space.

The station has six docking stations, which means other modules or laboratories can be added to it, expanding its size and capability.

The deputy head of the Soviet cosmonaut training centre, Alexei Leonov, said it would only be possible to determine how long Mir would remain in orbit after it had completed its first flight.

He said the cosmonauts, now taking part in a special training programme, would have separate cabins with windows and even individual desks and armchairs.

Mr Leonov explained that Salyut 7 was too small for the plans now being implemented by Soviet experts.

It has only two docking stations and can support a crew of only three, whereas Mir can carry between six and ten people.

The main work of the first cosmonauts on board Mir will be to continue with the experiments in materials processing, begun on Salyut 6 and 7.

Other activities will include observation of the Earth using high-powered cameras, as well as helping locate mineral deposits on Earth and monitor the seas for trawlers.

Courtesy BBC News

In context

The first crew arrived on board Mir on 15 March 1986 and it remained more or less continuously occupied until November 2000. Crew member Valeri Polyakov stayed up a record 439 days.

The end of the Cold War marked a new era of space co-operation.

In September 1993 US Vice-President Al Gore and Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin announced plans for a new space station, which would later be called the International Space Station, or ISS.

In preparation for this new project, the US became more closely involved with Mir.

From March 1995 seven US astronauts consecutively spent 28 months on Mir, during which time the spacecraft suffered a number of emergencies included a large fire on 23 February 1997 and a collision with an unmanned cargo ship on 25 June 1997.

Mounting costs contributed to the decision to bring down Mir.

Mir remained in space until 23 March 2001, during which time it orbited the Earth more than 86,000 times.
The government has drafted bill that proposes a jail term of between one and five years for individuals involved in illegal gambling loans within casino premises.

The proposed legislation updates Macaus existing illegal gambling regime, known as Law No.8/96/M.

According to the bill, anyone providing money or other means for gambling with the intention of obtaining financial benefit may face imprisonment for between one to five years.

In aggravated circumstances, such as when the accused person demands an identification document as a guarantee, those found guilty could face imprisonment for between two and eight years.

The bill also provides for punishments for various gambling-related crimes, including an entry ban of between two and 10 years in Macau gaming establishments, and expulsion or a ban from entering the Macau SAR for non-residents convicted of such crimes.

The legislation also provides for individuals involved in these crimes as part of a secret association or society, potentially resulting in longer prison sentences.

The latter legal term in Macau is usually understood to be a reference to Chinese criminal groups often referred to as triads, and is considered a crime that might result in longer prison sentences.

Furthermore, the bill proposes increasing maximum jail sentences and the permitted duration of preventive detention for gambling crimes, including under-the-table betting via the multiplier, as previously mentioned in a December briefing by local government officials. Staff Reporter
A bipartisan delegation of U.S. senators made an official visit to Hungarys capital yesterday [Macau time] and called on the nationalist government to immediately approve Swedens request to join NATO.

Hungary is the only one of NATOs 31 existing members not to have ratified Swedens bid. The Hungarian government faces mounting pressure to act after delaying the move for more than 18 months since admitting a new country to the military alliance requires unanimous approval.

The visiting senators announced they would submit a joint resolution to Congress condemning alleged democratic backsliding in Hungary and urging the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orban to lift its block on Swedens trans-Atlantic integration.

With accession, Hungary and your prime minister will be doing a great service to freedom-loving nations worldwide, Sen. Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican, said during a news conference at the U.S. Embassy in Budapest.

The resolution, first reported early Sunday by The Associated Press, was authored by Tillis and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, a New Hampshire Democrat. Joining them in the delegation to Budapest was Sen. Chris Murphy, a Democrat from Connecticut.

Shaheen said it was disappointing that no members of the Hungarian government had accepted invitations to meet the delegation but she was hopeful and optimistic Swedens accession would be submitted for ratification when Hungarian lawmakers reconvene on Feb. 26.

Murphy said the refusal of Orbans government to meet was strange and concerning, but that the onus was on the long-serving leader to push for a vote.

We are wise enough about politics here to know that if Prime Minister Orban wants this to happen, then the parliament can move forward, he said.

Earlier this month, U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin, a Maryland Democrat and chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, raised the prospect of imposing sanctions on Hungary for its conduct, and called Orban the least reliable member of NATO.

In the resolution, obtained by the AP, the senators note the important role Hungary can have in European and trans-Atlantic security, but point out its failure to keep earlier promises not to be the last NATO ally to sign off on Swedens membership.

Hungary, the resolution says, has not joined all other NATO member states in approving the accession of Sweden to NATO, failing to fulfill a commitment not to be last to approve such accession and jeopardizing trans-Atlantic security at a key moment for peace and stability in Europe.

Orban, a staunch nationalist who has led Hungary since 2010, has said that he favors making Sweden part of NATO but that lawmakers in his party remained unconvinced because of blatant lies from Swedish politicians on the state of Hungarys democracy.

But in a state of the nation speech in Budapest on Saturday, Orban indicated that Hungarys legislature might soon relent.

Its good news that our dispute with Sweden is nearing a conclusion, he said. We are moving toward ratifying Swedens accession to NATO at the beginning of the spring session of Parliament.

The senators resolution criticizes Orbans increasingly warm relations with Russia and China, and notes that while Hungary has opened its doors to Ukrainian refugees fleeing Moscows invasion, it has also resisted and diluted European Union sanctions with respect to the Russian Federation.

Orban, widely considered to be the Kremlins closest EU ally, has long been criticized for flouting the blocs standards on democracy and the rule of law. The EU has withheld billions in funding from Budapest over alleged breaches of its rules.

Hungarys government has also adopted an increasingly adversarial stance toward the administration of President Joe Biden, accusing the U.S. of attempting to influence Hungarian public life.

Peter Szijjarto, Hungarys foreign minister, said Friday that he welcomed the senators visit but that it was not worth trying to exert pressure on us, because we are a sovereign country.

We are glad they are coming here because they can see for themselves that everything they read about Hungary in the liberal American media is a blatant lie, Szijjarto said. JUSTIN SPIKE, BUDAPEST, MDT/AP
The annual event of a statue of Jesus Christ being carried across Macaus historic heart to mark Lent, a period of 40 days that leads up to Easter, took place last weekend. Flanked by clergymen in purple robes and crowds of spectators, the Procession of the Passion of Our Lord, Jesus Christ saw the statue transported from St. Augustines Church to the citys cathedral for an overnight vigil. On Sunday, the procession returned to St. Augustines, with worshippers pausing regularly to mark the 14 Stations of the Cross  a series of tableaux depicting Jesus suffering on his way to crucifixion.

Related
The Year of the Dragon started strong as preliminary data from Alipay shows the number of outbound spending transactions by Alipay users during the 2024 Spring Festival was already 107% of the level in the same period in 2019.

Alipay operator Ant Group said in a statement that transactions of overseas Chinese tourists from Feb. 9 to Feb 12 were 7% higher than for the same holiday period in 2019.

Data shows there was a 45% increase in Hong Kong, signaling the return of the overseas Chinese tourist.

According to Alipays analysis of its Lunar New Year holiday cross-border travel data, the period has once again become the peak season for global travel consumption after four years, with a clear two-way warming trend.

Hong Kong, Macau, Japan, South Korea and other nearby destinations are the most sought after, while the popularity of Europe, the US, Australia, North America, the Middle East and other long-haul destinations are also gradually warming up.

By spending amount, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Korea, France, Australia and Canada are the top 10 destinations favoured by Alipay users, as cited in the statement.

Data from multiple online travel platforms showed that on the first day of the eight-day holiday, outbound travel bookings already surpassed the 2019 figure with Southeast Asian countries, particularly those with visa-free policies for Chinese nationals, emerging as red-hot destinations.

From Feb. 10 to 13, bookings for hotels in Bangkok tripled year on year, while reservations for Singaporean hotels reported a stunning growth of 800%, according to the travel platform LY.com.

According to a market forecast by Ctrip, a leading travel platform in China, the eight-day holiday would mark the countrys first travel rush of the year, with a notable increase in international travel being one of the highlights.

Destinations in Southeast Asia have continued to gain traction as many in China opted for the region for an escape from the winter season, said Gao Tao, from Tuniu.

The tourism industry has gone through a rough patch in the past three years due to the pandemic. But it is now poised for a growth spurt, particularly in outbound tourism.

The holiday period is an important barometer for consumption, which has been lagging due to the countrys continued property crisis and macroeconomic headwinds.

However, the post-CNY data is showing a temporary relief as the worlds second largest economy is regaining its footing amid deflationary risks.

Total domestic trips for the eight-day long holiday that began Feb. 10 rose 34.3% to 474 million, while tourism receipts grew 47.3% to 632.6 billion yuan, according to data published Sunday by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Thats 19% more in terms of trips and 7.7% more in terms of tourism spending for the equivalent period in 2019.

Supported by various favorable factors such as government policies, [services] supply and propaganda work, people in urban and rural areas have exhibited a rising willingness to travel, with many indicators such as the number of trips and travel spending hitting record high levels, the ministry said in a statement.
Sands Chinas responsible gaming efforts in 2023 has wrapped up with donations to support local social service organisations, training sessions and workshops.

As an integrated resort operator, it is our responsibility to raise awareness of the importance of responsible gaming among our team members and the community, said Wilfred Wong, executive vice chairman of Sands China Ltd.

Two of Sands Chinas gaming areas, The Plaza Casino and The Parisian Casino, passed the Responsible Gambling Indicators program, and held 46 responsible gaming roadshows at the back-of-house team member areas of its properties.

Sands China donated MOP 1 million to five local nongovernmental organisations in Macau last year. The gaming operator also held a variety of responsible gaming trainings during the year and held six parent-child events to strengthen communication and understanding among families.
At least 26 combatants and an unconfirmed number of bystanders were killed in a gunbattle between warring tribes in Papua New Guinea, police said yesterday.

A tribe, their allies and mercenaries were on their way to attack a neighboring tribe when they were ambushed Sunday in Enga province in the South Pacific nations remote highlands, Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary Acting Superintendent George Kakas said.

Police Commissioner David Manning later described the clash as a gunbattle between warring tribes. An unconfirmed number of villagers also were killed. Police reinforcements were sent to the scene of the battle, Manning said.

At this point, its not clear exactly how far we have moved into the conflict there, Manning told Australian Broadcasting Corp. But the intent is to regain control or have a significant presence in that conflict area and then work  our way through our procedures in dealing with this type of incident.

Kakas initially said 53 combatants had died. But security forces later revised the death toll down to 26.

Bodies were collected from the battlefield, roads and the riverside, then loaded onto police trucks and taken to the hospital. Authorities were still counting those who were shot, injured and ran off into the bushes, Kakas said.

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape said he had great concern about the violence in Enga and urged the warring tribes to lay down their weapons.

If there are community disputes, there are ways to deal with the community disputes, Marape said.

Lay down your arms. A lot of disputes will be resolved. One killing or two killings doesnt solve the problem. It contributes towards more problems, he added.

Papua New Guinea is a diverse nation of 10 million mostly subsistence farmers speaking 800 languages. Internal security has become an increasing challenge for its government as China, the United States and Australia seek closer security ties to the country in a strategically important part of the South Pacific.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said his government was ready to assist Papua New Guinea, which is Australias nearest neighbor and the largest single recipient of Australian foreign aid.

That is very disturbing the news that has come out of Papua New Guinea, Albanese said before the death toll was revised down.

We remain available to provide whatever support we can in a practical way, of course, to help our friends in PNG, Albanese added.

Albanese said Australia was already providing considerable support for Papua New Guinea and was helping train the countrys police officers.

Tribal violence in the Enga region has intensified since elections in 2022 that maintained Prime Minister James Marapes administration. Elections and accompanying allegations of cheating and process anomalies have always triggered violence throughout the country.

Enga Gov. Peter Ipatas said there were warnings that tribal fighting was about to erupt.

From a provincial perspective, we knew this fight was going to be on and we (alerted) the security forces last week to make sure they took appropriate action to ensure this didnt occur, Ipatas said.

Ipatas described the violence as a very, very sad occasion for us in the province and its a bad thing for the country.

Scores of people have died in tribal fighting in the Enga region in the past year.

Port Moresbys Post-Courier newspaper has reported that high-powered firearms used in the recent fighting made it risky for police to enter the battlefields.

Police said they were assisted by the military in protecting the general public and government property.

Papua New Guinea government lawyer Oliver Nobetau expected more lives would be lost in retaliation for the massacre.

Theres a big concern that this will continue on. Revenge killings tend to be a normal thing that happens, said Nobetau, who is on temporary assignment to the Sydney-based international policy think tank Lowy Institute.

Tribal violence is something that happens commonly, but never to this scale, Nobetau added. His comments related to the higher death toll, but he later said they still applied to the revised toll of 26.

Police had limited resources to deal with such violence on a massive scale, Nobetau said.

Tribal violence is something that is prevalent and the government with its limited resources will try to deploy the police wherever they can to try to curb the security issues, he said. ROD McGUIRK, MELBOURNE, MDT/AP
Macaus Court of Final Appeal (TUI) has released an explanation for its rejection of businessman William Kuans habeas corpus petition.

According to a statement from the Office of the President of TUI, the top court pointed out that Kuans pre-trial detention had already concluded, and he had commenced serving his sentence.

Therefore, the TUI said that the assumptions and grounds of the habeas corpus application cannot stand.

While the decision to dismiss the petition was made in January, the courts detailed reasons were only disclosed Sunday.

Kuan was one of the defendants in the Public Works Case, which involved several businessmen and two former directors of the Public Works Bureau, all found guilty of various criminal offenses. Kuan has been in custody since December 2021.

Initially sentenced to 18 years in prison, his sentence was subsequently reduced to five and a half years by the Court of Second Instance. Currently, Kuan is awaiting the outcome of the prosecutions appeal seeking to reinstate the original 18-year sentence. Staff Reporter
Authorities are investigating the deaths of the chairman of Lyco Manufacturing and his wife, the company said Monday.

In a statement to employees, the Columbus manufacturing company said, Earlier today, local law enforcement informed us that our Chairman Dave Zittel and his wife Sue Zittel had both been found dead. We are shocked and extremely pained by this news, and we are in touch with the authorities as they gather the facts and circumstances about this heartbreaking situation.

Dave and Sue were respected members of the community, and they were dearly loved by their family and many, many others. They did much to make the community a better place.

According to its website, Lyco was founded by Dave Zittel in 1980 and is a leading manufacturer of commercial cooking and cooling machines, liquid-solid separation screens, root crop peelers and scrubbers and snap bean equipment. The company says its customers include 50 of the top 100 food companies in North America along with many smaller companies, and that many of its cookers, coolers and screens are recognized as the best in the world.

A profile in the Wisconsin State Journal in 2012 stated the company employed 100 people.

Authorities said Monday morning they were investigating two deaths in the Columbus area they believe are related but did not release the names of the deceased or the circumstances of the deaths.

The Dodge County Sheriffs Office is investigating a death that occurred on Oak Grove Drive in the town of Elba, while the Columbus Police Department is investigating a death that occurred in the lobby of the emergency department for Prairie Ridge Health, 1515 Park Ave., Sheriff Dale Schmidt said in a statement.

While the investigations into these two death scenes are still ongoing, it is believed that both incidents are related, and a joint investigation is ongoing, Schmidt said. There is no risk to the public.

The hospitals emergency/urgent care entrance was closed Monday morning, with staff directing people to an adjacent entrance for their medical needs. Patti Walker, Prairie Ridge manager of community relations, said Monday afternoon the emergency room and urgent care were open and operating as normal.

No additional details were released by law enforcement, but more information is expected to be released on Tuesday, Schmidt said.
Proposed legislation that would allow clerks to begin processing absentee ballots on the day before Wisconsin elections, a proposal that officials say would speed up vote counting and reduce doubt during elections in the battleground state, is unlikely to pass before the 2024 election, the Senates top Republican said.

Speaking with WISNs UpFront, Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu said Assembly Bill 567, dubbed the Monday processing bill, has so far failed to get out of the Senate elections committee.

Even if it did, the Oostburg Republican, who has proposed previous iterations of the bill, said there is not enough support among Senate Republicans to pass the measure.

Im not sure that we have enough votes to pass that this session, LeMahieu said.

The bill, which passed the Assembly on a voice vote in November, would allow clerks to complete tasks on the day before Election Day, including checking a voters eligibility and removing the ballot from its envelope to prepare for the count. The proposal would still bar clerks from counting absentee ballots until after polls close on election days, which are always on a Tuesday.

Democratic Gov. Tony Evers has said he would sign the Monday processing bill in its current form.

Efforts to give clerks a head start on the task of counting absentee ballots have garnered bipartisan support over the years due in part to the length of time it takes poll workers to count ballots and report results in high-turnout elections, particularly at Wisconsins central count locations such as Milwaukee.

Sen. Dan Knodl, who chairs the Senate Committee on Shared Revenue, Elections and Consumer Protection, said in a December email some GOP members of the committee have raised concerns with components in the proposal, including over the chain of custody of ballots. The Germantown Republican said he does not plan to advance the bill to a committee vote, which prevents the measure from reaching the full Senate.

LeMahieu said if the bill does not come to fruition this session, its incumbent on Milwaukee to count their ballots faster.

Its not my job to push or hold back individual bills, LeMahieu said. I try to make sure  for the bills that get through the committee process  that we have good support and theyre good for the state of Wisconsin.

Editor's note: This story was updated on Feb. 20, 2024, to include Gov. Tony Evers' first name and party.

Elections 101: Video series explains how elections are carried out in Wisconsin The Wisconsin Elections Commission put together the following series of instructional videos and accompanying lesson plans for use in high school civics classes and the general public. Elections overview An overview of elections administration in Wisconsin. Voting Security Let's take a look at how we maintain security and integrity with all of our elections. Nuts and bolts The ins-and-outs of voter processes like registering to vote and requesting a ballot to vote absentee. A Day at the Polls See what it is like to go to the polls and vote.
When Democratic Gov. Tony Evers signed new legislative boundaries into law Monday, he forced more than 40 incumbent lawmakers  mostly Republicans  who now find themselves in districts with one another, to contemplate their political futures.

The new legislative boundaries are leading some lawmakers to contemplate moving out of their current homes and going to a vacant district. For others, the decision is a little more complicated. They need to weigh whether to run against another fellow incumbent, drop out of politics, move with their families or hope the lawmakers theyre paired with will leave first.

The district that Ive represented, the bulk of it, is moved away from me, said Sen. Robert Cowles, R-Green Bay, who, under the new maps, is paired in the same Senate district with two other lawmakers. So my intent would be to move into that, the place that Ive represented in the past.

That means moving out of the condo where he has spent almost 25 years.

Ill miss my neighbors. Ive got quite a few friends in here, he said. Im not going to cry about it though. Id like to keep serving the 2nd Senate District. And if thats what it takes, thats what I got to do.

Some Democrats have said pairing incumbents is an inevitable result of undoing the baked-in Republican advantage of the legislative maps the Wisconsin Supreme Court declared unconstitutional in December. Besides being drawn to favor Republicans, Democrats said the old maps, which were drawn in secret, likely sought to protect incumbents by not pairing them together.

But many conservatives were livid about Evers pairings, suggesting liberals went above and beyond the Wisconsin Supreme Courts redistricting requirements to gain a political advantage by intentionally putting Republican incumbents into the same district.

Sen. Duey Stroebel, R-Saukville, said hes a stones throw away from his old district, the 20th Senate District, which he began representing in 2015.

His property lies along the edge of the 8th Senate District, which he said has around 30% of the residents he currently represents. Hes now paired with Sen. Dan Knodl, R-Germantown.

That was done by design, said Stroebel, who voted for Evers maps last week because he said he wanted legislators to choose the states boundaries, not the court. That happened all over the state, with Republicans by the dozens, and Democrats with a small handful.

Part of running for office

Evers spokesperson Britt Cudaback denied the accusation, adding that Evers maps undo a decades worth of Republican gerrymandering designed to ensure Republican incumbents could keep their seats, and it is not possible to right that wrong without drawing some gerrymandered incumbents into the same district.

No incumbent elected official should be upset about having to work to earn their neighbors support and votes in order to be re-elected, she said. Its a basic part of running for office.

Stroebel said he spoke with Knodl about the pairing and was assured Knodl wouldnt run against him. But Stroebels new district has only a slight Republican lean, according to a WisPolitics.com analysis, raising the prospect of a competitive general election.

I dont believe therell be a primary, Stroebel said. And, frankly, I think that Ill do pretty well in the (new district) also. So, you know, well see what happens. But whoever wants to take me on. Ill be taking them on.

Knodls office didnt immediately respond to a request for an interview.

Under the maps Evers signed, Republican incumbents would be paired in 15 districts, according to the Legislative Reference Bureau. There are Democratic pairings in just two districts, and four of the new districts would include both Republican and Democratic incumbents.

Sen. Julian Bradley, R-Franklin, was moved out of his current Senate district and paired with Sen. Van Wanggaard, R-Racine, under the new maps. Shortly after Evers signed the redistricting proposal, Bradley said on the social media platform X that he would seek reelection to the district he currently represents, signaling that hell move.

The maps that are now the law of the land were drawn without favor to incumbency, said Rep. Alex Joers, D-Middleton, a first-term lawmaker paired with Rep. Mike Bare, D-Verona, whos also in his first term. I will spend the coming days with my family considering my options and how I will continue to best serve the people of Wisconsin.

While Joers weighs his decision, Bare said hes running in the district theyre paired in.

Whoever else runs, well be in the campaign together, he said. I live in Verona, I have for a number of years. We love it here, my kids are in school here, and I dont intend to move.

Today in history: Feb. 19 1473: Nicolaus Copernicus 1878: Thomas Edison 1942: Franklin D. Roosevelt 1976: Gerald R. Ford 1997: Deng Xiaoping 2008: Fidel Castro 2017: Anthony Davis 2017: Jamie Dantzscher 2021: Joe Biden 2021: Kim Kardashian West
The Wisconsin Senate is due to vote Tuesday on the GOP's latest tax cut proposal, a package of bills that would dramatically expand the state's second income tax bracket and provide tax credits to Wisconsin retirees and parents.

The proposed expansion to Wisconsin's second tax bracket passed the Assembly 62-34 last week, with Democratic lawmakers opposed. If approved Tuesday, the four bills head to Democratic Gov. Tony Evers. The governor has said he'll consider a cut that focuses on Wisconsin's middle class, but has remained largely silent on the specific bills likely to reach his desk in the near future.

Who would be affected?

If you make between $14,320 and $28,640 as an individual ($19,090 and $38,190 as a joint filer), your current tax rate is 4.4%. Under the GOP plan, Assembly Bill 1020, that tax bracket would balloon to include individuals making up to $112,500 and joint filers making up to $150,000.

Another bill in the package, Assembly Bill 1021, would remove taxes on up to $75,000 in retirement income from, for example, 401(k) accounts and pension funds for individuals 67 or older. For couples, the first $150,000 in retirement earnings would be exempt.

Assembly Bill 1022 would expand the marriage income tax credit from $480 to $870.

Assembly Bill 1023 would increase tax credits to $10,000 for one child or dependent or $20,000 for two or more children or dependents.

How much would I save in taxes?

Under the first bill, the average Wisconsinite would pay $454 less in taxes, according to the Legislative Fiscal Bureau. But the amount varies depending on income.

Those making between $60,000 and $70,000 would save an average of $189, while Wisconsinites making between $250,000 and $300,000 would save an average of $965. That's because Wisconsinites with incomes outside of the proposed tax bracket would still be paying lower taxes on the amount covered by the modified bracket.

The cut in taxes on retirement income would save the average Wisconsinite about $1,582 this year, while expanding the marriage credit would save the average couple about $338. Expanding the child tax credit would save the average filer about $656.

Sounds great. But how much will it cost the state?

Giving all that money back would come at a cost. Expanding the second tax bracket would result in a $742 million drop in income taxes this year. Exempting the first $75,000 in retirement income would cost another $466 million a year, while expanding the marriage and child credits would lower collections by about $160 million and $73 million respectively.

The Legislative Fiscal Bureau estimates the proposals will reduce state revenues by $2 billion in the 2024-25 fiscal bureau and $1.4 billion in fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27.

Didn't the Republicans try this before

Kind of. In November, Evers vetoed a Republican proposal to reduce the income tax rate from 5.3% to 4.4% for people in the state's third tax bracket, a vast category covering individuals earning between $28,640 and $420,420 a year and married filers earning between $38,190 and $405,000. He vetoed the same proposal when he signed the state budget in July.

In July 2021, as Evers approached a November race for his second term in office, which he ultimately won, the governor signed the state's GOP-authored budget, which included more than $2 billion in income tax cuts.

The tax cut brought down the income tax rate from 6.27% to 5.3% for individual income between about $24,000 and $263,000 a year, or between $32,000 and $351,000 for married filers.

So is the governor going to sign this one?

Speaking with WISN's "UpFront," Evers said he has looked over the bills and he's "sure there are some that we would agree on."

The governor said Republicans' proposal to provide tax credits to parents "seems like something that would work," but he added "it's not going to do anything to help the providers of that child care."

Evers has called on Republicans to provide more direct state funding to address soon-to-expire federal subsidies for child care operators.

Today in history: Feb. 19 1473: Nicolaus Copernicus 1878: Thomas Edison 1942: Franklin D. Roosevelt 1976: Gerald R. Ford 1997: Deng Xiaoping 2008: Fidel Castro 2017: Anthony Davis 2017: Jamie Dantzscher 2021: Joe Biden 2021: Kim Kardashian West
The founder and chairman of Lyco Manufacturing in Columbus killed his wife in their home and then went to a hospital emergency room where he fatally shot himself, authorities said Tuesday.

Columbus police were called to Prairie Ridge Health, 1515 Park Ave., at 6:20 a.m. Monday on a report of a man who was outside the entrance with a gun. They arrived to find Dave Zittel, 85, had shot himself, Columbus Police Chief Dennis Weiner said at a news conference at the Dodge County Sheriffs Office.

Medical aid was immediately attempted by medical staff but not viable, as he had already passed, Weiner said.

Columbus police contacted the Dodge County Sheriffs Office to check Zittels home in the town of Elba, where deputies found Sue Zittle, 81, dead at 6:58 a.m., Dodge County Dale Schmidt said.

The sheriffs office immediately began a joint law enforcement investigation into the incident, and the case is still open and under investigation, Schmidt said. As such, we are only able to provide limited details in the investigation.

No one else is believed to be involved in the incident.

With this incident occurring inside of a hospital, we feel it is important for the public to be aware that this is an isolated incident and that the community is safe, Schmidt said.

We would like the community to also know that the Prairie Ridge Health responded as they should have and immediately went into lockdown until mid-afternoon. They also diverted all ambulances temporarily until it was determined safe to resume operations. They resumed normal operation after the law enforcement investigation was completed on Monday, he said.

The Columbus Police Department and the Dodge County Sheriffs Office have been in contact with members of the Zittels family, who asked for privacy as they mourn the loss of their loved ones, Schmidt said.

Zittel founded Lyco Manufacturing in Columbus in 1980 and was the chairman of the board of the company. Lyco is a manufacturer of food processing machinery. Lyco employees were notified of the death of the couple on Monday.

Dave and Sue were respected members of the community, and they were dearly loved by their family and many, many others. They did much to make the community a better place, the company said in its statement to employees.
A column was published last month in more than 50 student newspapers across the country and signed by more than 150 student leaders. It opened with a heartbreaking statement:

Students are taught to love a country that values guns over our lives.

It is hard to hear, but its also hard to argue with the facts. Gun violence is now the No. 1 killer of children and young adults in the United States. Decades of rolling back gun safety laws while allowing easy access to guns is taking a deadly toll.

The Legislature can take commonsense steps to protect our students in Wisconsin. According to Everytown for Gun Safety, in states where elected officials have taken action to pass gun safety laws, fewer people die by gun violence. Gun safety laws save lives. And when it comes to the strength of our gun laws, Wisconsin is falling behind. We must do better, and we must act now.

Unfortunately, Republicans in the Legislature have been able to hide behind gerrymandered voting districts. These maps have enabled them to satisfy the demands of the extremist gun lobby, while ignoring students, parents and community leaders begging them to take action. Many firearm safety bills have been introduced to make Wisconsin safer, several of them bipartisan, but few get even a public hearing.

Most recently, we introduced Senate Bill 982, which would prohibit a person from possessing a firearm in a building or on the grounds of a publicly or privately owned college or university, mirroring other gun-free school zones. Students, faculty, and staff in higher education should be able to teach and learn with the peace of mind that firearms are not welcome on campus.

This is one of more than a dozen proposals that could help reduce gun deaths, but it wont see the light of day in the Republican-controlled Legislature.

We are approaching the end of yet another legislative session without any meaningful action to reduce gun violence. When the session concludes this spring, legislators will return to their districts, kick off their reelection campaigns, and offer thoughts and prayers when more lives are needlessly and tragically lost to guns. Unless we act now, students will complete this spring and then begin another school year in the fall in a state that values guns over their lives.

Together, we as Wisconsinites must make our voices heard by calling members of the Legislature and demanding a public hearing on this and other firearm safety legislation. The next step toward safer communities is holding legislative leaders accountable and making them listen to the people who elected them.
Q: Is the town pronounced Shoshone or like Shoshoni?

A: Shoshone is the nation. Shoshoni refers to the people and the language. Just as America is the nation and Americans are the people.

The fight song does say Shoshoni and it is pronounced that way in the song, Shoshone Middle-High School Principal Kelly Chapman said. That is the only time that I am aware that we are referred to as Shoshoni.

Music instructor F.J. Haruda wrote the school song in December 1938.

Our town is pronounced Shoshone, Connie Taylor, secretary and treasurer of the Lincoln County Historical Society. Shoshone is one of oldest towns in the Magic Valley located on the Oregon Short Line Railroad.

In 1881, it was a little settlement on Little Wood River called Naples and Junction City. Before that it was called Big Bottoms by cowboys who drove their cattle from the Wood River country to the Snake River plains. The name of this little oasis in the desert was changed to Shoshone from the Indian word meaning Great Spirit, Taylor said.

Movie about Shoshone people filmed in Elko area The film and production crew for Newe, The Shoshone People, shot scenes the weekend of Feb. 2-4 in Ruby Valley, Spring Creek and Elko.

In the 1870s, the Shoshoni and Bannock Indian tribes roamed the central Snake River area and north of the foothills on the Camas Prairie, she said. In the summer they dug camas roots on the prairie and fished for salmon along the Snake River.

Back in the 1880s cowboys who drove their stock from Wood River country to Snake River plains for winter feed passed through Shoshone, Taylor said. They called Shoshone town site, Big Bottoms. It was an expanse of sagebrush at that time, but the next spring when they took their cattle back, the cowboys found the entire area covered in water. It was overflow of Little Wood River as there had been deep snow in the mountains that winter. This is why they call our area Big Bottoms. Or some refer to it as Big Flats.

Then as construction camps were built alongside the new rail tracks it was called Naples. Soon thereafter it was called Junction City. Early 1883 it was named Shoshone.
As a devout Republican, it pains me to reflect on the divisive legacy Dorothy Moon and her leadership team has etched in our Grand Ole Party. Once a party known for its unity and commitment to once conservative values  freedoms and liberties for all, fiscal accountability, support of science and data  we find ourselves marred by internal conflicts, alienated members, and a distressing departure from our core principles. What does that potential legacy look like?

Alienation of respected conservatives: Moons insistence on giving a small group of Precinct Committeemen the authority to bring elected officials to tribunals, censure them, and strip them of party resources, with no appeal process, is nothing short of an unchecked power grab. Her zeal for condemning fellow Republicans for not meeting her personal definition of conservatism is alarming. This behavior has driven away respected traditional conservatives and silenced voices that have long been the backbone of our conservative movement. This does nothing but breed an atmosphere of fear and intimidation, stifling the diversity of thought that should be the hallmark of a vibrant party.

Rules and regulations undermining principles: Imposing rules like the purity waiting period, where voters must wait a year before affiliating with the Republican Party, is an affront. Such rules only serve to alienate potential supporters, pushing them away rather than welcoming them into the conservative fold.

Support of extremists and convicted criminals: Moon has lent her voice of support for people like convicted rapist Aaron von Ehlinger, while shaming and even doxing the young woman who bravely spoke out against him. She also shared support for extremist Ammon Bundy. Both  among others  are troubling and undermine the values we should be upholding for our voters. We must hold ourselves to a higher standard.

Transition to a caucus causing voting chaos: Moons decision to transition Idaho from a GOP primary to a caucus will drastically limit the number of people who can vote. What caregiver, blue-collar employee, deployed military personnel or stay-at-home mom will be able to dedicate hours of their day to a caucus? This move, made unilaterally, goes against the principles of inclusivity and broad participation that our party should stand for. And now the media cannot participate? Transparency and election integrity seem to be questionable.

Claiming power to appoint electors: In addition to stripping power away from voters and shifting to a firehouse caucus, Moon has given herself the power to unilaterally appoint 32 GOP delegates to the RNC Convention to determine the Republican nominee for Novembers election. With no formal primary, your vote doesnt matter.

Growth of political extremism, elitism and pandering to special interests: The rise of political extremism in Idaho is a direct consequence of Moons leadership. The concentration of power in the hands of party elites fosters an environment of elitism, alienating everyday Republicans who may feel their voices are drowned out by a select few. Moons leadership seems to compromise our values in pursuit of financial support, jeopardizing the very principles we claim to uphold.

Infighting and loss of party unity: A party plagued by infighting is a weakened party. Moons tenure has witnessed internal strife, pitting Republicans against each other instead of focusing on the true opposition. Unity, once our strength, is now a distant memory.

This additional attempt to bully her way to power and refusing to welcome viewpoints from her peers could leave Idahoand the nationwith drastic, long-term leadership consequences.

Dorothy Moons leadership has left an indelible mark on the Idaho GOP, and its not one we should celebrate. As Republicans, we must question whether we want a party that compromises its values, alienates its members, and allows power to be concentrated in the hands of a few.

Its time to reflect on the direction in which Moon is taking us and consider if this is the party we want to be a part ofa party that risks losing touch with its roots and families but more importantly, with the conservative voters it claims to represent.
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Japan Tobacco International has been certified Top Employer in the Philippines for the third year in a row.

The award acknowledges JTIs continuing commitment to creating a great place to work for its diverse workforce located across three entities in the country.

The certification by Top Employers Institute cements JTIs reputation in the Philippines as an employer that puts our people first. It recognizes that our people are at the heart of everything we do and shows the progress we continue to make in improving our work environment, caring about the wellbeing of our employees, as well as our focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion, said JTI Philippines people and culture director Ari Wisnubroto.

Being awarded Top Employer three years in a row demonstrates to both our current and future employees that JTI is a great place to work. This certification is a key component in attracting and retaining talent, said Wisnubroto.

JTI is one of only 12 companies to be honored with the Top Employer award in the Philippines.

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The company said in a statement it ensures that its employees and their families have the best-in-class support thanks to the likes of its progressive family leave policy, enabling eligible employees across the country to benefit from 20 weeks fully paid leave when welcoming a child, regardless of their gender, sexual orientation or the way they become parents.

JTI also implemented flexible working measures as well as providing notable support to various underrepresented groups, including, but not limited to, supporting women in leadership roles and LGBTQ+ communities.

JTI in the Philippines also achieved the highest scores possible for the likes of people strategy, leadership, work environment, purpose and values, ethics and integrity and sustainability.

While we are very pleased to have received the Top Employer certification for the third consecutive year, we are even more delighted that the various initiatives we have put in place in the Philippines have helped improve our employees wellbeing, job satisfaction and opportunities to continue to develop their careers, Wisnubroto said.

In a country where we have grown significantly in recent years, it is crucial that we strive to be the best we can be for our people and continue to nurture our talent at all levels of the organization for sustained business growth, Wisnubroto said.
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Metro Pacific Investments Corp. said Tuesday it is keen on acquiring the 35-percent stake of Ayala Corp. in Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC), the private operator of Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1.

I think in principle, we are [interested] for a number of reasons. One is the possibility of being able to bid for the MRT-3. I understand that the government wants to do what they did with NAIA, because we submitted an original proposal, MPIC chairman Manuel Pangilinan told reporters.

I think they are taking a similar path to NAIA [Ninoy Aquino International Airport] where there was an open bidding. Thats likely to be made in 2025, Pangilinan said.

MPIC has the right of first refusal on Ayala Corp.s stake.

They [Ayala] have signified their intention publicly to divest. And I think it is easier for us to move if it were majority-owned, fully under the control of MPIC, Pangilinan said.

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MPIC owns 35.8 percent of LRMC, while Sumitomo Corp. and Macquarie Infrastructure Holdings Philippines have 19.2 percent and 10 percent, respectively.

LRMC won the bidding for the 11.7-kilometer Cavite extension project and took over the operation of LRT Line 1 on Sept. 12, 2015. LRT Line 1 runs from Baclaran in Pasay City to Munoz in Quezon City.

The company earlier said Phase 1 of the LRT Line 1 Cavite extension was expected to be operational before end of 2024.

Phase 1 covers 7 kilometers of the 11-km. LRT-1 Cavite Extension, including the Redemptorist Station, MIA Station, Asiaworld Station, Ninoy Aquino Station and Dr. Santos Station.

The remaining stations are between Las Pinas and Niog.

Ayala earlier said it expects to raise up to $400 million from the planned divestment of its 35-percent stake in LRMC and remaining 20-percent interest in Manila Water Company Inc.

Sources said the groups existing partners in these projects are the potential buyers. For LRMC, Metro Pacific has the right of first refusal on Ayala Corp.s stake.

More strategic investors and private equity funds expressed interest in acquiring Ayalas shares in the company with the recent fare adjustment at LRT1.
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London, United KingdomBritains National Crime Agency on Tuesday said it had disrupted the worlds most harmful cybercrime group in an international operation targeting ransomware specialist LockBit.

NCA director general Graeme Biggar said the agency had successfully infiltrated and fundamentally disrupted the organization, which last year attacked Britains Royal Mail and a Canadian childrens hospital.

We have hacked the hackers. We have taken control of their infrastructure, Biggar said, adding that in the past year LockBit had been behind 25 percent of all attacks.

As of today, LockBit is effectively redundant, LockBit has been locked out, he said.

LockBit was targeted as part of a dedicated taskforce called Operation Cronos involving the NCA working with the US Federal Bureau of Investigation and agencies in nine other countries.

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LockBits websiteselling services that allow people to organize cyber attacks and hold data until a ransom is paid appearswas taken over on Monday evening.

A message appeared on the site stating that it was now under control of law enforcement.

This site is now under the control of The National Crime Agency of the UK, working in close cooperation with the FBI and the international law enforcement task force, Operation Cronos,' it read.

Acting US Assistant Attorney General Nicole Argentieri said LockBit had targeted over 2,000 victims worldwide, including in Britain and the United States and has received more than $120 million in ransomware payments.

In January 2023, US law enforcers shut down the Hive ransomware operation, which had extorted some $100 million from more than 1,500 victims worldwide.

Following that action, Lockbit had been seen as the biggest current threat.

Dark Web

Hive and Lockbit are part of what cybersecurity experts call a ransomware as a service style, or RaaSa business that leases its software and methods to others to use in extorting money.

Ariel Ropek, director of cyber threat intelligence at cybersecurity firm Avertium, told Agence France Presse (AFP) last year that this structure makes it possible for criminals with minimal computer fluency to get into ransomware by paying others for their expertise.

On the so-called dark web, providers of ransomware services pitch their products openly.

At one end are the initial access brokers, who specialize in breaking into corporate or institutional computer systems.

They then sell that access to the hacker, or ransomware operator.

But the operator depends on RaaS developers like Hive or Lockbit, which have the programming skills to create the malware needed to carry out the operation and avoid counter-security measures.

Typically, their programsonce inserted by the ransomware operator into a targets IT systemsare manipulated to freeze, via encryption, the targets files and data.

RaaS developers offer a full service to the operators, for a large share of the ransom paid out, according to Ropek.

When the ransomware is planted and activated, the target receives a message telling them how much to pay to get their data unencrypted.

That ransom can run from thousands to millions of dollars, usually depending on the financial strength of the target.
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The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirmed Tuesday that one of the 18 Filipino seafarers detained aboard the oil tanker ST Nikolas since January has been released.

Undersecretary Eduardo Jose de Vega stated that the individual was freed last Feb. 4. The 17 remaining crew members, however, were still on the vessel.

De Vega said the other Filipinos stayed out of their free will because they were being paid double their regular salary. He stressed the need for their replacement by the agency that deployed them.

While recent discussions between the Philippines and Iran offered no concrete information regarding the ships release, De Vega acknowledged that the matter rests with Iranian courts.

This development follows the earlier release of a Greek cadet.

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Iranian authorities seized the Marshall Islands-flagged ST Nikolas, formerly known as Suez Rajan, in the Gulf of Oman last Jan. 11. The vessel was transporting Iraqi oil to Turkey at the time.

The tanker had previously gained attention in 2023 when the United States confiscated its cargo of over 980,000 barrels of Iranian crude oil as part of sanctions enforcement. Iranian media, citing the Navy, reported the seizure as retaliation for the US action.
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BUREAU of Immigration (BI) agents have arrested a Chinese fugitive wanted by the authorities in Beijing.

The fugitive, identified as Zhang Xianfa, 36, was intercepted at the Immigration departure area of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport terminal 3, while he was about to board a Cebu Pacific flight to Guanzhou, China .

BI chief Norman Tansingco said Zhang was intercepted by BI officers who noticed that he was in the BIs database of aliens with existing derogatory records.

Tansingco said the BI has already issued an order for the deportation of Zhang in May 2023 for being an undesirable alien.

The Chinese fugitive is one of 16 Chinese nationals whose deportation was sought by Chinese authorities due to crimes they allegedly committed in China. The remaining 15 Chinese nationals were also ordered deported by the BI.

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Zhang will be sent back to Beijing as soon as the BI secures the required clearances for his deportation, the BI said, adding that he was already barred from re-entering the Philippines as a result of his inclusion in the Immigration blacklist.
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NEARLY 900,000 households or 4.3 million Filipinos in the poorest of the poor bracket did not receive cash grants totaling P13 billion from the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) last year after Senator Imee Marcos redirected these funds to another social amelioration program, according to a congressman.

This developed as House of Representatives leaders questioned thetiming of issues Senator Marcos raised against the P5.768-trillion 2024 national budget.

Meanwhile, Marcos charged that this years national budget defunded billions of pesos in pensions for retired military and uniformed personnel, as well as retirement and separation benefits for government workers while giving way to the controversial Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP).

Ako Bicol Rep. Jil Bongalon made this observation as he claimed the P13-billion budget cut in the 2023 budget at the behest of the senator, a sister of President Marcos, deprived 4Ps beneficiaries of critical support, as funds intended for them were diverted to the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) program.

If we do the math, P13-billion divided by P15,000 per household per year, means 867,000 families or 4.3-million poor individuals got zero cash assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Developments 4Ps program last year, thanks to Senator Imee, Bongalon, vice chair of the House committee on appropriations, stressed.

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Bongalon, an advocate of the 4Ps program which provides conditional cash grants to the most impoverished families to improve health, nutrition, and education of children aged 0-18, described the budget realignment as cruel and unconscionable.

The party-list lawmaker also said he began inquiring about the budget cuts after his office received numerous complaints from 4Ps beneficiaries.

Some criticized delays in aid distribution while others complained of not receiving cash grants last year.

As vice chair of the Committee on Appropriations, I learned that it was Senator Marcos  as head of the Senate finance sub-committee in charge of DSWDs budget  who slashed P13-billion from the 4Ps budget.

This left the most vulnerable sectors without financial aid last year, possibly until the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) receives its 2024 budget, he said.

By tinkering with the 4Ps budget, Bongalon said the reallocation allowed Marcos and select political allies like Vice President Sara Duterte to distribute aid to their chosen beneficiaries instead of the real intended recipients of the 4Ps program.

He said the P13-billion budget realignment was just a tip of the iceberg.

I understand that Senator Imee has been realigning significant portions of the 4Ps budget every year since 2021, but were still compiling the data, he said.

Senator Imee takes issue with AKAP or Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita Program of the House of Representatives which will provide cash grants to our near poor kababayans. Its ironic that she even wants a Senate inquiry into AKAP when she should be the one investigated for depriving the poorest of the poor of P13-billion last year, Bongalon stressed.

The 4Ps operates in all the 17 regions in the Philippines, covering 79 provinces, 143 cities, and 1,484 municipalities. Beneficiaries are selected through the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR), which identifies who and where the poor are in the country.

Under 4Ps, each household with three children may receive P1,400 every month, or a total of P15,000 every year for five years.

At a news conference, Rep. Margarita Nograles of PBA party-list, Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong of Del Surs 1st District, and Rep. Rodge Gutierrez of 1-Rider party-list said Imee should have raised her concerns during the Senate plenary deliberations and the bicameral conference (bicam) on the budget.

The GAA (General Appropriations Act) was signed in December. Its almost the end of February, why only question now? It should have been raised during the bicam especially if they feel there are really irregularities, said Nograles, a lawyer.

And why is it being questioned now amidst the timing of the big issue. The scary thing here is that every aid we give to the people that is part of our job as public servants is being linked maliciously to PI (peoples initiative), she added.

Marcos was part of the bicameral conference committee that reconciled the versions of the budget of the House and the Senate. She signed the committee report.

Adiong said he did not see any irregularity in the budget enactment process followed by the House and the Senate.

Adiong said the new AKAP program was questioned only in relation to the peoples initiative.

For his part, Gutierrez said Marcos claim that the bicam on the budget did not go through the normal process is a grave accusation.

For some of our stakeholders to claim that the bicam did not go through the process, that is something to be studied. Its a grave accusation that should be studied carefully and investigated, Gutierrez, also a lawyer, said.

How can we say that you did not go through the process, you are the one who signified, you show approval of the same by giving that signature? he asked, referring to the senators signature in the bicam report on the budget that was ratified by both the Senate and the House.

Nograles said Marcos was making it appear that its bad for lawmakers to allot funds for the benefit of the people such as the P26.7-billion Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita (AKAP).

Nograles said that legislators should not be prevented from giving the much needed assistance to their constituents, and that Marcos should not put malice to it.

So again, the DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development), its within their prerogative to also implement this and this is welcomed by our DSWD Secretary as he announced this morning, she said.

Nograles also said the House deliberations on the budget were transparent.

She said by including AKAP in this years outlay, the House was just returning to the people the money they paid to the government in taxes.

A comparison between the National Expenditure Program (NEP) submitted to Congress and the General Appropriations Act for 2024 shows that the Pension and Gratuity Fund suffered a P110.25-billion cut, from P253,205,826,000 to P142,956,826,000.

The senator also lamented the Php5.4-billion cut in the Php15.31-billion budget proposed in the NEP for the Department of Migrant Workers and the complete deletion of programmed funding for foreign-assisted flagship projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways.

Marcos, who chairs the Senate Committee on Social Justice, Welfare, and Rural Development, reiterated that the P26.7-billion AKAP, which also has more than Php33 billion in unprogrammed funds, was a Lower House insertion in the 2024 budgets final version.

She said the e-signatures of senators were attached to it after the fact.

The President did not mention AKAP in the NEP, nor was it in the bicameral version of the GAA, yet it appeared in the final, printed version, Marcos explained.

A fuzzy 60 billion was allotted. We dont know if its for rice, jobs, or outright cash assistance, she said.

The senator is consulting with the DBM and DSWD ahead of a possible Senate investigation of AKAP, apart from the ongoing probe by the Senate electoral reforms committee to verify the authenticity of a so-called Peoples Initiative to revise the Constitution.

I am not against AKAP, but its misuse for political ends. We all know this years national budget is an election budget, she said.
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President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the Philippines will file a case against foreign entities using cyanide in the West Philippine Sea, in particular at Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal, if there is evidence to prove the illegal fishing practice.

If we feel that there are enough grounds to do so, we will, Mr. Marcos said.

I do know that there have been cases of cyanide fishing before, even here in the Philippines but I think the reason that it has been more alarming is that it has become more prevalent, he added.

The National Security Council raised the possible filing of a case against foreign fishers in WPS after Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources spokesperson Nazario Briguera reported Chinese and Vietnamese vessels using cyanide near Bajo de Masinloc.

Briguera said parts of the resource-rich area had been destroyed by cyanide fishing.

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NSC assistant director-general Jonathan Malaya said the council would investigate the accusation of BFAR, which was directed to gather evidence for its claims.

And if we see that theres probable cause or there is enough evidence to prove this claim, we will forward this to the Office of the Solicitor General and the Department of Justice so we can prepare for the case we will file, Malaya said.

Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra underscored the need for careful factual verification given the seriousness of the claim.

Guevarra said the OSG has been studying legal options on the WPS completely on its own.

But when the time is ripe the OSG will collaborate with otherrelevant agencies, including the DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs), the DOJ (Department of Justice), the NSC (National Security Council), and other key members of the national task force on the WPS, he said.

Any legal action must be supported by strong, solid, and competent evidence that can withstand the scrutiny of any international tribunal. All government agencies must work together and support each other to achieve the common goal of protecting the countrys sovereign rights in the WPS, Guevarra added.

Bajo de Masinloc has been a flashpoint between the countries since China seized it from the Philippines in 2012. Since then, Beijing has deployed patrol boats that Manila said harass Philippine vessels and prevent Filipino fishermen from reaching a lagoon where fish are more plentiful.
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Paris, FranceThe Eiffel Tower, one of the worlds top tourist attractions, was closed Monday after staff went on strike, unions told Agence France Presse (AFP).

The strike, which was called to protest over the way the monument is managed financially, could be extended, they said.

The towers operator, SETE, said on its website that visits [to] the monument will be disrupted on Monday.

It advised ticket holders to check its website before showing up, or to postpone their visit. E-ticket holders were asked to check their emails for further information.

The stoppage is the second strike at the Eiffel Tower within two months for the same reason.

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Unions have criticized operator SETE for its business model that they say is based on an inflated estimate of future visitor numbers, while under-estimating construction costs.

The Eiffel TowerPariss most famous landmarkattracts nearly seven million visitors a year, around three-quarters of them foreigners, according to its website.

During the Covid pandemic numbers dropped sharply due to closures and travel restrictions, but recovered to 5.9 million in 2022.

Visitor numbers to Paris are expected to swell this summer as the French capital hosts the Olympic Games.

In a joint statement, the CGT and FO unions called on the city of Paris to be reasonable with their financial demands to ensure the survival of the monument and the company operating it.
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Washington, United StatesAbraham Lincoln pardoned Joe Bidens great-great-grandfather after a late-night Civil War-era brawl, documents reportedly show, linking the two US presidents across the centuries.

The court martial records in the US National Archives, reported on by the Washington Post Monday, detail the trial of Moses J. Robinette after a fight with fellow Union Army civilian employee John J. Alexander on March 21, 1864.

Robinette was charged with attempted murder after the tussle in the Army of the Potomacs winter camp in Virginia, when Alexander overheard him saying something about him to a cook, and rushed at him.

The two men scuffled, and Robinette drew his pocketknife, leaving Alexander with several cuts before others intervened, according to the documents.

The 42-year-old, who had been hired by the army as a veterinary surgeon, insisted that Alexander possibly might have injured me seriously had I not resorted to the means I did.

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But military judges convicted him and sentenced him to two years hard labor.

Three army officers petitioned Lincoln to overturn his conviction, claiming the sentence was unduly harsh and that Robinette had been defending himself against someone much his superior in strength and size.

Lincoln agreed, and signed the pardon on September 1 that same year.

The story has waited 160 years to be told, according to the Washington Post article, written by historian David J. Gerleman.

The slender sheaf of 22 well-preserved pages of his trial transcript, unobtrusively squeezed among many hundreds of other routine court-martial cases in the National Archives, reveals the hidden link between the two menand between two presidents across the centuries, Gerleman wrote.

Those few pages not only fill in an unknown piece of Biden family history, but also serve as a reminder of just how many Civil War stories have yet to be told.
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I had many opportunities to write a column for other newspapers, but here I am, still at the Manila Standard after 37 years

A few days ago, the Manila Standard marked its 37th anniversary in the industry, still strong and healthy.

Having been one of its co-founders, I can recount the newspapers history.

It all began when Manuel Manda Elizalde called on the phone Rodolfo Rod Reyes. Manda was then on self-exile in Costa Rica from the Philippines during Martial Law (Sept. 22, 1972-Jan. 17, 1981).

Manda chose Costa Rica because Costa Ricas president was his former classmate at Harvard. Manda was the Presidential Assistant for Minorities (PANAMIN) of President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr. during Martial Law.

But, somehow, Manda was accused by some people of kidnapping some minority women, and there was a warrant of arrest for him. After the term of his former classmate ended, Manda chose to go to Florida.

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According to Rod Reyes, Manda wanted to put up a newspaper with Reyes as its editor-in-chief.

Reyes called me up and wanted to meet with me to put up that newspaper.

I was at that time a law partner of the DIzon Paculdo Jurado Vitug Law Offices, in my attempt to go back to the practice of law.

During my meeting with Reyes, he told me he wanted me to help him put up a newspaper. Rod Reyes, formerly with the defunct Manila Times, was an outstanding journalist, having been awarded for his infiltration and expose of an illegal drug syndicate when illegal drugs in the 70s and 80s began to proliferate in the Philippines.

After Martial Law, he became the Press Secretary of President Fidel Ramos and during the incumbency of President Erap Estrada. But, I am going ahead of the story.

I remember I helped Reyes form the first Manila Standard staff, with me as chairman of the editorial board and columnist.

The first edition of the Standard was actually in tabloid form to make it different from the newspapers then.

Our first edition came out, if I am not mistaken, on Feb. 7, 1987. Manda came back to the Philippines months after that. Our main offices were on the second floor of the Elizalde Building on Ayala Avenue. which was also the headquarters of Tanduay Rhum.

(Editors Note: The Manila Standard was founded on Feb. 11, 1987. The offices were located at the bustling Ayala Avenue in the Makati Central Business District. In 1989, the group of Andres Soriano III bought out the Elizalde group and renamed the company Kagitingan Publications and relocated the offices in the Port Area, Manila).

After two to three years, Manda started to complain he was losing money. He decided to sell out to Soriamont, then headed by Andres Soriano Jr., in partnership with Al Yuchengco and Ricky Razon.

Another businessman, if my memory serves me right, Roberto Coyuito, bought the defunct Manila Chronicle and started attacking Yuchengco over a business company rivalry.

If I recall correctly, Yuchengco wanted to use the Manila Standard to retaliate against Coyiuto, but his partners at Soriano objected. Thus, Soriano and Razon were left with Soriamont, as far as I can recall.

Being a good friend, Yuchengco asked me if I knew a newspaper he could buy.

I told him that Malaya was then for sale. But, when Yuchengco conducted due diligence on Malaya, he found it laden with debts and he deferred.

When the Sorianos decided to leave the Philippines, they sold their interests including Soriamont and the San Miguel Corp.

Thus, Soriamont was left with Ricky Razon as its sole owner. Razon was then chairman, and still is, of the International Container Terminal Services Inc. or ICTSI. Thus, Razon was left owning the Standard.

Then Teodoro Teddyboy Locsin, who owned another newspaper called Today, partnered with the Standard, but the partnership did not last long.

Ricky Razon sold the Standard to the Romualdez brothers, Philip and Martin. Philip as we all know is the husband of Sandy Prieto, the owner of the Inquirer.

Well, I am still writing a column for the Manila Standard, but my name is also there in the editorial board as Chairman Emeritus of the Editorial Board.

If you ask me why after 37 years I am still with the Standard, my stock answer is I like the mission and vision of the newspaper, and I like working with its staff.

I had many opportunities to write a column for other newspapers, but here I am, still at the Manila Standard after 37 years.
TODAYS WORD is zither. Example: The delicate harmonies of the piano blended beautifully with the rich tones of the zither in their enchanting duet.

SATURDAYS WORD was bed rotting, meaning the practice of spending many hours in bed during the day, often with snacks or an electronic device, as a voluntary retreat from activity or stress. Example: Escaping the chaos of everyday life, I sought refuge in the serenity of bed rotting.

Parvo

You may have noticed the Henry County Animal Shelter on Kings Mountain Road has been closed for the past week.

Workers at the shelter tell the Stroller as an open intake facility, they have had a recent influx of puppies surrendered to them recently and an outbreak of Parvo has occurred at the facility.

Parvo is a highly contagious virus that mainly affects dogs and is normally prevented with a vaccine.

Our building is not designed, nor big enough to contain this, so we have no other choice but to quarantine the entire building, workers said.

Meanwhile, they say they are in dire need of bleach and would appreciate any donations. They hope to reopen Thursday and encourage everyone to make sure you keep your pets vaccinated.

Stuart

The historical marker on the courthouse lawn in Stuart: This place, first known as Taylorsville for George Taylor, early settler, was established in 1792 after the formation of Patrick County. In 1849 it contained about fifty dwellings. The name was changed to Stuart for General J.E.B. Stuart, who was born in the county. The courthouse was built in 1852 and remodeled in 1928.

Recent passing

The Stroller would like to pass along our condolences to former city manager Leon Towarnicki in the recent passing of his mother, Anna Towarnicki, on Jan. 29. She was born in Sudetenland and moved to America after war took her homeland.

Also to former delegate Les Adams, who experienced the passing of his father, David Leslie Adams on Feb. 4.

My father suffered from Parkinsons disease, which essentially robbed him of much of his lifes winter season, said Adams. It was truly painful to witness.

Chuckle

The grandson spent the night with his grandparents and the next morning, for breakfast his grandma made pancakes.

One of the pancakes placed on the grandsons plate was browner than the others and when his grandma asked why he didnt eat it, he said That one was too ripe.

Quote of the day

Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.  Jim Rohn

SATURDAYS TRIVIA ANSWER: The geographic center of the 48 contiguous states is located north of Lebanon, Kansas. It was determined by finding the center of gravity for the contiguous United States, that is, the point at which a plane map of the 48 states would balance if it were of uniform thickness.

TODAYS TRIVIA QUESTION: Which Biblical character wrestled an angel in Genesis 32?
A Martinsville woman will spend four years in prison after police say she attempted to kill her husband and endangered her children in the process.

Crystal Renae Defibaugh, 33, was sentenced in Martinsville Circuit Court on Thursday to 23 years with 19 years suspended for three counts of violation of a protective order, an amended charge of malicious wounding, and two counts of cruelty to a child.

A criminal complaint on file in the Martinsville Juvenile and Domestic Relations Clerks Office by Martinsville Police Sgt. Chris Bell states that he responded to 401 Second St. on June 28 in reference to a domestic disturbance.

When Bell arrived, Christopher Hicks met him outside of the residence and told him that Defibaugh, his wife, had bitten his lip, scratched him all over his face and cut him with a knife. Bell wrote that he observed Hicks wounds and they were consistent with what Hicks had told him.

Hicks lip appeared to be bitten and ripped open, he had scratch marks all over his arms and face that appeared to be fresh, and had a puncture wound to the left side of his stomach, Bell wrote. Hicks advised that he and Crystal are married and they have a child in common.

Bell found Defibaugh asleep in a bedroom in the home and took her into custody without incident.

Detective William Warnick was assigned to the case and wrote in a second criminal complaint that Hicks was bitten while in an upstairs bedroom a few feet away from the room where their 3-year-old daughter was located.

As Hicks retreated downstairs to the living room to retrieve his phone, Defibaugh entered the room with a long kitchen knife, screaming, and came face-to-face with Hicks, Warnick wrote. Present in the room was her 12-year-old and 11-month-old sons sitting in the floor. The older son pleaded with Defibaugh to stop when she then turned and began screaming and cursing at him.

Defibaugh then laid over top of the 12-year-old while he was attempting to care for the 11-month-old and continued to scream while holding a knife to the 12-year-olds face, the complaint continued.

The knife was also less than a foot from the 11-month-old who was seated parallel to this brothers head, wrote Warnick. Defibaugh then went outside, and while she was there, Hicks locked her out of the house by screwing a board over the door.

The home was equipped with a camera system with audio and Warnick wrote that the entire episode was recorded on video up until the time when Defibaugh was locked out of the house.

Hicks told Warnick he unhooked the camera system to prevent Defibaugh from using an app on her phone that would allow her to see where in the house he and the three children were located, but after some time had passed Hicks believed Defibaugh had calmed down enough to come back inside and go to bed, so he let her back in the house, Warnick wrote.

Defibaugh again became enraged and started screaming and she was trying to come after him [Hicks] as she was yelling, wrote Warnick.

She then retrieved another knife and he [Hicks] stated she plunged it towards him, stabbing him in the left torso while in the kitchen.

Hicks suffered a deep laceration approximately one inch wide, from the stabbing and Warnick wrote that he recovered a bloody knife from the kitchen and observed blood throughout the home.

Child Protective Services reviewed the evidence and forbade Defibaugh from having further contact with her children.

During the entire incident, their 12-year-old son, 3-year-old daughter, and 11-month-old son were present in the home, Warnick wrote.

Defibaugh has been in jail since her arrest on June 29.

EDITORS NOTE: The Martinsville Bulletin reports arrests in Martinsville, Henry and Patrick counties, except some juvenile cases and traffic citations other than DUI. Claims in civil suits may be reported, except in custody cases. The newspaper does not omit any names that qualify to be included. This information is compiled from documents provided by the law enforcement agencies of each jurisdiction.

Henry County Circuit Court

Carla Norris Allen, Ridgeway, on Feb. 14: Charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of cocaine, and possession of fentanyl were dismissed.

Amber Lea Marshall, Bassett, on Feb. 14: Sentenced to six years with five years and nine months suspended and $1,235 in costs for possession of ammunition by a felon, and possession of methamphetamine.

Wade Wilson Brooks, Collinsville, on Feb. 14: Sentenced to 10 years with nine years and eight months suspended, and $1,684 in fines, cost, and restitution for amended charges of distribution of fentanyl as an accomplice, and distribution of methamphetamine as an accomplice.

Waylon Allen Cox-Ingram, Martinsville, on Feb. 14: Two counts of assault and battery of a law enforcement officer, attempting to disarm a law enforcement officer, attempted carjacking, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute2nd offense, fleeing from law enforcement, driving under the influence1st offense, and assault and battery of a family or household member were dismissed.

Amber Lea Marshall, Bassett, on Feb. 14: Sentenced to six years with five years and nine months suspended, and $1,235 in costs for possession of methamphetamine, and possession of ammunition by a felon.

Henry County Sheriffs Office

Tyrek Davon Campbell, 23, on Feb. 9: Simple assault.

Tyler Ray Farley, 29, on Feb. 9: Simple assault.

Jennifer Brown Morton, 41, on Feb. 9: Grand larceny.

Donald James Burton, 35, on Feb. 9: Distribution of drugs  3rd or subsequent offense, probation violation, sell drugs for profit.

Benjamin David Capps, 35, on Feb. 9: Probation violation.

Donald Lee McNeely, 61, on Feb. 9: Trespassing, drunk in public.

Ashley Nicole Foley, 37, on Feb. 9: Larceny.

Cecilia Alvarez Ojeda-Perez, 33, on Feb. 9: Inhale drugs.

Samuel Davis Ferguson, 52, on Feb. 9: Contempt of court.

Jade Thurman Clark, 33, on Feb. 13: Probation violation.

Robert Lee Nunn Jr., 37, on Feb. 13: Possession of drugs.

Derrick Dewayne Ratcliff, 23, on Feb. 13: Probation violation.

Adam Shane Duggins, 35, on Feb. 13: Grand larceny.

Justin Lee Sowder, 34, on Feb. 13: Disregard police command to stop.

Richard Darnell Hairston, 38, on Feb. 13: Driving under the influence.

William McKinely Hollie, 56, on Feb. 13: Vandalism, grand larceny.

Bradley Keith Evans, 61, on Feb. 13: Possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of a concealed weapon by a felon.

Bobby Ronell Helms Jr., 24, on Feb. 13: Distribution of drugs.

Robert Leon Arden, 63, on Feb. 13: Drunk in public.

Dale Louis Shelton, 55, on Feb. 13: Driving under the influence.

Jazmine Ciara Massie, 27, on Feb. 13: Abusive, profane, threatening calls.

Jesus David Morales-Valdez, 33, on Feb. 13: Contempt of court.

Patricia Lynn Harmon, 61, on Feb. 13: Probation violation.

Tracy Isaiah Wall, 36, on Feb. 13: Uttering, breaking and entering, grand larceny.

Gary L. Dodson, 46, on Feb. 13: Failure to comply with support.

Joshua Lee Lovins, 42, on Feb. 13: Stalking in violation of a protective order.

Brandy Marie Lowe, 46, on Feb. 14: Driving under the influence.

Jessica Aaron Perdue, 47, on Feb. 14: Driving under the influence.

Kodi Gale Roach, 33, on Feb. 14: Simple assault.

Jeffery Brian Lawson, 55, on Feb. 14: Simple assault on law enforcement.

Martinsville Circuit Court

Devonte Vannia Roberts, Rocky Mount, on Feb. 13: Acquitted of a charge of perjury.

Glenn Robert Lee Thomas Jr., on Feb. 14: Sentenced to 1 year with 11 months and 10 days suspended, operators license restricted to the use of an ignition interlock device, and $1,256 in fines and costs for driving while under the influence2nd offense, and drinking while driving (violation of open container).

Christopher Adam Angel, on Feb. 15: Sentenced to five years suspended and $610 in costs for possession of fentanyl.

Neshawn Lagui Carter, Raleigh, North Carolina, on Feb. 15: Sentenced to seven years with six years suspended for assault on a law enforcement officer, fleeing from law enforcement, and an amended charge of failure to stop for an accident.

Jessica Daniell Hairston, Collinsville, on Feb. 15: Sentenced to 10 years suspended for possession of methamphetamine, and an amended charge of possession of a gun while possessing schedule I/II drugs. A charge of contempt of court was dismissed.

Brandon Rayne Hale, Martinsville, on Feb. 15: Sentenced to 20 years with 18 years suspended for two counts of possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute.

Stephanie Denise Holland, Martinsville, on Feb. 15: Sentenced to six years suspended for possession of oxycodone, and possession of cocaine.

Tamarius Keshun Martin, Martinsville, on Feb. 15: Sentenced to 15 years with 14 years and nine months suspended and $2,605 in costs for an amended charge of unlawful wounding, and an amended charge of shoot or throw at an occupied school.

Amanda Peatross, Martinsville, on Feb. 15: Sentenced to 15 years with 12 years and six months suspended for two counts of possession of cocaine, and assault on a law enforcement officer.

Martinsville Sheriffs Office

Michael Aaron Rumley, on Feb. 5: Property damage.

Torrick Mikel Mattox, on Feb. 5: Driving while under the influence of drugs  1st offense.

Caitlin Elizabeth Johnston, on Feb. 6: Driving while under the influence of drugs  1st offense.

Devin Matthew Price, on Feb. 6: Failure to comply with court order.

Anthony Josephy Albanese, on Feb. 6: Possession of a firearm while possessing schedule I/II drugs, possession of schedule I/II drugs, possession of a firearm by a felon.

Cassandra Antoinette Waller, on Feb. 6: Assault

Adam Michael Polzella, on Feb. 8: Two counts of felony probation violation.

Daniell Kathleen Blount, on Feb. 9: Felony failure to appear, possession of methamphetamine.

John Edward Janey, on Feb. 9: Felony probation violation, felony failure to appear.

George-Ann Doman Roberts, on Feb. 9: Shoplifting.

David Carter Heller, on Feb. 10: Three counts of manufacture or distribute schedule I/II drugs  2nd offense, manufacture or distribute drugs on certain properties.

Joshua Lee Whitlow, on Feb. 11: Misdemeanor failure to appear.

Patrick County Circuit Court

Keondre Holmes, Critz, on Feb. 12: Sentenced to three years suspended for four counts of violation of a protective order.

Nathan Lee McAdams, Stuart, on Feb. 12: Sentenced to 25 years with 24 years and two months suspended for five counts of distribution or sell for profit schedule I/II drugs.

Christopher J. Hodges, Floyd, on Feb. 14: Sentenced to 12 months suspended for distribution of marijuana.

Brikk Michael Bennett, Spencer, on Feb. 14: Sentenced to 12 months with 11 months suspended for obstruction of justice, failure to appear. Acquitted of refusing a blood or breath test, and driving while under the influence1st offense.

Patrick County Sheriffs Office

Dillon James Gustafson, 23, Patrick County Jail, on Feb. 9: Grand larceny of a firearm.

Samantha Sue Moorefield, 37, Bassett, on Feb. 10: Felony probation violation.

Justin Lewis Wood, 46, Woolwine, on Feb. 10: Felony probation violation.

Timothy Banks Brannock, 46, Mt. Airy, North Carolina, on Feb. 12: Misdemeanor failure to appear, felony failure to appear.

Andre Maurice Reynolds, 35, Martinsville, on Feb. 12: Felony probation violation.

Dustin Lee Dishman, 37, Stuart, on Feb. 12: Public intoxication.

Susan C. Bridges, 69, of Meadows of Dan, on Feb. 12: 18 counts of animal cruelty.

Samantha Sue Moorefield, 27, of Bassett, on Feb. 13: Felony probation violation.

Brandon Keith Brammer, 40, of Stuart, on Feb. 14: Three counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Charles Ray Moore, 69, of Stuart, on Feb. 14: Public intoxication.

Gavin Zachary Moore, 32, Stuart, on Feb. 14: Assault on a family member3rd of subsequent offense.
Somalias president has used the African Union (AU) summit in Addis Ababa to accuse Ethiopia of trying to annex part of his countrys territory by signing a sea access deal with the breakaway region of Somaliland, a territory that Somalia claims as its own.

Ethiopia and the breakaway region of Somaliland signed the deal last month, leasing Addis Ababa the land for 50 years to build a port and a naval base. As he arrived for the AU summit, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud told reporters that Somalia categorically objects to the deal signed on 1 January, which is nothing more than annexing part of Somalia to Ethiopia, and changing the borders of Somalia. Mohamud also said Ethiopian security forces tried to block his access to the summit taking place in Addis Ababa amid a dispute between the two countries.

Neither side has made the terms of the deal public, but it appears to grant Ethiopia the right to build a naval base with access to Somalilands Berbera port for commercial marine operations  all of this in exchange for Somalilands recognition. Somaliland  a former British protectorate  has enjoyed de facto independence for three decades, but Somalia considers the self-governing region and its four million people to be a part of its northern territory. While Somaliland is largely stable, Somalia has witnessed decades of civil war and an Islamist insurgency by the Al-Shabab militant group. Somalia has also suggested it would be prepared to go to war to stop Ethiopia from building a port in Somaliland.
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An illustration of computer-modeled structures of complexes formed between RXFP3 and relaxin-3 or relaxin-3 B-chain stapled peptides. Credit: NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine and University of Colombo, Sri Lanka

Drugs that treat conditions like depression and anxiety often come with varying side effects, as they regulate various functions within the human body at the same time. What if these drugs could activate only the functions that target the specific conditions that they are designed to treat?

A team of researchers has found a potential way to treat these conditions with fewer side effects. Led by Professor Gavin Dawe, Head of the Department of Pharmacology at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS Medicine), the team conducted modifications of relaxin-3a neuropeptide, or molecule, found mainly in the human brain and nervous systemthat regulates a wide range of physiological functions, including stress responses, appetite, mood and pain perception. When relaxin-3 is released in the brain, it binds to a target receptor RXFP3to trigger a variety of signaling responses among the cells, which affect the body's physiological processes.

The findings are published in the journal Science Signaling.

However, as RXFP3 is involved in many different functions, a drug developed to treat certain conditions may cause unwanted side effectsbecause several of RXFP3's signaling pathways are activated at the same time. For example, a drug that treats depression may cause adverse effects related to another function, such as feeding behavior, which is related to eating disorders and obesity.

The receptor has also been demonstrated in much existing research, including earlier work by Prof. Dawe, to be a potential new target for drugs to treat these conditions. To develop better drug treatments with fewer side effects, the key is to activate only specific signaling pathways of RXFP3 that target specific conditions.

Neuropeptide relaxin-3 and its target RXFP3 are produced by the brain. Credit: NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine and University of Colombo, Sri Lanka

Prof. Dawe's team modified the relaxin-3 molecules, such that they activated only a part of the RXFP3 response in their interaction, instead of all the different signaling pathways. Their work is the first discovery that modifications of relaxin-3 can lead to selective activation of some RXFP3-led signaling pathways, which is a mechanism known as biased agonism.

Prof. Dawe said, "Our study has pointed to potential ways of developing drugs by modifying relaxin-3, or other neuropeptides, that can selectively activate specific functions within the body. This is important as it means drugs could be designed to have more specific effects and less undesired adverse effects, making them more effective in managing a range of conditions like anxiety, depression, eating disorders, obesity, and addiction."

Through a technique known as peptide stapling, the research team modified the B-chain of relaxin-3, replacing blocks of amino acids within them with artificial ones that introduce "chemical bridges" between them. Alone, the B-chain is highly flexible and can twist and bend into many different shapes, reducing its ability to be stabilized for more effective binding and activation of the receptor RXFP3.

The stapling process locks the shape of the specific B-chain in relaxin-3, stabilizing it for a more efficient interaction with the receptor RXFP3, where it triggers certain signaling pathways in the brain that affect the body's physiological functions.

Stapled relaxin-3 B chain shows bias towards G-protein activation. Credit: NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine and University of Colombo, Sri Lanka

Dr. Tharindunee Jayakody, first author of the study and Ph.D. alumna of the Department of Pharmacology at NUS Medicine, said, "We are at very early stages in terms of the journey in making clinically useful drugs. However, the promising findings from our study are a significant step in our aspiration to separately design stapled peptides that have selective effects on anxiety, depression, eating disorders and addiction. Our collaborative work would also strive to understand how proteins like RXFP3 function at a molecular level, with the help of biased agonists."

Jayakody is leading a team of researchers to understand the molecular properties of proteins such as RXFP3 at the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka, where she is a lecturer in biochemistry and molecular biology.

With the conclusion of the study, the research team plans to use different stapled peptides to understand how the signaling functions, activated by the interactions between relaxin-3 and RXFP3, affect the body's physiological functions and human behavior.

More information: Tharindunee Jayakody et al, Mechanisms of biased agonism by G i/o -biased stapled peptide agonists of the relaxin-3 receptor, Science Signaling (2024). DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.abl5880
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Droughts have the potential to increase the spread of HIV for women living in rural parts of Africa, researchers at the University of Bristol have found.

In the study, published today in AIDS and Behavior, findings imply that drought triggers behavioral changes as people struggle to battle poverty and food insecurity through activities such as transactional sex.

Due to climate change, droughts are likely to become increasingly common in the future, which could lead to higher instances of HIV transmission.

Sub-Saharan Africa will be one of the regions most affected by climate change, with increasing risks of drought caused by changes in precipitation and limited water storage, as well as limited capacity and resources to support adaptation. Drought is an ongoing and worsening trend in sub-Saharan Africa, with the percentage of land experiencing severe drought increasing from around 5% to 15% since 1901.

Lead author Dr. Adam Trickey, based at Bristol Medical School, explained, "Women in rural areas of sub-Saharan Africa who had recently been exposed to drought were more likely to acquire HIV than those who had not been exposed to drought.

"That we found this among women in rural areas, but not women in urban areas or men in either rural or urban areas corroborates previous studies indicating that the mechanism through which drought may increase HIV risk is that drought pushes women who rely on farming for their livelihoods into sex work for money or food.

"Even if these changes were small, the large number of people living with HIV in Africa and the large percentage experiencing drought means that the effect of droughts could still result in many people acquiring HIV in this situation, particularly when you consider that around 65% of Africa's population relies on subsistence farming."

The research team combined data from five nationally-representative surveys of more than 100,000 adults aged 1559 that were carried out in 2016 in Eswatini, Lesotho, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.

They linked these surveys to precipitation data and calculated whether each household was in an area that experienced less rainfall than usual in 20142016 compared with 19812016. This was used to define drought areas.

They then used statistical models to calculate whether people who had been exposed to a drought were more likely to have recently acquired HIV than those who were not exposed.

More information: Adam Trickey et al, Investigating the Associations between Drought, Poverty, High-Risk Sexual Behaviours, and HIV Incidence in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Cross-Sectional Study, AIDS and Behavior (2024). DOI: 10.1007/s10461-024-04280-8 Journal information: AIDS and Behavior
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GV-971 significantly reduces glial inflammation in 9 month old 5XFAD male mice. Credit: Molecular Neurodegeneration (2024). DOI: 10.1186/s13024-023-00700-w

According to the Alzheimer's Association, almost two-thirds of Americans with Alzheimer's dementia are women. While some of this discrepancy can be attributed to women living longer than men on average, researchers believe biological factors play a role as well.

A pair of new studies from the University of Chicago explores sex-specific differences in the development of Alzheimer's-like symptoms in mice, including the impact of estrogen, the primary female reproductive hormone, on the formation of amyloid plaques and inflammation in the braintwo hallmark symptoms of the disease. The research also strengthens evidence of the gut microbiome's role in mediating these symptoms, providing clues that could someday help develop treatments.

Clues pointing to the microbiome

Alzheimer's disease is characterized by the formation of amyloid plaques, or clumps of the protein amyloid beta (A) that accumulate in the brain. The disease also activates immune cells present in the brain known as microglia, which can help remove amyloid plaques but may also exacerbate the disease by causing inflammation.

In 2019, a research team led by Sangram Sisodia, Ph.D., the Thomas A. Reynolds Sr. Family Professor of Neurobiology at UChicago, treated mouse models of Alzheimer's disease with a cocktail of antibiotics during the second week of life.

The antibiotics lessened the formation of amyloid plaques and microglia activation in malesbut surprisingly, not female miceby 3 months of age. Although this antibiotic regimen initially wipes out all gut bacteria, the gut becomes repopulated with numerous additional bacterial species over the next three months.

Sisodia reasoned that the microbiome must play a major role in these changes in amyloid deposition and neuroinflammation. To prove that the improvements in Alzheimer's symptoms were caused by alterations in the gut microbiome, they also transplanted fecal matter from untreated mice into antibiotic-treated animals.

This procedure restored the gut microbiome and caused an increase in amyloid plaque formation and microglial activation. These findings have since been confirmed and reported in several labs around the country.

Sex-specific microbiome changes

In the first of new papers, published in Molecular Neurodegeneration, Sisodia and his colleagues tested the effects of a new drug compound called sodium oligomannate, or GV-971, on the formation of amyloid deposits and neuroinflammation.

The compound was originally derived from brown seaweed by the Chinese pharmaceutical company Shanghai Green Valley Pharmaceuticals. In the company's testing, GV-971 reduced amyloid deposits and neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's mouse models. The compound has also undergone Phase III clinical trial testing in China and is now clinically approved for patients with Alzheimer's.

When Sisodia and his team tested GV-971 on a mouse model of Alzheimer's, they saw a significant drop in amyloid deposits, even at the lowest doses, and a reduction in inflammatory markers in the microgliabut again, these changes were only observed in male animals. They also noted significant changes in the composition and abundance of several types of gut bacteria in male mice but fewer changes in the microbiome of females.

Independently, and unbeknownst to Sisodia, David Holtzman, MD, the Barbara Burton and Reuben M. Morriss III Distinguished Professor of Neurology at Washington University in St. Louis and co-author of the paper, conducted a similar set of experiments with GV-971 in a different line of mice and saw similar results: The levels of amyloid deposition and neuroinflammation were significantly decreased, but only in male mice.

Moreover, a host of bacterial species that were changed by GV-971 in the studies from the Sisodia lab also appeared to be changed in Holtzman's experiments.

Cytoscape and GSEA analyses using significantly altered genes (P < 0.01) in the GV-971 treated male group compared with the control. a Cytoscape analysis identified immunity pathway as a major impacted pathway associated with lower DEGs (P < 0.01) in GV-971-treated males compared with control. Most enriched genes are highlighted in darker shades. b Cytoscape analysis identified neuronal development pathway as a major impacted pathway associated with higher DEGs (P < 0.01) in the GV-971 treated group compared with control. Most enriched genes are highlighted in darker shades. c GSEA enrichment results showed 9 significantly enriched gene sets out of 44 upregulated gene sets in the vehicle-treated male group compared with the GV-971-treated male group. Credit: Molecular Neurodegeneration (2024). DOI: 10.1186/s13024-023-00700-w

"It was kind of crazy because the microbiomes of these mice differ between UChicago and WashU. But at the end of the day, after doing the treatments, we found out what's in the microbial composition, and there are two or three bacteria that stand out," Sisodia said. "It's hard to believe it's a coincidence, but there must be something there."

Sisodia said further studies are needed to understand the links between GV-971, the microbiome, amyloid deposition, and inflammation, either by introducing or removing these key bacteria and analyzing the effects of the metabolites they produce.

"How do those pathways interact? And how does that lead to changes in brain function? That's all yet to be determined," he said.

Impacts of estrogen

The second study, published in Scientific Reports, looked at sex-specific differences in Alzheimer's more directly. Working with the UChicago Microbiome Center, postdoctoral scholar and first author of the study, Piyali Saha, Ph.D., investigated whether levels of circulating estrogen might be the reason female mice do not exhibit reductions in amyloid deposition and neuroinflammation after antibiotic treatment.

Saha treated mice that exhibited amyloid deposition with antibiotics and measured levels of estrogen circulating in their blood plasma and saw that estrogen levels increased threefold over mice treated with just saline.

Saha reasoned that increased estrogen might have something to do with the differences in amyloid deposits seen between male and female mice treated with antibiotics in previous studies. To test this, she conducted a second set of experiments in which she removed the ovaries (termed ovariectomy, or OVX) of female mice when they were just a few weeks old, in effect stopping estrogen production.

This procedure reduced both amyloid deposition and levels of inflammatory microglia. When another cohort of OVX-treated mice were later given estradiol in their drinking water to restore estrogen levels, amyloid deposits increased again, as did inflammatory microglia. The composition of the gut microbiome also varied significantly among the mice undergoing OVX, those later receiving estradiol and controls.

"That came out of the blue; I had no idea that manipulating estrogen levels was going to change things that dramatically," Sisodia said. "Estrogen seems to be the driver of the changes we see in Alzheimer's pathology, but we also know the microbiome is changing. So, there's this crosstalk between the two."

This counters longstanding practices of using hormone replacement therapy to restore estrogen levels in postmenopausal women to help prevent cognitive decline, a strategy brought into question by recent epidemiological studies. For example, a large-scale study of more than 20,000 women in Denmark from 2000 to 2018 showed that women who took estrogen replacement therapy had a higher risk of Alzheimer's and other dementias than those who did not receive this treatment.

"This evidence would suggest that estrogen replacement therapy is not the right thing to do," Sisodia said. "We see in the current study that estrogen levels always have an impact on amyloid deposition. If you take away the source of estrogen in mice at a very early stage, amyloid deposition goes away. It's pretty remarkable."

Sisodia stresses that there is still a lot to learn about the chain of events that leads from estrogen levels to changes in the gut microbiome and changes in amyloid deposition. It could be that estrogen affects the composition and abundance of certain types of bacteria, which in turn changes the metabolites and enzymes they produce that further impact brain function.

Timing also matters because once symptoms of Alzheimer's become apparent, it is far too late to reverse the damage. Shutting down estrogen production completely in women isn't a solution, but the clues from these studies hint at possible intermediate steps.

"If we can identify some target molecules that are involved in this biological cascade of estrogen metabolism, maybe we can develop some sort of medicine to mitigate the effects," Sisodia said. "I think that's potentially a great therapeutic avenue, at least for 50% of the population."

More information: Megan E. Bosch et al, Sodium oligomannate alters gut microbiota, reduces cerebral amyloidosis and reactive microglia in a sex-specific manner, Molecular Neurodegeneration (2024). DOI: 10.1186/s13024-023-00700-w Piyali Saha et al, Early modulation of the gut microbiome by female sex hormones alters amyloid pathology and microglial function, Scientific Reports (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-52246-6
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

A flurry of recent studies has found that microplastics are present in virtually everything we consume, from bottled water to meat and plant-based food. Now, University of New Mexico Health Sciences researchers have used a new analytical tool to measure the microplastics present in human placentas.

In a study published in the journal Toxicological Sciences, a team led by Matthew Campen, Ph.D., Regents' Professor in the UNM Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, reported finding microplastics in all 62 of the placenta samples tested, with concentrations ranging from 6.5 to 790 micrograms per gram of tissue.

Although those numbers may seem small (a microgram is a millionth of a gram), Campen is worried about the health effects of a steadily rising volume of microplastics in the environment.

For toxicologists, "dose makes the poison," he said. "If the dose keeps going up, we start to worry. If we're seeing effects on placentas, then all mammalian life on this planet could be impacted. That's not good."

In the study, Campen and his team, partnering with colleagues at the Baylor College of Medicine and Oklahoma State University, analyzed donated placenta tissue. In a process called saponification, they chemically treated the samples to "digest" the fat and proteins into a kind of soap.

Then, they spun each sample in an ultracentrifuge, which left a small nugget of plastic at the bottom of a tube. Next, using a technique called pyrolysis, they put the plastic pellet in a metal cup and heated it to 600 degrees Celsius, then captured gas emissions as different types of plastic combusted at specific temperatures.

"The gas emission goes into a mass spectrometer and gives you a specific fingerprint," Campen said. "It's really cool."

The researchers found the most prevalent polymer in placental tissue was polyethylene, which is used to make plastic bags and bottles. It accounted for 54% of the total plastics. Polyvinyl chloride (better known as PVC) and nylon each represented about 10% of the total, with the remainder consisting of nine other polymers.

Marcus Garcia, PharmD, a postdoctoral fellow in Campen's lab who performed many of the experiments, said that until now, it has been difficult to quantify how much microplastic was present in human tissue. Typically, researchers would simply count the number of particles visible under a microscope, even though some particles are too small to be seen.

With the new analytical method, he said, "We can take it to that next step to be able to adequately quantify it and say, 'This is how many micrograms or milligrams,' depending on the plastics that we have."

Plastic use worldwide has grown exponentially since the early 1950s, producing a metric ton of plastic waste for every person on the planet. About a third of the plastic that has been produced is still in use, but most of the rest has been discarded or sent to landfills, where it starts to break down from exposure to ultraviolet radiation present in sunlight.

"That ends up in groundwater, and sometimes it aerosolizes and ends up in our environment," Garcia said. "We're not only getting it from ingestion but also through inhalation as well. It affects not only us as humans but all of our animalschickens, livestockand all of our plants. We're seeing it in everything."

Campen points out that many plastics have a long half-lifethe amount of time needed for half of a sample to degrade. "So, the half-life of some things is 300 years, and the half-life of others is 50 years, but between now and 300 years, some of that plastic gets degraded," he said. "Those microplastics that we're seeing in the environment are probably 40 or 50 years old."

While microplastics are already present in our bodies, it is unclear what health effects they might have, if any. Traditionally, plastics have been assumed to be biologically inert, but some microplastics are so small they are measured in nanometersa billionth of a meterand are capable of crossing cell membranes, he said.

Campen said the growing concentration of microplastics in human tissue might explain puzzling increases in some types of health problems, such as inflammatory bowel disease and colon cancer in people under 50, as well as declining sperm counts.

The concentration of microplastics in placentas is particularly troubling, he said, because the tissue has only been growing for eight months (it starts to form about a month into a pregnancy). "Other organs of your body are accumulating over much longer periods of time."

Campen and his colleagues are planning further research to answer some of these questions, but in the meantime he is deeply concerned by the growing production of plastics worldwide.

"It's only getting worse, and the trajectory is it will double every 10 to 15 years," he said. "So, even if we were to stop it today, in 2050 there will be three times as much plastic in the background as there is now. And we're not going to stop it today."

More information: Marcus A Garcia et al, Quantitation and identification of microplastics accumulation in human placental specimens using pyrolysis gas chromatography mass spectrometry, Toxicological Sciences (2024). DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfae021
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Hazard of Suicide After Discharge by Sex and Overall Severity of Symptoms and Functioning Up to 2 Years. A, Hazard of suicide for men, women, and overall by time from discharge in days. B, The heat map represents risk of suicide by Global Assessment Scale score assigned at admission and time from discharge, where black indicates higher and yellow indicates lower relative risk. Credit: JAMA Psychiatry (2024). DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2023.5512

Continued treatment is important as those suffering from depression are at risk of suicide for the first three days after psychiatric hospitalization. The risk of suicide is affected by the severity of the depression and previous suicidal tendencies.

Patients with depression are at their highest risk of suicide during the first three days after psychiatric hospitalization. The risk is 330 times that of the rest of the population. After the first few days, the risk of suicide remains high, but decreases steadily over time.

Only a small minority of all patients with depression are treated in a psychiatric hospital, while the majority are treated in outpatient care.

"Patients are often referred to hospital care specifically because of the risk of suicide. However, this recent study clearly indicates that the risk is not always over at the end of hospitalization. The transition from the hospital to outpatient care is a critical period," explains Head Physician of Psychiatry at HUS and Professor at the University of Helsinki Erkki Isometsa.

An extensive register-based study charted suicides that occurred after the hospitalization of depression patients. The patients in the study were diagnosed with depression and treated in a psychiatric hospital for it. The study was carried out as a cooperation project, and published in JAMA Psychiatry. Professor Reijo Sund from the University of Eastern Finland was especially responsible for the data analyses of the study.

The study is based on register data on all treatment periods of patients in Finland who were treated in a psychiatric hospital due to depression in 19962017, a total of 91,161 patients and 193,197 treatment periods. Of these patients, 1,976 died of suicide during a monitoring period of up to two years.

Over the 22-year period covered by the study, suicide mortality has decreased significantly in Finland as a whole, including the suicide rates of depression patients.

Severity of depression and previous suicidal behavior affect the risk of suicide

It was already known that, after psychiatric hospitalization, the risk of suicide is high as the patient is transferred to outpatient care. Now, the extensive data of the recently published study gives a more detailed picture of the risk stages of treatment.

The study also provides information that is important for clinical decision-making on the risk factors of suicide and the time windows in which they are present. In the short term, the severity of the patient's depression and the nature of their previous self-harming behavior are particularly significant. These factors have not been charted in previous studies during the period of very high risk.

"In my opinion, the study strongly advocates for the importance of close cooperation between the hospital and outpatient care. It's also essential to ensure that the treatment of depression was effective in the hospital," says Isometsa.

It was not possible to chart the factors related to the treatment received by patients in the study. However, the research observations highlight the significance of continued treatment when a depressed patient is transferred from a psychiatric hospital to outpatient care.

The first author of the study is Chief Physician Kari Aaltonen from HUS Psychiatry. In addition to Aaltonen, Isometsa and Sund, the study also involved Assistant Professor Christian Hakulinen from the University of Helsinki and the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, and Professor Sami Pirkola from the University of Tampere.

According to Sund, novel aspects in the analysis included more accurate modeling of the time dimension, which was made possible by the use of new advanced data analysis techniques in addition to the extensive register material.

More information: Kari Aaltonen et al, Variations in Suicide Risk and Risk Factors After Hospitalization for Depression in Finland, 1996-2017, JAMA Psychiatry (2024). DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2023.5512
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

As a part-time customer service representative, Jolene Dybas earns less than $15,000 a year, which is below the federal poverty level and too low for her to be eligible for subsidized health insurance on the Obamacare marketplace.

Dybas, 53, also does not qualify for Medicaid in her home state of Alabama because she does not meet the program requirements. She instead falls into a coverage gap and faces hundreds of dollars a month in out-of-pocket payments, she said, to manage multiple chronic health conditions.

"I feel like I'm living in a state that doesn't care for me," said Dybas, a resident of Saraland, a suburb of Mobile.

Alabama is one of 10 states that have refused to adopt the Affordable Care Act's expansion of Medicaid, the government health insurance program for people who are low-income or disabled.

But lawmakers in Alabama and some other Southern states are reconsidering their opposition in light of strong public support for Medicaid expansion and pleas from powerful sectors of the health care industry, especially hospitals.

Expansions are under consideration by Republican legislative leaders in Georgia and Mississippi, in addition to Alabama, raising the prospect that more than 600,000 low-income, uninsured people in those three states could gain coverage, according to KFF data.

Since a 2012 Supreme Court ruling rendered the ACA's Medicaid expansion optional, it has remained a divisive issue along party lines in some states. Political opposition has softened, in part because North Carolina's Republican-controlled legislature voted last year to expand the program. Already, more than 346,000 residents of the Tar Heel State have gained coverage.

And lawmakers in nearby states are taking notice.

"There has certainly been a lot of discussion of late about Medicaid expansion," said Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns, a Republican, in a speech to the state chamber of commerce shortly after the legislative session began on Jan. 8.

"Expanding access to care for lower-income working families through a private optionin a fiscally responsible way that lowers premiumsis something we will continue to gather facts on in the House," Burns said.

In addition to Georgia, state House speakers in Alabama and Mississippi have indicated a new willingness to consider coverage expansion. All three states have experienced a large number of hospital closures, particularly in rural areas.

Medicaid expansion has become "politically safer to consider," said Frank Knapp, president of South Carolina's Small Business Chamber of Commerce. In his state, Republican lawmakers are weighing whether to appoint a committee to study expansion.

It's the kind of momentum some health policy analysts view as a favorable shift in the political discourse about expanding access to care. And it comes as a new crop of conservative leaders grapple with their states' persistently high rates of poor, uninsured adults.

An additional incentive: Under President Joe Biden's 2021 American Rescue Plan Act, the federal government pays newly expanded states an additional 5 percentage points in the matching rate for their regular Medicaid population for two years, which would more than offset the cost of expansion for that period.

But even as new discussions take place in legislatures that once froze out any talk of Medicaid expansion, considerable obstacles remain. Republican Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves, for example, still opposes expansion. And several nonexpansion states appear to have little to no momentum.

"A lot of things need to come together in any given state to make things move," said Robin Rudowitz, director of the Program on Medicaid and the Uninsured at KFF.

Under Medicaid expansion, adults earning up to 138% of the federal poverty level, or about $35,600 for a family of three, qualify for coverage.

Expansion has reduced uninsured rates in rural areas, improved access to care for low-income people, and lowered uncompensated care costs for hospitals and clinics, according to KFF analyses of studies from 2014 to 2021. In states that have refused to expand Medicaid, all of those challenges remain acute.

Alabama's legislative session began Feb. 6. Republican House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter has suggested that he's open to debating options for increased coverage. So many hospitals are in "dire straits," he said at a Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce meeting in January. "We've got to have the conversation."

Expansion could make as many as 174,000 uninsured people in Alabama eligible for coverage, according to KFF data. Still, Ledbetter prefers a public-private partnership model, and has looked at Arkansas' program, which uses federal and state money to pay for commercial insurance plans on the Obamacare marketplace for people who would be eligible for Medicaid under expansion.

In Alabama, lawmakers have introduced a plan that would levy a state tax on gaming revenue and could help fund health insurance coverage for adults with annual incomes up to 138% of the federal poverty level.

Robyn Hyden, executive director of advocacy group Alabama Arise, which supports Medicaid expansion, has seen progress on efforts to increase coverage. "The devil's going to be in the details," she said.

Mississippi's new House speaker, Jason White, a Republican, has said he wants to protect hospitals and keep residents from seeking regular care through the emergency room. More than 120,000 uninsured people in Mississippi would become newly eligible for Medicaid under expansion, according to KFF data.

White told KFF Health News in a written statement that improving access to health care is a priority for business leaders, community officials, and voters.

"The desire to keep Mississippians in the workforce and out of the emergency room transcends any political party and is a vital component to a healthy workforce and a healthy economy," he said. State legislators are determined to work with Reeves on the issue, he said.

Burns, the Georgia House speaker, has said that he's open to a proposal for an Arkansas-style plan. Republican Gov. Brian Kemp said he would reserve comment until after the legislative process, according to spokesperson Carter Chapman.

He emphasized Kemp's commitment to his recently launched plan requiring low-income adults to work, volunteer, or receive schooling or vocational training for 80 hours a month in exchange for Medicaid coverage. As of mid-January, the cumulative enrollment was right around 3,000. Expansion could make at least 359,000 uninsured people in Georgia newly eligible for Medicaid, according to KFF data.

In South Carolina, Republican lawmakers are considering legislation that would allow them to form a committee to study expansion. State Sen. Tom Davis, a Republican from Beaufort who sponsored the bill and previously opposed expanding Medicaid, said he's not endorsing or opposing Medicaid expansion at this time.

"We need to have a debate," Davis said during a committee meeting in January.

The state legislature would likely have to work with Gov. Henry McMaster, a Republican, who, according to spokesperson Brandon Charochak, remains opposed to Medicaid expansion.

North Carolina started enrolling residents under its expansion Dec. 1. They included Patrick Dunnagan, 38, of Raleigh. The former outdoor guide said he hasn't been able to work for years because of kidney disease and chronic pain.

He has relied on financial support from his family and said his medical debt stands at more than $5,000. Medicaid coverage will provide financial security.

Dunnagan said people with chronic health conditions in nonexpansion states "are accumulating medical debt and not getting the care they need."

Bills proposed in Texas' legislature didn't get a vote last year. And the state doesn't allow voter-initiated referendums, which have been a route to expansion in some Republican-led states. An estimated 1.2 million uninsured people would be eligible for coveragemore than in any other state still holding outif Texas expanded.

Republican lawmakers in Tennessee and Florida have said they won't allow Medicaid expansion. In Florida, advocates have launched a petition drive for a ballot initiative, but the earliest it could go to voters is 2026.

In Kansas, Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat, is once again pressing her state's Republican-controlled legislature to adopt Medicaid expansion, calling it a "commonsense proposal" that would lower health care costs for all consumers and protect rural hospitals. But the state's House speaker remains opposed to Medicaid expansion.

Advocates believe it's only a matter of time before Medicaid expansion happens nationwide as opposition eases and people continue to suffer the consequences of being uninsured.

For Dybas in Alabama, the prospect of gaining coverage is enough to make her consider relocating. In Minnesota, where she once lived, "I wouldn't have this problem," Dybas said.

Perhaps, as in Arkansas, conservatives will adopt models that rely more heavily on commercial insurance.

But many holdout states in the Southwhere death rates for heart disease, cancer, and diabetes are mostly worse than in other statessee growing disparities between the health of their citizens and those of neighboring states that have expanded, said Lucy Dagneau, a senior director for the American Cancer Society's advocacy arm, the Cancer Action Network. The group lobbies state legislatures for expanded insurance coverage.

"There will be a tipping point for all these states," she said.

2024 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Follwoing a a suspected bat bite Caroline Ford, worried she may have been exposed to rabies, sought treatment from AdventHealth Altamonte Springs. She called her insurance company, Anthem Blue Cross, and expected she'd need to pay about $600 based on her conversation over the phone.

Rabies is fatal if left untreated. A regimen of immune globulin and four vaccination shots over two weeks is lifesaving if administered quickly after exposure to the deadly disease.

"With rabies, there are no second chances," she said. "That's why I decided to go and get the shot."

But the bill that arrived a few weeks later left her stunned and thinking there must have been a mistake. The hospital charged her health insurance more than $44,000, according to the statement. Her portion totaled $6,126.69. The biggest charge on the billabout $27,000was for the immune globulin, the first step in the treatment regimen that provides antibodies until the body can respond to the vaccine.

"I was very much in shock," Ford said. "I went through all seven stages of grief. I started crying. I thought there must be a mistake."

Ford's experience illustrates a harsh reality about America's health care system: Lifesaving drugs can come with a sky-high cost for patients, even if they are insured.

In this case, a walk with her dog Scout created a large and unexpected medical bill for Ford. Bats swarmed her during the walk, and she feared she could have been bitten. The teeth of bats are so small a bite may not be visible and could go unnoticed.

Ford said she tried to get the bill reduced with no success. She set up a payment plan that will cost her $171 a month for three years, effectively adding about the equivalent of a small car payment to her budget.

Asked about the expense, AdventHealth responded with a statement.

"AdventHealth takes our commitment to caring for our community in emergency situations very seriously," hospital spokesman David Breen said. "We're committed to working with all patients facing financial difficulty, to find and offer all available forms of financial assistance."

A spokesman for Anthem Blue Cross said he could not immediately provide comment because he had not received a medical privacy clearance form to discuss Ford's case.

Drug price markups

Health care experts aren't surprised by Ford's hefty bill.

Drug companies mark up costs for immune globulin and rabies vaccines because they sell so few of the shots every year, said Dan Johnston, research director for National Nurses United, a national nursing union.

The average cost for the full course of treatment in the United States is $1,200 to $6,500, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data, but that doesn't take into account other fees associated with getting care.

Hospitals, particularly emergency rooms, will charge even more. A 2020 study by National Nurses United found that hospitals will charge patients up to 18 times their costs. Patients often go to the emergency room because that's where the treatment is typically available.

"If you get bit by a wild animal and you suspect rabies, there isn't much alternative other than getting the shots," Johnston said. "They know that, and so there's manipulation of the prices to maximize the amount of profit they get."

The high cost of rabies treatment has captured the attention of Capitol Hill. U.S. Rep. Ami Bera, D-Calif., learned about the issue firsthand when he was bitten by a rabid fox in 2022 near the Russell Senate Office Building.

Bera, a physician, is pushing a bill that would create a program to reimburse health care providers for providing post-exposure prophylaxis to uninsured patients. It also seeks to offer incentives to local health departments to stockpile the drugs to provide the treatment at no cost.

"I was fortunate to have immediate access to necessary and lifesaving treatment," Bera said in a statement to the Orlando Sentinel. "Unfortunately, in some cases, treatment comes with a hefty price tag. Individuals should not have to bear the burden of unexpected costs for life-saving treatment."

About 30,000 to 60,000 Americans get treatment for rabies every year, according to the CDC.

Rabies is rare in the U.S. Human cases of rabies are extremely rare in the United States with only one to three cases reported annually. From 2003 to 2022, only three cases were reported in Florida, according to the state Health Department. Elsewhere in the world, rabies is estimated to cause 59,000 human deaths annually with 95% of cases occurring in Africa and Asia, according to the World Health Organization.

On average, U.S. hospitals charge $4 to patients for every $1 they spend, a markup that has more than doubled over the past 20 years, according to National Nurses United's study.

Ken Peach, executive director of the Health Council of East Central Floridaa local nonprofit health care planning agencysaid emergency rooms need to charge more to make up for behind-the-scenes operating costs.

"If you have to maintain staff 24/7 to operate a particular type of equipment or service, and only a handful of people that come into the hospital will use that service, the cost of that service is still there. And so it gets spread across the board," Peach said. "The old story about the $20 or $30 Band-Aid or something along those lines doesn't seem to make sense until you look at it in the broader sense."

Dr. George Ralls, chief quality officer of Orlando Health, urged people to go to the emergency room as soon as possible after being bit by a potentially rabid animal, but he declined to share the average cost, adding that it varies by how badly the person is hurt.

Some experts recommend going outside the emergency department to get subsequent shots in the multi-dose series, though that may be easier in theory than practice.

The Florida Department of Health offers the rabies vaccine for $300 to $500 before insurance billing or an income-based sliding scale is taken into account, a spokesperson told the Sentinel.

When asked where residents can go to get the shots, the state health department said the Orange County health department has the vaccines in stock. The agency did not reveal whether vaccines were in stock in Seminole County, where Ford lives.

The CDC recommends that post-exposure treatment be administered as soon as possible after a bite.

A 2018 Vox investigation found patients in other developed countries pay less than Americans for rabies treatment. In some cases, U.S. hospitals charged more than six times what the identical drug would cost in the United Kingdom, where the British government covers the cost for patients potentially exposed to rabies, Vox's investigation found.

Health providers in Ontario and British Columbia in Canada indicate on their websites patients there can receive post-exposure treatment at no cost.

Ford said her experience served as a lesson of just how expensive the health care system can be.

"I don't know if any country has health care figured out correctly," she said. "We have to figure out something where we aren't financially destroyed when something unexpected happens."

2024 Orlando Sentinel. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers not to use off-brand versions of the popular weight-loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy because they might not contain the same ingredients as the prescription products and may not be safe or effective.

Agency officials have received reports of problems after patients used versions of semaglutide, the active ingredient in the brand-name medications, which have been compounded, or mixed in pharmacies. Officials didn't say what the problems were.

The trouble is that those versions, often sold online, contain a version of semaglutide that is used in lab research and has not been approved for use in people.

Compounded drugs are not FDA-approved, and the agency does not verify the safety or effectiveness of compounded drugs, the notice said.

Sales of semaglutide products have soared in the past few years after the drug was shown to spur fast and significant weight loss. The drugs manufactured by Novo Nordisk include brands Ozempic and Rybelsus, used to treat diabetes, and Wegovy, approved to treat obesity.

Demand for the medications has outstripped supply. As of May, Ozempic and Wegovy remain on the FDAs list of drug shortages. When drugs are in short supply, compounding pharmacies are permitted to produce versions of those medications.

Consumers should only use drugs containing semaglutide with a prescription from a licensed health care provider and obtained from a state-licensed pharmacy or other facilities registered with the FDA, the agency said.
Some state governments and federal regulators were already moving to keep individuals' reproductive health information private when a U.S. senators recent report offered a new jolt, describing how cellphone location data was used to send millions of anti-abortion ads to people who visited Planned Parenthood offices.

Federal law bars medical providers from sharing health data without a patients consent but doesnt prevent digital tech companies from tracking menstrual cycles or an individuals location and selling it to data brokers. Legislation for federal bans have never gained momentum, largely because of opposition from the tech industry.

Whether that should change has become another political fault line in a nation where most Republican-controlled states have restricted abortion  including 14 with bans in place at every stage of pregnancy  and most Democratic ones have sought to protect access since the U.S. Supreme Court in 2022 overturned Roe v. Wade.

Abortion rights advocates fear that that if such data is not kept private, it could be used not only in targeted ads but also in law enforcement investigations or by abortion opponents looking to harm those who seek to end pregnancies.

It isn't just sort of creepy, said Washington state Rep. Vandana Slatter, the sponsor of a law her state adopted last year to rein in unauthorized use of health information. It's actually harmful.

But so far, there's no evidence of widespread use of this kind of data in law enforcement investigations.

Were generally talking about a future risk, not something thats happening on the ground yet, said Albert Fox Cahn, executive director of the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project and an advocate of protections.

The report last week from Sen. Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat, showed the biggest known anti-abortion ad campaign directed to people who had been identified as having visited abortion providers.

Wyden's investigation found that the information gathered by a now-defunct data broker called Near Intelligence was used by ads from The Veritas Society, a nonprofit founded by Wisconsin Right to Life. The ads targeted people who visited 600 locations in 48 states from 2019 through 2022. There were more than 14 million ads in Wisconsin alone.

Wyden called on the Federal Trade Commission to intervene in the bankruptcy case for Near to make sure the location information collected on Americans was destroyed and not sold to another data broker. He also asked the Securities Exchange Commission to investigate whether the company committed securities fraud by making misleading statements to investors about the senators investigation.

It's not the first time the issue has come up.

Massachusetts reached a settlement in 2017 with an ad agency that ran a similar campaign nearly a decade ago.

The FTC sued one data broker, Kochava, over similar claims in 2022 in an ongoing case, and settled last month with another, X-Mode Social, and its successor, Outlogic, which the government said sold location data of even users who opted out of such sharing. X-Mode was also found to have sold location data to the U.S. military.

In both cases, the FTC relied on a law against unfair or deceptive practices.

States are also passing or considering their own laws aimed specifically at protecting sensitive health information.

Washington's Slatter, a Democrat, has worked on digital privacy issues for years, but wasn't able to get a bill with comprehensive protections adopted in her state.

She said things changed when Roe was overturned. She went to a rally in 2022 and heard women talking about deleting period-tracking apps out of fear of how their data could be exploited.

When she introduced a health-specific data privacy bill last year, it wasn't just lawyers and lobbyists testifying; women of all ages and from many walks of life showed up to support it, too.

The measure, which bars selling personal health data without a consumer's consent and prohibits tracking who visits reproductive or sexual health facilities, was adopted with the support of nearly all the state's Democratic lawmakers and opposition from all the Republicans.

Connecticut and Nevada adopted similar laws last year. New York enacted one that bars using tracking around health care facilities.

California and Maryland took another approach, enacting laws that prevent computerized health networks from sharing information about sensitive health care with other providers without consent.

We're really pushing forward with the free-flowing and seamless exchange of health care data with the intent of having information accessible so that providers can treat the whole person, said Andrea Frey, a lawyer who represents health care providers and digital health systems across. Conversely, these privacy concerns come into play.

Illinois, which already had a law limiting how health tracking data  measuring heart rates, steps and others  can be shared, adopted a new one last year that took effect Jan. 1 and that bans providing government license plate reading data to law enforcement in states with abortion bans.

Bills addressing the issue in some form have been introduced in several states this year, including Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, South Carolina and Vermont.

Where companies have adopted AIand where they are planning to do so in the near future Where companies have adopted AIand where they are planning to do so in the near future Top adopters Getting on the bandwagon
The Burke County Public Library will give local residents the opportunity to recognize Black History Month with a special event.

The library will hold its annual Gathering of the People celebration at 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 25, at Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church at 4427 Berry School Ave. in Valdese. The presentation is free and open the community.

This is the 22nd year the library has hosted the Gathering of the People in celebration of Black History Month, said Laurie Johnston, curator of the North Carolina Room of the library, who is organizing the event. This program is one of the most important and well-attended events that we present at the library. Since its beginnings in 2003, this program highlights local historic events, sites and people that have had a profound impact on the wider community.

The featured speaker at the event will be the Rev. Dr. Martin Connelly Jr., superintendent of Cumberland County Schools in North Carolina and senior pastor of St. Augusta Baptist Church in Fuquay-Varina. Connelly is a Burke County native who graduated from East Burke High School in 1981.

We decided to give the spotlight to an individual who has taken what they have learned from growing up in Burke County and used their strengths to endure challenging trials and rise above those challenges, Johnston said.

She noted that Connelly was named 2024 North Carolina Superintendent of the Year.

This announcement prompted us to consider him for the program, Johnston said. When we researched more about his life and accomplishments, we discovered a man of leadership, resilience and determination.

Connelly said he will speak about the significant contributions African Americans have made to the history and fabric of the Burke County community.

In the annals of history, Burke County may not always be the first place that comes to mind when we think of historic Black excellence, Connelly said. However, it is here, in the very streets of Morganton, Valdese, Drexel, Berrytown, and beyond, that countless individuals have left an indelible mark on our hearts and our collective consciousness.

In the fabric of our community, we find countless unsung heroes and heroines whose names may not grace the pages of history books, but whose contributions resonate in the hearts and minds of all who knew them. From the resilient spirit of the educators at the historic Olive Hill High School to the steadfast courage of local activists, each individual has played a vital role in shaping the tapestry of our shared heritage.

The alumni website, alwayseastburke.com, includes Connellys biography, in which he gives credit to his mother, who worked at the J. Iverson Riddle Developmental Center, and his sister, who taught special education at Mountain View Elementary School, for inspiring him to pursue a career in special education.

He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Foreign Policy, a Master of Education in special education and Master of School Administration from North Carolina State University, and a Doctor of Educational Leadership from East Carolina University, the biography reads. He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from St. Thomas Christian College in Jacksonville, Florida.

Connelly also served in the U.S. Army and achieved the rank of major.

I served as an intelligence officer, commanded a company in the 82nd Airborne Division, and also served in Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm during combat in the first Iraqi conflict, Connelly is quoted on the alumni site.

After leaving the military, he worked various position in education, including special education teachers assistant, special education teacher, special education coordinator, high school assistant principal, middle school principal, high school principal, assistant superintendent for Student Support Services and chief of staff of Wake County Public Schools, the largest school system in the state.

Connelly has received many accolades for his work, including:

Raleigh Wake Citizens Association Lifetime Achievement Award

NAACP Educator of the Year award

2017 Educator of the Year Award from Phi Beta Sigma, Inc.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Educator Award from Johnston County

Administrator of the Year award from the Harriett B. Webster Task Force for Student Success

Raleigh/Wake Citizens Association Educator of the Year award

Dr. Sam Houston Superintendents Leadership Award from the North Carolina Superintendents Association

He has served on the boards of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, the National Association of Secondary School Principals, the School Superintendents Association and the NC School Superintendents Association. He was president of the North Carolina Association of Black School Educators, the YMCA Advisory Board for the Alexander Branch in Raleigh, Habitat for Humanity (Wake) board of directors and the Wake County Board of Commissioners  Affordable Housing Advisory Committee.

Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church, where the Gathering of the People will take place, is Connellys home church, located in the historically Black community of Berrytown, Johnston said. The event also will include musical performances and refreshments.

Black history is important, Johnston said. This program provides an opportunity to shine a spotlight on this part of our history, Johnston said. It is our hope that this years Gathering of the People will inspire us all to learn about our shared history and come together as a community and work together to become better people, individually and collectively. We encourage all people to attend this years program to gather as a community to be inspired by the life, leadership, resilience and message that Dr. Marvin Connelly has to share.

Connelly echoed her call to unity.

As we celebrate Black History Month, let us not only look to the past with reverence, but also embrace the present with a sense of purpose and determination, he said. Let us stand together as a community, united in our commitment to justice, equality and the pursuit of a brighter future for all. The Gathering of the People must re-ignite the sense of oneness and bring out the power of a village united.
DEER LODGE  Rick Hirsch recalls occasional fuel or oil spills from roundhouse operations into Tin Cup Creek or the Clark Fork River during the 1970s.

Things like that happened, he said Tuesday. In those days, pollution wasnt a big deal.

Pollution continued even in the aftermath of the Milwaukee Road abandoning the roundhouse in 1980. Operations there had contaminated groundwater, surface water, sediments and soils for decades. And it continued for decades more. In 1998, for example, leakage from a bunker caused a 60-foot oil sheen in Tin Cup Creek.

Hirsch spoke Tuesday morning at a gathering near the former site of the Milwaukee Road roundhouse. He and others were there to celebrate the beginning of remediation of the acreage once polluted by roundhouse work.

This is really exciting, said Amanda Cooley, planning director for Powell County.

She noted that reaching the first day of excavation took roughly 30 years. Now, Cooley said, the cleanup of about 11 acres could yield open space or a site for future industrial development.

Remediation could be complete by summer, she said, though excavation could yield surprises that might prolong the project.

For decades, the Milwaukee Road, as it was known, had operated a maintenance roundhouse in Deer Lodge to service locomotive engines and railroad cars. It serviced steam, electric and diesel locomotives from 1908 to 1980.

The roundhouse structure was demolished in 1984.

The departure of the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad from Deer Lodge after the railroads 1977 bankruptcy saddled the city with economic and environmental woes.

Historical operations at the Milwaukee roundhouse encompassed about 27 acres. Today, Powell County owns the northern half of the Milwaukee Roundhouse Area, referred to as MRA, and Sun Mountain Logging owns the southern portion. The southern part of the MRA will continue to be used as part of the existing sawmill and logging operations.

The estimate for cleanup costs totals about $1.2 million. Grant funds from the state Department of Natural Resources and Conservation will cover much of that and Headwaters RC&D will help secure funds through the Montana DEQ Brownfields program.

During Tuesday mornings groundbreaking Melissa Wanamaker said EPA/DEQ Brownfields funding has the potential to turn vacancy into vibrancy.

The Montana Department of Environmental Quality will oversee the cleanup under the Comprehensive Environmental Cleanup and Responsibility Act, also known as the state Superfund law.

In 2015-2016 about 40,000 tons of petroleum and metals contaminated soils were removed from the MRA and disposed of in a licensed landfill, according to DEQ. The agency says Powell Countys cleanup plan addresses about 10,000 cubic yards of soils containing arsenic, lead and other contaminants.

Once remediation is complete, the acreage addressed could become a park or host industrial users. Carbon-Based Solutions has approached Powell County Commissioners about siting a biochar manufacturing plant there. The U.S. Biochar Initiative says biochar is typically produced by superheating biomass in specially designed furnaces. Feed stocks for the process can include manure, wood debris, construction waste, slash from forest thinning and more. The result could be used as soil amendments.

After the federal government commenced some cleanup work at the site in 2011, Powell County received a bill for about $2.9 million. With interest, the total approached $5 million by 2019. Ultimately, with help from Montanas congressional delegation, Powell County settled with the feds for $200,000.

Meanwhile, Tuesday's groundbreaking ceremony encountered frozen ground. So, workers fired up an excavator.
Following a gamble that didnt pay off, Butte-Silver Bow will be sending supplemental tax bills to property owners next month to collect $1.8 million in previous reductions.

Butte-Silver Bow commissioners were banking on a favorable outcome in a contentious legal dispute when they voted in October to cut property taxes levied locally on behalf of the state.

All but seven of Montanas 56 counties did the same, but a unanimous Montana Supreme Court ruled against them in November and in favor of Republican Gov. Greg Gianfortes administration.

Butte-Silver Bow plans to send out supplemental bills to more than 19,000 taxpayers next month to essentially take back the cuts. They will be due in late May, when the second half of annual property tax payment are due.

Individual tax obligations will vary, but someone with a $100,000 house who had saved $23.36 in the previous reductions will now have to pay that amount. Someone with a $250,000 house will owe $58.39 more in taxes.

Property taxes soared in most parts of Montana this past year because of rising home prices and corresponding increases in assessments during the state reappraisal cycle. Assessments rose by a median value of 45% statewide and by 35% in Butte-Silver Bow.

The increases sent counties and state officials into a blame-game over property taxes.

In a revolt of sorts, Butte-Silver Bow and 48 other counties levied 78 state school equalization mills instead of the 95 sought by the Montana Department of Revenue. The mills are collected by each county and redistributed by the state to level out funding for school districts in richer and poorer counties.

The Gianforte administration opposed the reductions and sued, and many educators objected as swell, saying the cuts would jeopardize school funding. Counties argued they had the authority to levy the lower amount.

The Montana Supreme Court ruled on Nov. 22 that counties had no authority to set the mill rate, a power held exclusively by the state revenue department. That means counties must now collect the full 95 mills.

Anaconda-Deer Lodge County was among the seven counties that did not lower the mill levy.

Bill Everett, chief executive of Anaconda-Deer Lodge County, said last October he didnt believe the county had authority to make the cuts and feared possible consequences.

One is the state coming back and saying, Well congratulations, youre now sending out new tax bills to all your constituents  maybe in December  to make up for that loss, Everett said then. Thats a possibility, and I dont think our constituents want to see that.
Muscatine police responded to more calls in 2023 than 2022, while firefighters responses were down slightly.

Last week, both the Muscatine Police Department and the Muscatine Fire Department released the calls for service numbers, among other statistics and facts, for 2023 as part of the citys annual report.

According to the police departments report, the Patrol Division responded to 23,548 calls for service in 2023, an increase of about 2,552 from last year. Of these calls, K-9 units were utilized on 123 calls for service, which was an increase of 28% from last year.

The police department was able to fill all vacancies in 2023, but was still understaffed due to new hires needing to first go through extensive training. The department also faced fuel and overtime costs throughout the year.

This was Tony Kies first years as Muscatine Police Chief. Following the report, Kies noted that in spite of some difficulties, the department was still able to bring back community police events and business training efforts, which allowed for greater officer morale and the opportunity to further build relationships with Muscatines residents.

Other positives from 2023 included the establishment of a mental health support team for first responders, which is being led by Officer Samantha Wheeler and Fergus, an emotional support dog, and the completion of ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate) training for all school resource officers at Muscatine's schools.

As for the Muscatine Fire Department, 2023 was its second-busiest year in the past decade, with the department responding to 5,773 calls for service during the year, or about 15.8 calls per day. Although it passed 2021s 5,709 calls, it did not pass 2022s record of 5,909 calls.

Of these calls, the number of fire related calls in 2023 was down slightly, with there only being 692 calls in 2023 compared to 816 in 2022. Additionally, structure fire calls and cooking fires calls made up the bulk of these responses.

Breaking the numbers down, Mondays were often seen as the busiest day for firefighters and EMS with a total of 872 reported runs on this day throughout the year, with Tuesday being a close second with 851 runs. In terms of months, October saw 537 runs, and August and March each had over 500 runs.

In-between calls, the fire department continued its diligent training regimen, focusing on a variety of responses to different fire types, medical emergencies, and other scenarios such as specialty rescues and hazardous material incidents, Fire Chief Jerry Ewers said. Over 11,000 hours was dedicated to staff training over this past year.

The knowledge, skills, abilities, and professionalism of our members is demonstrated on a daily basis on service calls and when out in the community, Ewers said.

Other news from this year included the purchasing of cot scales and software to help EMS workers accurately know their patients weight, and the departments involvement in public first-aid training and risk reduction efforts such as the Stop the Bleed program and CPR training opportunities.

For a full look at the statistics of these departments and others, residents can visit the City of Muscatine website to look at the individual annual reports or to download a PDF version of these reports.
The Kenya Dairy Board has issued a warning to traders against engaging in the trade of illegal powdered milk, which is capturing a significant portion of the local market and causing losses for farmers. The board emphasized that the government will not relent in its ongoing crackdown.

During an inspection tour of a local milk processing plant in Korakora division, Garissa, the Chairperson of the Kenya Dairy Board, Genesio Mugo, stated that currently, no permits have been issued for importing powdered milk into the country.

I want to state clearly that there is no permit to import powdered milk into the country. This is because we want to create a market for our local milk from camels, cows, and goats. After all, the illegal milk is taking away our local milk market share, Mugo said.

We want Kenyans to consume our milk and not the ones from other countries. We have powdered milk from our local companies like the KCC and more investors are coming to set up powdering milk plants to fill in the gaps we may have, he added.

Mugo emphasized that, with the recent rains, the country can produce enough milk for local consumption.

The Managing Director of the Board, Margaret Kibogy, stated that the Board is currently concentrating on non-traditional milk-producing counties like Garissa. Training sessions for farmers and other stakeholders have already been conducted to enhance knowledge in dairy farming.

Milk consumption in this area is very high and we have decided to expand our footprint here by setting up offices so that we can enhance our services and get closer to our stakeholders, Kibogy said.

Regarding the illegal powdered milk, the Managing Director mentioned that they are collaborating with a multi-agency team to crackdown on illegal products, ensuring the protection of local farmers and consumers.

We want to welcome all our traders and other stakeholders to be compliant with the regulations and laws so that we can protect our farmers and our consumers because we dont even know how safe the illegal milk is for human consumption, she said.
The Cameo Cinema in St. Helena will present the four-day FORK2FILM Festival March 14-17, showcasing the best feature-length narrative and documentary films about food, farming and wine.

Over the course of the festival, attendees will enjoy epicurean film screenings, food and wine experiences, filmmaker Q&As and more. The event builds on the success of the Cameo's year-round CinemaBites screening series.

Throughout my 16 years of programming for the Cameo, CinemaBites has stood out as a favorite among patrons, especially when we connect audiences with a filmmaker or chef, said founder and owner Cathy Buck. It's been a dream of mine to program a festival that centers around food, farming and wine, three things that make the Napa Valley stand out. I'm so excited to bring such an amazing variety of films to our first FORK2FILM Festival. Bon appetit!

This year, FORK2FILM Festival programmers have selected 14 independent movies to be screened alongside culinary classics and award-winning standouts.

Narrative features include The Taste of Things, directed by Anh Hung Tra and starring Juliette Binoche, Benoit Magimel and Emmanuel Salinger; Waiting for Dali, featuring by Jose Garcia, Ivan Massague and Clara Ponsot; and a 20th-anniversary screening of Sideways, directed by Alexander Payne.

Documentary highlights include Common Ground, directed by Joshua Tickell and Rebecca Harrell Tickell, with Laura Dern, Rosario Dawson, and Jason Momoa discussing the importance of regenerative farming; Coldwater Kitchen, led by Brian Kaufman and Mark Kurlyandchik, documenting a culinary training program for incarcerated men; and Susan Feniger. Forked, from Liz Lachman, which charts the journey of celebrity chef Susan Feniger as she opens her first solo restaurant. Feniger and Lachman attend the Susan Feniger. Forked screening at 5 p.m. Sunday, March 17.

Here are this years film selections:

Thursday, March 14

11 a.m. Alcarras  The life of a family of peach farmers in a small village in Catalonia changes when the owner of their large estate dies and his lifetime heir decides to sell the land, suddenly threatening their livelihood. Starring Josep Abad, Jordi Pujol Dolcet, Anna Otin and Albert Bosch. Directed by Carla Simon.

2 p.m. Stella  Follow chef Ciro Oliva as he runs the Italian pizzeria Concettina ai Tre Santi in hopes that it will become the first of its kind to receive a coveted Michelin star. Directed by Tyler Doehring.

5 p.m. Julia  The story of the legendary cookbook author and television superstar Julia Child, who changed the way Americans think about food, television, and even about women. Directed by Betsy West and Julie Cohen.

7:45 p.m. Common Ground  The solution of regenerative farmers to bring soil health across the continent and beyond. Featuring Laura Dern, Rosario Dawson, Woody Harrelson and Jason Momoa. Directed by Joshua Tickell and Rebecca Harrell Tickell.

Friday, March 15

11 a.m. She Chef  Agnes travels from luxury kitchen to luxury kitchen. We follow the young woman on a culinary journey that lets us experience the craft of cooking from up close. Directed by Melanie Liebheit and Gereon Wetzel.

2 p.m. Bottle Conditioned  An intimate look at lambic beer and three of its most revered brewers and blenders as they each navigate the growing demands of consumers today. Directed by Jerry Franck.

5 p.m. The Michoacan File  Discover the origin, history and impact of Mexican food in modern society while deconstructing what we understand about Mexicos gastronomic influences. Directed by Bernardo Arsuaga.

7:45 p.m. Sideways  Two men reaching middle age with not much to show but disappointment embark on a week-long road trip through California's wine country, just as one is about to take a trip down the aisle. Starring Paul Giamatti, Thomas Haden Church, Sandra Oh and Virginia Madsen. Directed by Alexander Payne.

Saturday, March 16

11 a.m. The Most Remote Restaurant in the World  Following the journey of chefs from Michelin-starred restaurant KOKS as they move their exclusive dining experience and restaurant to one of the most remote corners of the world: Ilimanaq, Greenland. Directed by Ole Juncker.

2 p.m. Crush: Message in a Bottle  A cinematic portrait of a year in the lives of artisanal winemakers and winegrowers in Canada, documenting the challenges of producing an exceptional bottle of low-intervention wine in a frequently inhospitable climate. Directed by Maya Gallus.

5 p.m. Coldwater Kitchen  Inside a Michigan prison, a dedicated chef's gourmet culinary training program gives incarcerated men new skills  and new hope. Directed by Brian Kaufman and Mark Kurlyandchik.

7:45 p.m. The Taste of Things  The story of Eugenie, an esteemed cook, and Dodin, the fine gourmet with whom she has been working for over the last 20 years. Starring Juliette Binoche, Benoit Magimel and Emmanuel Salinger. Directed by Anh Hung Tran.

Sunday, March 17

2 p.m. Waiting for Dali  During the 1970s, Fernando, a talented chef, arrives in the village of Cadaques, home of the internationally renowned artist Salvador Dali. The paths of the chef and the artist will cross and cause the birth of a new culinary genius. Starring Jose Garcia, Ivan Massague and Clara Ponsot. Directed by David Pujol.

5 p.m. Susan Feniger. Forked  A new culinary documentary that chronicles the journey of celebrity chef Susan Feniger (Food Network/Master Chef) as she embarks on the venture of her first solo restaurant. Directed by Liz Lachman.

FORK2FILM Festival sponsors include Materra/Cunat Family Vineyards, Trinchero Family Estates, Crisp Kitchen & Juice, Spottswoode Estate Vineyard & Winery and more.

Cameo Cinema is at 1340 Main St. (Highway 29/128) in downtown St. Helena.

For a full festival schedule and tickets, visit cameocinema.com.

PHOTOS: A look at the Cameo Cinema in St. Helena
Aaron Mosley describes his Napa recovery program as a spiritual boot camp, and seeing the daily schedule, its easy to tell why.

Residents wake up at 4:30 a.m. Bible study starts at 5 a.m. By 5:30 household chores begin, and at 6:30 the men go to the gym.

At 7:45 a.m. theyre off to work. After meals, reading and studying, most are in bed by 7:30 p.m.

Called the Bridge Restoration Ministry, the Christian-based program provides a residential setting for those struggling with addictions, providing safety, structure, discipleship, and supervision for the purpose of restoring them back to God, family, work, and community, according to the Bridge website.

The Bridge was founded in 2006 by Mike Casey in Pacific Grove, in Monterey County.

Mosley, who has a background in law enforcement, launched the Napa Bridge program in 2019.

Were trying to break the cycle of addiction, said Mosley, who serves as chief executive of the Napa Bridge ministry. We recognized there was a need for additional support for those facing homelessness and addiction within our own community.

This program can change peoples lives, according to Mosley. Even by reaching one person, he said, one can impact multiple people in that persons life  from family to children to the whole community.

In Napa, up to eight men live in two Bridge homes next to each other on a quiet residential street.

The 12-month program is essentially free. However, each resident works for the Bridge Landscape Service. Because the Bridge is a religious-based program, its not eligible to receive government funding, explained Mosley. Instead, it relies entirely on donations and the income from landscape service clients.

Residents at the Bridge must also agree to specific rules of conduct. Drugs, alcohol, tobacco, pornography, weapons or profanity are not permitted.

Television is limited to specific hours on weekends. Visitors are only allowed on Saturdays at scheduled times. After completing an initial 45-day blackout period, each resident is allowed one 15-minute phone call per day.

Residents do not use computers or cellphones. All books and reading material complement the religious recovery program. The men do all the cooking and cleaning and both the outside and inside of the home, including residents' bedrooms, are immaculate. There is no clutter. Residents dont use their own vehicles unless they are in the final phase of the program and working at an outside job.

On a recent afternoon visit, the men sat in small groups, quietly reading or writing in workbooks or notebooks.

As part of the Bridge program, the men regularly attend Grace Church of Napa Valley on Solano Avenue. They also volunteer for various nonprofit programs and efforts such as local food banks.

Mosley said since the Bridge launched in Napa, about 35 men have entered the Napa program. About 10 have successfully graduated. That number might seem low, but according to Mosley, unfortunately thats the norm.

Actually, the guys that have had the greatest success here have been through other programs, some two or three or four times, said Mosley. Its kind of a gradual learning process.

The guys that have never been to a program before sometimes tend to struggle a little bit, said Mosley. A lot of these guys leave within the first 30 days. So they're in their orientation phase, and they just decide they don't want to do the work. Because it's not an easy program.

But we're willing to serve anybody as long as you're willing to follow the rules," the CEO said.

And they have to accept being part of a faith-based program. There are people who maybe say they believe or think they do, but may question or doubt," Mosley said. "Those folks have a harder time sticking around. And that's OK. We can't serve every single person, we understand that.

Thats part of a common misconception about the program, he said. You don't have to be a believer but to be successful (at the Bridge), you have to be willing to incorporate those studies into your life for this time, period.

Anthony Dixon is another key part of the Bridge in Napa. As program manager, he helps new members get situated and does case management for the residents. That includes not only securing basic needs like a drivers license or other important documents, but also personal financial management, health care or other social services. Basically, how to adult, Dixon explained with a smile.

Dixon, who also has a background in law enforcement, works side by side with residents to really tackle the root issues that they have in their life.

Toward the end of the program cycle, if residents have an outside job, they are asked to contribute a nominal amount of money for rent. After leaving the Bridge homes, they are eligible to move into a Bridge-sponsored transitional living apartment, also in Napa.

James Camel, 55, is a graduate of the Bridge program. Hes currently one house manager at the Napa campus.

Yes, the program is strict, said Camel, who is from the Monterey area: Very strict.

But after you see yourself make a little bit of progress, you realize I can do it, Camel said. And then you keep doing it. And then next thing, you know, you've done it.

Adlahi Castillo, 30, came to the Bridge in Napa after being released from jail. Hes originally from Arizona.

He knew he had to be open-minded about the program, said Castillo.

You have to be willing to submit, first of all to God and then to the rules," he said. "Which, once you get used to it, it's not that bad.

He appreciates how welcoming everyone has been, especially at Grace Church.

I would meet people and they were truly interested in my well-being, said Castillo, who described feeling surrounded with love. And to me, that was awesome. They're my family now.

Castillo is six months into his year-long stay at the Bridge in Napa. Hes not sure what to expect once he has to leave the program.

To be honest, I'm kind of scared to go back out into society, he said. (Right now) I'm really focused on learning about the Bible and about God about how to be a better Christian. I don't really want to think too far.

To anyone who might benefit from a program like the Bridge, Castillo had this advice: It's OK to ask for help. And it's never too late to take a step in the right direction.

Michael Olivio, 34, said he was sober for about seven years when he started drinking again. I was leaning on alcohol to solve my problems, he said.

He got connected with the Bridge program in Monterey and has been at the Bridge in Napa for about 90 days.

Olivio said that so far, the program is bringing into perspective what I'm missing: my wife, my daughter.

I want to become the man that God sees me to be, and the man that I need to be for my wife and my child.

By talking about his journey at the Bridge, maybe that'll help somebody in the long run, said Olivio. God is working tremendously here.

Mosley said plans for the Bridge in Napa include building awareness about the program, just letting people know who we are and what we do.

We can provide resources to people who are struggling, and with donations and landscaping clients, eventually we can expand and be able to serve more people, said Mosley.

The Bridge Restoration Ministry For more information about the Bridge program in Napa: call: 707-312-4923

email: office@thebridgenapa.org

PHOTOS: The Bridge, a home for recovery through faith in Napa
What was once Napas Red Hen Bar and Grill could eventually become home to a 120-room chain hotel.

Paradigm Hotel Group submitted a pre-application to the city of Napa to build a three-story lodging property at 4175 Solano Ave. This was the final home of the longtime Red Hen cantina, which closed in 2019.

Napa family closing Red Hen Bar and Grill on Sunday For the second time in 2019, a long-standing Mexican restaurant is closing in Napa.

According to the application, the project is branded as an AC Hotels by Marriott property.

Situated on 1.96 acres, the hotel would feature a circular porte-cochere entry, interior courtyard, fitness center, an estimated 2,332 square feet of meeting space, dining area, bar and lounge, and 123 parking spaces.

Details such as the exterior design of the hotel or a detailed project description were not included in the pre-application.

According to its website, Paradigm Hotel Group is a privately held hotel and commercial real estate company based in San Francisco.

Paradigm Hotel Group would not be new to Napa. It currently manages the Hotel Indigo at 4195 Solano Ave., directly next to the former Red Hen restaurant.

Jay Singh, a representative from Paradigm Hotel Group, could not immediately be reached to comment on this proposal.

The Red Hen parcel is currently owned by Peninsular Investments Inc. of South San Francisco. Ganendra Singh is listed as a principal of Peninsular Investments.

Linsey Gallagher, president and chief executive of Visit Napa Valley, noted that Napa Valley has not had significant growth in terms of volume of hotel rooms.

Over the past five years, Napa County has added a net total of just 197 hotel rooms, she wrote. We welcomed three new hotel properties  in Calistoga, the Four Seasons Resort and Residences (85 rooms), and in the city of Napa, Stanly Ranch (135 rooms) and Cambria (90 rooms). However, we also lost 113 lodging rooms during the 2020 wildfires  all of Calistoga Ranch (50 rooms) and a portion of Meadowood (63 rooms).

Napa's Red Hen unfairly attacked in Sarah Huckabee Sanders restaurant uproar The last time Napas Red Hen restaurant was in the news, it involved a neon sign of a cartoon chicken wearing a sombrero.

The total number of hotel rooms in Napa Valley has remained relatively static, with little growth, said Gallagher.

Napa County has about 5,700 rooms. When compared to our nearest wine destination, Sonoma, we are outsized by approximately 2,000 rooms," Gallagher wrote. "The visitor economy, primarily generated by a tax on overnight hotel stays, is a significant factor in the general fund of each city within Napa County from Calistoga to American Canyon. With competitive destinations outsizing Napa County, in terms of both volume of rooms and revenue, it will be important for Napa County to see some measured growth in room volume in order to stay competitive and relevant in the competitive set, such as Sonoma, Monterey and Santa Barbara.

Additionally, the lodging inventory in Napa Valley is largely comprised of luxury and boutique properties, noted Gallagher. Adding a new property that offers rooms at more approachable rates will provide additional options and flexibility for overnight visitors.

According to the AC Hotels company website, there are more than 150 AC Hotels around the world. That includes 122 in North America and 16 in California.

The nearest current AC Hotels to Napa are in Santa Rosa, San Rafael and Oakland. Depending on the location and date, current AC Hotels room rates range from an estimated $141 to $173 per night.

New homes coming to Napa Pipe/RiverSound in south Napa New homes coming to south Napa New homes coming to south Napa New homes coming to south Napa New homes coming to south Napa New homes coming to south Napa New homes coming to south Napa New homes coming to south Napa New homes coming to south Napa New homes coming to south Napa
GUWAHATI: China is reportedly continuing with the construction of border villages in the disputed territory with Bhutan, despite ongoing border talks between the two nations.

According to the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post, at least three villages have been constructed in the mountainous region that separates the two countries, with some villages doubling in size.

The rapid expansion of these villages began as part of a poverty alleviation scheme but also serves a dual national security purpose, according to officials from the ruling Chinese Communist Party.

In a remote Himalayan village within a disputed border zone, 18 new Chinese residents were seen entering their newly built homes, each carrying a framed portrait of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

This event occurred on December 28, as reported by the Tibet Federation of Industry and Commerce.

The Tamalung village, one of at least three villages built by China inside the disputed zone, saw rapid expansion, with its size doubling in the latter half of 2023.

Satellite imagery captured by US-based Maxar Technologies shows 147 new houses constructed to accommodate 235 households, in addition to the existing 70 homes.

Chinas efforts to build well-furnished villages along its borders with both India and Bhutan have continued despite ongoing border discussions.

This includes the border with Bhutan, where a Cooperation Agreement was signed between the two countries last year regarding the responsibilities and functions of a joint technical team on boundary delimitation and demarcation.

While China has resolved boundary disputes with many neighbouring countries, India and Bhutan remain exceptions.

Chinas attempts to establish diplomatic ties with Bhutan and expedite border negotiations have been complicated by various factors, including Chinas claim over Doklam in 2017, which led to a standoff with India.

The villages built by China, under the guise of poverty alleviation, also serve as strongholds to bolster national security.

Gyalaphug, another border village east of Tamalung, also doubled in size, with new homes constructed alongside existing dwellings.

These villages, initially established as part of Xis poverty alleviation campaign, now serve both as modern housing and as defences along the border, reflecting directives from the highest levels of the Communist Party.
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Armenia government plans to have Kapan city airport serve international flights as well

Zakharova on Russian border guards removal from Yerevan airport: Hardly meets Armenia security interests

Armenia defense minister, Austria envoy, military attache discuss enhancing cooperation (PHOTOS)

Armenia official: Those 4 villages in Tavush Province are not in our administrative territorial division

European Parliament passes resolution proposing to consider possibility of EU membership candidacy to Armenia

The Kremlin comments on PM Pashinyan's statements about possibility of Armenia leaving CSTO

US envoy to Armenia underscores empowering women to participate meaningfully at all levels of conflict prevention

RFE/RL: Armenia ready to find solutions, including in most problematic areas of Tavush Province, government says

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The Bank of Georgia Group (BOGG) and Ameriabank announced today that following negotiations, they have reached an agreement on the acquisition of Ameriabank by BOGG. Judging by the statements of both parties, this will be an important deal for the banking system of Armenia, because through the Group, Ameriabank will become the only financial institution in Armenia listed on the London International Stock Exchange. This is important, especially considering the current sales processes of HSBC Armenia. On the other hand, however, this deal has raised many questions among the public, which we asked Ameriabank to clarify.

Today, BOGG and Ameriabank announced that they have reached an agreement on the acquisition of Ameriabank's shares. There are still several approval processes before the deal is closed. When do you expect the final deal to take place?

You are right. The deal has yet to be approved. The parties have only announced the end of the negotiation phase. It still needs to be approved by the general meetings of shareholders of Ameriabank and BOGG PLC, as well as by regulatory bodies, including the Central Bank of the Republic of Armenia. There is no firm timeline for the completion of the process, although we expect the process to be completed within the next few months.

Considering that the main shareholder of Ameriabank, Ruben Vardanyan, is currently in prison, who is negotiating with BOGG?

Mr. Ruben Vardanyan is not a direct shareholder of Ameriabank. Ameriabank's 48.82% shareholder is Imast Group, in which Ruben Vardanyan's share is entrusted to trust management.

Imast Group is one of the five shareholders of Ameriabank, and it does not hold the majority of voting shares. The bank's shareholders include the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Asian Development Bank, and the Afeyan Foundation.

Each shareholder can make decisions only regarding the share under his control, and the approval of the deal must take place by joint decision of all shareholders.

The deal gave rise to speculation, particularly because Ruben Vardanyan has been in an Azerbaijani prison for about five months. What is your response to these conversations? When did the negotiations on the deal begin?

First of all, let us note that the process of changing the shareholding structure started two years ago. All shareholders were involved in this process.

What changes can the deal lead to for both brands? Will the change in ownership have any effect for Ameriabank customers?

If the deal is approved, Ameriabank will continue business expansion and development under its brand and under the leadership of the existing management team, remaining faithful to its adopted values, declared mission, and vision. No change will occur if this potential deal is approved. This deal will only imply a change in the bank's shareholding. It should be noted that in the past, there have been changes in the composition of shareholders, and they have never affected Ameriabanks activity; in this case, the change will not affect the activity of Ameriabank either. To emphasize all this, in connection with this deal, BOGG will initiate the process of changing its name to emphasize the independence of its members and this new phase of its international expansion.

Moreover, if this possible deal is approved, Ameriabank will gain access to global financial markets for raising capital and making investments, which will naturally have a positive impact and create new opportunities for partners and clients. Becoming a member of such a Group will strengthen cooperation with existing correspondent banks, as well as provide an opportunity to expand the list of correspondent accounts.
Banks are the driving force of the economy, and Armeconombank improves its online and mobile systems year by year, which allows us to be competitive in the market.



Saribek Sukiasyan, Chairman of the Board of Armeconombank, said this during his interview with Tert.am.



Mr. Sukiasyan also commented on the current development trends in the Armenian banking sector and a number of economy-related matters.



Mr. Sukiasyan, technologies and information are important attributes in the 21st century. How current is the Armenian banking sector with the new developments in IT sector?

Today's reality is already unimaginable without digital technologies, and this is especially true for the banking sector. Today, Armenian banks spare no expense to obtain the most advanced technologies and make customer service more comfortable.



Currently, the competition between Armenian banks is quite intense. Customers have the opportunity to compare the quality of products, services, and customer service offered by banks and select the financial institution that suits their needs the best.



Armeconombank spends significant amounts on purchase and maintenance of new technologies, improves its online and mobile systems year by year, which allows us to be competitive in the market and meet the demands of our customers to the maximum extent by expanding the range of online transactions. Now our customers also have the option to purchase digital cards.



In order to ensure the smooth operation of the bank, last year we upgraded the servers, and we continuously purchase new generation equipment such as metal card embossers, new generation ATMs, and electronic signature equipment.



How would you evaluate Armeconombanks role in the development of the Armenian banking sector? How favorable was the last year like for the bank, what achievements would you highlight?

In 2023, the bank carried out two successful placements of shares, which increased the bank's capital by more than AMD 3bn, and the number of shareholders increased by nearly 1200 to reach about 7000. This is another evidence of the permanent confidence in Armeconombank.



With special attention to the proper implementation of the anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist financing function, Armeconombank launched the Siron software solution package which is currently one of the most advanced and widely used financial crime detection platforms in the world. It is especially valuable in todays situation where the sanctions imposed on different countries and individuals are altered day by day. Traditionally, Armeconombank strictly follows the measures aimed at combating money laundering and terrorist financing and refrains from servicing any transactions related to the countries, banks, and customers included in various sanction lists.



As for banking products, the bank was the first in Armenia to issue Visa Infinite and Visa Platinum metal cards which provide various advantages to customers. We have always aimed to have a special position among the best banks that offer exclusive products.



Last year the bank introduced Visa Guru card which offers numerous benefits, jointly with TEL-CELL CJSC it started issuing co-branded (virtual) cards, and also joined the noncash transaction-based pension and welfare cashback project. Of course, there were also other new products and projects which you can explore by visiting Armeconombanks website.



Mr. Sukiasyan, what are any problems in the banking sector of our country today that require an urgent solution? To what extent do banks contribute to the economic growth of Armenia today?

Banks are the driving force of the economy, and it is simply impossible to imagine the economy without them. Contrary to the opinion of a vast segment of the community, all Armenian banks except the Central Bank of Armenia are private and are for-profit organizations like any business and, being major taxpayers, they greatly contribute to economic growth. As we know, Armenians traditionally aspire to own their own homes, and this is mainly made possible due to the home loans offered by banks.



Banks greatly support startup businesses with their loan projects and offer opportunities for further expansion as well. Business entities, as they create added value, start paying taxes. As you can see, this is a chain reaction in which its participants contribute to each other's well-being and all together they contribute to the economic growth of the country.



Indeed, there are times of challenges for the country's economy, including banks, but I must say that we have always been able to keep the situation under control, thereby distinguishing ourselves from neighboring countries where shock situations were much more painful for the country's economy and population. This, of course, was greatly facilitated by the fact that the Central Bank of Armenia made decisions independently without any interference from outside.



In Armenia, the introduction of a universal system of income declaration for individuals in a phased manner commenced this year. In your opinion, shouldn't the private sector also be public in terms of its databases, especially since the structures under your management operate by this standard?

The introduction of the income declaration system for individuals is an important step indeed, but there are a few steps that should have been taken before the introduction of this system. In particular, I refer to major Armenian taxpayer entities, the operations of which should be as transparent as possible for the society: they must publish their balance sheet, management remunerations, independent auditors report, and strategic development plans for the next 3 years. If these entities have share placements, shouldn't all of this information be available to potential investors, both domestic and foreign?



After all, the availability of these conditions speaks of a company's transparency and its attractiveness for investors. The investor should have the opportunity to correctly assess the profitability of the investment for himself, for example, whether to place a deposit or buy shares.



Why do we always see the same entities in top 1000 Armenian taxpayer list, why dont small businesses in Armenia strive to turn into medium businesses, or medium ones into large ones? This raises many questions. The economic policy of the state should be aimed at contributing to this transformation, otherwise we will not have progress or we will have very slow growth rates.



The government of Armenia decided to take over a part of the banking liabilities and credit burden of the Republic of Artsakh. Naturally, all this was done with the support of financial institutions. Mr. Sukiasyan, how would you rate the contribution of the private sector to this matter?

The steps taken by the government in that difficult situation were top important. I never expected the government to take over the losses and make housing arrangements for forcibly displaced people so quickly and effectively. Our international partners were puzzled how the country had more than a hundred thousand displaced people and never needed any tent towns.



As for the contribution of the banks to that case, they took over a part of the losses in coordination with the government. Armeconombank, in addition to such losses, also returned the gold pledged in the bank to our displaced compatriots in an attempt to lighten their burden a little.

Succession of generations is important for the recovery of any industry. What would you say about the political succession of generations and the importance of the role of young people?

I am not involved in politics, and I have no desire to get involved either; let the politicians deal with it while I stay in my native private sector. I will answer your question only with regard to the economic sphere. Age is not important, what really matters is the employee's knowledge, desire and ability to work and create added value. These are the criteria applied for selecting employees for Armeconombank.



Today the system works and I am satisfied with the outcome; everyone in the Bank is a professional. As for myself, I have never been clinging to my chair, so later I can leave my office to another professional or one of the younger members of our family with no worry.



By the way, regarding the family: Do you have the time to be with your family?

Definitely, despite my workload, I always make time for my family. I love our large family, I like to spend time with my family as it gives me incredible peace, and I like to contribute to the lives of children. It is true that the main burden of raising the family falls on mothers, but I believe that the man should also have his, even if small, part in this important job. For me, family and homeland are a whole that cannot be separated. If you love one, you love the other.

Lessons learned and current challenges. Today, Armenia is facing challenges and hard decisions. What do you think is the key to overcoming the challenges the country has been facing?



Only and solely the development of the economy, this is what I see as the key to success. A country with a developed economy is attractive to investors, and it is a country to be reckoned with since it has things to offer to the world.



Armenia's independence faces threats today. Mr. Sukiasyan, in your opinion, what are the main ways to safekeep and strengthen the country's independence?



You divert the topic to politics again; let me answer in a slightly different way. I would simply say that I do believe that we will preserve our independence thanks to our mentality, our ideas and, of course, our inner transformation. We should move on with the idea of becoming a country with a developed economy, whose actions and opinions are taken into account. Independence can only be preserved by contributions made by all of us, and by our hard work. We do not have to love each other, but we do have to compete with each other in free and fair conditions.

Each of us has an individual responsibility to regenerate our dream homeland every day. It requires dedication in the first place. In your opinion, what is the value system that the society will employ to develop and rebuild our homeland, and what are the elements of this system?

The duty of regenerating the country, naturally, implies unconditional dedication, and dedication to your work above all. You have to work, you have to pay taxes to make your country strong and prosperous. We must instill a passion for hard work in the future generations so that we can have the homeland of our dreams.
Videos of Armenia PM Pashinyan's meetings in Tavush Province to be publicized later, spokesperson says (PHOTOS)

Young man throws stone at Armenia government building window

Armenia premier meets with Kirants village residents of Tavush Province (PHOTOS)

RFE/RL: Putin loses in Armenias Yerevan, wins in Gyumri in Russia presidential election

High-tech minister on removing Russia TV channels from multiplex: Armenia's dignity is at core of decisions

Kazakhstan FM considers it necessary to increase trade with Armenia

Armenia, Kazakhstan FMs discuss new logistical opportunities

Armenia 2041 Foundation launches Galvanizing Diaspora program

Kazakhstan FM notes Armenias Crossroads of Peace projects importance for Middle Corridor

Armenia, Kazakhstan FMs sign 2024/25 action plan

Armenia PM is in Tavush Province, meeting with residents of Voskepar, Baghanis, neighboring villages

Archaeologists find inscription of King Antiochus I of Armenian Yervanduni Dynasty, in Turkey

Kazakhstan FM is in Armenia (PHOTOS)

Rolls-Royce Ghost to be retired and replaced by new Alpina sedan

Ardshinbank cardholders can now enjoy a 10% cashback!

Withdrawal from lawsuits against Azerbaijan in international courts will cause irreparable damage to Armenia, Armenians

EU Council to discuss assistance to Armenia, Armenian-Azerbaijani normalization

7,825 Karabakh residents who left Armenia since September 2023 have not returned, new data say

Armenia to submit application for EU membership?

Archaeologists discover where legendary British warship that disappeared in 17th century sank

Large number of Russians came from Georgia to Armenia to vote in presidential election, envoy says

Stoltenberg: NATO hopes to have stable peace between Azerbaijan, Armenia

Belgorod attacked by two rockets during the day: there are dead and injured

Media: Elon Musk's company is building a network of hundreds of spy satellites for US intelligence

Shooting in Pennsylvania: at least three dead, gunman took hostages

MEPs appeal to EU leadership to protect cultural heritage of Artsakh Armenians

New talks between Israel and Hamas are scheduled in Qatar on Sunday

India's national elections will be held from 19 April to 1 June

Aliyev: Azerbaijan and Georgia have always supported each other's sovereignty

Iran calls for formation of international coalition against Israel

Biden told Aliyev of US commitment to peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan

Stoltenberg will meet in Yerevan with the President and Prime-minister of Armenia

Turkish Foreign Ministry issues anti-Russian statement on Crimea issue

Zakharova: There is a historical answer to Armenia's doubts about sincerity of Russia's intentions

Zakharova: Moscow discusses with Armenia dragging Yerevan into anti-Russian course

Zakharova: Armenia's withdrawal from CSTO should be based on real needs of the country, not on "flirting" with West

Amazon and Microsoft suspend their cloud products in Russia

Dollar, euro lose value in Armenia

Armenia deputy FM: There has been considerable regress regarding visa facilitation with EU

Deputy FM: As landlocked country, Armenia recognizes vital importance of inclusive connectivity, open borders

FM: Armenia made every effort to prevent de-Armenianization in Karabakh

FM to reporters: You will be the first to know when Armenia intends to apply for EU membership

Ararat Mirzoyan: All Armenia authorities have negotiated on territorial concessions to Azerbaijan

FM: Deepening of Armenia's relations with the West, EU not directed against Russia

Mirzoyan: Unprecedented number of senior French officials visited Armenia in 2023

Ararat Mirzoyan: Armenia, Azerbaijan are close to mutual understanding on recognition of 1991 borders

Armenia made very active efforts to have minimal mutually acceptable wording with CSTO partners, FM assures

FM: Georgia ready to contribute to process of establishing peace in South Caucasus

Armenia FM: Events have occurred that have made it impossible to do certain things

Armenia FM: Ultimate goal not materialized yet in relations with Turkey

FM: There are international players interested in Armenia ceasing to exist

Mirzoyan: No agreement between Armenia, Azerbaijan to withdraw international lawsuits against each other

Armenia FM reiterates PM's arguments on handover of 4 villages in Tavush Province to Azerbaijan

FM: Armenia still doesnt understand how CSTO partners present their area of responsibility in South Caucasus

Mirzoyan: EU monitoring mission in Armenia has become factor of stability on Azerbaijan border

Dennis Francis: UN hopes for signing of Armenia-Azerbaijan peace treaty

FM: 23 Armenians still kept in custody in Azerbaijan

Armenia FM: Still not many tangible results on fundamental issues, we are still negotiating with Azerbaijan

European Commission official underscores provision of assistance to people affected by Karabakh conflict

Peter Stano: Armenia can apply for EU membership

MFA: Genocide prevention agenda is among Armenias priorities

Russia holding presidential elections

US intelligence warns of potentially devastating new pandemic

Newspaper: Birth rate in Armenia 19% lower than last year

Stoltenberg: NATO sought to maintain stronger relations with Armenia and Azerbaijan

Georgian Prime Minister to visit Armenia

Premier receives IMF Armenia mission chief

Anne-Laurence Petel-led delegation to arrive in Armenia

FM: Armenia looks into prospects of further deepening partnership with EU

New technologies at the core of rural infrastructure development

Russia is world leader in nuclear technology, Putin says

Vardges Sureniants Salome painting returns to National Gallery of Armenia exhibition

Dollar drops, euro rises in Armenia

Sunak: There is historic opportunity to put an end to Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict

Armenia authorities, who paid $6M for Snoop Dogg concert, still dont know when this postponed event will be held

Deputy economy minister: Matter of opening India-Iran-Armenia trade corridor being discussed

Armenia official: Trade with India amounted to $380M in 2023

ICC NCA head: India considers Armenia an important bridge to enter larger markets

Anne-Laurence Petel welcomes resolution on EU-Armenia relations

India ambassador: We are happy that our relations with Armenia are developing in defense sector also

Indians are now 2nd largest community in Armenia after Russians, envoy says

India-Armenia business forum kicks off in Yerevan

Armenia parliament speaker on European Parliament resolution: We thank European partners for this important step

PM: European Parliament resolution is another opportunity to discuss vision of Armenia's future

Azerbaijans next target in Karabakh is Artsakh State University

Russia deputy FM in Turkey, discusses process of normalizing Armenia-Azerbaijan relations

14-karat gold LEGO piece sells for over $18,000

Newspaper: Armenia to leave CSTO on Putin's reelection day?

Young lords 1,200-year-old tomb with treasure discovered in Panama

European Parliament resolution demands Azerbaijan troops withdrawal from Armenia territory

European Parliament adopts resolution proposing to consider possibility of Armenia's candidacy for EU membership

Russia MFA spox: We are concerned by Armenia leaderships sometimes offensive rhetoric on CSTO topics

Armenia government plans to have Kapan city airport serve international flights as well

Zakharova on Russian border guards removal from Yerevan airport: Hardly meets Armenia security interests

Armenia defense minister, Austria envoy, military attache discuss enhancing cooperation (PHOTOS)

Armenia official: Those 4 villages in Tavush Province are not in our administrative territorial division

European Parliament passes resolution proposing to consider possibility of EU membership candidacy to Armenia

The Kremlin comments on PM Pashinyan's statements about possibility of Armenia leaving CSTO

US envoy to Armenia underscores empowering women to participate meaningfully at all levels of conflict prevention

RFE/RL: Armenia ready to find solutions, including in most problematic areas of Tavush Province, government says
In order to always keep the subject of Artsakh hot, we must have a powerful Armenia and a powerful diaspora; today that trinity is very important. Artur Tovmasyan, the former speaker of the Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) National Assembly (NA), on Tuesday told this to reporters outside the Artsakh representative office in Armenia.

"There are various topics, we have the right of return, the right to preserve cultural heritage, the right to lost property. There are issues that are not political, and they should be voiced. Who should voice [them]?

I once said that we cannot dissolve the Artsakh NA, we cannot self-dissolve, no one has the right to dissolve Artsakh, the Artsakh NA [currently in exile] will function until May 21, 2025. Although we will not pass laws, there will be decisions, announcements.

We have two ways. One is the path of extreme patriotism, the other: taking current realities into account. I think that we should be guided by the current realities so as not to harm our compatriots of Armenia and Artsakh," said Tovmasyan.

Touching on the matter of Armenian captives in Azerbaijan, the former speaker of the Artsakh parliament said that the Armenias authorities tell them that they are dealing with the matter of Armenian captives in Azerbaijanand not only in connection with the detained military and political leaders of Artsakh, but also with all the Armenian captives who are in Azerbaijani prisons.

"I have studied the criminal code, the civil code of Azerbaijan. They are very harsh articles, they are called terrorists, separatists. But in these 30 years, the OSCE co-chairing countries have always been in [Artsakh capital] Stepanakert. Have they visited terrorists, separatists? International observers from more than 100 countries have always been at all Artsakh elections. All of them have recorded that the elections took place in accordance with the principles of democracy and the electoral code of Artsakh, and it is a step ahead of previous years. They have recorded that we organize elections better than the countries of the region," Tovmasyan said.

As for the return of Artsakh Armenians to Artsakh, he said that international guarantees are needed for this, as there are security issues.

"The people of Artsakh cannot return [home] as citizens of Azerbaijan, it is impossible," added Artur Tovmasyan.
When we look at the history of our people, it can be said that it is a chain of victories and defeats. Sadly, the national liberation struggle of Artsakh also had such a course. Vahram Balayan, deputy speaker of the Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) National Assembly (NA) in exile, on Tuesday told this to reporters outside the Artsakh representative office in Armenia.

"Under the influence of many factors, we could not keep, protect what we had. In general, history is not only a lesson, but also a punishment for all those who do not take the lessons of history into account. Unfortunately, we did not take into account the lessons we learned, we could not preserve our statehood.

The Artsakh chapter of our history is not yet closed, every generation must contribute to the preservation of the country, the statehood. It is true: today we are in a disillusioned, broken state, but there is a need to use the available opportunities and strengthen Armenia. And in the context of all this, try to continue our further struggle, liberate a part of our historical homeland," said Balayan.

According to the vice-speaker of the Artsakh legislature in exile, the Artsakh issue has nothing to do with the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

"We self-determined on our territory. Here it is important to note that we have had no ambitions towards the territories of any country, people. We had Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region during the Soviet period, and it had a certain status within the Soviet Union, just like Soviet Azerbaijan had. Let me say more: the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region also had a constitution, where it is written that the official, state language is Armenian. There is no problem from a legal point of view. Talking today that there should be self-determination on the territory of Azerbaijan, there is no such thing, it is unacceptable," Balayan said.

The Artsakh NA in exile convened a session at the Artsakh representative office in Armenia.

Today marks the 36th anniversary of the Artsakh movement.
We have to get out of that emotional field and make a correct assessment. Vahram Balayan, deputy speaker of the Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) National Assembly (NA) in exile, on Tuesday told this to reporters outside the Artsakh representative office in Armeniaand referring to the remark that Russia wants new facts and evidence that the Artsakh Armenians were forcibly displaced in September 2023, and asked whether this is a pro-Azerbaijani position on the part of Armenias ally Russia.

"Naturally, it should be said that way. Today, Russian peacekeepers continue to stay in Artsakh, they had to carry out a certain mission, and it must be said that it has failed; that's how it should be presented.

In reality, it was a genocidal act against our people, it is an obvious fact that we must present to the world, show again that our people have the right to full return [to Artsakh], and must fight to exercise that right," said Balayan.

To the follow-up question as to how he assesses this position of Russia, he said: "I don't know what their wish is, but we have to present these facts to the whole world. Those facts should be collected, presented to the competent authorities, the countries interested in the matter, showing that a genocidal act was committed against this people and an entire people were dispossessed of their homeland."

Balayan gave a negative answer to the question as to whether he considers Russia a part of that genocidal operation by Azerbaijan.

"We shouldn't make such an assessment because there are many circumstances that we have to take into account. By giving such assessments every time, we somehow limit our possibilities," he added.

Balayan stated that the obligations stipulated by the trilateral statement of November 9, 2020 were not fulfilled. According to him, it is still too early to assess whether the Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh were part of that genocide because of their inaction.

"We still have a way to go. It seems to me that we should not be deprived of existing opportunities, we should continue to work from the viewpoint of ensuring our full return. That is, I believe there is no need to rush and give such assessments," said Vahram Balayan.

The Artsakh NA in exile convened a session at the Artsakh representative office in Armenia.

Today marks the 36th anniversary of the Artsakh movement.
Hee-Soo Jung, resident bishop of the Wisconsin Episcopal Area of The United Methodist Church, will serve as Candlers 2023-24 Alonzo L. McDonald Family Chair on The Life and Teachings of Jesus and Their Impact on Culture. In this role, Jung will present public in-person lectures on Wednesday, Feb. 28 and Wednesday, March 20.

The McDonald Lectures are free and open to the public with registration required. They will take place in Cannon Chapel sanctuary on Emorys Atlanta campus.

In addition, Jung will present a public lecture on Korean Christian Spirituality: Its Trace and Scope on Thursday, March 21, at 7 p.m. at Korean Church of Atlanta UMC in Duluth, Georgia. No registration is required for this free event.

The lectures are made possible by the McDonald Agape Foundation.

Wednesday, Feb. 28: Kenosis and Sunyata: Jesus Christ in Interfaith Context

Cannon Chapel Sanctuary

11 a.m.12:45 p.m.

This lecture will focus on Jesus as encountered in interreligious dialogues between Buddhism and Christianity. For more than 40 years, Jung has been on an empathetic journey participating in interreligious dialogue pursuing the Buddhist Studies and theological investigations. Through encounters and conversations between different religions, the journey of Jesus once again touched Jung and resonated with him for an authentic spirituality and leadership journey. Registration is required for this February event.

A grab-and-go lunch will be available in Brooks Commons following the lecture.

Wednesday, March 20: Jesus Tears: Messianic Hope and Liberation in the Korean Diaspora

Cannon Chapel Sanctuary

45:30 p.m.

This lecture will deliver the basic tenants of Korean Christian spirituality and will survey the missionary presence and theological investigations among and through Korean diasporas in the global community. It will focus on YongDo Lee (1901-33), a pioneer and Korean Christian mystic who believed that no other spirituality could exist without the desperate love for Christ. In this sense, Lees faith and theology can be defined as the mysticism of the suffering Christ. Register now for this March event.

Light refreshments will be served in Brooks Commons following the lecture.

About Hee-Soo Jung

Hee-Soo Jung has served since September 2012 as the resident bishop in the Wisconsin Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church, where he has played a key role in Wisconsins Imagine No Malaria Campaign. He previously served eight years as bishop of the Northern Illinois Conference (Chicago area) and was instrumental in inspiring the Harvest 2020 movement in Northern Illinois, which resulted in many new faith communities.

Before his election to the episcopacy, Jung served as an elder in the Wisconsin Conference, where he was a pastor and a district superintendent. He taught and chaired the Department of Religion and Philosophy at Kangnam University in South Korea, and has also served as pastor of congregations in California, Texas and South Korea.

He is currently the president of the General Board of Global Ministry, chair of the UM Korean National Plan and a member of the Board of Directors for Bread for the World. Jung serves as a member of the Ecumenical Forum for Korea at Geneva, Switzerland, and is actively involved in Korea peace and reconciliation. He has served as faculty for the Two-Year Academy for Spiritual Formation since 2005 and has taught in various Five-Day Academy sessions in the U.S. and abroad.

Previously, Jung served as president of United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), and as a member of the Board of Directors for the General Board of Discipleship, the UM National Hispanic Plan, the General Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns, and the General Commission on United Methodist Men.

About the McDonald Chair

The Alonzo L. McDonald Family Chair on the Life and Teachings of Jesus and Their Impact on Culture is supported by gifts from the McDonald Agape Foundation, founded by Alonzo L. McDonald, a longtime trustee of Emory University. The McDonald Agape Foundation supports lectures and other public presentations that deal creatively and imaginatively with the person and teachings of Jesus as they shape and form culture.

Recipients are given a distinguished visiting professorship, in which they speak and teach in the focused area of Jesuss effect on culture and conversely, cultures shaping of the figure of Jesus.

Past McDonald chair lecturers include Judge John T. Noonan of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit; composer Alice Parker; art historian Herbert Kessler; historian and documentary filmmaker Randall Balmer; author James Carroll; Episcopal priest and bestselling author Barbara Brown Taylor; Pulitzer Prize-winning author and historian Garry Wills; Jesuit priest and film professor Lloyd Baugh; and theological scholars David H. Kelsey, David F. Ford, Walter Earl Fluker, Roberto S. Goizueta, M. Shawn Copeland, Luke Timothy Johnson and Christian Smith, among others. View a list of past chairs.
Onana rescues Everton as new Palace boss watches on

Amadou Onana celebrates scoring Everton's equaliser in the 84th minute. Photo: AP

Everton midfielder Amadou Onana rescued a 1-1 draw against fellow strugglers Crystal Palace with a late equaliser just hours after the Eagles hired Oliver Glasner as their new manager on Monday.



Sean Dyche's side were in danger of a damaging defeat in the fight for Premier League survival after Jordan Ayew blasted Palace ahead with a fine finish in the second half at Goodison Park.



But Onana levelled with six minutes left to lift Everton out of the relegation zone above Luton on goal difference.



If Palace had held on, they would have moved eight points clear of the bottom three, but instead the gap to Luton is five points.



It was a blow to former Eintracht Frankfurt boss Glasner, who was appointed by Palace after Roy Hodgson stepped down earlier on a dramatic day for the south London club.



Hodgson's assistants Paddy McCarthy and Ray Lewington were in charge against Everton, but Glasner was seated alongside Palace chairman Steve Parish and sporting director Dougie Freedman in the Goodison stands.



"It was a wonderful goal by Jordan Ayew, but we couldn't hold on. There's lots of quality and Glasner is coming into a squad with plenty of character," McCarthy said.



Glasner has agreed a contract until June 2026 and will be in charge for the first time when Palace host second bottom Burnley on Saturday in another crucial clash.



He faces a tough task to revive a team with only three wins in their last 20 games in all competitions during an alarming slide towards the relegation zone.



Former England and Liverpool manager Hodgson's departure was suitably respectful for a boyhood Palace fan who served them well in two spell as manager.



Palace supporters who made the trip to Goodison appeared to have made peace with Hodgson as they held up signs reading 'Thank you Roy' and 'One of our own'. (AFP)
Southern Illinois University School of Law Dean Camille Davidson at commencement exercises in May 2023. (Photo by Russell Bailey)

SIU Law to honor five alumni at 50th anniversary gala March 23

by Pete Rosenbery

CARBONDALE, Ill.  Five distinguished graduates of the Southern Illinois University School of Law will be honored next month when the law school holds its 50th anniversary gala.

The event is set for March 23, starting at 5 p.m., at the Southern Illinois Airports Hangar One Event Center, 556 N. Airport Road, Murphysboro. Tickets are required to attend, and seating is still available. The deadline for ordering tickets is Friday, Feb. 23.

One alum, nominated by law school alumni and former law school faculty, for each of the law schools five decades will be honored:

1973-1983  John Brewster, 1976.

1984-1993  Lyndon Sommer, 1993.

1994-2003  Cecilia Najera, 1999.

2004-2013  Tionn Fambro Carter, 2008.

2014-2023  Cameron Washington Woods, 2017.

"Throughout the span of the last 50 years, our esteemed alumni have consistently risen to prominence, distinguishing themselves as exemplary figures in the areas of law, public service and community leadership, Dean Camille Davidson said. As we celebrate our 50th anniversary, we will proudly honor five individuals nominated by their peers for their remarkable achievements and enduring legacy at the SIU Law Gala."

Established in 1973 with an aim to improve the available legal services and attorney access in the region, the law school celebrated its 48th graduating class in May 2023 and boasts 4,800 graduates.

For more information, contact Carly Holtkamp, director of external relations, SIU School of Law, at 618-453-8312.
An upcoming community-driven art and history exhibition will bring the vitality, struggles, and resilience of the Central Coasts Filipino migrant community to vibrant life with family heirlooms, contemporary artworks, evocative photographs and oral histories.

Sowing Seeds: Filipino American Stories from the Pajaro Valley will run from April 12 through August 4 at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art And History in downtown Santa Cruz.

We are honored to collaborate on and host Sowing Seeds," said Marla Novo, MAHs Director of Exhibitions and Programs. I'm thrilled to continue building this important partnership with the University of California, Santa Cruz and Watsonville is in the Heart. It brings our community together through public scholarship, local history, and shared experiences.

Four years in the making, this long-awaited exhibition will tell the story of Filipino migration and labor in Watsonville and the greater Pajaro Valley of Central California from the 1930s to the present.

The exhibition is the result of a prestigious $75,000 Public Humanities Projects: Exhibitions Planning grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to Watsonville is in the Heart (WIITH). Housed in The Humanities Institute at UCSC, WIITH is a community-driven public history initiative dedicated to preserving and uplifting the stories of Filipino migration and labor in the city of Watsonville and the greater Pajaro Valley.

We had a shared vision with our community partners from the beginning of our work together that has only kept our efforts focused, said Kathleen Kat Cruz Gutierrez, Assistant Professor Of History at UCSC and co-principal investigator of WIITH.An exhibition has been part of that vision, and we're eager to share perspectives on Filipino American agrarian life that come straight from those who lived, worked, struggled, and flourished in the Pajaro Valley.

Part of the exhibition will focus on oral histories and family heirlooms associated with WIITH. Sowing Seeds will feature 52 family objects and 13 oral histories drawn from 18 family collections including agricultural tools, family photographs, organizational paperwork, and photo albums.

Some of those artifacts and stories will give exhibition visitors a candid look at the Manong Generation, which consisted mostly of young, single men and some women who left the Philippines looking for work. In Santa Cruz County, they were recruited for low wage farm jobs, where they worked long hours picking fruits and vegetables and hauling irrigation pipes.

But the exhibition will also gesture towards the present, featuring contemporary works of art that will give museum goers insightful and sometimes conflicting narratives of belonging, community formation, and memory preservation.

These artistic interventions offer an exciting and immersive way of engaging with local history, said Christina Ayson Plank, PhD candidate in Visual Studies at UCSC and head curator of Watsonville is in the Heart.

Sowing Seeds will feature installation, photography, illustration, and film. WIITH has invited eight artists engaged in a range of artistic disciplines and mediums to the exhibition, all of whom have worked with or around the importance of archives, memory, and community. Johanna Poethig and Minerva Amistoso will present works of art about the experiences of the elderly manong and manang generation.

Ruth Tabancay, an artist who grew up in the Pajaro Valley, has created a new work of art especially for Sowing Seeds, highlighting the experiences of young Filipinas and performing femininity.

Binh Danh, Sandra Lucille, Jenifer Wofford, Ant Lorenzo, who graduated in 2023 with an MFA from UCSCs Environmental Art + Social Practice (EASP) program, and Connie Zheng, a PhD candidate in UCSCs History of Art and Visual Culture department, have been invited to work directly with community members to produce artworks that investigate their collections and family histories.

The WIITH team has previously worked closely with the Pajaro Valleys Filipino American community to build a digital archive," Ayson Plank said. We've gone to their homes and heard stories about their parents, family friends, and relatives that are memorialized through the objects they've kept and preserved."

WIITH collaborates closely with The Tobera Project, a grassroots organization based in Watsonville. Dioscoro Roy Recio Jr. of the Tobera Project and Sociology Professor and Director of the Center for Labor and Community Steve McKay initiated a partnership between The Tobera Project and UCSC to celebrate and bring greater awareness to the long-overlooked history of Filipino Americans in the Pajaro Valley.

McKay is a co-PI on the WIITH project alongside Gutierrez. With Recio Jr.'s vision, the initiative has expanded to include several projects including oral history interviewing, digital archiving, K-12 curriculum development, and most recently, the new exhibition at the Museum of Art & History.

The exhibition will be presented at MAH with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities, The Humanities Institute at UCSC, the UCSC Arts Research Institute, the UCSC Arts Division, the UCSC Office of Research, the Monterey Peninsula Foundation, the UCSC Committee on Research, Society of Hellman Fellows, and the Rise Together Fund at Community Foundation Santa Cruz County.

The exhibition is made possible with the generous contributions of Cristana DeGuzman, Greg Reyes, and George Ow Jr.

Stay tuned for more information about the public programming series associated with the exhibition, including an event for educators on May 3 when the WIITH team will debut a map of Filipino history in the Pajaro Valley; THI's Night at the Museum on May 29th, which will be focused on Sowing Seeds and will feature public lectures by three scholars of Asian America (Catherine Ceniza Choy, Rick Baldoz, and Rudy Guevarra), a family scrapbooking day on July 13, and a closing poetry reading on August 4.
VMPL New Delhi [India], February 20: Techmagnate, a leading digital marketing agency, has released their latest report on Personal Loan Search Trends in India for FY'23. As the demand for personal loans continues to rise, more consumers are relying on Google to seek answers to their inquiries about personal loans. To grasp the shifting customer preferences within the insurance sector, Techmagnate, a leading digital marketing agency, has unveiled its latest report on search trends in India for FY'23. This search trends report reveals a remarkable 25.73% surge in searches related to 'personal loans.' The surge is attributed to a combination of aggressive of brand marketing strategies and the increasing urgency for financial assistance in times of emergency. Sharing his thoughts about the report, Sarvesh Bagla, CEO of Techmagnate, states: "The Indian personal loan market is undergoing a dynamic and rapid transformation. The rising search volume across lending institutions, loan types, and purposes reflects a maturing market driven by evolving consumer needs and preferences. Brands who tap into these search trends and create a robust digital marketing strategy to gain visibility with their target audiences will be able to lead in their segment." Key Highlights of the Personal Loan Search Trends Report * Overall, the Personal loan search volumes in India grew by 25.73%% in FY'23, indicating a significant increase in online interest and consideration. * While established players like Bajaj Finserv (39.50% Share of Voice) and HDFC Bank (37.12% Share of Voice) maintain dominance, the market is witnessing exciting diversification in terms of brands. * Bank of Baroda emerges as the new challenger, displacing ICICI Bank from the Top 3 with a remarkable 158.61% year-on-year growth in brand search volume. Additionally, brands like L&T Finance (+171.57%), Kotak Mahindra Bank (+66.63%), and PNB (+69.79%) are demonstrating impressive growth trajectories. * Purpose-driven searches are shaping the market, with "Emergency Loan" and "Home Loan" emerging as the top two categories by search volume. This indicates a growing reliance on personal loans to address immediate financial needs and support long-term aspirations like homeownership. * The demand for convenient and hassle-free loan options is evident in the 32.48% increase in searches for "Instant Personal Loan." This trend highlights the growing preference for digital loan platforms and streamlined application processes. * Bengaluru is the city with the highest search volume for personal loans, followed by Hyderabad, Delhi, Chennai, and Mumbai. Tier 2 cities like Coimbatore, Jaipur, and Lucknow have also seen notable growth in personal loan search volumes, suggesting a wider market penetration of personal loan products and growing aspirations in small towns. Many other insights like the above in Personal Loan Search Trends Report serve as a valuable resource for industry stakeholders, providing actionable insights to navigate consumer behaviour in the personal loan market. Techmagnate is India's leading digital marketing agency, providing comprehensive digital marketing services. We specialize in working with enterprise-level clients to optimize their online presence and achieve digital marketing goals. We use a combination of data analytics, technology, and industry expertise to develop and execute effective marketing campaigns that drive results. For media inquiries or access to the complete Personal Loan Search Trends Report, please contact us at +91-9910308266 or visit https://www.techmagnate.com/contact-us.html (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by VMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
China expects sustained, sound ties with Indonesia after smooth election: spokesperson

Xinhua) 08:02, February 20, 2024

BEIJING, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- China will work with Indonesia to advance the sustained, sound and steady growth of bilateral ties after the smooth and successful presidential election in Indonesia, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Monday.

Former general and three-time presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto declared victory in Indonesia's presidential election on Feb. 14.

"We congratulate Indonesia on the smooth and successful presidential election," spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular news briefing.

Noting that Indonesia is China's friendly neighbor, Mao said China believes that the choice of the Indonesian people is in the interest of their country's future and prosperity.

"China looks to continue to work with Indonesia to stick to the main theme of building a community with a shared future, forge high-level strategic mutual trust, deepen strategic cooperation across the board, and advance the sustained, sound and steady growth of China-Indonesia relations to deliver greater benefits for our two peoples," Mao said.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
Makers of the upcoming survival drama film 'The Goat Life' starring actor Prithviraj Sukumaran have changed the film's official release date. The film will not hit theatres on March 28, 2024, in Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada. Taking to Instagram, Sukumaran shared a post on his stories which reads, "16 years since conception, 10 years since scripting, 6 years since shooting started, the wait, for once, is shorter. The Goat Life, March 28th in the theatres worldwide." Earlier, the film was slated to release on April 10, 2024. Directed by National Award Winner Blessy, 'The Goat Life' features actor Prithviraj Sukumaran in the lead role and is based on the novel Goat Days by Benyamin. Produced by Visual Romance, and directed by National Award Winner Blessy, the film also features Hollywood actor Jimmy Jean-Louis, Amala Paul, Indian actor K.R.Gokul, and renowned Arab actors Talib al Balushi and RikAby in pivotal roles. The movie is based on the novel 'Aadujeevitham', one of the most popular best sellers ever from the Malayalam literary world, which has been translated in 12 different languages, including those that are foreign. Penned by noted writer Benyamin and it follows the true story of the life of a young man Najeeb, who in the early 90s migrates from the lush green shores of Kerala in search of the fortunes in a land abroad. Speaking about this Indian film, director, Blessy earlier said, "The greatest challenge in front of me was that The Goat Life is a subject with universal appeal and I would have to stay truthful to its narrative style. The novel is based on some real incidents and I want to captivate the viewers with each moment that something as unbelievable happened to someone. Truth has never been so much stranger than fiction. The scale of the movie demands to be felt within the confines of a theatre and we are excited to bring this magnum opus to audiences around the world." Apart from this, Sukumaran will also be seen in the action thriller film 'Bade Miyan Chote Miyan' alongside Tiger Shroff, Akshay Kumar, and Sonakshi Sinha. (ANI)
New Jersey is in line to becoming the new shooting destination for the Indian film industry after the Producers Guild of India (PGI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the state to facilitate the shooting of Indian films there. The MOU was signed between PGI, Choose New Jersey, and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority during Choose New Jersey's economic mission to India in December, read a statement. Speaking about it, Shibasish Sarkar, president of the Producers Guild of India, said, "There has been a quantum increase in the number of Indian productions filming internationally. Traditionally, international shoots were restricted to a handful of destinations and were almost exclusively the domain of a very few mega-budget productions. However, today's Indian filmmaker is not averse to shooting pretty much anywhere in the world, irrespective of the scale of their productions. New Jersey is an attractive destination for Indian films for a host of reasons, and we look forward to working closely with our counterparts in New Jersey to realize the immense potential for collaboration," he said. New Jersey offers one of the nation's most attractive incentive programs for filmmakers, featuring a 30 per cent or 35 per cent tax credit and a 2 per cent or 4 per cent diversity bonus. Tim Sullivan, Chief Executive Officer of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, also shared his views. "Throughout his tenure, Governor Phil Murphy has fostered an engaging relationship with India, solidifying New Jersey as a top destination for Indian business investment. New Jersey's film sector has exploded over recent years, leading to major productions setting up shop in the state and record-breaking spending. We are thrilled to welcome India's film industry, which will expand film production in the state, create jobs, and generate greater economic activity," Tim said. (ANI)
Actor Vicky Kaushal bagged the Best Actor (Critics) award for his performance in the film 'Sam Bahadur' at the Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival Awards 2024. The actor shared a special video message in which he shared his happiness, which was played at the gala event as he couldn't attend the award. Taking to Instagram, OTT platform Zee5 shared a video on their stories in which Vicky said, "Thank you so much to the jury of Dadasaheb Phalke Award for awarding me the Best Actor Critics for my work in Sam Bahadur. Sorry main aaj event pr nahi aa paa rha hun because mujhe kisi karan varsh Mumbai ke bahar travel karna pad rha hai (Sorry, I am not able to come to the event today because for some reason I have to travel outside Mumbai) but thank you this means a lot to me, it's a huge honor and I would like to thank my director Meghna Gulzar, my producer Ronnie Screwala and the entire team of Sam Bahadur..all the technicians, the writers, my co-actors jinki badaulat main kaam bohot ache se kar paaya ( Thanks to whom I was able to do the work very well ) thank you so much. I would like to thank the family of Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw sir for their help, love and support. This one is for my lovely audience jinhone is film ko theatres mein jaake dekha bohot saara pyaar diya aur hume bohot support kiya (Those who watched this film in theatres gave a lot of love and supported us a lot) thank you so much and last but not the least, this one is dedicated to the Indian army." 'Sam Bahadur' is based on the life of India's first Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw. His career in the army spanned over four decades and five wars. He was the first Indian Army officer to be promoted to the rank of Field Marshal. Manekshaw, fondly called 'Sam Bahadur,' led the Indian Army to victory in the 1971 Indo-Pak war, which resulted in the creation of Bangladesh.In his military career, Manekshaw also played a crucial role in the Indo-Pak War of 1947 and the liberation of Hyderabad in 1948. 'Sam Bahadur' marks Vicky's second collaboration with Meghna Gulzar after 'Raazi'. Helmed by Meghna Gulzar the film also starred Sanya Malhotra and Fatima Sana Shaikh in the lead roles. (ANI)
Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Monday said that he will not be brow-beaten by the protest of the Students Federation of India, the CPI (M)'s student wing. "I have said several times that if protestors come near my car, then I will step down. One thing should be clear in their minds, I am not going to be frightened. I believe in facing the brutes," Governor Khan told reporters. The SFI workers showed black flags to Governor Khan in Mattannur on Sunday evening. Subsequently, clashes erupted between the SFI workers and the police, leading to their detention. SFI has been protesting against the governor for the last several days, alleging he pushed "BJP-RSS nominees" into various universities in Kerala, using his authority as the chancellor of universities in the state. Governor Khan reiterated his allegation that the protest against him was a joint venture of SFI and banned the Popular Front of India (PFI). "This protest is a joint venture of SFI and PFI. SFI has recruited PFI volunteers. He (CM Pinarayi Vijayan) is making sacrificial lambs of the youngsters," he said. Governor Khan has been at loggerheads with the state government with regard to various appointments in the state universities. He Sunday slammed Kerala higher education minister R Bindu accusing her of being "totally ignorant" and showing a lack of respect towards the court and the law of the land. "I am not going to respond to criminals. Illegality has happened, and the law will certainly take its course. She (R Bindu) might have said anything. I don't consider her important enough to respond to her remarks," he said on Sunday When asked about the incidents at a senate meeting held at Kerala University, which was presided over by Higher Education Minister R Bindhu as Pro-chancellor, Khan responded by saying she had no authority to do so without his permission. "Whatever she may say, the only thing I am aware of is that somebody claiming to be the education minister tried to intrude into the meeting of the senate illegally. This is a violation of the law. Senate meetings can be chaired either by the chancellor or by somebody authorized by the chancellor. No other person has the right to preside over it. I promise you that the violation of the law will be taken cognizance of," Arif Mohammed Khan said. The higher education minister R Bindu, however, said that she did not violate the university rules and as pro-chancellor, she holds the authority to chair the senate meeting, which contradicts Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan's statement. The Education Minister of Kerala, R Bindu, is the Pro-Chancellor of the Kerala University, while the Governor of Kerala, Arif Mohammed Khan is the Chancellor. (ANI)
Union Minister Smriti Irani, who is on a four-day visit to her parliamentary constituency of Amethi on Monday, launched a scathing attack on the Congress and said that the empty streets that greet Rahul Gandhi are a reflection of the people of Amethi's anger towards the Gandhi family. Even as former Congress president Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra entered Amethi, a political face-off was seen. Union Minister and BJP MP from Amethi spoke to the media on Monday and said, "The anger of the people of Amethi against the Gandhi family is visible. Today, when Rahul Gandhi) arrived, he was welcomed by empty streets. The anger of those who were deprived of development in Amethi has today transformed into empty streets for the visit of the Gandhi family." Speaking to the media Irani said, "In 2014, Amethi was promised a 'Badlaav ki Raajneeti' (politics of change) under our Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Hence, Amethi received an investment of Rs 6,523 crore in the Investors Summit held in the national capital." "This was not a memorandum of understanding, 'ye dharatal par implement hua nivesh hai.' From the period of independence till 2014, when Prime Minister Modi became PM, the small-scale industry in Amethi only received Rs 500 crore in over 60 years," she said. "However, in the 10 years of PM Modi's tenure, Rs 2107 crore was given to the same small-scale industry sector in Amethi so that over one lakh beneficiaries could start their small-scale industries," said Irani. Commending Prime Minister Modi's governance, Smriti Irani said, "PM Modi ji was heard saying in the Parliament and today in UP that 1 crore 'Lakhpati Didis' have been made in the country. "This is our pride and today, as the BJP MP for Amethi, I am happy that just in a matter of two years, Amethi has as many as 8,000 Lakhpati Didis. This figure is a reflection of the change that has come in the lives of the residents of Amethi," said the Minister. Taking a dig at Rahul Gandhi, Irani said, "Perhaps this is also the reason why the people of Amethi remained unavailable to welcome the people who did not serve Amethi well." "The people of Amethi also haven't forgotten that this particular person who had mentioned Amethi and said that 'yaha ke logo ki samjh theek nahi hai'. This is the reason why the people of this constituency are angry," she said. "The Ram Bhakts of Amethi are also angered with the fact that the former MP of Amethi and the Gandhi family rejected the invitation for Ram Lalla's life Pran Prathistha ceremony," she stated. "The anger of those who were deprived of development in Amethi has today transformed into empty streets for the visit of the Gandhi family," said Irani. Earlier in the day, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi arrived in Amethi, the parliamentary seat he represented earlier, the same day, union minister and local member of parliament (MP) Smriti Irani began her four-day visit to the Uttar Pradesh town. It was a rare occasion when the two leaders were present in Amethi on the same day. The last time the two leaders were in Amethi at the same time was two years ago, in February 2022, during the election campaigning for the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. Amethi used to be a Congress stronghold in Uttar Pradesh, where Rahul Gandhi lost to Smriti Irani by a margin of around 55,000 votes in the 2019 elections. The Congress is still undecided on whether Rahul Gandhi will attempt to regain the Congress stronghold, especially since Sonia Gandhi has also left Rae Bareili for the Rajya Sabha. Rahul Gandhi had won Lok Sabha elections from erstwhile Nehru-Gandhi family bastion Amethi three times until the 2019 general elections, when he faced defeat from Smriti Irani. Rahul Gandhi, however, won from Wayanad in Kerala, the second seat he contested in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Rahul Gandhi reached Amethi on Monday as part of his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, the campaign kicked off by him on January 14 from Thoubal in Manipur in the run-up to upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Although it is improbable that the two leaders come face-to-face with each other, the coincidence proceeds ahead of the ensuing Lok Sabha elections in Amethi and beyond. (ANI)
A 'peace home' has been opened at the Raj Bhavan in Kolkata from Monday to provide temporary refuge to the victims of Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district. Speaking to ANI, the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to Governor CV Ananda Bose, Sandip Rajput, said on Monday that the idea of opening the peace home was initiated by Governor CV Anand Bose after his recent visit to Sandeshkhali. "The governor recently visited Sandeshkhali. He had issued a helpline number, and so we have been receiving several calls. A peace home/safe home has been opened in Raj Bhavan in Kolkata to accommodate the victims of Sandeshkhali. The food and water will be made available for free," Sandip Rajput said. When asked whether any women expressed willingness to come to the peace home, OSD said that many people have expressed their desire to come and Raj Bhawan is ready to accommodate them. "We are fully prepared," he added. Replying to the question of whether people from Sandeshkhali will be able to come to Raj Bhavan, he said that we have provided the transportation services. "The Governor has said that we will provide transport. Transport services will also be provided if required. 100-200 can be accommodated," he added. West Bengal's Sandeshkhali area has been witnessing massive unrest for over 10 days as women protestors are seeking justice against alleged atrocities committed by TMC leader Sheikh Shajahan and his aides. Trinamool Congress leader Shibu Hazra, one of the associates of TMC strongman Shahjahan Sheikh, was arrested earlier in connection with the Sandeshkhali violence issue, was sent to police custody for eight days on Sunday. After visiting West Bengal's Sandeshkhali, National Commission for Women's (NCW) Chairperson Rekha Sharma on Monday demanded the resignation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. (ANI)
Animal activists have complained about this issue to the police. An FIR has been registered under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act at the local police station. The incident reportedly happened on October 15 and 16.

According to the complaint filed by Animal activist Saisree, "A grave incident of animal cruelty has occurred in Macherla Village. On 15th and 16th February 2024, I received distressing information that approximately 70 stray dogs were brutally killed in Macherla Village by Village Sarpanch, Secretary and others. During a call, the village Sarpanch confessed to the killings. The village Sarpanch had hired individuals to kill the stray dogs using injections."

Last week, in a different incident, more than 20 dogs were shot dead by a few unknown men in Mahabubnagar. (ANI)
Karnataka Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda on Monday assured the state Assembly that rejected applications under the Bagar Hukum (Illegal) scheme for allotment of cultivated land will be re-examined. During the question hour on Monday, Byndur MLA Gururaj Shetty Gantihole inquired about the number of disqualified applications among those submitted under the Bagar Hukum Yojana and the reasons for disqualification. In response, Minister Krishna Byre Gowda stated, "The Bagar Hukum Law aims to benefit the poor, and the government has to allocate land to deserving beneficiaries. Therefore, if any rejected or disqualified Bagar Hukum applications are found to be disqualified beyond the rules, they will be re-examined." Regarding the reasons for the disqualification of Bagar Hukum applications, the minister clarified that only applications related to the sanction of Gomala land have not been disqualified. Applications submitted for land under the jurisdiction of town panchayats, municipalities, and city councils have been disqualified, as the law prohibits allotment of such land under Bagar Hukum. He further explained, "There are strict instructions from the Supreme Court regarding the sanction of Gomala land. Bagar Hukum can grant land to applicants only if there is additional land available in Gomala. Further proceedings will be initiated after the declaration of the Collector. However, if there is no additional land, the sanction of Gomala land is not possible. Approval could lead to legal consequences before the Supreme Court and the High Court." Minister Krishna Byre Gowda expressed regret over the misuse of the Bagar Hukum scheme, which was implemented to benefit the poor. He noted instances where individuals have submitted more than 25 applications for Bagar Hukum land sanction, and even individuals who were minors in 2005 have applied. A total of 9,85,000 applications were submitted under Form 57. To allocate land to all these applicants, 54 lakh acres of land would be required, a significant challenge given the limited availability of government land in the state. Officials have been instructed strictly to refrain from allotting land to ineligible persons, resulting in the disqualification of many applications. However, the minister emphasized that applications rejected due to misinterpretation of the rules will be reconsidered. (ANI)
He added that the academic facility is equipped with 52 laboratories, 104 faculty offices, and 27 lecture halls.

"On Tuesday, the Prime Minister will inaugurate the complex in virtual mode. The academic complex has 52 labs, 104 faculty offices...and 27 lecture halls...The campus has hostel facilities for around 1,450 students...More than 1,400 students have been registered in various programmes currently," IIT Jammu Director told ANI on Monday.

Upon his arrival at Maulana Azad Stadium, Jammu, PM Modi is scheduled to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth over Rs 32,000 crore.

He will inaugurate three new campuses of IIMs in the country, viz IIM Jammu, IIM Bodh Gaya and IIM Visakhapatnam.

According to the Prime Minister's Office, PM Modi will also inaugurate 20 new buildings for Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs) and 13 new Navodaya Vidyalayas (NVs) across the country.

"Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone for five Kendriya Vidyalaya campuses, one Navodaya Vidyalaya campus and five Multipurpose Hall for Navodaya Vidyalayas across the country. These newly constructed KVs and NVs buildings will play an important role in meeting the educational needs of students across the country," PMO said in a statement.

The projects that are dedicated to the nation include the permanent campuses of IIT Bhilai, IIT Tirupati, IIT Jammu, IIITDM Kurnool; Indian Institute of Skills (IIS) - a pioneer skill training institute on advanced technologies - located in Kanpur; and two campuses of Central Sanskrit University - in Devprayag (Uttarakhand) and Agartala (Tripura).

The total worth of all these educational projects, which will be dedicated by Prime Minister Modi, amounts to Rs 13,375 crore.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also inaugurate the campus of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Jammu on Tuesday. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Jammu on Tuesday to launch multiple development projects, including for education, railway, aviation, and road sectors, worth over Rs 32,000 crore. According to the Prime Minister's Office, the projects relate to several sectors, including health, education, rail, road, aviation, petroleum, and civic infrastructure, among others. During the programme, the Prime Minister will distribute appointment orders to about 1500 new government recruits of Jammu and Kashmir. The Prime Minister will also interact with beneficiaries of various government schemes as part of the 'Viksit Bharat Viksit Jammu' programme. In a significant step towards upgrading and developing education and skilling infrastructure across the country, the Prime Minister will inaugurate, dedicate to the nation, and lay the foundation stone of several projects worth about Rs 13,375 crore. The Prime Minister will dedicate to the nation the permanent campus of IIT Bhilai, IIT Tirupati, IISER Tirupati, IIITDM Kurnool; the academic and residential complex in IIT Patna and IIT Ropar; two permanent campuses of Central Sanskrit University - at Devprayag (Uttarakhand) and at Agartala (Tripura). The Prime Minister will inaugurate the permanent campuses of IIM Visakhapatnam, IIM Jammu, and IIM Bodh Gaya. He will also inaugurate the Indian Institute of Skills (IIS) - a pioneering skill training institute on advanced technologies in Kanpur. The Prime Minister will also inaugurate and dedicate to nation-improved infrastructure like hostels, academic blocs, administrative buildings, libraries, auditoriums, etc in multiple higher educational institutes across the country, like IIT Jammu, NIT Delhi, IIT Kharagpur, NIT Durgapur, IISER Behrampur, NIT Arunachal Pradesh, IIIT Lucknow, IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, and the Central University of Kerala Kasaragod, among others. The Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone for multiple projects for upgrading the infrastructure in several higher educational institutes across the country. These projects include construction of the permanent campus of Sindhu Central University and IIIT Raichur; construction of academic block, hostel, faculty quarter etc. in IIT Bombay; the construction of Hostel and Staff quarters in IIT Gandhinagar, construction of Girls hostel in BHU, among others. PM Modi will inaugurate the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Vijaypur (Samba), Jammu. The institute, whose foundational stone was also laid by the Prime Minister in February 2019, is being established under the Central sector scheme Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana. Established at a cost of over 1660 crore and in an area spanning over 227 acres, the hospital is equipped with facilities like 720 beds, Medical College with 125 seats, Nursing College with 60 seats, AYUSH Block with 30 beds, residential accommodation for faculty and staff, hostel accommodation for UG and PG students, a night Shelter, Guest House, Auditorium, Shopping Complex etc. The state-of-the-art hospital will provide high quality patient care services in 18 Specialities and 17 Super Specialities including Cardiology, Gastro-enterology, Nephrology, Urology, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Medical Oncology, Surgical Oncology, Endocrinology, Burns and Plastic Surgery. The Institute will have an Intensive Care Unit, Emergency and Trauma Unit, 20 Modular Operation Theatres, Diagnostic Laboratories, Blood Bank, Pharmacy etc. The Hospital will also leverage Digital Health Infrastructure to reach out to far flung areas of the region. The Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone for a new terminal building at Jammu Airport. To be spread over 40,000 sqm area, the new terminal building will be equipped with modern facilities catering to about 2000 passengers during peak hours. The new terminal building will be environment friendly and will be built such that it showcases the local culture of the region. It will strengthen air connectivity, boost tourism and trade, and accelerate the economic growth of the region. Prime Minister will dedicate to the nation various rail projects in Jammu and Kashmir including the new rail line between Banihal-Khari-Sumber-Sangaldan (48 Km) and the newly electrified Baramulla-Sringar-Banihal-Sangaldan section (185.66 Km). Prime Minister will also flag off the first Electric Train in the valley and also train service between Sangaldan station & Baramulla station. The commissioning of the Banihal-Khari-Sumber-Sangaldan section is significant as it features the usage of Ballast Less Track (BLT) all along the route providing a better riding experience to the passengers. Also, India's longest transportation tunnel T-50 (12.77 Km) lies in this portion between Khari-Sumber. The rail projects will improve connectivity, ensure environmental sustainability and boost the overall economic development of the region. During the programme, Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of important road projects including two packages (44.22 KM) of Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway connecting Jammu to Katra; Phase two for four-laning of Srinagar Ring Road; five packages for upgrading the 161 km long Srinagar-Baramulla-Uri stretch of NH-01; and the construction of Kulgam Bypass and Pulwama bypass on NH-444. The two packages of Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway, once completed will facilitate the visit of pilgrims to the holy shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi, and will also boost economic development in the region; The Phase two for four-laning of Srinagar Ring Road involves upgrading the existing Sumbal-Wayul NH-1. This brownfield project of length 24.7 Km, will reduce the traffic congestion in and around the Srinagar city. It will improve connectivity to popular tourist destinations like Manasbal Lake and Kheer Bhawani Temple, and also reduce travel time to Leh, Ladakh; The project for upgradation of 161 km long Srinagar-Baramulla-Uri stretch of NH-01, is of strategic importance. It will also boost the economic development of Baramulla and Uri; Kulgam Bypass and Pulwama bypass on NH-444 connecting Qazigund - Kulgam - Shopian - Pulwama - Badgam - Srinagar will also boost road infrastructure in the region. Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone for a project to develop CUF (Common User Facility) Petroleum depot at Jammu. The state of art fully automated depot which will be developed at a cost of about Rs 677 crore, will have storage capacity of about 100000 KL for storing Motor Spirit (MS), High Speed Diesel (HSD), Superior Kerosene Oil (SKO), Aviation Turbine fuel (ATF), Ethanol, Bio diesel and winter grade HSD. Prime Minister will also inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of several development projects worth more than Rs 3150 crore for strengthening the civic infrastructure and provisioning of public facilities across Jammu and Kashmir. The projects to be inaugurated by Prime Minister include, Road projects and Bridges; Grid Stations, receiving stations transmission line Projects; Common Effluent Treatment Plants and Sewage Treatment Plants; Several Degree College buildings; Intelligent Traffic Management system in Srinagar city; Modern Narwal Fruit Mandi; Drug Testing Laboratory at Kathua; and Transit accommodation - 224 flats at Ganderbal and Kupwara. The projects whose foundation stone will be laid include the development of five new industrial estates across Jammu and Kashmir; Data Centre/ Disaster Recovery Centre for Integrated Command and Control Centre of Jammu Smart City; Up-gradation of Transport Nagar at Parimpora Srinagar; Up-gradation of 62 road projects and 42 bridges and project for development of transit accommodation - 2816 flats at nine locations in districts Anantnag, Kulgam, Kupwara, Shopian and Pulwama, among others. (ANI)
According to the ACB release, the official was caught when she demanded and accepted the bribe amount of Rs 84,000 from a complainant for an official favour.

The officer has been identified as K Jaga Jyothi.

"The right-hand fingers of K Jaga Jyothi, EE tested positive in the phenolphthalein test. The Accused Officer performed his duty improperly and dishonestly to obtain undue advantage," it stated.

The bribe amount was recovered from the possession of the accused official, it said.

The executive engineer was arrested and will be produced before the Principal Special Judge for SPE and ACB Cases Court at Hyderabad.

Further investigation is underway. (ANI)
Sukanta Majumdar, BJP State President, wrote a letter to Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnav, urging his attention towards the allocation of land in Buniadpur, Dakshin Dinajpur in West Bengal. The letter highlights a correspondence from Shri Anurag Singh Thakur, Hon'ble Minister for Youth Affairs & Sports, regarding the establishment of a National Centre of Excellence and a stadium. "Shri Anurag Singh Thakur Hon'ble Minister for Youth Affairs & sports, has written a letter to you with D.O. No 4159 Min.(YA&S)/24 regarding, Land Allotment from the land pool of Indian Railways for the establishment of a National Centre of Excellence along with a stadium at Buniadpur, Dakshin Dinajpur," the letter said Majumdar expressed gratitude for Minister Thakur's letter and appealed to Minister Vaishnav to personally consider and oversee the matter. "I shall be highly grateful if you could kindly look into the matter personally and consider the request," the letter added. In his post on X, the state BJP Chief said "I have written to our Hon'ble Railway Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw regarding allotment of land at Buniadpur, Dakshin Dinajpur, for establishing a National Centre of Excellence and a stadium. We are committed to fulfil the dreams and aspirations of the people... Jai Hind." Earlier on Monday, the Supreme Court stayed the Lok Sabha secretariat's "breach of privilege" initiative against Bengal Chief Secretary, DGP and three other officials in the wake of the complaint of Sukanta Majumdar, who had alleged that he was assaulted by the state police during a protest programme on February 13 in connection with the Sandeshkhali unrest. According to the state, despite the prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC on February 13, the BJP MP and his party workers defied police and resorted to violence in trying to enter Sandeshkhali. In the chaos, Majumdar was pushed down his vehicle by one of the BJP women activists which could be seen in the video that was captured from the spot. (ANI)
As Arunachal Pradesh celebrated its 38th Statehood Day on Tuesday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's policy of all-inclusive development has contributed immensely to unlock the economic potential of the state, often referred to as 'The Land of the Rising Sun.' Taking to his official 'X' handle, formerly Twitter, the Home Minister also greeted the citizens of Arunachal Pradesh, wishing for new heights of development in the state in the coming future. "Statehood Day greetings to our sisters and brothers in Arunachal Pradesh. PM Shri @narendramodi Ji's policy of all-inclusive development has contributed immensely to unlocking the economic potential of the state blessed with stunning natural beauty and vibrant cultural diversity. May the people of Arunachal Pradesh in the times to come touch new heights in development under the leadership of @PemaKhanduBJP Ji," Shah posted on 'X'. The Home Minister also greeted sisters and brothers in Mizoram on their Statehood Day, saying, "Mizoram is a vibrant spot on the diverse mosaic of our cultural tapestry. All my best wishes are with them on the path towards further progress and well-being." On the occasion, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu also expressed gratitude and recognition for the contributions that have propelled the state's multifaceted development trajectory. Arunachal Pradesh, often referred to as 'The Land of the Rising Sun,' shares borders with Bhutan, China, and Myanmar, and its unique geographical location adds to its strategic importance. The state's journey from the North Eastern Frontier Agency (NEFA) to Union Territory in 1972, and finally achieving statehood on February 20, 1987, stands as a testament to its historical significance. Similarly, Mizoram became the 23rd state of India, a step above Union Territory in federal autonomy, on February 20, 1987, hence, every year on February 20, to commemorate the official recognition of Mizoram as a full-fledged state, Mizoram celebrates its statehood day. (ANI)
Former Bihar CM and RJD leader Rabri Devi on Tuesday took a dig at former ally and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar saying he had joined the RJD alliance on his own the last time and this time he had left on his own accord without any pressure. "He (Nitish Kumar) joined us on his own last time, we never called him. This time as well he has left on his own, no one forced him . An investigation has been going on against us for the last 25 years. ED, CBI, nothing new is there... The people of Bihar and the country are with us," said RJD leader Rabri Devi. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, earlier last month, joined hands with the BJP, leading to the collapse of the 'Mahagathbandhan' government in the state. Meanwhile, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav will kickstart the 'Jan Vishwas Yatra' from Muzaffarpur on Wednesday. The Yatra, being conducted ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, will continue till March 1. The Yatra will pass through 33 districts of the state, marking a statewide tour. Tejashwi Yadav will hold public meetings and raise awareness about the work done by the 'Mahagathbandhan' government before being ousted from power. The district in charge(s) of the RJD, meanwhile, are making preparations for the smooth and successful conduct of the Yatra. Earlier on Friday, Yadav joined Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in his 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' in Bihar's Sasaram. The RJD and the Congress are allies in the INDIA bloc, formed to take on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Lok Sabha polls in 2024. Nitish Kumar was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Bihar for the ninth time since 2005 and the third time in a single tenure. The RJD and the JDU were allies in the 'Mahagathbandhan' alliance, formed in 2015 before the state assembly polls. (ANI)
The All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) on Tuesday accused Rekha Sharma, the Chairperson of the National Commission for Women (NCW), of prioritizing her political allegiance to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the safety of women and children and demanded her immediate resignation. In an official statement, the AITC claims that Sharma's favouritism towards the BJP, which comes from her past job as a BJP district secretary, harms the trustworthiness of her current role and makes her important position look foolish. "Rekha Sharma, transitioning from BJP district secretary to chairperson of NCW doesn't erase your political bias. How can we trust someone who puts party interests above the safety of women and children? Your allegiance to BJP renders your position utterly unfair and disgraceful. How dare you prioritise party loyalty over the safety of women? Your shameless partiality makes a mockery of the prestigious role. Resign now and spare us from your partisan incompetence!," AITC said. Meanwhile, NCW Chief Rekha Sharma responded to TMC's social media attack, saying she was grateful for no physical assault. "Media is asking me for my reaction on TMC attacking me on social media and my reply is that I thank God for they not attacking me physically ( as they are habitual of doing that) as of now," NCW Chief Rekha Sharma said in a post on 'X'. The National Commission for Women (NCW) Chairperson, Rekha Sharma, is here in West Bengal to take stock of the Sandeshkhali incident met the West Bengal DGP on Tuesday. "It is huge that the DGP met me. I have come to West Bengal for the 8th-9th time, and the DGP never meets... The DGP agreed that the police have lacked... We suggested that all the police officials there (in Sandeshkhali) should be changed. He took it seriously but then he received one or two phone calls, after which his attitude changed completely. He cut short the meeting. When we took Shah Jahan's name, he did not like it. He (DGP) asked us how he can arrest Shah Jahan when there is nothing against him. He said that the ED should arrest Shah Jahan, not him. If there is nothing against him, then what will the police investigate... I think DGP's hands are tied, he cannot do anything. We can imagine the pressure he is in... I think he is serious but how can he work under pressure" Rekha Sharma said after her meeting. Earlier on Monday, after visiting West Bengal's Sandeshkhali, Rekha Sharma had demanded the resignation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The Sandeshkhali area has been witnessing unrest for over 10 days as women protestors are seeking justice against alleged atrocities committed by TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan and his aides. Notably, the Supreme Court on Monday observed that the Calcutta High Court has taken cognisance of the matter relating to the alleged sexual assault of women living in village Sandeshkhali in West Bengal and refused to entertain a plea seeking a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation or Special Investigation Team (SIT) into the issue. A bench of justices BV Nagarathna and Augustine George Masih remarked that the plea seeking a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation or Special Investigation Team (SIT) can be considered by the High Court. The bench also noted that the High Court has already taken cognisance of the issue. After the top court wasn't convinced by the petitioner, Advocate Alakh Alok Srivastava withdrew the petition from the Supreme Court. However, the court granted liberty to the petitioner to approach the Calcutta HC with his prayer. Meanwhile, a 'peace home' was opened at the Raj Bhavan in Kolkata on Monday to provide temporary refuge to the victims of Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district. Speaking to ANI, the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to Governor CV Ananda Bose, Sandip Rajput, said on Monday that the idea of opening the peace home was initiated by Governor CV Anand Bose after his recent visit to Sandeshkhali. Trinamool Congress leader Shibu Hazra, one of the associates of TMC strongman Shahjahan Sheikh, was arrested earlier in connection with the Sandeshkhali violence issue and was sent to police custody for eight days on Sunday. (ANI)
Manoj Jarange Patil, the activist who led the movement to provide caste-based reservations to Marathas and is on a hunger strike, welcomed the reservation bill introduced and passed in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, but contended that the reservation which has been proposed was not as per the community''s demand. "We need reservation which we deserve, give us reservation under OBC to those who''s proof of being kunbi has been found and those who don''t have proof of kunbi, for them pass a law of "Sage Soyare"," Patil said minutes after the Bill was passed unanimously by the Legislative Assembly. He has called for a meeting of the Maratha community at 12 noon on Wednesday. Jarange Patil is demanding one''s blood relations should also be allowed to have Kunbi registration. Kunbi is a caste in Maharashtra under the OBC bloc. Jarange Patil demanded that all people of the Maratha community be considered as Kunbi and be given reservations accordingly (under OBC Quota) but the government decided that only people having Nizam era documents of Kunbi certificates will get benefits under this. "I appeal to all maximum people to reach Antarvali sarati for the meet ...I am firm on my demand to implement Sage Soyare...I welcome the reservation but the reservation which given are not as per our demand," Patil said. "The reservation given by government will benifit only 100 -150 people of Maratha , our people will remain deprived from reservation..Ttherefore I am demanding to implement "Sage Soyare" the next round of agitation will be announced tomorrow...We will take it what we deserve," he added. Meanwhile, Manoj Jarange Patil removed the intravenous drip from his hand and denied to take further treatment fron the doctors. The Maharashtra Legislative Assembly (lower house) unanimously passed the Maratha Reservation Bill tabled on Tuesday, which intended to extend 10 per cent reservation to Marathas above the 50 per cent cap. The CM will now table the bill in the Legislative council for assent after which it becomes a law. Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Assembly, Vijay Wadettiwar, said the opposition parties were also of the same view that the Maratha community be given the reservation. The state government has convened a one-day special session of the state legislature for tabling and further consideration of this special Bill. The bill for the 10 per cent Maratha quota that the Mahayuti government of Eknath Shinde has approved on Tuesday is similar to the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Act, 2018, introduced by the then Devendra Fadnavis government. This is the third time in a decade that the state has introduced legislation for the Maratha quota. "I am the CM of the state and I work with the blessings of all. We don''t think on the basis of caste or religion. If such a situation comes with any other community, my stand as CM will be similar to what is my stand for the Maratha community. Our PM always says Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas," Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said. "We all are of similar views here on the Maratha reservation so I will not make may political statement here. With the co-operation of you all, we could do it. I kept my promise which I made to the Maratha community. I thank all my colleagues including my both DCMs and other ministers. Today is a day of fulfilment of our promises," Shinde added after tabling the bill. "Our aim was to work on a war footing, day and night, to bring this issue to a proper conclusion. The Maharashtra government is fully committed to giving reservation to the Marathas and today we are doing this. Devendra ji and Ajit Pawar ji always used to tell me that by whatever means we have to give reservation to the Maratha community. Devendra ji had once given reservation to the Maratha community while being the Chief Minister and that reservation was also upheld in the High Court. But unfortunately for some reason it was struck down by the honorable Supreme Court" the CM further stated. "Therefore, this time we have reconstituted the Backward Classes Commission and conducted a survey as per the order of the Supreme Court and after collecting the necessary data, we are now planning to give them reservation. We have tried to fulfil the rules and regulations in every way and now we are ready to give this reservation," he added. The reservation has been extended based on a report submitted to the state government by the Maharashtra Backward Class Commission (MBCC) headed by chairman Justice (Retired) Sunil Shukre. The state already has a 10 per cent quota for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) in which the Marathas are the biggest beneficiaries, claiming about 85 per cent of those. The Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission on Friday submitted a report on the social and educational backwardness of the Maratha community for which it had undertaken a survey of around 2.5 crore homes within only nine days. The committee proposed a 10 per cent reservation for Marathas in education and jobs, similar to that of the previous bill brought in 2018 by the then-state government. In June 2017, the then Devendra Fadnavis government constituted the Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission (MSBCC) headed by Justice (retired) MG Gaikwad to study the social, financial and educational status of the Maratha community. The Commission submitted its report in November 2018, classifying Marathas as a socially and educationally backward class (SEBC). On May 5, 2021, the Supreme Court struck down reservations for the Maratha community in colleges, higher educational institutions, and jobs, after noting that there was no valid ground to breach 50 per cent reservation while granting Maratha reservation. (ANI)
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday expressed his confidence in the National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) victory in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh and said, "UP se, 80 out of 80." He said this while speaking to reporters after inspecting the Lucknow Ring Road from the Sultan Road Side. During his interaction, he informed that the Lucknow Ring Road would be completed by February 28 and added that the inauguration of the 104-kilometer Lucknow Ring Road would be done in the first week of March. "The people involved in the construction have said that it would be completed by February 28. In the first week of March, the inauguration of the 104-kilometer Lucknow Ring Road will be done. The people of Lucknow will get relief from the traffic problem," he said. "The 104-kilometer-long Lucknow Ring Road has been our dream project. It is an 8-lane road," he said. "In addition to the 13 flyovers that have already been constructed there, we plan to initiate construction work on at least 10 more flyovers that have already been approved," he added. The Defence Minister said that developmental work should not be associated with elections and added that a representative must address their area's issues and consistently perform their responsibilities. "Developmental activities should never be linked with elections. I believe that it is the responsibility of every representative to stay alert towards solving the problems of the area they represent and to consistently fulfil their duties. As a representative, I have tried to do everything within my capacity," he said. Even as Rajnath Singh and the BJP strike a confident pose, the opposition INDIA bloc is searching for answers as the Congress and the Samajwadi Party have failed to strike up an alliance in the state. Sources say that the alliance is stuck due to a disagreement on two seat that the Congress wishes to contest but the SP in unwilling to let go. Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav reiterated that he would only join Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra once the agreement on seat sharing can be reached. (ANI)
A fact-finding committee of civil society members will visit West Bengal to look into the alleged sexual harassment and abuse incidents in Sandeshkhali of the North 24 Parganas district in West Bengal According to a press release from the 'Fact Finding Committee on Human Rights Violations', the panel will visit both North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas districts. The panel will visit Sandeshkhali on February 25. The release said that the fact-finding committee of civil society members includes former Chief Justice of Patna High Court Justice L Narsimha Reddy, former IPS officer Raj Pal Singh, Former NCW member Dr Charu Wali Khanna, advocates OP Vyas and Bhavna Bajaj and a senior journalist will visit North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas in West Bengal on a fact-finding mission on February 24 and 25. The release said that the committee will prepare a final report and submit it to the constitutional authorities of the country. Meanwhile, a delegation led by the National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson Rekha Sharma met the West Bengal DGP on Tuesday. "It is huge that the DGP met me. I have come to West Bengal for the 8th-9th time, and the DGP never meets... The DGP agreed that the police have lacked... We suggested that all the police officials there (in Sandeshkhali) should be changed. He took it seriously but then he received one or two phone calls, after which his attitude changed completely. He cut short the meeting. When we took Shah Jahan's name, he did not like it. He (DGP) asked us how he can arrest Shah Jahan when there is nothing against him. He said that the ED should arrest Shah Jahan, not him. If there is nothing against him, then what will the police investigate... I think DGP's hands are tied, he cannot do anything. We can imagine the pressure he is in... I think he is serious but how can he work under pressure," Rekha Sharma said after her meeting. Earlier on Monday, after visiting West Bengal's Sandeshkhali, Rekha Sharma had demanded the resignation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Sandeshkhali island in North 24 Parganas district has made headlines following BJP's allegations of sexual violence by Trinamool leaders and multiple accounts of women alleging harassment and extortion. A large number of women in Sandeshkhali had accused Trinamool Congress strongman Shajahan Sheikh and his supporters of "land-grab and sexually assaulting" them under coercion. Shajahan has been absconding after a mob, allegedly affiliated with him, attacked Enforcement Directorate officials who had gone to search his premises in connection with a ration scam on January 5. Two TMC leaders, North 24 Parganas zilla parishad member Shiba Prasad Hazra and local party functionary Uttam Sardar, were arrested by police and have been booked on charges of alleged gangrape and attempt to murder. (ANI)
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National President Jagat Prakash Nadda will begin his two-day visit to Mumbai on Wednesday. The BJP chief will participate in several public and organizational programs. According to the BJP, during his stay, JP Nadda will also address the party workers and will take cluster meetings. Besides, he will also inaugurate the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj sculpture. He will also hold a tiffin meeting with the Mumbai Election Steering Committee from 1 pm in Vasant Smruthi. Also, Nadda will address the party's workers' convention on Wednesday which will be organized at BMC Ground in Mumbai. On Thursday, the BJP President will inaugurate the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj sculpture at Band Stand and will also hold interaction with beneficiaries of the government schemes. Earlier, Bharatiya Janata Party president JP Nadda on Saturday urged party workers to strive hard in the Lok Sabha polls to take the party beyond the 370-seat mark and expressed confidence that the Modi government will return to power scoring a hat-trick and create a record. Addressing the party's National Convention in Delhi, Nadda spoke of the BJP's commitment to the construction of the grand Ram temple in Ayodhya and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had led the rituals at the Pran Pratishtha event on January 22 in Ayodhya. "We all here are happy and full of enthusiasm but with this we have to stay alert and work with full force to cross 370 (seats) and more than 400 for NDA. We have to cross 370 and for that, we have to work with full strength at every booth. Workers of BJP work very hard, I have full faith in you that you will fully immerse yourself, and BJP, under the leadership of Modiji, will score a hat-trick in the third term and will move forward by breaking record," Nadda said. (ANI)
President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday interacted with members of local tribal communities and visited stalls set up by them at Campbell Bay in Nicobar. The President is on a five-day visit to the archipelago from Monday, and also visited 'Swantantraya Jyot', an eternal flame kept there as a tribute to thousands of freedom fighters who suffered incarceration. Earlier in the day, President Droupadi Murmu visited Indira Point, the southernmost tip of the country, where she met the tri-service troops and interacted with them. Indira Point, the southernmost point of India's territory, is located in the Nicobar district. It is named after former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. It was formerly known as Pygmalion Point and Parsons Point. The President, earlier in the day, also attended a civic reception hosted in her honour by the Andaman and Nicobar administrations at the Dr. BR Ambedkar Institute of Technology. Speaking on the occasion, the President said that the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are very important from a strategic point of view. These Islands have special geographical importance in connecting India with the countries of South and South-East Asia. Therefore, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are a core component of India's Act East Policy. The President said that the natural beauty of Andaman and Nicobar Islands attracts people from across the world. She noted that several steps are being taken to further encourage tourism in the Union Territory. A new terminal for Veer Savarkar Airport has also been built. She was happy to note that, due to impressive development in digital and physical connectivity, the number of tourists visiting these Islands has almost doubled between 2014 and 2022. She said that continuous growth of tourism will increase employment and the youth of this UT will get new opportunities for their progress. The President said that the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) around the Andaman and Nicobar Islands constitutes about 30 per cent of India's total EEZ. The blue economy of this island will have an important contribution in the development of India's economy. She was happy to note that several works are in progress to promote the export of fish and other marine products. The President stressed on the need to preserve the clean environment and ecology of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. She said that we have to move forward while maintaining a balance between development and environmental protection.(ANI)
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issued a notice to the West Bengal Director General of Police (DGP) directing him to submit a report within two weeks in a case where a journalist of a vernacular news channel was unlawfully detained by police in Sandeshkhali. The Commission also asked its DIG (Investigation) to find out the facts by telephone and submit his findings to the Commission within a week. The NHRC also took suo motu cognisance of a complaint that the journalist of a vernacular television news channel was unlawfully detained while covering crimes against women in West Bengal's Sandeshkhali on Monday. The NHRC said the police personnel allegedly, without any prior notice, encircled the victim, assaulted him and forcefully took him into illegal custody. The complainant, who also happens to be the wife of the journalist concerned, alleged that she has no access to him and is concerned about his well-being, the NHRC said, adding that she further submitted that it was an attempt to throttle the media in West Bengal through 'coercion and intimidation'. Meanwhile, journalists staged a protest against the detention of a fellow colleague at the Press Club in Kolkata on Tuesday. "The journalist was reporting about the events in Sandeshkhali from ground zero. Mamata Banerjee is scared of the brand of journalism that he represents. She wants to put a stop to all reportage from ground zero. Those committing atrocities against women are at large and those striving to report the truth are being muzzled and thrown in jail. Media persons from various news channels have gathered here today to protest against this detention," one of the protesters told ANI on Tuesday. Another journalist at the protest site said the chief minister cannot stop journalists from showing the truth. "The way the journalist was assaulted, arrested and not even served food marks a new low for our democracy. Could anything be worse than independent journalists facing the State's ire and clampdown for showing the truth? It is our salient duty to show the truth. No matter how hard Mamata Banerjee tries, she cannot stop us from bringing the true face of West Bengal to our viewers," she said. Meanwhile, the Editors Guild of India also issued a statement on the arrest of the journalist in West Bengal. "The police should certainly investigate if allegations have been levelled against the journalist. But to take him away while he is reporting is indeed a cause for concern," the Guild said in its statement. It also asked the state administration to conduct a speedy inquiry and ensure that no injustice is done to the detained journalist. Journalists also held a candlelight march from the Kolkata Press Club against the detention of the fellow scribe, holding posters in his support. (ANI)
After the Maratha Reservation Bill was passed by the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde thanked the opposition and the ruling alliance leaders for supporting it and hoped the bill would also stand in the Supreme Court. Both houses of the Maharashtra legislature unanimously passed the Maratha Reservation Bill tabled on Tuesday, which intends to extend 10 per cent reservation to Marathas above the 50 per cent cap. Referring to this, the Chief Minister said that under some exceptional circumstances, the government took the decision to pass the bill and he hopes that it will also stand legal scrutiny. "Today is a day of happiness for the Maratha community. For quite a few years this was their demand and this government has decided on 10 per cent reservation for the Maratha community. The data has been collected extensively. This reservation will also stand in court," he said "Under some exceptional circumstance, the government decided to pass the Maratha Reservation Bill. Many people have died by suicide for the sake of reservation. We will give the Maratha reservation without making any kind of change in the reservation of the Other Backward Caste (OBC) or any other community," CM Shinde said. The Chief Minister also thanked the opposition leaders for supporting the Maratha Reservation Bill in the assembly. "The bill has been passed unanimously. I want to thank the opposition leaders for supporting the bill in the assembly. I also want to thank the deputy Chief Ministers, state cabinet ministers and other MLAs for supporting the bill. A detailed survey has been done keeping in view the feedback of the Supreme Court. I hope that the reservation will stand in the apex court," he said. Expressing joy over the Maratha Reservation Bill that has been passed in both houses, Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis said that it was a happy moment. "Today, under the leadership of CM Eknath Shinde our government had given a proposal of 10 per cent reservation to the Maratha community in both the Houses. The bill was passed unanimously in both Houses. OBC reservation has not been touched. This has been given separately," he told reporters. "This is a happy moment. The Maratha Reservation Bill has been passed in both houses. Earlier too our government had given Maratha Reservation but it did not stand in the Court. But, today our government has given 10 per cent reservation to Maratha community in education and jobs," the Deputy CM added. Maharashtra BJP President Chandrashekhar Bawankule called the passing of the Maratha Reservation Bill "a historic decision". "I thank the Maharashtra government, CM Eknath Shinde, Deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis, Ajit Pawar and all the party leaders. The bill was passed unanimously. It is a historic decision," he said. Maharashtra Minister Shambhuraj Desai said, "This will give 10 per cent reservation in education and jobs. Everyone (Maratha) will get benefit from this, CM Eknath Shinde made a promise and he fulfilled it. This bill was passed in Vidhan Sabha and Vidhan Parishad". NCP leader and Maharashtra minister Anil Bhaidas Patil also expressed his happiness over the passing of the Maratha Reservation Bill. "It is a moment of happiness that the word given by CM Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis has been fulfilled and Maratha reservation has been given. We are happy", he said. BJP leader Nitesh Rane said that it is a big day for the Maratha community. "The Maratha community will benefit from this reservation now. Whenever Devendra Fadnavis is in government, then the reservation stays. It is a big day for the Maratha community," he said. The state government had convened a one-day special session of the state legislature for tabling and further consideration of this special Bill. The bill for the 10 per cent Maratha quota that the Mahayuti government of Eknath Shinde has approved on Tuesday is similar to the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Act, 2018, introduced by the then Devendra Fadnavis government. This is the third time in a decade that the state has introduced legislation for the Maratha quota. The reservation has been extended based on a report submitted to the state government by the Maharashtra Backward Class Commission (MBCC) headed by chairman Justice (Retired) Sunil Shukre. The state already has a 10 per cent quota for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) in which the Marathas are the biggest beneficiaries, claiming about 85 per cent of those. The Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission on Friday submitted a report on the social and educational backwardness of the Maratha community for which it had undertaken a survey of around 2.5 crore homes within only nine days. The committee proposed a 10 per cent reservation for Marathas in education and jobs, similar to that of the previous bill brought in 2018 by the then-state government. (ANI)
After the Maratha Reservation Bill was passed in both houses of the Maharashtra legislature unanimously, Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan on Tuesday asked why the Supreme Court would not reject this bill as there's no difference between the previous and the current bill. The Congress leader congratulated Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar for their efforts. "CM and Deputy CM's efforts to give Maratha reservation to Marathas were successful today. We congratulate them. We all wanted this bill to be passed we all were unanimous in this support. Except that we have apprehension that like in 2014 and 2018 this is exactly the same bill. What is different? Why should the Supreme Court not reject this law also?" he said. He said that the only difference in the previous and current bill is that the Maratha community will no longer get the 10 per cent EWS reservation instead they will get 10 per cent state reservations. "The government has not been able to assure us what precautions they have taken that this will not be rejected in the apex court or High court. We wanted to make our points thus a justice Dilip Ghosh Committee report has given such suggestions have they been taken care of? Also, another indirect benefit of this enactment is that the Maratha community will no longer get the 10 per cent EWS reservation which enables them to appear for the UPSC examination. now they will get 10 per cent state reservations," the Congress leader said. Meanwhile, CM Shinde thanked the opposition and the ruling alliance leaders for supporting it and hoped the bill would also stand in the Supreme Court. Both houses of the Maharashtra legislature unanimously passed the Maratha Reservation Bill tabled on Tuesday, which intends to extend 10 per cent reservation to Marathas above the 50 per cent cap. Referring to this, the Chief Minister said that under some exceptional circumstances, the government took the decision to pass the bill and he hopes that it will also stand legal scrutiny. "Today is a day of happiness for the Maratha community. For quite a few years this was their demand and this government has decided on 10 per cent reservation for the Maratha community. The data has been collected extensively. This reservation will also stand in court," he said. "Under some exceptional circumstance, the government decided to pass the Maratha Reservation Bill. Many people have died by suicide for the sake of reservation. We will give the Maratha reservation without making any kind of change in the reservation of the Other Backward Caste (OBC) or any other community," CM Shinde said. However, Manoj Jarange Patil, the activist who led the movement to provide caste-based reservations to Marathas and is on a hunger strike, welcomed the reservation bill introduced and passed in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, but contended that the reservation which has been proposed was not as per the community's demand. "We need reservation which we deserve, give us reservation under OBC to those whose proof of being kunbi has been found and those who don't have proof of kunbi, for them pass a law of "Sage Soyare"," Patil said minutes after the Bill was passed unanimously by the Legislative Assembly. He has called for a meeting of the Maratha community at 12 noon on Wednesday. Jarange Patil is demanding one's blood relations should also be allowed to have Kunbi registration. Kunbi is a caste in Maharashtra under the OBC. Jarange Patil demanded that all people of the Maratha community be considered as Kunbi and be given reservations accordingly (under OBC Quota) but the government decided that only people having Nizam era documents of Kunbi certificates will get benefits under this. "I appeal to all maximum people to reach Antarvali sarati for the meet ...I am firm on my demand to implement Sage Soyare...I welcome the reservation but the reservation given is not as per our demand," Patil said. "The reservation given by government will benefit only 100 -150 people of Maratha, our people will remain deprived from reservation..Therefore I am demanding to implement "Sage Soyare" the next round of agitation will be announced tomorrow," he added. (ANI)
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Tuesday that the Modi government has played an important role in bringing 25 crore people above the poverty line during the last 10 years. Shah was addressing a Karyakarta Sammelan in Udaipur. Hitting out at the Congress he said that the party not only indulged in dynastic politics but also a party without any direction. Home Minister Amit Shah said, "In the last 10 years Modi government has played an important role in taking 25 crore people out of the poverty line. Poor people got houses, toilets, electricity, and LPG gas connection, and 5 kg of food grains free of cost. Medical expenses up to Rs 5 lakh are being borne by the Modi government. In the entire country, farmers are getting Rs 6,000 in their bank account." He said that under Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, farmers are getting Rs 8,000 in Rajasthan. "BJP government has given gas connection to every poor at Rs 450. More than 70 lakh women are getting the benefit of this. When Congress was in power the country was not secured. Every day intruders from Pakistan used to enter the country and carry out terror attacks. When BJP came to power and terror attacks took place in Uri and Pulwama, PM Modi carried out surgical strikes and took revenge," he said. Amit Shah said that Article 370 was abrogated in Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019 by the Modi government and today Kashmir is secure. "We had assured that Ram temple would be built. Congress cornered the Ayodhya Ram temple issue. We had promised that the Ram temple would be built in the same place and on January 22, 2024 PM Modi conducted the 'Pran Pratishtha' of Ram Lalla and gave joy to the entire country. In the last 10 years, under PM Modi India has become the fifth largest economy and earlier it was in eleventh position," he said. Shah said that in the next five years if the BJP is voted to power India will become the third-largest economy in the world. "Congress can never work for the progress of the country and the poor. Our scientists carried out the Chandrayaan-3 mission and hoisted the national flag at the South Pole. This achievement happened under the Modi government. Corruption worth Rs 12 lakh crore took place under the Congress and under PM Modi corruption has been wiped out," he said. He alleged that women were not safe under the Ashok Gehlot government. He said that women were secured under the double-engine government. "Once the double-engine government is formed, now no one will have the courage to create communal riots here and demolish temples," he added. (ANI)
West Bengal Leader of Opposition (LoP) Suvendu Adhikari said on Tuesday that women in Sandeshkhali informed him that apart from facing physical violence, rape or sexual violence, they have also lost their right to vote since 2011. "It is not only restricted to physical violence, rape or sexual violence, they have even lost their right to vote. They said that they had last voted in 2011 Assembly elections," Adhikari said at a press conference on Tuesday. The BJP leader was accorded a rousing reception and treated to a petal shower as he arrived in Sandeshkhali, which has been on the boil after hundreds of local women came out on the streets, accusing fugitive TMC strongman Sheikh Shahjahan and his henchmen of sexual exploitation and excesses. Adhikari also shared that women in Sandeshkhali told him that such incidents of torture have been going on since 2013 when Shahjahan joined TMC. "I interacted with several victims today. They shared their incidents of torture with me. They said that the situation had been brewing for a long time. Since Shah Jahan joined the Trinamool in 2013, it has been going on continuously," Adhikari said. Commending the judiciary for granting him permission to visit Sandeshkhali, he said, "The government will be toppled through protests from the people. The judiciary has stepped up now, as it had done before 2011." When asked about the imposition of President's Rule in West Bengal, Adhikari said that while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has not taken a stand on the matter, as a political worker from the state, he supports the National Scheduled Caste Commission and the National Commission of Women's recommendations. "Narendra Modi has never implemented Article 356 anywhere in his 10 years of governance. We have seen that under the Congress government frequently. However, I second what the SC Commission or the NCW has recommended to the Governor as a citizen and political worker from Bengal. However, as a member and functionary of the Bharatiya Janata Party, our party has not mentioned its stand on the issue," Adhikari said. The LoP shared that he has seen the agricultural plots that were illegally confiscated by Shahjahan Sheikh's aide, Shibu Hazra. On allegations of Rohingyas settled in Sandeshkhali, Adhikari said, "There is a settlement of 150 Rohingyas in Sandeshkhali. They have Aadhaar cards. Sheikh Shahjahan has given them 50 motorcycles." As you all know we had a police force to enforce section 144 in Dhamakhali this morning. It was headed by IPS Jaspeet Singh from Special Superintendent of Police Intelligence Branch. There are several MLAs including West Bengal Opposition Leader Subhendu Adhikari in Dhamakhali. There was an altercation with the police officer during which Subhendu Adhikari called the police officer a Khalistani, which is never befitting of a political leader. We strongly protest against it. We will take legal action against him for this serious comment. A senior police officer was referred to as Khalistani during a confrontation between protesting BJP workers and the police at Dhamakhali. "As you all know we had a police force to enforce section 144 in Dhamakhali this morning. It was headed by IPS Jaspeet Singh from the Special Superintendent of Police, Intelligence Branch. There were several MLAs including West Bengal Opposition Leader Subhendu Adhikari in Dhamakhali. There was an altercation with the police officer during which the opposition leader called the police officer a Khalisthani, which is never befitting of a political leader. We strongly protest against it. We will take legal action against him for this serious comment," the Additional Director General of Police (ADG) South Bengal Suprateem Sarkar said in a press conference on Saturday. Meanwhile, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) hit out at the National Commission for Women (NCW) Chairperson, Rekha Sharma for demanding the resignation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee after her visit to Sandeshkhali. "NCW Chairperson @sharmarekha's attendance register - Absent, when women were paraded naked in Manipur Absent, when a woman was gang-raped in MP Also absent, when a BJP member is assaulted by another in Tamluk But, guess what? Present to politicise Sandeshkhali in West Bengal Someone finally woke up from her selective slumber," the All India Trinamool Congress said in a post on 'X'. Earlier in the day, Suvendu Adhikari said the people in the area expressed satisfaction with the order of the Calcutta High Court Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam, granting him permission to visit the trouble spot. Meanwhile, speaking to ANI on the sidelines of his visit to Sandeshkhali, the BJP leader said, "People in this area are very happy with the Chief Justice's verdict (letting him visit the island). With the arrival of the CBI, the state police have disappeared. All the wronged and distressed women of Sandeshkhali will get justice. The rapists, looters, mafia and those accused of vote theft will all go to jail." "People are with Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi and trust the BJP to do them justice. I visited all the villages (of Sandeshkhali) in three to three-and-a-half hours," the LoP added. Claiming that all those involved in the alleged atrocities in Sandeshkhali are 'Mamata's people', Adhikari said each and every one should face the law, including the absconding Sheikh Shahjahan and his aides. "They (the Sandeshkhali accused) are Mamata's people, including Shahjahan and his aides. Not only Shibu (Hazra) Uttam Sardar, Jia-ul-Mollah, and Jahangir, exemplary action should be taken against all the people close to Shahjahan," the BJP leader said. On the BJP leaders detained by the West Bengal police in connection with the case, Adhikari said, "As many as 14 of our workers are in jail. Our Lok Sabha convenor, Bikash Singh, who is the former district president, has been arrested on false charges. However, we are ready to fight. They put him in a cell on trumped-up charges in a bid to reap political benefits (ahead of the Lok Sabha elections). He will get bail soon." Adhikari said he was confident that the people of Sandeshkhali would shower their electoral blessings on the BJP in the upcoming polls and help Prime Minister Modi return for a third, straight term at the Centre. "I am confident that the people here will vote en masse for PM Modi in the Lok Sabha elections and do their bit to make him return for a third, straight term in office," he said. Adhikari also shared that he will also be visiting another island in the vicinity named Jeliakhali from where similar reports of alleged torture have emerged. "Our leaders will keep coming here despite curbs and crackdowns. I will try to visit the Jeliakhali island from where there have been similar reports of torture (on women)," he said. (ANI)
In a veiled swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who represents Varanasi in the Lok Sabha, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday claimed that during his visit to the temple town as a part of the ongoing Bharat Jodo Nyay yatra, he saw people lying drunk on roads. Addressing the public in Amethi, Wayanad MP said the youths of Uttar Pradesh was on a 'trip' after boozing by night. "I went to Varanasi and I saw people lying on roads drunk. The youths of Uttar Pradesh are on a trip after consuming liquor by night. On the other hand, there is the Ram Mandir which is only visited by the likes of PM Modi, Ambani and Adani. You will see all our billionaires there but not a single person from a backward class or the Dalit community," Rahul said. "Your place is only limited to roads for begging while they (Centre's alleged corporate cronies) keep minting money," he added. The Varanasi constituency has seen a huge influx of funds from the Centre and state government and is also a part of the Smart City mission, which was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 25, 2015. Hitting back at Rahul Gandhi over his remarks, state minister Dinesh Pratap Singh said the Congress leader should apologise to the country for such statements. "It is saddening to hear such statements when efforts are being made by the Centre to take Indian culture to the world. Our culture does not allow public drinking. I can say that no one in my family consumes alcohol in public but can Rahul Gandhi say this? He should apologise for such remarks," Singh told ANI. Rahul alleged that President Draupadi Murmu was deliberately not allowed to visit Ram Mandir during its inauguration last month as she belongs to an Adivasi background. Addressing a public meeting on the thirty-eighth day of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra here on Tuesday, Rahul said, "In India, the power, resources and wealth are in the hands of 2-3 per cent people while about ninety per cent are deprived of everything. Dalits, backwards, Adivasis and the poor among the general castes, who constitute a huge majority of India's population, did not have any representation anywhere--be it swanky corporate offices, judiciary, media, private hospitals or educational institutions." Taking a further aim at the Centre over the opening of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya last month, he said only the rich and the famous like Adani, Ambani, Amitabh Bhachan and others were seen there, apart from PM Modi. He claimed that there was no Dalit, backward, or Adivasi people or anyone from the economically backward sections of the general castes at the inauguration of the Ram Mandir. On alleged paper leaks in various competitive examinations in Uttar Pradesh, he said it was done deliberately to benefit a select few people while about 90 per cent of candidates were 'left out'. He alleged that the Centre was deliberately diverting the attention of the general public from the core issues plaguing the country while making its 'friends' like Adani rob them. "It is similar to the modus operandi of a pickpocket, who diverts the attention of his victim and then robs him," Rahul said. On the Centre's flagship 'Agnipath' scheme, the former Congress president alleged that it was a deliberate diversion of the defence budget from soldiers to benefit Adani. He claimed that the money that should have been spent on the welfare of soldiers was diverted to enable the billionaire industrialist weapons and drones for the defence forces. "This was the reason why the Agniveers are being denied the benefits they are entitled to like regular soldiers," he claimed. Gandhi said, that when he raised all such issues in the Parliament, he was stripped of his membership and even his official bungalow was taken away. Tearing at Rahul over his remark on Varanasi, Union Minister Smriti Irani said, "Rahul has no right to insult the people of Kashi and the youth of Uttar Pradesh. The whole world looks to UP these days for its skillful and talented youth. We don't expect any apology from Rahul Gandhi as he is a shameless person." (ANI)
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) saying that the party thinks that every person wearing a turban is a "Khalistani". This came after a confrontation between protesting BJP workers and the police at Dhamakhali, in which a senior police official lost his cool when some protesters allegedly called him "Khalistani." "Today, the BJP's divisive politics has shamelessly overstepped constitutional boundaries. As per @BJP4India every person wearing a turban is a Khalistani," the Chief Minister said in a post on 'X'. The Chief Minister also attached a video of the verbal spat in which the police officer was seen sternly protesting against the BJP workers for labelling him "Khalistani" for wearing a turban. Condemning the incident, Banerjee said, "I vehemently condemn this audacious attempt to undermine the reputation of our Sikh brothers and sisters, revered for their sacrifices and unwavering determination to our nation. We stand firm in protecting Bengal's social harmony and will take stern lawful measures to prevent any attempts to disrupt it." Meanwhile, responding to National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson Rekha Sharma's demand for resignation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee after visiting Sandeshkhali village, Bengal Minister Shashi Panja said that she always has her agenda prepared whenever he visits the state. "Whenever the National Women's Commission president comes to Bengal, she always has her agenda prepared. She says that everything going on here is out of control and the Chief Minister should resign. She does not say the same thing for Manipur or Madhya Pradesh, nor visit Sakshi Mallik in Delhi...She does not even have the power to recommend President's rule in Bengal...She is not impartial," Panja said speaking to ANI on Tuesday. On police preventing West Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari going to Sandseshkhali to conflict-ridden Sandeshkhali, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader said, "Section 144 was in force. This was not to stop leaders from visiting but to normalise the law and situation there. The Court has given Leader of Opposition the scope to visit...Even Ministers from our state did not visit as Section 144 was in force." Speaking on TMC strongman Sheikh Shahjahan who is still absconding, the Minister said, "ED had gone to his doors to question him on the food scam case. He is on the run now. He has been asked to come to the ED." Commenting on a journalist's arrest in Sandeshkhali, Panja said that there were reports that he used to present false news and disturb law and order in the area. "There are charges that he used to report false news and sensationalise it to disturb law and order in the area. So police has the power under Section 144 to arrest him. Maybe he was arrested as he was disturbing the law and order situation of the area," she said. Meanwhile, commenting on NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma's statement, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh compared her to Mata Kaikeyi from Ramayana. "BJP is fond of Ramayana. Rekha Sharma is like Mata Kaikeyi from Ramayana. Mata Kaikeyi is known for dramatising situations and shed tears. This is being done by her....How can she impose President's Rule here? How can she challenge someone who has been MP seven-times, central Minister four-times and Chief Minister thrice," Ghosh said speaking to ANI. Responding to the incident where a police officer in Dhamakhali was called Khalistani by the BJP, Ghosh said, "How can a Sikh IPS officer be called Khalistani? This is wrong. The police should have removed them at that time. But since it is Bengal, the police officer controlled his emotions. This is Bengal's police, not Delhi's." On LoP Suvendu Adhikari's visit to Sandeshkhali, Ghosh took a jibe at the BJP saying that a "film shooting" is going on in the troubled island since the TMC is not strong in the region. "There is a film shooting going on in Sandeshkhali. There are many extra artists, members from the film unit at the place where shooting is going on. The Trinamool Congress is weak in this particular pocket. The MLAs elected from there were from CPIM," Ghosh said. On CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat visiting Sandeshkhali, Ghosh said that she had gone there on a "fashion parade" and questioned her absence during violence committed by the earlier Left Front government in the state. "Brinda Karat had gone there on a fashion parade. Where was she when there was a Left Front government in Bengal for 34 years? Where was she when there were gang rapes and mass murders?" Ghosh said. (ANI)
Taking to 'X', Deora wrote, "I am grateful to have been elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha."

"Thank you to CM @mieknathshinde Ji, @ShivSenaOfc leaders, and - most importantly - all the dedicated karyakartas. I look forward to working towards the development of Mumbai, Maharashtra & India in Parliament," he added.

Congress turncoat Milind Deora filed a nomination as Shiv Sena's (Eknath Shinde faction) Rajya Sabha candidate from Maharashtra on Thursday.

Deora filed his nomination at the Vidhan Bhavan in Mumbai in the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and other party leaders.

Deora earlier this year switched from Congress severing decades-old family ties with the grand old party and joined Shiv Sena.

He was elected to Lok Sabha in 2004 and 2009 but lost the consecutive general elections in 2014 and 2019.

Deora, the son of late Congress veteran leader Murli Deora, quit the party on January 14, alleging that it had deviated from its ideological and organisational roots.

Former CM and Congress defector Ashok Chavan also filed nomination as BJP's Rajya Candidate from Maharashtra on Thursday.

Ashok Chavan joined the BJP earlier this week, a day after quitting the Congress. Speaking after his nomination to the Rajya Sabha Chavan thanked PM Modi for having faith in him.

"I thank PM Modi, Union HM Amit Shah, party president JP Nadda, Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis and other leaders. I feel that the opportunity they have given me shows the faith BJP has in me."

Former CM Ashok Chavan quit the party and joined the BJP earlier this month. With a series of exits from the grand old party, it has been a major blow to the Congress in Maharashtra.

The Election Commission has scheduled the Rajya Sabha elections for 15 states, including Uttar Pradesh, for February 27.

Voting will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on this date, with the deadline for nominations set for February 15.

The results of the elections will be announced on the same day, February 27.

The Election Commission announced the biennial Rajya Sabha polls for 56 seats, as the tenure of incumbents ends in April. (ANI)
On a visit to Jammu during which he inaugurated an AIIMS and launched a bouquet of other development projects, Prime Minister Narendra Modi weighed in on the Centre's decision to strip the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir of the special privileges under Article 370 of the Constitution, they were the biggest hurdles to the development and progress of the current Union Territory. "Article 370 was the biggest roadblock to the development (to the erstwhile state) of Jammu and Kashmir. However, our government abrogated the act to further integrate Jammu and Kashmir with India. As we all can see, the region has entered a new era of development and progress and is bounding to new heights. This could have not happened had Article 370 still been in force here. It is because of more sweeping decisions like Article 370 that I have urged people to help us win 370 seats and NDA 400 seats in the (2024 Lok Sabha) elections," PM Modi said after addressing a rally during which he launched multiple projects worth over Rs 32,000 crore for Jammu and Kashmir and more worth Rs 13,500 crore for other parts of the country. Invoking the soon-to-be-released film 'Article 370', starring Yami Gautam in the lead role, PM Modi said it will help debunk myths around the Centre's decision and put the people square with facts. "I am told that a film titled 'Article 370' is going to be released this week. It is good that movies are being made on such subjects as it will bust all myths and falsehoods and help people gather correct information around Article 370 and the decision to roll it back," he said. The makers of the film unveiled the trailer on Thursday. The trailer of the film takes viewers back to the dark days of terrorism and militancy in Jammu and Kashmir, with the protagonist Yami, in a dialogue, referring to the erstwhile state as a 'lost case' and vents out her frustration at how the unique status of Jammu and Kashmir makes her job of an intelligence officer all the more difficult. The film also depicts in vivid detail how the Valley came to be the hotbed of cross-border terrorism and militancy. It narrates the story of an intelligence officer, who is drafted into the NIA and assigned a mission in Jammu and Kashmir. The decision to roll back Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir marked the fulfillment of one of the BJP's key resolutions. The film also goes on to narrate the immediate political aftermath of the abrogation of Article 370 in the face of protests, dissidence and outrage from a section of the country's political class. In a move that many did not see coming at the time, the Centre, on August 5, 2019, decided to revoke the privileges accorded to the Valley under Article 370 of the Constitution. On August 9, the Parliament passed the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, splitting the erstwhile state into two Union Territories--Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The visit to Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday was only the second by PM Modi since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019 and assumes significance ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Also, the visit by PM Modi marked the first since the Supreme Court, last December, held the abrogation of Article 370 as constitutionally valid while directing incremental steps for the restoration of full statehood and Assembly elections by September 2024. PM Modi, while launching multiple development projects in Jammu, said the Centre, for the very first time, reached the doorsteps of the people in the Union Territory. "This is Modi's guarantee, and this will continue," he said. PM Modi also came down hard on the Opposition, saying the Union Territory had to "bear the brunt of dynastic politics" for decades. "Jammu and Kashmir had to bear the brunt of dynastic politics for decades. They (leaders of previous governments) were only concerned about their families, not about your interests, your families. The youth of the region has borne the brunt of this," PM Modi said, adding, "I am happy that Jammu and Kashmir is today free from the shackles of dynastic politics." "There was a time when schools were set on fire. Today, they are being decked up to welcome students. Healthcare services are also improving rapidly in Jammu and Kashmir. Before 2014, there were 4 medical colleges here. Now, there are 12." He launched multiple development projects, including for education, railway, aviation and road sectors, for the Union Territory worth over Rs 32,000 crore. He started his speech with a Dogri couplet of Padma Sachdev 'Mitthdi-e- Dogri Di Boli Te Khand Mithi Dogri'. He said that 10 years ago, people of Jammu and Kashmir were unaware what true development stands for. "In December 2013, I was here for the BJP's Lalkar rally. I remember questioning at the time why educational institutions such as IITs and IIMs could not come up in Jammu. We fulfilled those promises and today, Jammu is home to an IIT and IIM. That is why people 'Modi ki guarantee yani guarantee pura hone ki guarantee' (this is why Modi's guarantee is a guarantee to fulfill all guarantees." (ANI)
Tripura Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha on Tuesday said that the inauguration of Central Sanskrit University represents a monumental step towards the advancement of education and cultural preservation in the state. Dr Saha said this after attending the virtual inauguration of the academic, administrative, library etc of Central Sanskrit University by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Ekalavya Campus, Central Sanskrit University, Lembucherra. He said that the Central Sanskrit University has been established with the aim of promoting and propagating Sanskrit across the country. "Among the 13 campuses established nationwide, the Ekalavya Campus stands as the 11th, established almost a decade ago. Over its decade-long journey, the campus has offered diverse courses in Shastri Departments such as Vyakarna, Sahitya, Jyotish, Dharmashastra, and Shiksha Shastra alongside modern-day subjects and languages. With an investment of over Rs 100.83 crore in the university, we have revitalized our commitment to a blend of ancient traditions and modern-day subjects", said Dr Saha. He said that the state witnessed significant transformations in higher educational institutions under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Projects worth Rs 13,000 crore are either being inaugurated or having their foundation stone laid. These include 37 Centrally Funded Higher Educational Institutions, 44 School Educational Institutions, and 2 Skill Development Institutes. Among these, I take pride in announcing that infrastructural upgrades at the Central Sanskrit University, Maharaja Bir Bikram University in Agartala and the Navodaya Vidyalaya in Sepahijala are among the major projects being inaugurated in Tripura. These initiatives represent a monumental step towards the advancement of education and cultural preservation in our state," said Dr Saha. He further said that under the esteemed leadership of the Prime Minister, not only has the Central Government prioritized education, but the PM himself has been a stalwart advocate for ensuring education reaches the remotest corners of our nation. "The Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PMUSHA), with a total outlay of Rs. 12,926.10 crore, is a testament to our Government's and the Prime Minister's commitment to ensuring education for all. It fills me with immense pride to announce that the Maharaja Bir Bikram (MBB) University has been granted a substantial sanction of Rs 20 Crore under the Grants to Strengthen University (GSU) program", he said. Dr Saha said that the vast wealth of Sanskrit has not been fully exploited or studied. "PM Modi calls upon our youth, Amrit Peedhi, to embrace and nurture our Indian heritage as they stride forward in their journey of life. The enigmatic depths of the Sanskrit language, yet to be fully plumbed, beckon us towards further exploration and scholarly inquiry. Let us pledge our unwavering support to our Prime Minister's noble endeavour to rekindle India's ancient glory and Heritage," he added. During the program Union Minister of State Pratima Bhoumik and officials from Central Sanskrit University were present. (ANI)
Karnataka Minister Krishna Byre Gowda has appealed to the Bharatiya Janata Party not to spread misinformation about the KC Valley (Koramangala - Challaghatta) project, which plays a crucial role in irrigating the lakes of Kolar. During the question-and-answer session of the assembly on Tuesday, Doddaballapur MLA Dheeraj Muniraj raised concerns about the quality of water provided by the KC Valley project. He highlighted that the quality of water in Kolar Lake and groundwater has deteriorated due to improper treatment of Bengaluru's sewage, rendering it unfit even for animals to drink. As a result, he advocated for the implementation of third-level purification for KC Valley water. Responding to this, Minister Krishna Byre Gowda expressed his dismay at the legislator's statement, emphasizing that while it is acknowledged that KC Valley water may require third-stage purification, it is crucial not to misinform the public about the project, which is vital for the region's survival. He further clarified, "Both the Congress and BJP have supported the KC Valley project. The second and third phases were implemented during Basavaraja Bommai's tenure as Chief Minister. JC Madhuswami granted permission for the Vrishabhavati Valley project. I express my gratitude to both Madhuswami and Bommai for their contributions." Regarding the water quality, Minister Gowda assured the House that the project adheres to strict quality standards set by various organizations, including the World Health Organization. He emphasized that the Indian Institute of Science has been conducting daily assessments of water quality since the project's inception in 2017-18. Minister Gowda also shed light on the water pollution issues in his hometown, Narasapura, attributing them to sewage drainage into the lake. However, he cautioned against attributing unrelated issues to the KC Valley project. He explained, "Quality tests for KC Valley water are conducted hourly using SCADA automated technology. If the treated water does not meet standard quality requirements, it cannot be pumped. Therefore, no water has been pumped from a unit with a capacity of 280 MLD. Upgrading of that unit is currently underway by the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB)." Additionally, Minister Gowda mentioned a survey conducted by the Indian Institute of Science on the health and economic impacts of the KC Valley watershed. The survey results indicated a decrease in water-related diseases such as pneumonia and diarrhoea. Minister Gowda emphasized the credibility of the Indian Institute of Science and reiterated the government's commitment to rely on factual evidence rather than speculative views. (ANI)
Indonesia's newly-elected president, Prabowo Subianto, on Monday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his congratulatory message and agreed to further strengthen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between both countries to greater heights. He further emphasised that he looks forward to working closer with PM Modi. Sharing a post on social media 'X', Subianto said, "Thank you, Prime Minister @narendramodi, for your congratulatory message on our elections. I share your sentiment to further strengthening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Indonesia and India to greater heights. I look forward to working closer with you." https://x.com/prabowo/status/1759538340121248066?s=20 Earlier on Sunday, PM Modi congratulated Indonesia's newly-elected president, Prabowo Subianto, and said that he is looking forward to further strengthening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries. He also extended his wishes to the people of Indonesia for successful presidential elections. In a post on social media platform X, PM Modi wrote, "Congratulations to the people of Indonesia on the successful presidential elections and Prabowo Subianto on the lead. Look forward to working with the new Presidency to further strengthen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between India and Indonesia." Subianto declared victory in the presidential polls after unofficial vote counts showed him leading significantly over his rivals, Al Jazeera reported. The 72-year-old former special forces commander lost in the race for president twice before and had about 58 per cent of the votes, according to four pollsters, based on "quick count" ballots at samples of voting stations nationwide. Prabowo addressed his jubilant supporters at a stadium in Jakarta and said he was "grateful" for the quick results. He was also accompanied by his running mate, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, the eldest son of outgoing President Joko Widodo. "We should not be arrogant, we should not be proud, we should not be euphoric, we still have to be humble, this victory must be a victory for all Indonesian people," he said. Prabowo was the front-runner going into the poll, thanks to the apparent support of Widodo, popularly known as Jokowi. (ANI)
A Taiwanese cruise ship was escorted back to Kinmen after being boarded and inspected by Chinese Coast Guard personnel on Monday, Focus Taiwan reported, citing Taipei's Coast Guard Administration (CGA). The sightseeing vessel 'King Xia', which had 11 crew members and 23 passengers, was 2.8 nautical miles northwest of Kinmen's Wushajiao when it was intercepted by two Chinese coast guard boats at around 4:47 pm (local time), the CGA said in a news release. According to CGA, six Chinese officers boarded the Taiwanese vessel and started inspecting the boat, asking for the documents of crew members. Following this, the Chinese personnel then returned to their boats and left the King Xia at 5:19 pm (local time). The PP-10039 coastguard patrol boat was dispatched to the scene when the Chinese coast guard boats were spotted on radar, the Coast Guard Administration stated. The vessel reached King Xia at 5:33 pm (local time) and was escorted back to Shuitou Port from where it departed earlier in the afternoon for a tour around Kinmen waters, the Taiwanese Coast Guard said. According to the CGA, King Xia veered slightly off course at the time due to the multiple shoals near Wushajiao. The Coast Guard also highlighted multiple incidents from the past where Chinese tourist vessels entered Taiwan-held waters near Kinmen "by mistake," but it did not board them because "it was clearly not deliberate and instead just issued warnings," as reported by Focus Taiwan. Meanwhile, the Coast Guard Administration called on China to uphold peace and rationality and jointly maintain tranquillity in the waters around Xiamen and Kinmen. At the same time, it also reminded Taiwanese operators to avoid going near Chinese waters when engaging in maritime-related activities. In a separate statement on Monday, the Maritime and Port Bureau said that Beijing's move was 'inconsistent' with international norms. The bureau also said that if Taiwanese vessels encounter such incidents in the future, they should refuse Chinese requests to board and immediately notify the CGA for assistance. Notably, Beijing has deployed coast guard vessels in waters off the coast of the Taiwan-held Kinmen Islands after a speedboat from nearby Fujian province capsized off the eastern coast of Kinmen on February 14 as it was being chased by Taiwanese authorities, resulting in the deaths of two of the four Chinese people on board, Focus Taiwan reported. (ANI)
European Union President Ursula von der Leyen, who has held the post since 2019 and has emerged as the face of Europe's response to major crises, is seeking a second five-year term as the top EU official, the New York Times reported. "I ran in 2019 because I firmly believe in Europe. Europe is home to me," von der Leyen said on Monday in Berlin at the Christian Democratic Union party conference. "And when the question came up back then as to whether I could imagine becoming president of the European Commission, I immediately said 'yes' intuitively." "Today, five years later, I am making a very conscious and well-considered decision: I would like to run for a second term," she added. Given her strong record steering the European response to both the pandemic and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, von der Leyen is seen as a relatively sure bet to keep the job, which is not elected but decided in negotiations among European Union leaders. According to the NYT, another term for von der Leyen would provide continuity for the bloc. She is also expected to further expand the authority of her position, even beyond its duties overseeing the 32,000-strong European Commission. Notably, von der Leyen is the first woman to hold the office. She has used the resources at her disposal to steer the EU through crises and emerged as one of the most visible leaders to have held the position. A German gynaecologist and conservative politician, von der Leyen had a 'lacklustre' record as a minister in the administration of former Chancellor Angela Merkel. But she has emerged as a trusted figure in the Byzantine working of the EU. For President Biden, who frequently refers to her simply as Ursula, von der Leyen (65) has been the 'go-to person' to coordinate EU-US policies, the NYT reported. The EU President has been an advocate for the bloc's expanding eastward to include Ukraine and Moldova as well as some Balkan states. Recently, von der Leyen has come in for criticism from staff members and some EU leaders for her 'unqualified' support of Israel. She has said that Israel's operations in Gaza are in line with its right to 'self-defence', and has not offered comments suggesting that Israel should exercise restraint as the civilian death toll in Gaza has mounted. Thousands of EU staff members have written at least three letters of complaint over her position on the conflict, and she has clashed with her top diplomatic official as well as some EU leaders, who believe she is too supportive of Israel to represent the bloc. However, she is very likely to secure a second term as president of the European Commission, but the selection process hasn't even begun yet, as reported by NYT. While Monday's announcement means she is the chosen candidate for the job from the European mainstream conservative movement, other political groups -- such as the Greens and the Social Democrats -- will propose their own candidates. The balance of power among those political movements will be gauged in the European Parliament elections in early June, which will take place across all 27 EU countries. von der Leyen's political alliance is currently leading polls, New York Times reported. (ANI)
Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny -- who died mysteriously in prison -- accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of killing her husband and vowed to continue his fight for a "free Russia," Al Jazeera reported. Navalnaya also accused the Russian authorities of hiding Navalny's body so that the traces of a 'Novichok' nerve agent disappeared from his body. "Three days ago, Vladimir Putin killed my husband, Alexey Navalny," she said in a nine-minute video statement released on Monday. "By killing Alexey, Putin killed half of me - half of my heart and half of my soul...But I still have the other half, and it tells me that I have no right to give up. I will continue the work of Alexey Navalny, continue to fight for our country," she said. "I want to live in a free Russia. I want to build a free Russia," Navalnaya said. "I urge you to stand next to me...I ask you to share the rage with me. Rage, anger, and hatred towards those who dared to kill our future." Earlier on Monday, she also held meetings with European officials in Brussels. She met European Council President Charles Michel. She also met the EU's top diplomat, Josep Borrell on Sunday, as reported by CNN. Navalny died on Friday at the age of 47 in the IK-3 maximum security prison colony in Kharp, a town north of the Arctic Circle about 1,900 km (1,200 miles) northeast of Moscow, where he was serving a 19-year sentence on charges of extremism, as reported by Al Jazeera. Notably, even three days after his death, Navalny's family has not been allowed to see his body. Meanwhile, Navalny's spokesperson, Kira Yarmish, said that the body of the Russian opposition leader will not be returned to the family for at least another 14 days as the body will be under "some sort of chemical examination" during that period, CNN reported. The circumstances surrounding the death of the opposition leader also remain murky, as Moscow claims that Navalny felt sick and fainted after a walk and medics' efforts to resuscitate him failed. Al Jazeera reported, citing footage obtained by independent media outlet Mediazone, which showed four vehicles, including those of the penitentiary service, crossing the only road linking Labytnangi, close to the prison, with Salekhard. According to the media outlet, the unusual convoy suggests that Navalny's body was being transported to Salekhard. Navalny, a former lawyer, rose to prominence campaigning against corruption. He was known for his fierce rhetoric at public protests and in court and his team's elaborate video investigations into state graft. Thousands of people braved the winter temperatures in Russia to pay tribute to Navalny after the news of his death broke out. More than 360 people were arrested across 39 cities, as they laid flowers at monuments to victims of political repression and at ad hoc memorials, Al Jazeera reported, citing the OVD-Info rights group. The rights group also launched a petition campaign demanding the Investigation Committee hand over Navalny's body to his family and the document has been signed by over 50,000 people. (ANI)
Sadaf Ameer Baloch appealed to the Pakistani authorities for the safe recovery of her father, Ameer Baaksh Baloch, who went missing in 2014, the Balochistan Post reported. She alleged that her father was abducted by Pakistani security forces from the Kulanch area of Gwadar district on August 4, 2014. Sadaf further said that she has not seen him or received any information about his whereabouts in the past decade. She also said that she joined a sit-in protest in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, for her father's recovery, but returned home disappointed. Sadaf announced that she will organize a social media campaign on X (formely known as Twitter), along with the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), on February 21, 2024, for her father's safe release. She has urged people on social media to join the campaign, which will run from 7 pm to midnight (local time), and to be her voice in this long-standing ordeal, the Balochistan Post reported. Earlier on Monday, the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) condoled the death of known Sindhi political and social activist Hidayat Lohar and stated that the discovery of mass graves has given a new painful story to describe the Baloch Genocide. "Two people were killed and about 16 others disappeared, who are still missing. The discovery of mass graves on the same land on January 25, 2013, has given a new painful story to describe the Baloch Genocide, which the Baloch Yakjehti Committee has announced as a symbolic day of the Baloch Genocide," the statement read. In recent days, there has been an increase in the ongoing operations in Balochistan. While on the one hand, the killing of Baloch people continues, on the other hand, the state persecution against other subjugated nations within Pakistan is not stopping. The statement also demanded Pakistan stop the ongoing genocide in Balochistan. Baloch activist Mahrang Baloch expressed solidarity with the sit-in protest against the killing of Lohar and appealed to the UN Working Group to investigate the matter. Taking to social media platform X, Baloch said, "We stand in solidarity with the sit-in protest led by Sasui and Sorath against the extrajudicial killing of the prominent human rights activist, Hidayat Lohar. I appeal to the UN Working Group to promptly investigate Lohar's murder and ensure justice for Sasui and Sorath. I encourage people from all walks of life to join the sit-in and support Sasui and Sorath in their quest for justice." Meanwhile, Pakistan Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar on Monday again failed to appear before the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in a case of missing Baloch students, as reported by Dawn. The Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances was established in 2011 to trace missing persons and fix responsibility on the individuals or organisations responsible for it. (ANI)
Tel Aviv [Israel], February 20 (ANI/TPS): The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that its warplanes on Monday evening attacked two munitions warehouses belonging to the terrorist organization Hezbollah in Lebanon. The warehouses were located near the city of Sidon, on the coast of Lebanon south of Beirut. The attack, said the IDF, was carried out in response to the launch of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) earlier on Monday towards the Lower Galilee in Israel. Also, Israeli fighter jets attacked infrastructures belonging to Hezbollah in the Miss Al Jabal area in southern Lebanon (located just to the west of the "Finger of the Galilee") and the Aadaysit Marjaayoun area (located just to the north of the "Finger of the Galilee"). (ANI/TPS)
The Ministry of External Affairs official spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, stated that the two leaders were extended a warm welcome in Delhi.

In a post on X, Randhir Jaiswal stated, "Greetings to our esteemed guests arriving for #RaisinaDialogue2024! FM @TobiasBillstrom of Sweden & FM @krisjaniskarins of Latvia arrive to a warm welcome in New Delhi."

Earlier, Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis arrived in New Delhi to attend the Raisina Dialogue.

Raisina Dialogue is India's flagship conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics, committed to addressing the most challenging issues facing the global community.

The ninth edition of Raisina Dialogue is set to be held in Delhi from February 21-23. It is being organised by Ministry of External Affairs in collaboration with the Observer Research Foundation.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will be the chief guest and keynote speaker at the 9th Raisina Dialogue in Delhi. Ministers, National Security Advisors, senior officials and representatives of industry, technology, finance and other sectors from more than 100 nations will participate in the Raisina Dialogue.

According to a video posted by Randhir Jaiswal on X, the thematic pillars of Raisina Dialogue are - "Tech Frontiers: Regulations and Realities, Peace with the Planet: Invest and Innovate, War and Peace: Armouries and Asymmetries, Decolonising Multilateralism: Institutions and Inclusion, The Post-2030 Agenda: People and Progress."

In a post on X, Randhir Jaiswal stated, "RaisinaDialogue2024 - 's premier conference on geopolitics & geoeconomics is back with its 9th edition this year. Feb 21-23, 2024 Theme - Chaturanga: Conflict / Contest | Cooperate | Create Know more about the conference." (ANI)
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has again summoned Pakistan's caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar while hearing a petition seeking the recovery of missing Baloch students, as he failed to appear before the court on Monday, as reported by The Nation. Presided over by Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, the IHC single bench conducted a hearing regarding the implementation of the recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances and a petition seeking the recovery of missing Baloch students. Attorney General for Pakistan Mansoor Usman Awan represented the government during the hearing. Justice Kayani inquired about PM Kakar's absence, to which Awan mentioned the PM's engagements in Karachi, as per The Nation. The court, questioning the absence of defence and interior ministers, emphasized the urgency of addressing the petition filed in 2022, which led to the formation of a commission for enforced disappearances. According to The Nation, Justice Kayani expressed concern over the delay in recovering individuals who have no criminal records. He highlighted that the summons issued to the prime minister aimed at scrutinizing the state's accountability in enforcing its duties. Addressing AGP Awan, the IHC Judge said that he had submitted an affidavit that no person would go missing in future, yet a person is missing from Islamabad's F-6 without a first information report against him. The IHC judge said that the purpose of summoning the prime minister was to inquire why the state's premier was failing to perform his duties. He added, "We have charges against our institutions regarding enforced disappearances. If the prime minister, defence minister and secretary, and the interior minister and secretary cannot perform their duties then they should leave their posts." AGP Awan said that "When the elected government comes into power, it will look at the matter afresh." At this, the judge said there was one government for three-and-a-half years, then another for 16 months, and then the caretakers but nothing came out of it. There are direct allegations against institutions here. He pointed out that he would constitute a committee comprising heads of the ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence), MI (Military Intelligence) and the IB (Intelligence Bureau). The AGP again urged the court to adjourn the matter till the elected government assumes responsibilities. During the hearing, PTI leader Sher Afzal Marwat also appeared before the court and said that a day ago, the Islamabad police and [state] institutions conducted a raid at his house. He asserted that he was present at the house and his children were present yet the doors of his house were broken down. The Islamabad police were the biggest criminals. The PTI lawyer further alleged that his house was raided without a warrant. The IHC bench issued directives to the interior secretary to summon the Islamabad police chief and the head of the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) at the next hearing. He added that it was a matter of shame that all this was happening with a lawyer and an MNA-elect. They were not talking about Lakki Marwat but about Islamabad's F-8. Awan requested the court to give him time till the last week of March. Human rights lawyer Imaan Mazari said that a few people were recovered but then in February, people went missing again." She recalled that even though the AGP had submitted an affidavit to the Supreme Court, people went missing in Balochistan. "The policy of forced disappearances is now of the state," she added. Marwat alleged that in abduction cases in Islamabad, the Islamabad police themselves were involved. He stated that 36 cases were filed against him for being affiliated with the PTI and he was on bail in all cases yet there was a raid last night. Justice Kayani warned that if any person was abducted from within the premises of the IHC, the interior secretary, Islamabad IG and the CTD in charge would be responsible for it. The court ordered AGP Awan to submit a list of the missing who had allegedly gone missing recently. Justice Kayani said that he would issue an order for constituting a three-member committee of the director generals of the country's intelligence agencies. Later, the IHC bench again summoned PM Kakar and the secretary of the interior and secretary of defence to appear before the court on the next hearing and deferred the case till February 28 for further proceedings. (ANI)
The Indian Ambassador to Kuwait, Adarsh Swaika on Tuesday called on the newly appointed Kuwait's Minister of Commerce and Industry, Abdullah Hamad AlJouan and highlighted the growing bilateral ties between the two countries. During their meeting, both leaders discussed the significant potential for strengthening bilateral economic cooperation including investments. "Amb @AdarshSwaika1 called on the new Minister of Commerce and Industry of Kuwait H.E Abdullah Hamad AlJouan. Ambassador highlighted the growing bilateral trade ties and significant potential for strengthening bilateral economic cooperation, including investments," Indian embassy in Kuwait posted on X. Earlier, the Indian ambassador to Kuwait said that bilateral trade between India and Kuwait has touched an all-time high of USD 12.5 billion. Trade between the two countries has seen a 90 per cent yearly jump and while currently it is skewed towards hydrocarbon exports from Kuwait and exports of mainly food products from India. The bilateral trade has the potential for diversification, the envoy said. India and Kuwait share historically warm and close bilateral ties and the relationship has been nourished by sustained cultural and civilizational linkages. There are around one million Indians in Kuwait. India is amongst the largest trading partners of Kuwait and the Gulf country is a major supplier of oil. India and Kuwait enjoy traditionally friendly relations, rooted in history, and have stood the test of time. Geographic proximity, historical trade links, cultural affinities, and presence of large number of Indian nationals in Kuwait continue to sustain and nurture this long standing relationship. India has been a natural trading partner of Kuwait and until 1961 Indian Rupee was the legal tender in Kuwait, according to the MEA official website. Historically, Indo-Kuwaiti relations have always had an important trade dimension. India has consistently been among the top ten trading partners of Kuwait. Total bilateral trade with Kuwait during 2015-16 was USD 6.2 billion. While India's imports from Kuwait were USD 4.96 billion (POL accounted for USD 4.05 billion) which plummeted by 63 per cent, largely due to drop in oil prices coupled with cut down in volume of oil import from Kuwait. India's exports to Kuwait grew by 4 per cent (USD 1.24 billion) in 2015-16 vis-a-vis 2014-15. India's exports to Kuwait included food items, cereals, textiles, garments, electrical and engineering equipment, machinery and mechanical appliances, cars, trucks, buses, tyres, chemicals, jewellery, handicrafts, metal products, iron and steel, etc. (ANI)
The President of the Baloch American Congress, Tara Chand on Monday penned a letter to the Speaker of the United States Congress, Mike Johnson, and all other members of the US Senate to take immediate action to stop the Baloch genocide in Pakistan. In a letter, the leader pleaded to address the ongoing genocide of people belonging to the Baloch community and highlighted the various issues faced by the people of Balochistan regularly. "In the ongoing conflict between the Baloch and Pakistan, enforced disappearances and illegal detentions are tools used by the state against the Baloch national resistance. Political activists, poets, students, journalists, intellectuals, and human rights activists are being abducted, illegally detained, subjected to inhuman torture, and their mutilated bodies are dumped in remote areas. This is part of the Pakistani war in Balochistan and a gross violation of human rights that requires immediate attention and intervention from the United States," the letter read. "The state of Pakistan is ruthlessly exploiting the natural resources of Balochistan for the benefit of ruling Punjab in a crude colonial manner. The collaboration between Pakistan and China has further exacerbated the situation, as China has become a new colonial power in the region. This alliance is depleting the land and sea resources of Balochistan, with valuable deposits such as gold and uranium being exploited. Additionally, the Baloch coast, which has been the backbone of the coastal regions' economies for centuries, is now devoid of marine life," it added. He emphasized the socio-cultural traditions of the Baloch people are marginalized in school curricula and labeled as un-Islamic. He said in a letter, "The state's systematic efforts have also endangered the Balochi language, which is thousands of years old. Baloch children are forced to adopt Urdu, an alien language, as the national language, leading to the near extinction of the Balochi language. Furthermore, the socio-cultural traditions of the Baloch are marginalized in school curricula, being labeled as un-Islamic." "This strategy poses a significant threat to the existence of the Baloch people as a nation, as these traditions and the Balochi language are integral parts of their national identity," he added. Addressing the issue of the kill-and-dump policy of Pakistan, the letter further added that "the "kill and dump" policy is another grave human rights violation in Balochistan. Anti-social and extremist religious elements, organized by state security agencies, kidnap and dump the bodies of political activists. These groups are commonly referred to as the army's "death squads" and they operate in collaboration with security forces. Human rights activists, journalists, poets, doctors, teachers, political leaders, student activists, and tribal elders are forcibly disappeared and kept incommunicado for years. They are known as "the missing persons." While some of the missing persons' dead bodies have been found in desolate areas, the fate of thousands of others remains uncertain. The number of extrajudicially killed and missing persons in the last 15 years is estimated to be in the thousands". "Balochistan is currently in turmoil, with its people living in a state of siege. The state has unleashed a reign of terror and gross human rights violations are taking place. The Baloch are facing a brutal military operation that has resulted in unimaginable loss of lives and destruction. According to resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly, many actions of Pakistani security forces and its auxiliary religious or extremist organizations can be classified as war crimes," President Chand stated in the letter. "Due to the declaration of Balochistan as a no-go area for international media and human rights organizations, the atrocities committed are not being reported in the international press. The Baloch, who are experiencing the worst of these atrocities and acts of genocide, are in desperate need of help from the civilized world. As Pakistan relies on political, military, and financial support from the US government, it is the moral obligation of the representatives of the people of the United States to take action. Any positive action on behalf of the Congress of the United States will save the lives of thousands of Baloch. We implore you to act before it is too late for the Baloch," the letter concluded. (ANI)
Pakistan's upper house of the National Assembly on Tuesday rejected a Bill seeking public execution of sex offenders and rapists to prevent such heinous crimes, The Express Tribune reported. According to the report, Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan of the JI tabled the Bill during the Senate's farewell session, chaired by Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, on Monday. Senator Khan said in the Assembly that 1,122 cases of rape were reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) province alone in the last five years. He added that following these incidents, the police arrested 581 individuals, of whom 494 were acquitted and only 87 were convicted. He stated further that 341 of the suspects were booked for raping women, but only 23 were sentenced, according to the report. According to the Express Tribune, Senator Mushtaq said 152 people accused of raping children were acquitted while courts sentenced only 64 of them. "According to one report, in the first six months of 2023, 12 children were targeted for sexual assault every month," the Express Tribune quoted him as saying. "Let just four such public executions be held, and this crime will end. Don't be afraid of America and Europe; strict punishments are necessary to control crime," he added. Senator Kamil Ali Agha of the PML-Q supported the Bill, citing the practice in America where authorities release videos of lethal injections being administered to convicts. "In Saudi Arabia, public executions are carried out. If we are Muslims, our stance should be correct. What is happening in the world is not important; what Islam says is important," Agha said. Senator Humayun Mohmand of the PTI also voiced support for the public hanging of rape convicts, saying, "In countries where public executions are carried out, crime rates are low. Where hands are cut off, theft is also minimal", according to Express Tribune. PPP's Senator Sherry Rehman, however, opposed the Bill, stating that public hanging foments barbarism. She mentioned that the PPP had opposed the death penalty for rape and emphasized the need for improving policing rather than focusing solely on death penalty laws, The Express Tribune reported. "Pakistan ranks fifth in the world in terms of the death penalty. Public hanging does not suit a society of the 21st century. Public hanging will not stop crime," Rehman said. Senator Irfan Siddiqui of the PML-N also opposed the Bill on public hanging, saying that hanging should be confined to the gallows. PML-N's Senator Ishaq Dar said since the death penalty is already part of the law, they are against public hanging. Notably, Barrister Ali Zafar, who also belongs to the PTI, opposed the Bill. "We support the current law which includes the death penalty. However, we oppose public hanging. Instead of public executions and hangings on the streets, efforts should be made to improve the justice system," he said. Further, according to the Express Tribune, when Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani conducted a vote on the Bill, 14 members voted in favor while 24 members voted against it. Consequently, the chairman rejected the motion to present the Bill for approval. During the session, PTI members surrounded the chairman's dais, protesting vehemently against alleged election rigging. The protest ended after the chairman assured them of a detailed discussion on alleged election rigging on Tuesday. (ANI)
Bangladesh's far right political party Bangladesh Islami Front has completely rejected a recent 'India Out' social media campaign in Bangladesh. The campaign has sharpened after Sheikh Hasina, who is seen to be close to India, won a record fourth term in the recently concluded national elections. S U M Abdus Samad, the Secretary General of the Bangladesh Islami Front on Tuesday hit out at the online campaign especially saying it was driven by hard-line elements who spread hate and misinformation. The Islami front is a small independent party which had put up 37 candidates in the recently concluded polls. In an interview to ANI during his visit to New Delhi, Abdus Samad said cordial ties are crucial for both the neighbouring countries as he highlighted the increased connectivity in recent years. "There is misinformation there since the beginning that India brought a lot of stuff from Bangladesh in 1971 and also did brutal acts. This kind of misinformation is there. So it is a must for India to show that we are not against Bangladesh, but we are friends", said Samad. In Bangladesh, an "India Out" campaign has sparked off on social media. Led by medical professional Pinaki Bhattacharya who describes himself as an exiled blogger, online activist and human rights defender the campaign called for the boycott of Indian goods following the results of the elections. Bhattacharya's social media followers, which number about 53000 on X and 6000 on Instagram, claim that the movement is fuelled by the Indian government's unilateral support for Sheikh Hasina's administration in Bangladesh. The bloggers allege that the elections in Bangladesh were neither free nor fair. Bloggers running this campaign have been using three hashtags: #Indiaout #BoycottIndia and #BoycottIndianproducts. A report by Digital Forensics and Research and Analytics Centre reveals that the trend of boycotts on social media does not appear natural. "A closer examination of this trend reveals that the group that began this campaign has always been engaged in anti-India activities in Bangladesh. Several users among them, are either indirectly associated with the political parties of Bangladesh (mainly BNP), or claim to be their supporters", said the DFRAC report. D-FRAC is a non-partisan and independent media organisation which focuses on fact-checking and identifying hate speech. S U M Abdus Samad reiterated that this was just misinformation being spread, and that Bangladesh has been witnessing rapid growth and development for several years under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Abdus Samad praised Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and said, "Since the Sheikh Hasina government came into power, there has been a growth in Bangladesh's development. In 10-20 years, the development in Dhaka, Chittagong which we see now - if one knows about the suffering before - seeing it presently, it won't be recognizable now". The Secretary General of the Bangladesh Islami Front also stressed on the continuous improvement in people to people contact and connectivity between India and Bangladesh. "There is now train connectivity from Akhaura... Akhaura- Brahmanbaria. Trade is also happening from river fronts to Assam and Tripura. The connectivity has increased. Items are also being exported and imported to Chittagong port. There is connectivity in Ramgarh as well", said S U M Abdus Samad. When asked about terrorism and religious fundamentalism in South Asia and Pakistan's role, Samad emphasized the need for an establishment in Islamabad that does not let terrorism flourish. "Pakistan has no impact in South Asia as such. But there should be a good government there to curb terrorism. There should be a government in Pakistan, which does not let terrorism flourish in South Asia". He condemned terrorism and religious fundamentalism and said, "Terrorism is against Islam. Killing an innocent has no place in Islam. We are against terrorism. Someone who is a terrorist, cannot be a good Muslim". The message from the Islami Front leader is clear, the so called 'India-Out' campaign appears is confined to a small group online with support of Pro Pakistan political parties like the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist party and smaller radical parties. The campaign is unlikely to affect India-Bangladesh relations which is on solid ground. (ANI)
United States Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Richard Verma said on Tuesday there is a transformational period in US-India ties, and the two countries are more "closely aligned than ever before." "We are in a transformational period in US-India ties. I have been privileged and honoured to be working on this relationship for quite a while. And when I think about what we're doing today, the progress that we're making in all areas. When I look at the joint statement that was signed between Prime Minister Modi and President Biden for the state visit last summer, I have never seen a more detailed and consequential pathway for our two countries," United States Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Richard R Verma said while giving his special keynote address at the two-day INDUS-X 2024 Summit. The two-day INDUS-X 2024 Summit: Innovation in US-India Defense will conclude on Wednesday. Speaking in the Summit, Verma, who was previously the Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs where he led the State Department's efforts on Capitol Hill, said: "If you think back to our history about whether this kind of day was possible. You would probably be sceptical that we could ever get here or be very surprised that we can ever get here." Verma recalled the last 24 years, including the start of US President Bill Clinton's visit to India in 2000, saying, "If I measure our progress from the year 2000, we have excelled in every single body...We are more closely aligned than we have never been before." "Through all of our people-to-people contacts, the US Embassy is issuing more visas...We now have more Indian students in the United States, and nearly 250,000 or more students than we have ever had before. So when you actually measure what we are doing and in sheer numbers, we are more closely aligned than we have ever been before. "And again on defence we have taken unprecedented steps to increase cooperation to bring our defence establishments closer together, and both sides have taken steps to get up here," Verma continued. He further suggested securing the supply chain and protecting innovation and technology, pointing out that INDUS-X has been a critical part of this momentum. Informing the broader strategic context of what India and the US are doing together to strengthen the defence and technology relationship, Verma said one year ago when our national security advisors held the inaugural meeting of the US India initiative in emerging technologies, it was focussed on our countries to accelerate strategic technology and defence industrial cooperation. He further said that the United States had attempted many times before the Industrial partnership. "So many of these efforts are successful, but many also stalled...Our leaders chose to redouble their commitment to this partnership collaboration." "For how we meet the ambitious goals that President Biden and Prime Minister Modi have set us in partnership within a changing landscape in the country together and our leaders determined, it was important for us to build an ecosystem that supports innovation, access to technology, and introducing governance in ways that reflect our free and open common aspirations. I had our vision technological operations must stretch across our bureaucracies, encompassing everything, quantum computing, and much more," added Verma. Notably, Richard Verma is on a three-nation visit to India, the Maldives and Sri Lanka from February 18-23. (ANI)
Over the last 24 hours, Israeli forces killed dozens of terrorists in airstrikes, tank fire and sniper fire. In one incident, several terrorists armed with an RPG missile and rifles were killed by soldiers at close range.

Directed by ground forces, the Israeli Air Force destroyed a Hamas weapons storage facility in Khan Yunis. Following the airstrike, secondary explosions were identified, indicating the presence of large quantities of weapons.

In the central Gaza Strip, troops eliminated several terrorists over the past day. During one incident, soldiers spotted an armed terrorist nearby and killed him by sniper fire.

On Monday, the military disclosed it has carried out more than 31,000 airstrikes in Gaza and Lebanon since October 7.

At least 1,200 people were killed and 240 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas's attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the remaining 134 hostages, Israel recently declared 31 of them dead. (ANI/TPS)
Fresh Russian drone attacks were reported by Ukraine's military amid growing pressure for new sanctions against Russia following the death of Alexey Navalny, Voice of America reported. Ukraine's air defences claimed to have destroyed all 23 Russian drones in multiple regions, including Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson, and Mykolaiv. The Russian attack also included four guided missiles, with no immediate reports of damage or casualties. Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal urged Japan and the European Union to enact new sanctions against Russia in response to the escalating situation. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell emphasised on Monday that Russian President Vladimir Putin "will be held accountable" for Navalny's death, as reported by Voice of America. US President Joe Biden, speaking at the White House on Monday, stated that his administration is considering additional sanctions against Russia. He squarely blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Russian leader's "thugs" for Navalny's death last week. "We already have sanctions, but we're considering additional sanctions, yes," Biden told reporters. The death of Alexey Navalny adds complexity to Biden's efforts to push a USD 95 billion package of international security assistance for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan through Congress. Despite bipartisan support and approval from the Democratic-controlled Senate, Speaker Mike Johnson, leader of the narrow Republican majority in the House of Representatives, has delayed sending the measure to the House floor for a vote. One of the reasons cited for the delay is the opposition from former President Donald Trump to the new aid, according to Voice of America. Johnson expressed concerns about the foreign assistance package lacking new controls to prevent the influx of tens of thousands of illegal migrants crossing from Mexico into the United States. Senate Republicans, following Trump's lead, blocked consideration of a bipartisan proposal to tighten migration restrictions. Johnson has been demanding a meeting with Biden on the issue, and the president, who strongly supports increased aid to Ukraine, expressed openness to meeting with the House speaker. "Sure I'd be happy to meet with him if he has anything to say," Biden told reporters on the South Lawn of the White House. At the same time, Biden criticised Republican lawmakers for not continuing to fund Ukraine's two-year fight to defend itself against Russia. "The way they're walking away from the threat of Russia. The way they're walking away from NATO. The way they're walking away from meeting our obligations... I've never seen anything like it," Biden remarked. While Ukraine has received support from the US and Europe, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal highlighted the need for more long-range missiles to bolster the country's air defences against Russian attacks. He expressed concern that Ukraine is at a disadvantage in the air, leading to consequences on the frontline. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy echoed these concerns, stating on Monday that Russia is taking advantage of delays in military aid to Ukraine. He described an "extremely difficult situation" in several parts of the front line, where Russian troops have concentrated maximum reserves. In a related development, Russian media reported on Tuesday that authorities in Yekaterinburg detained a woman with US-Russian dual citizenship on allegations of providing financial assistance to Ukraine. The Federal Security Service (FSB) stated that it suppressed the "illegal activities" of a 33-year-old resident of Los Angeles. The woman has dual citizenship of Russia and the United States. The US Embassy in Moscow confirmed awareness of the reports but declined to provide further comment on the situation, Voice of America reported. (ANI)
The United States has wielded its veto power at the United Nations to block a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, CNN reported. This move was widely anticipated and occurs as global calls for Israel to halt its offensive against Hamas continue to intensify. Despite signalling its intent to veto the Algerian resolution, the US has become increasingly critical of Israel's actions in Gaza. On Monday, the US proposed its own draft resolution in the Security Council, advocating for a "temporary ceasefire" in the ongoing conflict, as reported by CNN. While the American draft falls short of the preferences of most other Security Council members, it underscores a toughening stance from the White House on the matter. Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US Ambassador to the UN, addressed the Security Council, expressing concerns that the Algerian-proposed resolution could negatively impact delicate negotiations in the region. "Proceeding with a vote today was wishful and irresponsible, and so while we cannot support a resolution that would put sensitive negotiations in jeopardy, we look forward to engaging on a text that we believe will address so many of the concerns we all share," she stated following the vote. Although Algeria's resolution was destined to fail, it highlighted the growing global apprehension about the nature of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF)'s ground and bombing campaign in Gaza." Notably, Israel is planning to carry out a ground operation in Rafah, where hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians have fled over the course of the conflict. Earlier on Friday, President Joe Biden told reporters at the White House that he's had "extensive conversations" with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu over the last several days, where he relayed his position "that there has to be a temporary ceasefire" to secure the safe release of hostages still held by Hamas. The US draft also warns of the effects of an Israeli ground offensive into Rafah, saying it would "result in further harm to civilians and their further displacement, including potentially into neighbouring countries, which would have serious implications for regional peace and security." However, despite international pressure, Israel has said it plans to expand its ground operations into Rafah as part of its goal to destroy Hamas after the October 7 attacks. Many fear that military action in the refugee tent city could spark an exodus and result in the deaths of thousands of civilians. Meanwhile, the Biden administration has grown more vocal in expressing concerns over how Israel is conducting the war. Last week, Biden told Netanyahu that the military action "should not proceed," according to a readout of their call. (ANI)
In a historic and unified effort, 61 organisations across the global East Turkistani and Uyghur diaspora have come together to address the United States Congress with an urgent plea to recognize their homeland, East Turkistan, where their peoples are suffering an ongoing genocidal occupation under China, East Turkistan National Movement said in a press release. Spearheaded by the East Turkistan Government in Exile (ETGE), a Washington, DC-based parliamentary government in exile, this coalition represents Uyghurs, Kazakhs, and other native peoples of East Turkistan. They applaud the passage with broad bipartisan support of the Uyghur Policy Act through the House of Representatives, and urge the Senate to follow suit. Such actions demonstrate the continued leadership of the United States in supporting the peoples of East Turkistan, and they call on Congressional leaders to build on that leadership with sustained and increasing actions, the release also said. Just as the United States pioneered support for the people of Tibet, just as the United States stands firm with the people of Taiwan, they ask the United States to stand with the peoples of East Turkistan and resist the People's Republic of China and the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) nationalism, expansionism, and human rights atrocities. They are calling on the US to recognise their homeland, East Turkistan, as an occupied country, highlighting the significant historical context that on October 12, 1949, the PRC's People's Liberation Army invaded East Turkistan and overthrew the independent East Turkistan Republic on December 22, 1949. In October 1955, the People's Republic of China designated much of East Turkistan as the "Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region." "Xinjiang" means "the colony" or "new territory" in the Mandarin language. The open letter to Congress outlines the grave situation in East Turkistan under the People's Republic of China's occupation, highlighting ongoing genocide, crimes against humanity, and the systematic attempt to erase the identity and existence of the East Turkistani people. The letter acknowledges the US Congress's support thus far but stresses that more decisive action is needed to address the root cause of these atrocities: the colonization and occupation of East Turkistan by China. The United Nations' Human Rights Council's recent Universal Periodic Review of China demonstrated the divide between countries willing to call out human rights atrocities and countries coerced into complicity with those atrocities. The gravest of these atrocities occur daily in East Turkistan, and throughout China and Central Asia with the forced displacement and genocide of the native peoples of East Turkistan. The ETGE has documented these atrocities in four separate filings with the International Criminal Court, it added. Mamtimin Ala, President of the ETGE, emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, "The recognition of East Turkistan as an occupied country by the U.S. Congress would be a significant step towards restoring the rights and freedoms of our people. It is not just a matter of political recognition but a moral imperative to stand against ongoing genocide at the hands of the Chinese Communist Party led Chinese state and affirm the right to external self-determination for the oppressed peoples of East Turkistan." Salih Hudayar, Foreign Minister of the ETGE, added, "The United States has always been a beacon of freedom and justice on the global stage. By recognizing East Turkistan's status as an occupied nation and upgrading legislative actions, the US can lead the international community in a meaningful stand against China's relentless campaign of erasure and oppression." This collective call to action underscores the critical need for the U.S. and the international community to confront the reality of China's colonization, genocide, and occupation of East Turkistan. The signatories express their readiness to provide further information and assistance to advance the cause of justice, human rights, and dignity for East Turkistan. The East Turkistan Government in Exile urges the US Congress to heed this call and take a stand for freedom, justice, and the right to external self-determination for the people of East Turkistan. (ANI)
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  A man is in custody and another man was transported to a local hospital after a trespassing call led to an officer-involved shooting Tuesday morning, Feb. 20 in West El Paso, the El Paso Police Department said.

Police spokesperson Judy Oviedo said at around 3 a.m., officers responded to a trespass-in-progress call at the 7200 block of Royal Arms.

When officers arrived, they located two men in their early 20s who entered a property illegally, Oviedo said.

Oviedo said at some point during the incident, one of the officers used his weapon, striking one of the suspects.

That suspect was transported to a local hospital and his condition is currently unknown. However, emergency dispatch says he suffered potentially life-threatening injuries.

The other suspect is currently in custody.

Oviedo also said they do not believe the suspects shot at the officer. However, the incident is still being investigated by the Crimes Against Persons Unit.

Oviedo said the area will be closed from four to six hours.

No further information has been released. This story will be updated once we learn more.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
Top Estonian officials announced the detention of 10 likely Russian agents; they are believed to be members of an agent network that acted on Russian special services' instructions.

Source: Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas and Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, as reported by European Pravda

Quote: "Estonia has successfully stopped a hybrid operation by Russia's security services on our territory.

Estonia has successfully stopped a hybrid operation by Russia's security services on our territory.



We know the Kremlin is targeting all of our democratic societies.



Our answer: be open and reveal their methods. This is the way to deter harmful actions and make us resilient.  Kaja Kallas (@kajakallas) February 20, 2024

We know the Kremlin is targeting all of our democratic societies. Our answer: be open and reveal their methods. This is the way to deter harmful actions and make us resilient."

According to Margus Tsahkna, the security police detained 10 people suspected of following Russian instructions.

"Their aim was to sow fear, fuel tensions [and] to break our resolve in supporting Ukraine. But Russia will not succeed. We remain strong [and] vigilant," he wrote.

Estonian @kaitsepolitsei arrested ten individuals suspected of acting under instructions from Russia.



Their aim was to sow fear, fuel tensions & to break our resolve in supporting #Ukraine.



But Russia will not succeed.



We remain strong & vigilant.  Margus Tsahkna (@Tsahkna) February 20, 2024

At the same time, the Estonian Internal Security Service, colloquially known as KAPO, issued an announcement that they had found individuals involved in last years acts of vandalism against the cars of Interior Minister Lauri Laanemets and a journalist, ERR reports.

Ten people were detained in total; they are believed to be members of an agent network operating under the orders of Russian special services. Six people remain in custody.

It is believed that the purpose of the operation was to "sow fear and create tension in Estonian society."

In addition to the aforementioned vandalism of the ministers and journalists cars, these individuals are suspected of vandalising monuments.

According to State Prosecutor Triinu Olev, the case is now in the pre-trial stage, and the investigation cannot reveal all of the details.

"Proceedings have been initiated under the Penal Code, which deals with offenses against the security of the Republic of Estonia," he said.

Background:

Poland recently reported the detention of a Ukrainian citizen who is thought to have worked for Russian special services.

An employee of the Bulgarian Ministry of Internal Affairs was detained on suspicion of spying for Russia.

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North Carolina health officials said Friday that they are removing all children from the care of a wilderness therapy program, Trails Carolina, nearly two weeks after the death of a 12-year-old New York boy.

The boy was transported by two men from New York to Trails Carolina on Feb. 2. The next morning, emergency workers responded to a 911 call reporting that the boy was not breathing. His cause of death is still pending.

In an affidavit filed with a search warrant, Detective Andrew Patterson stated that when investigators arrived on Feb. 3, the boy was cold to the touch and his body was in rigor mortis. A CPR mask covered the boys face and detectives noted possible bruising around his eye, Patterson stated.

In 2022, USA TODAY published this detailed investigation into the long-term impact of wilderness therapy programs, including a look at Trails Carolina specifically.

In brochures and online, these programs can look idyllic, touting an opportunity for children struggling with a myriad of behavioral issues to "connect with nature" and "find hope and healing."

But former campers who spoke with USA TODAY paint a different picture. They tell of being abused by staff, of fearing punishment at all hours. They describe living in filth.

They call themselves survivors.

One former staffer we spoke to at Trails Carolina detailed why he thought his training as well as the treatment teens received at the program was entirely insufficient.

Heres the whole story:

Katelyn Haruko Schmisseur is one of many former campers coming forward to share their experiences with wilderness therapy. They say the programs they attended left them worse off than before.

The bathroom consisted of a tarp tied between two trees.

When Katelyn Haruko Schmisseur used it, she made eye contact with a staff member. She squatted, they stared. A requirement of her wilderness therapy program, they told her.

Because of her eating disorder, a staff member was with her at all times almost the entire length of her stay in the Utah desert.

A bucket lined with a biohazard bag acted as a receptacle for solid waste. As the weather got warmer, the smell got stronger. The flies were incessant.

With only one roll of toilet paper a week to be split among 10 people, Katelyn would resort to cleaning herself with sticks and leaves.

"It was just so nasty," she says. "They didn't care. ... (It was) just another form of dehumanizing you and taking away your dignity."

She was 16 when she first arrived with only a few items, all stuffed into a 40-pound backpack.

The first activity? A grueling 3-mile hike.

Katelyn with her 40-pound pack, hiking in the Utah desert.

"I was terrified," says Katelyn, now in her 20s."I missed my family more than anything. I just remember feeling so helpless. It's like you're living in this existence, but you don't have free will, you don't have autonomy, and they make that very clear to you. They make it very clear to you that you are a patient. You have no freedom. You have no choice."

Katelyn is one of many former campers coming forward to share their experiences with wilderness therapy, a type of treatment parents often turn to when they feel they need professional help for their kids and counseling isn't enough.

In recent years, the "troubled teen industry," which includes reform schools and residential treatment facilities, has come under scrutiny as former students speak out about the alleged mistreatment they experienced. (One big name who has elevated the cause is Paris Hilton.) But as the industry overall inches toward reform, wilderness therapy tends to fly under the radar.

That's because it's often billed as a shorter-term solution to problems (the typical wilderness program runs about 90 days), and there's also a lack of federal oversight into these private programs, experts say. In brochures and online, these programs look idyllic, touting an opportunity for children struggling with a myriad of behavioral issues to "connect with nature" and "find hope and healing."

But former campers who spoke with USA TODAY paint a different picture. They tell of being abused by staff, of fearing punishment at all hours. They describe living in filth.

They call themselves survivors.

And, perhaps most telling, they say wilderness therapy served as the gateway to separate, longer-term residential treatment centers. Of the dozen former campers USA TODAY spoke to, nine were sent for further treatment. None say wilderness therapy helped them with their struggles. All described their experience as negative and traumatizing.

Despite accusations of abuse and experts in the field denouncing this type of treatment, some remain staunch proponents of wilderness therapy, saying it worked for their families. And even with past lawsuits and viral horror stories, wilderness therapy is still a booming industry in the U.S. today.

Despite allegations, deaths wilderness therapy lives on

Wilderness therapy has existed in some form for more than half a century, gaining steam in the 90s with programs promising the healing power of nature could cure any problems parents faced with their kids. The pandemic gave it an extra bump.

"Business was booming for them (during COVID-19)," says Jonathan Hyde, a former staffer who took a job at North Carolina-based wilderness program Trails Carolina in 2020. "People were at their wits' end at home, and their kids (were) acting up, so they (sent them) off."

In the United States, there are about 40 wilderness therapy programs  part of 2,000 overall "troubled teen" programs, with anywhere from 150,000 to 200,000 children now enrolled, says Bobby Cook, executive director and chief operational officer of Breaking Code Silence, a nonprofit that advocates against the troubled teen industry. The approaches of these programs vary, as do the reasons that parents send their teens to them.

USA TODAY reached out to wilderness therapy programs and their proponents, who defended their practices as enriching and beneficial to participants. Trails Carolina, for example, says it fully trains its staff, involves parents in the process and develops individual treatment plans for each student. Many claim those who completed the therapy fully recovered from disorders such as depression and anxiety.

But critics point to the number of allegations and deaths at wilderness therapy camps as a clear sign that parents, legislators and the media need to be looking more closely at these institutions.

Among the fatalities: In 1990, 16-year-old Kristen Chase died of heatstroke three days after arriving at her wilderness program. In 2000, 15-year-old William Edward Lee died from a head injury after being restrained by staff; 14-year-old Ian August died of hyperthermia at his wilderness therapy program two years later. The same year, Charles Moody, 17, died of asphyxiation after being restrained. In 2005, Anthony Haynes, 14, died while being punished at a wilderness boot camp. In 2007, Caleb Jensen, 15, died while at a wilderness camp, his body found bundled in a feces- and urine-soaked sleeping bag. In 2011, Daniel Huerta, 17, died while being driven by a staff member. In 2016, 19-year-old Lane Lesko died during an escape attempt at a hybrid wilderness-residential treatment center.

I was so desperate

Most parents don't send their kids off to wilderness therapy at the first sign of a problem. Rather, kids wind up there after their parents feel they've exhausted all other options.

Katelyn's mother, Tessie Schmisseur, learned about wilderness therapy through a friend-recommended educational consultant, whom she describes as a "very demanding, pushy ... high-pressure salesperson."

"I was just an anxious mom. I loved (Katelyn) to death," she says. "I was so desperate and desperately wanting to save my child from herself."

Katelyn had begun drinking and sneaking out, and that coupled with her bulimia had her parents panicked. They'd tried every punishment they could think of, including removing her door and boarding up her windows.

The final option? A wilderness therapy program called Evoke Entrada that the consultant highly recommended.

u0022My entire life just crashed down in a matter of days, weeks,u0022 Katelyn says.

Tessie was resistant. The consultant often rubbed her the wrong way, but she convinced the Schmisseurs the program was for the best. And in three days, Katelyn was shipped off to Utah, clueless about where she was going.

"We had to pretend that everything was OK," Tessie says, choking up. "The education consultant all along was like, 'It's fine, I've worked with (the program before). You need to listen to me' ... And so we did. We did what we were told because we wanted the best for her. And in hindsight, it was the very wrong decision."

Hyde, the former staffer from a different program, says he remembers a 16-year-old girl who was at the top of her class and even held a manager position at her job. "The mom had died and the dad sent her away, because he found out that she (had become sexually active)," he recalls.

"The kid got sent away as this form of punishment. ... That's not therapeutic, right? You can't help people out while you're punishing them."

A spokesperson for Evoke said the program's goal is to help both children and parents."My experience is that the mass majority of everybody is having wonderful experiences," the spokesperson said, "but those who have wonderful experiences and speak out about it get bullied and shut down.

I could barely move

Kyra Frankowski was 14 when she was sent to wilderness therapy.

Kyra Frankowski says she saw no shortage of punishments during her stay at Second Nature Wilderness, where she was sent when she was 14.

With a plastic tarp for shelter, Kyra and her fellow campers battled freezing temperatures in Utah in January 2014, layering their few items of clothing to keep warm.

Because there was often snow, the ground stayed wet. It once took them six hours to make a fire.

This was one of several "consequences," or punishments, campers experienced if someone disobeyed a rule, she says. Unnecessary physical exertion was another, such as pack drills, where they were given under a minute to unpack and repack their bags. And it had to be done correctly, with the proper organization, or it would be repeated until it could be done within the time limit.

Campers hands during the winter months when they would forgo baths in an attempt to stay warm.

One night, her shoes were taken from her and she was forcibly wrapped in her tarp, she says. A staff member held down one side to prevent her from escaping, leaving an opening near her head to allow her to breathe. She says she stayed like that all night, unable to move.

As a sexual assault survivor, Kyra was particularly distressed that a male staffer was sleeping next to her, holding her in place. "They'd wrap it so tight I could barely move my hands."

Second Nature did not respond to USA TODAY's multiple requests for comment about Kyra's allegations.

Every other week, Kyra and her peers would take makeshift sponge baths, dipping a bandana into a bucket of water and dabbing it with a bit of soap.

"At the end you would just rinse yourself off with whatever water was left over. It was very difficult to get properly cleaned."

During the coldest months, she says, campers would forgo these baths altogether in favor of staying warm.

"We were very dirty."

I would not wish this on anybody

Tessie cried every day while her daughter was away, but Katelyn never knew.

"They would tell us ... 'You may not tell her that you love her. You may not tell her that you miss her; you may not give her any hope of coming home." And, Tessie says, the staff would dismiss and discredit anything negative about the program that was conveyed in Katelyn's letters, telling her family: "She is going to say whatever (it takes) because, of course, she wants to come home."

But the conditions, as they learned later, "were horrible."

"We weren't aware of all this," Tessie says through tears. "I would not wish this on anybody, knowing what I know now. I always tell her she's the most courageous person I know."

Katelyn feared retaliation if she spoke freely about what she was witnessing.

"You couldn't complain. It really broke me down to the smallest I've ever been in my life. It was terrifying. ... I remember just feeling like I had no voice. I had nothing."

A spokesperson for Evoke said students' letters are not monitored, but parents may send letters to the therapist for feedback.

Evoke is committed to the "emotional and physical safety" of participants, the spokesperson said, adding the program encourages anyone with complaints of abuse or mistreatment to report their concerns. "We support healing and growth and that can only happen in the context of emotional safety."

The spokesperson added, "Anybody who experiences abuse from any program should have their voice heard. Any program that practices punitive, shameful, controlling, coercive, intimidating behavior should be reprimanded, if not shut down."

I didnt feel prepared

A nature enthusiast, Hyde, 35, had years of experience with recreational outdoor activities. So when the pandemic left him unemployed, he got a job as a "wilderness field instructor" at Trails Carolina.

He was familiar with the reputation of the wilderness therapy industry. In 2014, 17-year-old Alec Lansing died while running away from the same program. But Hyde assumed the claims of mistreatment he had heard whispers about had improved.

He says now that notion was wrong.

According to its website, the program's groups are led by "experienced, licensed therapists who specialize in working with youth who fit their groups profile."

"There was a couple of weeks there where the licensed therapist wouldn't even show up to that group, and it was her assistant who didn't even have credentials," he says. "If you're paying that much money, I would think you'd be getting therapy multiple times a week."

When reached for comment, Trails Carolina said primary therapists are on site "two to three days per week" to oversee each participant's individualized treatment plan and monitor progress.

"Therapeutic progress occurs seven days a week in the field through the assignments, activities and challenges outlined in each students treatment plan to help them grow emotionally and develop transferable skills that can be used outside the program in real life," Trails Carolina said in an emailed statement.

While students also participated in activities like art or yoga once a week, Hyde doesn't believe most campers got the professional help they needed.

"Whenever the therapist did come in, it was pretty rare that they actually would talk to us  the people that had been with the kids for this lengthy amount of time  just to see how the week had (gone)."

The remainder of the 24/7 schedule was spent with field instructors like himself, who he felt were ill-equipped to handle the level of care some of the campers needed.

"Some of these kids are trying to kill themselves. I didn't feel really prepared for exactly what I was getting into."

That was in part, he says, because what was supposed to be a five-day training was cut in half and mostly focused on what type of gear they were allowed to bring, what tools and restraints they would have at their disposal. Hyde says he was let go when he pushed back on some of the program's practices.

Trails Carolina says its staff partakes in a long list of training, including sessions in first aid, nutrition, suicide prevention and crisis de-escalation. The program denied Hyde's version of events and said he was dismissed for violating the program's policies and philosophies.

Cook, of the nonprofit Breaking Code Silence, says there's often a disconnect between what programs promise and what they deliver in almost every area, from credentials to care.

"A lot of programs, not all of them but a lot, have had experiences where the staff of the schools are not certified to be doing what they're doing," Cook says. "There are therapists who weren't necessarily qualified in that area to be working in that realm."

As a mom, Tessie trusted the nearly $60,000, three-month Evoke Entrada program would have top-notch staffing.

Katelyn's family received letters and photos during her stay in wilderness therapy, but her mom says she later learned the conditions there were u0022horrible.u0022

"They're going to take care of her, the counselors are there, don't worry about it," she remembers telling herself. "But it really appeared that they were young adults watching over them that weren't really equipped or specialized. Just older kids watching over younger kids."

The program wielded more power over Tessie and her family than she expected.

"They just made it seem like (she was) such a rotten kid and that she couldn't come home after the wilderness program," she says, instead suggesting Katelyn go to an aftercare program.

In her heart, Tessie felt it was time for Katelyn to come home, but the smiling photos she received of Katelyn at camp helped convince her that everything was fine.

Plus, after spending so much money on the program, she wanted to believe in it. Tessie's parents loaned her $20,000 to cover the cost of Katelyn's aftercare after the wilderness program had put a strain on them financially.

"It's just misleading to parents," she says.

Just trying to survive

During the intake process, staff stripped Katelyn of all her clothes, jewelry and electronics.

In return, she was given three pairs of underwear, one T-shirt, a pair of cargo pants, socks, shoes and a sleeping bag  nothing that would help her keep track of time.

She understood this to be an intentional strategy to "strip us of our autonomy."

Kyra's program also kept her in the dark about timelines and release dates.

"They don't tell you even around when you might be leaving because that's 'future tripping.' 'You're getting lost in future thought,'" she recalls being told. Instead, she was told to stay focused on the present, which was "very difficult" given the circumstances.

"I felt like I was stripped down to my most vulnerable point," she says. "That's what they would say was the point. They were trying to 'break us down so they could build us back up.'"

The breaking down she felt  but not the building up.

"We were just at our most raw, vulnerable state, just trying to survive."

Hyde remembers a student who "basically snapped" after finding out, instead of getting out and going back home, his family was sending him to a therapeutic boarding school.

"He fought so hard that he went unconscious and was limp in my arms," Hyde recalls. "The thought that I had a dead child in my arms  that was terrifying."Hyde says the teen eventually recovered. Trails Carolina said the program has no record of a participant falling unconscious in the field.

Why critics say wilderness therapy fails

It's true, nature can be healing. And a nontraditional therapy route can be beneficial for some people. There are people who say wilderness therapy saved their lives, and some parents insist it stopped their children from going down a destructive path.

Michael Gass, a professor in the Outdoor Education Program at the University of New Hampshire and director of the Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare Center, say his years of research led to positive findings, showing wilderness therapy to be safe and effective.

But critics have lambasted his findings as it has ties to the leaders of some of these institutions. (In 2018, Gass co-wrote a study with Steven DeMille, the executive director of a Utah-based wilderness program at the time.) Gass also acknowledged no randomized controlled trials have proved the efficacy of wilderness therapy.

Others argue even if wilderness therapy is effectual for some, its premise is flawed.

"If a child is yanked out of his or her home, taken to somewhere that they are highly resistant to  we're now adding the element of additional trauma," says Carla Marie Manly, a clinical psychologist and author of "Joy from Fear."

When it comes to trauma-informed care, it's critical that participants have both consent and bodily autonomy, said Andrew Kerbs, who holds a master's degree in clinical mental health counseling. But during his time as a clinical intern at Trails Carolina, he saw neither.

"Those are two things that are completely robbed of the kids that are being sent to these programs," said Kerbs, who worked for the program in 2016.

He doesnt believe using a punishment-based model is helpful, either.

Whether that's the intention or not is besides the point. Intentions are important, but impact is still the most important  and a lot of kids are coming out of these feeling like it was a punishment. They didn't have a choice.

Kyra's boots began to disintegrate and didn't last her the length of her 89-day stay in wilderness therapy.

Programs may take in kids dealing with a laundry list of challenges, from rebellious behavior and video game addictions to eating disorders and violent tendencies. And then, Cook says some programs may often attempt to resolve issues in group therapy that may rely on tactics like "attack therapy," in which one child is singled out to discuss their struggle. Experts agree this approach is not the preferred solution.

If programs pathologize some teen behaviors, parents are often frightened, leaving them to feel as if sending their kid away is their only option. This messaging may be underscored by consultants recommending the programs.

"Instead of saying to a parent, 'Your kid is starting to have sex, and I know that's scary, but here's what we can do to better support them.' They're saying, 'Oh my God, they're gonna end up as a prostitute. You better send them away so they don't end up pole dancing,'" says Meg Appelgate, co-founder and CEO of the prevention organization Unsilenced, who also holds a degree in psychology.

It's normal for preteens and teenagers to push limits as they establish their identity.

"They're testing out what it feels like to be independent, what it feels like to make your own decisions," she says. "During these times you're going to see kids sneaking out, breaking the rules ... going against authority."

She urges parents to understand the implications of labeling their child as "troubled" or "a problem."

A survivor of the troubled teen industry herself, she cautions, "It really follows you throughout your life."

The lasting impact of wilderness therapy

Appelgate still lives with the effects of the treatment program she attended at 15. She wakes up to panic attacks because she was abducted in the middle of the night to be transported to her program. She eats quickly because otherwise she wouldn't have a chance to get more food.

"It becomes habit," she says. "These little things that they think aren't affecting kids are highly affecting them."

Through Appelgate's work, she has seen wilderness therapy survivors suffering with a variety of mental health challenges, from post-traumatic stress disorder to anxiety and depression.

After being cut off from the world, it can be difficult to reintegrate into society. Relationships can suffer, including between a parent and child. A strong distrust in authority figures can form.

"Trauma, even though it may be one incident, can certainly cause pervasive long-lasting damage in many areas of life that may seem wholly unrelated to the causal incident," Manly says.

Appelgate sees trauma coming from two main sources, from the experience itself and from being sent away and forced to live without a support system.

Some campers may have a positive experience with wilderness therapy, but experts argue there are issues with how these programs are approaching treatment.

"Some people legitimately may have a good experience. I think that for 99% (of people), that's not the case," Appelgate says.

This is because the same event can be perceived differently depending on the person. One child may experience something as traumatic while another doesn't, Manly explains.

Research shows stress affects the nervous system and can even cause structural changes in the brain, which can change how we think and alter our memory. Stress can also weaken our immune system and exacerbate preexisting health conditions like cardiovascular disease or respiratory problems.

"The earlier (in life) the trauma, typically the more impactful it's going to be and the longer lasting impact we're going to see from that trauma," says Whitney Goodman, licensed psychotherapist and author of "Toxic Positivity."

Chronic stress: Your body is trying to tell you something

What happened ... shaped my entire personality

Programs do a "really good job of explaining things away to parents," Appelgate says, whether it's a negative review (look at the positive ones, too!), an active investigation or even a death.

They do this by telling parents they've changed policies so a certain incident "won't happen again," blaming it on staffers whom they've since fired or changing the name of a program to escape bad PR. Katelyn's program, for example, used to be named Second Nature Entrada but went through a rebrand in 2015 after years of abuse allegations.

Plus, experts question whether improvement in a child based on forced change equates to actual improvement.

"You can create compliance through punitive measures, but that's not equipping somebody with the resources to show up in the world as an autonomous adult," Kerbs says.

With more than 75,000 pieces of information on more than 3,500 programs (both shuttered and operating), Unsilenced says its searchable program archive is helping to force transparency by making info easily available for both parents and survivors.

But there's an urgent need for federal oversight, advocates say.

Looking back on their experiences, Kyra and Katelyn's voices have strengthened, aided by the community of survivors they've bonded with online. TikTok has served as an informal support group, with the hashtag #wildernesstherapy garnering millions of views.

But for Kyra, the anxiety and depression she entered camp with never improved. On top of that, she was diagnosed with PTSD and her relationship with her parents disintegrated.

"I just didn't trust them," she says. "I didn't want to tell them anything I was struggling with."

Katelyn and her family hoped once she was released from wilderness therapy, her eating disorder would improve, but she has struggled with bulimia in the years since, and now she also suffers from PTSD and depression.

Katelyn remembers thinking that once she was back home, things were going to get better and "everything was going to be perfect."

It wasn't.

Wilderness didn't help her eating disorder. After being released from both her programs, she had the hardest relapse she'd ever had.

Now living in Orange Country, California, a senior in college, she has come a long way. But her past still stares her down.

"What happened to me there has shaped my entire personality," she says. She has still struggled with bulimia in the years since her release, and she now suffers from PTSD and manic depression.

"If anything, Im so much worse off after these programs. They ruined my life."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: North Carolina wilderness therapy death and the trauma for survivors
A 16-year-old was shot at a house party and later died after a fight escalated to gunfire, police in Georgia say.

Keegan Gates, 17, was charged with felony murder and other charges in connection with the deadly shooting, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

Police were called Saturday, Feb. 17, after a large fight erupted at the party in Snellville, investigators said. Gates, whos from Decatur, reportedly shot 16-year-old Nasir Davis during the dispute, according to Snellville police.

Authorities havent said what led to the fight but said the teens knew each other.

Davis was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, the GBI said. His body was taken to the Gwinnett County Medical Examiners Office for an autopsy.

Police didnt release additional details.

Gates faces multiple charges, including aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and possession of a firearm by a person under 18, investigators said.

Gun violence in the US

Thousands of people die from firearm injuries in the U.S. each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Firearm injuries are a serious public health problem, officials said. In 2022, there were 48,000 firearm-related deaths in the United States  thats about 132 people dying from a firearm-related injury each day.

That same year, firearm-related injuries were among the leading causes of death for people ages 1 to 44, the CDC reported.

Experts say the impact of gun violence is far-reaching and goes beyond victims and their families.

Shooting incidents, including those in homes, schools, houses of worship, workplaces, shopping areas, on the street or at community events can affect the sense of safety and security of entire communities and impact everyday decisions, according to the CDC.

Authorities said the Georgia shooting remains under investigation.

Snellville is about 30 miles northeast of downtown Atlanta.

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For the first time, were hearing from the family of the 16-year-old boy killed outside of a shopping center in Snellville. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation arrested another teen in his murder.

Channel 2s Audrey Washington was in Snellville, where the family told her the victim, Nasir Davis had just left a birthday party.

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We are definitely grateful that he was caught in such a short amount of time. Were grateful that that happened but its not going to bring him back, said Davis family member who asked not to be identified for the report, for fear of retaliation.

17-year-old Keegan Gates faces several charges including felony murder, in connection with the shooting death of Davis.

Snellville police said on Saturday, when they responded to a large fight in the parking lot of a shopping center on Scenic Highway, they heard gunshots.

Police said they then found Davis suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest.

He later died.

Davis family member said she remembered dropping Davis off at a party, inside a restaurant at the shopping center.

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Police said they then found Davis suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest. He later died.

Davis family member said she remembered dropping Davis off at a party, inside a restaurant at the shopping center.

He was in good spirits, she said.

Its so surreal really to be here and hes not here. To see his bookbag and to see his jacket. You know? she added.

What led up to the fight and the subsequent shooting, is still unclear.

Snellville police and the GBI are asking for tips in the case.

The family of Nasir Davis started a GoFundMe account to help with funeral expenses. Click here if you would like to help.

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A 17-year-old girl found her 38-year-old mother shot dead in a Texas home, deputies say.

Three other children were also in the home but were unharmed, the Fort Bend County Sheriffs Office told McClatchy News in an email.

McClatchy News is not identifying the victim to protect the identity of the minors.

The teen found her mother dead with a gunshot wound at approximately 3 a.m. on Feb. 19, deputies say. A suspect has not been publicly identified as of Feb. 20.

Deputies say the investigation is ongoing.

Fort Bend County is about 35 miles southwest of Houston.

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Daniel Dae Kim, known for his diverse acting roles and advocacy for inclusivity, revealed the impact of a 1961 musical film on his life that he says is unapologetically Asian.

Whats the movie?: The decades-old musical comedy film is Henry Kosters Flower Drum Song." It is an adaptation of the 1958 Rodgers and Hammerstein Broadway musical of the same name, which was based on the 1957 novel by Chinese American author Chin Yang Lee. The film stars Nancy Kwan, James Shigeta, Miyoshi Umeki, Jack Soo, Benson Fong and Juanita Hall.

Nominated for five Academy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards, including for best motion picture  musical or comedy, it achieved a groundbreaking milestone by being the first Hollywood film with a predominantly Asian American cast, portraying a contemporary Asian American narrative. The film was chosen by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States National Film Registry in 2008.

Challenging stereotypes: Kim highlighted how the film, featuring a completely Asian American cast without accents, challenged stereotypes and showcased the full spectrum of humanity in San Francisco in the '50s and '60s.

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The reason that had such an impact on my life was because when I started acting, it was in the early 90s, and I had grown up to think that there were no Asian leading men or leading women, Kim told KCRW. I saw this movie one night on VHS, that gives you an idea of when it was, and I remember my jaw was literally hanging open I thought to myself, I'd been taught all along that we didn't exist, but we did.

To be unapologetically Asian: The film became a receipt of evidence for Kim, reinforcing the idea that institutionalized reasons had limited opportunities for Asian representation. The Hawaii Five-O actor also addressed the misconception that Asians couldn't be funny, pointing out the thriving comedic talent in the industry today that includes Ali Wong, Ronny Chieng, Ken Jeong, Jimmy O. Yang and Jo Koy.

That sense of community is so apparent in every frame [of 'Flower Drum Song,' Kim was quoted saying. The fact that they are unapologetically Asian in this movie is something that we strive for today, to be unapologetic about who you are in general. And the fact that they were doing this back then it just shows you again that it's not a matter of if.

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Kims latest role is in Netflixs Avatar: The Last Airbender as Fire Lord Ozai, the ruler of the Fire Nation. The highly anticipated live-action series is set for release on Feb. 22.

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A Georgia man drowned in a pond this weekend after his boat flipped over while fishing with his cousin, according to the Valdosta Fire Department.

At around 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, Valdosta police and fire officials responded to Ulmer Pond regarding a possible drowning.

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Fire officials said two cousins were fishing when their boat capsized. The cousins were identified as Demarkus Mosley and CJ Johnson, according to WALB-TV.

Mosley told the news station that they were able get closer to shore after struggling in the cold water for about 40 minutes. Then, Johnson ended up swimming towards a bag that included their car keys.

After that, he disappeared underwater.

You have thoughts...it just a flashback continually going in my head of you know his voice, his screams, his hand coming out of the water. Its just those things right there that are continually popping up in my head, Mosley told WALB-TV.

I just tried to do everything in my power to be there for him as he was there for me. As he fought every odd to get me, I try to fight every odd to get him. Thats what really hurts is that I wasnt able to get him, he said.

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Officials found Mosley at the pond and he was taken to the hospital with hypothermia. After Johnson was not located initially, authorities began searching throughout the pond and surrounding area for him.

After he was not found Sunday night, authorities were able to locate his body on Monday morning. Later on Monday, the body was found by divers.

Twenty-two years I was blessed to have him in my life. God really broke the mold when He made my son, Lucky Davis, Mother of Johnson, told WALB-TV.

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MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG)  A man was arrested after allegedly assaulting two Infirmary Health employees Monday, according to the Mobile Police Department.

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Xavier Shumaker is accused of assaulting two hospital employees. (Photo courtesy: Mobile County Sheriffs Office)

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Xavier Shumaker, 21, who is listed as homeless, was arrested and charged with two counts of second-degree assault, according to the Mobile Metro Jail log.

Officers With the Mobile Police Department were called to the hospital around 7 a.m. Monday for an assault report.

Officers arrived and found that the suspect, later identified as Shumaker, according to police, attempted to leave the building through a stairwell but was stopped by medical personnel.

Shumaker then allegedly hit one staff member multiple times.

Another staff member attempted to intervene, and Shumaker then allegedly hit them, too.

All I wanted to do was save that little girl: Handyman rescues mother, child in horrific crime

Shumakers bond hearing is set for Feb. 21, according to the jail log.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5.
HOUSTON - You dont have to wait to cast your ballot for the Texas primary election. Early voting begins on Tuesday, Feb. 20.

Texas will have its Primary Election on March 5 in which voters choose the candidates to be nominated in the general election in November.

FOX 26 Houston is now on the FOX LOCAL app available through Apple TV, Amazon FireTV, Roku, Google Android TV, and Vizio!

Voters in Harris County will have the chance to select their party nominations for the president, U.S. Senator, Texas Railroad Commissioner, and other various state and local offices. You can only vote for those running in your preferred party, Democrat or Republican.

In order to vote, you must have been registered by Feb. 5. The last day of early voting is March 1.

(Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)

Am I registered to vote?

You can check your voter registration status on the Texas Secretary of State website, here.

To check your voter registration status, you will need to provide your date of birth and one of the following:

- Your name and county

- Your Voter Unique Identifier

- Your Texas Drivers License number

The website can also provide you with other helpful information like your polling locations and sample ballots.

Early voting locations in Southeast Texas

Registered voters have to vote in the county they reside in. Find your county's voting locations with the links below.

Austin County | Brazoria County | Chambers County | Colorado County | Fort Bend County | Grimes County | Galveston County | Harris County | Jackson County | Liberty County | Matagorda County | Montgomery County | Polk County | San Jacinto County | Waller County | Washington County | Walker County | Wharton County

Primary Election voter's guide

For more information on voting eligibility, voting by mail and what to take to the polls, click here to see our election guide.
Like most graduations, this one featured balloons, a deluge of photos, well wishes from relatives and friends, solemn words of wisdom  and sheet cake with "Congratulations Graduates" inscribed in sugary cursive.

But this first-of-its-kind ceremony celebrated 22 bus drivers who received their diplomas Tuesday at Metro Transit's North Loop Garage in Minneapolis. They will soon take wheel as critical players in the Twin Cities' transportation infrastructure.

"Without you, there is no transit," said Metro Transit General Manager Lesley Kandaras.

Metro Transit created the graduation as one way to mark progress in its struggle to attract drivers to the fold in recent years. "It's always good to celebrate milestones," said David Stiggers, president of Local 1005 of the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), which represents drivers, light-rail operators and others. "This is not an easy job."

Metro Transit added more than 400 bus drivers last year as service is slowly restored following a precipitous decline during the pandemic, and as new bus-rapid transit lines are added over the next two years. Currently, there are 1,180 bus drivers and light-rail operators, about 120 below budgeted levels, according to Brian Funk, chief operating officer.

In recent days, ATU members voted overwhelmingly in favor of a new contract that calls for 15% pay increase over the next three years. Drivers will start out earning more than $27 an hour under the agreement.

No one on Tuesday sugarcoated the challenges the new drivers will face, especially as Metro Transit grapples with crime, homelessness, mental health and substance abuse aboard trains and buses.

Metro Transit has deployed a multi-pronged strategy to combat these issues. More police and community service officers are patrolling trains and buses. Social workers and other advocates are directing those in need to programs that could help them.

While overall crime on Metro Transit buses and trains increased 32% in 2023 compared with the previous year, it has dropped by 25% so far this year.

Ron Forrest, Metro Transit's deputy chief operating officer, told the drivers they will have to deal with passengers who are hostile, anti-social and suffering from addictions. "You're about to go out and do something that's challenging," Forrest said. "That's the reality."

Several bus driver graduates said in interviews Tuesday that they're well aware of those challenges, but remain undeterred and confident their training can help defuse tough situations.

"I'm ready for anything," said Will Perry, of Minneapolis, who worked with special needs kids at a previous job as a school bus driver.

Annette Hernandez, another graduate from Minneapolis, said she recognizes the struggles some passengers may be experiencing. "I'm an understanding, compassionate person," she said.

According to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), there was a 121% increase in serious assaults against transit workers nationwide between 2008 and 2021, the most recent data available. Local assault data were not immediately available. This prompted the Biden administration last year to require transit agenciesto conduct a safety risk assessment and adopt mitigation strategies to minimize or eliminate assaults on operators.

According to Minnesota law, a person who violently interferes with a transit operator could face of up three years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

Keith Alexander, of Minneapolis, said he applied at Metro Transit after seeing job openings advertised on the side of the Route 14 bus. "I worked downtown, I know what goes on," he said.

After working in finance and sales for several years, Alexander said he likes the prospect of a steady job.

"I was tired of waking up in the middle of the night worrying about some number and checking my email," he said. "Here, once you leave, you know you did your job."
Photo: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Over the past day, 50 combat clashes have taken place on the front lines llim Ukraine, with Russia launching 1 missile strike and 99 airstrikes, and firing 82 times from multiple-launch rocket systems.

Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on 20 February

Quote: "Over the course of the day, Ukraines Air Force struck 10 areas where Russian military personnel were concentrated, and 5 anti-aircraft missile systems belonging to the enemy.

Ukraines Rocket Forces and Artillery struck at nine areas where Russian military personnel, weapons and equipment were concentrated, and 10 artillery pieces."

Details: On the Kupiansk front, the Russians made two unsuccessful attempts to attack near Synkivka (Kharkiv Oblast).

On the Lyman front, Ukrainian troops repelled three Russian attacks near Bilohorivka (Luhansk Oblast) and Terny and Vyimka (Donetsk Oblast), where the Russians tried to break through the defences of Ukrainian forces.

On the Bakhmut front, Ukrainian Defence Forces repelled two Russian attacks near Ivanivske (Donetsk Oblast), where the Russians were trying to improve their tactical position.

On the Avdiivka front, Ukrainian defenders repelled 10 Russian attacks in the areas of Stepove, Lastochkyne, Sieverne and Nevelske (Donetsk Oblast).

On the Marinka front, Ukrainian Defence Forces continue to hold back the Russians near Heorhiivka, Pobieda and Novomykhailivka (Donetsk Oblast). Here, the Russians, supported by their aircraft, tried to break through the defences of Ukrainian troops 17 times.

On the Novopavlivka front, the Russians failed to improve their tactical position south of Prechystivka and Zolota Nyva (Donetsk Oblast) on six occasions.

On the Zaporizhzhia front, the Ukrainian Armed Forces repelled two Russian attacks near Mala Tokmachka and Robotyne (Zaporizhzhia Oblast).

In the area of responsibility of the Odesa Operational Strategic Group on the Kherson front, the Russians did not abandon their intention to drive Ukrainian units from their footholds on the left bank of the Dnipro River. Thus, during the day, the Russians made one attempt to storm the positions of Ukrainian troops.

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That 70s Show actor Danny Masterson, who was convicted of raping two women, has been transferred from one of the states most secure prisons to California Mens Colony in San Luis Obispo.

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation confirmed to The Tribune that Masterson, 46, was moved to CMC on Feb. 16. The agency declined to disclose the reason for the transfer or which wing of the prison Masterson is housed in.

On May 31, 2023, Masterson was found guilty of raping two women in 2003.

In September, a judge sentenced Masterson to 30 years to life, and in January, he was sent to Corcoran State Prison, a maximum-security facility for the most violent and dangerous male offenders.

California Mens Colony currently houses minimum- and medium-security inmates, according to the corrections department. It is divided into an East Facility for medium security inmates and West Facility for minimum and medium security inmates.

In May, the corrections department announced plans to close the West Facility, which houses inmates in a dormitory style setting. The medium-security East Facility houses inmates in cells.

According to the corrections department, Masterson will not be eligible for parole until 2042.
TOOELE, Utah (ABC4)  A 9-year-old is in the custody of the Tooele City Police Department after they allegedly shot and killed a family member on Friday, Feb. 16.

Tooele City PD Cpl. Colbey Bentley said the incident happened just before 7:30 p.m. near 400 West Millcreek Way. Bentley said the 911 call reported a 32-year-old man appeared to be unconscious and bleeding from the head.

Cache County elections worker allegedly alters document, charged with felony

First responders said the man had suffered a gunshot wound to the head and took him to a Salt Lake-area hospital in extremely critical condition. The man later died from his injuries.

Bentley said officers and detectives began investigating the incident, which eventually led to the arrest of a 9-year-old family member. Due to the age of the suspect and the extremely sensitive nature of the case, more information was not available for release.

Tooele City Police said there is no threat to the public at this time and the investigation is ongoing.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
A Citrus Heights man charged in December with taking part in the Jan. 6 Capitol Riot is now facing new federal charges of receiving child pornography, officials said Tuesday.

Kyle Travis Colton, 36, was indicted last week by a federal grand jury on a charge of receiving one or more images of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct between July 2022 and December 2023, U.S. Attorney Phil Talberts office said after the indictment was unsealed Tuesday morning. The charge could result in a prison sentence of up to 20 years and a $250,000 fine.

Colton is accused in the indictment of involvement in child pornography through Dec. 14, the day before he was arrested in Folsom on charges from federal court in Washington, D.C., in the Jan. 6 case filed there.

Coltons federal defender, Doug Beevers, declined comment Tuesday.

Colton originally appeared in Sacramento federal court on the Capitol Riot charges on Dec. 15 and was ordered released on his own recognizance. A week later, a magistrate judge in Washington, D.C., also ordered Colton to remain free pending the outcome of that case.

Online booking records for the Sacramento County Main Jail show Colton subsequently was booked Friday and is being held without bail pending a court hearing Tuesday afternoon on the pornography charge.

He is charged in Washington with obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder, entering or remaining in a restricted building without authority, disorderly conduct in a restricted building and on Capitol grounds and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building.

Colton came to the FBIs attention in the Jan. 6 case after receiving a tip that he bragged to passengers on a plane returning to California on Jan. 7, 2021, that he was in the second wave of protesters who breached the U.S. Capitol building that day, court records say.

The FBI confirmed that Colton had purchased an airline ticket Jan. 2, 2021, to travel to Washington on Jan. 5 and return on Jan. 7, court records say, and agents interviewed two other passengers on the return flight, court records say.

These interviews revealed that Colton discussed with Witness 1 and Witness 2, who were sitting near Colton on the flight, entering the United States Capitol Building in the second wave, court records say. Colton also showed Witness 2 pictures from the rally at the Ellipse and a video depicting other rioters pushing and struggling with law enforcement taken from inside of the U.S. Capitol building.

Court documents filed in Washington say video footage from inside the Capitol shows Colton not obeying orders by the officers to leave the Rotunda and Colton standing in line with rioters as these other rioters had confrontations with the officers.

These officers had initiated crowd clearing measures to include forming a police line, giving loud verbal commands, and using batons to move persons towards the exit door, court records say. Colton only moved when the crowd was physically pushed towards the exit.

Furthermore, Colton remained standing side-by-side with these other rioters who were combating law enforcement officers. At one point, Colton grabbed a flagpole that was being used by a rioter to assault (Metropolitan Police Department) Officer K.D. Colton gained control of the flagpole, which Officer K.D. had also grabbed, and then gave it back to this rioter, who then fled into the crowd of rioters with the flagpole.
LIMESTONE COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT)  Two officers from Limestone Correctional Facility have been indicted for assault on an inmate, according to the Alabama Department of Corrections.

Samuel Dial and Jesse Cobb were indicted on Feb. 8, 2024, after officials said inmate William Rhinesmith had been assaulted.

44-year-old man barricaded after forcing self into ex-wifes Arab apartment

Court documents show that the two corrections officers assaulted Rhinesmith with a broom handle.

ADOC said both Dial and Cobb turned themselves in, however, they are currently out on bond.

According to ADOCs inmate list, Rhinesmith is currently being held at Kilby Infirmary.

Pending the outcome of a criminal investigation, a spokesperson for ADOC says they have been assigned to non-contact posts.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com.
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  Housing is an essential that some people say is unreachable for many in Tennessee. Thats why a coalition of renters descended in Nashville on Tuesday to call for change.

We are really understanding this as a fight for housing that should be right for all people in the state of Tennessee, said organizer Tristan Call.

They said its to the point of a crisis with skyrocketing rent and hazardous living conditions.

Renters met with lawmakers requesting their support of a federal crackdown on rent hikes, making certain repairs a requirement, and protecting tenants from retaliation in federally subsidized complexes.

They are small asks for these people, these landlords. So we are hoping that legislators will understand those things need to be passed, said Ashley Benkarski with Tennessee for Safe Homes.

Problems at Millennia properties extend beyond Memphis

WREG has reported on the ongoing tenant complaints at places like Serenity Towers and Peppertree. But those government-subsidized complexes arent the only ones.

Denozanna Moore was in dispute with her landlord for months over the conditions in her apartment.

But they get upset. And my thing is if you have important things and issues with things going on in your apartment, especially plumbing, you need to get these things fixed, she said.

Cars, hotels, tents: What homelessness looks like in Memphis and whats being done to help

Moore said because she complained about things not being fixed, she received a notice saying her lease wasnt being renewed.

You have landlords that just want to put you out because they feel like you are a problem, she said.

Thats why these advocates are also pushing for tenant rights to protect renters from abusive landlords and retaliatory evictions. They also want tougher laws for absent landlords who get federal loans and then neglect their property.

Out-of-town landlords that are doubling the rent, using affordable housing loans to buy property that they just use to enrich themselves, its totally unacceptable, Call said. Its a loophole in the entire finance system.

The advocates have also visited congressional staff to discuss housing issues. They want Tennessee lawmakers to sign on and push renter protections at the state and federal levels.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
Hunter Bidens lawyer fired a triple-barreled salvo in his federal gun case Tuesday by arguing the prosecution hadnt shared all of its evidence in the case, that reports of cocaine residue on a gun pouch were tainted and that a source who may have "infected" the investigation has been indicted.

Prosecutors reneged on binding agreements, bowed to political pressure to bring unprecedented charges, overreached in their authority, ignored the rules and allowed their agents to run amok, and repeatedly misstated evidence to the court to defend their conduct," lawyer Abbe Lowell said in a statement.

Lowell demanded prosecutors share more evidence in the gun case, which grew out of a failed plea agreement over tax and gun charges last July. Hunter Biden had been slated to plead guilty in July to two tax misdemeanors and enter a pre-trial program on a drug charge, with a goal of avoiding jail time.

But U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika in Delaware refused to accept the plea deal because of disputes between prosecutors and defense lawyers about what it meant.

Biden's conduct is under scrutiny while his father, President Joe Biden, campaigns for reelection this year. Republicans contend Hunter Biden received favorable treatment in the agreement, which the president and Justice Department each denied.

Justice Department special counsel David Weiss then secured an indictment in September on nine tax charges in California and three gun charges in Delaware.

But Lowell has argued to U.S. District Judge Mark Scarsi in Los Angeles that nothing has changed in the facts behind the case except vocal Republican opposition to the plea deal.

Our motions expose the special counsel has gone to extreme lengths to bring charges against Mr. Biden that would not have been filed against anyone else, Lowell said in a statement.

Weiss has denied political persecution in the case, which he described as the accusation that Attorney General Merrick Garland named him to the case "in order to capitulate" to former President Donald Trump's public pressure.

"This theory is a fiction designed for a Hollywood script," Weiss wrote in the gun case.

Heres what we know about the case:

Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden, flanked by Kevin Morris, left, and Abbe Lowell, right, attend a House Oversight Committee meeting on January 10, 2024 in Washington, DC. The committee is meeting today as it considers citing him for Contempt of Congress.

Mistaking sawdust for cocaine

Lowell made his fresh demand for evidence because prosecutors had said in July they already provided all the evidence in the case before the plea bargain, yet more continues to turn up.

Among the evidence was a picture Hunter Biden allegedly took that prosecutors described as showing strips of cocaine. But Lowell said Biden didn't take the picture and the alleged cocaine was in fact sawdust.

Mistaking sawdust for cocaine sounds more like a storyline from one of the 1980s Police Academy comedies than what should be expected in a high-profile prosecution by the U.S. Department of Justice, Lowell wrote.

In a related vein, Lowell criticized the prosecutions revelation in a recent court filing that a brown leather pouch Biden used to hold his gun was found with cocaine residue.

Lowell said the prosecution filing neglected to say that the pouch was found in a trash cash by a scavenger in October 2018  and authorities then waited a dumbfounding five years to test it for drug residue.

The prosecution offers no explanation for that either, Lowell said.

What happened to the plea agreement?

The plea agreement dealing with the tax charges would have allowed Biden to plead guilty to two misdemeanors for failing to pay his taxes in 2017 and 2018, and to enter a pretrial program for the gun charge that could have been dismissed if he complied.

But Noreika refused to accept the deal because of disputes between government and defense lawyers about whether it protected Hunter Biden from potential future charges.

Biden has also been under investigation for possible violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act in his overseas business deals in Ukraine and elsewhere.

But Lowell noted in his Tuesday filing that one of the witnesses in the Ukraine investigation, Alexander Smirnov, was indicted for lying about President Joe Biden and his son.

"It now seems clear that the Smirnov allegations infected this case," Lowell said in his filing.

Hunter Biden, son of US President Joe Biden, leaves the J. Caleb Boggs Federal Building in Wilmington, Delaware, on October 3, 2023.

What are the gun charges?

The gun indictment charges Hunter Biden with knowingly deceiving a firearms dealer when buying a Colt Cobra 38SPL revolver on Oct. 12, 2018.

He is charged with falsely filling out a federal firearms form denying he was addicted to any narcotics, despite later acknowledging his addiction in a book. And he is charged with knowingly possessing the revolver despite the restrictions against people addicted to drugs owning firearms.

Lowell has argued the prosecution is trying to renege on the deal while Biden has fulfilled his side of the agreement by not possessing a firearm, not using illicit drugs and agreeing to drug testing and treatment.

Weiss noted that Biden wrote a memoir about his addiction in 2021  after he announced the federal investigation against him in 2020  and recounted buying the gun after a drug dealer pointed a gun at him.

"The charges in this case are not trumped up or because of former President Trump  they are instead a result of the defendants own choices and were brought in spite of, not because of,any outside noise made by politicians," Weiss wrote.

President Joe Biden, First Lady Jill Biden and Hunter Biden with his son Beau watch the Independence Day fireworks display from the Truman Balcony of the White House in Washington, DC, on July 4, 2023.

What are the tax charges?

Hunter Biden is accused of failing to pay at least $1.4 million in self-assessed taxes from 2016 through 2019, and also evading tax assessment for 2018 when he filed false returns, according to the indictment. Biden was indicted on three felony tax offenses and six misdemeanors. '

"Between 2016 and October 15, 2020, the Defendant spent this money on drugs, escorts and girlfriends, luxury hotels and rental properties, exotic cars, clothing, and other items of a personal nature, in short, everything but his taxes," the indictment said.

Before being charged, he paid all the back taxes with financial help from lawyer Kevin Morris. If convicted of all charges, Hunter Biden faces up to 17 years in prison, although maximum sentences are rarely ordered. Having paid back the taxes one owes doesn't always prevent prosecution for tax offenses, but it often helps defendants get a lighter sentence.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Hunter Biden's lawyer blasts evidence in gun case as tainted, infected
Polish protesters have started to block movement at the border with Ukraine more aggressively.

Source: Andrii Demchenko, spokesperson for the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, in a comment to Ukrainska Pravda

Details: Ukrainian border guards received information from the Polish Border Guard representatives about protesters' plans to restrict the movement of vehicles more aggressively.

The lorry traffic through the Medyka  Shehyni border crossing point has been completely blocked in both directions. It is unknown when the farmers plan to end this blockade.

Protesters have announced their intention to block traffic for all types of transport at the Uhryniv  Dohobyczow border crossing point until 17:00 on 20 February.

As for the Zosyn  Ustyluh border crossing point, protesters intend to restrict the movement of buses, lorries, and cars in both directions from 13:00 to 16:00 Kyiv time. They promised to allow only lorries carrying humanitarian aid through.

At the Korczowa  Krakovets border crossing point, protesters plan to block the movement of all lorries leaving Poland until 21:00 Kyiv time on 20 February, except those transporting critical cargo. Buses, minibuses, and cars can move freely in both directions.

For the Hrebenne  Rava-Ruska border crossing point, protesters have blocked the traffic of all categories of vehicles in both directions from 13:00 Kyiv time on 20 February, except for those carrying critically important cargo and humanitarian aid.

At the Dorohusk-Yahodyn border crossing point, protest organisers intend to fully block the movement of freight transport in both directions until 19:00 Kyiv time.

Quote from Demchenko: "As we can see, Polish farmers have decided to scale up their actions, which is now leading to blocking not only the movement of lorries but also the movement of other categories of transport, including cars and buses, in certain areas. There can be no explanation for such actions, as they are, in fact, making ordinary citizens crossing the border in both directions hostage to the situation and their interests.

I would like to add that they continue to block traffic in six directions, and in three of them, they block traffic not only for lorries but also for cars and buses. In addition, as of this morning, more than 2,500 lorries were waiting in all six directions in Poland towards Ukraine in queues to cross the border, most of them opposite the Krakovets and Yahodyn checkpoints."

THE LORRY TRAFFIC

PHOTO: SOURCE OF UKRAINSKA PRAVDA

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Ukrainian air defense units intercepted 23 Shahed attack drones launched by Russia overnight, the Air Force announced on Feb. 20.

Russian forces also launched two S-300/S-400 guided anti-aircraft missiles and a Kh-31 missile during the night.

The missiles were launched from positions in Russia's Belgorod Oblast and in occupied Zaporizhzhia Oblast, while the drones were fired from the Russian port town of Primorsko-Akhtarsk.

The drones targeted Kharkiv, Poltava, Kirovohrad, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Mykolaiv oblasts.

An industrial facility in Poltava Oblast was damaged during the attacks.

Read also: Ukraine war latest: Russian troops killed wounded Ukrainian soldiers in Avdiivka after promising to evacuate them, military says

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Alabamas Supreme Court has ruled that frozen embryos are children under state law and subject to legislation dealing with the wrongful death of a minor, stating that it applies to all unborn children, regardless of their location.

The court issued this majority decision in a lawsuit brought forth by a group of in vitro fertilization (IVF) patients whose frozen embryos were destroyed in December 2020 when a patient removed the embryos from a cryogenic storage unit and dropped them on the ground.

The plaintiffs subsequently filed two lawsuits against the facility, the Center for Reproductive Medicine, alleging that the clinic had violated Alabamas Wrongful Death of a Minor Act, which applies to unborn children.

The plaintiffs also alternatively alleged negligence on the part of the clinic and sought compensatory damages, though the claims of negligence were specified to only be pleaded if Alabama Courts or the U.S. Supreme Court decided frozen embryos were not children.

The defendants motion to dismiss the lawsuits were granted by a trial court that found a frozen embryo did not fall within the definition of a person or child.' The court also ruled that the plaintiffs could not proceed with their calls for compensatory damages for the loss of a human life and emotional damages, citing long-standing legal standards in Alabama.

In its decision, the Alabama Supreme Court did not address the question of whether extrauterine children should be treated as human beings, but it did find that state law did not specify what state an unborn child is to be in.

The relevant statutory text is clear: the Wrongful Death of a Minor Act applies on its face to all unborn children, without limitation, the courts decision stated.

The court found that there is no unwritten exception, as the defendants have argued, to the law that applies to unborn children who are not physically located in utero  that is, inside a biological uterus  at the time they are killed.

The defendants had also argued that considering frozen embryos as children would result in numerous consequences, including making IVF substantially more expensive and preserving embryos more onerous.

While we appreciate the defendants concerns, these types of policy focused arguments belong before the Legislature, not this Court, the ruling stated.

The ruling was issued by Alabama Supreme Court Justice Jay Mitchell, with seven of the other eight justices concurring.

Alabama Supreme Court Justice Greg Cook issued a dissenting opinion.

Cook argued in his opinion that it was not within the role of the court to expand the reach of a statute and breathe life into it by updating or amending it. He argued the law that was written in 1872 would not have taken into account the status of frozen embryos and to argue that the law does would require an explicit amendment from the state Legislature.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Alaska woman jailed for 99 years for $9m catfish murder of best friend

An Alaska woman who murdered her friend in the hope of a $9 million payoff has been jailed for 99 years.

Denali Dakota Skye Brehmer, one of two young people charged in the 2019 killing of Alaska teenager Cynthia Hoffman in a murder-for-hire scheme, was jailed on Monday after pleading guilty in February 2023 to first-degree murder.

Court documents showed that Brehmer was 18 when she and two other teens were catfished online by 21-year-old Darin Schilmiller, who pretended to be a millionaire named Tyler and offered the teens $9m for the rape and murder of someone in Alaska.

He also asked the teens to send him photos and videos of the killing, according to court documents.

Brehmer agreed to the offer, and enlisted the help of four friends, Caleb Leyland and Kayden McIntosh, along with two unnamed juveniles.

Authorities accused Brehmer and her alleged accomplices of luring Hoffman to Thunderbird Falls in Chugiak, an unincorporated community in Anchorage, under the guise of a friendly hike.

During the hike, Hoffman  who thought of Brehmer as her best friend  was duct-taped and shot in the back of the head and put into a river, officials said.

Authorities added that the group had tried to burn Hoffmans body before sending her family a text that she had been dropped off elsewhere.

Police found Hoffmans body one day after she was reported missing.

Kayden McIntosh, who was 16 at the time, was charged with murder for allegedly shooting Hoffman in the head. His case is pending trial.

Meanwhile, Brehmer was handed the maximum sentence for her role in the killing, according to the Alaska Department of Law.

She may not have pulled the trigger, but this never would have happened it if it werent for Denali Brehmer, said Patrick McKay, Anchorage assistant district attorney, during sentencing.

She executed Cynthia Hoffman in a murder-for-hire plot. She conspired with numerous other individuals in and outside of Alaska, including juveniles, forever altering everybodys life, he added.

Anchorage Superior Court Judge Andrew Peterson called the killing tragic and senseless, adding that Brehmer showed no remorse. He said he hoped her sentence would serve as a deterrent to others.

Darin Schilmiller of New Salisbury, Indiana, was also sentenced last month to 99 years in prison for his role in Hoffmans murder after being extradited to Alaska.

Caleb Leyland pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in November. He is scheduled for sentencing on 10 June.
The mother of Alexei Navalny, the Putin critic who died in a Russian prison, has called on President Vladimir Putin to release his body.

In a video filmed outside the colony where he died on Friday, she said she had been trying to see him for five days but didn't even know where he was.

And Navalny's wife Yulia urged the authorities not to stop his loved ones from saying goodbye to him.

The family have been told his body will not be released for two weeks.

His mother was informed it was being held for "chemical analysis", a representative for Navalny said.

There has been no confirmation of the whereabouts of the body from Russian authorities, while efforts to locate it have been repeatedly shut down.

Yulia Navalnaya has alleged her husband's body was being kept until traces of poisoning by the nerve agent Novichok had disappeared. Navalny survived an attempt to kill him using the poison in 2020.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the accusations "unfounded and vulgar", but added that since Ms Navalnaya was widowed just days ago he wouldn't comment further.

Vigils in memory of Navalny have been held outside Russian diplomatic missions throughout the world

Navalny's mother made a direct appeal to President Putin outside the Siberian penal colony known as Polar Wolf, where his death was announced on 16 February.

"I've not been able to see him for five days, they're refusing to give his body to me, and they're not even saying where he is," she says.

"I'm asking you, Vladimir Putin - it all depends on you alone. Let me finally see my son. I demand that Alexei's body is released immediately so I can give him a decent burial."

Her words were echoed in a strongly worded post on X (formerly known as Twitter) by her daughter-in-law.

"I couldn't care less about how the murderer's press secretary comments on my words," she said, referring to Mr Peskov. She has directly accused Mr Putin of killing her husband.

"Give back Alexei's body and let him be buried with dignity, don't get in the way of people saying goodbye to him," she said.

Her remarks follow speeches to the European Union and the Munich Security Conference, and an emotional video released on Monday where she vowed to continue her husband's work to fight for a "free Russia".

The following day, Ms Navalnaya's newly-created X account where the video was posted was briefly suspended. The company said it was blocked "mistakenly" due to a system error.

Ms Navalnaya also told EU leaders on Monday not to recognise Russia's presidential elections on 16 March and to pursue members of Mr Putin's inner circle who were still trying to dodge sanctions.

Navalny's death in prison was announced on Friday. The authorities at the Siberian penal colony where he was being held said he had never regained consciousness after he collapsed following a walk.

Officials later said that Navalny had suffered "sudden death syndrome".

His mother and lawyer travelled to the remote colony as soon as news of his death broke.

Attempts to locate the body have repeatedly been shut down by the prison mortuary and local authorities.

On Monday, the Kremlin said an investigation into Navalny's death was ongoing and that there were "no results" as of yet.

Later, Navalny's spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh said that investigators had told Navalny's mother Lyudmila they would not hand over the body for two weeks while they conducted a "chemical analysis".

Navalny, who was the Russian opposition's most significant leader for the last decade, had been serving a 19-year sentence on politically motivated charges.

Western leaders have put the blame for Navalny's death squarely on President Putin and new sanctions against Russia are likely to follow.

The US will announce a "major sanctions package" on Friday to "hold Russia accountable" for Navalny's death, National Security spokesperson John Kirby said on Tuesday.

The European Union has also signalled it is considering new sanctions, while UK Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron said he expects Britain and the rest of the G7 group of rich nations to target individuals linked to Navalny's death.
The mother of dead Russian dissident Alexei Navalny has issued a direct plea to Vladimir Putin for the release of her sons body so she can bury him with dignity.

In a video filmed outside the Arctic penal colony where he died on Friday, Lyudmila Navalnaya, 69, said she had been trying to see him for five days but didnt even know where he was being kept.

Let me finally see my son. I demand that Alexeis body be released immediately so that I can bury him in a humane way, she said from the village of Kharp, some 1,200 miles northeast of Moscow, where it is minus 10C.

Russian opposition leader Navalny was critical of Putin and so became the victim of repeated aggression from the state (Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP/Getty)

The fierce critic of the Russian president died last week, aged 47, sparking outrage from Western leaders and Navalnys supporters who accuse Mr Putin of being responsible for snuffing out the most significant beacon of opposition to his leadership, in the run-up to next months presidential elections.

Russian authorities have said the cause of Navalnys death is still unknown and refused to release his body for two weeks while they carry out chemical examinations, members of his team said on Monday, raising fears he may have been poisoned, having survived a previous nerve agent attack in 2020.

Ahead of a meeting with EU foreign ministers in Brussels on Monday, Navalnys widow, Yulia Navalnaya, released a video in which she vowed to unmask her husbands killers and alleged that the refusal to release his body was part of a cover-up.

My husband was unbreakable. And thats precisely why Putin killed him. Shamefully, cowardly, without ever daring to look him in the eye or just say his name, Ms Navalnaya said.

And just as shamefully and cowardly, they are now hiding his body, not showing it to his mother, not giving it back, and pathetically lying and waiting for traces of another Putin novichok to disappear.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov rejected the allegations of a cover-up, telling reporters that these are absolutely unfounded, insolent accusations about the head of the Russian state.

But Ms Navalnaya retorted on Tuesday: I dont care how the killers press secretary comments on my words. Give Alexeis body back and let him be buried with dignity. Do not prevent people from saying goodbye to him.

And I really ask all journalists who may still ask questions: dont ask about me, ask about Alexei.

Meanwhile, there was uproar on Tuesday when X/Twitter briefly banned her social media account. Yulia set up her account on Monday, days after Navalnys death was announced, and has since used it to commit to holding Mr Putin to account.

However, the account disappeared and was replaced with a message indicating that it had been suspended because it had broken the sites rules, before reappearing an hour later. X/Twitter said the suspension had been in error.

Her powerful plea came as the Kremlin initiated a new criminal case against Oleg Navalny, the brother of Alexei, according to Russian media.

The politician was pronounced dead by the Russian prison service last week (Getty)

The reports did not say under which article of the criminal code the case had been opened but said police were searching for Oleg, who was already on the wanted list in connection with another matter. In 2014, he was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison for fraud in a case Kremlin critics said was trumped up and designed to pile pressure on his late brother.

The move signals the Kremlins intention to continue the pressure on his family and supporters as they seek to mourn the dissident. According to monitoring group OVD-Info, nearly 400 people had been detained at Navalny vigils in 39 cities across Russia as of Monday morning.

International pressure continued to ramp up on Tuesday, with the White House announcing a new package of sanctions against Russia, set to go into effect imminently. The administration said the package would be released on Friday.

US president Joe Biden has blamed Mr Putin for Navalnys death, noting that while Washington was unsure what took place, it was a consequence of something that Putin and his thugs did.

Meanwhile, Italy, Poland, France, Belgium and the European Union itself became the latest powers to summon Russias respective ambassadors over Navalnys death.

Mr Putin, who famously has avoided speaking Navalnys name, has not commented publicly on the matter. However, on Monday he signed a decree promoting a number of law enforcement and military officials, including Valery Boyarinev, the first deputy chief of the State Penitentiary Service who was accused of torturing Navalny in his final stint in the Siberian jail.

Putin has famously avoided speaking Alexei Navalnys name (AP)

Mr Boyarinev, who received the rank of colonel-general, has been accused by Navalnys team of personally ordering restrictions on the opposition leader.

Initially a nationalist politician, Navalny rose to fame as an anti-corruption campaigner who soon began to take aim at madman Mr Putin and his regime of crooks and thieves, fomenting protests against the Kremlin before managing to secure 27 per cent of the vote in tightly controlled Moscow mayoral elections in 2013.

Following repeated arrests, investigations, and criminal proceedings, Navalny was finally evacuated to Germany in a coma after being poisoned with novichok in Russia. Upon his return in 2021, he was arrested at the airport and sentenced to two and half years of a formerly suspended jail term for alleged fraud.

The following year, he was sentenced to nine years on charges of spending donations to his Anti-Corruption Foundation on extremism and personal needs. Already listed by Amnesty International as a prisoner of conscience, he was sentenced to a further 19 years on a raft of extremism charges in 2023.

He went missing for three weeks in December before turning up at the notorious Arctic penal colony, where he was to die only weeks later.
Flowers outside the Russian embassy in Copenhagen - just one of the cities where tributes have been paid

The family of Alexei Navalny, the Putin critic who died in a Russian prison, have reportedly been told his body will not be released for two weeks.

His mother was informed it was being held for "chemical analysis", a representative for Navalny said.

There has been no confirmation of the whereabouts of the body from Russian authorities, while efforts to locate it have been repeatedly shut down.

The wife of the late Russian opposition leader has accused them of hiding it.

In a video on Monday vowing to continue his work to fight for a "free Russia", Yulia Navalnaya directly accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of killing her husband. She also alleged his body was being kept until traces of poisoning by the nerve agent Novichok had disappeared.

Her voice sometimes shaking with grief and anger, Ms Navalnaya asked viewers to stand alongside her and "share the fury and hate for those who dared to kill our future".

Navalny's death in prison was announced on Friday. The authorities at the Siberian penal colony where he was being held said he had never regained consciousness after he collapsed following a walk.

His mother and lawyer travelled to the remote colony as soon as news of his death broke.

Attempts to locate the body have repeatedly been shut down by the prison mortuary and local authorities.

On Monday, the Kremlin said an investigation into Navalny's death was ongoing and that there were "no results" as of yet.

Later, Navalny's spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh said that investigators had told Navalny's mother Lyudmila they would not hand over the body for two weeks while they conducted a "chemical analysis".

Lyudmila Navalnaya (right) has travelled to the remote Siberian region where Navalny was imprisoned

In her video message, Ms Navalnaya said she believed the authorities were waiting for Novichok to disappear from Navalny's body.

Navalny, who was the Russian opposition's most significant leader for the last decade, had been serving a 19-year sentence on charges many viewed as politically motivated.

Western leaders have put the blame for Navalny's death squarely on President Putin.

Responding to questions from reporters on Monday, President Joe Biden said: "The fact of the matter is: Putin is responsible, whether he ordered it or he is responsible for the circumstances he put that man in."

During a press conference on Monday, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said he Navalny had been "slowly murdered in a Russian jail by Putin's regime".

Both the EU and the US have said they are considering new sanctions on Russia following Navalny's death.

The UK Foreign Secretary, Lord Cameron, has also said he expects Britain and the rest of the G7 group of rich nations to impose fresh sanctions on any Russians involved in the death.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said comments by Western politicians in regards to Navalny's death were "arrogant" and "unacceptable".

Russian prison authorities said at the weekend that Navalny had suffered "sudden death syndrome".
For years, Yulia Navalnaya was a near-constant presence by her husband's side. At political protests and court hearings she would be there, often holding his hand.

In 2020 when Alexei Navalny was poisoned with a nerve agent, it was Yulia who pushed for clearance to fly him abroad for life-saving treatment.

And now he has died alone and far from her in an Arctic prison.

She blames Russian President Vladimir Putin for that and is calling on Russians to stand beside her now in fighting him.

The video statement Yulia Navalnaya posted online on Monday was a deliberate, and dramatic, step into the political spotlight. Her love for her husband is so strong, and her grief still so raw, that the recording is painful to watch in parts.

But it is very compelling.

Navalny's widow describes herself as being torn in two, her heart broken. But it's her fury that's driving her to continue her husband's cause.

She says she wants to realise his "beautiful Russia of the future", so that his "unthinkable" death won't have been in vain.

For some Russians who oppose Mr Putin, very despondent right now, the speech will have been uplifting.

Until this moment, Yulia Navalnaya was reserved and distant. But the video reveals her to be a woman of enormous inner strength.

Her loss - and her love - lend her clear moral authority and she is engaging.

Strong women

There is precedent for strong women stepping-in for absent men.

It happened most notably in neighbouring Belarus, where the authoritarian Alexander Lukashenko so underestimated Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, he allowed her to register for the 2020 presidential campaign when her husband Sergei Tikhanovsky was arrested.

That sexism nearly cost Mr Lukashenko his exceedingly long grip on power. When he declared a landslide victory, Ms Tikhanovskaya brought huge crowds on to the street shouting about a rigged vote.

She had to flee abroad after a warning from the KGB and now acts as a "president" in exile.

Evgenia Kara-Murza also has a global role.

When her husband was poisoned in Moscow in 2015 and 2017, Evgenia fought to stay by his side in hospital, guarding him "like a dog".

At the time, Vladimir Kara-Murza was campaigning for Western leaders to tighten sanctions on Mr Putin's people.

Then in 2022, he was arrested for condemning Russian war crimes in Ukraine and convicted of treason.

Evgenia now spends most of her time continuing her husband's campaign for sanctions - as well as calling for his freedom - in Western capitals.

Crushing opposition

Yulia Navalnaya could take on a similar role.

She's already addressed EU foreign ministers, who issued a statement of "outrage" at Navalny's death. They declared that the "ultimate responsibility" lay with Mr Putin and promised "further costs", as yet unspecified.

But leading opposition forces within Russia is harder to see.

Alexei Navalny (centre) and Yulia (right) at a march held in memory of killed Kremlin critic Boris Nemtsov in Moscow on 29 February 2020

Yulia Navalnaya is abroad, for a start. As she's just accused Putin of murdering her husband, a trip back to Moscow as an activist would be highly risky.

Inside Russia, Navalny's political organisation has been banned as "extremist", on a par with the Islamic State group and al-Qaeda.

In April 2021, Navalny's team called a protest which they pitched it as the "final battle" before the organisation was banned. The cause was strong. The police turnout was massive.

But the protester count was less impressive. Since then, the pressure on all opposition has intensified.

Navalny's activists are either in prison, like he was, or they've fled into exile to avoid being arrested.

Vladimir Putin has spent the past two decades in power systematically crushing all opposition.

There's nothing much left for Navalnaya to lead.

Hopeless memorial

The piles of flowers at memorials to Navalny all over Russia show that many people do want change.

Each time the tributes are removed by men in black hoods, people bring more flowers. It's an act of quiet and peaceful resistance.

It's these Russians Navalny's widow addresses with her video calling on people to unite into a fist and "punch hard" at the Putin regime.

But their fear, and sense of powerlessness, feel too strong.

After all, it was Alexei Navalny who punched hardest of all during his lifetime and he paid a huge price for that.
Two of the Supreme Courts conservative justices issued a fiery dissent Tuesday after the high court declined to hear a case challenging a Virginia high schools admissions program that allegedly discriminates against Asian Americans.

A coalition of parents of students at Thomas Jefferson High School, the nations top-ranked high school, appealed to the Supreme Court claiming that the Ivy League feeder imposes a roundabout way of filtering for race in admissions that they say violates the Supreme Court's June 2023 ruling on affirmative action in college admissions. That case decided that the use of race as a factor in college admissions is a violation of the 14th Amendment's Equal Protection Clause.

Justices Samuel Alito, joined by Justice Clarence Thomas, dissented from the courts denial on Tuesday, calling the lower courts decision in the case "patently incorrect and dangerous."

"What the Fourth Circuit majority held, in essence, is that intentional racial discrimination is constitutional so long as it is not too severe. This reasoning is indefensible, and it cries out for correction," Alito said in his 10-page dissent.

SUPREME COURT REJECTS AFFIRMATIVE ACTION IN RULING ON UNIVERSITIES USING RACE IN ADMISSIONS DECISIONS

Thomas Jefferson High School is being accused of racial discrimination in its admissions policies.

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Virginia, serves as a strong track to the Ivy League. Parents in the region compete fiercely for a spot, with current admissions costing $100 per application and focusing heavily on standardized testing as a measure of evaluation.

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The Fairfax County School Board has attempted to address racial disparities among the student body, particularly the low numbers of Black and Hispanic students. While the school does not expressly filter for race, it instead implemented geographic quotas, guaranteeing admission to the top students of each middle school in the county. The school also factored income into the equation.

However, a parents group called the Coalition for TJ, represented by the Pacific Legal Foundation, filed a lawsuit claiming the practice was unconstitutional and discriminated against Asian American students.

"Asian-American students, many of whom are immigrants or the children of immigrants, have often seen admission to TJ as a ticket to the American dream," Alito wrote in his dissent.

LEFT'S FAVORITE 'WOKE' INITIATIVE UNDER SERIOUS THREAT AFTER COURT'S CONTROVERSIAL RULING

"In this respect, their aspirations mirror those of young people from other immigrant groups. Public magnet schools with competitive admissions based on standardized tests have served as engines of social mobility by providing unique opportunities for minorities and the children of immigrants, and these students subsequent careers have in turn richly contributed to our countrys success," he continued.

Alito explained that the Court of Appeals decision, in his view, was "indefensible" because, under its reasoning, the school could have adopted a policy designed solely to reduce the Asian-American offer rate and still evade liability.

GOP LAWMAKERS APPLAUD SUPREME COURT AFFIRMATIVE ACTION RULING: 'GREAT DAY FOR ALL AMERICANS'

"The holding below effectively licenses official actors to discriminate against any racial group with impunity as long as that group continues to perform at a higher rate than other groups," he said.

"The Courts willingness to swallow the aberrant decision below is hard to understand. We should wipe the decision off the books, and because the Court refuses to do so, I must respectfully dissent," he said.

Pacific Legal Foundation senior attorney Joshua Thompson said that "the Supreme Court missed an important opportunity to end race-based discrimination in K-12 admissions."

"Discrimination against students based on their race is not only ethically wrong but also a clear violation of the Constitutions guarantee of equal protection. Schools should evaluate students as individuals, not as groups based on racial identity," he said.

Karl Frisch, Fairfax County School Board chair and Providence District representative said Tuesday in a statement, "We have long believed that the new admissions process is both constitutional and in the best interest of all of our students. It guarantees that all qualified students from all neighborhoods in Fairfax County have a fair shot at attending this exceptional high school."

."Were very proud that the last three years of TJHSST admissions decisions included students from every Fairfax County middle school and the average grade-point average (GPA) was 3.9, which is consistent with historical averages," Frisch added.

Fox News Digital's Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.





Original article source: Alito issues fiery 10-page dissent as Supreme Court declines to review elite high school admissions case
WASHINGTON  Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito attempted an I told you so on Tuesday when he criticized a judges dismissal of potential jurors in a workplace discrimination case because they believed homosexuality is a sin.

Alito said thats exactly the type of outcome he warned against when, against his objections, the Supreme Court ruled in 2015 that the Constitution guarantees a right to same-sex marriage.

Alito said hed anticipated that Americans would be labeled as bigots unless they hid their traditional religious beliefs about homosexual conduct.

The court had made clear the gay marriage decision should not be used in that way, Alito said, but I am afraid this admonition is not being heeded by our society.

Alito was writing about the Supreme Courts rejection of an appeal of a workplace bias lawsuit against the Missouri Department of Corrections by an employee, Jean Finney, who is a lesbian.

While Alito agreed with his colleagues that the appeal should be rejected because of other factors, he criticized the trial judges decision to reject some jurors for their religious beliefs.

When a court, a quintessential state actor, finds that a person is ineligible to serve on a jury because of his or her religious beliefs, that decision implicates fundamental rights, he wrote.

The Missouri Court of Appeals said the questions asked of jurors appropriately focused on whether they had strong feelings about homosexuality because Finneys sexual orientation was at the heart of her claim that shed been harassed and mistreated.

Other prospective jurors who identified as religious or Christian but did not express strong views on homosexuality were not eliminated.

The Missouri Department of Corrections did not raise objections during the trial to dismissing the potential jurors so could not do so later, the appeals court said.

Thats also the reason Alito said he reluctantly agreed that the correction departments appeal should be denied.

Supreme Court Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr.

Still, thirteen states had urged the high court to take the case to protect jurors from religious discrimination in the jury box.

The religious rights group Alliance Defending Freedom which has filed several successful religious appeals at the Supreme Court in recent years, had also asked the Supreme Court to weigh in.

In the majority opinion on same-sex marriage authored by Justice Anthony Kennedy in 2015, he emphasized that religions, and those who adhere to religious doctrines, may continue to advocate with utmost, sincere conviction that, by divine precepts, same-sex marriage should not be condoned.

The First Amendment ensures that religious organizations and persons are given proper protection as they seek to teach the principles that are so fulfilling and so central to their lives and faiths, and to their own deep aspirations to continue the family structure they have long revered, Kennedy wrote.

But in his dissent  one of four written by justices  Alito express skepticism that would be allowed to happen.

We will soon see whether this proves to be true, he wrote. I assume that those who cling to old beliefs will be able to whisper their thoughts in the recesses of their homes, but if they repeat those views in public, they will risk being labeled as bigots and treated as such by governments, employers, and schools.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Alito criticizes dismissal of jurors who believe homosexuality is a sin
BERKELEY, Mo.  More than half a year has passed since six people with ties to the St. Louis area vanished. Authorities believed all six had ties to an online cult before their disappearance.

The Berkeley Police Department first informed FOX 2 of the missing group in early January. At that point, they were last reported to be seen in St. Louis County around August 12.

Search efforts have stretched several weeks for the six missing people. Police say that group includes:

Mikayla Thompson, 24, of St. Louis

Naaman Williams, 29, of Washington D.C.

Gerrielle German, 28, of Lake Horn, Mississippi

Ashton Williams, 2, of Lake Horn, Mississippi

MaKayla Wickerson, 35, of St. Louis

Malaiyah Wickerson, 3, of St. Louis

Berkeley Police Major Steve Runge says his department has received a few tips on the potential whereabouts of the missing six since a January press release on the matter, but nothing has panned out to finding them in recent weeks.

We still havent had any luck. Weve been working nonstop on this case, but theres nothing new as far as finding them goes, said Runge in a phone call Tuesday with FOX 2.

Sinkhole closes area roadway in south St. Louis

The Berkeley Police Department describes Rashad Jamal as an alleged cult leader with possible ties to the missing group.

Jamal, whose legal last name is White, is a self-proclaimed prophet with tens of thousands of followers through several social media platforms. Police say his rhetoric includes a mix of polygamy, sovereign citizenship, ancient mythology, and cosmic universe beliefs.

Authorities say Jamal is serving an 18-year sentence in Georgia for child molestation, a ruling that reportedly took effect last year. Since his sentence and Berkeleys announcement on the police investigation into the missing group, new content has emerged on Jamals social media platforms.

Jamal speaks out

In a YouTube video published on Jan. 20, Jamal apparently addressed the controversy of his name in the Berkeley investigation head-on.

In the most recent situation, theres now allegations that there are six people missing in St. Louis. If its six people missing in St. Louis, my heart goes out to them. I hope those individuals are found, said Jamal in the YouTube video.

He continued, Now they are writing all types of articles, mentioning how local and national media outlets have picked up on stories with his name around the investigation.

These are major, major media outlets that are tying my name to six people I have never met in my life, said Jamal. Never met them. I dont even know if they watch my lectures. But they are saying that because they watch my lectures, I am responsible for them. I have now been labeled as a cult leader, which is a derogatory misnomer.

Jamal also claimed in a Jan. 2 YouTube video, The only law I have broken was speaking out against oppression, and The only thing I am guilty of is freeing the minds of my people and speaking out against this system, and Ill never back down from that.

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Recent developments

At this point, prosecutors have not charged White in connection with anyones disappearance from the St. Louis-area.

The Berkeley Police Department initially told FOX 2 that the missing group members lived in MaKayla Wickersons home near St. Louis Lambert International Airport for months before vanishing. Police claim the group joined an online cult, without a particular name but with alleged ties to Jamal, before disappearing.

Among the group that disappeared, police say some changed their name to a spiritual God or Goddess on social media, quit their jobs, and cut connections from their family and close friends.

Theyre still blacked out on social media, said Runge on Tuesday. Theyre not responding to anything. Family members have given them money on their Cash App. They havent used them. Weve had no new information on their whereabouts.

As police search for new clues in the missing groups possible locations, police have been working to collect data through various search warrants and communication with several US law enforcement agencies.

Right now, were continuing to get the word out and see if anybody has seen them, said Runge.

If you have any information on the whereabouts of the missing people, contact the Berkeley Police Department at 314-524-3311.

NOTE: Video attached to story from FOX 2s Jan. 8 on-air report.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
Customers traveling with American Airlines will see increased fees for checking a bag on their flights for the first time in more than five years, the airline announced Tuesday.

Travelers will pay $35 for their first checked bag if purchasing online, or $40 if they buy at the airport, the airline said in a press release. The airline previously charged $30 for first checked bags.

The change applies to flights within and between the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

A second checked bag will cost $45, for both those purchased online or at the airport, up from $40, according to the airline.

Most AAdvantage credit card members will get their first eligible checked bag for free on the airlines domestic flights, the carrier noted.

Checked bag fees for Canada and short-haul international flights are also increasing by $5. The first checked bag will now cost $35, and $40 for the second checked bag, whether online or at the airport.

The fee changes will impact flights booked on or after Tuesday, the Fort Worth, Texas-based airline added. The airline said its the first time it has raised bag fees since 2018.

American Airlines is the latest of several carriers to raise bag fees in an effort to increase revenue, CNBC reported. Airline tickets fell by an estimated 6.4 percent over the year ending in January, according to data released by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Fees for slightly overweight bags will also be reduced on American Airlines flights. Those with bags three pounds over the 50-pound limit will now pay $30 instead of the former $100 fee.

The airline is also changing its policy for customers looking to earn points in its AAdvantage loyalty program, in an effort to get travelers to book directly with the carrier.

Customers will earn miles and loyalty points when they book directly with American and eligible partner airlines, or as an AAdvantage Business member or contracted corporate traveler. Customers can also earn miles and points through a specified list of preferred travel agencies, which will be released in late April. This change will begin for tickets issued May 1 or later.

Basic Economy fare tickets will only earn points when directly booking with American and its eligible partner airlines, the carrier added.

We want to make it more convenient for customers to enjoy the value and magic of travel, said Vasu Raja, Americans chief commercial officer. Not only does booking directly with American provide the best possible experience, its also where we offer the best fares and its most rewarding for our AAdvantage members.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
A suspected child sex offender featured on "Americas Most Wanted" was arrested in Florida over the weekend, authorities said.

Davie Albarran, 51, who had a warrant for his arrest in Osceola County for sexual battery on a child under 12 and lewd conduct with a child under 12, was taken into custody in Lakeland on Sunday night, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said Monday.

He has also failed to pay child support in a case out of Orange County, Judd said.

GREAT-GRANDMOTHER, 80, WITH ALZHEIMER'S RAPED AT BAHAMAS RESORT: FAMILY

Davie Albarran, 51, was captured in Florida over the weekend after being featured on "America's Most Wanted," Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said.

"Well, he made a mistake," Judd said during a video posted online. "AMW (America's Most Wanted) ran him all over the nation and he came to Lakeland. When he came to Lakeland, we received confidential information. They said, Hey, we know where this dude is. So we snuck around Sunday night just before midnight in a backyard in Country Haven Drive. Well, it might have been Country Haven Drive, but it was no haven for him."

Upon his capture, Albarran told deputies his name was Jose, Judd said.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

FL MAN ACCUSED OF CHILD SEX CRIMES COULD BE FIRST TO BE PUT TO DEATH UNDER STATE'S EXPANDED DEATH PENALTY LAW

Albarran was featured on the crime show in December 2022, Judd said. His daughter, Ana, previously said she wanted her father locked up, FOX 35 Orlando reported. She created a social media post urging anyone who spotted him to call the authorities.

"Please share and paint the city with his face, she wrote. "My father Davie Albarran is a pedo, he's on the run and the cops are looking for him."

A wanted poster featuring Davie Albarran.

She accused him of acting inappropriately with her when she was a child.

"When I posted it, so many people said, gave me messages saying you know what, your dad did that to me too," she told the news station in 2022.





Original article source: 'America's Most Wanted' suspect linked to child sex crimes caught in Florida
The Prince of Wales talks to British Red Cross employees in London on Tuesday, soon after his statement was released - KIN CHEUNG/POOL VIA REUTERS

In 2018, when he became the first member of the Royal family to pay an official visit to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Prince William spoke carefully of his hopes for a just and lasting peace.

Six years on, in his biggest, boldest public statement to date, the Prince of Wales has poured the strength of his feelings about the people he met into a striking humanitarian plea for the people of Gaza.

In precise language, he urged the return of Israeli hostages, named Hamas as terrorists, invoked Churchill, lamented the sheer scale of human suffering and called outright for an end to the fighting.

In doing so, he waded into the most controversial issue of the day, on the eve of a critical House of Commons vote on calling for an immediate ceasefire.

His intervention was always going to be criticised. The Prince did it anyway.

Having grown up watching his grandmother and his father navigate the line between public duty and public intervention, William weighed up the options and  sources say  decided that the sight of innocent children caught up in conflict was worth the risk of speaking out.

The Prince of Wales listens to Pascal Hundt, senior crisis manager of the International Committee of the Red Cross, on a video call from Gaza to the organisation's London HQ - KIN CHEUNG/POOL VIA REUTERS

It was really important to him, said a source close to the Prince. This is a personal thing for him. He talks a lot about that trip [in 2018], and meeting young people on both sides.

Hes willing to use his platform to make interventions on things that he really believes in.

The Prince did not do so naively.

While Elizabeth II occasionally made her thoughts known in conversation, and King Charles prefers lobbying by letter, Prince Williams written statement left no room for misinterpretation or mishearing.

Unusual message

Low on platitudes and high on specifics, the future King calls for aid to be let in, hostages released and humanitarian support to Gaza increased.

Those across the political and religious divides immediately found fault; plenty questioned the wisdom of saying anything at all.

Nigel Farage told him to stick to the Baftas. Social media users trilled: William has gone woke!

Key global headlines were calmer: the New York Times called it a rare, if measured, public statement; The Times of Israel wrote of an unusual message that expresses concern.

Critically, the Prince has received the vocal support of the Government, whose own messaging matches his closely.

The Prince's visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories in 2018 made a powerful impression on him - GALI TIBBON/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES

The difference in the Princes boldness from 2018 to 2024 is clear and a result of his growing confidence in international diplomacy.

He is also well-versed in the relationship between palace and government, and its limitations - royals are not expected to venture into political opinion, let alone ahead of a vote and in an election year.

He was 32 when his grandmother was heard telling a member of the public: I hope people will think very carefully about the future on the eve of the Scottish independence referendum and received praise and criticism alike for her perceived influence.

His father was so known for having his own opinions that, when asked on his 70th birthday whether he would continue to meddle as King, was moved to clarify: Im not that stupid.

The Prince of Wales has so far been comparatively inscrutable and, like his mother during her landmine campaigning, would no doubt reject the idea that calling for humanitarian aid was too political.

We welcome that intervention

For some years, he has been surrounded by those who could help him tread that line.

At the time of his 2018 trip, the Prince was advised by Sir David Manning, an eminent former diplomat considered a mentor to the young William in his education in global affairs.

Since the summer, he has been advised by David Hunt, who has 21 years at the Foreign Office behind him including stints in Iraq and Washington DC.

Jean-Christophe Gray, the Princes private secretary, who is soon to depart, was also a civil servant and served as the official spokesman for Lord Cameron when he was prime minister. Williams private secretary before him, Simon Case, has moved from palace to Parliament and is now Cabinet Secretary.

Asked about the statement, a spokesman for Downing Street said: We welcome that intervention. It is important that we speak (with) one voice as a nation.

The Princes team had briefed the Foreign Office about his statement ahead of releasing it, and Number 10 was aware of the words in advance.

Prince William touches the Western Wall in Jerusalem, the holiest site where Jews can pray, on his 2018 visit - ABIR SULTAN/AFP

Each was understood to be happy with it, although all sides stopped short of confirming they asked the Prince to say anything in the first place.

If the Prince of Wales wants to say something, the Prince of Wales says something, said one source.

This is incredibly personal for him, said a palace aide, who cautioned against the idea that the 126-word statement had been focus-grouped by a team of contributors.

It does, however, closely echo the words of the Foreign Secretary, and the Governments position that the priority must be an immediate pause in the fighting to get aid in and hostages out, then progress towards a sustainable, permanent ceasefire.

A Downing Street source said of the statement: We saw it in advance and we were comfortable with it.

The timing of the statement, the day before a Commons vote on calling for an immediate ceasefire, also raised questions.

Visit for Red Cross briefing

It was published moments before the Prince arrived at an engagement to hear from the British Red Cross teams on the front line in the region.

There, he told staff his 2018 visit had a lasting impression on me and meant he has always been keeping an eye on whats going on. He spoke, it is said, as a father.

Kensington Palace stressed that the visit had not been deliberately timed. In fact, they said, it had been rearranged from last month, when the Princess of Wales, who had planned to attend with him, was in hospital for abdominal surgery.

Had the Prince released a statement much earlier, the reaction may have been somewhat different: YouGov polling tracks the public as significantly more likely to support a ceasefire now than in November, in the more immediate aftermath of the Hamas atrocities.

Next week, the Prince will visit a synagogue to hear of the recent rise in anti-Semitism.

The Prince has followed the region closely since his visit, said a source close to William. Since October, that has never been more true.

In years gone by, the Prince of Wales has spoken privately about wanting to push the envelope, navigating the challenge of deciding when, where and how to nudge forward the issues he cares about without compromising his position in public life.

It is impossible to please everyone.

He thought about it, said it, and means it

Eugene Rogan, the professor of Modern Middle Eastern History and Fellow of St Antonys College at the University of Oxford, said: Some are bound to criticise him for not mentioning the Israelis held hostage by Hamas in Gaza, in addition to his reference to the Oct 7 attacks.

Others might have wished his language calling for a ceasefire to be more forceful, such as in calling for an immediate ceasefire.

But in my view, he managed to avoid anything overtly political which might have crossed the line in a royal statement.

The statements eight short sentences were simple and to the point.

The only rhetorical flourish was a double reference to Winston Churchill: Even in the darkest hour, we must not succumb to the counsel of despair.

The first part is a reference to Churchills 1940 finest hour speech, in which the German invasion was called the darkest hour in French history. The second - counsel of despair - is a little-known quote from Churchills own 1937 paper on whether partition could bring peace to Palestine.

Whatever criticism or praise Prince Williams words inspire, this was not a statement composed on the hoof. He thought about it, said it and means it.

The next question, of whether he will make it a habit, will define his legacy.

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Russia "wants to steal the entire (Ukraine)", Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said on X (Twitter) on Feb. 20 and called on Western countries to prevent this.

"Feb. 20, 2014. 10 years," the Czech diplomat wrote.

They stole Crimea. They stole Donbas. And now they want to steal the entire country. We must not let that happen.

Lipavsky said in mid-November that Czechia supported the freezing of all Russian state assets.

The official also emphasized that this means the end of the commercial activity through which Russia finances the murders of Ukrainians.

Read also: Zelenskyy discusses defense assistance with Czech counterpart at Munich Security Conference

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
Another bill to encourage Oklahoma school districts to ban cellphone use moved ahead Monday in the state Legislature.

House Bill 3913, authored by Rep. Chad Caldwell, R-Enid, passed the Houses education budget subcommittee 13-0. Its a companion piece to Senate Bill 1321 from Sen. Ally Seifried, R-Claremore, thats already passed the Senate Education Committee. Caldwells bill advances to the House Appropriations and Budget Committee for consideration.

Sen. Ally Seifried, R-Claremore, is the author of Senate Bill 1321, which already has passed the Senate Education Committee. The measure would provide grant-style funding for up to nine middle or high schools to cover the costs associated for sites going cellphone free for the duration of the school day.

Both bills would authorize the Oklahoma State Department of Education to create a one-year pilot program for the 2024-25 academic year. The bill would provide grants to public middle schools, junior high schools and high schools to incentivize phone-free spaces for student learning.

The beauty of the bill is that it doesnt subscribe to a particular method for cellphone restriction, Caldwell said. Because of that, he said, the financial impact of the proposal would depend upon which solution a district chooses.

The pilot program created by the bill would allow for nine schools to participate  three with an average daily membership (ADM) of 500 or less, three with an ADM of 501-1,500 students and three with more than 1,500 students.

Rep. Chad Caldwell, R-Enid

School districts could just ban cellphone usage on their own

During Mondays hearing, Rep. Rhonda Baker, R-Yukon  the chair of the Houses education committee  said she supported the restriction, but asked Caldwell why a school district couldnt just choose to ban cellphones on its own.

They can, Caldwell said. But like a lot of things we do here, (there is) a lot ... our schools can do that they have chosen not to do. We are, in this case, encouraging them to make the right decision. I think we can go out on a limb and say taking away cellphones may not be the most popular with their students or their communities.  It does encourage them (the districts) to make a decision that may not be met with overwhelming support among the student body.

Baker said the difficult part wouldnt necessarily be convincing students of the benefits of a cellphone-free environment. A former teacher, Baker said, parents are often some of the worst offenders, texting their kids throughout the day, and wondered what might happen if a parent simply refused to abide by a cellphone-free policy for their child. Caldwell said that like with most school policies, parents wouldnt have the option to ignore the rule.

More: Should cellphones be allowed in schools? New Oklahoma bill would encourage districts to enact bans

If they dont like this particular program, they can go to another school that better suits their needs, Caldwell said.

In addition to Seifrieds bill, the Senate Education Committee has passed Senate Bill 1314, a proposal that would provide an even more aggressive incentive program. Under that program, the Education Department would create and administer the incentive program. Once a public-school district had its cellphone-free policy approved by the department, it would receive a mid-year adjustment in state aid, based upon the districts enrollment  $100,000 for those with an average daily attendance (ADA) of 500 or less, $500,000 for districts with enrollments of 501-1,500 students and $1 million for districts with more than 1,500 students.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Bill to incentivize Oklahoma school cellphone bans gets committee OK




The progressive Squad's Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., joined critics of the New York City Police Department's dance team  but not over concerns about crime.



"How many school music programs got defunded for this," AOC, who notoriously has supported the defund the police movement, wrote on X.



The NYPD's dance team recently performed live for the local PIX 11 news station, sparking swift condemnation online that the department is not focusing on combating crime or enforcing the law. Other critics who spoke to Fox News Digital said they found the video offensive not only to taxpayers, but also to women who work in law enforcement.



"If that's what you need to do, do that on your own time. At a time when violent crime is off the roof in New York City , this is not appropriate," Nicole Parker, a former FBI agent and Fox News Contributor, told Fox News Digital. "This is not keeping the community safe and is very concerning."

NYPD DANCE TEAM UNDER FIRE AMID CRIME CONCERNS

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., speaks to reporters on Dec. 13, 2023.

Replying to Ocasio-Cortez's reaction, some X users  while still condemning the seven-member police dance team's performance  said the congresswoman missed the mark.

"How many people in your district are getting screwed over by the migrant invasion?" one user said.

"How many school music programs could we fund if we got rid of useless, harmful politicians like you?" another asked.



"Isnt this the type of police that you like, the ones who dont actually enforce laws," a third person wrote.

The NYPD is facing opposition over its extracurricular dance crew, with critics demanding officers focus more on combating crime.

NYPD MIGRANT ATTACK: ALVIN BRAGG FOLDS ON CATCH-AND-RELEASE, BUT JUDGE GIVES $1 BAIL TO SUSPECTED GANG MEMBER



Last April, Ocasio-Cortez notably criticized New York City Mayor Eric Adams for increasing police salaries  a move that came following years of law enforcement recruitment and retention woes in the wake of 2020 racial justice protests and riots, as well as the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent vaccine mandates. AOC took issue with how most officers "are paid more than a teacher with a masters degree serving the same kids involved in the same incidents."

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"We are defunding safety, defunding our public schools, defunding our public pools, defunding our parks, defunding our libraries, when we are taking all of those resources, and demanding that every single department, except the militarized one, be cut," she said at the time.

The viral police dance crew video comes at a time when New York City is strapped for resources in managing the influx of more than 170,000 migrants.

Yohenry Brito, is seen in Manhattan Supreme Court at the arraignment of five men who were allegedly involved in a gang assault on two NYPD officers.

On Jan. 27, a gang of migrants was accused of attacking two NYPD officers in Times Square. A week and a half later, on Feb. 8, a teenage migrant allegedly shot a woman at a Times Square clothing store before opening fire on NYPD officers.

The NYPD released the citywide January crime statistics showing that robbery increased by nearly 6% as well as a small increase in grand larceny. Authorities added that crimes in the subway and transit systems, which accounts for just 2% of all major crime committed in New York City, saw an increase of 70 index crimes (222 vs. 152) in January.

CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Authorities claim that there are continued declines across most major crime categories, compared to the first month of last year, which included substantial drops in murder, rape, burglary, and felony assault  despite the most recent rise in violent crimes over the last month.



Fox News' Stepheny Price contributed to this report.





Original article source: AOC joins critics of NYPD dance team, but for a very different reason
APS wants another rate hike and, despite huge profits last year, says it's absolutely necessary.

Arizona Public Services customers, hold onto your wallets.

The Arizona Corporation Commission this week will decide whether to hike your electricity bill by double digits.

This, after having hiked your electricity bill last year by 8% to cover increased fuel costs.

It is, APS tells us, regrettably necessary to raise rates again to ensure a reliable and resilient energy grid.

Which is code for we need to gouge the utilitys 1.3 million customers to ensure massive profits for the already massively profitable utility.

Big profits last year weren't good enough?

APS is looking to boost its return on investment to 10.25%, up from 8.9%.

What, last years haul wasnt good enough?

Pinnacle West Capital Corp., APS parent company, enjoyed a 22% boost in profits in the third quarter of 2023, thanks to record summer heat that made the rest of us miserable and made the company and its investors rich(er).

Next week, Pinnacle West will announce its fourth-quarter profits.

Rather than waiting to find out whether the states largest utility really needs more of our money, however, the commission is scheduled to decide on Thursday whether to give APS hundreds of millions of dollars more out of our pockets.

Sure, that makes sense.

APS seeks an average rate hike of 11%

Last year, the commission granted an 8% price boost to cover the rising cost of natural gas. Thats not to be confused with last years new line-item charge to cover the cost of reimbursing APS after a court settlement in a previous rate case.

In all, the average residential customer paid nearly 11% more per kilowatt hour last summer than the previous summer.

Now APS wants another $376 million, or what it says is an average 11% price hike for residential customers.

The consumer-focused Residential Utility Consumer Office estimates that the rate increase will be closer to 15.5%, even if the Corporation Commission adopts the slightly lower rate recommendation of its administrative law judge.

RUCO is recommending that APS get an $84 million raise, to be covered by a 2.5% rate increase. That would actually lower APS return-on-investment from 8.9% to 8.7%.

APS claims it needs this to provide power

Dont look for that to happen, as APS is far too well connected in political, business and civic circles to have to take a hit.

Ultimately, this rate case is necessary to ensure that we can continue to support Arizona with a reliable energy system, even when its 120 outside, APS spokeswoman Ashley Kelly told ABC 15s Anne Ryman.

Yeah, yeah, the grid will collapse and the Valley will make like a tiki torch and burst into flames if APS isnt allowed to score bigger profits. We know.

Count consumer advocate Abhay Padgaonkar among the unconvinced.

This Corporation Commission is on a crusade to crucify consumers  and, worse yet, gaslighting them into believing that it is protecting them, Padgaonkar told me.

My estimate based on the EIA (U.S. Energy Information Administration) data is that after this APS rate case is approved, APS average electricity rate may become about 50% higher than SRPs rates. That is completely unjustifiable and unacceptable.

Don't expect utility regulators to say no

And likely unavoidable, given the current makeup of this utility friendly Corporation Commission.

A commission, by the way, on which three of the five seats are on this years ballot.

Anna Tovar, the commissions lone Democrat, is not seeking reelection. That leaves commission Chairman Jim OConnor and Commissioner Lea Marquez Peterson.

Now might be a very good time to start paying attention.

Reach Roberts at laurie.roberts@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on X, formerlyTwitter, at @LaurieRoberts or on Threads at laurierobertsaz.

Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona Public Service wants more of our money. Again, that is
UNITED NATIONS (AP)  The United States on Tuesday vetoed an Arab-backed and widely supported U.N. resolution demanding an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war in the embattled Gaza Strip, saying it would interfere with negotiations on a deal to free hostages abducted in Israel.

The vote in the 15-member Security Council was 13-1 with the United Kingdom abstaining, reflecting the strong support from countries around the globe for ending the war, which started when Hamas militants invaded southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing about 1,200 people and taking 250 others hostage. Since then, more than 29,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israels military offensive, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which says the vast majority were women and children.

It was the third U.S. veto of a Security Council resolution demanding a cease-fire in Gaza and came a day after the United States circulated a rival resolution that would support a temporary cease-fire linked to the release of all hostages.

Virtually every council member  including the United States  expressed concern at the impending catastrophe in Gazas southern city of Rafah, where some 1.5 million Palestinians have sought refuge, if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu goes ahead with his plan to evacuate civilians and move Israels military offensive to the area bordering Egypt, where Israel says Hamas fighters are hiding.

Before the vote, Algerias U.N. Ambassador Amar Bendjama, the Arab representative on the council, said: A vote in favor of this draft resolution is a support to the Palestinians right to life. Conversely, voting against it implies an endorsement of the brutal violence and collective punishment inflicted against them.

U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield countered by saying the United States understands the desire for urgent action but believes the resolution would negatively impact sensitive negotiations on a hostage deal and a pause in fighting for at least six weeks. If that happens, we can take the time to build a more enduring peace, she said.

The proposed U.S. resolution, she said, would do what this text does not  pressure Hamas to take the hostage deal that is on the table and help secure a pause that allows humanitarian assistance to reach Palestinian civilians in desperate need.

She told reporters the Arab draft did not link the release of the hostages to a cease-fire, which would give Hamas a halt to fighting without requiring it to take any action. That would mean that the fighting would have continued because without the hostage releases we know that the fighting is going to continue, she said.

Israels U.N. Ambassador Gilad Erdan said the word cease-fire is used in the Security Council, the General Assembly and by U.N. officials as if it is a silver bullet, a magical solution to all of the regions problems.

He called that an absurd notion, warning that a cease-fire in Gaza would enable Hamas to rearm and regroup and their next attempted genocide against Israelis will only be a question of when, not if.

Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian U.N. ambassador, shot back that the "message given today to Israel with this veto is that it can continue to get away with murder.

He warned that more babies will be killed and orphaned, more children will die of hunger, cold and disease, more families will be threatened with further forced displacement, and Gazas entire 2.3 million population will be left without food, water, medicine and shelter.

And in a sharply critical message to the United States, Israels closest ally, Mansour said: It means that human lives that could have been saved are instead being forsaken to Israels genocidal war machine, deliberately, knowingly, by those who oppose a cease-fire.

What happens next remains to be seen.

The 22-nation Arab Group could take its resolution to the U.N. General Assembly, which includes all 193 U.N. member nations, where it is virtually certain to be approved. But unlike Security Council resolutions, assembly resolutions are not legally binding.

The Arab-backed resolution would have demanded an immediate humanitarian cease-fire to be respected by all parties, which implies an end to the war.

By contrast, the U.S. draft resolution would support a temporary cease-fire as soon as practicable, based on the formula of all hostages being released, and call for lifting all barriers to the provision of humanitarian assistance at scale.

It is the first time the U.S. has used the word cease-fire, as opposed to cessation of hostilities.

The Arab draft would also have demanded the immediate release of all hostages, rejected the forced displacement of Palestinian civilians and called for unhindered humanitarian access throughout Gaza.

Without naming either party, it would have condemned all acts of terrorism and reiterated the councils unwavering commitment to a two-state solution with two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, living side-by-side in peace.

In measures sure to anger Israel  and reinforce differences and tensions between U.S. President Joe Biden and Israels Netanyahu  the U.S. draft resolution reiterates the same unwavering commitment to a two-state solution, which the Israeli leader opposes.

Biden has repeatedly called on Israel to protect Palestinian civilians, and the draft resolution says Israels planned major ground offensive in Rafah should not proceed under current circumstances.

In another criticism directed at Israel, the U.S. draft condemns calls by government ministers for the resettlement of Gaza and rejects an attempt at demographic or territorial change in Gaza that would violate international law.

Thomas-Greenfield said the United States was not setting a deadline for a vote on its proposed resolution

Russias U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia accused the United States of duplicitous and hypocritical calls for the council to wait for diplomacy to produce results on a hostage deal.

It could not yield any results because the real goal of Washington is not to achieve peace in the Middle East, not to protect civilians, but rather to advance their geopolitical agenda, demanding at any cost for their closest Middle East ally to be shielded, Nebenzia told the council, claiming that the U.S. has given an effective license for Israel to kill Palestinians.

While this was the third U.S. veto of a Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire, the council has adopted two resolutions on Gaza where the U.S. abstained.

Its first resolution, on Nov. 15, called for humanitarian pauses to address the escalating crisis for Palestinian civilians. In late November, a seven-day pause led to the release of 120 hostages held by Hamas in exchange for Israels release of 200 Palestinian prisoners.

On Dec. 22, the council adopted a watered-down resolution calling for immediately speeding aid deliveries to desperate civilians in Gaza, but without the original plea for an urgent suspension of hostilities between Israel and Hamas.

It did call for creating the conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities. The steps were not defined, but diplomats said it was the councils first reference to stopping fighting. Because of ongoing fighting and no new humanitarian pause, little aid has gotten into Gaza.

.
GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV)  The Green Bay Police Department is searching for a suspect after an alleged robbery at El Ranchito on Saturday evening.

According to the Green Bay Police Department, officers were sent to the restaurant, and employees told authorities a man had come into the business with a handgun and demanded money.

UPDATE: Green Bay firefighter sent to hospital after costly fire on Klaus Street

The suspect was reportedly given an undisclosed amount of cash and then fled east on foot on Stuart Street. No injuries were reported from the armed robbery.

Green Bay Police described the suspect as about 60 tall and weighing around 200 pounds. The suspect wore a black mask, beige or light gray hooded sweatshirt, black or dark gray pants, white shoes, and a light blue backpack.

With the help of surveillance images, officers believe that the suspect may have been walking in the area earlier in the afternoon but was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, black or dark gray pants, and black shoes with the same light blue backpack.

Two deaths in Wisconsin believed to be connected as deputies continue investigation

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Green Bay Police Department at (920) 448-3200 and reference case #24-208146.

No additional details were provided.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton.
New York Supreme Court Judge Arthur Engoron, who presided over former President Trump's contentious civil fraud trial, is a longtime judge who once pursued a career in music, drove a yellow taxi and still authors an alumni newsletter about his high school.

Engoron was born in Queens, New York, in the late 1940s before his family moved to Long Island, where he attended The Wheatley School, a public high school in Old Westbury, New York. Engoron was active at the school, running track and contributing to the school newspaper before graduating from the school in 1967.

Years after his graduation, Engoron founded the Wheatley Alumni Association and still authors the group's online newsletter. Engoron published the most recent newsletter entry on Monday, boasting of increased traffic on the blog, listing the compliments the newsletter had received and detailing life updates of past Wheatley graduates.

"Please send me your autobiography before someone else sends me your obituary," he concluded, as he does in every post before signing off as "Art."

TRUMP BLASTS 'CLUBHOUSE POLITICIAN' JUDGE AFTER BEING FINED $350M, DEFENDS THE 'GREAT COMPANY' HE BUILT

Justice Arthur Engoron presides over the civil fraud trial of the Trump Organization at the New York State Supreme Court in New York City on Nov. 13, 2023.

After high school, he attended Columbia University in Manhattan and even drove a yellow taxi cab while pursuing his undergraduate degree. While hearing a case in 2012 related to New York City taxi cabs, Engoron stated he loved his time as a cab driver because he learned "how to drive like a maniac without being caught," according to ABC News.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

Years later, he attended the New York University School of Law, graduating in 1979.

Immediately after receiving his law degree, he joined the law firm Olwine, Connelly, Chase, ODonnell & Weyher as an associate, crossing paths with the late Judith Kaye, who served as chief judge of the State of New York Court of Appeals. Engoron departed the firm to join another firm, Pryor, Cashman, Sherman & Flynn, as an associate in 1981.

TRUMP VISITS MANHATTAN COURT TO BLAST NYAG CASE, PRAISES APPELLATE RULING IN HIS FAVOR

Engoron, though, left that firm in 1983 to pursue a career in the music industry, ABC News reported. For years, he worked as a musical instructor.

"I have had a lot of lawyers who got to another firm, but he's the only one who told me he was leaving to pursue music," James Janowitz, a partner at Pryor, Cashman, Sherman & Flynn, told ABC News last year.

New York Judge Arthur Engoron, right, ruled on Friday that former President Trump must pay over $350 million in damages to the state of New York as the result of his civil fraud trial.

He ultimately returned to the law profession when, in 1991, he became a principal law clerk for New York Supreme Court Justice Martin Schoenfield. He remained in that position for 11 years.

In 2003, Engoron became a judge on the New York City Civil Court and, a decade later, he was appointed to be an acting justice of the states trial court. In 2015, he ran unopposed for a permanent spot on the court.

According to his official New York court biography, Engoron remains a member of the New York County Lawyers Association, the American Civil Liberties Union, Brehon Law Society, Columbia College and NYU Law Alumni Associations, Jewish Lawyers Guild and New York Women's Bar Association.

TRUMP'S GAG ORDER CHALLENGE IN NEW YORK AG LETITIA JAMES' CIVIL SUIT REJECTED

Meanwhile, last week, in his most high-profile case, Engoron barred Trump from operating his business in New York for three years and ordered the former president to pay $355 million in damages. The case was initiated after Democratic New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a lawsuit alleging Trump inflated his assets and committed fraud.

New York Attorney General Letitia James sits in the courtroom during the fraud trial of former President Trump on Nov. 3, 2023. After Judge Arthur Engoron handed down his ruling last week, James claimed victory and stated that "justice has been served," adding that it was a "tremendous victory" for the state and nation.

In a 92-page decision, Engoron ruled that Trump and the defendants were liable for "persistent and repeated fraud," "falsifying business records," "issuing false financial statements," "conspiracy to falsify false financial statements," "insurance fraud," and "conspiracy to commit insurance fraud."

Engoron took time in the ruling to criticize Trump and his participation in the trial, stating that he "rarely responded to the questions asked, and he frequently interjected long, irrelevant speeches on issues far beyond the scope of the trial."

ERIC TRUMP CONDEMNS NY 'SET-UP': MY FATHER BUILT NYC SKYLINE AND THIS IS HIS THANKS

"His refusal to answer the questions directly, or in some cases, at all, severely compromised his credibility," Engoron wrote.

Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., right, blasted New York State Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron, left, in an ethics complaint filed late last year.

Over the course of the trial late last year, Trump and his allies repeatedly criticized Engoron  who throughout his career has exclusively donated to Democrats  over his handling of the case.

"We shouldnt be having a case here because we have a disclaimer clause that every court holds up except this judge," Trump said in November. "They're trying to hurt me  especially her, for political reasons," Trump added in reference to James.

CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Additionally, House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., filed an ethics complaint against Engoron in November, alleging he had exhibited "inappropriate bias and judicial intemperance" in the case.

Fox News Digital's Brooke Singman and The Associated Press contributed to this report.





Original article source:Who is Arthur Engoron, the judge who ordered Trump to pay $350M in NY civil fraud case?
In the historic Feb. 13 impeachment of Alejandro Mayorkas, House Republicans said the Homeland Security secretary "willfully and systematically refused to comply with immigration laws" and "breached public trust" by falsely telling Congress the U.S.-Mexico border was secure.

This is the second time in U.S. history that a Cabinet member has been impeached; the first was in 1876, when Secretary of War William Belknap was impeached for taking kickbacks.

We reviewed what the articles of impeachment say Mayorkas did or did not do and found the articles misconstrued what is possible under immigration law and congressional appropriations.

Constitutional scholars, former Homeland Security secretaries and immigration experts have criticized the impeachment, saying the articles cite policy disagreements rather than impeachable offenses, which include "treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors."

Refusing to comply with immigration law by not detaining people

House Republicans said Mayorkas "willfully and systematically" refused to comply with the law by refusing to enforce a detention mandate. This charge lacks context about the federal governments capacity to detain migrants who cross the southern U.S. border.

Federal immigration law generally requires that people who enter the U.S. illegally be detained while they await court proceedings.

Immigrant detention can involve multiple federal agencies. People who are apprehended at the border are temporarily taken into custody by Border Patrol agents as they decide next steps. Some people are transferred from temporary border holding facilities to detention centers across the country operated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

But theres not enough detention space for the large number of migrants who cross the southern border.

"Due to consistent and significant funding shortfalls  DHS has never had sufficient detention capacity to maintain in custody every single person," U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in a 2022 opinion about the program known as Remain in Mexico.

In fiscal year 2023, Congress allocated money for immigration authorities to detain 34,000 people. That year, Immigration officials encountered migrants 3.2 million times  a number that represents events, not people. If one person tries to enter the country three times and is stopped each time by border officials, for example, that equals three encounters, even if its the same person.

Although immigration law requires that people be detained, courts have long debated whether people can be indefinitely detained, according to the Congressional Research Service.

Mounting backlogs of millions of immigration cases mean that court proceedings can take years to resolve. And not every country will accept its nationals who have been deported from the U.S.

So even if there were enough detention space, there probably would be legal challenges to holding people for extended periods.

Impeachment articles say Mayorkas made false statements to Congress

Rep. Mark Green, R-Tenn., chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, arrives for a meeting on Capitol Hill on Jan. 30. The committee met to mark up articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

The impeachment articles also say, "Mayorkas knowingly made false statements to Congress that the border is secure  and that DHS has operational control of the border."

The missing context is that given the legal definition of operational control, no administration has ever achieved it.

Operational control is a legal term that was defined by Congress in the 2006 Secure Fence Act. The law tasks DHS with preventing all illegal entries into the U.S., including "terrorists, other unlawful aliens, instruments of terrorism, narcotics, and other contraband."

During an April 2022 House committee hearing, Republicans questioned Mayorkas about whether he had "operational control" of the border.

"Will you testify under oath right now? Do we have operational control, yes or no?" Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, asked Mayorkas during the 2022 hearing.

"Yes, we do," Mayorkas responded.

Roy read the 2006 legal definition of operational control and asked, "Do you stand by your testimony that we have operational control in light of this definition?"

"I do, and Congressman, I think the secretary of Homeland Security would have said the same thing in 2020 and in 2019," Mayorkas responded.

Roy switched discussion topics before Mayorkas could elaborate.

Last March, U.S. Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz told a House committee that the Biden administration did not have "operational control" over the southern border. Soon after, Senate Republicans pressed Mayorkas to assess the issue again.

"Do we or dont we?" Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., asked Mayorkas.

Mayorkas said when gauging operational control, he does "not use the definition that appears in the Secure Fence Act."

"So the way I define it is maximizing the resources that we have to deliver the most effective results, and we are indeed doing that," Mayorkas said.

Impeachment uses program termination as evidence; Supreme Court signed off

House Republicans said Mayorkas "breached the public trust" by refusing "to control and guard the boundaries and borders of the United States against the illegal entry of aliens."

As evidence, the articles of impeachment cite Mayorkas termination of Migrant Protection Protocols. The Trump-era program, also known as Remain in Mexico, sent some migrants seeking asylum back to Mexico to await immigration court proceedings.

Mayorkas ended the program. However, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that ending it did not violate immigration law.

House Republicans cited a lower courts ruling forcing Biden to restart the program as evidence that Mayorkas failed to fulfill his duty to secure the border, and said that ending the program increased illegal immigration. But the impeachment articles dont acknowledge the Supreme Courts decision that allowed the program to end.

Also, the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute has raised doubts about the programs effectiveness at lowering illegal immigration.

Our sources

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: What House articles of impeachment allege Mayorkas did or didn't do
(Bloomberg) -- Lawyers for Julian Assange will make one last attempt to block his extradition to the US, where he faces decades in prison over spying charges in the long-running battle thats spanned more than a decade.

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The WikiLeaks founder asked a London judge for permission to appeal the UKs 2022 decision to extradite him to the US where hes charged with criminal espionage for leaking classified documents. His lawyers argue that sending him to the US would breach his human rights while other supporters say it would be an attack on free speech.

Lawyers for Assange said in court on Tuesday that exposing state criminality is a political act of opinion that should prevent him being sent to the US.

The UK approved his transfer to the US in 2022 after a court signed off on the decision. A previous judge initially blocked his extradition over concerns he would kill himself if sent to a high security prison.

Assange, 52-years-old, has been in prison or in the Ecuadorian embassy in London since 2012, as he fought attempts to send him to face charges first in Sweden and then in the US.

The Swedish case against him was dropped, but the US government in 2019 charged him under spying laws for his role in releasing hundreds of thousands of pages of classified documents via WikiLeaks, with the help of US Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning.

There could not be more at stake in a single court case than there is in the Julians case, Stella Assange, his wife, said in a statement. Journalists must have the right to report the facts that governments and corporations want to hide, otherwise a truly free press is impossible.

Supporters including politicians, several human rights and press freedom groups, have argued that the ruling leaves questions about the medias ability to report from classified sources. WikiLeaks published diplomatic cables and emails including a video that showed a U.S. air strike that ended up killing a member of the Reuters news staff in Baghdad.

Should the latest court bid fail all legal avenues will have been exhausted.

Lawyers for the US government asked the judge to dismiss the appeal as they are points that have already been litigated at previous hearings.

(Updates with a comment from Stella Assange in the seventh paragraph)

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Stella Assange, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assanges wife, said the world is watching her husbands extradition appeal hearing Tuesday.

We have two big days ahead. We dont know what to expect, but youre here because the world is watching. They have to know they cant get away with this, Stella Assange said at a protest outside of the Royal Courts of Justice in London, in a clip highlighted by Mediaite.

Julian needs his freedom, and we all need the truth, she continued.

Julian Assange has been attempting to avoid extradition to the U.S. for more than a decade, where he has been indicted on 17 charges including espionage and computer misuse.

He assisted U.S. Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning in stealing diplomatic cables and military files, which would later be published on WikiLeaks, American prosecutors allege.

Assange has spent the last five years in Belmarsh Prison, on the outskirts of London. Before that, he spent seven years in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London.

He is being prosecuted for engaging in ordinary journalistic practice of obtaining and publishing classified information, information that is both true and of obvious and important public interest, Edward Fitzgerald, Assanges lawyer, said in court, per The Associated Press.

Assanges fate could be decided at the end of the two-day hearing Wednesday, but its more likely that it could take weeks for the judges to decide on his conviction, the AP reported.

Assange and WikiLeaks were responsible for the exposure of criminality on the part of the U.S. government on an unprecedented scale, Fitzgerald said in written submissions, according to the AP.

The WikiLeaks founders lawyers have also said that, if convicted, he risks facing up to 175 years in prison, but American authorities have disagreed and said his sentence will probably be shorter.

The Associated Press contributed.

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Thierno Sadou Barry, his daughter, Adama, and wife, Oumou, right, enter the Roosevelt Hotel to reapply for shelter, in Manhattan on Jan. 30, 2024. (Todd Heisler/The New York Times)

NEW YORK  On the last day of 2023, Thierno Sadou Barry walked from his homeless shelter near Times Square to Harlem, looking to buy inexpensive suitcases he could fill up with all his possessions.

Barry and his wife, Oumou Barry, had fled political persecution in Guinea. Now, the couple and their baby daughter had to leave the homeless shelter where they had lived since their arrival in New York City nine months earlier, under recent city rules that limit shelter stays and have forced thousands of families to move.

As he walked, Thierno Barry cursed himself for leaving Guinea and coming to this cold, unforgiving place.

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Back home, he had been at risk of death  and what use, he had wondered, would a dead man have been to his family? And so he had abandoned his aging parents, his preschool-aged daughter and his young sons. But now he was losing hope that he could ever send for them. He couldnt even send money home to support them.

I cant even tell you how anxious, stressed and despairing I am right now, he said in French. He had heard some families were being sent to tent shelters after they were evicted. Can you imagine, with an 8-month-old baby?

The Barrys are among the tens of thousands of migrants who have filled city homeless shelters over the last year and a half. But in recent weeks, many have gotten letters saying it is time to move out.

The evictions are part of an effort by the Adams administration to tamp down ballooning costs for the migrant shelters and to clear space for new immigrants who continue to arrive from the border.

The Barrys applied for asylum and are waiting for a work permit. Their political persecution claim seems strong. But the process is long and uncertain. So, like the tens of thousands of other migrants in the city, they are stuck waiting in a bureaucratic purgatory, increasingly worried the place they traveled so far to reach does not want them.

The problem with all this waiting, is waiting until when? Thierno Barry said, adding, Getting kicked out of the place where you thought youd at least be safe. Its like being told that my future is much more uncertain than I could have imagined.

The Barrys arrived by plane in New York City on March 26, by way of Brazil, Nicaragua and California. They had to leave three of their children behind with family members and friends, but two days after they got to California after crossing the southern border, Oumou Barry had given birth to a new daughter, Adama.

A cabdriver at the airport in New York where they arrived asked where they wanted to go, but they had no idea. The driver dropped them off at the Row NYC in midtown Manhattan.

The Row was a four-star hotel that had been converted into a homeless shelter. No one spoke French. But they found help from volunteers working at the bus station nearby. Thierno Barry got a MetroCard and signed up for food stamps. They were connected with Andrew Heinrich, a lawyer and the executive director of the nonprofit Project Rousseau, who offered them pro bono legal assistance in managing the asylum application process.

They felt lucky, but also isolated, and haunted by guilt.

Leaving your children behind, its really not easy to live with that, Oumou Barry said. I want to speak with my children, but its so difficult. So I look at pictures of them. I settle for that.

On the August day Thierno Barry filed for asylum, he told his lawyer that it felt like a new birthday. The day he would receive his papers would be like a baptism.

But first, there would be months of waiting for an uncertain outcome. About half of asylum claims were denied last year.

Many migrants work off the books while they wait for legal clearance. The Barrys did not, terrified of jeopardizing their case. Im not going to go against the law, Thierno Barry said.

Instead, the Barrys signed up for English classes, so they would have more options once they had work permits. They expected the permits to arrive in March, 180 days after they submitted their asylum claim.

In English class one day, Thierno Barry said his teacher explained the phases of culture shock that people can experience when they arrive in new places. First comes the honeymoon. Its the excitement phase. You see the big buildings, youre really over-excited, Thierno Barry recalled one day in October, walking up a noisy stretch of Eighth Avenue next to the Port Authority as Times Square glowed nearby.

The second phase was frustration, Thierno Barry said, which by late fall he was feeling acutely.

His lawyer, Heinrich, encouraged him to focus on gathering evidence for his asylum case. So in December, Thierno Barry recounted his story as Heinrich typed.

Coming to New York City had never been Thierno Barrys plan. Barry attended university in Conakry, Guineas capital, for four years, and afterward opened a shop selling imported textiles from China.

But by January 2023, he and his wife knew they needed to leave as soon as possible. There had been a coup in September 2021, and a military junta promising reforms had instead ramped up political persecution of opposition groups. Thierno Barry had participated in protests, and members of the military showed up at his house looking for him.

The Barrys relatives had also been pressuring them to have their 4-year-old daughters genitals cut. The parents say its tradition, that we have to do it, too, Oumou Barry said. To this day Im still suffering. I dont want my daughters to go through the same thing I did.

Heinrich asked if Thierno Barry could think of any evidence of political persecution that he could present to a judge.

I think with articles, its possible, Thierno Barry answered, referring to news reports, adding, Many markets were set on fire. Thats known by everybody, you can Google it.

Thierno Barry looked through his phone for pictures. Sometimes he stopped and stared into space, his hands clasped on his lap. When they began to discuss his 4-year-old daughter and female genital mutilation, Thierno Barry began to cry. He brought his right hand to his temple, covering his face and eyes.

Every time I talk to her, she asks me, Why did you abandon me, why did you abandon me? he said quietly.

Just after 8 a.m. on Jan. 30, the Barrys left the Row hotel with most of their belongings  three backpacks, a crib, a car seat, a stroller, a large suitcase and a shoulder bag with baby necessities  and loaded them into an Uber.

Thierno Barry had heard a rumor at the shelter that if they showed up at the Department of Homeless Services family intake center in the Bronx, they might avoid another eviction notice and be given a permanent shelter placement.

There was something to that rumor. The city now has two systems for homeless families, one for migrants and one for everyone else. In January, there were 15,000 families in the new migrant system. The migrants are subject to rolling eviction notices, while families in the regular system are not.

The Barrys waited for five hours at the Bronx center, until a worker ushered them out the door. They told us to wait so we waited, and now theyre telling us we need to go, Thierno Barry said.

No one told them why they had to leave, but after they gathered their belongings they were sent to board a van with another migrant family. The van dropped them on 45th Street in Manhattan, outside the Roosevelt Hotel, the citys main intake center for migrants.

New arrivals go there for placement in shelters, but in recent weeks it has become a holding area for families who have been kicked out and are hoping to reapply for shelter assignments. When the Barrys entered the hotel, they found hundreds of families ahead of them. Hours passed.

Just before 2 a.m., a worker told Thierno Barry that the family would be assigned a room at the Americana Inn, eight blocks from where they had been staying at the Row hotel.

The room was tiny, with space for a twin bed, arranged flush against the walls, and a sink. There was no room for the crib. Thierno Barry slept on the floor so his wife and baby could share the bed.

In the morning, Thierno Barry begged hotel workers for a bigger room. They assigned him a room where they were able to cram in the crib. Well do with it while we wait, he said.

He had counted the days. By the time the next 60 days were up, his work permit would be on the way.

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